first post in ages. just a random listing of movies i've seen

So I haven't done this in awhile, but I figured it would be nice to keep tabs on movies i've been seeing. It's rather hard to remember though for multiple months..

1 4 months, 3 weeks, 2 days- romanian and brilliant. A
2 Rachel Getting Married- moving portrait and the dude from tv on the radio is in it! A-
3 The Wrestler- one of the best of the year. A
4 Up- very sweet, animated movies moving toward a new level. A-
5 The Hangover- I laughed my ass off, that's about all I can say
6 Punch Drunk Love- not my favorite PT Anderson, but was well acted. B+
7 I Heart Huckabees- very interesting, but felt lackluster in parts. B/B- (jon brion did music for this and punch drunk, among many films, but he is wonderful)

probably more, but i can't remember

Also, read a thought provoking non fiction recently by a Brown student about life at a Christian university in the age of the "culture wars". http://www.kevinroose.com/ called the "unlikely disicple"

Note to Self: Write about these movies

Other movies I've seen recently, but am too lazy to write/copy/paste about.

1. Milk-I was moved. A
2. High Fidelity. Liked the monolouges and music talks, relationship part seemed kind of dead to me. B
3. Run Lola Run. B (although one of the cooler movies, in a techie sort of way, I've seen)
4. Let the Right One In (Sweeden?). A. Wow, this vampire movie was visually stunning and really got me thinking about vampire rights...I mean they can feel love and have relationships, they just have this defect from birth that they have no control over and probably despise having. Human blood is just basic biological need for them, is that such a crime? In all reality, I can see the symbolism of vampires in a society that doesn't accept those for behaviors that were determined by genetics.
5. Pleasantville. Saw it on a bus, but was kind of cool. Symbolism was a little too blatant for my liking.

In other news, I recommened the novels of Tom Robbins, literary daredevil, and the actual book Revolutionary Road. Richard Yates is rather fulfilling when writing about the hopeless emptiness.

Review: Raising Arizona (Plus two quickies)

Raising Arizona (1987)

Directed by: The Coen Brothers

Synopsis (Rotten Tomatoes): A childless couple unable to adopt decide that a couple who just had quintuplets won't mind if they steal one of the babies. Thus begins the Coen brothers' madcap romp RAISING ARIZONA. Holly Hunter stars as Ed, a cop who is devastated when she learns that she cannot get pregnant. Nicolas Cage is her husband, H.I., an ex-con who wants nothing more than to make his wife the happiest woman in the world. So if she wants a baby, she's going to have a baby, one way or another. Heading up the supporting cast of bizarre characters are John Goodman and William Forsythe as crazy cousins who have just busted out of prison, Sam McMurray and Frances McDormand as Ed and H.I.'s swinging friends, and Randall "Tex" Cobb as a motorcycle madman hired to rescue the baby. RAISING ARIZONA is the Coen brothers' most consistently funny film. Carter Burwell's score, replete with infectious yodeling, is relentless, Barry Sonnenfeld's cinematography is beautifully wacky, and the manic dialogue is the brothers' most quotable. The film is a treat for the ears and the eyes, a one-of-a-kind sensation from a marvelous pair of filmmakers.

Impressions that I get: God, I love the Coens. Raising Arizona has just joined my top 3 Coens platform with Millers Crossing and No Country for Old Men. We had the gangster movie, the old western killer movie, and now the bizzare comedy complete with yodeling getaway scenes and "If you can find a lower price, my name ain't Nathan Arizona!" This film is loaded with original characters. You have the multiple ex-convict who will do anything to please his wife, but still can't let go of his past. You have the crime photographer who just wants to have a baby and live a "normal" live despite her infertitility. You have the charismatic, old salesman who turns out to not be such a jerk after all. You have the wise cracking, typical hick couple with their out of control kids and you have the escaped from prison via hidden tunnel cousins who are just looking to score it big. You have the demon unleashed from hell who blows up rabbits with grenades and is out to hunt them all down. And bringing all these wild and crazy people together, you have the baby, Nathan Jr. Which, despite all the abnormal circumstances, everybody can't help but love (And it is an absolutely adorable baby, mind you!) The dialouge is filled with classic Coen dry wisecracks and clever cinematography that highlights the hysterical absurbity of every scenario. Perhaps one of my favorite assets to the movie though, was the magnificent music of Mr. Carter Burwell, a regular Coen contributer. The bluegrass yodeling of the 10 minute long, roundabout chase scene blends so perfectly that you can't imagine anything else going in there. The beautiful theme for the baby really starts to provide some strong emotional backing over the last 15 minutes or so and it complements Nicholas Cage's monolouge about his final dream wonderfully. There even is some symbolism within the context of the dreams and the demon bike rider as H.I. (great name by the way) consience catches up to him. Overall, this was just a plain enjoyable experience that put together ridicioulous situations with a strong artistic edge and a witty script. Cheers to the Coen Brothers. -AT

Acting (8/10) Gotta love these characters, great to see Nicholas Cage not playing shitty roles

Plot (9/10) Only the Coens my friends. Kidnapping babies in deadneck Arizona with demon bikeriders chasing after them?

Cinematography (8.5/10) Really excellent, was able to compliment the arid enviroment with the hilarity of said situations

Originality (9.5/10) Oh man, stands out, not only on its own merits, but becuase it has nothing to truly compare it to

Grade: A

OKAY, Two other quick synopsies

The Squid and the Whale (2005)

Directed by:Noah Baumbach

Synopsis: Noah Baumbach's THE SQUID AND THE WHALE is an excruciatingly humane, often hilarious portrait of a disintegrating family in mid-1980s Brooklyn. Set in the stately yet off-kilter neighborhood of Park Slope, the film tells the story of the Berkmans, a quintessentially New York family struggling to keep things together. Family patriarch Bernard (Jeff Daniels) is a published author and writing teacher whose insecurity over his own lack of recognition continues to plague him. Meanwhile, his wife, Joan (Laura Linney), is grappling with her own sense of unsettlement. Their sons, who are caught in the crossfire, express their confusion in different ways: 16-year-old Walt (Jesse Eisenberg) tries to pass off Pink Floyd's "Hey You" as his own hit in the school talent show, while his 12-year-old brother Frank (Owen Kline) begins to explore his burgeoning sexuality and alcoholism. When Bernard and Joan finally decide to separate, the family must confront their unraveling situation head on. Rarely has family dysfunction been captured so frankly and honestly as in THE SQUID AND THE WHALE. Baumbach claims his film is only semi-autobiographical, but, from the pitch-perfect writing and nostalgic tone, it feels as if we're watching home videos of the writer-director's past. Featuring an outstanding pop-music soundtrack (Bert Jansch, the Feelies, Lou Reed), the film also boasts performances that seem certain to earn end-of-the-year accolades.

Acting (9/10) Really strong from each of the four family members (I happened to especially like the teenage boy, Jessie Eisenberg). Every person stands out on there own, yet their faint strings of family cohesiveness are felt even as everybody falls apart.

Plot (7/10) Not particuarly plot based, although does come full circle with the meaning of the title. On the short side too, more of a character study than anything else.

Cinematography (7/10) Good, but wasn't an over the top movie in any sense. Very subtle with the city of New York being used effectively to show the larger context of this small families dismay.

Originality (8.5/10) Lots of movies that involve divorce and dysfunctional are made, but the Squid and the Whale seems to ring so true. The arguemnts aren't loud and filled with grand oratory, but rather shown in the actions each character takes when no one else is looking. Makes own take note of their own life in seeing what went right and what went wrong. I have no doubt everybody can relate to someone in this family in one way or another.

Overall Grade: B+ (inching toward A- though, for the sake of its brutal, obscene honesty..)

Rushmore (1998)

Directed by: Wes Anderson

Synopsis (RT) : Director Wes Anderson's follow-up to the acclaimed BOTTLE ROCKET is a funny, warmhearted, and extremely sharp American response to the English "Angry Young Man" films of the 1960s, right down to... Director Wes Anderson's follow-up to the acclaimed BOTTLE ROCKET is a funny, warmhearted, and extremely sharp American response to the English "Angry Young Man" films of the 1960s, right down to its British Invasion soundtrack. Newcomer Jason Schwartzman creates a classic protagonist in Max Fischer, a sophomore at Rushmore Academy. He excels at every extracurricular activity in school, from theater to beekeeping. Gradewise, however, he's failing. He has few friends outside school save for wealthy but depressed industrialist Herman Blume (Bill Murray), father of obnoxious twin boys who also attend Rushmore. Enter Rosemary Cross (Olivia Williams), a beautiful young widowed teacher at Rushmore Elementary. While Max is immediately smitten with Miss Cross, she finds comfort in the company of the emotionally frazzled Blume. But Max won't let Blume have Miss Cross without a fight. Anderson and cowriter Owen Wilson have created a script brimming with oddball humor at the surface, but at its core lies just enough realistic pain and disappointment to create an all-too-rare bittersweet edge, striking a subtle balance that few films ever achieve, and finally giving national treasure Bill Murray the chance to shine like never before. As director, Anderson displays his exceptional talents with careful choices in color palette, effective use of slow motion to comedic effect, and, most important, a brilliant selection of offbeat songs that are integral to the story. Easily one of the finest comedies since THE GRADUATE, RUSHMORE is a monument to brilliant filmmaking.

-Alright, this was an especially good synopsis that I happen to agree with, so I won't even bother writing anything down. I'll give Rushmore a B+ becuase I loved the ferocity yet pitifulness of Max Fisher and the magnificent script tailored by Owen Wilson and Mr.Anderson. Although I will admit to enjoying every bit of it at the time, it didn't move me the way I felt it had the potential to. Maybe I'll have to watch it a few more times and allow it to digest better. Either way, perfect movie for teenagers who recongize themselves or adults who remember what the wonderfully bizzare age was like. (Oh and Bill Murray was excellent also).

Note to Self: Stop seeing so many darn good movies! Or become a cricial snob more often. I keep giving high grades to everything. Well, then again, I still haven't checked out Saw 4 or Bride Wars yet...

Three very quick reviews

I am lacking in time to fully divulge on these films at the present, so I'll just lay out what I've seen recently.

1. Brick (2006) Directed by Rian Johnson

A detective story set around a contemporary California high school, BRICK dares to combine the teen and film noir genres. In mixing these two disparate worlds, Director Rian Johnson creates many comically jarring and ironic moments. When loner Brendan Frye (a barely recognizable Joseph Gordon-Levitt of THIRD ROCK FROM THE SUN) gets a desperate-sounding call from his ex-love Emily (Emilie de Ravin), he feels compelled to help her, plunging himself into the seedy world of teenage crime that pulled her away from him in the first place. Throughout this journey, Brendan plays a hard-boiled type reminiscent of Humphrey Bogart's iconic Sam Spade character. Johnson's script invests heavily in the fiction of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler, and is filled with other archetypical characters like the femme fatale (Nora Zehetner), the eccentric crime lord (a brilliant Lukas Haas), and the dame in distress (de Ravin). As teens trade in their cell phones for things as old-fashioned as pay phones and 1940s gangster vocabulary, occasional references to detention and first period provide a humorous contrast with the otherwise unbelievable complex, precocious, and largely parentless world that these teens inhabit. With its heavy reliance on references to old noir classics like THE MALTESE FALCON and THE BIG SLEEP, the film may risk alienating viewers not familiar with these older films. Seeing teenagers speaking in coded detective-movie-style lingo is entertaining, but mixed with the often overlapping, fast-paced but muttered dialogue, it also proves to be distracting at points. People eager to see a predictable teen drama may be confused by BRICK, as its goal is to turn the genre on its head, earning inevitable comparisons to films like 2001's surreal teen fantasy DONNIE DARKO. Because of the film's attention to detail and witty yet hard-to-follow dialogue, BRICK may be better appreciated on second viewing.

(Rotten Tomatoes)

Acting (7/10) The lead is quite good, as is his nerdy friend. Overall, the classy, rapid fire dialouge gives each character something more than the acting itself.

Plot (6.5/10) Very detail orientated and bound to leave some people lost, but does craft a cool film noir out of the california suburbs.

Cinematography (8.5/10) Lots of great angles and shots. Cool color scheme to the whole movie

Originality (8.5./10) Certainly not something you expect from a movie involving high schoolers. Very ambitious and many fine points to be discovered. The movie website has a great messageboard with ongoing converstation about Brick.

Overall: B

2. Insomnia (2002) Directed by Christopher Nolan

In a remote Alaskan town called Nightmute, the murder of a teenage girl has shocked the tight-knit community. The Los Angeles Police Department sends two of its cops--both under investigation by Internal Affairs--to try to solve the crime in Christopher Nolan's film based on Erik Skjoldbjærg's 1997 Norwegian film starring Stellan Skarsgård. The experienced, weathered Will Dormer (Al Pacino) has nothing in life except for the force. His younger partner, Hap (Martin Donovan), has a family to support and is willing to turn state's evidence to protect them. Local cop Ellie Burr is excited to work with her hero, Dormer--until she starts uncovering some questionable situations. It isn't long before Dormer finds the murderer--writer Walter Finch, played with subtle nuances by Robin Williams--but Finch knows a secret that could bring Dormer down. Director Nolan, who stunned audiences with 2001's inventive MEMENTO, here crafts an atmospheric psychological thriller that is bathed in whites and grays. The acting is uniformly excellent, especially Pacino's performance as a cop on the edge and Williams as a soft-spoken, low-rent crime novelist. Because it never gets dark in Alaska at this time of year, Dormer (a play off the Spanish word "dormir," which means "to sleep") is unable to fall asleep, light always streaming into his hotel room; watching him slowly unravel is a treat.

(Rotten Tomatoes)

Acting (7/10) Al Pacino is quite good in his role as a haggard cop, as is Robin Williams as the quietly disturbed writer. Hiliary Swank is good, doesn't stand out though.

Plot (8/10) Pretty cool story and setting for this thriller. Manages to avoid many of the bland pitfalls and predictible "twists" that litter many similar films. Much more of a character study embedded in a murder mystery.

Cinematography (8/10) Nolan is, as always, at the top of his game. Takes advantage of the fact that it's always sunny even in such a dark scenario. Fog scene is excellent as are the large Alaskan landscape shots.

Originality (8.5/10) Leave it to Christopher Nolan to take a seemingly basic thriller story and craft it into something both complex and tasteful. Exciting crime cinema at its best.

Overall Grade: B+

3. Magnolia (1999) Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson

In a single day in Los Angeles, a number of interconnected lives are changed forever. A lonely police officer (John C. Reilly) falls in love with a disturbed cocaine addict (Melora Walters). Her father (Philip Baker Hall), the host of the game show "What Do Kids Know?" has terminal cancer and tries to make amends for his past mistakes. A former champion of the show (William H. Macy) struggles to find love while the current champion (Jeremy Blackman) suffocates under the pressures of being a boy genius. An elderly man (Jason Robards) lies on his deathbed, tended by nurse Phil Parma (Philip Seymour Hoffman), while his trophy wife (Julianne Moore) wrestles with grief and guilt, and his estranged son (Tom Cruise), an infomercial host, teaches workshops on how to trick women into having sex. Throughout all of this, past deeds are lamented and strange forces loom in the air. Director Paul Thomas Anderson's follow-up to BOOGIE NIGHTS is an extravagant, emotional epic inspired by such films as Robert Altman's NASHVILLE and SHORT CUTS, with a sprawling cast of characters searching for love and meaning in a chaotic world. The cast delivers uniformly excellent performances, most notably Tom Cruise's Oscar-nominated role as the sleazy Frank T.J. Mackey

Acting (9/10) Excellent, colorful cast of characteres all around. What else would you expect from a cast that includes such greats as PSH and William H. Macy. Tom Cruise, inconsistent in his performances, is perfect for his role in Magnolia.

Plot (9/10) The large combination of plots that connect on both literal and figurative levels makes Magnolia a true masterpiece. The themes of childhood and parenting are huge as are the truly good characters (nurse and policeman) trying to do something for the better in this world. The Exodus references/ wholly awesome ending add a great touch as well.

Cinematography (9/10) Some excellent single shot passages and great editing together of shots in which multiple characters are seen with Aimee Mann singing beautifully in the background. Overall the music is great.

Originality (9.5/10) An epic of a film that has the best first thiry minutes of any movie I've ever seen. Scene with all the characters singing from their lonely perches is stunning as well. Paul Thomas Anderson is a master who put three hours of pure, gut wrenching human bliss into a compilation of stories that all share one common thread. Not a "Crash" style movie where everything connects perfectly, the ending is highly ambigous, yet I was left greatly moved. Just Excellent all around.

My Grade: A (Add this one to my top ten favorites)

A Quick Note on the Oscars (ugh)

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.

One overall thing about the year is that there was a large number of high quality movies. Many oh which came out in the end of the year rush. That's a good thing, however, the Oscars seemed to not "spread around the wealth" enough as Benjemam Button got 13 (?!) nominations and Slumdog Millionaire 10. The Golden Globes did a seemingly better job of getting it right. Anyways, on to some specific comments.

The Good (as in underdogs that were less obvious choices)

1. Richard Jenkins, The Visitor. (Best Actor)
2. Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road (Best Supporting Actor)
3.Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married (Best Actress)
4. Melissa Leo, Frozen River (Best Actress)
5. Viola Davis, Doubt. (Best Supporting Actress)

The Bad
1. No Wall-E for best picture
2. Not as many nominations for the Wrestler (including Bruce Springsteeen, best song)
3. No Kate Winslet or Leonardo DiCaprio for acting in Revoluionary Road
4. Slumdog Millionaire for 10. Now, I loved this movie and I think it deserves the best picture/best director, but some of those other nominations are a little bogus.

The Ugly
1. No Best Picture/ Best director for the Dark Knight. Come on! Easily the largest movie of the year, but also a deep and nuanced film that brought the art into large scale blockbusters. Christopher Nolan is still the man in my book.
2. The Reader for best picture/best director over Dark Knight and Wall-E? Where the hell did that come from. Now I have not seen it yet, but 60% of RT is rather condradictory.
3. 13 for TCCOBB. Please.
4. Poor Clint Eastwood. Couldn't sneak in this year with bad-ass old man Gran Torino.

Brief Thoughts on Best Picture:

1. TCCOBB- maybe deserved, but there is a few others I would put before it (4)
2. Frost/Nixon- deserved I would say from what've I heard/read about it. (3)
3. Milk- Sadly everyone in my family has seen this but me. I'm very glad this is here though, I've only heard rave reviews and it would be great to see this win. (1)
4. The Reader- ? (5)
5. Slumdog Millionaire- Has gotten a lot more love that I would've expected, seems to be "that" indie movie of the year. I think its well deserved, but has it been over-hyped? (2)

In Theaters Review: Revolutionary Road

Revolutionary Road (2008)

Directed by: Sam Mendes

Synopsis(Rotten Tomatoes): Those who were waiting for the romantic reunion of TITANIC's Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet may be surprised by what they find in REVOLUTIONARY ROAD. The movie begins with a sweet scene where Frank (DiCaprio) and April (Winslet) meet at a party, but the rest of this drama based on Richard Yates's novel is devoted to watching the destruction of their marriage and their selves in 1950s suburbia. Frank works at a job he hates in New York City, then commutes home to two children and a wife who feels none of them belong in their cookie-cutter town. Their realtor (a fine Kathy Bates) recognizes their specialness and introduces them to her mentally unstable son (BUG's Michael Shannon, in another good, unhinged performance) in an effort to establish some normalcy for the man. However, Frank and April's marriage is not as perfect as it seems to the outside world, and the audience gets to witness their downfall. With its commentary on conformity and finding identity, REVOLUTIONARY ROAD bears more than a passing resemblance in both theme and tone to the TV series MAD MEN and director Sam Mendes's previous film AMERICAN BEAUTY. The characters here may live in a polite age where men wear ties and hats and women clean the house in skirts and heels, but the dialogue often enters brutal territory. Less capable actors wouldn't have been able to capture the volatile chemistry between Frank and April, but DiCaprio and Winslet are as wonderful at uttering sweet nothings as they are at tearing each other apart with verbal barbs. Mendes, directing his wife, Winslet, for the first time, is a perfect match for the source novel's lack of sentimentality and its wry commentary on life in the 1950s that still resonates half a century later

Impressions that I get: The suburbs + 1950's + outer comformity vs. inner longings + a legally insane man seeming sane + first rate acting. Revolutionary Road and Sam Mendes. This movie really cut to the core on a lot of issues and left a lifelong suburbanite like me asking some questions. What desires of mine are being squashed by the "rules of society"? Is it possible to escape what is expected or is freewill just a word? It's tough and exceedingly dystopian at times, sometimes to the point where it all just seems too contrived. However, the story is lifted up by the remarkable and passionate acting of almost everyone in the cast (especially Leo, Kate, and Michael Shannon). The dialouge seems so real and each character complex becuase they never have the answers to explain their firey actions. Mendes could easily pile on some high-brow monolouges to try to explain the philosophies of the characters, but he understands that these people were not like that. They were scared, they make myriad condradictions, they yell and scream and can't figure out why afterwards. One of my favorite exchanges is between Michael Shannon and Leonardo Dicaprio, when Leo refers to the suburbs as the "hopeless emptiness" and Shannon, a legally insane man, replies, "Ah, yes. Most people can see the hopelessness, but never the emptiness." Yet, on the surface, all of these people are so damned nice to each other (with the exception of Michael Shannon, who seems deranged simply becuase he speaks his mind without considerations for social rules). This is the highlight of Revolutionary Road, the gut-wrenching humanity of each person that is hidden underneath a fine layer of bullshit. Everytime I walk past someone on the street who is wearing a suit and has a lovely lady next to them, I could assume they are content with life, however, it could be people just like Frank and April. You see these people everywhere. At dinner parties. Downtown in the office. At the meet-your-teacher day. Maybe they once had, or still have, desires to go to Paris and start life anew. Maybe they still don't know what they love in life. Maybe, that couple over there, is sick and tired of each other, but still hold hands in public becuase the worth of their public image stands above their own melting self image. Or maybe those people are happy and are fullfilling their life desires. Who knows? Either way, Revolutionary Road is a film that examines life in the supposed perfection of the suburbs and leaves you wondering, have I ever seen a "real" soul in my life? Or are they just hidden, like Frank and April, beneath the wedding cake layers of wealth and marriage?

-AT

Acting (9.5/10) Just outstanding, an underappreciated part is Michael Shannon who plays the deranged son of the neighbors, yet is the one man who can see the disturbing truth behind the marital image of Kate and Leo.

Plot (8/10) The plot seems to be the unraveling of love between Frank and April, which is interesting, but the film does lean a little toward the long side.

Cinematography (9/10) Very well done, as always by Sam Mendes. Great shots of portarying comformity without having to say it.

Originality (7.5/10) Does have some strong parrallels to earlier Mendes movies (American Beauty and Road to Perdition), and is an adapted novel from Richard Yates. Still, nobody does it quite like Mendes.

Grade: B++

"These are a few of my favorite things" 2008

Favorite movies of the year (incomplete list)

5. Doubt- Absolute fantastic acting by Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Viola Davis, Amy Adams and company. Play transformed well to the big screen and the script is filled with bristling arguements that make a seemingly simple issue into a complexity of many levels. On the short side, but never slows up for a moment. Confrontation between Meryl Streep and Viola Davis could be best scene of the year. Unresolved and beautiful becuase of that.

4. The Dark Knight- Christopher Nolan is the man, plain and simple. The "superhero" movie has a new peak due to its breathtaking atmosphere and action sequences combined with a (gasp!) intelligent dialouge and top notch acting. The Joker will be the legacy of Heath Ledger and deservingly so. It brings more to the table than just a fun evening, philosophy and art arise in this film out of the darkest reaches of Gotham City.

3. Slumdog Millionaire- This is just a "wow" movie that tells a story in an unique format from a land most of us only know from National Geographic (if even that.) Read my earlier review for more thoughts on Danny Boyle and Devi Patel.

2. Wall E- More than just a childrens movie. More than just cute robots and slick animation. More than just another Pixar movie. More than just another movie to keep the kids entertained while mom and dad go away in the evening. In fact, mom and dad should bag the dinner dance to stay home and watch this absolute gem of a film. This is the start of a new age of animated movies, no longer can one assume that a film needs an R rating along with several highly qualified actors to be considered quality. Wall E sets a new bar due to its revolutionary sound(of lack there of), fantastic emotional appeal, and noteworthy observations on the relationship between humans and artificial intelligence. This film was a joy ride on the surface, yet still mantained a strong message warning of the harms of consumerism. Maybe I look too much into it. But at least Wall-E opens itself up to be examined and that is what seperates it from any animated feature done before.

1. Synecdoche New York- Synechdoche means a part of something referring to the whole thing. The part here is the life of Caden Cotard and the whole thing is the human condition. Charlie Kaufman (Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, etc.) created every part of this epic "tragicomic", the script, the direction (first time director I might add), the theme song. This film watches like a novel with sophisticated dialouge, strong imagery, brilliant characters, and, most of all, the overwhelming sense of a structure that is wholy prevelant while just exceding our grasp. It goes from rabbit hole to rabbit hole, plays games with our minds, but still remains connected to the audience every step of the way. Kaufman may very well be considered a genious in my book simply for his ability to combine the utterly complex and incomprehendable thoughts of our minds within the framework of everyday human life. If you want a great opinion of this film, check out Roger Eberts review. See it, think about it, see it again (repeat)....-AT

To See: Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon, Milk, Revolutionary Road, The Wrestler, Rachel Getting Married, and more. Always more. (just in case you think I have weak opinions..)

Most Bizzare Film of the Year

Inland Empire (David Lynch)- Yes, this wasn't this year, but I felt it was worth mentioning. Woah. Step back. Adjust frame. Look again. Am I awake? No, couldn't be. Are those real bunnies or just suits? Is that Polish? Welcome to the land of zoom ins and white noise interrupted by feminine screams of angst. I feel dizzy. So, how many people is Laura Dern supposed to be? I feel like I'm on a sinking ship and I'm the only one who still thinks we're in the harbor. It's kinda like watching a Dali painting. Was there supposed to be a point or was that the point?

Watch it. Three hours later, you might get the idea. Really though, it's a fun time.

Worst Film of the Year

The Love Guru- Ugh. Double Ugh. Now I enjoy a good comedy and it doesn't have to be "politically correct" by any stretch of imagination. It just has to be funny. Watching this felt like all the peverted middle schoolers of the world got together when their hormones were racing and dumped their collection of filthy ideas and fantasties into a sack of human feces. How else could it be explained that (Sir) Ben Kingsley is throwing piss onto Buddhist monks? I will go no further down this road of defilement and bad taste. To paraphrase a far great comedy, "On what day did the Lord create the Love Guru and why not did he himself rest on that day as well?"

Man of the Year

Philip Seymour Hoffman- The Big Lebowski. Magnolia. Almost Famous. Punch Drunk Love. Capote, where we finally saw the magnitude of Mr. Hoffmans greatness. Last year he had an all star performance with Before the Devil Knows Your Dead, the Savages, and Charlie Wilsons War. This year he has hit a high with absolutely stellar, first rate, dauntingly beautiful roles in Doubt and Synecdoche New York. The slightly chubby blond philosopher who can shout and scream, quietly whisper, or do a carbon copy of a historical figure. He takes his roles as seriously as the movies he choses to be in. And he has picked some great ones. When I look at Philip Seymour Hoffman, I see the faces and lives of all the characters he has created over the years, each standing out in its own distinct way. Bravo, may you continute to craft men out of that magnificent soul of yours that has done so much in so little time.

Favorite Albums of the year (as I have listened to so far)

5. She and Him- Volume One

4. TV on the Radio- Dear Science

3. Girl Talk- Feed the Animals

2. Frightened Rabbit- The Midnight Organ Fight

1. Fleet Foxes-Fleet Foxes

As always, there is so much incoming music to digest, and I only have one mouth and the sands of time are against me..

Some Good Reads of my year (both old and new)

5. The Elephant Vanishes (Short stories)- Haruki Murakami

4. The Corrections- Jonathon Franzen

3. The Great Gatsby- F.Scott Fitzgerald

2. Steppenwolf- Herman Hesse

1. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay- Michael Chabon

There are so many more books to add and my stack to read is always growing. If only time could be stopped.

= Have a merry year filled with fine art, loving family, and steadfast friends=

-AT

In Theaters Review: Slumdog Millionaire

Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

Directed by: Danny Boyle

Synopsis (Rotten Tomatoes): British director Danny Boyle takes another intriguing career turn with this heartfelt underdog tale. Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) is a street kid (or "slumdog") who has landed an appearance on India's version of the hit TV game show WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE? Jamal exceeds expectations on the show, and the producers alert the police after they become suspicious of his methods. The young contestant is subsequently arrested and is interrogated at the hands of a nameless police inspector (played by Bollywood star Irfan Khan). As the interrogation proceeds, Boyle tells Jamal's story through harrowing flashbacks that both show the terrible poverty of Mumbai and help explain how he knew the answers to the MILLIONAIRE questions. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE is a tightly woven story that has been expertly edited into shape. The contrast between Jamal's upbringing and his chance of escaping it on the show are adeptly juxtaposed. Mumbai is portrayed as a place of terrifying poverty and unforgettable brutality, and Jamal and his brother get into a never-ending succession of challenging situations. But the way Boyle ties together Jamal's life experiences with his answers on the show is quite brilliant, and the film really does run the full gamut of emotions as we see him growing up, falling in love, coming close to death, and teetering on the brink of escaping from his terrible predicament. The film belongs to Boyle's cast, who are mostly unknown outside of India. Patel, in particular, gives a startlingly mature performance that audiences are likely to remember long after the credits role on this affecting feature

Impressions that I Get: Danny Boyle has really established himself as an absolutely top notch director after the gem that was Slumdog Millionaire. This film walked quite the balance between being intense and entertaining while still mantaining excellent filmsmanship and showing the horrific beauty of poverty in India. The shots of the slums of Mumbai and Bombay, the cross country trains, and the rich urban centers were simply stunning. This was masterfully shot and edited, each sequence seeming fresh and overflowing with details.

As for the acting, Devi Patel turns in a great performance as the humble young man who has overcome everything to achieve his "destiny." His true love, Lakita, is not extraordinary in her role, but is very beautiful and the motif clip of her smiling could melt a heart of stone. The children that are used to play the younger versions of the characters are great and unbelievably adorable. Also, while the plot of Slumdog may be somewhat predictable, it is presented in an unique way through the flashbacks and question answers. This might seem like it would be simplistic and contrived, but it actually captures the complexities and "little things" of Jamal's life quite well. The irony of the last question simply put a smile on my face and, although the film seemed to lose a bit of steam at the end, I was glued to the screen for every minute. Feeling the pains and joys of the "Three Musketeers" was simply a viewing treat. Slumdog Millionaire was rich with detail and will take you to a land that few will ever see. Here's to another fine film of 2008. -AT

Acting (8.5/10)- Excellent job by Patel, solid supporting cast

Plot (8.5/10)- Could be considered predictable, but still kept me riveted

Cinematography (10/10)- Gorgeous, simply rich. Best I've seen in awhile

Originality (9/10)- Loved the way this was presented, stand out indie movie of the year

My Grade: A-

Review from the Vault: Memento

Memento(2001)

Directed (and written) by: Christopher Nolan

Synopsis (Rotten Tomatoes): Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce) wears expensive, European tailored suits, drives a late model Jaguar sedan, but lives in cheap, anonymous motels, paying his way with thick wads of cash. Although he looks like a successful businessman, his only work is the pursuit of vengeance: tracking and punishing the man who raped and murdered his wife. His suspicions dismissed by the police, Leonard's life has become an all-consuming quest for justice. The difficulty, however, of locating his wife's killer is compounded by the fact that Leonard suffers from a rare, untreatable form of memory loss. Although he can recall details of life before his "accident", Leonard can't remember what happened fifteen minutes ago, where he is, where he's going or why. A former insurance investigator, Leonard is keenly aware of his handicap. Moreover, he's got the discipline to compensate as well as the motivation-the cruel memory of his beloved wife's last moments. Haunted by what he's lost, he's re-built his life out of index cards, photographs, file folders, charts, tattoos and obsessive habits that stand in for memory, fixing him in space and time and connecting him to his mission. Out of necessity, Leonard must rely on others despite being thoroughly ill-equipped to assess either their motives or basic decency. Leonard remembers his past-up to a point. But just who has Leonard become since losing the ability to hold together the fragments of himself? "Memento" mines this psychological terrain, using non-linear film narrative to mirror Leonard's own effort to interpret the random pieces of evidence he hoards. The murder, rewound in the opening frames, we discover, is logically the endpoint of Leonard's story. What we learn comes from a point earlier in time, a few moments and a few sentences prior to what we've already been shown. As Leonard's story unfolds, the meaning of events changes. Allies, enemies, victims, victimizers swap place almost kaleidoscopically.

Impressions that I get: So, I watched this movie for about the 6th time yesterday, proving to myself once again why it is the best film I've ever seen. Even though I feel like I have all the nooks and crannys of the film down, I still get more and more out out of it with each successive view. Not only is this movie structured in the most unique, yet bizzarely comprehendable, form imaginable, it also gets to some mind numbing philosophical questions with its excellent dialouge. What does it mean to have memory? Are we still human without memory? Does time exist if we don't have memory? This film isn't just an artsy, intellectual film, it is also clever and intriguing with its well engineered plot and film noir atmosphere and sound.

This film is not built solid from the ground up, with the basic characters and setting having the same meaning over time. It is just floating out there, and every time you think you have it figured out, you realize that there is just even more going on than you realized. That is one of my favorite aspects of the film, the film isn't simply entertaining you and doing all of the work, you have to keep thinking and reasoning yourself in order to try to comprehend the wide structure of Memtento. However, this is not just mind games for the sake of it. Nolan truly is trying to show people what the meaning of memory is while having a fun time with the murder mystery aspect of it as well. On all levels, this film is a home run becuase "the more you put in, the more you get out." I have spent a lot of time thinking about the importance of films like this and I can safely say that, when I saw Memento for the first time 4 years ago, it changed my expectations for movies. I began to realize that films were an art, not simply an entertainment. There was so much potential that could be utilized in a film that couldn't be done with a play, song, or painting. By choosing to create the complex chronology, surreal dynamics, and alternating storylines, Nolan was trying to reach the pinnacle of art in film. Now, I think that The Dark Knight, Batman Begins, Prestige, and Insomnia are all great movies (In the Dark Knights case, VERY great), but nothing matches Memento. For me at least. To paraphrase Leonard, "watching this movie is alot like waking." I might be lost or confused, but that feeling of prominence creeps over me like the sun rising over the horizon..- AT (Sorry if this review seemed terribly scattershot, my thoughts sort of tumbled out)

Acting (8.5/10)- Guy Pierce was fantastic, why haven't I seen him in anything else?

Plot (9/10)- Goes beyond film noir, the plot changes meaning as more is revealed

Cinematography (9/10)- Excellent, black/white balance with color, captures the "little things"

Orginality (10/10)- This is extraordinary.

My Grade: A+

Quick Review: Eastern Promises

Eastern Promises (2007)

Directed by: David Cronenberg

Synopsis (Rotten Tomatoes): The new thriller reteaming acclaimed director David Cronenberg with his A History of Violence leading man Viggo Mortensen, Eastern Promises is written by Steve Knight (Academy Award-nominated screenwriter of Dirty Pretty Things). As in the earlier film, director and star together explore the psyche, physicality, and fortunes of a man whose true nature may never be wholly revealed. The mysterious and charismatic Russian-born Nikolai Luzhin (Mr. Mortensen) is a driver for one of London’s most notorious organized crime families of Eastern European origin. The family itself is part of the Vory V Zakone criminal brotherhood. Headed by Semyon (Academy Award nominee Armin Mueller-Stahl), whose courtly charm as the welcoming proprietor of the plush Trans-Siberian restaurant impeccably masks a cold and brutal core, the family’s fortunes are tested by Semyon’s volatile son and enforcer, Kirill (Vincent Cassel), who is more tightly bound to Nikolai than to his own father. But Nikolai’s carefully maintained existence is jarred once he crosses paths at Christmastime with Anna Khitrova (Academy Award nominee Naomi Watts), a midwife at a North London hospital. Anna is deeply affected by the desperate situation of a young teenager who dies while giving birth to a baby. Anna resolves to try to trace the baby’s lineage and relatives. The girl’s personal diary also survives her; it is written in Russian, and Anna seeks answers in it. Anna’s mother Helen (Sinéad Cusack) does not discourage her, but Anna’s irascible Russian-born uncle Stepan (Jerzy Skolimowski) urges caution. He is right to do so; by delving into the diary, Anna has accidentally unleashed the full fury of the Vory. With Semyon and Kirill closing ranks and Anna pressing her inquiries, Nikolai unexpectedly finds his loyalties divided. The family tightens its grip on him; who can, or should, he trust? Several lives – including his own – hang in the balance as a harrowing chain of murder, deceit, and retribution reverberates through the darkest corners of both the family and London itself.

Impressions that I get: Viggo Mortensen is really an excellent actor. And I'm not talking about Aragorn. His performance really drives Eastern Promises and also captures the complexity of a Russian hit man. From the authentic Russian speaking to the simple gestures in his eyes, Mortensen is absolutely commanding in his role. Not to take anything away from Naomi Watts (who plays an innocent nurse who is trying to help a dead woman) or Vincent Cassel (who plays the impulsive and confused son of the gang lord), both of whom did fine jobs, but I cannot help raving about Viggo Mortensen. He has proven himself to be a master of the serious character who is solemn on the outside, but divided within himself on the inside (Check out A History of Violence as well.)

As for the movie as a whole, it was very well shot and gives one a great sense of the trechary and bloodiness of being in a prominent gang. All from an outsiders perspective as well, as the details of the plot are found by characters reading journals written by a dead prostitute who came from Ukraine for a better life (The "eastern promise".) Somehow though, this movie doesn't seem to "stick". I just can't see myself wanting to watch this again and again. Overall though, if you're looking for some fine acting and snapshot of the Russian mafia, give this film a whirl. (Quick Warning however, this is GRUESOME at parts. Cronenberg hides nothing.)-AT

Acting (9.5/10)- Viggo is the man.

Plot (7/10)- Not terribly memorable

Cinematography(8.5/10)- Very good, gets the nitty gritty urban feel

Originality (7/10)- Interesting, but doesn't stand out on its own

Review: No End in Sight

No End In Sight (2007)

Directed by: Charles Ferguson (Documentary)

Synopsis (Rotten Tomatoes): The first film of its kind to chronicle the reasons behind Iraq’s descent into guerilla war, warlord rule, criminality and anarchy, NO END IN SIGHT is a jaw-dropping, insider’s tale of wholesale incompetence, recklessness and venality. Based on over 200 hours of footage, the film provides a candid retelling of the events following the fall of Baghdad in 2003 by high ranking officials such as former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, Ambassador Barbara Bodine (in charge of Baghdad during the Spring of 2003), Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, former Chief of Staff to Colin Powell, and General Jay Garner (in charge of the occupation of Iraq through May 2003), as well as Iraqi civilians, American soldiers and prominent analysts. NO END IN SIGHT examines the manner in which the principal errors of U.S. policy – the use of insufficient troop levels, allowing the looting of Baghdad, the purging of professionals from the Iraqi government and the disbanding of the Iraqi military – largely created the insurgency

Impressions that I get: Well I'm proud to say that the first documentary I review is not a brainchild of Michael Moore. Not that I have anything against Michael Moore,after all he is the pioneer of the genre and a true artist. I just feel as if his name is the only name associated with political documentaries, when we should be doing just the opposite by hearing a wide variety of opinions from a selection of filmmakers. Which is exactly what I did when I went out and found "No End in Sight". It might remind some of "Farenheit 9/11" due to its strong bashing of the way the Bush Administration handled the Iraq War. However, I believe that this documentary stands above "Farenheit 9/11" becuase it doesn't have the obvious sense of an agenda that Farenheit did (Moore clearly wanted to prevent George Bush from being re-eleceted in 2004, not that that was a bad purpose or anything..). This film was many years in the making and arrived at conclusions that were not post-huc, but rather well thought out and perfectly logical due to the ethos of the interviewees(many were serious insiders of the Iraq War/ Bush Administration) and the overall presentation of Bush/Rumsfeld/Cheney as being obviously clueless about the long term impact of their Iraq invasion. This does not have the feel of a liberal yuppie quacking about "peace and love" and why wars should never ever be fought, but rather a highly intelligent critic who has taken careful time to look at all of the facts on the table and, yet, can still not believe how poorly handled the entire Iraq conflict is.

The overall impact of this film is rather unsettling becuase it points to the futility of so many innocent American and Iraqi deaths that were all in the name of terrible management by an administration that rushed into a war that it had no idea how to solve after the easy part was over. The key fact that Fegurson is trying to get across is that the Iraqi insurgancy was not some random occurance, but rather a direct result of Mr. Bremer's irresponsible decesion to not listen to expert advice, put inexpereiced newbies in control of extremly important tasks, destablize the standing government, and to disband the entire Iraqi army when the evidence was clear that it would be a diastorous idea. To be fair though, the situation in Iraq has stabilized due to the much needed surge of troops and a new Secretary of Defense in Robert Gates, among many factors. But even though there is no longer "no end in sight", this is still an extremly important film to watch because those "who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat it." Hopefully, we never have to find ourselves putting American soldiers and innocent civilians in harms way for something that is not absolutely necceserry or unavoidable.

Well, it's kind of hard for me to do a traditional movie review becuase this was a highly serious documentary that focused on logical analysis and conclusions, although it was presentated with lots of great Iraq/archival footage and was never a bore for the eyes. Overall, I would recommend that you go see this film and judge for yourself whether you think Mr. Ferguson's claim is strong or not. But don't just write it off becuase you are sick of hearing anti-Bush Administration stories. This is a highly qualified film that deserves, at the least, the attention of every American for a few hours. After all, knowledge is power and that can set you free.- AT

Grade: If I had to, I'd give it an A

Movie Review: Black Book

Black Book (2007)

Directed by: Paul Verhoeven

Synopsis (Rotten Tomatoes): Dutch filmmaker Paul Verhoeven made his name in Hollywood with films such as ROBOCOP, BASIC INSTINCT, and STARSHIP TROOPERS. But Verhoeven got his start in the industry by making films (the acclaimed SPETTERS and SOLDIER OF ORANGE among them) in his native country, and it's to Holland that he returns for BLACK BOOK--his first Dutch film in 20 years. The story is set during the final days of World War II in Holland, and follows a Jewish singer named Rachel Stein (Carice Van Houten). Rachel attempts to avoid the Nazis and remains in quiet hiding until her family is brutally slain, causing her to join up with a resistance movement. On a subsequent undercover mission, Rachel crosses paths with a smitten German general named Ludwig Muntze (Sebastian Koch), with whom Rachel begins a relationship in order to feed vital information back to her colleagues in the resistance. But as the action and bloodshed escalate, Rachel realizes that she has genuine feelings for Muntze, and soon she is in enormous danger. Verhoeven's film is wildly ambitious and takes many intriguing twists and turns during its 145 minutes. BLACK BOOK commanded the largest budget of any film to be produced in Holland, and it shows. Explosions litter the screen, plenty of car chases ensue, and wince-inducing injuries and deaths propel the action. The director isn't afraid to criticize his fellow countrymen and inserts a fascinating subtext about the actions of the resistance fighters, asking some uncomfortable questions about the similarities between their behavior and that of the Nazis. Van Houten lights up the screen throughout and is surely destined for bigger things, and while the tumultuous experiences her character undergoes might push the boundaries of reality at times, Verhoeven has pointed out in interviews that Rachel is a composite character who encompasses the merged experiences of many real people from the era

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Impressions that I Get: Looks like I've decided to leave the States once again to check out "Black Book" from Holland. At first glance this movie looks like a typical Hollywood-esque WW2 escapade filled with explosions, sex, and Nazis. Even Verhoeven's directing credits look slightly sketchy as he has done such "masterpieces" as Starship Troopers and Robocop. However, I can say I was pleasantly suprised at how good the acting is and how well the intricate plot played out. Verhoeven seems to be on a mission to show that the Nazis vs the Dutch Resistance was not a simple good against evil match. Many times the main general of the Gesptapo seems to be more admirable than the vengeful Dutchmen. Each character is delightfully complex, especially Rachel Stein who is played brilliantly by Carice Van Houten. She is on a mission to save more innocent Jews from being murdered after her family was killed in a shooting early in the film. Van Houten is perfect for this role as she is daring, clever, and incredibly sexy as Miss Stein.

The plot twists and turns like a snake, sometimes making the movie feel just a little bit too preposterous. Overall though, I was taken into the terrifying atmosphere of Holland under Nazi rule and the concept that you could trust no one. The problem with many WW2 films is that they collapse under their own attempts at greatness (Pearl Harbor for example). However, Black Book just trys to show the life and miserys of one small group of Dutchmen, Gestapo, and Rachel Stein. This small scope allows for an intimacy to be created between the audience and the band of characters. There are not a million extras, but rather a few crucial characters that are actually worth caring about. This, perhaps, is the key to why Black Book stands out in the genre.

Although Black Book is rather cumbersome in its length (2 hr, 20 min), it still manages to keep the audience paying attention. Sometimes it felt contrived, as if the only reason I was watching was to wait for the next twist to arrive out of the blue. On the most part though, the film feels very natural and goes for a different perspective on the Dutch Resistance. I admire Verhoeven for admiting that his countrymen had their faults during the war, as most directors would prefer to do the cliche Patriotism (cough, a vast majority of American war movies, cough). This sort of daring and ambition seems unexpected from Verhoeven, but he really does a fine job of showing all of the angles of war- AT

Acting (8.5/10) -Van Houten steals the show

Plot- (7.5/10) - Good, but felt contrived at points

Cinematography- (7/10)- Solid, but nothing to write home about

Originality- (8.5/10)- Gotta love the daring Verhoeven has

My Grade: B

Quick Shout Out to Some Foreign Films

Wait, so America isn't the only place where movies are made?

Yes it is true. Last week's reviewing of the Irish film "Once" made me want to throw some quick mentions to some great foriegn movies I've seen recently...

Persepolis(2007/France)- A French film based off of the award winning biographical graphic novels of Marjane Satripi. Tells the emotional coming of age story of a young girl growing up in Iran during the revolution of the 1970's. Depicts the desecent into theocracy and the warfare that Iran is known for today. Artisically stunning, great characters, and will leave you with a far better understanding of the Middle East (Yes, they are normal people who have had to live under horrendous governments over the last several decades). Grade: A-

Good Bye, Lenin!(2004/Germany)- This movie tells of the great culture clash that occurs after the re-unification of Germany through a somewhat comedic styling. A young man's mother goes into a coma during the era of socialist Germany, but wakes up after 1989. If she is told any shocking news, she might die. So, the plot is created that she must be made to believe that she is still living in East Germany when the country is anything but. There is also a more intense story about the seperation of the family and the difference of ideals between the divided country going on as well. Overall, another fantastic film and will garner a new found appreciation for the difficulties that Germans have had to go through since WWII. Grade: B+-

The Lives of Others (2006/Germany)- Yet another movie based around German reunification era, but who can blame the filmmakers, this is perhaps the most fascinating time of an entire generation. This is a much more serious film that revolves around an East German intelligence officer who is sent to spy on a potentially anti-socialist party actress/playwright couple. It is purposefully slow at points, as it truly allows the viewer to see as the viewpoints of the spy change as he realizes how much of his humanity he is losing in this communist country. The spy, without the couple's knowledge, becomes very emotionally connected to their lives and begins to see all the faults in the corrupt ridden intelligence minister who is his superior. Fantastic acting and a poignant storyline really lift this drama up into the peaks of storytelling. Grade: A-

Pan's Labyrinth (2006/Spain)- Guillermo del Toro is an excellent director with a flair for fantasy that exceeds many of his contemporaries. A fairy tale that is anything but cheery takes place during the equally gruesome time of the Spanish Civil War. Ofeila lives in a Facist military camp, but soon discovers a imaginary world in which she must confront her greatest fears to complete three tasks. As her Facist uncle begins to get even more violent, so does the enemies that Ofeila must face. This is dark fantasy at its best and has one of the greatest/most original art designs ever seen in modern film. While it wasn't perfect, it was certainly one of the more exciting films of the year. Grade: B+

Some Other Foriegn films that are on my to-see list: A Christmas Tale (France), Slumdog Millinoaire (India), Run Lola Run (Germany), and the Counterfieters (Germany).

Movie Review: Once

Once (2007)

Directed by: John Carney

Synopsis (Rotten Tomatoes):The Irish romance ONCE may be a musical, but it is miles away from the traditional Hollywood idea of people bursting into song. Glen Hansard (frontman for indie rock band The Frames) plays the guy, a street musician who is playing for change when he meets the girl (Marketa Irglova), an immigrant from the Czech Republic. The pair immediately bond over their shared love of music (he is a guitarist, and she plays the piano), and the film chronicles their tentative relationship. Both are weighed down by plenty of baggage: his songs are fueled by a painful breakup, and she is a young mother who left her husband behind in her native country. Like the independent favorite BEFORE SUNRISE, ONCE is a simple, sweet drama that doesn't rely on an elaborate plot. With its use of digital video and handheld cameras, ONCE matches its spare visual style to its intimate mood. Each moment feels stolen from real life, and the story is at once familiar and fresh. Driven more by music than by dialogue, ONCE features a stirring soundtrack of heartfelt indie rock sung by Hansard and Irglova. Before his foray into film, director John Carney (ON THE EDGE) played bass in The Frames, and his passion for music is clear in this modern musical that hits every note perfectly.

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Impressions that I Get: Just as the beautiful song "Falling Slowly" is comprised of a few simple chords in C Major and a basic melody, this movie is nothing fancy, but connects on love and music in a way that the multi million dollar Hollywood flicks never could. On the music front, this film really shines with exceptional original songwriting from Glen Hasard and Marketa Irglova. The fact that these are real musicians playing their own songs adds an excellent step up from the lip syncing and fake guitar playing that occurs in way too many movies. Although this movie could technically be considered a "musical", it plays out so naturally that you never get that sense of "random burst into show stopping song" that occurs in almost every musical. The music is the plot of the story to put it simply, not the other way around.

The other strong aspect of this movie was the portrayal of love. To be frank, it's so rare to see a film that can show, not just tell, that love is not about the number of passionate kiss/sex scenes. The point of "Once" may very well be that love is about connection(emotional, not physical) and, in this case, the music is what comes out of the connection between the man and the woman. (Quick sidenote: The characters never recieve names in the film, this adds to a universal appeal). It was a big step forward in the endless topic of "Love in movies" and I hope other directors take Carney's advice by turning down the pointless sex and turning up the deep connections that bring two people together.

"Once" really has nothing to point out that is clearly bad, this fact might have been one of the many reasons that garnered it a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a few Oscars. The film is concise and simple, but don't let that fool you into thinking that this is just two people singing love odes to each other. It goes above and beyond what is typically expected and leaves the audience wondering why movies that cost 10 times as much have 10 times less impact. The reason might be that Hollywood is forgetting that all you need for a movie, at its base, is some characters and a message. That's all "Once" used and boy did it sing sweet..-AT

Acting (7/10)

Plot (7/10)

Cinematography (8/10)

Originality (9.5/10)

My Grade: A

synecdoche. wow

"There are no extras in life, everbody is the lead actor in their own life story"

Alright, I won't even bother doing a conventional review for the recent Charlie Kaufman film Synecdoche New York. Even generalizing enough to call this movie a "movie" is an insult to breathtaking vision of Kaufman in a story where there is no certain reality except the fact that we are all moving slowly toward our death, trying to make the most of our time. Nothing I write here is going to do this film justice except my plea for you to go see it yourself. Frankly, I left the theater with my jaw loose and with more questions that I have ever had after watching a movie, and at a complete loss for a reasonable explanation of what just transpired over the last two hours. Yet, I still mantained the notion that something incredible had just happened. This movie is meant to be experienced, not read about. Be wary to approach this with an open mind as it is probably unlike anything you have ever seen before or will see again. Sometimes I feel like the closer one is to death or loss, the more real and honest the art becomes becuase you realize that you may never have the chance to think or speak again. This movie is art. -AT

Review from the Vault: American Beauty

(Review from the Vault)

American Beauty (1999)

Directed by: Sam Mendes

Synopsis (Rotten Tomatoes): AMERICAN BEAUTY tells the story of Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey), a suburban father who snaps when he becomes disgusted with his stale, repetitive existence. Burnham lets us know in voice-over from the film's opening that this is the day he dies (using the SUNSET BOULEVARD flashback approach), a technique that adds an inevitable tension to the proceedings and keeps the story moving forward at all times. On a whim, Lester quits his job and begins a regression into young adulthood, lifting weights, smoking pot, doing nothing, and discovering the overflowing sexuality of his 16-year-old daughter's best friend, Angela (Mena Suvari). His wife, Carolyn (Annette Bening), has her own midlife crisis of sorts. A real estate agent, she experiences a youthful awakening when super-agent Buddy Kane (Peter Gallagher) seduces her repeatedly. Meanwhile, Jane (Thora Birch), the Burnhams' daughter, is pursued by Ricky (Wes Bentley), the mysterious boy next door who carries a video camera around with him at all times. When Ricky's militaristic father, Colonel Fitts (Chris Cooper), discovers something potentially horrifying on one of his tapes, and when Carolyn's rage for Lester's actions boils over, the time bomb finally explodes.

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Impressions that I Get: There are just not enough words to do this film justice, in my opinion. I was locked in to the purely authentic aura of Lester Burnam's suburban America from start to finish of this movie, something which does not happen all of the time. The story might be built on some generalizations, but never did I feel as if there was anything cliche or predictable about the way the film played out. Sam Mendes wasn't trying to be swave or prophetic as he made this, he was simply trying to capture what it meant to be alive for a few, very insignificant people that appeared to be average on the surface, but contains layers upon layers of complexities that were slowly revealed as the movie went along. The acting was stellar with especially standout performances from Kevin Spacey and Chris Cooper (the racist and harsh former army colonel), characters that seem to directly contrast in a subtle, but poignant manner. The style in which "beauty" is presented is so stunning and fresh that the whole point of the movie may very well be that to be simply alive is to be surrounded by beauty. There is a film clip of a paper bag "dancing" in the wind inside the movie and the way it was presented struck me as being one of the best scences in a movie I had ever seen. On top of that, the ending monolouge by Burnam (Spacey) is perhaps one of the best monolouges I have ever heard in a movie either. But watch it for yourself and take away what you will. As stated, my words hardly capture the excellence of this movie and I would politely reccommend that you go out and see this movie sometime soon if you already haven't. The Oscars don't get it right all of the time, but they really nailed it when this won Best Picture. -AT

Acting (9.5/10)

Plot (8/10)

Cinematography (9/10)

Originality (9/10)

My Grade: A (But it's close to getting an A+)

Review: Rocket Science

Rocket Science (2007)

Directed by: Jeffrey Blitz

Synopsis (Rotten Tomatoes): Jeffrey Blitz (2002's SPELLBOUND) directs this comedy that follows in the footsteps of teen outsider indies such DONNIE DARKO, THUMBSUCKER, NAPOLEON DYNAMITE, and RUSHMORE. Set in New Jersey, the film follows Hal Hefner (impressive... Jeffrey Blitz (2002's SPELLBOUND) directs this comedy that follows in the footsteps of teen outsider indies such DONNIE DARKO, THUMBSUCKER, NAPOLEON DYNAMITE, and RUSHMORE. Set in New Jersey, the film follows Hal Hefner (impressive newcomer Reese Thompson) in his attempts to go through high school unnoticed. This is made considerably harder by his obvious stutter and inability to verbalize even the most basic statements, not to mention his thoughts and feelings. Bringing him no help are his strange and abusive older brother Earl (Vincent Piazza), his recently divorced parents, his mother's live-in boyfriend, and his school's inadequate speech therapist. When the school's bossy, attractive debate champion Ginny Ryerson (Anna Kendrick) tries to recruit Hal as her debating partner, good sense tells him no but his hormones cry yes, and soon Hal finds himself confronted with growing feelings for Ginny as well as the looming humiliation of having to compete in the state finals. ROCKET SCIENCE features a good cast of relative unknowns, who with the help of a solid script, convey the pangs of adolescent angst and the awkwardness of high school. The film treads familiar territory but does so well, sticking to the story and not getting too caught up in style. The film's soundtrack, which features songs from Clem Snide frontman Eef Barzelay, perfectly matches its indie pedigree.

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Impressions that I Get: Although this film didn't have the name Wes Anderson attached to it, there is no doubt that Jeffrey Blitz had the quirky indie director in the back of his mind somewhere while making Rocket Science. The film thrives on its own hipness in which the poetic narration that plays throughout the movie seems as if it were taken from a coffee house philosophy disscussion, and I don't mean that in a bad way. Even the classic themes of high school disillustionment, failed teenage love, and divorce all appear in one way or another throughout the movie. The only shortcoming that I feel Rocket Science has is that it doesn't bring a ton of new ideas to a genre that is based in creativity and uniqueness. However, this film really did capture the spirit of what it meant to be Hal Hafner thanks to a stellar acting job by Reese Thompson. The trademark stutter was not just captured in the voice, but in the scared and shy way that Hefner lived his life. The more the movie went on, the more connected I felt to the character of Hal, his sorrows became the audience's sorrows and vice versa. The other standout part of this movie to me was the fantastic score that matched acoustic instruments with frantic rhythms, yet overall added a very complete feature to the movie that matched the bizzare scenarios it often was accompanying.

While this movie may have had a few shortcomings, the script was very well written and captured the contrast between the fact spewing, million words a minute debater Ginny and poor, stumbling Hal Hefner beautifully. Regardless of who you relate to more, one cannot deny that Rocket Science made you feel a little more empathy for the little guy whom we all have seen, but never heard. -AT

Acting (9/10)

Plot (7.5/10)

Cinematography (7/10)

Originality (7/10)

My Grade: B+- (yes, that is indeed a b plus minus, that oft forgotten grade that falls between the B and the B+)

First Review: Clerks

CLERKS (1994)

Directed by: Kevin Smith

Synopsis (IMDB): Made for less than the cost of an SUV, Kevin Smith's first film finds 22-year-old Quick Stop clerk Dante Hicks (Brian O'Halloran) called into work on his precious day off. There he is besieged by customers ranging from the agitated to the insane, not to mention Randal (Jeff Anderson), the clerk from the video store next door whose commitment to service is made clear when he observes, "This job would be great if it wasn't for the f@&%!#* customers." Dante's love life is a shambles, and the situation at the store goes from bad to worse, but he and Randal are never so beleaguered that they can't find time to discuss why the destruction of the Death Star in RETURN OF THE JEDI may have been morally dubious (uninvolved contractors were probably aboard). In fact, it was the clerks' clever dialogue, saturated with pop-culture references, that elevated CLERKS to cult-hit status among Generation-Xers and transformed Kevin Smith from film school dropout to indie auteur. Smith himself plays Silent Bob, while Jason Mewes plays Jay, his drug-dealing other half. Together the duo provide added comic relief, continuity, and wisdom in each of the the director's films.

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Impressions that I Get: As I was viewing this, it became very clear to me where Judd Apatow got his original inspiration for his recent string of off-kilter (and especially dirty) comedies. Kevin Smith makes hilarity out of the most mundane setting you may ever see: A run of the mill Conveinance Store. While just plain filthy sex jokes and bizzare occurances such as guidance counselors searching for the perfect egg dozen and philosophical musings on Star Wars may leave a lot of people shaking their heads, I found it to quite entertaining as one could never possibly guess what would occur next. While the film clearly lacks any sort of extravagent plot or cinematic trickery, it more than makes up for it with the joy ride of odd characters and profound (sometimes at least) dialouge between the clerks. However, a fair warning to anybody who can't handle their fair share of perverted humor, as Smith loads it on and loads it on often. It doesn't suprise me that NC-17 was the intial rating for this movie until Smith filed a lawsuit to bring it back down to "R". With all of that in mind though, this movie is one of the better indie comedies I've ever seen and probably the best Kevin Smith has ever made. As Randal ironically says to Dante at the end of the film, "You're so obsessed with making it seem so much more epic, so much more important than it really is. Christ, you work in a convenience store". Yet after watching this, being a store clerk really doesn't really seem all that bad. -AT

Acting (7/10)

Cinematography (5/10)

Plot (5/10)

Originality (9/10)

My Grade: B+ (No, I don't go directly by the math)

Rating system (for reference)

Quick note on rating system used:

I will have four categories in which the movie is given a score out of ten. They are meant to balance each other out so that if a movie is lacking in one particular regard, it doesn't bring down the whole film.

Categories (and the criteria used to judge them)

1. Acting (Do you see the actor or do you see the character? How much passion and nuance is put into each character?)

2. Cinematography (Is the film visually entertaining with various vantage points? Is the scenery and setting well shown and does it add much to the atmosphere?)

3. Plot (Does the story keep you on your toes and anticipatory? Is there a certain degree of complexity that requires thought and perhaps multiple viewing to fully grasp?)

4. Originality (Does this film play as something I have never seen before? Will it stand out in a crowd when compared to other movies of the year?)

welcome/intro

Hello all! I have always been an avid watcher of all kinds of films whether they be new or old, independent or major,tragedy or comedy. However, I've felt a recent urge to document my findings in both good and bad (but mostly good) films for both my own sake of rememberance and for others potential enjoyment or viewing. I tend to lean towards movies that I find to be more nuanced and artistic rather than your average Hollywood "rainy day" action or comedy, but I do this becuase I believe people (including myself) would be more inclined to read about something they haven't seen or is worth multiple viewings. I am not trying to be a pompous ass who thinks he knows more than anyone else, but rather a critic who is trying to find out which films have substance rather than "sizzle". I will usually do not do films that are currently in the box office since I don't make my ways to the theaters often and I will typically award a letter grade to each film at the end of my post. I take any suggestions for movies worth watching and I hope you can take something away from me too. thanks!

I'll get to actually reviewing next week, but for now I'll leave this list of my top ten favorites with some description for each.

Here is a current list of my top ten favorites (as always, this is very subject to change)

1.Memento (Christopher Nolan is incredible, the most mind blowing concept ever put into play. The meaning of time and memory changes after seeing this.Why have I never seen Guy Pierce in anything else?)

2.No Country for Old Men (I left the theater with my jaw dropped after this, I thought the Coens could never beat Millers Crossing. sounds of silence, unbelievable cinematography, great acting. They exceeded the limits of Cormac McCarthy's book)

3.School of Rock (A personal favorite that changed me from being non-musical to now calling my music one of my passions. Mostly fun, but communicates a strong message for not only the art of "rock", but music in general that is so rarely seen these days.)

4.Little Miss Sunshine(Great ensemble cast with a message that tightropes down the line between comedy and family tragedy. captures what it means to be a dysfunctional family in the truest way I ever seen.)

5.Donnie Darko (Ahh, the pop movie of dark, independent films. Every time I watch this, I always end up with more questions than the time before. still, ed kelly (with great acting from jake g.)brings philosophy and angst into a film that communicates to the dark side of all of us.)

6.Big Fish (A Tim Burton that is oftentimes forgotten, but which I think conveys the essence of what it means to tell a story and be a storyteller. In an age where the oral tradition of stories is lost and replaced with video games and the internet, this movie captures just that.)

7.Adaptation (Wow, could there be any more inventive, yet quirky screenwriter that Charlie Kaufman? He really takes it to the next level here by inserting himself into the plot of a story that is so complex you'll just have to watch to understand. Trust me, this film hurts to think about sometimes.)

8.There Will Be Blood (A very recent movie, but it is almost timeless in it's John steinbeck-esque tale of a father and son in a land where greed rules over humility. The portrayal of religion with Paul Dano as the minister is very interesting. The scope of this movie is just stunning, P.T. Anderson is great.

9.American Beauty(I had not seen this movie until after it won best picture, but it really did live up to all of the critical acclaim it recieved. Kevin Spacey is phenominal and the sam mendes doesn't try to be too clever or emotional. He just shows what life and beauty is. Scene with the plastic garbage bag and the wind gives me chills everytime I see it.)

10.Almost Famous (This film truly made me want to get out and make something of my young life. The coming of age story of both the boy and the band blends perfectly and touches a nostalgic chord. Acting isn't incredible, but the story is perfect.)