Before Midnight

Before Midnight, the latest film from director Richard Linklater is the third film and hopefully the finale in the series Before series. Before Sunrise, Before Sunset were the two previous films and this film again follows Celine and Jessie, this time around Greece. I feel this movie completely destroyed the magic that was the first two and because of that, Before Midnight gets one bucket of Killer Korn.





Either Richard Linklater, Ethan Hawke, or Julie Delpy can't get other jobs or they just have way too much time on their hands between projects. When I discovered they made a third film that followed the two previous and magical installments I was dubious. I wondered if this was just a cash grab. The first movie became a cult hit which prompted the second film, which was adored. I felt the ambiguous ending was the perfect way to leave the two characters. It let us the viewers choose their fates, does he stay, does he leave, does he stay, does he leave? I thought it was perfection and why would anyone mess with perfection unless it's for money? Then I admonished myself, chastised myself even for being such a skeptic. I suddenly thought maybe there was more magic to capture, that maybe the director and writers, Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy had more to say, maybe they could create a new chapter, improve on the last two, which I felt was impossible to do but I have been wrong before, not often but it has happened.

I wasn't wrong. Before Midnight not only should NOT have been made but it completely destroys the magic of the first two films. This is a sad look at the couple that in the first film you could relate to. How many times have you seen someone on the street and locked eyes, smiled at, and kept on walking only to wish a minute later you had said something to them? The second movie enhanced the first chapter brilliantly. The two people reunite after Jesse, played by Ethan Hawke writes a novel based on the encounter the first movie was about and Celine, played by Julie Delpy tracks him down at a book signing in Paris. He obviously never forgot her and at the end of that film she reveals that she never forgot him in a really vulnerable and intimate way. Move onto Before Midnight and all the beauty that was Before Sunrise and Before Sunset crumbles and falls to dust.

In Before Midnight, we catch up with Jessie and Celine on vacation in Greece with their twin daughters. So the ambiguity that made Before Sunset so good is now gone, you now know what Jesse decided to do. He says goodbye to his son who lives with his mother in Chicago, he spent the summer with Jessie and Celine and the twins and it eats Jessie up that he can't be there for his son which sets the couple off down the insecure rabbit hole. Celine somehow gets it in her head that Jesse wants her to uproot her life and their twin daughters lives and move to Chicago so he can be closer to his son. He spends most of the movie defending himself from her and constantly declaring how much he loves her. The last thing I wanted to pay for was to see a couple sounding like my ex and I. I went through that for free, I shouldn't have had to pay for it to see others go through it.

The music by Graham Reynolds was lovely as was the scenery of Greece but nothing could save this movie from itself. I don't really know what they were thinking as they penned this thing and hopefully they had second thoughts about it while writing it. Sadly though, they went through with the production and created this lovely slice of brutal reality. They tried to show you happy couples in the film and they even tried to end it on a good note but it was too far gone to be rescued by that time. Do NOT see this cash grab because if you are a fan of the previous two films, this chapter will truly only depress you.

Fast & Furious 6

Fast & Furious 6, the latest film by Justin Lin which revisits the now all too familiar and nauseating characters from the previous five Fast & Furious films is a showcase in atrocious film making. If you like good acting, well written dialogue, and movies that don't defy the laws of physics then this movie is not, I repeat NOT for you. It's certainly not for me and because of that I don't give Fast & Furious 6 and damn Killer Korn. Not one damn kernel.






From the onset, I did not pay to see Fast & Furious 6 and it's so bad it doesn't deserve a long write up. Reprising their roles in this installment of the Furious movies is of course Vin Diesel as Dominic Toretto, Paul Walker as Brian O'Connor, Dwayne Johnson as Hobbs, Tyrese Gibson as Roman, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges as Tej, Jordana Brewster as Mia, Sung Kang as Han, and recently brought back from the dead, Michelle Rodriguez as Letty. When we last left this group they just made off with hundreds of millions of dollars down in Rio and were now retired and living the lives of multi-millionaires who could never again set foot on American soil. Dominic is living somewhere comfortably in the sun with the lovely Brazilian officer he hooked up with in the last film, Elena played by Elsa Pataky. That was until Hobbs shows up on his doorstep with a picture of Letty from a week ago alive and well. Hobbs wants Dominic to reassemble his team to help him bring down someone named Owen Shaw who is played by Luke Evans, the man Letty now works for.

Dom agrees because he just has to see if it's really Letty and not some mind trick because as Dom says repeatedly to stomach churning regularity in this movie, "we're family". Now the dialogue sounds like it was written by a few second graders. It's elementary at best and the plot made absolutely no sense. They had to stop Owen Shaw from stealing satellite components and a chip that could render a country unable to operate for 24 hours. A true head scratcher indeed and writer Chris Morgan should give his check back for a job undone. The film was shot by someone who looks like they were standing in the middle of an earthquake the whole time or was on a skateboard. Cinematographer Stephen F. Windon has done better work in the past so it stands to reason that he just mailed this one in. It was edited and chopped up by someone who apparently has a bad case of ADD and the score lacked any drama or emotion. Oh and by the way, the cars this time around were horrible.

There are some incredulous action sequences that like I stated earlier completely defy science and the laws of physics, like the tank sequence. The one where Dom jettisons himself at the free falling Letty with enough force to stall her fall. He propels them to the other side of the highway onto a parked car, all the while, twisting his body in mid air so HE is the one the breaks her fall. Physics alone would have given her at the very least a broken rib and rendered him with a spinal contusion but Dom is apparently superhuman. Especially when you consider Letty shot him in the chest and after removing the bullet himself, doesn't swell, doesn't bleed externally or internally and just four days later is in a fist fight with some hulking henchman of Shaw's. How he is even able to raise his arm to any height is amazing. Him having the ability to throw a punch after being shot is of course movie magic and while I am all for movie magic, I am not for having my intelligence insulted. And I won't even mention how long that damn runway was at the end. It went on forever as the team somehow miraculously yanked down what I believe was a Russian Antonov or a plane much like it when in reality the plane would have lifted off no matter what the cars did to the flaps on the wings.

I truly have no idea what the draw is to these movies and when you sit back and map out the timeline of the films, it makes no sense. Han, the cool Asian guy in Fast Five and this movie DIED in Tokyo Drift which was two Furious movies ago so how in the world is he still alive in the next two films? Well they answer that at the end of this movie by showing his death in Tokyo Drift. So that means that the previous two movies took place in the past and that the now in pre-production Fast & Furious 7 will be in the present. Yes there will be another one and no, I will not see it because I could care less what happens to these characters. I would say skip Fast & Furious 6 but it's going to make another one hundred million plus at the box office. And even if it doesn't, the next Fast & Furious is already in the works starring Jason Statham, who apparently kills Han on purpose. Skip this garbage, see something else and I'll see you at the theater.

Star Trek: Into Darkness

Star Trek: Into Darkness, the latest movie by J.J. Abrams is a spectacle in every way, shape, and form. Unlike the spectacle that was Gatsby however, Into Darkness got it right. It made you laugh, think, it pulled at the heart strings, and it made you CARE! Because of that, Star Trek: Into Darkness gets four huge buckets of Killer Korn with extra butter.




Are you a trekkie? I ask because if you are then you remember that TV episode where Ricardo Montalbon played the superior species Khan and almost took the Enterprise from Kirk and crew. And if you remember that TV show, then you remember Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and the Genesis Project with Caroline Marcus who just happened to be the mother of Kirk's son David. It's the movie where Spock died but before committing suicide to save the ship and crew, he mind melded and passed on his essence to Bones. If you're a trekkie then what you just read isn't anything new to you at all. Star Trek II is my all time favorite Star Trek movie. It had everything you could want in a Trek movie if you're a trekkie. Well Star Trek II has been remade and is now entitled Star Trek: Into Darkness and it is breathtaking. Reprising their roles are Captain Kirk is Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto as Spock, Zoe Saldana as Uhura, Karl Urban as Bones, Simon Pegg as Scotty, Anton Yelchin as Chekov, John Cho as Sulu, and Bruce Greenwood as Admiral Pike.

This time around they are joined by Peter Weller as Admiral Marcus, Alice Eve as Carol Marcus, and Benedict Cumberbatch as the ruthless Khan. Now while you will recognize the story line, with you being a trekkie and all, writers Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, and Damon Lindelof turn that story line on its head. Without giving any of the plot away, the federation is on the verge of war with the Klingons and the terrorist Khan is on their home planet of Kronos hiding out from Starfleet after attacking a summit meeting of all the captains with ships in federation space. Kirk is tasked to hunt Khan down and kill him but changes his mind and captures him, determined that he be brought back to earth to stand trial for his crimes. There is friction between Kirk and Spock thanks to the opening sequence which was amazing, but since Vulcans cannot lie, he told the truth about Kirk disobeying Starfleets pesky prime directive.

J.J. created a visual feast and I highly recommend catching this movie in IMAX 3D if you can, if for just one sequence alone. The part where Khan and Kirk and rocketing through space as they maneuver around and through space debris will blow you away. Into Darkness is all go from the first frame to the last and just as Spock rendered an erupting volcano inert in the beginning, Into Darkness rendered J.J.'s first Star Trek inert. That movie was starting the car. This movie is shoving the pedal to the floor boards and hanging on for dear life. There are times when the camera is too close to the action, and it can lose you. However, that small sin is easily forgiven because the action never stops and the story is so meaty. There is a nice lesson about friendship and what it means to some as opposed to others. On top of that there's the war hungry leader itching for a fight and developing first strike weapons in secret, and then there's the ongoing relationship between Uhura and Spock that is pretty damn funny.

Star Trek: Into Darkness has raised the bar to an unbelievable height and I don't know if J.J. will do another Trek movie, but if he does he has made things very difficult for himself. What I do know is this, if the next Star Wars film which will be helmed by J.J., if it's anything like Into Darkness it is definitely something to look forward too. All the Star Wars fans can rest easy, that next installment of Star Wars is in very competent hands. The music by J.J.'s usual composer Michael Giacchino doesn't stray all that far from the first Trek film using the same musical themes and cues, but he does ramp it up due to all the action on the screen. Right now, Into Darkness is the best film of the year and could potentially be the box office champion of 2013, I said it hear first. See Star Trek: Into Darkness because it's worth the price of admission, and even if you aren't a trekkie you will love this movie. I'll see you at the theater (if not on line).

The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby, the latest film by critically acclaimed director Baz Luhrmann is a visual feast, actually spectacle would be the more appropriate word for it. Every frame of this movie is filled to the hilt with something, either it's flowers or faces or computer generated visions of New York City and Long Island back in the 1920's. Spectacles usually cost a lot of money and this movie is no exception but a spectacle is all it is, once you get past the visual feast the movie is hollow and that's why it only gets two buckets of Killer Korn.






Funny story, when I told my mother I had just seen The Great Gatsby she smiled and asked me what I thought of it. I said it didn't live up to expectations. Mom smiled on and said, "I could have told you not to waste your time and money. I never did like the book and if the book is bad, how can there be a good movie?" She also said that maybe I should consult with her from now on regarding my movie choices which is never going to happen, but I digress. I will tell you the truth old sport, I have never read The Great Gatsby. It wasn't required reading in school and I never felt the pull to crack it open on my own accord. However, I knew a little about it, small details gleamed throughout the years and all those pieces came to life on the screen. Jay Gatsby, played by Leonardo DiCaprio is a tale about a young millionaire living in Long Island NY. Jay is in love with a young girl he met five years earlier named Daisy, played by Carey Mulligan. Daisy comes from a wealthy family and Jay is a poor as dirt soldier from the Midwest and he feels the only way to be worthy of Daisy is to become wealthy. The one little hitch in Jay's plan is Daisy is already betrothed to someone else, a man named Tom Buchanan, played brilliantly by Joel Edgerton.

The story is told from the point of view from Nick Carraway, played by Tobey Maguire who is in an asylum after all the partying, drinking, carousing, and death NYC brought his way all in one summer. Nick aka Nicky to Daisy is her cousin who just so happens to move into a little shack right next door to Gatsby's monstrous mansion. When Jay finds out that Nick is Daisy's cousin, Jay does all he can to ingratiate himself onto Nick. Now since I never read this novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald I did not know how this story would end but I could say this, I really could care less about ANY of these characters. The main question I have about this story is what makes Daisy such a catch? While I don't know what she's like in the book, her character in the movie appears to be nothing more than a fragile piece of glass. She spends most of her time swooning and crying and for the life of me I don't know why Gatsby is so obsessed with such a weak woman or why anyone is for that part. The one character that's not obsessed with her is her husband Tom. He's busy carrying on an affair with the gas attendants wife Myrtle, played wonderfully by Isla Fisher.

Like I said, this movie is a spectacle, but sadly that's all there is. There is nothing to this movie, it's all façade and no depth. The characters are vapid, insecure, and fragile, there are no redeeming qualities in any of them and if this movie is anything like the book then I wonder what all the fascination is about. The movie was "written" by Baz and Craig Pearce and their interpretation of Fitzgerald's work might have those who have read it scratching their heads after seeing the movie. I am of the opinion that there are some books that should never be made into a film and apparently Gatsby falls squarely into that category. Director Jack Clayton's Gatsby starring Robert Redford showed that and yet Baz apparently felt he could tackle this book and do a better job. In my opinion he clearly missed the mark. This film has no heart and the soul, all of the emotional content is wrapped up in Tobey's character Nick, whom you could take or leave. When there's no character to care for, the film becomes a rudderless ship.

This movie was delayed from hitting theaters TWICE due to production difficulties and Baz running out of money. It was originally slated to be released last fall and then it was pushed to last winter for a Christmas release. That didn't happen and when things like that happen it usually means trouble for a film. It usually means rewrites and re-shoots and that usually means a shitload of more money added to the already bloated budget. I can only think of one movie where production strife didn't hurt it and that was James Cameron's Titanic. The soundtrack is surprisingly dominated by Jay-Z, that is until you find out he's one of the executive producers of the film. Then it all makes sense but his music is definitely out of place. The movie is beautifully shot by cinematographer Simon Duggan and it's very pretty to look at and I'm sure in 3D it's amazing, but if that's all there is to a film (and that's all there is to this film) don't waste your money. Skip Gatsby, see something else and I'll see you at the theater.

Venus and Serena

Venus and Serena, the documentary about a year in the life of the two most accomplished women in professional tennis is not only inspiring, its also very good. Directed by Maiken Baird and Michelle Major, Venus and Serena will make you laugh, upset you, as well as educate you and inspire you. You see what trials and tribulations the sisters had to overcome during the 2011 tour and because of that, I give Venus and Serena three and a half buckets of Killer Korn.




 Off the bat I want to state that I am not a huge fan of the sports documentary, mainly because they very rarely tell you anything you didn't already know and all they want to do is make you a bigger fan. I am however, a HUGE fan of tennis. I used to be a fan of just men's tennis primarily, that was until Venus and Serena hit the scene, suddenly I found myself tuning in to the women's matches with the same frequency as I did the men's. It was like, I never gave a damn about golf until there was Tiger, but then I started checking if Tiger was over or under par, or if he made the cut. Same with the Venus and Serena. I never thought for a second what it must have been like or took for either of them to be as good as they were. This movie shows you all of that and then some.

Shot during the difficult 2011 tour, the movie also sprinkles in flashbacks of the early days and how Venus and Serena started out. They were two little skinny, precocious, and very confident girls from Compton California hitting used tennis balls from the local country club. Both were coached by their taskmaster of a father who had a dream, a vision that would take his daughters to the pinnacle of the tennis world and get the family out of the ghetto. I don't think even he could have envisioned the success his little girls would achieve, though he may tell you differently.

With Chris Rock and ex President Bill Clinton among the people who make an appearance in the movie, you get the sense just how deep the fandom runs for these women. Venus and Serena is all about whether the sisters can come back for their maladies they suffered during 2010. Venus was diagnosed with an auto-immune disease that saps her strength and brings on joint pain, numbness, and serious fatigue. Serena was close to losing her life, having been diagnosed with blood clots in her lungs. No one was sure if the two would ever play again but this documentary not only shows the love the women have for each other, but also the fire that burns white hot within them to be the best.

If you love the Williams' sisters then you will definitely enjoy this movie. If you hate them then this movie may change that mindset. You won't walk away loving them but you may walk away appreciating all they have done for their sport. They played and dominated through their parents divorce as well as the murder of their oldest sister Yetunde Price, who was gunned down in her car in what's believed to be due to a case of mistaken identity. Maiken and Michelle were given unprecedented access to the sisters as they worked through rehab and struggled to get back in shape to play at the level they are accustomed to. In one instance you see how Serena became addicted to Karaoke during this time you won't be able to do anything but laugh. And for the record, she is a really bad singer.

With music provided by Wyclef Jean, Venus and Serena is well worth the price of admission, if you care. If you don't like women's tennis or you don't care for either Venus or Serena then don't even waste your time. However, if you ever wondered where these two amazingly talented women came from, what drove them to achieve, and what drives them to succeed, then I highly recommend Venus and Serena and I'll see you at the theater. 

The Iceman

The Iceman, the latest film by Ariel Vroman is the story of one of the most cold blooded killers of our generation, Richard Kuklinski. It is a fascinating movie, not just because of the subject matter but because of the performances and the look of the movie. It was a marvel to look at because the film does everything possible to take you back to the 1970's. It does an amazing job of that and because of that I give The Iceman three buckets of Killer Korn.





If you don't know about Richard Kuklinski aka The Iceman, this movie will educate you on one of the most feared and dangerous men to ever walk the earth. Playing the 6' 5" killer is the intimidating and talented Michael Shannon. Sadly Michael plays Richard all dark, there's nothing light about his portrayal, there's no charm which if you watched the documentary on Kuklinski you see he can be very charming, deadly but charming. Starring alongside Michael Shannon  is Winona Ryder who plays Deborah Pellicotti, Richard's wife, Chris Evans playing Mr. Freezy, Ray Liotta playing Roy Demeo, David Schwimmer playing Josh Rosenthal, Stephen Dorff playing Richard's brother Joey Kuklinksi, and Robert Davi who plays Leonard Marks. It's a very talented cast for a film where most of the budget was spent on acquiring the cars and the clothes of a decade long since gone.

The Iceman tells the story of the beginning of Richards career as a hitter for the mob right up to the end of him getting captured out in front of his house. In between those two moments is some engaging film making. With tales of grisly murders ripped straight from the documentary "The Iceman Interviews" and other sources detailing the home life of Richard, you come to see a man torn between the world he wants, family and home, and the world he needs, contract killing to pay for the family's needs. Richard was the doting father to his two daughters and the loving husband to Deborah, but when it was time to go to work, his face would darken and he would head out to kill and get paid. His work as a "currency exchanger" keeps Deborah and the kids in the dark about his activities outside the house but they expect there is more to the man they love than what he's letting on.

The problem with the film is the story, it's all over the place and it doesn't focus on one or two seminal events in Richard's life. Director Vroman with Morgan Land wrote the screenplay and it seemed like they wanted to squeeze in as much of Kuklinkski's actions as possible. While that's commendable it hurt the film in terms of a cohesive story line. The timeline bounces around in leaps and bounds and we the viewer are taken from one murder to another and the only time we realize how Richard's ambitions could hurt him is during his daughters birthday party. Ray Liotta's mob connected Roy Demeo, the man that gave Richard his start finds out Richard is doing freelance killings and that doesn't sit well. He threatens Richard's entire family and it's the one scene in the movie that actually feels frightening.

The lack of the cohesive story doesn't really hurt The Iceman though and that's basically because production designer Nathan Amondson did an Oscar worthy job of finding artifacts of the 70's. The cars, the clothes, the closet phone booths makes me wonder where he was able to find them all. It was a job well done and cinematographer Bubby Bukowski gives the film the look of one that was filmed back in the 70's. It has a grainy, dark, and and at times ominous look that shapes the mood. It's also shot many times as if we are the fly on the wall, eavesdropping on the characters and the choices they make and watching them pay the consequences of said choices. The music by Haim Mazar fits perfectly with the images on the screen, when Kuklinski is intimidating and murderous the music slowly builds but it's never overwhelming. And when he's home with his family, the score is subtle and tragic, the perfect blend for The Iceman.

This film is not for everyone, and unless you are a fan of Michael Shannon or Richard Kuklinski then you really might want to think about skipping this movie. I'm not a real fan of either man and yet I'm happy I saw The Iceman, it was worth the price of admission in my opinion. If you see it you won't be disappointed and I'll see you at the theater.

Iron Man 3

Iron Man 3, the second film ever by director Shane Black is such a bad movie that it's hard for me to wrap my head around it. You know how there's a film that you so desperately want to enjoy? That's how I felt about this latest Iron Man movie after the debacle that was Iron Man 2. I really wanted to enjoy this, but as a "story first" kind of guy, this movie was crap and that's why this third chapter of Iron Man gets a half a bucket of Killer Korn.



Hey Paramount/Marvel Studios, if I promise to eat ALL my vegetables will you promise NOT to make anymore Iron Man movies, no matter how much this one earns at the box office? I say that because while this movie will make a ton of money, number 4 will more than likely be just as crappy if not worse than this drivel. Reprising his role as the shallow, egotistical, billionaire genius Tony Stark is Robert Downey Jr and along for the ride yet again is Gwenyth Paltrow as Pepper Potts, Don Cheadle as Col. James Rhodes, and Jon Favreau as Happy Hogan. The new additions to the Iron Man trilogy are Guy Pearce as Aldrich Killian, Ben Kingsley as The Mandarin, Rebecca Hall as Maya Hansen, James Badge Dale as Savin, and William Sadler as President Ellis. All the people I just mentioned, and the rest of the cast that I didn't should draft up a lawsuit and sue Drew Pearce and Shane Black, the guys who'll take credit for writing this, for potentially putting their careers in jeopardy with this nonsense.

Now like I stated earlier, I'm a story first kind of guy because I have always felt (and I'm usually right about this) that with a good story, comes a good movie. The opposite is usually true as well depending on your point of view. If you think a good movie is solely dependent on how it does at the box office and has nothing to do with a decent to good story line/plot then more than likely you will absolutely love Iron Man 3. However, if you think a good movie is one that has a credible, decent story line/plot, one that was crafted and written by those that ultimately care what their names are attached to and not some crap of a story line that had to be surgically removed from someones ass, then you will absolutely hate Iron Man 3.

I could sit here all day at my computer and punch holes in this movie but really, what would be the point? If I haven't already changed your mind about seeing this sorry excuse for a movie then nothing else I write will. But if you are still on the fence I will add this, when I think of a superhero movie trilogy right now, the undisputed king of the scene is The Dark Knight trilogy. When I compare and contrast those three films to the Iron man films, it's like putting the defending Super Bowl Champion Baltimore Ravens on the field against your local high school's JV team. In other words, no contest. And while there were a myriad of problems with the Dark Knight movies, if you just compare the character arc of the two main characters, it's almost embarrassing. In this movie, Tony Stark is some anxiety riddled, Zoloft needing man who could really care less about The Mandarin and his terrorists ways until his friend is almost killed. Basically he's the same person in all three films except this time around, he's annoying, and worse.

Like explosions, then this movie will do it for you. Like wise cracks and cute banter, then this movie will make you laugh. Like a bad guy that seems unbeatable by radiating at a 2 to 3000 degree temperature but whose shoes never melt or whose pants never burn off, then you will love the madness that is Aldrich Killian. Like so much CG in your movies that at least six special effect companies were hired to bring Iron Man 3 to life, then you will be in heaven. Like a really bad score by hit or miss composer Brian Tyler who is usually all heroic theme and no melody or nuance, then you'll want to buy this score. If you see this movie and you think it sucks as much as I do, do NOT blame me because I tried to warn you. Don't believe me? Re-read all this again then, and I'll see you at the theater

Mud

Mud, the latest film from director Jeff Nichols is a surprisingly good movie. In limited release, which is understandable because it would get swallowed up the likes of GI Joe or the soon to be released Iron Man 3, Mud has a down home feel, with raw and true emotions. It was a pleasant surprise and because of that, Mud gets three buckets of Killer Korn (with extra butter).





I know Matthew McConaughey gets top billing in Mud but that's a bait and switch. Usually that would ploy would piss people off, seeing the name of someone they are a fan of (not me, I'm saying someone else) as top billing only to buy a ticket, find a seat, and then see that they're favorite actor isn't really the lead. I think that fan would be okay with it in this case, because in this case the real leading man, the real headliner, the real scene stealer is 17 year old Tye Sheridan. In just his second film Tye, who plays the purposeful, idealistic, romantic crusader Ellis carries this film squarely on his back and he does a great job. It actually feels like this movie was written for Tye, that Jeff Nichols, who also wrote the screenplay did so with Tye in mind for Ellis. Ellis is a 14 year old who with his best friend Neckbone, played just right by newcomer Jacob Lofland sneak off in the early morning to see what's become somewhat of an urban legend, a boat up in a tree. Ellis and Neckbone climb aboard and declare the boat theirs, until Ellis realizes that someone is already living there.

The one living in the boat is McConaughey's Mud and he has big plans for that boat. Mud is living on the boat that's stranded out on an island and he's hiding from the law while waiting on Juniper who's played by Reese Witherspoon. Mud sees that boat as their way out and away from everything but it's in bad shape so he strikes a deal with Ellis and Neck to scrounge up the parts needed to get the boat seaworthy again. It's because of the way Mud talks about Juniper, with such love and reverence that Ellis decides to help the outlaw. Back home, Ellis' parents are going through some trying emotional times and are on the verge of a divorce because Ellis' mother Mary Lee, played by Susan Paulson wants to leave the houseboat she's been living on all her life and move inland. Ellis' father Senior, played by Ray McKinnon makes his living on the river and is scared that he's about to lose not only his way of life but his wife and son too.

Because of the turmoil going on at home, something Ellis can't do anything about he dives headfirst into trying to bring Mud and Juniper together. His whole motivation is seeing that those two strangers make it no matter how dangerous that endeavor may be, and it does get dangerous. Mud is not only being pursued by the state troopers, he's also being pursued by the father of the man Mud killed. King, played pitch perfect by veteran Joe Don Baker is menacing at times and at others cold and calculating. He has men sitting on Junipers hotel room, hoping she leads them to Mud as well as having some troopers on his payroll so they are all just waiting for the green light to kill Mud. The final act of the movie is at first touching and moving, then it completely descends into stupidity. Apparently the bad guys skipped "Bad Guy 101". Instead of waiting for Mud to be alone out there on his boat, in the dark, they shoot up Ellis' house trying to get him.

Ellis has a neighbor across the river who, as Mud said "was the closest thing I had to a father". His name is Tom Blankenship, played by the scraggly Sam Shepard and he used to be a sharpshooter for the CIA in a previous life. He and Mud don't see eye to eye on Juniper but he still loves his adopted son and does what he can to help Mud get off of Ellis' houseboat alive. Mud is shot in such a way that you feel the heat and hear the mosquitoes. Cinematographer Adam Stone captures this world in such a way it almost feels like we the audience are intruding on these peoples lives and the score by David Wingo fits Adam's images like a hand in a glove. The music is slow and languid, just like the ever present river in the movie and gives the film a feel of mysticism. Mud may not be Iron Man 3 in terms of budget but it's a solid film with a great new lead actor and I recommend it. I'll see you at the theater.   

The Reluctant Fundamentalist

The Reluctant Fundamentalist, the latest film from accomplished director Mira Nair is an amazing and revealing story of how America makes enemies out of those that love this country. It's a razor sharp story that cuts to the quick about the naked arrogance of America and white men in particular when it comes to those that don't look like them. It's a story I think everyone should see and because of that, I give The Reluctant Fundamentalist three buckets of Killer Korn.




The Reluctant Fundamentalist is directed by one of my all time favorite directors, Mira Nair. Now I have to admit that I lost some faith in her after seeing her last film, the atrocious 2009 Amelia about the determined pilot Amelia Earheart. That film was so bad that I was afraid Mira had lost her skills behind the camera. TRE has restored my faith in her and it's apparent that when Mira feels strongly about the subject matter, her films pack a wallop and when she doesn't, they are entirely forgettable (unless you can't shake bad movies out of your memory, like me). This film undoubtedly packs an emotional wallop the likes of which stay with you long after the movie has ended. Starring the enigmatic and very talented Riz Ahmed as Changez (pronounced Chong-ez), TRE revolves around this man who lives the American dream until 9/11, then he lives the American nightmare, a nightmare many of us can't even imagine.

Starring alongside Riz is an equally talented cast. Keifer Sutherland plays Jim Cross, Changez' boss, Liev Schreiber plays reporter Bobby Lincoln, Kate Hudson plays Changez' girlfriend Erica (who is damaged beyond belief), Nathan Ellis plays Changez' friend and co-worker Wainwright, and the acclaimed Om Puri and Shabana Azmi plays his father, the poet Abu and his mother Ammi respectively. I get the sneaky sensation these actors beat down Mira's door to work with her on this film, how else does one get this much talent together at the same time, in one film. Changez leaves Pakistan and attends Princeton, living the Ivy League life and his grades get him an interview with one of the most respected evaluating companies on the globe, Underwood/Sampson. He's impressing his bosses and climbing the corporate ladder when 9/11 happens, throwing his world into a tailspin.

He heads back to Pakistan, leaving America behind and becomes a University professor. He is then assumed to be behind the kidnapping of a fellow professor and the CIA wants answers. The movie is told in wonderful flashbacks from two different perspectives, the CIA's and Changez'. Inspired by the novel by Moshin Hamid, this story is gritty, violent, and emotionally turbulent. The Reluctant Fundamentalist asks a lot of questions that would make many Americans uncomfortable regarding how they view those who look like those who brought down the towers. It speaks of passing judgement based on how one looks, something we Americans bristle at.

The Reluctant Fundamentalist is a film definitely worth seeing because not only is it good, it makes you see what others have gone through and continue to go through based on where they are from. It makes you see the world from their eyes in a way that's rarely been done. The score by Michael Andrews is tense and lush and is interspersed with amazing songs by the likes of Atif Aslam, Fareed Ayaz & Abu Muhammed, and Zahra Khan. The music to this film is as impressive as the performances. My only beef with the film is the way it was shot. Far too many close ups for my taste and while the cast is attractive, it begins to get frustrating after awhile. I think Mira was trying to build the intensity, but the story handles that all on it's own. The movie fails to show the beauty of Pakistan as well but that's a forgivable sin. I highly recommend The Reluctant Fundamentalist and I'll see you at the theater.