Review: Funny People

Judd Apatow’s latest is his lesser effort to date, but is still quite funny at times it just drags on a bit to long and doesn’t hit the emotional highs I think it was going for.
George Simmons is a comedy superstar. He lives the life of celebrity, alone, in a large mansion paid for by the countless blockbuster hits he has starred in. This all seems well and good until one day he finds out that he has a form of leukemia and that it is too late in the game to do anything conventionally associated with cancer treatment. So while George takes his experimental drugs he decides to get back to his roots of stand up and recruits a young and upcoming comedian, Ira, to be his assistant and joke writer as well as being the only person that knows of his condition.
The film kind of goes where you think it will from there, finding himself, becoming a better man, trying to reconnect with that one lost love, the usual. Apatow does bring a lot of fresh humor and laughs to the proceedings though, and makes the conventional worth experiencing again as this is far more a straight forward effort then his bit crazier previous features. James L. Brooks has been heavily cited as Apatow’s influence here and that is clearly seen throughout the film; albeit a bit raunchy, crude, and dirtier. When the film tries and get dramatic it works, but it isn’t any groundbreaking emotional swell that it might have hoped to be. With that said the normally comedic actors here all handle the dramatic chops just fine, the story is just not as effecting as it could be.
The humor in the film is of the same brand of any Apatow effort and if you are a fan there is plenty to like here. Seth Rogen’s Ira is constantly dropping fantastic one liners and Sandler fits right into the group as well. In fact, it almost felt like Jonah Hill and Jason Schwartzman were a bit underutilized as Ira’s successful roommates as they are both constantly hilarious every time on screen; but maybe it’s best to leave them with us wanting more. Also of note is Aubrey Plaza whose stand up is quite good while her awkward and odd character works as a good romantic interest for the roommate characters. And speaking of stand up, the film is littered with it and it is all quite funny with some really good jokes spread through out. In fact, the Blu-ray release of this film will probably end up being funnier than the film itself with all of the improvisation from all the cameos that was cut out to go along with all the raw stand up footage you know is destined for the release.
Since I am touching on the actors I might as well his up their overall performances as well. Sandler delivers his best work this side of Punch Drunk Love and makes you wonder why he doesn’t try and do more stuff like this more often; though I am sure his productions are a lot of fun on his Happy Madison films, surrounded by his buddies. Rogen is back in his lovable loser type role, but this is his best turn yet, getting to show a bit of range and has actually come quite far since just a couple years ago in Knocked Up. Leslie Mann and Eric Bana are both very good in their truncated screen time as well and don’t expect them to show up till the third act. Hill and Schwartzman were great as always, but like I mentioned earlier, we wish we could have had more of them and Plaza as well.
In the end, Funny People hits the right chords and achieves what it is going for the most part. The film is a bit long, with the third act really dragging; a good bit of tightening up could have really helped the film out. But other than that, and a bit of a clichéd moment or two for Sandler’s character (being a big star asshole) in the third act, there aren’t any major complaints. Plenty of laughs, both big and small, and plenty of heart to go around, funny people is enjoyable and never bad, one just wish it was a bit faster paced. While it isn’t the comedy stand out that his previous efforts were Apatow’s latest is still a successful comedy that doesn’t sully his hot streak one bit.
Funny People is a B

Review: 500 Days of Summer

Mark Webb delivers another unconventional and excellent rom-com for the calendar year, filing his film with originality, style, plenty of laughs, and a pair of great performances from his boy and girl leads.
The film on the surface is your classic boy meets girl story, but our narrator warns us early on that this is not a love story. With that said though, you can’t help but get swept up in the love tale being told on the screen as we watch Tom and Summer court each other. The funny thing is the film opens with the day right after their break up and Tom having to be talked off a ledge, figuratively, by his little sister over the loss. We are then thrown into the couple’s back story from Day 1 when they met up ending with the 500th day of their intertwined lives.
The film is filled with quirk, coolness, and style. Both of our leads are smart and hip people, but are in no way pretentious at the same time and Mark Webb and company do a fantastic job of creating something that feels real and genuine, even amongst some fantastical moments. Tom’s thought process is genuine and too rarely seen in films these days for a guy's perspective. Insecure at times and a bit shy and awkward he is easy to identify with and his trials and tribulations are something we can all connect with. Summer on the other hand is written as the perfect type of girlfriend type but not the kind of girlfriend Hollywood tries to force down our throats. She is real and beautiful and fun and we can easily see why Tom falls head over heals for her.
The film itself has a number of cool moments are clever bits thrown in and while some might not be wholly original, it feels fresh and is done with such a high quality they work extremely well. Webb implements split screen on a number of occasions to great effect, and once to amazing effect when we get to see the expectations vs. reality scene that really elevates the film to top notch work. The film is also laced with sly film, music, and geek references that are never waving their hands for attention but provide great laughs if you catch or get them.
The film also got the balls to not succumb to stereotypes, clichés, or convention in the rom-com format and is another breath of fresh air for the genre this year. Stories about relationships have had some real winners this year and this as a double bill with Away We Go would be a fantastic display of how to do romantic comedy. I will say, the film contradicts itself a little bit with the whole grand conception of love, fate, and whether it exist or not, but it’s ok because I think most people kind of go all over the place with their feelings on this topic depending on where they are at in their life romantically. But with that, there isn’t a moment in the film that doesn’t feel honest and you can’t say that about too many movies nowadays.
The actors in the film are also quite good to great and that really helps elevate the film to the level it achieves. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Tom and he continues to shine as one of the best young actors working today. He makes Tom real and genuine making a strong character even through all his faults and weaknesses. Levitt also brings the funny with ease and has excellent chemistry with his co-star Zooey Deschanel. Deschanel always plays a great girlfriend in movies and she does so again her as the free spirit Summer. The way she works through life might be frustrating for some and relatable to others, but she will suck both mindsets in as she acts all cute on screen. Deschanel is a bit type cast here in that we have seen variations on this character before, but she is the most sound and real and less aloof then in past turns and it is one of her finest turns yet.
In the end, 500 Days of Summer is a winner on just about every level. The film will have you smiling, laughing, and tug at your heart with the brutal truths of love. The films structure that jumps forward and back through out the course of their relationship works very well to keep us on our toes as we try and figure out how this is going to all play out. One minute they are a happy couple then the next Tom is bashing summer or is a hopeless wreck, but the film still suckers you into rooting for these guys in the end and you will have to check out the film to see whether it works out or not.
500 Days of Summer is an A

Review: Revanche

Götz Spielmann’s Austrian crime-’ish’ drama is an engaging character study that slowly builds up the tension and plot that is a tad bit bloated but remains a pretty good look at the human condition.
Alex is an ex-con who is dating a prostitute, Tamara, and the two’s feelings for one another are real. Unfortunately both of their lives are held back by debt and the lack of an ability to escape their lives. Susanne manages a grocery and is married to a young police officer, Robert. They have been struggling to have a child for sometime now, but live happily and peacefully in the country outside the big city. Susanne happens to be friends with Alex’s grandfather have lives alone in a cabin slowly struggling to get by as he fades into the twilight of his life. All of there paths slowly begin to become entwined when Alex and Tamara finally decide to make a break for a new life and Alex plans one last heist to get them on their feet.
The film’s story slowly unravels over the course of the two hour run time. Never boring, the characters on the screen are wonderfully conceived with dark pasts and intriguing thought processes that will lead to twists and turns in the picture that will surprise and catch you off guard. The pacing might be too slow for some, and I will agree that the film over broods on a couple of key characters dilemmas in the film, but the film isn’t rushing to the finish at any point in the picture.
The film will actually probably throw some people off as the most fever pitched moment of the film actually comes in the film and then slowly descends into the minds and decisions of the characters as they contemplate the consequences of their actions and lives. And while the film might over articulate these feelings and overkill it a little, it’s never a feeling of like, ‘this is terrible.’ You can just kind of see that this film might have been even better of it would have been a few minutes shorter as they easily get the point across of how these characters are feeling in less time then they actually spent in the film.
Johannes Krisch creates a complex and conflicted character in Alex that struggles with his every decision and battles his emotions as he tries to come to grips with that which was laid before him. Tamara is played very well by Irina Potapenko who is put into such delicate situations and isn’t afraid to bare it all for the camera, both physically and emotionally. The fragile situations she ends up in bring a lot of the films tension and she does a great job conveying her fear quietly in these scenes. Andreas Lust gives a pretty one note performance, but the emotions that haunt him are everywhere he turns and his decent into guilt is handled well for his limited screen time. Lastly, Ursula Strauss shines as the wife of Lust’s character and is forced into even greater complications potentially than Alex’s is. She leads a simple life and her world is thrown upside down when she decides to make a sacrifice for the hopeful good of her family.
In the end, Revanche is an engaging crime/human drama that is decidedly different from the first to second half of the film. With that said, both sides work very well and both give interesting looks and almost a different story all together. The first half sets up the emotions for the second, but the plot itself doesn’t carry over beyond that. I feel like if trimmed this could have been an even better film as it would have been a bit faster paced and a tad less redundant, but still enjoyed the film very much. Already a nominee for Best Foreign Language film at this past years Oscar telecast this is worth seeking out as it slowly rolls out in theaters across the country.
Revanche is a B

Review: The Hurt Locker

The latest effort from Kathryn Bigelow is a gritty and realistic look into the life of an Iraq War bomb squad that is thrilling when defusing the bombs but meanders a bit when not.
In and around Iraq during our skirmish over there since we went to war in the country, the enemy has been getting more and more crafty with there techniques at trying to kill American soldiers. One efficient way they have been able to do that is by planting bombs on the side of roads and what have you and detonating them once there are enough casualties to go around. In The Hurt Locker, we get to follow around a team of specialists who are brought in to do the riskiest work in the field and that is to diffuse the bomb without blowing it themselves or letting some observing detonator do what they were meant to. The team we get to follow consists of three men, Sgt. Bill James who is the bomb man, Sgt. JT Sanborn and Specialist Owen Eldridge who spot and protect the situation as best they can while making sure nobody detonates the bomb while they work. We pick up with them only having around a month left to go before their tour in Iraq is over and Sgt. James is thrust into their squad after the loss of their previous bomb man. The film hits the ground running along with James who dives into every situation he is put in with almost reckless abandon, but he quickly proves he is very capable at what he does.
This serves as an adequate set up for everything, but the film isn’t all about diffusing bombs and the fight that comes with it. In between we get a peek into these soldiers’ lives, these young men being thrown into an almost ridiculous situation and the effect that it has on them. Specialist Eldridge is constantly being tracked down by the bases resident psychologist as he deals with his inability to protect his previous commander when it mattered most. Sgt. James struggles with his personal life back home where he has a newborn kid but doesn’t know the status between him and his child’s mother. Sanborn grapples with his feelings over James and his cowboy attitude of doing things that might get him killed sooner than he would like to do to James’ gung-ho nature. These plots all work to varying degrees but each doesn’t work just as much as it does. Sanborn’s irrational thoughts that crop up from time to time are a bit too much if you ask me and it makes it seem disgenuine when he and James buddy up in the heart of battle. But maybe that is the way it is, and probably should be, showing how many soldiers have problems with one another but have to put it all aside when in the hear of battle for the betterment of themselves and their squads.
The bomb diffusing set pieces will easily distract you from some weak character arcs and instead will enthrall you with the intensity and insanity of what these soldiers go through. With about six extended sequences involving the squad out in the field, you will find yourself clamoring for more every time we get away from it. Especially after the film rolls off the first four almost back to back over the first hour of the film. In fact it makes you wonder if the material was weak or simply just not nearly as interesting as we anticipate the next call to action for these soldiers. The film could have used some editing in the second half of the film as it meanders into redundant and a bit unbelievable territory. The characters motivations to do what they do towards the end makes some sense character wise and why they are upset, but logically they would have to be idiots to run into danger in a way they are unaccustomed too. But maybe we are supposed to take James’ bull headed drive to do whatever comes to him as reason enough to risk themselves as much as they do, but I had a hard time buying to James’ decisions that left his squad once and himself the other time seriously at risk and exposed in a situation they couldn’t control.
Dicey decisions written for the character or not, Jeremy Renner shines as Sgt. James and helps bring to life the really great parts of his character. For the first half of the film, Renner perfectly captures the insanity, humor, and balls it takes for someone to do what James’ does. Running in with a grin on his face and the feeling of fun flowing through him, Renner lights up the screen as he tears into these bombs and that’s not to say that he doesn’t handle the non bomb stuff well either. He creates a convincing confused soldier that is torn with what he should actually be doing with his life, it’s the films pacing and length that hurts any of those scenes. Anthony Mackie also shines here as Sgt. Sanborn, and is able to overcome some weak writing around his character. Mackie is tough, direct, and to the point, with him bouncing off Renner perfectly as the two get into time after time over their differing opinions. Brian Geraghty also does a good job rounding out the squad as the soldier dealing with the loss of a fellow soldier and doing a great job at bringing the mentality and indecision from failing to pull the trigger to every scene as they are thrown into hostile conditions. The film is also full of a number of cameos and brief work for some really fine actors. Guy Pearce is funny and quite commanding in an early scene. David Morse pops up for some needed humor to break the tension as a commanding officer. Ralph Fiennes steals his scene in his brief time on screen as a British soldier or mercenary, they aren’t ever really clear but I think it was a mercenary.
In the end, The Hurt Locker is a mostly engaging and thrilling trip through the lives of three American soldiers in the Iraq war. While the film may drag a bit in the second half and meander into not quite convincing territory for some of its character arts, it always makes up for that with it’s thrilling bomb/action scenes. Jeremy Renner and Anthony Mackie both make breakout turns among a number of great appearances from some great actors. Will get your heart pumping and put you on the edge of your seat, this is the most effective Iraq War movie to be released yet and it does so without pandering to be a political message. It just shows us what life might be like for some extraordinary individuals that go out everyday risking their lives to save those of their fellow soldiers diffusing bombs as their job. See it for the set pieces, Renner, Fiennes, and Mackie and because it is one of the more solid war movies to roll across our plates in the last few years.
The Hurt Locker is a B

Review: Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

David Yates returns at the helm of the sixth and second to last adaptation in the Harry Potter series and the result is a character driven story that sets up the final chapter that lacks a lot of action, as the source material dictates, that makes it a bit of the odd duck in the Harry Potter films.
Harry, having just lost his last living person he would call family in his godfather Sirius Black, Harry has spent the summer in a bit of a malaise away from the magic world. But when Lord Voldemort’s minion’s, the Death Eaters, actions begin to pour over into the muggle world he can’t help but notice the entire world becoming less safe a place to be. Potter is surprisingly visited by Dumbledore right before the start of the new school year only to be whisked away to help service Dumbledore’s attempt to recruit an ex-colleague back to Hogwarts. We then discover that Draco Malfoy has been tasked by the Dark Lord with a life risking endeavor that leads his mother to seek out Severus Snape to form an unbreakable vow to protect the Malfoy boy from harm. Potter quickly discovers that the professor Dumbledore recruited, Slughorn, has an important key to Dumbledore’s fight against Voldemort and understanding how to beat the Dark Lord. Harry is called upon to help Dumbledore gain this memory of Slughorn’s and he attempts to coax it from the professor in between the romantic ups and downs of himself and his best friends Ron and Hermione.
Now, there isn’t a lot going on in this chapter of the story when you write it out like that, but the key to this part of this tale is getting to know these characters as they really begin to turn into adults and deal with bigger emotions in their lives. The film’s main focus is the romantic endeavors of our main trio and the humor it gives to us as the teens deal with flaring hormones. Harry is a hot commodity with the girls as he is the world’s most famous wizard, but his gaze is on a girl with a lot of hurdles for him. Ron and Hermione continue their song and dance as they circle each others true feelings for each other while they get into snogging situations with other classmates.
While the film focuses on these characters growth and not a lot of plot really happens, the film is still full of magic, is the funniest film in the series to date, and is full of beautiful cinematography and creativity in its shots that it rivals Prisoner of Azkaban as the finest filmmaking in the series. The film also sees the return of the beloved wizard sport of quidditch and the two instances of the game are fun and thrilling, while providing most of the action in the film as well. And while on the action, there isn’t a lot in the picture. In fact, the filmmakers had to add an action sequence at the Weasley house to the picture just to try and keep up with the action packed installments that preceded it. So for anyone out there that loves the films for the wizard fights and other action sequences, be warned that you won’t find much here.
Also, for fans of the book, the film is a fairly faithful adaptation of the source work. There isn’t as much quidditch as there is in the book, nor are there many ups and downs in Ron’s new career as keeper, but there is plenty of quidditch to quench our starved thirst. The real nitpicking will come towards the end with the handling of the finale of the film. The scene at the lake works well, but once we go back to Hogwarts things deviate from the film a bit and I can’t help but question their decisions. They not only take away all of the fighting and action that took place, but they also make the actions of Harry seem odd, weak, and against what he would normally do if put in that situation. I also feel like the big emotional punch in the film wasn’t earned as well they could, and while the moment unfolds like it does in the book, the build up to the moment unfolds with little tension and no struggle in the middle of all hell breaking loose below at Hogwarts.
The acting film is as good as it has ever been in the series and the younger cast continues to grow under Yates’ direction. Emma Watson’s Hermione has always been the weakest of the three leads, by far, but she catches up to the pack in this one with no cringe inducing moments that she had in the previous installment. Rupert Grint is the best of the trio again as Ron, providing countless laughs and a hilarious turn as the most love swept character. Daniel Radcliffe gets better as well as Harry Potter and stands toe to toe with Michael Gambon and Jim Broadbent in almost every scene away from the kids. Broadbent is the new professor this year, Slughorn, and he does a fantastic job at creating the nervous and fame loving teacher that holds a dark secret; and he knows Dumbledore is after it. Gambon also gets the most screen time he has gotten since his first appearance in the series and that is a good thing for us. His rendition of Dumbledore is more spry, fun, and silly making him one of the most enjoyable characters in the series and he doesn’t disappoint. Jessie Cave is also hilarious as Lavender Brown, the love struck Gryffindor mate of our leads that goes gaga for Ron. Bonnie Wright is also able to make the step up in her biggest role yet in the films. Tom Felton also grows up as the sulking and always lingering Draco Malfoy, whose mission from Voldemort remains a mystery as he lurks in the background of the halls of Hogwarts. Alan Rickman also gets plenty to do as Snape, wrangling Malfoy being his primary job, and more Snape is always a good thing.
In the end, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is a solid entry into the series, but after first viewing is not my favorite. It drags a little bit when Harry makes his final push on Slughorn and like I said earlier, failed to really resonate emotion at the end. With that said it is the funniest film and probably the finest produced in the series and really sets up the characters for the final act, The Deathly Hollows. The film itself serves as a set up more than anything, planting seeds that we won’t get answered until the final chapter in the series and I think that hurts the pictures ability to really stand out as a great film. Lacking action and a lot of fantasy spectacle the film might let down some, but when you sit back and look at it all it serves as a nice set up for the final film and will play better once that film is out I imagine. The most segue way film of the series there is plenty to enjoy in the quality picture, just prepared that it is a bit different trip this time around, and if you can get past the book nitpicking, that really isn’t a bad thing.
Potter gets a B+

Review: Departures

08’s winner for best foreign language film at the Oscar’s, Departures is a very engaging, funny, and thoughtful look at death and letting the living come to peace with it and it is all wrapped around the wonderful story of a man finding himself and coming to grips with his past.
Daigo Kobayashi is an aspiring concert cellist that finally gets his break with a major orchestra, only to have them go broke shortly after. Left at a crossroads in his life, he decides to move back to his hometown with his young wife in the house he was raised in that his mother left to him when she passed away. His father having abandoned him and his mother when he was six, Daigo, has always quietly grappled with his feelings towards this loss and how it affected his life. When scouring the help wanted ads back in his home town, he comes across a well paid position that requires no background and will be full time work; the ad’s main focus is the word “departures” which Daigo reads into meaning something in travel. Daigo quickly finds out that it is not a travel agency, but it is actually a coffining service that prepares the deceased for their final resting place. Daigo, overwhelmed and shocked by some of the things he see and experiences can’t turn away the money, but he is afraid to share his work with his wife Mika that hints at something off with his feelings on his job.
Now, the film really shines in its ability to toss things back and forth between some very fine comedy and rather poignant drama surrounding Daigo’s clients and his own personal life. Dotted with some really great characters, not one is wasted in the film and every minor role player in the picture gets a very satisfying emotional pay off. The director, Yôjirô Takita, gets so much in so little work out of a number of actors in the film, it is quite impressive. From quick emotional scenes at some of the coffining ceremonies, to a very well done scene around a cremation, there is just some great work all around.
Takita’s ability to also create such good humor in such a bleak topic is as good as anything done in this spirit outside Six Feet Under. The film is actually an interesting and appropriate companion to that series, so if you are a fan of the show you should probably seek this one out as well.
The cast helps Takita to really help elevate the material and Masahiro Motoki really helps sell the picture by handling both the comedy and the drama with ease. Using physical humor and dead pan delivery, Motoki carries the picture while letting the superb supporters flourish and do what they need to do. Tsutomu Yamazaki is wonderful and steals every scene as the owner of the company Daigo works for. Both hilarious and wise, he becomes a surrogate father of sorts for Daigo as they bond over their work. Ryoko Hirosue is also adorable as Mika and really creates a real woman you can go for. Japanese women sadly tend to get played so strict, cold, and rigid, it is nice to see a change here, and Hirosue captures something unseen in most wives on the silver screen from Japan; at least from the limited bits I have seen.
In the end, Departures was a very worthy recipient of the foreign film Oscar last year, though I still would have gone with Let the Right One In, and one you should seek out now that it is available state side. The focus on a morbid profession does not seep into the tone of the film which is humorous and heartfelt and will grab hold of you as you get swept up in the story. The film does run a tad long and has an odd montage in the middle to move things forward, but it felt out of place, but none of these things do much to damper this quality picture that I look forward to revisiting in the future as part of my collection. So seek out Departures, I think you will find yourself pleasantly surprised.
Departures is an A-

The Decade's Best - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

David Fincher’s – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
David Fincher’s 2008 film stands up with any of his best films by telling a wonderful story, getting fantastic work out of his actors, and utilizing ground breaking special effects that are so good you don’t even know you are watching them much of the time.
The story of Benjamin Button is that of a child born of unusual circumstances. He was born old and as he ages his body gets younger. Born practically deaf, blind, and with arthritic bones as he ages all of these things get better becoming more youthful and spry as he ages. Raised by an adoptive mother, Queenie, he lives in the retirement home she manages and is surrounded by older people that look similar to himself at his young age. The story here is Benjamin’s life and the experiences he has, there is no great struggle, no horrible emotional issues over his condition, no real plot whatsoever. We just are along for the ride and that structure is really hared to grab on to as we experience this film for the first time. Films aren’t made in this fashion all that often, especially major studio fare like this, and the film only grows in richness on multiple viewings.
The one thing that pops out at you first in foremost in the film is the absolutely breathtaking cinematography and special effects. Fincher frames and designs every shot with such meticulous precision you could pull almost any shot from the film and use it as a background on your desktop. The lighting, the framing, and the camera moves are endlessly beautiful and what makes it even more impressive is that a majority of the shots had to have effects work added later. Thankfully the effects work in the film is second to none and it’s almost astonishing that it wasn’t ILM or WETA doing the work. Digital Domain has long been a successful effects studio but they took it to another level creating a photo realistic representation of Brad Pitt and aging him up all while replacing the actors head in the original shot. The make-up team also needs to be applauded for their fantastic work with aging up the actors on set and to the company that made them look younger in countless scenes and it all looks unnoticeable.
The narrative is also worth the price of admission and it isn’t just a technical wizardry show. Eric Roth applied the finishing touches to this script and brought it all together in the end. Every actor is great and has an interesting story to share through their on screen proxy. Captain Mike is brought to life with wonderful glee and heart by Jared Harris. Capturing the crude and loveable nature of a drunken sailor he shows Benjamin the ropes in the ways of women and drinking. Taraji P. Henson plays Queenie and nails the loud and opinionated New Orleans native. Full of love for her family and religion Henson nails the part without going way over the top that can come with a role that easily could have fell into stereotype. Jason Flemyng wins us over as Benjamin’s abandoning father and Fincher keeps the relationship from sinking into melodrama and instead is a respectful understanding. Cate Blanchett was robbed of an Oscar nomination if you think those things matter as her turn as Daisy, Benjamin’s long longed for love. She plays the character from her teens to her death bed and evolves every time we see her, becoming more wise and less of a youth showing some incredible range as an actress. Finally, Brad Pitt plays button from four years old till he is a memory sixty year old man in the body of a teenager and he does a marvelous job. Bringing a child’s curiosity to Benjamin as a boy and playing sly when people assume his age is far older then it really is in his youth, Pitt expresses this all with subtle ease. You can also see his longing just underneath his eyes for Daisy and he expresses Benjamin’s love with out waving his hands and making a scene.
Full of technical mastery, wonderful characters, and wonderful turns by all actors involved there is a whole lot to love in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Full of little quirks and stories, an epic romance that spans decades, and an examination of life unlike any we have really seen before, the picture is a very unique one. Fincher crafts another masterpiece to add to his resume and his third amazing partnership with Brad Pitt. A film that will only grow with age, it think we will find it to become one of the more loved and remembered films of the year and decade as time moves on. A timeless tale, the film came along and was produced at just the right time so that the picture can maintain a timeless look pulling off a character and performance from Pitt that would never have been possible until its release. So if you brushed this one off in 08 do yourself a favor and revisit this wonderful tale as I think you will find that it will only get better as you experience it again and again.

Review: Brüno

Sacha Baron Cohen is back at it with his follow up to 2006’s Borat which chronicles his homosexual Austrian fashion expert character, Brüno, is an often hilarious series of bits and skits that doesn’t overstay its welcome and is not nearly as groundbreaking do to the actor’s previous work.
Brüno is the biggest fashion expert in any German speaking country, besides Germany, and is a very open and flamboyant man about his lifestyle, sex life, and personal views. The loud mouthed bad boy of the fashion circuit, Brüno’s credentials are destroyed when a gaff at a major fashion event gets him blackballed from the European fashion world. With no where left to go, Brüno, heads off to LA to become a star as we follow his trials and tribulations to gain notoriety in the city of the stars.
Irreverent, loud, controversial, and absurd are a few adjectives that pop into my head when thinking about the film, but probably don’t even begin to do the film justice with just how far the film is willing to go. Now, I will say here, I was never offended and you shouldn’t be either if you have an open mind and are willing to sit back and enjoy the fun and silliness of the proceedings. And at its core, that is all this film is, Sacha Baron Cohen acting silly while exposing people for their true intentions and feelings on being around a rather upfront homosexual.
If you aren’t aware of Cohen’s shtick, he acts in character and dupes real people, well most of the time, into thinking he is in fact a real person. With that hilarity usually ensues over the awkwardness and caught off guard nature of Cohen’s antics produce.
Now does Cohen pray on the dim, ignorant, and idiots of our society, sure, but he doesn’t try to drum these people up as a representation of our society as a whole. When you rowel up a crowd of drunken red-necked Arkansasians and pull an elaborate homoerotic gay joke on them live and in person, you can kind of guess where it is going to go. But if you’re ignorant enough to assume that this is how everyone in Arkansas or the south acts, then the joke is on you too. Sure he is able to pull the wool over some intelligent peoples eyes but for one to complain that he is praying on the weak is a poor argument, because regardless of whom he getting after, it is usually quite funny.
The thing about Brüno, the film, this time out is that it felt a bit more staged then Borat. The finale with Pamela Anderson in his previous effort seemed obviously staged and was actually not that funny since it appeared that way. This time though, the Brüno character is so funny on his own accord Cohen is able to get us to still laugh, even when we doubt the legitimacy of the act on the screen. The film actually goes way over the top at times as well and is clearly not trying to be “real” by any means; and these over the top antics usually involve a penis to boot.
Fair warning though, anyone that is squeamish to any of the topic discussed so far, just be warned there is plenty to see here that will not settle with you very well. Many shots of the male genitalia are sprinkled throughout and possibly the funniest scene of the film has Cohen’s penis, well at least he said it was his, splashed across the entirety of the screen going out of control. Now there are no bodily fluids at play if that is what might scare you off, but there are many erotic situations staged, simulated? sodomy and felatio, trips to a swingers party, and more; they do not hold back. And it’s all played to jokes, quite effectively actually, and if you can have a light heart about it, I’m sure you will get a laugh or two out of it as well.
Lastly, Sacha Baron Cohen again shines in his ability to create such a well versed and hilarious character that he is some how able to stay in as chaos and nonsense unfolds around him. It really is remarkable, his abilities to be so witty and quick in character and never break form outside a sly smile he quickly hides and quells. His performance is worth the price of admission, as it was in Borat, though I am glad that this is probably the end of these types of films for him and look forward to getting to see more of him in straight forward motion pictures; and he will also avoid the risk of the shtick becoming stale, because it is already not as fresh as it was three years ago.
In the end, Brüno has plenty of laughs for those that aren’t put off by the material but isn’t start to finish hilarious at only 80 some odd minutes. You will find plenty of fun and enjoyment out of the picture when you are watching the first time but I am interested to see how it plays out on repeat viewings as I’m not quite sure how it will hold up. If you are a fan of Borat, and you aren’t a homophobe, then you should find plenty to enjoy again here as it is more of the same, but that is a bit of a problem in that it is more of the same and not really groundbreaking in any way other than Cohen taking things even further than he did the first time around. With all that said though, it made me laugh quite a lot and quite hard and if you are interested by the trailer then you should by all means see it as it lives up to what it’s selling, but nothing greater beyond that.
Brüno is a B

Review: I Love You, Beth Cooper

Chris Columbus will have a tough time picking up the pieces of his career after this atrocious and unwatchable mess that everyone involved with should be ashamed of for participating in or even letting it get to production.
I am not going to sum up the plot because it doesn’t matter, if you see this film you are a stark raving mad idiot that deserves every ounce of punishment you will endure for paying to see this film. About as fun as sticking your dick in a blender, it is a boring, unoriginal, offensive, and painful experience from start to finish.
Setting itself up as the anti-teen movie, it succumbs to teen flick cliché almost immediately. The film thinks it is being pro gar, but actually comes off as homophobic as the assumed gay character, then even cops out at the end of whether he is really gay or not. Add to this the stereotyping of all military men being major douche bags, a romance that would never happen in a million year between the leads, the endless attempts to be cool by referencing endless movies and then bragging about the reference, the film is just an annoying mess.
The pacing is awful, the editing is horrendous, and the actors involved are a herd of C and D grade actors (aside from the main characters parents, Cynthia Stevenson and Alan Ruck, they are the only redeemable actors). The script is also just so unhumorous, empty of any originality, and such an unidentifiable main character, or any character in fact, it is almost shocking that this was made and anyone gave any money to make it.
I really don’t even want to talk about this movie anymore, but I heard even if you are a fan of the book that this is almost a completely different story being told. Nothing great from the book is apparently executed here and neither is anything in the film outside one flashback sequence near the end revolving around towel whipping.
The only redeemable aspect of the film is Hayden Panettiere’s almost shocking display of skin in a surprising side boob shot from the much clamored after Heroes star. And that pretty much sums up the appeal of I Love You, Beth Cooper, if you are interested in the title characters side boob there is something for you, otherwise there is no other possible reason you should go see this almost guaranteed lock for worst studio picture of the year and up one of the worst films I have ever seen.
It’s an F, but I wish I could create a new rating to convey how awful this film is.
DO NOT SEE THIS FILM!

Review: Tokyo Sonata

This Japanese import is an engaging and effective look at the struggle of feeling trapped by a countries traditions and cultures, that minus an odd 20 minutes near the end, is pretty solid all around.
The Sasaki’s are an ordinary middle class family living a rather normal existence in modern Japan. Composed of mom, dad, and two brothers, the family is full of different personalities. Mom, Megumi is a stay at home of sorts but doesn’t waste away at home miserable. In fact she seems to be quite content with her role in the family and is happy to support her children and husband. The two sons are a bit separated in age with the younger, Kenji being a decent kid with flares of acting up in school that gets him into a bit of trouble but steers himself onto a path of learning the Piano; and it becomes something he is rather passionate about. His older brother, Takashi, is a bit of a recluse, never showing up at home till the following morning while he sleeps all day. Spending his nights, working, going to class, or just being out, he is a bit disconnected from his family, especially his father, but his parents don’t try and change him, letting the child live his life to his own accord. The father of the house, Ryûhei, seems to have a nice stable job with a large company, but suddenly finds himself without one as his role is outsourced to China for younger and cheaper labor. Terrified of reporting back to his family, Ryûhei decides to act like he is going to work everyday still and as time goes on things slowly become more and more unstable in the home as everyone is hit with the feeling of breaking free of the conformity chains that bind to their current lives.
Letting the drama unfold is the best way to enjoy this family, so I will delve into the characters and plot no more. But this family’s journey is filled with sadness, anger, and comedy for us to enjoy at the film is quite effective in its ability to affect us. Now let me dive into the problem point of this film and that is a purposeful but bizarre detour that three of our main characters take in the film final act. Are family is reaching a breaking point as their worlds change and crumble around them and the director, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, takes them each on a bizarre attempt at running away/escaping from their current lives. The sequence starts off really well, I must admit, with some brilliant comedy work going on with the events unfolding around Megumi, but thinks quickly get so random and out there it is just bad. There is too much of a tonal shift and I appreciate what Kurosawa was going for with the attempt to escape conformity, but these emotions were all pretty much conveyed and could have been done so far more in tune with tone the film established. The film does right itself and shine again in the final scenes, and ends on a near perfect note, and thankfully making up for the tarnish the sequences preceding it laid on the film.
The film takes more interesting and realistic turns through out the film that are both surprising yet relatable since they are grounded in reality. The films characters are easy to identify with as well and that is a testament to some strong acting and writing by everyone involved. The arc’s these characters take over the course of the film are quite interesting to dissect as well and will both bother and elate you with their paths. The film is also quite funny at times and has a few moments of hilarity thrown in as well where I found myself laughing aloud quite hard.
Teruyuki Kagawa is very good as Ryûhei and is heartbreaking at times at his desperation and the feeling of being lost he conveys. But he also shows range in his ability to deliver a deadpan joke as well that will have you pulling a 180 on your feelings in a scene before whipping you right back around. And his characters hypocrisy and anger that comes out towards the end is shocking and appalling yet he lets us still feel compassion for this man that is at an obvious crossroads in his life. Kyôko Koizumi is also quite good as the mother of the household and while she plays quiet and soft spoken, she doesn’t go over the top when she good and brings reserved and level headedness to the proceedings. I will say though, she got the short straw when it came to the awkward sequence I mentioned earlier, while it might start well, it quickly erodes into almost an unwatchable mess. Inowaki Kai and Yû Koyanagi are both good as the brothers in the household and while Kai gets more to work with, in which he shows a quiet confidence that really pops, Koyanagi makes the most of his brief scenes as well. Special mention needs to go out to Kanji Tsuda who steals every scene he is in and provides many of the films laughs as a fellow out of work ex-classmate of Ryûhei’s that shows him the ropes of keeping afloat and keeping your home feeling like they still have a job.
In the end, Tokyo Sonata is 80% really good blend of drama, tragedy, comedy, and interesting characters. The other 20% is an awkward and abrupt change of pace that almost destroys everything that was built up before it. The film rights itself in the end and upon reflection elevates its better parts over the awkward with ease. An interesting study of the human condition and it ability to conform to a world it doesn’t even know, there is plenty of messages to take away from this film, and the more attuned you are to Japanese culture the more rewarding the experience will be. With that said if you are ignorant to said culture there is still plenty for us Westerners to connect with as well.
Tokyo Sonata is a B

The Decade's Best - Monsters, Inc. (2001)

Pete Docter’s – Monster’s, Inc. (2001)
Pete Docter’s Pixar debut was a heartfelt and hilarious look into the world of monsters and what they do on the other side of our closet doors.
Sully, a tall and furry blue monster, is the leading scarer at Monsters Inc., a company that harvests children’s screams to power the monster world’s electrical supply. Sully’s door operator is a fast talking eyeball named Mike and he enjoys Sully’s success and celebrity more than the lead scarer does. Monsters Inc. has been noticing a drop in scare production recently on their scare floor and it isn’t do to a lack of trying by their scarers. Kids simply aren’t that scared any more and they are finding that they are having to retire more and more doors to the shredder every week that have gone dry of scares.
Just as Sully is about to break the all-time scare record, his nemesis Randall loads a door to try and get some after hour scares, only Sully comes across it trying to return some paper work and takes a peek inside to find nothing. When Randall comes back with his scream canister, he finds the room empty as well and retires for the night from mischievous activities. Sully’s fear of getting caught by Randall catching him in the act isn’t even his biggest problem. As a child, Boo, which are apparently toxic to the monster world has escaped through the door which has been sent back into the factory. Sully, who is stuck with the child, upon detection of contamination will be quarantined seeks out the help of Mike and while they try to find a way to put Boo back in her door discover an even sinister plot at Monster Inc. beyond Randall’s action.
Docter and company at Pixar successfully created a world that we can believe monsters troll around in and seemed to have a lot of fun creating some unique and fun monsters to inhabit their world. Filled with plenty of nods and winks there is more originality at play in this foreign world. From the factory system for the doors, the ideas that scares fuel the monsters world, or even the fact that all monsters don’t start as hardened scarers and can even be scared themselves at all ages. The comedy is also broad age wise with something for the kids and adults alike. Be it sight gags, character driven humor, or well written jokes the humor always works and never really let’s up.
The film is actually quite scary at times and it kind of surprises me that kids connect with it as well as they do with some of the images they throw at us here. In fact, it was rather risky I feel for Pixar to bank on a monsters story that would win the hearts of kids everywhere, but the main characters are so easy to love and get behind I think that over powers any fear in the end.
Sully our main hero is as nice as a guy you can get and leaves any sense of terror he instills in his job, at his job. At home he is a light hearted and easy going monster that works hard to be the best at his job everyday, and John Goodman’s laid back and calm demeanor suit him perfectly. Mike on the other hand is a wound up and klutzy spaz of sorts that is as neurotic as he is loud mouthed. Never shutting up, Billy Crystal brings Mike to life and is one of the more endearing characters Pixar has made so far. Props also need to go out to Pixar for creating such an adorable and loveable character in Boo with little more than her eyes to tell us how she feels. Her brief dialogue and noises are played for laughs more than anything, but they tell us so much through her eyes. Steve Buscemi is also great as the sleazy and vile Randall and he creates a character that fits the monster just right.
In the end, Monsters Inc. is a fine effort by Pixar that is on par with their second tier efforts. And if that isn’t saying something about Pixar in that their second tier stuff is still some of the best stuff of the decade I don’t know how to better laude the studio. Funny and adorable and punctuated with a jaw dropping final chase through the door warehouse that takes us everywhere in the world and racing at blazing speeds along the door lines. Also ending on a near perfect note and never dragging from start to finish you can’t really find a whole lot to complain about and helped firmly plant Pixar as the finest studio working today, both animated and live action, period.

Review: Moon

Duncan Jones makes his feature debut with this fantastic sci-fi film that digs into the psyche of the mind and what it means to be human and it is all fueled by a marvelous performance by Sam Rockwell.
Helium-3 has saved the earth’s energy problems. A world on the verge of destroying itself through pollution and death over the planets fossil fuels, the savior of all our problems comes from a substance that is able to be harvested from the dark side of our Earth’s moon. Lunar Industries is the company that has made this all possible and it maintains its crops and harvesters with one man out posted on their lunar base, Sarang.
That man is Sam Bell and he is at the very tail end of his three year contract with Lunar Industries as he anxiously awaits returning home to his wife and young daughter. As the final days wind down, Sam begins to start losing it a bit and finds himself trying to keep it together so as the robotic helper GERTY does not notice his ailments in fear of what might happen if he can’t finish out his contract. Passing the time as best one can, Sam, begins to have lucid dreams and sees odd visions that lead to an unfortunate incident and a mystery unfolds that he never even imagined possible that will cause him to look into himself and try and discover his true nature and place in life.
To spoil this film in anyway for you will only take away from any surprise and greatness this film can take hold over you. Revolving around almost exclusively Sam Rockwell as Sam Bell it seems like it might be quite the stretch that he can hold your attention for an hour and forty minutes almost single handedly, but the man does with relative ease. The role of Sam Bell allows Rockwell to wear many hats and show an extremely broad range and this film just goes to show that he is possibly the most underappreciated actor in Hollywood working today. The subtleties and nuances he brings to Bell are just perfect and give the character so much life and substance with us seeing very little of his life with even less back story. And the questions he has to grasp are handled in such a way that he also opens the viewer up to a lot to think about both Sam and the human existence and what that all means.
Now the film is a fairly heavy sci-fi affair. There are no aliens running amok or anything like that, it is just an idea film and is a wonderful study on the ideas it puts under the microscope. The film also plays its cards differently at almost every turn here as well and while some of these things might seem like you have seen these ideas before are kept fresh by Jones and writer Nathan Parker’s takes on the picture and Rockwell’s interpretation of all these ideas.
The film making in the picture is also top notch as well. An indie film, the production values and effects are just fantastic from start to finish. The moon exterior shots are wonderful and the set for the Sarang feels altogether classic sci-fi but futuristic in its look that it feels like an almost timeless film from the get go.
Kevin Spacey also deserves props for bringing GERTY to life and giving him the subtle emotions needed to go along with the robots “face” that provides a number of laughs in the film. And speaking of laughs, Rockwell charisma and humor shine through just enough in the picture to keep things a bit light in a rather dreary and perplexing situation the film takes us in.
Finally, the score by the great Clint Mansell is superb, giving Up’s score by Michael Giacchino a run for its money for best of the year. I was sitting there in the opening credits, which are also very well done even if they are a rip off of the Panic Room credits, and the music instantly captures your attention. And just as I was thinking to myself, “wow this music is great,” Mansell’s name pops up on the screen and it all made perfect sense. Now if we can only get him more work doing stuff like this and The Fountain more often.
In the end, Moon is an amazing sci-fi film and film in general. Hopefully it will not go unnoticed as Rockwell’s performance is worth the price of admission alone and Jones’ direction, storytelling, and filmmaking just happen to be superb as well. One of the finest achievements of the year so far, if you do not find this in my top 5 at the end of the year we have had our self a nice healthy dose of masterpieces in film for the 09 calendar.
Moon is an A+

The Decade's Best - Minority Report (2002)

Steven Spielberg’s - Minority Report (2002)
Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of Phillip K. Dick’s story is a rare blend of sci-fi, social commentary, major effects, action, noir mystery, and fun that is a blast to try and figure out and experience.
Set in the not to distant future murder has been essentially eradicated in the Washington D.C. area do to a new agency called Precrime. Using three psychics who are capable of seeing heinous crimes in the future, Precrime is able to take their memories and investigate the crime before it happens and bring the offender to justice before they ever actually get to commit the crime. As Precrime is about to be voted on to be taken nationally, Precrime Chief John Anderton and his organization are under put under audit by Danny Witwer who represents the Department of Justice. Anderton, who lost his only son to kidnapping, unfortunately finds himself to psychotropic narcotics sold illegally on the streets and sits alone at home alone watching videos of his son and ex-wife as paranoia that Witwer is after his job and Precrime festers on his brain. The paranoia hits its apex when the next murder that comes across Precrime’s table is that of one Leo Crow and the murder is Anderton himself. Having to avoid arrest, Anderton is forced on the run from Precrime and goes on a search for answers as to why and how he was set up. The mystery slowly unfolds as Anderton takes drastic step after step to get the answers to his crime.
Tom Cruise stars as Anderton and him and Spielberg work very well together. The biggest action star at the time, Spielberg plots fabulous and sprawling chase scenes that take us all over the futuristic Washington D.C. The city itself was conceived by a team of futurists who lead the design teams as to where they should be heading with their futuristic ideas for the city and Spielberg uses every nuance to great effect. From the eye scanners, virtual experiences, magnetic car system, and police advancements, Spielberg has a wonderful world of toys and elements to play with and he makes the most. From the car jumping escape scene, the spider police probes, and the non-lethal weapons displayed in fights Spielberg creates some great fights and tension that make the man on the run film fresh again.
The twists and turns keep on coming as the picture unfolds and Spielberg never lets the tension die as he grabs you by the collar and rarely lets you breathe. Pairing the chase with the mystery around the crime slowly unfolding between Anderton and Witwer’s investigation give the film substance making the action actually mean something as everyone, the character and the viewers, work towards the deadline that is the time the murder is supposed to occur. Spielberg also keeps a steady stream of humor around as well and the film is just a marvel of genre juggling that can only be handled by a few directors out there.
The film is even capable of raising a few intriguing questions to the viewers to discuss with the morality of incarcerating people who have committed no crime or the essential enslaving of a human being for their gifts.
The acting in the film is also quite good across the board with Cruise having one of his better turns and getting a bit more to do outside the normal big budget fare he was involved in. Added on top of this was Colin Farrell’s mainstream coming out party in getting to play the confident and cocky Witwer. Samantha Morton also gets to shine and breakout as the pre-cog Agatha getting to show a wide range from the weird to touching as the confused seer.
In the end, Minority Report is as action packed and fun filled as you could ask a film to be. Entertaining and interesting from start to finish, it is almost a perfect example of how to do sci-fi for the mainstream audience. Great effects, smart story, clever action, and solid turn by a superstar make this film both accessible and great. While it may succumb to a couple of Spielberg trademarks, a bit long and a hair to “cute” with its humor, it by no means ruins the picture and is entirely forgivable given the fantastic quality of everything else at play. So if you are a fan of sci-fi, big budget spectacle, or one of our best directors firing on all cylinders, then Minority Report was one not to miss.

The Decade's Best - The Good Shepherd (2006)

Robert DeNiro had a long gestating dream project about the origins of the C.I.A. Sitting on it for ten years he was finally able to bring it to fruition in 2006. Taking on a pacing and tone of its title character Edward Wilson, a collected, cold, calculated, subtle, and methodical man that helps give birth to secret the intelligence game as an agency in the United States, the Good Shepherd moves along deliberately but is full of intrigue and an epic story.
Edward Wilson isn’t the most socially outgoing individual, but smart as a whip and thorough in everything he does he was a logical recruit for the intelligence game, after graduating from Yale, in WWII. A Skull and Bones secret society member, he gets one of his society brother’s sister pregnant in a one night stand and ends up in a family he didn’t ask for while betraying the woman he loved right before heading off to Europe. After his work there, the General that recruited him pins him to an upper position at the newly formed CIA and in the fight against communism in the Cold War. Along his path, Edward becomes entwined with a Russian operative, Ulysses, and their paths cross through the years over important intelligence issues between the two rival countries. Intrigue also arises among British intelligence agents, apparent Nazi sympathizers, and among his own colleagues and the F.B.I. as the mantra, “don’t trust anyone,” never leaves any of our characters minds.
The film cuts back from the failed investigation of the CIA’s Bay of Pigs invasion and flashbacks to Edward’s path to the CIA. An epic story covering around 60 years of Wilson’s life the films journey will always keep you on your toes and guessing who might be gunning for whom. Based off real events and people it makes the film that much more interesting that these origins and series of events occurred in some similar capacity in history and the ground these men were breaking is remarkable. If you are a fan of spy films, international espionage, and elaborate intelligence games there is plenty here for you and while it might not be in your face and action packed scenes it rewards observant viewers with subtle clues and nuances sprinkled throughout for the sharp eyed.
Among all the spy stuff DeNiro also creates a tragic tale of love and family life around the world of Wilson. His doomed love, his forced marriage, his job keeping him from his son; it all plays for rather sad stuff. Wilson’s lack of ability to be a great family man is intriguing with how spectacular he can be at his job. Its makes Edward’s success that much more tragic even while he paves the way for this countries intelligence programs.
DeNiro not only made a meticulously crafted and intriguing picture but he also assembled a phenomenal cast on top of that. Matt Damon plays Wilson with such restraint and coldness it is one of his most underrated turns. His ability to create such a believable character with Wilson’s skills as an agent yet make him so emotionally blocked out from the world is remarkable. He also is fantastic at letting out a small spark when around his love Laura, making him as human and relatable as Wilson can be. Angelina Jolie is also quite good in her turn as Wilson’s estranged life and accurately represents the crumbling marriage Wilson and her have. DeNiro brings a bit of a smile to your face in his short role as well, alleviating the seriousness of everything with a bit of humor as the coordinating general who got the CIA off the ground. The rest of the cast is full of amazing character actors and stars from through out the years. William Hurt, Michael Gambon, Lee Pace, John Turturro, Gabriel Macht, Joe Pesci, Timothy Hutton, Billy Crudup, and Alec Baldwin. To try and list all their work is a bit much, but Turturro is a stand out, as is Baldwin and Crudup, with Pace holding his own against the likes of Damon.
In the end, The Good Shepherd is an epic and intricate look into the origins of the CIA. The tone and pacing of the film isn’t the most inviting but if you can get into it it’s constantly a rewarding experience. Full of great performances, twists and turns, and it’s all grounded by the fact the story is based upon the true origins of the agency. An engaging and wonderful spy film that is light on action but makes up for it in intrigue, The Good Shepherd is about as good as a spy movie can get with its feet firmly planted in reality by giving an accurate representation of what the life of a spy was truly like.

Previous Entries:

Children of Men - (2006)
King Kong - (2005)

09 So Far, What is the Average Rating...

So a few days ago I wrote an article summing up the year so far and how I thought we were having a pretty solid year being put together. Well, we might have some standouts, but I did a little math I got what the average score was for movies I've seen so far this year and the results are pretty average.

09 Films are average a score of 7.56 or a C for the year so far, so maybe we aren't really having quite the stand up year I thought. Hopefully the rest of the year can bring our average up a bit, and the scary thing is I know there was a good amount of crap I haven't even seen and probably won't either.

So put it on the record that we are at a C Average for 09 and lets see where it ends up before the winter and again at the end of the year.

The Decade's Best - Children of Men (2006)

In 2006 Alfonso Cuarón crafted one of the best sci-fi, dystopia, and adventure pictures of the decade in Children of Men. A smart, fast paced and thrilling ride that grabs you from the first scene and never let goes, Children of Men is a can't miss adventure.
The year is 2027 and the last baby born was in 2008 and the global infertility has caused mass chaos across the world leaving England as the last somewhat secure and peaceful place to live. That is beginning to change though as a terrorist group known as the Fishes has been reeking havoc across the country planting bombs and causing disturbances in the name of proper treatment of refugees. Our hero Theo, played by the always great Clive Owen, is almost blown up by one of these bombs when getting his morning coffee and we get a glimpse of life of a non-refugee in this dystopia London. Illegal Refugees are being rounded up daily, the middle class parts of town are run down and violence is at every turn. When Theo is abducted by a group of fishes he finds out that his ex-wife is their leader and that they need his help for an important cause to the refugee movement.
From here Cuarón expands the vision of the ravaged world even further by showing us how the upper class still live a high society life as the world crumbles around them. Living in a gated community and full of pompous activities the rich carry on like nothing is wrong and are more concerned with greed than the decline of the human race. After getting what he needs from a cousin Theo reports back to his ex, Julian, and they head off on their path which may save humanity in the end.
The film is so effecting do to the fact that something like global infertility isn’t too out of the ball park as a possible pandemic the world could endure. The film touches on pandemic flu, global destruction, terrorism, governmental violation of human rights, it was a very Bush era inspired commentary on where the world might be heading if that mentality is allowed to survive. A loss of civil rights, moral treatment of citizens and immigrants, positioning for political gain, and the violent reactionary nature of the human condition when posed with a crisis are all strongly represented in the picture and we aren’t too many steps removed from heading in this direction at the sign of a global crisis.
On top of the so close to reality its scary plot the filmmaking on display at this picture is second to almost none. Cuarón’s craft and vision is mind blowing in the film. He stages elaborate single takes that are more than just walking up and down a long corridor. Characters are flying in and out of the shot, buildings blow up, platoons of soldiers run through the streets, tanks roll through blowing stuff up; insanity is everywhere. Cuarón uses his camera to build so much tension by never letting us leave the action it almost distracting at how amazing the shots are. The high points are the final chase at the end through the streets of the immigrant city and the mind blowing scene that unfolds in a car once the party is under attack. The number of elements at play is just shocking and everyone that pulled off the shot from the f/x to the actors deserves huge accolades.
In the end, Cuarón rolled together some great actors; Julianne Moore, Michael Caine, and Chiwetel Ejiofor all deliver great supporting turns, impeccable direction, and fantastic effects work. A film packed to the brim with ideas about society and where we could be heading it is as thought provoking as it is compelling and thrilling. A truly great sci-fi film that stands up with just about any great one out there will only continue to grow in its appreciation over the years and is definitely one of the finest produced and most compelling films of the decade. So if you missed out the first time, and a lot of people did, do yourself a favor and check out Children of Men ASAP!

Previous Entries:
King Kong - (2005)

Review: Public Enemies

Michael Mann is back with a period biopic that chronicles the life of John Dillinger in his glory days as a criminal and the results are superb technically but it is missing that special something to make it an absolutely amazing film.
Now, what is that special something? I don’t know. But as we pick up our film and follow Dillinger from just after his turn in prison and up until his death we never get that twinge that this film is amazing. With that said, it is almost flawless everywhere you turn. The costumes, cinematography, the performances, the direction, the pacing, it is all great and one can’t really find a complaint with the movie, it was just missing something.
Paired with the heists and romance in Dillinger’s life on the run is the pursuit of enemy number one of the depression era U.S. by Melvin Purvis and J. Edgar Hoover and the beginnings of the F.B.I. Divided up about 70-30 between Dillinger and F.B.I. the film is about the larger than life Dillinger at its core. But the looks into the rise of the F.B.I. is just as engaging and compelling, especially since much of the time we follow them we are thrown into the thick of an investigation on the edge of a shoot out.
As we follow Dillinger’s courting of Billie Frechette and the occasionally bank job here or there we quickly catch on to who this guy was. A fast talking, well calculated, and passionate man that carries those feelings into his love for cars, robbing banks, and loving Billie, Dillinger was quite the character. We are treated to a couple bank robberies here and there but the bulk of the films action comes from standoffs between Dillinger and his criminal colleagues with the F.B.I. The action in the film is solid, but a bit sparse up until the later half of the film. The most thrilling scene in the film is the infamous breakout Dillinger had once incarcerated in Indiana and was apparently painstakingly accurate in it recreation. So, while the action is very good, don’t go in expecting a shoot out a minute type film, there is a lot more to it than that.
The romance between Billie and Johnny takes up a majority of the first half of the film and this is all good and well because Johnny Depp and Marion Cotillard work great together and are convincing as the new couple. These scenes are matched up with the early attempts by Purvis and Hoover to get the F.B.I. off the ground and trying to help bring a stop to crime in Chicago where folks like Dillinger and Baby Face Nelson are running wild. Purvis’ struggle to hunt these men and get the most out of the men he has who are not cut out to chase armed and dangerous men.
The actors in the film are top notch across the board and they are anchored by the always great Johnny Depp who is fantastic as the charismatic Dillinger. Now, don’t take that statement of charisma as being flashy, Dillinger and Depp are nothing of the sort. Depp’s directness and earnestness mixed with a sly sense of humor just make the performance pragmatic yet controlled that leaps off the screen. Bale is great again here as well in the supporting capacity after a so-so turn in Terminator earlier this summer. As Purvis he is cold, calm, and calculated but might be in a little over his head. Bale is able to portray the man still confidently and not like an idiot even when the character might be overstepping his bounds keeping Purvis’ demeanor consistent across the board. I also find it quite astonishing as well in Bale’s performance that once you go back and think about it after you learn about Purvis’ demise, Bale was giving hints of this in the man during his performance just barely sitting there behind his eyes; great stuff. Marion Cotillard delivers a fine little performance throughout and knocks it out of the park in her final few scenes. I don’t want to spoil anything but you will know what I am talking about when she just shines in the final act of the film. Along the way we also get a lot of spot performances from a wide and talented ensemble. Billy Crudup is the brightest stand out from these as J. Edgar Hoover and just shines as the hardened and smooth talking start up administrator of the F.B.I.
In the end, Public Enemies is an extremely well made and entertaining film. Anchored by fantastic performances by Depp and Bale the film will have you complaining about next to nothing. Solid action, good story telling and solid pacing it will engage from start to finish. Sadly, something is missing to make this an A+ picture and I can’t really put my finger on what it is, it just didn’t give me that overall feeling of awe. It is a nice balance of Dillinger and the upstart of the F.B.I. and I think if you focused on either anymore the picture would have started to bloat. With that said, you still shouldn’t miss it as it is one of the finer pictures of the year and an excellent crime drama for the adults to enjoy this summer.
A-