Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - 9 stars out of 10
This movie was awesome. It gives the effect of a stream-of-consciouness story (like The Sound and the Fury) as it paves its way through Jim Carrey's mind. The film offers outstanding performances by (but not limited to) Carrey, Winslet, and Wilkinson. It is not often that a film portrays a relationship from end to beginning but this film creates that unique perspective as Carrey's memories are deleted, one by one. I particularly like how the beginning and end line up, though I won't be specific and create a spoiler. Above all, this film is a masterpiece due to its sheer visual beauty as their world literally and figuratively falls apart in front of the audience’s eyes. The filming techniques and constantly altered frames of reference give this story the necessary feeling of a dream. It will take you a bit to wrap your mind around the concept but once you have been drawn into Joel's mind, you won't ever want to leave and risk losing Clementine until you reach the satisfying conclusion.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Slumdog Millionaire - 10 stars out of 10
Slumdog Millionaire - 10 stars out of 10
This movie certainly didn't disappoint and after seeing all 5 nominees, this definitely deserved to win the Oscar for Best Picture. In this completely unique plot, it overlaps Patel's attempt to win Who Wants To Be A Millionaire with the epic story of his life as a child and search for love. One of the most impressive parts of this story is the amount of screen time consumed by child actors and the fact that, as time passes in the movie and each character is taken on by an older child, the personality and mannerisms for each character stays consistent. Though it did not receive any best actor Oscar nominations, the acting in this movie is quite realistic and truly chilling at times. Your heart will break over and over again as you feel that you are there, experiencing the hardships with these characters. Slumdog Millionaire is a must-see.
The Kid - 5 stars out of 10
The Kid - 5 stars out of 10
Bruce Willis in a family movie? I definitely approached this one with skepticism but was surprised by his versatility. The Kid is geared toward kids, especially with Spencer Breslin's "cute fat kid" prominence throughout the film. The highlight for me was Emily Mortimer - where did this charming actress come from? She was adorable enough to distract me from the weak story and to capture my heart. I wouldn't put this film in my Top 250 but I'll plan on watching it with my children someday.
Blue Valentine - 6 stars out of 10
Blue Valentine - 6 stars out of 10
"Blue Valentine" is the anti-chick flick. Instead of showing a fantasy love story, it explores a torn American marriage and the emotional implications on all who are involved. The story is told out of sequence (mixing the start of the relationship with its current state) to impressivey show how the relationship has changed and even more impressively shows the acting diversity of Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling. It's incredibly frustrating as Gosling tries so hard and Williams just won't have it, resigned to her fate of a doomed marriage. The unsteady camera gives the film an effective realistic sensation of watching the lives of these two characters unfold in the first person. The film contains several controversial scenes. The abortion scene was incredibly uncomfortable, in that it is a subject matter which really has not been shown on screen in this way. I applaud the directors for being so brave to show the emotional toll of an abortion on screen. While this film deserves a decent rating for its acting, I would not recommend it due to its upsetting content - it is the ultimate downer.
On another note, there has been a great deal of controversy over the initial NC-17 rating of the film due to an intense no-nudity sex scene, bringing the question "What warrants an NC-17 rating?" The question was raised "How can this film receive that rating while movies like The Human Centipede are rated 'R'?" I agree that this scene is not nearly as bad as "The Human Centipede"; however, instead of allowing every intensely disturbing scene pass with an R-rating, perhaps we should be stricter with what constitutes an R-rating and hand out more NC-17 ratings. The rating system is designed to protect children from movie content and I believe that it is a crime for any child to see a movie like the aforementioned ones.
"Blue Valentine" is the anti-chick flick. Instead of showing a fantasy love story, it explores a torn American marriage and the emotional implications on all who are involved. The story is told out of sequence (mixing the start of the relationship with its current state) to impressivey show how the relationship has changed and even more impressively shows the acting diversity of Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling. It's incredibly frustrating as Gosling tries so hard and Williams just won't have it, resigned to her fate of a doomed marriage. The unsteady camera gives the film an effective realistic sensation of watching the lives of these two characters unfold in the first person. The film contains several controversial scenes. The abortion scene was incredibly uncomfortable, in that it is a subject matter which really has not been shown on screen in this way. I applaud the directors for being so brave to show the emotional toll of an abortion on screen. While this film deserves a decent rating for its acting, I would not recommend it due to its upsetting content - it is the ultimate downer.
On another note, there has been a great deal of controversy over the initial NC-17 rating of the film due to an intense no-nudity sex scene, bringing the question "What warrants an NC-17 rating?" The question was raised "How can this film receive that rating while movies like The Human Centipede are rated 'R'?" I agree that this scene is not nearly as bad as "The Human Centipede"; however, instead of allowing every intensely disturbing scene pass with an R-rating, perhaps we should be stricter with what constitutes an R-rating and hand out more NC-17 ratings. The rating system is designed to protect children from movie content and I believe that it is a crime for any child to see a movie like the aforementioned ones.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Monty Python and the Holy Grail - 6 stars out of 10
Monty Python and the Holy Grail - 6 stars out of 10
"Monty Python and the Holy Grail" is a series of funny situations strung together (often loosely) by the story of King Arthur and his un-legendary knights. Although I don't always get the British humor, many of the great one-liners in movie history come from this film. I love this film for it's many classic scenes, but dislike the fact that it feels like a series of SNL skits instead of one cohesive unit. Plain and simple: "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" is an entirely unique film and no other film will ever be able to replicate this brand of comedy.
"Monty Python and the Holy Grail" is a series of funny situations strung together (often loosely) by the story of King Arthur and his un-legendary knights. Although I don't always get the British humor, many of the great one-liners in movie history come from this film. I love this film for it's many classic scenes, but dislike the fact that it feels like a series of SNL skits instead of one cohesive unit. Plain and simple: "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" is an entirely unique film and no other film will ever be able to replicate this brand of comedy.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Cats Don't Dance - 3 stars out of 10
Cats Don't Dance - 3 stars out of 10
Filled with great jazz music and tons of 1930's Hollywood references, "Cats Don't Dance" is better than the cover might indicate. The plot and characters are average but the choreography (Gene Kelly's final project before his death) is fantastic! I know that the studio welcomed the opportunity to use Natalie Cole's singing voice, but it really irked me that Sawyer's speaking voice wasn't remotely comparable to her singing voice. It wouldn't be a bad idea to watch the musical numbers and fast-forward through the rest, particularly the second half which really slows down. Favorite part of the film: At the end of the closing credits, it reads "No animals were harmed during the making of this film. Although, some were erased and had to be redrawn." Although the film cannot compare to Disney or Anastasia (the best non-Disney feature film out there), it offers some entertainment value, especially if you're a fan of classic actors and films.
Filled with great jazz music and tons of 1930's Hollywood references, "Cats Don't Dance" is better than the cover might indicate. The plot and characters are average but the choreography (Gene Kelly's final project before his death) is fantastic! I know that the studio welcomed the opportunity to use Natalie Cole's singing voice, but it really irked me that Sawyer's speaking voice wasn't remotely comparable to her singing voice. It wouldn't be a bad idea to watch the musical numbers and fast-forward through the rest, particularly the second half which really slows down. Favorite part of the film: At the end of the closing credits, it reads "No animals were harmed during the making of this film. Although, some were erased and had to be redrawn." Although the film cannot compare to Disney or Anastasia (the best non-Disney feature film out there), it offers some entertainment value, especially if you're a fan of classic actors and films.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
The Stepfather (2009) - 6 stars out of 10
The Stepfather (2009) - 6 stars out of 10
"The Stepfather" exceeded my (admittedly low) expectations. Instead of taking the scary movie route, this film thrives as a psychological thriller with a diabolical villain who is almost animalistic in his preying on vulnerable, recently single mothers. The opening sequence is chilling as the music keeps you on edge just enough to be upset by the first twist (occuring within the first 4 minutes of the film). Dylan Walsh makes a fantastic villain, quickly transitioning from caring boyfriend to psychotic antagonist and back again. The film is pretty realistic up until the closing sequence but manages to end with the perfect final image. It isn't your typical "bad" scary movie and is worth looking into.
"The Stepfather" exceeded my (admittedly low) expectations. Instead of taking the scary movie route, this film thrives as a psychological thriller with a diabolical villain who is almost animalistic in his preying on vulnerable, recently single mothers. The opening sequence is chilling as the music keeps you on edge just enough to be upset by the first twist (occuring within the first 4 minutes of the film). Dylan Walsh makes a fantastic villain, quickly transitioning from caring boyfriend to psychotic antagonist and back again. The film is pretty realistic up until the closing sequence but manages to end with the perfect final image. It isn't your typical "bad" scary movie and is worth looking into.
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