It's Kind of A Really Good Movie

I recently had the pleasure of seeing Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck's new film, It's Kind of a Funny Story (2010), starring Zach Galifianakis, Emma Roberts and newcomer, Keir Gilchrist.  The premise is rather simple: Craig (Gilchrist), a clinically depressed high-schooler, checks himself into an adult psychiatric ward in an effort to seek help for his suicidal thoughts.  During his short stint in the hospital, Craig not only meets a slew of interesting characters, but also learns much about life, love, and the pressures we all endure while growing up and finding ourselves.

The writing and directing of the film deserves recognition; it is just the right balance of seriousness, comedy, and whimsy.  However, for a film set in a mental ward it is certianly very light on the "drama" or "intensity" (i.e. this is no One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest or Girl, Interrupted).  In fact, the hospital and its inhabitants all seem very nice and happy, especially Bobby (Galifianakis), who becomes Craig's closest friend and mentor.  If people like this really are in psychiatric wards, I wouldn't mind checking myself in as well.

This film is entertaining and well-acted.  Galifianakis was perfectly cast; likable, funny, and characteristically quirky.  Gilchrist also delivers a solid performance and has great chemistry with his co-stars, Galifianakis and Roberts.  His lead performance was believable and he brings much charisma to the screen... I look forward to seeing him in other roles in the future.  

I recommend people check this one out.  I doubt many will be disappointed.  And if you are a fan of cheesy lip-synching there is an awesome performance of David Bowie/Queen's Under Pressure.  And now that you have that to look forward to, why would you not want to see this?

Has anyone else seen this film?  If so, what'd you think?

getting back on track...

Remember me?  Sorry I have been a bad, bad blogger and have totally neglected posts, reviews, and writing on my blog in general.  But what can I say?  It's winter break, I've been having panic attacks at the mall on a daily basis realizing how behind I am on Christmas shopping, and I've been a tad lazy.  But I have been going to the theaters regularly and staying on top of the new releases.  Some of the titles I've seen have been Avatar (Cameron, 2009), Brothers (Sheridan, 2009), Invictus (Eastwood, 2009), Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (Daniels, 2009), Up in the Air (Reitman, 2009), and I may or may not have gone to see New Moon (Weitz, 2009), again.  All have been enjoyable and all will have reviews written on them... starting right now.

So has anyone else seen Avatar yet?  My friend and I went to the "3D IMAX Experience" last night.  To throw out some adjectives, I'd say it was intense, epic, awesome, and shweet.  The film is about an ex-Marine who finds himself on an alien planet, Pandora, in the form of an Avatar - a human-mind controlled body that looks identical to the alien creatures living on the planet.  As he becomes more engrossed in his Avatar life, he is torn between two worlds in a fight for both his own survival and that of the indigenous people.  Based on storytelling and narrative alone, the film is really nothing new or special.  But technically, it is quite impressive.  And if you see it in 3D (which you should) it is like sensory overload.  Wowza!

The film seemed to have a lot of messages thrown in.  Perhaps a few too many.  There were obvious references to colonization, environmental concerns, and even some parallels to the so-called "War on Terror" and issues in the Middle East.  And if anyone else has seen Fern Gully, this movie reminded me of that like that but on greater scale and with sexier creatures, which isn't necessarily a bad thing since that movie was awesome too.




This is the most expensive film ever made, costing $360 million!  So far it has definitely been receiving lots of hype and great reviews.  Its first weekend it was #1 at the box office, received four Golden Globe nominations, and has an impressive 84% on Rotten Tomatoes.  It certainly was the most technically amazing film I have seen, maybe ever, and it was visually stunning and off-the-charts.  Overall, this was an amazing movie to experience and I certainly recommend it to others.

No, he's changing mine.

Looking for a wonderful, inspirational film?  Check out The Blind Side (Hancock, 2009).  Based on the remarkable true-story about Michael Oher, a once homeless teen from a broken home who is taken in by a wealthy family, the Touys, who help him reach his potential.  And not only is his life transformed, but he inspires and transforms the Touys as well.

I don't see how you can dislike this movie.  It is of course emotional and sentimental at times, but it is also sure to make you laugh and smile.  This feel-good flick is also well-acted.  Sandra Bullock puts in a killer performance as Leigh Ann Tuohy, the stubborn head of the household.  Country singer Tim McGraw was perfect as the sweet, loving Southern dad - not too far of a stretch for him.  The rest of the cast was great too.  Quinton Aaron not only looks like Oher, but played the part well.  And don't dismiss Jae Head, as little S.J..  He was adorable and hilarious.

So far, it has a 73% on Rotten Tomatoes and has many critics speaking its praise.  Glenn Whipp of the Associated Press said, "Writer-director John Lee Hancock wisely lets the true story of Michael Oher speak for itself" and Variety's Joe Leydon called the film an "uplifting and entertaining feel-good, fact-based sports drama."

In a moment the world changed forever.

Based on Cormac McCarthy's novel by the same name, The Road (Hillcoat, 2009) is a post-apocalytpic tale of a man and his son trying to survive by any means possible.  Starring Viggo Mortensen as "the man" and new-comer Kodi Smit-McPhee as "the boy," this film is dark, eerie, and throughly captivating from beginning to end.  And as someone who has read the book, it certainly stayed true to McCarthy's original work so fans will be happy.

Like the book, the film is incredibly simplistic and everything from costumes to set decor were stripped to the bare-minimal.  The desaturated colors and minimal score create an utterly chilling effect.  This is certainly a very dark view of the world.  "The most arresting aspect of The Road is just how fully the filmmakers have realized this bleak, blighted landscape of a modern society reduced to savagery," commented New York Times' top film critic, A.O. Scott.  But it is the loving relationship of father and son that off-sets this gloominess so well and draws you in.  And both Mortensen and Smit-McPhee put in outstanding performances.

With a 70% on Rotten Tomatoes, this seems to be a well-liked film.  Steven Rea of the Philadelphia Inquire stated, "I cannot think of another film this year that has stayed with me, its images of dread and fear - and yes, perhaps hope - kicking around like such a terrible dream."  It is certainly bleak, but hope still resonates.  I'll be curious to hear what people who have not read the book think of the film.  Some of the details, or perhaps lack there of, seemed more obvious in the book.  For example, the characters (other than Ely) have no names.  And the repetitive motifs and symbols of fire and hope might have been more noticeable in the text as well.

So while I would not try to argue that it is better than the book, it is certainly a well-made,

worthwhile film.

No goats. No glory.

The new absurd comedy, The Men Who Stare at Goats (Heslov, 2009), stars George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges, and Kevin Spacey.  It claims to be based on true events... but I'm guessing it is very loosely based on actual occurrence, or at least I hope so.  The film is about a reporter (McGregor) who goes to Iraq and upon meeting Lyn Cassady (Clooney), who claims to be a former member of the U.S. Army's First Eath Battalion - a unit that trains soldiers to use paranormal powers - seems to have stumbled upon the story of a lifetime.  Over-the-top and utterly absurd, the film certainly includes some laugh-out-loud moments.  However, it is lacking any real substance or plot and I was kind of left asking, what's the point?

Now the film was enjoyable, and certainly well cast.  I particularly enjoyed George Clooney.  He was hilarious and totally off his knocker.  "This is grizzled, wild-eyed Clooney," remarked Tom Long of the Detroit News, "not the suave sophisticate, and it's a nice change of pace."  I concur.  The man certainly has some comedic chops and it was fun to see them unleashed.

With a mixed-bag of reviews and a 54% rating, I guess this is the kind of film you'll enjoy depending on your sense of humor.  I think the Toronto Star's Linda Barnard said it best: "The picture lacks discipline and focus at times, but it's fun despite the chaos."  It is narratively "loose" and a bit jumbled, but it does have some fun scenes and laughs to enjoy.

Maybe this is one to rent.

Has anyone else seen this one?  What'd you think?

every moment another story begins.

Very few film anthologies are made today.  Perhaps people find them difficult to make or are simply not interested in them.  Which is too bad, because they can be really great pieces.  A film anthology is simply a film consisting of several different short films or stories.  Sometimes these stories are interwoven, sometimes they are not.  Other times the filmmaker uses a common theme to tie the stories together, such as a place, person, or thing.  In the case of New York, I Love You (2009) the stories of different individuals are connected based on their residency in the big apple.

The film was directed by Fatih Akin, Yvan Attal, Allen Hughes, Shunji Iwai, Wen Jiang, Joshua Marston, Mira Nair, Brett Ratner, Randall Balsmeyer, Shekhar Kapur, and Natalie Portman.  There is not a simply, concise plot but rather eleven short films exploring romance, love, and life.  These story-lines, some humorous others quite sad, all take place in NY.

I did not love the film, but I certainly enjoyed it.  A few of the story-lines could probably have been removed but overall it was a good film.  If you are looking for something interesting and different from the mainstream films, I would recommend checking this one out.  It certainly makes you think about the fact that every single person you pass has his or her own story... something I think a lot of us never really take the time to consider (at least I know I don't).  "It's a bit too arty, and a bit too cute," comments Houston Chronicle's Amy Biancolli, "but it charms and cajoles with the pluck of a native New Yorker."  And Roger Ebert wrote that "the film is a jumble sale, but you can make some nice discoveries."

With a 42% rating on Rotten Tomatoes I would not expect to be blown away, but it was a sweet movie.

Team Edward!

Sorry I have not gotten around to writing my review of The Twilight Saga: New Moon (Weitz, 2009).  I saw the movie Friday night at 11:30 pm (after not being able to get tickets to the midnight showing) and I absolutely LOVED it.  Now I know not all of you are Twilight fans, but those of you that are, I'm sure you will enjoy this film.  Non-fans may want to skip this one... but that's your loss.  In the film, based on the second novel in the Twilight series, Edward Cullen (aka the most beautiful, perfect, amazing vampire ever!) leaves his girlfriend/soul-mate, Bella Swan, after a slight mishap at her 18th birthday party.  With Edward gone, Bella is absolutely heartbroken and falls into a deep depression.  In order to assure herself that Edward did in fact exist, she becomes a sort of adrenaline-junkie, desperately seeking danger that will provide her with apparitions of Edward.  She also finds her friendship with Jacob Black growing and becoming more complex... especially once he realizes he is a werewolf.

The main cast, including Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner, and Robert Pattinson, return and are joined by new faces of the wolf gang and Volturi who make their debut.  I personally thought everyone was well-cast and great.  Robert is the perfect Edward and although his part was much smaller than in the first film, I found myself looking forward to his screen presence.  Taylor's shorter hair cut and ripped physique was pleasant to look at.  All I can say is thank gGod the long locks are gone... those were not working for him.  It is pretty crazy to believe he is only 17 and has the body of a tiny body-builder (steroids, anyone?)  The new wolf members were also good although I was surprised they weren't in the film much.

Saying I loved this film may be a slight understatement.  I literally was smiling the entire time and probably gasped when Edward showed up (I can't help it... Robert is gorgeous!)  It may have a mere 29% on Rotten Tomatoes, but this is the kind of film that fans enjoy and not movie critics per se.  And I think the fact that it debuted at #1 and made over $142 million says a lot about how dedicated Twilight fans are!  It already broke the record for the biggest one-day gross (beating out The Dark Knight, which previously held the record) and it more than doubled the debut of the first film, Twilight.  Way to go New Moon!

Anyone see it yet?  

1 Boat. 8 DJs. No Morals.

Has anyone seen Pirate Radio (Curtis, 2009)?  This British comedy, released in Europe as The Boat That Rocked, stars Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Rhys Ifans, Nick Frost, and Kenneth Branagh.  The story, inspired by true events, is about a group of DJs living together on a boat in the middle of the Northern Atlantic in the 1960s who broadcasted rock-n-roll music into England, which was illegal at the time and drove British government crazy.

The film currently has a 59% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, so I guess you could say the reviews have been pretty mixed.  I certainly enjoyed the film and thought it was funny, enjoyable, and had some great music.  The actors, especially Hoffman and Branagh, gave some great performances and the outrageous personalities of each DJ will certainly make you smile.  I also liked up-and-coming British cutie Tom Sturridge.  (This London-native is not only one of the U.K.'s rising stars, but also Robert Pattinson's BFF!!)

 

I agree Jonathan F. Richard of Film.com who explained that this film is "just a hell of a lot of fun."  The movie is not meant to be overly complicated or deep.  It's just a good, light-hearted film with a simple plot, good acting, and a great backbeat.  "Pirate Radio, the new rock-saturated comedy that proves life is better when it's set to a '60s soundtrack, is, to borrow from the Stones, 'a gas! gas! gas!'" commented Betsey Sharley of the LA Times.

we all need an education.

Good morning! I hope you guys all had great weekends.  I was pretty busy but I managed to see one new film, An Education (Scherfig, 2009).  Based on Lynn Barber's memoir, the movie tells a coming-of-age story of a teen girl, Jenny, living in the suburbs of London in the 1960s.  As a smart, intelligent girl she seems to have a bright future ahead of her, but her life changes after meeting an older playboy who is nearly twice her age.

This is certainly a talent-driven drama and both Peter Sarsgaard and newbie Carey Mulligan deliver fabulous performances.  I think this film will certainly help launch Mulligan's acting career (especially if it lands her an Oscar-nom).  She was perfectly cast as young Jenny, a girl exploring her own desires and learning who she is.  "Mulligan is the film's headline, pulse and revelation," wrote TIME Magazine's Richard Corliss.  "In its blithely subversive way, her starmaking performing is a co-conspirator with the movie.  Both of them win you over with smart talk and pretty feelings, then kick you in the heart."

The film currently has an impressive 93% on Rotten Tomato and has received rave reviews.  In fact, Oscar buzz is already circulating.  Caludia Pulg of USA Today called the story "fresh and thoroughly captivating," while LA Time's Kenneth Turan said it was "invariably funny and inexpressibly moving."  Overall, this was a great story that examined women's roles in the world of the 1960s.  I thought the ending could have been slightly stronger, but this is a minor complaint.  Don't miss this one!

she's got the best of both worlds.

So I am a little embarrassed to admit this, but I decided to rent Hannah Montana: The Movie (Chelsom, 2000).  I have seen the show a few time, and I guess it's a bit of a guilty pleasure to watch it once in a while.  But Miley Cyrus drives me crazy!  She is so annoying.  In spite of this, I did watch the movie.  As Hannah Montana becomes increasingly popular, she begins to take over Miley's life.  Her father, trying to help keep her grounded, takes her back to her hometown in Tennessee where she finds a cute boy, rides some horses, and gains a new perspective on what really matters in life.

The movie was pretty boring and nothing really happened to make it stand out from the show.  If anything, it was simply a glorified, elongated episode with a bit more pizzaz.  I agree with Kyle Smith of the New York Post who said, "Thin as a flip-flop and as complicated as a scrunchy, the plot is barely enough for half a movie.  At the 45-minute point, things are pretty much wrapped up."  I was pretty bored half-way through... a bit too much Smiley Miley for my liking.

Unless you are a 10-year-old girl (or a hard-core Hannah fan), I'd probably skip this one. 

all you have to do is push the button.

After eagerly awaiting the release of Richard Kelly's new film, The Box (2009), for a few months now, I was totally disapointed and bummed that it was not good.  In fact, it was terrible.  Seriouly, do not waste your time or money on this one.  Now the premise of the film was quite promising.  It's about a married couple who finds a wooden box on their door step.  Soon after receiving the mysterious box, they learn that if they press the button inside they will receive $1 million.  Only one catch: pushing the button also means that someone they don't know will die.  Not only did the story sound interesting (at least to me) but it also had some good actors including Frank Langella, James Marsden, and Cameron Diaz.

So the film began and seemed like it was going to be good.  But after about 25 minutes it took a turn for the worst and just seemed to go down hill (rapidly).  The story was a mess - confusing, cheesy, and pointless.  Apparently it was based on a Twilight Zone episode by the same name, which was based on a short story.  Now I have not seen this episode (or read the story), but there is pretty much a 100% guarantee that both are better than this film.

The Box currently has a 47% on Rotten Tomatoes (I wouldn't be surprised if this percent continues to decrease).  Peter Travers from Rolling Stone called the film "damaged goods" and Lou Lumenick of the New York Post stated that "After a promising start, this great-looking but ultimately deeply confusing and unscary sci-fi/horror opus turns into a quite boring rehash of M. Night Shyamalan's   post-signs films."  I agree with both these critics.  It was actually a really frustrating film because it was so confusing.  There seemed to be some sort of spiritual/religious metaphor going on and perhaps reference to Adam and Eve... with the whole woman not being able to resist temptation theme.  I don't know.  The message, like the rest of the movie, was unclear.

But, even though I clearly disliked this film, I still can't give up on director Richard Kelly.  Donnie Darko (2001) is still one of my favorite movies and any man who can create such cinematic genius-ness is allowed a flop (or two).

like you've never seen him before.

I was somewhat hesitant about seeing Michael Jackson's This Is It (Ortega, 2009), but after reading some great reviews about it, I decided to check it out.  And I am very glad that I did.  The film is comprised of interviews, rehearsals, and backstage footage of Michael Jackson as he prepared for his series of sold-out shows in London.

It is somewhat sad to see how awesome the tour was going to be, but, at the same time, the film does seem to package its own magic - magic that would not otherwise have been released.  Michael Jackson appears as a sincerely humble, modest, kind man who just happened to be a musical genius.  The performance sequences were amazing... even at the age of fifty, Michael Jackson could still dance like no one else and just rock it out.  And I don't think anyone can ever get tired of seeing him dance... especially his signature hip thrust and moon walk.  Gotta love it!  Seeing him interacting with his crew, dancers, and director was also wonderful.  He had a true gift for choreography and crafting a performance.  But even as an popstar and icon, he still treated all of his crew with nothing but respect and love.

As A.O. Scott from At the Movies stated, "The Michael Jackson we see here is not a self-styled Messiah or a tabloid oddity.  He is, instead, what he always was underneath it all: a talented musician, a brilliant dancer, and one of the most gifted entertainers of his time."  And Joe Morgenstern of Wall Street Journal commented that "It's an expertly packaged - brilliantly packaged, considering how quickly the job was done - phantasmagoria that emphasizes, quite convincingly, the energy that Michael could still draw from whatever was fueling his wraith-thin body."

If you are an MJ fan, you will certainly love this documentary.  And even if you aren't a "huge" fan, it is still a great film.  After all, who doesn't enjoy the King of Pop?  I'm not surprised this is the #1 movie at the box office (as well as the #1 film in the world right now!!) and has an 80% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.  Definitely put this one on your list!

Overall, a very fitting final performance.  

you're gonna be fine.

The Academy Award Winning Coen brothers' are back.  And their new film, A Serious Man (2009) is absolutely outstanding, certainly one of the best films I have seen all year.  The plot is somewhat difficult to explain, and describing it doesn't really describe the film.  However, I'll give you guys a brief synopsis anyway.  Set in 1967, this dark comedy focusses on Gary Gobnik (Michael Stuhlbarg), a Jewish, midwestern, physics professor who watches his life unravel when his wife prepares to leave him.

The film is witty, smart, and excellently acted.  Most of the cast are rather fresh-faced, including Tony Award nominee Michael Stuhlbarg as Gary, who certainly deserves an Oscar nomination for his role.  The film will more then likely be receiving several other nominations as well, including one for Best Picture.  Exploring questions of faith, family, delinquent behavior, morality, and Judaism, the film not only entertains but also makes you think.

It currently has an 85% on Rotten Tomatoes and has gotten great reviews from many top critics.  Claudia Puig of USA Today called A Serious Man "a wonderfully odd, bleakly comic and thoroughly engrossing film" and Kenneth Turan of the LA Times commented that the Coens have made "their most personal, most intensely Jewish film, a pitch-perfect comedy of despair that, against some odds, turns out to be one of their most universal as well."  I definitely agree with both critics, especially Turan.  It is quite interesting that such a unique, quirky film can also be so universal.

This is truly an excellent film that I highly recommend!

GUEST BLOGGER.

You guys are in for a treat today!  Let's welcome our first guest blogger: Miss Catherine (aka Cat Face).  Catherine reigns from the beautiful state of Colorado (D-town!!) but currently resides in LaLa Land... lucky duck.  She has written up a fab review so here it is...

Trick 'r Treat: If You Dare...

by Miss Catherine

Halloween is only a little over a week away.  Yay!  And, I don’t know about the rest of you, but one of my favorite ways to get in the freaky festive spirit is to watch a few scary movies… especially those about this spooky holiday.  So, last weekend I decided to pick up a new release that is most definitely destined to become a Halloween classic:  Trick ‘r Treat (Dougherty, 2008).

This frightening film is seriously fun.  It tells four different, yet intertwined, Halloween-themed stories.  There is the school principal who also happens to be a serial killer.  Then there is the group of kids who are supposedly collecting pumpkins for a UNICEF scavenger hunt but are actually up to no good.  We also meet seemingly sweet and virginal Laurie (played by True Blood’s Anna Paquin) who is looking for Mr. Right, although her friends just want her to join the party.  And, lastly, we see the grumpy old man who is tormented by Sam, a little trick or treat demon who is spreading the Halloween “spirit” throughout the town.

The acting is good.  The stories are creepy and creative.  There is enough blood, gore, and scares to satisfy a horror fan, such as myself.  And, the way that all of the tales tie together, makes for an awesomely interesting movie experience.  I watch a lot of scary movies (probably way more than I should admit to), and I whole-heartedly believe this movie is a must see for all horror movie fans… and for anyone who just likes a good Halloween movie.

Wow, I definitely want to see this now!  Thanks Catherine!

If anyone else would like to share a horror review or Halloween-themed article, send it on in! 

yup, definitely not a documentary.

It seems like there has been quite a bit of hype surrounding the new film Paranormal Activity (Peli, 2007).  All over the Internet people have been asking whether or not it is a documentary and if it is true or not.  I hate to admit it, but I was kind of thinking it was a documentary when I walked up to purchase my ticket.  Now I wasn't convinced it was "true" but I thought some people probably grabbed a camera and tried to make a Ghost Hunters type film.  Boy, was I wrong.  This is indeed a movie with actors and a script.  It's similar to The Blair Witch Project in that they use hand held cameras and purposely tried to make it look like a home video/documentary.  Maybe you already knew this and I am just super gullible.  Nevertheless, fiction or nonfiction, this film was great.  It's about a couple who becomes increasingly disturbed by a nightly demonic presence after moving into their new home.  It only took seven days to film and cost a mere $11,000 but has already grossed nearly $12.5 million!! And it is still on limited release.  So far it has also been getting great reviews and has been one of the most buzzed-about films this year.  Peter Travers of Rolling Stone said, "the no-frills Paranormal Activity comes packed with thrills," and Claudia Puig of USA Today commented that it "will effectively terrorize event here toughest among us."  It even has an 86% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Now I don't want to give too much away because the best part of the movie is that it is surprising (especially the ending!) and you don't really know what to expect.  I will say, however, that what they seem to catch on film at night will certainly creep you out if not totally terrify you.  I definitely jumped a few times and I heard some screams in the theater.  I think there has been a bit too much hype surrounding this movie... and it is certainly not worthy of being hailed the "scariest movie ever," but it is scary, it is fun, and it was something new and interesting.  It is not gory or an example of torture porn, but just some good pine-chilling fun.

The tagline of the movie is "Don't see it alone," and I could not agree more.  So grab some friends and check out Paranormal Activity!

now whip it... into shape!

Has anyone else seen Whip It (Barrymore, 2009)?  This comedy-drama, starring Ellen Page, marks the directorial debut of Drew Barrymore.  The film is about Bliss (Page), an indie-rock loving misfit who finds a way of dealing with her small-town misery after she discovers a roller derby league in Austin, Texas.  While the film is somewhat predictable and includes many cliches, it is still loads of fun.  While Page was great - cute, humorous, charismatic - the supporting actors were also quite memorable.  Definitely look for Jimmy Fallon as "Hot Tub" Johnny Rocket who was so stupid yet hilarious.  

The film is a girl-empowerment story and deals with mother-daughter relationships, teenage rebellion, small-town boredom, and first love.  There are plenty of funny scenes but also some emotional ones as well.  The lines are witty, clever, and manage to be simultaneously raunchy and innocent.  Certainly nothing we haven't seen before, but still worthy of seeing.  I think the film will appeal to a lot of people, which is why it's not surprising that the film has an 83% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.  It's just a funny, feel-good comedy that is comforting and enjoyable to watch.  As Mary Pois of TIME Magazine wrote, "Even if a tale of female empowerment through roller derby is not your particular cup of tea, Barrymore delivers it with such a giddy good sense of fun that it's easy enough to go along with."

So check out Whip It if you haven't already.  

Michael Moore has done it again.

Michael Moore's latest film, Capitalism: A Love Story, is certainly making a big splash with audiences.  After twenty days in theaters, it has already made over $9 million... pretty good for a documentary.  The film is not only insightful and informative, but also entertaining and hilarious.  Whether you love him or hate him, I don't think you can deny that Moore certainly is a clever filmmaker and has a way with words.  With the economy the way it is, the release of the film could not be more perfect.  Although the film does not present clear answers or suggestions on how to fix our financial problems, it does make you think.  A lot.  As Deborah Young of the Hollywood Reporter commented, "This is a typical Moore oeuvre: funny, often over the top and of dubious documentation, but with strongly made points that leave viewers much to ponder and debate after they walk out of the theater."  Like most of his other films, Moore finds reason to criticize political leaders (especially Republicans) and shed light on the corruption occurring at the hands of big business and government.

The film has certainly gotten mixed reviews, as do all of Moore's films,

but I would certainly recommend it.

Rule #1: Go See Zombieland

Although I kind of felt as though this was the same movie as Shaun of the Dead (Wright, 2004) I definitely enjoyed Zombieland (Fleischer, 2009).  The film stars Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin as four of the last living people in a world overrun by zombies.  As a horror-comedy, the film packs lots of laughs but also has some gory, bloody ass-kicking action going on as well. Each character has their own quirks (whether in search of a Twinkie or having an intense fear of clowns) and everyone came together to create a great cast.

While Woody Harrelson was super funny and had some great lines as the fearless "Tallahassee," my favorite character was Columbus, played by Jesse Eisenberg.  His nice-guy persona and list of rules for surviving in the post-apocalyptic zombie world were great.  The girls were both good too, but did not really add anything special to the film.  But I guess every movie needs a little splash of romance, right?

The film seems to be doing great, coming in at #2 this weekend at the box office and receiving an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes.  And many of the top critic are raving about the film.  Michael Ordoña of the LA Times called it a "zombie-killing good time" and Kyle Smith of the New York Post said it is "the funniest broad comedy since The Hangover."  All in all, the film has the perfect amount of gags and gore to please everyone.  As Richard Corliss of TIME Magazine commented, "This isn't just a good zombie comedy.  It's a damn fine movie, period."

So nut up or shut up and go see Zombieland.

she's evil... and not just high school evil.

Jennifer’s Body (Kusama, 2009) is really nothing more then a movie featuring Megan Fox’s face.  And sure, it’s a pretty one, but I was hoping for something more.  The film tries to be embody both horror and dark comedy simultaneously, but isn’t very successful at either.  The screenplay had many holes and the dialogue came across as extremely cheesy at times, which was fairly surprising considering it was written by Diablo Cody, who won an Academy Award for her original screenplay, Juno (Reitman, 2007).  “[Cody's] glib teen-hip dialogue mostly feels like self-conscious splatter over a sorely lackluster scare flick,” commented Los Angeles Times critic, Robert Abele.

      If you haven’t seen any of the previews, I’ll give you a quick synopsis.  The film stars Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, Adam Brody, and Johnny Simmons.  Jennifer Check (Fox), a small-town high school student possessed by a hungry demon, transitions from being “high school evil” (i.e. gorgeous, stuck up, and ultra-attitudinal) to the real-deal evil/evil.  As Jennifer begins feasting on her classmates, guys who never stood a chance with the heartless babe take on new luster in the light of her insatiable appetite.  Meanwhile, Jennifer’s lifelong best friend Needy (Seyfried) must step-up to protect the town's young men, including her nerdy boyfriend Chip (Simmons).

Apparently the film is meant to portray female empowerment and the importance of friendship, but I definitely did not get that from watching.  There were a few clever lines and some interesting scenes, but overall I was disappointed.  For a horror film, it was not scary enough, and for a dark comedy it wasn’t dark or funny enough.  As Ken Hanke of Mountain Xpress poignantly remarked, “Never as frightening as it should be, and it's certainly never as hip and funny as it would like to be, but neither is it a disaster.”

The film currently has a 42% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which is actually higher than I had expected.  But looking at Box Office Mojo, the numbers aren’t too good.  It opened last week with only $6.8 million and after 10 days in theaters has an estimated total of about $12.3 million.

Has anyone seen it?  What'd you guys think?

Oh, and did anyone catch Megan Fox on SNL, Saturday night?  Most of the skits seemed to be based on the fact that she is *gasp* attractive, but it was ok overall.  I did enjoy the flight attendant skit.

adaptation of a little-known comic book leaves little to like

Sure, the movie has a catchy slogan: “Anything you dream, you can achieve…”  And it stars mega-star Bruce Willis.  Unfortunately, not even a cool catchphrase nor Mr. Willis’ starpower could save this movie.  Whatever these filmmakers were dreaming of, they did not achieve anything on the big screen.


The premise of Surrogates (Mostow, 2009) is fairly simple.  Set in the near future, people are living their lives through robotic surrogates in a society free of pain and crime.  But when someone commits the first murder in years, FBI agent Tom Greer (Willis) is forced to abandon his surrogate and venture out himself in order to uncover an elaborate conspiracy.  Sound fairly promising?  I thought so.  But it is never a good sign when critics aren’t allowed to screen films prior to their release.  This usually means that the film is less than stellar and they know the reviews won’t be motivating people to head to the movies.  Too bad there is no way to prevent bad press once the movie is released.  I don’t think there will be any way to save this movie from being a giant box office flop.  

The movie is being marketed as an action-adventure, sci-fi/fantasy thriller based on a little-known five-issue comic book written by Robert Venditti.  How a movie can be so many different genres is a mystery to me, but no matter what you want to call it, it wasn’t good.  Film critic Robert Abele of the LA Times sums it up well in his recent review of the film: “Director Jonathan Mostow is a little too enamored with all the shiny, colorful surfaces and propulsive action to ever develop a truly creepy speculative-future vibe from the programmatic screenplay.”  Sure the film has a few car chases, a sprinkling of explosions, and some action scenes but that’s about it.

The verdict?  Don’t waste your money on this flick.

But even though I won’t be able to get a refund on my ticket, I’m not too upset.  There was one absolutely fantastic pretty cool thing that happened at the movies Saturday night.  The lights dimmed, the chatter ceased, I leaned back in my seat and... a trailer began for New Moon!!  It was exciting, let me tell you.  Probably the best trailer I’ve seen thus far.  Only 53 more days till it comes out.  Not that I’m counting.