Aquaman Film Review

TL;DL — the movie isn't good.

"Captain America: Civil War" Review

I'm not a big fan of superhero movies. It was fun once or twice, but they've been coming out year after year for so long. First we had to deal with each individual Marvel franchise so that they could coalesce into one giant Avengers thread. Now DC is trying to build a similar pillar. And let us not forget about Fox's X-Men movies. I like that the DC team is taking their universe down a darker path, but overall it's no contest when comparing what DC is doing and what Marvel is doing. Marvel's vision is so much tighter, and it shines through in Captain America: Civil War.

If you've seen Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Iron Man 3, Thor, Thor: The Dark World, Avengers, Avengers: Age Of Ultron, Ant Man, Captain America: The First Avenger, and/or Captain America: The Winter Solider (Whew!), you know what you're getting into. Marvel didn't break away from what is working. Prepare yourself for a CG happy, explosion friendly, slap-stick humor fused film that does well in setting up the next movie. Speaking of setting up the next film, like with any Marvel movie, stay until the very end. Like the very, very end. I think fans will be very pleased with the teaser.

The film did have some interesting ethical questions it juggled. The film brings up the age old debate of utilitarianism vs. deontology. Is it okay that a few people get hurt along the way if the greater good is protected? Or must the means be as just as the ends? It really sets up great friction between Captain America's team and Iron Man's team (thus, "Civil War"), even if the framing is hardly fair within the movie. The movie has Captain America's name in it, so clearly the audience is nudged in that direction. However, it does set up a neat dichotomy for the audience.

The World Wide Web lost their collective cool when it was revealed that Spider Man would make his debut in this Marvel/Disney universe. I thought the teasers did a great job not showing too much. I think fans will be very pleased with Spider Man's presence in this film. If a grumpy film viewer like me could enjoy it, you can too. I'm a fan of Paul Rudd, so I wish they would've included Ant Man a bit more in the film. Regardless, I enjoyed the film and I expect it to do very well.

"Ex Machina" Review

Ex Machina is a damn good movie! I'm sorry we've been distracted by other shiny objects disguised as movies while this gem goes relatively unnoticed. This is one of the best films I've seen in a long time and a film that threatens to enter my all time favorites list. What an embarrassment that it took me so long to watch it. I almost saw it in theaters on multiple occasions, but by democratic decision my friends chose other movies before Ex Machina. We truly missed out.

I should've looked into the film a bit more because then I would've assumed I'd like the movie. Alex Garland wrote 28 Days Later and Sunshine which are 2 movies I can watch anytime on any day. This was his directorial debut and I think he knocked it out of the park. The movie handles philosophical questions about evolution, humanity, The Singularity, and so on. Not only is the movie dense, but it is such a beautiful movie. It's what I wanted my movies to "feel" like. Gritty, yet elegant. Dense, yet simple. Uncomfortable, yet desirable.

The 3 main actors are names we should all get to know too. Their star power continues to rise and I think we'll be seeing much more of them in the future. If we didn't know Alicia Vikander was an actual person, we might've thought she were an actual robot. It doesn't seem fair that Sweden has all sorts great policies on top of producing beautiful and talented women like Alicia Vikander. I think out of all the places I Periscoped, Sweden had the highest concentration of intelligent and beautiful women.

You'll notice that the movie was given an R rating and one of the reasons is for "graphic nudity". I don't think I will ever understand what that could mean. We all have bodies, and when we don't follow the social convention of being clothed, we are nude. There is nothing graphic about it. I have body image issues, and even I know this is stupid. Please go watch this film.

"Batman vs. Superman" Review

I went into Batman vs. Superman with low expectations, and although I am attempting to compensate for setting the bar so low, it might still have something to do with why I give the film an above average mark. It also could be that I have been on a streak of average or slightly below average movies (Deadpool, 10 Cloverfield Lane, etc). It goes without saying, cause what sort of jerk catches a pre-screening and ruins the movie for everyone, but there will be no spoilers here. There is a Star Wars like turn in the movie, and I will do my best to distance myself from any clues.

If you've talked to me about Batman vs. Superman over the last month you know that I am not pleased with how they have been promoting this movie. It feels like I've been watching trailers for this movie for years, and then after the makers of the movie exposed their entire hand, they had nothing to show leading up to the actual release date. This Batman vs. Superman team should look to Marvel and take notes. The way Marvel slowly gave us bits of Civil War and then dropped Spiderman on us recently was perfect. Now they only need to give us one more reminder that Spiderman is in the film 2 weeks before the actual release date and excitement will be a fever pitch. I've been complaining for the last month that I've already seen the entire Batman vs. Superman film due to the trailers, and I wasn't entirely wrong. We should not have seen Doomsday and Wonder Woman before entering the movie.



From the trailers, I thought I was going to hate Jesse Eisenberg's performance. I don't know much about the character of Lex Luthor, but I did not despise Eisenberg's portrayal of Luthor. It still did feel a bit rigid and forced at times, but it worked for the most part. Where I was unsure of Eisenberg, many were against Ben Affleck as Batman. I think most fans are having a difficult time detaching themselves from the Christian Bale Batman. I, however, was not a doubter of Affleck. He's coming off a string of successful movies, and I felt like he was at the top of his game again. We have to forgive him for Daredevil and Gigli at some point. Plus, I will always have a soft spot for Affleck because of Good Will Hunting.

This is the most Zack Snyder film since 2009's Watchmen. I've never doubted Snyder's artistic ability, but his stories aren't always air-tight and can drag. Batman vs. Superman suffers from exactly this. My film theory is a bit rusty, but If my memory serves me right, I remember really embracing Dziga Vertov's "Kino Eye Theory". It's the theory that cinema can see and express more than the human eye can capture. This is why I'm generally not a fan of the recent James Bond films because you can't see a damn thing. The cuts are too quick and the camera is too shaky. However, facets of Kino Eye is what Snyder does great in a lot of his films, and Batman vs. Superman pulls this off to a certain extent. With the musical help of Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL, Snyder's ability to use slow motion and close-ups doesn't slow down the film, but rather makes the movie swell with detail and anticipation.

While I think fans of the superhero genre will enjoy the film, and serious movie watchers won't be totally disappointed, the movie does have its shortcomings. It has spans of exposition and I-don't-care moments, so it's hard to justify the 152 minute runtime. I guess we have to factor in that they were burdened with the duty of setting up the Justice League movie. DC is clearly playing catch up to Marvel's well established franchises and Avengers movies. Not only that, but if you were following the production of this film, you know they ran into snags and that their budget was quickly swelling and on pace to become to most expensive movie ever (suck on that, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides).  On top of that, although I give Snyder credit for long shots and actually allowing us to see all the action, a lot of the choreography is slow and clumsy. There were also moments I felt like this movie was made for children. The action, especially with Superman, gets so ridiculous at times I thought I was watching Japanese anime. There is a reason I enjoyed Dragon Ball Z in the 7th grade, but could never re-visit it as an adult. It's a strange dichotomy considering Snyder is taking this franchise down a darker path than what Marvel is doing. If rumors are true, and I hope they are, we will get a rated R version when the Blu-Ray comes out. You could tell Snyder really wanted some CG blood and a sex scene, but you can't have a rated R movie pushing 410 million dollars in budget.

So did I love the movie? No. But did I enjoy it enough? Yes. It's a silly movie, but there are still some cool things being discussed, like ethics and Lex Luthor discussing the logic of god. I do think nerds will like it, and the set up for Justice League even got me excited. The movie also made me want to check out Wonder Woman. With all this in mind, I think I enjoyed (this superhero's) monologue at the end the most. Mostly because of the tragic events that happened in Brussels yesterday. You'll see what I mean when you go watch the movie.

Oh! And don't wait around like Marvel movies. There is no teaser after the credits. At least there wasn't one at my special pre-screening.

"10 Cloverfield Lane" Review

10 Cloverfield Lane will leave you feeling - Meh.
It's not a horrible movie if you're searching for a sci-fi movie and you've already watched the top tier titles on your To-Watch list. I'm not even sure if we should consider this a sci-fi movie at all. If you loved the first Cloverfield movie and you are going into this one with the hopes that it'll be something similar minus the shaky camera work, you better change your mind set.
With names like JJ Abrams, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and John Gallagher Jr. attached I really wanted to like this movie. I loved John Gallagher Jr. in Short Term 12 and The Newsroom. Many people already know I adore Mary Elizabeth Winstead because of her beauty and because movies like Smashed (film) and Alex of Venice. I wanted people to see Winstead's and Gallagher's names attached to future movies and feel like they have to see that movie. Even with my bias, the movie fell flat. It was actually John Goodman's performance that helped bolster the movie for me.
I think the movie will ultimately be classified as a sci-fi flick, but it might be more accurate to call it a thriller. I can't say too much without ruining the modest twists and turns, but the most engaging element of this movie was John Goodman's character, Howard. The movie forces you into a love-hate dynamic with Howard, and although the movie ties all the loose ends for you, you and your friends will be able to have a short ethics discussion about Howard. I will give the movie credit for its jump scares. There were two or three times I had to make sure I still had clean underwear. Oh, and did I mention how beautiful Mary Elizabeth Winstead is?

"Spotlight" Review

With this, I have seen 6 out of the 8 films nominated for picture of the year. This will probably be the last movie I get to watch before the big night on Sunday. Prior to this viewing, I had The Martian and Room tied, and I tipped towards Room because Room had a budget of 6 million dollars whereas The Martian had 108 million dollars to spend. Spotlight has now bumped The Martian out of the picture, and I am having trouble choosing between Room and Spotlight. If I were to remain consistent and give the tie to the movie with the smaller budget, then Room still wins (Spotlight had a budget of 20 million dollars). However, it is not that easy in this case. Room is the more emotionally charged movie, but Spotlight is the more important one. My biggest critique of "popular art" (Better worded as "popular entertainment") these days is that it's void of "substance". I use "substance" to bundle elements such as emotion, artistic integrity, and social contribution into a simple and convenient package. Scan the bland summer blockbuster movies or listen to any mainstream song, and I think you'll see what I mean. And because I score art by measuring how much emotion and social importance is packed into a piece, the decision between Room and Spotlight is not easy to me.
I have a group of friends that I discuss politics, religion, and social issues with. We've been discussing morality a lot lately, and the more I try to define that word, the more I realize the world lacks morality. Perhaps I am being too pessimistic, but I can tell you this movie didn't help. Yes, the protagonists navigate through an arena of darkness and bring light into the picture, but I see how outnumbered they are and that's what breaks my heart. Wide spread and prevalent negligence and malevolence on an institutional, societal, and personal level with no one willing to step up except the team at The Boston Globe and Spotlight. I've had stronger chills run through my body due to a movie, but I don't remember the last movie to send this many chills through my body.
From a production standpoint, this movie receives many high marks. The writing, the acting, the use of sound, and photography. The film like look pulls you back into the years these events actually occurred, the lighting looked more natural making the movie feel less produced, and the use of long lenses forces a feeling of caution. Spotlight has a lot of tough competition, but I'll be disappointed if the movie doesn't go home with at least one award.

"Room" Film Review

Thank you to the team that made Room. We are in your debt. What a layered, deep, and fantastic movie. I am now up to 5 out of the 8 films nominated for best picture this year at the Oscars. Room is currently tied with The Martian for this year's award, but like I did when it came down the The Wolf of Wall Street and Dallas Buyers Club, I gave the edge to the film with a smaller budget.
Brie Larson is quickly becoming my favorite actress. If you haven't seen Short Term 12, it may be on Netflix still so get on that. Larson and Mary Elizabeth Winstead are my favorites because they are intelligent and they seem more selective about their roles. I will be cheering for Larson for best actress. I only wish Jacob Tremblay was also nominated for something because he was great.

(Insight on how Larson picks her roles)


Room is a film that no review can encapsulate, and that's what makes it so amazing. I think each individual will get something unique from the film. Mothers will be drawn to the mother-child relationship in the movie. You will see that guidance, inspiration, and love can and should flow from mother to child, but that the stream can be reversed. A great reminder to listen to your children, because you never know what they might teach you. Many people will find the concepts of innocence and youth appealing. There are many powerful forces in this world, but the innocence of youth has to be included in the top tier. Despite dire circumstances, Jack Newsome found joy in simplicity reminding us that perception plays a large role in everything we do. Jack's youthfulness and innate curiosity also allows him to recover from traumatizing events and assimilate into a foreign world much quicker, whereas Joy Newsome has difficulty sliding back into her old life.
Watch the movie as soon as possible, but also be ready to cry and to juggle a lot of thoughts. You'll think about your family, bravery, exploration, kindness, the corporate media, the fragility and toughness of the human psyche, and so many other elements. This is cinema.

"The Martian" Review

Now that I have seen The Martian, I have seen 4 out of 8 movies up for best picture at the Oscars. I will be watching "Room" soon, but as it stands, I have The Martian winning with The Big Short following (Sorry Mad Max & The Revenant).
The Martin is one of those movies you wish never ended. The movie has a runtime of 2 hours and 24 minutes, but the story flies by at warp speed. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll be drawn in, and you'll be on the edge of your seat. Director Ridley Scott was confused at the Golden Globes when the movie won for best comedy, and after watching the film, I am too. I read articles and had people try to justify why the movie could be considered a comedy, but sorry, you're just wrong. There are good dramatic movies, good horror movies, documentaries that you are meant to laugh during. That, however, does not make it a comedic movie.
Good luck to Matt Damon who is up for best actor. The large cast full of talent made it sort of an ensemble cast, but without a doubt Damon put on a great performance. He handled the complexities of his character, Mark Watney, the way a Hollywood vet should handle it. He made you believe Watney was in pain, frustrated, determined, joyful, and anxious on command. We all want to see Leonardo DiCaprio win an Oscar, but he might just have to wait again.
I am disappointed in myself that it took me this long to watch this film. How did I think that a Ridley Scott directed movie set in space was not going to be good? I believe with the help of charismatic scientists like Neil deGrasse Tyson and Bill Nye, and with Hollywood's increased interest in space exploration (Star Wars, Interstellar, Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Trek, Gravity), we have re-stimulated the country's interest in the cosmos and S.T.E.M. Hopefully with the help of this momentum, we can re-prioritize education in our country.
If you're looking for a movie that revolves around the concepts of "determination" and "home", this is your film. "Home" is not four walls and a shelter. Home is where you find comfort, happiness, and a place where you feel safe. Watney tried to make a home on Mars, and despite his most valiant efforts, he found out there is no faking what home really is. Do yourself a favor, and watch this movie now.

"The Big Short" Review

I'm on a hot streak, and although that luck didn't carry over to the Powerball drawing, I did catch another fantastic movie. The Big Short will make you confused, it'll make you laugh, and terribly depressed. It is a very important film to watch before this year's election.
The movie shows you the horrendous underbelly of capitalism and deregulation. You see what happens when the greed of our species, a species that mostly evolved during times of scarcity and is hardwired to hoard, is handed a system that allows greed to act without impunity.
The movie moves swiftly and is mostly reckless, much like the financial sector. There are hefty temporal and spatial jumps, but you are never lost. The cuts are quick and disjointed. You are given shots for fractions of a second and the jump cut is utilized often, but all the coverage is worthwhile. There a many scenes shot with a long lens that gives the film a very voyeuristic feeling. The fourth wall is not only broken in this film, but it is knocked over with a wrecking ball and jackhammered to pulp. You are in the movie, and you are an accomplice to the greatest financial failing in the history of mankind.
There is no shortage of names attached to this film. Brad Pitt is not only in the movie, but helped produce it. Christian Bale, Steve Carell, and Ryan Gosling all put on great performances. I have a feeling most people will rave about Carell and Gosling, but it was how Bale handled his character that struck me. His character had very distinct characteristics, and he owned and gave life to all of them. There are no prominent actresses, and I that is only a poor reflection of Wall Street. It seems to me that any institution that is void of a female presence fails to hold any moral standard. For example, religion.
See you at the Oscars, The Big Short.

"Steve Jobs" (2015) Review

Audiences really missed out by not catching Steve Jobs. I doubt that the platform release hindered its box office performance, but maybe two Steve Jobs movies in two years had something to do with it. How unfortunate the Ashton Kutcher film had to come out first, although that's me judging without having seen that movie. When I first saw the trailer for this movie I thought, "Another Steve Jobs film?" but then I quickly saw that Aaron Sorkin wrote film and Danny Boyle directed it. Instantly I thought it was a must see. Then I saw the box office numbers and I thought maybe the film was a miss. It isn't. Don't let the lack of commercial success dispel you from watching this movie. It has the quick wit and pacing like Sorkin's other works, and it's all tied together by the creativity that Boyle always brings.
Many viewers claim that the film depicts Jobs as an egomaniac. Perhaps there is some truth to it. However, I am jealous, turned off, and I admire Jobs in equal parts. His conviction/stubbornness wouldn't allow himself to fail or succeed in any other way than his. That is the complete opposite of what I am. My timid personality is content with walking down the middle as long as no one is hurt. I do not see this as a Jobs bash movie, but rather a deep and honest look into three major and stressful times in Jobs' life. 
The performances throughout are great. Michael Fassbender seems to have a one-on-one scene with each of the other actors and each dance is full of angst and direction. I also really enjoyed Boyle's choice to shoot with film and digital. He always seems to tinker with some production mechanics in each of the movies, and it really pays off in this one. Two different types of film helped show which year the events took place in, but it also showed where Jobs was professionally. Then shooting shifted to digital leading up to the release of the iMac. This choice may be subtle, but I think it made a big difference. The movie is two hours long, but it won't feel that way. I hope it gets some Oscar consideration.

I Saw "Hateful Eight"

Finally got around to checking out The Hateful Eight tonight. When the crazy and talented Quentin Tarantino puts out a film, you just strap yourself in and you expect a crazy ride that honors cinema. Without a doubt this is a Tarantino film. Plenty of dark humor that is timed perfectly. Moments that'll make you uncomfortable, but fit into the context of the film. Lots of dialogue and excess that traditional Hollywood would be too afraid to attempt. Easter eggs for the cinema buff. All of that neatly laced together by the usual Tarantino conventions that we have gotten so used to. Hateful Eight is a slow burner. The movie plays out almost in real time. There aren't many temporal jumps, nor are there many spatial jumps. I think that really tested Tarantino as a writer, and it also challenged the actors. I remember walking out of Inglorious Basterds thinking, "That's not one of my favorite Tarantino films", but it is apparent now that I jumped to a decision too quickly. Perhaps I had to let it absorb and sink in. Basterds is one of my favorite movies now. So, I won't be hasty with my grading of Hateful Eight.

"The Thing" Review

I saw The Thing a few weeks ago, so my memory of the movie is not as fresh as I would like it to be, but I felt a short review of the movie was still justified. From what I saw, there were more mumblings about the disappointment that The Thing was being remade than excitement for its release. That sentiment is fine and fair, but we should clarify now that it is not a remake, but rather a prequel to John Carpenter’s 1982 original.

The movie stars budding starlet Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who I happen to be a fan of. It’s good to see her getting out there and getting more roles. It seemed like the production of Scott Pilgrim might’ve delayed her upcoming as the making of that movie took longer than expected. Winstead plays paleontologist Kate Lloyd in the film who is a powerful female lead character that isn’t sexualized or bullied by her male counterparts. I’ve heard people call the character of Kate Lloyd the second coming of Ripley from Alien. I’m inclined to believe this aspect of the character appealed to Winstead as she, at least from interviews, seems to be an intelligent and articulate individual who isn’t just looking to take the easy way to the top of Hollywood. In the movie, Lloyd is recruited to work at a base located in Antarctica where they have discovered a frozen item that could change the history of the world. Things begin to become complicated at the base when protocols are ignored due to swelling personalities and the desire to be immortalized in the history books. One of the superiors of the operation takes a risky path despite Lloyd’s pleas and chaos and paranoia ensues. I must say that the prequel probably is not as good as the original. It’s been a while since I’ve viewed the original, but if my memory serves me correctly, the original did a better job with character development. The level and density of paranoia in the original also seemed to be greater, but this could just be due to my younger age and my horror movie phase I went through when I watched the original. During the marketing of The Thing, the cast continuously harped on how the level of paranoia and psychological stress is immense, and although the movie does a great job showing the trust issues the discovery team goes through, it’s not as big of a factor to the audience as I would have liked. Another element the cast and crew kept boasting about was how the 2011 movie worked hard to tie into the original film. Although they do accomplish this, I felt like this element was a bit exaggerated. The Thing was a decent movie, but I can’t recommend it to everyone. If you went through a horror movie phase with your buddies in high school because horror movies are sometimes the best comedy movies, then this will be a good rental for you and your pals. If you’re a big fan of the original movie, and you would love to relive an updated version of The Thing, it is worth a watch. Otherwise, just rent it on a night you have nothing else to do.

"Troll Hunter" Review

Troll Hunter has to be one of the most unique films of last year. For some odd reason, when I tell people I recently watched Troll Hunter, I’m always asked, “Oh, what’s it about?” A very fair question, but the movie is what the title says. It is about a troll hunter. The movie was released on October 29th of 2010, and got an American release on June 10th of 2011. The movie opened to mostly positive reviews. The Norwegian film was filmed in Western Norway where it takes place in the movie. The movie was directed by André Øvredal featuring mostly lesser known actors. The film team chose to go keep the movie under the radar and attempted the viral marketing strategy. The Nordic location provided for some stunning scenery in the movie. Troll Hunter is a mockumentary employing the handheld first person camera work. So think Blair Witch Project or Quarantinein Norway and with giant trolls. The lighting in the film is exceptional, especially in the low light scenes. Using the moon as the motivator, the lighting and photography crew does a wonderful job creating accurate shadows and deep contrast. Another cinematic element they did a great job with was incorporating was the rain, mist, and the fog that rolls against the hills. The crew lit the mist extremely well to make the mist pop and have great depth (not an easy task!), allowing the audience to feel the setting more vividly. The movie also did a great job with little touches to give it a more authentic feel and to make it seem like the footage was actually found and raw. One example is when the hunter and the in movie film crew (remember, this is a mockumentary) are grabbing breakfast and we see the in movie film crew white balancing. This might go unnoticed to most, but to someone who has film experience it is a great touch. The next example would seem obvious, but other first person films often missed with this one. There is a moment in the film where the camera operator is picked up by a troll and drops the camera. Let’s arbitrarily say the camera fell 8 feet. We then see the lens is cracked. Out of all the first person films I’ve seen, this might be the first with a destructible lens. The exact opposite happened in Quarantine when the camera man viciously defends himself against a zombie with blunt camera blows. Destructible lenses are not always a given. I won’t go too much into the story of the movie as to not ruin it. As mentioned above, the movie is about a troll hunter, and that’s the only introduction the movie needs. It might be the only introduction anyone can give. A couple of interesting discussions the movie brings up are the discussions on religion and animal rights. We can see that religion might be a big topic just from the trailer where Christianity and Islam are both raised. As an American, it is fascinating to see a Scandinavian slant on religion. The trolls are attracted to the scent of Christian blood, so before the troll hunter allows the film crew to shadow him, he probes the crew on their religious beliefs. The members all deny any affiliation with Jesus Christ. We find out later that one of the members of the film team is actually a closet Christian. It makes sense that he would hide the fact that he is Christian in a country where, in 2005, only 32% of the population believed in a god. This was extremely interesting as atheists are often bullied in America and seeing the roles reversed was quite refreshing. Animals rights, or perhaps better phrased as creature rights in this film are also observed. We see the team sympathize for sheep when they are used as bait to lure the trolls. We also see in one of the interviews with the hunter that he might also have sympathy for the trolls. I recommend this film to everyone because of how unique and well made it is. I fully understand that Americans tend to be turned off by subtitles, but it’s time we mature and venture into a wider variety of cinema. Especially when there is a movie of this grade is waiting to be viewed.

"The Avengers" Review

Anyone who knows me knows I am not very fond of these huge summer blockbuster films. I just don't think you can substitute a solid story and a well thought out production with a couple of massive explosions and falling buildings and hope for a good movie. Apparently no one really gives a shit what I think because summer movies have made a boat load of money. This disconnect I have with “what is popular” was demonstrated even further during the previews. I could hear the chatter and buzz around me after the “The Dark Knight Rises” trailer finished. But the buzz after the “Prometheus” trailer wasn’t nearly as present. I think people get sucked into hype way too easily. With that in mind, I don’t doubt that the new Batman has the potential to be a very special film, I just think the general reaction is exaggerated. “The Avengers”, however, did not disappoint. The movie didn’t change my life or anything, but it didn’t put me to sleep like Transformers 2 or Sherlock Holmes did. I thought Whedon’s humor came through very well at perfectly timed moments. The ensemble cast did justice as well. Whedon and team did a very good job making sure each character was distinct and their abilities obvious. The Avengers did what Japanese anime has been doing for years, except in English and with American spin. You can watch any Japanese anime that concerns itself with a group of heroes with power levels and character development and you can see parallels with The Avengers.

The Avengers gives us what we expect from a summer family movie. The movie could even give Michael Bay a boner. I’m still not sure I buy into the 3D movement, but this movie might be worth seeing once in 3D and once in 2D.

"In Time" Preview

I went to go watch The Thing over the weekend (review forthcoming) and I caught an interesting preview that I noted to re-watch on Youtube when I got home. The preview was for the movie “In Time” starring Justin Timberlake.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-63vHi7pEM

Do the makers of this movie actually believe that they can substitute time for money and critique the capitalist system without the American people catching them on their little sneak job? They probably do, and they probably aren’t wrong for thinking that way.

We see early in the trailer that time is the new currency and a cup of normal coffee costs about four minutes. A minor fee compared to the 32 ounce energy drink which will take off about 9 minutes of your life. When Olivia Wilde’s character runs out of time and appears to die, we hear a voice that claims, “The poor are meant to die, it’s how the system works.” It’s the “poor” that are stomping around on Wall Street today attempting to break the “system”.Shortly after we get another voiceover stating, “No one should be immortal, even if one person has to die,” echoing one side of the health reform debate we have in our country. Although the cuts are short, as they are in any trailer, we often catch glimpses of tickers with numbers going across like they do in the stock market. Except this time, it’s not references to money going across your screen, it’s time sliding across.

I can’t say this movie will be all that good or that it has the makings to be a box office success from this trailer, but within the two minutes and thirty seconds, I have seen many interesting analogies to the real world. It might be worth a watch to see what sort of parallels they can make given feature length. Hopefully they are able to infuse the movie with some powerful social and political undertones without making it too cheesy.

"Red State" Review

As if it were being chased by a bunch of religious extremists, Red State wastes no time getting started, and so I will do the same. After two quick title screens the movie introduces the setting and a character. Along with the abrupt start, the first few lines of dialogue are a bit awkward and poorly delivered which creates a bad tone to start the movie. The audience also learns with haste that this movie is not going to be shy, as we immediately see the Westboro want-to-bes on screen with their hateful signs. Many Kevin Smith fans were hoping for a comeback film, and I think to a degree Smith delivers this. The film is often categorized as a horror film and therefore is not the greatest platform for Smith’s humor to come through, but the film isn’t without any laughs.

The trailer doesn’t exactly give a lot of details about the movie, but it gives you the general idea. To be fair, I can’t really think of a trailer that would be completely fitting for this movie. However, anyone who follows the news and has heard about the Westboro Baptist Church can put the pieces together. Westboro Baptist Church is mentioned in the film, but the movie revolves around a church similar to Westboro that is just as extreme. The movie introduces three high school friends who are sexually curious. The trio uses the Internet to seek sexual services where they find someone who lives nearby and wants to meet them. One of the boys borrows a car one night and the three of them drive out to the country side to meet their mystery partner. The mystery partner happens to be a lure set up by the extreme church and chaos follows. The focus then turns to the church and their mission to clean the world of evil and their desire to earn a seat in heaven.

The movie carries many social undertones, religion being at the forefront. Religious extremism and blind faith are the main topics being discussed, but the movie takes a look at law enforcement and public relations as well. A more distant discussion might be the discussion on gun control.

This movie is not for everyone because of the topic being discussed, but it also isn’t for everyone because it’s not a film that offers a whole lot in terms of what the general movie audience seeks. Movies watchers these days expect to see robots from outer-space, beautiful women, and lots of explosions. Red State is a good movie that brings up very important and relevant topics, but I can’t suggest it to everyone. The movie may start off on a strange beat, but the movie closes with a great Kevin Smith touch, which left a good taste despite how grimy the movie is.

"50/50" Review

Although I haven’t had the chance to catch a lot of movies this year, 50-50 has to be in the top tier for movies I have seen in 2011. It’s not entirely my fault that I haven’t been able to see that many new releases in 2011. I spent the first quarter in Korea, and then everyone who knows me knows summer blockbusters aren’t my favorite kind of movie. 50-50 has been on my radar since late 2010 and I was very excited for the first of my anticipated fall and winter movies. I am a fan of Joseph Gorden-Levitt and of Seth Rogen, so I was very excited to see this duo to hit the screen.

The trailer suggests this movie leans more toward comedy than drama, but the movie does a great job combining both. The drama and comedy don’t conflict with each other but rather enhances each other through contrast as well as seamless meshing. When the drama begins to become dense, the audience is bailed out when the film shows that awkward moments in life can be full of humor. The comedy in the film is grounded by the drama giving it a sense of believability and something to work off of. This movie is what Funny People tried to be, but much better.

The movie is based on the life of Will Reiser, who wrote the movie. Reiser is a friend of Adam Goldberg (Producer) and Rogen who also helped produce the movie and plays the role of Kyle. In the movie, a 27 year old Will is diagnosed with cancer and is given a 50 percent chance of overcoming the cancer. The movie follows him around as we witness how this cancer affects his life and the lives of the people most close to him. Although not all of us can relate to what it feels like to have cancer, the movie does a great job of showing us how each relationship is affected, and relationships are something we can relate to. The audience is given an opportunity to find a bond that they can relate to whether it be the relationship to parents, friends, or intimate partner. The movie also gives us some insight in the psychology of a cancer patient. It makes sense that the movie is founded on true events because it’s easy for people to relate to the movie.

Another aspect the movie did a good job of showing the audience, while keeping the humor, is the interactions between patient and doctor. The film shows us that too many times people are often one dimensional. In the movie, mirroring real life, we see that doctors are very knowledgeable, but lack the general communication skills, or skills to speak in the layman, to clearly communicate with patients. With the therapist, played by Anna Kendrick, we see that her overly zealous textbook approach doesn’t quite work either. We see that when she applies textbook theory in a fluid and interpersonal fashion, the relationship and work with the patient is greatly improved. The movie also does a great job showing that when someone battles cancer, it not only affects them, but the people around them immensely. Without giving away too much, I felt this aspect was best shown in the film when Will drops off Kyle after a drunken night to find a book in Kyle’s bathroom (You’ll have to see the movie to fully understand).

I highly recommend this film, especially to fans of Seth Rogen’s humor. The humor is not lost in the attempt to tell a great story. As mentioned in the introduction, the comedy and drama are evenly weaved throughout the movie and perfectly timed. Great movie to kick off fall.