Movies in theatre: 6
All Movies:
The A-Team 2.5/4
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Theif 2/4
Despicable Me 3/4
Inception 4/4
The Sorcerer's Apprentice 2.5/4
Quills 3/4
Exit Through the Gift Shop 3.5/4
Other posts:
Hey, Mama, Welcome to the 80's
Circle Time Note
Top 5 "Mirror of America" Films
Top 5 Favorite Endings
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Exit Through the Gift Shop
Like Sasquatch, the Lock Ness Monster, and the 1969 NASA moon landing, Banksy's Exit Through the Gift Shop has people wondering if this movie is for real or not. However, when it comes right down to it, does that even matter?
This documentary follows Thierry Guetta, a quirky Frenchman with an obsession for filming. Guetta befriends an array of grafitti artists including Space Invader, Borf, Shepard Fairey (the man who came up with Obama's 2008 election poster), and, of course, Banksy. Guetta eventually sticks with Bansky while the two of them embark on a wonderous grafitti expedition. After a while, Banksy convinces Guetta to turn the camera over to him while Guetta tries his hand at art, with an unbelievable turnout.
Whether this film is legit or not, everything about it, for the most part, feels authentic and that is an astonishing feet for any "prankumentary", if indeed that's what this is. The real decade-old footage mixed in with the seemingly spontaneous humor of the ensemble makes this movie feel like the real deal, which I guess you could pin on the grade A acting, if indeed it is exactly that.
Like I hinted at earlier, this movie is funny, really funny. The dimwit humor of Guetta, cupped with countless attacks on Guetta's dimwit ways, makes this movie very enjoyable. If nothing else, this movie provides the audience with something (rather someone) to laugh at. But what is great about this movie is that it keeps the audience laughing while also keeping the audience engaged; we are constantly deciding for ourselves what art is and where we draw the line between vandlism and self-expression.
In the end it does not even matter if this film is a true story or not; it's funny, it's engaging, and it is just plain old fun. Besides, we get plently of enjoyment out of fiction anyways, don't we?
See this film.
Whether this film is legit or not, everything about it, for the most part, feels authentic and that is an astonishing feet for any "prankumentary", if indeed that's what this is. The real decade-old footage mixed in with the seemingly spontaneous humor of the ensemble makes this movie feel like the real deal, which I guess you could pin on the grade A acting, if indeed it is exactly that.
Like I hinted at earlier, this movie is funny, really funny. The dimwit humor of Guetta, cupped with countless attacks on Guetta's dimwit ways, makes this movie very enjoyable. If nothing else, this movie provides the audience with something (rather someone) to laugh at. But what is great about this movie is that it keeps the audience laughing while also keeping the audience engaged; we are constantly deciding for ourselves what art is and where we draw the line between vandlism and self-expression.
In the end it does not even matter if this film is a true story or not; it's funny, it's engaging, and it is just plain old fun. Besides, we get plently of enjoyment out of fiction anyways, don't we?
See this film.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Quills
If you were asked "What is your favorite Geoffrey Rush moive?", how would you respond? The House On Haunted Hill? Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl? How about Finding Nemo? It's a tought choice, right? Well, to help make your decision even more difficult, consider Phillip Kaufman's Quills.
This film has a lot going for it: a good director, a good script, and a very talented cast that can definitely do something like this. The end result? A very risqué drama that grabs hold of you from the beginning and never lets go. Kaufman is really passionate about this story and it comes through in his script and direction as each character developes tremendously throughout the course of the film. Of course this film is star studded and with actors like Geoffrey Rush, Kate Winslet, Joaquin Phoenix, and Michael Caine, it's hard not to have character development.
This film flows smoothly. There are not a whole bunch of random cuts that don't make any sense. The story is seamless and it is easy to follow along, which makes any movie more enjoyable. When a movie flows smoothly it makes it easier to notice other details because you're not sitting there wondering what in the world is going on. For instance, with everything flowing smoothly, Geoffrey Rush's Oscar nominated preformance stands out more.
As I said before, this movie is very risqué; it definitely earns its R rating. So if you are uncomfortable with male nudity and the talk of certain bodily functions, then this may not be the movie for you. Also, the supposed love triangle in this film does not feel as strong as it could, though the idea of a love triangle in this film makes things more interesting, it isn't very effective.
With all that said, this movie is a very enthralling; once you start it, you will definitely finish it. Phillip Kaufman has done a good job with this movie, it is very well made, and all the preformances bring this film to a whole other level.
See this film.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Top 5 Favorite Endings
5. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Very rarely is human society portrayed in a microcosm that is both entertaining and impressively accurate. This is a film adaptation of Ken Kesey's novel stars Jack Nicholson as a man, who may or may not be crazy, living inside a mental institution to escape the Vietnam War. This film portrays the consequence of conformity (or nonconformity?) with an ending that is sure to leave you wondering, "What is it to be crazy?”
4. The Ghost Writer
With endings that are as controversial as he is, Roman Polanski continues to baffle us. His latest film, The Ghost Writer, stars Ewan McGregor as a ghost writer hired to tie up some loose ends on a biography of a very infamous politician; however things are not as they seem. Things go from strange to stranger as the movie becomes more and more thrilling as it all leads up to an ending you won't see coming.
3. Gran Torino
As both the director and the star, Clint Eastwood can definitely shelve this film with his greats like Unforgiven, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, and Million Dollar Baby. Following the story of an old Vietnam vet after the death of his wife, Gran Torino is a moving film about the virtues of love and sacrifice. With a powerful ending that will leave you in awe, Clint Eastwood keeps proving that he is getting better with age.
2. Inception
I've said it before and I'll say it again, Christopher Nolan is a master filmmaker and just like Eastwood, he keeps on getting better. Inception is Nolan's latest thriller about a dream team, led by Leonardo DiCaprio, who is hired to plant an idea into the head of an heir for a very powerful company. Nolan takes us through the human psyche, but as they advance through the levels, things become increasingly difficult. Once the team reaches the end, everything seems normal, but is the happy ending really a happy ending?
1. The Mist
With enough chills, thrills, and plain old scares, The Mist is arguably one of the best film adaptations of a Stephen King novel. When a thick mist rolls into town, maneating creatures start appearing and a handful of surviving residents must take shelter in a supermarket and fight to stay alive. Prior to viewing this movie, it may be a good idea to visit the bathroom and empty all the contents of your stomach. With an ending that only Stephen King could deliver, The Mist will haunt you long after you've seen the movie, so make sure you sleep with a nightlight on.
4. The Ghost Writer
With endings that are as controversial as he is, Roman Polanski continues to baffle us. His latest film, The Ghost Writer, stars Ewan McGregor as a ghost writer hired to tie up some loose ends on a biography of a very infamous politician; however things are not as they seem. Things go from strange to stranger as the movie becomes more and more thrilling as it all leads up to an ending you won't see coming.
3. Gran Torino
2. Inception
I've said it before and I'll say it again, Christopher Nolan is a master filmmaker and just like Eastwood, he keeps on getting better. Inception is Nolan's latest thriller about a dream team, led by Leonardo DiCaprio, who is hired to plant an idea into the head of an heir for a very powerful company. Nolan takes us through the human psyche, but as they advance through the levels, things become increasingly difficult. Once the team reaches the end, everything seems normal, but is the happy ending really a happy ending?
1. The Mist
Saturday, July 24, 2010
The Sorcerer's Apprentice
The next Pirates of the Caribbean film doesn't come out for another year, so Disney Studios and fammed movie producer Jerry Bruckheimer have teamed up once again to fill that gap with another goofy action film. Only this time around, it's Nicholas Cage's turn to take the lead roll.
Well, it ain't no Harry Potter or Narnia movie, but The Socerer's Apprentice has enough magic and action to make the recent Percy Jackson film look like it's an unoriginal, unentertainning adaptation of a teen fantasy novel ( like that's so hard to do ). There is constantly some sort of magic spell being cast in this movie and most of that magic is being used in such a way that it enhances the entertainment value of the action sequences, thus making this film more fun.
This film has a cast of great actors that will definitely draw the attention of people who wouldn't otherwise care for a movie like this. Among them are Jay Baruchel, no doubtedly rounding up the younger audience, the very talented Alfred Molina, drawing in all those Spider-Man 2 fans, and the great Nicholas Cage, whom everybody loves. Everybody in this movie can act ( with the exception of the kid who played the young Dave, who was obviously hired only because he looks like a young Jay Baruchel ) and Molina does a good bad guy, but it is Nicholas Cage who really shines in this one. Cage brings himself into this film, making us laugh, cry, and laugh again in the way that only he can deliver.
The direction in this film is was interesting and none of the camerawork was too distracting. Most of the action sequences were not filled with quick cuts, which was a relief because I could actually tell what was going on for the most part. The script was funny and it added to the overall goofball atmosphere of the movie; however, the love-dovey sequences in this film were boring and started ocurring too often which dragged the movie along in some parts.
The beginning narrative that gave the background story of Balthazar and the rest of the Merlinians was awkward and did not feel like it fit in with the rest of the movie; it was cliché and does not serve as a formitable attention grabber. The beginning of this film with the young Dave is also boring and it doesn't pick up until Cage's character is finally introduced ( which is luckily only ten to fifteen minutes into the movie ) and the ending is unsasisfactory to the rest of the movie.
Overall, The Socerer's Apprentice is a fun film that survives on Cage's comedic skills, love for its characters, and great pop culture refrences including Star Wars and Magic the Gathering.
See this film.
This movie follows the life of our hero, Dave ( apparently not having a last name is the latest fad in New York City ), from a very young age, starting from his first encounter with Balthazar ( Cage ) in his antique shop. After revealing to Dave that he is the "chosen one", Dave accidentally releases the evil Horvath ( Alfred Molina) from a magical imprisonment, inevitably engaging Balthazar in imortal combat. Balthazar then imprisons himself, along with Horvath, in a ten-year prison so as to buy the world time. Of course when the ten years are up, the two enemies are released and end up finding their ways back into Dave's somewhat normal life. Now Dave must master the art of sorcery if he wishes to save the world from complete annihilation.
Well, it ain't no Harry Potter or Narnia movie, but The Socerer's Apprentice has enough magic and action to make the recent Percy Jackson film look like it's an unoriginal, unentertainning adaptation of a teen fantasy novel ( like that's so hard to do ). There is constantly some sort of magic spell being cast in this movie and most of that magic is being used in such a way that it enhances the entertainment value of the action sequences, thus making this film more fun.
This film has a cast of great actors that will definitely draw the attention of people who wouldn't otherwise care for a movie like this. Among them are Jay Baruchel, no doubtedly rounding up the younger audience, the very talented Alfred Molina, drawing in all those Spider-Man 2 fans, and the great Nicholas Cage, whom everybody loves. Everybody in this movie can act ( with the exception of the kid who played the young Dave, who was obviously hired only because he looks like a young Jay Baruchel ) and Molina does a good bad guy, but it is Nicholas Cage who really shines in this one. Cage brings himself into this film, making us laugh, cry, and laugh again in the way that only he can deliver.
The direction in this film is was interesting and none of the camerawork was too distracting. Most of the action sequences were not filled with quick cuts, which was a relief because I could actually tell what was going on for the most part. The script was funny and it added to the overall goofball atmosphere of the movie; however, the love-dovey sequences in this film were boring and started ocurring too often which dragged the movie along in some parts.
The beginning narrative that gave the background story of Balthazar and the rest of the Merlinians was awkward and did not feel like it fit in with the rest of the movie; it was cliché and does not serve as a formitable attention grabber. The beginning of this film with the young Dave is also boring and it doesn't pick up until Cage's character is finally introduced ( which is luckily only ten to fifteen minutes into the movie ) and the ending is unsasisfactory to the rest of the movie.
Overall, The Socerer's Apprentice is a fun film that survives on Cage's comedic skills, love for its characters, and great pop culture refrences including Star Wars and Magic the Gathering.
See this film.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Outta Five
Dear Readers,
My friends at http://ragdollreviews.blogspot.com/ and http://the3rdreel.blogspot.com/, myself, and a few more friends are converging to create an awesome megablog that will consist of many different media reviews including video games, comics, music, television, and of course, movies. It is sure to be an awesome blog once it gets up and going. Don't be shy, stop on over for a visit every once in a while. http://www.outtafive.blogspot.com/
My friends at http://ragdollreviews.blogspot.com/ and http://the3rdreel.blogspot.com/, myself, and a few more friends are converging to create an awesome megablog that will consist of many different media reviews including video games, comics, music, television, and of course, movies. It is sure to be an awesome blog once it gets up and going. Don't be shy, stop on over for a visit every once in a while. http://www.outtafive.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Despicable Me
When you think "supervillain", who comes to mind? The Joker? For sure. Lex Luther? Definitely. How about others like Darth Vader, Magneto, or even Gargamel? Ohhh yeah. Well how about Gru from Universal's first ever 3D animated film Despicable Me? Yeaah, not so much.
When the Great Pyramid of Giza goes missing, it is called the crime of the century and the world doesn't know which of its supervillains is to blame. Unfortunately for Gru ( voiced by Steve Carell ), it wasn't him. So in order to secure the title of crime of the century, Gru plans to steal the moon and hold the world ransom; however, he must first steal back the shrink ray gun from his arch nemisis, Vector, by adopting three little orphan girls who can gain access into Vector's lair by selling him cookies. The scheme seems to be going as planned until Gru finds himself becoming distracted as he inevitably grows more and more attatched to his newly adopted daughters.
Universal Studios took their shot at 3D animation and it paied off for the most part. The 3D in this film is pretty good and offers a couple of "wow" moments during the few scenes that were obviously intended for 3D viewing. However, no film has yet to even come close to the 3D animation of Dreamworks' How to Train Your Dragon, which was amazing. With that said, the 3D in this film is still far superior than any 3D that Pixar has dished out.
Okay, so the 3D is all fine and dandy, but what about the story? Well, the story in this film feels pretty original compared to what Hollywood has been giving us, so that's a good start. However, once the movie progresses it can feel a little slow at times, but the light-hearted comedy and heart of this film is what saves this movie from being boring.
Overall, this film is light, heartfelt, and as goofy as Steve Carell's accent. It has enough eye-popping visuals to keep the kids entertained and enough heart and good spirited humor to keep parents into it as well.
See this film in 3D.
Universal Studios took their shot at 3D animation and it paied off for the most part. The 3D in this film is pretty good and offers a couple of "wow" moments during the few scenes that were obviously intended for 3D viewing. However, no film has yet to even come close to the 3D animation of Dreamworks' How to Train Your Dragon, which was amazing. With that said, the 3D in this film is still far superior than any 3D that Pixar has dished out.
Okay, so the 3D is all fine and dandy, but what about the story? Well, the story in this film feels pretty original compared to what Hollywood has been giving us, so that's a good start. However, once the movie progresses it can feel a little slow at times, but the light-hearted comedy and heart of this film is what saves this movie from being boring.
Overall, this film is light, heartfelt, and as goofy as Steve Carell's accent. It has enough eye-popping visuals to keep the kids entertained and enough heart and good spirited humor to keep parents into it as well.
See this film in 3D.
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