Movie Reviews, Opinions, and Theories

Director: Guy Richie
Grade: B-

Rock N Rolla is Guy Richie’s follow up to his last film Revolver starring Jason Statham. Richie has made a name for himself with films such as Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch. Rock N Rolla is not at the level as these two, but it is much better than Revolver. The direction of the films is great. The actors fulfilled their roles as best as possible. The one problem was that there were so many characters in the film, this prevented the character development necessary for a two hour film. However, it was easy to catch up to the film. This film just as Snatch was very witty and was film with all types of English slang which Americans love. This film re-introduces us to Guy Richie and gives him the opportunity to show how talented he is. MY one question is, is Richie capable of breaking out of the English gangster flick genre?

Starring: Rebecca Hall, Scarlett Johansson, Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz
Director: Woody Allen
Grade: A

Woody Allen’s new film, Vicky Christina Barcelona is an instant classic. Christopher Evan Welch is the narrator in the film that gives the background on the two main characters, Vicky (Hall) and Christina (Johansson). The narration in the film perfectly complements the mood and pace of the film. Allen’s characters instigate non traditional thought amongst those who may think in a traditional matter.Vicky is a prude, engaged American women which values family and commitment. After meeting Juan Antonio, she begins to break away from her comfortable view of relationship. Christina is the wild one of the two. She is hardly resistant to Juan Antonio’s European charm. Here sexuality grows to a new level when Juan Antonio’s past lover Maria Elena comes into the mix. Although Christina is sexually matured to a level where she finds experimentation interesting, her new sex life with the two spaniards eventually becomes to overwhelming. Just when the characters in the film feel as they have adapted to the free love european spirit, they later find them selves more confused then at their arrival in Spain.

The film is saying that regardless of how happy you are, humans feel that there is more to gain. Humans are naturally insatiable to life. what this means is that we are always looking for more and are never satisfied. This film is not about experiencing everything life and other cultures have to offer. In America, we lack culture. Americans are enamored with anything that is foreign. This ranges from ethnic foods to different accents. This may be a reason why Woody Allen has made three films in a row in Europe, when his prior films take place in New York.

This film is very well acted from an all star cast. Each character is very dense. There are many different elements in the response to a lustful relationship. These range from happiness to jealousy to being psychotic. This was a very interesting script that resulted in more that a comedy. Woody Allen is at the top of his game with this film. Woody Allen has this style that is often imitated, however never duplicated.

Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine

Director: Christopher Nolan

Grade: A

Finally, The Dark Knight hits theaters. This film was easily most anticipated film this year. The buzz about this film mainly was surrounding the late Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker. The Joker was last played in Tim Burton’s Batman (1989) by Jack Nicholson. Until The Dark Knight, Nicholson was the best of the Batman villains. Heath Ledger overshadowed Jack Nicholson in his last performance with relative ease. His costume went far and beyond. Lets not forget the man playing the Joker, Heath Ledger. As a matter of fact, he was the best actor in the entire film. The Dark Knight did not disappoint. Christopher Nolan took The Dark Knight to greater heights than his previous Batman Begins. The Joker and Batman joker go hand and hand in regards to the comic book arch nemesis. We had the privilege to view the historic duo go to battle for the first time in years.

Christopher Nolan brings the complexity of of good and evil into the mix with this film. The Joker is a cold blooded killer that does not mind another dead person in the streets. As seen in the teaser clip of the bank heist scene (similar to Michael Mann’s film Heat), the Joker is a sick and demented individual. Although the Joker is the actual villain in the film, he places Gotham’s citizens in situations of sacrifice. The film challenges it’s characters to overcome selfishness for the greater good of man. A common theme in the film is revolving a battle with one’s conscience. At different points of the film, ordinary citizens become the villain. Their desire to save themselves challenges the idea of innocence in that you will do almost anything to survive. The clever writing by the Nolan brothers makes this film much better than the other superhero summer blockbusters. This is not the type of “superhero” movie where there are no casualties and the hero comes out on top. In the film, Batman is treated like a vigilante, not a hero.

Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) added another dimension to the film. He is the man that wants to wipe Gotham City clean. He is in the position to do what Batman can never do, be the white light of Gotham. He eventually goes insane after the loss of the person he loves the most. With manipulation from the clever Joker, Dent becomes Two-Face; giving us a second villain in the film. Nolan’s version of Two-Face is again better than the previous one played by Tommy Lee Jones. Nolan’s Two-Face is more sadistic that the comedic version in Joel Schumacher’s Batman Forever. Aaron Eckhart is a good actor that is still relatively unknown. His roles in Thank You For Smoking and In The Company Of Men shows his true potential as a great actor.

Aside from the great acting, the writing is what makes the film what it is. This film is smarter than it’s predecessors do to the inclusion of human emotion. The film actually requires you to pay attention instead of just marveling the the action and explosions as you would have in Spiderman and The Incredible Hulk. Christopher Nolan’s film such as Memento, The Prestige, and Insomnia all tested one’s emotions. They dealt with desire and obsession. The Dark Knight does the same, which makes it more than just a superhero flick.

Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale are an amazing combination. Christian Bale again proves why he is so popular at the moment. Those two seem to have this understanding of one another, which makes their films so great. This is yet another great film from Christopher Nolan. His writing and direction blended with an all star cast made The Dark Knight one of the best films of the year. It’s a shame however that no one seems associate him with anything other than the Batman films. He has proved time and time again that he is a great director. The density in his writing makes his films more complex and reaches deep deep into the mind, instead of a exhibiting a superficial mess that you would find with a mediocre filmmaker. This is just another great film from a top notch filmmaker.

This is the official curtain call for Heath Ledger. He will be remembered as a great actor long after people stop talking about The Dark Knight. He was brilliant in his roles in Four Feathers, Monsters Ball, and Brokeback Mountain. His resume go beyond his role as the Joker. Having said that, his role in The Dark Knight was amazing. Again he tops one of the great American Actors (Jack Nicholson) with his role as the Joker. He was believable the entire film, he makes you forget who is under that horrible make-up. He will scare you, yet he will also make you laugh. Unbelievable acting from the great Heath Ledger.

The Dark Knight will easily be regarded as one of the best superhero films of all time. It’s hard to get the film out of your head. You become so involved with the film that you forget about the fact that it is 2 hours and a half (I prefer longer films anyways). I have not heard anything bad about the films so far, but I will be interested to hear what possible complaints may arise, if there are any.

With The Dark Knight coming out in two days, we need to get caught up on the prior, modern Batman films.  I have ranked the five films from worst to best. 

5. Batman and Robin: George Clooney as Batman… enough said. This is by far the worst of the batman features.  Batman looked way to futuristic.  This is not the traditional Batman that we are used to.  George Clooney just doesn’t do it for me.

4. Batman Forever: Val Kilmer wasn’t bad. With Jim Carrey as The Riddler and Tommy Lee Jones as Two Face, this film was too goofy.  Joel Schumacher just does not capture the comic book on film.  The film is too lighthearted and is obviously targeted for the entire family.  

3. Batman Returns:  This film was scary as hell.  I remember watching this movie as a kid and being scared to death when the Penguin’s parents threw his carriage in the river with him in it.  Tim Burton captured the darkness of Gotham City.

2. Batman Begins: Christopher Nolan’s first Batman film was almost perfect.  Christian Bale is the best Batman, hands down.  The film shows how Bruce Wayne became the Dark Knight. Due to the fact that this film takes place so early in Batman’s vigilante career, it lacked a legitimate villain.  I am hoping that Nolan’s The Dark Knight can top the #1 Batman film.  

1. Batman: Jack Nicholson basically solidified Tim Burton’s first Batman film at the top of the list.  The Joker is arguably the best comic book villain of all time.  This film can be endangered for the top spot if The Dark Knight lives up to the hype.  It’s going to be Jack Nicholson vs. Heath Ledger  

Joel and Ethen Coen are set to release their new film, Burn After Reading in September. This is their first film since last years best film, No Country For Old Men. These two have made a name for themselves with films such as Fargo and The Big Lebowski. The film stars Brad Pitt, George Clooney, and Coen films regular Frances McDormand. For those who are not familiar with the Coen Brothers, I suggest you check out their films, especially No Country For Old Men, Fargo, and The Big Lebowski. With these films, they have established themselves to be among the best American directors. I am excited for Burn After Reading, I hope it will be another Coen classic.

Director: Guillermo del Toro
Starring: Ivana Baquero, Sergi Lopez, Maribel Verdu, Doug Jones
Genre: Fantasy, Drama
Grade: A

For those who are not fans of Guillermo del Toro’s Hellboy films, should not give up on the director just yet. His resume does not seem all that impressive with films such as Hellboy, Hellboy 2, and Blade 2. Don’t be so quick to judge, because this film is a masterpiece. Pan’s Labyrinth is a great fairy tale of a film. This fairy tale is a rare bread in that it is rated R. This film has very graphic violence and dialogue which makes this fairy tale very unique. Those that may not be fans of films with mythical characters may be turned off by the film, but I urge you to give it a chance.

Mexican director Guillermo del Toro’s film takes place in 1944, while Spain was undergoing a civil war. Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) is a young girl that is very interested in fairy tales. She travels with her pregnant mother, Carmen to meet her new step father, Captain Vidal. Vidal is a tyrant of a figure that is currently fighting off guerillas that oppose his regime. Captain Vidal and Carmen are expecting a baby boy that is causing Carmen to become very sick. On the way, Ofelia finds an insect that she believes is a fairy and which leads her to a labyrinth where her family is staying. There she meets the fawn, who informs Ofelia that she is Princess Moanna. Princess Moanna lived in an underground world where there is no violence or lies. She one day sneaks out and finds her way into our world where she dies. Her father believes that Princess Moanna’s spirit will one day return to this world in another body. Ofelia is instructed by the Fawn that she must complete three tasks in order to open the portal to their world. Meanwhile she in befriended by Mercedes, a servant of of Vidal. Mercedes helps the guerillas infiltrate Captain Vidals camp. Her brother is one of the guerillas, which makes her part of the film very interesting.

Captain Vidal is a complex man himself. His arrogance prevents him from seeing any view other that his own. He kills his opponents in cold blood, with no remorse what so ever. His excitement for his baby boy causes him to forget about Carmen. He has plans for his unborn child. Vidal carries a watch that was owned by his father while he was a soldier. Captain Vidal was told that before his father died in combat, he smashed the watch so that his son (Captain Vidal) would know exactly what time he died. Prior to this story we see Vidal fixing the watch, erasing his father’s memory. Before Vidal is killed by the guerillas, he tells Mercedes to give the watch to his son so that he may know what time he (Vidal) died. He prides himself so much that he believes that his son will see him as a hero, when he is not. No one sees him in the way that he views himself, therefore his memory will fade with time.

Ofelia is a great character. Her imagination takes her to places that no one else can ever dream of. Throughout the film, she is constantly told to stop reading nonsense told in her books. When she asks Mercedes if she believes in fairy tales, she replies “no, but I did when I was a little girl”. Her sick mother Carmen pleads with Ofelia to stop making up stories before she dies during her pregnancy. Carmen states that this was a cruel world. I was so sad to see someone die with the thought that there was not good in this world. Ofelia is indeed a Princess with great power. Her character must go through great lengths in order to make it back to her old world. During these tests, Ofelia meets some strange creatures that attempt to inhibit her.

This film was very dark, yet beautiful. The cinematography was amazing. The landscape of the set was breathtaking. The forest seemed to have a life of its own. The film had a mystical feeling, yet we were constantly brought back to reality where a war was being fought. Guillermo del Toro did a fantastic job in this balance of innocence and reality. The lullaby that was hummed throughout the film was scary, yet it was used as a mechanism to comfort Ofelia in the time of need.

Ivana Baquero did a good job in this film. This role was difficult in making everyone believe that this fairy tale was true. Every aspect of her role was believable, she nailed this role. It will be hard for her to top this performance in her next films. Sergi Lopez was also great. He made us hate him during this movie. He was so such a cold blooded son of a bitch that you couldn’t help but pray for him demise. During the scenes of torture, he seemed as though he enjoyed killing. This is not the type of role that you can just jump into, Lopez has to work very hard to get this role down. Great acting by these two main characters.

After seeing this film, I doubt ever not wanting to watch any film by Guillermo del Toro. This film was so good that I am going to go see Hellboy 2, even though it looks dumb as hell. You can place him with Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu (Babel, 21 Grams) and Alfonso Cuaron (Children of Men, Y Tu Mama Tambien) as the best Mexican Directors. His characters are very well developed in the film. He created creatures that cannot be imagined without del Toro’s creative mind. This film will definitely be a classic for years to come.

Director: Anton Corbijn
Starring: Sam Riley, Samantha Morton
Grade: B-

Anton Corbijn’s film Control shows us the brief life of Joy Division’s lead singer, Ian Curtis. Joy Division was a punk band which formed in the late 70s. The film takes us from the band’s beginnings in Manchester, England to living the life of known rock stars. Curtis is portrayed as dark and independent person that has a constant conflict with himself. After being diagnosed with Epilepsy, his life becomes more complicated. Curtis marries Deborah and they both have a child at a young age. Although Curtis is a father, he never really seemed to love his baby girl. He later begins to drift apart from his family. While on tour Ian meets Annik, who becomes his mistress. After confusion between his two relationships and the music his band is making, Ian Curtis commits suicide at age 23.

Director Anton Corbijn showed us the pain that Ian was feeling. He loved two women, he was a terrible father, and his band was going places that he didn’t want to go. Ian had not intention on going on tours to the U.S., he did not want to be a rock star. As the film progressed, we saw the pain in his mannerisms and his voice while he was onstage. His inner sadness caused him to take his own life. The black and white color of the film complemented the mood of the film perfectly. A color film would not have done this film justice.

From a story standpoint, it was tough to follow the timeline of the film. Corbijn never really gave us a chance to be introduced to Ian Curtis. Due to the lack of a story line, Ian Curtis’ demise at the end of the film was not that shocking. This film did not reach it’s maximum potential.

These are my favorite movies of 2008. This list may be drastically different from many others’. This list is not stating that these films are the best (from an award winning perspective), it is stating the films that I have enjoyed the most. Films should be about enjoyment, we don’t always have to be caught up in the Oscar buzz. These films in particular have left an impression on me so much that I constantly quote lines from them. All five of them are completely different from one another, therefore they have their own uniqueness that makes these films great in their own way.

5. Be Kind Rewind: An homage to all of the great directors of the past that made films without computers. Be Kind Rewind in not afraid to look at some modern filmmakers as “sell outs”. Michele Gondry pokes fun at the large video chains, most noticeably Blockbuster for an overstocked collection and misinformed employees. Those who are fans of Gondry’s past films such as Eternal Sunshine and The Science of Sleep would already know his desire to make films as they should be. Jack Black was amazing in this film as well.

4. In Bruges: Martin McDonagh brings out Colin Farrell out for his second film. Films about a person’s conscience eating them alive has been done before, but I can’t recall one which involves a hitman. Colin Farrell was great in this film. The movie was interesting due to the fairy tale setting of Bruges. This city in Belgium exhibits such beauty, yet the characters are so dark. Acts of cold blood are a common theme in the film. The film has a story book setting, but does not have the cliche’ story book ending.

3. Funny Games: This is one of the most disturbing films I have ever seen. Michael Haneke has no sympathy for any character in his film. The actors in the film were nothing short of amazing. They perfectly captured the horror of the film. This film teases you in so many ways. The innocent victims in the film are so warm for one another, yet the boys in white find humor in tearing them apart. You hope for the family’s survival, but Haneke does not let you hope for long. You will begin to doubt that there is any good remaining in this world.

2. Forgetting Sarah Marshall: Simply the funniest film since Superbad. Forgetting Sarah Marshall topples The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up with little effort. I initially doubted Jason Segel as a front man. After seeing very little of him in Freaks and Geeks, Undeclared, and Knocked Up, I thought he was funny but overshadowed. I was wrong. This film is funny on so many levels and has become one of my favorite comedies. The film is smart. Many find the film funny because they have experienced episodes in their own lives that may be similar in the movie. It has gratuitous sexual innuendos, yet I would not call this a typical “guy movie”.

1. 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days: Great direction, unbelievable acting. This was not only my favorite films of the year, I believe it was the best. So honest and daring Cristian Mungiu was for making this film. The topic of back alley abortions is highly controversial. I believe he captured every emotion of a person that would be experiencing at a time like this. The film however goes deep beyond the abortion. The lives of the characters are highly complex and emotional. The characters are so well developed and greatly executed. Brilliant film!

We are little past the halfway mark this year. I am looking forward for all of the great films to come this year, especially during the winter. We’ll just have to see if any films can top my five favorites.

With 5 modern Batman films, we count down who played the best version of Batman and why. This list takes into account the quality of the film and if Batman was a bad ass or not.

4. George Clooney: Behind the mask, Batman is supposed to be an intimidating figure. George Clooney always has that goofy yet charismatic look on his face, therefore he was a Batman marketed for the little ones. He was better as Billy Ocean.

 3. Val Kilmer: Much more serious and believable. My favorite film with Kilmer however was Heat, not Batman Forever. I think I would feel comfortable with him watching over Gotham city. With Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones as villains, I don’t think the Batman in Batman Forever had much of a challenge.

2. Michael Keaton: This was a close second. I never thought anyone would be able to play this role better that Keaton until Batman Begins was released. The perfect Batman with a director in Tim Burton that perfectly captured the true feeling of Gotham. Jack Nicholson as The Joker, Danny DeVito as The Penguin, Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman; villains don’t get any better that that. These films were horrifyingly scary. Batman and Batman Forever are arguably the best of the Batman films. Michael Keaton was a true bad ass.
 

1. Christian Bale: He also played in American Psycho, therefore we know he is pretty hardcore. Bale has that versatility; he could play just about any role. With Christopher Nolan as the Director, this new batch of films could surpass the Tim Burton and Michael Keaton duo. Everyone is frantically awaiting The Dark Knight co-starring the late Heath Ledger who looks scarier that Nicholson as The Joker. In a few weeks, we will find out of this film will top Tim Burton’s Batman. Although Batman Begins is not the best of the five films so far, Christian Bale takes the title of the best Batman.

Starring: Anamaria Marinca, Laura Vasiliu
Director: Cristian Mungiu
Grade: A

Cristian Mungiu’s film stars Anamaria Marinca and Laura Vasiliu. The film takes place in the 1980s in Romania. Otilia (Anamaria Marinca) helps her friend Gabita (Laura Vasiliu) get an illegal abortion. They hire Domnu’ Bebe to abort Gibita’s child. Meanwhile, Otilia is supposed to meet her boyfriend’s family. The balancing act between her boyfriend and Gabita will create stress and frustration for Otilia.

4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days has to be one of the most honest films that I have seen in some time. Not since I first saw Darren Aronofsky’s Requiem for a Dream, have I seem such honesty in any one subject in a film. Abortion is a very touchy subject to many people. Many young adults find themselves in a bind when they find out that they have a baby on the way. Having a child at a young age can suddenly change the course of one’s life. Cristian Mungiu chooses to educate the audience on “backyard abortions”. Otilia and Gabita are undergoing in an illegal procedure which can result in jail time if they are caught. This film applies to young adults today. Many people find themselves doing whatever it takes to abort a child for various reasons. Gabita is a college student, therefore she may be affraid that she would have to drop out of school or she may be affraid to shame her parents. .

This film has so much depth to the two main characters. Otilia is the caretaker of the film. She spends the first chunk of the film making arrangements for Gabita’s abortion. She spends the entire film trying to satisfy her boyfriend, Adi and Gabita. While Gabita is nowhere to be found, Otilia is making up for Gabita’s lack of initiative. Gabita is almost incapable of doing anything for herself. She has a couple chores in the film, book a hotel room and meet Mr. Bebe face to face. The result of the chores was that there is not record of Gabita making hotel reservations nor did she meet Mr. Bebe. Bebe is furious that she finds Otilia at the meeting place. Mr. Bebe is a problem himself. He is unhappy with the lack of money from Otilia and Gabita. They must make up for this by having sex with the “clinician”. This is yet another task for Otilia as a result of her friend Gabita. Due to the fact Gabita is oblivious to the whole situation, whey find themselves in situation that can get them “pinched”. Gabita expects to just show up and get it done. She takes no initiative herself. When the procedure is complete, Otilia along with the audience is mortified, sad, and irate that Gabita can be so nonchalant after her child is murdered by abortion. After the exhaustion of the abortion, Otilia must still go to her boyfriend’s house.

Otilia’s boyfriend Adi insists that she come to dinner for his mother’s birthday. Regardless of the fact that Otilia tells him that she can’t, he gives her a guilt trip. Although she is annoyed, Otilia leaves in a cheerful mood. This very harmless meeting makes the audience feel as if the dinner party will be very pleasant, however it is far from it. The dinner scene is very uncomfortable for Otilia. The family sits at an extremely small table overflowing with food and guests. Here, Otila’s family is reffered to as “plain folks” by Adi’s family and family friends consisting of doctors and chemists. There is gloating during the scene that seems to be directed towards Otilia’s direction. Although Otilia looks like she is going to explode any minute, Adi is a constant nuisance by his possessiveness of Otilia. This dinner scene was well done. There is constant chatter about nothing, yet these people are supposed to be well educated. At the table, you hear voices of the conversation but cannot see the persons; giving us an idea of how crammed the kitchen is. As the audience, you can’t help but begin to feel very uncomfortable for her.

This was a great film. It is smart, annoying, sad, and at some points scary. Director Cristian Mungiu will take you through the entire spectrum of human emotion during the film. The acting was unbelievable. The film stars two unknown actresses that completely know their performances out of the park. Anamaria Marica however was a head above the rest. She was amazing the entire movie.

Although it takes place in the 80s in another country, many Americans will find the film relevant to the youth of today. This film is frightening, yet educational. There are many risks in a “backyard abortion”. Hopefully young adults will get the message of the film. This film however is not only about abortion. It is also about one person’s ability to deal with the things in life that are stressful to her. She must deal with college, money (which is constantly spoken about, mostly in regards to repayment after borrowing), her boyfriend, and her naive friend. While watching this film, you can’t help but recall emotions in your own life that exhibited in the film.

Otilia and Gabita choose not to discuss this event ever again. This was a very traumatic experience for each of the girls. This took a greater toll on Otilia however. Although Gabita physically participated in the procedure, she was not experiencing it emotionally. Her only emotion shown during the entire film was desperation. Otilia was the one who was sad after the abortion. How ironic it was that the person who made all of the arrangements to abort her friend’s baby, was the one who was sad when it was completed. The goal of this stress was to abort the child. Gabita wanted to get on with the rest of her life. Even when the abortion is complete, you will not feel relief. You will be overcome with grief for the loss of life.