Silver Linings Playbook: 3 stars

Silver Linings Playbook (SLP) is a good movie, but not award winning. In fact, I wouldn't have nominated any of the actors for awards, Academy or otherwise. That's not necessarily a bad thing, I just didn't understand all the hype a perfectly fine movie received. 

SLP is the sixth full length feature film from writer/director David O. Russell. It's the story of Pat (Bradley Cooper), a patient recently released from a mental institution looking to get his life back on track. He lives with his parents, goes running, and reads books from the syllabus of his wife's class hoping it will help bring them back together. He meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) who is also dealing with her own issues and possible mental illness. They grow closer and events lead to Pat agreeing to enter a dance competition with Tiffany. Oh yeah, everyone in his life is obsessed with the Philadelphia Eagles. It gets more complicated than that, but you know me, I'd rather you find out the details on your own. 

 I guess I should admit that I've only really loved one of Russel's films; Flirting With Disaster. The Fighter was good too, but Russell made the mistake of miscasting Mark Wahlberg, allowing him to be completely overshadowed by Christian Bale, and Amy Adams and Melissa Leo. With SLP he makes the mistake of not staying true to the characters or the authenticity that put him on the map with Flirting With Disaster. 

Rotten Tomatoes states, "Silver Linings Playbook walks a tricky thematic tightrope, but David O. Russel's sensitive direction and some sharp work from a talented cast gives it true balance." I guess the theme this quote refers to is mental illness? I'm not quite sure why we're acting like this is either a tricky or new subject. I believe Ordinary People proved the theme to be manageable and a also a great example of a much more authentic and award worthy film than SLP. You're probably thinking that this is an awfully negative three-star review thus far. So, let me back up a bit and start with the positives. 

Bradley Cooper is indeed great. He handles the manic episodes with great calmness and restraint avoiding the usual pitfalls of playing a character with mental illness. I guess I would call it the "OH MY GOD I'M CRAZY LOOK AT ME!" syndrome. Unfortunately, there is one scene where the character of Tiffany dips a toe into that pool (the diner scene). Luckily for us Tiffany is played by Jennifer Lawrence who oozes an incredible amount of likability and charm even when she's being kind of a jerk.  The film runs 122 minutes but it barely felt like I was watching it for 90. It's an immersive, touching and sometimes funny story played by seasoned actors (and one budding one) who are a joy to watch. The climax of the dance scene even delivers as we hoped it would for the first 110 minutes. So what's my beef?

In one of the special features Bradley Cooper is being interviewed and talks about how "real" these characters are. He states they're real people with real problems, or something close to that. My issue is that these characters may mirror real people, but the film is not an authentic reflection. Russell tries so very hard to create a real family, real interaction, real family rooms and real outfits that he forgets to help the actors portray them authentically by reminding them that they don't always have to be yelling or talking very very loudly. I brought up Flirting With Disaster earlier with good reason. That film is the complete opposite of SLP in this regard; it has a completely unrealistic and oddball premise but fully authentic characters. I don't want to get into a double review so I hope you've seen that film as and know what I'm referring to. There are definite moments of tenderness and authenticity in SLP, but I feel they're a bit overshadowed by the scenes that are not (like the diner/movie theater scene). 

So that's my beef. I disagree that Russell found true balance, but this is still a positive review. I enjoyed the movie, loved Jennifer Lawrence and definitely think you should check it out. Maybe you'll think it's award worthy as well. 

2012: Patrick's Year In Review

Sometimes, this is how reviewing movies makes me feel. 

You probably didn't miss me and didn't really notice, but I haven't reviewed many films this year. In writing the critiques I have completed so far, I have gained a great respect for those who write them as an occupation. I just can't seem to muster up the energy it takes me to analyze a film in full, nor the discipline it takes to really WATCH a film with the goal of critiquing it. The viewing just isn't the same as plopping down with some snacks to loose yourself in a movie. I could write like Peter Travers, but that just isn't my style. (honestly, what is the point of him "writing" a review besides the tagline?) So I'll instead summarize everything for you in a neat little package below. I really enjoy the discussion much more than my sole point of view and hope to possibly continue this blog in 2013, with more frequent entries and a different approach. Where have I heard that before? Anyway...

First let me point out that these lists are missing many of the top films from the year because I haven't seen them yet. I'm sure I'll treat you to an updated list once I see them all. The films from 2012 I hope to view shortly in 2013 are The Dark Knight Rises, ParaNorman, Frankenweenie, Sleepwalk With Me, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, The Amazing Spiderman, Brave, Kill List, Argo & Django Unchained. I expect a few of those to bump other titles from my current list, while the others just look like fun and I want to see them. 

First up: 

THE BAD

The Woman In Black, 21 Jump Street, Wanderlust, Underworld: Awakening,  Hugo(2011), Horrible Bosses(2011) and Don't be Afraid of the Dark(2011)

Your first thought was probably, "Hugo? Really?" Yes. Hugo. I guess my section titles don't allow for any leeway as I don't think Hugo is a bad film by any stretch of the word. It falls into a yet to be named category that Rango fell in last year; it just didn't grab me. It's an epic film from one of the best directors of all time and I just didn't care what was happening on the screen. If I was an older movie goer, or knew who Georges Melies was, I suspect I may have been more easily swept off my feet. I definitely appreciate the effort and sentiment, but Hugo was a huge disappointment for me.

21 Jump Street was a cute try with some funny moments but just didn't do it for me. Wanderlust was simply unfunny, but that's how it is with David Wain and friends; when you swing so wildly the misses are bad but the connections are home runs. The first two films of the Underworld series are one of my guilty pleasures. This one was completely forgettable. I literally couldn't tell you what happened. Horrible Bosses has it's moments, but...EH. That leaves the two horror movies, which I'll say up front are still worth renting if you like horror movies. The Woman In Black and Don't Be Afraid of The Dark both have great atmosphere and ideas but just don't execute the scares. I'd definitely rate The Woman In Black above the other. Side note: if you like horror movies (especially vampire ones) check out Stakeland from 2010. One of the best movies I've watched this year, but I didn't feel right including it since it was from 2010. It's not award winning in any way, but it is everything you would ever hope for in a low budget vampire flick. 

Next:

THE GOOD (2011)

Moneyball, 50/50, Hanna, Midnight in Paris, Young Adult, Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, Source Code, X-Men: First Class, The Muppets and Fright Night. 

There aren't any surprises here except maybe Fright Night so I'm not going to waste too much of your time. Fright Night is a fun popcorn movie for you vampire fans. This is 100% a remake. If you're a fan of the original, don't go expecting any miracles.  Colin Farrell is pretty funny as the vamp.

I started writing a full review for Moneyball but never got to it. It's a beautiful film and it's about baseball. More specifically it takes a specific moment in baseball history and illustrates why competitive sports are fascinating and loved. I adored how Bennett Miller handled the relationship between Billy Beane and his daughter. Those scenes really make the movie. I would love to be Scott Hatteburg.

I also want to focus on Source Code. This is a film I had zero desire to see. The only thing that made me hit play was that it was Duncan Jones' follow up to Moon, which was fantastic. I have a hunch that Mr. Jones was subject to creative and casting restrictions that come with having a big studio/big budget release. I think Source Code would have a completely different feel if it was done on the same budget as Moon. However, the story itself and execution of that story is what drew me into Source code and if you had no desire to see it either I hope you reconsider.

Finally:

THE GOOD (2012)

Looper, Prometheus, Safety Not Guaranteed, Jeff Who Lives at Home, The Grey, Goon, Haywire, The Avengers, Les Miserables, Moonrise Kingdom, The Cabin In The Woods and The Innkeepers

The above list is ascending from favorite to least favorite of the favorites. 

Looper is fantastic and in ten to fifteen years will be looked back on as a classic. I wouldn't call it EPIC like many wanted Prometheus to be, or Blade Runner ended up being, but it's hard to deny how well made it is on all levels in addition to being wholly unique.

Oh Prometheus, how polarizing you are. This film floored me from start to finish. I loved it. However, after further discussion with friends and reading other points of view, I can see how some might find parts "ridiculous" and as a whole not the classic that fans of Alien and Ridley Scott hoped it would be. However, this brings me to my point of getting some snacks and loosing yourself in a film. All expectations aside I was completely lost in it,  I loved the new world that Scott and Co. created and it left me immediately looking forward to seeing the next installment (hoping that everyone is still on board). 

I suppose Safety Not Guaranteed and Jeff Who Lives at Home are both what would be called "Indie Darlings". Interestingly they each have one or both of the Duplass brothers involved. Jeff Who Lives at Home is directed by The Duplass Brothers and Safety Not Guaranteed stars Mark Duplass. They both have very endearing leads, wonderful acting and great stories. Check them out. 

The Grey completely caught me off guard. Not that I wasn't expecting it to be good, as I read in more than one place on the Internet that it was more than the trailer suggested, but I definitely wasn't expecting a Liam Neeson action movie about escaping wolves in Alaska to make me cry like a baby at the end. I don't what it is with these nature films that explore the human condition (see Into the Wild) but they get to me. So if you weren't into seeing this film because you didn't really care about watching some guys fight CGI wolves, I urge you to reconsider. 

Goon is a good hockey flick about enforcers. It has a great performance from Sean William Scott as the lovable main character which really makes me love it the way I do. 

Haywire is a badass spy movie from Steven Soderbergh. The fight scenes are worth it alone. 

I don't think I really need to go into detail about The Avengers. ASSEMBLE!

Les Miserables was really good. Not great, not mind blowing, not a classic, but just good. Anne Hathaway's performance of I Dreamed a Dream is pretty intense. Tom Hooper's director of photography is fantastic. 

I write about Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom knowing that when I saw Wes Anderson's Life Aquatic in theaters I walked about really disappointed. I think at that time I was hoping for some sort of development or progress from Anderson as a director. I know now that he is what he is and is probably at the top of his game. Life Aquatic is probably now my second or third favorite Wes Anderson film. Moonrise Kingdom is no let down, but it is more of the same. However, that's not necessarily a bad thing. 

The Cabin In The Woods and The Innkeepers are probably the first two off my list if any of the unseen films of 2012 rise to the top. However, that doesn't mean they're not great. They're both horror movies, but at completely different ends of the spectrum. The Innkeepers is a throwback to classic psychological horror and The Cabin In the Woods is a critique on horror films as a whole. If you're a fan of the genre I hope you get to see both. 

That's it. Discuss. 

Young Adult: 3.5 Stars

Soon after her divorce, the ghost-writer of a popular fiction series returns to her hometown with plans of winning back her Highschool love who is now happily married with a newborn. 
**note, there are very slight spoilers in this review

Mavis Gary (Charlize Theron) has issues. This is brought to our attention in the very first scenes of Young Adult. Before the open credits roll we already know that she most likely has a drinking problem, is lonely and starved for attention, has writers block and that all signs point to her dealing with a serious bout of depression. The birth announcement received from an old Highschool love doesn't help the situation.  It does, however, serve as motivation for her to go back to her hometown to visit her old flame Buddy (Patrick Wilson) and try to rekindle their love.

Young Adult is directed by Jason Reitman who at only 35 years of age is proving to be one of the brightest young directors in Hollywood. He brought us Thank You For Smoking, Juno, Up In The Air and now Young Adult in which he re-teams with Juno writer Diablo Cody. That's a pretty damn impressive first four movies. For those turned off by the dialogue in Juno can rest assured that Cody pulls in the reigns and delivers a sharp and witty script without all the "honest to blog" distractions. With Young Adult Reitman is as confident and precise as ever, and he has to be because his main character is pretty detestable. Since watching the film I've been asking myself why it exists. Going by the trailer you might think this is a comedy. It's funny but in an uncomfortable way. Your laughs will more than likely be defense mechanisms (I hope) to deal with the actions and words of the main characters. So, what is the point of this story? Why should I tell other people to watch such a detestable main character? 

The answer to that question starts (after the previously mentioned direction of Reitman) with Charlize Theron. It can be argued that this role is the best of her career.  She is a master of the body language and facial twitches/distortions of the severely cynical and emotionally damaged Gary. She is controlled and never over the top. From the opening credits where she is singing along to the mix tape Buddy gave her (the same song over and over; you know you've done it too), to scoffing at a blind date's humanitarian efforts before realizing it may have hurt her chances at sleeping with him, to pretending she remembers who Matt Freehauf (Patton Oswalt) is when she really doesn't; she is absolutely perfect and painfully joyous to watch. 

The answer continues with Patton Oswalt as Freehauf and the relationship his character develops with Theron's Gary. They meet early on at a local watering hole and become partners in cynicism and self destruction. While they appear to be polar opposites, the parallels found between the two characters are fascinating. He is constantly trying to keep her from tearing a marriage apart, and appears to be the voice of reason, but it slowly becomes more and more apparent that he has more in common with Gary then he chooses to admit. 

The issues arise as the climax is reached and the viewer realizes that no one has learned anything. Its a really tough story to sell as filmmakers. There is no one to root for. Moviegoers usually want some hope, some growth in the characters, some sort of cathartic realization or at the very least a resolution. Unfortunately, you're not going to get that with Young Adult. It's a story about a damaged person, who finds someone else damaged and they stew in each others bad attitudes. However, people like this exist and I think their stories are interesting and deserve to be told. They may have been better people earlier in their lives, they have excuses for their issues (questionable parenting, divorce, a  traumatic beating), and it's possible that they might change in the future, however in the running time of this film they are who they are. I think there are redeeming aspects in the actions of the other character's in the film, mainly Buddy and his wife Beth, who are more aware of Mavis' issues then she is herself. I also have no doubt that there are people out there who will relate to Mavis Gary and Matt Freehauf and while the character's don't resolve anything by the end of the film, the viewers who relate to them may learn a little about themselves.

So why should you watch Young Adult? It's a wonderfully crafted film with outstanding performances by Theron and Oswalt that challenges you to find joy in watching two people stumble through a short period in their lives.

A Look Back at 2011 (insert sigh here)

That's me, looking back at 2011. Get it?

At the conclusion of the most recent episode of Ebert Presents: At the Movies Roger and Chaz Ebert took the time to thank the supporters of the series and hinted at yet another end to the series due to financial reasons. During the statement Roger Ebert said something that made me take a step back. I don't want to misquote him so I'll just say it was something to the effect of how the interest in the show showed there is still a place for serious film criticism on television. It's that one word choice, criticism, which speaks volumes about Ebert himself, about the public and artist's view of critics (art, film, food etc.) and also opened my eyes as to why I really don't like writing "serious criticisms" of film. I come from the practice of fine art where I would constantly have my work critiqued. As an art student, part of your studies is to learn how to properly critique something, not criticize. We critique not only to help the artist grow, but the viewer as well. Criticism helps no one and does nothing but boost the ego of the criticizer. I'm quite sure Roger Ebert's Ego is humungous. Filmmakers are artists, just as painters and sculptors are, and their work should be critiqued not criticized (Limitless doesn't qualify as art). So when I (insert sigh here) convey my disappointment with the fact that yet again in 2011 I have only watched twelve films from the year, it's not because I'm saddened that I couldn't criticize them but rather because I love the medium and everything about it and wish I could have seen more. When you sit down to watch a movie with the goal of writing a review, the fun is sucked out of the experience. I found myself pre-occupied and not enjoying the experience as much. Therefore, I now decide to write a review afterwards only if the mood strikes me. I love watching, critiquing & discussing films and more importantly I'm fascinated with how the art form can affect me emotionally and on a personal level. Overall, the twelve movies I was able to catch from 2011 were excellent.

I started out 2011 catching up on titles I missed in 2010. I've already posted my reviews (or critiques) of Humpday, The Social Network and The Town, but I also viewed The Kids Are All Right, Cyrus, It's Kind of a Funny Story, 127 Hours, The American, Despicable Me, Machete, Hereafter, Going the Distance, Due Date, Black Swan and The King's Speech. I also completed the "Dragon Tattoo" series with The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest and finally watched Guillermo Del Toro's debut full length Cronos. Out of the 2010 movies, my top three would be The American, 127 Hours and Hereafter. Going the Distance would be a close fourth, but only because it's just not in the same category of the other three and had a weak ending (it is hilarious though). The King's Speech was good, Colin Firth was outstanding, however I didn't get all the hype. It was just good. I guess I just wasn't as uplifted as everyone else. Black Swan was also excellent but after letting it sit for a while I became more aware of it's simplicity and hokeyness. Natalie Portman's searing performance and Aronofsky's visuals were really the only reasons it was so successful, but as a whole it was lacking something. I think it may have benefited from being more grounded and aware of itself. I'd have to post full reviews to deliver my full opinions, however I can't say enough about 127 Hours, The American and Hereafter. If you don't like long melodrama's with spiritual undertones, then definitely stay away from Hereafter. If you liked What Dreams May Come, I think you'll appreciate Hereafter. I was captivated by it. The American is a classic slow burn thriller from the great Aton Corbijn (Control and many Depeche Mode videos) and features George Clooney at his finest as well as beautiful cinematography. 127 Hours is just amazing and worth all the praise it received. Machete was awful and a huge disappointment from Robert Rodriguez who seems content in fulfilling everyone's criticisms instead of blossoming all of his great qualities as a writer/director/editor. Despicable Me was also somewhat disappointing and another that didn't live up to the hype. I just simply didn't respond to it as much as other people seemed to (kind of like The Incredibles). It's Kind of a Funny Story has a lot of unfulfilled potential but is still worth renting. Due Date was also disappointing but still worth a few laughs. As for the rest, I would give The Kids Are All Right, Cronos, The Girl Who... and Cyrus three star, maybe three and a half, positive critiques. Now that I have lost your attention, on to 2011!

Here are the twelve films of 2011 I had the pleasure of watching in order from my favorite to least favorite: Drive, The Tree of Life, Bridesmaids (three times), The Interrupters, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Super8, Attack the Block, Captain America, The Green Hornet, The Adjustment Bureau, Rango and Limitless. There is a steep drop off in quality from Attack the Block to Captain America (although I still really enjoyed that as a fun superhero summer flick and would give it three stars) and then again from The Adjustment Bureau to Rango. As beautiful as Rango was to look at I was just not into it AT ALL. I'm not quite sure why, but while I was watching it I just couldn't care less about what happened. It could have been my mood but it also could have been the writing. It is NOWHERE near as bad as Limitless, but ranking from an enjoyment point of view it unfortunately lands here.  Visually it is definitely something to behold. We all know what I thought of Limitless from my full review, and we don't need to revisit that one. I think The Adjustment Bureau is summed up nicely by a statement from my friend Teresa who said, "The hats were cool." Yep, the hat device was very cool. Matt Damon was good (duh), the story had potential, but yet again something was missing and the movie as a whole didn't live up to the original material from Philip K. Dick. I think it was the fact that it is a Sci-fi movie without enough Sci-fi. Still worth renting though. I had positive reactions to the rest of the pack and obviously some more positive than others. I completely don't understand the horribly negative feedback that the Green Hornet received. I thought it was a lot of fun and the chemistry of Seth Rogen and Jay Chou was great. It was funny, action packed and entertaining. I can see a luke warm or disappointed reaction, but critics tore it apart which was not deserved at all. Captain America and Attack the Block represent the middle of the pack. I was pleasantly surprised by Captain America. I saw it in the theatre and had a blast. It's no comic book film masterpiece like Batman Begins, but it is a solid adaptation and well crafted all around. I absolutely loved the retro visuals.  There are a lot of Chris Evans haters out there, which is understandable, but I've been converted since his appearance in Scott Pilgrim and now after seeing him in this. I highly recommend Attack the Block as it is a refreshing take on an alien invasion flick and you might respond even more positively than I did. I enjoyed it, but wasn't blown away. Super8 is exactly what I thought it would be; an excellent Spielbergian alien adventure film with J.J. Abrams' fingerprints. It didn't rise to the heights I had hoped, which is to be a classic, but it is really really good. Unfortunately, I am still processing The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. There is a lot to process. I know it's great, I'm pretty sure it's excellent, I know Rooney Mara should be nominated for an Oscar but it's the comparisons to the original I'm still wrestling with. See my previous review for my take on The Interrupters. I've watched Bridesmaids three times, two times in theaters, which speaks for how much I enjoyed it. It's really really really funny and Kristen Wiig is the best. Which leaves us with Drive and The Tree of Life. I'm going to have to say that these are interchangeable in the top spot. Drive has more repeat viewing value, but when looking at them as works of art The Tree of Life rises slightly above Drive and heads and shoulders above the rest. However, Drive was just so unbelievably badass, in addition to being artfully crafted, that I would say it is my outright favorite of 2011. The point of movies is to enjoy yourself and while The Tree of Life is amazing, I enjoyed myself more with Drive. Word of warning for The Tree of Life; it's not for everyone. If you aren't already aware of how people walked out on it at Cannes and how split critics are on it, then this is your warning. It is a film that is better suited for the corner video installation room of an art museum then your local cineplex. I think it's a great sign that this had such a huge release from a major studio as it's very very unconventional and doesn't really contain any obvious narrative. There are definitive themes and subjects, but no narrative. Just open yourself to the film, let it wash over you and it may be a really moving experience. You could also hate it, and that's cool.

So, that wraps it up. I Hope I gave you some reminders of some movies to check out if you haven't already and some insight into which ones may be more for you. I hope 2012 brings even more masterpieces and progress in the medium and that I can watch more than twelve 2012 films. Thanks for reading.

Limitless: 1 star

*this will be a humorous review because this movie is awful

"A writer discovers a top-secret drug which bestows him with super human abilities." This is from IMDB and a horrible summary. I guess who ever updates IMDB didn't think this movie deserved the time it takes to write a proper summary. He doesn't discover it, someone he knows gives it to him. It doesn't' make him super human; that makes it sound like he can fly and shoot webs from his wrists. It just makes him smart, which last time I checked wasn't super human. However, the people involved in this film's production may think otherwise. 

Seriously, I went into this film with absolutely no expectations. I just wanted to have fun with it. I knew it wasn't Shawshank Redemption. I just wanted to turn my brain off and watch Bradley Cooper be cool. Unfortunately this film hurt my brain. I had to turn it off. That's right, please welcome Limitless to the very small group of films (three I think) that Patrick Mooney couldn't finish watching. I guess these days I just don't have the time to waste. I'm 30, I have things to do...like sit on the couch and watch anything but this. I gave Limitless one star instead of zero because it does have Bradley Cooper in it, and Bradley Cooper was in Wet Hot American Summer (which looks like Hamlet next to Limitless) therefore Limitless gets one star. 

One of the aspects of the film that was a huge turn off was it's treatment of women, or lack thereof. Limitless could be used to teach a college level film studies/media course on the treatment of women in modern society; specifically in media and film. If anyone still thinks women are now treated as equals and sexism is over then please watch this movie. Example: Eddie Mora's (Cooper) girlfriend breaks up with him at the start of the movie. Eddie is failing as a writer, doesn't take care of himself anymore and is a horrible boyfriend. He's no longer the man she fell in love with.  She delivers a very well thought out reason for her decision and they part amicably. Eddie obtains the magic pills and becomes smart and successful. He then bumps into his ex on the street and says some stuff that is really smart. He's also no longer dressed like a homeless person. She immediately (give or take a few hours) disrobes and has sex with him. Only after a few weeks does she realize that he still isn't the guy she fell in love with years ago. Oh, and prior to his ex, he met a few other women along the way who reacted the same way. Apparently you gals only care about suits and money and absolutely love New York club bathrooms; so romantic. I guess her previous reasoning for leaving him was a lie and she really only cared that he looked gross and had writers block (remember: he wasn't dumb, he just had writers block). 

Another turnoff was the direction. Director Neil Burger uses an absolutely nauseating effect to portray passage of time while Eddie is on the "medication". It's kind of hard to explain, but it's basically blocks and blocks of city streets collapsing into the 2D plane of the TV. It's meant to seem like you are travelling quickly down these streets, but since the images are coming towards you while you stay still it feels more like everything is collapsing into the viewers brain instead of the viewer moving forward. It's awful. Other than that, nothing really impressive to report artistically. 

Basically Limitless is a waste of your time. Unless you want to have an "objectifying women" drinking game I would stay away from this one.

Drive: 4 stars

A Hollywood stunt performer who moonlights as a wheel man discovers that a contract has been put on him after a heist gone wrong.

Drive is nothing like Fast and the Furious. Lets get that straight out of the way. Apparently I missed something in the advertising, but I'll assume more than one person thought that Drive was going to be a gear head action movie since the studio was sued by a woman who felt she was led astray by the trailers. When there was little to no dialogue for the first twenty minutes and an 80's synth soundtrack she probably realized The Driver (Ryan Gosling) wasn't going to be anything like Paul Walker. 

Drive is directed by Nicolas Winding Refn who brought us Valhalla Rising, Bronson and the Pusher series. While I haven't seen any of those films (except the first 10 minutes of Valhalla Rising) I certainly do know a little about them and that was enough to know Drive wasn't going to be what it seemed. No matter what impression the trailer left on me I figured I'd be in for a surprise; and what a giddy surprise it was. Drive is, simply put, an extremely badass art house flick. It's hard to call it action because the action is sparse and brief. It's not really a chase film because there are only a few. The best way to describe it is a modern and twisted Bullitt, but even that doesn't really work. Drive stands alone and while the story isn't that original the delivery of that story certainly is. 

Drive works well on many levels. It's beautifully shot, has solid acting (some great), gritty violence and a good story. However, what makes it excellent is the mysterious main character. The Driver is known as just that, or Kid as his boss Shannon (Bryan Cranston) calls him, and that's what he does; he drives. He is a stunt driver part time in movies, a mechanic at Shannon's body shop, and he moonlights as a nameless getaway driver whose rules you must abide by if you want to get away. He knows cars and can do anything behind the wheel. We don't know his name, where he came from, who his family is or how he got where he is; we just know he's been there a few years. It's this mystery that makes his actions so fascinating and we realize we're watching the origin story of a legend. Shannon has a business partner Bernie (a fantastic Albert Brooks) who agrees to front Shannon money to invest in a stock car that The Driver will drive (duh). Let's just say we get the impression that Bernie isn't a legitimate businessman. The Driver has a neighbor Irene (Carey Mulligan) who cares for her young son while her husband is in jail. The Driver helps her out for a few weeks, bonds with her and her son and then her husband Standard gets out of jail. The story then kicks into full gear with The Driver agreeing to help Standard with a heist that goes wrong. It gets complicated, but as always I'll let you discover the important parts on your own. 

There are a few scenes that are there to simply illustrate that The Driver, while the hero of this story, is not a very nice man. We don't know much about him and we probably don't want to or need to. The important thing is that this time all of The Driver's actions and decisions are based in the desire to help Irene and her son in anyway he can. 

By the end of the film we can see someone in our minds, two years later, telling the story of the The Driver. He knows somebody who knew somebody who knew somebody who knew him. He doesn't have all the details of his life, but what he does for Irene and her son are bigger than life. Isn't that what legends are all about? It's not necessarily what they do, but why they do it. Life isn't black and white and sometimes you have to get your hands dirty to be a real human being; to be a real hero.

http://youtu.be/-DSVDcw6iW8

The Interrupters: 4 stars

Shot over a year during the time Chicago became a national symbol of urban violence, The Interrupters is shot from the point of view of three "Interrupters" who work with the organization Cease Fire to stop the cycle of violent culture in the city. 

I will try to stay un-biased in this review as my love for Steve James is no secret. I saw Hoop Dreams three times in the theater (at 3 hours long, I deserve to brag) , I've watched Stevie multiple times on DVD and couldn't wait to check out The Interrupters after seeing the trailer. While I feel that The Interrupters is his third best film (Reel Paradise comes in last) that makes it no less worth seeing as they're all amazing documentaries. The Interrupters feels to me like James had a little less invested personally, but his at arms length documentarian style is a perfect fit for this material. 


Anyone from a big city knows when the most violence occurs; Summertime. Something about the heat makes people go crazy. The Interrupters is broken up into four segments by season and drops us right into the thick of things during a hot Summer day argument. It is interesting to watch because while it is a documentary the film still follows the formula of any well paced film; start off strong and get people hooked, lay out the story structure, dig deeper into the characters while letting the story unfold and finish as strong as you started (this can be either a positive or negative outcome). First we are introduced to Ameena Matthews as she attempts to mediate the above mentioned argument. While it ended with some bruises and missing teeth, it could have ended in death if she wasn't there. She's the daughter of Jeff Fort who is one of Chicago's most notorious gangsters. He is currently serving a life sentence for conspiring with Libya to commit domestic acts of terrorism. She wasn't always the woman we're introduced to either. Through interviews with other employees and founders of Cease Fire we are then brought up to speed with their goal; to stop the spread of violence through interrupting it. Of course they go into more theory then that, but I don't want to spoil everything for you. Then we meet Cobe Williams and Eddie Bocanegra who are the two other interrupters whom the film focuses on. Both have spent time in jail and are dealing with their own demons. The film jumps back and forth between these three subjects. In addition to their normal everyday mediations each has their own special case. Sometimes it isn't enough to just intervene; you have to help a person grow to keep them from succumbing to the virus that is taking over their neighborhood. 


What makes The Interrupters so powerful is how close the filmmakers are able to get to their subjects. These people are in areas of Chicago where I, as a Chicagoan by proximity and association, would never set foot in voluntarily. They get footage that is everything the cliche quotations from the trailers suggest; gut wrenching and raw. We are exposed to situations, conversations and locations that without this film many of us would never be able to experience. With that sentence the beauty of the documentary is explained. We are given a window into the subjects' world and the subjects are given a voice they didn't previously have. It's documentary filmmaking 101 really. They chose a great subject, got great footage of amazing people and edited it together to tell their story well. What sets James and his films apart from the material of documentarians such as Morgan Spurlock and Michael Moore is that James' only desire is to tell someone else's story and not his own. That's a beautiful thing and something Michael Moore should think about. James finds beauty and knowledge in the world around him and wants to share that with you. Im so happy he does as his small canon of work is something to behold. 


You may wonder why I ranked The Interrupters third amongst James' films and not higher. Well for me it was the smaller amount of footage. Hoop dreams and Stevie were both shot over much longer periods of time and had longer running times. They just felt more dense. I felt like we could have been given more with The Interrupters. By choosing to shoot for only a year we don't get the character growth we get in his other films. Considering the power of the footage they do have, it really is a small complaint. There is plenty of conversation to be had over what we are given and there is no question it is good enough to earn four stars. 


Go see The Interrupters as soon as you can. Then, if you haven't yet, watch Hoop Dreams and Stevie. If things get a little heavy feel free to slip Reel Paradise in there to take a break from the weight of the  other three.

The Social Network: 3.5 stars

IMDB's summary states, "The story of how the social-networking website Facebook was founded."
The Social Network is not the story of how Facebook was founded; it is the story of why there are so many lawsuits surrounding the website. You may have read elsewhere that The Social Network is the story about how Facebook was created, or simply the Facebook movie, but it is much more specific than that. While we learn in general terms how the website was created, and are given the fictional motivation of said creation (note: there is no Erica in real life), The Social Network is more about the cons of fame and unfortunate drama it can create for those it touches.

The Social Network is directed by David Fincher, so you already know its technically outstanding. Even though he has used different cinematographers throughout his career his films always have similar photography. If you like/love the look of his previous films then you'll like/love that about this one. There is a reason why The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a Criterion Collection film, and it's not because of the story. I can see The Social Network ending up in that collection one day as well. Not only for it's technological brilliance but also for what it represents; for it's place in time.

Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) is the centerpiece of a script which tells the story of how he created Facebook, and was then accused of stealing the idea. The writers do this by presenting the story of two separate present day depositions and using flashbacks to delve deeper into what is being examined in those depositions. Zuckerberg was not only sued by the people who accused him of stealing the idea, but also his best friend and original CFO Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield) for fiendishly cheating him out of his fair share of the business.

As I noted in my introductory paragraph, The Social Network is definitely more about the lawsuits, missteps and backstabbing that occurred during and not actual the creation of Facebook. There are many different films that could have been created out of this scenario. What we end up with is definitely strong, however not as engaging as it could have, or should have been. It's a fascinating story and Eisenberg's representation and performance of Zuckerberg is outstanding, however Fincher's obsession with technical excellence once again leaves the viewers at arms length and results in a frigid product. It definitely works more with this story then it did with Benjamin Button because of how ruthless and emotionless The Social Network's main character is portrayed. While the sterile presentation fits the subject matter it can definitely be a turn off to some. It wasn't for me, but it was definitely what kept the film from being perfect. David Fincher may need to revisit his own work in Seven for inspiration on future projects. 

Five Films That Shaped Me

In case you haven't heard, At The Movies is back and is presented by Roger Ebert. You should be able to find it on your local PBS station friday nights, and its a welcome return to the show's original format. The jury is still out on the new hosts, but they're slowly coming into their own. The new hosts are Christy Lemire of AP and Ignatiy Vishnevestsky of Mubi.com. I have issues with both of them, but they are better than any incarnation of the show since Ebert left. Ignatiy is only 24, and while it's impressive that he is co-hosting this show at that age his reviews are all over the place. However, his knowledge of the medium is quite impressive. In February (when I first started writing this post) they did a special in which they presented the five films which shaped them as critics (Ignatiy's were as annoying and pretentious as you could imagine a 24 year old film buff's choices to be). I figured I would take that as a cue to share my own choices. Each of my choices is a film that opened a new cinematic door for me and made me look differently at the possibilities of the medium. 

Beautiful Girls

Beautiful Girls is just such a joy to watch. The script is perfect and the cast is full of some of the most likable actors in Hollywood. The direction is understated and the story is down to earth and relatable. If you know me then you know I love what I call "a time and place" films. By that I mean the movies where there isn't exactly an ending where every issue is resolved and wrapped in a bow (some of them may not have a real beginning either). They tell the story of a very specific place and time in the characters lives and the transformations that occur during that sample. Beautiful girls isn't an extreme example of this type of movie, but it still qualifies. Somewhere out there Birdie is plowing someone's lot, Kirkwood is screwing up another relationship and Marty is in college; and something about that is comforting. Beautiful Girls showed me that it doesn't have to be all about action, melodrama and special effects. 

Hoop Dreams

When you're a stupid teenager and know everything, the last thing you want to do is go to the theater to see a documentary with your parents. Well I did; twice. That documentary was Hoop Dreams. Thanks for taking me Mom! While it was a nationally recognized film, I'm pretty sure it was playing in much bigger theaters and for a much longer time in the Chicago area then in any other part of the country. It really is a perfect film. It showed me that documentaries aren't always like sitting through a lecture. Sounds silly, but when you're thirteen that's what you think. All I wanted to see were movies like Independence Day. Hoop Dreams opened my eyes to the documentary medium and how powerful it could be.

Leon

Leon (or The Professional) again opened my eyes to what else was out there in the world of cinema. I wish Luc Besson would get back to making films like this one instead of producing crap like The Transporter series. Like Seven, Leon was like no other action/crime/thriller movie I had ever seen. It blew my mind. Not just because of the thin wire it walked with Leon and Mathilda's relationship, but also the care in which their characters were developed. The ending is still gut wrenching to this day because we watched as the love they had for each other grew and became something real.  Lets not forget I'm talking about a hired assassin who takes an orphaned twelve year old under his wing and trains her to follow in his footsteps. This could have been a simple action flick and that would have been fine. However, Besson cared enough to make it more, make it unique and create a classic.
My full review of Leon can be read here.

Seven

Seven is a movie that is really hard to categorize. It can put into the crime thriller group, however I think it's more of a subtle horror movie. The crimes are gruesome, the killer arguably a genius and the imagery is dark and disturbing throughout. If the idea of the conclusion doesn't scare you a bit, or even how the Lust murder was carried out, then you truly are desensitized. When Seven came out there was nothing else like it; not only because of the story and imagery, but also because of how well made it was. Usually this kind of story is saved for writers, actors and directors who can't rise above the cliches.
Seven showed me horror movies could be of award winning caliber.  

State and Main

Ah, my good friend David Mamet. I was young and naive when I first found State and Main in a Hollywood Video and I had yet to hear of Glengarry Glen Ross. State and Main was my introduction to the canon of David Mamet. Later I would revel in Heist, The Spanish Prisoner, House of Games, Oleanna, Spartan and most recently Red Belt. State and Main showed me that words are just as important as imagery and are in and of themselves an art form. Joseph Turner White: "You like kids?" Ann Black: "Never saw the point of 'em." Joseph Turner White: "Me either."

The Town: 3 stars

As he plans his next job, a longtime thief tries to balance his feelings for a bank manager connected to one of his earlier heists, as well as the FBI agent looking to bring him and his crew down.

The Town wants badly to be something that it never becomes. Somewhere in this film lies a two and a half to three hour crime drama masterpiece, however we're dealt a two hour action flick that fails to deliver the emotional punch it should. There is an extended cut on dvd that runs thirty minutes longer, which tells me the re-emerging Ben Affleck tried to give us more, but just couldn't put it all together.

The Town is based on the Chuck Hogan novel Prince of Thieves and I'm guessing that once again the novel trumps the film. However, the film is definitely worth the time of anyone who enjoys a good heist or action flick. The Town just never becomes great, which is a disappointment given everything it has going for it. Ben Affleck returns to the director's chair following his outstanding and somewhat surprising debut Gone Baby Gone, but this time steps in front of the camera as Doug Macray; a man we're told was simply born into a life of crime in the bank robbery capitol of America. Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker) is wonderful as Doug's best friend & crew mate and Jon Hamm is very convincing as FBI Agent Frawley who is dead set on stopping them. The films starts off with an exciting heist where we are introduced to the crew and love interest Claire played by Rebecca Hall (Vicky Christina Barcelona). They end up taking Claire hostage (I didn't catch why...) and then immediately let her go. Worried she might have seen too much Doug agrees to follow up on her to make sure she doesn't rat them out, but falls in love with her instead. The story rolls on as the crew plans more heists, Doug pursues Claire and Agent Frawley zeroes in on them. We meet Doug's jailed father, we're introduced to his drug addicted past love Krista and we're given a quick explanation of how he ended up following his fathers footsteps.

While The Town is well written, acted and paced the ultimate problem is that I never got to the point where I cared about what happened to any of the characters. By the time the climax is reached I was just talking aloud and predicting everything that would happen next. The sequences unfold in a formulaic manner, and the tension and drama that should have been there was somehow lost in the proceedings. The information we're given to add back story, depth and character all seemed tacked on and routine, leaving me with no one to root for. In the end, I didn't care what happened to Doug or Claire and already knew what would happen to everyone else. However, I still enjoyed myself. In no way is it a bad film; it's just a disappointing one. The Town is a slight step back for Affleck as a director but is still a good film with excellent production, exciting action and dead on performances that are well worth anyone's time.

Humpday: 3 stars

When Andrew unexpectedly shows up on Ben's doorstep late one night, the two old college friends immediately fall into their old dynamic of heterosexual one-upmanship. To save Ben from domestication, Andrew invites Ben to a party at a sex-positive commune. Everyone there plans on making erotic art films for the local amateur porn festival and Andrew wants in. They run out of booze and ideas, save for one: Andrew should have sex with Ben, on camera.

I wanted to start my 2011 reviews with Humpday because of it's relative obscurity. Introducing people to new things is always fun. Do you really want to know what I thought of all the big name films? Yes? Well too bad, you're going to hear about two adult heterosexual men who want to have sex with each other for the sake of art.

Humpday stars Mark Duplass who, along with his brother Jay (usually found behind the scenes), introduced the world to the now confusingly labeled genre "mumblecore" with their wonderfully refreshing full length debut The Puffy Chair. Let it be known that I hate that label. These films, which includes Humpday, are basically just lo-budget indie films. Why are they now called Mumblecore? I have no idea; I can hear all of the actors just fine. If you haven't seen The Puffy Chair yet, or their follow up Baghead, do yourself a favor and rent them. They're worth seeing and you may love them. You may hate them too, but so goes lo-budget indie filmmaking. Their newest was Cyrus, which features much bigger stars and had a much larger release. I actually assumed Humpday was written and directed by the brothers Duplass until I wrote this review. It is actually written and directed by unknown filmmaker Lynn Shelton.

I found Humpday to be a very fascinating character study, as it tackled the male psyche through sexuality. I think I've been out of academia way too long to write intellectually on said study, so I'll stick to the movie review. What I think sets these "mumblecore" films aside from your usual indie flicks is the unbelievable level of authenticity they portray. It's a fictional story, largely un-improvised, however if you were stumble upon it on cable one night I wouldn't be surprised if you thought it was a documentary. The true to life conversations, vocabulary and accurate situational reactions make Humpday completely accessible and believable. When you connect to these characters and find bits of yourself in them, it makes the experience so much more satisfying.

I think I speak for most straight men out there, at least the ones who care to admit it, when I say that while the set up of two heterosexual friends agreeing to have sex with each other on film seems out of left field for some, sexual acts between two straight friends is a completely normal thought or conversation that occurs. While most don't end up up on as serious of a level as they do in Humpday, that thought is still there in the background for most guys....what if? Could I? How many beers would it take? I think the true to life reactions and rationalizations that occur between Ben and Andrew are startlingly real. Humpday could have just focused on Ben and Andrew's relationship, however the film also tackles the changes seen in Ben since Andrew's arrival and how their decision effects Ben's relationship with his wife Alycia. With just as much clarity, we watch as Alycia tries to come to terms with her husband's strange actions and decisions.

It's fascinating to witness how the injection of one dude from your past can completely change someone you love. They start acting differently, treating you differently, and having sex on film. It's wonderful to see that change studied with such authenticity as it is in Humpday. This subject matter has been superficially taken on countless times in other sitcoms for the sake of easy humor, but Humpday hits home with its spot on performances and documentary feel. Oh, and that is indeed the guy from The Blair Witch Project. I love him!

2010: A Poor Year for Patrick

When I realized exactly how many 2010 releases I've watched, it was very alarming. I barely even viewed fifteen 2010 films TOTAL. I did get married in the past year, so that took up a lot of my time. Still, there is no excuse for enjoying so few films. I saw more films from 2009, so I'm just simply behind. Picking ten out of a list fifteen seemed easy to me, so I figured I would just list all the 2010 films I was able to catch, followed by some quick thoughts.

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World: Wow. Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World blew my mind. I wish I could have seen this on the big screen, but blu ray wasn't too shabby. If you were raised in the time of Nintendo and enjoy music, all things fun and general silliness then you will love Scott Pilgrim. It's just unbelievably cool and geeky. I geeked out. I'm capable of geeking. 4 stars.

True Grit: This film was excellent. While it isn't classic Coen brothers, it does have their stamp on it. Jeff Bridges breathes new life into Rooster Cogburn, but Hailee Steinfeld steals the show as Mattie and I hope she wins the Oscar. There is also another welcome appearance by Barry Pepper (can the man do any wrong?). Great script, great story, great acting, & great photography = great film. Is it the Coen Brothers best? Not in my opinion. It's really good, but not best picture good. 3.5 stars

Inception: See previous review posted. I forgot to mention, the acting is very solid as well. Noting extraordinary, but nothing detrimental either. 4 stars.

Girl With The Dragon Tattoo: This trilogy is all the rage right now in the movie blogosphere. It has already been picked up by Hollywood and is being remade by the wonderful David Fincher. In the hands of anyone else I would be worried, but I have faith that my main man Mr. Fincher will blow the original out of the water. As far as the original Swedish release, it is very very good. It is a very enthralling story that had me hooked from the start. It is full of moody atmosphere and mystery, it's well paced and sports very solid acting . Rooney Mara has her work cut out for her filling Naomi Rapace's shoes. For the most part I've read that the sequels (Girl Who Played With Fire & Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest) aren't as strong, and I'm assuming that is most likely due to a change in director, but still worthy films. So catch them all while you can before the US versions are released! The first two are already out on DVD/Blu-ray and the 3rd is coming soon. 3.5 stars.

Easy A: I had a lot fun with Easy A. It tries really hard to be as relevant as all of the John Hughes films that it pays homage to, yet it doesn't even reach the level of Mean Girls. However, I still loved it. Emma Stone (Olive) carries the film and along with her cool progressive parents (played by the lovely Patricia Clarkson and Stanley Tucci), makes the movie worth watching. Hell, I even plan on buying it. However, I wish I never had to see Ally Michalka's stupid face and fake boobs again. I cringed every time she was on screen as Olive's annoying and promiscuous best friend. Her, and a forced spontaneous musical scene, hold it back from true greatness. Other than that, it's is a well done and fresh take on the High School genre. 3 stars.

Shutter Island: This was a quasi-controversial release by Martin Scorsese. Not for anything other than people didn't know what to make of it. Adapted for the screen from the Dennis Lehane novel (which I have on good authority is just as odd to read as the film is to watch) Shutter Island is the story of two detectives (DiCaprio and Ruffalo) who are investigating a missing inmate in a maximum security insane asylum. Mystery and twists are everywhere, but it's the performances and Scorsese's visual excellence that I responded so favorably to. I think the one word that describes Shutter Island best is LUSH. This is another one (see Book of Eli below) where your reaction to the resolution will make it or break it. It didn't bother me one bit. 3.5 stars.

Alice in Wonderland: Is it Tim Burton or Johnny Depp's best? No, not at all. Is it as bad as critics and people have been saying. No, not at all. If you're a fan of this combo, you should like this film. It's classic Tim Burton, and Classic Johnny Depp. Neither will follow the rules, or do anything similar to the classic Alice you may be familiar with or fond of. Overall I thought it was a lot of fun, and Johnny Depp was fantastic. Visual feasts abound, and style over substance is not necessarily a bad thing. 3 stars.

Macgruber: BEST SEX SCENE EVER! You can spoil the fun and see it on Youtube, but I urge you not to, and just rent this silly parody flick. It's really worth the watch just for that scene. It's not a good movie by a long shot, but I would definitely buy it for the days I just feel like something silly and mind numbing. If you hated the skit from SNL, you still might like this flick. It's a more fleshed out parody of bad 80's action movies, and I had a lot of fun watching it. 2.5 stars of ridiculous re-watchable fun.

Iron Man 2: Iron Man was such a fantastically fun introduction to the character, that the sequel was bound to be a let down. It was a let down, but I don't think it was as big of a let down as some critics will lead you to believe. The humor, fun acting, good script and general bad assedness is still there, but it's a bit more muddled than the first one. Still fun, but nothing too great. Note: Don Cheadle makes any movie enjoyable. 3 stars.

Get Him to The Greek: "Barkeep! Absimff!" I've watched this movie twice, and it was even better the second time through. If you've seen the trailers, you might think that Get Him to The Greek is all raunchy humor and no heart. However, director Nicholas Stoller picks up right where he left off with Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and improves on all of that film's strengths. He gives the raunchy comedy a big heart and characters we actually care about. The film even gets pretty touching towards the end (although the heart is sandwiched between a threesome and a Jeremy (you'll see)). Oh, do you hate Sean Combs? You won't after seeing this. He's hilarious. 3.5 stars.

Twilight: Eclipse: Soooo, I'm totally on team Jacob now. I get it. Vampires make horrible boyfriends. There is really no reason for me to expand on these films. Either you are willing to enjoy a horribly cheesy high school romance film about vampires, werewolves and overly dramatic tweens or you're not. Eclipse is the most appropriately stylish films of the series so far, but the first one is still the best overall. 2.5 guilty pleasure stars.

Until the Light Takes US: This was an incredibly bad documentary and has joined the ranks of the very few films I couldn't even finish. This is a good example of what is scary about trying to make a good movie. It is obviously made by newcomers, and it is obvious they are very passionate about the subject matter, however nothing ever comes together. The filmakers just don't have the skill. It's about Norweigian Black Metal! I was so excited and so sure this would be fun to watch, but it wasn't. The editing was poor and no context was given to any of the sequences. It was just an hour or so of watching people who were involved in the music movement, more specifically the crimes committed in Norway, ramble on about it with no discernable direction. I could have taken away just as much information from a newspaper article. A quick check on IMDB shows two new directors, five producers, and an editor who actually does have quite a few projects under his belt. I just don't think they had the material to make a full length documentary. Give me a voiceover, tell me what question you were asking; give me something! Zero stars.

Kick-Ass: Early in 2010 this film had huge buzz surrounding it. It's part of the "normal people become super heroes" genre that is becoming more and more popular. I had high hopes for this, but it just didn't live up to them. The ending did not sit well with me at all. It was just too easy and too predictable; especially for a movie that was the opposite of that for the first three quarters. In addition, Christopher Mintz-Plasse rubbed me the wrong way this time. He was great in Superbad and Role Models but was reaching too far here. However, it does have many things going for it. Nicolas Cage proves why he used to be in such big demand with a fantastic performance, and Chloe Moretz shows amazing promise in her role as the ass kicking Hit-Girl. Definitely still check it out if you were meaning to, but Kick-Ass just didn't do it for me. 2.5 stars.

How To Train Your Dragon: I finally saw this the other day and loved it! Granted it's no Pixar release, but it is a HUGE step forward for Dreamworks animation studios. They finally balanced themselves with improved animation, a unique story (on top of a familiar structure), solid voice work and fun action. It was an easy breezy 100 minutes. 3 stars.

The Book of Eli (jan '10 release): This is one of those movies that is best viewed completely cold. If you're at all interested, which you should be because Denzel Washington is awesome, don't read anything about it. It has one of those endings that will have you revisiting earlier scenes to see if it is even possible. I loved it. Others hated it. There is enough style and action to keep everyone entertained, but your reaction to the resolution will determine it's worth. 3 stars.

Daybreakers (jan '10 release): The earth is populated by vampires and it's the humans who have been pushed to extinction while vampires harvest their blood and sell it like soda at train stations?! Sign me up! Such a great idea with tragically poor execution. I was hoping this would be one of those bad vampire movies that I still like, but it turns out to actually be a complete mess. The ending was obviously tacked on and re-worked, and you can just smell behind the scenes tension on this one. I love Ethan Hawke and Willem Dafoe, but you can't act your way out of bad writing and directing. 1.5 stars.

Here are the 2010 films on my to do list. The list could be as long as all the well reviewed movies of the year, but these are the ones I'm most excited about seeing: The Social Network, Machete, The Town, The American, Cyrus, Despicable Me, The Kids Are All Right, Micmacs, Going the Distance, Red Riding Trilogy, Winter's Bone, Black Swan, 127 Hours, Greenberg, Hereafter, & Somewhere. If you haven't heard of any of these yet, check out the trailers on Yahoo or Apple, and add them to your list if they look good.

Here are the films from 2009 that I watched in 2010 with a quick star rating: A Single Man (4), The Crazies (1), Gran Torino (3.5), The Road (3), (500) Days of Summer (2.5), 9 (2.5), Humpday (3), Extract (2), Vicky Christina Barcelona (4), The Hurt Locker (4), A Serious Man (3), Zombieland (im not sure yet), Up In The Air (3.5), Ponyo (3), The Informant! (4), The Invention of Lying (2), Fantastic Mr. Fox (3.5), Terribly Happy (2), District 9 (3.5), & Big Fan (3).

The good thing is that the majority of these from 2009 were on my to do list from my end of year 2009 post. Hopefully I can get through my 2010 to do list a bit quicker. My goal this year is to write a full review of all the films in this post. It's a tall task, and I probably will completely fail, but I think I can slack off at work just enough to get it done. Thanks for reading.

Inception: 4 stars

Plot Summary: In a world where technology exists to enter the human mind through dream invasion, a highly skilled thief is given a final chance at redemption. This will involve executing his toughest job to date: Inception.

Yeah I know, a Summer 2010 blockbuster that I'm posting about in late January 2011. My best of 2010 list (well, more "these are the movies I watched in 2010" list) will be posted soon with more explanation of what I've been up to. For now, I need to focus and tackle this review, within a review, inside another review.

First, I need to expand on the plot summary above. Mr. DiCaprio (Cobb) plays a hired hand, a man with the technology and skills to infiltrate peoples dreams and steal their secrets and ideas. Apparently in worlds I'm not a part of (high finance and crime to name a few) people will go through any length to get what they need. The execution of something like this is just as complicated as you'd imagine it to be. However, it's something that Cobb has done many times before. He's very good at what he does. Stealing an idea isn't the hard part; implanting an idea is. That is called Inception. So we're introduced to Cobb, to his team and the story rolls forward towards the grand finale of Inception. The details of that journey are for you to discover. However, I can tell you what I thought of the journey; that's no secret.

Inception is a bold piece of filmmaking. Bold in that it is a completely original idea. We're not seeing much of those anymore in Hollywood. It was conceived of and written by Christopher Nolan from his original thought. It's not a sequel (or a squeakquel) or a remake of a better crafted foreign film. What is even more impressing is that while the idea itself is pretty simple, one would imagine the execution of that idea on screen would be very difficult. Nolan pulls it off effortlessly (seemingly), and it is incredibly fun to watch. What you may have heard is true; there is a dream, inside a dream, inside a dream all happening at once. Why you ask? Because in order to implant an idea, you have to go as deep into the subconscious as you can so the victim doesn't know the idea isn't his or hers. While it sounds confusing, and easy to make fun of, it is quite a sight to see unravel in front of your eyes. The amazing thing is that I was not confused or lost at any point during the sequence. That is reason enough for any fan of celluloid to see Inception as soon as possible; but wait, there's more.

The thing that impressed me most about this film is that I was treated to an actual story. You may have, as I did, assumed that Inception was just going to be about the act itself. A caper inside someone's mind. There would be a set up, the gathering of the top notch team, the planning, the buildup, the heist itself and then a resolution. A Summer blockbuster doesn't need anything else. Throw in amazing special effects, and you're done. Why do anything more? Christopher Nolan knew that in order to reach a broader audience and to keep people interested beyond the wow factor he would need more. Cue Marion Cotillard; the love interest. I won't reveal anything about this aspect of the story, but adding this depth to Cobb's character in turn adds something for viewers to latch onto, to root for and to identify with. This was a great move by Nolan. It illustrates why he is one of the best filmmakers of this generation. Inception was Nolan's baby. It is the film he has been working towards, earning money and reputation for, since Memento was a sleeper hit. He could have taken the easy route, but he chose to lend some heart to a beautiful technical idea, and it's what pushes Inception towards the realm of masterpiece. There are a few small details that I felt held it back a bit, and I would have to watch it again to determine if it reaches that realm. Only time will tell.

Green Zone: 3.5 Stars

Plot summary: During the U.S.-led occupation of Baghdad in 2003, Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller (Damon) and his team of Army inspectors were dispatched to find weapons of mass destruction believed to be stockpiled in Iraq. Rocketing from one treacherous site to the next, the men search for deadly chemical agents but stumble instead upon an elaborate cover-up that inverts the purpose of their mission.

Don't let some critics fool you, Green Zone is one of the MOST American films you'll see. I'm glad I live in a country where we can question our government without being punished or killed. In fact, we don't use that particular freedom quite enough.

Green Zone walks a tricky line. It attempts to veil a fictional action movie over a very touchy event. That event is the invasion of Iraq and specifically the reason for invasion. We were told there were WMD's in Iraq. I personally feel we were told this in a way that struck fear in our country. When we invaded there were none to be found. Now, feel free to argue that point, but it's a fact. Were there other weapons there that cause destruction of some kind? I'm sure there were. That's to be expected. Citizen's of America, however, were led to believe there were weapons there that could cause destruction on the scale of nuclear or biochemical. Those weren't found. Now, from here on out, one has to be careful. There is nothing more being asserted. There is no argument that Saddam Hussein isn't evil, no argument that Iraq never had WMD's or possibly moved them before the invasion, no argument against the horrible things that were going on in Iraq. All we ask as citizens of this great country is that when our government goes to war and puts our youth in danger, they better tell the truth about why they're doing it. Politically speaking, that is what Green Zone is trying to say. It portrays the anger many people feel about being misled. If you think that is anti-american then I have to question your definition of American. To blindly follow your country is one of the most anti-american things I can think of. The film makes other comments on missteps during the invasion, such as dismissing the Iraqi army and leaving them unemployed and agitated, and I can go on to talk about them but I'm here to critique a film.

If you liked any of Paul Greengrass' previous films, especially the Bourne sequels, I see no reason why you wouldn't thoroughly enjoy Green Zone. It is taut, exciting and kept me engaged and guessing all the way until the end. Greengrass employs the same shaky hand-held camera work that he always has and in a film set amongst the confusion of war it has never been more effective.

One of my favorite aspects of Green Zone is the subplot of Freddy. Freddy is an Iraqi citizen who approaches Miller and his unit (while they are at another site containing no WMD's) with information about a meeting occurring of suspected high priority targets. After the invasion of the meeting, and the discovery that Hussein's top ranking general was there, the film's spider web cover-up plot takes off as Miller slowly peels back the layers of what's really going on. What is so interesting about Freddy is that he personifies the complications of the occupation. He also has one of the most powerful lines of the film. Miller continually states how he is there to do his job; find WMD's and save lives, but Freddy is there to remind him (and us) that it is a little more complicated than that.

The story line of Green Zone has many ins and outs. In other hands the film could have become confusing and irritating but the story is told with great ease by director Paul Greengrass and writer Brian Helgeland. One way to do this, which has been portrayed as a negative by many critics, is one dimensional characters and simple yet powerful dialogue. That way, there is less to get in the way. Let me be clear though, the characters are in no way dull, boring or poorly written. I think a better way to describe them, and the film as a whole, is focused.

I think in order to enjoy this film, you really have to go into it with an open mind. I say that to both sides of the argument. If you completely disagree with my second paragraph above, you could still enjoy the film as it is a thriller, not a documentary. Even if you agree with the assertions of the film, you also have to realize that it is a work of fiction and not something to use to further your contentions. Bottom line: Green Zone is a very effective thriller that was a blast to watch.

Top Twenty of the Decade

Everybody else is doing it, so why can't I? It's all the rage at the end of 2009, and pretty much a pointless endeavor. Most critics and people in general would have two totally different lists, with some films corresponding and some curiously absent. There are way too many good movies to choose from. My list is going to be geared towards the films that I enjoyed the most; and that I could think of sitting here at a computer with my dvd collection nowhere in sight. Not necessarily the best crafted piece of art, or the ones with the best performances, but rather a list of the ten movies I would love to watch over and over again (you'd be surprised what I force myself to sit through over and over). So here it is, my humble top twenty of the first decade of this millennia.

20a. Best In Show: For me this is Christopher Guest and his cast of regulars at their best. Practically every scene is gold and I never get tired of watching it.

20b. Shaun of The Dead: The film that introduced us to Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, and of course director Edgar Wright. I cannot wait for their next collaboration. Hot Fuzz was great as well, but I had to give the nod to Shaun for starting the love affair.

19. Stevie: Steve James gets my vote for best documentarian working today. Why? Because he is so good and just letting the story tell itself. At no time do I ever feel that James is letting his own opinion or bias get in the way. To make Hoop Dreams and Stevie in one life is an amazing feat.

18. Control: While the subject matter of this film makes it a very tough one to re-watch, I couldn't keep it out of the top 20. The performances are top-notch, and of course, Anton Corbijn's imagery is gorgeous. Even for people who have no idea who Joy Division is, it would still be an engrossing film.

17. Heist: Why do I love David Mamet so much? I have no idea, but I do. Out of all the films he has released this decade, I think Heist is the most solid throughout and the most entertaining. Gene Hackman is fantastic in this one.

16. In America: Oh my god I love that movie... That's all I really have to say.

15. Royal Tennenbaums: My favorite entry from arguably the most unique director of our generation. Wes Anderson's films defy any sort of classification and he gets at least one really stellar performance in every film.

14. Let The Right One In: Just check out my previous review of this one. THE BEST VAMPIRE MOVIE. EVER. The cover art never lies.

13. Zodiac: This one has one of the creepiest scenes I've ever witnessed, and its not even that kind of flick. I can't even think about the basement scene without squirming. David Fincher is one of my favorite directors and he was spot on with this one. Mark Ruffalo scored again as well.

12. Lost In Translation: Sofia Coppola: the master of mood. This movie reminds me of a better time, a time before Scarjo didn't know how famous she was going to be and all the annoying things she would say. Her performance is restrained, innocent and very good. Bill Murray is more than we probably ever thought he could be. It is touching, funny and sweet and still fresh every time I see it.

11. Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind: Simply put, it is the best love story of our time (sorry Twilight). Told with an artists brush and child's imagination Eternal Sunshine is just a magnificent film.

10. The Fountain: This is a controversial one, but I was really blown away by The Fountain. The story, the score, the performances, the cinematography and the pacing all just grabbed me and didn't let go. I absolutely loved it. You may hate it, but that's cool.

09. Bourne Supremacy: Oh Jason Bourne, I do hope you and Paul Greengrass will continue to kill people with books and towels in my future. These films are just so badass and Supremacy was the one that took them to the next level. Anyone who doesn't have a problem with Greengrass' shaky cam and hasn't seen United 93 yet, really should. It's pretty startling. For that matter, Bloody Sunday as well.

08. Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair: I can't really even begin to get into it. Just amazing.

07. Amelie: Has there ever been a film more cute, funny, adorable, lovable and graceful than Amelie? Nope. Why was it left off of most critics tops of the decade list? No Idea.

06. Almost Famous: "Hold me closer Tiny Daaaaancer!" "Don't take drugs!" "Hey man, I'm incendiary too." "This explains.. so much." I could go on and on.

05. El Laberinto del Fauno: Guillermo Del Toro is a genius, and Pan's Labyrinth is his best film as a whole. If you haven't seen this yet, please check it out. It is a painfully exquisite movie and is as an adult fairy tale set within post-Civil War Spain. Doesn't that sound intriguing!?

04. UP: Well, we all knew a Pixar film would make the list. My top 3 are UP, Ratatouille and Finding Nemo. A lot of people will choose Wall-E, and while I liked that one too, it didn't do it for me like these other three did. It was hard to choose, but I have to give the nod to Up for the most heart wrenching first ten minutes, Doug and for a whimsy that the other three couldn't match.

03. Punch Drunk Love: Ok ok ok, so look. Punch Drunk Love is one of the most startling, gorgeous and inventive films of the decade and possibly ever. If you don't like it, that's fine,everyone is different. Such is art. PT Anderson molds the moving image and sound (both score and dialogue) together like no one I've ever seen. I could barely catch my breath in the theatre. I gave this the nod over There Will Be Blood because I've watched it probably 6 or 7 times, and while I purchased There Will Be Blood I still haven't brought myself to watch it again.

02. Children of Men: Wow. This one hit me right in the gut. With one or two of the best scenes of all time, breathtaking cinematography, top notch acting and a post-apocalyptic story that seems frighteningly within reach Children of Men was pretty awesome.

01. Inglorious Basterds: Did I put this number one because it was the title I saw most recently? Probably, but I don't care. It is a masterpiece and it deserves to be in the running for number one of the decade. Hate him or love him, Quentin Taratino showed with Basterds that he truly is great and one of the top directors in history.

The best of the rest: I could have easily switched out any from above with any of the titles below. It was close, but in the end, I chose the films I would easily pick up off the shelf and watch again. It was hard leaving Millions down here.

Into the Wild

The Visitor

Millions

Brick

Stranger Than Fiction

A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints

The Fall

Daywatch

Shotgun Stories

Lars and the Real Girl

Me and You and Everyone We Know

The Pianist

25th Hour

Million Dollar Baby

United 93

There Will Be Blood

Wet Hot American Summer