Extraordinary Measures (2010)

One of my favorite films early into this year. I expected this to be a cheap Harrison Ford action film, guess I forgot to read the synopsis. Ok, so Brendan Fraser does not have the best track record, and Ford is not always the best in dramatic roles.

This film is about a family who have two children suffering from an incurable disease. The father (played by Fraser) and mother (played by Keri Russell) work tirelessly to support the family while trying to find solutions.

Fraser stumbles on an article written by a professor in Nebraska (the professor is played by Ford) and pays him a visit. They then work together to not only create a cure, but to make it an FDA approved drug.

The film is not only a good look into a family and their struggles, but is it also a look at how you would go about bringing a drug to the open market. The discussions on the aspects a drug company consider when granting the team funding was new and interesting to me. A good watch and good acting that I didn't expect.

Vote: 9/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1244659/

Share:

Read More

The Phantom Carriage (1921)

This is an old Swedish silent film telling the fable of the grim reaper's assistant and how he earns his job. The story goes that the last person to die before right before new years eve has the year long task of driving the reaper of soul's carriage.

A just makes a day seem like an eternity, and one that ironically is bestowed on the very person that tells us the story. A great film for the first 45 minutes, then we spend the next year reflecting on his life and what an awful person he was.

The first part was definitely worth watching, but the 2nd half just drug on. For the most part it was unrelated to the main storyline of the Carriage itself. Just average to me.

Vote: 6/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0012364/

Share:

Read More

Edge of Darkness (2010)

The first movie starring Mel Gibson in 6 years. Considered by some to be a sequel to 1999's Payback because he just goes on a rampage taking out the bad guys.

Gibson plays a homicide detective that goes after the killers responsible for his daughters death. Action packed, unrealistic at time, and a lot of fun. You know what you are going to get with this movie. What kept it from being lower is that the murder plot he uncovered was pretty interesting to follow with him. What kept it from being worth watching again is that a lot of the films scenes were predictable. It was obvious when the person helping him was going to get killed, it was obvious that he was going to get the bad guy.

Take it for what it is worth and enjoy the action.

Vote: 7/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1226273/

Share:

Read More

An Education (2009)

The 10th and final Best Picture nominee for me. This has been low on my priority list because I didn't think I would like it. Well I didn't...

A story about a naive young girl (Carey Mulligan) who decides that skipping school and running off with a man easily 10 years older than her is better than even finishing high school.

She constantly pushes her problems off on others and accepts no responsibility for her own faults and actions. I have trouble enjoying a movie when I strongly dislike the main character.

A perfect movie for a teenage girl who doesn't like her parents... not many others. Avoid this one.

Vote: 6/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1174732/

Share:

Read More

Marty (1955)

A fantastic movie about a middle aged man named Marty (Ernest Borgnine), who works in a butcher's shop and is constantly hounded by all the women that come in. They are all asking "Why aren't you married?," questioning why all of his brothers and sisters are, yet he still lives at home with mom.

1/2 Romance as he finds a girl, and 1/2 character study. The character study is the best part. You really feel for this guy and the trouble he has finding a girl. It won 4 Oscars, including best picture and is now one of my favorite classic films.

Check this one out.

Vote: 9/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048356/

Share:

Read More

The Killing Fields (1984)

Honestly the title of this film really threw me off. Not sure how to put this in words, but I really had it in my head this this was going to be a gory war film. It is actually heroic story about a man's struggle to escape a brutal dictator.

Much like Full Metal Jacket, this film really has a distinct split. The first part is about the rebel uprising and the actions that lead to captivity. The second part is about the escape from this captivity.

Sam Waterston (a very familiar face from "Law & Order"), John Malkovich, and our hero Haing S. Ngor are the three main characters of this film. There are some very tense moments and exciting ones as well. Good for a war film, and not really what I expected either.

Vote: 7/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087553/

Share:

Read More

The Blues Brothers (1980)

Actually considered a musical this is a very fun movie, and probably the best film created from a Saturday Night Live skit. Starring the late John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, in cool guy roles but still incredibly dorky... which is why this movie is so funny. With Carrie Fisher as an insane ex constantly trying to kill Belushi's character. Rednecks, Nazis, and police chasing the brothers who are on a mission from God.

With musical performances from Ray Charles, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, and Cab Calloway (you know the Hi-Di-Hi-Di-Hi-Di-Ho song...). This is a must see film and deserves to be seen in its entirety, not just partially on tv with commercial breaks.

Vote: 9/10

IMDb Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080455/

Share:

Read More

Oktyabr (1928)

Another Sergei M. Eisenstein film about Russian revolution. After watching the depressing Stachka just before this I was sure there would not be a happy ending.

The film drug on. It was over 100 minutes, which is painful for a silent film if the subject matter is not complex or constantly moving. This film was also not made with the intent of teaching you history. It recreates a lot of events that if you have no background on are just confusing to watch. I found myself lost for much of the film. This needs to be retrofitted with a history lesson to start.

Strike was better.

Vote: 6/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0018217/

Share:

Read More

Alice In Wonderland (2010)

The first thing you have to realize is that this film is meant to be a sequel to the original Alice in Wonderland story. It starts treating the first film as a reoccurring dream that Alice had and then flashes forward to where Alice is about 19 years old.

As you should expect with Tim Burton directing and Johnny Depp starring as the Mad Hatter, the Mad Hatter has a significant role in this film. Helena Bonham Carter, considered to be Burton's muse is the Red Queen, and Anne Hathaway plays a very odd looking White Queen.

The film was to centric around the Mad Hatter, his dancing near the end of the film was just awful and exemplified how bad this movie really was. Hathaway annoyed me once again in a role that was probably very fun for her to play, but not fun to watch. The storyline itself was confusing to me because I didn't realize this was not a remake for a good portion of the film.

You really have to like Burton to enjoy this film. 6 was generous.

Vote: 6/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1014759/

Share:

Read More

The Crowd (1928)

Probably the best silent film that I have seen in some time. If you don't watch silent films then you might not realize that the vast majority of them are pretty depressing and are not shy to take on difficult subject matter.

This film is about "Making it in the crowd." A young man moves to the big city after his late father tells him he will be a great man some day. Trying to get a break at his company he marries, has a couple kids, then after a tragic accident he becomes directed at work, and loses his job. The film is all about how difficult it is to make it in the big city. There is a lot of dialogue between the arguing parents, and the story is pretty entertaining.

Definitely worth checking out.

Vote: 8/10

IMDb Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0018806/

Share:

Read More

Henry V (1944)

I don't do good with Shakespeare. Laurence Olivier (Rebecca) directed, produced, and starred in this film which starts on the stage at the Globe Theater in 1600 England and transforms into a live action film, sumarizing back on the stage for the conclusion.

I just have a lot of trouble understanding what is going on in Shakespeare plays and actually had to read the Cliff Notes synopsis to understand what was going on. If you don't do well with Shakespeare then avoid this one. If you like Shakespeare this is considered one of, if not, the best versions of a Shakespeare play to become film.

Hard to enjoy so I personally would say, avoid this one.

Vote: 5/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036910/

Share:

Read More

Broken Blossoms or The Yellow Man and the Girl (1919)

One of the last D.W. Griffith films on my list to watch... thank god. I don't like Griffith and I especially don't like his muse: Lillian Gish [the Smashing Pumpkins named their first album "Gish" after her... a little trivia for you]. Gish has this puckered lip look like she should be the ad for Warheads Sour Candy and plays the damsel in distress that is clueless of how to fend for herself. She stars in The Birth of a Nation, Intolerance, Way Down East, Orphans of the Storm, and this film for Griffith (along with dozens more).

The film is about a young lady who is abused by her alcoholic boxer father who after an altercation with her dad is left beaten in the street. An Asian immigrant, who came to the country with the intention of teaching everyone the gentleness of Buddha, comes to her aid. When her father finds out she is spending time with a foreigner he comes after them both.

I doubt people take my recommendations of silent films seriously, so lets just say pass on this one.

Vote: 6/10

IMDb Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0009968/

Share:

Read More

Traitor (2008)

This film was highly regarded as the action movie that everyone missed. It is one of those undercover FBI agent films, where the agent is so deep undercover that the FBI themselves think he is a bad guy. Starring Don Cheadle (Hotel Rwanda) as the US citizen and devout Muslim and Guy Pearce (Memento) as the FBI agent on his tail. Strangely it also has Jeff Daniels in a minor role... ironic that I would watch 3 of his films in less than two weeks.

This film was really really good, and I really wanted to like it, which helps. The issues I had were with how it all came to a conclusion. Neal McDonough was very fake to me, and Pearce was miscast alongside him. The two just weren't convincing as FBI field agents and their ability to get places really fast was almost amusing.

Cheadle was excellent, and most of the films he is in are worth watching. I really wanted this to be a 9 or 10... but it just fell apart on me, oh well, still pretty good and worth your time.

Vote: 8/10

IMDb Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0988047/

Share:

Read More

Strike: Stachka (1925)

Sergei M. Eisenstein, director of Battleship Potemkin is easily one of the most famous directors from the early part of the 20th Century. His films of the Russian revolution have some of the most powerful images and scenes of the silent era. If you are familiar with the Odessa scene in Battleship Potemkin then you know that his films can be gory and depressing as well.

This film is about Russian factory workers standing up to capitalist management. When they refuse the basic requests, like an 8 hour work day and fair treatment the mob is enticed by management's spies and the army is called in...

Don't expect a happy ending from Eisenstein, his films are meant to stir your emotions. Just average for me, I'd rather watch Battleship again than this...

Vote: 6/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0015361/

Share:

Read More

State of Play (2009)

I found it very hard not to confuse this film with Body of Lies. Russell Crowe starred in both films within the span of a year with an FBI theme and I was very confused which one I still needed to see.

This film has Crowe in the role of a newspaper reporter alongside Rachel McAdams. McAdams has been testing a number of different genres over the last few years: Wedding Crashers [Comedy], Red Eye [Thriller], The Family Stone [Romantic Comedy], Sherlock Holmes [Action], and this is her dramatic role. Ben Affleck plays a congressman, and even though I don't like Affleck the person, I do like him as a actor. He is 50/50 and it is usually because the film itself is bad, not his acting. So this was a good film for him.

The film is about a congressman [Affleck] who is caught in a scandal during trials against a private company trying to contract with the US Military. Crowe is a reporter and just happens to be friends with Affleck, McAdams is new to Crowe's newspaper and they team up to uncover what could be a conspiracy.

The film definitely has some elements I would change, but as a whole is was very good. I highly suggest this film.

Vote: 8/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0473705/

Share:

Read More

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009)

I'm at a loss for words on what to say about this strange film. Are you allowed to say it sucked when the star died during filming? This fantasy film starring Christopher Plummer and Heath Ledger came to a crashing halt last you when Ledger was found dead in his apartment. After some pretty crafty decision making they altered the script and with the help of Jude Law, Colin Farrell, and Johnny Depp the film came to completion.

The story is about a man who makes a deal with the devil and runs a traveling show. The imaginarium is a fantasy land controlled by Doctor Parnassus (played by Christopher Plummer) where people are able to escape into their own imagination. They were able to use all of the filmed footage to make "real world" Tony [Heath Ledger] but as you will see from the cast/character list they used Depp, Law, and Farrell to play the Imaginarium Tony's.

The problem with the film had nothing to do with the cast, Ledger's presence or the adjustments. The problem was that it was painfully bizarre. It was fun and different for a little while, but when nothing came to completion and the plot remained highly complicated with little explanation I just wanted it to end.

A rating of 5 is being very generous...

Vote: 5/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1054606/

Share:

Read More

Rio Bravo (1959)

I'm sorry to say that this is another John Wayne film that I simply didn't enjoy. Paired up again with director Howard Hawks [since recently watching Red River], this is another slow unrealistic western.

I'm not a huge fan of the genre and it is because of films like this one. The plot is [too] simple, bad guy kills a man in a bar and three misfits have to keep him in the jail until the Marshall gets to down... because of course a Marshall is a magical man who can take the prisoner away from the town with absolutely no trouble...

The plot is very slow, they are just keeping the guy in the prison throughout the movie. Dean Martin plays the drunk trying to sober up, John Wayne plays the sheriff that doesn't have enough good help, and Walter Brennan plays the old man loyal to the sheriff [note Brennan played almost the exact same character in Red River with Wayne and Hanks].

Just incredibly boring and painful to get through. Ricky Nelson's fake singing is the point that most people would change the channel if watching this on tv. I can't stand that films like this are so highly acclaimed.

Vote: 4/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053221/

Share:

Read More

Extract (2009)

Mike Judge creator of tv shows "Beavis and Butt-Head" and "King of the Hill"; as well as films Office Space and Idiocracy created this film as a flip on Office Space. Office Space is a film about an employee as a company with ridiculous management, and this film follows an owner of an Extract plant who has to deal with ridiculous employees.

Office Space tackles the frustrations of micro-management and this film is all about dealing with bickering employees, a lawsuit against the company, and the home issues of working long hours. A dark comedy that teeters between just average and worth watching throughout. The main character is a bit of a pushover and the way things work out in the end is not really believable... just like the last film I watched. The great thing about this film though is that it was well edited, you don't get bored, and it is an appropriate length for a comedy.

I can see why this film is very spread out in terms of ratings on imdb. Some people will love it, some will be bored to death by it. If you haven't seen Office Space then watch it first. If you loved Office Space you will at least like this one.

Vote: 8/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1225822/

Share:

Read More

Pride and Glory (2008)

After watching a string of bad [or just average] films I sat down to watch a couple of my favorite actors: Edward Norton and Colin Farrell in a film I hoped would be really really good. Both actors have been a part of some of my favorite films, yet both have made some pretty bad ones as well. The good cop/bad cop films are also hit and miss since a realistic scenario can make or break the film for me.

The film is about the Tierney family. Dad is a police chief [Jon Voight], big brother is a sergeant over a department [Noah Emmerich], little brother is pushing papers after something went wrong in the field [Edward Norton]. Then there is the brother-in-law who also works on the force, football player, and street smart bad ass [Colin Farrell].

After four cops are gunned down in the field, Norton's character is called in to investigate while Farrell's character decides he and his men will figure it out themselves.

The film runs along at a 9/10 or 10/10 until we get to the completely implausible ending. How it ends and the outcome aren't something you need to hold your breath for, or pick apart while watching. I'm just saying that it wasn't realistic. The storyline was pretty good, the camerawork on the high speed chases was how I like it, and the acting was good as well. There is a horrific scene with an infant that created a memorable moment in this film I don't think I'll soon forget so it has some staying power, and overall it is definitely worth watching. Just not quite good enough to be a top film of the year/decade/etc.

Vote: 8/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0482572/

Share:

Read More

The Golem: Der Golem, wie er in die Welt kam (1920)

If anything, this film is a precursor to Frankenstein (1931). A Golem is an animated being made from inanimate matter, and activated by a Rabbi. This silent German film was very difficult to watch, the video quality took away greatly from the not very exciting storyline.

A German expressionistic film about a ruler who wants to banish all Jewish people from the village because he has a premonition that they would rise against him. Ironically banishing them gave them reason to rise up, and the way they rose was to create this Golem. Just like you would expect from a horror film, they were unable to control the Golem after creating it.

I just can't see recommending a film of such low quality and lacking in story. There are other better films, but that isn't even the point, it was just hard to get through and not really worth following closely. Part of the "101 Horror Movies to See Before You Die," a new list created by the same author as "1001 Movies to See Before You Die" last year. He is wrong, you aren't missing anything here.

Vote: 2/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0011237/

Share:

Read More

The Docks of New York (1928)

There really aren't that many types of silent films that have withstood the test of time. Slapstick comedies, D.W. Griffith Epic films, then stock footage that I have been wading through. Many of the films that are on the National Film Registry are also artistic studies, follow no storyline, and have no dialogue. True silent films... or boring.

This one is different through, there is a lot going on here and it isn't the slapstick adventure that keeps turning up. This one is about blue collar ship workers in New York. All of the characters have hard lives, and the story is full of action and romance. With an attempted suicide, wedding by a ship captain in a bar, murder, and happy ending this film has it all.

Not on the registry but one of the oldest films in the 1001 Movies to See Before You Die, this film was a true surprise.

Vote: 7/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0018839/

Share:

Read More

All About Steve (2009)

It was a strange year for extremes, Jeff Bridges won the Oscar for Crazy Heart, but was also in The Men Who Stare at Goats. Meryl Streep had numerous nominations for Julie & Julia, but was also in It's Complicated. Sandra Bullock was in The Blind Side & The Proposal, while Bradley Cooper was in The Hangover, yet they both starred in this train wreck.

Bullock is now the first person to win the Oscar and the Razzie in the same year. The Razzie is the award for the "Worst" of the year, and this film that she also directed was dubbed with this honor. Bullock had fun with it though, and like Tom Green was actually there to accept the award, she is one of the few that actually show up to the ceremony, and she brought copies of this movie for the audience, sure that they didn't actually watch it and were basing their decisions on other critics opinions.

Well Sandra I watched your movie. I actually thought you directed this yourself, but the no name director Phil Traill was just as bad. The film is about Mary the crossword puzzle maker for the local paper. She is strange, lives at home, is in her 30's, and completely delusional. Bradley Cooper works for the local news station as a cameraman and they are set up on a blind date.

Mary gets obsessed with Steve and basically starts to stalk him. The plot line is bad. Mary is incredibly annoying. Steve is kind of a jerk. The film is just not funny, and painful to watch. DJ Qualls (from Road Trip) makes it feel like the movie is turning into a "Road Trip 2," which is even more ironic since that was a Tom Green file... another Razzie winner!

Jason Jones from The Daily Show, and Thomas Haden Church were the only redeeming qualities of this film which kept it from being a 1 or a 2. Church plays the news reporter trying to become an Anchorman and the way he keep Mary chasing Steve is pretty funny. Jones is the rival reporter and in a very minor role, his acting isn't that great, but he is a funny familiar face and I like his style of comedy.

This movie was just crap and Razzie worthy.

Vote: 3/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0881891/

Share:

Read More

Did You Hear About the Morgans? (2009)

There is a lot of hate out there for Hugh Grant, I for one strongly dislike him, and as a critic I have to look past this to try and rate the film as if I didn't hold anything against the guy. I have to do the same thing for Woody Allen films...

Just like a Tyler Perry film you can't trust the imdb rating, people will give films by actors they don't like a "1" just to be mean, I looked at the stats and 20% of people have given this film a 1 and I would bet most didn't actually watch it.

So the film is about a couple struggling with their relationship and they are forced to spend some time together. How and why they are forced to be together is part of the fun of the movie, and there are a few pretty funny moments in the film. You really have to like Sarah Jessica Parker to enjoy this film, and Grant of course has some annoying moments.... but he really wasn't that bad.

Some of the scenes are ridiculous, and I find it painful to watch couples argue their way through a movie, but it also had some funny moments and probably because I just watched Leap Year it made it seem that much better. If you are really searching for a new romantic comedy you might like this one. It was ok.

Vote: 6/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1314228/

Share:

Read More

Terminator Salvation (2009)

Starring Christian Bale (Batman) and Sam Worthington (Avatar) this science fiction film is part 4 in the Terminator series where we follow John Conner after the machines have attacked and all but taken over the world. Worthington plays a man who submitted his body for research after a death sentence involving the death of his brother. He wakes up to a world completely changed and the entire plot follows two story lines. One of Marcus Wright, the man back from the dead, and one of John Conner the proclaimed savior of the human race.

McG directed this film, you have probably seen several films that he has produced and maybe one that he has directed (We Are Marshall, Charlie's Angels, or an Offspring or Sublime music video). He has definitely come under some heat from critics, mainly for his Charlie's Angels films, I blame the leading actresses on those... and for going by "MCG." I find most of this hate misguided, the 3rd film in this series was just awful and I found this one to be much better.

The actors are better, the action is more exciting, and as I commented while watching it; he doesn't blatantly shake the camera while constantly changing angles and spinning around the main character. Something Michael Bay loves to do.

This series didn't need another movie, fans of the originals need to take these with a grain of salt. It isn't a remake and it had some good action. I for one liked it. I didn't love it, and I don't want to see it again, but I am happy I watched it and will continue to watch Worthington, Bale, and McG films.

Vote: 7/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0438488/

Share:

Read More