the happening

wow. sometimes i am prone to exaggerate, but this time i really mean it: this is the worst movie i have ever seen in my entire life.

let me defend that statement- i am a huge supporter of m. night shyamalan, i have been a fan ever since 'sixth sense'. i loved that movie very much. i loved 'unbreakable' even more, i would put it on the top five movies i have ever seen. 'signs' was great, loved 'the village', i even enjoyed 'lady in the water', so my statement above i write with sadness. and its not just the twist endings, his movies have always been so good that they stand up to repeat viewing because of the strong writing. m. night has always been so good with his stories and with his dialog. the way he handles a couple about to divorce and giving it another try in 'unbreakable' is moving and honest. the relationship between the two brothers with different beliefs in 'signs' was truthful and poignant. but 'the happening'? complete and total crap.
where do i even begin? the story is idiotic and the writing is borderline retarded. the story is about a sudden attack from some viral infection that kills everyone it touches. we follow a small group of people as they try to outrun it. basic enough, but with a lot of opportunities to do something interesting with it. none of those opportunities are taken. everything in the movie is so bad i dont know if i can only blame shymalan, or if the actors should be at fault too. it almost seems like the director told them to put less emotion into it, that they were acting too natural. the characters are so stiff and robotic that it has to be a joke. wouldnt someone at some point during the filming or editing process maybe have said 'look, night, this is terrible, we cant release something this bad!' or maybe this is the result of some sort of bet with his friends where he said 'i can make the worst movie ever, and people will still see it because its got my name on it!'. looks like he won, and we all lost.
here, let me offer up these actual lines from the movie as proof of its quality: "you know, I think hot dogs get a bad wrap...you like hot dogs, dontcha?", "Why you eyeing my lemon drink?", "We can't just stand here as uninvolved observers!", "she said she was going to the town of Princeton". dont worry, they dont make much more sense in context. at one point the main characters are standing around a parking lot and one asks 'how are we going to get out of here without a car?' just then a car pulls up behind them, and another character points to it and says 'look, a car. maybe we can catch a ride with them!' and yes, it was performed about as 'community theater' like as it sounds. the characters always seem to be in just the right place at the right times, they always happen to turn on the radio or tv just in time to hear exactly what they need to, and they sure do love to talk to themselves! right from the very first line it became apparent that this one was meant for the likes of 'mystery science theater 3000'.
i implore you, do not go see this movie. it already got my 8 bucks, let this be a warning to you, i took one for the team here so you dont have to.

the incredible hulk

i went to go see this over the weekend and loved it! its kind of strange for them to restart the whole hulk thing only five years after the last one. now, there are a lot of people who give the other hulk movie a lot of grief but i dont really understand why. i really enjoyed the older one. sure, it was a bit more cerebral then it needed to be, but i found it interesting. and i really loved the comic art frames that the director used. the could have done without the hulk dogs, but the rest i enjoyed.
anyway, here we are with a reboot of the hulk. the movie recaps the first one in about the first minute! they sure get that whole origin stuff out of the way fast. we find bruce banner running from the law and trying to create an antidote to the thing that happens to him. hes been trying to keep his heart rate down by taking meditation classes and everything. well, soon enough the government is on to him and the chase begins. it leads back to america and confronting an equally powerful nemisis: the abomination!
the film does a great job of making bruce banner, and in turn the hulk, a very believable person. edward norton does a great job of showing the conflicted nature of banner as he tries to find a cure, and hating his other half for putting people in danger. the action is intense, and the bad guy finally gives him a fair challenge. this is the movie everyone seemed to want when the last one came out- tons of action, a good story, and the uttering of the popular 'hulk smash!' phrase. this movie does the same thing that 'iron man' before it did: makes us care about a character, and shows us the awe of seeing a real superhero in action.

the ruins

my mom always told me that if you cant say anything nice, dont say anything at all. i believe i will take her advice on this one.

indiana jones 4

ive been waiting for this one for quite some time. growing up i would watch the original indiana jones movies many times over, and always loved them. now, i think its a sign of my age when i say that the original is not my favorite. most people who were in to movies when 'raiders of the lost ark' came out stand firm to the opinion that it is the best one. well, i was only 2 years old when it came out, so i am not among those who saw it in the theater its first time through... but, when the third one came out i was the perfect age of 10, when seeing previews for a movie of adventure, daring do, guys on motorcycles and tanks and horses, and a guy in a cool hat and a whip, just sent my imagination soaring! for me, 'indiana jones and the last crusade' tops my list of favorites. i mean, its got harrison ford and sean connery- what more could you ask?!?
because of these vivid childhood memories, i had been really looking forward to the new indy movie. now that ive seen it i must say, its not too bad. i had been hoping for the best but expecting the worst. turned out to be ok. the story line is a bit ridiculous, but arent they all? the action was fast and fun, they did a good job of coming up with new action and different stuff for him to do, but that joy and excitement of the first three was missing. granted, this could just be because im older and not as awed by these things as i used to be. my biggest gripes would be that there is too much digital effects, and showy camera moves. some of the stuff that made the originals so cool was the basic approach to the film making. it seemed that it was intentionally striped down to simple camera moves and angles, and old school practical effects. now they have the cameras movies under vehicles and through scenery which feels too modern. and the charm of the down and dirty effects has been replaced by glossy computer effects that are too clean and empty. the title object, the crystal skull, was kind of lame too. they seemed to have spared no expense with most of the film, but the skull itself just looked like a clear plastic case with saran wrap inside- very cheesy. and i really missed all the supporting characters, from marcus brody to sallah. they make brief mention of their absence, but its unfortunate and they could have been included fairly easily. the much celebrated return of marion ravenwood was also handled quite poorly. there could have been some great conversations between the two of them, but instead its just a couple lines to acknowledge it, and then back to the action.
all that aside though, it really sucked me in! hearing that music, seeing harrison ford back in action, and just enjoying the ride really got me. at one point during the movie i came back to my own head and looked around and remembered that i was in a theater and i am not a 10 year old boy- and i was genuinely shocked! it did such a great job of sweeping me up into it that i guess all the criticisms i have about it can be forgiven. once again i was 10 and my imagination was soaring. what more can i ask of a movie, really?

speed racer

forget what the critics say, this movie is a lot of fun! if you like to see crazy car races or strange visual styles, then you will fall in love with this.

i'm not at all familiar with the old tv show, so i went into this not really knowing anything about it. the commercials and all the advertising has been pretty terrible, and almost kept me away. but i knew it was directed by the wachowski brothers, the same guys behind the martrix and that's enough for me to check it out.

the story is very basic: a boy loves to race, a big corporation wants to make sure he looses because he wont make them money. that it. all the rest is just details.  the best part of this film, by far, would be the candy colored special effects. they are so over the top that its in a whole other stratosphere. the best way to describe the movie is that its a live action cartoon. the actors are real, but everything else is a beautiful pastel dream. there is definitely a crazy madcap feel to all the racing and action. every scene just has an amazing kinetic sense to it that just makes everything pop!

my major complaint with it would be the pacing. the film is super fast- the racing and car battles get the heart rate pumping, but over all its actually slow. even the times when the excitement should be palpable, it feels like its just poking along. the story is so basic, yet they find a way to fill it up with so many unnecessary subplots, and they get a little bit confusing due to lack of explanation they become a jumbled mess. also, all the random asides with the little brother and his monkey were funny, but really annoying.

now, don't get me wrong, i'm not saying this is a great movie, i'm just saying that its fun.

iron man

wow. thats really all i can say: wow. i have seen it twice now, and im still in love with it! the first time i saw it was opening night with diana and two friends, and it was a sold out show filled with nerds about to erupt with excitement. i must admit, i was one of them! the advertising and news has had me giddy for quite a while now, so i was very excited to finally be able to see it.

this is a comic book movie done right! the story follows a rich playboy who lives it up until he is captured and seriously injured by terrorists. he has to build them a weapon, instead he builds himself a way out: an iron suit covered in guns and flame throwers! when he returns home he has a change of heart and realizes he needs to dedicate himself to doing good. he makes a better suit and the superheroing begins!

the film is fantastic, now the reason for this can be placed on two things: robert downey jr, and the suit. downey has always been a great actor with a personality that leaps off the screen, and this time he has found a character who does the same- its perfect casting! every scene in the film is made better with downey's charm and wit. oh, then there is the suit. and what a suit it is! we get to see him making it and testing it (some of the biggest laughs come from failed tests...), we get to see it evolve from the archaic first version to the sexy sleek suit he wears by the end. the story is unbelievable, but really, a superhero movie should be unbelievable, right? the film hits all the right notes, from his boozing to his desperation it conveys a powerful arc that the tony stark character goes through to find his ultimate goal of helping others. even the slight romance between him and the gwyneth paltrow character is perfectly handled.

oh, and dont even get me started about the scene after the credits...

vantage point

its been a while since ive been to the theater, so i figured it was time to fix that. i found a cool little dollar theater around and they were showing 'vantage point', one that i had wanted to see but missed in the first run theaters.

the film is about an assassination attempt on the president of the united states while he is in spain. the gimmick of the movie is that we get to see the same event from many different perspectives. we follow the news crew as it is covering it, a secret service agent covering the president, a couple bystanders who are there for the speech, and the president himself. the gimmick works, for the most part, except that it gets annoying quickly. we see the event from one perspective, and then, just as that persons story get interesting, we rewind and see it all again from another perspective. that one goes until it gets interesting, and then we rewind again. this happens a total of six times! enough, we get it- lets see how it plays out already! once they leave behind the gimmick the movie really picks up. we get to see how everyone is connected with a part of the story and each characters story pays off in the end. there are some great chase sequences, and it does a good job of keeping the tension up (once it stops rewinding, anyway). dennis quaid does a great job as the secret service guy, but some of the other actors dont quite hit their marks. there are many many times where it takes a huge amount of suspension of disbelief. guys keep getting thrown to the ground or hit by cars and they just get right back up as if nothing happened, and the coincidences are far beyond the realm of reality. but if your able to get past those leaps of logic, then youll enjoy the ride. its instantly forgettable, but it is a bit of fun.

g.i. joe

i am a child of the eighties, as far as cartoons go. i loved transformers, thundercats, he-man, and even some of the lesser works such as silverhawks. one of my personal favorites was g.i. joe. i loved everything about it- the cool opening song, the awesome vehicles, and of course the great bad guys! oh, and the helpful life lessons they taught! who doesnt still say 'and knowing is half the battle'?

well, i guess their making a new live action movie based on the tv show. this could go very well (like the transformers movie), or it could go very badly (almost any other 80s show revival). they recently released the first picture of one of the characters in the movie. its snake eyes, the silent ninja bad guy. it looks amazing! im hoping that the rest of the characters can cool as cool as this! and hes also played by ray park, the guy who was darth maul in the star wars movie.

im not sure what to expect, but i really hope im not let down! i guess we will all find out in august...

U23D

last night i went to go see 'U23D'. its been playing here for a few weeks, and ive been interested in seeing it. i wasnt sure how much longer it will be around here, and its one that i definitely want to see on the big screen.

ive been a fan of U2 for quite a few years now. ive been told though that i am a fairly atypical U2 fan. i never really got into them during the 'joshua tree' phase, or payed much attention during the 'zooropa' or 'achtung, baby' era. im a one of those rare people who fell in love with there music from the album 'pop'. this is unusual because most U2 fans will strongly agree that 'pop' was their worst album ever. i would disagree, its the one that got me to join the U2 lovefest.

i was excited to experience the 3d effect of the concert film, and i was quite impressed! the 3d technology has improved greatly over the past several years, and i have been able to enjoy a couple of the films that have used this technology. ive seen 'the nightmare before christmas 3d' for the past two years now, and over the summer i partook in the amazing 3d 'beowulf'. ive seen the technology in action before, but this was the first time ive seen in with live footage. it was spectacular! the sight of a couple hundred thousand people all packed into a soccer stadium jumping up and down, clapping, and screaming, along with the rocking soundtrack of U2 was breathtaking! is the film rolled on i suddenly realized that i was bobbing my head, tapping my feet, smiling and singing along with out even noticing! there were only about 4 other people in the showing, so i didnt feel too embarrassed.

the 3d effect was amazing too! when they would show larry playing the drums you could see all the different drums and symbols at different depths. when the camera pans out into the crowd you can get a real sense of just how incredibly huge this stadium is. at one point we see a shot of everyone on the floor jumping up and down with the beat, and it is awesome (now, i dont mean awesome in the slang sense, i mean awesome in that it filled me with awe).

the songs were great, of course, and there was even a bit of a message about loving those who are different than you and trying to find a way to coexist with respect. my only complaint was that it was too short. it was only about 90 minutes long, they could have easily fit in a couple of songs off 'pop'...

its oscar time

having seen most of the oscar nominated movies this year, i am in a position i rarely find myself in: actually knowledgeable about the movies that could win awards. ive always been passionate about the oscars, and eagerly await them each year. i must admit, i am a bit of a nerd about this stuff too. i always have ones that i am rooting for, but usually i am in a position where i have only seen one or two (or none) of them. but now, with a vested interest in the proceedings, i feel compelled to choose my favorites. i list these choices not on the expectation that they will win, but on my own preference. when it comes to winning the oscars, its usually a lot more political than just 'the best movie', and as someone who is not in the industry, i couldnt claim to know what will actually win. but i do have my favorites...

so, with out further ado, here are the films id like to win:

best picture: there will be blood.

having seen (almost) all the films nominated, i must admit that they are all quite good. 'michael clayton' was a thrilling lawyer drama, 'juno' was a bright breath of fresh air, 'no country for old men' was a powerful look at a killer. i didnt bother seeing 'atonement' because it looked stupid, even an oscar nomination will not change that. but, all these weeks later, it is 'there will be blood' that still lingers, it still haunts with its stark landscape and brooding portrait of a man who wants it all at any cost.

best director: joel and ethan coen.

this is a little harder one to pick. the truth of the matter is that if a director is really good you dont notice. i didnt notice what it was about 'no country for old men' that made the film engaging, but i do know that each scene was always elegantly shot and never confused in its setup or execution of its scenes. i guess that would qualify as good directing.

best actor: daniel day-lewis.

'there will be blood' was an amazing film, but it does not gain its power from its story. all the power of the film comes, rather, from the portrayal of the oil man at its center. the delivery is so different than anything else seen lately. the cadence and delivery of the lines by day-lewis alone demands your utmost attention. it is almost impossible to take your eyes off of him when he is on the screen. this role proves that acting is truly an art form.

best actress: ellen page.

the cultural phenomenon that is 'juno' can be placed almost entirely in the lap of ellen page. she is such a natural fit at playing this role. it almost seems as if she isnt acting at all, but rather this is what she is actually like (which after seeing interviews with her might actually be the case...). she was able to take a really heavy story of teen pregnancy and turn it into an uplifting tale of growing up and accepting what may come. much of the credit for this can also be put on diablo cody, the author of the screenplay, but ellen page brings it to such magnificent life that her impact cannot be dismissed.

best supporting actor: casey affleck.

his portrayal of robert ford stole the whole show in a movie staring one of the biggest stars out there today- brad pitt. his nervous loser of a character in 'the assassination of jesse james by the coward robert ford' was totally fleshed out and believable as someone who is star struck by his hero, but is unable to stand along side of him. he wants so hard to be a member of jesse's posse, but is too awkward and introverted to ever really be a hero himself. casey affleck was able to show all this through his portrayal. a remarkable feat.

best supporting actress: tilda swinton.

her performance in 'michael clayton' is the only one of the nominated women who i saw. she did a great job as a lawyer who is representing a company that is disposing poisonous waste. she does a great job of showing the strength needed to be that lawyer, but also allows us to see her own private weakness when she is trying to prepare for the big presentations. the final showdown with clooney is powerful and satisfying.

other than that, i would say that 'no country for old men' is worthy of the adapted screenplay oscar, and 'juno' should end the night with a win for original screenplay.

again, i'm not saying that these films and actors will win, but they definitely should.

definitely, maybe

saturday i went to go see this movie with diana. now, i dont usually admit to watching chick flicks, but i knew i could give this one a pass because its got ryan reynolds in it (that would be 'berg', for those of you in the know). the set up is this: a father reluctantly explains to his daughter how he and her mother first met. they are currently getting divorced though, which makes it a bit more complicated. he proceeds to tell his daughter about meeting three different women, but keeping their identity a secret. through out the retelling she guesses which one is really her mother.

a bit of a strange set up, but it plays out very naturally. as he tells the story, we meet three different women, and the surprising thing is- all of them are great women! its quite refreshing to see a movie that has fleshed out women who arent just a stereotype, or who are hiding some terrible secret, or as completely neurotic. as the father tells the story you realize that he could be happy with any of the three women, and any of them could be the daughters mother.

we never do hear why the relationship has fallen apart enough to require a divorce, but thats just another unusual thing about this move- the couple actually respect each other! they arent some cliched couple who are bitter or hate each other. they are civil and put the well being of their child first. wow, what a strange and amazing concept in a movie!!!

i would say the thing that i loved the best about the movie would be its unwillingness to fall into the standards of a chick flick. all the characters are loving, level headed, and intelligent. they are fully textured, well written, and very well acted. man, i sure do like that ryan reynolds...

no country for old men

last night i had some time, so i went to go and see this movie. i have been intentionally ignoring any information on this movie for quite some time now. i didnt really want to know much about it, rather be taken in by the experience as it was unfolding.

the film is a bit slow, but i hardly noticed. im not sure it thats because i was too engaged in the story, or if its because ive been watching a ton of slow movies lately that im used to it now... its basically a texas man who finds some money and a lot of trouble, the sheriff who helps out however he can, and the determined man who wants his money back. its somewhat odd the way each of the actors play in this movie. they each just seem to realize that they have no say in how things are going to go down. they are trapped in this path- like dominoes already set, just waiting to get pushed down. a couple times there were instances where a character would begrudgingly do what they knew they needed to, even thought they knew it wasnt going to end well for them.

the guy with the money doesnt really seem all that interested in the money, nor does the guy trying to get it back. they seem much more interested in evening the score that in resolution to their problems. and the sherriff is interested only enough to get rid of the annoyance, but not much beyond that.

all the acting was good, i really enjoyed tommy lee jones and his simple responses, for example his deputy asks 'its a mess, aint it?' he responds 'If it ain't, it'll do till the mess gets here.' and i do believe javier bardem deserves most the the praise he has been getting.

ive been hearing a lot of people who hate the ending of this movie. now, im not going to give anything way, but i must say that i disagree. i felt the ending was fitting. satisfying? no, but fitting.

there will be blood

this weekend i had a few hours to kill, so i checked what movies are showing around here, and it turned out that 'there will be blood' finally came to town! so off i went...

this movie is directed by paul thomas anderson, who directed a film a few years ago that i really love called 'magnolia'. having seen it and a few others of his i was very excited at the fact that he was releasing a movie at all. when i heard that it was going to star daniel day lewis i knew it was going to be something special. turns out, it is.

the story is a different one, its actually based on the novel 'oil!' by upton sinclair. it is a story that takes place at the turn of the century 1900s and follows a man who travels the country helping out in different towns setting up oil rigs. the film really interested me because it was a story i hadnt ever heard told before. daniel day lewis, who is always amazing, creates such a strong and unusual character that you are just drawn to him. his journey is a bumpy one, some of it is his fault, but much of it is out of his control. to see him deal with what ever comes can be chilling, and at times gruesome. the character has a bit of a social problem: he not only wants to succeed, but he also wont be happy until everyone else fails. the title is a bit mystifying throughout most of the film, but it becomes quite evident when all is said and done. the raw emotion and passion that is shown by the characters is so visceral that its somewhat startling and telling.

the film is a bit long and a bit slow, but it is always riveting.

juno

ive been wanting to see this one for quite a while now. even before it got all the oscar attention ive had my eye on it. i figure anything with jason bateman, the kid from arrested development, and kitty pryde from the x-men movies was going to be at least ok. as it got more and more attention i figured i should definitely check it out.

well, saturday i finally got around to it, and boy was it worth it! the movie was hysterical! if you dont know the story line of this movie then you really need to stop living under that rock of yours. but just in case, ill summarize it for you. its about a 16 year old who gets pregnant and decides to go through with the birth and give the child up to a couple who hasnt been able to conceive. its not the story thats getting everyone talking, its the writing that makes this movie great. the style of conversation among everyone is a bit different. everyone is highly intelligent and amazingly witty, which just doesnt happen in real life. it almost teeters on the wes anderson style of quirky, but it has a lot more heart. after about the first ten minutes you start to accept this hip hyper-reality and can really get into the characters and their relationships with each other. the main character juno is very self confident and certain that she knows everything. and for a while, we believe her. she is so sure footed and wise beyond her years that she thinks she can handle whatever life throws at her, and for much of the film we are prone to agree. but one of the themes that the film (expertly) explores is the idea of naivete.

over all the film is certainly one of the funniest of the year, and also is surprisingly touching.

[editor's note: i saw this in the theater on a date.  in case you are wondering- yes, the date went well, i have since married her!]

cloverfield

the guys and i went to go see this on friday, opening night. ive been looking forward to this one since they first had the teaser attached to transformers over the summer. i didnt really get into the online hysteria around it, but i kept it in mind as one to see. ive been seeing reviews of it that say its total crap, and others that say its awesome. the hype has been so deafening, that it was time to make the decision for myself.

turns out, its pretty good. the premise is simple: a giant monster attack from the perspective of those who are in the city it is stomping all over. the style is very much 'blair witch project' with the perception given that we are about to watch a tape that was found. as we watch it it becomes clear that this is going to be a shaky camera ride. in fact, before the movie started, someone from the theater actually came up and warned us that this film could induce nausea. needless to say, that got us even more excited for it. i didnt have any problems with it, but a couple of the guys said they felt a little dizzy at points. the premise of the film is done well, its a bunch of twenty somethings throwing a party for a friend who is leaving town. just as the party gets going, the power goes out. they look outside and see the city being destroyed. they have to get out of there quick. they head to the subway system and other places looking for a friend and a way out. part of what makes the film work is that even the effects shots are done from the handheld camera, so they look real. this is what makes the monster really work- we never really get a clear shot of what the thing looks like. well, actually we do, and thats the one complaint i have with the movie. at the end they show too much of the monster that it takes away some of the mystery that had been such a strong part of the movie up until that point. also, it suffers from too many endings. for a movie that was so chaotic and strange, the ending is a little too neat and tidy.

over all though, this is definitely one to see in the theater, i have a feeling that it will loose a lot when its seen on a regular tv screen.