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.