Tuesday, May 21, 2013

More Reviews on the Way!

I’ve been really slacking when it comes to updating this blog, and for that I apologize.  I have still been watching an insane amount of movies, and have mostly been keeping track of them on Letterboxd.  But don’t worry! I’ve recently gotten the kick in the ass I needed to start updating this blog again, so more reviews are coming soon!  

Thursday, January 31, 2013

My Most Anticipated Films of 2013

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2013 may be off to a rocky start (due to the fact that January is the dumping ground for films studios can’t release any other time of year) but I think 2013 is going to shape up to be another great year for movies.  There is a lot to be excited about, and I’ve got a list of my top 10 anticipated films of the year.

These are in ascending order, starting with 10 and working my way up to the film I’m most excited for!

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Monday, January 28, 2013

My Favorite Comic Book Movie Villains

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A movie is only as good as its villain, and when it comes to superhero movies that’s a tall order.  Some films have amazing villains that stick with us and provide a thrilling challenge for our hero, while others can be cheesy and terrible and bring the whole movie down with them.  Here is a list of my ten favorites, in ascending order.

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Friday, January 25, 2013

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

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Directed by: Peter Jackson
Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellan, Richard Armitage, Ken Stott, Hugo Weaving, Andy Serkis, and Cate Blanchett


I really wanted to like The Hobbit.  Hell, it’s the only book in Tolkien’s series of Middle Earth novels I really enjoyed and I’ve been patiently (and sometimes very impatiently) waiting for the film adaptation.  I absolutely loved the LOTR trilogy and will remember it as one of the best trilogies of all time.  So believe me when I tell you that despite mixed reviews, I went into this film with an open mind and really, really tried to like it.  But as I found myself walking out of the theater I couldn’t help but notice I was trying to convince myself that I wasn’t disappointed.  And unfortunately, that’s exactly what I am.

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Thursday, January 24, 2013

JJ Abrams to direct Star Wars Episode VII!


Get ready for some Lightsaber lens flares! I can’t believe I’m reporting this, but the news just broke that JJ Abrams is on board to direct Star Wars Episode VII!  When asked about it in the past he stated that he’d rather be in the audience than in the director’s chair, but I’m stoked that he changed his mind!  His was the first name on my wishlist of possible directors but I didn’t think it would happen, at least not until Disney started making spin-off Star War stories.

It’s a shame that (at least at this time) Abrams won’t be working with his usual collaborators Damon Lindelof, Alex Kurtzman, and Roberto Orci; but I’m very confident that Michael Arndt (Little Miss Sunshine, Toy Story 3) will deliver a fantastic script and that under JJ’s direction, we’re finally going to see the Star Wars film we’ve all been waiting for.  I plan to write an article soon about what I want to see from the future of the Star Wars franchise, but for now I’m just basking in the glory of this news.

What do you guys think?  Is JJ biting off more than he can chew now that he’s at the helm of two of the biggest sci fi franchises of all time?  What do you want to see from a JJ Abrams directed Star Wars movie?

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Dredd (2012)

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Directed by: Pete Travis
Starring: Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby, Lena Headey, and Jason Cope


If Die Hard and Robocop had a baby you’d wind up with Dredd, a fantastic comic book adaptation that really surprised me and has climbed the list as one of my favorite films of 2012.

I wasn’t impressed by the trailers and thought this looked like just another generic action movie. I was so, so wrong. Dredd is incredibly entertaining from beginning to end, and really benefits from its simple, straight-forward premise. We’re given all we need to know about Judge Dredd without getting beaten over the head with the film trying to humanize him or make us fall in love with the guy.  He does that himself by being a badass, unwavering killing machine who is just trying to do his job.

He appears to us fully formed, without the need for an origin story, background, or even face. Karl Urban does a fantastic job of taking what could have been a boring part and making it fun as hell. I love that the film is just about a day in this guy’s life, free of epiphanies or internal conflict and just about surviving and delivering justice where justice is due. There is no need for large scale conflict or a “save the world” scenario, and by making the film more confined it became easier to get swept up in the action and just go along for the ride. I hope that if the film ever gets a sequel they stick to the same method and just give us some great standalone films.
I really have nothing profound to say about the movie, I just enjoyed the hell out of it and think everyone should give it a shot. It gives us just the right amount of everything that’s good about it.  Just the right amount of humor.  Just the right amount of blood and violence without ever being over the top.  Just the right amount of awesome. They just don’t make simple action films like this anymore, and it’s a damn shame.  
Score: 9/10

Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)

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Directed by: Benh Zeitlin
Starring: Quvenzhane Wallis, Dwight Henry, Levy Easterly, and Gina Montana
I’m a little late to the party when it comes to Beasts of the Southern Wild, but I finally saw the film (and star-making performances) that everyone has been raving about.  And though the film didn’t win me over completely, I did enjoy a lot of things about it.  

First and foremost, this is the most unique film I’ve seen in years.  What could have, in the hands of another director, been a pretty straightforward narrative, was given a memorable spin that sets it apart from the other best picture nominees.  I had to constantly remind myself that the film wasn’t a documentary, because the world they created in this film, and the people in it, felt so real that it was impossible to imagine them as actors.  It goes without saying that nine year old Quvenzhane Wallis gives one of the best performances of the year, and completely carries the film on her capable shoulders.  She steals the scene with a simple look or frown and made the emotions in the film really resonate.

The cinematography and camera work in this film were incredible and were what really transported me into the world of The Bathtub.  The environment felt so real and it was easy to get swept up in the events unfolding on screen, whether good or bad, and when the moments were good, they were really good, and when the soundtrack would change into its sweeping melodies in those moments I really felt uplifted.  Then the film did the incredible job of sucker punching me again once my guard was down. 
I really loved the magic realism in the film and felt that it played nicely, thanks again to Quvenzhane Wallis.  Seeing the Bathtub through her eyes made magic possible and believed every second of what I saw through her and what she said.  Her narration from the film was perfect and had some of the most memorable lines of 2012.  
However, with all that said, the movie still, in the end, did nothing for me.  Once it was over it only took a moment for me to get over it and move on to other things.  I was entertained by it when it was playing but only in the way that someone is attracted to a disaster.  Not to say that the film is a disaster, but The Bathtub is a disaster area, the people who inhabit it are more primal than human, and Hushpuppy, at the end of the day, is a beast fighting to survive.  Though the film didn’t move me or make any sort of impression on me, I can say that I appreciate the beautiful things about it, and the things it did well it did very well.  It just wasn’t the film for me, I guess.  
Score: 7/10
Monday, January 7, 2013

My Favorite Movie Moments of 2012

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2012 proved to be a great year for movies!  The stuff that was good was really good, and even the things that were bad had good things in them.  Here are some of my favorite movie moments from the year, in no particular order other than my number 1.

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Sunday, January 6, 2013

Quick Reviews (Week of Jan 6)

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Sorry I stopped posting for a while, got pretty busy around the holidays.  Hope you all had a good New Years!  I’ve posted a couple reviews already but I really hope to post a lot more on this blog for 2013 and part of that will be my quick reviews.  I ended up watching about 30 movies this December and just don’t have the time to write about all of them, but here are my impressions on a handful.  The films include The Adventures of Tintin, Premium Rush, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, and Source Code.

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Flight (2012)

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Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle, John Goodman, Bruce Greenwood, and Kelly Reilly
Flight, though not a bad film, wasn’t the film I wanted it to be or even the film that it could have been. It’s great to see Zemeckis working with live action again, and Denzel Washington gives a truly great performance, but though the film had a lot going for it, its execution left me a little let down. 

What could have been a quick paced drama about the aftermath of a plane crash and the trial that soon follows, instead feels slow and introduces us to some very familiar themes that ultimately don’t leave you with much to think about after the film is done.  I did enjoy the movie while I was watching it, but once it was over I just sort of felt indifferent. 
I think the problem with this film could have been solved in the editing room, because everything else about it is solid.  It’s got a good, compelling story, enjoyable performances, beautiful cinematography, and good direction from Zemeckis.  If they had changed the way they presented the story, maybe by showing it in a non-linear fashion or by focusing more on different parts of the story, it would have been more engaging.  
I do, however, give the film credit for its honest and at times heart wrenching look at addiction, something that could have easily been overdone.  This is where Washington really shines, doing big emotional moments in a simple eye twitch or tear.  One of his best performances, in my opinion.  
This is ultimately short of a really good movie, delivering a lot of things while at the same time missing a few chords along the way.  It’s definitely worth seeing, but not worth raving about. 
Score: 7/10