A YouTube Story #1 "The Beginning"

As most of you know, I have my own channel on YouTube dedicated to spreading my love of film by expressing my opinions of them. They aren’t expert opinions but then again what is an expert opinion really? Just because somebody gets paid tons of money from a newspaper to write their opinions of a film doesn’t make them “experts”. 

With that said, I really only look up to one film critic and that is Roger Ebert. His essays on film are enthralling to read because he doesn’t use enormous words or write in a way that sounds pretentious. He writes from his heart. I have always wanted to bring my love of film out the same way. I remember a time in Jr. High when I briefly wrote film reviews for the school paper - it was really fun to do but I never gave it any more thought. In fact, it’s been at least 10 years since I’ve thought about it. I find it fascinating that seemingly random events in my life have greater meaning the older I get.  

We live in a day and age where printed newspaper isn't the main source for expert film reviews anymore. All of the reviews that I have read in the last 5 or 6 years have been on the internet. A few years ago I began to ask myself how I should review films. I stumbled upon the answer one day without even realizing it. In the weeks before I started my YouTube channel my film library contained over 1000 titles. I always wondered if there were other people that had the same amount of films that I did.

During the first week in January in 2011, I was on a lunch break from my job and decided to get onto YouTube on my phone. I began my search for random funny videos just to help pass the time. The thought then popped into my head that I should search for videos in relation to DVD collections.  What I found were countless videos by Shawn C. Phillips, aka "Coolduder". He was a film reviewer and vlogger that shared the same love of film that I did. I was amazed by the amount of films he owned.  While I was viewing a video of Shawn's I saw a video by Robbie Webster that had been recommended to me by YouTube. This was another cool guy that was inspired by Shawn to make the same style of videos. I became addicted to watching them both. I ended up watching all of their uploaded videos over the next few days. I began to think that this was a pretty cool thing they were doing. I then had a revelation -  I too could review films this way!

On January 18, 2011, I decided to film my first video with my cell phone. I was extremely nervous and didn't know how I was going to do it. My first video topic was me discussing my top three films of 2010. I look back and laugh at it now but at the time it was a big deal. After I uploaded the video, I had a huge amount of support from friends and family to continue to make videos. I thought that nobody would like my videos but to my surprise, Robbie Webster became a huge help in getting my foot in the door to the YouTube community. Another great help was my buddy, "The Raz Man", who is the host of "The Raz Man's Reality" on YouTube. He found my channel through Robbie Webster and they have been there with me since day one.

It has been 22 months now and I have made over 120 videos and still love it the same as day one. I have made countless friends and hope that I continue to meet other film lovers that I can share my love of film with. 

THE AMERICAN NEW WAVE OF CINEMA

             

          In the late 1960’s, the film industry was indecline. Television was a huge staple in the home and people would rather stayhome then go to the cinema. Box office stars of the 40’s and 50’s could barelysell tickets. Take Marlon Brando for instance, he was one of the biggestperformers of the 50’s. He had box office gold written all over his face.Winning an Academy Award in 1954 for his powerful performance as ex-boxerturned “bum” Terry Malloy in Elia Kazan’s “On The Waterfront”.  His method acting was intoxicating towatch and people flocked to see his film. Unfortunately that power didn’t last;by the late 1960’s Brando was labeled as box office poison. That is until a newfilmmaker by the name of Francis Ford Coppola thought he would be perfect inthe lead role for the 1972 film “The Godfather”.

The same can be said for other aspects of the filmindustry. We all know of the great epic films of the 50’s to the early 60’s. Filmslike “Ben-Hur”, “Lawrence of Arabia”, and “The Fall of the Roman Empire” havedazzled audiences since they premiered. But after only a brief peak period, epicfilms could not fill seats. It wasn’t until the late 70’s when epic films wouldreach the same fame as they did in the earlier days with such films as “TheDeer Hunter” and “Apocalypse Now”.

I would say the film “revolution” as I like to callit began in 1969 with the release of the films “Midnight Cowboy” and “EasyRider”. Both films were original, gritty, and very low budget but impactedaudiences more than the high budget films of the past. Both films in my opinionushered in adult themes previously unseen in Hollywood; themes such as the darkside of the American dream and disturbing subject matter.  This was the beginning of the younginnovative filmmakers that will continue to dominate American cinema for thenext 40 years.

I know of many people that consider 70’s cinema asthe trashy age of cinema. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Cinemabefore then was very glossy Hollywood style entertainment. Even most seriousfilms  had a high budget glossyHollywood quality to them. The 70’s ushered in a more realistic feel to thefilms, which was something fresh and new.

This new generation of filmmakers were filmschool-educated, counterculture-bred, and young. This group, dubbed the “NewHollywood” by the press, changed the business from the producer-drivenHollywood system of the past, injected movies with a jolt of freshness, energy,sexuality, and a passion for the art of film itself.

I found out through wikipedia that Todd Berliner has written about how 70’s filmsdeviate from classical narrative norms more than Hollywood films from othereras. Their narrative and stylistic devices threaten to derail an otherwisestraightforward narration. Berliner argues that five principles govern thenarrative strategies characteristic of Hollywood films of the 1970s:

1. Seventies films show a perverse tendency tointegrate, in narratively incidental ways, story information and stylistic devicescounterproductive to the films’ overt and essential narrative purposes.

2. Hollywood filmmakers of the 1970s often situatetheir filmmaking practices in between those of classical Hollywood and those ofEuropean and Asian art cinema.

3. Seventies films prompt spectator responses moreuncertain and discomforting than those of more typical Hollywood cinema.

4. Seventies narratives place an uncommon emphasison irresolution, particularly at the moment of climax or in epilogues, whenmore conventional Hollywood movies busy themselves tying up loose ends.

5. Seventies cinema hinders narrative linearity andmomentum and scuttles its potential to generate suspense and excitement.

I find his observations very interesting to readbecause it simply lays out the answers for why the films of that time were soground breaking and good.

I made a list of filmmakers that I think bestrepresent the group that brought this new style to us. It was really hard tonarrow it down but I got my list down to at least five. They are Francis FordCoppola (The Godfather, The Conversation, Apocalypse Now), Martin Scorsese(Mean Streets, Taxi Driver), William Friedkin (The Exorcist, The FrenchConnection), George Lucas (THX-1138, American Graffiti, Star Wars), and DennisHopper (Easy Rider).  I actuallyfelt bad when I made this list because I left many filmmakers out that I feelhad an equal influence on film at the time. With many of these films came ahuge group of new actors that we consider legends today, including Robert Deniro,Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Jack Nicholson, Gene Hackman, Harrison Ford, and manymore.

This new Hollywood of the 70’s was anything buttrashy. To me this was the best decade in the history of film. This era is whatsaved the film industry and brought money back into the cinemas.

I’m going to leave you with one last thought and aquestion. Today we are witnessing another decline in Hollywood because of theretiring or dying off of the innovators of the 70’s. Other than the stillactive filmmakers that I have previously talked about and a few newerfilmmakers, everything else is pretty much junk. So let me ask you this: do youthink we are on the verge of another film “revolution”? I think so.

Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rope”

Alfred Hitchcock's "Rope

USA

1948

Rope is a 1948 American thriller about two young men who strangle their "inferior" classmate. They then hide his body in their apartment and invite his friends and family to a dinner party as a means to challenge the "perfection" of their crime.  Starring James Stewart, John Dall and Farley Granger, it is the first of Hitchcock's Technicolor films, and is notable for taking place in real time and being edited so as to appear as a single continuous shot through the use of long takes.

Critics were not very pleased with this film when first released but it has gained a sort of cult following since. Hitchcock was displeased with the film as well and was glad that the film was out of circulation for over 30 years of his career. James Stewart later said he felt miscast and didn’t really like his performance.  Roger Ebert also went on to say in his two star review that everyone should see it but there are many things that Hitchcock could have done to make it better.

I remember the first time I saw Rope. I was about 12 years old and a classic movie station had an Alfred Hitchcock marathon. From the opening scene I was glued to the screen. The “real time” element that some called a failed experiment is the very thing that had me on the edge of my seat. As the story unfolded, I began to get sweaty and was eagerly awaiting the finale. The finale was stunning and the main performances were very good. That’s all I can say about the ending without giving away any spoilers.

 In regards to Stewart, I loved his performance and feel like it contains some of his best scenes on film. Just because it was a different role for him doesn’t mean that he was miscast. I feel he was perfect! John Dall and Farley Granger definitely gave very convincing performances, some of the best performances in any of the Hitchcock film as a matter of fact.

Overall I loved this film and it remains one of my favorite Hitchcock films. I recommend everyone see this light 80 minute suspense thriller.  As always, remember there are three ways of doing things: the right way, the wrong way, and the Chattaway.

“Alfred Hitchcock’s Rope”  5/5 Stars 

"The General"

What happens when Johnny Gray's locomotive and love interest are stolen by Union soldiers? He pursues them through enemy lines and does anything he can to get his two loves back. This movie contains breathtaking stunts, intense action, romance, and brilliant comedy. While this movie is mainly a comedy, it is also a brilliant example of a chase film.

Buster Keaton is a master at all that he does. He practically invented dangerous physical comedy (for more on this, YouTube "Buster Keaton"). Not only does he star in this film, he also co-wrote and co-directed this film. I think that the comedy in silent cinema had something special that has been completely forgotten by most comedic filmmakers today.

This film is considered by many critics one of the greatest movies ever made, as well as being one of the funniest. I agree with everyone who says that this movie is a masterpiece! While the "silent" aspect of the film may be a turnoff to some, it really needs to be seen by everyone. I guarantee that once you have watched "The General" that you will have a new love for silent cinema.

For all you action fans out there, this film contains one of the greatest action scenes of all time. I can't tell you what it is because it will ruin the ending for you. Go watch and be amazed!

I recommend this film for everyone. If you don't like silent movies, get over it and give this a shot. It will change the way you look at silent films.

"The General"

4 out of 4 stars

Zombieland

In the zombie infested near future, a small group bands together to survive. I went into this film thinking it was going to be just another "Shaun of the Dead", a silly comedy mixed with thrills. "Zombieland" is a comedy, but one that is brilliant in other areas too. First of all, I think this film surpasses "Shaun of the Dead" and many other great comedies, and yes, including "The Hangover".


The acting in this movie is hilariously brilliant. Woody Harrelson steals every scene as Tallahassee, a funny charactor with a tough, redneck, outlaw persona. Think Rambo+Bruce Willis in "Die Hard" + Brad Pitt in "Inglourious Basterds"= Woody Harrelson. The movie also stars Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin.




The film has great cinematography. Its vivid colors contribute to making the movie look like a high budget blockbuster. It was simply brilliant to watch.

"Zombieland" contains one of the most creative openings in film history, in my opinion of course. Eisenberg's charactor narrates his rules to survival with hilarious footage. For example, Rule #1 is Cardio; as he discusses this this rule the film shows a large man and a zombie chasing each other and quickly ends with the man's demise. I do not want to give anymore of this film away but I will say that this film is one of the most entertaining movies of the year. Great!!


Recommended for anyone who can stand zombie violence and comedy.


"Zombieland"


4 out of 4 stars

Vaughn & Favreau Callaborations

1996's "Swingers" was the first collaboration for the two actors in the lead roles. Jon Favreau stars as Mike, a struggling comedian who is still getting over his last relationship. Vaughn plays Trent, a smooth talking "wannabe" actor who tries to help his pal get over his girl. He does that by bringing Mike out on the town over to rediscover himself.

This film is very funny and has a lot of heart in it. Vaughn and Favreau are such a great team and feed off each other brilliantly. The film's many great qualities blend together seamlessly to create a brilliantly hilarious film.

In 2001's "Made", Vince and Jon play two wannabe boxers who become involved in organized crime. This film had me laughing from beginning to end. Many critics were disappointed when this was released because it wasn't as good a "Swingers". I agree with half of that. "Swingers" is a better movie and "Made" is a funnier film. But I think that they are both great movies. Fast forward to 2009's "Couples Retreat". This film revolves around the lives of four couples that go away on a retreat to rediscover their love. It sounds like a sweet romance, but it is actually a romantic comedy mixed with a lot of raunchy humor. It isn't as good as "Swingers" or "Made" but it does have many great moments. The problem with this film lies in its pacing. The movie's actual plot doesn't actually kick in until after the first 30 minutes. While the next hour is full of brilliant comedy and great scenes, the last half hour seems to drag. The movie had a great ending, which makes up for the slow pace.

I look forward to the further collaborations of these two comedic geniuses. I recommend all three films to everyone who enjoys a good comedy.

"Swingers" (1996)

4 out of 4 stars

"Made" (2001)

4 out of 4 stars

"Couples Retreat" (2009)

3 out of 4 stars

Francis Ford Coppola's "Tetro"

Francis Ford Coppola is one of cinema's greatest directors. Most directors have at least one film that they are known for. Ask yourself this, what film is Francis Ford Coppola known for? It is nearly impossible to narrow it down to one.

Coppola first gained recognition in 1970 when he won an Oscar for writing the screenplay for the film "Patton." After a couple years of odd film jobs he was offered the chance to direct a film adaptation of a bestselling book. That film went on to be called"The Godfather", now considered by many the greatest American masterpiece of all time. This has for many years also been my favorite movie. "The Godfather" went on to win the Oscar for best picture. In 1974, he release two highly acclaimed films,"The Conversation" and "The Godfather Part II." Both films had multiple academy award nominations, and "The Godfather Part II" took home six Oscars including Best Picture of 1974. In the late 70's he finished the decade with the extraordinary war film "Apocalypse Now." Since the 70's he hasn't really created a hands down great film.

I think Francis Ford Coppola has finally found his voice again with this brilliant portrayal of a family torn apart by secrets. Roger Ebert says of Tetro, "The film is boldly operatic, involving family drama, secrets, generations at war, melodrama, romance and violence," and he is correct. The melodramatic struggle of the family reminds me of an old Italian Opera. Brothers that struggle over rivalry, family, and secrets. This film is surely masterful on many levels. Set in Argentina, with the reunion of two brothers, the story follows the rivalries born out of creative differences passed down through generations of an artistic Italian immigrant family.

The cinematography in this film is brilliant; beautiful black and white imagery brings out the emotion in all of the characters. The gritty streets of Buenos Aires remind me of the way Venice was portrayed in "The Third Man". Its dark corners and gloomy shadows are the highlight of the cinematography.

The acting in this film is splendid. I never have been a fan of Vincent Gallo until his performance as the title character. He blends brilliance and insanity into one of the year's best performances. Alden Caleb Ehrenreich plays opposite Gallo, and his characters innocence is portrayed in the childlike face of the actor. His performance should also be mentioned for its greatness. He reminds me of a young James Dean.

Overall, this film is brilliant. It is full of great images and acting. Francis Ford Coppola has made a film that I consider to be a masterpiece along the lines of a Fellini or Cassevettes film. Simply brilliant.

Francis Ford Coppola's Tetro

4 out of 4 stars

Quentin Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds"

"Once upon a time...In Nazi occupied France"

Writer/Director Quentin Tarantino has scored the jackpot with his new film, Inglourious Basterds. This film is described by Tarantino as a "Spaghetti Western but with World War II iconography." Picture The Dirty Dozen and The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly mixed into one film; that film would be Inglourious Basterds.
I actually found myself walking out of the theater saying "I liked this better than Pulp Fiction." Crazy considering that Pulp Fiction is one of my all-time favorite movies. But in reality, Pulp Fiction will always be my favorite.

This film has two main plots that tie into one explosive (literally) climax. Shoshanna is a young Jewish woman who uses her cinema as a chance for revenge against the Nazis for the murder of her family. Aldo Raine leads his group of "Basterds" across France to ruthlessly collect "100 dead Nazi scalps." The plots converge into one of the most insane, but entertaining climaxes that I have ever seen.

Quentin Tarantino sure knows how to craft a fine piece of great entertainment. After watching great direction, great acting, wonderful cinematography, Nazi heads being scalped, guns being fired, buildings getting destroyed, and Nazis being blown to bits, you can't help but feel satisfied. It is not the violence that is satifying, but the way that the story is told.

My favorite epic film, Sergio Leone's 1966 masterpiece The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly contains some of the greatest scenes ever filmed. The "Basterds"opening scene, among others, makes homage to that film. In Leone's film, there is a scene in which "The Bad", played by Lee Van Cleef, slowly rides onto the property of a Mexican family. The beautiful desert scenery is accompanied by Ennio Morricone's memorable score. The opening scene in "Basterds" is pretty much the same. The gorgeous scenery of the rolling French fields is backed by the same Ennio Morricone music which Tarantino has greatly reused. That is just one of the brilliant things about this movie.

The topic that has been brought up about this movie is its strong graphic violence that is meant for laughter. The scalping of the Nazis is very realistic but is still hilarious because of the over the top acting from the characters. The violence reminds me of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, especially the scene with the black knight. Brad Pitts character also graphically carves a swastika in the forehead of the Nazis that he allows to survive. Eli Roth plays the borderline psychopath Bostoner that uses a baseball bat to beat his enemies, the scenes are graphic but hilarious. I couldn't help but feel disturbed at myself for laughing at some of these scenes, but me being a history nerd, I think that the Nazis deserve eveything they got.

Quentin Tarantino is known for his love and passion for movies. It is not surprising to me that the movie's climax takes place at a cinema. He uses his love for movies to guide his way throughout the picture while paying homage to many different movies that inspire him.

I recommend this film to anyone who can handle the graphic violence. It is not as graphic as Steven Speilberg's Saving Private Ryan, but is still very graphic. The movie is great but can be too much for some. But then again, this is a Tarantino flick, just by hearing the name you should be warned. This is my pick for the best film I have seen this year.

Inglourious Basterds

4 out of 4 scalps

La Strada: The Films of Federico Fellini (Part II)

(It is impossible to write about this film without including spoilers.)

"La Strada" is Fellini's first major masterpiece. As I discussed before, his first solo film,"White Sheik," was very entertaining to me, it still failed as a commercial success when it was released. It took Federico a couple of films to make himself an international success. "La Strada" is the film that began the success of Fellini.

Released in 1954 to raves and awards, this Italian Neorealist drama is considered by many as one of the greatest films ever made. When childish Gelsomina (Giulietta Massina) is sold by her impoverish mother to the brutal Zampano (Anthony Quinn), she begins a fateful journey that will forever change her life. Zampano makes his living by traveling Italy as a "Strongman" performer. Stopping in different towns to entertain the crowds. She is sold to the brutal Zampano to become his assistant. He is a man full of hatefullness and violence, and does not want any friends. Gelsomina is a warmhearted young women who is always treated with disrespect by her master. The charactor of Gelsomina reminds me of an italian Charlie Chaplin. Full of love but is not cared for by others.

Italian Neorealism is a film theme that deals with the poor and working class and mostly deals with the difficult economical and moral conditions of post-World War II Italy, reflecting the changes in the minds of Italians and the conditions that they face in everyday life, like poverty and desperation.

The title of "La Strada" is is translated into english as "The Road." The road being a metaphor for life, and the places that we go and the people that we meet. Gelsomina represents the goodness in all, while Zampano represents the hate in all of us.

Their way of travel is by a motorcycle/trailer. They pull of on the side of the road and set up camp, usually on the outskirts of town. Gelsomina begins to love Zampano, trying to help him change his ways. He continuously treats her like a piece of property, telling her what to do and not do. Eventually she leaves Zampano and wonders into town and witnesses an act of another entertainer nicknamed "The Fool." The Fool specializes in being a high-wire artist and clown. Right off the bat we notice that he is full of kind-heartedness towards Gelsomina.

Zampano wonders back into town forces Gelsomina to return to him. We learn that Zampano and The Fool have known each other for years and have not been known to be friends. The Fool and Zampano come to realize that they are going to be performing at the same circus. During Zampano's act, the Fool torments Zampano, Zampano's anger leads them both to be fired and jailed. The Fool is released from jail first and shows Gelomina that there are alternatives in her life that she can do to be happy. He tells her not to leave Zampano because everything has a purpose. After their conversation, the Fool departs and leaves town. Gelsomina now realizes that she need to continue to love and care for Zampano, even though he is the way he is. Her spirits are high.

After a few days of travel, they come across the fool again. He is on the side of the road changing a flat tire. Zampano torments the Fool. The Fool just laughs back at Zampano, which leads to Zampano throwing a punch at him. After only punching him twice, Zampano stops and walks away. Gelsomina witnesses the entire event. As the Fool is walking away, he becomes dizzy and falls on the ground. Gelsomina runs over to him and realizes that he is dead. Zampano's strength killed him. While Zampano didn't mean to kill him, he still doesn't want to get in trouble, he tries to cover up what he has done. Gelsomina spirits have now been broken. The only person who ever cared about her being happy, is now dead. She begins a period of sadness and heartbreak. Her sadness eventually leads to Zampano feeling guilty. Unable to deal with her sadness and his guilt, he leaves her one night while she is sleeping. Zampano never sees her again.

After five or six years, Zampano is still performing his same old act. One day after the act he is walking down the street and hears a familiar tune. It is a tune that Gelsomina used to always play on her trumpet. He stops and talks to the women humming it. He asks her where she had heard the tune from. She tells him that about four years ago they saw a sad, heartbroken young women laying on the shore humming the tune. The towns folk took her in to try and help her, but after a brief period of time she became gravely ill and died. After hearing this Zampano walks away in a state of shock. After finding himself a bar, he gets uncontrollably drunk and is thrown out. A depressed Zampano wanders out to the beach, falls into the sand and begins weeping. The film ends with a shot of him laying face down in the sand.

This film has such a powerful ending. After hearing the story about Gelsomina he begins to regret everything he has ever done bad in his life. All this time he truly loved Gelsomina and cared for her, but never realized it until that moment.He lost all the love he had in his life. He realizes that he has pushed everyone that cared about him away. He realizes that he needs to repent and change his ways. Gelsomina's purpose was to change the the life of a horrific man, and at the cost, he does change.

"La Strada" the most powerful movie that I have ever seen. It is truly my new favorite film. It was the first winner on the Best Foreign Film Oscar. Federico Fellini went on to make many other masterpieces, but I consider La Strada to be his finest. Everyone should see this landmark movie.

Federico Fellini's "La Strada"

4 out of 4 stars

The White Sheik: The Films of Federico Fellini (Part One)

"The White Sheik"

1951

Italian

Directed by: Federico Fellini

This post is the first in a series of posts dedicated to Federico Fellini. In my opinion, Fellini is one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, and is certainly the greatest to come out of Italy. He has directed masterpieces such as, "La Strada","La Dolce Vita", and "8 1/2" along with other timeless films. I first came across Federico Fellini while watching Woody Allen films. Woody referenced Fellini in most of his movies. I wanted to find out what the big deal about this guy was. I rented "La Strada" and was completely blown away by what I saw. Within a month I had viewed most of his films, and enjoy continued viewings. I decided I would love to review the films of one of the greatest filmmakers ever. I will be reviewing five or six Fellini films over the next few posts, beginning with his first solo project, "The White Sheik."

This was one of only a few Fellini films that I had never seen. This film was released in 1951 to not so great reviews. The plot of the film is about the comedic trials of a newlywed couple on their honeymoon. The husband plans a honeymoon for his wife in Rome with an itinerary that includes meeting up with his family to visit the pope. Right off the bat we notice that the bride is not at all interested in the honeymoon, but someone else, "The White Sheik." Sheik is a fictional comic book character that local filmmakers are making a movie about. She considers the character her prince charming. She sneaks away to visit the movie set and maybe a visit with her "White Sheik." It becomes an adventure for her. Meanwhile the husband begins a hilarious quest to find his wife. The story is unraveled in a heartwarming and satisfying conclusion.

I enjoyed this film greatly. It is not a masterpiece like "La Strada", or "8 1/2" but it is still a very engaging movie. This movie has a great screenplay full of wit and great characters. When the film was released the critics complained that Fellini's film was a failed attempt at gag comedy. I don't consider this film a gag comedy - it has too much heart to be just to be a gag. While watching this film I can see how it has influenced today's modern romantic comedies without the filmmakers even realizing it. The events that the husband faces are some of the most hilarious scenes that I have seen.

After the husband realizes his wife is missing, he frantically searches the hotel. While checking the lobby, he notices that his family is in the seating area to meet him and his new wife. When his family begins asking him about his wife, sweating begins, and he struggles to think of an excuse of why his wife is not with him. This scene just made me laugh so hard because it is full of awkwardness.

I recommend this film to everyone. Just remember that it is in Italian, so I hope that you won't mind subtitles.

"The White Sheik"

4 out of 4 stars

Choke (Super Quick Review)

I try not to waste my time writing about horrible movies. I started my "Super Quick Reviews" in order to write real quickly about these kind of movies. I loved Palahniuk's book, which is full of dark humor and wonderful writing. The movie is horrible! It throws away black comedy from the book with goofy humor. Could have been amazing. The only good thing in this is Sam Rockwell as the lead. Watch "Frost/Nixon." A great movie with him in it.

"Choke"

1 out of 4 stars

Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince

I was really bummed out when this movies release date was pushed back. I have been a Harry Potter fan since the first book was released, and I for the most part have enjoyed all the movies. My only problem with each film is how much they leave out from the book. Don't get me wrong, I know how adapting books into movies work. It is nearly impossible to fit the story into a movie that is not six hours long, so along the way certain things have to be cut. But that doesn't mean I'm not annoyed by it.



With all that said, I really liked this movie. I saw it the second night of its release. I had really high expectations for this film, and was excited to see it. While I was walking out, I was really disappointed in certain areas of the film (For reasons why, re-read the first paragraph), but later I changed my mind. I was really impressed with this as a movie.



I really enjoyed the dark tone of the picture. It looks as if the colors were lightly saturated to give us a cold feeling. The promotional posters of the movie are very true to the look and the feel of the film. Though it wasn't a good adaptation of the book, it was a very good Harry Potter movie.



The acting in the movie was surprisingly amazing. The scene stealing star of this movie is Tom Felton aka Draco Malfoy. The intensity of the character is acted out well. I used to consider Tom a very annoying actor, but after this film I was greatly mistaken. The other actors are great, and are looking much older than they did in 2001.



Overall, this movie is very good. Full of wonderful acting, great scenery, nail-biting suspense, and romance, well kind of. See this movie if you are a Harry Potter fan. This movie really makes us look forward to the last two movies.



"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince"



3.5 out of 4 stars

Paul Blart: Mall Cop (Super Quick Review)

Kevin James is funny in this. The problem is with everything else. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone. Not very good at all. The first 30 minutes are OK, but the last hour is terrible. I felt like I was hooked in to watching this because of Kevin James. I found my self being dragged through it.

Paul Blart: Mall Cop

1 out of 4 stars

"New In Town"

I went into this movie thinking it was going to be a simple romantic comedy. I'm of those guys that enjoys romantic comedies, but this movie was more then that. It was deeper then others of the genre. After my viewing of this movie I was somewhat disappointed. In most films the flaws are easy to get over. However, in this film they were not.

The plot of the film is very simple. A corporate, city girl is ordered by her boss to downsize a plant in a small town in Minnesota. The trouble is that she falls for the local union leader. This film could have been a very good movie, instead of a OK movie, but its flaws ruin it.

The main flaw for me is there are a lot of awkward scenes that are suppose to be funny but are not. I actually think the film worked better with its dramatic scenes then its funny ones. I thought the actual plot of the movie took far too long to get rolling, but when it did it was great. I actually forgave the film for its earlier flaws. That is until the end. The movie did not have the resolution it should have had. The film just kind of ended without us knowing for sure what was happening to the characters. I would have taken 10 minutes off the beginning and put it at the end.

I don't hate this movie. The film's more positive areas are very good. The casting is perfect. Renee Zellweger plays the lead roll. She comes off selfish but likable. Harry Connick, Jr. is also great as her love interest. The role that deserves the most praise is the role of the plant foreman, played by the hysterically brilliant actor J.K Simmons. Simmons is in my opinion one of the most underrated actors around, playing in TNT's "The Closer," and also in "Burn After Reading."

Overall this movie is very watchable, but not as good as it could have been. I recommend it for those who won't mind being a little disappointed.

New In Town

2.5 out of 4 stars

"Valkyrie"

I had looked forward to this movie for a long time, but ended up avoiding it because of negative reviews during its release. I decided to rent it and watch with an open mind. It wasn't a perfect movie, but it was very entertaining. While it succeeds as a history lesson, it also succeeds as a thriller. You are literally on the edge of your seat the entire movie, even though most people know the ending. Is it disappointing that the Germans have British accents? Yes. Is it annoying that Cruise doesn't even try and pull off a German accent? Yes. That still doesn't stop this movie from being the movie it was meant to be.

While this film does have its flaws, it is still pretty good. I recommend it!

"Valkyrie"

3 out of 4 stars

Tropic Thunder

I don't know why it took me so long to see this movie. I am so glad I did. I thought I was just seeing a funny movie, but it turned out to be a comic war-action extravaganza. Like great action movies, this movie contains great action sequences. Like a great war movie, the violence is relentless. Let's not forget that this was also one of the funniest movies of 2008

The movie contains many great performances, some even Oscar worthy. Writer-Producer-Director Ben Stiller leads this stellar cast. Jack Black plays a high strung white version of Eddie Murphy. Robert Downey Jr. plays the 5 time academy award winner, an Australian man who lives out his characters lives, actually surgically becoming an African American soldier. Lets not forget Matthew McConaughey, Nick Nolte and many other "A" list stars. The highlight performance in this movie isn't the lead actors, but a performance that is a total of about 10 minutes of screen time, Tom Cruise as Les Grossman. Les Grossman is the vile, rude, crude, and violent studio executive. He steals every scene he is in. Downey Jr. was nominated for an Oscar for this film, I believe Cruise should have been nominated also.

This film isn't a masterpiece, but that doesn't mean its not great Entertainment. It's full of action, comedy and great sets. Entertainment at it's best!

Tropic Thunder

4 Out of 4 stars

Bicycle Thieves: Criterion Collection Review # 1

Bicycle Thieves
Director: Vittorio De Sica
1948
93 minutes
Italian

Criterion Spine # 374

This is my first Criterion Collection Film review, and will not be my last. I have been collecting this collection for a few years now and have always wanted to review them. For more information on Criterion, visit them here http://www.criterion.com.

In postwar Italy, a man struggling to find work finally gets a job offer - riding his bike around town to hang advertising posters along the side of buildings. Everything seems to be going his way, until the day his bike is stolen. Discouraged and fearful of being terminated, he and his wide eyed son walk the streets looking for the thieves. Though this film has a very simple plot, it is full of great emotion. The relationship between the father and son is brilliant to watch. I don't want to ruin the ending, but it is one of the most realistic and powerful in film.

This was a very good movie. My only problem with this film was that it was slow in some parts, but thankfully not enough to take away from the film's meaning and greatness. I think this film was great, but not as great as some other Italian films, such as Fellini's La Strada, and 8 1/2. I would recommend this movie to everyone who love father and son stories and also to anyone who wants to see good picture. Brilliant acting and direction are other highlights of Bicycle Thieves.


Bicycle Thieves

3.5 out of 4 stars

"I was struck by lightning once..." The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons.

The first time I had ever heard of this movie was about 8 months before it was released. I thought the premise was very interesting and really wanted to see it. I am a huge fan of the film's director, David Fincher, who is one of the most underrated filmmakers of all time. With films like "Fight Club", "Seven" and "Zodiac" to his record, he has become one of the most acclaimed filmmakers of all time. All of his movies contain a quality that is rarely seen in movies today. Brilliant but quiet special effects, engaging charactors, and great story telling.

I waited until the DVD was released to watch this film. I am a Criterion Collection supporter and bought their edition of the film. When I was finished watching, I was blown away. This was one of the most powerful movies I have ever seen. The narrative is brilliantly told. A man is born an old man and dies a baby. How much more interesting can that get?



The special effects of this movie are groundbreaking. The appearance of Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett throughout the movie looks incredibly realistic. This was by far one of the greatest films that I have ever seen. I don't want to give much more away. See it!

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

4 out of 4 stars

"Space, The Final Frontier."

As a child, I remember my parents watching Star Trek: The Next Generation. I was always fascinated with the series and found myself watching the reruns after the show ended in 1994. When I was nine or so I began to watch the Shatner crew. Up until that point in my life I thought the Next Generation crew was the only cast.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture was my introduction to the Original crew. This film blew me away! Within a few weeks, I became obsessed with the original Enterprise crew.

It has been ten years since my first introduction with Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Now I consider myself a true Trekkie. I have seen every episode of the original series many times and still enjoy viewing of the film series.

I have been looking forward to this new Star Trek for at least a year and a half. I have always been a fan of the film's director, J.J. Abrams, and his hit T.V. show "Lost". I had hoped that this film would re-launch the Star Trek franchise, the same way that "Casino Royale" did for James Bond, and "Batman Begins" did for Batman.

I planned to see this movie at Imax and went last Saturday. Not only did this film exceed my expectations, I left thinking that this was one of the best movies I have ever seen. I went and saw this film with my girlfriend. She is not at all interested in Sci-Fi films, so I hoped that it would be somewhat entertaining for her. The second the film ended, she told me that it was her new favorite movie. I was so proud of what J.J Abrams did to this film.

The casting was brilliant. Chris Pine takes over the role of James T. Kirk with great success. He brings his own touch and toughness to the role. William Shatner's Kirk ego still shows, but without being an imitation of him. The reason for Kirk's rebellion throughout the franchise is finally explained in this film. The role of Spock is played very convincingly by Zachary Quinto, well known for his role in the series "Heroes." He was also wonderful in the role that is world renown. He brings the level of seriousness and intensity needed for the character of Spock; a character who is dealing with the inner conflict of self discovery. Karl Urban portrays Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy, the doctor who really hates space. Urban in my opinion deserves an Oscar Nomination for his role in this. He doesn't even seem to be acting. His passionate, sometimes difficult or irritating attitude is brilliant to watch. We learn how McCoy gets "Bones" as a nickname. Urban is a brilliant supporting actor, and steals every scene he is in. Another great performance to watch is Simon Pegg as Scotty. He brings the comical personality of the chief engineer. There are many other great performances in the movie, including a great cameo by Leonard Nimoy! This film balances intense action and hilarious dialogue.

The music of this film is amazing! Instead of using the Jerry Goldsmith theme, which was also the theme of The Next Generation, composer Michael Giacchino used the original series' extraordinary theme music. The music is a vital part of the emotional experience in this movie.

Overall this is one of the most exciting films released in years, with great performances to accompany it. The special effects are brilliant and the music is extraordinary. I did not want to give the plot away but let me just say that it is very satisfying. This film exceeded all expectations that I had for it. It is simply a sci-fi masterpiece.

Star Trek

4 Out of 4 stars

The Godfather: Coppola Restoration

In the early 70's, The Godfather and The Godfather Part II exploded on the silver screen. The films dominated the box office as well as the Academy Awards, winning Best Picture in 1972 and 1974 respectively. The films brought Marlon Brando out of an acting slump. Al Pacino, James Caan, Talia Shire, Robert Duvall, and Diane Keaton were now at the top of the "A" list of Stars. Robert De Niro won his first Oscar for his performance in the second film. Francis Ford Coppola went from living off of nothing to being one of the greatest directors of all time. Over the last 30 years, both films have stood the test of time, but the negatives have not been so lucky. The images have become so faded that we do not know what the original film looked like in its full glory. Until now...

Francis Ford Coppola returned to his two greatest cinematic achievements to begin a restoration that would last years. He turned to Robert A. Harris to lead the restoration project. Harris' previous projects include Lawrence of Arabia, Spartacus, My Fair Lady, Vertigo, and Rear Window. Harris and his team begin a process that lasted many years. The end result is far more than fans could have ever hoped for.

The Coppola Restoration includes the '72 and '74 films, as well as the third film which was released in 1990. The Godfather Part III is a very well made film but doesn't quite reach the heights the first two did. I bought my Coppola Restoration a few weeks after it was released and was excited to see the finished product. I was completely blown away!

The picture is one of the greatest restorations that I have ever seen. The original negative was extremely faded and the colors were not vivid. Now you see every color for all it's worth. The picture is full of rich reds and yellows. The dark scenes are more clear and the outside shots look as if they are actually outside. The entire picture has been restored to a digital look. The sound has also been remastered to a 5.1 surround sound format. This film has never looked or sounded better.

This link include some more great information about the release. You can also scroll down and see pictures comparing the original negative with the restored negative.

http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/34769/godfather-the-coppola-restoration-giftset-the/

This wonderful set includes: All three films in addition to two extra discs full of special features! This set is sure to be a hit with any Godfather fan...buy your copy today!

The Godfather Restoration

4 out of 4 stars

Picture courtesy of Google images