Horror Movie Month + The Ides of March

Horror Movie Month - Masters of Horror: Cigarette Burns
The stars: The ridiculously sexy Norman Reedus
The plot: A theater owner in debt searches for a super rare film in order to make some cash. Said film is a foreign movie that was only shown once in public. Seems everyone who sees it becomes a homicidal maniac.
The scares: It's not scary at all, but interesting. The premise is pretty great although I'm not sure it's executed well. Shame on you, John Carpenter.
The body count: It's hard to tell if things are happening for real or all in his head. Maybe 5.
The grade: C+

Horror Movie Month - I Spit On Your Grave
The stars: Sarah Butler
The plot: In the remake to the BEST REVENGE MOVIE OF ALL TIME, a young writer goes to a secluded cabin alone to work on her next novel. She is brutally beaten and rapes by a group of local men who leave her for dead. A month later she seeks revenge.
The scares: Not scary at all, but disturbing and gory as hell. (Although the part where a certain person gets their eyes pecked out by birds scared me to death, but maybe only because I'm terrified of birds).
The body count: Five. And they all deserved exactly what they got.
The Grade: Not nearly as good as the original... C-

Horror Movie Month - Seconds Apart
The stars: Orlando Jones
The plot: Two creepy twins use their powers for evil instead of good and wreck havoc on the mean kids at their school.
The scares: Not so much. It's actually pretty stupid and pointless, to be honest. The twins are creepy though. Too bad they aren't in a better movie.
The body count: Seven.
The Grade: D

The Ides of March - Ryan Gosling continues to knock it out of the park, giving his second amazing starring performance in the last two months. First up was his cool and collected performance in Drive. Now he is the star of the best ensemble cast of the year in the political drama The Ides of March. Gosling stars as Steven, a hot young campaign manager who is working for the next would be president (George Clooney). The governor seems perfect and it seems Steven and his colleagues (including Phillip Seymour Hoffman) can't lose. However, throw in a troublemaking journalist (Marisa Tomei), the opponent's sneaky manager (Paul Giamatti) and a sexy young intern (Evan Rachel Wood) and you've got yourself one hell of a movie. Like I said, this is the best ensemble of the year with everyone giving amazing performances. Clooney is also the director and he does a damn good job. The writing is sharp and crisp and the story is engaging. This one is a sleeper for the Oscars next year. It's definitely a great film!
Grade: B+

Take Me Home Tonight, Fright Night, The Conspirator

Take Me Home Tonight - Super fun 80s movie? Not so much. Actually, Take Me Home Tonight is a boring drag of a movie that isn't the least bit funny. It stars Topher Grace as a recent college grad who tries to impress an old high school classmate (Teresa Palmer, who is a blonde Kristen Stewart). Also wastes the talents of Anna Faris, Chris Pratt, Michael Ian Black and more! The only, and I mean ONLY, good thing about this awful movie is the killer 80s music soundtrack. Don't waste your time!
Grade: D-

Fright Night - A remake of the 80s movie, Fright Night is a hell of a lot better than it has to be. I'm not saying this movie is going to change the world, but it's fun and sexy and a good time at the movies. The ever adorable Anton Yelchin stars as a slightly nerdy high schooler who blows off his more nerdy ex-best friend (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) when he tries to convince him that his brand new neighbor (Colin Farrell, having the time of his life) is a vampire. Turns out, Ed is right! The film takes place in a suburb of Las Vegas, which is the PERFECT place for a vampire to live, using the excuse of working nights on the strip and sleeping all day. The plot is pretty basic: Yelchin must fight to save his mom (Toni Collette) and hottie girlfriend (Imogen Poots) with the help of a drunken illusionist (scene stealer David Tennant). Farrell is fantastic. I've been a fan of his for a long time but never thought he really lived up to his potential. I don't know what has happened to him the last few years but it seems like he stopped taking himself so seriously, realized that he's funny as hell and is now having the time of his life! First he was AMAZING in In Bruges a few years back. Now he is stealing scenes in Horrible Bosses and being delightfully campy in Fright Night. Yelchin is great too, but isn't that always the case with him? Of course, like I said, Tennant steals the show. He is hilarious and all around fantastic. All in all, Fright Night is a fun time and worth checking out.
Grade: B-

The Conspirator - First off, this movie probably has the best cast of the year. I'm not even kidding. Not only are there really quality, amazing actors involved in large roles (James McAvoy, Robin Wright, Tom Wilkinson, Danny Huston, Evan Rachel Wood), but also so many actors that I personally ADORE show up in small roles (Norman Reedus, Shea Whigham, Johnny Simmons, Jonathan Groff). Director Robert Redford sure did a great job casting this movie. The Conspirator is a beautifully filmed, well written, well acted period piece about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the people who may or may not have conspired with John Wilkes Booth. Sure, the film drags now and then, but over all it's a great film and I'm shocked that it didn't get more attention when it was released in theaters. It's definitely one of the better films this year, plus it has such a stellar cast. McAvoy and Wright are amazing in their roles as a conflicted lawyer and a stubborn convict, respectively. But the acting is great all around and the story is compelling and interesting.
Grade: B

Top Ten List - Best Supporting Actress

10. Evan Rachel Wood in The Wrestler - She has just three keys scenes but Wood milks it for all it's worth. Cheers for going toe to toe with the great Mickey Rourke and holding her own.

09. Alison Pill in Milk - Maybe it's just my undying devotion and love for this movie, but I'd give the whole damn cast an award. Pill is barely in it, but she's still a little spitfire, whipping the men of the movie into shape and helping Harvey Milk make history.

08. Catherine Keener in Hamlet 2 - I just keep picturing her drinking that huge drink at the Mexican restaurant / bar. Keener could probably read the phone book and I would think she was worthy of high praise.

07. Viola Davis in Doubt - She's on screen for about twelve minutes but she takes full advantage of those twleve minutes to give a powerhouse performance. Her thought process is devastating in its assuredness.

06. Debra Winger in Rachel Getting Married - In a year of comebacks, Winger's is very welcome. She's been absent for way too long. She doesn't have a lot to do in Rachel Getting Married but there's that one big scene with Anne Hathaway that is shocking and riveting at the same time.

05. Amy Adams in Doubt - Viola Davis may be getting all the attention but I prefer Adams' more subtle and nuanced performance. In a movie filled with people who are stubborn and shady, Adams is the innocent and pure Sister James. Also, she's probably the key to figuring out the key mystery in the film.

04. Taraji P. Henson in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Sweet and tough, Henson is finally breaking through to the fore front. She should have been nominated for Hustle and Flow and this year she continues her streak of good natured supporting characters. She elevates every scene in which she is a part.

03. Marisa Tomei in The Wrestler - Looking sexier than ever, Tomei plays a single mom stripper who is, like Rourke's title character, struggling with losing her youth and looks. Unlike Rourke's character, she is capable of finally growing up. Her final scene is heartbreaking.

02. RoseMarie Dewitt in Rachel Getting Married - Anne Hathaway may be getting all the attention for her intense performance (and she does deserve it) but I actually prefer Dewitt's more subtle performance. She plays the "perfect" sister but she never becomes a cliche. She never tries to hide Rachel's flaws. And because of that she plays this role flawlessly.

01. Penelope Cruz in Vicky Cristina Barcelona - Volatile. Vivacious. Lunatic. Neurotic. Enigmatic. Sexy. Agitated spitfire. Just a few words to describe Cruz's brilliant take on the slightly crazy ex-wife of Javier Bardem's character. She has so many great scenes. Why she wins my award as the Best Supporting Actress of 2008? A specific scene when she is just released from a hospital for trying to kill herself. Bardem takes her home to meet his new American tourist girlfriend played by Scarlett Johansson. Scarlett asks her if she wants anything to which Cruz so perfectly and so simply replies, "Vodka." Great line reading. Great performance.

Tomorrow - Best Supporting Actor