Hotel Chevalier (2007)

Hotel Chevalier is a short film (13 minutes)that acts as a prologue for the feature length film, The Darjeeling Limited, which I plan on seeing in early release tonight. Instead of giving you a quick summary, you should fire up iTunes and download it for free from the iTunes store.

3 stars out of 5 (assuming it will add to The Darjeeling Limited)

Hot Fuzz (2007)

A hot shot cop gets shipped out of London to the uneventful countryside after doing his job a little too well. Of course things aren't exactly what they seem in the sleepy little village. The British crew from Shaun of the Dead are back with this buddy cop'ish romp. The main combo of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are better then ever. If you liked, "Shaun" then this is a no brainer.

4 stars out of 5

The Science of Sleep (2005)

After moving in with his aunt to start a new job, a young man (Gael Garcia Bernal) falls for the neighbor girl. The job turns out to be a big disappointment leaving him to dream about what could be. Artsy dream sequences become more and more prevalent as this film goes on until eventually I couldn't find the plot or even tell what was real. Maybe that is the whole point. While entertaining I would pass this one by.

2 stars out of 5

Thumbsucker (2005)

Despite being in high school, Justin in a chronic thumb sucker. This small independent film follows Justin (Lou Taylor Pucci) as he ditches one emotional crutch for others in his quest to become happy with himself. While entertaining I must have missed something about this film or what it is trying to say. Is it another teen angst movie? Is it about the dangers of prescription medication? Maybe someone out there can make sense of it--drop us a comment.

3 stars out of 5

The Simpsons Movie (2007)

Since December 17, 1989 there have been 400 episodes, 8800 minutes, of The Simpsons on television. In its prime, it was a pop culture sensation; probably bigger than anything on TV before. Not only as the most popular show on TV, but the best show on TV, The Simpsons could have made a movie in the summer of 1997, and it would've easily been a huge hit at the box office. Now it's a decade later. The Simpsons hasn't been the same for the last five seasons or so and it is merely a television mainstay than a television phenomenon. Yet this is time for The Simpsons Movie and it will easily be a huge hit at the box office. But the question going through everyone's mind will be "Is it actually going to be any good?"

Well, it actually is. WOO-HOO!!

Since Blinky the three-eyed fish appeared in that classic season 2 episode it is commonly known that Springfield is a horribly polluted city. But it isn't until 17 years later that the pollution has reached the point of a toxic wasteland. And the boiling point is completly one character's fault, who I shall leave nameless as I don't want to play spoilers. Along the way the Simpson family finds themselves in Alaska, and the fate of Springfield from the evil Environmental Protection Agency is in their hands.

The plot holds up enough. It is zany and unrealistic but it is, after all, a movie. And a cartoon movie at that, so it works very well. The story holds your attention throughout its 87 minutes which is just enough to tell its tale and leave you satisfied. Anything less and you'd want your money back, while 15 minutes more would've stretched the plot too thin and cause it to drag.

However, the most important part of any animated comedy is always the laughs. By the looks of the last few seasons, that seems to be the biggest question mark walking into the theater. It may not be on the same level as a Season 4 episode, but it still delivers enough. Anything more would've been asking too much; you wouldn't demand a 40 year old Hall of Famer to play like his 25 year old MVP self. The Simpsons Movie may not be hitting home runs like the show did ten years ago, but it does have more timely doubles than strikeouts. Even if Homer has become too stupid lately, the movie doesn't allow itself to become "the Homer and His Crazy Antics Show." It has amount of stupid Homer comedy that we've grown to love without going overboard. Mixed in with great satirical jabs, sight gags, and funny one liners and the laughs come at you consistently. Plus, it's cool to see them do a few things that couldn't be done on TV. They hold from pushing the envelope too far, this isn't South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut, but the spots are picked nicely and are great surprises.

The one thing that has always made The Simpsons something more special than your average animated comedy is its heart. You may laugh a little more at an episode of Family Guy or South Park, but there isn't the same connection to the characters that has made The Simpsons the best. The Simpsons Movie didn't forget the emotion either. Almost at the expense of most well-loved secondary characters (Flanders is the only one I can remember with a substantial role), it concentrates on the family unit. While I did want a little more Mr. Burns, I think that was the right way to go. A lot of time is spent on each Simpson family member. And in large part due to the always superb voice cast (one thing that hasn't dropped off in quality throughout the 18 seasons), we do care about their struggles.

Going in, I was so worried about this movie. As a huge Simpson fan I wanted to like this so much, but as a rational Simpson fan I was anticipating a disappointment. Luckily, the writers took their time for good reason and it actually is pretty good. Worth seeing for any devoted Simpsons fan (most Americans) or any casual Simpsons fan (everyone else in the world).

3 out of 5 stars

The UP Documentaries (1964-2005)

What do the things a seven year says tell you about their future? Do they drastically change or can you see that same little person when you revisit them in their teens, 20s, 30s, and 40s? Michael Apted has those same questions, and many others, in the making of this monumental cinematic achievement.

Back in 1964, a British television station set out to make a documentary showcasing the class differences in Great Britain. Their various teachers handpicked the lucky ones featured. There are kids in a state-provided boys home, from a crowded public school in a working class neighborhood, a farmer's boy in a school house, and upper class kids in posh boarding schools. You see what these kids think about eachother, love, and life at seven years old. Then seven years later they were revisited by Michael Apted (an assisstant on 7 Up) to see how they have changed and how they have stayed the same. And Apted kept coming back every 7 years until they were 49 in the latest installment, 2005's 49 Up.

For a society fascinated by reality T.V., The Up Documentaries present reality in its purest form. The thing that makes these so interesting is that these are just real people living their lives. There are no superficial scenarios that put them in competition for money or trapped with strangers or looking for love. They are regular people; you watch them go through puberty, go to college, start a family, get divorced, lose hair, get fat, and have grandchildren. Yet you can always see a little bit of the seven year old at each of them during any age.

While Up is a very fulfilling movie experience, it does take a major commitment. If you Netflix it, it takes up six discs on the queue, and they are pretty straight forward in style. There isn't a lot a stylish tricks to keep your attention (ie. This Film Is Not Yet Rated) or comedic relief (ie. Bowling For Columbine). You watch people talk with shots of them living their life interspersed in their interviews. But it is the people that hold your interest. You can watch and connect to particular people. As different things enter and leave their lives you feel joy for them or sorrow. When the credits role on each film you look forward to what has happened to them in the next seven years. And when 49 Up ended, I was left looking forward to 2012 to see what they are like at 56.

4 out of 5 stars (very interesting individually but as a whole... amazing!)

*on a sidenote; the other day I watched my first episode of the latest season of The Simpsons, and the entire episode was a parody of The Up Documentaries! A British documentary director visited Homer, Marge, Wiggum, Professor Frink, and Moe every eight years for his films "Growing Up Springfield." The episode even had the exact same music playing over the end credits. Needless to say, I was very excited about the coincidence.

2006 Top Ten Response

After reading Nick's list of his top ten movies of 2006, I knew that I wanted to respond in my own post. I, however, did not want to respond ignorantly so I waited until the last of his top 10 worked their way to the top of my Netflix queue. All ten of Nick's choices are very good movies; as he already stated, 2006 was an excellent year in cinema.

So here's Nick's Top Ten if I were to rank them:
1) United 93
2) Apocalypto
3) The Departed
4) Little Miss Sunshine
5) The Prestige
6) Pan's Labyrinth
7) The Queen
8) Letters From Iwo Jima
9) The New World
10) Children of Men

Now, I'm only going to say a few words about each because Nick has probably already said most of what I would say, so here it goes.....

United 93 is one of the most incredible movies I have ever seen. But it is not a movie that could get you excited to see again and again. Everyone knows the tragic story but the realism brought to the event leaves you angered, moved, and amazed that someone was able to put a something so powerful on film. You're emotionally drained but it is an experience needed to be seen. Nick is right on with this pick.

Apocalypto is sheer entertainment that movies are meant to be made for. Beyond having the best action I've seen in a movie in a long time, this is more than just a fun adventure flick. It may be a simple capture-and-chase plot, it is touching with great performances that allow you to really identify with the characters. It also is showcase for Mel Gibson's excellent filmmaking skills. Visuals alone are worth watching it for. It doesn't look like a movie version of the Mayans, but rather like real life Mayans. I watched this movie 3 times and another time with director commentary in a week and could easily watch it many more times.

Scorsese is a master, and The Departed is no exception. Great style, great performances, and a great story make this a crime classic and well deserving of all the Oscars it won. As much as I loved United 93, I think Nick is shortchanging Scorsese by calling his win a "sentimental pull." It may not be GoodFellas but he deserved every inch of that Oscar weaving together that complicated plot with great style and entertainment. Excellent direction in an excellent movie.

Little Miss Sunshine is an hour and a half of pure fun. It's a sweet story with great characters and many hilarious moments without getting too slapsticky. And a castful of excellent performances make it feel real despite have many zany events that happen.

With The Prestige, Christopher Nolan is becoming a director where you are counting the days until his next release (Memento, Batman Begins). A cool story with great twists, but not the kind that make it impossible to follow. Also a good performance by someone who I think is one of the coolest actors in the business in Christian Bale. Now I can't wait for The Dark Knight next summer... you know it's going to be great.

Even though Pan's Labyrinth is a little lower on my list than Nick's, it is in no way a knock against the movie. Guillermo del Toro is able to bridge together a magical fantasy world with a horrifically realistic war zone in Spain in a fascinating way. A beautiful movie that gets more rewarding with each time you see it.

Everyone knows about Helen Mirren's superb performances in The Queen, but what gets sometimes overlooked by it is the interesting movie she gives it in. Watching England's struggle to unite the old traditions with the modern culture during a chaotic time is an interesting story that doesn't get much attention here in America.

Letters From Iwo Jima is Clint Eastwood's second Iwo Jima film of 2006, and I feel that it is the better of the two (that isn't meant to take anything away from Flags of Our Fathers, a good film on its own). The thing that made Letters so special was being able to see this story we know in someone elses shoes. Watching and sympathizing with the enemy sends the message that no matter the details of a war, we're just human beings on both sides of the line.

The New World is a beautiful treat for any patient movie buff. It may be slow, but getting wrapped up in the visuals is very special. It really feels like colonial Jamestown. And knowing that the actress who played Pocahontas was only 14 years old makes her performance even more worthy of taking notice of.

Children of Men is sci-fi done right with an interesting and unique story. But as Nick already stated it is the incredible cinematography that makes this special. Look into what he wrote about it because I agree 100%.

So there are my thoughts on Nick's list. My list, however, would have one addition to knock Children of Men to #11 (also Blood Diamond is a very close #12). So this is what my Top Ten looks like:

1) United 93
2) Apocalypto
3) The Departed
4) Little Miss Sunshine
5) *Stranger Than Fiction
6) The Prestige
7) Pan's Labyrinth
8) The Queen
9) Letter From Iwo Jima
10) The New World

As you can see, I added Stranger Than Fiction. That crazy romantic comedy where Will Farrell becomes the character is an author's newest tragedy. This is the more reserved Will Farrell and it is filled by other great performances by Emma Thompson and the lovely Maggie Gyllenhaal. I don't know exactly what made me like this SO much but I really did. It is very touching but not sappy and very funny but not silly. The story is unique, unpredictable, and very interesting with different turns that only improve then improve again on the movie. Everything you could want in a comedy is here, and it can be enjoyed by anyone. A sweet story and an enjoyable film; I loved it. (*also, the music is excellent... mostly done by the band Spoon. They were a band I had heard of, but it wasn't until I saw this move when they really peaked my interest. It's been very rewarding since because I have two great Spoon albums now, and saw them put on a very good show this year at Summerfest. Great band.)

The Best of 2006

I know, I know. Here we are half-way through 2007, and now I'm doing a best of 2006 list. I'd like to say that it was because I wanted to see other movies on DVD from last year that I hadn't seen yet. Or, that I wanted to let the movies marinade in the juices in my head before I made my final decisions, but, honestly, I've just been lazy, procrastinating for months before now.

I know its early yet this year, and that most of the good movies have not been released yet, but 2007 has a long way to go before it will compare to last year. 2006 was a very good year for movies. When creating my Top Ten there were many tough decisions to be made. Therefore, there were a number of very quality selections that will be disappointed to not be able to end up on Nick's Top Ten, the most prestigious of movie lists. However, I could not take any more than 10. Those are my rules, and they are set in stone.

By now, the reader will be anxious to know what my criterion were when making my selections. Let me assure you they are long and complicated, much too complicated for the average reader, let alone movie-goer understand, so I will save you the enormous exposition that it would require to do so. Instead I will finally give you all what you have been waiting for; my list. So, without further ado, here, in descending order, are the Ten Best movies of 2006, as selected by me.

10. The Queen
9. The New World
8. Letters From Iwo Jima
7. Children of Men
6. Apacolypto
5. The Departed
4. The Prestige
3. Pan's Labyrinth
2. Little Miss Sunshine
1. United 93

Comments:
1, 2, & 3 - United 93, Little Miss Sunshine, Pan's Labyrinth

The top 3 movies were all extremely worthy of being selected as the year's best movie, and in other years "Sunshine" and "Pan" would easily be number one. Each movie was very different in purpose and tone. United 93 was one of the most immediate and terrifyingly realistic movies ever made. (see my previous review) Its purpose was clearly not to entertain, but to enlighten the viewer to the heroism of the passangers of the doomed flight on September 11th. The director, Paul Greengrass, pulled off a feat of magnificent proportions, and probably should have won best director, if it were not for the sentimental pull for Scorsese to win his 1st. "Little Miss Sunshine" on the other hand was made to simply entertain, and it did that superbly. It is an independant comedic masterpiece, small in scale, but big in laughs, and balanced nicely with touching realism. As different as those two are from eachother, "Pan's Labyrinth" is that much different from either of them. I am planning on reviewing this movie soon, but am having trouble deciding from what angle to take on it, because there is so much going on cinematically and thematically. It is a fantasy fairy-tale, and the fairy-tale aspects of it are magical, beautiful, and terrifying. It is an adolescent coming of age movie. It is a rousing tale of the oppressed fighting to the end against evil tyranny. And it is also a war movie, brutal and bloody. The wonder of it is how the director Guillermo del Torro is able to blend it into one seemless whole. It is a haunting movie that will leave an indellible print in your mind.

4 - The Prestige
"The Prestige" at number 4 might be a suprise, but it is the kind of movie that I love. A time shifting complicated plot the leads to one of the best suprise endings since "The Sixth Sense." It rewards the viewer on multiple views as the plot uncovers clues and hints that could not have been picked up on the first view.

5. The Departed
Scorsese at his best ( actually, 3rd or 4th best, which is still pretty damn good). I enjoyed his previous movie, "The Aviator" but it was great seeing Scorsese get back to the vulgar streets. A crime plot where rats are infiltrating the Irish Mob of Boston, while the Irish Mob has an inside guy within the inner sanctums of the Police. Awesome performances all around, I mean who was the best? Nicholson, yes. DiCaprio, oh yeah him too. Mark Wahlber, beleive it or not, yes. Matt Damon, excellent, the list goes on and on. Directed with style and passion by one of the greats at the top of his game.

6. Apocalypto
Say what ever you want about Mel Gibson. He can make some fucking kick-ass movies. This is a historical epic, yes, but really is simply a big, exciting, bloody, fun, exhilirating action movie which happens to be set in Ancient Maya.

7. Children of Men
A dark look at the future of mankind. In the not-so distant future the world has pretty much dissintigrated into a bleak place. The world is hopeless, literally, as mankind has been unable to procreate for the last eighteen years. Until there is a glimmer of hope. A glimmer that many different people want to get there hands on. There are many great aspects of this movie, but what really stands out is the cinematography. The movie is full of long, single take shots, that must have taken meticulous preperation to pull off. There are two scenes in particular which are simply jaw-dropping. The first is when the car of the protagonists are being chased down by a gang of ruffians. The point of view for the entire scene is shot the entire time from within the car, swirling around from the front to the back to the front again, with no cuts. It actually seems physically impossible to shoot this scene, but it is obviously not. (And you can tell there are no special effects or camera tricks). The second is a very long tracking shot that follows Clive Owen as he walks his way through the decrepit refuge camp turned battle field. The scene lasts at least 10 minutes without one cut or wash. Nothing but the camera following along, simple enough, yeah right. When watching this scene think about the coordination and timing that it must taken to get all the parts in the exact right place at the exact right time, and then think about the work it would have taken to re-shoot this scene had something gone wrong.

8. Letters From Iwo Jima
Clint Eastwoods second movie about the World War II battle. This companion piece to "Flags of Our Fathers" tells the story of the Japanese soldiers defending the island. A point of view not often shown in American movies. The better of the two, however, both were very good and while not as good, stand up with Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers. Had I put both movies together it, as I've seen done by less prominant reviewers (Peter Travers) than myself, it may have moved up a spot or two. But they were released seperately and are technically different movies.

9. New World
This is a movie that came and went with little fanfare released really early last year. This was only director Terrence Malicks fourth feature film, yet he is not new on the scene, his first feature being 1973's "Badlands." This movie tells the story of Jamestown, America's first successful Brititsh Colony, and specifically the legend of John Smith and Pocohantis. It is more like poetry than moviemaking, taking its time to meander through the forrests of pre-colonization Virginia. This is not a movie for all viewers. Malick does not direct for the masses, and his methods require patience. If you saw his last movie, "The Thin Red Line," which I thought was excellent, you should know the style to expect. However if you do remain patient and let yourself get immersed in the beauty of the film it will mesmerize and greatly reward your patience.

10. The Queen
A fictionalized account of the weeks after Princess Diana's death as experienced by the Queen Elizabeth. It is anchored by the undeniably perfect performance of Hellen Mirren as the Queen, for which she rightly won the best actress award.

The Squid and the Whale (2005)

Growing up is hard enough but when your parents decide to separate it can make things even worse. The Berkmans seem like a pretty normal 80s Brooklyn family at first but the closer you look the more complicated (ie f'd up) things get. Jeff Daniels is the fillet of the acting world as Benard, the college English professor. Coming from a divorced household I can only assume that writer/director, Noah Baumbach, is writing from personal experience. Despite how twisted the story gets I really connected with this film and think it is an independent classic.

4 stars out of 5

Interstate 60 (2002)

O.W. Grant is a mysterious little man with red hair and a pipe shaped like a monkey head that grants people one wish. Neal Oliver makes a wish hoping for some direction in life after college. He is sent on a mission to deliver a package down the non-existent Interstate 60.

Honestly, how cheesy does that sound? This is one of the few movies available on Netflix's new streaming movie feature. Look for a "Watch Now" tab on the top of your page. Inside you will find all of the movies that are available to instantly stream to your PC. Your account may not be enabled but this is the long term direction for Netflix and it will only be a matter of time. If you have your PC connected to your TV then this is a pretty slick setup. The full screen video looked as good as a normal DVD and sound was decent stereo. Even with a critical eye there was no skipping or slowdown. For every one dollar you spend with Netflix each month you get one hour of movie streaming.

Back to Interstate 60, I actually couldn't help but like this movie. Even more surprising is the cast: Michael J Fox, Gary Oldman, Ann-Margret... Not worth a trip to the video store but if you have Netflix and want to try out the streaming feature, this is one of the better options.

3 stars out of 5

Creative Screenwriting Magazine

I stumbled upon a podcast from fellow blogger Creative Screenwriting Magazine about Are We Done Yet?, a film I recently reviewed. It is a Q&A session with the writer, Hank Nelken, and focuses mainly on process of screen writing. It is interesting to hear how this particular script grew and ultimately changed. While I don't have any interest in working in Hollywood, I do find it fascinating to see how the business operates. To listen for yourself, use the Odeo player below or download it right from the source using the link above.


powered by ODEO

Hard Candy (2005)

Hayley (Ellen Page) is your typical 14 year old girl. She likes hanging out with friends and playing on the Internet. One day she meets Jeff, a 32 year old photographer, online and they decide to meet up. Is this the biggest mistake of Hayley's life?

I loved this film and would recommend it to anyone that likes a small independent movie. Ellen Page is outstanding, keep an eye on her in the future. I don't want to say anything else for fear of spoiling it.

4 stars out of 5

Dark City (1998)

I really cannot remember what sparked my interest in this movie or motivated me to add it to my Netflix queue. But this sci-fi film came in the mail with me knowing nothing about it... I forgot that it was even coming in the first place. When I sat down to watch it, I soon found out that I had rented a gem.
-
Much like The Matrix, this is a dark and stylistically awesome movie in which the viewer must struggle to piece together what is or is not real. How The Matrix could turn into a phenomenon while Dark City was almost instantly forgotten (or never part of one's consciousness - like me), doesn't seem to make a lot of sense because both are excellent... science fiction at its finest. However, I'm going to end with Matrix comparisons there because Dark City is its own movie and one that is too good to have to be put up head to head with another.
-
The movie begins in complete confusion with our hero John Murdoch (Rufus Sewell) waking up naked in the bathtub of a dingy hotel room with a dead woman laying nearby. John doesn't remember anything at all, he doesn't know who he is let alone if he's a murderer. But John hasn't necessarily lost his memory like Guy Pierce in Memento; this is a different case. His only link to knowledge comes from the handicapped yet frightening psychiatrist, Dr. Schreber (Kiefer Sutherland) whose allegiances cannot be trusted. John also turns to his wife, Emma (Jennifer Connelly), who doesn't know what to believe or what to do anymore, but her love is the only thing in the movie that doesn't change at some point. Even with knowledge from the doctor and love from his wife, John can't avoid the police led by Inspector Bumstead (William Hurt) who wants him on charges of muder that he knows nothing about. But much worse for John is being on the run from a group of terrorfying aliens known as The Strangers. These aliens aren't just evil for the sake of being evil like Aliens or Independence Day. They have their own motivations for what they do.
-
The Strangers are a dying race. Running out of options on what to do for survival they turn to humans. Their studies are all in hope of making themselves a little human themselves. They have the appearance of a human albeit a gaunt and hairless appearance reminiscent of the iconic vampire in Nosferatu. To find out what humans think they use their god-like mind powers to set up something that resembles a giant experiment with the human race. But why must they concentrate on poor John Murdoch so much? I don't want to say too much but John is very unique and seems to have skipped a few rungs on the evolution ladder. The Strangers' time is running out and John seems to be the key for their survival.
-
I could spend 10 blog entries trying to explain all there is to Dark City's hour and a half, but it's best you just watch, a couple times perhaps, to take in all there is to offer. But in only one viewing it is easy to admire the look and acting in Dark City. Rufus Sewell (I don't know who he is either... but he does look like Joaquin Phoenix) is able to convey all of John's confusion and fear in his eyes as he tries to sort out the strange events that keep happening to him. And as he learns more and more, you can see him become a little more confident but still pretty uncertain about the world around him.
-
And the look of Dark City is astonishing. While being a great looking sci-fi movie, it has film noir seeping all over it making it stand out as something unique. The alleys are dark, the shadows are long, and hats hide the eyes of every antagonist. Every character is literally a creature of the night. For being almost a decade old, the effects hold up nicely. The mind powers of the Strangers look great and the long shot that follows an incredible twist will knock you out. So Dark City is a sci fi/lm noir that is worth seeing on the look alone but has substance that will add so much more to the experience. A wonderful surprise for me.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
(note: For DVD commentary junkies like me, Roger Ebert provides a very interesting one. Only after I saw the movie did I find out that Dark City is on Ebert's list of "The Great Movies.")

Blades of Glory (2007)

Will Ferrell stars as Chazz Michael Michaels, the sexiest man in figure skating, who gets thrown out of the sport for inappropriate behavior during a medal ceremony. Due to a loophole he get back to the world of skating by entering pairs competition. The formula is similar to Dodge Ball complete with wacky humor and physical gags--again we get the pleasure of seeing a bare chested Ferrell strut around on screen. Overall I really enjoyed the film. Jokes did not always hit the mark but a couple of laughs made it all worth it. If you have seen the preview then you have a pretty good idea of what you will get.

3.5 stars out of 5

Are We Done Yet? (2007)

Take one part Funny Farm plus one part Money Pit add Ice Cube and get rid of Chevy Chase and Tom Hanks and what do you get? Are We Done Yet? The Cube-man packs up the whole family and moves to the country to relax and do some writing but the new dream home turns life upside down. Hilarity is supposed to ensue but is overcome by predictability. None of this is really a surprise because it is a PG family movie. Veteran actor John McGinley (aka Dr. Cox) adds some much needed laughs as the local everyman (contractor, electrician, realtor...). If you are looking for something for the kids go for it but otherwise steer clear.
javascript:void(0)
Publish
2 out of 5 stars

La Vita e Bella (Life is Beautiful) (1997)

La Vita é Bella (Life is Beautiful)
Guest post by Sarah Jorgensen

I’m honored to have been asked by Brian to write a review of one of my favorite, favorite movies: La Vita é Bella. Readers may remember it from the Academy Awards in 1998, when lead actor Roberto Benigni won Best Actor for his role as Guido Orefice. He got a little crazy at the podium (who doesn’t?) and everyone laughed when he made his speech ("Thank you! This is a moment of ajoy, This is awonderful to be ahere. I want to dive in this ocean of agenerosity. A hailstorm of akindness!" –IMDB.com). It also won Academy Awards for Best Music, Original Dramatic Score, and Best Foreign Language Film, as well as the Grand Prize of the Jury at Cannes in 1998.
The movie takes place in Italy during the Holocaust, with Benigni as Guido and Nicoletta Braschi as his wife, Dora. The movie begins with Guido meeting and courting Dora, with lots of slapstick physical humor that fits well with the 1940’s setting. Guido eventually steals Dora away from her pompous fiancé (more slapstick) and marries her. They have a son, Giosué, played by Giorgio Cantarini. Despite not having many lines, Giorgio is one of the best child actors I’ve seen. He’s adorable without being saccharine, and captures the role very well.
On Giosué’s birthday, he, Guido, and Guido’s uncle Eliseo (Giustino Durano) are picked up and put on the train to a concentration camp. Dora, realizing what happened, demands to be put on the train even though she is not Jewish, and (naturally) she is accommodated. In order to soothe his son, Guido explains that he has arranged the train ride especially for Giosué’s birthday, and that it’s all part of an elaborate game. For the rest of the movie, which takes place in the camp, Guido tries to protect his son by continuing this charade.
Because of the setting and topic, there has been lots of debate about the movie. Can you even say "Holocaust" without getting into a deep discussion? Some have argued that the movie "whitewashes" the events of that period by leaving out realistic pain and suffering. It’s certainly a different approach than, say, Schindler’s List. However, the tagline is "An unforgettable fable that proves love, family and imagination conquer all." A fable, clearly, doesn’t require the realism and gore of a documentary, action movie, or even a straight drama. This isn’t to say that there is no pain or sadness in La Vita é Bella; it manages to blend comedy and drama (Can I say dramady? Are people really saying that now?) into a lovely, tender story of a man and his family. It reminds me of another movie I recently saw, Pan’s Labyrinth, which is also a sort of magical realism/child’s fantasy/war movie.
I strongly recommend watching the movie in the original Italian (with subtitles if you need them) because it captures the rhythm and tone of the movie much better than English. And you don’t have to watch peoples’ mouths move out of sync with the words, which always makes me crazy. I further recommend not reading the Wikipedia article about this movie unless you want to have the ending spoiled. A final note, it’s said that the title of this movie came from a quote of Leon Trotsky:

Natasha has just come up to the window from the courtyard and opened it wider so that the air may enter more freely into my room. I can see the bright green strip of grass beneath the wall, and the clear blue sky above the wall, and sunlight everywhere. Life is beautiful. Let the future generations cleanse it of all evil, oppression and violence, and enjoy it to the full.
(Trotsky’s Diary in Exile-1935)

5 out of 5 stars

Grindhouse (2007)

After being a complete moron by not seeing either Kill Bills in the theaters, I told myself never to wait for video on any other Quentin Tarantino picture. And after the awesomeness of Sin City, I'm not going to wait for Robert Rodriguez movies too (unless it's some crap like Spy Kids 5 or Lava Girl 2... I mean his real movies). So here comes Grindhouse. The combination of both in an over the top, gruesome, action packed, babe ridden, campy, and hilarious double feature paying homage to the horribly great exploitation movies that these directors fell in love with at the "grindhouses" of America. Needless to say, I was in the theater for it opening day.
-
The first up on the bill is Rodriguez's Planet Terror, a gloriously gory zombie flick with a pace faster than the muscle cars in Tarantino's half. But these aren't your Dawn of the Dead-zombies, these are infected and contagious puss-filled zombies that boil, bubble, and ooze as they hollow out the skull of our favorite Black Eyed Pea (among countless others). But that's all I'm going to say about the plot because it's so crazy and twisted that I'd be writing forever. The action in this part is incredible and non-stop as the ragtag vigilantes blow away head after head. And then there's Rose McGowan; we've all see the commercials, and I assure you that her machine gun leg is as cool in the movie as it is in the trailer. But Planet Terror is also one of the funniest movies I've seen too. It's hilariously disgusting (zombie testicles!), has multiple stupid yet laugh-out-loud one liners, and "the #1 funniest ending" I have ever seen. When "The End" came on the screen, I would have had my money's worth but I was only half way there.
-
Tarantino brings forth Death Proof, his serial killer/car chase flick starring Kurt Russell as Stuntman Mike, a washed up and demented stuntman who feels invincible in his "death proof" stunt car. With a deliberately slow beginning, we get lulled into the carefree lives of a group of girls, then another group of girls, before all hell breaks loose. (*tip: if a bathroom break is needed during Grindhouse, I suggest sometime in the first 10 minutes of Death Proof... NOT THE INTERMISSION) When the girls are having their fun, the charming stuntman gets to know them then has his fun. However, the second group of girls QT focuses on are a lot tougher than Stuntman Mike had pegged. Led by Zoe Bell playing herself and doing all her own amazing stunts (she was Uma Thurman's stunt woman on the Kill Bills). Death Proof finishes with an unbelievable car chase. Zoe on the hood and Mike on their tail, this may very well be the best car chase I have ever seen. And it's all real (putting it ahead of that epic freeway sequence in Matrix Reloaded). A classic Tarantino with killer suspense, lightning fast and interesting dialogue, great music (T-REX!!!!), and cool characters; Death Proof joins the others as Tarantino is still yet to make a movie that isn't GREAT.
-
The four fake trailers are also fantastic. Before it all is "Machete" the bad ass Mexican hit man which will have you hooked before either film ever starts. Then guest directors were brought in to make trailers for the intermission... Do not miss these. While both Rob Zombie and Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead) are good, the best by far is brought by Hostel's Eli Roth with"Thanksgiving." This 1980's slasher spoof is absolutely hysterical (in an utterly twisted way) and I'll leave it there.
-
Complete with scratches, burns, skips, and missing reels, Grindhouse takes you back in time and is a fun ride. At 3 hours and 10 minutes, this is a beast to encounter, but well worth it. It is a unique cinema experience that definitely, definitely should be seen on the big screen. I don't know how one could have any more fun at the movies this year than this (even considering how awesome 300 was). So if you're prepared for three plus hours of violence and gore get ready to ENJOY and LAUGH (I laughed more in the first minute of this than all of Talledega Nights... and that's a comedy).
-
4.5 out of 5 stars

Secretary (2002)

Rarely has a movie been so different from my expectations than Secretary was. I thought I was about to see a disturbing drama about the horrors of sadomasochism, but it turned out to be something of a romantic comedy. It just happens to be a very dark romance involving S&M with some moments of very dark comedy.

-

Maggie Gyllenhaal plays Lee Holloway, a young girl trying to readjust to the real world after her release from a mental hospital while she tries to overcome her self-mutilation problems. After passing with flying colors in her typing class she finds a job as secretary for the unusual lawyer E. Edward Grey, played by James Spader. Grey is a demanding, obsessive compulsive boss who is very strict with his new secretary. He also is harboring some dark secret that he doesn't want anyone to know; no matter how much Lee tries to get to know him. When Lee's typos get too infuriating for Grey, he feels she needs to get punished and love blossoms.

-

The performances by both Spader and Gyllenhaal are top notch. Spader is in his creepiest mode as he tries to shelter his pleasures from the rest of the world. He's scary but not to the point where you would fear him, and he's funny but not to the point where his character becomes a joke. He plays a man who thinks he has to live his life ashamed, but Maggie's Lee shows him that he could have someone to share happiness with. I think that the standout is Maggie Gyllenhaal. This is a very brave role for her to take for many reasons (which you'd see after viewing), and it is the one that turned her into a bonafide lead actress. Lee is a sweet, naive, and socially awkward girl who the audience feels for even as she fantasizes about activities that most find horrifying. She is trying to beat her self-mutilation problem, but isn't able to do so in any "normal" fashion. It isn't until she meets Spader's character when she finds a way to cope with her problems and be happy. Ten minutes into the movie, we care for Lee; and if a spanking is what she wants, we start to want it for her. A good job is also done by Jeremy Davies as Peter, Lee's boyfriend who doesn't really understand her at all.

-

The movie itself is great to look at. From the opening sequence on you know that this is going to be something very unique. However, it isn't in style alone that makes this unique because the director Steven Shainberg treats this material in a way that few others would. He doesn't turn S&M into a joke or a dirty activity that is purely evil. It's just a way that allows some people to connect. To Lee, it's something that makes her happy and her sheltered upbringing never allowed to see the negative connotations that go with it. To Grey, it's something that makes him happy but his experience in the real world makes him think he's a bad person for that. The film allows you to see that being different isn't necessarily being bad, you just have to find that one person who understands you and all your idiosyncrasies. It also shows that you don't need some random starlet and Matthew McConaughey to make your romantic comedy. You can highlight that wholesome submissive-dominant relationship in your romantic comedy too.

-

Though Secretary isn't the disturbing movie I expected it still deals with some disturbing subject matter, and I wouldn't recommend it for everyone. For those of you offended by scenes with sadomasochism, self-mutilation, masturbation, or nudity, this probably isn't the movie for you. But if you can handle those scenes, this is a movie I recommend.

-

Good movie for some: 3.5 out of 5 stars

-

(also, I think that I should make it clear that I don't really think that Secretary is advocating S&M, but rather a statement that if people find something that makes them happy without putting anyone in serious danger, who are we to judge them?)

This Film Is Not Yet Rated (2006)

Did you ever wonder who decides that a film should be, say rated PG-13 vs R? The answer to this question is the Motion Picture Association of America (aka MPAA). You would assume that they are some kind of govermental body that has the best interest of Americans at heart--not exactly the case. This documentary tries to find out who the MPAA is and how they decide what rating a film should get.

Throughout the film there are various clips of what is and what is not acceptable for various rating. This is unfortunate because I don't think PBS will be picking it up in the near future. Technically the MPAA gave it a NC-17 rating. Overall a great documentary that asks some great questions and convinced me that the MPAA needs a massive overhaul.

4 stars out of 5

American Psycho (2000)

Patrick Bateman is a self absorbed, obsessive, well...American Psycho. Christian Bale excels at this role and makes Patrick an iconic character. I am not sure what is more terrifying, his obsession with the way he looks, his insane critiques on music of the 1980s or the brutal way he commits his crimes. This film is certainly not for everyone because of the violent themes but I think it is genius and at times laugh out loud hilarious. I'm honestly a little worried that I enjoy it too much. Am I alone, please drop me a comment on your thoughts of this movie?

4.5 stars out of 5

Interview with the Vampire (1994)

I have a love-hate relationship with Tom Cruise. I just love to hate the guy, whether he is Trapped in the Closet or embarrassing white people on BET, he drives me nuts. Honestly, with all the wives and braces and Scientology he is getting weirder every day. Tom Cruise is like the white Michael Jackson and I wouldn't be surprised if he starts turning black any day now.

On the other hand, I also hate to love the guy but he did star in Born on the Forth of July and Top Gun--a couple of pretty decent films.

Tom Cruise is also my only excuse for waiting 13 years to see Interview with the Vampire. No suprise, I absolutely loved and hated the movie. Brad Pitt is cool as shit as usual while Kirsten Dunst gives the best performance of her career. I just couldn't get behind Tom's blood sucking performance, it seemed way over the top and annoying to me. You could say he really jumped the couch. Definitely a vampire genre must see but if Dracula isn't your thing then I would pass it by.

3 stars out of 5

Thank You for Smoking (2005)

Hearing good things about Thank You for Smoking I sat down to watch a no doubt indie take on the evil lies and deception of Big Tobacco. I could not have been more wrong. Instead, I got an entertaining inside look at the life of Nick Naylor (Aaron Eckhart), a lobbyst for the tabacco industry. Nick is so smooth he makes Ferris Beuller look like a fumbling George W Bush. He can easily spin any issue and make it work to his advantage but is he good enough to convince America that smoking is ok? A life long non-smoker, I was could not believe the thoughts going through my head by the time the credits rolled. I am still not sure which side the makers of this film are on. Sidenote: I don't think I saw a single person smoking in the film--am I wrong?. Maybe the message of this film is to beware the spin no matter which side it comes from.

It is a petty crime that I let two years go by without seeing this film. Aaron Eckhart was not even on my radar but after this brilliant performance I need to check out his other work. Actually, everyone in this movie puts on a good show including the impeccable William H Macy as a liberal, birkenstock wearing Vermont Senator.

5 stars out of 5

United 93 vs World Trade Center

September 11th 2001, a day which will forever live in the conciousness of America. Five years later our society still is feeling the effects of that day; watch the news any day of the week and you will see stories that have their basis from that infamous day. Last year saw the first two major movie releases directly about September 11th; "United 93" and "World Trade Center." Many have questioned whether or not now was the right time to begin releasing movies about that day, is it too soon? Is the subject too sensitive? How can the directors honor the victims, and respect the families of those who lost their lives that day? These are the types of questions that faced both Oliver Stone, director of "World Trade Center," and Paul Greengrass, director of "United 93." The way each of these directors tried to answer thier questions, and the confidence with which answered them led to the differences in the movies each created.

Greengrass faced these questions directly and confidently. His answer to the question of whether it was too soon to release his movies is a resounding no. Greengrass honored the victims by making a movie that was direct and honest, and in doing so creating an unforgettable movie experience. On the other hand, Stone seems as if he was intimidated by those same questions. I believe he was overly sensitive to the criticisms he may have heard about taking on this project now, and as a result he seemed to try way too hard to make a movie that everyone could love (which is very out of character for the in bold director of Platoon, JFK, and Natural Born Killers.) The result is a movie that is uplifting due directly to the nature of the story, yet in many ways felt cheapened by the over-sentimentalization.

Paul Greengrass, a documentary film maker, took a documentary-style approach to "United 93." The movie is, as most people ought to know by now, about the fateful flight of United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed in rural Pennsylvania, when the passangers and crew attempted to regain control of the airplane from hijackers. Their story is central to the movie. However, it is also the story of the civilian and military response to the hours of disbelief and confusion as the events of the day unfolded. It is told in real time, or at least very close to real time, and there is little in the way of movie trickery, simply we are put inside the air-traffic control towers, the air-traffic control centers, the military instalations, and of course Flight 93, as witness to what was happening. The verisimillatude that Greengrass achieves in "United 93" is the strength of the movie. He achieves this in a number of ways, one, and possibly the most important is that no known actors were hired to play any parts, if there would have been a Russel Crowe, or George Clooney, we immediately would have seperated the film from the actual event. Instead we see people who we don't know and don't recognize just as we would have had we been involved ourselves. Secondly, and this I found out through the commentary included in the DVD, many of the professionals portrayed in the movie; the pilots, air-traffic controlers, and even flight attendants were actual professionals from those areas, and not trained actors. Some were even the same people who were there on that day and were simply re-enacting themselves from that day. The most prominant example of that was the head of the National Air Traffic Control Center, in Herndon Virginia, Ben Sliney. Sliney is probably the most prominent single character in the movie. Sliney was playing himself, he had no previous acting experience at all, yet Greengrass felt that there was no one who could play the part any better than Sliney could himself, after all he was there as the day actually happened. And he did an outstanding job, the disbelief, confusion, anger, and also, the strength and determination of his conviction was clearly on display. The visual tricks are kept to a minimum, Greengrass brings no attention to the idea that these scenes are being recorded, much of the camera work is shakey and seemingly hand held, there are no sweeping dolly-shots, no steady tracking shots, and the score is effective yet never draws attention to itself.

It is one of the most tense movie experiences I've ever had. As one watches the movie the sense of impending doom grows stronger and stronger as the inevitable, tragic end nears. The last half-hour may be one of the most immediate, tense, and gripping moments in cinematic history. After the final moments reached its crescendo of a finish, and the credits roled I felt emotionally spent, yet exhilarated from admiration for Greengrass and the amazing film he was able to create which truly honors the heroes of September 11th.

Now on to "World Trade Center," which is about the true story of the rescue of two Port Authority Cops who were trapped underneath the collapsed World Trade Center Towers. I was very excited to see how Oliver Stone was going to tell this story. I knew it might not work, Stone has made flawed movies before, but I believed that if it didn't work it was because he would go too far. What made "World Trade Center" so dissapointing was that Stone seemed to shrink under the pressure of making a movie about a subject with so much weight.

Lets just start off by saying that "World Trade Center" is a good movie, its uplifting, has a number of really strong performances, especially Nick Cage, and Maggie Gyllanhal, and is beautifully shot. The first section of the film is especially strong, as the New Yorkers go about thier everyday business, and then react with much confusion to an unbelievable scene of a jumbo airliner crashing into the World Trade Center. However once the towers come down Stone and "World Trade Center" lose their way, and it feels more like a glorrified T.V. movie of the week. It is far too emotionally manipulative, and cliched. The story is a good enough story on its own that it doesn't need the overindulgence of rediculously soft-focused flashbacks, sweeping orchestration, and rah-rah-rah patriotism on which Stone so heavily relies.

"World Trade Center" will probably be more well regarded by the far right who, with their "good vs. evil" world view and idealistic opinion of the heavenly virtues of America and Americans (except, of course the left half), it is clearly aimed at appeasing. However, I beleive that it is the pressure from those same groups felt by the American Stone which led him to make this good, uplifting, yet ultimately flawed movie. The British Greengrass, a much less prominant director, on the other hand, ignored, or maybe because it was much less hyped, financed, simply didn't feel the pressure to the same extent while making "United 93". As a result Greeengrass pandered to no one and created possibly the best movie of 2006, and clearly the best movie movie of 2006 about September 11th.

"United 93" : 5 out of 5

"World Trade Center" : 3 out of 5

Note: The documentary on the DVD of "United 93" is the best special feature of any DVD I've seen. Moving, sad, and gripping.

The 39 Steps (1935)

First of all, I am very happy to join the team and make Armageddon Blows a trio of hip and cool movie reviewers for our tens of... ten readers to enjoy. With my brother Nick's recent lull in activity, Brian wanted some variety in this site's reviews and extended an invitation my way. I love movies, like to write, and am a movie review junkie, so naturally I accepted the invite. Who knows, maybe Armageddon Blows will be the launchpad to the future "Roeper & Adams at the Movies." (Ebert has to retire, or die, sometime. Right?) Now on to my first review.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Going into "The 39 Steps," I really didn't know much about it other than it being a Hitchcock. But it is an early British Hitchcock which I am not as familiar with compared to his later American films. I also remembered being interested in 10th grade English class because it was Holden Caulfield's little sister's favorite movie in The Catcher in the Rye (she memorized every line of dialogue). So "The 39 Steps" is a Hitchcock and is featured in one of my favorite books, so I figured it must be great. I was right in my assumption.

* * *

The movie features an innocent man named Richard Hannay (Robert Donat) who gets himself wrapped up in murder and espionage merely by chance. He's on the run from the police for a murder he didn't commit and from spies looking for a secret he knows little about. Hannay escapes numerous perils on his way from London to Scotland and back to London without most of the people he encounters trusting him. He even manages to get handcuffed to the woman who trusts him the least.

* * *

Robert Donat is excellent as a man who is stuck in trouble way over his head, but is still smart enough and has enough wit to keep himself alive and out of custody. Looking at Donat, you can see a desperate and scared man in Hannay who still has the confidence to believe he'll find a way out and entertain (it is a movie after all). But "The 39 Steps" is also very funny despite being a suspense thriller. There are many times in which Hannay finds himself in humerous situations: spending the night with a creepy Scottish farmer, sharing a coach with two underwear salesmen, and a mistaken identity forcing him to give a political speech. Plus, the dialogue while he is handcuffed to a terrified Pamela (Madeleine Carroll) is nearly perfect. At just under 90 minutes, this film is fast paced and jam packed with many twists and turns that always keep you guessing, but always make sense - including an odd little savant that Hitchcock brilliantly brings full circle. So don't be alarmed by a 1930s movie; it's as fun and entertaining as any modern thriller. I highly recommend it.

*

GREAT MOVIE: 4 out of 5 stars (just to let you know, I tend to give few fives out)

*

Hopefully I can soon contribute more to Armageddon Blows.

The Puffy Chair (2005)

Wired magazine had an article about Netflix getting into the film distribution business and specifically mentioned The Puffy Chair a couple of months ago. Even through it was well received at Sundance, no one would touch it until Netflix decided they would have it made and add it to their all encompassing library. It is a bold move to bypass the Hollywood system but something we could see a lot more of in the future with everyone getting a win-win situation.

The chair in question is a Lazy Boy Josh finds on eBay that is exactly the same as the one his father used to love. The film follows Josh in his road trip to get the chair and deliver it to his father. I can see why this film wasn't picked up for even independent distribution but it still has its charm and funny moments. If you are looking for a "romantic comedy" that thinks outside of the box, then give it a shot.

2.5 stars out of 5

An Evening with Kevin Smith 1 (2002)

First of all, I just finished Clerks 2 and WOW is it great but I'm sure I'm the last one on the block to have this obvious observation.

On to An Evening with Kevin Smith, this two disc set follows Kevin around the US delivering Q&A sessions at various college campuses. If you are not in the know, Kevin Smith is the director of such films as: Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy and others. He also plays Silent Bob in all of the above. His films are great but the thing that I really love is listening to this guy talk. For grins I listened to one of the commentary tracks on maybe Chasing Amy and was totally hooked. The guy can really tell a story and doesn't give a fuck about what he says or who hears it. This all leads into the above mentioned disc. From what I can tell after watching disc one is that he literally shows up on campus, walks up the podium, and has nothing to say. He then starts fielding questions from the audience and often times the answer rolls into an amusing story if not something that had me laughing out loud.

I'm damn near fanboy status with this guy so of course I loved disc one and disc two got bumped even higher up my Netflix queue. Let me know what you think.

4 stars out of 5