Mini Reviews + Best of 2009 (So Far)

First, here are two very, very, very short reviews. I have discovered that you don't really need a lot of words when talking about awful movies.

Year One - All of the funniest parts are in the trailer. Michael Cera is funny. The movie is boring.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - My momma always told me, "If you don't have anything nice to say then don't say anything at all."


Now, since it's already July, I decided to make a top ten list of the best movies of 2009 so far. Then I realized that there are not ten movies to put on the list. So, I cut it down to five. And, still, I only really feel happy about one of these movies. 2009 has been a really terrible year for movies so far. I mean, my top five includes a horror film, two comedies, an action movie and an animated Pixar movie. Anyone who knows me, knows these are not necessarily my favorite types of movies. Then I tried to do a small list of the best actors and actresses of the year and I couldn't come up with anyone! However, I did come up with a supporting actress (Monica Potter - Last House on the Left who is so emotionally devastating) and supporting actor (Jackie Earle Haley - Watchmen who is literally the only good thing about that movie). So here it is - my very pathetic Top Five List.

05. Adventureland - Greg Mottola's follow up to Superbad isn't quite as laugh out loud hilarious as its predecessor but it is a charmingly sweet and often funny look at falling in love for the first time and growing up and making friends. Martin Starr is hysterical but who can really expect less from the man who created Bill Haverchuck.

04. The Hangover - The funniest movie of the year, for sure. (NOTE: Have yet to see Funny People, which I have huge hopes for). A very simple movie about a group of friends and the crazy shenanigans they get into in Las Vegas. The movie is just simply funny. Plus, technically, it's a whole lot better than it needs to be.

03. Up - Not quite as good as last year's Wall-E but still charming and sweet and funny. It's well written and well executed. I did find it a little on the depressing side but that doesn't mean I think any less of it as a very good film.

02. Star Trek - For someone who has never seen a Star Trek TV show or movie in their life, I quite enjoyed the new movie. Chalk it up to great writing or a great, likeable cast. I don't know but it had a lot of funny parts and a lot of action packed parts. Plus, it had Chris Pine shirtless and I would sincerely like to thank JJ Abrams for that.

01. The Last House on the Left - Simply amazing. It's the kind of movie that just sticks in your head no matter how hard you try to get it out of there. Sure, it's tough to watch but there is so much beauty mixed in with the horror and the terror. The directing is so far and away above anything in the "horror" genre lately that it's truly inspiring. The performances are all top notch. It's one of those rare remakes that are actually better than the original. Like I said, I think Hollywood can only correctly remake Wes Craven movies so here's hoping the Nightmare on Elm Street remake is up to par.

Coming soon - Anticipating the second half of 2009, review of Public Enemies.

The Last House on the Left + more

The Last House on the Left - Here's something that bodes well for the upcoming remake of Nightmare on Elm Street: it seems Hollywood is only capable of remaking Wes Craven movies. A few years ago, the remake of The Hills Have Eyes was released and I still stand by the fact that it's the only remake ever to surpass the original. I won't go quite so far as to say that with The Last House on the Left remake... but it's still a hell of a good movie.
First of all, the direction by Dennis Iliadis is superb. You can tell he's trying to give the studio what they want while still trying to stay true to a certain artsy sensibility. Some of the shots in the movie are downright beautiful and don't necessarily belong in a genre film. There is a particular shot of it beginning to rain while a young girl floats in a lake that is just breathtaking.
The violence in the movie is immediate and it is unflinching and relentless. But horror movies were always made to push boundaries and cross lines. This is a horror movie (and I don't even really like calling it a horror movie because it's so not) that illustrates the difference between gore and violence for the sake of being shocking and gore and violence for the sake of emotion. Without a grisly, raw, disturbing torture and rape sequence, the subsequent actions of a mother and father would make no sense. You need to see what happens to a young girl in order to feel the need for revenge.
The movie mostly stays true to the plot of the original film (a remake itself): Mari (Sara Paxton) is on vacation with her doctor father (Tony Goldwyn) and teacher mother (Monica Potter). The family is mourning the loss of a son and they decide to get away to their lake house for vacation. Mari escapes into town to hang out with her friend Paige (Martha MacIssac) who works at the local general store. The two run into Justin, a teen (Spencer Treat Clark) who promises that if Paige sells him cigarettes, he'll get them weed. Soon they are off to a cabin to smoke weed together. Justin's family isn't supposed to be home... but guess what? They show up and they are not friendly people. They are led by a murderer (Garret Dillahunt) who recently escaped on his way to prison with the help of his brother Francis (Aaron Paul) and his girlfriend Sadie (Riki Lindhome). Then the unthinkable happens. After a car accident, Mari is raped and left for dead, shot and floating in a lake, likely to drown (little do the killers know, she's a very good swimmer!). Crew and his gang walk to the nearest house to escape an incoming store. Ironic twist! It happens to be the house of Mari's parents. When Mari stumbles to the house on her last leg, her parents exact revenge on the men (and woman) who tried to kill their daughter.
The performances are all great with Best in Show awards going to Potter as the kick ass vengeful mom and Dillahunt as the madman con. Paxton is so moving and heartbreaking during her torture scenes and while Goldwyn might be the weakest link, he's still effective as the stoic doctor trying to be strong for his family. The director adds a touch of emotion that's not necesarily found in the orignal. Combine that with great photography and great performances and you've got yourself a pretty good thriller. Sure, it drags at times. It could have been edited a bit quicker. There's a particular death scene that seems to last for 30 minutes. Some of the scenes might be a little too much. But mostly, it's a good film.
The Last House on the Left is more than a violent, bloody gore movie. It's a parents worst nightmare and it has a surprising amount of emotion and when the film is at its best, it's oddly beautiful.
Grade: B-
EDIT: The more I think about this movie, the more I really love it. It sticks with you, that's for sure. Despite the fact that it becomes a typical thriller in the last 20 minutes or so (and even when it's typical, it's still fricking awesome), it's still the best slasher genre film in the last few years. It's artistic and intelligent and well done. So I'm changing my grade even though I don't like to do that. Also, watching Aaron Paul, who plays Francis so well, get his ass kicked on Breaking Bad on Sunday night was kind of cathartic.
New Grade: B+

Mini reviews...
Battle in Seattle - Directed by actor Stuart Townsend and featuring top notch performances from Charlize Theron, Michelle Rodriguez, Martin Henderson, Jennifer Carpenter, Woody Harrelson and Ray Liotta, Battle in Seattle is based on the true story of peaceful activism that went horribly wrong in Seattle in 1999. For anyone who ever wished the world was a better place - this movie is for you.
Grade: A

Synecdoche, New York - Another ensemble cast featuring Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener, Michelle Williams, Samantha Morton, Emily Watson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Hope Davis and Dianne Wiest, Synecdoche is the directorial debut of fiercly brilliant and unique screenwriter Charlie Kaufman. And guess what? It's fiercly brilliant and unique! A lot of people might find it pretentious and that's fine. It is pretentious. But it's also one of the most deeply affecting movies I've seen in a very long time. Had I seen it before 2008 ended, it would have ended up nicely at number 2 on my top 10 list. It's almost impossible to give a plot summary. Go to imdb. Go to the memorable quotes. There is a particular monologue given by "Minister" that more or less sums up the entire point of the movie. It's almost impossible to sum up in words how I feel about this movie other than to say this - it's brilliant.
Grade: A+