Drive (2011)

Drive (2011)

Directed by: Nicolas Winding Refn
Screenplay by: Hossein Amini

Genre: Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller
Running Time: 100 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Owned Blu-ray

Some heroes are real.

[IMDb]

Comments: The first time I watched Drive in theaters, I think I was overwhelmed by all of the awesomeness onscreen and I was unable to process it all. Don't mistake me, I loved the film originally. However, now that I knew what I was getting into (with all the gratuitous '80s stylings and Nicolas Winding Refn's penchant for graphic violence), my love for Drive expanded exponentially. This is my favorite film of 2011.

But just for the sake of completeness, here's my original review:

Drive was a very fuckin' cool movie. I'll be honest by saying that it didn't completely live up to my ungodly enormous expectations, but it came pretty damn close. The first half was amazingly well done, as I was giddy with anticipation of what was about to unfold over final half of the film. I can't remember having that feeling during a movie in a long, long time (The Dark Knight comes to mind, and similarly I felt that film didn't quite finish as strongly as it started). Drive is also very brutal, as the violence is turned up to 11 when it's killing time (no complaints from me there; the messier, the better). There's also this odd '80s vibe throughout (as evidenced by the stylized text during the opening credits and the odd music selections throughout the film - that were really great, don't get me wrong). I really enjoyed Drive and highly recommend it. It may not have finished as strong as it started, but it's still a fucking fine piece of cinema.

Laura (1944)

Laura (1944)

Directed by: Otto Preminger
Screenplay by: Jay Dratler, Samuel Hoffenstein, and Elizabeth
  Reinhardt

Genre: Crime | Film-Noir | Mystery | Romance | Thriller
Running Time: 88 Minutes
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Viewed: Owned DVD

[IMDb]

Comments: To the displeasure of many film aficionados, I much prefer newer movies to classic cinema. I know that's not the way a true film fan should sound, but hey - I do what I want. However, from time to time I like to dive into something that would feel right at home on TCM. Tonight, Laura was my selection. I've wanted to watch the film for a number of years after hearing many great things about it. I decided to catch up with it this evening, and I'm glad I did. Laura's a well-written and suspenseful film that really feels ahead of its time with all of the twists and turns throughout the last act. So while I'm not going to win any film geeks over with my opinions (or this awful review), Laura is a great flick to check out if you need to catch up on some classic noir.

Unforgiven (1992)

Unforgiven (1992)

Directed by: Clint Eastwood
Screenplay by: David Webb Peoples

Genre: Drama | Western
Running Time: 131 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Owned DVD

[IMDb]

Comments: It's a hell of a thing, killin' a man.

Beginners (2010)

Beginners (2010)

Directed by: Mike Mills
Screenplay by: Mike Mills

Genre: Comedy | Drama | Romance
Running Time: 105 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Owned Blu-ray

This is what love feels like.

[IMDb]

Comments: So after watching the first ten minutes of Beginners last Sunday and then falling asleep (I suck at life sometimes), I finally sat down to watch the film the following Saturday. And I'm glad I did, as Mike Mills has made a wonderful little film.

Beginners is a somber little movie, for the most part. It tells the story of Ewan McGregor, who meets Mélanie Laurent and the two begin a relationship together. There are flashbacks strewn throughout of McGregor's recently deceased father, who after 45 years of marriage, came out of the closet when his wife passed away (Christopher Plummer just won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor for the performance). Beginners deals with McGregor's struggles with relationships due to what occurred between his parents.

There's a real sweetness to this film, which help balances out the more sad aspects. The scenes McGregor shares with both Laurent and Plummer are really touching at times, and are the main reason why I really enjoyed the film. This one definitely comes recommended.

Haywire (2011)

Haywire (2011)

Directed by: Steven Soderbergh
Screenplay by: Lem Dobbs

Genre: Action | Thriller
Running Time: 93 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Theater

They left her no choice.

[IMDb]

Comments: Haywire is a pretty solid flick. It's most definitely a Soderbergh film through-and-through: the score, the editing, the colors - it all harkens back to his earlier films (not that it's a bad thing). Haywire certainly isn't in the upper echelon of the man's catalog, but that shouldn't dissuade you from seeing a solid thriller.

I can't say I was completely sold on Gina Carano. The MMA fighter-turned actress is totally capable during the film's entertaining fight scenes, but her acting left me a little cold. It didn't help that I knew beforehand that her voice was altered (or dubbed) in post-production. Though I'd definitely let her kick my ass whenever she wanted...

Haywire is a fun little excursion. I'm sure I won't remember much about it by the end of the year, but it served its for purpose today. There's a lot of recognizable actors spread throughout (Fassbender FTW!), and the story is recognizable enough that you won't need to process much of what's going on. It's fun.

Bellflower (2011)

Bellflower (2011)

Directed by: Evan Glodell
Screenplay by: Evan Glodell

Genre: Action | Drama | Romance
Running Time: 106 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Owned Blu-ray

A love story with apocalyptic stakes.

[IMDb]

Comments: What a fuckin' weird little film.

As I've mentioned a few times before, I tend to really look into the movies that I want to see. I watch trailers, I look at the casting, I look at the director and compare the current film to his previous projects; you know, that sort of thing. However, in the case of Bellflower, I did none of that. I had heard from a few places that this was a cool film, but I never knew what it was about. Then I saw a few of the posters and that's all I needed, apparently. In my head I formed this vision of a post-apocalyptic love story with explosions and flames and bad ass muscle cars. Bellflower really isn't like that. (Sadly?)

The film centers on two hipster dudes that don't work (actually, no one seems to have a job in this movie) but instead prepare for the apocalypse (in case it occurs one day) by building flamethrowers and the aforementioned bad ass muscle car (which, along with the flamethrower, is fully functional in real life). Our main hipster, writer/director Evan Glodell, strikes up a relationship with the lovely Milly and the two engage in the beginning of a not-so-beautiful relationship. Yeah, things get a little crazy...

Bellflower is a cool little film. A lot of people hate the film, and I can totally understand why. While I liked the two main hipster dudes, they do get a tad annoying at times and I can see that turning off some viewers (along with the escalating violence in the last act of the film). But despite finding the movie and subject matter a bit odd, I really enjoyed Bellflower. It's worth at least a rental for those that are curious. Or you could just drop $20 on it like I did, without even having a clear working knowledge of what the film is about.

Oh, and it does have a solid soundtrack, too.

13 Assassins (2010)

13 Assassins (2010)

Directed by: Takashi Miike
Screenplay by: Daisuke Tengan

Genre: Action | Adventure | Drama
Running Time: 125 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Owned Blu-ray

Take up your sword.

[IMDb]

Comments: I'm not feeling good again (it seems to come and go), so here's another shitty short review: 13 Assassins takes awhile to get where it's going, but once it does - wow. Nothing like a gratuitous forty minute battle scene pitting thirteen men against two hundred. Hells yeah.

Contraband (2012)

Contraband (2012)

Directed by: Baltasar Kormákur
Screenplay by: Aaron Guzikowski

Genre: Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller
Running Time: 110 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Theater

What would you hide to protect your family?

[IMDb]

Comments: Luckily, I was feeling better today so I headed out to see Contraband. The film looked like a surefire rental for the most part; the so-so reviews this week only added to that. However, I've seen pretty much everything else I've wanted to see in theaters, so Contraband it was.

And I'll tell you what - despite the messy plot, inconceivable trickery during the heists, and silly plot twists, I enjoyed the hell out of this movie. It's not going to win much praise with the critic crowd, but I always seem to enjoy those "you hurt my family, now I'm going to destroy everything" type of movies, which Contraband certainly is. The movie is a bit different than the trailers lead on; it's much more of a heist movie than a revenge flick (Marky Mark must make money to save his brother-in-law's ass; this means doing a "run" to sell fake money brought in from Panama). And then there's a heist within the heist that somewhat derails the proceedings (which also has this ridiculous impact on the very end of the film which everyone should've seen coming from 100 miles away). But through all of this, I found an enjoyable film.

Contraband won't be for everyone, but it's a rather entertaining excursion. It's something I'll probably pick up on Blu-ray when the price is right.

Wake Wood (2011)

Wake Wood (2011)

Directed by: David Keating
Screenplay by: David Keating and Brendan McCarthy

Genre: Drama | Horror | Thriller
Running Time: 90 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Rental DVD - Family Video

Beware those you love the most.

[IMDb]

Comments: If you can buy into the plot of the film, you'll find that Wake Wood is a competently made horror film. I had a little trouble getting behind the story, mainly due to all the arbitrary restrictions involved in bringing someone back from the dead, but the movie is really well made - enough that I was generally able to look past these issues and become involved in the proceedings onscreen.

It was also pretty cool to see Hammer involved with the film. Wake Wood did have a '70s feel to it - The Wicker Man has come to mind as I reflect on it. They're also involved in The Woman in Black, which comes out next month. I'm really looking forward to that film, and learning that it's from the Hammer studio makes me even more excited.

So yeah, check out Wake Wood if you get a chance. It's not bad.

Attack the Block (2011)

Attack the Block (2011)

Directed by: Joe Cornish
Screenplay by: Joe Cornish

Genre: Comedy | Horror | Sci-Fi
Running Time: 88 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Rental DVD - Family Video

Inner City vs. Outer Space.

[IMDb]

Comments: Holy shit, Attack the Block was wicked awesome, blood.

The Beaver (2011)

The Beaver (2011)

Directed by: Jodie Foster
Screenplay by: Kyle Killen

Genre: Drama
Running Time: 91 Minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Viewed: Rental DVD - Family Video

He's here to save Walter's life.

[IMDb]

Comments: Anyone else think it's funny that Jodie Foster directed a film called The Beaver? No? Just me?

Anyway, this was really good. It's a shame Mel Gibson has gone all psycho the last few years, because I think the man's a terrific actor. Everyone gets their second chance in Hollywood, so hopefully we'll see Mel making more films again in the future.

Megan Is Missing (2011)

Megan Is Missing (2011)

Directed by: Michael Goi
Screenplay by: Michael Goi

Genre: Drama | Horror
Running Time: 85 Minutes
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Viewed: Rental DVD - Family Video

Megan and Amy are best friends. They share secrets. They chat
  with guys online. And in a few days, they will never be seen again.

[IMDb]

Comments: I rented Megan Is Missing based on a recommendation of a horror blog that I read, where they called it one of the best movies of 2011. While I don't think that highly of the film, it's a really interesting and unique look at child abduction, and one that has an actual point to make. I really liked the two leads, specifically Amy. She's able to be sweet and innocent throughout - so much so that during the last act you feel completely devastated that you can't help her.

Any type of found footage movie (which this is, for the most part) has its flaws, but it's rather easy to overlook those in this film. While Megan Is Missing may not be the best film of the year, it's definitely worth a look.

Death Stop Holocaust (2009)

Death Stop Holocaust (2009)

Directed by: Justin Russell
Screenplay by: Justin Russell

Genre: Horror
Running Time: 80 Minutes
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Viewed: Rental DVD - Family Video

For two young women, an island paradise is about to become... a
  nightmare of terror!

[IMDb]

Comments: At long last, the return of shitty horror movie night! When I have an extended weekend in my hometown (and nothing better to do), I like to travel to my local Family Video and stock up on some movies I've wanted to see. This week though, I've been under the weather, but I'd managed it and I was starting to feel better.

Until last night. I'd watched about 20 minutes of Death Stop Holocaust (and actually liked it - the theme was cool and it was filmed in the famed "grindhouse" style), but I started to feel ill so I turned the film off around 10:00 pm. I woke up about two hours later spewing up my dinner from the night before; oh great, now I have the flu. After tossing and turning, we had another repeat of the spewing around 2:30. I was lucky enough to fall asleep, but woke up again at 4:00 am, but this time feeling alright. I couldn't sleep, so I dove back into Death Stop Holocaust. I should have let it go.

Even though the acting's bad, and the script's cliched and worthless, I liked the style and feel of the low budget film. Then we got an hour straight of the main character running around and screaming. Annoying when you're not sick, super annoying when you are sick and watching the film at 5:00 am. Death Stop Holocaust is bad. The opening theme is about the only redeeming factor of this rip-off hack of a horror film.

Though I haven't thrown up since finishing the film, so maybe it cured me!

The Big Bang Theory - Season Four (2010-2011)

The Big Bang Theory (2007-????)

Created by: Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady

Season: Four (2010-2011)
Genre: Comedy
Number of Episodes: 24
Episode Running Time: 30 Minutes
Viewed: Owned DVD

Smart is the new sexy.

[IMDb]

Comments: I realize that The Big Bang Theory isn't considered "high art" for most serious television fans. And then there's the fact that I generally avoid anything that airs on CBS. But despite these issues, I must say that I really enjoy this show. One of the main problems I have is that even though The Big Bang Theory often sounds sophisticated, the show is dumbed down enough for the average viewer (of which there were many) to find both identification with the characters and consistent humor. I still think the show is entertaining, despite never being as clever and smart as it could be. It's funny, occasionally touching, and it's easy to digest in large doses. If you don't expect much, The Big Bang Theory is worth a watch.

On a side note, it's amazing how much of a better character Sheldon is now than in the first season. He's changed from an unbearable annoyance to the heart of the show. I also really liked the additions of Mayim Bialik and Mellisa Rauch to the cast. The evolving friendship of "besties" Bialik and Kaley Cuoco was great to watch and a really funny subplot. Much like Jim Parsons, Bialik was ungodly annoying originally, but she was slowly molded into a likeable character that really integrated well with the main cast.

Also, I want to have Kaley Cuoco's babies.

The Devil Inside (2012)

The Devil Inside (2012)

Directed by: William Brent Bell
Screenplay by: William Brent Bell and Matthew Peterman

Genre: Horror | Thriller
Running Time: 87 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Theater

No soul is safe.

[IMDb]

Comments: Look, I knew The Devil Inside wasn't going to be any good. I think it had a 6% or something yesterday morning when I looked it up on Rotten Tomatoes. The film looked like it was completely unoriginal, uninspired, and made only to capitalize on the Paranormal Activity craze... yet I enjoy watching this shit, so that's why I went.

- Unoriginal? Uninspired? Made only to capitalize on the Paranormal Activity craze? Pretty much. However, I was able to enjoy myself for most of the film. I knew exactly how the plot was going to unfold (the filmmakers spell everything out for you; by making a point of talking about certain aspects, it's obvious to the viewer that those things are going to pop up later).

- The ending sufficiently pissed everyone off, myself included. Somewhat of a spoiler: It's sudden, resolves nothing, and urges you to find out more online. Yep, that's what I want to do after watching a movie. End spoiler.

- Really, there's not much more to say. I've seen movies like this a hundred times before, but luckily The Devil Inside wasn't completely terrible either. If I hadn't seen all the great movies at the theater over the last two weeks that I did, I certainly would have had a better selection. Oh well, I knew what I was getting myself into. And it turned out exactly as I expected.

Superman Returns (2006)

Superman Returns (2006)

Directed by: Bryan Singer
Screenplay by: Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris

Genre: Action | Adventure | Fantasy | Sci-Fi
Running Time: 154 Minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Viewed: Owned Blu-ray

[IMDb]

Comments: I friggin' love Superman Returns and have since I first saw it back in theaters in 2006. This is the first time I've watched the film in a few years, and my feelings toward it haven't lessened at all. I know a lot of people didn't like this version, but everything about Superman Returns worked for me.

- I love superhero movies, but I've never been a big Superman guy. Part of it is because I think it's insane that Superman doesn't wear a mask, yet no one can figure out that he's Clark Kent (which didn't bother me at all in Returns for some reason). However, my main issue has always been the 1978 Christopher Reeve film, which in my opinion has one of the most ludicrous and shit-tacular endings of all time. I could go on a mega-rant here, but I'll save that for another time. (Spoiler: But seriously, spinning Earth backwards to go back in time?)

- I particularly enjoyed Brandon Routh. I think he had great mannerisms as both Clark and Superman. It's a shame he's never really been cast in anything major after this, because I think he has the ability to be a big star (he was great in Season Three of Chuck as well). Granted, he can be a bit wooden at times, but Keanu Reeves still gets roles, right?

- I've also just realized that Kate Bosworth and James Marsden were also in the Straw Dogs remake together as well. That has nothing to do with this movie, but whatever.

- The score was top notch as well.

- While I'm eagerly awaiting the 2013 reboot, Man of Steel, I am still a little bitter that I never got to see a sequel with these Superman characters. But at least I have Superman Returns - and even if many didn't like it, I'll keep it for myself as one of the best superhero movies ever made.

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)

Directed by: Brad Bird
Screenplay by: Josh Appelbaum and André Nemec

Genre: Action | Adventure | Thriller
Running Time: 133 Minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Viewed: Theater

No plan. No backup. No choice.

[IMDb]

Comments: In terms of pure action, it's really hard to go wrong with Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol. While I enjoyed the first two films to an extent, I loved Mission: Impossible III and I was hoping Ghost Protocol would build on that. And while the action does get ramped up to new heights, there's a lack of that personal touch that really made me feel close to the characters in the last go-round (though I will fully support any movie that employs Paula Patton - that woman is fucking gorgeous). But I really have no major complaints, because Ghost Protocol is absolutely everything it should be: loud, entertaining, and completely over-the-top. I wouldn't mind seeing a Part V down the line.