Best Lead Actor 2015

05. Domhnall Gleeson in Ex Machina - Far from being a showy role (in fact, the least showy of the three performances), Gleeson's turn as a computer programmer dealing with a cat and mouse game between a genius and the AI he invented is a master's class in subtlety and nuance. He demands the screen in every scene with sincerity and humanity.

04. Joel Edgerton in Black Mass - I know everyone who sees this movie leaves talking about Johnny Depp's one note villain, but it's Edgerton who is most impressive as a cop seduced by the dark side. He is charming and desperate and smarmy and manipulating, sometimes all at once.

03. Samuel L. Jackson in The Hateful Eight -  Jackson is a dependable, lovable movie star, but we don't always view him as a really great actor. But his performance as a soldier dealing with a bunch of criminals during a blizzard is easily the best thing he has done in years, right down to that chilling speech he gives near the end which will take your breath away and leave you shivering with the intensity of it all.

02. Michael Fassbender in Steve Jobs - Fassbender practically came out of nowhere as a fully formed leading man, but the thing I love most about him is his eagerness to play troubled, unlikable, complicated men. He spouts Aaron Sorkin's dialogue like it's Shakespeare, and delivers a performance so moving and so strong that it is hard to stop thinking about it.

01. Leonardo DiCaprio in the Revenant - The concensus seems to be that this is the year Leo finally gets that Oscar, and when you see his fierce, brutal performance in the Revenany, you will be forced to agree. Not only does he say goodbye to his pretty boy looks, he completely carries a three hour long movie almost entirely with the power of his eyes. His character barely says a word, and half of the time when he speaks it is in another language, but the audience is never disconnected from him. This may not be my favorite Leo performance, but it probably is his best.

October 2015

The Martian
Stars - Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Sebastian Stan, Kate Mara, Jeff Daniels
Plot - An astronaut left on Mars by his crew who thought he was dead, must learn to survive until they can come save him.
Thoughts - The Martian is a big ole' crowd pleaser of a movie. It's funny, it's smart, it's engaging, it's got a great cast full of great performances. But it is also sort of forgettable, and it has a pretty anti-climactic ending. Still worth seeing though.
Grade - B

Sicario
Stars - Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro, Josh Brolin
Plot - A woman is brought in on a top secret mission involving drug smuggling between Mexico and the US.
Thoughts - I'm guessing not many people saw this, which sucks, because we need more smart movies for adults. However, this also could have been a slightly better movie, and perhaps more people would have seen it. Benicio Del Toro kills it in this movie which is pretty solid despite a lackluster ending.
Grade - B

The Walk
Stars - Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Plot - Based on the true story of a French tight rope walker who decides to walk between the twin towers in NYC.
Thoughts - It's a shame this movie is so boring, because the actual tight rope walk scene is so fantastic, it will make you fall in love with the magic of movies all over again.
Grade - C

Unfriended
Plot - A group of friends are terrorized one by one via social media on the anniversary of their friends death.
Thoughts - I actually sort of didn't hate this? Sure, it's gimmicky (filmed entirely on Web cams and via Skype). Sure, it's sort of a cliche scare fest. But the hell if it isn't a fast paced, fun little creative experiment, that maybe doesn't always succeed, but will at least keep you interested.
Grade - C+

Steve Jobs
Stars - Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen, Jeff Daniels
Plot - Steve Jobs goes head to head with various co-workers, employees and friends while building a legacy.
Thoughts - I guess there are people who don't like screen writer Aaron Sorkin's fast paced, non stop style. Those people might not like this super talky, character driven movie. But I love Sorkin, and there haven't been very many movies as good as or better than this all year. Also, I haven't seen DiCaprio in The Revenant yet, but Fassbender is going to be tough to beat for that Oscar.
Grade - A-

Bridge of Spies
Stars - Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance
Plot - A lawyer helps broker a trade of Spies during the Cold War.
Thoughts - I realize how lucky I am to live in a world where Steven Spielberg is still making movies. However, I've always had a fundamental problem with Spielberg movies, and that is how uneven they feel.  Just when you are about to fall asleep from boredom,  he throws in some amazing scene of a plane being shot down, or people trying to climb over the Berlin Wall. Plus, Hanks is probably our most reliable movie star actor, and Mark Rylance steals the whole movie. Feels even longer than its 2 hour and 20 minute run time, but still worth watching.
Grade - B

Halfway Point of 2014

At the mid-point of 2014, I must say that, overall, I am pretty disappointed with the movies released this year. I have only seen a few things that I thought were good, and nothing that has really wowed me. Usually around this time of year, I release a Best of the Year so far sort of list, the actors and movies that deserve recognition, but probably won't make it to my end of the year list. So, here it is, but keep in mind that this year is sort of below par, at least so far.

Best Actor
01. James McAvoy in X-Men: Days of Future Past
02. Jason Bateman in Bad Words
03. Kevin Costner in Draft Day
04. Oscar Isaac in In Secret
05. Tom Cruise in Edge of Tomorrow

Best Actress
01. Emily Blunt in Edge of Tomorrow
02. Rose Byrne in Neighbors
03. Kristen Bell in Veronica Mars
04. Elizabeth Olsen in In Secret
05. Shailene Woodley in Divergent

Best Supporting Actor
01. Bryan Cranston in Godzilla
02. Nat Wolff in The Fault in Our Stars
03. Dane DeHaan in The Amazing Spider-man 2
04. Michael Fassbender in X-Men: Days of Future Past
05. Jai Courtney in Divergent

Best Supporting Actress
01. Jessica Lange in In Secret
02. Scarlett Johansson in Captain America: The Winter Soldier
03. Emma Stone in The Amazing Spider-man 2

Best Film
01. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
02. Edge of Tomorrow
03. Godzilla
04. Bad Words
05. 22 Jump Street

X-Men: Days of Future Past

Here is a confession: I've never been a big fan of the X-Men movies, with the exception of First Class. It's strange because all the people I know who are big comic fans are mostly big X-Men fans, but I just don't get it. And you think I would since I've always felt like I never fit in anywhere or with anyone; so you would think mutants would be right up my alley. Maybe the filmmakers just aren't doing a good job transferring from page to screen? Or maybe it's the fact that the X-Men's biggest star - Hugh Jackman as Wolverine - just does nothing for me. I get that this character is wildly popular and they want to make him the star of everything, but he's just not compelling to me, as a character or an actor. The best thing First Class did is reboot the whole franchise. It succeeded in hiring some truly great and exciting actors to play younger versions of these characters - Michael Fassbender as Magneto and James McAvoy as Xavier. These guys are great fun to watch, and Days of Future Past is a success when it's following them.

The film opens in the future when robots named the Sentinels are threatening to eliminate the mutants totally. The film opens with a fun, but sort of confusing fight scene in which mutants we don't know (if you haven't read the comic books) use powers we are unaware of and that are mostly unexplained to us to fight these Sentinels. Eventually, they escape the danger for the moment and someone has the brilliant idea that Kitty Pryde (Ellen Page) should use her time travel power (or whatever; because science!!) and send back the consciousness of Wolverine to the 1970's so they could stop Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) from murdering the scientist creator of the Sentinels (Peter Dinklage). In the 1970' is the first time Mystique kills, which not only sends her on a dangerous path, but also gets her captured and tested and its her blood that is eventually used to create the Sentinels. We have to keep in mind that, although Rebecca Romaijn's Mystique was sort of exposible, now she is played by Jennifer Lawrence, everyone's favorite silly girl next door who can even make rape jokes and no one so much as raises an eyebrow, so now Mystique is THE MOST IMPORTANT CHARACTER IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE. Anyway, Wolverine goes back to the 1970's where he finds McAvoy's Professor X with long hair and a small drug habit. He takes some convincing, but the hard part is breaking Magneto out of a prison 100 feet under the Pentagon. They do this with the help of Quicksilver (Evan Peters), who all but steals the movie with his single scene. He is joyous as the super quick mutant who can break into anything and has a hell of a lot of fun doing so. It's the movies best scene, and unfortunately, Quicksilver is gone in a flash.

It's not that Days of Future Past is bad per se, because it's not. It's a fun movie, albeit, sort of confusing and repetitive. It feels like the script gets bogged down at some parts, trying to keep track of all these mutants (also: too many mutants!) and trying to stay cohesive. The movie is far better when it stays in the past, and I found the jumping back and forth a bit jarring. It could have easily opened and closed in the future - nice tidy bookends - while keeping the entire middle in the past. To me, that would have been a more compelling storytelling device, and one that would stick with the strengths of the film. I'm not saying that it isn't nice to see the original X-Men, but most of the cool X-Men appear only super briefly, and I won't try to spoil anything but I honestly love that Anna Paquin got higher billing than Ellen Page for something like 17 seconds of screen time. I could honestly do without ever seeing Halle Berry as Storm ever again. This series doesn't know what to do with her; it never did. Reboot the character, cast Lupita Nyong'o. The internet will be happy. It's just that it's all the same - how many times can we watch Xavier try to convince Mystique not to kill the scientist? And the movie ends with absolutely no resolution. It just ends, almost completely obliterating the X-Men canon while doing so, which is a nice way to press re-start on a series, but also sort of infuriating as an audience member who loves a movie with a good ending.

But, like I said, the movie isn't bad. And if First Class belonged to Fassbender and his magnetic (pun intended) Erik (which it did), then Days of Future Past belongs to McAvoy and his troubled Professor Xavier. He is an absolute thrill to watch while playing Charles in his darkest days. His performance brings this movie to a whole other level and if it was possible to get an Oscar nomination for a superhero movie (Heath Ledger excluded; he's the exception, not the rule), I would start a campaign for McAvoy right this moment. So with the exception of McAvoy's brilliant performance, Quicksilver's amazing scene, and Michael Fassbender's all around perfectness / sexiness, Days of Future Past, for me, was sort of lackluster. In another year, I might have given it a higher grade. In another year, I might have been able to let go of the flaws and just have a good time. But this is the year of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and the bar has been raised. And lackluster, confusing, jumbled story telling isn't going to cut it with me this summer!

Grade: C+
(B- if I'm feeling nice, which I'm currently not!) (Also, more shirtless Fassbender scenes would have gotten you a B+, FYI) (Just kidding) (Or not)

Best Supporting Actor 2013

For Best Supporting Actor, I have the exact opposite problem that I had for Best Supporting Actress. For Actress, I thought there were not very many options and I was not happy with my final list at all. For Actor, there are way too many options and I could make an entirely different Top Five list and still be completely satisfied with my choices. Let's call it an honorable mention: Barkhad Abdi for his soulful villain in Captain Phillips, Sam Rockwell for his hilarious father figure in The Way Way Back, Casey Affleck for his angry and broken soldier in Out of the Furnace, Woody Harrelson as a violent meth head in Out of the Furnace, and Kyle Chandler as a scene stealing dead beat dad in The Spectacular Now. Pretty impressive list, right? However, those are the also rans. They've got nothing on these guys:

05. Jonah Hill in The Wolf of Wall Street - Every once in a while, a movie comes along with a role that is perfect for a certain actor. This year, that movie / role / actor is Jonah Hill in The Wolf of Wall Street. This role seems tailor made for his strong points. If anyone saw Moneyball a few years ago, they know Hill is more than just some funny sidekick. He's got serious acting chops. And his role in The Wolf of Wall Street perfectly combines his darker side with zingy one liners. To say Hill nearly steals the show with his manic, wild right hand man role is an understatement. He's superb in the role, right down to the crazy accent, wild clothes and questionable teeth.

04. Ben Mendelsohn in The Place Beyond the Pines - Ben Mendelsohn is probably my favorite actor that is unknown by just about everyone in the general public. I fell for his volatile psychopath in Animal Kingdom (a really great Australian movie that everyone should Netflix immediately) and never looked back. As a mentor to a young bank robber, Mendelsohn gives a truly great, intense performance. I remember after seeing this movie, way back in March, I tweeted (@wonderfulscar) "Is it too early to start the Oscar campaign for Ben Mendelsohn in The Place Beyond the Pines?" Unfortunately that's not going to happen, but, at the very least, I can honor his scene stealing, manic work on my blog.

03. Bradley Cooper in American Hustle - In a movie starring Amy Adams, Christian Bale, Jeremy Renner, Robert DeNiro and Jennifer Lawrence, I never in a million years thought I would walk away thinking Bradley Cooper was best in show. But that's where we are when it comes to American Hustle. I never took Cooper seriously as an actor until last year's The Silver Linings Playbook. Maybe working with director David O. Russell is good for him. It seems he does his best work for that particular director. And in this film, he's easily the MVP for me. He plays Richie, a ladder climbing FBI agent who maybe wants to be a part of the con a little more than he admits. His character is easily the most complex and Cooper pulls it off effortlessly. He even pulls off that ridiculous hair.

02. Jared Leto in Dallas Buyers Club - Here are a few things I have learned about Jared Leto in the last few months: He seemingly hasn't aged a day since his starring role on My So-Called Life way back when. He is prettier, skinnier and has better hair than me. Also, he's a crazy great actor, starring as an AIDS infected, transvestite junkie in Dallas Buyers Club. Leto becomes this character to the point where, if you didn't know who the actor was going into the movie, you would swear it was a woman, or an actual transgender actor. He is nearly recognizable and becomes the heart and soul of this movie, which tends towards the gritty and dark. In a few months, he'll probably be adding "Academy Award Winner" to the front of his name.

01. Michael Fassbender in 12 Years a Slave - I've always thought it would be a cool thing to get to vote for the Academy Awards. (That's probably why I decided on the top five format this year - this is like my own personal ballot.) But I wouldn't want to be the person that has to decide between Leto and Fassbender for Best Supporting Actor. Both are in a league of their own this year. But, for me, I give the slight edge to Fassbender as the violent, hateful, angry, probably bi-polar plantation owner in 12 Years a Slave. He's a hateful character - a slave owner who treats his wife like dirt, attempts to murder at will, rapes the woman he really loves. But, somehow, beneath it all, his character also has a certain charm. Fassbender's performance is like a live wire. It is explosive and intense. He truly makes the movie better when he's in a scene. In my opinion, not only did he give the best performance by a supporting actor this year, he also gave the best performance. Period.

12 Years a Slave

If ever there is a movie getting a lot of buzz, it's this one. Not only are people saying it's the best film of the year, but also that it's one of the best films ever made. While I agree that this film had the potential to be a masterpiece, I don't quite think it's there. That's not to say I don't think it's a pretty damn good movie. But I also think all the hype is just a tad on the hyperbolic side.

12 Years a Slave is based on the true story of Solomon Northup, a free black man living in New York who accepts the job offers of two seemingly nice white men who want him to travel to Washington D.C. and play fiddle for their circus. Instead, they get him drunk and sell him into slavery. After his seemingly never ending journey into the South, he goes to live with a plantation owner who is as nice as plantation owners can be (Benedict Cumberbatch). But after a violent run-in with his overseer (Paul Dano), he is sold to another plantation owner where the master (Michael Fassbender) is as violent and nasty as you can imagine.

Directed by Steve McQueen (Hunger, Shame), 12 Years a Slave is raw, gritty and unflinching. It's an emotional, devastating depiction of slavery, a subject that hasn't ever really been tackled well on film. Sure, it's a terrible subject matter but so is Nazi Germany and there is at least one iconic movie about that subject matter. It's a beautiful, artistic film that is also heart-wrenching. McQueen directs the hell out of this movie, and I'd say he's our second shoo-in for Best Director at the Oscars next year. In fact, there's a good chance that this movie could win ALL the Oscars next year. It's that devastating, and beautiful and the performances are that sensational.

Some of the actors don't have very much screen time at all (Dano, Brad Pitt, Sarah Paulson, Paul Giamatti), but still manage to give great, three-dimensional performances. This movie is very likely to get three nominations in Oscar acting categories. First, obviously, there's Chiwetel Ejiofor in the main role of Solomon. He is in just about every scene and he quietly carries this entire film on his shoulders. His name may be difficult to pronounce, but everyone should probably learn it because this guy is amazing in this movie. He is absolutely unforgettable and heartbreaking, strong and mesmerizing. Then there is newcomer Lupita Nyong'o as put-upon slave Patsy. I've been hearing a lot of buzz about her performance, but I wasn't all that impressed at first. However, there are a few key scenes near the end where she absolutely blows it out of the water. But, best in show, however, goes to Michael Fassbender who is so good I'm not even sure I can find the words to adequately describe just how good he is. He is a gift to this movie, because when he's on screen, the movie is so much better. His performance is a force of nature, menacing and maniacal, but somehow still almost likable. He manages to convey nearly every emotion while on screen, and the movie is so much better because he's a part of it. This is, in my opinion, the single best performance of the entire year. That's just how sensational he is, and he deserves every award you can possibly imagine, and probably a few more that we may need to invent just for him.

So, it seems like I'm praising the hell out of this movie, right? The acting is all great, featuring THE best performance of the year. The director is a rock star. I even want to praise the score, which is jittery and anxious and perfect. So, what's the problem, then? Because I wasn't as over the moon about this movie as I should be, I guess. It's not that it's difficult to watch, although it is. It is unflinchingly violent and horrid and hard to watch, but it should be. It's about the darkest time in this history of our country. It's just that there are a few moments that keep this from being a masterpiece and they are all the more obvious because this is such a great movie, with such potential to be a complete game changer that it's sort of disappointing that someone didn't reign in McQueen's more pretentious moments. For instance, there is about a two minute close up of Solomon's face where he is simply standing still, doing nothing, that is completely off putting and serves no purpose other than to be "artistic." There are a few moments like this, where the shot is held for far longer that it needs to be. This sort of stuff typically doesn't bother me, but, like I said, this movie had the potential to be a game changer and all these little self-indulgent moments take away from what it could have been. If they had edited about twenty minutes out of this, it could have been something near perfection. Instead, it has to settle for being just a damn good movie, which isn't so bad.

Grade: A-

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!

Horror Movie Month: Lake Eden

The Stars: Kelly Reilly and Michael Fassbender

The Plot: A young couple go away to a deserted lake (it's shut down to the public because they are about to turn it into a gated community) for a romantic weekend which quickly turns into the worst vacation of all time when a group of teens start terrorizing them.

The Scares: It's not so much scary as terrifyingly realistic. The movie seems so real, the director and writer make you feel such empathy for this couple in love, that you really are invested in the outcome of their relationship, and ultimately, their lives. The movie is also filmed really well with great acting all around. It's just top notch as far as these types of movies go.

The Body Count: Definitely 4. Possibly 5. Probably 6.

The Grade: B (I'm teetering on giving it a B+ but that seems sort of generous although this is a high B, because I really enjoyed this movie).

Prometheus

Prometheus has been shrouded in a cloak of mystery (is it a prequel to Alien??) and has been so hyped that it was almost impossible to not be disappointed. With one of the hottest casts in recent memory (like, seriously, you guys - HOT), a crazy smart script co-penned by Lost scribe Damon Lindelof, direction by the sci fi master himself, Ridley Scott, and expectations that were so high you can barely reach them - how is it possible that Prometheus can be anything but awesome.

Well, for starters, the whole plot is just a little fuzzy. We start out with a prologue that makes little to no sense at all. Then we move forward and meet a scientist couple (Noomi Rapace and Logan Marshall-Green) who make a discovery that seems so miniscule that it's hard to believe anyone would give them millions, no, billions of dollars to travel into space just to try to prove their thesis. But that's exactly what a recently deceased billionaire (played by Guy Pearce - and the fact that they hired a 40-something actor just to put him in tons of make up and make him look like an old man is beyond me... why not just hire an old man actor??) does. So, Elizabeth (Rapace) and Charlie (Marshall-Green) wake up on a space ship that also includes a slimy executive type (Charlize Theron), the ridiculously sexy captain of the ship (Idris Elba) and a droll, mysterious drone (Michael Fassbender). [Do you see what I mean about this being the hottest cast of all time???] They arrive on a mysterious planet and begin to explore a mysterous cave and lots of mysterious stuff starts to happen. Some of it is intense and scary and genuinely enjoyable and some of it is cliched and redundant.

Yes, it is scary and creepy and intense to watch two random crew members get lost inside said cavern only to be attacked by a creepy, crawler. But, later, when a supposedly dead crew member comes back to life, it's just a little too horror / sci fi movie cliche for me. And, without giving too much away, probably the best scene of all features Noomi Rapace's character and a self inflicted surgical procedure. If you aren't left squirming while thinking about how this is the most bad ass female character in a film since, well, Ripley, then I don't know if you should be allowed to see movies anymore.

Speaking of Rapace, she is phenomenal. If anyone should be unfairly critiqued against Sigourney Weaver's iconic performance as Ripley, then it's good that it's the original girl with the dragon tattoo. Rapace is a total and complete bad ass. She is utterly convincable and a force to be reckoned with. However, there are good performances all around, with the other notable stand outs being Theron (who is playing at least her third mean girl / bad character in a row) who is a total ice queen and looks like she is having the time of her life and Fassbender who is hilarious and somewhat menacing as android David. The performances from this stellar cast help make the movie better, of course. I'm not saying Prometheus isn't a good movie already, because it is. Sure, it probably doesn't live up to the super high expectations (but what does these days... maybe I should dial the expectations down for The Dark Knight Rises), but Prometheus is still smart and fun. It's an utter joy ride of thrills and intense action sequences. Scott proves that he's still got it, with the dark and foreboding direction. My main problem is the script. When it's good, then it's oh so good, but the problem with it is that it's probably too muddled. I know, that sounds crazy since it's coming from one of the guys that used to write for Lost. Still, I think the problem is that the script mistakes being smart and sophisticated for being confusing. That's not to say it isn't a smart movie, because it totally is. It's just that I don't think it's quite as smart as it thinks it is. So, while Prometheus isn't quite the amazing experience I was hoping for, it's still an experience that ends up being well acted and well directed, and a hell of a lot of fun. In the swell of the brainless summer movie season, who can really ask for more than that??

Grade: B

Haywire

The problem with Haywire isn't that it's confusing (but it is) and it isn't that the lead character can't really act (because she can't). The problem is: if the lead character was a man, this movie wouldn't be interesting. It wouldn't be on anyone's radar. It would probably be widely regarded as one of the worst movies of the (very young) year. But because a female is the main character and that is supposed to encourage some sort of bad ass, feminist movement, then this movie is getting very generous reviews.

That being said, Haywire isn't a bad movie. It's a very mediocre movie with some very good supporting performances. But that's just not enough. MMA star turned American Gladiator turned movie star Gina Carano stars as Mallory Kane, an ex-Marine turned mercenary who is back stabbed and framed and sent on a cross country mission to find out who did her wrong and clear her good name. Or, it's the Bourne Identity without the memory loss and without Matt Damon. Carano is not an actress and although she can kick all kinds of ass, she's not all that compelling to watch. I just kept finding it completely unbelievable. I don't care how tough and awesome she is. I believe that she could fight tough boys and probably win most of the time. But that she always walks away without a scratch?? Come on! That her only injury during the entire movie was when she falls from a building and hurts her back and has to limp away? Please. She's not perfect.

So, Carano was kind of a wash for me. It's a good thing her role is largely silent and she doesn't have much dialogue because I didn't find her to be a good actress. The thing that saved this movie for me were all the great male supporting actors. Channing Tatum shows (again) that he's more than a pretty face as Mallory's ex-partner. He was impressive in previous efforts like A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints and Stop Loss, so hopefully this is a step in the right direction for him. I don't want to see him in movies like the upcoming The Vow because that isn't going to do anything for him. He needs movies like this to maybe earn some cred. Michael Fassbender oozes sexy charm as the partner Mallory is set up with in Berlin. The two try to kill each other in a knock em down, drag em out hotel fight which is totally sexy. It's the best part of the movie, hands down. Michael Angarano, one of my favorites, is great as the comic relief - a young boy who happens upon Mallory in a cafe and gets forced along on a crazy road trip. Michael Douglas and Antonio Banderas are great as the powerful potential bad guys in suits. But it's Ewan McGregor who all but steals the movie as Kenneth, Mallory's slime ball ex-boyfriend/ex-boss. He's delightfully slimy and wonderfully creepy.

Like I said, Haywire isn't a bad movie. It's just not a good one either. All I kept thinking during the entire movie was, I wonder what this movie would have been like if it had been directed by Quentin Tarantino. A talky, stylish, bad ass spy epic from one of the coolest directors around?? I would have loved to see that.
Grade: C

Best of 2011 - MVP's, Directors, Scenes

MVP's of 2011
10. Cosmo! - Okay, I just needed to include him somewhere because this Jack Russell from Beginners is just about the cutest dog of all time. He even talks via subtitles!
9. Judi Dench - Her performance in J. Edgar almost made everyone forget how awful the movie was. She also stole scenes as a sweet aging actress in My Week with Marilyn and a helpful maid in Jane Eyre.
8. Bryce Dallas Howard as a villain - Okay, villain is a strong word, but Bryce brought the super bitch as a super polite racist in The Help and a cheating girlfriend in 50/50.
7. The Dark Knight Rises trailer - If you haven't watched it yet, then stop reading this and go watch it now. No, seriously.
6. The Cast of Bridesmaids - Not only did these ladies make the most hilarious movie of the year, they also kept us laughing everywhere. Melissa McCarthy not only stole the movie, but also stole the Emmy's when she won Best Actress in a Comedy. She was part of the best moment of the Emmy's, when all the nominated actresses lined the stage as if they were competing in a beauty contest. Kristen Wiig kept us laughing all year on SNL. Rose Byrne turned up everywhere - including the excellent X-Men: First Class and the awful Insidious.
5. Child Actors - This year was a fantastic year for kid actors. Hunter McCracken held his own opposite Chastain and Brad Pitt in The Tree of Life. Chloe Grace Moretz and Asa Butterfield were phenomenal in Hugo. Then there was the entire, great, amazing cast of Super 8: Elle Fanning, Joel Courtney, Riley Griffiths, Ryan Lee and Zach Mills. Not to mention scene stealer Amara Miller from The Descendants.
4. Emma Stone - I love my Emma! She was adorable opposite Gosling in Crazy, Stupid, Love. She almost stole the show in Friends with Benefits. And she proved she was a bonafide box office sensation with The Help.
3. Ryan Gosling - He had the most ridiculously great second half of a year. First he showed off his crazy, stupid, sexy abs in Crazy, Stupid, Love. Then he broke up a street brawl in NYC. Then he turned violent and sexy in Drive before charming the pants off everyone in The Ides of March.
2. Jessica Chastain - Last year, I had no idea who the hell she was. This year alone she starred in The Debt, Take Shelter, Coriolanus, The Tree of Life, The Help, and Texas Killing Fields. Plus, she's all over my Top Ten Lists (coming next week!).
1. Michael Fassbender - Entertainment Weekly described him best: "Smoldering in Jane Eyre, X-Men: First Class, Shame, A Dangerous Method and our very elaborate fantasies." Really couldn't say it any better myself!


Best Scenes of 2011
10. Scream 4 - The Opening Sequence - I'm not trying to say Scream 4 is one of the best movies of the year or anything but the opening sequence (featuring Anna Paquin, Kristen Bell, Lucy Hale and more) is the most creative opening sequence in a series that does a hell of a good opener!
9. My Week With Marilyn - The Bedroom Scene - In which Michelle Williams manages to be sexy, vulnerable, insecure, seductive, funny, charming, and paranoid all at the exact same time. This scene alone should win her an Oscar.
8. Take Shelter - Michael Shannon Flips Out - Shannon's character is either going crazy or predicting the end of the world. All of the people in his small town think it's the former. So, when they stare at him accusingly and try to ostracize him at a fire hall dinner, he flips the hell out... and flips a table!
7. Bellflower - The Opening Sequence - Sure, you won't understand it at the time. It's a lot of very powerful images in reverse set to some haunting music. Eventually, you'll come back to all of those scenes and everything will make sense. But, the beginning of this super low budget, fantastic film sets an immediate tone that will stay with you for the entire film.
6. Drive - Elevator Scene - Ryan Gosling's strong and silent type finally kisses Carey Mulligan's sweet intentioned young mom in an elevator. However, there's a creepy gentleman in there with them and immediately after the sweet kiss, the movie turns suddenly and very seriously violent.
5. The Tree of Life - The Beginning of Time / Creation of Earth - Yes, there are dinosaurs. Yes, this minutes long segment may not seem like it fits in, except it totally does. Leave it to Terrence Malick to tie in the creation of the Earth with the very real small town life of a Texas family in the 50's. That's why he doesn't just make movies, he makes art.
4. Hugo - The Films of Georges Melies - Three quarters of the way through this great movie, we finally get to see those fantastical early movies that the toy maker made with his wife at this glass studio. And they are a love letter to old school cinema, creative and beautiful and awe-inspiring.
3. Bridesmaids - The Airplane Scene - I have seriously never laughed so hard during a movie in my ENTIRE life. Not just the funniest scene of the year, but probably of all time.
2. Take Shelter - Discussion About Opening the Storm Door - Or - Why Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain Should Win Oscars.
1. The Descendants - Alexandra Underwater - Shailene Woodley plays Alexandra King with such an ease that you almost forget she's acting. Her best moment is when she finds out her mom's coma is permanent. She's in the swimming pool and slowly sinks under the water. The camera follows her and catches her crying meltdown underwater. It's heart aching and unforgettable.


Best Directors of 2011
10. George Clooney for The Ides of March - Seriously, what can't this man do?
9. J.J. Abrams for Super 8 - He crafted the best coming of age movie of the year.
8. Alexander Payne for The Descendants - A great, funny, family tragedy.
7. Bennett Miller for Moneyball - A baseball movie with heart.
6. Mike Mills for Beginners - Could have been another cliche, but not in his hands.
5. Woody Allen for Midnight in Paris - His most creative and inspired movies in years.
4. David Fincher for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Proving, again, he's the most bad ass director in Hollywood.
3. Nicolas Winding Refn for Drive - For creating a future cult classic with style and substance.
2. Martin Scorsese for Hugo - For proving that he can make a kids movie and for making me think 3D isn't so terrible after all.
1. Terrence Malick for The Tree of Life - The movie may not be every one's cup of tea, but Malick is more than a director. He's an artist and he makes art we can watch at a movie theater.

Mini Reviews: The Hangover Part 2, The Dilemma, X-Men: First Class

The Hangover Part 2 - In the sequel to the super hilarious The Hangover, the wolf pack is back and this time in Thailand. It starts out much the same - a terrible phone call - and then flashes back to a few days earlier and shows you how things play out. This time around, Phil (Bradley Cooper) and Allen (Zach Galifianakis) attend Stu's (Ed Helms) wedding in Thailand. Stu is still a bit stunned from the events of the first film, so he doesn't want a bachelor party. Still, things get crazy and the three guys wake up in a dive motel one morning and can't find Stu's fiancee's little brother. Then they must retrace their steps and try to figure out what happens. Much like the first, they find the brother in the eleventh hour and relive their crazy night via pictures at the end. That's just the thing. It's sooo much like the original. And, I mean, to a certain extent that's great. Don't fix it, if it's not broken, right? But this is pretty much just a shot for shot remake in a different city with slightly different events. Is it funny? Sure. But it's nowhere near as laugh out loud crazy as the original. It's got it's moments but sequels can never really live up to their predecessors. They are inferior films by definition alone. The Hangover Part 2, unfortunately, is no different.
Grade: C+

The Dilemma - What the hell was Ron Howard thinking? He's made some pretty great films but this is sooo not one of them. Vince Vaughn and Kevin James star as besties. Vaughn is dating Jennifer Connelly and James has somehow manages to snag himself Winona Ryder. One day, Vaughn's Ronny discovers that Ryder's Geneva is cheating with a hottie named Zip (Channing Tatum). Hence, the dilemma. Should he tell his best friend? Should he wait a few days until the stress of a big work project passes? Who gives a crap? You don't care about these awful, hateful, unlikeable characters. They are all liars and cheaters. Plus, the movie is not funny at all. I didn't laugh once. And Vauhgn is someone I generally find funny. Also, I'm sorry, but if Kevin James manages to marry someone as hot and out of his league as Winona Ryder then I'm pretty sure he should allow her to cheat on him with Channing Tatum. (Just kidding!). Still, I don't have a single good thing to say about this movie and I clearly found my first possibility for Worst Movie of the Year.
Grade: F

X-Men: First Class - By no means am I a huge X-Men fan. I saw the previous trilogy. I guess I can say, overall, I enjoyed them. They had their positives and their negatives. Still, I wasn't hopping out of my seat to see this prequel. Let's just say - I was pleasantly surprised. X-Men: First Class is fun and exciting. It's got a ridiculously talented and hot young cast (James McAvoy as Xavier, Michael Fassbender as Magneto, Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique, Zoe Kravitz as Angel). The story line was a bit confusing but interesting. It seems Erik / Magneto was raised and tested by a Nazi doctor and he's now all grown up and seeking revenge. Turns out the Nazi doctor is also a mutant named Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon) who is hell bent on starting World War III. Erik teams up with Charles who is now helping out Rose Byrne and the CIA. They start finding a bunch of young mutants and train them to stop Shaw and the Bay of Pigs AND the potential World War III. The movie meanders a bit, and could have lost about 20 minutes or so on the editing floor, but overall I can't say too many bad things about it. It's fun and enjoyable and what else do you want out of a comic book summer movie? Fassbender is a total bad ass as Erik / Magneto. Remember his name because he is going to be HUGE. Bacon gives a great performance as the villain of the film. There are also two really great, well done cameos in the film. All in all, X-Men: First Class is surprisingly and refreshingly damn good.
Grade: B