Super 8 (8.5/10)

Super 8 (8.5/10)

Outside of X-Men: First Class, I was most looking forward to seeing J.J. Abrams’ newest directorial effort, Super 8. The man responsible for the iconic television programs Lost and Alias as well as his more recent film projects Mission: Impossible III and Star Trek has repeatedly produced quality material from a writing, producing, and directing standpoint and Super 8 is no exception. People were hyping this movie up since the first teaser trailer appeared back in July of 2010 and it has been very accurately compared to such great flicks as E.T. and The Goonies upon its release.

The story follows a group of young kids making a zombie movie on a super 8 camera (a specific film size that has an exposed area slightly larger than standard 8mm film) who witness a train crash, capture footage of something escaping from the wreck, and end up getting wrapped up in a crazy government alien cover up. The main character, Joe Lamb, played by silver screen newcomer Joel Courtney, is a quiet, nerdy, son of the sheriff’s deputy who struggles to exist after his mother passes away. His father, played by the always impressive yet underappreciated Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights, Early Edition) is too busy dealing with strange occurrences to look after him and they rarely see eye to eye.

The best performance comes from Elle Fanning as the lovely Alice Dainard as she comes hot off another great role in Sofia Coppola’s Somewhere. She plays the love interest of Joe Lamb with such innocence while still seemingly hiding some pain that I found her stealing the scenes she appears in more often than not. My favorite character though was Joe Lamb’s best friend Charles who was played by another newcomer Riley Griffiths. This kid was not only phenomenal but he was hilarious as the writer/director who is trying to finish his movie. The comedic timing and the sheer amount of laughs in Abrams’ script was something that I didn’t really expect but it was welcomed with open arms as it came across very natural and it made the whole experience very enjoyable.

There are so many great aspects to Super 8, but the camera work is amongst the best of them. The visual style of a film is partly attributed to the preference of the director and Abrams does have a reputation for visually striking work, but a friend made a comment to me about Abrams “loving lens flares,” and while I don’t disagree with that I believe the visuals in Super 8 should be attributed more to cinematographer Larry Fong than anything else. The man is a genius behind the camera and is responsible for some of the most beautiful films of the past few years including 300, Watchmen, and Suckerpunch. Yes, I understand those movies are all heavily affected in post, but without the initial image achieved by Fong all the special effects in the world wouldn’t help.

I can go on and on singing the praises of Abrams and his cast and crew, but the bottom line is that Super 8 really is a fantastic piece of filmmaking. Like it or not, the man knows how to tell a story and he gets the most out of the people he collaborates with. Super 8 may not be perfect (but what film is?), but it is my favorite movie of the year so far and something will really have to blow me away in order to take that honor.

X-Men: First Class (7.5/10)

X-Men: First Class (7.5/10)

I grew up on the X-Men and Spider-Man animated television shows and I really enjoyed the first two movies from each film trilogy, so naturally I was ecstatic to hear they were going to be adding to (rebooting?) both series after equally disappointing third installments. First Class was tops on my list of superhero movies for the year and boy did it live up to expectations. The press leading up to the release was phenomenally done as it did a great job of setting the tone and showing how different this new imagining would be from the original trilogy.

While this was not particularly an origin story, it did touch on bits of Charles Xavier/Professor X (James McAvoy) and Eric Lehnsherr/Magneto’s (Michael Fassbender) early years and how they came to be the men represented in the first three movies. The performances of both actors were spot on and although I enjoy the older versions of their characters played by Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen, they brought a new dimension and added life to the roles that didn’t exist prior. Out of the remaining cast members, the strongest performances came from Kevin Bacon as the devastatingly sinister Sebastian Shaw and Nicholas Hoult as the brainy man-child Hank McCoy/Beast who tries so desperately to change his physical appearance in order to be accepted by society.

The most unique and to me the most appealing aspect of First Class was the nearly revisionist historical story that used found footage and actual events to blend the fictional Marvel universe with our own. The story is set in the 60’s Cold War Era, deals with the tensions between the US and Russia, and climaxes in an event that resembles the Cuban Missile Crisis. Even the Bond-esque opening credit sequence fits the retro feel of the film and I was immediately drawn in as soon as they began to roll.

The biggest flaws included sub-par performances from proven thespians Jennifer Lawrence and January Jones who played Raven/Mystique and Emma Frost respectively, as well as a terrible makeup/VFX job for Beast, and a very obvious lack of character depth for the majority of the mutants outside of Professor X, Magneto, and Mystique. When all is said and done though, X-Men: First Class is a fantastic character study and an exciting ride that certainly stands up to the original trilogy, but also creates something unique that will hopefully spawn more stories for years to come.

The Hangover II (2.5/10)

The Hangover II (2.5/10)

If you haven’t seen this movie yet, you might as well just re-watch the original and call it a day. I know Hollywood has been trying to limit the risks they take and capitalize on “sure things” (even though there is no such thing), but The Hangover II has replicated whole scenes, plot twists, and even specific jokes and lines to the point where it is almost embarrassing. Insert Bangkok for Las Vegas and a monkey for the tiger, have the wolf pack chase down another missing person, keep relying on Zach Galifianakis and his ridiculous beard/crazy T-shirt combination for laughs, and even bring Mike Tyson back and you have the recipe for this sorry excuse for a sequel.

There are some good laughs here, but nothing worth writing home about. I suppose it was a good investment for Warner Brothers as it has grossed nearly the same amount as the original did ($437M), although they more than doubled the original’s budget, but it’s a shame that they didn’t even make an effort to create a unique piece of art. I can accept the current state of affairs where remakes, sequels, and reboots are the norm but why does the craft of filmmaking have to be cheapened to the point where it resembles assembly line manufacturing? The excuse that “it’s just a sequel” is not an acceptable answer as there have been many great follow ups over the years including The Empire Strikes Back, The Godfather II, The Dark Knight, etc. The list goes on and on. All I’m asking for is a little bit of effort on the filmmaker’s part. I don’t think that is too much to ask for in exchange for my ten dollars at the Box Office.

Thor (5/10)

Thor (5/10)

I will admit that I was not planning on seeing Thor in theaters. Of all the superhero flicks that were hitting the big screen this summer it was definitely at the top of my list for potential flops. In fact, I probably would have put a decent amount of money down that it was going to turn out terrible. Opening weekend came and went with Thor doing fairly well (1^st place with $65M) and I started to get some fairly positive word of mouth reviews from friends. Comments such as “It was entertaining,” “It’s good for what it was,” and “It was definitely better than I expected” all caught me off guard. Trusting most of my friend’s opinions, I decided to go check it out and I was pleasantly surprised.

Yes, it is a cheesy superhero movie and the world of Asgard looks as lame as it did in the previews, but the acting of Anthony Hopkins (who plays Thor’s father Odin), Natalie Portman (Thor’s human love interest), and most notably Tom Hiddleston (Loki) really carries the movie. While Chris Hemsworth (Thor) doesn’t have the best acting chops, he nails the look and is even able to get a few laughs with some pretty amusing comments. I’m glad he will be reprising his role in the upcoming Avengers film (due out in Summer 2012), because at this point I can’t picture anybody else being Thor.

Though mediocre at best, Thor served as a sufficient lead-in to the superhero laden blockbuster summer and it definitely works well as a supplement to The Avengers. That being said, it suffered from its extremely rushed story and the final battle scene between Thor and Loki was eerily reminiscent of the embarrassingly anti-climactic finale in Tron: Legacy. Thor is good popcorn entertainment, but grab some Orville Redenbacher’s and wait for it to come out on DVD. Hopefully it includes the Joss Whedon directed clip at the end!

Bridesmaids (7/10)

Bridesmaids (7/10)

The key to a good movie is a good story and the key to a good story is universal appeal. Will everyone regardless of age, sex, race, or religion be able to relate to the story and see a bit of themselves in the characters? This is a question that must be answered by writers and filmmakers alike and in the case of Bridesmaids, writers Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo along with director Paul Feig nailed it.

Yes, this is a story about a girl whose best girlfriend is getting married and all the issues she has to deal, but at its core it is really about friendship, growing up, learning to trust yourself and others, and being comfortable in your own skin. Bridesmaids could just have easily been centered on a male whose best friend is getting married and the story would have played just as well. I really enjoyed the female actresses though as their comedic timing and group dynamics came through hilariously on screen.

The film was produced by Judd Apatow so it definitely has a familiar emotional feel to it, but through Feig’s direction and the fantastic acting of lead actress Kristen Wiig, they were able to give us something fresh that only gets funnier upon repeat viewings. I was expecting something more from the visuals as it was shot by frequent Wes Anderson collaborator Robert Yeoman, but I suppose they wanted to offer a more mainstream product and focus on presenting the story without using potentially distracting visuals. Overall, Bridesmaids was a complete success both critically and commercially, but in the end it is a fairly straightforward romantic comedy/coming-of-age story with the slight female twist. It serves as great entertainment and is definitely worth checking out, but it’s not winning any awards.

Most Anticipated Films of 2011

Most Anticipated Films of 2011 (Ordered by Release Date)

1. Passion Play (5/6)
2. Hesher (5/13)
3. Skateland (5/13)
4. Midnight in Paris (5/20)
5. The Hangover II (5/26)
6. The Tree of Life (5/27)
7. X-Men: First Class (6/3)
8. Submarine (6/3)
9. Beginners (6/3)
10. Super 8 (6/10)
11. The Trip (6/10)
12. Green Lantern (6/17)
13. Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop (6/24)
14. Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon (6/29)
15. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II (7/15)
16. Captain America (7/22)
17. Another Earth (7/22)
18. Cowboys and Aliens (7/29)
19. Attack the Block (7/29)
20. Rise of the Planet of the Apes (8/5)
21. 30 Minutes of Less (8/12)
22. Our Idiot Brother (8/26)
23. Warrior (9/9)
24. Drive (9/16)
25. Moneyball (9/23)
26. 50/50 (9/30)
27. Anonymous (9/30)
28. Martha Marcy May Marlene (10/7)
29. Real Steel (10/7)
30. The Ides of March (10/14)
31. Red State (10/19)
32. Like Crazy (10/28)
33. In Time (10/28)
34. Melancholia (11/4)
35. Immortals (11/11)
36. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (11/18)
37. Hugo Cabret (11/23)
38. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (12/16)
39. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (12/16)
40. The Descendants (12/16)
41. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (12/21)
42. The Adventures of Tintin (12/23)
43. War Horse (12/28)

Top 10 Under Appreciated Films of 2010

DISCLAIMER: I started writing this article back in February and never quite finished it, but I wanted to post it nonetheless. These movies deserve to be seen by more people, so go watch ‘em and enjoy!

With the conclusion of the Oscar ceremony, everyone who made year end lists or attempted to pick the award winners can now see how accurate (or for those with less conservative tastes, how radically off) they were in selecting the best entries from a year packed with phenomenal cinema. Like many others, I began creating a “best of” list in early December, but so many have already been published that I decided to go a different route. I am not writing to gripe about the Oscar’s, although I am upset Christopher Nolan didn’t receive the recognition he deserved, and I am not going to attempt to tell you what the “best” movies of 2010 are. Instead, I will be creating a list of what I believe are The Top 10 Under Appreciated Films of 2010. I am not taking anything away from the Academy Award winners, but there are several fantastic films that were made this year that did not garner the full attention and audience they deserve, and this list is my attempt to make such films known.

The Top 10 Under Appreciated Films of 2010 (In No Particular Order):

1. How to Train Your Dragon

Everyone knows that Pixar is the leader in producing animated content, but Dreamworks (who has had their fare share of success with the Shrek franchise) struck gold with this year’s surprise animated feature, How to Train Your Dragon. The film is based on a children’s book of the same name, but the story has been adapted for a wider audience and more universal appeal. The visuals (especially in 3D) are absolutely captivating and they succeeded in achieving a very ‘live-action’ feel by consulting with Roger Deakins, the frequent Coen brother’s collaborator and upcoming recipient of the American Society of Cinematographer’s Lifetime Achievement Award. The phenomenal voice cast led by Jay Baruchel (She’s Out of My League), Gerard Butler (300), and America Ferrara (Ugly Betty) does a fantastic job of bringing life to these characters and by the end of the film you feel as if you are a part of this animated world. It will probably be the most recognized film on this list as it was nominated for two Oscars, won Best Animated Feature at the Annie Awards, and has grossed nearly $500 at the Box Office, but I still think it deserves to be recognized for it’s mastering of story, dialog, and visual effects that Pixar has dominated the industry with since the release of Toy Story in 1995. Definitely check this out if you have not seen it and keep an eye out for How to Train Your Dragon 2 in the summer of 2013.

2. Kick-Ass

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to dress up as a superhero and fight crime? Well if you want to know, check this movie out and you won’t be disappointed. Though this film garnered mostly positive reviews and has been a relative financial success, it was left off the majority of year end lists and received little to know awards recognition, save for the Teen Choice Awards. Despite its superhero content and graphic novel origins, the film is dark, edgy, and is more than just your average superhero movie. While the acting from Chloe Moretz (Let Me In, 500 Days of Summer) is hysterically over the top, Aaron Johnson (Nowhere Boy, The Illusionist) really shines in his breakthrough titular role. Kick-Ass features enough violence, hilarity, foul-mouthed teenagers, and epic Nic Cage action sequences to appease even the shortest attention spans and it should definitely not be missed.

3. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

When I think of filmmaking and art in general, I think of creativity and innovation. Those are two traits that are severely lacking in a huge percentage of modern filmmaking, but with Scott Pilgrim, Edgar Wright has done a bang up job in attempting to correct that shortcoming. Never before has a comic been adapted for the screen so perfectly. The story revolves around Scott Pilgrim (played by the always hilarious, yet relatively one-sided Michael Cera) attempting to win the affection of Ramona Flowers (played by the beautiful and talented Mary Elizabeth Winstead) by defeating her “seven evil exes”. The story is fairly generic, but the visuals alone are enough to make this a must see and a repeat one at that. The fight scenes are breathtaking, the dialogue is quick and witty, and the casting of the exes is extremely on-point. Unfortunately, this flick fell short at the box office that could be due to any number of reasons including over-focused niche marketing and an unclear representation of the material that confused audiences and did little to nothing to draw them in. That being said, the majority of people that have seen this enjoyed it thoroughly and it is definitely much more worthy of a view than other, more financially successful films including Alice in Wonderland, Clash of the Titans, and The Last Airbender.

4. The Ghost Writer

Personal life aside, Roman Polanski has led a remarkable life. His films Rosemary’s Baby, Chinatown, and The Pianist have earned him the rank of master filmmaker and have won him several Academy Awards, including a Best Director nod for The Pianist. His most recent effort, The Ghost Writer, deserves to be included in his long list of cinematic achievements. Ewan McGregor plays a nameless ghost writer who is hired to complete the memoirs of a former British Prime Minister (played by Pierce Brosnan) that gets accused of committing war crimes. The flick is part murder mystery, part psychological thriller with a little bit of relationship drama thrown in. It comes at you from all angles, keeps you on your toes, and has an ending that caught me and everyone else I know who has seen it completely off guard. It is definitely a Polanski film and it has a Chinatown feel to it, but it also felt a lot like modern Hitchcock with its creepy chase scenes and dimly lit encounters. The film was somewhat shunned in Britain because of the negative connotation towards Tony Blair, but I don’t believe that should keep people from watching it. In fact, I am surprised the controversy didn’t stir up more interest. Polanski received two Cesar Awards for The Ghost Writer; One for directing and one for writing. Despite these awards from the French equivalent of the Academy Awards, the film has garnered very little critical or commercial success. Regardless, Polanski is a genius and The Ghost Writer, which is probably in my Top 10 of 2010, needs to be seen.

5. Animal Kingdom

This brutal and unflinching family crime drama from first time Australian director, David Michod, was a pleasant surprise and a truly enjoyable watch. Jacki Weaver earned a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for her role as the family matriarch and Guy Pearce turns in another strong performance. Joel Edgerton, who will play opposite Tom Hardy in the upcoming MMA flick Warrior, shows flashes of the actor I hope he can be and although his role in the movie is relatively small his performance certainly leaves an impact. Come for the drama and tension in this carefully crafted and realistic glimpse into the criminal psyche and its affect on family dynamics, but be sure to stay for the twists and turns and an ending that will leave you breathless.

6. Enter the Void

Argentinian-born, French filmmaker Gaspar Noe is not afraid to take chances. He pushes filmmaking to the extremes and doesn’t look back. A true revolutionary, his films are very divisive and are certainly shocking. Enter The Void is no exception. The films opening credits are amongst the most visually and sonically exhilarating I’ve ever seen and Kanye West even pulled from them for his “All of the Lights” music video. Characterized by Noe as a “psychedelic melodrama”, this mind bender of a story follows a young American drug dealer named Oscar who experiences an out of body experience when he is shot by police while living in Tokyo. BEWARE: This movie is intense, so be forewarned. You are in for an experience!

7. Buried

An entire movie shot inside a coffin? Come again? I heard the hype about Spanish filmmaker Rodrigo Cortes’ claustrophobic thriller starring Ryan Reynolds as an American truck driver who gets kidnapped and buried alive while working in Iraq, but I was very skeptical. How can you shoot an entire movie inside a seven foot box? And even if you can, how are you going to keep the audience entertained for an hour and a half? Not only did Cortes’ accomplish this amazing feat, but in doing so he produced one of the most riveting and nail-biting films of the year. The extremely fast-paced story is brought to life by a fantastic performance from the ever-surprising Reynolds and this film deserves to be seen just to prove that a movie shot entirely inside a coffin can not only work but be entirely enjoyable as well. 127 Hours? It was good, but this similarly styled movie was way more original and left a much larger impression on me.

8. The Book of Eli

This epic, post-apocalyptic thriller from the Hughes Brothers (From Hell, Dead Presidents) stars Denzel Washington as a lone traveler who fights his way across America in order to protect a sacred book that holds the secrets to saving mankind. This movie hits hard and doesn’t let up. Shot on the RED One Camera, this fast paced and action packed dystopian tale features amazingly bleak and beautiful cinematography, an opening sequence that hooks the viewer, and enough fight sequences to keep even the most battle hungry audience satiated. There isn’t much of a story to be found here, but it succeeds in doing what it set out to do, entertain. Sit back, ogle Mila Kunis, and watch Denzel do what he does best and kick some ass!

9. Leaves of Grass

The always amazing Ed Norton stars as twin brothers, Bill and Brady Kincaid, in this black comedy from Tim Blake Nelson. When Bill, an Ivy League professor, is lured back home to Oklahoma by the supposed death of his drug dealing twin brother Brady, things go terribly wrong when they attempt to scheme against a local drug kingpin. Equal parts dramatic, comedic and thought provoking, this tale of self discovery is much more than it seems at first glance. While it was enjoyable watching the first time, this one certainly gets better with repeat viewings. Watch and watch again!

10. Exit Through the Gift Shop/Inside Job

Admittedly, I do not watch nearly enough documentaries and I imagine most people don’t see too many of them either, but when I see a good one it sticks and I have to recommend them to everyone. Exit Through the Gift Shop was my favorite to win the Oscar and it really is an amazing look into the underground world of street art that is currently growing exponentially. That being said, I had not seen Inside Job before it eventually went on to win the Academy Award , but I was absolutely blown away and infuriated upon seeing it. This carefully edited and fast paced documentary about the current financial crisis is a harrowing look at the travesty that is the U.S. financial system and the signs and warnings that were ignored before the Wall Street collapse. If there was ever a piece of art that could unite and incite change, and by god do we need something to change, Inside Job is it!