November 2015

The Final Girls
Stars - Taissa Farmiga, Malin Akerman
Plot - The daughter of a B movie scream queen gets transported to her mom's most famous horror movie where she must survive a killer and come to terms with her mom's death.
Thoughts - This is the sort of movie you might only enjoy if you really love horror movies (as I do). It's clever and fun, but I also think the idea is a lot better than the execution.
Grade - B-

Z for Zachariah
Stars - Margot Robbie, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Chris Pine
Plot - The possible last surviving woman in a post apocalyptic world finds herself in a love triangle, because sure, that would happen.
Thoughts - I actually really liked the storyline,  no matter how ridiculous it was. Too bad the whole thing was just so damn boring.
Grade - C+

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
Stars - Olivia Cooke, Thomas Mann
Plot - A teenage filmmaker who hates everything is forced by his mom to hang out with a classmate dying of cancer.
Thoughts - I really loved the book this is based on, and while the movie never quite gets as good, it is still a pretty solid, funny, heartfelt movie.
Grade - B

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2
Stars - Jennifer Lawrence, et al
Plot - Katniss must finally bring down that nasty Capital.
Thoughts - The first thing it has going for it is that it's better than Part 1 although that's not hard. Despite the fact that it starts mid-scene, and is too long (Attn: Hollywood, stop splitting movies into 2 parts. I know you make twice the money, but is it really worth it to make two disjointed movies filled with filler when you could make just one bad ass (albeit long) movie?), Mockingjay is filled with action and heart. Part 2 may noy be the best of the bunch (see Catching Fire), but it is a pretty good ending to the series. 
Grade - B

Spotlight
Stars - Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams
Plot - The true story of a group of Boston journalists who investigate and uncover the decades long cover up of priests molesting children in the Catholic Church.
Thoughts - I know it doesn't necessarily sound like the kind of movie you would want to rush out and watch, but it's easily one of the best movies of the year. The cast is incredible, the performances are stellar, and the script is fast paced which helps make this movie intensely watchable. Maybe a little difficult to keep track of all the secondary characters though.
Grade -  A-

Pitch Perfect 2
Stars - Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson
Plot - The Bella's are back and trying to win the a capella world championship.
Thoughts - The first film is not necessarily good, but at least compulsively watchable. This is a pretty terrible follow up. Plot wise, it's terrible. Just fast forward to the music, which is fun.
Grade - (a pretty generous) C-

Creed
Stars - Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone
Plot - The son of Apollo Creed enlists his old frenemy, Rocky Balboa, to train him as a boxer.
Thoughts -  Truth? I've never seen a single Rocky movie. But, alas, the only thing I love more than a boxing movie is Michael B. Jordan, so I was in. And luckily, this is a really well done, really heartfelt, funny, wholly crowd pleasing film. Sylvester Stallone might be an Oscar contender come nomination time. And, finally, Michael B. Jordan's biceps, ya'll.
Grade - B+

Brooklyn
Stars - Saoirse Ronan, Emory Cohen, Domhnall Gleeson
Plot - A young woman in the 1950s moves from Ireland to New York for better  opportunities.
Thoughts - This might be the best movie I see this year and if it's playing at a theater near you, call off work or school and run to the theater right now. I told myself I wouldn't give out an A+ until I saw a movie as good as or better than The Social Network, and while this isn't quite that, this is as near to perfection as you can get. It's funny and sad and romantic and just completely entrancing. I loved this movie so much and if you ever listen to me about anything, go see Brooklyn now.
Grade - A

Best Supporting Actor 2014

05. Ethan Hawke in Boyhood - For making us all remember that he IS a good actor, if it only takes Linklater movies to remind us. For perfectly portraying a wayward kid turned family man. For the father / son camping scene.

04. James Gandolfini in The Drop - For playing a tough guy the way only he could, with subtle layers and complexities. For knocking it out of the park with a final fitting performance. For accepting his fate in the car at the end.

03. Mark Ruffalo in Foxcatcher - For being the heart and soul of the film. For being kind and likeable,  sweet and endearing in a subtle lived in portrayal. For the scenes of brotherly love.

02. J.K. Simmons in Whiplash - For making me forget all about the sweet dad from Juno. For giving a tense, powerhouse performance as an enigmatic and menacing music instructor. For throwing cymbals at people's heads. For the "dragging or rushing" scene.

01. Edward Norton for Birdman - For sending up his own image as a difficult method actor by playing... a difficult method actor. For the brilliant complexities in his scene stealing work. For being fierce, funny,  complicated, charming and electric. For being sorely missed when he disappears three quarters of the way through. For the fist fight in his underwear.

Foxcatcher

The story of billionaire John Du Pont and the Olympic gold medal winning Schultz brothers is so unbelievable that it definitely feels like something out of Hollywood. But it isn't. This is a shocking and thrilling true story. After all, the most unbelievable stories often are the true ones.

Channing Tatum stars as Mark Schultz, an Olympic gold medalist in wrestling. He is an eager to please, hard working loner. His older brother Dave (Mark Ruffalo) is also a gold medalist, who seems to be the brains behind the brawn. When Mark is approached by eccentric millionaire/billionaire/wealthiest man in America John Du Pont (Steve Carell) to train on the grounds of his mansion (the titular Foxcatcher), Mark jumps at the chance. What follows is a tale of power struggles and jealousy and homoerotic father / son relationships. Through the lens of Bennett Miller's intimate documentary like camera, Foxcatcher becomes suspenseful and enticing, capped off by a trifecta of powerful and profound performances. 

Based on trailers, I honestly thought Carell was going to annoy me in this movie. I thought his performance was going to feel over the top, but I was wrong. He nails his portrayal of the mysterious man who collects hobbies the way his disapproving mother collects horses. His physical transformation is one thing, but he also expertly taps into the mind of a man who is forced to live vicariously through a group of young wrestlers. I've never thought of Tatum as the best actor, though he certainly isn't the worst either.  Here he is on a completely different level. It's his performance that I can't stop thinking about as the eager to please, desperate to be loved (takes one to know one) man.

If Carell is an enigmatic presence throughout the film, and Tatum is the intense, electric center, then Mark Ruffalo is the heart and soul of this movie. His family man coach is the only real likeable character in the movie and the success of the third act depends entirely on how much the audience cares about him. And we care about his sweet and loyal character a whole lot. And, of course, Bennett Miller directs the hell out of this movie. Though it is a tragic film, it is also a beautiful one, filmed with wide open spaces and overhead shots to contradict with the intimate wrestling shots.

There is only one thing, really, that keeps this from being an A movie for me. It just really drags sometimes. At moments, it was simultaneously interesting and boring. With a bit better editing to make it feel sleeker and more fast paced, this could have been an instant classic. Though flawed, Foxcatcher is still a truly great story of the rise and fall of two men, and a fascinating character study of the complicated relationships we form.

Grade: B+

Mini Reviews / Pre-Vacation Catch Up

Next weekend, I will be on vacation... at the beach... drinking my way through Ocean City. For now, here are some quick reviews in order to play catch up.

Begin Again
Stars: Mark Ruffalo, Keira Knightley, Adam Levine, Catherine Keener, Hailee Steinfeld
Plot: After her boyfriend becomes a rock star and dumps her, Greta decides to make an album with a down on his luck indie record exec and use the city of New York as her inspiration.
Thoughts: The director of this movie also directed Once, a movie that is so singular, so like catching lightning in a bottle, that he probably should have just stopped while he was ahead. He can never make another movie like Once. So, Begin Again lacks all that natural charm and sweetness and rawness. It feels a bit forced - bigger budget, bigger stars - but it's also just a really likable movie. It's sweet filled with easy, natural performances and great music (especially Lost Stars which I promptly downloaded and listened to on repeat).
Grade: B

Rob the Mob
Stars: Michael Pitt, Nina Arianda
Plot: An ex-con couple decide their low pay jobs as telemarketers are beneath them, so they decide to rob the clubs where mobsters hang out. Based on a true story.
Thoughts: I feel like the idea behind this movie is something really great. It's a true story, and an interesting one, but the movie lacks any sort of dynamic. Honestly, this movie is almost unwatchable, and I love, love, love, LOVE Michael Pitt. But these characters just feel so forced, and annoying.
Grade: D

3 Days to Kill
Stars: Kevin Costner, Amber Heard, Hailee Steinfeld
Plot: A dying hitman takes one last job trying to close a case that went haywire.
Thoughts: What a disaster! I watched this for Costner, and honestly, my grade might not even count because I couldn't even get all the way through this. It was just so boring, and bizarre (Amber Heard's character is literally the most ridiculous thing I've seen in film this year).
Grade: F

The Monument's Men
Stars: George Clooney, Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, John Goodman, Bill Murray, Jean DuJardin, Bob Balaban
Plot: The true story of a group of art historians who were tasked with finding art the Nazi's stole and reclaiming it.
Thoughts: Look at that cast!! How could you possibly go wrong with a cast like that? My thoughts exactly, which is how I got into this mess in the first place. First of all, this story is too interesting to be resigned to a movie like this. This is terrible story telling, and just plain lazy film making. Any sort of line that is supposed to be funny just doesn't land well (and if Bill Murray can't make something funny, then you've got a huge problem). This movie is just one big disaster.
Grade: D+

The Lego Movie
Stars (the voices of): Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Ferrell, Will Arnett, Morgan Freeman, Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, Charlie Day
Plot: An every day Lego gets mistaken for the "Special", the savior of the Lego world after their President decides he is going to destroy everything.
Thoughts: Listen, I'm surprised as you are, but this movie is AWESOME. I absolutely loved it totally and completely. I am definitely not one for animated films (with the rare exception like Wall-E and Up), but The Lego Movie is a pop-culture laden movie that everyone can enjoy. It's funny and cute and just plain good!
Grade: B+

The Grand Budapest Hotel
Stars: Ralph Fiennes, Jude Law, Adrian Brody, Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, Jeff Goldblum, Willem Dafoe
Plot: A hotel concierge becomes involved in an art heist and a jail break after a long standing guest (and lover) dies.
Thoughts: I love Wes Anderson movies. They are so absolutely singular. He is one of the very few directors that, if you watch even 30 seconds of one of his movies, you automatically know it's his. This movie is brimming with everything I love about Anderson movies - crazy characters, cool set designs, bright colors. Still, this isn't his best work. It's a bit jumbled and maybe feels like it's trying too hard. Still, I'll take an "okay" Wes Anderson movie any day.
Grade: B

Lucy
Stars: Scarlett Johansson, Morgan Freeman
Plot: An American party girl in Taiwan can suddenly access increasing amounts of her brain when a bag of drugs bursts inside her stomach.
Thoughts: I wanted this movie to be so much more than it was. I wanted less scenes of apes and dinosaurs and more scenes of Scarlett kicking ass. Scarlett is fantastic here, and I have absolutely no complaints whatsoever about her. However, this movie just plays off as such a huge mess. I mean, sure, it's cool, I guess. But it had the opportunity to be so much cooler. It's a wasted opportunity, in my opinion.
Grade: D+

Under the Skin
Stars: Scarlett Johansson
Plot: A mysterious woman lures men to their doom in Scotland (where you can't understand a word anyone says... actual conversation I had with my boyfriend while watching this movie: Me: "This movie needs subtitles." Him: "It's in English!")
Thoughts: I seriously have done very little other than think about this movie for the last two days. It's that intense and mysterious and thought-provoking. Upon thinking about it non-stop, I have realized that I think I liked it more than I initially thought. I have come to the conclusion that it's this really great feminist tale about how even a superior being becomes weak when stuck in a female body. The movie was filmed so beautifully (so many amazing shots), and it's so been on my mind, that I almost want to watch it again. But, then I remember how I felt while watching it, which was mostly infuriated and even angry. This is the first movie I have ever watched where I literally don't know what grade to give it. It has an equal chance of ending up on my Best of and Worst of lists at the end of the year.
Grade: ????

Mini Reviews (I'm Back)

In case anyone actually reads this, I apologize for my recent absence but things have been sort of crazy at work. Right now, I am going to write a few mini reviews to get caught up on the things I've seen recently (two movies in theaters you might want to check out and two on DVD that you will probably want to avoid), but then I am going to get back to updating this blog more frequently. I also have a few ideas for new funs things to do (i.e. a weekly Friday Top Five list related to new releases or actor birthdays and maybe a Best Director tournament!). But for now, here are quick thoughts on four 2013 releases (from best to worst):

The Internship
Starring: Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson, Rose Byrne, Max Minghella
Plot: Two salesmen lose their jobs and decide that despite any skill whatsoever that they are going to get a job at Google. The movie follows a summer long internship program.
Thoughts: Despite being way too long and following all the rules of romantic comedy, The Internship manages to be cute, sweet and funny. The best part about it is, of course, Vaughn and Wilson and their perfect chemistry that also worked so well in Wedding Crashers. But the real star of the show is the Google campus which is fascinating and interesting in every sense of the word.
Grade: B-

Now You See Me
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Mark Ruffalo, Isla Fisher, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Dave Franco, Melanie Laurent
Plot: Four street magicians come together thanks to a mysterious but powerful benefactor to become the most successful magicians with a traveling show where they manage to do completely unbelievable tricks (such as stealing money from a Paris bank while in Vegas). The FBI is hot on their tail though.
Thoughts: Now You See Me benefits from having an almost unrelentless pace, which absolutely works in its favor because if you were given time to stop and think about the whole thing, you would realize how none of it (especially the far fetched, ridiculous ending) makes sense. Still, as far as fun, thoughtless entertainment goes, this is decent.
Grade: C+

Dark Skies
Starring: Keri Russell, J.K. Simmons
Plot: Aliens target a family and slowly drive them crazy.
Thoughts: Cliche, but also really terrible. Simmons is the only - THE ONLY - good thing about it and he's only in it for about 3 minutes.
Grade: D+

Stand Up Guys
Starring: Al Pacino, Christopher Walken, Alan Arkin
Plot: Val (Pacino) is newly released from prison but some powerful people are holding a 28 year grudge and send his bestie (Walken) to give him the night of his life and then kill him.
Thoughts: Remember when Pacino was one of the greatest actors of all time? That whole thing is pretty foggy to me. The more he makes crap like this, the easier it is to forget he was ever even in The Godfather. The end of this movie is actually pretty bad ass, but it's a shame you have to sit through an hour and a half of crap to get to 45 seconds of coolness. On the plus side? It's not as bad as Lords of Salem!
Grade: D-

The Avengers

Some of the reasons I wasn't a huge fan of The Avengers has absolutely nothing to do with the movie itself. The theater in which I saw the film had terrible sound. I guess they were expecting the action scenes to be so loud that the volume was so low during the dialogue that I missed a lot of it. For the first hour or so, I only understood about every fifth word, missing important plot points and funny dialogue. Not to mention, I was lucky enough to be sitting next to two pre-teen girls who clearly didn't spend their money on the movie, because if they did spend twenty-two dollars to see The Avengers in 3D, they would not have gossiped and gabbed for two and a half hours straight. I mean, I guess I understood the basic plot which was that Loki stole that giant glowing blue thing and threatened to demolish the world and the Avengers had to stop him and his alien army. If there were any finer points to the plot, they were all but lost on me thanks to the universe working against me. I'm the kind of person who likes to get lost completely in a movie so that I can fully enjoy it. Due to all the theater distractions, that just never happened with The Avengers, and that's a shame, because I was stoked about seeing the movie.

Then there are the reasons I didn't love The Avengers that were in the control of the movie. First off, it was at least twenty minutes too long. They definitely could have trimmed that final epic battle scene (although it was bad ass... it just could have been a little shorter). Plus, the first hour or so was pretty much catching up with your favorite super hero. And while it was fun to see what Iron Man and Captain America and The Hulk have been up to in the years since we've seen them on screen, that sequence could have been streamlined a little bit so that it played quicker. Then there's the relationship between Thor and Loki. I know it was touched upon in the film Thor, but I think more attention should have been paid to the interesting dynamic between a heroic man when your brother is trying to decimate Earth. That's an interesting concept and was broached only in a small throwaway scene completely with a funny one liner I barely heard.

This isn't to say there weren't good things about The Avengers. There were. I mean, it was FUN! Watching Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye beat the crap out of aliens during that last big battle scene was FUN! Yes, it was so much fun that the word deserves to be in all caps. The action sequences are thrilling, exciting and well done. Kudos to director Joss Whedon for not getting too bogged down because sometimes in action movies, the sequences can end up looking like a jumbled mess but that's definitely not the case here.

The acting is absolutely top notch but that's sort of to be expected from a super hero movie that boasts the most Oscar nominees featured in a film from that genre. Playing billionaire genius Tony Stark / Iron Man must be second nature to Robert Downey Jr. by now and he continues to be exciting in the role. Tony Stark, with his dry wit and sarcastic humor, is the perfect character for Downey and he nails the character every time. Chris Evans as the loyal leader Captain America is great as well, nailing the earnest, good natured vibe of the character. Mark Ruffalo is fantastic as Bruce Banner / the Hulk and you get the feeling that if he'd been playing the character previously than the last two incarnations of the character wouldn't have been so unsuccessful. He's fantastic and endearing as the character and ridiculously likeable. Chris Hemsworth is sort of a waste as Thor. With such a missed opportunity for a great storyline for his character, he pretty much just goes through the motions as a big, powerful demigod. Scarlett Johansson is totally bad ass as the Black Widow, a deadly assassin / spy. I genuinely hope that rumored spin off happens because her character is mysterious enough that I'd love to learn some back story. Jeremy Renner, who, in my personal opinion, is the best actor in The Avengers is totally and completely wasted. He barely gets any screen time at all until the big climax and then he just gets to shot arrows at things while looking in another direction. He's cool, I guess, but completely wasted.

But, of course, any super hero movie is only as good as its villain. That's why The Dark Knight is (and probably always will be) the greatest super hero movie of all time. And the villain in the Avengers is superb. Played by Tom Hiddleston, Loki is a damn good bad guy, always one step ahead, always smarter than he appears. Even in captivity, you know he has the upper hand and he plays it so cool and collected, you can't help but believe he has the power to destroy the Earth.

Overall, The Avengers definitely was a great ride and lots of fun, I just wish I could have enjoyed it more, and that's not all necessarily the movies fault.

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.

Mini Reviews

Inception - By far, the best movie of the year so far. I haven't seen anything this radically original since probably Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. There aren't many fresh ideas out there these days so thank goodness Christopher Nolan has a few. The cast, the story, the effects - everything is just plain incredible. Leonardo DiCaprio gives his second amazing performance of the year (working out some crazy dead wife drama - AGAIN). Also, that epic hallway scene with Joseph Gordon-Levitt is a blissfully long way from 3rd Rock From the Sun.
Grade - A

The Other Guys - At times, laugh out loud funny. However, there are times when it's also extremely plodding. It's too long, for sure and the plot could be a lot tighter. However, it's still quite funny and Will Ferrell isn't nearly as annoying as he usually is. Michael Keaton is nothing short of a scene stealer. Worth a watch but not the funniest movie of the year.
Grade - C+

The Runaways - Parts of this movie are far better than they need to be. But then it becomes a typical cliche movie. The movie drags along forever at some points but then seemingly skips a lot of very important parts. In the end, it's kind of a wash out. Kristen Stewart, who looks a hell of a lot like Joan Jett, can't seem to shake that awkwardness that she's so famous for. Dakota Fanning is pretty impressive as Cherie Curry. However, the movie belongs to Michael Shannon as The Runaways diabolical and hilarious manager Kim Fowley. He steals the entire movie and is, at times, the only reason worth watching. I want a spin off about his character!
Grade - C-

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Sweden) - I can see why they are having such a difficult time casting the role of Lisbeth Salander, the tough as nails, tattooed, bad ass computer hacker, for the U.S. remake. The part is not going to be a walk in the park but Noomi Rapace rocks the role so hard. She's a revelation in this complicated story about a disgraced journalist trying to solve a 40 year old murder. Beautiful filmmaking, a great script and solid performances make this a damn good movie.
Grade - B+

Step Up 3D - All my life, I've always wanted to know what it would be like to have someone break dance on my face. Thanks to Step Up 3D, now I know! Sure, it's not going to win any awards and it's not the most amazing film of all time or anything. But it is a hell of a lot of fun. As you are probably aware, urban dance movies are my guilty pleasure and some of the dance sequences are so enjoyable. It's such a fun movie!
Grade - C+

The Kids Are All Right - The indie sensation of the year is definitely worth the buzz. It's got a solid script and some very good filmmaking but it's the performances that make the movie worth it. Mark Ruffalo and Mia Wasikowska give amazing supporting roles as a man in his late 30s struggling to grow up and an 18 year old struggling to become an adult, respectively. But it's the all out war for acting supremacy between leads Julianne Moore and Annette Bening that is most engaging. It's a tough call as to who out acts whom. My vote goes for Moore and her delightfully hilarious ex-stoner who is actively making a mess out of her lovely life.
Grade - B+


Coming soon - reviews of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and Eat Pray Love.

The Brothers Bloom and Where the Wild Things Are

The Brothers Bloom - Rian Johnson had a lot to live up to for me. His debut film, the unbelievably brilliant Brick, is one of my favorite movies of all time. How can one person possibly surpass that or even live up to it? I don't think The Brothers Bloom surpasses Brick, but it sure doesn't disappoint. Johnson's second film - still clever, still smart as hell, still funny and strange and unique - follows two brothers (Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo) who are con men about to embark on their final mark. Said mark is Penelope Stamp (Rachel Weisz), an eccentric multi-millionaire hermit who collects hobbies and can do everything from break dance to ride a unicycle while juggling chainsaws. Penelope's entrance in the film is probably one of the best character entrances in recent memory. Along for the ride is Bang Bang (Rinko Kikuchi) who barely says a word but conveys so much with so little dialogue. This movie is spectacular and not at all disappointing to Brick fans (check out cameos from Brick stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Noah Segan and Nora Zehetner). Johnson has so many great shots in this movie and style too spare. One of my very few complaints may be that the movie almost has too much style but that's hardly something I'm going to dwell on. It's definitely not a case of style over substance, that's too be sure. The substance is most definitely there as well. There are so many con-man movie plot twists and you can tell Johnson is paying homage to the classics. While doing this, and creating a completely original, unique film, he makes his own instant classic. The characters are charming, the actors are all superb, the sets and locations are beautiful and most importantly? Johnson doesn't look down at his audience. He respects the intelligence of the audience and while doing so makes a classy, well told story that manages to entertain from beginning to end. Kudos to Johnson, one of the most interesting and exciting young directors around today.
Grade: A-

Where the Wild Things Are - I had my doubts. How can you possibly take, arguably, the greatest children's book of all time, something that has only a handful of sentences and turn it into a feature length film that can stand on its own while still staying true to the Maurice Sendak book? Well if anyone can do it, it's Spike Jonze. And he pulls it off. The whole movie is pretty damn great but the first five minutes (leading up to the title card) are damn near perfection. We're introduced to our protagonist Max (Max Records, who sets some kind of new bar for child actors with his incredibly moving performance) wearing the wolf costume chasing his dog with a fork. It's chaotic, it's hilarious, it's perfectly done. Max is lonely, of course. He has no friends, no one to play with. After having a fight with his mom (the always enchanting Catherine Keener), he runs away (there are some differences from the book here, but I enjoyed the changes), finds a boat and sails to a far away island inhabited by the wild things. The wild things are voiced by James Gandolfini (temperamental Carol), Catherine O'Hara (sassy Judith), Lauren Ambrose (sweet loner KW), Paul Dano (hilarious Alexander), Forest Whitaker (Judith's love Ira) and Chris Cooper (dependable Douglas) and all of those actors do wonders with the job they have to do. Max becomes king of the wild things and thinks all of his problems are fixed. They aren't, of course, because Where the Wild Things Are is largely a story about being independent and finding a way to fix your faults and grow up. The film is just plain beautiful and a joy to watch. It's funny and touching and fun and sweet and just great. The locations are gorgeous, the hand held camera work is fantastic, the songs from Karen O are just right for the film. Jonze does a great job creating the complex relationships between these people and wild things and that's no small task when half of your cast are nine foot tall muppets. It's refreshing to see a movie that doesn't condescend to children but instead is intelligent and witty. I highly recommend the film and in the words of Max, "Let the wild rumpus start!"
Grade: B+

Zodiac

When Zodiac, the new serial killer thriller from diretor David Fincher, is at it's best, it's reminiscent of The Silence of the Lambs and other classic taut thrillers. When it's at it's worst, it's still interesting, well acted, well directed and just altogether well done.

Since the movie is based on the book written by Robert Graysmith (portrayed by Jake Gyllenhaal in the movie), then it's smart to assume that the facts are as accurate as possible. The film starts with a few scary scenes of a man killing couples in the middle of the night. The killer begins to call himself the Zodiac and starts sending letters to various newspapers including the San Francisco Chronicle which is the main focus of the film since that is where Graysmith worked as a cartoonist. At first, he really has nothing to do with the case. He's merely interested in the codes the Zodiac sends to the paper. Instead, it's reporter Paul Avery, played wonderfully by Robert Downey Jr. who is ordered to cover the case. On the cop side of the issue, two cops, Mark Ruffalo and Anthony Edwards, become involved in the case once the killer moves out of the suburbs and into the city. The story follows the murder and the suspects and the investigation for a good chunk of time, but once you begin to accept the film as a sort of ensemble piece, it takes off in a different direction and follows Gyllenhaal as he becomes more and more obsessed with the story. After so many years of not solving the murders, he just can't let it go. He gets involved under the guise that he's writing a book about the murders but really he just wants to solve them for some inexplicable reasons. He even jeopardizes his marriage in order to have a resolution to the murders. It's debatable about whether that resolution ever really comes. They never arrested anyone for the murders although the movie (and the book) finger one particular suspect very heavily and makes it difficult to dispute his involvment in the murders.

This movie is close to 3 hours long but it doesn't really feel like it. I read an interview with David Fincher in which he said that it was impossible to cut anything from the movie. He said in order to tell the story completely, it had to be 2 hours and 50 minutes long. I agree. The movie sticks so closely to the book and it covers every angle very well. In order to tell a story that covers nearly two decades, it's necessary to be a little on the long side (but, then, I'm a fan of long movies in general).

The filming techniques aren't as flashy as Fincher's earlier works (Seven, Fight Club) but that actually works for the film and lends it more of a documentary feel. The clothes and the surroundings are so authentic to the late 60s, 70s and early 80s, that the movie just feels real. The screenplay is wonderful and the characters are compelling and interesting. All of the performances are wonderful, down to all the supporting players, but Gyllenhaal, Downey Jr., and Ruffalo are all really wonderful in the starring roles. Gyllenhaal and Downey work well off each other and have a really great chemistry. The movie even has that witty, darkly humerous charm that most Fincher movies have. There are a few particular scenes that are downright scary, including a cat and mouse scene with Gyllenhaal's character in the home of someone who turns out to be a suspect that had me barely breathing. The outdoor shots of San Francisco make artistic use of vibrant dark colors at night, and glowing pastels during the day. The interiors capture the maze-like atmosphere that cops and reporters must navigate daily. The news room scenes bustle and explode with loudness. The murder scenes remind me of Bonnie and Clyde.

Zodiac is the kind of movie that sticks with you. For an unsolved case, it's terrifying to think that the killer is still out there somewhere (although it's widely accepted that the killer died int he 90s). But, still, this is the kind of movie that instills a realistic dread inside of you. It has an ending that is ambiguous and perfect for the film. Zodiac is an excellent combination of nerve-racking suspense and police procedural work. If you have any interest in murders or serial killers (or great film) then you should be riveted. If you have a small attention span then you should probably stick to Wild Hogs instead.

Grade: A-