The Visitor Review

Hype:  The Visitor is about a professor who discovers an immigrant couple in his house.  That is all I know about the plot of this film.  One thing I also know about this film is that it has gotten amazing reviews.  It is Certified Fresh on RottenTomatoes.com with a 93% positive review rating.  Given the high number of positive reviews, this film should be a joy to watch.

Review:  The Visitor is a film about a college professor named Walter, played by Richard Jenkins, who goes to New York for a work conference.  When he arrives at his New York apartment he realizes he is not alone.  Inside his apartment is a couple, Tarek and Zainab, that happen to be illegal immigrants.  Tarek starts to teach Walter to play the drums which helps Walter coup with his depression.  One day while out in New York, Tarek is arrested and sent to a detention center where illegal immigrants are detained.  Walter then starts to visit Tarek and hires a lawyer to help get him out.

You really feel bad for Walter throughout this film.  His wife had passed away and you could tell he doesn't really enjoy his job.  Once Walter meets Tarek and starts the drum lessons, you really seem him start to loosen up.  One of my favorite scenes with Walter and Tarek was when they play drums in the middle of Central Park.  It isn't just Tarek and Walter playing the drums, its a huge group of guys and there are people dancing around.  At first you can see Walter isn't too comfortable with it, but as he sees Tarek playing he loosens up.  It was fun to watch Walter let his guard down and have fun.

The Visitor isn't a fast pace, on the edge of your seat movie, but yet it does a good job of keeping the viewer interested.  I never really thought there was a dull moment.  This is one of those films where you easily get emotionally attached to the characters.  You can really feel their pain.  I really enjoyed this film.  The story is interesting and the characters are a joy.  I highly recommend this film.  It is definitely one of the best films released in 2008.

The Lookout Review

Hype:  The Lookout stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt whom you may remember from the television show Third Rock From The Sun.  Other than that I have no idea what this movie is about.  I don't know what the plot is and I don't know who else is in the movie.  One thing I do know is that the reviews for this movie are pretty amazing.  This film has been on my radar for a while.  Watching this movie is going to be a complete surprise.

Initial Review:  The Lookout is about a young man named Chris Pratt, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt.  Chris and three of his friends were in a horrific car accident in which two of the people were killed.  Chris was thrown from the car and was put into a coma.  Four years later Chris is just trying to survive each day.  The accident left him slightly brain damaged and has trouble remembering things.  Since he can't remember things he writes them down in a little notebook.  Every day Chris goes to rehab and at night he works at a small town bank as a janitor.

While working at the bank, this group of guys start to follow Chris.  The reason why they follow Chris is because they want to use him to rob the bank.  They treat Chris as a friend and actually use the tragedy Chris to convince him that robbing the bank is the right thing to do.

I immediately enjoyed this movie from the start when a song by My Morning Jacket started playing.  From that moment I was sucked in and enjoyed every minute of it.  The story was a blast to sit through and watch.  There was never a boring moment throughout this film, the tension was extremely high.

I was not surprised with how great Joseph Gordon-Levitt was.  I have really enjoyed him in everything he has been in, whether it be 3rd Rock from the Sun or 10 Things I Hate About You or Mysterious Skin.  You really felt bad for his character.  You could really tell that the car accident has destroyed his life and he will forever be affected by it.  The pain and hurt can really be felt in his eyes.  It was great.

The supporting cast was also amazing.  Jeff Daniels plays Chris' roommate Lewis who is blind.  I thought Jeff did an amazing job.  His character really cares about Chris and wants him to be successful in life.  Isla Fisher plays a girl named Luvlee.  Luvlee is a girl that the group of guys that want to rob the bank use to help persuade Chris into robbing the bank.  I felt that this role for Isla was much better than the roles she has played before like the one in Wedding Crashers.  With her character in The Lookout you can tell she has a heart and knows that what she is doing to Chris is wrong.

Overall I thought The Lookout was great.  Emotionally this film pulls at your heart.  You really feel bad for what Chris has been through and hate the way people treat him.  You are thrown into Chris' world and you really don't want to leave it.  The story is original and fun.  It's really hard to say something negative about The Lookout, and feel you don't find many movies like that around these days.  I highly recommend this film.  If you have not seen The Lookout then you are missing out on one of the best films of the past year.  I say see it immediately, don't wait, you won't be disappointed, trust me.

M Review

Hype: M is one of those movies I hadn't heard of until recently.  I found out about it while looking at IMDB's Top 250 and saw M sitting at #45.  I figured this movie must be good if it's ranked higher than some of my favorite movies like Saving Private Ryan and Pan's Labyrinth.  After seeing it ranked so high I read a synopsis about it and found it to be interesting.  It was made in 1931 and has one of films first serial killers and was the director's first film using sound.  Hearing that I figured M is a movie that has some history behind it and is worth viewing.

Initial Review:  M is a German film about a serial killer that murders children and the reaction to those in the community.  The police have failed in their investigation for this killer and the citizens are starting to get upset.  The police decide they must start searching everyone and anyone that looks suspicious while talking to little kids is a suspect.  With the heighten police presence around down the criminals start to panic because they are losing money.  The criminals decide they must find out who the killer is and stop him themselves.

I found this film to be very interesting.  It's not like serial killer films today where there is tons of violence and action.  All the suspense is in the way the scenes are shot and acted.  When you watch the killer, Hans Beckert, played by Peter Lorre, it's hard not to compare him to some of today's classic killers like Hannibal Lecter.  You can tell he is truly psychotic and deranged.  There is one scene where Beckert sees his next victim and as he is following the young girl, her mom appears and takes her home.  This causes Beckert to completely lose it.  When this happens you see how he can't control what he does.  You see how obsessed he is with killing.  I also like how it wasn't the good citizens that took charge, it was the criminals.  

M is truly a classic movie that most modern crime dramas can't compete against.  With this film you get to see how everyone in the community is affected by a killer.  You see the frustration from the cops with all their failed attempts at catching him.  You see the parents fear that their child could be next.  And you see how the criminals are losing money because of the cops upping their presence.  I feel like some people wouldn't give M a chance since it's a 1931 German film, but if you look at from the angle of crime dramas, it is one of the better ones out there.  Give M a shot and witness one of the more influential films out there.

Dark City Review

Hype:  Dark City is once again another movie I have no idea what the plot is about.  It's a movie I've heard the name of, but don't know what it is about.  I recently went out and picked up the director's cut of the film.  A lot of the websites I visit on a daily basis gave rave reviews about this film and from what I can tell has a huge cult following.  Dark City is one of those movies that didn't do amazingly well at the box office, but once was released on DVD, blew up and started gaining lots of attention.

Initial Review:  Dark City is a science fiction movie about a man named John Murdoch, played by Rufus Sewell, who is accused of a series of murders that he has no recollection of committing.  The police inspector Frank Bumstead, played by William Hurt, is looking to arrest John.  At the same time this group of men called The Strangers are also looking for John.  The Strangers live below the city and have the ability to cause all the citizens to fall asleep at midnight.  It turns out the John is "immune" to The Strangers powers which is why they must find him.

There is a lot going on in this movie.  At first you aren't really sure what the deal is with The Strangers.  They are just a group of pale bald guys that for some reason have this machine that causes people to sleep at a certain time.  For most of the film you aren't really sure why The Strangers want to put everyone to sleep.  And then you have John that apparently has this power called tuning which allows him use his mind to control things, like knocking people over and creating doors.  Dark City is one of those movies where a bunch of stuff happens and doesn't really make sense until the end.

After one viewing I would have to say Dark City is an okay film.  I thought the story was completely original and the set design was amazing.  The acting wasn't bad.  The more movies I see William Hurt in the more I like him.  Kiefer Sutherland, who plays Dr. Daniel Schreber, was alright, but I prefer him as Jack Bauer on 24.  I feel like this movie is one that requires multiple viewings and it's one that I feel like I could watch multiple times.  Dark City is not for everyone.  If you aren't a fan of sci-fi films it would probably be best if you stayed away.  But if you enjoy sci-fi films that are different and enjoyable to watch then Dark City is well worth seeing.

Sexy Beast Review

Hype:  I vaguely remember seeing Sexy Beast while walking around a local video rental store.  It didn't really peak my interest so I passed on it.  Over the years I haven't really heard anything about this film, until recently.  Last week I came upon the Top 10 Movie Psychos list on CNN.com.  It was a pretty interesting list.  Many of the characters on the list I have heard of, but the number one pick surprised me.  Number one was Ben Kingsley's character from Sexy Beast.  Since this movie contained the number one movie psycho I instantly had to see it.  Let's see if Kingsley's character truly is psychotic.

Initial Review:  I had no idea what to expect going into Sexy Beast and I think that helped make it better.  Sexy Beast stars Ben Kingsley and Ray Winstone.  Ray Winstone plays Gal, an ex-con, that lives happily with his lovely wife.  His life is going great until Don, Ben Kingsley, arrives and asks if he will do another job.  Since Gal has retired, he tells Don no.  Don does not take no for an answer and this causes him to go crazy.

Having seen Ben Kingsley in House of Sand and Fog, Gandhi, and Suspect Zero, I know that he can do an outstanding job, and in Sexy Beast he does not disappoint.  There is one scene in Sexy Beast where Ben is alone in the bathroom shaving his face.  Normally this wouldn't be that exciting but Ben is having a conversation with himself.  But this ain't a normal conversation, he is actually arguing with himself.  Watching Ben during this scene you can't help but be amazed with his acting talents.

While watching Sexy Beast it was tempting to compare it to Snatch or a Tarantino film, but once everything is all said and done, Sexy Beast stands out.  It was really fun to watch and didn't feel like your typical heist movie.  The last heist movie I saw was The Bank Job and I have to say that Sexy Beast is way better than The Bank Job.  The acting in Sexy Beast is great and you can't help but be blown away by Ben Kingsley.  I also found that the heist was better than most movies, probably because it wasn't the focal point.

If you like British films and are a fan of heist movies than you will really love Sexy Beast.  It was fun to watch and kept you on your toes.  Ben Kingsley steals every scene and he alone makes this movie worth watching.  If you are struggling to find a good movie to watch, go check out Sexy Beast.  You will enjoy it.

The Band's Visit Review

Hype:  The Band's Visit is a movie I just recently heard about.  From what I understand it is a foreign film about a band.  Other than that I don't know anything about this film.  I have heard it is one of the better films of this year.  I do enjoy foreign films so let's see how The Band's Visit is.

Initial Review:  I must say The Band's Visit was a pleasant surprise.  The Band's Visit is about the Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra that travels from Egypt to Israel.  On the way to their gig, they end up arriving in the wrong town.  Since there won't be another bus until the next day, the band must find a place to stay.  The band ends up getting split into three groups and the rest of the film follows the awkward cultural differences the band and members of the town experience.

What I really enjoyed about The Band's Visit is the awkward moments that the band experienced on their night out on the town.  One of the band members, Haled, got to tag along with a double date and they went to a roller skate place.  One of the guys is uncomfortable with the girl he is on the date with, so Haled helps him out by showing him some moves.  You could really feel how uncomfortable the guy was and that just made it hilarious.

Another awkward scenario was with the band's leader Tawfiq and his night with Dina.  Dina is the owner of the diner that the band stops at to eat and she offers for Tawfiq and Haled to stay at her place.  While watching Tawfiq and Dina interact you could tell Dina is interested in Tawfiq, but Tawfiq isn't that interested.  As time progress you can start to feel Tawfiq warming up to Dina, but something happens that kinda destroys the mood.

The Band's Visit is a pleasure to watch and really interesting to see apart of the Israeli culture.  I was surprised with how funny this movie was.  I was expecting more of a serious drama, but instead it was more of an awkwardly funny drama.  I would totally recommend this film.  If you are interested in a quality movie that was recently released on DVD, then The Band's Visit is for you.

Maria Full of Grace Review

Hype:  For the movie Maria Full of Grace I have no idea what to expect.  All I know about it is that it is a foreign film and has a ton of critical acclaim.  I've heard about this movie a couple of times throughout the past couple of years, but never really decided to watch it.  A couple weeks ago I was looking at RottenTomatoes.com and saw their list of the top movies over the past 10 years.  It just so happened that Maria Full of Grace appeared on that list.  Because of that I decided I would check it out.

Initial Review:  Maria Full of Grace is a movie about a seventeen year old girl named Maria.  Maria lives in Columbia and works at a flower plantation.  The money that Maria makes ends up supporting her mother, grandmother, sister and her sister's baby.  Maria hates the conditions in which she works so she quits her job.  After quiting her job, Maria finds out she is pregnant and must find another job.  She meets this guy named Franklin who sets her up with this guy who needs drug mules.  Maria hesitates at first but goes through with it.  While in America, one of the other drug mules gets sick and is taken away.  This causes Maria and her friend, Blanca, to run off.  Maria and Blanca have no place to go and have no idea what to do.

I found Maria Full of Grace to be emotionally intense.  It's one of those movies that grabs your heart and soul and takes you on an intense journey.  When Maria had to swallow the pellets filled with drugs, I didn't know what to think.  It was almost too hard to watch.  I think what made it so hard to watch was knowing that people are doing that on a daily basis.  Maria Full of Grace is a movie that feels incredibly real.  You really feel like you are going through this hardship with Maria.

I want to be able to say more about this film, but I feel that it is one that should be watched instead.  Any words that I come up with can't compare to how intense and truly amazing this movie is.  The actress who played Maria, Catalina Sandino Moreno, was actually nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress and she totally deserved that nomination.  Please go and watch Maria Full of Grace.  This is a movie that is incredible and will take you on an emotionally intense ride.  I highly recommend Maria Full of Grace.

Rushmore Review

Hype:  Rushmore is considered to be one of the better cult classic films.  This movie stars Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman and was directed by Wes Anderson.  I have heard a lot of good things about this movie.  Wes Anderson is a director who is pretty well known for his comedic style of movies.  I have only seen one of his films, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, and really enjoyed the style it was done.  I really want to see Wes' other films and I figured Rushmore was a good place to start.

Initial Review:  Rushmore stars Jason Schwartzman as Max Fischer, a 15-year old high school student.  Max attends Rushmore Academy, a prestigious private school.  Max is known for not getting the best grades in school, but is the most active.  He is president and/or founder of many of the schools extracurricular activities.  The schools headmaster, Dr. Guggenheim, played by Brian Cox, is constantly feuding with Max and threatens to kick him out of school.  Max meets Herman Blume, played by Bill Murray, when he gives a speech at Rushmore.  Max immediately agrees with what Herman has to say and wants to become his friend.

One day Max is at the schools library and notices something written in one of the books.  He immediately must know who wrote it.  He finds out that the person who last checked out the book was Rosemary Cross, a first grade teacher at Rushmore.  Max instantly falls for Miss Cross, but she rejects him because of the age difference.  Max schemes up various activities so he, Miss Cross and Herman must hang out.  This ends up backfiring on Max, because Miss Cross and Herman fall for each other.  The rest of the movie focuses on Max and Herman going back and forth with various revenge tactics.

I found Rushmore to be hilarious.  The things Max does in this film are amazing.  Whether it's convincing the school board that Latin should be a required class just because Miss Cross says its a romance language or putting on these out of this world plays.  Rushmore isn't filled with slap-stick humor, it's all original and witty.  It's all in the way the characters speak and act and just flows well with the movie.

I was really impressed with Jason Schwartzman.  I felt like he really played Max perfectly.  You really felt like in real life Jason is Max.  Jason was at his best when after his first play, he wants to take Herman and Miss Cross out to dinner.  Miss Cross ends up bring a date, who happened to be played by Luke Wilson, and Max becomes extremely jealous.  During this scene you really got a sense of how awkward it was for Luke and Bill's characters.  Max is completely blunt about how upset and jealous he is about Luke's character being there.

The scenes with Jason and Bill were incredible, they really played well off each other.  Bill was extremely believable as the crazy business owner, that when Miss Cross rejects him turns to drinking.  To me Bill's comedic style has changed as he has gotten older and I prefer the way he acts in his more recent films, like Rushmore and Broken Flowers.

Rushmore went above and beyond all expectations I had for it.  I heard this movie was funny, but I didn't think it was going to be this funny.  I never got bored with Rushmore.  None of the jokes were the same and all were very original.  Not once did I feel like I've seen this in a movie before.  If you like smart, original comedies that are a pleasure to watch, Rushmore is the movie for you.  You will not be disappointed.  Rushmore has got to be one of the best comedies I have seen in quite some time.  I highly recommend everyone seeing Rushmore.

The Dark Knight Review

Hype:  The Dark Knight is probably the movie I have been the most hyped for in a very long time, if not ever.  I remember being very sceptical about the casting of Heath Ledger as the Joker, and now they are talking about him getting an Oscar nomination.  Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent/Two-Face sounded great to me especially after seeing him in Thank You For Smoking.  Then with the rest of the cast coming back, minus Katie Holmes which is probably for the best, how could this movie go wrong?  

I have been completely sucked into the viral campaign for this film.  Never before have I seen a movie that made so many websites and phone numbers to make the fans seem like they are actually part of the movie.  Whether it's been getting phone calls from Harvey Dent, voting in the Gotham election or calling some Gotham hotel to try and receive a package, all aspects have made it feel real.  With everything that has been done for this movie it is hard to not excited for it.

Christian Bale is probably my favorite actor right now and Christopher Nolan is probably one of my favorite directors out.  I can hardly contain my excitement for this movie.

Initial Review:  Blown away, that's how I feel about The Dark Knight.  Everything about this movie is amazing and epic.  The Dark Knight isn't just a comic book movie done right, it's a crime drama done right, almost to perfection.  For those that don't know, you would have to be living in space not to, The Dark Knight is the sequel to Batman Begins.  With Batman Begins, Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale gave the Batman franchise a reboot and showed what Batman movies should be like.  With The Dark Knight, they raised the bar and took it to the next level, showing how comic book movies should be made.

The Dark Knight picks up pretty much right where Batman Begins left off.  Gotham is pretty much being controlled by two feuding mobs and one man decides they should join forces.  Who's that man you ask?  Well it just so happens to be the Joker, played to perfection by Heath Ledger.  The thing with the Joker is that he doesn't care about the money and power that would come with bringing the mobs together, he only cares about the death and destruction it would cause.  When you watch the Joker you can just see and feel how truly insane he is.  Heath did an amazing job with the Joker.  He is absolutely crazy and you just can't help but love every minute of it.  In fact a lot of the time I felt like I had a permanent smile while watching him.  You can't help but get completely sucked in.

Trying to stop the Joker is the newly elected district attorney, Harvey Dent, played by Aaron Eckhart.  Harvey is determined to bring down the mob, the Joker and all of the corrupt cops in the Gotham police department.  To help aid him, Harvey looks to Lieutenant James Gordon, played by Gary Oldman, and Batman.  Batman is eager to assist Harvey.  He knows that if Harvey can be the focal point of cleaning up Gotham, he, Bruce Wayne, can get back with his life-long love, Rachel Dawes, played by Maggie Gyllenhaal.  The problem with Bruce getting back together with Rachel, is that she is actually dating Harvey.  Batman, Gordon, and Harvey take to the streets and do everything possible to bring down the Joker, even if it means hurting the ones they love.

There is a lot going on in The Dark Knight, but it never feels like it's too much.  All of the different story lines that happen are all very important and a joy to experience.  Everything flows really well and keeps you on the edge of your seat, there is never a dull moment.  It is really hard to find a negative thing to say about this movie.  The characters are incredible and acted extremely well.  The action scenes are mind blowing and not filled with a ton of CGI, most in fact have no CGI at all.  I can't even begin to count the number of times I was like "No Way!!!!!  Did that just happen?".  The story is amazing.  It doesn't even feel like a comic book movie, feels more like a Godfather or GoodFellas-type movie.  

This is one of those films where you can't stop talking about it.  You wanna talk about all the twists and turns.  You wanna talk about the Joker and how terrifying he is.  You wanna talk about all the action and the "How did they do that?" moments.  The Dark Knight is everything I wanted it to be and more.  If you are a fan of movies, you have to see this film.  If you are like me, once is not enough though.  Don't waste your time with the other movies out there, see The Dark Knight immediately and enjoy yourself.  The Dark Knight will be the best time you have had at the movies in a long time.

Wait Until Dark Review

Hype:  Wait Until Dark is a movie I have actually never heard of.  I looked it up on IMDB and saw that it stars Audrey Hepburn and Alan Arkin.  Audrey Hepburn has been in some pretty popular movies, like Breakfast at Tiffany's and My Fair Lady.  I can only remember Alan Arkin being in recent films, such as Little Miss Sunshine and Get Smart.  Wait Until Dark sounds very Alfred Hitchcock-like.  Since I don't know much about this movie, I don't have too high of expectations for it.

Initial Review:  In Wait Until Dark, Audrey Hepburn plays Susy Hendrix, a blind housewife.  Her husband, Sam, is given a doll filled with drugs at the airport.  Sam has no idea the drugs are in the doll.  Soon these three guys, Mike, Roat and Carlino come to Susy's house looking for the doll. Roat, played by Alan Arkin, is the leader and convinces Mike and Carlino that they must fool Susy into telling them where the doll is.  Mike pretends to be an old friend of Sam and Carlino pretends to be a cop.  

Since Susy is blind, the interaction between her and the three thugs is pretty interesting.  They came up with some pretty creative ways to try and get Susy to spill the beans on where the doll is located.  Roat, pretended to be a father and son.  Roat acted like the father's wife was seeing Sam and had suddenly gone missing.  Sam was then the prime suspect and Carlino's character was in charge of investigating.  Mike tried to calm Susy down through this ordeal and was able to gain a lot of trust.

Susy, with the help of a neighbor girl, Gloria, soon finds out what is going on.  Once she realizes whats happening she panics and tries to not show the thugs that she knows.  This causes one climactic and intense scene.

Audrey Hepburn was absolutely stunning as Susy.  She did an amazing job of making you feel like she was helpless, but very likeable.  Mike, played by Richard Crenna, was very trusting and it was easy to see how Susy could fall into his trap.  Having only seen Alan Arkin in comedies, his role in Wait Until Dark, was surprising and scary.  He was unbelievably insane and ruthless.

Wait Until Dark is a great thriller and if you are a fan of Hitchcock you will really enjoy this film.  The final scene alone is intense and will have you on the edge of your seat.  Audrey Hepburn was nominated for an Academy Award for her role in this film and I can see why.  She is a joy to watch.  Wait Until Dark is a classic thriller and a must see.  I am definitely glad I was able to see this film.

In Bruges Review

Hype:  I really know absolutely nothing about the movie In Bruges.  Well that's not exactly true, I do know it stars Colin Farrell and it has gotten really good reviews.  The plot has something to do with hitman, not exactly sure how though.  I am a little hesitant about this film though because of Colin.  At one point Colin was one of my favorite actors.  Why?  I have no idea, his movies have never really been that great.  That's why when I saw this movie get some good reviews, I was shocked.  I never thought Colin would be in a well received film.  Let's see if this movie lives up to the reviews I have seen.

Initial Review:  In Bruges stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson.  Colin character, Ray, has killed a little boy and he and his partner, Ken, played by Brendan, are in Bruges hiding.  They must wait in a hotel room until their boss calls them and gives them their next instructions.  Ray absolutely hates being in Bruges, but Ken wants to sightsee and explore the historical elements.  Ray's view of Bruges changes when he sees Chloe, a local drug dealer.  As time passes Ray begins to fall for Chloe and starts to enjoy his time in Bruges.  Soon Ken gets the phone call from their boss Harry, played by Ralph Fiennes.  Harry instructs end up setting off a punch of crazy events with the locals in Bruge.  The locals include Chloe's crazy ex-boyfriend, the hotel manager, tourists and a dwarf actor.

In Bruges was really a joy to watch.  It reminded me a lot of Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.  It was funny and dark at the same time.  I was expecting a serious drama about the lives of hitman, instead it was surprisingly funny.  It was really good to see Colin in this role.  He usually plays this touch macho man, but in this movie he is a man that is trouble by the events of killing a little boy.  You can really see and feel how this event has changed his life and wants to forget about it.  I enjoyed seeing the more human, emotional side of Colin, I hope this is a sign of the things to come from him.  Then you have Brendan Gleeson, whom I have only seen in a couple movies, and his character is almost the complete opposite of Colin's character.  He understands that things happen when being a hitman and that they should just enjoy their time in Bruges.  I felt that Colin and Brendan really worked well together, they seemed to have a lot of chemistry when they shared the same scenes.

If you like movies that are funny, but not slapstick funny, and dark at times, In Bruges is a film that you will enjoy.  The comedy strikes at the right moments and knows when to stop.  Colin Farrell is absolutely a joy to watch and shows he can be a good actor.  In Bruges is a movie that I highly recommend.  It's not a movie that got a lot of publicity when it came out, I don't even think it came out to a theater where I live, but it deserves all the praise the critics have given it.  In Bruges should be put high on your Netflix list, you will enjoy every minute of it.

Control Review

Hype:  Control is a movie about the lead singer of the band Joy Division.  I have never listened to Joy Division, but I really like bands that have been heavly influenced by them.  The only thing I really know about them is that they were popular in the 80's and the lead singer commited suicide.  From what I've read this movie is supposed to be real good, all the reviews for it have been excellent.

Initial Review:  The movie Control is the story of Ian Curtis, the lead singer of the post-punk band Joy Division.  Ian is played by Sam Riley.  Control starts out when Ian is 17 years old and first meets his future wife, Deborah (played by Samantha Morton).  After they are married, Ian meets this band that is not happy about their singer so Ian decides he should be their new singer.  The band ends up recording an EP and come up with the name Joy Division.  The band performs live on this television and after that sign a record deal.

As the band starts to grow in popularity Ian and Deborah's marriage starts to suffer.  After one of Joy Division's concerts Ian meets a journalist named Annik and immediately falls for her.  Ian continues to see Annik behind his pregnant wife's back.  Deborah ends up finding out about this affair, but stays with Ian.

During one of Joy Division's concert's Ian suffers from an epileptic seizure and is dragged off the stage.  At the time there wasn't really treatment for epilepsy, it was just trial and error with a bunch of meds.  Ian continues to suffer through these seizures.  The seizures begin to put a lot of pressure on Ian and the band.

As Ian's world continues to collapse with the affair and seizures, he starts to get more and more depressed.  Ian even tries to kill himself via alcohol poisoning.  Ian's wife is able to get him to the hospital in time for the doctors to pump his stomach.  Ian had left a note for his wife telling her that the fighting would now be over.  After this suicide attempt Ian's life doesn't change for the better.  Deborah ends up asking for a divorce and Ian moves back into his parent's home.

I was really surprised with this movie.  The way Control was done, it doesn't matter if you have never heard of Joy Division or are a die-hard fan.  Control is about Ian's life and how the pressures of the world around him lead him to commit suicide.  Even if he wasn't in the band, the story would still be great.  

Sam Riley was amazing in this movie.  Sam really got into the role of Ian and made you believe you was depressed and suicidal.  His stage presence was amazing.  You could really believe Sam was a rockstar.  After seeing Sam in this movie I am really looking forward to seeing him in other films.

Control was a great film.  It was really interesting to learn about the lead singer of Joy Division and to see how they came and went so quickly.  If you are a fan of Joy Division, I have a feeling you will love this movie.  If you just love movies that deal with the dark sides of life you will enjoy this movie.  Not many people know of Control, but it is a movie that you should totally check out.

Batman - Gotham Knight Review

Hype:  Batman - Gotham Knight is six short animated stories involving Batman.  Each story is done by a different animator.  The stories are supposed to take place between the movies Batman Begins and The Dark Knight.  Being a fan of Batman I have a feeling this movie is a must see.  I am really excited to see The Dark Knight and Batman Begins is one of my favorite films of all-time, this will hopefully hold me over until next Friday.

Initial Review:  Batman - Gotham Knight was very interesting.  It's hard to review a movie that is actually six separate stories.  At first I didn't think the stories would tie together in an way, but once you see all six you can see how they relate.  What I enjoy most about this was seeing the growth of Batman and being able to learn more about his past.  In one of the short stories you learn how Bruce Wayne learned to withstand pain.  In another short you see more of the villain Scarecrow, who appeared in Batman Begins.  You get to learn what he has been up to since.

Out of all the stories the first one, call Have I Got A Story For You, was my favorite.  This short is about this group of kids that are hanging out and telling stories about their encounter with Batman.  This first kid acts like Batman is this shadow, mist-like object that disappears into the ground to get around criminals.  The second kid says Batman is actually a giant bat that flies around town attacking criminals.  The third and final kid says Batman is a robot that can fly and has all sorts of weapons.  What I enjoy about this one is that they did a great job showing how kids tend to exaggerate when telling stories.

Being a fan of Batman I really enjoyed Batman - Gotham Knight.  If you are someone that isn't a fan you may have a tough time with it.  Being just over an hour long and made up of six stories, the stories tend to come and go real quickly.  Batman - Gotham Knight is a must see for Batman fans and does a nice job satisfying those that are looking forward to The Dark Knight.  I wouldn't recommend it for those that aren't that into Batman, but if you love Batman, see this right away.

GoodFellas Review

Hype:  GoodFellas is considered one of the best mob movies of all time.  With Martin Scorsese directing and staring Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta and Joe Pesci, I can see how it has the potential to be a great film.  I have seen bits and pieces of this movie, but I have yet to see the whole thing.  I really look forward to seeing this film.

Initial Review:  GoodFellas tells the story of Henry Hill, played by Ray Liotta, and how he became one of the biggest gangsters in Brooklyn.  Henry started working for the mob at the age of 15.  The mob at Henry doing small deliveries at first.  Soon one of the top dogs in the mob, Jimmy Conway (played by Robert De Niro), looks after Henry and teaches him everything he knows.  Jimmy doesn't just train Henry, he also trains Tommy DeVito, played by Joe Pesci.

As Henry and Tommy learn more and more about how the mob functions, they start becoming top dogs around town.  They get exclusive access to local clubs and restaurants.  Henry goes on a double date with Tommy and meets his future wife, Karen.  At first Henry and Karen don't hit it off.  In fact Henry stands her up, but her feisty attitude attracts Henry even more to her.  Karen is a little hesitant at first to Henry's actions.  She doesn't fully agree with what he does for a living.  Over time though, Karen realizes that the life of a gangster's wife isn't that bad.

Henry was the level headed one of the bunch, whereas Tommy was a hot head with a very short temper.  One time while at the bar, an old friend of Tommy's starts messing around with him, so Tommy loses it and beats the man to death.  Tommy even shot a young man twice for having an attitude towards him.

The movie GoodFellas does an outstanding job of showing what the life of a gangster is like.  You get to see the family side of the mob.  The different families are always hanging out, going on vacations , and celebrating birthdays together.  They look out for each other, when someone needs something, the mob finds a way to get it done.  GoodFellas also shows how the mob can destroy a family.  Henry ends up cheating on Karen, forcing Karen to threaten leaving Henry, but he is always able to talk her out of it.  Throughout the film, you can see how Karen at times hates being a gangsters wife.  She gets worried when Henry doesn't come home at night.  This movie also shows how if you get in too deep and double cross your own mob or other mobs, your life ends up being taken away.

GoodFellas was a joy to watch.  You could really believe Ray Liotta as a guy who would thrive in the mob setting.  And it isn't really a surprise that Robert De Niro shines as a gangster.  Scorsese did a wonderful job shooting this film.  He didn't make the death scenes just a bang-bang, blood bath, he slowed them down and gave them artistic look.  You really feel like you are in all the places the mob goes.  GoodFellas has gained a lot of critical praise throughout the past couple of years, in fact it is in AFI's Top 100 Films of All Time.  GoodFellas is a must see, especially if you are a fan of the Godfather series.  I highly recommend GoodFellas, it is a must see, must own film.

Repeat Viewings: N/A

Dead Man Walking Review

Hype:  I have been wanting to see Dead Man Walking for a few years now.  Sean Penn is an actor I really enjoy and have heard great things about what he did in this film.  Susan Sarandon has done some amazing work in the past and she was able to win an Academy Award for what she did in this film.  I am really looking forward to seeing this film.

Initial Review:  Powerful.  That's how I would describe Dead Man Walking if I could only use one word.  Dead Man Walking stars Susan Sarandon has Sister Helen, a nun who is asked by Matthew Poncelet, played by Sean Penn, to help with his final appeal before being put to death.  Matthew was found guilty of murdering a teenage couple and his execution date is quickly approaching.  Sister Helen was hesitant at first since she is not used to meeting with convicted criminals.

Sister Helen tells Matthew that she would try her best to help him.  She contacts a lawyer who assists in the appeal process and tries to delay the execution date.  As Sister Helen helps Matthew, she gets to know his family and the family of the teens he murdered.  Sister Helen faces a lot of criticism from the victims family.  They have a hard time understanding how a nun could support for a murder.  Once Sister Helen realizes the appeal process isn't going Matthews way, she tries to get Matthew to confess what he has done and for him to seek salvation.

This movie poses a few important questions.  Is the death penalty correct punishment for a crime?  Can someone go to heaven if they have committed a horrible crime?  Dead Man Walking tries to answer these questions by looking at both sides of each, but doesn't fully answer them, leaving the audience to decide for themselves.

I found Susan Sarandon's performance to be incredible.  She totally deserved the Academy Award for Best Actress.  Sean Penn was also amazing and deserved all the recognition he received.  The scenes where Susan was speaking with Sean through the glass wall in prison where emotional and you could tell both actors were really into their roles.  The ending of Dead Man Walking was intense and emotional.  I really felt for the characters and could really sense the pain and struggle they were going through.

Dead Man Walking is an amazing film, that makes the audience think.  Sean Penn and Susan Sarandon give amazing performances.  This movie needs to be watched by everyone.  If you have not seen Dead Man Walking, you must put it at the top of your Netflix list and run out to your local rental store and rent it right away.

Repeat Viewings: N/A

Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) Review

Hype:  I actually don't know much about the movie Mutiny on the Bounty.  I do know that it is considered a classic.  I also know that it won Best Picture at the 1935 Academy Awards.  Since this film is considered a classic, it is one in which I feel I need to watch.  I have no expectations for it, so let's see how it is.

Initial Review:  The Mutiny on the Bounty stars Clark Gable, Charles Laughton and Franchot Tone.  Charles Laughton plays Captain William Bligh who is in charge of the ship the Bounty.  Bligh doesn't treat the crew of the Bounty well at all.  He often flogs (whips) his crew just to prove his power.  Clark Gable plays Fletcher Christian who takes offense to the way Bligh treats the crew.  Franchot Tone stars as Byam who becomes close friends with Christian.

Christian becomes so fed up with the way Bligh treats the crew that he decides he needs to get Bligh off the ship.  Christian and a few of the deck hands get together and drive Bligh and his followers off the ship and force them to survive on a small boat.  Byam doesn't fully agree with Christians actions but stays on the ship.  Christian takes the Bounty back to Tahiti, where he and Byam both met the loves of their lives.  Christian ends up taking his wife and child back aboard the Bounty to avoid another British ship that is headed for Tahiti.  Byam decides to stay on shore and risk going back to Britain.  Bligh actually ends up being on that ship and takes Byam captive and places him on trial for mutiny.

Overall I thought Mutiny on the Bounty was a great film.  I haven't seen a film with Clark Gable before and I was really impressed.  I can see why so many people enjoy his films.  It was really easy to dislike Charles Laughton character, Captain Bligh.  Just by looking at him you could tell he was an evil man who only cared about himself and let the power go to his head.  You really get to know the characters.  You learn to hate Bligh and like Christian and Byam.  The special effects for this film are incredible considering it was made in the thirties.  The storm scenes on the ships deck looked a lot more believable than those shown in films today, like in the Pirate of the Caribbean movies.  You could really see the actors pain and struggles as they fight against the rain.  This film is definitely worth the Academy Award for Best Picture.  The Mutiny on the Bounty is truly a great film and one that everyone should see.

Repeat Viewings: N/A

Persepolis Review

Hype:  Persepolis is a movie that I have been waiting a while to see.  What first drew me to this film is the artistic style of the animation.  Then I found out it was a foreign film and I wanted to see it even more.  I was also able to find out that Persepolis is actually a graphic novel, that was written by the main character.  In fact Persepolis is actually based on the writers life.  I'm not completely sure what the plot is, but the reviews for Persepolis have been amazing and I really look forward to seeing it.

Initial Review:  Persepolis is the story of a young girl, Marjane Satrapi (Marji for short), who grows up in Iran during the Iranian Revolution.  Growing up Marji becomes more and more obsessed with the government.  Soon the Islamic Fundamentalist come into power and place the citizens under strict rules.  Some of the things the citizens are restricted to are: no parties, the types of clothing they can wear, and the music they can listen to.  Of course Marji wants nothing to do with this and wears a jacket over her school uniform that deals with punk rock and buys music on the black market.  Marji's family worries about her so they send her to Austria .

While in Austria, Marji struggles with life and finding a way to fit in.  She ends up making new friends, falls in and out of love and actually ends up homeless because she gets cheated on.  Marji ends up going back to Iran when she almost dies of bronchitis while living on the streets.  While back in Iran, she still is not happy with the government.  Marji ends up marrying this guy she started dating, against her mothers wishes.  After about a year of marriage, Marji decides she no longer loves him.  After the divorce Marji ends up once again leaving the country, this time for good.

The movie Persepolis has a lot going on during it.  A lot of the scenes are short and come and go very quickly.   There were a few scenes that I really enjoyed.  Like at the beginning when Marji and her friends put nails in between their fingers, Wolverine-style, and chase after a school mate just because he is the child of a government official.  Another fun scene is when Marji breaks out into "Eye of the Tiger" and just starts singing and dancing.

Persepolis isn't for everyone.  It's a movie that I enjoyed watching and am glad I got to see, but it's not one I'm going to watch multiple times.  Persepolis moves pretty slow for only being an hour and a half long, I think this is because of the short scenes.  If you are interested in learning about Iran and it's history during the 80's and 90's than this is a film for you.  I can see why all the critics enjoyed it, but Persepolis is definitely not a movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat.  Overall I was satisfied with Persepolis and would recommend at least renting it.

Repeat Viewings: N/A

Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance Review

Hype:  Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance is a South Korean film that is part of director Park Chan-wook's Vengeance Trilogy.  This film is the first one of the series.  I have seen the second one, Oldboy, and absolutely loved it.  Even though I have seen a the second film of the trilogy I have no idea what this one is about.  The only reason the films are part of the trilogy are because of their themes, the characters are not related in anyway.  I'm not expecting Sympathy of Mr. Vengeance to be as good as Oldboy, but I hope it's still entertaining to watch.

Initial Review:  Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance is the story of Ryu, who is a deaf-mute.  Ryu's sister desperately needs a kidney transplant.  Problem is it doesn't look like his sister will be getting a kidney anytime soon so Ryu decides to try and get a kidney on the black market.  That ends up going horribly wrong, Ryu gets his money and his own kidney taken from him.  Ryu and his friend, Yeong-mi, decide to kidnap the daughter of Ryu's former bosses friend and hold her for ransom.  This ends up succeeding except for the fact that Ryu's sister finds out and commits suicide.  While Ryu is burying his sister's body, the girl they kidnapped, Yu-sun, falls into a river and drowns.  Yu-sun's dad, Dong-jin, is called to the crime scene and decides to seek revenge.

Now is where things get crazy.  Ryu seeks out the people that took his kidney.  He is able to find the trio that did that too him and he kills them.  Dong-jin seeks out Ryu and Yeong-mi.  Dong-jin finds Yeong-mi and tortures her to get information on Ryu's location.  Ryu finds out about this torture and seeks revenge on Dong-jin.

As you can probably tell, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, is all about getting revenge.  I personally found the story to be pretty intriguing at first.  But as the story kept going things started getting a little disturbing.  After seeing Oldboy, I thought this movie would be a little graphic, but I wasn't expecting this.  I felt that the scenes involving Yu-sun dying were a bit over the top.  I really didn't need to see the body of a dead little girl so many times.  It got so bad I was on the verge of turning the movie off.  The scenes with Ryu killing the people that took his kidney were also over the top.

Aside from the disturbing images, I felt that Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance was gorgeously filmed.  There are many scenes where I was just blown away from the cinematography.  The scenes near the river were just incredible.

I loved Oldboy, but it did take some time to recover from it.   Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance is a film that I want to love, even like, but I don't think I can.  The death scenes were too intense and unnecessary.  If you feel like you can handle disturbing images, then see this film.  But if you get offended with fairly graphic scenes then I recommend not seeing this movie.

Repeat Viewings: N/A

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Review

Hype:  Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is one of the most hyped movies of the 2008 summer.  This is expected since it is an Indiana Jones film which is a hugely popular franchise.  All of the big names from the previous Indy films are back, Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones, George Lucas as writer and Steven Spielberg as director.  The first 3 films of the Indy series are extremely entertaining and a joy to watch (some will disagree when it comes to The Temple of Doom).  The reviews for Crystal Skull so far are decent (sitting at 77% on RottenTomatoes).  Let's see if this Indy can hold up against the rest of the series.

Initial Review:  Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull puts Indiana up against the Soviet Union, who are after these crystal skulls that have this mystical power.  Along the journey, Indiana meets up with Mutt Williams, played by Shia LaBeouf, who tells Indy he needs to save Harold Oxley and Mutt's mom, Marion Ravenwood.  For those who have seen the first Indy movie (Raiders of the Lost Ark) will recognize the name Marion for she was the female lead in that one as well.  Oxley was in South America looking for the crystal skulls and he was suddenly kidnapped.  Mutt and Indy head to South America where they, of course, run into the Soviets and also find Oxley and Marion.  Indy and the gang are able to escape from the Soviets and find where the crystal skulls are.

This wouldn't be an Indiana film if Harrison Ford did not have some crazy escape scenes.  The problem with Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls is that most, if not all, of the escapes were pretty lame.  In one of the first escapes Indy hides in a refrigerator and survives a nuclear blast.  I mean come on, how does that fit with the other Indy escapes?  Another escape, probably the best one, involves Mutt and Indy starting a Greasers vs. Jocks fight in a local diner that allows them to get away from the KGB.  During a jungle chase.  Mutt and the leader of the Soviets, Irina Spalko (played by Cate Blanchett), have a sword fight across two vehicles and Mutt actually gets hit in his man-region by bushes.  Mutt actually ends up getting stuck in a tree and this monkey finds and helps him.  Why does the monkey help him?  Because they have the same haircut.  You won't find stuff this ridiculous in the other Indy films, well maybe the Temple of Doom.  None of these scenes had me sitting at the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next.  Instead I was sitting in my chair laughing at how ridiculous they were.

There were many instances while watching The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull where I actually wanted to walk out.  That doesn't happen to me with movies.  I felt like this movie lacked the Indiana charm that can be found in the first three.  I really hope that this is the last of the Indy films or that it follows the pattern of the first three: biblical artifact, some random artifact, biblical artifact.  That would make Indy 5 have some biblical artifact that would hopefully help make it feel less silly and more enjoyable.

I didn't have too high of expectations for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, but I didn't expect it to be as bad as it was.  I don't recommend it at all.  If you want to see a movie wait until The Dark Knight or see Iron Man again.

Repeat Viewings: N/A

Donnie Darko Review

Hype:  Donnie Darko stars Jake Gyllenhaal as a teenage who sees a large bunny with a metallic face, that's about all I know about the plot of this film.  Other than that I know that it has a huge cult following and has gained in popularity throughout the past couple of years.  I am actually really looking forward to seeing this movie.  I hope it lives up to the expectations I have for it.

Initial Review:  For me it is really hard to fully explain what Donnie Darko is about.  Donnie is a teenage boy that sees a rabbit that causes him to do strange tasks.  Along the way he meets and falls for Gretchen Ross, played by Jena Malone.  Donnie's family is forced out of their house after a plane's engine drops into Donnie's room.  Donnie survives this crash because Frank, Donnie's imaginary friend in a man-sized rabbit costume had told Donnie to go for a walk.  While on this walk Frank tells Donnie that there are just over 28 days until the end of the world.

Frank's instructions don't stop after that night.  Frank tells Donnie to flood his high school, read a controversial book about time travel, and to burn down the house of a motivational speaker that Donnie constantly butts heads with.

Donnie Darko has an all-star cast that includes Drew Barrymore, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Patrick Swayze, Noah Wyle, and a young Seth Rogan.  I really enjoyed Patrick Swayze's character, the motivational speaker whose house Donnie burns down.  I was really impressed with Jake Gyllenhaal and the way he acted while sleep walking and while under hypnosis when he was at the psychiatrist.  I feel that Jake was a perfect fit for the role of Donnie, he just looks like a guy a regular teenage boy that pulls off the depressed look really well.

I found this movie to be very original and a joy to watch.  I never knew what was going to happen next and was pleased with all the surprises.  I really enjoyed all the characters and thought all the actors did a great job.  It was really fun seeing a young Seth Rogan, who plays a bully that picks on Gretchen.  I highly recommend this movie.  If you are looking for a movie that is original, slightly depressing, and overall just a joy to watch, Donnie Darko is the movie for you.

Repeat Viewings: N/A

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Review

Hype:  Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is the last of the initial Indiana Jones films.  Since the latest Indiana Jones just came out a few weeks ago, I felt it was necessary for me to see the first three Indy films.  So far I enjoyed The Temple of Doom more than Raiders of the Lost Ark, but overall Raiders is a better film, the acting and story are pretty weak in Temple of Doom. Once again I have no idea what this one is about, all I know is that Sean Connery appears as Indy's father.  Let's see how this one holds up against the other two.

Initial Review:  In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Indy (Harrison Ford) is sent to look for his father, Henry Jones (Sean Connery), who goes missing while searching for the Holy Grail.  While looking for his father and the Holy Grail, Indy learns that the Nazi's are also looking for the Holy Grail.

The Last Crusade does a really nice job of filling in a lot of blanks with Indy's past.  The film starts with a young Indy, played by River Phoenix, as a Boy Scout in Utah.  While exploring a cave Indy comes across grave robbers stealing the Cross of Colorado.  Indy decides that the cross belongs in a museum and tries to steal it from the robbers.  This starts a fairly entertaining chase between Indy and the robbers.  Another aspect of Indy's past this film reveals is his father.  While growing up Indy's father cared more about finding the Holy Grail than spending time with his son.

Initially I didn't think I would like Connery as Indy's father.  Half way through the movie and I still wasn't sure if he was a good fit, but after a while he starts to grow on you.  The interactions between Ford and Connery were very entertaining and comical.  Indy is one that is quick to act while his father is more level-headed and thinks things through.

The Last Crusade is a lot more closely related to Raiders of the Lost Ark rather than The Temple of Doom.  After seeing the three films, Temple of Doom doesn't really seem to fit.  The Last Crusade and Raiders of the Lost Ark both have Indy searching for a biblical artifact (Holy Grail and Ark of the Covenant).  Both also have strong female leads, the girl in Temple of Doom was way too annoying.  Also the acting and plot are a lot more enjoyable to watch than that found in Temple of Doom.  The characters in the Last Crusade are also a lot stronger than those in the Temple of Doom.

Overall I felt that Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade was a fitting end (at the time) to the Indy franchise.  It brought back the glory that was in the first film and did a nice job wrapping things up.  Sean Connery was enjoyable to watch as Indy's father and Harrison Ford once again was fun to watch in the action scenes.  The Indiana Jones franchise is a pretty decent one and I can see why so so many people enjoy it.

Repeat Viewings: N/A

The Proposition Review

Hype:  The movie The Proposition is a western, not really my favorite genre when it comes to movies.  The first time I heard about this movie was when watching Ebert & Roeper and they both really enjoyed this movie.  Ebert even compared it to a Cormac McCarthy novel, Blood Meridian.  I actually picked up Blood Meridian but have yet to finish reading it.  The Proposition stars Guy Pearce who I enjoyed in Memento, didn't really like in The Time Machine and thought he was alright in The Count of Monte Cristo.  Let's see if this movie can help persuade me into thinking westerns are fun to watch.

Initial Review:  Beautiful, that's about all I can say about The Proposition.  The Proposition takes place in Australian and is the story of an outlaw, Charlie Burns, played by Guy Pearce, who has to find his older brother or his younger brother will be killed.

I would like to go into greater detail of the plot of The Proposition, but I feel like that may ruin the movie for those that haven't seen it.  I'm a little shocked that this movie didn't get more recognition when it came out.  In 2007 similar style movies were released, There Will Be Blood and No Country For Old Men, and they gained mass amounts of critical and box office success, but most people haven't even heard of The Proposition.

You may be wondering why I say this movie is beautiful.  While watching The Proposition the first thing you will notice the beautiful landscape and amazing scenes throughout the film.  You really get a sense of how isolated and depressing the Australian Outback can be.  Another aspect that was beautiful was the music.  The Proposition was actually written by singer/songwriter Nick Cave.  Not only did he write a beautiful screenplay but he also wrote a beautiful score.

If you were a fan of There Will Be Blood or No Country For Old Men, I have a feeling you will really enjoy The Proposition.  I found it to be one of the better movies that I have watched lately and one that I would really enjoy seeing again.  The Proposition isn't for everyone, but those that do decide to see it, will realize how beautiful it is.

Repeat Viewings: N/A

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom Review

Hype:  In honor of the opening of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, I am watching the three previous Indiana Jones films.  After enjoying The Raiders of the Lost Ark, its time for The Temple of Doom.  I have no idea what the plot of this movie is, I'm guessing there is some sort of Temple of Doom, whatever that is.  Lets see if this movie is comparable to Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Initial Review: Two words: MINE CARS!!!!!!!!  My initial thoughts towards The Temple of Doom are that I enjoyed it a lot more than Raiders of the Lost Ark.  Is the story as good?  No not really.  Is the acting amazing?  Nah.  But its a lot more fun and action packed.  I felt like the Temple of Doom was filled with wall-to-wall action that never really let up.  I mean it had a mine car chase scene for crying out loud, I've always wondered when a movie would have one of those.

The Temple of Doom starts out in a Shanghai night club where Indiana Jones, once again played by Harrison Ford, was trading Nurachi's ashes for a diamond.  Indy ends up being poisoned and the entire club gets shot up by the gangsters that Indy is trading with.  While exiting the club, he grabs hold of the clubs singer Willie, played by Kate Capshaw, who has taken the cure for the poison.  Indy and Willie end up landing in a car that is being driven by Short Round, Indy's young assistant.  Short Round, Indy and Willie hop on a plane that ends up being piloted by two thugs that are part of the gang that Indy encountered in the club.  The pilots cause the plane to crash and Short Round, Indy and Willie end up in the jungle of India.  

While in India they come across this village that has been struck by a curse because their sacred stone, the Sankara Stone, has been stolen.  Not only was the stone taken but all the children of the town were kidnapped.  Indy is told that the stone was taken to the Pankot Palace and he must go there and recover the stone.  While hanging out in the palace Indy stumbles upon a secret ritual that requires a human sacrifice.  Once the ritual is over Indy sees the Sankara Stone and attempts to retrieve it.  Once he acquires the stone he hears screaming.  The screaming ends up being the kids from the village and they are being enslaved and must work in a mine.

Indy, Short Round and Willie end up being captured by Mola Ram, who is the leader of this crazy group.  Ram forces Indy to drink the blood of Kali, the God that the human sacrifice was for.  The blood causes those that drink it to go into a nightmare that allows their minds to be controlled.  Since Indy has drank this blood he is under the control of Ram and is forced to assist in the sacrifice of Wille to Kali.  

Indy snaps out of this mind control and helps save Willie.  Along the way he saves all the children, but the fun doesn't stop there.  Ram's thugs chase after Indy, Short Round and Willie in mine cars and then have an interesting stand-off on a bridge over crocodile invested water.

Doesn't that just sound like the ultimate movie: mine cars, croc invested water, human sacrifices, and mind control.  I don't find the plot to be extremely interesting, but the action scenes were great and made up for the weak story.  

I found Willie and Short Round to be slightly annoying at first, but over time you realize that is what makes them enjoyable.  The interactions between Indy and Willie felt a lot like Han Solo and Princess Leia from Star Wars.  Short Round just idolizes Indy, often mimicking his movements while fighting.

Overall I felt like The Temple of Doom was a pleasure to watch and more entertaining than Raiders of the Lost Ark.  After seeing this one Indy is way cooler than I originally thought after watching Raiders of the Lost Ark.  If you are looking for a fun, action-packed movie that holds your attention the entire time, look no further than Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

Repeat Viewings:

Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark Review

Hype:  This weekend Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was released and is one of the most hyped movies of the summer.  Before I can see that movie I need to watch the first three Indiana Jones movies.  I know I know, what kind of movie buff am I if I haven't seen the Indiana Jones series?  Well now its time for me to conquer this series.  I have heard so many good things about Indiana Jones, I sure hope it lives up to the hype.  Since Raiders of the Lost Ark is the first one in the series, I guess that's a good place to start.

Initial Review:  Raiders of the Lost Ark stars Harrison Ford as the great archeologist Indiana Jones, who is sent to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis do.  First Indy must go Napal and meet up with former love, Marion Ravenwood.  While in Napal, Marion's bar is burnt to the ground by people that are after the same clues as Indy.  Marion and Indy are able to escape and then head to Cairo where the Ark is believe to be.  While in Cairo, Indy is able to find where the Germans are digging in attempt to find the Ark, along the way he find that the Germans are actually digging in the wrong location.  Indy find the Ark but then it is immediately taken away by his arch nemisis Rene Belloq.  From that point on the Ark switches between Rene and Indy multiple times.

Raiders of the Lost Ark is an excellent action-adventure movie that doesn't contain major special effects.  The action scenes are well choreographed and a joy to watch because they aren't filled with a ton of CGI effects.  Indy is a very charsmatic hero and I can see why so many people enjoy him.  The part that really bothered me with Raiders of the Lost Ark was the ending.  What I didn't like about the ending was that it was the only part of the film that contained the CGI and since it was filmed in the early 80s, the CGI is pretty laughable.

Overall I enjoyed Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.  I look forward to see the next films in the series.  Is it a series that I feel I will be a huge fan of like Batman or Lord of the Rings or Star Wars?  Probably not, but I think it will be better than a lot of the other film series out there.

Repeat Viewings: N/A

The Count of Monte Cristo Review

Hype:  For years now people have been telling me to see The Count of Monte Cristo.  To tell ya the truth I'm actually surprised I haven't watched it yet.  I have a feeling Jim Caviezel and Guy Pearce will provide a pretty good one-two punch.  I've never read the book, but I've heard its a classic, which to me means the movie has a lot to live up to.  I'm hoping The Count of Monte Cristo is well worth the wait.

Initial Review:  The Count of Monte Cristo is a tale of a man, Edmond Dantes, who is imprisoned for 13 years after being falsely accused as a traitor.  Dantes escapes from prison and sets out to get revenge against those that destroyed his life.  

My initial thoughts of this film are that it was gorgeously shot, contained decent acting and had some extremely well choreographed fight scenes.  I also felt that the story was very engaging and keeps the viewer interested throughout.  The costumes and sets were amazing and extravagant.  One thing I did not enjoy was Guy Pearce, who played Fernand Mondego, Dantes best friend that betrays him.  It felt like he was overacting or maybe he just did an amazing job playing an arrogant jerk.  It's not often that I dislike a villain but I did not like him at all.

Having not read The Count of Monte Cristo, I can't say how true it is to the events of the book, but looking at the movie as a separate entity, I really enjoyed it.  The story of vengeance and whether or not it can bring happiness is very strong in this film.  Dantes lets his desire for revenge control him so much he almost forgets about what used to be important in his life, God and his lady, Mercedès Iguanada.

To get to the point, I really enjoyed The Count of Monte Cristo.  If you want to watch a film that is fun to watch, has entertaining sword fights, beautiful scenery and an engaging story this movie is for you.  If you want to see a movie that is true to the book, I don't know if this movie is for you.  I recommend putting this movie on your Netflix list, you most likely won't be disappointed.

Repeat Viewings: N/A

Zodiac Review

Hype:  When I first heard about Zodiac I said I'd pass on this one.  Jake Gyllenhal, Robert Downey Jr., and Mark Ruffalo in a serial killer mystery doesn't sound too great.  Once it came out on DVD I still decided I would pass, but then I heard about the Director's Cut coming out on DVD.  I didn't realize this movie deserved a director's cut, so I looked up some reviews. Lo and behold its actually supposed to be good, in fact it was on a lot of peoples best of 2007 movie lists.  Therefore I've decided I need to give it a try.  Let's see how it goes.

Initial Review:  Zodiac stars Jake Gyllenhal as a cartoonist for the San Francisco Chronicle, Robert Downey Jr. as a reporter for the SFC and Mark Ruffalo as a cop.  All get involved with the Zodiac killer when he sends a cryptic letter the SFC and two other San Fran. newspapers.  When Jake's character, Robert Graysmith, sees the letter he immediately becomes interested in trying to figure out who this killer is.

When I first heard about Zodiac I thought it would be a straight up serial killer movie, involving killing after killing.  But that's not what this movie is about.  I found it interesting that this ended up being false.  Zodiac is more about the chase and how the unsolved mystery affects those involved.

Zodiac was split into three main parts, the first was the killings and the cryptic letters.  Next was the cops investigation and the turmoil that's involved when trying to solve a difficult case.  The last third of the movie was Graysmith's investigation and how that affected his family life.  One thing I really enjoyed about Zodiac was that the story never really let up.  It never felt like a movie that was two and a half hours long.  Every scene kept you wanting more.

Another pleasant surprise with Zodiac was Robert Downey Jr.  Before this year I could not remember ever seeing a film with him, but after seeing Iron Man and now Zodiac, I'm really starting to enjoy him.  It may be because both of those characters are just like how I picture Downey, a drunk dark man, or maybe he is just a good actor.  He has definitely proved me wrong.

Overall, I really enjoyed Zodiac and can see why it made so many top ten lists for 2007.  I highly recommend it, you will not be disappointed.

Repeating Viewings:

I'm Not There Review

Hype:  I'm Not There is a movie that I have been wanting to see for a while now.  I find the concept of this film to be very interesting, a Bob Dylan bio-pic that never mentions Bob and has 6 people playing "Bob" including Cate Blanchett and Heath Ledger.  I may not be the biggest fan of Bob Dylan, but I do enjoy his music and look forward to learning more about his life.  I also look forward to Christian Bale and Heath Ledger's performances.  I am also looking forward to the film technique used in this film.

Initial Review:  Interesting.  That's all I can say.  I'm Not There is a very interesting movie.  I don't really know what else to say.  It was a complete and total trip.  If you are a huge Bob Dylan fan, this movie is a must.  For those of you that aren't big fans of Dylan, you might not be that interested.  I found the acting to be amazing, but the story was fairly confusing.

My favorite portrayals of Dylan are Cate Blanchett and Christian Bale.  I can see why Blanchett was nominated for so many awards, each nomination was well deserved.  Bale once again put on another amazing performance.  It has been a while since I have been disappointed with Bale.

I would love to go into the synopsis of I'm Not There, but I don't think I can.  I totally want to watch it again, but first I need to read up on Bob Dylan's bio and see how the stories that make up I'm Not There actually relate to his life.

Overall, I thought I'm Not There was a great film.  Is it a film that you can put in at anytime and watch?  No.  Is it a film that tells a great story, filmed in an incredible way and has some of the best actors around?  Yes.  I can't recommend this one to everyone, but if you are willing to take a chance and give this film some time and appreciation, you will not be disappointed.  I definitely want to watch it again.

Repeat Viewings:

Atonement Review

Hype:  The hype for Atonement for me wasn't too big.  I never read the book and have no idea what the story is about.  When I first saw the list of the Best Picture Nominees at this past years Academy Awards, I said this would be the one nominee I wouldn't purchase.  A lot of my friends didn't like Atonement, it wasn't what they thought it was going to be.  So do I listen to my friends or to the people who vote for the Academy Award nominees?  How bout I just watch the movie and decide for myself.

Initial Review:  Atonement is the story of two young lovers Cecilla Tallis (Keira Knightley) and Robbie Turner (James McAvoy), whose lives are changed when Cecilla's younger sister, Briony, accuses Robbie of raping her cousin.  Briony had a crush on Robbie and then thought he was a sexual monster when she misinterpreted an argument between Robbie and Cecilla and after reading a letter Robbie wrote Cecilla.  Robbie is sent to jail and then forced to either stay in jail or go fight in World War II.  He decides to go to war.  While he is off at war, Cecilla becomes a nurse and Briony decides to follow in her footsteps.  Briony soon realizes she made a mistake in accusing Robbie and tries to tell her sister.  I feel like I need to stop there with the synopsis, I don't want to give too much away.

I can see why this movie was nominated for so many awards.  The acting was great, the cinematography was beautiful, and the story was enjoyable.  Atonement won an Academy Award for Original Score and when watching the movie you can see/hear why.  The score is very strong throughout the film and probably the thing that stood out the most.

Was Atonement one of the best films of 2007?  It wouldn't have made my top 10.  It's no There Will Be Blood or No Country for Old Men, but it was a joy to watch.  From the people I've talked to about Atonement they went in expecting a romance and this is no romance movie.  I didn't read the book so I can't compare it and tell you which one is better.  I recommend renting this movie, it was on a ton of peoples best of 2007 lists for a reason.

Repeat Viewings: N/A

The Savages Review

Hype:  The only thing I know about this movie is that it stars Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman and that the reviews for it were outstanding.  I am really starting to enjoy Hoffman and I felt like he had a great year with this movie, Before the Devil Knows Your Dead and Charlie Wilson's War.  Laura Linney is usually a joy to watch.  I don't really know the plot to The Savages, so lets see if I enjoy it.

Initial Review:  The Savages is about Wendy and Jon Savage played by Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman.  Wendy and Jon are siblings that are placed in charge of their father, who is suffering from dementia, after his girlfriend passes away.  Jon and Wendy's childhood was not the greatest and they hold a lot of grudges against their father.  Besides dealing with their dying father, Wendy and Jon must also deal with the other struggles going on in their lives.  Wendy is sleeping with a married man and is a struggling playwright.  Jon is a college professor working on a book and has a girlfriend from Poland who's visa has expired.  Jon and Wendy must rely on each other to get through this difficult time in their lives.

I thought this movie was really fun to watch and I thought Linney and Hoffman were absolutely amazing.  The only thing I really had a hard time with was understanding what the characters were going through.  Since I am only in my 20s I have not had to deal with putting my parents in a nursing home.  Aside from that you can really feel the struggle that Jon and Wendy are going through and can see how they both truly care about each other and need each other to survive.  The brother-sister bond is really strong and important to this film.

Once again Hoffman steals the show.  Over the last couple years it's been really hard to find a film starring Hoffman that is not a joy to watch.  There is one scene in particular that is a joy to watch.  Hoffman is stuck in a head sling that requires his head to be supported by 18 pounds of water and Linney's character gives him some food to eat and you can just see the struggle on his face.  Linney did an outstanding job playing a character that is really unhappy in life and tries to hard to bring stability to it.

The Savages was a pleasure to watch.  If you are a fan of Philip Seymour Hoffman you will not be disappointed.  I highly recommend renting this movie, you will be glad you did.

Repeat Viewings: N/A

Cloverfield Review

Hype:  I felt like the hype for this movie was pretty huge.  I first saw the teaser for Cloverfield right before Transformers last summer.  After watching the teaser, I, like everyone else, was wondering what is this movie about.  Is it a monster movie?  A war movie?  Maybe a natural disaster movie.  I wanted to see this movie at the theater but never got around to it.  I don't plan on this movie being the greatest thing ever, but I feel it will be a joy to watch.

Initial Review:  So I just got done watching Cloverfield and all I can really say is WOW.  I really enjoyed the way it was done.  I found the camcorder-style very entertaining.  I feel like it caused me to be more on the edge of my seat.  It was a very well done monster movie.  You hardly see the monster, but you know its something that is causing massive damage to the city.  Watching it on DVD makes you feel like you found this tape and you are playing it back.

I enjoyed the fact that the actors are not people you normally find in movies.  In fact most of them you will hardly recognize.  It gives the movie that amateur feel.  If this movie had the likes of Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, or Angelina Jolie, it would feel too fake and hollywood.  Throughout watching the entire film I didn't feel like I was watching a huge summer blockbuster, it has that home video feel.

Cloverfield is a big explosion, high suspense monster movie and sometimes that's what we need.  It's not the best movie, it doesn't have the best acting or greatest story.  It's just a fun movie that takes the monster-disaster movie to a whole new level.  I highly recommend watching it.

Repeat Viewings: N/A

Summer Movie Hype

This weekend is the official start of the Summer Movie Blockbuster Season.  It kicks off with the critically acclaimed movie Iron Man.  Here is a list of the summer movies that I am looking forward to the most and why.

Iron Man (May 2nd):  At first I had my doubts about Iron Man.  I know nothing about the comic book.  When I first heard of Iron Man the movie, I found out Robert Downey Jr. would be playing the lead.  That caused me to have even more doubts.  He doesn't seem like the comic book hero type.  And then you throw in Jon Favreau has the director.  Don't get me wrong I've enjoyed a few of the movies he has acted in, but the ones he's directed (Elf, Zathura) I'm not so sure about.  As the movie has gotten closer to release the reviews have started to flow in.  Much to my surprise they were all amazing.  This, along with the action packed clips, has changed my mind about Iron Man.  Iron Man is now one of my most anticipated summer films.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (May 22nd):  I know I will recieve a lot of crap for this but, I have only seen one of the Indiana Jones films.  I plan on fixing that before this one is released in a few weeks.  I've enjoyed Steven Spielberg and George Lucas' work in the passed and that is why I am looking forward to this one.

The Happening (June 13th):  I have really enjoyed M. Night Shyamalan's films (minus Lady in the Water).  The premise for this one looks promising.  Lets hope M. Night can get back to his winning ways.

Wall-E (June 27th):  Its a Pixar film.  How can it not be good?

Hancock (July 4th):  Will Smith.  Fourth of July Weekend.  Need I say more.

Hellboy 2 (July 11th):  Guillermo del Toro is amazing.  The first Hellboy was really a joy to watch.  The trailers for Hellboy 2 look even more action packed than the first one.

The Dark Knight (July 18th):  I absolutely love Batman Begins.  I thought it was a great restart to the Batman franchise.  With everyone, except Katie Holmes, returning for the Dark Knight, there is no reason that this sequel will be amazing.  The viral campaign that is currently going on for this film has completely sucked me in.  I am really looking forward to seeing Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker.  From the early clips that have been shown, it looks incredible.

Be sure to check back for my reviews on these and many other films I watch this summer.