Reviews

I can't imagine a director whose thirst for blood and violence is greater than Quentin Tarantino's. (At least in his films) Inglourious Basterds is no different. We all know Tarantino, the guy who exploded on the scene in the early 90s with cult classics, such as Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction. Since, he has been a disappointment for some. Well, I am relieved to say, Tarantino has not lost his touch. He brings us his best since Pulp Fiction and thankfully so.

We know the story, a WWII tale told only as Tarantino can. (Fictional of course) A war film hasn't been done like this before. Brad Pitt as Lt. Aldo Raine leads the Basterds in Nazi occupied France. Their goal - killin' Nazi's. Christoph Waltz as Colonel Hans Landa plays a similar role on the other side. He's know as the "Jew Hunter" and goes about his business as ruthless as no other. The third sub story consists of a young Jewish refugee, Shosanna Dreyfus, who witnesses the slaughter of her family. And she, of course, wishes to plot revenge on the Germans for her devastating lose. There actually is three stories here intertwining and connecting with each other. If you know anything about Tarantino or his films, this is nothing new for him.

War has never been been so fun. The Basterds, are haunting, but at the same time, very funny, at times even hilarious. The dark comedy aspect play a big aspect in this as in many other Tarantino films. The entertainment and hilarity is led by Brad Pitt. I found him extremely funny and entertaining. I couldn't wait to see him on screen again. Even with his crazy accent, he works in this type of film. Also making great impressions were Mélanie Laurent and Christoph Waltz, who were tremendous. The film was filled with noteworthy performances.

The story itself, has so many historical inaccuracies to even count, but so what? It isn't meant to be a documentary. Tarantino wanted to have fun with, as should we. The cinematography department deserves big props with beautiful vibrant colors highlighting the film. You've really got to love the last line in the film... but Pulp Fiction remains his masterpiece.

Quentin Tarantino among all other things, is an entertainer. WWII, is one of the most tragic events in history, but Tarantino some how manages to make it fun. Inglourious Basterds is a fun film, it's tremendously entertaining, shocking, dramatic, suspenseful, and funny at the same time. Jam packed with everything you look for in a movie, done with that certain Tarantino style, it's worth being checked out. It's time to experience for yourself what war is like through the eyes of Quentin Tarantino.

Everyone loves summer. It's a time for friends, family, and fun. Ballgames, barbecues, amusement parks, and movies, summer is just a time to sit back, relax and enjoy. Enjoy time off, good weather and whatever else it might bring. Am I missing something? Oh yes, love. Summer is a time for love.

The film can be pretty much summed up in one of the first lines of the film. "This is a story of boy meets girl. But you should know up front, this is not a love story." But is it? 500 Days of Summer is not your typical romantic film. There's something to it, something more than your usual romantic comedy. Maybe it's the style it's done? Maybe it's the realistic nature? Maybe it's the wonderful music? Maybe its the beautiful cinematography? Maybe, its Tom and Summer...

Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel are the leads, Tom and Summer. These are real everyday people. Tom, a believer in true love. Summer, a doubter. Which reminds me of one particular scene where Summer questions Tom about believing in love. Tom replies, "It's love, it's not Santa Claus." It is a real thing, a crazy little thing called love. Tom falls in love with Summer from the start. She doesn't. Tom is like every other guy, and every guy knows of a girl like Summer. The girl they want, but can't have. They try, to no avail. It's frustrating, and Tom is frustrated. He's happy then sad. He doesn't know what to think. Gordon-Levitt and Deschanel have great chemistry together and give solid performances. You really believe their relationship and hardships. It makes you notice the little things in relationships. The film highlights two young stars on the rise. With some great performances lately for Joseph Gordon-Levitt, his stock is rising... dare I say an up and coming Heath Ledger?

The story is not in direct order as it goes back and forth from different days Tom remembers his life and relationship with Summer. When remembering, we may not remember every detail in order. We choose what we want to remember. May that be the good, or the bad. For Tom, it's a little bit of both. Big props to the editing department. The film shows the good and the bad of love, relationships, and life. There's something about it that sets it apart from the usual romantic comedy.

500 Days of Summer is really refreshing now a days. It's funny, unique, and true to life. It's got something for everybody to like. Director Marc Webb shines in his feature film debut. I'm interested to see where he goes from here. 500 Days of Summer has quickly become a late summer highlight for me and surprisingly so at that.

A Perfect Getaway starts off with a couple visiting the tropical islands of Hawaii for their honeymoon. The couple enjoy the sites and sounds of the countrysides, mountainsides, jungles, and beaches of the beautiful Hawaiian Islands. Two other couples quickly join the picture on their journey. This paradise quickly turns around as news starts to spread about a murder on these islands. The suspects - a young couple. With three couples here in the picture suspicion and paranoia, threatens everyone. Who can you trust?

The story sounded interesting enough to me so I thought I'd check it out to see what it was all about. The film stars Steve Zahn, Milla Jovovich and Timothy Olyphant for the notables. It's dubbed a horror/thriller type and definitely had some scares with some great great scenic views.

A Perfect Getaway is an exciting film if your looking to escape and be entertained. I liked it, but it's far from perfect. There are many problems with it, including a weak script. The film starts off slow and then once we figure out what's going on, its the end of the movie and it's over. I felt more could have been added to it with more action toward the beginning. Once the action starts, it's over. It's a short film overall and everything comes together way to quickly in my opinion.

Another problem I had with this is when a movie is being advertised with a great twist ending, and you can predict the twist before the film is even released... that's probably not a good thing. Some of it can be predictable and it really doesn't offer anything new or original that we haven't seen before. Overall, A Perfect Getaway is an entertaining thriller, but it's far from perfect. I'm sure some people will like it, so go see for yourself.

The year is 1933, it's the Great Depression. A time for the desperate to do the unthinkable. Crime was on the rise and people were suffering. For John Dillinger (Johnny Depp) it was a time of infinite possibilities and opportunities. To combat the sharp incline in rampant criminal activity, J. Edgar Hoover (Billy Crudup) forms the FBI, led by Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale). Together they target Dillinger as public enemy number one. Relying on new methods of intelligence gathering (such as tracking the purchase location of a coat or recording phone conversations), the firepower of trained gunmen, and his own relentless nature, Purvis gets closer and closer to Dillinger and company.

"I like baseball, movies, good clothes, fast cars... and you. What else do you need to know?" - John Dillinger. Johnny Depp IS John Dillinger. He's perfect for the role. The cool, confident and almost cocky nature of the character is really portrayed on screen (such as bragging to reporters about his bank jobs and teasing Purvis and agents who are after him). It's a look of how a man lived and succeeded in a hard time. Dillinger was a man that lived in the moment as only a man in the depression could. From the worlds on John Dillinger, "I'm to busy having fun today to even think about tomorrow." Who knows what tomorrow might bring? Bale also succeeds in his role and is a solid counterpart against Depp. It works well having two top, well known actors opposing each other on screen.

The film is directed by Michael Mann who brought us such films as Heat, The Insider, and Collateral and he adds another good film to his resume with this one. The action sequences, bank heists, and shootouts in this film are probably the biggest highlights. After all, this is from the same guy who gave us one of the most famous and arguably the best shootout of all time in Heat. The sequences are cool, slick, and gritty. Excellence at it's best. (I have to throw in a note of praise for the superb shootout at the Little Bohemia lodge, which was an extremely impressive scene)

The cat and mouse aspect makes it intriguing, but I think more could have been added to it. It just feels as if something was missing. Much of the film focuses on the love story between Dillinger and Billie Frechette (Marion Cottillard) It's also interesting to see the other gangsters of this time and how they relate to Dillinger and the criminal world.

Much has been made of Public Enemies being filmed on HD video, mostly complaints. I must say that at times, the picture looked amazing. The night sequences, especially looked beautifully slick and realistic. I loved the cinematography here. The cars, headlights, street lights, and everything looked fantastic. Other times, it doesn't look as good. It just felt as if something didn't look right. I'm not sure what to think about this.

One problem I had with this film would have to be the lack of character depth in many of the characters. At times, it seems as if we are expected to know and understand the characters before going to see the film because it is a real life story. But as a film, it could have developed the characters more to help us (and those who know nothing about Dillinger, his life, or Purvis and the FBI) understand them better. Another problem was some of the historical inaccuracies. Many things portrayed in the film, do not happen as they did in real life. Many sequences are just out of order. I know the filmmakers had to know about this and just tried to work it in as best as they could. It's not a documentary, it's a movie.

I really enjoyed Public Enemies. It's a solid crime drama and a good summer film. I understand expectations were through the roof, but that's a little hard to ask for. It's a really good film, but not quite a great one... The action is fun, the story is interesting. Maybe instead of being a very good film, it could have became a really great film if more was put into the characters? I'm not sure. It just felt as if something were missing. But who can knock a film for still being good?

Starting off, I am just reviewing the film overall and not taking in account any of the written sources it's based off. Watchmen seems to be a complex film, and I'm sure and extremely hard to make an adaption of. It seems with dealing with material, such as this one, it's almost impossible to please everybody.

Watchmen is a about a team of superheros that look after or "watch" the world around it and society which is supposed to take place in 1985. Be warned: this is not your regular superhero movie. Watchmen seems to reveal a much darker existence and reality into their world, the world of these superheros that we have seen so many times before. This isn't teenage Peter Parker, running and flying through the streets of New York. This is a much darker piece of work including, graphic violence, murder, sex scenes and nudity between these heroes. This film could be described as controversial with all the history, themes and meanings it goes through. It expands through many historical events, such as the Vietnam War and the Nixon Presidency.

The film starts off with a murder and a mystery that surrounds it. (As it is said in the plot.) This side of the story was very interesting and entertaining. It kept my interest going forward, not knowing what to expect. Interesting, and suspenseful with a sort of realism to it. Then the film sort of gradually goes off into more of a fantasy setting, with a whole bunch of outer space, mystical objects, creatures, and end of the world hints. I didn't really care for this side of the story, but it is sort of a fantasy superhero film, based on the graphic novel, so I can't knock it for being what it is supposed to be. What I didn't like, was how long it took to actually discover what was going on with the plot, which turned out to be a bit confusing. There was a bunch of goofy and corny parts, which really wasn't needed or could have been done better. The sex scene for example, seemed kind of forced and awkward.

Now to the characters since its more of a character driven piece anyway. Oscar nominated actor, Jackie Earle Haley, completely stole the show as Rorschach. Every time he wasn't on screen, I just kept waiting for him to come back. I loved his character and his storyline. There's not enough good things I can say about him and his performance. Him alone, makes the film worthwhile, in my opinion. Just what if the others could be as good... Well for Malin Akerman as Silk Spectre II, I can't say she was bad, but not all that great. It seems obvious that she was pretty much put in this film as eye candy, which she definitely succeeds at. Overall, I liked the rest of the cast and thought they did a pretty good job with a few weak moments (mainly Ackerman). Some of the action sequences seem like they could have been done better. Snyder's style made them look "out of synch."

The visual look and feel of the film is well done. The opening credits scene with the song playing is fantastic. The song "Times are a Changin' by Bob Dylan plays in the background as these credits really set the tone and mood for the film. Beautifully done. Not all of the songs seemed to fit though. Some of them seemed really out of place and even awkward at times. Interesting, dark cinematography with some great visuals. Most of the writing and dialog was great, particularly, Rorschach's scenes and lines. Maybe Haley just made it that much better? There is some weak moments as well mostly with Ackerman's lines. Maybe because some of her weak delivery of some of her lines. Don't mean to pick on her, but she seems to be the weak link in this one.

Overall, Watchmen seems like a dense, deep, complex look at the superhero world. It made for an interesting film, that I just had to see because I was so intrigued by the R rating with the dark graphic nature of this kind of superhero film. It's not perfect, and I'm sure some people won't like it, but a pretty good film nonetheless. If you go in looking for an interestingly done story about a new kind of insight to the dark world of superheros then this film should work for you. 6.5-7 out of 10

When I first saw the previews for In Bruges, I didn't really expect much. But wow, it really surprised me. I wasn't only entertained, but it actually was a really good film. This is Martin McDonagh first feature film after winning an Oscar for Best Live Action Short, a few years back.

In Bruges is labeled as a "Dark Comedy" type of film. However, it is more dark, than comedic. (Which is a good thing) I expected something more of a regular comedy that tried to take itself top seriously by adding the crime aspects to it. It's actually more of a crime/drama type with a lot of added humor/comedic situations and it works quite well.

It's shot entirely in Bruges, Belgium. The backdrop scenes are beautiful. It shows the classic, older style of architecture of Western Europe. Amazing cinematography. Cool, dark colors, set up the tone and style of the film.

You know the plot, two hit men reside in Bruges after a botched job. They wait for a call from their boss to hear what to do next. Seems simple, right? Well it is, That's what I like about it. It's simple, but to the point. The writing is what carries the film. It makes everything interesting. Tremendous, witty dialogue throughout the film, which also receives recognition with an Oscar nomination.

I was pleasantly surprised with Colin Farrell. He really gives a great performance and fits extremely well in to role. Earns a lot more respect with this performance. As a hit man, he is surprisingly sympathetic. Brendon Gleeson is also solid in his role. He is a tough guy with a streak of humanity. They seem to work together well. Ralph Fienees also appears in a supporting role. He shows his evil sides, but is quite funny as well. There is a variety of different, quirky characters ranging from the two hit-man, an extremely overweight family, a local love interest, to a midget in a film production. Overrall, solid performances all around.

I appreciated the "dark comedy" and with the moral complexity of the characters' inner struggles. They're hit men, but they are oddly interesting and seem much more like us than we may think. It makes for a very satisfying film, one that is much more than just entertainment. It's an interesting film, that deserves to be looked into some time.

First off, this is an American stylized remake of the Hong Kong hit, Infernal Affairs. I have to give credit to that, a good film. I have seen both Infernal Affairs and The Departed. I personally prefer The Departed, and I think because of one thing: Martin Scorsese. This is the master behind such greats as Taxi Diver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, and he's at it again. The film has an all star cast with Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, and Alec Baldwin.

The Direction was amazing. (maybe one of the reasons why he won the Oscar for it) I loved how some of the scenes were shot and set up. Especially regarding the Chinatown, and police interrogation scenes, among many others. The film is perfectly set up with intense, suspense scenes while adding in amounts humor at times. It works really well. The script is top notch. (Also Oscar winning) Realistic strong dialogue from scene to scene.

Another thing I liked more in The Departed, as opposed to Infernal Affairs, was the acting. DiCaprio really seemed to earn a lot of respect from this role. Here, he takes on the tough guy persona so well. Sure it was known he was a good actor from his Oscar nominated performances in What's Eating Gilbert Grape and The Aviator, but he really takes it to another level here. I can't see anyone else as the character, he fits so perfectly with it. Matt Damon and Mark Wahlberg, being Massachusetts natives, also give solid performances, with their natural accents. Nicholson works well in his role, as well. Everyone was extremely solid and everything seemed so real.

Set in Boston, The Departed takes in all the Boston like atmosphere. Beautifully shot scenes of the Massachusetts Golden Dome State Capital building is just one part of the landscape. The Dropkick Murphys song "I'm Shipping up to Boston" really fits, great use of songs. Scorsese usually works music into his films really well.

"Cops or Criminals. When you're facing a loaded gun what's the difference?" This quote really represents the film." Matt Damon plays a state officer in the Police, working for the crime boss of the area, Frank Costello (Nicholson). While Damon's character can be described as a "bad guy," he is really misunderstood. As a kid, he is sort of mentored into crime business by Costello while Costello becomes the father figure Damon's character never had. Leonardo DiCaprio plays a young guy, coming from a bad, crime ridden family. He's decides to become a police officer to get away from the crime life he's been surrounded by. Taking all this into account, Captain Queenen (Sheen) and Seargent Dignam (Wahlberg) decide to send DiCaprio's character undercover to find out more about the criminal underworld and Costello. With his family's crime record, he fit's perfectly into the situation. Now you have a highly ranked officer working for bad guy, and an undercover cop in the criminal underworld working for the State Police. From here it's an all out suspenseful thrill ride. Who's who? Who's working for who? Who can you trust? Paranoia threatens everyone. Lies. Betrayal. Sacrifice. How far will you take it?

At the heart of this film is character development. We really feel for the characters. We feel like we know them. It's really amazing part of this story and film. Tremendous story telling here.

This is one of the most entertaining and suspenseful crime/drama's I have seen in a while. While Infernal Affairs, came first, I think The Departed expands on it in so many ways. Really solid crime/drama. Check both out when you get a chance. It's really worth it. 9/10

The Wrestler is a drama centered around an aging professional wrestler past his prime. It's so much more than that. You don't have to be a fan of wrestling to enjoy this film. The wrestling part of it can be put aside as a back story. Randy "The Ram" could be in any other profession, doing any other thing and could be in the same situation. That's what's so great about it. He's just a lonely guy, whose life seems to have passed him by. A middle aged man who doesn't have much going for him. Sure, he's a wrestler, but he needs wrestling more than wrestling needs him. He needs it to feel important, to feel like a somebody. He really has nothing to show for himself, no wife, just a daughter he hasn't been there for his whole life. Missed opportunities. He's sad and alone and we really do feel for him.

A closer bond seems to be forming between him and his stripper friend, played by Marisa Tomei, who seems to be in a similar situation as he is. The middle aged stripper who seems to have a real connection with "The Ram" is shown in another misunderstood profession. We all may not be as different as we may think. Health problems compromise his wrestling career as he tries to deal with the real world and rebuild his relationship with his abandoned daughter. The scenes with Evan Rachel Wood (his daughter) are touching. Beautifully done. Rourke's character portrayal of the Ram is one of the best in a long time. He's not just acting, he transforms into the character on screen. It's amazing to watch. All the credit he's getting is truly deserved.

The film is Directed by Darren Aronofsky, who also directed Requiem for a Dream. He does a beautiful job showing the sport with realism. The film respects the wrestlers and their world, and expects the same from the audience. This film is done in a style that's so real, so honest, so amazing, in easily one of the best films of the year. All around great performances and great direction. Definitely worth checking out sometime.