Movie Review - Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist

Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist (2 of 5): Damn, this movie was a huge disappointment. That is really all I need to write for a review, but I guess I should explain. I went into this movie expecting three things: 1) a good performance from Michael Cera, who I think has awesome comedic timing and potential (just watch Arrested Development); 2) a great soundtrack; and 3) a nice coming of age story. Unfortunately, Nick & Norah satisfied none of these expectations.

This is a film about Nick, an emotional pussy who just can't get over being dumped by his hottie - way over his head - girlfriend. How they ever got together in the first place is never explained. He is in a band with two gay guys that are annoyingly self-aware and comfortable with their status as homosexuals, despite the fact that they are teenagers in high school. Nick gets out one night in his beat up Yugo and meets Norah, who is coming off an on-again/off-again relationship with her rocker boyfriend. Nick and Norah then proceed to have quirky conversations while getting to know each other in a series of ridiculous circumstances.

My grievances with this movie are many. First, everybody in this film is so self-aware and confident in their personality that it makes you want to puke. Really, is any teenager actually this comfortable with their identity? This is not a realistic coming of age story in the vein of Breakfast Club or American Graffiti. No, the characters in this story already act and converse as adults, even though their circumstances and actions would dictate otherwise. Second, Nick & Norah's night is never ending. They do and see so much in one night it becomes completely unbelievable and all of this is topped off with forced relationships an unrealistic dialogue. Finally, for a movie with "infinite playlist" in the title one would expect some good music, right? Wrong. I can't name a single memorable song in this movie - the soundtrack was crap.

I can't recommend Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. It's a completely forgettable film and the people who wrote it need a reality check. Also, after this movie, Juno and Paper Heart, Michael Cera really needs to get some new material to work on before he is perpetually typecast as the "loveable dweeb".

Movie Review - Let the Right One In

Let the Right One In (4 of 5): This independent Swedish film quietly snuck in and made many Best of 2008 lists last year. It is the story of Oskar, a bullied 12-year old boy who dreams of revenge. He befriends his new neighbor, Eli, a 12 year old girl who has some very strange qualities: she can’t stand the sun, can’t eat food, and needs to be invited into rooms. Yes, Eli is a vampire.

Let The Right One In is a coming of age story that is both romantic and violent. Although the story may seem preposterous, you never find yourself thinking it is unbelievable. This is largely because the vampire elements are presented realistically and not allowed to become campy. Eli looks and interacts like a mostly normal girl – although with years of experience behind her eyes. It is this subtle presentation that makes the violent/horror elements of the movie all the more terrifying, since we perceive them being perpetuated by what appears to be a normal pre-teen girl.

The movie is close to two hours long but it never seems dull. It is a visually beautiful film and offers exceptional writing and performances by its young cast. A multi-layered story is presented for the characters and the vampire mythology. In particular, I liked Eli’s interaction with her “caretaker”, and the obvious parallels it presents to her current and future relationship with Oskar. Blinded by love, Oskar does not see the tragedy inherent in what his life will become, but we do.

Overall, I found this film to be very enjoyable. It provides romantic, horror and tragic elements all wrapped up into one nice package. If you don’t shy away from independent or foreign films, I highly recommend Let the Right One In. Or, you can wait until 2010 and see the planned (and very likely terrible) American remake. At which point I would be happy to come to your home, tell you “I told you so”, and punch you in the face for being an idiot.

Movie Review - Knocked Up

Knocked Up (5 of 5): Easily, the funniest movie of the year thus far. The story involves a guy who manages to have a one night stand with a beautiful girl, who is way out of his league. Several weeks down the road she discovers she is pregnant. The rest of the movie revolves around how this pot smoking slacker handles the responsibility of impending fatherhood.

The best part of the film is seeing different elements of yourself in the characters. The characters are incredibly realistic and believable. You could be the hot, career minded woman who slips up, has a one night stand with a loser, gets pregnant, and has no idea what to do with her life. Maybe you are an overweight, video game playing, internet porn surfing, slacker, who has no real idea what he wants to do with life. Or you could be the bitter married couple with kids who fight about everything after realizing the magic is gone, and having kids eliminates a lot of your "options".

Note: This film almost received a 4 out of 5 rating due to one horribly inappropriate scene. When the young woman does finally give birth, the "birthing" is shown in graphic detail. I guess the point was to illustrate the true nature of the event as viewed through the eyes of the over-whelmed father-to-be; either way it was very unnecessary. And I don't want to hear a bunch of crap from people about how beautiful and natural this "Miracle" is. It may be beautiful to you to watch your wife's vagina split open like an over-ripe melon, but not everyone wants to see it. Also, it's not much of a miracle at this point. I think some of the mystery has been effectively solved at this point. It was a miracle when little, sweet baby Jesus was concieved and born. "Miracles" don't happen 288,000 per day. (That's a real stat...look it up.)

Movie Review - Miami Vice

Miami Vice (2 of 5): I knew Miami Vice was going to suck, but for some reason I felt oddly compelled to watch it anyway. At the very least, I thought it would entertain with some great explosions, cool car chases, and hot women. Too bad this movie contains none of the above. Actually, it is kind of hard to really figure out what this film was about. You're just sort of thrown into the story without any exposition or character development, and since everybody either super-cooly grunts their lines or has a really bad accent, I spent most of the film just trying to figure out what people were saying. Then, throughout the rest of the movie I was mostly just distracted by Colin Farrel's annoying haircut and bushy mustache. The story goes nowhere with characters you could care less about and an ending that is absolutely abysmal. If there was one thing I liked about this movie it is that the gunfight at the end is actually very well filmed, making the visuals and sound highly realistic and entertaining. Too bad most people probably missed it by leaving the theater early.

Movie Review - Over the Hedge

Over the Hedge (3 of 5): Here’s your basic kids movie, released by Dreamworks last summer to capitalize on the current trend of computer animated “buddy” flicks. The film is about a sneaky raccoon that accidentally destroys a bear’s food stash. Understandably, the bear is pissed and gives the raccoon until next full moon to get it all back, or else… The raccoon befriends a group of naïve animals who wake up from hibernation to find their woods completely surrounded by suburban expansion. The hilarity ensues when they help the raccoon steal all the stuff he is looking for from local suburbanites. Of course, its drama time when the other animals find out they are being used and friendships dissolve as a result. Then, in the face of adversity, friends re-unite and everybody learns some important lessons. Gee, sound familiar? Yeah, it’s good stuff for kids but pretty formulaic for adults.

There really is nothing special about this movie, except for maybe the wide array of actors and actresses that lend their voice talent. Unfortunately, we have seen the basic story recreated a million times over the years, so it all seems rather repetitive at this point. The animation is okay. Although bright and colorful, I thought the textures could have been better in some areas. Overall, I felt the movie looked thrown together and rushed to get it out to theater for the busy and profitable summer season ’06.

Movie Review - MirrorMask

MirrorMask (5 of 5): This film is another hallmark of creativity from screenwriter Neil Gaiman and Jim Henson Studios. The movie follows the adventures of a girl in her dreamland as she tries to restore the balance of light and dark in a kingdom that is slowly being overtaken by dark elements. The movie is very engrossing and a visual treat - it all feels very surreal. My only small complaint is that some of the plot elements in the movie seem to be repeated over and over again just for the sake of presenting some new creature or landscape on the screen. I am overlooking this small complaint though because the story and visuals in this movie are so entertaining.

Movie Review - Nausicca of the Valley of the Wind

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (4 of 5): I watched Hayao Miyazaki’s “Princess Mononoke” and “Spirited Away” last year with much enjoyment. Naussica… is better than Spirited Away and probably on par with Princess Monoke. The movie is about a warrior princess, named Nausicaa, who rallies her people against an evil queen's rampaging army in an effort to give her homeland a new lease on its future. It has a strong pro-environment message, good story and characters and excellent animation. I definitely enjoyed it and think you will too.

Movie Review - Mission Impossible 3

Mission Impossible 3 (3 of 5): Mission Impossible 3 is more of the same with a slight twist in character development this time around. You still get cool action scenes, people in costume, plot twists and a bit of mystery, but this time around we also get to see Ethan Hunt's character go all gah gah for a girl. He wants to get married and stay out of the "game". Of course, that's not going to happen and he gets pulled back in to the special agent lifestyle, this time to save his fiance and track down a super secret device called the "rabbits foot".

This movie did not live up to my expectations. There were some decent action scenes, but that was about it. Everything else seemed to be hashed out and a cookie cutter of what we expect. The movie didn't really attempt to do anything different except for show us the personal side of Ethan Hunt and get all lovey-dovey with his relationship. Really, it feels like they went out and made this movie in about one week. Everything just sort of felt like it was "been there, done that" territory. Remember the suspense of breaking into Langley Headquarters from the first Mission Impossible? In #3 that suspense was never re-created. This time, they break into the Vatican. The suspense is not there and too much falls into place for the characters.

Anyway, this is just a decent movie. The love story and a lack of suspense and innovation keep this movie from being really cool. Although, it definitely beats the pants off of the slow motion crap fest that was Mission Impossible 2.

Movie Review - Land of the Dead

Land of the Dead (2 of 5): Here is another suck-ass movie that I wasted my vacation watching. Why you ask? Not sure really. I guess I thought the potential for a cool zombie movie is pretty high today given all the cool special effects available to movie makers.

Although the special effects are pretty good in this movie and I do enjoy the over the top blood and gore, the story just never reaches the height it should. It's a shame too, because Land of the Dead starts off with good potential. The world has been taken over by zombies and only small groups of humans still live in camps and other communities around the globe. This premise would have been enough to make a cool movie about survival in this harsh new reality. Too bad...

Instead, the viewer is treated to a stupid plot about a guy who just wants to get out of town. But before he can do that he has to kill an acquaintence and former work collegue for the evil reining big-wig controlling the human settlement. If this story is not dumb enough, then add the fact that the zombies are starting to learn! They are getting smarter, organizing and rebelling against the human settlements. Lemme tell you, smart zombies start to look and sound a lot like human retards, drooling and moaning everywhere. Before long, you'll think your watching the special olympics. All of this makes for one LAME movie.

Television Review - The Office: Season 2

The Office: Season 2 (5 of 5): I noticed this TV show really seemed to catch on with the public towards the mid to latter half of season 2, and it has been advertised heavily during the current season 3 episodes. That's good because it is one of the funniest shows on television right now. Recently, I got a chance to make my way through season 2 and get caught up on some of the episodes I missed during the TV run. It was time well spent. The series picks up from where the first left off, but this season the writing is better and the characters are a lot funnier.

There are a lot of great episodes in this season 2 series. The Dundies, Christmas Party, The Booze Cruise, Dwight's Speech and Drug Testing are just some of the episodes that made me laugh the most. I love the characters that have been created in this show. They all have their own qualities and are distinctly different from each other, allowig them all to be funny for different reasons. Over the long-run, this really keeps the show fresh each week. The other nice thing about this comedy is that it has some poignant moments that help to ground the characters and offset all the laughs and funny, but uncomfortable, situations. The relationship between Pam and Jim is extremely well written and the characters of Michael Scott and Dwight Schrute are perfectly played by Steve Carell and Rainn Wilson, respectively.

Remember, the American version of The Office is based on Ricky Gervais's enormously successful BBC sitcom of the same name. The BBC show is excellent. So, if you are a fan of the American version, I strongly encourage you to see the BBC counterpart because it too is hilarious. Don't ask me which version is better though. Prior to season 2, I thought the BBC version was better, but now, I honestly think they are both excellent in their own right.

Movie Review - Munich

Munich (4 of 5): Munich was directed by Steven Spielberg and quietly released last year to surprisingly little recognition or fanfare. Based on actual events, Munich is about Israel’s response to the tragic events of the Palestinian/Israeli hostage crisis during the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics. This movie follows five Israeli Mossad agents in their assignment to hunt down and assassinate the Palestinian men responsible for the tragedy. I really liked this movie. It has a lot of great moments of suspense and intrigue and balances character development with action sequences quite well. I would not classify this movie as being political, but it does touch on the political intricacies of the Israel/Palestine region and raises some excellent questions regarding the appropriateness of response methods to terrorist threats – topics still applicable today, 34 years later. Eric Bana is excellent in this film and proves he can play a major lead role as Avner, leader of the Mossad agents. Bana plays the interesting dichotomy of his character as both family-man and assassin quite well, particularly towards the end of the film when the personal effects of Avner’s actions are revealed. It is unfortunate that this movie did not get more Oscar recognition because it is an excellent film. Check it out.

Movie Review - The Life and Death of Peter Sellers

The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (4 of 5) After being completely mortified and disappointed in the most recent Pink Panther installment with Steve Martin (see review below), I was left with a burning desire to watch some classic Panther humor. As fate would have it, at the video store I stumbled upon this movie detailing the life of Peter Sellers. The movie is hillarious and actually quite sad. It fully illustrates what seems to be a prevailing trend regarding some of the funniest, most talented actors; they are usually pretty screwed up in the head. Geoffrey Rush plays Sellers, and eerily re-creates several of his classic characters, along with Sellers drug problems, womanizing, family issues and continual search to define his own personality and identity. Sellers interaction with directors and overall behavior was at times, down-right appauling, and his desperate desire to gain notarity as a serious actor and artist was sad to watch. If you are not a Sellers fan, or at least a Pink Panther fan, it may not be for you, but if you appreciate his work, it is an interesting watch.

Movie Review - Night Watch

Night Watch (4 of 5): Russia may not have been able to make communism work; but they are doing a pretty good job with sci-fi/horror. Night Watch, the first part in a trilogy, had a very limited US theatrical release, and was just released on DVD last week. This movie tells the story of an ancient truce, forged between forces of light and the darkness. A world now exists where vampires, shape-shifters, and witches roam the earth, policing each other to ensure that one side does not influence mortals; mortals have to come to the choice on their own as to which side they choose. A series of events shatters the balance, triggering a new war between good and evil. It's really hard to describe this movie; think Blade and The Matrix with a side of Lord of The Rings. Although considered a horror movie, it was more sci-fi fantasy than horror, but there were definetely some creepy scenes. Overall, the movie was highly entertaining, and visually beautiful. The storyline was both detailed and very unique. I am certainly looking forward to watching the forthcoming sequels. Because this movie is probably pretty unknown to most people, I would encourage people to go to one of the convienent movie sites listed on the right and check out a trailer for Night Watch.

Movie Review - October Sky

October Sky (4 of 5): This true-story takes place in 1957 just after the Soviet satellite Sputnik is launched. The satellite becomes a source of inspiration for 17-year-old Homer Hickam (played by Gyllenhaal), who refuses to follow in his father's footsteps laboring in West Virginia's coal mines. Homer would rather reach for the stars. With the help of a few friends, he sets about creating model rockets which eventually allow him to compete for a science-fair scholarship and the chance to go to college. I liked this movie a lot. It presented a good story peppered with positive values and humor. The conflict between Homer and his dad was predictable, but well acted and played out. This is a great family movie that encourages one to follow their personal dreams.

Movie Review - Millions

Millions (5 of 5) : This is a film by Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, Shallow Grave, 28 Days Later). It is about two boys who find a bag of money (British Pounds) a few weeks before Europe switches over to the Euro. One wants to spend it, while the other wants to perform acts of charity. Of course, the bad guys come looking for it too. Although there is a lot of religious overtones, it never becomes preachy. The story is predictable but excellent. As you would expect from a Boyle film, great cinimatography and soundtrack.