nickmesafilms Reviews

Hitchcock (2012)

Hitchcock (2012) - Call Me "Hitch", Drop the...

[7/10 · 3 February 2013]

Originally planning to be released in 2013, but was then pushed back to November of 2012 for Oscar buzz, "Hitchcock" is a biographical drama about one of Hollywood's influential filmmakers, Alfred Hitchcock, and his experience in the making of his biggest success, "Psycho", while trying to fix his troubled marriage with Alma Reville, played by Helen Mirren. While the movie focuses on the "behind-the-scenes" of "Psycho" aspect, the film's main focus is actually a love story between two troubled people, whose marriage is falling apart due to the rags and riches of Hollywood. Although this quickly paced 98-minute feature is fun and entertaining, there is sadly not a lot that reaches the level at being perfect. But, to start on a positive note, director Sacha Gervasi delivers a lot of style to this material, and this making it a true story, makes the film a lot more fun and interesting. Although the makeup provided for Hopkins to transform into Hitchcock is great, but far from being accurate, the 75-year old actor disappears into the character, and is hardly recognizable. He got the right actions, motives, and looks provided to re-portray Hitchcock, although he still kept a broad tone throughout. But the performance that actually impressed me the most was Helen Mirren's take on Alma Reville. As always, she delivers all her professional acting traits to create this broken character, with tons of strong moments that make the film a lot more interesting. It's just a shame that Mirren wasn't recognized by the Academy for her underrated performance. The supporting cast features Toni Collette, Danny Huston, Jessica Biel, Michael Stuhlbarg, Ralph Macchio, and two-stand out performances from Scarlett Johansson and James D'Arcy who both respectively do a rather excellent job at recreating the two main stars of "Psycho", Janet Leigh and Anthony Perkins. But besides a talented cast, and an interesting premise, this film's delivery in telling the story is somewhat weak. The film just meanders from one scene to the next with little motivation to move the plot along. It's definitely noticeable in some scenes, when most of them feel a little forced and carries less purpose to the story. We even start to wonder if those scenes were even necessary to add in. Although the supporting cast has intriguing performances, they are sadly given little to say or do for the entire movie, with little character development with no reason why we should care about them. But the film saves itself with it's fascinating plot, decent visual style, and great performances from a talented cast. But there's really nothing remarkable in store here. But this is still a fun film if you want to know more about the comeback of the Master of Suspense. "Hitchcock", in my review, "fascinatingly entertaining, but nothing incredible".

Django Unchained (2012)

Django Unchained (2012) - The "D" is Silent!

[10/10 · 21 January 2013]

Written and directed by the one and only Quentin Tarantino, "Django Unchained" is a spaghetti western satire set in the South, during the time of slavery. But at it's scope, this is yet another gruesomely violent, expertly written, and incredibly entertaining masterpiece from the man that brought us "Pulp Fiction" and "Reservoir Dogs". Jamie Foxx stars as the title character, an African-American slave who is suddenly freed by a former dentist turned bounty-hunter, played by Christoph Waltz, whom turns Django in as a bounty-hunter, as they both team up to track down and kill some of the town's biggest menaces for a quick reward. During their progress, these two hunters then set out to help free Django's enslaved wife, played by Kerry Washington, from the clutches of a villainous plantation owner, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, and his trusted house slave, played by Samuel L. Jackson. Everything about this movie is what you already would have expected in a film by Tarantino. The witty and well-written dialogue, the certain choices of soundtrack, and the incredible directing are all nothing but masterful, as the accomplished director delivers yet another masterpiece in his long-life career as a filmmaker. Say whatever you want about his personal life, but this is one of Hollywood's most beloved filmmakers, delivering such a love for cinema in nearly every film he makes. Now, this movie might create controversy with some viewers, as it delivers more uses of the "N-word" in any film ever, and to make things even more disturbing, it's used in a film where the main topic involves the era of slavery. Tarantino was not trying to glorify any of the brutal attacks or language portrayed in the film, but instead uses it as a way to recreate the environment of that time in history, and how it affects people today. But, while you can still take the topic of slavery seriously, this is also one of the funniest movies of 2012. Just like in all of his films, the humor just gets better and better, making the movie a lot more entertaining all on it's own. Appearing in yet another Tarantino performance, after his Oscar-winning work in "Inglourious Basterds", Christoph Waltz delivers another convincing performance, still succeeds at delivering great Tarantino dialogue. His recent Oscar nomination for this film is rightfully deserving, but it's strange that he was put in the supporting category, when he has more screen-time than anyone else in the film. Jamie Foxx is just as remarkable as the former slave turned bounty-hunter, delivering some of the film's most memorable moments. Leonardo DiCaprio delivers one of the most menacing performances of his career, and he's easily the most interesting character. It's a real shame that he was snubbed by the Academy for his vicious but charismatic performance as Calvin Candie, a ruthless plantation owner. Tarantino favorite Samuel L. Jackson also delivers a hilarious performance as Calvin's only trusted house slave, as he suddenly suspects what business those these two people need in their plantation. At a pace of 165 minutes, I would argue that the movie does run a little bit long, but the movie takes it's time very well, and it always keeps your attention. This is an incredibly well-made, and definitely entertaining feast that only true film lovers will enjoy. From the first shot, to the final bloody climax, "Django Unchained" is one of 2012's best films. "Django Unchained", in my review, "wickedly entertaining, good old-fashioned Tarantino".

Taken 2 (2012)

Taken 2 (2012) - Liam Neeson, Why?

[3/10 · 11 January 2013]

Talk about "taking" away your money! Right from the get-go, a sequel to "Taken", a high-paced entertaining action flick that made Liam Neeson a household name, didn't seem like the best idea ever. No one was asking for this, but sadly, this movie got made, and I wish that the filmmakers backed out of this project from the start because "Taken 2" was one of the very worst movies of 2012. Liam Neeson reprises his role as retired CIA operative Bryan Mills, who invites his ex-wife and daughter to join him for a holiday in Istanbul, where Bryan and his ex-wife are suddenly taken hostage by relatives, friends, and close family members of the men that Bryan had killed, trying to rescue his kidnapped daughter in the original "Taken". Now, he's less treated like a hero, and now leaves it to his daughter to get him free...really? Everything that went right in the original "Taken", went incredibly wrong here. This sequel lost the fun, excitement, care, respect, and realism that the first film had. Everything feels way too staged, and even though this is one of those movies where you have to suspend your disbelief, I couldn't help but keep track of the many times I wanted to scream out "bullcrap", finding myself unintentionally laughing at the many unrealistic scenarios portrayed here. But all my main problems with this movie, the top reasons why this mess failed from the start, are all story-based! *SPOILER ALERT* The main villain is probably the weakest antagonist in any movie in 2012. This guy just walks around aimlessly, making tons of death threats, and yet he's quite too lazy to get his hands dirty and do it himself, but asks his henchman to do the nasty work for him. Also, if you're going to kidnap someone, no henchman has ever decided to leave their victim in a small room, with nobody either watching or guarding the captive, while the other group of henchmen are in the room next door watching soccer on TV. But, to make things even worse, while Bryan tells his daughter what to do over the phone, he tells her to do the most mindless thing that a human being would never do, by throwing grenades off a roof. Those idiots are probably going to kill someone walking down the street. WTF! Directed by Olivier Megaton, this is one of the most poorly filmed action movies I've ever seen. He clearly has no idea how to film a decent action scene. The shaky cam gives the film a hideous look, and the audience is left wondering what the heck is happening. The writing is horrendous, the editing is annoying, there's barely any sound quality, even the actors are really trying. Long story short, I just don't want to talk about this movie anymore. "Taken 2" is one of the worst movies of this or any other year. It should be found, and then killed. "Taken 2", in my review, "pointless, unnecessary, insulting, and godly indulgent".

This Is 40 (2012)

This is 40 (2012) - What a Loud Family!

[5/10 · 1 January 2013]

"This is 40" sets as a "sort-of" sequel to the hit comedy "Knocked Up", only the depressed couple, portrayed respectively by Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann, from "Knocked Up", now have a movie of their own. The movie talks about their rocky marriage, living with their two daughters, and both of them are reaching the age of 40. They will realize that they are going to age, so they come up with resolutions to save their fallen marriage. Leslie Mann prefers to pretend that she's still at age 38, with great looks soon becoming to age, while Paul Rudd is a music executive just trying to have peace from his loud and crazy wife. Writer-director Judd Apatow tries to re-create way too much of his actual marriage life in this movie, with his actual wife Leslie Mann playing the mom, their actual daughters playing the girls, and Paul Rudd taking place as Judd Apatow, in some sort of way. Sadly, right when Mann and Rudd have their first argument with each other, I knew at that moment, that the movie has arrived with a giant and disappointing "thump"! The movie, in it's entirety, can be really funny, and incredibly honest. A few one-liners, and a couple of fun moments still keep interesting long enough. But, the problem is this movie is overall a painful and uncomfortable experience that gets way too annoying and repetitive. I'm a fan of these two actors, but it gets way too unpleasant when the whole movie is just Rudd and Mann screaming at each other. The scenes when the family screams at each other seems incredibly over-the-top, and it is repeated way too much to a certain minimum. But, in the scenes when screaming is not required, these two actors share quite a cute chemistry, for the most part. We also get a mother-load of pointless cameos from tons of talented people. Jason Segel, Melissa McCarthy, Chris O'Dowd, and tons of other famous people, although were fine in their limited roles, it's the characters themselves that I felt had no reason to be in the film, but become cameos just for the sake of making a cameo. Megan Fox is both funny and sexy...but mostly sexy...as Mann's co-worker, Albert Brooks is a talented actor, but he overacts it a little playing Rudd's father, while John Lithgow is way too strange playing Mann's long-lost father. The running time for this movie is 134 minutes, and it definitely shows. This film is probably slower than the entire middle act of "The Five-Year Engagement". All we got filling in this running time are some scenes that feel very drawn out and didn't need to be discussed in the story, so nothing really fits together. If the movie would have been cut at least than 40 minutes, and if it wasn't slow or uncomfortable to watch, maybe we would have a great comedy. But, that's gonna have to wait! "This is 40", in my review, "a painfully unpleasant and unsatisfying train-wreck".

Savages (I) (2012)

Savages (2012) - Why is Oliver Stone Always So Political?

[6/10 · 29 December 2012]

Oliver Stone directs this 131-minute crime thriller, based on the highly-acclaimed novel of the same name by Don Winslow. Young actors Taylor Kitsch (the idiot from "Battleship") and Aaron Johnson, play Chon and Ben, two young men who grow the best marijuana in California, and they both seem to have a noticing, two-timing relationship with a very gorgeous Blake Lively, at the same time. At one point, a Mexican cartel led by Salma Hayek, wants to end up working with these two. After they reject the offer, everything goes haywire after the cartel has decided to kidnap Blake Lively hostage, until they take the deal, but that won't stop these two from trying to rescue her. Sadly, a talented cast isn't enough to make anything terrific from this empty and formulaic thriller. Although decently directed by Oliver Stone, and has a bunch of impressive performances, "Savages" is not one of those insanely dark thrillers that I was expecting from the trailer, when instead is a bloated and routine story that kind of bored me for the most part. But there are plenty of positive aspects that make the film worth watching for the most part. The first two acts are somewhat decent, but Oliver Stone delivers his noticeable trademark of dark and graphic violence, gritty sex, and insanely disturbing torture scenes. But the one silver- lining of this movie is provided by three performances, from three professional actors in the supporting cast. First, Salma Hayek delivers an electrifying performance as the cartel leader, mixing her native Spanish language, with the already written English dialouge, making the best out of this material. Second, John Travolta sends off a wickedly funny role as the corrupt DEA agent, with no idea which side to choose. But, of course, Benicio del Toro brings a crazy and psychopathic performance, playing one of the scariest sick-heads to ever roam the planet. Watching these three actors perform on screen is always fun to watch. But as for the main ensemble, filled with the young actors, is nothing engaging. Although I will admit that Taylor Kitsch and Aaron Johnson deliver decent-enough performances, I wasn't impressed with Blake Lively. Although she looked attractive, I bet that that was her only soul purpose. An uninteresting character aside, her delivery in narrating the film seems a bit too distracting, and mostly uncomfortable to listen. Some cheesy writing was involved, and Lively just went way too overboard with the material. Most moments in the plot felt a bit drawn out and unfinished, and there are times when it feels too routine, that you can actually spot the next plot point coming miles away. But what angered most audiences, especially myself, was not only the jumbled third act, but the film's conclusion left a major "let-down" to people who were expecting a bloody and intense conclusion, when we end up getting a bland one. Although there are great performances to be had, and some entertaining moments, I expected much more, but I was sadly disappointed! But, overall, for it's many flaws including a cluttered script, uninteresting main characters, and a bland finale, this film works when it succeeds, but fails when it doesn't. "Savages", in my review, "sadly unsatisfying, with forgettable thrills".

End of Watch (2012)

End of Watch (2012) - Let's Take This Time to Respect Our Police Officers!

[9/10 · 29 December 2012]

David Ayer, writer of the film "Training Day", writes and directs this 109-minute police drama discussing the dangerous profession of being a LAPD officer in the middle of an underworld of shootings, homicides, drugs, and kidnapping. Told through a similar style of found footage photography, "End of Watch" stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena as two young LA officers who are on the run, trying to take down the members of a drug cartel, after discovering small caches of money and firearms during a traffic stop. Preparing for their roles, Gyllenhaal and Pena actually spent five months training as LA officers, by under- going a variety of 12-hour ride-alongs. The practice definitely paid off, since these two professional actors shared electrifying chemistry with one another, giving the audience full belief that these are real officers working in LA, than just actors reading lines. Each of these actors delivering one memorable performance after the next: Gyllenhaal as a young officer recently starting a relationship with Anna Kendrick, and Pena as a married man with a new baby about to arrive. Watching these two actors deliver fantastically driven performances are the stuff of Oscar nominations. The fantastically well-written dialouge shared between Gyllenhaal and Pena during their patrol ride-alongs feel clever and realistic, while the already-tired concept of found-footage footage, surprisingly does a unique job at capturing the rough and dangerous world of LA and it's police officers. However, "End of Watch" doesn't deliver a main focus as it was promised from the trailer, as it seemed that these two might be on the verge of losing their jobs after a crazy discovery. But as it turns out, it's only focus is Pena and Gyllenhaal breaking through doors and arresting suspects. But these graphic and haunting scenes still, not for the faint of heart, work really well in the film, capturing an incredibly dark world where not everyone follows the law. *SPOILER ALERT* - Although the found-footage art-form worked really well in the scenes were Gyllenhaal and Pena are on the field, it did, however, strike me odd that the main villains leading the drug cartel are carrying cameras around as well. I didn't really believe it was the smartest move, and we were just better off driving that police car. But, this is one of the most memorable movies of the year that audiences will hopefully walk out with a shining respect for our boys on the field. From two Oscar-worthy performances, great writing, and a heartbreaking final act, nobody should miss this movie! "End of Watch", in my review, "an entertaining cop drama, with pain-staking realism".

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) - Welcome Back to Middle Earth! (+48fps Discussion)

[8/10 · 21 December 2012]

"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" is the first installment in the highly-anticipated "The Hobbit" trilogy, setting as a prequel to the original Lord of the Rings films, based on J.R.R. Tolkien's series of novels. Directer Peter Jackson has once again taken us back to this magical world that he has helped to create back then, and delivered yet again, another entertaining ride. "An Unexpected Journey" starts off the trilogy of prequels, where Bilbo Baggins, played by Martin Freeman, a little Hobbit in the land of the Shire, has been asked upon by Gandalf the Grey, bringing back Ian McKellen to the most memorable performance of his whole career, and a group of thirteen dwarfs, to set out on a very long journey to win back the dwarfs' treasure from a fiery dragon. In this first part, Peter Jackson has decided to film this movie in 48 frames per second, higher than the usual quality of an ordinary movie with 24fps. Although I didn't see "The Hobbit" in the 48fps format, I've heard plenty of mixed thoughts, that it made the film look distracting at times, making the fast action scenes look a little rough, while at times, it looks like the audience is actually stepping into Middle Earth. But, I just saw it in the regular format, but if I did see it in 48fps, I would have said the same thing. Starting off with the positive aspects, almost everything I adored from the original LOTR film trilogy, from the gorgeous effects, the beautiful music, the breathtaking detail in art direction and costumes, and the incredible directing style of Peter Jackson. As for the performances, Martin Freeman is definitely the one who steals the show playing Bilbo Baggins, delivering some perfectly-timed humor, some great moments of depth and heart, while having such great likability. Of course, Ian McKellen does a perfect job, reprising his role as Gandalf the Grey, and it's really fun to see this character back on screen. A few characters from the original trilogy reprise their roles in here, most of them should be unspoiled, but it felt very nice to see them back on screen. But sadly, this film does have a bunch of problems, not making them stand out like the original trilogy, while most of these problems are story-based. Peter Jackson tries way too hard to add many information from J.R.R. Tolkien's 300-page book and put into one trilogy. But for this first part, although staying true to the material so far, sadly adds a few unnecessary plot points, drawn-out exposition, and a few uninteresting characters to fill up the entire 166-minute movie. Although the leader of the dwarfs, Thorin, is the most interesting character with a great amount of back-story, depth, and bad-assedry to his character, most of the other dwarfs carry less of a personality, and it's hard to feel sympathy for most of these people, when they don't have a lot of character development to share. The first and third acts feel more like the entertaining aspects, while most of the second act drags on for the most part, making the pacing the lowest aspect of the movie. But, the film definitely makes up for that flaw with what is arguably the most entertaining scene in the whole movie: the confrontation between Bilbo and Gollum in the caves, sharing a game of riddles. I could have watched this terrific scene for 3 hours, and still be entertained. Through some of the best motion capture work ever put to film, Andy Serkis once again delivers a terrific performance, reprising his most memorable character in the LOTR trilogy, and it was such a fun time to see the character one last time. But for it's batch of flaws, "The Hobbit" is still an entertaining ride, with great action, performances, and visual splendor, even for it's few story-based issues. Whether in 24fps or 48fps, "The Hobbit" is an experience that still needs to be seen in the theaters, and as I much as I still believe that "The Hobbit" would have been better off as one full-length movie, instead of a trilogy, I'm still anticipating for Part 2. "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey", in my review, "marvelous visuals and remarkable entertainment, but flawed".

Alex Cross (2012)

Alex Cross (2012) - Madea is the New Morgan Freeman? Seriously?

[3/10 · 21 December 2012]

From director Rob Cohen, a guy whom has been known for making a string of mediocre action movies, "Alex Cross" is the third film appearance of, you guessed it, Alex Cross, who is known as the main character in James Patterson's series of crime novels. At a pace of 101-minutes, Tyler Perry stars as the title character, a psychological police detective who can tell what happened in a crime, when did it happen, why did it happen, or how did it happen. Now, he must try to take down a psychopathic assassin, played by Matthew Fox, sadly following the tired and formulaic cop story. Not only unoriginal and predictable, but also painful and uncomfortable to sit through, "Alex Cross" is one of the very worst movies of the whole year. Although Tyler Perry is really trying his best to make something good out of this tired material, he sadly fails to bring a lot of charm to a character that was once portrayed by Morgan Freeman, and he sadly felt miscast-ed. Nothing god-awful or anything, I just can't take Tyler Perry seriously in a dramatic role, since all he does in his career is be in drag the whole time as Madea. But, hey, at least he tried! But, don't even get me started on Matthew Fox. Although he's a very talented actor and also tries hard in this film, he tries way too hard, going way over-the-top, in one of the most unintentionally laughable performances of the whole year. Edward Burns, Rachel Wilson, Cicely Tyson, Jean Reno, and Giancarlo Esposito, all star in the supporting cast, given literally nothing to say or do than just read lines from such a horrendous script. Luckily most of these actors have higher talent than these writers, and they are really trying their best. Sappy and melodramatic moments, childish writing, over-the-top performances, and unoriginal story might have been enough, but the main problem of the whole movie involves all the action scenes, provided by director Rob Cohen and the cinematographer. Horribly directed and filmed, the action scenes left me uninterested, but most of all, it gave my brain a major meltdown. Delivered with some of the worst use of shaky-cam, it feels more like the camera-man is literally shaking the camera back and forth, which I bet actually happened. The scenes are all over the place, totally inconsistent, and Rob Cohen should stop making action movies! Generic, bland, inconsistent, sappy, over-the-top, and annoying are the perfect verbs, nouns, or adjectives to describe my hate for this film. But, if I had to correct anything to make this a good movie, I would have casted Idris Elba as Alex Cross, have very talented writers known for making very good cop movies, and a director who takes these films very seriously. Sadly, this movie doesn't give us any of that. "Alex Cross", in my review, "waste of potential, formulaic and indulgent".

Pitch Perfect (2012)

Pitch Perfect (2012) - Get Pitch Slapped!

[7/10 · 16 December 2012]

"Pitch Perfect" is that rare movie where by seeing the trailer, you can probably already tell that it's going to be one of those "Step Up"-type movies, following the predictable and formulaic storyline of competitive groups of a certain activity. Only this time, it involves professional singing. The movie stars Anna Kendrick stars as a young freshman at her new university who enjoys remixing music on her laptop, creating new and original fresh beats. She ends up joining this all-female acapella group that always sings the same boring songs over and over in almost every competition. In order to defeat a group of all-male acapella singers, Anna Kendrick is here to make everything more hip and edgy, giving more newer and fresher songs to the beat. Now, we have our movie filled with impressive acapella singing. I'm not really the demographic for these movies, so I had plenty of doubts before watching. But, as it turns out, I surprisingly had a real fun time with this movie. There are tons of great songs that made me tap my feet and sing along to. It's an entertaining film that knows it's general audience really well. Anna Kendrick is a great actress, and is always super likable in every film she's in. She's also really likable in this film, and she shines in nearly every scene, with her great singing talent to go along with it. Although this movie still does follow the formulaic romance plot, Kendrick delivers decent chemistry with Skylar Astin, a.k.a. "the Dane Cook look-a-like", who is very likable as a guy who dreams of being a movie composer, and falls for Kendrick after showing her the final scene in "The Breakfast Club". Those references to the film alone made me smile a lot. The film can either go any direction in the comedy department, at times it can be very funny, while some jokes fall flat. But the movie does have some entertaining musical numbers to help back up the film's quick 112-minute pace. Now, "Pitch Perfect" does suffer from a few gags involving projectile vomiting that wasn't really funny, a few annoying "d-bag" characters, and sometimes it gets really obnoxious when characters would often add the word "aca-" (prefix of "acapella") to almost every sentence. Although sharing a few funny lines, Rebel Wilson, who plays a character that decides to call herself "Fat Amy", so others won't say it behind her back, is sadly given little to say or do for the majority of the film. She sadly felt wasted in the film, and I expected more screen time from her. I also still stand by my opinion that the movie still has the formulaic plot told a thousand times before, knowing each certain plot point coming a mile away. However, "Pitch Perfect" is still a very enjoyable movie with fun musical numbers, great song, a likable performance from Anna Kendrick, and a few funny moments from here and there. I still wished that some problems could have been fixed, but overall, "Pitch Perfect" was a huge surprise, and it really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. "Pitch Perfect", in my review, "undeniably fun, but nothing remarkable".

Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

Silver Linings Playbook (2012) - Set a Goal! Find Your Silver Lining!

[10/10 · 16 December 2012]

Released to worldwide critical acclaim, and tons of supposed Oscar buzz, "Silver Linings Playbook" is the film adaptation of the highly successful novel of the same name. Director David O. Russell from "The Fighter" has taken the liberty of becoming the man in charge of taking this one story and treating it with plenty of care. But, thanks to a beautiful script and a super-talented cast, "Silver Linings Playbook" is the most memorable movie-going experience I've had all year. Bradley Cooper delivers probably the best performance of his entire career playing Pat, a young man with a huge case of bipolar disorder, who has just been released from a mental institution after suffering a major breakdown when noticing his ex-wife in the shower with another man. That's not really a spoiler, because it was seen in the trailer, but for now, better safe than sorry! Now, that he has returned home, he now wants to make changes in his life. He's now moved back in with his parents, played respectively by Robert de Niro and Jacki Weaver, and tries to fit in within his neighborhood. He has decided to set out and make new goals, especially one in particular, trying to reconcile with his ex-wife. But he then runs into Tiffany, played by Jennifer Lawrence, a young woman whom also is having serious troubles of her own, after the recent death of her husband, and similar to Pat, is also a little crazy. While trying to spend time with his family, and helping Tiffany rehearse for a ballroom dance competition, Pat shares this unlikely bond with this girl, and maybe a certain and strange romance will soon occur. "Silver Linings Playbook" is one of the best movies of the year, if not, the best. This is a beautifully realistic and heartfelt film that will relate to anyone, unlike anything I have seen in such a long time. David O. Russell both wrote and directed this film, and you can obviously tell that this man cares more about the people in his films, and less about the subject matter. He knows how to make the characters so believable, and gives the audience a chance to feel so much sympathy for these people. Also, the script delivers some of the most well-written realistic dialogue ever put on the silver screen. This is one of the best directed films of the year, and David O. Russell will probably score both a Best Director and Best Screenplay nomination respectively. Bradley Cooper absolutely delivers an Oscar-worthy performance, and if he ends up getting a Best Actor nomination, it would be great if he actually won, which will probably not happen, but it should. This actor has proved that besides comedies, he can also do dramatic roles very well. Cooper can actually act, and do these dramatic movies really well. It's that broken-down character, hoping to make things better for himself, that Cooper does a great job at portraying. Another Oscar-worthy performance in this movie comes from the one and only Robert de Niro, playing Pat's father, a man with dreams of opening a new restaurant, and has a huge obsession for the Philadelphia Eagles football team. It's so great to see one of the greatest actors of all time back on the screen in a good movie, and delivers the role with such perfection, definitely worthy of a Best Supporting Actor nomination. Although Jacki Weaver, as Pat's mother, and Chris Tucker, as Pat's best friend, each deliver terrific supporting performances respectively, it's all about Jennifer Lawrence as the female lead. After her work in "Winter's Bone" and "The Hunger Games", Lawrence has become one of the most promising actresses of our century, delivering a powerful scene-stealing performance, worthy of a Best Actress nomination. Lawrence and Cooper, respectively, share electrifying chemistry between each other, and I was able to believe in the bond that these two people shared. It was so great to watch these two actors together. The movie delivers every single human emotion you can think of. There's a really funny side to the film that will make you laugh, a dramatic side that will make you think, and overall, it just warms your heart in some way. If a movie is able to affect me so much, yet make me feel good at the same time, it's a great movie to me! Beautifully directed, fantastically written, incredibly acted, heartwarming, realistic, and intriguing, "Silver Linings Playbook" is my new favorite movie of the year, and I won't be surprised if the film is able to score a Best Picture nomination. "Silver Linings Playbook", in my review, "a funny, realistic, emotional, and heartwarming motion picture".

Lawless (2012)

Lawless (2012) - Want Some Moonshine? It's So Bad!

[8/10 · 10 December 2012]

Receiving mixed to positive reviews after it's release at this year's Cannes Film Festival, "Lawless" is a historical prohibition movie that retells the true events, taken place during, you guessed it, the early Prohibition era, of a group of moonshine-selling brothers, called the Bondurant brothers. But when a blood-thirsty deputy starts to follow their illegal trail, hell begins to break loose, and when once started off as a simple Western, "Lawless" then turns into a hip and suspenseful gangster flick. With an all-star cast including Tom Hardy, Shia LaBeouf, Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Mia Wasikowska, Gary Oldman, and Guy Pearce, "Lawless" is a film with much talent and entertainment that will appeal to those looking for a satisfyingly entertaining gangster film. At a pace of 115-minutes, "Lawless" never has a dull moment. It has that "gangster style" entertainment that I just love, while at the same time, it's a carefully patient film that takes it's time and keeps your interest. To get a few of my problems out of the way, first, the pacing can be a bit slow at times, causing a few moments of un-interest. While on the other hand, there are so many moments of disbelief that I just couldn't let go of, which sort of loses the realism of the situation. Now, since we got that out of the way, let's discussed what worked the most. The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous, capturing the sights and the feel of a modern-day Western era that looks immaculate on the silver screen. Accompanied by John Hillcoat's flawless directing, the dark tone, and a very realistic mood of Western era, "Lawless" is an expertly made film, while keeping me very entertained in this brutal gangster thriller. The shining point of the film is the entire acting ensemble, each delivering one excellent performance after the next. Gary Oldman, although suddenly disappears for most of the film, delivers fine work in his limited amount of screen time. Jessica Chastain also delivers fine work playing Hardy's love interest who has moved to Virginia to live a quieter life. Boy, she chose the wrong place and guy! But, the three stand-out performances came from Hardy, LaBeouf, and Pearce. First off, Tom Hardy has been having one great acting career, and his performance here definitely shows the amount of talent that this guy has, under that "hard as stone" look on his face. Delivering more facial expressions than dialouge, Hardy is becoming one of this year's up-and-coming actors of the new century. Shia LaBeouf is starting to make plenty of comeback performances, after his not-so-lucky moments in the last two "Transformer" movies. I'm glad that he's finally choosing more edgy and interesting performances that will finally take this young star seriously as an actor. But the stand-out Oscar-worthy performance comes from Guy Pearce, as the psychopathic deputy obsessed with rounding up the Bondurant brothers into custody. I see him as one of the biggest psychos I've ever seen in a movie, and Pearce does a rather impressive job at portraying the blood-thirsty evilness in this unlikely antagonist. This electrifying maniac is what makes this entire movie shine like a glowing star. "Lawless" is purely nothing remarkable, but I will intend to see it for a repeat viewing. It's a well-made piece of entertainment that definitely got me on board for the majority of the film. "Lawless", in my review, "intentionally thrilling, suspenseful and entertaining".

The Sessions (2012)

The Sessions (2012) - The True Life-Changing Story of Mark O' Brien

[8/10 · 10 December 2012]

Once a year, Hollywood brings yet another inspirational movie about those with serious disabilities with dreams of changing their own lives, from "The Elephant Man" to "My Left Foot". Now, we are given the inspirational true story of the late Mark O'Brien in "The Sessions", and what we are given is one of the most memorable movies of the whole year. John Hawkes delivers an excellent performance as the real journalist and poet Mark O'Brien, whom was infected with polio, confined to an iron lung, as a child. About to soon reach his due date, while at age 38, he wishes to lose his virginity before his time on Earth will be over. He then hires a professional sex surrogate, played wonderfully by Helen Hunt, to help guide him through various sex sessions, until they start to have feelings for each other. With the help of his sex therapist, and the priest, played by William H. Macy, whom he shares daily blessings to, Mark O'Brien is determined to make his last days the happiest. "The Sessions" is a deeply uplifting film that can easily tug all of our heartstrings. John Hawkes is downright believable playing the light-hearted O'Brien, and his affection can buy the trust of audiences, in a performance that will score him another Oscar nomination, only this time, in the leading category. Helen Hunt shows off her body (literally) and soul into this performance, and she nails it in the scenes that she's in, whom will might get a Best Supporting Actress nomination. William H. Macy, although has limited opportunities to show Oscar-worthy material, he still does a rather fine job in the role, delivering a very important performance, as the one who supports O'Brien through his troubles, and blesses he will succeed in his accomplishments. Although I will say the writing is very good, and the overall message is truly uplifting, I see "The Sessions" more as an "actor film" than anything else. But, overall, this is a very realistic flick with unique writing, two Oscar-worthy performances, and an endearing message still power up the film's heat, even if it ranges to good, instead of excellent. "The Sessions", in my review, "realistic execution, and emotionally satisfying".

Life of Pi (2012)

Life of Pi (2012) - There's a Tiger in my Lifeboat! There's a Jungle Cat in the Lifeboat!

[10/10 · 8 December 2012]

Known as the one man who will take various risks of making a movie out of almost every single film genre imaginable, Ang Lee, of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "Brokeback Mountain" fame, directs his latest hit, "Life of Pi", based on the popular novel of the same name. It's that rare movie that will transport audiences into a world unlike no other, succeeding to entertain in both visual style and story. This is one of the most memorable, and one of the very best films of the whole year. "Life of Pi" tells the brave story of a young teen nicknamed "Pi", whom ends up on a lifeboat in the middle of the ocean, accompanied by a ferocious Bengal tiger, named Richard Parker (I know, it's weird). But I know what you're wondering, "How did these two unfortunate souls ended up in this mess in the first place?". Well, without spoiling anything, it's told through the point of view of older Pi, played by Irrfan Khan, as he tells a writer his entire life story, from his experiences at his family zoo, to a massive shipwreck during a journey to Canada for Pi and his family to start a new life, and how it lead to a situation considered impossible where Pi, as a teenager, got stuck on a lifeboat for weeks, with a tiger! Filmed in gorgeously breathtaking 3-D technology, "Life of Pi" is one absolute visual marvel. Director Ang Lee has thrown in some of the most beautiful images ever seen on the silver screen, and uses these images as his own unique way to tell the story. I recommend that everybody should see this movie in the theater, in the 3-D format, on the largest screen possible. It's a better way to experience this visual spectacle with such a massive scope. From a technical standpoint, "Life of Pi" succeeds in the use of cinematography, editing, and visual effects. But from a performance standpoint, while Irffan Khan does one of his best performances as older Pi, the scene-stealing breakthrough performance comes from Suraj Sharma, who does a rather brilliant job in capturing the heroism of young Pi, while at the same time, trying to communicate with a computer-generated tiger. It's a performance that I hope will score him his first ever Best Actor nomination. His relationship with this tiger is something to enjoy to watch unfold on screen. Their various face-offs with each other show the accurate profession of animals between humans. Although sharing complete loath between each other in the beginning, we find a strange friendship somewhere, as well. This movie delivers every human emotion to the audience, whether making you laugh, cry, or giving you a strange feeling of hope. At a well-paced 127-minute running time, "Life of Pi" is one of the best movie-going experiences I've ever had. From start to finish, Ang Lee has brought me on board for an incredible ride, while finishing off with an ending that will definitely leave a smile on your face. The incredible visuals, the spell-binding cinematography and editing, the stand-out performance from Suraj Sharma, Ang Lee's masterful directing, and the movie itself, are all worthy of Oscar consideration. "Life of Pi", in my review, "visually enhancing, a masterful journey".

Flight (I) (2012)

Flight (2012) - Denzel! Denzel! DENZEL!

[9/10 · 3 December 2012]

"Flight" is the film that marks the long-awaited return of acclaimed director Robert Zemeckis, known as the man behind classics such as "Back to the Future", "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?", and "Forrest Gump", making it his first live-action feature since "Cast Away" nearly 12 years ago, after becoming involved in some motion-capture work. "Flight" stars Denzel Washington as Whip, an alcoholic, and divorced jet airplane pilot who is forced to take dramatic matters in his own hands, after some mechanical failure occurred on the plane, sending it into a nose-dive. But, Whip was able to accomplish this great miracle, by rotating the plane upside-down while going for an emergency landing, to prevent the plane from crashing. Almost the entire majority of people on the plane survived, while a few died, but he is now looked as a hero to the public, praising him for his work. But, on the dark side, what the people might not know is that he's mostly a booze-loving alcoholic and a liar, who was separated from his family, living a rough life on drugs and booze, living a very dark life. But, that's when a certain investigation starts to happen. People were wondering many certain things: Was he feeling okay during the flight? Was there any alcohol involved? Was he drunk on the flight? What actually happened? If his toxicology report states it was true that he was drunk on the flight, considered responsible for the deaths of the 4 or 5 passengers, he'll be sentenced to a full life in prison. After a brilliantly filmed opening plane crash, the film then suddenly turns into a realistic life drama about this one man trying to quit this alcohol addiction, trying to fix different stages in his life, trying to put it back together, and trying to keep himself away from this problem he has. Do we have an Oscar contender, here? Denzel Washington is that rare actor that is always never taken for granted. It doesn't matter if a movie he's in is either bad or good, but he always deliver a perfect performance, no matter what. But, compared to his Oscar-winning work in "Glory" and "Training Day", "Flight" is no exception. This is one of the best, and one of the most challenging performances that Denzel has portrayed on screen. While doing a good job in holding in all his emotions, he perfectly portrays a real-life broken character that needs fixing in his life. It's an excellent, and jaw-dropping performance that will hopefully score him another Oscar nomination. John Goodman, Kelly Reilly, Bruce Greenwood, and Don Cheadle all nail their supporting roles in the cast ensemble. Goodman, especially, having one hell of a year, delivering one great performance after the next. Last seen as the real life John Chambers in the film "Argo", Goodman is even more funnier in this film playing Whip's partner-in-crime, providing Whip with certain things that will help him live through the moment. Although he only appears in three full scenes, without any development to his character, he still nails it in this movie. Kelly Reilly plays a drug addict who befriends Whip, as they help each other through their own life issues. Unlike the other characters in the supporting cast, Reilly's character isn't really fleshed out well, and I didn't think that her storyline felt quite finished, but she still provides good work to the material, though. Directing his first R-rated picture in over 30 years, Robert Zemeckis adds tons of unique charm and style to this 139-minute drama. His choice of soundtrack, the way he knows how to work with his actors, and most importantly, he knows how to take a harsh and realistic topic, and execute it in such a way that no other filmmaker like him can do. He sometimes makes you forget you're watching a movie, but instead, you're looking at the real world, through the eyes of a damaged person. I believe that the title of the film, "Flight", means so much to what the movie is trying to teach. The movie is not really about the flight that starts everything, but it mostly means that Whip has gone through so much in his life, and he tries to flee himself from this alcohol problem he has. In the very end of the movie, when he reveals the truth to the public that he was drunk on the flight, and being sent to jail, he delivers a moving and heartwarming final monologue that really set the tone of the movie. "Flight" is one of the most memorable movies of the whole year, from the stunning performances, flawless directing, and the incredible message behind it. It's impossible to not tear up at the end of the film, and walk out with a giant smile on your face. "Flight", in my review, "a stunningly realistic addiction tale, brilliantly executed and thought-provoking".

Lincoln (2012)

Lincoln (2012) - Steven Spielberg + Daniel Day-Lewis = It Was Finally Meant to Be!

[10/10 · 2 December 2012]

The one and only Steven Spielberg has directed this historic biopic that re-tells the events taken place during the final months of Abraham Lincoln's presidency, and the troubles that he went through to pass the thirteenth amendment and abolish slavery, while dealing with family issues of his own. At a running time of 150 minutes, "Lincoln" is another terrific entry in Spielberg's life-long career as a film director. Perfectly casted as the determined president, Daniel Day-Lewis is a terrific method actor that always knocks the ball out of the park in every performance, whether playing a crippled writer in "My Left Foot", or an obsessed oil worker in "There Will Be Blood", and his performance in "Lincoln" is no exception. He definitely disappears into the character, and delivers a interesting take on this historical figure. He recreated the walk, talk, and mannerisms of this president very effectively, and he embodies the true spirit and wisdom that Lincoln was known for having, and he absolutely nails it. It's a performance that I hope will score Daniel Day-Lewis another Best Actor nomination. As for the supporting cast, Sally Field does a rather fine job playing Mary Todd Lincoln, and she stole every scene she was in. James Spader is perfect playing the sharp mind of W.N. Bilbo, and we get a few limited roles from big names such as David Strathairn, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Hal Holbrook, Jackie Earle Haley, and Michael Stuhlbarg. Tommy Lee Jones has been giving tons of Oscar consideration for his brave portrayal as Thaddeus Stevens, the one who seems to be dissatisfied with the thirteenth amendment. Although I fully believe that he wasn't in the film enough for me to truly adore him, I still thought he nailed it. There is no need for me to go into rough detail on how beautifully Steven Spielberg directs this movie. He always knows how to keep the viewer invested in the story, and delivers some stunning visuals to the piece, from Janusz Kaminski's remarkable use of cinematography, to the terrific musical scoring of John Williams. Entirely taken place in the White House and the Capitol Building, where the driving force in the film, is the interesting dialouge shared between the characters in the film, that deliver an interesting take on how Lincoln was able to pass this amendment. But although screenwriter Tony Kushner's script delivered some memorable moments for sure, there are some bloated moments that kind of let me off-guard, and although never leaving me bored, it's the moments of the political speak that left me a little dazed. When an entire movie has nothing but dialouge, it has to be very interesting, which it definitely is, but at times, kind of got me confused. There are also some moments when some characters felt unnecessary, or didn't feel developed well, and "Lincoln" would have been better off with a shorter running time, rather than 150 minutes. But, there was nothing bad that can affect the scope of this film. The masterful directing, brilliant acting, stunning visuals, and beautiful music, are all joined together for one interesting biography on one of the greatest American presidents. This is one of the most important films of the whole year. From the opening shot on the battlefield to the final moving speech at the end, "Lincoln" is one of 2012's best films. I can easily imagine Daniel Day-Lewis, Tommy Lee Jones, Steven Spielberg, and the movie itself getting nominated for a couple of awards. "Lincoln", in my review, "historically intriguing and remarkable, if flawed".

ParaNorman (2012)

ParaNorman (2012) - Who Do You Think Sees More Dead People? Norman or the Kid from "The Sixth Sense"?

[9/10 · 25 November 2012]

"ParaNorman" is a stop-motion animation feature from the makers of "Coraline", that was strangely released in August, when a movie like this is often released around Halloween season. It tells the story of Norman, a young boy who is seen as a strange outcast by the people at the school, and his own family. But, as it turns out, this kid can actually see and talk to dead people. Unlike Haley Joel Osment in "The Sixth Sense", Norman actually enjoys walking by the ghost of the recently deceased and have a conversation, he can even see his grandma. But, a centuries-old curse is under siege, bringing zombies involved, and it's up to Norman to break the curse and save the town. You might think of this as really predictable, when in reality, it's one of the most original movies of the whole year. This movie does a perfect job of staying tribute to the classic horror "B-movies" of the early years, and pokes fun at the usual horror film clichés. Don't you love it when movies do that? "ParaNorman" is also one of the most beautifully animated films I've seen in a while. It's such a visual spectacle, the animators have created the world of this movie with great care. It must have taken so much work to sit there and move the clay-mation figure, one frame at a time. This is one of the best animated films that knows how it visually animate a film so beautifully, while keeping me so entertained for the 93-minute movie. As for the voice talent, this movie provides some memorable voice performances from Kodi Smit-McPhee as the title character of Norman, Tucker Albrizzi as the hilarious chubby sidekick who befriends Norman, Casey Affleck as the tough brother of Albrizzi's character, Anna Kendrick as Norman's teen sister, Christopher Mintz- Plasse as the bully, Jeff Garlin and Leslie Mann as Norman's parents, and John Goodman as the one who warns Norman of the dangers that will soon await. This movie also has a very funny side thrown in, and surprisingly, most of the jokes of the movie are mostly adult-related, more for teens and adults, than it is for children, who will easily get scared while seeing this. Besides, most of the jokes may seem way too far in the PG-13 material, while the movie itself, shockingly, is rated PG. That just shows why this movie was not afraid of taking risks, and that is what I respect a lot. While there are some teen humor to be found, most of the jokes are what the adults will understand the most. By the way, as I mentioned earlier, this movie may look like a kids' movie, but this is for teens and adults only, because your kids will have nightmares for weeks. Although having a very basic beginning, middle, and end, "ParaNorman" is a flawless animation flick. Visually stunning, surprisingly hilarious, and effectively heartwarming at times, "ParaNorman" is a film that nobody should miss. If you have a love for old-fashioned horror films, respect the use of stop-motion animation, and looking for a good time at the theater, this is the movie for you! "ParaNorman", in my review, "visually remarkable, and entertaining to watch".

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012)

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012) - The End of the World Is Not Going to Happen...Right?

[6/10 · 25 November 2012]

Receiving mixed to positive reviews, but delivering a poor performance at the box office, "Seeking a Friend of the End of the World" is a film that talks about the strange subject manner of the 2012 apocalypse, while showing the affects being made on other people. Despite the fact that this movie is sadly overrated and unimpressive. Steve Carell stars as a young man whose wife just recently left him, and now he's suddenly alone, in the middle of the upcoming end of the world, where everyone's life is at stake. While Carell decides to say goodbye to a past lover before the world's untimely conclusion, he runs into Keira Knightley as a spunky young woman hoping to see her family for the last time. So, they both set off to see the world for the last time, while keeping their promises of doing what they need to do before the world ends. But will a romance suddenly occur? This movie is not terrible by any means imaginable, since this is way too unique of a movie for me to hate, but I also didn't love it, and I'll explain why. While I will admit that director Lorene Scafaria does a rather decent job in directing and writing this movie, I was quite unimpressed by the direction this movie decided to take. Steve Carell and Keira Knightley both deliver fine performances, as usual, and I bought the fact that these two people would end up being good friends, but I sadly can't buy the fact that these two would become a couple. The rest of the supporting cast has plenty of familiar faces from Rob Huebel, Rob Corddry, Melanie Lynskey, Patton Oswalt, T.J. Miller, and Martin Sheen, whom all sadly just stay in the back as extras, given nothing to say or do for the entire 101-minute running time, while Sheen on the other hand, delivers yet another satisfying performance in his long-time acting career. The tone feels bloated at times, some scenes can feel very distracting, and by the third act, I started to check my watch, due to bad pacing. Before anyone starts to bring hate on this review, I will admit that this movie has some moments of heart, two good performances, and a unique script, but I just wish that this movie was handled more carefully. "Seeking a Friend for the End of the World", in my review, "seeking much more, but left to disappoint".

Skyfall (2012)

Skyfall (2012) - Bond! James Bond!

[10/10 · 20 November 2012]

"Skyfall" is the 23rd annual James Bond film, the third one to star Daniel Craig as Bond, and the film that marks the 50th anniversary of Bond. Raging fans of the Bond franchise have been anticipating the hell out of this movie, making it one of the most insanely-hyped films of 2012 since "The Dark Knight Rises". After an entire 50 years of different actors playing Bond, from Sean Connery to Roger Moore, from Timothy Dalton to Pierce Brosnan, Daniel Craig has created the most iconic and most memorable Bond, since the one and only Sean Connery's portrayal of the character, which was a little better. But, after the last two films portraying Bond, "Casino Royale", which is the Bond film that everyone loves the most, and "Quantum of Solace", which hardly anybody liked, Daniel Craig has given us, once again, a serious and fresher version of this beloved character in "Skyfall", which I'm happy to report, is probably the best Bond that we have had in such a long time. At a pace of 143 minutes, "Skyfall" is the longest and the best paced film of the entire franchise. While never having it's dull moments, "Skyfall" kept me on the edge of my seat from the opening shot to the ending credits. Director Sam Mendes perfectly directs "Skyfall" with so much precision, and with the help of Roger Deakins, the cinematographer of "Shawshank Redemption" fame, he and Deakins make the most gorgeous-looking Bond films I've ever seen. Deakins is a masterful cinematographer using the right amount of shadows, lighting, and framing, that perfectly sucks you into the world of Bond. The first 12 minutes of "Skyfall" is purely something to enjoy, while Bond is racing through the streets of Turkey, in this expertly filmed, perfectly choreographed, and amazingly entertaining scene that starts "Skyfall" with a bang! Which then leads to a beautifully jaw-dropping opening title sequence with Adele's hit song "Skyfall", hence the name of the movie, plays in the background, perfectly matching the feel and tone of the Bond style. The action is incredibly well-choreographed, the cinematography is glowing, the directing is superb, and not to mention, this cast knocks it right out of the park. It's a complete cliché for me to say that Daniel Craig is always terrific in the role of James Bond, perfectly delivering a serious style to the character that we haven't seen before, since Timothy Dalton's turn playing James Bond in "Licence to Kill". Judi Dench is always great to watch on screen as M, and Ben Whishaw is just terrific playing Bond's quartermaster, the return of a character considered so beloved in the Bond franchise. Although Ralph Fiennes felt unnecessary for the film until the final scene of the film, I still thought that he provided good work as well. Berenice Lim Marlohe and Naomie Harris, although both gorgeous and delivering decent performances, they're sadly given less screen time and/or character development, as if the movie just wanted to get rid of these characters to keep the movie going. But, the stand-out performance is Javier Bardem, playing one of the most enjoyable Bond villains ever put on film. He's the type of villain that you seem to understand why is he or she doing all these villainous acts in the first place. Although he is still one of the wackiest and villainous Bond "bad guys", I honestly felt that some of his actions in the film felt way too similar to the actions portrayed by Heath Ledger as the Joker in "The Dark Knight". But although Bardem is still terrific in the role, it felt like he was copying Ledger at times. Yeah, there are some moments of dis-belief that I couldn't get past, but in the end, this is a Bond movie, not a war drama. But, for it's few minor issues, "Skyfall" is a well-made, expertly directed, beautifully photographed and choreographed, and damn entertaining ride. "Skyfall" is one of the best Bond movies of our time, and it's one of the best movies of the year. "Skyfall", in my review, "classic Bond entertainment at it's finest".

Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)

Safety Not Guaranteed (2012) - A Long Review Will Not Be Guaranteed, Either!

[7/10 · 17 November 2012]

In a year filled with clever, small-budget independent gems, "Safety Not Guaranteed" takes the cake. Although this movie's subplot talks about the topic of time travel, there is nothing in this movie that comes close to science fiction. But instead, this is a smart real-life drama that has really sharp idea, even if it tries to be a lot better than it could have been, sadly. Aubrey Plaza, Jake M. Johnson, and Karan Soni play three magazine employees who are headed to interview the man who was rumored to post a suspicious ad on the newspaper, asking someone to become a companion in his latest time-travel assignment. But, do you think he's able to travel in time, or is it a joke. I think it's worth watching to find out, because the film is worth anyone's time. Starting with the cast, Aubrey Plaza actually delivered a pretty decent performance, even when she does pull a "Kristen Stewart" move at times. But, although I got a few chuckles from Jake M. Johnson, I honestly felt like he was over-acting a little bit as a newspaper writer who focuses less on the story, and more on a past lover of his. This storyline felt very unnecessary to the plot of this 86-minute movie, and it would have been way better off without it. But the "tour De force" performance of the film is brought by Mark Duplass as the suspected time traveler, who nails the role in every scene he's in. The film starts off on an interesting note, but the second act does drag and it gets a little weary, while the movie lingers on with one unnecessary plot-hole after the next. But, that's when the third act picks up, and it shows the true emotion within the film. I think it's better for everyone to view this as a human drama, rather than a sci-fi about time travel. Although it could have been a lot better film, this is truly an entertaining gem. "Safety Not Guaranteed", in my review, "expertly developed, but nothing close to greatness".

Brave (2012)

Brave (2012) - If You Had to Change Your Fate, Would You?

[6/10 · 17 November 2012]

Throughout Disney-PIXAR's 17-year history, this widely popular film studio has given us some of the most classic animated films, while at times, bringing some minor disappointments. Now, we are introduced to PIXAR's next movie, "Brave", which although is not a terrible movie by any means imaginable, is sadly PIXAR'S weakest film. "Brave" tells the story of a young Princess Merida, who wants to spend the rest of her life shooting arrows, riding horses, and finding her fate, rather than following the rules of her over-protective mother, whom obsessively teaches Merida on becoming a proper princess. After a rough confrontation between mother and daughter, Merida runs deep into the woods to find her fate. I know what you're wondering! You think that this is the start of an exciting adventure film, right? Nope! Instead, she finds her fate right in the middle of the movie, which is rather a potion that she gives to her mother, whom turns into a bear, and the whole movie is Merida trying to turn her mother human again! Yep, that's it. After a strong build-up, and an interesting first act, the movie sadly switches gears from a family-friendly adventure film, to a weird and sappy "kids movie". Although I can't really blame the film for purposely changing it's genre, I do blame the trailers for falsely advertising this movie, but either way, it wouldn't make the film better, though! The way this movie changed it's direction just became a major "let-down". But, not only that, the movie just feels way too cliché for the most part, using the same "mother and daughter" storyline over and over again, which although has a great message behind it, it felt way too recycled and repetitive, after having it used many times in the past. When the movie changes to a goofy kids movie, by having the mother turn into a bear, that is a complete fail on PIXAR's part. But it wasn't all that bad! The animation provided by PIXAR still looks gorgeous as always, the final act was portrayed very nicely, and we get some fine voice talents from Kelly MacDonald as Merida, Emma Thompson as the mother, and Billy Connoly in a scene-stealing voice role as Merida's father who seeks revenge on the bear who took his leg. But the film does have the same cliché story, the message has been used a thousand times before, and this does not have the same "spark" that I found in all of PIXAR's other timeless hits from "Toy Story" to "Finding Nemo". But if this is the movie you crave to see the most, maybe get a rental. "Brave", in my review, "the weakest of Pixar's classics, but good".

Wreck-It Ralph (2012)

Wreck-It Ralph (2012) - You're a Bad Guy...But That Does Not Mean You're a Bad Guy!

[10/10 · 13 November 2012]

"Wreck-It Ralph" is the newest addition in a series of classic films brought to life from the one and only Disney Animation Studios. It's the film that will steal the hearts of millions and millions of video game fan-boys, but also some film lovers, as well. "Wreck-It Ralph" tells a newly original story about a video game character named Wreck-It Ralph, voiced by John C. Reilly, who's the bad guy in an arcade game named "Fix-It-Felix Jr.", a game that has been around for 50 years. Ralph is the bad guy that wrecks the building, while Fix-It-Felix, voiced by Jack McBrayer, is there to fix the building with his trusty hammer. But, when the lights go off at the arcade, the video game characters come to life, when nobody is looking. Yeah, it's very similar to the premise of "Toy Story", but this is a different movie with it's own way of telling the story. Anyways, while Fix-It-Felix is the character of the game given the most recognition, it's Ralph that is given tons of loathe, since his reputation is just being the bad guy who just wrecks the building. But Ralph doesn't want to be the bad guy anymore, and he wants a chance to actually become the good guy for once, and actually get the recognition he has always wanted. So, Ralph decides to go "turbo", jumping from one game to the next, trying to win a medal for a game that will turn him into a good guy. I should stop discussing about the plot at this exact moment, because it's completely better to walk into this film with a clear state of mind, and I bet you, you'll walk out incredibly surprised. "Wreck-It Ralph" is one of the best and one of the most entertaining films of the whole year. It's that rare family film that never loses it's heat. Reminding me a lot of another great film, "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World", this movie does a great job of delivering a lot of great pop-culture video game references, while not going too far by throwing them at your face. If you're a die-hard video game lover, there's going to be a lot of familiar video game characters that they'll easily be able to spot throughout the entire 92-minute run time. I also loved how this movie "pokes fun" at the video game world, where video game characters can travel from one game to the next, and how some characters can come to life after the arcade closes. It's one of those rare concepts that will definitely keep audiences entertained for the majority of it all. Now, that we got all of that "fanboy" talk out of the way, let's focus on the rest of the movie! The animation is made perfectly, and it's so great to look at, it actually felt like a Pixar-film at times. John C. Reilly and Jack McBrayer both deliver some of the most memorable voice performances of the year, especially John C. Reilly, who delivers such a realistic performance that feels more like a human being, than just a video game character. But there are plenty of members in the voice cast that have their ability to shine. From Sarah Silverman's role as a little girl that Ralph meets in a game called "Sugar Rush" (a cross-over between Mario Kart and Candy Land), Jane Lynch as the bad-ass leader of a group of soldiers in a game called "Hero's Duty" (think of "Call of Duty"), to Alan Tudyk as King Kandy from the Sugar Rush game, who seems to be a duplication of the Mad Hatter from "Alice in Wonderland" (the original one, not the one with Johnny Depp). As the film continues to entertain all audiences alike, it's until the third act when the movie starts to do something unexpectedly. It reaches to an emotional level, leading to a heartwarming final act. From the first shot to the closing credits, this is a feel-good and entertaining motion picture that knows it's audience, and keeps the entertainment factor cranked all the way up to 11, even with the usual and traditional storyline of believing in yourself, and always stay true to who you are, even if others view you differently. From a cool soundtrack, clever use of video game references, beautiful animation, incredible voice acting, and a great heart, "Wreck-It Ralph" is the best animated film of the entire year. "Wreck-It Ralph", in my review, "satisfyingly entertaining, a truly enjoyable delight".

Ruby Sparks (2012)

Ruby Sparks (2012) - She's Out of His Mind! Literally!

[9/10 · 8 November 2012]

This year has been a great year for small-budget underrated independent films, and "Ruby Sparks" definitely takes the cake. This is one of the most overlooked, and one of the best movies of the year. The movie stars Paul Dano as Calvin, a struggling young writer who tries to make a breakthrough by making a new novel, after failing with his recent romantic life. He ends up creating a character named Ruby Sparks, the type of girl that Calvin wants to be with. Then, on the next day, he is surprised to find out that Ruby Sparks has come to life, living in his house, in the flesh of a real, breathing person. Oh, and here's a fun little twist. SPOILER ALERT! Not only is Ruby real, but whenever Calvin will type something about Ruby in his typewriter, she immediately ends up doing what she's told from the words of the typewriter, without noticing it. So, the movie then follows as a romantic drama between an author and his creation. "Ruby Sparks" is a film that never loses it's heat from the opening scene to the end credits. With the exception of a few corny and over-the-top moments, it's a few flaws that can't ruin the film. On the positive side, "Ruby Sparks" follows the three methods in making a great movie: premise, acting, and writing. Boy, this movie follows these three methods well. Paul Dano delivers the best performance I've seen from him, delivering such a likable and realistic performance that I'm sure some people can relate to. Zoe Kazan, the film's co-writer, although sharing terrific chemistry with Dano, also delivers fine work playing the title character of Ruby Sparks. Elliott Gould, Chris Messina, Annette Bening, Antonio Banderas, and Steve Coogan round out the supporting cast, all delivering fine work as well. This script deserves to be given a Best Original Screenplay Oscar nomination for plenty of reasons that should be written on paper. The dialouge is witty, charming, and clever, and the story really flows well for the 103-minute running time. The soundtrack is perfect for the tone of the film, the directing is nice, and when it tries to be funny, it can be very funny. But, things can also get very intense, especially until the final act, where all situations are put in unexpected dramatic measures. "Ruby Sparks" is one of the year's most memorable films, with top-notch performances, well-written story, perfect pace, and great premise. We need more movies like "Ruby Sparks", instead of Hollywood repeating itself, releasing plenty of the same line of generic romantic comedies, and obnoxious action flicks. Finally, we have a film that can be funny when it tries to be, well-acted when it wants to be, and a story well-paced when it chooses to be. "Ruby Sparks" is one of the year's best films. "Ruby Sparks", in my review, "clever and unique, undeniably entertaining".

Seven Psychopaths (2012)

Seven Psychopaths (2012) - A Tarantino Homage! Not a Tarantino Rip-Off!

[10/10 · 3 November 2012]

"Seven Psychopaths" is one of those films that succeeds with the "Quentin Tarantino" formula of great performances, witty story, and incredible well-written dialouge. But although the director's chair is not taken by Tarantino this time, Martin McDonagh, director of the overlooked "In Bruges", helps pay tribute to this formula, and Tarantino himself, as he both writes and directs this ridiculously enjoyable romp. Similar to the works of Tarantino, "Seven Psychopaths" is a collection of well-developed stories that involve incredibly well-written conversations between characters, and they talk about "nothing". But, don't worry, there's actually a story involved. In the film, Colin Farrell plays an Irish playwright who's struggling to start writing his newest screenplay called "Seven Psychopaths", hence the title of the film. But as he meets certain people in his life, he starts getting ideas for some characters, or psychopaths, to be in his script. Meanwhile, a few friends of the playwright, Sam Rockwell and Christopher Walken play this group of guys who kidnap dogs for a living, and they return them back to their owner, so they can win the reward money. But now, Farrell is stuck in a sticky situation in the criminal underworld, after both Rockwell and Walken accidentally steal the wrong dog, a shih-tzu, whose owner is a violent mob-gangster, played by Woody Harrelson, who will do anything to get his dog back, even if it means killing people. "Seven Psychopaths", although it has a few moments of disappoint, is still one of this year's unlikely better films. Writer-director Martin McDonagh brings out some fresh British comic humor, intense moments of gore, and one of the most well-written scripts of the whole year, and puts it all together into one motion picture. Throughout the film, I was consistently laughing my butt off, from start to finish. As for the acting, you cannot go wrong with any of these talented actors. Colin Farrell does great as always, delivering one of his memorable performances. Woody Harrelson is also terrific as the gangster with a deep love for his stolen shih-tzu. But the two stand-out performances come from Sam Rockwell as a psychopath who tries to make a reality out of his buddy's script, and the one and only Christopher Walken as the "non-violent" psychopath with a haunting past. The rest of the supporting cast also includes familiar names from Harry Dean Stanton, Olga Kurylenko, Abbie Cornish, and Tom Waits. There are some times when the gore disturbed me a little bit, and it's a little disappointing how some characters are introduced and then suddenly gone afterwards, and the 110-minute running time does drag a little. But does are luckily minor issues I have with this psychopathic flick. Although I was expecting to officially praise the film, I did end up really liking it, though! This movie does a perfectly good job of keeping tribute to the work of Tarantino, without it being a rip-off to Tarantino. The acting is phenomenal, the writing is incredible, the humor is hilarious, and the tone is surprisingly dark. "Seven Psychopaths" is definitely worth the time and money. "Seven Psychopaths", in my review, "genuine writing and acting, a dark and gritty Tarantino tribute".

Argo (2012)

Argo (2012) - Ben Affleck, I Salute You!

[10/10 · 2 November 2012]

Based on the declassified true story, "Argo" tells the true tale of one of the most unbelievable escape plans ever assembled, during the Iran Hostage Crisis, lasting from 1979-81. While 52 members of the U.S. Embassy were taken as hostages by the citizens of Iran, 6 of the hostages were able to escape, and are now in hiding at the home of the Canadian ambassador. But they have to get out of Iran quickly, before the people of Iran go door to door, find the six hostages, and kill them. So, the members of the CIA try to think of an escape plan to get them out of Iran. But that's when CIA specialist Tony Mendez, played by actor-director Ben Affleck, comes up with an idea so crazy, that it just might work. He suddenly thinks up of a scheme where they pretend that they're making a "fake" movie, a sci-fi film called "Argo". They pretend that these 6 hostages are members of their film crew, and they will just fly them out of Iran, as if they were scouting the locations. But it's one of those ideas that are so bad, that it just might work. This is such an entertaining premise for a film that talks about an event way too impossible to believe, but people need to understand that it actually happened. Now, we are given one of the most thrilling films of the year, all thanks to the incredible directing talent of Ben Affleck. After becoming a household name in the directing department in films such as "Gone Baby Gone" and "The Town", Ben Affleck has finally made a triple home-run with his newest masterpiece, "Argo". He is probably becoming one of the best directors working in Hollywood, as we speak. Ben Affleck really cares about the movie he plans to make, and he is absolutely passionate on knowing how a film should look or feel. You can tell that every time Ben Affleck directs a film, he always remembers to treat it with care. But most of all, he has this incredible ability to tell a great story, that keeps audiences engaged in the story, without being either bored or losing attention for the entire running time, without any guns being shot or fired. Thanks to his amazing ability to direct, his acting has incredibly improved because of it. Although Affleck delivers one of his strongest performances, there are still plenty of members in the cast that really deliver the goods, with possible hopes that they'll walk away with Oscar nominations. John Goodman is terrific playing the true John Chambers, a make-up artist who has been known for his work in the "Planet of the Apes" films. Bryan Cranston of "Breaking Bad" fame delivers one of his finest performances as Jack O'Donnell, supervisor of Tony Mendez. But, it's the one and only Alan Arkin who deserves a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his performance as the hired "producer" for the fake movie, while treating it like a real picture. The rest of the talented supporting cast includes Kyle Chandler, Victor Garber, and Tate Donovan. As I mentioned before, Ben Affleck is a great story-teller, providing his own special method to keep the audience invested in the story and it's characters. This film travels back and forth with three separate story lines that both inter-twine with each other. There's one storyline about the 6 hostages in Iran, the other taking place in Hollywood with comic relief from Goodman and Arkin, and the other showing the situations being handled in the CIA. Mixed with real-life archival footage, and the professional actors that help re-enact the story, "Argo" is like one piece of interesting history. In the first two acts of the film, Affleck starts the film with an interesting tone, while still being entertained. But it's until the third act of the film, where Affleck decides to kick the suspense up a notch. I was literally on the edge of my seat, biting my nails, with my legs shaking. "Argo" is just one of those films that knows how to impress audiences by keeping the suspense flowing and the drama leaving you affected. Accompanied with smart and realistic writing, incredible performances, and top-notch directing, "Argo" definitely deserves the Oscar buzz. I just hope that this movie will definitely have a shot for being nominated for both Best Picture and Best Director for Ben Affleck. If it does not get any recognition, this awards' season, bad things will happen. "Argo" is one of the smartest, interesting, affective, entertaining, suspenseful, and realistic films I've ever seen. "Argo" is one of the best movies of the year. "Argo", in my review, "Top-notch storytelling, beautifully directed, acted".

Smiley (2012)

Smiley (2012) - A Disaster of "YouTube" Proportions!

[1/10 · 22 October 2012]

You know what happens when a group of talented YouTubers on the Internet team up together to make a movie for the first time in their careers, a movie that will change their careers forever, one that they worked really hard on, one that they hope will win the support of their beloved YouTube partners, viewers, and subscribers? Well, you end up getting this piece of crap! "Smiley" is an independent horror film that tells the "story", if I can call it that, about a young college girl who becomes haunted by the legend of the serial killer, Smiley, a killer who appears after someone talks to someone they don't know on an online video chat, and types the phrase, "I did it for the lulz", three times! Can you guess what happens after-wards? After the phrase is written three times, Smiley will appear and murder it's prey! She has so much belief that Smiley is real, she ends up going insane, having hallucinations, and freaking out whether she's dreaming, or if she'll become the next victim. Haven't we seen this type of bit before? Yeah, that's what I thought! "Smiley" is such a complete atrocity from start to finish. Although I have my respects for the YouTube people for working very hard on achieving their dreams of making their first movie, but does that save "Smiley" from being a truly awful film? Of course, not! Director Michael Gallagher, of "Totally Sketch" fame, seems like a really nice guy, and is a talented filmmaker when it involves making videos on the Internet, but when it comes to directing full-length motion pictures, it needs a little work! The movie's only actors are just a variety of YouTube celebrities from Caitlin Gerard, Melanie Papalia, Shane Dawson, Andrew James Allen, Steve Greene, Richard Ryan, and others. All delivering one horrendous performance after the next. Besides the performances from Keith David and Roger Bart, most of the young actors delivered laughably terrible performances. Well, not all of them were bad, because I did think that Shane Dawson actually delivered a pretty decent performance, even if he was the only young actor that was really trying. But the worst performance came from Caitlin Gerard, delivering one of the most annoying, unlikeable, headache-inducing, unbelievable, and stupidest characters I've ever encountered. Every time this chick appeared on screen, I just wanted to laugh! The writing feels childish, the editing is sloppy, and all the horror clichés were everywhere. At a pace of 90 minutes, the film's utter indulgence easily increases, making it one of the most insulting horror films I've ever seen. Whenever this movie tries to get a scare, it just falls flat, and leads to a collection of pointless "jump scares". Whenever it tries to be scary, it just becomes cliché. Whenever it wants to be funny, it fails miserably. Then, we get an ending that will leave audiences throwing their popcorn at the screen, and have their intelligence become insulted! Completely idiotic, and undeniably painful, "Smiley" is definitely, so far, the worst movie I have seen this year. Horrible acting, horrible writing, horrible editing, horrible use of clichés, horrible use of "jump scares", and overall, a horrible movie! That's the perfect word to describe this movie! "Smiley", in my review, "Unfortunately, I'm not smiling".