Review: The Ghost Writer

The Ghost Writer (2010)
starring: Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan, Kim Cattrall, Olivia Williams
dir. Roman Polanski

Chinatown, Frantic, The Ninth Gate, and The Tenant all share one key component. The main character is in over their head and think they are smarter than they really are. From this idea comes a level of twisted comedy as the protagonist struggles with everything and everyone to find some kind of answer. In most cases the lone hero ends up failing miserably. This is something most people can relate to.

There is a moment in The Ghost Writer when Ewan McGregor's character, simply known as "The Ghost", wants to see where the body of his predecessor was found washed up on a beach. He borrows a bike to ride there. His first attempt to hop on the bike proves fruitless as the tires sink into the gravel of the drive, and no matter how hard he pedals to push himself out, he simply falls over. That's pretty much his character in a nutshell and Polanski gives it to us with simple grace and humor.

Filled with little moments, this movie may not live up to the classics that Polanski has given us in the past, but is shows a sure hand and a man who understands that even the slightest little gesture can make a mediocre scene hum with life and atmosphere. It's a movie that shows that what is happening on screen isn't half as dangerous as what is happening off screen. It's a confidence in storytelling that has always set him apart from the pack.

No matter how ridiculous the climax of the film is, odds are you wont see it coming. The pieces of the puzzle fit together, and it is thrilling to be guided by a master storyteller with a unique voice.

There is only two rules to remember when sitting down to watch this: Don't turn your brain off and bring your sense of humor.

8.7 out of 10

Review: Bad Lieutenant: Port Of Call New Orleans

Bad Lieutenant: Port Of Call New Orleans (2009)
starring: Nicholas Cage, Eva Mendes, Val Kilmer, Xzibit, Brad Dourif, Jennifer Coolidge
dir. Warner Herzog

Considering the film tends to have moments that meander, this is a blast, due in large part to some great performances. Cage has been getting some mighty praise for his balls to the wall drug addled, back spasming corrupt cop and he deserves the praise. As a mater of fact it's right up there with Richard Widmark's insane turn as Tommy Udo in Kiss Of Death (1947). I only bring that up since both characters torment elderly women in wheelchairs. It's a blast to watch Cage act (if he's acting) and reminds us that he is a great talent that has to take one to many pay check jobs. His Lt. Terrance McDounagh is one for the books

But there are a few stand outs that ned to be recognized as well. Jennifer Coolidge has lost her botoxed lips and delvers a fabulous serious turn as a drunk girlfriend to McDounagh's father who is struggling with his recovery. The other actor to mention is J.D. Evermore who is almost as off the hook as Cage. Never going over the top, Evermore delivers the word "Wow" with a variety of expression and a flabbergasted shake of the head that sells a character as well as a stunning piece of humor. It's a great bit and he is one of the few cast members that really holds his own against the tornado that is Cage.

Herzog seemed a head-scratcher of a choice when he wa selected to direct, but it makes sense when it is all put together. McDounagh runs the same route as most Herzog protagonists; driven, bordering on obsessive as well as self-destructive. The post Katrina New Orleans is a good place for Herzog as he allows his camera to find those places that are tucked away in the lower income districts of the city. He also get to throw in a few of his flourishes with imaginary iguanas, a water snake and a patient alligator. Cage even gets to perform the spin into frame that Herzog and Klaus Kinsky used in so many of their collaborations. Another director may have been able to make this movie, but only Herzog could make it as bat-shit-crazy as it is and make the audience feel as if it were real.

There is a lot of talent in this movie and the thing that really keeps it from being a classic is the middle portion that struggles to find it's feet, but finally does, for what becomes a text book lesson in irony by the third act.

If you can handle some dark humor and some dark situations, this is worth a look. Don't be expecting a Harcey Kietel and Abel Ferarra film here, this one belongs to Cage and Herzog.

7.7 out of 10

Review: Pontypool

Pontypool (2008)
starring: Stephen McHattie, Lisa Houle, Georgina Reilly, Hrant Alianok
dir. Bruce McDonald

Zombie movies are a dime a dozen these days and out of every ten movies maybe there are twenty minutes of decent filmmaking. And when it comes to originality, forget about it. There have been some stand-outs, but these tend to be comedies like Shaun Of The Dead (2004) or Zombieland (2009). Even the Father of the zombie film George Romero's recent output could be called at its best flawed, at its worst unwatchable.

Now there is Pontypool, an original zombie movie that is more than just a zombie movie. It's a film about language, the flow of information, and wordplay. What makes this such a great movie is its perspective.

The brilliant Stephen McHattie plays Grant Mazzy a morning DJ at a small radio station in the Canadian town of Pontypool. He's an instigator, a shock jock, relegated to reading off weather reports and local news. This is the bottom of the barrel for him. He continually battles with his producer, played equally as well by Lisa Houle while sneaking liquor into his coffee mug. Then the first reports start coming in that zombies are attacking. It's confusing to our heroes and made even more confusing that the story never goes outside of the station, almost like War Of The Worlds where we only learn from scattered reports leaking in from the outside. It's this limited perception that adds to the tension and McDonald's incredible choice in camera placement that drives the growing dread home.


And these aren't just your regular walking dead. The virus that turns our innocent townsfolk into blood spitting, rage filled zombies is a new one for the books of the undead. The concept isn't wholly original, but it is for the zombie film and that makes this an even bigger breakthrough.

Tight, tense, great acting and great characters make this mini universe movie a must see for horror fans and cineaste alike. A great piece of filmmaking from script to cast to execution. This is easily my favorite "least seen" film of the year and may even be in the top ten of the year.

9.5 out of 10

Review: 2012

2012 (2009)
starring: John Cusack, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton, Amanda Peet, Amanda Peet, Danny Glover
dir. Roland Emmerich

I'm going to say up front that I thought this movie was a blast. It is utter garbage, but it is a blast. Perhaps long in the tooth by the time you reach the final half-hour, but getting to that point is a lot of fun. Now, whether this is a good movie or not depends on a single factor. Was this gigantic wheel of cheese rolling down a hill at mach 5 intentional or not? How did Roland Emmerich approach this?

For the actors, they are in on the joke. There is no way in hell a cast of this caliber didn't realize this movie was nothing more than crap melodrama wrapped in a CGI machine of gigantic proportions. For that they get credit. There is not a single wink at the screen. A performance never becomes comedic for any other reason than to deliver a surface level joke. Every actor knows they are simply dialog delivery devices to make the disaster sequences stick together. In some ways, this is Emmerich's masterpiece. He has been able to boil down character to the minimal amount of broth needed to support the effect houses in charge of blowing up the planet. You never feel for anyone, but understand you are supposed to. In this type of film that's all you need. I dare anyone to say they felt true emotion for a character in disaster epics like The Towering Inferno (1974), or Earthquake (1974). If you have, then look in the mirror and try some self-examination.

Now the bigger questions lay in what Emmerich is trying to say with this type of movie. He is the reigning Irwin Allen and is able to tell a story clearly and cleanly unlike the blurry epilepsy inducing visuals of Michael Bay (I am using the word story loosely here). But does he want there to be more to it than just explosions? Right off the bat, I want to say no. It appears that Emmerich has resigned himself to making giant escapist cinema that wants to wow audiences with explosions and crumbling landmarks. He attempted to dig a little deeper with The Patriot (2000) when it came to exploring father son relationships or (less so) with the crapfest 10,000 BC (2008) as a love story. With 2012 he has tossed out any form of depth and stuck with what he knows best, spectacle. On that level alone he is successful.

But, if Emmerich's goal was to delve into the goodness of humanity and how our willingness to risk our lives to help others, he has failed completely. The relationships are shallow, the dialog clunky, and subtlety is a rock bashing us over the head. So it simply comes down to what is it that Emmerich is shooting for here. Is it possible to enjoy this movie? Of course. The X generation has firmly implanted a sense of irony into the human condition and we can scream, "This is a great movie" with no sense of shame. The film lover in me, the one that believes that cinema is worth more than two hours of explosions and lazy cliches knows it's just a piece of junk. So If Emmerich is in on the joke, good for him. If he sees himself as a serious filmmaker subverting content with CGI to lure in an audience, sorry Emmerich, no sale.

(Irony) 8.5 out of 10
(Legit) 4 out of 10

Review: A Serious Man

A Serious Man (2009)
starring: Michael Stuhlbarg, Richard Kind, Fred Melamed, Sari Lennick, Adam Arkin, Fyvush Finkel
dir. Joel & Ethan Coen

The Coen brothers have been two of the more interesting filmmakers to watch evolve over the years and A Serious Man is another step in that evolution. It may feel like the distant cousin to Barton Fink(1991), or contain some of the same visual style as Blood Simple (1984) and Fargo (1996), but this is a film of a different beast that may deliver one of the more theologically debatable endings in recent years.

The story revolves around Larry Gopnik and his decent into chaos. His wife is leaving him for another man, his tenure may not be approved and a student is threatening to sue over a bad grade. Plus his brother is getting into trouble, his kids are fighting over money stolen from Larry's wallet and every Rabbi that Larry seeks consolation from can't deliver.

The film feels like the story of Job with a new ending that asks the audience to think about our own actions in life. Every scene seems to push Larry further and further into a spiritual hole that he just can't seem to dig himself out of.

The glue to this film is an amazing performance by Stuhlbarg as Larry. You feel the weight of his shoulders as he suffers emotional blow after emotional blow. He's so good if he doesn't get a best actor nomination then I'll have lost as much faith as Larry does in the film.

The one thing that also needs pointing out is the sound design. It's a knockout! Complex, precise, and it adds to the atmosphere more than it has in the brothers past films. Which is saying a lot since all of their films have amazing sound design.

The Coen's have delivered another piece of art that my cause some Barton Fink flashbacks, but feels emotionally like the flip side off the No country For Old Men (2007) coin. This isn't a film for everyone and challenges even the more devout Coen fans. But it's a remarkable and seemingly personal piece of work that comes from the mind of two brothers who do nothing but surprise us time and time again.

9 out of 10

Review: Paranormal Activity

Paranormal Activity (2009)
starring:Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat, Michael Bayouth
dir. Oren Peli

It was exactly 10 years ago the The Blair Witch Project (1999) opened up and became one of the summers biggest hits. It introduced the movie going public to what would grow into it's own sub-genre. These micro-budget horror films shot in a pseudo-documentary style have become a part of our popular culture and have ranged from a giant monster movie like Cloverfield (2008) to the annoying couple become fish food film Open Water (2003).

Paranormal Activity has had a long and strange journey. The word of mouth from Anne Thompson back in 2007 was great but it couldn't find distribution. There was an offer to remake it, but not release it in the original form. No matter how well test screening did, offers never came in.

They finally secured a deal, with midnight screenings and the opportunity to sign an online petition to have it released nation wide. I'm not sure if it is a publicity stunt, but it seems to be working. The tally is around eight-hundred thousand and rising by the minute. The goal is one million. So everyone will have an opportunity soon.

As for the movie it self, it will be looked at the same way as Blair Witch. Those who got in early before the hype grows out of control will love it. Those who see it after buzz hits the tipping point will hate it. Those who enjoy seeing the process of how a horror film works at manipulating the audience will find it very educational.

Here's the plot: Boyfriend buys video camera to capture strange things happening in the house at night. Camera starts catching weird stuff that slowly grows and grows until the final shot, which is designed to deliver a sharp shriek of fear and an uneasy feeling that all is not well in the world.

It's does contain some forced moments to try and tie the plot together , but Featherston and Sloat make a convincing couple with all of the quirks and idiosyncrasies that make couples lovable and annoying. They're fun to watch and you feel for them as they dig themselves deeper and deeper into the paranormal world.

This is a movie for folks who love horror that isn't about gore but the slow build. Outside of that, it is a fascinating experiment to see a potential model for distribution.

7.7 out of 10

Review: Whiteout

Whiteout (2009)
staring: Kate Beckinsale, Gabriel Macht, Columbus Short, Tom Skerritt
dir. Dominic Sena

A real waste of time and potential. Go and read the graphic novels by Greg Rucka, they are superior in every way. Bad dialog, shit direction and bland acting. It felt like the actors wanted to get off the screen as much as I wanted to get out of the theater.

I would like to point out a moment that got some big laughs for the audience. Unintentional, of course. Carrie Stetko, played by Beckinsale keeps having crappy flashbacks of a situation gone wrong. She and her partner have arrested some drug trafficker and have holed u in a hotel for some unknown reason. They handcuff the guy to one of the beds and Stetko decides to get some rest. She wakes up and sees the empty handcuffs on the bedpost where her Bad Guy once was. Her narration spouts, "I felt something was wrong as soon as I woke up." No shit, the guy is gone sweetie. Open handcuffs, hmmmm that seems fishy. Fuck, it was just ridiculous.

I will give props to some of the production design. there was some decent work done there guys, unfortunately the director only knows how to do closeups of faces, so the odds of your work getting any screen time are little to none. Sorry.

Oh, I'll also give credit to Skerritt. Not for his acting, but for his attempt to look as much like Kris Kristofferson as possible. Apparently Kristofferson had something better to do than this role. Like clean up the dog shit from his back yard.

It's just a shame, there was so many possible for tension and horror and mystery that just seems tossed out and wasted. If you can't figure out who the bad guy in in ten minutes, you're not paying attention. No matter how hard they try to pull a shifty eyed dog on you.

4 out of 10

Review: Chéri

Chéri (2009)

starring: Michelle Pfeiffer, Rupret Friend, Kathy Bates

dir. Stephen Frears

Meh. Which is an awful thing to say about a movie with this kind of pedigree. Directed by Stephern Frears, written by Christopher Hampton and starring Michelle Pfeiffer with subject matter about courtesans during the Belle Epoch, should be the perfect mix. These folks have come together previously for the brilliant Dangerous Liaisons (1988), so any film lover is wringing their hands in anticipation.

Well, it just doesn't come together this time. You have a great performance by Pfeiffer, some solid direction, some solid writing, but it never really clicks. It lacks an energy, or a balance that never lifts this up to even a good movie. It's a disappointment which is more than depressing.

The biggest flaw for me came in the choosing of Rupert Friend. Nothing about him is appealing. He isn't attractive, the performance is one note, never allowing for any kind of depth. Sure, that may be the point of the character, but Friend is charmless as Chéri. It's that lack of charm that makes him repulsive and impossible to understand the attraction that Pfeiffer's character Lea has for him. He's just a pain in the ass, why or how could a woman who has so much sophistication fall for this selfish child. It's not like she needs his money. Maybe he has a huge dick? They never say either way.

There are moments that really shine, but in the end it is a slightly sub-par movie that tries to deliver a dramatic punch with a final shot, that is very similar to Dangerous Liaisons, accompanied by a piece of narration that seems more fitting than tragic.

6 out of 10

Review: The Hurt Locker

The Hurt Locker (2008)

starring: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Ralph Fiennes, David Morse, Guy Pierce

dir. Kathrine Bigelow

This is my favorite film of the year so far. I've seen it twice and one of the most impressive things that a movie can do is maintain its tension on a second viewing. This film does that in spades.

It's like the Alfred Hitchcock theory on suspense. Show a person set a timer on a bomb and place it under a table. Then watch unsuspecting people sit down at the table and have a conversation. The audience will be on the edge of their seat wondering if the bomb will go off while the people sit there unknowingly. The Hurt Locker is a two hour version of that theory impeccably executed.

This is a film that also works on quite a few levels. Yes, it's an indictment of war and the soldiers on the ground. it is a film about urban warfare and how everyone is suspect. It's a film about decisions and how one wrong move can have great effect on everyone around you. But at it's heart, it is about addiction. This is a movie that uses the war genre as a metaphor for addictive behavior and how that will not only kill the abuser, but leave a trail of wreckage that the abuser never even acknowledges that he or she is responsible for.

Our addict in this case is Jeremy Renner giving an amazing performance as Staff Sergeant William James, the head of a bomb disposal unit. He's an adrenaline junkie, always looking for the next hit to supply those endorphins that keep him up. What really makes his performance so great is his willingness to remain completely ignorant of what is really going on inside of him. There are a few moments of clarity, but they pass, because he's a junkie and junkies only love one thing... Junk.

One of the better and very understated moments in this movie is his "quest for revenge". He ventures out of the base, after curfew, to look for the people responsible for killing a young boy he befriended. His pacing, nervous ticks and chain smoking feel and take on the appearance of a junkie looking for a hit. It's uncanny, but fits in so well within the context of the war film that it could easily be overlooked. This entire sequence isn't about revenge, but about the rush and when Renner's character discovers there will be no rush, his dealer is dry, he slinks away settling for a moment of physical abuse done to him by unknowing soldiers.

Anthony Mackie and Brian Geraghty are pitch perfect as soldiers who see the danger of their situation and can't get out of it. They understand that one wrong decision could get them killed and are frightened by the addict that leads them, but also have a certain admiration and want to be more like him.

Bigelow is at the top of her game as she builds sequences that are taut and riddled with tension on all sides. There isn't a single moment when you don't feel that something could go wrong or someone could easily die. It's filmmaking at its finest and Bigelow proves she is not only a great female filmmaker, but better than other action directors like the incompetent Michael Bay or the clueless Mc G. Though I do suspect that Bay has quite a few things in common with Renner's Staff Sergeant.

Maybe with the Academy upping the number of best picture nominees, this film will break through and find the much larger audience that it deserves. It's genre filmmaking with a heart and a head that outweighs anything that has come out this summer and will easily be up there at the end of the year.

10 out of 10

Review: Transformers Revenge Of The Fallen

Transformers Revenge Of The Fallen (2009)
starring: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, CGI robots
dir. Michael Bay


This has two moments that I enjoyed:

1. Shia Labeouf screaming like a girl as he's being attacked in his dorm room.

2. A couple shots on the Pyramid in Egypt as robots fight and the pyramid crumbles around them.

These two things equal about 45 seconds in a film that runs two and a half hours.

Fuck this movie, fuck Michael Bay and fuck you fools who walked out of the show I was at claiming that this is a good movie. Wake up you zombified morons.

1.5 out of 10

Review: The Proposal

The Proposal (2009)

starring: Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Betty White, Craig T. Nelson, Mary Steenburgen, Oscar Nunez

dir. Anne Fletcher


To walk into this romcom expecting anything more than what hundreds if not thousands of these movies have given us before would be naive. So how do I discuss a movie I was born to dislike. Well, first dislike is too strong, maybe worse, I'd have no feelings for it whatever.

This is very by the numbers and risks nothing to make a single person think that for one minutes these two crazy kids wont get together by the end. Maybe that is impossible. Would the audience for a movie of this type tear the seats out of the theater if there wasn't a happy ending?

The only way to look at this film is using the following criteria:

1. Chemistry of the leads.

2. The jokes.

3. The wacky side characters.

Under those guide lines, here we go.

Reynolds and Bullock are fine together, you've seen worse. Reynolds is especially good when he reacts versus actual acting. he's got a great face when it comes to responding to the over-the-top situations around him. When he opens his mouth, take it or leave it. Bullock gives us exactly what a person wants from Sandra Bullock. A strong woman overcompensating for a heart afraid of being injured. Isn't that who we all are inside. On a side note though, she gets pretty naked and looks stunning. So you keep it up Sandra, the gym does have its benefits.

The jokes tend to fall flat. One or two land, though for the life of me I can't tell you what they are. Most are from the wacky side characters which leads us into...

Betty White. The woman is a comic genius. She's completely wasted in this film but damned if she doesn't give it her all. She has so much energy and spark, she might be more fun to have sex with than Bullock. Honestly Betty, call me.

The other side character of note is Oscar Nunez. You know him best as Oscar, the homosexual accountant from The Office. In this film he plays a small town homosexual business owner. It's a small stretch, I know, but he goes for it. It feels like a role that was written for Hank Azaria and Nunez comes off like a lightweight Azaria in all his scenes.

In a summer that is ruled by special effects and giant explosions, this is a nice diversion. If you're into nice. It is as safe as safe can be and will offend only those who expect something from it. But those people are stupid to begin with. I'd say stay away, but this is a movie that does nothing to damage the quest for real cinema. Its biggest offense is that it's harmless

7 out of 10

Review: The Taking Of Pelham 123

The Taking Of Pelham 123 (2009)
starring: Denzel Washington, John Travolta, John Turturro, James Gandolfini, Luis Guzman
dir. Tony Scott

I'm a huge fan of the original film from 1974. I thought Walter Matthau as the sarcastic transit cop hero of the movie was inspired and Robert Shaw's cold blooded hijacker priceless. So when I first saw the cast for this remake I almost had to cause self harm. In what universe did John Travolta come anywhere close to Shaw? Sure Denzel Washington is a great actor, but he doesn't have the thing that made Matthau. No way was this going to be any good.

I finally decided after mocking the previews, posters, the career of Tony Scott and just the fact that remakes are sketchy at best, I decided to change my point of view. Call it a moment of clarity. I have come to the conclusion that remakes need to be looked at like cover bands. How is the material treated? Is it trying to be like the original or a springboard for something new? Can it stand on its own two feet or collapse under its own pretensions. This is how I've decided to look at remakes since, no matter how hard I want them to go away, remakes are here to stay.

So all that being said, this remake is pretty passable. It's failings come from director Tony Scott whose evolution into ADD filmmaking has become an albatross he can't, or wont, shake. Due to the fact that the flm s mostly rooted in a subway tunnel, it does restrict Scott from going bat shit crazy with the visuals, but you can tell he's trying to break out at every possible moment. His style, which seems to have no rhyme or reason ends up killing any sort of tension. It makes one long for the days of Crimson Tide (1995) and True Romance (1993).

That being said, screenwriter Brian Helgeland brings some fun twists to the story and refers back to the original novel more than the 1974 version. Sure there is some hokey dialog, but Washington and Travolta pull it off. They may not be the originals, but they bring uniquely flawed characters to life in a very watchable summer movie. Gandolfini is great as the Mayor who's role was expanded from the original and provides some of the highlights of the movie.

The one thing I do miss and wish there was more of was the feeling of the city. The original had a sense of New York and it felt like a character, this version could have been in Pittsburgh and you'd never know. Location was not a priority for Scott even tough the script wishes it was.

I may sound as if I'm being harsh on the film, which is fine because it's far from great, but I have to say it never felt like a waste of time. I won't be waiting feverishly for a Blu-ray, but if I see it on cable in the future, I'll stop and give it a watch before seeing if something better is on.

7.8 out of 10

Review: Land Of The Lost

Land Of The Lost (2009)

starring: Will Ferrell, Anna Friel, Danny McBride

dir: Brad Siberling

Not a kids film, not a movie for adults, so it's just a muddled mess. I was bored through most of it and I really enjoy Ferrell and McBride quite a bit, but nothing they do here is fun, well McBride has a couple moments.

One reviewer I read gave it credit for having campy looking visual effects, which were on purpose. An interview with Siberling said he wanted it to feel real so went with realistic looking effects. So we'll then say the effects are a failure as well.

If you were a fan of the show, you'll be let down, if your a fan of the actors, you'll be let down. If you are a fan of movies in general, you'll be let down. If you're a fan of this film, you've let me down.

5.5 out of 10

Review: Moon

Moon (2009)
starring: Sam Rockwell, Kevin Spacey
dir. Duncan Jones


This is a pretty damned good science fiction film. Some of the advanced word had comparisons to 2001 (1968). So when I walked in I was waiting for a head trip. That wasn't what I was going to get, but it wasn't what was intended either. What I first felt as disappointment, turned into a level of admiration as the film continued to roll around in my head for the next few days. When that happens you know there is more going on there. It may not be 2001, it's more of a thinking mans Outland (1981), which in itself sounds odd, but works quite well here.

Sam Rockwell proves that he is one of the best talents working today. He continually gives layered performances and this is no exception. To go into more detail about his work here would give away the key plot of the movie, so I'll just say it's an incredible job and Rockwell deserves major praise.

Director Duncan Jones in his feature debut shows skill with the camera. I was blown away to find out they only spent five million dollars on this movie. It is visually arresting and Jones finds the right moments to sell the world he has created. His decision to use practical effects and models instead of CGI for key scenes is great to see. It ads a tangibility that today's computer work seems to lack.

Last and certainly not least is the score by Clint Mansell who delivers atmosphere and emphasis that drives the the film home and wraps it up into one very tight package.

This isn't going to be opening wide, so keep your eyes open because it's an intelligent piece of science fiction that we don't see a lot of anymore.

8.5 out of 10

Review: The Hangover

The Hangover (2009)
starring: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha, Ken Jeong, Heather Graham
dir. Todd Phillips


Is this a funny film? Yes. That's all I asked for and I got it. It's not a movie as much as it's a concept piece using several skits and the theme of finding a lost friend to tie it all together. This isn't a film about change or building character, it's about setup and punchline. Looking at it from that point of view it delivers and is firing on all four cylinders.

Todd Phillips keeps the pace moving and creates a very visually appealing movie. It's nice not to see flat lighting and a wide/medium/closeup photography. He's good with comedy as long as he's given a good script. Just look at Starsky & Hutch (2004) or School For Scoundrels (2006) to understand his limitations. He can't improve, he can only deliver the package in hand.

I ran into Ed Helms at a party once and he was kind of a jerk, so I just don't like him. therefore I can't tell you if he was any good in this, all I could see was the jerk. Cooper plays a dick well and can look good doing it with stylish clothes and copious amounts of hair product. Galifianakis is the breakout. His stand up comedy, ore like performance art, is brilliant and he gets a chance to show off some of his skills with his man child character. He's sweet, a little demented and could be scary in the right circumstances.

It's a really funny movie and worth the price of admission. There is over the top humor and some subtle moments that might slip by if your not paying attention. It wants to make you laugh and nothing more. Mission accomplished.

8 out of 10

Review: Up

Up (2009)
starring: Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai, Delroy Lindo, Bob Peterson
dir.Pete Doctor


This is another great film from Pixar. Is it really a shock anymore? These people have a batting average that would put any studio to shame. Even the lesser films are better than most. When it comes to choosing the best movie, it's all about personal taste.

I have request. Make a film that just sucks. I want to see what one of those are like. Shoot for something really lofty with ambition and go after it with the conviction and passion that you show all your other films. Then just tank it. Get a tomato rating of 16%. Really toss it in the gutter just so an audience can see how badly you can screw the pooch. Don't make anything offensive, like the already mentioned pooch screwing, just something that falls flat on it's face. In the end it will be nothing but beneficial for you.

Your stuff is so damned good that it's almost starting to feel boring. "Oh look, another piece of art from Pixar" Yawn. Can't you see that we're getting bored of giving you money for something good while most of the movie industry takes our cash and shafts us for two hours. Stop being such iconoclasts and get aboard the crap boat.

On the good side, I do have to say I'm not sold on 3D. When it's used as a gimmick it feels like a gimmick. When it's not it becomes a bit of a distraction from the great visuals that you put up on the screen.

To sum up: For the good of humanity, lay a rotten egg so we as audience members can universally say you have a bad film. That you aren't the greatest animation studio today and that everyone is capable of showing up in public with a giant zit on their nose. Pretty please.

9.5 out of 10

Review: Drag Me To Hell

Drag Me To Hell (2009)
starring: Alison Lohman, Justin Long, Lorna Raver,DiLeep Rao, David Paymer, Reggie Lee
dir. Sam Raimi

This film is getting a lot of critical praise and it deserves it. After a very long sabbatical from horror films, Sam Raimi is back on his home turf and as comfortable as ever.

Using every trick in the horror arsenal, Raimi shocks, build tension, grosses us out and makes us laugh with the best intentions of entertaining the hell out of us. He has leapt back to the era of The Evil Dead movies and knocks it out of the park.

It would be unfair to not praise Alison Lohman, she gives a great performance and is a real trooper. Everything is done to her in this film and it takes real commitment to trust the filmmakers to pull of the horror/humor combo. Lohman has so many different things poured into her mouth, you cold see an adult film star saying no.

But really the best part is seeing Raimi going back to his old bag of tricks and making an energetic and fun horror movie that is a throwback to the old days that has a decent budget behind it. I could easily complain about some of the CGI. There are moments that really pull you out of the film, which is a shame. But the thing that is amazing is how Raimi can move between horror and comedy with such ease, the mind reels trying to figure out how he does it.

If you're the type of person who will roll with a talking goat, then this is a movie for you. It's a blast and you'd have to be a cold cynical bastard if you don't enjoy the hell out of this film.

9.5 out of 10

Review: Easy Virtue

Easy Virtue (2009)
starring: Jessica Biel, Colin Firth, Kristin Scott Thomas, Ben Barnes, Kris Marshall, Fizz the Dog
dir. Stephan Elliott


The problem with summer is that we are bombarded from every direction with advertising for the giant tent pole movies that many smaller films slip by. It's a real shame because some of these little gems could use a bigger audience.

Director Stephan Elliott is best known for the sleeper hit The Adventures Of Priscilla Queen Of The Desert (1994). After a few misfires, an early retirement, near death experience and decision to get back into filmmaking Elliott has brought us a great little film with heart and some great comedy.

Based off of a Noel Coward play, Elliott and screenwriting partner Sheridan Jobbins have updated it and expanded some of the characterization with great success. It is a movie full of energy, some great gags and a few really great performances.

Jessica Biel delivers a solid performance, but is really shown up by those around her. Colin Firth delivers another solid character who silently suffers and holds onto a secret that has kept him tormented and bitter for years. But the real standout and it's no real suprise is Kristen Scott Thomas as the family matriarch. It's a thankless role and she is pitch perfect as a woman who struggles to keep her famly together even though they are becoming more and more secuded as society around them is changing at a rapid pace.

One of the more surprising elements is the soundtrack. It includes several Coward songs, but also more contemporary songs arranged to fit the style of the 20's. At first I was scratching my head trying to place the tune when I realized it was Car Wash set to swing. It is another layer that adds to the comedy of the piece and reminds us that we're watching a film by a guy willing to take chances.

It's a fun film that moves quickly, looks great and is fun of some real inspired comedy. If you're into something that's a little more offbeat and doesn't have giant robots or huge explosions, it's well work a look.

8 out of 10

Review: The Girlfriend Experience

The Girlfriend Experience (2009)
starring: Sasha Grey, Chris Santos, Peter Zizzo
dir. Steven Soderbergh

In recent years, Steven Soderbergh has been developing a style that moves away from a subjective viewpoint to give us objective films, allowing the audience to decide for themselves how the feel about characters and situations.

Examining the life of a professional escort and her physical trainer boyfriend, Soderbergh delves into the world of the physical. How these people dress, where they live, what they are willing to do for money is the main ingredient here, but there is so much more going on under the surface.

Perception is the key to this riddle and knowing what to look for in this nonlinear gem is the key. I'll admit I've watched it twice and walked away with different ideas on both occasions. The first time covered all of the themes and ideas about our collapsed economy and the folks who believe that image is everything.

The second led to ideas about perception and how people look at themselves versus who they really are. The devices we use to maintain an image of ourselves can be dangerous and those warm comfortable places where we feel most at home is, in reality, cold and lonely.

It's a character study, a statement on consumerism, a look at the modern day upwardly mobile, a tour de force in editing and an all around fantastic film. Even though it will be one of the lesser films seen this summer.

9 out of 10

Review: Night At The Museum 2

Night At The Museum: Battle Of The Smithsonian (2009)
starring Ben Stiller, Amy Adams, Hank Azaria, Robin Williams, Bill Hader, Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan, Christopher Guest, Ricky Gervais
dir. Shawn Levy

Yawn. I wasn't a big fan of the first film, but there was something in the trailers that made me interested in checking this out. Well, I was suckerd. Good job marketing guys, you did a great job.

The saddest part about this movie is the waste of talent. Just look at that comedic roster up top. Coogan, Williams, Guest, Gervais, Azaria, Hader! It's a treasure trove of talent and all of it was tossed in the toilet. For most of the movie you're stuck following Stiller and Adams as they run through mass chaos in the hopes of entertaining. Don't even get me started on the fact that Jonah Hill is used in most of the trailers and only has that scene in the film! I figured Stiller and Hill would be able to vamp off of one another enough to give it some fun moments. Nope, just one scene, just one joke.

The whole thing is a mess and if you're a parent, shame on you or not trying to find better stuff for yor kids to watch. This is just big budget junk food and stale junk food at that. Please stop supporting this type of movie and take the kids twice to see Up! (2009). At least then you're supporting something with artistic merrit and not a movie by committee that is made for business purposes alone.

6 out of 10