2010 Movies
OSCARS Won/Nominated
IMDB Top 250
IMDB Top 250
OSCARS
Best Picture
Best Actor Best Adapted Screenplay Best Editing Best Original Score Best Original Song |
127 Hours
Dir: Danny Boyle Stars: James Franco Aron Rolston entered the desert to go hiking. He slipped and caused him arm to home crushed and trapped between a boulder and the canyon wall. He hadn't told anyone where he was going. He eventually had to cut off his arm to free himself. This is a story that actually happened back in 2003. Aron was all over the TV and definitely received his 15 minutes of fame. It seems like an occurrence that is pretty simple and would be difficult to sustain for feature film length. That is until Danny Boyle, arguably the most polished, original director working today, took the helm. A lot of things go through a 28 year old's mind when he faces his own mortality so clearly. Boyle and James Franco (wonderfully portraying Rolston) make Aron's predicament quite a roller coaster ride. They also portray that self-amputation so viscerally that my muscles were contracting and I was wincing harder than I ever have before. A- |
After.Life
Dir: Agnieszka Wojtowicz-Vosloo Stars: Christina Ricci, Liam Neeson, Justin Long Most movies are simply not good enough to have it both ways. After.Life, the new spooky thriller starring Liam Neeson, Christina Ricci, and Justin Long, is an example of a such a movie. Early on in the film, you realize that there are two ways this movie can turn out. Either Neeson is crazy or has gifts. One way…makes the movie silly, grotesque, and just plain creepy. The other way makes it confusing and unclear. The movie never decides and it therefore suffers because of it. C |
Agora
Dir: Alejandro Amenabar Stars: Rachel Weisz, Oscar Isaac With films like The Sea Inside, The Others and Open Your Eyes under his belt, Alejandro Amenabar can certainly make a thought provoking film. So I guess it makes sense that his new film focuses on the subject of thought. In the 4th century AD, the Library of Alexandria was the grand repository of civilization, culture, and morality. The famous female philosopher, mathematician, and astronomer, Hypatia taught many theories of the universe that were so alien to the times that she was considered by many to be an atheist, and atheism was not a virtue in a city where the Christians and the Pagans are out for each other’s blood. It was a volatile time, with violent subjects to tackle, and as beautifully well-made as Agora is, it doesn’t quite do the impactful story credit. C+ |
OSCARS
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Alice in Wonderland
Dir: Tim Burton Voices: Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter If you have followed Tim Burton’s career as closely as I have over the years, then you would have come to the same conclusion that he, Disney, and almost the entire entertainment community had already come to…that it was about time that he did Alice in Wonderland. All of Burton’s fiction seems staked in Wonderland. Pee Wee Herman could be said to be tumbling down the rabbit hole as he searched for his bike. Edward Scissorhands? Is that not a Lewis Carroll-esque creation? I could go on and on…but the fact of the matter is that Burton is born and bred to make this film…and it is pulled off admirably. This certainly isn’t a cutesy Alice in Wonderland that you may expect from Disney, but it does have some fantastic charm. It is equal parts Hook and The Chronicles of Narnia, all with that Gothic stamp that Burton brings to the table. Oh…and of course Johnny Depp is in it. B Bluray |
The A-Team
Dir: Joe Carnahan Stars: Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Sharlto Copely, Jessica Biel, Patrick Wilson Sometimes you can just tell when the filmmakers think the movie will just take care of itself because of the cast. This cast is pretty perfect, but the movie is so idiotic, poorly written, and void of excitement or intrigue that the cast is wasted. Joe Carnahan is a pretty outlandish director, and this is right up his alley...but you can just tell that too much was taken for granted. C |
Best Worst Movie
Dir: Michael Paul Stephenson Troll was a movie I grew up with...and it is excruciatingly awful. So it is certainly a feat that Troll 2 is even worse. The story about Troll 2 and how it got made and how absurdly inept it is is pretty fun...but this documentary doesn't have much to offer. Sure, the information about the making of the film is interesting, but the documentary never really rises above a bunch of different ways to say, "Can you believe how bad this movie is?" Yes...we get it...we are in on the joke because we have seen it. 90-minutes of hammering that home doesn't quite cut it. C- |
OSCARS
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Black Swan
Dir: Darren Aronofsky Stars: Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel, Mila Kunis 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die Such a grueling experience and such a tour-de-force by the incomparable Natalie Portman. This movie about a ballerina obsessed with obtaining a role...and so obsessed that she decends into paranoia and delusions, is simply fascinating from beginning to end. It is gorgeously presented by Darren Aronofsky, precisely acted, and pulses with sexual energy and psychological torture. My favorite part of this "decent into madness" trope is that you always understand what Portman's delusions are, what they mean, and how they are affecting her. Often times this stuff is treated with vagaries. The clarity is so appealing and satisfying A Bluray |
The Book of Eli
Dir: The Hughes Brothers Stars: Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Mila Kunis Post-Apocalypse is all the rage these days…and luckily we have gotten two decent films about it. They both have grizzled male leads, desolate landscapes, and freaks that eat humans for food. However, their male leads have VERY different methods to their existence. In The Road, Viggo Mortensen just wanted to survive with dignity…to do that is the best thing he can do for his son. In this film, Denzel Washington is on a seemingly mystical quest…to go west…always west…and watch out to anyone who stands in his way. It is atmospheric and has gravitas, and has a pretty absurd twist that I kind of dug, even if its plausibility is so far off the map. B |
Brooklyn's Finest
Dir: Antoine Fuqua Stars: Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke, Don Cheadle, Wesley Snipe <Director Antoine Fuqua, Ethan Hawke, Don Cheadle, and Richard Gere are great artists. They have made great movies and turned in great performances. They all team up together to bring us this movie about cops in Brooklyn. Of course, I am a bit biased about this subject because my wife WAS a cop in the Brooklyn projects, but I never got a “that would never happen” from her while watching this film. I was surprised. But you know what? I know the reason now…its because nothing really happens in this film, so it is hard to criticize how it is doing things. This movie is about 3 different kinds of cops…kind of a “week in the life” procedural. It did kind of make me mad that the title is obviously a little tongue in cheek. According to the filmmakers…there is no such thing as a good cop. C |
Buried
Dir: Rodrigo Cortes Stars: Ryan Reynolds How many movies can you think of that, more or less, take place in a single space? I can think of only a few off the top of my head. 2010’s Devil sort of qualifies since the action mostly takes place in an elevator, with some scenes of the outsider’s vantage point. Reservoir Dogs? Almost. The “current” action is all in the rendezvous point, but there is a whole lot of flashback material. Rodrigo Cortes’s film, <i>Buried</i>, takes this idea to the extreme. The ENTIRE movie…all 95 minutes of it, takes place in a coffin…where Ryan Reynolds has been buried alive and given only a few tools, including a cell phone. It is as riveting as any action movie of the year. Props to Reynolds because he does the impossible with this minimalist film by holding our focus and terrifying us for the whole run time. A- |
Case 39
Dir: Christian Alvart Stars: Renee Zellweger, Bradley Cooper, Ian McShane Vague, unexplained, unmotivated antagonists in thrillers can have many different effects on the quality of the film. In a superb thriller, such an antagonist can either have no effect because the rest of the film is so great or it can elevate the film to greatness. In a mediocre thriller, such antagonists can tip the scales in either direction, either spoiling the experience or making it tolerable. In a bad thriller, such antagonists will make a bad situation worse. When the acting and character development is really, really bad...you can always hope the villain is cool. If it isn't...you feel like you wasted two hours of your life. Such is Case 39. D |
Cave of Forgotten Dreams
Dir: Werner Herzog 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die Werner Herzog has an uncanny ability, through his techniques and his voice, to stir up emotion and interest in topics I may not have otherwise cared about. This film excels when he and his crew are allowed into Chauvet cave but their equipment and movements are limited. He has a story to tell, a cave to explore and discover, and philosophy to expound. I was hooked by the purity and beauty of this preserved, paleolithic cave and its 30,000 year old drawings...but the film inevitable becomes a bit repetitive. This is an astounding 60 minute documentary followed by a 30 minute exposition that becomes boring and loses its luster. B |
Chloe
Dir: Atom Egoyan Stars: Amanda Seyfried, Liam Neeson, Julianne Moore Atom Egoyan’s new film is full of sexiness, tension, and brooding seriousness…and it had a firm grasp on me until things began to unravel at the end. Seeing as many movies as I do, I often times watch a movie, and predict what I think a specific character’s motivations are…and often times I am right. Sometimes, when I am wrong, I am disappointed because I thought my idea would have worked much better. Such is the case in this movie. Chloe (Amanda Seyfried) is a high-class call girl, and the mystery surrounding her and what she is doing to the Stewart family is exciting. When it is no longer a mystery, however, it is hokey and uninteresting. Still…performances are rock solid in this film, so it squeaks by. C+ |
The Chronicles of Narnia:
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader Dir: Michael Apted Voices: Ben Barnes, Skander Keynes, Georgie Henley, Will Poulter Narnia is a magical place, both in the literary and the cinematic sense. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was a glorious adventure, full of wonder and magic. Prince Caspian was equally enjoyable, if a little more serious and dark…and inexplicably considered a flop. After this ridiculously perceived failure, Disney dropped their rights to the franchise and 20th Century Fox picked it up. Now we get the newest trip to Narnia with The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Narnia is still magical, Georgie Henley & Skandar Keynes are back as Lucy and Edmund, Ben Barnes is back as Prince Caspian, Liam Neeson is back as the voice of Aslan, and Reepicheep is back, this time voiced by Simon Pegg. However, it seems that 20th Century Fox and new director, Michael Apted, have phoned it in for this installment and seem to concede that the Narnia films have run their course. B- |
Clash of the Titans
Dir: Louis Leterrier Stars: Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton I am sucker for Greek and Roman mythology. When I was in college, my course load was chock-full of Biology, Chemistry, and Statistics courses. I always rounded it off with a course on Ancient Mythology, Philosophy, or religion. So a movie like Clash of the Titans is right up my alley…and when you get people like Liam Neeson to play Zeus and Ralph Fiennes to play Hades…it brings a smile to my face. Throw in a bit of special effects majesty and I should be giddy as a schoolboy. The truth is, I didn’t think the movie went quite far enough. Medusa, the Krakken, giant scorpions, Mt. Olympus…it was all there for me to revel in, but I kept thinking to myself that I wished they went a bit further. A film with such an epic scope can afford to have a bit more padding in its runtime. B- |
Cop Out
Dir: Kevin Smith Stars: Bruce Willis, Tracey Morgan, Seann William Scott Cop Out is director/screenwriter Kevin Smith’s first attempt at helming a movie that he personally did not write. Poor guy. I heard the story on his podcast about how after working on Live Free or Die Hard, Bruce Willis personally called up Smith and suggested they work together. I don’t blame Smith for jumping at the first opportunity to work with the Hollywood legend…but he certainly should have waited and written his own vehicle. This is a stale, uninspired, simpleton of a movie. After a raucous opening where it seems all the laughs were spent, the film spirals and spirals into a filmmaking oblivion. Kevin Smith, if nothing else, is a great screenwriter. His films pop with and because of their dialogue, even when the direction and even the acting are subpar. This film doesn’t have that safety net. It is someone else’s words and someone else’s style, choreographed by Kevin Smith. Directorial prowess is really not why people watch Smith’s movies. D+ |
Countdown to Zero
Dir: Lucy Walker A documentary about how the likelihood of nuclear weapons usage has increased due to the rise of terrorism and lack of safeguards and verification. There is no denying that this is a compelling and frightening subject, but this film seems to add nothing to to conversation. Nukes exist, bad people might get them. Everyone knows that. How about some insight into solutions or safeguards. It is almost simply a scare tactic. C- |
The Crazies
Dir: Breck Eisner Stars: Radha Mitchell, Timothy Olyphant Take a couple of B-list actors, throw in an “event” for the cause, buy a huge make-up trailer, and bring George Romero along for the ride, and you’ve got yourself a run-of-the-mill zombie movie. These movies are a dime a dozen, and sometimes they are unwatchably bad. Competent director, Breck Eisner’s zombie movie is passable…and only really because I like Timothy Olyphant. The Crazies, as poorly titled as it is, provides grotesque creatures, government accidents, false alarms, and bloody deaths…its everything you’d expect from a zombie movie…hence there isn’t anything very original or surprising. This isn’t 28 Days Later or Shaun of the Dead. C |
Creation
Dir: Jon Amiel Stars: Paul Bettany, Jennifer Connelly Paul Bettany had essentially already played Charles Darwin with his Naturalist character in Master & Commander. The problem with this film that when he portrays the famous scientist, it is lesser in every way to that previous role. This film is long, stoic, and dare I say, boring. There is inherent interest for me because of the subject matter, but the film doesn't effectively portray the religious and societal problems with Darwin's theory. It is more focused on the man...and who really cares what he personally thought. C+ |
Date Night
Dir: Shawn Levy Stars: Steve Carell, Tina Fey, Mark Wahlberg For an action comedy to be successful, the comedy has to be side-splittingly funny and/or the action has to be dazzling. The only, last ditch savior of an action comedy is the chemistry of the lead characters. In 2010, Kick Ass is a good example of this first rule...Date Night is a good example of the second. This film, directed by Shawn Levy, thrives on it's co-leads, the hilarious Steve Carell and Tina Fey. The entire premise isn't very creative, and the film is neither an exceptional comedy nor action film... But the Fosters are so likable, so believable, and just so damn nice, any shortcomings the film has are completely glossed over. I love when that happens. B- |
Daybreakers
Dir: The Spierig Brothers Stars: Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe, Sam Neill <p>Vampires have always been great subjects for fiction, but not since Francis Ford Coppola's <I>Dracula</I> have they been given the old school Universal, 1930's treatment. The mythos has been altered in many different ways to provide a new angle and a new experience. The Twilight series made vampires all teen angsty. 30 Days of Night moved them up north and made them very violent beasts. The Underworld franchise made them all gothic and looking like dominatrixes. The Spierig brothers have given us a new twist. This time around, vampire kind is the vast majority of civilization, the human population has been decimated to less than 5%, and humans are farmed for their blood. When we are welcomed into the story, blood is running short...and a starving vampire is not who you'd like to spend your spare time with. It's a cool twist on the genre, done with more spit and polish than a lot of these films. B- |
Death at a Funeral
Dir: Neil laBute Stars: Chris Rock, Martin LAwrence, Peter Dinklage, Zoe Saldana, James Marsden, Luke Wilson, Tracey Morgan Like its 2007 British counterpart, Neil Labute’s Death at a Funeral, is often very funny, often misguided, and thrives on its own potential for comedy. With a cast like this, the audience sits there on edge, prepared to laugh out loud at all times. When a joke doesn’t misfire, that pent up energy explodes out and the reaction is a bit disproportional. I enjoyed this film, but it misfired more that it stuck the landing. Also...Luke Wilson is dreadfully unfunny and ruins every second he is on screen. B Bluray |
Despicable Me
Dir: Pierre Coffin, Chris Renaud Voices: Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand It took a while, but eventually I was won over by this film. Animated films about goofy super villains are a dime a dozen these days, and when the film started, I was only moderately amused. Steve Carrell is stretching his accent chops as Gru, a pointy-nosed, rotund villain who has been recently upstaged by a younger villain who stole the pyramid at Giza. This villain rookie, Vector (Jason Segel) is pretty good at what he does, so Gru decides to steal the moon. There ya go….pretty straight forward idea….and for about 20-30min of the movie, I didn’t think it was going to get anywhere. Megamind it is not...but it is perfectly fine. B Bluray |
Devil
Dir: John Erick Dowdle Stars: Chris Messina, Logan Marshall Green A bunch of people are trapped in an elevator...so the storytelling is limited. People start dying and otherworldly things start to rear its ugly head. It does keep you guessing and the paranoia is palpable...but the movie hardly ever gets beyond being simply a stunt. A clever one...but still only a stunt. C |
Dinner for Schmucks
Dir: Jay Roach Stars: Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, Bruce Greenwood, Zach Galafianakis, Jemaine Clement What an entirely unpleasant, unnatural, and mean-spirited movie this is. Sure…seeing a movie with Paul Rudd and Steve Carrell in it looks OUTSTANDING on paper, but the actual experience is pretty painful. When a comic, or several comics, create characters that are so outside the realm of real life and real experience, the comedy has to be light-hearted for the gag to work. Take Ace Ventura…now THAT was an outlandish character that no one believes actually exists…but Jim Carrey brought a charm to it and the filmmakers treated him like a joyous anomaly in an otherwise normal universe. In this movie, comics like Carrell and Zack Galafianakis create beings that are so far beyond what anyone would consider, even, Abnormal. Carrell is a naïve doofus who collects dead mice and dresses them up. Galafianakis is an over-the-top auditor who exhibits himself as the world’s greatest hypnotist without ever being successful. I’m sure comedy could be strained out of these characters…but the scenarios they find themselves in are so negative…you just don’t WANT to laugh at anything. You just want it to be over. D |
Due Date
Dir: Todd Phillips Stars: Robert Downey Jr, Zack Galifianakis I think this is the movie that finally made me over and sick of Galifianakis. Luckily...this movie has RDJ in it to keep it on the rails. RDJ plays a guy who needs to get home for the birth of his child. Due to the idiocy of Galifianakis, RDJ finds himself penniless and desperate and needing the idiot to transport him to where he needs to go. RDJ's exasperation and hate is equally shared by the audience so it makes the whole venture work. But please oh please...lets forget this Galifianakis character. It is getting so old. B |
Easy A
Dir: Will Gluck Stars: Emma Stone, Amanda Bynes, Thomas Hayden Church, Lisa Kudrow <A good high school comedy, especially those focusing on the female experience, have to have two things to be successful. First of all, the “heroine” must be likeable, charismatic, funny, and magnetic enough to carry the entire film. Second of all, the writing must be sharp as a tack and smarter than it deserves to be. The last success in this genre that I can think of is Mean Girls, which was written by Tina Fey and Lindsay Lohan was great, before she fell off a cliff in the following years. This film, starring Emma Stone and written by rookie screenwriter Bert Royal, is an even greater success. The charm is there, the laughter is there, the supporting characters are not just hollow caricatures, unless comedy insists that they have to. It is refreshing to see little high school comedies can still surprise you with how well they are executed. B+ Bluray |
Edge of Darkness
Dir: Martin Campbell Stars: Mel Gibson, Ray Winstone, Danny Huston <You know that feeling you get when you see a movie that was utterly meaningless? You know…when you realize that such a film will never be on the actor’s retrospective when they die, will never be up for any awards, and will always be forgotten when people talk about films in a particular year? Mel Gibson’s Edge of Darkness is a movie like that. It has a fantastic pedigree with Gibson, Ray Winstone, Danny Huston, and director Martin Campbell…but as I watched the film, I felt so detached from the action, so sterilized from the emotion, and I felt like I was going to forget the movie right after I saw it. We have seen the parent avenges child’s death a million times and most recently, Kevin Bacon did that superbly in Death Sentence. This time around…it feels too much like it is on autopilot. C |
Enter the Void
Dir: Gaspar Noe Stars: Nathaniel Brown, Paz De La Huerta I am going to describe this movie as best I can in comparisons. Note: I fell for it all. Imagine Wes Anderson and David Lynch had a kid. That kid grew up to be a mad genius. Then he took psychadelic mushrooms and set out to make a movie that is equal parts Hardcore Henry and Koyannisqatsi, abstractly following several levels of afterlife experiences. Actually...I'm proud of that description. A- |
Exam
Dir: Stuart Hazeldine Stars: Adar Beck, Gemma Chan, Jimi Mistry Black, Brown, Blonde, Brunette, White, Dark, Deaf, and Chinese. These are the alias names the 8 candidates give each other in this film. These 8 people are in a room, at the last stage of a job application process, and they are given very specific instructions by someone called the Invigilator. There is one question before them and one answer. They have 80 minutes to answer it. They are all given a pencil and a piece of paper with their candidate number on it. They are all told if they try to communicate with the Invigilator or the armed guard in the room, they will be disqualified. If they choose to leave the room for any purpose, they will be disqualified. If they spoil their papers, they will be disqualified. All of the candidates are understandably confused…but the confusion gets even more severe when the Invigilator leaves, the timer begins to countdown, and there is absolutely nothing written on the other side of the papers. Pretty damn exciting. B- |
The Expendables
Dir: Sylvester Stallone Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Terry Crews, Dolph Lundgren Look at the men in that poster. These men have been whetting the cinematic action whistle for decades, and it is quite satisfying to see them all thrown up on the screen together. Now…no one who was ever aware of Sylvester Stallone’s new film, The Expendables, would ever think, in a million years, that it would be a good film. It can’t be, because no one in the movie ever became famous for being a good actor (with the arguable exception of Bruce Willis). People expect to see a lot of bullets, a lot of muscles, and a lot of dead henchmen when they go to this movie…and they do get it. However, there is one fundamental flaw in The Expendables and that is it should have been a full blown comedy. It is so absurd that when it tries to take itself seriously...it just comes across as stupid instead of exciting. C+ |
The Experiment
Dir: Paul Scheuring Stars: Adrien Brody, Forest Whitaker This is a dramatization of the Stanford Prison Experiment where a bunch of people entered the experiment only to be designated randomly to be either a prisoner or a guard. This film takes it to such an illogical, unbelievable extreme that it destroys the narrative. The social dynamics that may have, and certainly did, arise with such an experiment could be interesting. This movie tries to tell us someone would almost IMMEDIATELY become a power hungry, homicidal psychopath when given the "guard" label. No one just goes home and says "screw this". It's just weird and too unbelievable to be intriguing. D+ |
Extraordinary Measures
Dir: Tom Vaughan Stars: Brendan Fraser, Keri Russell, Harrison Ford I think I have a few criteria in going on in my life that made me enjoy Extraordinary Measures a bit more than I should have, because it’s a pretty sappy movie. One: I am a scientist, and I can understand and relate to the frustration, the arrogance, and the protection that comes with one’s expertise and grueling experimentation. Two: I currently have a family member stuck in the hospital and there are a whole lot of doctors doing everything they can do right the situation. Three: I actually am friendly with someone who is once removed from the Crowley family…the family this film is about…who has two kids under 10 diagnosed with the dreadful Pompe’s disease. I sat in front of my TV, with the blu-ray in place, and I cried and cried. I think my psyche is a bit fragile these days…because this is definitely a mediocre-to-poor movie. C |
OSCARS
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The Fighter
Dir: David O. Russell Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams, David O. Russell is an actor's director...because he doesn't do anything incredibly interesting behind the camera...but he gets performances out of his cast that is far superior than the movie even deserves. This boxing film about Micky Ward and his drug addled brother/trainer is just magically well-acted and It is such a pleasure to watch. A- Bluray |
From Paris With Love
Dir: Pierre Morel Stars: John Travolta, Jonathan Rhys Meyers Last year, Director Pierre Morel superbly convinced us of the near invincibility of an aging Hollywood star as he tore through Paris. Last year, that was Liam Neeson in Taken, a movie that came out of nowhere with its brilliant simplicity and lit up the box office. This year, once again, Morel has an aging star tearing through Paris. This year, it is John Travolta in this film. This is a dumber, sillier, and less focused foray into the hyper-action espionage genre. Unlike Neeson's character, who spends plenty of time investigating in quite meticulous ways, Travolta plays a character that is absurdly omniscient. He knows everything, at the exact, opportune time, without hesitation...and completely absent of any explanation of HOW he knows what he knows. It provides a movie that may have some fun action and decent comedy but is void of excitement. If your hero knows everything and can do anything...how can you be nervous for him? C |
Get Him to the Greek
Dir: Nicholas Stoller Stars: Russell Brand, Jonah Hill, Sean Combs, Elizabeth Moss There are pretty much two things that I can’t stand in modern comedies: drug humor and forced sentimentality. If two things define Get Him to the Greek, Director Nicholas Stoller’s new film that is a spin-off of Forgetting Sarah Marshall, it is drug humor and forced sentimentality. I guess it goes a HELL of a long way explaining how well done this film is that the drug humor made my sides split with laughter and the forced sentimentality actually wound up weighing heavily on me. I knew I was going to enjoy this film, because Russell Brand as Aldous Snow was probably my favorite part of Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and I thought that film was outstanding. I didn’t realize that I would enjoy this film SO much, quoting the songs in it, re-enacting one-liners, and posting thoughts on facebook almost immediately. B+ Bluray |
The Ghost Writer
Dir: Roman Polanski Stars: Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan It is so refreshing when an iconic director can still pull a rabbit out of his hat. The synopsis of this movie makes is seem boring, where a nothing writer is hired to adapt and rewrite the journals of an ex-Prime Minister of the UK. What actually comes out of it is tense, engaging, and thrilling to the highest order. When Ewan McGregor's rookie author stumbles upon stuff that very very powerful men do not want getting out, the cat & mouse game that ensues is completely satisfying and entertaining. B+ |
The Girl Who Played With Fire
Dir: Daniel Alfredson Stars: Noomi Rapace, Michael Nyqvist It is inevitable that this sequel would be a bit of a letdown after the brilliant first film. This time around, Lisbeth is accused of 3 murders and is on the lam while Mikael is out to clear her name. After the vicious, twisty-turny original film, this one feels much more formulaic and ceases to be unique. it is a good thing Rapace and Nyqvist are so good because it makes the movie that much better. B |
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Dir: Niels Arden Oplev Stars: Noomi Rapace, Michael Nyqvist I really dislike the phrase, "It wasn't as good as the book!". I think that is a meaningless observation. The experiences meant to be derived from books and cinema are completely different. When one reads a book, the words on the page allow the reader to construct their own world in their imagination and have a truly personal experience for several hours, or even days. A movie is a chance for the audience to be brought into another's imagination for a short while. Personal imagination will almost always win out in preference, but to say it is objectively "better" isn't really fair. The point I am making is relevant to The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, a Swedish adaptation of the worldwide phenomenon novel by Stieg Larsson. Everyone under the sun has read this book (except me) and most think it is one of the most exciting, intriguing mysteries they have read in a long time. I am glad I came to this film fresh, with only the awareness of it's universal appeal, because if the book is better than the movie, as most people would unfairly proclaim, then what we have here is a novel worthy of the Pulitzer. B+ |
Going the Distance
Dir: Nanette Burstein Stars: Drew Barrymore, Justin Long Going the Distance is a pretty straightforward romantic comedy that strains to earn it's "R" rating. However, the chemistry between Drew Barrymore and Justin Long is very well realized (probably because of their real life romance) and the well-written supporting parts make it more than serviceable. My wife rolled her eyes when Barrymore's character proclaimed that her favorite film is The Shawshank Redemption and said, "Well...you love this movie now!" Maybe not love...but I definitely like it. B- |
Grown Ups
Dir: Dennis Dugan Stars: Adam Sandler, Kevin James, David Spade, Chris Rock, Rob Schneider Adam Sandler’s good movies are almost always high concept (Click, 50 First Dates). His poor movies are usually stupidly simple (Mr. Deeds, Just Go With It). Grown Ups doesn’t fall into either category…because it really isn’t a movie. It is a gathering of Adam Sandler and his comic pals while they rag on each other. There isn’t a plot…just a setup. There is no conflict…just a few minor issues that are played for laughs. As a movie…I would fail Grown Ups in almost every way. However…there were several times that I laughed my ass off…and that always goes a long way. C |
Gulliver's Travels
Dir: Rob Letterman Stars: Jack Black, Jason Segel, Emily Blunt I think Jack Black was the wrong choice for this film. I feel like this film would have benefitted from more of a straight man in the titular role. The schtick of this story has always been a giant in a little people's world...and there isn't enough room to squeeze Jack Black's schtick in too. The effects are fine and the story is familiar...but it just winds up being a whole lot of nothing. Maybe a bit of disney-fication could have been beneficial. C |
OSCARS
Best Art Direction
Best Visual Effects |
Harry Potter and the
Deathly Hallows Part 1 Dir: David Yates Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint Harry Potter is back, along with the high quality film franchise, the fantastic excitement, the top-notch production design, the eclectic cast of characters, and the impending sense of dread. What isn’t back is the magic. I don’t really mean that as a complaint, just an observance. In all six of the previous installments…Harry Potter spent his time at Hogwart’s where he always ran into a new creature, a new spell, a new teacher played by some famous Brit thespian, or a new pubescent emotion. This time around…there is no room for niceties and magical wonder. Voldemort is back and after the death of Dumbledore in Half Blood Prince…Harry has decided to leave school and spend his time tracking down the horcruxes that Voldemort has split his soul into and destroying them…thus making the dark lord vulnerable during a final showdown. If you are confused by any part of this opening paragraph…then I do not think you should bother. To make it all the way to Movie #7…you have to bring to it a whole lot of knowledge of the world and a whole lot of investment in the three main characters. I am thoroughly invested so I loved it. B+ Bluray |
OSCARS
Best Visual Effects
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Hereafter
Dir: Clint Eastwood Stars: Matt Damon, Cecile de France, Bryce Dallas Howard The fact that Clint Eastwood is getting so old, it is great that he has the talent and patience to handle this movie about the promise and hopes of an afterlife. This is one of those movies with several characters whose lives eventually intersect, and the subject matter lends itself to ultimate melodrama...but the movie resists the melodrama and is pleasant. B |
Hot Tub Time Machine
Dir: Steve Pink Stars: John Cusack, Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, Clark Duke Sometimes it is difficult to write a review when your friend perfectly spelled out how you, yourself felt about a movie. So is the case with this film. It is an idiotic, R-rated comedy in the wake of last year’s idiotic, R-rated comedy, The Hangover. It’s about male bonding, profanity, sex, and gross-out humor…but this time around, it takes place in 1986. As my friend said, the energy in this film is relentless…and it makes what doesn’t work (and it is a lot) go right over your head because they are already onto the next joke and the next premise. It is a kind of manic energy that INSISTS you enjoy yourself and I found it hard not to get caught up in it…even though I recognized it was only a mediocre comedy. B- |
How Do You Know
Dir: James L. Brooks Stars: Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, Owen Wilson, Jack Nicholson This is a James L. Brooks directed romantic comedy with Witherspoon, Wilson, Rudd, and Nicholson in it. You got that? I know I saw this movie...I have the ticket stub. I have zero recollection of it. I remember it being bland and uninteresting, but you could hold a gun to my head and I wouldn't be able to tell you one scene or one interaction in the film. Pretty much sums up my feelings. This director, that cast, no recollection. C |
OSCARS
Best Animated Film
Best Original Score |
How to Train Your Dragon
Dir: Dean Deblois & Chris Sanders Voices: Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Craig Ferguson, Jonah Hill, TJ Miller, Kristen Wiig IMDB #178 In recent years, Pixar has gloriously maneuvered their mission statement as to make movies that are poignant for adults but cute and fun enough for children. This approach has been enormously successful (Ratatouille, WALL-E, Up) and has produced near-perfect film experiences. However, in those same recent years, DreamWorks Animation has quietly been making some masterpieces of their own, all the while gripping onto a childlike fascination and forgoing the maturation of their storylines. Kung Fu Panda was arguably the funniest, most exciting film of that particular year. Shrek can’t be praised enough. Even the lesser film Monster Vs. Aliens had it’s undeniable charm. Now we get How to Train Your Dragon, which one might expect is cheesy because a movie about dragons must only be a way to merchandise, right? Nope…HTTYD is outrageous fun…every last breathtaking minute of it. It is another of DreamWorks’ triumphs that embraces the childlike fascination with colorful creatures, characters, and landscapes. A- |
The Human Centipede
Dir: Tom Six Stars: Dieter Laser If you are a cinephile like I am….then in 2010,this movie was on your radar. Even my mother, upon learning that my wife and I were sitting down to watch this film, expressed her horror and disgust with us. It is one of those movies that become a cult hit because of its audacity…even such an audacity is simply its underlying plot. The Human Centipede wore what it is about on its sleeve…and the attraction to get people into the theater, or to rent it, was human nature. I know the reason I wanted to see the movie is the morbid curiosity of seeing the lengths at which filmmakers are willing to go. That all being said...it is actually a better horror movie than it has any business being. C |
I Love You, Phillip Morris
Dir: Glen Ficarra & John Requa Stars: Jim Carrey, Ewan McGregor, Leslie Mann What a fun movie. It has a bit of everything. It has the comedy/drama of living life secretly as a gay man, coming out as a gay man, living the gay lifestyle, and then turning into a brilliant con-man...all with some twists and turns in the story that keep you guessing. Not only is all the cons and things entertaining, but the prison love story between Carrey and McGregor is incredibly sweet. B Bluray |
OSCARS
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Inception
Dir: Christopher Nolan Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Cillian Murphy, Ken Watanabe 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die IMDB #14 To put it as simply as possible, Inception is a brilliant fucking movie!!! It has been so long since a movie had come out that made me think so much, feel so strongly, and marvel at the inspired creativity behind its creators…all the while keeping me guessing. I guarantee you have never quite seen anything like this before, and director/writer Christopher Nolan seems to know this. It is as complicated a movie that has been out in decades, but it is so well delivered, so well explained, and so shrouded in mystery that all you have to do is pay close attention, and you’ll be fine. No bathroom breaks, no smooching your date…this is a movie that rewards intelligent perseverance, and it is all done by making the “It’s all a dream” cliché seem fresh, original, and redefined as a valid plot device. A Bluray |
Ip Man
Dir: Wilson Yip Stars: Donnie Yen Martial Arts movies are a dime a dozen...and Ip Man may not stand out in they crowd like The Raid or Kung Fu Hustle might...but it is still solid entertainment. Donnie Yen is a great action star, showing impressive athleticism while simultaneously showing stoicism. Also...the acting and storyline are also better then the average Martial Arts film. B |
OSCARS
Best Visual Effects
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Iron Man 2
Dir: Jon Favreau Stars: Robert Downey, Jr, Mickey Rourke, Sam Rockwell, Gwentyth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson You know, the charisma of your star can go a very long way in elevating your movie from mediocre to good. Iron Man 2 is an absolutely mediocre film. The story is pretty much the same as it was in the first film, where an old Stark family acquaintance wants to use the Iron Man technology for their own sinister end, whether that be for revenge or for monetary gain, and Tony Stark needs to innovate the device in his chest to keep himself alive. Isn’t that what happened last time? The addition of the sultry Scarlett Johansson is not well developed, Rhodey's motivation for the creation of "War Machine" is completely inexplicable and seemingly motivated by a tantrum, and the S.H.I.E.L.D. stuff with Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury feels forced, unfocused, and only interested in the future. B Bluray |
It's Kind of a Funny Story
Dir: Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck Stars: Keir Gilchrist, Emma Roberts, Zach Galafianakis This is a middle of the road dramedy because for every cliche it barrels over your head, it throws you a surprising curveball that snaps you out of complacency. This is a story about a high-schooler who realizes he may be suicidal, so he checks into a psych-ward hoping to get some advice but he gets stuck there for a week. It uses every psych-ward trope you have ever seen...and it all feels so familiar and bland...but there are a few scenes with Galifianakis that are touching, scary, and surprising. Kind of a "you think YOUR problems are bad?" reality check. C+ |
Jackass 3D
Dir: Jeff Tremaine Stars: Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Ryan Dunn, Steve-O I’ve been dishing out B+ reviews for Jackass movies since 2002. I realize that they are not really movies but freak-show exhibitions. Do I really think Jackass 3D is a better "movie" than any of my B movies of 2010? Or even the Cs for that matter? Of course not. But Jackass has an uncanny ability to make me laugh, chortle, wince, and be shocked in ways that other movies/TV shows do not. It hasn’t gotten old. It hasn’t gotten repetitive. The gross-outs are grosser, the pain is more painful, and it is in crystal clear, flawless 3D…and I can’t get enough. B+ |
Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work
Dir: Ricki Stern A documentary about Joan Rivers is obviously going to make you laugh...and this one does. However...I watch documentaries like this to LEARN about the subject. I feel like this documentary is more of an exhibition of Rivers's career instead of a biography. I feel her legacy isn't discussed, her life isn't shown, and he influences/failures/inspirations are barely touched on. Just over and over, we get her being funny...so it is just a puff piece. C+ |
Jonah Hex
Dir: Jimmy Hayward Stars: Josh Brolin, Megan Fox, John Malkovich, Michael Fassbender, Will Arnett, Michael Shannon So a civil war bounty hunter, whose family was murdered in front of him during the war, is out to stop demons from encroaching into the world, or something. This is utter and complete garbage. How can a cast like this with a huge budget behind it be so utterly incompetent. Nothing is fun, nothing is funny, nothing is scary, nothing is sexy, nothing is exciting. When you take all that out of a comic-book adaptation...what the hell is left? D- |
Kick Ass
Dir: Matthew Vaughn Stars: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Christopher Mintze-Plasse, Chloe Grace Moretz, Nicholas Cage I agree with Roger Ebert when he questions the morality of having an 11-year-old girl trained to kill and beaten to within an inch of her life. It is morally reprehensible to do that to a child, and it is pretty f’ed up to watch it. But it IS a movie based on a comic book…and the movie seems to suggest that this 11-year-old is a sociopathic freak who is going to have quite a hard time growing into puberty. Because of what has been done to her, she will probably cut the head off the first guy that ever disappoints her. This is a great movie; the cinematic cousin of Watchmen, and it definitely agrees that Hit-Girl is an entity that never should have been created and it is tantamount to child abuse…but it takes said creation as given and shows what would happen if. Big Daddy and Hit Girl are sick, vengeful, disturbed people…but damn can they fight…and THAT’s entertaining as hell!! Notice I haven't discussed the titular character...but he is there to basically get his ass kicked in horrible ways. B+ |
OSCARS
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The King's Speech
Dir: Tom Hooper Stars: Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham-Carter 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die There has been a lot of buzz about Tom Hooper’s The King’s Speech during awards season. Just how good is it? Just about as good as you can be. It is one of those little British gems a la The Queen that just hits all the right notes, all the actors are spot on, and they bring the concept of royalty and its importance to the British people to the American audience in a comprehensive, emotional way. The British monarchy is chock full of stories that have populated the cinema for decades. What a story we have here about what King George VI went through to overcome the stutter that may have crushed the resolve of the British people on the eve of WWII. A Bluray |
Knight and Day
Dir: James Mangold Stars: Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, Peter Sarsgaard I still can stand Diaz, and I like Cruise, and Mangold is a capable director....but this story about an innocent girl getting caught up with a good looking spy and injecting excitement into her life is so run-of-the-mill that it is almost infuriating. It is not that the film is poorly made...but really...who cares!! C |
Leap Year
Dir: Anand Tucker Stars: Amy Adams, Matthew Goode, Adam Scott Soon after seeing Valentine’s Day, a horrible movie with actors I like…I subject myself to Leap Year, an even WORSE movie with actors I like even more. Oh Amy Adams, so good in movies like Enchanted, Sunshine Cleaning, Doubt, and Julie & Julia. Oh Matthew Goode, so good in movies like Match Point, Watchmen, and Brideshead Revisited. How on EARTH did you wind up in this awful garbage. This might possibly qualify as the worst romantic “comedy” I have ever seen….EVER. F |
Leaves of Grass
Dir: Tim Blake Nelson Stars: Edward Norton, Kerri Russell This is a quirky, odd, and fun little movie about purposefully mistaken identities between two identical brothers, Bill & Brady Kincaid. The great Edward Norton portrays both brothers, and he wonderfully fashions two very different personalities, which could only be done by an actor of his caliber. The story is a little silly, the direction isn’t particularly inspired, and the other performances can be considered cartoony, but I have a certain intangible amiability for this movie. Remember how fun it was to watch Edward Norton as that milquetoast fool, Sheldon Mopes in Death to Smoochy? Same kind of performance, but from a more heartfelt and interesting direction.</p> B- |
Legend of the Guardians:
The Owls of Ga'Hoole Dir: Zack Snyder Voices: Jim Sturgess, Hugo Weaving, David Wenham, Joel Edgerton When you overlay breathtaking visuals and an inspired, artistic director over a simple, archetypal story…you get top quality entertainment like this. Zack Snyder, the visionary director behind 300 and Watchmen lends his eye for detail and slow motion extremes to an animated, 3D world populated with owls. Even more so then its obvious inspiration, Happy Feet, there wasn’t one moment that I believed these characters were not actual owls, trained to talk and react to the camera. This film is a dazzling spectacle that is held back from greatness from its predictability and seemingly rushed sense of storytelling, but still one of the most gorgeous animated films in years. B+ |
Legion
Dir: Scott Stewart Stars: Paul Bettany, Dennis Quaid, Adrianne Palicki The Old Testament is chock full of details and mythology that is always prime fodder for horror, action, and comedy films. Wrath of God, choirs of Angels, possessions…it’s all great stuff for the cinematic medium. Because of this, and because of my affinity toward Paul Bettany, I was quite excited for Legion, an apocalyptic thriller where, we are told, God has sent angels down to Earth to exterminate mankind…and a lone entity named Michael (Bettany) has come down to defend “makind’s only hope”. This could have been a swell thriller, with darkness, firefights, and some great mythological flexing…but it is just a whole bunch of action with no story explaining why any of it is necessary. Why is god angry? Why is Michael willing to defy him? Why is Charlie’s unborn child the only hope for humanity? Why can Michael & Gabriel come down to Earth and effect it physically while God’s army of angels must possess the weak-minded and act out God’s will through zombie intermediates? I shouldn't have to think about this nonsense this hard. C- |
Let Me In
Dir: Matt Reeves Stars: Kodi-Smit McPhee, Chloe Grace Moretz, Richard Jenkins For years now, vampires have been all the rage. Twilight, True Blood, The Vampire Diaries, Underworld...they are everywhere. However, two years ago, a small Swedish film called Let the Right One In showed us that vampires can still be creepy and intriguing without being decked out in leather, constantly having sex, or glittering in the sunlight. Director Matt Reeves of Cloverfield fame has decided to remake it, but not with a bunch of high profile stars. He has done it right, bringing all of the creepiness and atmosphere of the original and adding some STELLAR direction and visceral violence. This is top notch spookery, and even though young stars Kodi-Smit McPhee, Chloe Grace Moretz, and veteran character actor, Richard Jenkins, are superb. Matt Reeves is the star here. B+ |
The Losers
Dir: Sylvain White Stars: Chris Evans, Zoe Saldana, Idris Elba, Jeffrey Dean Morgan A film adaptation of a popular DC Comic, it's one of those whiz-bang action movies that really could be a lot worse. It can also be a lot better. It is one of those movies where the mounds of bullets, the bodies, the angst, the bloodlessness, the stunts, and the testosterone are all piled up as high as possible. It is one of those movies that are akin to a night playing Jenga. There are lots of oohs and ahhs, lots of laughs, and a lot of excitement...that is until the excitement is built so high that it all comes tumbling down and makes a huge mess. However, even then, you are looking forward to building the tower anew. C+ |
Love & Other Drugs
Dir: Edward Zwick Voices: Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway, Judy Greer I don't really have a good reason for not grading this film higher other than it just didn't click with me. I can see people falling in love with this film or crying their eyes out. It did neither for me. I recognize how well it is made, with Zwick at the helm and two fantastic leads...but what develops as sad I felt was only melodrama and I felt like I was TOLD they were in love and not shown it properly. This is just ok. B- |
MacGruber
Dir: Jorma Taccone Stars: Will Forte, Kristen Wiig, Ryan Phillippe <Few skits on recent Saturday Night Live episodes made me constantly laugh more than the MacGruber skits…where Will Forte portrayed a version of MacGyver whose problems always prevent him from defusing a bomb at the last second. When I learned that it would be turned into a feature length film, I was excited…but apprehensive. It has happened before, where an SNL skit that I loved was turned into a film, but the concept could sustain an entire movie (A Night at the Roxbury, The Ladies Man). Well….MacGruber can’t quite sustain it either. What made the skits so funny is the abbreviated version of the events, and the sudden explosions in the face of some deep personal issue. A full length movie, while able to make me laugh out loud at several moments, is far to stupid and flimsy. C+ Bluray |
Machete
Dir: Robert Rodriguez Stars: Danny Trejo, Michelle Rodriguez, Robert DeNiro Within the first 5 minutes of Machete, I actually said, “This movie is going to be awesome!!”. The fake trailers between the two Grindhouse films back in 2007, were arguably the most enjoyable part of the experience. When Danny Trejo comes on the screen in the beginning scene of this film wielding a huge machete, the blood flies in the most ridiculously over-the-top ways, and it was equally horrifying, hilarious, and grotesque…and man-oh-man…was I hoping this level of ridiculousness would sustain itself. Well…it really doesn’t. I give kudos to director Robert Rodriguez, because he is a man who tries very different things while making his films…but this doesn’t quite hold up as a full film. A couple of decent, if stoic, performances are off-put by some horrible ones…and the pseudo-intellectual commentary on illegal immigration just feels forced and often offensive. C |
Megamind
Dir: Tom McGrath Voices: Will Ferrell, Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Tina Fey Somehow Despicable Me has become a worldwide phenomenon, making billions upon billions of dollars across several films, and this gem from Dreamworks remains un-sequalized and forgotten. This is a far superior supervillain-gone-good film. The voices are all so funny, it is far more clever, and it seemed JUST as ready to have a sequel as any other Dreamworks success. It is just a shame. B+ |
Monsters
Dir: Gareth Edwards Stars: Scoot McNairy 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die Why is this film called Monsters anyway? I’m a little confused. This is a movie about a world where six years ago, a space probe looking for alien life forms crash-landed in Mexico and a large chunk of land between Mexico and the US has been walled off and considered the “Infected Zone” due to the sprouting up of extraterrestrial life. Everyone in the film calls them “Creatures”. Maybe “Monsters” is supposed to represent the humans, in some sort of lost allegory, since we are the ones shooting at these life forms seemingly unprovoked. This is just one small confusion in this spectacularly boring and uninvolved film. D |
Morning Glory
Dir: Roger Michell Stars: Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton The cast in this film is perfect. They are dumped in a scenario where a rookie TV producer has to revitalize a famous morning news show where the two veteran anchors are out for each other's blood. That's all fine...but this movie has no teeth. I felt like it was just a bunch of silly name-calling and crankiness. It all boils down to unpleasant people not worth redeeming...and so there is no investment in what happens. C- |
The Next Three Days
Dir: Paul Haggis Stars: Russell Crowe, Elizabeth Banks I guess this thriller is ok, if you completely turn your brain off for its runtime. Not for a second do you buy that family man Russell Crowe has the skill to break his wife out of jail, whom he thinks is innocent of murder. Everything he does is so obvious and not stealth that it is totally unbelievable that nobody sees what he is doing. Also, the twist that the film relies so heavily on, is so obvious that it has no emotional impact when it occurs. BUT...the performances and direction are ok so it is a marginal form of entertainment. C+ |
A Nightmare on Elm Street
Dir: Samuel Brayer Stars: Jackie Earle Haley, Rooney Mara To attempt to fully remake one of the most iconic horror movies of all time is a losing prospect. Freddy Krueger is arguably the most famous cinematic slasher ever, so to put Jackie Earle Haley in burn makeup and fashion him with the blade-glove and try to make us forget Robert Englund is just stupid. Every second of this film feels lesser to the original. The scares aren't as scary, there aren't the laughs the original had, and it offers nothing different or unique to make it even worth your while. That all being said...even though it is pointless and lesser in every way, people who have never seen the original might find it acceptable...because it is not made without skill. C- |
The Other Guys
Dir: Adam McKay Stars: Mark Wahlberg, WilL Ferrell, Eva Mendes, Michael Keaton, Steve Coogan I think I have figured out a huge problem with the current state of Will Ferrell movies. If he had a director and/or costar that was able to rein him in a bit, I am positive his movies would benefit. Will Ferrell thinks he is the funniest man alive and because he is such a superstar, everyone is terrified to tell him otherwise and point out that a joke is not funny. Without a checks and balances system... Comedy can't thrive. Mel Brooks is famous for intoning that if a joke is funny, it will be used, regardless of who wrote it. This film is another, in a long line of Will Ferrell movies that only barely rises above mediocre. No thanks to Ferrell. Wahlberg is far funnier in this film, Keaton steals the show in a way Ferrell wished, and there are some hysterical interactions with Steve Coogan that I loved. The only thing that was consistently funny with Ferrell is his chemistry with Mendes...otherwise he feels so forced. B Bluray |
The Oxford Murders
Dir: Alex de la Iglesia Stars: Elijah Wood, John Hurt It amazes me that such uninspired, such forgettable, such bland movies actually get green lit and released. This film is about a mathematics prodigy who enrolls in Oxford University to be taught by his idol...who them gets embroiled in a murder case that has to do with mathematical symbols and stuff. This movie was so boring...and it is that simple. D |
Paranormal Activity 2
Dir: Tod Williams In 2009, Paranormal Activity scared the hell out of me. It was a fresh new take on The Blair Witch Project (only better), where the movie is made with ultra-realistic amateur video and allows your own imagination to scare you more than anything you actually see on screen. That film's huge success inevitably spawned a sequel, and it's not too shabby either. Since the concept is no longer fresh, the surprise and wonder factor is greatly diminished...but the 3am bumps-in-the-night still have the ability to get the adrenaline pumping...and seeing an unknown force drag a person down a hallway still gave me chills. B- |
Percy Jackson & the Olympians:
The Lightning Thief Dir: Chris Columbus Stars: Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario, Brandon T. Jackson Director Chris Columbus is a kind of master when he is bringing youthful fiction to the screen. This is a man who wrote The Goonies, and helmed Home Alone and the first two Harry Potter films. It amazes me that his newest film, didn’t show up on the radar as much as it deserved. It is a whimsical, funny, exciting adventure which effectively brings Greek mythology into the modern era, with better personifications of mythological beings than the far more successful Clash of the Titans. If I were ever to write fiction, I have always thought about modernizing Greek mythology. Looks like this adaptation of Rick Riordan’s novel beat me to the punch, and it made me jealous and giddy to sit through it. B |
Piranha 3D
Dir: Alexandra Aja Stars: Elizabeth Shue, Jerry O'Connell, Christopher Lloyd This film promises two very specific things. A lot of gratuitous nudity and grotesque kills by prehistoric demon fish. Even though it 100% delivers on said promise, and knows EXACTLY what kind of movie it is and doesn’t shy away from it, I still can’t quite recommend it. They actually pulled together a decent cast for the movie and you know it must have been a riot to make…but it is so stupid in a grand scale that I felt my brain hurting while I was watching it. I had to defend myself constantly though, because there was a copious amount of naked lesbian make-outs in the film…and that’s a hard scene to get through while watching a movie with your wife. C- |
Predators
Dir: Nimrod Antal Stars: Adrien Brody, Laurence Fishburne, Walton Goggins, Topher Grace, Danny Trejo A few years ago, I read a novel called “Contest” by Matthew Reilly. It is about an intergalactic contest, called the Presidian, which is held every 1,000 years, whereby 7 contestants are transported to a labyrinth somewhere in the galaxy and they fight it out to the death. In the novel, a human doctor is chosen as a contestant and the Presidian takes place on Earth, in the New York Public Library. I loved it. Also, a few years ago, I decided to watch Alien Vs. Predator, and I enjoyed it far more than I should have. Something about humans being stuck in the middle of an Alien on Predator contest was thrilling to me. Well….Director Nimrod Antal and Producer Robert Rodriguez have combined those two into a new movie.. It’s dumb, heartless, and only about soldiers dumped on a planet to serve as hunting practice for Predators…but the action is decent, I guess. C+ |
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Dir: Mike Newell Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, Ben Kingsley Disney & Jerry Bruckheimer have teamed up again to give us a grandiose, swashbuckling adventure. This formula has been successful in the past. Enough praise has been piled on the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. The National Treasure movies are also good escapism. This time around, Director Mike Newell takes the helm of a huge video game franchise adaptation. While Jake Gyllenhaal is no Johnny Depp, and plot contrivances border on the ridiculous…this film is just so easy to have fun with. Prince Dastan jumps through the Persian city rooftops, a beautiful princess makes our heart beat and mind melt, swords clang, people crack wise, and then the Sands of Time get unleashed…and all the while…a huge smile keeps growing and growing across your face. B |
Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale
Dir: Jalmari Helander This is a pretty insane horror movie. Usually when people try to take christmas myths and make the juxtapositioned horror film out of them...it never works. This movie takes the idea of a historically dangerous, vengeful Santa Claus being unearthed by an archeological dig and causing mayhem in the nearby arctic town 100% serious. The idea of a killer creature of myth is nothing to laugh at, and this movie doesn't. In fact...it treats it so well that I was genuinely scared and there is a twist that at the time was mind-boggling, and pays off beautifully at the end. This is fun stuff. B |
RED
Dir: Robert Schwentke Stars: Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich, Mary Louise Parker, Helen Mirren In recent years, my favorite movies are often the ones that are wholly original, complicated, and odd. Too often, formulaic action films or comedies make my eyes gloss over and bore me to death. Sometimes...just sometimes... A complete formula movie hits the right notes and shows us why film cliches become cliches...because they work. Taken is one of these films...where you basically know exactly what is going to happen, but you can't help but enjoy watching it unfold. Red, directed by Robert Schwentke and adapted from a DC Comics graphic novel, is another. Take a straightforward concept like aged CIA agents and throw in a stellar cast, and if you luck out...you may just churn out a good popcorn movie. B- DVD |
Robin Hood
Dir: Ridley Scott Stars: Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett, Mark Strong, Oscar Isaac Russell Crowe is playing a character named “Robin”. He has companions named “Little John” and “Will Scarlett”. Maid Marion shows up. King John is on the throne. Robin fancies archery and greenish clothes. Sherwood forest is on the horizon. Despite all of this, Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood is not quite the film you think it is. I have recently watched 1938’s The Adventures of Robin Hood and my curiosity and hunger for Robin Hood stories was piqued. I was surprised to learn that this gritty, dirty, visceral update of Robin Hood wasn’t about the outlaw of the forest who steals from the rich and gives to the poor. It is about a crusader who returns to England only to pose as King Richard the Lionhearted’s right hand man who died in battle. The story takes a long time to click into place, and you will most likely be disappointed to realize that the “Robin Hood” story starts after this film is over, but when you have Ridley & Russell together…you know you are going to get a solid movie. B |
OSCARS
Best Sound Mixing
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Salt
Dir: Phillip Noyce Stars: Angelina Jolie, Liev Schreiber, Chiwetel Ejiofor It's fine I guess...but again, it is all so familiar. A capable CIA agent is accused of being a Russian Spy and about to assassinate the visiting Russian President. So she heads out on the run in order to try to clear her name. The action is fine, the crosses, double-crosses, and triple-crosses are all fine, and we know Jolie and do a role like this...so that is all I can continue to say about it...it's just fine. B- |
Saw 3D: The Final Chapter
Dir: Kevin Greutert Stars: Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Betsy Russell Going to see a Saw movie has been a Fall tradition for me since the franchise debuted in 2004. We have finally reached the end of the franchise with this film...with copious gore, elaborate traps, and a satisfying ending to the mythology…even if it doesn’t quite hold up under close scrutiny. Most of the film is completely superfluous…since the main characters and their storylines are all introduced in this film and don’t really elaborate on anything that has happened before…but Saw films are like the numerous Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, or even Police Academy movies. You immediately like them simply because of what they are. If you are a Saw fan…then you immediately like the film even before you sit down in the theater. C+ Bluray |
Scott Prilgrim Vs. the World
Dir: Edgar Wright Stars: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Aubrey Plaza, Anna Kendrick, Chris Evans, Jason Schwartzman Probably the best video game movie ever, even though it is not based on a specific video game. This is basically the only movie where I can tolerate Cera, and Wright's direction is unique and beautiful. It is a fun adventure where Scott must defeat the 7-evil-exes to essentially possess Ramona. The visuals are incredible and the ways Scott accomplishes his battles are clever, but I have to admit...it all gets pretty repetitive. Once you get used to the glossy exterior and after the first few battles...you feel like you just have to wait for it all to run its course. I think thats due to the limited charisma of Cera. B- Bluray |
She's Out of My League
Dir: Jim Field Smith Stars: Jau Baruchel, Alice Eve, TJ Miller, Krysten Ritter Can a “5” really hook up with a “10” on the hotness scale? That is the one-joke premise of this film, a simple, juvenile, yet undeniably charming and funny comedy. If you have been enjoying Jay Baruchel in movies like Knocked Up and Tropic Thunder, then you know what he is about. He can make you laugh and he comes across as one of the smartest characters on screen. If you have been lucky enough to come across a MAXIM magazine recently, you know how hot Alice Eve is. This is our “5” and this is our “10”. They get together, and no one can believe it…especially Jay Baruchel. C+ DVD |
Shrek Forever After
Dir: Mike Mitchell Voices: Mike Meyers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas All the magic is gone. With how fantastically perfect the first two movies, it is amazing how lifeless, unfunny, and pointless this 4th film is. I am sure this is the death of the franchise...it is that bad. For some reason the filmmakers thought it was a good idea to make this story develop in a way where the characters we have all come to love and set against each other, or just simply forgotten from each other. It's irritating for almost the entire movie and Shrek himself is shown to do things that make him detestable to the point that we never want to see a movie with him again. D+ |
Shutter Island
Dir: Martin Scorsese Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Emily Mortimer, Max Von Sydow, Ben Kingsley IMDB #172 I’m a bit disappointed in myself for not having faith in the great Martin Scorsese. For the first hour of his newest collaboration with Leonardo DiCaprio, I sat there wondering what exactly was going on. It was a movie superbly acted, superbly directed, and superbly designed, but I couldn’t help but noticing that nothing much was happening. It seemed like an hour of US Marshalls asking questions, having flashbacks, and getting cryptic answers and assistance from the personnel at the Shutter Island Hospital for the Clinically insane. But the film takes faith, and if you haven’t written the movie off as you get into the final acts, you will be gloriously rewarded. This film is so cerebral, daring, and surprising, that it almost defies explanation. It is one of those movies that you want to see again as soon as it is over, and when people ask you if they should see it…you tell them “absolutely”, without any clear explanation why. A- DVD |
Skyline
Dir: The Strause Brothers Stars: Eric Balfour, Donald Faison The money was there, with a budget of $10 Million, but this sci-fi film feels like it was done on the cheap. So a bunch of spaceships show up and start sucking people into the sky through their beams of blue light. Fine. I like alien invasion films. But it feels like this entire film takes place inside while people avoid getting sucked up. The screenplay has nothing to say and the actors aren't very good in order to withstand a 90 minute INSIDE alien invasion film. It was frustrating and poorly made. D |
OSCARS
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The Social Network
Dir: David Fincher Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, Armie Hammer Our era can easily be called "The Facebook Paradigm". We live in a time where all the information about friends and family that we receive come through status updates. Our love lives are gauged by our relationship statuses. Fights arise from "You never write on my wall". It is an all-encompassing phenomenon that has simultaneously connected us with the world while cutting us off from classic social interactions. The cinematic treatment of Mark Zuckerberg's creation of Facebook was inevitable...but I don't believe that anyone expected such a gloriously fascinating movie that director David Fincher, screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, and actor Jesse Eisenberg have given us. This film is one of those pitch-perfect films that succeed in astronomical levels without sex, violence, or special effects. It's one of those movies that you enjoy listening to and completely enjoy watching unfold. A Bluray |
The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Dir: Jon Turtletaub Stars: Nicholas Cage, Jay Baruchel, Alfred Molina So Disney wanted to adapt their famous scene from 1940s Fantasia, and their best idea was modern New York with freakin' Nicholas Cage as the Sorcerer. I really guess this could be a whole lot worse. The premise is that Cage's sorcerer has to change Baruchel, a descendant of Merlin, the ways of sorcery because he is the only one who can defeat..yadda yadda yadda. There is a LOT of money up there on screen...but Cage has become such a joke that it is hard to buy into this movie even for a second. We needed someone with a bit more modern gravitas in that role, instead of someone who has become a meme of ridiculousness. C+ |
Splice
Dir: Vincenzo Natali Stars: Adrien Brody, Sarah Polley I was very excited to watch this follow-up by the man who made Cube. On paper, this story is a cross between Frankenstein and Species. When Brody and Polley's genetic creation matures after a few days, it is played by a hyper-sexualized French model...so we all know where it is going. The problem with this film is that the humans act like such idiots. Nothing they do is anything real people will do and they only exist to move the plot along. The central action, which you can guess, is at once the most outrageous and almost the most understandable. The rest of the movie is just creepy and irrational so it ceases to be enjoyable. C- |
The Switch
Dir: Josh Gordon & Will Speck Stars: Jason Bateman, Jennifer Aniston, Patrick Wilson, Jeff Goldblum Ugh...I hate these "romantic comedies" that have such dump premises and no heart behind it. So Aniston is getting older and wants a kid, so she chooses a sperm donor, and has an insemination party or something. Bateman secretly loves her, gets drunk at the party, accidentally spills the sample, and provides his own. What a stupid, dark, unfunny setup....and it makes everything else really unpleasant. C- |
OSCARS
Best Original Song
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Tangled
Dir: Nathan Greno & Byron Howard Voices: Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi What an utter pleasure from start to finish. This is the first time, in a long time, where Disney animation went back to classic storytelling. There are princesses, wicked stepmothers, magic, animated sidekicks and animal friends, love-interests, and songs. Every. Single. One. of them worked. Moore and Levi voice such fun characters that they carry the movie to the stratosphere. There is hilarity, a love story that you will buy, colorful characters, and a sweet arc that is just pleasant and inspiring. Also...the movie is bloody gorgeous to look at. A- DVD |
TiMER
Dir: Jac Schaeffer Stars: Emma Caufield I love finding a small little sci-fi, fantasy gem that no one has ever heard about and enjoy it. I loved movies like Primer, Timecrimes, and Wristcutters: A Love Story because they had a clever premise that sprouted from people who were not proven in the industry. Some of the best ideas are stuck in the heads of people who haven't had the chance to make their movie. When those people get the chance, they pour their heart and soul into the project and can churn out something charming and unique. Such is the case with TiMER, a cute little movie about a society having the technology to know exactly when their citizens will meet their soul mate. If you try to wrap your brain around it scientifically, you will get lost. The key is to accept the concept allegorically. B |
OSCARS
Best Supporting Actor
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The Town
Dir: Ben Affleck Stars: Ben Affleck, Jeremy Renner, Jon Hamm, Rebecca Hall, Blake Lively Ben Affleck has an Oscar for screenwriting, so he has proven himself there. I have always been an advocate for him as an actor. Jersey Girl, Chasing Amy, Shakespeare in Love, Hollywoodland…they are all solid performances. Sure he has had some duds…but most actors do. Now…with Gone, Baby, Gone and this new film, Affleck has really solidified himself as a Jack-of-all-Trades. He really has some good directing chops. Even though the underlying PURPOSE of the film kind of made me angry and whitewashed over any kind of emotional poignancy behind what was going on, The Town is a well-acted, superbly directed, intense yet artful, thriller. I am happy Affleck can churn out a movie like this, because we haven’t heard from him in a while and in addition to being great behind the camera…he is excellent in front of it this time as well. B |
OSCARS
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Toy Story 3
Dir: Lee Unkrich Voices: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty, Don Rickles, Michael Keaton, Wallace Shawn 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die IMDB #100 I vividly remember three very specific toys from when I was a child. One was a stuffed monkey puppet, with a baby blue t-shirt, lifelike felt face, and whose arms and legs attached around your body via Velcro. Another was a stuffed Big Al from Walt Disney World’s “Country Bear Jamboree”. Another was my He-Man collection. I always remember that when I sold them about 5 years ago, Stinkor still had that odd smell left in him…almost 20 years later. The mere idea that all of these toys loved me, discussed me, and were devastated when I grew up and turned my attention to video games and girls…really breaks my heart. It is this idea at the core of Disney Pixar’s Toy Story 3. I truly can’t fathom it. Disney and Pixar are simply the most successful creative pairing I have ever seen in the history of cinema. Once again….I HAVE to give Pixar’s movie of the year a resounding "A". You sit through a movie like this; filled with joy, excitement, sadness, and bright shiny colors, and you think to yourself….how on EARTH could this be any better than this?...as you wipe away the tears. A Bluray |
OSCARS
Best Picture
Best Director Best Actor Best Supporting Actress Best Adapted Screenplay Best Cinematography Best Art Direction Best Sound Editing Best Sound Mixing |
True Grit
Dir: The Coen Brothers Stars: Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, Hailee Steinfeld 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die A stubborn teenager enlists the help of a tough U.S. Marshal to track down her father's murderer. That is the premise of this gritty, pretty western. Jeff Bridges plays Rooster Cogburn, a role made famous by John Wayne, and he is definitely entertaining. Steinfeld is fantastic as the precocious teen, and everyone else is serviceable, as you have come to expect from the Coen Brothers. However, this film is essentially Unforgiven, and it is lesser than that film in every single solitary way. You won't be disappointed in it, but it doesn't deserve the astonishing accolades it received as if it reinvested western cinema. B |
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
Dir: David Slade Stars: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner The best I can say about this teen angst nonsense about horribly boring girl being obsessed over by a vampire and a werewolf is that it isn't insultingly bad yet. It wasn't until the Breaking Dawn films that they were just wastes of film. This is bland and dumb...but didn't make me angry just yet. C |
OSCARS
Best Sound Editing
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Unstoppable
Dir: Tony Scott Stars: Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, Rosario Dawson The moment this film begins…you immediately recognize that it is a Tony Scott-directed thriller. Not just because Denzel Washington is in it or because the poster looks exactly like Scott’s The Taking of Pelham 123, but just the style, tone, and richness of his visuals. You can always count on Tony Scott to give you a thrill ride, even when the movie isn’t as good as you’d hope. Pelham, Déjà vu, Enemy of the State, Domino, Crimson Tide…they are all top-notch films, and there are several others that I could list that are equally exciting. For 2010, Scott gives us Unstoppable, pretty much as good a thriller about a runaway train as anyone could make. Trains run on tracks, and thus have limited movements forward and backward. Somehow…there are several options Denzel Washington’s and Chris Pine’s characters have as they try to figure out how to stop a 10,000-ton train carrying toxic chemicals, under full throttle, and heading right into a populated area. B+ |
Valentine's Day
Dir: Garry Marshall Stars: Every Actor Ever I can picture the pitch meeting now. A bunch of idiotic, money-hungry executives at New Line Cinema are sitting around a huge boardroom table. An uninspired fool comes in and something like, “I have a great idea. Let’s make Love Actually…but with AMERICAN actors!!” Then the executives all erupt in applause and many months later…us poor saps are treated to garbage. I compare it too Love, Actually because like that film, this film follows a bunch of famous actors whose characters are out to find love, and are all directly or indirectly connected with each other. Unlike Love, Actually…this film is nearly unwatchable. D+ |
Vampires Suck
Dir: Jason Friedberg & Aaron Seltzer Stars: Matt Lanter, Jenn Proske "Sigh"...I should know better. The colossally unfunny Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer have made another of their profoundly inept spoof movies. Three of their previous attempts, Date Movie, Epic Movie, Disaster Movie are horrible, "F" failures. The glorious days of the Zucker brothers films are long gone. I actually enjoyed their Meet the Spartans at a small level, probably because making fun of 300 is a no-brainer. Hence, why I thought this filmk might have had a shot. The Twilight movies are made fun of ad nauseum in normal life. Seems ripe for parody. Nope...still awful. Maybe one or two laughs...but I couldn't help but think to myself, "Why am I here??? D+ Bluray |
Waiting For Armageddon
Dir: Kate Davis Not unlike 2006’s Jesus Camp, this film is one of those documentaries that avoids editorializing and just presents absurd facts about religious fundamentalism and allows the audience to formulate their own outlandish opinions. In this film, directors Kate Davis, David Heilbroner, and Franco Sacchi exhibit what is prophesized to happen when Jesus returns. The three-step occurrence will be “The Rapture”, when all of the faithful are instantaneously transported to heaven, “The Tribulation”, 7-years of earthy destruction, and “Armageddon”, where war is brought to Jerusalem and God’s chosen people will prevail. That’s a fine tale, but the people we are introduced to that believe this heart & soul, are quite dangerous folk to be around, I would think. C+ |
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
Dir: Oliver Stone Stars: Shia LaBeouf, Michael Douglas, Carey Mulligan I guess this is ok, but it pales in comparison to Oliver Stone's original film, and Shia is no Sheen and eben this Douglas is no 1988 Douglas. Gordon Gecko is out of prison and buddies up to his new son-in-law, scheming to get back on top of the world. It is predictable and unnecessary, with virtually nothing new to give to the audience...but it is competently made/acted so it holds together. C+ |
When in Rome
Dir: Mark Steven Johnson Stars: Kristen Bell, Josh Duhamel, Angelican Huston, Danny DeVito, Will Arnett, Dax Shephard, Jon Heder I swear…unless Judd Apatow is injecting some dirty humor into it and it is focused on the man rather than the woman, Hollywood has NO idea how to make a romantic comedy anymore. Last year, we had The Ugly Truth and Ghosts of Girlfriends Past. This year, we have had the trash that is Valentine’s Day and Leap Year. Oh how I have been waiting for another (500) Days of Summer every time I sit down to attempt another. Nope…not happening. Instead I get yet another in the series of uninspired, stupid, emotionless dreck…this time called When in Rome. It is chock full of stars that I enjoy, and they even squeezed a few chuckles out of me. But it is so damn idiotic and devoid of anything that can make you yearn for love or even care about the characters’ love. I give it a D+ simply because it wasn’t as insultingly bad as Leap Year, but it is still bad. D+ |
OSCARS
Best Makeup
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The Wolfman
Dir: Joe Johnston Stars: Benicio del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt Why is it worth our time to remake a classic Universal horror icon without any kind of originality or reason to not watch the originals. Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula certainly has some new life in it…and Kenneth Branagh’s Frankenstein was brilliant. However…I couldn’t find anything new and worthwhile in this film. If I told you this…”Man returns to family estate because his brother was killed by a beast. His father is distant, his brother’s fiancée is present, the townsfolk are in an uproar, and a famous inspector has come down from London.”…I guarantee you would be able to correctly predict 95% of this story. It is bland…simply put. On top of that, these are some of the worst performances in a long time by Benicio del Toro and Emily Blunt….and probably the worst performance EVER by Anthony Hopkins. At least the violence was surprisingly intense and the makeup is incredible. C |
Youth in Revolt
Dir: Miguel Arteta Stars: Michael Cera, Zack Galifianakis, Justin Long I am officially done with the Michael Cera character. He struck gold with that persona in Arrested Development. Since then, we have seen the exact same thing in Juno, Year One, Paper Heart, Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist, and Superbad. I defy you to explain the differences between any or all of those characters. Well…here is another one…this time in a movie called Youth in Revolt, a terrible movie about a loser virgin who will do anything, including be the bad boy, to get the girl of his dreams. You know…one of those original ideas. I don’t know how director Miguel Arteta got people like Jean Smart, Zach Galafianakis, Ray Liotta, Fred Willard, M. Emmett Walsh, and Steve Buscemi in this movie. When a film showing the actors having dinner would be far more interesting than exciting than your movie, you know you did something wrong. D |