There Will Be Blog

The 4 Complete Ed Sullivan Shows Starring The Beatles - "Completists Only"

2010-12-07T17:05:00.000-05:00

Newest review for chud.com is of these landmark historic moments from television history, presented here in their complete unabridged form. Read it here.

The Maid - "Sweeping Up Awards"

2010-12-02T18:44:00.000-05:00

Review of this Chilean indie-hit up on Chud.com here.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World - "vs. the Blu-ray Review"

2010-11-12T12:25:00.000-05:00

Brand new review for the amazing film from Director Edgar Wright. Seriously one of my top films of the year. Check it out here.

Poirot: Murder on the Orient Express - "Expressly Mysterious"

2010-11-08T18:56:00.000-05:00

New blu-ray review posted for Chud.com, Agatha Christie's classic Poirot mystery turned recent made-for-tv film. Read it here!

Fringe: The Complete Second Season - "Popular Science"

2010-10-29T13:32:00.000-04:00

My DVD review of this surprisingly great show is now up at CHUD.com. Read here.

The Psycho Legacy - "John Wayne Legacy"

2010-10-21T12:47:00.000-04:00

Explore the mostly forgotten Psycho sequels in this documentary review for chud.com! Click here to read.

Hoarders: The Complete Season One "Hoardly Worth It"

2010-10-04T14:57:00.000-04:00

Mentally unstable people let cameras into their messy homes. Let's watch.

Bert & Ernie's Word Play "Play On, Words"

2010-10-04T14:50:00.000-04:00

Yes, I reviewed a Sesame Street DVD. Read it, it's good.

Creation - "On the Origin of Darwin"

2010-09-07T16:31:00.000-04:00

New review of film about the life of Charles Darwin at CHUD.com
Click to read.

The Last Station - "Time to Get Off"

2010-09-01T14:34:00.000-04:00

Newest review for Chud.com now up!
Click here to read.

From Paris With Love - "J'ai détesté ce film"

2010-07-05T19:50:00.000-04:00

See me eviscerate this movie at CHUD.com. Click to read!

Life - "Begins at BBC"

2010-06-24T16:31:00.000-04:00

DVD review of the excellent BBC / Discovery Channel nature series Life now up at Chud.com. Warning: This is the Oprah narrated American version in standard definition! Click here to read.

A Nightmare on Elm Street - "Dream Lover?"

2010-06-23T15:54:00.001-04:00

A Blu-ray review of the 80's horror classic for Chud.com and a short analysis of the horror genre's progression over the last 25 years. Click Here to read the whole thing.

Tetro - "Buenos Iris"

2010-06-08T21:08:00.000-04:00

New review up for CHUD.com!
Francis Ford Coppola's latest film Tetro is his best since Apocalypse Now.
Click here for the full review.

The Infidel - "Middle Eastern Dissent"

2010-06-01T14:13:00.002-04:00

Written by David Baddiel

Directed by Josh Appignanesi

The Infidel is the comedic story of Mahmud Nasir (Omar Djalili), Arabic-British citizen, a man who we Jews would refer to as a “reform” Muslim in his practice of faith. He has a family; a wife who wears trendy clothes and is obsessed with exercise, a young daughter who likes to play jihad with a toy sword, and an older son who is about to get married to his more strictly traditional girlfriend, as soon as he can get permission from her step-father, an Islamic extremist. Mahmud has just lost his mother, part of a somber tone that the film tries to include to balance the sometimes outlandish comedy. In the process of cleaning out her house, he encounters a stubborn black cab driver named Leonard Goldberg played wonderfully by The West Wing’s Richard Schiff, and finds adoption documents that lead him to finding out that his life as Muslim Mahmud Nasir actually began as Jew Solly Shimshillewitz.

A good part of the film has Mahmud trying to come to terms with his Jewish identity and finding his real parents, which leads him back to Leonard to try and learn more about Judaism. The irony, at least to this reviewer, is that Leonard is a stereotypical non-practicing Jew. He has a passing knowledge of common Yiddish phrases, supports the state of Israel, has tons of books on the holocaust and Fiddler on the Roof on VHS (although he taped over most of it with pornography) but has little else to teach Mahmud when it comes to holidays, prayers, history or the Torah itself. The two characters are actually a pretty good pair, but Leonard’s lack of knowledge is disappointing to see because there seems to be a genuine thirst for knowledge on Mahmud’s part. It’s a shame that the filmmakers themselves seemingly are lacking this thirst, because the entire film’s portrayal of Judaism is based on this surface impression that popular culture seems to have (though in a stroke of realism Artscroll’s edition of the Torah gets a nice close-up in a few scenes). Most Hassids in the film look more Amish than “Heimish”, with their lack of moustaches and a mismatched mode of dress that so many films seem convinced is accurate.

This reviewer cannot speak much on the accuracy of the portrayal of Muslim culture, though it certainly is given more dimensions on screen than Judaism is, by showing moderates, extremists, and those that are lax in practice of many kinds. A concept of Islam as only extremists spread through the western world since 2001, and this film certainly combats that through both comedy and drama. “Extreme”, Hassidic Jews however are shown as the vast majority of Judaism, with the only balance being a complete polar opposite in the form of secularized, bar mitzvah disco-ers. Seemingly the entirety of Judaism here is an Anglo-Judaism, perplexingly simplified and completely ignoring the Sephardi (Spanish) or Arabic Jews, a crossover aspect that could have been mined for more heart and interest here.

There is a political strain to the film which is unavoidable when dealing with Islamic-Jewish relations, most notably the subtle and not-so-subtle ways the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is addressed. At the rally where Mahmud burns a yarmulke he’s discovered to be secretly wearing, the crowd is predominantly white, middle-class college students. This is a sad truth witnessed firsthand and a subtlety that the filmmakers did get right. Also, in a scene at a bar mitzvah, Mahmud gets pressured into signing a petition to make the BBC correct their strong anti-Israel slant, stating that the state has a right to exist and assert its power. The comedy of the scene stems from us knowing how much he has been trained to hate Israel, something that many on both sides of the religious/political spectrum may be squirming in their seats while laughing at. Leonard himself is a staunch supporter of the state of Israel and a big conflict scene between he and Mahmud is hinged on this. Many of his early scenes are accompanied by a rendition of “Hatikvah”, the Israeli National Anthem. It comes as no surprise to find that Erran Baron Cohen, brother of Sacha (aka Borat aka Bruno aka Ali G), scored the film as he has done for his brother’s just as controversial films.

There is still ample silliness along the way, despite the many tightropes the film has to walk to not offend too many people. A scene of Mahmud telling a made up story about Rabbi Akiva at the bar mitzvah, Mahmud’s Imam thinking he is gay, a female friend in a burqa seen jogging or dancing, or a subplot about a missing 80’s pop star all come to mind. The Muslim and Jewish stars of the film say “Christ” consistently, raising questions about whether this is an intentional joke or a matter of popular current slang. The film’s problems come to the fore when it tries to balance all that with the dramatic arc taking place. There is a real struggle for this man who lost both sets of parents, and whether Jewish or Muslim he is a man that needs guidance. He wants what is best for his family, and is respectable for this very reason- even when hiding the truth from them. Yet we get a clichéd comedy-farce ending that completely crashes; a disappointing ending to a film with moments of promise. It has shades of the ending to Adam Sandler’s Billy Madison more than anything else, except sadly not as successful in humor or execution (Your personal view on that film will inform how much of an insult this truly is).

Surprisingly taken for granted here is the philosophy that one that is born a Jew is a lifetime Jew, or similarly with Islam. This is a point I found intriguing, considering how lax in practice most of the characters on screen are. The resulting message seems to be about striving for middle-ground acceptance no matter your religion, as long as it is from Abraham. The film, having originated in England, has gained international attention and screened recently in the states as part of the 2010 Tribecca Film Festival. Audiences of all races seem to find something they can laugh about, whether with a passing knowledge of Islam, Judaism or both. However, while many Arab countries have begun distributing the film, Israel has yet to make plans to bring it to its shores.

The Infidel is available now On Demand and in limited release in The U.S.

**1/2 Two and a Half Stars

Parker Lewis Can't Lose: The Complete Second Season - "Hasn't Lost It's Charm"

2010-05-05T17:29:00.001-04:00

This throwback series is given a new life on DVD.
Newest review up now at Chud.com, click here!

The Lovely Bones - "We're Boned"

2010-05-04T14:08:00.000-04:00

A special audio review, coming you courtesy of Video Deathray, a film review podcast that covers weird, forgotten, and unpopular films. Click the link above to listen.

At the end of it all we get into Staff Picks, films we recommend based on a theme. This time covering "smaller films after bigger films", where filmmakers make a smaller film after their big blockbusters or career highs.

Give it a listen.

This is my second appearance on the show, the first of which I forgot to post here. So expect that one up soon!

Hannah Montana: The Movie - "Tennessee'in Is Tenneunbelievable"

2010-04-26T20:28:00.003-04:00

Yes, I actually reviewed this. New blu-ray disc review up at Chud.com!

Streamers - "Not So Beautiful Streamer"

2010-03-21T23:13:00.001-04:00

New review up at Chud.com, Robert Altman's Vietnam War race and sexuality addressing film, Streamers. Click here for the full review.

Nurse Jackie, Season 1 - "Jackie of all Trades"

2010-03-10T17:13:00.006-05:00

New review up at Chud.com. Click the link for the complete review.

Nurse Jackie Season One is available now on DVD and Blu-ray disc.
Season Two of Nurse Jackie premieres on Showtime March 22nd.

Cold Souls - "Soul Searching"

2010-03-04T15:43:00.002-05:00

My newest DVD review for Chud.com. Click here.

Cold Souls is available on DVD this week.

Question to my readers: would you prefer I reprint the articles in full, or keep things neat by just providing a link to the original page? Comment below.

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus - "Imaginarium Delirium"

2010-03-03T20:39:00.002-05:00

Written by Terry Gilliam and Charles McKeown

Directed by Terry Gilliam

Director Terry Gilliam has had a stream of bad luck experiences. His adaptation of Don Quixote infamously fell apart mid-production (as depicted in the documentary Lost in La Mancha), part of a tough decade or so in which he has released three films, all of which have had problems or been tampered with by the studio. He even appeared on the streets of New York City in 2006 holding a sign that said “Studio-less Film Maker… Family to support… Will direct for food.” So it comes as no surprise that the plot of The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus revolves around the quest to continue telling stories even after an audience for them may have moved on.

Christopher Plummer stars as the titular doctor, whom many ages ago made a pact with the devil Mr. Nick (Tom Waits, acting as if the role was written for him) for immortality. He travels around modern day London in his horse-drawn collapsible theater with his accomplices Anton (Andrew Garfield), Percy (Verne Troyer), and daughter Valentina (Lily Cole). They sucker patrons into the Imaginarium’s mirror, a gateway into their imagination which fulfills their wildest dreams. After a moment of enlightenment, they are then forced to choose between Doctor Parnassus’ road to salvation which returns them to the real world or Mr. Nick’s sinful easy out, which commits their soul to hell. This ongoing wager for souls is mightily favoring Nick these days, until along comes Tony (Heath Ledger).

Parnassus, a mystical man, foresees a hangman entering his life in a tarot card. Tony is found hanging from a bridge over the Thames with a noose around his neck and runes on his forehead. He fits the bill and soon integrates himself into their little troupe, much to the chagrin of Anton, because Tony is quickly charming Valentina away from him. The fact that Tony is seen narrowly avoiding death time and time again in the film has a shadow of sadness hanging over it, as Heath Ledger infamously died of an apparent overdose during the filming of Parnassus. Gilliam’s curse seemingly extended beyond even that to producer William Vince who died of cancer after production was completed and Gilliam was struck by a car, cracking his vertebrae. He was quoted as saying afterward, “They got the star, the producer, and they were going for the director, and the fuckers failed on the last one.”

Only one scene in the film feels like it was edited around a lack of Ledger, otherwise his lack of presence is only felt within the Imaginarium itself. Tony is creatively played by Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell for certain scenes, respectfully seen through different people’s imaginary perceptions of Tony. The use of other actors is integrated well, because it is well within the film’s logic that when someone’s imagination idealizes a person to look a certain way, then they will appear as such. Each actor retains the variety of quirks that Ledger attributes to Tony, making the transitions quite smooth.

The worlds created within the Imaginarium itself are quite astounding. Inspired by famous illustrators and painters like Maxfield Parrish, Grant Wood, and Jose Maria Sert, each venture into a character’s imagination is wholly unique. These fully CGI creations never feel “realistic”, but then again, that’s kind of the point. Like the scene from ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit?’ where Eddie ends up in Toon Town, they are surreal masterpieces of the imagination that immerse our live action actors.

Gilliam’s unique style comes across successfully for the first time since 1998’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. His penchant for wide angle and fisheye camera lenses sometimes is a cliché, but when the scene is ripe for such treatment, it is a wonderfully surreal fit. No one mixes the real world and fantasy quite like Gilliam, who has a truly handpicked cast at his disposal here that can balance the drama and comedy of it all (excepting Verne Troyer who despite his best efforts, can’t stand up to Christopher Plummer). If you have enjoyed Brazil, Time Bandits, or any number of other Terry Gilliam movies, you should enter The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.

*** Three Stars

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is still in theaters if you look hard enough. It arrives on DVD and Blu-ray on April 27th.

Robot Chicken, Season Four

2010-02-21T12:54:00.000-05:00

Newest review of this absurd animated show on Chud.com

Rescue Me: Season Five, Volume Two

2010-02-04T19:22:00.000-05:00

The newest review for Chud.com is now live.

Editorial: The 15 Best Films of 2009

2010-02-02T13:34:00.004-05:00

The nominations for the 2010 Academy Awards were announced this morning, setting the final nail in the coffin for 2009's movie year. Here now, is my long gestating list of my favorite films of this past year, culled to 15 out of the 80 or so new releases I saw. Click on the film title for my review (if available).

15. The Girlfriend Experience

Under seen, Overshadowed, and brilliantly edited, this tiny film from visionary director Steven Soderbergh had a wit about it. The film's tagline, "See it with someone you ****" perfectly captured the ambiguous line between love and sex that Chelsea (Sasha Grey) faces balancing life both as a girlfriend and a for-hire simulator of The Girlfriend Experience.

14. Trouble the Water

After a limited release and Academy Award nomination in 2008, this film finally made it to DVD this year giving me a chance to catch it. Heartbreaking, moving, and inspiring, Trouble the Water is a documentary that follows the Roberts family in New Orleans' 9th Ward as they survive Hurricane Katrina. The most remarkable thing is that Kimberly Roberts had been filming the whole experience with her own video camera, giving a firsthand view of the entire ordeal, before the professional filmmakers joined them and chronicled the rest of their story.

13. Where the Wild Things Are

An emotional rollercoaster that plunges the audience right into the mind of a frustrated young boy like no other. Maurice Sendak's famous book is expanded and riffed upon to create a story that captures the emotions, from nervousness to anger to fright that one can feel when abandoned by the word they know. A technical achievement that felt much more real and weighty than the other CG meets actor meets performer film from this year, Avatar.

12. The Boat that Rocked (Pirate Radio)

"It's fun, fun, fun 'til your daddy takes the T-bird away." So went the Beach Boys song, which sums up this electric, often silly film that tells the story of a pirate rock n' roll radio station off the coast of England in the mid-1960's. Propelled by the music of the era, it overcomes the faults in story that it may have by sheer will alone. The performances by a great cast full of comedians and a few serious actors (Philip Seymour Hoffman, Kenneth Branagh) who are just looking to rock out. Unfortunately, I've heard that the U.S. version, renamed "Pirate Radio", had cut 14 minutes out of the film, which I imagine could only hurt it. Seek out the British cut if you can find it.

11. Black Dynamite
I haven't laughed this hard in years. Black Dynamite is going to get the little orphan children off smack, solve a murder, and have time to have sex with many women at once. He will do it with his karate moves, a gun and some pimpness. For anyone who grew up watching shlocky kung fu or blaxsploitation movies, this is the one we've been waiting for. If you love the absurd humor of Anchorman or The Kentucky Fried Movie, don't miss Black Dynamite, who responded to my review with "I can dig it".

10. Up in the Air

Of all the films I've reviewed this year, few feel like they capture living life in 2009 like Up in the Air. A perfectly played trio of stars under the direction of getting-better-every-movie Jason Reitman. The third in his trilogy of "America Now" films, which balance an emotional and comedic story simultaneously. George Clooney recently was quoted as saying he is only as good as the film that surrounds him, and that is true here of his capturing the character Ryan Bingham's life Up in the Air.

9. Food, Inc.

Food, Inc. is looking to change the way you think of food. Some have claimed it is preaching to the choir, but that's downplaying how effective the statements made in the film truly are. My favorite documentary of 2009, what grabbed my attention is not only the message it sends about how we can improve the state of our food, but also how even handed it is. The film speaks specifically to its potentially harshest critics, who might claim the film as liberal left wing propaganda. The actuality couldn't be further from the truth, and on top of it all it is a slick, technically well made film.

8. Adam Resurrected

One could have claimed prior to this year that the Holocaust film was dead, that after 60-plus years nothing more could be said to bring across the true horror that was inflicted under the Nazi regime. But Adam Resurrected brought such pain and such heart to the tale of a German Jewish comedian and performer who is treated as a dog in the labor camps and ends up being the hero of his mental rehabilitation center in Israel years later. It is a unique story that balances the comedy and tragedy that make up all great stories. Jeff Goldblum gives a career best performance under the direction of Paul Schrader, who is (believe it or not) lightening up for this film. I know it sounds like a very heavy subject matter, but I implore you to see this great film which has been unreasonably ignored.

7. Moon

Sam Rockwell gives an amazing (and woefully ignored come awards season) performance as Sam Bell, the lone worker on a moon base that collects energy for use on Earth. His only companion is Gerty, coolly voiced by Kevin Spacey, a robot who helps manage the station. One day, just a few weeks from finishing his stint on the base and returning to his family on Earth, an accident happens. What transpires from this point is some of the most suspenseful and artfully accomplished moments in cinema this year. Part 2001: A Space Odyssey, part Primer, a great entry into the sci-fi genre under the direction of first time filmmaker Duncan Jones, who said of my review "thank you sir, very enjoyable read".

6. In The Loop

A worthy heir to Dr. Strangelove, In The Loop follows what happens when government employees are just as incompetent as the news media that blow their words out of proportion. A cast made up mostly of British unknowns to an American audience, save James Gandolfini as a military liaison, it is full of humor that anyone who appreciates a good satire can enjoy. Best of all is the screenplay, which is brought to life with a fitting documentary style, and a standout performance from Peter Capaldi, who has the most creative expletives you've ever heard streaming out of his mouth at every turn.

5. The Messenger

I suppose one could say I feel about The Messenger what the consensus seems to be about The Hurt Locker this year. It is powerful, brilliantly acted, and surprises you when you least expect it. It knows how to use the camera for each and every moment and feels true, not artificial, when showing you the life of the modern soldier. First time director Oren Moverman draws on his own experiences as a former military man to truly capture the feeling of life after war, and the effect that losing a loved one can have on people. Stars Ben Foster and Woody Harrelson were never better, and it's sad that they have been overshadowed by some other (in the case of Harrelson, he has been consistently the runner up to Christoph Waltz) strong performances this year.

4. Inglourious Basterds

Speaking of Christoph Waltz, here he is in Inglourious Basterds, stealing every scene he is in by playing a character so well written in a screenplay full of gems. Quentin Tarantino's film is his best to date in a career that has pushed cinema forward while pulling from behind. Not the Jewish revenge film it was advertised as, it is instead a series of many slow building suspenseful vignettes, now a Tarantino staple, which all form one cohesive story out of building to violence after long, intricately written conversations. The message it sends in the end may be muddled, but the cinematic genius on display here is unmatched.

3. L'Heure D'ete (Summer Hours)

Olivier Assayas' excellent film is about life, art, and family. I wasn't completely sold on this film going in, but it grabbed my attention and never let go, even as the final scene, which hammers home the beauty and the metaphor at play here. The film, and the portrayal of three grown children with families of their own now, shows how difficult it can be to finally transition from being a child to being an adult when your parents are finally gone.The art, and the summer home that houses it, shows us the worth that we ascribe to any number of objects that hold sentimental value to us, and how that too evolves as the generations do. Few films can capture so much about life as a whole and what it is like to be part of a family in the way that Summer Hours does.

2. Up

It is a common and stereotypical slogan to say "I laughed, I cried" but Up did precisely that for this film reviewer. The first 20 minutes of this film is so good, that I have watched it over and over and over more than any film clip in recent memory trying to learn exactly how it works as well as it does. The rest of the film is an excellent adventure piece, which Pete Doctor does so well. The balance between genuine heartfelt moments and exciting movie stuff is struck, here even better than Doctor's previous film, Monsters Inc. and anyone who thought that a grumpy old man flying away in a house lifted by thousands of balloons was a bad idea for a film was proven wrong immediately. Every time I hear the Michael Giacchino's theme music for Ellie, which is but a part of the best score of 2009, I am lovingly transported back to the film in my mind.

1. A Serious Man

I could write a thesis on this film, but I'll wait til you see it first. What can be said about this film that I haven't blathered on about to any person who would listen since it came out? Drama and comedy coexist in a perfect way taking on the entire Jewish concept of G-d and His works in such a brilliant, if backhanded way that I'm still in shock. No other film has encouraged such deep discussion amongst myself and my peers, while making us all laugh simultaneously.The ambiguity we are left with at every turn here is the mystery that those of us who search out meaning in our own lives deal with on a daily basis. The film is scarcely explains itself, but gives us each and every clue necessary to understand it all and that is why it is my favorite film of 2009.

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