Vampires Suck

So let me take a stab at this; Vampires Suck sucks! No wait, this movie bites!  I went back and forth on the idea of wasting precious moments of my life reviewing this movie, but then I realized maybe, just maybe, someone will heed my warning and steer clear of this movie! This movie was chosen simply because nothing else came out this week and it was in the right time slot. The trailer looked semi-entertaining and it's good for one to poke fun at oneself every now and then. This movie cost only $20 million to make and it has already grossed over $27 million domestically. The studio execs should be happy that they made a profit although the product is utter trash.

The plot is marketed as a spoof on modern day vampire and teen angst movies, with Twilight at the helm.

The plot actually centered solely on Twilight and New Moon alone. There was maybe one or two references to other movies/shows in the entire movie. For the first quarter of the movie, it was a frame by frame remake of Twilight. It used over the top slapstick humor along with some random remarks and one liners strewn about in no particular order.

The only thing I can say was good in this movie was the lighting and costumes. They were pretty accurate replications of the movies they were parodying, (if that's not a word it should be). The also remade some of the songs with literal lyrics which were almost funny, and I appreciated the effort there.

None of the actors were funny. The 'Becca' character did a pretty good job of portraying Bella's nuances. Some of the male actors were nice to look at. The 'Edward' was probably the best actor in the movie, and was almost funny in some parts, which isn't saying much in comparison.

If I hadn't picked this movie for the club, I would've walked out if I was watching it legitimately, well that's not true. I never would've picked this movie in the first place. This was an epic fail. It pretty much centered on only Twilight and a little bit of New Moon. There were maybe two jokes in the whole movie which were a little bit humorous. To be honest, I really didn't expect much from this movie and that's exactly what it delivered. It was a tv commercial that dragged on for an hour and a half too long. "The Zolturri are self-centered and see only the narrow section of their own world, kinda like Fox News" -- Vampires Suck.

Get Low

Tagline: Every secret dies somewhere

So I had heard about this movie from a very trusted friend and when I saw it playing at a theater near me, I decided to see it. With Robert Duvall, Bill Murray, and Sissy Spacek I was expecting something really great. Not to mention it was an indie drama about death and produced by Robert Duvall himself and was partly based on a true story. My expectations fell a little short and it was a film quite different than what I was expecting.

This is actually a period piece set in 1930's Tennessee and follows an aging hermit, Robert Duvall, who decides to enlist the help of the local funeral home, ran by Bill Murray, in order to throw a 'funeral party' while he is still alive. His main goal is to get everything out in the air and the deep secrets for his past 40 years of solitude and eventually reconcile with Sissy Spacek, a mysterious figure from his past.

The idea of a funeral party had me expecting a quirky dark movie, however that was not the case. This could be my fault for going in without even watching the trailer. This story was actually deeply emotional and serious. The characters were quite complex and developed. I actually enjoyed the fact that this plot took place years after the major climax of the story and dealt with the characters who had had ages of reflection over the events, instead of most movies which deal with the characters while the action is taking place. These were characters who were introspective and unique.

The set decoration and costumes were superb and the movie had the right feel for the 1930's. It was a really beautiful thing to watch. The score and soundtrack was also very nice and in keeping with the tone of the movie. The location and scenery that it was filimed at was also quite beautiful. Overall, this was a beautiful movie to watch.

The performances were stellar - which I would expect nothing less from these three phenomenal actors. Robert Duvall really became this character and did such a great job. His monologue near the end wasn't a breakdown of raw emotion like I was expecting but it was genuine and sounded as though this character was really up there saying these things.

So overall, this was a beautiful movie although a little slow paced for my taste. With a budget of only $7 million dollars, this movie delivered the goods.The performances were really great and the cinematography was beautiful. The characters were highly complex and genuine however the story was a little bit uninteresting in my opinion. There were some suspense cliche's in the movie which attempted to evoke suspense from the audience building towards a final reveal at the end, which I think was unnecessary. I think the 'suspense' should have been removed, and a character study would've sufficed. That being said, the actors did a fantastic job and the movie was a beautiful experience. I do think older audiences will appreciate this more and especially fans of any of these three actors as the story will transcend greatly to that type of audience. I was expecting something completely different but wasn't completely disappointed. I respect this movie and wish more films would take the time this one took to look at complex characters like these. Not every story has to revolve around young attractive characters, emotional and drama happen later in life too. "It's about time for me to get low" -- Get Low.

Dandelion

Tagline: Everything begins somewhere. 

So I watched this movie because Netflix recommended this movie for me as an indie drama about youth and relationships. It is a 2004 film from director Mark Milgard and won the awards for best cinematography and best feature at the River Run Film Festival as well as being nominated for a Spirit Award for best cinematography. I went in expecting a nice beautiful emotional movie and that's pretty much exactly what I got.

This movie stars Vincent Kartheiser as 16 year old Mason who lives in a rural country farmtown and spends his days trying to stay out of trouble and deal with his emotional father who is running for public office. Soon he meets Danny who moves into the neighborhood, played by Taryn Manning, and their friendship changes his life as it is tested when Danny is wrongly accused of a crime which consumes valuable time from his life.

The plot is simple and believable and it is the characters that fill up the movie. They are very well written and complex. Each has their flaws, but you find yourself empathizing with each and through their actions we learn what true sacrifice and love is. It's a beautiful poignant tale that I think will transcend to everyone. The dialogue was endearing and believable.

The cinematography awards were right on target with this movie, it is simply beautiful. Tim Orr, director of cinematography, was able to capture the beautiful rolling hills and fields which added to the ton of the movie. Any movie that will spend several hundred frames to watch a dandelion blowing in the wind and other symbolic images is ok in my book, in contrast to those major studio productions whose number one rule is every frame must advance the plot. There was time spent in this movie on the beautiful aspects of the story and it didn't feel like a race to the end like in some movies. It was a nice beautiful ride. The 35mm film and soft filters made every frame so nice to watch. The soundtrack and score was also subtle and soft enough to add to the feel of the movie as well.

The performances were endearing and everyone really did a great job in this movie. Kartheiser was genuine and kept me interested throughout the story. His parents also gave riveting dynamic performances, played by Arliss Howard and Mare Winingham.  Taryn Manning played a more serious side I haven't seen her do before and  I think she was the right choice for the movie. Near the end, there were some great emotional scenes, but it was the movie as a whole that worked together with these good performances.

I was happily surprised with this movie. It was definitely a slow beautiful story about relationships and sacrifice. I would recommend to anyone who likes to sit back and watch a subtle emotional genuine story. The cinematography was truly beautiful and I wish more movies could take note. "Sometimes I think that love is something people create to make themselves feel better" -- Dandelion.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

So I had wanted to see this movie after hearing so much about it when it was in a limited release here in the US and especially after reading about the casting debate surrounding the American remake in the works. The movie is a dark tale adapted from the hugely popular Swedish novel of the same name.

The plot follows the characters of Mikael Blomkvist, an ambitious reporter who has recently been framed and sentenced for slander against a corporate tycoon, and Lisbeth Salander, a gothic and sexually explorative computer hacker, who come together to work to solve a 40 year old murder mystery for a wealthy businessman. Soon they get in over their heads and start to uncover family secrets.

 The characters are very unique, especially Lisbeth's character. She was very entertaining and mysterious at the same time. Normally, I don't enjoy murder mystery/thriller type stories, but this movie was about the character development as well as the murder mystery at hand. I liked how the characters were different and weren't the run-of-the-mill people who usually pair up to solve crimes. I have not read the book, so I'm not able to dissect how the adaptation fared, but the story was very entertaining.

The cinematography was really nice. The film was beautiful and the angles that were used were great. The movie kept pace with the story but wasn't distracting.

The movie really was about the actor's performances in the movie. I have no idea how well the two leads, portrayed their counterparts in the novel, but they did a perfect job in the movie. Noomi Repace does an amazing job with what is easily one of the hardest characters to portray in a long time. She came across vulnerable but at the same time very independent and gutsy. Somehow, she made us empathize with her character, which is an amazing feat. Without the right actress, she could've easily become the antagonist of the movie. Michael Nyqvist also does a nice job. I really liked him in this movie, he was the right counterpart with Lisbeth's character. Their relationship was endearing to me, even surrounded by the dark tale going around them. The rest of the actors did as good as a job as any, they definitely had the right look to them.

Even though I can usually care less about crime/murder dramas, I wanted to know more about these characters when I was done with this movie. There were some hard parts to watch and it pushed a line that some American filmmakers dare to cross, but it only earned my respect. I enjoyed how the director included what was needed for the story, not necessarily what was needed to please an audience or keep away from any taboos, which is what film-making should be about.  I don't understand why a remake is needed, this movie can and will transcend to an American audience. There were several antifascist/communist undertones that may not entirely transcend however those were not necessary to the plot and were a product of the culture where the movie was made and the novel written. In any event, I will still see the remake to see how it comes out. Also with the recent Let The Right One In, Sweden is definitely making a name for itself with great movies. "Have you had sex before?""I'm 24" -- The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.

I'm Reed Fish

So I had heard about this movie for some time and it was always on my list somewhere to be seen. With the recent avalanche of Jay Baruchel movies and his entertaining quality about him, I decided to put that movie at the top of my list and finally sat down and watched it. This 2007 movie is written by real-life Reed Fish.

The movie is about Reed Fish, who’s parents recently died and he takes over as the local DJ for a small rural town. As he prepares for his upcoming wedding to his fiancé, who’s mother also died in the same accident as his parents, an old high school crush returns and things become confusing for Reed. Then suddenly we learn that we’re actually watching a movie within a movie.

The plot is what made this movie interesting, the fact that the movie becomes a movie within a movie, saved it from being cliché and boring. The dialogue was nice and witty, but the basic plot of the movie about the love triangle etc, wasn’t cutting it. With the refreshing addition of the movie subplot, it became interesting and very unique. The characters were highly one dimensional and the believability of the plot was not very solid, but it was entertaining.

The cinematography was basic. The two songs written for the movie were quite nice though. The soundtrack was also good which was to be expected in a young hip movie such as this.

The performances are nice and actually it takes pressure off once we learn that some of these people are ‘actors’ playing a part within the movie. The bit about DJ Qualls looking at the camera every time he was onscreen was priceless. Wasn’t the greatest casting, but not the worst either.

Overall, it was entertaining and just the right length for the movie. I don’t think it would’ve held my attention for much longer. It was light-hearted and fresh. I think that it had some real potential to be really awesome, and it almost made it, but not quite as it still felt like I was watching a high school movie. “Did you know that the human eye expands 45% when looking at something pretty?” – I’m Reed Fish.

Dakota Skye

So Netflix recommended this movie and it sounded like a nice and quirky indie so I decided to watch it. I’m glad I did and gotta give props to Netflix, for more often than not recommending movies I do end up liking. This is a little low budget indie comedy from 2008 which was shot in only 16 days!

The plot of the movie follows a high school girl, Dakota Skye, who is cursed with a super power: The ability to always know what someone really means when they lie. She then meets her archnemesis, a ‘cute stoner boy named Jonah’ who never tells a lie.

The movie was very well written and these characters were unique. There wasn’t a lot of character development but the plot of the movie was so unique and refreshing that it made up for this, plus it’s a comedy so character development or complexity really isn’t a necessity. The humor was low-key, witty, and smart. This plot obviously could’ve set us up for a straight slapstick type comedy with lots of different bits, however luckily that wasn’t the case. Her superpower was more of a tool use to symbolize the undertones in the movie.

The sets, costumes, and props were obviously low budget, but it was nicely done with what they had. The editing was fun and fresh with went along with the feel of the movie. The soundtrack was great, which is a necessity nowadays for any indie movie.

The performances were good and the three leads, did a good job. The two male leads were very cute and were very genuine in their roles. The female lead was entertaining and did a good job as well. I’m not going to say they were the best performances ever, but they did the job. The rest of the cast were not as good, but it didn’t take away from the believability of the movie, surprisingly as I usually expect subpar acting to do so.

Overall, I enjoyed the film. It was quirky, funny, and thought provoking. I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys these types of quirky indie comedies or possibly anybody who enjoys superhero-type movies. “I am cursed with what everyone spends their whole lives searching for; the truth” – Dakota Skye.

The Other Guys

So when I first heard of this movie I was like not another one! Especially, in light of Cop Out, I thought this would be a huge failure. But then after seeing the trailers, the movie looked ridiculously funny and also thanks to the endless studio promotion. So I went in hoping for the best but also thinking it could still be a huge failure, because most of the time funny cop movies just don’t work. After learning that this movie did what Dinner For Schmucks failed to do (that is knock Inception out of the top spot), I was even more pumped to see this movie.

The plot is very simple, Mark Wahlberg who is an ex field cop demoted to desk work is paired with the ultra conservative Will Ferrel who loves the safety of his desk job. The movie also has Eva Mendes, The Rock, and Samuel L to add to the comedy.

The story is actually semi-interesting and you’re kinda drawn to figuring out ‘who did it’ and it keeps you entertained through the end. The real comedy came from the Characters. They were well written and very believably funny. They didn’t feel gimmicky or annoying in the slightest. The dialogue was superb, and especially the banter between Mark and Will, although I suspect that was mostly ad-libbed.

And the editing was awesome and much more than I expected from a movie of this caliber. The bar scene with the freeze frame editing was just really awesome and I always love unique cinematography/editing no matter what genre of movie I’m watching. The soundtrack was great and everything was done really well in this movie.

The humor in this movie was based in a large part on the comedic timing and genius of Will and surprisingly Mark. They were a hilarious duo and an example of perfect casting. And it’s so funny to me that the idea of this duo came from the Academy Awards show when Will Ferell was doing a bit an involved Wahlberg in it. That’s true chemistry. The Rock and Samuel L were also a hilarious bit that worked well together and the mere presence of Eva Mendes as Will’s wife and the numerous jokes at her expense were priceless.

Overall, I thought this movie was really great and truly hilarious. It wasn’t over the top and didn’t try too hard, it found the right fit inbetween. I would recommend this to anyone ready to see a good comedy in the theater and wouldn’t let it pass by as a rental for those who missed it. “If I were a lion and you were a tuna, I’d swim out into the ocean and freakin’ eat you and then I’d bang your tuna girlfriend” – The Other Guys.

Dinner For Schmucks

So I had really been looking forward to this movie since I am a huge Steve Carrel fan and I usually enjoy Paul Rudd’s movies. The trailers made the movie look hilarious and I was expecting nothing less going into it. Unfortunately, my expectations fell short and it couldn’t even knock Inception out of the top spot it’s opening weekend.

The plot of the movie is very simple. Paul Rudd must invite an idiot to a dinner his boss is throwing so they can make fun of him, thus solidifying his promotion. Of course, he runs into Steve accidently, who is a divorced IRS worker who’s hobby is mouse taxidermy.

(Now, I should say that I don’t know how this movie ends because the film burnt up right at the end of the movie when I saw it in Chicago, so thanks Chicago.)

The plot is inventive and should be a fantastic starting point to build up a lot of humor. I think where this movie went wrong was the characters. Some of the characters were too over the top and came off annoying instead of funny, i.e. Darla. Steve’s character was usually funny but it was definitely a bit that ran a little too long because it started to lose it’s believability after about the first hour. If they had written the characters, a little more subtley, I think the movie would have been much better. Although there was some awesome quotable dialogue in this movie, so that’s always a plus.

The cinematography was average for a comedy of this nature. Nothing impressive or distracting.

Steve and Paul did a good job, again I think it was the way Steve’s character was written. It was just too much for them to carry on their comedic geniuses (genuisi?) alone. It started to get old and some of the characters were very distracting. Again, maybe the movie just did a 180 at the end that I didn’t get to see, however the 3/4ths of the movie that I did see, did not give me an inclination to sit through it again to see the ending.

Overall, it was moderately funny. It had some really funny parts but it also had some parts that seemed to drag on and made it feel much longer than it really was. I’d probably recommend this movie as a rental at the most. Sorry, Steve. “People say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not” – Dinner For Schmucks

The Kids Are All Right

So I had been wanting to see this movie for awhile because the plot looked so refreshing and original and Julianne Moore is one of my favorite actresses. I was more than excited when I found out that the theater near my hotel was playing it here in Chicago and I went and saw it that night. I went in expecting a nice little comedy but it ended up being so much more.

The plot follows two teenage siblings, Joni and Laser, who secretly contact the sperm donor that their mothers used in conceiving them. Their parents, played by Julianne Moore and Annette Bening, soon find out and a little dysfunctional family is created which creates turmoil the summer before Joni's departure to college.

The characters are wonderfully written; believable and very complex. I empathized with each of these characters during the movie. The plot feels original and unique and definitely breaks the barriers with the 'normal'. The dialogue was smart, witty, and believable. I wouldn't be surprised if a large part of the scenes were ad-libbed. The plot turned out to be very comical but at the same time it was extremely emotional. I felt what these characters were feeling.

The editing was done very nicely, and I especially loved the opening sequence with Laser and Clay on skateboards. The camera angles were unique and matched the feel of the movie at the right part without being overdone. The editing was on pace with the movie and the score was subtle enough to smooth things together.

The performances were what blew me away in this movie. Julianne Moore does an amazing job. She's so believable and really gives a raw believable performance, the living room scene where she delivers this heartfelt monologue is so captivating. I've read there may be some Oscar buzz already about this movie and if so, they're right on track! Annette Bening also does a fantastic job. She's right up there with Moore, but her character is more about the non-verbal emotions which she portrays well. They became these two characters, not to mention they were also extremely believable as a lesbian couple. Mark Ruffalo does a nice job although this characters isn't that far off what he's done before. The kids, Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson, do a really great job as well. They were dynamic and believable which is not that easy to come by at their age.

I enjoyed this movie a lot because it was so much more than I was expecting. It had some raw emotion that everyone can empathize with. You do have to be open to dealing with the not 'normal' couple of Moore and Bening, and there were some scenes in there which didn't hold anything back. But overall, the plot was refreshing, entertaining, comical, highly emotional, and the two leading ladies gave some of the best performances of their careers. "We might hurt moms' feelings" -- The Kids Are All Right.

Salt

So I had thought this movie looked entertaining more or less and since it was the only big opener this past week, I decided to see it. I enjoy the diverse roles that Angelina Jolie picks and so I assumed I would enjoy this movie as well. Plus, who doesn’t love a good old Russian spy movie.

The movie is carried by Angelina Jolie with a little help from Liev Schreiber. We learn in the beginning that Jolie may or may not be the infamous double agent Salt who is to be a part of a renewed Russia vs. US espionage conspiracy. Thus we are set down the path trying to learn the true identities of the Russian intruders.

The plot is fairly simple and certainly nothing original however it does keep you entertained throughout. The characters are mostly one dimensional and very static but it is an action movie, which is to be expected. The premise of the movie is semi-plausible although a little far-fetched. I liked how it went retro and used Russia as the antagonistic country and went back to the Cold War references, although I am a super nerdy history major and this probably excited zero others. The dialogue was very bland and forgettable. The plot was just interesting enough to keep up with the action although I don’t think it was captivating enough to derive any sequels from, which apparently is what the producers are thinking about doing.

It’s an action movie and for the most part the editing and camera work is on par with the style of the movie. The camera movements are a little too fast however in several sequences for the audience to have enough time to see the elements that they are panning to. Apart from the extremely sappy flashback sequences, which could have been done much better, the rest of the cinematography was on par. This movie actually had some of the best sound/foley editing I’ve seen recently. I’m sure this also doesn’t excite anyone else, but the foley sound was really good and realistic and at the perfect levels, which sometimes in action movies can be a little overdone. So props to the sound editors of this movie.

I had heard someone say that Angelina Jolie is the only bonafide female action star and I’ve come to realize that is perfectly accurate. She has really transcended that gender line in the action arena and she totally kicks ass in this movie. She does a good job with this role and pulls off the character and all of the action well. I’d wager that if she wasn’t in the movie, it wouldn’t have been quite as entertaining. Live also does a good job and is mostly believable.

Overall, it was entertaining. Not entertaining enough for me to go see Salt 2 however. I’d recommend to Angelina Jolie fans but I’d probably save it for a rental night. “My name is Evelyn Salt. Then you’re a Russian spy.”