There's No Crying in Baseball

That circus picked me.

2011-04-27T16:04:00.001-07:00

Water for Elephants

I recently read (and loved) Water for Elephants so I was anxious to see the movie but I had my reservations. Would it live up to the book? Was Reese too old to play Marlena? Why Rob Pattinson for Jacob? I found myself basically satisfied with Water for Elephants as a film adaptation to the book. There were some good changes and some pleasant surprises. Although the semi-cheesy script did give me some problems.

I still say Reese Witherspoon was a bit too old. Marlena is written younger and I think that works for the character. Though she and Rob Pattinson had good chemistry, she was fairly stiff. She looked kinda bored the whole time, like she wasn't fully committed to the role. Maybe she saw Marlena as low key but she just seemed bored.

Christophe Waltz was as great as I expected. Maniacal and charming, I loved him. He's so good at playing a bad guy and August is bad. Waltz definitely didn't bring a lot of sympathy to the role, unlike in the book. But again, I think that's the writing.

And then there's Rob Pattinson...who wasn't as bad as I thought he'd be. He actually captured Jacob's essence; sweet, melancholy, quiet, and gentle. He had a Kirsten Dunst Marie Antoinette thing going on; great with physicality, not so great with the words. It's pretty hard to deliver cheesy lines like, "You're a beautiful woman, you deserve a beautiful life," and he couldn't. I really wonder what an actor like Andrew Garfield would've been like in the role, but I'm ok with Rob. I could see Jacob shining through him.

I love how the movie developed Jacob and Marlena's relationship more. That was one of the few things I didn't like about the book, the love story didn't feel well developed. The movie definitely gave the love story room to grow and I could really see why Jacob and Marlena fell in love.

The soundtrack was stunning. Seemed very period but beautiful and romantic. James Newton Howard isn't one of my top five favorite composers but this score was stunning.

All the scene with Rosie the elephant were so well done. Her trainer is amazing and the camera loves her. She's so beautiful and moves so gracefully.

My main problems were the semi uninspiring acting and the script. There were Rob's cheesy lines, Reese saying the same dull thing over and over again to calm Christophe and the cheese factor continues.

Finally, I wish there would have been a little more focus on the circus itself and some of the other characters. Author Sara Gruen paints such a beautiful picture of the circus and its characters, I would've liked to have seen more. But the movie was already at 2 hours so some things have to go.

A solid B, maybe even a B+. It was probably the best adaptation you could get from the book but the dialogue certainly could've been better.

Gwyneth Paltrow in Sliding Doors

I love this gem of a movie and I don't care how obnoxious and out of touch with reality she is, I love Gwyneth. Here she's playing the same woman, in two different realities, with two different types of emotional baggage. She must distinguish between the women while keeping her essence. No easy task. She nails the British accent and succeeds with light comedy. Adore her always.

Netflix

Rabbit Hole-Wanted to see this.
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2-Going to Greece made me want to see this again.
Arthur-Netflix Instant. The original.

You've created a whole new world.

2011-04-22T13:16:00.001-07:00

Source Code

I had great expectations for Duncan Jones' follow up to his brilliant debut, Moon. This sci-fi thriller, about a soldier being used unconventionally to find a bomb on a train blended elements of Moon and Hitchcock, and was thoroughly enjoyable.

So basically Jake Gyllenhaal, a soldier, wakes up in the body of a man on a train, eight minutes before the train explodes. He must find the bomber and will continue to be sent back into the body of this man until he succeeds. Complicated? Yes. Jake Gyllenhaal is in good form as soldier Colter Stevens. I'm not the biggest Jake fan in terms of acting, I usually find his performances stiff and uninspiring (with a couple exceptions). But he did a good job in Source Code. He had a great sense of urgency and duty as soldier Colter Stevens and brought some good emotion to human Colter Stevens. Michelle Monaghan was basic as usual. Coupled with her awful styling, she was a bore and uninspiring. Though the role could've been written basic, Monaghan brought little life to her character.

The music and the intrigue are certainly Hitchcockian. If he were alive and directing now, he'd have made this movie. Putting pieces of a puzzle together and solving a crime by reliving eight minutes over and over again, sounds like 21st century Hitchcock to me. While Jones was clearly influenced by Hitchcock, he made Source Code a Duncan Jones film. Both this and Moon are sci-fi thrillers with males at the center. These heroes are figuring out their place in a world where they are pawns and must take back their lives. While this is only his second movie, he seems to be coming into his own and establishing Duncan Jones characters and plots. I really look forward to watching his career continue.

Great shots of Chicago with fantastic lighting and vibrant colors. I don't know what technology they used but this film just looks great. Source Code is definitely worth checking out.

David Tennant on Doctor Who

I can see why people are obsessed with this man. His fast-talking and endless energy are intoxicating and he's quite charming as the Timelord. Tennant is Scottish but you'd never know because his English accent appears effortless and flawless. I started watching Doctor Who because I'd heard such good things about Tennant and now I can't get enough of him. I dread when his reign as the Doctor ends.

Netflix

Tangled-Missed in theaters.
The Tillman Story-Supposed to be an intriguing doc.
Parks and Recreation-Netflix Instant. I see article after article about this show being "The Best Show You're Not Watching."

Look, it is just very hard to be away from the person you love for months at a time.

2011-03-20T07:51:00.000-07:00

Going the Distance

Good romantic comedies are hard to come by these days; they're an endangered species. The bar's been set so high with classics like When Harry Met Sally or Love Actually. It's also so easy for a romantic comedy to feel done before or contrived or write unrealistic or stereotypical characters who fall into the category of annoying. You don't see a lot of quality romantic comedies these days which is why when there's a diamond in the rough, you have to see it. So when I see a good one, I get really excited about it.

Former real-life couple Drew Barrymore and Justin Long star as Garrett and Erin, soul mates separated by the United States; Garrett is based in New York while Erin lives in San Francisco. The two meet six weeks before Erin finishes her internship at a New York newspaper and must go back to San Fran. Not wanting to break-up, Erin and Garrett decide to try long distance.

Good romantic comedy aspect number one, realistic plot with comedy. Garrett and Erin's relationship faces many real trials and tribulations that long distance couples must go through: strained finances and expensive flights, missing your partner terribly, temptation to stray, not be able to relocate, and just wondering if the relationship is worth it. Garrett and Erin's relationship plays out in a very real and relatable way. We can feel how in love they are but how stressed out they are over the distance. We want them to make it, but we know how unrealistic it is that they will. While Garrett and Erin have a filmic happy ending, many long distance relationships don't and their relationship does address that in the film. Oh, and it's funny. Not laugh out loud funny but I was consistently giggling.

Good romantic comedy aspect number two, good characters with good chemistry. Garrett and Erin don't have any annoying character traits one finds in bad romantic comedies. They have realistic flaws and goals. Garrett isn't your stereotypical charmingly bumbly Hugh Grant and Erin isn't some fast talking unrelatable Kate Hudson. Furthermore, their chemistry is off the charts. Body language, repoire, everything; it's electric.

Good romantic comedy aspect number three, funny supporting characters. Charlie Day and Jason Sudekis are hilarious wing men to Garrett, providing advice and random one-liners along the way. Christina Applegate is supportive and intimidating as Erin's older sister. She takes on all the stereotypical qualities of an over protective dad and makes it her own as a sister.

Going the Distance hits the romantic comedy check list. It's cute, relatable, funny, and enjoyable. If you ever need a romantic and light-hearted break from reality, I'd recommend Going the Distance.

Steve Carell on The Office

Steve Carell has already shot his last episode of the award-winning NBC comedy and I am so sad to see him go. Michael Scott has been a consistent source of cringe-worthy comedy or frustration, coupled with genuine appreciation. Carell is great at playing a completely offensive and clueless character who still manages to get sympathy and have people rooting for him. I can't believe the show will continue without him; no one can replace Michael Scott. Definitely one of the more memorable TV characters.

Netflix

The Fighter-Must see my bb Bale again.
Black Book-A WWII drama from the Netherlands.
Carlos-Netflix Instant. Award winning miniseries.

Bring Back Hugh.

2011-02-28T20:56:00.001-08:00

Oscar Rundown

This year was just....wow. More lows than highs in the ceremony, chuckles instead of belly laughs and predictable winners made this year's telecast a snooze fest.

First the good.Predictable yet deserving winners. King Colin was crowned Best Actor (still think he should've won last year) for his moving performance in The King's Speech. Natalie Portman was awarded Best Actress for her physically, emotionally and psychologically demanding role in Black Swan. I found her speech to be very sweet and I got a little choked up. She's been one of my favorites for a long time so it was great to see her win for such a deserving performance. My husband won Best Supporting Actor. Very, very long overdue but there was no competition. Christian Bale owned that role. And now, Batman has an Oscar. Melissa Leo collected Best Supporting Actress for her infuriating performance in The Fighter. There were others I would've rather seen win and when they called her name I was ok. But dropping the F bomb? I don't care how excited you are, you're on television and Kirk Douglas is standing next to you.

The King's Speech took Best Picture which I was more than happy with. I had other favorites but the film was moving and told an incredible story that spread across many genres. The film also collected Best Original Screenplay. Inception swept special effects, cinematography and sound categories and rightfully so. I'm glad the film got something. The Social Network got Best Score and Best Adapted Screenplay. Aaron Sorkin's speech was not what I expected. The ego was curved and he seemed genuinely appreciative.

Biggest upset, Tom Hooper winning Best Director for The King's Speech. Should've been David Fincher. Creating and filming a story about the creation of a website and making it compelling and tense takes creativity and talent. The film was edgy and generation defining. I think in years to come this mistake will be acknowledged. Personally I think The Social Network got pretty robbed.

The bad.
The performances were shortened even more than usual! Randy Newman's acceptance speech were longer than the Mandy Moore/Zachary Levi and Florence Welch/A.R. Rahman performances.

There were some seriously unnecessary time wasters that included auto-tuned musicals and a "look" at the first Oscar telecast. To be fair, this may have been an excuse to bring out worthy host Billy Crystal.

Corey Haim omitted from the In Memoriam. This is something that irks me. If you're going to have an In Memoriam, then include everyone. Corey Haim was in the iconic The Lost Boys and Lucas. His passing deserves to be honored.

The ugly.I think we all know what the worst part of the night was. Marisa Tomei's dress? Wasted time acknowledging the renewed contract between the Oscars and ABC? False to both. James Franco and Anne Hathaway were just rotten. Hathaway seemed nervous and overcompensated with giggles and pretty outfits. She did the best she could with her poor material and less than stellar co-host. It's a shame because she is a stunning and talented woman. Franco was asleep with his eyes open. Their were comments about Franco's state of mind, if he was high and so on but I don't think people realize that that's probably how James Franco actually is. He's incredibly talented, but he's weird. The Academy should've known what they were getting into. The fact that he was nominated probably didn't help his state of mind; talk about nerves on top of nerves.

No. montages. Are you kidding? You want to appeal to a younger audience? We love montages! We didn't even get a teaser trailer of each nominated film throughout the night. I cry foul. This killed the ceremony for me. Two Oscars ago, they had these great montages of films from different genres like romance and comedy. It was amazing. People young and old eat that stuff up.

My advice, bring back the montages! Do something clever with presenters. Fozzie and I imagined reuniting famous movie couples or duos as presenters. That'd be great! And I think the title of this post speaks for itself.

The dream is always the same.

2011-02-23T20:49:00.000-08:00

Risky Business

I recently went through Risky Business overload, having to write a five page (single-spaced) paper on its structure. But all this work made me love and appreciate Risky Business so much more. The 1987 film about a naive high school virgin turned pimp extraordinaire is an interesting look at business and stars Tom Cruise when he was good Tom Cruise...Tom Cruise at his finest.

Tom Cruise isn't jumping off couches in Risky Business, just dancing around in his underwear to Bob Seger. He's very believable as Joel, a guy who just wants to get into college and get laid. He's got the boyish innocence and politeness that can be associated with that age and position, learned mostly from having such strict parents. One of my favorite Joel moments is when he's sitting down to dinner and sucks on the icy Salisbury steak from his TV dinner and pours himself a whiskey and Coke, not knowing the proper proportions. Hilarious.

The controlling idea of Risky Business is quite extraordinary: corrupted youth will become the future leaders of America. The film ends with Joel learning he's going to get an incredibly high recommendation from a Princeton alumnus, Rutherford; he's basically already in. He may take everything he's learned as a pimp and put it to use in his studies and future business endeavors. The film is saying the future leaders of big business are pimps and that customers are the prostitutes. Perhaps Joel went on to work for Lehman Brothers, AIG or other investment firms that profited from ill-gotten gains. Cruise's boyish innocence portrayal makes the controlling idea that much sadder, that this kid could go on to contribute to the fall of our economy. But the film can be interpreted as ending on a hopeful and uplifting note. So maybe Joel will not become a future business pimp. We just don't know.

The soundtrack is phenomenal. Very 80s, but very dreamlike and hazy. Tangerine Dream creates a foggy daze around the audience with their music, much like Joel must be feeling at times. He probably can't believe he's been doing the things he's been doing, that all these things keep happening to him. He may feel like he's living in a dream and the music definitely enhances that feeling.

There's something incredibly special about teen films from the 1980's. People can connect with at least one of the iconic teen characters, whether it's Molly Ringwald in Pretty in Pink or Anthony Michael Hall in The Breakfast Club; they speak to us. Whether it's a desire to make a connection or stop feeling lost or stuck, 80s teen characters had such a profound amount of heart. It's hard to articulate, but I have a serious soft spot for 80s teen characters, Joel included.

Ben Mendelsohn in Animal Kingdom

What an emotional, terrifying, roller coaster ride of a movie! The Australians certainly know how bring the tension. While all the hype is around Jacki Weaver as the matriarch of a crime family, she didn't do it for me as much as Ben Mendelsohn, the quiet yet completely unstable oldest son. Weaver was fantastic, but she didn't show her true colors until towards the end; I was scared of Mendelsohn the entire time. He's very quiet, reserved and controlled, even when he kills someone. You never see him coming. He hides behind a facade of caring about his family, but is really just out for himself. Never has hearing someone say, "I just want you to talk to me. You can tell me everything, I just want to know," been so scary. He's chilling.

Netflix

Away from Her-Supposed to be a brutal and honest look at a devastating disease.
You Don't Know Jack-Definitely wanted to see this HBO film.
Fright Night-Netflix Instant. Talked about this in my vampires in film and television class.

Texas Forever.

2011-02-11T08:48:00.001-08:00

Friday Night Lights

On Wednesday, the final episode of one the most well-reviewed, natural, well-written, and well-acted shows in television history played its final game: Friday Night Lights. I haven't seen the finale yet; I'm just delaying the inevitable. I am not ready for this show to end. Friday Night Lights' story has not run its course. There is still so much to be told about Dillion Texas and the Taylors.

Throughout it's five seasons, FNL has created memorable, fully-realized characters who could be your neighbors, your football coach, your quarterback and so forth. They have tangible hopes and motivations; I don't think I've seen a show with more believably written characters than Friday Night Lights. There's been no melodrama; everything that's happened, it makes sense characters would do those things. I totally bought that Landry would kill Tyra's assaulter, even if the show kind of forgot about that weird storyline. I definitely believe that Tim Riggins would take the fall for his brother's chop shop. These plots may seem out of the realm of ordinary, but they are real and believable in the FNL world.

Not only where these character well-written but the acting was over the top phenomenal. Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton had the most amazing chemistry. If I didn't know better, I'd say they were married in real life. They fight like every other couple and they work through their troubles like every other couple. Their marriage has been so beautiful to watch. I've even seen them grow closer as the show progressed. They are one the most functional and one of the best TV couples out there...ever. They may never be able to be topped.

Other actors really grew into their characters and got better as the show went out. Taylor Kitsch went from being a broody, mumbly character to a character who really used physicality well. Those eyes...speeches were being spoken with those eyes. And his comedic timing got better. Zach Gilford began taking on seriously heavy story lines and ran with them. Who could forget "The Son?" Or even the pilot? Adrianne Palicki grew her character out of a stereotype into one of the strongest female characters on the show, next to Tami Taylor of course.

And then there's Michael B. Jordan...he and his crew had to come in season four and be the new cast as the kids we'd grown to love moved on. They weren't "pale imitations...but worthy replacements," as Alan Sepinwall so eloquently wrote. They were new characters with new story lines...not better, just new. It's really hard to change a cast and keep the story lines good and the audience interested. The FNL writers are just that good, probably because one of their fearless leaders is Jason Katims, the creator of Roswell.

Friday Night Lights is inspiring and heartwarming, as seen in the episode "Mud Bowl" or heartbreaking, leaving you crying and feeling lost as a viewer, like in the "Pilot". The writers have done such a great job making this show about much more than football or your run of the mill teen drama. FNL is about family, town, team, culture, love, commitment and so on, powerful themes that make for fantastic story lines. This show's writing has been so consistently strong, with a few holes, but there are some episodes that no matter how many times I see them, it's like the first time.

I just can't say goodbye to this show. I imagine I'll be doing a lot of crying during that final episode, especially when the theme starts. I look forward to seeing the actors move on to new projects but they will always be residents of Dillion in my heart.

Snubs 2010

2011-01-27T09:45:00.000-08:00

There are Oscar snubs every year. Leonardo DiCaprio and Jim Carrey know that all too well. But found there to be some pretty astounding absences from the nominations this year. And they include:

Chris Nolan, Best Director Inception

I mean, Inception wasn't a critical and artistic success with an intricate story line, admirable performances, and mind blowing special effects. It didn't kick start a slow 2010. And all that didn't require impeccable direction. Inception proved that one can make a smart movie and the masses will go see it; audiences aren't as dumb as we think. Chris Nolan consistently turns out money making masterpieces and has yet to be rewarded with a nomination. The Dark Knight omission was bad enough but not a nod for Inception? Blasphemy. Especially choosing the Coen Brothers over Nolan for a mediocre film.

Danny Boyle, Best Director 127 Hours

It's no easy task to make a one man show compelling for an hour and a half. Poor choice Academy...poor poor choice.

Mark Wahlberg, Best Actor The Fighter

Yeah Christian Bale pulls the Al Pacino scenery chewing card and is utterly brilliant. But Mark Wahlberg gives a quiet, internal performance. The performance is textured and it's a true change from Wahlberg. Too bad he lost his spot to Jeff Bridges, a performance that was funny but hammy.

Ryan Gosling, Best Actor Blue Valentine

Thank goodness Michelle Williams got nominated but it's completely ridiculous to ignore Gosling. He's a catalyst for Williams' performance. The role called for love, misery, humor, depression, weakness, strength. Though I haven't seen Biutiful and still want to, I hear Javier Bardem (who I love) is basically required to be miserable throughout the film and his role is far less complex than Gosling's. This and Nolan's snub are the biggest nomination injustices.

Jim Carrey, Best Actor I Love You Phillip Morris

This was barely even a possibility but it's horrible that Carrey got overlooked, again.

Andrew Garfield, Best Supporting Actor The Social Network

The Social Network had some strong male performances and it's a shame only Jesse Eisenberg got recognized. I wasn't totally shocked that Garfield got ignored and I think he has a lot more great performances in his future, but Mark Ruffalo over Garfield? Please. Any recognition for The Kids Are All Right is undeserved. The fact it got nominated for Best Picture is horrifying.

Mila Kunis, Best Supporting Actress Black Swan

Kunis gives a truly supporting performance. She supports and feeds Natalie Portman's performance. Her performance is generous and serves as a great contrast to Portman. This reminds me of James McAvoy in The Last King of Scotland or Christina Ricci in Monster, truly generous performances that help make the lead's performance that much better. And those supporting roles aren't recognized.

Barbara Hershey, Best Supporting Actress Black Swan

I don't know why there wasn't more of a push for her too. She balances the sympathetic and love with the overbearing and psycho. She also adds fuel to the fire that is Portman's performance. Plus, wouldn't it be cool to see two awful mothers square off at the awards (Hershey and Melissa Leo in The Fighter)? The Academy went with Jacki Weaver in Animal Kingdom as Psycho Mom nomination #2.

I am pleased John Hawkes got nominated for Winter's Bone. He's a fantastic character actor and it's great he got recognized.

You always hurt the ones you love.

2011-01-25T08:32:00.000-08:00

Blue Valentine

Gritty, realistic, painful, surprisingly funny at times. Blue Valentine is a tour de force of emotion starring two incredibly talented actors who improvised most of their lines. Blue Valentine will leave you feeling emotionally naked.

Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams are phenomenal. I've always had an insane amount of respect for both of them as performers but after Blue Valentine, my opinion of them has sky-rocketed upwards. Gosling brings a sweetness, protectiveness and romance in the beginning of the relationship that most girls would hope for. Williams plays the damage and exhaustion one never hopes to have. Each performance is natural.

Though there is a script, both Williams and Gosling did a lot of improvisation. That just makes the performances that much more natural and powerful. Those tears and lines are truly coming from within.

The genius of Blue Valentine is the way the story is told. The pacing is brilliant and the story is told in a nonlinear fashion. We see something bad in the present followed by something great in the past. A family tragedy followed by the characters first introduction. We are essentially seeing love being born and love dying. Though we are seeing this beautiful new love, we are seeing cracks in a foundation that will ultimately doom them. The climactic scene in the third act is so hard to watch, so painful. You can see the love draining out of Williams and you have to turn away. This is all too personal.

Most of Blue Valentine is hard to watch. It's incredibly gritty and raw. When Gosling and Williams go away to a hotel for a night, their sexual interaction is brutal. It's just so sad. One is trying so hard to save this relationship while the other is so clearly over it. This is a tragic romance to end all tragic romances. No melodrama, just truth.

Chris Lilley on Summer Heights High

By far the funniest show I've ever seen...ever. Chris Lilley plays three vastly different characters who all have delusions of grandeur: bad boy Jonah, drama teacher Mr. G, and vapid private school girl Ja'Mie. Each character is so wonderfully written and full realized, especially Jonah. And they are all absolutely hilarious and completely real. We each know someone like them. Lilley morphs into each character and plays so well with his costars. The man is a comedic genius.

Netflix
Animal Kingdom-Oscar buzz for Jacki Weaver.
The Rainmaker-Early Matt Damon.
Restrepo-Netflix Instant. Gritty and powerful war documentary.

2010

2011-01-15T11:42:00.000-08:00

It's taken me long enough but I've finally seen enough good 2010 films to make my Top 10 list. This year started off painfully slow and the summer blockbusters were mostly disappointing. But 2010 ended with a bang, with some powerful pieces bowing in December.

Honorable Mention #1: Winter's Bone

This Ozark-noir mystery is thrilling and scary. Some great performance, especially from veteran "that guy" John Hawkes and newcomer Jennifer Lawrence.

Honorable Mention #2: True Grit

Enjoyable and brought some serious laughs from Jeff Bridges and great performances by Matt Damon and newcomer Hailee Steinfeld. Good story about revenge and its costs. But overall, not what I expected. I blame whoever put together the phenomenal trailer.

10. Never Let Me Go

An over-looked and quiet sci-fi drama with the fantastic Carey Mulligan, talented newcomer Andrew Garfield, and an uglied up Keira Knightley. The film presents a serious ethical question with no clear answer.

9. Somewhere

Classic and beautiful Sofia Coppola film that's a wonderful mediation and character piece.

8. Toy Story 3

A great conclusion to the trilogy with the same spirit as the first. Plus Andy's monologue on youth, tear-inducing. I cried along with the rest of America.

7. The Fighter

Christian Bale gives one of the best performances of the year but Marky Mark deserves credit too. It's like the two took acting lessons from each other. An inspiring true story.

6. 127 Hours

Another inspiring true story plus James Franco proves that he's got talent. Stunning shots of Utah, amazing soundtrack, 127 Hours is enjoyable and presents a serious question: would you cut off your own arm to survive?

5. Blue Valentine

A non-linear and powerful narrative combined with mostly improvised dialogue. Devastating performances from Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling, who's actually hilarious and has great comedic timing. I was profoundly moved by this. Also, 2nd Best Trailer of the Year.

4. The King's Speech

Dare I repeat myself? Yet ANOTHER inspiring true story. A little explored condition coupled with World War II, friendship and the flawless Colin Firth? This film is a groomed Oscar winner. But it has heart, serious heart.

3. The Social Network

Anti-heroes and villains are the leads. There really are no good guys. An anti-Oscar film but we love it. A star-making performance from Jesse Eisenberg, stunning writing from Aaron Sorkin and intense direction from David Fincher. The pedigree behind the camera is mesmerizing. This film speaks for my generation. Plus The Social Network wins my Best Trailer of the Year award.

2. Inception

Christopher Nolan's latest mind-f*** got the year rolling...in July. 2010 looked to be the worst year ever until Inception came along. A truly original work with an attractive and talented cast.

1. Black Swan
No question, my favorite film of 2010. Natalie Portman is a tour-de-force. She's beautiful, terrifying, heartbreaking, I could go on and on. This movie is painful to watch, it's so sad watching this poor little girl fall apart before our very eyes. Black Swan is an all-encompassing movie experience and in my eyes, it pretty much achieves what it's heroine wanted: perfection.

Films in 2010 had great trailers, great performances and great stories. A lot of them elicited strong emotions and reactions from me and audience members. I look forward to how this films are rewarded and what 2011 has to offer.

Hi Dad.

2011-01-08T09:41:00.000-08:00

Somewhere

I had high expectations walking into Somewhere. This is Sofia Coppola's latest and I was pretty positive Somewhere would be more like Lost in Translation as opposed to Marie Antoinette. I ended up thoroughly enjoying Somewhere, but it was a far different film than I imagined it would be. Coppola's story of a pleasure-addicted Hollywood actor named Johnny Marco and his relationship with his young daughter Cleo is almost an anti-film, with little dialogue and a strong use of imagery to convey theme.

I was surprised at Coppola's choice of Stephen Dorff for the lead. All I knew of Dorff was that he was in a Britney Spears music video and a movie called Alone in the Dark with Christian Slater and Tara Reid. Enough said. But I was floored by his performance in Somewhere. He worked with very little dialogue and relied on his face and interactions with Elle Fanning, who plays his young daughter. Sometimes with quiet performances with little words, we can tell that the actor wants to to talk but the script won't allow them to or you can tell they are thinking about other things. Not the case with Dorff. We can see his character thinking about a million things during those periods of silence: his intent and long gazes at his daughter signal him questioning whether he's a good father or when he can drop her off to get to his latest girlfriend's house. His slight but playful smiles show how much he loves his daughter and how proud of he is of the person she's becoming, despite his absence. Particularly towards the end his silence and gaze speak louder than words can.

Fanning and Dorff work well together and I really wonder what kind of bonding or character work they did to prepare for their roles. They portray a strong but rarely experienced bond as their time together is rare. There are even several scenes where they dress in similar colors. These two are definitely father and daughter.

Somewhere is filled to the brim with imagery to convey the film's themes. We open with what seems like a too long sequence of Dorff's character racing his car in circles, showing the monotony of his life. Images and copied scenes signal the repetition of Marco's days. When Marco's getting his make-up test for a role, the camera lingers on his plastered face, which formed a subtle frown. We are looking at Marco from the inside. He's blank and sad. The turning point is blunt and brilliant. The end's imagery is powerful and hopeful, a story itself.

Somewhere has Sofia Coppola written all over it. The images and people are fair and beautiful. There's a strong sense of mood. The film is accompanied by an excellent soundtrack and Coppola uses it strategically. There's one song that plays continuously throughout the film, but we only hear the beginning. It's not until Marco has made a transformation, he's finally going somewhere, that we get to hear the Phoenix song in it's entirety.

Somewhere is not for everyone. It takes a while to get going and with little dialogue, this film isn't for a non-patient viewer. The narrative is unconventional. But if one has the patience to watch and appreciate Somewhere for what it is and what it is saying, you will thoroughly enjoy it.

Will Smith in I Am Legend

It takes talent and charisma to carry a film. It takes ten times that to be the only person in a film for most of its running time. Will Smith just has this immense appeal and while he isn't the most talented actor working, he can carry a film. One doesn't get bored watching him or get sick of him talking to himself. He works well with his costar, a German Shepard. He shows a good range in I Am Legend and he's at his best during the film's most tense moments.

Netflix

Midnight Cowboy-Classic Dustin.
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps-Carey Mulligan. I'll see it.
Wristcutters: A Love Story-Netflix Instant. Have the soundtrack, haven't seen the movie.

I have a voice!

2011-01-02T21:19:00.001-08:00

The King's Speech

The story of King George the VI aka Bertie and Lionel Logue, the man who helped him overcome his emotionally and physically painful stammer, The King's Speech is an inspiring story of bravery and friendship and will carry Colin Firth to Oscar gold.

The King's Speech is the Colin Firth show. This movie is built around him and he rules it like a king. His stammer/stutter seems accurate and well researched. He's gentle and intimidating, fragile yet tough as nails. A battle rages inside him, a battle of pain, embarrassment/self-loathing and silent bravery and growing hope. This battle all plays out in his face, particularly his eyes and mouth. His perseverance and performance moved me to tears. One of the best male performances of the year.

Firth and Geoffrey Rush have excellent chemistry, whether they are fighting or supporting each other. It's quite magical to watch their friendship develop. Rush provides much needed laughs and uses the fantastic comedic timing we saw in Shakespeare in Love. Helena Bonham-Carter was also quite good in her supporting role but the role was written to be supporting and not outshine Firth and Rush. She did the best with what she was given.

The techniques director Tom Hooper uses to show Bertie's pain and embarrassment are quite masterful. The echoing microphone repeats Bertie's stammer, almost mocking him. His not overbearing use of Bertie's awful family really reinforces the tough childhood Bertie had; we see them enough to realize they are awful and they leave on impression, like they are always in the back of our mind, like Bertie. The end is inspiring and left some audience members clapping in my theater. Hooper doesn't rush Bertie's speech, he lets him take his time, just as Logue would've instructed.

The King's Speech definitely goes through the Oscar checklist: inspiring story about a man overcoming an obstacle, World War II, true story, life-changing relationship and so on. But The King's Speech has heart, something many Oscar checklist film forget to include. Rush's dedication and Firth's power combine to make the audience feel, unlike Benjamin Button which was just an interesting film to look at with an interesting story.

I really enjoyed The King's Speech, I think it did a great job of telling a compelling story and highlighting a misunderstood condition. Do I think it should win Best Picture? Probably not. Will I be mad if it does? Definitely not.

Hailee Steinfeld in True Grit

This girl is the next Dakota Fanning! She's super talented and she's such a little adult. Anyone who can go toe-to-toe with Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon and Josh Brolin and act as well as them is one heck of a talent. The Coen Brothers have written some memorable, strong, and incredibly feminist characters, and Hailee Steinfeld as Mattie Ross brings her to life. This girl has a bright future ahead of her.

Netflix

Confessions of a Dangerous Mind-I frequently hear this was good.
The Other Guys-Heard this was either hilarious or atrocious.
The Red Shoes-Netflix Instant. Perhaps an inspiration for Black Swan?

You're Mickey Ward.

2010-12-25T10:08:00.000-08:00

The Fighter

A crowning achievement for Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale, The Fighter is the inspiring true story of boxer Mickey Ward and his back and forth relationship with his brother, fighter turned addict, Dickie Eklund.

The Fighter is a fantastic showcase for its actors, most notably Christian Bale. He chews the scenery and demands attention, much like his character. His performances are usually quieter and more reserved. Even as Batman he has a quiet control about him. But as crack addict Dickie Eklund, Bale lets everything hang out from the inside and outside. While he's causing trouble for his family or going through withdrawal, we can even see Dickie behind Bale's eyes. He always looks hungry, for a comeback or crack. There's an insanity behind those eyes that disappears when Dickie gets clean. You can see to the depths of Dickie's soul in Bale's eyes. He will get nominated for his first Oscar and he will win. This is one of the male performances of the year.

While Bale demands to be the center of attention as Dickie, Wahlberg stands quietly by. Though Bale gives the movie's top performance, Wahlberg is not to be missed and this is a milestone for him as an actor. Wahlberg is usually chewing the scenery and doing the most he can with the words. But in The Fighter, Wahlberg is much more reserved and quiet, really showcasing his talent. He tells the story with his face, whether he's looking at you with intensity or looking down in shame. It was great to see a bit of a role reversal for both Wahlberg and Bale. The two play well together and form a believable older brother-younger brother bond.

Amy Adams and Melissa Leo are excellent in their supporting but pivotal roles. Leo is infuriating as Eklund and Ward's mother. Her tunnel-vision and blindness are despicable. Adams is equally strong and Ward's love interest. She isn't afraid to throw punches and stand up for her man and herself, even if she's punching Ward's family.

The fight scenes are well shot and the true story is very compelling. It's an impossible situation Ward is in; one wants to trust their family, but something family can be toxic. But in the end, he needs both. The film is a little too drawn out but is an excellent portrayal of unique family dynamics. The Fighter is not to be missed, definitely one of 2010's best.

Ian Somerhalder in The Vampire Diaries

As the sassy, guarded, wounded and foxy Damon, Somerhalder is the best part about The Vampire Diaries. His combination of snark and sexy are a welcome addition to TV. He delivers excellent one-liners, moves audiences during dramatic moments, and is simultaneously sympathetic and despicable. Somerhalder has certainly grown since the Boone days. If The Vampire Diaries were on any other network, Somderhalder would score himself an Emmy nomination.

Netflix

Igby Goes Down-Have the soundtrack, but never seen the movie.
Despicable Me-Missed this in theaters.
Exit Through the Gift Shop-Netflix Instant. Not totally sure what it's about, but this Banksy character is intriguing.

Help me.

2010-12-11T08:32:00.000-08:00

127 Hours

A crowning achievement for James Franco, 127 Hours is Danny Boyle's latest and the true story of climber Aron Ralston and the harrowing days he spent trapped under a boulder.

Danny Boyle is great at telling extraordinary stories about extraordinary and sometimes flawed men. Like Almodovar is a great director of women, Boyle is a great director of men. He understands his characters pros and cons, ticks and nuances. He's great at drawing out the best and worst in his men by placing them in heart-pumping situations. He places his camera in the face of his characters, giving the audience an extreme closeup of their face and inner most thoughts. Furthermore, Boyle's always been great at showing his man in action, whether they are running from the rage-filled undead or scurrying through the claustrophobic streets of Bombay. Boyle's films are distinct and 127 Hours is a fitting addition to Boyle's resume.

127 Hours is the James Franco show. Despite other supporting characters, Franco owns the movie. This is one of the most authentic male performances I've seen in a while and Franco seems to become Ralston. Franco accurately shows experiences of reflection, catharsis, and honesty as well as all the stages of grief. We see denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance sweep across Franco's face; it's really beautiful. He's very real and really makes the audience question themselves: what would you do if you were in a situation like this? Franco really shows his chops and it's a high point for his career. I've always liked Franco (despite how weird he seems) and he's elevated himself to a whole new level with 127 Hours. He connects with his character and his audience. An Oscar nomination is definitely in his future.

Boyle reunites with composer A.R. Rahman for the 127 Hours. While I do miss John Murphy's work, Rahman creates an imaginative and heart-pumping score. The music matches the scenes. Moreover, the film's original song, the appropriately titled "If I Rise," is haunting. Sung by Dido, the song should definitely get a nomination. Actually, this year's best original score race should be a tough one to call, what with previous winner A.R. Rahman, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross's electronic and hypnotizing score for The Social Network and Clint Mansell's classical and scary music for Black Swan.

I was nervous about all the film's potential downtime. I wondered how they would handle all the time Ralston spent trapped under that boulder. But there was never a dull moment in 127 Hours. While Ralston and the audience are worrying over the dwindling amount of water or how to break free, Ralston reflects on his life, imagines and relives experiences and conversations, dreams of liberation, and has a premonition that ultimately gives him something to live for. The screenwriters and Franco even manage to throw in a little comedy with a Ralston one-man talk show.

Boyle creates a whole film experience with 127 Hours. The exhausting climbing and biking sequences, the sweeping shots of the stunning Utah landscape, the heart-racing final act and James Franco's exceptional performance make 127 Hours one of the best films of 2010.

Anne Hathaway in Love and Other Drugs

Let's just make this an Oscar Host 2010 post. Hathaway really gives a strong performance in this cheesy romance/minor crap fest. Like James Franco in 127 Hours, she too has the five stages of grief fill her facial movements and physicality, but she includes a little bitterness and a huge dose of bitch. She definitely made this disappointment watchable.

Netflix

Running with Scissors-Always wanted to see this.
Secretary-Maggie Gyllenhaal is supposed to be great.
Laguna Beach Season 1-Netflix Instant. I need something for background noise.

The only person standing in your way is you.

2010-12-03T20:15:00.001-08:00

Black Swan

Black Swan was number one on my list of winter movies and right now it sits at number one on my list of best movies of the year. Darren Aronofsky's masterpiece is a psychological thriller with brilliant performances, intriguing themes, and rich visuals. I was emotionally and physically moved by Black Swan and I believe the film will stay with me for a very long time.

To get started, I'll state the obvious: Natalie Portman was spellbinding and produced a genius performance. This really is the performance of the year. Portman disappeared into Nina. She was vulnerable, naive, and childish; I've never seen Portman this way before. With many of her other roles, she has a strength and confidence. Nina completely lacked both. Portman's fragile frame matched Nina's psyche. Portman completely disappeared into this role; she let go and just fell into the role. I can't imagine any other actress playing Nina.

On top of the revolutionary performance, Portman mastered ballet. She trained for a year and it shows. In many films where an actor must master a skill, the camera rarely shows the actor's face and body in the same shot to better hide a double. But Portman's face and body are seen together throughout the whole movie. She looked as if she'd been doing ballet her entire life. If Natalie Portman doesn't win the Oscar for Black Swan, I'll completely lose what faith I had left in the Academy. Sorry Annette Benning, but your performance in that awful movie can't even touch Portman.

Mila Kunis is exceptional as Lily, a rival dancer. She's very natural in the role and can definitely do more than just comedy. She pushed herself out of her niche and made the role her own. Barbara Hershey also did an outstanding job as Nina's mother. She was equally horrifying and sympathetic. While Vincent Cassel did a great job as the ballet director and provided an excellent motivation for Nina, Black Swan belongs to the ladies.

The visuals and editing rival Portman in strength. The continuous use of black and white emphasize the battle of good and evil that can rage inside a person. The costumes are beautiful and the sets are breath taking. Black Swan is brilliantly shot to look like Nina is being stalked. The visual effects are the stuff of nightmares; this film is scary. Clint Mansell's haunting score moves the film along and adds to the intensity of every scene.

The script brilliantly interweaves Nina's story with the story of Swan Lake; they fold into each other perfectly. The script also moves Nina's character development along well, giving us time with each change. Everything is revealed at the right time. Her transformation left me speechless and my body lifeless. The last act is some of the most riveting, tense, and visually striking minutes I've ever experienced in a film.

The script and story pair well with Aronofsky's previous film, The Wrestler. Both are about a physically demanding and under appreciated art, and the lengths one goes to to be an artist, to achieve perfection, and the costs. Both films are shot similarly for different reasons and both endings pack a powerful punch. But Black Swan is much riskier than The Wrestler. Aronofsky laid the ground work with The Wrestler and raised the stakes with Black Swan.

Black Swan is one of the scariest, engaging, and best films I've ever seen. It's a masterpiece.

Judi Dench in Notes on a Scandal

Definitely one of Judi Dench's most memorable performances and one of my favorites. She could've taken this performance in two directions and she chose an effective path of subtly, slight humor, and bitterness that all flow into her obsessive behavior. She comes across as sympathetic but behind that curtain she's sucking the life out of you. Cate Blanchett describes Dench's character as a vampire and that's exactly what she is. Dench sinks her fangs into this role in a way only Judi Dench can.

Netflix

Inception-Love it. Love it. Must see again. Love it.
Wild Child-Some cute Emma Roberts comedy along the lines of a Mary-Kate and Ashley movie. I'll get this when I need a break from the heavy stuff.
Skins Vol 3-Netflix Instant. I'll try it again.

Welcome to Wonderland.

2010-12-01T18:12:00.001-08:00

Burlesque

Burlesque is a fun distraction that manages to be enjoyable despite an awful screenplay.

Christina Aguilera gives an acceptable debut performance. The role doesn't call for much, but she's believable as a small-town girl with a big voice. Her performance was certainly better than Britney's debut in Crossroads. She has great chemistry with the film's more seasoned actors, including forever diva Cher. The two powerhouses play off each other well. It's great to see two generations of divas working together and seeing a torch passed.

Stanley Tucci is magic as usual. Cam Gigandet is sooo nice to watch...because he's foxy. Alan Cumming is great but totally underutilized. Finally, it's great to see Kristen Bell play someone other than a cute, nice blonde. She's a great dancer but I wish we could've heard her vocal talents. But this isn't a normal musical and clearly it's all about Cher and Christina.

The film isn't really a musical; characters mostly sing when they are supposed to, not because the moment feels right. But that doesn't stop the musical numbers from being pretty awesome. Catchy original and timeless songs sung by The Voice, Christina Aguilera. And Cher's still got it.

The script is just a dis-ast-uh. Cliche and cheese combine and produce the mess of the Burlesque script. I don't think Steve Antin has much writing experience and it certainly shows. And he used way too many establishing shots. Don't worry Steve, I haven't forgotten for the tenth time that we're at the Burlesque Lounge.

Burlesque really reminded me how great it is to be a girl sometimes. We get to wear stunning outfits adorned in pearls, feathers and a whole lot of sparkle. We get to paint beautiful canvases with lipstick, eyeliner and eye shadows and create works of art. Though dancing in little outfits in front of men isn't for everyone, it can be very empowering for some women, and the women in Burlesque were certainly powerful.

If you need to turn your brain of for about an hour and a half, look at pretty colors, watch dance moves you'll never be able to do and hear vocals you'll never be able to mimic BUT leave feeling satisfied, then see Burlesque.

Jeremy Renner in The Town

For the most part, I liked The Town but Renner made it a memorable film. He plays an incredibly unpredictable character with a fire in his eyes that scared me. He left behind a path of destruction and was like a lit firework in each scene. His accent was sometimes hard to understand but I'll take that as his dedication to the role. Another excellent performance from an immensely talented man.

Netflix

Going the Distance-I love Justin and Drew. This looked cute.
Enter the Void-Supposed to be super intense but David and Anne loved it.
Battlestar Galactica-Netflix Instant. Supposed to be sooo good. An upcoming TV project.

I wanna talk about how bad you make this room look.

2010-11-19T12:30:00.001-08:00

Crazy Heart

Crazy Heart is a fairly predictable drama about an alcoholic country singer that won Jeff Bridges his Oscar.

I'd been wanting to see Crazy Heart for a while, but not because it looked interesting. I needed to see if Jeff Bridges beat Colin Firth because the performance was better or it was just "Jeff Bridges' turn." Jeff Bridges really is great. He inhabits Bad Blake and gives an honest and raw performance. Bridges pushes himself to the edge and the edge isn't pretty. He's the heart of the movie and he's a great musician. A fantastic performance, he carries the movie and few actors could've played this role. Bridges' also had great chemistry with Colin Farrell, his former protege. Farrell sings a mean country song and sounds 100% Southern. Kudos to his dialect or accent coach.

I maintain my stance that Colin Firth was better and Bridges' Oscar was an I.O.U. Bridges kicked ass but Firth's role required a deeper and higher level of emotional intensity and conflict than Bridges' in my opinion. I'm not as peeved that Bridges beat Firth after watching Crazy Heart, but I still would've rather heard Colin Firth's acceptance speech than Bridges'.

The story was fairly predictable and a lot like a country song. Guy is broken and needs to be saved by music and a fine woman. The love story turned me off. Seeing an overweight, alcoholic, dirty man rub his hands all over Maggie Gyllenhaal just didn't do it for me. Furthermore, this love story would never happen if the roles were reversed. Would an attractive man fall for an aged, slightly overweight and female character? Probably not. That's why I find the romances in Crazy Heart and The Wrestler, for example, a bit preposterous.

The soundtrack is phenomenal. This is real, bleeding heart country music. No Taylor Swift pop-country riff-raff. If you like country music, pick up this soundtrack. Even if you don't like country music, this is a must own film soundtrack.

Overall, the film is a strong B. Great performances but the story was too predictable for my taste.

Rupert Friend in The Young Victoria
While Emily Blunt is great in the titular role, Rupert Friend as Albert stole the film for me. His performance is very reserved and chivalrous, sweet and strong. I fell in love with him right along with Victoria. His eyes speak more than his words ever could and he's a strong, male feminist character. Albert seems like a role that anyone could've played but Friend made it his own. I really hope we get to see him in more.

Netflix

Easy A-I enjoy Emma Stone and this was supposed to be better than it looked.
Eclipse-I know. For shame.
Les Miserables-Netflix Instant. Love the pairing of Liam Neeson and Geoffrey Rush.

There's a moment, there's always a moment.

2010-11-08T21:07:00.000-08:00

Closer

One of my all-time favorites, this gritty drama is a brutally honest look at relationships and the hurt people cause each other. The film is filled with vulnerability, strength, brilliantly shot scenes and fantastic performances.

Jude Law is so unlikable as Dan, a man who's slimy but think he's a romantic. I think it takes serious acting skill to play an unlikable character. While he doesn't turn in the film's strongest performance, he does an exceptional job. And his chemistry with Natalie Portman is amazing.

What his character represents is what's best about him. I'm in an evolutionary psychology/communication class and we talk about cheating, what drives humans, and so forth. In lectures on relationships, we've learned that everyone cheats; it's in our nature to not be monogamous because we need to mate with the best genes to produce better offspring, etc. However, when it comes to cheating, men especially want to cheat but do not want their female partners to cheat. There's some kind of intrasexual competition between men to sleep with as many women as possible while holding onto their mate. Dan is this theory. He's driven mad imagining a woman he's with sleeping with another man; it leads to the downfall of his relationships in the film. It's always cool to see things you learn in school in real life.

I really respect Julia Roberts for going outside her box. She's never been my favorite of actresses because she plays the same role a lot. But she's different as Anna. She's a liar and depressed, not cutesy and lovable. Good role choice. Next step, play a serial killer, eyyy Julia?

Clive Owen is phenomenal as Larry the "caveman," a man with an unquenchable sexual thirst but deeper complexities. In the original play, Owen played Dan which I cannot imagine at all. Owen's got a kind of Cro-Magnon look to him. He plays his character clever and though he's sleazy, he's far more appealing than Dan.

Despite the other stellar performances, all roads lead to Natalie Portman. She's so gifted. Her character is manipulative and sweet, she traps men in her web of intrigue. The lyrics in the opening and closing song by Damien Rice, "I can't take my eyes off of you," totally applies to Portman's character. People see her and fall in love, she's a "vision." This was a really adult role for Portman. We always knew she was talented but she stepped her game with Closer. This has definitely groomed her for what looks like an even more adult and intense role in the my most anticipated Christmas time film, Black Swan. I love her in this role.

Patrick Marber wrote a very intimate screenplay. The dialogue is in your face but seems very private. I shouldn't be listening to these conversations, I'm a peeping tom for watching this scene. The meat of the film is in the dialogue; there's not one sex scene in the whole film.

Coupled with the intimate screenplay is the way Mike Nichols shot the film. Many of the scenes are filmed as if you're a bystander at a variety of distances. You could be sitting a the table in the restaurant watching and listening to Anna and Larry's conversation or you could be standing at the top of a staircase watching Anna and Dan greet each other. I kind of feel like I have to take a shower after watching Closer; I feel dirty invading these people's space.

Mike Nichols shot some really great scenes in Closer. The juxtaposition of the opening and closing scene with the Damien Rice song playing is just brilliant. Furthermore, the use of fish is interesting. Fish pop up in several scenes in the film, which made me think of the saying "There's other fish in the sea." Going along with the repeated Damien Rice lyric, "I can't take my eyes off of you," and the last lyric in the song, "'Til I find somebody else," the idea of there being other fish in the sea makes sense. You can love someone until the end of time, having eyes only for them until you meet someone new and the feelings start all over again, just with a different fish.

Closer is truly incredible but it can be scary. Do not see this if with a person you are having a relationship with. If the relationship is good, you'll look for cracks. If the relationship is bad, you will break up.

Jason Bateman on Arrested Development

Every actor on Arrested Development is a genius. That show is so well cast. But to balance out all those insane personalities in the Bluth family, you need a straight man. And Bateman is the perfect straight man. He created a dedicated and understated character in Michael Bluth who was full of love but grew flustered with his ridiculous family. It takes a really strong actor to hold their own with all those extroverts and still be funny. Please let Hollywood make that Arrested Development movie, I wasn't ready for the Bluth's story to end.

Netflix

Toy Story 3-Dislike the 2nd one but this has gotten such great reviews.
A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)-Supposed to be bad but I love Jackie Earle Haley.
The Girl Who Played with Fire-Netflix Instant. I won't see this for a long time. Still haven't finished the first book in the series or seen that movie. Winter break project?

Halloween is the one night a year when girls can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it.

2010-10-26T21:07:00.000-07:00

Mean Girls

A comedy staple! My generation's Clueless! Mean Girls is a slightly exaggerated, though mostly spot on account of high school and all the gossip and social climbing students encounter through that four year minefield of high school.

What an amazing performance from Lindsay Lohan. This role firmly established her as a talented young actress and I'm sure opened up a world of professional opportunities. But we all know what happened, and it's a shame. She really is talented. She's believable as the likable and naive girl next door from Africa and the "regulation hottie" who has been influenced by the Plastics, the cool/mean girl clique at her high school. With more of the right roles, Lohan could've (and maybe still could) had a bright career. Her comedy skills are definitely on point.

Mean Girls gives me reason number 537873 to love Rachel McAdams. The girl is amazing, talented, flawless and so on. She shines as the glamorous mean girl Regina George. She has a knack for comedy. Even though Regina George is so awful, I can't help but like her because Rachel McAdams is just so good. Rachel McAdams can do anything.

The rest of the cast are as exceptional as the leads. Lacey Chabert gains audience sympathy as the desperate Gretchen Wieners, whose hair is full of secrets. Great debut from Amanda Seyfried, an actress who's creating a great career for herself. Her dead pan humor brings the laughs. Amy Poehler is a goddess and is not used enough. Her spot on portrayal as a (wannabe) "cool mom" is kind of horrifying but simultaneously hilarious. Finally, we have the current queen bee of comedy, Tina Fey. I just have no words. Fey is practically perfect in every way.

Tina Fey's script is genius. There are so many great lines that my friends and I recite to this day; my roommate is always looking for an excuse to say, "You can go shave your back now," while I take pleasure in saying "And none for (insert name), BYE!" And I don't know any girl who doesn't laugh at "I can't go to Taco Bell, I'm on an all carb diet. God Karen, you're so stupid!" Rachel McAdams says stupid in a very weird way and that makes the joke funnier. Even after viewing this classic countless times, the jokes are still hilarious.

Not only do the jokes continue to be funny, but the depiction of high school always amazes me. Mean Girls IS high school, exaggerated of course. The overt and subtle bullying, the ridiculousness of people's behavior, the desire to find yourself and fit in along the way...all true. There's a darkness to high school that Tina Fey shows but accompanies with comedy, but we get the point. This movie spoke to my generation. It might not define it, but Mean Girls definitely rings true.

The serious line that always stuck with me is at the end, after all the chaos with the Burn Book and the "girls going wild." In a voiceover, the Lindsay Lohan character says, "Calling somebody else fat won't make you any skinnier. Calling someone stupid doesn't make you any smarter. And ruining Regina George's life definitely didn't make me any happier. All you can do in life is try to solve the problem in front of you." Why do we call each other fat then? Does it really make us feel better about our weight? There's this competition between girls that is just alarming. We put each other down to feel better about ourselves but the feeling goes away. We have to be better and we can only be better by making other people lower. This competition is at its worse in high school, but it doesn't always end there. One just needs to be comfortable with oneself, not comparing them self to others or putting others down, and just solve the problem in front of you.

Mean Girls joins Clueless and Heathers as some of the finest comedy and teen cinema. They help the genre get taken seriously. Mean Girls is intelligent, funny, and eye-opening.

Claire Danes in Temple Grandin
I've never been a Claire Danes fan. I've ripped her apart when I've had the chance. But she is in fine form in Temple Grandin. Playing a real person is a challenge, but a real person with autism, that a whole other level of challenging. Claire Danes truly shows her acting chops in this HBO original movie. Throughout most of the movie I forgot I was watching Claire Danes. If you see any interviews or footage of the real Temple Grandin, you see how amazing Danes' performance is. She needs to turn out more work like this.

Netflix

Winter's Bone-Jennifer Lawrence is getting Oscar buzz.
Robin Hood-Missed this in theaters.
Some Kind of Wonderful-Netflix Instant. A John Hughes film not mentioned as much as his Molly Ringwald projects.

Times change, we need to change as well.

2010-10-18T06:32:00.000-07:00

Invictus

I had wanted to see Clint Eastwood's inspirational sports movie starring God and Will Hunting last December when it came out but it was one of the couple that I missed. After seeing Invictus last weekend, I'm glad I saw it on DVD and skipped paying $11.00

Morgan Freeman is absolutely amazing as Mandela. It's the role he was born to play. Not only do the two resemble each other, but Freeman completely embodies the South African leader. We are so used to seeing Morgan Freeman play a wise man and say, "Ah, that's Morgan Freeman doing his Morgan Freeman thing, he's great." But there were times I forgot I was watching Morgan Freeman. He takes his typical wise man role to the next level. He's magical, authoritative, and engrossing. I've always found Nelson Mandela fascinating and seeing one of America's most beloved actors portray one of the world's most beloved people adds an extra emotional layer to the role. One negative, Freeman's accent faded in and out a few times, but that's easily forgivable. Definitely one of Freeman's best performances.

Matt Damon does the best with what he's given but so much of the writing and focus is on Freeman. They are both leaders leading broken people and while Matt Damon does portray his character's motivation clearly, his character's writing isn't as strong as Freeman's and doesn't really go anywhere with the role. Damon maintained a solid accent though.

Beyond the performances, the film has its highs and lows. Apparently, pretty much everything Invictus showed really happened, so good for Eastwood for trying to be authentic. The voice over of the poem that inspired Mandela, Invictus, is a great way to pull heart strings. The film is predictable as are most inspirational sports movies but enjoyable as are most inspirational sports movies.

There were some fairly awkward moments scattered throughout Invictus. There's an incredibly cheesy and distractingly out of place song, an awkward dance sequence, and unnecessary slow motion. While I like slow motion, there's just too much of it and when slow motion is overdone, it's distracting and annoying. On top of the slow motion is slowed down grunting noises from the rugby players...lots of them and for a long time. Yeah. Too much slow motion isn't leaving me tense and on the edge of my seat.

Furthermore, there's a lot of CGI in the climactic rugby game...and one can easily tell it's CGI. Clint Eastwood is a powerful, rich, and respected director. You think he could've done a better job of making the CGI look real.

This movie does remind us of the power of sports. Besides all the race relations and tensions (perfectly depicted between the white and black security guards), sports have a powerful way of uniting people and nations. Everyone backing their nation's team creates a sense of comradery and brother/sisterhood, even just for a little while. People who might not normally get along gather around radios and televisions (as shown in the movie) with something in common. Even more powerful is that that comradery can last after the team wins, as show in the movie. Beyond all BS regarding insane salaries, team/manager politics, steroids, betting, and so on, sports are a wonderful display of athletic prowess and are more important and have more potential than we give them credit for.

Definitely glad I saw Invictus, definitely better than some of Clint Eastwood's more recent work, definitely glad I didn't spend money on it.

Carey Mulligan in Never Let Me Go

This sad, ethical question raising film is filled with strong performances but they were lead by the outstanding Carey Mulligan. She again shows a wisdom beyond her years and handles heavy and complex emotional material with subtlety and restraint when one's instinct might be to scream and breakdown, much like Andrew Garfield's character (who was also incredible, he's one to watch). It's really exciting to watch Carey Mulligan get started in her roles, I feel like I'm watching the early growth and development of the next Kate Winslet or Meryl Streep. Mulligan is not only one the most talent young actresses currently working, she's better than a lot of the working actresses out there right now. I cannot wait to see what roles she takes on. She's a gift to the film industry.

Netflix

Leaves of Grass-An Edward Norton comedy where he plays twin brothers. Cool.
Boogie Nights-I love Mark Wahlburg and this was his big break. Plus it was one of Paul Thomas Anderson's first films.
The Breakfast Club-Netflix Instant. Freaking love this movie. And I still think it would make a great play.

The internet's written in ink.

2010-10-08T23:18:00.000-07:00

The Social Network

After the stunning trailer, I had very high expectations for The Social Network, David Fincher's film about the founding of Facebook. The film met and far exceeded my expectations, creating a compelling story and fascinating characters.

Jesse Eisenberg is a revelation as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. Ever since I saw him in The Squid and The Whale, I didn't like him. His character was a damaged asshole and I could not separate Eisenberg from the character in The Squid and The Whale. But seeing him play a different damaged asshole in The Social Network, suddenly something clicked; this guy is unbelievable! He's not the neurotic guy we've seen in the past; he's a driven, calculating, determined genius driving an unstoppable train towards fame and fortune. He's an ass and he's the antagonist, but Eisenberg makes him incredibly human. As strongly evidenced in the beginning, the end, and at various points throughout the film, Zuckerberg has human motives for the things he does and one feels sorry for him. That's totally a credit to Eisenberg, making the audience feel bad for the bad guy.

The supporting actors all held their own against the acting powerhouse of Jesse Eisenberg. Andrew Garfield wonderfully plays the "protagonist" character. He's really burst onto the scene this year and he's got a long career ahead of him. Very, very talented. Armie Hammer took on the daunting task of playing twin brothers who were very different but were totally dependent on one another. He made them individuals through his performances. Max Minghella provided some necessary comic relief.

The big question on audience's mind is how will Justin Timberlake do? I'm pleased to say he was very, very good. There were times when I forgot he was Justin Timberlake. He worked very hard to disappear into the role. He does not deserve an Oscar nomination for this performance but I applaud him for taking on a serious and pivotal role. If he keeps going in this direction and picking movies like The Social Network, he'll have a successful acting career.

For a movie about the founding of a website, writer Aaron Sorkin sure found a way to make it all interesting. The dialogue is witty but not unbelievable. The film is an excellent presentation of greed, ambition, and friendship and how those three rarely combine and end well. It was fascinating to watch Zuckerberg come up with the elements of Facebook users have been used to from the beginning, like the relationship status and "the wall." Furthermore, watching a character freak out about a relationship status on Facebook accurately portrays the internal and sometimes external freak outs Facebook users go through. A great way to laugh at oneself.

However, it's really important as an audience member to do your research before or immediately after you see The Social Network. This is not a 100% true story. This is fictionalized account and it's based on a book from Eduardo Saverin's perspective, the guy who gets screwed. It's very bias. If one can do the research, separate the fact from the fiction and look at the film as mostly fiction, it will be very enjoyable. Dislike the "character" of Mark Zuckerberg, not the real Mark Zuckerberg.

Furthermore, Trent Reznor's score was hypnotic. The best parts of Nine Inch Nails and then some. I definitely see an Oscar nomination in his future.

In a year of a lot of movie disappointments, The Social Network is a breath of fresh air and definitely one of my favorites of 2010. A must-see, but take everything with a grain of salt.

Kristen Bell in Veronica Mars

I've been on a TV kick in this section lately. I love Kristen Bell and my love began with Veronica Mars. Bell was witty, intelligent, and lovable as the young sleuth. It's a shame that her film roles haven't been as complex or shown off her talent the way Veronica Mars did, because this show proves she can act. She created a fabulous female role model in Veronica, a strong and smart young women with human imperfections. I'll love KBell forever for this role.

Netflix
Babies-Great trailer!
Notes on a Scandal-Want to see again.
Damages-Netflix Instant. I hear good things.

Don't look this bitch in the eye.

2010-09-26T10:24:00.001-07:00

Clash of the Titans

I totally understand why Hollywood felt the need to remake Clash of the Titans. It's an epic story which could benefit from updated special effects. But the remake is just...crap. Crap, crap, crap.

One problem I had is with Sam Worthington as Perseus. Yes he's foxy, comparable to a young Harry Hamlin. But the hair. Why would his hair be buzzed? All the other Greek characters have long, gorgeous, thick and braided hair. I get that they are trying to make Perseus stand out from all the other characters (he's the hero and a demi-god after all) but the hair is a huge problem. It doesn't make sense with the time period and Worthington is much more attractive with long hair. The proof is in Avatar.

Furthermore, Worthington's acting leaves lots to be desired. He's a very grunty hero, doesn't connect too much with the audience. At least Hamlin was slightly broody and put some emotion into the role. Worthington just pouts a bit, mostly grunts, and runs around. Even his growing love story with Io, the replacement for Bubo the owl, seemed forced and unnatural on his part. I know my opinion matters so much to Sam Worthington, but he really needs to prove himself to me. Action stars can make decent actors (hello Bruce Willis). I read reviews of Last Night, Worthington's upcoming relationship drama and critics weren't fawning over his performance.

The special effects were lackluster is my eyes. The scorpians are big and intimidating, but they look so fake. In the original, they looked much more real. Caron is all special effects; he looks like a cross between a tree and a skeleton. Big deal. Being a cloaked ferryman is far more intimidating, like in the original. We get few glimpses of him and all we see is creepy, lifelike bone. In Caron's case, less is more. And Medusa. She looks far more like a woman in the remake, which adds a humanistic touch but the audience doesn't need that with Medusa. She's a means to an end. Making her all reptile-esque like the original brought the scares better in my opinion. The one special effects improvement I saw was the Kraken. Much more intimidating with all the CGI. Those teeth, so sharp, so scary!

The story and writing was a bit of a disappointment in my eyes. Perseus and Pegasus meet for about five seconds and then the work together; no relationship development. Andromeda, totally useless. Yeah, she's a sacrifice and all, but no love story between her and Perseus. And I would've liked a little more focus on the other Gods.

I did enjoy seeing some fine actors making use of bad material. Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes had good chemistry and Zeus and Hades. And I did like the inclusion of Hades in this remake. Mads Mikkelson did fine as Draco, a mentor and fellow warrior to Perseus. Finally, it's nice to see Hans Matheson getting work in a big project, even if his character did get turned into stone by Medusa.

Maybe it's because I grew up loving the original and nothing will ever replace it in my heart. But this remake was a serious disappointment.

Michael C. Hall as Dexter

Dexter returns tonight! I'm so excited, I love this show. I don't love it just for the compelling story of a serial killer but for Michael C. Hall's performance in the titular role. He can play any emotion he's given and any situation he's in. He completely inhabits the role from the outside and in, as evident through Hall's excellent voice over work. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the day he wins his Emmy.

Netflix

Me and Orson Wells-I have faith that Zac Efron is more than a pretty face.
A Single Man-A must see for a second time.
The Thin Red Line-Netflix Instant. Can't go wrong with Terrence Malik.

Once you have signed up to terror, your mind closes right down. It becomes only our story that matters, not their story.

2010-09-20T09:30:00.001-07:00

Five Minutes of Heaven

A powerful and thrilling meditation on revenge and redemption, Five Minutes of Heaven tells the story of Alistair Little, a former UVF member who killed Joe Griffen's brother. Twenty-five years later, the media arrange a reunion between the two changed men.

Five Minutes of Heaven looks at the difficulty of forgiveness and letting go, and how hate and regret can come together and be resolved. This is all portrayed in the fabulous performances by Liam Neeson as Little and James Nesbitt as Griffen. Neeson, brilliant as always, uses physicality and voice to portray his regret. His hands shake, his eyes droop down, his body and face scream sad. But he will not physically be at the mercy of Griffen. Despite his regret, Neeson carries Little as a strong man who has been through hell but wants to live. Similarly, Nesbitt gives a superb performance that relies heavily on physicality and voice. Lots of twitching, shouting, and nervous ticks color Joe Griffen through James Nesbitt. I haven't seen Nesbitt in much, but he did make an impression on me in his small but important role as a detective in Match Point.

This quiet, nearly scoreless movie creates ample tension through the performances and the direction. Tight shots follow Griffen as he descends towards Little. Griffen contemplates killing Little much in the way young Little contemplated going through with the murder twenty-five years ago. The two men mirror each other in an almost creepy way. The film is very intimate, like one is eavesdropping or watching from a distance all this go down. Five Minutes of Heaven's writing and shots reminded me of a Patrick Marber (Closer, Notes on a Scandal) script. As a viewer, one feels as if they are intruding and could interrupt a crucial moment at any second.

This film ponders whether enemies can become friends, media exploitation of grief and misery, is it possible to truly forgive and the power of redemption. Those are some pretty serious themes to deal with in a ninety-nine minute movie. Five Minutes of Heaven's length is its Achilles' heel. All the listed themes are vital to the film, so an extra thirty minutes might've been a good idea.

I highly recommend this film. Five Minutes of Heaven leaves a lasting impression.

Jane Lynch on Glee

This is one of the most obvious good performances I've written about. Lynch is fabulous as the hateful but sympathetic Sue Sylvester. Her humor is obvious and dry, simple and intelligent. Her height matches her big personality and she's one of the two, formerly three, reasons I continue to watch Glee. With all the TV I watch, I'd be easy for me to just forget a show that I wasn't enjoying as much anymore. But Lynch is hilarious and makes Glee more than bearable for me. I love her in all the Christopher Guest movies, The 40 Year Old Virgin, Arrested Development, etc. It's nice that I know her now as Jane Lynch and not "that funny, tall, blonde lady."

Netflix

My Wife is an Actress-I enjoy Charlotte Gainsbourg and I enjoy French cinema.
Temple Grandin-Well, it won all those Emmys.
This Is England-Netflix Instant. Keeps getting recommended to me.

You think I want to sell stolen wheelchairs for the rest of my life?

2010-09-10T18:22:00.000-07:00

Date Night

Date Night is a comedy about a married couple looking to have a little fun but end up being chased around New York City by mobsters and crooked cops due to a mistaken identity. The film, with a fairly predictable plot and decent jokes, is given all its magic through the king and queen of TV comedy, Steve Carrell and Tina Fey.

Carrell and Fey have their prestigious titles for a reason. They each have their own brand of awkward but intelligent humor that can be watered down or magnified to reach audiences of most ages and IQ levels. In Date Night, their humor is slightly dumbed down but hilarious none the less. They have wonderful, natural chemistry and easily slip into the role of a married couple, The Fosters, stuck in routines. But when this boring, normal, and believable couple are thrown into an extreme situation, the comedy sparks start flying.

But along with this comedy comes a heartwarming feeling. The Fosters are clearly in love, they've just lost each other a little bit. And they do not want to become what their newly separated friends became, "Really awesome roommates." Watching the Fosters run around in their extreme situation brings the laughs but seeing them work so well together as a couple brings the "awws." This shows that Carrell and Fey aren't just funny, but good actors as well.

The supporting cast also brings the laughs. Mila Kunis and James Franco make a hilarious appearance as a trashy couple with the answer to the Foster's problems. Mark Wahlburg's hotness is almost too much to handle and William Fitchner, yet again, shows that he can do anything, even pervy comedy.

Lots of couples go through sparkless ruts like the Fosters. Hopefully lots are lucky enough to get it back and rediscover each other.

Paul Rudd in Dinner for Schmucks

While this was an ensemble film with laughs from all actors, Paul Rudd stood out. His character, Tim, was a bit of an asshole, something we aren't used to seeing from Rudd. His character in the original French version is waaayy more of a dick, but Tim is an ass. It's nice to see Paul Rudd try to be more than a nice or cluelessly funny guy, and be believable at it. Though he has his nice guy moments and turns out to be a nice guy in the end, props to Rudd for trying something different.

Netflix

A Prophet-A supposedly brilliant French film.
The Ghost Writer-Regardless of who Polanski is as a person, he's a genius behind the camera.
The Young Victoria-Netflix Instant. I didn't wanna see this in theaters but I'll check it out since it's on Instant.

You know it's not easy being your friend.

2010-08-25T21:26:00.000-07:00

The Expendables

This testosterone filled action movie has bad acting, overly dramatic music, poor writing, minimal and cliched character development (if any) and action vets who need to renew their AARP membership. The Expendables is just...bad.

But who cares?

Yes, this "film" is a total mess. I was seriously worried about Sly Stallone's veins popping out of his skin, not to mention him blowing his knee out or maybe having a heart attack.

The story and script are your typical action movie stories and script...explosion explosion, fight scene fight scene, explosion explosion, dangerous dictators that need to be taken out, fight scene, a woman, explosion explosion, the end. But the fight scenes, although ridiculous, are pretty fantastic and exceptionally well choreographed. The explosions are never ending and always appreciated. The guns are loud and the knives are accurate. It's really just one thing after another and the scenes just get better and more ludicrous.

What's most important about The Expendables is its conceit--which is really kind of genius. Screenwriter Stallone is saying, "Let's get all these old and almost old action stars (and athletes) into one movie doing all the things they did when they were younger. Let's throw dictators plus a million and one explosions into the mix. Let's be totally ridiculous and off the wall and dumb for the sake of entertainment." In other words, The Expendables is totally campy and self aware; it knows what it is and embraces it whole heartedly. That awareness makes the movie intentionally and unintentionally hilarious simultaneously. The dramatic lines are just too dramatic to be serious and therefore I laugh. The action scenes are too over the top to be shocking and therefore I laugh. Some of the intentional jokes are really funny--and therefore I laugh.

The Expendables is crap...golden crap. I recommend it if you need an engrossing distraction and want to turn your brain off.

Sigourney Weaver in Working Girl

Sigourney Weaver is just so cool. She's likable and she totally kicks ass in the Alien films (so I've heard). But geez, she's such a bitch in Working Girl. Not only is she is a bitch but Weaver plays her as a completely single-minded woman. She's number one, she's the only person that matters and you're in trouble if you cross her. I wouldn't want to cross her. But Weaver is so masterful in this role because we usually love her characters, but Katherine has no redeeming qualities. And Weaver made sure of that.

Netflix

After.Life-Liam Neeson as a bad guy? Okay!
The Dinner Game-The original French film that Dinner for Schmucks is based on. I loved Dinner for Schmucks so I'm curious to see the original.
Doctor Who-Netflix Instant. They have all the seasons available and since I hear such great things I should check it out.

And I will lead them on a merry chase.

2010-08-05T05:29:00.000-07:00

I have been so sucky with this blog this summer. Apologies.

Inception

But on a more serious note, if you haven't seen Inception, the greatest film of the summer, probably the year and one of the most important cinematic experiences of my life, then DO NOT read on. I refuse to spoil this movie for anyone who hasn't seen it. But seriously, if you haven't seen it, get your butt to a movie theater immediately. How could you have waited so long?

The film is an absolute masterpiece. An original storyline (though I think Chris Nolan might've been inspired by Roswell), a flawless cast, mind blowing special effects, powerful music, Inception has saved 2010 from being one of the weakest movie years.

First off, this GQ cast. Hottest cast since Star Trek, hands down. Everyone is beautiful in their unique ways, even Ellen Page. Looks aside, this cast is incredibly talented and all turn in exceptional performances. This is one of Leonardo DiCaprio's finest roles. His character, an extractor named Dom, comes with heavy emotional baggage and DiCaprio handles it perfectly. He's great at playing a broken man, his eyes say it all. Though Dom is the main character and DiCaprio gives an Oscar worthy performance, I don't know if he'll get his much deserved statue for this, because though Dom is the main character, Inception cannot function without all the other characters. This is truly masterful ensemble work.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is charming (as usual) but is definitely not the same Joseph Gordon-Levitt we've seen before. He is charming but he has a suave and debonairness to him. Furthermore, he executes his action scenes perfectly, like he'd been doing him since birth. Inception could definitely catapult him to the A-List, though he's been on my A-List for years. Ellen Page ALMOST made me forget she was Juno, so that says a lot. I loved her character and Page held her own in her company.

Marion Cotillard is heartbreakingly beautiful and that look was necessary for her character, Mal. She was well cast in her role. She took on a huge weight with the role, because she was one of (if not the most) important characters. Cotillard's talents were put to good use, I could see her getting nominated for an Oscar for this. Anyone who thought her character was annoying just didn't get it.

I could go on and on about the other actors but then I'd be writing all day. To sum it up, Ken Watanabe was superb and Hollywood needs to put him in more films. Cillian Murphy gave an excellent spin on a fairly stereotypical role. Michael Caine was barely in Inception, but his few moments on screen were enjoyable as usual. Newcomer Tom Hardy has left a strong impact on audiences and Hollywood. I wouldn't be surprised if he exploded in the next couple years. He brought a necessary light and humor to a very heavy film.

On to the special effects. Mind bending, mind blowing, inspiring, unlike anything I've seen before. But these aren't your Michael Bay special effects. Not only are these awe inspiring but they add to the story. Inception and its concept cannot exist without these special effects. Bending cities, gravity-less fights, epic chase sequences in houses, the streets, and snow, I don't have the adequate words to write how great they are. Joseph Gordon-Levitt's gravity-less fight scene two levels down was just incredible. How they filmed it, I don't care to know, I'd rather just live in the dream. Definitely one of the best fight scenes I've ever seen.

Hans Zimmer composed an impeccable soundtrack, which I'm listening to as I write. Heartbreaking songs but also pieces that get your blood pumping, each song fits right in with its scene, especially "Time," the last song. Zimmer apparently designed the film's distinct noise, and most of the soundtrack, around "Non Je Ne Regrette Rein," the Edith Piaf song (the woman Marion Cotillard got her Oscar for playing) that's used as the musical cue. This soundtrack is essential to any serious movie goer's collection.

The costumes are note-perfect. Great tailoring, beautiful to look at, and each piece fitting their character's personality.

Finally, the story. The story and all its complexities. Seeing Inception twice already has definitely helped me understand everything better. There is just so much going on both in front of you and themes of guilt, metaphors, etc. All the dreams within a dream, the different levels and time, limbo, totems, each character's role, I can't imagine what studio execs and the actors thought the first time they read it. And the ending...my God the ending. I believe that Dom is still in limbo, he never made it out. But it doesn't matter. His character made an incredible transformation. At the beginning, he was obsessed with always knowing what was reality and what was a dream but after everything he's gone through in the film, he throws in the towel; what makes him happy is what's real. And whether that's being awake or being asleep, it doesn't matter. This is a character who was very broken, ready to shoot himself in the head if he wasn't in reality and he did a complete 180. I do not think the whole film was a dream, with the dream being Dom's way of dealing with his guilt over Mal. While I would not be disappointed and I don't see it as a cop out, I just simply don't believe it. However, if it were all a dream, that would not make the film any less powerful or Dom's catharsis any less meaningful.

Some have written that Inception is a metaphor for filmmaking, with each character representing an integral part of film. Saito is the money guy, Dom the director, Ariadne (Page) the screenwriter, Fischer the audience, Arthur (Gordon-Levitt) the producer, and Eames (Hardy) the actor. They all work together to create this imaginary world for Fischer as the audience. Dom and the others take Fischer through an exciting and mind blowing journey that leaves him a changed man, much like a director and his team take an audience through a journey in a great film. Furthermore, the notion of playing with dreams makes the dreamer aware that he is in a dream is like how audiences lose focus on a film when there is an implausible or unnecessary scene, they come back to reality. Below are two articles that will help audiences with any confusions they have about Inception and further explain Inception as a metaphor for filmmaking.

Inception Explained
Filmmaking

Chris Nolan, you continue to outdo yourself and raise the bar for filmmaking. You are incapable of making a bad movie. Thanks for giving sharing your gift with us and please keep sharing.

I'm glad I saw Inception twice and I hope to see it again. I will be good every time but nothing will ever be as good as the very first time, when I had no idea what to except and I saw everything unfold in front of me for the first time. Inception will withstand the test of time and is an instant classic.

George Clooney in Michael Clayton

I'm all about scenery chewing, give me Al Pacino in nearly anything and I'll be satisfied. But I love, love, love a strong and believable performances that's mostly subtly. My mind constantly goes back to George Clooney as the title role in Michael Clayton when I think of strong subtly. His last scene alone, as the credits role, is enough for me to write about him. After everything that's happened, he sits in cab and tells the cabbie to just drive. If I hadn't seen one minute of the film and I just saw this last part, I'd know that this character just went through hell. Clooney writes it all over his face; his eyes, cheeks, mouth, his gaze, the placement of his hand. But there are no tears, no words, no noises; it's all coming from within Clooney.

Netflix

Five Minutes of Heaven-Irish film with Liam Neeson. Looks promising.
Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief-Missed this. I love Greek gods.
Pushing Daisies-Netflix Instant. Lee Pace is a fox and I always wanted to watch this short lived comedy.

We're doomed.

2010-07-16T18:25:00.000-07:00

Star Wars: Episode IV-A New Hope

I was enjoying Star Wars at cardio cinema this week and while I was running on the treadmill, I realized how long it had been since I'd even seen Star Wars. And it's good! So, so good! Star Wars was revolutionary for its time and will be revolutionary forever. Special effects and storytelling techniques made it a trailblazer and contributed to its icon status, along with casting and music.

Star Wars was soooooo well cast, especially with Harrison Ford as bad ass, charming space cowboy, Han Solo. He's charismatic and delivers those one liners like no other. Harrison Ford is an icon, a star. Carrie Fisher is simultaneously bold and sophisticated, she's not your typical princess. Mark Hamil, very very good as a whiny dreamer whose destiny finds him sooner than he thought. He's great at developing his character as the film progresses. Very natural and believable. And James Earl Jones...that voice. The voice says it all.

Viewers now are totally spoiled by special effects. If the latest action or sci fi/fantasy film's effects are not as good as the film that came out last week, we rip the effects apart. For its time, Star Wars' special effects were amazing. Everything looked pretty real, and it definitely amazed me as a kid. But Star Wars is timeless, and the special effects are a part of that timelessness. They are still quite mesmerizing. If I saw them in a film now, I wouldn't complain.

The story is great and the techniques used to tell the story are revolutionary. All the back story is seamlessly woven in. We meet these characters who have history and all this craziness has already taken place. Telling the story out of order was relatively new and just created intense intrigue without distracting from the film on the screen. It's too bad Lucas' writing talent didn't carry over to episode 1-3.

I don't know if I could call myself a fan girl, but I definitely geek out over some sci-fi and Star Wars is one of them. Great storytelling, acting, filming, etc. One of the best films ever made.

Mark Wahlberg in The Departed

First person to appear twice! Seriously, never has a character whose every other word is a curse word sounded so poetic. And he saves the day. Enough said. Put Mark Wahlberg in everything.

Netflix

The Happening-Yes, this movie is 100% absolute crap. But with the plot that it has...it's like a car wreck. I just can't not look.
The Golden Child-Recommended by someone with similar taste to mine, even though I dislike Eddie Murphy.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo-Netflix Instant. Must read the book. Must see the movie.

This life came so close to never happening.

2010-07-05T19:46:00.000-07:00

25th Hour

Spike Lee has made some pretty powerful films and 25th Hour packs one of the biggest, most powerful emotional punches in my opinion. This film about drug dealer Monty's (Edward Norton) last day of freedom before a seven year prison stint is a masterpiece of human emotion and a gorgeous love letter to New York City.

The performances in 25th Hour are superb, beginning with Edward Norton. He brings a confidence but overpowering vulnerability to the role. He's a good, smart guy who does bad things; you don't want to feel sorry for him, especially in the scene where you see him brush off a man he sold to, but Norton makes you feel sympathy. His "Fuck You" scene is so earth shattering and it takes a truly gifted actor to deliver it. He blames every person he can think of for what happened to him, until he realizes he only has himself to blame. Along with Norton's stellar performance is Phillip Seymour Hoffman as Monty's friend Jacob. His awkwardness is spot on.

Barry Pepper adds to the film's amazing cast. He too brings confidence and vulnerability to his role as a friend of Monty's. His honesty is brutal. His final scene in the film is utterly devastating but he and Norton play together brilliantly. Finally, as Monty's father, the always amazing Brian Cox continues to be always amazing. The female representatives, Anna Paquin and Rosario Dawson, round out this perfectly cast film.

Spike Lee and writer David Benioff worked together so well. Neither could function without the other. Benioff wrote a beautiful story and Lee brought it to life. Furthermore, the use of a post 9/11 New York further adds to the story's theme of making use of what little time we have. Lee did not merely make mention of post 9/11 New York, he thrust us right into the middle of it, with Pepper's character's apartment overlooking Ground Zero. I like the Lee did not shy away from these powerful and potentially controversial imagery. This is a part of New York now, and New York is a character in this film.

Another brilliant aspect of 25th Hour is the relationship between Monty and his dog, Doyle. They are so similar; kind but with bite and steadfastly loyal and protective. The film's opening scene between the two gives great insight into Monty as a person. Doyle is a symbol of Monty, and the way Monty looks and is at the end of the film is exactly how Doyle began. Hopefully Monty will have the same future Doyle was given.

25th Hour has such a strong emotional core and such unbelievable heart. The performances, the script, the direction, everything comes together so beautifully it moves me to tears. 25th Hour is about as perfect as a film can get.

Jamie Lee Curtis in Freaky Friday

We sometimes think of our parents as so uncool and out of touch that they couldn't possibly be us. Well, Jamie Lee Curtis playing a mom who changes bodies with her teenage daughter is certainly an exception. She's totally believable as a teenager trapped in the body of an adult. Everything is very natural. Her mannerisms and behavior is true to teenage form and hilarious, especially when she's a tad over dramatic. I would love to know how she prepared for this role. She was great.

Netflix

Alice in Wonderland-Missed it.
Up in the Air-Love it.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (every season)-Netflix Instant. Time I watched all the seasons and finally see how it ends.

When the world slips you a Jeffrey, you stroke the furry wall.

2010-06-29T07:12:00.000-07:00

Get Him to The Greek

I hadn't seen a movie in the theaters since Sex & the City 2, an experience which clearly scarred me, so I wanted the next film I saw to be enjoyable, something that wouldn't waste my time and money with. I made a good choice with Get Him to the Greek. This "sequel" to Forgetting Sarah Marshall is funny and surprisingly heartwarming.

Russell Brand created such a memorable character in rocker Aldous Snow in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, it was great to see him take center stage. Russell Brand is hilarious and very talented;I'd really like to see him succeed in America. Everything move he makes and every word that comes out of his mouth is comedy. I always enjoy Jonah Hill and though he's still as funny as ever, his role is a bit different for him. Instead of being a cocky (yet hilarious) son-of-a-bitch, he's a less confident good guy. It's nice to see him slowly venturing into trying something new (hint hint Michael Cera). P. Diddy was even enjoyable. He had some of the film's best one-liners.

The humor is fairly constant. I left throughout most of the movie and at practically every joke. These laughs weren't side splitting, but lots of giggles and smiles. Some of the jokes & scenes dragged, causing the moments to loose some humor. But still, laughs all around.

Even further, the film is a great buddy comedy. The relationship that emerges between Brand and Hill's character is quite sweet. They support and look after each other, in the most traditional and unusual ways. It's wonderful to seeing a life-long friendship emerge from these guy's rock-n-roll shenanigans.

The one point that reaaallllllyyy bothered me was the lack of acknowledgement that Hill and Brand's characters had met in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Hill played a waiter at the Hawaiian resort Brand stayed at and the two had several encounters. There's a cameo by actress Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell) and Snow remembering their trysts but no acknowledgement that Brand and Hill met, not by either character. Maybe Hill's character was supposed to be completely different, I don't know. It bothered me.

If you want to go see a feel good comedy, Get Him to the Greek is excellent. It's no The Hangover, but definitely on the level of I Love You, Man.

Steve Buschemi in Paris, je t'aime

There are so many great actors and great segments in Paris, je t'aime, but Steve Buschemi in the Coen Brothers' piece is one of the finer moments. He never talks; it's all in his physicality and reactions. Don't get me wrong, Buschemi is brilliant and can do wonders with his voice and lines, but he does just as well (maybe better) with no words. He's played a lot of memorable characters and while this is one of the least known, it's definitely one of the best.

Netflix

Chloe-Great cast.
An Education-Love, love, love. Must see again until I can see my girl Carey Mulligan in something else.
Doctor Who-Most of my Netflix Instant queue is dominated by TV. This is one show I'd love to watch.

Don't point that gun at him. He's an unpaid intern.

2010-06-18T04:35:00.000-07:00

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

Almost all of Wes Anderson's work is amazing (the exception being The Darjeeling Limited). It's really hard for me to rank his movies in order, but I might have to put The Life Aquatic at the top of my list. It combines great elements of Anderson's previous work and creates a beautiful and heartfelt comedy.

This film is incredibly well cast and boasts some of Hollywood's best and most versatile talents. Murray is top notch as Zissou, our guide through the film. His timing and delivery is superb and he creates one of his best characters. Willem Dafoe yet again shines, and shows the audience how much of an impact he can make with a character, no matter how big or small. Owen Wilson gives an understated and heartfelt performance as Zissou's newly discovered son. I've always found Wilson talented and perfectly capable of doing roles outside of comedy. Cate Blanchett is obviously amazing. The woman is an icon.

The Life Aquatic incorporates minor CGI which adds so much to the film. The Life Aquatic is an adult comedy and deals with some fairly adult themes. The CGI adds a level of color, imagination and playfulness to the comedy. The ocean is fairly mysterious and scary, so to make colorful sea creatures relaxes the viewer. Furthermore, the colorful sea creatures add light to the growing darkness and complexity that is Zissou's life.

One of my all time favorite scenes in any movie is in The Life Aquatic. The scene where Zissou and company encounter the Jaguar Shark is just breathtaking. This has been Zissou's goal and he has just lost an important crew member, and before him, his family, friends, and rivals is this beautiful shark. With Sigur Ros playing in the background, Zissou realizes everything he's gained and lost throughout his latest voyage. Bill Murray absolutely nails it, he's able to contain himself while giving us the emotional stress of everything that has happened up to this point. Everything just comes together to make the perfect scene.

The script is quirky and the humor is dry, a typical Anderson script. But that's what makes Anderson a modern day auteur. He creates unique and challenging characters and puts them in difficult situations. And we the audience get to enjoy them reacting. The Life Aquatic is no different. Zissou and his crew of one-of-a-kind characters get into ridiculous situations, what with robbing Zissou's rival and getting attacked by pirates. The Life Aquatic fits perfectly in the Anderson library.

Paul Bettany in A Knight's Tale

I love A Knight's Tale and Paul Bettany is one of the biggest reasons. Playing real life author Geoffrey Chaucer, Bettany brings the laughs to A Knight's Tale. His banter with Alan Tudyk is hysterical and his nurturing relationship with Heath Ledger is heartwarming. Plus his showmanship skills are through the roof. Bettany adds so much to this cute comedy.

Netflix

Invictus-The only movie I wanted to see last fall/winter that I didn't get to see.
Vanilla Sky-I've heard mixed reviews of this one. Though I dislike Tom Cruise, I enjoy Cameron Crowe. Plus anything's better than Elizabethtown.
Daniel Deronda-Netflix Instant. Some BBC made for TV movie with Hugh Dancy.

Once upon a time, there was a fisherman.

2010-06-05T07:59:00.000-07:00

Ondine

I was really nervous I would miss Neil Jordan's latest in theaters. But thanks to the powers of On Demand and a night in with your roommate, I was able to see Ondine, a film about Syracuse (Colin Farrell) the fisherman and the mysterious woman he catches in his net, Ondine.

The film has a natural heart that some fairy tales create artificially. The love and respect Jordan has for the Irish countryside and fishing villages is strongly conveyed; lush, green landscapes, sweeping views of the Irish Sea, and the tightened shots inside the small, perhaps slightly claustrophobic town. Though the sky is gray, this landscape is not dull or dreary.

Adding to the film's heart are its two strongest performances; Colin Farrell and Alison Barry as Syracuse's young daughter, Annie. Farrell shows a sensitivity we rarely see from him. His performance is very subtle and sweet. His interactions with Barry are very natural. His smile speaks volumes. His interactions with Stephen Rea as a priest brought out a subtle humor in Ondine.

Alison Barry is utterly mesmerizing. Her imagination is as big as her heart. She's your typical wise beyond her years little girl, suffering from a devastating ailment (kidney failure). She creates a magical, special world, and the characters are lucky enough to live in it. Her performance reminds me of early Dakota Fanning, just now so "she's basically an adult and it's scary." Alicja Bachleda was also good as Ondine.

The film mixes fairy tale and reality seamlessly. The music, scored by Sigur Ros member Kjartan Sveinsson and featuring Sigur Ros songs is absolutely beautiful. The music is very dream-like, maybe something you'd hear in a fairytale. Ondine's twist is absolutely believable and does not take away from the rest of the movie.

My one complaint about Ondine is it's hard to understand the dialogue at times. The thick Irish accents and slang, and lots of quiet, close talking scenes makes it easy to miss words and phrases. But having to strain at times to understand dialogue is worth it. Ondine is a wonderful and poetic Irish fairy tale.

Devon Gummersall in My So-Called Life

I've been rewatching this '90s series, as it's available in it's entirety on Hulu. My So-Called Life is still good and has several good performances, but Devon Gummersall as nerdy Brian Krakow is by far the best. He perfectly captures the anguish of being a socially awkward teenage boy. The joy, pain, and fear in his eyes whenever he interacts with the girl of his dreams, his tendency to over-achieve, nervousness around almost anyone...spot on. His facial expressions and physicality are all amazing. You can't help but always feel for him, even when he does and says cruel things.

Netflix

The Road-Got bad reviews, still wanna see it.
Broken Embraces-Almodovar's latest.
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days-Netflix Instant. I think it won the Palme d'or at Cannes a few years ago.

Yeah, what a day.

2010-06-02T14:28:00.000-07:00

Children of Men

The apocalypse is always a compelling film topic and Children of Men's twist is very believable, which makes it so scary. This is great filmmaking from beginning to end. Alfonso Curaon creates a realistic and horrifying world with his lens, and gets a phenomenal performance out of Clive Owen as Theo, a man living in a bleak future where people cannot conceive children.

This is one of Clive Owen's best performances. He dirties himself up (literally) but still maintains his rugged good looks. He provides a bit of jaded humor in the beginning in this bleak future, but as time goes on he becomes more and more likable, as dedicates himself to his goal. He makes a magnificent shift to passive and kind of hopeless Theo to dedicated fighter Theo.

Julianne Moore, though her presence is brief, is nonetheless amazing as usual. Michael Caine is wonderful as an eccentric, pot smoking hippie. Caine is usually so prim, proper, and dignified, it's great to see him sink his teeth into something new. Truly a talent.

Though this film takes place in the future, the film's design seems to be signaling the present. The security forces and "refugee camps" look like something out of Bosnia or Africa. There's not an in your face abundance of futuristic technology saying the film is taking place twenty years from now. That adds to Children of Men's eeriness and sense of urgency. This story seems very possible, like something that could happen next month and the realism of the plot is due in large part to the set design and art direction.

Furthermore, the props in the mise-en-scene are wonderful. There's such a strong attention to detail. All the symbolic graffiti, and the "pigs flying" in the background of one scene...brilliant.

Though the two continuous shot scenes are brilliant, the most powerful moments occur when Owen leads himself, his charge, Kee, and her baby out of a building. Chaos is erupting around them until everyone fighting and hiding hears the baby's crying. Hands reach out to touch the Godsend, shooting ceases and paths are made for Theo, Kee, and the baby. The hope these cries bring graces the faces of all around; I basically stopped breathing. The peace is only momentary and the shooting quickly resumes when Theo, Kee, and the baby are away, but those few moments where all that was heard are the baby's cries are breathtaking. Without the possibility of children, there is literally no future. That's the reality these people have been living in for twenty years. Never has a baby's cries been so beautiful.

Children of Men is something that stays with viewers long after the credits have rolled. Not to be missed.

Kathy Bates in Misery

She is like the bunny in Monty Python and the Holy Grail; sweet and cute but evil and monstrous. People who are big fans of something worry about crossing the line between admiration and obsession, and Bates' character is a classic example of going leaps and bounds beyond the line. She does almost everything so innocently, genuinely believing she's doing the right thing, which is always really scary to me. She makes the whole experience for the audience claustrophobic and leaves us on edge. Bates always makes an impact on the film's she's in with her larger than life portrayals and Misery is certainly no exception. Creepy, creepy, creepy.

Netflix

The Kid Stays in the Picture-Just finished this book (Robert Evans' autobiography) and I loved it, so I must see the documentary.
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus-I haven't exactly heard good things but it's something I need to try to watch.
The Maid-Netflix Instant. Supposed to be a funny and poignant.

The Real Housewives of Abu Dhabi

2010-05-28T16:10:00.001-07:00

Sex and the City 2

God, this movie. I saw the first one, hated it, and vowed to skip the second one. But wanting to spend time with friends brought me to this sequel. If I'd skipped it, I honestly would be wondering about it. That said, I'd tell anyone to skip it.

The plot picks up two years after the first one. Charlotte and Harry are raising their two daughters with the help of a nanny who's a bra less beauty. Miranda and Steve are together, and Miranda is being treated horribly at her job, which she promptly quits. Carrie and Big are in the "in between phase of marriage, between wild sex and a baby," (Carrie's words not mine). Samantha is still loves sex, still kinda of slutty.

I found this sequel to be narratively more tolerable than the first for the sole reason that there was less whining. That tells me that the whining and bitching in the first movie had to be beyond abysmal, because there was almost nothing narratively stimulating about Sex and the City 2.

This movie is one giant magazine ad, as my friend Claire astutely stated. There are beautiful, bright, splashy clothes that will catch a viewers eye. The interior decorating is also beautiful, bright and splashy; there were some beautiful pieces of furniture and great paint jobs. The locales are gorgeous. The Abu Dhabi resort and beach was lovely. But between these pages of clothes, locales, and furniture is a whole lot of nothing...two and a half hours of nothing. The subplots for each woman is barely a plot. Then they vacation in Abu Dhabi. Carrie runs into Aiden...minor drama that could've been averted. Then they go home because Samantha disrespects Middle Eastern culture. A whole lot of nothing? Yep.

This sequel is far shallow and materialistic than the first. There's lots of stuff and a focus on the stuff. Each woman gets their own car and butler in Abu Dhabi. Charlotte freaks out when her child gets paint on her white vintage designer pants (Why are you wearing white vintage designer pants when baking with two young children?) . Furthermore, Charlotte, sobbing to Miranda, seemingly asks the Gods how it's even possible for women without nannies to raise children? Being a mother, with a nanny, is so unbelievably hard. Infuriating? Yes. Charlotte, the world's smallest violin is playing for you in your Upper East Side multi-million dollar apartment.

Not only is their behavior at home annoying, but the women's behavior in Abu Dhabi is downright insulting. Yes the culture is patriarchal and oppressive towards women and conservative in their thinking of sex. But it's not our place, as an audience in a Hollywood comedy no less, to make insulting statements and judgements. Samantha, cover up! Don't wave condoms in the marketplace! The scene with the Abu Dhabi women in the backroom...I have no words.

One needs to keep the movies and the show separate. They cannot be grouped together. The show was intelligent, funny and sometimes insightful. The movies are cheesy, boring, and entirely too long.

Hayden Christensen in Shattered Glass

One of two good Christensen roles. Christensen brings a desperation, smarmy-ness and vulnerability to the role. He even gains audience sympathy as a deceitful journalist while simultaneously being creepy. While Peter Sarsgaard was leaps and bounds better, Christensen really holds his own. This movie proves that Christensen has some talent, he just needs the right story and director to bring it out of him.

Netflix

Top Gun-Never seen it. I dunno if I'll like it.
The Object of My Affection-I don't know why I've always wanted to see this romantic comedy.
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?-Netflix Instant. Classic

Moving On

2010-05-24T09:52:00.000-07:00

The End

Well, it's over. Last night was the series finale of one of the most complicated and compelling TV shows in history. The finale got about 13 million viewers, a bit underwhelming, but I think it's because a lot fans watched Lost in groups. Some movie theaters even showed the finale. The whole "live together, die alone" idea of the show really came into play. Below are my thoughts. Hopefully I won't drench my computer with tears, because even thinking about the show being over and everything that went down last night makes me cry. Just looking at the above screen cap, the last image of Lost, is blurring my vision. Needless to say, spoilers. But if you're a fan of Lost, I'd be shocked if you hadn't watched the finale yet.

I've been a combination of two types of a Lost viewer in the six years I've invested in the show. I've watched for the compelling characters and the plot twists, turns, and mythologies. Yes, I've been anxiously awaiting to find out why Walt was special, why Claire needed to raise Aaron herself, what MIB's name was (seriously, what is his name?), did Jughead work, etc. I think season 6 did skip out on answering a lot of questions but we did get some worked out, like what the island is for and what the four-toed statue means/why women on the island can't get pregnant (these answers were given subtly, but they were given). But the producers, Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, did say that all of our questions wouldn't be answered; if the characters didn't care about the answers anymore, then we weren't going to find out. That makes sense. Lost isn't a world where everything gets answered and wrapped up nicely. That's not the reality of this world. And that's okay.

This show is about emotion and these characters, characters who we really really really care about. The writers were great at making us care. And because of that, I really cared that they have some kind of satisfying end. They have been through hell, don't they deserve some kind of happy ending, even if it's in a purgatory-esque setting? The flash sideways did end up being purgatory, a place where everyone was waiting for each other to die and reconnect. The reunions were truly the emotional core of the finale. You had your sweet ones (Daniel and Charlotte, Sayid and Shannon), your powerful, life-affirming ones (Ben and John, Jack & his Dad's coffin where Jack flashed on everyone. Plus he finally worked out his Daddy issues) and the truly heartwarming ones that made me cry like a baby (Jack and the coffin again, Sawyer and Juliet, Kate, Claire and Charlie). We got to have our annual visit from Rose, Bernard, and Vincent. Kate made her choice (the right one), and Ben and Hurley had the start of a beautiful friendship. We saw some fantastic acting from everyone; no one was slacking. And I'm a sucker for reunions, so it was cool to see almost everybody back together.

I do have my qualms about the finale. Seriously, how is Shannon Sayid's true love? Yes, they had an amazing connection cut short, but I think she'll always be second best to Nadya, but whatever. The whole light and the plug thing was a little foggy, but whatever. I really could've done with more of an explanation about where the island came from and its mystical and healing properties. Why weren't Miles, Lapidus, Richard and Walt in the church? But whatever. I'm willing to let a lot of things go.

The final scene was unbelievably powerful and emotional. Jack making the ultimate sacrifice and going back to where it all started. The writers used the never fail plan of using a dog. Vincent returned to where we met him the first time and lay down next to Jack so he wouldn't die alone. Jack clinging to life and seeing his friends fly away to safety. Beautiful.

I honestly have no idea how this show could've ended differently. Had they just done a checklist of answering questions, I would've felt jipped. It would've felt unnatural, like Benjamin Button. The point was, these characters' time on the island was the single most important thing that happened to them, not only because crashing on a desert island makes a big impact on a person, but this experience helped each character to redeem themselves, another core theme of the show. For them all to be together again, happy and redeemed is just fine with me. I'm glad everyone found each other.

I couldn't help but imagine spin-offs of Lost as the episode was winding down. One could be a spin-off of Hurley and Ben on the island. The second (and my favorite), Richard in the City. Richard did get on the plane, he's now a mortal, he's been living for years on the island. Throw him in a city and hilarity will ensue.

Overall, I'd give the episode a solid B. I do wish some things had been resolved and explained, but these poor people finally got some peace of mind. I really cannot imagine my TV future without this show and I'm really sad to see it go. All these powerful moments with Michael Giacchino's haunting score in the background really pulled at the heartstrings. Thank you Darlton, all writers, directors, producers, crew and actors for creating one of the best television shows of all time.

Here, put this bandit hat on.

2010-05-22T18:50:00.000-07:00

Fantastic Mr. Fox

One of my favorite movies of 2009, Fantastic Mr. Fox is one of the most adorable and pleasant films I've ever seen. Reactions while watching this cartoon will not be internal; facial expressions will be expressive and their will be audible amusement. I was really nervous about this film before I saw it, because director Wes Anderson's previous film, The Darjeeling Limited, was abysmal. Furthermore, the stop-motion animation was not how I pictured Fantastic Mr. Fox to look. Needless to say I was pleasantly surprised. Fantastic Mr. Fox is so cussing good!

This film is absolutely charming and delightful. I was grinning from ear to ear the entire time. It is a feast for the eyes. The colors are bold and beautiful, very autumn-like. The landscape is vast and far reaching, the individual hairs on the characters blow in the wind naturally. The film is utterly delicious and hypnotic to look at. The animators use cotton for smoke, cellophane paper for water, the clothes are hand sewn, I could go on and on. As a viewer, I really appreciated the time, effort, and energy that went into making Fantastic Mr. Fox look just right. No detail is left unconsidered, Anderson and his team thought about everything. While I love Pixar and computer-animated films as much as the next audience member, it's great to look at something different.

Wes Anderson is a modern day auteur, and his expected touches are present in Fantastic Mr. Fox. The music is carefully selected and original score is fitting. Anderson took the original book as a spring board and added his typical witty, sharp, deep, and meaningful dialogue. He creates realistic characters out of puppets. Anderson clearly worked closely with animators and added his touch to every element. Anderson creates unique and memorable characters who march the beat of their own drum in all his films, and Fantastic Mr. Fox is no exception.

Anderson keeps the voices all in his family. George Clooney and Meryl Streep are the only two big name newcomers. Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, and Michael Gambon are all Anderson alum. Adrian Brody and Mario Batali even make cameos. I heard that Anderson had all the actors record in the same room together, as opposed to doing each voice on their own. This definitely created a comradery that is felt when watching the film. George Clooney IS Mr. Fox; sly, charming and fun. Jason Schwartzman IS Ash; whiny, desperately trying to be something he isn't.

This is supposed to be a kid's movie, but it's pretty adult. There's smoking, implied cursing (anytime the characters would use a curse word, the word is replaced by "cuss"), and language and humor only an adult would understand. But the visuals are so stunning and colorful and there is physical humor that kids will love.

I really liked Up, it was a great film, animated or otherwise. I understand why it won Best Animated Film but I really think Fantastic Mr. Fox should've won. The story cleaver and the dialogue witty, a film both kids and adults would like. Furthermore, the animation took an attention to detail and a vision that a Pixar animated film doesn't need. I love love love Fantastic Mr. Fox.

F. Murray Abraham in Amadeus

This movie is a masterpiece with amazing performances, F. Murray Abraham as Antonio Salieri being one of them. He really creates a memorable character. His performance is completely believable. His uptight mannerisms and sneering convey his jealousy and disdain while eyes convey how angry he is at himself that he isn't as talented as Mozart. He even delivers his line in an emotionless way, which speaks volumes to his character. I saw this movie when I was young and I've never forgotten it. Abraham's performance was spellbinding and deservedly won the Oscar,

Netflix

Amistad-I've always wanted to see this. I have no idea why.
Sweet Home Alabama-Someone told me I should see this. I love a romantic comedy as much as the next girl.
My Left Foot-Netflix Instant. DDL won his first Oscar for this. I love DDL.

See you in another life, brotha.

2010-05-18T21:27:00.000-07:00

This Sunday, one of television's most powerful and inventive shows (and one of my all time personal favorites) is coming to an end. After six seasons, Lost is ending. While parts of me desperately wish the show would continue, because I can't imagine my television life without it, choosing an end date for the show three years ago was the best decision the producers made. They didn't have to drag their heels telling a story, they could map it out perfectly and reveal everything they wanted in the time they wanted. I'm dedicating this blog post to Lost, a piece of entertainment as important to me as many films.

Lost is a million different things. It's thought provoking, entertaining, heartbreaking, I don't have enough verbs. Above all, it's about characters. The survivors of Oceanic Flight 816 were broken and have been put back together only to be broken again throughout the series. But they were always compelling and they have soul but they are lost. While I like some more than others, and change my mind about some with second viewings or amazing character development, each has been vital to the island's fascinating story. These characters will live on in the minds and hearts of viewers. I've certainly shed a fair amount of tears for many of them. Below, my top five favorites.

5. Juliet Burke
A fertility specialist recruited to the Island and the Others. For a long time no one was sure whether she was good or evil, but she revealed herself to be on the side of light. She proved herself to be a strong female character and quickly became a favorite of mine. Her death was one of the hardest on me, especially after she developed a romance with Sawyer.

4. Sayid Jarrah
A former torturer with the Iraqi Republican Guard, Sayid has been one of the show's more tragic characters. A man who cannot escape violence but so desperately wanted to. A man constantly looking for ways to redeem himself. He's someone who I was always rooting for to have a happy ending and in a way he did. Though he died during the submarine explosion, he was able to save some of his friends.

3. (tie) James "Sawyer" Ford and Daniel Faraday
Sawyer, the show's resident hunk and one of the main comic reliefs. Lost would not be the same without him. A reliable source of entertainment, even in the most serious of moments. Though when he's upset, you bet us viewers are too. Sawyer can pack an emotional punch. He does have one of the most devastating back stories.

I'm not sure why I love Daniel Faraday so much. Maybe his brains, his breathy voice, his tragic death. No idea. But I love him dearly.

2. Ben Linus
One of Lost's most complex characters. Is he good, is he evil, just how evil, can he change, etc. Michael Emerson is just phenomenal. He has superb line delivery and rises above his shrimpy size reduce his presence. He is really one of the greatest TV characters, ever.

1. Desmond Hume (duh)
I've always loved Desmond, even after he'd appeared on one or two episodes and we had no idea who he was. He is noble, intelligent, and gets the job done. Every Desmond episode is a good episode.

*Honorable Mentions*

Hugo "Hurley" Reyes
The title of one of season six's episodes was "Everybody Loves Hugo." Enough said.

Mr. Eko
The Lost writers and producers really wanted to do more with this character, but the actor hated working on the show, so he was given a premature exit. I wish he could've been developed more. What a fascinating guy.

When the writing on Lost is good, it's amazing. There have been some strong plot lines and powerful episodes. Below are my favorites. However, it's really hard to choose, as there have been an abundance of great episodes. But these five really stuck out.

5. "Walkabout" Season 1
John Locke is in a wheelchair? How can this be, he walks on the island?! Great utilization of the show's flashback structure. Plus one of the show's most memorable lines came from this episode. "Don't tell me what I can't do."

4. (tie) "Greatest Hits" and "Through the Looking Glass" Season 3
These three episodes were part of Lost's quality turning point, when the show finally got good again. "Greatest Hits" was Charlie's farewell episode. He made the list of the top five moments of his life, number one meeting Claire. And then he leaves his Drive Shaft ring in Aaron's crib. So much crying.

"Through the Looking Glass" was the season 3 finale that came right after "Greatest Hits." Here we had one of Lost's saddest deaths (Charlie) and some fantastic cliff hangers, including "Not Penny's Boat," the introduction of the flash forward and viewers not knowing how to handle Bearded Jack's request that "We have to go back." This episode changed the game.

3. "The Constant" Season 4

This show was essential to Lost mythology, and really got the time travel storyline going. This episode established Desmond as one of the most important people in the series, but the best part was the Desmond/Penny love story. It seemed that these two would never find each other, until Desmond called Penny on Christmas Eve. Lots of heavy emotion, including love, and affirming Lost as a sci-fi show made "The Constant" one of the best.

2. (tie) "The Man Behind the Curtain" Season 3 and "Ab Aeterno" Season 6

Finally, Ben's back story! Getting insight into his character helped us understand why Ben Linus was Ben Linus. We learned what happened to the Dharma Initiative and what Ben was capable of. This episode helped him become one of the most mesmerizing characters on Lost. This episode cemented his role in the series.

I didn't like "Ab Aeterno" the first time I watched it, but after a second viewing, I realized just how important it was. Finally getting a back story on Richard and learning what exactly the island was was a major reveal.

1. "Pilot" Season 1

One of the best (and most expensive) pilots of any show, ever. Setting up a million different stories and introducing us to fascinating characters, the pilot made an unprecedented impact. There were comparisons to Lord of the Flies, a dog, some kind of monster, viewers were hooked and asked the exact same question as Charlie. "Guys, where are we?"

I don't know if I'm ready for Lost to end. I just hope the ending is satisfactory. I want closure. I've become so incredibly attached to these characters the last six years, I just don't want some BS, over-too-quickly ending. I love this show and I'll miss these characters like crazy.

Are you not entertained? Are you not entertained? Is that not why you are here?

2010-05-16T19:26:00.000-07:00

Gladiator

I first saw Gladiator when I was eleven and I didn't like it. I was way too young to handle the violence or understand and appreciate the subject matter. Plus I had a distractingly awful stomach ache, which was worsened by the violence. Ten years later I decided to give Gladiator another chance, seeing how almost everyone who's seen it sing its praises. Well, I understand. It's an extraordinary piece of filmmaking and acting.

I first must say that the idea of gladiators is appalling. People cheering on men while they fight for their lives, this doesn't scream entertainment to me. Killing animals, killing each other, you Romans should be ashamed of yourself. There's better things you could've put on in the Colosseum.

My friends and I have an unnatural and hard to explain love for Russell Crowe, so I felt like I was betraying him by not seeing this movie again. What an outstanding performance. Crowe plays his roles with such ferocious intensity, he is truly one of our generation's finer actors. His intense physical and emotional commitment to his rules is admirable. You love him as much as his soldiers and the people of Rome. Crowe's intensity translates into Maximus's determination, confidence, and resilience.

Gladiator also produced a phenomenal performance with Joaquin Phoenix as Commodus, the temper tantrum throwing emperor with daddy issues and loose morals when it comes to his feelings towards his sister. Phoenix shows great range with this character, giving his Commodus's vulnerable and fragile side along with his mental instability. Phoenix's eyes are piercing and strongly convey Commodus's madness. He speaks his lines slowly and moves like a serpent, emphasizing how he could explode at any moment. Thank God Phoenix's crazy antics where a stunt, let's hope he returns to film very soon.

Rounding out the cast are great performances by Djimon Hounsou as Juba, a fellow gladiator and Connie Nielsen as Lucilla, Commodus's sister and an ex-flame of Maximus. Hounsou is great in all his roles; it's a given. He has great chemistry with Crowe and provides great backbone. Nielsen holds her own with the boys, much like her character is forced to do. Nielsen infuses Lucilla with a strength and patience a woman in her situation needed, especially when your mentally unstable brother wants to sleep with you and then kill you and your child.

There are some truly memorable scenes in Gladiator. The opening battle sequence is photographed beautifully; hell hath no fury like the Roman Empire gone a' conquering. All the fight scenes were well choreographed and looked very natural. Cinematographer John Mathieson also created some stunning images. Maximus's body floating towards his home and his hands brushing the grass are all moving. Furthermore, the gladiators, senators, and soldiers carrying his body, honoring him as a soldier while Commodus's body lays alone is powerful. Mathieson and director Ridley Scott really know how to turn up the intensity, tension, and emotion.

The script apparently went through several re-writes, even as it was being filmed, but one can't tell. The film flows at a good pace and tells a powerful, moving story. Gladiator has several memorable and quotable lines; picking one for the title of this post was tough. But even when I didn't like Gladiator, I really liked that line. Plus the scene where Lucilla finally releases Maxmius really tugs the heart strings.

The film's 100 million dollar plus budget was put to good use. The sets and art direction are realistic, the acting superb, the music and writing all top notch. So glad I gave Gladiator another chance. I was really missing out.

Jonathan Groff in Taking Woodstock
The ensemble in Taking Woodstock was so strong; nobody strongly stood out as weaker than the rest. But this was Jonathan Groff's first big film role and he nailed it. He gave a sweet and sensible performance as Woodstock organizer Michael Lang. Groff had an incredibly calming presence, relaxing everyone around him in a chaotic environment. It's like he exhales marijuana, chilling everyone out. He knocked it out of the park and I hope he appears in more and more films as the years go on. The boy's got talent.

Netflix

Gone Baby Gone-Loved this!
The Wild Bunch-Classic.
Paper Moon-Really liked this the first time I saw it.

Did I ask you to be his psychiatrist? No. I asked you to fucking kill him.

2010-05-09T18:33:00.000-07:00

In Bruges

I am absolutely ashamed to admit I did not like In Bruges the first time I saw it. The trailers marketed it as a laugh out loud action comedy from acclaimed Irish playwright Martin McDonagh. In Bruges has a soul I rediscover and learn more about after each viewing. The story of two hit men, Ray (Colin Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson) has become one of my favorite movies.

One must actively watch this film; you can't multi-task with In Bruges. McDonagh, who also wrote the screenplay, brilliantly intermixes humor with action and heart. The emotions are powerful and the humor is priceless. There's the European, understated wit and even blatant, more American-style jokes, like when Ray, speaking honestly, offends a couple of overweight American tourists. The first half especially utilizes hilarious dialogue, jokes and charm. The character of Jimmy is an absolute riot. I can't believe I didn't find In Bruges funny upon first viewing. I'll forever kick myself.

The second half of the film is much darker, but In Bruges never loses the heartfelt and intelligent dialogue or the heart the first half has. There is a sadness sprinkled throughout the entire film, because of what Ray did to get him and Ken sent to Bruges by crime boss Harry (Ralph Fiennes). The last ten minutes are especially heartbreaking, and despite In Bruges having many hilarious moments, the film is one of the saddest I think I've ever seen. I don't want to give anything away for those who haven't seen it, but I don't think Ray gets what he wants in the end. Both half contrast and play off each other well.

The acting in In Bruges is top top top. Colin Farrell turns in one of his better performances, balancing the smug and whiny with the grieving and conflicted. Farrell really shows his range. He has great comedic timing! Brendon Gleeson is great as usual. He, again, is very understated and thoughtful in his choices, creating a father figure in Ken. Ralph Fiennes steals the show in his scenes. His dialogue and delivery is hysterical.

This film makes me want to travel. Ray complains about Bruges the entire time but I'm on Ken's side: Bruges looks like a fairytale; the city has charm, romance, and history. The film is shot beautifully and really accentuates Bruges' enchanting architecture. I would really like to stop here on a future excursion. Setting In Bruges at Christmastime and using lots of lights and Christmas decorations only adds to Bruges' allure.

The music is one of the film's best elements. Carter Burwell composed yet another beautiful and haunting score. The songs really fit the theme of atonement, the charming yet sad characters and the delightful city of Bruges. Burwell never disappoints in his scores.

I cannot speak higher of this film. It's a great debut for McDonagh, a crowning achievement for Farrell and an all around brilliant piece of work. In Bruges isn't missing anything.

Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde

Reese Witherspoon at her cutest and honestly one of her strongest roles. She embodies the character of Elle Woods and infuses her with a strong spirit. She connects with her audience and gets you to cheer with her when she succeeds and hold her hand when she fails. Witherspoon plays ditsy, not dumb Elle with an intelligence and grace few current young actresses can pull off. She's strong, independent, and ambitious. Witherspoon turns Elle Woods into a good role model for young women.

Netflix

Children of Men-Brilliant film.
Crazy Heart-I'm really not interested in seeing this, but I feel like I need to see why Jeff Bridges beat Colin Firth
Wall-e-Netflix Instant. My favorite Pixar film. Must see again.

War is a drug.

2010-05-02T20:17:00.000-07:00

The Hurt Locker

I got really into watching Castle, I hadn't seen any movies I felt like writing about, and I got busy with school work. Sorry. I finally had the time to watch a movie I wanted to pay attention to, The Hurt Locker. This 2009 Best Picture winner is a powerful look at an elite Army EOD team in Iraq. The Hurt Locker is actually the lowest grossing Best Picture winner.

The film is a very non bias look at men in the Iraq War. It doesn't say the Iraq War is good or bad or we should or should not be there. Everyone is entitled to there opinion, but we don't always need movies shoving their opinions down our throats, and hinting that people who don't agree with the filmmakers are wrong. The film just shows men doing their jobs and how that job affects them.

Jeremy Renner gives a strong performance as Sergeant William James, a cowboy-esque bomb diffuser. He mildly reminds me of Robert Duvall in Apocalypse Now. His actions can be infuriating, like when he removes his earpiece and his team can't communicate with him or leading his team on a mission that risks their lives for no apparent reason. But he redeems himself by giving a heartfelt reassurance talk to one of his men. Renner does add depth to the character, he's not just some headstrong soldier. His brief scene with his baby boy shows just how addicted he is, and one of the film's most depressing scenes is when James stands in a grocery store debating what cereal to buy. Renner has been around for a while, picking up minor roles and always doing a good job. Nice to see him as a lead and this will hopefully open some doors for him.

Anthony Mackie also gave a strong performance as Sanborn, one of the men working with James. I've seen Mackie in a lot of stuff and he is consistently strong. He's one of those actors where one says, "Oh I know I've seen him before, and he was really good! But what's his name?" I think after The Hurt Locker people won't forget his name. His final scene where he breaks down and wishes for a son is haunting. He was robbed of a Best Supporting Actor nomination.

There are some really amazing shots in The Hurt Locker. The opening scene, where a bomb diffuser walks between two long rails towards a bomb, is well done. The straight and confining rails point the way to his fate. A second haunting scene is after James has led his men on an idiotic mission and one man was wounded. James enters a shower and turns on the water, still in uniform. Blood and sand wash off him and he seems to struggle to breathe, the water running strong and fast over his face. This scene represents how James' actions, decisions and experiences in the army have been and always will be with him. He can try to forget and wash some of his sins away like dirt, but they will always been a part of him; his time in the army defines him. The sound was another strong aspect of The Hurt Locker.

I did have a few problems with The Hurt Locker. The film is a little over two hours, and it drags. Several scenes feel way longer than they need to be. This could have been an artistic choice, maybe representing how long this war has dragged out. But in a film where there isn't a more specific plot, length can be a problem. Furthermore, there are a couple of scenes that just make absolutely no sense. They are out of character for Sgt. James and distract from the film. Now, again, this could have been an artistic choice. One of the film's themes is war is a drug and drug addicts act erratically and out of character. So, maybe that's why there were two scenes that just confused me rather than furthered the storyline.

I read that a lot of people were bothered by the plot, saying that there was no real plot, which affected character development and moving the story along, answering the question of so what? Well the story was about these men, their scary job, and their day to day happenings and how it affects them. There wasn't some epic plot that involved them hunting one man who kept setting off bombs, that would've been silly. I think these soldiers' stories are interesting and important enough.

2009 was a fairly weak film year; The Hurt Locker is certainly not one of the greatest movies I've ever seen. But it tells a compelling story and has wonderfully filmed action scenes. I wonder if The Hurt Locker's success could be recreated in some way, this time with female soldiers the focus. I imagine women have drastically different experiences in war then men do, and the Iraq War has more female soldiers than an other war we've been in. There has to be some story there.

Liam Neeson in Taken

Liam Neeson, action star? I never thought I'd see the day. But he's actually convincing as a former spy still capable of kicking ass. He performs his stunts well and believable shows a father's unstoppable instinct to protect their child. He balances the intimidating action with strong acting, particularly when he tells his daughter she will be taken. He hears her pleas for mercy over he phone and a wave of emotions subtly wash over his face, from fear and panic to his realization to what he must do. I really love Liam Neeson in every thing he does, I'd like to see him do action again.

Netflix

The Lovely Bones-Heard this wasn't too good, but I want to see it anyway.
Fantastic Mr. Fox-Would love to see my favorite animated film of 2009 again.
Summer Hours-Netflix Instant. Netflix recommended this French film to me.

I didn't buy an Ouija board. I borrowed an Ouija board.

2010-04-21T18:17:00.000-07:00

Paranormal Activity

I'd been wanting to see this in the theaters, as it was hyped up as some monumental event one couldn't miss. Sadly, I missed it so I had to settle for DVD, which is definitely a disadvantage for Paranormal Activity. Sitting in my kitchen with the lights on watching this on my computer definitely made the film lose some of its punch. I'm aware of my surroundings and can't fully disappear into the film. This by all means wasn't the scariest thing I've ever seen but it was definitely creepy.

Paranormal Activity is this decade's The Blair Witch Project. Shot independently and for very little money, this film tells the story of Micah and Katie, a young couple who fear Katie is being haunted by a demon. Paranormal Activity scares viewers with ambiguous noises, the standard door opening and closing, and a sometimes possessed girl. These scare tactics are cheap, but completely effective. Who isn't afraid of that mysterious creak you heard last night at 3 am or a noise that sounded like talking? The suspense gets to be agonizing, as each night the sounds and terrorizing gets worse. The director relies on the audience to use their imagination, as he only gives us a taste of what this demon looks like, with shadows and footprints in powder. Our imaginations can be scarier than what is in front of us.

Newcomers Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat were decent. They relax the audience in the beginning with how natural they are together. They are good at conveying horror but the scares lies in what happens around them, not their reactions.

I honestly have no idea how this can be effectively created again for a sequel. There's just no way. Will it be a different couple, same plot? The conclusion was a bit open ended but not enough for a sequel I think.

Final thoughts: First, don't watch this movie alone in an apartment where there is a lot of ambiguous noise and creaks on the floor. Second, I don't understand why Micah and Katie didn't just call Sam and Dean Winchester. They would've solved the demon problem immediately. Third, rock salt. Put it around your bed, demons can't get to you.

Nathan Fillion on Castle

I just started watching this show and I love it! I can't get enough! Mainly because of the dashing Nathan Fillion as the lead, crime writer Rick Castle. He personifies can't live with him, can't live without him. He's smarmy, annoying, slightly offensive, gets in a the way and sometimes you want to smack him, but he cares. He cares a lot. And that's why you never smack him. You glare daggers at him to his face but try to hide your ever growing smile when he turns away.

Netflix

Pirate Radio-Missed this in theaters, it was supposed to be funny. Great cast!
Lawrence of Arabia-This is really long right? I'll probably wait until summer.
Flame & Citron-Netflix Instant. Danish film about Danish WWII resistance fighters. And I do enjoy Mads Mikkelsen

One, two, Freddy's coming for you.

2010-04-15T14:27:00.000-07:00

A Nightmare on Elm Street

I am a sucker for scary movies and it takes a lot scare me, even make me flinch. But A Nightmare on Elm Street has a way of totally creeping me out and making me use blankets to shield my eyes. A freaky story, a freaky lead, and slasher maestro Wes Craven created a hard to forget horror classic.

Sleep is absolutely essential. When one sleeps in a familiar place, one can feel relaxed and safe. If you have a bad dream, no worries, you'll wake up safe in your bed. Not the case with A Nightmare on Elm Street. What a perfect location to set a horror movie, our dreams! The film is original and creative, it scares you in a place you feel safe. The film similarly films the dreams and waking scenes, throwing the audience off balance, which furthers Craven's ability to scare the pants off the audience. The film balances fright and gore well, it never gets out of hand or silly. Craven seems to pick up where Halloween and Friday the 13th left off.

Robert Englund is just masterful as Freddy Krueger, one of cinemas greatest villains. He becomes a new type of bogeyman, not a silent and expressionless shape that hides in your closet. Englund throws his whole body into the role, with the creepy voice, sweeping arm movements and his utter brutality. Englund is shameless and Jackie Earle Haley has big shoes to fill.

One final thought on these classic slasher films, such as Halloween and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It's a real shame studios decide to make sequel after sequel or remakes. These sequels especially get more and more ridiculous and the original film sometimes gets lost in the comedy of the sequels. I wish Hollywood would leave some things alone. We don't need Saw 25 or another sequel to the remake of Halloween. I know these films make money and this is why I wouldn't do well working for a studio, I care too much about artistic integrity, not the money.

Andy Serkis in King Kong

While he was great as Lumpy the cook, I'm praising him for his portrayal of King Kong. Serkis lived with gorillas, studying their physicalities and interactions. He brings the human out of the ape, and further narrows the differences between our animal relatives. He gains audience sympathy with just how human he makes Kong. Serkis is brilliant when he's on camera as a human or as a CGI creature.

Netflix

Minority Report-I saw some of this at cardio cinema and I really enjoyed it. But I'd like to see the beginning and ending.
The Informant!-I love Matt Damon.
Donnie Brasco-Netflix Instant. Who doesn't love a good mob film, especially with Johnny Depp and Al Pacino.

And remember, a smile is cheaper than a bullet.

2010-04-04T11:53:00.000-07:00

District 9

2009 was a great year for sci-fi. Some high quality work was released, District 9 being one of them. The film is incredibly realistic and heartbreaking, and introduced audiences to a great new talent, Sharlto Copley.

The film is gritty and realistic. It goes back and forth between a conventional fiction film and a mockumentary. This change in style keeps the film fresh and engaging, it isn't distracting. The action sequences are well done and heart racing. The story doesn't get lost in the action sequences, which so often can happen. The director had a clear vision which he keeps alive throughout the whole film.

The thing that struck me the most is District 9's realism. I imagine that if aliens did land on earth, events would've unfolded like District 9. The government's reaction to the aliens and Wikus (Sharlto Copley) is incredibly realistic. I'm sure a government would do experiments on the aliens and torture them, and treat them as second class citizens.

What a debut from Sharlto Copley! He spent a lot of the film acting opposite a CGI alien and I heard he improvised a lot of his lines. He's great at portraying the "Everyman," just trying to live a happy life. He's a bit of an ass and smug, until he begins to become the thing he didn't like, an alien. Copley shows great character change and growth throughout the movie, as Wikus physically and emotionally does a 180. I look forward to Copley's acting future.

One part of the film I could do without was the subplot of the Nigerians. It was stereotypical, overdone, and just unnecessary. The film would've been just as strong without it.

This is a great debut film by Neill Blomkamp. He's definitely benefited from Peter Jackson as a mentor and Jackson put a lot of faith in the young director. I'm excited for whatever his next project is, but District 9 will be a tough act to follow.

Scarlett Johansson in Girl with a Pearl Earring

Scarlett Johansson sucks when she opens her mouth. Her line delivery is weak, she sounds the same every time. But she spoke seventeen lines in Girl with a Pearl Earring, and that let her focus on her physicality. It was very strong and she conveyed so much in her character's shyness and submissive actions. But her inner strength juxtaposes the shyness and radiates through as well. She needs to do more films where she rarely speaks.

Netflix

In the Loop-Nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay. It's supposed to be hilarious.
Gentleman Broncos-It has Jermaine from Flight of the Conchords, I'll give it a try.
The Edge of Heaven-Netflix Instant keeps recommending it, and I enjoy German cinema.

There is always a way to wear fur. Personally I have it on my back.

2010-03-26T18:30:00.000-07:00

The September Issue

A look into the making the most important fashion magazine issue of the year and its private editor, The September Issue is an entertaining documentary from R.J. Cutler but it has it's high and low points.

The film definitely tries to humanize Vogue editor Anna Wintour. She's supposed to be this impossible, ice queen as we saw in The Devil Wears Prada, in which the Miranda Priestly character is based off of Wintour. In The September Issue, Wintour comes off as an actual human being, who has no tolerance for nonsense and sees things as her way or the highway. But she's not insulting employees or making people cry. She's always been private so to let a documentary crew follow her around and let viewers see her for themselves is great. However, seeing as how she is so private and so powerful, I have a feeling she had a large role in the editing of the film. Her quiet and composed manner, even in stressful situations, somehow doesn't seem entirely natural. Wintour's most humanizing moment comes from a discussion with the director about what Wintour's siblings do. One works for the underprivileged, another runs a well respected newspaper and so on. Their thoughts on Anna's job is that it's "funny." Wintour's eyes well up with tears and she somberly repeats her sibling's judgment. It's a pretty powerful moment. Despite accounts of Wintour's behavior as editor, she does a damn good job and she's a woman doing a job a lot of men do. She deserves a high level of respect.

The film is supposed to give us an inside look at the making of Vogue's September issue, the holy grail of fashion issues. We see all the people high up in Vogue, such as Anna Wintour, Grace Coddington and Andre Leon Talley and various editors but I would've liked to have seen other departments. Maybe some interns, the finance department would've been fascinating. Producing Vogue is expensive, especially when Wintour kills $50,000 shoots. Cutler definitely could have dug deeper into the magazine's workforce and kept the film entertaining.

The film is a great ode to hard work and artistry. Wintour's great at running Vogue, Coddington creates and styles beautiful photo shoots, and we get to see celebrated photographer Mario Testino shooting September cover girl Sienna Miller. Furthermore, we get to see the work of Vera Wang, Karl Lagerfeld, Marchesa, and many more great designers.

This is an entertaining documentary that can appeal to a mass audience, not just documentary film or fashion lovers. It moves quickly and has compelling characters. I definitely think Cutler just skimmed the surface of Vogue and work that goes in the September issue. He could've pushed further.

Christina Ricci in Monster

Part of acting is making the other person look good. Charlize Theron couldn't have been as great as she was without a generous actress like Ricci. She gives Theron the fuel for her fire. This performance reminds me of James McAvoy in The Last King of Scotland, giving yourself over to the other actor so much so they can do their best work. Ricci is the perfect contrast to Theron and gives an understated and conflicted performance. In being a passive observer, Ricci's character becomes a kind of monster herself. Though Theron deserves all the praise she received, Ricci shouldn't be forgotten.

Netflix

The Green Mile-People really like this movie. Plus it's a tear jerker, and I love sad endings.
Did You Hear About the Morgans?-Yeah, I kinda wanted to see this.
Cool Hand Luke-Netflix Instant. Paul Newman was a fox.

Oooh, that's a bingo!

2010-03-21T10:53:00.000-07:00

Inglourious Basterds

By far one of the best and most fun movies of 2009 and my favorite Tarantino film, Inglourious Basterds is a "comedy of horrors." The film is hilarious and depicts a fictional, but awesome way to have ended World War II. However, it could be a mediation on violence and crippling revenge.

But first, I must give obvious praise to Christophe Waltz. Within the first five minutes of watching him on screen, he sucked me in. His performance is hypnotic, engrossing, and incredible. I knew he was destined for greatness in American cinema. As Hans Landa, also known as "The Jew Hunter," Waltz is pure evil and sprinkles his performance with uncomfortable and corny humor. He is chilling and theatrical. The opening scene is just...I have no words. I was literally on the edge of my seat. The way Waltz can switch back and forth between persona's as casually as he switches between languages is incredible. One has to remind him/herself that Waltz is playing a Nazi, a particularly evil one at that. I really look forward to seeing the work he'll do. Tarantino discovered a star.

Also notable is Melanie Laurent as the heroine Shoshana. Her performance is very subtle but her face speaks volumes. When reunited with Landa, Laurent does an excellent job of conveying Shoshana's fear and need to remain composed in front of Landa, the murderer of her family. She's breathtaking in many ways, particularly in that red dress.

Brad Pitt's hilarious Tennessee accent is a pleasure and Michael Fassbender is very enjoyable. Diane Kruger also turned out a great performance...but none of them can touch Waltz and Laurent.

Tarantino writes an excellent parallel between Waltz and Pitt's characters. Both are committed to their jobs, hunting and killing their respective "enemies." Both have nicknames, which they take pride in. Though Waltz kills persecuted innocents, both men have similarities that cannot be ignored.

Inglourious Basterds is a fantasy, a great "hey wouldn't it be cool if..." Tarantino clearly had fun writing and making this film. Nazi's are a universally despised symbol and watching American Jewish officers and a stunning French Jewish woman take them all down is many people's dream come true. Comedy, drama, thrills, suspense and a sweet love story all climb into bed together in Inglourious Basterds. Furthermore, there is no question that this is a Tarantino. The witty and snappy dialogue along with the perfectly selected music help the film fit nicely in Tarantino's filmography.

I read an article by Mark Blankenship around the time of the film's release. He wrote an excellent piece for The Huffington Post about the film's larger theme, of how revenge can cripple society. Blankenship writes how "culturally acceptable hatred creates a terrifying mob mentality." Case in point, the climactic and incredibly shot cinema burning scene. The audience watches a film of a Nazi soldier killing hundreds of Allied soldiers and we are disgusted. But when Shoshana sets the theater on fire and two of the Basterds, perched in an opera box or "bird's nest," start shooting at the people below, much like the Nazi in the film, we cheer. Blankenship asks, "when we celebrate death, who have we become?" Good question. When is violence worthy of celebration? I found myself internally cheering at the bloody demise of Hitler, Goebbels and other evil doers, but I felt a little gross afterwards too.

Here's the link to Blankenship's piece.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-blankenship/another-way-to-see-inglou_b_270952.html

Bottom line, the film is fun, thought-provoking, and well done. I'm not sure how I feel about this rumored prequel Tarantino already has written. However, if Waltz is in it, I will be there opening night.

Zach Galifianakis in The Hangover

Oh dear God, he was just hilarious. The one liners, the mispronunciations of words, asking if Cesar's Palace in Vegas was actually Julius Cesar's palace. He was the strongest comedic actor in the film, and he's good in the other things I've seen him in, namely on "Bored to Death." This guy needs to be in more movies.

Netflix

Capitalism: A Love Story-I usually enjoy Moore, but I do take everything he says with a grain of salt. This is his latest.
Love Story-Yeah, I know.
M-Netflix Instant. Classic.

All these neat little houses, and these neat little streets. It's hard to believe something's wrong with some of those little houses.

2010-03-15T18:22:00.000-07:00

All the President's Men

A movie I consistently enjoy, All the President's Men is a fascinating story about one of America's biggest scandals. Plus, it began my love affair with Dustin Hoffman.

This film could have been insanely boring. A lot of the action takes place over the phone or Woodward & Bernstein interviewing witnesses. Lots of talking, no love story, no car chases or explosions. Hoffman and Robert Redford can take a lot of the credit for the film's fast pace and suspense. They keep audiences engaged. They have great chemistry and play off each other nicely in serious and comedic ways. As well, viewers rely on them to tell us when an exciting discovery is made, because viewers don't know all the names and details of Watergate. Widened eyes, fast talking, and fidgeting are essential cues perfected by Hoffman and Redford in these roles. And they are both so dreamy.

The film has been ccriticized for how it portrays Woodward and Bernstein as the sole heroes. There were many other people who helped bring down Nixon...but that would've been another movie. This is about the reporters, chasing leads, writing stories and getting out the truth to the American people. Audiences have also had trouble with the film's abrupt ending and a seeming lack of closure. I like the ending. We all know the final outcome of the scandal. Plus, the investigation and "Woodstein's" reporting went on for years. If director Alan Pakula had tried to jam everything into two and a half hours, the result could have been sloppy. I like that the film end's with the headlines being typed on a typewriter, further emphasizing Woodward and Bernstein's role in the uncovering of the scandal.

The sound design team did a stellar job. The film opens with the extreme close up and high volume sound of a typewriter. It almost sounds like a gun is going off. Further more, the lighting was notable. Keeping the Washington Post brightly lit and many scenes of Washington, D.C. in the dark emphasizes a dark side of politics and further positions the reporters as the heroes.

This film is no nonsense. It gets right down to business and doesn't include unnecessary sub plots, the way I feel some films do. The film gets better with each viewing, because you go in knowing more about Watergate every time.

Emma Thompson in Love Actually

Is this woman ever bad? Certainly not in Love Actually. She's the support system of the whole film and the wave of subtle emotion the sweeps over her face when he realizes what her husband has done...mesmerizing. And having to suddenly turn on the happy mom switch, her composure is moving.

Netflix

In Bruges-Love it. Gets better every time. Must see again.
Lorna's Silence-Some French film that Netflix keeps recommending to me.
Heat-Netflix Instant. This was made back when Michael Mann made quality films right?

Let's play an Oscar drinking game

2010-03-07T10:00:00.000-08:00

Today is the Oscars. This is one of several days every year I look forward to consistently. It's like my super bowl. I'm really looking forward to seeing the clothes and the John Hughes tribute. Other than that, this year will MOST LIKELY be pretty boring.

This year, every thing has been pretty predictable. The same people/films have won consistently at pre-Oscar awards. Some deserved, some not (in my opinion). Jeff Bridges is a lock to win, mainly because people feel it's "his turn." I haven't seen Crazy Heart, so this isn't my place to make judgements, but the argument that it's "his turn" is bullshit. Just throwing that out there. Sandra Bullock will most likely win, not because she was the best this year, but because she tried something "new" and America loves her (myself included).

If everything goes the way I expect, this year affirms for me, that the Oscars don't matter that much. They are pretty superficial. It's still a huge honor and I still buy into them, but they aren't a great judge of a person's work. Some deserving men and women won't win tonight, because it's someone else's "turn." Some deserving men and women weren't nominated because they didn't campaign, which is ridiculous. Some deserving films weren't nominated simply because they were in non-traditional Oscar categories, like Star Trek, (500) Days of Summer, and Moon. (props to District 9 for repping sci-fi though, that was a shocker).

Okay, rant over. I'm still looking forward to enjoying the ceremony, laughing and crying. I'm not going to make a post about the winners, unless there is some shocking win, like if Colin Firth beats Jeff Bridges.

That's my dream, that's my nightmare. Crawling, slithering, along the edge of a straight razor, and surviving.

2010-02-28T13:06:00.000-08:00

Apocalypse Now

This is something I've been wanting to see for a long time. This is a classic American film, Vietnam War films fascinate me, and I'm one of four people who love Heart of Darkness, the book Coppola based Apocalypse Now on. I wasn't sure what to expect when I watched Apocalypse Now, but it was high time I saw it.
Apocalypse Now has many levels and is many different films. The film begins as one film and ends as something different. At first the film felt like a satire. Kilgore and his men kind of treat Vietnam like a vacation. They blast Vagner and going surfing after bombing a village. While I enjoyed this, it was slightly off putting.

The film takes a dramatic turn in the second half. There's no longer humor. Things get dark, shocking, animalistic and insane. Sheen and his comrades go to army stations along the river and chaos is prevalent. The further they go, the darker things get. When Sheen finally reaches his destination, he comes into contact with a man who's gone off the map and does things his own way. He's reached the belly of the beast, the heart of darkness.

These two distinctly different stories are edited together kind of sloppy. It didn't quite feel right upon viewing. However, after taking a couple steps back, it kind of works. It represents the three dimensionalness of the Vietnam War. Some people didn't take it seriously at first, they treated it as a vacation. But as time goes on, as one ventures further down the river, the futility of war becomes more clear and the horror and insanity takes over. Killing and a loss of innocence can mentally unhinge a person. If war doesn't kill the soldier, memories will.

The sound is great. The music is great. The sets, lighting and cinematography are great. The acting isn't revolutionary, but it's good. Marlon Brando does what you'd expect, mutter and brood with his recognizable voice. He makes a statement and his presence is felt throughout the whole film. Robert Duvall is genius. He brings flamboyance, lunacy and audacity to Kilgore. I felt kind of uncomfortable laughing at Kilgore, he's ridiculous, not in a good way. I don't know about Martin Sheen, something about him just rubbed me the wrong way. Hundreds would disagree with me.

I don't know how Coppola is still alive after making this film. From everything I've read and after seeing it, I'm not surprised he went crazy. I'm really shocked no one was murdered on set. It's very powerful and has a strong voice that dares you to not listen. While many people say you either love Apocalypse Now or hate it, there is no in between, I put myself in the middle. I liked it. It's not one of my all-time favorites and I think that the more I watch it, the more I'll like it.

Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction

I would not hesitate to say this is one of my favorite films. It's just so good. The story, editing, the androgynous child, everything. Best part? Glenn Close. Girl is crazy! Her mannerisms and voice convey just how unhinged she is. Perhaps her most terrifying moment is when Close and Michael Douglas' daughter are on the roller coaster. Close just sits and stares, totally nuts inside, as her life twists, turns, and goes upside down. Close electrifies the screen and burns her image into the minds of people contemplating infidelity.

Netflix

Coco Before Chanel-I love a good biopic and I bet the clothes are fantastic.
The Talented Mr. Ripley-I watched this years ago and hated it. I was probably too young to appreciate it.
The Seventh Seal-Netflix Instant. I'll definitely have to be in the right frame of mind to watch this. But I've never seen any Bergman.

I hope life on earth is everything you remember it to be.

2010-02-23T10:57:00.001-08:00

Moon

The most under appreciated film of the year. Hands down. I'd been waiting for months to see this film about astronaut Sam Bell preparing to return to Earth after living on a mining base on the moon for the past three years. Not only did the film not disappoint me, but it was way different than I expected.

Sam Rockwell constantly delivers great performances, he's incredibly under rated. Moon is his masterpiece. Being the only actor on screen for nearly the entire film, Rockwell keeps audiences interested with his three dimensional performance. He captures the emotional and psychological consequences of isolation brilliantly. Though he's never had a role this big, Rockwell rises to the challenge and succeeds. He carries Moon and the film is incredible due in large part to Rockwell. It's a travesty he wasn't nominated for an Oscar. I feel I can't say anymore about Rockwell without giving away the film.

Shockingly notable is Kevin Spacey. He provides the voice for Gerty, the HAL like computer assistant to Sam. Kevin Spacey has a pretty robotic voice so this is the perfect role for Spacey. Snaps for you, Kevin.

Moon is a unique sci-fi film. It has the essence of a typical sci-fi feature, the vastness of space, facing the unknown, a desire to get home. But there are no aliens, no time travel, and minimal CGI. Space provides the perfect backdrop for the film's themes. Explorations of loneliness, alienation, dehumanization and shock all intertwine in Moon. The film is sure to be remembered as one of sci-fi's gems.

First time director Duncan Jones (son of David Bowie) did a masterful job. Moon is nearly flawless. The story (conceived by Jones), the acting, the special effects, the tone of the film are well executed. His choice of using film composer Clint Mansell is one of Moon's biggest strengths. Props to Jones for getting one of the best film composers currently working. This is wonderful and memorable debut. Jones did so much with so little, the film's budget was $5 million.

It's really hard to write about Moon without saying too much. The story is familiar, yet original, and the twist is heartbreaking and appalling. Put this at the top of your Netflix queue and TP the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for not giving this film the love it deserves.

Mark Wahlberg in I Heart Huckabees

I enjoyed this slightly confusing, off the wall, slapstick meets intellectual existential comedy and Mark Wahlberg is the best part. He's over the top, and it's great to see an actor who typically does action, attempt and succeed at comedy. He's hilarious and endearing. Wahlberg one of my favorite actors and this is one of my favorite of his performances.

Netflix
The Hurt Locker-I have a strong feeling this incredible film will beat Avatar. Must see it again.
Paranormal Activity-I love scary movies.
Brick-Netflix Instant. I watched this for the first time the night before I took the SATs. It deserves my undivided attention.

I hate waiting.

2010-02-15T14:01:00.000-08:00

The Princess Bride

A staple of the romance genre, The Princess Bride is the perfect film. My appreciation for it grows stronger after every viewing. Action, comedy, romance, The Princess Bride has everything. It's timeless.

One cannot grow tired of this movie. The script is just a riot. It's cheesy without being overbearing or fake. Everything spoken is genuine. The humor reaches all ages; it doesn't discriminate. There's the physical humor that children will understand and the ridiculous, tongue-in-cheek humor and sexual innuendo that adults will appreciate. The Princess Bride just has one brilliant line after another.

The performances are unforgettable. Cary Elwes is just a dish as Westley. He's dreamy when he's the quiet farm boy, melting your heart with "As you wish." His sex appeal reaches new heights when he returns as the swashbuckling hero. Though I could do without the 'stache. He's great with mixing the comedy and drama in his performances. He's got that Cary Grant way of delivery. Robin Wright made a great debut as Buttercup. Though her character isn't exactly a role model for young girls, she brings the allure and sweetness to all classic princesses. She's just so beautiful.

The backbone of the film comes from the supporting performances. Mandy Patinkin stole the show. He delivers the film's most famous line and has the most fun with the role. Andre the Giant is just lovable as Fezzick and Wallace Shawn is hilarious and annoying, as usual.

Christopher Guest and Chris Sarandon are the perfect villains. Before we have verbal or physical confirmation that they were villains, one knows. Their upturned noses, sneers, and the arrogance in their voices say it all.

I just love The Princess Bride. It's a great story with a rewarding ending. It leaves a wonderful impression on all viewers.

Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's

What a seducing performance. Hepburn seduces Paul, she seduces the audience. Holly isn't the world's greatest person but she makes it damn near impossible to see that. You just can't help but love her.

Netflix
Couples Retreat-I love Kbell and Jason Bateman, even though this movie got awful reviews.
Pretty in Pink-I think I'm on this kick of rewatching old favorites.
Brief Interviews with Hideous Men-Netflix instant. John Krasinski's directorial debut, I'll watch it just for that.

Anna Howard Shaw Day

2010-02-14T15:00:00.001-08:00

It's Valentine's Day, a day where people are supposed to celebrate love. I think this is ridiculous, because love should be celebrated and appreciated every day. But to honor the day's message, below are some of my favorite romantic movies and some pretty hot and/or romantic kisses.

The Notebook

Atonement

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Moulin Rouge

Cinema Paradiso

Breakfast at Tiffany's

Life as a House

The Wedding Singer

Annie Hall

The Princess Bride

And finally, because love can make you do crazy things, this hot mess

Part, fools! Put up your swords, you know not what you do.

2010-02-06T11:59:00.001-08:00

Romeo & Juliet

In my initial viewing of Baz Luhrmann's take on one of Shakespeare's most famous plays, I've had a roller coaster relationship with this film. I think I compare it too closely with Zefferelli's beautiful 1968 version. Luhrman and Zefferelli had two different visions, so I should treat these as two different films. Luhrmann's version has it's weaknesses, but it's overall a worthy adaptation of one of Shakespeare's finest.

With the exception of one, Romeo & Juliet is impeccably cast. Leonardo DiCaprio brings the pretty boy looks and the immaturity essential to Romeo. DiCaprio's great at capturing the hormones and extreme emotions teenagers have, especially with "love" and sex. This is one of my favorite DiCaprio roles. He's an immensely talented actor and it's great to see him in this, when he was just transitioning to stardom. One of the most powerful moments of his performance is when Romeo goes after Tybalt. DiCaprio brings an animalistic, desperate rage we've rarely seen come out of him. It's like a switch was hit and DiCaprio was gone for a moment.

Harold Perrineau Jr is hypnotic. He brings mental instability and extreme loyalty to Mercutio, the play's best character. He delivers the immortal words confidently. He can jump from the jokster to deadly serious in an instant. I really, really, really love him in this role. His performance is my favorite in the whole film.

A vast improvement from Zefferelli's is the casting of John Leguizamo as Tybalt and Pete Postlethwaite as Friar Lawrence. Leguizamo takes his time with language and honors it in his delivery. He is chilling when he faces down Benvolio in the opening scene. He portrays Tybalt as more menacing and slick, as opposed to Michael York who just made Tybalt look like a punk. Postlethwaite gives Friar Lawrence more credibility, bravery and an overall intelligence. Milo O'Shea makes the Friar look like a buffoon.

No matter how many times I watch this movie, I can't see the positive in Claire Danes. She delivers almost every line the same, and I don't think she understands what she's saying. Her and Leo don't have the chemistry a Romeo & Juliet need. I feel like Leo was giving it his best and Danes was holding back. I think she's gotten some serious acting classes since this film.

Luhrmann wonderfully mixes the old dialect with a modern look. The use of guns makes the feud between the Montagues and Capulets seem much more senseless. The imagery, filming, and acting makes the language very easy to understand, especially for those less familiar with Shakespeare. The language does not get lost in the modernity.

The film is eye catching and bold. The cinematography is beautiful, especially in the sexy, underwater scenes. The colors explode, the music sets the tone perfectly. The costumes distinguish each family. The editing and direction is snappy and fast-paced.

The latest Shakespeare adaptation coming out is The Tempest. It's directed by Julie Taymor and has Helen Mirren as Prospera. I don't know how I feel about this alternative casting, but we will see. I think it's high time Kenneth Branagh do a new adaptation, maybe Measure for Measure or Macbeth.

Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side

Not gonna lie, Sandra Bullock was great. She's a ball busting, tough as nails Tennessee woman who rescues a kid from the streets. Bullock totally disappeared into the role, there were many moments where I forgot it was her. This role was different for Bullock, she's usually the cutesy, mildly awkward girl next door. I applaud her for changing it up and succeeding. Regardless, she does not deserve an Oscar for this. I think the Academy has Julia Roberts syndrome in this situation. Remember Erin Brockevich? Roberts was really good and it was a different role for her. But it wasn't the year's best. Sandra Bullock is in the same situation. Nonetheless, I still love Sandra and even though I don't think it's the right call, I'll be okay if she wins.

Netflix
The Lost Boys-I've never seen the whole thing, and I love vampires.
Funny Games-I saw the remake, didn't like it. Wonder how I'll feel about the original, by the same director.
Splendor in the Grass-Netflix Instant. I *love* Natalie Wood.

Oscar Nominations 2009

2010-02-02T09:25:00.001-08:00

The 2009 Oscar nominations came out this morning. There was pretty big lack of surprise. There was some Oscar success and, as fellow cinephile Fazila put it, Oscar fail. Here are my thoughts.

Actor in a Leading Role:
No surprises except the amazing Jeremy Renner. He was phenomenal in The Hurt Locker and he is getting some much needed recognition. He's a more talented Sam Worthington, this guy should be Hollywood's new go to action actor. Renner is this year's Ryan Gosling, he got a much deserved nomination and he won't win, but it's wonderful he got nominated. Congratulations Jeremy Renner!
Others who I would've liked to see: Sharlto Copley for District 9 or Michael Stuhlbarg for A Serious Man.

Actor in a Supporting Role:
Again, no surprises. Christophe Waltz is unstoppable.
Others I would've liked to see: Anthony Mackie for The Hurt Locker, Peter Sarsgaard for An Education or Alfred Molina for An Education. Even Zach Galifinakis for The Hangover. There's a place for comedy at the Oscars.

Actress in a Lead Role:
Another category with no surprises. Congrats to Meryl for a 16th career nomination. It's between her and Sandra, despite my desires. I'm wondering if this year's Best Actress race will turn out like last year's Best Actor race where Rourke pretty much gobbled up everything but Penn got the Oscar, with Bullock as Rourke and Streep as Penn. We all know who I'd like to see get this.
Others I would've liked to see: Marion Cotillard for Nine or Abbie Cornish for Bright Star. Cornish is great example of the (unfortunate) necessity for campaigning. Cornish has been busy filming and hasn't done the campaigning she needed. If only the work could speak for itself.

Actress in a Supporting Role:
Maggie Gyllenhaal was a bit of a surprise. And frankly I'm dumbfounded by Penelope Cruz. She was one of the worst parts of Nine, and that's saying a lot.
Others I would've liked to see: Julianne Moore for A Single Man (seriously, where is she?), Rosamund Pike for An Education or Melanie Laurent for Inglourious Basterds (SERIOUS OSCAR FAIL).

Directing:
Shocking, a lack of surprise. Go Kathryn Bigelow.
Others I would've liked to see: Marc Webb for (500) Days of Summer or Wes Anderson for Fantastic Mr. Fox.

Best Picture:
I swear if Avatar wins I'm knocking over The Bean. It is shameful that Avatar gets nominated for Best Picture but The Dark Knight didn't. Great that District 9 got nominated, I feared this film would be forgotten. The Blind Side, really? Is that a joke? Yeah it was enjoyable, but Best Picture? It has to be April Fool's Day.
Others I would've liked to see: A Single Man. Seriously, what the eff? This was brilliant. (500) Days of Summer. I would've been shocked if it had gotten nominated, but still. Love that movie.

Writing Adapted Screenplay:
These are deserved nominations. I haven't seen In the Loop though.
Others I would've liked to see: A Single Man. Um hello?? This is serious Oscar fail. What's wrong with you guys? Or Where the Wild Things Are. Or Fantastic Mr. Fox.

Writing Original Screenplay:
These are deserved nominations. I haven't seen The Messenger, but it's supposed to be good.
Others I would've liked to see: (500) Days of Summer. This is my biggest complaint. This movie was insightful, imaginative, just all around great. I have a bone to pick with you Academy.

It's kind of frustrating that the Academy nominates ten films this year, but every other category remains as constricted. A huge snub, Where the Wild Things Are. No visual effects or costume design. Same with Fantastic Mr. Fox, those costumes were handmade, not animated. Despite some of my wishes, my money's on Jeff Bridges, Christophe Waltz, Sandra Bullock, Mo'Nique, Kathryn Bigelow, and Inglourious Basterds. See you March 7th!

She said all the energy is borrowed, and one day you have to give it back.

2010-01-27T21:40:00.000-08:00

Avatar

I finally saw this phenomenon. Despite my misgivings after seeing the trailer, I shelled out fourteen dollars for the 3D experience. Avatar had its highs, but its low lows and I disagree with a lot of the recent awards it's won (cough cough Golden Globe for Best Picture: Drama). This if probably one of my most informal reviews, there might be strong language.

The special effects were unbelievable. Mind blowing. Beautiful, popping colors. Incredible detail. Sweeping shots, lush locations, epic CGI battles. 3D! I was and still am under Avatar's special effects spell. It was truly mesmerizing. James Cameron has my eternal respect (but he already had it). As for it being the future of film making, I really hope not. I think 3D is a treat now and then, but I don't want more and more movies shot in 3D. I find it distracting. It takes you out of the moment of the film, you are less immersed in the film's world because you are reminded of these glasses sitting on your face. It was especially weird for someone who has never worn glasses. Regardless of my qualms with 3D, I wouldn't have seen this in any other format. Cameron's Pandora is truly a sight to behold and the special effects are not to be forgotten.

Avatar had a good message. Anti-colonialism, pro-environmental. Studying colonialism in school used to make me feel terrible, so seeing it on screen was tough to watch. Cameron's environmental themes spoke true. Earth is the only planet we have, we can't ruin it. We might not be able to go to another planet to ruin either. Guys, let's just protect our natural resources, think green, stop building ugly mcmansions, okay? In addition to Avatar's political messages, I really enjoyed the film's discussion of family, energy, and so on.

Sam Worthington, he is quickly becoming Hollywood's go to guy for action. He turned in a decent performance in Terminator: Salvation and will be starring in the remake of Clash of the Titans next. His performance, like all the other actors', was predictable. These are all stock characters and all the actor's totally played into that. They brought nothing to these roles I hadn't already seen before. Maybe it was poor direction, or bad writing (most likely), but the performances were stale. After seeing Worthington with long hair throughout Avatar, I totally see his sex appeal. With a shaved head he looks like a douche but with long hair, wow, GQ mother fucker. I get it. Worthington still needs to prove himself to me. Later this year, he'll be in Last Night, a relationship drama with Keira Knightley and I'm really excited to see what he can do. I'm rooting for him.

Avatar's script and story was probably the most unoriginal piece of work I've seen in years. Not only was it unoriginal, but the script was bad. Painfully bad at times. This film is a soup, and the ingredients are Dances with Wolves, Fern Gully, Pocahontas/The New World with a dash of Lost and a splash of Jurassic Park. Blogs have called it Dances with Smurfs, rightfully so. The plot was totally predictable. Withing fifteen minutes I knew what the second and third acts would be like and how the film would end. No surprises. Cliche lines like "I became a Marine for the hardships. Told myself that I can pass any test a man can pass. All I ever wanted, was a single thing worth fighting for," made up the script. I lost count of the amount of times I rolled my eyes. As well, Jake Sully and Neytiri had no chemistry.

To give Cameron credit, he does know how to intermix physical and emotional devastation. Even though I knew what was going to happen, there were still some powerful moments, like the scene of environmental genocide on Pandora. Great intertextuality when the tree slowly fell atop fleeing Na'vi. Good shout out to Titanic.

I understand the argument for Cameron getting Best Director. The director controls and oversees everything. It's an incredibly daunting and stressful task. I repeat, Cameron did a great job creating and overseeing those special effects. But the acting was mediocre at best and the script was a ripoff, so Cameron only got half the job done. I maintain my stance on Katheryn Bigelow for the win.

Finally, I find it ridiculous that in 2154, people are still smoking, let alone on a foreign planet. I would hope we were advanced enough to eradicate smoking. It was unnecessary and gives our future a little less credibility.

Great job with the effects, Cameron and crew. Give Avatar all the technical awards, it deserves it. But nothing else. I think America is under the Jennifer Hudson spell. "Oh these special effects are awesome, Best Picture!" like "Oh, she did a great job singing that song, Best Supporting Actress!" Hopefully voters will find the antidote before March 7. And James, please, no sequel.

James Franco in Pineapple Express

James Franco has made some questionable career decisions. I mean has anyone seen his General Hospital work? Hilariously appalling. But he was so damn sweet, gentle, and believable as adorably clueless pot dealer Saul Silver. When Franco is good, he's good. I can forgive his mistakes for this endearing and hilarious performance.

Netflix

The Sound of Music-I have it taped on VHS at home. And I've never seen the non-TV/edited for time version. Plus nothing, beats Christopher Plummer and Julie Andrews leading Austrians in Edelweiss as the Nazis sit idly by.
Cache-French film that is highly regarded in the states. Roger Ebert tweeted about it recently.
Footloose-Netflix Instant. Yes, I've never seen it.

Do you think he was just some kind of substitute for real love?

2010-01-21T16:28:00.000-08:00

A Single Man

Did Tom Ford wake up one morning and say, "I think I'll make a movie today"? When I heard he was making his directorial debut with a feature, I raised my eyebrows. He is notorious for having a very large ego, and I figured this was just another way to stroke it. FALSE. A Single Man was a moving love story that turned out one of the best (and one of my favorite) male performances this year. Ford has an artistic vision and it completely translates into cinema. Not only did he direct, but he wrote the screenplay. Ford is a jack of all trades and has made a memorable cinematic debut with A Single Man.

As George, Colin Firth is a ghost of a man, going through the motions on the day he has chosen to end his life. He is truly haunting. He is utterly tormented and heartbroken, but remains composed and calm. If I were George, I'd scream, cry, thrash. Firth plays him very controlled, having to suppress and hide his feelings, the way he must also do as a gay man. He is intense and reserved. He expresses so much with a slight tightening of his lips or a flicker of curiosity in his eye. He brings lightness and color to a world of beige, but he sees everything as beige. As an audience member, one wants to reach out, cup George's cheek and tell him everything is going to be alright. It takes an impeccable performance to arouse such reaction in an audience. Firth was masterful. He even purposely infused comedy into a potentially disturbing scene.

At first I didn't like Julianne Moore, but with careful reflection, I just didn't like her character. She was wonderful. She elicits pity though she is a pitiful and at times disgraceful woman. She has great chemistry with Firth. If Mo'Nique weren't such a sure thing at the Oscars, I'd think Julianne Moore were going to win. She is certainly long overdue.

A Single Man is photographed beautifully. I love when film's make a distinguishing use of color and A Single Man utilizes color in creative ways. Ford uses color to reflect George's mood and state of mind. Most of the film is photographed as if black and white were mixed together, with a little pink, light yellow and some brown: very dreary and lackluster, much like the way George feels. But when he has a memory or moment of clarity and happiness, the colors emerge and pop. The opening scene is also brilliant. What a way to make an entrance.

Ford designed George's world so perfectly: the look, feel, etc. are all posh and desirable. What a powerful reminder that things are not always as they seem and lives are never as charmed as one thinks.

A Single Man probably has one of the most devastating endings in recent memory. No question. My reaction was reminiscent of my viewing of The Pianist, I was completely numb. I couldn't cry, I couldn't talk. I could just sit there stunned, internally a wreck.

I am completely curious as to what Ford's next film will be, or if he'll even direct again. I certainly hope he does. He has found yet another calling and it would be a shame to lose a talented director. I hope he finds the right project. He has directed one of the greatest romantic tragedies of all time. A Single Man is a crowning achievement, it's impeccably designed and tailored. I have a feeling it will be overlooked come Oscar and that's a travesty. I cannot speak more highly of this film.

Steve Martin in It's Complicated

Yes, Meryl is a goddess. Yes, Alec stole the show. But I commend Martin for his roped in, understated, sympathetic and charming performance. He's exactly the kind of guy a woman who has been hurt wants to end up with. I never thought I'd say "Aww" over Steve Martin but the man won my heart. You were the extra special part of this comedy.

Netflix

Three Kings-Love Clooney. Love Wahlburg.
Defiance-Really wanna see it again. Hopefully I'll love it as much the second time.
Monsters, Inc-Netflix Instant. Yes, I still haven't seen this. Next, Finding Nemo.

Golden Globes

2010-01-17T20:00:00.000-08:00

Just finished watching the Golden Globes. Usually the Golden Globes bend to my will and produce outcomes I deem acceptable. This year, not so much. Here are my thoughts on categories I care about.

Best Supporting Actress: Mo'Nique in Precious
She totes deserved this win. This is a very strong category this year, all brilliant performances. Mo'Nique for the win. This performance was terrifying.

Best Supporting Actor in a TV Series: John Lithgow in Dexter
As much as I love Michael Emerson, John Lithgow was brilliant as the Trinity Killer. Dexter doesn't get enough love.

Best Animated Feature: Up
To be fair, I haven't seen Up yet. I'm sure it's great. But Fantastic Mr. Fox was beautifully filmed and incredibly entertaining.

Best Actor in a TV Series, Drama: Michael C. Hall in Dexter
FINALLY!!!! Thank goodness he's on the road to recovery.

Best Actress in a Comedy Film: Meryl Streep in Julie & Julia
Marion Cotillard was the only good thing about Nine and she was great. But if Meryl was gonna win, I wish she'd won for It's Complicated.

Best Screenplay for a Motion Picture: Up in the Air
I'm so glad at the Oscars they have adapted and original. The writing categories are gonna be tough to pick. I'd be happy for Up in the Air to take adapted at the Oscars, but PLEASE (500) Days of Summer for original.

Best Drama Series: Mad Men
Mad Men, I love you. But where was Lost this year?

Best Supporting Actor: Christophe Waltz in Inglourious Basterds
Least shocking win of the evening. This brilliant, sexy man deserves everything he will get.

Best Director: James Cameron for Avatar
Yes, you managed this epic picture, which I'm sure was a challenge. But it's 2010 and a woman STILL hasn't won Best Director. Katheryn Bigelow deserved this.

Best Film, Comedy/Musical: The Hangover
Yes I loved The Hangover, it was high-larious. But (500) Days of Summer, please!

Best Actress in a Drama Film: Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side
Okay, I guess I really need to see this now. Sandra is cleaning up. But Carey Mulligan was a revelation. To be fair, this girl has a long career ahead of her. But she was magnificent in An Education. I'll be a little heartbroken if she doesn't get the Oscar.

Best Actor in a Comedy Film: Robert Downey Jr in Sherlock Holmes
I disliked Sherlock Holmes but RDJ was entertaining. I'm happy he won just so I could hear his great speech and I love the guy. Joseph Gordon Levitt didn't stand a chance, but I would've liked to have seen him win. Or Michael Stuhlbarg for A Serious Man. That film hasn't gotten the love it deserves.

Best Actor in a Drama Film: Jeff Bridges in Crazy Heart
The Wrestler with country music. I've seen The Wrestler and it's amazing, I don't need to see it in another form. George Clooney was great, he deserved the win. Colin Firth was a revelation, he deserves every award for an actor this year. This is a category I am particularly irked about. I will only see this on Netflix if Jeff Bridges wins the Oscar. Please God no.

Best Picture, Drama: Avatar
SERIOUSLY??? I haven't even seen Avatar and I'm fairly positive they were all better than this. This will be the next movie I see in theaters. I need to see what all the hype is about. Shoulda been Up in the Air or Inglourious Basterds.

The stars will wheel forth from their daytime hiding places; and one of those lights, slightly brighter than the rest, will be my wingtip passing over

2010-01-07T13:20:00.000-08:00

Up in the Air

A perfect film to wrap up this decade and speak volumes for the past couple of years, Up in the Air has become the film to beat at award ceremonies this winter. The story of a corporate jet setter resisting connection and ultimately falling prey to it, Up in the Air is a very special, distinctly American film.

Clooney turned in one of his better performances. Much of the time he was playing himself; cool, suave, fast talking and devilishly charming. When his character, Ryan, speaks of not believing in marriage, I found Clooney winking at the camera. But as the film goes on, Clooney portrays a vulnerability we are not used to seeing from him. In one of his best scenes, Ryan has convinced his future brother-in-law not to flee from the altar. Ryan knows he needs to step up because he has been absent from his sister's life, too wrapped up in his jet setter lifestyle. As Clooney watches his brother-in-law and sister reconnect, his eyes subtly well up with tears. He is completely exposed and ready to make changes in his life. This film really showcases Clooney's range.

Anna Kendrick has a star-making performance as a young go-getter whom Clooney must educate. She performs the role very naturally, a young girl wanting to be successful but who has bitten off more than she can chew. She one of Clooney's two catalysts for change. Vera Farmiga turns in a very sexy, seductive, and mysterious. She's rightfully earned many praises for her performance. These two women breath life into the film. Clooney could not have carried it alone, the way he would have if the movie stayed more faithful to the book.

This film's characters are some of it's strongest points. These characters are completely dimensional. They have all different sides and these sides shine through and develop as the movie goes on. Some appear at first to be stock characters but end not as they began. Watching these characters blossom and change, for better or worse, was one of my favorite parts. Even the minor characters, like Zach Galifinakis and J.K. Simmons are memorable.

This film left me feeling very sad. I think back to the cliched phrase "Tis better to have loved and lost then never to have loved at all." Ryan loved, and he lost. Badly. He didn't gain an optimistic, better luck next time outlook. He was coldly lied to and rejected. He becomes the fired employee. But unlike the advice Ryan gives let go employees, I don't think Ryan will look back on his failed connection and feel glad that it happened. I don't think he'll ever recover from his leap of faith.

The realism the runs through the film makes it very enjoyable. Losing one's job and the psychological effects, isolation vs. commitment, these two themes play a large role in present American lives. If this film had been released earlier in the decade, it wouldn't have had the impact it has. I expect to see this movie clean up come Oscar night.

Dustin Hoffman in Tootsie

If you know me, you know I love Dustin. He makes an excellent man and an excellent woman. His female physicality is pretty spot on. It takes a real man to comfortably put on woman's clothing and wear them proudly. Dustin Hoffman must be all man. Hoffman always gives his whole heart to a performance and results are always good. I love him more everyday.

Netflix

Apocalypse Now-I think it's time I see this.
Adam-Cute rom-com with a twist.
The Big Lebowski-Netflix Instant. It's been so long since I've seen this cult classic, I feel I should get reacquainted with it.

2009

2009-12-31T06:58:00.000-08:00

Today is December 31st, 2009 is at it's end. Though there are still a couple movies that came this year that I need to see, I clearly won't be seeing them until next year, so I can't include them on my list of my favorite movies from 2009. It was really tough to put this list together. 2009 was a really unmemorable year for film. One of it's few shining moments, however, were the great debuts or star-making roles of the likes of Carey Mulligan, Anna Kendrick, Jeremy Renner, and Melanie Laurent.

Honorable mention #1. Star Trek
Best action movie of the year. Great infusion of comedy, best looking cast of the year.

Honorable mention #2. A Serious Man
Clearly a passion project for American auteurs, The Coen Brothers. Wonderful exploration of manhood, Jewish traditions, and the plight of being the chosen people.

10. The Hangover
A fun, summer comedy that was perfectly cast and had a wonderful use of detail. The establishing shot of the hotel room the next morning is brilliant.

9. Where the Wild Things Are
A worthy adaptation of the classic book. Stunning visual effects, costume design, and great music.

8. Taking Woodstock
I don't know why I liked this movie so much. I enjoy Ang Lee, he creates wonderful characters and his films are meditations on unique points of view. This ensemble film was also well cast and made the great choice to not make a film about the music of Woodstock, but all the work that went into making the cultural event it was and still is.

7. The Hurt Locker
Powerful film. Didn't try to force audiences to take a side in the Iraq War debate. Brutally honest, with a couple exceptions of certain scenes that muddled the story and characters. Star making performances by Jeremy Renner and Anthony Mackie. Great cameos.

6. Fantastic Mr. Fox
Wes Anderson has completely redeemed himself after his film that shall not be named. Looks beautiful, actors completely match their characters. A joy to watch.

5. Up in the Air
Clooney at his best. Very, very sad. Almost left me hopeless. But I really enjoyed this. As Meg says, I only enjoy movies with sad endings.

4. District 9
A near perfect film. Wonderful debut for both director Neil Blomkamp and actor Sharlto Copley. Disturbing, grotesque, heartbreaking, and thought provoking. If I'd seen this movie by myself, I probably would've cried the whole time.

3. An Education
Carey Mulligan alone lands this film on my top ten list. What a revolutionary performance. This was one of the two films I really connected with this year. This British film had heart that so many American films lack.

2. Inglourious Basterds
Yet another incredible debut this year, this time for Christopher Waltz as a high ranking Nazi. By far one of the best male performances of the year, Waltz was electric and horrifying. Like so many Tarantino films, there's the right amount of seriousness, comedy, and ideas to be pondered deep into the night. Also, some of the most powerful and tense scenes on film this year.

1. (500) Days of Summer
After much consideration, I've decided this was my favorite film of 2009. A truly original story told in a unique and realistic way, wonderful and understandable performances from the leads, great music, (500) Days of Summer had it all.

What I still need to see: Up, Avatar, A Single Man, Moon, Invictus.

But you should know, up front, this is not a love story.

2009-12-30T12:39:00.000-08:00

(500) Days of Summer

By far one of the best films of the year, (500) Days of Summer is an endearing, off beat story about love that isn't a love story. It's beautiful, heart breaking, and entertaining. It explores a commonly experienced, but rarely shown in romantic comedies without a happy ending, feeling towards a person, uncertainty. This film is relevant to both victims and victimizers of love.

This was one of the most relatable films I've seen in quite sometime. Both Tom (Joseph Gordon Levitt) and Summer (Zooey Deschanel) are incredibly realistic characters. Summer is charming and bewitching, she's always just out of reach for Tom. She doesn't want anything serious, so Tom takes what he can get but she always keeps him at a distance. At some point in one's life, they are a Summer. You have a lot in common with a person, you connect in many ways but there is an unexplainable ambivalence. I really connected with Summer, after I was done hating her for not loving Tom. But Deschanel plays the role with great unapologetic honesty.

Gordon-Levitt is equally wonderful as Tom. A hopeless, naive romantic, Tom believes love is finding someone who likes the same weird stuff you do. Though having commonalities is important, it's not everything and Tom learns this the hard way. Gordon-Levitt captures the roller coaster of emotions felt when love is unrequited impeccably. He is physically and emotionally disheveled at some points, but at another performs the ideal dance sequence of a man in love. I could feel his heart pounding in certain scenes. Both Gordon-Levitt and Deschanel are a joy to watch and have wonderful chemistry. They play very well off each other, are very natural, and bring their non-stock characters to life.

Scott Neustadler and Michael Weber wrote a beautiful, witty and devastating chronicle of a break-up. The dialogue is infused with just the right amounts of wit, sarcasm, hope and sadness. The story is told out of order, jumping between Day 1 to Day 266 to Day 54, etc. This non-linear structure works perfectly for this film. We never remember every single day of a relationship, nor do we remember in order.

Another standout aspect of (500) Days of Summer was the soundtrack. Each song fit into the film perfectly, like the song was written for the film. While writing Garden State, Zach Braff wrote songs into scenes and got the rights later. I have no idea if this is the case for (500) Days of Summer, but it certainly wouldn't surprise me.

2009 was sort of a lackluster year for film, there were few very special movies released. But (500) Days of Summer was a gem, a fine piece of work in a year filled mostly with just alright. It's truly unlike any romantic comedy I've seen: no cliches, no stock-characters, just as close to reality as the cast and crew can get.

Mo'Nique in Precious

Yes, I can hardly believe it myself. Mo'Nique, of Flavor of Love Charm School pulled off an incredible performance as the shameless, complacent, and abusive mother of the titular character. She exudes hate and loss. She's a despicable woman. How Mo'Nique managed to pull this off I'll always wonder, but she turned out one of the best and scariest performances of the year. She is definitely one of the most memorable abusive mothers in film history.

Netflix

Death at a Funeral-Chris Rock is remaking this and it looks funny. I'd rather see the original first.
Mean Streets-Classic.
The Wind that Shakes the Barley-Netflix Instant. Really wanna see it again.

If you're afraid of dying, it shows you have a life worth living.

2009-12-25T21:51:00.000-08:00

The Last King of Scotland

This riveting historical fiction film of Ugandan president and tyrant Idi Amin has sentimental value; it rescued my mom and I from a boring and windy New York afternoon. It takes an intimate look at a slice of Amin's life, from the perspective of fictional Scottish doctor, Nicholas Garrigan. The film is a standout biography, due in large part to Forest Whitaker's portrayal of Amin.

When an actor abandons his public persona and himself for a role, that's the mark of an amazing performance. Tom Cruise is always playing Tom Cruise. It's as if he winks at the camera a couple of times throughout a movie, reminding us that he's Tom Cruise. Forest Whitaker comes off as warm, inviting, and gentle. He's like a giant teddy bear. But he shed his public image and transformed into a childish, erratic, monster. His portrayal is incredibly realistic and terrifying to watch. He turns the charm on and off like a light switch. He bewitches with stories of his humble upbringing and his pledges for prosperity and freedom and suddenly instills fear into the heart of those close to him. Whitaker is utterly chilling; Amin is one of the most insane characters in film history.

Though this film belonged to Whitaker, not be ignored is James McAvoy. He turned in a realistic and generous performance. Part of acting is making one's scene partner look good and McAvoy is an excellent buffer for Whitaker's antics as Amin. He provides excellent motivation for Amin's charming and horrifying outbursts. Though his character is fictional, one would think Nicholas Garrigan was a real man as seen by McAvoy's commitment to the role. He plays him with such a sense of purpose, like McAvoy did not want to disappoint the "real" Garrigan. McAvoy realistically begins as a wide-eyed womanizer who is enchanted by Amin to a complacent, broken, and scared young man.

Director Kevin Macdonald creates a wonderful sense of urgency throughout the film, as if any tense scene were an action packed chase scene. In the film's final scene, Macdonald weaves together Garrigan's slow escape with Amin's men quickly and frantically searching for him. He builds unhealthy tension as bloody Garrigan waits for his plane to take off and Amin's men race towards the runway. Each time I see this film I must remind myself that Garrigan escapes because it is so easy to forget when his escape is just barely thwarted.

Macdonald only alludes to Amin's crimes, as the film is told from Garrigan's point of view. I see where some might have problems with this choice, but that would be an entirely different movie. The Last King of Scotland focuses on Amin's seduction of Garrigan and others, and the slow realization of his madness. Well done all.

Marion Cotillard in Nine

Thank you for being one of the few positive parts of this disappointing film. Thank you for so brilliantly playing a long suffering and supportive wife, who was so much more complex than just the spouse of a famous director. Thank you for singing two of the three good songs in the film. Thank you for that amazing performance of "Take It All" where you dangle yourself in front of your husband and find the strength to leave him. Marion Cotillard, you're a Christmas miracle.

Netflix

In the Heat of the Night-Continuing to brush up on classics.
Lost in Translation-Haven't seen this for a while. Would very much like to see it again.
8 1/2-Netflix Instant. Classic. Has to be better than Nine.

I've been busy rewatching Lost.

2009-12-22T21:43:00.000-08:00

With 2009 coming to an end, we're thinking about this past year and everything we saw. While I did see some great films this year, there were two in particular that weren't necessarily bad, but were just disappointing.

Extract

This film was destined to be hilarious. Jason Bateman, Kristin Wiig, Ben Affleck, Mila Kunis, J.K. Simmons. These are some of the funniest actors of the moment. The concept had great comedic potential and it was written and directed by Mike Judge, the man behind the classic Office Space. This film had everything going for it, but it completely fell flat. Judge's usual quirky characters didn't entirely shine through, there was nothing comedically special about Extract. I laughed, nay, chuckled on a rare occasion and just left feeling disappointed. It was like Judge rushed this entire film. He didn't put the time and effort into developing the idea and characters and making it better. It was just awkward, shaky, and a disappointment. I was waiting for something to happen, but nothing ever did. Not only was this film the comedy disappointment of the year, it ranks high up on a list of disappointments of the decade.

Public Enemies

A 1930's gangster film with Johnny Depp as the lead? What could go wrong? A lot actually. Not only was this film a cinematic disappointment, but it was a personal one. For two weeks I spent countless hours at this set, watching perfectionist Michael Mann shoot scenes over and over again, eating up the novelty of watching a major motion picture be made and hoping to catch a glimpse of Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, or Marion Cotillard. Unfortunately, those three talents couldn't save it.
I personally blame Michael Mann. I've only seen his later work, including Collateral and Miami Vice and unfortunately I haven't been very impressed. I don't know anything about types of film (not movies, but the actual film movies are shot on), but in all the Michael Mann projects I've seen, the film makes the movie seem like it's shot on a hand held camera. It looks very realistic and modern. While it looks cool and might work for some films, it didn't work for Public Enemies. This film takes place in the 1930's, using this more modern film is distracting. It looks too clean and too polished. This is a movie about slick gangsters, the film should look somewhat edgy.
In addition to its look, the script lacked imagination and depth. We got a high school biography look at John Dillinger and Melvin Purvis. The film almost entirely ignored how much the public revered Dillinger and treated him like a superhero. We didn't get much insight into these men and because of the lackluster script, the acting suffered. Depp, Bale and Cotillard are extraordinary and accomplished actors but their roles and interactions felt forced. Bale especially always seemed to have his mind on something else, like he wasn't one hundred percent focused on becoming Purvis.

I wish someone would erase these movies from our memories and do them over. So much potential, such disappointing outcomes.

I don't want to lose my virginity to a piece of fruit.

2009-12-14T19:20:00.000-08:00

An Education

An Education is a very special film, something I think all women should see. It tells the story of ambitious school girl Jenny, who dreams of going to Oxford until she meets the educated and wealthy David, who takes her into a world she never knew she wanted. It's been a while since I saw a movie I felt really spoke to me. As soon as I left An Education, I couldn't wait to tell others to see it.

As Jenny, Carey Mulligan turned in an establishing performance. This girl is the next big thing. Mulligan captures the innocence, curiosity, and naivete of being sixteen while simultaneously portraying a bright girl who is wise beyond her years. Jenny is an old soul who wants to learn about the world but doesn't know which way is best for her, the school of education or the school of life. Mulligan captured the wide range of emotions sixteen year old girls have towards their parents, school, and love. She was mesmerizing to watch and I look forward to seeing her in other films.

Carey Mulligan was clearly the star but the supporting performances were all strong. Alfred Molina was both funny and frustrating as Jenny's pushy father. Emma Thompson made a fabulous appearance as Jenny's headmistress, a women who had received an education but wasn't very educated. Rosamund Pike was terrific as Helen, one of David's wealthy friends. Pike usually plays intelligent women but Helen was flighty, materialistic, and not very bright. I think it's difficult to play dumb, but Pike was successful. Finally, the always brilliant Peter Saarsgard played David. To begin, Saarsgard nailed a British accent. David was a smooth but slimy character, charming and very suspicious. In many of his performances, Saarsgard lets his audience get acquainted and comfortable with his character, no matter how messed up we discover his character to be. It's a wonderful seduction.

Jenny is a girl who I think a lot of girls and women can relate to. She's smart and inquisitive. She has the desire to travel and learn about French culture. Her family is pushing her into Oxford but they mostly want her to land a rich husband. When Jenny meets David, he presents her with an easy way to experience art and culture and live a rich, extravagant life that she had never experienced. She can skip the hard part of college, go straight to the rich husband, and enjoy all the perks. Jenny belongs in this world. She should be getting to see orchestras perform and traveling to Paris and reading French literature. The easy way is sometimes the far more appealing way but not always the best way and one must not tread lightly on such a decision. However, given the opportunity Jenny had with David, regardless of the fact that he turned out to be scum and a fraud, would you take the easy way out to the good life? I think it's impossible to say which choice one would make and which is right or wrong.

Women need to see this movie. We think we have it hard now, we have no idea. To have almost no say in our futures, to have limited career paths is scary. Once more, to have marriage be the ultimate goal is absurd to me. But I guess that's the way it was back then. While I can't say this is true of all modern, Western women, I think we take our liberties and rights a little for granted. Girls my age didn't have to grow up in a time where women weren't allowed credit cards, and divorce was almost never an option. An Education can serve as a reality check and reminder of how lucky we are in this day and age, though we still have a long way to go.

The title of the film can be understood in two ways. On one hand, it represents Jenny's education and exploration into the world of culture and life lessons, an informal education. Jenny thinks that by being with David, she'll learn about high culture and the world better than through academic study. On the other hand, the title represents a literal, academic education. Jenny encounters two women in the film who were educated by a university. One turned out to be a plain school teacher, Miss Stubbs, while the other is an educated but snobbish and morally uneducated anti-Semite. Jenny might look to these women as potential futures and be scared off of academia by them. I certainly understand her dilemma.

I truly connected with this film. I saw some of myself in Jenny; smart, mature, loving travel, culture and unfortunately, expensive activities such as theater and fine dining. I don't know if I would take the easy way to an easy, more desirable life. I would hope I'd have the good intuition to say no, but I think it's very possible I would make Jenny's initial decision. Like her, I feel old, but not very wise. Being wise will come in time, as I imagine it did with Jenny.

Michael Shannon in Revolutionary Road

I just finished this book so I was reacquainted with Shannon's brilliant performance as mentally disturbed John, a character who appears for only a few minutes in the film but who rocks the boat every second he's on screen. Shannon doesn't play John as a stereotypically crazy person, but as a shameless intellectual with no barrier between his thoughts and his mouth. Though he's crazy, he acts the way some of us wish we could; being truthful and not putting up with facades. Shannon did bring some humor to this heavy film, but behind the humor was the sadness one feels for a lost a soul. Definitely a more memorable performance this decade.

Netflix

The Woodsman-A supposedly underrated film of the decade.
The Wild Bunch-Classic.
Strangers on a Train-Netflix Instant. A Hitchcock I haven't seen.

A decade in film

2009-12-08T21:29:00.000-08:00

The decade is coming to an end and like everyone else, I've made a list of my 25 favorite movies of the decade. Now this isn't a list of the best movies of the decade, just ones that really struck out to me and that I really enjoyed. Strangely enough, films that I consider some of my favorites (Match Point, Little Miss Sunshine) didn't make it on this list. I couldn't tell you why, I just didn't feel right putting some down. They are in no particular order, except for the first one. It's number one for a reason.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Almost Famous

Closer

Slumdog Millionaire

The Wrestler

Memento

Moulin Rouge

Ocean's Eleven

25th Hour

28 Days Later

Pirates of the Caribbean

Before Sunset

Mean Girls

The Motorcycle Diaries

Munich

Children of Men

Little Children

Atonement

The Diving Bell & the Butterfly

Into the Wild

No Country for Old Men

The Dark Knight

Superbad

In Bruges

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

I love you in the way I understand love.

2009-12-06T20:32:00.000-08:00

The Duchess

Cinema is filled with costume dramas. Most of these are similar stories, changed in some minuscule way, enough to make it appear to be a new movie. But, truly, I love period pieces/costume dramas and I say you can't get enough of a good thing. A new film to add to this ever growing collection is The Duchess, the mostly true story of Georgiana Spencer, the Duchess of Devonshire, an aristocrat and one of our first celebrities. What sets this film apart from other costume dramas is it's realistic approach to showing audiences what it was really like to be a woman in the 18th century. This authenticity makes the film unique and gives it a level of credibility many costume dramas lack.

I am completely guilty of falling under the spell of costume dramas and period pieces, especially Jane Austen films. I always think how fun it would be to go to balls, wear those beautiful gowns, and ride in carriages around London. Many costume dramas romanticize life for women back then. Even in Pride and Prejudice "poor" Elizabeth Bennett gets to go to balls and socialize with the rich and powerful. Her father doesn't force her to marry a rich but unattractive suitor. She even marries a dashing, wealthy man. A fantasy world is created in these films and the key word is fantasy. Life for a woman in those days was anything like it is portrayed, even for wealthy women. They waited for commands from their parents and were at the mercy of their husbands. They lived in a world of suppression, double standards, and heartache. In Georgiana's world, her odious husband only wants her to produce a son. Meanwhile his mistress, Georgiana's best friend, lives with them, yet he forbids Georgiana to take a lover, to seek the same happiness her husband has. I was incredibly depressed after I saw this movie. I felt like parts of my cinematic history had been a lie; life in the 18th century wasn't romantic.

The casting for this film had to be perfect. An actress who could play a character that possessed grace, beauty, intelligence and resilience was a necessity, as well as an actor who could play a character who was hateful, but slightly sympathetic. The Duchess could not have been as effective without the brilliant work of Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes. Knightley brings strength and weakness to her role. She is a wounded bird that will never give up trying to fly. Knightley is great at wearing her emotions on her face. She doesn't need words to express herself. Knightley's pin thin frame adds vulnerability to her roles but her physicality consistently expresses her strength, no matter how awful her situation.

Ralph Fiennes is so good at playing loathsome characters. He is stiff and confident in his role as Georgiana's husband and a man of his times. He makes all the decisions, he is in control, he's a man. This is his reality and he won't have anyone change it. He believes all his decisions are logical and correct, while we see them as wrong and tragic. Fiennes avoids letting the Duke become a villainous caricature. He is simply a product of his raising and environment. It takes really strong acting to not let one's character fall into caricature.

This film is an achievement for costume dramas & period pieces of the 18th century. It took the bold step to tell it like it was and successfully showed us a way of life we all know exists but pretend we don't. Some would rather be blissfully ignorant and continue to think that that time period was as romantic as Emma makes it out to be.

Zachary Quinto in Star Trek

Now this is by no means the world's greatest performance but it was an achievement in my book. Until now, Quinto was most well known for playing one of TV's worst, most evil villains, Syler on Heroes. I was quite nervous for him to step into the role of Spock. I feared Quinto wouldn't be able to make me forget Syler existed. Much to my surprise, I was not watching Syler with pointy ears. Qunito brought enough originality to the beloved role to rope in new fans, but maintained enough of the character created by Leonard Nimoy to satisfy die hard viewers. Being able to make one's audience forget one of their most iconic roles doesn't exist is truly an accomplishment.

Netflix

Marathon Man-I. Love. Dustin. Hoffman.
Son of Rambow-Netflix kept recommending this to me.
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?-Netflix Instant. One of my favorite professors cites this film as one that changed her life.

I deserve to be all alone. I just don't want you to hate me.

2009-11-28T20:13:00.000-08:00

The Wrestler

By far one of the best and most overlooked films of 2008 was The Wrestler, the story of an aging wrestler trying to heal his professional and private life. This might be one of my favorite films of all time. It's wonderfully acted by Mickey Rourke and is brilliantly filmed. These two elements combined perfectly to make this stellar film.

Mickey Rourke is truly an artist. He IS Randy "The Ram" Robinson. He is living in the past and trying to reclaim the glory he once had, wrestling is the only thing he's really good at, it's where his heart is. He refuses to acknowledge that he needs wrestling more than wrestling needs him. He tries to make things work with his estranged daughter and his love interest, but he is an eternal fuck up. I'm sure Rourke brought a tremendous amount of his own life experience to this roll. Like Randy, Rourke was an in demand actor for a long time. Then he caught up in the lifestyle and seemed to fall off the face of the earth. And now, he's trying to make a comeback. On "Inside the Actor's Studio," Rourke said he improvised some of his dialogue, and he wrote Randy's moving final speech. During that speech, it's as if Rourke removes himself from Randy and speaks to the audience as himself. Rourke delivered an incredible performance and I was they could have split the vote for Best Actor last year. I really would've liked to see him win.

Director Darren Aronofsky is a masterful storyteller. He wonderfully parallels the aging Randy's desire to get back on top with aging stripper Cassidy. Both Randy and Cassidy are aging in misunderstood and unappreciated careers. They are getting too old to do their jobs but they don't know how to do anything else. They are kindred spirits but neither can get it together enough to make a relationship work. Cassidy wants to be Randy, but she can't risk getting involved with someone who could kill himself doing his job. It's painful to see love be just out of reach for characters.

What really struck me about The Wrestler is the way it's filmed. The film opens with Randy "The Ram" sitting in a kid's playroom after a fight, back to the camera. In the following scenes the camera stays on Randy's back, we don't see his face for quite sometime. This purposely reminds me of the way cameras follow wrestlers before matches. They attach themselves to the wrestler's back and follow them into the ring. These shots run rampant throughout The Wrestler. It's best used in the scene when Randy is about to start working in the deli at his day job. The faint sound of a roaring crowd can be heard as he walks into his "ring."

Additionally, the scenes of wrestling and it's violence are photographed well. Aronofsky brings a level of respect in his filming of wrestling. He understands what it means to fans and how carefully it can be choreographed. He shows how dramatic and violent the fights can get and really emphasizes how the wrestlers feed off the crowd.

One of my favorite scenes in The Wrestler is when Randy goes to the aging wrestler meet and greet. I was terrified that no one would show up, but a few of Randy's fans, both young and old attend. He beams when he's around them. It made me happy to see Randy get some kind of appreciation, even though he's ruined a lot of his life by his own doing. As the scene concludes, the camera lingers on some of the other wrestlers at the meet and greet. They have broken legs and other life changing injuries. Wrestling is not as glamorous as it is made out to be sometimes, and these are the sport's casualties.

As for the film's open ended ending, I think Randy dies. His heart is clearly faltering in the ring, but he won't quit. He's lost all the people he loves, all that he has left are these fans cheering for him. If he's going to go down, he's going down here. He's a broken down piece of meat but he's giving his last breath to wrestling, even though it's taken away a lot of his life and enabled him to waste the rest.

Casey Affleck in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

As Robert Ford, Casey Affleck delivers a tragic performance. He mixes cowardly, sketchy, twitchy, and admiration all into one character, like a crazed fan. He immediately makes viewers feel uncomfortable. I've always liked Casey Affleck and felt very comfortable around him on camera, so to immediately be so turned off by him is quite the compliment. What struck me is that we all know some version of Robert Ford. Socially awkward, wanting to be accepted by the "cool kids," he exists in almost any high school. Though some versions of these stock characters are harmless, others are dangerous like Ford. If he had been treated differently by his brothers, picked on less, his future could have been very different. He leaves viewers asking "What if," the way some people feel after a tragic school shooting. Affleck is haunting, understanding, and pitiful. He elicits so many contradictory feelings from viewers. This performance was truly remarkable.

Netflix

The Deer Hunter-Classic film of the 1970's.
Grey Gardens-HBO's version. I heard good things.
On the Waterfront-Netflix Instant. My moms always bugs me about seeing it, and she usually gives good film advice.

Jack, I swear...

2009-11-21T20:01:00.000-08:00

Brokeback Mountain

I think that Brokeback Mountain is sometimes forgotten when people try to think of great movies made in the last decade. It's hard to imagine why, because this film has so many fantastic elements: the acting, the music, the photography to name a few. There is so much right with this movie, it's a shame people don't remember it.

So much of what makes Brokeback Mountain great are the performances. Both Ledger as Ennis and Gyllenhaal as Jack give fully realized, heart wrenching performances, but for entirely different reasons. Ledger is filled with self hatred and denial, but he can't help the way he feels for Jack. It's painful to be with Jack, but it's painful to be away from him. There is never any doubt in a viewer's mind how much Ennis loves Jack and how much it kills him. Ledger emanates love, homophobia, and fear simultaneously throughout much of the film. He is controlled and understated, but all feelings read so clearly across his face, by either an eye flinch or tightened jaw. When Ennis loses Jack, one's heart aches. Watching Ennis smell and clutch Jack's shirt, as if he's imagining Jack in it, hugging him back, brings a lump to my throat just thinking about it. To turn the lump into tears, we have the final scene of the film where Ennis looks at Jack's shirt and a picture of Brokeback in his closet, which I saw as his heart. He longingly looks at both and apologizes to Jack, for all their lost time and the things he never said. He then closes his heart and keeps Jack locked away in there. His performance truly should be remembered as one of the best this decade.

Gyllenhaal's performance is equally heartbreaking. Jack does not have the self-loathing Ennis has. He knows who he is and knows who he loves, and it kills him that he has to hide it. Unfortunately Gyllenhaal's performance was overshadowed by Ledger's but Gyllenhaal is not to be forgotten. When Jack is rejected by Ennis following Ennis' divorce, Jack's cracks begin to surface. They will never be together, all they will have are short, stolen moments in the woods. Gyllenhaal is the soul to Ledger's heart in the film.

Michelle Williams is amazing as Ennis' wife. She perfectly captures the feelings of a woman who feels scorned and rejected by her husband and does not understand the "lifestyle" choices he's made. I believe Anne Hathaway is completely under appreciated in this film. Though she doesn't have too much screen time, she makes her few moments count, especially in her final scene. On the phone with Ennis, she goes through her rehearsed script of how Jack died. We simultaneously see her heartbreak at losing her husband and her anger at him for his secret life shine through her eyes. These four actors are the foundation of this wonderful film.

Brokeback Mountain is beautifully photographed. The sweeping shots of the mountains of Wyoming are not to be missed. The blues are so blue, the greens so green. This open, beautiful, never ending country serves as the perfect contradictory back drop to a world of suppression, fear, and loss. This endless and sweeping landscape seems like it would be a great place to nurture and let love grow. Emphasizing the heartache that can exist is Gustavo Santoalalla's beautiful score.

Brokeback Mountain has spawned one of the most famous movie quotes of the decade, "I wish I knew how to quit you." Make fun of it all you want, but in the context of the film, the line is so overwhelming and powerful. The two of them are so deeply in love, but they can't be together. Ennis can suppress his love and push Jack away, but that won't change how they feel. Jack is in love with him, no matter how many other people he's been with, no matter how many times Ennis has rejected him, Jack can't quit. It's really quite a moving and powerful line.

This movie should not have lost to "Crash" for Best Picture. Each year I lose more and more faith in the Oscars.

Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight

I guess this is a Heath-centric entry. Both Brokeback Mountain and The Dark Knight are two of Ledger's most memorable performances and they couldn't be more different. As the Joker, Ledger disappears into the role. There is no trace of any of Ledger's previous performances. His voice, physicality, and line delivery all read insane. Without a care or hesitation, he'll kill someone. He is psychotic, menacing and creates the perfect nemesis for Batman. In my more recent viewings of The Dark Knight the way the Joker fought Batman struck me. It reinforces his insanity and evil. In many action movies, the fights are very clean. They look choreographed and well rehearsed. When the Joker attacks Batman in their final fight, the Joker flails around, arms waving, kicking, squirming, throwing his whole body into it. Nothing about it is clean. Ledger looks like a crazy person just released from a cage. Ledger deserved every accolade he got, it's a shame he wasn't around to enjoy it.

Netflix

Rudo y Cursi-Kept coming about this recent Mexican film during my assistantship.
Jaws-Haven't seen the whole movie. It's time.
Let the Right One In-Netflix Instant. This movie is so powerful and beautifully photographed, I must see it again.

I don't know, it's a mystery.

2009-11-14T21:42:00.000-08:00

Shakespeare in Love

I love theater, therefore loving a movie about theater is a given for me. Shakespeare in Love is Tom Stoppard & Marc Norman's imagining of what William Shakespeare's inspiration for Romeo & Juliet was. The film is accessible to mainstream audiences and gives beautiful insight on the creative process.

As much as the film is about love, it truly is about creativity and inspiration. In his daily life, Will Shakespeare picks up inspiration, from a religious figure shouting about a plague on two houses to names of characters. Everyone plays a role in the creative process, not just the writer. Additionally, we see how a piece of work can start out as one thing, and end up as something completely different. In the film, Romeo & Juliet starts out as an comedy about pirates, much like we think the movie will be. But as Romeo & Juliet evolves, so does the movie. It becomes what we know Romeo & Juliet to be, a tragedy.

Inspiration is such a beautiful and fascinating experience, but we don't have the pleasure of knowing how Shakespeare was inspired to write some of his best work (and I believe he wrote all of his work). This film does not market itself as true but simply a "what if" or "wouldn't it be cool if." This film plays with history and creates a wonderful story about an incredible man we don't know a lot about. It paints such a wonderful picture of who Shakespeare's inspiration for Romeo & Juliet could have been, part of me wants to see portrayals of who his inspiration for Othello or The Merchant of Venice were.

The film is incredibly accessible to audiences less familiar with Shakespeare. Director John Madden juxtaposes scenes in Romeo & Juliet to happenings in Will & Viola's life, helping the audience understand the play's text. Will & Viola recite "The Balcony Scene" as they make love, and it's both romantic and witty. As well, Shakespeare is portrayed brilliantly by Joseph Fiennes not as some brooding intellectual but a creative, horny young man looking for his next meal ticket. The film brings the accessibility less Shakespeare-literate audiences need and the personality and imagination Shakespeare lovers would expect.

The film ends with tragedy and hope, as many love stories do. It's wonderful to see Will not only immortalize Viola in Romeo & Juliet but truly capture her spirit and self for Twelfth Night. This is one of my favorite endings in a film. The lovers depart with poetry ("You will never age for me, nor fade, nor die." What a goodbye.) and Viola goes on her ship to America with her loathsome husband, the always entertaining Colin Firth. We hear Will's voice describing Twelfth Night as images of a woman who could or could not be Viola struggling in the ocean play in front of us. We never see her face, just her long curly hair and the fuzzy figure of a man who could or could not be her husband. We are left wondering who this "Viola" is: the Viola we watched for the last two hours living her own Twelfth Night or Shakespeare's new fictional heroine.

Many cried foul when this beat Saving Private Ryan for Best Picture. Though Saving Private Ryan is remarkable, the films are completely different and it is almost ludicrous to compare them. I believe Shakespeare in Love is one incredibly imaginative and tells a story everyone wants to know. The Academy was right to award it with Best Picture.

Kyle Chandler in Friday Night Lights

Yes, I realize I am talking about TV again. But a good performance is a good performance. Chandler plays Coach Eric Taylor, (formerly) of the Dillion Panthers. Chandler gives a very commanding and sensitive performance as Coach Taylor. He is incredibly human. He is a likable guy, but no where near perfect. He cares about his family and his team, whether they are Panthers or Lions. And man, does Chandler know how to rally both his team and an audience. If coaching football doesn't work out for Eric, he's got a career as a motivational speaker.

Netflix

The Magdalene Sisters-I really couldn't tell you why this is here. It has been for months. But Netflix thinks I should watch it.
Up-Missed it in theaters.
The Bicycle Thief-Netflix Instant.I learned a lot about Italian Neorealism last year, and this is one of the movement's poster films.