Look Ma! I'm Famous!!!

February 13, 2009

As usual, I am a trendsetter! Recently, I posted my rankings of the Best Picture Oscar Nominees of the past decade. Then I thought to myself, "Hey, wouldn't this be a great suggestion for Filmspotting's Top 5?" So I sent an e-mail their way, and sure enough, they are going to do my top five on next week's show! Exciting, huh?

I'll post a link next Friday. Listen for my name, and imagine me shrieking in delight when you hear it. By the way, it was mentioned during the "On Next Week's Show" portion of this week's podcast episode which you can listen to here--(I'm mentioned around 1:05:30).

I am sure that one day very soon everyone will dress exactly like me!

InRO- Taken

February 10, 2009

Taken (2009) **

Directed by Pierre Morel

The next time I lose my car keys, I'm calling on Liam Neeson to kick the crap out of the mess in my apartment and return them safe into my hands. Read my review of the kidnapping thriller Taken on InReview Online.

(Note: Since InRO uses a four star rating system, I am adjusting the rating to a five star system for my blog.)

Five Really Really Short Reviews #2

February 9, 2008

In the Good Old Summertime (1949) ***1/2
Directed by Robert Z. Leonard

I must first emphasize two unfortunate realities surrounding Leonard's squeaky clean musical. First of all, one of the great cinematic geniuses of all time, Buster Keaton, is absolutely wasted! Second, Judy Garland comes off like a drag queen whenever she sings up tempo. I'm not sure I've witnessed a worse musical number (with the exception of everything Pierce Brosnon sings in Mamma Mia!) than Garland singing "I Don't Care." That being said, there would be no Shop Around the Corner or You've Got Mail without their predecessor. This is one you can watch with your grandmother, your five year old and your dog and not worry about any objectionable content. Despite its flaws, this is a good old film!

Labels: 1940s, Musical, Van Johnson, Three and a Half Stars

The Wrestler (2008) *****
Directed by Darren Aronofsky

Glorious, brutal and heartbreaking are the first words that come to mind when I think about the grand experience I had watching The Wrestler. Everyone's talking about Mickey Rourke's performance, and in my opinion, the hype is an undersell. Rourke's performance is possibly the best of the modern film era. The story of a wrestler twenty years past his prime mirrors many of the struggles of Rourke's life, and yet, there's not an ounce of unwarranted self-pity or sentimentality on screen. Marissa Tomei gives the supporting female performance of the year, and hats off to her for the courage she displays on screen. The Wrestler is a tragedy at its core, and yet, I can't imagine anyone leaving this film without an overwhelming sense of appreciation for the magic just witnessed on screen.

Labels: 2008, Drama, Five Stars

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) **1/2
Directed by David Fincher

"If there's only one version of Forrest Gump you're going to see this year, make it The Curious Case of Benjamin Button!" So says an internet video that lays out all of the ways Gump screenwriter Eric Roth recycles his own material into this bloated, self-important, gimmicky morality tale. Hurricane Katrina inexplicably serves as a backdrop as the life story is told about a man who ages backwards. Brad Pitt is just awful as Benjamin Button, relying on that silly "sexy gaze" of his to try and twitter the hearts of women everywhere. (Isn't it nice to see twitter used in its original context?) Yes, the film is gorgeous, the effects are innovative and impressive and the supporting performances, especially from Tilda Swinton, aren't bad. Still, when Benjamin's age regression reaches its logical conclusion, I was laughing out loud while others in the theater were sniffling. Suckers!

Labels: 2008, Drama, Best Picture Oscar Nominees, Two and a Half Stars

A Christmas Tale (2008) ****1/2
Directed by Arnaud Desplechin

You might think that a film with such a generic title might be a heartwarming holiday tale much like the corny Christmas movies my parents watch on the Hallmark Channel. On the contrary, the French film A Christmas Tale takes us on an unflinching journey into one of the most dysfunctional families ever on screen. Still lovely Catherine Deneuve stars as the matriarch of the family who needs a bone marrow transplant. The only possible donor is her grandson, a troubled, suicidal fifteen year old boy who is the bane of his family's existence. Just as everyone agrees to allow the boy to go through this painful, somewhat dangerous procedure, her middle son shows up for Christmas with the results of his test which say that he too is a donor. Everyone deals with the problems that ensue in their own unique ways, allowing for a glorious meditation on the unconditional love of family.

Labels: 2008, Drama, Foreign Film, French, Four and a Half Stars

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) *1/2
Directed by Steven Spielberg

I could take or leave the Indiana Jones series, and after this fourth installment, I'm leaning heavily towards leaving it in the hole that Spielberg and Lucas dug for it. This CGI-laced adventure is so artificial, so soulless that I couldn't believe it made that much money. I'm surprised people didn't throw stink bombs in the theater in protest of the fact that a more disappointing Indiana Jones couldn't be made. Shia LeBeouf overacts, which is good for Harrison Ford since he looks better in comparison. There are clunky attempts to add nostalgia with details from the previous films peppered throughout. There's a twist ending which could only come from the minds of Lucas and Spielberg (at their most egotistical) which had me rolling my eyes in disgust. Maybe copies of the DVD could be used as target practice for those looking to master their whip-cracking skills!

Labels: 2008, Action, One and a Half Stars

Five Really Really Short Reviews #1

February 8, 2009

I was recently told that I had 40 films in my coming soon list which made me think that I better give up my goal to write substantial reviews for all of them. Instead, I am simply going to mention the film, my rating and a one or two sentence summary of my opinion. If I get the chance to see any of the films again, I will make sure that I write a full length review.

Hamlet 2 (2008) ***1/2
Directed by Andrew Fleming

Hamlet 2 is a solidly funny spoof of classroom movies like Dangerous Minds and To Sir with Love. Since I used to do theater, I love any movie that pokes fun at the pretension that often accompanies those who are obsessed with life on the stage. Steve Coogan gives one of the best comic performances of the year. Luke Wilson is inexplicably in the film... and I don't know what he was thinking. His role isn't funny at all.

Labels: 2008, Three and a Half Stars, Comedy

Flight of the Red Balloon (2008) *****
Directed by Hsiao-hsien Hou

A deconstructed, cinema verite reimagining of the classic short French film The Red Balloon, Juliette Binoche is tremendous in this slice of life glimpse into the world of a young boy and his caretakers. Many will be disappointed by its pacing and narrative structure. Yet, once one is able to simply co-exist with the characters, he or she will probably be blown away by the aching reality so brilliantly shown! This is one of the very best films of 2008!

Labels: 2008, Five Stars, Drama, Foreign Film, French

Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004) ****1/2
Directed by Quentin Tarantino

Volume 2 in Tarantino's brilliant Kill Bill series doesn't quite match the novelty, purity and risk of its predecessor. However, the theme of humanity drives this film in fascinating ways. We experience the horrors of a woman buried alive and an eyeball swipped from its socket. Honor, loyalty and discipline take root in a storyline about The Bride suffering through rigorous training from a martial arts master. Finally, an extended sequence shows the stakes The Bride takes on if she does decide to Kill Bill. This last sequence doesn't quite work within a project so immersed in sensationalism. Still, the love of filmmaking comes across loud, clear and bloody once again!

Labels: 2004, Action, Thriller, Four and a Half Stars, Quentin Tarantino Mini-Marathon

The Duchess (2008) ***
Directed by Saul Dibb

Feast your eyes on this silly costume drama starring the actress most at home in costume dramas--Kiera Knightly. She's quite good, as is Ralph Fiennes who plays her cruel husband. The story, unfortunately, comes off like a mediocre daytime soap opera. There's enough that works in The Duchess that might make it worth a viewing on DVD.

Labels: 2008, Drama, Three Stars

Transsiberian (2008) **1/2
Directed by Brad Anderson

Woody Harrelson sucks, while Emily Mortimer shines in this uneven Hitchcockian thriller set on a train running through Russia. If you like your conspiracy tales wrapped in a blanket of snow sprinkled with heavy-handed foreshadowing which doesn't ultimately pay off at all, then Transsiberian's the film for you. Like oil and water, the attempt to blend graphic violence with low-key tension and suspense sadly does not add up to anything palatable. Brad Anderson ought to lock himself in a room and watch every movie Hitchcock ever made. Maybe then he might learn how a film like this one ought to play out.

Labels: 2008, Thriller, Two and a Half Stars