Sam's New and Classic Reviews

Moe Shop’s “Love Taste” and The Meaning of it’s Crazy Chick

2016-05-27T13:04:00.003-04:00

Recently, Future Funk/Electronic artist Moe Shop released a new track called “Love Taste”, a funky, catchy, and yet oddly unsettling song. Featuring the voice of Jamie Page and a great rap intermission from Shiki, this song describes the obsessive love one girl has for a guy's… sticky love. It’s as dirty as it sounds, yet only gets explicit when Shiki enters the scene, seemingly describing what lengths the singer has gone to get a taste.

From my initial listen, I believed the song was celebrating the trope of girls who are so crazy in love that they actually become crazy. A recent example would be Anna from Shimoneta, which was played for laughs and slight parody. But here, it felt like Moe Shop was desiring this kinda creepy scenario.

Yet, the more I listened to this song, the more I realized that there is a darker side to this song. “Love Taste” is not an approval of this character type, but rather a sinister exploration taken from both perspectives of the relationship: the oblivious center of her affections, and the dangerous thoughts of the girl crazy with love.

You can listen to the song here to be involved in the analysis, and while you’re there give Moe Shop’s other stuff a listen as well, it’s fantastic stuff!

https://soundcloud.com/moeshop/love-taste

The first verse is harmless enough, the girl describes the “boy” as perfect and how she’s infatuated after one “taste”. While there are some possible warning signs, there’s nothing too out of the ordinary for a love song.

The next verse gets more initiate, invading the boy’s, and in turn the listener’s, personal space: “ I I wanna touch it, I’ll never have enough”” She even out right says “I love you.” At this point, the girl is fully committed to this relationship, becoming obsessive and a little creepy. Also, throughout these two verses, she continual repeats the line “Boy, you’re perfect”, which only reiterates the stalkerish vibe.

The chorus begins by confirming this obsessive behavior: "I want your everything, every single part of you.” It’s a deceitfully catchy chorus that almost distracts the listener from the stalker-ish lyrics. The verse ends with the alarming statement “I kill you if you try to run, you’re mine and mine alone.”

After dropping this bomb of homicidal threats, Shiki breaks into his verse with a declaration of dominance: “Girl taste my love every single last drop, Won’t be satisfied baby till you begging me to stop” This affirmation of alpha maleness continues as Shiki describes how cool he his and how hot every girl thinks he is. Yet, immediately after, the verse changes in tone musically and lyrically. The music becomes slightly darker, turning into a build up to something. At the same time, Shiki describes a situation where someone, supposedly the girl in the song, begins to get rough with him, drugs him, ties him to the bed, and has her way with him in his delirious state.

While he does eventually take back the advantage and the section returns to its cocky tone, describing the fan girls who love his voice. But, there’s this undercurrent of subservience, as he mostly repeats himself and even talks about she hypnotized him. These feelings are confirmed when the rap ends with Shiki rejecting all the fan girls because “They don’t love you like I do”

Immediately after the line is said, the girl takes over the song, repeating this one line with a somewhat distorted voice as the music slows down to a unnerving level. During this section, random voices can be heard scrambled in the mix, and Shiki’s line is sometimes heard, slowed down to sound demonic. For over 20 seconds this goes on, becoming more and more creepy as it continues. But then, the song returns to normal, repeating the chorus twice before ending.

With all the evidence out there, I believe the song is about how the girl’s obsession has become mental insanity, and the guy can’t look at the obvious signs of crazy because he loves how aggressive she is in bed. He soon becomes the one obsessed, as her actions start to consume her, encompassing her life. By the end of this process, she is a homicidal maniac who believes that the boy is her’s, and her’s alone.

Instead of being a fantasy where the obsession turns into a great relationship, it takes a darker and more realistic turn towards the mental disturbed and hostage style relationship. It’s a fucked up, dirty song that I can’t stop listening too, and I love every second of it.

This much analysis is interesting to me because it’s for a Moe Shop song, an artists whose songs are usually well made, catchy dance songs inspired by anime. While this is not to say that they don’t have deeper meanings, “Love Taste” is the first that seems to have an explicit message and point behind it, a meaning meant to be deciphered. It’s also one of the few Moe Shop song to have sung lyrics and not jumbled anime samples or rap lines. I hope that this song is a showcase of where Shop’s music is going, because if it’s full of analysis opportunities and catchy hooks, I’m all in.

Anomalisa Review

2016-02-07T23:00:00.001-05:00

Stop-motion animation has been a part of films since its inception, yet only recently has the medium gained popularity with audiences and studios alike. With the success of Ardman’s Wallace and Gromit and Laika’s continued production of films like Coraline and Paranorman, it’s safe to say that this style of animation still lives within the popular culture. Yet, there have yet to be any real animated films, stop-motion or otherwise, for adult audiences, at least in America. There were the films of Ralph Bashky in the 1980’s, and 2009’s 9 was more mature then most, but there has yet to be a widely released, adult-oriented animated film released in the past few years.

Enter Charlie Kaufman and Starburns Industries, the minds behind Anomalisa, a stop-motion animated film made uncompromisingly for adults. This film has already made the rounds at many festivals and has received enough critical acclaim to be nominated for best animated film at the Oscar’s. It’s also being given a wide release by Paramount pictures, who hope people will be willing enough to experience this unique film. Yet, one question I’ve had during all of this is not if the movie is good, but just how good it is.

“Anomalisa” follows Michael Stone, a married, middle aged man who’s tired of life. His life is beyond mundane, to point where everything and everyone blends together. He’s on his way to give a speech at a convention on customer service when he runs into a woman named Lisa and she immediately captures his attention.

And that’s basically it. While the description may seem light, it’s because the plot is extremely light, and that’s because it’s not the focus of the film. “Anomalisa” is more about the characters, the themes, and the artistry of the filmmaking, using this simple plot as a starting point.

What immediately catches the eyes is the animation style, which is at once beautiful and also flawed. The motion is fluid with a lot of focus on small details and character movements, which must have been a pain to animate. Though the characters look like animated puppets, with tiny details that give away that fact, yet they move and act like genuine humans. Their eyes are what sell it, they look realistic in that they appear wet and have detailed irises.

The performances are just as fantastic, furthering the illusion that these people are living and breathing. David Thewlis and Jennifer Jason Leigh do spectacular jobs as Michael and Lisa respectively. There’s also Tom Noonan who has one of the most difficult jobs in the movie, but to spoil why it’s special would be a disservice to entire movie.

The script written by Kaufman is another clever and realistic offering from him. Kaufman has previously written “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and “Being John Malkovich”, two films filled that are also clever and realistic. While there are some awkward uses of cursing, overall the script is fantastic, but one would not expect less from Kaufman.

I think it’s time to admit that it’s difficult to write about “Anomalisa”. It’s a film that I went into knowing more about it then I wanted to. I wish I had gone in blind, unaware of the larger meanings and little details that made the movie special. If I had discovered these on my own, I think I would have loved it even more. I feel the best way to see this film is being nearly oblivious to what it’s about. I will warn people that it’s different, somewhat slow, and unconventional. It requires the audience to be open-minded and to accept this stop-motion animated world as real and worth analyzing. The fact that Kaufman and co-director Duke Johnson were intelligent enough to trust their audience is a testament to their talent.

I can’t recommend this movie enough, especially if anything here has sparked your interest. Luckily the film is barely an hour and a half, so if it’s not to your liking, it’ll be over before you know it. “Anomalisa” is a special movie, one that I will hold up alongside some of the other great movies of 2015, and one that I will not soon forget.

Star Wars Epsiode VII: The Force Awakens Review

2015-12-29T14:42:00.000-05:00

After ten years, three trailers, and countless hyped rumors, the first in a new series of Star Wars movies is finally here, already smashing box office records with every passing day. Fan reactions have been widely positive, with many detractors trying desperately to find anything to deter these rabid individuals. Yet, does this film deserve all the attention it’s receiving? Many films in the past, including the franchises own Phantom Menace, have been portrayed as great films simply because of the name attached to the product, when in reality they are lackluster at best. I’m happy to say that these praises, while a little overblown, are not unwarranted.

Taking place many years after Return of the Jedi, the heroes of the original films have all gone their separate ways as a new force known as the First Order has risen to finish what the Empire started, leaving the Rebels to reform and continue to fight this force. While on the planet Jakku, a droid is given a secret message to hide until the Rebellion can come back for it. The droid finds Rey, a young scavenger full of wanderlust for the X-Wing pilots and Jedi of the past, and Finn, a Stormtrooper turned rogue who’s looking for a purpose in life now that he’s left the only thing he’s ever known. The two must now get the droid back to the rebellion and stop the Order from unleashing their newest weapon upon the galaxy.

What is apparent from the first frame of the film is that Abrams, and to an extent Disney, understand what made Star Wars great and what people disliked about the prequels. The focus of the film is on characters, expanding the universe, and clever fan service, which The Force Awakens excels at on all of those fronts. The new characters in the film are all interesting, well-acted, well written, and generally likable. It’s easy to care for these people, and they all have something to offer. I realized how much I liked these guys when Fin and Raye are escaping the Order in the Millennium Falcon and Fin shoots down a Tie fighter. In response, he joyfully jumps in the air, pumps his fist, and gives an endearing yell that made me react in a similar fashion. The script is also very funny, more so then I was originally expecting. While not every joke is winner, there are more laughs then whimpers in The Force Awakens.

The new locations and aliens are also cool, if a bit familiar. Jakku is Tattoine, the snow planet is Hoth, etc. Yet, there are enough different things done with these planets to make them somewhat unique. Jakku has more dunes and mountainous terrain, while the villages and inhabitants are different from the ones in A New Hope, the ice planet is full of trees and is more akin to a tundra rather than an arctic desert. These also play into the well done fan service, which was done at the right moments in just the right ways. Many of the old characters, like Han Solo and Leia return, but they are important to the story and their roles do not feel forced. Their respective actors are also fantastic, with Harrison Ford joining Stallone from Creed on the list of returning actors who should get Oscar nominations for their performances.

Yet, the fan service is not perfect. It does seem somewhat alienating at times to those who are coming into the film franchise for the first time. While not every reference is this way, I do feel that some scenes will be lost on new viewers. I’m also unsure of how to feel about how heavily The Force Awakens’ plot steals from A New Hope. This has been a major criticism from most people, and I would agree entirely if I did not think the series is going to do something different with the next few films. My ideal set-up for the new trilogy is that eight and nine will be their own films, ones that build upon this one and tell their own story with the original films remaining legends that are used to inspire a new generation. I feel like The Force Awaken is the trilogy’s way of easing viewers into this new series by giving them something familiar first to show that not only can they make a great film, but that it’s not going to be like the prequels or spin-offs the fans have disliked in the past. Only time can tell if the plot similarity will be a necessary exception or a lazy fault.

On a more positive note, the action scenes are truly exciting and do a good job of sparingly using CGI. They are filmed extremely well and are great at building tension. I especially like the few lightsaber battles in the film, making these fights more special and unique. A nice touch is how each person’s style of lightsaber fighting is different and reflects their character or their current state of mind.

The Force Awakens is not only the best Star Wars movie in over twenty years, it’s also a fantastic holiday blockbuster. Well filmed, acted, written, and made, this movie is one that deserves all of the praise it’s getting and left me reassured that this new trilogy will be something great.

"F for Fake" Review

2015-09-14T17:44:00.000-04:00

"F for Fake" is one of the most interesting films I've personally seen. It's also one of the most difficult to describe. It's a film, but it's also a documentary, and yet it's also been described as a film essay. It is purely original, and ironically about tricking others into thinking you are original. Orson Welles has crafted a film unlike any other, and he knows it.

'F for Fake" tells the story of Elmyr de Hory, a famous art forger of the 1960's and 70's. His art was so close to the originals that it even fooled the artist themselves. At the same time, there's Clifford Irving, the biographer of Hory and of famed introverted socialite Howard Hughes, or was he? Yet Hughes is also a historic fraud, and what about self proclaimed charlatan Orson Welles, how is he connected to the story?

Describing "F for Fake" is like listening to child after seeing an exciting summer blockbuster, they want to describe every single detail, but there are too many threads to keep up with. So they'll go back and describe an earlier event and then eventually get back to the point. Eventually, you will get lost and assume the story is something crazy and impossible to understand.

Then, you actually see the film, and it all makes sense. The movie deals with individual stories that are all interesting enough to have their own hour and a half film. Yet, they are all used here in tandem with one another in just under 90 minutes.

The key to making all these threads make sense is Welles' editing of the film. He connects the stories not by a timeline of events but rather through ideas and themes. If Hory talks about why his skill is evident through his ability to copy others, the film may cut to a scene of Irving countering this point. They may even have a conversation through this editing, their individual points creating a dialogue that was filmed years apart but made evident through the power of film.

This editing style is why many of called "F for Fake" a film essay. It jumps from story to story, flowing as a well written essay would. Welles states the thesis from the start: "This is a film about trickery, fraud, about lies.", and then proceeds to support it with documentary footage, anecdotes, tangents, and a bit of trustworthy comedy.

Enough credit cannot be given to Orson Welles. Filling most of the required cast and crew, including one of the staring roles, "F for Fake" is Welles' film. While his editing has been discussed, his personality comes out in his narration, which serves to make the connections even easier to understand. The narration even adds a bit of fun and comedy to the film, with Welles pointing out ironic coincidences and even making fun of himself and the "players" in his film.

I'm at a loss for what else to say. Half of the fun of "F for Fake"is not knowing about it, going in blind as to how it will all play out. It is a film unlike any other, plain and simple. If you want to see something original, funny, powerful, and expertly crafted, then Orson Welles' "F for Fake" should be next on your list of must sees.

If my words have not convinced you, then please watch this analysis of film editing from "Every Frame a Painting", who uses "F for Fake" a case study for expert editing.

Box Office Report 08-17-15 (Straight Outta Compton, Man From U.N.C.L.E)

2015-08-17T21:38:00.000-04:00

I've decided to try something a little different. I've always been a fan of websites or video channels that report on the box office earnings of movies every week. After listening and watching so many, I've started to find this information on my own and form my own opinions. After doing this independently for many months, I've decided to use this useless knowledge to my advantage and form a new article series. So, without further ado, here is the top 5 for the week of August 17th, 2015!

The Gift - $6.5 Million

In it's second weekend, the Joel Edgerton directed and produced thriller is holding strong at number five, moving two places down the list. Down just over 40%, "The Gift" is already a hit for Blumhouse productions, with a current total of $23.5 million, which more than covers its $5 million budget. It would seem that Blumhouse's strategy of making movies on the cheap is continuing to payoff, after hits like "The Purge" and "Insidious", and lesser but still successful films like "The Lazarus Effect" and "The Gallows". "The Gift" is also on the short list of non-horror themed releases from the company, joining the likes of Oscar winning "Whiplash". Mixed with its incredible reviews from critics and good word of mouth, "The Gift" will likely stay in the top 10 for a few more weeks, but it may not last through September as bigger releases start to roll in, including Blumhouse's own "Sinister 2".

Fantastic Four - $8.1 Million

What a train wreck this has been. Premiering at number two last week, Fox's "Fantastic Four" reboot has only sunken further down the list. Falling 68.2%, which is abysmal for summer blockbusters, this film has been plagued with terrible critical and audience reactions (It currently has 8% critic approval and 22% audience approval on Rotten Tomatoes), which have been blamed for its poor performance. Having only made $42.1 and needing to double $120 million, it's unlikely that even the worldwide box office can save this flop. In the end, "Fantastic Four" was doomed from the start, and it's likely to fall out of the top 10 by the end of month, if not sooner.

The Man From U.N.C.L.E - $13.4 Million

While not as big a disaster as "Fantastic Four", "U.N.C.L.E"'s lack luster opening weekend leaves a lot to be desired. The reboot of the 1960's t.v. series has been in production for decades, but now it would appear to have been a lost cause. Though it has a cast of movie stars in the making, "Man of Steel"'s Henry Cavill and "The Lone Ranger"'s Armie Hammer in the leading roles, this spy film just couldn't catch any heat. With a reported $75 million budget, this film has the possibility of being saved by the foreign release, but that remains to be seen.

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation - $17.1 Million

Slightly dropping from its two week rain at number one, the latest "Mission Impossible" sees another profitable weekend in the face of more competition. With a 39.7% drop and a total gross of $138.3 million, the Tom Cruise franchise is shown to still have some legs in the heavy

blockbuster season. Now that a sequel is most definitely in the works, it looks as if Cruise's rise back to stardom has found its place with "Mission Impossible", but hopefully he can keep the momentum going after three years of solid films.

Straight Outta Compton - $60.2 Million

The highly acclaimed bio-pic about 90's rap group N.W.A has shattered previously held predictions of a $40 million opening and is currently the fourth biggest opening of August, right ahead of "Signs" but missing "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" by five million, but at this point who's complaining. The film's success can be attributed to multiple factors; there's the overwhelmingly positive reactions from critics and audiences, who all came out of the theater with glowing praise. Another is the appeal to multiple generations, those being the youth of the early 90's who lived through this and the youth of today who know the names (Ice Cube, Dr. Dre) but not the origins. There's also the timely issues of police brutality and the worth of black lives, which are central themes of not only the film but N.W.A's music. While it's not a surprise that "Compton" was a hit, no one expected it to be as big a hit as it is, especially with an R rating and cast of unknown actors.

Next Week's Predictions

There are three big releases this weekend, "Hitman: Agent 47", "Sinister 2" and "American Ultra". "Sinister" is expected to be the biggest earner, while "American Ultra" will find a comfortable spot somewhere in the middle. "Hitman" will be the black sheep, probably bombing hard in the next few days. Yet, none of them will top "Straight Outta Compton", which is expected to hold its throne for a least one more week.

"The Gift" Review

2015-08-16T15:50:00.004-04:00

I find that every year there are a few of those movies that catch me off guard. The one’s that I’ve never heard of suddenly getting recognition, the one’s I’d forgotten about that leap onto the scene. And then there are the ones like “The Gift”. Produced by Blumhouse (Paranormal Activity, Insidious), this film looked like your standard suburban thriller, one that we had seen thousands of times before. Yet, the movie intrigued me with its casting choices, specifically of Jason Bateman as the husband and Joel Edgerton as the supposed awkward antagonist. Once I heard the good word of mouth this movie was receiving, I knew I had to check it out.

“The Gift” follows married couple Simon (Bateman) and Robyn (Rebecca Hall) who have just moved from Chicago to the upper suburbs of California. Things are looking good for them, Simon has a good job that can lead to a promotion, and Robyn has the opportunity to start up another business. A few days into their move, a strange man walks up to Simon in a furniture store saying he knows him from high school After some awkward banter, the man reveals himself to be Gordon (Edgerton), or “Gordo” as he used to be known in high school. Simon recognizes him and reveals that they used to be friends in high school. After this encounter, Gordo starts to leave gifts in front of their house, slowly edging his way into their life. Yet, the closer Gordo gets, the less likely it is that he may be nefarious and it becomes more obvious who the real villain is in the group.

One of the best things I can say about “The Gift”, out of the many things it does right, is that it does a fantastic job at messing with the audiences expectations. At the beginning, everyone can see where it’s going, we’ve all seen it a million times before. Gordo will try to get close, the couple will shoo him away, he’ll get angry and try to get revenge as it’s revealed he’s insane and a murderer. Yet, halfway through the film it becomes obvious that this is not your average thriller. It starts to take sharp story turns and flip the characters on their heads, fleshing them out as it goes. At this point, I thought I had the movie figured out, even if the initial twist was clever. Then, it flips the film again and goes places I would never expect. By the end, I was stunned and excited by how effectively the movie had messed with me.

What carries this twisty story are the actors, especially Joel Edgerton, who has triple duty as director, writer, and actor. Obviously this has been something he’s been wanting to do for a while, because Gordo is at once unnerving and sympathetic, which are not two emotions one usually associates with Edgerton. Bateman and Hall give great performances as well, walking the fine line of their characters quite well. Yet, they still don’t hold a candle to Edgerton.

Also surprising is how effective Edgerton is behind the camera. While nothing earth-shattering, the cinematography is unique and fits the tone of the film overall. There are even a few interesting camera tricks and uses which show that he knows his way around a set. One interesting touch is that early on in the film before Gordo is introduced, he can be seen in the background simply standing and staring at Bateman and Hall, yet he blends in so well that it’s hard to notice at first. The script is nothing to sneeze at either, rarely becoming melodramatic or unnatural.

“The Gift” is a welcome surprise during this already solid summer season. A film that has the courage to not only be different, but to trust its audience enough to go along with it. By the end, viewers will either be on board with what it’s trying to accomplish or will feel cheated, and will be lesser for it. If you want thrills on a smaller scale after all the blockbusters, “The Gift” is certainly worth your time.

"Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation" Review

2015-08-09T21:24:00.000-04:00

Spanning five films and almost twenty years, the Mission Impossible franchise has had its up and downs. Starting in 1996, the films have been varied in quality, with the last one, “Ghost Protocol”, being by far the best. With its focus on teamwork, death-defying stunts, and general fun, that film become one of my favorites of 2011. Now, four years later we have “Rogue Nation”, a film that touts itself as having not only impressive stunts, but real ones that Tom Cruise performed himself. Going in, I had high expectations not only from the quality of the last film but also from the overwhelmingly positive critical response it has received. The only question is, did it live up to the hype?

Picking up years after “Ghost Protocol”, Ethan Hunt is still with the IMF and is still active in crazy missions. For over a year, Hunt has investigated into a conspiracy involving an agency made up of missing or presumed dead agents named the Syndicate. They seem to be involved in major deaths and events across the globe all involving political figures. Before Hunt can fully reveal his findings, he is kidnapped by the Syndicate. At the same time, the IMF is shut down by the CIA, leaving Hunt alone and on the run. After six months of silence, Ethan Hunt returns to recruit his old IMF buddies to finally take down the Syndicate.

Just like the last film, the plot of “Rogue Nation” is overly complicated and nonsensical. There were many points where I had no idea what was going on or why the team had to do certain things. Yet, it’s obvious that story was not the main focus of the film and is made up in the characters and parts of the script. Everyone has a funny line or good banter with each other, Jeremy Renner and Ving Rhames especially. Simon Pegg is also funny as always, yet they do feel somewhat useless. Pegg is utilized multiple times, but Renner and Rhames are only there to spout some lines of dialogue and tag along for Cruise to shine in his action scenes. In the end, I’m still glad they were included, since they give the film a comedic edge that makes it seem like the filmmakers are in on the joke with audience, that being that “Rogue Nation” is a silly movie at heart and should not be taken seriously.

While the story is lackluster, the action is anything but. As I stated earlier, Cruise did most of his own stunts, included the scene where he hangs off the plane as it takes off.

Yes, that was real.

Many of the set pieces are a step down in scale and sheer insanity from “Ghost Protocol”, but they are made impressive by the fact that they were done on set with very little CGI utilized. There is a scene that requires Cruise to be underwater with no oxygen tank for three minutes. In order to shoot the scene, he learned how to hold his breath for six minutes. That kind of crazy dedication elevates these scenes from a downgrade to probably more impressive than the last film. It cannot be ignored though that many moments are implausible and ridiculous. Cruise wipes out while flying at high speeds on a motorcycle, yet he immediately gets up and acts as if nothing has happened. He should be dead, or at the very least have giant wounds on his entire body. While the film has a somewhat silly tone, that does not excuse the lack of logic, even if it does lead to cool and exciting action sequences.

Yet, something feels lost in the transition from “Protocol” to “Nation”. There is less focus on the team and instead returns to being the Tom Cruise show. While not a huge issue, it is sad to see many of the side characters reduced to background props when they could have bigger roles. Also, there seemed to be less tension in the action scenes. While they are still impressive, they never left me on the edge of my seat or gave my panic attacks like “Protocol” or even this year’s “Mad Max: Fury Road” did. The action has a better behind the scenes story then an actual bearing on the plot.

“Rogue Nation” is not a bad film by any stretch of the imagination, in fact it’s up there as one of the better Mission Impossible movies. Yet, it cannot be ignored that it is a step down from its predecessor and is an above average summer blockbuster when taken on its own merits. I do recommend “Rogue Nation”, as it stands out from many other offerings in this waning summer season, just go in with lowered expectations.

"Don't Look Now" Review

2015-07-31T15:00:00.000-04:00

The 1970’s are well known for their quality of films; films that are thoughtful, controversial, and different. This was the time of social and individual revolutions, and movies were there to explore these ideas. Nicolas Roeg’s “Don’t Look Now” is one such film. It is one of the most radical, risky, and gratifying films I’ve seen, and that makes it all the more difficult to talk about. This film is one that needs to be experienced, one that the viewer should be mostly unaware about. I went in with this mindset and was greatly rewarded, so this is my one and only warning: if you don’t want to be spoiled, then do not read the rest of this review.

“Don’t Look Now” follows a married couple played by Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland who have a skeleton in their closet. Their daughter accidently drowned in a river outside their house, her death leaving a noticeable scar on the family. Years later, the two are in Venice (ironically a city known for its rivers) doing their jobs as architects and restoring old churches. One day, Christie meets a pair of sisters, one of which is blind and claims she can see her daughter who is happy and well. Christie is obviously stunned by this, but she soon accepts this statement and changes her attitude completely. She is finally happy and has come to terms with the death, yet Sutherland is worried that this might not be the best way to get this reaction, and he is distrustful of the sisters in general. He doesn’t believe in the supernatural, openly criticizing the blind woman’s claims. Yet, he soon starts to see odd things and a feeling of foreboding looms over the couple as everything may not be as it seems.

Talking about the plot of this film is hard, since it doesn’t truly reveal itself until the last twenty minutes or so, which is the genius of “Don’t Look Now”. It is a slow, methodical, and eerie two hour ride that hides under a vail for most of its runtime. Focus is given to random objects, dialogue hints at past events, and the editing cuts from scene to scene almost randomly. This scattershot film making plays with the viewers expectations, eventually playing with their mind. You think something is going to happen, so you make up details. Characters show up in the background, certain camera shots have larger meanings, and you swear you saw one of the sisters in that fast cut. All of this serves to create a feeling of dread, waiting for something to explain it all. When the explanation comes, and it comes in a spectacular fashion, all the waiting and minutes seemingly wasted all make sense.

To be more specific, this film would be nothing without its frantic and unique editing style, which when mixed with the cinematography, instills ideas into the viewers mind simply with imagery by cutting between scenes that are matched in themes and thought processes alone. For example, there is a set-piece where Donald Sutherland is hanging precariously from a scaffolding, hanging on the edge of death. Cut in-between the action are scenes of the sisters laughing, seemingly mocking the non-believer without even looking at him.

Credit must also be given to the two main actors Sutherland and Christie, both of which give great, if at times outlandish performances. Sutherland in particular, whose screams of agony when pulling his daughter out of the river came off as comical rather than heartbreaking. Yet, when they need to be a married couple in distress, both do an excellent job. The controversial sex scene is a great example, expressing their crumpling marriage coming back together after a long time through their naturalistic and un-cinematic love-making.

As I’ve stated many times already, it is difficult to talk about “Don’t Look Now” since it is something one has to view for themselves. It is a film that has been called haunting and horrific, but no one can understand why until they’ve felt the agony of sitting through a scene where Sutherland is unknowingly chased by a mysterious man through the claustrophobic streets of Venice, his figure appearing at the end of every cut. We have no idea who the man is, but we know there is a murderer on the loose. We also know Sutherland does not trust his wife, or the untrustworthy sisters. These ideas mixed with the presentation serve to make a creepy atmosphere that never leaves the film. While slowly paced, “Don’t Look Now” is well worth the time and patience it takes to get immersed in its unique vision of a marriage ruined by death.

Amy (2015) Review

2015-07-25T15:01:00.000-04:00

Documentaries are an interesting genre of film. If done correctly, they can make any subject interesting and can entertain while informing the viewing. If done incorrectly, they can support the stereotype that documentaries are boring and inaccessible. Director Asif Kapadia proved the former with his film “Senna” about world famous Formula 1 racer Ayrton Senna whose tragic death changed the safety rules of the sport. The film itself is able to draw in the viewer with this man’s story, even if they have no interest in racing, such as myself. It is a fantastic film and one that I suggest to everyone, which you can watch on Netflix right now.

Recently, I found out about the documentary “Amy”, which focuses on the career of Amy Winehouse and is directed by the same man. Not only am I a fan of “Senna” but I’m also a fan of Winehouse herself. She was one of the first musicians I ever listened to extensively, buying all three of her albums and learning the words to many of the songs. Yet, I started listening to her about a year after her death, so I didn’t get to experience the tragedy of a fan seeing their idol pass away. The want to know her story and the talent behind the film made “Amy” one of my most anticipated films of 2015. After seeing it, I have to say it went beyond my expectations.

“Amy” is different from many documentaries in how it presents itself, which was also done in “Senna”. While Kapadia conducted extensive interviews for this film, there is no footage of these conversations. Instead, the audio is used to narrate footage of Amy from concerts, talk shows, tabloid photos, and even home movies. This is the film’s main selling point and biggest strength since it never leaves Amy’s story. We follow her from her first record deal in the early 2000’s to her death in 2011 and we never leave her side. The audience essentially becomes a fly on the wall to her life, seeing every step of her journey. We see her best successes and her worst downfalls, all while her family and friends describe these situations. It’s immersive and puts the viewer directly in the action. This was used in “Senna” with footage from inside the cars, showing the audience just how fast and dangerous these vehicle were. “Amy” uses this to give an intimate portrait of Winehouse and her career.

One aspect of the film that surprise me was how honest it was about everything. While it does have the mindset that this whole thing is a tragedy, it’s not afraid to show or discuss some truly dark parts of Amy’s life. One effective scene is when she goes to an island to rehabilitate and the footage used shows her in a bikini. At this point, she was deep into her drug/alcohol addiction and her bulimic practices, meaning her body is closer to a skeleton than a healthy woman. While attention is never really drawn to it, it’s never hidden. It is simply there to further prove the severity of the situation.

A nice touch the filmmakers added was connected her music to events in Amy’s life. Many times, the film will focus on an issue or situation that had an effect on her, like her different boyfriends or attempts at recovery, and then it’ll show concert footage of a song that relates to said event. While she performs, the lyrics will appear on screen in her handwriting, furthering the connection. There is a section that talks about her first love in her late teens. He was in his early 20’s and she was madly in love with him, at least for a bit. She soon turned on him, wanting him to be a dominant force in her life when instead she had to fill that role. This failed relationship lead to her first single “Stronger Then Me” which makes several, specific references to this person. “You’ve been here seven years longer than me”, “All I need is for my man to live up to his role”, are just a few examples.

“Amy” is a tragic film, telling the story of Amy Winehouse’s rise to super stardom and how it eventually killed her. As a fan of Winehouse’s music, I was going to like this documentary no matter what, it was a given. What I was not fully expecting was how much I was going to love it. The amount of love, effort, and passion that went into this film is easy to see and is made for fans of Amy and newcomers alike. There were many moments that made me tear up or changed how I look at her music. Yet, the moment that truly got to me was the ending, which legitimately made me cry. “Amy” is now the third movie to ever make me cry. This mixed simply with the quality of the film make it not just one of the best documentaries but also one of the best movies of 2015. If you are a fan of Amy Winehouse, then you’ve probably already seen it. If you are like most and only know “Rehab” then this will be an even better film, since you are seeing it the way the filmmakers intended it, unaware and ready to learn.

I'm Coming Back!

2015-07-25T14:46:00.000-04:00

That's right folks, after more than a year, I've decided to return to reviewing movies on this blog. This past year, I've been busy. I completed my final year of high school where I had one of my most difficult classes in AP English 12. I also worked a part-time job which I had been employed at since November 2013. Mixing those two severely cut my free time and drive to make reviews. While I still saw many films, and gave my opinion on them, I just didn't have the drive to write something or sit down and do anything with these thoughts.

I did produce a video analysis of Guardians of the Galaxy, which you can watch here. I was hoping this could help to reinvigorate my drive to review films, giving me a new medium with which to mess around in. Yet, It never panned out. Now, in the middle of the summer, and my college career looming in the distance, I've decided to start this blog back up.

At this point, I'm not sure if I want to keep a schedule or not, but I will update as often as I can. My reviews will also go back to the style I was adopting before the hiatus, so expect long paragraphs. Yet, I'm not keeping the review scores, I want to see how these reviews can work without them.

With all that in mind, I'm going to post a new review in a little bit, so be on the lookout for that. It's good to be back.

My Summer With Zatoichi: The Tale of Zatoichi (01)

2014-06-16T14:48:00.002-04:00

Around the holiday season of last year, the renowned Criterion Collection released the Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman 25 film box set as their big release for the year. If you are anything like me, then you probably have no idea who or what Zatoichi is and why it has 25 movies dedicated to it. To give you a quick summary, which the title gives away, Zatoichi is a blind masseur who is also one of the most skilled swordsman in the world. All 25 films follow the character in feudal Japan, the time of samurai and swords. What makes this character and these films special is that out of the 27 films made starring Zatoichi, he's been played by the same actor Shintaro Katsu in 25 of them, all of which are featured in this box set.

I got this box set at Christmas last year and as of late have only seen eight of he films. My goal is to watch all of the films by the end of the Summer! I'll update this series as often as I can, but I will make sure to finish this summer assignment.

To begin with, let's talk about the first film in the series, the one that started it all. This is my review of...

PLOT
During his travels, Zatoichi ends up in a small village who's local Yakuza (Mafia) gang is on the verge of war with a rival clan. He is hired by this village's Yakuza to fight for them, but tensions rise when Zatoichi unknowingly befriends the Samurai from the rival clan.

   The Tale Of Zatoichi is a very quiet film with very few action scenes. The film is more focused on the characters and the melodramatic plot lines, which I was not expecting the first time I saw the movie. In fact, what action scenes there are, they are very unimpressive with the tension coming from the situations surrounding the action rather then the action itself. Don't take this as a bad thing though, because this film's strength lies in character and slow beauty.

   What truly carries this film is Zatoichi himself. He's not your usual suave, skilled action hero; Zatoichi is clumsy, humble, and unassuming. When he first meet him, he's slowly walking along the countryside, having to take cautious and large steps. This unassuming nature makes Zatoichi all the more interesting when he see how much charisma and skill with a sword he has. This was Shintaro Katsu's first time playing the character, but already he owns it. What emotion he can't get across in his eyes (which are closed 90% of the time), he easily gets across in his face and dialogue. Katsu, and Zatoichi in turn, is just charming and instantly likeable. We like this character just 10 minutes into the film when he tricks a bunch a gamblers out of their money in a clever and funny way. Even when the situations get dire, Zatoichi knows when to make the audience smile. He's a somewhat tragic character, being a swordsman who doesn't want to kill but must in order to survive as a mercenary. The only reason he even began to train with the sword was to show smug and disrespectful people that he was more then just a sad blind man. Ichi is easy sympathize with, even when the audience knows that his blindness does little to hinder him.

   Beyond Zatoichi, the movie itself has a quiet beauty to it. Many Japanese films of this era have a similar feel, and the cinematography is only exemplified by the Blu-ray (and even DVD) transfer. While a large portion of the film takes place indoors, we still get many shots of the outside and nature itself. There's also very little use of music in the movie, with most of the soundtrack comprising of the background noise of the world. People meandering, birds chirping, life itself is the music of this film. While there is music, it only comes in to further drive to point home of many dramatic and important scenes.

As a whole, the film is essentially a Japanese soap opera. There are many cliches, a lot of overacting, and few surprises. Many plot lines you can figure out how they end the second they begin. The only other stories I became interested in all involved the enemy village's samurai and his friendship with Ichi. The samurai is named Hirate (played by Shigeru Amachi) and he's just as sympathetic as Ichi. They also do seem like actual friends, and when that friendship is tested it does hurt a bit and gets you invested. Without this aspect, the movie would be much slower and less fun.

While a but dated and slow, The Tale of Zatoichi is a good if not great film that easily shows why this character became so popular. Shintaro Katsu is owns this role and keeps the movie entertaining throughout. The cinematography and quiet mood give the film a sense of beauty that just isn't seen today. Overall, The Tale of Zatocihi is a small, quiet, but interesting film that will make anyone excited to see the rest of series.

RATING
WALK TO

If you would like to read my latest review, click here:http://newandclassicreviews.blogspot.com/2014/06/22-jump-street-nr-60.html
If you want to read the next part in this series, click here: (Next Part Coming Soon!)

22 Jump Street: NR #60

2014-06-15T16:58:00.000-04:00

AND I'M BACK YA'LL!!!!!!!!

Yes, I've finally returned. After six months, I'm happy to be back. For those of you who don't know why I took so long in my return, you can read this post I made about a week ago:http://newandclassicreviews.blogspot.com/2014/06/hey-there.

Let's not hold off any longer. This week, I'm reviewing a sequel to one of the most surprisingly great movies of the last few years, a movie I went into with mixed feelings: I love the original, but the sequel seemed unnecessary. Did it turn out as well as its predacessor? Let's find out in my review of...

PLOT
22 Jump Street follows Jenko and Schmidt after their success with the Jump Street project as cops, and they're still terrible at being cops. Because of this, both men are put back into the Jump Street program with a new case that is exactly the same as last time, except this time they're going to college! Schmidt and Jenko must now infiltrate the college, find the drug dealer, and arrest him/her.

Now, I'm going to try something a little different. I'm going to try and write in paragraphs instead of "PROS" and "CONS". We'll see how it goes.

As I said before, I went into 22 Jump Street a little anxious. I love the first film, but this one just seemed forced. Luckily, directors Chris Miller and Phil Lord feel the same way. The story goes that after directing 21 Jump Street, Miller and Lord were offered a directing job on the sequel, which they declined since they were already directing The Lego Movie. After a while, and for reasons that are not clear to me, Miller and Lord decided to return to the sequel, with the idea that everyone going in to the film was afraid it would be another bad second outing. Because of this outlook, the movie is completely aware that it is the exact same thing as last time. It hits the same plot points, almost beat for beat, and rarely evolves the characters in any meaningful way. And while the film is doing this, it's constantly pointing out these flaws and making fun of them. Many films have tried this self aware outlook, but none have been as committed to the idea as 22 Jump Street. The self-referential and self-effacing humor is near constant, mixing surprisingly well with the normal jokes. Miller and Lord are masters at meta humor, they are the ones who made The Lego Movie after all, and this film just cements that fact.

Luckily, meta humor isn't the only funny thing in this film. As a whole, the movie is hilarious. There were many times where I was laughing so hard, I was rocking in my seat. These big laughs were also near constant with very few jokes falling flat. What makes the humor in this movie work so well is not just the writing, but Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum's performances. These two are an incredible comedy duo and work extremely well together. It's obvious that there were many improved scenes, but since these two have such great chemistry they know how to play off each other and make improv work. Their bromatic relationship is what makes these films special. There's a point in the film where Tatum and Hill's "relationship" is jeopardized, and they play the scene like a break-up in a romantic comedy. This isn't the only romantic-comedy-esc scene, and they all lead to comedy gold.

Beyond these two aspects, there nothing else really carrying the film. The supporting characters are good but not memorable. Ice Cube is hilarious, but he is doing the same thing he always does. There are a ton of cameos, not only from Jump Street alumni, but from random celebrities as well. It's difficult to critique this movie, since it's already pointing out its own flaws. Anything I could complain about, the movie already does for me and makes better jokes about these flaws as well. The movie is simple, there's no complex plot, no deep characters, no moral ambiguity, but that's just fine. 22 Jump Street is a surprisingly smart comedy that's not afraid to go dumb sometimes, it knows what movie it is and runs with the idea until it has no place go. It is one of the funniest movies I've seen and one of the best sequels too. If you love the original film, or Phil Lord and Chris Miller in general, this is a must see.

RATING
RUN TO

Hey There...

2014-06-05T19:30:00.001-04:00

...So I missed this blogs three year anniversary yesterday. I felt this was a better time then ever to revitalize this blog, and to give an explanation as to why I haven't posted in 6 months.

1. In November, I got my first job. While it wasn't hard to juggle work, school, and blog at the same time at first, it became much harder once I started working more on the weekends and my school missed weeks due to snow. I then was putting most of my energy into school and work, leaving me with no creative juice for this blog.

2. Honestly, I was getting tired. After writing reviews for nearly three years on a near constant schedule, anyone will get tired. I hardly took breaks, and when I did I felt horrible about it. I know that I don't have a ravenous or huge fan base, but it was a personal goal to get one out every week. While a 6 month break is a little excessive, it has cleared my pallet, leaving me with tons of ideas and desires.

And that's it really. Not the best sob story, but one that I feel is justified. Now, after all this time, I'm ready to come back. I'm going to post reviews whenever I want! No longer they only be a Sundays, now reviews will go up once a week, but on any day I feel like and at any time. I'm also going to start a new series and a Summer review event (which I hope will go better then last time!). I'm hoping for a full come back within the week. What will I review? I have no idea. But, I'll figure it out! Hope to see y'all soon!

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire NR #59

2014-01-26T09:13:00.003-05:00

So after my top 10 list, and this slow January month, I've decided to do catch-up with reviews! This week's movie you already know I love, but now you get to see why! This one is a sequel to one of the most popular movies of the last few years. This is my review of...

PLOT
Taking place right after the first film, "Catching Fire" picks up with Katniss and Peeta touring the districts after their dramatic win during the Hunger Games. While their win was was a way to survive in Katniss' eyes, the rest of the world saw it as a spark for rebellion against the capitol, including President Snow. He tells Katniss that if she does anything to further this rebellion idea during the tour, he will kill her family and friends. Now Katniss must deal with Snow's threats, keeping her relationship with Peeta looking real, and stopping revolts from breaking out in her name.

PROS
Jennifer Lawrence never ceases to amaze me. In every movie I see her in, I'm wowed by her performance, and "Catching Fire" is no exception. Luckily, she's not the only one doing a great job. Everyone gives their best and never falters.

President Snow, who was kinda of an afterthought in the last film, steps up and becomes a truly menacing villain. He's the kind of bad guy where he doesn't yell, he doesn't get angry, but that makes him even more terrifying. You don't know if he's actually happy with you, or if he's been planning to stab you in the back the moment you entered the room.

The romantic triangle plot is actually handled very well and never became boring. In the first film, the romance was there but never really explored. Here, they do a much better job with the whole thing.

Thankfully, the action scenes are actually visible this time! No more shaky cam crap, the action is there for all the see. While they still don't show most deaths, director Francis Lawrence hides these in more clever ways that never become distracting.

The special effects have greatly improved since the last film. It obvious a lot more money was put into the effects, and it pays off.

As you've probably guessed, there's another Hunger Games style tournament. Luckily, this one is different from the previous arena. The battleground has a unique gimmick to it that I won't spoil here, but it does add more death traps, many of which are quite scary.

The other players in this new Hunger Games are much more interesting then the previous contestants. These players are veterans of the Games and are more interesting to watch. My personal favorite is the tag team of Wiress and Beetee, two technologically inclined tributes who are very weird and very fun.

The cliffhanger ending of this film is spectacular, it rivals that of "The Empire Strike Back". It perfectly sets up the stakes, gets you excited and pumped-up, then cuts off at the perfect moment, leaving you angry yet ultimately excited for the next film.

CONS
We don't spend enough time with the other tributes in the Games, which means we never get to know anyone outside the core group. This is a shame, since a lot of them seemed to have interesting personalities are stories behind them.

CONCLUSION
When I walked out of "The Hunger Games" I thought "That was good, maybe I'll see the next one". When I walked out of "Catching Fire" I thought "WHY DO I HAVE TO WAIT SO LONG!!!!" This does what all great sequels have done before, improve on every aspect of the previous installment. I became more involved with the story, the characters, the world itself. I know understand why everyone and their mom loves this series, and now I'm one of them. If you've yet to try out this series, stick it through the first film, because at the end of it you get to see the greatness that is "Catching Fire"

RATING
RUN TO!!!

My Top 10 Movies of 2013

2014-01-12T11:40:00.001-05:00

While I still haven't completely caught up with all of my reviews, but I decided I may as well get my best films of the year out of the way. Now, just to clarify, these are movies that I've actually seen, which means other highly regarded movies like "Dallas Buyers Club" are not on the list. Also, all of the movies, except for number one, are in no particular order, these are just 10 movies that I personally felt we're the best of the year. Now let's begin with...

Number 10

Now I know what you might be saying, "How can this be on the list? It's not nominated for an Oscar, it's just some dumb summer blockbuster." All of that is true, except it's an incredibly fun summer blockbuster. One of the funnest times I had in a theater this year was in "Pacific Rim". While certainly not a perfect movie, "Pacific Rim" is like last year's "The Avengers", where it's just so much fun and awesome to watch, I had to love it and put it on this list. If you've yet to see this, buy it on Blu-ray, get your friends together, and have a great time with this blockbuster.

Here's a link to my review: http://newandclassicreviews.blogspot.com/2013/07/pacific-rim-nr-47.html

Number 9

I'll admit it, this is another guilty pleasure. I love Joss Whedon, so when I heard he was doing Shakespeare, I got excited. When I heard the cast, I was dying to see it. After finally seeing it, "Much Ado About Nothing" can stand up there with some of the best Shakespeare adaptations. It's funny, dramatic and works extremely well in the modern day. It's also great to see all these actors, who are all friends in real life, get together and have some fun. While my bias might be fueling this choice, I still love this movie.

Here's a place to put my eventual review!

Number 8

What is up with all of these oddball choices? Well this one is not based on any personal bias. "It's a Disaster" is a criminally unknown black comedy that came out last year that's one of the funniest and most clever movies I've seen. While it has a slow start, once the ball gets rolling, it never stops. There's always a new twist or character revelation that keeps you invested in these horrible people, and everyone reacts in ways that almost anyone would react in an end of the world situation, just in a more selfish way. With a twist ending that makes the whole movie, "It's a Disaster" is a movie that's a must see. Also, I believe this is still on Netflix streaming, so you really have no excuse.

I'll probably put a link to the review here, you know, if it ever comes out.

Number 7

If you know me in real life, you know how much I love this movie. I love it so much, I saw it three weeks in a row, no joke. "Gravity" is a visual masterpiece that masters tension and realism. Every time I saw the film, even though I knew what was going to happen, I still felt tense and excited. There's also a ton of excellent camera work here, with many shots going on for over 10 min. But, let's not forget both of the actors, with Sandra Bullock carrying this film mostly by herself. While not the deepest in terms of storytelling, "Gravity" is an experience that will not soon be forgotten, especially when seen in 3D.

Here's a link to my review: http://newandclassicreviews.blogspot.com/2013/10/gravity-bling-ring-nr-52-cr-43.html

Number 6

Believe me, I'm just as surprised as you probably are. While I wasn't a huge fan of the first film, and I've never read the second or third "Hunger Games" books, "Catching Fire" is the definition of a great sequel. Not only did it improve on everything wrong with the first film, it got me excited for the next installments. Full of great performances, action, story, special effects, characters, villains, and twists, I was fully enthralled by this film. And, with one of the best cliffhanger endings since "The Empire Strikes Back", "Catching Fire" is easily one of the best films of this year. Now let's hope the other two can live up to this one.

Once again, I'll put a link here when I get to my review...maybe...

Number 5

I'm so glad that I'm starting to discover Woody Allen now rather then earlier. "Blue Jasmine" is Allen at his finest, packed to the brim with great performances and incredible dialogue. Of course, the person who steals the show is Cate Blanchett, Jasmine herself. She is what brings this movie above the greatness is already was. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, and hope that the next Allen film can keep the trend going.

Here's a link to my review:http://newandclassicreviews.blogspot.com/2013/09/blue-jasmine-nr-49.html

Number 4

Being as huge a fan of Edgar Wright and his Cornetto/ Blood and Ice Cream trilogy (Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz) as I am, how did you not expect this on the list? It has everything you could ever want from an Edgar Wright film. Fast paced hilarious comedy, check. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, check. Nerdy and clever references, check. Call backs to the original two films that range from the obvious to the obscure, check. What this film brings to the table is an unexpected drama aspect and spectacular action scenes. The dramatic moments are just as good if not better then the comedy, and the actions scenes are some of the best put on the big screen this year. If you love "Shaun of the Dead" and "Hot Fuzz' and still haven't seen this masterpiece, what are you waiting for?

Here's a link to my review:http://newandclassicreviews.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-worlds-end-nr-48.html

Number 3

The most fun I've ever had with a movie, "The Wolf of Wall Street" is another classic under Scorcese's belt. This film, while it does have an underlying message, is more about having fun for 3 hours then it is about enlightening you on anything. Funnier and crazier then most movies released this year, "The Wolf of Wall Street" deserves to be seen by those who can handle to vulgar material.

Here's a link to my review:http://newandclassicreviews.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-wolf-of-wall-street-nr-56.html

Number 2

While I only recently saw this film, "Her" has already left a huge impression on me. It's been nearly 24 hours since seeing it, and I can't get the movie out of my head. The acting, the filmmaking, the style, the message, everything is done masterfully. It's a Sci-fi film that, ironically, tells a more human and relatable story then most romantic movies attempt to do. It's also funny and heart-warming, while making you question yourself and relationships in general. "Her" is the reason why I love film, because every once in a while, you get a movie that changes the way you look at things and leaves a huge mark on you. Obviously, "Her" is one of those films.

Here's a link to my reviewhttp://newandclassicreviews.blogspot.com/2014/01/her-nr-58.html:

Number 1

Of course it's "12 Years a Slave", what else could it be? No other movie this year has made me feel so depressed, so angry, and yet made me want to see it again and re-experience this all over again. This movie made me cry, which I go into in my review, let's just say that's a big deal for me. Spectacular acting, direction, dialogue, everything. This is also just an important movie. For people like us who live in this modern era, we have no real idea what slavery was actually like, and "12 Years a Slave" might be the closest we get to seeing this dark time in American history. Every person who is of age should see this movie, even if you can't handle torture or pain, I still say see this movie, it's that important. This is one movie I will never forget.

Here's a link to my review: http://newandclassicreviews.blogspot.com/2013/11/12-years-slave-bad-grandpa-captain.html

Her: NR #58

2014-01-12T10:18:00.002-05:00

I know I should be doing my catch-up reviews, but I just had to talk about this movie. It's one I'd been dying to see ever since I saw the trailer, and my excitement went up the more I heard from critics. From acclaimed director and regular Jackass cast member Spike Jonze, this is my review of...

PLOT
Taking place in probably the not too distant future, "Her" follows Theodore, a man who's job is to write personal cards for people. He's recently divorced and hasn't been able to get back out there in the dating scene. One day, he decides to buy the newest operating system that is touted as the most intelligent and ever evolving A.I. ever made. After taking a short survey, Theodore is introduced to Samantha, his new operating system. Theodore soon starts to fall in love with Samantha, and has to deal with everything that comes along with this type of relationship.

PROS
While we all like to laugh at Joaquin Phoenix and try to forget about that documentary stunt he pulled a few years ago, nobody can deny that this man has some serious talent. Phoenix gives a stunning performance in this film, playing a character who, while low in his life, is not a loser and is instead a human being. Most of movie is just him acting along side a voice, and when taken in that context, his performance becomes something much more.

Serious props should also be given to Scarlett Johansson, who plays Samantha. While we only hear her voice, she still gives an incredibly human performance, which is a feat unto itself. If anyone doubted her acting ability, this is the movie to prove them wrong.

While "Her" does have the initial draw of watching a man fall in love with his computer, the film does so much more with that concept then anyone could expect. It becomes a deconstruction of relationships and love, a character study of a character we genuinely like, and a love story that's more believable and sweet then anything hollywood could dream of. While I could go on and on about how great these aspects are, which believe me they are, the real accomplishment here is that all of them are in this movie at once and are done so much better then most films that try to tackle just one of these subjects.

Speaking of great relationships', Theodore and Samantha's relationship is one of the most believable and sweet I've seen on film. Even though it's a man talking to his phone, their love feels real and the movie does a great job at making you believe this could actually. I mean, I don't know about you, but if Scarlett Johansson replaced Siri, I might fall in love with my phone too!

It may seem like a very high-brow movie from the way I've been describing it, but "Her" is smart enough to have human moments in it as well. For example, Theodore plays this video game where he meets a tiny creature on an alien planet. This creature only talks in curse words, for example, "F*ck you you sh*t eating sh*t face!". And you know what, that's funny. It's great to see that this film isn't so obsessed with it's message that it can't have silly moments like that in-between the intellectual parts.

One aspect of the film I really enjoyed was how nicely everyone reacts to Theodore's relationship. This also leads to world building, where it shows that many other people are developing other relationships with their OS' and that Theodore isn't a special case. The only one who reacts negatively to their relationship is Theodore's ex-wife, which has some meaning and context in the film that I won't spoil here.

CONS
I hate to keep doing this, but I honestly have nothing negative to say about this film.

CONCLUSION
"Her" is one of the best films released in 2013, maybe even in this decade, and yes I know it will be a while before the decade's over, but I still hold it in that high regard. This film does what the greatest Sci-fi stories have done in the past but have rarely done as well, tell a story and convey a message that could only be done in a Sci-fi setting. It's a smart, funny, romantic, and analytical movie that does all of those tones and aspects almost perfectly. "Her" is one of the most original movies I've seen in a long time, and you owe it to yourself to experience this masterpiece of a film at least once.

RATING
CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT!!!!

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues: NR #57

2013-12-28T20:26:00.001-05:00

Continuing this week of reviews, I'm going to critic the newest Will Ferral comedy that has been, in many people's minds, long over due. Does it live up to the original, or is it too late. Let's find out in my review of...

PLOT

Set in the year of 1989, "Anchorman 2" continues the story of Ron Burgundy and his San Diego news crew. In this chapter of the legend, we find the crew being introduced and becoming apart of the new way of reading the news, 24 hour news. But when the crew ends up in the 2-5 a.m slot, Burgundy decides that they should start telling what the public wants to hear and not what they need to hear.

PROS

While the humor is different from the 9 year old original, "The Legend Continues" is still very funny. I found many moments where I was laughing hard, and annoyingly loud.

Will Ferrell falls right back into the roll of Ron Burgundy, it's almost as if he never stopped playing this character.

One thing the movie has over the original is that it has a message to it. While it is obvious, you could probably figure it out by the plot description alone, it's done very well and takes a few good shots at modern news stations.

CONS

While the movie is funny, there are slightly more misses then hits. One reason is because the humor is so different from the original. It's much more random and non-sensical, which means there are a ton of throw away lines. There are also a lot of scenes that go on way to long, the biggest offender being the dinner scene between Burgundy and a black family. While it's kinda funny at first, it gets almost racist by the end of it's long run.

While they are prominent in the beginning, everyone who's not Burgundy or Brick are thrown by the wayside. The people given the biggest shaft are Paul Rudd and David Koechner. They are given nothing to do and just stand around and...look.

CONCLUSION

While not as funny or memorable as first, "Anchorman 2" still supplies plenty of laughs and silliness to please fans, like myself, of the first one. Just don't go in expecting a masterpiece of comedy

The Wolf of Wall Street: NR #56

2013-12-28T20:25:00.001-05:00

I've decided that from now on, whenever I go on a long hiatus or don't update one week, I won't even acknowledge it. I've done it so many times now I'm starting to run out of things to say. So this time, in order to make up for the break, I'm going to review a movie everyday this week to bring in the new year!

So to start out this game of catch-up, I'll be reviewing a new release from this past Christmas, the new and highly anticipated film from Martin Scorces that almost didn't come out this year. A film I'd been dying to see ever since I heard the concept. This is my review of...

PLOT

Starting in the late 80's, "The Wolf of Wall Street" tells the real life rise and fall story of Jordan Belfort, a Wall Street big shot who's love of money brought him to Wall Street and his shady business practices gave him his near billions. While his love for money pushed him up in the world, his equal love for drugs and sex will be his downfall. That doesn't mean he can't have fun on the way down!

PROS

While I'm sure no one will be surprised by this, Leonardo DiCaprio gives a knockout performance. He seems to be having a ton of fun with the role and brings his all. This fun aspect comes from all the other actors as well. The other stand-out in this film is Jonah Hill, who gives a funny yet solid performance.

Rounding out the cast is a plethora of excellent supporting characters played by the likes of Rob Reiner, director of "Princess Bride" and "Stand By Me", Jean Dujardin, and Matthew McConaughey in a criminally short role. While these people aren't in the film too often, they do give it their all.

While you may think this film will be comedy-drama, it actually is a straight up comedy, and one of funniest ones I've seen all year. There's always something hilarious happening and it always gets a big laugh, at least out of me. There is one scene in particular where DiCaprio takes some strong drugs. It's the funniest thing I've seen all year and it goes on for 10 minutes, never losing it's ability to make me laugh.

Not only funny, this movie is also a ton of fun. I haven't had this much fun in a movie all year. There are many party scenes and other scenes of debauchery that are just amazing to watch.

While the film is one minute short of 3 hours, it never feels that long. There's always something happening that I didn't feel the time until I got out of the theater and checked the time.

CONS

Really there's nothing I have a problem with here.

CONCLUSION

I'm not sure if I got this across in my review, but this is one of my favorite movies of the year. While it's not trying to have a big message or reinvent the wheel, it is trying to be crude, crazy, controversial and have fun while doing it. In that aspect, it succeeded with flying colors and blew me. I haven't stopped thinking about it ever since I saw it yesterday. If you can handle copious amounts of cursing, nudity, drugs, and partying, then this film is perfect for you.

RATING

RUN TO!!

Akira/ My Little Pony: Equestria Girls: CR #43/44

2013-11-17T12:15:00.000-05:00

This week, I was planning on tearing a movie apart, until a golden opportunity appeared out of the blue. I was able to see one of the most highly regarded animated films of all time in amazing quality. Yet, I didn't want to drop me original plan. So I decided to put them together. This is my double review of...

Akira

PLOT
Taking place in 2019, 30 years after WWIII and the destruction of old Tokyo, Neo-Tokyo is on the verge of destruction. Kaneda is the leader of a youth bike gang with his friends. When chasing after a rival gang, Kaneda's best friend, Tetsuo, gets into a wreck and is kidnapped by the government and entered into a secret project. At the same time, there's a group of rebels who are trying to save the children in this program who have been given essentially super powers. Tetsuo, armed with these unmastered powers, escapes and runs rampant in the city while Kaneda, the rebels, the governement, and the other super-powered children try to stop him from destroying the whole city and finding out the truth of the Akira project.

PROS
The animation in "Akira" is simply amazing. It's fluid, detailed, and even impressive by today's standards. The film earns the title of "greatest anime film" with its animation alone.

"Akira's" story is very original, at least for its time. It's full of big ideas, symbolism, and large scale destruction.

The film's pace is extremely fast and never lets up. There's always something going on in "Akira", whether it be extreme violence, story revelations, or world building, no frame of the film goes unused or feels wasted.

The score for "Akira" is also great. It's surreal and tribal, with a lot of chants and odd noises and instruments. It adds an odd feeling to the whole movie that somehow fits.

CONS
The plot can be a little convoluted at times. A lot of the bigger moments and their explanations are more hinted at then anything. While I'm glad the whole thing wasn't spelled out, I just wish there was a little more to help the viewer fully understand what's going on.

CONCLUSION
For years now, I'd always heard of "Akira" and how great it was, how it changed animated films forever and inspired so many other films like "The Matrix" and "Chronicle". Now that I've finally seen, I can agree with those statements 100%. While not the most cohesive movie, "Akira" is a marvel of animation and still holds up 25 years after its original release. I was enthralled by the film and couldn't stop watching. If you love animation in any way, shape, or form, this is a must see.

RATING
RUN TO

Equestria Girls... Uggghhhhh....

PLOT
Twilight Sparkle and her friends have been invited to the Crystal Empire for a celebration. That night, Twilight's crown is stolen by a bitter former student of Princess Celestia, ruler of the land of Equestria, named Sunset Shimmer. She escapes through a portal that leads to a world that no one has ever seen before. Twilight must go in alone, except her pet baby dragon Spike runs in after her, to retrive the crown and save Equestria from destruction. Once through the portal, Twilight discovers that she has been turned into a human and Spike has become a dog in this new world centered around a high school that human versions or her friends all attend. Now, Twilight must become princess of the Fall Formal dance to win the crown and save both her world, and this human one.

PROS
The first 10 minutes of the movie are great, because they take place in the pony world. This part also serves to tie up some loose ends from the recent season finale.

The animation, like on the show, is great. It's very colorful and fluid with a lot of stuff going on in the background.

The song "Helping Twilight Win the Crown" is a great song. While I realize it's insanely simple and probably not that well done, I still found it to be incredible catchy and fun.

CONS
Where to start. The plot, once we've entered the human world, is horrible. There are many plot holes and useless things that are really distracting. There's a whole soccer scene that's not funny in anyway, and turns out to have nothing to do with the movie. It's supposed to move the plot along, but without the scene the plot would've just kept going. The whole thing feels rushed and lazy.

The humor in the movie is extremely cliched and bad. This is a real disappointment, since the show is usually really clever and funny. Yet, most of the jokes here fall flat and have been done to death before.

Flash Sentry, who's a new love interest character for Twilight Sparkle, is a horrible character. He's whole personality is that he plays guitar, that's it. He contributes nothing to the story except for one thing that could've easily been resolved without him. It's also revealed at the end that he has a pony counterpart. While it has been said that he won't, thankfully, play a role in the show, this makes his character even more worthless.

Besides the song mentioned in the "Pros" section, all of them are forgettable and bad. A lot of them don't even have a place in the film. Another problem with the songs is that three of the four songs are all in the last 20 minutes. They don't give you enough time to soak in the songs, which are already bad, so this makes them even more forgettable.

Near the end of the film, the whole thing goes off the rails. The villain and her plan are reveled in their true form, both of which don't make any sense. If you think about her plan for more then a minute, there's a huge flaw that I won't go into since it's a spoiler. It's just poorly done.

There are a tons of in-jokes and references to the brony fandom, which I'm not quite sure how I feel about. On one hand, they stop the movie to a screeching halt for these references which contribute nothing to the plot and are gone just as fast as they appeared. On the other hand, they stop the movie to a screeching halt, which I desperately wanted each time these jokes appeared. Either way, these references feel like the animators and writer Megan McCarthy are jingling keys in front of our faces so we don't pay attention to what's actually going on in the film.

CONCLUSION
I know what you're probably thinking "Sam, why are you so mad at this film? It's a straight to dvd movie, what did you expect?" Well, being a big fan of the show, I expected at least something decent from this movie. What I got was a rushed mess of film made to capitalize on the recent "animated girls in high school" craze going on in kids entertainment. Whatever advancements the show had made on making little girls entreatment not sound like a bad thing, this film has nearly crushed them. While I'm still going to watch the show, I'll hopefully never see this movie ever again.

RATING
RUN AWAY!!

If you missed last weeks round up of reviews, you can check'em out here:http://newandclassicreviews.blogspot.com/2013/11/12-years-slave-bad-grandpa-captain.html

12 Years a Slave/ Bad Grandpa/ Captain Phillips: Triple NR's #53/54/55

2013-11-10T10:30:00.002-05:00

…Hello?

…Is anybody there?

…..

I guess I'm all alone here, just me and my blu-rays.

Good think I remembered my remo-…

Where…where's my blu-ray remote? I swear I packed it.

It…it's gone…

no…no… it's not fair….IT'S NOT FAIR!!!

Hey people, sorry I've been away for, what, four weeks now? Yeah, every sunday after I saw a movie, I was either too busy or just too tired. So today, I'm up and early, and I'm reviewing three of the biggest movies out this fall season. These movies may have been out for a while, but they've yet to be judged by yours truly. This is my first triple review of…

Captain Phillips

PLOT
Our story follows Captain Richard Phillips, a cargo ship captain who's commandeering a ship going on a normal route on the Atlantic ocean. At the same time, there are a group of Somali's who are almost forced by their situation and higher-ups to capture a ship and gain some profit from its contents. These pirates just so happen upon Captain Phillips' ship and manage to get on board and capture the ship. Now Captain Phillips must try to survive and reason with these desperate pirates to save not only himself, but his crew as well.

PROS
The main actors of the film, Tom Hanks and the people playing the pirates, give knock-out performances. The Somali's, even though they're from Philadelphia I think, look very convincing and also manage to be sympathetic. Tom Hanks, even though we've seen many time how great of an actor he is, gives an Oscar-winning performance, especially near the end. I won't spoil it, but let's just say "Captain Phillips" covers a side of tense and violent situations that little no film covers.

"Captain Phillips" is extremely tense and never losses this tension throughout its over 2 hours running time. While there isn't a lot of explosions and action, it manages to be engaging and entertaining while still being character based.

CONS
While "Captain Phillips" is tense throughout, it does drag a little once they enter the life boat. While it's not a huge problem, I did find myself becoming bored during this time.

CONCLUSION
First of all, let me apologize for how short this review is, it's been about a month since I've seen this film. Yet, I don't want this review's length to take anything away from how I feel about "Captain Phillips" It's a character driven thriller that will have you at the edge of your seat the entire time, and by the end you may even have a tear or two in your eye. I thoroughly enjoyed the film and will be shocked if no one from this film doesn't get at least a nomination at this year's Oscars'.

RATING
RUN TO

Bad Grandpa

PLOT

Spinning off from the infamous Jackass skit, "Bad Grandpa" tells the story of 86-year old Irving Zisman who's just lost his wife. Instead of having a mourning period, Zisman see's this as an opportunity to finally do all the debauchery he's always dreamed of. That is until his daughter forces him to take his 8-year old grandson, Billy, cross-country to his real father. Now Zisman must deal with his grandson as they go on a road trip full of accidents, pain, and hilarity

PROS

"Bad Grandpa" is just like any Jackass movie, except this time it has a story. Now, that's not a bad thing. I personally love the Jackass movies and crack up at least once in every one. While this is more of the prank side of Jackass then it is the crazy stunts, it is still funny.

If there's one thing that will live on past this movie, it's the kid. Jackson Nicoll is his name and he is a pro at this stuff. He never hesitates, never does anything half-way, he goes all in and gets the best factions out of people. I feel this kid is going places, and we'll all remember that the role that got him his fame was the chubby kid in "Bad Grandpa"

CONS

Unfortunately, like a lot of comedies, the best jokes are spoiled in the trailer. While there are a few surprises here and there, in particular a scene in a male strip club, most of the scenes that would've had me singing this movie's praises are in the trailer.

The point of "Bad Grandpa" is to be a Jackass movie with a story, and this story is bad. While I did enjoy the movie, the story would have to come in and just bore me. It's extremely cliched and is saved by the film's style of comedy.

CONCLUSION

While not the best Jackass movie in the series, it is definitely a solid one and had me laughing throughout. Yet, it's not something you need to rush out and see. If you have a bunch of friends over one night and just want something to put on and laugh at, "Bad Grandpa" is perfect for just that.

RATING

WALK TO

Well I've already used the Intermission poster…

How about this…

Now that's over…

Let's get serious…

12 Years a Slave

PLOT

Based on a true story, Solomon Northup is a free black man living i Saratoga, New York in 1841 who has a family and is a skilled violinist. One day, two men invite Northup to join their circus as a violinist and wine and dine him. When Northup wakes up the next day, he's been abducted and chained up, ready to be sold. Now, Northup must try to survive his slavery as we watch the horrible atrocities done to him and many other slaves during a 12 year period.

PROS

Everyone brings their A-game in terms of performances for this film. Chiwetel Ejiofor plays Solomon Northup and give a quiet but powerful performance. All of the white actors; Paul Giamatti, Sarah Paulson, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Paul Dano are all despicable human beings and give equally amazing performances. The stand-out in terms of white actors is Michael Fassbender who plays the main plantation owner who's known as the "N-word breaker", and he earns that title and then some. If I see Fassbender on the street in the next few weeks, he's dead, I hated him that much. Luckily, that's how I was supposed to feel.

"12 Years a Slave" holds nothing back when showing slavery during this time period. Luckily, it never feels gratuitous, since we care about Northup and know that slavery really was this bad and maybe even worse. The film is so dark and brutal that in the first 10 minutes I had to look away at one point.

The cinematography, like director Steve Mcqueen's (no not that Steve Mcqueen) two other films, is beautiful. Even though the images are horrible and hard to watch at points, they're shot so well that it emphasizes the horribleness and almost forces you to watch.

CONS

Really there's not much wrong with this film besides the occasional nit pick.

CONCLUSION

"12 Years a Slave" is not only and honest and extremely well made film, it's also a very important film. This is a film that dares to question this horrible time in American history, that is not afraid to go all out for the sake or proving a point. The reason I know this is movie that everyone who can stomach it needs to see is that this is the first movie since becoming a serious film fan I actually cried in. I've always come close to crying and teared up in movies, but this was the first time a tear or two fell down my face. If you have any interest in seeing this film, drop everything and do so.

RATING

CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT!!!!

Gravity: NR #52

2013-10-07T16:56:00.002-04:00

ONCE AGAIN, I apologize for missing last week. I was out of town and it was late by the time I got home. Luckily, I'm going to review last week's newest release, a realistic start-studded survival film. This movie is...

PLOT
Ryan Stone is a doctor who's on her first mission to space, a routine mission to fix a satellite. She's accompanied by Matt Kowalski, an experienced astronaut who's on his very last mission. While working on the satellite, fast moving debris hits the satellite, leaving Stone and Kowalski as the lone survivors a drift in space. Now they both must survive long enough to reach another ship and hopefully escape alive from the harsh realm of space.

PROS
Sandra Bullock does a great job as the lead of this film. The film never leaves her perspective and almost never leaves her side, so you need someone the audience can relate to and feel for. Bullock is the perfect person for the job and carries the movie well.

The special effects are spectacular and constantly amaze you. They're so realistic that I kept forgetting this was filmed on a green screen and just got caught up in the film.

The camera work is also amazing, constantly moving and spinning with and around the characters. It's almost a character itself.

The film does a great job at conveying a sense of isolation. It accomplishes this feat by having scenes go on for 10-15 minutes at a time, never leaving Bullock's side, and keeping the silence of space silent. What I mean is that besides the score, there is little to no sound, with what sound there is muffled. It creates a mood and pulls you into the movie's world of empty space.

Unlike most films, the 3D is great and works very effectively. There were times when I literally ducked and flinched when something came towards the screen.

Tension is this movies speciality. I was close to yelling at the screen so many times I was that tense. True Story: "Gravity" is 1hr 30min. long, 1hr 15min. in I released I'd been tense this whole time and finally relaxed.

The cinematography is gorgeous and constantly boggles the mind. There are tons of breathtaking moments in the film and are worth seeing in the theater just for that.

CONS
I hate to say it, but I don't have any real complaints with this movie. I always try to find something to fault in a film, but this one is near perfect.

CONCLUSION
"Gravity" is a truly astounding film. It is the reason why we go see movies. It finally brings back the notion that art films and mainstream blockbusters can coexist as one. I absolutely adored this movie and would love to see it again and again. This is one of the best movies of this year and is a must see for anyone who can stomach the near constant tension this film exudes.

RATING
RUN TO

Lee Danials' The Butler: NR #51

2013-09-22T16:39:00.000-04:00

To continue my reviews of older theater releases, this week I'm reviewing a movie that's been a huge surprise success, at least in the eyes of the studios. A movie that is all about the performances and historical figures and events. This week, I'm reviewing...

PLOT
"The Butler", based on the life of a real White House butler, follows the life of Cecil Gaines, a man whose been taught from childhood in slavery to be subservient and to never speak up. In the late 50's, during Woodrow Wilson's term, Cecil becomes a butler at the White House. During this time, Cecil's son, Louis, is going off the college and is involved in the budding civil rights movement. Father and son clash as their two different views on life and of each other change over a period of 30 years.

PROS
This movie is all about its performances and it delivers. Everyone gives a great performance, the stand-out being Oprah, who plays Cecil's wife. She truly is a great actress and it's a shame she's not in more films.

Cecil's relationship with his son is the best part of the this movie. The scenes they have together are all great and are the true backbone of the film. Seeing these two different people from different times and different philosophies clash is very interesting and help to keep the movie going for its 2 hour length.

There are a few reenactments of famous moments from the civil rights movement and they're all done very effectively and hit me hard. I was close to tears during all of them and while they may be a tad over dramatic, they still convey their point very well.

This is a very black focused movie, which I really appreciate. Most movies about the civil rights movement or about a black person over coming something usually have to have a white person there to help them out and do most of the work, like the person can't do anything without the help of a white person, "The Blind Side" for example. Luckily, this film avoids that completely and is better for it.

CONS
A big part of the advertisements for this movie is the actors playing famous presidents. Sadly most of the actors don't do a good job playing their parts. While the actors aren't bad, they just don't bring anything to the table and it can be hard to tell who's playing who. A good example is John Cusack as Nixon. He looks and sounds nothing like Nixon, he's just being John Cusack and we're told he's Richard Nixon.

The film can get a little over dramatic and cliched at times. While it's not a huge deal, it does take some of the tension and seriousness away from scenes.

CONCLUSION
"The Butler", while an average bio-drama on the surface, rises above by focusing on the relationship with Cecil and his son and less on the presidents and Cecil's affect on historical events. It's a well made film that follows all of the classic beats, but does them well and is worth seeing if you haven't yet

RATING
WALK TO

We're the Millers/ Fight Club: NR #50/ CR #42

2013-09-15T13:49:00.001-04:00

Once again I missed a week, sorry, but I was just busy with life and blah, blah, blah. Let's get down to the review(s)! This week, I'm review what I saw last week the movie I saw this week that I have to talk about. I'm reviewing a movie that's been one of the surprise hits of the summer, and one of the most famous cult films of all time. I'm reviewing...

We're the Millers

PLOT
David Clark is a low level drug dealer who sells weed given to him by insanely rich drug lord Brad Gurglinger. When David gets his month's supply stolen, Brad forces him into carrying weed across the Mexican border for him. In order to even get across the border, David needs a disguise. He then hires a local stripper, and momma's boy who's own mom left him, and a homeless girl to act as his family. Once they get into Mexico, they soon find out that they're in fact smuggling tons and tons of weed which was stolen from a notorious drug lord. Now David and company must race back to Brad and not die in the process.

PROS
The first half of this movie is very funny. There's a lot of great dialogue between the characters and most of the jokes work. I never went a long time without at least chuckling.

Ed Helms plays Brad Gurglinger and steals each scene he's in. He's basically a guy who's so rich, he just starts doing crazy things with his money. He's only in the film for a short time, but he's one of the best parts of it.

CONS
While the first half is very funny, the second half gets more awkward and cliched. Around this time, we start to spend more time with a second family. This leads to more failed jokes and wasted time then it does to good times. The message of the film also rears it's head and becomes very sappy. While it's still funny, it's not as much as in the first half.

CONCLUSION
"We're the Millers" is a good comedy, not a great one, but not a bad one either. It has a lot of funny material and kept me laughing throughout, but the second half did lose me. It's fun for a rental or on tv, but nothing you need to rush out and see.

RATING
RENTABLE

Fight Club

PLOT
Our story follows a man (who's only name were given is "The Narrator") with insomnia and a dull, plastic life. He starts to go to seminars for diseased and dying people just to feel something. One day, he meets a man named Tyler Durden who lives a care-free life and is everything the narrator wishes he could be. They become roommates and start an underground fight club. This simple idea soon turns into something that the Narrator never wanted, and what Durden always dreamed of.

PROS
The performances in this film are amazing, the stand-out being Brad Pitt. He's just so charismatic and cool, it makes sense that someone would buy into his crazy idea.

The direction and camera work from David Fincher is spectacular and gives the movie a style all its own. It makes the movie very creative and stays with you long after the movie's over.

What makes the performances even better is the script they're reading from. The script is great and very funny at points. It's clever and highlights the camera work.

I'd always heard about the twist in this movie, in fact I'd had it spoiled for me. Luckily, it still has a huge impact and changes the whole movie. It's surprising and comes out of nowhere, yet makes sense when you look at the clues hidden throughout the film.

The film has a ton of undertones and parody throughout that raises the movie above what it could've been.

CONS
I can't honestly think of any, at least any that ruin the movie in any way. Let's move on...

CONCLUSION
I love this movie, in fact, it's in my top 15 movies of all time. I was entranced by the film, it had me hooked from start to finish. I love the characters, the dialogue, the style, everything. If you haven't seen this gem of a movie yet, you owe it to yourself to experience this once in a life time movie. No wonder it came out in 1999, one of the best years in film history.

RATING
CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT!!!!

Blue Jasmine: NR #49

2013-09-01T11:17:00.001-04:00

{Preface: Sorry if this review looks different compared to the others. I had to write this on my phone, this may be happening every once in a while. Just wanted to explain myself}

After a long week of crazy celebrity stuff, the crisis in Syria, and school, I need some quiet movie to help me calm down. Luckily, I saw Woody Allen's newest film, one that has garnered critical acclaim and audience dollars. Going in knowing nothing, I saw...

PLOT

A modernized retelling of the classic play "A Streetcar Named Desire", "Blue Jasmine" is about a woman named Jasmine who marries a wealthy business man named Hal. She lives a life of luxury and common ignorance. One day, Hal is arrested for embezzlement and other illegal business acts, leaving Jasmine with no money. The only place she can go now is her sister's apartment in San Francisco. Now Jasmine must deal with this loss while also dealing with her fragile psyche.

PROS

Everyone in the film gives a great performance, but the true standout is Cate Blanchett playing Jasmine. She gives a performance that encompasses so many different strong emotions and she pulls them off effortlessly. It really is a haunting performance and is a shoe-in for an Oscar.

The script and dialogue are also great, but why expect anything less from Woody Allen?

The film does a good job at balancing different tones, the main ones being comedy and depression. The movie is laugh-out-loud hilarious at times, yet it's also sad and tragic. The key here is that neither feel out of place and work in there respective context.

Similar to Allen's own "Annie Hall", the movie takes place near the end of the story, with the first half being told through flashbacks. Also like "Annie Hall", it's expertly done and is used to explain references the characters make. In this film, it's also used to show how Jasmine associates certain words with her past and how they lead to her small mental break downs.

One thing that I really liked about the script is that no one character is just Woody Allen. While some characters do have little bits of Allen in them, no single person completely personifies Allen, which is a welcomed change from his past works.

CONS

I don't mean to cop out, but I honestly can't think of any major problems I have with this film.

CONCLUSION

I went into this movie completely cold. I knew nothing about the plot or it's tone, I only knew it was by Woody Allen and it was receiving universal acclaim. Once it began, I was instantly taken in by its story and real but tragic characters. It is a Woody Allen film, no question, but it certainly will be regarded as one of his best for decades to come.

RATING

(HIGH) RUN TO

The World's End: NR #48

2013-08-25T16:05:00.002-04:00

That awkward moment when even your friends who rarely read your reviews know you haven't posted in a while.

Yeah, sorry about the longer then expected hiatus. I promise I didn't intend to wait at all after my 100th review. but a lot of things got in the way. Then school started and complicated things more. Despite all that, I've come back with a, hopefully, triumphed return. Luckily, my return is a review of my most anticipated movie of this year. A movie that's the third in a trilogy of films that have affected my life and are very close to my heart. Does it live up to my obviously insane expectations, or has Edgar Wright made his first mistake. Let's find out in my review of...

PLOT
20 years ago, Gary King was, as his name suggest, king of high school. He had his five main friends, an endless supply of rebellious spirit, and the whole world ahead of him. On the last night of school, Gary and friends decide to attempt an epic pub crawl of 12 bars, 12 drinks, 1 night. Sadly, they never made it to the end. Cut to present day and everyone has moved on and now have respectable jobs and wives and kids, all except for Gary. He somehow convinces all five of them to try the pub crawl again with Gary being the only one who's entirely set on actually making it to the final bar, The World's End. Once they arrive, things seem different, but they pay no mind to it, Soon they discover that the town has been taken over by alien/robot things and must now make it to the World's End while trying to survive this new threat.

PROS
Just like Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz before it, The World's End has the same fast pace and inventive camera movements and editing that has made Edgar Wright famous. I love his style and was happy to see he hadn't lost his touch.

The action in this movie is incredible. Just like the movie itself, the fights are fast paced without being disorienting, letting the choreography play out instead of cutting every half second. There are some truly awesome moments where the whole theater will go "OHHHHHH!!!!" and are worth a second viewing.

Once again, the comedy in the film is spot on, full of clever writing and fast punchlines. There's even Wright's signature background jokes and references to obscure and past films. Word to the wise, watch Shaun and Hot Fuzz before seeing this, there are a ton of references to those films, some obvious and most not. Overall, it had me and the audience laughing hard throughout.

The World's End plays with more dramatic story-telling this time, and it actually works. The first 40 minutes of this film is a buddy comedy with some underlying drama that's actually engaging. I almost didn't want the aliens to show up, well almost. It even gets a little teary-eyed near the end, at least it did for me.

CONS
While I do say I almost didn't want the aliens to show up, it does feel a little weird when they do. I kinda wanted the focus to remain on these friends and they're relationship. It's not a huge problem, since we do spend the first half of the movie with them and they're developed greatly, it's just the last half of the movie becomes a chase film and nothing more.

Speaking of being just a chase film, another problem I have is that this movie does little to introduce new things to its genre. Shaun of the Dead was always doing cool new stuff with zombies and Hot Fuzz did cop movies on a small scale. The World's End is just an average alien invasion movie, a well done one, but it doesn't offer many new things to the table.

CONCLUSION
As I stated before, I've been hyped for this movie ever since 2010, back when we only had a title and nothing else. Do I consider this a disappointment, no. Is it better then Hot Fuzz of Shaun of the Dead, no. The World's End is just as great as the last two, full of hard laughs and quick action. It takes a more dramatic and mature route at points, showing that as the filmmakers have aged, so has the tone of the film. For someone like me who's a huge fan of these movies and has seen them over 10 times at least, I don't even have to tell to see it because you most likely already have. For the rest of the viewing public, I still highly recommend it and hope you support this film.

RATING
FANS OF SHAUN of the DEAD AND HOT FUZZ:
CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT!!!!

EVERYONE ELSE:
RUN TO