Not So Strong To The Finish

I had never seen the Popeye movie until recently.  I had wanted to see it after Robin Williams passed away because it was one of his first movies.  I have to say that amidst a number of issues, I actually think Popeye has some redeeming qualities.

Popeye is the story of...well...Popeye and his adventures in the town of Sweethaven.  As I said before, I actually found this movie quite enjoyable even though it is a relatively slow movie, and is just on the brink of falling apart in the second half.  From a cinematography standpoint, I love the way this movie looks.  Beautiful sets and miniatures are utilized to perfection.  It is also very rare to have a movie that functions so much on gags work so well, but Popeye is a movie that is very funny to watch.  The boxing match with Popeye and Bluto's "I'm Mean" musical number are the highlights of the film.  That being said, I am still not sure why this movie is a musical.  I suppose the producers of the film had to find an excuse for Popeye to sing "Popeye the Sailor Man".  I mean, it would not make much sense if he burst into song in the middle of a movie that was NOT a musical, right?  Also, Popeye and Olive Oyl recieve Swee'pea in a basket when Olive's luggage is stolen, however Olive is not interested at all in the fact that someone has stolen her belongings!!  Also, the entire sequence where Swee'pea gets kidnapped is just pointless.  Why doesn't Popeye attempt to track Swee'pea down?  Why does Olive Oyl sing to Popeye from a distance instead of teaming up with him to track him down?  Why does Popeye write a letter to Swee'pea????  Also, towards the end of the film, Bluto has magically taken Olive Oyl captive, yet we have no idea how this happened.  Under all these problems, however, there is a very fun movie to watch thanks to the genius casting that drives the movie.

Robin Williams plays Popeye.  Williams perfectly embodies Popeye, right down to the physical movements and his muttering under his breath.  It is also a treat to watch him sing "Popeye the Sailor Man" at the end of the movie.

Shelley Duvall plays Olive Oyl.  Like Williams, Duvall is perfectly cast as the fast talking Olive.  The banter that she and Williams have is top-notch, and she has an attitude to go along with it.  It really is a great moment when she realizes Bluto is not the man for her, and then falls for Popeye.

Robert Altman is the director of Popeye.  As I said before, I love the way the town of Sweethaven looks cinematically.  Altman created a real visual world with great characters.  Altman also seems to know the star power he has with both Williams and Duvall, because their performances are what stands out about the movie.

Personally, I think Popeye is a half-decent movie.  The performances by the actors are what stand out more than the movie as a whole.  I would say that if you are a fan of the late Robin Williams in even the smallest of ways, you will want to at least check this movie out.

Robin Williams....You're Free!

I did not grow up with the Disney animated movies.  There are hundreds of classic animated films, but I have only seen a handful of them.  I think that because I was not raised on those movies, the 4 or 5 movies that I have seen are that much more special to me.  Aladdin is one of them.

Aladdin is the story of a street urchin who uses a genie's powers to get the girl of his dreams.  Obviously, there are many things to love about this movie.  Everything from the music to the animation is wonderful.  I love the fact that even though Aladdin and Jasmine live completely different lives, they still have something in common.  The scene where Aladdin is retrieving the lamp reminds me very much of Raiders of the Lost Ark.  I particularly love the way the magic carpet is animated, and how this character's physical movement is used to show emotion.  The almost-escape from the Cave of Wonders is spectacular.  There is also a nice nod to This is Spinal Tap if you really pay attention.  That being said, there are some issues with the movie.  Firstly, there is no explanation of how the Sultan's diamond has mystical powers.  Next, Princess Jasmine feeds a boy on the street by STEALING FOOD!!  You would think a Princess would be smarter than that.  Also, how does Jafar not know that Prince Ali is really Aladdin?  HELLO!  When it comes to recognizing people, Jafar is almost as dumb as Lois Lane from the original Superman movies.  Another thing that bothers me is that the Genie can get a new master even if he has not granted the previous master their 3 wishes.  Seriously?  That makes no sense at all.  Also, why doesn't Jafar get a new outfit when he becomes a sorcerer?  None of these problems, however, detract from the sheer joy that I get out of watching this movie.

Obviously, what stands out as the bright spot in Aladdin is Robin Williams as the voice of the Genie.  If you really think about it, the Genie is the ultimate Robin Williams tribute in many ways.  The magical power of the Genie is the perfect outlet for William's insane improvisation.  It is the thing I loved most when I saw the movie in theaters when I was boy, and it remains that way today.  Also, for the record, I ALWAYS applaud at the end of "Friend Like Me".

Aladdin was one of my first movie-going experiences.  While I do not consider Aladdin a classic like Peter Pan or The Jungle Book, I certainly do believe it is an incredibly enjoyable movie.  Of course, now that Robin Williams has passed away the ending is incredibly emotional.  Everyone loves Aladdin, and there is a reason for it.

Sweaty Nerd Fandom: Part 4

I have fond memories of going to see Daredevil back in 2003.  I remember my good friend Mike Shreve and I trudging through the snow in February just so we could get tickets.  At that time, comic book movies were just starting to get popular and it such a blast going to see the movie.

Daredevil is the story of a man who gets blinded by toxic waste, and then goes on to fight crime using his remaining four senses.  I think the problem most people had with Daredevil is that, in terms of tone, they thought it was going to be like the Spider-Man movie that came out the year before.  It turned out to be exactly the opposite.  Whereas the Spider-Man movie was exciting, fun and had bright colors, Daredevil was quite dark both visually and tonally.  Daredevil does have its problems (like that lame voicemail towards the beginning of the movie), but I must say that I really enjoy the film.  There are other issues with the movie that I would like to address.  For example, what the heck is that thing that he sleeps in?  Is it some sort of superhero waterbed?  Does it drown out the noise?  He's a superhero, so why does he sleep?  There is also a fight scene in the film that takes place in a bar (which is awesome by the way), after which the bad guy is crouched hiding somewhere and Daredevil leaps up and walks across the pool tables to get to him.  Why does he do this?  I mean, it looks cool but there is no strategic reason for him to do so.  Also, during the fight scene in the church there are bats that fly out of the organ.  It really is one of those roll-your-eyes, "oh my god, that's so cliche!" moments.  However as I said before, despite these issues I find Daredevil to be quite enjoyable.

Ben Affleck plays Matt Murdock/Daredevil.  I actually find Affleck to be quite serviceable in the movie.  Murdock is a man who knows that he cannot save everybody, and yet he still has trouble coping with that fact.  Murdock is tormented by loss his entire life, and I really enjoy watching Affleck play this kind of a role.

Jennifer Garner plays Elektra Natchios.  Elektra is a woman who does not need a man to protect her because she can protect herself, and is very adept at doing so.  I enjoy Garner in this role, and the fact that she did some of her own stunts makes it all the better.  Elektra is a very dark character, and Jennifer Garner is very good at playing that kind of a role.

Despite its problems, Daredevil does have many things going for it.  People always ask me, "Nate, name one good thing about Daredevil".  I always respond with, "Colin Farrell as Bullseye".  Farrell absolutely shines in a role that I consider one my favorite villain portrayals.  It is also great to watch the late Michael Clarke Duncan as Wilson Fisk/The Kingpin.  Duncan is literally the only actor on the face of the planet who could play the character simply because of his size.  While Daredevil is not as entertaining as Spider-Man or Iron Man, if you like The Punisher and the Blade movies you will enjoy Daredevil.

A Boring Movie About An Awful Movie

For the past several years, I have heard how incredibly raunchy Zack and Miri Make a Porno is.  I have to admit that this is one of the contributing factors that made me want to see the film.  Unfortunately, I am sorry to say that I just sat through the 2-hour snooze-fest that is Zack and Miri Make a Porno.

Zack and Miri Make a Porno is the story of two people who decide to solve their financial problems by making a porn flick.  I have to admit that even though I am a huge fan of Kevin Smith, I hated this movie.  I am not going to beat around the bush with this.  This movie is awful.  It dragged along for two hours with some of the longest dialog scenes I have ever seen in a movie.  The romantic relationship that forms between Zack (Seth Rogen) and Miri ( Elizabeth Banks) is so extremely predictable that I saw it coming five minutes into the movie.  I would also say that 99% of the funny moments in the movie come from everyone EXCEPT Seth Rogen.  With all that out of the way, there are a few minor redeeming qualities about this movie.  The crude humor is at an all-time-high, even for a Kevin Smith film.  There are also some quite good dramatic moments that actually resonate very well.  That is about it, though.

Seth Rogen plays Zack.  I am generally not a huge fan of Rogen at all, and this movie is a prime example.  Other than a couple of wonderful dramatic moments between him and Elizabeth Banks, Rogen is very weak and just downright boring.  The staleness of his acting is so present, it is a miracle I did not turn the movie off.

Elizabeth Banks plays Miri.  She is the best thing about this movie, quite honestly.  She is funny, but at the same time there is something very heartfelt about her performance.  Banks gives off a very "girl next door" quality in this movie, which is something I really enjoyed.

Zack and Miri Make a Porno is written and directed by Kevin Smith.  It is, in my opinion, his weakest film.  The countless dialog scenes drag on so slowly, and there is nothing about this movie that keeps you invested in the story or the characters.  The movie does have raunchy dialog, but that is about it.

Zack and Miri Make a Porno is one of the worst movies I have ever seen.  It is a miracle that I did not fall asleep while watching it.  If your time and money is precious to you, please do yourself a favor and skip this movie.

Born To Be Wild

It is funny sometimes when a movie you thought was awesome in your youth actually turns out to be a movie that is just decent at best.  Ten years ago, I would have told you that Domino is one of the greatest action movies ever made.  Ten years later, I will tell you that the action in the movie is good, the performances are great, but overall Domino is not very good.  This is a shame because I have such a love and appreciation for Tony Scott's work as a director.

Domino is the story of Domino Harvey and her life as a bounty hunter.  To be honest, I found this movie to be quite slow and boring.  The performances and the action scenes, particularly the shootout at the top of the Space Needle, are what kept me invested.  In the end, I was glad for it to be over.  There are some flaws in the movie.  For some reason, every time Domino (Keira Knightley) tells us about a new character we see a flashback of that person's life.  That is not necessary at all.  Also, there are many parts of the film that are shown in slow motion.  Slow motion works when you put it in the right places, but not when it is used throughout the movie.  Also, there is part in the movie when they crash their R.V., and after they escape Domino and Choco (Edgar Ramirez) immediately start having sex right in the middle of the desert.  WHAT?!  That makes absolutely no sense at all.  Another thing is that, in the aforementioned shootout, why is it so dark at the top of the Space Needle?  How are they able to see each other, much less shoot each other?  When you add all these things to an already boring movie, the result is not very good.  However, most of the performances are stellar.

Keira Knightley electrifies the screen as Domino Harvey.  She kicks ass, has a smart mouth, and is completely fearless.  I always enjoy it when an actor/actress goes against type, and Knightley does so with such ferocity.  She disappears into this role just as she always does.

Mickey Rourke plays Ed Moseby.  He is the leader of the pack, and Rourke does not have to do much convincing to make us believe that.  He remains cool and focused even in the face of death.  This is honestly one of the best pieces of acting I have ever seen from Rourke.

Edgar Ramirez plays Choco.  Choco has a soft exterior, but that is just a cover for this wild beast of a man that will shoot your arm off without any hesitation.  Unfortunately, there is no motivation behind the character.  He is just there as Ed Moseby's sidekick, and he really has little to do throughout the movie.

The late Tony Scott is the director of Domino.  Long before J.J. Abrams started using lens flares, Tony Scott was bringing us his own signature flashy style of directing.  The camerawork, again particularly in the action scenes, is amazing.  Unfortunately, Scott gets too caught up in his own style and does too much with it which diminishes the quality of the movie.  That being said, Domino is an incredible rare misstep for the highly under-appreciated and under-rated Tony Scott.

As I said before, Domino is an average movie at best.  If you are one of those movie fans like me who collect entire collections of an actor's/director's work, then I would recommend Domino to complete your Tony Scott collection.  However, if you are a fan of Tony Scott's other films you probably will not enjoy it.

Dude, What The Hell Did I Just Watch?

I had never seen Dude, Where's My Car before and it is probably best that I never watched it at all.  The funny thing is, I had a gut feeling that I was going to hate it.  Dude, Where's My Car is so monumentally bad that it makes you want to watch an awesome movie immediately afterward.

Dude, Where's My Car is the story of two stoners who wake up after a night of partying and cannot remember what happened. To begin with, the transitions are just god-awful and make no sense.  Plus, if Jesse and Chester are so dumb, how the hell do they know how to speak Japanese?  Also, they have a dog that smokes weed?  Really?  You want to know what is dumber than that?  At one point they think their dog is dead.  Well, in one shot the dog's eyes are closed and in the next shot they are open!!  That is just terrible editing.  Also, saying variations of the same phrase over and over again is NOT....I repeat...NOT FUNNY!!!  The jokes are not funny, one of the character's voices sounds dubbed, and the twins do not even look like twins.  Their bird dies too, although we never actually see how.  There is also an awful music video in the movie, and there are labels that introduce every new character.  Also, having a blind kid swing at a baseball all by his lonesome is not funny.  It is very, very stupid.  Oh, and there is this group of gorgeous women who are looking for Jesse and Chester but every time they find them, they leave.  WHAT?!  Finally, Fabio's girlfriend from earlier in the movie attacks them at the very end which made absolutely no sense at all.

Ashton Kutcher and Seann William Scott play Jesse and Chester, respectively.  I have never been a fan of Kutcher, and this movie reminds me of that.  Both actors are clearly trying way too hard to be funny.  They end up coming off very stale.  I guarantee you that the only ones who think they are funny are themselves.

Danny Leiner is the director of Dude, Where's My Car.  I am not sure what was going on in his head, but it clearly was not much at all.  There is no story to this movie at all.  It is just a jumbled, garbled mess.

Dude, Where's My Car is one of the worst movies I have ever seen.  It is a metaphorical punch to the brain for 80 minutes.  I cannot and will not recommend this movie to anyone.  Ever.

A Movie That Has The Key To Our Hearts

I remember seeing Robin Hood: Men in Tights when I was in high school, and I thought it was one of the funniest movies I had ever seen.  Also, for some reason it still remains to this day the only Mel Brooks movie I own in my collection.  It is a movie that hearkens back to the days when spoofs were actually good and ruled the box office.

Robin Hood: Men in Tights is not only a spoof of Robin Hood, but more specifically Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves starring Kevin Costner.  It is a fantastic, hilarious romp through the forest that is full of gags that never get old.  There is also a Mel Brooks cameo in the movie that is just as hilarious as the entire movie.  Come to think of it, there are a number of cameos in the movie by legendary comedians.

Cary Elwes is one of my favorite actors.  He can do comedy and drama extremely well.  I own 7 or 8 movies that he is in, and every time I watch him I smile.  He is suave, lethal and brave as Robin of Loxley.  There are a couple of sword fights in the film that, for anyone who has seen The Princess Bride, feel very nostalgic.  Elwes is perfect in the role, and his comedic timing is brilliant.

The legendary Mel Brooks is the director of Robin Hood: Men in Tights.  Mel Brooks is one of those directors that I am very familiar with even though I have not seen many of his movies.  You would think that a movie filled with gags would get boring after a while, but Brooks makes sure those gags are well-timed.  I know that Robin Hood: Men in Tights was one of the last films he directed.  I would love to see his earlier work, and maybe he will choose to direct sometime in the near future because the spoof genre definitely needs him.

Robin Hood: Men in Tights is a fantastic and hilarious movie.  It is one of the greatest spoofs of all time, directed by one of history's great directors.  I am so happy to own this movie, and I would recommend it to anyone.

Bump In The Night

I just watched this movie called Trick ‘r Treat.  Good horror movies, even decent horror movies, are hard to come by these days.  I was pleasantly surprised with this movie because it hearkened back to the glory days of horror flicks.

Trick ‘r Treat tells four interwoven stories that all occur on Halloween.  I was very impressed with the way the four stories in the movie inter-weaved with each other.  I typically do not like it when a movie flashbacks to “Earlier…” in the story, and then fast forwards to “Later…”, but with Trick ‘r Treat this was actually a very useful storytelling device.  This movie also pays tribute to the horror movies of the 80’s because of the whole “have sex and get killed” plot device. 

Michael Dougherty is the director of Trick ‘r Treat.  I mentioned earlier that this movie reminded me of the days when horror movies were actually great, and that is absolutely true.  The way things are framed, and also the way objects occupy the frame, feels very natural and does not feel predictable at all.  There is a genuine creepiness to this movie that makes you feel uneasy.  There are also quite a number of well-timed jump scares that will make you wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat. 

Trick ‘r Treat is one of the better horror movies I have seen, especially these days.  It has the classic horror feel to it, so do not watch it in the dark.  If you are a fan of 80’s horror, you should definitely check this one out.

Going Against Guidelines

Good Morning, Vietnam is the movie that makes me miss Robin Williams the most.  It is the ultimate Robin Williams showcase which is why I love it so dearly.  It is a movie that makes you laugh, but it can also make you cry.

Good Morning, Vietnam is the story of Adrian Cronauer who shakes things up on the radio waves in Vietnam.  We clearly see at the beginning of the movie that the radio broadcasts are quite boring and very monotone.  As soon as Adrian Cronauer arrives, Vietnam’s airwaves are filled with his energetic comedy that gives the country a completely different vibe.  If you keep a keen eye, you can catch the cutaway to the radio loudness meter being overblown that signals Cronauer’s arrival.  I love the fact that Cronauer’s superior officers do not like his humor except for the man who hired him, General Taylor.  Cronauer knows this too, which leads to some brilliant rebelliousness.  There is also a moment in the film where “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong is wonderfully set against the violent backdrop of the conflict of Vietnam.

Robin Williams plays Adrian Cronauer.  He is tour de force in this movie, perhaps more than any other movie he is in.  While this movie is certainly driven by William’s comedy, there are also a number of wonderful moments where he displays his talent as a dramatic actor.  We see that Vietnam is a bit of a culture shock for Cronauer.  He has never seen violence like this, and it is hard for him to deal with it.  In a moment of brilliance, he reports “unofficial” news on the air.  Why?  Because he was there.  It DID happen.  However, the army does not want the world to know how violent the conflict in Vietnam really is.  This leads to a couple of moments where Cronauer says that he is tired of being told what he can and can’t say.  These are ironic moments from an actor who got his start in stand-up comedy, where you get away with saying almost anything.

Barry Levinson is the director of Good Morning, Vietnam.  He does a very good job of capturing the culture and the violent world of Vietnam.  He also realizes that Robin Williams is the focal point of the movie.  You really get the feeling that Levinson put a microphone in front of Williams and just let him go.

Robin Williams gives one of his greatest performances in this movie, and I am sure he is rocking the airwaves up in the Big House.  I miss him every day, almost as if I have lost a member of my own family.  Good Morning, Vietnam is a classic, and if you have not seen it you should do so immediately.

I'll Have The "Total Destruction" With A Side Of Cheese, Please

Well, chalk up another movie on the “heard of but never seen” list.  I just watched Demolition Man for the first time.  I love action movies, so I was very much looking forward to watching it.  Overall, I was pleased with the film.

Demolition Man is the story of an officer who gets revived out of suspended animation to hunt down an old enemy. I liked this movie.  Personally, I do not always need action movies to be on the level of “Terminator” or “Rambo”.  I am perfectly happy sitting in on a Saturday night and watching movies like Judge Dredd, or in this case Demolition Man.  Demolition Man is a great example of an average, cheesy action flick.  When I say it is average, I do not mean that in a degrading way.  This is a movie that does not pretend to be anything more than what it is.  It does not take itself too seriously, and there is nothing wrong with that.  That being said, I think this movie could have done without the cheesy hand gestures.  I understand that the people of 2032 do things a bit differently and have never experienced violence, but to suggest that they have never shaken a person’s hand is just ridiculous.  Also, at one point Sandra Bullock’s character gets security footage for John Spartan because he asked for it…even though we never actually seem him ask her to get it for him.  This is a minor plot hole that honestly did not detract from my enjoyment of the movie.  Speaking of enjoying the movie, there is actually a B-story involving Denis Leary that is integrated quite well alongside the main story.

I have always been a fan of Sylvester Stallone because of the “Rambo” series and the “Rocky” series.  The man is a legend, and to think anything less would be disrespectful.  He helped usher in an era of action movies, and we should all be thankful for that.  In Demolition Man, he plays John Spartan.  Spartan is a man out of time, not familiar with the era that he lives in.  Knowing this, Stallone actually brings a wonderful sense of humor to the role that I honestly did not know he had.  Typically in a movie like this another character would provide the levity, but seeing Stallone do it is quite pleasantly surprising.  At the end of day, though, it is always great to see Stallone do what he does best: cause mayhem and destruction as only he can.

Wesley Snipes is someone that I have also been a huge fan of for years.  In this movie, he plays Simon Phoenix.  Phoenix is a one-man killing machine, which is perfect for Wesley Snipes.  He oozes charisma and confidence, so much so that you might actually find yourself rooting for him.  It is also great to see him unload his 5^th Degree Black Belt on his victims.  Also for all you EXPENDABLES fans like myself, the final showdown between Stallone and Snipes is awesome, even though this movie was released years before.

Marco Brambilla is the director of Demolition Man.  He does a good job of blending the cheesiness with full-blown action.  He also captures the look of the future very well.  I love the designs of the vehicles and buildings. This movie is also edited to perfection thanks to the legendary Stuart Baird (I’m not kidding, look him up). 

If you want to have the guys over for pizza one night and watch a movie, Demolition Man is a great choice.  It has great action, great humor, and even a couple inside-the-industry jokes concerning some future Expendables.  I would recommend this just for the star power of Stallone and Snipes alone.  

Let's Go To The Mall

Mallrats is a movie I had not heard of until I started following Kevin Smith’s work.  While this movie failed financially at the box office, it has since become a cult classic and a favorite among fans.  While I personally think it is Smith’s weakest film, I still enjoy the movie very much.

Mallrats is the story of two friends who go to the mall after their girlfriends break up with them.  One of the things I enjoy most about this movie is that it is a time-capsule movie.  Everything about Mallrats oozes the 90’s.  This movie is also special because it reminds you that at some point in your life it was cool to just go to the mall and chill.

Jason Lee plays Brodie and Shannon Doherty plays his girlfriend, Rene.  The character of Brodie is one that was ahead of his time back when Mallrats was released in 1995.  Brodie is a man who loves comics, however comic book readers were looked down upon in those days, unlike today when they are at the top of the pop culture totem pole.  He is also a lazy idiot who goes to the mall and worships it like a shrine, and has no clue that he has a great girl to call his own.  Jason Lee does not have to try too hard to play this character because he is essentially playing himself.  Rene wants a man who has ambition so she starts seeing this rich prick who owns a store at the mall.  However, she does feel bad for leaving Brodie because she really did love him.  Shannon Doherty is one of the best things about the movie.  You really believe every word she says to Brodie, and you also want her to find someone better than Brodie even though the two are made for each other.  I enjoy characters like that, and Doherty plays it perfectly.

Claire Forlani and Jeremy London play Brandi and T.S., respectively.  Their relationship is similar to Brodie and Rene’s.  T.S. is an asshole so Brandi breaks up with him, and it is only after some major soul-searching that T.S. realizes that Brandi is the one for him.  I like the fact that T.S. professes his love for Brandi on TRUTH OR DATE in front of complete strangers.  It takes guts to do something like that.

Mallrats is a cult classic in every sense of the word.  Again, while it failed financially at the box office it did prove that Kevin Smith can handle a multi-million dollar production.  If you are fan of Kevin Smith, you should definitely check this one out.

The Almost Unsinkable Movie

Titanic is one of the rare times I have seen a movie in theaters that has gone on to win Best Picture.  I vividly remember being a 13 years old and going to see it with my mother and younger sister.  While I absolutely believe Titanic deserved to win that particular award, I do have mixed feelings about the film. 

Titanic is the story of two people who fall in love while aboard the R.M.S. Titanic.  James Cameron essentially created the greatest disaster movie of all time with this film.  We all know what is going to happen in the movie.  We even know how it happened.  The fact that the movie is based on something that actually happened makes it a more emotional movie.  Having known all that, the success of this film is one of the greatest unanswered questions: why?  In the 90’s, research on the R.M.S. Titanic was at an all-time high.  The beginning of the movie even shows divers going down to the bottom of the ocean to study.  I believe that is one of the reasons why Titanic was so successful.  Is this a great movie?  No.  Is it a good movie?  Yes.  The second half of the movie is far better than the first half in every way.  The sequence where the band plays “Nearer My God To Thee” is quite moving and heartbreaking.  Just one thing: at one point Jack sends one of his friends to check for boats on the other side of the ship even though it has been made clear that there are not any more.  This is a very minor flaw, but a noticeable one.  I quite like Titanic, and am very proud to own it.

I was a Leonardo DiCaprio fan before it was considered cool to be one.  He is like a fine wine in that he keeps getting better with age.  In Titanic he plays Jack Dawson, a “person of limited means”.  He is quick-witted and is able to keep his composure in tense situations.  He also recognizes that he has flaws, which I think is quite admirable.  You can tell by watching DiCaprio in this movie that he is on the cusp of becoming great.  However, I have never seen him talk about Titanic in interviews so I wonder how he truly feels about the film.

Kate Winslet plays Rose Dewitt Bukater.  Rose’s mother is forcing her to marry for money, and not love.  Jack rescues her from all of that, and with him she finds more happiness than she ever did with her mother and Cal.  Like DiCaprio, you can tell that Winslet is on the verge of become a truly great actress.  Unfortunately, she gets truly loathsome dialogue for a majority of the movie.  Somehow she makes it work, and I get the feeling she is the only actress who could have done so.

I often compare James Cameron to Robert Zemeckis at times because both directors combine visual spectacle with great characters.  Titanic is meticulously directed by James Cameron.  The year of 1912 is recreated flawlessly.  I love the ways he uses the camera in this movie.  He shows the inner workings of the ship towards the beginning of the film, which gives me goosebumps.  When Jack goes to the upper decks to have dinner with Rose, Cameron uses the camera as a metaphor for Jack experiencing what Rose’s world is like.  Of course, the second half of the movie is visually breathtaking.  The shots that are used when the ship is sinking are awe-inspiring, and the visual effects still hold up by today’s standards. 

Titanic truly is one of the greatest motion pictures of all time.  For twelve years, it stood as the most successful movie ever.  However, I think James Cameron should hire someone else to write romance because the dialogue is straight out of a romance novel.  

Wise Men Say....

Up until now, Fools Rush In was another one of those “heard of but never saw” movies.  I had some reservations about seeing it for reasons that I will explain later.  I have always maintained that a good romantic comedy can be really fun to watch, however Fools Rush In falters on many levels.

Fools Rush In is the story of Alex Whitman and Isabel Fuentes who have a one night stand, and then decide to get married.  I found this movie a little hard to follow at times, which lead to me raising quite a few questions.  Firstly, Isabel Fuentes (Salma Hayek) travels over state lines to break up with someone over the phone at a bar???  This is not a good introduction for a character.  This is also the first time we see Alex Whitman (Matthew Perry) and while there some flirting going on between the two characters, there is nothing to suggest that they would go home together (even if it is for one night).  Also, Alex Whitman has a business meeting with a potential investor at his own home.  Would this meeting not be better suited in an office of some kind?  When Isabel shows up at Alex’s place 3 months after they slept together to tell him she is pregnant, Alex says he has been looking for her all this time.  No he has not!!!  We have seen no evidence of this!!!  Speaking of Alex’s home, it is never actually clear where he lives.  He says he is from Manhattan, but then he goes home to New Mexico??  In regards to Isabel’s pregnancy, there is a moment in the movie when Alex thinks that she is not going to have the baby.  The expression on his face is meant to be funny, but completely falls flat.  Speaking of jokes, there are many ill-timed racial and religious jokes that make you scowl instead of smile.   Also, can you really park on top of Hoover Dam?  If so, fine.  That is news to me.  If not, then why would you???  Another thing that bothers me about the movie is that we do not know what Isabel does for a living.  Is she photographer?  Is she a waitress?  *Whew*  That was exhausting.  There actually are some redeeming qualities about Fools Rush In which I am about to get to.

Matthew Perry plays Alex Whitman.  Remember those reservations about the movie I spoke of earlier?  Well, Matthew Perry is one of them.  No matter what movie I see him in, I always see his character Chandler from the television show FRIENDS.  Do not get me wrong, I love him as Chandler, but it would be nice to see him actually act.  That being said, there are moments in this movie where you can see him attempting to shed that character and become a good actor.  Good try, Matthew Perry.  A for effort.

I have always been a fan of Salma Hayek, and yes half of that is because she is stunningly gorgeous.  There are not many female actresses that are both beautiful and talented, but she is one of them.  She plays Isabel Fuentes in the movie.  She actually has a wonderful character arc in the movie.  You can tell that the night she spent with Alex meant a lot to her, and even after they get married she struggles to cope with the fact that they come from two different ways of life.  Hayek is one of the few good things about the movie. 

Andy Tennant is the director of Fools Rush In.  There are some great exposition shots at the beginning of the film that really help us understand that Alex and Isabel are two very different people.  Alex is from the bustling city of New York, while Isabel is from the landscape of New Mexico.  The relationship between Alex and Isabel is the clear focal point of the movie, and Salma Hayek and Matthew Perry actually have very good chemistry together.  The last 20 minutes of the movie are actually very enjoyable because there are some moments that are very funny, and you also see that Isabel and Alex really do love each other and want to have a baby together. 

I feel like Fools Rush In would be a good date movie.  There are things that guys are going to like, and there things that women are going to like.  If you are a fan of the cast, I would encourage you to see this movie.  Otherwise, just skip it.

Old-Timers Still Matter

I love No Country for Old Men more and more every time I see it.  I have also found that it is a very divisive movie among film fans and the general movie-going audience.  I always love a movie that gets people talking, regardless of how I feel about said movie.

No Country for Old Men is the story of a hunter who stumbles on a deal gone wrong, and takes more than two million dollars.  The screenplay for this movie is damn near perfect.  This is a movie that makes you pay attention to the detail of the writing as you watch the film play out on screen.  This is why the Coen Brothers are such brilliant writers as well as directors.

I have been a huge of Tommy Lee Jones for almost 20 years.  He is a very naturalistic actor, and he brings all of his natural gifts to his role as Ed Tom Bell.  Bell is a man who has been a Sheriff all his life.  He is a very experienced man who remains cool and calm, even in the tensest of situations.  You can also see that he wants to get to the bottom of the situation as soon as possible.  Tommy Lee Jones gives a very well-rounded performance that gets more enjoyable to watch every time I see this movie.

Javier Bardem plays Anton Chigurh.  Chigurh is a sociopathic killer who is prepared for virtually any situation.  I have a soft spot for characters who only talk when necessary, and do their job and move on.  Chigurh is exactly that.  This makes him a very menacing character because everything he says is in his facial expressions.  I am stricken with fear every time I watch this movie because of Bardem’s work, which is why he deserved to win Best Supporting Actor.

Josh Brolin plays Llewelyn Moss.  It took me a while to understand his motivations in the movie.  What is he going to do with the money now that he has stolen it?  The answer is nothing.  He takes the money because he wants it for himself.  This greedy, selfish act is what causes everything else in the movie to happen.  I always like ordinary characters who are thrust into extraordinary situations.  Moss knows Chigurh is after him because of the money, and yet he still will not give it up.  He is a very intelligent man who seemingly covers his tracks very well, even though Chigurh is always right behind him.  I have to say that Brolin plays a Texan very convincingly.  He does a very good job of playing the “every-man”.  There is also a persistence to Moss that Brolin plays very convincingly.

Joel and Ethan Coen are the directors of No Country for Old Men.  I love what they do as directors because every shot is framed so perfectly.  I also really like that there is a supreme lack of lighting in the movie.  The darkness really adds to the eeriness and creepiness of the movie.  Also, the lack of music makes you feel the tension of the situations along with the characters.

No Country for Old Men is a masterpiece.  I like the fact that the ending is open-ended because you get to use your imagination about what happens to these characters.  As I said before, this is a very divisive movie among film fans.  I think many people found it odd that it won Best Picture.  Based on the controversy alone, I highly recommend you see this movie.

Cornetto Trilogy: Part III

The World’s End is my least favorite of the “Cornetto Trilogy”.  That is not to say that I do not like the film.  In fact, I enjoy it very much.  However, it just does not seem to hit the same stride as the previous two films.

The World’s End is the story of five friends who reunite to conquer a pub crawl amidst an alien invasion.  This movie, like Shaun of the Dead, deals with very personal human issues.  Gary King (played by Simon Pegg) is in his 40’s, and is going through somewhat of a mid-life crisis.  He feels that finally conquering the Golden Mile will rid him of his pain.  The problem is, he has not changed at all from when he was a kid.  He drives the same car and wears the same clothes.  Every one of his friends has grown up and moved on, so they are reluctant to join him.  Amidst the comedy (or lack thereof), this actually is a very moving story.

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost return as Gary King and Andy Knightly.  I have a hard time taking Pegg seriously in this movie.  It feels like he is trying too hard to be a villainous character.  Everything he does just feels so forced.  Nick Frost is a quite serviceable dramatic actor.  I like that Andy looks down on Gary because he has not changed.  There is also a very personal reason why the two characters have not spoken in many years, and that felt very meaningful.  If Gary was not the leader of the group, Andy easily could be.

The World’s End has the most visual effects of the three movies, and Edgar Wright uses them in spectacular fashion.  There are some awesome fight sequences that will make your jaw drop.  The big problem with The World’s End is that, in comparison with the previous movies, it is just not that funny.  I think the writers thought that what they were writing was funny and I think they knew it was funny to them personally, but it just did not resonate with me.

I do not want anybody to be discouraged by this blog.  The World’s End is a good movie, and I think if I was ten years older I would enjoy it even more because of the issues that it deals with.  Overall though, I was a bit disappointed with the movie.  

Cornetto Trilogy: Part II

Hot Fuzz is my favorite of the “Cornetto Trilogy”.  The movie has a natural flow to it that is just seamless.  I would easily put this movie on my “stranded on a desert island” movie list.

Hot Fuzz is the story of a cop who gets transferred, and gets paired with a moron for a partner.  I liked the idea that someone who has successfully accomplished everything in his career gets sent away to essentially start over.  Nicholas Angel is an officer who enforces the law and loves it.  Therefore, he gets promoted to Sergeant….in the countryside of Sandford.  Things are not as they seem in Sandford though, and Simon Pegg (as Nicholas Angel) and Nick Frost (as Danny) are back to rid the town of its cruelty.

The action-based cuts are clean, the swan gags are hilarious and the action is better than ever.  The action in the last 20 minutes of the movie is so good, I felt like I was watching a Tony Scott film.  After a climactic brawl between Simon Pegg and the legendary Timothy Dalton, this movie leaves you eagerly anticipating the final chapter of the trilogy.

Hot Fuzz is one of my favorite action/comedies, and it is because of Edgar Wright.  As a director, he understands the genre perfectly.  Finally, an original movie that you can watch over and over again!!!

Cornetto Trilogy: Part I

I have only recently become a fan of Simon Pegg because of the Star Trek movies he has been in.  I was somewhat hesitant to watch the “Cornetto Trilogy” because I was not sure if I would understand his brand of humor.  I have to say that not only was I surprised by the originality of these films, but with the humor as well.  These films make American humor seem bland and generic.

Shaun of the Dead is the story of a man who decides to turn his life around while he deals with a zombie apocalypse affecting his town.  The great thing about all of these movies is that there is an underlying dramatic story amidst all of the humor.  Shaun and Ed are best friends who realize that their town is suddenly full of zombies, and that bond they have is present throughout the movie.  I love the fact that Shaun’s job is so boring that a “zombie apocalypse”, as it were, is the most excitement he has seen in his entire life.

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost play Shaun and Ed respectively.  Ed is a bumbling idiot who is almost completely clueless of what is happening around him.  Nick Frost is almost too good at playing this part.  I have a feeling his role was written specifically for him.  You get the feeling that Frost is just being himself.  Simon Pegg is wonderful to watch.  It is awesome to see him get his friends together to save his town.  I know it is weird to say about this kind of a movie, but seeing Simon Pegg in leadership role feels almost natural.

Kate Ashfield plays Shaun’s girlfriend, Liz.  She is just as foul-mouthed as Shaun, and you can see that they are a natural couple.  There are actually a number of dramatic and intimate scenes where you can see that Ashfield is a very gifted actress.  She lent the perfect blend of comedy and drama to her role.

Edgar Wright is the director of the movie.  I had never seen any of his films before.  The way he uses action-based cuts gives you such an adrenaline rush.  While he is great at making comedies, his action scenes are as good as any I have ever seen.  I would love to see him do a straight-up action movie.

I loved this movie.  It was great to see an original take on this particular genre.  Zombie movies seem so generic these days, but Edgar Wright brought the perfect blend of action, comedy and drama to Shaun of the Dead. 

Birdman is Batman

This is probably going to be one of the more controversial blogs I write.  The great thing about being a film fan is getting into debates with people about movies.  Just because I love a movie does not mean anyone else does.  All art is subjective.  I thoroughly love the movie Birdman, but I do not necessarily think that it deserved all the accolades that other people thought it did. 

Birdman is the story of an actor’s struggle to branch off from doing superhero movies by doing theatre.  Whether Michael Keaton will admit this or not, this movie is basically a commentary on his career.  I am not saying this is a good or a bad thing.  What I am saying is that, for me personally, this particular aspect actually made me enjoy the movie even more.

Michael Keaton plays Riggan Thomson.  Essentially, Keaton is just playing a version of himself throughout the film.  Again, this is neither a good nor a bad thing.  However, the Academy Awards are not given to actors who play themselves.  If they were, then Robert Downey Jr. should win an Oscar every time he plays Tony Stark.  I am glad Keaton did not win Best Actor because he did not deserve it.  Personally, I do not even think he should have been nominated.  Do not misunderstand me, Keaton is great in the movie.  In fact, he has never been better.  He is just not Oscar great.  Maybe Jake Gyllenhall (Nightcrawler) or David Oyelowo (Selma) should have been nominated in his place. 

Alejandro G. Inarritu directed Birdman.  From a technical standpoint, this film is bloody brilliant.  The entire movie is all one shot (or at least meant to look that way) that follows Riggan in his struggle to be successful in the theatre.  The character relationships that he has along the way are what drive the story so brilliantly.  I became a fan of Inarritu overnight because of Birdman.

From a technical point of view, I personally feel that Birdman broke new ground.  This makes it one of the more interesting movies to win Best Picture.  It is one of those rare films that keeps your eyes glued to the screen no matter how many times you watch it.  I highly recommend checking this movie out.  It is like nothing you have ever seen before.

Staying Connected

Still Alice is a movie that I wanted to see very much because of one reason: Julianne Moore.  Julianne Moore has been doing great work for a very long time, and I think she is probably my favorite actress.  I would easily put her on a “Mount Rushmore” of greatest actresses ever.

Still Alice is the story of a linguistics professor who gets diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.  The thing that I love most about this film is that it educates you on what it is like to struggle with this disease.  This is a disease that not only affects Alice, but her family as well.  While this story is heartbreaking, there is something rewarding about watching Alice refuse to give up. 

Julianne Moore plays Alice Howland.  Much like The Theory of Everything, we see Alice start to struggle with Alzheimer’s at the beginning of the movie.  There are a couple times during the course of the film, there are a couple times where it feels like Alice is using Alzheimer’s so that she can get her way.  Her own youngest daughter even tells her that it is not fair of her to do that.  Alice always delivers the perfect response:  the fact she has this disease is not fair.  Life is not fair.  Watching the character of Alice deteriorate throughout the film is jarring, and that is thanks to the acting of Julianne Moore.  She is perfect in the role, and it was wonderful to see her finally get up on that Oscar stage.

I have been a fan of Alec Baldwin for many years.  He can do anything, whether it be comedy or drama.  He plays John Howland, Alice’s husband.  This is probably the most genuinely wholesome character Baldwin has played.  John is very understanding of what is happening to his wife.  However, he struggles with making her a priority because he is a workaholic and sometimes his emotions get the better of him.  I would have liked to have known a little bit more about the character (I’m still not sure what his job is), but Baldwin displays a wonderful dramatic piece of acting, and the chemistry he has with Julianne Moore is great as well.  I do not think I have ever seen him this good.

I have never been a fan of Kristen Stewart….not ever.  Personally, I do not think she belongs anywhere near the movie business.  That being said, I was pleasantly surprised to see that she was actually quite good in the film.  This proves that, given the right director, a not-so-good actor/actress can really shine.  Kristen Stewart plays Lydia Howland, Alice’s youngest daughter.  Lydia is an actress living in California who is not exactly making it, and her mother wants her to get a “real job”.  However, Lydia stands up to her mother and tells her she is doing what she loves.  It is because of this conflict that they do not always get along with each other.  Kristen Stewart is very good at playing someone who bottles up their emotions rather than letting them out.  It is nice to see her challenge herself with her roles.  I cannot say that I am necessarily looking forward to what she does with her career, but seeing her actually act was nice to see.

Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland directed Still Alice.  I was sad to learn of Glatzer’s death, and quite honestly this made me want to see the movie even more.  I loved that the camerawork is used to visually represent what Alice is going through.  When Alice is struggling to remember things, Julianne Moore is in focus but everything around her is blurred.  Also, when Alice goes to see her neurologist for the first time, the camera is on Julianne Moore the entire time.  I loved this because it really shows what it is like to be a patient sitting in that chair and receive this kind of news.  This movie really tells us what it is like to be in Alice’s shoes, and that is thanks to the great direction.

Still Alice is a very emotional and educational movie to watch.  I cannot say that this movie is for everybody.  You also have to be in the right mood to watch it because it is quite a struggle to get through, and I say that as a good thing.  This is not a movie that you watch on a movie night with your family.  This is a powerful film with equally powerful performances.  

Time-Traveling Trilogy: Part III

Back to the Future: Part III is my favorite of the trilogy.  Westerns are one of my favorite genres, and the fact that a Western is used as a storytelling device in a time-travel movie always excited me.  On rare occasions the final chapter of a trilogy can be disappointing (I’m looking at you, Iron Man 3), but Back to the Future: Part III is exactly the opposite.

Back to the Future: Part III is the final chapter of the trilogy, and now Marty must travel even further into the past so he can rescue Doc Brown from Biff’s great-grandfather Buford.  The fact that Marty uses Doc Brown’s 1955 counterpart to travel back to 1885 is sheer genius.  If it had not been for Biff, Marty would have never gone to 1955 in the first place.  So let me get this straight….Biff is to blame for all of this?!  I would have knocked him out just like George McFly did.  The 4^th dimension is used brilliantly in the movie, such as the painting of the Indians and the cave holding the time machine.  The fact that Marty and Doc Brown have to use 1885 technology to get them back to the future (see what I did there?) is fantastic.  I mean, a train pushing the time machine up to 88 miles per hour??  Robert Zemeckis, you are a genius!!!!  We even see the construction of the Hill Valley clock tower.  After everything is said and done, including an homage to Clint Eastwood and his movies, Marty finally gets back where he belongs.  He arrives in Hilldale where we see him live in the future in Part II, and also avoids the crippling car accident that was referenced in that movie. 

Mary Steenburgen joins the cast as Clara Clayton.  She is fascinated by Doc Brown and all of his interests.    Clara and Doc Brown fall for each other immediately, which is quite romantic to watch.  Steenburgen is wonderful in the role, and she provides good levity in a movie that has some very tense situations.

The Back to the Future Trilogy just may be the greatest trilogy of all time.  It is exciting, adventurous and has some of the greatest characters in film history.  The fact that kids today are still watching these movies proves that Back to the Future truly is a phenomenon.

Time-Traveling Trilogy: Part II

The Back to the Future Trilogy were the first movies I ever purchased for myself.  The thing is, for the longest time I never knew there were two more movies.  I remember when I bought the trilogy that I was quite surprised to find this out.  I knew the original movie like the back of my hand, so I popped in the other two.  It took me a while to appreciate the sheer genius of Part II.  For a long time, I thought it was the weakest of the trilogy.  Nowadays, simply from a continuity standpoint alone, I think Back to the Future: Part II is nothing short of brilliant.

Back to the Future: Part II is the continuing story of Marty McFly and Doc Brown, who must now travel to the future AND the past to prevent disaster within the space-time continuum.  This movie literally picks up right where the original left off.  Marty and Jennifer travel with Doc Brown to the year 2015 to fix whatever problems their kids have started.  The only thing is….Biff sees the flying car.  It is funny sometimes how a character you never thought mattered much ends up mattering the most.  After fixing the problems his children have caused in the future, Marty and Doc Brown must now travel back to 1955….again….to fix the problems Biff has started.  Okay, now everybody remember how at the end of the first movie Marty watched himself go back in time?  Well, now THAT Marty McFly is on stage playing the guitar while the ACTUAL Marty McFly is watching him!  Make sense?  Good.  I have to say that this scene is wonderful to watch.  The visual effects alone are worth the price of admission.  The end of the movie has one of the best cliffhangers ever, so you cannot wait to see final chapter.

While Back to the Future: Part II is still not my favorite of the bunch, I still enjoy it very much.  In a three-part story, the middle chapter is usually the part where bad things end up happening to the characters, and this movie does so in such a fantastic fashion.  Back to the Future: Part II is grand, epic storytelling at its finest.

Time-Traveling Trilogy: Part I

Back to the Future is one of those movies that reminds you why 80’s movies are so much fun.  I will never forget the first time I saw it.  It is easily one of my favorite movies of all time.

Back to the Future is the story of Marty McFly, who travels back in time to save his own existence.  It is easily the greatest time-travel movie ever.  This movie perfectly shows that even the most minor actions in the past will affect the future (such as Twin Pines Mall becoming Lone Pine Mall because Marty crashed into one of the trees with the car).  History does indeed change in the movie, for better or worse. 

Michael J. Fox plays Marty McFly.  I have always liked the idea of an ordinary person being thrust into an extraordinary situation.  Marty is both afraid and fascinated by what he encounters, and Michael J. Fox really taps into that as an actor.  What I love so much about Back to the Future is how crucial Marty McFly is to the story.  As important as the year 1955 is, with his parents kissing at the dance and Doc Brown inventing the Flux Capacitor, none of that would have happened without Marty’s involvement.

Christopher Lloyd is one of my favorite actors.  I could watch him do anything.  In Back to the Future, he plays Dr. Emmett Brown.  I always liked that is evident that Marty and Doc Brown clearly have an existing friendship even though we do not see Doc Brown until almost 20 minutes into the movie.  Emmett Brown is thought of by the public as a mad scientist, except he is not mad at all.  He knows exactly what he is doing, even though he may be a little weird.  Christopher Lloyd plays this role perfectly with all his quirky body movements and facial expressions.  It is the performance of a lifetime in a long and storied career.

I have been a huge fan of director Robert Zemeckis my whole life.  When it comes to combining visual effects wizardry with characters you can connect with, nobody does it better than him.  Back to the Future is a perfect example of that.  1955 is recreated spectacularly.  Everything from the music, the clothing and even the gas prices at that time….it is all there.  You really feel like you are on this journey with the characters, which is why the climax of the movie is so wonderful both visually and emotionally.

Writing a time-travel movie can be excruciating, but Zemeckis and co-writer Bob Gale really knocked it out of the park because they made sure that everything from the past is connected with the future.  I would put Back to the Future on one of those “Movies To See Before You Die” lists.  It is one of the greatest movies of all time, no pun intended.

Pushed To The Limit

There are two things that I understand in this world:  movies and music.  With Whiplash, a movie ABOUT music, somehow I knew I was going to love it.  If I was stranded on an island with a television, a BLURAY player and five movies to choose from, Whiplash would be one of those movies.

Whiplash is the story of a young drummer who has his ambitions tested by a cutthroat instructor.  This is one of those movies that had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.  The world of music has its own language, and I feel like musicians might enjoy this movie more than the general audience because of that language.  Nevertheless, this movie tells a great story about what happens when ambition turns into obsession.  This movie really hit home for me even though it is about a different profession than mine.  Andrew Neyman wants to be one of the greatest jazz drummers who ever lived.  In fact, he wants it so badly that he sacrifices personal relationships because he feels they will keep him from doing that.  I have always wanted to make movies that matter.  I want to inspire people the way I was inspired by so many filmmakers.  However, sometimes I wonder if I am paying as much attention to my personal life as I am to my professional life.  Even though I am still just a film student, there have been many times when I come home and dinner is waiting in the oven and my fiancé is asleep in bed.  She tells me every day that she knew what she was getting into.  Still, I cannot help but wonder if I am doing a good job balancing both my life and career.  I hope I am.

Miles Teller plays Andrew Neyman.  Neyman is a boy who truly comes alive when he is playing the drums.  His strive to achieve perfection is almost bursting from inside.  Miles Teller is great at playing this character because he does so much by doing so little.  When Andrew is not playing in the band, you can tell he is uncomfortable just by the physical movements Miles Teller does as an actor.  It really is a great performance by one of the hottest rising young actors today.

I have been a fan of J.K. Simmons for many, many years.  He is a great chameleon actor, slipping into any role with the greatest of ease.  I was so happy to see him win the Oscar for this movie.  In Whiplash, he plays music instructor Terence Fletcher.  Fletcher is a man who has no tolerance for slacking off, as he spews humiliating insults at his band members left and right.  There are scenes where Fletcher is getting to know Andrew a bit more, but then you find out that the only reason Fletcher did so was so that he could make the insults that much more personal.

Damien Chazelle is the director of Whiplash.  This movie feels like a horror movie the way the camera and the lighting are used, which reflects how terrifying Fletcher is.  When Andrew is playing the drums, I love the way the camera cuts to the different sections of the drum set.  This movie also has a great ending which, as a music lover, made me geek out hard over.

If I could listen to J.K. Simmons insult people for the rest of my life I would do so, and I mean that in the nicest way possible.  Whiplash is one of those rare films that has almost no flaws, if any.  If you love music, movies or both, you will love this movie.

Journey To Manhood

Anybody that knows me knows that I have seen many movies in my time.  I have to say that Boyhood is one of the most extraordinary movies I have ever seen.  That being said, there are some flaws in the movie that I will point out.

Boyhood is the story of the early life of a boy named Mason. This movie takes place over twelve years, using the same actors for the whole movie.  Watching these actors grow up on screen, particularly the kids, is one of the most emotional things I have ever experienced in movies.  Almost every character has a story arc in this movie, which makes for wonderful storytelling.  However, I did find the time jumps a little jarring.  I would have liked to see some kind of transition or caption like “Six Months Later” instead of the typical cut. 

Patricia Arquette plays the mother of the two children.  She is a single mom that struggles with working two jobs while also taking care of her children.  It is very clear that she wants a better life not only for herself, but for the kids as well.  It is also very evident that her track record with men is not that great.  This is also difficult on the children because every time she leaves a man they end up moving, and it is hard for the children to make any friends.  Living this kind of life is an emotional, and sometimes physical, struggle and she is almost pushed to her limit several times.  Throughout all this, however, it was great to see her set a goal for herself and achieve it.  Patricia Arquette is exceptional in the role.  I did not feel like I was watching an actress in this movie.  I felt like I was watching a real human being, which is one of the reasons Arquette deserved her Oscar.

Ellar Coltrane plays Mason.  Mason is generally a good kind who enjoys living life.  Coltrane is very good in the role.  He oozes coolness and confidence just like any teenager. He also effectively conveys what an emotional struggle it is to accept that his mother is moving on after a divorce, and that the men she dates are not of the highest quality.    It is great to see Mason find his passion in life, and not care about anything else but that.  He procrastinates with his schoolwork sometimes, but it is only because he is so good at what he does that it does not take much time for him to do it. 

Lorelei Linklater plays Mason’s sister, Samantha.  I was quite shocked at how little of this movie revolves around her.  I understand that the movie is called Boyhood and the story is mainly about Mason, but it would have been nice to see Samantha have a story as well instead of just arguing with her brother.  Her character is almost a behind-the-scenes role.  Every other character in the movie has a story arc.  Why not her?

Ethan Hawke plays the father of Mason and Samantha. He was the first husband of Patricia Arquette’s character, and they got divorced.   He shows up on weekends and during the summer to see the kids.  I like the fact that you are not quite sure about him the first time you see him.  You fear that he is going to abandon the kids again, and actually what happens is that you see that he wants to become a better person and a better father.  It is also great to see that Mason and Samantha get along with their father better than the other men that their mother marries, especially considering that their mother and father do not have the best relationship after the divorce at first.  However, as the movie progresses they really develop a mutual respect for each other.  Ethan Hawke is fantastic in the role.  There is a certain mystery about his character, but he also has a good heart and Hawke is so good at playing this kind of character.  This may go down as Ethan Hawke’s best role of his career.

Richard Linklater is the director of Boyhood.  In my opinion, there is a strong argument to be made for Linklater winning the Best Director Oscar for this movie.  I am not saying he should have won, I am just saying there is an argument to be made.  Filming a movie over the course of twelve years is by no means an easy task, and the journey these characters go on is truly epic to watch.  This is an emotional story that shows the struggles of this family, and you really feel like you are along for the ride with them.

There is a quote from this movie that says, “You kind of find your people in college.”  This line resonated with me for many reasons.  For many years, quite possibly most of my life, I felt like this lone movie nerd.  I felt like I was the only one in the world who really had a passion for film and moviemaking information.  Two years ago, I finally decided to go to film school and pursue my dream.  I found my people.  I felt welcome, and I did not feel alone anymore.  I am so happy that I found my passion, because there is nothing I would rather do with my life.  While I am not upset that Birdman won Best Picture, I also would not have been upset if Boyhood would have won.  This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime movie.  If you do not mind Samantha’s lack of story and the occasional plot hole (when exactly did the mother leave her 2^nd husband….or is it her 3^rd?), I highly recommend this movie.

A Ridiculously Raunchy Sequel

Clerks 2 is a movie that suffers from what I like to call Sequel Identity Crisis (S.I.C.).  Sequel Identity Crisis is when a movie sequel gets compared to its predecessor too often, instead of being judged on its own merits.  As it stands, Clerks 2 is a movie that should be appreciated for its snappy dialogue, ridiculous scenarios, and originality that comes with every Kevin Smith movie.

Clerks 2 is the story of how Dante and Randal are ultimately planning their future. I absolutely loved this movie.  The great thing about Clerks 2 is that underneath all the donkey shows and ass-to-mouth jokes, this movie is really is really about the love and friendship that has formed between the characters.  I would easily that this movie is one of the greatest sequels ever made.

Brian O’ Halloran and Jeff Anderson are back as Dante and Randal.  Randal is offensive as ever, while Dante continues to attempt to keep him in check.  The “Lord of the Rings vs. Star Wars” debate is bound to drive any nerd crazy.  As unfiltered as Randal is, however, there is a beautiful moment of compassion from him when he tells Dante his true feelings about him. 

Also amongst the returning cast are fan-favorites Jay and Silent Bob, played by Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith.  Jay continues to be all about smoking weed and getting laid, while Silent Bob is the voice of reason.  It never ceases to amaze me how expressive Kevin Smith can be using just his face.

Rosario Dawson joins the returning cast as Becky.  She is just as foul-mouthed as Randal, and if Dante cannot put him in his place, she can and will.  It is hard not to fall in love with her, and the rooftop scene between her and Dante (followed by a great dance sequence) proves that.  Rosario Dawson really holds her own against the veterans of the cast.

I have always admired and respected Kevin Smith as a filmmaker.  He makes movies with his friends, which is incredibly inspiring.  You can tell that everyone had fun making this movie, and it is as equally as fun to watch it.

Clerks 2 may be one of my favorite movies ever.  It is great to see him do a sequel to the movie that put him on the map, and get everyone back to do it.  If you are not easily offended, or even if you are, I highly suggest picking this movie up.

Much Love For Adam Sandler

I am not a fan of Adam Sandler’s comedy in recent years.  His dramatic work, on the other hand, is something that I have always been a fan of.  He has the potential to be an Oscar-caliber actor, and that is one of the reasons I was very excited to watch Punch-Drunk Love.

Punch-Drunk Love is the epic story of a socially awkward man who finally finds love in his life.  I absolutely loved this movie.  The idea of a socially awkward person finding acceptance and love in their life makes for very heartfelt storytelling.  It is also quite emotional when Barry Egan’s (Adam Sandler) private life, which involves a phone-sex company, impacts the both of them.  He has to clean up his personal issues while at the same time protect the woman he loves, and this is very emotional to watch because of the kind of person he is.

Adam Sandler plays Barry Egan who, as I stated before, is very socially awkward as well as being depressed and self-deprecating.  Sandler is brilliant in the role, right down to the awkward physical movements and yelling when he is uncomfortable.  Seeing Adam Sandler in this role reminds you that sometimes comedic actors can turn in great dramatic performances. 

Emily Watson plays Lena Leonard.  The thing that I love about her character is that she and Barry meet under the most awkward of situations, and yet she still asks him out on a date.  She is fascinated by him, even though he seems like such a weird individual.  She understands the kind of person that Barry is, but that does not matter.  She will be by his side no matter what.

Paul Thomas Anderson brilliantly directs this movie.  The way he frames his shots is a direct reflection of the kind of person Barry is, which I love.  One of my favorite moments in the film is when Barry goes to visit Emily while she is out of the country.  The moment he calls her, the light on the phone booth turns on because it is getting dark outside.  It is moments like these that make good films.

Punch-Drunk Love is so good, it made me giggle like the film nerd I am.  The story is great, the cast is great, and it is directed to perfection.  Two thumbs way, way up!!!

It Is Greener On The Other Side

I hated The Green Mile the first time I saw it.  I thought it was slow, mundane and quite boring.  As of this writing, I have now watched it for the second time.  I must have been on something, in a bad mood or something the first time because this truly is a brilliant piece of film-making.

The Green Mile is the story of a man who is accused of child murder.  However, this man also has a gift that no one understands.  This is a heartbreaking, emotional movie that moved me to tears on more than one occasion.  It is a story about treating people with respect, and how bad things unfortunately happen to good people.  The movie also shows us that bad things should happen to bad people, and that more often than not they do not.

Tom Hanks is, without question, one of the greatest actors of all time.  He commands the screen as Paul Edgecomb.  Edgecomb is a man who commands authority and keeps the peace on his block.  He also is able to maintain a wonderful sense of humor whenever an inmate is being disruptive.  The emotion that Hanks conveys when John Coffey reveals the truth to him is incredible.

Frank Darabont is the director of the movie.  What I love so much about what Darabont does with this film is that he shows that these guards on death row are not necessarily proud of what they do for a living.  This really is a cruel world that they live in.  The movie also shows, for Edgecomb in particular, how hard it is to come home to your wife and live a typical life knowing that you have just put a man to death in the electric chair.

The Green Mile is truly a great film with a great cast (including the late Michael Clarke Duncan in an Oscar-nominated role).  I love movies with a message, and this movie does so profoundly.  This movie is an instant classic, and I highly recommend it.

Roger Victor, Over

I am ashamed of myself that it took me all 31 years of my existence for me to finally see Airplane!  It is a revered classic in every sense of the word.  I am so very glad that I own one of the funniest movies of all time.

Airplane! Is the story of a man who is afraid to fly that has to land a plane safely after people on the plane become sick.  It is one of those movies that made me laugh so hard that I began to feel faint.  The scene where Robert Stack is karate-chopping all the people at the airport had me rolling on the floor.  It was so much fun to be reminded of the good old days when spoofs were actually funny.

This movie is stacked with a great cast, but it just would not be fair if I did not talk about Leslie Nielsen.  Often referred to as the “King of Spoofs”, Leslie Nielsen was one of the funniest comedic actors and he was someone that I greatly admired.  At times, he is the funniest actor in this movie.  I was truly heartbroken when he passed away, and I still miss him greatly to this day.

Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker directed Airplane!  Some would think that a 90 minute movie full of gags (some that repeat themselves) would get tiresome and boring, but this movie made it work to near-perfection.  The directors really understood the comedic timing of the actors.  The really funny thing about this movie is that there are some jokes that, while funny in 1980, would be downright offensive today.

I am convinced that the day of the spoof is dead.  While I did have a fantastic time watching Airplane!, it also made me think of how low the genre has sunk.  Airplane! is one of the funniest movies ever.  Do not wait over 30 years to see it like I did!

Religious Destruction

I have always been a huge fan of Kevin Smith.  In an industry full of sequels, franchises and remakes, Kevin Smith always brings us something original.  Red State is a movie that is not only original, but it can be quite controversial as well.

Red State is the story of a group of teenagers who receive a party invitation, and then get thrust into the world of a fundamentalist group with an evil moral agenda.  I have to admit that the beginning of this movie made me feel very uneasy, and very offended.  This movie revolves around a group of religious extremists who have a very controversial moral agenda, and the beginning of the movie felt very preachy (literally and figuratively).  As I was watching “The Making of Red State” documentary, however, I realized that Kevin Smith’s point with this movie was to poke fun at these kind of people that exist in real life.  This explains why the performances are a little over the top at the start of the film, and honestly this makes me love the movie even more.

Michael Angarano and Kyle Gallner play Travis and Jarrod, respectively.  These boys are just a couple of teenagers who are looking to have a good time, and get caught up in the nightmare of the Five Points Trinity.  These two young actors effectively convey the shock and terror that they feel when they encounter this world, while at the same time acting like typical teenage boys.  You actually end up feeling a little bit of sympathy for them.

Michael Parks plays Pastor Abin Cooper, and Melissa Leo plays his daughter Sara.  These two are downright frightening as members of the Five Points Trinity.  Michael Parks in particular gives a very haunting performance, one that is easily compared to Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs.  Melissa Leo plays her character so convincingly that it is at times so annoying that you cannot wait to see her kick the bucket.

John Goodman plays Joseph Keenan, and in my opinion he steals the show.  I think Goodman is a very under-rated and under-appreciated actor.  He has turned in many stellar performances throughout his career.  He commands the screen like never before in this movie.  It is not your typical John Goodman character, and he flat-out crushes it.

There are still two Kevin Smith movies that I have not seen, but I truly believe that this is his best work.  There is an action sequence towards the end of the movie that is better than some full-length action movies I have seen.  Smith also uses the handheld camera very effectively because he really captures the horror of what is happening to these boys.  This is a movie that people will talk about, and rightfully so.  Bravo, Kevin Smith.

A Real Feeling Good Movie

Trading Places is a movie that I had not heard much about prior to my first viewing of it a few days ago.  I have always been a big fan of both Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd, but I just was not sure what kind of movie it was.  I am very pleased to report that I flat-out loved this movie.

Trading Places is the story of two people who have their lives reversed because of a bet by two millionaires.  This movie is ripe with twists and turns that will leave you in stitches.  The “drunk Santa” sequence with Aykroyd made my sides hurt because I was laughing so hard.  The brilliant thing about this movie, however, is that when Aykroyd and Murphy find out what is really going on, the movie becomes downright hilarious.

Dan Aykroyd plays Louis Winthorpe.  Winthorpe is a rich prick, and he enjoys every minute of it.  He is rich, greedy, rides in fancy cars, gets waited on, and he loves every minute of it.  Aykroyd is able to pull this off in a way that makes you completely hate his character at the beginning of the movie, while at the same time you sympathize what happens to him.

Eddie Murphy plays Billy Ray Valentine.  Valentine is a con-artist who is pretending to be a blind, wounded war veteran so that people will give him money.  Once the “switch” happens, he cannot believe all that he has inherited, even going so far as to voluntarily break his own things.  Murphy is great in the role, making you very eager to see what he does next.

John Landis is the director.  Having seen his other films, I knew exactly what kind of movie this was going to be.  He understands comedy very well, keeping the camera on the actors just in case they improvise something.  He also uses the city as a character in the movie very well.

Trading Places is a gem of a movie.  If you love comedy, more specifically 80’s comedy, you will enjoy this movie very much.  I just wish Aykroyd was doing more movies these days instead of doing TV commercials.

A Genius Film

There is something about geniuses being portrayed in film that is very compelling.  Seeing what these particular people have contributed to society is always interesting.  Stephen Hawking has contributed so much to what we know about the universe, and I was very excited to watch The Theory of Everything and learn his story.

The Theory of Everything is about the relationship between Stephen and Jane Hawking.   What surprised me about this movie, and very pleasantly so I might add, is that this movie is not just about the story of Stephen Hawking.  This movie is the story of Stephen and Jane and their life together.  It is a story of a passionate love that is tested due to the disease Stephen has contracted.

Eddie Redmayne delivers a brilliant performance as Stephen Hawking.  We see him struggle with the beginning stages of ALS at the start of the movie, so we already know that this is going to be an emotional story. What is particularly emotional is Stephen’s unwillingness to give up his research, even after he learns he has ALS.  Eddie Redmayne’s performance in this movie is on a level I have not seen since Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight, and his Best Actor Oscar is well-deserved.

Felicity Jones plays Jane Hawking.  She is perfect as a devoted wife who is pushed to the edge because of Stephen’s physical limitations.  Even after she has an affair, of which she is not proud of, she still remains at his side.  It is a very heartbreaking performance.

James Marsh is the director of The Theory of Everything.  The cinematography in the movie is absolutely beautiful, as the use of color often reflects what the characters are going through.  Marsh does a very good job of showing the journey that these people go through, even though the outcome is not necessarily a pleasant one.  That is the great thing about what Marsh does with this movie: he keeps us invested in the story even though we know what happens.

I must have watched the trailer for this movie 50 times, and each time I got more excited to see the film.  This movie shows what Stephen Hawking was like when he was a young man, which so many of us know so little about.  This is a beautiful movie with excellent performances, and a Best Actor win that will go down as one of the greatest moments in Oscar history.

Jump!! Jump!!!!

White Men Can’t Jump is a movie that I had heard good things about, but never actually seen until now.  The genre of sports-comedy is one that I find very entertaining, as was this movie.  It is also a movie that disproves itself:  white men CAN jump!

White Men Can’t jump is the story of two basketball hustlers who team up to take part in a tournament.   I quite enjoyed the film.  The environment of street basketball was captured very well, and with the combined talents of Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson this movie is funny as well having some strong dramatic points.  The juxtaposition of their lifestyles also comes across well in this movie, which is one of the reasons this movie is so entertaining.

Wesley Snipes shines as Sidney Deane.  Deane is a man who has trash-talked his way to victory on the court countless times, and Snipes plays that perfectly.  At times it feels like you are just watching Wesley Snipes be himself, not that there is anything wrong with that.  He oozes confidence in the movie, and that makes for a great character.

Woody Harrelson plays Billy Hoyle, the fish-out-of-water white kid who has hustled his way all over California.  As I see more of Harrelson’s work, I become a bigger fan of his.  I like the fact that his character’s off-court persona is a kind of mask, and that once he gets on the court he really breaks out.  He truly is someone who is not to be messed with because he will send you home crying.

Ron Shelton is the director of the movie.  There is a very naturalistic feel to the movie, as if he just put the actors on the court and let them do their thing.  I also like the way he moves the camera around the basketball court.  It really makes you feel like you are in the game.

Naturally, if you are a sports fan you will probably enjoy this movie more than most.  However, I also feel that if you are unfamiliar with the street basketball environment, this movie might give you some insight into what it is like.  This is a great film that should not be missed.

This Movie Is Tearing Me Apart!!!

Prior to watching The Room, I had heard from several trustworthy sources that it is the worst movie ever made.  I thought to myself, "It really cannot be that bad, can it?"  Well, let it be known that The Room is one of the most legendarily awful films I have ever seen, quite possibly the worst movie ever.

The Room is a movie about a man, Johnny, who lives with his fiancee, Lisa.  Lisa gets bored of Johnny eventually, and falls for his best friend Mark.  This movie is so historically bad that it is hard to put into words.  To begin with, the movie is horribly written.  I have heard better dialogue in daytime soap operas.  This whole movie feels like a bad porno movie.  Also, even though Lisa and Johnny are engaged, Lisa's mother seems to know more about what Johnny is doing with his life than Lisa does.  There is no chemistry between the actors at all.  It feels like they all read their dialogue on a cue card seconds before each take.  None of the scenes that take place outside "The Room" (which just so happens to be the living room of the apartment) make sense.  They are all thrown together without any context.  I am also fairly certain that a couple shots where used from the opening sequence of the show "Full House".  Towards the beginning of the movie, there is a scene between Lisa and her mother in which Lisa's mother reveals she has breast cancer.  She has no emotion at all, and quite honestly sounds extremely bored for someone who just found out this horrible news.  There are also too many establishing shots, and they are not even used properly.  Also,  when Johnny is about to get married (which they never actually do), he and his friends are all dressed in tuxedos, and then in the next scene they are wearing regular clothes.  Also, at the party scene, they keep going outside then back to the apartment, then back and forth.  Stay in one place, and celebrate there.

Tommy Wiseau is a horrid director.  He does not know how to give a scene context or write good dialogue.  Most of the scenes are flung together without any exposition.  He should never step behind, or in front of, a camera ever again.

The Room is laughably bad.  As my good friend Brett Balzer said, I would not wish the pain of watching this movie on my worst enemy.  I got news for you, Mr. Wiseau:  you do not make a movie just by pointing the camera and filming.