We Bought A Zoo

Cameron Crowe's best movie since Almost Famous

My rating: 4 and a half reels out of 5

The movie opens with Benjamin Mee (Matt...Damon) who is an adventure writer. He is full of life, seeks adventure, and has instant charisma. Someone you are easily drawn to and want to know more about. Now a struggling single father trying to raise his two young kids, he seeks a fresh start and revive family spirit by moving his family out to the countryside to renovate and re-build a struggling zoo.

We Bought A Zoo is light and heart-felt drama from Cameron Crowe. It's his first movie that is an adaptation. From the book We Bought a Zoo: The Amazing True Story of a young family, a broke down zoo, and the 200 animals that change their lives forever. While it's not a movie that's based on Crowe's personal experiences, it's a story centered around family and inspiration. A perfect fit for Cameron Crowe. After going through Aline Brosh Mckenna's script, Crowe infuses his personal touch. Of course, Crowe always adds the best selection of songs and he brings out the depth and reason of his characters especially the main character, Benjamin Mee.

Matt Damon gives the character Benjamin Mee a lot of enthusiasm, optimism, and humor. Like Crowe, he is a perfect fit for the movie. Surrounding him is Scarlett Johansson, who plays the a down-to-earth zookeeper who has dedicated her life to the animals of the zoo. Thomas Haden Church, plays Duncan Mee, the play-it-safe brother of Benjamin Mee. Dylan Mee, played by Colin Ford, is very combative with his father. And Rosie Mee, adorably played by newcomer Maggie Elizabeth Jones. Rosie, like her father; is lively, full of joy, imagination and optimism. It's a little reminiscent of the kid from Jerry Maguire except a hundred times more adorable (and a hundred times less annoying). Cameron Crowe is also reunited with Patrick Fugit (Almost Famous). I honestly forgot he was in the film after seeing his name in the opening credits, he is an underrated actor. The movie also stars Angus Macfadyen (Braveheart), playing Peter MacCreedy, the zoo's enclosure designer. Elle Fanning (Super 8), playing Lily Miska. And John Michael Higgins (Best in Show), playing antagonistic zoo inspector, Walter Ferris. A huge cast but a great cast for an inspiring movie.

You can tell a lot of love went into this film. It comes out through its actors and its story. But it's not all joy, there is some sadness to the film too. The characters go through struggles. The family deals with loss. Ben struggles financially. One character deals with her feelings as she experiences her first crush. The family and zookeepers struggle against the one who impedes their goals of re-opening the zoo. The characters are lovable and you want them to succeed. The humanity of the film is overcoming adversity. We Bought A Zoo is genuine, optimistic, and hopeful. It's a movie that will leave you smiling at the end.

You will probably like this movie if:
1. You like heart-filled comedy dramas.
2. You like Cameron Crowe.

You will probably not like this film if:
1. You find nice people boring.
2. You don't like to be smothered with good hearted feelings.

Young Adult

Better than I though it would be.

My Rating: 3 and a half reels out of 5

Soon after her divorce, a fiction writer returns to her home in small-town Minnesota, looking to rekindle a romance with her ex-boyfriend, who is now married with kids. 

Mavis Gary is not the kind of person I encountered in high school. She seems more like the kind of stuck-up high school brat I would see in movies of high school. Her plan to reclaim her ex-boyfriend is a little farfetched. It's not often you see a film about a person who disregards a marriage and family for their own selfish reasons and it's hard to sell such a film to an audience, but the filmmakers make it work. 

Diablo Cody (best known for writing Juno) does a good job in crafting the characters and the world they live in. Just imagine a small town filled with the people who were never going to leave. There is a history and depth to each character that's a little different but still plays on stereotypes of cliques in high school. Director Jason Reitman brings out the best in the actors, but when you already have a great actress like Charlize Theron, it's one less thing to worry about. 

Charlize Theron plays Mavis Gary. It's the subtleties that really make the character. From her expression to the way she reacts to her environment like simply taking a bottle of glue and sniffing it. Charlize takes an unlikable character and makes the audience sympathize with her. In the trailers, she definitely appears as a hated person and the only thing that would bring a person to watch such a movie is curiosity. 

How is she going to achieve this goal of hers? Is she insane? Is somebody going to tell her to just grow the f*ck up? Curiosity is what brought me in and I left with something a little more than I expected.

You'll probably like this movie if:
1. You like Charlize Theron movies.
2. You like Jason Reitman movies.

You'll probably not like this movie if:
1. High school was a time you like to forget.
2. You can't watch a movie about a unlikeable character. 

The Darkest Hour

I felt dumber after watching this.

My rating: 1 and a half reel out of 5

In Moscow, five survivors of an alien attack seek to find refuge. The unfortunate thing about some of the survivors is that they are a little on the dumb side. There is a scene where a couple of the characters open the trunk of an unlocked police car with a crowbar. I'm not familiar with Russian culture, but I'm pretty sure they would have a trunk release switch somewhere in the car. But the characters obviously reflect the intelligence of this plot-hole filled unintentionally hilarious movie. 

The Darkest Hour is another sad attempt of alien invaders coming to earth and wreaking havoc. The aliens are near invisible. If you watch closely enough you can see a flicker of light or the surge of electricity as they pass by unpowered instruments. See it quick enough and you just might survive being turned instantly into dust. If you're one of the main actors, you'll luckily survive a little longer in the aliens' grasp as they decide to drag you a little bit before they do you in. There are other limitations to the aliens but some of these points are forgotten in order to create more action and speed the story along. 

There are some good things about this film. Cinematography was nice, they made the film look good. They used the science behind Faraday Cages correctly. Special effects are pretty good. Um...the film is short. But among cheesy dialogue, plot holes, and "WTF" moments, these values hardly salvage this movie. 

You'll probably like this movie if:

1. You like B-movies. 

2. Your expectations are really low. 

3. You've never seen a movie in your life!

4. You want a good laugh.

You will probably not like this movie if:

1. You want a certain level of intelligence in a movie. 

Immortals

A short review because I saw it a month and half ago and it's a little hard to remember. That should something about the film itself.

My rating: 3 reels out of 5. 

King Hyperion has declared war on humanity and marches across Greece to find a secret weapon that could unleash the Titans and destroy humanity. A mortal man named Theseus, secretly chosen by Zeus, must lead his people against him. 

From what I remember lots of cool action with bits of super slow-motion mixed in and that's about it.

Oh, and I believe there was some female nudity.

J Edgar

It's not often I say this, but this movie was boring.

My rating: 2 and a half reels out of 5

J Edgar is a biographical drama about the life of John Edgar Hoover, director of the FBI for nearly 50 years. A man who was both feared and admired but held secrets that would ruin his image, career, and his life. 

The secrets that J Edgar had seem a little tame by today's standards. Secrets about powerful U.S. figures? Those are big secrets but J Edgar as a cross dresser? Meh. Was J Edgar secretly gay? Meh. The movie's main focus was J Edgar rather the FBI itself which seemed to me would've been the most interesting aspect of history to see. The filmmakers seemed like they were torn in different directions on how to portray J Edgar and did not fully invest themselves on ideas, such as J Edgar's rumored cross dressing behavior or his sexuality. 

The movie spans from when J Edgar first became director to his death. That is a lot of time to cover and there is a lot of skipping around. Some side stories are only touched upon and you are left to fill in the blanks with your imagination. And that is just too much information to leave for the viewer to decide. In particular, the relationships around J Edgar such as his right hand man, Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer) and his secretary, Helen Gandy (Naomi Watts). 

Leo does a great job in portraying J Edgar, but it seems like everyone is subdued around J Edgar, like everyone was told to act scared around J Edgar. Armie Hammer, the actor who played those pesky twins in The Social Network, stands out among the other actors. But my favorite bit of acting actually comes from Jeffrey Donovan (the spy in the show Burn Notice), who portrays Robert Kennedy. A small role, but fun to see his portrayal of RFK. And as J Edgar, Clyde Tolson, and Helen Gandy get older, they get drowned in make-up that becomes a little too distracting. 

As much as I can enjoy dramatic movies, this one could not sustain my interest. I found my mind wandering and was starving for action. When the action does come, it's very little. By the end, it was hard to sympathize with the character of J Edgar the filmmakers portrayed to us and I was glad to get out of the theatre.

You'll probably like this movie if:

1. You like biographical dramas. 

2. You like Leonardo Dicaprio.

You probably won't like this movie if:

1. You like a fluid storyline. 

2. You are bored by talking movies. 

Pulp Fiction in Chronological Order

Take an unconventional movie and put it in chronological order and what do you get? A movie that is still as enjoyable.

Post-modernism takes a back seat. 

Prometheus trailer

Can't believe it will be nearly 30 years since the last time Ridley Scott made a science fiction film. 

Remind you of another trailer?

The Hobbit Trailer

Return to Middle-Earth!!

It's only a year away...is it next December yet? 

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

Action, that's a little hard to believe is possible at times.

My rating: 3 and a half reels out of 5

Initial things I heard about this film: "it's intense," "I didn't realize a person could survive that long without breathing" and "better than the first two, tonight I jump on a couch and go crazy with scientology." The film met my expectations. Just like the other films the plot is just a little hard to follow and there seems to be some plot holes as well but when you have this much action and intensity, it doesn't matter.

Ethan Hunt is back, but this time him all of IMF has been disavowed after they've been implicated in the bombing of the Kremlin and him and his team have to go rogue in order to clear their names.

Ghost Protocol is the kind of film that you can leave the theatre for a minute or have your mind drift off and come back to the film and feel like you haven't missed anything. It will take a second to catch up, but that's ok. The soul of this movie is the action and there is plenty of it. The kind of action that keeps your attention, where it's possible the hero could potentially die. He is evenly matched with his nemesis and it takes every ounce of will to beat them. And just like the other movies, the action is nearly impossible to really happen in real life, which is another draw to the action this franchise provides.

The film is also the debut of Brad Bird's live action film. He is better know for movies like The Incredibles, Ratatouille, and The Iron Giant. Whether animated or live action, Brad Bird definitely knows how to craft a movie together, especially an action movie.

Ghost Protocol is definitely a worthy action movie, but just like the previous films, it's a little hard to garner a second viewing for me. I don't own any of the mission impossible movies, but if I came across it on TV, I would stop and watch it.

You'll probably enjoy this film if:
1. You like the previous Mission Impossible films.
2. You like action movies.

You probably won't like the film if:
1. You didn't like the previous Mission Impossible films.
2. You like a little bit of believability in your action.

The Dark Knight Rises Trailer

"When Gotham is in ashes, then you have my permission to die."

I know, I know, I usually try to avoid trailers, but this movie's promotional campaign is on overdrive and I don't know if I can avoid it. 

2011 - The Cinescape

Another filmography video that's edited very well. Nothing sums of the year's movies like a 6 and half minute video.

It amazes me how two different editors can basically take the same footage and create two different compelling pieces that reach a set of emotions and keep you wanting more. 

Filmography 2011

Last year, genrocks amazed with a filmography video (Filmography 2010) that showed us the beauty of cinema whether the movie was well received or not. And now they're back with an even sleeker edit. Enjoy!

G.I. Joe: Retaliation Trailer

Honestly, looks like it could be a fun movie. 

If anything, it has Dwayne Johnson.

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol similarities...anyone?

Martha Marcy May Marlene

An unsettling drama, that may or may not be messing with your mind.

My rating: 3 and a half reels out of 5 

From the beginning of the movie, there is an uneasiness about this movie that only increases as the movie starts to wear on. The uneasiness will turn into frustration, and eventually an unsettling and disturbing feeling. It's certainly a well done film to evoke such emotions in a viewer, but it's hardly a film that would garner a second viewing. 

The story centers around Martha who runs away from an abusive cult and tries to reclaim a normal life while living with her sister and brother-in-law. Haunted by painful memories, Martha's increasing paranoia and erratic behavior alarms and frustrates them.

Martha is played by Elizabeth Olsen, the lesser known younger sister of the Olsen twins. But after her performance, she'll hopefully get a little more recognition. She reminds me of a young Vera Farmiga. The leader of the cult is played by John Hawkes, who seems to be able to charm Martha and sucks her in. He nicknames her Marcy May because that's what she looks like to him. John Hawkes has become the new creepy guy to cast in movies. A role I hope he starts to shy away from because he can be disturbing and haunt your dreams. 

And he clearly is haunting Martha. The match cut editing and juxtaposition of scenes moves the viewer effortlessly through past and present or in another case, Martha's conscious and memories. This movie came out about a year late, the mind bending movies were last year such as Inception, Shutter Island, and Black Swan. You can make a good debate about whether it was all in Martha's head or not. But considering the dark nature of the film and unsettling feeling you feel afterwards, it's hard to convince someone to go watch this film so that you can make an argument with them. 

You'll probably like this film if:

1. You like independent cinema.

2. You like mind-bending movies. 

You'll probably not like this movie if:

1. You typically like happy movies. 

2. You don't like to feel disturbed by a movie. 

"Oh Martha...why you so crazy?"

The Descendants

A father tries to reconnect with his two daughters after his wife suffers a boating accident and falls into a coma.

My rating: 4 and a half reels out of 5

The Descendants begins with the over explanatory voiceover of Matt King, who explains that life on Hawaii is no different from anywhere. Families are just as dysfunctional and tears are shed just like anywhere else. Unlike everyone else, not everyone inherits land when their ancestors marry into royalty and has the option from making millions from selling said land. Besides that, Matt King is like everyone else. He has two out of control daughters and is suffering from a loveless marriage, but all things change when his wife falls into a coma after a boating accident. And once the voiceover work stops, the story is finally unfolding naturally in front of us. 

George Clooney always manages to bring the best out of his characters in his movies, even though he always looks the same. He is truly an old school type actor, something like Cary Grant. One of the actresses that stands out in this movie though is Shailene Woodley who plays the daughter, Alexandra King. As a troubled daughter, she is sent away to set herself straight. When she is brought back home, she takes on a parenting type role as her father, Matt King, still has a lot to learn. She brings a sort of ferocity to the role, but with a little bit of vulnerability. She loves her father even though he has been distant from the family. 

The Descendants doesn't explore anything new. This is not the first movie about a father trying to reconnect with his children, but it does explore reconnection in a different way through confronting the man that his wife was having an affair with. Alexander Payne always does a good job in mixing humor with drama. There seems to be a certain style to all his characters in his movies. They're like the kind of people you would get really annoyed with after a while, but you're still able to sympathize and laugh with them. 

The Descendants starts out a little rough, but eventually turns into a dramedy that Alexander Payne fans are used to.

You'll like this film if:

1. You're an Alexander Payne fan.

2. You're a George Clooney fan.

You probably won't like this film if:

1. You don't like character based movies. 

2. The trailers make the movie look boring. 

Hugo

Absolute perfection

My rating: 5 reels out of 5

From the opening moments, you are instantly transported to 1930s Paris. We open up to a cityscape of Paris and then the camera brings us in closer to a train station. Our attention focuses to a young man peeping through a number on a clock in the wall. He is our protagonist, he is Hugo Cabret. Hugo is an orphaned boy who lives in the walls of a train station who gets caught up in a mystery involving his late father and an automaton. 

Hugo is an absolute perfect movie. There was some deep thought put into every aspect of this film. The music and costume design easily reflect the time. Cinematography is stunning. The art direction is intricate, especially within the walls of the train station. Screenwriting is superb. Editing is flawless and all the cast members are the perfect fit in their roles. Martin Scorsese does a fantastic job in bringing out the best in the actors, from the extras to the major roles. 

My particular favorite roles in the film were played by Chloë Grace Moretz, Ben Kingsley, and Sacha Baron Cohen. Chloë, best known for her roles in 500 Days of Summer and Kick Ass, brings a lot of charm and a jovial performance as Isabelle. She is going to be a force to recon with in the future and does a British accent pretty well. Ben Kingsley shows the pain and suffering in a depressed toy shop owner. And Sacha Baron Cohen intelligently acts as a station inspector; a role that could've been easily too comedically goofy, but Sacha gives the right amount of humor and humanity to the role. 

From beginning to end, I was just in awe of this film. The story is fresh and brings a mystery that is not easily solved. The movie is just a great blend of humor, drama, and mystery. The film is even more enjoyable for film buffs as a little bit of film history was incorporated in. Hugo is one of those rare films that just flat out amazes you.

You'll probably like this film if:

1. You like Scorsese films.

2. You are a film buff.

You probably won't enjoy this film if:

1. You're expecting more of a kids film.

2. It just doesn't seem like it's your kind of film. 

10 Movies I Am Thankful For

Here are 10 movies I am thankful for. Some of these have personal meaning for me and others introduced the world to some of my favorite filmmakers. So, in no particular order...

1. Shaun of the Dead - Before this movie, no one (at least in America) ever heard of Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, or Nick Frost. Just one of these guys is pure gold, the combo of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost is a unstoppable, but put all three of these guys together and it is a force to be reckoned with.

2. American Beauty - The movie that changed the way I viewed movies. Which I explain in an earlier post, Taking a Look Closer. Also, the movie introduced me to one of my favorite directors, Sam Mendes. My all time favorite film. 

3. Reservoir Dogs - The film that introduced Quentin Tarantino to the world. One of my favorite directors and one of the most influential, modern directors.

4. Memento - He had Following two years earlier but I don't think it was until Memento, the film that introduced the world to Christopher Nolan. More on Nolan later.

5. Goodfellas - As far back as I remember, the film that introduced me to Martin Scorsese.

6. Star Wars - Thanks to George Lucas for this film.  My favorite film as a kid and one that spurred my imagination.

7. The Godfather - Francis Ford Coppola's masterpiece. In my opinion, the ultimate gangster film.

8. Dr Strangelove: How I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb - the film that introduced me to Stanley Kubrick, the director that inspires me to explore every genre I can. 

9. Cinema Paradiso - My favorite foreign film of all time. As a projectionist and as a filmmaker, it's a film I could highly relate to. 

10. Inception - In my lifetime, there is no other film that inspired so much conversation than Inception. People who I never talked about movies with were talking to me about this movie. It was a movie that was smart and action packed. Nolan is a filmmaker that is able to utilize every second available to tell a complicated story and plot. There is no wasted time in this movie. 

Thanks for reading! Happy Thanksgiving!

A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas

Harold and Kumar are back in a sequel that is as good as White Castle.

My rating: Three and a half reels out of 5

Harold and Kumar have changed over the years. Harold and Maria are married and are attempting to have a child without success. Kumar is a failed doctor living alone and lovesick for his ex-girlfriend. Harold and Kumar have grown apart from each other but when a mysterious package arrives at Kumar's apartment addressed to Harold, Kumar decides to pay his old friend a visit. And when Harold's father-in-law's Christmas tree gets inadvertently burned down, Harold is forced to find a replacement and save Christmas.

3D Christmas takes a simple idea like trying to find a Christmas tree and is able to make something out of it. Nothing feels forced and everything just seems to naturally happen. It's simply cause and effect, where every action leads to the next. While I never saw Guantanamo Bay, 3D Christmas follows the same formula that made White Castle so good. And of course, it has NPH...that's Neil Patrick Harris. Have to love an actor that pokes fun of himself.

The humor in this film is raunchy and some of the jokes could potentially offend some people, but there is something about this film that makes it work well. Harold and Kumar have real problems that people can relate to. Harold wants to try to please his father-in-law. Kumar misses his ex-girlfriend. These are different problems from when we first saw them in White Castle. The two characters have grown from the first film and although they are a little bit more adult, they still have a lot to learn about being an adult. Thank god for hallucinogens...

You'll probably like this film if:
1. You liked the first Harold and Kumar movie.
2. You like raunchy comedies.

You will probably not like this film if:
1. You are easily offended.
2. It's just not your kind of humor.

And while I don't think this 3D craze will last very much longer. I have to say this was the best use of 3D this year, especially when you have one of the most up to date projectors projecting it. 

Like Crazy Trailer

At Sundance 2011, I saw three movies...this was one of them. Grand Jury Dramatic Film winner and Special Jury Prize for Felicity Jones

 

The story of a British college student who falls for an American student, only to be separated from him when she's banned from the U.S. after overstaying her visa. 

If you've been in a long distance relationship, you will be able to relate to this movie. 

Opening in additional theaters this weekend including Salt Lake, so go check it out. 

The Music in You

Hey all

Been away from the blog for a while. I got sick a few weeks ago, and I finally feel like I'm 100%. I got some reviews coming up and some deep thoughts, but right now I want to share with you a video that my friends and I have been working on for the last few weeks.

This is a love song written for Emily's fiancee, who had a rough go with cancer. To find out more about their love story and what happened to Roger, check out www.dancingwithcrazy.com




Music recorded by Dave Pack and Jennifer Klenk; mixed by Dave Pack;
Production: Reifier Entertainment; Produced by Reifier Entertainment and Hullabaloo Productions

Restless

Restless is a quiet coming of age drama centered around death.

 

My rating: 3 reels out of 5

"Does anyone here know you?" Annabel (Mia Wasikowska) asks Enoch (Henry Hopper), who is a little out of place. Enoch has been crashing funerals because he is curious about death. Annabel, who is terminally ill, takes a liking to him and the two form a relationship. Enoch is a little crazy to crash funerals, but he is also "haunted" by a Japanese kamikaze pilot from World War II named Hiroshi. Enoch and Hiroshi talk about life and play Battleship when they get a chance. When you focus on those two things, Enoch may seem like he's crazy but he will appear normal to anyone around him.

Director Gus Van Sant doesn't reveal all his character's cards right at the start. Enoch may seem like a crazy kid, but the reason for his madness is revealed as the story chugs along. Mia Wasikowska and Henry Hopper have great on screen chemistry together. There is a great one-shot character building scene between the two as Enoch introduces Annabel to his parents. Both characters are cast well. Henry Hopper fits his role well as a lost kid trying to find his way around life. Mia Wasikowska plays Annabel with innocence and gentleness.

There's really nothing special about Restless. It reminds me a little bit about Gus Van Sant's biggest hit, Good Will Hunting. In fact, there is a song in the middle of this movie where the lyrics are practically taken from a scene out of Good Will Hunting. It's not that the film is poorly executed, everything about the film feels like it belongs. It just seems like I've seen this somewhere before or it doesn't really bring anything new to the table.

Movies that center around death can be tricky. It's a subject that's not easy to face in our society and our main character is surrounded by it. Hiroshi, the ghost that haunts Enoch, was someone who chose to accept death freely. Annabel is in a situation where she can't choose whether she lives or dies. And at the center of all this is Enoch, who tries to understand death. It's not an easy thing to figure out and you need the guidance of friends and family to help you get through it, even though you may not be the one dying. It's the ones that are left on this earth who have to deal with death the most.

You may like this film if:
1. You like coming of age stories.

You may not like this film if:
1. You've seen too many coming of age stories.

Drive

Drive is a stylized action crime drama...with an 80s feel to it.

My rating: four and a half reels out of five

From the start of the film it feels like you are sucked into a missing gem from the 80s. The thing that gives this film such an 80s feels is the soundtrack and it is one of the things that helps give this film such a particular style. It adds to the tone of the film which is established at the beginning and stays consistent throughout.

The film opens with our protagonist, simply called Driver, as a driver during a heist job. It's a tense driving sequence that's brilliantly told with just the sound effects of the environment around our characters. Our main character is calm, confident, and keeps a lot to himself. During the day he works as a Hollywood stunt driver for Shannon and also works in Shannon's shop. Shannon utilizes Driver in any way possible including stock car driving and for heists. Driver takes an interest in his neighbor, Irene (Carey Mulligan) and her son, but when her husband Standard (Oscar Isaac) returns home from jail, Driver agrees to help him with a job in order to protect Irene, Standard, and their son from being harmed.

Drive is not a high octane thrill ride that some might suspect. The pacing is slow after the opening sequence because the time is taken to develop all the characters in the movie. When there are car chase sequences, they're precisely executed with fantastic sound editing and on one particular sequence, great cinematography. The focus of the movie though is really more about the Driver. Driver cares about his love interest enough to protect her and that includes respecting her marriage to Standard and protecting her at all costs. Driver may have a tender heart but he is not a pushover. He holds his own and is not afraid to confront people or to stand up for himself when confronted.

Ryan Gosling, just like his other roles, plays Driver to perfection. He also has a great supporting cast around him. Carey Mulligan performance is genuine and Albert Brooks playing Bernie Rose is surprisingly ruthless. Bryan Cranston is great as Shannon, like a proud father to an extraordinary son. Finally, Ron Perlman is great in his role as Nino.

Drive is a very dark film with explosive bits of shocking violence and very little room for humor. It's a very different take on the crime genre. The film takes on styles from multiple movies, but is able to form them all into a particular style. For example, I was reminded of the protagonist from Ghost Dog and the style of violence and tone from Scarface. And some of my friends mentioned it was like Pretty in Pink meets Pulp Fiction. Overall, Drive is a unique film.

You'll probably like this film if:

1. You like great acting.

2. You like a good story.

You'll probably not like this film if:

1. You expect a film like fast and the furious.

2. You hate music that sounds like it's from the 80s.
3. If you hate graphic gory violence. 

"If I drive for you, you give me a time and a place. I give you a five-minute window, anything happens in that five minutes and I'm yours no matter what. I don't sit in while you're running it down; I don't carry a gun... I drive."

The Avengers Trailer #1

Well...I went 6 hours before I caved in and saw the trailer. I just need to not watch this trailer a 100 times.

Ever since Iron Man came out, there has been a buildup to the The Avengers movie. A brilliant idea if you ask me, introducing super heroes one at a time and then bring them all together. Not a big fan of Mark Ruffalo as the Bruce Banner yet, but pretty excited for the movie!!!

And this is one sexy image.

Real Steel

Real Steel is about as predictable as any boxing or underdog movie that comes out these days...but I couldn't help but be charmed by it.

My rating: three and a half reels out of 5

Real Steel, a dramatic sci-fi movie set in the not-too-distant future where boxing matches are fought by robots instead of humans. Charlie Kenton (Hugh Jackman) is a former boxer turned promoter, who owes a lot of money to people and who has been struggling to win any matches recently. After the mother of his estranged son dies, Charlie finds an opportunity to make some quick money and get back into competition.

Charlie Kenton is a very stubborn person and he has been making the wrong choices when it comes to gambling. To him, in order to get out of debt, he has to win big and bet big. He feels he is too good to be starting from the ground up. He has the ability to charm everyone around him but sticking with him for too long can be poisonous. As the bookie, Finn (Anthony Mackie), puts it, "I like you, but you're a bad bet." Charlie even loses the faith of long time friend/love interest/robot expert, Bailey Tallet, whose father trained and mentored Charlie when he was younger. Hugh Jackman makes the right choices when he portrays him and has the perfect look for the role. Charlie Kenton is not a perfect person, but he's someone you can root for.

Max Kenton (Dakota Goyo) is equally stubborn as his father. Max sees the wrong choices that his father makes but cannot do anything about it at first because Charlie chooses to ignore his advice. Max is able to charm people around him too and does it with puppy dog eyes at times. I was doing some research after the movie and saw that some people said the movie might be ruined for them because Dakota Goyo reminds them of Jake Lloyd from The Phantom Menace. Rest assured, he is nothing like Jake Lloyd and that is a very good thing (although I blame Jake Lloyd's acting on George Lucas, but that's a post for another time).

Charlie made the choice to exclude Max from his life from the very beginning and Max knows this. Charlie makes the choice to bring them together once again at the expense of his new guardian, but neither father or son tries to make an effort to get to know one another. When they do come to an agreement, Charlie usually does it in the way he knows best, through bargaining. There are moments of father and son bonding, fortunately it doesn't get too sappy at any point.

It's not the father and son relationship that will bring people to this movie, it's the robots smashing into each other and director Shawn Levy gives you plenty of that.  With a movie about fighting robots, having the father and son relationship in the movie gives something that people can relate to. Real Steel is not the most original movie, think Rocky with robots, but it's a movie with a lot of charm and it can bring a smile to your face. It will have you rooting for the underdog once again.

You'll probably enjoy this movie if:
1. You like boxing or underdog movies.
2. You like robots fighting each other.

You'll probably not like this movie if:
1. You hate predictable storylines.
2. Dakota Goyo reminds you too much of Jake Lloyd from The Phantom Menace

BRING IT!!!

Moneyball

My rating: Three and a half reels out of 5

This movie is getting way too much Oscar buzz. Essentially being called The Social Network of baseball movies. The problem though, it's not as good as The Social Network.

Most baseball movies usually focus on the players. With Moneyball, the focus is on the general manager and the business side of baseball. Billy Beane, (Brad Pitt) is a former baseball player and now a general manager for the Oakland A's, who attempts to put a team together with a low budget and by using computer-generated analysis to sign players.

Moneyball is really all about Billy Beane. He has the most depth out of all the characters. He's a risk taker and is defying the odds. Except for Peter Brand (Jonah Hill), most of the other staff and coaches are given one purpose: to defy what Billy Beane wants and what he is doing. He goes against the traditional ways of doing things and no one likes it. With a lot of one dimensional characters, the ensemble cast comes off as a little bland.


Moneyball is different from all other baseball movies and sports movies, and that's actually a good thing. There's no exciting dramatic finish to win a spot into the playoffs or to win a championship. There's no inspiring speech to stir up the team. It was just one man's perspective during one season of baseball, but when you only make one person interesting in the whole movie, then why should I care...

You might enjoy this movie if:
1. You like baseball movies.
2. Your favorite team is the Oakland A's.

You probably won't enjoy this movie if:
1. You think baseball is boring.
2. Your favorite team is the Oakland A's (lol).

On a personal note: I actually grew up liking Oakland A's baseball and I remember the season that this movie is based on. The movie was a little nostalgic for me and I probably liked it more than I should have because it was about my favorite team. I've kind of become a fair weather fan. As soon as I know my team is out of the playoffs, I stop paying attention. But it's because at that point, football season started. I can't even name anyone on the roster for this season. So for someone like me, I kind of forgotten all about that season. I do remember yelling at the tv during the playoffs and my dad for getting me at me because I was so loud.

Contagion

My rating: Four reels out of five.

Contagion is not your typical outbreak-type movie and I'm glad. Contagion is a thriller with all-star cast about a deadly virus that kills within days, about those struggling to survive, and the ones combating the disease.

Some people looked at the previews and thought, this film looks like Outbreak. Outbreak was more of a thriller action piece where Contagion is a thriller drama and is more character focused. Among the characters are everyday man, Mitch Emhoff (Matt Damon) whose wife is one of the early victims from the disease. Dr. Ellis Cheever (Laurence Fishburne), who directs the battle against the virus from the Center of Disease Control in Atlanta. Field agent Dr. Erin Mears (Kate Winslet), combating the disease from the front lines. Dr. Ally Hextall (Jennifer Ehle), trying to find a cure in the lab.

The one problem with having so many actors in a film is not all of them will get enough screen time and some characters might be more interesting than other. Some characters may even detract from the story. There are many characters in this film but if there is anyone that masters multiple character stories, it's Stephen Soderbergh. Stephen Soderbergh brought us Traffic and Ocean's Eleven (those happen to be the last films he's made that have stuck with me after viewing). The screen time with the characters in Contagion might be a little limited, but every character has depth to them because of the flaws that they have (and it helps to have an Oscar-nominated actor portraying them).

Contagion is a haunting film. It's a realistic and unnerving look at contagious deadly virus. And at one point it almost seemed apocalyptic. For the impressionable mind, it can probably leave you a little paranoid and a little scared to touch anything without a glove. It's best not to worry about such things. People interact with other people everyday. As far as I know, a deadly virus doesn't break out everyday.

You'll probably enjoy this film if:
1. You like character dramas.
2. You like Stephen Soderbergh films.

You probably won't like this film if:
1. You're expecting something like Outbreak.
2. You find it hard to follow multiple characters.

Expectations couldn't be any higher.

There are a lot of factors that can make or break your movie going experience...one thing that can make or break it...expectations.

"Expectations couldn't be any higher." - Coach Gary Gaines, Friday Night Lights

My friend the other night told me how Contagion wasn't what he expected it to be. He enjoyed the movie, but he was expecting something different from the documentary-like film that was given to us. It made me think of how my expectations for movies has changed over the years. There were movies I would have high expectations for and when those expectations were not met, I was usually disappointed. Nowadays, I have learned to let go of my expectations and just enjoy the show.

Friday Night Lights mentioned above was one of the earliest movies that I remembered that I had high expectations for and those expectations were at least met. When I first saw the teaser trailer, I was pumped. I couldn't wait to see the movie. I even went out and bought the book the movie was based on. And despite knowing how the story ended and seeing the trailer many times, I was still able to enjoy the movie.

Transformers 2 was the most recent and last movie I had high expectations for. I watched the trailer for it so many times, I lost count. The trailer was just full of energy and it got me excited for the movies like all trailers should (but not all of them do). I enjoyed the first Transformers movie and I loved the subtitle of the movie, Revenge of the Fallen. If you're going to make a trilogy, the bad guys need to win in the second movie. When the movie finally came out...needless to say, I was disappointed.

Lessons learned from Transfromers 2:
1. Never have high expectations for a Michael Bay film.
2. Never watch a trailer more than a few times (unless it's based on a book and you've read the book already and know what's going to happen).
3. NEVER have high expectations for a Michael Bay film.

I have a friend, who chooses to not know anything for big tent pole release movies. He doesn't watch previews, TV spots, or read anything about the movie. For example, the Harry Potter movies, he would not read the book until after he saw the movie. I thought I would try out this no-trailer-watching method out on a movie. I had a chance to fully test this method out at the 2010 Sundance film festival where it was very easy to avoid watching or hearing anything about a movie. I saw roughly 32 films, and just about enjoyed most of them but it was probably because I was on an independent film high and it was a nice change from main stream films.

I continued the experiment with a popular film, Iron Man 2 (I actually first tried to experiment with Avatar, but I ended up only watching the trailer once). It is extremely difficult to not watch a trailer for a popular movie because it's usually on the trailer pack for everything you watch. To counter this, I would either have to wait out in the hallway until trailers are done, or I would bring in my headphones and listen to music over certain trailers I didn't want to see. I experimented a few more times with some popular films but in the end, I learned that knowing very little about a film before going in, doesn't make the film any better.

The positives about knowing as little as possible. I enjoy the comedies a little more. Almost all the time, you will find the funniest scenes in the trailer. By not watching the trailer, you're hearing the funniest jokes for the first time. And by not watching a trailer, you can eliminate any possible spoilers that may have been in the trailer.

Today, I still try to avoid trailers as much as possible but when I do see a trailer I really like, I don't watch it a hundred times. This has helped me reduce my expectations for a movie. A lot of the times, a trailer could be misleading. I've seen enough movies to dissect a story and I figure out most movies by the end of the first act, so there's usually nothing that surprises me anymore. Most of the time when I am going into a movie, all I know is the plot and actors and sometimes I don't even know what the plot is. I even try to avoid reviews and other people's opinions when I can.

I finally learned never to have high expectations for a movie. It just sets you up for disappointment. I've learned never to expect what a movie will be like based on a trailer, because trailers can deceive you. I can finally just sit back and let the movie unfold in front of me.

What was the last movie you saw where you had high expectations that were not met? Or it wasn't what you expected?

50/50

The other day I was lucky enough to catch a promo screening of 50/50.

Introducing my rating system: 4 and a half reels out of 5. (Now I just need images)

I've never had to deal with cancer in any sort of way but if I was to deal with it in any way then I would imagine it would be something like this movie. I know I'll be fine because I'll have close friends that will always try to make me smile (and take advantage of a situation in order to get laid). I'll have a overbearing mother to look after me. And maybe I'll have a significant other at my side to support me. Cancer is not an easy subject to buy into but the filmmakers treat the subject with respect and humor. I believe anyone can relate to the film whether they have had cancer, knew someone with it, or has never had it but maybe fears it a little.

Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt - 500 Days of Summer, Brick) is a normal straight-arrowed guy. He jogs, he works...he recycles. He has a best friend, a girlfriend, and an overbearing mother. His life is interrupted when he is diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in his back. We follow Adam as he goes through therapy with Katherine (Anna Kendrick - Up In The Air, Scott Pilgrim Vs The World ) who may be a little inexperienced to deal with a case such as Adam. And we meet fellow patients Mitch and Alan (Matt Frewer and Phillip Baker hall) who act as another support base when others in Adam's fail to come through.

The structure of the story is not anything new. What makes this film work is the cast and every part is cast perfectly. Joseph Gordon-Levitt been mainly doing independent films but thanks to Christopher Nolan and Inception, JGL seems to be a little more popular these days. He quietly but powerfully plays his role as Adam. Angelica Huston plays Adam's overbearing mother. The way they played off each other in one scene, I nearly lost it. To balance out the heavy dramatic stuff, we have Seth Rogen playing Adam's best friend, Kyle. Seth Rogen's character is pretty much like any other one of his characters in other movies, but played with some more heart. It made me think that if I ever was diagnosed with a potentially terminal disease, I know my friends' humor would help me get through things because with all things in life, you have to have a little humor.

This film is simply told. It will make you cry and it will make you laugh. It's not a film that would offend anyone. It's a film that might make you take a closer look at some of the relationships in your life and appreciate what you have. You probably didn't need a film to show you such things, but it's hard to watch a film about cancer and not be emotionally moved.

Sidenote: I am a little bias towards Joseph Gordon-Levitt movies. 

Taking a look closer...

The other day I was asked..."What's your favorite movie?" I come across this question a lot and it is usually brought up after I mention I was a film student in college. For the longest time, I would say American Beauty. For me, it was the movie that changed the way I saw movies and my career choice. However, I can't tell you the last time I saw this movie and I rarely get urges these days to watch it. It has lost its rewatch value with me. Don't get me wrong, it's a great movie. I'm just not going out of my way to watch it. So does this mean I don't have one all-time favorite anymore?

The simple question of what is my favorite movie is a difficult question to answer for me these days. Simply because I have too many movies to choose from now. There's no way I can choose one over the other because every movie has a different taste and texture. If we simplify into one type of movie, then it's a little easier. When you ask me what's my favorite zombie movie, I will say Shaun of the Dead. My favorite football movie, Friday Night Lights. Picking one all-time favorite movie out of thousands I've seen...becoming increasing difficult.

The two movies I mentioned above, I could watch over and over and I do go out of my way to watch them when I get the urge. So do repeated viewings entail that it is your favorite movie of all time? No, because I watched Independence Day in theatres 14 times when I was younger and Gladiator 11 times. All those times they were in theatres (good thing I was working in a theatre by the time Gladiator came out, didn't pay anything to see it). How many times have I watched those movies on dvd at home? 1 to 2 times each. Some movies are just better on the big screen or with a kick ass home system, which I don't have. And if watching a movie x amount of times would define your favorite movie, then Star Wars would be my favorite movie of all time. I've lost count though of how many times I've seen it.

When it comes down to it, American Beauty was a sentimental thing for me. Before, I was just into your typical blockbuster type of movies, lots of action and violence...no thought usually needed. Afterwards, I had a deeper appreciation for movies, of any genre. American Beauty was essesntially the first grown up film I ever liked. I felt something emotional stir inside of me and it was something I had never gotten from watching a movie before. It established that I could find a way to relate to a movie in some way. Movies that engage me through emotion, thought, or technical merit are the movies that stay memorable for me these days.  American Beauty doesn't have the impact it once did, all movies lose that initial impact after a while. After thinking about it a little more..."what's my favorite movie" is no longer a difficult question. American Beauty really is my favorite movie of all-time.

So what's your all-time favorite movie? and Why?

Well...I'm back.

A long time ago...in a blog far, far, away. Well, not far away but it was a long time ago. An obsessed movie fan try to start a blog and didn't keep up with it, but it's ok because the writing sucked and he had no idea what he was doing. But I'm back now by popular demand. Well, not by popular demand but apparently there are some people out there who care what I have to say. So here we are again, my new blog...Switching Reels. Where I will share with you my thoughts, reviews, and everything else related to movies.

Watch for the cigarette burns...