Best Supporting Actor 2015

05. Steve Carrell in The Big Short - Proving his Oscar nomination for Foxcatcher was no fluke, Carrell kills as the seemingly only person with a soul on all of Wall Street. A nuanced performance where the anger bubbling on the surface perfectly masks the sorrow hiding beneath it all.

04. Paul Dano in Love and Mercy - Everyone knows what Brian Wilson sounded and looked like in the mid 60s and Dano, who did his own singing, is remarkable, not only nailing the sound and look, but also perfectly capturing the musical genius slowly losing his mind.

03. Sylvester Stallone in Creed - I never really thought of Stallone as a good actor, but he is the heart and soul of this really great movie. Sure, it's great to see him embodying a beloved character again, but his performance is more than the result of nostalgia. He is the most emotionally relevant part of the film, and his performance will likely break your heart.

02. Christian Bale in The Big Short - In a movie filled with great performances, Bale is the best of the best. As the socially awkward genius, Bale is nearly unrecognizable. And it isn't because he looks different, it's because he becomes someone else so completely, you forget you are looking at a movie star.

01. Tom Hardy in The Revenant - Don't get me wrong, The Revenant is totally Leo's movie, but Hardy threatens to steal every scene he is in with those feral eyes and steely persona. Hardy is the most dangerous actor working today, and that's never been more evident than here, where he nails this malicious, conniving role.

December 2015 Pt. 1

Jurassic World
Stars - Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard
Plot - Jurassic Park is open, thriving and successful... until they create a new dinosaur to bolster attendance, which is never a good idea.
Thoughts - I am not going to sit here and pretend that Jurassic World is any kind of deep, meaningful, thought provoking film, but, my gosh if it isn't fun! The special effects are insane, the performances are fun and solid, and the ending is intense.
Grade - B

Inside Out
Stars - the voices of Amy Poehler, Mindy Kaling, Phyllis Smith
Plot - The inner workings of the mind of an 11 year old girl (Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust) are thrown out of whack when her family moves from Minnesota to San Francisco.
Thoughts - Intended for children, this Pixar film has a lot to offer adults as well. This is a thoughtful, funny, heartbreaking and heart warming movie about growing up and learning that joy and sadness really go hand in hand.
Grade - B +

Amy
Plot - A documentary about the short, tumultuous life of the late Amy Winehouse.
Thoughts - This is a staggering and powerful look at Amy's life and profound talent. The doc follows her from bright faced young talent to the depths of her drug fueled downfall. This is sometimes hard to watch, but it's endlessly fascinating. Amy had the opportunity to be the voice of her generation, but her demons got the best of her.
Grade - B +

Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Stars - Oscar Isaac, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Harrison Ford, Adam Driver, Domhnall Gleeson
Plot - It's basically a rehashed plot of episode 4...
Thoughts - ...but that's not necessarily a bad thing. This Star Wars movie is everything you could possibly want. Sure, the plot feels stale, but the cast and effects are fresh. This is a fun, nostalgic, funny, heart warming epic that is worth the wait and more than lives up to the hype. Also, bonus points for a bad ass female lead who can take care of herself and doesn't need a man to save her!
Grade - A-

The Big Short
Stars - Christian Bale, Steve Carrell, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt
Plot - A look at the mortgage crisis of 2008 and the way it altered our economy.
Thoughts - This might be the smartest, funniest, weirdest movie of the year. It is the only movie in the history of the movies which includes both a quote from Mark Twain and an interlude where Selena Gomez explains advanced economics to the audience. The performances are spectacular, from the stars to the supporting players. And this is a fast paced, frenetic good time.
Grade - A-

The Danish Girl
Stars - Eddie Redmayne, Alicia Vikander
Plot - The story of the first Transgender artist, and the wife that stood by his side.
Thoughts -  I actually really enjoyed this love story initially. The performances are powerful and the cinematography is gorgeous. My biggest problem is that it felt detached and cold and illicited no real feelings. Then I did a little research and discovered the REAL story, which is far more interesting than the watered down version presented in this film.
Grade - B-

American Hustle & Saving Mr. Banks

American Hustle

I read an interesting story about director David O. Russell. It had to do with the fact that on this movie, American Hustle, he let his actors improv so much. The story has Christian Bale pointing out to his director that the way they just improvised an scene utterly changes the plot of the movie at a later point. To which, O. Russell supposedly replied (and this isn't a direct quote), "I don't care about plot. I care about characters." And perhaps that's really all you need to know about American Hustle, a movie that is so superficial, that cares so little about its plot, that it's utterly a disappointing mess instead of the masterpiece I was hoping for.

American Hustle is a fictionalized version of Abscam, in which the FBI enlisted real life criminals (con men) to help set up politicians in order to arrest the bigger fish. In O. Russell's story, Christian Bale and Amy Adams are the mid-level cons who go after mostly desperate men down on their times with a scheme in which the men give them a non-refundable $5000 deposit to take their money to some "connections" in London, who are supposedly going to turn their money in to $50,000. Of course, that never happens. All of this is going great until they try to con the wrong man, in this case, undercover FBI agent Richie (Bradley Cooper) who arrests them and then enlists their help. Their initial plan is to bring down a family man mayor (Jeremy Renner) who wants nothing more than to help build up the job market of his town - Atlantic City. This is all well and good, until Richie gets greedy and wants to go after even bigger fish. Then there's Jennifer Lawrence as Bale's unpredictable, unstable wife.

So, in a nutshell, that's the plot. The plot isn't so much bad, as it is too glossy for its own good. O. Russell is trying to make his version of Goodfellas, which there isn't anything wrong with. If you want to rip off a movie, you might as well rip off one of the masters at his best. But the problem is, the movie relies far too much on looking cool, with great actors playing outlandish against type characters, none of whom feel real in the least. For focusing so much on characters, these guys are more like caricatures. I'm not trying to say the movie is bad, because it isn't, necessarily. It's a good movie, it's just a disappointing one. I've been looking forward to this movie for months and it was such a let down for me.

The performances are (almost) all spectacular. In a movie starring Christian Bale, Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner, it's as much a shock to me as it might be to anyone else, but best in show goes to Bradley Cooper. His out of control, cocky, power hungry FBI agent is so wildly entertaining, that you can't keep your eyes off of him. Adams is fantastic as well, slipping in and out of different characters with such ease (and those low cut dresses!!! Girl looks gorgeous!). Renner is fine but his role is so limited that it barely matters. Bale is great, as usually, playing the second most outlandish characters, a role that could have easily slipped into over the top, craziness. But Bale is such a great actor that this never happens.

Now here is where my review will become very, VERY unpopular. I don't think Jennifer Lawrence is as good of an actress as everyone thinks she is. I don't think she's a bad actress, just not deserving of quite so much praise. Just think about this fact: Come March, she's going to be a three time Oscar nominee (with one win) in just four years. That's INSANE. Here are some people (off the top of my head) who have never even been nominated: Drew Barrymore, Scarlett Johansson, Kirsten Dunst, Donald Sutherland, Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Kevin Bacon! But that's besides the point. I think this movie just proves my point, because Lawrence isn't good in it. In fact, I think she's most of the reason why I didn't care for the movie. She, like Bale, is so over the top, that it's distracting. Unlike Bale, Lawrence doesn't quite have the chops to reel it in, keep it from going over that line into campiness. So, it just makes me want to roll my eyes anytime she's on screen, which takes me completely out of the movie, which is not something you want to happen.

It doesn't matter what I have to say anyway. This movie will keep getting nominated for all kinds of awards. Sure, the movie is greatly entertaining at times, but it's no Oscar worthy movie, in my opinion. Jennifer Lawrence will probably win a book end for last year's Oscar. This is a movie about conning people, after all, and maybe the best con of all is conning the audience that it's a better movie than it actually is.

Grade: B-

Saving Mr. Banks

Just a few words about Saving Mr. Banks - it's a nice movie. I don't watch enough nice movies, and that's sort of a shame. The story is about Mary Poppins author P.L. Travers (Emma Thompson, killing it!) who very reluctantly flies to Los Angeles to meet with Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) about selling him the rights to her books. However, she is VERY opinionated. Anyway, the scenes with Hanks and Thompson are absolutely wonderful. The movie suffers from pacing problems - too many flashbacks, not evenly dispersed. It also suffers from the fact that the flashbacks are sort of on the boring side. I mean, they serve a purpose, to further the story along, but they also are not nearly as entertaining as watching Hanks and Thompson go toe to toe. I could watch that forever.

Grade: B

Out of the Furnace

First things first: Scott Cooper directs the hell out of this movie. From the very first, perfectly framed shot (a fist fight that erupts at a drive in movie theater) through all the smoke stacks, right up until the second to the last shot (because that last shot... ugh! More on that later), this movie is directed so perfectly. Even if this movie turned out to be lousy, at least it would be pretty enough to be worth watching. Fortunately, it's not lousy. I wouldn't necessarily say its as great as I was hoping either, but it's far from lousy. It's yet another example this year of a movie that is sort of conventional but with great directing and acting, it appears far better than it really is. The best thing I can say about the film, script wise, is that it isn't predictable. I watch a lot of movies, and I feel like, most of the time, I know exactly what is going to happen the entire time before the movie even starts. That isn't the case with Out of the Furnace. There are quite a few instances where I thought I had things figured out, only to be surprised by what happens next. And, at the very, very least, that's something.
Out of the Furnace stars Christian Bale as Russell Baze, a good man who works at a mill in a small, Pennsylvania town. He has a pretty girlfriend (Zoe Saldana), a dying father, and a vet brother (Casey Affleck). Affleck's Rodney is the opposite of his brother. Sure, he's a good kid, too, but where Russell is all quiet and subdued, Rodney is a live-wire. He's tough and angry, ready to blow up at any second. Rodney finds himself mixed up with a redneck meth-head drug dealer (Woody Harrelson) and when he goes missing, Russell plans to track him down no matter what, and no matter who stands in his way.
At its worst, Out of the Furnace is a conventional, character piece, a movie that chooses character development over plot and story, and a movie with a snail's pace. At its best, however, it's a bleak, desolate tale of family love and hopelessness filmed so expertly that some of the shots literally take your breath away. It may be conventional, but it sure as hell is solid, as well. Part of that is due to Cooper, as I've already said, but a large part is due to the acting as well. Obviously, Christian Bale is one of our finest actors and he does so much with the quiet and controlled Russell. He may not have the showy scenes that his co-stars get, but he carries this movie with his eyes, and all the things he doesn't say. This movie, however, belongs to two absolutely monstrous supporting turns. Affleck, who I think is one of the most underrated actors out there, is absolutely superb, giving his best performance in, maybe, ever. There is one scene in particular, in which he finally explodes, that is brilliant, and left my heart pounding. But it's Harrelson that steals the show. His drug dealer, meth head is like a caged animal, pacing its cage, waiting to break free and kill its prey. Every moment he is on screen is electrifying. And where he has the ability to go over the top with this role, he never does. His best moment is one of his final moments, in which he finds out that Russell is Rodney's brother and gives a small smirk and nod of the head, like he knows exactly what is coming for him.
So, yes, Out of the Furnace is good, but it's not great. And I have decided to dock it an entire grade because of the terrible final shot of the film. Its a moment that pretty much makes no sense, and makes you question everything that has happened leading up to it. There are a lot of instances where the final shot almost ruins a movie for me. To this day, whenever I watch The Departed, I have to turn it off before that final heavy-handed shot with the rat. That movie is perfect save for that one moment. That's how I feel about Out of the Furnace, except the movie is far from perfect. It's definitely worth checking out at some point, but there's no rush. There will be plenty of other, better movies in the next few weeks.
Grade: B-

Friday Top Five: The Cast of Out of the Furnace

I'm going to do something a little different this week, and instead of focusing on one individual actor, I'm going to focus on the entire cast of Out of the Furnace, a movie that opens today that I am pretty excited about. It stars Christian Bale, Casey Affleck, and Woody Harrelson, to name a few, three actors whom I absolutely love. So, here are the best films starring this cast:

05. Gerry (Gus Van Sant, 2002)
All right, this movie is most definitely NOT for everyone. Considered part of Van Sant's "Death Trilogy" (along with two other movies that I love that aren't for everyone: Elephant and Last Days), the film follows to friends (Affleck and Matt Damon) who get lost in the desert and have no food or water. It's not really about anything and nothing ever really happens. There is barely any dialogue, but if you love filmmaking, existential journeys and great acting, than Gerry just might be for you.

04. Crazy Heart (Scott Cooper, 2009)
Scott Cooper isn't IN Out of the Furnace, but he did direct it, as his follow up to Crazy Heart, which stars Jeff Bridges as a washed up country star. When you watch Crazy Heart and see all the beautiful panoramic shots then you'll know instantly what Cooper is capable of. Not to mention, he pulls Oscar worthy performances from Bridges, and co-star Maggie Gyllenhaal. I'm excited to see what he's done with the incredible cast of Out of the Furnace.

03. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (Andrew Dominik, 2007)
This breathtakingly beautiful film stars two cast members from Out of the Furnace - Sam Shepard and Casey Affleck, who is absolutely riveting in this film. Yes, Brad Pitt stars as Jesse James, but this movie is about Robert Ford, and Affleck, who was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, should have been recognized as the Lead. Sometimes people wonder why I love long movies, this one clocks in at nearly three hours, but when you are constantly engrossed with such beautiful imagery and amazing performances, how could you not love long movies?

02. Rampart (Oren Moverman, 2011)
Honestly? I think Woody Harrelson is unbelievably sexy. I also think he doesn't get enough credit for what a great actor he truly is. Maybe it's because he mixes things up and does a lot of comedy, starring in waste of time movies like that one where he was a surfer who smoked a lot of weed (also known as: his life, probably). But, when he does a dramatic role, he always nails it and Rampart is absolutely no exception. He stars as a dirty cop, who also happens to be about as disgusting a man as you can imagine. He's sexist, racist, homophobic, and just plain vile. The fact that Harrelson embodies this man with such ease says a lot for his formidable talents as an actor. I'm excited to see him play the bad guy in Out of the Furnace.

01. The Dark Knight (Christopher Nolan, 2008)
How could it be anything else? How can any list including Christian Bale not include this? I consider The Dark Knight to be the single greatest comic book / superhero movie of all time. There is none better. I'm not sure there ever will be. Sure, I've grown up loving Batman for as long as I can remember. But I'm not playing favorites here. Nolan's middle entry into his Batman trilogy is everything you can ever want from an action movie - destruction, chaos, brilliant set pieces, bank robberies, piles of cash, pretty girls, hundreds of mobsters, and a villain who gives such a staggering, anarchy filled performance so good that it breaks your heart to think Heath Ledger is gone for good. Bale plays a damn good Bruce Wayne, charming and cocky, and his Batman is genius as well (I can ignore THAT VOICE, unlike most of America). Bale is one of our best actors, and I'm excited to see what he'll bring to Out of the Furnace. Barring any sort of weekend disaster, I'll let you know how it all shakes out on Monday.

Friday Top Five: Most Anticipated of 2013

The movie year is more than halfway over. That means it's almost time to be done with these disappointing summer movies and finally get to those Oscar hopeful / prestige movies. So, this week, I will be counting down my top five most anticipated movies for the rest of the year. Just as a disclaimer, I would like to say that a few of the movies I'm very excited about are either already in theaters or opening very, very soon. (Examples: I'm planning on seeing Fruitvale Station and The Way, Way Back this weekend and The Spectacular Now, Blue Jasmine and Elysium all open in the next few weeks). So, I'm mostly going to focus on fall / early winter releases with this list:

5. Oldboy (Spike Lee)
Release Date: October 25, 2013
Starring: Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen, Samuel L. Jackson, Sharlto Copley
This is Spike Lee's remake of the super violent, super amazing Korean movie of the same name. The original Oldboy is bad ass in every way you can possibly imagine, featuring a ballsy story line and brutal violence. I'm not opposed to film makers remaking foreign films (especially when that director is Lee), because most Americans won't even give movies with subtitles a chance. Here's hoping the remake, and maybe even subsequently the subtitled original, will find a whole new audience.

4. American Hustle (David O. Russell)
Release Date: December 25, 2013
Starring: Christian Bale, Jennifer Lawrence, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Renner, Robert DeNiro
Umm... look at that cast! O. Russell has been pretty flawless lately, going 2 for 2 with his last two efforts the flawless The Fighter and the sweet Silver Linings Playbook. This is the story of a conman who is forced to work with the FBI to help take down the mob. So, it pretty much sounds like everything you want out of a movie.

3. 12 Years a Slave (Steve McQueen)
Release Date: October 18, 2013 (limited)
Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Paul Dano, Paul Giamatti, Sarah Paulson, Alfre Woodard, Garrett Dillahunt, Quvenzhané Wallis
Besides this, McQueen has made two movies. Those two movies (Hunger, Shame) are damn good. So, the combination of McQueen and star Fassbender (who appeared in his previous efforts) is already cause for excitement. Again, look at that cast! This movie is the story of a free black man sold into slavery during pre-Civil War times.

2. Inside Llewyn Davis (Coen Brothers)
Release Date: December 6, 2013
Starring: Oscar Issac, Carey Mulligan, Justin Timberlake, Garrett Hedlund, John Goodman, Adam Driver
As far as I'm concerned, the Coen Brothers are the closest thing to flawless in the context of making movies. This is their take on the 1960s folk scene and based solely on the trailer, I think they already have the most beautifully shot film of the year (Will there be a better shot than that cat starring at himself in the window of the subway? Probably not).

1. The Wolf of Wall Street (Martin Scorsese)
Release Date: November 15, 2013
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Matthew McConaughey, Jon Bernthal, Jon Favreau, Kyle Chandler, Shea Whigham
This trailer was released a few months ago and it pretty much blew me away. Not only does it look like a less brutal version of American Psycho, but also it features DiCaprio dancing to Kanye West! What more could you want from a movie? Scorsese barely makes a mistake, and this cast is on point. If I made a list of my top five movies of 2013 so far, this trailer would be number 1. Looking forward to November!

Friday Top Five: Superhero Movies

Subtitled: I Love Batman!

So I have decided to start a series called Friday Top Five, which is pretty self explanatory. (Nearly) Every Friday, I will present my definitive top five list about whatever topic I want. This week, in honor of Man of Steel, I will count down my Top Five Superhero Movies. So, without further ado:

5. Sky High (Mike Mitchell, 2005)
I know, I know. Sky High is a movie I accidentally saw in theaters and genuinely loved. Sure, it's a Disney movie. But it's also really good, has a great story, a lot of heart, and cameos from the likes of Wonder Woman herself, Lynda Carter. The movie follows Micheal Angarano as Will Stronghold, the son of superheroes Kurt Russell and Kelly Preston. The problem? He doesn't have any powers. So, he struggles to fit in when he starts superhero high school (as if high school isn't hard enough!). However, he does form a bond with a few other misfits (Danielle Panabaker as the girl who can control plant life??) and eventually these misfits have to fight it out with the villains in the epic showdown. Sky High is definitely everything you want in a superhero movie and then some. In fact, just writing about it makes me want to go watch it again!

4. Batman Begins (Christopher Nolan, 2005)
It seems 2005 was quite a year for superheroes. The same year Sky High was released, Nolan re-introduced the world to Bruce Wayne. Before 2005's comeback, Batman had sort of become a joke thanks to that awful Batman and Robin movie. But Nolan brought us back to the beginning and he made Gotham and Bruce Wayne more dangerous and darker. We found out that Bruce (Christian Bale) learned everything he knew from a mysterious figure named Ducard (Liam Neeson) and after disappearing from Gotham for years, he returned to kick ass and take names. Those getting their asses kicked included Cillian Murphey's Scarecrow and, of course, Neeson. Throw in Gary Oldman as Jim Gordon, Michael Caine as Alfred and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox, and you've got the beginning of a very special trilogy.

3. Spider-Man 2 (Sam Raimi, 2004)
When talking about sequels, there is one of two ways it can go: 1. It can suck and be awful and be bogged down by way too much - too many villains, too many sidekicks, etc. 2. Or it can rise above the original because you, the story teller, are no longer bogged down with origin stories and introductions. Spider-Man 2 falls into the latter category. The first Spider-Man was great fun, and featured that awesome kiss, but Spider-Man 2 is Raimi's crowning achievement. It features Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) ready to give it all up. He devoted his life to fighting crime and, instead, he's painted as a villain, the girl he loves (Kirsten Dunst) is engaged to someone else and he's just fed up. But then Alfred Molina shows up as a crazy scientist, and when an experiment goes wrong, as experiments often do, he is transformed into an angry villain named Doc Ock. Peter Parker may be the most sympathetic superhero. We all relate to him because before he got bit by a spider (!!), he was a regular dude, just like us.

2. Batman (Tim Burton, 1989)
One of my very first memories is going to see the original Batman in movie theaters. I will not say how old I was, but I remember going to see it with my older brother and his friend. I remember being completely enthralled by what was before me and that was probably the beginning of my life long love affair with movies, and also with Batman. To this day, I still think Michael Keaton is the best overall Bruce Wayne / Batman. George Clooney was good as Wayne and Kilmer was good as Batman. Bale is up there, but his Batman voice is still sort of infuriating. But it's Keaton who does both charming womanizer Wayne and heroic Batman so, so well. This was also my introduction to Jack Nicholson as Joker. He quickly became one of my favorite actors and his Joker is still such a vibrant part of my memory.

1. The Dark Knight (Christopher Nolan, 2008)
Speaking of Joker... What Nicholson did in the 80s is a completely different animal than what Heath Ledger did with the same character in this film. Ledger was a feral animal, terrifying and unhinged. He was out of control, anarchy in human form, but still somehow likable. I always like to say that every superhero movie is only as good as its villain and that's perhaps why The Dark Knight is the best of the best. This is Nolan's crowning achievment as a film maker and I doubt he will ever surpass it. The Dark Knight is damn near perfect, pushing its hero to the brink, devastating him with a second act murder that we all felt at our core. Joker is a villain like we had never before seen. And guess what? If it wasn't for Heath Ledger and how amazing he was in this role, we would all talk a lot more about Aaron Eckhart's perfect portrayal of Harvey Dent and his descent from role model politician to angry, rageful Two Face. This movie genuinely has it all - great acting, quoteable lines, unforgettable imagery (just try to get that vision of Joker in the nurse's outfit, or sticking his head out the window like a dog), great action sequences and a perfect ending. I will truly be shocked if we get a better superhero movie in my lifetime.

How will Man of Steel rate? Check back Monday and find out!

Catching Up on Summer Movies

So, I sort of temporarily abandoned blogger but it was only because, for some reason, it wasn't allowing me to update. It looks like that might be fixed now so I have returned. In my absence, I was trying to keep up with things over on tumblr. If you want to read my recent full reviews go here: http://thiscinephile.tumblr.com/. For now, however, I will just post little quickies to get up to date.

Rock of Ages - Very similar to Burlesque but without the awesome performances courtesy of Cher and Stanley Tucci. The story of a young girl who tries to make it in Hollywood in the 80s, Rock of Ages was a huge success on Broadway. Julianne Hough has potential. She can dance and sing and act (her level of talent goes in that order too) but lacks any sort of chemistry with Diego Boneta, who also has absolutely no charisma whatsoever. Catherine Zeta-Jones is a titan of the musical world (Chicago) and takes a one-dimensional, slightly annoying role and proves why she is a superstar. Russell Brand and Alec Baldwain are forgettable at best. Paul Giamatti manages to give a great performance in the role of an unlikeable jackass. Then there is Tom Cruise. If you are going to see Rock of Ages, go see it for Tom Cruise. I'm not his biggest fan. But as Axl Rose clone Stacee Jaxx, Cruise, who makes his entrance in assless chaps, is all in. His dedication to this character is ridiculous and he parades around this movie like a peacock, so showy and vain and just damn good. The music in the movie is super fun (and there's a lot of it), but ultimately it's just a Tom Cruise vehicle. Somehow, this movie just didn't jive for me. Something was lacking and missing. Grade: C+

Magic Mike - Under the direction of Steven Soderbergh, Magic Mike becomes so much more than a movie about male strippers. The dialogue is rich and flows realistically. It's also genuinely funny and has a lot of heart. The filmmaking is just great and I especially loved the way the film seemed so vivid at night, but was sort of muted and washed out during the day, looking how you feel with a hangover. The performances are great, as well. Channing Tatum, this is story is based on his life, is clearly the best dancer and is so charming and charasmatic that he just keeps begging his haters to find faults with his seriously improved acting. Cody Horn is a great find and has great chemistry with both Tatum and Alex Pettyfer. Saepking of Pettyfer, this is his finest performance to date (especially during his second half unraveling) and proves he is much more than a pretty face. Then there is McConaughey, so dirty and grimy and slimy and hilarious as the perverse father figure of this group of lost boys. All in all, I loved Magic Mike. Soderbergh and this talented cast created a film that is downright good. Grade: B+

Ted - It seemed everyone in the audience with me loved this movie. I did not. Ted wasn't completely without laughs but mostly I found it boarish and just plain boring. I don't feel like rehasing a negative review so head over to Tumblr to read the whole thing if you want. Grade: D-

The Amazing Spider-Man - The film wastes a lot of time with the first act that doesn't necessarily go anywhere. The movie isn't really all that long (compared to other summer comic book movies) but it sure as hell feels like it. The best thing about this movie is Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker. He just completely nails it and you almost don't want the original trilogy to exist because this movie will always be compared to those movies and Garfield doesn't deserve that. He is extraordinary. The Amazing Spider-man is at its best when it's this cute indie love story inside this epic film. When it's at its best, I'm so glad they decided to reboot it. The 3D aspect of the film also ratchets up the fun quotient. I'm not a big fan of 3D but if there was ever a superhero who begged to be in 3D, then it's Spider-man! The other downside is that I felt cheated out of a villain. Horror movies are only as good as their villains and it takes the Lizard nearly two thirds of the movie to arrive, and then he's more misunderstood then villainous. Emma Stone is sassy and witty and adorable as Gwen Stacy. The Amazing Spider-man is, indeed, amazing. It's ultimately a fun, exciting and sweet summer movie. Grade: B

Savages - Savages was a strange kind of movie for me. It's a really well done film, both dark and gritty and kind of funny. There's sex, drugs, violence and it has an actual plot, which is pretty for a summer movie. Plus, the cast is universally pretty great. Still, I was expecting more. Aaron Johnson and Taylor Kitsch are pot growers who are in love with the same woman (Blake Lively) and get involved with a Mexican drug cartel headed by Salma Hayek and her sociopathic goon Benicio Del Toro. The plot and script is mostly great, engaging, interesting, thrilling and intense. Some of the dialogue, however, is a bit cheesy / corny / dumb (mostly Lively's voice overs). The cinematagraphy is great as well. The major problem for me was the terrible / preposterous / ridiculous / stupid ending. Seriously, there had to be a better ending out there somewhere!! Hayek, Del Toro and John Travolta are all hammy great. Johnson is sensitive and endearing. Lively is the weak spot, of course. But Kitsch finally put his summer blunders behind him. This the kind of intense, dark, gritty work the actor should be doing, not fluff like Battleship. Grade: B-


The Dark Knight Rises - The best movie of the year, so far, for sure. It might not be as good as The Dark Knight but it's pretty damn close. There are flaws in the movie, sure, but sometimes you just have to look at the bigger picture and appreciate a movie for being so epic and entertaining. And all the good stuff, no BRILLIANT stuff, more than makes up for any nitpicky flaws you might find with the movie. My review over on Tumblr is longer and more detailed but the gist is this: Christopher Nolan has crafted a trilogy that will stand that test of tie and be revered as, probably and hopefully, the greatest superhero trilogy of all time. The Dark Knight Rises is the perfect ending to that trilogy. Grade: A-

Oscar Wrap-Up!

First of all, so glad last night wasn't a sweep by The King's Speech, which ultimately only took home four awards (although they were four big ones) which was the same number taken home by the clearly superior Inception. Second of all, I did fairly badly with my predicting since I went gutsy in the big six and had absolutely NO idea about the categories I usually have NO idea about (documentary short, live action short, animated short, etc.). I tried to Live Tweet the Oscars but halfway through realized by tweets via text were being uncooperative and gave up the ship.

The Red Carpet Arrivals - As the director loving geek that I am, I was hoping to have E! talk to such handsome, brilliant men as David Fincher and Darren Aronofsky. Instead, they chose to speak to the dude from Chuck (he's fine but it's the OSCARS) and Florence Welch for 25 minutes each (I love her too but, again, NOT an Oscar nominee). Maybe Ryan Seacrest doesn't know who David Fincher / Darren Aronofsky are? Wouldn't surpise me. There were a lot of great dresses (and I will name my best dressed at the bottom of the page) including: Scarlett Johansson, Hailee Steinfeld (whose been killing it all award season), and the top half of Halle Berry's dress. Everyone talked about how great Natalie Portman looked but it was sort of EH for me. I mean, she's arguably the most beautiful woman in the entire world and she wears such ugly clothes. It's a waste and a shame. Also worst dressed? E! thought she looked amazing but Gwenyth Paltrow = yuck!

The Winners -
-Best Picture: The King's Speech (I picked this correctly, although up until Best Director was announced, I thought The Social Network was going to take it. Unfortunately, I was wrong. Borefest 2010 won out in the end!)
-Best Actress: Natalie Portman, Black Swan (I picked this also and YAY! She totally deserved it!)
-Best Actor: Colin Firth, The King's Speech (Also picked correctly. His speech was about as boring as his movie!)
-Best Director: Tom Hooper, The King's Speech (I picked Fincher and I thought it could happen too. Whatev. Fincher will win next year for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Hooper will never direct a movie that any of us will talk about ever again.)
-Best Adapated Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin, THe Social Network (Another one right! Sorkin is crazy smart. It's hard to believe that a movie involving two of the most brilliant people in Hollywood managed to lose Best Picture.)
-Best Original Screenplay: David Seidler, The King's Speech (Another one right / another win for the borefest!)
-Best Animated Feature: Toy Story 3 (Another one right and actually this is the first one I got correct while watching the show live.)
-Best Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo, The Fighter (I picked Steinfeld over Leo. I find it hard to believe that anyone actually likes Melissa Leo. Like, you could be a fan of hers until you hear one of her acceptance speeches and then you want to punch her in the face, I think, right?)
-Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale, The Fighter (Another one right and yay!)
-Best Editing: Angus Wall, Kirk Baxter, The Social Network (Another correct prediction. Editing, to me, is what keeps a movie going and entertaining and alive. That said, there's no way borefest 2010 could have possibly won this category.)
-Best Cinematography: Wally Pfister, Inception (I picked Roger Deakins for True Grit but I'm not mad that Inception took the prize. That was an excellent movie also. It's just sad that Deakins, an amazing cinematographer currently has 9 nominations and 0 wins! He's like the Annette Bening of cinematographers.)
-Best Original Score: Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, The Social Network (Another one right! And, also, yay!)
-Best Art Direction: Alice in Wonderland (This was the first award of the evening and I thought for sure The King's Speech would take it on its road to Sweeps-ville. Eventhough I thought this movie was terrible, I was so happy it won over borefest!)
-Best Costume Design: Alice in Wonderland (I predicted this one since it was the only nominee with pretty dresses!)
-Best Visual Effects: Inception (No brainer!)
-Best Make-Up: The Wolfman (I was going to pick this and then I picked Barney's Version instead because I thought the Academy was classy enough to not give awards to shitty movies. I was wrong.)
-Best Sound Mixing: Inception (No brainer!)
-Best Sound Editing: Inception (No brainer!)
-Best Song: We Belong Together, Toy Story 3, Randy Newman (Honestly, all of these nominees sucked. I chose the song from 127 Hours instead but Newman gave a funny speech so I guess it's okay that he won!)
-Best Documentary Short: Strangers No More (These are the categories with which I have NO knowledge so I typically just pick the one with the coolest sounding title. I forget what I picked but it certainly wasn't this!)
-Best Live Action Short: God of Love (Again, didn't pick this one! I think this is the guy with the crazy, curly hair who gave the super funny, super cute acceptance speech? If so, yay him! Best acceptance speech of the night!)
-Best Animated Short: The Lost Thing (Again, didn't pick this!)
-Best Foreign Language Film: In a Better World (I picked Dogtooth here. Cooler title!)
-Best Documentary: Inside Job (I forgot that the Academy is old and un-fun and not young and hip because I picked Exit Through the Giftshop.)
Ultimately, I was 13/24 which was super pathetic, not nearly as good as my ass kicking predictions last year but whatever. At least it was better than 50%, yeah? And for the first time ever, Dane and I TIED in our predictions, so that was fun!

Best Dressed - It's a tie...
Jennifer Lawrence
and
Mila Kunis

That's a wrap on the movies of 2010. Now onward to 2011!

Oscar Predictions

The Oscars are Sunday so here are my predictions in the major categories...

BEST PICTURE
127 Hours
Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The Kids Are All Right
The King's Speech
The Social Network
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter's Bone
Who WILL Win - Unforunately it looks like Sunday night is going to be all about THE KING'S SPEECH, a movie I dislike even more than Slumdog Millionaire when it won everything two years ago. How such a colassal bore of a movie is going to beat some of the better movies of the year is beyond me. I guess at the end of the day, the Academy really is a group of old fogies who are out of touch with society.
Who MIGHT Win - The Social Network is obviously a close second. In fact, it might even upset and if so the sounds you hear will be me shrieking with joy!
Who SHOULD Win - The Social Network. It was the best movie of the year, hands down. But also, I'd prefer just about anything winning over The King's Speech, including Inception, Black Swan, The Fighter and even 127 Hours.
Who was SNUBBED - Since animation has its own category, I'm not a big proponent of having animated films in Best Picture. Instead, how about including The Town? It was awesome. We could even kick The Major Bore / King's Speech out and include Blue Valentine instead. Now, that's a Best Picture group I could get behind.

BEST DIRECTOR
Darren Aronofsky - Black Swan
Joel and Ethan Coen - True Grit
David Fincher - The Social Network
Tom Hooper - The King's Speech
David O. Russell - The Fighter
Who WILL Win - I'm going with DAVID FINCHER. He's been making amazing movies for decades and I'm glad people are finally noticing. I have already accepted the fact that the film probably won't win Best Picture but I'm telling you right now, if Fincher loses I am going to flip my sh*t!!!
Who MIGHT Win - Honestly, if its the King's Speech sweep everyone is predicting than Hooper might just steal it from a much more deserving director.
Who SHOULD Win - Fincher, hands down. He can turn a movie about Facebook into a bad ass film and that's saying a lot!
Who was SNUBBED - Christopher Nolan!!!! This is two Oscars in a row for him being snubbed. First with The Dark Knight and now with Inception. I don't understand the hate for him, frankly. He rocks!

BEST ACTOR
Javier Bardem - Biutiful
Jeff Bridges - True Grit
Jesse Eisenberg - The Social Network
Colin Firth - The King's Speech
James Franco - 127 Hours
Who WILL Win - This is probably the only category that is one hundred percent in the bag. It's COLIN FIRTH all the way.
Who MIGHT Win - I honestly don't think any of these other guys have a chance.
Who SHOULD Win - My vote would go to either Eisenberg, who was truly impressive in a star making turn, or Franco, who completely carried a film the way only Tom Hanks could previously pull off.
Who was SNUBBED - I personally think the Academy tends to snub Leonardo DiCaprio quite a bit. He was snubbed for Titanic, Revolutionary Road, The Departed, and now Shutter Island AND Inception. He deserves an Oscar, so give one to him already!

BEST ACTRESS
Annette Bening - The Kids Are All Right
Nicole Kidman - Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence - Winter's Bone
Natalie Portman - Black Swan
Michelle Williams - Blue Valentine
Who WILL Win - I think this might be a close race also, but I think it's going to be NATALIE PORTMAN. She's won everything else and deserved to. Her performance is amazing and I don't feel like there has been a shift in her momentum.
Who MIGHT Win - There's a very good chance that Bening could upset. And the sad fact of the matter is that she doesn't deserve to win. People always talk about how she's been snubbed so many times, never winning. But every time she lost it was to someone who was better than her. If she wins this year it's just because people feel bad for her.
Who SHOULD Win - Portman, definately. Her performance was terrifyingly personal and dark and emotional and just perfect.
Who was SNUBBED - Julianne Moore, who I thought was the better half of the acting team in The Kids are All Right.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Christian Bale - The Fighter
John Hawkes - Winter's Bone
Jeremy Renner - The Town
Mark Ruffalo - The Kids Are All Right
Geoffrey Rush - The King's Speech
Who WILL Win - This is another close race. There's a chance for a lot of upsets on Sunday. However, I'm going with CHRISTIAN BALE. I honestly don't know how anyone could watch his performance (the best or second best performance of the entire year) and not vote for him!
Who MIGHT Win - I feel like Geoffrey Rush is gaining traction. I do believe his performance in The King's Speech was the best thing about the boring ass movie, I don't think he was as good as Bale. In fact, I would prefer to see the categories switched a bit because I feel like Firth was often supporting Rush, not the other way around. Either way, Rush could be the huge upset of the night!
Who SHOULD Win - Hands down, Bale. All of these men gave fantastic performances this year and I can't really complain too much about this stellar category. It's just, Bale was better.
Who was SNUBBED - I personally would have switched out Mark Ruffalo in favor of Andrew Garfield's soulful performance in The Social Network, but that's just me.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams - The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter - The King's Speech
Melissa Leo - The Fighter
Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit
Jacki Weaver - Animal Kingdom
Who WILL Win - I would like to say that I predicted this category way before Roger Ebert and all those other critics jumped on my band wagon! I've been saying for months that the tables have turned, Melissa Leo is out and HAILEE STEINFELD is in!
Who MIGHT Win - This is really a category where anything could happen. Weaver gave the best (or second best) performance of the entire year - but did enough people see it? Carter could win on the tailcoats of the most beloved movie of the year - but she didn't have a whole lot to do! The Fithter ladies were both stellar - but could they split votes? Any of these women could win, realistically.
Who SHOULD Win - Weaver. Like I said, she and Christian Bale are duking it out in my head over who gave the better performance of the year. Weaver is quietly menacing, a sweet ole' grandmother who will unhinge her jaw and swallow you whole.
Who was SNUBBED - Since I was entirely unimpressed with Helena Bonham Carter, who I typically love, but who had very, very little to do in the King's Speech, I would probably switch her out in favor of any of the ladies from Black Swan - Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey, even Winona Ryder.

Ranking the Best Picture Nominees

The Oscars is a week from today and I couldn't be more excited. Later this week, I will make my predictions but for now I am going to rank the 10 best picture nominees, now that I have finally seen them all. Most of them I have reviewed before but a few I haven't, so a mini review will be included as a refresher. Also, the reviews are written the way I would rank them, from best to worst.

THE SOCIAL NETWORK - All that best picture of the year talk surrounding this film is NO JOKE. It's not just "that Facebook" movie. It's fresh, relevant, fast-paced, witty, clever, funny and a damn good movie, featuring the best ensemble of the year (all under 30!). David Fincher directs the hell out of the memorable script by Aaron Sorkin. Grade - A

BLACK SWAN - A beautiful and disturbing thriller set in the world of ballet, Black Swan is Darren Aronofsky's latest with Natalie Portman giving her best performance ever. Aronofsky is fearless presenting us a thrilling movie about the search for perfection in art. It's delightfully crazy and beautiful, intense and powerful. Grade - A

INCEPTION - The most radically original movie since Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Inception is a wonderful mindf**k from Christopher Nolan, the man who brought us the brilliant mindf**k that was Memento a few years back. The cast, the story, the effects - everything about this movie is just plain incredible. Also, kudos for that epic hallway scene with Joseph Gordon-Levitt which is a blissfully long way from 3rd Rock from the Sun. Grade - A

THE FIGHTER - You know I can't stop talking about the acting powerhouse performance of Christian Bale (and if he gets upset by Geoffrey Rush, it will be a sin). But this whole movie is an amazing character study about the internal and external struggles to never give up. Sure, it's a boxing film (and the boxing sequences are intense and powerful) but it's also a slow burning character drama that gets inside the heads of these working class heroes. Grade - B+

127 HOURS - An infinitely better film than Danny Boyle's last offering (the overrated Oscar winning Slumdog Millionaire), 127 Hours is an adrenaline rush that doesn't stop and doesn't quit. With a cast of virtually one man - the crazy talented James Franco - 127 Hours is the kind of movie that burrows into your brain and stays there for days. If it wasn't a true story, there's no way you would believe what this guy went through. Thanks to Franco's brilliant performance, this movie is one you won't want to miss. Grade - B+

TRUE GRIT - I have nothing but good things to say about the latest from the Coen Brothers. The cinematography is breathtaking. The performances are spectacular (especially that of Hailee Steinfeld who I am predicting to upset favorite Melissa Leo). It's a well shot, funny, thrilling, suspenseful Western delight. It's just that after leaving the theater, I was a little underwhelmed. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the movie immensely. It's a great, enjoyable film. It just didn't hit me and stay with me the way the previous films did. Grade - B

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT - Look, the movie was fine. It's got a solid script and some very good filmmaking, but it's really the performances that make it worth it. Annette Bening and Julianne Moore go toe-to-toe as lesbians in love who deal with their sperm donor (a delightful Mark Ruffalo) showing up and making himself part of their lives. It's a wonderful modern love story with starkly realized characters that you feel like you truly know. However, sometimes it's just a little too Lifetime movie of the week for me. Not that there is anything wrong with Lifetime movies. They just shouldn't be Best Picture nominees. (If you remember, I felt the same about Precious last year and I feel the way about the next movie...) Grade - B-

WINTER'S BONE - Another movie that feels way too much like a Lifetime movie to deserve a place in the Best Picture lineup. I'm not going to lie, the performances here are sensational. In fact, Jennifer Lawrence would be my first runner up to Best Actress winner (finger's crossed) Natalie Portman. She's only 20 now, (she was probably 18 when they filmed) and her performance is so subtle and nuanced, it's like a performance by someone twice her age and with twice her experience. John Hawkes nominated supporting turn is spell binding as well. The movie was just, well, kind of boring. Grade - C+

TOY STORY 3 - Okay, look, I'm not a big fan of animated movies. I'm not going to lie. The last animated movie I truly loved was Beauty and the Beast and that came out when I was something like 7. Since then, the ones I've seen haven't impressed me all that much and I try to stay away from them as much as possible. But I truly did give this movie a chance. It just all seemed a little too pretentious, winky, cheeky, look at how smart we are, to me. I'm fully admitting it's not my thing so take this with a grain of salt but I hated the damn movie until... that ending. That beautiful, sweet, sad, adorable ending which made the whole pile of shit worth it. This movie was a hard D going into those last ten minutes but those ten minutes made things so much better. Grade - C

THE KING'S SPEECH - It blows my mind that such a colossal bore of a movie is going to (probably, but hopefully not) beat The Social Network, one of the most exciting movies of the year, for Best Picture at the Oscars next week. The filmmaking was fine (a bit weird at times... what was with those creepy close ups at the end??). The performances were all very good (especially Firth who was excellent, although, methinks, not as good as Franco, and what the hell with them wasting the talents of Helena Bonham Carter??). There were parts of the movie that were interesting and funny and a little amusing. But all in all? Boring! Really, really, really boring! And pretentious! And, also, really what was with the way they reacted to him finally giving a speech without stuttering at the end?? Like he had cured f**king cancer or something? Geez. Grade - C-

Top Ten List: Best Supporting Actor 2010

10. Kieran Culkin in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World - Despite being very uneven, there were parts of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World I liked very much. The thing I liked most about it was Culkin as Scott's gay best friend Wallace. Kieran has always been my favorite Culkin, and I think he's a terribly underrated actor. He was spot on in this film with his dry humor and perfect comedic timing.

09. Chris Cooper in The Town - In only one scene, Cooper manages to almost steal the entire movie away from a bunch of younger dudes. These younger guys are trying to act tough and be tough but Cooper IS tough. He makes you believe that he is a hardened criminal, stuck in jail like a lion in a cage at the zoo. So raw and so, so good.

08. Mark Ruffalo in The Kids Are All Right - I'll admit, I don't quite understand the fascination with this movie. I liked it, in a Lifetime movie sort of way. One complaint I don't have, however, is with the acting which is excellent all around. Ruffalo, who was also excellent in Shutter Island, is all free spirit, a man who has done his best to not get tied down, finally coming to terms with being an adult.

07. Ben Kingsley in Shutter Island - As a slightly menacing doctor, Kingsley plays into the general feeling of paranoia that is found in every little piece of this film. He walks this perfect line between being a trust-worthy, good doctor and being someone who might harm you, or even kill you, if given the opportunity. In a film with great acting, he shines.

06. Vincent Cassel in Black Swan - Cassel plays Thomas, the artistic director of a ballet company. Sure, he's a cad, putting the moves on Nina and Lilly and Beth and Lord knows who else. But he is also incredibly charming. And kind of frightening. He's intense and enigmatic. Cassel plays all the different facets of his character with such impressive ease.

05. Armie Hammer in The Social Network - I know there was a body double involved and also a whole lot of technical wizadry from David Fincher and his tech friends, but it's still pretty damn impressive that Hammer is playing TWO characters! He manages to make the Winklevoss twins completely seperate entities to the point where you swear they are being played by two different people. Plus, he gets one of the most fun lines in the whole movie.

04. Tom Hardy in Inception - Okay, so Inception was already an amazing movie. But then in walks Tom f-ing Hardy with that swagger and those lips and he all but steals the entire damn movie right away from so many bigger, more famous stars. He's hilarious and also charming. He is such a chameleon and here's to many more projects from Hardy in the future!

03. Jeremy Renner in The Town - Renner is electric as Jem, an explosive bank robber. He takes a character that could have been so one-note, so boring, so cliche and manages to turn him into someone you can't keep your eyes off of. Renner has been one of the best working actors for at least a decade. Thank Lord, someone else is finally noticing.

02. Andrew Garfield in The Social Network - Okay, so Garfield gets to deliver the absolute best line in the best script of the year. But, from the first frame, you can't take your eyes off Garfield and his mesmerizing performance of Eduardo Savrin, a young college co-ed who becomes a millionaire and then loses all of it. He also loses his best friend in the process. Since he's probably the only fully likeable character in the movie, his performance really burrows into your brain and you find yourself rooting for him through the entire film.

01. Christian Bale in The Fighter - So, if I was an actor I would probably quit the profession after seeing Christian Bale BECOME Dicky Ecklund in The Fighter. I haven't always been fond of Bale but I was completely blown away with him in this movie. I read an article about how when people who grew up with Dicky saw Christian on set, they thought it was really him. Then at the end of the film, they show a clip of the real Dicky and by God, he looks and moves and talks exactly like Christian in the movie. This is not only the best performance by a supporting actor, it's also the single best performance of the entire year.

The Fighter

For the last few months, I've been all about two particular performances, both from The Social Network. First, there is Jesse Eisenberg who I thought gave the best performance of the entire year. Then, there is Andrew Garfield who I thought was the Best Supporting Actor of the entire year. Now, they have both been replaced by one man - Christian Bale from The Fighter. His Dicky Eklund is so manic, so nuanced, so charming, in a word sort of way. Not only does he steal the entire movie, but also it is his best performance and the best performance of the year. More about that later.
The Figther, directed by David O. Russell, is the true story of welterweight fighter Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg) who is from Lowell, Massachusetts. Lowell, like most movies set in and around Boston, is a character of its own. The city is alive with the working class people who just want something good to come from their city. But they are also quick to turn their backs on disappointments and failures. It's a small town mentality, where everyone knows everyone else's business. Micky has been boxing for a few years, trying to get the right fight to break through in boxing. He's managed by his stage mom (Melissa Leo) whose M.O. is to kill her kids with a sort of suffocating love. He's being trained by his "retired" brother Dicky. Dicky is the current pride of Lowell. An ex-boxer, he gained notoriety when he knocked down Sugar Ray Leonard some years ago (but did Sugar Ray really just trip and fall??). Now, HBO is following Dicky around making a documentary, which Dicky thinks is about his comeback. In reality, it's about his failure and crack addiction. Micky, who also has a half a dozen sisters, each ones hair bigger than the last, falls in love with Charlene (Amy Adams), a tough as nails bartender who is the only person who can stand up to Micky's mom and his crazy sisters.
The Fighter is a sports movie, but only really in the last third. The first two-thirds of the movie is all about character development. It's all about Micky and the decision he has to make between his overbearing family and his desire to become a prize fighter. Can he strike a balance and become a champion with his family? Or does he have to step out on his own, leave his family and their drama behind, to become a winner? That's the fine line Micky has to walk in the film.
The performances are all amazing here (right down to Micky's crazy sisters, who have great comedic timing to deliver all their one liners, usually putting down Charlene). Leo is perfection as the overbearing, tough mom. Adams is even better, showing off a tough side of her own. She's been so cutesy so often that it's nice to get a reminder of what a truly great actress she really is. Then there is Wahlberg, who is damn good in his own right. He's part shy, part determined with an explosive side. I've never been a fan of his in dramas, really (exception: The Departed). I've always thought he was a way better comedy actor than anyone gave him credit for (see: I Heart Huckabees). But, he is truly impressive here, giving a layered, lovely performance. But the best performance, of course, goes to Bale. He is a crazy method actor and for once it comes to fruition. He is all manic energy, sucking the air out of every room he walks into, demanding everyone's attention. You think he's about one moment from turning absolutely batshit crazy. Then they show the real Dicky at the end of the film, with all his ticks and eyes bugging out, and you realize even more how perfectly Bale embodied him. I'm all about Bale winning Best Supporting Actor at the upcoming Oscars!
Grade: B+

Summer Movie Season Begins - Mini Reviews

Star Trek - An early summer film and so far my favorite. You most definitely do not need to be a Trekkie in order to enjoy Star Trek. The film follows the young, cocky Captain Kirk (major hottie Chris Pine) as he follows in his deceased dad's footsteps and joins Starfleet. After cheating on a test, conning his way on board the ship, he finds himself in the middle of a major battle with Romulan bad guy Nero (Eric Bana). On Kirk's side, the un-emotional Spock (a superb and perfectly cast Zachary Quinto), hilarious Scotty (Simon Pegg), sexy Uhura (Zoe Saldana), doctor Bones (Karl Urban), Chekov (Anton Yelchin) and Sulu (John Cho). The action begins pretty immediately and it doesn't really let up though the well-paced script also leaves plenty of time for character development (which is nice for people who are not well-versed in Star Trek lore). The movie is very well cast and everyone does a stand up job with Pine and Quinto clearly the stars. J.J. Abrahms does this really annoying camera flare thing that just grates on your nerves after a while. Overall, the film is a fun, action filled ride and the best of the summer so far.
Grade: B

Angels and Demons - At 2 hours plus, the movie is about an hour and 40 minutes of exposition. It's Man of Science (Tom Hanks) vs. Man of God (Ewan McGregor). But really it's just a whole lot of boredom. Hanks is Professor Langdon again and he's in Rome tracking down the trail of the Illuminati, an ancient cult that hid clues around Rome. For being so damn smart, he makes a lot of mistakes before he finally finds the truth. Although I guess we wouldn't have a movie if he didn't. It's a movie that is predictable at best. You can see the outcome a mile away. Angels and Demons is just a huge waste of time.
Grade: D

Terminator Salvation - Where oh where to begin? First of all, shame on McG for ruining a series that James Cameron made pretty damn perfectly. I wouldn't have let McG anywhere near this series. (And, for the record, I'm one of the few who actually enjoyed Terminator 3). The action is just a huge mess; you can hardly tell what's going on most of the time. Christian Bale's acting is so over the top it's hard to believe he was once a promising actor. It's actually a shame to be Bale right now. First he was out-acted by Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight, now Sam Worthington in Terminator. Worthington is the only thing worth raving about. His character is completely riveting and his performance is pretty damn great. Anton Yelchin, as young Kyle Reese, is worhty of praise as well. There's a horrible "Arnold" cameo and the last 10 minutes are just so completely laughable. Terminator is just a pretty huge mess. Also, note to those behind Salvation - if you are trying to reboot a franchise, it's probably best NOT to kill your only interesting character in the first film.
Grade: D

Drag Me To Hell - I think I would rather go to hell than sit through this mess of a movie. "The return of true horror?" Really, Sam Raimi? If this is your return to horror than you can just go back to making crappy Spider-Man movies. I understand that his horror films have always been a little on the silly / gross side. I'm a fan of the Evil Dead trilogy, for sure. But the difference between the Evil Dead trilogy and Drag Me To Hell is this: the Evil Dead movies were actually good! Anything worth seeing in Drag Me to Hell is in the trailer. The rest of the film is predictable, ridiculous and just plain NOT SCARY. I couldn't possibly have been more disappointed in this film if I tried. Two words for you: talking goat.
Grade: F

Coming Soon - Reviews of The Hangover and Land of the Lost!

The Dark Knight

The Dark Knight is a rare kind of movie. It is so overhyped that it's almost impossible to believe that it could live up to your expectations. But guess what? It doesn't disappoint. In fact, The Dark Knight is a huge step forward for comic book / superhero movies. For years, these kinds of movies were seen as brainless summer popcorn flicks. You don't really need to think about them - just sit back and enjoy. It might not be particuarly thought-provoking or intellectual but at least it's a fun way to pass the time - great special effects, so-so acting, so-so story. The Dark Knight is whole different kind of movie. It's definitely not a brainless summer popcorn flick. It's a well-done, classy, smart film - the kind that will stand the test of time and the kind that should definitely be called a masterpiece. The special effects? Great. The storyline? Smart in every way. The acting? Well, it's out of this world (especially by a certain late actor... more on that in a minute). Director Christopher Nolan is back and better than last time. The story picks up a few years after Batman Begins lets off. Batman / Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) is still struggling to clean up the streets of Gotham. This time around he may get a little help in the form of White Knight district attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) who is the kind of politician who is actually trying to make a difference. He's also dating Bruce's old girl, the love of his life, Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal this time around who is about a hundred times better than Katie Holmes was). The mob (led by Eric Roberts!!!) is uncontrollable but that is the least of Gotham's problems. There's a new villain in town - he's absolutely out of his mind, embracing chaos, anarchy. He says at one point that he makes no plans. He's like a dog chasing a car but he doesn't know what he would do if he actually caught the car. He just acts without thinking anything through - and that terrifies the people of Gotham. His name is the Joker and in the hands of Heath Ledger he becomes the most terrifying, hilarious, downright crazy villain. The late Ledger creates a masterpiece of a performance. I don't see a scenario in which he won't win a posthumous Oscar for his work here. He's amazing and he gives the performance of his much too short life. Then there's that fantastic supporting cast - Michael Caine as the ever faithful Alfred, Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox and Gary Oldman as Lt. Gordon (who really deserves an honorable mention because he's pretty damn good as well). Overall, The Dark Knight is two and a half hours of pure entertainment. There's little to nothing wrong with the movie. Not only does it meet expectations, it surpasses them.

Grade: A

I Am Legend, I'm Not There, Once

I Am Legend - First off, I have to admit my love for Will Smith. When the end of the world is coming, I trust Will Smith and only Will Smith to save the world. Not only is he my favorite heroic actor, with I Am Legend, he proves that he can carry an entire film on his own. This is not something many actors can do. Tom Hanks can do it (Castaway). I'm sure there might be a few (very few) others but Will Smith definitly can. His Robert Neville is someone we want to cheer for. Smith brings his acting A-game to a movie that requires a lot of emotion in order to captivate the audience. That is what I loved most about this movie. Sure, it was thrilling and intense. That's a definite. But it was also emotionally heartbreaking. (Seriously, try not to cry during a particular scene involving Neville and his beloved dog). Smith plays Neville, the seemingly sole survivor of the world, living in New York City, after a virus created by man that was originally created to cure cancer does unspeakable damage instead. Smith, alone in a new world with his dog, mannequins and random deer, dedicates his life to finding a cure for the virus... and talking to said mannequins (the scene with 'Fred' is particularly wonderful... as is the scene with the dark haired beauty at the video store. Ha.). The special effects are great - especially the endless shots of a destroyed New York City, a Times Sqaure populated by lions, streets of deserted cars, bridges blown in half. The movie isn't necessarily scary, but it is intense at some points, especially the first encounter in the darkened warehouse (or whatever). So, the first half of I Am Legend is quite spectacular. It sets a tone, it has great cinematography, it has a great performance from Smith. Then Neville meets a fellow survivor. And it kind of goes downhill from there for me. I really just didn't like the last 20 minutes (especially the very end) at all. I'm sure some people might... but not me. Overall, it's a solid movie with a lot of thrills and, surprisingly, a lot of heart.

Grade: B-

I'm Not There - It's true: Cate Blanchett is EXTRAORDINARY. I'm not one of those 'Cate Blanchett is the best actress whoever lived in the history of the world. OMG Cate' people. But, even if you hate Blanchett (which seems a bit harsh), you can't deny she dominates this great artsy film. This film amazed me. It was a vision in black and white and color, drenched with Bob Dylan music. This movie is like a dream, lots of random scenes and random images that all are somehow cohesive in a way that is impossible to explain. Of course, there's so much publicity around the movie. Cate Blanchett is a female Bob Dylan! Marcus Carl Franklin is a 12 year old African American Bob Dylan! There's also Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Richard Gere and Ben Winshaw. All of these characters, these versions of Dylan's life and music, are like a kaleidoscopic dream where the pieces never quite meet. This movie is almost too brilliant. Will people who don't like Dylan even get it? Will they even care about it? It's possible that they won't. It's possible that this movie is too smart for the average viewer... but that's what I loved most about it - it makes you think. There wasn't a movie this year that was more unique, more stylish, more individulistic than I'm Not There. All of these actors and actresses playing Bob Dylan? Well, guess what. Dylan was exactly the mess of lies, grandeur, childishness, arrogance, rebelliousness and genius that is portrayed by one or all of these actors. Of course, when you have a movie that follows multiple storylines, it's usually the case that some of the stories are more interesting than the others. What would have made this movie more interesting? Well, they could have fleshed out the Richard Gere storyline, for starters. I walked away hating that part of the movie but I think if it was done better, it could have been great. Also, and I hate to say it because I absolutely love him, I could have completely done without Christian Bale. Franklin and Winshaw are stellar (Winshaw doesn't have a storyline, per se, but I love every single word that came out of his pretty mouth). I liked Heath Ledger in this movie. If you would have told me quite a few years ago that Ledger would have this kind of career right now, I would have laughed at you. Never would I have seen this coming after The Order. I thought his career was over. But he's coming one of the most surprisingly strong actors of his generation. He's doing great work lately. He has great chemistry with his artist love played very well by Charlotte Gainsbourg. The instant attraction is great and the eventual downfall is even better. Julianne Moore, Michelle Williams and David Cross show up to add a little support. But, really, this is Cate Blanchett's show. She melts into her eye-rubbing, nose-twitching, lip-conscious character that is only too quick to lash out on whoever is closest. So, best Bob Dylan? From best to worst: Blanchett, Winshaw, Ledger, Franklin, Bale, Gere. Still, even though it's not a perfect film for me, it's still visceral, enlightening, comedic, pensive, wild, tender. It's a film that is complex, like it's subject.

Grade: B+

Once - Let's vote this one: Most Likely to Make You Smile No Matter How Cynical and Full of Despair You Are. Let's also Vote Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova the Best Unconsummated Romance of the Year. This movie was really just honest and beautiful, spectacular and full of great, great, great music! It's a modern musical about a street musician (Hansard) who meets a pretty imigrant (Irglova). They form a friendship that could have been a romance at another time in their lives. They write songs together, they play music together, they rehearse, they record a great demo. It's simple and it's lovely. What more could you possibly want out of a movie? It doesn't disappoint in any way, shape or form. It's filmed beautifully (that scene near the end where they are frolicking at the beach is just the definition of beauty). This is a feel-good movie that is not mushy in any way. It has comedic moments that are realisitc and relatable. This is the way a musical should be - contemporary and not cheesy at all. It's not too sentimental. The movie was great. The music was great. I strongly suggest you check this movie out as soon as possible!

Grade: A

3:10 to Yuma, Shoot Em Up

3:10 to Yuma - The truth is, I'm not a fan of the Western in general. I find them too busy, too distracting, too difficult to follow at times. The truth also is that I'm just not that well versed in the Western as a genre. I've seen two that I like: The Quick and the Dead and Tombstone. Other than that, I tend to avoid them at all costs. Perhaps I should rethink that. The remake of 3:10 to Yuma has an intoxicating swagger about it. It's got charm, it's got wit, it's got action, it's got character development and great performances! There's not much more you can really ask, especially at this point in the season. Summer's over. All the blockbuster's are done. The disappointing movies are over. It's time to get into Oscar season. 3:10 to Yuma is the perfect crossover. For me, it wasn't an amazing film but it's a million times better than most of the stuff that came out in the last three and a half months. I'll admit it took me a while to get into the movie which is why I can't ultimately give it a higher grade. At first it was a little on the boring side but about halfway through it really, really picks up and becomes exhilirating. The movie follows Ben Wade (Russell Crowe), a legendary outlaw who is the epitome of badness and coolness. He has a crew of guys who are downright evil (one of which is the wonderful Ben Foster who has really played some of the most interesting characters this year). He gets arrested and a group of men have to transfer him to Contention to make sure he gets on the 3:10 train to Yuma where he'll be imprisoned. One of the men is farmer in debt Dan played by Christian Bale, who perfectly captures the desperation of a man who is continually done wrong by his country, politicians and even God. The film also features Peter Fonda as a bounty hunter and Gretchen Mol as Dan's long-suffering wife. There are horses and gunfights and Luke Wilson makes a surprise appearance. James Mangold (director of Walk the Line) has a gritty approach to the film and it's fantastic. (And Kudos for not giving us a ton of agonizing close ups of clocks). He really builds tension perfectly in the last few minutes. By the way, that ending is fantastic. I don't think I've loved an ending so much all year. I won't ruin it, but, WOW! That's all I have to say. The action is fast paced but also not overbearing. There are breaks to build character and develop plot. But when the action starts, it really starts. The performances are absolutely wonderful. Foster as Charlie Prince, Crowe's right-hand man, is scary and hilarious at the same time - something Foster does so well. Fonda's role is too brief but wonderful. Mol doesn't have much to do but I always wonder why she doesn't make more movies. She's excellent in everything she does, people just need to give her more to work with. But, really, it comes down to an actor showdown between Bale and Crowe. Crowe is having the time of his life playing the bad ass. He's wicked and intense. He's provocative, smug, and, later, shows true compassion and tenderness. Bale is gritty and sympathetic. In a film about atonement, he tries to prove to his family (especially tag along 14 year old son) that he's not a bad father and husband. His performance is subtle and moving. So, who wins the showdown? While I'm more of a Bale person usually, I'd have to say Crowe is a bit better by a hair. With a simple message of friendship, redemption and morality, this movie really is entertaining and well done.

Grade: B

Shoot Em Up - When people say a movie has 'non-stop action,' they usually don't mean it literally. But, seriously kids, Shoot Em Up has non-stop action. This movie has absolutley no regard for logic, plot or development. It leaves all that, you know, the boring stuff, completely out of the picture. And the result is something that is halfway fun and halfway eye-rolling ridiculous. Half the time I didn't know if I should laugh or be offended. The movie starts with the mysterious Mr. Smith (Clive Owen) coming to the rescue of a pregnant woman and, after cutting the umbilical cord via bullets, and, after the woman is shot in the head, somehow decides to raise the baby who a bunch of crazy men are trying to kill (including a truly wicked Paul Giamatti) with the help of his lactating hooker friend (Maria Bello). Like I said, there is pretty much no plot here at all. That doesn't mean it's not fun! Among the many shocking/fun/ridiculous moments: Clive Owen kills multiple people with a carrot. Oh, and since the movie is called Shoot Em Up, there are a lot of gun fights. Gun fights while sky diving. Gun fights while having sex (which apparently will give you the best orgasm of your life!). Gun fights while in the playground. Clive Owen is absolutely perfect for the tragic hero sort of character he plays often. He's cocky and charming with a great swagger about him. Plus, he's just about the sexiest actor working today. Paul Giamatti is wonderful here as well. But, honestly, it was all just a little bit too much for me. I mean, I know that's what the movie was going for but I really don't need to see a man carrying a baby around while he's shooting ten other men and then jumping from a building into a window and crashing into someone's living room. The whole thing is fun. The action is there. The dialogue is atrocious. It loses it's steam somewhere around the final act and what started out as entertaining becomes ultimately tiresome. Still, it's definitely a fun time. In the end, it was all just a little bit too ridiculous for me.

Grade: C-

Harsh Times and Candy (DVD)

Harsh Times - The concept of Harsh Times sounds brilliant. Iraq vet Jim Davis returns home with post tramautic stress disorder, applies to the LAPD and in the meantime, gets caught up with local gang life. Davis has no problem sinking into an unsavory lifestyle because, let's face it, he's done worse. As an added bonus, the filmmakers hire two of the best working actors for the leads: Christian Bale and Freddy Rodriguez. Instead, Harsh Times mostly falls flat, despite solid performances by Bale and Rodriguez. Taxi Driver this film is not. Bale's Davis falls dangerously close to stereotype while Eva Longoria offers little more than eye candy. The really sad part is that writer/director David Ayer has traversed this territory before and with much better results (Training Day). Harsh Times is so good in spots and then... it just goes so wrong. It does suffer from worrisome editing and pacing at times. Had the film been whittled down to 90 minutes, it might have fit the "intense" bill that Ayer was aiming for. The dialogue is laughable at best. Someone even utters the words "hella cool" at one point. Now that I'm done complaining, allow me to praise one of my new favorite actors: Freddy Rodriguez who shined with his dark and realistic role. He definitely tried his hardest to keep the plot and climax from falling, managing to do so at times. Creating one of the only truly touching moments in the film, he tried his best to communicate with Bale on the theme of brotherhood and deception. Loved Rodriguez, and loved specific parts of the movie very much. It's just a shame that they couldn't carry the same intensity throughout the whole film.

Grade: C-

Candy - Granted, the drug genre is a bit tired. If I see another painful withdrawal scene, I think I'll scream or something. Still, within this tired genre, a true gem squeaks through every now and again. Candy is a good movie that could have been great but at least gives us a few incredible performances from Heath Ledger and Abbie Cornish. Ledger stars as Dan, a troubled yet likeable juvenile-come-poet who is in love with Cornish's Candy, a part time artist who falls head over heels in love with Dan... and heroin. Ledger's understated performance gives Dan a boyish vulnerability that would otherwise leave him less sympathetic. He has a great ability to use his eyes to communicate his emotions (which was probably what got him an Oscar nomination for Brokeback Mountain). Cornish, too, is brilliant as the often abrasive troubled artist. She's at times an innocent and beautiful angel and other times a wasted bitch. Geoffery Rush is superb as well in a supporting role. What sets it apart from other druggie movies is the love between Dan and Candy. Call it Trainspotting meets Romeo & Juliet. Maybe that will help you get through some of the grittier and depressing scenes. Their story is affectionate, painful, hopeful and hopeless. It's an intense and unpleasant film but it's still very watchable and well done. It's harsh but beautiful. It's not a perfect movie (it drags a bit now and then) but it's still worth watching (as is the career of Abbie Cornish).

Grade: B+