You Don't Know Jack

Top 10 TV Shows of 2017

2018-03-08T10:57:00.001-06:00

1. 13 Reasons Why
2. Mindhunter
3. Broadchurch
4. Godless
5. Ozark
6. Atypical
7. Bates Motel
8. Manhunt: Unabomber
9. Stranger Things
10. Master of None

Top 25 Films of 2017

2018-03-08T10:55:00.002-06:00

1. Dunkirk

2. Get Out

3. Blade Runner 2049

4. Darkest Hour

5. The Disaster Artist
6. Call Me by Your Name

7. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
8. A Ghost Story

9. Lady Bird
10. The Big Sick
11. Wind River

12. Detroit
13. Thor: Ragnarok
14. I, Tonya
15. The Shape of Water
16. It

17. The Killing of a Sacred Deer
18. War for the Planet of the Apes

19. Star Wars: The Last Jedi
20. The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)
21. 1922

22. The Florida Project
23. Good Time
24. It Comes at Night

25. Logan

Best of 2017

2018-03-08T10:51:00.000-06:00

The Oscars have come and gone, so it's my turn to announce my annual film awards. The winners are in all-caps and bold. I still haven't seen Phantom Thread or The Post, which are bound to have nominees included in this list in the near future.

Best Feature Film:
-Blade Runner 2049
-Call Me by Your Name
-Darkest Hour
-DUNKIRK
-Get Out
-Lady Bird
-The Big Sick
-The Shape of Water
-Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Best Director:
-Christopher Nolan, Dunkirk
-Denis Villeneuve, Blade Runner 2049
-GUILLERMO DEL TORO, The Shape of Water
-Joe Wright, Darkest Hour
-Jordan Peele, Get Out

Best Actor:
-Daniel Kaluuya, Get Out
-GARY OLDMAN, Darkest Hour
-James Franco, The Disaster Artist
-Robert Pattinson, Good Time
-Timothée Chalamet, Call Me by Your Name

Best Actress:
-Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
-Kristen Stewart, Personal Shopper
-Margot Robbie, I, Tonya
-SALLY HAWKINS, The Shape of Water
-Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird

Best Supporting Actor:
-Armie Hammer, Call Me by Your Name
-Barry Keoghan, The Killing of a Sacred Deer
-RICHARD JENKINS, The Shape of Water
-Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
-Sebastian Stan, I, Tonya

Best Supporting Actress:
-ALLISON JANNEY, I, Tonya
-Holly Hunter, The Big Sick
-Kristin Scott Thomas, Darkest Hour
-Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird
-Octavia Spencer, The Shape of Water

Best Original Screenplay:
-Christopher Nolan, Dunkirk
-Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani, The Big Sick
-Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird
-JORDAN PEELE, Get Out
-Martin McDonagh, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Best Adapted Screenplay:
-Dee Rees and Virgil Williams, Mudbound
-Hampton Fancher and Michael Green, Blade Runner 2049
-James Ivory, Call Me by Your Name
-James Mangold, Michael Green and Scott Frank, Logan
-MICHAEL H. WEBER AND SCOTT NEUSTADTER, The Disaster Artist

Best Original Score:
-Benjamin Wallfisch and Hans Zimmer, Blade Runner 2049
-Brian McOmber, It Comes at Night
-Daniel Hart, A Ghost Story
-Dario Marianelli, Darkest Hour
-HANS ZIMMER, Dunkirk

Best Cinematography:
-Bruno Delbonnel, Darkest Hour
-Dan Laustsen, The Shape of Water
-Hoyte Van Hoytema, Dunkirk
-ROGER DEAKINS, Blade Runner 2049
-Toby Oliver, Get Out

Best Film Editing:
-Gregory Plotkin, Get Out
-Joe Walker, Blade Runner 2049
-Jon Gregory, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
-LEE SMITH, Dunkirk
-Valerio Bonelli, Darkest Hour

Best Visual Effects:
BLADE RUNNER 2049
Logan
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
War for the Planet of the Apes

Best of 2016

2017-03-01T09:03:00.000-06:00

Best Feature Film:
-Arrival
-La La Land
-Lion
-The Lobster
-Manchester by the Sea
-Moonlight
-Nocturnal Animals
-Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
-The Witch

Best Director:
-Damien Chazelle, La La Land
-Tom Ford, Nocturnal Animals
-Yorgos Lanthimos, The Lobster
-Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea
-Denis Villeneuve, Arrival

Best Actor:
-Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea
-Adam Driver, Paterson
-Colin Farrell, The Lobster
-Ryan Gosling, La La Land
-Tom Hanks, Sully

Best Actress:
-Amy Adams, Arrival
-Annette Bening, 20th Century Women
-Hailee Steinfeld, The Edge of Seventeen
-Emma Stone, La La Land
-Addison Timlin, Little Sister

Best Supporting Actor:
-Mahershala Ali, Moonlight
-Tadanobu Asano, Silence
-Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea
-Jeremy Renner, Arrival
-Michael Shannon, Nocturnal Animals

Best Supporting Actress:
-Amy Adams, Nocturnal Animals
-Naomi Harris, Moonlight
-Nicole Kidman, Lion
-Lea Seydoux, The Lobster
-Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea

Best Original Score:
-Lesley Barber, Manchester by the Sea
-Nicholas Britell, Moonlight
-Justin Hurwitz, La La Land
-Johann Johannsson, Arrival
-Abel Korzeniowski, Nocturnal Animals

Best Adapted Screenplay:
-Jay Cocks and Martin Scorsese, Silence
-Tom Ford, Nocturnal Animals
-Eric Heisserer, Arrival
-Barry Jenkins, Moonlight
-Taika Waititi, Hunt for the Wilderpeople

Best Original Screenplay:
-Damien Chazelle, La La Land
-Kelly Fremon Craig, The Edge of Seventeen
-Efthymis Filippou and Yorgos Lanthimos, The Lobster
-Jim Jarmusch, Paterson
-Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea

Best Visual Effects:
-Arrival
-Deadpool
-Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
-Hacksaw Ridge
-Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Best Cinematography:
-James Laxton, Moonlight
-Seamus McGarvey, Nocturnal Animals
-Rodrigo Prieto, Silence
-Linus Sandgren, La La Land
-Bradford Young, Arrival

Top 20 Films of 2016

2016-12-12T14:38:00.000-06:00

Here are the 20 best films of 2016 as of April 20. I have yet to see a handful of highly anticipated films, so this list will change over the next couple of weeks.

1. Manchester by the Sea
2. Arrival
3. The Lobster
4. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
5. The Invitation
6. Nocturnal Animals
7. Moonlight
8. The Witch
9. They Look Like People
10. La La Land
11. Lion
12. The Edge of Seventeen
13. Little Sister
14. Hunt for the Wilderpeople
15. The Conjuring 2
16. Sully
17. Don't Think Twice
18. Synchronicity
19. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
20. Hacksaw Ridge

Top 20 Films of 2015

2016-01-27T20:14:00.001-06:00

Here the 20 best films of 2015. For the record, I never saw Carol or The Danish Girl.

1. Spotlight
2. The Big Short

3. Star Wars: The Force Awakens

4. The Revenant
5. Sicario
6. Trumbo
7. Ex Machina
8. Steve Jobs

9. 45 Years
10. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
11. Beasts of No Nation
12. The Stanford Prison Experiment
13. The End of the Tour
14. Jurassic World
15. Avengers: Age of Ultron

16. Bone Tomahawk
17. Room
18. Anomalisa
19. Mistress America

20. Brooklyn

Best of 2015

2016-01-27T20:10:00.000-06:00

Here are my nominations for the best performances of 2015. It's worth noting that I still haven't seen films such as Carol, The Danish Girl and Creed. 2015 has been a down year cinematically after a handful of fantastic years. My "award winners" are highlighted and italicized.

Best Feature Film:
-45 Years
-The Big Short
-Ex Machina
-The Revenant
-Sicario
-Spotlight
-Steve Jobs
-Trumbo

Best Director:
-Danny Boyle, Steve Jobs
-Alex Garland, Ex Machina
-Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, The Revenant
-Tom McCarthy, Spotlight
-Adam McKay, The Big Short

Best Actor:
-Tom Courtenay, 45 Years
-Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
-Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
-Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
-Will Smith, Concussion

Best Actress:
-Greta Gerwig, Mistress America
-Brie Larson, Room
-Jennifer Lawrence, Joy
-Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years
-Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn

Best Supporting Actor:
-Christian Bale, The Big Short
-Steve Carell, The Big Short
-Benicio Del Toro, Sicario
-Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation
-Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight

Best Supporting Actress:
-Olivia Cooke, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
-Lola Kirke, Mistress America
-Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
-Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina
-Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

Best Original Score:
-Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury, Ex Machina
-Bryce Dessner, Carsten Nicolai and Ryuichi Sakamoto, The Revenant
-Johan Johannsson, Sicario
-Ennio Morricone, The Hateful Eight
-Daniel Pemberton, Steve Jobs

Best Adapted Screenplay:
-Jesse Andrews, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
-Andrew Haigh, 45 Years
-Donald Margulies, The End of the Tour
-Adam McKay and Charles Randolph, The Big Short
-Aaron Sorkin, Steve Jobs

Best Original Screenplay:
-Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig, Mistress America
-Alex Garland, Ex Machina
-Charlie Kaufman, Anomalisa
-Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer, Spotlight
-Taylor Sheridan, Sicario

Best Visual Effects:
-Crimson Peak
-Ex Machina
-Mad Max: Fury Road
-The Martian
-Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Best Cinematography:
-Roger Deakins, Sicario
-Rob Hardy, Ex Machina
-Alwin H. Kuchler, Steve Jobs
-Emmanuel Lubezki, The Revenant
-John Seale, Mad Max: Fury Road

Top 20 Episodes of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia"

2016-01-22T14:36:00.000-06:00

We're three episodes deep into season 11 of "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia," and it's pretty clear that the show has lost some of its wit and originality, but nevertheless the show is a must watch when new material is inevitably released. While the show has been moved to FXX (it previously aired on big brother FX), the ratings have actually grown, likely because of better access to obscure channels and the internet popularity of the show.

Listed below are the 20 best episodes of one of the best television comedies of all time, and it was extremely hard to narrow the list to 20 (and to rank them for that matter). Each episode has specific reasons for being on this list. The great part about this show is that there are key moments in each of these episodes that have stuck with me to this day, whether that be Chardee MacDennis, Mac Day, salting "Gail the Snail," bisexual truckers, the fictional Wolf Cola or the infamous Brian LeFevre.

Season 10 didn't make its way onto the list because it lacks a signature episode, and although season nine only has one episode on the list it is a doozy. The first 10 seasons are readily available on Netflix.

1. Season 5, Episode 4 - The Gang Gives Frank an Intervention

2. Season 9, Episode 5 - Mac Day

3. Season 4, Episode 4 - Mac's Banging the Waitress

4. Season 7, Episode 7 - Chardee MacDennis: The Game of Games

5. Season 4, Episode 1 - Mac and Dennis: Manhunters

6. Season 5, Episode 9 - Mac and Dennis Break Up

7. Season 8, Episode 10 - Reynolds vs. Reynolds: The Cereal Defense

8. Season 3, Episode 10 - Mac Is a Serial Killer

9. Season 6, Episode 11 - The Gang Gets Stranded In the Woods

10. Season 8, Episode 5 - The Gang Gets Analyzed

11. Season 8, Episode 7 - Frank's Back in Business

12. Season 7, Episode 4 - Sweet Dee Gets Audited

13. Season 3, Episode 1 - The Gang Finds a Dumpster Baby

14. Season 7, Episode 8 - The ANTI-Social Network

15. Season 3, Episode 14 - Bums: Making a Mess All Over the City

16. Season 2, Episode 6 - The Gang Gives Back

17. Season 5, Episode 10 - The D.E.N.N.I.S. System

18 Season 1, Episode 1 - The Gang Gets Racist

19 Season 3, Episode 5 - The Aluminum Monster vs. Fatty Magoo

20 Season 5, Episode 1 - The Gang Exploits the Mortgage Crisis

Top 15 Episodes of "Portlandia"

2016-01-22T14:22:00.001-06:00

The sixth season of IFC's "Portlandia," a hilariously random television series that first aired in 2011, officially began last night. The show, usually set in Portland, Oregon, is as hit-and-miss as any show on television, but when the show hits it sticks. In honor of Fred Armisen and Carrie Browntein, here are the best 15 episodes of their outlandish and original television comedy. The first five seasons can currently be viewed on Netflix.

Rather than give away important information about each episode listed below, you can watch and enjoy on your own. You will no doubt notice only one episode from season five, and that is simply because it is the weakest season to date. The show probably peaked midway through season four, but perhaps Armisen and Brownstein have something left up their sleeves.

1. Season 3, Episode 1 - "Winter in Portlandia"
2. Season 3, Episode 4 - "Nina's Birthday"
3. Season 2, Episode 1 - "Mixologist"
4. Season 4, Episode 3 - "Celery"
5. Season 2, Episode 3 - "Cool Wedding"
6. Season 1, Episode 2 - "A Song for Portland"
7. Season 3, Episode 7 - "The Temp"
8. Season 1, Episode 1 - "Farm"
9. Season 1, Episode 6 - "Baseball"
10. Season 1, Episode 3 - "Aimee"
11. Season 3, Episode 8 - "Soft Opening"
12. Season 4, Episode 4 - "Pull-Out King"
13. Season 3, Episode 11 - "Blackout"
14. Season 4, Episode 8 - "Late In Life Drug Use"
15. Season 5, Episode 9 - "You Can Call Me Al"

Best of 2014

2014-11-13T00:23:00.000-06:00

This list will continue to change over the next couple of months, but a lot of great films have been hitting theaters as of late and it's time to begin a discussion about the year's best films.

1. Interstellar -- An incredible cinematic achievement that has to be seen to believe. Christopher Nolan has incredibly outdone "Inception" with one of the best films ever created.

2. Gone Girl -- A faithful adaptation of one of the best books of the last decade. David Fincher's film is a twisted thrill-ride that packs a punch.

3. Under the Skin -- Gorgeous, pulse-pounding and experimental. A heartfelt yet eerie look into human nature.

4, Whiplash -- An emotional, thrilling, thought-provoking and well-acted drama about jazz music--what a rush.

5. The Grand Budapest Hotel -- Well-crafted and hilarious. What else would you expect from Wes Anderson?

6. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) -- The acting is superb, the plot is complex and the drama will leave you breathless.

7. The Babadook -- One of the best psychological horror films ever made. A dream-haunter and a brain-teaser, simultaneously.

8. A Most Wanted Man -- A spy thriller gem from the director of "Tinker Tailor Solider Spy" that had me falling to knees in disbelief after the final scene.

9. Foxcatcher -- An incredible true story with three terrific performances from Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo and Channing Tatum.

10. X-Men: Days of Future Past -- The best film of the franchise. It's that good.

11. Enemy -- A film that is better the second time around. Your brain may explode, but Jake Gyllenhaal is phenomenal.

12. Nightcrawler -- Gyllenhaal like you've never seen him. He's incredible. Worth the price of admission.

13. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes -- A suddenly can't miss franchise. Gary Oldman is fantastic and the damn, dirty apes are more humane than the humans. Interesting.

14. Guardians of the Galaxy -- Slightly overrated but still a very fun film with lots of jokes that hit and thrills that thrill.

15. Snowpiercer -- A great piece of filmmaking with an intriguing premise. The film has flaws but it has so many admirable features.

3rd Annual "Jacks" -- 2013 Awards

2014-03-18T10:45:00.000-05:00

Best Picture:
*12 Years a Slave*
American Hustle
Dallas Buyers Club
Gravity
Her
Inside Llewyn Davis
Nebraska
Prisoners
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
The Place Beyond the Pines

Best Actor:
Christian Bale, American Hustle
Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave
Oscar Issac, Inside Llewyn Davis
*Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club*
Joaquin Phoenix, Her

Best Actress:
Amy Adams, American Hustle
*Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine*
Sandra Bullock, Gravity
Greta Gerwig, Frances Ha
Shailene Woodley, The Spectacular Now

Best Director:
*Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, Inside Llewyn Davis*
Spike Jonze, Her
Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave
David O. Russell, American Hustle
Martin Scorsese, The Wolf of Wall Street

Best Supporting Actor:
*Bradley Cooper, American Hustle*
Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave
Jake Gyllenhaal, Prisoners
Jonah Hill, The Wolf of Wall Street
Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club

Best Supporting Actress:
Amy Adams, Her
*Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle*
Carey Mulligan, Inside Llewyn Davis
Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave
June Squibb, Nebraska

Best Screenplay:
John Ridley, 12 Years a Slave
Eric Singer, David O. Russell, American Hustle
*Spike Jonze, Her*
Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Inside Llewyn Davis
Derek Cianfrance, Ben Coccio, Darius Marder, The Place Beyond the Pines

Best Cinematography:
Sean Bobbitt, 12 Years a Slave
*Hoyte Van Hoytema, Her*
Emmanuel Lubezki, Gravity
Bruno Delbonnel, Inside Llewyn Davis
Roger Deakins, Prisoners

Best Visual Effects:
*Gravity*
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Iron Man 3
Pacific Rim
Star Trek into Darkness

Best Film Editing:

*12 Years a Slave*
Gravity
Her
Inside Llewyn Davis
Nebraska

Best Original Score:
Hans Zimmer, 12 Years a Slave
*Arcade Fire, Owen Pallett, Her*
T-Bone Burnett, Todd Kasow, Inside Llewyn Davis
Cliff Martinez, Only God Forgives
Mike Patton, The Place Beyond the Pines

Top 25 Films of 2013

2013-12-10T11:30:00.001-06:00

1. The Place Beyond the Pines
2. Inside Llewyn Davis
3. Her
4. 12 Years a Slave
5. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
6. Prisoners
7. American Hustle
8. Dallas Buyers Club
9. Nebraska
10. Star Trek Into Darkness
11. The Kings of Summer
12. Gravity
13. Captain Phillips
14. Blue Jasmine
15. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
16. Iron Man 3
17. The Conjuring
18. Ain't Them Bodies Saints
19. The Spectacular Now
20. You're Next
21. Thor: The Dark World
22. Mud
23. The Way Way Back
24. Frances Ha
25. The World's End

Top 15 Films of 2012

2013-01-04T16:44:00.000-06:00

2012 has drawn to a close, and while I never post anymore I thought it would be punctual to post my 15 favorite films of 2012. I have not seen nearly as many films this year as I have in the past, but I have seen most of the noteworthy ones throughout the year. Here goes.

1. The Dark Knight Rises
2. The Avengers
3. Zero Dark Thirty
4. Silver Linings Playbook
5. Argo
6. Lincoln
7. Looper
8. Moonrise Kingdom
9. The Hunger Games
10. Skyfall
11. Django Unchained
12. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
13. Frankenweenie
14. The Cabin in the Woods
15. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Honorable mention: Life of Pi, Arbitrage, Prometheus, The Hunter, End of Watch

Now Available on DVD

2012-04-27T10:46:00.000-05:00

Hello, folks! In this segment I will break down 15 films I have recently viewed on DVD. A couple of them have been out for a few months, but you'll just have to deal with it. I've nearly seen every note-worthy and interesting film of 2011. So, in the near future I will re-release my top films of 2011, as well as my own personal Oscar picks, as they have both changed significantly. Have fun, and don't be afraid to chime in. Enjoy!

A Dangerous Method -- This is a mildly interesting and controversial film starring Michael Fassbender as Carl Jung and Viggo Mortensen as Sigmund Freud. David Cronenberg (Eastern Promises, A History of Violence) obviously has quite the resume and a knack for his craft, but this material is awfully boring on screen. Unless you're interested in the psychology aspects of the film I'd stay away, despite a pretty darn good performance by Keira Knightley. (B-)

Anonymous -- You obviously have to suspend your belief going into this film, being that it suggests William Shakespeare was nothing more than a middling actor and not the world changing scribe we all know. Some of the performances aren't terrible and the costumes are terrific, but this entire film is a bore. Despite a note-worthy performance by Vanessa Redgrave (Mission: Impossible, Atonement), this film is certain to lose its audience awfully quick because of a laugh-less and head-scratching script. Sebastian Armesto's performance is Adam Sandler-bad, so beware of that. (C-)

Carnage -- Roman Polanski (The Ghost Writer, The Pianist) does it again! This is a superbly written black comedy with four outstanding performances from Kate Winslet, Jodie Foster, John C. Reilly and Christoph Waltz. Winslet is easily one of the best actresses alive, and Reilly is so spot-on with his typical brand of humor. He's slowly become one of the most reliable sources of comedy in the past few years. This is Waltz' best performance since his Oscar-winning role in 2009's Inglourious Basterds. (A-)

Contagion -- Steven Soderbergh (Traffic, Ocean's Eleven) is probably the most versatile directors alive. He certainly doesn't shy away from a job offer. Contagion is a slightly realistic apocalyptic film that's sure to hold your attention. The cast is marvelous, highlighted by performances from Laurence Fishbourne, Kate Winslet, Jennifer Ehle, Jude Law, Marion Cotillard and Matt Damon. It's shorter than it should be, running at 106 minutes, and it ends rather abruptly. However, it's altogether fascinating, convincing and alarming. (B+)

Like Crazy -- One of the more disappointing films of 2011, without question. Critics raved that this film resembled Blue Valentine and/or (500) Days of Summer; nope. It stars the promising Anton Yelchin (Fright Night, Terminator: Salvation), who looks like he's 40 already; sorry dude. The two main characters are dry, shallow and completely unlikable yuppies with no sense of humor and complete disregard towards each other. One of those rare films where I root against the couple. It's not all bad, but you can probably skip it. (C+)

Margin Call -- Despite very good performances by the entire star-studded cast, I found this true Wall Street drama to be tedious and obviously way too predictable. I'm sure the film would be more entertaining if you knew what these rich, arrogant a-holes were talking about half of the time. Kevin Spacey and Stanley Tucci stood out to me, which should come as no surprise. Worth a look if Wall Street interests you; otherwise read a book or something. (C+)

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol -- Tom Cruise has been hit-and-miss in the past few years, but he always seems at home when playing Ethan Hunt. While this film doesn't even come close to the timeless original, it's still damn entertaining. Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker, The Town) was a fantastic addition to the crew. I personally found this to be the second best of the M:I films, slightly edging out M:I3. This was easily one of the best action films of 2011. (B+)

My Week with Marilyn -- Oscar-worthy performances help keep this simple film afloat. Michelle Williams (Blue Valentine, Brokeback Mountain) shines as Marilyn Monroe, which should certainly come as no surprise given her phenomenal track record. More importantly, however, Kenneth Branagh (Valkyrie, Pirate Radio) is tremendously hilarious as the late Laurence Olivier. Newcomer Eddie Redmayne could be considered the weak link of this film, but I found that he fit the role. (B)

Puncture -- Here's an astonishing true story that's botched by it's filmmakers. Chris Evans (Captain America: First Avenger, Fantastic Four) puts forth a magnificent effort as a drug-addicted lawyer who won't let the biggest case of his life go. He's certainly come into his own as an actor in the past couple of years, but it's all for not as the terrific storyline is ruined by below average filmmaking and sub-par supporting acting. (C)

Senna -- It's been a down year for documentary filmmaking, but this one is a definite must-see. This is a wonderful, heartbreaking look back at the life of Aryton Senna, a once great Formula one race car driver who met his demise on the track. It's simply amazing how much raw footage was compiled to create this tragic film, which feels more like a drama than a documentary. You don't need to be a racing fan to dive into this multiple BAFTA award winner. (B)

Terri -- This is an odd, quirky black comedy with a handful of laughs and two handfuls of awkward moments. While John C. Reilly is funny, as usual, the overall tone of the film is discomforting and clumsy. The title character, played by Jacob Wysocki, is a lonely, confused, tormented, obese 15-year-old with 101 problems. Some people have described this film as heartfelt or genuine, and while that sure may be true, it comes off bizarre and a little too idiosyncratic for my taste. Absolutely not a waste of time by any means, but some of the scenes are certain to put you off and you may find yourself grasping for laughs. (C+)

The Descendants -- This Oscar-winning film has all the ingredients of an instant dark comedy classic. George Clooney delivers yet another fantastic performance. The last act of the film is somewhat of a letdown, which I believe kept it from winning Best Picture. But, overall its a treat to watch Clooney and newcomer Shailene Woodley argue and bicker over personal family matters. This is a serious movie with comedic undertones that, for the most part, lift your spirits. Director Alexander Payne has proven himself to be an A-lister with this effort, following the magnificent Sideways. (A-)

The Guard -- Brendan Gleeson (28 Days Later, In Bruges) and Don Cheadle (Hotel Rwanda, Boogie Nights) make quite the comedic duo in this Irish "buddy cop" film. It may be hard to follow their thick Irish accents from time to time, but it's only a slight problem. It's predictable to a fault, but the hilarious dialogue between Gleeson and Cheadle carries the film. (B)

The Thing -- Doesn't nearly do the original John Carpenter film justice, but does have a few interesting moments. For the most part, this "prequel" genuinely lacks scares or high-raising moments. The acting isn't dreadful, thanks in large part to Joel Edgerton (Warrior, Animal Kingdom), but the middling special effects supersede the plot. I actually found the last 20 minutes to be enjoyable, which kept this formulaic film from being a total disaster. (C)

Young Adult -- Jason Reitman (Up in the Air, Juno) is easily one of the best directors in the world right now. You have to admire his ability to make even Charlize Theron look like an actress. The tremendous Diablo Cody (Juno, Jennifer's Body) script puts this film among the best of 2011. Cody's screenplays always take place in Minnesota, which as a Minnesotan is a treat. I have to say, it's fun watching Theron go off the deep end. (B+)

Carnage

Young Adult

Anonymous

The Cabin in the Woods (2012) R

2012-04-14T11:09:00.006-05:00

Well, after three years in the making, The Cabin in the Woods has finally been released! This movie, which was filmed in May of 2009 believe it or not, has been on my radar since summer of 2010. It was pushed and pushed so many times that I figured someone tossed the footage in a dumpster or a furnace. Alas, we finally got what we were promised: a "cabin in the woods" film like you've never seen before. And let me be the first to tell you, this is certainly a cabin in the woods film like you have never seen before.

But first a little background information on the project. As stated earlier, filming completed in May of 2009. It then was slated for a February, 2010 release. That was pushed back to January, 2011 because of MGM's (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) financial difficulties and rumors of converging the film to 3D. When MGM filed for bankruptcy, they were forced to sell the film to the highest bidder. After about a year of that the film was finally sold to Lionsgate, who originally planned a Halloween, 2011 release. Well, that didn't happen as their was still work to be done on the film (especially in the editing and special/visual effects departments). So, for the fourth time they set a date: April 13th, 2012. And for the first time in nearly three years since its inception, The Cabin in the Woods was shown revealed to the whole world.

It's safe to say that critics absolutely fell in love with this twisted, entertaining and thrilling horror film. Whether or not actual audiences feel the same way, to me, is pointless. The majority of the time audiences wouldn't know a good film if it fell into their lap. That being said, this was a difficult film to market. Yes, it helps that Chris Hemsworth (Thor) is front and center, but the trailers and marketing had people yawning and saying things like, "Here we go again" and "Not another run-of-the-mill cabin horror film!" But we were promised something different; something fresh, new, daring, inventive and downright entertaining, shocking, brilliant, and so on and so forth. Needless to say, my expectations were extremely high, despite the three year delay.

Now for a little background information of the writers and director of this game-changing horror film. This is Drew Goddard's first attempt at directing. He's a well-respected writer; some of his works include Cloverfield and countless TV series' (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Alias, Lost). Goddard also co-wrote the script with Joss Whedon. Whedon is widely known as the writer/director of The Avengers (which is due on May 4th). But, like Goddard, he's best known for his writing on TV (Roseanne, Parenthood, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and film (Toy Story, Alien: Resurrection, Titan A.E.).

Goddard and Whedon created one of the freshest, funniest, most thrilling, exciting and ingenious horror scripts in years; possibly decades. I'm going to do my very, very best to conceal the majority of the film as to not spoil the fun for you and your friends if you decide to take this journey. If you're like me, you've seen the trailers, a couple of pictures, some minor plot points about the film and that's fine. DO NOT go searching around for too much information about this film because it will ruin the experience! I knew enough going in to keep me interested and optimistic during the films opening twenty minutes.

SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS!

The film opens with two men (Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford) having a conversation in a complicated industrial facility. They appear to be technicians of some kind. It's apparent from the very start of the film that there's a peculiar comedic undertone. Sitterson (Jenkins) and Hadley (Whitford) discuss an operation that is taking place all over the globe, and how a lot is riding on this "operation."

We then cut to college students Dana (Kristen Connolly), Jules (Anna Hutchinson) and Curt (Hemsworth). They're chatting about college, sex and drugs. You know, the usual. Curt and Jules are dating. Curt is your typical college jock football player, Jules comes off a little slutty and stupid and Dana appears virgin-ish.

They meet up with Curt's buddy, Holden (Jesse Williams). Holden seems sophisticated, smart and sensitive. A perfect match for Dana! Then enters Marty (Fran Kranz); he's the stoner of the group. He shows up smoking a bong while driving, providing some probably much needed laughter in the theater. So, you have the jock, the whore, the virgin, the sensitive guy and the stoner. We've obviously seen this remedy before.

They now ride away in Curt's expensive RV towards his cousins secluded cabin in the woods. By this time it's obvious these five youngsters are headed towards impending death. Slowly, more and more information unravels about Sitterson and Hadley's secret operation. They're now joined by specialists Truman (Brian White) and Lin (Amy Acker). Truman seems skeptical about their operation, while Lin wants them to focus and stop goofing around. I refuse to give more information than that.

Curt and the gang are having trouble finding their location, as it doesn't appear on a map or the GPS. So, they stop to get gas at a run down, scary, old gas station. They eventually run into the station's owner (Tim De Zarn). He's a dirty, creepy, tobacco-spitting hermit possibly looking for a fight. He calls Jules a whore, gets made fun of by Marty and heads them in the right direction. De Zarn's character is a fun one, to say the least. You'll understand what I mean when you see the film.

Finally, they arrive at their destination! The cabin is in decent shape, but does come off a little eerie. They settle in and begin to drink their frosty beverages; or in Marty's case, get massively high. They eventually stumble upon a dark basement full of interesting artifacts that sets off a chain of deadly events. I'm very certain that this all sounds like a dozen horror films you've viewed before, and by golly, that's the point.

It's pretty evident the work that Sitterson and Hadley are doing is affecting the five college students. But to what extent? Just what exactly is going on in these woods? And what the hell is going on with all these technicians, engineers and electricians? Just what aren't we seeing?

I don't think I'm giving anything away by telling you that these kids are about to get terrorized, chased, stabbed, chocked, murdered, etc. And while some of it is very predictable (which is the point, afterall), the rest of it is shockingly unpredictable. It's all rather amazingly entertaining, exciting, spine-tingling fun. Goddard and Whedon's script is altogether hilarious, interesting, frightening and cliche-ridden fun.

Overall, the acting by the entire cast is pretty much pitch-perfect. Goddard always manages to keep your attention with witty dialogue and breathtaking sequences of violence. Who would've thought that the best performance of 2012 (so far) would come from Fran Kranz (The TV Set, Matchstick Men)? He's tremendously hilarious, yet fierce, when need be. Kranz' Marty starts the film as just another typical stoner dude who's going to be the first to die, much to your delight. But he grows on you, and Kranz delivers one of the better comedic horror performances in recent memory.

I thought unknowns Connolly, Williams and Hutchinson held their own, for what it's worth. Hemsworth (Thor, A Perfect Getaway) was a no-namer at the time, but it's neat seeing him in yet another darkly comedic role. Jenkins (Let Me In, Step Brothers) and Whitford (Billy Madison, Scent of a Woman) are both pretty funny. Jenkins is always a treat as he has become one of the better supporting actors available. And Whitford, possibly best known as "the business ethics guy" from Adam Sandler's Billy Madison, has a couple very funny lines.

I'm probably making this film sound like a comedy, which it's certainly not; though it is extremely funny in stretches. But it had my heart pounding, more importantly. My body was nearly shaking in anticipation of the terror that I knew was coming with about 25 minutes left in the film. You've been warned: the final 20 minutes of this film is simply bonkers, for lack of a better word. And I mean that in a good way. Maybe astonishingly outrageous is a better phrase.

The Cabin in the Woods has dozens of elements from previous horror films. One could argue that Goddard and Whedon are mocking the horror genre, or perhaps that they're paying tribute. I think they're doing plenty of both, myself. There are elements from The Evil Dead, Cabin Fever, The Hunger Games, The Matrix, Hatchet, Scream, The Ring, Hellraiser, The Truman Show, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Zombieland and dare I say Scooby Doo?

I could go on for hours about this film. It's horrific, graphic, exhilarating, generic, hilarious, genius, entertaining, thought-provoking and always on my mind as of late. The VERY end of the film is a slight disappointment in itself, and is the main reason keeping this film from an A+. But please don't let it ruin your evening, because, to me, this is one of the ten best horror films I've seen since the turn of the century.

This is a film made specifically for fans of the horror genre, like myself, who have grown a custom to the cliches that come with the territory. However, it's also a film for those of you who love to be entertained and aren't turned off by an axe to the head, a body torn in half or gallons of blood. If you're planning on seeing werewolves, aliens, zombies, clowns, giant snakes, demons, dragon-bats, unicorns, zombie redneck torture families, scarecrows, yetis, goblins, vampires, ghosts or mermen then you're probably going to be disappointed.
A

The Hunger Games (2012) PG-13

2012-03-25T16:14:00.009-05:00

The Hunger Games trilogy is underway, and director Gary Ross (Pleasantville, Seabiscuit) has put together a faithful adaptation of a beloved young adult novel by Suzanne Collins. Collins also co-wrote the script, which was a serious plus. One might think she wouldn't of allowed a film to be made without her consent and involvement. Seasoned scribe Billy Ray (State of Play, Breach) also worked on the script.

The books are marvelous, entertaining and unforgettable. A lot of people were quite skeptical about a Hunger Games film from the beginning. Kids killing each other in an arena isn't exactly fun for the whole family. However, Ross' film is tastefully done and never quite seems as brutal as it probably should be; thanks in part to the film's star, Jennifer Lawrence (Winter's Bone, X-Men: First Class). A star was born in 2010 with her tremendous performance in Winter's Bone, which undoubtedly helped her earn the much desired role of Katniss Everdeen.

One of the real pleasant surprises throughout the film was the unanticipated terrific acting from the entire cast. Lawrence definitely got the support she needed from her fellow actors and actresses. And while this film does have a few minor errors and soft spots, they're all forgotten by the films end. I, for one, found the ending way too conventional, but I won't get into that right now.

You have to suspend your belief a little bit, because Lawrence's Everdeen is supposed to be 16 years old. But I knew that going in. It was an extremely difficult role to cast, because of the death that surrounds it. As much as I like Chloe Moretz, who was rumored to play Everdeen, I just can't see her dominating this role. If you haven't read the book(s) then you may find this review, and the film for that matter, hard to follow at times but bare with me.

In the not-so-distant near future, the United States is called Panem. After a great war the country has been separated into 13 districts. Years later, the districts rebel against its capitol. The capitol seizes back control of Panem and demolishes district 13. Only 12 districts now remain. As a consequence for its rebellion, each year the capitol choices one boy and one girl (between the ages of 12-18) at random from each district to fight to the death in a controlled arena for the Capitol's enjoyment. They call this event the "The Hunger Games." This all sounds quite sick, yet Collins' novel is so eloquently written that it comes off realistic and grounding.

Katniss' family lives in district 12, arguably the weakest of all the districts. Her Father perished in the nearby coal mine years earlier. She lives with her younger sister, Primrose (Willow Shields), and her Mother (Paula Malcomson). Her Mother has never been the same since her husband's death. Primrose is scared because this will be her first "Reaping," which is when they select the children for the Hunger Games. Your odds of being chosen improve as you get older. Prim's odds are extremely small. Katniss' are very good, unfortunately.

Katniss and her best friend Gale (Liam Hemsworth) meet each day in the forbidden woods to hunt for their dinner. While district 12 is poor and low on food and supplies, it's also more laid back and easier to sneak out to hunt. Today is the day of the Reaping. They relax at their favorite spot, look out at the beautiful barren landscape and talk about their odds at being chosen. Gale's odds are certainly not in his favor. There's definitely a little sexual tension between the two teens, but they downplay it because they don't want to ruin their friendship.

It's now time for the Reaping to begin. It's a haunting scene that's certain to hold your attention and fill your body with emotions you're not use to feeling. You can taste the tension as Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks), the pink-haired, pale-faced spokesperson from the Capitol pulls two names out of a large glass bowl. Ladies first. She gleefully announces, "Primrose Everdeen," over the intercom. Prim is stunned. Katniss nearly faints. Effie crudely asks that Primrose please step onto the stage with her. Before Prim can make it too far, Katniss screams out, "I volunteer! I volunteer to be this year's tribute." Effie is delighted because no one has ever volunteered in district 12 before. It's more common in district 1 and 2, where kids are bred and trained for the Hunger Games.

Katniss now stands on stage, shocked and speechless. Effie now calls out, "Peeta Mellark!" Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) looks astonished and petrified, but he joins Katniss on stage and they briskly make their exit into the hands of the Capitol.

They're given a few minutes to say their final goodbyes to their loved ones. Katniss gives support to Prim and tells her Mother to be strong. Gale tells her that she can win, which she responds with, "There's 24 of us Gale, and only one of us is coming out." He gives her support, stating that she's steadfast with a bow. Which is the truth, Katniss is deadly accurate with a bow and arrow, which will assuredly come in handy.

Katniss and Peeta now join Effie, as they board a train headed for the Capitol for their training. Their mentor (the person who prepares them for the games) is fashionably late for their scheduled meeting. His name is Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson). Haymitch won the Hunger Games many years earlier, therefore was given a mansion and many riches. He must also train the tributes from district 12 each year, which has led him to become a raging alcoholic. It can't be easy training children to die year after year. No one from district 12 has won since Haymitch's victory.

Haymitch is very rude, but also quite wise. He doesn't get along with anyone, especially Katniss. Effie and Haymitch have been doing this for years; prepping young kids for their death, but they've never liked each other much. Effie is very uptight and organized, while Haymitch is messy and narcissistic.

They eventually arrive at the beautiful Capitol to thousands of cheering fans. They're later cleaned, bathed and clipped for their big introduction on national television. Katniss' designer, Cinna (Lenny Kravitz), treats her like an angel and makes certain everyone will remember Katniss and Peeta.

All the tributes arrive in carriages and are later interviewed by Caesar Flickerman (Stanley Tucci). Caesar is a celebrity at the Capitol. He's a charismatic and ostentatious host who always gets rise out of the audience. Tucci (Easy A, The Lovely Bones) is one of the best supporting actors working today. He's so reliable, understated and more often than not, hilarious.

Katniss and Peeta wow the crowds with their get-up, and their interview is capped off with Peeta professing his love for Katniss. Katniss was completely unaware of this proclamation, which upsets her. The next day they train with the other tributes and eventually show off their skills to the judges, who give them numbered grades (1-12, 12 being best). Peeta earns an 8, which is pretty good, but Katniss earns herself an 11. Her 11 is the best among the tributes. She's not the only one who's shocked.

We get to know the head game-maker, Seneca Crane (Wes Bentley), who designs the Hunger Games. We also meet President Snow (Donald Sutherland), the aged dictator seemingly without a soul. Sutherland (MASH, The Italian Job) only has a few small scenes, but they're awfully effective.

The games themselves don't start until about half way through the film, which runs at about 2 hours and 20 minutes. I'm not going to give a single detail about the Hunger Games as to not spoil the fun.

Overall, the acting is above average. Lawrence is very good for the most part, Hemsworth (Triangle, The Last Song) fits his role, Hutcherson (The Kids Are All Right, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island) shows surprisingly good range, Harrelson (The Messenger, Zombieland) provides some good laughs, Banks (The Next Three Days, Role Models) has probably never been better, Kravitz holds his own and Bentley (American Beauty, P2) hasn't been this effective since the terrific American Beauty. There's also a cute, little performance by Amandla Stenberg, as Rue.

The original music by the terrific duo of T-Bone Burnett (Walk the Line, Crazy Heart) and James Newton Howard (The Dark Knight, Michael Clayton) is underwhelming a bit perhaps, but it's certainly not bad. The cinematography by Tom Stern (Gran Torino, Million Dollar Baby) isn't anything spectacular, but gets the overall feel of the book down. While the editing towards the end of the film is muddled a bit, the majority of the film is true to the book.

Whether or not you've read the book is besides the point. This film is simply a must-see. The books are outstanding and this film did them justice, which I didn't think was possible. I, myself, can't wait for Catching Fire (the second book) in 2013/2014. Go see it, folks!
A

Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011) R

2012-03-22T01:45:00.004-05:00

Yes, this will in fact be my second consecutive Elizabeth Olsen (Silent House) film that I review. This film is one thousand times more terrifying than that supposed "horror" film ever could have been. People have been buzzing about Olsen's performance here since last spring, and I finally got a chance to see it for myself. It was absolutely worth the wait.

This is a haunting film that's certain to leave it's mark on most viewers. It's certainly open for interpretation and argument, which is almost always a good thing in this business. It's not often you get the privilege to view such a deep, well-acted and thought-provoking film from a freshman writer/director. Sean Durkin really out-did himself. And although the dialogue is at times average, he more than made up for it by getting wonderful performances from his actors and bringing the terrifying source material to life. This is definitely not a film for everyone. It contains graphic nudity, brief violence and may be a psychological nightmare for some.

Olsen, in her first feature film, gives the performance of her career that she will never be able to top. That doesn't mean I don't think she's a star in the making, because she certainly is. While Silent House was a bloodless, boring mess; she held her own and kept that film from being a straight-to-DVD catastrophe you would find in the $5.00 bin in your local, nasty Kmart.

Olsen plays Martha, who's presumably around 20 years of age. She had a troubled youth, and abandoned her family after turning 18. She completely vanished off the face of the earth at that time; no one has seen or heard from her since. The film opens in a secluded little farmhouse in upstate New York, where Martha helps out around the house.

I'm not going to sugarcoat things, Martha participates in a modern day cult. The cult is run by quiet-mannered, but seemingly likable, Patrick (John Hawkes). Hawkes (Winter's Bone, Identity) has evolved into one of the most reliable supporting actors over the past few years, and gives a harrowing performance here. Easily worthy of an Oscar nomination in my honest opinion. He's graceful, yet menacing in this hair-raising independent film.

The cult originally seems harmless enough, despite some glaring issues. Men are vastly superior to woman. Woman may not eat until the men are finished. The women only get the scraps. The women are also basically crammed into one bedroom where they sleep on the floorboards. However, the young ladies seem content with this and follow their leader without hesitation.

One morning, Martha packs her things and sneaks out of the house. She is spotted leaving and chased after. She manages to get away, and stops in the nearby town for lunch before catching the first bus out of this Godforsaken neck of the woods. However, her "boyfriend," Watts (Brady Corbet), finds her and threatens her. She must come back to their little family, or else. Corbet (Funny Games, Thirteen) is tremendously creepy, just as he was in Funny Games a few years back. He's a very talented young actor, with loads of potential.

Martha decides to call her sister, Lucy (Sarah Paulson), who she hasn't spoken to in two years. Martha is reluctant to tell Lucy where she is, but eventually gives in. Lucy picks her up and drives her roughly three hours from where the cult resides to her vacation home. Martha is extremely paranoid that the members of the cult will find, and easily dispose of her.

Martha meets Lucy's new husband, Ted (Hugh Dancy), for the first time. They don't exactly hit it off. Martha spends most of the day sleeping or staring off into space; there's obviously something wrong with her. Lucy is extremely worried about Martha, as she should be. As Martha adjusts to living again in the "real" world she frequently has flashbacks of her days in that daunting cult. At times she severely struggles with reality, which Lucy and Ted labor with. Martha can't seem to be able to differentiate between what's real and what's a memory from the past.

Slowly we piece together what exactly happened to Martha at that mysterious farmhouse. We eventually find out the initiation into the cult: getting drugged and raped by their trusted leader, Patrick. Martha wakes up as Patrick is finishing up and she wales in pain. She's obviously starting to wonder if she's made an extremely terrible decision in joining this strange group of individuals. Duh.

Her trusted best friend, Zoe (Louisa Krause), assures her that all the girls have had the privilege to be with Patrick sexually. Zoe believes Martha is lucky that it was her first time, and that she has now begun the cleansing process. Patrick doesn't like the name Martha, so he names her Marcy May. Patrick tells her that she is his favorite of all the girls. That she's different. That she's a teacher and a leader. Marcy May buys in almost immediately.

Back to reality; Martha struggles to fit in with Lucy and Ted as she goes skinny-dipping, urinates herself, screams at guests for no apparent reason and sits in while Ted and Lucy have sex. Ted has had enough of her insane antics and wants her institutionalized, but Lucy wants to be patient. The three of them struggle to coexist over the ensuing weeks.

It isn't long before we (the audience) get a first hand look at just what exactly this cult will do to survive, and so does Martha. She witnesses unspeakable horrors, as do we, and she eventually plots her escape. What we do know is that she does ultimately escape, but at what cost? And to what lengths will Patrick go to the retrieve a knowledgeable and detrimental Marcy May.

Martha's psychosis begins to get the better of her. She believes anyone and everyone is a possible threat, Ted included. Has Patrick actually sent his henchmen to recover her, or is she imagining it? It's possibly a brilliant ambiguous ending, that much is for certain. I found it fitting, myself. The entire film is open for interpretation, which I often find rewarding. This is a brutal, shocking and dark tale on the human condition. Struggled youth often times turn to alternate sources of acceptance, desire, faith and understanding. I find this type of film more terrifying than any Texas Chainsaw, Nightmare on Elm Street or Friday the 13th. This type of stuff is still happening to this day, right under our noises. And the repercussions are detrimental to human psyche.

I highly recommend this film to those who have read this review and believe they can stomach the material. It's certainly not a thrill-ride or entertaining in the very least. But it's an unforgettable, heartbreaking, agonizing drama that will stay with you for days. Now available on DVD.
A

Silent House (2012) R

2012-03-14T16:58:00.005-05:00

The husband and wife duo behind 2003's claustrophobic Open Water are back once more to make us squirm and beg for something to happen. While the film isn't as atrocious as that shark tale, it does ultimately fail to provide any real horror. What we get instead is loads of confusion, and eventually an unbelievably godawful ending. Writing/directing team Chris Kentis and Laura Lau had good intentions with this remake of the Uruguayan film The Silent House, but more often than not these types of film are destined for failure.

At least they got one thing right with the casting of young and forgotten Elizabeth Olsen (Martha Marcy May Marlene). Olsen is a star on the rise, even if the material here doesn't quite help her cause in becoming the next Jennifer Lawrence (Winter's Bone, The Hunger Games). The storyline is quite simple, the dialogue is thin, the cinematography is shaky and the acting is sub-par. However, the first half of the film is actually quite watchable as we are eagerly awaiting for something to transpire. Instead what we get is The Uninvited sequel we sure as hell never asked for.

Olsen plays Sarah, a recent college dropout who's helping her father John (Adam Trese) fix up their old summer house so they can put it on the market. John and his brother, Peter (Eric Sheffer Stevens), are doing most of the work while Sarah moseys around the house. The reason they're selling the house is because the place is routinely vandalised. They still can't seem to find the culprits.

One late afternoon, John is fixing something in the basement when Sarah begins to hear noises. All the windows are boarded up and the power is out so the entire house is in darkness. Sarah uses her old fashioned lamp for a light while she sorts boxes upstairs. She thinks nothing of these noises at first, but when they persist she begins to become frightened. She then hears a knock at the door. An old childhood friend is there to great her. She doesn't remember this "Sophia" character, but Sophie sure remembers her. Sophia goes on and on about childhood memories that Sarah can't recollect. They then make a date to catch up a little later in the evening. Sophia is creepy, to put it lightly, but Sarah tries to ignore the signs that point to her as a possible threat.

Sarah gets back to work, but the strange noises refuse to cease. She finds her Father and asks him to help her do a sweep of the house. He notices she's quite shaken, so he takes her dread as serious as he can. They find nothing of interest in the house so they depart and she once again goes back to work. A few minutes later an extremely loud crash is heard from the adjacent room. Sarah calls for her Father but he does not answer. It's not long before she realizes she's not alone in this secluded and dark summer home.

We get a short, blurry look at the man/creature/being stalking Sarah around the house, but it's still a mystery what/who it is. Sarah finds her Father bloodied and bashed, but alive. He has been bludgeoned in the head, and is unresponsive. She plays a nifty cat and mouse game with the dark stalker, which initially is actually quite nerve-racking. All the doors in the house are locked from the inside, so she can't escape. However, she finds a key in her Father's pocket that unlocks the cellar door. She retreats to the basement, in the best scene of the film, and momentarily escapes.

She runs for her life for a few minutes, then stops to catch her breath. She then sees a little girl staring at her, which causes confusion. This is about the point where things become substantially confusing. Her brief encounter with this strange, little girl is interrupted when Peter almost runs her over with his car. The girl has now disappeared, and Sarah must now explain what has happened in the house. She explains that her Father is badly injured and is still locked inside the house with a mad man. Peter grabs his gun and demands Sarah to stay in the car.

Peter searches the house, but can't seem to find anything. Meanwhile, Sarah is greeted harshly when the stalker comes in through the hatch of the car. She escapes into the house and into Peter's arms. Peter couldn't seem to find John, but they look together a second time. The film amazingly still hasn't lost me, but I'm growing quite impatient at this point.

From this point on things begin to unfold reasonably quickly. Things get awfully confusing, which is certain to piss a lot of movie-goers off. We've seen the whole schizophrenia back-story beaten to death in other films (hint). The final "twist," which was obvious to me a mere five minutes into film, is a total downer and will certainly leave a sour taste in your mouth when it's all said and done. Expectations were low, but I happen to like cheesy, campy horror films. This film was neither. It's extremely serious, completely dry on laughs and tremendously boring.

Documentary-style filmmaking is becoming a bit warn, but it's not dead. This film just couldn't find a good balance of thrills, dread and entertainment. The "shot-in-one-take" method was a decent idea, but laughable dialogue and a complete lack of scares failed the concept.

While this film isn't a complete failure, it's definitely not something I would recommend. Olsen holds her weight though, but she didn't have a lot to work with. Trese (40 Days and 40 Nights, Zodiac) is a terrible actor, to be quite frank. His line "Peter, you are SUCH a loser!" is one of the worst in recent memory, and it comes at the climax of the film to boot.

I'm not sure what else to say. Silent House is not scary, not thrilling, not entertaining, not funny, has a terrifically terrible ending, is poorly acted; did I miss anything? I can't believe I'm going to give it this high of a grade, I must be out of my mind. Way too generous.
C-

Now on DVD

2012-02-28T11:55:00.007-06:00

Movie night? Make sure to take a gander at these titles to save yourself from renting a severely disappointing film starring Nicolas Cage or Hugh Jackman. Enjoy!

A
Midnight in Paris -- This is a wonderfully charming Woody Allen film with terrific performances by the entire cast, especially Owen Wilson (believe it, or not). This film won an Oscar for best original screenplay, and it's well deserved. Even Wilson haters can find a lot to love about this film.

Take Shelter -- Easily one of the five best films of 2011. Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road, Bug) has slowly become one of the most tantalizing actors in recent memory. I personally think his performance here was the best by an actor in 2011. Give this one a hard look.

The Ides of March -- A loaded cast helps make this film one of the best in 2011. It's written and directed by George Clooney (who also has a large role in the film), and stars Ryan Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti. It's a rather simple political premise, but it's so beautifully acted and written. Gosling (Drive, Blue Valentine) absolutely shines in one of the best performances of 2011.

B+
Hugo -- A slightly overrated, but still wonderful film by the amazing Martin Scorsese (The Departed, Shutter Island). It's somewhat deserving of all the Oscar nominations (and wins), but I don't think it would've gotten this much attention without Scorsese's name attached. The performances are pretty good, but the cinematography, original music, art direction and visual effects carry this film.

B-
Attack the Block -- It's not too often you come across a British alien invasion film these days, but this one is possibly worth a peek. Young John Boyega is simply outstanding in his first film; you can't help but to imagine a British Denzel Washington in the making. Is that racist? I hope not.

C+
Beautiful Boy -- Finely acted and intense, but this film is just hard to watch at times. Partially because of the material but mostly because it's just so darn boring. However, there's still plenty to take from this haunting film. Michael Sheen (Frost/Nixon, Midnight in Paris) and Maria Bello (A History of Violence, Payback) are both terrific, and young Kyle Gallner (Red State, Jennifer's Body) is slowly coming around as an actor.

If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front -- I'm a little surprised this film was nominated for best documentary at this years Oscar's to be quite honest. It has certainly been a weak year for documentaries. It's a pretty straightforward story about Daniel McGowan and the Earth Liberation Front. It had less of an effect on me than most, probably because I have no sympathy for Daniel or any of these E.L.F. members who burned down buildings and ruined peoples lives. The film itself is extremely well-done, and doesn't pick a side, I will give it that.

The Myth of the American Sleepover -- An incredibly awful and boring first act had me dangerously close to turning this one off, but I stuck with it and was rewarded with a not half bad, coming-of-age film directed by David Robert Mitchell. It's mildly realistic, and for the most part captures what it's like to be 14-18 years of age in a suburban town on a Friday night.

Water for Elephants -- This is a decent adaptation of a beloved book, starring Reese Witherspoon (Walk the Line, How Do You Know) and Robert Pattinson (Twilight). The performances across the board are fairly strong, but overall the film feels a little long and tiring. The wonderful Hal Holbrook (Into the Wild, The Majestic) shines as an aged Pattinson, and the always underused Paul Schneider (The Assassination of Jesse James, Lars and the Real Girl) is quite good in his limited screen time.

C
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark -- An adequate, but disappointing "horror" film starring Guy Pearce (The King's Speech, Memento) and Katie Holmes (Batman Begins, Phone Booth). The problem actually isn't the acting, which may come as a shock with Holmes on board. The problem is that the "dreadful" creatures that lurk in this film are almost laughable. They're practically cute and cuddly little monsters. Young Bailee Madison (Brothers, Just Go with It) is a star in the making, Pearce is never bad and Holmes actually holds her own for once. Not a complete waste of time, but I can't recommend it.

Real Steel -- An incoherent, loud mess of a film with iffy performances by everyone (Hugh Jackman included), but does feature some top notch special effects. So, I guess you just take the good with the bad with these robotic films. Not only do these types of films feature robots, the acting and the storytelling itself is robotic. The little kid is annoying, Jackman sleepwalks through the entire film and Evangeline Lilly ("Lost") is a bad actress. You can probably steer clear.

C-
A Good Old Fashioned Orgy -- A very disappointing comedy with below average performances from everyone except for Will Forte, Lucy Punch and David Koechner. Forte (MacGruber) is actually very, very funny, but Martin Starr, Lake Bell, Leslie Bibb, Tyler Labine, Nick Kroll and Jason Sudeikis all underachieve. I'm a huge Sudeikis (Horrible Bosses, Hall Pass) fan, which makes this all the more disappointing. Pass.

Daylight -- An intriguing opening sequence eventually turns into the bore of the century with one head-scratching scene after another. The kidnappers are so terrible at their craft, and the pregnant woman who they've captured obviously has no brain power. I didn't give this film a D simply because it did have some decent style.

Grave Encounters -- Despite a decent storyline and a nice build-up, this "found footage" horror falls flat because of some brutal acting and bad special effects. It's not all bad though, there are some pretty enjoyable sequences along the way, but the film loses its luster before it's all said and done. I'd only recommend to die-hard horror fans who're in desperate need of another Blair Witch Project type of trip.

Life in a Day -- Yawn. I'm bored just thinking about this documentary. If you haven't heard, Life in a Day is a mash-up of amateur videos taken on July 24th, 2010 from all over the world. Sorry, but I don't find people talking into the camera about their day, their boyfriend, their dead wife or their religion for two hours enjoyable. No one wants to see 50 live births in ten seconds, sorry. Skip it.

Wake Wood -- This is a disappointing British "horror" film with a warn premise, but an interesting one at that. It's basically Pet Sematary with a few twists thrown in there, and there's definitely a lot to like about this film. However, it's all wasted on some lackluster dialogue and complete lack of dread. This is not a horror film, what-so-ever.

D+
Atrocious -- Probably the worst "found footage" film I've ever seen. The camera work is so atrocious (get it?) that it gives me a headache just thinking about this "horror" film. It's a shame too, because after the mind-numbing first hour and the brain-cramping camera work there's actually a decent little ending to be found. There's undoubtedly some dread built up, but no one could possibly get over the unbelievably awful chase scenes where all we see are trees and darkness for 20 minutes. Brutal.

Trespass -- Whoa baby, this is Nicolas Cage at his best, folks! What a sloppy mess this film is. Such laughable dialogue, so many overreactions by Cage and just so damn much terrible acting by everyone involved. If you like shitty Nic Cage films, then this one is worth a go. Otherwise, you're better off staring at a wall for 90 minutes. I nominate Cam Gigandet for worst actor of the year! Congrats!

D
Quarantine 2: Terminal -- What a brutal follow-up to a wonderful horror American remake. Whoever coached these zombies needs to get sacked, now. [Rec], the film in which Quarantine was based, is one of the better horror films in recent memory. As was its predecessor, [Rec] 2. So I actually gave this straight-to-DVD a chance because of the amazing quality of that sequel. Bad choice. This movie sucks.

Take Shelter

The Myth of the American Sleepover

Trespass

2nd Annual You Don't Know Jack Winners

2012-02-27T16:59:00.005-06:00

I announced my award nominations last week, and now I will reveal my winners! There will be no The Artist winners here, so you can take a sigh of relief. Let's get to it!

Best Film: Drive
Best Actor: Michael Shannon, Take Shelter
Best Actress: Rooney Mara, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Best Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Best Supporting Actress: Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Best Director: Nicolas Winding Refn, Drive
Best Directorial Debut: Sean Durkin, Martha Marcy May Marlene
Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture: The Ides of March
Breakout Performance (Male): Craig Roberts, Submarine
Breakout Performance (Female): Elizabeth Olsen, Martha Marcy May Marlene
Best Screenplay (Original & Adapted): Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
Best Original Score: Michael Danna, Moneyball
Best Cinematography: Jeff Cronenweth, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Best Film Editing: Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Best Visual Effects: Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Best Foreign Language Film: The Robber

2012 Academy Award Winners

2012-02-27T16:41:00.002-06:00

The 2012 Oscars went pretty much according to plan, while the show itself lacked humor or substance. The Artist and Hugo cleaned up (five wins a piece), which should definitely come as no surprise. I went 8/14 in the major categories, which is usually how I fare. Well, in case you missed it, here are your 2012 Oscar winners...

MAJOR CATEGORIES:
Best Picture: The Artist
Best Actress: Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Best Actor: Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Best Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer, The Help
Best Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Best Director: Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Art Direction: Hugo
Cinematography: Hugo (Robert Richardson)
Film Editing: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall)
Music (Original Score): The Artist (Ludovic Bource)
Sound Editing: Hugo
Visual Effects: Hugo
Writing (Adapted Screenplay): The Descendants (Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash)
Writing (Original Screenplay): Midnight in Paris (Woody Allen)

OTHER WINNERS:
Short Film (Animated): The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
Short Film (Live Action): The Shore
Documentary (Short Subject): Saving Face
Documentary (Feature): Undefeated
Music (Original Song): Man or Muppet (The Muppets)
Animated Feature: Rango
Sound Mixing: Hugo
Foreign Language Film: A Separation
Makeup: The Iron Lady
Costume Design: The Artist

2nd Annual You Don't Know Jack's

2012-02-22T17:04:00.011-06:00

Jacks are wild this award season, as I'm releasing my second annual award nominations. I will release the winners sometime after the Oscars on Sunday. I haven't seen every film this calender year, but I've seen over 80% of the ones worth watching. If I haven't seen a film, it can NOT be nominated. Simple as that. Remember, I have not seen Melancholia, Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, Shame, The Descendants, The Help, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy or We Need to Talk About Kevin. With that being said, here are your second annual You Don't Know Jack's!

Best Feature Film:
50/50
Bridesmaids
Drive
Hugo
Martha Marcy May Marlene
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
Take Shelter
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Ides of March

Best Actor:
Daniel Craig, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Ryan Gosling, The Ides of March
Brad Pitt, Moneyball
Michael Shannon, Take Shelter
Owen Wilson, Midnight in Paris

Best Actress:
Rooney Mara, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Elizabeth Olsen, Martha Marcy May Marlene
Charlize Theron, Young Adult
Kristen Wiig, Bridesmaids
Kate Winslet, Carnage

Best Supporting Actor:
Albert Brooks, Drive
John Hawkes, Martha Marcy May Marlene
Nick Nolte, Warrior
Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Christopher Plummer, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Best Supporting Actress:
Jennifer Ehle, Contagion
Anna Kendrick, 50/50
Rachel McAdams, Midnight in Paris
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Robin Wright, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Best Director:
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
David Fincher, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Bennett Miller, Moneyball
Martin Scorsese, Hugo
Nicolas Winding Refn, Drive

Best Directorial Debut:
Richard Ayoade, Submarine
Sean Durkin, Martha Marcy May Marlene
Evan Glodell, Bellflower
Dan Rush, Everything Must Go
Max Winkler, Ceremony

Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture:
Bridesmaids
Contagion
Midnight in Paris
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Ides of March

Breakthrough Performance (Male):
John Boyega, Attack the Block
Asa Butterfield, Hugo
Nick Damici, Stake Land
Chris Hemsworth, Thor
Craig Roberts, Submarine

Breakthrough Performance (Female):
Hayley Atwell, Captain America: First Avenger
Jessica Chastain, The Tree of Life/The Debt/Take Shelter
Brit Marling, Another Earth
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Elizabeth Olsen, Martha Marcy May Marlene

Best Screenplay (Original & Adapted):
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
George Clooney, The Ides of March
Roman Polanski and Yasmina Reza, Carnage
Will Reiser, 50/50
Steven Zaillian, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Best Original Score:
Michael Danna, Moneyball
Alexandre Desplat, The Tree of Life
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Howard Shore, Hugo
David Wingo, Take Shelter

Best Cinematography:
Jeff Cronenweth, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Johanne Debas and Darius Khondji, Midnight in Paris
Emmanuel Lubezki, The Tree of Life
Robert Richardson, Hugo
Newton Thomas Sigel, Drive

Best Film Editing:
Zene Baker, 50/50
Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Alisa Lepselter, Midnight in Paris
Matthew Newman, Drive
Zachary Stuart-Pontier, Martha Marcy May Marlene

Best Visual Effects:
Drive
Hugo
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Tree of Life

Best Foreign Language Film:
I Saw the Devil
Point Blank
The Robber
TrollHunter

The Woman in Black (2012) PG-13

2012-02-15T17:00:00.005-06:00

Life after Harry Potter has begun for young Daniel Radcliffe, and it starts with The Woman in Black. It's a curious decision because haunted house films these days are quite the bore, if you know what I mean. However, a solid screenwriter by the name of Jane Goldman (Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class) helps give this film some credibility. Young director James Watkins (Eden Lake) still has a lot to prove, but I enjoyed Eden Lake and I have to say, this film isn't half bad...

This "horror" film is based on Susan Hill's 1983 novel by the same name. This may be your traditional ghost story that relies on suspense and atmosphere, but it pretty much works here. Watkins put together a small cast, led by Radcliffe, and they work well off of each other. It never hurts having brilliant veteran supporting actor Ciaran Hinds (Munich, The Eclipse) on board.

I'm not lying when I tell you this is a very simple ghost tale, so the plot won't take long to explain. Radcliffe plays Arthur Kipps, a young, single father of one. His son's name is Joseph (Misha Handley), and he's growing larger each and every day. Arthur is a very busy solicitor, so he's forced to hire a nanny (Jessica Raine) full-time. His job is in serious jeopardy, because of some mediocre work on a few big cases. Arthur's boss Mr. Bentley (Roger Allam) gives him one last chance to keep his job. He sends him out east to handle the estate of a deceased woman.

The Eel Marsh House resides on an island in the marshes. The road that leads to the house is often times under water. At high tide, the estate is completely cut off from the mainland. It's an odd, but appealing little plot twist that I've never quite seen before. When he arrives in town, the locals greet him with resentment and trepidation. Arthur is confused, but anxious to get to the Eal Marsh and get to work.

He meets a nice, gentle man named Sam Daily (Hinds) in town. Daily is the only one who doesn't give Arthur the cold shoulder. He befriends Arthur, and gives him rides to the marsh when needed. Before I get much further, I will add that the film opens with three young girls playing around with dolls. The girls are seemingly having a good time, when they suddenly become fixated on the window at the other end of the room. They slowly walk towards the window, open it and leap out to their death. That scene will come into play in a little bit.

It's obvious from the start that it's going to take Arthur an extremely lengthy amount of time to get all the papers in order. His first day on the job goes as usual as he gets to know the over-sized, beautiful house. However, towards the end of the first evening he sees a strange woman in black out the window. He goes outside to find her, but fails to do so. He also hears some bizarre and eerie sounds from time to time, but it does get windy out in the marsh and it's a very old house.

The next day, Arthur reports seeing a woman on the property but the police officer thinks nothing of it until he mentions that she was in all black. The policeman's facial expression immediately changes when Arthur releases these details. He looks terrified beyond belief, and leaves the station in panic. Arthur is bewildered by the mans actions. Before he has time to look for another policeman, three young children enter the station. Two of the kids are screaming that the young girl has drank poison. Blood begins to pour out of her mouth as she drops to ground and her death.

As it turns out, she's not the only child to kill herself in this quiet, secluded English town. Every time someone has reported a woman in black sighting, a child has killed themselves. The townspeople blame the most recent suicide on Arthur for sticking his nose around in the Eel Marsh House.

Daily invites Arthur to have dinner with him and his wife, Elizabeth (Janet McTeer). They have a nice, little meal in each other's company, but it's not long before Sam's wife starts going bonkers and begins carving pictures into the dining room table. Those three girls at the beginning of the film turn out to be the three daughters of Sam and Elizabeth. She's still tormented by their triple suicide, and knows the woman in black is to blame.

Arthur decides to return to the house, despite everyone's best interests. Daily offers him his trusted dog for protection, and Arthur playfully accepts. While Arthur tries to get some real work done, because he does have a deadline and desperately needs his job security, the dog keeps watch. Every so often, the dog begins to bark and Arthur takes a look around to make sure he's not in harms way. To this point, there definitely has been some real dread brought on by Watkins' direction, stout cinematography (Tim Maurice-Jones) and some spine-chilling original music (Marco Beltrami).

Arthur begins to see more and more of the woman in black, as she haunts him and his little dog friend. Arthur also begins to see ghosts of dead children. He eventually finds out the truth about this so called "woman in black." The Eel Marsh House was owned by Alice Drablow, who lived with her husband and son, Nathaniel. Her sister, Jennet, also lived there for some time. She was sent to a mental institution not long after Nathaniel was born. Arthur eventually finds out that Nathaniel was in fact Jennet's son. He died in a carriage accident. Jennet later killed herself. The ghost of Jennet has come back to Eel Marsh to haunt its inhabitants and the children of the nearby village. Arthur must now find a way to right things with this retched ghost in black.

The woman in black character actually isn't a terrible one, folks. She's not frightening or terrifying by any means, but she'll give you chills and may get you to jump once or twice. Most films of this nature are often quite dull and anything but frightening, but The Woman in Black works on some level thanks to a quirky and eccentric performance by Daniel Radcliffe. Only time will tell whether or not he can thrive as an actor outside of Harry Potter, but I'd say this was a good first step for the young man.
C+

The Grey (2012) R

2012-02-15T12:46:00.004-06:00

Liam Neeson's (Taken, Unknown) career is an interesting one, as he has become an action hero of sorts nowadays. He's re-teaming with The A-Team director Joe Carnahan (Narc, Smokin' Aces), and the results do vary. Carnahan and company put together a decent cast of undervalued actors and the cinematography (Masanobu Takayanagi) is top-notch, but there are problems at the core of this action-packed, claustrophobic disaster film.

Neeson plays John Ottway, a weathered sniper whose job is to shoot and kill Alaskan wolves who threaten oil drillers hard at work. The film opens with Ottway walking into a dirty, manic bar. A bar fight rages while the music blares and the beer flows like the salmon of Capistrano. Neeson takes a shot of the hard stuff, walks into the alley and puts a rifle into his mouth. His wife has obviously left him or has died, as flashbacks of the pretty brunette make him tear up. Right before pulling the trigger a wolf howls in the distance, and for some unknown reason this prevents him from ending his life.

The next evening, Ottway boards a plane with a drilling team. They are loud, rambunctious and inconsiderate to the flight attendants. This is the same group of guys who were brawling the night before like a bunch of Popeye's. A word for the wise; don't mix beer with spinach! One of the men (Joe Anderson) on the plane jokes about it crashing and everyone goes psycho; raving and ranting like 12-year-olds. Ottway dozes off like a new-born pup, though.

In the midst of his slumber, the plane begins to hit rough patches and eventually begins to spiral out of control. An engine catches on fire and one of the wings bursts into flames. Piece by piece the plane begins to fall apart in mid-air. Men go flying out the hole in the side of the plane, screaming all the way to their bloody demise. It's quite the scene, probably the best of the film to be quite honest.

Before the plane smashes into the snowy earth, the screen fades to black. Suddenly Ottway awakens in a bed with his wife (Anne Openshaw). Either he's in some kind of heaven or he's dreaming. Well, he's dreaming. When he wakes up for real he's lying in the snow. He's covered in snow; he looks to have been there for some time possibly. Maybe hours. He's bloodied up, but still intact. No major injuries, which in itself is a modern miracle.

Ottway locates the rest of the plane, which has been scattered all over the white landscape. There aren't many survivors; enough to count on two hands possibly. A couple of the survivors won't make it through the night with some of their injuries. Ottway uses his tremendous survival skills to gather the group's composure. They make a fire from the plane's debris and tend to their wounds. On the first night, a pack of wolves approach the camp. They don't attack, but they make their presence known. Ottway knows every single thing there is to know about wolves, so that will certainly come in handy. He tells the group that they're in the wolves territory, and that they will stop at nothing to eliminate their threat. That's bad news for all of us.

Despite being in a brutal situation, the men bond with each other. Hendrick (Dallas Roberts), Talget (Dermot Mulroney), Flannery (Joe Anderson) and Ottway become close pals over a short period of time. However, there's always one bad egg in every batch. Diaz (Frank Grillo) is always stirring up the pot, and he hates Ottway and his bossiness. He causes a rift in the group, but it isn't long before they've forgotten about Diaz's smart-ass attitude. The wolves are back for blood this time. They claim a couple members of the group the first two nights. They have no choice but to head south to try and find some refuge from these beasts, not to mention civilization.

One by one the men get picked off by these rogue wolves; it's all rather dramatic stuff, though quite unrealistic. They're whittled down to five (Ottway, Hendrick, Diaz, Talget and Burke) by the time they reach green earth. However, the wolves are still hot on their trail. It's safe to say Neeson's character makes it until the very end, but it's a lot of fun watching these men get eaten up, one by one. This film is never boring, whether the guys are eating wolf meat while howling at the moon, playing Cliffhanger, discussing religion or running from Jacob (Taylor Lautner...oops wrong movie) and the gang.

I disliked the ending, but I do understand why some found it poetic. The acting is somewhat iffy at times, but nothing too dreadful. The whole plot itself is a bit whimsical, but you can probably give it a pass. Neeson absolutely carries this film, and keeps it enjoyable throughout. I thought composer Marc Streitenfeld's (Robin Hood, American Gangster) original score was quite haunting, and definitely worth a listen. The entire cast does good work, but never quite flourishes because of a limited script by Ian Mackenzie Jeffers (Death Sentence) and Carnahan. Mulroney (Box of Moon Light, Zodiac) and Roberts (Walk the Line, Shrink) shine some much needed light on the film.

Nothing spectacular here, but what do you expect in January? If you're a big time Neeson fan, than this film is a must-see. Otherwise it's a toss up; I'd give it a chance though. I found it enjoyable, entertaining, flawed but altogether watchable.
B-

2012 Oscar Nominations

2012-01-25T20:02:00.003-06:00

The Oscars are just around the corner and the nominees were announced yesterday. There were a few surprises, sure, but overall things went according to plan. There's pleanty of Hugo, The Artist, The Descendants and War Horse nominations to go around. My guesses will carry asterisks (*).

Best Picture:
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
*The Artist*
The Descendants
The Help
The Tree of Life
War Horse

Best Actress:
Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis, The Help
Rooney Mara, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
*Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady*
Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn

Best Actor:
Damian Bichir, A Better Life
*George Clooney, The Descendants*
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Brad Pitt, Moneyball

Best Supporting Actress:
Berenice Bejo, The Artist
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
*Octavia Spencer, The Help*
Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs

Best Supporting Actor:
Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Nick Nolte, Warrior
*Christopher Plummer, Beginners*
Max von Sydow, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

Best Director:
Michael Hazanavicius, The Artist
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
*Martin Scorsese, Hugo*
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life

Art Direction:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
*The Artist*
War Horse

Cinematography:
*Hugo*
The Artist
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Tree of Life
War Horse

Film Editing:
Hugo
Moneyball
The Artist
*The Descendants*
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Music (Original Score):
Hugo
The Adventures of Tintin
*The Artist*
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
War Horse

Sound Editing:
*Drive*
Hugo
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse

Visual Effects:
*Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2*
Hugo
Moneyball
The Ides of March
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Writing (Adapted Screenplay):
Hugo
Moneyball
*The Descendants*
The Ides of March
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Writing (Original Screenplay):
A Separation
Bridesmaids
Margin Call
*Midnight in Paris*
The Artist