A Serious Man

11/24/09

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans

11/12/09

Made it to an early sneak of Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans last week, which is a film based on a character from the original movie Bad Lieutenant (1992), starring Harvey Keitel. Nicholoas Cage plays Terence McDonagh in this dark dramedy showcasing a horribly, yet effective unethical detective carrying numerous addictions including drugs and gambling. I was concerned about seeing Cage in this film after several sub par, predictable performances, but I found myself pleased overall his character. Yes, there is some Cage quirkiness, and the rest of the acting is very questionable, but somehow, I really enjoyed this movie. Also, this movie falls into my category of the uncomfortable "rooting for the protagonist even though that character does awful things," a la Godfather-esque rooting for Michael Corleone. Give this movie a chance and you will catch yourself enjoying and laughing and scenarios that you probably shouldn't.

Zombieland

10/31/09

Caught this comedy horror flick late on Halloween night, and to my suprise, I really enjoyed it. Yes, I dozed of one time, but that had more to do with the long day and late night because I found myself laughing during the parts that I was awake. Zombieland is pretty self explanatory as indicated by the title, but essentially you have a couple of guys that have figured out a way to survive in a land that has been overtaken by zombies. Originality alone gives this film a solid "B" for me, but when we meet Bill Murray playing himself in a cameo role, it is worth the price of admission alone. Have a good time and check out this film whether at the theater or on DVD.

Paranormal Activity

10/18/09

"Shhhhhhhh, Did you hear that?"

-Katie

The Informant!

9/25/09

I have to say that The Informant! may very well be the most difficult movie that I review all year. See if you can follow me here. First, I will say that films that include scheming crimes as the basis of their sublot typically fascinate me. The Informant! fits this bill to a "T" as we find Mark Whitacre (Matt Damon) as the vice president of an agri-business giant turned informant leading the F.B.I down a trail of lies as he misguides them to find what he wants them to find. Matt Damon does a great job in this movie (gaining 30 pounds to do the flick), but I have never seen a movie that was so stoic throughout the entire running time, and even though there is a plot twist during the film, you aren't suprised at all when it is revealed. While based on a true story, this would have been better displayed on a 30-minute segment of Dateline. Lastly, another strange occurence in this movie is the vast 70's feel that you get, though the time period throughout the film is the early 90's. My best recommendation is this: If you are wanting to see this movie, you need to see it at the theater, because if you wait for the video, you will never sit long enough to watch it to completion. You figure that out.

World's Greatest Dad

9/11/09

Went out to see World's Greatest Dad, mostly by lack of other choices, also after seeing quite a large crowd at the sneak peak which I did not attend. I haven't enjoyed too much Robin Williams since Good Will Hunting, but walked into this one with an open mind. World's Greatest Dad is about a hard luck poetry teacher that has been unsuccessful his entire life in getting a book published. Williams' character, raising what appears to be the least respectible high school youth; this movie revolves around their relationship and after a bizarre occurence, the life changing aftermath. The acting in this film outside of Williams is very average and the other characters just seemed awkward interacting with each other. Overall, the film just didn't seem to flow too well, though there were a few moments of laughter during this movie that really wasn't very comedic. Wait for the video.

Inglourious Bastards

8/23/2009

Attended this film with Dallas Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones on a recent Sunday afternoon. OK, I went to the movie by myself and he with his wife, but nonetheless we were there at the same time. I had the better seat, but I digress. Inglourious Bastards is Queintin Tarantino's ficticious take on a group of renegade soldiers on a mission to kill one-hundred German-Nazi soldiers each. Not as graphic as some of his other films, Tarantino still put together a good cast loaded with great dialogue. While Brad Pitt's over used heavy southern accent was a bit annoying in my opinion, I want to go ahead and give my early Oscar nomination nod to Christopher Waltz for his role as Colonel Hans Landa. He was brilliant and it could probably be argued that he qualifies for leading or supporting role, as this movie is chopped up, much like most of Tarantino's pictures. A very good film, I would defintely recommend a viewing whether at the theater or before the end of the year on video.

District 9

8/14/2009

Went to watch District 9 knowing absolutely nothing about what to expect. I heard the buzz, or otherwise, this would have probably been a pass for me. A little confusing in the beginning, this documentary style sci-fi film settles down about thirty or so minutes where we find Wikus Van De Merwe caught between arresting alien prawns and trying to save his own life. I give this movie a high rating based on the uniqueness of the plot, something difficult to find these days, but in the end it most likely a slightly above average sci-fi film. A friend of mine described it best today as a movie caught between being a silly mocking style sci-fi and a serious sci-fi. I'm not going to tell you to rush out and see this one, but if you are looking for a movie that you will enjoy for the uniqueness on a Saturday afternoon, this is the one for you this summer.

The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard

7/26/2009

It was a bloody hot day that we waited and waited for Jeremy Piven to show up at an early screening of The Goods. After over three hours of waiting, the last hour outside in the sun, we finally settled in our seats. A huge Entourage fan, I really wanted this movie to be funny...And it was. Though Piven's character, Don Ready mirrors his much lauded Ari Gold character, I was still pleased. There are plenty of laugh out loud scenes throughout the movie and I thought the surrounding cast of characters were very funny. Check this movie out and then rent it, and I bet you will like it even more the second time around.

Public Enemies

6/29/2009

I was able to catch a screening of this movie and thought it was a bit ho-hum. To be honest, I thought the role of John Dillinger was just too easy for Johnny Depp, an actor that I really like. I was hoping to get a little more of the ins and outs and the how-to's of everything that went into robbing banks and the lifestyle of the 30's. I wanted a bit of a history lesson, I think. I thought the movie was well made, just a little shallow in my opinion. The two and half hours certainly didn't help. Wait for the video.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

6/24/2009

Saw the much anticipated Transformers sequel with several friends on opening night. I have to begin with a quick caveat that I just find Shia LaBeouf annoying. There, it is out of the way...OK, to begin, this movie was just entirely too long. Gratuitous fight sequences that were extremely confusing as to who were the good guys and who were the bad guys. I believe it was when LaBeouf briefly died and somehow witnessed what looked to be a robot heaven. Really? Unfortunately, for a movie that you know is fiction and going to be unrealistic, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, takes unrealistic to new heights. Coupled with the running time length of over two and a half hours, makes for quite an uncomfortable seat. Wait for the DVD and don't wear a watch.

Whatever Works

6/16/09

Whatever Works is the newest Woody Allen film with the great Larry David playing his Allen's alter ego. I personally really like Larry David and the vast majority of Allen's "newer" movies, so this movie was right up my alley. The basis of this film is the collision of a lifetime pessimist "genius" (David) and an unlikely new roomate, the very young Melanie (Evan Rachel Wood). Boris Yellnikoff has a philosophy that things may not always make sense, but whatever works...A few other positive chance incidences follow in this movie mixed in with a few funny lines, makes this movie a decent view. No rushing to the theater, but it will give you a good HBO night later in the year.

The Hangover

June 2, 2009

Attended a screening of this movie a few weeks back, and was not disappointed. The Hangover is a funny comedy about a bachelor party road trip to Vegas that goes terribly awry. The guys have some fun the first night they are there, however, once the partying has stopped, they wake up with no memory of what has happened, and no clue of the bachelor's whereabouts. Of course in movie world, the wedding is that next night; panic sets in and the movie begins...While this movie definitely works on some levels; to me, not enough of the main characters had great comedic qualities. I personally think Ed Helms plays a better character in The Office than during this movie. Zach Galifianakis is the obvious star in this film based on his bearish look and lines he is given, and I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more from him. I personally think that this film is a notch below the other "new edgy" comedies that have been released over the past couple of years. The majority consensus seems to rate this movie as greatness, however, the jury is still out for me. I need to see the film again. And I will.

Terminator Salvation

5/21/09

Terminator Salvation is probably the first bust that I've seen all year. Now it's not a bust in that it was a horrible, horrible movie; it is a bust by simply carrying the Terminator name and not delivering a Terminator quality film. Listen, we all know that the Terminator series is unrealistic; so my question is, how do you make an unrealistic, unrealistic movie? The time sequences were weird (see John Connor jumping into a 10,000 foot wave, and then seconds later is somehow aboard a submarine. Minutes later we find him standing at an airport hanger). There were definitely some great special effects during the film, including a fantastic special guest appearance that I won't begin spoil. I was entertained during this movie about the way I was entertained during Transporter 3. It's just disappointing that this was a movie that should have stayed in its' original class. Wait for the video, only because you have to.

Angels & Demons

5/17/09

Without having seen and/or read The Da Vinci Code, and without having read Angels & Demons, I set out to watch this movie with no prejudgement. I thought this movie was a decent one with a couple of nice twists. Angels & Demons is actually a prequel to TDVC, though released after the success of the first film. My guess is that you will enjoy this movie if you have yet to read the book. After a murder close to The Vatican, officials call symboligist Dr. Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) to figure out what and who is behind the killing. Following clues through paintings and other artifacts, the search begins for the answers to what could lead to actions carried out by a mysterious secret society. If you enjoyed the National Treasure movies, you will probably enjoy this film. If you are expecting to be blown away, like the studio would like you to be, you will probably be dissapointed. Overall, I would give this a slightly above average rating.

Star Trek

4/23/09

I was very fortunate to watch a sneek peek of the new Star Trek film this past Thursday. Unfortunately, I had to sign a waiver that I would not review this great movie until the release date of May 8th.

State of Play

4/19/09

State of Play is a pretty good movie about a newspaper reporter (Russell Crowe) and his blogging apprentice (Rachel McAdams) who are trying to solve the mystery behind the death of an intern of a United States Senator (Ben Affleck). A dying breed in the real world giving way to Internet bloggers and online papers, this may very well be a sign off tribute to the established newspaper reporter. Russell Crowe is good in this film as he often is, but nothing really stood out to me during this film. A little bit of originality with a C plus twist at the end. Watch this movie when it comes to cable.

4/17/09

Thriller in Manilla is a very good documentary of the events leading up to and the events directly after a boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. Once great friends, these two champions split apart after several different events throughout their careers. As a person who was not around as these fighters were in their prime, I really enjoyed the depth of information given to the audience in this film. Consequently, as as a person who was not around as the fighters were in their prime, I have nothing to go on as far as truths and agenda until I do my own research. That being said, this documentary seemed to be very one-sided with regard to Joe Frazier and his camp. The only pro-Ali person interviewed seemed to me, half crazy. Having said that, maybe this was a good representation of the times. It has certainly intrigued me enough to do my own research and find out more about these two fascinating fighters and this historical event that took place in Africa. A certain recommendation.

I Love You, Man

4/3/2009

I Love You, Man, is set in the mold of these new genre of rated R comedies: bold and sometimes shocking lines. It's hard to believe that Cher Horowitz's older brother, Paul Rudd has become this genius comedic actor. Rudd plays the part of a real estate agent who has been such a dedicated boyfriend over the years, he has no guy friends to speak of. A semi-nerd ladies man (and let me tell you, Rudd plays this part to a tee), Rudd sets out on several man dates after overhearing his wife and her girlfriends worrying that Peter (Rudd) hovers too much. The movie takes off when Rudd meets Sydney Fife, played by Jason Segel, who seems to have everything figured out...as a single male. This movie is full of several great comedic characters that really makes multiple scenes laughable, and any movie with Jon Favreau scenes are typical great and he doesn't disappoint here. I definitely give this movie a "go watch," anytime you are in need of a couple hours of laughs.

The 2 Bobs

4/2/09

The 2 bobs was the last movie that I saw at the AFI Dallas Film Festival. This was an independent, low budget movie, filmed with borrowed equipment in about twenty (20) days from start to finish. The jist of this film is about two techno-nerds who eventually strike it very rich, though still at very young ages, as computer game programmers. The problem begins when just before the launch of their latest anticipated smash hit, their office gets robbed and all of the original software is stolen. I thought this movie was very funny at times, but felt like the acting was about a C to C minus, throughout. In other words, the scenes and the premise of the scenes were entertaining, I just wasn't entertained by the actors playing the roles. Stick Jonah Hill and Christopher Mintz-Plasse in this film, add a little improvision to the scenes and it might have been gold. As it is, I would have to give it a C plus in comparison to today's hardcore comedies.

Big Fan

3/31/09

Saw an early showing of Big Fan at the Dallas AFI Film Festival and really enjoyed this movie. As you can see there isn't even a movie poster for this film yet, but it is due to release sometime in the early Fall 2009. This is another sports genre movie written by Robert Siegel (The Wrestler), but this one is about sports fandom dealing with a hardcore New York Giants fan that works in a parking garage toll booth. This story takes off when Paul Aufiero (Patton Oswalt) has a chance encounter with his hero, a great New York Giants linebacker. Paul's world is turned upside down through a series of events that truly tests the will and dedication of a true fan. Not wanting to be known as a comedy, Big Fan does have some humorous scenes, but all in all is a good sports movie that is certainly not in the typical Hollywood mold.

Adam Resurrected

3/30/09

Was lucky to see a showing of this film at the AFI Dallas Film Festival as it will probably be getting a lot of buzz when it is released later in the year. Adam Resurrected is a drama about a man that survived during the Holocaust by performing and entertaining Nazi's. Ultimately it drives him insane and he visits an insane asylum to try and get cured. Jeff Goldblum as Adam, is very very good in this movie that was difficult to watch at times due to certain subject matters. I wouldn't be suprised to see Goldblum's name mentioned at the end of the year as best actor nominee as it was quick an amazing performance. The movie as a whole, was not my cup of tea, but a very solid film for sure.

Zombie Girl: The Movie

3/28/2009

Zombie Girl: The Movie is a documentary about a little 12 year-old girl that is obsessed with making movies. Infatuated with zombie and horror movies, Emily Hagins chooses this genre and sets out to make her full length movie with the help of her mother. It documents the many many trying times and all of the ups and downs of a very young unexperienced movie creator. The documentary is entertaining but I often found myself wanting to actually see how Emily's zombie movie turned out rather than watching the film about the making of her movie. An inspiration to all young aspiring writers and directors, Zombie Girl: The Movie is a must watch for anyone with an idea of investing into the business.

Kassim The Dream

3/29/2009

Kassim The Dream is a very entertaining documentary about the amazing story of a little Ugandan boy that was kidnapped by the local military and forced to kill. A terrible and frightning life that was pushed out of fear, Kassim joined the military boxing team and used it as a means to escape the army when they participated in the United States. The documentary tells the story of how a small boy forced to deal with awful situations could end up being so charasmatic and loving and eventually a world champion professional boxer. His story is intriguing and broaches several very disturbing subject matters that are still happening in other countries even today. The film was very professionally done and tells a fantastic story that will keep your attention throughout. This film will be in limited release probably around June 2009.

Knowing

3/16/09

If you are looking for a great Spring blockbuster film to get your movie watching season off to a great start, do NOT go see Knowing. Luckily, I was able to see a sneak showing of this movie, which costs me nothing except my habitual bag of popcorn. I'm one of the few that actually enjoys a lot of Nicholas Cage movies, but this movie just doesn't know what it's doing. Is it Sci-Fi, action, horror, what? It all begins when John Koestler's (Cage) son brings home a time capsule that was buried fifty years ago at his school. In this envelope is a bunch of numbers that indicate past tragedies and predicts future catastrophies. Why it ties in to Cage's family and their particular location are never explained. In fact, a lot is left unexplained which is just as well, or the movie would have lasted longer. Did I mention their are aliens in this movie as well? As the film was letting out you could really feel the confusion and dissapointment throughout the audience. No recommend.

Familiar Stangers

3/12/2009

Saw a sneak of this indepdendent film dealing with some very realistic family situations including; bad communication, pets, and divorce . It all starts when the oldest son, Brian (Shawn Hatosy) returns back to his hometown to visit his family for Thanksgiving. A slow moving film made in the mold of Juno/Little Miss Sunshine, Familiar Strangers is fairly fresh and has plenty of original and humorus scenes such as a traditionally played donkeyball game. (You'll have to see the movie to understand). Not a rush out to see film, but I would put it in the category of an average "date flick."

Watchmen

3/6/09

Went to see Watchmen on opening night, not really knowing anything about the history of the Watchmen and never having read the graphic novel. I will admit that I panicked when I saw that the movie was over two and a half hours long, but I marched forward. Several pluses for Watchmen include not taking too long to get a good knowledge of the background of the story, and didn't take too long to get a pretty good grip of what was going on. Basically you have group of superheroes living amongst regular humans that are having to come back together to solve a murder mystery when one of their own is pushed out a window to his death. I did enjoy the movie very much during the scenes of interaction on earth between the superheroes and humans, however, there were multiple scenes that featured (superhero) Dr. Manhattan discussing various things in a very philisophical manner on futuristic outer planets. These scenes to me were trying a bit to hard to mean something, and while they may have worked for the hardcore Watchmen fans, I really got pretty bored of them after a while. I guess in sum, I should say this: For a film that I probably enjoyed only "so-so," it didn't seem like a film that lasted almost three hours long. Maybe I enjoyed it more than I thought...

Taken

2/14/2009

I watched Taken on a Saturday afternoon, after I had heard good things about a movie I otherwise probably would have skipped, at least at the theater. I liked the edge that this film possesses, along with Liam Neeson's character, a retired government worker. I guess the lack of language kept this movie at a PG-13 rating, because the very straight forward violence and adult thematics, in my opinion, made up for a rather clean script. Using his skills as a former government "Preventor," Neeson sets out to kill the man responsible for kidnapping his daughter, who was on a trip to Paris with her best friend. Once overseas, the movie turns from a drama about a man trying to rekindle a lost relationship with his daughter into an full-blown action film. The flow of the action scenes were catchy and thankfully, I never had the feeling that I was watching a movie that I had seen before. Unfortunately, for all of the reasons that I enjoyed the edgy "do exactly as I say" action, I thought the ending turned back into a little bit of Hollywood and was a little disappointing. All in all, a good flick that was worth the matinee price.

Gran Torino

1/27/09

I thoroughly enjoyed Gran Torino. Clint Eastwood gives a classic performance as an over-the-top disgruntled veteran who is content on not trying to get along with anyone, from family members to his next door neighbors. The silver years of his life change after an incident where his prized possession, a black Gran Torino, was attempted to be stolen. I found myself entertained with the majority of this movie, and caught myself laughing and chuckling at what I would consider a very racist laden slurring movie. I believe I was not laughing alone and I just kept saying to myself, "I can't believe I'm laughing at this, but I am." I realize this movie was probably made too late in the career of Eastwood to be considered a classic now, but when we look back at this film years from now, it will probably be ranked up there with a lot of his other gems. I would put this movie in the category of "Not to rush out and see it, but definitely be sure and give it a view."

Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, The

1/1/2009

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a fairly decent movie. It doesn't offer much in plot substance or suspense, but it more or less tells a story with a few good proverbs to remember. The cinematography is superb and the reverse aging Brad Pitt looked very realistic throughout the movie. I would describe the movie as very Forest Gumpish, so if you liked following Forest Gump around then you will enjoy following Benjamin Button's story. The movie is just shy of three (3) hours and fortunately is broken up by a few lighting strike scenes that I seemed to get a real kick out of. If you have an afternoon or early evening with some time to kill, I would suggest the viewing of the film. If anything else, it certainly is not in any way a typical Hollywood cookie cutter film.