So award season is just beginning and they are all starting to roll out.
Thus here is my top 5 movies to see for the rest of the year:
5) Beowulf:
I first heard about this movie two years ago. Pretty much that Crispin Glover would be playing Grendel and Angelina Jolie would be playing She in a new animated version of Beowulf. I was just excited to see that, but the thought of it being animated did not attract me at all. Then the movie was completed and I saw the trailer and heard the buzz. All I have to say is DAMN! When the trailer first began I was almost 100% convinced that everything being shown to me was live action. Then some, probably less rendered, material came on and it still looked incredible. I have read reports of people who said that they couldn't tell it was animated for about 10 minutes. I doubt it is true, but it looks like and incredible new step for animation and there are rumors of the Jusitce League movie being made that way. I believe this movie only focuses on Beowulf's struggles with Grendel and she and that they mess with the mythology a little bit, but I seriously cannot wait to see it.
4) American Gangster
I love gangster films. Denzel Washington is an incredible actor. Russel Crowe is an incredible actor. Ridley Scott kicks ass as a director. On top of everything this film about a black drug lord in the 70's being more powerful than the italian Mafia just looks incredible. It looks like a character driven gangster film as opposed to one that is all about the violence and the drugs, which many have become today. The gnagster genre has been one of the best in cinematic history giving us classics such as Public Enemy, Little Ceaser, The Godfather Parts I and II, and Goodfellas. Now a director who has never done a gangster film is taking the reins of one that has been in development hell for several years has seemed to have made another masterpiece for the genre. Can't wait.
3) There Will Be Blood
Truthfully, I'm not a big P.T. Anderson fan. Mainly, I dislike magnolia. It revels in its own strangeness, but I do feel that he knows exactly what he is doing. This movie though, this looks like this could be his best movie yet, and from the only 2 reviews of it that are out, it is supposed to the next american classic. The reviews have compared Daniel Days Lewis' performance in it to that of Orson Welle's in Citizen Kane and Robert DeNiro's in Raging Bull. Lewis has always been an incredible actor and if he is supplying the next great performance of film history, well, damn, I need to see that. On top of everything, the poster and the trailer are intense. It also stars the emo son from "Little Miss Sunshine" as a religios fanatic. This movie is all about oil and how one man will do anything to obtain the riches of oil.
2) The Assassination of Jesse James by the coward Robert Ford
Somebody who follows movie knews will know that this movie has been pretty much under the "COMING THIS YEAR" category for a while. It was shot. It was edited. It was four hours long. A four hour long western where it is pretty much talking? Well, that was not going to fly for a distributor. So for those years there have been many different editors and a constant struggle between the studio and the director to allow the director to tell his story. Before the final cut of the film was shown people were saying this could end up like Leone's "Once Upon A Time In America." Which had the same thing happen to it, cutting it down to a mess of a film, but when the director's cut surfaced, it was deemed a classic. There have been mixed reviews from viewers, but critics are eating this movie up and saying that Casey Affleck is a shoe-in for the supporting actor nomination.
1) No Country For Old Men
Here it is: the Coen Brother's newest film after their two flops "The Lady Killers" and "Intolerable Cruelty." From the looks of it, it could just be thier best movie yet. A man has found a large sum of money from a drug deal gone wrong and now a bunch of people are hunting him down and wanting to find him and kill him. Javier Bardem is scarey as shit in this movie. How do I know? I haven't seen the movie yet? Well, the man just scares the crap out of me in the trailer. I do not know somebody else who as actually given me that really creepy vibe just from a trailer, but damn does he do it. This movie looks really really awesome. I just can't freakin' wait.
So there it is. My top 5 for the rest of the year. For people wondering what are my top 5 so FAR this year here it is (no explanation on it, you can read the review).
1) Grindhouse
2) Knocked Up
3) Transformers
4) Superbad
5) Death at a Funeral
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Good Luck Chuck
I remember when I first saw a trailer. It was R-rated. It was Dane Cook (I love Cook's stand up). It was Jessica Alba (I love Alba's body). It had a good premise and strangely enough, the first trailer was funny. Then rest of the trailers came out and I was no longer interested. So, when my friend gave me a call last night to go see it, I just wanted to see a movie. Thus, I watched it.
If you guys haven't seen the trailer... everywhere by now here is the plot:
Dane Cook plays Charlie. When he was younger he played spin the bottle, and the girl was crazy he had to go with. Thus he runs out and she casts a spell on him that the woman he would go out with would fall in love with and marry the person right after him.
Cut to him as an adult and his last girlfriend is getting married. At the wedding he meets Cam (Jessica Alba). She is a clutz, a peguin trainer/freak but for some reason he really likes her. Well, she is hot and very cut at the same time in this movie. Around this time he hears about him being a charm. The curse is true? So Charlie ends up banging every women he who wants him to. Four minute montage of Dane cook's ass and a lot of boobs. Well, he decides he really wants to go out with Cam. So he does, but he really needs to make 100% sure that it isn't true. From there on out it becomes the basic romantic comedy. Even ending with a plane scne that has become so popular since The Wedding Singer.
This movie really is just one of those movies where you aren't going to go around recommending it to people, but you aren't going to go around bashing it. It is just that type of movie where you sit down for an hour and a half and chuckle once in a while, have maybe... 2 good laughs, and just continue on with your life as if you had never seen the movie before. The best laughs involve Dane Cook in a penguin costume and the only actually belly laugh really funny moment of the film is during the credits involving Dane Cook and a stuffed penguin.
Cook and Alba both do fine jobs playing off of eachother. I actually felt that that is the reason that this film did not fall into an abysmal hell. They do genuinely have very good chemistry on the screen and work really when when they are playing opposite eachother. I mean, they both pretty much play themselves, but it is fine since it works in the movie. Then there is Dan Fogler who plays Cook's best friend, Stu. I hate this guy. In everything he does, I hate him. He is a wanna-be Belushi/Farrely and he is totaly retarded. His comedy is about on par with Dak Sheppard.
So, if you just want to blow an hour and a half of your life on this. It won't be a total waste, but it won't really be totally worth your money either. I would see it as a matinee if anything.
P.S. I also hated how this movie began. There was just something awkward about it. I'm not talking about the entire sequence I'm literally talking about the company logos and the title of the film. There was just a weird awkward chord that is struck with me and frankly, no me gusta.
If you guys haven't seen the trailer... everywhere by now here is the plot:
Dane Cook plays Charlie. When he was younger he played spin the bottle, and the girl was crazy he had to go with. Thus he runs out and she casts a spell on him that the woman he would go out with would fall in love with and marry the person right after him.
Cut to him as an adult and his last girlfriend is getting married. At the wedding he meets Cam (Jessica Alba). She is a clutz, a peguin trainer/freak but for some reason he really likes her. Well, she is hot and very cut at the same time in this movie. Around this time he hears about him being a charm. The curse is true? So Charlie ends up banging every women he who wants him to. Four minute montage of Dane cook's ass and a lot of boobs. Well, he decides he really wants to go out with Cam. So he does, but he really needs to make 100% sure that it isn't true. From there on out it becomes the basic romantic comedy. Even ending with a plane scne that has become so popular since The Wedding Singer.
This movie really is just one of those movies where you aren't going to go around recommending it to people, but you aren't going to go around bashing it. It is just that type of movie where you sit down for an hour and a half and chuckle once in a while, have maybe... 2 good laughs, and just continue on with your life as if you had never seen the movie before. The best laughs involve Dane Cook in a penguin costume and the only actually belly laugh really funny moment of the film is during the credits involving Dane Cook and a stuffed penguin.
Cook and Alba both do fine jobs playing off of eachother. I actually felt that that is the reason that this film did not fall into an abysmal hell. They do genuinely have very good chemistry on the screen and work really when when they are playing opposite eachother. I mean, they both pretty much play themselves, but it is fine since it works in the movie. Then there is Dan Fogler who plays Cook's best friend, Stu. I hate this guy. In everything he does, I hate him. He is a wanna-be Belushi/Farrely and he is totaly retarded. His comedy is about on par with Dak Sheppard.
So, if you just want to blow an hour and a half of your life on this. It won't be a total waste, but it won't really be totally worth your money either. I would see it as a matinee if anything.
P.S. I also hated how this movie began. There was just something awkward about it. I'm not talking about the entire sequence I'm literally talking about the company logos and the title of the film. There was just a weird awkward chord that is struck with me and frankly, no me gusta.
Eastern Promises
Cronenberg had not made a good film since 1986's "The Fly."
Then Viggo Mortensen stepped into his life and since he has made two very good movies. The newest of which is Eastern Promises.
Eastern promises revolves around Anna (Naomi Watts), a mid-wife at the local hospital who recently had a miscarriage. One night a girl appears in the hospital and she is giving birth. The woman ends up dying, but the baby lives. Anna, in hopes for finding the babies home, takes the girl's Diary home. The girl's diary is in russian, so she asks her uncle to translate, which he refuses to do since she "robbed the dead." Anna finds the card for a restaurant in the diary. So, in hopes that it isn't just a restaurant she liked, Anna goes to the restaurant.
Which ends up to be owned by the russian mafia. On top of that, it ends up that the diary holds secrets about the russian mafia that they do not want out. All the while there is an up and coming mobster trying to get to be a full "vor" (member of the mafia), Nikolai (Viggo Mortensen). He does what he is told most of the time, but he also does what he feels is best for the family or his situation.
I will just address my only problem with the movie right here, since it is a problem with the script. There are two moments in the movie that they unviel something big about a character. Something that should and WOULD change everything that is going on in this movie, but it doesn't. Those two really facts that are presented as important information end up simply being useless and one ends up creating a little bit of confusion at the end. Which, admittedly could have been what Cronenberg was going for, but I really felt detracted from this otherwise very straight forward film.
All of the acting was very good. Watts does a fine job as usual. If it wasn't for The Ring 2 I would say she always delivers a good, to very good performance and she does it once more. In fact, I would say this one is a very good performance. There is a want for that child that she lost which builds for her want for the baby to have a good life. Mortensen delivers his usual stoic performance, but he rocks at it and here is a total badass in no matter what he is doing, so it is perfectly fine by me. I hope he finally gets a oscar nod for this, but I highly doubt it. The other notable person here is Vincent Cassell. Cassell plays the son of the mob boss and he is a slimey little worm. Around papa he is a coward, around everyone else he flaunts the fact that his dad is high up in the vor.
This movie is definately Cronenberg's style. Not his old style, while that is still there, his new style is definately toned down. He is now relying even more on the actors before. While his old films where very much about excessive amounts of gore and monsters that oozed sexuality, his new ones have short spurts of violence until it builds to the big violent moment in the film, and this moment is just... wow. Cronenberg cuts out all sound but the punches and the slices from the film and it has an incredible effect. It is one of the most powerful, painful fight scenes I've ever seen. You will feel every hit, every cut and it will leave you with that feeling for a while after the movie.
This is the first movie that people are saying that can rack up some nods, and it is really good. Except for two flaws that I felt detracted from the film, this movie works in almost all of the bits. In fact, when those 2 things are unvield, it really works and you are excited to see how it develops, but it never does. One, in fact, never needed to be stated because it was brought out in the actors performance before hand. Since this is a legitamate movie in our region, it is bound to not be in the area long, so see it soon.
Then Viggo Mortensen stepped into his life and since he has made two very good movies. The newest of which is Eastern Promises.
Eastern promises revolves around Anna (Naomi Watts), a mid-wife at the local hospital who recently had a miscarriage. One night a girl appears in the hospital and she is giving birth. The woman ends up dying, but the baby lives. Anna, in hopes for finding the babies home, takes the girl's Diary home. The girl's diary is in russian, so she asks her uncle to translate, which he refuses to do since she "robbed the dead." Anna finds the card for a restaurant in the diary. So, in hopes that it isn't just a restaurant she liked, Anna goes to the restaurant.
Which ends up to be owned by the russian mafia. On top of that, it ends up that the diary holds secrets about the russian mafia that they do not want out. All the while there is an up and coming mobster trying to get to be a full "vor" (member of the mafia), Nikolai (Viggo Mortensen). He does what he is told most of the time, but he also does what he feels is best for the family or his situation.
I will just address my only problem with the movie right here, since it is a problem with the script. There are two moments in the movie that they unviel something big about a character. Something that should and WOULD change everything that is going on in this movie, but it doesn't. Those two really facts that are presented as important information end up simply being useless and one ends up creating a little bit of confusion at the end. Which, admittedly could have been what Cronenberg was going for, but I really felt detracted from this otherwise very straight forward film.
All of the acting was very good. Watts does a fine job as usual. If it wasn't for The Ring 2 I would say she always delivers a good, to very good performance and she does it once more. In fact, I would say this one is a very good performance. There is a want for that child that she lost which builds for her want for the baby to have a good life. Mortensen delivers his usual stoic performance, but he rocks at it and here is a total badass in no matter what he is doing, so it is perfectly fine by me. I hope he finally gets a oscar nod for this, but I highly doubt it. The other notable person here is Vincent Cassell. Cassell plays the son of the mob boss and he is a slimey little worm. Around papa he is a coward, around everyone else he flaunts the fact that his dad is high up in the vor.
This movie is definately Cronenberg's style. Not his old style, while that is still there, his new style is definately toned down. He is now relying even more on the actors before. While his old films where very much about excessive amounts of gore and monsters that oozed sexuality, his new ones have short spurts of violence until it builds to the big violent moment in the film, and this moment is just... wow. Cronenberg cuts out all sound but the punches and the slices from the film and it has an incredible effect. It is one of the most powerful, painful fight scenes I've ever seen. You will feel every hit, every cut and it will leave you with that feeling for a while after the movie.
This is the first movie that people are saying that can rack up some nods, and it is really good. Except for two flaws that I felt detracted from the film, this movie works in almost all of the bits. In fact, when those 2 things are unvield, it really works and you are excited to see how it develops, but it never does. One, in fact, never needed to be stated because it was brought out in the actors performance before hand. Since this is a legitamate movie in our region, it is bound to not be in the area long, so see it soon.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Death at a Funeral
Even though I love spoilers, I hate them for comedies and thank god I had not known basically... anything about this movie before I saw it. I had heard about it on Aint It Cool News and had watched one trailer. Mainly, I was sold to go see just because Frank Oz freakin' kicks ass, but after his "Stepford Wives" remake I was wondering if he could back pedal to his great off-beat comedies again.
And boy did he. In a big way. This movie will have you laughing from the opening credits until the image of the film. It is a hilarious little England-set comedy.
I can't really explain the plot here because there really isn't one. This is an ensemble character movie. Basically, Daniel (Matthew Macfayden) is trying to have a nice funeral for his older brother and things just keep getting worse and worse and worse. That is all I would ever want to tell you because that is about all I knew. Well, I knew phrases about two big gags, but they don't give it a way: "A disgusting picture involving a midget" and "An LSD trip."
This movie has a great cast of people that I was not familiar with before except for three people, one of which is the person who steals every single scene he is in. Matthew Macfayden plays the son of the father who the funeral is for. He is planning on moving out with his wife, and he is trying to write a book. He is the straight man of the movie and he works very well. Bad shit just keeps getting piled on him as the events unfold and shit hits the fan. Peter Dinklage plays the midget in the movie, as mentioned above, and he is damn funny. He is coldly manipulative and insulting and he is hilarious. Rupert Graves plays Daniel's brother, Robert. He is a great writer, but he is also selfish and stuck up. Pretty much, everyone does a fine job of bringing their character to life and they all have very funny moments. There is one man though, one man that takes the entire movie and runs with his scenes making you constantly wanting to see him again and that is Alan Tudyk as Simon. You see, Simon thought he took a valium for a headache which ended up to actually be acid and for the rest of the funeral, he is tripping balls. I won't say what he does but damn... it is funny. I do really like this guy in the stuff I've seen him in (Steve the Pirate in Dodgeball, the E! executive in Knocked Up and a doctor in 3:10 to Yuma) and I want to see him in more.
Frank Oz has got it back. After a little slip up with "The Steppford Wives" he has returned to the movies he rocks at making. This movie reminds me the most of "What About Bob?" out of his films, but with the British accents everything seem refreshing and new. I cannot wait to see Oz's next movie.
This movie was really hilarious and owns the rights as the 2nd movie to make me fall out of my seat. I won't tell you when, just go see the damn movie. It is playing at the Varsity as we speak so go!
And boy did he. In a big way. This movie will have you laughing from the opening credits until the image of the film. It is a hilarious little England-set comedy.
I can't really explain the plot here because there really isn't one. This is an ensemble character movie. Basically, Daniel (Matthew Macfayden) is trying to have a nice funeral for his older brother and things just keep getting worse and worse and worse. That is all I would ever want to tell you because that is about all I knew. Well, I knew phrases about two big gags, but they don't give it a way: "A disgusting picture involving a midget" and "An LSD trip."
This movie has a great cast of people that I was not familiar with before except for three people, one of which is the person who steals every single scene he is in. Matthew Macfayden plays the son of the father who the funeral is for. He is planning on moving out with his wife, and he is trying to write a book. He is the straight man of the movie and he works very well. Bad shit just keeps getting piled on him as the events unfold and shit hits the fan. Peter Dinklage plays the midget in the movie, as mentioned above, and he is damn funny. He is coldly manipulative and insulting and he is hilarious. Rupert Graves plays Daniel's brother, Robert. He is a great writer, but he is also selfish and stuck up. Pretty much, everyone does a fine job of bringing their character to life and they all have very funny moments. There is one man though, one man that takes the entire movie and runs with his scenes making you constantly wanting to see him again and that is Alan Tudyk as Simon. You see, Simon thought he took a valium for a headache which ended up to actually be acid and for the rest of the funeral, he is tripping balls. I won't say what he does but damn... it is funny. I do really like this guy in the stuff I've seen him in (Steve the Pirate in Dodgeball, the E! executive in Knocked Up and a doctor in 3:10 to Yuma) and I want to see him in more.
Frank Oz has got it back. After a little slip up with "The Steppford Wives" he has returned to the movies he rocks at making. This movie reminds me the most of "What About Bob?" out of his films, but with the British accents everything seem refreshing and new. I cannot wait to see Oz's next movie.
This movie was really hilarious and owns the rights as the 2nd movie to make me fall out of my seat. I won't tell you when, just go see the damn movie. It is playing at the Varsity as we speak so go!
Friday, September 28, 2007
3:10 to Yuma
"The western is dead." Many people have said it, and it has been 100% true. The last good western was Sam Raimi's "The Quick and the Dead." 12 years is much too long for a genre that gave us such great films as "Once Upon a Time in the West," "High Noon," and "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly." This year seems to be a return to this genre with "The Assassination of Jesse James by the coward Robert Ford," "There Will Be Blood" (not a western in the traditional sence of gunslingers, but still, set in the old west), "No Country for Old Men" (a modern day western) and "3:10 To Yuma."
How could I not want to see a movie starring two of the best actors right now sparring off against eachother? Especially since it is by the director of "Walk the Line" which I thought was very good. So, I paid my 5 bucks (in gift certificates) to the worst theater around, the Cinemark, and watched Crowe and Bale play off of eachother.
The movie's story is about a man, Ben Wade (Russel Crowe), a prolific murderer and robber. He gets himself caught and needs to be escorted to a train, the 3:10 to Yuma to be exact. Dan Evans (Christian Bale), a poor rancher who needs money, joins the group that is to escort him to the train. The race is on as Wade's gang [led by his number 2, Charlie Prince (Ben Foster)] tries to catch up to them and get their leader free.
This is a fairly straightforward story to set up what is really a movie about characters. Ben Wade and Dan Evans to be exact. Even more exactly: Christian Bale and Russel Crowe. Once more, both these actors create great, depth filled characters. Crowe's Wade is a gentleman, a genuinely persuading guy, but underneath it all there is something that you can't quite put your finger on that makes him untrustworthy. Then, there are the moments he snaps and you know why he is untrustworthy: he is calculating and brutal. His straightforwardness is his way of brutally taking you down emtionally and his strength and percision with a revolver is his way of brutally killing you. Then there is Dan Evans. Dan Evans is just going for what is best in his family, no matter what the cost is. It is the only reason he is doing this, and when he is faced with difficult decisions he will always make the best one for his family, but it cannot be against the law. The scenes where these two talk with eachother, hell, when they just look at eachother are electrifying two men who have different morals but the same basic ideal of that they know what they want and will go about it their way. It is just electrifying.
James Magnold knows exactly how to capture performances. His characters are always extremely well defined and he can build a level of excitement. My problem with his directing though is that whenever it goes into action he pulls what many inexperienced action directors do: kick it to shakey cam. Unlike Paul Greengrass or Spielberg, he doesn't know how to use it properly. In fact, I was hoping the last sequence would be very suspenful, much like the sequence when Tuco and Blondie re-meet near the end of "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly." Sadly, it was just a big ol' action sequence. Not that wasn't a good action sequence, since the stakes are so high in this last scene it keeps our heart pumping, but that is all that pushes that scene along.
This movie is a awesome for watching two great actors spar off, but if you are looking for really original action, or suspensful action that westerns are known for, count it out. Still, definately check out this movie. It is a very good kick off to what is looking be an awesome award season.
How could I not want to see a movie starring two of the best actors right now sparring off against eachother? Especially since it is by the director of "Walk the Line" which I thought was very good. So, I paid my 5 bucks (in gift certificates) to the worst theater around, the Cinemark, and watched Crowe and Bale play off of eachother.
The movie's story is about a man, Ben Wade (Russel Crowe), a prolific murderer and robber. He gets himself caught and needs to be escorted to a train, the 3:10 to Yuma to be exact. Dan Evans (Christian Bale), a poor rancher who needs money, joins the group that is to escort him to the train. The race is on as Wade's gang [led by his number 2, Charlie Prince (Ben Foster)] tries to catch up to them and get their leader free.
This is a fairly straightforward story to set up what is really a movie about characters. Ben Wade and Dan Evans to be exact. Even more exactly: Christian Bale and Russel Crowe. Once more, both these actors create great, depth filled characters. Crowe's Wade is a gentleman, a genuinely persuading guy, but underneath it all there is something that you can't quite put your finger on that makes him untrustworthy. Then, there are the moments he snaps and you know why he is untrustworthy: he is calculating and brutal. His straightforwardness is his way of brutally taking you down emtionally and his strength and percision with a revolver is his way of brutally killing you. Then there is Dan Evans. Dan Evans is just going for what is best in his family, no matter what the cost is. It is the only reason he is doing this, and when he is faced with difficult decisions he will always make the best one for his family, but it cannot be against the law. The scenes where these two talk with eachother, hell, when they just look at eachother are electrifying two men who have different morals but the same basic ideal of that they know what they want and will go about it their way. It is just electrifying.
James Magnold knows exactly how to capture performances. His characters are always extremely well defined and he can build a level of excitement. My problem with his directing though is that whenever it goes into action he pulls what many inexperienced action directors do: kick it to shakey cam. Unlike Paul Greengrass or Spielberg, he doesn't know how to use it properly. In fact, I was hoping the last sequence would be very suspenful, much like the sequence when Tuco and Blondie re-meet near the end of "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly." Sadly, it was just a big ol' action sequence. Not that wasn't a good action sequence, since the stakes are so high in this last scene it keeps our heart pumping, but that is all that pushes that scene along.
This movie is a awesome for watching two great actors spar off, but if you are looking for really original action, or suspensful action that westerns are known for, count it out. Still, definately check out this movie. It is a very good kick off to what is looking be an awesome award season.
Ratatouille
I missed this movie upon its original release, and after great reviews I was disappointed. Then, the wonderful State Theater decided to put it back in theaters. Awesome. So, I got a haircut down the street and walked over and caught a showing of it.
And I was very glad I did. Not only was this movie very funny, but it was also full of heart. You know, the type of movie that Pixar is great at. In fact, all of Pixar's movies that I have seen (the only one I haven't is Cars) they have all been very good. You know why? Because they don't greenlight movies for the money, but because they want to tell a story.
Thier newest film, which will probably win Best Animated Feature this year (only movie I can see beating it out is Beowulf, which I haven't seen yet but it looks awesome), is about a little rat named Remy (Patton Oswald) who lives in the country with his family and friends. He isn't completely happy though, because, you see, his nose is super developed and his great passion is food. Not rat food, but real legitamate food. So, when he ends up in France he goes to the retaurant where his favorite chef used to cook before, after the disappointment of losing two stars off his five stars because of a scathing review of critic Anton Ego (Peter O'Toole). It just so happens that on the same day, a new person has been hired that day. His name is Liguini (Lou Romano) and he is a terrible cook, but he wants to be good. When he and Remy meet, they form a partnership and restore the glory of the once great restaurant. As they are on their rise to fame though, many problems arise.
The voice acting in this is spot on. Everybody nails a perfect french accent. Especially Janeano Garofolo, who sounds nothing like herself... at all. I was constantly stuck by it. Patton Oswald gives a performance with more substance than just laughs for once, and I was very surprised. Now, don't get me wrong, I love the man's stand up and when he is in different TV shows, but I never thought he would be able to be that good. I cannot give him all the credit for the performance though, about half the time Remy is on screen he is saying nothing and the animators did an incredible job at bringing realistic emotions to the rat.
Speaking of the animation. It was the best I've ever seen. Simply watching these gorgously rendered visuals appear on screen was enough of a treat. There is incredible detail in every frame. It had a different feeling to it than anything else that had been done before. What I really must tell you is that there was some food that looked as if it was real. The amount of time they put into making sure that everything looked as real as it possibly could really paid off.
It could have only been done with the best animator on the scene right now: Brad Bird. This man seems to be able to make anything that is animated great. The Iron Giant: Great. The Incredibles: Great. Now Ratatouille. I really loved his style in this one especially. His camera movements were so elegant and very powerfully moving. No matter what if it was people chasing the rats or if it was an emotional scene, he captured every beat. The moments I especially loved was when he did the visual representations of the tastes. They were exciting, experimental and like a sence of discovery.
Ratatouille is really one of the best animated films I've ever seen and I can't wait to see Brad Bird's next film.
P.S. Sorry for the long delay on my reviews. I have about 2 more coming up: one for 3:10 to Yuma and one for Death at a Funeral.
And I was very glad I did. Not only was this movie very funny, but it was also full of heart. You know, the type of movie that Pixar is great at. In fact, all of Pixar's movies that I have seen (the only one I haven't is Cars) they have all been very good. You know why? Because they don't greenlight movies for the money, but because they want to tell a story.
Thier newest film, which will probably win Best Animated Feature this year (only movie I can see beating it out is Beowulf, which I haven't seen yet but it looks awesome), is about a little rat named Remy (Patton Oswald) who lives in the country with his family and friends. He isn't completely happy though, because, you see, his nose is super developed and his great passion is food. Not rat food, but real legitamate food. So, when he ends up in France he goes to the retaurant where his favorite chef used to cook before, after the disappointment of losing two stars off his five stars because of a scathing review of critic Anton Ego (Peter O'Toole). It just so happens that on the same day, a new person has been hired that day. His name is Liguini (Lou Romano) and he is a terrible cook, but he wants to be good. When he and Remy meet, they form a partnership and restore the glory of the once great restaurant. As they are on their rise to fame though, many problems arise.
The voice acting in this is spot on. Everybody nails a perfect french accent. Especially Janeano Garofolo, who sounds nothing like herself... at all. I was constantly stuck by it. Patton Oswald gives a performance with more substance than just laughs for once, and I was very surprised. Now, don't get me wrong, I love the man's stand up and when he is in different TV shows, but I never thought he would be able to be that good. I cannot give him all the credit for the performance though, about half the time Remy is on screen he is saying nothing and the animators did an incredible job at bringing realistic emotions to the rat.
Speaking of the animation. It was the best I've ever seen. Simply watching these gorgously rendered visuals appear on screen was enough of a treat. There is incredible detail in every frame. It had a different feeling to it than anything else that had been done before. What I really must tell you is that there was some food that looked as if it was real. The amount of time they put into making sure that everything looked as real as it possibly could really paid off.
It could have only been done with the best animator on the scene right now: Brad Bird. This man seems to be able to make anything that is animated great. The Iron Giant: Great. The Incredibles: Great. Now Ratatouille. I really loved his style in this one especially. His camera movements were so elegant and very powerfully moving. No matter what if it was people chasing the rats or if it was an emotional scene, he captured every beat. The moments I especially loved was when he did the visual representations of the tastes. They were exciting, experimental and like a sence of discovery.
Ratatouille is really one of the best animated films I've ever seen and I can't wait to see Brad Bird's next film.
P.S. Sorry for the long delay on my reviews. I have about 2 more coming up: one for 3:10 to Yuma and one for Death at a Funeral.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Watchmen - The Script Review - Spoilers
For every medium there are different works that change the entire industry. Plays have Shakespeare. Films have The Jazz Singer, Birth of a Nation, and Citizen Kane. Comics have Watchmen.
Originally released as a twelve-part miniseries, Watchmen did something crazy: it gave great complex pysches to each of its characters, all while being politically relevant. Time magazine even listed it as one of the 100 best novels of last century - it was the only comic to be on the list.
Well, right after this comic came out, the movie of it was greenlit. Right after it was greenlit, visionary filmmaker Terry Gilliam took the project over. He worked on it long, and he worked on it hard but he just couldn't do it. He was famously quoted as saying that he would only do it as a 12 part television mini-series, which was a no go.
After that, great filmmaker Paul Greengrass took the project over. He had begun casting and was very far into pre-production. So far, to the point of having people from Aint It Cool News to show up at their pre-production offices and having a website. For some reason, this also ended up being debunked.
Then came 300. It was the largest grossing R-Rated film of all time, and it was very cheaply made. The director, Zack Snyder, was a very avid Watchmen fan. So much so, that he lobbied WB to let him make the movie. The first image of what we should expect from the film was inbedded in the red-band trailer for 300.
Well, I have one of his drafts (the first one the writer he chose did for him), and let me tell you this: It is close to the best adaptation we are going to get.
For those of you NOT familiar with Watchmen, it is about a group of superheros who have since been outlawed as the result of a policemen strike. It has been a while since they are out of commission. The only ones that are still allowed to legally work as heros are Dr. Manhattan (a man who can do anything and is going out with another ex-superhero, Laurie Jupiter) and the Comedian (a big, burly, brass man who is a top government employee). There is only one TRUE vigilante: RORSCHACH. He is a mentally unstable vigilante who calls his mask "his face," doesn't speak in full sentances, and will go to any length to find out what he wants. When the Comedian is killed, Rorschach enlists the help of his old companion, Dan Drieberg aka Nite Owl II, to solve the mystery of a "mask killer."
Truthfully, if you have read the comic book, you have pretty much read a much expanded version of this script. Missing from the comic book is the original group of Superhero's that aren't alive anymore. Pretty much, if a Superhero from the original doesn't help with the basic plot, they have been cut out. Which, truthfully, while it adds much more character to the comic it was not a very big deal here. We don't have the Crimebusters here either. We have "the Watchmen" and "the new Watchmen" people who have read the comic know that these are just different names. While, the Crimebusters are almost cut completely out, the 3 important ones still exist: Hollis Mason, Sally Jupiter and Edward Blake(the Comedian). "The Black Frieghter" is not in it either, but the news stand man is in there a little more. In fact, they decided that for sequences like that, that they would go universal and show soldiers and civilians from around the world worrying about the world. Personally, I thought that was a nice touch to link the entire world together, instead of just making it an american story.
My only complaint is the end, but it is very minor. If you have heard about this script, you know that Dr. Manhattan is harnessed and is made to look like he kills 3 million people, as opposed to the fake giant alien squid thing. Now, this works just as well truthfully. In fact, it drives home the idea that Dr. Manhattan is the linchpin to World Peace. I'm not saying I perfer it better, because I don't. We are not going to see the mass of mangled bodies, but I do like it. Another difference is that Dan kills Veidt. Which, in the flow of the script, works. Nothing changes the final message of the film, and gives a nice character arc to Dan.
Everything else is pretty much there, except shortened, but in a 2 hour movie, none of it feels rushed. It all clicks. In fact, I actually really loved this script and knowing that Synder is making it even MORE truthful to the comic book (The recent set pics of Manhattan shaking hands with JFK are NOT a scene in the movie, but it is in the comic) makes me realize this: on 3/9/09 we are in for one hell of a movie. Truthfully, it could end up as the best comic book movie to date.
Originally released as a twelve-part miniseries, Watchmen did something crazy: it gave great complex pysches to each of its characters, all while being politically relevant. Time magazine even listed it as one of the 100 best novels of last century - it was the only comic to be on the list.
Well, right after this comic came out, the movie of it was greenlit. Right after it was greenlit, visionary filmmaker Terry Gilliam took the project over. He worked on it long, and he worked on it hard but he just couldn't do it. He was famously quoted as saying that he would only do it as a 12 part television mini-series, which was a no go.
After that, great filmmaker Paul Greengrass took the project over. He had begun casting and was very far into pre-production. So far, to the point of having people from Aint It Cool News to show up at their pre-production offices and having a website. For some reason, this also ended up being debunked.
Then came 300. It was the largest grossing R-Rated film of all time, and it was very cheaply made. The director, Zack Snyder, was a very avid Watchmen fan. So much so, that he lobbied WB to let him make the movie. The first image of what we should expect from the film was inbedded in the red-band trailer for 300.
Well, I have one of his drafts (the first one the writer he chose did for him), and let me tell you this: It is close to the best adaptation we are going to get.
For those of you NOT familiar with Watchmen, it is about a group of superheros who have since been outlawed as the result of a policemen strike. It has been a while since they are out of commission. The only ones that are still allowed to legally work as heros are Dr. Manhattan (a man who can do anything and is going out with another ex-superhero, Laurie Jupiter) and the Comedian (a big, burly, brass man who is a top government employee). There is only one TRUE vigilante: RORSCHACH. He is a mentally unstable vigilante who calls his mask "his face," doesn't speak in full sentances, and will go to any length to find out what he wants. When the Comedian is killed, Rorschach enlists the help of his old companion, Dan Drieberg aka Nite Owl II, to solve the mystery of a "mask killer."
Truthfully, if you have read the comic book, you have pretty much read a much expanded version of this script. Missing from the comic book is the original group of Superhero's that aren't alive anymore. Pretty much, if a Superhero from the original doesn't help with the basic plot, they have been cut out. Which, truthfully, while it adds much more character to the comic it was not a very big deal here. We don't have the Crimebusters here either. We have "the Watchmen" and "the new Watchmen" people who have read the comic know that these are just different names. While, the Crimebusters are almost cut completely out, the 3 important ones still exist: Hollis Mason, Sally Jupiter and Edward Blake(the Comedian). "The Black Frieghter" is not in it either, but the news stand man is in there a little more. In fact, they decided that for sequences like that, that they would go universal and show soldiers and civilians from around the world worrying about the world. Personally, I thought that was a nice touch to link the entire world together, instead of just making it an american story.
My only complaint is the end, but it is very minor. If you have heard about this script, you know that Dr. Manhattan is harnessed and is made to look like he kills 3 million people, as opposed to the fake giant alien squid thing. Now, this works just as well truthfully. In fact, it drives home the idea that Dr. Manhattan is the linchpin to World Peace. I'm not saying I perfer it better, because I don't. We are not going to see the mass of mangled bodies, but I do like it. Another difference is that Dan kills Veidt. Which, in the flow of the script, works. Nothing changes the final message of the film, and gives a nice character arc to Dan.
Everything else is pretty much there, except shortened, but in a 2 hour movie, none of it feels rushed. It all clicks. In fact, I actually really loved this script and knowing that Synder is making it even MORE truthful to the comic book (The recent set pics of Manhattan shaking hands with JFK are NOT a scene in the movie, but it is in the comic) makes me realize this: on 3/9/09 we are in for one hell of a movie. Truthfully, it could end up as the best comic book movie to date.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Halloween (Minor Spoilers)
"Love Hurts." I think that that song accurately describes this movie to me. I love the original. I love what Rob Zombie has done before hand. I was even able to find enjoyment out of Halloween 2-7 (not Ressurection though). But this.... this was like watching my girlfriend cheat on me with a retarded hick with a giant labido.
As you know, this is a "re-telling" of the story of Michael Meyers. Truly, "re-telling" isn't the word. Raping? Yes. That is it. We begin the first part of the movie with Michael (Daeg Faerch). He has a hick redneck family. His sister is a whore, his dad is dead, his step-dad is an alcoholic who likes to beat him, his mother is a stripper, and they have a nice little baby. Well, mean ol' nasty kids tease Michael and he gets angry. So he decides to upgrade from murdering little animals to one of the kids who called his mommy a whore (thank god no pissing on a body). The one day, Halloween to be exact, well, he doesn't get to go trick or treating. That, well, that is over the line. So he kills step-dad, his sister and her boyfriend that she is boinking (who is wearing the William Shatner mask! OMG!) His mom comes home and sees him, Michael gets arrested and put in a pyschiatric ward.
There we meet Dr. Loomis (Malcolm McDowell). He is studying Michael and trying to get through to him. Suddenly Michael stops talking and kills a nurse when he is left alone with her. Cut to 15 years later. Loomis is still obsessed with Michael, but now he has made a book to cash in on it.
Then, on Halloween night, for no reason at all, they decide to move Michael to a different area... in the middle of the night... And we see that he is a GIANT. He kills everyone, even the guy who was always nice to him and is the one that finally made Michael be a shut off (that is right. Somebody actually pushes him to that level... but he does it nicely. He tells Michael to shut himself off from the rest of the world. To exist only in his head and thus Michael never speaks). Then Michael returns to Haddonfield to find his little sister. That is Laurie Strode, she is a babysitting and her friends are all sleeping with other guys, while Laurie watches some kids. So Michael tracks them down one by one to try to get to Laurie. Then there is the end... which I won't unviel because it IS fairly shocking if you are a Halloween fan. Something I didn't think the Weinstien's would want to do with the potential for this to be a series.
If any of you read my script review you know that I had some major problems with the script. Well, Zombie corrected them, but some are replaced by incredibly stupid ideas and he cut out some of my favorite pieces in the movie. Sorry, it is a Halloween movie, I at least wanted to see ONE P.O.V. shot that I was promised from the script. Also, I loved the murder scene with the little girls, which is cut out (sort of, it is re-worked to the bully killing). Then there are things that when I read in the script, I didn't have a problem with them, but had MAJOR problems with them in this film. Of course, Zombie also didn't get rid of Loomis' swearing which killed me a little bit more each time. One thing that I liked in the film that hadn't been introduced in any other version is Loomis' strange sort of... frienship with Michael. Which would have played off well, if they didn't have the line in there to point it out "Michael, you have sort of become... my best friend. Which shows you how fucked up my life is." I hate hate hate that line, but I did like the emotion from McDowell near the end.
Then I just straight up had problems with Zombie's direction, which I never thought I would say. His films have all been about shock value, but there has always been a build up to the violence. Not here. Suspence? Zombie says "FUCK THAT! LETS DO THAT COOL THING WHERE HE BLARE MUSIC REALLY LOUD IN AND HAVE SOMETHING RANDOMLY APPEAR ON SCREEN!" Useless... He was developing into such a fine filmmaker and I can't believe that this was his follow up.
I mean, there is really no point for there to be suspence though because since the movie moves so fast (but feels so damn slow) we have no character development. There are only two characters who are really in the entire movie and that is Michael and Loomis. Michael is played by two people in this movie: Daeg Faerch (Young) and Tyler Mane (Old). Daeg Faerch is terrible. He doesn't know how to walk a fine line between "I'm sweet" and "I'm insane." He is either one or the other. The kid also looks like he has down syndrome and is a little overweight which makes me go: How the hell did he turn into Tyler Mane? The kid from the beginning is short, overweight and terrible. Then there is old Michael: GIANT, MUSCULAR and okay. Luckily, he has no dialouge. There is still an embarrassing scene between him and Laurie. Scout Taylor-Compton takes on the role of Laurie in this movie and does, actually a fine job. She isn't given very much screen time but in the time she develops a very likable character, but when Michael is being depicted as sort of likable in the movie and loving her... well... we don't really feel scared for her. Malcolm McDowell turns in a good performance as Loomis, but not as good as he should have. It is probably because of the dialouge which, at times, was very NOT Loomis.
Oh right, I also didn't mention that the soundtrack, which has greatly enhanced Zombie's past films here is well... attrocious. While, the parts of the original score that he did use are fine, the songs he puts in are terrible. There is literally a montage before Michael kills his family where it cuts between him sitting looking out all sad, his mom stripping, and his step dad drunk... all to the song "LOVE HURTS." It is the worst moment in the film and, in any other movie would have had me laughing at how bad it was, but with this movie, it just had me angry.
Zombie has failed... and failed big time. Earlier today I sent Moriatry, of AICN, to actually give the film a chance since his review was a hate filled rant... but now I realize that that is the only reaction that should be come of this film. It doesn't just fail as a remake, but fails simply as movie.
As you know, this is a "re-telling" of the story of Michael Meyers. Truly, "re-telling" isn't the word. Raping? Yes. That is it. We begin the first part of the movie with Michael (Daeg Faerch). He has a hick redneck family. His sister is a whore, his dad is dead, his step-dad is an alcoholic who likes to beat him, his mother is a stripper, and they have a nice little baby. Well, mean ol' nasty kids tease Michael and he gets angry. So he decides to upgrade from murdering little animals to one of the kids who called his mommy a whore (thank god no pissing on a body). The one day, Halloween to be exact, well, he doesn't get to go trick or treating. That, well, that is over the line. So he kills step-dad, his sister and her boyfriend that she is boinking (who is wearing the William Shatner mask! OMG!) His mom comes home and sees him, Michael gets arrested and put in a pyschiatric ward.
There we meet Dr. Loomis (Malcolm McDowell). He is studying Michael and trying to get through to him. Suddenly Michael stops talking and kills a nurse when he is left alone with her. Cut to 15 years later. Loomis is still obsessed with Michael, but now he has made a book to cash in on it.
Then, on Halloween night, for no reason at all, they decide to move Michael to a different area... in the middle of the night... And we see that he is a GIANT. He kills everyone, even the guy who was always nice to him and is the one that finally made Michael be a shut off (that is right. Somebody actually pushes him to that level... but he does it nicely. He tells Michael to shut himself off from the rest of the world. To exist only in his head and thus Michael never speaks). Then Michael returns to Haddonfield to find his little sister. That is Laurie Strode, she is a babysitting and her friends are all sleeping with other guys, while Laurie watches some kids. So Michael tracks them down one by one to try to get to Laurie. Then there is the end... which I won't unviel because it IS fairly shocking if you are a Halloween fan. Something I didn't think the Weinstien's would want to do with the potential for this to be a series.
If any of you read my script review you know that I had some major problems with the script. Well, Zombie corrected them, but some are replaced by incredibly stupid ideas and he cut out some of my favorite pieces in the movie. Sorry, it is a Halloween movie, I at least wanted to see ONE P.O.V. shot that I was promised from the script. Also, I loved the murder scene with the little girls, which is cut out (sort of, it is re-worked to the bully killing). Then there are things that when I read in the script, I didn't have a problem with them, but had MAJOR problems with them in this film. Of course, Zombie also didn't get rid of Loomis' swearing which killed me a little bit more each time. One thing that I liked in the film that hadn't been introduced in any other version is Loomis' strange sort of... frienship with Michael. Which would have played off well, if they didn't have the line in there to point it out "Michael, you have sort of become... my best friend. Which shows you how fucked up my life is." I hate hate hate that line, but I did like the emotion from McDowell near the end.
Then I just straight up had problems with Zombie's direction, which I never thought I would say. His films have all been about shock value, but there has always been a build up to the violence. Not here. Suspence? Zombie says "FUCK THAT! LETS DO THAT COOL THING WHERE HE BLARE MUSIC REALLY LOUD IN AND HAVE SOMETHING RANDOMLY APPEAR ON SCREEN!" Useless... He was developing into such a fine filmmaker and I can't believe that this was his follow up.
I mean, there is really no point for there to be suspence though because since the movie moves so fast (but feels so damn slow) we have no character development. There are only two characters who are really in the entire movie and that is Michael and Loomis. Michael is played by two people in this movie: Daeg Faerch (Young) and Tyler Mane (Old). Daeg Faerch is terrible. He doesn't know how to walk a fine line between "I'm sweet" and "I'm insane." He is either one or the other. The kid also looks like he has down syndrome and is a little overweight which makes me go: How the hell did he turn into Tyler Mane? The kid from the beginning is short, overweight and terrible. Then there is old Michael: GIANT, MUSCULAR and okay. Luckily, he has no dialouge. There is still an embarrassing scene between him and Laurie. Scout Taylor-Compton takes on the role of Laurie in this movie and does, actually a fine job. She isn't given very much screen time but in the time she develops a very likable character, but when Michael is being depicted as sort of likable in the movie and loving her... well... we don't really feel scared for her. Malcolm McDowell turns in a good performance as Loomis, but not as good as he should have. It is probably because of the dialouge which, at times, was very NOT Loomis.
Oh right, I also didn't mention that the soundtrack, which has greatly enhanced Zombie's past films here is well... attrocious. While, the parts of the original score that he did use are fine, the songs he puts in are terrible. There is literally a montage before Michael kills his family where it cuts between him sitting looking out all sad, his mom stripping, and his step dad drunk... all to the song "LOVE HURTS." It is the worst moment in the film and, in any other movie would have had me laughing at how bad it was, but with this movie, it just had me angry.
Zombie has failed... and failed big time. Earlier today I sent Moriatry, of AICN, to actually give the film a chance since his review was a hate filled rant... but now I realize that that is the only reaction that should be come of this film. It doesn't just fail as a remake, but fails simply as movie.
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