Nice Guy Johnny

Nice Guy Johnny
"Johnny Rizzo, is about to trade his dream job in talk radio for some snooze-ville gig that'll pay enough to please his fiancée. Enter Uncle Terry, a rascally womanizer set on turning a weekend in the Hamptons into an eye-opening fling for his nephew. Nice guy Johnny's not interested, of course, but then he meets the lovely Brooke, who challenges Johnny to make the toughest decision of is life."

3.5 Stars

How many marriages happen just because two people are in a relationship and they are at the age where they're supposed to get married?  The answer may differ for everyone, but I tend to think it happens a lot more than people would like to admit.  This seems to be the case for Johnny Rizzo (Matt Bush), an aspiring Sportscaster with a late night sports talk radio program in Oakland, CA.  He's torn between doing what makes him happy, and pleasing a demanding fiance.  On a weekend in New York to interview for an unbelievably boring job as a warehouse manager for a cardboard company, he is (to a certain degree) kidnapped by his womanizing Uncle Terry (Ed Burns) who appears to be sleeping with every unhappy housewife East of Montauk.  Uncle Terry seems to say the things that most of us may dismiss as crude, but secretly admit they hold some validity.  Whether he's acting off of actual perception or not, Terry makes is his mission to make Johnny truly question if he wants to get married, or if he's just doing it because everyone else expects him to.  As much as Johnny tries to be dismissive of Terry's initial attempts, his resolve is slowly eroded away until he isn't sure what he really wants.

Enter Brooke (Kerry Bishe) playing the free spirited tennis instructor to the rich who clearly represents the opposite of Johnny's overbearing fiance.  The story does suffer a little here because the two female characters are written, to an extent, as cliches.  Johnny's fiance is selfish, materialistic, and almost completely without redeeming qualities.  Brooke, on the other hand, is beautiful, fun, and much more supportive of Rizzo following his dream.  But the cliches can be forgiven because of the genuine performance put forth by Bush and Bishe.  I had seen Kerry in her last season stint as the lead role on Scrubs, and I really respected her comedic mettle, but Brooke seemed to be a much more complete character.  One of the first problems I had with the romance was the height difference between Brooke and the diminutive Johnny, but the chemistry is so good that you tend to overlook that pretty quickly.

Now, one of the recurring themes of the movie is that Johnny is a nice guy "almost to a fault".  And, while he does live up to that title for the most part, he does succumb to kissing a drunken Brooke less than 12 hours from arriving in the Hamptons.  So, while he may think he has a tough decision to make and he is completely vested in his current relationship, it may be a little more talk than substance.

If the numbers are correct, this film was made on a minuscule $25k budget, and the truth is you really can't tell.  Aside from the cast being relatively small, the production as a whole comes off as top notch which is probably a testament to Ed Burns' career knack for making good films on shoe string budgets.  And, while it may not be garnering any awards, the message is pretty simple: Most of the world is going to hear your dreams and tell you that "you can't".  So, you have to find someone who looks at you truthfully and says "of course you can".  Life is long and hard, and we all want to find someone who will stand by our side while we make our way through it.  But the truth is, marriage is an institution that can't be entered into lightly.  Will Brooke be the girls of Johnny's dreams and will they live happily ever after?  Maybe or maybe not.  But what Johnny has learned is that, for him to be the best for those around him, he has to do what makes him happy.

The Parking Lot Movie

The Parking Lot Movie
"Over the course of three years, filmmaker Meghan Eckman tracked the comings and goings of a solitary parking lot in Charlottesville, Va., chronicling the lives of the attendants who were working there. This inspiring documentary is the result. Hanging tough as they navigate the range of human emotion -- from hope to frustration, from a sense of limitless possibilities to stagnation -- the film's subjects embody the pursuit of the American Dream."


4 Stars

The Parking Lot Movie follows the grueling, nay, harrowing plight of a group of rag-tag societal misfits who utilize their unique positions as guardians of the Corner Parking Lot as an opportunity to sternly, but justly, maintain cosmic order in a world teetering on the edge of oblivion.

But seriously though, this movie is fucking brilliant, an all too rare tribute to the everyman.  It starts out as a quirky documentary about the different personalizes and societal perceptions held by a group of guys who are all bound together one thing, their job as booth workers at a pay parking lot in Charlottesville, Virginia.  But it eventually develops into a more substantial social commentary on our class system and the odd personas people can take on when they’re behind the wheel of a car.  We get to see firsthand how some of us can get almost lost in a sense of entitlement just because we’re driving a vehicle with four wheels.  And sometimes, unfortunately, that entitlement manifests itself into a way of treating other people that’s dismissive and, to some extent, cruel.

Now, don’t get me wrong, this movie isn’t sad on any level.  Well, I take that back, maybe on some level.  But the dry wit and sarcastic remarks that the attendants make about (and sometimes directly to the face of) their vehicle driving brethren are what makes the movie worth watching.  They are more than forthcoming with their personal opinions about the drivers they do battle with on a daily basis.  Through listening to the attendants express their own existential crises, neuroses, and even a little bit of psychoses, you quickly become a staunch admirer of the mental and moral fortitude it takes to really endure this job. 

You can’t help it, some people are just worthless bags of douche and the guys that are able to put up with them are much better men than I.  Go ahead, play that sad, pathetic ASPCA TV commercial with Sarah McLaughlin and the unwanted puppies as many times as you want in an effort to get me to be a better person.  It probably won’t do much.  But you make me watch this flick and you can be damn sure I’m gonna make the effort to be nicer to my parking lot attendant.

Leon: The Professional

Leon: The Professional
"Leon is a hitman, and happy with his life. When a young girl comes home to find her family has been killed by a drug dealer, she runs to him for help. When she discovers he is a hitman, she asks him to teach her the skills to take her revenge." 


3 Stars 
How do you reconcile the contrast that can arise between a piece of brilliant acting and a case of underwhelming story telling?  Furthermore, how do you rate a film when you have simultaneous guilt about begrudgingly overpraising a weak script in order to avoid dismissing a bevy of superb performances?  Well, in the words of my father, "You just suck it up."


Leon: The Professional is a movie that begins with all the promise in the world.  With virtually no exposition, the audience is thrown into the cold, calculated world of contract killing.  Leon (Jean Reno) is given an order to hit a group of thieves who are just passing through NYC.  We aren't told why they're bad guys, and we don't really need to know.  All that matters is that there's are bounties on their heads, and the ill-fated bastards were unlucky enough to have their numbers picked by Leon.  The tension created by the opening scene itself is stressful, if not almost palpable.  The skill and finesse shown by Leon as he deftly picks off each unsuspecting victim is almost as eerie at it is impressive.  Suffice it to say, he makes Jason Bourne and his commendable skills almost look rough and undisciplined.  But, the scene also gives us a glimpse into the code that Leon lives by, "No Women.  No Children."  While it may seem paradoxical, this concept of "moral standards" for a contract killer is necessary for the story line because, how else is the film maker going to get the audience to pull for an amoral leading man who literally kills for a living?


Enter Mathilda (Natalie Portman) who was able to act at a level that no 13 year old girl has any business to be acting.  I hurt with every one of her tears and I rejoiced with every one of her smiles.  I cannot describe it, but this little girl enthralled to a degree that I found myself genuinely concerned with her safety and emotional state, even though every logical part of my brain kept reminding me that it was all just "for pretends".  I know she just won an Oscar for this year's Black Swan, but if I had my way, she would have placed that golden statue on her mantle 17 years earlier.


And it wasn't just the performance of Reno and Portman that carried the team.  The supporting cast of Danny Aiello and Michael Badalucco was firing on all cylinders, too.  But the highlight outside of the primary duo was unquestionably Gary Oldman in one of his first major Hollywood roles.  Oldman plays Stansfield a corrupt, ironically drug addicted DEA agent who is the quintessential loose cannon.  These are the types of villains who really get my adrenaline pumping in a movie.  These kinds of characters who follow no rules and show no mercy to anyone or anything that stands in their way.  You honestly do find yourself convinced that Stansfield is going to kill the 13 year old Portman in the first 15 minutes of the film, even though you're head reminds you that's not going to happen because the movie is two hours long and you may need a protagonist.  There is a fine line between a crazed lunatic and psychotic villain that Oldman treads terrifically.


But, alas, the performances (as spectacular as they are) are pretty much the only thing worth praising about the film.  While the direction is above average, the story just leaves so much to be desired.  The back stories of Leon, Mathilda, and Stansfield are only touched upon, and I found it hard to wrap my head around all that was going without knowing what the characters motives were.  The scenes involving Mathilda's "training" almost felt like an afterthought and the subtle undertones of a potential sexual relationship between Mathilda and Leon was just bizarre.  While in most situations "less is more", in the particular case I felt that further developing the relationships of all the main characters could have done nothing but enhance the plot.


So, while I wanted so badly for this one to become one of my more revered films, I think it has to fall into the category of a disappointment.  Don't get me wrong, I think it's definitely worth watching, but you will have to power through a couple aspects.  Because the movie was shot in the early nineties, the wardrobe and hair styles reflect as such.  Maybe it's just me and my snobbish ways, but I sometimes have trouble taking seriously the guy in a Miami Vice green suit and Kenny G hair firing off rounds from an Uzi, but maybe I'm just old fashioned that way.  But, if you're looking for some shoot 'em up, you're going to find it.  The movie isn't gory, per se, but it is most definitely bloody, and I'm talking Tarentino bloody.  There is definitely a legitimate argument that could be made implying the movie may have been somewhat diminished by getting sucked in to the explosions and car chases that seemed to permeate the 90s film landscape.  So, while one of the final scenes might end (quite literally) with a bang, for me it was just a whimper.

Spread

Spread
"In Los Angeles, Nikki is homeless, car-less and closing in on 30, but he's amoral, good-looking, and adept in the sack, moving from one wealthy woman of 35 or 40 to another, a kept boy-toy. His newest gig, with Samantha, an attorney whose house overlooks L.A., is sweet, although it's unclear how long she'll put up with him. Then Nikki meets Heather, a waitress. Is the player being played, or might this be love? What will Nikki discover?" 


 3.5 Stars 


Nikki (Ashton Kutcher) is living the kind of lifestyle that any man in his 20s would epitomize, any man in his 30s would question, and any man in his 40s would pity.  He spends his days lounging by the pool, his nights partying at posh houses in the Hollywood Hills, and his mornings waking up next to beautiful women.  An yet he is, by most definitions, a gigolo.  He may not actually receive money for the sex and companionship he provides, but the fact that he is jobless and homeless means that he needs these women just as much (if not more so) than they need him.


When we first meet Nikki, he seems to be at the top of his game.  The insight into the gambits he uses for wooing a woman are conveyed through voice over through out the first 20 minutes or so of the film, but they are not necessarily ground breaking.  Any guy or girl who has even a relative amount of relationship experience would realize that he is simply "playing the game."  Which is why I found it so hard to believe that Samantha (Anne Heche) would be the kind of person to fall for it.  Here is a woman in her late 30s who is single, independent, drives a Mercedes, and owns a $5 million dollar cliff side home in Los Angeles.  I started to ask myself, how am I to believe that a woman like this would fall so easily into the sophomoric game of smoke and mirrors that is this guy's bread and butter?  And then, well, it dawned on me.  Maybe she wanted to.  The writer does an adequate job of hinting at the personal issues that have brought Nikki and Samantha to their respective points in their lives, and why they may just be exactly what each other needs at the moment, even if it's far from healthy.


Most importantly, the film does a good job of avoiding any kind of glorification of Nikki's life.  While he is constantly surrounded by beauty and opulence, there are subtle but persistent feelings of loneliness and dissatisfaction.  While any guy would probably trade places with him for a week, I can't think of anyone that would actually want his life.  He is in his prime, sure, but there doesn't seem to be a gradual decline in store for him.  Instead, there is a looming feeling of a dark of a future with nothing but the hope of rock bottom to eventually and mercifully end his fall.


Enter Heather, played by a thoroughly intoxicating Margarita Levieva.  Up to this point in the film, Kutcher does a decent job of playing an emotionally distant narcissist who is trying just a little too hard to make people think that he doesn't care.  But when the sparks start flying between their two characters, I think that the acting gets taken to a whole new level.  As much as I hate to say it, Kutcher is better when he plays a character that shows heart, and that's what finally comes out when these two characters start their relationship.  


But things aren't always what they seem and the realization that Heather is living the same lifestyle as Nikki brings a whole new dynamic to the film that makes the earlier transgressions almost seem tame.  These are two emotionally damaged people who are almost beyond repair and their relationship becomes, for lack of a better phrase, fucked up.  The actual thought that these people are going to live happily ever after is a pipe dream and any semblance of a "Hollywood Ending" would have completely sunk the movie.  Luckily, the film stays true to form and, while I may not think the conclusion was quite harsh enough, there is enough stark reality tied in to make the film worthwhile.

City Island

City Island
"The Rizzos, a family who doesn't share their habits, aspirations, and careers with one another, find their delicate web of lies disturbed by the arrival of a young ex-con (Strait) brought home by Vince (Garcia), the patriarch of the family, who is a corrections officer in real life, and a hopeful actor in private." 


 3.5 Stars 
Editor's Note:  It actually took me a minute when I was tagging this film to truly decide whether or not if it fit more into the Drama or Comedy genre.  In the end, I settled on Comedy, but there is a relative amount of depth to this story that shouldn't be ignored.


The Rizzos are a close-nit, fairly stereotypical Bronx family living in the New England-esque town of City Island, NY nestled at the Western end of the Long Island Sound.  All of them are guilty, in one form or another, of indulging in little white lies to hide the parts of their lives that they are not quite ready to share with the rest of their family.  But, while their lies does have consequences, it's hard to ignore the fact that most of them are created in an effort to protect the ones they love from the truth and maintain the familiar facades they have created for one another.  The secrets cover a wide range of importance from the innocuous cigarettes Vince (Andy Garcia) and Joyce (Juliana Margulies) hide from each other, to the more significant realization that the newest inmate at the Corrections Facility Vince works at is actually his long-ago-abandoned son.


The choice of setting the story in City Island, New York (where the newcomers are referred to as "mussel-suckers" while the old blood calls themselves "clam-diggers") was a smart, albeit unutilized one.  This is a community where there is only one of each type of store and homes are passed down from generation to generation.  The town itself could have played a much more influential role in the definition of the characters and their history.  Instead, it almost came across that this story could have been set anywhere along the New England coast.  As opposed to a unique place that possesses both the serenity of a sleepy seaside town and the edge that comes from being in the Bronx.


The story itself also failed to deliver the whole way through.  I can't quite put my finger on it, but the end seemed just a little too easy.  The audience actually starts to buy into this family with all their flaws and real-life relatable struggles, so it really seems like a disservice when everything more or less works out in the end.  But, I must admit, the last 15 minutes of the film did result in one of the better movie climaxes I've seen in a while.  And there is really nothing bad that can be said about the acting.  Emily Mortimer and Steven Strait more than fulfill their duties as supporting cast members, as do Ezra Miller and Andy Garcia's real-life daughter Dominik Garcia-Lorido.  I've noticed Ezra Miller's talents in several other films, and apparently I'm not alone.  He's a noticeable force from the beginning of the movie, but it's almost as if his part was written just to get him some screen time.  So, while I'm glad to see him work, his storyline doesn't much contribute to helping move the plot along, and almost feels forced.


Regardless, this movie can really just be summed up in one word, family.  They aren't perfect, in fact they're far from it.  And the communication between them can only be described as slightly better than that of the United States and Russia during the Cold War.  But, no matter how they show it, they love each other and will always be there for one another.  The line that Andy Garcia delivers right before the credits roll is one I won't soon forget: 


"Every busy city needs an island of peace, just like every busy soul needs a place of repose."

Brief Interviews with Hideous Men

Brief Interviews with Hideous Men
"In the film, Sara Quinn (Julianne Nicholson) is interviewing men as part of her graduate studies. Her intellectual endeavor has emotional consequences as the men’s twisted and revealing stories are juxtaposed against the backdrop of her own experience. As she begins to listen closely to the men around her, Sara must ultimately reconcile herself to the darkness that lies below the surface of human interactions."


5 Stars

Whoa.  I don't even know what to say.  It's like . . . I mean it's kind of just . . . I can't even explain it . . . just, whoa.  Is this film going to be of a 5 Star caliber for everyone?  Absolutely not, but it damn sure is for me.  Let's begin with the obvious reasons why this film is cooking with the right ingredients.  John Krasinski in his directorial debut has recruited the likes of Ben Shenkman (Angels in America), Timothy Hutton (Ordinary People), Will Arnet (Arrested Development), Will Forte (SNL), Joey Slotnick (Boston Public), Dominic Cooper (Mama Mia), Christopher Meloni (Law & Order: SVU), Clarke Peters (The Wire), Denis O'Hare (True Blood), Fankie Faison (The Wire), Josh Charles (Sports Night), and Bobby Cannavale (Third Watch) into composing a film out of David Foster Wallace's short story collection of the same name.  Now, I must begrudgingly admit that I have yet to pick up any of his works and experience them first hand.  But, general opinion AND the fact that every few months something happens to serendipitously bring my attention to his writing must mean that he is someone I need to take note of.

The lone significant female role in this film is played by a stunning Julianne Nicholson.  I don't mean "stunning" in the beautiful sense (although she is lovely), but rather in the way that she utilizes a relatively small number of lines and is able to still be the dramatic driving force behind the entire film.  Now, attempting to mold a series of short stories together into a cohesive manner on screen is definitely a herculean task.  And frankly it's a task that, while noble, still falls a little bit short.  But man, not by much.

The film almost plays like two distinctly different Acts to me.  The First Act is relatively light and seems to take on a similar tone to movies like He's Just Not That Into You and When Harry Met Sally (a personal favorite) in the sense that we are almost given a set of guidelines or insights into the workings of the male mind and its perceptions.  Now, I feel like I do need to take this time to warn some ladies out there.  Many of the revelations made by men in the film are things that I find to be fairly universal truths when it comes to the male psyche and behavior.  However, many of these insights are, unfortunately, things of which I am not necessarily the most proud.  Let's suffice to say that after watching the first half of the film, I don't think any of the ladies out there are going to be particularly fond of their male companions.  And fellas, as a warning to you as well, you may want to slide over on the couch in order to be just out of arm's reach, because your girl may be overwhelmed with the uncontrollable need to punch you in the shoulder.  Obviously, both sides can do as you wish, but you were forewarned.  But, as a person who is perpetually interested in further exploring the human condition, I found most of the interviews in the First Act to be insightful and thoroughly entertaining.  And, I would suggest that you actually watch the trailer here to get an idea of what you are in store for.

Conversely, the Second Act takes a decidedly heavier and darker tone.  It begins, rather abruptly, with an extended scene featuring Frankie Faison as he, almost disdainfully, recounts the job that his father held as a bathroom attendant in a posh hotel.  To be honest, I almost feel like the scene doesn't have any business being in this film, and I mean that in a respectful way.  This scene is so gripping and powerful, that I almost wish it was a stand alone piece that could be examined and revered for its own brilliance.  Plus, with it's glaring racial overtones, I almost found it hard to relate to the fabric of the rest of the film.

We then jump to a scene between Domini Cooper and Julianne Nicholson that is nothing short of superb.  The entire scene is actually an inter cutting of three separate conversations between the characters that is paced so brilliantly, I almost found myself moving to the edge of my chair as the tension grew so tight that it became palpable.  This scene is the one is most obviously added for relative shock value, but the entertainment factor alone let's us forgive the director for adding something so brash.

The last major scene occurs between John Krasinski and Julianne Nichiolson in which the audience is finally given a clearer view as to what exactly has been going on throughout the film and why the female character has been performing these interviews with "hideous men".  John Krasinki actually delivers a powerful monologue that will make you completely forget that the bread and butter of his career has been portraying the affable Jim Halpert on The Office.  He recounts a story that, while the "wires" of it may fray at times in the middle, he concludes with such a blindingly poignant moment that I challenge anyone not to sit back in their seat and say, damn.

So, while I can't predict the reception that each individual person may have to the film, all I can say is that this film was one I whole heartily believe is worth watching, and I hope some of you do too.

Barney's Version

Barney's Version
"Take a ride through the life and memories of Barney Panofsky, a hard-drinking, cigar-smoking, foulmouthed 65-year old hockey fanatic and television producer, as he reflects on his life's successes and (numerous) gaffes and failures as the final chapters of his own existence come sharply into focus."

4.5 Stars

As the film opens, you may find yourself wondering if you have accidentally stumbled in an infomercial about DI-UH-BEET-US because, whether they meant to or not, the make up artists were able to age the initial antagonist Mark Addy into a spitting image of Wilford Brimley.  Now, if you don't understand that reference, don't worry because it wasn't that funny and, I have to admit, a little obscure.

But moving on, let's talk about the movie.  First and foremost it's important that you take the title of  "Barney's Version" into consideration when it comes to interpreting the accuracy of the events of the film.  Barney (played brilliantly in this case by Paul Giamatti) is an unreliable narrator who, although he never actually does a voice over, is giving the audience his recollection and the correlating interpretation of his life.  This intriguing framing device might be most evident in the scene where we see Barney fall in love with his eventual 3rd wife while at the wedding reception to his 2nd wife.  On the surface, it appears as though Barney falls in love with Miriam based on 3 simple criteria - 1) Her looks.  2)  Her appreciation a good Monte Cristo cigar.  3) Her thoughtfulness to update Barney on the final score of a Stanley Cup match he was missing due to the wedding.  Now, this may come off as relatively shallow and almost flippant when you consider the fact that a newly married man is pursuing another woman at his own wedding reception.  But, the romantic in me likes to believe that Barney is experiencing the extremely rare (if even possible at all) Love at First Sight.

Miriam, the object of Barney's affection is played by a surprisingly powerful Rosamund Pike.  I mean, let's be honest, Paul Giamatti can't seem to walk more than 10 feet without tripping over an Academy Award nomination these days.  But Rosamund Pike almost gave me the feeling that she was the critically acclaimed actor instead of the relatively green performer that she actually is.  And that's a conclusion I cam to in spite of the fact that I wasn't necessarily as infatuated with her as Barney was at their initial meeting.  But, even though it took me a little longer, by the end of the movie I was head over heels for her.

There are a lot of other impressive performances in the film too, like that of Rachelle LeFevre and Scott Speedman, but the one I feel I must point out as being superior to all the rest is Dustin Hoffman's.  He plays the boisterous, sometimes border-line inappropriate role of Barney's father Izzy to damn near perfection.  Izzy is a retired New York beat cop who spent 30 years patrolling the "mean streets" and persisted in the face very thinly veiled anti-semitism by administering his own (slightly law-bending) form of justice.  In spite of a hard life, he comes of as a wise, jovial man with no regrets and one I could probably listen to for hours over a glass of good bourbon.

Now, the film does come off as a little left-of-center, but I don't mean that in any sort of negative way.  Nor do I mean that as a code word to imply that this is a weird, artsy movie that only a certain niche of movie-goers are going to appreciated.  But rather, I guess what I mean is that there does not seem to be one particular, all-encompassing theme or direction for the film.  It does jump around quite a bit through various time lines, but the action is never difficult to follow, in fact it's quite the contrary.  This is a direct result of the excellent make up done to the aging characters.  Make up so good, in fact, that it was nominated for an Academy Award.

But, at its very core, I feel like this film is just a portrayal of the common experience we all share of being human and trying to find our own bliss.  Inherently, the mere fact that we are human means that we all have the imperfections and insecurities that have to come along with it, and Barney is no exception.  He is just a decent guy trying to do the best that he can, and this is his story.

The Company Men

The Company Men
"When the GTX Corporation must cut jobs to improve the company's balance sheet during the 2010 recession, thousands of employees will take the hit, like Bobby Walker (Ben Affleck). Bobby learns the real life consequences of not having a job. Not only does he see a change to his family lifestyle, and the loss of his home, but also his feelings of self-worth."

3.5 Stars

One of these days, maybe a few hundred years in the future, the history books are going to look back at this period of American history and, hopefully, they will be taken aback by the lives and work ethics our society has grown accustomed to.  It would seem to me that, for most of human history, people have worked to live.  But the last 75 years or so seem to exhibit a reversal of that philosophy, because people now seem to just be living to work.

From a very young age, Americans buy into the fact that they are born to pursue that elusive American Dream.  That lofty ideal that if we work hard and show others that we are committed to a cause we will, in turn, be rewarded with a big house, fancy cars, and a summer home on a tropical island.  Now, don't get me wrong, I like to indulge in the extravagant just as much as the next guy.  Like Tommy Lee Jones begrudgingly admits at one point in the film, "I like $500 lunches and $5,000 luxury hotels."  But somewhere along the way the American Dream became flawed.  We essentially give our lives to our jobs in the belief that everything will pay off in the end.  We can justify taking on some debt, because we have a good job and there's no reason to think we won't have it forever.  Even more so, our psyches are warped enough to believe that the biggest change that may happen to our status quo is the possibility we'll get a better job with an even bigger paycheck.  I mean, after all, this is America.  As long as you work hard and take advantage of the opportunities that arise, you can only move up the corporate ladder, not fall down it.  We did everything right.  We got the college degrees they told us to get and made the sacrifices they told us to make.  Now it's their turn to hold up their end of the bargain.

Well, more so than anytime in recent memory, we must face the blunt truth that nothing in the corporate world is guaranteed.  While we may be doing exactly what we're supposed to do, it may not be enough.  And even the most fortuitous of us can end up on the street passing out resumes and  going to job interviews with anyone who will grant us an audience.

But if ever there was a time to appreciate a silver lining, it would be now.  Bobby Walker (Ben Affleck) goes through the same situation that millions of American across the country have had to endure over the past few years.  A massive and life altering change that leaves him contemplating not only his future, but his self worth as a provider.  But a wonderful thing happens along the way, he realizes that once all the opulence and material possessions are stripped away, he is left with one important thing, his family.  And, ironically enough, isn't that the reason he tried to chase the American Dream in the first place?

The Company Men presents a refreshingly accurate portrayal of the fear and angst that has become an all too common thread in the lives of people across the country.  Now, I will admit that, initially, I had a hard time identifying with the characters and truly believing them as everyday corporate businessmen because I knew (in real life) they were all actors and probably had never seen the inside of a cubicle their entire professional careers.  Luckily, they were able to win me over very quickly.  Perhaps it was the fact that I got distracted by the mention of Mobile, AL (my hometown) as one the firm's shipping yards they had to shut down.  But, more than likely, it was because everyone put forth genuine and heart felt performances.

The cast is full of great actors like Craig T. Nelson, Ben Affleck, Kevin Costner, Chris Cooper, and Tommy Lee Jones.  But, to be fair, Tommy Lee Jones could act in a feature film about Depends undergarments and I would probably find it entertaining, but that's besides the point.  The script is lean and mean.  In his directorial debut, John Wells (of West Wing and ER prominence), has put together a story and a cast that did a sincere and just job in portraying the Great Recession in the most realistic way possible.  And he has done it without mincing many words or drawing out many scenes.  There are numerous plot elements that essentially happen off screen while the audience is left to assume what happened and fill in their own gaps.  But the brevity is sometimes necessary to keep the characters developing and the story lines balanced.  Both of which are achieved very well.  So well, in fact, that the film almost takes on documentary feel (and I mean that as a compliment).  But the added bonus of it being a story of fiction is that the audience is able to see the more intimate moments in the home lives of the characters and the struggles they are having to cope with after being knocked down from their lofty perches.

One criticism of the film might be that the script isn't as realistic as, well, reality.  But I think that's okay.  Granted, the film doesn't end in happily ever after and there are plenty of tragedies along the way, but I can see why some people may think the characters' journeys aren't as grueling as their real-life counterparts.  But we have to remember that it's a movie.  It's meant to be a work of fiction and, if nothing else, it's meant to put forth some semblance of hope.  If it were completely true to form, then it might be too depressing to watch.

And, thankfully, the film doesn't try to do too much.  It doesn't simplify things to the point where the implication is all big corporations are evil and all CEOs have made pacts with the devil.  Although I'm not entirely convinced that they aren't and that they haven't.  But what it does do is paint a picture of what the new normal is in America.  Now, am I naive enough to think that this shake up in the American Dream will prevent us from repeating our mistakes?  No.  I have no doubt that people will continue to do what they can to buy the McMansions and drive the Porsches.  But hopefully this movie can be an reminder of what should be important and what we really should be working for.  An hour at home is worth 10 in the office.  And, I can only speak for myself, but when I look back on my life, I know that I'll be remembering the times when I was surrounded by loved ones and not the times when I was surrounded by cubicle walls.

PS - I don't mean to cheapen the review in anyway here, but I would be remiss if I didn't mention the fact that Maria Bello has to be one of the sexiest 43 year olds in the world.  This isn't a new revelation for me, but it is one that I felt I had to reiterate.

Blue Valentine

Blue Valentine

"The film depicts a married couple, Dean Pereira (Ryan Gosling) and Cindy Heller (Michelle Williams), shifting back and forth in time between their courtship and the dissolution of their marriage several years later. Dean is a young high school dropout, working for a New York City moving company. Cindy is a medical student living with her unhappy parents and caring for her grandmother in Pennsylvania. They meet by chance and fall deeply in love in a matter of weeks. They rush into marriage after discovering Cindy is pregnant from a previous boyfriend, Bobby (Mike Vogel). The story of their courtship is inter cut with one disastrous weekend near the presumed end of their marriage. Dean is painting houses while Cindy works as a nurse and they care for their young daughter in rural Pennsylvania. In the hope of resurrecting their troubled relationship, Dean brings Cindy to a tacky romantic motel where they only fight more, and Cindy is called away in the middle of the night to work at the hospital. Dean shows up at the hospital angry, leading to a violent altercation which seems to doom their relationship and make divorce inevitable."

4.5 out of 5 stars

Now, this is what you call a rare and beautiful blend of powerful acting and inspired movie making. Blue Valentine will be one of the best movies you will see this year and, if it isn’t, please let me know what kind of stuff you’re watching because I'm going to need to accompany you to a few flicks. 

This is the type of film that should garner your respect for the sheer fact that it gives you respect in return. Unlike most of your mainstream love stories that have to cater to the dumbest of movie goers, this film trusts that the viewer is smart enough to figure out some things on their own. At times, a simple look is more than enough to convey to the audience what a character would normally have to actually say out loud. And the transition between scenes is peppered with just enough subtle hints to help the audience realize what may have just happened or where the character is coming from. You really do have moments where you forget you are watching a film and, instead, feel like you are sitting in the character’s living room watching their actual lives fall apart.

Truthfully, I haven’t seen Brokeback Mountain or Shutter Island, so I may be coming late to the party on this one. But, Michelle Williams has some legit dramatic acting chops, way more than I would have initially expected. I already knew this was true of Ryan Gosling (just see Lars and the Real Girl or Half Nelson). But she has absolutely no problem going toe to toe with her formidable co-star and, at times, making him blink first.

I should also take this opportunity to forewarn all the ladies out there, who seem to be so infatuated with Mr. Gosling, about his physical appearance. The film’s framing device is a constant switch back and forth from the beginning of the couple’s relationship to (what would appear to be) the probable end. Now, the reason that this may surprise a few of you, is that the makeup artists obviously aged him a few years with the help of a receding hair line and the addition of a few extra pounds. It isn’t something so drastic that it takes you out of the movie, but his multi-toned, 80s style sunglasses in the later scenes definitely make him border on child molester status. 

But back to the framing device. The director does an absolutely phenomenal job of moving back and forth between the time lines sparingly at first and then dialing up the frequency gradually as the tension escalates to a fevered pitch. By juxtaposing the time lines of these two immeasurably different points in their relationship, the director is able to give the audience a much more well-rounded and in-depth look at the characters. They, just like all of us, are flawed and somewhat damaged individuals. Sure, at the beginning of any relationship, things are wonderful and exhilarating. But what happens when we go past the point where most movies end? What happens after Richard Gere climbs up the fire escape to get Julia Roberts? What happens after Tom Hanks meets Meg Ryan at the top of the Empire State Building? 


Sure, we want to hope that they lived happily ever after, but life isn't always a fairy tale.  In fact, most of the time it's far from it. What this movie does is present a look at two people who found each other at a point in their lives where they each had substantial emotional emptiness that only the other person could fill. Does that connection alone create a strong enough foundation for a marriage to be built upon? Probably not. But is the relationship still an important one worth having?  Absolutely. At its core, this movie is just a raw, poignant look at two people who may have been right for each other at one time, but sadly may not be right for each other for all time.

Inception

Inception

"Dom Cobb is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state, when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb's rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved. Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back but only if he can accomplish the impossible-inception. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse: their task is not to steal an idea but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime. But no amount of careful planning or expertise can prepare the team for the dangerous enemy that seems to predict their every move. An enemy that only Cobb could have seen coming."

4.5 of stars

This review is probably a moot point because it seems that everyone and their mother has already seen the film, but if you haven’t, here we go. I’m not going to hop on the bandwagon quite as hard as most people (the movie already has the #3 ranking of all time on IMDb). Not to say that movie isn’t good (it most definitely is), but let’s take a minute to let the hype die down before we start throwing out Oscars.

First off, kudos to Chris Nolan as both an artist and a business man. He hasn’t directed many films, but the few that he has (Memento, The Prestige, The Dark Knight) have all been truly worthy of both their critical and financial success. That being said, this film doesn’t stray from that model. We’re heading into the 4th week of Inception dominating the Box Office and, while it may slip, the money is going to keep rolling in. The main reason for this, aside from the film being entertaining, is the subject matter . . . . dreams. If you’re a person who likes to talk or get up and go to the bathroom during the movie, then you’re going to have a hard time watching this. Every scene is important and engages the audience in such a way that makes you feel like you’ve completed a “mental marathon” by the end. But don’t let the cognitive calisthenics scare you. While the subject matter is somewhat complicated, the direction and storytelling is at such a high level that I never had to stop and ask for directions. There may be a few scant moments where you need to repeat what you just heard to yourself to make sure you comprehended it, but then you’re right back in the action. And that’s really saying something seeing as how Nolan basically built this world entirely from his own brain. There aren’t a lot of “rules” once the characters enter the dream worlds, but once they do Nolan does a masterful job of making sure everyone adheres to them.

Character-wise the cast is pretty solid. I haven’t been a Leo-hater like some people. Aside from Titanic, he has had some impressive performances from a very young age (see The Basketball Diaries and The Quick and the Dead), and his portrayal as a tortured soul in this movie really could not have been delivered much better. He is constantly haunted by the appearance of his dead wife in his dreams (played by Marion Cotillard). Aside from her sexuality that almost drips off the screen, the choice of Cotillard as his wife is somewhat ironic. Christopher Nolan claims that this is purely coincidental, but the song that is played in the movie multiple times to alert the dreamers they are about to wake up is "Je Ne Regrette Rien". What makes this ironic is that Cotillard won an Oscar two years ago by portraying Edith Piaf who was the real life singer who made the emotional song so famous. And yet another case of happenstance is the face that she beat out Ellen Page for the coveted golden statuette. Ellen Page, in fact, plays the young architect who Cobb hires to design the world for this most intricate of heists. Now, at first I wasn’t a big fan of the casting choice. I love Page in the things she’s done, but I thought I was going to have a hard time taking her seriously for 100% of the movie. Let’s be honest, her bread and butter is a dead pan delivery of lines that would make John Belushi blush. Nevertheless, she proved to be more than capable of holding her own. I’m not saying someone else couldn’t have done just as good a job, but when I heard they initially wanted Rachel McAdams or Emily Blunt I was glad to see they decided on Page. Mostly because there was no stilted love story that had to be concocted simply because you had two attractive leads. Page is cute, but her age and relative plainness let me focus more in on what was going on around them rather than having to be bothered with the possibility that Leo and Ellen might have a scene where they were knocking boots.

As is often the case, I feel this movie may have a little less edge because it came out after the Matrix. The similarities are undeniable, but are in no way strong enough to really take you out of the movie. As much as I was intrigued that the “rules” Nolan developed for the dream worlds, I was almost as impressed with the things he left out. The basic concept of sharing a dream and the machine that makes it all possible is never really addressed, and it doesn’t need to be. We’re talking about an experience that is unique for everyone, so sometimes a storyteller just has to say ‘You just have to accept this’, and we do.

My only major strike against the movie is probably the lack of character development for the supporting cast. While we are invited to delve deep into Leo’s psyche and learn about his thoughts and experiences, we barely scratch the surface of any of the other characters. I felt like some more weight could have been added to the movie if we had a vested interest in the success of all the players instead of just Leo. But, sometimes, that’s just the way it goes.

At its core, this film really just is a typical “heist movie” wrapped in a mind-blowing blanket of the subconscious world. Set aside my objections about the relevance of time in dreams and a minor plot hole towards the end, and you will have yourself a movie that you are definitely going to watch more than once . . . and probably one more time after that when you’re on ‘shrooms. But the measure of a movie really comes down to whether or not you entertained the audience for the length of time you asked for their attention. And judging by the collective “Awwwww, come on!” that was elicited by everyone in my movie theater at the very end, I think Inception did its job.

City of God

City of God

"City of God is based on a true story that takes place in the 60's where in the slums of Rio De Janeiro two boys growing up in the neighborhood take on different paths in life. The story is told through eyes of Buscape, a poor young fisherman's son who dreams of becoming a photographer one day. His story narrates the violence and corruption surrounding the city and the rise and fall of one of the city's most notorious boss'. Li'l Ze. As war wages on the streets Buscape's only way out of this violent life is to expose its brutality the world through his pictures. Along the way the lives of other are put into perspective as their stories intersect with the events that take place."


5 stars

This movie has actually been sitting in my 'Coming Soon' folder for a while. The reason that I didn't want to write the review was because I was deathly afraid I wouldn't do the film justice. It's an automatic lock for my Top 10 Films of All Time list, and I'm a guy who has seen A LOT of movies, so that is saying something. Because there is no way to do it justice, I am going to stick with the theory that 'less is more', so this review will be short.

At it's very core, this movie is about the struggle between doing what is right and doing what you have to do in order to survive. From its basic premise, the story develops into one that is as beautiful emotionally as it is visually. It transitions effortlessly from scenes of sweetly tender innocence to moments of heart poundingly intense reality. The lines of right and wrong are instantly blurred in a hellish world that most of us couldn't even begin to comprehend. Add all of this to the fact that this film is based on a true story, and I find it hard to believe that anyone will walk out of the theatre without opened eyes and a dropped jaw.

As difficult as this film is to review, it's ever more difficult to categorize. After some serious thinking, this is what I have decided on. When trying to anticipate the scope and theme of this movie, imagine that the movies Snatch and Goodfellas had a baby. Then imagine that this baby grew up a hard, sobering life but was lucky enough to eventually meet a beautiful, sophisticated woman who was the result of a single drunken night of passion between The Lord of the Flies and Blood Diamond. Now, if these two star-crossed lovers (born from greatness) were to have a child themselves, City of God would be it. You don't have to understand that convoluted analogy, you just have to watch the movie.

I've Loved You So Long

I've Loved You So Long

"Former medical doctor Juliette Fontaine travels to Lorraine to live on probation with her younger sister Léa and her family. The bitter, introspective and reclusive Juliette has spent her sentence without any visitors and totally forgotten by her family and now she has problems interacting with her brother-in-law Luc and her nieces. She has to visit every other week her probation officer Captain Fauré and seeks a job to rebuild her life. As days go by, Juliette gets closer to the family of her sister and befriends Luc and Léa's friends, specially Lea's colleague Michel. She slowly changes her behavior until the day Léa discovers the truth."

4.5 Stars

Well kids, it looks like you’re going to have to rely on my review for this movie because Robyn decided to read a synopsis before watching it. I usually do the same thing, but the synopsis she read unfortunately gave away an integral plot point that pretty much ruined the whole thing for her.

That being said, I would highly recommend that you avoid reading anything similar before you watch the movie because you really will be robbing yourself of a great film. You probably need to be in a certain headspace when you watch it as well. The pacing is somewhat slow, but it doesn’t really hurt. In fact, I actually think it adds a great deal to the depth and seriousness of the subject matter. The average viewer’s attention span is so short these days that many movies speed through a characters development in an effort to keep the audience interested. All too often, in my opinion, the pace is so fast that it makes development unbelievable. A character can’t be suckin’ dick for blow in one scene and then be driving the kids to soccer practice in a mini-van 10 minutes later. Sorry, was that analogy a little too on the nose? If a movie asks us to buy into a character they have to make his or her development believable.

But don’t think that you will be bored waiting for something to happen in this film. The mystery and intrigue are very strong and the director does a good job at only revealing small bits of information at a time leaving the viewer desperate for the next piece of the puzzle. When the truth is finally revealed, it is definitely a WHOA moment and one that truly causes an introspection by the viewer as to what they would have done in the same, tragic circumstances.
Now, I don’t say this too often, but no one really could have played this role but Kristin Scott Thomas. Aside from the fact that she had to speak in French for the entire movie, the role was so emotionally complicated only a veteran actress like her could even attempt to take on the material. Needless to say, I think she did an exceptional job (one very worthy of the Oscar nomination).

There aren’t a lot of films today that really make you think the way that this one does. You may have to work a little bit for it, but the reward in the end is definitely worth it.

Paris, Je T"aime

Paris je T'aime

"Paris, je t'aime is about the plurality of cinema in one mythic location: Paris, the City of Love. Eighteen filmmakers have five minutes each; the audience must weave a single narrative out of eighteen moments. Each transition begins with the last shot of the previous film and ends with the first shot of the following film, extending the enchantment and the emotion of the previous segment, preparing the audience for a surprise, and providing a cohesive atmosphere. There's a reappearing mysterious character who is a witness to the Parisian life. A common theme of Paris and love fuses all."

5 Stars

Paris je T'aime is the first in a series of movies produced by (Tristan Carne). They all follow the similar format of being a collection of short films rather than one long, cohesive film. However, the one unifying theme is love. I recently reviewed New York I Love You, which is the second film in the series. Now, I hate to sound like an old man on this one, but the first one was the best and, unfortunately, I really can’t explain why.

The format in this film is similar to NY I Love you, but instead of compromising of ten 8 minute segments, this version contains eighteen 5 minute segments. And it’s very possible that this format change is the reason why I liked this film so much more. Since each short is directed by a different person, the film is inherently very eclectic. This serves a dual purpose. If you are not really getting drawn into the current vignette, you really don’t have time to get bored with it because once you start to, it’s on to the next one. By the same measure, several of these films draw you in very quickly so, when it ends it just leaves you wanting more. One would think that this paradigm would not work when you first conceptualize it on paper, but once it translates to the screen the results are brilliant.

Obviously because this film has 16 separate parts, I am not going to try and review each segment like I did with NYILY. All I can say is that, after seeing this film, I can see why so many people in other countries have tried to emulate it. It may range from the sweet to the intriguing to the weird, but then again so does Love.

New York, I Love You

New York, I Love You

"Ten vignettes in New York City: a pickpocket meets his match; a young Hasidic woman, on the eve of her marriage, reveals herself to an Indian businessman; a writer tries a pick-up line; an artist seeks a model; a composer needs to read; two women connect; a man takes a child to Central Park; lovers meet; a couple takes a walk on their anniversary; a kid goes to the prom with a girl in a wheelchair; a retired singer contemplates suicide. There are eight million stories in the naked city: these have been ten of them."


4 Stars


This isn’t a movie for the casual viewer. Hell, this isn’t even a movie, it’s a film. It’s very important that your understand that going in. It’s not going to have your normal plot lines and story arcs, and there isn’t really going to be a resolution at the end. The way that I interpret it is that this is a snap shot of several lives. This is a film compiled of 10 very different segments directed by 10 very different filmmakers with one unifying theme, the hope for love. Because of this, your opinion of the film needs to be based on the whole thing instead of each segment because it truly is a sum of its parts.

Technically this is a “sequel” to the film Paris je t’aime (Paris, I Love You). I haven’t seen that film, but I do plan to because I think it will give me a better perspective on this film. Because the stories are so different, I think each viewer’s experience will be unique. Some people may end up taking different things from the stories than I did. Some segments that I hated may be the ones that you most connect with, and I think that’s really the point of the movie. That being said, here is my quick rundown of the stories:

SEGMENT 1 – This one is forgettable. Andy Garcia still plays the role of “intimidating man” to a T. If God himself were to square off with Andy Garcia, I truly think he could make the Almighty cry. Unfortunately he’s the only good thing in this segment. As usual Hayden Christensen exemplifies the stereotype that you don’t have to be a good actor as long as you’re pretty. Rachel Bilson tries to make her performance memorable, but it feels forced and she and Christiansen just look like rookies in the presences of a veteran Garcia.

SEGMENT 2 – This one is confusing. It feels like it is trying to convey something meaningful, but I just can’t discern what that is. Natalie Portman and Irrfan Khan portray two people who seem imprisoned by the life paths they have been forced to choose. Their only way of coping with the suppressed sadness is trough witty, sometimes sexual banter they exchange in their business dealings with one another.

SEGMENT 3 – This is another one that’s just forgettable. Orlando Bloom does a good job at playing the starving artist trying to stay true to himself, but the mysterious chemistry that he and Christina Ricci develop through a phone relationship completely fizzles to me when they finally meet face to face.

SEGMENT 4 – This one is GREAT! The entire story is just a dialogue between Ethan Hawke and Maggie Q on a New York street corner, but it stands head and shoulders above the rest. The writing is at a level I haven’t seen in a while in any film, and the back and forth between Hawke and Q really develops it into something poignant. Plus there is a slight twist at the end that really makes it one of if not THE best vignettes out there.

SEGMENT 5 – Can’t say too much about this one. Don’t get me wrong, I think Anton Yelchin and Olivia Thirlby are two solid up and comers in Hollywood, but I can’t see any reason that they included this story line other than for comedic relief.

SEGMENT 6 – This is the ones that seems the most “real” to me. Bradley Cooper and Drea de Matteo separately re-hash the one night stand they just spent together and struggle to decide if they should risk ruining a perfect memory with an attempt to recreate it.

SEGMENT 7 – I really need someone to explain this one to me. It seems like a very artsy, dramatic story full of metaphors, but again I wasn’t able to get my head around it. I almost found myself going out and buying the Cliff’s Notes just so I could figure out what exactly happened in the story. Visually, though, I have to admit it was beautiful.

SEGMENT 8 – This one was very different than all the rest in the sense that “love” in this story was really about the platonic love between a father and daughter. It was pretty brief, but definitely carried enough weight to be able tug at the heart strings a little bit.

SEGMENT 9 – Another artsy-er segment and, ironically enough, this one centered around an actual artist. It’s kind of interesting because neither the artist nor the muse that he has chosen can really communicate because they don’t speak the same language. Even without words, though, they seem to have a relationship that connects them more than most.

SEGMENT 4 (PART II) – I’m not sure why these two stories were considered the same segment because they don’t really tie in together which is why I am saying it is Part II. In this portion of the segment, Chris Cooper and Robyn Wright Penn have an intriguing conversation about how relationships can change over time and whether marriage really is for everyone.

SEGMENT 10 – This may take the title as my favorite. Eli Wallach and Cloris Leachman are old school Hollywood icons that I could watch anytime. Their portrayal of an aging married couple is definitely one that will make you smile, laugh, and even maybe cry.

So, with all these different stories, what can you really say about the film? For starters it’s unique. It’s fun but sad. It’s random but precise. It’s overwhelming but lacking. It’s narcissistic but humble. It’s eye-rolling but tender. It’s vibrant. It’s desolate. It’s uplifting. It’s depressing. It’s intense. It’s dull. It’s real. It’s fake. . . . It’s New York.

The Book of Eli

The Book of Eli

"In a violent post-apocalyptic society, the drifter Eli has been wandering to west across North America for the last thirty years reading a unique book that he brings with him. He survives hunting small animals and seeking goods in destroyed houses and vehicles to trade in villages for water and supplies. When he reaches the village ruled by the powerful mobster Carnegie, the man offers a job to Eli to join his gang. Carnegie presses his blind lover Claudia to send her daughter Solara to convince Eli spending the night with him. The girl sees the book of Eli, and when Carnegie beats up on Claudia, she reveals that Eli has the sought book. Carnegie sends his gang to take the book from Eli, but the man is up for protecting the book with his life."

3 stars

The Book of Eli is yet another tale of a lone hero trying to survive in a post apocalyptic wasteland. As much as I hoped that this film would stand on its own, the similarities i t shares with Kevin Costner's Waterworld are hard to ignore. While Waterworld was set in a place where nothing but water existed, Eli's world is a vast desert where water is the most precious resource around. And in this version, there are still roving gangs preying on the weak, but instead of wave runners, these marauders do their duty on motorcycles.

One aspect of the movie that I probably liked was that they didn't delve too deeply into what created the wasteland. They mention that there was a "big flash" about 30 years ago, but any other details are left up to our own imaginations. I feel like it's a good artistic choice because it doesn't really matter to us why the world is the way it is. It doesn't really drive the plot, so there is no sense in wasting important time on it. The only pertinent information we do find out is that all religious texts were burned after the "big flash" because they are believed to have been the reason for the supposed great war that took place. This is really the point where the movie hit a crossroads. I believe that, had they expounded more on the religious undertones, it could have been a very interesting movie. Unfortunately they only touch on the issue briefly, instead choosing to waste more screen time on action sequences that really aren't that exhilarating to begin with.

The fact that all the bibles have been burned, makes Eli's possession of one all that more valuable. He believes that the book contains a message that could prove the be the saving grace of all mankind, while Gary Oldman's character is a tyrant who wants to use the book's words and influence as a way to increase his empire and become a despot. Again, another interesting point about modern religion, but one whose subject matter is dismissed almost as quickly as it is introduced.

The movie itself is just okay. Aesthetically speaking it is somewhat appealing, but that alone does not a great film make. We've all watched super hero and other action movies where we buy into the fact that our lone hero can take on a gang of 20 men and easily dispose of them with an array of well choreographed fight sequences. But this movie puts that faith to the test. After Eli manages to dodge about 200 bullets, he is miraculously able to take out 12 men (each with one shot a piece) almost making the viewer want to roll their eyes.

The pace of the film is almost unbearable for the first hour. While it's obvious the directors were trying to create a sense of drama with long, lingering takes, it instead has the opposite effect and in all truthfulness, made me glance more than once at my watch. Thankfully, Denzel (who had been "phoning in" his performance for the first half) finally comes alive and pulls off a memorable performance in the film's final 60 minutes. Mila Kunis does as good a job as I guess she can. While I respect her comedic ability, I've yet to see her in any dramatic roles that don't seem to be a casting choice based solely on her looks. But the best performance of all is given by Gary Oldman who just seems to be great in nearly every damn thing he does.

The ending does provide a couple twists, but they're more of the caliber that make you simply raise your eyebrows than jolting you to the edge of your seat in a sense of, well, . . . WTF.

Couple's Retreat

Couple's Retreat

"Dave and Ronnie, Jason and Cynthia, and Joey and Lucy are close. The group used to include Shane and Jennifer, but they divorced and she's gone. Jason and Cynthia announce that their marriage is in trouble, and they beg their friends (and Shane's young girlfriend) to join them on a couples' retreat, at the package rate, on a tropical island. The others reluctantly agree, planning to play while Jason and Cynthia work on their marriage with an island psychologist. To everyone's surprise, the package is inflexible: each couple must participate in the couples' exercises. Soon fault lines appear in all four relationships. What's in store for each couple?"



2 stars

I wasn’t expecting too much from this movie and that’s exactly what I got. I have to say I was a little disappointed though because Jason Bateman, Vince Vaughn, and (to a lesser extent) Kristen Bell have some pretty respectable comedic chops. But the weird thing was that not only did they not use those chops, it seems like they didn’t even try to. The writing was a little heavier than you would expect for a comedy. In the couple’s therapy sessions in particular I thought I was going to laugh pretty hard. But the advice the therapists gave actually ended up being pretty good and meaningful, and there’s just no place for that.

The story is pretty bland and the plot is more than predictable. However, it was shot on location in Bora Bora and the visual aspect of the movie is ridiculous. I am officially putting it on the list of places I want to visit before I’m 40. But the cascading waterfalls aren’t the only nice lookin’ scenery around, if you know what I mean. Let’s face it, the ladies are pretty damn hot. There is no other proof required that God loves America than the fact that 4 over-weight, above-average looking guys can have 4 bangin’ wives. And, shockingly enough, Kristin Davis is the oldest woman in the movie by a good 13 years but she is BY FAR the sexiest. If nothing else guys, watch the scene towards the beginning of the movie when the couples strip down to their underwear. I don’t know if it’s possible to wear down a DVD like you can a tape, but let’s just say that I hit on that scene more than once.

The movie ends up having kind of a sweet ending, but nothing that would redeem it enough to make it a good movie. From a strictly shallow perspective, the hot women and tropical locale make it work renting on a Sunday night and having on in the background while you clean the house.

Yes Man

Yes Man

"The banker Carl Allen is a lonely man with low self-esteem after his divorce with Stephanie, for whom he still yearns. He avoids his best friend Peter. He has a boring job, stalled in a bureaucratic position in the loan department of a bank; and he spends his spare time watching DVDs. When he meets by chance his former high school mate Nick, he is convinced to participate of a self-help program called "Yes Man" leaded by the guru Terrence Bundley. The basic principle of the program is to say "yes" to new situations, leaving the negativism aside. Carl misunderstands the concept and says "yes" to every question. While leaving the encounter, he helps a homeless man and in the end of the night he meets the gorgeous Allison that helps him with her scooter. His life completely changes with his new attitude."

2.5 stars

This is a stupid little movie with a decent message. The concept of Carpe Diem seems to have itself personified by a movie every few years or so. There's Dead Poets Society, The Emperor's Club, Last Holiday, The Bucket List, and the great Ferris Bueller's Day Off just to name a few. Each of which takes its own stab at reminding us that life is just a series of moments and the more we capture, the more we'll enjoy it. While it may sound cliche, I have to agree with the message of all these films. But that doesn't necessarily mean that they're worth watching.

The one thing about Yes Man that I will say surprised me is the lack of similarity it had to Carrey's previous Liar, Liar. I fully anticipated Carrey's character to be hypnitozed (or something to the like) early on in the film during the YES motivational seminar. This would, no doubt, lead him on a series of whacky adventures and place him in situations that are just downright silly. But that wasn't the case here, so kudos to the writer for actually adding a little weight to the film and some heart along with it.

It was also painfully clear that Carrey was trying to go back to the "slapstick well" that initially lifted him to A-list status during the 90s. Something he really hasn't done since Me, Myself, and Irene 10 years ago. The goofy faces, comedic voices, and wildly flailing arms are back in full force as the 48 year old Carrey tries to win the affections of the 30 year old Zooey Deschanel who could basically be his daughter. While his physical comedic prowess is still better than most, I would prefer he continue the dramatic stuff that has resulted in some great films like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Man on the Moon.

All in all, this movie will result in a few chuckles and a few moments that will make you smile, but there really isn't too much to it. I'm just glad that this time he refrained from bending over and talking out of his ass. Actually, now that I think about it that was pretty funny.