Up In The Air (2009)

I will say this with no doubt in my mind, this film will win best picture at the Academy Awards. If it doesn't, I'm a fool in love with this film. A FOOL! Damn, I just remembered that "Avatar" is in the running...hmmm...well...if there's any justice this film will win it. Don't get me wrong Avatar is an amazing film and I loved it, but this film stands on it's own as a classic.

"Up In The Air" is a film directed by Jason Reitman, the director of another great film "Juno" and it stars George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman, and Danny Mcbride. It's about a man who makes his living traveling around the United States firing employees for bosses who don't want to do it themselves. He also does motivational speeches on the side. He's quite happy with his life and living in and out of hotels and airports. He plans to reach 10 million frequent flyer miles as his goal. During his travels, he meets another frequent flyer and they begin a casual relationship. Meanwhile back at headquarters a young ambitious coworker has figured out a way to cut costs buy conducting layoffs from the office instead of flying to each location. Obviously this shakes up Ryan Bingham, George Clooney's character, and he attempts to thwart her plan but ends up having to train her before the new plan goes into effect. As they travel together, they discuss life and what it means to each of them and Natalie Keener, Anna Kendrick's character challenges Ryan's beliefs but he remains unchanged. This is a very important film and a very entertaining film. This film sneaks up on you with it's message and I always love a good surprise. It packs a punch without having to do very much at all. What's more important and what stuck out for me is the exposure of the corporate world and how layoffs affect people who have been working for companies for years and years and are told out of the blue that they are no longer needed. It was very heartbreaking to see the different reactions from people being laid off because it's a very real situation. The extra actors did a VERY good job playing those small roles. I was very impressed.

I might be biased on this next statement, but I have a hard on for Clooney. I love EVERY single thing he does, even his activism. He is the definition of a good man and I admire that about him. He always surprises me when he pulls in a good performance such as this one. Clooney is the definition of class and I look up to him in a sort of Gentleman's Quarterly way. He's the man I want to become. Having said that, his performance is definitely Oscar worthy. Here is a man whose life is traveling. He loves it. He loves being in hotels. The airport is his home. He loves living free without having to worry about who he's leaving behind at home. There are people like that and you either admire them or feel sorry for them. I knew a man who lived similar to Ryan Bingham so I know there's a thrill in traveling on a moments notice and staying in great hotels. Getting points from hotels and frequent flyer miles and admirals clubs and executive platinum and the whole bit. It's enough to give anyone a woody. So when all of that is threatened, Clooney's character almost doesn't know how to be without that life. Having lived it for so long, even alienating his family. I love George Clooney and I hope to work alongside him one day. I envy Anna Kendrick, as a young actress, she had the role of a lifetime and with good reason. She's a very talented young woman and it shows in every frame that she's in. The character of Natalie Keener is one that is so familiar to me because I'm close to her age. There's a lot of young people like her who have this idea that everything is supposed to go according to plan. She had her head on her shoulders and was very confused by Ryan's carefree lifestyle at his age. Even though Mo'nique will win the Oscar, being nominated is a milestone for Kendrick. Vera Farmiga is another favorite actress of mine. She always has conviction in everything she does. The scenes between her and George are excellent. Their chemistry is undeniable and it works on so many levels. I loved watching them together.

The cinematography for this film was very well matched with the tone and look of this film. The score, the feel, everything thing technical about this film was perfect. It was handled with care and obviously very close to the director's heart. Every frame is handled in a way that poetry is written. There is one scene that I loved. Close to the end, George Clooney asks Jason Batmen what happened to Anna Kendrick's character and Jason tells him that she quit, after he says that, they show a shot of her on the conveyor belt at the airport with her back to the camera. It was quiet, simple, poetic, and absolutely a classic shot. One of the many great things about this film.

I strongly advise you to see this film. It's very difficult to capture what is going on at the present moment in film but this film manages to do that with wit, humor, and the essence of the human condition. I will definitely see it again. See it! Even the fucking trailer is brilliant!

Sunshine Cleaning (2009)

I have a soft spot for nice little indie flicks and this one goes beyond that in my book. I was very tired when I was watching this film because I've been working and getting used to my new schedule. However, I was in the mood to watch a couple of movies because I still have a "Best Of 2009" list to make before February.

"Sunshine Cleaning" is a film directed by Christine Jeffs and starring Amy Adams and Emily Blunt, two of my favorite actresses, Alan Arkin, Steve Zahn, and Clifton Collins Jr. This film is about a former cheerleader who has gone nowhere with her life. She is having an affair with her former jock boyfriend who is now married and working as a maid. After running into old friends and wanting her son to go to a private school, she decides to get into the business of cleaning up crime scenes after being told it was lucrative by her married lover. She goes into it with her underachieving sister and their lives are changed after realizing that there's more to cleaning a crime scene than cleaning. I really enjoyed watching this film mainly because of the two lead actresses that carried the film. This film could've indulged in numerous cliches but didn't and that's what I admired about it.

Emily Blunt is amazing, in this, as the disillusioned Norah. With every film I'm usually drawn to a particular actor and with Emily I was hooked. There's this ease in her performance that just works and she pulls off any situation that is thrown at her character. NOT overdone but in a nice nuanced way. Amy Adams is always a revelation because she's very good with facial expressions. You can read her mind just by her expression on her face. When she actually talks along with that face, it's magic. I love watching her. Now, I have to talk about Alan Arkin because he is very underrated as an actor even though he won an Oscar. As their father in the film, he brought a certain quiet aggressiveness to the role. He was a hustler and a father and the way he played it was beautiful. BEAUTIFUL. Clifton Collins Jr. is another character actor who is great and I love him in everything. He plays a one armed man in this film who obviously has a past that we never find out about. You know what? The reason why you know there is a past is because of his performance. The way he plays this role is that of a man who has "lived". Although at some point I thought he might've been the love interest to Amy Adams because they were being a little flirty throughout the film. It also plays on the realities of life after high school and the pressure to be successful at a certain age and that one question that makes anyone who isn't doing anything cringe..."So what are you doing now?" It's the one question that makes anyone feel worthless and it's painful to see the lengths that Amy's character goes to impress her old high school peers.

I recommend this film if you want something fun and quirky yet touching to watch. It's a great little film and the performances are worth a rental.

Precious (2009)

This is actually my third time seeing this film and I have to admit that it packs a punch every time. Now I have to admit, I downloaded a screener of it online and put it on my PS3 to watch with my parents, who hadn't seen it. I don't normally do that but I figured, I payed my money twice to see it in the theater and I plan on buying the blu ray when it comes out on March 9th so it's no big deal. I'm not selling it or showing to anyone else.

Precious is a film that is based on a novel by an author named Sapphire and the film was directed by Lee Daniels who directed a little know indie film with Cuba Gooding Jr. and Helen Mirren called "Shadowboxer." This film stars newcomer Gabourey Sidibe, Mo'Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, and Lenny Kravitz, my twin, as everyone says. After seeing this film three times, I have to say that this film is raw poetry in it's purest form. It doesn't try to be glossy or anything it's not for that matter. It's very real and honest and a great sophomoric effort for Lee Daniels. I didn't really like Shadowboxer because I thought it was to muddled, but I might have to give it a second watch now since I'm more aware of his style than I was before. Set in Harlem in 1987, Precious is about an illiterate sixteen year old teen girl who is pregnant with her second child by her own father and is physically, mentally, and sexually abused by her unemployed mother. It's a very powerful film and one that will make an impact on any viewer.

Now it's no surprise that people are talking about Mo'Nique's performance as Mary Jones in the film. It's one of those rare performances that comes every once in a while and shakes you to your core. Reminiscent of Charlize Theron's performance in "Monster" in the way that the performance is almost other worldly. Every actor dreams for a part like this but only a few can actually channel and perform a part like this. It takes every part of you as a human being to pull off a complex performance such as this one. Mary Jones is delusional. She blames her failure as a woman on Precious and You hate her throughout the film. However, there is a scene where she does a monologue and you almost feel sorry for her. She actually believes that what she's doing is right and, for that, you feel something totally different than hate. It's the test of true acting fellow cinephiles. THIS IS ACTING AT IT'S FINEST!! You can't get anymore real than this and I was so immersed in that monologue. I hope that one day I can portray a character with such raw tenacity and conviction. Having said that, the rest of the cast didn't slouch. Gabourey Sidibe as Precious was wonderful as well. This being the actress' first film, she did an amazing job. Mariah Carey shocked a lot of people with her tender and real performance as a social worker. Paula Patton was endearing as a teacher and Lenny Kravitz was great with his limited screen time as a male nurse.

Lee Daniels' film is really gritty and the palette makes you feel like there is no hope for any of the characters. The only bright colors that you see are in the dream sequences that Precious has. The film almost has a glow to it as well. Certain scenes there seems to be an array of light almost signifying hope.

If you want to be immersed in a film that will make you feel like your problems are nothing compared to someone else's, this is the film to watch. I guarantee after you watch it, you will feel a lot better about your situation.

Michael Jackson's This Is It (2009)

When this film was announced, I had some mixed feelings. Not because I don't like Michael Jackson, it was because I felt that the media was sensationalizing his death even more than it already was. It's like big business if someone dies. Unfortunately that's how this world works. It's driven by MONEY. You're nothing without it in this world and when you do have it, you don't really have to spend it because you get things for free. Michael Jackson was a force far greater than anyone could imagine. He was literally world renowned and not very many people can say that they are.

This documentary called "This Is It" is rehearsal footage for MJ's final tour that would've started last July. However Michael died before the tour started. It was only a matter of time before this rehearsal footage would be seen by the world. After all, we would be seeing a concert we would've seen. The documentary was directed by Kenny Ortega, the man behind the High School Musical trilogy. He actually worked with Michael before he did the high school musical films and he was going to direct Michael Jackson's tour as well. It was nice to see what Michael had in store for us. The music, the sets, the dancers, the imagery...but at times I found myself a little bored with certain scenes. Don't take this the wrong way, I loved the movie but there are scenes that are drawn out too long and certain places where a song begins to start and you get all excited and Michael tells them to stop because they didn't start on the right cue. I know it's a documentary but that was my only problem. I think I agree with Latoya Jackson when she said that Michael would've never allowed this footage to be shown. At least not all of it. He was very much a perfectionist as you'll see in this and he wouldn't have liked it. However, at the same time, I do understand that people who bought tickets to the show would feel somewhat compensated.

There was a very strong message throughout this film that I adored and Is one of the many reasons that I've always loved Michael. He kept implementing love and healing the world and the well being of the human race. He dedicated his life to the world and to the people in it and not very many people do that. I've always felt connected to Michael, not because I was compared to him for most of my life, but because we have the same kind heart. If I had the money he had, I would be doing the same thing. I would be a charity whore. Why have all that money and not help everyone you can? He was still singing his songs with the same great voice and it was like he never aged. His voice sounds exactly the same. He was dancing right along with the dancers and jumping around. He was very physical. It was great and sad at the same time to see him in action. We all loved him and then we all abandoned him. I've always believed in Michael and always supported him. I never believed the accusations. I was always on his side and it sucks that someone who was once so great was ridiculed so much.

Michael was planning an awesome show for us to see as you'll see here. There are some parts where you are just in awe because you can't believe the huge scale of the show. "Thriller" was going to be in 3D projected on screens and the "Earth Song" was going to sport a giant tractor. Two of many great things in the show. Michael knew his songs so deeply and liked to really feel the music. He liked to let it simmer, which is something he said quite often during the rehearsals. It's like he was feeling something in the music much deeper than we could ever feel. He was an angel on this earth and now he's gone.

Michael will always be the king of pop and if you want to see his last hurrah, you won't be disappointed.

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Julie & Julia (2009)

Every once in a while a film comes along that a total inspiration to me. A film that makes me re-evaluate and gives me a charge for life. That may seem over the top to some, but movies touch me in that way sometimes.

Today's film is "Julie & Julia" directed by Nora Ephron. It stars Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, Stanley Tucci, and Chris Messina. This is actually my second time watching this film because I love it that much. Plus, I wanted to show it to my mom who I knew would appreciate it. The film is basically about two women in two different times. Julie Powell, an unhappy government worker and an avid foodie and Julia Child, a woman who decides that cooking is what she wants to do. It's a very well done film and in my opinion one of the best films of 2009. My best of 2009 list is coming soon.

Of course Meryl Streep is fantastic in this film. I'm just beside myself on her brilliance as an actress. She's a legend. There are so many little nuances that she gives to this character that I adore and I find myself really loving every little thing, every word, every action that she brings to this character. This is a performance my friends. Actors take note. It never pays to overact, most of the time. With film you've got to be more natural and more subtle but not too much. It has to be just right and I know I say this a lot and it gets repetitive, but maybe if I keep addressing it, you'll get it. Amy Adams is a revelation in this. She plays Julie Powell with such conviction that it's hard to see her as anyone else. The men in the film are no slouches either. Stanley Tucci brings Paul Child to life with charm and compassion and Chris Messina brings a modest and supportive performance.

The palette of this film is marvelous! The food looks so good and colorful and the set design is perfect. You can tell that they put a lot of effort into every little detail of this story. The film feels lived in and that's always a good thing when you can't tell the difference. That's why I always say, you should take your time with every aspect of a film. The story, the characters, the costumes, etc. This film makes you fall in love with butter, cooking, Julia Child, and life. Even though Julie never got to meet Julia, at least she did something for Julia after her death. She has exposed her to a whole new generation who may not of known who Julia Child was. Seeing this film for the second time was definitely a treat for me. I have a lot of foodie friends in New York and it's always good to cook yourself a good meal.

If you want to see good food and great performances then this film is for you. This might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I always love to challenge people to go outside of their comfort film zones. For the life of me I don't understand why men or anyone for that matter shy away from films like this, it's just a bloody movie! You're balls will still be there don't worry. You just might be pleasantly surprised.

Zack And Miri Make A Porno (2008)

What a busy three day weekend this has been...or should I say four day weekend. To top it all off I had to work today and now I'm just getting home to type this. I should be back to weekday posts now, the storm has passed so to speak. The latest film I have seen is "Zack And Miri Make A Porno". This is definitely not a film for everyone but it was for me!

This film is directed by Kevin Smith, who is one of my favorite directors, who also directed "Clerks", "Chasing Amy", and "Dogma" to name a few. The film stars Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Craig Robinson, Jason Mewes, Traci Lords, Jeff Anderson, Katie Morgan, Ricky Mabe, and a couple of cameos from Justin Long and Brandon Routh. This is the raunchiest film that Kevin Smith has ever done and I was even surprised throughout the film. It took a lot for him to get this film an R rating and it's easy to see why. However, Kevin is no stranger to tug of war with the MPAA.

Zack and Miri are two people who are in their late twenties and they are struggling to make ends meet. After going to a high school reunion, they realize that they haven't really done anything with their lives. Then to top it all off, their water and their heat are turned off and they are forced to come up with a fast solution. Their solution is to make a porno. I've wanted to see this movie for so long and I can finally say that it doesn't disappoint. It is very graphic and, again, is not for everyone but if you're looking for a great time amongst adults, this is your movie. As far as performances go, Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks hold the film together quite nicely as the two leads. Their chemistry is undeniable and totally believable. The dialogue has a very strong improvisational style to it, which leads me to believe that most of it was probably an extension of the written word. Seth Rogen and Justin Long are masters at this and it shows throughout the film. It was great just literally watching Justin Long pull lines out of his ass right and left as a gay porn director. Hilarious! Improvisation for me personally isn't something that I've mastered but is something I'm working on. It's a really important skill to have especially for comedy. You've got to be on your toes at all times and it can be tricky. One performance that did shock me was that of real life porn star Katie Morgan. She definitely held her own. She really didn't have to do much but she kept up with the other actors quite well.

The film was shot in very Kevin Smith fashion with muted tones and your typical small generic town. It wouldn't be a Kevin Smith movie if it wasn't. The soundtrack was great and one of my favorite songs was played at the end "I Love You" by the Climax Blues Band!! I remember when I first heard that song at the end of the film "Cherish" and I fell in love with it. This is the type of film that you really don't care about cinematography or technical aspects because you're just going in it to have fun. However, everything was done very well and in it's place if that makes any sense.

So if you're looking for a raunchy good time then this film is for you. If you're a prude then stay far away from this film because you will be offended. So I highly recommend it.

State Of Play (2009)

When it comes to films that deal with politics, it can go one of two ways. It can be completely bad and unrealistic and sensationalized or it can be riveting and real and suspenseful. Some political films can even seem preachy or one sided. It's very rare you come across a political film that might actually be something to see.

State Of Play is a film directed By Kevin Macdonald, who also directed The Last King Of Scotland a great film indeed. It's adapted from a BBC TV serial of the same name. The film stars some heavy hitters like Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren, Robin Wright Penn, Jason Bateman, Jeff Daniels, and the amazingly talented Viola Davis. Kevin Macdonald used to direct documentary films so there is an element of that eye in this outing. The film is about a really elaborate conspiracy that is completely relevant and could actually happen. This is what makes the film watchable and scary. Now, I'm not going to explain the plot of this film because this is a film you just have to watch. It's very engaging and I loved every twist and turn in this film because there are many. I was on the edge of my seat a lot of the time because the plot was very time sensitive.

This film definitely points out the murder and mayhem that may or may not surround politics. It seems that more murder and mayhem happen with politics and religion. The two very things that are supposed to give order in this world. Supposed to. It also point out the power of money and how it really is the root of all evil in this world. This film doesn't preach to it's audience and the director handled his approach very well and produced a film that is not only great entertainment, but very involved as well. There are definitely certain jobs that prevent you from having friends and a reporter is definitely on of them. Every actor in this film knocks it out of the park. I wanted to see more of Helen Mirren, but she only had a supporting role and she worked that role let me tell you! Rachel McAdams proves once again that's she's a credible actress and Russell Crowe is great as always, no need to sing his praises. However, I was drawn to the quietness of Robin Wright Penn's character. What can I say, I'm a sucker for subtly and this was another great example of that.

The film almost had a film noir vibe to it and the palette was very smoky. If that makes any sense. It fit the tone of the film very well. If you're looking for a great nail bitter, then this film is for you. It entertains while educating you and that's a recipe for a great political thriller.

Inkheart (2009)

Fantasy films are very rare these days and were really only big to begin with in the eighties with films like The Neverending Story, Legend, Labyrinth, and The Dark Crystal to name a few. Nowadays they can be a hit or a miss. There's a part of me that is still looking for that imaginative film that takes me to another world of magic and wonder. Not that there hasn't been those films in the past decade, there has, just very few.

Inkheart is a film directed by Ian Softley and starring Brendan Fraser, Paul Bettany, Helen Mirren, Andy Serkis, Jim Broadbent, and Eliza Bennett. Inkheart is sort of a long story to describe, but I'll try. It's basically about a man with a silver tongue. Silver tongued people, when reading a book, can make the words they're actually reading come to life. Whatever is in the book, comes out of the book but the catch is, someone goes into the book. Fraser plays Mortimer, a silver tongued man who accidentally read his wife into the book. Now he and his young daughter are on a quest to save her by looking for the book that he was reading that night, nine years ago, Inkheart which apparently is now rare and out of print. He finally finds a copy in an old antique bookstore and he goes on an adventure to get his wife back. However, before he can read his wife out, he is pursued by a character from the book who was read out nine years ago who wants to go back in the book to his family. There's also an evil villain who was read out at the same time who has gotten accustomed to this world and doesn't want to go back. If all that makes any sense. It makes more sense when you're watching it.

Now, I have to say that I'm not really sure on my position with this film. I don't hate it, but I'm not so sure if I like it either. I may have to watch it again because I didn't watch it on my home theater system and maybe that might make a difference. The film is a solid watch though, it just felt like it was suppressed a little bit. It could've been so much more imaginative than it was. The film felt like it was on the verge of something great the entire time that I was watching it but the greatness never came. It was basically like have no thrill sex. It's ok but it could be so much better. Maybe that had something to do with time or budget, don't really know. This film had so much potential to be the next epic fantasy adventure.

Having said that, there are some great qualities about this film. The cinematography was excellent. Very colorful and majestic and it seemed like everything was on a wide scope. This film was shot in Europe, so the landscapes are magical in every frame. The performances were ok. Not the best, but they did their best with what they had I suppose. The film's final moments were maybe a little cheesy for me. This is another example of a film rushing an ending I felt like. They spent a lot of time setting up the lore of Inkheart that I think they realized they were running out of time and just wrapped it up. It's not terribly obvious, but you'll notice it. The special effects were decent, although it seems like they stepped up their game for the final showdown at the end.

The film is not a total loss. I would recommend a rental is you're curious. I can't tell you if you're going to like it or not. This one depends on your preferences.

The Soloist (2009)

Very late last night I watched a very underrated gem of 2009, The Soloist Directed By Joe Wright. Director of Pride & Prejudice and Atonement and starring Robert Downey Jr., Jamie Foxx, and Catherine Keener. The Soloist is a film based on the true story of the relationship between a newspaper columnist and a homeless violin player. Right off the bat, I have to say that I wasn't too excited about seeing this film. When I saw the trailers it just seemed like another run of the mill drama about two people from two different backgrounds coming together for the greater good. I really should stop assuming things about some films because I was totally wrong. This is a film of cinematic beauty and when a film has my eyes glued to the screen without looking away, even if my phone is ringing, then you have scored with me. I was incredibly deeply moved by this film and let me tell you why...

The way the film starts off is fantastic. No huge introduction or accelerated music, just a simple almost quiet intro with Robert Downey Jr.'s voice over. I should've expected this brilliance from Joe Wright. Robert Downey Jr. is utterly charming as Steve Lopez, a columnist for the Los Angeles Times. Isn't he always charming? Most would argue that Downey plays the same improvisational mumbling character in all of his films but I think he's a lot more vulnerable here. He allows himself to go further and I think he does a great job of that. Especially when his character is in really tough situations. Jamie Foxx is literally sublime as Nathaniel Ayers, the homeless schizophrenic violinist. He really captured the tortured soul of Nathaniel to the letter and I was really emotionally invested in that character, you have no idea. I can't even imagine what it would be like to be at the top of your game and then to start hearing voices in your head. It was almost terrifying to see him lose it. I have a family member who has that problem so I know a little bit about the deception that those voices can deliver. I just can't imagine it. Also the scenes between Downey and Catherine Keener are electric. They bounce off of each other so effortlessly and they're fun to watch together. This may be a tad to observant, but there's a scene at the beginning of the film when Catherine Keener's character is walking through the office and as she walks she says a brief something to everyone she passes. It's so natural an so fluid that it's like she's not even acting at all. Call me weird, but I rewound that scene like three times just to watch the magic.

Another thing that deeply moved me about this film was the outstanding cinematography. There was a lot of well done crane shots in this film. Aside from that, this is why Joe Wright is so brilliant because he wants his audience to feel everything. It's almost like he pleases all six senses with his films. This is a great example of transporting your audience with images and sound. Those are two very important factors of a film. This film transported me with it's emotional resonance and that may sound crazy to some of you but the rest of you know what I'm talking about because a film has done that to you.

This film was a great example of brilliant simplicity. The Soloist gets my highest recommendation.

Lan Yu (2001)

Lan Yu is a Chinese film about two gay lovers. It's probably one of the more substantial gay films I have seen and totally relevant. The film is directed by Stanley Kwan and starring Liu Ye and Hu Jun. This film is a critical success and is controversial for it's subject matter. It's also the first Chinese film that shows full frontal male nudity. This is an emotional film and shows how a typical one night stand can turn into something entirely different. It really shows the dynamic between an older and a younger man and how their age difference can be a problem.

The film is basically about the relationship of these two men over the course of a few years and the trials that they face together and apart. It's really heartbreaking and heartfelt. The thing that I noticed about this movie is that is has moments. Moments of real beauty. The film as a whole has a dark palette to it and I don't think there's hardly any bright scenes but there are a few shots that I had to pause and look at. One that comes to mind is a shot of the older man standing with a bath towel on in the entrance way to the bathroom. We get a shot from the back of his head as you see steam from the bathroom move past his head and his hair wet from having just got out of the shower. It was such a beautiful shot. Also another thing I noticed about this film was the way the male body was presented. It wasn't in a pornographic way, it was almost poetic. There is a scene at the beginning of the film, when Lan Yu is laying on the bed fully naked and there was no part of me that felt like it was gratuitous. The story was also one that was crafted very well. The film is based on a controversial E-novel that you can't find online anymore. The characters were developed well and even the supporting characters, I felt, had real depth to them.

Now, the one performance that really just blew me away was Liu Ye's performance. As the title character, he did a fantastic job. I can't even describe how great his performance is. It's so natural and so underplayed that you would almost second guess his acting ability. That's the whole genius of it. His subtly is flawless. It's the kind of subtle performance that you hardly ever see anymore. This is a great example of great acting my fellow cinephiles. The only problem I had with this film is that closer to the end of the film, it felt a little rushed. It was almost if they were hurrying up to fit everything in. It's not a big deal though. Just a minor issue.

Other than that, I definitely recommend the film.

Lady Snowblood (1973)

There have been a lot of distractions coming my way lately, but I'm determined to keep this blog current as best as I can.

The latest film that I have watched is Lady Snowblood, a Japanese film directed by Toshiya Fujita and starring Meiko Kaji. It is also based on manga of the same name. After watching this film, I can see now how it inspired "Kill Bill". This film is FUCKING fantastic! Not to mention they played a song that I'm quite fond of during the opening credits, "Flower Of Carnage" (Shura No Hana), that was also in Kill Bill. There's something about that song that transports me to some other plane. The song was used very well here. It fit the opening sequence of the film like a glove and the cinematography, WOW. Films like this have inspired past and present filmmakers and will inspire future filmmakers.

The film is about revenge. Clear and simple. A woman's husband and son are killed and she is raped and beaten. She ends up murdering one of the attackers a few years later and ends up going to prison for murder. Now that she is serving a life sentence she knows she'll never be able to exact her revenge. She starts sleeping with every prison guard and priest to purposely get pregnant so she can have a child to get her revenge for her. Fucking insane!! She is successful in this attempt and ends up birthing a baby girl despite wanting a son. As she looks into the baby's eyes she utters that the child is a child of revenge and has pity for her baby because of it. So intense and dooming. The motivation behind the protagonist is intense yet sad at the same time. After the mother dies, the young girl is sent to be raised and trained and ultimately becomes an assassin. Now it's twenty years later and the young woman goes on a killing spree. You know, the main thing that I kept thinking throughout this film is that I feel so sorry for her. I felt so sorry for her because she only knows one way of life. She doesn't know what love is, all she knows is compassion for those who are lost and anger for those she is after. She exists in this film for one purpose and one purpose only to exact her late mother's revenge at all costs. At the same time, I knew she was going to kill all their asses and especially couldn't wait for her to get the leader of the bunch Goshiro. Now, with Kill Bill, I almost didn't want her to kill Bill because after all that Beatrix had been through to get to him only to find out the real reason he did what he did, I sort of felt that maybe she should have forgiven him. He showed some sort of remorse and was only reacting the way he knew how. At the same time, I wanted her to get what she wanted. In this film, I wanted her to kill his ass and I even found myself saying that out loud as I was watching the final moments. I said, "she's going to kill his ass". I wanted her to kill him because he didn't have any remorse for what he did, he was just evil and greedy.

As far as the performances go, they were all great and handled the source material very well. Some of the performances may have been to over the top for my taste but it is an older film so I'll let it slide. Meiko did an amazing job as Lady Snowblood, carrying the film in fine fashion with a performance that was slightly camp, which totally worked for this story. I was mostly surprised with the cinematography. There were so many beautiful shots of the sea and the wave crashing on the shore. Also there were shots that were a little shaky that I think went well with the whole overall concept. This film seemed almost epic in it's approach and there were a couple of twists in there that I didn't see coming. For a film that was made in the early 70's, it was very well made and the special effects were seamless for that time. The blood was the brightest red ever and it spewed out of people when they were stabbed. I LOVED that!!

If you're a fan of Kill Bill, I suggest you take a look at the film that inspired it all.

Baghead (2008)

So I have officially decided that I'm going to take the weekends off from blogging, which is why there were no posts this weekend. So now It's Monday and I'm back with a film that I'm dying to write about. I watched it over the weekend and loved it so much that I analyzed it all weekend. I'm surprised that I only watched one film this weekend but that's how my weekends are sometimes.

The film that I watched is called "Baghead" and it was directed by The Duplass Brothers. Jay and Mark Duplass to be exact. The film stars Ross Partridge, Steve Zissis, Greta Gerwig, and Elise Muller. This film is part of the mumblecore film movement and if you don't know what that is, I'll tell you. Mumblecore is an American independent film movement that is characterized by ultra low budget production focusing on relationships between twenty-somethings or anyone else, improvised scripts, and non-professional actors. It usually involves people talking at length about life and love and it really takes a patient person or an open minded person to watch these films because at times it is just people talking and connecting in the most natural way you can on film. I'm actually a fan of this movement and I connect with it on a deep personal level as a filmmaker. The first mumblecore film I saw was "Funny Ha Ha" directed by Andrew Bujalski and after that I was hooked. There are other directors who are apart of this "movement" as well, such as, Joe Swanberg and Aaron Katz who I love. You'll probably hear more about their films, here, in the future.

Back to Baghead. Baghead is about four actors who go to a cabin in the woods to write, direct, and act in a film that they hope will jump start their careers. They get an idea for a horror film about a guy with a bag over his head terrorizing the characters in the film. It all sounds great until a real bagheaded man shows up. This is a very interesting film for a number of reasons. First off, the actors are phenomenal. They deserve high profile careers. Greta Gerwig, who has been dubbed the mumblecore queen, is wonderful in this. I have to tell you, I am obsessed with her as an actress. There is something about her screen presence that hypnotizes me and I can't put my finger on it. I've seen her in other mumblecore films and there is still one that I haven't seen yet that I can't wait to see called "Nights and Weekends". She is also making her mainstream debut in a new Ben Stiller film this year called "Greenberg". She's very talented and I believe her career will be a successful. Ross Partridge is also an actor that I'm actually surprised isn't in the big leagues yet. He has a leading man quality about him and his performance of an actor desperately trying to break in the biz is flawless. Steve Zissis is charming and funny as a man trying to win over Greta Gerwig's character. He's the guy that never gets the girl and he portrays that very authentically. Elise Muller is an actress that I became curious about as I watched this film. She's very natural and very interesting to watch.

Technically this film is interesting because for a film that was supposedly shot for one thousand dollars, it looks really good. Another great thing about this film is that the directors really let the actors feel what they were doing. They let them be mad or they let them hate each other and that made the film that much more authentic. I absolutely loved every moment of this film and I'm probably going to watch it again with the commentary track to learn more about it.

I highly recommend this film to anyone looking for an introduction to the mumblecore movement or anyone who wants to expand their cinematic horizons.

CJ7 (2008)

I watched another film as well, last night, called "CJ7" and it's a family fantasy film directed by Stephen Chow and starring Stephen Chow and the amazing, talented, and adorable Xu Jiao, a child actor. Unknown to me until now, Xu is actually a little girl but played a boy in the film. WOW! I did not even know that. It never even crossed my mind that that was a girl.

The film is about a poor man and his son. The poor man, played by Stephen Chow, works hard so his son can continue to go private school. His son gets picked on at school by students and teachers alike because he's poor and he has hand me down clothes and shoes. One night, the father finds a green orb in a garbage dump and gives it to his son and it turns into a creature. It's actually an alien creature from another planet. This is a very charming film, that I just adored and it had me smiling throughout. I really enjoyed the playfulness of this film and the energy of the young actor, or should I say, actress. Very sweet film and had a nice little wholesome message to it.

The performances in this film were solid and it's really hard not to love it. The sound was amazing in this one as well even though it's dialogue heavy. Everything about the film is trademark Stephen Chow and if you've seen "Kung Fu Hustle" you'll know what I'm talking about. This film proves that you can still make a good film without violence and language for the whole family to enjoy. Don't get me wrong, I love a good R rated film but sometimes it's good to watch something light like this to make you smile and forget about your own problems for awhile. I found myself laughing a lot because some parts are silly but not a bad silly. It shows the strong bond between a father and a son during tough times and how you can make your situation fun. There was even a scene where they played a game to see how many roaches they could kill. Which was cute and a game I would never play because I have a strong fear of roaches.

I highly recommend this film for any family or any fan of foreign film. Definitely a rental or if you're feeling adventurous, buy it!

Dragonball Z Evolution (2009)

Another film that I watched was "Dragonball Z Evolution", a film that I was VERY hesitant in watching because I was thoroughly convinced that it was going to be bad because I saw the trailer early last year and it just looked...bad. Plus, I wasn't a fan of Dragonball Z and didn't know anything about it.

The film stars Justin Chatwin, Emmy Rossum, Chow Yun-Fat, Jamie Chung, and James Marsters and it's directed by James Wong who directed the first and third installments of The Final Destination franchise. It was produced by Stephen Chow, who I adore as a filmmaker. I practically forced myself to watch the film because I knew I had to get it out of the way. Imagine my surprise when I actually ended up enjoying this film. That's right cinephiles, you can crucify me all you want. I'm standing by this one. It's not The Dark Knight but it's definitely a fun brainless film to watch. What I loved about this film is that it brought out the kid in me. The kid who used to come home every day from school and watch The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers on TV. The original Power Rangers with David Yost and Amy Johnson not that Turbo Power Rangers crap. It brought me back to that time. Yes it had cheesy moments and it's not for everyone but I thoroughly enjoyed this film and was hating myself the whole time for it.

Having said that, there were some issues I had with the movie. Now I'm the last one that would ever play the race card, but I found it odd that they cast a white actor as Goku instead of an asian one and his grandfather in the movie was asian! Maybe that was for American audiences, but I thought that was a cop out on Hollywood's part. No offense to Justin Chatwin because he did a great job as Goku. That's another thing, despite the material the performances from the actors were, for the most part, solid. Chow Yun-fat was especially charming as Master Roshi. Also I have three words ERNIE FUCKING HUDSON!! I can't believe he was in this and I don't even care that this means his career is in the shitter right now. Anyway, a paycheck is a paycheck. Ghostbusters will always be his get out of jail free card with me baby!! Another issue I had with the movie was that is got a little confusing at times but that could be due to the fact that I'm not familiar with the lore of Dragonball Z. The score was the most generic score ever. I just pretty much pretended it didn't exist.

From a technical standpoint, this film is an absolute marvel!! Eye candy galore. There is lots of colors and the cinematography is solid. One reviewer stated that it "is perhaps the most successful live-action film to date to utilize costume, production, and audio design, not to mention some inspired fight choreography, to provide the flavor of anime without becoming overly cartoonish." Of course not everyone feels that way. The film was universally panned and was a flop in the US but opened at number one in the asian markets. The film is great to look at and the sound design was way better than I expected. It practically blew me out of the living room!! I love that. I love being wrapped in sound. The special effects were actually decent and I didn't cringe too much. This is definitely a guilty pleasure for me and will most likely achieve cult status. There are some power ranger-esque cheesy lines that I just died over! It fed my cheesetastic meter to the max and I always say it doesn't hurt to add cheese to your burger sometimes. It never hurts a film, however there is a very fine line between cheesy good and cheesy bad. I'm not ashamed to say that I loved every cheesetastic moment of this film. It made me feel like a boy of 12 again.

So my point here, cinephiles, is that sometimes you have to let the cheese in. Leave your brain at the door sometimes and just enjoy. This film goes by a case by case basis. You may like it, you may not. Me? I liked it enough to watch it again at some point. It is what it is and you can't blame it for that.

Angel Of Death (2009)

So last night I managed to watch three movies and one of them I barely made it through which used to be a rare thing for me, but is now becoming less rare. One of the films that I watched was "Angel Of Death" starring Zoe Bell whose most known as being a stuntwoman for Uma Thurman in Kill Bill and starring in Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof. The film is directed by Paul Etheredge.

I'm going to say right off the bat that this film is by no means a masterpiece. I didn't particularly like this film. It was too...um...it was too jumbled for me. Didn't really have a cohesive plot and the performances were mediocre at best. However, you really can't expect much from a direct to video release. Zoe Bell drew me to see it cause I liked her so much in Death Proof.

Angel of Death was originally a web series and knowing the plot of the movie, it could've been so much better than it was. This is an example of a great idea gone wrong. The film is about an assassin named Eve who is employed by a crime family. After a botched hit resulting in her getting stabbed in the head, she starts to see visions on the victims she killed in the past and is driven to seek revenge on her employers.

Now, the film isn't a total loss. Like I've said before, there's always at least one thing good about a film no matter how bad it is. Stylistically, there are some cool moments here and there, editing wise, and Zoe Bell's performance is actually better than I expected. She is better than everyone else in the film. She's no Charlize Theron yet but you can tell she took some acting classes after Death Proof. The cinematography was pretty good too and the very last shot of the film is probably the best shot in the entire film. The film felt rushed and there were a few throwaway characters. Ted Raimi, Sam Raimi's brother, a character actor that I like was in the film for all of thirty seconds and his name was in the opening credits as if he had a substantial role. Most of the time I was confused as to who was who and the sound design was weird because at times I had to turn on the subtitles just to understand what they were saying.

All in all this film gets an "A" for effort, but a little more time and crafting could've made this a great action revenge film. I don't recommend this unless you're that curious about what I've said here.

Lady Vengeance (2005)

The second film I watched was "Lady Vengeance" Directed by Park Chan-wook, now one of my new favorite directors. It stars Lee Young Ae and Choi Min-sik in brilliant turns. This film is the last entry in a supposed trilogy which includes "Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance" and "Oldboy". His newest film "Thirst" is nothing short of a masterpiece. I may need to re-watch that. Anyway, Lady Vengeance is quite a particular film and to be honest when it first started, I was a little thrown off. There's a lot of scrambling of scenes in this film of random encounters that the protagonist has with the supporting characters. It sort of confuses you because you don't know if these are intentional subplots or not. At the same time it's utterly intriguing and you want to watch because what you are being shown is cinematic magic. As a matter of fact, it takes a good hour when you actually start seeing things clearly. The genius of this movie though is that no matter how confusing the first half of the film may be, you never come out of it confused. It's almost as if the random scenes are placed perfectly in your brain for future reference. I don't know how this film managed to achieve such a thing, but it does.

This is a revenge film sort of in the vein of Kill Bill but a totally different concept. A woman is locked up in prison for thirteen years because she confessed to the murder of a five year old boy. The kicker is, she actually didn't kill the boy, she was blackmailed to confess or else her daughter would be killed. She was 19 when all of this occurred so a significant part of her life was spent in prison. She serves time from 1991-2004 and is finally released hellbent on revenge after 13 years of planning it. The thing that I LOVED about the protagonist, Lee Geum-ja, is that she is so casual about the whole thing. She never breaks or has an emotional moment until the very end. There's one scene where's she talking to an old friend from prison and her friend asks her "Did you find that bastard yet?" She replies, "I did". Then her friend replies, "Did you kill him?" She replies "Not yet." Mind you, she's looking in a compact mirror and fixing her hair as if revenge is the last thing on her mind. Her friend replies back, "Why not?" She responds with "I've been busy" as she puts her compact back in her purse. YES!! I must've rewinded that one scene like five times. I love that! She was so nonchalant about it and it almost seems like she is having a very delayed reaction to the last thirteen years of her life. She wants revenge but she has other priorities and what makes her plan brilliant is that those other priorities are apart of the plan. Genius! The film can be very intense at times and doesn't rely on shock tactics to tell the story. It's an incredible character study of who this woman is and how she got to where she is now. I have to be honest, when I was watching the film, I was only mildly impressed. However, after a good night's sleep and giving it a chance to sink in, I realized how much of a masterpiece this film is. I will definitely give this one a second viewing.

This film deserves a medal in technical achievement. There's so many quirky tricks that they used to heighten certain scenes and I loved it. It's quite an imaginative film and it almost has an element of fantasy to it. The score is haunting and beautiful and compliments the film very well. The sound design is nothing short of spectacular as it includes a lossless audio track on the DVD giving you a film experience you won't soon forget. I loved this film and can't wait to revisit it again as well as the other two films in wook's trilogy. This is an example of a film done well and all you cinephiles should take note. Here's a story that's been treated with care and precision. Highest recommendation.

If you're allergic to subtitles or foreign film or even asian cinema, then I'm so sorry for you. You're missing out. I challenge you to watch it.

The Mysteries Of Pittsburgh (2008)

I have decided that I'm going to start a new, more personal, blog apart from this one. I'm going to try to focus more on the film side here and more of my thinking man side on another as of yet untitled blog. It's really just an extension of my facebook blog but being more objective than direct. It would be therapeutic for me to get out all of my questions about life and to perhaps have a HEALTHY debate about world issues. I always find that debates are only worth having if despite the differences in opinion, you can still get your point across to each other effectively and positively. It could get heated but you have to remember that we're all different. Yeah, I think I should do that. It's something that I've always wanted to do but felt that I didn't need to do because there are so many people who are doing it for me. However, being inspired by a blog from one of my peers Little Kiwi (http://littlekiwilovesbauhaus.blogspot.com), I feel the need to contribute my thoughts to the world. Once again I watched two films last night and I think I can start doing that on the regular now.

One of the films I watched was "The Mysteries Of Pittsburgh" Directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber and Starring Jon Foster, Sienna Miller, Peter Sarsgaard, Mena Suvari, and Nick Nolte. The Film basically centers around the character of Art, played by Foster and his last summer after graduating college in Pittsburgh before he enters the working world. It's full of self discovery and new experiences that inevitably every one of us experiences at some point in our lives. While the film is not a masterpiece and is a little bit thrown together, it does have redeeming qualities. I believe that no matter how bad a film is there's always something good about it. At least one thing. No exercise in film is ever wasted.

One thing that I liked about this film is the relationship between the three leads. I envied that relationship. Where you can do anything and anything is possible. You can get into trouble and live life on the edge and it's you and your friends against the world. I love that reckless abandon that three strangers can have together. It's a rare occurrence to meet people and instantly click with them and become great friends. As time goes by you learn more about them, but it's like everything you learn, you love about them. There's no judgement, no boundaries, you just get each other. That's one of the things that I think the film portrayed really well. Unknown to me, this film is based on a novel of the same name. I see a lot of films based on books and don't know that they are and sometimes I feel like I should've known that. However, I'm all about film and don't really read as much as I would like to. I guess if the situation was reversed it would be the same.

I've heard some about the book and it appears, they cut out a lot for the film's sake. They even cut out an entire character! It was a gay character that the main character develops feelings for. Mena Suvari's character, Phlox, was actually a prominent character in the book but that character has been downsized a lot. In the book, Art is in a love triangle with Phlox and Arthur, the gay character. The performances in the film are solid and Nick Nolte is steel as Art's mob boss father. However, the whole mob element in the film seemed thrown in there to me. I don't know how I felt about that. Anyway, Art meets Miller and Sarsgaard's characters and they take him on a journey that he has never been on before. Sarsgaard's character, Cleveland, is bisexual and at some point Art develops feeling for him, but he also has feelings for Miller's character, Jane. Cleveland's character in the book is a supporting character. They basically melded Cleveland and Arthur together to form a bisexual Cleveland. At the same time Art is prepping for a test which he doesn't know if he wants to take or not. It's basically a coming of age tale and, unlike Adventureland, doesn't really handle the material well, mostly because the original material has been butchered to create this hybrid piece.

The music choices in this film were great and I found myself using the Shazam app on my iphone to find out the names of some of the songs. The music and the cinematography went hand in hand in this film and that's one thing I always applaud in movies. There's nothing more beautiful than looking at a great shot and great music to accompany it. Even if the movie isn't great, at least you have moments of greatness that don't make it a total loss. The film may have gotten a little hokey for me by the final act but the ending of the film was great and for some reason inspired me. I relate to the relationship between Art and his father. It's almost a relationship of convenience and that's the sad reality of a lot of family relationships. I felt that this film had no solid structure and that's the problem with a lot of films lately. Nobody takes their time on a story anymore. You can tell the difference. You've got to let the story and the characters breathe. When you adapt something, it should always be faithful. I don't know why Hollywood has it in their heads that something should be changed as if there aren't fans of the book that will love the film. This film didn't have time to breathe and develop and that, my friends, is a cardinal sin of the cinema. I'm not saying make a three hour film, but there are ways of taking your time and still being quick.

All in all I would say that The Mysteries Of Pittsburgh is an interesting watch for the performances and the technical aspects. If you're looking for a structured plot or a faithful adaptation of the book, you won't find it here. I suggest a rental.

La Belle Personne - New Trailer!!

Here is the new film from one of my FAVORITE directors Christophe Honore!! He directed two great french films that I love called Love Songs (Les Chanson D'Amour) and Inside Paris (Dans Paris). I've been waiting for his next film and here is the trailer!!

3-Iron (Bin-jip) (2004)

The second film that I watched last night was "3-Iron" a Korean film directed by Kim Ki-duk. This film was actually one of the five Asian films that I received as a Christmas present from a fellow cinephile and potential cinematic soul mate. It's so weird. I think I may have finally found my match. We have the same taste in film pretty much and I'm sure the films we recommend to each other will be liked by each other. It feels so incredibly refreshing to have someone who gets film just as much as I do and has a passion and love for it. Too bad he lives in Austria! It would be awesome to dissect film with him and watch them. I never had that with anyone! Even though my friends would watch movies with me, they could never keep up with me. I can literally sit and watch movies all day and make a movie day out of it. Most people that I tried to do that with in the past would only make it through two films, if that, and they get bored or tired. It's frustrating to know that I've finally met my match and he's in another bloody country!! Thanks Facebook.

Simply put 3-Iron is an amazing film. Words can't begin to describe the many different emotions I experienced while I was watching this. I've never seen anything like it before and I was very intrigued. I was utterly speechless by the end of it and when a film does that to me, I want to cry. The film stars Jae Hee and Lee Seung-yeon turning in masterful performances without saying a fucking word! I'm so in awe of these actors I can't tell you. Never have I been so moved by silence and what isn't said. The film is about a melancholy loner who rides his motorbike putting take out menus on doors. If the take out menu remains on the door he assumes the person is not there and he breaks in. He doesn't steal anything, he just makes himself at home and he fixes broken items, does their laundry, cooks and by the next day he's gone before anyone realizes he's there. He breaks into one house not realizing that a battered wife is still in there and she watches him do everything in her house. They finally meet and they go on a silent journey together. Breaking into homes and falling in love.

The fact that these two never say a word to each other is absolutely mesmerizing and they don't have to say anything. Their expressions say it all. The only talking you hear are that from the outside world and that says a lot about this film. These two people are existing in silence as the outside world tries to penetrate that sacred space. Her abusive husband is desperate but in a violent way. He beats her and then apologizes to her. It's very heartwarming to see her and a stranger develop ways of communicating to one another without talking. At first I was hoping that eventually they would talk to each other but then I got to a point where I didn't want them to. It would've ruined it for me if they had started talking and I'd like to think that it would've ruined it for them too. The connection between these two characters is monumental and is proof that you can communicate without saying anything. I found myself smiling throughout most of it and also frowning during the violent parts.

Technically this film is a marvel and I say that because there is one piece of music that is used throughout most of the film and it's so beautiful. I would say it's their theme song. There is a calming quiet about this film's sound that I like. Aside from the silence from the two leads, all you hear is the motorbike, sounds of the city, and the putting of the golf ball. It's so simple and so effective and it's almost other worldly. It takes you to another place, another plane. Watching these two characters was a blissful experience for me and I can't stop gushing. The writer took his time developing these characters and the director paced the film very well. Even though the film is only a couple minutes under an hour and a half long, it feels longer than that. This is an example of great storytelling with a completely original idea. Some people would probably say that this film is a gimmick, but I beg to differ. To me it's about the power of communicating without words. The ending of this film is fantastic and totally a trip. The cinematography was on a wide scope and really captured the silent environment that they lived in. The fact that these two people took risks and broke into homes and lived a sort of domestic bliss together, was magic to me. They were almost living out a life that they wish they had together in silence without the aggressions of the loud outside world. The love that they have for each other has no words. A lot of people make things more complicated than they need to be and this film showed me that it doesn't have to be.

I can't recommend this film enough. If you're into foreign film or looking to expand your cinematic horizons, rent or buy this one.