Review: Twilight (2008)

Director: Catherine Hardwicke (Lords of Dogtown)

Cast: Kristen Stewart (The Messengers, Into the Wild), Robert Pattinson (Harry Potter), Taylor Lautner, Peter Facinelli, Billy Burke, Ashley Greene, Jackson Rathbone, Cam Gigandet

The Deal: After her mother remarries, Bella Swan (Stewart) decides to live with her dad in a small rainy town of Washington. She meets a mysterious boy named Edward Cullen (Pattinson) who hangs with a crowd of similarly mysterious siblings who are absent from school on every sunny day. Edward becomes very interested in Bella, and after saving her life one day at school, he reveals that he is actually a vampire. He does his best to make her feel welcome around his vampire family, but when a hunter vampire (Gigandet) comes into town, Bella's life becomes threatened, and Edward must do what he can to protect her.

Thoughts: The plot of the film is very much a new-age twist on Romeo and Juliet, but with vampires and werewolves. I've generally shied away from the books, and after viewing the film, my decision has been justified. The story itself isn't terrible, but it's far from good. This isn't the film's fault, but it still plagues the film. It's the kind of story that middle school and early high school girls will eat up with their own dreams of being swept off their feet by a hansom vampire who's madly in love with them. But when all is said and done, it's cheesy, sappy, and very likely to not only bore the male gender, but screw them over in the relationship department since they can't be so mysterious, hot, and wonderful like the vampires and werewolves.

The acting in the film was not very good as well. I've read reviews that raved about the on-screen chemistry between Stewart and Pattinson, and I just can't see how. Pattinson's performance is flat-as-a-board and very uninspired, which isn't surprising after reading interviews that discuss his personal views on the franchise (as much as guys hate him, they won't disagree with his beliefs). Stewart's performance is better, but she really hasn't developed as an actress yet, and it really showed on screen. The rest of the performances are mostly forgettable, but every guy who was dragged to see this will be happy to know that Ashley Greene was at least very easy on the eyes.

There were two scenes that really stood out in the film as the worst two. The first is when Edward shows Bella how vampires "sparkle" in sunlight. It literally looked like his skin was made of diamonds and the CGI with it just wasn't very believable. The second scene, which may or may not be the books fault (I haven't read them, and won't), is the baseball scene. It was a very pointless way to progress the story towards meeting the hunter vampire. Seriously, the scene just didn't fit in and felt really stupid. Though the choice of music was a good song in general (Supermassive Black Hole by Muse), it felt out of place for the scene.

Verdict: The acting was uninspired and forgetful, and the story was nothing great. It doesn't matter what I rate this because Twi-hards (crazy Twilight fans) will worship it, but for anyone unsure whether they want to see what all the fuss is about, I'd suggest skipping this saga. ☆☆1/2

Liked It? Try These: Romeo + Juliet (1996), Interview with the Vampire (1994)

Review: Yes Man (2008)

Director: Peyton Reed (The Break Up)

Cast: Jim Carrey (Brice Almighty, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events), Zooey Deschanel (Elf, Bridge to Terabithia), Bradley Cooper (Wedding Crashers), Rhys Darby (The Flight of the Conchords), Terence Stamp (Valkyrie, Smallville), Molly Sims (Las Vegas)

The Deal: Carl (Carrey) is depressed after his divorce with Stephanie (Sims). He has a boring job with a zany boss Norman (Darby), avoids his best friend Peter (Cooper), and spends all of his free time watching movies. As a means to get him to open up to new opportunities, he begins a self-help program created by Terrence Bundley (Stamp), in which the members are supposed to say "yes" to new situations. Carl interprets this incorrectly, and begins saying "yes" to every situation. This tactic lands him a romance in Allison (Deschanel), but saying "yes" to everything slowly spins his life out of control.

Thoughts: Jim Carrey's comedic style is usually the exact same in every film, and so over-the-top. Frankly, his act was getting fairly old. Sure, he had a few bright spots every once and a while, but I had given up on him. He shows me up with Yes Man, proving that he not only can still be funny, but that he no longer needs to dominate every scene he's in with needless humor. The story itself really lends itself to Carrey's comedic skill-set without it getting in the way of the film. 

Zooey Deschanel really steals every scene she's in. She's always slightly shy and hugely adorable, but she never gets forgotten behind Carrey's acting, and I walk away liking her more and more every time I see her. Rhys Darby was absolutely fantastic in the film, providing what I felt was the funniest character by far. He was always slightly clueless and definitely dorky, but it worked so well. His theme parties were spectacular, and I couldn't stop laughing after Carl nicknamed him Norm, and he responded by nicknaming Carl "Car".

This isn't a film that will stand out too much in the long run. Its plot is decent and genuinely funny, the performances are solid, but it's not a dynamite comedy. Don't get me wrong though, it was enjoyable. Comedies these days have trended towards borderline dreadful with only one or two good ones every year. I wouldn't chalk this up as a classic gut-splitting film, but it's one that is entertaining, so ultimately it does succeed.

Verdict: A fairly funny comedy that doesn't drift into ridiculousness. Deschanel is adorable, and Carrey is surprisingly bearable. Well worth a rental for some good laughs. ☆☆☆1/2

Movie Rewind: Donnie Darko (2001)

Director: Richard Kelly

Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal (The Day After Tomorrow, Brokeback Mountain), Maggie Gyllenhaal (Secretary, The Dark Knight), Mary McDonnell (Dances with Wolves, Battlestar Galactica), Patrick Swayze (Ghost, Dirty Dancing), Jena Malone (Into the Wild), Drew Barrymore (Charlie's Angels), Noah Wyle (ER), Beth Grant, Holmes Osborne

The Deal: Donnie Darko (Gyllenhaal) is a paranoid schizophrenic anti-social teenager whose life is saved by a giant rabbit named Frank that only he can see, who informs Donnie that the world will end in 28 days 6 hours 42 minutes and 12 seconds. Donnie must follow Frank's destructive instructions which have a large impact on the people around him, and lead Donnie towards his true destiny.

Thoughts: The cast in the film was absolutely perfect; Jake Gyllenhaal's performance remains the best of his career in my opinion. Grant (the over-involved, bitchy teacher/parent), Swayze (a motivation speaker hiding a "kiddie-porn dungeon"), Malone (the girlfirend), and McDonnel (the mother) all give outstanding performances, and the rest of the cast turned in solid or better themselves.

One of this film's greatest strengths is its wonderful soundtrack. Every song fits the film perfectly, culminating in the brilliantly sad and fitting cover of "Mad World" performed by Gary Jules. The story is complex and very engaging, and the themes of destiny and time travel are huge and require a close eye from the viewer. Every scene is critical to the story as a whole, playing much larger roles than one would initially believe.

As I said before, this is a very complex film, and one of the biggest reasons why I like it so much. It requires multiple viewings to absorb every piece of the puzzle, and with each viewing the story somehow gets deeper and deeper. I highly suggest viewing the original theatrical version over the director's cut, at least initially. The director's cut spoils some of the conclusions that could be discovered with 2 or 3 viewings of the theatrical release, which in my opinion spoils the grandeur of the movie. Once you have formed your hypothesis, the director's cut will then give them a little more definition and direction, but there's no need to ruin the fun of discovery, because if you think about it enough, all the stuff is there in the theatrical release.

Verdict: Absolutely my favorite film of all time. The story is complex and engaging, the acting is superb, and the soundtrack is beautifully fitting. A definite must see! ☆☆☆☆☆

Liked It? Try These: The Butterfly Effect (2004), The Prestige (2006), The Fountain (2006)

Review: Frost/Nixon (2008)

Director: Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind, The Da Vinci Code)

Cast: Frank Langella (Superman Returns, Good Night and Good Luck), Michael Sheen (Underworld, Blood Diamond), Sam Rockwell (Confessions of a Dangerous Mind), Kevin Bacon (Apollo 13, Footloose), Matthew Macfadyen, Oliver Platt, Rebecca Hall

The Deal: Following the resignation of President Richard Nixon (Langella), British talk show host David Frost conducts an exclusive series of one-on-one interviews with the former President. Nixon believes he can outwit Frost and regain the public's admiration, while Frost and his team hope to obtain the confession the country cries for. It's a battle that only one of them can win.

Thoughts: I was unaware that this story was told in somewhat of a docudrama fashion, but it always feels like a film and actually bolsters the historical significance of the interviews. The story is always engaging, and does a great job of constantly keeping tensions high between the two sides without being overdone.

The performances in the film were all good, but Langella and Sheen really stand out above the rest. Langella's portrayal of Nixon was frighteningly accurate and very commanding. He did a wonderful job of displaying the range of emotions written all over Nixon's face. Sheen was also excellent as Frost, cooly portraying the over-confident and in-over-his-head character. The supporting cast was solid, and I enjoyed the return of Kevin Bacon, whom I had not heard of in a while.

I feel the film does a wonderful job of portraying Nixon as a very human man, one who made mistakes he struggled to cope with himself. For all the wrong things Nixon did, it's almost impossible to not feel some compassion, bordering on forgiving him based on on sincerity in the final interview (credit to Langella). The film will not do anything to change people's views on the subject, but it is a great recount of the events that played out.

Verdict: The performances were spot-on and incredibly powerful. Langella's portrayal of Nixon will give you chills, and the story itself was constantly engaging. One of the years must see films. ☆☆☆☆

Farewell Scrubs

Well, tonight was the series finale of Scrubs. This is easily my favorite show of all-time, so I'm quite sad to see it go. The hour-long finale started off like your typical Scrubs episode, but the last 15 minutes are an absolutely perfect blend of what made the show so great. Scrubs' greatest strength has always been its ability to get you smiling, crying, and laughing all at the same time, and aside from Ben's funeral, no scene can really compare to this ending.

I've been working on a tribute video to commemorate Scrubs, and you can find it on my YouTube channel shortly (http://www.youtube.com/user/blue1231). If you're a Scrubs fan like I am and haven't discovered my channel yet, it's well worth a look and is quite popular actually.

Ok, enough promoting. The 8th season of Scrubs really built up to this episode, and it does feel like the right time to end. I'm sad it's over, but happy with what it gave us over the last 8 years. It's weird thinking that there's nothing new to look forward to. I know there have been rumors of a 9th season, but even producer Bill Lawrence has said that whatever happens, Scrubs ended with this finale, and anything new will be something different, though possibly with some familiar faces. Scrubs will never be forgotten, and it's episodes have endless rerun value. It may be over, but it'll always be with us. 

I'll leave you with the show's final scene...

Review: Role Models (2008)

Director: David Wain (Stella)

Cast: Paul Rudd (I Love You Man, Knocked Up), Seann William Scott (American Pie, The Dukes of Hazzard), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Superbad), Bobb'e J. Thompson, Elizabeth Banks (W., Zack and Miri Make a Porno), Jane Lynch (The 40 Year Old Virgin)

The Deal: Danny (Rudd) and Wheeler (Scott) are sentenced to 150 hours of community service for Sturdy Wings, a outreach program that provides kids with an adult mentor run by Gayle (Lyncg), and ex cocaine addict. Danny, who is struggling to get over his break up with Beth (Banks),  is assigned Augie (Mintz-Plasse), a geek who enjoys live action role playing in a Medieval reenactment society. Wheeler is assigned Roonie (Thompson), a foul-mouthed 5th grader with a complete lack of respect for his elders. After finally connecting with their "littles", Danny and Wheeler both screw up and seek to set things right.

Thoughts: The problem with most comedies these days is that the humor is just a hodgepodge of over-used and unoriginal jokes thrown together into a quickly written and unbelievable plot. But where so many have failed, Role Models succeeds. Every character in the film is a real-world plausibility, and though the plot at times is convenient, it's actually believable. It remains coherent while keeping a high level of comedy, and every character has something to learn from the people they meet.

Rudd and Scott are both at home playing horrendous adults with unsatisfying lives. Mintz-Plasse channels his inner McLovin again, perfectly playing the high-school geek living in his own fantasy word with parents that just don't understand. Thompson was an absolute gem in this movie. His lines are fairly funny to begin with, but coming from a 5th grader and with his delivery, he knocks them out of the ballpark. Lynch is absolutely hilarious, because everyone knows, or will know, that you don't try and BS a BSer.

Comedies live or die with the quality and originality of their jokes, so it only seems fit that I include a few of my favorite lines. They don't spoil the movie, but will give you a taste of what's in store. After meeting Augie, Danny says "I bet if I suggested a game of Quidditch he'd cum in his pants." I'm a big Harry Potter fan, and with a geek like Augie, this one left me laughing for days. Ronnie was full of great one-liners, but I love when Wheeler explains that even if you like looking at boobies, you have to know how to do it, to which Ronnie says "I like your take on Boobies". The kid is in 5th grade and what comes out of his mouth is dirtier and funnier than the funniest person you know.

Verdict: A solid comedy that stands out against 90% of it's genre. It's full of great laughs, and holds a good story through the end. If you're looking for some laughs, this is a good place to start. ☆☆☆☆

Movie Rewind: Jumper (2008)

Director: Doug Liman (Mr. and Mrs. Smith, The Bourne Identity)

Cast: Hayden Christensen (Star Wars, Life as a House), Rachel Bilson (The Last Kiss, The OC), Samuel L. Jackson (Star Wars, Snakes on a Plane), Jamie Bell (Billy Elliot)

The Deal: David Rice (Christensen) discovers that he has the ability to teleport anywhere he likes. Unbeknownst to him, there is a war between teleporters (known as "jumpers") and paladins, a group of people who feel this ability is an abomination. After reconnecting with his high school flame Millie (Bilson), he finds himself being hunted by the paladin Roland (Jackson) and meets another jumper, Griffin (Bell).

Thoughts: This first flaw occurred long before shooting ever started, and that is with the casting of Christensen as the lead. As anyone who's seen the Star Wars prequels can attest, he has almost no acting talent, and that streak continues here. His character, despite having a rather interesting ability, is quite boring and lazy (he teleported 2 feet across the sofa to get the remote). He just has no presence on screen, and if the audience can't connect with the lead character in any way, it's almost possible for the film to succeed.

Bilson's performance wasn't necessarily terrible, but it's very forgettable. When the lovely Bilson is in a movie and you can't remember much about it, that's not a good sign. As for Jackson, his character had potential to be yet another badass role in Jackson's long career. Unfortunately, his lines weren't very menacing, and his silver hair is distracting far more than it is menacing. I think it's unfair that the studio advertised Diane Lane so much, as she had less than 5 minutes of screen time, and unless there's a sequel (ugghhh) her character had very little relevance to the main story arc.

When it comes down to this, the script just wasn't what it could have been, and this may be a big contributer to the underwhelming performances. The plot was all over the place, as if it was a jumper itself. Despite knowing there were paladins hunting him, David for some reason refused to lay low at all, jumping for anything and everything. The biggest flaw is towards the end of the film, when David teleportss and entire house to save Millie. The guy has had powers for hardly no time at all, has used them simply for shits and giggles, and now he's the most powerful jumper in the world? It just isn't justified.

Verdict: Despite "jumping" being a rather interesting idea, the script and acting are absolutely terrible. One of the worst films I've seen, so no need to waste your time and money. ☆

Review: Doubt (2008)

Director: John Patrick Shanley

Cast: Meryl Streep (The Devil Wears Prada, Sophie's Choice), Philip Seymour Hoffman (Charlie Wilson's War, Capote), Amy Adams (Enchanted), Viola Davis

The Deal: A charismatic priest, Father Flynn (Hoffman), seeks to loosen the strict customs of St. Nicholas school, which is run by the stern Sister Aloysius (Streep). When Sister James (Adams) informs Sister Aloysius of her suspicion that Father Flynn is giving too much personal attention to the school's first African-American student, Donald Miller, Sister Aloysius embarks on on a personal crusade to unearth the truth with no evidence beyond her own personal certainty.

Thoughts: I've read some reviews that claimed the acting was over the top, but I tend to disagree.  Streep was relentless and absolutely vicious as Sister Aloysius, and I thought her performance was perfect for the role. As usual, Hoffman gave a stellar performance as Father Flynn, displaying both power and compassion. I was fairly surprised by Adams' performance given her past credentials, but she was excellent. Her character was so innocent and slightly naive, and fit her talents very well.

I am a little surprised that Viola Davis got an Oscar nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role. It's not that she didn't do a good job, because she did, but rather that her character had a very brief role in the film. The vast majority of screen time was taken by the leading three, and Davis was on screen for less than 10 minutes.

The story itself was well written and constantly gripping. The war between Sister Aloysius and Father Flynn was full of tension, and Sister James was great attempting to be somewhat of a moderator, but clearly in over her head. The ending was very powerful, and possibly a little surprising, though the title of the film is "Doubt." I like that it is open-ended to a degree, as it forces the viewer to really think over the film and try and construct their own conclusion.

Verdict: A gripping film marked by very powerful performances. It deserves all the critical praise it has gotten, and is definitely one of the year's must see films. ☆☆☆☆

Review: Fanboys (2009)

Director: Kyle Newman

Cast: Sam Huntington (Cavemen), Chris Marquette (Joan of Arcadia), Dan Fogler (Balls of Fury), Jay Baruchel (Knocked Up), Kristen Bell (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Veronica Mars)

The Deal: Four friends set out to steal a rough print of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace from George Lucas' Skywalker Ranch to honor the wishes of their dying friend. Their cross-country journey is full of crazy antics and one-liners that only die hard Star Wars fanboys could have.

Thoughts: Let's set some things straight before continuing with this review. This film is in no way intended to be some cinematic achievement, and it isn't. Its entertainment value will most likely only be truly appreciated by the Star Wars fans this was made for, and being a fan of Star Wars and growing up with a brother who is obsessed with it, I had no problem picking up on most every little reference.

The story itself is quite ridiculous, but if you get all their jokes it is fairly funny and entertaining. The number of cameos in this is insane, including some Star Wars alumni as well as well known Star Wars enthusiasts, but the best in my opinion was William Shatner as himself, doing his best to aid the boys just to spite Lucas. The acting is what you'd expect with mostly little known leads, but they are believable as fanboys. I wish Kristen Bell had a larger role, because she not only passed easily as a fangirl, but it made her even more attractive, if that's even possible.

I don't want to spoil too much of the film, but I do really want to share a couple of my favorite bits from the film, so if you don't want to know, then don't read this section. Seth Rogan played a Vegas pimp with a ton of Star Wars tattoos, and he had one on his back of Jar-Jar Binks and young Anakin, to which he says "Jar-Jar Binks, that guy's gonna be the shit, I tell you!" Next is the last line of the film, when they are in the theater as the movie is about to start, and the one says "hey you guys, what if the movie sucks?" Hindsight is really a wonderful thing for these scenes.

Verdict: Fanboys is a film by fanboys for fanboys, plain and simple. If you love Star Wars then you will definitely enjoy this film, but if you never caught on to the craze, it will fall flat. ☆☆☆

Movie Rewind: Amélie (2001)

Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Delicatessen)

Cast: Audrey Tautou (The Da Vinci Code), Mathieu Kassovitz (Munich), Rufus, Serge Merlin, Claire Maurier, Clotilde Mollet, Urbain Cancelier

The Deal: Due to a misdiagnosed heart condition, Amelie (Tautou) had very little human contact as a child, passing her time daydreaming and entertaining herself. She moves to the city to work as a waitress at a cafe, and one night she discovers a hidden box containing the childhood treasures of one of her apartment's previous residents. She sets out to return the treasure, and if the person was truly grateful to have it returned, she would devote her life to making the lives of the people around her better. Through her righteous escapades, she slowly discovers she's neglecting her own happiness and one shot at true love.

Thoughts: I was really impressed with the acting, especially that of Audrey Tautou. She did a wonderful job bringing Amelie to life to the point where the viewer finds themselves falling for her only to remember it's just a film. There were so many different layers to her character, from lovable and quirky, helpful and concerned, lost and confused, and Tautou really blended them all together nicely. The rest of the cast is not without their due praise, as almost every character was well performed. You really can't imagine anyone else in their respective roles.

The story itself was very strong and engaging. The characters bare their emotions on their sleeves, and you always keep wondering what's coming next. Dufayel (Merlin), an artist with "glass bone" syndrome, was very intriguing. I liked that in all of Amelie's attempts to help him, he then flips the roles, a scene I found very touching. The story line following the grocer Collignon (Cancelier) was noteworthy for it's great humor.

I particularly enjoyed the game of cat and mouse between Amelie and Nino (Kassovitz). It was so exciting watching her leave all the clues for him to follow the retrieve his lost photo album, only to lead into another game as they both became romantically interested in each other, yet struggled with their human contact issues of their respective childhoods. It was all executed well, maintaining the same level of cleverness with each exchange.

Verdict: An all around feel-good and charming film, one of the best foreign films I've seen. Hopefully you don't have any issues with subtitles, because this one is well worth seeing. ☆☆☆☆

Review: The Spirit (2008)

Director: Frank Miller (Sin City)

Cast: Gabriel Macht, Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction, Star Wars, Coach Carter), Scarlett Johansson (Lost in Translation, Match Point), Eva Mendes (Hitch, Ghost Rider), Sarah Paulson (Deadwood), Paz Vega (Spanglish)

The Deal: Denny Colt, a rookie cop who was killed in action, is brought back as The Spirit (Macht), a masked hero to protect the city capable of taking almost any beating. The Octopus (Jackson), with the help of his leading lady Silken Floss (Johansson), are after an artifact that will make him even more powerful, killing anyone who gets in their way. Unfortunately, Sand Saref (Mendes) steals the artifact before The Octopuss can, and The Spirit sets out to stop who ever is making trouble.

Thoughts: Having brought us Sin City and 300, I was quite excited when I first saw the trailer for Miller's latest work. As the release date loomed closer, I became worried when the film was panned by pretty much every critic imaginable, causing me to put off seeing it for a while. Sadly, critics were right.

The biggest complaint circulating was the large amounts of dialogue mixed with very little action, but that doesn't necessarily mean a disaster if the dialogue is engaging. Unfortunately, the dialogue was long, boring, and very corny. The action sequences more of the same type Frank Miller tends to do, but poorly executed. The style itself is growing old, there's too much of it out there. Limited action is fine so long as it is fresh, which this wasn't.

The acting was very unimpressive, though I'm not sure if it was the weak script or just bad acting, but I tend to lean towards it being both. The Spirit was fairly interesting, but his dialogue was just more of the same over and over, and The Octopus wasn't very menacing or believable, which is a waste of Samuel L Jackson's talent for such a thing. The leading ladies, and there were many of them, were all pretty to look at, but everything else about their performances was forgettable.

Verdict: Though the ending was actually pretty decent, the slew of problems dogging the rest of the film are far too apparent to overlook. See it if you must, but try and borrow it from a friend to save you the money. ☆☆

Review: Valkyrie (2008)

Director: Bryan Singer (The Usual Suspects, X2, Superman Returns)

Cast: Tom Cruise (Mission:Impossible, Jerry Maguire, Minority Report), Kenneth Branagh (Hamlet, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets), Bill Nighy (Love Actually, Pirates of the Caribbean), Tom Wilkinson (In  the Bedroom, Michael Clayton), Eddie Izzard (The Riches), Terence Stamp (Yes Man, Smallville), Jamie Parker, David Bamber 

The Deal: Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg (Cruise) is afraid that Europe and Germany will be destroyed if someone doesn't kill Hitler (Bamber). He joins a resistance alongside General Friedrich Olbricht (Nighy), General Ludwig Beck (Stamp), and his adjutant Lieutenanat Werner von Haeften (Parker), and devises a plan to alter Operation Valkyrie, Hitler's emergency continuity of government plan, and then kill Hitler to siege control and save Sacred Germany.

Thoughts: The film is based on the real-life actions of Stauffenberg, and does a good job of providing great pace and tension. Even at his height of power, some of Hitler's own countrymen felt he had gone too far and needed to be stopped, and I really enjoyed watching it all unfold on screen. Despite knowing that their attempt at assassination would fail, the film really keeps you tied in and hoping that they can pull it all off.

Ever since Cruise started all his hysterics and scientology ramblings, I've really been turned off by all of his performances, including this one. Thankfully for the film, the rest of the cast does an excellent job, one that completely overshadows my feelings towards Cruise. Despite their commitment to the cause they view justified and necessary, the actors all mixed just the right amount of fear into their performances, and it made their characters so much more believable.

The one thing that nagged at me the whole film, and it's not something the film is at fault for, is that I don't understand how they couldn't pull of a kill. Stauffenberg was repeatedly within arms reach of Hitler, and instead of devising a plan involving sneaking a gun in to do the job, they devise a more complicated plan that relies on too many variables. If they really were committed to stopping Hitler, and were willing to sacrifice their lives for the cause, it would have been a hell of a lot easier to die putting a bullet in Hitler's head, and then letting the rest of the plan follow.

Verdict: Cruise is overshadowed by the rest of the cast to the benefit of the film, and it has a compelling and entertaining story. It's well worth a rental. ☆☆☆1/2

Review: The Wrestler (2008)

Director: Darren Aronofsky (The Fountain, Requiem for a Dream, Pi)

Cast: Mickey Rourke (Sin City), Marisa Tomei (Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, My Cousin Vinny), Evan Rachel Wood (Across the Universe)

The Deal: Randy "The Ram" Robinson (Rourke) lives for the thrill and admiration of his wrestling fans, but his glory years were in the 80's and the turmoils of his job have started to catch up with his body. After a near-fatal heart attack leaves him questioning his life, he seeks to make amends with his neglected daughter Stephanie (Wood) while also trying to strike up a relationship with Cassidy (Tomei), an aging stripper who's best years also seem to be behind her.

Thoughts: This really was the perfect role for Rourke to prove he still had plenty of talent left in him. His portrayal of The Ram is effortless and so believable and honest. His look is exactly like one would imagine a pro wrestler who's past their prime, and Rourke acts the part in the same manner. It's these types of roles that will really allow Rourke to blossom on screen, and hopefully he finds more like it.

Unfortunately, outside of Rourke's performance, there is little else to rave about. Tomei was alright as a stripper, but she just didn't have much presence on screen. Wood's role was very underdeveloped and prevented her from ever getting the chance to stand out. The story was decent, about what you'd expect for a film about a washed up wrestler, but the viewers most likely to connect with The Ram are middle school boys who haven't quite realized how bad pro wrestling is.

The biggest things that jumped out to me while watching the film were the poor scene transitions. They were incredibly abrupt, instantly cutting away from one scene and into a completely different one. It made to flow very choppy, and was a big turn off for me. It reminded me of when I first started editing videos for YouTube and hadn't learned the transitions yet, so all the clips were directly butting against each other.

Verdict: Rourke's performance was wonderful and carried this film, pretty much everything it was touted to be, but it's not enough to distract from the underwhelming supporting cast and slightly better than average story. Worth seeing, but no need to rush. ☆☆☆1/2

Review: Gran Torino (2008)

Director: Clint Eastwood

Cast: Clint Eastwood (Million Dollar Baby, Unforgiven), Bee Vang, Ahney Her, Christopher Carley

The Deal: Walt Kowalski (Eastwood) is a disgruntled, hard-nosed, and racist Korean War vet trying to cope with the recent death of his wife. After his neighbor Thao (Vang) attempts to steal his 1972 Gran Torino on a dare, Walt finds himself in possession of Thao for a week as a means to work off his wrong doing. As Walt gets to know Thao and his sister Sue (Her), he finds himself warming up to his neighbors, and personally takes on the task of protecting them from the escalating gang violence in the area.

Thoughts: Walt is about as racist as a man could possibly be, to the point where you almost find yourself laughing at the severity of his racism. As the film moves forward, it does a good job of showing that Walt actually is a good man, and that most of his problems stem from regrets and experiences in his past. Eastwood has no problem selling this role, it's as if he's right at home with the character.

The story does an excellent job of using Walt as a source for humor, whether it was intended or not. I found it quite funny that when he ran out of chores for Thao to do, he had Thao fix up the house across the street because he was tired of looking at a "dump" from his porch. Thao and Sue are both very well developed, and the relationship they have with Walt really jumps off the screen. These casting clearly worked very well together.

Though I will not spoil the ending, I find it pleasantly ironic that a racist man like Walt, who is surrounded purely by immigrants, becomes so respected in the neighborhood. He went through a large transformation through the film, and his discussions with Father Janovich (Carley) really show those changes.

Verdict: A very strong effort by Eastwood, worthy of the accolades critic's have been bestowing upon it. The story was compelling and the acting was good. One of the best films of the year, and a must see.☆☆☆☆

Movie Rewind: The Fall (2006)

Director: Tarsem Singh

Cast: Lee Pace (Pushing Daisies), Catinca Untaru, Justine Waddell, Robin Smith, Jeetu Verma, Leo Bill, Marcus Wesley

The Deal: Roy Walker (Pace) is in a hospital after a fall during a movie stunt, and to top it off, he's heartbroken  because his girlfriend left him for the leading man. Alexandria (Untaru) is in the hospital after breaking her arm in a fall while working in an orange orchard. On the verge of suicide, Walker befriends Alexandria and begins to tell her a story about four heroes in hope of persuading her to get him some morphine to help him "sleep."

Thoughts: Filmed in over 20 countries from around the world over a span of 4 years, and sporting little to no CGI, this quite possibly is the most visually stunning film I've ever scene. I marveled at the beauty and grandeur of the sets, mesmerized by the thought that the images on screen appear exactly as they are in real life. 

The acting was very good despite a cast of relative unknowns. Anyone who has seen the show "Pushing Daisies" will be delighted to find Pace in yet another unique and interesting role, one which he performs believably. Untaru is perfect as Alexandria, displaying the perfect amount of childhood innocence and wonder at the fantasy tale. Most every actor in this film had duel roles, one in the real world hospital, and one in the fantasy tale, and their real life appearance influences their fantasy appearance.

The story was quite good, a very engrossing fantasy tale aimed at adults. I thought the script could have been a little sharper, but compared to most films in this genre, it is in the top tier. The real and fantasy elements bled nicely together and tend to feed off of and influence each other flawlessly.

Verdict: Worth seeing for the visuals alone, the strong acting and solid script make for a dynamite fantasy adventure. I recommend you get a nice big TV, and then just sit back and enjoy.☆☆☆☆

Liked It? Try These: Pan's Labyrinth (2006), The City of Lost Children (1995), Big Fish (2003), MirrorMask (2005)

Summer Movie Picks: May

With May about a week away, we are fast approaching the summer movie season, so here's a look at my top picks for the month.

Must See: Star Trek (May 8th)

The Deal: Director J.J. Abrams (Cloverfield, LOST, Alias) brings a new vision to the Star Trek universe with his chronicle of James T. Kirk (Chris Pine, Smokin' Aces) and his early years in Starfleet and ascension to U.S.S. Enterprise captain. Also starring Zachary Quinto (Heroes, 24) as Spock, Simon Pegg (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead) as Scotty, Karl Urban (The Lord of the Rings) as Dr. Leonard McCoy, and Eric Bana (Troy, Munich) as Nero. Leonard Nemoy will be playing "Old Spock."

Why: Abrams is a hot director coming off of his recent success with the film Cloverfield and the wildly popular TV show LOST. From what I've seen from the movie trailers, he's done his best to make a Star Trek film that will appeal to both Trekkies and the casual movie viewer. The visuals I've seen so far are great and very promising for the film. From what I've previously seen of the Star Trek world, the show was corny and the films all sucked (I am aware I just pissed off a very very large community). That aside, this looks like the first big-budget summer blockbuster that will prove both entertaining and satisfying to movie goers and Trekkies alike looking for some overblown CGI, a familiar cast, and a movie that even if disappointing should provide enough entertainment to justify the ridiculous theater prices.

Sleepers

Angels & Demons (May 15): Tom Hanks returns as Robert Langdon in the sequel to The Da Vinci Code, and joining him this round is Ewan McGregor. Though many found The Da Vinci Code somewhat disappointing, the books are very popular and this installment should prove enjoyable enough. Personally, I felt Angels & Demons was the better of the two books, so here's to hoping Ron Howard's new film follows suit.

Terminator Salvation (May 22): Christian Bale takes a crack at John Connor in a film I believe many are overlooking. Though likely to sadly meet the chopping block, FOX's Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles proved that the Terminator universe had not run its coarse and that there were plenty of interesting things that could still be done. We all heard Bale's outburst from the set of this film, so here's to hoping that the writers and McG took things just as seriously.

Up (May 29): Hopefully the next great Pixar film, Up is the first to be filmed in Disney Digital 3-D. Pixar really isn't in the department of making bad movies, and from the little bits I've seen, this could be another decent one. It looks to have some humor, but I'm guessing this will be an adventurous movie. With or without raving reviews, this is Pixar, and it's also the first family-friendly summer "blockbuster."

Aaaaaand Action!

I like movies. I like TV shows. I like reviewing and discussing movies and TV shows. Now that that's settled, I can get to work on what this page is all about. Old, new, and upcoming movies and shows are all fair game, and I hope to have a fair mix of the lot. Since this isn't a job and I'm not getting paid, I can't promise reviews on all of the latest movies hitting theaters. Though my motto has always been "I'll watch any movie once," that doesn't mean I don't have my preferences. I'm a big fan of sci-fi/fantasy, action, and comedy, but every genre has its gems. Well, that's that. Enjoy!