Rian Johnson: A Director, a writer and his movies you should watch

In this space not too long ago, I made it a point to ask – practically beg – you not to watch two movies by one self-indulgent director named Lars von Trier. Neither his Melancholia nor his Antichrist are worth your valuable time.

Now, allow me to highly recommend a terrific young director who has directed and written three feature films: Brick (2005), The Brothers Bloom (2008), and Looper (2012).

Rian Johnson is a young man who hails from California and first came to my attention a while back when his debut feature film, “Brick,” was praised constantly by my favorite film criticism podcast, Filmspotting. Matt and Adam loved the movie so much that they actually created an annual honor called “The Golden Brick” that they award to some film of that year that was terrific but for whatever reason was not seen widely enough or not praised nearly enough.

So, I rented “Brick” and was mesmerized. It is a classic film noir set in a modern California high school with students playing all of the requisite roles. There’s a murdered girl. There’s a haunted hero. There’s the classic “Big Guy.” There’s the requisite “tough.” The dialog. The look. The feel. The entire movie pays homage to classic film noirs like The Maltese Falcon (1941) and Double Indemnity (1944). Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays the hero but the true scene stealer is Lukas Haas as The Pin. And, for goodness sakes, Richard Roundtree is in the movie. You don’t get much more badass than that. This film is available on Netflix Instant and I suggest you watch it immediately.

Johnson’s next feature film was The Brothers Bloom, which stars Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo and Rachel Weisz. I’m not going to say a whole lot about this film because, honestly, it was not my favorite. It felt scattered. I didn’t think the directing was as sharp.

So. . .when Johnson’s next feature film was released in 2012, I was a bit apprehensive. Was Brick a grand fluke? I let my nervousness get the better of me and I didn’t go see it. Instead I waited. And waited. Now Looper (2012) is available on movie channels and for rent. You must see it. Now.

Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis and Emily Blunt, Looper is a great thriller with a science fiction bent that includes time travel. Now, I know what you’re going to say. You’re going to say, “Oh, man, time travel. That stuff always hurts my head.” And, generally speaking, I tend to agree. Some movies have used the time travel element well (The Terminator (1984)) and others not so well (just about all of the other Terminators). But here’s the deal. . .the brilliance of this film is how easily Johnson explains the use of time travel in this instance. You get it. You understand it. It becomes a key, but understandable, part of the plot.

And – BONUS!! -- the acting is great. Gordon-Levitt, Willis and Blunt all bring their “A” games. The secondary characters are all well done and play key roles. I will say that it will take a few minutes for you to get used to Gordon-Levitt’s prosthetic make-up. He is Willis’ younger self, and his mannerisms and look need to somewhat mirror Willis’ look and mannerisms. But you get past it. Trust me.

I’m not going to say a whole lot about the film because I want you to experience it “cold.”

One thing you need to know: It’s violent. Bloody violent. So be prepared.

So there you have it. Go watch Looper and Brick. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Don't Go See These Movies!

You have a friend that is a cinephile. You know you do. He’s the one you go to when you want some advice about what movie to go see. Because going to the movies is an investment in money and time. And the choices for watching movies are plentiful. You only have so much time in a given day or week or month so you need to be choosy about the movies you see. Because nowadays, it’s more the norm for a movie to run two plus hours. Watching a movie is an investment, and it’s an investment you want to make wisely.

So. . .you turn to your friend. The cinephile.

He’s the one that when you ask him the name of his favorite movie he falls into a pensive stare and then declares that his favorite movie is some Swedish-produced film whose title is composed of three words and 36 consonants. Now, the truth is, he has never seen this film, but he also knows you haven’t. But it sounds incredibly pretentious and that’s the effect he’s going for.

He’ll ask you what your favorite movie is and you’ll be honest and say, “Well, I’m partial to Star Wars. But, clearly The Empire Strikes Back is the best of that series.”

Your cinephile friend will chuckle slightly at your clear lack of film awareness and then he will proceed to offer advice as to what movies you should see, absorb and appreciate. He will throw out a name like Bergman. He will talk about other “masters” of film then he will pause and tell you to watch the avant garde stylings of Lars von Trier, who is a master of the Danish school of “pushing the envelope of film.”

You will feel humbled by this conversation and begin searching for von Trier films so that the next time you see your cinephile friend, you can have a common foundation for film discussion.

In your search, you come across two recent von Trier films: Melancholia and Antichrist.

Because you have been humbled by what you consider a superior opinion, you will feel compelled to rent one or both of these films.

As your friend or as just another film lover I beg you not to do this. You will be wasting your time. I will be willing to bet that your cinephile friend has not seen them or, if he has, he is simply wishing to share his misery with others.

Good gracious, Melancholia and Antichrist are two of the worst movies I’ve seen in many a year.

Melancholia tells the story of a planet – Melancholia – that suddenly appears from behind the sun and is heading toward earth. As the rogue planet bears down earth, the setting on earth is an over-the-top wedding featuring none other than Kirsten Dunst. Problem is she is incredibly depressed and her sister is Charlotte Gainsborough, who is just barely keeping it all together. Why? Well. . .we’re back to the planet crashing into the earth. This movie is so bad that even having Dunst prance around naked as a jaybird does not save it.

Antichrist stars exactly three people – a toddler who we get to see fall to his death, Charlotte Gainsborough who is the wife having sex with her husband who is Willem Dafoe as their child falls to his death. Needless to say, this causes some mental issues for mom. To help her out, her husband, who might be the worst psychiatrist on the planet, decides to take her out in the middle of nowhere – which is exactly a place where she doesn’t want to go and is actually incredibly afraid of. They get there and things get interesting. Initially, they both are weirder than they are normally then she goes nuts. Then she takes a log to his junk and checks him out by causing him to ejaculate blood. Then she performs a female circumcision on herself. And then. . .it doesn’t matter. The whole movie is off the rails and is completely ridiculous.

The good news? Both Antichrist and Melancholia are beautifully shot.

Quick Movie Review: Drive (2011)

Quick Movie Review: Drive (2011)

Bottomline: Terrific film -- taut, suspenseful, well acted and directed. Love the music!

CAVEAT: Right around the one hour mark, this film goes into ultra-violent mode. Be prepared for tons of blood spray and brain splatter.

The greatest thing – and creepiest – about Drive is Albert Brooks. He’s supposed to be a funny guy. He’s Nemo’s dad, for goodness sake. In Drive, he is absolutely brilliant. He is a brilliant bad man. Then there is Ryan Gosling. His understated performance has put off many people but, to me, it’s fascinating. This easily could have been Gosling’s coming out party as a 21^st Century action hero – full of wild action and funny quips. Instead Director Nicholas Wedning Refn and Gosling take this into a different direction – a no-name anti-hero who is pulled into a dangerous situation not of his own making and then not-so-quietly goes about trying to make things right. We are introduced to The Driver (Gosling) who works in a garage and is a stunt driver. We don’t know where he’s from. Or why he’s there. We don’t have any background. The story turns when The Driver becomes interested in a woman (Carey Mulligan) and her son. Turns out her husband (Oscar Isaac) is in prison but has gotten caught up in a mess that leads to the threatening of Mulligan and her son. Gosling’s sense of right and wrong will not abide this – not to mention he is betrayed. And, as it turns out, The Driver is no stranger to extreme violence and he brings his vengeance upon those who have wronged him. And this reminds of me of Clint Eastwood’s famous no-name bringers of vengeance. Is Drive a modern day western? Is Gosling the next Eastwood with the iconic overcoat (duster vs. scorpion jacket) and item to chew on (cheroot vs. toothpick)? I went back and watched High Plains Drifter (1973). Not the best of Eastwood’s no-name movies but you can certainly see the influence it has had on Drive. As an avenging angel (demon?) Eastwood rides into Lago to avenge the murder of its former marshal. He asserts the dominance of his personality and uses his guns when pushed. The violence is quick and definitive. There are no funny lines. No monologuing. No quips. They push, Easwood draws, they die. It’s about an hour into Drive before we see the violence – extreme violence – that will come to mark the rest of the movie and will come to define eventually what The Driver is capable of and is willing to do. What Gosling doesn’t have, however, is Eastwood’s presence. He tried hard but it’s just not there. It’s become cliche today but when you watch one of Eastwood’s no-name westerns, you see why the cliche is so true – Gosling is a good actor, but Eastwood is a movie star who absolutely owns the screen. When he glares at you, you know he means business. He doesn’t have to say a word. Gosling is good but he has a way to go to be the next Eastwood.

Quick Movie Review: Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

QMR: Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

Bottomline: Terrific Wes Anderson film.

This wonderful movie written by Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola and directed by the one and only Anderson is everything a Wes Anderson fan wants in his movies. The writing is superb infusing the dialog with a quirky heart that I have come to expect from Wes. The art direction, costume design and cinematography all work together to give Moonrise Kingdom that classic Anderson look and feel. But the real reason you should go see this movie (and, let’s face it, if you live in Birmingham, you need to get there quickly!) are the actors – especially the two young leads. Played by Kara Heyward and Jared Gilman, Suzy and Sam decide as pre-teens to run away together and get married. This adventure leads to a frantic search by other actors then brought into the fray – Edward Norton as Scoutmaster Ward, Bruce Willis as Capt. Sharp, Bill Murray as Mr. Bishop, and Frances McDormand as Mrs. Bishop. They are all marvelous. But what truly impressed me were the children. I would think it’s hard enough for adults to master the cadence of Anderson-written dialog but for kids, I would think it would be incredibly difficult. But they pull it off – in flying colors. In addition to the two lead actors, there is a whole troop of Khaki Scouts who have key roles in the film. Moonrise Kingdom hearkens back to my favorite Anderson film, The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), and captures that magic and soul. Thank goodness. Because after The Darjeeling Limited (2007), I was beginning to worry.

Quick Movie Review: War Horse (2011)

War Horse (2011)

Bottomline: Push past the naysayers and go see this film. Good stuff.

What Other Emily Watson Movies Do You Recommend? Well, glad you asked. I adore Emily Watson and would recommend you take a look at the following: As Jacqueline Du Pre in Hilary and Jackie (1998) or as Elsie in Gosford Park (2001).

Interesting Note: The main horse of the film, Finder, also portrayed Seabiscuit in Seabiscuit (2003).

CAVEAT: I do recommend this film for young people but remember -- it's PG-13 for a reason. That's because there is a lot of violence and a lot of death. There is no blood spray or gore but watching the carnage that is war is disturbing as is watching animals being treated cruelly.

QMR Opinion:
Here’s what you’re going to hear from critics about this movie – it’s sentimental clap-trap that manipulates you into caring too much for the horse and not enough for the lives that cross the horse’s path. That some of the stories that are told as the horse wends its way through World War I are weak and poorly conceived. That the acting is a bit overly-dramatic bordering on false pathos. That the dialogue, at times, can be a bit wince-inducing. And, frankly, that’s all true. But here’s the deal: it’s directed by Steven Spielberg. Remember him? He’s one of the greatest American directors -- ever. And that’s why this movie works. It brings you in. You care about this horse. You care about the people who come into contact with the horse. The horse provides perfect continuity as the driving thread of the film. The cinematography is magnificent – English countryside, French countryside, German countryside. It is truly breathtaking. Then combine that with the John Williams score and you have yourself a winner. Oh. . added Bonus! It has Emily Watson who takes a terrific turn as a mother trying to hold her family together. The thrust of the story? Young Albert owns a horse named Joey who was bought to save his family’s farm. World War I breaks out. Joey is sold to the cavalry. We then follow Joey throughout the war. Be forewarned: The movie is Rated PG-13. There are disturbing scenes of war violence and animal cruelty. There is no blood spray but there is plenty of death. Will you shed a tear or two in this movie? Yes. But it ends on a wonderfully inspirational note. Don’t be afraid to fall in love with this type of sentimental clap-trap. It’s good stuff.

QMR: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

Bottomline: Terrific Film.

Where Can I See This Movie? It’s in wide release in theaters.

CAVEAT: This movie is Rated R – for a reason. There is extensive nudity, graphic sex, a brutal and disturbing rape scene, violence, and disturbing scenes of violence.

Interesting Note: This film has surprisingly humorous notes.

Disclaimers: I have not read the books. I have watched all three Swedish-made films.

What Else Has David Fincher Directed? The Social Network (2010), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), Zodiac (2007), Panic Room (2002), Fight Club (1999), Se7en (1995)

QMR Opinion:
I’ll be honest. . .this movie is not for everyone. And Lisbeth Salander certainly won’t appeal to everyone. And, frankly, I don’t think either she or Director David Fincher care one way or the other. This film is a fantastic thriller, 40-year-old murder mystery and strong character-driven story. The basic thrust of the story centers on a discredited magazine publisher, Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig), who is hired to investigate the 40-year old mysterious disappearance of a young woman who just happens to be a member of one of Sweden’s most prominent families. To conduct his investigation Blomkvist hires Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara), who is something of a genius blessed with a photographic memory and extremely effective computer hacking skills. In addition, Salander is more than a little emotionally disturbed based on her history – replete with abuse (physical and verbal) from just about every man in her life. The running time of this film is just over two hours and 30 minutes, but you won’t notice. Fincher’s pacing of this film from the terrific opening credits to the very end is pitch perfect. Despite my initial reservations about her being able to inhabit the role of Salander, Rooney Mara is wonderful and is central to the success of this film and, I hope, the next two. The cast of supporting characters only strengthens the overall film – Stellan Skarsgard, Christopher Plummer, Robin Wright, and Joely Richardson are strong. My one real problem with the film comes with the casting of Daniel Craig as Blomkvist. It’s probably a personal bias but somone who plays James Bond just doesn’t fit the profile of a magazine editor for me. I am telling you that you should see this film but be forewarned – it is not for the faint of heart. Of all the disturbing imagery used in the film (and there is plenty – including the graphic dismembering of a cat), the most disturbing is a brutal rape scene. But at the end of the day, I love a great film and I do love this film.

Quick Movie Review: The Help (2011)

The Help (2011)

Bottomline: Decent film but book is much better.

Where Can I See This Film? It’s available for rent on DVD.

If The Book Is So Much Better Than The Film, Then Why Watch It? Good question. I’ll give you a two-word answer: Viola Davis.

What Are Some Other Movies Where I Can See Viola Davis (born: 1965)? I’ll give you three to consider: Solaris (2002), Doubt (2008) [she was in the movie for about 20 minutes and was nominated for an Academy Award], and It’s Kind of a Funny Story (2010).

Interesting Note #1: In speaking with some adults who were young adults during the era in which this film was set, I found them defensive. “The movie is exaggerated and untrue.” “I certainly never saw anything like that happen.” The comments underscore the actual truth of the premise of both the film and the book – we all know it’s true how "the help" were treated, but it’s a difficult truth to face.

Interesting Note #2: I was particularly pleased when speaking with my own children about the film. They are aged 18 and 14 and they had a lot of questions because the treatment of the maids as illustrated in the film was so foreign to them. The idea of “separate but equal” has been discussed in classrooms, of course, but seeing it in practice on screen leads to a sense of confusion as to why anyone would ever think that this was a good idea. “Dad, did someone like Hilly really exist?” The answer? Unfortunately, yes.

QMR Opinion:
Let’s start with the good news. The good news for The Help can be summed up in two words – Viola Davis. My goodness, the woman is a marvel on screen. This role requires her to be in pain, to be acquiescent, to be angry, and to be restrained – all at the same time without speaking most of the time. She does it with her face. Her glances. Her tone of voice. It is a master class on acting and it’s not the first time Viola Davis has blown me away with her screen presence. There are others that are good – Bryce Dallas Howard as Hilly, Jessica Chastain as Celia, Allison Janney as Mrs. Phelan come to mind. And, yes, I’ve heard and read the accolades for Octavia Spencer as Minny, but, I have to be honest, her portrayal of Minny was strong but bordered, at times, on camp. One of the dumbest scenes in the movie takes place when Mr. Johnny (Celia’s husband) drives up and finds Minny walking to the house. She takes off running and then threatens him with a stick. It’s ridiculous. And it certainly didn’t happen that way in the book. This seems like a good segue to the bad news. The bad news can be summed up in three words – Read the book. It is clear early in the movie that there was a lot of film left on the cutting room floor. The early scenes are choppy and uneven – scenes shift quickly with no transition and, at times, make no sense. And I’ll say it out loud: I didn’t think Emma Stone was right for the part of Skeeter and her performance only affirms my earlier thinking. She is just not right for the role. Yes, her hair is messed up, but it is still Emma Stone. Great actress (see: Zombieland (2009)) but just not right as Skeeter. And where are all the men? They play crucial roles in the book and are practically kept in the shadows in the film. And, yes, I understand that the film cannot contain everything that’s in the book, but the way they handle some of it in the film is amateurish – using toss away lines as a means to convey some huge plot point from the book that was too complicated to work into the film. My opinion? Just leave it out. The way the filmmakers handled Constantine’s dilemma (played brilliantly by Cicely Tyson) is tragic. And the end. . .my goodness. . .the end. I thought the ending of the book was too neat and clean, but the movie takes it to a whole new level of classic “Hollywood” clean-cut ending. After playing such an important role in the film, Minny’s ending is reduced to a scene and a line or two. Skeeter protests her destiny but is quickly talked into it. Hilly gets her expected come-uppance. The best finale is, of course, Aibileen as portrayed by Davis. The final scenes with her in the Leefolt’s home confronting Hilly and then on the sidewalk as Mae Mobley cries after her are heartbreaking. The most disappointing aspect of the movie is that it could have been and should have been much better.

Quick Movie Review: Modern Times (1936)

Modern Times (1936)

Bottomline: An absolute masterpiece.

Interesting Fact: The last of Chaplin’s talkies. It was originally written to be a full sound film but Chaplin made the decison to only have certain parts filmed with sound.

Charlie Chaplin: 1889-1977

Paulette Goddard: 1910-1990

Where Can I See This Film? Watch for it on Turner Classic Movies. It is available for rent on DVD.

QMR Opinion:
I’ll be the first to admit that as a cinephile, I don’t watch enough silent films. Until now, the only silent film I’ve reviewed on my blog has been Buster Keaton’s The General (1926). To see that review, just click on the link located along the left nav. Then on a whim not too long ago, I recorded Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times. It’s his warning against the dehumanizing of our lives by becoming too reliant upon machines. It’s interesting that a film made in 1936 rings so true in the 21st Century. We wring our hands worrying that computers and electronics are becoming pale substitutes for human interaction. Sure, there have been a myriad of films warning us of the dangers of putting too much faith and power into the hands of machines (The Terminator (1984) comes to mind), but Chaplin’s Modern Times puts a human face on the takeover of the machine. Simply put, this film is a cinematic masterpiece. In this day of 3 Dimensions, digital projection, and mind-blowing sound, there’s something almost surreal about watching a movie that you really have to pay attention to. I’m not going to bore you with all of the usual platitudes about Chaplin’s creative genius. . .suffice to say his abilities are in top form here. But what you may not realize is that Chaplin is a genuinely top-notch actor. I was amazed at his deftness with physical comedy. It is so smooth and effortless. Watch the skating scene in the department store and tell me you aren’t simply in awe. I laughed until I cried when Chaplin’s character has a nervous breakdown in the factory. Then be prepared to watch a coked-up Charlie Chaplin. This film moves along at a quick clip but never forgets the central core of its theme – it is our humanity that matters. That humanity is illustrated by Chaplin’s Little Tramp but then we are introduced to the glory that is Paulette Goddard. She is absolutely beautiful and a wonderful actress for this film. Turner Classic Movies will show Chaplin films from time to time so keep your eyes open. Plus, the film is available on DVD for rent.

Quick Movie Review: The Muppets (2011)

The Muppets (2011)

Bottomline: Awesome movie. Perfect for the entire family!

Confession: I am a huge Muppets fan so I am biased but, honestly, this is a good movie.

Confession #2: I may have gotten a little misty when the gang sang “Rainbow Connection.”

QMR Opinion: It’s the muppets. It’s Amy Adams. It’s Jason Segel. The story is familiar – the Muppets must get back together to save their old studio from an evil oil baron played wonderfully by Chris Cooper who does a funny rap. Trust me. Take your kids and go see this movie. You’ll like it. You might even love it. And, good gracious. . .pay attention. There are a ton of celebrity cameos.

Quick Movie Review: A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas (2011)

A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas (2011)

Bottomline: Funny in spots but definitely not for everyone.

Best Part: Another chance to see Danny Trejo in action

Big Surprise: There is a young lady who advertises her desire for her first sexual experience. She is crude and extremely aggressive. And guess who she is? She is Zoe from Eureka – the daughter of the Sheriff.

QMR Opinion: So here we are in Los Angeles some friends and I and we decide we want to go see a movie. We could go see the new Clooney/Alexander Payne vehicle, The Descendants, which has been getting good reviews and some Oscar buzz or we could go lowbrow and see Harold and Kumar in 3-D. We went with Harold and Kumar. It was stupid fun, but it did end in a nice way. As one of my friends put it: It’s gross-out humor with a heart. I am not a Harold and Kumar aficianado and thus have not seen the other two movies, but if you’ve seen or heard even a little bit about this style of movie, then you know there is pervasive drug use (lots of bongs and dope smoking), tons of overt sexual talk, and just generally offensive and gross humor. If your sense of humor trends that way, then this movie absolutely will not disappoint. However, if you are easily offended, overly sensitive or politically correct, then you need to go see something else. The funniest bit in the whole film was a spoof of the famous “A Christmas Story” scene where Flick gets his tongue stuck to a frozen pole. The bit that went on too long like a bad Saturday Night Live skit involved a toddler and drugs.

QMR Opinion: Moneyball (2011)

Moneyball (2011)


Bottomline: Good movie but not as good as you have heard.

Suprising Note: There is a lot more humor in the movie than I had anticipated. It’s very funny.

Surprising Note #2: Jonah Hill is really good.

Where Can I See This Movie? It’s in theaters right now.

Better Baseball Movies? Bull Durham (1988) and Major League (1989)

The Best Sports Movie of All Time? Want to see a grown man tear up? Then pop Hoosiers (1986) into the DVD player. "I love you guys."

QMR Opinion: Moneyball tells the story of Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) and the Oakland A’s as they try to compete with larger market and more monied baseball teams. Beane decides he must do things in a non-traditional manner so he hires Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) to help him use statistics to find under-valued players and put together an inexpensive team that will take the A’s to the World Series. This is based on a true story using the book of the same name as inspiration. Overall, this is a good film but it is not anywhere as good as you’ve heard from other reviewers. It suffers from the same criticism that the game of baseball does – it drags. A good editor would have tightened the pacing on this movie and made it move along at a much more manageable and enjoyable clip. Instead, we have lots of scenes of Pitt sitting. Pitt thinking. Pitt exercising. Pitt driving. Then there are close-ups of Pitt doing these things. The most enjoyable moments of the film come primarily when Pitt and Hill are interacting and playing off one another. Philip Seymour Hoffman plays baseball manager Art Howe and I have no idea why he’s in the movie. Hoffman adds nothing and delivers about a dozen lines total. Among my favorite scenes are the ones with Beane in the room with the scouts -- it's old school vs. new school.

Quick Movie Review: Animal Kingdom (2010)

Animal Kingdom (2010)

Bottomline: Terrific film that deserves your attention.

Where Can I See This Movie? It's available for rent.

Note: Jacki Weaver, who plays the matriarch of the family, was nominated for Best Supporting Actress and lost to Melissa Leo, who played the mom in The Fighter (2010).

Couple of Caveats: The film is Australian. It took me a few minutes to pick up what they were saying and some of the idioms are not familiar. This is a disturbing film with drug use and bursts of violence.

QMR Opinion: This is David Michod's directorial debut for a full length feature film and he absolutely does not disappoint. It helps, of course, to have a strong story (also written by Michod) and incredible acting led by Jacki Weaver, but strong kudos to Joel Edgerton, Sullivan Stapleton, and the uber-creepy Ben Mendelsohn. The two-hour Australian film gives us a glimpse into the lives a crime family that involves three brothers, a friend, and their mom. Their 17-year-old cousin comes to live with them when his mom dies unexpectedly in one of the more surprising scenes in the film. The pacing of the movie is tightly managed by Michod's skillful direction who has no romantic notions about violence -- it's quick, it's explosive and there are no heroes. Guy Pearce, as always, is excellent as a detective trying to "save" young Josh.

Quick Movie Review: 127 Hours (2010)

127 Hours (2010)


Bottomline: Great film showing an incredibly true story of survival.

CAVEAT: By now, everyone has heard about “the scene.” This is where Aron frees himself from the rock using the only means available to him. Yes, it’s gross, but Director Danny Boyle handles it well.

Where Can I See this Movie? It’s available for rent on DVD.

QMR Opinion: What do you do when you have an hour and a half film that will take place 80 percent of the time in a hole with one actor to carry it off? Well, first you get a director who directs with terrific pacing and deftness. Danny Boyle. Then you get cinematographers who brilliantly use the camera to show loneliness, isolation and movement (where there is no movement). Enrique Chediak and Anthony Dod Mantle. Then you get an actor who brilliantly inhabits his character and is careful not to overplay him. James Franco. Put all that together and you have a great film of survival.

Quick Movie Review: Let Me In (2010)

Let Me In (2010)

Bottomline: Terrific interpretation of the Swedish film, Let The Right One In (2008)


Which One is Better? I would have to give the nod to the Swedes; however, it’s only because there is a soft place in my heart for the original.

CAVEAT: The movie is bloody and disturbing. Not for the faint of heart. It's not every day you watch a 12-year-old girl rip the throat out of a grown man -- with her mouth.

QMR Opinion: I really wanted to hate this movie. Really. They were going to Americanize one of my favorite sub-titled films. Well, I was incredibly disappointed because this film delivers the goods. The premise is the same – 12-year-old girl (Abby, played by Chloe Grace Moretz) and her “father” (played by Richard Jenkins) come to live at an apartment complex that looks like it is in the middle of nowhere. She befriends and young guy (Owen played by Kodi Smit-McPhee) who is bullied at school and is having trouble at home. Turns out the young girl is a vampire. The storyline is fresh and I like that Director Matt Reeves focuses the story on Owen and Abby and we don’t take side trips into the lives of the other players. As an example: You never get a good full shot of Owen’s mother and you never see his father. Reeves also adds stronger elements to the film that brings out the “relationship” between Abby and her “father.” A real plus here is Elias Koteas as the police investigator.

Quick Movie Review: Whip It (2009)

Whip It (2009)

Bottomline: Predictable yet terrific film about roller derby.

Who Directed This? This films marks the directorial debut of Drew Barrymore.

Where Can I See This Movie? It's available for rent on DVD and instant viewing from Netflix. It's also been making the rounds on the movie channels.

Great Roller Derby Names: Rosa Sparks, Maggie Mayham, Eva Destruction, Iron Maven, and Bloody Holly. The name of the team? The Hurl Scouts.

Caveat: This movie is great to watch with children who are 13 or older. There is some language, adult situations, and the roller derby stuff can get violent.

QMR Opinion: What a terrific surprise. This movie ended up on my Netflix instant queue and I decided to randomly watch it late one night. Watching this film was a ton of fun. It's funny. It's touching. And it features the violence that is roller derby. Look. . .you know where this film is going from the start. You know it's going to end. It trots out the typical sports movie formula -- inspiration, dedication, disappointment, redemption. We have the requisite best friend break-up and make-up. We have the iconic romantic theme. It has it all and it could very easily could have been chalked up as just another one of those movies. But it's not and I believe it's because of Barrymore's direction, which keeps the film moving along at a brisk (but not too fast) pace, and the great acting of Ellen Page, who plays Bliss Cavendar and finds freedom in roller derby as Baby Ruthless; Marcia Gay Harden, who plays her mom; Alia Shawkat, who plays Bliss' best friend; Juliette Lewis, who is having a ton of fun playing Iron Maven; and Andrew Wilson (yes, Luke and Owen's older brother), who plays Razor, the coach. Pick this movie up, sit down with your 13+ year old kids and have a good time.

Quick Movie Review: Greenberg (2010)

Greenberg (2010)

Bottomline: A moment or two of insight and a chuckle here or there but, overall, is a self-absorbed cure for insomnia.

A Recommendations Instead of This Movie: Anything directed by Thomas McCarthy. Much better character studies with much better direction, much better storylines, much better acting, much better everything.

Where Can I See This Movie? It is available for rent on DVD and it has been making the rounds on the movie channels.

QMR Opinion: It happens to me all the time. I hear a critic or two pontificate about a small indie film and I am compelled to see it. Such is the case with Greenberg. Ben Stiller plays Roger Greenberg who gets out of a stint in a mental institution in New York and comes to housesit for his brother in Los Angeles. Greta Gerwig plays Florence, who is the Greenberg's personal assistant. In the absence of his brother, Roger begins calling on Florence and there quickly develops a sexual relationship. You keep watching this movie waiting on something to happen -- anything. There are contrived "emotional" scenes between Roger and his friends, Roger and his ex-girlfriend, Roger and Florence, and Roger and the dog. Then these are punctuated by contrived "anger" scenes where Roger loses his temper and treats everyone like crap. Noah Baumback directed this film and the only other film of his I've seen is The Squid and the Whale (2005), which I hated. There are some lighter moments -- especially when Roger writes his letters of complaint, and the best scene of the whole film occurs when his brother's college-age daughter throws a big party and Roger gives his opinion about "kids today." Greenberg is a classic example of the self-indulgent trap that a lot of indie character studies find themselves in. At some point, you just want some zombies to bust in a eat somebody's brains.

Quick Movie Review: Soldier (1998)

Soldier (1998)

Bottomline: One of my all-time favorite "doughnut" movies.

Favorite Quote: Sandra (Connie Nielsen): "But one soldier against seventeen, what are you going to do?" Todd (Kurt Russell): "I'm going to kill them all, sir."

QMR Opinion: Look, there are some movies that are just good junk food. These are what I call "doughnut" movies. They are delicious going down but do not fill you up. You want emotional depth? You want high quality screenwriting? You want award-winning acting? Then you need to look elsewhere. These movies are designed for folks just wanting an hour and a half of escapist entertainment. In my opinion, there are few doughnut movies better than Solider. Starring an incredibly pumped up Kurt Russell, this tells the story of a born-to-kill soldier who finds himself replaced by a "better model" in the form of an even more pump up Jason Scott Lee. There are some "slow" emotional scenes designed to fill the movie out a bit, but this flick is all about the action and you get plenty of it. You also get the added bonus of a smarmy Jason Isaacs (yes, the blonde death eater Lucius Malfoy from Harry Potter) and the ever-popular Gary Busey.

Quick Movie Review: Blade (1998)

Blade (1998)

Bottomline: Terrific doughnut movie. Appropriately crass and incredibly violent.

Special Appearance By: Traci Lords. If you know who this is, then the appearance is an interesting one. If you don't know who it is, then it doesn't matter.

QMR Opinion: There have been three Blade films and while the others have their own special places in my heart (I mean how do you not like Parker Posey and Ryan Reynolds appearing in a Blade movie?), this is my favorite of the three. Wesley Snipes plays Blade who is a vampire but is a "daywalker," which means. . .well. . .you can guess. His particular hobby? Killing other suckheads. Silver, garlic and all manner of crazy weapons are used to send vampires back to the hell from whence they arose. Helping Snipes in this effort is none other than Kris Kristofferson, who has a leg brace and a really piss poor demeanor. Snipes is pumped up beyond belief and Stephen Dorff plays an admirable bad guy. Everything rocks along at a fast pace without taking itself too seriously until the end when the poor quality special effects begin to show. This is a classic doughnut movie for me -- I can watch it over and over in perfect mindless bliss.

Quick Movie Review: So I Married An Axe Murderer (1993)

So I Married An Axe Murderer (1993)

Bottomline: Funny and, at times, downright hilarious. Great doughnut movie.

Where Can I See This Movie? It's available for rent on DVD.

QMR Opinion: Yes, this movie is a little long. Yes, it gets a little tedious. No, Mike Myers is not the best actor on the planet when he is playing himself. But this movie is funny most of the time and hilarious in parts. Myers plays Charlie, a young man who has had a rough time with love. Then he falls in love with Harriet, who may actually be a serial killer. The story is fairly thin but it leaves room for a slew of good folks to have some fun: Mike Myers as his Scottish Father; Nancy Travis as Harriet; Anthony LaPaglia as Tony the detective; Amanda Plummer as Rose; Brenda Fricker as Charlie's mom; and then special appearances by Charles Grodin, Steve Wright and a particularly funny Phil Hartman.

Quick Movie Review: Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999)

Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999)

Bottomline: Entertaining and, at times, darkly funny movie.

Where Can I See This Movie? It is available for rent on DVD.

QMR Opinion: Forest Whitaker is probably the last actor I would cast as a smoothly efficient assassin. However, he pulls it off here which, I think, is a testament to his abilities. Whitaker plays a killer for hire who gets cross-ways with the mob. This leads to the mob wanting to kill him, which, as you might imagine, is easier said than done. What I liked about this movie is that it didn't take itself totally seriously. All of the mobsters are old Italian fat guys and are absolute cliches. Whitaker's best friend is an ice cream salesman who speaks only French. Whitaker sees himself as a samurai so every now and again during the movie, we are shown a "samurai saying" that is supposed to be uber deep. After two or three of those "samurai sayings," it becomes an extremely old and boring device. There are homages to famous movies so look for those -- especially High Noon (1952). The funniest scene in the whole movie takes place when Louie has to explain to the mob bosses who Ghost Dog is and how he contacts him (passenger pigeon). Pick this up. . .I don't think you will be disappointed.