"Twilight" Review

I was a hater for a long time. Then I saw Breaking Dawn Part I and it changed me, probably for the worse, but it changed me nonetheless. My thirst for camp and unintentional comedy was quenched and my awe of cultural phenomenon was thoroughly stimulated. I was even infatuated with Kristen Stewart's terrible furrowed-brow-form of acting. It's just so bad, but a very entertaining guilty cinematic pleasure.

Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part II
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner
Directed by Bill Condon
My Opinon: Not bad

Unfortunately,  Part II is no where near as ridiculous as Part I, and is definitely not as fun. However, it has so many moments of heightened stupidity that I was absorbed for the whole ride. The awkward sex scene, the inconsistent sizes of the wolves, and the battle scene. One of my favorite comedic moments of 2012 is when Bella Swan is experiencing her first moments as a vampire. Her hungry face looks like she's desperately trying to expel a turd that's 10 inches in diameter. Overall, I was happy and will watch it again. Not a bad finale.

"Flight"

If you have trouble flying already, be weary about experiencing this dramatic thriller. Whip Whittaker (Denzel Washington) is an alcoholic, risk-taking airline pilot. At the beginning of the film, it seems like he's living the large life. The film opens with him in bed next to an insanely attractive and naked flight attendant, both of whom are still intoxicated from the festivities of the previous night. He gets a phone call from his ex-wife, snorts some coke and goes to work. His attitude hints that this is a typical day - but it won't turn out that way.

Fight
Starring: Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle, John Goodman
Directed by Robert Zemeckis
My Opinon: Highly entertaining,
way better that "Unstoppable," but
not the best picture of the year.

As the time for take-off nears, the rain comes down in sheets. Despite the ominous weather, the crew gets ready for take-off. The co-pilot notices that Whip is acting strangely, but keeps his mouth tightly shut as they prepare for take-off. Soon after they are airborne, another omen occurs. Abounding turbulence terrifies the passengers as Whip hugs a dangerous air pocket, yet he brings the plane back to a smooth glide. Everything seems fine for a while, but trouble soon resurges. A defect on the airplane sends the plane into a dive. With miraculous dare-devil tactics, Whip lands the plane in an empty field, saving nearly everyone on board.

That scene is enough to keep you from blinking. Everyone around me had their mouth open and their eyes wide. It's easy to imagine yourself in the plane, though absolutely terrifying. The rest of the film follows the aftermath: an investigation and the emotional turmoil that torments Whip. There is a budding romance with a recovering addict whom Whip meets in the hospital that is intriguing but feels a little obvious and artificial. A random appearance of a cancer patient who "knows all the answers cause he's dying," which even the script seems to find a little corny and out of tone. Denzel nails his performance, but don't get your panties wet: he's looking pretty puffy here, and for good reason. I mean, his character is an alcoholic. If he had a damn fine body, it wouldn't make sense. Moving on, the script works and the direction is very smooth. It's a solid watch that has some very juicy moments.

I'm going to tell myself that the events that happened on this flight are extremely rare, because otherwise I can't get on a plane. This is not a true story, just drama, thrills and some damn fine performances. Oscar-worthy? That award hardly means anything, but I don't think it's the best picture of the year. The entertainment value is worthy of three eyeballs certainly. However, it has it's sappy predictability and an excessive nature. I would certainly say that it is Oscar-bait, but it doesn't quite hit the mark for best picture. It's a hell of a ride though.

Review of "Animal Kingdom"

Animal Kingdom is the story of a criminal family living on the edge. As the film begins, the protagonist J (James Frecheville) has just lost his mother to a heroin overdose and has to move in with his grandmother and uncles. Up until this start, he was largely estranged from his extended family, for good reason. As his life with them continues, he experiences drug deals and murder. The body count grows exponentially as the film wears onward.

Animal Kingdom
Directed by David Michôd
Starring: James Frecheville, Guy Pearce,
Joel Edgerton
My Opinion: If you're looking for lovely and deeply disturbing
look no further.

The story is harrowing and illustrates what it takes to be the top of the pack, a lesson that J must learn quickly. However, it's an exhausting movie to watch: terribly depressing with pretty much no pay off, although the cinematography is lovely and the script is deep. The acting is both passionate and chilling and the directing is as solid as a bullet. You will not enjoy this one, however, and it's certainly not for the weak of heart. It's up to you if you want to watch a bunch of Australian trash in a fancy format, but I liked it.

Throwback Shit: "Duel"

Duel is a gripping tale of a car chase in which an innocent businessman, a commuter evidently, becomes terrorized by an anonymous assailant who is after one thing: blood shed. A psychological thriller reminiscent of several Twilight Zone episodes, Steven Spielberg's first feature-length film sets the standard for all of his later works. It's a humble film, little more than a goober of a man in a car and an unseen driver in a rusty truck. However, the angles and cuts that Spielberg chooses proves his ingenuity. The way each frame becomes tighter and tighter provokes the viewer's anxiety, leaving him on the edge of what feels to be their own driver's seat. And that arid desert setting is dismally isolating.

Duel
Starring Dennis Weaver
Directed by Steven Spielberg
My Opinon: Gripping.

The movie barely moves outside of the car, but it doesn't need to venture further. Inside the automobile, we're stuck in this claustrophobic cell that feels so doomed, yet we never quite give up hope.

"Life of Pi" Review

Life of Pi is an incredible story of survival dressed in mystery, thrills and intrigue. Fifteen-year-old Piscine Molitor (Suraj Sharma), nicknamed "Pi", becomes the sole survivor of a shipwreck, forced to share his meager lifeboat with an unaccepted passenger: a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. The novel reads like a magical but harrowing fairy tale and quickly garnered a large audience. When whispers of a film version rang in the air, however, most of novel's fans were skeptical, if not angered. The ambiguity and the spirituality so vitally entwined in the fabrication of Pi's story caused many to consider the novel "unfilmable."

Well, movie-master Ang Lee showed them.

Life of Pi
Starring: Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan & Adil Hussain
Directed by Ang Lee
My Opinion: 3D is vital to fully experience the beauty of this film
but everything is wonderful about it.

Lee adds an extra character to his telling: a writer desperate for a new story. He's told that there is a man who has a story that will "make you believe in God." That man, of course, is Pi (Irrfan Khan), now a grown adult. Although this use of a frame narrative has been done before, it works seamlessly in this film. The adult Pi explains everything, the history of his given name, his nickname and the introduction of Richard Parker, who was the most valuable member of Pi's father's zoo.

I've never been a fan of 3D, but this movie would not be the same without it. As beautiful as Yann Martel's language is, Lee's imagery give the best-selling novel a run for its money. Every scene is absolutely mesmerizing, even the terror-filled thrills of the storm scenes. It's truly breathtaking. Aside from the cinematography, moreover, the way Lee dealt with some of the challenges presented in the novel is nothing short of impressive. For example, a lot of readers find the novel's meerkat island strange - and so did And Lee. However, he uses it briefly and delicately. It feels hallucinogenic in Pi's near-death state, like an otherworldly paradise. It's still weird, but it works. 

Actor Suraj Sharma ensures a career ahead of him with his mind-blowing performance. He draws you in to the experience and, together with the 3-dimensional imagery, makes you feel as if you're on that boat with him. It's really much more of an experience than a movie, but a very enjoyable one. I wasn't bored for a second.

My only qualm is  the end. Whereas the ambiguous ending of the book allows the reader to decide for themselves what they want to believe, the movie doesn't present this opportunity in the same way. The addition of the writer causes this difference,  necessitating a closed interpretation. Nevertheless, it doesn't diminish the value of the experience detrimentally. The film is a work of art and nothing less.

"The Amazing Spiderman" Review

The Amazing Spiderman
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifan
Directer by Marc Webb
My Opinon: Too soon but not bad.

The Amazing Spiderman came much too early for a remake, especially after the fantastic films created by one of my all time favorite directors, Sam Raimi. Raimi constructed his superheroe flick trilogy with precision and prestige. His films smashed the box and received immense praise by critics. Obviously the last installment was a deep disappointment, but two out of three is pretty good.  Honestly, I could not watch this movie without constantly comparing it to the superior version. Toby Mcguire was the perfect dweeby-turned-awesome Peter Parker. Honestly, Andrew Garfield looks like the lead singer from Dashboard Confessional and Emma Stone looks at least 10 years his senior. So why fix what isn't yet old and broken?

Spiderman has the basic ingredients: a villain, an unexpected hero, a love interest, one-liners, and special effects. I guess as far as recent comic book films go, The Amazing Spiderman is far superior than The Avengers. It has a solid story and it's pretty fun to watch all the way through. But it doesn't really do anything special or different, so I'm gonna say it's not bad. Although, I can't really accept this movie for what it is. And what it is is a lesser version of Raimi's.

"The Cove" Review

The Cove
Directed by Louis Psyihoyos
My Opinon: Worth the trauma.

I know this movie is like three Oscar seasons ago, but it fucked my mind forever so I have to write about it. I've always thought that dolphins were the most interesting members of the animal kingdom, aside from humans of course. The Cove illustrates the similarities between the aforementioned species and convinces the viewer that dolphins deserve to be treated as something more than a pest.

This is by far the most disturbing documentary I have ever seen, however, it is also possibly the best. The entire layout is flawless and unlike a lot of documentaries, it stays watched. You will not forget a thing, because you will probably have nightmares after. Still, it presents both sides and somehow makes you understand the reason why these creatures are killed. It's just traumatically wonderful.

Throwback Shit: "Bladerunner: Director's Cut"

What the fuck am I suppose to say other than A W E S O M E? Alright, when I see the original I'll write a comparison review. Until then, this is all you need to know.

Bladerunner: Director's Cut
Starring: Harrison Ford, Sean Young, Daryl Hannah
Directed by: Ridley Scott
My Opinion: If you haven't seen it yet,
you're a masochist

"Good Hair" Review

I've never been happy with my hair. I have almost-straight, fine hair with a slight wave that always looks uneven and is heinous as soon as humidity is a factor. Curly haired girls always scolded my complaints on account of their untamable locks. Stick-straight haired girls always complimented my ability to hold some curl when I wanted too, a feat that they never could achieve. I assumed that nobody was happy with themselves. However, growing up in a mostly white and hispanic community, I never knew just how discontent some people were. Good Hair taught me with zeal.

Good Hair
Starring: Chris Rock, Maya Angelou, Al Sharpton
Directed by Jeff Stilson
My Opinon: Educational and a bit disturbing,
but lengthy.

In Good Hair, Comedian Chris Rock explores the culture surrounding African American women and their locks. His documentary seems to stem from a decision to educate himself as well as others on the lengths that women go to in order to achieve "good hair" (read: white hair). Rock's two young daughters provoke his own interest in the topic. This is a wonderful thread due to the heartwarming snippet into Chris Rock's life as a father.

 The film begins with the Bronner Brothers annual hair convention: a festivity complete with vendors and a very expensive-looking and flamboyant hairstyle competition. We are soon introduced to a couple contending hairstylists and they're all crazy.

The most fascinating parts of the documentary are not the convention, which is merely a sub-par narrative tool that structures the film. It provides very little insight into the culture, aside from stating financial statistics. The most impressive and entrancing parts of the film come from Rock's navigation through the underbelly of African American hair culture. Rock and the audience learn what hair relaxer actually is and what it does when left on a chicken breast - an image I will never forget. Rock takes us as far as India: the hair exporting capital of the world.

Rock reveals the true price behind straight hair and human hair weaves. The lessons are valuable but the film probably should have ended after his return to the states. Once the film navigates back to the hair competition, it begins to get stale. It's a good frame for a beginner documentarian, however, it takes away from the potency of those cold hard facts. The sacrifices these women make to have "good hair" are shocking and upsetting, but also quite remarkable. The reasons they give for doing it are the most disturbing, as racially charged societal pressures seem to hold the key. It's certainly a wake-up call well worth the watch.

"The Campaign" Review

I thought it would be interesting to watch The Campaign after election season. I was hoping for some satirical commentary on the political game. I guess there may be a little insight, but it is so dumbed down that it merely states the obvious: a lot of politicians are sleazy and a product of money, while some actually care. So, essentially this film is just a comedy based around a campaign. I should have expected as much.

The Campaign
Starring: Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis, Jason Sudeikis

The movie starts relatively strong. It introduces Cam Brady (Will Ferrell) as a philandering politician who is pretty much retarded and running for reelection as a congressman. He obviously has no political goals or even views, he's just a playboy in it for the ride and desperately holding on. His opponent's name is Marty Huggins (Zach Galifianakis) and he's running in order to preserve his little North Carolina town called Hammond. He owns two pugs and has a happy fat family. One day his father tells him to run for congress. Really, he's essentially selling his son to some fat cats who are planning on turning Hammond into a Chinese sweatshop for to save money on shipping.

I predicted the ending about five minutes into the film as I'm sure you will too. But of course, the plot is rarely the most vital aspect in a comedy: that would be the funny factor. The beginning of the film presents punchy cracks, but the jokes are soon to burn out. The main characters are also strong and very fun at first, but seem to falter under the weight of the poorly written script.

The end of this movie just falls apart into a puddle of occasional single chuckles. It's like a slinky that gets stuck on the fifth step. Alas, why did I expect more?

Review of "Lincoln"

I've had my share of history-obsessed friends and I've noticed that they all tend to adore Abraham Lincoln, the man most famous for abolishing slavery and pretty much destroying the livelihood for the South. Obviously it was necessary, but it's still true.

The opening scene is beautiful, albeit quite violent. Genuinely grueling combat is shown with a long, intimate sweep of the battlefield: men engaging in bare-knuckle warfare, choking and kicking with everything they have. It's raw. Eventually, however, a soft voice soaking with dignity breaks through and we are introduced to a shadowy seated figure with a tall hat. As Lincoln converses with soldiers, trying to learn from the patriots fighting for him, the sterling compassion in his face engages the viewer, allowing us to empathize with the soldiers and feel the deep admiration. A pair of die-hard fans-turned-soldiers recite the Gettysburg Address before him, pure love shining in their young eyes. Yet Lincoln's humble demeanor remains unbroken.

Lincoln
Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones
Directed by Steven Spielberg
My Opinion: Wonderful.

I'll be honest, the entire film moves very slowly, careful not to miss a beat in the story that follows Lincoln's last days and the passing of the 13th amendment. However, the script is delectably elegant and smooth. If you have the attention span, and I'm surprised I did, you will be touched with the flowing language and the alluring wit.

I can't tell if the script aided in making this Lincoln so friendly and dignified, because Daniel Day-Lewis's performance is simply  effortless. I've become accustomed to that overbearing passion he usually displays (There Will Be Blood, Gangs of New York, My Left Foot). Here, however, I was pleasantly surprised with the soft smile and that subtle glimmer in his eye. His performance is delicate but bone-deep. I can't imagine him ever being able to break himself out of the character. It seems so incredibly natural and when he's on the screen, he enforces a Clockwork Orange kind of focus. No one could have replaced him.

Surprisingly, Day-Lewis doesn't quite steal the show. Sally Field's wringing hands and quivering lip articulate Mary Todd to a T. Her performance, like Day-Lewis's, is all in the details, but her aggressiveness grants her a spotlight of her own. Naturally, all the hoopla has surrounded Tommy Lee Jones - as it should. I've always been a fan of his hardened features and dignified droops but the his quiet expressions are captivating in every shot in which he appears.

Like I said, this film moves slowly. You need to be sincerely interested and have a decent understanding of the Civil War and of Congressional law in order to follow it. However, it is really wonderful and I have nothing  ill to say. Spielberg has a real treasure here, and I'm feeling pretty fine about that. It's been a while.

Throwback Shit: "Junior"

I have always loved Arnold Schwarzenegger in those non-action roles where he can really exhibit is knack for comedic timing. There is no film where his hidden talent is more apparent than in Junior.

Junior
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Danny Devito,
Emma Thompson
Directed by Ivan Reitman
My Opinion: A Must.

I don't know what the critical response was to this film. I was only four years old when it came out. I'm sure it was fair, but not what it deserves. This movie is fucking hilarious. The whole concept of the manliest man in hollywood getting pregnant with a miracle fertility drug, and Danny Devito acting like the daddy is comedic gold.

It makes no sense and they don't even try to explain any of the biological impossibilities, but it doesn't matter. This movie is so good that you just don't care. When those hormones kick in, the funny is killer... I can't say much more about this film because it just is what it is: and it's awesome! I can't imagine anyone with a heard and a funny bone could dislike it.

I'm sure my rating is over doing it. But hey, good comedy is always welcome on my blog.

Review of "Food Matters"

Dear God. I have a severe eating disorder after watching this film. I don't even know what to do with myself.

Food Matters
Directed by James Colguhoun & Carlo Ledesma
My Opinon: Terrified, but not convinced.

Honestly, this doc is incredibly one sided and that really discredits it. I would have really liked to hear something from the FDA or anyone except a bunch of hippies. That being said, the points raised are valid and important. However, there is so much more to the story of our food. I guess you should just watch Food, INC. instead.

It's a pretty good documentary, just not a great argument.

Throwback Shit: "Babe"

 Babe is a tale about ambition and love. Naturally, some people have aversions to animal's talking in movies especially when the real life actors are occasionally swapped out for puppets. That's understandable; the 90's style animated mouths are very dated. However, the virtue of this movie bypasses any of these setbacks.

I'll be straight. I wouldn't have watched this again had I not been very high - it tends to be the circumstance for my revisiting of any childhood favorites. Regardless, that state usually renders me very critical. Alas, I found Babe absolutely wonderful from start to finish. It's impossible to follow Babe on his ambitious journey without having an emotional response to the respectable sheep pig.

Babe
Starring: James Cromwell & Magda Szubanski
Directed by Chris Noonan
My Opinion: Wonderful.

This film has some impressive characterization. We'll start with Fly, Babe's Border Collie surrogate mommy. After losing all of her biological babies, she relied on babe to keep her sane as a mother. Then there is Ferdinand, the duck who wants to be a rooster. Like babe, he has an interspecies ambition and this bonds them together forever. These are just two examples, but all of the animals, whether they stood on four-legs or two, had deeply layered personalities that made them incredibly intriguing. All of this is probably the reason why I was a vegetarian for seven years, but I don't really blame myself. The philosophy of this movie certainly leads way to a vast amount of sympathy for our animal friends, but it also says something about everyone's dreams and the restrictions society applies to us. We are capable of achieving whatever we will.

Of course, Babe is best viewed by children. However, unlike most recent family films that I've seen previews for, this is highly enjoyable for everyone. The dialogue is always smart, the antics are always fun and the animals are so wonderful to watch. The singing mice may be the best part of the film, but that's only because they are a witty little choir. At times I was a little distracted by that shadowy lighting, meant to disguise the puppets I'm sure, but that uplifting story is sure to inspire no matter how down you are.

Review of "Snow White and the Huntsmen"

I'm going to spend about as much time on this review as the writers did on the screenplay. Great art direction, abysmal writing and an absence of logic. Who would ever believe that Kristen Stewart is fairer than Charlize Theron?

Snow White and the Huntsman
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron,
Chris Hemsworth
Directed by Rupert Sanders
My Opinion: Do it for the laughs.

However, I'm happy I saw it. I loved Charlize Theron in it and the gossip surrounding it is rather seductive. It's also really funny to see Kristen Stewart try to be a tough warrior princess, but she actually does an OK job. I wouldn't see it again though.

Review of "The Avengers"

I think the only way you can actually watch this movie is if you are in a setting that forces you to watch it - such as a movie theater. Otherwise, anything, even a sleeping cat, will distract you during the parts that don't have a deafening soundtrack. This movie is a bunch of white people and Samuel Jackson kind of being super heroes, but also kind of being assholes to each other. I didn't expect an orgy of friendship and virtue, but what the fuck was the director intending here? It's just a mish-mash of awesome special effects and Scarlett Johanson being sexy. Robin from HIMYM ain't looking too bad in that catsuit either.

The Avengers
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans,
Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo
Directed by Joss Whedon
My Opinon: Eh.

Anyway, I don't know if I'd call this a movie as much as I'd call it a bag of money. It has spectacle, so it's not absolutely worthless, and honestly, I didn't really give it an open-armed chance. But I think the prequels are far better. Maybe they tried to tackle too much? I don't know, I just don't feel that cozy hero feeling coming from this flick.

"Frankenweenie" Review

In 1984, a young Tim Burton created a charming and slightly morbid tale of a boy and his dog. The film ran a modest 29 minutes and was called Frankenweenie. I'm curious to know if there has ever been a film quite as moving and simplistic as Burton's early short. The film portrayed a nosey-neighbor, cookie-cut town with the vintage vibe akin to Edward Scissorhands: and as we saw with the latter, it's the perfect location for a monstrosity. Victor, played by the soft-faced and perfect-featured Barret Oliver, was the ideal character through which the audience, and undoubtedly the filmmaker, saw themselves. His beloved bull terrier, Sparky, stars in his home-made movies and devotedly chases the ball that Victor throws, even when it is tossed into the street into the path of an oncoming car.

Frankenweenie (2012)
Directed by Tim Burton
Starring: Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short, Martin Landau
My Opinion: Sweet enough for the kiddies,
entertaining enough for adults

The original strayed a bit from the purpose of Mary Shelley's novel. The abhorrent defilement of nature is disguised as an act of love rather than of curiosity. However, there is so much heart present, even in the redemption of the neighbors that bring the undead Sparky to his second demise, that the film becomes both deeply touching and thought provoking. It seems that the 2012 remake is more in tune with Shelley's original intent than with Burton's.

The feature-length Weenie divulges deeper into a cause and effect. It is quickly established that Victor doesn't have any friends except Sparky. In fact, none of the children of New Holland seem to be more than competitive rivals. The town has an added haunted feeling and bears very little resemblance to the original, save the fashion and hairstyles. Furthermore, rather than be concerned and gossiping citizens, the inhabitants of New Holland fit into two dimensional stereotypes: there is a fat child, a smart Japanese boy, a hunchbacked misfit, and a skeptical mayor who exploits his niece. Even Victor's father, so logical and understanding in the first, is pushing his scientific genius son into sports. Still, the actions of these characters are what move the plot, but they do lack the same psychological depth.

The 2012 film also included a lot more fantastical elements: former pets brought back from the dead for all the wrong reasons gave it that family friendly morality that has been lacking in most of Burton's films since his 2003 Big Fish. Although the films seemed to buckle a little under the weight of the added elements, it added a stronger adventure. Furthermore, few details from the original were sacrificed. Even the grave of a fish named Bubbles and a snake named Edward were still present. The film also made subtle references to other horror classics such as Godzilla and Gremlins. In an interesting twist, the film also added a vital scene from Shelley's novel that is so often skipped over by Frankenstein movies. At one point, Sparky sees his reflection in a shattered mirror. Somehow, his canine mind registers the monster that he has become and he flees in disgust. It might not have much logic, I mean, it's a dog, however, it works with Shelley's original purpose: what happens when humans intervene with nature.

I am the ultimate critic of this film. As a child, I must have seen the original Frankenweenie about a hundred times. I was nervous that Burton had produced a money maker rather than a movie that reflected the original's tone. However, I was pleasantly surprised by this funny and adventurous remake. It rings of the classic, slightly demented but still heartfelt Burton films I grew up with, and truly loved.

"The Master"

After seeing all 137 minutes of The Master, I did not feel that I had seen a movie. I guess that's probably Paul Thomas Anderson's intention, as the traditional story arch is all but absent, much like his 2007 film There Will Be Blood. However, the "glimpses-into-the-life" structure aside, this film is quite beautiful and filled with fascinating character portraits.

The Master
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman,
Amy Adams
My Opinion: It's like committing to a road trip from
Colorado to Idaho: the journey is better
than the destination.

The cinematography is astounding, as is always expected of Anderson's films. Shot in 65 mm, each frame takes full advantage of the extra space. Lonely, static shots of Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix) flood the first segment of the film. One absorbing image to note is a long, dragging shot of Freddie sprinting across a barren field.

As a speaker explains to a group of seamen including Freddie, life at sea has caused mental instability. This becomes apparent as we follow Freddie after. The prospect of holding a job becomes impossible with Freddie's erratic behavior: fighting a mall-photography subject and poisoning a cabbage-harvesting coworker. But Freddie is good at concocting batches of highly intoxicating serums. Eventually, this binds him to the master himself.

Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman), the next specimen in the plethora of intricate characters, is the leader of The Cause: a strange, cult-like religious organization that believes that the soul's past physical lives cause emotional pain in the present. Lancaster becomes devoted to fixing Freddie, and the master-servant relationship solidifies.

Yet, what seems at times to be a devoted bromance is tensed by Freddie's inability to stop his violent ways. He can't be fixed, as Lancaster's wife points out. She is played by Amy Adams, appearing much older and sterner than we're used to seeing her. Freddie sees through the bullshit religion and though he tries for his master, he can't quite commit to the cause.

The story examines the potentials and downfalls of a radical religious group such as this one. It brings about an important question: is a bullshit religion worth it if it seems to help people? This is very intriguing to ponder, but the film gives you quite the time to ponder it. The acting is phenomenal and likely caused Joaquin Phoenix quite a bit of physical pain with the starvation and deformity of his stature. However, I wasn't completely blown away by this film. It's not the type of movie you can say that you enjoyed, but it was well worth it, lovely, absolutely absorbing, and also moderately abhorrent.

Local Shit: Cult Shock Theater

Cinema Minima is a monthly event during which films are screened by local guest curators at Logan Square's Cole's Bar. Yesterday I had the pleasure of curating a program with an organization I work for, The Cinema Culture.

I organized the line-up around a theme of death and grotesquery: a celebration of October, which is my favorite month of the year. The program was diverse, with films arriving from three separate continents. The playlist was as follows:

Sink Hole
A man is seduced by a sultry kitchen appliance. Directed by Greg Hanson. Greth Productions 2012. America.

Carny
A nightmarish glimpse into the trials of a circus performer and her downfall. Directed by Kevin Lonano. !Robot Hand! Productions 2011. America. https://vimeo.com/19642935

Zombin Laden: The Axis of Evil Dead
A pseudo-theatrical trailer for a zombie thriller in which Osama bin Laden returns from the dead to declare jihad.
Directed by Clément Deneux. 2011. France. https://vimeo.com/29442326

The Killing Joke
A young woman's curiosity overpowers her when she finds a red balloon tied to a little box on an eery derelict street. Classic elements of suspense tell this thrilling, action packed tale.
Directed by Sebastian Lopez. Ioioma Films 2011. Argentina.

Dumb Dumbs
Three young girls are vanquished by sweet temptations in a colorful but grotesquely disturbing underworld.
Directed by Greg Hanson. Greth Productions 2012. America. https://vimeo.com/29169111

Leperfuck
A young married woman clings to love among the impending loss of her missionary husband and their unborn child. A grueling tale set in pre-war 1940's America.
Directed by Drew Tobia. Mommy Kamikaze Secretions 2009. America

Thy Kill Be Done
When the Monsignor priest of an inner city church is killed by a gang of hoodlums and their drug lord leader, the nuns in the church's clergy vow bloody revenge.
Directed by Greg Hanson & Casey Regan. Greth Productions 2011. America.

Death of a Pigeon
New York City through the eyes of a dead pigeon Directed by Burns Luciano. 537 Films 2012. America. https://vimeo.com/42906046

I See A Light
A brief glimpse into the final moments of a lifetime. Directed by Aaron Zeghers. 2011. America. https://vimeo.com/26564793

Prayers of Death
Documentary meets horror when the cameras shrink to the size of the mantis's prey. This film is an exploration into the micro-world just beneath the surface of our human experience. Directed by Ben Nissen. 2011. America.

Death Rattle
A hauntingly beautiful tribute to the masters of bone-chilling horror. A mash-up of classics set to eery house beats.
Directed by Nick Bedidt. 2010. America. 


The films were offensively appropriate and the turnout was plentiful. We even ran out of chairs, and several viewers stood the lengthy two hours, beers in hand. Every film was followed by applause and some even garnered cheers. The program started about a half hour late and ran to almost eleven. The order was a bit off: a welcome and introduction occurred after the first film, "Thy Kill Be Done". Given the chance to do it again, I would put the introductions and pseudo-trailer for "Zombin Laden" first.  Aside from that, the audience really responded to the array of offensive images and beautiful camera work. The only misstep was likely the techno-classic-horror mash-up "Death Rattle" which ran about 15 minutes too long. Those are the critiques I have about my own program, but you live and learn.

Overall, I think this program was an excellant initiation both for the Autumn month and for my role as a co-curator. It may have been a little early for a Halloween themed show, but who cares? People came for the movies.

"The Cabin in the Woods" Review

It's new, it's great. If you love horror, it's a must see.

The Cabin in the Woods
Starring: Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth and Anna Hutchison
Directed by Drew Goddard
My Opinion: Watch it now.

I WILL NOT RISK SPOILING THIS!

Review of "God Bless America"

The superficiality of modern society has become too much for middle aged Frank. When he discovers that he is terminally ill due to a tumor in his brain, he decides to take out his frustrations on the rude, inconsiderate and worthless people around him, with the help of his accomplice: a quirky, teenaged loner named Roxy.

God Bless America
Starring: Joel Murray, Tara Lynne Barr
Directed by Bobcat Goldthwait
My Opinion: A fun, but fanciful ride

This movie is not unlike a comedic, action- driven version of Saw with grindhouse-y undertones. However, instead of immoral acts feeding the Jigsaw in this metaphor, it's reality television. The movie presents spoofs of much-loved reality classics such as My Super Sweet Sixteen, Bad Girls Club and American Idol. The events in the fake shows are incredibly accurate. For example, on Tuff Gurls a girl plucks a tampon out of her vagina and throws the bloody cotton in the face of her housemate. I will admit that I really wish this happened on the actual Bad Girls Club, but the film makes a pungent point with this wildly entertaining moment: a television show on a network that claims itself as "for women" is doing a whole lot of damage to the feminist movement. This is what drives Frank crazy.
The story is framed by the season of American Superstars, the alias for Idol. When we are first introduced to Frank, he is in an insomniac state partly brought on by his incredibly immature and inconsiderate neighbors. He habitually alleviates the sleeplessness with television where he watches the auditions for Superstarz, which, like its real-life counterpart, resembles a freak show. Rather than William Hung, Steven Clark is the grossly incompetent singer who becomes both ridiculed and glamorized. Steven occasionally haunts the screen, reminding us of the driving force behind the terror Frank wreaks.
God Bless America holds a lot of water in its criticisms of our nation. We are superficial and filled with mind-numbing pop culture talks about LiLo and TomKat, but Frank's interpretation of the world is what's killing him. The film does a decent job of connoting that as well, especially in regards to his broken family and disjointed life in Syracuse. However, the film lacks some solidity in its story. What turns Frank from suicidal to homicidal is merely a redundancy. Furthermore, the film sheds only a dim light on what drives his partner in crime, Roxy. Other than the fact that she feels like an outsider, we don't know what makes this young girl hate the world so much. She's incredibly intelligent, very opinionated and a wonderful character, but she comes close to the cookie-cutter angsty teen that is so lovable in comedies of today.
My final criticism is the believability. Normally, I don't consider this, but for a film that maintains such stark criticism and wit, I think it matters that the law enforcement was all but absent. Roxy and Frank kill four different people in a movie theater, and they walk out easily. Their faces are on the news, yet there is never a chase. The media would be an even better antagonist had it provided more conflict for the heroines of the tale. Had it been an entire character, one that was pursuing the protagonists' demise, the stakes would have been higher and any of the dragging present in the film, no matter how slight, would have vanished. The film donated its final moment to a respectful homage to the classic Bonnie and Clyde, but it would have worked better modeling its plot after the film also.
Over all, this is a pretty good film. It's hilarious and highly entertaining with golden dialogue and a fun premise. Yet, in the end, it's another black comedy that just doesn't aspire to greatness. Whatever, I liked it.

Review of "A Separation"

If you're looking to watch a movie that will provide an enigmatic glimpse into another culture all while utterly deflating any happiness that you were feeling, stop by your local RedBox today and pick up A Separation. This academy award winning film is rich, fulfilling and completely melancholic.

A Separation
Starring: Peyman Moadi, Leila Hatami, Sareh Bayat
Directed by Asghar Farhadi
My Opinion: Absolutely excellant. 

The story focuses entirely on the religion-fueled culture of Iran. The actual plot is very simple: A woman leaves her family out of her own best interest and her husband must find day help to care for his father, who is in a very late stage of alzheimer's disease. The woman he hires is pregnant and working without the knowledge or consent of her husband. Eventually, a dispute between employer and employee grows heated and the man tosses the woman from his home. Her unborn child is later found dead. As the movie runs on, details surface that change everything. There is no clear cut answer in this situation, but the cause of the conflict continually boils back down to the separation.
I got the feeling that this movie was for those outside of the culture. It seemed that an Iranian would see this film with some disinterest, as it was centered around how religion intersects with the judicial system. However, the cyclone of emotion and morality in the story was harrowing. True human turmoil is depicted in this film with some of the most honest acting I've ever seen. The children in the film deserve a special mention for making their eyes look so pitiful and evoking so much with what few years they had. The cinematography was grim but exhaustingly beautiful. The direction was perfect, so much so that I have very little to say about it. I felt as if I had been drawn into the situation, as if I had to testify in court. If you have the attention span for 123 minutes of subtitles, I'd say this is a must-see.

Review of "The Dictator"

When I found out that Sacha Baron Cohen was no longer making his disarmingly improvisational films, I was moderately disappointed. The vulgarity and shock value of his previous endeavors were entertaining, both in the actually humor contained in the films and the controversy they stirred up. So, yes, his newest addition to his collage of characters couldn't have been more than a relative letdown. In fact, I found it astonishingly tame and very mediocre.

The Dictator
Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen, Anna Faris, Alec Berg
Directed by Larry Charles
My Opinion: You'll get some laughs out, but that's about it.

The plot line was promising: Aladeen, the goofy dictator of the Republic of Wadiya, comes to America to ensure that Democracy doesn't spread to his oppressed nation. His body double is mistaken for himself, and Aladeen is forced to make it in the big apple. He gets a job at an organic food market that employs refugees and even gets a lesbian to fall in love with him.
The culture clash lent itself to plentiful humor, most of which was predictable but still worth it. The rest of the laughs stem from Aladeen's eccentricity and utter boldness: shooting competitors to win a race and changing words in the dictionary to his name. However, as the film wore on I found myself losing sight of Aladeen's character. I felt that the vegan culture he had surrounded himself with had tamed too quickly. It didn't seem that Aladeen was strong enough to withstand the demands of a structured plot and he fell flat, into a predictable, sympathetic human. This was fine for the plot and perhaps necessary, but I have to admit it was kind of .
Had it been an unscripted film, the impact would have been heavier and the laughs riskier, but more pungent. Naturally, the plentiful famous faces would have been absent and the safety of the entire cast and crew would be in danger. I'm not saying it would have been a better choice, but it would have made a better movie. It was still really funny at points, but the truth is we'll only remember Cohen's crazy promotional hijinks rather than the film itself.

Review of "Bernie"

Oh death. My favorite subject in all of the world. Whether it's a philosophical argument, an art installation or a film, I'm down, balls to the wall. Jack Black's new, and surprisingly serious role as the village-loved mortician, Bernie, is an impressive feat for the comedian. Not only does the film tackle a solemn and contentious story of murder and friendship, but it also straddles the line between fictional storytelling and documentary filmmaking. I've never seen dramatic reenactments quite like this.

Bernie follows the story of a fluffy and lovable mortician in a little village in East Texas. The man seems a saint: leading the church choir and bringing gifts to the local widowers all while attending to his passion, the care and preparing of bodies for funeral services. Bernie becomes quite the elderly ladies' man, until he encounters an obstacle: the very wealthy and recently widowed Marjorie Nugent (Shirley MacLaine). Marjorie is a very unpleasant woman who only recognizes the misery in life. Somehow Bernie shows her the brighter side of life and the two embark on leisurely vacations around the world. Eventually, the keen friendship turns into a possessive pet and master relationship, with Marjorie holding the leash. As nature has it, the beloved mongrel turns on his mistress, and Bernie murders his former friend. The rest of the film depicts how Bernie attempts to cover up the murder as well as his eventual arrest and trial.

Bernie
Starring: Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, Matthew McConaughey
Directed by Richard Linklater
My Opinion: Worth the watch, but the experience
will differ for everyone.

The comedy in Bernie is specifically tongue in cheek. The laughter seems like it should come from the loud and stylized characters so excellently executed by Shirley MacLaine and Jack Black, however their pairing as a couple is tragic. One cannot dismiss that this story is true and the events, emotions and people are grim instead of comedic. Matthew McConaughey's portrayal of the local district attorney, Danny Buck Davidson, provides some relief, however, the tale hits the heart instead of the gut.

Of course since the story is based on a true event, I'm sure some details were exaggerated and others omitted (although the Wikipedia page begs to differ, claiming the film depicts the story "pretty much how it happened.") I know some critics took issue with the lack of comedy in the film, but I think that the few scattered and subtle laughs were appropriate for the content. I'm not sure how comfortable I'd feel if I were made to laugh hysterically at such a serious matter. I also don't feel that the reportorial style of the film takes away from the entertainment value, but rather provides a tone of realism. Bernie takes us into the depths of the hurricane of swirling human emotion that is involved in a crime of passion story. It's a psychological portrait of desperate people and the actual village that knew them.

Review of "The Woman in Black"

For Daniel Radcliffe, his role as a lawyer and father of a 4 year old boy is a landmark role. Aside from some respectable onstage roles, Radcliffe has been known only as Harry. Although entertaining and creepy when narrowly escaping cliché, The Woman in Black watches more like proof of Radcliffe's eagerness to shred those trendy round frames for more cinematic endeavors.

The Woman in Black
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Janet McTeer
Directed by James Watkins
My Opinion: Eh.

The film follows Arthur Kipps as he travels to a remote village of Cryphin Gifford in order to examine the documentation of an old mansion haunted by the spirit of its late owner. Personally, I really love possessed children crushing their doll's faces as they walk to a window to jump to their deaths, but this isn't exactly an original opening for a film. In general, the director relies far too heavily on cut-aways of decaying toys and expressionless dolls. Watching The Woman in Black is kind of like going through a haunted house with a predictable yet satisfying ending. I honestly don't have much to say because, what with its generic, scrambled storyline and cookie-cutter Victorian era-dialogue, the film itself doesn't leave much of an impression.

I will say that I am happy with the way it ended. I was excitedly clawing at my seat for at least the final five minutes of the film. Yet it was too little and way too late. With the final moments as the anxiety-inducing climax, the film as a whole is slightly above mediocre, but I don't regret having watched it. I do hope that Radcliffe's next role is more challenging and invigorating than this easy go-to film.