Best Actor 2018

05. John Cho in Searching - I wasn't expecting to enjoy Searching quite as much as I did, and a lot of that has to do with Cho's performance as a desperate father looking for his missing daughter. He experiences almost every emotion you can imagine during the running time of the film - from loving, to exasperated, to worried, to pleading, to angry. It's a wonderful performance that starts so subtly and continuously builds with power and emotion.

04. Ryan Gosling in First Man - This performance is a gem, and it might just slip under the radar and garner Gosling no recognition, which would be a shame. Gone is the movie star charisma that makes Gosling so lovable. Instead it's replaced with a singular silence to play Neil Armstrong, a man who shunned the spotlight, and was laser focused on one thing - getting to the moon. It may seem like Gosling isn't doing much with his strong and silent performance, but there are moments when his humanity will still rip your heart out.

03. Bradley Cooper in A Star is Born - Cooper seemingly did it all with this movie - he wrote it, directed it, co-wrote the songs, AND he gives his best performance ever as boozy folk singer Jackson Maine. This performance has an old Hollywood swagger to it, playing a deeply flawed individual with a warts and all intimacy. His chemistry with Lady Gaga is electrifying, and she might steal all the awards season love, but he gives one hell of a performance in his own right.

02. Rami Malek in Bohemian Rhapsody - Say what you will about the movie (critics hated it, fans loved it, I was somewhere in the middle), but Malek's transformation into Freddie Mercury is spectacular. He not only looks and talks like him, but he moves like him too, with the sexy strut of a rock god. This isn't just play acting, this is is something much more. This is Malek completely becoming Mercury, someone we all know so well. His performance is mesmerizing.

01. Daveed Diggs in Blindspotting - Diggs' performance is great from the first scene, but it's that spectacular ending that left me breathless and wanting to re-watch the movie over and over again. Diggs starts out as a lovable felon. He's almost done with his parole, and while he's done something bad, we never think of him as a bad guy. He's kind and funny and hard working. Then he witnesses a police shooting of an unarmed black man, and it turns his whole world upside down. By the time we reach that explosive conclusion, Diggs has given one of the most compelling performances of the year. Diggs is a superstar. I can't wait to see what he does next.

Best Lead Actor 2016

05. Jake Gyllenhaal in Nocturnal Animals - Gyllenhaal has been making exciting, daring choices for years now (I still think his performance in Nightcrawler is one of the best performances ever), and Nocturnal Animals is no different. He plays two characters - a struggling author, and the character within his novel whose whole world is falling apart - and he does it with ease.

04. Viggo Mortensen in Captain Fantastic - There is a reason Viggo is getting a ton of attention for a small movie few people heard of - it's because he is intense and hilarious in it. He plays the father of six kids whom he teaches off the grid, and then the way they cope with being in society. It's a great little movie, and a great performance.

03. Ryan Gosling in La La Land - What can't Gosling do? He can act, he can sing, he can dance, he can be funny, he can be intense, he can be charming, he can be a cocky ass... and he can play jazz piano!? Give him all the awards.

02. Denzel Washington in Fences - If you want to see the finest pair of acting performances in a movie this year, go see Fences. If you want to see a powerful film about family and and struggle and disappointment, go see Fences. If you want to see Denzel play a man so unlikable, and yet respectable, go see Fences.

01. Casey Affleck in Manchester by the Sea - As a feminist, I find the allegations against Casey Affleck unacceptable. There is no excuse for that kind of behavior. But as a fan of film, I can't deny that his performance in Manchester By the Sea, as a man swallowed and emptied out by grief, is one of the best and most powerful of the year. It's a subtle, small, un-showy role, so naturalistic you feel like you are watching a documentary instead of a scripted movie. This performance feels raw and lived in, and despite what you think of the man and his actions, you can't deny the power of the performance.

December 2015 Pt. 1

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

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

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

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

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

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

June 2015

Mortdecai
Stars - Johnny Depp, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ewan McGregor, Olivia Munn
Plot - A zany art thief tries to find a stolen rare piece of art.
Thoughts - This movie is legit terrible and it's not just because I am one of the few people who can't stand Johnny Depp (I think he is just a cartoon character at this point). Even McGregor, who I think is the most underrated actor alive, and who is sort of good here, can't save this disaster.
Grade - D

The Last Five Years
Stars - Anna Kendrick
Plot - A relationship runs it's course, forwards and backwards through song.
Thoughts - First things first, Kendrick is great. Big surprise!  But, for me, the movie really oscillates between being good and boring, between having catchy, good songs and forgettable ones.
Grade - C+

Entourage
Stars - Kevin Connolly, Jeremy Piven
Plot - Vince directs his first movie, the gang continue to degrade women.
Thoughts - I mean, if you liked the TV show, which I did in spurts, then you will likely enjoy the movie. Still, Piven's Ari Gold is one of TV'S finest performances and characters so it's nice to see him again.
Grade - C+

Hot Tub Time Machine 2
Stars - Adam Scott, Clark Duke
Plot - The gang must travel back in time to find out who kills one of them.
Thoughts - If the first movie was fun in a stupid kind of way, then the sequel is a complete and utter waste of time and talent. The only good news I have about this movie is that Christian Slater (who, for some reason, has a cameo) has aged rather nicely.
Grade - F

The Boy Next Door
Stars - Jennifer Lopez, Ryan Guzman
Plot - A teacher and mother has a steamy tryst with her new neighbor, who is a student, and so hot that you automatically forget how inappropriate relationship is. Also, he's a psychopath.
Thoughts - I was hoping this would be campy and fun, like that Obsessed movie starring Beyonce from a few years back. I was wrong. Ryan Guzman, though.
Grades - D

Lost River
Stars - Christina Hendricks, Ben Mendelsohn
Plot - I honestly have no idea.
Thoughts - Ryan Gosling's directorial debut is seriously weird and crazy, like a David Lynch movie, or a less trashy Harmonie Korine movie. I almost never understood what was going on. Still, Gosling has got a great eye, and the movie was beautiful to look at. It's a shame he couldn't make a better movie. Maybe next time.
Grade - D+

Dope
Plot - A high school nerd and his friends get caught up in a drug deal.
Thoughts - So great and funny and charming and endearing and smart. It's a shame they didn't edit some of the long winded, silly third act because this could have been a truly great movie instead of a really good one.
Grade - B+

Project Almanac
Plot - Some nerdy friends invent time travel, decide to use it to go to Lollapalooza.
Thoughts - This movie is actually pretty fun for the most part, and the young cast all have an easy chemistry. Still, I think it's best if you don't think too much about a movie like this because now I have A LOT of questions!
Grade - C+

Worst Films of 2013

Instead of a Friday Top Five, how about a top ten? As in, the ten worst films I've seen this year.

10. Spring Breakers - This has been popping up on people's Best of the Year lists, and I have to admit that I don't understand why. Sure, I get it. Hot girls in bikinis, video game violence, absurdest humor, James Franco playing a rapper / singing Britney Spears songs. It sounds like it should be some sort of cult masterpiece. However, in my opinion, it just tries way too hard. These Disney girls (Vanessa Hudgens, Selena Gomez) are trying to convince us that they are breaking from their good girl images, trying to be bad girls. But they are so obviously just pretending and absolutely nothing that happens in this movie is realistic in any remote way.

09. Kick Ass 2 - Where the original Kick Ass did everything right, this unnecessary sequel does everything wrong. The first film was memorable because it was charming and witty and fun, three things that this sequel most certainly is not. Hit Girl isn't really effective anymore. Sure, she was adorable as a potty mouthed little kid kicking ass. Now she's just another angst-filled teenage girl. It's simply an embarrassment to the first film. It's better to pretend it never happened at all.

08. Gangster Squad - Here's the only way I can explain how this movie got this crazy gifted cast: Sean Penn reads the first few pages of the script where he sees he's going to play an old school bad ass gangster and agrees. Then Josh Brolin thinks, "Well, if Sean Penn is going it." And Ryan Gosling thinks, "If Sean Penn and Josh Brolin are doing it." And Emma Stone thinks, "Well, if Sean..." You get my drift. I couldn't possibly imagine how a movie with such a stellar cast could be so bad, but somehow it is. Somehow it's so much worse than you can even imagine.

07. Man of Steel - I just about hated everything about this movie (save for Amy Adams), which doesn't even matter because it made all of the money. It's just that there are no characters that you care about. There's no humanity. This movie doesn't even have a sense of humor. One character cracks one joke at the end of the film and it feels so out of place that it's eye-roll inducing. If the great Michael Shannon can't even save things as an over the top super villain, then what chance do we really have?

06. Only God Forgives - The most disappointing movie of the year, in the sense that it sure as hell looks the nicest. It's got great cinematography and a great style. Too bad the movie consists mostly of people sitting in chairs, looking moody and Kristen Scott Thomas having absolutely horrid dinner conversation with his son's hooker girlfriend. Everyone keeps saying how great of a year 2013 was for movies. And I totally disagree. When Ryan Gosling is in two of the ten worst, you know you've got a problem.

05. Mama - Honestly, this was one of the first movies I saw this year, and I am finding it really hard to remember much about it at this point. I do remember that I hated every second of it. That I wondered why Jessica Chastain (who has made flawless acting decisions since breaking out) would even get herself caught up in this mess. And I also remember that the end was so ridiculous that I almost walked out of the theater.

04. Movie 43 - I'm assuming this movie was made for people with the sense of humor of a 12 year old boy because they are the only people I can think of who would find these jokes funny. Yes, menstruation is HILARIOUS. Somehow, the makers of this film (a collection of short films, each grosser than the one before it) managed to get the likes of Kate Winslet, Halle Berry, Emma Stone, Greg Kinnear, Dennis Quad, Hugh Jackman, etc. to sign up for this movie. It's all a great big waste of talent and time.

03. The Last Exorcism Part II - I actually really liked the first one, which was clever and interesting. The sequel is just a paint by number horror movie that is silly and not scary. I like to pretend it never happened, so we'll just move on, okay?

02. Magic, Magic - I rented this for Juno Temple, who I adore. I think she is a super talented actress and I'm always excited when I find out she is starring in a movie. It also features Michael Cera (who gives the single most terrible performance of the entire year) and Emily Browning. It's supposed to be about some sort of mystical and ancient discoveries. It's really just a bunch of young actors sitting around and talking about nonsense, and acting weird for two hours. I kept waiting for something to happen. Nothing ever does.

01. The Lords of Salem - Aren't directors supposed to get better with time? Because Rob Zombie is getting worse with every movie he makes. There was a time (back in his House of 1000 Corpses / The Devil's Rejects) days when I trusted him to make great horror movies. Then he churned out two horrible Halloween remakes. Then he made this, which is, honestly, the worst movie I have ever seen in my ENTIRE LIFE. And I've seen a lot of movies. It stars Sherri Moon (surprise!) and it takes place in Salem, Mass. You're thinking witch trials, right? You're thinking Sherri Moon traipsing around in a sexy witch outfit casting spells on people? That would have been way better than what the movie actually is which is a trippy, Rosemary's Baby wannabe movie about a heavy metal band who turn the women of Salem into zombie-esque killers. Or something. Just know that it's bad. Real, real bad.

Mini DVD Reviews

I've been catching up on some of the movies I missed in theaters now that they are available to rent. Here are some mini reviews on the (mostly good!) movies I've watched recently:

The East
Stars: Brit Marling, Alexander Skarsgaard, Ellen Page, Shiloh Fernandez
Plot: A woman goes undercover to infiltrate an anarchist group who attacks corrupt businesses in interesting ways. She finds herself questioning where she stands on their practices after a while.
Thoughts: I think Marling is an incredible talent. If she wanted to be, she could be a huge Hollywood rom-com star much like Julia Roberts. She is so strikingly beautiful. But, she wants to write her own work, and much like her previous self-penned films Another Earth and Sound of My Voice, The East is flawed but intense, smart, thought-provoking and enjoyable.
Grade: B

The Purge
Stars: Ethan Hawke
Plot: It's the future in America and there is no crime and no unemployment and everyone is happy. Why? Once a year, the government picks one night where you can do whatever the hell you want - murder, included.
Thoughts: I was interested in seeing this movie because I think the premise is pretty spectacular. It's such a great idea, but the execution is not particularly good. The script has so many plot holes that it is laughable and the characters act in ways that only characters in horror movies act, bad decision after bad decision.
Grade: D+

Before Midnight
Stars: Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke
Plot: It's nearly a decade after Jesse and Celeste reunited in Paris and now they are a couple with twins and on vacation where they do a whole lot of talking and fighting.
Thoughts: I love this trilogy of movies. I think it's such a beautifully written ode to love and lust, and while the first one was the best, Before Midnight is excellent as well. Of course, if you don't like movies that are super talky, then this probably isn't for you. But the epic fight Jesse and Celeste have in the hotel room just about rivals any fight in any Marvel movie released this year.
Grade: B

Lovelace
Stars: Amanda Seyfried, Peter Sarsgaard
Plot: The true story of Linda Lovelace, a young girl who falls for the wrong man and becomes the biggest porn star in the world.
Thoughts: Well, Peter Sarsgaard absolutely kills it. He is so damn good that it almost makes this mess of a movie worth it. The problem? Well, for one, as a movie about porn, it's not sexy in the least. And secondly, I have recently decided that Amanda Seyfried is just not that great of an actress. I'm not sure whey she keeps getting so many high-profiled gigs (okay, I do, she's gorgeous), but the talent just isn't there. Unless she is terribly miscast in every movie. I guess that's possible.
Grade: C

Disconnect
Stars: Jason Bateman, Paula Patton, Alexander Skarsgaard
Plot: Interwoven stories tell the tales of how we no longer make any personal connections in this world, everything filtered through social media, and how we are all so desperately lonely, just trying to find someone to connect to.
Thoughts: I'm not sure why no one has been talking about this movie. I saw one preview months ago and thought it looked good, but have heard virtually no word of mouth on it. I'm not sure why, because it's sort of, almost brilliant. It's the best movie from this year that you've never heard of and I highly suggest everyone rent it immediately.
Grade: B+

Only God Forgives
Stars: Ryan Gosling, Kristen Scott Thomas
Plot: A man seeks revenge on the people who murdered his brother.
Thoughts: This movie was infuriating and frustrating on every level. It was directed by the same person who made Drive a few years back, a movie that was super stylish and so, so good. Only God Forgives, however, is all style over substance. It looks amazing, and is possibly the most beautifully shot film of the year, but it's pretty much just an hour and a half of people being moody and looking cool and barely saying anything at all.
Grade: D

Stuck In Love
Stars: Greg Kinnear, Jennifer Connelly, Logan Lerman
Plot: A family of writers deal with love and loss and heartache.
Thoughts: This movie isn't spectacular in any way, but it's a very nice, good movie. It's not something I can pick apart at all - maybe it's a little too cliche. It's just such a nice, feel good, harmless, funny, cute movie that I couldn't help but fall under it's spell. Also, Lerman is adorable.
Grade: B

Frances Ha
Stars: Greta Gerwig
Plot: A twenty-something woman in New York City tries to make her life a little bit less of a mess.
Thoughts: I've been wanting to see this movie for months and I'll say - it was worth the wait! Frances Ha is officially my favorite movie of the year. It's a love story about two best friends and I think it's so refreshing that men are basically an after thought. It's a great little black and white movie about friends growing apart but struggling to stay together and growing up and getting your shit together. I can't say enough about it, other than - go watch it now! So great!
Grade: A

Friday Top Five: Football Movies

Football season is back!! Hooray! So, this week, I am counting down my top five football "movies", with one exception. There is a reason "movies" is in parenthesis and you will find out what it is in a moment.

05. Lucas (David Seltzer, 1986)
First things first, when Corey Haim was young, there was no one cuter in the whole world. In Lucas, he plays a dorky kid who is in love with an older girl. This girl falls for his friend instead of him and in order to prove he is a man, or whatever, he joins the football team where he proceeds to get hurt. The movie is as much about football as it is about falling in love and getting your heart broken for the first time. It's funny and touching and the quintessential 80's movie.

04. Rudy (David Anspaugh, 1993)
This is the sort of movie that makes grown men cry. There is a scene in this movie that will literally make the biggest, toughest, strongest man weep like a baby. (It's the jersey scene). But more than being a simple movie about football, it's about following your dreams, never giving up, and all that jazz. A seriously great football movie.

03. Remember the Titans (Boaz Yakin, 2000)
Besides starring Denzel Washington and Ryan Gosling, Remember the Titans is the true story of the first year of a racially integrated football team and the way they made history despite a whole lot of drama. I've seen this movie so many times, and it's probably a tad heavy handed and it's probably a bit cheesy, but I love it nonetheless.

02. Jerry Maguire (Cameron Crowe, 1996)
This, to me, is the role that proved that Tom Cruise could be a huge blockbuster action star, and a an actual good actor at the same time. Jerry Maguire is a sort of perfect beast of a movie. Is it a perfect movie? Not by any stretch of the imagination. Is the dialogue that is so oft repeated these days ring true all the time? Not really. But, Jerry Maguire is a pure joy to watch and the sort of movie that gets better with time.

01. "Friday Night Lights" (various, 2006-2011)
So, I told you there was a reason "movies" was in quotation marks. It's because there's no way I was going to take about anything doing with football without mentioning one of the greatest TV series I've ever seen. (It's based on a movie, if that helps). Friday Night Lights was the rare sort of TV show that was five seasons of near perfection (the only misstep I can think of was that whole Landry/Tyra killing someone story line). The show was as much about angst-ridden high school kids and real life drama as it was about football. It was My So-Called Life with football. It introduced us to the most realistic portrayal of a married couple on television - Coach and Mrs. Coach (Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton), who both acted the crap out of their roles and also had incredible, natural chemistry. Plus, the talent involved was incredible. This show launched the careers of so many actors - Chandler who will soon be seen in the new Scorsese, Britton was on American Horror Story and now Nashville, Taylor Kitsch was in a slew of box office disasters but still has a chance to be a star, Scott Porter stole scenes in The To-Do List, Minka Kelly was in The Butler, and, of course, Michael B. Jordan is wowing everyone in Fruitvale Station. The list could go on, but the truth of the matter is that Friday Night Lights is exceptional television, the sort of show that stays with you long after it has ended.


Now, get ready for an entire day of football on Sunday and go Steelers!

DVD Reviews

Time to get caught up with the movies from 2013 that I missed in theaters earlier this year. Well, "missed" is a relative term, I guess.

Parker
Starring: Jason Statham, Jennifer Lopez
Plot: A con man / thief done wrong by a group he went in on a job with goes after said group to get revenge.
Thoughts: This is a pretty basic Jason Statham movie. That being said, if the script had been tighter or the direction a little more aspiring, it would have been a much better, cooler movie. I watch whatever movies I can from any given year so I have a well-rounded opinion of the best and worst at the end of the year. This was quite a bit better than I was expecting.
Grade: C-

Snitch
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Jon Bernthal, Susan Sarandon, Barry Pepper
Plot: A business man becomes a crusader for the DEA when his son gets arrested for drug possession. In order to get him out of prison, he must deliver a much bigger fish.
Thoughts: Listen, I don't know if it's because I miss Bernthal (Shane) on The Walking Dead, or if The Rock is sort of my guilty plesaure (I find him mind-boggingly sexy and charming), but I actually sort of enjoyed this movie. It's not good, per se, but it is, at the very least, fun.
Grade: C+

Broken City
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jeffrey Wright, Kyle Chandler, Barry Pepper, James Ransone
Plot: An ex-cop turned private eye is hired by the mayor to prove his wife is cheating on him a few weeks before the re-election that he's losing.
Thoughts: The second movie in a row that I watched at home starring Barry Pepper in which he was the best thing in the cast. With all these heavy hitters in the cast (and actors I genuinely love - Chandler, Pepper, Ransone, Alona Tal), I thought that perhaps this movie fell through the cracks on my radar. How can all these people go so wrong?? (Confession: I watched this soley for James Ransone who was in it for approximately 4 minutes. Don't make the same mistake).
Grade: D+

Beautiful Creatures
Starring: Alden Ehrenreich, Alice Englert, Jeremy Irons, Viola Davis, Emma Thompson, Emmy Rossum
Plot: A witch, who has about three months before it is decided whether she will be a good witch or a bad witch, falls for a mortal before against the wishes of her cray-cray family.
Thoughts: Boy was this movie fun!! It's not good but at least it doesn't take itself as seriously as those Twilight movies. It sort of reminded me of Obsessed from a few years ago, a movie with which I was obsessed. (A character in this movie utters the line, "Stay away from my boyfriend, WITCH!"). Oh, it's so bad, it's good! But on a serious note, Ehrenreich makes the whole thing worth watching. He is going to be a star. He reminds me of a young Jack Nicholson, which his big grin and endless charm.
Grade: C+

Gangster Squad
Starring: Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, Giovanni Ribisi, Anthony Mackie, Michael Pena, Emma Stone, Nick Nolte
Plot: In 1949 Los Angeles, a group of vigilante cops band together to take down mob kingpin Mickey Cohen.
Thoughts: Here is how I think this movie got such an enviable cast. Sean Penn gets the script and he reads the first five pages, right up until he says that he gets to say a line like, "I'm God so you might as well swear to me." He's pretty excited about this and fails to read the next hundred pages. Josh Brolin hears that Sean Penn signed on so he does as well. Ryan Gosling hears both Penn and Brolin are in this movie, and signs on as well. I'm convinced none of them actually read the script. This is a great role for Penn, who knocks it out of the park, but he's the only reason to watch this mess.
Grade: D+

The Place Beyond the Pines

This isn't going to be a very long review. I feel like the less you know about The Place Beyond the Pines, the better. I read a review in Entertainment Weekly before seeing the film and I wish I hadn't. It sort of ruined a few plot points for me and I wouldn't want to do the same. I will say that I think The Place Beyond the Pines is a flawed masterpiece. It's fearless filmmaking, although, at times, it is on the frustrating side. Blue Valentine director Derek Cianfrance reteams with his star Ryan Gosling for this film about a carnival stunt man who takes to robbing banks in order to support a son he was unaware of until very recently. And that's all I'm going to say about the plot. Like I said, the less you know, the better.

One thing I will talk about are the great performances. Ryan Gosling is electrifying. He is raw and intense and it is an absolute joy to watch him command the screen in this gritty drama. Dane DeHaan, who is one of my very favorite new actors, shares Gosling's electricity, although his role is more moody and angsty. Even Eva Mendes, who I don't think is the greatest actress, shines as Gosling's baby mama. The real scene stealer, for me, was Ben Mendelsohn, who all but stole the whole movie away from Gosling and DeHaan. Is it too early to start a Best Supporting Actor Oscar campaign for him? Because he is that good. He is all weird ticks and subtle emotions. As someone who pretty much worships the ground he walks on since discovering him in Animal Kingdom, I love seeing him making interesting decisions and stealing movies from more famous co-stars (see also: Killing Me Softly). Unfortunately, then there is Bradley Cooper. I think Cooper is a good actor (although, like Jude Law, I never fully trust him in any thing, even if he is playing the nicest guy ever), but unfortunately he is stuck with the most bland story line in the film. I'm not saying his scenes are bad or terrible. It's just that compared to his co-stars who light up the screen, he sort of fades into the background.

And thus concludes my second shortest review of all time. (The shortest went a little something like, "My mama always said if you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all." It was about the third Pirates of the Caribbean movie). The Place Beyond the Pines is definitely a great movie, and more than worth checking out. It's the first truly good movie of 2013. Thank God. I was getting worried.

Grade: A-

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.

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+

Quickies: Contagion, Drive and more!

Win Win - Indie darlings Paul Giamatti and Amy Ryan star as a Midwestern couple who all but adopt a young wrestling prodigy in this charming little film. Giamatti and Ryan are both fantastic in their roles, especially Giamatti who doesn't play necessarily the most likable person in the world. Bobby Cannavale manages to steal every scene he's in, of course. I was expecting just your average indie quirky film but it had a lot more depth and heart that I was expecting. It's definitely worth checking out.
Grade: B-

Contagion - If you think this is just going to be another boring disaster type flick about an epic disease spreading through the world is wrong. This isn't Outbreak. This a great film from director Steven Soderbergh with, probably, the most perfect cast of the year: Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law, John Hawkes, Marion Cotillard, Bryan Cranston, Laurence Fishburn. Paltrow goes oversees on a business trip and manages to become infected. When she returns home, she begins to pass the virus to everyone around her. And so it begins. Watch as husbands mourn their cheating dead spouses and struggle to keep their daughter disease free, doctors try to find a cure and trace the beginning, and sleazy journalists try to profit from the whole thing. A great thrilling interesting timely film.
Grade: B

Paul / Your Highness - I could pretty much say the same thing about both of these movies: so much wasted talented!!! Paul is about a couple of nerds leaving Comic Con who discover a real alien and run from the FBI. The wasted comedic talent includes, but is not limited to: Simon Pegg, Kristen Wiig, Jason Bateman, Bill Hader, Jane Lynch and my beloved Landry from Fright Night Lights (a.k.a. Jesse Plemmons). Your Highness is an epic about a stoner knight who goes on a quest with his handsome brother to save his virgin bride from an evil wizard. Not only is it directed by David Gordon Green, the genius who directed All the Real Girls and George Washington, but also it wastes the considerable talents of Natalie Portman, James Franco, Zooey Deschanel and Justin Theroux (and the somewhat lesser talents of Danny McBride). Neither film is funny at all. Both are a huge waste of time and will probably end up on my Worst of the Year list.
Grade: F for both

Drive - This movie has a massive amount of swagger and style from the very first second of the film. You are immediately engrossed in this beautifully filmed story about a stunt car driver for films who finds himself caught up in a crazy world of driving criminals from whatever place they happen to be robbing. And, boy, can he drive. He being Ryan Gosling, who mesmerizes and smolders his way through this film. He's fantastic. As is the supporting cast of Carey Mulligan (who is pretty much Michelle Williams, version 2.0 and that is NOT a bad thing), Bryan Cranston (again!), Ron Perlman and SCENE STEALER EXTRAORDINAIRE Albert Brooks. Seriously, Brooks is sooo damn good, I can't imagine him not being nominated for an Oscar at this point. This movie is simply beautiful, one of the best of the year. It's silent and intense and a great slow burn thriller that goes from zero to extreme violence in the blink of an eye. This movie should not be missed!
Grade: B+

Ceremony, Battle Los Angeles, Crazy Stupid Love

Ceremony - Here's the thing about Ceremony: it's awfully cute at times, has a fantastic lead performance but also feels contrived. The film is written and directed by Max Winkler (the son of Henry Winkler a.k.a. The Fonz!), and it's an admirable debut film. It follows Sam (Michael Angarano), a children's book author who makes his best friend Marshall (Reece Thompson) go away with him for the weekend. However, he withholds the fact that his purpose is to ruin the wedding ceremony of the girl of his dreams, Zoe (Uma Thurmnan) to her pompous fiancee, Whit (Lee Pace). If you were going to put Ceremony in a genre, it would be "Quirky Indie Movie" and, boy, is it ever. The problem with quirky indie movies is that sometimes they try way too hard. And that is one of the problems here. For all the moments when Ceremony is brilliant and funny and poignant, it has moments where it feels fake and forced. However, Angarano's performance is so damn good that it's easy to overlook the flaws. He's simple perfection, all bravado and forced confidence and fast talking charm. He's hilarious and heartbreaking at the same time. I've loved his work since his days as the young William Miller in Almost Famous and it's nice to see him grow up into these kinds of roles. I hope he sticks with the indie scene because he's too good of an actor to take shitty supporting roles in bad movies. He could grow up to be a Sam Rockwell type actor. In fact, he's sort of morphing into Sam Rockwell at times in this movie. And I most certainly don't have a problem with that.
Grade: B-

Battle Los Angeles - Oy vey! This movie has zero redeemable qualities. I can't even believe that I wasted two hours of my life on this crap. It's a badly directed, badly written, stupid sci-fi movie that wastes the considerable talent of Aaron Eckhardt. I'm not even going to bore you with a plot. Aliens take over Los Angeles. Blah, blah, blah. Lots of bad action sequences and even worse writing. Stay far away from this movie as it is a complete and utter waste of your time.
Grade: F

Crazy Stupid Love - The romantic comedy genre is lacking, at best. Two years ago, a little indie movie called 500 Days of Summer came along and completely breathed a whole new life into the genre. Crazy Stupid Love isn't quite that good, but it is definitely one of the better romantic comedies made in the last few years. First we meet Steve Carell's Cal, a man who has been with his wife (Julianne Moore) for over thirty years when one day she tells him she wants a divorce. Of course, his life begins to unravel. He starts going to bars and drinking his sorrows away. There he meets Jacob (Ryan Gosling), a young ladies man who takes Cal under his wing and teachers him how to pick up women. Cal seems to know it all... except when he actually begins to fall in love with Hannah (Emma Stone) and doesn't know what the hell to do. Throw in Marisa Tomei, Kevin Bacon, Josh Groban, and Analeigh Tipton (I still can't believe if she is the weirdest looking or prettiest looking girl of all time), and you've got yourself a fantastic cast for a romantic comedy. And it is very funny, which is a plus. You might think Carell gets all the laughs, but it's actually Gosling who all but steals the show (Stone and her awkward goofy adorableness comes in a close second). Plus, the movie just simply has heart. It's not raunchy and it doesn't try too hard to be a certain kind of movie. It stays true to itself and is very sweet. Plus, the cast doesn't hurt. The cast is actually fantastic all around and helps elevate any problems to a different level. There are a few problems, mainly the running time. It feels longer than it is. However, all in all, Crazy Stupid Love is a sweet, funny, great time at the movies.
Grade: B

Iron Man + mini reviews

Iron Man - First, let me say this: Robert Downey Jr. is so perfect for the role of Tony Stark that I really can't imagine anyone else even being considered for the role. This is the role he was born to play. He brings the perfect amounts of charming gentleman, cocky cad and comic timing. It doesn't hurt that mostly everything else about Iron Man is pretty damn good as well. I won't say it's great. But I will say that it is fun! This year has been a wash for movies so far (I mean, if I was going to make a top 10 list now - which I usually do - I wouldn't even be able to muster up 10 movies I really liked. I don't even think I could muster 5) but at least Iron Man starts the summer movie season off on the right foot. Iron Man is just about everything it should be: it's entertaining, it's fast paced, it's got great action sequences. It has comedy, it has the obligatory will-they-or-won't-they love story between Downey's Stark and Gwyneth Paltrow's Pepper Potts (she's really solid as well... plus, she looks great with red hair). It's got a good villain, good music, great gadgets. It's really just the kind of movie you hope it will be. There's really not much to complain about on the Iron Man front (although... and maybe I'm just being picky... but the final act turns a little too "Let's just blow shit up" for me). As for staying until after the credits? I would only recommend it if you are a huge comic book geek. I was told (quite excitedly) to stay until after the credits (quote "best extra scene EVER") and I was a little disappointed because I don't really care about the comic book universe. Still, I'll just think of the pre-credit perfection of an ending and I will remain satisfied completely with Iron Man.
Grade: B



Also, I've seen a lot of other films in my self-imposed exile from reviewing. Here are a few mini reviews...


Forgetting Sarah Marshall - On the Judd Apatow scale of major release hilarity this one falls somewhere between Superbad (my very favorite) and The 40 Year Old Virgin. It's true. I haven't laughed this hard since Superbad. Especially at the exceptionally hilarious Dracula: The Musical scenes (actually, I don't think I ever laughed so hard). Overall, Sarah Marshall is a really solid, funny, surprisingly heartfelt comedy. I couldn't exactly click with the female characters (these Judd Apatow boys can write crude comedy but they can't write a solid female character to save their lives) which was pretty much the only major problem I had. Except for the utter wastefulness of Paul Rudd. Still, this movie is worth seeing, for sure.
Grade: B-


Smart People - Great cast. Still, something never quite works here. It's not a bad movie but it's not necessarily a great movie either. It feels like a retread of about a dozen better movies. Ellen Page is fantastic but it really just makes me want to netflix Wonder Boys.
Grade: C


Deception - File this one under "Missed Opportunity." When you've got such a great cast to work with - Ewan McGregor, Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams - you think a solid movie is in the bag. But, not so much. In fact, the glamour and the glitz is all just so fake looking. For a movie about an underground sex society, there is nothing remotely sexy about the movie. It's all a little silly and just plain bad.
Grade: D+


Lars and the Real Girl - Ryan Gosling is great. Emily Mortimer is even better. Still, for a "unique" indie comedy, I felt this was just about as cliched as possible. And who would think you would be able to use the word "cliche" for a movie about a man in love with a blow up sex doll? Predictible is another word that comes to mind. And that's a shame. Great idea. Great performances. Solid execution. It just all comes apart in the last act or so.
Grade: C+


Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - Well, someone totally ruined the ending for me but I still mostly enjoyed this dark and twisted musical from the wonderfully creative Tim Burton. Johnny Depp is just plain out fantastic. Ditto for Helena Bonham Carter. Still, I love Alan Rickman the most. I could have done without the story line about his daughter. I know it's necessary to the plot but it bored the hell out of me.
Grade: B


The Savages - Who was the MVP of 2007? Philip Seymour Hoffman! He's phenemonal in this indie comedy. Still, it's Laura Linney who got the Oscar nomination, and rightfully so. She's hilarious and completely relatable as well. This is a really solid, well-done black comedy. What a great screenplay and even better performances.
Grade: B


The Orphanage - Yawn.
Grade: D+ (maybe I should take away the "+." I only put it there because I liked the ending.)


Before the Devil Knows You're Dead - Again with the Philip Seymour Hoffman! He's amazing in this movie. I gave him such a hard time about his Oscar nomination for Charlie Wilson's War and I still believe he outright stole it from Paul Dano. Still, he should have been nominated. He just got it for the wrong movie. His performance here is definitely Oscar worthy. He's slick and cocky and manipulative and just plain great. Ethan Hawke plays his brother and does a pretty good job as well (although he's not nearly the actor Hoffman is). Sidney Lumet was something like 113 years old when he directed this movie (okay, he was 80 something) but he does such a spectacular job. The movie is an intense, satisfying thriller. It's also one of the best of last year. Wish I would have seen it earlier because it definitely would have made my top 10 list.
Grade: A-


He Was a Quiet Man - An interesting film, for sure. There are quite a few creative decisions that I liked very much. There are also some truly excellent parts. Overall, however, it doesn't really add up to a particularly good movie. The ending is great but, other than that, it's merely average. Elisha Cuthbert is terribly miscast. I would have liked to see someone else in her role. Maybe Christina Ricci or Thora Birch (what has she been up to lately?). Christian Slater, however, is a revelation in his performance. He hasn't been this good and this electrifying in a movie since, I don't know, Heathers, maybe.
Grade: C+

Fracture

Like Primal Fear (also directed by Gregory Hoblit), Fracture proves that the courtroom drama is alive and well. Although, Fracture is a little less courtroom and a little more character study, but that's another topic for another time. Fracture succeeds because it pairs a living legend with one of the best young actors around: Anthony Hopkins channels Hannibal Lecter (and I'm not saying that's necessarily a bad thing) while Ryan Gosling holds his own as a cocky young hot shot in the district attorney's office.

Hopkins plays Ted Crawford, a brilliant aerodynamic engineer who very cooly and calmly shoots his wife after finding out that she was having an affair. Then he washes himself off and wipes off fingerprints from the gun and the bullet shells and just hangs out in his house until the cops arrive. One of the cops just so happens to be the very man his wife was having an affair with and Ted tells him point blank: I shot my wife. This seems like an open and shut case to young rising star lawyer Willy Beachum (Gosling) who has one foot out the door as he prepares to leave his job at the D.A's office to take a cushy corporate law gig. This case against Ted will be his last and he thinks he can't lose (and he doesn't want to since he has a 97% conviction rate) since he has the murder weapon and a signed confession. But, soon, all of his evidence is deemed inadmissiable as Ted pleads Not Guilty and is set to defend himself in court.

Hopkins and Gosling have very few scenes where they are actually together on screen but they have great chemsitry none the less. Hopkins is deliciously evil even though he's doing his best Hannibal Lecter. But it's not a problem since he does it so well. Gosling has charm to spare and certainly holds his own against Hopkins. Fracture isn't so much a court drama... it certainly works better as a character study. Both leads are overflowing with pride and ego. they both believe themselves to be flawless and both try to find the 'fracture' in the other. This movie is about their arrogance and ultimately about how they deal with the discovery that perfection is a little more elusive than they thought.

There are a few problems I had. Mainly with the absurd romance subplot involving Willy and his new corporate boss (Rosamund Pike). Not only did it seem absolutely absurd, but also it ended as soon as it started and seemed to only be thrown in there to give the audience some sex. Another problem I had was the ending. It was clever, sure, but not realistic at all. I don't want to give it away but I had some problems believing a certain aspect of it (and it doesn't involve the murder weapon as I found that very clever).

Still, this film is packed with drama, excitement, suspense and intelligence, but the best thing about it is that it's actually surprisingly really, really funny. The great writing, directing and acting easily makes this one of the most entertaining films of the year so far. Fracture is a superior psychological thriller that keeps you interested from beginning to end.
Grade: B+

Hannibal Rising and Half Nelson

Hannibal Rising - Presented as a prequel to Manhunter, The Silence of the Lambs, and Hannibal, Hannibal Rising could have been a lot worse. That's not saying, however, that the movie was good. It has its share of ridiculousness. We learn that Lecter is a victim of brutal violence suffered when he was 8 years old, surviving bombings at the hands of war criminals. He watches as they kill his entire family. He breaks out of a Soviet orphanage and travels to France where he meets his Japanese aunt (!!). Somehow, he already speaks perfect French (although he is Lithuanian and shouldn't he speak German?) and is able to study medicine without having any education. Turns out, his Japanese aunt is a survivor of Hiroshima and is some sort of Super Geisha Samaurai who can kick major ass and trains Lecter into being able to cut a man's head off in a one single swoop of a sword (which is so damn silly that I nearly laughed out loud). Still, the movie isn't a complete mess. The beginning drags on for far too long and the end becomes absolutely ridiculous right down to the bad acting (I mean, like, Saw bad). Still, what's in the middle isn't all that bad. As part of a franchise, the movie doesn't do much damage. Still, it all just seems a little unneccessary. Is it really important to see where Lecter, the greatest serial killer in literary and film history, came from? Is it really important to debate whether he was born a serial killer or made to become one? Gaspard Ulliel does a fine job as Hannibal. He's mostly creepy but... there is no way in hell that this kid would grow up to look ANYTHING like Anthony Hopkins. Still, the film is a decent bloodbath complete with everything you would expect from the franchise right down to the cannibalism.
Grade: C

Half Nelson - This is the kind of movie that is such a gem that it becomes such a shame that no one is going to see it. How the brilliant director/writers managed to weave together - seamlessly - politcal commentary, commentary on the nature of modern family relationships, existential struggles, racial tensions and ironies, and the struggles with which we are born by simply being human, is beyond me. It's a gritty, sensitive, well controlled and emotionally harrowing film set in Brooklyn that manages to avoid the inspirational cliches of many teacher-student films and the obligatory violence of films set in the ghetto. Dan Dunne (Ryan Gosling finally making the movie and giving the performance that I knew he could) is an idealistic eighth-grade History teacher in an inner city mostly black school who inspires his students by day and drugs himself at night with crack cocaine. Dan is well-liked by his students because he challenges them and doesn't treat them like kids. He coaches girls basketball on the side and is charming with every woman he comes in contact with. His parents were liberal activists in the 60s and 70s and, like them, he wants to make an impact on the world but is disillusioned with the current political climate and, out of frustration and just plain old fatigue, has drifted into a self-induced stupor. Dunne's life begins to spiral out of control when one of his students, Drey (Shareeka Epps), discovers him in the girl's locker room passed out for cocaine. Instead of becoming frightened or angry, Drey brings him water and helps him come down from his high. Drey is not without her own problems, however. Her mother works constant double shifts and is never home, her father is out of her life and her older brother is in prison for selling drugs. Drey is mature and street-wise beyond her age. Drey and Dan forge an unlikely friendship that satisfies emotional needs that Drey cannot find with her classmates and Dan cannot find with other adults. The emotional highlight of the film begins when Dan confronts Frank (Anthony Mackie), a suave drug dealer and associate of Drey's older brother who recruits Drey to be his collector. While Dan wants so desperately to steer Drey in the right direction, he is hardly a role model. This is a sort of tragic modern day classic. Gosling's performance as the charming but flawed teacher is so nuanced and touching that we root for him in spite of h is capacity for self-destruction. Gosling is spot on and that Oscar nomination is well deserved. Epps is equally convincing in her understated and powerful performance. This story is intense, deep, dark, depressing and, well, hopeful.
Grade: A-