Nature: Raccoon Nation - 7 stars out of 10

Nature: Raccoon Nation - 7 stars out of 10

Raccoon Nation is an interesting look into the world of everybody's favorite masked creatures.  It is even more interesting to see that their world exists inside of our world.  PBS' Nature series does not have to travel very far from our living rooms as it explores the adaptations of raccoons living in an urban environment.  This documentary is really interesting but more important, those little raccoons are so cute!  They all look like they're on their way to rob a bank, but end up raiding a few trash cans instead.  If your only impression of raccoons is that they are rabid and destructive, you definitely need to see this to understand how intelligent, adaptable, and cuddly they are.  It is also a good reminder that they are dangerous and shouldn't be handled unless they are domesticated.  It is definitely worth 52 minutes to learn about their ability to survive in literally our own backyards and to watch a bunch of fuzzy baby raccoons climbing around in trees!

Eraserhead - 2 stars out of 10

Eraserhead - 2 stars out of 10

Eraserhead is one of the most bizarre things that I have ever seen.  The entire thing is like experiencing a weird dream, exploring the monotony of a bizarre future world.  A lack of comprehension of what is happening or why those things are happening leave the audience uneasy with a feeling of vulnerability.  It almost resembled the movie that they watched in The Ring, with that strange and seemingly random style of grotesque images.  If I could have gotten into David Lynch's mind and understood "why," I may have enjoyed this movie... but I couldn't get into his mind.  This entire movie was like a 90 minute acid trip.

Water for Elephants - 8 stars out of 10

Water for Elephants - 8 stars out of 10

"Water for Elephants" is a beautiful film.  The upsetting moments outnumber the happy ones, but it makes for some incredible drama.  This period piece explores the dark side of circus life through a wonderful narrative flashback told by Hal Holbrook.  At first, I gave this film so much credit for its love story developing at a realistic pace.  Instead of love at first sight, one character has lust at first sight but avoids due to circumstances.  Unfortunately, that spark never catches fire and the love story seems less significant than it should be.  This film is all about the villain.  Christoph Waltz is absolutely breathtaking as he makes every move with a poker face... until he snaps.  His aggression is frightening as he fills each monologue with rage.  Reese Witherspoon has one of her better performances but Robert Pattinson didn't bring much emotion to this performance.  He did well compared to "Twlight" but that's not saying much.  The draw of this film is definitely its unique story and impressive interactions with animals by Witherspoon and Waltz.  The best part is that you know that there is going to be some disaster in the end and you can feel the storm brewing, but you have no clue what the disaster will be entail until tragedy strikes.  After the dust settles, the film has the right ending and a cute conclusion.  The chemistry between the lead characters could have been better, but "Water for Elephants" is full of excellent drama and is worth watching for its villain that will leave you uneasy long after the movie has ended.

The Producers (1968) - 7 stars out of 10

The Producers (1968) - 7 stars out of 10

Mel Brooks walks the narrow line between offensive and hilarious with his film, "The Producers."  I prefer the musical version because it's what I am used to, but seeing the original 1968 film version shows me that it is the genius story (and not the musical numbers) that give this film such an amazing punch.  As expected, the funniest sequence of the film is the "Springtime for Hitler" stage scene.  The dropped jaws of the audience members are hilarious as the show is so tasteless that it's wonderful.  Zero Mostel is great as the swindling Max Bialystock (even though I don't like him as much as Nathan Lane in this role) and provides laughs from start to finish.  Other great performances include Kenneth Mars as the Hitler-loving Franz Liebkind and Dick Shawn for his interpretation of  a Hippie Hitler on-stage; however, the highlight of this film is unquestionably Gene Wilder.  His performance feels candid and erratic as every line is delivered over the top.  The blue blanket scene is one of the most hysterically strange scenes in the world and his constant anxiety is very amusing.  This movie is simple and thrives on its brevity, delivering a hilarious sequence of unfortunate events and then ending on a high note.  Brooks elevated this story to a new level of humor (and offensiveness) by turning it into a musical in 2001, but this bare-bones version is still a joy to watch as Wilder goes over the top.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - 2 stars out of 10

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - 2 stars out of 10
600th Review

"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" should have been a dramatic espionage thriller with a mind-numbing revelation when the mystery is solved... but it was just painfully boring.  With all of the code names floating around, it was difficult to distinguish which character was which, let alone get to know their personalities and motives.  I spent the duration of this film trying to organize this web of names in my mind without an ounce of empathy for any of the characters.  I love Gary Oldman as an actor and find him to be very deserving of an Oscar, but not for this role.  He just didn't do anything.  There weren't any powerful monologues or memorable moments.  I am particularly critical of the 2012 Oscar nominees for Best Actor because it is an injustice that Thomas Horn was not nominated for "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close."  I hope that Oldman wins an Oscar some day, but not for this film.  Colin Firth received second billing and he was barely in it at all.  There were just too many small characters for anybody to really shine.  I find it difficult to judge this film because I was bored out of my mind and when the mole was finally revealed at the end, I shrugged my shoulders and couldn't have cared less.  There are some incredible espionage films out there, but this is not one of them.

Mad Money - 8 stars out of 10

Mad Money - 8 stars out of 10

Unlike most heist movies that build toward a huge heist at the end, Mad Money's heist occurs in small incriments throughout the entire movie.  The creative plot opens itself to lots of surprises.  Diane Keaton and Queen Latifah sport enjoyable performances but Katie Holmes is the one that really steps out of her stereotype and is absolutely off the wall.  It took me a while to even figure out which character was played by her.  Though the critics did not like it, I found this movie to be extremely entertaining and would recommend it to any "heist" fan.

Gattaca - 10 stars out of 10

Gattaca - 10 stars out of 10

"Gattaca" takes sci-fi and turns it into reality.  No detail is left unexplained, from their use of solar energy to defeating a futuristic blood test.  As a pianist, listening to the variations on the Schubert Gb Impromptu made me say "It is not possible to play that on the piano..."  And then they explained that, too!  Genius.  This movie takes every classic plot and combines them in a futuristic context, from competitive brothers vying for the attention of their parents to a con artist with an impossible plan to an intense game of cat and mouse.  You'll even see the discrimination that has been present in our world for thousands of years, only in a mutated form.  The movie opens with a sequence designed to create confusion and curiosity and then proceeds to flashback for a 1/2-hour, telling this incredible story of sociological change in our world and creating an entirely believable context for the events that will transpire.  The acting is top notch.  I'm typically not a fan of Ethan Hawke, but I loved watching him in this role.  The same goes for Uma Thurman.  Add in the talents of Jude Law, Alan Arkin, Loren Dean, and Xander Berkeley as the doctor and you will believe every minute that you watch.  Michael Nyman's soundtrack is simple but tears at your heart with its beautiful themes, played only by strings and woodwinds.  I might even enjoy it as much as Thomas Newman's soundtrack to "Meet Joe Black" (I know, blasphemy).  Gattaca is completely based on emotion and after you've invested your heart into its dynamic characters, the incredible twists at the end will have you thinking about it for days.