Summer Movie Update; "Now You See Me"


Louis Leterrier's Now You See Me is a film that comes with expectations. First of all its cast -Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Melanie Laurent, Woody Harrelson, Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine- is filled with talent. Secondly its concept - a magic troupe robbing a bank without actually being there- has so much potential going for it that its trailer might actually fool you into thinking it could be a good movie. Thirdly, I'm a sucker for movies about magic, just look at my ten best list of 2006, you'll find two of them The Illusionist and The Prestige. Those films knew how to fool their audiences and stayed one step ahead of them the entire way through. Now You See Me commits the biggest sin a movie about magic should avoid at all cost, it ends up never staying one step ahead of its audience. We know what's coming every step of the way. We follow it all the way through waiting for the big HAHA moment which never comes. Much of the blame must lie in Louis Leterrier, a filmmaker who's track record includes The Transporter and -yikes- Clash Of The Titans. He films the movie in typical hollywood fashion; all style no substance. There is no magic in Letterier's film and once the final twist shows up we were never fooled, we in fact just never cared in the first place.

"Looper"



(R) ★★★★

One thing you first notice in Rian Johnson's Looper is how it builds up its sense of dread with each successive, tension-filled scene. Nobody is safe here. The plot only builds up as layer after layer is revealed until the film's final shot. It's a hell of a ride and easily one of the best films of the year. Then why no mention of a possible Oscar Nomination for Johnson's visionary picture? You see, Science Fiction isn't something the academy has warmed up to in its 83 year history. Sure it rewarded Peter Jackson's The Return Of The King but what else did it reward before or after that? Looper is the kind of movie that can sometimes trip on its own ambitions but its originality is contagious, creating a new world we've never seen before. Credit must go to writer/director Johnson who after showing capable signs of competence in his first two films (Brick and The Brothers Bloom) finally hits one out of the park.

The film tells the story of Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a hit-man for an organized crime syndicate tasked with assassinating targets sent from the future.  They arrive from the future and bang with one shot they are dead. That is his job. Not complicated at all. That is until Joe's mob boss Abe (slimily played by Jeff Daniels) hints that the Rainmaker, a criminal mastermind from 2074, is closing the loops. That means he's sending Loopers back from the future to be killed by their younger selves. Just to hide evidence of the bloodshed. Joe's good buddy and fellow Looper Seth (an incredibly paranoid Paul Dano) is first in line to encounter his old self. He chokes, let's his future self go and is now being chased by Abe's gang with dire consequences. Joe is next and accidentally lets old Joe (a never better Bruce Willis) slip away. You see, Old Joe has a plan in mind. Find the rainmaker as a kid, kill him and set his future right.

You got that? I hope you do. It's a tremendously thrilling story that leads to Young Joe taking shelter at a family farm with a single mother (a tremendous Emily Blunt) and a kid that -you guessed it- might just be the Rainmaker. Joe is waiting for his future self to show up at this farm so he can shoot him, kill him and continue on with his work as Looper. The imaginative thought that went into the screenplay is a breath of fresh air that puts any other recent Science Fiction film to shame and Joseph Gordon Levitt -as good an actor as any around at the moment- does wonders with his role.  Don't expect a mind numbingly hammering experience such a the one experienced in Christopher Nolan's Inception, if you do pay attention to Johnson's linear story it can be followed and  make a lot of sense. No review should ruin the film's many surprises but suffice to say Looper's many twists are already being analyzed and debated by film fans. A sure sign that you've made a movie that is here to stay.

Ang Lee's "Life Of Pi"



(PG-13) ★★★½

"Life Of Pi" is a top notch visual achievement because director Ang lee infuses it with enough poetic imagery that even haters of the book will not help but appreciate the artistry at hand. Lee who's already been nominated 3 times and won once for "Brokeback Mountain" will surely get his fourth nomination for "Life Of Pi" which will only enhance his reputation as one of the most gifted filmmakers around. However I wouldn't put "Pi" in the same league as Lee classics such as "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" or "The Ice Storm" - the story's fairytale like familiarity almost sugar coats the impeccable 3D visuals. It is not just Lee that must be given credit for the visuals but also his cinematographer Cloudio Miranda. Remember that name, he might just get called up to the stage come Oscar time early next year. In fact, I'm predicting right here that Miranda wins it all on February 24th. He already performed visual miracles by making "Tron: Legacy" and "The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button" amazing looking pictures and with Ang Lee's new opus (out November 27th) he outdoes himself in terms of visual miracles. I mean really, this is just a stunning looking movie filled with images that are too good to be true..

The way Lee and Miranda shoot India in the film's setup is nothing short of gorgeous, focusing on every beautiful color and visual that comes their way. In this half hour we are introduced to our main hero Piscine -aka Pi- and the zoo that his parents have built up as a business. The religions that surround Pi confuse him, he sees himself as a believer in everything he sees. His dad -an atheist- is angered in the contradictions that surround his son's beliefs. The setup is slow but nevertheless complimentary for what's to come next. When the family has to leave India because of hard times, the film takes a dramatic turn. They hitch a ride with their zoo animals on a big ship to Canada where they will start a new life. Things -however- don't quite turn out that way. A magnificently horrific shipwreck happens that leaves Pi stranded on a tiny boat with a tiger he calls Richard Parker for 227 days. The way he must adapt to life with this dangerous animal is incredibly interesting to watch and no review should spoil that for you.

"Life Of Pi" flies high because of its amazing visuals and incredible use of 3D. None more apparent than in the film's middle section which lasts close to 75 minutes and involves -for the most part- just Pi and Richard Parker. That is when the film hits its peak and becomes a jaw dropping stunner. Lee and Miranda know that the way to grab an audience is not just by telling a story but by creating ravishing images that stick with you. The book had parts that you knew would translate very well from page to screen and had the potential to be true visual delights. Take for example the frightening scene where a storm of flying fish just suddenly appears out of nowhere and into Pi and Richard Parker's direction, or another scene where a slew of luminous jellyfish set the nighttime sea aglow with incredibly ravishing colors. Lee and Miranda handle Yann Martel's novel with the best possible care imaginable.

Martel's book had its hardcore fans but it sometimes struck me as too full of itself and with one too many ideas on its ambitious plate. Which is why the film's final third didn't necessarily work out the way I wanted it to. This is after all a movie that is a bit too facile in the way it plays with our emotions. I felt that at times it wanted to force tears out of me but alas that didn't work. Instead what I got was a film almost too prestigely wrapped-up for Awards season. No matter this is Lee's show as he brings us another visually sumptuous epic that does his name right. This is a crowd pleaser through and through and Oscar will be calling soon for both his and Miranda's triumph.

"The Sessions" The best and sweetest sex scenes of the year



(R) ★★★★

It doesn't take much to give in and enjoy Ben Lewin's fascinating "The Sessions". Based on the true story of California based poet and writer Mark O'Brien, the film deals with O'Brien's struggle with Polio and being forced to use an iron lung the rest of his life. It's not as grim a subject matter as you may think. O'Brien is played by John Hawkes, a man we will certainly see at next year's Oscar ceremony, in a performance that may recall Daniel Day Lewis' in My Left Foot but with more humor and playfulness. Having learned to twist his body, learn to breathe carefully and use a mouth stick to dial a phone and type, Hawkes gets all the mannerisms right and makes us believe that he truly is in this sort of state. It's no easy feat to act in a lying down position with an iron lung for an entire movie but if done well, this sort of showy performance usually spells awards for you.

O'Brien has been a virgin his entire life and decides to hire a sex surrogate to "de-virginize" him. That surrogate is Cheryl as played by Helen Hunt, in a supporting performance that will also be rewarded with a nomination. Hunt is spectacular bringing a sexy, fierce vibe that has been lacking ever since her "As Good As It Gets" triumph in 1997. The aforementioned sessions involving Hunt's Cheryl and Hawkes' Mark are the heart and soul of the picture. Cheryl has a 6 session limit with every disabled client she visits. The sex scenes are incredibly well handled and -dare I say it- the best and sweetest sex scenes I've seen all year in any picture. This is in fact the first movie I've seen where premature ejaculation is actually dealt with in a sweet, non joking way.  Hunt and Hawkes have chemistry to burn in those scenes. Which reveal secrets about both characters that we might not see coming. The screenplay is at its peak in these scenes, where every word counts and every gesture by these characters brings new depth to the story.

Mark is a believer. Visiting church every Sunday and getting the blessing of his priest -playfully played by William H Macy- to go on this journey to lose his virginity. One cannot understand why Mark would still believe in God given his physical state but he jokingly says there must be a god given the fact that someone must have had a sense of humor the day they created him. The playfulness that comes with this movie is a real treat. It's a small indie gem that gets all the details right. It's a testament to the way the movie is handled that the vibe is never menacing and that Mark's situation is never really handled in a way to manipulate your emotions or force you into tears. The film threatens to collapse in "TV movie cliches" and is shot like one too but the performances are just so strong and the story just so good that they elevate the movie into a true contender. "The Sessions" is an undeniably fascinating true story, one that makes you reevaluate your own life in ways you never thought you would. That's the sign of a great movie.
http://www.awardsdaily.com/blog/2012/11/05/the-contenders-the-sessions/

James Dean redux


James Dean's sexuality examined in new film

By Jordan Ruimy
Check out the trailer below.
You can’t blame director Matthew Mishory for wanting to tackle the life of James Dean in his new film titled "Joshua Tree 1951." Dean left a lasting legacy in Hollywood from 1955 to 1956 - that’s just 2 short years in the spotlight. In those 2 years he created his legendary, iconic status with the mind blowing trifecta of "Giant," "Rebel Without A Cause" and "East Of Eden."
Mishory knows that Dean is still a fascinating figure to dissect. The mystery that came with his 1956 death caused by a motorcycle accident only intensified the endless rumors. Especially with great interest regarding Dean’s sexuality. Was he gay? was he bi? was he straight? 
In "Joshua Tree 1951," Mishory knew he had a heavy burden to carry. However, the director also sees the simplest of things that made Dean’s life just like any other. 
“It’s a film about an awkward young man from Indiana who makes his way to Hollywood with a very big dream and tremendous ambition, and he gets eaten alive," says Mishory. "But, ultimately, he also leaves us this incredible legacy.”
There have been films made before about the young star, most of which didn’t succeed in depicting a truly justified portrait of his life. Many of those movies went down Hollywood bio-pic clichés that didn’t render any originality or life to the subject. Mishory wanted to start from scratch and offer something that we hadn’t seen before 
“I think we offer a completely different take on who this man was - a more intimate take and an exploration of a period of his life that had rarely been put to screen before and certainly never in this way.” James Preston plays Dean in the film and does so without “mimicry” or “impersonation,” giving a fully fleshed out portrayal of an actor that has been plasticized for his motorcycle boy good looks and bad boy personality. 
As Mishory says “There is the sort of self-created mythology of James Dean as sensitive rebel bad boy that perhaps exists in at least one of the screen performances but largely was created through publicity photographs and the public imagination.”
In Mishory’s film we see a James Dean grappling with his own sexual orientation. This, in fact, is what will split Dean fans in their views of the film. Mishory doesn’t understand the naysayers, even pointing out that it was “common knowledge” that Dean experimented with numerous male partners. 
“One thing that so fascinates (me) about this era, the late ’40s and early ’50s, especially among the Hollywood elite, is that people lived much more freely, sexually, than they do in our more conservative times. The great difference is that privacy still existed, so they did so behind closed doors. And of course there was an entire studio publicity machine in place to keep certain realities hidden from prying eyes.”  
The film never really mentions the words “gay”, “BI” or “straight” and instead opts to portray Dean’s life through imagery and context - and anyways, who are we to force these three labels on a human being when we all know it can be much more complicated than that. James Dean was, in the end, a complicated figure.

"The Avengers" (Just a note)

★★½

It's not hard to see why Fanboys everywhere are creaming their pants at the recent summer blockbuster The Avengers. It has almost all -no Spidey- of the popular Marvel comic book heroes and is directed by Serenity and Buffy The Vampire Slayer creator Josh Whedon. Whedon is much loved by fanboys worldwide because of his mucho popular stamp on horror and science fiction. I don't buy it. Never been a big Whedon fan and after having seen The Avengers, I sure am not now. Bash me all you want but The Avengers lacks the realist bite of The Dark Knight and the great action of Spiderman 2. Instead it relies on its impressive list of characters to support a story that is as thin as paper. Now don't get me wrong, there were times during the movie -such as the mid-way half hour action sequence on the plane- where my palms were getting sweaty and I literally was at the edge of my seat but there weren't enough moments like that one to fully sustain my appreciation for the film. People calling this 600 million dollar box office monster anything else but dispensable entertainment are out of their minds, If Whedon's film does not take itself so seriously then why should we? Its 8.6/10 rating on IMDB is also ludicrous and a bit too much for this film fan, who's seen better stuff done with this kind of genre at a much lower budget (Kick Ass? Iron Man? The Incredibles?). Well just look at me, ranting on and on about this much hyped about film yet this is going nowhere, you will likely stumble upon another Avengers fan on the street that will spill his undying love for this empty, recyclable movie. Love can be blind after all. Bring on The Dark Knight Rises.

"Prometheus" and its ambitious reach


In Ridley Scott's ambitious "prequel" -or so its touted- of his 1979 Sci Fi classic Alien, Scott tackles the biggest question of all of humanity; our existence. In Prometheus the year is 2093 and a team of scientists journey through the universe on the spaceship "Prometheus"  to investigate Alien life forms, what they find is a possible answer to whom our creators might be. A question arises as the film's central theme, would we be greeted with hostility and violence if we ever had the chance to meet the creators that made us? It's deep, dark stuff that is handled with real intrigue by Scott and his screenwriters John Spaihts and Damon Lindeloff.  Think of it as The Tree Of Life for the summer blockbuster crowd, although Prometheus doesn't really need to be compared to Terrence Malick's masterpiece. That would only lead you to believe it is a whole other movie than it actually is. It isn't.

Scott stages the actions scenes remarkably well. He's always had a gift for creating character in a sea of action. Think of Gladiator, Black Hawk Down and -more recently- American Gangster. His films have wounded male characters who's lives are filled with violent pasts and presents. In Prometheus, male characters come and go but Scott creates a true action heroine for 2012 in Noomi Rapace. The original Girl With The Dragon Tattoo ignites the film with enough gas to fill a tank. She's dynamite and becomes a true heir to Sigourney Weaver's Ripley in the first two Alien films. The same brilliance can be attributed to Michael Fassbender who plays the deceiving android that accompanies the crew on their journey. The best compliment I can give Fassbender is that I forgot it was the actor just acting and actually did believe his David was a droid. The whole cast is solid and to reveal more plot would be to ruin Prometheus' dark surprises.

There are holes in Prometheus, its 124 minute running time is overdone and Scott doesn't always know when to stop. Yet its claustrophobic atmosphere is palpably intense. A mix of rich visuals and a thinking man's movie. The questions asked in the film don't all get answered and it infuriates just as much as it entertains. However the ambition of Prometheus is what makes it a solid blockbuster in a sea of muck. The ideas spin out of control and Scott's story somewhat gets out of hand but there's something refreshing about watching a summer movie with ideas. A concept that has not existed in any of the popcorn movies released thus far this summer. Come on, as if The Avengers had a deep layer of existential thought in its candy colored brain. Not that there's anything wrong with just wanting to entertain but sometimes a little extra thought would suffice along with the diversion. Prometheus has that, even when it sometimes misses its swing.


"Headhunters" brings the buzz


Headhunters is a Norwegian thriller that will make your head spin faster than a pop of ecstacy in the mouth.  We first meet Roger Brown - a solid Aksel Hennie.  During the day Roger is a top notch go-to headhunter for the rich and during the night a forging high art burglar. You see, Roger is actually close to going bankrupt and he wouldn't even dare say it to his hot, blonde, tall wife Lotte whom he thinks married him just for his millions. The plot thickens as Clas Greve is introduced to us via charm and charisma. Greve is a millionaire himself, having invented the GPS system in holland and basking in the riches of his invention. He owns a piece of high art at his new apartment that could be worth more than 100 million bucks. Brown sees this as an opportunity to commit the perfect heist yet he gets more than he bargains for in the process. I won't spoil anything else for you except to say that Headhunters - directed with sly wit by Morten Tyldum - bites more than it can chew and overloads on subplots near its closing. Its disappointing second half can't match its sexy, hypnotic first half. Nevertheless this is more than solid entertainment if you are capable to suspend your disbelief.

The Dictator

★★ (R)

Sacha Baron Cohen might just be the funniest guy in movies. 2005's Borat was not just funny, it's now a comedy classic. Expectations were high for Cohen's latest incarnation as an oppressive, western hating dictator. However The Dictator has failed at the box office and reviews were lukewarm. What went wrong? You have to look at the  resulting movie which is encompassed by hit and miss jokes. The problem isn't with the newly sketched character Cohen has given us - it's actually quite inspired on paper. The problem lies with the fact that Cohen's first two films -Borat and Bruno- were what I'd call guerilla style documentary filmmaking. A glorious mix of fact and fiction that made us entertainingly cringe under our seats all in the while laughing hysterically at the absurdity that was happening on screen. The Dictator is a result of Cohen delving his satirical teeth into fiction film and striking out. The pacing is average, the screenplay terribly conceived and the style -by director Larry Charles- almost juvenile.

The film's title character is one Haffaz Alladeen (Cohen) - a bizarre dictator of the oil-rich African nation of Wadiya. Alladeen is as egotistical and ruthless as dictators come, executing anyone who disagrees with him by using his signature "head chop" signal. Alladeen is summoned by the UN to address their concerns about his nuclear program. That's when things get complicated and Alladeen's assistant, played by Ben Kingsley, tries to take control of the operations and rid Alladeen of his powers. Anna Faris plays Alladeen's New York City girl and she couldn't have been more miscast. In fact, there really isn't much good to say about a film that tries to be funny but ends up being the opposite. The R rating given to the film usually spells laughs for many comedies in the studio system but here it doesn't get used in an advantageous way. Cohen has proven that he has endless talent and one can go past his brilliant impersonations (Ali G, Bruno, Borat) and right into the supporting roles he's had in films such as Sweeney Todd and Hugo to see just what I'm talking about. He's an actor that deserves our attention, The Dictator is his sour note.

"Django" Unleashed


Now here's something to look forward to ! Quentin Tarantino's new movie and really, any new film by this man warrants attention and should be a movie event for film buffs. I'm mixed on the trailer but I got a feeling there's much more than meets the eye here. His last film was the flawed but uproariously entertaining Jewish wet dream Inglourious Basterds - It won an Oscar for Christoph Waltz, who's back here. Just click on the link above and let me know what you thought.

Summer Movie Preview 2012




You hear that sound? That's the sound of explosive bombs, superheroes, no character development and little to no substance. Yes, it must be summer and with summer comes loads of big, loud, abrasive movies. It's been like this for a good long time now. The studios release their biggest blockbusters, suited for hormonally raged teenagers that just want escapism. Hey, there's nothing wrong with escapism, I like the occasional movie that wants to do nothing but entertain and numb the sense but there's something very shallow and unmoving about a movie season that takes its pride in doing that. The following 10 movies are the ones to look out for this summer. These 10 movies don't just want you to forget and escape, they have something to say and directors that have a real conscience for feeling and character. As American Beauty once tagged in its promotional campaign, "look closer".

The Dark Knight Rises (July 20th)
Here's the big one. A superhero movie that might go all the way to Oscar glory. With 2008's The Dark Knight, Christopher Nolan raised the bar for Superhero movies with a Batman that had deep, humane flaws in his tortured, dark soul. It was one for the ages and The Dark Knight proved to be the biggest blockbuster since Titanic. The anticipated sequel has higher expectations and no Heath Ledger as the Joker. Instead we get Tom Hardy as big, bad Bane and Anne Hathaway as Catwoman. If everything goes right and the film is just as good as its predecessor, Oscar might call for multiple nominations including a long overdue Director nod for Nolan.

Moonrise Kingdom (May 25th)
Wes Anderson is not one to abide by formula. His films are unique in tone, bold in look and original in story. Just look at his body of work (The Fantastic Mr.Fox, Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Darjeeling Limited) an extendedly rich catalogue that will grow even further in the years to come. His latest, Moonrise Kingdom, stars Bill Murray, Bruce Willis, Edward Norton and an outstanding supporting cast. Details are hush hush about the plot but what we do know is that it centers around a pair of young lovers that run away from their New England town. Opening the Cannes Film Festival this May, Moonrise Kingdom should be way up in your must-see list.

Dark Shadows (May 11th)
Whenever Tim Burton releases a movie, we pay attention. No matter how disappointing his last few remakes were -Charlie And The Chocolate Factory? Alice In Wonderland?- his latest is nevertheless anticipated. Based on the 1960's Gothic soap opera of the same name, Dark Shadows casts Burton favorite Johnny Depp as a patriarchal vampire that wakes from a century long sleep. Leave it to Burton and Depp to bring dark humor to a film that most definitely needs it in loads. Although Burton is at his best when telling his own original stories (Edward Scissorhands, Sweeney Todd) here's hoping he nails it with this one.

The Dictator (May 16th)
Sacha Baron Cohen might just be the funniest guy in movies. 2005's Borat was not just funny, it's now a comedy classic. Expectations are high for Cohen's latest incarnation as an oppressive, western hating dictator. The trailer's jokes are hit and miss but one cannot discount Cohen's ability to provide humor with scathing satire. Although the movie might look brain dead, it looks to be painting a broad, scary picture of a society that's crumbling before our very eyes. Heavy stuff right? Leave it to Cohen to find the scary in the funny just like he did in Borat and Bruno.

Magic Mike (June 29th)
Does anybody want to watch a movie about the life of a veteran male stripper? I do. Especially when Steven Soderbergh (Traffic) directs. Channing Tatum stars as the stripper and to makes things even more interesting, Tatum started out his pre-Hollywood career as -you guessed it- a male stripper. Matthew McConaughey co-stars as the strip clubs sleazy owner.  It's the sort of personal autobiography that I look forward to in a summer of muck. It could hit all the right notes, especially with Soderbergh at the helm of this one.

Brave (June 22nd)
The folks over at Pixar (Ratatouille, Finding Nemo, WALL-E, Up, Toy Story 1,2,3) rarely hit a false note. Their tales are filled with deftly handled characters, adult oriented themes and storytelling that's just bliss. So it's with great anticipation that we look forward to their latest original tale, Brave. In fact it is the first Pixar film to feature a female heroine, Merida. A redheaded Scotswoman that can throw a fiercer bow than Katniss Everdine ever did. Although Cars 2 was an immense disappointment, I wouldn't count Pixar out just yet.  Judging by the trailer, Brave has the potential to do big things

Prometheus (June 8th)
One of the most anticipated movies of the year, Ridley Scott's Prometheus is a prequel to his sci-fi classic Alien. Not much is known about the movie, and the teaser trailer doesn't help any further in trying to assemble the missing pieces of the puzzle. What we are left with is a scat amount of images involving the cast (Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron) as they suit up for a space mission that looks scarily bleak. In an age where the entire movie is revealed in the trailer, Scott is trying to defy the odds and have you go along with him for a ride that is riddle with questions. Isn't that how movies were supposed to be in the first place? mysterious?

To Rome With Love (June 22nd)
Woody Allen's follow-up to last year's successful Midnight In Paris has another stellar cast at its disposal. This includes Jesse Eisenberg, Penelope Cruz, Alec Baldwin and Allen himself . Expectations are at their highest for the Woodman's 43rd film, which follows the same formula he used in Midnight In Paris. To Rome With Love is a love letter to a city he has always adored. Will it be another successful artistic achievement or will it fall in the same routine trap as his latter career films (Scoop). No matter, if we've learned one thing about Woody Allen over the years, it's that you never count him out.


The Amazing Spider-Man (July 3rd)
The Bourne Legacy (August 3rd)
Two movie franchise reboots. If there's anything we can learn from Summer 2012 it's that fresh, new ideas are not seen anywhere. In The Amazing Spider-Man Andrew Garfield takes over the Tobey Maguire role and Marc Webb takes over Sam Raimi's directorial duties, yet there's hope. Webb directed the awesome 500 Days Of Summer, Garfield is a talented young actor and the trailer looks like it won't be the same old story. This could be a major surprise. In The Bourne Legacy Matt Damon is replaced by Jeremy Renner yet there is no Jason Bourne in the movie, it's a new agent and a new setting. Tony Gilroy, who directed the great Michael Clayton, takes the helm of the franchise and I'm betting he's going to do a solid job.

"The Hunger Games"













 ★★ ½ (PG-13)

When Gary Ross decided to tackle Suzanne Collins' ultra popular book Hunger Games' translation onto the screen, I was kind of hopeful. Ross is really no Hollywood hack trying to make a quick buck. His previous 2 films were the delightful Pleasantville and the more than decent horse race flick Seabiscuit. In Hunger Games Ross does the legion of Collins fans proud, of course this all comes with compromises. The books aren't necessarily what I'd call high art in the first place and the story -although an interesting concept- has been done before in films like The Running Man and Battle Royale. The Hunger Games is much tamer than those 2 films and that is one of the problems I had with Ross' film. It doesn't have that Tarantino explicitness going for it. Then again there's is stuff to recommend here too.

The story is set in the near future where a "survivor"-type reality TV show is organized by a big brother-type of government. The catch? the government chosen, lottery picked teenage contestants have to kill off each other with only one winner remaining in the end. Pretty dark stuff right? And Ross does an admirably good job with the story and keeping our attention throughout. The problem lies with the fact that the 140 minute running time isn't enough to fully develop the story. And of the 24 contestants vying to stay alive, only a handful actually get decently developed. There also is a gooey love story that just didn't need to be developed this much -even though I hear it's just as prominent in the book, which kind of explains all the rabid teenage girls that have fallen prey to the novels. The film falls short in being a great Sci-Fi movie because it just doesn't have the social criticism that infused such classics as Minority Report or 2001 - the series' readership sadly does not have the ability to comprehend such heavy stuff.

What keeps this film from being a dissapointment? Jennifer Lawrence's great performance as heroine Katniss Everdine. Lawrence, who's quiet performance in 2010's underrated Winter's Bone still haunts me to this day, shows incredible flair for a 20 year old actress. Her wits as an actress are noticed and the film just wouldn't be the same without her fiery talent. Everdine is an expert archer and her bow is the talent that can keep her from dying in the bloody contest. There are gripping action scenes which are just as disturbing as anything I've seen in Hollywood this year. Kids fighting kids to death? of course that will get our attention, it's a juicy plot that really works at times. However at close to 142 minutes long the film can be draggy and doesn't go anywhere but then again Ross -out of nowhere- can grab our attention by staging expertly done and suspenseful action set pieces.

"Titanic 3D" & memories



It's really no surprise when I say that Titanic 3D is the best movie playing right now in movie theaters. Its epic scope and unsurprising amount of passion beats anything. I remember watching the film for the first time more than 17 years ago and being amazed by its pop spectacle. And all through the years I've had a chance to re-watch it and re-live what I had experienced in that very same theater in December of 1997. One can however look back on the flaws that have encompassed James Cameron's film. I always thought the upper class/lower class divide in the film was a bit too facile and manipulative, as if Cameron wanted the rich too be sleazy and devious and the poor to be all too innocent. Ditto Cameron's dialogue which has always been a problem in his films from The Terminator all the way to Avatar.

Then there's the love story which is really the heart and soul of the film and something that I'm sure was well thought out and had substantial meaning to Cameron. It can clearly be seen on screen through the images he creates and NOT the dialogue -"I'll never let go Jack"? ugh. That's the thing though, with all the flaws that come with a Cameron film you can never deny his passion for the images he creates. Just look at Avatar which was worth watching for its incredible imagery despite its Pocahontas-like deja vu and semiprofessional dialogue. In Titanic Cameron explains his story through harrowing images like that of an upside down ship cracked to it foundation, falling bodies dipping into a sea of nothing or two lovers standing at the peak of the boat with their arms up in the air as if finally free of the conventions.

Then there's of course that famous scene in which Kate Winslet's Rose poses naked for Leonardo Dicaprio's Jack. Such pop culture moments are far and few these days. When was the last time a movie came out in which an entire nation was dissecting a slew of its scenes? That stuff just doesn't happen anymore not even when The Dark Knight came out and made Titanic-esque money. However as much as Cameron is to be congratulated for his poet's eye and degraded for his tin ears, one cannot forget the amazing performances that came in the form of Dicaprio and Winslet's. Their careers were just starting and they were not yet known as major talents yet the film changed everything. This is one of those rare instances where actor and actress came together to create something special & given the fact that Dicaprio didn't even get nominated for an Oscar shows the lack of brains in the academy's arsenal at the time.

At the end of it all this was a pop culture masterpiece. Something that not only critics could rave about but audiences too. A kind of Gone With Wind phenomenon that America hadn't really seen since that 1939 epic. Sometimes a movie is just too damn good to neglect despite its obvious flaws and Titanic was that very movie, an American epic that just wow-ed people and convinced them of the power and possibilities that movies can create. James Cameron visual eye, Winslet & Dicaprio's incredible talents and the breathtaking special effects took it all home for us and left us moved by the end of its blown up 194 minute running time . Now if only Cameron could have resisted and taken out that god-awful Celine Dion song.

"Chronicle"-ing a super hero




★★½ to ★★★ (PG-13)


I was kinda won over by Chronicle. Its story is the essentially the beginnings of a comic book super hero. Much in the same way as M. Night Shayamalan's severely underrated Unbreakable (although not as good). I won't spoil anything but to say that Chronicle does works wonders in many scenes, making you blink twice with its surprises only to run off with excess in its finale. It's all good. Chronicle is just what I needed this spring. Not much has been good and the one decent movie you find to be decent is well worth mentioning. Which doesn't mean Chronicle is average, but it most likely would have been forgotten by yours truly if there were better movies out there to watch. Nevertheless I was still taken by its tale of three high school friends who make an incredible discovery. It's when their lives spin out of control and the darker side of the story gets unleashed that the movie really takes off, showing just how fragile we are as human beings and how easily corrupted we can be as well. Stuff that's been done to death before but is given a cool style here. The film is shot -by first time director Josh Trank- with hand held digital camera. big studio pictures love shooting this way now, just check out last month's Project X, and I do think that shooting the movie this way does makes the story a bit more plausible. Especially given its sometimes lazy script and the flaws that inhibit it. But really do go watch Chronicle, its got a cool vibe going for it, has a slim running time at just 84 minutes long and does have more things to say than most American stuff out there at the moment.

Denis Villeneuve finally coming to a theatre near you



I've been a pretty big supporter of Quebec born filmmaker Denis Villeneuve. I always figured that his incredible visual style -watch Maelstrom- and brilliant storytelling -watch Incendies- would be a big hit in Hollywood with the critics and audiences. Well, the talented Canadian filmmaker has just signed on to direct Prisoners starring Hugh Jackman. I guess you can say he's finally hit the big time. This is great news for Villeneuve fans such as myself whom have been championing his work for quite a few years now. I'm actually amazed he didn't hit Hollywood sooner but I guess they had to wait until he got an Oscar Nomination, which happened in 2011 when Incendies got nominated for Best Foreign Film. Another unknown gem of a film that came out not long ago, Polytechnique is well worth watching too although I'm sure it'll be tough to find that one at any video store, although if you do that store is a keeper.

Rent:

Incendies ★★★½
Maelstrom ★★★
Polytechnique ★★★

A note on "21 Jump Street"



★★★ (R)

Every once in a while a comedy can actually work and make you laugh. For me it happens only a few times a year. Last year we had Paul Feig's delirious Bridesmaids in previous years we've had stuff like There's Something About Mary, Meet The Parents, The Hangover, Wedding Crashers, The 40 Year Old Virgin .. You know, comedy that actually works and doesn't need to be deep or full of substance but just really fun. The already mentioned films became mini phenomenon's of sort as word of mouth usually quickly spreads like gangbusters on these movies and they eventually become big, well deserved hits. Anyways to put a long story short, the newly released 21 Jump Street is that kind of movie. It's a game changer. The jokes work, the actors are perfectly cast and the script is insanely fun. Oh and check out that absurd cameo near the end of the movie. Just don't take it too seriously, this isn't the second coming or a high work of art it's just pure, brainless fun with incredibly well-timed jokes. I just wish they had cut first ten minutes and the last ten which were really not needed and didn't add up to much in the end. But what am I being a douche for, this is fun stuff that has -deservedly so- made a splash at the box office. No Kidding.

The strange life of Robert Crumb



Terry Zwigoff's documentary on the profanely controversial underground comic artist Robert Crumb is both amusing and disturbing. Crumb is not a person that one would call average or of normality. He is a man that has real distaste for the people around him and the perceived craziness that is his surroundings. He's Kinda right. He sees the plastic-ism that has made us into an industry and his comic art - groundbreaking stuff- has made him known for his uncompromising vision. He draws his own traumas and fantasies with relentless assault. He doesn't compromise nor is he afraid to shock. Women's rights groups have called a jihad on his ass and his haters are peeved off. For good reason. His views on women in his art can be qualified as sexist by some but I would call it honest. He draws what's on his mind, his honesty is his therapy especially when you realize where he's come from. His sisters refused to get interviewed for the documentary but his two brothers take the test. Especially Charles, who strips himself naked on camera as we slowly, inch by inch uncover deep, dark secrets about the Crumb's childhood. A manic depressive that rarely takes showers and is on high dosages of medication Charles is an incredibly disturbing sight to see, a kind of underground vision of an American life gone bad.

Robert is the lucky one and has gotten fame through the art that Charles taught him at childhood. Robert refuses to sell out, even with lucrative six figure offers coming to him. He's one of the few undisputed talents that hasn't sold himself out. His art speaks for itself. Stories so ridiculous yet so brilliantly satirical they sting. His women drawn sensually and dominantly, all with big thighs and other particularly original traits that need to be seen. He was bullied as a kid and drawing was his way of getting back. He took revenge on the bullies and the women that rejected him through his drawings. The autobiographical aspect of his work brings a new meaning to personal artistic statements. The film may have a repetitive flow to it at times but it springs surprises that sting. Crumb is the true definition of a maverick and definitely not what Sarah Palin's dictionary would define that word as.

Project X



If Project X proves anything it's that there still is a place for a raunchy, coming of age, immature movie in the movies today. Albeit it also proves how films like Road Trip and Old School got it right the first time out and there didn't really need to be any other follow-ups to these frat-brat classics. Project X -no matter how badly written, directed and acted it might be- can sometimes be a real guilty pleasure to watch. There isn't a boob missed, a shot of rum not taken or a hell bent teenager not seen. Hell you can't call this high art but it is nevertheless a diverting experience for the most part - a teenage parent's true worst nightmare on full display. A film like Project X is rarely something that should be accepted in theatres. It's rude, profane, ridiculously conceived and doesn't have much in the way of plot of character. You might feel dirty for semi-liking it once the credits start rolling but what the hell, you only live once.

Lately the trend for movies involving coming of age teenagers has been the use of hand-held camera. I'm thinking of last month's underrated Chronicle or even the teenage film lovers from last year's excitable Super 8. It's almost like it's a cool thing now for a movie to have hand-held. The protagonists in Project X are being filmed by a friend we never see, he just loves his camera and to film his buddies as they try to up their street cred in High School by throwing the biggest party imaginable. This isn't a party like any other and -for a moment there- you feel like you're right in the heat of the action. The party, which was supposed to be of decent size, goes viral all the way to craig's list in fact, and there ends up being close to 1500 people by the end of the night. A real big recipe for disaster. There are midgets, nudity, next door neighbor complaints, cops, sex, drugs and -well duh- skinny dipping. It all doesn't add up to much and once the party starts shutting down the movie goes MIA and loses its grip but then again did we expect much from this movie in the first place?

David Gordon Green's strange career




My oh my how the mighty have fallen. Just around 12 years ago a total no name of a director David Gordon Green debuted his first feature film George Washington to wide and -albeit over the top- acclaim. The film, about a group of rural urban kids in a the mid-west who try to cover up a tragic mistake, even made Roger Ebert's Top Ten List that year and had people comparing Green as a sort of up and coming Terrence Malick-like talent. The follow-up just 3 years ago was All The Real Girls which pitted Zooey Deschanel and Paul Schneider as shot struck lovers in -again- a rural mid western town. It also got great reviews and further advanced word that Green was the next Malick. What with the way he would shoot a particular scene and explore the deepest and simplest parts our very nature. Pretty deep stuff and incredibly artsy too. Gordon Green followed that one up with another simple slice of life Undertow and finished off this incredible run of praised films with Snow Angels in 2008- a scathing and dark look at the dark underlinings of a small town, the film was filled with divorce, murder, a lost child, adultery and a desperate stalker. It's a knockout of a movie that only grew better with repeat viewings.

This is where Gordon Green started to make our heads scratch. He followed Snow Angels with Pineapple Express. I'll admit it a good, funny, memorable movie but definitely not something I ever thought Green would end up doing ditto the follow-up which was the much less successful Your Highness. Yea you heard right Your Highness, a film that made my worst of .. list last year and represented career lows for all involved including Nathalie Portman and James Franco. A trend was starting to show. The "stoner movie". Gordon Green has resorted to making raunchy, stoner movies that don't have anything at all to do with his first four subtle feature films.

His latest came out just a few months ago. The Sitter is mindless, brainless fun yet we expected so much more from him. In it a newly thin Jonah Hill has one messed up, crazy night accompanied by these little brats that try to spoil the party. Of course drugs is involved so are other illegal activities. Yet where are the handprints that first made Gordon Green such a hot commodity in the indie circuit? Has he sold out? Should we even blame him for going to the other side? It's such a strange turnaround for a career that promised so much in the way of artistic prowess. I haven't given up, especially since Gordon Green is just a mere 37 years old, and this odd career is -I'm sure- only going to spring up more surprises.

Charlize Theron in "Young Adult"




Charlize
Theron -beyond her attractive looks- is a great actress. You don't believe me? check out her crazy as fuck performance acting out serial killer Aileen Wuronis' devilish insides in 2003's Monster or her more tamer -but nonetheless revelatory- performance in 2005's North Country. Like it or not she's a real treat to watch when she actually accepts a challenge, such as in her latest picture Jason Reitman's Young Adult, which I must say is really not that interesting a picture safe for Theron and her co star Patton Oswalt's likeably ballsy performances. My eyes were all over Theron as her gestures and facial expressions did wonders on a not-so good screenplay by the overrated Diablo Cody. The Academy Awards stupidly neglected her in the Best Actress category, yet another reason to diss the Oscars.