"Invictus" Trailer

So the trailer for "Invictus" has dropped and has been all the buzz for the last 24 hours, but for GOOD REASON! I have been waiting for this film all year and am even more excited about seeing some footage. Morgan Freeman has put himself in the driver's seat for Best Actor and Matt Damon may not be too far behind in the Supporting Actor race. As far as other OSCARS go, we'll just have to wait and see, but it is always so hard to count out Clint, especially given the fact that this story has to do with Nelson Mandela.

This is Eastwood's 5th movie in as many years, proving that his talent is second to none. To be able to turn out films of such high quality, so quickly is almost unbelievable. In fact, Eastwood is already working on his next film, "Hereafter" starring Matt Damon which will have a 2010 release.

View the trailer at apple.com by clicking here.
"Invictus" releases on December 11th, 2009. BE THERE!

Revisiting "Speed Racer"

It now seems unfortunate that I never saw this film in theatres. It was probably because of the acclaim that "Iron Man" was receiving and the lashing that "Indian Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" got from fanboys. This film was for the most part badly reviewed garnering only a measly 36% from Rotten Tomatoes and an average rating of 6.4/10 on IMDB. As a result, this film really never made it to the top of my list for "must see" as honestly at the time, I didn't really care. I really felt the film was hokey at best.

Yes, the directors of the film are the "famed" Wachowski brothers, who's best work is "The Matrix". But this film ended up hitting at a wrong time and unfortunately got quickly overshadowed by "Iron Man". Not to mention, nothing about the "Wachowski" name really got me as excited for this film, unlike the name Robert Downey Jr. for "Iron Man". Another issue that kind of lead to this films demise, is that "Speed Racer" never was that big. I mean sure, as a kid I remember episodes on Cartoon Network, but other than that it was nothing. Yes, I wasn't around when this originally debuted in the U.S., but the problem was this was not originally American. It was an imported show from Japan that had a small following, during a time in which the U.S. was much more "pro-U.S. production" than it is now. It simply stayed around for all the Anime lovers out there on a very niche network. The final nail in the coffin for me not to see this film, were the box office numbers. "Iron Man" exploded out of the gate and by the end of its run raked in over 400% of its budget ($585 million worldwide). On the flipside, "Speed Racer" stumbled out of the block and simply seemed to quit as it ended up being $26 million short of its budget. Just for added perspective, this film finished 64th and 62nd for overall gross domestically and worldwide, respectively, behind such films as "Nim's Island", "The Forbidden Kingdom", and "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" among others.

Is this move really that bad? I was fortunate enough to catch "Speed Racer" on HBO one day and thought, "Well, might as well". And after watching the last 25 minutes of the film, I fell in love. But why?

Though I will agree that the themes aren't necessarily very strong, the story is actually very concise and the visuals are absolutely amazing. In my opinion just as good as "Iron Man" and I personally like this film better. This film deals with integrity, perseverance, and overall morality, yet is packaged in a frenetic, fast paced action film. I have seen in some reviews where they trash the film because of the frantic pace and flashy visuals, while not having any substance. Yes there is a frantic pace and flashy visuals, but it all ties into what the film is all about; in a hectic and crazy world, we sometimes feel as though we are on a ride that we can't control, just going with the flow being manipulated and pushed in all directions. Though the overlying theme in this film is integrity, the underlying theme is enjoying life by slowing down and recognizing the important things and not letting others get the best of us. This is all wrapped up in the montage in the final race. Of course I am no doubt a sucker for voice-over montages and this film has plenty of them; but I love how this film has foreshadowing that all ties in at the end.

Other parts of this film that I absolutely love are not only the high contrast visuals, but the way transitions in this film are used. They basically use a simple wipe, but with characters or other objects in the frame being the wipe. Also, the music for this film is just fantastic! Michael Giacchino is quickly becoming one of my favorite composers. His musical cues heighten every scene with that extra bit of emotionality.

All-in-all, this film is one of my favorites. It was a great summer blockbuster film, that just didn't have the right timing. I strongly urge people to pick this film up. I really don't think you'll be dissapointed. I just recently bought the Blu-Ray version and it looks stunning! A feel good film, a fun film, a smart film, a solid film!

Couple's Retreat (Quip)

My IMDB Rating: 5/10
Average IMDB Rating: 5.9/10
(My Other IMDB Ratings:http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=6073366)


So yeah...."Couple's Retreat".... Honestly, I'm not real sure what to say about this film. There were some funny moments but like many comedies, most of those are in the trailer. The performances are all well and good and probably for the most part capture many different couples and the struggles they have in their marriage. The most interesting thing about the film is how the couples resolve their differences. In a world filled with divorce, this film seems to be pro-marriage. Which I am also in favor of.

Sorry for the short review, but there really isn't much to say here. The film is fun and relaxing and is a very good choice for a date.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (review)

My IMDB Rating: 8/10
Average IMDB Rating: 7.6/10
(My Other IMDB Ratings:http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=6073366)

Well it sure is nice to see another Harry Potter film after what seems like a decade of waiting. Warner Brothers really upset me when they decided to push back the release of HP 6. But now that I have seen the movie twice, I suppose all is well.

This film is once again directed by David Yates, the director of "Order of the Phoenix" and brings back Steven Kloves to write the screenplay. The cast is much the same including the fantastic Michael Gambon and Alan Rickman.

The story begins with scenes of Death Eaters causing destruction in London. And then moves to the set-up for the film, which is Dumbledore and Harry getting Proffessor Slughorn (played by the brilliant Jim Broadbent) to come back to Hogwarts and teach. He is the key for understanding the power of Lord Voldermort.

The movie moves at a fairly quick pace and at 2 and 1/2 hours doesn't seem to be overly long. I would argue that there is a lot that is missing and would have been nice to see. Ultimately, the movie seems overcompressed to the point that the filmmakers added scenes not in the book to help characterize what is in the book. Hopefully that made sense to you, but suffice to say that there is so much in the book that just couldn't be transferred to the film. At least that's how it seems. The scene that most people have a problem with is the scene in which the Weasley's house get destroyed. Now, from a film perspective, this scene seems ridiculous as well. Yates has said that the point of the scene was to help the audience understand that no one is safe anymore and that he also wanted an action sequence so that the film didn't drag in the middle. However, this scene feels sloppy and quickly thrown together, not to mention cliché. If it was that simple, they should have just picked up Harry and taken him to Voldermort at once.

Instead of focusing on Voldermort or the "Half-blood Prince", the filmmakers have spent a little more time on the relationships between Harry and Ginny and Ron and Hermione. Though needed, I wish some of this stuff could have been built up through the previous movies, especially in the case of Ginny and Harry (I feel that Ron and Hermione have had good build up). I have not read the books, and never will, but from a purely film perspective, one could argue that Ginny hasn't been present for anything and how then all of a sudden do Ginny and Harry get together. Besides a few looks here and there in "Order of the Phoenix", we haven't really seen Ginny since "Chamber of Secrets". Perhaps because of this reason it is good to read the books, but surely they could have had a few more instances where the characters interact. But perhaps they have always felt awkward around eachother and have just now decided to allow their guards down in front of eachother.

The film overall isn't that bad and the technical quality has once again reached a new level of "great". It is actually a very beautiful film, with great cinematography and a great score. The only problems may be in the screenplay, which is no doubt a daunting task, and the direction. Though Yates does a competent job, there just seems to be something extra missing. But alas, the film is what it is and I greatly look forward to the final two films.

You'll notice that I did not put my usual rating at the top of the review, and that is simply because this film is a guilty pleasure. I have actually rated this film at an 8/10, though I know it should be 7.

OSCAR SELECTIONS

And we are finally here... Thanks to all who are participating in my OSCAR Challenge. And a very special thank you to the Awesome Scott Weinberg from Cinematical! Enough with the pleasantries, here are my picks.


Best Actor - Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)

Best Supporting Actor - Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)

Best Actress - Kate Winslet (The Reader)

Best Supporting Actress - Viola Davis (Doubt)

Best Animated Feature - WALL-E

Best Art Direction - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Cinematography - Slumdog Millionaire

Best Costume Design - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Director - Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire)

Best Documentary Feature - Man on Wire

Best Documentary Short - The Witness - From the Balcony of Room 306

Best Editing - The Dark Knight

Best Foreign Language Film - Waltz with Bashir

Best Makeup - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Score - Slumdog Millionaire (A.R. Rahman)

Best Song - "Jai Ho" (Slumdog Millionaire)

Best Picture - Slumdog Millionaire

Best Animated Short Film - Presto

Best Live Action Short Film - Auf Der Strecke (On the Line)

Best Sound Editing - WALL-E

Best Sound Mixing - WALL-E

Best Visual Effects - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Adapted Screenplay - Slumdog Millionaire (Simon Beaufoy)

Best Original Screenplay - Milk (Dustin Lance Black)

Quantum of Solace (movie review)

My IMDB Rating - 5/10

Average IMDB Rating - 7.2/10

(My Other IMDB Ratings:http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=6073366)

Well, well, well...how should I even begin. After "Casino Royale", I raved about the script and how well executed the film was. I also said that along with being my favorite of the Bond films, that it was the BEST of the Bond films. So to great expectations I awaited "Quantum of Solace", figuring that it would be just as good if not better than 'Royale'. Could I have been more wrong?

*Sigh* So many people are blaming the wrong person for this disaster of a James Bond film. It is not Director Marc Forster's fault that this jumbled and shallow mess is incoherent and drab, but the writing team comprised of Paul Haggis, Robert Wade and Neal Purvis (the same writers of Casino Royale). Now I think Paul Haggis is one of the best screenplay writers today and it can be seen in "Crash" and "Million Dollar Baby". However, the ball was definitely dropped on this film, as if it were an afterthought. The character of James Bond does not go through any type of emotional drama deeper than that of 2 inches of water. Not only that but they try to parallel the same type of "revenge motive" that supposedly dominates Bond's character with the character of Camille, played by Olga Kurylenko, in a failed attempt to give this story more depth.

Now, yes, I am ripping this film, but it is only because the bar was set so high with the prior film. If you watch "Casino Royale" and then watch "Quantum of Solace" directly after it (which is exactly the time it takes place in the film) then you can actually make sense of the film, because it is for all intents and purposes an addendum to 'Royale' to give closure to Bond over the death of Vespa. Otherwise, "Solace" is a jumbled film, full of useless action sequences that give no exposition. Oh wait, there is no exposition to be given. Bond wants revenge and there is nothing else to it other than that. It would seem that the aforementioned writers wrote themselves into a corner because they had to give closure to Bond before they could move on with him.

Wait! I haven't even gotten to the villain yet. Well it doesn't matter because he is more forgettable than that guy in "The World Is Not Enough". It is a very weak plot line for the villain that basically gets no attention.

So all in all, if you are a Bond fan and/or like action films than definitely see this film, but you don't have to rush to the theatre. Daniel Craig gives another good performance as the British Super Spy. It just ends up being the writing that dooms this film.

Another Quick Three Movie Review

Changeling 7/10
Clint Eastwood's period drama about a mother whose son goes missing is based on a true story and captures the essence of the story completely. Angelina Jolie stars as Christine Collins, the mother of Walter. When Walter goes missing, the LAPD, which has been corrupted from the top down, tries to force Ms. Collins to accept another boy as Walter. What ensues is the fight for what is right and the discovery of what may have happened to the real Walter.

The movie is set in the late 1920's and is beautifully made. The production design elements are very true to the time. Angelina Jolie should get nominated for Best Actress in a leading role, but I'm not sure much more from this film will be nominated.

Appaloosa 6/10
This western directed by Ed Harris, is a fairly slow moving period piece that is really more of a character examination film. Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen star together as the "good guys" that come to the town of Appaloosa to free it from the Tyranny of a character named Bragg (Jeremy Irons). The film is a fairly classic western complete with the protagonist riding off into the sunset. Though interesting in look, the film is mostly forgettable as the depth that could be portrayed is never really reached.

What Just Happened? 7/10
Barry Levinson directs this tongue-in-cheek film written by Art Linson that is all about Hollywood. It is a hysterical film, that may seem exaggerated, but really isn't. Robert De Niro stars as a Hollywood Producer that has more on his plate in one day than most people have in a year. If it isn't one of his two ex-wives, it is a disgruntled director or a very stubborn actor that De Niro has to deal with. The film dwelves into the the life of a Hollywood producer and the stresses and crazy lifestyle that they live. In a way it seems like a Robert Altman movie considering all the celebrities that are in this film. Very interesting to watch, but more of a personal project than a project designed for awards.