February 7, 2010
Last night I watched 2009’s Zombieland. It was such an enjoyable, fun movie. It was extremely well-scripted and well-cast.
The movie is about life after zombies take over and humans are the minority. The United States has now become Zombieland. The viewer meets a loner called only Columbus, for the destination he’s trying to get to. He’s young and is traveling from his college campus to his hometown to see if his parents are alive. Along the way he meets Tallahassee, played by Woody Harrelson. The slowly become friends, and they meet two sisters Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin). After a rocky start, all four become friends. They travel from Texas to Los Angeles, and go through a lot of adventures along the way. Some highlights include meeting Bill Murray, finding the last Twinkie in Zombieland and visiting a theme park.
The main character was played by Jesse Eisenberg. He’s been in a number of films but is still kind of up-and-coming. You’ll recognize Emma Stone from Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, Superbad and the House Bunny. She’s a great young actress and didn’t disappoint in this movie. Abigail Breslin will be most recognized from Little Miss Sunshine and My Sister’s Keeper. The cast really meshed with each other. The screen play was perfectly witty. I loved the repetition of Columbus’ rules for surviving life in Zombieland. As a big fan of Romero and traditional zombie flicks I was slightly hesitant to see this movie, but it just made me love and appreciate the zombie genre(s) even more.
February 7, 2010
In the midst of my final semester at Miami University, I have been crazy-busy, which means I haven’t been watching as many movies as I’d like. Anyway, I recently watched 2007’s [Rec]. It’s the Spanish movie that 2008’s Quarantine is based off of.
It’s about a young reporter and her camera man who accompany a group of firefighters during the night. What begins as a routine day, ends horrificially as the group is called to an apartment complex after residents hear screams from a woman’s room. After entering the complex, the reporter and firefighters are locked in with the residents. The government has quarantined them into the complex because of some type of disease. Craziness ensues as people are bitten and become zombie-esque creatures.
If I hadn’t seen Quarantine a few times already, I probably would have been scared when viewing [Rec]. But nonetheless I wasn’t scared at all. I knew exactly what was going to happen because it was scene for scene like Quarantine, albeit a few details. But trying to put that aside, as a whole the movie was really good. The suspense was less exciting in this one than in its American counterpart. If deciding between the Spanish version, or American, I would just see Quarantine.
January 11, 2010
I watched Youth in Revolt recently and I left the theater not really sure what I thought of the movie. I liked it, it was funny but I didn’t really laugh all that much. The dialogue and characters were extremely witty though and the acting was great.
The plot is about Nick, a 16-year-old male virgin (Michael Cera) who meets a girl named Sheeni (Portia Doubleday) and tries desperately to lose it to her. She’s very intelligent and wants to fall in love with a French man who will sweep her away. Her parents are really strict and that makes it hard for Nick to woo Sheeni. Nick is very shy and in order to get more aggressive he creates another persona, Francois Dillinger. Drama ensues with police chases, fires and sneaking into French boarding schools.
There were a lot of well-known actors in this movie, as well as some new faces. Cera of course is well known because of Juno, Superbad, and “Arrested Development.” Steve Buscemi (Reservior Dogs, Ghost World, and Fargo) plays Cera’s dad, and it was great to see him. Ray Liotta, Justin Long and Zach Galifianakis portrayed great supporting characters. They were all pretty funny. The star of the movie was most definitely upcomer Portia Doubleday. She’s a great actress and I personally loved all of her character’s clothes.
Overall the movie doesn’t have much depth and isn’t a thinking movie, but it’s cute and fun.
January 7, 2010
I finally got to see a movie that’s been on my never-ending list of movies to see. The Paper from 1994 is a movie all journalism loving folk should see! It was really funny and clever, but had some serious tones as well.
The film is about a group fo editors and reporters at The Sun, a newspaper in New York City. The paper struggles to make itself relevant in the midst of The Sentinel, the newspaper that “covers the world.” There are a lot of relationships within this movie, between coworkers, significant others, sources and friends. There was such a large mass of characters that you couldn’t get to really know all of them. Only a few were really focused on, with the others being brushed over. Every character had lots of quirks which made the movie hilarious!
Ron Howard directed the film. I can’t even begin to summarize his career, it’s so expansive! But other outstanding films that he’s directed include A Beautiful Mind, The Missing and Frost/Nixon. The film very accurately portrayed the journalism world, so it really rang true, even to a beginner reporter like myself. The movie illustrated perfectly how truly exciting an important exclusive story can be! The cast was awesome, and it was great to see such established actors in their earlier work. Glenn Close, does a great portrayal of a managing editor who seems to have forgotten why she got into the career in the first place. Michael Keaton also did such a great job as metro desk editor. He’s really the main character and he’s about to have a baby with his wife (Marisa Tomei), a reporter as well. He’s overworked and tensions build as his family is about to be born. Robert Duvall shines like always in The Paper. Randy Quaid, who I recognized from National Lampoon’s Vegas Vacation (Cousin Eddie), did a great job. His character was absolutely hilarious and stood out among the many other minor characters.
January 3, 2010
Last night I watched Midnight Meat Train. It was the second time I’ve seen it and it was just as tense and exciting the second time around! It’s a film adaptation of a Clive Barker story, which if you know the slightest about him than you know it’s bound to be horrifically creepy and awesome!
The movie is about Leon, a photographer (Bradley Cooper) in New York, who becomes intrigued by a local butcher named Mahogany (Vinnie Jones). Leon follows Mahogany on his nightly subway train rides, snapping photos the whole way. Turns out Mahogany is a killer and catches on to the fact that he’s being stalked. Tensions increase as Mahogany starts stalking Leon, causes him to go crazy. I won’t say anymore because that would ruin the rest of the movie for you! The atmosphere in the movie is really scary and tense.
Vinnie Jones did an absolutely perfect job at being a scary-as-hell, psycho-killer. The actor has been in almost 50 movies, but no other roles really stick out to me. You may recognize him from Hell Ride and X-Men: The Last Stand. His character in this movie was such a stone-cold killer who showed no remorse, but as long as you weren’t in the subway train he wouldn’t kill you. His character was an otherwise tidy, banal, average man. Bradley Cooper did a great job as Leon and it is nice to see him in a more substantial role. I mean he was fabulous in The Hangover but Midnight Meat Train showed that he can indeed act. His progression into more craziness was very convincing. Leslie Bibb, a favorite actress of mine since the days of “Popular” played Leon’s love interest, Maya. Her character was the most annoying I’ve encountered recently. She overacted and was too melodramatic. Brooke Shields and Roger Bart (The Stepford Wives) were good minor characters.
January 2, 2010
Today I went to see Up in the Air, Jason Reitman’s latest movie starring George Clooney. The movie was 110 percent enjoyable. It was smart, witty, sad, hilarious, etc. Other recent movies by Reitman include Juno and Thank You for Smoking.
The movie is about Ryan Bingham, (Clooney) a man whose job is firing others from theirs. He gets to travel the U.S. 322 days of the year. He loves his job and his only goal in life is to gain 10 million flyer miles. In fact, he is such a committment phobe that he gives inspirational speeches on how to avoid committment. He meets another frequent flyer in the form of Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga), in which they find a mutual attraction.
The movie hits on a lot of different themes. Both Ryan and Alex find joy and a ’safety net’ in being frequent flyers and the sterile environment that surrounds them in hotels and airports. Ryan has isolated himself from just about everything, including neighbors and his family. He gets a false sense of appreciation by the folks at the airline whose job it is to please Ryan. During the majority of the movie, Alex and Ryan seem perfect for each other. They each give solace, and a place for hot sex, for the other. Ryan finally finds someone who he wants to open up to and it comes back to bite him in the ass. The importance of family is also touched on a lot in the movie. One of Ryan’s sisters is getting married and it’s the first time he’s seen them in years because he avoids their phone calls and efforts at contact. But I would say the main topic in the movie surrounds Ryan’s job. The only time Ryan is sensitive is when he’s firing someone. He finds a way to do it gracefully and actually cares and helps the people.
George Clooney was stellar in this movie. It’s the epitome of a fabulous movie, mainly because it’s hilarious and touching at the same time and there’s a lot of great character development. Vera Farmiga, who is quickly becoming one of my favorite actresses, did a wonderful job and her character really threw me for a loop, as it will you too! She’s been in other great movies like Nothing But the Truth and The Departed. Other really memorable roles were filled by Zach Galifianakas (The Hangover), Danny McBride (“Eastbound & Down”), and J.K. Simmons (Juno, “Oz”).
December 30, 2009
I recently went to see The Road and after having read the book by Cormac McCarthy I was extremely excited to see this movie. But I was weary at the same time because of how much I loved the book — I didn’t want to be disappointed. I was soo pleased after seeing the movie, it lived up to the book (as well as a movie can).
The plot is extremely depressing, so you should know that before diving into both the book or movie. It’s about some sort of apocalyptic event, we never find out what it is, that has killed a majority of people and left the world devastated. Currency, valuables and humanity really no longer have relevance in this post-apocalyptic world. The story focuses on the journey of a father and son traveling and struggling to survive on little food.
There were some really striking images in the movie. One that really stuck out was the money and jewelry covering the ground and the father just walking by it. To think of a world where money and valuables cease to be needed is a scary thought! Another cool image, was when the father found a lone Coca-Cola and was able to give his son a sweet treat in the midst of the dreary world they live in. To also imagine never having had Coke is hard to do. It was those little moments that really hit home, in both the movie and book. The scenery of the movie was very convincing and believable, some footage from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina was used. For those of you who have read the book, you’ll be pleased to find the majority of important scenes from the book in the movie. Sometimes film adaptations of books are a lot different from the actual text but in this case the movie follows the book very closely.
The movie starred Viggo Mortensen, who’s been in movies such as 28 Days, The Lord of the Rings, A History of Violence, and Eastern Promises. As always, he did a fantastic job. Not only did he have to lose a lot of weight to fulfill this role but he was very convincing as a father who has been struggling to keep himself and his son alive for the past 7 or so years. Charlize Theron, Guy Pearce and Robert Duvall also play minor but very important roles and all did great jobs. Pearce and Duvall are nearly unrecognizable, and if it wasn’t for Duvall’s distinct voice and Pearce’s eyes I probably wouldn’t have recognized them. Viggo’s son is played by Kodi Smit-McPhee, who is from Australia and has been in a few movies. He did a great job illustrating the loss of innocence and a boy trying to grasp onto any piece of hope.
Overall, the movie and book, illustrate pretty well how the world would likely be given an apocalypse. Humanity completely disappears except for those few people left that still have a conscience. The ending though is hopeful in a couple different ways, but I will let you come to those on your own. I highly recommend reading and viewing The Road.
December 29, 2009
I went to see Sherlock Holmes Dec. 29 and was very excited to see it. I don’t normally like action flicks, at all, but this movie was fabulous. It had just the right mix of action and character development to entertain those who thrive on action while still appealing to those who like a little more from their characters.
I’m not going to waste too much time on the plot because well, you should already know the gist. Basically it’s a movie about the legendary fictional character Sherlock Holmes, who’s an English detective. He is a hapless drunk that happens to be a genius at solving complex cases. He floats between cases with his roommate and best friend Dr. John Watson. The movie centers around a particular case Holmes and Watson are working on. Lord Blackwood is planning to take over the world with black magic.
The acting was superb! Robert Downey Jr., a personal favorite of mine, portrays Holmes and does an amazing job. He shows the dismay and depression Holmes suffered, but also the sharp wit and camaraderie he felt with Watson. Jude Law plays Watson and also does a great job…the character of Watson is one I think many actors could have easily filled. But not many people could have done Holmes like Downey Jr. did. Rachel McAdams, another personal favorite, portrayed Irene Adler, the temptress and criminal that stole Holmes’ heart. The entire cast worked together like a well-oiled machine.
Guy Ritchie directed the film and not surprisingly did a wonderful job. His track record includes Snatch, RocknRolla and Swept (ekk! on that last one). One thing that was great about this movie was the cinematography. The sweeping shots of scenery were great for putting the movie into the correct context. Also, I don’t usually notice or pay too much attention to sound during movies, but Sherlock Holmes used sound very effectively, especially during fight scenes.
December 25, 2009
I reminisced today with 1995’s Now and Then. This was one of my favorite movies growing up, I was 7 when it was released. Watching it again today I can still say it’s one of my favorites. It’s interesting how many little details and scenes you remember after so many years.
The movie takes place in Shelby, Indiana in 1970. It’s about four best friends, all twelve years old. They have the summer off of school and get into a lot of little adventures. Then 15ish years later the women all gather together again in their old town because one of the friends is having a baby.
The relationship and friendship of the four girls is what made this movie. The kind of love you have for your best friends is a strong bond and this movie showed that very successfully. There were so many awesome moments in this movie, such as the old-school Cosmopolitan sex quiz the young girls were taking, the game Red Rover that I played growing up, seances in the graveyard, first kisses and beating up boys. But the girls in the movie also had to deal with tough issues, like the Vietnam War, death and divorcing parents.
The cast of this movie was fantastic. Back when I was 7 it was the first exposure I had to Thora Birch and she was/still is a fabulous actress. She plays one of the four young girls. Her portrayal of Teeny, a girly-girl who’s boy-crazy and sensitive, was great. The adult version of Teeny is Melanie Griffith, who finally became the movie star she always wanted to be. Christina Ricci shined in this movie! I had seen her before in the Addams Family before seeing this movie. She plays a tomboy who lost her mother when she was real young. The only thing that bothered me about this movie was that pretty Christina Ricci could morph into Rosie O’Donnell. Now that’s completely improbable, or maybe I just can’t stand Rosie! Demi Moore and Rita Wilson also play adults version of the other girls and did pretty good jobs. Other notable characters were Cloris Leachman as a grandmother and Devon Sawa (Idle Hands and Final Destination) as the neighborhood boy who shares his first kiss with Ricci’s character. Hank Azaria, Bonnie Hunt, Janeane Garofalo and Brendan Fraser also portray quirky characters.
The director Lesli Linka Glatter is still directing and went on to direct episodes of “Freaks and Geeks,” “The West Wing,” “ER” and “Mad Men.” Also the soundtrack in this movie makes you want to get up and dance. It includes music from the Jackson 5, Tony Orlando, Diana Ross and the Monkees.
For fun, see if you can recognize Bruce Willis’ daughter Rumer in the movie.
December 25, 2009
Today I thought, ‘It’s Christmas and what better movie to put me in the holiday spirit than Bad Santa.’ And it certainly worked! The movie, from 2003, is quite enjoyable, especially for those out there who despise all the freaking Christmas craziness.
I had seen the movie a few times before and it’s about a moppy alcoholic named Willie played by Billy Bob Thorton. Every holiday season he and his midget friend, played by Tony Cox, dress up as Santa and an Elf and steal from shopping malls. This year is a little different though because Willie meets a very persistent little kid and a bartender, played by Lauren Graham (“The Gilmore Girls,” Flash of Genius), who develops a crush on him. Now don’t ask me how or why a pretty woman like Lauren Graham would fall for a pathetic drunk. There were also memorable roles by late the John Ritter and Bernie Mac. I find it important to mention that Bad Santa was directed by Terry Zwigoff, who also directed 2001’s Ghost World, which is a personal favorite that I recommend highly!!
Now Billy Bob was basically the perfect pick for this role. I mean a sullen, angry man…he fits the bill perfectly. It was nice to see his crass, asshole character make a change by the end of the movie. The sad, chubby kid that he shacks up with for a while helps soften Billy Bob’s rough edges. I definitely recommend this movie if you want to laugh and don’t get offended easily.
