I've had a busy week, so I thought I would reward myself with a few movies. I started with a morning showing of Restrepo, then followed that up with Please Give, then watched The Happening in the privacy of my own home. Lets start by saying that two were good and one was bad. I won't tell you which was good and which was bad until the end of the respective reviews.

Restrepo

Directed by: Tim Hetherington & Sebastian Junger

Genre: Documentary

The doc follows Second Platoon, B Company, 2nd Battalian, 503rd Infantry Regiment (airborne) of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team which was posted in the Korangal Valley in mid 2007. The Korangal Valley is located in the Kunar Province in Northeastern Afghanistan is is generally considered to be one of the more dangerous postings in the US Military.

If you are anything like me, you have very little knowledge of what combat is really like, other than what little tidbits elderly relatives may pass along. That, for me, is very little as my relatives generally like to keep war stories to a minimum. That's why a documentary like this is so interesting.

I'll keep plot details to a minimum except to say that bad shit happens and people are left to deal with it in their own way. Watching a young adult like myself deal with such a complicated and dangerous situation in such a realistic way is an incredible thing. Zero prewrapped straws.

Please Give

Directed by: Nicole Holofcener

Genre: Comedy/Drama - Indie

Oliver Platt and Catherine Keener are a husband and wife who co-own a vintage furniture shop. Their stock comes from the estates of the recently deceased. They have a next door neighbor who is a bitter 91 year old who never has anything to say about her loving granddaughter Rebecca and bitchy granddaughter Mary. Their lives intersect as Kate (Keener) and Alex (Platt) have plans to purchase the old lady's apartment when she dies.

The movie does a great job and drawing characters and providing those characters with motivations. It also has a realistic look at infidelity and provides answers as to how a good man could cheat. It's a difficult task to make a man seem sympathetic while having a loving wife and the movie does a terrific job. It also provides answers as to how Mary acts the way she does. She's self centered and painfully honest to the point of being cruel.

It isn't fast moving, but it is a worthwhile. It might not be terribly profound but whatever simple ideas it does illustrate, it does very well.

The Happening

Directed by: Shyamalan

Genre: Horror/Unintentional comedy

It took me five minutes to get a reading on this movie. When Marky Mark's character, a science teacher, says that "Science will come up with some reason to put in the books, but in the end it'll be just a theory. I mean we will fail to acknowledge that there are forces at work beyond our understanding" it told me all I needed to know.

The acting is bad, the script is terrible, and the whole thing is on a level slightly below a made for tv movie. After watching The Last Airbender, the fault can safely lie with Shyamalan himself as everything bad comes from something he had his fingers in. Somebody in this industry needs to nut up and tell him his movies suck before he foists any more on an unsuspecting public. There may be a good horror in THAT concept. Don't waste your time, I'm not wasting any more on it.

Inception

So last night I saw the midnight screening of Inception last night and I'm not really all that clear on what to say. First things first, however...the movie is not all that confusing. Sure, if you are going to try to put together a real life timeline outlining the plot then we end up going four levels deep. If you're just outlining the plot, that can be done.

Leo DiCaprio is Dom Cobb, an extractor who steals secrets from peoples dreams for money. This is essentially just high level corporate espionage. The whole movie is a heist film that centers around Cobb's quest to be able to go back home after being accused of a crime he did not commit. It sounds a little cliched but, really, what doesn't nowadays. Besides, if this is what you focus on after seeing the movie, I think you are beyond help.

The world Nolan creates is well put together and the rules, sensible, and require no leaps of faith. The cinematography is terrific, music helps amp up the tension, performances great, and the movie keeps you on the edge of your seat. Most importantly, it aims high, succeeds, and is wholly original. What more can you ask for?

No Straws.

The Last Airbender

Congratulations M. Night, you set the bar pretty damn low after Lady in the Water and The Crappening but congratulations you managed to out do even yourself. It has been a long time since I've seen a movie that is this thoroughly terrible.

Earlier this afternoon, I was listening to an interview with Mr. Shyamalan on /film. It was enlightening if an only because he seems to think he has made a great movie. He seems to be moving into Uwe Boll territory in the sense that he seems oblivious to the rest of the world and assumes that it's not him it's them.

Something else he delves into is the race controversy that he finds himself in, stating that he's pissed off at anyone who feels the casting was racist. I really don't have much of an opinion on that other than the white actors he DID cast were terrible so why not try some of other races. Really, the quality of acting really does follow racial lines to the point of it being ridiculous. Lets not get to ahead of ourselves though as Dev Patel, Shaun Taub, and Aasaf Madnvi was merely tolerable and I'm giving HIM the benefit of the doubt assuming he meant it to be campy.

I don't like ripping on kids so I'll leave them alone. Perhaps if they worked with a different director (name one, it doesn't particularly matter whom) they'd do terrificly. Their acting is wooden and the dialogue they had to work with was terrible. It seems Shyamalan would rather tell than show which defeats the purpose of making a movie otherwise do us all a favour and make a damn radio play.

There is plenty else wrong, name an aspect of moviemaking and they probably fucked it up. I suppose the costumes weren't terrible and I don't really remember the music so I can't really comment on that but everything else...

A few points before I leave:

1. The self-sacrifice of a character has a lot more fucking gravitas if you meet her more than 5 minutes before and she has more than 30 seconds of screen time. I don't care how cute and blond she is.

2. Fight scenes are a lot more tense if there is some risk of losing. Peter Jackson kind of makes this mistake in Return of the King (a deus ex machina is involved and before that it seems like the good guys might lose beforehand so I really find myself on the fence).

3. the main character MUST have some weakness otherwise there is no struggle. Simply going from the most powerful in the world by a little to the most powerful in the world by a whole hell of a lot isn't the best character arc to go with from a struggle perspective - just sayin'

4. Pick a motherfucking protagonist, jesus h christ.

5. If one group is holding another group captive don't make them more powerful than the group that is being held captive! I imagine their convo went something like this:

Fire ppl: Don't use your bending abilities or else!

Earth ppl: Sure!

I'm sure I could come up with a hundred more flaws but this should be plenty to get you to stay away from this movie. In case anyone is wondering, I paid for Toy Story 3.

Congrats motherfucker,

P.S. I'll try to publish more blogs, my sincerest apologies.

P.P.S. Also, is there any better father in all of literature than Mr. Bennett? I think not.

Top 10 - 2009 edition

Alright, before we get going, some rules and general thoughts on 2009...

At the time that I'm typing the first few words of the post, a number one doesn't really jump out at me. I'm sure once I further break down my spreadsheet which has all 126 movies I've seen this year, one will rise above all others, but at this point - nothing. This speaks to the overall strength of movies this year, I think. There are probably 5 to 10 movies (some not on my top 10) that will stand the test of time for one reason or another. There are great movies from first time directors such as Neil Blomkamp and Duncan Jones as well as great movies from Old Pros such as Mr. Tarantino and the brothers Coen. Like I said, strong year.

While I may update this list in three months with movies I've missed, as of now, I figure I have a strong enough database of movies released in 2009 by January 1 201o to exclude all 2008 movies I may have seen this year. Rest assured that both Che and Hunger would've found their way near the top of my list were I to include them, but I'm not. It is also a shame that I haven't seen movies like The Last Station, Crazy Heart, and Broken Embraces but them's the brakes...I only have so much time. Like I said, I will try to update the list in 3 months when more oscar contenders have been released but this should more than suffice for now.

Without further ado:

10. 500 Days of Summer (Marc Webb) - I've been a fan of Joseph Gordon Levitt for a while now. When you can share a screen with John Lithgow and not be completely overshadowed you have a presence. From there, I liked 10 things I hate about you, Mysterious Skin, Brick, The Lookout, and now 500 Days of Summer. I probably missed one, but you get the idea. I've long been a fan of romantic comedies but I'd probably also be the first person to admit that they usually are almost completely without depth. I like happy endings, sue me (keep in mind that happy endings are all relative). 500 days of summer is the first movie in a long time to realistically show a breakup. It recognizes that breakups almost always exist in shades of grey and very rarely have a hero and a villain. Also it was funny.

9. A Single Man (Tom Ford) - Strangely enough, another movie about Breakup. Colin Firth has recently lost his partner of 16 years in a tragic car accident and is struggling to move on with his life. Colin Firth really nails this one. He plays the type of subtle performance that always gets nominated but rarely gets recognized with the actual trophy. He exudes loneliness and depression and understands that acting isn't all about delivering dialogue. Tom Ford does a spectacular job for a first time director delivering a beautiful looking movie. The pace he chose worked well for the story and subject matter. Also, a little bit funny.

8. Bright Star (Jane Campion) - This is the story of the relationship between Fanny Brawne and John Keats. Without thinking, the assumption is always that one of the key figures of the romantic movement would of course get the girl. What one forgets is that artists are not always appreciated in their time and Campion certainly illustrates this. The movie's aesthetic suits Keats' poems as it is beautifully shot. The believability of the relationship grows over time much like the relationship grows, which is interesting and in the end very satisfying. If you like romantic period pieces, look no further.

7. Avatar (James Cameron) - The story in Avatar is simple and not particularly deep, but not necessarily bad. The characters are likeable and all have definite character arcs and are far from one dimensional (one might say three dimensional even - heh). The story is simple enough that it allows you to take in what's on screen, which is totally unlike anything I've seen before. It is a stunningly beautiful movie and will undoubtedly change the way we make movies. Watching the end result in real time when filming CGI shots is huge. In the end, watching what is on screen was so enthralling for me that it had me forgetting any issues I may have had with dialogue and to a lesser extent story. It is also a rare movie that NEEDS to be seen on screen to get the full experience. Download it if you want, it's a waste of your time (and fuck you).

6. District 9 (Neil Blomkamp) - It's a movie about Apartheid and Aliens, what more can you ask for (except maybe no Apartheid to begin with). Wikus van de Merwe, an MNU field operative is doing his best to help with the relocation of the 'prawns' to their new district 10 as district 9 has become somewhat of a slum. Without spoilers, something happens that causes Wikus to see things with a much different perspective. It does a wonderful job of character development with both Wikus and the aliens.

5. An Education (Lone Scherfig) - An Education is about Jenny, a rather clever teenager who is finishing out high school and is on her way to Oxford in the fall. She currently feels her world is far too small for her and wants to really live life in Paris. On the street one day she meets a man named David whom she thinks can take her there. Carey Mulligan stars as Jenny with Peter Sarsgaard staring as David, her older lover. Watching Jenny move from a girl who thinks she has it all figured out to a girl who realizes that she still has a long way to go is a terrific journey. The movie also stars Emma Thompson, Olivia Williams and Alfred Molina who all turn in great performances.

4. Moon (Duncan Jones) - Sam Rockwell plays a man working on the moon for a company trying to extract Helium -3 from the soil. During a routine trip on the rover he finds himself waking up in the infirmary. Hilarity ensues. Well, not really. Without spoiling the film, the rest of the film finds Sam Rockwell trying to escape from the moon as Sam learns more and more about what is really happening up there. Rockwell does a lot of terrific work in this film. It is a testament to the filmmakers that you would never guess the movie was made for 5 million. If you can find it, watch it.

3. Inglourious Basterds (Quentin Tarantino) - Basterds is about a group of jewish allied soldiers who go on the hunt for Nazis. It has been called a revenge fantasy but I'm not really sure that's true. Although what happens to the jews may seem cathartic, all of the actions the Basterds take have definite consequences. Tarantino does a great job of fleshing out scenes in Inglourious Basterds and he does a terrific job of building tension in them. The characters are terrific, the story is tight, the movie is technically well made, and the performances are all top notch with a huge shout out going to Christoph Waltz as Hans Landa.

2. A Serious Man (Joel and Ethan Coen) - Michael Stuhlbarg stars as Larry Goptik, a jewish man going through a rough patch in his life. His wife has left him, his kid is in trouble, his health is failing him, and someone is trying to stop him from getting tenure at the university he teaches at. The movie is based on the question 'why do bad things happen to good people'. It is funny, touching, and devastating all at the same time. Why do bad things happen? What are these bad things? Who is Fyvush Finkel? Watch and find out.

1. Up in the Air (Jason Reitman). The movie stars George Clooney as Ryan, a jet setting hatchet man who moonlights as an aspiring Self Help Guru. His main goal in life is to accumulate 10 million frequent flyer miles and is very close to doing so until a young university grad comes and gums the works up. Her plan is to fire people over the internet effectively grounding Ryan. First, however, Ryan is told by his boss to teach this sweet young thing a thing or two about the business so she can better implement her plan. The movie tries to explore the importance of the relationships in your life and sends Ryan on a voyage of self discovery in doing so. It doesn't provide any answers but does a wonderful job of giving you an assload of further questions to ask of yourself. Only great movies pull that off.

HM:

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans

The Damned United

Fifty Dead Men Walking

The Road

Up

Closing notes: The year was stronger than I had ever thought. It was very tough leaving out Precious and The Hurt Locker from any mention whatsoever. It had to be done though...see those movies too by the way.

James Cameron - What the hell?

Alright, so a brief note about James Cameron, Avatar, and box office Success. On December 18 a small film about love and trust finds it's way into theaters without much in the way of fanfare; Avatar. In two brief weeks it has racked in 283 811 000 in the domestic box office. This is pretty impressive haul for it's first two weeks especially when you consider it is wholly original (no Dances With Wolves jokes please) and had virtually no shot at a 100 million opening weekend.

Now with that said, would it really have been too much to ask for a measly 86,000 more dollars That is just two more people seeing it per screen! The idea that Twilight will end 2009 with a higher gross than Avatar is almost too much to bear...grrrr. Ahhh well, I suppose knowing it will pass it for good around 1pm January 1st is a small consolation.

Also, what is up with James Cameron and the box office? He's got Titanic, T and T2, True Lies, The Abyss, and Avatar all as box office successes. I'm not great with math but that's a success rate of roughly 100 percent? At this point in his career he can pretty much bankroll anything he wants to make himself, but he can also walk into any Executive Producer in the business, pitch a movie that stars himself taking a shit for 4 hours, and walk out with a 250 million dollar budget. Pretty nice place to be in your career.

Kevin McCallister - where is he now!

After a long needed break from the rigors of typing on a keyboard, I'm back at it. Alright, fine, I'm lazy, happy? Anyhow, it's Christmas morning and the stockings are no longer hung with care, I'm halfway through my Christmas candy and it's time to sit my ass down and watch some television.

Awaiting me was my good old friends the McCallisters. This time, poor old mother McCallister (played by the delicious Catherine O'Hara) has lost her child to New York City. I'm not afraid for Kevin, he's an incredibly industrious little boy. He finds his way into one of the most luxurious hotels in New York with an army of staff at his beck and call - at least for a little while. One question before I go on to why I'm really here this morning...why the hell does all of New York watch while two grown men chase around a seven year old.

Anyhow, this got me thinking, what would Kevin McCallister have become as an adult? First of all, there is no way he would lead an average life. By ten years old he has been abandoned and fought off two grown criminals - twice. This has to leave an indelible mark on a kid. The bright side is that he came out on top both times so if anything, his confidence has been bolstered.

Next, he has a certain moral flexibility that allows him to go the extra mile to defend himself. What's more, he seemed to enjoy the horror he put the burglars through. He could have made a few simple calls to the police, but he seems to want to do the work himself. This also speaks to his patriotism and his adrenaline junkiness. I submit that his love for his house will blossom throughout his teens into a love for his country.

He is quick thinking. There is a laundry list of examples here, but my favorite is in the second movie where the burglars have captured him and are taking him somewhere. While waiting for the crosswalk, he punches the butt of the girl in front of him and the woman blames the adults. She punches both Daniel Stern and Joe Pesci and he escapes.

Where does this lead me? Clearly Kevin McCallister has become a spy for the good old US of A. He is probably also an interrogator as he clearly has a way with people that allows them to open up to him (cite: bird lady in the park, old dude with the salt). Seeing as Kevin has a problem with authority, he has probably found himself in trouble with his superiors a time or two. He has also perhaps gone rogue once or twice to pursue someone after a disagreement with his bosses. It'd be an interesting movie, quite frankly.

Anyhow, that is what's on my mind this Christmas, Happy Holidays!

Coming up, my top 1o movies of the year, stay tuned.

Top 10 of the first 6 and three quarter odd months...

I've always been a big fan of lists and we're halfway through the year, so why not make on? I have chosen not to include documentaries as I've always found it tough to compare the two types of movies. Perhaps later I will do a top ten documentaries but for now, fiction. On with the list!

1. Hunger - I realize this is a movie from 2008 but 2009 is when I saw it, so there you go! Michael Fassbender is worth the price of admission. It's a difficult movie to watch, but in the best possible way.

2. Moon - I'm not the biggest fan of Science Fiction but this movie is accessible to us regular folk. Sam Rockwell is great. It has a beautiful paced and very thought provoking. Also, they milked their budget for all it was worth. It'd be tough to guess the budget, good on 'em.

3. The Class - A doc style movie taking place in a french classroom. There are few movies out there that better show what it's like as both a teacher and a student.

4. Che - All four and a half hours need to be viewed in one sitting. Soderbergh does a great job of paralleling both the Cuban and French revolution showing why one succeeds and one fails. Also, del Toro is magnificent - he always is though, so that's nothing new.

5. Up - The best opening of the year with some really adult themes. It's a bit of a tearjerker, so be warned.

6. Departures - won the best foreign language film at the last Oscars. It's about a cellist who finds a new but rather unconventional vocation. It's a beautiful film.

7. Harry Potter 6 - The best entry in the Harry Potter [movie] series thus far. It would be higher on the list but it's clear this is really just a stop gap between the fifth and seventh movies. It has some dark themes and some surprisingly good performances from the three mains.

8. (500) Days of Summer - An interesting and refreshing twist in the rom com genre - a genre which I like very much but recognize it deserves better films. The best part of the movie is that this MAY be the movie that makes Joseph Gordon Levitt the household name he deserves.

9. The Hurt Locker - a movie about a military bomb squad leader. It's apolitical and that's to it's credit. Even as a left winger myself, I find myself getting tired of the same war movies with the same heavy handed messages. This movie is just about the soldiers. It's not glorifying or tearing them down, just showing us what it's like to be in this unique squad.

10. State of Play - I love a good journalist - detective story and this is a pretty good one with some pretty good performances from Crowe, McAdams, and Affleck. It's pretty forgettable but overall very well made with very little fat.

So there you have it, last years movies getting releases this year are dominating the list so lets hope 2009 makes a strong showing in the remaining 5 months and 9 days!