Hey guys, I haven't updated in a while and a lot of things need revising mainly my top 100 list which a lot has been added to since i last updated mainly a lot of foreign films, most of which from the master Jean Pierre-Melville. Anyway I wanted to give my take on the year in film so far. I will be providing reviews for the my top 10 films of the year(in order) so far and brief summaries of my opinion for the 22 other films this year. Normally I would have seen many more films right now, but with the economy, I have been low on cash and haven't gone to the theater as much as I would have liked to.
Star Trek
I have been a casual Trekkie my entire life but more so then a Trekkie I am of course a film lover, this film is the perfect combination of the two, it is a fantastic film on so many levels with great performances, a unique style, amazing art direction, and an engaging story. But I think I was able to enjoy this film more then most as I appreciate what a tremendously unique and influential piece of film making it is from masterful director of my favorite television show Lost, J.J. Abrams, it also contains hundreds of injokes for Star Trek fans and while it might not be canon to the original series, in order for the movie to be fresh and also allow freedom for the filmmakers they needed to wipe the slate clean and they did a very smart job of doing so with the new time line. I think my opinion of this film is similar to that most had of The Dark Knight last year, most considered that to be an amazing film more then just a blockbuster and possibly Oscar worthy where I consider it above and beyond what most do. One thing I can't stress enough about how impressive this film is, is just how unbelievably fun it is, while still keeping a serious tone when it needs to, one of WatchmenWatchmen's main issues was that it was too dark, and thats essential to the story but...anyway I'll get to that later, I really can't remember the last time I had so much raw fun at the movies while the film was still just such a triumph (Grindhouse maybe?). The performances are all just so outstanding Chris Pine in particular, who I think will become one of the two biggest stars of the next generation (no pun intended) along with Joseph Gordon-Levitt (more on him later). He truly embodies Captain James T. Kirk without having to do any sort of true impersonation, the only hint of impression is the last thing he does in the entire film when he sits down in the captain's chair he sits just like Shatner, thats the only time he ever pays tribute to the original Captain, but even though this Kirk is not the same Kirk we know and love upfront we see the underbellies of him with a more Han Solo esque character on the surface. Zachary Quinto also shines in a tremendously hard to appreciate underplayed performance, my favorite aspect he did was Spock's trademark eyebrow lift, which he just nailed. Pegg, Cho, Yelchin, and Saldana all deliver wonderfully but of the lesser characters its Karl Urban who steals the show as you close your eyes and picture DeForest Kelly's voice and realize he IS McCoy. I was underwhelmed by Eric Bana's Nero who shined in 2 scenes and 1 additional line to that but was very mediocre in the rest of the film. The action was exciting, stimulating and thrilling, the comedy was pitch perfect, I really can't stress enough how much I love this thing but I will only add two more points before moving on to my #2 film of the year. First is the sound design, which is so fresh because it has a slight sense of camp to it to nod the original series, but still feels real and dark enough to fit the tone when it needs too and second Michael Giacchino's masterful score. I believe Giacchino to be the composer of the future and while some feel he reuses the same few main motifs too much in his scores, I think that with some composers that gets tiresome but Giacchino provides new and fresh versions of those motif's as he has shown us time and time again with one of the most unique scores I've ever heard on Lost. I loved the film and hope maybe this will be a Batman Begins and the sequel will be a Dark Knight especially with Lindelof the mastermind behind Lost joining the writer's behind the typewriter.
****/****
Watchmen
I absolutely love Zack Snyder's original source material and this was my most anticipated film of the year after Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds (which I have read the script for and it has potential to be the greatest war film ever made IMO even though its not a war film haha) I was slightly, key word SLIGHTLY underwhelmed by Zack Snyder's film. I went in with expectation high as can be though so...that hurts. Jackie Earl Haley gives a perfect performance as the iconic Rorschach. His therapy scene was my favorite scene from the film and is also my favorite scene of the novel, I would not be surprised if I still have him winning my Supporting Actor award at the end of the year. Jeffrey Dean Morgan also gives an impactful performance as the baity Comedian despite short screen time. Unfortunately Akerman and Gugino were almost unbearably weak as the two Silk Spectre's. Billy Crudup and Patrick Wilson both give perfect performances but unfortunately they're not exactly the hardest roles to play, Haley gives the best performance of the lot but it was Matthew Goode's performance that swept me off my feet with impressment. I don;t think he recieved nearly enough credit for being a British actor who is supposed to be playing a German hiding his German accent with an American accent, and you hear his accent slip from American to German from time to time and near the end of the film it goes completely before he recovers and gains it back again, I would truly like to know how he trained himself to be this way. The cinematography by Lost's Larry Fong(can you tell I like that show?) is the best I have seen since Roger Deakin's work in 2007. The art direction is astounding to look at and the visual of the film is undeniably great, unfortunately both the triumphs and faults of this film lie with Zack Snyder for his bad casting of the Silk Spectre's, two horrible scenes, the date and the sex scene were both cringe worthy, the pacing is god awful and even though it sort of needs to be, the film is so dark that it just becomes depressing, they needed a few more moments of lightness in the first half even though it would have been original material. It is a masterpiece but a severely flawed masterpiece, I was very impressed with it, but it had its faults.
****/****
Up
Can Pixar do no wrong? That's what I'm starting to believe, I loved but was disappointed by last year's WALL-E and was surprised by how good this film was. The animation is beautiful as always, and the characters are so engaging, this film is also just such a laughfest I could never stop laughing whenever Dug was on screen. Russel also shined as a brillianty satiric character we all empathize with. The opening montage is beautiful and moving, and the actiony scenes are thrilling and fun. Pixar's little injokes that kids cannot possibly get continue to amaze me, the best one in this film were the squad of Star Wars inspired dog pilots that were Red Squadron as a nod to the end of A New Hope. Carl is also just such a loveable character by the end of the film you see his fualts that any older person seems to have which obviously stem from the disappointments and such they had in life, but by the end of the film we wish that Carl was our own grandfather. Also I was surprised by how much they let us empathize with the villain, yet we still rooted for him to die at the end despite caring for his cause, now thats great storytelling! Also its very impressive how much the audience just completely suspends disbelief as the world Pete Doctor creates is very real up until the ballons fly the house away but we still still never stop to think "wait how is this possible" its Pixar anything is possible as they have proven with Up.
****/****
Green Zone
Paul Greengrass's (The Bourne Ultimatum, United 93 latest film has yet to receive a release date but I was lucky enough to attend a preview screening of this very effective political thriller. Which is the first truly great film I have seen regarding the current situation in Iraq. I don't care at all about Politics when it comes to films unless it is just so shove it down your throat, so I don't know if that will effect how this film plays, but I doubt it. The basic plot is Matt Damon who gives a straightforward but very strong performance, runs a special squad who locates and disarms WMDs (Weapons of Mass Destruction for those who don't watch any news) but the last several targets they have gone on are wild goose chases and they set to find out why exactly this is. The cast also includes Brendan Gleeson and Greg Kinnear both give very solid performances as rival politicians who have opposite views on the current situation, Amy Ryan as a reporter, Jason Issacs as an asshole Captain, and the film's strongest performance is Khalid Abdhalla as a normal everyday citizen of Iraq who's character provides us with empathy to the current situation from their perspective. The film is very thrilling and has some fantastic action sequences even if the end one does go on for a bit too long, and of course shaky cam. The ending is a tad cliche but it works and at least it doesn't try to be something it isn't there is nothing particullarly new this film brings to the table, its really a Greengrass style thriller that takes what works from earlier Iraq war films and expands on that, it keeps you on the edge of your seat and tis worth seeing this winter.
****/****
Taken
From Luc Besson's group of camera operators turned director's is the latest edition, Pierre Morel who follows up his fantastic debut the french sci-fi actioner District B13 which popularized Parkour. Much like the aforementioned film this film doesn't try to be anything more then just thrills, fun and ownage. Liam Neeson is God I said as I walked out of the theater, who now can be added to the James Bond, Jason Bourne, Jack Bauer debate. The film moves along at a pace unlike I've felt in a while and while the plot is predictable it doesn't matter, thats not the point of the film. Once Neeson who gives an amazing performance, particullarly in his "I will find you and I will kill you speech" starts chasing after those who kidnapped his daughter, your eyes are glued to the screen as Morel brings us some very well crafted sequences some of which add some unique touches that make the film special. My only quibble was the sound design, it was a little bland and not quite loud enough for the type of film that it is. Its no Die Hard but Taken, is exactly what it aims to be and exactly what it wanted to be, an exciting adrenaline rush filled with epic ownage.
****/****
Duplicity
Tony Gilroy, along with Christoper Nolan, David Fincher, Paul Thomas Anderson, Rian Johnson, and Sam Mendes are the filmmakers of this generation, Gilroy's debut film Michael Clayton whcih was robbed of both Best Director and mainly a Best Original Screenplay Oscar is the perfect follow up. It stays within the same genre he knows he is comfortable in so to make sure he delivers, but it is also just such a unique feeling fun romance, that beats any romantic comedy you'll see so far this year(save Adventureland which is on par with this. The film is laugh out loud hilarious when it needs to be, thrilling when it needs to be and your always engaged, much like Tarantino its a treat for the ears to just listen to the dialog, as Roberts and Owen play it like a Capra or Hawks film just quirky comedy with a hint of darkness back and forth, back and forth. The ending is also...very...different then what you'd expect which is one of the things that really shocked me about this film, unlike a film I will be mentioning later instead of the standard Climax, big twist, wrap up, that most thrillers of this type has it stays fresh and just when you think its over...its not. He throws at least 3 or 4 end things that you think will be the final image. Also a nice little homage to "Player" credits from the 40's-70's of a caper film thats a nice addition.
****/****
Adventureland
I used to hate comedies about 2 years ago as they were all done only in a few different ways either, gross out humour, random humour, satire, or chick flicks all with similar structure I'd only ever seen a few comedies I "loved" then Kevin Smith and Judd Apatow came along and created the "guy flick" romantic comedies for guys!!! I went in to Adventureland hoping it would be just as good as I Love You, Man but came out moved and saying "wow the Twilight chick can act!" Greg Motolla's Superbad started out as one of the funniest things I had ever seen but the second half turned into a boring, long winded, slow and cliche fiasco. Why couldn't the film had stayed so good! Well he makes up for it here with a very moving film that is funny when it needs to be but plays more like The Graduate
relying on awkwardness for the laughs with Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig coming in every once in a while and making you laugh so hard it hurts. Being around the same age as most of the characters I empathized a lot with this film, and its solidly funny, emotional, moving and it creates great characters ones who you remind you of people you know. I wish Kristen Stewart would abandon this Twilight shit and make more films like this but...obviously she won't...so I just gotta wait until the books end before being able to actually talk to anyone about her without them mentioning Twilight.
****/****
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
*update disregard this review as I have yet to revisit this film since getting into comics and I now too deem some of this film near offensive to the original material. That being said the action alone makes it worth seeing I would still recommend it
Most hated this film I thought it was the best of all the X-Men films even with Barakapool and a few other things that didn't quite work. First off I want to say that first and foremost Gavin Hood knows how to handle action material, the action scenes in this film surpass any of any other superhero film I have seen except Nolan's Batman films and Leterrier's The Incredible Hulk. This film actually has action scenes unlike the other X-Men films that USE ALL THE MUTANTS POWERS! Go figure! The opening credits are very effective and use great form cuts, the middle is a tad slow but necessary and this film like a lot of action films people tend to be too hard on, isn't trying to be anything more then just showing us about Logan's backstory in a heart pumping way. Kevin Durand, Liev Schrieber and Danny Huston all are perfect as their respected roles and Hugh Jackman continues to shine as Wolverine. The films best performance comes from Ryan Reynolds who even light of Barakapool which I'll admit didn't entirely work for me, but nonetheless worked as a plot point and made for an awesome climax! Ryan Reynolds nailed Deadpool on the button! He was so perfect in every way, I can;t wait for the spin off, so I know I'm gonna get a lot of shit for this but I loved this film.
***1/2/****
Killshot
Joseph Gordon-Levitt has shown me time and time again that he is in fact the greatest young actor working today and in this flew he blew my mind. t made me want to see him play Morgan Earp in a western he's so damn good at playing a cocky young southern wild maniac. I have been championing for a long time that Nolan needs to replace Ledger with Levitt and I could die a happy man. He's the only actor who is even better then Ledger at being a Chameleon and he looks so much like him that if he worked hard enough and had the guts to take the role, could easily pull off a great Joker that would allow Nolan's franchise to continue the way it should. Now on to this film haha, it is a solid film that I went in with mixed expectations, on one hand reviews were terrible on the other I loved the trailer. While the film is like many today straight forward and predictable it works as an effective character driven thriller. Rourke is also very good in this but you can never take your eyes off Levitt as he just continues to break through the screen and is on his way to becoming the next Sean Penn..
***1/2 /****
State of Play
I went it expecting a good solid character conspiracy film and thats what I got, this film is exactly what you expect, not better, not worse. Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, and Helen Mirren all deliever very good work here but Jason Bateman shines in a very small role that surprised the heck out of me, like I mentioned above in my Duplicity review most thrillers like this have the same structure, and this falls victim to that, set up, investigation, fake climax, more investigation, climax, end twist, resolution. Kevin MacDonald is proving to be a strong director but he needs better source material all his work has been very goo but hasn't completely won me over. This is a film that crime film lovers will love but its forgettable and straight forward which I can't stress enough isn't a bad thing.
***1/2 /****
The Girlfriend Experience: a new interesting experiment from one of my favorites Steven Soderbergh, well crafted and well acted. ***1/2 /****
I Love You, Man: The latest Apatow laugh fest that is exactly what you expect, fun fun fun. ***1/2 /****
The Hangover Overhyped but a very funny film you can enjoy once through as it relies to much on shock value ***/****
The Brothers BloomAn interesting caper film, but disappointing given the potential of the material with the actor and filmmakers that relies a tad too much on style, fun but forgettable. ***/****
Public Enemies *Sigh* a disappointing film from Michael Mann, the shootouts are amazing and Cotillard shines but Depp and Bale are underwhelming, the supporting performers all outshine the stars, the digital frame rate is distracting and doesn't work at all. A decent film with a phenomenal finale. ***/****
Fanboys As a huge fanboy myself I cannot stress how annoying it is when fanboys aren't true fanboy's for the last time STAR TREK FANS AND STAR WARS FANS ARE ALMOST ALWAYS FRIENDS. And most often they both like both...has funny moments but disappointing film. **3/4 /****
Terminator: Salvation *Sigh* another great trailer that leads to a mediocre film, why did they give someone like McG a project this high up...also the film was so well shot but the cinematography ruined by the fact that the editor of this film had no idea wtf he was doing. Christian Bale overdose...getting sick of him he's being overexposed. Worthington overhyped as well although gives stronger performance than Bale but Yelchin beats them both. Good action good look, but editor and director no business being here. **1/2 /****
He's Just Not That Into YouI'll fess up here I actually thought the trailer was good...the film...was not...I thought the idea was fresh plus I love hyperlink films but most of the stories just aren't engaging and it wasn't funny it was more of a drama. Some things did work however. **/****
Observe and Report Had moments of absolute hilarity, but most of the film was more gross or immature then funny, the least funny Seth Rogan film I've seen. **/****
Dragonball: Evolution*Sniffle* I love the original shows so much(ah nostalgia) this film was childish, corny and badly made considering the budget, I did enjoy Emily Blunt though! And some of the action was decent. *1/2 /****
Fast & Furious Overdone, bad effects, not entertaining, unrealistic, predictable recycled material some good stunts...thats it... *1/2 /****
Crank 2: High Voltage The first film is eh this film, horrendous, not entertaining in the slightest, vulgar, unbelievable as a huge action film fan the action was not even impressive save one sequence. Camera work was annoying and pointless and for the last time JASON STATHAM IS NOT BADASS!!! I DON'T KNOW HOW HE IS IN ANY WAY! 0/****
Well thats my take on the year so far, so far its been a very good year not great, unfortunately I think summer will be this year's highlight as there are only 5 films or so this Oscar season I am really looking forward too.
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