Welcome to another episode of Lights....Camera....Popcorn!
Today's review is Hereafter. Directed by Clint Eastwood. Written by Peter Morgan.
100th review countdown....#88
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for mature thematic elements including disturbing disaster and accident images, and for brief strong language.
Runtime: 129 min
Cast
Cécile De France - Marie LeLay
Thierry Neuvic - Didier
Jay Mohr - Billy
Richard Kind - Christos
Matt Damon - George Lonegan
Frankie McLaren - Marcus / Jason
George McLaren - Marcus / Jason
Lyndsey Marshal - Jackie
Bryce Dallas Howard - Melanie
As a movie reviewer, it's tough not reading other critics take on a film that I see as well. My friend Jeff who's the real inspiration for my review column leaves other reviews from newspapers from time to time. Most of the time they are films that I either have seen already or will not go see anyway like Piranha 3D.
Inside joke. Sorry Jeff I had to do it. =)
Occasionally I will get a review for a film that I haven't seen yet and I try to resist reading until I see it. Mostly for fear of the review influencing my opinion prior to my viewing. Sadly I am not strong enough to withstand the unknown so I delve in and read the reviews. By my count only 2 reviews have opinions that differ from mine. Robin Hood and The American.
I can add Hereafter to the list. And that's a good thing.
The story for Hereafter centers around the events of 3 people. Marie, Marcus and George. Marie while on vacation is caught in a massive Tsunami while shopping. She appears to have died after attempts to revive her fail when miraculously she comes to and survives. Marcus and his twin brother Jason look after each other and their drug addicted mother. After an accident takes Jason away, Marcus is left alone trying to adjust living with a foster family while mourning the loss of his brother and best friend. Finally, George has the ability to talk to the dead. He at one time used his ability to make money but the constant attention and stresses of carrying other people's grief forced him to quit and go into solitude. The rest of the movie establishes each characters ability to function in their everyday lives after their experiences. Marie begins to question if there is an after life. Marcus tries to reconnect with Jason and George struggles to have a "normal" life.
You really feel the pain of each person. They are trying their best to cope with their struggles and it's not easy. You spend a lot of time caring for these people. You want them all to get better and live on as best as they can. I saw this movie with my mother and I asked her after it was over who she felt sorry for the most. She said that Marcus got her attention the most. It isn't hard to choose him because of how young he is and the unbreakable bond that he had with big brother. He wanders around the rest of the picture in a lost state of mind that is heartbreaking.
I however felt a deeper sadness for George. Simply because he spent his time rejecting his ability. He was conflicted by his desire for a regular life with never ending plea's of people wanting him to do readings. It was that conflict that made me sad for him. He's mourning loved ones that were part of a life he never had yet desperately craves. That to me was crushing. The one chance he had of getting away from his past was taken away the second he was outed as a psychic. Every scene I saw of him eating alone in his kitchen was heartbreaking to me. The man did nothing wrong and he's being sentenced to a life of solitude due in part to his other worldly friends on the other side.
Now I'm sure some of you may argue that if George really wanted a normal life he could if he just worked at it. Just see this movie and you will see how much harder it actually was to make that happen. Eastwood does a fine job making sure that you can't be put in his shoes unless you actually have the same psychic powers as he does.
This leads to another good and bad thing that Eastwood does with this film. The good is he balances the screen time with all 3 characters nicely and equally. The film is billed as a Matt Damon picture but in reality he's sharing the spotlight with Marcus and Marie. This was done well. You are never spending too much time with just 1 character. The bad is because Eastwood needed to give each character it's due, the film drags a bit. At 2 hours and 9 minutes, there was a little too much dead time (no pun intended) before the point of the film is reached. I would guess that a good 10-15 min could have been shaved and you would have a much tighter story that still has it's flow.
The most important thing Hereafter provides the viewer is it's message.
This movie has absolutely NOTHING to do with death. It's about life. Your life and what you should be doing with it. The film reminds you that some of the most important things we have in our lives are the relationships we create, build, share and lose. You are told 2 very important life lessons that are intertwined with each other. You must cherish the important people in your life because you'll never realize what you have until it's gone.
I know I'm not telling you all something that you don't already know but every once in a while a reminder is necessary. Hereafter does that quite nicely and subtly.
On the 5 star scale. Hereafter gets 4 stars. With a "Worth Every Penny!" recommendation.
I had to take a star away for the draggy feel towards the end of Act 2 into Act 3. Sorry Lynne (another inside joke). Aside from that, Eastwood did it again. He continues to make films that touch both your heart and your mind while guiding some of Hollywood's best and brightest.
Does this one have Oscar potential? I can honestly say I don't know. The best picture race is looking very weak right now but as the winter months roll around we will start to see some contenders. The 10 Best Picture nominees will certainly help it's cause.
That's a wrap for today. Not sure what's next. You can rest assured that it will not be Saw 3D.
Until Next Episode...."I'll Save You A Seat!"
"D"
Red
Welcome to another episode of Lights....Camera....Popcorn!
Today's review is RED. Directed by Robert Schwentke. Written by Jon Hoeber and Erich Hoeber. Based on the graphic novel RED created by Warren Ellis and Cullen Hamner.
100th review countdown....#87
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of action violence and brief strong language.
Runtime: 115 min
Cast
Bruce Willis - Frank Moses
Mary-Louise Parker - Sarah Ross
Karl Urban - William Cooper
Rebecca Pidgeon - Cynthia Wilkes
Morgan Freeman - Joe Matheson
Ernest Borgnine - Henry, The Records Keeper
John Malkovich - Marvin Boggs
James Remar - Gabriel Singer
Brian Cox - Ivan Simanov
Helen Mirren - Victoria
Richard Dreyfuss - Alexander Dunning
At first glance, this movie has startling similarities to another film I reviewed this year.
The Losers.
Both films were adapted from graphic novels that present a very parallel plot. An elite team of super soldiers are betrayed by the people who they trusted when they were at the top of their profession. So is there any differences between them. The answer is yes and there are 2 main ones.
1) The cast is FAR SUPERIOR. The Losers gave you names like Jeffery Dean Morgan, Idris Elba, Zoe Saldana and Jason Patrick. Not a bad group of actors but RED gives you Willis, Freeman, Malkovich and Mirren. There's just no contest here. We're talking about 2 Oscar winners and a 2 time Oscar nominee sandwiched around Hollywood's highest grossing action star in HISTORY.
Nuff said.
2) The other reason is simply this. The film is just plain better.
The Losers took a been there done that concept and played their campy style in ways that tried to convince you that everything was straight up. It was just silly. RED takes the same been there done that story and puts a different slant on it but treats the material the way it was meant to. Instead of the tongue in cheek feel of The Losers, RED puts a fist across the cheek.
Frank Moses is a retired black ops agent who's living out his days filled with routine and an insane amount of boredom. That is until an assassination team attempt to take him out one night. Needless to say he dispatches his would be killers and sets out to find out who's after him and why. During his travels he seeks the help of some of his former colleagues and together they uncover the reason for their planned termination.
As expected, there's nothing earth shattering new here to digest. What makes this retreaded plot work so well is the idea of these retired mega warriors are actually retirement age. It was a fresh way to present that type of character instead of going with the 40 something dude that left the "company" due to stress or was burned out.
The story doesn't make fun of itself but it take liberties with real time events. This is something that I usually can't and don't ignore but there was something about this movie that made made me give it a pass. This probably had a lot to do with the cast. This is a real powerhouse group that all lend their unique talents to the narrative.
Willis handles his heroic performance of Moses in a stoic yet menacing way that works very well. Freeman's take on Joe is very slick and poignant. Malkovich as Marvin is just simply perfect. He's always been great at playing the controlled psycho and here he does it with a nice balance of cunning and comedic timing. Finally, Helen Mirren's Victoria was just cool. I mean it's not everyday you see Queen Elizabeth using a sniper's rifle or firing off round after round with a machine gun. Just way too cool.
The only character that I didn't care for was Paker's character Sarah. Her involvement was important to the story but it was hard to figure out her role. Was she supposed to be the bubbly idiot or the girl that ends up at the wrong place at the wrong time but knows what she's doing. There was a little bit of both with her character and neither of them worked.
The plot was pretty believable as well. Well as believable as plot can be for a movie of this sort. The reasons for the attacks on these retired agents and who's pulling the strings are solid. The CIA tricks that are employed to gather information were not too over the top that you can accept it as part of the game and just roll with it. There's also some believability when it comes to what happens to all of the characters. There was a scene involving 1 member of the team that had me thinking they would go one way and went the other. The action also was explosive yet understated enough that it doesn't over power the entire scene.
Bottom line, RED is a simple movie using a very simple plot that never tries to be complex. It knows what it is and just shows you that and that's why it worked. Plus it has Helen Mirren with a gun. I can't get over that.
Just too cool.
On the 5 star scale. RED gets 3 stars with a "Go See It" recommendation.
That's a wrap for today. Up next is Eastwood's latest Hereafter. This one has not been received well by some critics. I'm banking on the reviews I read being wrong. That seems to be the case since I'm always right anyway. =)
Until Next Episode...."I'll Save You A Seat!"
"D"
Today's review is RED. Directed by Robert Schwentke. Written by Jon Hoeber and Erich Hoeber. Based on the graphic novel RED created by Warren Ellis and Cullen Hamner.
100th review countdown....#87
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of action violence and brief strong language.
Runtime: 115 min
Cast
Bruce Willis - Frank Moses
Mary-Louise Parker - Sarah Ross
Karl Urban - William Cooper
Rebecca Pidgeon - Cynthia Wilkes
Morgan Freeman - Joe Matheson
Ernest Borgnine - Henry, The Records Keeper
John Malkovich - Marvin Boggs
James Remar - Gabriel Singer
Brian Cox - Ivan Simanov
Helen Mirren - Victoria
Richard Dreyfuss - Alexander Dunning
At first glance, this movie has startling similarities to another film I reviewed this year.
The Losers.
Both films were adapted from graphic novels that present a very parallel plot. An elite team of super soldiers are betrayed by the people who they trusted when they were at the top of their profession. So is there any differences between them. The answer is yes and there are 2 main ones.
1) The cast is FAR SUPERIOR. The Losers gave you names like Jeffery Dean Morgan, Idris Elba, Zoe Saldana and Jason Patrick. Not a bad group of actors but RED gives you Willis, Freeman, Malkovich and Mirren. There's just no contest here. We're talking about 2 Oscar winners and a 2 time Oscar nominee sandwiched around Hollywood's highest grossing action star in HISTORY.
Nuff said.
2) The other reason is simply this. The film is just plain better.
The Losers took a been there done that concept and played their campy style in ways that tried to convince you that everything was straight up. It was just silly. RED takes the same been there done that story and puts a different slant on it but treats the material the way it was meant to. Instead of the tongue in cheek feel of The Losers, RED puts a fist across the cheek.
Frank Moses is a retired black ops agent who's living out his days filled with routine and an insane amount of boredom. That is until an assassination team attempt to take him out one night. Needless to say he dispatches his would be killers and sets out to find out who's after him and why. During his travels he seeks the help of some of his former colleagues and together they uncover the reason for their planned termination.
As expected, there's nothing earth shattering new here to digest. What makes this retreaded plot work so well is the idea of these retired mega warriors are actually retirement age. It was a fresh way to present that type of character instead of going with the 40 something dude that left the "company" due to stress or was burned out.
The story doesn't make fun of itself but it take liberties with real time events. This is something that I usually can't and don't ignore but there was something about this movie that made made me give it a pass. This probably had a lot to do with the cast. This is a real powerhouse group that all lend their unique talents to the narrative.
Willis handles his heroic performance of Moses in a stoic yet menacing way that works very well. Freeman's take on Joe is very slick and poignant. Malkovich as Marvin is just simply perfect. He's always been great at playing the controlled psycho and here he does it with a nice balance of cunning and comedic timing. Finally, Helen Mirren's Victoria was just cool. I mean it's not everyday you see Queen Elizabeth using a sniper's rifle or firing off round after round with a machine gun. Just way too cool.
The only character that I didn't care for was Paker's character Sarah. Her involvement was important to the story but it was hard to figure out her role. Was she supposed to be the bubbly idiot or the girl that ends up at the wrong place at the wrong time but knows what she's doing. There was a little bit of both with her character and neither of them worked.
The plot was pretty believable as well. Well as believable as plot can be for a movie of this sort. The reasons for the attacks on these retired agents and who's pulling the strings are solid. The CIA tricks that are employed to gather information were not too over the top that you can accept it as part of the game and just roll with it. There's also some believability when it comes to what happens to all of the characters. There was a scene involving 1 member of the team that had me thinking they would go one way and went the other. The action also was explosive yet understated enough that it doesn't over power the entire scene.
Bottom line, RED is a simple movie using a very simple plot that never tries to be complex. It knows what it is and just shows you that and that's why it worked. Plus it has Helen Mirren with a gun. I can't get over that.
Just too cool.
On the 5 star scale. RED gets 3 stars with a "Go See It" recommendation.
That's a wrap for today. Up next is Eastwood's latest Hereafter. This one has not been received well by some critics. I'm banking on the reviews I read being wrong. That seems to be the case since I'm always right anyway. =)
Until Next Episode...."I'll Save You A Seat!"
"D"
Waiting For 'Superman'
Welcome to another episode of Lights....Camera....Popcorn!
Today's review is Waiting For 'Superman.' Directed by Davis Guggenheim. Written by Davis Guggenheim & Billy Kimball.
100th review countdown....#86
MPAA Rating: PG for some thematic material, mild language and incidental smoking.
Runtime: 102 min
This review is dedicated to the following people.
Christina Molina
James Rodriguez
Iris Federico
Brenda Davidson Frost
Kathleen Vela
Deborah Montes
Lynne Morgan
Gordon Marcus Morgan 9/18/1935 - 4/8/2005 R.I.P Coach.
What do all of these people have in common besides being members of The "D" List? Which is a commendable achievement on it's own by the way. =)
They are currently or at some time were members of one of the world's most HONORABLE, RESPECTED, VALUABLE and most importantly UNAPPRECIATED professions.
They are all teachers.
As a product of a family filled with professional educators, there was NO WAY my schooling was going to suffer. It was that constant effort and discipline that helped forge the man I am today. I was a very lucky kid. I went to go to school twice a day. Officially in the big building with the bells and hairnet wearing lunch ladies serving cardboard food on cardboard trays. Then I would go to school at home doing assignments given to me by my grandmother who taught for over 10 years.
This documentary tackles the continuing problem of this countries failing school system and it starts with the teachers.
Guggenheim takes you into the world of 5 different kids. Anthony, Francisco, Bianca, Daisy, and Emily. They are all good kids with a high aptitude and yearning to learn. One of the best examples of that is when Guggenheim asks 8 year old Daisy what she would tell him if he was one of her classmates complaining about how much he hated school....that it was too boring. What would she say to him? She said without missing a beat...."Next time try paying attention in class so you won't be bored." When a kid that young gives you an answer like that you know from the get go that this is a mind that has a passion for school and sees the value of what an education can provide. All of these kids exhibit very similar behavior and feelings toward school. Sadly that's not the only thing they have in common. With Emily being the only exception, the rest of the kids come from lower income neighborhoods that can't or don't provide better public learning environments. It's these same areas that employ unqualified teachers who specialize more in apathy than educating.
You are given factual examples of how schools are failing these kids and how nothing is being done to root out the problem that is staring everyone in the face. You are also seen how many of today's educators are taking matters into their own hands and developing alternative methods to provide these kids with a learning environment that not only promotes proper education, it executes it masterfully with little cost to John Q Taxpayer.
These "new" schools are so effective that there isn't enough space to take in all the applying students so lotteries are held to select the next year's student body. The mere thought that the fate of a child's proper education can fall in the hands of chance is a frightening thought. Unfortunately it's the world we live in today and what makes this so frustrating is that it doesn't have to be. Guggenheim explores why the established order continues to be defiant when the subject of education reform comes to the table.
I really don't want to say anymore about this film except that it's really a MUST SEE!
For anyone with children, expecting children or planning to have children, this documentary is a homework assignment that you can't afford to have your dog eat. I know I have given my endorsement for films in the past but this one touches me at the heart. Mainly because of the people in my life that are part of an education system that arbitrarily chooses to undervalue their efforts. While they passionately continue to guide tomorrow's brightest young minds.
I humbly urge, recommend, no I BEG YOU to seek this film out and see it. The story being told is about real life and it doesn't get any more real than the growth of a child as they go to school.
On the 5 star scale. 'Waiting For Superman' gets the full house 5 stars with a "Worth Every Penny!" recommendation.
Instead of participating in a bullshit online campaign to demand Paranormal Activity 2 to come to a theater near you. Sorry for the foul language but it is bullshit. DEMAND that this movie comes to your area. It DESERVES and NEEDS your support. Please forward this review to everyone on your email lists so they can be aware of the film's existence and hopefully the word of mouth will spawn the masses to go out and buy a ticket.
Or you can go to the film's website. Waitingforsuperman.com.
Finally, I would like to take this chance to once again thank each and every one of the people I dedicated this review to. ALL of you either had a hand in my growth from a snot nosed kid with a bad attitude to an Emmy Award winning editor. Or you are shaping the next Emmy award winner. All of you have my respect and adoration FOR LIFE.
That's a wrap for today. Up next is RED.
Until Next Episode...."I'll Save You A Seat!"
"D"
Today's review is Waiting For 'Superman.' Directed by Davis Guggenheim. Written by Davis Guggenheim & Billy Kimball.
100th review countdown....#86
MPAA Rating: PG for some thematic material, mild language and incidental smoking.
Runtime: 102 min
This review is dedicated to the following people.
Christina Molina
James Rodriguez
Iris Federico
Brenda Davidson Frost
Kathleen Vela
Deborah Montes
Lynne Morgan
Gordon Marcus Morgan 9/18/1935 - 4/8/2005 R.I.P Coach.
What do all of these people have in common besides being members of The "D" List? Which is a commendable achievement on it's own by the way. =)
They are currently or at some time were members of one of the world's most HONORABLE, RESPECTED, VALUABLE and most importantly UNAPPRECIATED professions.
They are all teachers.
As a product of a family filled with professional educators, there was NO WAY my schooling was going to suffer. It was that constant effort and discipline that helped forge the man I am today. I was a very lucky kid. I went to go to school twice a day. Officially in the big building with the bells and hairnet wearing lunch ladies serving cardboard food on cardboard trays. Then I would go to school at home doing assignments given to me by my grandmother who taught for over 10 years.
This documentary tackles the continuing problem of this countries failing school system and it starts with the teachers.
Guggenheim takes you into the world of 5 different kids. Anthony, Francisco, Bianca, Daisy, and Emily. They are all good kids with a high aptitude and yearning to learn. One of the best examples of that is when Guggenheim asks 8 year old Daisy what she would tell him if he was one of her classmates complaining about how much he hated school....that it was too boring. What would she say to him? She said without missing a beat...."Next time try paying attention in class so you won't be bored." When a kid that young gives you an answer like that you know from the get go that this is a mind that has a passion for school and sees the value of what an education can provide. All of these kids exhibit very similar behavior and feelings toward school. Sadly that's not the only thing they have in common. With Emily being the only exception, the rest of the kids come from lower income neighborhoods that can't or don't provide better public learning environments. It's these same areas that employ unqualified teachers who specialize more in apathy than educating.
You are given factual examples of how schools are failing these kids and how nothing is being done to root out the problem that is staring everyone in the face. You are also seen how many of today's educators are taking matters into their own hands and developing alternative methods to provide these kids with a learning environment that not only promotes proper education, it executes it masterfully with little cost to John Q Taxpayer.
These "new" schools are so effective that there isn't enough space to take in all the applying students so lotteries are held to select the next year's student body. The mere thought that the fate of a child's proper education can fall in the hands of chance is a frightening thought. Unfortunately it's the world we live in today and what makes this so frustrating is that it doesn't have to be. Guggenheim explores why the established order continues to be defiant when the subject of education reform comes to the table.
I really don't want to say anymore about this film except that it's really a MUST SEE!
For anyone with children, expecting children or planning to have children, this documentary is a homework assignment that you can't afford to have your dog eat. I know I have given my endorsement for films in the past but this one touches me at the heart. Mainly because of the people in my life that are part of an education system that arbitrarily chooses to undervalue their efforts. While they passionately continue to guide tomorrow's brightest young minds.
I humbly urge, recommend, no I BEG YOU to seek this film out and see it. The story being told is about real life and it doesn't get any more real than the growth of a child as they go to school.
On the 5 star scale. 'Waiting For Superman' gets the full house 5 stars with a "Worth Every Penny!" recommendation.
Instead of participating in a bullshit online campaign to demand Paranormal Activity 2 to come to a theater near you. Sorry for the foul language but it is bullshit. DEMAND that this movie comes to your area. It DESERVES and NEEDS your support. Please forward this review to everyone on your email lists so they can be aware of the film's existence and hopefully the word of mouth will spawn the masses to go out and buy a ticket.
Or you can go to the film's website. Waitingforsuperman.com.
Finally, I would like to take this chance to once again thank each and every one of the people I dedicated this review to. ALL of you either had a hand in my growth from a snot nosed kid with a bad attitude to an Emmy Award winning editor. Or you are shaping the next Emmy award winner. All of you have my respect and adoration FOR LIFE.
That's a wrap for today. Up next is RED.
Until Next Episode...."I'll Save You A Seat!"
"D"
The Social Network
Welcome to another episode of Lights....Camera....Popcorn!
Today's review is The Social Network. Directed by David Fincher. Written by Aaron Sorkin. Based on the book "The Accidental Millionaires." Written by Ben Mezrich.
100th review countdown....#85
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sexual content, drug and alcohol use and language.
Runtime: 121 min
Cast
Jesse Eisenberg - Mark Zuckerberg
Rooney Mara - Erica Albright
Armie Hammer - Cameron Winklevoss
Josh Pence - Tyler Winklevoss
Joseph Mazzello - Dustin Moskovitz
Max Minghella - Divya Narendra
Andrew Garfield - Eduardo Saverin
Rashida Jones - Marylin Delpy
Justin Timberlake - Sean Parker
"You don't get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies."
This the clever tag line to what is hands down THE BEST FILM OF 2010!!!!
I historically don't write my reviews the same day I see the movie but I felt duty bound as your favorite film critic to get this one out as soon as possible because all of you MUST SEE THIS FILM!!!! If you already beat me to the punch then I say congratulations and SEE IT AGAIN!!!!
For anyone who hasn't been living on Mars knows what this movie is about. It chronicles the college life of Facebook co-creator Mark Zuckerberg and the several twists and turns that follow him as he developed the world's biggest social networking website. Including the various law suits that followed him on the road to fame and fortune via the internet super highway.
There's so much amazing stuff in this film that I don't know where to begin my commentary. Normally I would lead off with the incredible performances of the cast. That would seem like a good place to start because every one in this film was exceptional. I could go another way and talk about David Fincher's continued impressive directing. Again another great way to kick off this review but I think I will begin by by giving the film's biggest star the spotlight.
The Social Networks biggest star is 100% undeniably Aaron Sorkin's remarkable script. I can't remember seeing a film with such razor sharp dialogue in quite a while. Sorkin choreographs every word that's uttered so intricately that he dares you to not give his work the attention and respect it demands. I'm telling you now that you have no choice but to respect the craftsmanship that is presented before you. As sharp and witty the dialouge may be, it's not pretentious. You're able to follow everything that's said with relative ease. The accounts of Zuckerberg's journey are not told chronologically. The film cuts between his endeavor's at Harvard and the two different depositions he endures in the present. This is another clever way Sorkin weaves the story along. It's very reminiscent of Frost/Nixon where you are shown the events of the interviews mixed in with the reaction from all parties involved many years later. The wordplay in the deposition scenes were just as captivating if not more so. The only thing that I'm curious about was whether or not Fincher and Sorkin were able to see the deposition transcripts. Either way, those scenes popped and really established Zuckerberg's ability to manipulate the opposing council while he dragged himself through the process of his own defense.
The script was so tight that it didn't take much else to get this picture off the ground. Then comes David Fincher who not only takes the picture off the ground. He sends it to a level that goes beyond anyone's imagination. He applies a visual style to a film that you wouldn't expect to see considering the subject matter and genre. This helps the flow of the story and keeps you interested. Fincher finds ways to ratchet up the anxiety with scenes that under any other director would play off as lame and forced. He also did a terrific job with the editing of the film. He follows Sorkin's blueprint as it was intended while adding some spice to it. Everytime he cuts from a deposition scene to a moment back in the character's past it all feels connected and seamless. You never get the sense that you are jumping back and forth through time. Another important note. Fincher paces the film beautifully. This movie moves at the speed of light despite it's 2 hour runtime. Finally, he allows the actors to tear trough their lines and give them the freedom to take the words off the page and apply their own twist.
David Fincher is very quietly becoming one of tinseltown's elite film makers. Maybe not so quietly.
This segues perfectly to the cast as a whole. Every single one of the actors here takes the stage and owns the moments they are a part of. Very similar to The Town, the cast outshines each other when they are interacting. This wasn't hard to achieve when the script is guiding you down the right path but you still have to find the right way to speak the words off the page and give them life. This comes across superbly with Eisenberg. He fires his dialougue with a purpose and speed that implies a superior intelligence and manitpulative tone. He does an amazing job making you fall in love with him in one scene then falling in hate with him in the same scene. Garfield holds his own playing off Eisenberg as Eduardo. He commands just as much respect if not more. I know I said that everyone is awesome but if I had to rank the performances of the cast then you have the ranking of the top 2.
Having said all of this, I have to say that prior to the films release that the real Mark Zuckerberg had made some comments challenging the validity of some of the moments in the film. That they were sensationalized or even fabricated for the sake of entertainment. This may get you to question if what you just saw was all true. I can say undoubtedly that I DON'T CARE! Regardless of whether or not this film is fact or fiction, it doesn't change the fact that this movie is one hell of an entertaining 2 hours.
Sorkin and Fincher knocked this one out of the park.
On the 5 star scale. The Social Network gets the full house 5 stars with a "Worth Every Penny!" recommendation.
This one is a no brainer. Expect to see this one getting some MAJOR hardware come awards season. I can't see any other film challenging this one. Though I would love to see who is willing to step up and try.
That's a wrap for today. Up next is RED.
Until Next Episode...."I'll Save You A Seat!"
"D"
Today's review is The Social Network. Directed by David Fincher. Written by Aaron Sorkin. Based on the book "The Accidental Millionaires." Written by Ben Mezrich.
100th review countdown....#85
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sexual content, drug and alcohol use and language.
Runtime: 121 min
Cast
Jesse Eisenberg - Mark Zuckerberg
Rooney Mara - Erica Albright
Armie Hammer - Cameron Winklevoss
Josh Pence - Tyler Winklevoss
Joseph Mazzello - Dustin Moskovitz
Max Minghella - Divya Narendra
Andrew Garfield - Eduardo Saverin
Rashida Jones - Marylin Delpy
Justin Timberlake - Sean Parker
"You don't get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies."
This the clever tag line to what is hands down THE BEST FILM OF 2010!!!!
I historically don't write my reviews the same day I see the movie but I felt duty bound as your favorite film critic to get this one out as soon as possible because all of you MUST SEE THIS FILM!!!! If you already beat me to the punch then I say congratulations and SEE IT AGAIN!!!!
For anyone who hasn't been living on Mars knows what this movie is about. It chronicles the college life of Facebook co-creator Mark Zuckerberg and the several twists and turns that follow him as he developed the world's biggest social networking website. Including the various law suits that followed him on the road to fame and fortune via the internet super highway.
There's so much amazing stuff in this film that I don't know where to begin my commentary. Normally I would lead off with the incredible performances of the cast. That would seem like a good place to start because every one in this film was exceptional. I could go another way and talk about David Fincher's continued impressive directing. Again another great way to kick off this review but I think I will begin by by giving the film's biggest star the spotlight.
The Social Networks biggest star is 100% undeniably Aaron Sorkin's remarkable script. I can't remember seeing a film with such razor sharp dialogue in quite a while. Sorkin choreographs every word that's uttered so intricately that he dares you to not give his work the attention and respect it demands. I'm telling you now that you have no choice but to respect the craftsmanship that is presented before you. As sharp and witty the dialouge may be, it's not pretentious. You're able to follow everything that's said with relative ease. The accounts of Zuckerberg's journey are not told chronologically. The film cuts between his endeavor's at Harvard and the two different depositions he endures in the present. This is another clever way Sorkin weaves the story along. It's very reminiscent of Frost/Nixon where you are shown the events of the interviews mixed in with the reaction from all parties involved many years later. The wordplay in the deposition scenes were just as captivating if not more so. The only thing that I'm curious about was whether or not Fincher and Sorkin were able to see the deposition transcripts. Either way, those scenes popped and really established Zuckerberg's ability to manipulate the opposing council while he dragged himself through the process of his own defense.
The script was so tight that it didn't take much else to get this picture off the ground. Then comes David Fincher who not only takes the picture off the ground. He sends it to a level that goes beyond anyone's imagination. He applies a visual style to a film that you wouldn't expect to see considering the subject matter and genre. This helps the flow of the story and keeps you interested. Fincher finds ways to ratchet up the anxiety with scenes that under any other director would play off as lame and forced. He also did a terrific job with the editing of the film. He follows Sorkin's blueprint as it was intended while adding some spice to it. Everytime he cuts from a deposition scene to a moment back in the character's past it all feels connected and seamless. You never get the sense that you are jumping back and forth through time. Another important note. Fincher paces the film beautifully. This movie moves at the speed of light despite it's 2 hour runtime. Finally, he allows the actors to tear trough their lines and give them the freedom to take the words off the page and apply their own twist.
David Fincher is very quietly becoming one of tinseltown's elite film makers. Maybe not so quietly.
This segues perfectly to the cast as a whole. Every single one of the actors here takes the stage and owns the moments they are a part of. Very similar to The Town, the cast outshines each other when they are interacting. This wasn't hard to achieve when the script is guiding you down the right path but you still have to find the right way to speak the words off the page and give them life. This comes across superbly with Eisenberg. He fires his dialougue with a purpose and speed that implies a superior intelligence and manitpulative tone. He does an amazing job making you fall in love with him in one scene then falling in hate with him in the same scene. Garfield holds his own playing off Eisenberg as Eduardo. He commands just as much respect if not more. I know I said that everyone is awesome but if I had to rank the performances of the cast then you have the ranking of the top 2.
Having said all of this, I have to say that prior to the films release that the real Mark Zuckerberg had made some comments challenging the validity of some of the moments in the film. That they were sensationalized or even fabricated for the sake of entertainment. This may get you to question if what you just saw was all true. I can say undoubtedly that I DON'T CARE! Regardless of whether or not this film is fact or fiction, it doesn't change the fact that this movie is one hell of an entertaining 2 hours.
Sorkin and Fincher knocked this one out of the park.
On the 5 star scale. The Social Network gets the full house 5 stars with a "Worth Every Penny!" recommendation.
This one is a no brainer. Expect to see this one getting some MAJOR hardware come awards season. I can't see any other film challenging this one. Though I would love to see who is willing to step up and try.
That's a wrap for today. Up next is RED.
Until Next Episode...."I'll Save You A Seat!"
"D"
Legend of The Guardians : The Owls of Ga'Hoole
Welcome to another episode of Lights....Camera....Popcorn!
Today's review is Legend of The Guardians : The Owls of Ga'Hoole. Directed by Zack Snyder. Written by John Orloff and Emil Stern. Based on novels Guardians of Ga'Hoole written by Kathryn Lasky.
100th review countdown....#84
MPAA Rating : PG for some sequences of scary action.
Runtime : 90 min
Cast
Emily Barclay - Gylfie (voice)
Abbie Cornish - Otulissa (voice)
Essie Davis - Marella (voice)
Adrienne DeFaria - Eglantine (voice)
Joel Edgerton - Metalbeak (voice)
Deborra-Lee Furness - Barran (voice)
Sacha Horler - Strix Struma (voice)
Bill Hunter - Bubo (voice)
Ryan Kwanten - Kludd (voice)
Anthony LaPaglia - Twilight (voice)
Miriam Margolyes - Mrs. Plithiver (voice)
Helen Mirren - Nyra (voice)
Sam Neill - Allomere (voice)
Barry Otto - Echidna (voice)
Richard Roxburgh - Boron (voice)
From the same studio that created Happy Feet, comes a tale of fantasy, action, family and wonder. Placed in the hands of Hollywood's most gifted director when it comes to visuals and more importantly adapting another published work.
Soren is a young barn owl who is fascinated with a legendary group of protectors called the Guardians of Ga'Hoole. They are in charge of maintaining a truce between their world against the Pure Ones, an evil race of owls led by Metalbeak. His goal is to capture and brainwash orphaned owls for his army in an attempt to destroy the Guardians and take hold of the world. Soren and his brother Kludd are abducted by the Pure Ones and are taken away to join the resistance. Soren meets Gylfie and manages to escape and search for the Guardians. Kludd stays behind and choses to join the Pure Ones. Soren during his travel befriends Twilight and Digger. They all join in the search for the Guardians in the hopes that they can help defeat the Pure Ones and stop their plan of taking over the world.
This film in a word in STUNNING!
I haven't seen animation this amazing in a while. The detail surrounding the owls and the world they live in is so rich that you can over dose from sensory overload. The characters are all living breathing parts of the story. There isn't a frame of eye candy or animated misdirection. A lot of these animated films resort to that tactic to compensate for a weak story. That isn't the case here. In fact you can make the case and I do in fact that the story could have used some more beef to it. There was a sense of flying through (no pun intended) character and story developments that may have shed more light to the Guardians and the need for their protection.
This movie is supposedly based on a trilogy of Ga'Hoole books. Since I never read them I have no idea if they just made the 1st book or mashed all 3 into this film. I am leaning toward the combination of all 3 books into this movie not being the case just by the way this one ends. Having said that, if sequels are most likely made then Snyder and company missed a golden opportunity to educate the Ga'Hoole iliterate like yours truly. I would have loved to have seen the Guardians backstory. Where did they come from? Why are they the protectors of the owl world? What caused the war in the 1st place? These things are lightly touched upon in exposition and opening credit narration.
Not good enough.
The rest of the movie is too good to be given the wash over treatment with some core elements of the saga. This is a shame because the man at the helm of this picture has done a terrific job in respecting a movies that's been adapted from a book. Just look at 300 and Watchmen for proof of that. This time the movie felt rushed and short changed. I'm not sure who made that choice but it's too bad because we could have been talking about one of the best fantasy films in the last decade.
Does this kill the movie completely? Absolutely not. Legend of The Guardians is still an amazing adventure filled with breathtaking animation and heart wrenching action. These owls are the coolest looking birds you will ever see on screen. I would however proceed with caution when taking the kiddies. Despite the PG rating, I wouldn't bring any kids younger than 7-8. The fighting between the owls can be brutal at times. There isn't any blood but it's implied by some of the injuries the owls suffer from the battles. Also, the warrior owls wear armor masks that give them a cool yet menacing look. They may give the little ones a spook so don't say I didn't warn you.
On the 5 star scale. Legend of The Guardians : The Owls of Ga'Hoole gets 4 stars with a "Go See It!" recommendation.
I wanted so bad to give this one a full house 5 stars and Worth Every Penny recommendation but the overwhelming feeling I had of missing story and character development just couldn't sway my mind.
This is still a wonderful movie that should be seen.
That's a wrap for today. Up next is The Social Network.
Until next episode...."I'll Save You A Seat!"
"D"
Today's review is Legend of The Guardians : The Owls of Ga'Hoole. Directed by Zack Snyder. Written by John Orloff and Emil Stern. Based on novels Guardians of Ga'Hoole written by Kathryn Lasky.
100th review countdown....#84
MPAA Rating : PG for some sequences of scary action.
Runtime : 90 min
Cast
Emily Barclay - Gylfie (voice)
Abbie Cornish - Otulissa (voice)
Essie Davis - Marella (voice)
Adrienne DeFaria - Eglantine (voice)
Joel Edgerton - Metalbeak (voice)
Deborra-Lee Furness - Barran (voice)
Sacha Horler - Strix Struma (voice)
Bill Hunter - Bubo (voice)
Ryan Kwanten - Kludd (voice)
Anthony LaPaglia - Twilight (voice)
Miriam Margolyes - Mrs. Plithiver (voice)
Helen Mirren - Nyra (voice)
Sam Neill - Allomere (voice)
Barry Otto - Echidna (voice)
Richard Roxburgh - Boron (voice)
From the same studio that created Happy Feet, comes a tale of fantasy, action, family and wonder. Placed in the hands of Hollywood's most gifted director when it comes to visuals and more importantly adapting another published work.
Soren is a young barn owl who is fascinated with a legendary group of protectors called the Guardians of Ga'Hoole. They are in charge of maintaining a truce between their world against the Pure Ones, an evil race of owls led by Metalbeak. His goal is to capture and brainwash orphaned owls for his army in an attempt to destroy the Guardians and take hold of the world. Soren and his brother Kludd are abducted by the Pure Ones and are taken away to join the resistance. Soren meets Gylfie and manages to escape and search for the Guardians. Kludd stays behind and choses to join the Pure Ones. Soren during his travel befriends Twilight and Digger. They all join in the search for the Guardians in the hopes that they can help defeat the Pure Ones and stop their plan of taking over the world.
This film in a word in STUNNING!
I haven't seen animation this amazing in a while. The detail surrounding the owls and the world they live in is so rich that you can over dose from sensory overload. The characters are all living breathing parts of the story. There isn't a frame of eye candy or animated misdirection. A lot of these animated films resort to that tactic to compensate for a weak story. That isn't the case here. In fact you can make the case and I do in fact that the story could have used some more beef to it. There was a sense of flying through (no pun intended) character and story developments that may have shed more light to the Guardians and the need for their protection.
This movie is supposedly based on a trilogy of Ga'Hoole books. Since I never read them I have no idea if they just made the 1st book or mashed all 3 into this film. I am leaning toward the combination of all 3 books into this movie not being the case just by the way this one ends. Having said that, if sequels are most likely made then Snyder and company missed a golden opportunity to educate the Ga'Hoole iliterate like yours truly. I would have loved to have seen the Guardians backstory. Where did they come from? Why are they the protectors of the owl world? What caused the war in the 1st place? These things are lightly touched upon in exposition and opening credit narration.
Not good enough.
The rest of the movie is too good to be given the wash over treatment with some core elements of the saga. This is a shame because the man at the helm of this picture has done a terrific job in respecting a movies that's been adapted from a book. Just look at 300 and Watchmen for proof of that. This time the movie felt rushed and short changed. I'm not sure who made that choice but it's too bad because we could have been talking about one of the best fantasy films in the last decade.
Does this kill the movie completely? Absolutely not. Legend of The Guardians is still an amazing adventure filled with breathtaking animation and heart wrenching action. These owls are the coolest looking birds you will ever see on screen. I would however proceed with caution when taking the kiddies. Despite the PG rating, I wouldn't bring any kids younger than 7-8. The fighting between the owls can be brutal at times. There isn't any blood but it's implied by some of the injuries the owls suffer from the battles. Also, the warrior owls wear armor masks that give them a cool yet menacing look. They may give the little ones a spook so don't say I didn't warn you.
On the 5 star scale. Legend of The Guardians : The Owls of Ga'Hoole gets 4 stars with a "Go See It!" recommendation.
I wanted so bad to give this one a full house 5 stars and Worth Every Penny recommendation but the overwhelming feeling I had of missing story and character development just couldn't sway my mind.
This is still a wonderful movie that should be seen.
That's a wrap for today. Up next is The Social Network.
Until next episode...."I'll Save You A Seat!"
"D"
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