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Gomorrah


Gomorrah

Rated R
Appropriate for ages 17+
Italian with English Subtitles

For centuries, organized crime has run rampant throughout Italy.  This film focuses on five contemporary stories about the Camorra, the Neapolitan mafia, and its connections with every level of life in Italy and the rest of the world.  From high fashion to toxic waste dumping, this organization has its fingers in every pie available to them.

Author/screenwriter Roberto Saviano has been put on permanent police protection from the Camorra for his book and film.  In this regard, I have no doubt of the film’s authenticity.  There are moments when the movie feels more like a docudrama rather than a piece of fiction.  This most definitely doesn’t feel like an Italian tourism promotion.

Normally I would not care too much for a movie with so many stories that are not interconnected, but I found most of the pic to be very intriguing and always enlightening.  What similar films like Babel and Amores Perros bring to the table are characters that the audience can associate with.  Conversely, Gomorrah only provides possible empathy with a master dress maker being heavily controlled by the mob and an assistant to a politician that is responsible for illegal toxic dumping.  The other stories are engrossing, but don’t be prepared to feel anything. 

Overall, the story is well-written and performed, although I think that the cultural differences might warrant some research before-hand or after in order to fully comprehend.  There were many aspects of the film that I really wanted to understand, but couldn’t get a grasp around, such as Don Ciro’s tale and the story of the young kid.  Most Italians probably get it right away, but that is only because they live it.  I found myself interested enough that I might actually have to buy the book in order to gain a more thorough knowledge of the subject.  Meanwhile, I must encourage those of you who enjoy either foreign movies or gangster films to head out to the Angelika and check this one out.  A-

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Watchmen

Watchmen

Starring Billy Crudup, Patrick Wilson, and Jackie Earle Haley
Directed by Zack Snyder (300)
Rated R for strong graphic violence, sexuality, nudity and language
Appropriate for ages 18+

Based on the award-winning graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, Watchmen follows a group of super heroes that are no longer wanted around by the citizens they are there to save.  With the world on the brink of nuclear war, the heroes must decide whether to try to help, or just let the planet burn. 

As expected, this is a visually stunning film filled that looks very much like the source material.  300 director Zack Snyder does a terrific job with the look and pace of the film.  The actors all took their roles seriously and did a great job bringing their characters to vivid life.  Stealing the show was Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach.  He turned in an inspired an inspired performance that actually brought the audience to cheers on more than one occasion. 

If you haven’t read the novel, you won’t miss the original ending, but I have, and I did.  I couldn’t wait to see the giant monster killing off New York City, and was sorely disappointed when it didn’t happen.  I can understand many of the changes made in the script, and what went in works logically, but that’s a massive difference that shifted the tone of the movie. 

I was also disappointed in the overall soundtrack of the film.  I thought it to be too playful and out of place.  It sounded more like the music from Forest Gump then what should be in an intense superhero movie such as this.  A more modern soundtrack could have elevated this film greatly.

I also want to put in an extra warning for parents.  This is a film meant for adults, not young children or even teens.  Not only is it incredibly violent, but very sexually graphic as well.  B


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DVD Releases for March 10, 2009

DVD Releases for March 10, 2009

Let the Right One In
Rated R for some bloody violence including disturbing images, brief nudity and language
Swedish with English subtitles (English-dubbed version available also)
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
For those out there that felt Twilight has butchered the vampire genre, never fear (no pun intended), the Swedes are here with this horror masterpiece.  When a bullied twelve-year-old boy finds a new best friend that just happens to be a same-aged vampire, his life is changed forever.  Relying more on drama than easy scares, the chills are subtle and therefore much more effective.  This tale is compelling enough to have been a major contender for 2008 foreign film awards and achieved a 97% Fresh Tomato Meter on Rottentomatoes.com, making it officially one of the best reviewed films of the year.  This is absolutely one of the greatest horror films ever made and a must-see for those who are into that sort of thing.  A

Pinocchio (70th Anniversary Platinum Edition)
Rated G
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
This newly restored edition of Walt Disney’s Pinocchio really shows off why many believe this to be the most amazing animated feature ever made.  A Disney animator once told me that if you were to remake Pinocchio today the way it was made then, it might end up being the most expensive film in history.  Watching on blu-ray is a spectacle that everyone should experience.  The details are exhaustively intense and the art shines for all 88 minutes.  In addition, there are loads of special features that will not only educate, but keep you entertained for hours.  I highly advise watching the movie in Disney View, which adds a beautiful letterbox to the sides of the screen.  A+

Role Models
Unrated (Was Rated R for crude and sexual content, strong language and nudity)
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott are two pseudo-friends that are sentenced to a big brother program.  What could have been a tame and lame film turns out to be a really funny comedy filled with bad behavior.  While the story isn’t the best, the laughs are plenty and I found the movie to be very enjoyable.  B+

Synecdoche, New York
Rated R for language and some sexual content/nudity
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Philip Seymore Hoffman is a playwright in New York that receives a genius grant in order to allow him to write and direct a play of great importance.  His play takes him decades to produce and, well, I’m really not sure what I just saw.  If you thought that writer Charlie Kaufman’s earlier works (Adaptation, Being John Malkovich) were weird, you ain’t seen nothin yet.  This is the strangest thing I’ve ever seen, and I have not yet put in the time necessary to understand it, frankly because I think it can’t be understood.  Warning – do not do what I did and watch this film sober.  C

Milk
Rated R for language, some sexual content, and brief violence
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Sean Penn just won the Oscar for this portrayal of gay politician Harvey Milk.  While there is no doubt that Penn gives a worthy performance, I wasn’t sold on the story (which also won an Oscar for best screenplay).  I found the lack of character development of the villain, played by Oscar nominee Josh Brolin to be distracting, especially in light of how important he was to the overall story.  I will also freely admit that I wasn’t that comfortable with the overall subject material.  B

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
Rated PG-13 for some mature thematic material involving the holocaust
Available on DVD
Set in Germany during the World War II, a young boy secretly makes friends with another young boy living in a concentration camp.  The biggest problem with this film is that it feels like it was made simply to win an Oscar.  The subject material is thought provoking, but starts to feel fake about half way through.  And the overly dramatic ending could have been more believable and better directed.  C

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DVD Releases for March 3, 2009

DVD Releases for March 3, 2009

I’ve Loved You So Long
Starring Kristin Scott Thomas and Elsa Zylberstein
Rated PG-13 for thematic material and smoking
French language with English subtitles (Includes English dubbed version also)
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Juliette (Thomas) has been in prison for 15 years and upon release goes to live with her younger sister (Zylberstein) and her family.  After being closed in for so long, Juliette must learn to open up and get her life back together in the hopes of not only developing a relationship with her sister, but forgiving herself for her crime.  What starts out feeling like a depressing and dark film, soon becomes a compelling drama that keeps you glued to your seat.  What helps this great script along is the terrific acting by everyone, especially Thomas.  You don’t know how to take her at first, but by the halfway point you just want to dive into her head just to see what’s in there.  This was one of 2008’s best dramas.  A

Australia
Starring Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman
Rated PG-13 for some violence, a scene of sensuality, and brief strong language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Set in Australia during the second world war, Jackman and Kidman meet and fall in love during a rough and tough cattle drive that nearly costs them their lives.  While the film has an epic feel to it, the strange script and spotty performances make it look like all style and little substance.  This film needed to be about 45 minutes shorter and could have used a real villain instead of the Snidely Whiplash bad guy seen here.  This is a disappointing pic, considering what director Baz Luhrmann has brought to the table before.  C

Beverly Hills Chihuahau
Starring the voice talent of Drew Barrymore, Andy Garcia, and George Lopez
Rated PG for some mild thematic elements
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
When a diamond-clad Chihuahua from Beverly Hills gets lost while on vacation in Mexico, she finds herself in need of assistance in order to get back home.  I thought this film was cute for about 5 minutes, but then the annoyance set in, and soon the 91-minute-long film couldn’t end fast enough.  I’m sure that kids and chihuahua owners will love the movie, but it’s safe to say that it’s not for me.  D

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Wendy and Lucy

Wendy and Lucy

Starring Michelle Williams and William Patton
Directed by Kelly Reichhardt (Old Joy)
Rated R for language
Appropriate for ages 17+

    Young Wendy (Williams) is traveling with her dog Lucy from Muncie, Indiana to Alaska for a job, when her car breaks down in a small Oregon town.  With little money to her name, she ties her dog to the front of grocery store bike rack and attempts to shoplift some dog food to feed her.  After she is released from jail, she returns to the grocery store to find her dog is missing.  This leads her to a desperate attempt to find her dog without the use of money or resources.

    There is no doubt that Michelle Williams is a great actress.  Her portrayal of Wendy makes you want to break down the fourth wall and help her so bad that it hurts.  You want to reach out through the screen and hand her money, advice, or anything else that might be of assistance.  For this reason alone, her performance is commendable.

    Other than the great performance though, I did not like this film.  Wendy is so helpless and hopeless, and the tone is so dark that I could not help but get a little depressed.  The script could have used some tension breakers here and there rather than the constant downward spiral. 

    To make matters worse, the supporting cast was pretty weak, especially when compared to the film’s star.  I understand that there was probably very little budget for actors, but at many times this looked like a student film where the actors were paid in free pizza.  Even though this is a truly independent film, they could have done better.  C+

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DVD Releases for February 24, 2009

DVD Releases for February 24, 2009

Breaking Bad: The Complete First Season
Unrated but filled with adult content
Available on DVD
Emmy-award winning actor Bryan Cranston stars in this dark comedy from AMC about a chemistry teacher who finds out that he is going to die of cancer and thus goes into making crystal meth to pay for his chemo and help his family once he dies.  At first glance, it appears to be a Weeds clone, but it goes much farther in creating the dark underworld of drugs and the people that sell and take them.  Just like the drug the show portrays, this is an incredibly addictive series that will have you craving season two when it starts up March 8.  A

The French Connection
Rated R
Available on Blu-ray
This 1971 best picture winning film stars Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider as two narcotics agents looking to stop a drug smugglers in NYC.  Having influenced many of todays cop films, The French Connection remains a relevant and compelling story and with this new blu-ray transfer, it looks more like a period piece rather than a 38-year-old movie.  And Fox did not skimp on the special features here.  The two discs are loaded with tons of extras that will keep you busy for hours.  A

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Coraline

Coraline 3D

Starring the voices of Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, and Ian McShane
Directed by Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas)
Rated PG for thematic elements, scary images, some language and suggestive humor
Appropriate for ages 10+

Young Coraline has just moved to a new town and due to her parents busy work schedules, her only fun is to explore the old home and nearby surroundings.  One night she finds a crawl space in her home that leads her to an alternate universe where everything is opposite: her mom and dad don’t work, but rather dote on her, and instead of a drab home with weird neighbors, she discovers a magical world unlike anything she has ever seen.  Unfortunately, this world comes with a cost, and if she wants to stay there, she must completely give up her old reality for something she doesn’t quite trust. 

Using the same animation style of The Nightmare Before Christmas, Coraline takes this animation art style to a new level.  The film is breathtakingly beautiful and is made even more incredible by the 3D technology employed.  The images would have popped off the screen without the glasses, but with the glasses, the audience is in for a big treat. 

As for the story, its success lies more in its weirdness than its compelling narrative.  From start to finish, this is one strange little film that keeps you on your toes.  While I wasn’t moved by the tale, I did get excited by its creativity.  Overall, this weirdness makes the film a very interesting and enjoyable movie experience. 

I will say that it might be too scary for some small children and many parents will be uncomfortable with the overall theme.  A-   

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DVD Releases for February 17, 2009

DVD Releases for February 17, 2009

Body of Lies
Rated R for strong violence including torture, and for language throughout
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe team up in this Ridley Scott film about the CIA fighting terrorism in the Middle East.  The acting, directing, and production are remarkable, but due to a less than compelling story, the film was a box office dud.  I do think that this film deserves a look and might find a better home on DVD and cable. As usual with Ridley Scott films, there are tons of extras to be found giving the buyer more than their money’s worth.  B+

Changeling
Rated R for some violent and disturbing content, and language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Oscar nominated Angelina Jolie is a mother in 1920’s Los Angeles whose only son is kidnapped, and then replaced by a different child by the L.A.P.D.  Clint Eastwood directs this chilling drama that took me by surprise.  The acting, writing, directing and overall production make Changeling one of this year’s must-see films.  I will even go as far as to say it is Clint’s best film since The Unforgiven.  A

Capote/In Cold Blood Double Feature
Both Rated R for violent images and strong language
Available on Blu-ray
This week Sony is releasing a few pics from their Oscar collection on Blu-ray including Gandhi, Kramer vs. Kramer, and Capote/In Cold Blood, but I consider the latter to be the best of the bunch.  In Cold Blood tells the story of two thugs that murder an innocent family in Kansas in the 60s, while Capote follows author Truman Capote as he writes the book In Cold Blood, based on the murders.  Aside from the out-of-place score by Quincy Jones, In Cold Blood is a terrific crime thriller that looks so crisp on Blu-ray that you think you are watching a black-and-white film that was made yesterday.  The two films together make for a whammy of a double feature.  In Cold Blood A-; Capote A

I Served the King of England
Rated R for sexual content and nudity
Available on DVD
The Czech entry for Best Foreign Language Film follows an ambitious waiter that longs to be a millionaire and will do anything to achieve that goal.  I’m a little mixed on this film.  The first half plays like a Woody Allen sex comedy, but then come the Nazis to lessen the funny.  At the very least, this is an entertaining, weird little film that keeps you engaged throughout.  B-

Touch the Top of the World
Unrated – made for television
Available on DVD
The tale of Erik Weihenmayer, the only blind man to have climbed to the top of Mount Everest, is one of the most compelling stories of our decade.  Therefore it’s too bad that the movie based on his life is this cheesy mess filled with bad acting, writing, and directing.  D

Quarantine
Rated R for bloody violent and disturbing content, terror and language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
This documentary-style horror film tells the story of a group of people quarantined into an apartment building by the CDC when a virus erupts that turns humans into rabid, deadly creatures. Compared to most of the horror films of late, this one is actually pretty effective and not overly implausible.  There were many moments when I was actually scared.  So enter at your own risk.  B-

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And the Winner is…

And the Winner is…

by Danny Minton

On February 22, most of relevant Hollywood will be walking down the red carpet and a lucky few will be honored by their peers by receiving the coveted Academy Award, or Oscar.  So if you are like me, and this night is as important to you as the Super Bowl, then you have probably been paying attention to who is supposed to win, who is supposed to lose, and which races are the closest.  So far this season, Slumdog Millionaire has been sweeping the awards shows.  But at this year’s Oscars, Benjamin Button has the most nominations.  Even for folks like me that follow this closely, winning an Oscar pool can be a very challenging task.  But if you would like to have my odds of winning (trust me – they aren’t that great) while attending your big Oscar party, here is what you will need to mark down.

Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire.  While Button just barely edged out Slumdog on my top 10 movies of the year, I think that Slumdog has the edge here.  In 10 or 20 years I think that Benjamin Button will be the movie most remembered, but it’s about this year, not 2029.  Don’t rule out Milk either which could prove to have a very successful night Sunday. 

Best Director: Danny Boyle – Slumdog Millionaire.  Let’s forget about the fact that Boyle is one of the most important directors of our time and he has never been honored by his peers.  Slumdog couldn’t have been what it is without Boyle behind the scenes.  While I love Button’s David Fincher, I honestly can’t say the same about his film. 

Best Actor: Sean Penn – Milk.  While I personally loved Mickey Rourke, and will be crossing my fingers for him, I think that Penn has too much steam going and that Hollywood will also choose to honor Milk with the Best Actor trophy rather than Best Picture.

Best Actress: Kate Winslet – The Reader.  Who doesn’t love a Nazi camp guard turned pedophile?  There is no doubt that Winslet is deserving of an Oscar (sorry for the pun).  I’m not sure it’s for this, but there is still no doubt.  But needless to say, she is the favorite to win and if enough voters saw The Reader, she probably will.  I really hope that Anne Hathaway pulls a big upset here for Rachel Getting Married as I think that she is the most deserving this year.

Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger – The Dark Knight.  One of the most popular questions I have gotten this past year is “do you really think Heath was that good?”  The answer is an absolute yes.  I thought he was wonderful as the maniacal Joker and would have deserved the trophy whether alive or dead. 

Best Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz – Vicky Christina Barcelona.  This was by far the weakest category of the year and really only two of the performances turned my eye: Cruz and Marisa Tomei for The Wrestler.  But Cruz was truly fantastic in this strange romantic comedy and deserves to take home the trophy. 

As for the rest of the categories, here are the selections I plan on making:

Original Screenplay: Milk
Adapted Screenplay: Slumdog Millionaire
Editing: Slumdog Millionaire
Cinematography: Slumdog Millionaire
Art Direction: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Original Score: Slumdog Millionaire
Original Song: “Jai Ho” from Slumdog Millionaire
Costume Design: The Duchess
Makeup: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Sound Editing: WALL-E
Sound Mixing: WALL-E
Visual Effects: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Foreign Language Film: Waltz with Bashir
Documentary Feature: Man on Wire
Documentary Short: The Witness – From the Balcony of Room 306
Animated Feature: WALL-E
Animated Short: Presto
Live-Action Short: Auf der Strecke

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DVD Releases for February 10, 2009

DVD Releases for February 10, 2009

Frozen River
Rated R for some language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Oscar nominee Melissa Leo stars in this drama about a desperate woman that turns to smuggling aliens in order to provide for her family.  The script by Oscar nominated first time writer/director Courtney Hunt is a solid piece of suspenseful writing with loads of interesting characters and thought-provoking situations. A-

Blindness
Rated R for violence including sexual assaults, language and sexuality/nudity
Available on DVD
Blindness tells the story of a futuristic world where everyone except Julianne Moore becomes blind.  The film shows real potential in the beginning, but the overly-long asylum scene is tedious and much of the picture becomes somewhat unbelievable.  After City of God and The Constant Gardener, I was really hoping that director Fernando Meirelles was going to knock another one out of the park, and I was sorely disappointed with this strike out.  C

Miracle at St. Anna
Rated R for strong war violence, language and some sexual content/nudity
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
The biggest problem with this latest Spike Lee film is that their is too much Spike Lee in it.  Following a group of black soldiers during World War 2 in Italy, the film has a few interesting moments but ruins them with too many embarrassingly and laughable scenes.  And after 160 minutes, Lee didn’t once try to explain the miracle in the title.  D

My Name Is Bruce
Rated R for language and some violence
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Iconic actor Bruce Campbell makes fun of himself with this tongue-in-cheek tale about a small town that recruits Bruce to take on a giant ghost-monster that is killing off its citizens.  If you are a fan of Bruce Campbell, you might find this a somewhat enjoyable film.  If you don’t recognize the name then trust me – do not attempt this movie – you’ll hate it.  This is bad filmmaking that tries to be bad, and revels in it.  C

Raging Bull
Rated R
Available on Blu-ray
Finally on Blu-ray is Martin Scorcese’s masterpiece about boxer Jake La Motta, brilliantly played by Robert De Niro who went on to win the Oscar for his performance.  Not only does the movie look better than I’ve ever seen it before, but the amount and quality of the special features make this a great addition to any Blu-ray collection.  To get a sense of the painstaking accuracy, check out the shot-by-shot feature of De Niro vs. La Motta in the ring.  A+