One Please: Movie Review

Fantastic Mr. Fox

2009-12-10T15:24:00.000-08:00

[3 stars]

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

Genre: Animated

87 minutes - PG rating

Director: Wes Anderson

Starring: (voice talent) George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwarzman, Bill Murray

Brief Plot: Loosely based on the Roald Dahl book of the same name - "Angry farmers, tired of sharing their chickens with a sly fox, look to get rid of their opponent and his family" - IMDB

Best Audience: Wes Anderson fans and anyone who is looking for an animated film that looks, sounds, and feels different than any other.

My Review: Wes Anderson's stop-motion tale is, as named, 'fantastic.' The stop motion is beautifully and painstakingly constructed and the result is surprisingly smooth and lucid. It's a joy just to look at. Combine the visuals with a powerhouse voice cast and a delightful script and you've just about summed up Fantastic Mr. Fox. One of the best things about Fantastic Mr Fox is that it is so wildly different than any of the other animated films that are being produced, and that is only a very small part of the appeal. Probably the only film capable of challenging Pixar's 'Up' come oscar season.

Quickfire Update

2009-12-05T19:10:00.000-08:00

Let's get down to business. I've neglected the blog for the past couple months but I'm hoping to be able to get back into the swing of things, especially with the December/January movies coming out. So buckle up and browse through these reviews which were neglected until now.

The Time Traveler's Wife (2009)

[1 and 1/2 stars]

My Review: This movie just never got very far before it's appeal vanished into thin air faster than Eric Bana. It has the same premise throughout, with only some minor twists in plot development and not enough character development to make you care about the protagonists' lives.

(500) Days of Summer (2009)

[3 and 1/2 stars]

My Review: 500 Days of Summer was this year's most pleasant surprise and possibly the summer's best film. Big Beach Films (Little Miss Sunshine) delivers another gem capitalizing on superb performances by both Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel. In the end it's the unconventional story line and the willingness to break genre cliche that catapults 500 Days of Summer into the category of unforgettable.

District 9 (2009)

[2 and 1/2 stars]

My Review: The Peter Jackson produced District 9 proved a satisfying dose of science fiction geekness, but the problem is that it may have strayed too far from it's nerdy roots to keep you emotionally invested. District 9 welcomes newcomer director Neill Blomkamp and unheard of actor Sharlto Copely with vigor, dishing up an imaginative alien-filled spectacle which is technically sound; the only trouble is that some may wonder what humanitarian propaganda is doing in a movie they wanted to be a sci-fi getaway.

The Informant! (2009)

[2 stars]

My Review: Matt Damon shows yet another testament to his acting abilities by effortlessly assuming the role that most other stars would have botched. Unfortunately, it isn't enough to save this picture, which often seemed inconsistent in what it wanted to portray to the audience.

Zombieland (2009)

[3 stars]

My Review: Zombieland succeeds where so many of the other summer movies failed: by dishing up a story that connects on all cylinders and cares more about relating a good plot with enjoyable characters rather than overloaded action sequences or forced humor. A cleverly delivered spectacle that combines the best elements of zombie and road movies.

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

2009-08-08T13:15:00.000-07:00

** (2 stars)

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
Genre: Action
118 minutes - PG13 rating
Director: Stephen Sommers
Starring: Channing Tatum, Sienna Miller, Marlon Wayans, Dennis Quaid, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rachel Nichols, Ray Park, and more.

Brief Plot: Duke (Tatum) and Ripcord (Wayans) are two army buds on a mission to deliver some high-tech warheads. When the warheads are subsequently stolen by a crooked arms dealer they are taken in and fight alongside the G.I. Joes, a secret multi-national military organization dedicated to saving the earth from evil villains. Mayhem ensues as the Joes try to stop the evil terrorists from destroying several key cities in the world.

Best Audience: It's an true-fire action movie; that's where the buck stops. You'll enjoy it if you are expecting that when you walk into the theater. Relentless action violence may make the film unsuitable for younger teens.

My Review: G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra is a movie with a title that just reeks of 'sequel'. And true to that, the film ends with a realm of possibilities to expand for future installments. It is almost as pretentious a notion of 'franchising' as what we saw in the first Transformers movie and, coincidentally, the two films share much in common. I was ready for Sommers to let me down but he didn't do too bad of a job. Despite some terribly cheesy dialogue, the script and story were decent and had a good twist or two to keep you interested throughout the two hour run-time. The action is non-stop with little or no room to catch your breath, and, like Transformers 2, made me antsy by the time the final climactic battle scenes were underway. Besides Transformers, you may find little hints of Star Wars, Iron Man, X-men, and a variety of other action franchises throughout the film. An attempt at romantic subplot did little to break up the action for me, but the ninja back story proved more effective. Altogether, G.I. Joe is a free-for-all CGI-gorging trigger-happy explosions-laden action-palooza that had some enjoyable moments and some forgettable ones. Despite seeming a bit pretentious, the film doesn't take itself too seriously, and, as long as you don't, you won't walk out disappointed.

Up

2009-08-08T12:48:00.001-07:00

*** (3 stars)

Up (2009)
Genre: Animated/Family
96 minutes - G rating
Director: Pete Doctor and Bob Peterson
Starring: (voice talents) Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai

Brief Plot: An elderly widower fulfils a lifelong dream of adventure by attaching balloons to his house and flying off to the great unknown. Along the way he grudgingly teams up with a young boy and learns that helping others can be the greatest adventure of all.

Best Audience: A great family picture. Adults and Children alike will get a smile from Up.

My review: Sit back and be ready to smile. Pixar strikes another jackpot, both with viewers and the box office, with their latest gem. A delightful tale that bridges ages, races and even species, Up is that creatively unique and fresh fare that we are used to receiving from Pixar. The company continues to produce first-rate material even after being bought by Disney. Ballooning profit (no pun intended) was even grander than expected considering the fact that Up was released just a week after another family flick: Night at the Museum Battle for the Smithsonian.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

2009-07-16T18:58:00.001-07:00

*** (3 stars)

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

Genre: Fantasy

153 minutes - PG rating

Director: David Yates

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Sir Michael Gambon, Jim Broadbent, Alan Rickman, Tom Felton, Bonnie Wright and Helena Bonham Carter

Brief Plot: Harry and his friends enter their sixth year at Hogwarts but with Voldemort's Death Eaters provoking more and more boldly there is tension in the air almost as thick as the wild teenage hormones. Dumbledore attempts to prepare Harry for the final battle with the Dark Lord that he knows is near.

Best Audience: Harry Potter fans. Need I say more? PG rating is mostly unimportant because if younger audience members are seeing it they have likely seen the PG13 installments Goblet of Fire and Order of the Phoenix.

Review: The sixth installment in the successful Harry Potter franchise transports us to a world of magic and does so with far less hocus-pocus and conjuring than it's other counterparts. The remarkable thing about Half-Blood Prince is that it keeps to it's mission with patient restraint that is very uncommon of Hollywood. There are no climactic battles like in Phoenix or Goblet, but instead the film focuses on character development and plot. In fact, there is far less magic at all, and this allows us to explore the muggle elements of the characters. It would have been easy for Director David Yates to go Michael Bay on us and try to make Half-Blood Prince bigger and bolder than Phoenix, but he has coyly saved room for the last two films. This makes Half-Blood Prince act as a breath of fresh air. More laughs than in previous Potters, and Yates gives the actors more room to explore their characters. Half-Blood Prince may not be well-received by book 'purists' but that is the issue of all film adaptations. As a film, it does a praise-worthy job of telling us another chapter of Harry Potter's saga. Easily up there with Star Trek as the summer's best blockbuster thus far.

Public Enemies

2009-07-16T18:23:00.000-07:00

** 1/2

Public Enemies (2009)

Genre: Gangster

140 minutes - R rating

Director: Michael Mann

Starring: Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard and Billy Crudup

Brief Plot: Public Enemies chronicles events from the last year of the life of historic outlaw John Dillinger (Depp) as he robbed banks, broke out of jails and lived larger than life before the fledgeling FBI agency was able to track and gun him down.

Best Audience: Finally a real movie aimed at adults this summer! History buffs and fans of Depp should watch this one, as well as anyone who likes cops and robbers flicks.

Review: Public Enemies was my most anticipated movie of 2009; consequently I was disappointed after leaving the theater. It's not that Public Enemies is a terrible film, it just isn't a classic like it might have been. Depp is very enjoyable to watch as Dillinger and Christian Bale is fantastic as always providing yet another accent for this film. Marion Cotillard was very good as supporting actress. Mann's use of HD cameras for the film give it a very unique and, in my opinion, enjoyable look to the film. The blame for Public Enemies not being as good as it should have been must be placed on the writers and Director Michael Mann. While many things were specifically historically accurate many other moments in the film were outright wrong. Additionally they take 140 minutes to tell a story that seemed to lack any real climax and fails to relate the core events of Dillinger's fascinating life in a compelling manner. Worth seeing, but not the great film classic you may be hoping for.

Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen

2009-07-16T18:09:00.000-07:00

** (2 out of a possible 4 stars)

Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)

Genre: Fantasy/Action Adventure

150 minutes - PG13 rating

Director: Michael Bay

Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, John Turturro and Ramon Rodriguez

Brief Plot: Sam (LaBeouf) and must find an ancient machine hidden on Earth it before a resurrected Megatron and the evil Decepticons can find it and destroy the sun. It's round two of Autobots and American Military against invading Decepticon baddies.

Best Audience: Fans of film one. What we have here is basically the same story with a new script and more battles. More sexual content than the first movie makes this very iffy for younger teens and tweens.

Review: Too much of just about everything: that's the best way I can describe Transformers 2. The Michael Bay box office giant is essentially the same story but gives a newer approach with Sam entering college and trying to lead a normal life. More explosions, more Megan Fox and the same humor style as the first film mean that if you liked the first one you probably won't be upset by the second installment. What Bay creates is not remarkable by any means except perhaps for the sheer technological achievement that it presents. There are a few new characters that are mostly forgettable, but Bay had to do something to up the stakes so in typical Michael Bay fashion he added more bots more explosions and more sex appeal from Megan Fox. It's a proven formula for generating box office revenue. Yes it's too long, too flashy, too much of everything, but as long as you are ready for what the film offers and are willing to go for the ride anyway you will get what you are looking for. Watch it in IMAX. You might as well go all in for two and one half hours.

X-men Origins: Wolverine

2009-07-16T18:00:00.001-07:00

* 1/2 (1 and 1/2 out of a possible 4 stars)

X-men Origins: Wolverine (2009)

Genre: Comic Book/Superhero

107 minutes - PG13 rating

Director: Gavin Hood

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston, Will i Am, Lynn Collins, Taylor Kitsch and Ryan Reynolds

Brief Plot: The story of the early life of the mutant Wolverine and how he ultimately chooses to go through the weapon X program to seek revenge against his brother Sabertooth for the murder of his girlfriend.

Best Audience: X-men and comic fanboys are the main target audience. Not recommended if you are not a fan of the other movies.

Review: X-men Origins Wolverine is a movie that wants you to take it seriously, but in the end you will shake your head and wonder if it was some kind of bad joke. Director Gavin Hood tries to make it tough and heart-wrenching but it manages to fail at being convincing in either way. A sprinkling of moderately interesting battle scenes are overshadowed by mediocre acting, a terrible script and an unimpressive ending. Definitely a summer blockbuster miss. Though it clocks in at under two hours you will be checking your watch and wondering when it is going to be over.

Star Trek

2009-07-16T17:47:00.000-07:00

*** (3 out of 4 stars)

Star Trek (2009)

Genre: Science Fiction/Action Adventure

127 minutes - PG13 rating

Director: J. J. Abrams

Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Eric Bana and Leonard Nemoy

Brief Plot: Star Trek chronicles the familiar characters and locations of the Star Trek franchise but reboots us with an origins-type story that shows us the birth of the Enterprise and her famous crew.

Best Audience: Star Trek provides laughs, action, and sci-fi lasers and spaceships. It has something for just about everyone. Hard core fans of all previous Star Trek works are divided on the film, but don't let their opinions keep you from seeing it.

Review: J. J. Abrams continues his impressive track record that few besides perhaps Christopher Nolan and our friends at Pixar can surpass. His attempt to breathe life back into the Star Trek franchise produces notable results, especially considering the box-office success. What makes Star Trek impressive, though, is not the cool effects, lasers, or even Spock's pointy ears, but a well-written script that flows at a cool, even pace and allows for character development and rising tension. Michael Giacchino adds a sumptous score and a strong supporting cast including Karl Urban and Simon Pegg make Star Trek a ride that no movie this summer had yet gone before.

Playing Catchup

2009-07-16T17:32:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick review of two movies from several months ago:

** 1/2

State of Play

Genre: Thriller/Political

127 minutes - PG13 rating

Director: Kevin MacDonald

Review: State of Play is a well-written political thriller that milks as many plot points into two hours as it can. Russell Crowe is a likable and witty writer for a paper who manages to keep us rooting for him despite ugly personal problems of infidelity and loyalty issues. His onscreen chemistry with the rest of the cast including a solid Ben Affleck and Rachel McAdams is pleasantly surprising. This may mark a small comeback for Crowe who gained public notoriety for a telephone throwing incident at a New York hotel that the press ate up for breakfast almost as quickly as the Christian Bale blowup. The movie is engaging and clever, a happy escape that you look for and don't get enough of from mainstream Hollywood.

*** 1/2

Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

Genre: Drama

120 minutes - R rating

Director: Danny Boyle

Review: The Academy Award darling Slumdog Millionaire is very good as promised. A slightly sappy but well executed story, competent acting and beautiful cinematography make Slumdog well worth sitting through. The Bollywood atmosphere is a refreshing holiday from the Hollywood fare that we are used to. Director Danny Boyle taps deep into theme of hope and makes us a story that is not as much believable as it is engrossing. At the end, you are left with a lot to think about and happy to be American, and a tale that's almost as good as the Academy wants you to believe.

Valkyrie

2009-01-06T12:13:00.000-08:00

** (2 stars)

Valkyrie (2008)
Genre: History/Dama
120 minutes - PG13 rating
Director: Bryan Singer
Starring: Tom Cruise, Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson

Brief Plot: Based on the true events of Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg (Cruise) and a plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler during the later part of World War II. Stauffenberg and other resisters attempted to use an amended order of Hitler's Operation Valkyrie to seize power and turn the government over to more stable minds.

Best Audience: World War II history buffs, Tom Cruise fans, and anyone else who is interested in Germany, Nazis, or covert operations.

My Review: Valkyrie looked good, felt good, but failed to excite me. Director Bryan Singer does a nice job capturing the period in sets, costumes, and all other aspects of production. The story is dutifully related and linear so that it is easy to understand. Apart from that, Valkyrie was competent but not thrilling. The basic storyline is limited because we all know the ending, and that makes it hard for to really become invested in the story. Cruise isn't bad as Stauffenberg, he just isn't great. I felt that throughout the movie Cruise underwent little to no character transformation. In the opening line he relates his disenchantment with Hitler and Germany and his attitude never changes throughout the film. I found Valkyrie entertaining, and more immersing than a History Channel special, but nothing that will make you leave the theater thinking "wow, that was definitely worth 8 bucks!"

Australia

2008-12-27T10:00:00.000-08:00

*** (3 stars)

Australia (2008)
Genre: Romance/Drama
165 minutes - PG13 rating
Director: Baz Luhrmann
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, David Wenham, and Brandon Walters

Brief Plot: An English aristocrat (Kidman) journeys to see to the sale of her ranch property in Australia. When she befriends a young half-native aboriginal boy (Walters) she decides to save her land by driving all the cattle to Darwin to sell to the allied army and break the beef monopoly of her competitor and his chief crony (Wenham). Along the way, she falls for the rough and tumble cattle-drover (Jackman). When the Japanese bomb Australia, everything each of the characters holds dear is in danger of being lost.

Best Audience: Ladies will probably love this film, because at it's core it's a classic romance story, but it's special Australian brand of wild-west will keep some of the male audience appeased as well.

My Review: Australia was a good film delivered by well-liked director Baz Luhrmann whose other credits include Moulin Rouge and Romeo and Juliet. Casting was superb, especially since the main actors all have natural Aussie accents to begin with. The landscapes are very beautiful showcasing the raw terrain of the Australian country. The story is multi-faceted enough to prevent too much boredom and the pacing was about as good as it could be. Jackman and Kidman were very good, and developed a convincing on-screen chemistry. David Wenham was a delightfully good villian and young actor Brandon Walters was a smashing child star in the movie. Yes, it's a little long, yes it's a little sappy, but as long as you are hoping for a feel-good romance-laced experience Australia should deliver on all cylinders.

Appaloosa

2008-12-27T09:45:00.000-08:00

** 1/2 (2 and 1/2 stars)

Appaloosa (2008)
Genre: Western
114 minutes - R rating
Director: Ed Harris
Starring: Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen, Jeremy Irons, Renee Zellweger

Brief Plot: Two lawmen-for-hire (Harris and Mortensen) sheriff a small town that fears a local rancher (Irons), but their tried and true hard-knuckle methods are complicated when a piano-playing widow (Zellweger) comes to town.

Best Audience: Appaloosa helps resurrect the comeback that the western genre has seen this year and last. It's star power can appeal to those not typically interested in such a film, especially when you get a load of Viggo Mortensen's fabulous mustache.

My Review: Appaloosa was a directorial effort by actor Ed Harris, and I will say he did a pretty solid job. The locations were pleasing, the dialogue catchy, and the actors all very good (Mortensen and Irons in particular). Where Appaloosa fails is in the poorly written and performed role by Renee Zellweger and bad character transformation for Harris' character. It's a really fun movie to watch, and the end was very fitting, but it fell short a little bit when some elements of the story fell behind. Still a solid choice and a must-see for Viggo fans like myself.

Body of Lies

2008-10-10T15:39:00.000-07:00

** 1/2 (2 and 1/2 stars)

Body of Lies (2008)
Genre: Action/Thriller
138 minutes - R rating
Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe, Mark Strong

Brief Plot: Based on Washington Post columnist David Ignatius's 2007 novel about a CIA operative, Roger Ferris, who uncovers a lead on a major terrorist leader suspected to be operating out of Jordan. - IMDB

Best Audience: Body of Lies is an intriguing film, but even more so if you are interested in subjects such as political science, militarism, middle-eastern culture, and religious extremism. I don't guarantee the movie is an accurate portrayal of American foreign policy, but it does give some thoughtful matter about politics and war, while also having enough action for a 2+ hour film. A thinking person's movie, it's recurring rough language and violence are tolerable, but you may have to look away during a brief scene of graphic torture.

My Review: I liked this film, I really did. It helped that the talents of Crowe and DiCaprio were strong, but the movie was very interesting and brings some sobering thoughts to the viewer. The whole movie DiCaprio seems like a pawn being played by intelligence leaders, bruised, bled and injured. At the end of the film in an emotional charge he criticizes Crowe and other 'bureaucrats' for using whatever it takes to attain their ends without care for suffering or humanity of others. Body of Lies had it's weaknesses, but mainly I think this film was much stronger than most critics are giving it credit for. It has enough of Ridley Scott's action to keep you on your toes, but it doesn't get too bogged down in it's plot lines to get boring. The three main characters are all strongly cast, and despite a love interest for DiCaprio that I found cheesy, it at least gave his character emotional depth. This film is already being compared to Syriana (2005), and I will admit there are similarities. But whereas Syriana is more about oil and government, Body of Lies focuses more on "the War on Terror". As this film grows on me, it might be good enough for 3 stars, but don't let me jump to that conclusion just yet.

The Nanny Diaries

2008-10-10T14:32:00.000-07:00

** 1/2 (2 and 1/2 stars)

The Nanny Diaries (2007)
Genre: Drama
105 minutes - PG13 rating
Director: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Laura Linney, Paul Giamatti, Nicholas Art

Brief Plot: A college graduate goes to work as a nanny for a rich New York family. Ensconced in their home, she has to juggle their dysfunction, a new romance, and the spoiled brat in her charge. - IMDB

Best Audience: This light drama is a funny movie for anyone who has ever babysat kids. The characters are both colorful and more than surface-deep. Some language and a adultury innuendo garner the PG13 rating.

My Review: The Nanny Diaries takes what would seem to be a tired formula and works it into something that is unique and enjoyable. Where we are used to seeing the exasperated nanny, rowdy child, and hair-brained parents, The Nanny Diaries shows us something different enough in each of these roles to hold our interest. Johansson does a great job and in particular Laura Linney delivers a love-to-hate-her performance as the employer mom. A decent film, worth a rent for sure.

Burn After Reading

2008-10-10T14:17:00.001-07:00

** (2 stars)

Burn After Reading (2008)
Genre: Dark Comedy
96 minutes - R rating
Director: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Starring: John Malkovich, Frances McDormand, George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Tilda Swinton

Brief Plot: An ex-CIA agent's memoir falls into the hands of two gym employees who mistake it's contents for top-secret intelligence. The resulting plot involves them attempting to ransom the disk for money, while a womanizer and an unfaithful wife thicken the plot even further. Meanwhile, the CIA keeps watch on all the events and can't make sense of any of it.

Best Audience: If you are die-hard Coen fans this won't disappoint you. If you are expecting something at all like No Country For Old Men, you will be let down. Burn After Reading is a dark comedy with so many moments seeming random or unexpected, and it's plot direction can be as confused as the characters. Some innuendo, adulterous plot-line, and very frequent use of the f-word will keep many viewers out of their comfort zone.

My Review: Burn After Reading was best described by John Malkovich's character when he called Pitt and McDormand a "league of morons". All the characters are very fluffy and incompetent. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I think Joel and Ethan Coen are a little too pleased with themselves and go even more over the top than usual in this flick. The stars are great, there is no question, especially Pitt who just steals the screen in every minute he is on, but the plot didn't reconcile with me, and the resolution seemed like a pointless waste. We'll put it this way: I wouldn't have cried if the producer had burned the script after reading.

Following

2008-10-02T10:03:00.000-07:00

*** (3 stars) - [in accordance with the new 4 star rating system]

Following (1998)
Genre: Thriller/Crime
69 minutes - R rating
Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Jeremy Theobald, Alex Haw, Lucy Russell

Brief Plot: This odd, claustrophobic film about a seedy young Brit (Jeremy Theobald) who's obsessed with following people -- albeit harmlessly at first -- is a great neo-noir movie that gets even better as the premise unspools. After meeting a like-minded bloke (Alex Haw), the twosome graduate to breaking and entering but meet their match in a tough blonde dame (Lucy Russell). - Netflix.com

Best Audience: A must if you saw and liked Nolans "Memento". If you like mysteries or detective pieces, this might also be a good film to see. Rated R for semi-frequent use of the F-word and for some brief scenes of strong violence (which are tastefully not shown very graphically).

My Review: Following was Christopher Nolan's first big movie, and earned him enough respect to launch a brilliant and successful film career. And despite being his first feature-length movie, Following is none to shabby when compared to his other work. The film is a great neo-noir film, and shot in black and white for the duration of this quick flick (only 69 minutes long but the story feels longer). There are no real star actors in the film, which was actually very nice, and made you focus more on the story. Not to say the acting wasn't completely competent. Nolan is a brilliant director and his characters fit his story like a glove. And what a story! The non-linear narrative form of which Nolan is a master craftsman weaves like a great dettective story, and the ending gives one final twist to make you jump.

I have now viewed all of Christopher Nolans feature length films and though they are very hard to rate, I would rate them in the following order (based on how much I enjoyed each film):
1. The Dark Knight
2. The Prestige
3. Following
4. Batman Begins
5. Memento
6. Insomnia
It really is tough because these are all very good films well-worth viewing. Nolan's success with the Dark Knight should keep him around for a very long time, and I am very excited for him to continue his impressive career in film.

Lars and the Real Girl

2008-08-22T12:34:00.000-07:00

*** (3 stars) [In accordance with the new 4 star rating system]

Lars and the Real Girl (2007)
Genre: Comedy/Drama
106 minutes - PG13 rating
Director: Craig Gillespie
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Emily Mortimer, Paul Schneider, Patricia Clarkson

Brief Plot: Lars (Gosling), a quiet, delusional and lonely young man, buys a sex-doll online. He then tells his family and the community that the doll is his girlfriend, Bianca.

Best Audience: Lars and the Real Girl is a touching and heartfelt film. Even with it's PG13 rating it is free from most objectionable content. If you hate slow moments in movies, however, this is not the film for you.

My Review: Ryan Gosling was absolutely magnificent in this film. He shows a different acting side and is just exceptional as the lovable Lars. Mortimer and Schneider play his brother and sister-in-law who help care for him and they bring a lot to the story and to the emotional impact of the movie as well. With themes of community, caring, love, forgiveness, and kindness, Lars and the Real girl is a feel-good populist movie, and it's simple but unique plotline is executed very well. A thought-provoking, stunningly acted movie. Two thumbs up.

Insomnia

2008-08-22T12:15:00.001-07:00

** 1/2 (two and 1/2 stars) [In accorance with the new 4 star rating system]

Insomnia (2002)
Genre: Thriller/Crime
118 minutes - PG13 rating
Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Al Pacino, Robin Williams, Hilary Swank

Brief Plot: A L.A. police detective (Pacino) accidentally shoots his own partner while trying to apprehend a suspect in the case of a murdered teenage girl in a small Alaskan town. Using an alibi to evade responsibility. But a local detective who is suspicious of his alibi (Swank), and blackmail threats from the suspect (Williams) who knows he shot his partner further increase his guilt. With the sun never setting in the summer season in Alaska, and his own growing guilty conscience, he begins to suffer from insomnia, but he is determined to solve the case and bring the girl's murderer to justice.

Best Audience: Pacino fans will enjoy this film, and the tangled situation of the protagonist make this film an interesting mystery to sit through. Some moderate profanity and dark content as well as brief nudity during an autopsy scene.

My Review: Insomnia seemed just like another crime movie, and it is a remake of the 1997 Norwegian film of the same name; but excellent acting and lovely cinematography helped to bring this film to a whole different level. Nolan directs his per usual quality complete with a meaty, twist-filled plot. Even with this, however, it is performance of Pacino that really sold me on this film. Williams and Swank also provide very sound roles, but Pacino's ability to relate to the audience and his moral struggle throughout the film doubles it's entertainment value. I was focused and entertained for the entire movie.

Memento

2008-08-22T11:56:00.000-07:00

*** (3 stars) [In accordance with the new 4 star rating system]

Memento (2000)
Genre: Psychological Thriller/Drama
113 minutes - R rating
Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano

Brief Plot: A former insurance investigator (Pearce) suffers from short-term memory loss following a head injury while grappling with the man who murdered his wife. Unable to make new memories, he writes down important information for himself in notes and tatoos and snaps poloroid pictures to help him hunt down the criminal.

Best Audience: A gritty and engaging thriller, Memento is great for thinkers and crime drama fans. However, the dark film-noir content and the generous amount of profanity will turn off many viewers.

My Review: Memento is a cult classic and some of brilliant director Christopher Nolan's finest work. It is a perfect example of the film-noir genre. Nolan delivers a brilliantly crafted storyline that sucks you in and keeps you on the edge for the entire duration. Pearce and the rest of the cast deliver memorable performances that won't disappoint you. The plot and content were excellent, but I found myself somewhat bothered by the gratuitous use of the f-word in this film, which in most cases only distracted me. Cleaner dialogue would have probably earned the film a PG-13 rating and a wider audience, so I didn't understand that. Despite this, Memento delivers praise-worthy and colorful storytelling that will leave you gasping.

The New Rating System

2008-08-22T11:51:00.001-07:00

Readers: Effective Immediately I am changing the rating system of the site. While in the past I have rated on a 1 to 5 star system, I will now be rating a 1 to 4 star system. I believe that this will be more consistent with many film critics as well as tv and film guides.

Movies that in the past have received a 4 star rating will now more often be closer to a 3 star rating, for example. A 2 and 1/2 star rating in the past is now about a 2 star rating and so forth. Please let me know if you have any question or would like an individual movie rated by the old system. Otherwise the 4 star rating is now currently in place.

Good Night and Good Luck

2008-08-05T08:07:00.001-07:00

**** 1/2 (4 and 1/2 stars)

Good Night and Good Luck (2005)
Genre: Documentary/Drama
93 minutes - PG rating
Director: George Clooney
Starring: David Straithairn, George Clooney, Jeff Daniels, Patricia Clarkson, Robert Downey Jr. , and Ray Wise

Brief Plot: Good Night and Good Luck follows the quest of CBS news journalist Edward R. Murrow and his producer Fred Friendly as they attempt to expose the fear tactics of Senator Joseph McCarthy during the Red Scare.

Best Audience: A must for docudrama lovers. The movie shines as Murrow and his associates make difficult moral choices that positively portrays integrity, truth, and honesty. Suitable for younger audiences, due to little objectionable content.

My Review: Good Night and Good Luck was a stunning piece of filmmaking. Clooney really is just as talented behind the camera as he is in front of it. The cast was top-notch especially Strathairn, who was incredibly on point as Edward Murrow. A reasonable run-time helped the flow of the movie, and I was really impressed by the choice to have the movie run in black and white. Additionally, I enjoyed the original footage that the film used, giving it a more credible feel. An inspiring, well produced film. Two thumbs up.

The Dark Knight

2008-07-17T18:33:00.000-07:00

**** 1/2 (4 and 1/2 stars)

The Dark Knight (2008)
Genre: Action/Superhero
152 minutes - PG13 rating
Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Heath Ledger, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Morgan Freeman

Brief Plot: Batman and James Gordon join forces with Gotham's new District Attorney, Harvey Dent, to take on a psychotic bank robber known as The Joker, whilst other forces plot against them, and Joker's crimes grow more and more deadly. (IMDB)

Best Audience: The followup to the hit movie Batman Begins, Christopher Nolan's sequel should appeal to the coveted 18-35 demographic but will also score a hit with teens and older adults who are Batman fans. Be warned though, there are some grotesque and gruesome images and some scary moments.

My Review: The Dark Knight is spectacular. It truly is. I am positive you will not find another movie this summer that has as much to offer as this film. It blows away all other competition. Sorry Hulk, move aside Iron Man, the Dark Knight is king now. Sure the movie is very long for one sitting, yes it has an incredible thicket of plot to take in, and yeah it is darker and not as uplifting as the first; but you get what you pay for with this film. The cast as directed by Christopher Nolan shines, in particular Bale, Oldman, and of course, Ledger.

I don't even know where to begin with Heath Ledger's Joker. I think it is almost impossible for him not to get an oscar nomination (and win) for his role. It's just perfect. In my opinion he blows away Daniel Day-Lewis' lead actor win in last year's academy awards, and this in a supporting role! Clearly the best acting of Ledger's brief but bright career and perhaps the most chilling, gripping performance I have ever seen. It is a great memorial to the late actor.

The Dark Knight is not just good because of the Joker, however. It is just oozing with action, and is cleverly and darkly humorous, gripping and suspenseful. Think about Batman Begins and just double - or triple - every ounce of fight scene, cool gadgetry, twists, turns, adrenaline and humor. Just when one thing is resolved we are chaotically thrown into another situation, which would certainly earn the Joker's approval. The Dark Knight just really sticks out in it's field and genre because it isn't as simple or cheesy or cooked by recipe as other films of it's kind, and we need more movies like that. It is definitely one of the best, if not THE best, superhero/comic book film ever made.

Bobby

2008-07-16T20:12:00.001-07:00

**** (4 stars)

Bobby (2006)
Genre: Drama
120 minutes - Not Rated
Director: Emilio Estevez
Starring: William H. Macy, Lindsay Lohan, Elijah Wood, Laurence Fishburne, Demi Moore, Anthony Hopkins, Helen Hunt, Sharon Stone, Heather Graham, Shia LaBeouf, Brian Geraghty, Ashton Kutcher, Nick Cannon, Harry Belaftonte, Joshua Jackson, Emilio Estevez, Freddy Rodriguez, Martin Sheen, and more.

Brief Plot: The story is based around the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy at the Ambassador hotel. Weaved into the story are the lives of 22 people whose lives are changed forever.

Best Audience: Bobby is a must for anyone who is interested in history in this time period. It is dramatized and half fiction, but the core of the film is shown as correctly as possible with a sprinkling of real footage from that night at the hotel. Some brief instances of strong language including the f-word, and recreational drug use.

My Review: I thought Bobby was a spectacular piece of work. I am a sucker for stories with 'truth' weaved into them, and I am also fascinated by the Kennedy assassinations. The star-studded cast overall was solid, though some performances stick out much more than others. When you have that much talent it is easy to get a lot of lousy performances but Bobby avoids this pitfall. I really liked how they mixed real footage at the end with fictionalized footage. The film is good throughout, but not amazing until you reach the end which is one of the most powerful endings to a movie that I can think of having seen. It's worth watching just for the ending.

Ratatouille

2008-07-16T19:57:00.000-07:00

**** (4 stars)

Ratatouille (2007)
Genre: Animated/Family
111 minutes - G rating
Director: Brad Bird, Jan Pinkava
Starring: Patton Oswalt, Ian Holm, Lou Romano

Brief Plot: Remy is a rat with a nose for fine cooking and a dream to be a chef. When he teams up with a gawky garbage boy at a resteraunt in Paris he must fight to win his family's approval and avoid being exterminated by humans.

Best Audience: Pixar's films have one of the best reputations for their appeal to the family audience, with films that can teach kids basic lessons but are engaging enough for adults. Ratatouille is no different.

My Review: This oscar-winning animated Pixar production is about as good as you would expect from Pixar. Graphically, the picture looks very sharp, and the color and texture of the film is very pleasing to the eye. There is enough humor to make the movie funny, but enough seriousness to drive the more important themes and plot points. I don't have much else to say about Ratatouille. It is a very sound family movie.

Iron Man

2008-05-26T16:12:00.000-07:00

**** (4 stars)

Iron Man (2008)
Genre: Action/Superhero
126 minutes - PG13 rating
Director: Jon Favreau
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Terrance Howard, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Jeff Bridges

Brief Plot: Weapons manufacturer Tony Stark (Downey Jr.) of Stark Enterprises is following in the footsteps of his father. When he is wounded and captured in Afghanistan during a weapons testing exercise he is forced to build an armored suit to escape his captors. Once back in the U.S. he announces his company will no longer be selling weapons and he delves into personal research to create a high tech energy sustaining suit made of metal with which he will destroy the weapons his company made that have fallen into the wrong hands.

Best Audience: A superhero movie which should probably please even borderline fans, and most of the general public. Iron man isn't just for comic book geeks (in fact I have never read an iron man comic or seen a tv cartoon in my life). With enough comedy and sparsity of battle sequences, Iron Man isn't all explosions and combat; it has heart, wit, and charm.

My Review: Iron Man was pleasantly surprising to me, and I was even more cynical going in because it had received so many favorable reviews. I will confirm the truth of many of these reviews though: Iron Man is good, and probably the best movie of the summer so far. Downey Jr. is good in his role and his constant attack of sacrastic one-liners is almost as powerful as his Iron Suit (which is made of a gold/titanium alloy by the way). Gwyneth Paltrow provides a very praise-worthy female lead, which really increases the movie's strength. One reason Iron Man sticks out is because Tony Stark is given a real soul in the film. It isn't just good vs. evil, it is Stark's character having a change of heart and transforming his lifestyle. My only real complaints about Iron Man is I wanted to see more action in the suit, and a more impressive villain. Still, Iron Man provides a fun experience that we hope for every time the words "summer blockbuster" hits our ears.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

2008-05-22T10:12:00.000-07:00

*** 1/2 (3 and 1/2 stars)

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
Genre: Action/Adventure
124 minutes - PG13 rating
Director: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett, Karen Allen, Shia LaBeouf, Ray Winstone, and John Hurt

Brief Plot: The year is 1957 and in the midst of the cold war. The Soviets are now America's enemies and they need a captive Indy's help to find a crystal skull which is said to hold great power. Teaming up with a young greaser (LaBeouf) and old flame Marion Ravenwood (Allen), Indy must attempt to replace the skull to it's resting place in the Amazon before the Russians can use it.

Best Audience: If you ever have seen or liked Indiana Jones or Harrison Ford you should watch this film... bascially.

My Review: I found Indiana Jones 4 to be immensely entertaining. It isn't recordbreaking, breathtaking, superb, or any more of those "est" adjectives, but it definitely didn't dissapoint me. I don't think I've ever seen a movie as nostalgic as Indy 4. Ford impressed me by his ability to dust off the hat and return to his favorite role, and the rest of the cast, including Shia LaBeouf were quite competent. Yes, the film is over the top in about 4 different instances, and no it isn't quite as good as the originals; but it is still a lot of fun. When a movie franchise is as popular as the Star Wars or Indiana Jones films have been, it is impossible to expand the "wow" factor that has become legendary for fans, because the expectation and anticipation is so much higher. And we get everything we expect from the film: the map and red line travel sequence, the familiar John Williams themes, Indy engaging in a lengthly fistfight, car chases, an insane and over-the-top ending scene, dopey villians who end up getting killed - in short the whole nine yards. It's not supposed to be realistic, it's supposed to be Indiana Jones, he's as American as apple pie. So if you stop trying to hope it is better than the originals, which is an absurd thought, and compare it to modern action-adventure pieces, it really stands out because it is just so enjoyable. Lucas and Spielberg have served it up again, and Indy may be older, but what he stands for never goes out of style. (1 edit to this review)

2007 Best Picture Synopsis

2008-05-20T17:24:00.001-07:00

I have now reviewed and watched all five of the 2007 Best Picture Academy Award nominees. The following are my ranking of the films, followed by a brief reason why and the best three things about each:

1. Atonement
2. No Country for Old Men
3. Michael Clayton
4. There Will Be Blood
5. Juno

Atonement: this movie just had it going on all cyllanders. It may be that my affection for period pieces gives makes me favor Atonement, but it did so many things right and the ending was very good, and interesting.
Best Three Things-
1. The 5 minute Dunkirk Scene
2. The best young actor this year
3. Dario Marianelli's stunning score.

No Country for Old Men: Suspense has been redefined with this film by the Coen brothers. The simple, yet, pillowsqueezing flow and draw of the film made me so impatient to find out what happened next.
Best Three Things-
1. Javier Bardem. He's one awesome villian, Friendo.
2. Dialogue. It was twice as good as Juno's.
3. Captive Bolt Pistols (Cattleguns). I wan't one. Clearly they are useful.

Michael Clayton: the cast was probably the most solid of any film that year. It's hard to get that many good performances in one movie, and the ending scene makes this worth sitting through just to see.
Best Three Things-
1. George Clooney and company
2. Good editing and storytelling
3. Probably the only movie you will see Tilda Swinton's pit stains

There Will Be Blood: touted by many as the best movie of the year, it had a very unique PTA feel, which obviously was appropriate. Slow, but deep, and very convincing it was good, but it lacks a little if you want anything more than Daniel Day-Lewis. The final scene is also marvelous.
Best Three Things-
1. Daniel Day-Lewis... obviously
2. "I drink your MILKSHAKE!!"
3. Creepy Paul Dano

Juno: the sweetheart of the general public, I found Juno good but a little too 'nice and neat' for me. It had more depth than most movies of it's genre and class, but it isn't as top-notch as some of these other films. Witty dialogue lovers rejoice, Juno is now your Holy Grail.
Best Three Things-
1. Orange tic-tacs
2. Younger audience appeal (unlike most of the others)
3. Jonah Hill is not present with Michael Cena in this film.

Michael Clayton

2008-05-20T16:55:00.000-07:00

**** (4 stars)

Michael Clayton (2007)
Genre: Thriller/Drama
119 minutes - R rating
Director: Tony Gilroy
Starring: George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton, Sydney Pollack, Michael O'Keefe

Brief Plot: Michael Clayton (Clooney), is a fixer for a law firm in the midst of a merger. When the company's top attorney and friend of Clayton has a mental breakdown in the middle of a settlement deal for the firm's top client, U-North, Clayton is called to help. But when he becomes more and more aware of the situation and the events around him, he finds that nothing is as it should be.

Best Audience: The genre tag on this movie is very deserving. If you like thrillers this could be for you, especially if you like legal flicks or watch Law and Order. I really thought it was a lot like one of Clooney's recent films Syrianna. Mature audiences only, not only because of language that is often rough or crude, but because younger audiences will be bored with the "grown-up" matters in the film.

My Review: Michael Clayton was good, as I expected, but it wasn't incredible. I enjoyed the film, and it had a very strong cast performance, probably it's best asset. Really Clooney makes the movie, though; there are few actors in the business that can keep my attention with this much screen time and he is one of them. Some have said the film's fictitious company U-North is a comparison of the company Monsanto in real life and the suspected corrupt lobbying there. I thought that was interesting. The only weakness of the film is it seems sort of like something you've seen before, just changed a little, with slightly different characters. And again, that was why the movie was enjoyable, the excellent acting. Flat characters would have made it just average. I liked Michael Clayton, but I think a better film is The Insider which I have reviewed previously.

I Am Legend

2008-05-18T20:30:00.000-07:00

*** 1/2 (3 and 1/2 stars)

I Am Legend (2007)
Genre: Sci-Fi/Thriller
101 minutes - PG13 rating
Director: Francis Lawrence
Starring: Will Smith, Alice Braga, Dash Mihok

Brief Plot: Based loosely on the 1954 novel by Richard Matheson. A human created virus goes wrong and infects the human race turning them into zombie-like animals. Scientist Robert Neville is the only human survivor in New York City. As he struggles day-by-day to survive he also experiments hoping to discover a cure.

Best Audience: This movie should be appreciated by lovers of zombie-esque films or anyone who likes post-apocalypse type storylines. Avoid if you hate scary movies.

My Review: I am no fan of vampire movies and I Am Legend is not one, but it seemed awfully close. While the movie may serve to provoke thought about mass viral infection, it leaves little room for much else to glean from the hour and forty minutes of screen time, and that left me a little empty. It is entertaining, a bit scary, and cool to look at. The visuals in the film were quite brilliant, Director of Photography Andrew Lesnie and the hard work of the digital effects team is to credit for that. Additionally Will Smith is very satisfying as Robert Neville. He was good at showing the emotions and sanity of his character, which to me was more interesting than the action scenes with the infected "zombies". The movie was fairly unique, even for it's genre, and looked good while maintaining high production value. Because of this it definitely deserves 3 and 1/2 stars but I didn't think it was quite good enough for 4. Above average but not something I'll be raving about tomorrow. Also, I didn't care for the alternate ending, it didn't add up for me.

Prince Caspian

2008-05-18T11:04:00.000-07:00

**** (4 stars)

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008)
Genre: Fantasy
147 minutes - PG rating
Director: Andrew Adamson
Starring: Ben Barnes, Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Sergio Castellitto, Peter Dinklage

Brief Plot: Prince Caspian (Barnes) escapes murder by his wicked uncle, to join the ancient talking Narnian beasts in winning back their land and freedom. To aid them in their quest Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy are transported back into Narnia by the magical horn that Susan possessed in The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe; but with their forces heavily outnumbered it will take more than the horn's magic to help the Narnians win.

Best Audience: Obviously fans of C.S. Lewis's books will enjoy the film. Most adolescents will also enjoy the film, and I believe it has plenty of appeal for adults as well. PG rated but there is quite a lot of non-bloody action and violence so younger audiences ( maybe 8-12 ) should have parental discretion.

My Review: I may be slightly biased since I am a fan of this series in giving it 4 stars, but I think there are many elements which make it deserving of this rating. The acting was better than the first film (The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe) but nothing that will jump out at you, though I think Ben Barnes did good work as Caspian. The special effects were also a step up. The addition of good cast characters made the cast seem to have more depth. Reepicheep the mouse, voiced by Eddie Izzard, was a crowd favorite. The pace of the movie was about right, and many scenes were very faithful to the book. In addition there was plenty of humor thoughout to help keep the tone positive, because Prince Caspian is darker than the first film. The film was "Disneyfied" to a degree, but I think it still kept many of the positive values and themes of the book. It is a little long, but I think they kept it about the right length. I think the Narnia movies with their morally rich undertones are a refreshing detour from other good-vs-evil films like the Harry Potter movies, and there are better role models for young audiences. A solid soundtrack is also enhanced by original music from Regina Spektor and my favorite band Switchfoot.

Cloverfield

2008-04-28T17:55:00.000-07:00

**** (four stars)

Cloverfield (2008)
Genre: Thriller/Sci-Fi
85 minutes - PG13 rating
Director: Matt Reeves
Starring: Michael Stahl-David, Jessica Lucas, TJ Miller, Mike Vogel, Lizzy Caplan, and Odette Yustman

Brief Plot: During Rob's (Stahl-David) surprise going away party, a huge crash occurs in the heart of New York. As residents of the city panic a huge monster appears causing mass chaos and panic. All of this is captured on a video camera.

Best Audience: Watch if you don't hate monster/alien movies, even if you don't really care for them that much. Avoid if you hate 'doomsday' plots or if non-traditional camera style bothers you.

My Review: Usually I would say the type of movie Cloverfield represents doesn't ever deserve 4 stars. However, Cloverfield takes a one idea genre and makes something truly entertaining. The entire movie is shot in "video-camera" type camera style, which you will either love or hate. Personally I found it beginning to get tiring during the set-up but once the action started it worked splendidly. The acting was generally good, and the movie is mercifully short enough that it won't begin to get repetitive or too long and boring. Solid excitement from the point of the crash on and extra credit for attempting a gutsy camera style.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

2008-04-28T17:38:00.000-07:00

**** (four stars)

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
Genre: Musical
116 minutes - R rating
Director: Tim Burton
Starring: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall, Sasha Baron Cohen, and Jamie Campbell Bower

Brief Plot: Based on the hit broadway musical, Benjamin Barker, a.k.a. Sweeney Todd (Depp) returns to London to seek revenge on a corrupt judge who falsely incriminated him years before, ruining his life. Todd opens a barber shop where he slits the throats of his "customers" after which Mrs. Lovett, his partner, bakes the corpses into meat pies.

Best Audience: Great if you like musicals! Bad if you can't stand them. Large amounts of throat-cutting gore with generous amounts of blood make this a bad choice for the weak of stomach.

My Review: Tim Burton and Johnny Depp deliver the goods in this beautiful portrayal of the Broadway hit. With catchy tunes, and a great score there is plenty for the ear in this movie, and the visuals are gruesomely fantastic as well, no pun intended. Depp and Bonham Carter provide surprisingly effective in their roles which required them both to sing a considerable amount. Burton delivers a stereotypical Burton-esque film, but it looks and sounds so great there can be complaint for lack of originality. Fun, witty, and satisfying.

Dan in Real Life

2008-04-20T09:59:00.001-07:00

*** 1/2 (3 and 1/2 stars)

Dan in Real Life (2007)
Genre: Romantic Comedy
98 minutes - PG13 rating
Director: Peter Hedges
Starring: Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, Dane Cook, Alison Pill, Brittany Robertson, and Marlene Lawston

Brief Plot: Dan is a widowed father of three girls. When he meets a woman at a bookstore, he thinks he might have found love again, but when he meets his brother's new girlfriend at the family reunion, he's in for quite a surprise.

Best Audience: Dan in real life is not too girly that it won't appeal to men, but not too adult that younger teens won't be able to enjoy it. A broad demographic will enjoy this movie.

My Review: Dan in Real Life was a refreshing detour from most of Steve Carell's comedy endeavors. I really thought that he played a believable dad in the film, and that he showed he has some acting talent outside of his tv role on The Office. A strong supporting cast also helps this movie. A smart, enjoyable film.

There Will Be Blood

2008-04-20T08:42:00.000-07:00

*** 1/2 (3 and 1/2 stars)

There Will Be Blood (2007)
Genre: Drama
158 minutes - R rating
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Paul Dano,

Brief Plot: The story follows Daniel Plainview, a prospector who begins and oil business and attempts to profit from oil discovered in the Little Boston region of California. Paul Dano stars as Eli Sunday, a local church cleric, who has his own ambitions and plans.

Best Audience: An obvious must if you are a fan Paul Thomas Anderson, or Day-Lewis. If you like good acting, interesting cinematography and are willing to sit through two and a half hours' worth, this is a good choice. Not a movie for the casual movie-viewer, in my opinion. R rating is rather mild, mainly due to a few violent scenes with minimal blood.

My Review: As much as this movie has been hyped and praised, I finished it feeling a little disappointed. Daniel Day-Lewis is very good, there is not questioning that, I really liked the musical score as well, and had no problem with the cinematography. Most of the script was also very good. I liked the lack of dialogue at the beginning, and who could not like the "milkshake" scene? I think the plot and the story were what actually bored me with this movie. It didn't seem to be enough to really grab me. The whole movie is really just about the Day-Lewis character, and you kind of get the idea that he's a crazy, ambitious and ruthless guy from the beginning but he really breaks out into that form at the end of the movie. That seemed to be it. Paul Dano's character seemed more like a diversion and the movie desperately needed the scenes he was in. I guess there doesn't seem to be enough progression to satisfy me in this film. It was much too much like just watching Daniel Day-Lewis play this character for two and a half hours without enough happening or his character changing very much. It's hard to explain but I didn't love this movie. I liked it, I just didn't wildly love it such as many of the other film critics out there did. I would rather have watched a partly historical film about Rockerfeller with Day-Lewis playing him. That would be something to see!

Blood Diamond

2008-04-12T14:46:00.000-07:00

**** 1/2 (4 and 1/2 stars)

Blood Diamond (2006)
Genre: Adventure/Drama
143 minutes - R rating
Director: Edward Zwick
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou, Jennifer Connelly

Brief Plot: A mercenary smuggler seeking a valuable diamond, a poor fisherman searching for his family, and an American journalist who desperately seeks a way to make a difference: all set in the African civil war conflict in the Sierra Leone valley in the '90s.

Best Audience: most content suitable for only mature audiences. A good movie for several different tastes ranging from action-adventure to humanitarian. Some language and periods of sustained graphic violence and war carnage.

My Review: I've seen this several times and it has been out for a while but I decided to write a review after I watched it today. Blood Diamond is fascinating in that it is able to take educational and humanitarian themes such as conflict diamonds and child soldiers and weave these themes into an immensely entertaining film that is adventurous from start to finish. With deep characters, good script, and a emotionally powerful screen presence, Blood Diamond is the film that should have won the oscar in my opinion.

Rescue Dawn

2008-04-05T14:07:00.000-07:00

*** 1/2 (3 and 1/2 stars)

Rescue Dawn (2006)
Drama/War
126 minutes - PG13 rating
Director: Werner Herzog
Starring: Christian Bale, Steve Zahn, Jeremy Davies

Brief Plot: Dieter Dengler (Bale) is an American fighter pilot of German descent who is shot down during the Vietnam War. Captured in Laos, he is sent to a prison camp where he and fellow POWs plan a daring escape.

Best Audience: This will bore anyone looking for lots of action or plot twists. But the movie is a superb look at human spirit and resolve and many will be attracted to these strong points. Brief torture scenes and some violence.

My review: Rescue Dawn was an entertaining film; sadly, I don't think it lived up to it's potential. Top-notch acting all across especially Bale who's German accent will shock you! The dedication of these actors who all lost significant amounts of weight really made the film more real and it was beautiful to watch. The film is based on a true story, but there are many inaccuracies in the film that I thought were unnecessary. I really would have enjoyed it more if I had not looked it up online and found out that so much of the movie had been 'hollywoodized'. Werner Herzog is a good director, and I think had he stuck to real-life facts the movie would have been much more enjoyable. Even so, a solid film and a good story make this a movie worth checking out.

The Insider

2008-03-20T19:42:00.001-07:00

**** 1/2 (4 and 1/2 stars)

The Insider (1999)
Genre: Drama/Biography
157 minutes - R rating
Director: Michael Mann
Starring: Al Pacino, Russell Crowe, and Christopher Plummer

Brief Plot: Based on a true story about a CBS 60 Minutes-episode in 1994 on malpractices in the tobacco industry, that was not aired because CBS parent company Westinghouse objected. Al Pacino plays "60 Minutes" producer Lowell Bergman, while Russell Crowe is Jeff Wigand, the whistleblower.

Best Audience: If you like movies based on real life events, you should love The Insider. Best for more mature audiences who will not be bothered by some recurring language and who understand the importance of the events portrayed.

My Review: I had been wanting to watch this movie for a long time. Though a box-office flop, The Insider gathered seven academy award nominations including Best Actor in a Lead Role which Russell Crowe would eventually lose to Kevin Spacey from American Beauty. I absolutely loved this film. It was exciting, and the story was interesting and forceful. The acting was excellent, and there were a few scenes that were simply marvelous. The film drew some criticism from real life newsman Mike Wallace (portrayed in the film my Christopher Plummer). and definitely portrays Bergman in a heroic light, but I still felt that it was essentially accurate to the real life events. Perhaps the best part of this film is how it shows the reality of big business and corporate leverage that can be a danger to common citizens. All in all, I thought The Insider was gripping, suspenseful, and superbly made.

Vantage Point

2008-03-11T21:42:00.000-07:00

*** (3 stars)

Vantage Point (2008)
Genre: Action/Drama
100 minutes - PG 13 rating
Director: Pete Travis
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Forrest Whitaker, Matthew Fox, William Hurt, and Sigourney Weaver

Brief Plot: 8 people witness the assassination of the President of the United States at a anti-terrorist conference. As the story is told from five different points of view will the puzzle be solved?

Best Audience: The general fans of action, mystery, drama, humor, and crime if you don't mind only having a piece of each.

My Review: Vantage Point, to it's credit is fast paced and suspenseful. While I heard a groan or two when it clocked back for the third or fourth time you won't want to stop. The action and gun-play is nothing new, however, and parts of the movie begged to be as exciting or admirable as The Bourne Ultimatum. Decent acting, but a story with holes, in my opinion, and some real substance missing from the plot. I liked an ironic twist near the end, but a few of the things that happen are a bit hard to accept. To be honest, I thought this movie had a little of trouble with consistency in the characters' motives and actions. Still, it entertained me even though it seemed awfully short and felt like an abrupt ending. The best part of the movie is the creative editing and the recurrance of the different "vantage points". 3 stars might be a little generous, but it was original and good enough to see once. I suggest you choose your vantage point from the couch via Netflix or the video store.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

2008-03-11T21:20:00.000-07:00

**** (4 stars)

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)
Genre: Biography/Drama
160 minutes - R rating
Director: Andrew Dominik
Starring: Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck, Sam Rockwell, Paul Schneider, Jeremy Renner, Mary-Louise Parker, and Sam Shephard

Brief Plot: The story follows the last several months in the life of famous outlaw Jesse James. Robert Ford, who idolized the bandit in his childhood, decides to try and become famous by killing James.

Best Audience: This is not a fast paced thrill-a-minute movie that we are becoming accustomed to. It has no fast tempo or quick dialogue. It is a movie of mood and images. It has some brief graphic shooting violence and an inferred sexual situation with some vulgar dialogue but no profanity.

My Review: Despite having the longest movie title of the year this movie is a gem of filmmaking. I watched it three times and liked it each time. The flow is quiet and slow and it is a long 2 hours and 40 minutes, but there was a lot of this movie that I enjoyed. The dialogue was quaint, even strange, but perfect for the setting. The use of montages of the most random things like a chair in the sun worked so well for me. The authentic look of the sets and the beautiful lighting also caught my eye. The narration was marvelous. The acting was also very good. Casey Affleck won honors from film critics but I think that Pitt as Jesse James was even better. The downside of the movie is it could be a yawner if you are not in the right mood and if you don't care for the basic story that is told with such care you'll find it very annoying. All in all, though, this film was simple, sublime, powerful storytelling.

Night and Fog

2008-03-11T21:05:00.000-07:00

**** 1/2 (4 and 1/2 stars)

Nuit et Brouillard (1955) [Night and Fog]
Genre: Documentary
32 minutes - Unrated
Director: Alain Resnais

Brief Plot: The year is 1955 and through a series of photographs and video before and after WWII we learn of life in the most feared of the dreaded concentration camps.

Best Audience: Excellent for those who want to see an immensely thought-provoking feature about Auschwitz. Not for young children. The film is less about fact-based education and more about the condition and life in the camp as well as to encourage thinking and remembering of the victims and the atrocity.

My Review: Night and Fog might be the most powerful documentary I have ever seen. In a short 32 minutes French director Alain Resnais beautifully and hauntingly shows us a comparison of the Auschwitz prison camp in footage gathered during it's operation and through a series of strikingly effective shots after it's abandonment and disuse. These shots from 1955 are eerie and powerful and they show the camp later but one can almost feel the evil that still resides in the metal and stone, or hear the long soft echoing of screams that have not died. The film's manipulation of imagery coupled with the incredible narration (written by Jean Cayrol) make it a tremendous force of the screen. See this if you ever consider seeing or have seen Spielburg's Schindler's List.

Great Works of Riefenstahl: Olympia & Triumph of the Will

2008-03-04T13:02:00.000-08:00

**** (4 stars)

(this is a two part documentary)

Olympia 1. Teil - Fest der Volker (1938) [Festival of Peoples]

Olympia 2. Teil - Fest der Schonheit (1938) [Festival of Beauty]

Genre: Documentary/Sport

201 minutes - Unrated

Director: Leni Riefenstahl

Outline: Olympia is the depiction by famed female German film director Leni Riefenstahl of the 1936 Olympic games in Berlin just prior to World War II. They were the first Olympic games to be filmed.

Best Audience: The film is very long but very artful. There is limited audio. There is also some tasteful nudity that is not obscene in any way. Still it is a film probably only appreciated by older audiences or lovers of documentary film.

My Review: Olympia is one of the greatest works by Riefenstahl. It was groundbreaking in film technique and left a lasting mark on documentary film, and film in general. The simplicity, beautiful score, and artistic shots of the athletes in motion are quite beautiful, in particular some of the diving scenes in the second part of the documentary. Perhaps the most memorable and famous content in the film, however, is Jesse Owens winning four gold medals and the look on the face of Adolf Hitler (who was in attendance). A masterpiece of early documentary film.

(Riefenstahl - pictured)

**** (4 stars)

Triumph des Willens (1935) [Triumph of the Will]

Genre: Documentary/Propaganda

110 minutes - Unrated

Director: Leni Riefenstahl

Outline: In 1934 Adolf Hitler commissioned film director Leni Riefenstahl to create a propaganda piece for the Third Reich. The film covered the events of the famous sixth Nuremberg Party Congress. Hitler served as an executive producer of the project, which was a commercial success as well as spreading propaganda.

Best Audience: WWII buffs, history channel watchers, even educators will find this film extraordinary. It is not extremely exciting as much as it is interesting and the film work is absolutely superb. Not objectionable for young teens.

My Review: Triumph of the Will is easily the most famous piece of film propaganda of all time. It's creation prompted an American propaganda series as a response during World War II overseen by Frank Capra and entitled Why We Fight. Riefenstahl, who won many awards for her work, did an unmatched job at capturing the Nuremberg rally and creating a beautifully one-sided look at the Third Reich. The film reeks of themes of power, unity, national pride, and grandeur, but as Nazi power is over, it is not so much distasteful as it is interesting. If you watch the History Channel you have seen clips from this movie, almost guaranteed. It is a famous piece of cinema and arguably Riefenstahl's crowning achievement. Along with Olympia these films do not have high entertainment value, but they are groundbreaking documentary classics and well-crafted art.

March Madness

2008-03-03T20:42:00.000-08:00

March is here, and hopefully more reviews than February! Sorry for the slow month, things were a bit interesting, and I was poor. This month I will be doing a series of short reviews on some very highly praised documentary films and there is also a new poll, so please vote! Thanks folks.

Gone Baby Gone

2008-03-03T15:58:00.001-08:00

*** 1/2 (3 1/2 stars)

Gone Baby Gone (2007)
Genre: Drama/Mystery
114 minutes - R rating
Director: Ben Affleck
Starring: Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan, Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris, and Amy Ryan

Brief Plot: When a 4 year old is abducted from a Boston neighborhood in Dorchester two private detectives (Affleck and Monaghan) are hired to help augment the police investigation. Working with the police they begin to uncover the mystery surrounding the case and make discoveries that lead to a dramatic conclusion which will challenge everything that they believe in.

Best Audience: Gone Baby Gone is a solid movie if you like mysteries or crime films. It does however contain some graphic and violent imagery and a constant use of the f-word as well as some other vulgar language. Keep away if you are sensitive to these elements.

My Review: As Ben Affleck's directing debut Gone Baby Gone was excellent. It's setting is brilliantly portrayed and the acting was above average. Ed Harris and Morgan Freeman deliver quality work as usual and Monaghan was very convincing in her role. It is, of course, Casey Affleck that really shines in this movie though. His mature acting really stands out in his role that needs to portray a wide variety of emotion and he does not dissapoint. His hometown accent doesn't hurt either. Amy Ryan is also excellent as the drug-addicted single mother of the kidnapped child. The best part of Gone Baby Gone is the story. The ending will catch you off guard and it causes us to think deeply about ethics and how vague and skewed the right thing to do can be in times when circumstance changes the rules. You'll be thinking about it hours later.

Disturbia

2008-03-03T15:27:00.000-08:00

*** (3 stars)

Disturbia (2007)
Genre: Thriller
105 minutes - PG13 rating
Director: D.J. Caruso
Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Sarah Roemer, Carrie-Anne Moss, David Morse, and Aaron Yoo

Brief Plot: A teen living with his widowed mother has his summer ruined when he is placed under house arrest for assaulting his high school teacher. To pass the time, he begins watching the neighbors from his house, in particular the hot girl who moved in next door. But his spying takes a turn when he begins to think that his neighbor is a murderer.

Best Audience: Disturbia has some very intense and frightening moments and there is a splattering of s-words throughout. Best for teens and up. Don't watch it if you hate thrillers.

My Review: Disturbia is an altered clone of Hitchcock's Rear Window. The plot is simply retooled and reorganized to fit a younger hipper audience for the teen appeal. That said, it doesn't compare in the same sentence of course. Director DJ Caruso plays on almost every teen stereotype in the movie and the characters are mostly average. LaBeouf acting is very competent, however, and this is probably an example of his better work to date. Disturbia does do a good job of keeping you interested and profits from good editing and time flow. It is a great rent and a fun movie to watch with friends, but that aside I wouldn't call it a classic.

No Country For Old Men

2008-02-04T11:28:00.000-08:00

**** (4 stars)

No Country For Old Men (2007)
Genre: Thriller/Drama
122 minutes - R rating
Director: Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson, Kelly Macdonald

Brief Plot: Llewelyn Moss (Brolin) discovers a stash of $2,000,000 in money at the scene of a drug deal gone bad near the Rio Grande. After he takes the money, an evil killer (Bardem) tracks him, while the county sheriff (Jones) tries to put together the pieces of the puzzle.

Best Audience: If you are a fan of the Coen brothers this film is probably for you. A few instances of profanity and a series of violent and bloody shooting deaths are the main cause for the R rating. I would recommend this movie to anyone who likes crime thrillers or suspenseful movies.

My Review: No Country For Old Men is extremely hard to rate or to write critically about. The movie had amazing things going for it. The cinematography was top notch and the dialogue was better than any other movie I have seen from 2007. The three main actors were great, in particular Javier Bardem's character (Bardem was nominated for the best supporting actor academy award). Bardem might be the best villian and the scariest murderer since Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs (1991). He is absolutely terrifying. In all this film has garnered 8 academy award nominations including Best Picture and Best Director. I really enjoyed the tangibles of the movie a lot and was really entertained. This part of the movie deserves the 4 stars I gave.

On the other hand, I can see a lot of people really disliking this movie, especially the last 20 minutes or so, because the plot goes crazy. It does not follow the 3 act structure and a few things near the end of the movie will leave you scratching your head or wondering what happened. I think the Coen brothers purposely leave a few scenes up to the audience to interpret, including what becomes of the 2 million dollars in cash. Because of this vagueness in a few parts and what could be considered plot letdowns the movie might disappoint some viewers. While a little of this bothered me, I instead have been pondering the movie for hours and think that I almost don't mind feeling unsure of what the directors tried to show, because it leaves the meaning up to each individual. Still, I think the end of this movie will outrage many viewers and some people may disagree with my liking of the film.

National Treasure: Book of Secrets

2008-01-26T20:39:00.000-08:00

*** (3 stars)

National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007)
Genre: Adventure/Mystery
124 minutes - PG rating
Director: John Turteltaub
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Justin Bartha, Diane Kruger, Jon Voight, Helen Mirren, Ed Harris, and Harvey Keitel

Brief Plot: A missing page from the diary of John Wilkes Booth reveals that the great grandfather of Ben Gates (Cage) could have been a conspirator in the murder of Abraham Lincoln. Ben attempts to prove the innocence of his family's name by finding the truth in the presidential Book of Secrets and discovering a priceless treasure?

Best Audience: Anyone who enjoyed the first National Treasure movie should like Book of Secrets and be entertained by it. The movie could still be entertaining if you haven't watched the first film, but I wouldn't recommend it. The movie is suitable for many younger audiences as well. It's a fairly light movie that isn't as complicated as the original movie, so I think this movie could be a good choice for a fairly wide demographic.

My Review: I generally enjoyed the first National Treasure movie. The second installment was somewhat weaker in my opinion. Nicolas Cage is inconsistent in his acting and I only like him in a handful of movies. His performance was worse in this film than the previous. Also Jon Voight just seemed a little stretched and out of character. The plot isn't quite as clever as the first film, and there were a few things about the movie that I disliked. First, there was a clear absense of law enforcement thoughout the movie. The protagonists are able to get through a gunfight and some car-chasing mayhem in Europe without anyone being arrested, they can prance and climb around near Mt. Rushmore without any problems. Second, Gates is able to 'kidnap' the president without any difficulty or being caught. He is able to escape the library of congress without being captured, get into the oval office, etc. It's just all too easy and it doesn't look difficult enough. I really was sadly unimpressed with Ed Harris in this movie too. The movie had pretty good entertainment value and I still had fun watching it, but it just came up a little short for me. It's a good rent, but not a movie I'll be interested in purchasing. The good thing is that it's probably a movie that most of the family can enjoy.

Atonement

2008-01-24T20:14:00.000-08:00

**** (4 stars)

Atonement (2007)
Genre: Drama
130 minutes - R rating
Director: Joe Wright
Starring: Kiera Knightly, James McAvoy, Saoirse Ronan

Brief Plot: "A British romance that spans several decades. Fledgling writer Briony Tallis (Ronan), as a 13-year-old, irrevocably changes the course of several lives when she accuses her older sister's lover of a crime he did not commit." - Focus Features

Best Audience: Atonement is rated R but isn't as objectionable as it could be. A fairly restrained sex scene and the inference of a rape, along with a few instances of profanity and crude language and some scenes with war carnage give it the R rating. It is a film that draws from its sentimentality and at the core it is a love story. Even so, I think that most people can appreciate and enjoy the film because it is such a good period piece. It is a great choice for a date movie.

My Review: I had really high hopes for Atonement and the combination of director Joe Wright with Kiera Knightly starring (they also teamed up in Pride and Prejudice) turned out to work again. Additionally, Wright brought back Italian composer Dario Marianelli for Atonement and the result shows - the beautiful and pertinent score is one of the strongest points of the film. Atonement was based on Ian McEwan novel of the same name. The movie begins in pre-WWII Europe and spans into the middle of the war. The acting was sound and the best performances were by Knightly, McAvoy, and young Saoirse Ronan. Ronan was the only one of the three to receive an oscar nomination, but I think the best performance was by McAvoy, who is really a name to watch for in the future. I have to admit I was slightly let down by the story, I don't know why, but there is enough in this movie that still made me enjoy it quite a lot. Wright employed a few cinematography styles that were very interesting: in one long panning shot he followed McAvoy's character through the entire beach scene at Dunkirk England after the famous Dunkirk retreat of WWII. The shot had to last at least two minutes but it was really quite captivating. As I previously mentioned the score was also very powerful and really helped the movie. All in all, Atonement is a well-made movie that should provide an enjoyable viewing.

Eastern Promises

2008-01-24T19:30:00.001-08:00

**** (4 stars)

Eastern Promises (2007)
Genre: Crime/Drama
100 minutes - R rating
Director: David Cronenberg
Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts, Vincent Cassel, Armin Mueller-Stahl

Brief Plot: Anna (Watts) is a midwife in a London hospital when a young woman arrives in labor one day then dies after the childbirth. The woman leaves only a baby and a diary written in Russian behind. Anna takes the diary hoping to find answers. When Semyon (Mueller-Stahl), owner of a local Trans-Siberian resteraunt agrees to help her translate the diary, Anna has no idea that she is crossing ground with one of the Vory V Zakone's Russian crime families. The diary contains evidence incriminating Semyon's son Kirill (Cassel) of crimes. Viggo Mortensen is Nikolai, who is "just the driver" for the crime family and holds many dark secrets. What will happen as more of the diary and the characters is brought into the light?

Best Audience: Eastern Promises is directed by David Cronenberg who has a very unique style. Cronenberg is known for his extremely graphic violence, and Eastern Promises is no exception. In addition the film contains a fairly graphic sexual scene with upper female nudity. Also the most famous scene in the movie involves a very violent fight in a bathhouse in which Mortensen is completely nude which is noticeable in a few fleeting shots. There is also a regular amount of profanity. If none of these things turn you away and you enjoy good storytelling, great acting, and gangster movies, you should fit right in.

My Review: Eastern Promises is another triumph for David Cronenberg. Teaming up again with his A History of Violence lead man Viggo Mortensen Cronenberg delivers a dark and thrilling piece of work. Mortensen (who fully deserves the Oscar nomination he received for his role) is the best part of the movie and both his believable Russian accent and his brilliant portayal of Nikolai are the highlight of the film. Watts, Cassel and Meuller-Stahl all hand in good performances and Howard Shore's score is excellent. I personally find Cronenberg's action and style very thrilling and artful but others may be turned away by the vivid and detailed violence. He really pushes the limit. As far as the bathhouse fight, I guarantee it will leave you speechless. Eastern Promises is well made and well-performed, so I believe it deserves four stars. It is certainly not a movie that appeals to a wide demographic, but Cronenberg will continue to stick to his style, whether you love or hate it.

New Stuff

2008-01-23T12:35:00.000-08:00

Hey, I added a poll to the site (Please Vote!) and also a links list, so check that out. I'll continue later this week with a review of Oscar-nominated film "Eastern Promises" and maybe "Atonement" or "Sweeney Todd". Stay Posted!

Juno

2008-01-22T19:25:00.001-08:00

**** (Four stars)

Juno (2007)
Genre: Comedy/Drama
96 minutes - PG13 rating
Director: Jason Reitman
Starring: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Allison Janney, J.K. Simmons, Olivia Thirlby, and Rainn Wilson

Brief Plot: Juno MacGuff (Page) is pregnant! Only 16, Juno struggles with her dilemnna and ultimately makes decisions, grows up, and matures. Garner and Bateman star as a couple wishing to adopt who have struggles of their own.

Best Audience: This comedy deals with more serious content so I wouldn't recommend it as a comedy for your tween daughter's sleepover, but many high-school aged kids can relate to the struggles of being a kid in an adult world and the movie is mostly clear of objectionable content. A good date movie, but not a movie just for couples, most anyone should be able to enjoy this movie.

My Review: Juno was recently treated well at the Academy Award nominations including a chance at Best Picture and Best Lead Actress (Ellen Page). When I viewed it at the theater I was expecting a good movie because I had heard very positive reviews. The movie was surprisingly good but I wouldn't expect it to win the big one. Page makes the movie and Michael Cera (Superbad) is the perfect love interest/geeky teen. I loved J.K. Simmons as Mr. MacGuff as he provided some different humor elements that the quick-tongued Juno (Page) did not provide. A great performance from Jennifer Garner too, who makes me relate about as much as I can to an infertile mother-wannabe. In all seriousness, however, she was moving. The movie has a soundtrack that some will love and others will not care for. I wasn't overly impressed but the screenplay for the movie was very solid. The humor is quick and witty, though the quick dialog is maybe a little forced at times, kind of like watching an episode of Gilmore Girls. Even so the movie doesn't get old and Page is just surprisingly good - enough so to keep us entertained for 96 minutes. As my friend remarked, however, I hope they don't make a sequel.

Little Miss Sunshine

2008-01-11T14:20:00.000-08:00

**** 1/2 (4 1/2 stars)

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
Genre: Comedy/Drama
101 minutes - R rating
Director: Jonathon Dayton and Valerie Farris
Starring: Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette, Steve Carell, Alan Arkin, Paul Dano, and Abigail Breslin

Brief Plot: A dysfunctional family from Albuquerque embarks on a road trip to allow the youngest daughter to compete in the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant for 7 and 8 year olds. Among the family is Sheryl, the mother who is attempting to quit smoking; Richard, the dad whose motivational success program is a flop; Frank, Sheryl's gay brother who recently attempted suicide and has moved in so that he can be monitored; Dwayne, the sulky teenage son who has taken a vow of silence and is a follower of Nietzsche; the foul-mouthed Grandpa, who was kicked out of his retirement home and is addicted to heroin; and finally little Olive, a slightly plump glasses-wearing 7 year old full of endless optimism who wants to compete in the beauty contest. With all the problems this family faces, could a road trip to California just be another?

Best Audience: Little Miss Sunshine isn't just for comedy-lovers because it is a deep story that isn't just a film for laughs. The movie does, however, have more mature elements including drug abuse, homosexuality (not very developed), and the mention of a suicide attempt. In addition the movie has probably a dozen or so uses of the f-word. Most mature audience members should enjoy this film.

My Review: Little Miss Sunshine, written by Michael Arndt and winner of the Oscar for best original screenplay) is a smart film that hits it right on multiple cylinders. The acting performances are none short of excellent and the story is smart, funny, and original. Despite the fact that it is a 'road' picture, it doesn't fall into looking like something you have seen before. Released by Big Beach Films, Little Miss Sunshine reminds us of the value that can come from smaller more independent minds. The film has superb cinematography and an incredible score. The character development is rich and endearing. Little Miss Sunshine is like a lesson in good filmmaking and does so many things right. It is that, more than mass popularity, that give me reason to rate it so highly.

The Island

2008-01-11T13:17:00.000-08:00

**** (4 stars)

The Island (2005)
Genre: Action/Sci-fi
136 minutes - PG13 rating
Director: Michael Bay
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Scarlett Johansson, Sean Bean, Djimon Hounsou, Steve Buscemi

Brief Plot: In the year 2019 after the contamination of most of the earth, Lincoln Six Echo (McGregor) lives in a utopian-style world in which everything he needs is provided for him, and the sole future of his life will begin when he is picked from among his peers to travel to "The Island". When he finds a deadly secret about the society, he and Jordan Two Delta must run... or die.

Best Audience: The Island is classic Michael Bay (explosions-a-plenty, lots of special effects, and that Michael Bay humor). That said, you won't like it if you hate sci-fi movies or plots that have meat to them. However, the Island has a lot of interesting elements to it that makes it more than lasers and futuristic machinery, and it also has Scarlett Johansson, so men you can't really go wrong here.

My Review: The Island is probably the best action movie I've watched in a very long time. As stated previously, The Island is very typical material from Bay whose resume also boasts movies like Armageddon and Transformers. But The Island is a lot more complex and deep than just a series of chases and explosions. There are very though-provoking themes that are played out in the movie and the characters (namely McGregor and Johansson) have good on-screen chemistry. Sean Bean provides a solid villain as usual and the special effects are breathtaking. The Island is very good at portraying futuristic technology. It often reminds me of Minority Report in that regard. The surprising thing is that that this film flopped at the box office when Bay's later film Transformers was a smash-hit. While Transformers was enjoyable, I feel The Island is a better film in almost every way. The Island is good entertainment with little to be disappointed with. I gave it 4 stars because it is just too good to give 3 1/2.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End

2008-01-09T12:20:00.000-08:00

*** (3 Stars)

Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End (2007)
Genre: Action Adventure/Fantasy
168 minutes - PG13 rating
Director: Gore Verbinski
Starring: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Kiera Knightly, Geoffry Rush, Bill Nighy, Chow Yun-Fat, and more.

Brief Plot: Will (Bloom), Elizabeth (Knightly), and the rest seek the charts to travel to Davvy Jones' Locker in order to rescue Captain Jack Sparrow (Depp) and his ship the Black Pearl. Meanwhile, the East India Trading company terrorizes the sea while Lord Cutler Becket enjoys the use of Davvy Jones and the Flying Dutchmen. The Pirates face extinction and must make a final stand.

Best Audience: Basically if you've seen the first two you have to see this one. It really isn't a movie you want to see unless you have seen the other and enjoyed at least the first one. As an action-adventure and fantasy type movie it is fun.

My Review: It's really hard to find good things to say about this movie in all honesty. Parts of the movie are downright painful and the humor that was easy and steady in the first movie is strained and trying too hard in At Worlds End. Some of the characters (namely Norrington and Tia Dalma) are inconsistent throughout the movies and the plot is a twisted mess with more plot lines than the Kraken has tentacles. Too many things are built up in the second movie (Dead Man's Chest) that either are not explained or resolved, or else amount to almost nothing in At Worlds End. The acting is mediocre (Depp's performance is way below what he did in Curse of the Black Pearl) and it's just a movie with a very slapped-together feel. I did enjoy a twist near the end and the resolution of the movie with the ships battling in a giant maelstrom makes the movie worth sitting through. Overall, I still have fun watching the film and it has good special effects, but it isn't something that I would rave about. The really sad thing is that At Worlds End had the potential to be an amazing movie, especially with how much the second film built up for it, but it simply fell short. It deserves a 3 only barely since the end of the movie is so exciting and the special effects are terrific.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

2008-01-09T11:44:00.001-08:00

**** (4 Stars)

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Genre: Romantic Comedy
104 minutes - R rating
Director: Michael Gondry
Starring: Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Kirsten Dunst, Mark Ruffalo, Elijah Wood, Tom Wilkinson

Brief Plot: Joel (Carrey) undergoes a procedure by an obscure company named Lacuna which will erase from his memory everything about his former love interest Clementine (Winslet). As he relives the memories, however, he realizes why he loved her in the first place.

Best Audience: The movies is Rated R mainly for fairly liberal use of the f-word and for some sexual content (non-graphic). However most mature audience members will enjoy this film if they are looking for something original and witty. Fans of Tim Burton will also likely enjoy the fascinating and bizarre style that Gondry employs.

My Review: I gave Eternal Sunshine a strong 4 stars because not only was it well acted (notably a fantastic performance by Jim Carrey) but because Gondry uses artful and clever styles to tell his story in a way that you won't have seen before. The story and script are good, and the supporting cast is extremely competent. If you don't like the weird, though, this is not the movie for you. The pace of the movie is not too dry and the way that we learn more about the characters as the movie progresses, keeps you riveted. I am looking forward to seeing Gondry's next comedy with Jack Black and Mos Def called "Be Kind Rewind" which is coming out in theaters later this month.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

2007-12-13T21:11:00.001-08:00

*** 1/2 (3.5 Stars)

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
Genre: Fantasy
138 minutes - PG13 Rating
Director: David Yates
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, and more

Brief Plot: Harry's return to Hogwarts for his fifth year is gloomy as can be. Few believe his claim that Lord Voldemort has returned to power and the introduction of Delores Umbridge to Hogwarts school (as mandated by the Ministry of Magic) causes danger at the school. Umbridge does not teach or allow students to learn practical magic for defense against the dark arts. More and more her influence causes the school the change. Harry forms and underground organization called Dumbledore's Army and along with Ron and Hermione train fellow students for the inevitable attack by Voldemort. Harry models this group after the Order of the Phoenix, a group Dumbledore formerly created to fight Voldemort 'the first time'. When Harry has a dream about Sirius Black being tortured he and his friends rush to save him, prompting a showdown with Death Eaters and a shocking finish.

Best Audience: Teens or mature tweens and any older fan of the book series or movies, or just anyone who likes a good fantasy or action flick.

My Review: The fifth installment of the Harry Potter franchise was another step in the development and maturation of the film series. Young director David Yates (who has most of his experience filming tv movies) was a surprise at director. In a way I feel that he brings less to the table than some of the directors of the previous Potter franchise (personally I felt Goblet of Fire's Mike Newell did a better job). All the same, Yates surpassed my expectations in providing character development and overseeing a good script. He also has many talented actors who are able to save the show. Radcliffe, Watson, and Grint continue to get better as they grow older in the roles of Harry, Hermione and Ron, respectively. But I think their performances are overshadowed by the veteran acting experience of Alan Rickman, Gary Oldman, Jason Isaacs and new cast members Helena Bonham Carter (playing frightening Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrange) and Imelda Staunton as Delores Umbridge. Staunton's Umbridge is played with sweet evilness, it drives you crazy, believe me, and that is why her acting was so good, it just gets that reaction from you. Perhaps the most well-done part of the movie was the flashback to Snape's younger days when Harry's father James and a young Sirius Black pick on him ruthlessly. It is this, along with good character development between Harry and Sirius that made the plot for me. This was much more important than all the hype about Harry's kiss with Cho Chang, which I almost found myself laughing at. The visual effects were excellent, and overall this installment in the Potter franchise was quite entertaining, even for casual fans, though I can't speak for book-lovers. Not the best Potter, in my mind, but still good and it will be interesting to see what Yates does in Half-Blood Prince due out in winter of 2008.

Review of Movies

2007-12-13T20:26:00.000-08:00

Inspired (and partly copying) my cousin Mike's movie review blog, I decided to start one of my own. The rating scale is from 1 to 5 stars. I hope you enjoy it.