Horrible Bosses - 3 stars out of 10

Horrible Bosses - 3 stars out of 10

"Horrible Bosses" is another raunchy black comedy that doesn't come off as very funny and has more uncomfortable moments than entertaining ones (like "The Hangover").  I can't remember who recommended this one to me but I could have been completely content without ever seeing this film.  The concept is a good one, similar to Hitchcock's "Strangers On a Train" (and I found it funny that they actually referenced this in the film); however, with expletives bolded in huge letters on the screen to describe the bosses, it quickly became obvious that this film would lack the depth and development of a Hitchcock film.  The story actually did develop nicely and took some interesting turns, but the entire thing was so unnecessarily dirty that you could hardly notice.  Jason Bateman is great playing the role that he does so well (Michael Bluth from "Arrested Development," just in a different story), while Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day were just alright.  I was disappointed in Jennifer Aniston for taking this role - she is better than this and this could be an image-killer for the rest of her career.  Jamie Foxx's performance was inspired... but you probably won't notice as the writers make his character into a joke by including the F-word in his name.  Nobody will be saying "Hey, did you see how awesome Foxx was?"  They'll all be saying "Can you believe that one of the characters was named MotherF*****!?!?!?"  Again, unnecessary but included for the sake of being dirty.  I am impressed with Colin Farrell - I barely reconized him.  But notice that I have trouble saying that anything in this film was good, since it focused on being offensive instead of doing a quality job of telling its story.  There are much better comedies out there that don't submit its audience to a stream of profanity and poor racist humor in exchange for such little reward.  See one of those.

Sliding Doors - 7 stars out of 10

Sliding Doors - 7 stars out of 10

This is much more than a chick flick.  "Sliding Doors" does have its cute love story but this film is incredibly creative because of its script.  This unique story examines how one insignificant event (missing a subway train) completely alters a person's life and will have you wondering what insignificant events have changed your life.  Unlike "It's A Wonderful Life," this one shows the two different stories in tandem, alternating scenes along the same timeline.  You have to pay close attention to fully appreciate this film and the parallels between the two universes, as the character ends up in the same places but under different circumstances.  The director cleverly uses a change of hairstyles in one of the storylines to help us distinguish one reality from the other, and I am making this film a lot more confusing than it actually is.  I love that this isn't a "here's what your life would have been" film; rather, we are presented with two possible outcomes and are never sure which one was her actual fate.  Gwyneth Paltrow is wonderful, portraying one character on opposite ends of the happiness spectrum" and this film elevated the lovable John Hannah (the brother from "The Mummy" franchise) from character actor to romantic lead.  John Lynch is despicable and I would struggle to see him as a protagonist in another film due to his excellent character development here, and Jeanne Tripplehorn is great as the biggest "B" that you've ever met.  There were a few times that I was convinced that this movie would end the wrong way, but leave it to the writers to avoid predictability while still providing the perfect ending.  The cover of this film may be a bit off-putting in the Walmart $5 bin, but this movies have some awesome layers that make it worth watching over and over again.

X-Men: First Class (2011) - 10 stars out of 10

X-Men: First Class (2011) - 10 stars out of 10

"X-Men: First Class" is everything that the previous four X-Men films strived to be.  Edgy, dramatic, filled with action and occasional humor, this film is precisely what its title indicates: First Class.  It goes back to the origins of the X-men, particularly the childhoods of Professor X and Magneto, to develop these characters in a way that we can understand the combination friendship/opposition that gives the X-men series such a unique dynamic.  This time around, we don't have Halle Berry making stupid jokes about toads being struck by lightning and the character development is a lot stronger.  It takes the approach of introducing these characters from their beginnings and developing the formation of the X-men instead of merely incorporating characters that we already know into a story.  Really the only thing that this film is missing is Wolverine, but then Hugh Jackman makes one of the greatest cameos in all of film.  James McAvoy puts on an excellent performance as always, Kevin Bacon makes a great, sinister villain, Caleb Landry Jones effectively breaks the tension at the right moments, simply because he's a ginger and embraces it, and Jennifer Lawrence offers an awesome interpretation of Mystique as a sweet, innocent girl who gets caught up in Magneto's cause.  Lawrence is definitely the most impressive of the group, interpreting her character in an entirely new way and convincing me that this is the way that Mystique was meant to be written.  The special effects are incredible, the emotional attachments are formed with the characters, and there's an awesome final battle.  What more could you want from a dramatic superhero film?

Exit Through The Gift Shop - 10 stars out of 10

Exit Through The Gift Shop - 10 stars out of 10

"Exit Through The Gift Shop" is an incredible perspective into the world of street art.  The film uses a narrative format through the life of Thierry Guetta.  The interesting thing about this story is that Guetta didn't begin as a street artist; rather, he was the man documenting the work of many street artists from behind the lens until he eventually tried his hand at street art himself.  The street art movement is very interesting from a visual perspective but becomes even more fascinating as you see behind the scenes of this graffiti.  The work of Banksy, Shepard Fairey, and Guetta is a lot more than a bunch of gang symbols in this artistic movement that has become legitimate in the art world.  After seeing this Oscar-nominated documentary, you will start roaming the streets with your eyes at the top of buildings in search of this graffiti before it is removed.  There has been a lot of controversy as to whether this film is a true story or a hoax but I believe it 100%.  Regardless of the legitimacy of Guetta's rise to fame, Banksy's film has brought an international eye to the world of street art and will fascinate you from beginning to end.

Copying Beethoven - 9 stars out of 10

Copying Beethoven - 9 stars out of 10

"Copying Beethoven" is a fictional account of the premiere performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.  Although it takes some liberties with historical fact, it accomplishes its goal: a vivid portrayal of the man behind the music.  I believe that Ed Harris' interpretation of Beethoven is perfect.  Although his rough childhood shaped his infamous mean and grumpy exterior, I believe that he was just a misunderstood person seeking the love that he did not receive as a child.  Harris finds the perfect balance between brutish temper and playfulness through his interactions with the fictional Anna Holz, played by Diane Kruger.  It does bother me that in actuality, Beethoven could only communicate via notebooks at the time that he wrote the Ninth; however, I'm okay with the director's decision to give him communication abilities to help us better understand the daily difficulties of his life.  Kruger is lovely and spunky (as per her usual characterization), but I remember her the most for her devastation when Beethoven mocks her music.  I also really appreciated Joe Anderson's performance as Karl van Beethoven.  I love him in all of his roles, but he was particularly bratty and memorable as Beethoven's nephew.  The most stunning aspect of this film is its 12-minute long sequence of Beethoven conducting the Ninth with the aid of his assistant.  Even though you know that it isn't ACTUALLY him, there is something heartwarming and chilling about seeing Beethoven wildly conducting his masterpiece.  No piece is more deserving to have a film dedicated to its conception, and I can't imagine any other piece getting away with twelve straight minutes of its performance in the middle of a film.  The critics may have hated "Copying Beethoven" but I think that it is a great character piece about this mad composer who was so far ahead of his time that few listeners could truly appreciate him.

The Pajama Game - 4 stars out of 10

The Pajama Game - 4 stars out of 10

I like the catchy tunes to "The Pajama Game," but it's a struggle to get past that overwhelming sensation of "This is so dumb..."  A common excuse is that the storyline is dated but it's more than that.  The characters come off as really dorky and I failed to form a connection with any of them.  Remember that this is solely regarding the 1957 film version and not the show in general.  Many of my disappointments were a result of seeing particular musical numbers done well in a live performance, much better than in this film version.  It is hard to believe that with all of these Hollywood resources, this film could fall so far short of its potential.  It just feels hastily thrown together.  I love Doris Day but this is far from her finest role.  The romantic chemistry between the main characters feels forced and ingenuine.  Reta Shaw is a classic character actress and her performance of "I'll Never Be Jealous Again" with Eddie Foy Jr. really shines, becoming a high point for the film.  But then the show-stopping numbers like "Steam Heat" and "Hernando's Hideaway" are just "blah."  If you want to enjoy "The Pajama Game," seek out a quality live performance because this film will remove your desire to ever see it again.  Sorry, Doris - I still love you!

Chronicle - 8 stars out of 10

Chronicle - 8 stars out of 10

"Chronicle" is a visual feast for the eyes.  With special effects in virtually every scene of the film. the line between movie tricks and reality is quickly blurred until you are believing just about every thing that you see on the screen.  Unlike "Paranormal Activity" and "The Blair Witch Project," this film doesn't claim to be true and that's actually one of the film's greatest assets.  Instead of watching it with a skeptical eye and constantly thinking 'There is no way that this is real," you can just suspend your disbelief from the start and truly get into this fascinating story.  The found footage technique (one of my favorites) is perfect for this film, creating a sense of "What if I had super powers?" and making it seem like a realistic possibility for the 83 minute duration.  Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell, and Michael Jordan play their mischievous teenage boy roles convincingly, but I think that the writers deserve the credit for making this film so believable.  The pacing of this movie is perfect, introducing the characters pre-powers, creating a scene-by-scene progression as they "exercise" their powers and move from simple pranks to dark acts, and also showing the emotional progression as the powers take their toll on the boys.  The writers also cover all of the cool things that we would want to do if we had powers and allow us to experience them through POV shots due to the nature of the film.  The flying scene is so cool that I had to watch it twice.  Things get a bit farfetched toward the end, but it's an awesome ending to the film and I don't have any complaints.  "Chronicle" is an awesome film that gives a darker view of super powers, and I would gladly watch this one several more times.