DVD Recomm: Bound

Did you ever wonder where The Matrix came from? Did you wonder where Andy and Larry Wachowski came from? It seemed like they dropped right out of the clear blue to make one of the most impressive movies in the last twenty years. If you're curious about them and their previous work then you might like to check out the movie of theirs that preceded The Matrix. Bound stars Jennifer Tilly, Gina Gershon, Joe Pantoliano, and a really young Christopher Merloni from Law and Order fame.

Bound is the kind of film that keeps you on the edge of your seat in so many ways. It's visually arresting and many of the things seen in the The Matrix are all over Bound. It's like the two brothers, who are now brother and sister cut their teeth on Bound. If you can't find anything to watch and you're in the mood for something I think is a special movie, one of my favorites in fact, then I highly recommend checking out Bound. You'll love it and I'll meet you on the sofa.

The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete

The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete, the latest film from director George Tillman Jr. is a heartbreaking, charming, and tragic telling of one Summer in the lives of two little boys who are forced to survive on their own. This is not a happy movie, but it is profound. There are truly magical moments on screen in this film and because of that I give The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete three buckets of Killer Korn.












The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete is the kind of movie that you will be proud to say you saw in say, ten years. Why is that you ask? It's for one reason and one reason only, well actually two reasons, and those are Skylan Brooks and Ethan Dizon. Skylan Brooks plays the indefatigable Mister and Ethan plays the vulnerable Pete, and they are absolutely amazing. The reason Defeat will be a movie you will be proud to have seen is because you'll be able to say that you say Skylan or Ethan in their first movie all those years ago. Yes, this is the first movie for both young men and you would not know that based on their performances. George Tillman surrounds the two young actors with some of the industry's very best and they not only carried their weight, they carried the film.

The movie is takes place over the summer in a Brooklyn housing project. It starts on the last day of school and we meet Mister as he realizes he's not going to get promoted to the ninth grade. The movie gets no better for Mister. He comes home to find his strung out prostitute of a mother, Gloria, played by the multi-talented Jennifer Hudson on the sofa and the diminutive Pete in his room playing his Playstation. When the inevitable happens to Gloria, Mister and Pete struggle and fight to keep going. All the while Mister holds onto this dream of becoming an actor and wants to get to an audition that once he gets the role will have him Beverly Hills. The boys starve, steal, beg, hustle, and have every right to lose the grip on their humanity, but they never do. They never give up, their will is never broken, Ethan is able to keep going because of Mister. What keeps Mister going, God only knows.

Inevitable Defeat also stars Anthony Mackie as Kris, Gloria's pimp and neighborhood drug dealer, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as the relentless Sergeant Pike from the Housing Police, Jordin Sparks as Alice, a one time neighbor of Mister's whose moved on to bigger and better things, and Jeffrey Wright as the neighborhood bum Henry. It's an impressive cast and yet they all pale in comparison to Skylan and Ethan. Inevitable Defeat was an impressive looking film to be an independent one. Shot by cinematographer Reed Morano, you definitely get the feeling of what summertime is like in a New York City housing project. He captures it from all angles, from aerial views to down on the ground, bringing the viewer the beauty and brutality of survival of those that live there. With music by the greats Mark Isham and Alicia Keys, the music is mostly hip hop based, heavy on Alicia Keys music (she's one of the producers so that just stands to reason) while Mark's contributions were light and still impactful. I highly recommend The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete, if for no other reason than to say you saw the first movie of these two burgeoning stars, and I'll see you that the theater.

The Fifth Estate

The Fifth Estate, the latest film by director Bill Condon centers around Julian Assange and the Wikileaks scandal that occurred back in 2010 when it published classified information stolen from the U.S. Military. The movie fails on almost every level in trying to make the audience give a damn about any of the characters, but the performances were incredible. That's the only reason I am giving The Fifth Estate two buckets of Killer Korn.










The Fifth Estate by Bill Condon, fresh off his directing Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 1 and 2 look like a movie that's part Hackers, part the social network, and something akin to a documentary about the homeless living in abandoned structures. The movie stars the incredibly talented Benedict Cumberbatch as the man behind the creation of Wikileaks, Julian Assange. Benedict plays a character who you eventually stop caring for to hoping he fails at everything he does. Julian is portrayed as a megalomaniacal, paranoid, and lying man hell bent on becoming a star no matter who he hurts in the process. Daniel, Julian's partner on Wikileaks and the man who wrote the book the movie is based on is portrayed by Daniel Bruhl fresh off his turn as Niki Lauda in the film Rush. He's an actor who seems determined to become a household name.

The movie opens up with the scandal of 2010 and the publishing of the classified documents and cables of the U.S. military by the New York Times, The Guardian, and Wikileaks simultaneously. Then it immediately jumps back in time to when Daniel and Julian meet each other. Julian convinces the eager and hungry for any kind of action Daniel to come on board Wikileaks. He convinces Daniel that there are hundreds of volunteers that makes up Wikileaks. When he finds out that was all a lie he almost leaves but Julian convinces him to stay, and the thought of being famous didn't hurt. Those two men started releasing information on everything to police corruption, illegal elections, and banking fraud. They began to topple industries and leaders and were making a name for themselves by allowing whistleblowers a safe place to do just that.

The biggest problem I have for The Fifth Estate is that they don't introduce a character you really care about until three quarters in. By then it feels forced and it's too late. It's like the director and the producers realized they needed to show just how much pain Julian's scoop could cause, that they realized the movie needed a character the audience could relate too. They blew that one in a major way. Maybe had the character been introduced up front, maybe even before we meet Julian, that probably would have worked, but when you don't meet that man and his family until the movie is practically over, fail. The music was done by Carter Burwell, someone I have not been overly impressed by and that continues here. The music was forgettable to the point that I didn't care who was behind it. The cinematography by Tobias A. Schliessler was interesting at times, but there was nothing daring about it. The Fifth Estate is a movie worth skipping, unless of course you care how Wikileaks came into being and the men behind it. If you don't, skip it, see something else, and I'll see you at the theater.

Trailer Alert! Last Days On Mars

Okay, anything Liev Schreiber is in, I'm seeing. Why, because I trust him and his choices. He has never let me down before and judging by this trailer, he's not about to start. It's called The Last Days on Mars and it's already playing overseas so it'll be here shortly. It looks like a cross between Alien and Contagion but on a hostile planet (can an uninhabited planet be hostile?). All I know is this movie looks intense and I am definitely looking forward to it.

Trailer Alert! Filth

Raise your hand if you're a fan of James McAvoy? You know, that guy from that movie where they made bullets curve (as if), with Angelina Jolie? Wanted I think it was called? Well anyway, I became a fan of his after seeing him in a movie called Starter for 10 and his latest movie looks absolutely hilarious. It's called Filth and while it's already playing in the UK, it's yet to be released here, so give it a month to six and it'll be here for us to enjoy. Judging by the trailer, that's exactly what I'll be doing.

Trailer Alert! Out of the Furnace

Now THIS film not only has the most impressive cast to date, it just looks absolutely incredible. Brought to you by Scott Cooper, the director of Crazy Heart, a damn good movie in its own right, Out of the Furnace boasts a cast full of Academy Award winners and nominees. With the likes of Christian Bale, Willem Dafoe, Casey Affleck, Zoe Saldana, Sam Shephard, Woody Harrelson, and Forest Whitaker I really don't see this movie sucking. And when it drops on Dec. 6th, I will definitely be in line. Will you?

No Charlie Hunnam? Oh well.

Is anyone surprised that Charlie Hunnam pulled out of the 50 Shades of Grey movie?

Anyone?

Anyone?

Bueller?

Yeah, didn't think so.

Trailer Alert! 47 Ronin

Are you a fan of Keanu Reeves? You remember, that guy who played Neo from the Matrix movies? Yeah, him. Are you a fan of Japanese culture (like I am) and have an affinity for Ninja, Samurai, Shogun, and Ronin? Do you even know the difference between them? If you do then 47 Ronin may just be a movie you might want to check out when it drops on Christmas. The trailer reminds me of Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, and most of the story is given away in the trailer, but if you know what a Ronin is then like me, you'll check it out anyway. Maybe you'll even see me on line.

Trailer Alert! Devil's Due

Like horror movies? Like those "lost footage" movies? Then you just might like Devil's Due (no poster yet). Dropping Jan 2014, Devil's Due looks interesting, not all that original (what horror film is these days?), but it definitely looks interesting. Using the classic Etta James song At Last, the trailer takes you on that potential Rosemary's Baby creepy vibe. What do you think?

Trailer Alert! Belle

I don't know if any of you have seen this yet, but this is a movie I am greatly looking forward too. It's entitled Belle and it stars the lovely Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Matthew Goode, Emily Watson, Tod Wilkinson and many more. Check this out and let me know if this is a movie you're interested in seeing.

Captain Phillips

Captain Phillips, the latest film from director Paul Greengrass is a smart, taut, suspenseful, and emotionally gripping movie. Based on the true kidnapping of Captain Richard Phillips of the Maersk Alabama by Somali pirates back in 2009, Captain Phillips takes you deep inside that period in history and shows you not just Phillips ordeal, but the pirates as well. For such excellent film making I give Captain Phillips four buckets of Killer Korn.










When this story was all over the news back in 2009, a cargo ship captain being kidnapped by Somali pirates off the Horn of Africa, I said to myself that it was just a matter of time before it becomes a movie. I had no idea that Tom Hanks would be playing Captain Richard Phillips or that the film would be directed by the accomplished Paul Greengrass, I just knew there would be a film. I also had no idea how damn good the movie would be. Those of us who know movies, even those of us who don't; we all know how good two time Oscar award winner Tom Hanks is. His resume screams for itself. What I was really curious about was how compelling this story would be and would it make for a boring movie. With a screenplay written by the talented Billy Ray that was based on the book "A Captain's Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS, and Dangerous Days at Sea" co-authored by Richard Phillips and Stephan Talty, there was no chance of this movie being boring on any level.

Starring along Tom Hanks was Catherine Keener as his wife Andrea Phillips, Michael Chernus who plays Shane Murphy, Phillips second in command on the Alabama, and Max Martini who plays the Navy SEAL commander. This movie boasted a very talented cast, the surprise though comes from the first time actors who played the Somali pirates. Barkhad Abdi played Muse, the leader of the pirates and his team consisted of Barkhad Abdirahman as the hot headed Bilal, Mahat M. Ali as the level headed Elmi, and Faysal Ahmed as Najee, the youngest of the four. For this movie to be the first acting job for these four men, the job they did was absolutely amazing because you would have believed these men to be seasoned thespians. Not only did they hold their own with a two time Oscar winner, they stole the film from him, especially Barkhad Abdi as the lead pirate. He had the ability to frighten you one minute and charm you the next.

I am not a big fan of Paul Greengrass movies because he is a director that wants to put you right in the middle of the action. The last two Bourne films were directed by him and I thought the camera work was too immersive. He put you right in the middle of the fights and the car chases, and while this may have appealed to some, I was praying for a long shot every now and then. That style of film making worked perfectly on Captain Phillips though. Paul puts the camera on the aisle of that lifeboat and puts us the viewer right in the middle of all that tension. Shot by cinematographer Barry Ackroyd, Captain Phillips had it's claustrophobia inducing moments, but it also had amazing shots of SEALS jumping out of planes, the lifeboat being surrounded by the Navy, and Phillips and his crew trying to keep the Somali's from boarding. Scored by the talented Henry Jackman, his music added to the tension of the movie perfectly. It was the perfect musical companion to the images on the screen. Captain Phillips is a very good film, I would have liked to see something regarding the motivations of the Somali's but the film is called Captain Phillips, not Why Somali's, Why? See Captain Phillips if you're looking for an entertaining film that will have you on the edge of your seat, and I'll see you at the theater.

Gravity

Gravity, the latest film from director Alfonso Cuaron was, and this is without hyperbole or bluster, one of the best films I have ever seen. The performances were stellar and the visuals are absolutely jaw dropping. There is nothing like this film but I am sure every stalled or mothballed idea having to deal with survival in space productions are being revved up as you read this. That's how amazing Gravity is, and because of that I give it five buckets of Killer Korn with never ending refills.










Every now and then there comes a movie that renders you breathless, makes you say "HOLY SHIT", and then makes you wonder how they did that. Gravity by writer/director Alfonso Cuaron is that movie. It's a visual feast, a true delight for the eyes with a story aimed right for your heart and it hits both its marks dead center. It hits them, and then hits them again, and again, repeatedly until your jaw drops and your eyes well up. If I weren't already a fan of Cuaron's before this movie, this movie would have done the trick. It is without a doubt one of the most amazing films I have ever had the privilege to see.

Starring Oscar award winner Sandra Bullock and George Clooney who play Dr. Ryan Stone and Mission Specialist Matthew Kowalski respectfully, Gravity starts off with your everyday, run of the mill space walks as the crew of space shuttle Explorer attempts to upgrade the Hubble telescope. All is fine and dandy as Matt is jetting around with his propulsion pack on his back and having a little fun with Houston. Ryan is doing her best to add her special upgrades while trying to keep her lunch down in zero g. Suddenly Houston instructs Explorer to abort the mission due to the Soviets getting rid of the evidence of their wrongdoing. That sets off an amazing and frightening chain of events. Sandra was spectacular in her vulnerability, fear, and resolve, George was charming, affable, and inspirational. This movie was cast to perfection.

Gravity, written by brothers Alfonso and Jose is the kind of movie that propels someone to household name status. The story isn't all that spectacular really, but this character in the hands of Sandra Bullock makes it take flight. And when it finds its wings there is that potential for eyes to well up and for tears to fall. Shot by Emmanuel Lubezki, I have heard from one person that the movie caused motion sickness. While that didn't happen to me, my jaw did drop a few times at the visuals both in space and within the suits and capsules. Lubezki puts us right in the helmet of Dr. Ryan at times and gave us her frightening perspective with breath taking effect. It was brilliantly done and I have no desire to know HOW it was done. I want to keep the magic intact. Scored perfectly by Steven Price doing his second major motion picture creates an aural landscape that's both disconcerting and hauntingly fragile. SEE  THIS  MOVIE!!! See it the second you can because you will not be sorry, and I will see you at the theater.

Don Jon

Don Jon, the first film from writer, director, and actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt is a nice attempt. It won't set your hair on fire and you won't leave the theater thinking he's the next Speilberg or Fincher. Don Jon is tepid at best and it centers around a subject that at its core is a weak one to make a movie about. Because of that and a few other things, I give Don Jon a bucket and a half of Killer Korn.











Joseph Gordon-Levitt is a talented man, there is no denying that. His body of work speaks for itself, I mean where's the rest of the cast from 3rd Rock From the Sun? JGL has proven he can act, sing, and dance which makes him the triple threat. For some reason he tried his hand at being another triple threat and that one didn't work out so well. He tried his hand at writing, directing, and starring in Don Jon, his first motion picture and the results left me scratching my head. JGL stars as Jon, a self indulgent lothario who works bar at some trendy nightclub in either NYC or New Jersey, they never clear that up. At least once a week he and his boys get together and scope out the women at said club and give them scores. The woman with the highest score is the one he tries to take home and sleep with, which he is usually successful at. His boys Bobby, played by Rob Brown and Danny, played by Jeremy Luke live vicariously through him. Jon loves the girls, and the girls really seem to love him, but Jon loves his porn even more and it's his addiction to porn that Don Jon centers around.

Jon meets Barbara, played by Scarlett Johansson and he is instantly smitten. He gives her his highest score and moves in for the kill, but Barbara will have none of that and denies the playboy which only fuels his desire for her more. She immediately tries to change him before she gives him any, even though Jon likes porn more than real sex anyway, but he's in love and goes along with it. She meets his family Jon Sr, played by Tony Danza, his mother Angela played by Glenne Headly, and his silent sister Monica, played by Brie Larson. She wants him to take a class and he does, there he meets Esther played by Julianne Moore, the two of them form an uneasy alliance which turns into a genuine friendship. The cast is perfect and their performances are great, too bad the movie is so weak.

Stereotypes abound in Don Jon. From the accents to the wife beaters to his car, Jon is your typical stereotypical young Italian man and I found that boring. Been there, seen that a million times before, and while the movie had it's funny moments, and it did make me laugh, overall it was boring. Don Jon was a pet project of JGL's, something he's worked on for the past five years, sadly this is all he came up with. I won't say those five years were wasted, I'll just say they could have been used to write something more creative, something not so centered around porn. The score by Nathan Johnson and the cinematography by Thomas Kloss isn't anything special, much like this movie. In my opinion this film is worth skipping and waiting for it on DVD but I wouldn't even recommend it then. I think Joseph Gordon-Levitt needs to go back and come up with something more creative than Don Jon, and try again. Next time though I hope he leaves the porn out of it. I'll see you at the theater.

Metallica: Through The Never

Metallica: Through The Never, the latest film from director Nimrod Antal is an amazing concert film of the biggest heavy metal band in the history of music. If they had just kept it there, it would have been perfection, instead they added a really ridiculous roadie story that made absolutely no sense. It's only because that weak story line didn't dominate the film that I give Metallica: Through The Never three buckets of Killer Korn.











Anyone who knows me knows I am a HUGE fan of Metallica. I became a fan of theirs when they released their Black album, their largest selling album to date (sixteen million copies). After that I bought any new stuff they released and I went back and bought their older stuff as well. I was upset when they lost out on getting the first heavy metal Grammy to Jethro Tull, and I'm sure I wasn't the only one. Sadly though, I never got to see Metallica in concert. Life happens when you attempt to make plans and sometimes life loves throwing a monkey wrench in said plans. So when I heard about this movie Metallica: Through The Never, there was no way I was going to miss it.

I saw it in IMAX 3D, and while I am no fan of 3D (having to wear those stupid glasses over my own glasses is maddening), watching James, Lars, Kirk, and Robert rock out on stage in IMAX was absolutely amazing. I highly recommend it in IMAX format because if you enjoy Metallica's music and like me you never got to see them live, then you must check out this movie while it's still in IMAX, you will not be disappointed. Well you may be slightly disappointed, but it won't last long. The disappointment will be due to the weak roadie story. The talented Dane DeHaan stars as the roadie Trip and he is tasked to refuel a tour truck that's run out of gas somewhere in the city. The truck is carrying something very important to the band which made me laugh. If something was that important to the band, wouldn't the truck have a sufficient amount of gas? Just sayin'. Anyway, Trip runs out to get the truck and runs into a full fledged riot in the streets, we the viewer is never told what the riot is all about and the whole thing goes from stupid to dumb. Thankfully though, there's Metallica.

The look of the film is impressive, the camera work was stellar, and while the 3D didn't really alter the of the film, it did keep it from looking like every other concert film ever made. Cinematographer Gyula Pados who has worked with Nimrod before does a great job of capturing the energy of Metallica on the stage. And the stage the band stomps around on is one of the most impressive set ups I have ever seen. I sat in my seat, pumping my fist, singing along, and I almost broke out the old air guitar a few times. I walked out of Metallica: Through The Never I felt rewarded. Rewarded by the band for being a fan who has never had the chance to catch them in concert. It felt like, for me and millions of other fans of theirs, this film was made for us. It was like the band said, "We know you're out there, those who've never made it to one of our gigs but has brought our music through the years. Because of the love you've shown us, we are presenting to you a concert film in the grandest way possible, in IMAX 3D, enjoy". Thanks guys, I had a blast.