47 Ronin

47 Ronin, the first full length feature film by director Carl Rinsch was a colorful, beautifully rendered remake of the 1961 film The 47 Ronin. It was an entertaining film though there were some head scratching moments. Thankfully there weren't that many of them, because of that I give 47 Ronin two and a half buckets of Killer Korn.













Like the story of the 300 (or 500 depending on which version of the story you believe) Spartans that stood up against the massive Persian army, the story of the 47 Ronin is very similar. It's a tale of great shame and heroism both at the same time. The story deals with the half breed outcast Kai, played by Keanu Reeves who was raised in the woods by certain creatures that taught him their ways who he then turned his back on. He was instead found in the woods by Lord Asano, played by Min Tanaka and his men. Lord Asano brought Kai into his home and raised him with the help of his daughter Mika, played by the beautiful Mo Shibasaki. Because Kai wasn't full Japanese he couldn't become Samurai and the leader of Lord Asano's Samurai Oishi, played by the very talented Hiroyuki Sanada and his men never let Kai forget what a shame it is that he's even allowed on the property.

This story takes place in feudal Japan, with Lords protecting his people and their lands from other Lords who are seeking to expand their kingdoms. Lord Asano's rival is Lord Kira, played by Tadanobu Asano who has grand designs on Lord Asano's land and his daughter. Lord Kira doesn't play fair  and solicits the help of a very powerful witch, played by the lovely (but creepy in this movie) Rinko Kikuchi to help him get what he wants. After a fateful evening, the Emperor orders Lord Asano to take his own life via seppuku. When a Samurai no longer has a Lord to follow, he becomes a Ronin and Lord Asano's Ronin are ordered by the Emperor to not seek revenge for Lord Asano's fate. That's when the movie truly get's interesting. Lord Asano's men are scattered to the four winds, Oishi is imprisoned for a year, his lands are taken over by Lord Kira and his daughter Mika has been given a year to grieve for her father but after that, she's Lord Kira's wife and will be the mother of his children. The problem with that is Kai and Mika have been in  love with each other since they were children so Kai is enlisted by Oishi, upon his release to help avenge Lord Asano's shame and to prevent the marriage of Lord Kira to Mika.

47 Ronin is a visual feast for the eyes. The colors, the costumes, the makeup, it's all there to titillate that particular sense. And for a movie that was all about feudal Japan to not be shot in Japan, it was a job well done by production designer Jan Roelfs. There should be a nomination for some award coming his way soon for this movie. The sets felt organic, like they were filming in existing locales and not on built stages. The cinematography was gorgeous and again for 47 to not be filmed in Japan the shots were impressive. The score by Ilan Eshkeri was graceful, gentle, and dramatic, and sometimes the music was all those at the same time. 47 Ronin had the potential to be a really bad film but surprisingly it was a job well done all around, well maybe not with the dialogue which at times didn't really connect but that tends to happen in Keanu Reeve's vehicles for some reason. If you want a fantastical romp through feudal Japan and you enjoy tales of Samurai, or if you know about the 47 Ronin already and are interested in it's retelling then check out 47 Ronin, and I'll see you in the theater.            

Her

Her, the latest film by accomplished writer and director Spike Jonze, whose last feature length film was the wonderful Where The Wild Things Are delivers an amazing fun and heartbreaking film. It's the most creative take on male/female relationships that I have ever seen and it's because of this that I give Her four buckets of Killer Korn.












Spike Jonze has delivered yet another movie that seems to have taken the romantic relationship movie genre up another level. It's a charming movie that has all too familiar moments to those that have been in a relationship of some kind. Her will make you smile, laugh, and make you uncomfortable as you're taken through familiar relationship circumstances. The difference here is that the relationship is between a man and his computer's operating system. It's not just any operating system though, it's the most advanced OS ever created. It's an artificial intelligent, intuitive, ever evolving operating system and it gives you the choice of picking a male or female voice. The main character in the movie, Theodore played by the talented Joaquin Phoenix chooses a females voice and what man wouldn't when the sultry voice of "Samantha" is provided by Scarlett Johansson.

Theodore is your every day, garden variety hard worker in the somewhat distant future, working for HandWrittenLetters.com. He dictates letters to his computer at work and when they are printed out, they look as if they were written by hand. He's recently divorced and seems to have great rapport with his upstairs neighbors Amy, played by Amy Adams and her husband Charles who is played by Matt Letscher. Theodore, a recent divorcee isn't quite ready to date yet and though seems truly mortified by the idea of it, goes on a date with the lovely Olivia Wilde. That leads him, somewhat unwittingly to get the latest OS and soon after, Theodore has never been happier. He finds himself thinking of Samantha as the girl he's dating and not his computers operating system. Samantha is taking care of him in ways his wife never did and even gets Theodore a book deal. There is this odd moment when Samantha and Theodore try to include sex into their "relationship" but I won't divulge that secret, you'll just have to see it to believe it.

Her is a movie I couldn't wait to see once I saw the trailer and it did not let me down. While I wasn't all that big of a fan of Spike's Wild Things, I was impressed and Her has impressed me yet again. He is a great director and a very talented writer and I almost wish it didn't take years to get another film from him. Shot by cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema, Her has a very soft look. Nothing is too bright or dark and the colors red and orange are often prominently displayed. The city landscapes seem to change in the blink of an eye. One moment it appears Theodore is in L.A. and the next he's in Japan. I'm guessing that's done to give us the idea that future cities will be even more massive in size and scope. There is no "score" for Her, instead there's music by Arcade Fire, Karen O, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs and others. The music selections fit this movie perfectly, a movie that really didn't need much music to begin with. I highly recommend Her if you're looking for an intelligent, well written, and well acted film and I'll see you at the theater.

Saving Mr. Banks

Saving Mr, Banks, the latest film from director John Lee Hancock is not the "feel good" movie of the year, to say the least. Brought to life by the man that brought us The Blindside, Saving Mr. Banks is a true dramatic retelling of how the iconic Mary Poppins was brought to the screen. It's a heavier film that I thought it was going in and it possess more heart that I initially gave it credit for, because of that I give Saving Mr. Banks three buckets of Killer Korn.










I honestly don't think Saving Mr. Banks could have cast any better. Tom Hanks playing Walt Disney, Emma Thompson playing the immovable author of the Mary Poppins books P.L. Travers, Colin Farrell playing Travers Goff, Paul Giamatti playing the affable limo driver Ralph, Bradly Whitford playing Disney screenwriter Don DaGradi, and B.J. Novak and Jason Schwartzman playing the talented songwriting brothers Robert and Richard Sherman respectively. If they gave out golden statues for best cast then Ronna Kress would walk home with one. I'm sure it wasn't hard to get this movie cast, but to get the right people into the right roles is never easy. They got the job right on this movie.

Saving Mr. Banks is the story of the struggle Walt Disney and his crew underwent to get the rights to and make the movie of the iconic character Mary Poppins. According to the story, Walt (he prefers first names) has been approaching Ms. Travers (she doesn't) for almost twenty years about the buying the book rights to her book and she has declined him every year. This time however, she's not selling anymore books, her royalties have dried up, and she could lose her house and that just won't do. So she reluctantly flies to Los Angeles to meet Walt and what she does to her hotel room after Walt adorns it with the stuffed animal likenesses of his famed characters, you have a pretty good idea Ms. Travers won't be an easy sell (spoiler alert, they all end up in the closet...well not all of them).

Ms. Travers has final script approval, doesn't want the movie to be a musical, and demands no animation in the movie, with Walt is at his wits end Ms. Travers flies back to London. Now while Tom and Emma are on the screen together are magical, the real star of the show is Colin Farrell. His Travers Goff grabs your heart, captures your imagination, and puts a smile on your face with his sense of humor. Sadly he is a tragic character that needs saving, more from himself than from something else. The relationship between him and his daughter "Princess" Ginty, played wonderfully by relative newcomer Annie Rose Buckley is full of laughter, wonder, and tears.

Once Walt figures out the Mary Poppins didn't arrive to save the children, but instead was there to save their father did things finally start moving in the right direction. Saving Mr. Banks is a charming yet heartbreaking tale of learning how to let go of your past and how not to let it get in the way of your present or future. Scored wonderfully by Thomas Newman, the music added a really beautiful element to a movie that could have done without music. It was a fitting score. I highly recommend Saving Mr. Banks, but you may want to keep some tissues on hand, yeah...it's another one of those and I'll see you at the theater.

Trailer Alert: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

This trailer looks intense and I am now truly looking forward to the movies hatching in 2014. I was a fan of Ruper Wyatt's Rise of the Planet of the Apes but sadly Rupert is not doing Dawn. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is the work of Matt Reeves, the man that bought us the impressive Cloverfield. Now sadly he followed up Cloverfield with the atrocious Let Me In, but hopefully he's learned his lessons from that debacle and Dawn mirrors the drama and excitement of Cloverfield. Starring the chameleon Gary Oldman, the intense Jason Clark, and the amazing Andy Serkis reprising his role as Caesar, Dawn looks like a worthy successor to Rise to me, what do you think?

Philomena

Philomena, the latest from accomplished director Stephen Frears, the man behind such films as The Queen and one of my all time favorites, Hi Fidelity delivers a heart breaking and ultimately satisfying tale of love lost. At times this movie broke my heart and made me laugh out loud. For that, I give Philomena three and a half buckets of Killer Korn.












Stephen Frears has never failed to impress me as a movie goer and his streak is intact. Philomena is a true story about Philomena Lee, a woman who kept the fact that she had a son fifty years ago hidden from even her own daughter. She finally comes clean on his fiftieth birthday and the only thing she has to remind her of her little King is an old black and white photograph of him when he was two or three and his name, Anthony Lee. When she was very little, Philomena's father dropped her off at an orphanage after her mother passed away and never came back for her. There she was raised by the nuns and forced to work seven days a week as payment for her room and board. One day she goes to a carnival, meets a charming man and gets pregnant. Her son is born and reared in the orphanage until some rich Americans come to purchase a child. The nuns sell the children for a thousand pounds a head and only the wealthy can afford that price back then, and they usually were Americans.

Philomena Lee is played by the incomparable Judi Dench and she is, in a word, marvelous. She is charming, shy, reserved, sarcastic, and plays the "fish out of water" thing perfectly. Her daughter Jane is played by Anna Maxwell Martin and upon hearing that she has a brother out there in the world, she turns to disgraced politician and one time reporter for the BBC, Martin Sixsmith, played by the charming Steve Coogan to see if he can help. Martin has just recently had his fair share of troubles with the current administration and was let go. He picks up Philomena's story at first in the hopes of getting some semblance of his career back on track, but he eventually becomes a dogged an impassioned investigator while trying to find Philomena's son. The two don't always get along or see eye to eye but they are quick to forgive and they ultimately care for one another. The quest takes them from England to Ireland to America and that leads them right back to where they started, back at the orphanage.

What's so heartbreaking about Philomena is that it's based on a true story and that Philomena Lee is a real person. Her story is horrific on one hand and uplifting in another. Martin Sixsmith wrote a book entitled The Lost Child of Philomena Lee and Steve Coogan not only acted in the movie, he was also one of the producers on the film, and he also co-wrote the screenplay based on Martin's book. This was obviously a passionate project for him. According to the text at the end of the film, there are thousands of mothers looking for their lost children and children looking for their mothers. Records have been lost or destroyed which makes that quest all the harder and speaking from a limited experience in that regard, I know how painful that can be. Shot by cinematographer Robbie Ryan, the camera is always present and in the middle of it all but it doesn't feel intrusive. Everything is shot just off to the side, making the audience bystanders in this unfolding drama. Scored beautifully by Alexandre Desplat, the music was subtle and moving which made it perfect. I commend Desplat's light touch and I recommend Philomena, but if you go, you might want to bring some tissues and I'll see you in the theater.

Trailer Alert: Jupiter Ascending

This looks...interesting. I don't know how excited I am to see this, but the trailer has some impressive visuals. Directed by the Wachowski's, the brother and sister team that brought us the Matrix trilogy and most recently Cloud Atlas, Jupiter looks to be just as confounding as the latter was (though I did enjoy it). Starring Channing Tatum, Mila Kunis, and Sean Bean, Jupiter Ascending appears prime to be the most expensive sci-fi film of 2014. Will I see you in line is the question. :)

Trailer Alert: Edge of Tomorrow

I love Doug Liman's work, I have been a huge fan of his since Go back in 96. While I loved The Bourne Identity and Mr. and Mrs. Smith, I did not enjoy Jumper (though I think that was more due to the bad acting than Doug's directing. Hayden Christensen is just...bad). I didn't hold Jumper against Doug and when I learned that Edge of Tomorrow starring Tom Cruise and the lovely Emily Blunt was his movie, it has been placed on the top of my must see list for 2014. The premise is not original but the look is, and with Doug's direction anything is possible. It drops June 6, I'll see you in line.

Trailer Alert: Godzilla

If the movie is as good as the trailer for the new Godzilla reboot then it looks like something worth seeing. The trailer looks incredible almost like a mini movie and finally they seem to have the size and motion right. This isn't your dad's Godzilla movie, this looks like something a few people put their heads together over to make sure they got it right. It stars Bryan Cranston, Elizabeth Olsen, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Juliette Binoche, Richard T. Jones, Ken Watanabe and a whole host of others. I think this looks bad ass and I can't wait to see it when it drops May 16th.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, the latest film from acclaimed director, writer, and producer Peter Jackson is the latest in his Hobbit trilogy. It was an amazing film, dizzying in it's action sequences, dazzling it it's images, and gripping in its storytelling compels me to give The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug four buckets of Killer Korn with extra butter and refills.













To make up for the crime of being guilty for a sever lack of dragon action in the first Hobbit, Peter Jackson more than makes up for that mistake in this beautifully rendered follow up. In fact the last third of the film is dominated by the Benedict Cumberbatch voiced Smaug the dragon, and its interaction and conversations with Bilbo, played again by Martin Freeman is spectacular. The same cast and characters are back for this go round but along for the ride is Legolas played again by Orlando Bloom (who actually wasn't in The Hobbit book) and is even more lethal than he was from Peter Jackson's original LOTR trilogy.

The dwarves are still trying to reach the lonely mountain, outrunning the group of Orcs dedicated to not just stopping them but drinking their blood. The Orc in charge of capturing them this time is Bolg because the Orc from the first Hobbit has been summoned back by the king, by Suaron. He has returned and is building an army. His strength has returned and his mini battle with Gandalf was riviting. And for the first time ever, be it in the LOTR movies or the two Hobbit movies do we actually see ordinary men (and some color). They aren't soldiers or warriors, just fishermen and traders, it was almost a shock to me. This time the action is fast and furious and the movie has moments that will literally make you laugh out loud. The action sequences drew you in and took you by the neck and didn't let you go until they came to an end. The barrel riding sequence should be an amusement park ride somewhere on this planet.


 Bilbo is sent into Erebore to find the arkenstone, a glittering jewel the dwarves treasure most above all else that glitters. He's asked to try an find it without awakening Smaug, which he fails to do much to the delight of the audience. Smaug is rendered brilliantly and the action is seamless. If you didn't know any better you would think they captured a dragon and made him act. Shot by cinematographer Andrew Lesnie, Desolation couldn't have been an easy shoot. Having actors act while talking to nothing, only to have that something added in post production had to have been frustrating at times, but it was a job well done. Scored once again by the magnificent Howard Shore, the same man that's done all the scores for the LOTR films and the first Hobbit, the music is familiar, but not boring. It wraps around you like an old warm coat that you are intimately familiar with. This time around there is a song that plays when the end credits roll entitles "I See Fire" and it's perfect for this movie. See The Desolation of Smaug, you will truly not be sorry, I swear.

Out of the Furnace

Out of the Furnace is the newest movie from director Scott Cooper, the man behind the Oscar winning performance of Jeff Bridges in Crazy Heart. Scott delivers a movie that was brutally violent for no good apparent reason. There is little to no dialogue and the film will leave you unfulfilled and disturbed. I give Furnace two buckets of Killer Korn just because of the cast, but that's it.











Out of the Furnace got two buckets of Killer Korn from me out the gate due to it's impressive cast. Boasting two Oscar award winners, an icon, and a slew of talented actors, and being directed by the man who did Crazy Heart, I really thought Furnace was a can't miss movie. I was completely dead wrong about that. It got two buckets from the start but it stalled there. The premise of the film is a revenge film but that just doesn't wash in the end. Woody Harrelson plays the drug addled, murdering psychopathic Harlan DeGroat. He lives in the mountains of southern New Jersey and as Forrest Whitaker's character Police Chief Wesley Barnes stated, "they have their own brand of justice up in them hills". Harlan throws bare knuckle fights up in them hills (I know, I said the same thing) and Rodney Baze Jr., played by Casey Affleck wants some of that action. He more or less needs the action due to owing a lot of money he just doesn't have.

Rodney's brother Russell Baze, played by Christian Bale is the overprotective older brother of Rodney who is about to do yet another tour in Iraq. Russell gets himself into a deadly auto accident and does time behind bars. How much time no one truly knows because the passage of time is done so horribly in Furnace that you only know things have changed because Russell's father passes away and his beautiful girlfriend Lena Taylor, played by the lovely and talented Zoe Saladana is now spending her time with Chief Barnes. Willem Dafoe plays John Petty, bar owner and gambler in his own right and he owes Harlan a considerable amount of money. He then introduces Rodney to Harlan and that's when everything goes to shit.

Out of the Furnace is a great looking movie if you like small town USA. I would even dare to say it's a well acted one, though Sam Shepard is completely wasted in this movie. The problem with Furnace is the story. Out of the Furnace is so ridiculously over the top bloody for no apparent reason, and the violence was completely unnecessary. Another issue I have with the movie is Russell's character. What he does at the end of the film seems completely out of his character, mainly because we aren't given any indication that he can or will get that dark and dirty. He's a nice guy throughout the entirety of the movie, until the end and I don't know about anyone else but it left me scratching my head and that is NOT a good sign. Skip Out of the Furnace completely, you will be glad you did.  

About Time

About Time, the latest film from director Richard Curtis, the man that brought us Pirate Radio and Love Actually is both a heartwarming and ultimately a heartbreaking tale of a love between a father and son. I know, I know, the poster and the trailer leads you to believe that it's a cutesy romantic comedy about a boy who can time travel, it's all a bait and switch. However, the switch this time is...beautiful. Because of that I give About Time three and a half buckets of Killer Korn.











Richard Curtis is a master at this kind of movie making and while this particular film is completely devoid of people of color, and the majority of the characters in this film are reduced to cardboard cut-out status, it's still a well done film. How is that, you ask? Simple, the characters that ARE developed are so open, loving, warm, and vulnerable that you can't help but pull for them. While it can make you feel a tad manipulated, that feeling won't hit until well after the movie is over and you're writing your blog on it. Take Tim, played by Domhnall Gleeson. He's the ridiculously introverted, shy, clumsy son of Bill Nighy who plays his charming, affable, warm and open dad and Lindsay Duncan who plays his cold, aloof, and disconnected mother. It's the coldness of the mother that sends Tim and his  sister Kit Kat, played by Lydia Wilson running into the arms of their dad or Uncle D, their Alzheimer suffering but adorable "third parent" played by Richard Cordery.

When Tim turns twenty-one his father let's him know that he, like the previous men in the family now has the ability to travel in time. Find a dark private place, clench your fists, concentrate on the time you'd like to go back to, and voila you're there. Never mind the gaping plot holes in a story like this, while the thought of, "won't they run into themselves?" may enter your mind at some point, you mentally discard it to see where the story goes and you'll be rewarded for it. Tim uses his new found time traveling powers to go back and right the mistakes he's made in his life up until that moment and beyond. For every mistake Tim makes in his life, he now has the instant ability to go back and fix it right then and there. The problem arises when he tries to go back and fix someone else's mistakes, then his life gets completely twisted.

About Time isn't a tale of romance, though there is certainly a romantic element involved. No, about time is about the love between a father and a son. Between two men that would have become the best of friends had they not been related by blood. Rachel McAdams who plays Mary, Tim's romantic interest does an exceptionally charming job at almost making you believe the movie is about her and Tim, until the end. That's when by now the tears are running down your face and you're looking for a tissue.

The way About Time is rendered on the screen, you would think that every home in England, no matter how expansive it is, is a cramped space with lots of doors and rooms off to the sides somewhere. Actually even when the characters were outdoors I got that feeling. Shot straight up by cinematographer John Guleserian, there were no tricks regarding the time travel aspects. No flashing lights, no sparkles or twinkles, just flashbacks of moments. His indoor shooting though could have been better. The music is at times over the top sappy, but that's to be expected in a movie like this. Scored by Nick Laird-Clowes, the score is piano heavy but the film is dominated by music of pop stars, and while one or two may be timely and poignant, for the most part the music is utterly forgettable. I would recommend About Time if you have or had a great relationship with your dad, and even if you didn't, it's still worth the price of admission. I'll see you at the theater.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Wonder Woman

Yes, the die has been cast and the iconic role has been filled. Given to a virtually unknown actress who's last film was the atrocious and laughable Fast & Furious 6, Zack Snyder and company have cast Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman in the currently filming Batman Vs. Superman movie.

There will be many people weighing in on this decision, giving their thumbs up or thumbs down. They won't be as vociferous as the opinions given when Ben Affleck was cast as Batman, but they will come, fast and furious-ly (see what I did there?). Anyway, ladies and gentlemen...Wonder Woman!

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is the latest film by acclaimed director Francis Lawrence. Responsible for such movies like I Am Legend starring Will Smith and Constantine starring Keanu Reeves, Francis Lawrence has proven to be an imaginative director which is just what the Hunger Games movies needed. Francis did an amazing job and because of that I give Catching Fire four buckets of Killer Korn.












From the very first shot you can see this installment of the Hunger Game series is a far better looking movie than the first movie. Whereas the first movie looked like a made for TV movie, Catching Fire was framed and captured like a movie with scope. The producers must have felt the same way after seeing The Hunger Games because they fired the director of that film, Gary Ross and replaced him with Francis Lawrence. A move that I felt was a master stroke. While Gary's previous films were good (see Seabiscuit and Pleasantville) , The Hunger Games was completely out of his realm of comfort and the movie came across that way. Enter Francis Lawrence, a director who seems to be at his most comfortable with source material like this. He raised the bar on this film but thankfully he is currently filming the next installments to this franchise so there won't be another director having to step into Lawrence's big shoes.

Starring the Oscar Award winning Jennifer Lawrence reprising her role as the tough, defiant, yet somewhat sensitive Katniss Everdeen, Catching Fire put Katniss right back into the arena to fight for her life yet again. This was done by decree of President Snow, played charmingly again by Donald Sutherland (I still think he's horribly miscast for this role but, he plays it better this time around than in the first movie). Going back into the arena with her again of course is Peeta Mellark, played much better this time by Josh Hutcherson. Liam Hemsworth plays Gale, Woody Harrelson plays Haymitch, Elizabeth Banks plays Effie, Lenny Kravitz plays Cinna, and Stanley Tucci let's it all go as Caesar Flickerman. The cast from the first film basically remained intact except for a few major upgrades. This time around Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Amanda Plummer, Sam Clafin, Lynn Cohen, Jena Malone, and the amazing Jeffrey Wright join in on the fun. Honestly, for a movie based on a book that's aimed at young adults, this is one hell of an impressive cast.

Shot entirely in Georgia, Catching Fire is a beautiful film to look at. Photographed by cinematographer Jo Willems, Catching Fire was fun for the eyes. From the way the camera hovered over the actors as they made there way through the arena to immersing us dizzyingly under water, Jo brought you into the arena alongside Katniss and Peeta. My only issue with this movie was the score. Once again scored blandly by James Newton Howard, the music is utterly forgettable. I don't know why the producers or the studio, whoever it was that sent Gary Ross packing didn't do the same for James. His score for The Hunger Games was yawn inspiring and yet they allowed him to score this installment. I feel that was a huge mistake and a missed opportunity to make this film better all around. I suppose they kept James on so there would be some continuity between the movies, which is understandable but the score was so weak they could have gone with someone better. Nevertheless, Catching Fire is without a doubt a most impressive film and I highly recommend it. I'll see you at the theater.

Trailer Alert: NOAH

Fresh from the visionary and imaginative mind of the man that brought us Black Swan, The Fountain, The Wrestler, and the amazing Requiem For A Dream comes Darren Aronofsky's latest, and it looks like a masterpiece. He tackles the tale of the man at the helm of the ark, the tale of Noah. And if the movie is nearly as good as the trailer then the movie is going to be mind blowing. Check out the trailer and see for yourself. Personally, I can't wait to see this film. I'll see you on line.

Thor: The Dark World

Thor: The Dark World is the latest film from director Alan Taylor who has directed a handful of Game of Thrones episodes and has recently been announced to helm Terminator film. Where the first Thor directed by Kenneth Branaugh worked, this one fails. The charm and humor of the first one is in short supply this time around. Because of that I  give Thor: The Dark World two buckets of Killer Korn.











Thor: The Dark World is in my opinion a mediocre movie, fueled by a plot that someone seemed to have pulled from out of their ass. With a story from Don Payne and Robert Rodat and a screenplay written by Christopher Yost, Christopher Markus, and Stephen McFeely, it seemed to me that these men just thought some nonsense up, in brainstorming sessions that must have included copious amounts of alcohol, and decided to run with it. If they took this story from the Thor comic book line, they could have picked a better storyline to work with. Thor: The Dark World in my opinion was a confusing mess. I enjoyed certain parts of the film but Alan relies far too heavily on the same character antics that made the first one so charming. No one has evolved or grown into themselves in the time the first movie ended and this Thor began.

Thor played solemnly by Chris Hemsworth has imprisoned his brother Loki played by Tom Hiddleston after he tried to take over the planet in The Avengers. Natalie Portman reprises her role of Jane Foster who is in England along with her crew of misfits, Erik Selvig played by Stellan Skarsgard, and Darcy Lewis played by Kat Dennings. They are investigating anomalies that seem to happen ever five thousand years. It's in one of these anomalies that swallows up Jane and transports her to a different realm where the "aether" has been buried. In the beginning of the movie the "aether" is supposed to be the harbinger of destruction, the one thing that could render the universe dark for all eternity and yet Jane pops up right next to the unguarded container that houses it, and then predictably gets infected by it.

This time we get to see more of Asgard and it's people going to and fro. It's a visual feast for the eyes but pretty visuals never thrill me unless backed up by a competent story. If the story is weak then you have a pretty car with no engine. That's what Thor: The Dark World is to me, a pretty car that never goes anywhere. The cinematography was well done, an impressive job by Kramer Morganthau. The movie deftly displays the different moods and feels from one realm to another. Scored by Brian Tyler, a composer who when he is on is incredible and when he's off is horrible, this score is a miss. It's tired, pedestrian, and predictable. The producers and director would have done better had they gotten someone else to score their product. Thor: The Dark World is a miss in my book and I would wait for the next Avengers film to see Thor, seeing him in this mess is a waste of tine. I'll see you at the theater.

Ender's Game

Ender's Game, the latest film from director Gavin Hood, a director whose last project was a Stargate SG-1 TV episode back in 2004. He uses many of the tricks from his sci-fi background in Ender's Game, but sadly he's dealt a weak hand with the source material. Ender's Game didn't connect with me on any level except musically, that's not a very good thing and because of that, I give Game a bucket and a half of Killer Korn.











Ender's Game the movie is a weak adaptation of Ender's Game the book written by Ian Scott Card. If you did not read the book, you should skip the movie because the movie makes very little sense and is confusing with all the unanswered questions that will arise if you're a thinking person. If you're a non thinking person and you just accept what you're given on the screen then you may actually enjoy Ender's Game. I pride myself on being a thinker, therefore I found this movie seriously lacking in many areas.

The cast was incredible. Starting with Oscar Award nominee Viola Davis as Major Gwen Anderson, Oscar Award winner Sir Ben Kingsley as Mazer Rackham, Oscar Award nominee Hailee Steinfeld as Petra Arkanian, Abigail Breslin as Valentine Wiggin, Harrison Ford as Colonel Graff, and Asa Butterfield as Ender Wiggin. I firmly believe that if there were an Oscar handed out for casting a movie, John Papsidera would walk home with the golden statue. Again though, sadly this magnificent cast was put in a movie where the book needed to be read before the movie was seen. Since I have not read the book, much of this movie made absolutely no sense. Gavin Hood tried to make it accessible to those who never read the book, he failed on an epic level.

Visually, Ender's Game is wildly entertaining. It's almost like the makers knew they were coming up short on the storytelling aspect and decided to give the viewer some very nice distracting eye candy to appease us. Battle School has some fantastic moments, it lost me a little when it went into the Harry Potter/Hogwarts realm but it held together due to some great acting by Asa, Hailee, and some overacting by Moises Arias-who I am a big fan of-who plays Bonzo Madrid. Shot by cinematographer Donald McAlpine you're brought into many different worlds with many different looks and feels seamlessly. Musically this movie boasts one of the best scores of the year. Crafted by Steve Joblonsky, the music takes this weak movie to another level. At times it dominates but that's because it has too but overall it's the perfect score to this kind of film. I would suggest you buy the Ender's Game soundtrack and listen to that as you read the book, skip the movie and I'll see you at the theater.
 

The Best Man Holiday

The Best Man Holiday, the latest film from director Malcolm D. Lee is an emotional powerhouse of a film. The look of the film and the performances by the very talented cast elevates this movie past just being a sequel to 1999 film The Best Man, The Best Man Holiday is a film that could solidly stand on it's own, and it's because of that that I give The Best Man Holiday four buckets of Killer Korn.












Very rarely does a sequel come along that somehow outshines its predecessor. I can think of three off the top of my head and it starts with The Godfather II, it almost made the first Godfather sleep with the fishes. Then there was Superman II that just threw the first Superman movie into the closet. Then The Empire Strikes Back almost made Star Wars forgettable, almost. Now comes The Best Man Holiday, a movie that in almost every way outshines and out performs its predecessor The Best Man. The entire cast from the 1999 hit is back reprising their roles, and once again the movie centers are Taye Diggs character, author Harper Stewart. He and his now wife Robyn, played by Sanaa Lathan have relocated to NYC where Harper teaches at NYU while continuing to write and Robyn is an up and coming chef.

Still reeling from the fractured friendship between Harper and his one time best friend, devout New York Giant football player Lance Sullivan, played by Morris Chestnut, Lances wife Mia who is played by Monica Calhoun sends Harper and his wife an invite to come celebrate Christmas with them. Mia has invited all the old gang to do the same and they all converge on Lance's mansion in New Jersey. From there the hilarity ensues, along with some serious family and friendship issues. The laughter is brilliantly offset by the drama so there are times where you think you should laugh only to find out the moment wasn't what you thought it was. There's a lot of anger, resentment, distrust, jealousy, and love in this movie amongst the characters. That love comes to the forefront when tragedy strikes at the heart of the friendship. I warn you now, bring some tissues.

The Best Man Holiday is not the gigglefest the first movie was. Where that one dealt with young people just finding their footing and the world was their oyster. Holiday shows them now as adults dealing with all the pressures that come with that. Expectations unmet, troubled finances, lies and omissions between spouses, and misplaced anger amongst friends. Malcolm D. Lee wrote the first Best Man and he wrote this one as well and he displayed a firm grip on not just his characters and where they are but life as a "responsible" adult.

Shot by cinematographer Greg Gardiner, the look of the film is exquisite, the color palate of the film was somewhat boring but Greg captured each moment perfectly. There was no score, Malcolm choosing instead to sprinkle in Christmas songs and a Stevie Wonder hit throughout the movie and it was a deft decision. I highly recommend The Best Man Holiday, especially if you enjoyed The Best Man and want to revisit these characters again. It's well worth the price of admission, just don't forget to bring some tissues (you'll thank me) and I'll see you at the theater.

12 Years A Slave

12 Years A Slave, the latest film from accomplished director Steve McQueen is a disturbing, brutal, and in-depth look at the horror and the atrocities of slavery here in America. It's hard to watch at times, but the film itself is spectacular and I applaud Mr. McQueen on choosing to tackle a subject many here would like to ignore and if possible forget altogether. For all it's wonders and sadness, I give 12 Years A Slave four buckets of Killer Korn.










Going in, I prepared myself for what was to come. I steadied and steeled myself for what I was about to see on screen, and I fear I may have done myself a disservice by doing so. I walled myself up so much that what I saw regarding Solomon Northrup's journey from free man in Saratoga NY to the plantations in the bowels of Georgia didn't quite strike that emotional chord hard within me. Starring that magnificent Chiwetel Ejiofor as Solomon, this movie struck me as almost a documentary and not a drama, and it could have been the latter. Based off of Solomon's book of the same title, screenwriter John Ridley did his best to turn the book into something worth seeing. It was an amazing job.

12 Years chronicles Solomon's fight to regain his freedom any way he can, however he can and that means staying alive. He is determined to do so even if that means turning on his fellow slaves. Solomon is lured from the cozy, warm confines of Saratoga to Washington D.C. by the prospects of employment. His fiddle playing is second to none and two men who run a circus beseeched him to play for their show. Once in D.C. and after a very successful week, the two men drug Solomon and sell him to slavers. From there he is transported south and his life is never the same again. Many scenes in this movie resonated with me but none like the scene where Solomon has been sent to the market but decides it's time to run. He takes off and right when he is about to hit his stride, he runs straight into a lynching party. It was at that moment when Solomon realized that there was no place safe for him to run to, and there was no place safe for him to hide.

The cast of this film was an impressive one. Alongside Chiwetel starred Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael K. Williams, Paul Giamatti (who I may never look at the same again), Paul Dano, Lupita Nyong'o, Alfre Woodard, Brad Pitt, Liza J. Bennett, and Michael Fassbinder who was simply electric. It's an impressive collection of talent and I am certain Steve was approached by most of the actors to be in the movie, I doubt he had to chase any of them down and beg them to take a role. I find it somewhat shameful that it took an Englishman to tackle the subject matter of slavery in a realistic manner and not the Django way, but honestly I am just pleased it was made at all.

Shot on location in Louisiana by cinematographer Sean Bobbitt, he captured the brutal beauty and danger in such a way it almost felt like you were there. Scored by the equally talented Hans Zimmer, the music was subtle, barely there and yet when it played, it was perfect. This film really didn't need a score and I think Hans recognized that and brought a light musical touch to such a heavy film. 12 Years A Slave is not necessarily an entertaining film, it's more like an educational one, and one in my opinion that everyone should see. Primarily the youth who seemed to have forgotten what their ancestors endured and what the struggle is still all about today, dignity. I'll see you at the theater.

Last Vegas

Last Vegas, the latest movie from acclaimed director John Turteltaub, the man behind the box office smashing National Treasure movies brings to theaters a movie about life long friendships and all that comes along with it. The chemistry between the four elite actors was good but I felt the story needed more than what was given. Because of that, I feel Last Vegas has earned two and a half buckets of Killer Korn.











When you have a movie starring Kevin Kline, Michael Douglas, Robert DeNiro, and Morgan Freeman, you would hope they would be in a vehicle worthy of their abilities. While Last Vegas was entertaining at times, it certainly didn't capitalize on those four men prodigious talents in the slightest way. The crux of the story line dealt with the animosity between two of "The Flatbush Four",  Michael Douglas' Billy and Robert De Niro's Paddy. It all stemmed over a girl that the young boys both fancied and she wound up with Paddy. Paddy never forgave Billy for not attending her funeral and now Billy, according to Paddy has the temerity to want to get the four old friends together again for his impending nuptials.

Archie lies and breaks away from his over bearing and overly concerned son Ezra, played by Michael Ealy. Sam needs some time away from sunny southern Florida and all of it's retirees. He feels he's aging well before he should. They are two great supporting characters but they really have nothing to do in this movie, basically their performances are wasted. The main pulse of this movie centers around Billy and Paddy and their deep seeded issues. Billy is about to marry a woman half his age when he and Paddy fall for the same woman, Diana played by Mary Steenburgen. The two old friends go at it again for the majority of the movie until a secret is revealed and Paddy feels obligated to help Billy in a way that's not surprising at all.

The laughs are there, four old timers in the world of the young and pretty but it's not enough to carry this film across the finish line in first place. If anything, it's a distant third, and that's only based on the cast of the film. No way does a film with Freeman, De Niro, Kline, and Douglas not place in the top three, no matter how bad the film is. The score by Mark Mothersbaugh is a tad too Ocean's Eleven for me but it gives the movie a light feel, which is what I think the producers were aiming for in the first place. Last Vegas does not have staying power so if you are looking for something light, something that will make you chuckle, go see it now before it gets forced out of the theaters by the big winter movies that are looming on the horizon. I'll see you at the theater.

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.

Saying Goodbye

On September 15th, 2013 came the end of an era. It was on that day that The American theater or The Loews American, the name I knew her by in the halcyonic days of my youth, closed her doors for good. As a child growing up in Parkchester and living in 1514 Unionport Rd., The Loews American was my second home.

If you know anything about Parkchester than you know that it wasn't until recently that the buildings got new windows that could accommodate air conditioning, so you can imagine what my childhood was like. HOT! Thank god for the Carvel ice cream store on my corner or I would have been a real world of heated hurt. More than the Carvel's keeping me cool through those vicious summer months though, was my movie theater.

I say MY movie theater because she was truly my home away from home. My theater was gorgeous. With her art deco look, marble everywhere, lush carpeting, and great popcorn, I was there almost every Saturday. I was allowed entry and snacks armed with nothing more than $5. I would get the bucket of popcorn, a big soda, a pack of twizzlers, and a box of Lemonheads. And I would watch my movie in air conditioned luxury. My theater would feed and nurture the mind and imagination of a little boy who would then run home and either jump into a book, or write his own stories.

I can't remember all the movies I saw there but I know the first one was Lady and the Tramp and the last one was Man of Steel with my mother. There were hundreds of movies in between those like Raiders of the Lost Ark, Ghostbusters, Beverly Hills Cop, Jaws 2, Close Encounters, Star Trek 1 and 2, Superman 2, Trading Places, and The Goonies just to name a few. I was lucky to have the Loews American right across the street from where I lived and that theater, my theater became my first love. She kept me both safe, fed, and cool, and transported me to worlds and told me stories I drank in. Somehow I foolishly thought she would always be there even when all around me, vestiges from my youth are rapidly disappearing.

My theater is gone now, and from what I understand is destined to become a department store (talk about lacking in originality). I feel sorry for the little boy or girl that will never get to know her. That little boy or girl who will never know what she was like in her glorious prime, who will never have their imaginations fed the proper way, in a darkened, plush, air conditioned theater with a bucket of popcorn in their laps.  

I bid my friend a fond farewell and a loving thank you. You, more than anything and almost more than anyone else has molded me into the man I am today. A man that sees the wonder in all things and imagines what mysteries lie around that next corner. Thank you Loews American, you will always be remembered with reverence and with love.