The Beach (Can't Rate)

What's your favorite book of all time? Now has that book been made into a movie? Then the final question is a two parter. Did you like it and how did it hold up against the book?

So I saw "The Beach" a couple years ago, I missed the first ten minutes but picked it up quite fast. I loved it the first time. It's "Fight Club" meets "Lord of the Flies" and little "Blue Lagoon" (but that's more for scenery than anything else). I watched the full movie that weekend (AMC played it like 4 times that week). It came on TV every couple of months and for about a year I saw it about 5 times. I bought it for 8 dollars and proudly had it in my DVD collection. I then bought the book at Barnes and Nobles ( I say that so you know where to buy it.) so I could really appreciate it. I read a couple of chapters every night for the next month and finished it. I was shocked over some of the changes the movie had. Why change it? I realized they had to make a bankable hollywood movie... fuck them first of all. The second thing is I don't even see why, the book is considered a fantastic fiction book, was considered one of the top 10 books the year it came out. It wasn't until my second time reading did I fully appreciate the book and how much it meant to me. I said it in a early blog post, I enjoy the book more than my favorite movie. So how can I judge something I love that has been tainted in some ways?

"The Beach" opens with a backpacker named Richard (Leonardo DiCaprio, horrible casting choice, but it fits if you never read the book). So he talks about the typical thing a backpacker does after arriving in a foreign county. He follows the tourist trends where we all go to foreign places just to do what we can do at home. It's why I won't take a cruise and hate staying in nice western hotels in third world countries, I've slummed it before and it's a experience. Richard is in Bangkok Thailand where he meets while trying to sleep one night a peculiar scotsman named Daffy (Robert Carlyle). Daffy talks about a paradise on a deserted island. The next day the scotsman has slashed his wrists and has left Richard a map. He along with a french couple Etienne and Francoise (Guillaume Canet and Virginie Ledoyen, perfect casting) go this beach hoping to do something different. I personally love that idea. To many times I feel like a tourist and am not doing something exciting and new. I'd accept the beach offer in a heartbeat. So of course they get to the beach and there's a community living on one side and drug farmers on the other. The three settle in with the community and experience life changing events all so that they can get there thousand yard stare. Generation X as it was called at the time has a story to identify with (I somewhat belong in X as well, Z is a strange place).

What hurts is that 3/4 of the movie is very different from the book. If somebody told you a beloved story of yours and changed half of it, would you like it? There's still a great part, but the worse part overshadows it. Somedays I can live with "The Beach" movie and rate based on the film content, others I call it the worst thing I've ever seen (it's not, just I'm a fan of the book way to much). There's two parts in the movie that have made my very angry because it's such a change. "The Road" was a perfection adaption of a magnificent book. Nothing was changed and nothing important left out. I give that movie a 10/10 and loved everything about it (movie qualities too) "Lord of the Rings" left out material (I understand most the Harry Potter films did too), but the film product is too epic to be called weaker. Fans of the book just prefer there story, not actively hate the film adaptions. Then there are the book-film transitions that are good, but leave out detail that you really enjoyed. I read "Shutter Island" a week before I saw the movie and preferred the book, the characters were more fleshed out. Yet the story was 95% the same, so why hate it? "The Beach" has a taken concept and warped around to fit new purposes. It's hard to watch for me sometimes, but others I remember how much I liked it the first time. Either way it's a story so compelling, addictive, amazing and life changing it's worth checking out (book over movie, but if aren't a reader then the movie is a cheap supplement).

Can't rate it because the score changes every month and feels like having personal take into it.
Recommendation: Watch it, maybe it will get you to read the book
PS: I know I said like complainer here, but a book to film adaption review is something I've yet to try.

Super 8 (9/10)

So the summer of 2011 has it's best blockbuster so far and will likely stay that way. "Super 8" is fun, exciting, funny, heart-felt (VERY heart-felt even), dramatic and nostalgic. It takes the best parts of classic 70's-80's movies and brings it to the present. I felt I was watching a mix of "The Goonies", "E.T" and "Cloverfield" (minus the fact that was recent and produced by JJ Abrams too). "Super 8" is the reason to go sit in a dark movie theater when the sun is shining and not regret it.

So Joe Lamb (amazing first role by Joel Courtney) and his father (Kyle Chandler) are moving on after their mother/wife dies in a accident. Joe spends his time with his "Stand By Me" style friends and makes movies. They're planning on making a movie for a local teen contest, they show more motivation then I ever did. They recruit Alice (the lovable and future ruler of Hollywood Elle Fanning) as the wife in their zombie film and film late at a train station one night. A giant train accident (sort of hehe) happens and something is unleashed onto the town. I'll leave the plot details vague because it will be so much more wonderful for you to see them on your own, it's worth it.

Besides the nostalgic feel of the film, I also praise it for how smart it plays out. They mention early in the film that their home movie needs story to make it a good movie. I almost started laughing the theater because it's the truest thing I've heard in a while. The reason "Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon" is being slammed by many critics (not all however) is because it lacks a story. Mindless action in a movie with no connection is... awful. I joke that I would have paid money to see "Fast Five" twice if the entire movie was 30 minutes of The Rock and Vin Diesel fighting like how Peter and the chicken do in Family Guy. I can just watch UFC for the action and WWE for characters, the Rock/Vin movie would be pointless. Giant battles with amazing special effects and awful story is still bad in general. Back to "Super 8" now, this movie let's the characters and environment build, mood develop, and climax peek high to make a thrilling movie. The train exploding scene was a bit much though, just because the next few scenes will be lost because of how grand it was. They lose the story for effects there, not mixing the two as they should. Once the movie hooks you (it takes longer then I hoped) it won't let go. A truly addictive feeling. I love when monster/alien movies take the time to build suspense. "Monsters" and "Alien" did it magnificently and it shows compared too some movies like "Alien vs Predator" (I couldn't think of a stand alone movie of the top of my head).  The movie is easy to love and gives a kick to get your blood going. "Super 8" is the best blockbuster of the 2011 summer and is easily a contender for best summer blockbusters of the last ten years.

9/10
Recommendation: Nostalgic and monster/alien film fans enjoy. I highly recommend it to everyone though, a first rate movie.

Dummy (6.5/10)

Sometimes you wonder "what's the point of making this movie?" I hate the thought personally because I try to give every movie a chance ("Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" and "Good Luck Chuck" included). Why do the actors sign onto the roles? How come the director takes on the project (if he didn't write it)? I think every film should be given a chance, and I can say I'm glad I've stuck many of those skeptical ones out until the end. "Dummy" is a movie that seems to show no real importance, but it works well with what it has.

Adrien Brody plays a shy man who comes out of his shell through ventriloquism. Like "Perfume: Story of a Murder" and "All The Real Girls" (clowns), I've gained a new respect for a field. It takes alot of skill and personal strength to make it work well. So Brody's character meets Vera Farmiga's and the two make eyes for one another. They have problems and the whole ordeal, but the two's performances and convincing characters will win you over. Milla Jovovich plays an odd street tuff role as Brody's best friend. She is part of the reason I questioned the purpose of the movie. Strange character and weird acting, but by the end you'll come around too (sort of). Jared Harris does wonders with his two scenes as a crazy theatrical ex fiancee of Brody's sister however. Sometimes breaking out of ones shell is important to find true happiness in your life. You don't get those wasted hours back (as much as you want them). Seeing others do it may help yourself try something new too.

6.5/10
Recommendation: If you like Brody, strange yet interesting characters, and ventriloquism then "Dummy" is for you.

Movies you should stop watching after a certain point

How many times have you watched a movie and the last act or so sucks? It happens to me a lot. I'm not talking about an ending, like a twist. However just a new angle enters the movie and it goes downhill for on average I'd say the next 45 minutes. So here's a list of movies you should just consider turning off after certain points, and the movie will be much better for it. This list is for fun, I'd never really suggest stop watching a movie, but if your dvd is somehow got scratched then thank whoever did that. This entire list will have spoliers FYI. This list is personal so you my not agree with me, but I think it makes sense. "So... here...we...go" (note: just because I quoted "The Dark Knight", does not mean it belongs on this list. That's a masterpiece from beginning to end.)

"Jurassic Park II"
So remember the part where the T-Rex is running around the suburbs of some town at the end movie. Just cause King Kong can do it in NYC, then why can't a dinosaur? Well when said dinosaur kills everyone on board a ship, yet is still somehow stuck below, Jeff Goldblum tries again to make a memorable quote (and fails), there's like two bad gimmick jokes ("there's no dinosaur out your window timmy") and a mess of other things happen that explains why. So I suggest stop watching when the get on the helicopter to leave the island, them flying away like the other two films makes sense.

"The Girl Next Door"
The scene when Matthew (Emile Hirsch) works up the courage to walk over and kiss Danielle (Elisha Cuthbert) is actually quite sweet. Top it off with This Year's Love by David Gray and it's a very nice scene. Actually everything up until this point has been great. The first time you see Danielle is engraved into my memory. After the kiss enter the porn angle and it all goes sour. The first third isn't groundbreaking and as pure as it seems. It's still sweet and has some strength in a "Risky Business"  style. Danielle's character loses almost all thought and just follows whatever director Kelly (Timothy Olyphant) says. The film is devoid of charm now and it's just bad. I can think of only two scenes after the kiss I actually like, not just tolerate. I still enjoy this movie, but an amazing first half and a poor second half don't add up well.

"The Beach"
This may sound strange coming from me, but I enjoy my favorite book more than my favorite movie. "The Beach" by Alex Garland is my favorite book and an average movie. The first half isn't too bad. It changes some details but nothing major. However not only is the second half drastically different from the book, but in general just a poorer part. I saw the movie first and felt the same way. The best way to make this movie better is to stop it after Richard (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Francoise (Virginie Ledoyen) kiss. This seen never happens in the book and I hate that part because of it (it works so much better without it), but it would be a nice place to stop for the average movie goer. I'd suggest reading the book over the movie, but the kiss should be the final straw you should take from the strange ending. I may be writing a list for best and worst book adaptions soon so look out for that one.

"Spirits: Origins Of The Past"
An animated movie but the point remains the same. I love the first half and despise (maybe too strong a word, but still) the second. The first part shows a town in a future where the forest has overtaken most the world. The small town banter is fun and the characters are incredibly pleasant. The film's colors are a wonder for the eye. Too bad the action heavy and bizarre second half seem forced. Stop watching after the character Agito enters the forest, know you've seen all you really have too.

"Sunshine"
I'm actually going to just post a excerpt from a list and review that sums up my thoughts quite well

Where it turns bad: let’s make this a slasher movie!

Sunshine is one of those great unheralded sci-fi movies.  It has a clean, simple concept — a handful of humans are on a mission to re-ignite the dying sun.  Its characters are well-drawn and well-acted.  The plot is specific, well thought-out, and it contains some of the most suspenseful scenes I’ve ever witnessed.  No joke.

But then the movie doesn’t live up to its promise in the final half hour, which is your basic there’s-a-killer-on-the-ship slasher movie in space.  It’s depressing, but I’m telling you right now: watch it anyway.  The rest of the movie is too insanely good to give up on just because of a sub-par third act.

and

"it's during the final act that Garland's science-based approach starts to go haywire, as he struggles for a conclusion to his Big Idea and can only come up with a fuzzy religioso message (rather like "2010") capped by an increasingly visceral, killer-on-the-loose finale. Latter becomes progressively more ridiculous after the script's earlier, careful calibrations."

yea that's how I feel too.

"The Village" 

I've never met a person who likes the ending of this movie. Most just hate the whole thing. I myself like the first half and think the other is beyond ridiculous. I say stop watching after Joaquin Phoenix and Bryce Dallas Howard kiss. The true nature of the village seems interesting for 5 seconds and then just feels cheap. The first half is good not great, but the second is undeniably bad

"I Am Legend"

I actually was going to write something but on the same list where i found the "Sunshine" except I saw one that summed up my feelings for this one too. so here's the link (I'm allowed to be lazy once and a while)

Where it turns bad: the dog dies.

It’s not the dog dying that makes the movie suck.  That part’s sad.  It’s just that before the dog dies, it’s a really cool movie about the last man on earth: we begin with old footage of a woman on TV claiming that they’ve cured cancer, and then we smash cut to a completely empty Manhattan.  Will Smith carries the movie on his back like the pro he is as we find more about who he is and how he avoids the creepy screaming things that come out at night.

It’s all very cool until the dog dies, Will Smith tries to kill himself, and two other humans show up.  Then it’s just a lot of lame CGI nonsense, a shoehorned-in message about spirituality, and an ending that wimps out.

I'll probably update this list from time to time, so heads up.

Return To The Blue Lagoon (5.5/10)

Going into a movie with the lowest expectations can be a good thing, often great. I saw "The Warrior's Way" and "Adventureland"with low expectations and came out loving them (the later more so). I went into "Inception", "300", and "Sucker Punch" with very high expectations and they were not met, part of me will never truly love those movies because of it. "Return To The Blue Lagoon" is a poor movie that should be watched with knowing nothing going in. It'll be better that way.

I knew vague details the original going in, you apparently don't need to know much about that one cause their almost completely different. I'm not even going to explain the plot really here. One good sentence and you can guess the entire plot easily. So a mother, her daughter and a cast away boy (not related) wash up on shore of a deserted island. The children grow up, the mother passes away, and what will you know... the kids get feelings for each other. I guess this movie has a theme of deserted islands = pure and untainted love. Yea it's descent but nothing memorable. I'd rather live some deserted island with a beautiful woman scenario then watch a mediocre movie about it. I won't lie, I went into this movie for the same reason everyone else did. Nobody watches this movie without waiting for the "it" factor. Everyone is watching to see "when are these two going to fuck?" (quoted from a major film critic). Milla Jovovich is very pretty, but this movie is too soft for soft core porn. Seeing as how everyone watching wants to see the sex, they do a bad job showing it. Watching "The Dreamers" before this makes that movie look the dirtiest porn ever. The film looks rather nice which makes it easy to watch, but it has little else going for it.

5.5/10
Recommendation: For gooey romantic types. Strike that, it's more for the people who watch those romance movies where guy A meets girl B and 1:30 hours later they kiss and some popular song at the time the movie came out plays as the credits roll. Like those things then here you go. Otherwise stay away.

Black Death (9.5/10)

This film swept the floor with me. I did not expect this movie to be so brilliant. I heard good things, so I thought it be decent. However this is a serious adrenaline filled gem of work. "Black Death" is one hell of ride. It's got traces of so many great horror themes it was gripping the entire time. It has ideas of a zombie film with the infestation, how it spreads and the fear it causes among the populace. It had glimpses of "The Wicker Man" with whole creepy community thing. The film does it like "Rob Roy" and "The Eagle" doesn't use big special effects and lets the combat flourish realistically. I even find a similarity with the video game Castlevania. that game series often has a darker hero fighting demons in a land God has abandoned. I'd say the land the film takes place in has not felt God's hand in a long time.

A young monk Osmund (Eddie Redmayne) lives in a time where the black plague is killing all and causes the people to become savages, burning witches to appease God. A knight assigned by the bishop comes to the small monastery looking for a guide. Osmund quickly volunteers. The two are joined by several mercenaries as they go to a town where a necromancer resides and God is no where to be seen. No one in the film is innocent, it is a dark time. The mercenaries are given enough of a backstory to be interesting but still expendable. The knight Ulrich (Sean Bean showing once again he is one the most underrated talents woking today) is described as a man "more dangerous than the pestilence". Langiva (Carice Van Houten), the woman in charge of the town looks to be a angel in this hell. However is that not what the devil does, he tricks and deceives you. Or is it the knight and God who have destroyed this land? I'm trying my best not to give away to much of the story but it will keep you guessing even when you think you have the answer. I love this fact. I guess twist endings more than I should and the rest of the film goes downhill from there. With "Black Death" you want to see the mystery unfold just as much as the truth be told. There is a scene that clenches Ulrich as one of the biggest badasses of all time. It's dark, gritty, action packed, hard with the morales and one to remember. Two thumbs way up from me.

9.5/10
Recommendation: Please watch it! It's so entertaining that it can't not be like or at least peak your interest from time to time. It's now on Netflix instant que. I highly recommend it.

The Dreamers (10/10)

This may start to ramble and seem disorganized at times. It's just thoughts and feelings coming out. It may be the most important review yet.

I like to think that this movie was made with me in mind. Maybe not me specifically, but someone like me. It's a mix of things. There is the fact the main character and I are alike in so many ways (my life could have turned out like this). The plot is something I understand quite well. More than that even, part of this film is my life perfectly. It has a lot of layers and ideas, I prefer the thinking films. It' not like a song you hear or another movie you watch and then think "this is about me". I would say this movie is more like a song, movie, book or whatever that you just get lost in and love. Something so intoxicating and stimulating that you don't want to look away. I'll say here that this movie is not for everyone, it's NC-17 and I can see why. This kind of movie is made for people like me... Cinephiles, Cinemaholics or most commonly known as film buffs.

I'll start with the plot here and branch out afterwards. Matthew (Michael Pitt) is an american studying in Paris in 1968. He never attends class and instead spends all his time at the Cinematheque Francaise. "Only the French... only the French would house a cinema in a palace". 1968 was a different times in movies but I'll talk about that later. Matthew sits in the theater for movie after movie, with the same people. All of them fixated with what's on screen. They even sit closer to the screen because Matthew thinks they all want to see they movie first (no matter how small the time really is). France was in a violent time as the whole world was. The cinephiles had their own revolution and France was at the heart of it all. The founder of the Cinematheque got into some trouble and the people came out protesting for his rights. Matthew at a rally meets Isabelle (Eva Green) who's chained to a fence at the entrance of the place (chained to the movies? Symbolism alert!). "You're awfully clean for someone who goes to the cinema so much." He's clean cut and cleanly innocent. They begin talking, Matthew a bit shy at first. Soon enter Theo (Louis Garrel), Isabella's twin brother he too hits it off with Matthew. The three leave after things turn violent and wander the city. They talk movies, politics, music and just really enjoy each other's company. Matthew returns to his small hotel room late singing and writes to his mother that he has finally met some really Parisians. I'm not too sure what happens next, but I think he masturbates. The film cuts before your sure and if that's true it's showing how clean he still is. It won't stay that way for long.

Matthew goes to the twins place for dinner in their huge apartment. Their father, a famous author, is a realist. He tells Theo that he can't hide from the world and wonders why Matthew can be so easily distracted. The parents leave for a month to go to the coast. They leave money for the kids and expect them to go to school... yea right. They invite Matthew to stay in the guest room and wall themselves up the apartment. They hardly leave the place and continue to discuss their interests. They talk about Clapton vs Hendrix and Keaton vs Chaplin. I agree with Matthew and his points are exactly what I would say (more reason to like the movie). I mean yes Clapton did change the electric guitar, but Hendrix could have done the same thing if he wanted. Hendrix plays with his teeth and it's incredible. The Keaton and Chaplin is an argument I could only dream of. The answer is Keaton, Chaplin is great, but Keaton is better. Like Matthew says Keaton is funny when he's just standing there and his stunt work is beyond phenomenal. they reenact scenes from famous movies and quote famous lines. Isabelle says she was born not from her parents but was born in 1959 after seeing "Breathless", she then yells the opening of the film and then we see the actual footage. This happens alot. They run through the Louvre trying to beat the record from the film "Band Of Outsiders". It's whimsical and darling. When they first invite Matthew they chant "one of us, one of us" The famous line from "Freaks". We see the actual footage not as a point of reference, but as a homage. They are a tribute to show how in love with the cinema the characters, the director and some members of audience (people like me) truly are. We follow Matthew mostly in these scenes. The director want you to show you his view of the world and the twins.

The apartment games soon take a different note and her comes the NC-17 material. The twins have sort of a... incest thing going. I don't believe they have sex, but they'll watch each do everything. If they can't guess the correct movie title, they pay the price. Isabelle has Theo masturbate to a poster "like no one was around". Theo tells Matthew to have sex with his sister as he watches. It's not cruel to them, Theo says he never feels forced, it's all a game. Matthew is disturbed but he doesn't leave. Part of him is curious. It's almost horrifying to watch Matthew come to terms with it because we are just as startled. However once he accepts it so do we and then the audience can't look away. Matthew describes how he once watched his parents have sex through the keyhole of their door. He was disturbed but couldn't stop. It was like watching the most personal film ever. He leaves a changed person. I think the audience goes through a similar situation. The NC-17 rating after watching it seems too much. It's because we have become so use to the world the characters live as well. There is full frontal male and female nudity and convincingly real sex scenes. Plus some blood from Isabelle's "private place" is pretty present. I feel the NC-17 rating is bullshit personally. Why? It's about sex. "Hostel" and "Saw" are rated R with extreme violence (I've seen worse but those are mainstream high-grossing movies) "Casino" said "fuck" over 300 times and used just about every dirty word in the book, that's R. Then how come nudity and sex is considered too far? "Blue Valentine" had too fight for the R rating because it was originally NC-17. It was never cut for material and I saw it... nothing went even close to "too far". "Antichrist" came close but honestly too far means to me that I can't watch it. People fainted watching "The Exorcist" and "127 Hours", when have you heard of people fainted watching a sex scene in a movie? This whole rant is about what cinephiles and movies and what they mean to us.

I kind of wish I was in 1968 right now. Matthew is a couple of months older than I am so it's about the right time. Film in France at the time was going some radical changes that made what movies are today. It was call the New Wave Era in movies and the things they did were game changes. Movies at this time were different as well. Actually not different, the time was different. People use to crowd into movie theaters and this was the only real way to watch the movies. No DVD, no Netflix and no Redbox. So people were seeing movies that were new every time. Movies weren't just copies of copies like today. Don't get me wrong, I love today's movies. I think the world is too big now, and that changed how cinephiles operate. I can still go to the movies, but it's not like the old day where everything was groundbreaking. Now movie theaters operate more for the occasional movie goer compared to the cinephiles who would do it not because they were looking to watch a big blockbuster, but they didn't know what else to do with their time. Movies are our lives.

So now of the nature of the sexual games and accepting it... that's what cinephiles do. We're probably some of the most tolerate people out there. We watch movies about anything and so nothing seems strange to us. I watch all genres and all plots. Weird sexual games is nothing strange to me. Incest is odd, but like I said, you eventually don't care about it in the film anymore, your too entertained. Cinephiles are romantics and want to see the unknown in the area. A true cinephile will watch anything (if it has potential). We love movies because to us it's magic. The best times of our lives are to movies. It's like a husband and wife who look lovingly upon the movie they saw on their first date. Cinephiles look for this connection in movies.

Some criticized this movie for not having a true plot and just the director reliving his glory days. The movie has a plot, it's just evolving. It moves to new stages as the film progresses. It's very interesting that way, you don't know what will happen next. Then the director issue, I don't see a problem. He's addressing a time period (in one of the best ways I've ever seen) that he lived through. It's not all about him but dealing with a mind frame the whole generation felt.

While the three are locked up inside the world is tearing itself apart outside. After a truly intense scene something bad will happen and only a brick flying through the window will literally and figuratively save their lives. The problems of the outside world can no longer be ignored. They walk out and join a angry mob. Theo and Isabelle join the violent members and pick up a molotov cocktail and look to attack the police riot squad. Matthew yells for them to stop and says this is not them. They are romantics, pacifists and cinephiles. Not anarchists and violent people. Theo and Isabelle are people of the times and can't live a life of their own. They look at Matthew before charging the police. Matthew looks at them one last time before walking into the angry mob and disappearing. Bernardo Bertolucci has captured an entire generation, "The Movie Generation", in a 2 hour film. This is beautiful and magnificent film, a masterpiece.

10/10
Recommendation: You gotta be open minded and have a decent love for film, but you'll be entranced.
PS: Michael Pitt is almost a doppelganger of Leonardo DiCaprio, but at times looks alot like a very young Marlon Brando, star of Bertolucci's masterpiece "Last Tango In Paris" (which Bernardo made when he was only 24). Perfect casting right here (for all the cast too).

The Joneses (6/10)

 So what happens when you just don't care for the plot of a movie? Most people stop, I try not too. So I gave it a shot and I don't regret it. To bad the film isn't anything that special.

I saw the quick plot the airplane monitor told me what the film was about. It sounded interesting but then 10 minutes I just stopped caring. I feel most people will. It revolves around a "family" who have a secret. A company hires actors and sales people to portray a perfect family. Each member then subliminally advertises products so that people in the community will buy them. It's a product placement scheme with people in your actual life. You want to be like the perfect family so you act like them. It's smart, I even wondered if it would work in real life (or if it really happens). However once you know the plot, it gets predictable and never gets a hold on you.

Steve (David Duchovny) plays the father and tries to impress the mother (Demi Moore) through his sales. He likes her and wants to be more than her pretend wife. Their fake children Jenn and Mike have their own problems. Jenn (Amber Heard, she's still one great role away from being a Hollywood power force) is kind of.... a slut. She ends up gets feelings a for a married man who she started sleeping with to try to sell perfume to him. Mike is gay and has to act straight, the film only really deals with this as a problem once, too bad cause it was better then his police/drunk driving angle (you'll see). The film can't make up it's mind between satire and drama. I had the same problem with "Kick-Ass", but that I still consider a success. The Joneses on the outside are the perfect family, a messed up one on the inside and an ok movie.

6/10
Recommendation: Watch it to kill some time, no need to buy it. It's still pretty decent though.

Cedar Rapids (8.5/10)

From minute one I think you'll realize that your in for a treat. Cedar Rapids is one of the most enjoyable comedies I've seen this year and I'm pretty sure it will remain so. It's got charm/sweetness, humor,  a lot of little things you'll just love and a marvelous cast.

So we are introduced into the life of Tim Lippe (Ed Helms hitting a home-run), a man child in the insurance game. He's sleeping with his old middle school teacher Macy (Sigourney Weaver). Everytime calling sex "making love", love is the last thing on Macy's mind. Tim is so innocent it's safe to assume he thinks sex only happens when your in love. His insurance company sends him to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to win a competition and bring back the big award. Watching him go through airport security is even funny when he's not doing anything. He's got a grin from ear to ear and has no idea what to do, it's all new to him. I think that like Charlie Kelly, he's never left his hometown either. Ed Helms has the Buster Keaton effect, their both funny even when they're not doing anything.

Tim stays in a room with Ronald (Isiah Whitlock Jr. ; his "The Wire" inside jokes are classic) and the big-mouth and out going Dean Ziegler (A show stealing John C. Reilly). The three clown around with Joan Fox (Anne Heche getting it just right) as Tim comes out of his shell. The film has genuine feeling and emotion as well as huge laughs (John C. Reilly is a nonstop laugh machine). By the time the film ends you'll feel what I felt. That you just watched a great film.

8.5/10
Recommendation: Watch it! It's fantastic!

Space Battleship Yamato (6.5/10)

So I watched this because A.) it's based off an anime I've heard of with a strong fan base B.)  it's Sci-Fi C.) I wanted to watch something different.

Either way the film has pattern you can pick out pretty easily. It's fight, something emotional, fight, something emotional and just keep going until the 2:18 running time is over. The fights can be pretty cool (the final battle kicks ass) and some of the emotional stuff works well. It does get a bit repetitive though.

So in the future the Gamilons (the humans came up with that name, the aliens even think it's dumb) start attacking Earth. They're smart and better equipped and make quick work of the Earth's space navy (all Japanese, but that's another argument). The aliens bombard Earth with meteors and the surface becomes contaminated with radiation, humanity is forced to flee underground. A message from a distant planet arrives saying the have a way to get rid off the radiation. So launch the Yamato, the last and most powerful human space ship to get it and bring it back.

The film follows Kodai, an ex-ace navy pilot and his return to help the Yamato. Kodai has problems but you just know he'll patch things up by the end. He blames Captain Okita for his brother's death, but later respects him. Mori, a female pilot calls him a coward for leaving the force, you know they'll fall in love.
Anyway the film does do great things with the "what will you sacrifice?" thing. The final battle is very awesome and the ending is actually quite good. Too bad 3 great scenes can't make up for the eternity of average ones. I'd prefer a dark and hard hitting journey into the unknown thing, not a "take out their engines, Barrel roll away from the missiles, They're flanking us," stuff.

6.5/10
Recommendation: It's ok. It has alot going for it at points but drags too much. So I say watch it only if it's in front of you (I saw it on a plane, that seems appropriate)

The Rock (8/10)

I say most of this film a while ago, it however was the first time I saw the whole thing not to long ago so I figure "why not?"

So Michael Bay has made a movie that wasn't all boobs and explosions, good for him. If this wasn't one of his early films I'd say he was making improvements. Too bad since then it's all down hill ("The Island" isn't bad, but I need to rewatch it). He has actual thought in this film, and tries hard (and succeeds) to build a emotional plot.

Alcatraz is taken over by ex-marine terrorists who now have 81 hostages and two missiles with VERY dangerous biological chemicals on board (victims looks like they got the plague). General Hummel (Ed Harris) is a reasonable man. His demands are that the soldiers who died under order of the USA to carry out illegal actions be reprimanded. The soldiers were forgotten and the families never received the money that was owed to them. Hummel says he will fire the missiles on San Francisco (killing 70,000 people)  unless the USA pay him $100 million from the illegal funds they have for all those illegal actions. It sounds reasonable but they're still terrorists so send in the special teams to send them down. A SEAL team, a chemical expert Stanley Goodspeed (Nicholas Cage, ignore the awful character name), and the only man who escaped Alcatraz, John Mason (a pretty badass Sean Connery).

It's a big a quite good popcorn movie. It's got more thought then most action films, but doesn't skimp on the action in any way. Also there's a priceless line involving the song "Rocket Man", it's awesome.

8/10
Recommendation: If it's on, I'd watch it.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (8/10)

Most say that this was the best movie Woody Allen has done since "Hannah And Her Sisters", I disagree. "Match Point" takes that prize, it's one of Allen's best and one of the best films of 2006. "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" is still a very nice film. It has intelligence, interesting characters, great scenery and gives you something to think about.

So Vicky (Scarlet Johansson) and Cristina (Rebecca Hall) are spending the summer with Vicky's aunt (Patricia Clarkson) in Barcelona. They meet Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem), a popular painter one night and their trip takes a big change. Antonio is charming, smart, good looking, thoughtful and nice; Vicky quickly likes him. Cristina is more wary, but she too comes around. We follow the three's love life that also includes Cristina's fiancee and Maria Elena (Penelope Cruz in well deserved Oscar winning role), Antonio's somewhat psychotic ex-wife.

The film is smart in dividing how people evolve in relationships and love. Vicky and Cristina are very similar but are yin and yang with love. Vicky is passionate and a romantic, Cristina looks for stability and commitment. Juan Antonio and Maria Elena share similar opposite style and lets the audience do some thinking. A pretty good movie, but I think it was oversold when it came out.

8/10
Recommendation: Typical Woody Allen movie. It's smart and sophisticated. Pretty enjoyable overall though.

A Life Less Ordinary (7/10)

I'm rounding off my Danny Boyle collection. Only two more films after this. "A Life Less Ordinary" is his strangest film yet. This is because it tries to be different. It's outlandish, stylish, bigger than life an mildly fun. It's got it's problems but it's still a nice ride.

We start off with seeing heaven. Two angels (Delroy lindo and Holly Hunter) are the angels in charge of relationships. An idea every great love has been fabricated by a greater power. The two are charged with making a two people fall in love or stay on Earth forever. They have a challenge ahead of them. Robert (Ewan Mcgregor) is a lowly janitor that's lost it all. He breaks into his former boss's office and on a whim takes his daughter, Seline (Cameron Diaz) hostage. So next begins the whole kidnapping aspect a the become closer and drift apart.

It's quite easy to guess the ending, I probably guess 75% of it correctly. We don't care much for the angels but rather get involved with the potential couple. Getting rid of the angel subplot would have been much better. Mcgregor and Diaz are believable and quite fun. The film is very lucky to have them because it's not the best one at there.Mcgregor's character is the highlight of the film, he makes you feel like all the strange things that happen to him are a intant away from happening to you. Although it still had lot's of room for improvement. Boyle's style is evident but it's a weird story for him to work with. It's a good movie, but boyles's done better.

7/10
Recommendation: If you like the actors and director go for it. Otherwise you may still like the whole "will they/ wont't they" thing. It's a pretty decent film.

The Tree Of Life 10/10

Three years I've been waiting for this film and I was not let down in the slightest. It is beyond a masterpiece, it's surpassed perfection, it's a classic in every sense of the word, and just one of the best movies ever made. This is even fighting it's way up my favorites of all time and who knows, it may end up on top. The thought popped in my head watching it that this is the end all movie. That you can end it all here and say we've done it. It's silly and ridiculous but the fact that that thought even entered my head shows something. A powerful message to a film that matches it. This movie will rock your world.

It's so hard to describe this film because their no strict plot. It leaves a impression of a plot instead. A story that's danced around by the wonders of perfect film making. A young boy, Jack grows up in 1950's Texas with his two brothers and parents. His parents have different styles of life and represent much more than what's before them. A tragedy happens and the family we follow will never be the same. The third son dies (not really a spoiler). Jack grows into adulthood and appears ghostlike as he drifts from room to room. Floating around life with no connection to anything.

The parents represent two ways of life: the way of nature and the way of grace. Mr. O'Brien (Brad Pitt) and Mrs. O'Brien (Jessica Chastain) are of two different worlds. Mr. O'Brien is of nature. He believes a strong sense of will and strength will help who succeed in life. Being good will get you left behind. He is strict and demands to be taken seriously. Mr. O'Brien teaches his children to fight and stand tough (a "Fight Club" reference seems necessary). Often he may appear a villain for appearing so cruel in comparison to his wife. However he recognizes his ways too. He just wants his son to live a life to be proud of. He knows nothing else. He might as well be Jack if he follows nature strictly. I feel bad for him at times but also fear his ways. The way of grace is a one of delight. To love all and to never try to cause conflict. To be happy in the here and now. The more you love the greater your life will be. It limits the future but causes happiness. Both ways have their strengths and weaknesses. I follow the way of grace personally, I'm glad this movie helps solidify the decision. I never want to look back.

The tragedy that happens causes the characters to question God and the universe. Why take him? With everybody in this world, why him?  The film traces the universe over billions of years. We see the big bang and the creation of Earth. These scenes are so majestic I couldn't believe it. My jaw dropped and at one point I realized I didn't take a breath for over a minute. There's only been three other films ("The New World", "Encounters At The End Of The World" and "All The Real Girls") that made me feel this way. A feeling of pure awe, amazement, mind-bending, and pulled this hard on my heart. The movie jumps to the creation of life in a similar and mesmerizing way. Soon we see Dinosaurs roam the earth. Yes... there are Dinosaurs! They too follow the ways of nature and grace and make you feel more connected with this planet than ever before. Then back to the O'Brien family as we see them move through the years. We see the two parents love and embrace on a blanket and to be followed by one of the greatest match-cuts I've ever seen. The film has many instances of this. For those not familiar it's a cut that shows two different objects but you sense a connection. Think seeing a apple, then showing a man rubbing his stomach, you know he's hungry. Well back on topic we see the two lovers and it cuts to a streetlight in the dark. It symbolizes finding one's light (love) in all the darkness in the world. It's terrific. We see the boys grow up and follow Jack as he struggles with choosing either nature or grace.

Terrence Malik the director has made only four movies before this. He took a 20 year break at one time even. I've seen 3/4 of those ("Days Of Heaven", "The Thin Red Line" and "The New World") and all those too are masterpieces. However this is the film Malick has been building too. Each film before was a story he brought his own style (poetic) too. This film is partially based off Malik's own childhood, he lost his younger brother at a young age. All the emotions in the film are genuine and the scenes of suburb life is so realistic. Jack Fisk, the set designer is genius. The fun and fear the boys have is so moving to watch. Emmanuel Lubezki has done some of the greatest cinematography (camera work) ever. It's going to be considered one of the all time greats in the future, I guarantee it. He should be a lock for an Oscar win. Hell this movie is already on it's way to winning a lot of Academy Awards.

Brad Pitt plays Mr O'Brien in one of his best performances yet. He comes off so natural and believable. Not once did it feel like I was watching Pitt but rather I saw this O'Brien on screen. I was actually shocked when I thought about it during some part even. This is the most groundbreaking work this actor has done yet and already is a leading Oscar contender for the next award show. Jessica Chastain plays Mrs. O'Brien in a lyrical performance. Her presence sings of all the good things in the world. An ethereal angel nurturing her children as all in this world do. Her performance and character radiate brilliance. Sean Penn plays the older version of Jack with such sincerity. He does wonders with such little screen time, but is shows his talent has no bars. Hunter McCracken who plays the young version of Jack is a revelation. He carries the film and is a miracle on screen. He does the best work I've seen for leading actor this year (so far). His first role ever and he shines bright. The movie is filled with talented actors who carry deep characters to new heights.

This will probably be the best movie I'll see this year. By film's end my heart was beating very fast because I couldn't believe what I was watching. It was purely phenomenal and just utter fantastic. The film is filled with metaphors and will seriously make you reflect on your life. I've given a fair share of 10/10 before but this is one of the best of them all. I'd give it a higher rating if I could but I gotta play fair. "The Tree Of Life" is a movie that will change your life.

10/10
Recommendation: It's of the best movies I've ever seen, it will really make you think about you life. It's slow and is 2:18 hours. Expect this and you'll love it. I suggest watching a Malick film before hand so you can get an idea of his style. I'd say go for "The Thin Red Line", it's a WWII movie with big actors and fights, but has a lot of depth and meaning too. It's on Netflix Instant Que for those who have it. I could not recommend "The Tree Of Life" more.

The Tourist (4.5/10)

This is one stupid movie and for shame. It could have been a masterpiece. It has all the ingredients. The film stars Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie, two of the biggest and most talented stars today. The supporting cast includes Paul Bettany, Timothy Dalton and Rufus Sewell, all great. The film is written by three writers who's work includes "The Usual Suspects", "Gosford Park" and "Shadowlands". The film is directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck. He gave us "The Lives Of Others" one of the highlights of the decades. The film looks awesome and Venice is one beautiful place to make a movie. The plot could have been great but they just did a awful job of it. I love the title but loathe this movie. Everybody in this movie said they made a mistake in doing it and others just wanted the money. It's just plain bad

Honestly the dialogue is so bad that I want to laugh but I don't want to waste it on this movie. The characters are completely unbelievably, they bring dumb to whole new levels. It's horribly paced and makes you feel nothing. I paused this movie for an hour to take a nap I was that bored, I continued it and felt the same. Who cares if Depp is mixed up in some game Jolie put him into, I don't because it's so far fetched and idiotic. I'd give it a worse score but star appeal and maybe like two scenes keep you interested. It's not worth the experience though. The movie was nominated for best comedy at the Golden Globes. It's not a comedy, every laugh is unintentional, there's no jokes. Let it die be forgotten.

4.5/10
Recommendation: Don't bother

My Blueberry Nights (7/10)

Kar Wai Wong brings his style to the english world now and... it's not that great. If you've seen a Wong film I'd be highly impressed. The guy is however known world wide as a great talent. "In The Mood For Love" is considered of the best films of the decade, many critics put it in their top ten. He's not a people's director but an art house guy. "2046" is very elegant and poetic, but with his new film "My Blueberry Nights" he's lost some of his magic.

The film follows Elizabeth (Norah Jones) after a bad break up. She meets Jeremy(Jude Law), a local cafe owner and the two form a bond. She leaves NYC to find herself while keeping in contact with Jeremy via postcard. Elizabeth meets several characters and lives in new places. The prominent figures she meets are the depressed alcoholic cop (David Strathairn), his separated vixen wife (Rachel Weisz) and a heavy gambler (Natalie Portman).

Anyway the film lacks a interesting plot, nothing to drag you in. The characters aren't bad but the performances are. I've never seen a bad performance by Weisz until now. Jude Law is the only one the is fine through out, he shines bright. Norah Jones is a singer, she takes on her role as a person would, the others do it as an actor would. Both parties are right but do not look nice when shown together. The film has a great soundtrack though, Cat Power enough said. There are some nice scenes including a fantastic part where we first see Weisz. She enters a bar looking like every song you hear about a woman hurting a man. To bad the whole film wasn't as great as that scene.

7/10
Recommendation: It's ok, not bad, no need to rush to see it, but no need to turn it off.

Perfume: Story Of A Murder (9.5/10)

This review will have major spoilers because there are specific scenes I need to talk about.

Scent is a strange thing, the oddest of the senses. When you think about it the other senses are the ones that get the most praise. Sight has paintings and art, a treat for the eyes. Hearing allows music to delight the senses. Taste has food that causes the body to tremble. With touch, sex and drugs fill the senses. Scent is underrated. Most the time scent is treated with something bad, or will soon be better with taste. Perfumists are the artists of their field. They create a smell so overwhelming it over powers the senses. It takes place in three steps. The first is the initial that last for a few minutes or so. The second remains for the rest of the day, how you judge the area or person your around that carried that smell. The final is the lingering smell you feel and use to remind you of what you loved earlier. I didn't give perfume much thought before this movie, but I can say now I appreciate what they do. Not something I'd use but I may identify from now on. The film talks about a scent so powerful it makes you feel like your in paradise. This movie deals with this and so much more.

We are introduced to a man sitting in a dark cell. Only his eyes are visible, they are sending a powerful message about the rest of the man. He is dragged from this place in chains and thrown out on a balcony. Thousands are gathered below and a man reads off that the prisoner is guilty and the punishment. He will be given horrible punishment as the crowds screams for his pain. Their bloodlust has consumed them. A narrator intervenes and tells us this man before the crowd is somebody special and only wanted to make something out of himself in this world.

The man is Jean-Baptiste Grenouille (A fantastic breakthrough by Ben Whishaw) and he is special. His mother gives birth to him and throws him in the gutter. The foul odor causes him to cry and to be found. If he was keep and brought to a field of flowers at birth would the story be different? Jean-Baptiste is brought to an orphanage where some children try to kill the baby with a pillow. This is a DARK movie. I'm glad it was because it was so much better for it, there are scenes I don't want to imagine without this dark side. Jean-Baptiste has a special gift he realizes as he grows up in poverty. He can smell anything (glass, rocks, a person breathing etc..) and later he has no smell of his own. There is a myth that the devil has no smell. There are no direct references to this but if you want to see this side it's definitely there.

Jean-Baptiste visits upper-class Paris one day while working for a tanner and it changes his life. He recognizes new smells. The narrator says he has yet to recognize a good smell from a bad one, he just smells. There is Shakespearian philosophy in this. Shakespeare said "There is nothing good nor bad; but thinking makes it so". Jean-Baptiste does not understand his future actions because he does not know good from bad, he doesn't let thought interfere with his smell (not that he is dumb).  He picks up the scent of a woman, but there is something special about her. She is what a poem is to a poet, a painting to a artist, and a song is to a musician. It is something special, the most beautiful thing in the world. He becomes obsessed and follows this angel. He surprises her and accidentally suffocates her to keep her from screaming. She dies and Jean-Baptiste continues to smell her. The scent changes though, she is now a corpse, not person with a heartbeat. He can't keep the smell not take what the smell was before with him. He sets out to preserve  the smell for himself.

He begins to work for Giuseppe (Dustin Hoffman), a famous perfumer. Jean-Baptiste already knows more about making perfume that Giuseppe has learned in decades. Jean-Baptiste creates a new perfume in a brilliant scene. Giuseppe smells it and his head tilts back, eyes flutter close and a sigh escapes his lips. he transported to a garden where a women kisses him and says "I love you". A scent so powerful it makes you feel your in heaven is a enticing thought.  Jean-Baptiste learns he cannot preserve the smell with Giuseppe's methods and the man sends the boy to the city of Grasse to learn (in exchange for 100 perfumes that Jean-Baptiste lists off with ease). He sees another beautiful woman on his way to town that is much like the one he saw in Paris. She is Laura (the very pretty Rachel Hurd-Wood) the daughter of a the powerful merchant/count Antoine Richis (Alan Rickman). Jean-Baptiste learns new methods and begins to use this in sinister ways. He goes around killing women so he can preserve the smell fast to make his masterpiece perfume. A serial killer with a higher motive is born onto the city and will terrify the people.

Antoine tries to find this killer but to no avail, the town is in such a panic no one will listen. There is no hero in the story. The plot revolves around Jean-Baptiste but he is far from a hero. We are interested in his actions but never support him. Antoine loves his daughter but is harsh with her, he is reasonable but wants to stop the killer. If he wins the plot ends. We can't root for him either. Jean-Baptiste will continue to kill until his masterpiece is complete.

He is captured when he completes the perfume and will be executed publicly. Thousands have gathered including Antoine, high council, and a bishop. What follows is one of the greatest film scenes I've ever scene (top 10 maybe). Jean-Baptiste manages to use a little of the perfume's scent to intoxicate the guards to get a fancy suit and a carriage to event. He steps out and the blood cries stop to looks of confusion. There is an aura about him now that excites the people. He steps up the stage and the executioner bows before him screaming that this man is innocent. Jean-Baptiste takes out the perfume, puts some on a handkerchief and waves it toward the crowd. They are overpowered and the scent becomes them. Their minds now in paradise. The bishop is in shock, falls to his knees and declares "This is no man, He is an Angel!" The crowd is enthralled and chant their love. Jean-Baptiste lets a the handkerchief fly over the crowd and something tremendous happens. They all (but Jean-Baptiste) have an orgy. It's  not filthy looking but shows the joy the people feel. It's so well done I felt like I smelt the perfume. Jean-Baptiste sees the woman in Paris and imagines making love to her. He begins to cry So rarely do you see a film that shows what woman can do to a man. Create something of magic to their minds and senses.

"Perfume: Story Of A Murder" does it all right. The film looks tremendous and is acted to perfection. There is music to swell your senses. It creates very stimulating thoughts and gets the audience involved. I considered giving it a 10/10 but backed out at the last second,  but it's still phenomenal. This is a winner in the darkest of ways, but in the end a masterpiece.

9.5/10
Recommendation: The 2:30 hours flew by, more so here than almost any other movie. It's so entertaining I can't see anyone not liking it if not at least interested