According to Caleb H.

the road

2010-05-13T19:40:00.000-07:00

i read cormac mccarthy's best selling novel 'the road' and was both impacted and impressed by its story and the way it portrayed mankind. it also created a specific apocalyptic atmosphere that was unique. john hillcoat's adaptation of this novel into a film does a great job capturing this nihilistic atmosphere. this film is by far one of the most nihilistic and difficult movies i have watched in quite some time. this is not the type of movie one revisits on frequent occasions, and i left the theater in a partial depressed state despite its somewhat uplifting ending.

i found this movie to be very well done, and i enjoyed how true it stayed to the book. the sets and scenery were breath taking. viggo mortenson's acting, as usual, was more than adequate. robert duvall, continuing his trend of always choosing exceptional roles, does a phenomenal job in a role that took me a while to recognize who he was.

i think this film will appeal to both fans of the book and movie lovers alike. however, it may not appeal to casual moviegoers due to its extremely dark subject matter. while it is not a masterpiece, i also did not have any major problems with the film.

an education

2010-04-20T19:46:00.000-07:00

'an education' was a film that came out of nowhere in a sense. sure it had a script penned by the always reliable nick hornby, but the main actress, carey mulligan, was largely unknown. fortunately, that is no longer the case. his oscar nominated worthy performance (she should have won), highlights this very well done coming of age story set in 1960's England.

all the acting is great in this film. peter sarsgaard does a great job as the almost sleazy yet charming male who is attracted to the much younger mulligan. he realistically woos here and surprisingly her family over as well, with his lies and likable charm/wit. alfred molina, who've i've become a big fan of as of late, does an excellent job as the stiff controlling father figure. despite the strong will he shows, i like how the film showcases his along with his wife's vulnerability and misjudgment.

the relationship between mulligan's character and sarsgaard's character is very well crafted. there are moments that are uncomfortable and slightly creepy due to the age discrepancy between the two, but everything seems realistic and plausible. mulligan's interaction with the other female friend is also documented in a way that highlights the often awkward moments that occur when people attempt to act older than they actually are.

this is one of my favorite films of the year. it is extremely well crafted with a smart script from hornby. the performances and direction are spot on, and i recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the often attempted, by rarely successful 'coming of age' drama.

avatar

2010-03-08T11:32:00.000-08:00

james cameron had been developing this movie for quite some time, so for this film to be such a success with all the hype and expectation that had been mounting on it (much of it from cameron himself), it truly is a remarkable story.

everything about this film strives to be epic. the 3D scenes, the great animation, the familar narrative; this film is designed to be a hollywood blockbuster with mass appeal. and the film succeeds mightily on this medium. the large scope of the sci-fi story reminded me of star wars, and i wonder how it will be remembered in the future, when the kids who saw this movie grow older. it's uniqueness with it's greatly controlled use of imax and 3D will cause it to be remembered years from now as a great movie theater experience. blu-ray is also a medium where this film could really thrive.

this film is not without it's flaws. the narrative is very familar (think science fiction version of 'dances with wolves'). the story is rarely unpredictable, as the viewer ultimately has the end result stored in the back of their mind throughout. the dialogue is the weakest portion of this film in my mind. the character's aren't playing people but rather caricatures of their respective positions. the military talks were very crudely modeled after the bush administration (talks of 'preemptive strikes' and 'war on terror'), and i found this took away from the overall story. i do not need james cameron to preach to me about the military or crooked businessmen, and about our mistreatment of the indians.

overall, this film is definitely worth seeing, perhaps for the visuals alone. the world cameron creates in utterly fascinating, and i found that he is such an expert at creating climatic scenes that almost takes one's breath away in awe.

up in the air

2010-02-22T12:34:00.000-08:00

this film was receiving considerable attention before its release. jason reitman's previous two films, thank you for smoking, and juno (nominated for best picture) were both very well received. george clooney is always more than a solid lead these days (forget about the ancient 'batman & robin').

this film was very well done. it was well-acted, well shot, well directed, and had a solid story. every part of this film screams for an oscar, but i do not think it will win. what this movie lacks is uniqueness. i find in a few years i will think back to this film as a very good one, but not one that leaves a lasting impression of any sort, on me. for example, i recently watched 'paris, texas' which was just re-released on the criterion collection, and i find my thoughts continually drawn back to the film, even weeks later.

the story is a little cliche and on the predictable side, but the strong performances all around help mask it to a certain extent. danny mcbride is freaking hilarious in the limited amount of screen time he gets. he really steals the show. as with all of reitman's films, humour is its strong suit. there are many very funny parts in this film. reitman is a master of blending emotion and humour together.

this is a very solid film, one of the year's best. however, i find it does not invoke enough spark or originality to make it the best of the year.

invictus

2010-02-12T15:30:00.000-08:00

clint eastwood is one of the most consistent and hard working directors out there right now. he consistently release multiple movies a year, and they are always good. eastwood, morgan freeman, and matt damon hook up in this rugby movie about south africa and nelson mandela. this really is not much of a sports movie, which is why some did not like it very well. it is all about the changing climate in south africa at the time, and its effects on the country and the nation's rugby team.

the film is very understated and focuses on little details that give it life. one does not find overwhelming sounds of sports fans that cause adrenaline to surge, which is why i liked it. it does not seek to glamorize the game of rugby, but rather to present it in a realistic fashion.

i didn't overwhelming love or hate this film. i liked it better than a lot of people who are downplaying the positive reviews it has garnered. i feel it is very underrated and has flown under the radar all last year.

on a side note, while they both were solid in the movie, i do not think freeman and damon did enough acting wise, to receive the academy nominations they got for best actor and best supporting actor respectively.

a serious man

2010-02-05T09:01:00.000-08:00

i'm a serious fan of the coen brothers. their unique vision for each of their films, and the way they inject dark humour into their more serious films is incredible. 'no country for old men' was a high point for the brothers, as that cormac mccarthy adaptation won best picture. i would not be surprised if this film won best picture either. it is that good.

the story, set in the 1960s, revolves around a jewish college professor whose life is falling apart. he tries to make sense of this failing world, looking to his faith and the fact that he himself has done nothing to bring this on, but he finds no real answers. the film had me wanting to shout at the screen at Larry, to stop allowing everyone to walk all over him all the time, but alas he routinely takes the coward's way out. michael stuhlbarg should have been nominated for best actor, and as far as i am concerned this was the biggest oscar snub. i feel his performance was better than george clooney's in 'up in the air,' and morgan freeman in 'invictus,' who both got nominated.

the intricate story is among the best that the coen brothers have crafted. it will be very funny one moment, then almost painful the next. the interaction with Larry and the different rabbis he visits is also a high point for the film.

i enjoyed this film immensely. at the time i watched it, it was my favorite film of the year (though another has now taken up that slot), but i still feel is it one of the years finest, and i hope it gets the credit it deserves at the oscars in the form of some golden statues.

fantastic mr. fox

2010-01-21T14:29:00.001-08:00

i am both a huge wes anderson and roald dahl fan, so i was obviously excited to hear that anderson was adapting the dahl book 'the fantastic mr. fox' in the form of a stop animation film.

this film was brilliant. definitely one of the most memorable movies i've seen this year. everything about this movie works right. george clooney's deep instantly recognizable voice is perfect for mr. fox, and voice acting for the others parts are also spot on. Jason Schwartzman is particularly funny as the fox's 'different' son Ash.

the story is very funny. it has that great edge where it would be funny for kids, but it has a lot of adult humor in it as well. it was always amusing, never boring, and i was sad when the fun experience had to end. visually, the amount of fine detail always found in anderson movies is present here as well. also, not being a regular stop-animation director (such as Henry Selick) he presents a lot of camera shots and close-ups that stop animation movies generally avoid. this unique film style works perfectly though.

i cannot say enough about this movie. it's my favorite wes anderson film since 'rushmore.' it has countless laugh out loud moments, and it really makes you feel like you're in the world it presents throughout it. it was the first movie in quite some time where i went to watch it again within a week, and it was equally as funny the second time.

the box

2009-12-29T20:43:00.000-08:00

'donnie darko' is one of my all time favorite movies. i love how many of the questions presented in the film are left open to interpretation, yet enough is resolved and comes together at the end where i left satisfied and intrigued. i did not harbor these same warm feelings toward director richard kelly's second film 'southland tales.' it was simply awful, and only god knows why dwanye johnson continues to act.

being such a huge fan of 'darko,' i was excited to see 'the box.' the premise seemed promising, and i had heard it presented some interesting topics for discussion (something i love when a film does).

it starts out pretty solid. the dialogue wasn't tremendous and some interactions felt awkward, but i had no major complaints at first. when the family is presented with the box and given the option to press it for a million dollars but someone they don't know will die, the story began to get rolling and i was enjoying it. the mystery of the presenter of the box, and whether or not the family was next in line to be killed seemed to be setting up for a really solid middle act. however, this is not what kelly delivers us. like an ADD kid on the way to the store to get some milk, this movie loses its focus and gets way off track. it happens so fast too, that i had to step back and wonder how the beginning of the movie led to this point, with an army of 'zombies' chasing people through a library. it really gets completely absurd during the middle of the film.

the nice twist at the end regarding the fate of the family was not strong enough to erase all the nonsense that had just occurred. i was very disappointed with this film, more so than with most bad films, because this could have been a very good film. if it would had stuck to the plot and rooted itself into some sort of foundation, then i might be recommending it right now. however, it ends up being just mediocre. it is definitely not the worst movie i have seen this year, but a very forgettable average one.

paranormal activity

2009-12-21T20:03:00.000-08:00

this movie was scary, very scary. i don't often watch scary movies unless they are supposed to be exceptional, so i have seen movies such as the strangers, the shining, and blair witch project. the latter appears to be the film that this one is drawing from. a cast of no name actors shot entirely on a home camera, add to that a shoestring budget, and you have the scariest movie of the year (perhaps the past few years). this film is also a testament to internet buzz, as word of mouth helped it go from select theaters to a large nationwide release.

this film is surprisingly well done. it has excellent pacing and development as the hauntings grow worse and worse as the film goes on. there is a great atmosphere and unease carried throughout, and during the night scenes the unease becomes outright terror.

talking to people who have seen the movie, i find it interesting that most define different moments in the film as the scariest. there was however a consensus that the film itself was a terrifying experience. the few actors in this film were all great. the two homeowners had great chemistry, were very funny at times, and acted very genuinely during the supernatural scenes.

this film is definitely a highlight in a year where i have watched many new films. i am always a fan of watching films that elicit specific emotions from the viewer, and while excitement/anger/joy/relief/redemption are the ones that people usually like, i myself also enjoy the feeling of absolute terror when elicited by a well-done scary film

where the wild things are

2009-12-20T21:06:00.000-08:00

i was not one who read 'where the wild things are' as a child (it was more my older brother's generation's book), but i was very familiar with the work and i am always interested in anything spike jonze does. he has such an inventive mind, and the group of directors/writers he associates with are all equally innovative.

being a short book that needed to be adapted into a full length film, jonze adds some great depth and background that does not compromise the story at all. it helps make the film much more than a mindless kid romp. deep inside it really is a story about adolescence and how kids interact with others in the real (and often unreal) world. parallels in the monster's personality's mirror situations he struggles with his regular life.

the film is very funny at times, very scary at times (i thought for a minute he really was going to get eaten!), and very heart warming at others, which is everything a thoughtful summer kids tale should be.

the world and the monster's look absolutely sensational. i credit jonze and his team with creating a perfect visual rendition of the book. the characters are greatly voice acted too, with the exception that k.w.'s voice is a bit too chill/surfish for the rest of the gang. other problems are that some of the interactions between the characters in the middle of the plot feel a little strange, and i didn't understand where the director was going with them; some situations were just a little wonky. another slight problem i had was that i felt the kid was a spoiled brat and was only likable in the most dangerous of situations when you didn't want him to die.

otherwise, i really enjoyed this film. it definitely made me reminisce about the days when me and my friends were create absurd wonderful stories out of our minds and then act them out as if everything was real. i look forward to building an awesome snow fort as a result of this film (though the fort in 'snow day' trumps the one in this movie). due to its scary parts and deep themes 'where the wild things are' is primarily suited for adults who need to remember their youthful days, though i do not doubt that kids will like this film too.

the informant!

2009-10-22T19:32:00.000-07:00

both steven soderbergh and matt damon are great. this movie has them teaming up once again, and the hilarious trailer and website had me real excited for it.

i had a great time watching this movie. i had a slight fear going in that a lot of the funnier scenes would be spoiled being in the trailers but thankfully this film was chalked full of really funny stuff. the way damon would narrate his character's thoughts was ridicolous and laugh at loud funny. these completely random moments often occurred during very crucial serious points of the film, which made it all the funnier. off hand, the polar bear contemplation along with the observation of the ants are my favorite moments the character has in thought. the whistleblower plot was interesting enough to keep the story moving. it did tend to drag a bit toward the middle/end but i did not have any trouble keeping attention to it. the best and funniest scenes of the film are when damon begins to do his undercover work.

i loved the way, the 90s feel was pulled off by the very yellowing tone used by the camera, and damon's hair along with his wardrobe. damon is fantastic along with the rest of the cast. i was particularly happy to see arrested development's buster bluth, tony hale, in the role as damon's lawyer; as always he was hilarious.

this was a great late summer movie. it was really funny, had a decent plot and good acting. i definitely recommend it to soderbergh or matt damon fans, or even cohen brother fans, because it had shades of their funnier work in it.

district 9

2009-09-22T15:55:00.001-07:00

i was extremely excited for the release of this movie. finally it looked like something bold and fresh would be released in the sci-fi genre. the brilliant viral campaigning for this film, along with peter jackson's name being attached as a producer, definitely helped hype up the attention it received.

let me first say that this movie is worth nearly all the attention it has received. it is truly a science fiction masterpiece, and one of the best films of the past year. neill blomkamp has crafted an exciting, completely original movie that is also a thinly veiled allegory and social commentary on the injustices of south africa. the documentary style helps create a sense of realism that normally would not exist in an alien action movie. i was enthralled throughout the entire experience, it was both unpredictable and original.

this was the first time in quite some time that my emotions were so well captured (anger, disgust, redemption) in a film. and the strangest part was that most of these emotions were sympathetic towards the aliens. that is the genius of blomkamp.

without giving anything away, the movie has two halves. the first part is mainly documentary style explaining the circumstances surrounding the terrestrial beings presence in johannesburg leading up to the turning point for the main character. the second half of the film is more action oriented. both parts work equally well, and i was not bored at any time.

sharlto copley, a fellow director friend of blomkamp is magnificent as the lead character. he plays a naive south afrikaner who is oblivious to the immoral actions he and his crew engage in. the scenes involving him in his office were similar to the humour present in the tv show 'the office,' and he also reminded of the character murray from 'flight of the conchords.' i was completely shocked by the fact that this was copley's first acting gig. he was phenomenal.

not enough can be said about district 9 and copley's performance. neill blomkamp has earned my full and undivided attention for any future projects he works on. however, i have that feeling that despite what he does from here, this will always be remembered as his masterpiece.

funny people

2009-08-18T11:47:00.000-07:00

judd apatow has had his name on nearly every big comedy that has come out in the last few years. that being said it is strange that 'funny people' is only his third time actually directing a film. his other two movies, '40 year old virgin' and 'knocked up' were well received and very funny, so i along with many others were looking forward to 'funny people.'

this film is much different than apatow's previous projects. it is much more of a serious comedy (dramedy is the term) and deals with some very dark subject matter. people expecting to go see a light-hearted raunchy tale with a standard plot will likely be disappointed.

i, however, was not disapointed with this movie. i am not exactly a fan of adam sandler's previous comedies; my favorite role of his is 'punch-drunk love.' but i found him very funny in this movie as the terminally ill comedian superstar who seemingly has it all but really has nothing. seth rogen, jonah hill, and jason schwartzman also do great jobs as up and coming comedians struggling to make it big. while watching i really felt like i was getting insight into the lives of standup comedians, and i found it rather fascinating and personal. chemistry wise, rogen and sandler both work well together on screen. it is also worth noting that apatow's choice to use spielberg's cinematographer janusz kaminski makes a world of difference in tone and seriousness when compared to apatow's previous works.

the plot of this film kept me engaged the entire way. it is both hilarious and serious all the way through. watching sandler befriend rogen while also coping with his illness and loneliness seemed satisfying enough, but then when you think the movie is winding down, almost a second movie starts where sandler attempts to reconnect with his former girlfriend who now has a husband and two kids. this portion of the movie drags a bit, because it is not as funny as the first half and the subject matter is pretty heavy at this point. however, i enjoyed it thoroughly, because like life itself, this film does not follow any set formula. it has twists and turns where the character's imperfections are illuminated. i feel that the second part of the movie is possibly where most casual fans who came to see a basic sandler comedy might be lost a bit.

i liked this film a lot. it is clearly judd apatow's best movie and one of rogen and sandler's best performances. it is quite artsy for a comedy of this nature, and i found myself thinking about it afterwards, both for the jokes and all the memorable events that occurred. i think that average moviegoers who thought the film was just ok when it finished, will find themselves liking it more and more the more they reflect upon it.

public enemies

2009-08-16T21:39:00.000-07:00

i have always held a curious interest about bank robberies and stories of them. who better to tackle the cinema friendly true story of john dillinger than michael mann of 'heat' fame.

johnny depp is a very good actor, and he is in top form in this form here as the charming dillinger who loves fast cars, women, and robbing banks. the gun fights were very intense, and i liked the realistic sound of the guns, like how they echoed and sounded different when they were fired inside as opposed to outside. mann appears to do his research when it comes to these finer details that take a film to the next level.

i could tell i liked this film because throughout its entirety i was rooting for the bad guys (aka the bank robbers). i mean these were people who did some bad things. they commited crimes and routinely shot at the police, yet they were presented as likable characters (except baby face nelson) so i, along with the rest of the audience, was hoping down in my heart that dillinger would just walk away when he got the chance.

i liked this movie quite a bit. the camera angles and shots were all spot on, and i felt the two main stars, johnny depp and christian bale were directed well. some people did not like mann's choice of using high-def cameras, but i did not mind it. i prefer film, but high def camcorders do not make me like a film less.

this is a good summer flick. it's got everything going for it: a great cast, a seasoned director, good source material with plenty of action and plot development. it did run a little long, and i feel more time should have been spent with the emotional development of bale's character. those minor complaints aside, i rather enjoyed this movie. i do not think it is a masterpiece that will sweep the academy awards, but it is one of the better movies i have watched this summer, and i recommend it to any movie lover.

harry potter and the half-blood prince

2009-08-05T10:53:00.001-07:00

i love the harry potter books so watching the latest installment on the big screen at midnight was a special treat. this is one of my favorite books in the series (though i feel they are all tremendous).

i came into the movie realizing that being a lengthy book, aspects of the story might have to be cut out or compressed. i was completely ok with that, and felt the director did a good job at it. i did feel however that the relationship stories with ron/hermione, and harry/ginny was definitely overplayed and got old after a while. i felt too much time was spent on that part and not enough on the half-blood prince story. this made the revealing of who the half-blood prince actually was at the end of the movie much less shocking than it was in the novel.

some scenes towards the end of the movie slightly disapointed me. while i found scene where harry and dumbledore travel to the cave to be completely terrifying, i wish the director would have stuck with the images and details from the book, (for ex. crystals and seashells instead of the book's goblet and basin). i felt the images in the book would have elevated an already haunting scene to new levels. Yate's decision to not really have a real hogwarts battle at the end of the movie made it feel less climatic.

those few gripes aside i liked this movie a lot. it was very dark; i'm surprised that it only got a PG rating. despite it's extremely dark subject matter, i found the movie to be very funny at times. it was acted well, and the direction and cinematography was also done very professionally. i had the thought while watching this film, that if all the potter films were directed this well and were this dark (similar to lord of the rings) i would like them better.

i recommend this film to fans of the book series and fans of the film.

angels and demons

2009-06-03T11:54:00.000-07:00

i went to see 'state of play' at the dollar theater but the reel machine apparently ate the film so instead we saw 'angels and demons.'

this movie is much better than the at times dull 'da vinci code,' and it seems dan brown's first novel with robert langdon translates much better to the big screen. that being said, the movie is simply ok. it's a watchable summer film, but it remains largely forgettable. tom hanks and the leading woman in the film don't have very much chemistry and interactions between them come across as a little awkward.

another awkward part of the movie was the pacing and urgency of the characters. with every hour they had before another catholic bishop was murdered, it seemed everyone spent the first part of the hour leisurely figuring out the location, taking time to do trivial things like when tom hanks washes his face. then, when the location is determined, suddenly everything goes into high urgency mode and they race to save the victim with only minutes to spare. being a book adaptation one could tell that certain details were cut out and other details were crammed into the dense dialogue. all these different things created a wonkiness to the film that made it much less believable.

ron howard is a talented director (watch the great 'frost/nixon' and it is immediately apparent), and so the cinematography is great as the vatican shines as the film's set. the plot has enough twists and turns to keep the audience interested. this film is mediocre at best. after watching it you will not feel that your time spent was a complete waste of time, and i do not suggest going far out of your way to see it. my suggestion is to wait until it's a rental.

star trek

2009-05-22T17:03:00.000-07:00

i have never been a huge 'star trek' fan. not that i don't like it, i've just never gotten into it. i've always been more of a 'star wars' guy. that being said, the trailer for the new 'star trek' movie got me really excited.

this movie is good; it is really good. probably the best movie i have watched this year, and a great summer blockbuster. it it instantly accessible for anyone who hasn't watched any 'star trek' in the past (i hadn't).

j.j. abrams crafts the perfect combination of action, humour, and plot. the story isn't far fetched like most epic sci-fi movies tend to be, and is a major strong suit of the film. there really are no weak suits to this movie. this being a largely esemble piece, the acting is outstanding from all the crew members of the USS Enterprise. simon pegg is hilarious and probably my favorite performance, though they all are note worthy. i can see this film being the catalyst for a lot of these young actors to go on and do great things in future projects. what is interesting is that i did not realize that it was eric bana of 'munich' and 'incredible hulk' fame that was the bald tattooed villian.

i recommend this film to all people: people who like good movies, casual fans who like action packed funny blockbusters, and for families. contrary to some belief this is not just for 'trekkie nerds.' while i do think they'll be happy with this film, i would consider abram's version to be a reboot of the franchise, where my generation can enjoy it.

if the sequel(s) are just as good as this one, which i imagine will be the case, i would say that this film is on trek (get it...) to be my generation's 'star wars.' i honestly feel the first installment in on par with those films.

do not wait for it to come to dvd, it is so good on the big screen!

gomorrah

2009-05-05T14:53:00.001-07:00

gomorrah is a italian mafia movie set in naples and the surrounding area where the huge crime organization the comorra operates. this is not your glamorized hollywood mafia movie with tons of action. it is shot in a documentary style and is one of the most realistic movies i have watched in quite some time. i felt like i was learning about italian culture and the crime that emcompasses the area, as i watched it.

the trade off with an extremely realistic movie was the lack of action, which i absolutely have no problem with. however, i could see an average movie goer losing some interest in the middle. despite this, i felt the story was fantastic. from the exciting first scene, the movie then built to it's shocking conclusion. likewise, everything in between was fantastic.

the direction was superb as was the acting. the two mischievious kid characters were a bit old for the parts they were playing and it was noticable in the underwear weapon firing scenes. this may have slightly affected any sympathy that viewers may have for them, though i found the fact that they were extremely annoying as my justification for not feeling bad for the trouble they frequently get in.

on the other hand, the story of the other two very young boys who join up with opposing factions of the criminal underworld was very eye opening. those scenes had me reminsce of 'city of god.' this film is like 'city of god,' only more refined, more realistic, and more realized. it's not that this film is any better than 'city of god,' it just goes in a different direction.

watching this film you get the idea that the director truly knows of all the dark dealings that occur in naples, and walking out of the theater was almost like getting a history channel lesson and a good story all at the same time. likewise, the story included enough twists and turns and shocking moments to keep me entertained. not enough can be said about this movie; it is truly a masterpiece that will be definitely hold up to the test of time and be watched for years to come.

adventureland

2009-05-02T13:50:00.000-07:00

this movie was directed by greg mottola, who directed 'superbad' and from the trailers you could tell that it was being advertised as the next superbad/judd apatow style comedy. thankfully, however, this movie was much different and deeper than those films.

it was still very funny and made me laugh quite a bit, but a large portion of the movie was serious and dealt with the lead character, played by jesse eisenberg, and his questions on what happens in life after college. since it was largely an autobiographical story of director mottola's life as he worked in the adventureland park after he graduated college, i felt there was a certain sincerity that existed in the film that made it seem very authentic and enjoyable to watch.

jesse eisenberg is a great actor. some may consider him a copy-cat of the other successful awkward actor, michael cera (who was in 'superbad'). eisenberg seems to choose better projects however, as 'the squid and the whale' and 'roger doger' were both great indie films that he starred in. he is definitely an actor that whenever he stars in a film, it instantly has my attention, and i make a point to watch it.

being set in a amusement park, this was largely an esemble piece film and the acting from the different workers was all around solid. bill hader and kristen wiig were especially funny, and kristen stewart was cute as eisenberg's love interest. ryan reynolds seems to excel at always playing a jerk. i absolutely loved the show 'freaks and geeks' and it was cool to see martin starr in this movie.

another cool tidbit about this movie which i personally found exciting, was that it was filmed in 'kennywood amusement park' in pittsburgh, pa, which is close to where i live in pennsylvania. i've been to kennywood on countless occasions and it is nice to think that a big movie has now been shot there.

this is a good film, which i recommend to anyone, especially college-aged students. it is much deeper than the ads and trailers billed it as being, and i can imagine a lot of kids being disapointed by how much focus on plot existed over cheap laughs. that being said, i still felt that many funny moments prevent it from being the least bit boring. i really enjoyed this movie.

watchmen

2009-03-10T16:31:00.000-07:00

'watchmen' is on TIME's list of 100 greatest novels of all time. alan moore does such a great job creating his own little dystopian world in all his graphic novels, this being no different. i loved this graphic novel, and was worried about it's translation to the big screen. i am not a fan of zack snyder and his works; i did not like his new 'dawn of the dead,' nor did i like '300.'

despite this i held out hope that this film would be good. the trailer looked awesome and i was hopeful because i heard it was long, meaning a lot from the novel would make it into the movie.

first off, i did not really like the opening credit/picture sequence that everyone seems to be raving about. the scene felt very staged, like i was watching a play where a stage director thought up this idea to convey a sense of time passing. i continued to get the feeling like i was watching a play/musical when i saw the sets. the city sets did not look like actual cities to me, like gotham city did in the dark knight, it looked like a set. watching it i did not get the feeling that the city continued off screen. it was like, what is on screen is all there is.

i found the soundtrack to be terrible. such a serious dark movie should have a symphony/score soundtrack rather than a modern soundtrack that seemed very out of place. cohen's 'hallelujah' during the sex scene actually took me and everyone in the theater out of the experience and produced laughter. a soundtrack should not do this in a such a somber dark tale.

the adaptation was extremely faithful, to a fault. comics, along with every medium such as books, must adapt when coming to the big screen. certain things that appear in the graphic novel are a bit corny and comic book like and should have been adapted or cut out for the movie. the nolan brothers did this perfectly for the 'dark knight.' 'batman' comics can be very cheesy at times, and they left those moments in the comic and instead, translated a very gritty realistic story.

i felt the movie got better as it went along. the actor's performances keep it flowing. Patrick Wilson does a great job. Rorscach was amazing, while the silk spectre was servicable. crudup as dr. mahattan was also fantastic. i loved his performance and every scene where he is on screen. i expected his voice to be different but i found it to work perfectly. it was apathetic like his mind was always somewhere else. awesome. on the other hand, sally jupiter was not good. her scene was very awkward, and it reminded me of a soap opera.

i watched the movie 'the thin red line' a few weeks after seeing this movie, and after viewing it i realized what is missing from 'watchmen.' it's missing a weightiness to the deaths that frequent it. it makes murder and other atrocious events seem so trivial. 'the thin red line' creates such a realistic feeling of people's lives where the viewer feels an immense burden when they do die. 'watchmen' has none of this.

this movie was ok; it is not the epic movie it should be. snyder was not the correct choice to direct this film, and i feel he does the best possible job he could have. it's category of a film is a bit puzzling also, because it does not come across as an art house cinema project, and it passes on the title of popcorn flick because of its immensly dark source material and content. all this being said i'll probably still own this movie because of what it is, a different medium for one of the greatest novels of all time. but honestly, i can't imagine watching it that often.

Slumdog Millionaire

2009-02-16T17:51:00.000-08:00

Danny Boyle is one of my favorite directors. I loved shallow grave, trainspotting, the beach, 28 days later, and sunshine. And now his next movie... Slumdog Millionaire. This movie was fantastic, a great love story that had serious moments, sad moments, and often hilarious moments all wrapped up in the adventure of Jamal's transformation from little boy to teenager.

The soundtrack was awesome. A.R. Rahman did an exceptional job. It really captures the spirit of the movie perfectly.
The story is interesting, while the ending/climax had me almost in tears. The movie reminded me of 'city of god' but a lighter version, though it did have its dark moments.

I almost don't want to talk about this movie for fear of ruining it for the reader. You just need to see it. It is definitely the best film of the year and should win the oscar (previously i had 'doubt' as number 1). Families can enjoy it together; it is just for anyone who loves cinema.

Doubt

2009-02-06T11:24:00.000-08:00

Phillip Semour Hoffman is a great actor. He always brings a great performance to every picture he stars in. him along with the premise of a catholic school in the '60's fighting change and scandal had me super excited for the movie 'doubt.'

first off, me along with my three friends that attended the movie were by far the youngest people in the theater. the film was a very slow moving character piece that i enjoyed thoroughly. it was very apparent that the film was an adaptation of a play, which i would like to also see.

interactions between all the characters are intense and really what keeps the movie exciting. Meryl Streep and Amy Adams along with Hoffman all bring oscar worthy performances to the table. they are truly that good.

the plot is also a major strong point. it never reveals too much and doesn't give a clear answer to what actually occurred. thus, the title 'doubt' because despite which view of innocent or guilty the viewer leaves the theater with, that little bit of doubt is always present. my friends and i discussed whether or not we feel Hoffman did it or not, he entire way home. this is the mark of a great movie: discussion afterward. before i watched 'slumdog millionaire' i felt 'doubt' was the best movie i saw in 2008.

if you like movies that make you think, with strong performances, or if you like plays with lots of symbolism and meaning, then i suggest you watch this film.

Valkyrie

2009-01-19T16:18:00.000-08:00

Way back in the day Bryan Singer was my favorite director. This was when i saw 'the Usual Suspects' the two X-men movies, along with 'Superman Returns.' Needless to say i was pumped to hear that he was headed back to Nazi waters for the first time since 'Apt Pupil' which i also liked.

i'm a big history guy, and was interested to learn more about this particular plot to assasinate the fuhrer. Tom Cruise was solid in the film, nothing spectacular however. Something i really liked about the movie was the technique in how they attempted to explain why noone in the film spoke german or had german accents. it opens with subtitles and german speech and slowly faded to english, having it first overlapping with the german then slowly taking it over completely. so it was basically showing that in the movie the people were talking in german however we could understand it.

like tom cruises performance, the movie itself was good not great. it successfully creates tension particularly in the assasionation scene(s). the problem was that the movie tried too hard to be a thriller and should have focused more on being a drama/oscar worthy movie. it fizzles a bit as a straight forward thriller. more attention should have been spent on Cruises family and kids and what he had at stake in attempting the operation. it is hard for me to feel sad or any of emotion for the safety of his family because we hardly know them. the brutality in the final scene was realistically done and probably my favorite of the movie.

the camera work was excellent and the movie was directed well. the style was good. more substance would have been welcome. All in all, Valkyrie was a good popcorn movie, although i expected a little more from a project by bryan singer.

Curious Case of Benjamin Button

2008-12-29T15:43:00.000-08:00

This movie looked really good. Brad Pitt, love him or hate him, rarely picks bad projects to star in and i am a big fan of David Fincher, whose last movie 'zodiac' was extremely good and misunderstood by regular movie-goers.

The story is unique as it tells the tale of a boy who was born as an old man and ages backwards. While i was most interested in the details on how the director would handle different aspects of benjamin's life, the movie focused more on his story and less with the scientific type story. The story, a love story between pitt's character and cate blanchett, is a good one however. it was very epic and reminded me of movies such as 'the notebook' and 'forrest gump.' after viewing it i wasn't surprised at all to find that the writer wrote the script for 'forrest gump' as well. even though i enjoyed the story i felt it was a tad on the long side, parts of the movie kinda drug on. a little more excitement would've been welcome.

this movie was very good, one i plan on owning in the future. the love story really comes together at the end of the movie, and it really works because benjamin's aging ailment complicates things and makes it interesting. while this movie isn't quite the timeless classic that some projected it to be, it is still a great love story based on a great concept and while i feel more could have been done when it comes to exploring his age vs. his looks, i still walked away from the movie satisfied.

Yes Man

2008-12-22T16:43:00.000-08:00

i went into 'yes man' as not a huge jim carrey fan. i realize he can be funny i just feel he goes over-the-top too much and it gets obnoxious rather than humorous. jim carrey has been trying serious roles recently (not to alot of success). Despite this i respect his attempt at changing roles and i watched 'yes man' with an open mind, it being his first real return to comedy.

this movie was very funny. it starts at kinda slow but once it gets going, there are plenty of laughs to be had. jim carrey is more controlled which makes his overly goofy parts much funnier. carrey's promise to say yes to everything is explored in many funny ways. zooey deschanel was good too and her and jim carrey worked well together. rhys darby was also extremely funny in his clueless office role. he was essentially playing the exact same character of 'murray' that he plays in the great hbo show 'flight of the conchords.'

*SPOILER PARAGRAPH/LIST*
romantic comedy wise the story was nothing original. it played out entirely predictable. the 3 standard parts of a romantic comedy
1. intial great time to be had by all (he's in love with her, she's in love with him. everythings great.
2. she finds out a secret he was hiding, everything crumbles
3. everything falls back into place, they find a way to get over differences.

i've seen this format used in countless chick flicks, and takes back from the whole expierence.
however, jim carrey's performance in this film and many other funny moments hold the film together and make it one worth watching (not a must see for theaters but definitely rent it).

Consensus: Jim Carrey is back!

Quantum of Solace

2008-11-28T12:35:00.000-08:00

I walked into the new james bond movie knowing that i really liked the previous 'Casino Royale' but also realizing i hardly remembered anything from the previous other than the opening freerunning scene. I liked how 'Casino' took a much darker realistic approach on the james bond franchise which in the past tended to include implausible scenes with cheesy dialogue and action.

'Quatum of Solace' continues this rebooted trend even further with loads of brutal violence and dark themes. Themes such as rape, bitter revenge, and James Bond's tendency to kill rather than bring people in these days are more well-received because of the overall darker tone of the movie.

I found the action disorienting at times, especially the opening scene (it was hard to tell who was doing what with the close-up fast editing style). However, past the first scene i thought the action was great and not particularly hard to follow. Likewise, this movie has plenty of gritty action, much in the mold of the 'Bourne' movies. While some did not like this supposed imitation i welcomed it. I felt Marc Forester did an excellent job at directing everything. Lush visuals, with great shots showed an experienced director was behind the camera.

The story was the main problem. It was hard to follow at times. Who was chasing who was confusing. Is that the CIA or MI6 after Bond? I did not feel the story was extremely weak, just the weakest part of a film i did in fact really enjoy.

All in all, i really like this latest installment into the james bond movie. It is darker, more violent, and altogether more real than the other ones, so not being a huge fan of the older cornball james bond movies i cannot complain one bit.

Pineapple Express Film Review

2008-08-24T12:55:00.001-07:00

Being of fan of Judd Apatow films, I was really looking forward to 'Pineapple Express.' Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen (who also starred), wrote this film, also having written the very funny high school comedy 'Superbad.'

This film is hilarious. Though its hyped as a action/comedy it is the little moments of dialogue and interaction where this film truly shines. Seth Rogen does a good job using his previous pot smoking experiences. However, the true star in this film is James Franco. He is spot on as the clueless drug dealer, Saul Silver. I would say his performance is Oscar-worthy. He is just that good and that funny. He is reminiscent of Brad Pitt's character Floyd in 'True Romance,' though he adds a lot more to the character since he has more air time.

The movie is far from flawless though as the action scenes are where the film droops. Most of the action scenes are fine but the giant one at the end is where it gets a little long-toothed and is a little over-the-top from the rest of the movie. Without giving anything away I found the actual ending scene with the conversation as being the funniest part of the movie.

In the end, I'd recommend this movie, whether you are a stoner or not. The humour works either way. Not that everyone will enjoy this film however, I'd recommend it to people who like raunchier comedies such as 'Superbad'.

Step Brothers Film Review

2008-08-19T15:28:00.000-07:00

'Step Brothers' is the first comedy I watched this summer. I didn't have extremely high expectations for this film since I am not a huge fan of Will Ferrell at all. I feel that he has been in a recent decline since the actually funny 'Anchorman'. Or potentially it is that the stupid improvised humour that make up his films is getting old.

This movie does indeed have its funny lines. However, the lack of a significant plot in any form drag it down greatly. Also, there are large chunks of this film where there are no laughs and many jokes/ploys are reused. Much of the humour was in the fact that O'Reilly and Ferrell are adults saying things that kids say only swearing while they did it. This was not particularly funny to me at any time. The movie is too long. Towards the end I was just wanting it to end.

This film had it many bright spots where i laughed. The overall experience though was a little tired, felt done before many times, and was not especially memorable.

The Dark Knight film review

2008-07-18T15:47:00.000-07:00

I had extremely high expectations for this film. I have liked every Christopher Nolan movie I've watched up to this point including the prequel 'Batman Begins.' Likewise the trailers for this movie made it look spectacular.

I attended the midnight showing to a full house, and two and a half hours later i left amazed and breathless. This movie was magnificent. Not only the best superhero film of all-time but one of the best overall films of 2008. It appeared to be more of a crime drama than a standard super hero romp.

The acting was incredible. Heath Ledger was unbelievable as the joker. Every since watching Heath Ledger in the 'Lords of Dogtown' I knew that he could act. What he does in 'TDK' is take it to an entirely new level. He is completely crazy and I feel a better joker than Jack Nicholson was. I was a little skeptical prior to this film, feeling that maybe some of his praise was overdue and only given out due to his death. However, none of his praise for this film is unwarranted. He deserves an oscar nomination for best supporting actor.
Also, Aaron Eckhart was extremely good as the complex Harvey Dent. His performance appears to be getting a little overshadowed by Ledger's but it was very excellent nonetheless.

The humor in this film is profoundly dark and honestly laugh-out-loud funny. This contrasts well with the gritty world that Nolan creates oh so well in the movie. Overall, this is an epic story that extends well beyond the hype surrounding it. I will probably go and watch this film again just to be sucked into the interesting world of Gotham City once more. The film is nearly perfect and the only complaint I could maybe find is that some find it a little too long. I did not mind the length however.

Overall, extending well beyond the typical superhero movie fun-time campy adventure Christopher Nolan has created a masterpiece film.
Everything about this film shines: the script, dialogue, direction, action, and the sheer number of unforgettable scenes and moments that are present throughout it

Consensus: Go see this movie now!