Entry # 5: The last time I say the Entry #.

On Monday I watched 4 movies at home and on Tuesday I went to 6 in theatres. This means that the following 10 reviews are going to be rather short and not my best work...


Love & Death
"Typical Woody Allen" humor, which means it is a definite acquired taste. I enjoyed it, but I would only recommend it to existing fans. Imagine if Woody Allen were to direct one of Mel Brooks' movies. Clever. Cute. My favorite thing about Woody Allen is that no matter what time period the movie is in, he always plays the same character and wears those same glasses. You would think that seeing him play basically himself in every movie would get old, but it never does.


Evil Dead 2
How can anyone critique this? It's the epitome of a "B" movie. Everything was so bad that it became so incredibly kick-ass. Bruce Cambell's over-dramatic crazy-eye acting was awesome. The script was terrible. It didn't matter. It was a definite experience. As it was pointed out to me before I watched it, there were a lot of really great shots. The coolest would probably be when the camera chased Cambell through the entire house. What an experience.

Interiors
Probably my favorite of Woody Allen's full-fledged dramas. It was very character driven, but scenery was extremely pivotal (hence the title). I would love to read someone else's in depth analysis on this movie, because I don't feel like writing one.

Repo-Man
This movie is just one big party. It might be cheesy, but it is certainly entertaining. I really need to watch it again to catch all of the great quotes (or so I'm told). The best part, for me, was it's strange connection with Grease. There was one scene that was almost identical and they have very similar endings. A definite fun time.

21
This is one of those movies that I find hard to critique. It is no cinematic masterpiece, but it's fun to watch. I was never bored. Typical Hollywood flick. Most people I've talked to really enjoyed it, so I guess you have to look past some of the terrible dialogue and just enjoy yourself. I find it amusing that they couldn't name it after the book (Bringing Down the House) because Queen Latifah and Steve Martin stole that title a few years back (God, I think I might actually own that movie). Jim Sturgess was pretty good with the American accent, but I think he should stick to Liverpool. It suits him.

The Year My Parents Went on Vacation
A nice little story, but nothing I would rush to watch again. The little boy, played by Michel Joelsas, was adorable but nothing else really sticks out after all of the movies I watched that day.

Semi-Pro
I'll admit, better than I had expected. These Will Ferrell movies are starting to get old, but they still make you laugh out loud. The best part was that it didn't center around Will Ferrell's character, but rather around the basketball team. It's a renter.

The Counterfeiters
I feel that this film won Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars this year because of the subject matter. It is about a concentration camp that ran the largest counterfeiting operation in history. The acting is incredible and it is an over-all decent film, but it did not awe me.

The Bank Job
I did not enjoy the first half of this movie at all; just an average bank robbery movie. As it progressed it became more interesting, but it was not enough to save the movie as a whole. It either needed some comedy or a bit more drama. I guess they couldn't accomplish that, because it is "based on a true story". There is a reason why writers make things up... Sometimes the truth is dull.

Run Fatboy Run
Definitely enjoyable, but with such a strong cast and writers I feel like it could have been better. It is light-hearted, cute, and managed to hold my attention after the 5 movies I watched prior to it, but I wouldn't run out and see it. It's one to enjoy on the couch.



Today is Day 1 of the Film Festival! I already have a pretty good idea about what I'm going to see and I intend on reviewing them all. I'll try not to do them all at once like I did here, so that they turn out a little better.

Fun Fact: Did you know Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom takes place BEFORE Raiders of the Lost Ark?

Entry # 4: Drillbit Taylor

The one and only reason I was enthused about seeing Drillbit Taylor was because it features my future husband, Josh Peck. Leaving the movie, he was the only thing I remembered. It wasn't because he gave some superb performance (he was barely in it), it was merely the fact that I'm in love with him and he is gorgeous. When I first left the movie I was a little disappointed. "Seth Rogan, what the hell? You co-wrote that?" (Seth Rogan is 2nd in line to be my husband, by the way.) Don't get me wrong, the movie wasn't bad. I laughed out loud a good number of times (which could have been embarrassing considering the fact that there were only five other people in the theatre and no one else was laughing), it was just a bit of a let down coming from Apatow, who seemed to have super powers this summer. After this wave of disappointment passed, I realized something... This movie was what is was. It wasn't trying to appeal to me, that's what Superbad was for. This was Superbad for the kids who aren't old enough to get into Superbad. The characters Ryan, Wade and Emmett were just Seth, Evan, and Fogell four years earlier. The characters were identical. Once I realized what they were going for, I was able to appreciate the movie a bit more.

Coming Soon...
Colin (The Bossman) has lent me five films so I will write about those once I watch them. Tomorrow, Colin (The Lasher) and I are attempting to see six movies in one day to break my previous record. I'm pretty confident. I don't know what we are seeing, but the reviews will come. Jeez, Spring Break would be so dull and movie-less without The Colins.

Entry #3: Funny Bruges

Funny Games
Let me start off by saying that I read a review the other day and it said exactly what I wanted to, but I'll still take a whack at sharing my opinion. I did a lot of research on this movie before seeing it, so I knew what I was getting into, but I took two friends who had no idea what was coming. While I had a great time, they were not too pleased with me when it was over. I will do here what I did not do for them and prepare you for the intense ride that is Funny Games... In case you haven't heard it, let me fill you in on the film's history. In 1997 Michael Haneke made a German horror film by the name of Funny Games. Ten years later he decided to make the exact same movie in English. I've not seen the original, but from what I understand it's basically the same movie shot-for-shot. I love how his idea of American-izing it is taking English actors and making them do American accents. (I must say, though, that Naomi Watts and Tim Roth rock those hearty accents every time.) I'm always looking for that perfect blend of fantastic artful direction and scare-the-shit-out-of-you horror. This really did it for me. The intensity is so powerful and Michael Pitt and Brady Corbet are breathtakingly terrifying. The long shots make your heart stop with anticipation, and are carried out by such impressive acting. Naomi Watts manages to captivate the audience in a 10 minute shot without saying a word. It really takes a B movie concept and pushes it to the next level. One of the characters often speaks directly to the audience, which some may view as a cop-out, but I find it thought-provoking (for lack of a much better word). As the review I read (and tried my best not to copy) said: "I would not recommended this movie to everyone. It is a definite required taste." It's been said to have a Kubrick-style, so take what you will from that. Anyone who would make this movie twice has to be a bit screwy.

In Bruges
About halfway through the movie I thought to myself "My opinion on this film is going to rest solely on the ending. I know it already." I, of course, was correct. The movie moseys along with some good laughs and dramatic moments; it fits the mold of "dark comedy" pretty well. It reminds me a bit of The Ice Harvest (To be honest, I don't even remember what that movie is about. For some reason my brain connected the two and I feel that thought should be shared.) When the movie ended I was overly pleased; which is a tad silly if you know the ending. I think I enjoyed it so much was because it was set up so perfectly, even obviously, and I still didn't see it coming. I figured it out about 5 minutes ahead of time, but looking back it was so pronounced! It is hard to give my fill opinion without spoiling the end, and the ending makes the movie, so go see it for yourself and we can talk about it. Two things that allowed me to connect with the movie personally: 1) The continuous mention of Herve Villechaize! 2) They played "That Time" by Regina Spektor.

Entry #2: Review of The Matador

The Matador

Well, it seems I am about two years late in viewing this movie, but better late than never...

My mom recommended this to me (which should have been an immediate red flag). She thought I would like it, because it's "my kind of movie". After watching it, I suppose she considered it would be my type (which I think in her mind means "artsy") because of the occasional impressive shot and the giant colorful font that popped on the screen whenever Pierce Brosnan was in a new city. Now, I can see why Pierce was nominated for a Golden Globe and then snubbed at the Oscars, because how many times have we seen a killer/assassin/mobster/hitman/tough guy/whatever learn the error of their ways? Hey kids, don't kill people, because you'll live a friendless existence that involves lots of meaningless sex and copious amounts of alcohol!

Honestly, it's not as though there was room for the movie to be better. It lived up to it's potential. The movie had a clear beginning and middle, and the start of an end (I really like how they tied all of them together), but there was no ending to the end. I was not at all satisfied. The whole thing was predictable and besides getting to see James Bond jump around in a cheer leader costume, I was bored. That's another thing... Was he gay? Was there some weird joke I was missing? It seemed throughout that movie that he was over-compensating by sleeping with all these teenage girls, but since they never explained it, I'm going to assume I read too much into the painted toe nails... And how aroused he got when the male bartender shook his margarita. (Pierce never was one for stirred, was he? Alright, bad Bond joke.) I was really surprised to learn that the Writer/Director, Richard Shepard, also write and directed "The Hunting Party", which I thoroughly enjoyed. I'm definitely impressed by his growth as a filmmaker over the course of two years. On an acting note...

Dear Greg Kinnear... I enjoy your work, but I don't think I've seen you play anything other than the loser guy (ex, "Little Miss Sunshine" & "Feast of Love"). Even in your best role ("As Good As It Gets") you played a sad sack (you expanded a little with the gay element, though. Kudos.)

The best part of this movie was by far Hope Davis. Her subtle comedy was beyond hysterical and it was a shame she was only featured for about 30 minutes.

So, if for some reason you've been dying to see "The Matador" (although I'm sure you would have already), then I guess give it a try. It you're like me and could give a damn whether or not you see it, don't waste your time. It's 3/4 of a dramedy you can afford to miss.

Entry # 1: Not Livejournal. My First Reviews.

At the suggestion of Brian (Film Festival employee/"Blog Buddy") I have decided to venture into the world of non-myspace blogging. I really need someplace to write my movie "reviews" (or any other opinion I deem important) that doesn't revolve around all of my friends (and admittedly, sometimes myself) bitching and releasing all of that cursed teen angst.

So, here I am. An official "modern blogger"...


To begin my first ever blogspot experience, I shall give a quick review of the three movies I saw this week. Since I enjoyed them all, my first blog will probably not be my most enjoyable to read.

Penelope:
A definite surprise. The previews did not do it justice. You, of course, have to accept the fact that a girl can be born with a pig nose (ah, the joys of creative writing). The director, Mark Palansky, had a very Tim Burton-esque style. (Think more "Big Fish" than "Edward Scissorhands".) The best part would have to be the excessive amounts of James Macavoy and the absence of Johnny Depp. (I shouldn't throw in my personal opinions on JD. Whoops.) It was also nice to see Reese Witherspoon in a new (yet rather small) type of role. My biggest (and really only) issue with the movie was that Christina Ricci was so darn adorable with the pig nose that it was really hard to believe why everyone was so horrified by her face. She rocked the nose a little too well. On a different note, the sets were absolutely incredible. Penelope's room alone was captivating. I'll wrap it up with a definite recommendation for those who enjoy cute feel good movies. It probably won't leave you with the same warm fuzzies Juno did, but it's a definite glimmer of hope after 27 Dresses.

The Other Boleyn Girl:
Let me start off by saying that there is no other movie with a more attractive cast. Natalie Portman. Scarlett Johansson. Eric Bana. Jim Sturges. Mmmm. I really enjoyed it. Now, it could have been because of my recent found love for Elizabeth I and how I was curious about how she came to be born, or it could have been because it was an interesting movie. The storyline was very intriguing and not at all slow-moving (as many period pieces are). My favorite scene is what I like to refer to as "The Uncomfortable Scene" (ah! incest!). The acting in that one scene alone blew me away. We were all on the edge of our seats, biting our fingers, hoping they wouldn't go through with it. They make the audience feel just as uncomfortable as they are, but not in a bad-horror-movie sort of way; in an emotional way. My main issue with the film would be costumes and make-up. I felt like they forgot to put foundation on Natalie, because her face was a little too shiny at some points. (A silly thing to judge, but a little too noticeable). The costumes were fine, but at times too distracting. The head pieces that some of the women wore looked like tacky Christmas Tree toppers. Also, throughout the movie Natalie and Scarlett would wear the same dresses in different colors. I get that they were trying to convey their closeness, but it felt a little too Mary-Kate & Ashley. Overall, I enjoyed the movie but I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. It's not a "chick flick", but it's also not one I would send a guy to.

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day:
I'm not going to lie... I teared up in the end. It was just the epitome of cute. I had such a fun time watching it. Both Francis McDormand and Amy Adams were great. Amy Adams has such an amazing grasp on comedy. She plays the cute/oblivious so well. If you haven't see Junebug, go rent it asap to understand. The only word that continues to come to mind for this one is "cute". (I think it's because it's 1am and my brain is no longer allowing the critique function to work.) Character development is such an important aspect of film (which so many writers seem to forget these days), and I enjoyed watching their 24 hour transformation. The whole concept is a little far-fetched, but if we can believe in a girl with a pig nose, we can believe that a homeless woman can become a fancy "Social Secretary" overnight.

Tis all for now.