Melanism.com's Top 20 Movies of 2007

I decided to try something different this year:

In The Theaters

1. The Bourne Ultimatum
2. Grindhouse
3. Juno
4. Knocked Up
5. Lars & The Real Girl
6. Once
7. No Country For Old Men
8. The Simpsons Movie
9. Superbad
10. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

On Netflix

1. Away From Her
2. Blade Runner: The Final Cut
3. The Descent
4. Eastern Promises
5. Half Nelson
6. Howl's Moving Castle
7. Rescue Dawn
8. The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
9. Volver
10. Zodiac

Continue reading Melanism.com's Top 20 Movies of 2007

Movie of the Week: Lars & The Real Girl

Great, great movie that completely falls apart with Ryan Gosling doesn't play Lars perfectly.

Gosling played Lars with the perfect amount of humor, sadness and creepiness. As hard as was to swallow an entire town rallying around a delusion (more likely a psychotic break), everyone played it straight.

It's a shame that Ryan Gosling won't get the attention come Oscar time but he really should because can only think of a handful of performance this year on par.

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Movie of the Week: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Tim and Johnny, all is forgiven for Charlie & The Chocolate Factory.

This is the Tim Burton I race to the movies to see. I've never seen Sweeney Todd on Broadway so I have nothing to compare it to (and maybe that's for the best).

It's takes about half a song to get used to Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter singing but they both did great jobs.

I think I could watch Alan Rickman read the phone book and I'd be interested. I don't there has ever been an Alan Rickman performance I haven't enjoyed.

Warning: it's very bloody, comically so. Think Kill Bill - The Bride vs. The Crazy 88's

Continue reading Movie of the Week: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Movie of the Week: Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

(I know...another 3 stars)

This movie was stupid and full of dick jokes (and actually some dicks) but you know what, it was fucking hilarious.

It helped that John C. Reilly can sing his ass off and that there were more cameos than a Robert Altman film.

The jokes were coming so fast that I'm going to need to see it again.

My favorite parts were Tim Meadows' anti-drug warnings to Dewey throughout the movie. "No Dewey, you don't want no part of this shit!)

There was a lot of stuff in the commercials and trailers that didn't makethe finalcut so expect a loaded DVD.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

The Dark Knight International Posters & Trailer

Click either poster for the trailer

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Movie of the Week: I Am Legend

This was probably my favorite Will Smith performance ever.

It's hard to carry a majority of a movie when you are the only person acting. A perfect example of the right way to do this is Tom Hanks in Castaway. I was a little worried for Mr. Smith who has only tried to flat out act a handful of time (Six Degrees of Separation, Where The Day Takes You, Ali).

Well, he did quite well. He didn't try to force the humor too much (an issue for him). He was the appropriate amount of stoicism, desperation and insanity. There's one scene during a "conversation" he has in a video store that shows you how much Will has stepped his game up.

The movie was a lot more suspenseful than I expected (one of my female companions who I went with spent various moments in the fetal position). There were a lot of elements that reminded me of 28 Days Later. Also, the creatures sort of moved like the robots in I,Robot when they were vaulting on top of poles and walls.

My problems with the movie: There is an evolution of the vampire-like creatures that goes acknowledged by Robert Neville (Smith) which bugged me. It went more in line with what happened in the book. Also, they completely changed the book. I didn't read the book but I looked it up after the movie and it was much cooler than what happened in the movie.

I saw this in IMAX, mainly for The Dark Knight prologue which was awesome. I'm a strong believer in seeing any movie shown in IMAX but that was an added incentive.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: I Am Legend

Movie of the Week: Enchanted

Ok, I'll admit it. It was really cute.

Amy Adams was amazing (as expected). I hope this leads to bigger and better things for her.

This was a great parody of old Disney flicks. There were a couple of surprisingly disgusting moments involving vermin which is why there will never be a Disney romance cartoon set in New York City. No one finds singing roaches cute.

One thing did kind of bother me. Given that this was a Disney film, the animated portion of the movie wasn't very good. I know it wasn't a large part of the movie but they really slacked here.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: Enchanted

Movie of the Week: I'm Not There

Well, that was weird.

I don't know how much I liked it. For the first 90 minutes or so, I was in love with it. Everyone playing different incarnations of Bob Dylan was great but none better than Cate Blanchett. I've made my feelings known for Ms. Blanchett but as Jude Quinn, she was amazing. She had Dylan's mannerisms and tics in the 60's down pat. Christian Bale was also great as the reclusive folk-hero Jack Rollins.

But when the Billy the Kid (Richard Gere) portion of the movie started up, I got lost. Maybe if I was more familiar with the history and iconography of Bob Dylan, I would have appreciated it more but I'm not so I didn't. Every time those scenes came up, I got pulled out of just enjoying the picture and trying to figure out what all this means.

Still, it was really beautifully shot and directed. I was just lost for thirty minutes.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: I'm Not There

Movie of the Week: Juno

This year's Little Miss Sunshine.

The movies started slow and sometimes the script tried to hard to be witty but it was still one of the better comedies of the year.

Ellen Page (Juno) was great (I've loved since Hard Candy) and will probably be nominated for an Oscar (or at least a Golden Globe). Actually everyone was really good - Michael Cera, J.K. Simmons (good to see him playing a nice guy), Alison Janney, Olivia Thirlby. I especially liked Jennifer Garner. Who knew she could pull off such a sad, controlled performance?

The soundtrack was also great.


The Moldy Peaches - Anyone Else But You

Continue reading Movie of the Week: Juno

Sex and the City trailer

The apocalypse is nigh...

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The Dark Knight poster

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Movie of the Week: The Golden Compass

It had some good moments and Dakota Blue Richards was really good but for the most part...

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Movie of the Week: No Country For Old Men

I officially forgive the Coen Brothers for Ladykillers.

Let's see...this movie will be nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor/Supporting Actor for Javier Bardem, Tommy Lee Jones and Josh Brolin (who's having an amazing year).

So why didn't I have it a full four stars? Because the ending is very anticlimactic. I understand why it ended that way but still, I was let down.

Without spoiling it, it's like knowing three trains are on a collision course to destruction. Then all of the sudden, one train crashes out of nowhere but you don't see it, only see the aftermath. One train keeps going while the other just stops and decides it isn't worth chugging along anymore.

Confusing? See the movie.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: No Country For Old Men

Movie of the Week: Gone Baby Gone

I generally hate movies in which the title of the movie is out of a line in the movie but I'll make an exception.

It was definitely a good flick despite being directed by Ben Affleck. I kid. I actually have no animosity towards the elder Affleck as he starred in one of my favorite movies of all-time.

Anyway, even though they were both by adapted from Dennis Lehane novels, elder Affleck follows the Mystic River playbook a little too closely.

Who would have thought Casey Affleck couldn't hold a consistent Boston accent?

Continue reading Movie of the Week: Gone Baby Gone

Movie of the Week: American Gangster

File under: "Good but not great" or "Could have been better"

The performances were great especially Denzel Washington and Josh Brolin but the movie had problems:

• It felt like it was based on a timeline because everything kept jumping around. You would think the entire movie took place in the span of a month.
• I don't think we needed to see Richie Roberts' (Russell Crowe) custody hearing or to be constantly reminded that he was a "good cop" amongst corrupt cops. I think because it was because they wanted Crowe to have as much screen time was Washington. I wonder if the movie would have been different if Benicio Del Toro played Roberts as was originally planned.
• I think it should have ended with Lucas' arrest. The movie was long enough was it was.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: American Gangster

Movie of the Week: The Heartbreak Kid

Actually not as bad as the reviews say.

Ben Stiller + The Farrelly Brothers = raunchy humor.

You're going to laugh and cringe a lot. Probably the latter more then the former.

It went on too long and there's this weird part of the movie where you no longer feel sorry for Ben Stiller because what he's doing is kind of despicable.

But you'll still laugh.

One thing I always appreciate about Farrelly brothers movies is the "No joke left behind" style of script writing. Things that feel like random statements come back later in the movie.

Stay for the credits. There are a couple of extra scenes.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: The Heartbreak Kid

Movie of the Week: 3:10 to Yuma

A good movie that could have been great.

Russell Crowe and Christian Bale were awesome and the best non-action scenes of the movie are when they are talking to one another, trying to make the other understand why he is the person that he is.

Ben Foster stole the movie as Wade's (Crowe) insane second-in-command, Charlie Prince. He hammed it up a bit during some scenes but he was still great. Did anyone else think he was gay for Wade?

The biggest problem with the movie is the padding in the middle. There is one scene with some railroad men who have a beef with Wade which was completely pointless and could have been done without. It really slowed down the movie and removed some of the great tension that had been building.

Hopefully, on the DVD, that part will be one whole section that can be skipped.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: 3:10 to Yuma

Iron Man teaser trailer

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Movie of the Week: The Bourne Ultimatum

Easily the best of the Bourne films and the smartest action/thriller in ages.

I can't decide which chase was my favorite - the one in Morocco by foot or the car chase through New York City - but both times I was at the edge of my seat because you didn't know what was going to happen next.

I really hope they don't make another Bourne movie.

Actually, let me rephrase that.

I hope they don't do another Boure movie without Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass

Continue reading Movie of the Week: The Bourne Ultimatum

Movie of the Week: Superbad

Just imagine if girls weren't weirded out by our boners and stuff, and just like wanted to see them. That's the world I one day want to live in.
- Evan

Apatow Productions owns this summer

At such a young age, Michael Cera is already a comedy genius. No one does uncomfortable conversation better than him. Check out his online show, Clark and Michael. Mark my words, he will be in a Woody Allen movie playing the Woody Allen-ish character before he dies.

Anyway, the movie was hilarious. I knew Jonah Hill was funny ever since he carried the first 30 minutes of Accepted.

This movie will be quoted for years.

I still can't decide which I liked better: this or Knocked Up.

Strangely enough, I can see women not finding it as funny or not liking it at all.

What a great summer for comedy.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: Superbad

Movie of the Week: Stardust

It was a cute, Hollywood version of a book I love.

They changed ALOT of the story. I knew there would have to be changes because as much as I love Gaiman and Vess' tale, it would never work as a straight adaptation. The story took its sweet time to bring everything together (and I mean that as a compliment) and the ending lacked the drama needed for a movie.

The changes they made didn't bother me so much but - without spoiling anything - there were some aspects I wish they could have kept, especially in regard to the growing bond between Tristan and Yvaine. I also prefer the book's ending to the movie but I was okay with the way the "Hollywood" ending.

I would have probably given the movie another if I had never read the book. But isn't that always the case?

Continue reading Movie of the Week: Stardust

More Pics From The Dark Knight

I can't wait for this movie!

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Be Kind, Rewind trailer

Directed by Michel Gondry

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Movies I'm Interested In Seeing: August

The final month of summer movies which means are the least likely to suck...

August 3rd
The Bourne Ultimatum
Hot Rod
The Ten

August 10th
Stardust

August 14th
Superbad
The Invasion

August 31st
Halloween

Continue reading Movies I'm Interested In Seeing: August

Movie of the Week: The Simpsons Movie

Remember when The Simpsons were really funny all the time? Than Matt Groening and his fellow writers remembered too.

Not much else to say but that this movie was hilarious at least to me. I'd place this right behind Knocked Up for funniest movie of the summer.

Having been a fan of The Simpsons since The Tracey Ullman Show (yes, I just carbon-dated myself), this reminded me of a time when The Simpsons could be counted on for quality laughs.

Even Lisa wasn't (completely) annoying.

Seriously, if you are over the age of 21 and you did not find this movie funny, I hope someone breaks into your tomb during the day and stakes you in the heart.

Ok, that was a bit much.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: The Simpsons Movie

New Joker Picture From "The Dark Knight"

Click picture to expand

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The Darjeeling Limited trailer

Directed by Wes Anderson. 'Nuff said.

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Movie of the Week Pt. II: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: An IMAX 3D Experience

How do you turn a 870 page book into a 138 minute movie? Very carefully.

The best way to describe what was determined to be left out of the movie form the book is this: describe the book in one paragraph (5-6 sentences). Mostly everything that was left out of that paragraph was left out of the movie. Little things were added for future reference (Grawp, Kreacher, lovelorn/jealous looks from a certain girl). And I'm okay with that. Why? Because they fixed the biggest problem I had with the book.

When I was going through my Potter book-a-thon last summer, this book was the hardest to get through. Not because the book was bad or anything but because Harry acted like a bitch for the entire book. I understand that Rowling was going for sullen teenager but he came across as a whiny, "woe is me" brat. Halfway through the book, I started to hate him. So credit to the screenwriter Michael Goldenberg and Daniel Radcliffe for making Harry's attitude not as annoying and more understandable.

That said, I think they should have added the Quidditch scenes because this movie is devoid of fun and the "Weasley is Our King" scenes would have lightened the mood of this otherwise political thriller set in Hogwarts,

Imelda Staunton is the biggest standout as Dolores Umbridge. She pretty much takes over the movie. I just wish there were more scenes with her and the other British acting powerhouses in the film (Maggie Smith and Alan Rickman particularly).

The battle in the Department of Mysteries in IMAX 3D was amazing. It was a much better use of the technology than Superman Returns (the only other movie I saw in IMAX 3D). It is definitely worth the extra cash and if you are near one, you should definitely make the effort.

Continue reading Movie of the Week Pt. II: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: An IMAX 3D Experience

Movie of the Week Pt. I: Ratatouille

It was cute or at east as cute as a movie about a rat in contact in food can be.

Nothing spectacular but even an okay Pixar flick is better than most other anitmated features.

Patton Oswalt was doing a great Nathan Lane impression.

I was happy a) that the rats and humans couldn't speak and b) that it ended the way it did. The ending is more "realistic" than I expect from a cartoon.

Continue reading Movie of the Week Pt. I: Ratatouille

Movie of the Week: Transformers

It was going so well.

The first hour or so of Transformers was good. It was surprisingly funny and Shia Lebouf was living up to his hype. Michael Bay wisely listened to the fans and cast Peter Cullen (the original voice of Optimus Prime in the 80's cartoon) because the nostalgia factor is plus 15 any time he spoke.

So we are chugging along and who comes in the ruins the movie? John Turturro. His character was unnecessary. He was supposed to be silly and funny. He was over the top and VERY annoying. The movie stopped in its tracks to make room for his character. Did Tuturro beat Bay in a game of poker and forced himself into the movie (à la that Brett Ratner commercial for New York Film Academy)

Anyway, the movie was cool. It was a great summer popcorn flick. The action was confusing at time with too many metal parts moving at once and I found it a tad incredulous that there weren't bodies all over the street as 8 foot robots ran in the streets, knocked over (and through) buildings, and fell from the tops of buildings like metal King Kongs.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: Transformers

Random Thought

Why do women's favorite romantic movies always seem to involve the main female character cheating on her current spouse (usually fiancé)? It's actually worse now because in the 80's/90's, the guy would be some überjerk possibly abusive. Now it's just some nice guy who made the foolish choice of going to her house for Christmas and then one week later, he's riding the bus home with a diamond ring burning a soul-searing hole in his pocket.

If I had a girl and her favorite movie was The Notebook, I would be Lord Concernicus, ruler of all the lands in the Concernia Empire.

I think asking "So do you have some true love back in your hometown I should be aware of" should be added to the list of questions you should ask before getting serious about someone.

Continue reading Random Thought

Movie of the Week: Live Free of Die Hard

It's rare that I get to use "awesome" to describe a movie but this movie was awesome.

I was worried in the beginning that this was just going to be an action movie starring Bruce Willis playing a character who just happened to be named John McClane.

And for the most part, it was. The action was over the top compared to the previous Die Hard films. But I didn't care.

They don't make action movies like this anymore with car crashes and the hero getting the shit kicked out of him and more physical work that CGI. The last movie like that was True Lies I think.

Justin Long didn't annoy me as much as I thought he would.

I think what this movie lacked was more interaction between Bruce Willis & Timothy Olyphant. Olyphant had some great lines, both to Willis and his techie crew. Thats really what makes a Die Hard movie - the back and forth between McClane and the head villain. What few conversations they did have were good.

P.S.: I'm officially in love with Maggie Q.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: Live Free of Die Hard

Movies I'm Interested In Seeing: July

June was definitely better than May. Let's keep the good times rolling.

July 4th
Transformers

July 6th
Joshua

July 11th
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

July 13th
Talk to Me

July 20th
I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry
Sunshine

July 27th
The Simpsons Movie

Continue reading Movies I'm Interested In Seeing: July

Movie of the Week: 1408

One of the better Stephen King adaptation but only two and a half stars which should let you know how bad they usually are.

This was one of John Cusack's best performances ever. Between this and Grace Is Gone (I saw a test screening), he has really stepped it up.

It started strong but definitely faded in the last 25 minutes.

But if you want to take a girl to a movie and have her crawling all over your arm screaming, this is the film to take her too.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: 1408

Movie of the Week: Ocean's 13

I hate the Ocean's franchise for two reasons:

1. Every time I watch these movies, I feel that my wardrobe if woefully inadequate and I become very vulnerable to buying expensive clothes I'll probably never find a reason to wear.
2. I can watch an Ocean's movie ANY TIME THEY ARE TV and it is a drain on my life. Anytime TNT or HBO run Ocean's 11 or 12, I will watch it. It doesn't matter what point of the movie it is. If I am not already watching something in particular, I will watch Danny Ocean and crew.

Anyway, this movie was better than second but not as good as the first. It started slow when they were setting up the plan against Pacino's Willie Bank (probably as restrained as you'll see Pacino) but once they start executing, it becomes fun with a lot of throwbacks to the first two films.

Don Cheadle gets the shaft that Bernie Mac got in Ocean's 12 as the character with the least screen time. At least it spares us from one of the worst British accents in cinematic history.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: Ocean's 13

30 Days of Night Trailer

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American Gangster trailer

Starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe

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Movie of the Week: Knocked Up

Judd Apatow can do no wrong.

Pretty much hilarious from start to finish. I think I liked it better than The 40-Year Old Virgin because even though some of the situations were ridiculous, the characters seemed more real.

Everyone was great but the standout was definitely Paul Rudd. The scene in Vegas with Rogan and Rudd had my friend and I in hysterics. Hopefully Apatow will make Paul Rudd the star of his next comedy classic.

Other standouts, aside from Seth Rogan and Katherine Heigl (I forgive for the ridiculousness of the second half of this season of Grey's Anatomy), were Kristin Wig and the Apatow all-stars (Jonah Hill, Jason Segel, Jay Baruchel, Martin Starr) from Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared.

The only reason I couldn't give it four stars was it was a little too long and I was traumatized by the birth scene at the end.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: Knocked Up

Movies I'm Interested In Seeing: June

This summer has been pretty disappointing so far. Hopefully, the best is yet to come...

June 1st
Knocked Up

June 8th
Ocean's Thirteen

June 15th
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer

June 20th
Sunshine

June 27th
Live Free or Die Hard

June 29th
Ratatouille
Sicko

Continue reading Movies I'm Interested In Seeing: June

Movie of the Week: Waitress

It was cute.

It's always good to see Keri Russell in a starring role and doing great.

It was a funny, sweet movie.

The music was kinda annoying but it was an indie movie so I'll let it slide.

But once again, I will take this moment to again lobby for the stardom of Nathan Fillion.

Spielberg. Bay. Lucas. (Ok, not Lucas.)

Cast this man as the next Summer blockbuster hero.

Please.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: Waitress

Movie of the Week: Pirates of the Carribean: At World's End

Please let this franchise be "at world's end".

This movie isn't bad. It's boring which is a bigger crime. The first two hours were a constant struggle to stay awake during or care about this movie. They would sprinkle Jack Sparrow in to keep you going like a shot of espresso but eventually your body adjusts.

My review for Dead Man's Chest last year pretty much applies to this movie as well and I don't feel like retyping it.

Let me just add two things:

1. It's like the writers and directors forgot what made the first one so great and so much fun. That movie was all about Jack Sparrow and a fun little pirate adventure. Then they went and made it all dark, twisty and unnecessarily complicated. It's like, "Wow, Johnny Depp got nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for a role in this silly little pirate film. Let's add more characters and cut his lines."
   
   
2. What happened to the two hour movie? Really?

Continue reading Movie of the Week: Pirates of the Carribean: At World's End

I Believe in Christopher Nolan

The first look at Heath Ledger as The Joker in The Dark Knight

Continue reading I Believe in Christopher Nolan

New Transformers Trailer

This is the first trailer that has made me want to see the movie.

Looks better in Quicktime HD if you
have a Quicktime player on your computer

Continue reading New Transformers Trailer

New York: Go See "Once" Today

Here's my original review and the official website!

Do it!

Continue reading New York: Go See "Once" Today

Movie of the Week: Hot Fuzz

Here comes the Fuzz!

Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg come up with another awesome parody. What's next: romantic comedies?

It was really slow in the beginning (it didn't help that I was a little sleepy). I felt like they rushed Pegg's character to the country and spent too much time revealing the villain(s).

But when it got going, wow.

The action was incredibly well-directed considering it was Wright's first foray into this kind of filmmaking. I didn't expect it to be so bloody though. That was a pleasant surprise.

Pegg and Nick Frost continue to be a modern day British Abbott and Costello.

Awesome cameo by my girl Cate Blachett. I don't care what she was wearing. There's no way I couldn't spot her.

This movie reminded me that I need to buy Point Break already.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: Hot Fuzz

Movie of the Week Part II: Spider-Man 3

Unfortunately, third time is not a charm

From this point on, all spoilers because that's the only way I can do this

What I Liked:

• Tobey Maguire still has Peter Parker down
• This was the first Spidey movie that I liked James Franco in
• Thomas Hayden Church was great as Sandman
• Venom looked more like Todd McFarlane's version than I expected
• The action sequences were great as always. Raimi knows how to kick Spidey's ass and make it look good
• J.K. Simmons owns J. Jonah Jameson
• Bruce Campbell's best cameo role yet
  
• Topher Grace, pre-Venom, was probably the best person in the movie
• The scenes with dark Peter were pretty funny until it went over the top
• I won't deny that I smiled at the Green Goblin/Spider-Man team-up at the end

What I Didn't Like:

• Explain to me why Bryce Dallas Howard wasn't cast as Mary Jane and Kirsten "Snaggletooth" Dunst was?
• So the movie is chugging along and I'm wondering why everyone is whining about this movie and then it happens...the movie suddenly comes to a grinding halt. From the moment MJ and Harry kiss (the crowd actually booed) til Peter rips off the suit, except for a couple of moments (Peter vs. Harry in his apartment & the aforementioned funny dark Peter), the movie essentially stands still.
• I'm getting tired of Aunt May's speeches
• Who told Kirsten Dunst she should sing multiple times in the movie?
  
• The constant crowd NYC crowd shots with random kid ab libs get more and more annoying with each one. At this point, they are just poorly staged.
• Venom and Sandman weren't developed enough. Venom particularly seemed sort of tacked on.
• Spider-Man let a criminal get away at the end.
• The 15 minute cryfest at the end. I thought I was watching the end of The Return of the King.

All and all, it wasn't bad but we could have done without this one being made.

God help them if they try to make Spider-Man 4.

Continue reading Movie of the Week Part II: Spider-Man 3

Iron Man Movie Armor

Good job, Jon

Continue reading Iron Man Movie Armor

Movie of the Week Pt. 1: Once

My favorite movie of the year thus far

This is sort of a musical ("modern day musical" is how the writer-director John Carney described it at the Q&A following the screening). It's not like a Dreamgirls/Chicago musical where characters break into songs about the scene. The songs (some featured on the album, The Swell Season, some written specifically for the film) come along while the characters are collaborating and making this demo but the songs are about both the characters' (who are never named so they are referred to as Guy and Girl) past and what is going on between them.

The two leads Glen Hansard (from the Irish band, The Frames) and Markéta Irglová have great chemistry together and their friendship seems natural and not forced. And the songs were great.

I want to say more but it would spoil certain aspects of the movie.

The movie isn't perfect but it felt perfect so I'm sticking with my rating.

Just see it and hate me if you don't like it.

It comes out in limited release on May 18th.

Continue reading Movie of the Week Pt. 1: Once

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer Trailer

Please don't suck like the first one...

Continue reading Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer Trailer

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Final Trailer

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Movie of the Week: Vacancy

Eh, it was alright.

Actually, I'm not giving it enough credit.

It was very tense for most of the movie. Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale were getting the best of their captors but you couldn't see why they had succeeded while so many had fallen to these weird hicks* who liked to make snuff films in this motel.

Anyway, it wasn't great but it was perfectly okay.

And then two things happen at the end that just annoyed the shit out of me. One something that should be impossible and the other was just a bad guy doing something incredibly stupid.

It screamed to things: a) the alternative tested poorly and b) the latter was due to the lack of a great ending.

Oh well...I've paid for worst.

* It was weird to see Ethan Embry as the mechanic. I had such high hopes for him after Can't Hardly Wait.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: Vacancy

Movies I'm Interested In Seeing: April & May

I've fallen off the movie wagon and need to get back on it...

April 20th
Fracture
Hot Fuzz

May 4th
Spider-Man 3*

May 11th
28 Weeks Later...

May 18th
Shrek the Third
The Ex

May 25th
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

* I already bought my IMAX tickets for opening night.

Continue reading Movies I'm Interested In Seeing: April & May

Stardust trailer

Continue reading Stardust trailer

Movie of the Week: Grindhouse

Wow, those movies sucked and I loved it.

Planet Terror
This is the kind of movie Robert Rodriguez is always making in some respect. The dialogue was laughable but the acting for the most part was pretty good. Everybody was game especially Marley Shelton, Rose McGowan and Naveen Andrews. The story made absolutely no sense but it was fun so who cares. The gore was extreme even for a 60's/70's homage. Even though it was a lot of fun, the intentional badness of the movie started to wear on me.

Death Proof
I can see why people would dislike this movie over Planet Terror (or in general). This should have definitely been the first showing due to the slow build. It has a typical Tarintino talking scenes which go on longer than necessary and there are tons of scenes that seem pointless but if you ever watched those 70's movies, there were always pointless character scenes so he was being true to the form in that respect. That said, it reminds me why I don't watch cheesy 70's movies. The dialogue and character interactions were much better in the second half of the movie.

I won't get into details as to not spoil but the car scenes were amazing. AMAZING. I can't believe this is the first time QT acted as his own cinematographer. Once the action got going, everyone was on the edge of their seat in the theater. Planet Terror was more fun but Death Proof was better directed.

On the acting front, here's another movie where I actually enjoyed Rosario Dawson's performance and Zoe Bell, real-life stuntwoman, is fucking awesome. Kurt Russell is always great in my mind.

The Trailers
My two favorites were "Thanksgiving" (Eli Roth) and "Don't" (Edgar Wright). "Machete" (Robert Rodriguez) looks like a movie he would actually make. "Werewolf Women of the S.S." (Rob Zombie) was pretty awful despite the cameo at the end. I am officially worried for Rob Zombie's Halloween remake.

Overall, it was an awesome movie experience. I really hope Harvey Weinstein doesn't split them as he's considering after the poor box office. If he does, I think Death Proof works better as a solo feature.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: Grindhouse

Movie of the Week: Blades of Glory

Will Ferrell + Sports = Funny

It wasn't on par with his work with Adam McKay (Anchorman, Talladega Nights) but it did make me laugh.

Honestly, I'm biased. Will Ferrell would have to try pretty damn hard to not make me laugh in a stupid movie like this.

I still think Jon Heder is one of the worst actors in the business but he wasn't THAT annoying.

I wish Will Arnett were given more lines because anythign he says is funny.

And Jenna Fischer...



Clearly, The Office isn't doing you justice.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: Blades of Glory

The Fourth Lowest Form Of Life

Right after murderers, rapists and child molesters* I place people who talk during movies in their outside voice.

What the fuck is wrong with these people?

I went to a free screening of The Lookout and I sat second to last row. This group of friends enter split up into to two row so they can sit together. Their conversation before the movie started had me Lord Concernicus of the province of Concernia but I prayed that once the movie started they would calm down and watch.

No.

Didn't happen.

Throughout the entire movie they were commenting, making loud gasps, flat out having conversation during the movie.

Now, if this were a comedy or a horror movie, I would have found this slightly tolerable but it wasn't. It was a noir/crime film and these people were interacting with the screen like little kids interact with a Dora the Explorer episode.

I am usually a patient person. I can count the times I shushed someone in a movie on one hand. Usually, the look back is enough.

I "Shh"-ed these people 3-4 times which would make them whisper for like 3 minutes until they started up again.

I was seething. Mostly because this was a good movie and I couldn't enjoy it. I wanted to just scream "WOULD YOU PLEASE SHUT THE FUCK UP!?!" but that never works. It always turns into a argument which never results in the person taking your advice.

I just wanted to make it to the end of the movie.

What part of the collective gene pool did these kind of people come from? How were the socialized that they think that everyone wants to hear them carry on a conversation with the person on the screen?

They should be all taken out to the back of the theater and beaten with a rock so they can't pass these traits down to the next generation.

* Obviously, I'm exaggerating on their standings in the list of depraved acts but it's definitely in the top 10.

Continue reading The Fourth Lowest Form Of Life

Movie of the Week: The Lookout

Between this and Brick, Joseph Gordon-Levitt has become a force to be reckoned with.

I can see this movie being compared to Memento because the main character, Chris, is mentally and emotionally handicapped after a car accident and how he overcomes his handicap plays prominently into the outcome of the heist.

It's a pretty straightforward noir/heist that goes wrong flim but it really carried by Gordon-Levitt's performance. Who would have thought this would be the breakout star from 3rd Rock From The Sun. I would consider seeing anything he is in at this point.

Also, Jeff Daniels was funny as Chris' blind roommate, Lewis.

This is a great first film by Scott Frank (he wrote the screenplays for two of my favorite films, Get Shorty and Out of Sight, both adaptations of Elmore Leonard novels). The only problem with the movie is the too neatly wrapped up ending but it is definately worth checking out.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: The Lookout

Buy Melanism's Favorite Movie of 2006 today

Read my original review

Continue reading Buy Melanism's Favorite Movie of 2006 today

Movie of the Week: First Snow

I really wanted to like this movie but alas, I could not.


Guy Pearce was great. He's always great that couldn't save this drivel.

Once Jimmy (Pearce) finds out that he is destined to die before the "first snow" ends by a fortune teller (J.K. Simmons), the movie picks up the pace a little bit but eventually all of Jimmy's paranoid actions get confusing and boring even though you can tell that the director, Mark Fergus, was going for tense and mysterious.

The end was as anti-climatic as the end of a movie could possibly be.

Everyone who complained that the end of Children of Men was anti-climatic needs to sit through this and apologize to Cuaron.

Thank God this was a free screening.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: First Snow

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End trailer

Hopefully this is better than Dead Man's Chest...

Continue reading Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End trailer

Movie of the Week: 300 - The IMAX Experience

This movie is every teenage boy’s wet dream for a film.

Comic/Video game style violence…check
Beautiful women…check
Nudity and sex…check

Even though some of the dialogue is laughable (Frank Miller’s words were meant to be read, not spoken) and the fact that 75% of the dialogue is yelled, you can’t help but get a charge watching this movie. People who read Frank Miller and Lynn Varley’s original graphic novel will appreciate this movie much more than your average movie goer (which is why most major reviewers are calling this movie ‘shit’ and all comic book related websites are calling this a classic).

The battles are extremely well-done and BEAUTIFUL on the big IMAX screen (Frankly, consdering that most of the movie is fighting, it is really worth the extra 4-5 bucks for IMAX). Even though you ultimately know the end (Spoiler alert: they lose), Snyder still manages to create tension.

If you want them to be there can be racial undertones of a perfect white army crushing all the brown and yellow people or political undertones with the scenes of the Queen trying to negotiate with the counsel, but I chose to ignore them.

I have to admit that I was thrilled seeing Dominic West (McNulty from The Wire) doing a movie…ANY movie especially as a villain. And it’s a testament to how good he was that his final scene drew the most crowd reaction.

Gerard Butler and Lena Hedley were great as King Leonidas and Queen Gorgo but man, Butler’s throat must have been killing him after they were finished filming.

Ultimately, this succeeds as another good example of a movie using a graphic novel not only as inspiration but also as a storyboard.

I have more faith now than I did before in Snyder’s attempt to bring Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' Watchmen to the big screen.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: 300 - The IMAX Experience

The Simpsons Movie Trailer

Continue reading The Simpsons Movie Trailer

Meet Harvey Dent

Eckhart joining 'Dark Knight' cast
By Borys Kit

Feb 16, 2007
Aaron Eckhart is in final negotiations to play Harvey Dent/Two Face in "The Dark Knight," Warner Bros. Pictures' sequel to "Batman Begins."

In Batman lore, Dent is the district attorney of Gotham City and an ally of Batman. After half his face is disfigured by acid, Dent becomes the insane crime boss known as Two Face. He chooses to do good or evil by flipping a coin. Tommy Lee Jones played the character in 1995's "Batman Forever."

"Knight" sees Christopher Nolan back in the director's chair with Christian Bale reprising his role as Bruce Wayne/Batman. Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine and Gary Oldman are also returning. Heath Ledger joined the cast last summer, signing up to play the sardonic and murderous villain the Joker.

The script was written by Nolan's brother, Jonathan, from a story by Christopher Nolan and David Goyer. Producing are Emma Thomas, Charles Roven and Christopher Nolan.

Eckhart is riding high these days thanks to his acclaimed performance in "Thank You for Smoking," which nabbed him Golden Globe and Spirit Award nominations. He next stars opposite Catherine Zeta-Jones in "No Reservations," the U.S. remake of the 2001 German feature "Mostly Martha." The film will be released by Warners in July. He is also starring in the "Untitled Alan Ball Project," Ball's directorial debut.

Eckhart is repped by CAA and Hirsch, Wallerstein, Hayum, Matlof & Fishman.

Find this article at:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i4fa3c1e4b8d5d3630e03029e51a47ac1

Continue reading Meet Harvey Dent

Full GRINDHOUSE trailer

Continue reading Full GRINDHOUSE trailer

Movies I'm Interested In Seeing: February & March

You know the deal by now...

FEBRUARY 23rd
The Number 23*
Reno 911!: Miami

MARCH 2nd
Zodiac
Black Snake Moan

MARCH 9th
300 **
The Ex
The Namesake

MARCH 16th
Sunshine

MARCH 23rd
Reign Over Me
Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theatres

MARCH 30th
Blades of Glory

*: Despite the fact that Joel Schumacher is directing
**: I will only see this at the IMAX theater

Continue reading Movies I'm Interested In Seeing: February & March

Sunshine Trailer

Continue reading Sunshine Trailer

New Shrek The Third Trailer

Continue reading New Shrek The Third Trailer

Knocked Up trailer

Continue reading Knocked Up trailer

Be My Netflix Friend

Click this link so I can make fun of your movie preferences, and you mine.

Continue reading Be My Netflix Friend

A Little Geek Moment

So HBO has been showing Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace this month...

First of all, what exactly was "The Phantom Menace"? The other two titles, "Attack of the Clones" and "Revenge of the Sith" made sense but that one was weird.

Anyway, I digress.

Never has one movie been redeemed by one scene than this one is by the fight between the Jedis Qui-Gon/Obi-Wan and Darth Maul.

Not just for the beautiful choreography.

Not just for Darth Maul.

But for the moment after Darth Maul has just killed Qui-Gon, and Obi-Wan is standing behind that force field, SEETHING!

Then the field opens and he hops out swinging.

I can't remember a scene in a movie where there was about to be a fight and one of the guys through his facial expression and tense moments said...no...screamed:

I am going to FUCK YOU UP!!!

I can watch this fight any day of the week.

This fight is worth the torture of a thousand Jar-Jar's.

Continue reading A Little Geek Moment

Oscar Nominations 2007

Time for me to start whining.

Be prepared.

Best motion picture of the year
BABEL
THE DEPARTED
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
THE QUEEN

Comments: Sigh! I knew Children of Men was going to get snubbed here. At least Pan's Labyrinth can compete for best Foreign Language film. It got nominations for cinematography, film editing and adapted screenplay. I loved Little Miss Sunshine but I don't think it was best picture quality. I'm glad Dreamgirls wasn't nominated. It didn't deserve. Babel? Really? Why is everyone sweating this movie?

Performance by an actor in a leading role
Leonardo DiCaprio - BLOOD DIAMOND
Ryan Gosling - HALF NELSON
Peter O'Toole - VENUS
Will Smith - THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS
Forest Whitaker - THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND

Comments: Eh, I can't really complain here except for the humongous snub of Sasha Baron Cohen who easily gave one of the greatest comedic performances of all-time. Matt Damon should have been nominated for The Departed (I'll watch The Good Shepard this weekend to see if he was doubly snubbed). Aaron Eckhart should have also been nominated for Thank You for Smoking but I'm used to him being ignored. This looks like a lock for Forest but it would be nice if Leo pulled an upset or if Peter O'Toole finally won one.

Performance by an actress in a leading role
Penélope Cruz - VOLVER
Judi Dench - NOTES ON A SCANDAL
Helen Mirren - THE QUEEN
Meryl Streep - THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
Kate Winslet - LITTLE CHILDREN

Comments: No complaints except maybe Maggie Gyllenhaal (Sherrybaby). It's Helen Mirren's award but they need four other faces to show during the telecast.

Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Alan Arkin - LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
Jackie Earle Haley - LITTLE CHILDREN
Djimon Hounsou - BLOOD DIAMOND
Eddie Murphy - DREAMGIRLS
Mark Wahlberg - THE DEPARTED

Comments: Even though it was overacting at its best, I'm surprised Jack Nicholson didn't get nominated for The Departed as well. My heart wants Eddie Murphy to win but I really feel like Mark Wahlberg's performance was ten times better. Ben Affleck (Hollywoodland), Gael García Bernal (Babel), Michael Caine and Chiwetel Ejiofor (Children of Men) also deserved some recognition (I mean other than my shitty blog)

Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Adriana Barraza - BABEL
Cate Blanchett - NOTES ON A SCANDAL
Abigail Breslin - LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
Jennifer Hudson - DREAMGIRLS
Rinko Kikuchi - BABEL

Comments: Who saw Abigail Breslin getting nominated? Good for her. Surprised that both Adriana Barraza and Rinko Kikuchi got nominated for Babel. It must have been a weak year for supporting actresses.

Best animated feature film of the year
CARS
HAPPY FEET
MONSTER HOUSE

Comments: Monster House better win. I have a confession. I saw Happy Feet but opted not to review it (partly from the embarrassment of having seen it). I would have probably given it .

Achievement in directing
BABEL (Alejandro González Iñárritu)
THE DEPARTED (Martin Scorsese)
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA (Clint Eastwood)
THE QUEEN (Stephen Frears)
UNITED 93 (Paul Greengrass)

Comments: Marty vs. Clint? This never ends well. Can you believe that Clint Eastwood is 2 for 3 in Directing nominations and Scorsese is 0-5, losing one to Clint already. The other two Amigos, Alfonso Cuaron (Children of Men) and Guillermo Del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth), would be nominated in a perfect world.

Best foreign language film of the year
AFTER THE WEDDING
DAYS OF GLORY (INDIGÈNES)
THE LIVES OF OTHERS
PAN'S LABYRINTH
WATER

Comments: Um, where's Volver? I feel like Pan's Labyrinth and Letters From Iwo Jima should switch places as far as the Foreign Language and Best Picture nomination but that's because I loved one and haven't seen the other.

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
"I Need to Wake Up" - AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH
"Listen" - DREAMGIRLS
"Love You I Do" - DREAMGIRLS
"Our Town" - CARS
"Patience" - DREAMGIRLS

Comments: C'mon! THREE Dreamgirls songs? Seriously! What about Prince's "The Song of The Heart" (Happy Feet)?

Adapted screenplay
BORAT CULTURAL LEARNINGS OF AMERICA FOR MAKE BENEFIT GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN
CHILDREN OF MEN
THE DEPARTED
LITTLE CHILDREN
NOTES ON A SCANDAL

Comments: Can someone please explain to me what Borat was adapted from*?

Original screenplay
BABEL
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
PAN'S LABYRINTH
THE QUEEN

Comments: No complaints here. I'll be rooting for Pan's Labyrinth.

Here's the full list

*My friend told me that it's because the character wasn't created for the screen

Continue reading Oscar Nominations 2007

Melanism.com's Top 10 Movies of 2006

In my particular order...

1. Children of Men
2. Pan's Labyrinth
3. Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
4. The Fountain
5. The Departed
6. Little Miss Sunshine
7. Notes on a Scandal
8. Thank You For Smoking
9. The Science of Sleep
10. Monster House
    

What were yours?

Continue reading Melanism.com's Top 10 Movies of 2006

Movie of the Week...No...Year: Children of Men

If this isn't the best movie of the year, than tell me what is?

Part science fiction, part war movie, I don't even know if I saw a movie last year that was better than this.

This is why I go to the movies almost every week, for the hope that I will see something like this.

I don't even know where to begin...or end for that matter.

I appreciate cinematography but never really "notice" it but there are two amazing long takes, one involving an ambush and another a full out battle that it up there with Saving Private Ryan.

The world that director Alfonso Cuarón and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki create is incredibly detailed. What happened in the future isn't directly told to us in some long drawn out speech. It's all in the background, on the news reports, newspaper clippings, graffiti, etc. It kind of reminds me of Brian Wood's Vertigo comic, DMZ, in that way. You see how civilization fell apart. The muted tones make bleak London look utterly hopeless. They create a future that seems a little too plausible. I can't imagine that they won't both be nominated for Oscars.

The acting is top-notch. Clive Owen's (Theo) transformation from a man who has nothing to live for to a man willing to sacrifice everything for the future confirms he's one of the best actors out (and I'm willing to forgive him for King Arthur but I guess everyone's got to pay the bills). Michael Caine adds levity and perspective as Theo's old friend and confidant, Jasper. I can't imagine that they won't both be nominated for Oscars.

I can talk about this movie all day.

The point is SEE THIS MOVIE. As angry as I was when Brokeback Mountain didn't win Best Picture last year, I will be devastated if Children of Men doesn't. Sorry, Marty. But I can live without you winning an Oscar another year for a masterpiece such as this.

***SPOILER***

There is a scene towards the end during the battle between the army, the immigrants, and FISH, when the baby starts crying and everything stops, the fighting, the screaming. Theo and Kee (Claire-Hope Ashitey) slowly make their way through the building and down the stairs and everyone has their own unique reactions - to cry, to try and touch Kee and the baby - and then the soldiers see the baby and they freeze and two of them kneel to pray and as they walk, no one moves. Whatever they were killing each other over, the safety of that child becomes everyone's priority. They just watch them walk away and you think that, "Wow, this baby may actually create some sense of peace and stability." and then the rocket fires from the building and the fighting starts up again.

That's when the seriousness of their world hits you.

Continue reading Movie of the Week...No...Year: Children of Men

Movie of the Week Part III: Dreamgirls

Good but not great.

Yes, Jennifer Hudson as Effie was amazing. I'll get that out of the way. When she sings "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," it's over.

Also, it was great to see Eddie Murphy with the energy he had in the 80's. However, some songs I felt like I was watching a Saturday Night Live sketch. Sometimes it's hard to take him seriously but that's more my problem than his.

Beyoncé wasn't bad but she gave the role what it asked for so I'm not complaining about it. There's something about her voice. I think because she's so soft spoken that she has to dub over most of her takes because her voice always sounds like it's on a different audio channel (or whatever the proper term is) than everyone else's. That said, she can sing and damn, she's fine. I hate you, Shawn Carter.

Jamie Foxx was great too but his singing wasn't very good except for "When I First Saw You". Also, Keith Robinson's (Effie's brother, C.C.) signing also bugged me.

The movie felt longer than it needed. After Jennifer Hudson's solo, the movie definately dragged it's feet to the end with one too many songs but it was still enjoyable.

And everyone who didn't vote for Jennifer Hudson on American Idol, well, don't you feel stupid?

Continue reading Movie of the Week Part III: Dreamgirls

Movie of the Week Part II: Pan's Labyrinth

What an amazing, beautiful, sad movie.

I can't wait to see it again.

There are not enough adjectives to describe how great this movie was.

Everyone was great especially Ariadna Gil (Carmen), Maribel Verdú (Mercedes) and Sergi López (Capitán Vidal).

I don't know what Guillermo del Toro obsession with creating these stories centering around children with the Spanish civil war (The Devil's Backbone) as the backdrop, but I hope it never ends.

I knew this wasn't a children's flick per se but I was surprised at how graphic some of the violence was. Seriously, if someone took their kids to this film (like under 13) at best they'd have nightmares for weeks, at worst, therapy. It doesn't matter because the tale of a child escaping real life through imagination and fantasy never gets old at any age.

Continue reading Movie of the Week Part II: Pan's Labyrinth

Movie of the Week: Notes on a Scandal

Doesn't it feel like every year Judi Dench is up for an Oscar nomination?

Well, guess what? She'll probably be getting another one.

Hopefully, Cate Blanchett, who only continues to strengthen my attraction to her, will get one too.

They were both great in this British/lesbian/May-December Fatal Attraction.

It was clearly melodramatic but I loved every second of it.

Why has Judi Dench only won a single Oscar and only for Best Supporting Actress (Shakespeare in Love)? She should have so many that she uses them for doorstops and paperweights.

Not to be forgotten is Bill Nighy as the betrayed husband who somehow made every line he said hilarious no matter how much sadness or anger was behind it.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: Notes on a Scandal

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer Teaser Trailer

I didn't care much for the first movie but this looks great...

Continue reading Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer Teaser Trailer

Grind House Trailer

Continue reading Grind House Trailer

Transformers Trailer

Don't Fuck It Up, Michael Bay!!!!

Continue reading Transformers Trailer

Movie of the Week Part III: The Painted Veil

Why do people act like dicks at free screenings?

I've been to a bunch of free screenings this year and there is one constant.

People act like they are not AT THE MOVIES.

I don't care if it was free. It's still a movie. Turn off your cell phone and shut the fuck up.

Because this was the last screening I'll probably go to in 2006, it was like God gave me a "Best of the Worst Moviegoers"

We had...

• Two cell phones ringing
• A couple sitting in front of us talking in Spanish every three minutes
• A woman in a down coat who kept shifting in her seat against her coat making that annoying sound that down coats make.
• A couple who came in 30 minutes late and walked into the middle of the theater blocking views because for some reason they thought that there would still be some prime seating real estate left
• A woman sitting right in front of me who had a hearing aid with a little red light flashing that was hypnotic.
  
• An old man who kept making loud comments to the movie.
• A woman who got out of her seat to let someone out to go to the bathroom/concessions and decided to take this opportunity to STRETCH and block the view.
• Some guy who chose the quietest parts of the movie to crumple his paper bag
• These old people who yelled at someone who stood in front of them during the credits saying that, "the movies not over for us."
  

Anyway, how was the movie? Not sure. I think it was okay. It felt the best scenes from a book as opposed to a seamless movie. The acting was great. I felt like we needed to know more about why Walter (Ed Norton) was the way he was. The ending was VERY anticlimactic. Not that every ending needs to be climatic but it shouldn't feel like we just ran out of story.

Then again, I was so distracted that under different circumstances I might have enjoyed it more.

Continue reading Movie of the Week Part III: The Painted Veil

Movie of the Week Part II: For Your Consideration

Probably, my least favorite of the Christopher Guest movies

It was still funny but it felt less structured than the others and the last 20 minutes feels kinda tacked on.

The best parts were Fred Willard and Jane Lynch's spoof of Access Hollywood/The Insider/Entertainment Tonight.

Continue reading Movie of the Week Part II: For Your Consideration

Movie of the Week: The Pursuit of Happyness

Eh, it was cute.

Will Smith was great and will possibly get an Oscar nomination and his son was good as well. Strangely, he looked like Thandie Newton could be his mother which weirded me out (good casting).

However, if you saw the full trailer, you pretty much know what's going to happen.

If was a really short movie but it felt too long.

But it had enough "Aww" moments to keep the ladies and the old folks happy.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: The Pursuit of Happyness

300 Theatrical Trailer

Continue reading 300 Theatrical Trailer

Movie of the Week: Blood Diamond

I really wanted to hate on this movie.

I mean how many time can Edward Zwick
(Glory and The Last Samurai) direct movies with white guys in foreign countries who learns something about himself and then risks his life for the foreigners who have helped him discover the "real him."

Also, I hate when movies take real-life tragedy, in this instance conflict diamonds in Sierra Leone, and turn it into an action movie which is what this turns into.

But damn, was Leonardo DiCaprio good in this movie.

When I first saw the trailer, it was his little "Bling Bang" line and his accent that turned me off from seeing this movie at all.

I'm glad I did because this may go down as one of his best performances ever.

Djimon Hounsou was great as well but can someone cast him in a movie where he doesn't have to scream at the top of his lungs at least 2-5 times.

The movie was too long and pretentious at parts (the very end was pure fantasy) and there were times were Leo's character, Danny Archer, turned into Jack Bauer but those two performances really made this movie, and the generalexposure of Sierra Leone in the 90's makes it worthwhile.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: Blood Diamond

Hot Fuzz Trailer

From the geniuses who brought you Shaun of the Dead...

Continue reading Hot Fuzz Trailer

Movie of the Week: Casino Royale

Well, that's going to be a hard one to top...

Anyone who has seen Daniel Craig in Layer Cake and, to a lesser extent, Munich shouldn't be surprised that he makes a great James Bond.

This was definitely a different, less smooth Bond and I liked it. Hopefully, future movies will show the transition to shaken and stirred Bond.

The movie was a little long, especially during the romance between Bond and Vesper. I know they had to establish the connection between them so that we can see how this affects Bond's demeanor and attitude in the future but it definitely hurt the movie.

I hope they get quality directors for the rest of the franchise or just keep Martin Campbell who has now directed two of the best Bond movies in the series - Goldeneye and Casino Royale. He has definitely raised the bar.

Great ending though.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: Casino Royale

Movie of the Week Part II: Stranger Than Fiction

I don't think I will ever be able to accept Will Ferrell (Harold Crick) as a serious actor

Not that this was a serious movie because it was a comedy.

It's not because I don't think he's a good actor because he is.

But there were stretches during this movie where I thought to myself that this feels like a great Saturday Night Live sketch.

Or maybe SNL is that bad that I'm thinking of ways to make it better during my not watching SNL time?

I feel the same way about Mike Myers.

Anyway, this was a good movie. Not great. Cute even.

I still don't know how I feel about the end though. I kinda wanted it to end the way it was intended to end* but Kay Eiffel's (Emma Thompson) reasoning about her book's ending (and the movie as a whole) was true so what does that say about me as a person?

* This will make sense when you see the movie.

Continue reading Movie of the Week Part II: Stranger Than Fiction

Movie of the Week: The Fountain

This is probably the hardest movie I've ever tried to review.

I can totally understand someone seeing this movie and hating it. I mean, not just hating but possibly walking out of it.

The movie is not perfect. Some of the script is hokey and some, you can argue alot, of the movie is conceptually silly.

But I loved this movie.

I think I loved this movie more than this movie was actually good.

I see (I think) what Darren Aronofsky was trying to achieve. This movie is grand and ambitious. The cinematography was amazing and you would expect no less.

I think what it comes down to is how you feel about the 26th-century parts of the movie. The present day and the 16th-century Spain are pretty straightforward when all is said and done. But the future, much like life, is definitely left up to interpretation. At first, I thought it was a metaphor and then I thought it was real but as the credits rolled, I didn't know what to think. It didn't take away from how I felt about the movie.

Hugh Jackman was amazing in this film. He really carried this movie alternating pain and passion for his "quest". I think he should be nominated for an Oscar but the critical reception this movie has gotten might hinder that cause. Brad Pitt was originally cast as he lead until he dropped out. I don't know if he could have done what Jackman did but it would have been interesting to see him try.

In my heart, I want to give this movie but I cannot deny its imperfections.

This is one of those movies I wouldn't recommend or at least I would selectively recommend because it's not easily accessible and requires an OPEN mind. Regardless, you are unlikely to see a movie like it in a long time.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: The Fountain

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Teaser Trailer

Continue reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Teaser Trailer

Movie of the Week: Fast Food Nation

What a good time to give up fast food.

This Richard Linklater film based on Eric Schlosser book (they both co-wrote the screenplay) was all over the place.

It covers:

• The fast food industry
  
• The meat packing industry
• Immigration
• Expoilted immigrant workers
• Misguided activism

All the actors were good especially Greg Kinnear (although his character was a little too naive), Catalina Sandino Moreno (Maria Full Of Grace) and Ashley Johnson (I can't believe that's the same little girl from Growning Pains). Also, cameos by Bruce Willis and Linklater staple, Ethan Hawke were great.

But again, this movie was ALL OVER THE PLACE. For awhile, it felt like a collection of scenes instead of a movie. Then Kinnear leaves the film (not a knock on him) and the movie hunkers down and gets better.

Now, for the warning, the last 5 minutes of the film are BRUTAL. Don't eat anything especially red meat before seeing this movie because it may come back for an encore. It was just...disgusting. After we got out the theater, some old lady was handing out PETA flyers. Definately a smart move on their part.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: Fast Food Nation

Movie of the Week: Shortbus

How often can you watch the credits and see "Pee and Vibrator Consultant" scroll by?

I will never look at the Star Spangeled Banner the same way again.

While all the attention about this movie is about the unsimulated sex - gay and straight - but the sex, dare I say, was almost inconsequential to the movie.

It was really about trying to find a connection with others and find themselves in a post-9/11 New York. Sometimes the characters try to solve thier problems through sex. Sometimes sex is the problem.

I can't remember the last movie I saw that had a more New York feel to it.

Most of the actors were first-timers and the characters were developed through a series of workshops with director John Cameron Mitchell (Hedwig and the Angry Inch). The standouts are Sook-Yin Lee (Sofia), Paul Dawson (James) & Lindsay Beamish (Severin).

The soundtrack was also great and highly recommend it if you like indie rock/pop.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: Shortbus

Spider-Man 3 trailer

Continue reading Spider-Man 3 trailer

Movie of the Week: Borat

Somewhere in hell, Andy Kaufman is smiling...or is really pissed he didn't get to pull this off

I'm going to get this off my chest.

If anyone other than Sacha Baron Cohen wins the Academy Award for Best Actor, it will be a crime.

I can't imagine seeing a better performance this year of this decade.

I don't want to ruin anything for anyone but my favorite scenes were the fight in the hotel and the kids running up to the ice cream truck.

Sometimes you feel bad for the people he gets over on, but then you see a scene like the conversation before the rodeo or the frat guys from University of South Carolina (who should collectively never get laid again) and you just shake your head.

Who I am most concerned for are the Jackass guys. They are going to see this movie and see that the bar has been raised. This will result in jail time, paralysis or death. So Steve-O and Johnny, let it go.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: Borat

Movie of the Week Pt. II: The Prestige

Batman vs. Wolverine! Place your bets.

I don't want to say anything specific about the movie because I don't want to ruin it for anyone.

I figured out the secret early and it didn't ruin the movie for me in any way. I was just annoyed with myself for not figuring it out sooner.

All the actors were great, especially Michael Caine as Cutter.

I got a kick out of Christian Bale's character being name "Alfred."

Chris Nolan is slowly becoming one of my favorite directors. All his movies are about obession (even...no...especially Batman Begins).

There's so much more I want to say but I won't...but e-mail me if you want to talk offline about it.

Continue reading Movie of the Week Pt. II: The Prestige

Movie of the Week Pt. I: Babel

This movie should have been titled, "When It Rains It Pours..."

It took me awhile to decide if I liked this movie or not.

There were four separate stories all connected by a random shooting.

I thought everyone was good, especially Rinko Kikuchi who plays a horny, confused deaf-mute Chieko in Japan.

I forget sometimes how old Brad Pitt really is.

The only problem I really had was that the story in Japan, while good, was connected tenuously to the others.

I'm still trying to figure out the point of the whole movie but it was beautiful to look at.

Continue reading Movie of the Week Pt. I: Babel

Movie of the Week Pt. 2: Little Children

Movies about quiet desperation are hard to judge.

It kinda reminded me of watching Jarhead wherein I enjoyed the movie and the performances but I could not imagine ever wanting to see it again.

Todd Field, who's first movie was the equally good but unrewatchable In The Bedroom, seems to be making this his niche.

Kate Winslet was great (Of course she was, she's on "The List") as was Patrick Wilson.

The changes made to the book didn't bother me that much. They decided to use narration which kinda bugged me (honestly, narration always bugs me) at first but I accepted that there was too much subtext that there was no other way to explain certain characters' motivations.

One thing that really did bother me is the movie did not really show why Sarah (Winslet) and, to a lesser extent, Brad (Wilson) were so unhappy in their marriages to Richard (Gregg Edelman) and Kathy (Jennifer Connelly) respectively. With Brad, they did show that he was emasculated by not being the breadwinner and that his wife did put their son above him but not so much that he would be miserable. With Sarah, they had that one scene where she catches Richard in...um...the middle of something and after that, he's gone for pretty much the entire movie except a dinner they have with Brad and Kathy. If anything, the movie makes it seem that her daughter is why she's so unhappy.

Also, the tone was off a bit because it starts like a dark comedy/satire then a drama and then it doesn't know what it wants to be. Just a series of scenes that don't seem connected.

See? This is why I don't like reading the book before seeing a movie. I would have liked it so much more if I didn't know how things played out in the novel.

Continue reading Movie of the Week Pt. 2: Little Children

Movie of the Week: The Departed

"Who am I? I'm the guy who does his fucking job. You must be the other guy!"
-Dignam

Reports of Martin Scorsese's demise have been greatly exaggerated

It appears that Martin Scorsese has finally given up trying to make movies that would win him that elusive Best Director Oscar and the result is probably his best movies since Casino.

Everybody was firing on all cylinders - Jack Nicholson (he'll get a Oscra nod out of this), Leonardo Dicaprio, Matt Damon, Alec Baldwin, etc.

I think it's a crime that Mark Wahlberg had not been cast in more comedies because every time he's on the screen, hilarious. No one is enjoying playing a Boston guy than Wahlberg.

The only questionable part, not necessarily a bad part, was the romance in the middle of the movie. It felt forced and unnecessary.

This is probably one of the funniest, sharpest scripts all year.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: The Departed

It's Cult Week!!!

I know that the Fall Season has been in full swing for a couple of weeks right now but this is the big week for me.

My three favorite shows (not named 24) plus the pilot that impressed me the most start this week.

Tonight: Veronica Mars (CW, 9 PM)

Okay, last year was a bit of a sophmore slump for them but they had the third best finale last year (the first being Lost, the second being Battlestar Galactica). Hopefully CW won't cancel it and we'll get to enjoy Veronica's freshman year of college.

Wednesday: Lost (ABC, 9 PM) & The Nine (ABC, 10 PM)

Lost goes without saying. I know alot of people where disappointed with the second season but I thought it was good and after Michael's shocking turn, it became great. After the aforementioned mind- (and hatch-) blowing season finale, I can't wait to find out what happens with Jack & Co. and, more interestingly, will Sayid finally take a leadership role.

As far as The Nine goes, I downloaded the pilot and was instantly hooked. Unless Friday Night Lights is as good as everyone says it is, this was by far the best pilot I saw this year. I don't know how long they can drag out this mysterious 52 hours but I want to find out what the fuck happened during that robbery.

Friday: Battlestar Galactica (Sci-Fi, 9 PM)

Now, like Veronica Mars, I was a latecomer to this show but thanks to my friend Kaiva and Netflix, I caught up and am hooked. I still can't believe what they did at the end of last season, jumping ahead a year and surrending to the Cylons while Galactica and the fleet high-tailed it but that's the kind of shit you could only get away with on cable.

So this week, my friends, I am BUSY!*

*Except Friday, without a "watercooler" to talk around the next day, there's no sense of urgency with BG.

Continue reading It's Cult Week!!!

Movie of the Week: The Black Dahlia

This ranks as one of the worst movies I ever paid to see.

Just awful. The acting. The script. The plot.

There wasn't one redeeming quality in this film.

I don't even want to talk about it anymore.

I fell asleep at one point and then woke up and stayed awake until the end.

I wish I had just stayed asleep.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: The Black Dahlia

Movie of the Week: The Last Kiss

If you are expecting to see a more mature Garden State, then you would be correct. But by "mature", I mean milk three months past it's expiration date.

I can't believe Paul Haggis (two-time Oscar winner for Best Screenplay) wrote this shit.

I mean this wasn't the worst movie I saw this year in the theaters (this was) nor was this the most disappointing movie I saw this year (this was) but I really had high hopes for it based on the trailer and everyone involved (the aforementioned Haggis, Zach Braff, Tom Wilkinson, Blythe Danner, director Tony Goldwyn). So kudos to the guy who cut the trailer.

There was a point in the movie where it lost me. Now being an avid watcher of TV and movies, suspension of disbelief is something I've learned to live with. However, I refuse to accept a universe where a college girl who looks like Rachel Bilson looks across a wedding and is instantly attracted to someone who looks like Zach Braff. Not because of his witty banter or anything but is immediately stalking him at this wedding to be closer to him. I'm sorry. I can't do it. I can accept a universe where the artificial intelligence has taken over, reduced humanity to living batteries and traps us in a simulated reality, but that scenario...that's just bullshit.

There were so many storylines and characters that were dropped in the middle of the movie and brought back just for the sake of resolution. The actors were all good in it (except Braff sounds awkward when he's begging forgiveness and calling someone "Baby"). Rachel Bilson was given some of the most clichéd dialogue ever. It was as if everything she said was a tagline on the poster to a romantic movie. I wonder how many times she laughed reciting those lines.

If it's any consolation, the soundtrack (Aimee Mann, Fiona Apple, Coldplay, Cary Brothers) was pretty good except this time I already had most of the songs on my iPod (so HA! Mr. Braff). I think the only reason Zach Braff does these kinds of movies is that they will let him make a mixtape and call it a soundtrack.

Continue reading Movie of the Week: The Last Kiss