The Grey (*** out of ****)

The Grey I'm sure will have the same effect that Jaws had on some people. Just instead of fearing sharks and water, we'll fear snowy wildernesses and wolves now. I had a dream the night after seeing this film. I awoke to a shock having a dream that the alpha wolf from the film was in room. Lurking in the shadows, eyes colored in crimson red, teeth bared for me to fear. I couldn't move and he let out a roar that woke me in a fright. The fact it had such a positive affect on me shows how special this film truly was.

Liam Neeson stars as Ottway in this harrowing film. A man employed at an oil rig to shoot threatening wild life. On his way to Anchorage his plane goes down and only six riggers (Dermot Mulroney, James Badge Dale and Joe Anderson among other fine actors) and Ottway are left alive. Not only is the environment (freezing cold, daunting cliffs etc) a extreme danger. Enter a deadly pack of wolves. They're large, dangerous and know exactly how to hunt. The audience tenses up anytime somebody falls behind, a howl is heard in the distance or odd shape appears in the darkness. Besides the chills from the wolves there is some heart here. Ottway sees these men as scum, drifters, convicts (who else decides to work on oil rig). These are just men who all have had problems and like Ottway are trying to escape the pain. There is a scene involving some wallets near the end that really touched me. I didn't expect that in a movie I called "Wolf Puncher" before going in. Please more surprises like this in films. Liam Neeson gives a tremendous performance here. He throws his all into the movie. He's fierce, threatening, inspiring and above all else real. Liam Neeson over the past few years has not only established him as one of the greatest action stars working today, but of all time. He brings weight to any role and makes films electric. Imagine Taken with somebody else. I don't even want to attempt it. Liam Neeson shows us once again that when given the tools (sometime even without them) can make any movie something to be reckoned with.

*** out of ****
Note: Thoughts on the ending: Five minutes later..."I feel somewhat cheated", Fifteen minutes later..."perfect"

Man On A Ledge (** out of ****)

I'm going to be mean here. Why not? I wrote that way in my The Season of the Witch review and I quite liked it. So let's try to do that style again. Expect spoilers. I'll do my best, something the film didn't (see, we started already).

Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington) is framed for a crime he didn't commit. He can't get an appeal and prison just isn't for him. So he and his brother Joey (Jaime Bell) come up with a plan. I wrote that word "plan" with some hesitation. If there was ever a more ludicrous heist/prove I'm innocent plan out there please tell me. I'd be really interested in watching that. The plan requires Nick escaping from armed guards when released to attend his father's funeral. Then he checks himself into a hotel room that has a ledge 52 stories up. Nick will stand on this ledge and provide a distraction for Joey who will sneak into the building across the street. That building has a safe that supposedly holds the diamond Nick supposedly stole. The diamond never left real estate tycoon David Englander's (Ed Harris) hand. 

I have a problem with the plan amongst other things. Why stand on a ledge? He wants negotiator Lydia (Elizabeth Banks) specifically to talk him down but her role in the actual plot seems minimal. What if Nick falls? Well he keeps saying he's ready to die, but that doesn't include falling prematurely before the heist is finished. It's a good possibility considering his situation. Also may I say when called upon, Nick can run like he's straight out of Mirrors Edge across this ledge. It just does't seem possible (not as bad as jumping perniciously on a safety ballon and immediately get up to chase a guy). The next thing I would like to address is Joey's story. He and his girlfriend Angie (Genesis Rodriguez) break into a state of the art vault with a plan that seems thrown together on a whim (not like a year which Joey says). The two take time to lovingly banter. The audience I saw it with quite liked the humor in the film. It doesn't match the tone at all. The jokes have no place here. Some of the most useless dialogue I've ever seen. Genesis Rodriguez runs around in a push up bra and of course strips down to her underwear at one point in order to switch gear. My god is she pretty but the scene is childish. Michael Bay called and wants his mindless and random sex appeal back. We all know this is going to end on a happy note. So what suspense can there be. No way will Nick fall abundantly and Joey fail early because the film still has so many minutes left. When the audience knows more or less how a story will end, we need intrigue to see how it happens. We want to see how the characters get to this conclusion. I didn't care enough to hope the bad guys would win. No personal involvement is a dreadful thing.

Sam Worthington what happened? You starred in Avatar, the highest grossing film of all time, you showed great talent in Somersault and now we have this. I had high hopes for Wrath of the Titans but I'm not so sure. Jaime Bell and Ed Harris you two are better than than this as well. The rest of the cast are fine actors as well but let's be honest, anytime they star in feature films isn't a bad thing. This is an easy movie to watch, with actors I enjoy (not so much here) to replace for interesting characters. It could be worse. Actually I'm not to sure about that. You won't hate but you'll find it very dumb. Films should engage the audience intellectually to a degree, not have you leaving stupider if you gave your self to it.

** out of ****

Contraband (**1/2 out of ****)

I can give some credit when it's due for Contraband was better than I thought. That doesn't it make something great. It's however some fun while it lasts. Mark Wahlberg plays a retired smuggler. He's called back into the business to protect his wife's (Kate Beckinsale) little brother. The film offers just the moderate amount of suspense and action called upon when making a Marky Mark action movie. Too bad it's been done to death before. Haywire it managed to add something new with tight filming but Contraband feels too familiar. Giovanni Ribisi, J.K Simmons, Lukas Haas, and Ben Foster offer some more fun each bringing something special to the plate. It's actually quite decent, but nothing worthy to remember a little ways down the road.

**1/2 out of ****

Haywire (***1/2 out of ****)

This is how I want each year to start! A slick, cool, sexy, dazzling and kick-ass  film to come out in the bowels that is January to rock the big screen. It may be one of the earliest films to be released this year but I'm sure it will remain on my personal top ten list for quite a bit.

Steven Soderbergh has an ease to filmmaking. The guy knows what he's doing behind the camera. Over the past few years he's decided to use two woman in leading roles who have little acting skills. Sasha Grey starred in his The Girlfriend Experience and she won me over to her hopeful acting future. Now Soderbergh recruits (in every sense of the word) MMA fighter Gina Carano to star in his spy like thriller. She plays Mallory, a black ops contract worker. She works for Kenneth (Ewan Mcgregor) who out of the blue decides to frame her and send an assassin to kill her. Mallory isn't just going to lay down and die.

Soderbergh brings his smooth style to Haywire and has a lot of fun too it. It's the tight film making people look for when going to the movies. Something interesting and ultimately cinema gold. The film has a jazzy flow to it (The Ocean series had it too). Gina Carano has some tough and brutal fights in this movie. It feels and looks genuine and is a breath of fresh air in action movies. Of course the plot is too familiar for it's own good but Soderbergh brings the best out of it. Channing Tatum, Michael Fassbender, Antonio Banderas, Michael Angarano, Bill Paxton, and Michael Douglas make this supporting cast something to marvel at. Haywire is worth the trip to the movies in this cold time of the year.

***1/2 out of ****

The 2012 Academy Award Nominations or what in the hell is going on?!

The Oscar nominations came out at 8:30 this morning and I still can't make any sense of it. There are inspired choices as well as terrible ones. An Oscar means little to me in the end. If I enjoy the film it will never be brought down due to a lack of nominations. 28 Days Later, Sunshine, Zodiac and Children of Men show that a film can be terrific and memorable but have little to no Oscar love. An Oscar to me is something nice to see given to a film I enjoy. Kind of a good job situation. It does not mean the winner is the ultimate pinnacle of this category. I love No Country For Old Men which took home several major Oscars but that doesn't mean it is necessary the best movie of the year. It however is great to see such a great movie be rewarded. So I (and several people suggesting it ) have decided to write several thoughts about the Oscar nominations. Some ranting, some praise but probably more of the former.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close getting a Best Picture nomination. 
This is the one that dumbfounded me the most. The new system for the Oscars has a rule where there can be a maximum of ten nominees and a minimum of five. The kicker is a film must have at least 5% of the votes. I imagine that this year films like Drive, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and The Girl WIth The Dragoon Tattoo received around 4% of those votes. However a film that is failing both critically and audience made it in. I haven't seen Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close granted but so many people have told me not too. How can a film that is failing on so many levels nominated? I haven't a clue. It has something to due with that bastard Stephen Daldry. He went three for there for directing nominations for his first three films. It's possible the best picture nomination is sort of a make up. The people that voted this as the best film of the year should be an appointment with a shrink because they are insane.

Drive only receiving one Sound Editing nomination.
In a perfect world Drive would have won a nomination for both best picture and director today. However it isn't a perfect world. Drive wasn't expected by anybody to receive those two nominations but was slated for a well deserved Best Supporting Actor nomination. Albert Brooks deserved a nomination and I wouldn't even mind him winning. Yet he was left out for possibly Max Von Sydow. I have great respect for that man but no Brooks really hurts. Brooks's gave life to what was possibly the best villain of the year. All I can do is shake my head in disappointment.

Only 9 Best Pictures Nominations
As I said early there is no rule saying there must be ten nominees and all those nominated need 5% of the top votes. Nine seems so irregular that the system seems strange now. I can't imagine that there were no films that were code to the 5%. Drive, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Melancholia, Shame, Bridesmaids, The Girl With The Dragoon Tattoo, Beginners and many more films deserve a spot and with one left open it feels like a waste.

Rooney Mara in but no The Girl With The Dragoon Tattoo for Best Picture
I'm all for Mara but what's with the best Picture snub. Voters must have thought the film was good due to other five nominations including Best Actress. The film is just as equally as good. It just doesn't make sense to me how you can have such strong support for a film but decide it's not Best Picture worthy.

No Michael Fassbender for Shame
So the best performance (In my opinion) of the year is not included on your nomination list. There is so much wrong there. The other nominees are deserving in there own right. But perhaps none of the gave a performance to make Fassbender raw intensity.

No The Adventures of Tintin for Best Animated Film.
It sure had a lot of support going into the season and has done well with other awards. The film received a nomination for Best Score which shows the liked it in some fashion. I personally want Rango to win but the film in question should've been a worthy contender.

No Surprises in Best Actress
There are many fine actresses that gave great performances this year. Streep, Davis and Williams were locks but Close and Mara were still likely. Swinton who wasn't nominated is a shocker but person;;y I was looking for more shock like Best Actor gave us. Kirstin Dunst, Elizabeth Olsen, Charlize Theron, kristen Wiig, Brit Marling and Felicity Jones would have been fine additions. A bit boring if you ask me.

Melissa McCarthy and Jonah Hill are Oscar Nominees... I'm fine with it.
Two comedic actors are now Oscar nominees and while I prefer others in their slots, they aren't too bad. McCarthy was a show stealer in a terrific movie which is sometimes all you need. Jonah Hill gave a great performance in Moneyball and while I think Brooks should've gotten in over him, Hill is still worthy. In the end the world keeps turning.

Acting Nominations that weren't going to happen but would've been nice.
Joseph Gordon Levitt - 50/50
Ewan McGregor - Beginners
Kirstin Dunst - Melancholia
Carey Mulligan - Shame
Patton Oswalt - Young Adult
Michael Fassbender or Mia Wasikowska -Jane Eyre


Bridesmaids and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy both get an acting and screenplay nomination but no best Picture
This one simply stumps me.

No Shailene Woodley for The Descendants
Simply a shame.

Margin Call in for Best Original Screenplay
Hell Yes! It deserved the nomination. Maybe not over 50/50 but let's look at the positives.

Only Two Best Original Songs
The Muppets  alone has three songs good enough. Let's not forget The Help and Albert Noobs which were also favorites in the category. I almost question the whole category in general now.

Gary Oldman
I'm so happy the man finally got an Acting nomination. The guy is a legend. However I feel that Michael Fassbender and he gave similar performances. Both require a strong presence and domination of the screen. I feel that Fassbender did it better but Oldman is too good to ignore.

No The Skin I live In for Best Foreign Film
I haven't seen A Separation yet but my favorite foreign film was this here. It was very received which what puzzles me.

Terrence Malik and The Tree of Life getting the big two
BEST DAY EVER!!!!!

2011 in Film

2011 was a year of bliss. A year of kisses, laughs, fights, rage, visual ecstasy, thought, shocks and love. Film is my hobby so seeing a film is just something I do. I go there for pleasure and I really don't know how else to spend my time. Let's look at what brought us closer together.

Here are all the films I've seen released in 2011. Just because a film is lower on the list doesn't make it an less great. Just avoid the bottom ten and watch the top twenty or so and you'll be good. Here we go!

1.) The Tree of Life

2.) Drive

3.) Beginners
4.) Shame

5.) Melancholia

6.) Hanna
7.) Midnight In Paris

8.) The Descendants

9.) Moneyball

10.) Bellflower

11.) Bridesmaids

12.) Perfect Sense
13.) Jane Eyre

14.) The Skin I Live In
15.) Hugo

16.) Attack The Block

17.) Martha Marcy May Marlene

18.) 50/50
19.) The Girl With The Dragoon Tattoo 

20.) 13 Assassins

21.) Source Code

22.) Super 8

23.) Another Earth

24.) Cedar Rapids
25.) The Artist
26.) Young Adult

27.) Womb

28.) Win Win
29.) Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
30.) War Horse

31.) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

32.) Ides of March

33.) Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
34.) Like Crazy

35.) X-Men: First Class

36.) The Debt

37.) Limitless

38.) Captain America: The First Avenger 

39.) Hobo With a Shotgun

40.) Rango
41.) Kaboom

42.) Contagion

43.) Adventures of Tintin
44.) Carnage
45.) The Devil's Double
46.) Weekend
47.) Margin Call
48.) J. Edgar

49.) Terri

50.) The Muppets

51.) Sleeping Beauty

52.) The Conspirator

53.) Rise of The Planet of The Apes

54.) Our Idiot Brother
55.) Stupid Crazy Love

56.) The Help

57.) Beautiful Boy
58.) London Boulevard

59.) Tucker & Dale vs. Evil

60.) Meek’s Cutoff

61.) Everything Must Go
62.) Paul

63.) Straw Dogs

64.) Trust

65.) Horrible Bosses

66.) Sarah’s Key

67.) Last Night

68.) Don’t be Afraid of the Dark
69.) My Week With Marilyn

70.) We Need To Talk About Kevin
71.) Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadow
72.) The Rum Diary
73.) Immortals

74.) In Time

75.) Boy Wonder
76.) The Lincoln Lawyer

77.) A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas
78.) Restless
79.) Water For Elephants

80.) Friends With Benefits
81.) Insidious 

82.) The Perfect Host

83.) The Eagle

84.) Fast Five

85.) Thor

86.) The Beaver

87.) Sucker Punch

88.) Real Steel

89.) The Three Musketeers

90.) Cowboys & Aliens

91.) The Art of Getting By

92.) The Thing

93.) The Adjustment Bureau
94.) The Darkest Hour

95.) The Green Hornet

96.) 30 Minutes or Less

97.) Killer Elite

98.) Space Battleship Yamato

99.) Bad Teacher

100.) The Rite

101.) The Mechanic

102.) Battle LA
103.) The Green Lantern 

104.) The Big Bang

105.) Skateland

106.) Paranormal Activity 3

107.) No Strings Attached
108.) Trespass

109.) Priest

110.) Your Highness

111.) Season of The Witch
112.) The Sitter
113.) Red Riding Hood

114.) Transformers: Dark of The Moon

Best Perforamnces

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role:


5.) Brad Pitt - Moneyball
4.) Jean Dujardin - The Artist
3.) George Clooney - The Descendants
2.) Joseph Gordon - Levitt - 50/50
1.) Michael Fassbender - Shame


Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role: 

5.) Tie: Charlize Theron - Young Adult and Brit Marling - Another Earth
4.) Viola Davis - The Help
3.) Michelle Williams - My Week With Marilyn
2.) Elizabeth Olsen - Martha Marcy May Marlene 
1.) Kirstin Dunst - Melancholia


Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role: 


5.) Patton Oswalt - Young Adult
4.) Brad Pitt - The Tree of Life
3.) Kenneth Branagh - My Week With Marilyn
2.) Christopher Plummer - Beginners
1.) Albert Brooks - Drive


Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role:


5.) Jessica Chastain - The Help/The Tree of Life (She had seven performances this year, take your pick because she's a wonder)
4.) Octavia Spencer - The Help
3.) Shailene Woodley - The Descendants 
2.) Berenice Bejo - The Artist
1.) Carey Mulligan - Shame


Best Overall Actor:
Tie!

Michael Fassbender - Shame, Jane Eyre, X-Men: First Class and A Dangerous Method (the last one I still need to see)

and

Ryan Gosling - Drive, Ides of March, and Stupid, Crazy, Love.


Best Overall Actress:

Jessica Chastain - The Debt, The Tree of Life and The Help


She also played roles in Take Shelter, Coriolanus, Texas Killing Fields and Wild Salome which I still need to see.

The Best Genre Films Of The Year

Best genre films but just because it's the better genre film makes it the better film in general. Just meets the genre requirements better.


Best Comedy: Bridesmaids 
Outrageous, over the top, hilarious, toilet humor, P.C jokes, heartfelt, fantastic and unique characters and originality. "It's like the Hangover but with woman and funnier".
Honorable Mentions: Cedar Rapids and Horrible Bosses


Best Action Movie: 13 Assassins 
Anytime you have 13 assassins fight more than 200 makes it a safe bet for best action film of the year. The film has a clear hero and villain you'll truly hate. Kung Fu meeting sword fighting. It's some of the most fun I had this year.
Honorable Mentions: Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol 


Best Horror: Insidious 
This hasn't been a great year in horror but this is probably the scariest. A film that exists in its own world with an imagination of horrifying capabilities. I'll admit there was some chills in my spine and I feel that this is the general feeling.
Honorable Mentions: Don't Be Afraid of the Dark 


Best Sci-fi: Super 8
Action, suspense, aliens, mysterious technology, government secret sand kids in above their heads. Those are all the elements needed to make a classic. Super 8 isn't a classic but damn if isn't a fine film to look back kindly upon.
Honorable Mentions: Source Code


Best Romance: Weekend
In terms of two people coming together and falling in love, fighting and making up this film has it all. Weekend has two convincing leads and in terms of romance is the best of the genre.
Honorable Mentions: Like Crazy and Last Night


Best Super Hero Movie: X-Men: First Class
As time passes more and more do I love this film. I was thinking of putting Captain America here but X-Men really deserved this spot. Two outstanding leads in a story of great magnitude. Where super heroes meet real life. Fassbender and Mcavoy rock it.
honorable mention: Captain America: The First Avenger 
Best Hybrid Genres:


Sci-fi meets Drama: Melancholia
Sci-fi meets Romance: Perfect Sense
Sci-fi meets Comedy: Paul
Horror meets Drama: The Skin I Live In
Horror meets Comedy: Tucker & Dale vs. Evil
Dramedy: 50/50
Dark Comedy: Young Adult

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (***1/2 out of ****)

The Mission Impossible series has become more over the top as times has gone on and better for it. There are plenty of engaging and realistic spy thrillers out there. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is about authentic as you get. The James Bond series  is over the top but tries to act like the action may possible. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol doesn't abide by logic and is all the more thrilling for it. The suspense in these situations is none the less high. In fact in the history of action films, this film may have some of the best sequences you'll ever see.

Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is back but with a twist. He is a rouge now after a terrorist organization blows up The Kremlin and lays the blame on I.M.F. Ethan and his team, Jane Carter (A beautiful Paula Patton), William Brandt (the always welcomed Jeremy Renner) and the returning Benji Dunn (A hilarious Simon Pegg) must hunt town these terrorists. They are lead by Kurt (Michael Nyqvist) who's goal of nuclear war isn't so far fetched. Believing that humans become stronger in tragedy has truth to it, just let's avoid the nuclear war part in that plan.

The film has some terrific sequences with the paragon being a scene in Dubai. Honestly the series stepped up it's game there to action scene legend status. Ethan has to climb up the side of the tallest building in the world with only special magnetic gloves keeping him up there. From my understanding the stunts were about as authentic to climbing up the side as possible. To say the fear was felt would be a understatement. That scene helped what was already a great film to make it one of the most entertaining of the year.

***1/2 out of ****

The Artist (***1/2 out of ****)

It's amazing that it has taken the movie industry this long to make a silent movie. The introduction of sound doesn't make silent films any less grand. They have engaging soundtracks and larger than life facial expressions. It's actually quite a lot of fun to see the exaggeration. The Artist is lovely film that has character you'll become connected with. It's a wonder.

George Valentin ( A marvelous Jean Dujardin) is a silent film hero. An actor set up on a pedestal for his craft. Bumping into him one day is aspiring actress peppy Miller (A terrific Berenice Bejo) and the two form a bond. One of romance and connection. Of idolization for both acting and personality. She rises through the ranks of cinema until both come to a cross roads in the introduction to sound in film. George can't keep up while Peppy becomes a major star. Things will be dark but there is light at the end of the tunnel.

The Artist has great production values, terrific acting, a show stealing terrier and above all else it feels like a fresh film. Jean Dujardin  has the perfect look and facial expressions for a silent film actor. It's his wide smile. Like the film it warms the soul.

***1/2 out of ****
 

War Horse (*** out of ****)

As far as movies about horses go, this could be the best. I'm not too sure, I've seen Seabiscuit and Hidalgo and those are fine movies too. Perhaps the movie shouldn't be focus on with whether or nor the horse is the main character. It should be enjoyed as moving treat for the eyes, ears and heart.

Albert (Jeremy Irvine) sees a horse born one day and he'll form a connection with this horse over the next couple of years. The horse's name is "Joey"and he's the heart and soul behind the film. A soldier in a war that is deemed expendable. Joey is sent to WWI as a part of a calvary division but doesn't stay there. He'll be taken in by different people and armies while Albert fights in the trenches. The emotional stuff I expect will work for some (I heard some gasps and "awww" 's in my audience). However I was most entertained with the war aspect. There are some brilliantly designed WWI battlefields captured with some beautiful cinematography (an impressive score adds to big picture as well). No Man's Land always seemed to me as Hell on Earth and War Horse holds true to that. Joey drifts from people during the war and nearly each time to a well known actor. I found some thrill recognizing some the actors and faces with each new caretaker. Quite the impressive cast that I won't list for their names aren't big but they are the people you'll see and go "oh that's the guy from that movie" (Eddie Marson is the paragon of that). War Horse is very impressive but nothing new. Still very enjoyable as a normal film goes.

*** out of ****

My Week With Marilynn (**1/2 out of ****)

The Marilyn Monroe craze wasn't all about how beautiful she was. A great portion of it came from the idea of her as "there perfect woman". The idolized every part even if you could perhaps find a prettier woman somewhere. She was the unattainable prize everyone sought but never thought they could realistically get. Colin Clark (Eddie Redmayne) spent a week with her that was the dream of nearly every person in the world. To be the center attraction in her eyes.

Colin is working on a film that stars Laurence Oliver (Kenneth Branagh) and Marilyn. This is where his one week comes into play. The film has a glorious and terrific cast also made up of Emma Watson, Dominic Cooper and Judi Dench. The acting is really first rate here. However I felt very distant to the emotions on screen. For a film that was meant to be an insight into Marilyn's personal life it feels like your never really connected. It brushes upon her  personal life and not much more. Acting is where the film shines all helmed by Michelle Williams marvelous performance as Marilyn. She captures the idols movements and breathy voice perfectly. She inhabits the role in the best way. Living the idea of the woman and not so much doing a good impression. Michelle Williams and Kenneth Branagh do make it worth the watch especially due to it being Oscar season.

**1/2 our of ****

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (*** out of ****)

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a great spy thriller. It is smart, brave, artistically pleasant, well acted and just the right bit of cool. Yes it's a tad confusing at parts due to a heavy subject but the end goal is clear. The film is quite the great feature to actually engage the mind.

George Smily (A commanding Gary Oldman) is charged with hunting down a soviet mole in a spy agency ing England. It is one of four men. George assembles his team and looks for clues on who is the traitor. This requires sneaking around those who are suppose to be your friends and taking in a rouge agent (Tom Hardy).

The film is well crafted and very precise in its subject matter. It has strong supporting casted which welcomed with the contributions of Colin Firth, John Hurt, Mark Strong, Benedict Cumberbatch, Toby Jones, Stephen Graham, Christian McKay and Ciaran Hinds. Sorry for so many name drops but they are all great in the film. The film is a duel of sorts. Smily says at one point he is "always looking for the weakness in others". These men can not trust each other with secrets in their heart and minds. These secrets would cast suspicion and in some cases death. You must be carful exactly what one says. Once again the film is very heavy in material so that you bet left confused once in a while. However don't let that stop you from watch a first rate spy thriller.

*** out of ****

Shame (**** out of ****)

Sex is a drug of contradiction. There are many different views that are cast upon it.  Sex is often seen as a dirty act but something everyone wants, craves and longs for. It is a drug make no mistake of that. It creates a natural high in the body that a drug can attempt to replicate. Sex addiction is also scary thing. It creates a need for something that many find offending. For an action that requires the presence or thought of another person it seems to create a sense if alienation. A loneliness that may never be filled. Shame is a film that tackles the issue of sex addiction with unflinching courage. This is a film that  is shocking film not only in the detailed way its subject matter is presented but in the strong ideas the film wishes to share with the audience.

Brandon (Michael Fassbender) is the Dante like lead of our story. He lives alone in a small NYC apartment, works in a office and as a man is quite handsome. He has the qualities to be quite the catch for any girl if his mind wasn't so warped. Brandon however is a hollow shell of a man. So lost in his addiction that he has no connection to anybody. His job is never specified because like it is to him, it doesn't matter. He has no real friends. He'll go out on the town with coworkers and his boss (James Badge Dale) but Brandon's eyes always seem vacant. Brandon of course is always thinking of his release. An interesting idea presented is Brandon may no longer be simply heterosexual. How can he be attracted to anybody if his mind is only looking for the release that comes with such interactions

One day his sister Sissy (A marvelous Carey Mulligan) shows up out of the blue and needs to stay for a few days. Brandon can't stand human contact for this long and his world is thrown into a loop. This is a character study film. It's plot is simply how sex addict lives his life. Sissy acts as a plot device that helps move Brandon further into both a empty bastion as well as redemption.

Steve McQueen's sophomore film is as dazzling as it is haunting. It moves along at a loving pace that matches Brandon's personality perfectly. No doubt this film portrays an accurate depiction of sex addiction. Michael Fassbender plays Brandon in a performance that is like no other. He has some courage to go "full monty" on screen but that simply doesn't make it a great performance. Fassbender inhabits the role to such a depth that his pain looks genuine. He commands the screen with his presence. It is quite possibly the best performance you will see for a film released in 2011. Shame is a unforgettable film that is hard to watch but impossible to look away from. The surge of emotions that ran through me causes fear to watch it twice. Yet that makes it all the more appealing.

**** out of ****

The Girl With The Dragoon Tattoo (***1/2 out of ****)

Murder, rape, abuse, sodomy, religious crimes, deceit, nazis and wild eroticism are all carried out in The Girl With The Dragoon Tattoo.  It has the best elements a story needs to succeed. A world where good and evil are not necessarily defined by typical standards. Instead let us dive into a new world where what might disturbs us also gets us thrills. Themes in films that may have turned you off before may excite you like never before here.

I won't give a plot summary because it will be a lengthy process that seems unnecessary. If you don't know anything about Lisbeth Salander by now I can't help you. Just take my word that if you have not read the books or seen the swedish films run to the theater now. You are missing out on a worldwide phenomenal. Instead I feel like reexamining Lisbeth as a character and talking about how this film was successful with living up to it's universe.

Rooney Mara plays Lisbeth in this adaption. She had a scene stealing scene at the beginning of The Social Network that showed to me (any most the world) she would have the gaul to play this heroine. Mara plays the role like a frightened animal ready to pounce. It's grade A work on her part. Lisbeth is small and dresses as punk as you can get. She is not the classic image or personality most female heroes have shared throughout history. No, instead she is defined by character. Lisbeth is strong in mind, spirit and courage. She is both imaginative and intelligent in procedure. She is not a classic sex symbol but has a sensuality that is oddly alluring. Maybe not so strange as people have a desire for new and darker styles of life. Lisbeth as a hero in a story is the best thing to make it interesting. A strong character can make this good but somewhat confusing story mesmerizing.

This version is very strong as it is not a classic remake. It's a remaining. David Fincher has made a dark and more electric world. It is not as brutally threatening as the Swedish version though. There is no better version of this film. They are both equally fine. They just tackle the story in a slightly different style. I can say I preferred Noomi Rapace to Rooney Mara. Both are truly great in the role but Rapace felt more uneasy in her skin and ready attack at any moment. Daniel Craig as Mikael Blomkvist keeps the character alive and fresh. However he brings a confidence and strength in presence to the role. Michael Nyqvist doesn't seem so confident in attitude and thus a bit more likely to fail. The idea if failure is possible can make any story so much more entertaining. Predictability is thrown out the window in that sense. The film is very strongly made but the story isn't perfect. That is more of the source material's problem though. You can bring up the question "how many times will we see this story?" I say if they are all this good this story can continue as long as it's possible.

***1/2 out of  ****