A 'Book' Worth Fighting For

The movie market in the last few years seems to have been inundated with post-apocalyptic themed movies. If you ask me, put Denzel Washington in a post-apocalyptic movie and I'll go see it, no question asked. That's the power of a kick-ass actor like Denzel, and the Hughes brothers must have realized that when they pegged him for the lead role in "The Book of Eli."

The plot is simple enough, another of my requirements for a solid post-apocalyptic film: Denzel plays Eli, a loner walking "the road" towards the west, carrying a book that he clearly highly values. Eli encounters various atrocities along his route, sometimes stopping to inflict some damage on the bad guys, other times he keeps on trekking.

Eventually Eli comes upon what amounts for a town in the mayhem of this imagined earth. He goes to an engineers office to get a battery charger revamped so he can listen to music on his iPod. While he's waiting, he heads over to the bar across the street to get some water, a scarce commodity on this dry earth. While there, Eli is acosted by a group of thugs whom he earlier witnessed commit a pretty horrible deed. Eli reacts in the way most people do in this ruthless world: opens a can of whoopass.

The fight is witnessed by Carnegie (Gary Oldman), the leader of the town and of the rogues that Eli has dispatched of. Carnegie is impressed, and wants Eli to stay and become a member of his gang, promising food, water and visits with members of the opposite sex. Carnegie, as it turns out, also enjoys books, and has a certain one that he is constantly looking for. That's a good basic intro; you'll have to see it to find out the rest.

I really liked this movie. The acting is good, the fight scenes great and the directing and composition of the film is interesting and unique. There are some good twists as well, and it is an uptempo movie that never really drags. I think movies about post-apocalypto are pretty awesome, as is Denzel, so that itself was worth the price of admission to me. It's not the best movie I've seen, but it keeps you interested and curious about how it will end.

7 out of 10 stars

Here's the trailer:

No S*%^, 'Sherlock'!

The quintessential, perfect version of Sherlock Holmes is a witty, genius detective that can verbally spar with the best of them and solve the toughest, most unsolvable crimes. That must be what Sir Arthur Conan Doyle imagined when he wrote of the character's exploits, and that is what director Guy Ritchie and the screenwriters bring to the big screen in the film version of "Sherlock Holmes."

Played by everything-man Robert Downey, Jr., the film version of Sherlock is impressive to look at and a fun, fast-paced film that leaves the viewer sometimes confused until Sherlock rewinds the scene for us and shows us how it really went down. So if you miss something, don't fret; so did everyone else, and that is intentional. Or you just might not even know you missed it until it's explained.

Sherlock's trusty sidekick Watson is played by Jude Law. The verbal interplay between the two is fantastic, and they work well together, giving the film a nice flow and feel. The film begins with the duo taking down Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong) just as he is about to sacrifice another human victim. Blackwood is sentenced to death, and after he is executed, he is pronounced dead by Dr. Watson himself.

The ensuing period after Blackwood's case is boring for the two men, until an old flame of Holmes's, Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams) shows up and tries to recruit him for a new case. Despite his intentions not to, he is drawn into the new case.

Meanwhile, Blackwood's tomb is found shattered, with reports that he has risen from the dead. Holmes's new case for Irene leads him into a dark undertaking, as does his acquaintance with the undead Blackwood.

The plot is good and the acting is, for the most part, excellent. The only person not great is McAdams, who is sort of dry and boring; maybe it's because she has an American accent while everyone else is British, I don't know. But something about her just doesn't gel very well with the rest of the cast. The dialogue is great, as is the direction, and it's left open so that you can clearly tell there will be sequels to come.

7 out of 10 stars

Here's the trailer:

New movie Tuesday

Another Tuesday almost in the books folks, but there's plenty of movies out today to cap off the night. The biggest release today is "Michael Jackson: This is it", a film with concert and backstage footage of the deceased pop star. Also out is the Bruce Willis thriller "Surrogates." "Whip It", an idie-film with Ellen Page and Drew Barrymore about women's roller derby hit the shelves today as well. The latest installment of the "Saw" franchise is out on DVD today, and believe it or not it's the SIXTH one - wow. "I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell", the movie adaptation of the blogger Tucker Max's memoirs, is the final release today. Max's stuff was hilarious online, but I can't really imagine the movie, but we'll see.

I went with the sci-fi thriller "Moon" starring Sam Rockwell and the voice of Kevin Spacey. This came out a couple of weeks ago, and I hadn't heard of it, but I looked it up and it looks pretty cool. I'll have a review up later. Have a great Tuesday and enjoy any movies you watch!

More Avatar links

Like I said, there's been a ton written about Avatar, and for good reason. It brings up a lot of interesting discussion, in addition to being a pretty sweet movie. This post will be designated to different links discussing the movie, and I'll add to it as I find more. Here's one from today's New York Times. Add any comments about the movie, or add links in the comments section. Thanks and happy reading.

You Saw What in 'Avatar'? Pass Those Glasses!

Apparently Avatar has passed Titanic in revenue! Check out this link:

He Doth Surpass Himself: 'Avatar' Outperforms 'Titanic'

Too Much 'Lying'

Have you ever imagined a world (modern day, mind you) where no one told a lie? Where every person was so unfailingly honest to the point of being too blunt? Ricky Gervais, the British comedian best known for creating "The Office", has envisioned this world, and brought it to light in his new to DVD film "The Invention of Lying."

Gervais plays Mark Bellison, referred to by almost everyone as a "fat loser." I guess this is his idea of what would happen if people told him the what they really felt about him. Anyway, Mark works as a screenwriter for a movie company, except in this reality, since every tells the truth, the movies are boring recitations by famous people of events from history. Mark, assigned to the 1300's and thus the era of the Black Plague, is fired because "no one wants to hear about the Black Plague." His dating life is equally depressing, apparently. He goes on a date with Anna McDoogles (Jennifer Garner) who immediately says she isn't attracted or interested in him, but will go out with him to appease her mother. Yes, this is Gervais' vision of a world with no lying: bluntness. After his date and after he is fired, Mark is evicted, but when he goes to the bank to pull the rest of his money, something happens in his brain that allows him to lie and say he has more money than the system indicates. Because of the irrepressible honesty of everyone, the bank attendant believes him. Mark is amazed, and doesn't even have a word to describe the fact that he has lied.

The movie continues with Mark lying, and reaping the benefits. While talking to his mom on her deathbed, he tells her about an afterlife to make her feel better. She believes him, and dies happy, but so do the nurses and doctors who overhear him. Thinking him a messiah, Mark weaves a tale of a man in the sky who controls everything, and that you can do three bad things and still make it to the good afterlife. He even writes what virtually amounts to the 10 commandments on Pizza Hut boxes. Yes, people, this is Gervais' idea of the invention of religion. Some people might be offended, some might laugh and some might just enjoy this movie because through it all, its a romantic comedy. Who knows.

It is a good premise, and I liked the majority of the first half. It's funny and different, and has some great actors in little cameos that help. I like the advertising in this world too. Like Pepsi's, on the side of a bus, that says "Pepsi: When They're Out of Coke." The brutal honesty is funny, but it does get a little old, and at times seems forced. I understand that people say what they mean, but they wouldn't go out of their way to make fun of you, only if it was relevant. Regardless, there are some funny parts, but it really didn't hold my attention for long enough or really keep me engaged. A nice try though.

5 out of 10 stars

Here's the trailer:

New movie Tuesday

A few new releases today, including some TV shows on DVD. "Gamer", starring Gerard Butler, is out. I saw it and thought it was pretty bad. Also out is "Whiteout" with Kate Beckinsale and "Pandorum", an "Aliens"-like movie with Dennis Quaid that may be kinda cool. I went with "The Invention of Lying," starring comedic genius Ricky Gervais. Gervais is the British comedian that created "The Office" and "Extras." The film looked pretty good in the trailers, so we'll see. Also, I saw "Sherlock Holmes" last week, so I'll try to get review up soon.

Also, out on DVD is the fifth season of the Showtime show "Weeds." I liked the first few seasons, and have seen all four, so maybe I'll add those to my list. Anyone see that season and like it? Any movie recommendations for me to see? Have a great week...

Avatar and Pocahontas

So I mentioned in my review of Avatar that it reminded me a lot of Pocahontas. Apparently I wasn't the only one who saw the similarities. Check out this "revised" trailer:

Lots of baggage in 'The Hurt Locker'

Lots of films, both documentary and fiction, have been made about the still ongoing conflict in Iraq. I have seen many of these, but as a few film critics have said, "The Hurt Locker" may be the best and most realistic of the bunch, and I'd probably have to agree. The film has a great sense of authenticity, as it was shot in Jordan and Kuwait, sometimes mere miles from the Iraqi border. This, and the use of Middle Eastern refugees for certain scenes, make the audience feel like they are there. I also saw this film at a screening in Washington, D.C. before it came out, and seeing it again on DVD only cemented my sentiment that this is a great movie.

The film follows the travails of an Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit in Iraq during 2004 (this is not a documentary). The three man team is led by William James (Jeremy Renner), a newcomer to the squad after the original team leader was killed. Rounding up the group is J.T. Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) and Owen Eldridge (Brian Geraghty). When we meet them, the team has about 40 days left in their tour in Iraq. Sanborn and Eldridge take exception to James's brash, unorthodox ways of working, but can't do much because he is the leader. Sanborn is a good soldier, but likes to run operations by the book and with a lot of communication. Eldridge has stress issues, and seems to be out of his element and unsure of how to respond to battlefield situations. Each characters different personality creates an interesting dynamic as the crew tries to make it through their tour disabling IEDs and participating in one of the most dangerous units in the Army.

The realism is enhanced by slow motion shots and first-person shots, artfully directed by Kathryn Bigelow. That, the realistic personalities of all the characters (helped by great acting) and the filming on location in Jordan make this seem like the real deal. The other thing about this film is that it is an action-packed thriller, as you can expect with a movie about a bomb squad. Each scene has suspense that keeps you on the edge of your seat, giving you the feeling that these soldiers must have while being constantly on edge in a war zone. It's hard to convey the feeling of roadside bombs and insurgents, yet this film, through its 2 hour plus run time, does. It also brings up a lot of questions, which make discussing the film after watching it all the more interesting. My favorite scene is a desert battle scene that is slow but well shot and extremely intense. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

"The Hurt Locker" is rated R for wartime violence, language and some gore.

8 out of 10 stars

New movie Tuesday

Not a real deep list of releases today, but one really good standout that I've seen, but rented so I can watch again. I went with "The Hurt Locker," an awesome movie about a bomb technician team in Iraq in 2004. It's excellent and really thrilling. I saw it in the theaters in June, but it could very well be nominated or win the Oscar for Best Picture in 2009, so I couldn't resist refreshing my memory. I'll have the review up soon.

Also out today, some movie called "Moon" I have never heard of, the film version of the TV show "Fame" and Rob Zombie's "Halloween II." I just looked up Moon, and it actually looks pretty cool. I didn't see it at Crazy Mike's, but if I find it I'll check it out. Anyone seen it and have an opinion? Click here for a link to its IMDB page.

As for the Best Picture category in the Oscars, I spoke to my dad earlier about this, and he told me they are expanding the category from the normal five films to TEN! To me, that's insane. It's basically a ploy so 10 stupid movies can say "Nominated for Best Picture." That seems idiotic to me, and all about money for the movie industry. Even with 5, it seems to me there is always a clear cut one that should win. What are they going to do with 10? Here's a link to a New York Times article about it from this summer.

The article says they try to justify it because some of the major movies weren't nominated. Last year, I saw all five best picture films, and had a pretty good feeling "Slumdog" would and should win. Let me know how you guys feel about this.

'Avatar'

In the wake of the release of the CGI-laced epic film "Avatar" on Dec. 18, 2009, speculation about the movie was rampant. Many good pieces have been written about the film, which was released in 2-D and 3-D, and worldwide, it has already grossed over $1 billion. That's a ton of money. The film is playing now at the Ronan Entertainer in 2-D, and when I went to see the 7:20 show last Thursday, the theater was pretty full, despite the film's long running time of 2 hours 40 minutes. The word is out, and after a huge advertising campaign that began in October, "Avatar" is reaping the benefits with its huge worldwide haul of money.

The film takes place in 2154 on a planet called Pandora in a world way different than ours today. An evil corporation from Earth is on Pandora to mine a valuable mineral called unobtanium on the planet, with complete disregard to the life on the planet. The planet is inhabited by a group called the Na'vi, a blue, tall, strong being. Part of the corporations efforts include using scientists to study the planet and its inhabitants. They have created something called an Avatar, which resembles a Na'vi, but is controlled neurologically by a human at a base. It is as if the controlling person is the Na'vi itself.

The scientists recruit Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), a paralyzed ex-Marine whose identical twin brother was originally recruited to control the avatar. Because of his genetic make up, Sully is able to control the avatar, an expensive experiment to see if humans can integrate with the Na'vi. To top it all off, using the avatar Sully can walk and run again, an exhilarating experience for him. While he is working with the scientists, he is also being used by the military security force the mining corporation uses to get information on the Na'vi, and ways they can get the tribe to move from their home tree, which stands on a huge cache of unobtanium they hope to mine. As you can imagine, as Sully befriends and is welcomed into the tribe, he feels conflicted about his double agent status, and has moral and ethical qualms about what he is causing and doing.

What "Avatar" really is to me is a modern day, CGI-enhanced version of "Dances with Wolves" or "Pocahontas." The Na'vi are similar to Indians tribes, and the humans are the explorers, forcing their brand of life on a people while simultaneously destroying their culture and land. This angle is contrasted with the loner who sees the beauty in their culture and way of life, and learns to love everything about the place and the people. It's a tried and true format, and spend hundreds of millions of dollars on special effects and advertising, and James Cameron has created himself a movie that could end up the highest grossing film worldwide of all time. That itself is pretty incredible.

Overall, I really enjoyed this movie. It's not so much a movie as an epic, and at times drags because it is so long. There are multiple points where I thought it might end, but it continued on and on. The dialogue is a little corny at times, and the characters themselves are sometimes unintentionally funny, but the rest is well executed. The CGI, which I thought looked somewhat fake in the trailer, was exceptional; it was hard to tell what was real and what was fake in many of the beautifully shot scenes. And this is undoubtedly a movie to see in the theaters. The experience of watching with other audience members on a big screen with great sound is worth the price of admission.

"Avatar" is rated PG-13 for some sexuality, violence and language. It is now the #2 grossing movie world-wide, trailing only the James Cameron directed "Titanic" from 1997. Cameron now owns the two highest grossing films of all time which is incredible. I'll keep you posted on its position, but few believe it will surpass "Titanic."

7 out of 10 stars

Here's the trailer:

New movie Tuesday

I have a lot of reviews to write and catch up on, but because it's Tuesday, here's a preview of what was released today. "Cloudy with A Chance of Meatballs," a kids animated flick based on the popular book (that I remember reading) is out on DVD today. Also out is "The Final Destination," the fourth installment of the popular series. This one, unfortunately, failed completely and utterly. I reviewed it when it was playing in Ronan during the summer; you can read my review here.

If you have a Bluray player, one of my favorite movies, from 2004, came out in that format today as well: "Riding Giants," a documentary about crazy surfers riding gigantic waves. I love that movie, and it's really good. I'll embed the trailer below. I went with "Taking Woodstock," which was released Dec. 15. I'll get a review up sometime this week. I'll leave you with this awesome trailer of "Riding Giants."

Iron Man 2

My dad just went and saw Sherlock Holmes (which he really liked) and he mentioned seeing the Iron Man 2 trailer. I couldn't resist, so I watched it and think it looks amazing. I loved the first one, so this one should be as good or better. Here's the trailer; lemme know what you think. The release is estimated for May 2010.