Friday, December 17, 2010

Get Him to the Greek

status: 2010; on dvd
rating: * * * * * (5 out of 5 stars)

This is another perfect example of a movie I thought "eh, it could be funny, but I'm not so sure." Again, I was proven wrong. Jonah Hill, Russell Brand and Sean Combs are hilarious in this movie. Jonah Hill gets a job to bring Russell Brand, a fading rock star, to the Greek Theater for a 10 year reunion show.

The level of debauchery, drugs, and ridiculous antics that ensue is amazing. I was flat out floored by how funny it was. The movie had all the great elements of an Apatow production that fans know and love. If you like movies like Superbad, The Hangover, and even Forgetting Sarah Marshall, I'm pretty sure you will love this.

Felon

status: 2008; on dvd
rating: * * (2 out of 5 stars)

This movie follows Stephen Dorff as a family man who accidentally kills a robber and goes to jail. He meets Val Kilmer, a respected prison veteran and murderer, and the harsh realities of being under the watchful eye of Harold Perrineau Jr. There are many extreme altercations and has elements of Oz and The Last Castle.

Its entertaining, but could be much better. The acting is a little bland at times and I feel like the fact the whole movie was based on Harold Perrineau Jr.'s lust for control wasn't enough. It was interesting to see Perrineau as an officer instead of an inmate like in Oz. I think better casting might have improved it.

Brooklyn's Finest

status: 2009; on dvd
rating: * * (2 out of 5 stars)

The most recent film by Antione Fuqua (Training Day, Shooter, King Arthur) starring Don Cheadle, Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke as Brooklyn cops all looking for stability. Gere as a low-end traffic cop on the verge of retiring, Hawke as an underpaid cop trying to support his large family, and Cheadle as a successful undercover cop who wants his old life back, must face some tough decisions.

The idea is ok and the cast is decent, but the film doesn't really deliver. It's kind of a stagnant cop flick with very few glimmers of excitement. Coming from the guy who did Training Day and cast like this, I expected better. I guess this just adds another mediocre film to Fuqua's collection.

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Black Swan

status: 2010; in select theaters
rating: * * * * (4 out of 5 stars)

Let me start by saying, only Darren Aronofsky could make me interested in a movie about ballet. This film is nothing short of fantastic. This doesn't come as a surprise to this film-goer in the least. Black Swan stars Natalie Portman as a ballet dancer with dreams of being a star, Vincent Cassel as her coach and Mila Kunis as a fellow dancer.

The story follows Nina (Portman) in her struggle to be the best ballet dancer. She gets cast as the "Swan Queen" in a new rendition of Swan Lake. This proves to be very taxing both mentally and physically. Nina starts seeing a rash on her body, visions of a darker self, cuts on her fingers, what appear to be feathers, etc... Her inner turmoil to strive for perfection is tearing her apart. This coupled with a very touchy-feely coach (Cassel) and a potential threat to her role (Kunis), makes things all the more difficult.

Everyone's performance were incredibly believable and emotional stirring. Aronofsky's direction and the film's cinematography couldn't have been better. He has not lost his touch and this is a must see for any fan of his work.

Friday, November 26, 2010

Repo Men

status: 2010; on dvd
rating: * * (2 out of 5 stars)

What has the idea from Repo: The Genetic Opera, a similar plot line to Equilibrium and Minority Report, and the ending of Vanilla Sky? Ya, I think you know...

Repo Men had potential, that I'll admit, but it fell short when it tried to be too many other movies. Almost everything in the film felt taken from something else, blatantly. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't terrible. I did enjoy the dark ending and some of the comic relief, but it wasn't enough.

Friday, November 19, 2010

127 Hours

status: 2010; in select theaters
rating: * * * * * (being a true story i think makes it 5 out of 5 stars)

In describing my interest in seeing this movie, either familiar or not, most people were saying "that sounds boring". Well, I can definitely say that the movie is far from it. The movie revolves around the true story of Aron Ralston, a hiker, climber and adventurer falling in a canyon and getting his arm pinned under a rock for 5 days. James Franco plays Aron and gives a funny, painful, and unrelentingly powerful performance.

127 Hours was directed by Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, 28 Days Later, Trainspotting) and showed that he is capable of bringing any story to film beautifully. The landscape was captivating and the mindset of Ralston was depicted very vividly.

The end is not for the squeamish, but it's necessary so you feel the gravity of the situation. I highly recommend this film and I stand by Danny Boyle as a fantastic director.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

The Human Centipede [First Sequence]

status: 2009; on dvd
rating: * * (just for originality) (2 out of 5 stars)

After all the talk and hype, I decided to finally watch "The Human Centipede". The acting: atrocious, the scenario: cliche, the idea: original. The concept is really all this movie has going for it. The movie starts with two girls on a vacation in Germany. They head out to a club, get lost and get a flat (wow, new idea!). They proceed to wonder through the woods (what was wrong with the road) and come across a house. They come to find out its home to a demented retired surgeon who has a very interesting vision.

The bizarre nature of the idea and seeing it come to life is what sets this movie apart. That is the movie's only notable quality. Otherwise, its a low budget horror movie filled to the brim of bad cliches. Fulfill your curiousity if you need, but don't expect too much.

Saw 3D (Saw VII)

status: 2010; in theaters
rating: * * * (an extra star for the ending) (3 out of 5 stars)

Ok, ok. I know its Saw 7 and I know its absurd, but I went this far and had to finish it. I have to admit it was better than 5 and 6 in my opinion. I spent most of the film laughing because of ridiculousness of the acting, traps, situations and level of gore. Spikes through the face, spinning saw blades, fishhooks, plyers; all pieces in the final set of traps. The return of Mr. Carey Elwes was one redeeming thing in this "final" chapter. I won't say how the ending unfolded, but it was kinda cool how they tied it all up.

Now, if only Hollywood would just stop and leave this franchise alone I'll be happy.

P.S. 3D was completely unnecessary.

Doghouse

status: 2009; on dvd
rating: 0 stars

I wouldn't normally do this, but just so no one else has to suffer I need this posted.

This movie sucked on a massive level. DO NOT see it!



That is all.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

status: released in Sweden in 2009; in select theaters
rating: * * * (3 out of 5 stars)


The conclusion to the "Millennium Trilogy" was a bit of a let down. The first movie set the scene with introducing the viewer to Lisbeth with a striking series of events. The second movie framed up Lisbeth as a killer, only to have her freed from that while unraveling her past. The third movie however failed to live up to my expectation.

"The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" is told in a more "courtroom drama" style than anything, which makes it a bit dull. There are a lot of politics and story telling in order to square away the truth about Lisbeth's past. The movie's tail-end displays some action/violence to entice the viewer a little, but it feels a too little too late.

I have to admit Noomi Rapace and Micheal Nyquist still put on great performances. I did enjoy that the story finally came together, but I do wish it was a bit more fulfilling as its predecessors.

Monday, September 13, 2010

The Road

Status: DVD 2009
Rating: ** (2 Stars)

When are they just going to die? That is all I thought through this entire movie. Its never good to wish death upon your main characters. When they die the movie ends, but in this case the movie ending prematurely would have been an improvement. The movie was slow and boring. I must have gotten up a half a dozen times to go to the fridge, and another handful of times to the little girls room, and yet missed nothing.

I believe it was put best by my friend Rich, "I feel like I just got done balancing my check book..."

Favorite scene: Finding Spam.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Machete

status: in theaters
rating: * * * * (4 out of 5 stars)

Robert Rodriguez's newest "Mexploitation" film fills the over-the-top, ridiculous nature of exploitation films to a "T". Danny Trejo in his first starring role shows that he can rip up the screen the way fans knew he could. The film is filled with graphic decapitations, a number of sex scenes (complete with porno music), and plenty of throwbacks to the grindhouse days.

Rounding out the cast is Steven Seagal, Jessica Alba, Michelle Rodriguez, Robert De Niro, Jeff Fahey and a number of faces Robert has used in the past. Together this group makes for an in-your-face, absurd ride into bloody cinema. I couldn't have been more pleased with Machete. Thanks to the fans of the trailer aired in Grindhouse, this film saw the light of day. It would've been unfortunate for this one to fall between the cracks. Robert keep 'em comin'!

Monday, August 2, 2010

Fantastic Mr. Fox

status: 2009; on dvd
rating: (an unexpected) * * * * (4 out of 5 stars)

I held off from watching this until now, despite my love for Wes Anderson, because of it's seemingly lame, family-friendly nature. I can honestly say that I should not doubt Wes Anderson's brilliant visions. Starring the voices of many familiar faces from Wes' body of work (plus the infamous George Clooney), Fantastic Mr. Fox has everything that makes a movie a joy to behold.

Using the platform of being a PG movie and still making it very funny/witty for adults is no easy task. Wes replacing swears with "cuss" is a good example. Also, the style in which the film is presented is beautiful. I was admittedly unsure if I would enjoy this, but the stop-motion animation was great.

Bottom line, say to yourself "What the Cuss?!" and watch Fantastic Mr. Fox to see for yourself.

Sunday, August 1, 2010

The Girl Who Played with Fire

status: released in Sweden in 2009; in select theaters
rating: * * * * (4 out of 5)

In the sequel to "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo", we follow our goth heroine on a much more aggressive road. Lisbeth gets framed for three murders and one of the only people that believe she is innocent, Blomkvist, cannot find her. She's been traveling abroad, but keeping tabs on certain people.

The story unravels more of her past in a bit of a Jason Bourne way. You see snippets of her tortured past in her dreams. This movie follows Lisbeth a bit more closely, seeing that she is being hunted. The performances by Noomi and Michael are still just as powerful and fierce as its predecessor. I am definitely looking forward to this tale's conclusion.

Monday, July 26, 2010

Capatalism: A Love Story

status: 2009; on dvd
rating: * * * * (4 out of 5 stars)

Given Michael Moore's reputation as a liberal outspoken filmmaker, this movie seemed to be a sensible subject worth exploring. This documentary reveals the origins of capitalism and its current effects on our society. Seeing the results of capitalism in unjustly sentencing teens into juvenile halls in Pennsylvania, to foreclosure on hard-working American homes, and to entire companies being laid off without pensions, is enough to make anyone furious. Michael Moore tackles this problem with his stubborn force and demands answers he (and the rest of the nation) deserve. There is plenty to be weary about and more than enough to ponder in this documentary. Watch it and maybe more of us will enact change the country desperately needs.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

The Crazies

Status: 2010; DVD
Rating: ** (2 stars out of five)

I am particularly fond of movies that test civilized people in situations that place them in excess fear and stress in which they have to choose death, or become a hero. "The Crazies" actually fits right into this genre. Shorty into the story a dead soldier and airplane are found in the water supply of a small town, this plane has a government bio-weapon that quickly infects the unsuspecting people. Practically overnight towns people become "crazy" and kill off their loved ones and friends, but before you can even worry about the safety of your main cast, including the hero sheriff played by Timothy Olyphant, the government swoops in to quarantine and cover up the incident. Now I may be slightly harsh on this movie, but I was consistently able to call out the plot twists and turns, and this made it easy for me to be prepared for the parts of the movie that should have made me leap out of my jammies. Sadly, this movie has been made before, all of the over zealous "Crazies" just made me wish for the rage filled zombies from 28 Days Later. In the end this movie was worth the money I paid for it, the whole 1 dollar from the Redbox.

Favorite scene: Timothy Olyphant in the morgue with the bone saw.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

status: released in Sweden 2009; on dvd
rating: * * * * (4 out of 5 stars)

Admittedly, I was late to the game when this book/movie/story had become a phenomenon. I have to say though, it's better late than never. Niels Arden Oplev brought the work of the late Stieg Larsson to the screen and has done an impressive job.

Mikael Blomkvist is a journalist fighting a "false" accusation, when he receives a job offer to find a dead girl and her killer. Utilizing the help of a hacker Lisbeth, who has been researching him, the search for the girl begins to take shape. The story dives through corruption, family secrets, murder, and sexual assault with staggering force.

Performances by Noomi Rapace (Lisbeth) and Michael Nyquist (Mikael) really give a lot of dimension to the film's complicated story. Solving the mysteries of this story makes one yearn for its successors. This avid moviegoer looks forward to continuing the trilogy.

Danny Deckchair

status: 2003; on dvd
rating: * * (2 out of 5 stars) (second star because i laughed a couple times)

(Having just watched this movie makes me able to site this comparison.) Imagine "Up" meets "The Majestic" with just a sappier love story and you have Danny Deckchair. Rhys Ifans as Danny, a "cement man" with all these "crazy ideas", is getting ready for his annual holiday with his girlfriend. When she tells him she can't go, he ties a bunch of balloons to his deckchair just to see what would happen. Unexpectedly (but you know), he lifts off the ground and travels to a town where he becomes the biggest thing since sliced bread.

The movie is filled with quirky happenings and awkward situations. It has a few slightly funny parts, but those fizzle out about 45 minutes in. If you want to see Rhys Ifans play the strange suave guy in an earlier film, here you go. Just don't be surprised on where it takes you.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Inception

status: currently showing
rating: * * * * * (5 out of 5 stars) (what can I say he's awesome)

Christopher Nolan has made you experience short-term memory loss, sleep deprivation, magic, heroism and psychosis; so you shouldn't be surprised when he dives into your dreams for his next epic. Inception follows Leonardo DiCaprio as a thief who can search your dreams for anything you want kept hidden or secret. He is faced with most difficult task that will reunite him with his family, Inception. The visuals are reminiscent of the Wachowski brothers and action of Brian De Palma, but taken to the next level. This is a film that keeps you enthralled and just confused enough to dive right in. Rounding out the cast with Ellen Page, Ken Wantanbe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Cillian Murphy and Micheal Caine makes this visual voyage well acted too. Its nice to see the Christopher Nolan knows precisely what he is doing.