I like movies. Even more so, I like reviewing movies. But there is a bit
of a downside to being a film critic – there is often not much
turnaround time. Usually when I review a film, I watch it once then have
a day or two to write the article. Often, that just is not long enough.
The fantastic thing about movies, especially the really good ones, is
that they have the ability to expand and take on new life inside your
mind. If I find myself continuously thinking about a particular film for
days after I see it, then more often than not, I know it is good.
Unfortunately, there is not much time for this with a deadline looming –
which can also be a detriment to the film’s initial reception.
Fortunately, with Inside Llewyn Davis, I
not only got to see the film several weeks in advance, but I got to see
it twice. And in those extra weeks (and the extra viewing), inside my
mind, a good film evolved into a great one.
Christian Bale is one of the best actors working in movies. He has had a long and productive career that shows no signs of slowing. He has just received a Golden Globe nomination for his role in the newest film from David O. Russell, AMERICAN HUSTLE. The movie is getting tons of great press and you can read Chris's full, four star review here.
Bale was nominated and won both the Golden Globe and Academy Award as a supporting actor for his work in another Russell film, THE FIGHTER. He has deftly made the transition from child actor to Oscar winner, and along way, done great work in some incredible films, so here are
I must be slipping in my old age because I forgot to discuss THE FAMILY, which is now on DVD.
Director Luc Besson is really a jack of all trades.
He has done everything from Action, to Sci-Fi to Animation and is almost always successful.
Three of his features, LA FEMME NIKITA, LÉON: THE PROFESSIONAL and THE FIFTH ELEMENT are nothing short of brilliant. His latest feature, THE FAMILY, didn't make much of a splash at the box office, but as of now is clinging to a spot in my Top 10 films of 2013.
Besson takes from, and shouts out, many famous gangster films from American cinema.
The result is a wild ride that really has everything:
High and low brow comedy, action, drama, romance, thrills and violence.
It's also full of some great acting.
Old favorites Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer and Tommy Lee Jones are very entertaining.
There is good work from John D'Leo, who plays a smarter, meaner version of Ferris Bueller.
And last but certainly not least, a standout performance from Dianna Agron, best know for her work on the TV show GLEE.
Agron is absolutely smoldering and brings serious emotion to a movie that lives on the edge of being an insane romp. Strike that, the movie is an insane romp, but Agron's performance and storyline line really raise the drama stakes. If you like blood with your comedy, then look no further, because THE FAMILY has plenty of both and much more.
American Hustle – the star-studded new film from David O. Russell, the director with the newfound golden touch – is movie all about appearances. It looks like Boogie Nights and feels like Goodfellas
(or at least tries really hard to). The film puts a lot into how its
actors look on screen, and in turn, their characters do the same within
the narrative. Everyone plays a role, in more ways than one.
Throughout the film, there is a lot of talk amongst the characters
about the difference between being “real” and “playing your part” – but
the fun thing is you never really sure who is being that so-called
“real” and who is just playing “a part.” Everyone is trying to stay one
step ahead of the game (and each other). Same goes for the film – the
filmmakers are trying to stay one or two steps ahead of the audience, so
you have a hell of a time trying to figure everybody and their plan
out.
Sure, the plot is twisty and the film is tremendous fun, but in the end, American Hustle is all about the superstar cast, all of which is in top form (all the award season love can surely attest to that).
It's Tuesday and two of my favorite films of 2013 are out on disc:
ELYSIUM is one the best science fiction films in recent memory.
Sure, the plot is not terribly original:
The rich have fled the polluted Earth and moved into an outer space colony, leaving everyone else to scrape out an existence on the toxic planet. Max (Matt Damon) is dying and can only be saved with the medical technology the colony possesses.
You may have heard stories like this before, but you haven't seen it like this.
Writer/Director Neill Blomkamp follows up his debut film, DISTRICT 9, with breathtaking sequences, a relevant message and quick pacing that leaves you wanting more, not begging for the film to end. ELYSIUM could have easily tried to be more "epic" and dragged you through the history of how Earth became so horrible. Instead, we get a short introduction to the setting and then are taken on a thrill ride with some of the best action of 2013. It's really a shame that the film didn't set the box office on fire: If Blomkamp can do all this with $100 million, I can't imagine what his $200 million film would look like.
Thrilling, dark and disturbing are all words you can use to describe PRISONERS.
It centers around the fallout from the disappearance of two young girls.
Their families seek answers and justice.
However just because something seems obvious, does not necessarily make it true.
The film is a slow burn that clocks in a two and a half hours, but if you leave to get popcorn, you are doing yourself a great disservice. The film's structure and length only intensify the emotions that the characters and the audience are feeling. It is full of characters who may or may not be exactly what they seem. For me, the standout was Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal). He gives amazing depth to a character that we are basically told nothing about. His subtle performance is some of the actor's finest work, helping make the film one of 2013's best, and definitely, most intense.
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Oliver Stone's 1991 masterpiece, JFK, is one of my all-time favorite films.
Watching it is like taking a master class in filmmaking.
It's a three hour journey that challenges your mind and emotions.
Whether or not you believe that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in shooting President Kennedy is completely irrelevant. What really matters are the performances, the cinematography and editing.
District Attorney Jim Garrison is played brilliantly by Kevin Costner, who, criminally, was not nominated for a Best Actor Academy Award. Tommy Lee Jones (who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor), Joe Pesci, Kevin Bacon, John Candy, Donald Sutherland and of course, Gary Oldman, all turn in great work. Throw in memorable lines, Ed Asner, Jack Lemmon and a ton of other great character actors and you have one of the 1990s best films.
JFK's production was marred by the public and media taking it to task over the content:
Was Oliver Stone saying that the U.S. government conspired to kill the President?
Should the Zapruder film be shown dozens of times and in tight closeups?
I can't recall a film that caused so much controversy before a frame was ever seen.
I'm actually amazed that it was able to win two Academy Awards (Cinematography and Editing), considering how much vitriol was unleashed on the production.
One member of the film community who was above the hysteria was our hero, Roger Ebert.
Mr. Ebert gave Oliver Stone a forum to discuss his film openly and waited until he saw the final product to declare, that yes, JFK is an absolutely stunning film. I've compiled everything I could find from RogerEbert.com on the subject of JFK. Take some time to read about a film that was not made to uncover how or why our President was killed, but was made to showcase the importance of his life.
Today, THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE is in theaters everywhere. This will be the second of four films that will bring Suzanne Collins' three novels to the screen. The novel 'Catching Fire' is the most action packed and by far my favorite in the series. The Director of CATCHING FIRE, Francis Lawrence, has delivered with big action before: CONSTANTINE and I AM LEGEND combined to make over $800 million worldwide. I truly have this great feeling that CATCHING FIRE is going to be a bigger and better film than 2012's THE HUNGER GAMES. Jennifer Lawrence's portrayal of Katniss Everdeen was great in the first film. The Girl On Fire could become one of the toughest and coolest cinematic heroines ever. It got us thinking got us thinking about the other most badass ladies in film history. Chris and I mutually agreed on a Top 3 and then picked the rest of our favorites. All of the links will jump you to cool videos, so click away!
The All-Time Top 3 #3. Sarah Connor (TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY)
T2 was the first R-Rated movie I ever saw. I was seven years old and it blew my mind. As a matter of fact, it still does. Anyway, Sarah Connor is tough as nails. Knowing the world is going to end soon, can be rough on a person, but she kept her mind and body in shape to help us avoid nuclear winter. Her escape from the mental hospital is so awesome. #2. The Bride (KILL BILL VOL. 1 and 2)
Beatrix Kiddo and her "roaring-rampage of revenge" earn her a spot among the all-time greats. They beat her, shot her in the head and buried her alive, but nothing stops her from taking her Hanzo sword and destroying everyone in her path. #1. Ripley (The ALIEN Series )
The only survivor out of her entire crew, multiple times. She outlived Xenomorphs, space marines, crazy prisoners and poor Newt. She even killed herself for the good of the human race, only to be brought back (via cloning!) to destroy more aliens. She is one of the best heroes in the history of film, man or woman, and absolutely brings the pain in all four films. Those are the best of the best, check out the best of the rest, after the jump.
The film centers around a now estranged group of high school friends trying to complete a once failed, epic pub crawl in their hometown bars. They soon discover something sinister in going down with the town's residents and the group is forced to fight for survival. Much like SHAUN OF THE DEAD and HOT FUZZ, this film has some good jokes and epic fight sequences.
However, I would have to rank it as my third favorite film in the trilogy.
I was really enjoying THE WORLD'S END, until all the mayhem started happening. I know it's a silly thought. I knew what I was getting into because it is part of a "series" and the trailers didn't leave much to the imagination. However, as the film started to unfold, I was hoping it would continue as a dry, British comedy/tragedy instead of morphing into an action film.
Edgar Wright gave a lot of emotional and background depth to the characters and really got the viewer interested in their lives. I wanted the characters to sort out their issues in the real world, but instead, it veers off into a movie about creative ways to smash in your enemy's face. If you really like SHAUN OF THE DEAD and HOT FUZZ, then I doubt you will be disappointed.
I just really want to see the ending to the first half of the film.
Thanks For Reading!
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MAN OF STEEL is a reboot of the Superman Franchise from director, Zack Snyder.
If you have ever seen one of Snyder's films, like 300 or SUCKER PUNCH, then you know:
This man loves to direct big, spectacular action sequences.
Snyder delivers with the sights and fights, but as a whole, the film is uneven and poorly paced.
Superman is one of the most beloved, fictional characters in history.
You'd be hard-pressed to find a person who doesn't have some knowledge of his abilities, origin story or his famous chest-insignia. MAN OF STEEL suffers from the same affliction as most reboots: it is forced to retell stories that we've seen before and often, that we've seen done better. Snyder's version is no match for Richard Donner's original and classic, SUPERMAN. However, if you are in the mood for an eye-popping evening, look no further. MAN OF STEEL is an epic and ambitious, effects film that will get you excited for the possibilities of Snyder's next project: BATMAN VS. SUPERMAN.
MAN OF STEEL is now available in a variety of formatsand you can read my full review here.
All the commercials and ads for About Time (as the above poster shows) would lead one to believe that it is a charming little romantic-comedy from the director of Love Actually.
And while it is that (to a degree, or at least for the first half), the
film is actually a tender, mostly-dramatic guidebook (with some comedic
bits sprinkled in) on appreciating family and getting the best out of
life while you still can.
There is a scene in 12 Years a Slave
– about halfway through its two-plus hour runtime – that perfectly
encapsulates the film as a whole as well as its overall viewing
experience. Like the film itself, the scene is prolonged, brutal to
watch, and yet stunningly captured – all for maximum emotional impact.
Solomon Northup, a free black man kidnapped and sold
into slavery, is being lynched. After back-talking to and defending
himself against a vindictive overseer, Northup (renamed Platt, a slave
moniker) is attacked by three white men and beaten down. A rope is
effortlessly tossed over the drooping limb an old oak tree and Northup’s
head is place through the noose. With a grunt and skin-tearing jerk,
Northup is lifted off the ground.
Solomon hangs for a few long seconds before the head overseer arrives
and stops the men from killing him. The rope, still tight around
Northup’s neck, is lowered, but tied up just short of the ground,
leaving him dangling a few inches off the ground. He strains, tries
balancing himself on his tiptoes, and fruitlessly grasps at the rope,
trying to loosen it.
Fellow slaves watch him squirm, helpless to come to his aid out of
fear. They keep their heads down and go about their work. One slave
girls braves a few seconds to give him a sip of water but does not dare
cut him down. All the while, Solomon struggles.
Minutes pass almost in silence as the camera continuously watches the
scene from several different angles (front, back, a wide shot, closeup,
etc.) with distressing, but poignant long takes. Finally, the
plantation owner arrives to cut him down. Northup drops to ground
gasping for air and thankful for firmness of the earth now underneath
him.
Today, director Ridley Scott's new film, THE COUNSELOR is in theaters.
It's the first screenplay by author, Cormac McCarthy ('No Country For Old Men', 'The Road'). The film focuses on a lawyer known as The Counselor (played by Michael Fassbender). It's set in the wild world of crime that occurs on the Mexico/Texas border. Expect shady characters, violence, twists, turns and if it's like McCarthy's other works, something profound. THE COUNSELOR got us thinking of other famous movie lawyers. Immediately, Chris and I agreed that the greatest of all litigators was the man pictured above.
Atticus Finch is undoubtedly one of the most famous characters in American Literature and Film. He's a father, a lawyer, a crack shot and most importantly, a man who believed in justice for all. The film is a classic and the subject matter is as relevant today as ever. It gave the great Gregory Peck his Best Actor Academy Award, on his fifth nomination. Atticus reigns supreme as the Best Movie Lawyer Of All-Time. However, there are many more who argued for second place, and so . . . THE MOVIE LAWYER LISTS:
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (Dir. Anthony Russo and
Joe Russo )
I really liked the first Captain America and this new trailer for the sequel has gotten me even more intrigued for the follow-up. It really looks like no other Marvel/superhero movie before - and that is a good thing.
Cast: Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie,
Cobie Smulders, Frank Grillo, Emily VanCamp, Hayley Atwell, Robert
Redford and Samuel L. Jackson
Release Date: April 4, 2014
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (Dir. Adam McKay)
Cast: Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, Steve Carrell, David Koechner, Harrison Ford, Sacha Baron Cohen, Kristen Wiig, Liam Neeson, Kirsten Dunst, Tina Fey, Nicole Kidman, Vince Vaughn, James Marsden, Amy Poehler, Christina Applegate, John C. Reilly, Kanye West, and whole lot more awesome people
Release Date: December 20
The Grand Budapest Hotel (Dir. Wes Anderson)
Well that is about as Wes Anderson-y as you can get (which is a
good thing). The film, of course, looks delightful – and I know both Dan and I
(especially Dan) are really looking forward to this one early next year.
Cast: Saoirse
Ronan, Ralph Fiennes, Edward Norton, Willem Dafoe, Jude Law, Owen Wilson, Léa
Seydoux, Adrien Brody, Tilda Swinton, Jeff Goldblum, Jason Scwartzman, F.
Murray Abraham, Tom Wilkinson, Harvey Keitel, Mathieu Amalric, Bob Balaban, and
Bill Murray
Release Date: March 7, 2014
Foxcatcher (Dir. Bennett Miller)
It’s a shame that just a few days after this trailer first
came out, the studio announced it was pushing the film back to 2014 to the give
the director a bit more time to tinker with it. Having loved Miller’s Capote
and Moneyball, plus the great cast, this film was highly ranked on my Most
Anticipated List for 2013, and now, it high atop the same list for 2014. The intense
teaser trailer just blew me away and really amped up interest tenfold.
Cast: Steve Carrell,
Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo, Sienna Miller, Anthony Michael Hall, and Vanessa
Redgrave
Release Date:
2014, probably late in year for awards consideration
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (Dir. Peter Jackson)
The second of Peter Jackson’s Hobbit films. The first one underwhelmed most (me included), but
the second looks a bit more fun and action-packed. Still don’t see the point of
splitting the story and making three films (oh wait, yeah I do… money)
Cast: Martin
Freeman, Ian McKellan, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Andy Serkis, Evangeline
Lilly, Orlando Bloom, Luke Evans, Lee Pace, Billy Connelly, Stephen Fry,
Richard Armitage, and Benedict Cumberbatch
Release Date:
December 13
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (Dir. Kenneth Branagh)
A reboot of the recently deceased
author Tom Clancy’s most famous character – Jack Ryan (previously played by
Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford, and Ben Affleck). It is clear that they are going
for something akin to the James Bond reboot Casino
Royale – which is a good start. The film looks pretty good, but we’ll see. Odds on Keira
Knightley being killed? If not in this one, then definitely in the eventual
(and hopeful) sequel.
Starring: Chris
Pine, Keira Knightley, Kenneth Branagh, and Kevin Costner
Release Date:December 25
American Hustle (Dir. David O. Russell)
The second trailer for this film looks
just terrific (as did the first). Definitely one of my most anticipated for the
rest of the year. Russell and the cast appears to be doing Scorsese’s Casino meets P.T. Anderson’s Boogie Nights, which is never a bad
thing. Based on a larger-than-life true story, I really can’t wait to see this
movie.
Cast: Christian
Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence, Jeremy Renner, Louis C.K.,
Michael Pena, Alessandro Nivola, Jack Huston, and Robert De Niro
Release Date: December 25
That Awkward Moment (Dir. Tom Gormican)
The movie has a lot going for it, most notably the core cast of three big male, 20-something stars (one huge star trying to change his Disney image and two up-and-comers who made big splashes in indies films this year). But besides all that, the film does look genuinely funny
Cast: Zac Efron, Michael B. Jordan, Miles Teller, Imogen Poots, and Jessica Lucas
Release Date: January 31, 2014
Check out more trailers, including I, Frankenstein, Non-Stop, Need for Speed, The Monuments Men, Dom Hemingway, Charlie Countryman, Rio 2, and much more after the jump:
It's Tuesday and we've got some new discs to discuss.
The world is in danger.
Whether it's Decepticons, Zombies, Aliens or Disease, at the movies, the Earth is always at risk.
In PACIFIC RIM, humans are forced to take actions against The Kaiju, a race of giant, scary, amphibious monsters that are invading Earth via an underwater portal.
These things are so mean they can only be killed with nuclear weapons . . . sometimes.
So the world pools their resources and invents Jaegers, giant robots that are controlled by human drivers via a brain linkage called "The Drift".
Thankfully, we don't get to far into how the technology works, it's unimportant anyway.
It's a movie that exists for the incredible action sequences, and the ho-hum story takes a back seat. And yes, the action sequences are impressive. PACIFIC RIM looks much better than TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN or TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON. I wouldn't go so far as to say that Guillermo del Toro is a better director than Michael Bay, but I think he is on his way up, with his best work still to come. PACIFIC RIM is good entertainment and left a lot of world to explore for possible sequels.
I guess you should buy it if you want to see them.
Melissa McCarthy is straight up hilarious.
She is an unpredictable, fast and physical comedian that we rarely see any more.
Throw in the great Sandra Bullock and about a hundred F-bombs and you've got one the best buddy-cop films of recent memory. The film is a showcase for the extreme comedic talents of both McCarthy and Bullock and they certainly deliver.
It is directed by Paul Feig, who also directed BRIDESMAIDS.
That film launched McCarthy's film career and now THE HEAT will shoot her even higher.
She turns in a great performance and really carries a film that is relying on her charms.
I don't know if THE HEAT will be quoted forever, but it will make you laugh for a few hours.
The jokes come fast and often. The audience was laughing so much that sometimes you miss the little "after shocks" that improv comedy does so well.
The Blu Ray is full of extras and I can't wait to see the riffing continue.
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The film may be called Captain Phillips – and deservingly so, Phillips is the hero (and played by Tom Hanks
in the movie, so that helps) – but the story itself is actually about
two very different captains on opposing sides of the same desperate
situation.
There are a handful of movies that
I can easily (and shamelessly) recite every single line of dialogue from: Scream, Wayne’s World, Billy Madison, Ace Ventura, Joe Dirt, Anchorman, and
finally,Dumb & Dumber.
These movies are such an integral
part of my childhood-movie-watching experience that I can’t help but look back on them fondly. I also cannot
help but to watch them whenever they come on TV (which they do – a lot).
Many of these films have at least
one, if not multiple sequels – some of which are pretty good, others
not so much. None of the sequels have or will tarnish the originals, but have
they ever really been necessary (certainly not) or even wanted (debatable)? Like most things in Hollywood, it is all about making money.
This actually, and very unnecessarily, exists...
Because I (and many people of my
generation) love these films (some more than others), it is hard not to get all
warm and fuzzy inside when news comes out about a proposed sequel or reunion – even though you know you shouldn’t.
As for Dumb and Dumber, there was that God-awful, unofficial
“sequel” – actually prequel – released in 2003 and titled, Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd, which was terrible in just about every way imaginable. (There was also a short-lived Saturday morning cartoon based on the movie
that came out in 1995. It was predictably cancelled after only 13
episodes.)
No one from the original was
involved (neither writer-directors Peter and Bobby Farrelly nor stars Jim
Carrey and Jeff Daniels). It is a movie better left forgotten. My, and pretty much everyone’s,
reaction to it:
So years pass, and both are all but erased from public knowledge while the original still holds a special place in our hearts. So, imagine the collective
twenty-somethings’ mindset when the long rumored “true” sequel to the beloved ‘90s
comedy was announced way back in 2011.
The prospect of catching up with Harry and Lloyd after all this years led to a feeling somewhere
between uncontrollable wonderment . . .
. . . and skeptical anticipation, perhaps?
Then, just a few months later, it
was confirmed that stars Jim Carrey and
Jeff Daniels would be reprising
their iconic roles as Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunne. Immediately, that reserved
interest quickly turned to rapturous glee, right?
Well finally, after two decades and several false
starts (the original studio Warner Bros. passed on the project before Universal stepped in), the official Dumb and Dumber sequel
– horrendously titled Dumb and Dumber To
– is actually happening.
