Dec 27, 2011

Beowulf (2007)

Curiosity got the better of me on this one, that, and Angelina Jolie, who looks hot animated or otherwise. Once you get past the fact that you're watching a cartoon for adults, it's not so bad. Pretty violent in fact. More enjoyable though, is the making of featurette on the DVD. Casting Crispin Glover in the role of Grendel was genius.

Rating: C-

The Last King of Scotland (2006)

One of those well made films with great performances that you enjoyed but never want to see again. A lot of heavy material with circumspect characters. Makes me wish I knew more about the historical accuracy of the film. Africa: what a messed up place.

Rating: C+

Dec 26, 2011

Due Date (2010)

Nothing will ever top Todd Phillips best road trip movie: "Go". Due Date is a more straightforward comedy than that. One only has to turn a camera on Galifianakis to make an audience laugh. Mix in a little dead pan Downey Jr., and you have yourself a decent film before the script has even been written. Plenty of laughs despite the simple plot.

Rating: C+

Eat This New York (2004)

I found the process of opening a restaurant in New York quite fascinating, as well as a few of the restaurateur vignettes. The style was very rough and flowed poorly at times. There were parts I used the FF button to zip through. It could have used a bigger dose of production value.

Rating: C-

The Science Of Sleep (La Science des Rêves) (2006)

If Michel Gondry makes it, I'll see it. Sure, not everything he does is a hit—case in point: Human Nature—but at least when he misses it's a wonderfully eye-popping miss. Such is the case with Science of Sleep.

The film is bursting with creativity. So much so, that it sometimes forgets that stories need to be told and plots must be unfolded. Not surprisingly, the film itself is concocted in a similar dreamlike state that the main character Stéphane seems to find himself in.

You know how when you suddenly wake up from the most amazing dream, where you remember almost everything and can't wait to tell someone about it? But then when you do start to tell someone about your dream, you sound retarded and words can't quite do justice to the images in your head.

Well, I think that's what happened with Michel's vision this time around. It got garbled in the translation from dream to film. I'll never stop appreciating his attempts though, because sometimes the end result is a masterpiece like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

Rating: C-

The Box (2009)

They took a short story and created an insanely convoluted plot around it that was neither satisfying or logical.

Rating: D+

Valentine’s Day (2010)

Only watched this because it was playing on my Delta flight. Stellar cast in a sub-par formula Gary Marshall film. It uses every cliché in the book. Mildly entertaining at times, like watching a Jr. High School play.

Rating: D+

10 Items Or Less (2006)

A quirky pet project from Mr. Freeman. It appears he’s playing himself, which is a bit of a stretch for the plot. It’s more of a toned town version of his real Hollywood stature. The lead actress is a delight, however it’s a slow film with a barely-there plot.

Rating: C-

Dec 25, 2011

The Princess and the Warrior (Der Krieger und die Kaiserin) (2000)

Another film from Tom Tykwer, of Run Lola Run fame, starring the same red headed actress. Having seen two of his previous movies, I think I can safely say this guy is fantastic. His camera work, editing, and direction are so unique and creative. He has a way of sucking you in and messing with your emotions.

Rating: B-

Outpost (2008)

Despite ok acting, the material they had to work with was so bad, it brought the entire film down. The plot made no sense and the ending was abysmal. Waste of time.

Rating: D

Hustle & Flow (2005)

More credible and entertaining than 8 Mile, with much better acting. Flow is the perfect word, since that's exactly what the film does: flow. The best scenes are when they construct a song together, from start to finish. They did an awesome job of showing the music making process without losing the audience along the way. Terrance is amazing as the pimp rapper.

Rating: B+

Attack The Block (2011)

A slick British alien movie that doubles as a social commentary on the youth gang culture in London. Loved the look of the aliens. Rare to see a fresh take on this old genre.

Rating: B-

Amélie (2001)

I'd heard it was really good, and it was. Cinematically stunning with a very witty script. I adored the leading actress and the amusing love story. This French film is a must see.

Rating: A-

30 Minutes or Less (2011)

Right up Pineapple Expresses' alley. Bumbling fools committing crimes, saying funny crap, and blowing stuff up. Terrific cast of funny guys. Nice to see Nick Swarsdon able to escape Adam Sandler’s unfunny clutches long enough to star in a movie that doesn’t totally suck. Aziz kills it as usual. Danny McBride is hilarious in anything he does. Order a pizza and enjoy this rental.

Rating: C+

127 Hours (2010)

I was an extra for a day on this film, but none of my scenes made it to the final cut. No Oscar nominations for me. Despite that, the movie was intense, fast paced, well shot, and gripping. Not as gruesome as I had heard, but certainly not for the squeamish.

Rating: B




Carriers (2009)

Another take on the end of the world genre—one of my favorite movie subjects. It’s a deadly disease this time round instead of zombies or aliens. In the end, it’s all the same. What I find interesting is the writer/director’s vision of what life would be like when society breaks down. I thought they did a good job of keeping things realistic. I can’t imagine the budget for this film was very big, but it looked fine on screen. Worth renting.

Rating: C+

Pineapple Express (2008)

This almost felt more like a Coen Brothers movie than a Judd Apatow film. Dark, funny, and violent. Not among his best work, but still entertaining.

Rating: C+

Everything Is Illuminated (2005)

I imagine that the difficult journey shown in the film mirrored the difficult journey it must have been to get this film made. It's not your typical Saturday afternoon popcorn fare. A very personal story told in a slow, but interesting way. Layers are peeled back gradually. The viewer will be rewarded by sticking with it.

Rating: B-

Terri (2011)

An interesting take on the social misfit in high school. The curtain is pulled back to show the audience what lies behind the fat kid who wears pajamas to school. It’s very dry, and slow moving. John C. Riley was born to play these roles. There’s a bit of Cyrus, and even a little Step Brothers thrown in there. This film won’t knock your socks off, but it might possibly make you think twice before judging a book by its cover.

Rating: C

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011)

How have I seen 4 of these, and in the theater no less! I didn’t even read the books. I kind of like not knowing what’s going to happen, unlike everyone else in the theater. I’m invested in the characters and will see this series through to the end.

This installment was slower than the others and had a lot of girly romance. No surprise that it’s not one of my favorites. Still enjoyable to watch, and it sets thing up for an interesting finale. Not sure how I feel about imprinting on a baby.

Rating: C

Dec 24, 2011

Kill Bill: Vol 1 & 2 (2003) (2004)

I choose to review these as a single film, since they are meant to be viewed together. Fountains of blood. Those 3 words best describe Tarantino's throwback revenge movie. There's the usual amazing cast of characters, each with their own witty lines and quirky personalities.

It's a blast getting to watch one incredible fight scene after another, the kind you usually wait an entire movie to see -- here they are splashed out in front of you with just enough time to catch your breath in between.


The second half has a bit more depth. The training sequence was beautiful cinema. The "eye snatch" is something to look for. If you're in the mood for some good action and violence, and who isn't, this will certainly quench your thirst. But be warned, fountains of blood. Can't wait for the 3rd volume in 2014.

Rating: A

Bad Teacher (2011)

Almost exactly what I expected, which is sad, since that means I knowingly rented a C- movie. It’s mildly amusing overall, with enough laughs to make it watchable. Justin T and Jason Segel are criminally underused. I quite enjoyed Lucy Punch’s straight arrow teacher.

Rating: C-

Dec 20, 2011

Sidewalks of New York (2001)

A small Edward Burns picture about relationships, as usual. I enjoyed it - some fun characters and an outstanding performance by Stanly Tucci.

Rating: C+

Our Idiot Brother (2011)

Sweet. Funny. Character driven. Stock full of my favorite actors in a script worthy of their talents. It’s an optimistic film that takes the motto “honesty is the best policy” seriously. A must rent.

Rating: B-

3:10 To Yuma (2007)

The acting is what really stands out in this Western. You may not agree with the choices made by the characters, most of which appear to be bad ones, but you can tell they believe in what they are doing.

Rating: B-

Dec 16, 2011

Hugo (2011)

A slow, beautifully shot story that differs from the one the previews are selling. Mostly because the real story isn’t great movie trailer material. Hugo is a real labor of love from Scorsese and other film preservationist collogues of his. Johnny Depp produced. Terrific performances from Chloe, the kid playing Hugo, and Kingsly. Slow, but deep. Enjoyed it. The 3D was unnecessary though.

Rating: C+

Revolver (2005)

A real mishmash of ideas that never fully realize. There were bits and pieces of a good movie in there, but they unfortunately they got lost in the confusion. I didn't buy it.

Rating: D+

The Change-Up (2011)

Wildly inappropriate. Not everything hit, but plenty did. I laughed a lot. Bateman and Reynolds were fantastic portraying each other. Added bonus having Leslie Mann to look at. Huge crush on her.

Rating: C+

Elf (2003)

Quirky and fun. Will Farrel is allowed to run wild -- that's worth the price of admission alone. The ending was a bit cheesy, but the journey there makes you feel better.

Rating: B-

Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011)

Started out strong with some funny scenes and smart writing. Things weakened in the second half. A lot of contrived plot lines and cliché sequences. This is a general audience pleaser and fun overall, but it’s better if you switch half your brain off. Ladies will be giving this an A+ for Ryan Gosling alone.

Rating: C+

The Work of Director Anton Corbijn (2005)

Another in this series of music video directors. Anton is a Dutch artist who's DVD seems to be filled with an abundance of bad synth music and unwatchable black and white videos. In fact, I'd skip everything from his early career and go straight to some of his newer stuff. Unfortunately, it's not much better.

That is except for the BRILLIANT video for Nirvana's Heart Shaped Box. For someone so versed in black and white photography, he makes EXCELLENT use of color throughout the video. He is able to capture the essence of Nirvana the band, each member individually, and their music. The images are both shocking and beautiful at the same time. It's a masterpiece.

Beyond that, the Henry Rollins clip is pretty good, and the MTV promos are hilarious. Everything else is a timewaster.

Rating: C-

Heart Shaped Box video: A+

Dec 8, 2011

City Island (2009)

I would have enjoyed this film much more if there wasn’t so much yelling and arguing. It got old really fast. I guess if I was raised in an Italian-American family this would seem completely natural. The plot itself didn’t wow me either. None of the characters, with the exception of the lovely Emily Mortimer, were that endearing. The film was well made—I just didn’t care for the story.

Rating: D+

Ocean's Eleven (2001)

I've seen this twice and loved it both times. It's about as good as a heist movie gets. Sodenburgh and the entire cast are perfect. Pure fun.

Rating: B+

Operation: Endgame (2010)

You’d think with such a strong cast of comedians on board that it would result in at least a mediocre action spoof. Unfortunately, the writing was terrible and they simply had nothing to work with. Barely watchable.

Rating: F+

The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

I read that many felt this was a depressing film until the end, but I would disagree. It does an excellent job of showing how quickly things can turn from bad to worse when living on the edge of poverty. It also shows how hard work and determination can help to get you back on your feet. Will Smith and his son are great together. It's obvious acting runs in the family. While I'm sure some parts of the story were enhanced for the screen, it's still a good bit of drama based on a true story.

Rating: B-

Valhalla Rising (2009)

A very slow, somewhat pointless historical action movie with the camera running at half speed most of the time. There are bits and pieces that could have been salvaged to make an ok movie, but it seems the director was more interested in actualizing some shroom induced vision.

Rating: D-

Nov 17, 2011

Finding Nemo (2003)

Really enjoyed this family classic, as I have other Pixar films. They really go out of their way to entertain their adult audience as well as the kids.

Rating: B

Zombie Apocalypse (2011)

Did this really debut on the Syfy channel? Not bad if it did. A fairly competent zombie movie interspersed with occasional cartoony special effects. Acting wasn’t bad, except for Taryn Manning, who’s terrible in almost everything she does. The film gets bonus points for some creative new scenes and ideas that I haven’t seen in other zombie flicks. You’ll have to check it out to see.

Rating: C

The Sure Thing (1985)

The exact opposite of Say Anything, in that this movie was very poorly written, while Say Anything was witty and fun.

Rating: D

Paintball (2008)

Your basic people paying to watch others fight to the death movie, only with paintball players. Production value was low across the board, and it really showed. Plot didn’t make a whole lot of sense. Editing was extremely jumpy.

Rating: F+

Volver (2006)

Penelope Cruz is a delight in this film, as are all the Spanish actors. The slow pace allows each subtle layer of the script to unfold in due time. I loved the character of her mother and the surprises she brings to the story.

Rating: B

Ride The Divide (2010)

Straight forward documentary about the 2700 mile Continental Divide mountain bike race that begins in Alberta and ends at the Mexican border. As an endurance athlete, it’s fun to watch others suffer from the comfort of my couch.

Rating: C