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.