Mission Mountain Movies

The 83rd Academy Award Nominees are.....

2011-01-25T09:12:00.000-08:00

All eyes were on Hollywood this morning as the nominees for the 83rd Academy Award nominations were released. Leading the way was “The King’s Speech” with 12 total nominations, followed by “True Grit” with 10 and “The Social Network” with eight chances for an Oscar statue.
Speculation always mounts for this momentous day in LA-land so we’ll go through the nominees ourselves right here in the Mission Valley. Feel free to chime in with your picks, snubs and sure-fire winners.
To the nominees:

Best Picture
“Black Swan”
“The Fighter”
“Inception”
“The Kids Are All Right ”
“The King’s Speech”
“127 Hours”
“The Social Network”
“Toy Story 3″
“True Grit”
“Winter’s Bone”
Best Direction
Darren Aronofsky for “Black Swan”
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen for “True Grit”
David Fincher for “The Social Network”
Tom Hooper for “The King’s Speech”
David O. Russell for “The Fighter”
Actor in a Leading Role
Javier Bardem in “Biutiful”
Jeff Bridges in “True Grit”
Jesse Eisenberg in “The Social Network”
James Franco in “127 Hours”
Colin Firth in “The King’s Speech”
Actress in a Leading Role
Annette Bening in “The Kids Are All Right”
Nicole Kidman in “Rabbit Hole”
Jennifer Lawrence in “Winter’s Bone”
Natalie Portman in “Black Swan”
Michelle Williams in “Blue Valentine”
Actor in a Supporting Role
Christian Bale in “The Fighter”
John Hawkes in “Winter’s Bone”
Jeremy Renner in “The Town”
Mark Ruffalo in “The Kids Are All Right”
Geoffrey Rush in “The King’s Speech”
Actress in a Supporting Role
Amy Adams in “The Fighter”
Helena Bonham Carter in “The King’s Speech”
Melissa Leo in “The Fighter”
Hailee Steinfeld in “True Grit”
Jacki Weaver in “Animal Kingdom”
Adapted Screenplay
Danny Boyle and Simon Beaufoy for “127 Hours”
Aaron Sorkin for “The Social Network”
Michael Arndt, story by John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich for “Toy Story 3″
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen for “True Grit”
Debra Granik & Anne Rosellini for “Winter’s Bone”
Original Screenplay
Mike Leigh for “Another Year”
Screenplay by Scott Silver and Paul Tamasy and Eric Johnson. Story by Keith Dorrington and Paul Tamasy and Eric Johnson for “The Fighter”
Christopher Nolan for “Inception”
Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg for “The Kids Are All Right”
David Seidler for “The King’s Speech”
Animated Feature
“How to Train Your Dragon”
“The Illusionist”
“Toy Story 3″
Art Direction
“Alice in Wonderland”: Robert Stromberg (Production Design), Karen O’Hara (Set Decoration)
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1″: Stuart Craig (Production Design), Stephenie McMillan (Set Decoration)
“Inception”: Guy Hendrix Dyas (Production Design), Larry Dias and Doug Mowat (Set Decoration)
“The King’s Speech”: Eve Stewart (Production Design), Judy Farr (Set Decoration)
“True Grit”: Jess Gonchor (Production Design), Nancy Haigh (Set Decoration)
Cinematography
“Black Swan”: Matthew Libatique
“Inception”: Wally Pfister
“The King’s Speech”: Danny Cohen
“The Social Network”: Jeff Cronenweth
“True Grit”: Roger Deakins
Costume Design
“Alice in Wonderland”: Colleen Atwood
“I Am Love”: Antonella Cannarozzi
“The King’s Speech”: Jenny Beavan
“The Tempest”: Sandy Powell
“True Grit”: Mary Zophres
Documentary (Feature)
“Exit through the Gift Shop”
“Gasland”
“Inside Job”
“Restrepo”
“Waste Land”
Documentary (Short Subject)
“Killing in the Name”
“Poster Girl”
“Strangers No More”
“Sun Come Up”
“The Warriors of Qiugang”
Film Editing
“Black Swan”: Andrew Weisblum
“The Fighter”: Pamela Martin
“The King’s Speech”: Tariq Anwar
“127 Hours”: Jon Harris
“The Social Network”: Angus Wall and Kirk Baxter
Foreign Language Film
“Biutiful”: Mexico
“Dogtooth”: Greece
“In a Better World”: Denmark
“Incendies”: Canada
“Outside the Law (Hors-la-loi)”: Algeria
Makeup
“Barney’s Version”: Adrien Morot
“The Way Back”: Edouard F. Henriques, Gregory Funk and Yolanda Toussieng
“The Wolfman”: Rick Baker and Dave Elsey
Music (Original Score)
“How to Train Your Dragon”: John Powell
“Inception”: Hans Zimmer
“The King’s Speech”: Alexandre Desplat
“127 Hours”: A.R. Rahman
“The Social Network”: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
Music (Original Song)
“Coming Home” from “Country Strong” Music and Lyric by Tom Douglas, Troy Verges and Hillary Lindsey
“I See the Light” from “Tangled” Music by Alan Menken Lyric by Glenn Slater
“If I Rise” from “127 Hours” Music by A.R. Rahman Lyric by Dido and Rollo Armstrong
“We Belong Together” from “Toy Story 3″ Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
Short Film (Animated)
“Day & Night”: Teddy Newton
“The Gruffalo”: Jakob Schuh and Max Lang
“Let’s Pollute”: Geefwee Boedoe
“The Lost Thing”: Shaun Tan and Andrew Ruhemann
“Madagascar, carnet de voyage (Madagascar, a Journey Diary)”: Bastien Dubois
Short Film (Live Action)
“The Confession”: Tanel Toom
“The Crush”: Michael Creagh
“God of Love”: Luke Matheny
“Na Wewe”: Ivan Goldschmidt
“Wish 143″: Ian Barnes and Samantha Waite
Sound Editing
“Inception”: Richard King
“Toy Story 3″: Tom Myers and Michael Silvers
“Tron: Legacy”: Gwendolyn Yates Whittle and Addison Teague
“True Grit”: Skip Lievsay and Craig Berkey
“Unstoppable”: Mark P. Stoeckinger
Sound Mixing
“Inception”: Lora Hirschberg, Gary A. Rizzo and Ed Novick
“The King’s Speech”: Paul Hamblin, Martin Jensen and John Midgley
“Salt”: Jeffrey J. Haboush, Greg P. Russell, Scott Millan and William Sarokin
“The Social Network”: Ren Klyce, David Parker, Michael Semanick and Mark Weingarten
“True Grit”: Skip Lievsay, Craig Berkey, Greg Orloff and Peter F. Kurland
Visual Effects
“Alice in Wonderland”: Ken Ralston, David Schaub, Carey Villegas and Sean Phillips
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1″: Tim Burke, John Richardson, Christian Manz and Nicolas Aithadi
“Hereafter”: Michael Owens, Bryan Grill, Stephan Trojanski and Joe Farrell
“Inception”: Paul Franklin, Chris Corbould, Andrew Lockley and Peter Bebb
“Iron Man 2″: Janek Sirrs, Ben Snow, Ged Wright and Daniel Sudick

This is the second year the Best Picture category has had 10 nominees, doubling from the traditional five, a topic we discussed here last year when they first announced the change. Unfortunately, I’ve slacked quite a bit and have only seen four of 10 (“Toy Story 3”, “True Grit”, “Inception” and “The Social Network”). That doesn’t include the frontrunner, “The King’s Speech,” which has drawn rave reviews.
As is usually case with the major categories, a nod in one, particularly Best Picture, results in nominations in the other major categories. This year is no different, with the five Best Direction nominees having led the creation of five of the Best Picture nominees.
The same is true for Best Actor, except for Javier Bardem sneaking in for his role in the Mexican flick “Biutiful.”
For Best Actress, Michelle Williams in “Blue Valentine” and Nicole Kidman in “The Rabbit Hole” are the two exceptions to the rule, though it sounds like the frontrunner may be one of my favorites, Natalie Portman, for her work in “Black Swan.”
Jeremy Renner, a “Bawstawn” bank robber in “The Town” is the lone exception in Best Supporting Actor, and he has Oscar experience to back it up. Renner was nominated for Best Actor last year for his portrayal of a bomb disposal technician in “The Hurt Locker,” last year’s Best Picture winner.
“The Fighter” took two of five spots in the Best Supporting Actress category (Amy Adams and Melissa Leo), while youngster Hailee Steinfeld, who stole the show in “True Grit” at the age of 13, took another. An impressive performance that earned a nod was Australian actress Jacki Weaver as the ruthless crime-family kingpin in “Animal Kingdom” a film I just watched last night and really enjoyed.
So there are the basics. What have you got? Who’s going to win on the big night? Who missed out? What’s your list look like?
Get ready for an Oscar celebration on Feb. 27!

A desert full of "Grit"

2011-01-12T14:04:00.000-08:00

The word “grit” has two definitions in “The American Heritage Dictionary”: “tiny rough granules, as of sand or stone,” and “indomitable spirit.” Both definitions apply in the Coen brothers newest film, “True Grit,” the former to describe what may be stuck in leading man Jeff Bridges throat during the film, the latter as an apt assessment of what many of the characters in this classic western film possess.
“They tell me you’re a man with true grit,” the 14-year-old Mattie Ross, played by Hailee Steinfeld, says to Bridges’ Rooster Cogburn character, not so much to flatter but as a frank assessment of the fictional legendary U.S. Marshal she hopes to recruit on a mission to avenge her father’s death.
Cogburn also likes to “pop the cork off of bottles” (wink, wink), but our young heroine is determined to find the best tracker to help her find Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), the man who killed her father, leaving Mattie, her mother and siblings destitute.
Tasked with picking up her father’s body from a small Arkansas town in the late 19th century, Mattie shows some true grit herself, disobeying her mother and scouring the town for a lawman to help her take down Chaney. She proves herself in a great scene where she haggles a man over the price of some ponies, threatening, as she does throughout the film, that she has a very good lawyer. Mattie’s persistence prevails again when she convinces Cogburn to allow her to accompany him through Indian country to find Chaney, even fording a raging river on the back of a horse to follow the man.
Texas Ranger (a title that seems to please him greatly) LaBoeuf (Matt Damon) joins the unlikely duo. Originally sent to bring Mattie back to her mother, LaBeuf joins the crew to bring Chaney in for a sizable bounty. LaBoeuf and Cogburn seem at each other’s throats from the beginning, squabbling away over things only lawmen from different agencies can, leaving Mattie as the youngest, but most mature, of the group.
This latest film from Ethan and Joel Coen is their first attempt at a remake, taking on an ambitious project in remaking the 1969 “True Grit” that starred the Duke himself, John Wayne (who won a Best Actor Oscar for his role), but of course the filmmakers are up to the task. While not my favorite of their movies, this one has a lot going for it, beginning with the cast and the impressive, assertive performance of Hailee Steinfeld, who was 13-years-old during the filming of this movie.
The landscape is beautiful as well, evoking memories of the rolling hills in “No Country for Old Men” and the snowy terrain in “Fargo.” The characters, and of course, the dialogue, is excellent, with funny one-liners (script written by the Coens) and well-developed personalities of the three main characters. It’s not exactly action-packed, but what there is for action is worthwhile and exciting. The film picks up at the end and while I have yet to see the original (I plan to), I believe it must do it justice.
I’d give it 8 out of 10 stars. “True Grit” is rated PG-13 and is playing in Ronan today but will move to Polson beginning tomorrow, Jan. 14.

Here's the trailer:

Pete Postlethwaite: Feb. 7 1946 - Jan. 2, 2011

2011-01-05T13:14:00.000-08:00

I realize the last movie I posted on was "The Town", the penultimate movie Postlethwaite acted in before passing away earlier this week (his last film, "Killing Bono," will be out later this year).

Postlethwaite never was much of a starring character but remains one of my favorite supplementary characters. His British accent and distinct look make him a memorable character in anything he's in.

Reports say it's cancer that eventually claimed him and in "The Town," which he played ruthless gangster Fergie, Postlethwaite looked pretty skinny, but I didn't attribute it to health issues. It was sad news to hear he had passed.

He appeared in three films released in 2010, all three of which I have seen: "Clash of the Titans," "Inception" and the aforementioned "The Town." Personally, some of my favorites of his include "The Lost World: Jurassic Park," "Romeo + Juliet," "The Usual Suspects" and the remake of "The Omen" in which he meets a pretty ghastly ending. Postlethwaite received a nomination for his role as Giuseppe Conlon in the film "In the Name of the Father," which received seven Academy Award Nominations, including Best Picture.

We'll all miss Postlethwaite's presence on screen, one of the more underrated, understate actors of his time. Here's a montage of stills from movies he's been in:

An unforgiving "Town"

2011-01-05T10:29:00.000-08:00

Ben Affleck, our favorite Boston-product actor (or is it second favorite? Matt Damon anyone?) has moved on to acting AND directing, this time churning out his second Boston-based movie “The Town.” His first, “Gone Baby Gone,” in which his younger brother Casey starred, was based on the novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane, who happened to write the book-turned-movie “Mystic River,” another movie based in Boston (but directed by Oscar-winner and Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood).

This movie takes on one of my favorite genres, the ever-exciting heist film. It’s easy to call this movie a blend of the classic “Heat” and “The Departed” (which won Best Picture and Best Director Oscars in 2006), and rightfully so because it’s a gritty crime movie based in Boston, with some epic shootouts and bank robberies, a la “Heat.”

Whereas “The Departed” takes place in the Boston neighborhood Southie, “The Town” takes place in Charlestown, a similar blue-collar area that boasts, at least in text at the beginning of the film, of virtually acting as a breeding ground for bank robbers.

Four residents of the neighborhood, Doug (Affleck), Jem (Jeremy Renner, “The Hurt Locker”), Gloansy (George Carroll) and Dez (Owen Burke) take the moniker to heart and rob a Cambridge bank, taking along bank manager Claire (Rebecca Hall) as a hostage. They let her go unharmed, but realize she lives near by, prompting Jem to encourage someone to “have a chat” with the witness.

Subsequent interviews with witnesses and an examination of the bank by FBI agent Adam Frawley (Jon Hamm, “Mad Men”) reveal the thorough, professional job done by the four friends in robbing the bank. Frawley is quickly onto the guys, but doesn’t have enough for a case.

Doug decides to “talk” to the witness, and ends up doing so — but falling for her. He’s got to balance hiding her from her his buddies and continuing his “day job” as a bank robber. And he visits his dad Stephen (Chris Cooper), who’s serving his own very long prison sentence for a bank robbery. Don’t forget the old-school Fergie (Pete Postlethwaite), a florist who has his fingers in some sticky business. It’s a tough line to toe for Doug, who seems to want to leave “the town” in his rearview mirror.

The plot is fairly original, but clearly draws from a wide-range of other films, namely “Heat” and “The Departed.” It’s a great mix that combines a love story, intense crime and chase scenes, plenty of violence and some edge-of-your-seat action. There’s an awesome scene at Fenway Park, which is cool for a baseball fan like me. The only thing missing is a role for our buddy Damon, who’s nowhere to be found in Affleck’s Charlestown.

I also wouldn’t be surprised to see some Oscar nominations for the film, in acting, directing or maybe even Best Picture categories. The “Bawstan” accent can be a little thick, so if you rent from Crazy Mike’s, you might want to turn on the subtitles to pick up the fast-paced dialogue. Renner and Affleck are great and so is the overall flick.

“The Town” is rated R for violence, blood, guns and shootouts, as well as profanity and some sexual content. Another film not recommended for the kiddies. Overall, 8 out of 10 stars.

Here's the trailer:

Finally, getting to "The Greek"

2011-01-05T10:24:00.000-08:00

I waited quite a while to see “Get Him to the Greek” and finally watched it this past week, more than two months after its release on DVD. Frankly, I don’t know what I was waiting for.

For some reason I found myself nervous. I didn’t want to dislike it, but all I’d heard were fairly negative things about the film. The problem is, I enjoyed “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” of which “Greek” was supposed to be a spinoff, and I didn’t want to be disappointed. “Marshall” had gained a cult following after its release on DVD, and I was one of those that jumped aboard after watching it a few times.

In “Marshall,” Russell Brand plays Aldous Snow, the airheaded, crazy pop-singer boyfriend of Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell), an “accomplished” actress best known for a CSI-type show. The two run into Marshall’s ex-boyfriend Peter Bretter (Jason Segel) at a Hawaii resort, where shenanigans ensue. Jonah Hill is also in the film as a worker at the resort who is a mega fan of Snow’s ridiculous songs. The movie is directed by Nicholas Stoller and produced by Judd Apatow, who has had his fingers in quite a few winners the last five years.

“Greek” brings back the main components of “Marshall” from director and producer to main characters. While Brand again plays Snow, Hill is a whole new character, which kind of threw me off when I originally heard about the film. Hill plays Aaron Green, an employee at Los Angeles music label Pinnacle, owned by the rambunctious, eccentric Sergio (Sean “P. Diddy” Combs). Combs appearance surprised me as well. The first CD I bought as a kid was “No Way Out” by Puff Daddy, and to say the man has changed in the last 14 years is quite an understatement. But, Combs does a great job and is actually quite funny in what I believe to be his first foray into acting.

Green comes up with the idea for Snow to perform a 10-year anniversary show at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles and his boss Sergio eventually agrees, giving Green the assignment of picking Snow up in London and bringing him back to LA in time for a concert three days away.

The problem, of course, is that Snow is severely depressed and back to his old ways of excessive drug and alcohol use. During his time in “Marshall,” Snow says he has been sober for seven years (except for a memorable, awkward dinner during the film). He’s having woman problems again and his latest album, “African Child” has completely bombed. Snow is down and out, making appearances on TMZ drunk and reckless, constantly getting into trouble.

Green arrives in London, fresh off a break-up with his long-time girlfriend, and finds himself under the influence of Snow, whom he reveres, pretty quickly. While Green is worried about catching their flight to New York City for an appearance on the “Today” show, Snow continues to put it off, insisting on chasing girls and getting drunk.

One of the funnier scenes is in New York on the way to Snow’s “Today” appearance. Sergio insists on Green keeping Snow sober for the bit, which Green attempts to do by guzzling whiskey and imbibing other drugs in the limo on the way to the show. The scene even includes a cameo by renowned Princeton economist Paul Krugman.

Cameos abound, as do funny scenes and jokes, as the duo makes their way across the country to Snow’s show at the Greek. At times, it tries to be a little too serious, but in the end, goes back to slapstick and some gross-out humor that doesn’t lack for laughs. Brand is great as snow, Combs is not bad as Sergio and Hill does well as the straight man for once.

Despite my initial reservations, I found myself laughing out loud, by myself, quite a bit. And even Sarah Marshall makes a short cameo when we see the preview for her newest TV show titled “Blind Medicine” where she stars as a blind surgeon: excellent.

“Get Him to the Greek” is rated R for sexual content, drug use and lots of profanity; definitely not recommended for younger folks. I rate it 7 out of 10 stars. Check it out at Crazy Mike’s in Polson where it’s available for five-day rental.

Here's the trailer:

Hardly "Unthinkable"

2011-01-05T10:18:00.000-08:00

Since the attacks of Sept. 11 almost 10 years ago, many movies have been made about other terrorist attacks being carried out on American soil. While these types of movies were also made prior to the attacks, the intensity, and realism, has certainly picked up in the more recent entries in the terror-genre. The relevance remains to this day, as we’ve heard reports, even as recently as two weeks ago, of plots to unleash destruction on American civilians. Most recently was the alleged planned attack in Portland, Ore. by Mohamed Osman Mohamud, a 19-year old apparently bent on “violent jihad.”

Many of the movies about terrorism have received flak because of their portrayal of Muslims from the Middle East as the attacker(s). We’ve seen “The Siege,” an incredible film that predicted, in a way, some of the backlash in post-9/11 New York City. A recent entry in the terrorism genre, released straight to DVD in June of this year, is “Unthinkable,” and deals with terrorism, torture and human morality in a deadly scenario: Would you kill one person to save many?

Terrorism may have felt like a far-away concept for many in Lake County, but the news out of Portland must have brought it home a least a little more. “Unthinkable” stars Samuel L. Jackson as a tough-as-nails secret government asset named “H,” Carrie Ann-Moss as FBI Special Agent Helen Brody, head of the Los Angeles counter-terrorism unit, and Michael Sheen as Steven Arthur Younger, who has converted to Islam and now goes by the name Yusuf Atta Mohammed. Younger has submitted a video to law enforcement implicating that he has placed three nuclear bombs in three different American cities; his film shows him standing in front of the bombs in nondescript rooms at the different locations.

An elite task force is comprised, including Agent Brody, not to find the suspect Younger but to determine the location of the bombs. When Brody is transported to a classified location, she runs into H, who her team had previously detained as a potential terrorist, but who turns out to be a world-class, Guantanamo Bay-type interrogator.

Once on-site, Brody learns Younger has already been detained and is being tortured to force him to reveal the bombs locations. Brody is upset by the tactics, and would rather speak to him and learn where the bombs are. The seasoned H knows this tactic won’t work, and takes to more extreme torture, which Brody at first detests, until she realizes it may be the only solution in a war that has no boundaries…even when the unthinkable is a reality.

The acting is great, and Jackson, as always, is one bad mo-fo. Something about the guy oozes confidence and smugness, as if he’s the only one in on the joke. This works perfectly for a character like H. Sheen, who was brilliant as David Frost in “Frost/Nixon,” is similarly great in his role as Younger, though his accent from the other side of the pond seems to leak out quite a bit, especially under extreme duress which, let’s face it, he’s in almost the whole movie. Ann-Moss (“The Matrix”) is competent as Brody and complements the other characters well as one of the main characters.

While some of the plotlines are 100 percent realistic, that isn’t what makes this movie great. It’s the situations that force the characters hands, that make them think about their moral code and how to act in certain scenarios. Like I said, something like this could happen in the future; the question remains, how will those that need to make the decisions act under fire?

I’d give the film 9 out of 10 stars. I really enjoyed it and watched it more than once. When you play the DVD, you’ll have an option to watch the original or extended version; trust me, watch the extended. It’s not much longer but well worth the added twist.

Here's the trailer:

Oldie but goodie: "The Hunted"

2011-01-05T10:15:00.000-08:00

The big movie news of late was the release of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I” last week. Boy, did that sucker make a lot of money: $330 million worldwide in its opening weekend.

I did not contribute to those millions of dollars, but I know plenty of friends who were more than willing to fork over some cash to see Harry, Ron and Hermione in the penultimate Potter movie. Facebook was atwitter with status updates concerning the film: “OMG!! Opening night of HP 7 :)” and other such musings remain common on the social networking site.

Plenty of people in Lake County were among those to see the film as well, as the Polson Showboat Theatre sold out at least four times, theater owner Becky Dupuis said Tuesday afternoon. Dupuis said the Potter-mania began with a midnight showing last Thursday night that came close to selling out, and has continued to bring in dedicated Potter fans.

“Despite the weather, it seems people are willing to risk life and limb to come,” she said with a laugh. “We’re just glad we could bring it to the community when it opened and glad for the support we have gotten from the community.”

Dupuis said it’s been so busy that she herself hasn’t had a chance to see it, but she’ll have opportunities in the coming days. The film will show for two more weeks in Polson, she said, and may play for a week at the Ronan Entertainer too. This holiday weekend should be busy as well, so if you want to see the flick, head down to Main Street Polson early to catch one of three daily showings.

Because I’m scared of snowy streets and Harry Potter fanatics, I bundled up in my house and turned on the instant Netflix. I much prefer to rent from Crazy Mike’s in town, but with my vehicle’s aversion to snow, I was a little bit stranded.

Instead, I went with an old movie that I’ve seen parts of on TV: “The Hunted”, which is also available at Crazy Mike’s in Polson.

Starring Tommy Lee Jones and Benicio del Toro, the film came out in 2003 and is the sort of action-thriller that can be enjoyable on a cold winter night.

Del Toro plays Aaron Hallam, a special-ops military guy who’s quite obviously good at his job: finding and terminating targets. The opening scene shows him in Kosovo in 1999, as ethnic cleansing means for a pretty brutal battle scene, filled with explosions and mass murder.

Later, we’re brought to the woods of Oregon, where Hallam brutally murders four hunters, showing off some of his insane knife skills that he’s seemed to have picked up during his special military training. That training came from L.T. Bonham (Jones), a deep-woods FBI tracker, who is brought to Oregon to find his former student. Bonham finds and detains him, but Hallam proves a slippery asset that may know more than he should.

Del Toro is good in his role as a posttraumatic stress disorder military man that seems to have brought his experience in Kosovo back with him stateside. The fight and chase scenes are pretty epic, though the plot and script are a little bit lacking.

Overall, I’d recommend the movie if you’re looking for a fun, older film.

Here's the trailer:

Over"Due Date"

2011-01-05T10:12:00.000-08:00

Ahh, winter. A time of snow, cold, early darkness and the holidays. But more inside time also means more movie time, to cuddle up and watch your favorite flick, or visit your local theater, the Showboat in Polson or Entertainer in Ronan, to see some of the hottest new films out.

While winter also means the beginning of Oscar season, there’s always room for mindless comedy, and our favorite comedy director Todd Phillips (“Old School”, “The Hangover”) is back with another buddy-comedy movie. Also known as “bromances” or “bromedies,” Due Date fits the genre that Phillips has so skillfully and meticulously crafted with his previous films. You go into the film for a good laugh, but not much beyond that.

Peter Highman (Robert Downey, Jr.) is in Atlanta on business and heading home to Los Angeles to be back in time for the birth of his first child. When a stranger, Ethan Tremblay, (Zack Galifianakis) uses banned words “terrorist” and “bomb” on the plane, both men are kicked off the flight and placed on the No Fly List, meaning…road trip!

While Peter wants nothing to do with Ethan for obvious reasons, he finds himself forced into driving with him after leaving his wallet on the plane. From there, the duo makes their way across the country as the misadventures rack up.

Overall, it’s a decent movie but definitely not Phillips, Galifianakis or Downey’s best. Galifianakis plays his usual role: the weird outcast that people have a hard time getting along with. Think Alan in The Hangover, but not quite as funny. Downey plays a role he’s familiar with as well: cocky and sarcastic, the perfect straight man to Galifianakis’ comic role. There aren’t many gross out moments, which is a good thing, and most of the laughs come from quirks of Ethan, who claims to be 23 and is heading to LA to become an actor. He’s goofy and annoying, and he and Peter go through some crazy hijinks, mostly because of some way Ethan’s screwed up.

The problem, though, is that much of the story lays undeveloped; Phillips expects you to come for a few laughs and be happy with what you get. Instead, it’s really a barebones movie with not much of a plot. I like both of the main characters but they get a little stale after a few hours in the car. While the two men eventually form a bond of sorts, the secondary characters float through the film without much purpose.

It seems the producers of this film thought they could get by with big names, without also producing a substantive film with good laughs. Instead, it settles for cheap gimmicks that don’t really do these actors justice.

Here's the trailer:

"Inception"ally cool

2010-07-22T09:53:00.000-07:00

It’s hard to go into a movie unbiased when the hype machine has taken a hold of it and blown the film way out of proportion before it has even been released. Luckily for me, I’d only seen one very non-descript trailer and read one review of “Inception,” director Christopher Nolan’s newest, biggest and baddest of summer blockbusters to hit cinemas world-wide. And before the opening weekend had even finished, “Inception” had taken over as the talk of Internet forums and blogs, like its predecessor, the “Matrix” trilogy, had years before. Hopefully your eyes and ears are clean and unhindered when you see this one so maybe you can make your own judgment. But just a warning: you might have to see it twice.
“Inception”, conceptually, is a great movie. It’s different in scale, concept and CGI then maybe any other before it, and this uniqueness is a pleasant, different cinema-experience. The plot revolves around the novel world of corporate espionage through stealing secrets from executives dreams. Recruiting a cast of thieves with different strengths, like the architect, who creates the dream area or the chemist, who creates a strong enough potion to knock out the target long enough to steal their secretive thoughts, these teams are powerful and wily, able to extract things that can destroy major corporations.
Main protagonist Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) leads such a team on one of their most daring missions yet. In this case, the skilled squad must perform “inception,” where the team enters a targets dreams and attempts to plant an idea, rather than stealing an already formed idea. Cobb’s troubled past and struggles with reality make the team’s goal harder than it already is, and could very well make, or break, their success.
Like I said, Inception is a very cool movie. The dream states that most of the film take place in mean Nolan can have fun with what he does and what he wants to make each “world” like. Cinematically, it’s beautiful and the concept is original and well executed. It does get a bit confusing, and I tried to keep up with all the twists and things that go on, but most people I spoke with about the movie agreed that the best tactic is to just let it go and enjoy what’s on the screen. I’ve only seen it once but I’d like to go have another watch because it’s a lot to take in and the film runs almost two and a half hours, which is pretty long. And when someone can make their own reality, whatever it is, they can get a little carried away, which Nolan does. When there are no rules, what is there to follow? Sometimes, that can mean a film is good or bad.
I did like the film; acting is good, concept is great, cinematically beautiful. But it’s hard for me to rave about it like others, and I can’t really decide what makes me feel that way. I’ll have another watch and see if I change my mind, but overall, it’s a worthwhile experience that you should definitely take advantage of. Now playing in Polson.

7 out of 10 stars. Rated PG-13 for violence, language and alternate reality.

Here's the trailer:

Home is where the 'Toy Story' is

2010-06-25T12:22:00.000-07:00

As a 9-year-old when the first 'Toy Story' movie came out in 1995, the movie thrilled and enthralled me. Buzz Lightyear, Rex, Mr. Potato Head and of course our pal Woody, made the animated feature mystical and special and exposed a new, secret world to children. Why couldn't our toys be walking, talking creatures replete with unique personalities while we weren't playing with them? Doesn't that almost make sense, to some extent? Aside from the concept, which was ingenious, the story crafted in that first picture kept everyone involved. The script was sharp and funny, filled with plenty of humor for children and adults alike. 'Toy Story 2' followed in suit, but it wasn't until 'Toy Story 3' that Pixar, the company that produced the trilogy, outdid themselves.

The story picks up with Andy now a young man, ready to enter college. While age has changed Andy, the toys are still the same hoping Andy will still play with them. When Andy has to clean his room, it's the attic, the trash or donation time for the toys. The toys are accidentally donated to a daycare center, leading to a new life that some accept, and others (Woody) just can't handle.

The scenes at the daycare are hilarious and the new characters are excellent. Part of what makes these movies so witty and enjoyable is how the creators make personalities for the toys that completely fit what you would imagine, i.e. Barbie's kinda ditzy. I couldn't help but laugh out loud at tons of the jokes, most of which are made for people older than 16. And yes, there are scenes where I did get that "hurty feeling" in my throat, holding back the urge to cry (say what you will, but its tough!). The voices, script and all the characters are excellent and really, it's hard to find anything negative to say. I'm eager to see it again and I highly recommend it. After all, didn't you have toys you left home to go off to college?

9 out of 10 stars

Here's the trailer:

Truly 'Precious'

2010-04-07T11:15:00.000-07:00

Films about young people growing up in difficult situations are numerous. One of the reasons this "genre" is so popular is because of the way it crosses all sorts of boundaries: economic, social, racial, class, time period, etc. Anyway you look at it, young people have had problems, be it with family, drugs, school, friends, or depression. We've seen this from the beginning of movies: from "Rebel Without a Cause" to "What's Eating Gilbert Grape?" to "Kids" and so on. And the most recent film with a whole mishmash of such problems would be "Precious", the multi-Oscar nominated film that stormed the ceremony, including Mo'Nique (rightfully so) winning Best Supporting Actress. The official title is "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire" but I'll be referring to it as simply "Precious."

Clareece 'Precious' Jones (Gabourey Sidibe) is a black, overweight 16-year-old in 1987 Harlem. She's pregnant with her second child, lives with an abusive, self-absorbed mother, goes to a rough school, and is literally friendless. She has it bad, and that much is made evident in the first few minutes of the film, including her frequent fantasies of a handsome boyfriend who walks her down the red carpet at big events. Her daydreaming is clearly an escape for her, but it also shows her creativity and imagination, which has been throttled by the conditions she lives in.

On the recommendations of the principal, Precious ends up attending an alternative school with other wayward young women. Her life is transformed as a charismatic teacher, Blu Rain (Paula Patton), realizes her potential and helps her learn to read, write, and explore academia, something that has been forbidden by her mother, who is crazed at trying to continue to exploit the welfare system. Approximately a year of Precious' life is shown in this great, but sometimes depressing, film.

I've now seen eight of the 10 nominees for Best Picture (I'm missing "The Blind Side" and "An Education", both of which I plan on seeing), but this may have been my favorite (though it's tough to pick!). It's extremely real, and made more so by the fact that Sidibe had NO prior acting experience prior to her role as Precious, and she is phenomenal. As is her mother from hell, Mo'Nique, who blew me away with her performance as a heartless, demeaning woman who continually surprises with how low she will go. Small roles by musicians Mariah Carey as social worker Miss Weiss and Lenny Kravitz as nurse John McFadden are played brilliantly by both, and add a nice, small touch to the film. Most of the performances are pretty impressive, and the directing is well done too. This is a pretty basic film with a fairly basic premise, but one that works to its fullest extent. I highly recommend this film, but don't go in expecting a laugh fest by any means.

A first for me: 9 out of 10 stars

"Precious" is rated R for strong language, some violence, some sexual content and general mood of despair.

Here's the trailer:

New movie Tuesday

2010-04-06T19:29:00.000-07:00

It seems winter won't end so enjoy some good movies in your warm house! Unfortunately there are only two that came out today, but there are other good ones out there. The two releases today are "Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans," which stars Nick Cage and looks.....interesting, and "The Collector," which is a horror film in a similar vein to "Saw." Needless to say, I didn't go with either, but if someone sees it and likes it, lemme know.

I went with "Precious", the multi-Oscar nominated film from 2009. It came out a few weeks ago but I've been wanting to see it, so I'll try to get a review up soon. Enjoy the week and any films you may watch.

Sly 'Mr. Fox'

2010-03-31T09:54:00.000-07:00

I haven't watched many animated films while writing this blog, save for "Up", which was excellent, and the unique "Fantastic Mr. Fox", which was actually filmed in "stop-action" animation. Stop-action moves the figures frame by frame, and in this case, are animated characters, with the frames sped up. It's an awesome visual, and makes the film a stand-out among the 2009 releases. The fact that it was nominated for the Oscar for Best Animated Film (losing to "Up") and that many thought it should have been nominated for Best Picture is just more of a testament to its impact on viewers. Add to the fact that it's directed by Wes Anderson ("Rushmore", "The Royal Tenenbaums") and he brings along the voices of some of his usual crew: Owen Wilson, Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman. And don't forget the voices of Academy Award winners George Clooney and Meryl Streep. Wow, that's a lot of talent.

The film begins with Mr. and Mrs. Fox (Clooney and Streep) getting caught in a trap while stealing birds from a farmer. Mrs. Fox encourages them to find a new line of work (if the escape) because of the danger and she tells him she's pregnant. Two years later (they escape), the foxes are living in a hole, with Mrs. Fox staying home and Mr. Fox working as a newspaperman (of course!). He clearly misses the thrill of stealing, and is resigned to his life as a suburban father. He decides to move the family to a tree house, which his lawyer, Clive Badger (Bill Murray) warns him against, saying it is too dangerous. Fox disagrees and moves the family.

Once they move, long-lost cousin Kristofferson Silverfox (Eric Chase Anderson) comes to live with the family because his father is sick with "double pneumonia." Immediately Mr. Fox takes a shining to cousin Kris, who seems to be good at everything while his forlorn son Ash Fox (Schwartzman) is more of a "wet rag" type.

Soon after moving, Fox can't resist his life of stealing any longer, and decides to target the farms of Boggis, Bunce and Bean, who have turkey, apples, alcoholic cider and chickens. Fox recruits the hilarious Kylie Sven Opossum (Wallace Wolodarsky) to be his side kick, and the game is on. But once the farmers get wise to the plot, things get pretty wild for the animal kingdom, and they need to find a way to survive...

The story isn't terribly complex, but what really makes the film is the excellent animation and stop-action and the wonderful, funny animal characters. Humans can hear the animals talk, and the interactions between them and their fellow animals is pretty funny. The animals have an interesting society that is just like humans, from lawyers to real estate agents to schools and gym class. Though rated PG, this isn't a film for children. It has adult themes and they use the word "cuss" as an all around curse word (like when they refer to something as a potential "cluster cuss" or "he's a cuss of an athlete") which is actually a pretty funny running joke throughout the film. It's fun and really enjoyable movie that I hope most people like as much as I did.

8 out of 10 stars

"Fantastic Mr. Fox" is rated PG for some mild animated violence, smoking (?) and sayign the word "cuss." Like I said, it's definitely an animated film for adults.

Here's the trailer:

New movie Tuesday

2010-03-30T15:57:00.000-07:00

Is anyone else as surprised by the recent (last few years) resurgence of Robert Downey Jr.? The man's everywhere, and he has TWO movie franchises under his thumb: "Iron Man" and a new DVD release today, "Sherlock Holmes." I mean, he gets to play two of the coolest characters around; lucky duck. I saw "Sherlock" when it was at the Polson Showboat Theater; read my review here.

Also out today is "An Education," which looks pretty good, and "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel," which doesn't. I went with the animated "Fantastic Mr. Fox," which has drawn rave reviews; I'll get a review up soon.

At the Polson Showboat, currently playing is "Green Zone," which I saw and will review. On Friday, Polson will show "How to Train Your Dragon" and "Diary of a Wimpy Kid", while Ronan will show "Clash of the Titans," which I'll be interested to see. Enjoy the rest of the week!

'Brothers': A Family Affair

2010-03-24T12:50:00.000-07:00

2009 may have been the year of Iraq/Aghanistan war movies, at least good ones. "The Hurt Locker" showed what some say is a realistic view of the Iraq war circa 2004, and "Brothers" shows the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder, and what war does to the people left behind while a family member is off to war. "Brothers" is almost a misnomer; the film could almost be called "Family" or something, but as I understand it, it is a remake of a Danish film, "Broders." Regardless of the title, the film creates a unique story that offers a different perspective on America's current war-undertakings, blending home life and actual war scenes into a compelling, dramatic movie that completes other similar war-genre films of the past decade.

The juxtaposition of the two brothers, Tommy (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Sam Cahill (Tobey Maguire) is immediately made obvious. Sam, the military family man with a wife Grace (Natalie Portman) and two young daughters, and Tommy, the younger brother Sam picks up from prison in one of the opening scenes. Not to mention the men's father, Hank (Sam Shepard) who is a Vietnam vet himself, and clearly proud of Sam while equally disappointed and disproving of Tommy's lifestyle. Grace is similarly disproving of Tommy, who drinks a lot and does not get along well with any of the family.

When Sam is sent on another tour of Afghanistan, his family life is torn apart, but he seems ready to get back into battle. His helicopter is shot down, and all people are assumed dead. The news, obviously, devastates Grace, and furthers the rift between Tommy and his father, as well as Grace. But a kitchen project Tommy undertakes at Grace's house helps both with their grief, and the children take a shining to Tommy as well. The new family seems happy, until they get the news that Sam may not be dead. But what he had to endure while captured by Afghan rebels may have changed his mental state....

The synopsis I just gave tells a lot about the plot does not give anything away. The important aspect of the movie is the human interactions, and the effects war has on soldiers and their families. I enjoyed this film, which develops the story well and creates a good plot. The acting is solid, as can be expected from this strong cast, and though slow at times, it never really lost me. A good, different war story that make for an enjoyable watch.

7 out of 10 stars

Here's the trailer:

New movie Tuesday

2010-03-23T16:44:00.000-07:00

Bunch of good ones today, so I had a hard time choosing. Biggest one is probably "The Blind Side" for which Sandra Bullock nabbed the best actress Oscar. It looks pretty good and is a true story about a guy currently playing in the NFL on the Baltimore Ravens. Also out is "The Men Who Stare At Goats" starring George Clooney and Ewan McGregor and which looked pretty good as well. "Fantastic Mr. Fox", an animated film which got pretty good reviews and that I'd be interested to see is out today.

I went with "Brothers" which looks pretty intense. It stars Jake Gyllenhal and Tobey McGuire as brothers fighting over one woman (Natalie Portman). I'll get it watched and have a review up soon. Enjoy all the great new releases!

An 'Island' of Insanity

2010-03-16T15:49:00.000-07:00

Whenever Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio hook up, the result is an instant classic, right? Those who have seen either "Gangs of New York" or "The Departed" may certainly think so. Those who have only seen "Shutter Island" might think you were crazy -- cause everything about the film itself seems to be. Born out of a great book by Dennis Lehane, author of "Mystic River" and "Gone Baby Gone," the film version is a seeming flop, certainly not worthy of the cast, the budget, or the constantly revised release date.

DiCaprio plays Teddy Daniels, a U.S. Marshall in 1954 sent to Shutter Island, a mental institution off the coast of Boston (Bahhston), to investigate the disappearance of an inmate who has seemingly "disappeared into thin air." Along for the ferry ride is Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo), Daniels new partner who is equally skeptical of the whole ordeal.

Once on the island, things begin to get a little kooky. A massive storm/hurricane hits the island, keeping the marshalls on the rock, despite assuming the investigation is over. The men assumed the escapee has died if she had gotten out of the compound and that there isn't much more to learn. But Dr. Cawley (Ben Kingsley) and the Warden (Ted Levine) seem pretty intent on keeping the men around. And then there's the whole issue of what happened to Daniels wife, and the man committed to the island for his role in her death...

This isn't a bad movie and it is pretty well made and acted. I just had really high expectations because I'd read the book, and there was a lot of hype leading up to its release. Also, the twist isn't as out of left field as they'd make you believe. It is interesting, but at times drags; the film runs about two and a half hours, so I found myself drifting occasionally.

"Shutter Island"" is rated R for bad language (including bad accents), violence, and generally creepy scenes.

6 out of 10 stars

Here's the trailer:

New movie Tuesday

2010-03-16T14:21:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone's having a good week so far. Couple of big releases today. First, the one all the tweens can't wait to see, or probably buy, rather. "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" hits the shelves, and the youngsters can't get enough of shirtless Taylor Lautner. Have fun with that. It was out in theaters here, but I didn't see it. Instead, my old colleague Aimee went and reviewed it as a guest on my blog; read all about it here. Also out is Disney's "The Princess and the Frog", "Did you Hear About the Morgans?" "Ninja Assassin" and animated film "Astro Boy."

I saw "Ninja Assassin" in the theaters, and it was OK. Very bloody and a pretty dumb story, but somewhat entertaining. I went with a film that was released a few weeks ago, "The Informant!" with Matt Damon. I'll try to have a review up soon.

Flying high with some serious lows

2010-03-10T11:43:00.000-08:00

The bad economy has been a major topic in nearly every medium. You can't go one single hour, it seems, without reading, hearing or talking about the stagnant housing market, job market and how perilous each indicator of economic strength may prove to be. Up until last night, I hadn't seen a movie that really symbolized the feeling of the economic situation. "Up in the Air" isn't about the economy, per se, but it wouldn't be as effective without the massive amounts of layoffs that have been taking place in the last few years. But there's a lot more to it than that.

George Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, a "career transition counselor" or as he describes it: "the person who sacks somebody when their boss doesn't have the [courage] to do it." His company is based in Omaha, Neb., but Bingham travels everywhere: Tulsa, Wichita, Miami, Detroit, St. Louis. He is good at his job, and can walk in and tell someone they've been "let go" even as they stare at him, never having seen him in their life. Bingham also is a motivational speaker, giving talks at conferences about "What's in your backpack?" and basically advising people to let go of their relationships and problems to live a simpler, less complex life. Bingham clearly lives by this philosophy, traveling more than 270 days a year, firing people for a living. During his travels, Bingham meets Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga), another frequent flier/traveler. They compare cards, proving to one another how much they travel, and in their world, how exclusive they may be. They begin a romantic relationship, both seemingly living by the same philosophy of casual sex and no commitments. They check schedules to plan other meeting points when their paths cross in different cities.

Bingham is called back to Omaha for an all company meeting. Once there, his boss Craig Gregory (Jason Bateman) introduces the team to a young, up and comer that is revolutionizing their business. Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick) is a recent graduate of Cornell who has come up with a video link system that will eliminate traveling by the firing squad and allow them to work from Omaha. Bingham, clearly a veteran and one of the best workers, is not happy because he admits, he loves flying, traveling and being anonymous. Before they implement the system, Gregory asks Bingham to take Keener on the road with him to show her the ropes, and how the whole operation works.

Immediately the differences, stark and obvious, between the two become pronounced. Bingham is the savvy, veteran traveler while Keener shows up with luggage to check, clearly a violation of any Bingham philosophy. She is young and idealistic, he is a grizzled veteran who knows his profession inside and out. It is clear from the beginning that she might not have the stomach to fire people.

I really enjoyed this film. The characters are well developed and interesting, presenting different viewpoints that tell a complete story. Sure, it's somewhat predicatable and follows a somewhat familiar storyline, but Clooney is perfect in the role and Farmiga is excellent as well. It's kind of funny because the role almost mirrors bachelor Clooney's real life, at least as portrayed in the media. There are funny parts and a good cast, but it is also sad and somewhat real, with deeper storylines than just what the plot synopsis can really give. It's worth seeing and an interesting movie. It won't necessarily make you happy, but it has a genuine message that people can relate to. The fact that Clooney, Farmiga, director Jason Reitman and the whole film were nominated for Oscars says a lot too. The aerial shots Reitman utilizes are pretty cool as well, including the opening sequence and the different cities Bingham travels to. It's a thought provoking film, and may cause you to evaluate or reevaluate your own life.

"Up in the Air" is rated R for some sexual content/brief nudity and language. Some more adult themes.

8 out of 10 stars.

Here's the trailer:

New movie Tuesday

2010-03-09T15:27:00.000-08:00

Lots of good choices for movies today on the heels of the Oscars, including two best picture nominees. I went with "Up in the Air", which was nominated for best picture, director, actor and supporting actress. Well, it didn't win any of those, but it still must be good.
Also out is "Precious: Based on the novel 'Push' by Sapphire." By the time I got to Mike's this morning it was out, but I'd really like to see it. It was nominated for best picture, actress, director and supporting actress, which Mo'Nique nabbed. I'll try to see it soon.
The sequel to the cult favorite "Boondock Saints" was released today, aptly title "The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day." Uhhh....we'll see, though I did like the first one (not as much as some people though).
"Old Dogs" with John Travolta and Robin Williams, the animated "Planet 51" and Michael Moore's newest documentary "Capitalism: A Love Story" all hit the shelves today as well.
In theaters, Polson is currently playing "The Wolfman" and "Alice in Wonderland." "Wolfman" will be replaced Friday with "Cop Out." In Ronan, "Edge of Darkness" with Mel Gibson is currently playing. It will be replaced by "Shutter Island" on Friday.
Pretty good selection this week, so I hope you have something good to watch on this snowy afternoon. Happy watching!

Oscar Recap

2010-03-09T15:05:00.000-08:00

The Oscars, the big early spring Hollywood shindig, has come to a close, leaving us with a fresh new year to anticipate what films will make the cut for next year. Granted, Oscar season is usually October thru December, but you get the idea. Sunday's telecast had "The Hurt Locker" as the big winner, taking two of the major categories.

Here are the results, with my predictions from before the ceremony. Kudos to Steve, our only entrant in the contest, for getting six of seven correct! From Steve, Feb. 12: "Predictions: Hurt Locker, Bigelow, Jeff Bridges, Meryl Streep, Waltz, Monique." He only missed Streep, who lost in favor of Sandra Bullock. Steve wins an all-expenses paid trip to Las Vegas...have fun! (not really, but thanks for submitting!)

Best Picture:
"The Hurt Locker"
I got this one right. A lot of people had it down to this and "Avatar." In my opinion the right film won, despite all the issues Iraqi veterans are bringing up about the truthfulness of it.

Actor in a Leading Role
Jeff Bridges, "Crazy Heart"
Apparently a good film and good performance. Glad to see Bridges get the recognition he deserves for years of great films. And no, I will not make a "Big Lebowski" reference (though it's a great movie)

Actor in a Supporting Role
Christoph Waltz, "Inglorious Basterds"
I got this one right as well. Great performance and a great film. Glad to see Waltz win. I think he probably ran away with it.

Actress in a Leading Role
Sandra Bullock, "The Blind Side"
I really thought Streep would win here, but I've heard Bullock was great in her role. It's pretty funny that she won best actress and worst of the year, getting the Razzie for her role in "All About Steve."

Actress in a Supporting Role
Mo'Nique, "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire"
I had no point of reference in this category, but it sounds like the right person won. Glad to see "Precious" win something for all the accolades it received after it came out. Can't wait to see it on DVD.

Directing
Kathryn Bigelow, "The Hurt Locker"
This is a great win for Bigelow. She's the first woman to win the award, AND her film beat out her ex-husband James Cameron's "Avatar" in both Directing and Best Picture. Must have been a pretty incredible night for her. The shots in the film are great, so she does deserve this award, even though I had hoped for Tarantino. My favorite scene is the sniper battle in the desert. Check it out it you haven't seen it. I'd give her the award just for that scene.

Well, that wraps it up. As I review upcoming films, we'll see if we have any prospects for the 2011 Oscars. Hope you enjoyed the last year in film!

It's the end of the world as we know it....

2010-03-03T11:34:00.000-08:00

Apocalyptic movies have been around forever because honestly, who knows if or when the world will end? Plus, you get to use some pretty serious CGI in these disaster films and really go to town. Sometimes aliens (think "Independence Day", both directed by Roland Emmerich) convey the wrecking of planet Earth. But as we approach the end of the Mayan calendar, conspiracy theorists and people worried of the unknown fear the approach of Dec. 21, 2012. Thus we have "2012", where it isn't aliens or some other force exploding the planet, but rather planet Earth itself taking it out on all of its inhabitants. And with the recent mega-quakes in Haiti and Chile, people might start taking a little more notice of the changes happening on Earth...

The film begins in 2009, when geologist Adrian Helmsley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) travels to India and discovers a meteorological event that will eventual heat the earth's core to unsustainable levels. He informs the White House and is promoted to a high ranking position under the President. Other heads of state are notified of the impending disaster, which Helmsley estimates will end the world at some point. We travel ahead to 2012 as the people who know of the impending disaster begin to prepare for the worst.

Introduced next is Jackson Curtis (John Cusack), a writer living in Los Angeles. He wakes up, late to pick up his two kids for a vacation to Yellowstone National Park. Upon arriving, Curtis tries to take the children to a favorite lake of his and his ex-wife. Curtis finds it and sees that it is dried up. While looking around, the trio is surrounded by U.S. Army vehicles and kicked out of the site and told it is dangerous. While retreating to his campground, Curtis meets Charlie Frost (Woody Harrelson) who comes of as crazy, but predicts the world will end soon because of the Mayan calendar. He also mentions her has a map to the location of spaceships that he believes the rich and famous have access to in the event of world disaster.

Curtis and the kids head back to LA after receiving word of serious earthquakes there. Upon arriving home, the earth begins shake and disintegrate as Curtis grabs his ex-wife and her boyfriend, two children and heads for the airport as LA falls into the depths of the earth. Finally heading Charlie's warning, Curtis hopes to make it to Yellowstone and find the map to save himself and his family.

The CGI is really cool for their escape scene from LA, and throughout, "2012" is an exciting film. I also enjoyed the stellar cast, which included Cusack, Amanda Peet, Harrelson, Danny Glover and Oliver Platt. Yeah, it's kind of cheesy, and yeah, its pretty unrealistic, but overall it's an entertaining movie (but a little too long). Not to mention it's timely, with earthquakes and 2012 fast approaching. Are you prepared?

"2012" is rated PG-13 for some language and intense, apocalyptic scenes of destruction.

6 out of 10 stars

Here's the trailer:

Not so 'Law Abiding'

2010-03-02T16:14:00.000-08:00

Revenge movies are awesome. "Man on Fire"? Check. "Gladiator"? You know it. "Kill Bill"? The definition of awesome. "Law Abiding Citizen" is a revenge film at its core, but it has a sort of twist: maybe this guy is taking it TOO far.

Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler) seems to have a nice life and a nice family. Until the night to would-be thieves break into his home, murder his wife and daughter and leave him for dead. When one of the criminals (the actual murderer) is given a lighter sentence to testify against his partner, who is put on death row, Clyde is not happy. He might be even more upset at the criminal justice system, which he feels has failed him, and prosecutor Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx), who seems more concerned with his conviction rate than actual justice. Nick just happens to have a wife and young daughter as well.

Fastforward 10 years. The criminal on death row has his number called and is set to die. He still denies he committed the murders, and once injected with the drugs, undergoes a horrible, painful-looking death. Talk of violation of his 4th amendment right is tossed around, and the cops immediately suspect his partner in crime, now released from prison, may have had something to do with it. They try to go find him, but he's already been apprehended by someone more vicious than the police: a law abiding citizen, who has some gruesome plans for him.

This begins a crusade against those who have wronged Clyde. The best part is that a lot of what he does is from prison. Pretty cool stuff, but there might come a point when he goes to far....but that's up to you to decide.

Overall, this was a pretty entertaining movie. The twist wasn't as good as I'd hoped, but it didn't kill the movie. Some things did bother me, like the fact that Nick, a prosecutor, runs around like he's a cop when he has no business investigating the case in such a way. Whoever researched for this movie how the criminal justice system works did a pretty piss-poor job, but honestly, it doesn't take a whole lot away from it. This isn't an Oscar winner, people, but it will keep you entertained for two hours.

6 out of 10 stars.

Here's the trailer:

Future 'Surrogates'

2010-03-02T15:23:00.000-08:00

The movie idea of human beings having the capability to move other human-like robot things has had a resurgence this year and last. Look no farther than "Gamer", "Avatar" and now "Surrogates", which explores the world run by robots. Except the robots are controlled by humans, who have become so boring and lazy and scared of dying that they use robots to complete everyday tasks.

The surrogates in the film are controlled neurologically by the humans, usually from their homes. Beautiful surrogates can be bought; sometimes a female surrogate is actually being controlled by a man. The advantage of the surrogate is they go to work and do all the things a person normally would, except you sit and home and control it. Sounds boring huh? I guess this is some idea of the future.

The surrogates are unable to die, and in the film, crime has been virtually reduced to nothing. Surrogates record everything they see, leaving concrete evidence in the event a crime is committed.

Somehow, a loophole is found, and a surrogate's human controller is killed after the surrogates brain is zapped by a light-emitting weapon that in turn, turns the human's brain to mush. That human also happens to be the son of the inventor of surrogates, who has had a bad break from his former company. Enter Bruce Willis and his hair-having surrogate as Tom Greer, one of the detectives investigating the murder case. He's having marital problems, not to mention investigating a crime that shouldn't have occurred.

Important to consider is that there ARE human's in this future world that enjoy being themselves and hate the fact that people have bought into this surrogate lifestyle. This people live on "reservations" where the robots are not allowed and they have some sort of sovereignty. Sound a little like "Avatar"?

Anyways, the movie follows Tom's attempts to solve the murder, coming to grips with not using surrogates and dealing with his marital issues.

This is a pretty bland, predictable film that doesn't exactly make you think, but it has some decent action and the premise is kinda cool. Ving Rhames plays "The Prophet", the leader of the humans, so that's pretty sweet too because he's a good actor. But I wasn't exactly taken away with this film. Like at the beginning. Really? Every person IN THE WORLD can afford a surrogate? Those starving children in Africa prefer a robot over food? I don't think so. I guess it's a small detail, but still: DUMB.

4 out of 10 stars

Here's the trailer:

New movie Tuesday

2010-03-02T15:15:00.000-08:00

It's hard to sit inside watching movies when the weather is as nice as its been. Hopefully you've been able to see a few. This week has two notable releases: "Where the Wild Things Are", the adaptation of the beloved children's book and "2012". I saw "Where the Wild Things Are" in theaters, and it was OK; check out my review here. I rented "2012" so I'll let you know how it is. I'm excited about next week's releases, which feature two Oscar-nominated films. Check back for reviews soon and happy watching!

New movie Tuesday

2010-02-23T15:07:00.000-08:00

We get closer and closer to the Oscars, but still no mind-blowing movie releases. Today we have "The Informant!"starring Matt Damon and directed by Steven Soderbergh, "Everybody's Fine," starring Robert DeNiro, Sam Rockwell, Drew Barrymore and Kate Beckinsale and finally, "The Box," starring Cameron Diaz. Or, for all of you that like MTV-crap, "Jersey Shore" comes out on DVD today as well (I can't lie, I watched a few episodes - very moronically entertaining).

I went with "Law Abiding Citizen," which was released last week, and seems to be pretty popular at Crazy Mike's in Polson. I'll get a review up soon. Enjoy some movies!

New movie Tuesday

2010-02-16T14:27:00.000-08:00

Tuesday again, but not such a stellar selection available. The only mainstream movie that came out today was "Law Abiding Citizen" starring Gerard Butler and Jamie Foxx. Looks pretty cool, but I got to Crazy Mike's too late today. Instead, I went with "Surrogates", starring Bruce Willis. It was released in the end of January, but I nabbed it today because it looks interesting. Seems to have been a lot of futuristic movies like this lately, so I'll see how it is.

In the theaters, the Polson Showboat is showing "Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief" and "Valentine's Day." I saw "Percy" so I'll try to get a review up soon. In Ronan, "Extraordinary Measures" is showing until Thursday, at which point it will switch to "Dear John."

Some 'Serious' Problems

2010-02-10T12:31:00.000-08:00

Much like I enjoy most Tarantino movies, I also really like movies that Joel and Ethan, the Coen brothers, make. The list is long, and has a similar formula: somebody, or numerous people, get in way over their heads in a situation that may have been avoidable, leading to chaos and unhappiness for all involved. Their most famous film, "Fargo", follows this plotline to a T, so if you don't get what I'm saying, think "Fargo." Their latest, "A Serious Man", takes a similar idea, but tweaks some aspects to turn in one of their more unique and odd films to date.

Officially labeled as a black comedy, the film follows a snippet of the life of Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg, looking somewhat like Joaquin Phoenix) and his family in 1967. The Gopnik's are Jews living in a heavily Jewish area in the mid-west, my guess being Minnesota, where the Coen brothers are from. Larry seems to have a good life: a wife, two kids, suburban household and a good job as a college professor on the brink of being tenured. That is, until his wife drops divorce talk on him out of left field so she can be with a widowed family friend ("Sy Abelman?!"). And the South Korean student that tries to bribe him for a better mid-term grade. And those damn annoying calls from the Columbia Record Club. From these exchanges, it's obvious Larry is quite the pushover, and doesn't seem to have much "backbone." As many do in times of crisis, he turns to what should be the one steady thing in life: religion. Even here Larry can't seem to find answers to his complex, ever-changing life questions. Like most characters in Coen brothers films, Larry is confused and yes, in over his head.

Larry's son, Danny, soon to be bar mitzvahed, and daughter, Sarah, a precocious 16-year-old, are also shown and included. Danny gets more of the attention, from listening to head phones during class to smoking pot in the bathroom. Their lives only add to Larry's confusion, as he can't seem to even keep himself together, much less parent his children, and their attitudes and actions reflect that. He wants to be a good father, but has issues.

Issues are a central tenet to this film. The Coen brothers recognize that everyone has them, but they explore how they react to them, and the different outcomes each path may lead to. It's a good movie, and makes you think, but it's difficult to fully digest. There are a lot of layers to it, and if you just look at the surface layer, you won't get as much out of it. Life, death, family and love are all important aspects of the film. It can be confusing, and one might think, "What's the point?" but that in itself may, in fact, be the point.

6 out of 10 stars

"A Serious Man" is one of the 10 films nominated for Best Picture. Also, the DVD has a "Yiddish for Goys" special feature, which goes through all the Yiddish so people understand what they were talking about. Here's the trailer:

82nd Oscar Nominees

2010-02-09T16:08:00.000-08:00

And the Oscar goes to...won't be heard for about a month, but the nominees were announced last week. This year, the Best Picture category has 10 nominees, which I think is really stupid. Regardless, it happened. After I watch "A Serious Man" tonight, I'll have seen 6 of the 10, so I'll try to see them all before the big ceremony.

Best Picture
Avatar
The Blind Side
District 9
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire
A Serious Man
Up
Up in the Air

Prediction: Like I said, I've seen 6. This is a preliminary guess, but I'd go with "The Hurt Locker." If you look at all the nominees and things, though, I'd guess "Up in the Air" will probably take it. Its gotten a lot of buzz, and is more recent than "Locker."

Actor in a Leading Role
Jeff Bridges, "Crazy Heart"
George Clooney, "Up in the Air"
Colin Firth, "A Single Man"
Morgan Freeman, "Invictus"
Jeremy Renner, "The Hurt Locker"

Prediction: I've only seen "The Hurt Locker", and Renner was good, but I'd guess Freeman might nab this one.

Actor in a Supporting Role
Matt Damon, "Invictus"
Woody Harrelson, "The Messenger"
Christopher Plummer, "The Last Station"
Stanley Tucci, "The Lovely Bones"
Christoph Waltz, "Inglourious Basterds"

Prediction: I've only seen "Basterds" in this group, but regardless, I think Waltz will win. He was excellent, and the buzz was building even when the film was released in the summer.

Actress in a Leading Role
Sandra Bullock, "The Blind Side"
Helen Mirren, "The Last Station"
Carey Mulligan, "An Education"
Gabourey Sidibe, "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire"
Meryl Streep, "Julie & Julia"

Prediction: I've only seen "Juli" in this group, but Streep was incredible as the famous Child. You might see Bullock surprise, or Sidibe, who has been highly praised. My gut says Streep. She does a dead-on Child impression.

Actress in a Supporting Role
Penelope Cruz, "Nine"
Vera Farmiga, "Up in the Air"
Maggie Gyllenhaal, "Crazy Heart"
Anna Kendrick, "Up in the Air"
Mo'Nique, "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire

Prediction: Haven't seen any of these, but I'd like to see Farmiga or Gyllenhaal nab it.

Directing
James Cameron, "Avatar"
Kathryn Bigelow, "The Hurt Locker"
Quentin Tarantino, "Inglourious Basterds"
Lee Daniels, "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire"
Jason Reitman, "Up in the Air"

Prediction: I think either Cameron or Reitman will get this one, but I'd love to see Tarantino get it.

These are the major categories. Click here for a full listing. What are your predictions? Let's here some feedback.

New movie Tuesday

2010-02-09T15:52:00.000-08:00

Pretty good day of DVD releases. "The Time Traveler's Wife" and "Couples Retreat" are the two big ones. I've seen neither, but they both sort of look like generic rom-com's. We'll see though, I give a lot of movies a chance.

I went with "A Serious Man", the latest film from Joel and Ethan Coen (yes, the Coen brothers). They are best known for "The Big Lebowski", but "A Serious Man" has gotten some serious buzz too. It is one of the 10 films nominated for best picture, so it must be halfway decent, right? Plus its a dark comedy, which I always like. I'll have a review up soon. Enjoy .99 DVDs!

Super Bowl Movie Trailers

2010-02-09T15:19:00.000-08:00

If you were one of the record 106 million viewers watching this year's Big Game, then you might have seen some of these trailers. Spots for this type of event are extremely expensive, usually $2 or $3 million per 30 seconds of airtime. That means that the movies that usually seek out space are big blockbusters with big budgets.

I'll start with the one I'm most excited about. "Robin Hood" stars Russell Crowe and is directed by Ridley Scott, the pairing that made "Gladiator" into a Best Picture winner in 2000. That alone is exciting, and it just looks awesome. Check out the trailer, set to be released on May 14, 2010:

Then there's "Prince of Persia: Sands of Time" starring Jake Gyllenhaal and based on a video game of the same name. Also looks kind of cool. Here's the trailer:

Another big one was "Shutter Island." Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and directed by Martin Scorsese, this movie has had its release repeatedly pushed back, so who knows whats up. Now they say it'll be out on Feb. 19, but who knows. I read the book, which was pretty good, but I'll be interested to see the movie. Here's the trailer, which makes it look pretty creepy (and it will be!):

This next one has been out for awhile too, but looks pretty sweet. "The Wolfman", starring Benicio Del Toro and Anthony Hopkins, should be awesome. Look for it to come out this Friday, Feb. 12. Its release has also been pushed back multiple times. Here's the trailer:

Finally, "Alice in Wonderland", starring Johnny Depp and a pretty solid cast. This is the second Disney entry, as "Prince of Persia" is a Disney flick too. "Alice" looks pretty trippy and crazy, but could be a pretty cool Tim Burton remake of an all-time classic. Here's the trailer; film due out March 5, 2010:

Those are all the trailers I saw. Did I miss any? What were your favorites? And how about the game itself? Pretty sweet if you ask me. My favorite commercial might have been the Google one. Pretty good stuff from the giant search engine. Lets hear some feedback!

New movie Tuesday

2010-02-02T17:15:00.000-08:00

Another Tuesday, another day of new DVDs. The biggest release is "Zombieland", which I saw in the theaters. Click here to read my review of it. I liked it a lot; that's the basic gist of it. The other two releases are "Amelia", a biopic of Amelia Earhardt starring Hillary Swank, and some rom-com with Jennifer Aniston called "Love Happens." I went with a movie that came out a few weeks ago called "Pandorum" starring Dennis Quaid and Ben Foster. Last week I watched a film called "Moon" which was pretty cool. I'll have a review of both up soon.

The list of Oscar nominees came out today. I'll have full details on that either later tonight or some time tomorrow.

A 'Book' Worth Fighting For

2010-01-27T15:32:00.000-08:00

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'!

2010-01-26T15:54:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-26T15:30:00.000-08:00

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!

Too Much 'Lying'

2010-01-20T11:42:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-19T12:32:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-18T11:59:00.000-08:00

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'

2010-01-13T14:27:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-12T14:56:00.000-08:00

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'

2010-01-05T16:07:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-05T15:47:00.001-08:00

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

2010-01-01T16:52:00.000-08:00

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.

Forcefully 'Extract'-ed

2009-12-29T14:48:00.000-08:00

The trailer for the movie "Extract" was hilarious. The basic points/the idea of the movie was summarized, along with funny scenes that I'm sure really helped at the box office.

The premise revolves around the going-ons at an extract plant, owned by Joel (Jason Bateman, "The Kingdom"). He learns to deal with the various characters that work there until a worker named Step is injured on the factory floor and the whole thing goes haywire. Joel had been planning to sell the plant that he had begun and created himself to General Mills, but with the injury and insurance issues, the sale is put on hold. Meanwhile, a criminal drifter named Cindy (Mila Kunis, "That 70's Show") sees the news of the injury, and hopes to uses Step as a pawn on her way to big bucks in a law suit. The attractive Cindy begins to work at the plant, and things also become complicated between Joel and his wife Suzie (Kristen Wiig, "The Brothers Solomon"). As you can imagine in a Mike Judge ("Office Space") directed film that things don't always go according to plan.

The movie itself is actually really funny. The storyline is pretty weak, but it holds the film together enough for some really hilarious parts. I thought the casting for this film was excellent, and that each character really plays their roles appropriately and extremely well. Ben Affleck steals the show as Joel's bartending, advice giving, drug-taking/dealing buddy Dean. Bateman is similar to his character in "Arrested Development," a role that really fits him. Wiig is funny if unspectacular in the role as his wife. Kunis is a sexy vixen on the lam and out to con people, a role she plays well too. KISS frontman Gene Simmons has a funny cameo as a sleazy ambulance-chasing attorney, J.K. Simmons ("Juno") has a small role as Joel's right hand man at the plant and David Koechner ("Waiting") nails his role as Joel's super-annoying, intrusive neighbor Nathan. The cast and performances themselves make this movie worthwhile in itself.

Like I said, it's not the most gripping storyline of all time and it's pretty predictable, but that's not the point of this film. The laughs are many and really funny, and the cast is great. If you liked "Office Space," you should like this one.

"Extract" is rated R for language, some sexual content and brief drug use.

7 out of 10 stars

New movie Tuesday

2009-12-29T14:26:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas holiday, and are ready for the new year. Can't believe it's 2010 already. I only had a chance to watch parts of "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation," but I'm sure many holiday movies have been playing all week. Hope you got a chance to enjoy your favorite with family and friends.
Anyways, a few noteworthy DVD releases today. "Paranormal Activity," the low-budget horror movie that I saw and found boring was released today. I can't seem to find my review, so I'll try to do that one. Also out is "A Perfect Getaway" which I also saw and liked, but don't have a review of, and "Jennifer's Body," starring super-hottie Megan Fox. I went with "9", an animated film about the end of the world that looks pretty cool, and is produced by the visionary Tim Burton. I'll get a review up soon. And yes, I watched "Extract" last week, and thought it was funny. Review to follow...

New movie Tuesday

2009-12-22T14:25:00.000-08:00

Lots of good ones out today, probably because December is a good DVD month because of CHRISTMAS (in case you didn't know it's coming up). The big release is "District 9" which I saw in the theaters but don't seem to have a review up. Maybe I'll rent it and give a review. Also out is "(500) Days of Summer," an indie rom-com that was well received at lots of film festivals last winter. I went with "Extract," a Mike Judge ("Office Space") comedy that looks pretty funny, and stars Jason Bateman and Mila Kunis. I'll try to have a review up soon, but it will be a busy holiday week, so please excuse me in advance.

The theaters have some good ones out too. Playing in Ronan right now is "Avatar," a futuristic CGI-filmed James Cameron monster. I'll try to see that soon; it will continue playing there this week and next. "2012" and "Planet 51" are playing in Polson, but new ones are on the way. "Sherlock Holmes," which looks excellent and stars Jude Law and Robert Downey Jr., comes out this weekend, as does "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel." Lots to see. I'll try to have reviews and recommendations up soon. And don't forget to contribute to our holiday/Christmas discussion about our favorite movies during the holidays. Poll votes are coming in, so vote before the New Year! Have a great Christmas, and enjoy some good movies with family and friends.

Christmas/Holiday Movies

2009-12-21T18:02:00.000-08:00

With Christmas just around the corner, I though I'd get your thoughts on your favorite holiday movies. Feel free to write in the comments here, or check out the new poll to your left.

"Elf" has become a staple of the holidays, and "It's A Wonderful Life" is always a classic. "Home Alone" is underrated and a great film that I watched non-stop as a kid, and "Bad Santa" is an awesome flick for the adults. "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" is a movie all can relate to and "A Christmas Story" might be the most played movie on TV around the holidays. These are just a few, and some of my favorites. What are yours? I'd love to get a good discussion going. Happy holidays and happy watching!

No Oliver Twist-kind of 'Orphan'

2009-12-16T12:06:00.000-08:00

When a horror/thriller movie uses a child as the protagonist, you know that character is going to be really scary. I think this has to do with the "innocence of childhood," and all the preconceived notions society has of how a 9-year-old girl should act. "Orphan" takes those preconceived notions and shoves them out the door, while also preying on another unknown: adoption. In this case, the adopted child, Esther (Isabelle Fuhrman) is even more shadowy because she has come to the Connecticut orphanage she resides at from Russia.

After Kate (Vera Farmiga) and John (Peter Sarsgaard) Coleman's third child is stillborn, they decide to adopt a child. They have two young children already: Daniel and Maxine (or Max), who is deaf and communicates with sign language. When the couple visits the orphanage, they decide to adopt Esther, a smart, artistic girl who is from Russia. At first things are good and the family gets along. Esther picks up sign language quickly, and seems to be doing well. Things quickly take a turn for the worse. A girl breaks her ankle at school, and Esther is nearby. She wears old fashioned type clothes, and is never without a choker necklace and bracelets on both wrists. She shows up at weird intervals, and generally creeps out some of the family, mostly Daniel and Kate, who begin to sense something is off with their new family member. We see just how "off" as the film goes on.

The acting is solid on all fronts, and is a different take on the "evil child" movies like "The Good Son" and "The Omen." This has some good twists and turns, though it does follow a similar formula to those other two films. Fuhrman does a great job as Esther, and really seems to be evil. I would definitely recommend this for anyone who liked either of those other two movies, or if are in the mood for a horror/thriller movie. It's well done, and has plenty of scares.

"Orphan" is rated R for disturbing content, violence and gore, adult language and situations.

7 out of 10 stars

New movie Tuesday

2009-12-15T12:32:00.000-08:00

A lot of good choices for new releases for this week, a few of which I saw in the theaters. "Inglourious Basterds," the glorious film from Quentin Tarantino, is out today, and I highly recommend it. I saw it in September while it was at the Polson Showboat and loved it. You can read my review of it on this blog here. Also out on DVD is "The Hangover," probably the most popular and funniest comedy of the summer. Though I saw it I never reviewed it. Instead, click here to read fellow movie-lover and former Leader reporter Ty Hampton's review of the film while it played in Polson this summer. Ty knows his stuff and writes a great blog as well - check it out.
Also out is "G-Force," an animated children's movie about hamsters or something. "Taking Woodstock' came out today as well, and is intriguing, but I didn't see it at Crazy Mike's.
Instead, I went with an older movie but still recent release, "Orphan." This film looks creepy, sort of like a girl version of "The Good Son" (adopted child turns psychopath) so I'll get a review up soon. The folks at Crazy Mike's say its been renting at a rapid pace, so I figured I'd review it. Plus, it looks super creepy and I haven't seen a scary movie in a while. I'll have a review up this week; happy watching!

Sad or 'Funny People'?

2009-12-09T13:00:00.000-08:00

I'm kind of on a comedy kick these days, so I rented Judd Apatow's latest comedic endeavor "Funny People." Though the movie came out on Nov. 24, I rented it this week because I had seen new releases "Public Enemies" and "Julie and Julia" and really had no desire to watch the new "Harry Potter" as I would be completely lost.

The premise of the film is that an aging, comedic superstar named George Simmons (Adam Sandler)finds out he has a lethal form of leukemia. Simmons had made a bunch of bad comedy movies that he has been paid a bunch to make. Maybe it's an autobiographical look for Sandler of his own life. Seeing his life in a different perspective than his normal womanizing, money spending ways, Simmons meets Ira Wiener (Seth Rogen) during a stand up gig at a small improv. Simmons takes a shining to Ira and hires him as his assistant/joke writer first for a corporate MySpace gig and then full time. And of course, there's the one who got away, Laura (Leslie Mann), Simmons ex-finacee whom he rekindles his relationship with once she visits him after finding out he's sick.

The movie, overall is a comedy, but I'd almost call is more of a "bromance." The reason I use this word is because it's used by an agent in the movie, but a "bromance" would be like the movie "I Love You, Man." Instead of being a romantic comedy per se, most of the film is focused on the heterosexual relationship between two men. Hence "bromance": a man romance (but not sexual). And that's what "Funny People" is. Sure, it's a bunch of comics coming together and having fun in a movie. But the focus is on the relationship between the lonely Simmons and the struggling Wiener. And yes, each has a romantic female interest as a side storyline, and yes, Simmons illness is another issue, but the relationship between the two male leads is the main storyline between beginning and end.

That beginning to end is a long time too. This movie seemed to run on about 3 hours too long, and there were a bunch of scenes that really dragged. The movie has a good concept, but I wasn't impressed with the execution, which surprised me because of the stockpile of comedic talent on the cast, and the great cameos throughout the film. A lot of the lines seemed improvised, which is appropriate for a comedy and a format I'm a big fan of. But it seemed like a lot of the jokes were bad: overused and stupid sex jokes and not enough funny, original comedy. That was disappointing to me. I've liked movies that every single one of the characters has been in, but combined, they sort of fizzled. I did like the actual scenes of stand up they did during some parts, and there are some parts that made me laugh out loud, but a lot were too much. The story is interesting, and the audience sees George learn from his ordeal, but it's kind of hard to have sympathy for him at the same time. Ira, on the other hand, ends up being the more sympathetic character, and seems more real.

"Funny People" is rated R for nudity, adult language, adult situations, etc. Not for kids.

6 out of 10 stars.

'Bruno'

2009-12-08T15:58:00.000-08:00

"Vat's up, it's Brunnnooo!' Sacha Baron Cohen's absurdly flamboyantly gay character is back for his own 80 something minute full feature film. In the beginning, Cohen created a TV show based on his ability to interview high profile people under the guise of three distinctly different characters. "The Ali G Show" featured Ali G, the white, wannabe British gangsta that hosts a TV show for inner city youth. Borat was the reporter from Kazakstan, bringing unruly customs in his quest to learn about America. And finally Bruno, the gay Austrian host of a fashion show. As you can imagine, the show was insanely funny, mostly because Cohen had the ability to play each of these characters as well as the next, and manage to land big names who unwittingly played right into Cohen's mockery of them. Playing off the success of the show, Cohen created a feature length film about Borat. The film made a ton of movie, but obviously came with some controversy. Now playing off the success of Borat, Cohen brings Bruno to the big screen.

After ruining a fashion week catwalk in Milan (he wore a velcro suit and fell into all the models), Bruno's Austrian TV show is canceled. He decides to head for the United States to become a huge star. Along the way, he comes up with all sorts of ploys, from adopting an African baby to heading to the Middle East to mediate peace talks. In between, ridiculousness ensues, much like it does in "Borat."

The problem, though, is that this film isn't executed as well as "Borat" or the TV show (which is the best of all three, in my opinion). His accent and dress up is overdone, as is the acting. He is so flamboyantly gay that is doesn't bring up gay stereotypes in a logical manner, but rather perpetuates them. If his goal was to help gay rights, he didn't. Rather, he makes people angry by acting too crazy.

There are a lot of funny parts, but an equally amount that are just too over-the-top. I think the show was much better than this movie and "Borat" too, just because it was simpler then. He was more subtle, while this time he is in your face, non-stop, which becomes overwhelming for the viewer and the mocked person in the film. If you like these kinds of movies, I'd recommend the show over this. But check it out and let me know what you think.

5 stars out of 10

Twilight: New Moon

2009-12-01T16:46:00.000-08:00

As promised, here is a very special guest review by the Leader's own Aimee Niles. She and sports editor Heidi Hanse went to the midnight showing the night it came out in Polson, so she got the movie and the atmosphere. Take it away, Aimee:

No matter what I write, it will not change anyone’s mind about the newest flick in the Twilight Saga. Those who love will continue to love and those who loathe will continue to loathe.

Such is the nature of the blockbuster beast.

“New Moon” starts off the fall after ‘Twilight” leaves off (for those with poor memories, the closing scene of “Twilight” featured the protagonists swaying slowly at prom). Our female heroine, Bella Swan (played woodenly by Kristin Stewart), is turning 18 and her ageless, vampire heartthrob—Edward Cullen (played in a “dear God please go away!” manner by Brit Robert Pattinson)—is stuck as his 17-year-old self.

After a whoopsie-daisy moment at her birthday bash, Edward decides vampires—even the non-human hunting Cullens—are too dangerous for Bella. Taking the “it’s not you, it’s me” breakup line to the next level, he leaves Bella in rainy Forks, Wash. as he and his “vegetarian” vampire family move on to the chapter in their immortal lives.

Which brings us to the next two hours of the movie. None of us in the audience were fooled for a second when Bella started “hanging out” with the ultra-hottie Jacob Black (played by the 17-year-old Tayler Lautner, so back-off cougar moms. Let your daughters have this one). We all know that this is just a painful interlude to the Bella/ Edward love story; one doesn’t even need to have read the books to get this.

So, for two hours, Bella mopes and cries for her dearly departed vampire love all the while leading Jacob on in the cruelest of manners. (I don’t care if you’re Jesus Christ in his teenage years; no boy handles a teasing girl as well as Jacob. Yet another false expectation Stephanie Meyers is parlaying to an entire generation of teenage girls.)

After a series of madcap antics, (oh no! Bella rides a motorcycle…) Edward thinks Bella is dead and goes to Italy to end his immortal life. Bella follows and I won’t ruin the ending for you.

Perhaps I’m not observant enough to recognize the nuances of Stewart’s performances, but the “happy” Bella in “Twilight” as compared to the deeply depressed Bella in “New Moon” is pretty much the same performance. Stewart takes her awkward personality (as demonstrated on numerous talk show appearances) and gets rid of her mullet to play Bella. Call me crazy, but I thought actresses were supposed to…act.

And the only good thing about Robert Pattinson in this movie is that he wasn’t really in it. He was thankfully absent from the creamy center of this Oreo movie. It is black and white with very little surprises; a guilty pleasure to a balanced diet.

It wasn’t the main characters that made this movie remotely watchable—it was the fringe characters. Michael Welch as Mike and Anna Kendrick as Jessica were hilarious as Bella’s school friends and provided the only lip-twitching moments of the film.

If Lautner is jailbait for you, cast your eyes to the rest of his “pack” (Jacob is a werewolf in the movie). While taking up minimal screen time, his wolfie-brothers are just as tasty and much more culturally acceptable for the moms out there.

The more traditional, human-eating vampires, the Volturi are also pretty entertaining to watch. Dakota Fanning as the sadistic Jane worked for me despite Fanning’s squeaky-clean image. Michael Sheen is always a delight, and as Aro he almost eclipsed (no pun intended) Stewart and Pattinson’s performances in his tiny role.

Of the Cullen crowd, Ashley Greene as Alice got the biggest boost in screen time and she did well with it.

Don’t go into the theater expecting movie-making genius. Expect giggling girls and go with it—for being a tweener special, it’s a pleasure most people will find something to like about; even if it is only the eye-candy.

If anything, New Moon is proving the Twilight Saga’s rising bankability. New Moon has already grossed $40 million more than Twilight and has only been out for two weeks.

Despite my distaste and displeasure with everything Twilight, the ending scene teased me just enough to be among those who can’t wait for the third installment “Eclipse” in June.

Damn you Chris Weitz with your climatic ending to a mediocre movie, damn you.

New movie Tuesday

2009-12-01T16:18:00.000-08:00

A couple of good new releases this week. "Terminator Salvation" was released, but I'd seen it in theaters. It's the fourth Terminator movie and I thought it was pretty awesome. It's in the future rather than the past, like the other three films. Also released was "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian," which has been a pretty popular kids-type movie. I saw pieces of the first one, so maybe at some point I'll check out this one.

In theaters, everything stays the same. "The Blind Side" is in Ronan and "Twilight: New Moon" and "Old Dogs" are in Polson.

'Angels & Demons' and Priests, Oh My!

2009-12-01T14:43:00.000-08:00

The all powerful Catholic church has a lot of sway, but even they couldn't stop the production of either "The Da Vinci Code" or "Angels & Demons" (though 'Demons' was banned in Samoa). And in some regards, despite my belief in the First Amendment, I can see why these movies would worry the Church. Yet people who watch it need to understand that it's a movie and not real. In a sense, it would be like security guards being offended by the movie "The Fan" because they didn't realize De Niro's character was actually the umpire before he killed someone. I mean, stuff happens, whether you're a powerful church or stadium security guard.

Anyway, I've read both "The Da Vinci Code" and "Angels & Demons," two wildly popular novels by Dan Brown. After reading both, I liked "Angels & Demons" a whole lot more. Both subsequently had movies made of them, and again, I liked "Angels & Demons" a whole lot more.

Despite a few significant departures from the novel, I did enjoy "Angels & Demons." For those few of you who know nothing about it, I'll give a brief plot synopsis.

A bunch of scientists at CERN, the Swiss physics mecca, finally make antimatter, a highly explosive substance that sets off on contact. As soon as it is created, someone breaks in, killing a scientist and stealing the antimatter.

Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks), the esteemed Harvard professor of symbiology, is called in because the dead scientist is left with an ambigram with the word "Illuminati" scorched into his chest. The whole story of the Illuminati, a true organization, is somewhat glossed over, but the book goes into much better, interesting detail.

Langdon and a CERN antimatter scientist named Vittoria Vetra are summoned and paired up in Rome in Vatican City where the antimatter is discovered. But a catch: the guards can't find the antimatter. Rather, it is hidden somewhere with a wireless camera showing it in the vicinity. In a few hours, the antimatter will go off, demolishing Vatican City and the thousands that have gathered in St. Peter's Square to mourn the death of the pope. That's the other catch: a papal conclave is ongoing to find the next Pope, and Langdon must find the antimatter. Add to that that the Illuminati have kidnapped the preferiti, or the four cardinals most likely to be voted Pope, and chaos ensues.

As you can tell, the plot is very confusing, and after reading the book, I wondered how a director would create a movie. Overall, it is well done, and gets the practical basics in to the film. There's too much detail in the book to fit into the film. But it gets it done, which is impressive. Some of the changes I didn't like, and it's pretty long (understandably so, but there's some good acting and a couple of pretty cool scenes. The book is better, so if I were you, I'd read the book first, then watch the movie, and then complain, like me, about why the book is better. You'll understand.

"Angels & Demons" is rated PG-13 for violence, language and Catholic Church bashing (not really).

6 out of 10 stars

New movie Tuesday

2009-11-24T17:09:00.000-08:00

I'd read the book, and now I get to see the movie. "Angels & Demons" came out today and I'll watch it tonight. I though the book was great, so here's hoping. I've heard this movie is better than "The DaVinci Code," and I sure hope so. I disliked that book and the movie. I'll try to have a review up tomorrow. Anyone else that's scene it, let me know what you thought. And if you haven't, read the book first. It's really good.

In theaters, the box office smash "Twilight: New Moon" remains in Polson, as does "Old Dogs." Reporter Aimee Niles will have a guest post reviewing "New Moon"; should be a good one, stay tuned for that. In Ronan, "The Blind Side" will play for at least another week. It's a true story about an offensive tackle who was actually drafted by the Ravens in the NFL this past April. Looks like an inspirational one; I'll try to get that up. Enjoy the rest of your week, happy Thanksgiving and check out some movies!

And if football isn't your fancy on Thanksgiving day, Crazy Mike's in Polson will be OPEN on Thanksgiving, so there's always that option. Enjoy!

An Awesome 'Trek'

2009-11-24T14:50:00.000-08:00

I'm not a "trekkie" by any means, but the newest film, "Star Trek" is great for new and old fans of the show. My mom, a casual fan of the show when it was out, saw it in theaters and raved about it, so I had no choice but to watch it when it came out on DVD last week, and I was not disappointed.

The film gives a background on all the key characters from the show (I presume) and sets the stage for a series of these movies. We see how James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) is born, and how he starts at the Starfleet Academy. We also see the journey of Spock (Zachary Quinto), a young genius whose father is Vulcan and mother is human. Other more secondary characters are introduced as well, and the stage is set for an exciting adventure where the young heroes quickly ascend the ranks of the Federation. Wow...just reading the last paragraph makes me sound like a total trekkie; you will too once you watch this film.

The dialogue is smart and funny, and any references to the TV show are pretty subtle, and not a major part of the movie that will take anything away if you weren't a fan (as far as I know). The acting is good too; I thought Pine was great as a young, brash Kirk. The action is excellent, with some very cool scenes. The scene on the drill may be the best in the movie, and is pretty intense. I think lots of people will enjoy this film, not just people who like action. Like I said, the three major important parts of a movie: dialogue, acting and action, are all very good, so definitely check this one out. I hope they're planning another.

"Star Trek" is rated PG-13 for language, space violence and some adult situations.

8 out of 10 stars

'Zombies' Everywhere

2009-11-17T16:07:00.000-08:00

The last decade has been filled with zombie movies, with most taking the route of the "zombie comedy," at least in the second half of the 2000's. The first half featured more serious zombie movies, with "28 Days Later"and "Dawn of the Dead." Lately we've had "Shawn of the Dead" and what is currently playing in Ronan, "Zombieland." If you can stomach the first 10 minutes of "Zombieland," which I did, you will really like this movie.

The first 10 minutes, as I mentioned, are pretty graphic and nasty. The narrator, and eventual main character "Columbus" (Jesse Eisenberg) narrates scenes of people being eaten by zombies on a post-apocalyptic earth. The zombies are scary and nasty looking: they are super strong, kind of dumb and continually drool and vomit up blood. They have the look of zombies of the 2000's. As Columbus narrates, he describes a set of rules he follows that has helped him survive the zombie infection for so long. The rules are a running theme in the whole film.

The story is about Columbus's personal life, and he describes how he's never been close to anyone. The first girl he ever "brushed the hair over her ear?" Yeah, she turned into a zombie and tried to eat him. So Columbus is a loner.

After his car breaks down, Columbus travels the road, walking along until a Cadillac with a snowplow on the front pulls up. The driver is "Tallahassee," (Woody Harrelson) who recommends they use the name of where they are headed rather than real names so they don't get too close. Remember, this is cutthroat, post-apocalyptic America. Columbus means to head for the city in Ohio to find his parents.

Along the way they eventually team up with two sisters, 'Wichita' and 'Little Rock.' They all eventually decide to head for Los Angeles, where rumors of zombie-free areas still exist. The story is about their journey, but also each one's personal story, especially that of Columbus and Tallahassee. And don't forget the funniest part of the movie, a cameo with someone Tallahassee regards as "the top of the A-list." I won't give away who it is, but it's a great few scenes.

The story is a little weak at times, but the dialogue and action scenes more than make up for it. Harrelson is great, as are most of the cast. The music is excellent and like I said, the action is awesome. Harrelson's character likes to kick zombie ass, and he certainly does. Except for a few gross-out zombie scenes, this is a solid, fun movie.

"Zombieland" is rated R for language, graphic scenes of zombies, adult situations, etc.

7 stars out of 10

A long way 'Up'

2009-11-11T13:45:00.000-08:00

The movie "Up" has all the trappings of a childrens film: it's animated, rated PG, a kid is a main character, talking dogs. Yet after watching it, the themes and some of the messages may be a little much for younger audiences, but I think about teens and up would probably appreciate it a lot more. I thought the film was fantastic, and a nice, fun story.

The story revolves around Carl Fredericksen, who we see go from a young boy to an old man. After the love of his life, Ellie, a woman with adventurous tastes, dies, Carl is sad and grumpy, holding onto the house he shared with her as the world goes on without him. After an incident leads to Carl having to leave his home and enter a retirement home, he attaches thousands of helium-filled balloons to his house, hoping to travel to South America where he and Ellie had also yearned to go, but never had. Unwittingly, Carl finds another passenger on the home-made (pun intended) dirigible: Russell, a "Wilderness Explorer" (see: Boy Scout) that has been harassing Carl in the hopes of assisting him, a requirement for a certain badge. Russell is talkative and excitable, the opposite of the old Carl, who doesn't seem to like the bother of his unwanted passenger.

The two land in South America, but not quite where Carl had hoped, meaning they have to trek across land, holding the house by a hose while it floats along like a house balloon. That's the extent of the plot I'll give, but there's a lot more action from then on out. The obvious themes are there: the opening up of Carl, the friendship of Carl and Russell and Carl finishing his (and Ellie's) life-long adventure.

Undoubtedly my favorite part is the talking dogs, who can speak by way of a translation collar. This creates a lot of the laughs in the movie, and part of the reason is because the dogs' body language is so real and familiar for people who know dogs that it actually seems to be what the dogs want to say. One dog, Dug, says, "I hid under the porch because I love you," and that's what he meant. It's a great aspect of the movie, and if for no other reason, rent it for that; you'll really appreciate the talking dogs.

As I said, the plot doesn't seem to be a good movie necessarily for a younger crowd,but visually it is fine for any children. I thought it was great, and there is a pretty high demand for it over at Crazy Mike's. Apparently people have been calling and stopping to try and get it, so plan ahead if you want to watch.

8 out of 10 stars

My favorite part is the

New movie Tuesday

2009-11-10T13:41:00.000-08:00

I walked over to Crazy Mike's today and picked up the newly released animated film "Up." I've heard good things, and this'll be the first animated film I review.

In theaters, both "Paranormal Activity" and "A Christmas Carol" will stay for another week, Nov. 13-19, at the Polson Showboat. In Ronan, "Michael Jackson This Is It" will be replaced on Friday by the comedy "Zombieland." I've been waiting for this one for awhile, so I'll try and go see that, and, I haven't forgotten, "Paranormal." Enjoy the week, and I'll review "Up" soon.

A fun 'G.I. Joe'

2009-11-04T12:07:00.000-08:00

I'm glad I watched both "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" and "Transformers 2: Rise of the Fallen" in the last few weeks. Both films were big summer blockbusters, and similar in some ways. But 'G.I Joe,' which I had written off before I'd even seen it, was executed much better, and overall, a really enjoyable, fun film.

The story begins with a presentation by an arms dealer,James McMullen, on his newest weapon, a warhead filled with nanomites that destroy metal and other objects in a matter of seconds. He sells four of the devices to NATO, and they are set to be delivered by the US Army. As the convoy transports the warheads by Hummer (uh oh), they are ambushed. The Army is backed up by the Joes, and elite group that swoops in to save them and the warheads. The only Army survivors are Duke (Channing Tatum) and Ripcord (Marlon Wayons). They and the warheads are taken to the Joes base, where the two Army soldiers prove themselves and become Joes themselves, hoping to stop McMullen, who was behind the ambush.

The best scene is in Paris, which is where the Joes go to take down McMullen's team after they get a hold of the warheads. A great chase scene and cool equipment highlight the Paris scene, and in my mind makes the movie. The ending did leave a little to be desired (a polar ice cap scene reminiscent of "Watchmen") but doesn't kill the film. And the ending does leave the opening for a sequel or three, which all blockbusters seem to do now a days.

I can't help but compare "Joes" to "Transformers", and Joes is much better. The plot, the action and even the cheesy dialogue trumps the "Transformers" sequel. Yes, "Joes" is full of cliches and bad dialogue, but it's simple plot and excellent action sequences make it the much better movie. Plus, the CGI is better because it is not a group of machines fighting another group of machines. The cast is pretty solid as well: Dennis Quaid, Rachel Nichols, Channing Tatum, Marlon Wayons, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and others do the best they can with a subpar script. But that's not why you watch this movie. You watch it for great action and a simple, easy to follow plot. These things make the movie extremely enjoyable, not Oscar-worthy acting. I recommend for a fun watch.

7 out of 10 stars.

New movie Tuesday

2009-11-03T14:13:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, my favorite day for new DVDs. I went with "G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra," so we'll see if it's any good. Sure to be lots of action. Also released today was "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3," which I saw when it was out in theaters. It's a remake of the 1974 film and pretty good, and you have Travolta and Denzel Washington squaring off as bad guy-good guy.

In theater's everything stays for another week ("Paranormal Activity" and the Michael Jackson movie) except for "Couple's Retreat" at the Polson Showboat, which will be replaced by "A Christmas Carol," an animated film with the voice of Jim Carrey as Scrooge. I still need to get to the theaters to see the films that are out, and I'll try to get a review up tomorrow for G.I. Joe. Anyone seen the movies in theaters or G.I. Joe?

A Fake 'Proposal'

2009-11-02T14:02:00.000-08:00

Romantic comedies are not my favorite genre of movie for a variety of reasons, but mostly because of their predictable nature. "The Proposal," starring Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock, tries to rid itself of the formula, but despite its twists and turns, the movie ends up being its own worst enemy.
Bullock plays Margaret (no nickname), a smart, uppity, better than you type that is an editor a big publishing company in New York. Everyone in her office fears her, typing instant messages that describe her as some variation of a "witch." Reynolds plays her assistant Andrew, who is constantly trying to keep up with Margaret's intense demands. He clearly dislikes her, while she doesn't pay him much mind either.

When Margaret finds out from her bosses that she's being deported because of visa issues (she's from Canada), she tells them she and Andrew are getting married. Unwittingly involved, Andrew plays along but learns that he must in fact marry her to keep both of their jobs. When they go to immigration services, the new "couple" learns they will be subjected to intense testing to make sure they are not committing the fraud that they are actually attempting. In an effort to make it realistic, Andrew brings Margaret home with him to Sitka, Alaska for his grandma's birthday and to tell his parents they are to be married. From there, let the rom com stereotypes begin.

This is a good date movie, and almost every girl I have heard talk about this movie really liked it. To me, it was predictable and kind of stupid. Then again, my demographic is most likely not who the movie was targeting, which is fine. In the grand scheme of romantic comedies, it really isn't terrible. The funniest part of the movie involves Oscar Nunez (the guy who plays Oscar on The Office) as Ramon, the Sitka local that seems to have about thirty jobs in the small town, from store clerk to stripper. He's pretty funny, and so are some of his scenes. Also, the town and setting of the film are beautiful, but the plot just is kind of lame. The ending makes it even more corny to me, while earlier in the film it seemed like it could break some rom com stereotypes.

6 out of 10 stars

New movie Tuesday

2009-10-27T16:04:00.000-07:00

Alright, let's get a little update here on the state of movies in the Missions. Again, this week wasn't so stellar for new DVD releases. "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs," the third installment of the franchise and "Orphan," a scary looking horror film with a little girl to play the role of Damien in "The Omen." Last week saw the release of "The Proposal" on DVD and since it was in stock when I got there, I went with that for this week's selection. I know it's a chick flick but I could use some diversity on the site, so we'll see what kind of reaction you all have. I'll try to get a review up tomorrow.

In theaters, Thursday night is your last chance to see "Where the Wild Things Are" at the Polson Showboat and “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” at the Ronan Entertainer. “Couples Retreat” will run for another week in Polson. On Friday, the aforementioned two will be replaced by “Paranormal Activity” in Polson and “Michael Jackson: This is it” in Ronan. “Paranormal Activity” has gotten huge buzz since it’s release, and just was released nationwide. It is “Blair Witch Project”-esque in the sense that it is low budget and filmed with one handheld camera. Looks scary and should be a good Halloween movie. I’m sure the MJ movie will do well too. I’ll try to go see them, and “Couples Retreat” and get a review up soon.

With Halloween coming up on Saturday, it seems as good a time as ever to start a “scariest movies of all time” type of discussion. I won’t necessarily rent more movies, but talk about ones I’ve seen. I want to hear your opinions as well. Enjoy the week and go check out some flicks.

"Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen"

2009-10-21T19:44:00.000-07:00

It's totally OK to me when movies are just so ridiculous that you only watch for the entertainment part, and not anything else. Yet when you watch "Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen," every single aspect of it is so absurd that it almost makes it hard to watch. Granted, it did come out in the beginning of the summer and wanted to be this huge box-office blockbuster, and it was. It made a ton of money, and will in DVD sales too I'm sure. But it's ridiculous plot, terrible acting and shameless self promotion make it almost unbearable. Oh, and it clocks in at two and a half hours; I could barely keep my eyes open....

The movie picks up where the first left off, this time with the main character Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) about to head off to college. He still has his Autobot Camaro "Bumblebee" and his girlfriend Mikaela (Megan Fox), both of whom will not be heading to college with him. But instead of a normal transition to college, Sam finds a piece of AllSpark, a necessary piece that can bring to life transformers, and is sought by the Decepticons (the bad guys). They learn that Sam has the piece, and come after him in hopes of reviving their fallen leader. Sam and Mikaela and the rest of the transformers find themselves in a battle of good vs. evil that takes place all over the world. That's about how deep I'll delve into the extremely convoluted plot.

There are some decently funny lines, and the action is intense, with lots of explosions and fighting between machines and humans. In the theaters, I'm sure it was that much better. But this is a DVD review, and I don't have a high powered home theater system, so the sound and picture wasn't as good for me. The product placement in the movie was also pretty blatant. General Motors, a company I thought could barely stay in business, is all over the place, as is Mountain Dew and other shameless self-promotion. The film is a commercial for itself, which I guess is what you should expect from blockbusters now a days. They also try to really sell Megan Fox as a sex symbol. She is a beautiful girl, and I'm sure all the guys watching the movie appreciate her, but the poses, changing scenes and her "sexy talk" are another cheap scheme to get people to watch the movie on her, not on talent.

4 out of 10 stars

Lots of 'Wild Things'

2009-10-21T19:17:00.000-07:00

If ever there was a beloved children's book that seemed impossible to transform into a movie, "Where the Wild Things Are" would probably make that list. It's short, weird and devoid of any major character development. Yet director Spike Jonze does a nice doing just that, mixing the film with live action and CGI characters. It's beautifully shot, the music fits well and there is certainly a lot to like about this film.

Max is a loner, a kid without many friends. He tries to play with some of his older sisters friends in the snow, but when one smashes his snow igloo and leaves, Max is upset. He goes into his sisters room, breaking things and leaving snow all over the floor. Max clearly has emotional issues, possibly because of his lack of friends, attentive siblings and a father.

When he acts out one night, standing on the dining room table and then biting his mother while her boyfriend is over, Max runs out the door, heading to what seems to be his secret place somewhere in the neighborhood. In the dark, the scene changes from a park to the edge of an ocean. Max finds a boat and sails off, ending up days later on the island 'where the wild things are.' Max befriends them and becomes their king, like in the storybook. He and the wild things endure happiness and sadness, overcome bickering and the like before Max decides the time has come for him to sail home.

It's hard to give anything away about this movie because it is so simple and pure. It's not overly complicated on its face, but the issues and personalities it contains are complex. Max is an eccentric kid, and on the island faces fairly adult issues. This movie is based on a childrens book, but I wouldn't take a kid to see it. I think it's aimed for an older audience, despite its PG rating, a kid for a main character and like I said, being based on a childrens book.

While at times it is a happy film, it's also dark in a way. The themes and issues are tough for a kid Max's age to understand, but in a way, his trip to the island may have relieved some of his personal issues. Jonze takes this simplistic, short book and turns it into a beautiful but complex film.

I do recommend the movie, but I got a little bored at times. Some parts just aren't that interesting, and at times I found it hard to stay focused. I mean, it shifts from sadness and things like that to horseplay and roughhousing. It's kind of weird watching this kid play around with these giant monsters like that, and not that enthralling.

7 out of 10 stars

"Year One"

2009-10-07T14:59:00.000-07:00

I think "Year One" thought it was made by Mel Brooks or was a Monty Python movie of sorts. But it's not, and that may have been part of its problem. It mocks conventional norms, yet still finds itself drawn to following those norms. It has funny moments for sure, but for it's stockpile of comedic talents in the cast, it falls short of expectations.

The movie follows the trials and tribulations of Zed (Jack Black) and Oh (Michael Cera), Zed a hunter and Oh a gatherer in a small tribe. The two are kicked out of the tribe after Zed eats an apple from the Forbidden Tree. And thus the Biblical stories begin.

The movie is supposed to be funny because the characters speak like we would today, using slang and sayings that you would only know now. And it is funny for the most part, but they take the jokes too far, eventually boring people the same joke over and over. For instance, when Cain (David Cross) kills Abel (Paul Rudd), which our duo witnesses, he hits him on the head with a rock. Thinking he's dead already, the scene continues, but Abel rises and is again hit on the head by Cain. And again. And again. And so on. That isn't funny after the fourth time, and is the sort of hunor in many of the scenes. Like I said, the cast is stocked, and full of really good, funny actors, but something about it just didn't click with me.

"Year One" is rated PG-13 for sexual content, profanity and pott humour. I give it 5 out of 10 stars.

"Sunshine Cleaning"

2009-10-06T15:14:00.000-07:00

When I told my sister I had rented "Sunshine Cleaning," she asked me if it's a girl movie, meaning she thought it was. "Well," I said, "it has girls IN it." After watching it, it is kind of a girl movie, but not the worst of its kind that I have seen before.

The film stars Amy Adams as Rose, a single mother raising a 10 year old son who can't hold a steady, well paying job. After a tip from her police officer lover Mac (Steve Zahn), she decides to recruit her slacker sister Norah (Emily Blunt) to start a company that cleans up crime scenes.

I'd always just kind of assumed the cops took care of the blood and gore at scenes of death, not some subcontractor, so whether this movie meant to or not, it made me think about that. It is about Rose's life, and how she struggles with her son, father, love life and job, so yeah, it is sort of a girl movie. I didn't dislike it either, it's just not the type of movie I usually watch. And my sister and I both agreed it did drag on a little long.

6 out of 10 stars

New movie Tuesday

2009-10-06T14:49:00.000-07:00

There was a pretty sparse selection of new DVDs this week, so I went with "Year One" starring Jack Black and Michael Cera. I'll watch it tonight and try to have a review tomorrow. I watched two older DVDs, "Sunshine Cleaning" and "I Love You, Man", both I which I'll try to review sometime this week.

At the Polson Showboat, "Julie and Julia" is still showing until Thursday; on Friday it will be replaced by "Fame." The second screen is showing "Whiteout," which will stay for another week. Ronan is showing "The Perfect Getaway" right now, which will be replaced by "Gamer" on Friday. I'm hoping to see "The Perfect Getaway" before it leaves, and I'll try for "Gamer" and "Whiteout" too. We'll see about "Fame".....

Please 'Go' 'Away'

2009-09-29T21:17:00.001-07:00

I really wish I could have the last 100 minutes of my life back, because that was painful. I almost started pulling my hair out. I'm sorry, I'm getting ahead of myself: I really disliked the movie "Away We Go." It is insufferably boring, whiny and depressing, all at the same time. Honestly I'm surprised I sat through the whole thing because I disliked it that much.

The premise of the movie is that a couple, Burt (John Krasinski) and his girlfriend Verona (Maya Rudolph), unexpectedly, but not unhappily, find themselves pregnant at the age of 33 and 34, respectively. That is, she's pregnant, and not with emotion. After learning Burt's parents (played by Catherine O'Hara and Jeff Daniels in what amounts to a cameo for both) won't be around to act as grandparents, and we as viewers learn Verona's parents are dead, the couple decides to go travel and find a place to raise their child. Their travels take them to Arizona, Wisconsin, Montreal and Miami. In each place, they visit an old friend or relative, and encounter something they dislike about it. Mostly what they dislike is the unhappiness they encounter about some aspect of their friends experiences with children. Each couple they visit gives some sort of advice about parenting that Burt and Verona either accept or reject. Each couple they visit is depressing in some respect.

Plus, the premise of the movie makes it seem like the viewers should pity them. Oh no, they're a perfectly happy mid 30s couple expecting a baby and they don't know where to live! Waaaaah waaaaaah...who cares. They both have jobs that don't require trips to the office and seem to pay well, based on the cash they drop during their road trip that involves air travel, trains and rental cars. So we care because they can't find that perfect place to raise a child? Correction: no one cares, that's why this movie fails. Did I mention it's extremely boring as well? It's so slow I...I...I don't even have a stupid cliche to describe it.

The only part that is pretty funny is when they travel to Madison, which is supposed to be the city in Wisconsin, but is clearly the only city in the whole film they don't shoot on location (unless during my four years there I never saw any place they show in the film, including campus). There they find Burt's super hippy professor cousin LN (yes, pronounced "Ellen," and played by Maggie Gyllenhaal). The scene at LN's house with her husband and weird child is pretty funny, and the best attempt at humor in the whole film.

The rest of the comedy seems kind of forced, which surprised me because Maya Rudolph is hilarious on "SNL" and in the movie "Idiocracy", while John Krasinski is better known as Jim on "The Office", a show that I don't know anyone to dislike. And comedian Jim Gaffigan, who has hilarious stand up comedy, is in it. Come on people, give me something better than this! Add to that that the movie is directed by Sam Mendes, the guy who directed "Revolutionary Road", "Road to Perdition" and "American Beauty," all movies I really liked, yet this boring movie was the best they could do. I'm really disappointed, as you may be able to tell, because I had such high hopes.

"Away We Go" is rated R for language, sexuality and boringness. If you want to be depressed and not take anything away from a movie, rent it. I'll give it 4 out of 10 stars. This is the first new release I really disliked; I hope it's the last! I rented a few other movies released earlier this summer that I'll try to review later in the week.

A baaaad rent-a-cop

2009-09-23T15:44:00.000-07:00

When I first saw trailers for "Observe & Report," I thought it looked hilarious. It had a lot of great elements for a good comedy: Seth Rogen, who I think is funny in almost everything he's been in, Anna Faris who is also pretty hilarious and director Jody Hill, who created "Eastbound and Down" and 'The Foot Fist Way." "Foot First Way" is a movie from a few years ago about a karate instructor (Danny McBride) who is pretty crazy. "Eastbound and Down" stars McBride again, this time as Kenny Powers, a former baseball player down on his luck after getting kicked out of the major leagues. Both TV show and movie are very funny, so I had high hopes for "Observe & Report." And I was not disappointed.

The reviews I read after it came out in theaters were mixed, and I think the people who disliked the film took it too seriously. I can't stress enough: it's a movie, a parody of real life, made for entertainment. It doesn't say "based on a true story" at the beginning because it's not, it is just a ridiculous take on the life of a bipolar mall security guard. Rogen leads as Ronnie Barnhardt, the aforementioned mall security guard who makes it his mission to take down a flasher who has been running around the mall making everyone, including the love of Ronnie's life Brandi (Faris), miserable.

During the movie, Ronnie tries to catch the flasher and become a police officer, both in the hopes of impressing Brandi, who is a trashy make up counter girl at the mall. We also see how depressing Ronnuie's life is: he is dealing with his bipolar disorder, has an alcoholic mother that he still lives with and is generally unhappy at his low-level job. But that's what I like about this movie. It is sad and somewhat dark, but still very funny. It runs in the same vein as all of Hill's movies/TV shows, and I like his formula.

Rogen has also done a variety of different roles, and I think he's really proven himself as an actor. Though all of his films are basically comedies, Rogen plays each one well, no matter what the role. I think people can relate to him, and I that's part of the appeal of movies he is in.

"Observe & Report" is rated R for nudity, strong language, sexual content, nudity, drug use and just about anything else that makes a movie R. It may be offensive to some people (remember, it's not real life!) and it is a very adult movie, both in theme and content. I liked it a lot, possibly because Jody Hill's humor is intended for my demographic (22 year old male). Anyways, its available at Crazy Mike's, and I thought every funny.

7 out of 10 stars

"Crank" it up

2009-09-22T15:09:00.000-07:00

I really like music in movies and the first "Crank" opens with Quiet Riot's "Metal Health," a song that rocks and is also heard in "The Wrestler." I figured that was a good omen about 'Crank' and it was; the movie is awesome, and, I thought, much better than the second, which usually seems to be the case.

The movie opens with our favorite hitman Chev Chelios (Jason Statham) waking up and realizing he has been poisoned by a Bejing Cocktail, which blocks your natural adrenaline and eventually stops your heart. Chev's doctor-friend warns him that Chelios must keep his heart rate up to survive. Just like in the second film, Chev must do wild things to keep his adrenaline up, and he wants revenge on the guys who poisoned him.

This movie is much better than the second. The characters are cooler and more developed, and the action is more exciting, and not quite as contrived as the second film. The music fits really well, and just little aspects of this film make it overall that much more fun to watch. I really liked it; I just wished the second one had lived up to this ones standard.

"Crank" is rated R for much of the same things you'll find in the second one: violence, language, drug use, sexuality, etc. 7 out of 10 stars, and highly recommended.

New movie Tuesday

2009-09-22T10:36:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy week and it keeps getting busier. I watched the original 'Crank,' as promised, and hope to have a review up soon; it was way better than the second one. Today is Tuesday, so we had new release DVDs. I rented 'Observe and Report' with Seth Rogen and Anna Faris, so I should have a review up tomorrow or so.

As for the movie theaters, Friday will see two new movies. In Polson, 'District 9' will take over for 'Inglourious Basterds' and 'Julie and Julia' will stay for another week. At the Ronan Entertainer, 'Whiteout' will take over for 'Public Enemies.' I hope to see both 'Whiteout' and 'District 9,' so once I go see them I'll get a review up.

A bite and a blog

2009-09-21T14:43:00.000-07:00

Knowing nothing about the new film "Julie & Julia" may have helped me like the film more than if I had known the story. So I'm going to ruin it for you by telling you the story.

I'm just kidding, it didn't ruin it for me, but it was cool really not knowing anything about it, from what it was about to who the main character was. The movie begins with a caption telling you it is based not on one, but TWO true stories, which is correct: one part of the movie is based on the life of Julia Child, the legendary cook, and the other on the blogger who emulated her to the point of obsession, Julie Powell. Child's part of the movie is based on her memoir "My Life in France," while Powell's part is based on her book "Julie and Julia: 365 days, 524 recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment."

Julie is played by Amy Adams ("Doubt"), and tells the story of how she started a blog chronicling her attempt to cook all 524 recipes in Child's cookbook "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" in one year. It's her life as a lowly cubicle worker at a bureacratic organization, paralelled with the joy she has when cooking.

Her story is intertwined with Child's, played by Meryl Streep ("Doubt") which explores how she got into cooking while living as a diplomat in France. The idea is that you will see the similarities between the two, despite 50 years difference in time and two different mediums, books and blogs. It's an interesting way to look at this story, and I thought it was very well done.

I love food, and the cooking scenes are fabulous, especially the finished products, some of which look absolutely delicious. With the rise of the Food Network and how popular cooking has become, most people will have no problem watching this film. It's about life and cooking and that fuzzy line in between; for Child and even Powell, cooking was the best part of their lives. We see each struggle, Child as a diplomat moving from place to place, and Powell in a dead-end job living in a small apartment in Queens. It's real life played out on a big stage for both, and the film does a great job of paralleling and comparing the two.

I have little doubt that Meryl Streep will be nominated, and quite possibly win, the Academy Award for her portrayal of Child. I had never seen Child's cooking show before, so I didn't really get Streep's performance until I watched some of the real Child's PBS show on YouTube. Child stands out; she's tall, curly haired, and she had a great voice that fluctuates in sound. It seems like the upper part of her body is constantly in motion. Streep nails her every tic, which makes the movie that much more fun to watch.

Adams is great as well. It's almost scary how obsessed it seems Powell was with not only Child's cooking but Child herself. Still, she has a great story as an aspiring blogger who gains a real following, but I don't really feel sorry for her at any point. I see where she's coming from as a blogger though. As someone who writes a blog, I too wonder, is anyone reading this? Does anyone care about my perspective or opinion? Does anyone even read these words I write? It brings up such great questions about the internet: everyone can have a voice for free, but does anyone hear that voice? In her case, they did; in mine, I think not so much. But I still love this form of expression, and so did she, regardless of if people read her blog; she just liked doing what she loved.

As I walked out of the theater, someone in the small crowd described the film as "refreshing," and I think that's a nice way to describe it. I really enjoyed it, and it's a happy, fun film. I think it will appeal to most people, regardless of age group.

"Julie & Julia" is rated PG-13 because of some language, and sexuality. I think it's OK for all ages; I saw kids of about 8 or 10 in the theater. Might be more appreciated by older people than that, especially those that love food. It's playing at the Polson Showboat until at least Thursday, so check it out while it's still around.

7 stars out of 10

Fun at the expense of "Natzis"

2009-09-18T12:44:00.000-07:00

If you're a fan of Quentin Tarantino, you'll love his new film 'Inglourious Basterds.' If you're not of fan of his and his unique directing style, you probably won't. I fall into the category of 'fan,' so naturally I loved it. It's a throwback to his great films, like 'Pulp Fiction' and both 'Kill Bills'', and better than his mediocre 'Death Proof.'

The film is vintage Tarantino through and through, starting with the opening credits, which roll with a spaghetti-western tune before a single scene of the movie is shown. This film has chapters, like 'Kill Bill' beginning with number one, which is titled, "Once upon a time in Nazi occupied France." The opening scene is so Tarantino, so built up and epic, and it sets the tone for the whole movie. To make a long story short, an idyllic scene of the French countryside in 1941 is shattered when SS agents, led by Col. Hans Landa, find and kill a Jewish family hiding in a house. One of the Jews, a teenage girl named Shoshana, escapes the massacre. Landa, by the way, is played brilliantly by Christoph Waltz, who may very well win an Oscar for his gleeful portrayal of a heartless, merciless SS agent. The scene is beautifully shot, and it features great dialouge, a trademark of awesome QT films.

We next are introduced to the Basterds, a group of American-Jewish soldiers working guerilla missions in Europe taking out and scalping as many Nazis as possible. Brad Pitt plays Lieutant Aldo Raine, who claims he has Indian blood and goes by "Aldo the Apache." He's from Tennesse, and has an accent to match; he pronounces 'nazis' as 'NAT-zis' and he is generally hilarious throughout the film. My favorite line of the movie comes in this scene, when Aldo tells a Nazi prisoner, "Well, that's exactly the response we were hoping for cause watchin' Donnie bash Nat-zis heads in with a baseball bat is like going to the movies for us." "The Bear Jew," or Donnie, proceeds to do just that. The crew also has an Austrian born members and a German member that the Basterds helped escape from prison so he could join in their rampage. The Basterds goal is to match the Nazis at their game of ruthless killings.

Our third scene finds the escaped Jew from France, Shoshana, now living in Paris 3 years later. She is the owner of a movie cinema, and keeps to herself. But when the Nazis want to use her theater for a movie premiere, the intersection of all the stories comes to fruition. As you can tell from this simple description, the plot is classic QT, where it mixes in different storylines to tell one total story that in the end, all makes sense.

The film is excellent, and like 'Pulp Fiction,' makes great use of flashbacks to describe how a character came to be a certain way, or do a certain thing. This is one of my favorite trademarks of Tarantino, and he does it masterfully in this film. It's an epic, clocking in at just over 2 hours 30 minutes, but the prolonged, tense scenes he utilizes make the time worth it, and important. I can't really think of a point he could have shortened or cut entirely from the movie. I also really enjoyed the flawless use of multiple languages; French, German, English and Italian are some of the languages spoken, so if you don't like reading subtitles, don't go see this movie. At it's base, it's a revenge movie on those Nazis, so kind of unrealistic, but none of that took anything away from it. You'll also notice the voices of two Tarantino mainstays throughout the film: Samuel L. Jackson, who acts as a narrator, and Harvey Keitel, who acts as an American military commander. Both actors were stars in 'Pulp Fiction' and Tarantino loves little things like using favorite actors, even for small things like this.

Like I said, I highly recommend this film. It's still running at the Polson Showboat for at least this upcoming week, so go see it while it's playing. 'Inglourious Basterds' is rated R for violence, language, and cause it's a freakin' Quentin Tarantino movie. That should tell you what you're gonna get.

This is the first movie I'll implement my star system of ratings. I'll give each film I watch from now on a number of stars out of 10. This film I give 8 out of 10; I really liked it, and may even go see it again. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

'X' Marks the Spot

2009-09-17T10:42:00.000-07:00

Ok, I've had a busy but fun movie-watching week, so I'm a litte behind. I watched "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" on Tuesday, and have to say, it exceeded my expectations, considering what I had read about it, which wasn't all that good. I was never a big comic book reader, but I did play X-Men video games, and I've seen the previous three films, so I feel like I have a decent base of X-Men knowledge, though not as much as many of you, I'm sure. Though not a remake, I still feel like the purist comic book reading niche probably doesn't like these movies, but for pure entertainment value, I do. Also, here's a SPOILER ALERT because it is kinda hard to describe this film without going into a fair amount of detail.

The film begins in Canada in 1845 with a young James lying in bed, sick, with his father by his side and his friend Victor at the door. A yelling voice is audible from downstairs, and James' father leaves the room. A single gunshot rings out, and James runs downstairs. Upon seeing his father dead on the floor, James freaks out and rushes the murderer; his rage causes bone-like claws to come out of his fists, and he kills the murderer, Victor's father, with them. As the murderer dies, he tells James that he is his father, meaning James and Victor are brothers. Knowing they'll be hunted, Victor and James Logan flee into the woods.

Victor is also a mutant, who has long finger nails and fangs, and in the comic book is known as "Sabretooth." The next few shots show the mutant brothers fighting in a long line of American wars, from the Civil War to Vietnam, protecting each other as brothers. In Vietnam, James (Hugh Jackman) finally sees how crazy his brother Victor (Liev Shrieber) has become with his mutant power as he tries to assault a Vietnamese girl, and kills a superior officer. James and Victor are sentenced to death, but survive the firing squad because of the mutant powers they both possess.

Sitting in jail after surviving their execution, Major William Stryker comes to see them and offer them spots on an elite X team with other mutants that acts as a guerilla group going on missions around the world. They accept, but when Logan realizes that the team is acting in the interests of Stryker and killing innocents, he leaves the team.

Logan ends up in the Canadian Rockies six years later, living a peaceful life working as a lumberjack with his beautiful wife Kayla Silverfox. His world is shattered when he is visited by Stryker, who tells him that someone is killing off former members of the X team. I'll leave the plot at that, but the twists and turns really start at this point, and what I've said thus far merely sets up the film.

The movie was released as an early summer blockbuster, and in following that vein, it has lots of CGI, action and explosions. At times it is a little over the top, and the plot is convoluted and full of fairly obvious twists. For me, it wasn't so much about the plot, but seeing a prequel to the other films. The fact that its title is "X-Men Origins" would lead one to think that there will be other films about other characters as well. Getting a glimpse of other X-Men, like Sabertooth, Gambit and Cyclops is also cool. We get to see how a young Professor Charles Xavier meets some of the team as well. This is a good movie, but obviously very hyped up for the blockbuster movie it was, so don't get too excited.

"X-Men Origins: Wolverine" is rated for PG-13 for some serious mutant violence and such. If you have an opinion on it, think it is nothing like the comics, etc., please let me know. And hopefully a new one will be out soon.

New movie Tuesday

2009-09-15T09:28:00.000-07:00

So I just went a rented "X-Men Origins: Wolverine." I'll try to have a review up sometime tomorrow.

Also, really excited about what's playing in Polson at the Polson Showboat. What I can't wait to go watch is "Inglourious Basterds" with Brad Pitt. It's directed by Quentin Tarantino, which always means a gory show. "Basterds" plays at 4:00 and 7:15. Also showing in Polson is "The Time Travelers Wife," and in Ronan, "Aliens in the Attic."

On Friday, "Basterds" stays in Polson but "Time Traveler" is booted for the critically-acclaimed "Julie & Julia," starring Meryl Streep about chef master Julia Child. Both movies are supposed to be excellent. On Friday in Ronan, "Aliens in the Attic" is replaced with "Public Enemies," starring Johnny Depp and Christian Bale. I saw it, and enjoyed it. This is a good week for movies, so go out and see one (or more)!

Sept. 15 DVD Releases

2009-09-11T11:30:00.000-07:00

Not a huge selection of new ones coming out on Tuesday. My pick will hopefully be "X-Men Origins: Wolverine." I wanted to see it, but it got pretty bad reviews when out in theaters. I've seen the three "X-Men" films, so I'm pretty psyched to watch this one. I'll let you know whether the critics got it right, or whether it's worth a watch.

I'm also on the final episode of season one of "Deadwood." Like I mentioned before, it's a great show; can't wait to watch the finale and then the next season. I'll have a review up Wednesday of next week. Thanks for watching!

A 'Day' of reckoning

2009-09-11T10:50:00.000-07:00

Remakes can traditionally go one way: worse than the original. Lots of times, with lots of remakes, I've never seen the originals because they are really old and I just don't watch them. People who love the originals bemoan the fact that the remake is terrible because it's not like the original or just not good. I do understand this, but a lot of times, I think taking each film seperately is a better route than comparing them.

The remake I watched was "The Day the Earth Stood Still," which came out in April but I just watched it this week. I haven't seen the original, but now I'd like to, and compare them. I actually really liked this film, whether it stuck to the original or not.

The movie opens in 1928, with a hiker in India coming upon a glowing sphere during a major snowstorm. He touches the sphere, blacks out and awakens with a circular scar on his hand.

Cue up present day, where we are introduced to Dr. Helen Benson (Jennifer Connelly), a renowned scientist at Princeton University. She is rounded up by a group of FBI-looking people, thrown into a Suburban and given a police escort to a military base. Once there, Benson and other scientists learn that an unidentified object is headed for Manhattan, and will hit in just over an hour. They can't stop it, so they have to prepare for "the aftermath."

As the object approaches earth, it slows down, landing gently in Central Park. The scientists surround and approach it, as do military personnel and NYPD. A being emerges from the sphere, and Benson reaches out to touch it, but someone shoots it. The being is taken to a hospital, while a giant robot life like looking thing emerges from the sphere as well, a seeming guard for the being.

The being is of course an alien named Klaatu, and takes the form and is played by Keanu Reeves. He wants to speak to our world's leaders to discuss the human race, which the US Secretary of Defense Regina Jackson (Kathy Bates) disagrees with. Klaatu escapes, but his purpose is clear: he is to reason with humans and stop them from ruining the earth's environment, or wipe them out.

This isn't an action packed movie, but there is action, and it is enjoyable. It did make me want to see the original; I have a long list of films I need to see now! If you've seen the original and/or this one, comment on the blog, and tell me what you think.

"The Day the Earth Stood Still" is rated PG-13 for sci-fi violence and general apocalyptic themes. I'll let you know if Crazy Mike's has the original as well.

Definitely 'High Voltage'

2009-09-09T11:41:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned earlier, I rented "Crank: Hight Voltage" yesterday, the sequel to the action-packed first "Crank." I thought I had seen the first movie, but as I watched the second one, I realized I was mistaken. I now have to rent that so I know a little more background.

Anyway, the film picks up where the first one leaves off: Chev Chelios (Jason Statham) gets thrown out of a helicopter, hits a car on the road, bounces into the street, where a van pulls up, uses a shovel to pick him up and throw into the van, and he's taken away. Dead, right?

Wrong. Chev wakes up to open heart surgery by a group of Chinese surgeons. He sees his heart taken out, put in a red cooler and replaced by a plastic artificial heart. His heart is taken away by a goony looking dude with piercings all over his face. Chev passes out.

When he wakes up, he sees a diagram of what the surgeons intend to do: keep him alive for a while so they can harvest the rest of his organs. When he realizes the first one they want is his, ahem, "man organ," Chev decides enough is enough. He escapes leaving many bodies in his wake. His quest is to find his stolen heart, a bloody undertaking.

Along his way he meets his old flame Eve (Amy Smart) who has become a stripper in the three months since he last saw her. She acts as his sidekick on his journey, which goes from a strip club to a horsetrack to a guys limo, and on and on. The key factor is that in order to keep his artificial heart pumping, he must continually shock himself with something, be it a cops taser or grabbing "high voltage" equipment, and yes, even generating friction from body to body contact, something he and Eve perform on a horse race track, during a race.

The movie is crazy, and moves at hyper pace, with weird camera angles and weirder flash-backs and scenes. It's non-stop action, and actually pretty funny. I like Statham as an actor, and even the late David Carradine has a tiny role as an Asian gang lord. I'd like to see the first one too now so that I can really appreciate the second.

"Crank: High Voltage" is rated R for just about every possible reason: graitutious amounts of violence, gore, nudity and profanity. Definitely for an older, but not too old, crowd. The other key is you can't take it seriously. This movie makes fun of people who do. How else does Chelios survive a drop from a helicopter, and an action-packed day on an artificial heart?

Sept. 8 DVD releases

2009-09-08T13:39:00.000-07:00

So today being Tuesday, new DVDs hit the shelves. "Dance Flick" and "Crank: High Voltage" came out today. "Crank" features Jason Statham, who kicks serious ass in "The Transporter," so I went with that one. I'll try to have a review up tomorrow morning. Not the best week for new releases, but "Crank" does look pretty cool. Go rent something for tonight!

A long, dark 'Road'

2009-09-04T12:27:00.000-07:00

When I first saw the previews for "Revolutionary Road," I thought it looked unbelievably depressing, and I had no desire to see it. I came around and rented it, and I actually thought it was an excellent film.

The movie reunites Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet from when they were young stars in the box office hit "Titanic." They're older now, and play a married couple, Frank and April Wheeler with two children leading the stereotypical lifestyle of a 1955 suburban family unit: Frank commutes to New York City for a boring office job while April is the loving housewife. Except she's not so loving anymore, and she has grown tired of their uniformal lifestyle.

A big fight between the two after a terrible performance in an amateur play by April leads her to desire to leave their lives behind and moving the family to Paris to start anew. She wants to work while Frank "finds" himself. Frank finally agrees, and they decide to leave in the fall. The marriage is saved, and both are happy again.

But things have a way of unraveling, especially in unhappy people in unhappy marriages. That's all you need to know about the story; it is worth watching.

Kathy Bates gives a great performance as the Wheeler's neighbor Helen Givings, who doubles as a real estate agent. Her pinings on how great the neighborhood is give context to how miserable it really is, especially for the Wheelers, who apparently once were you free thinkers with loads of ambition. Her son John (Michael Shannon) is literally crazy, but also emerges as one of the sanest characters in the film for his blunt assessments of life. He was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar, and was truly excellent. Kate Winslet was excellent as well; she totally fits her role as an unhappy housewife. I was not as convinced with DiCaprio's role; he didn't fit for me. I kept seeing his character from "The Departed" or something. I think a different actor could have been better, and maybe been nominated for an Oscar. It was that type of role, I just thought Leo was sub par.

"Revolutionary Road" was directed by Sam Mendes ("American Beauty") and is rated R for sexuality, nudity and a lot of adult content. It is a pretty intense movie with very adult themes, and I would not recommend for any child. Plus, they just won't enjoy it. But you will. Though a dark topic, I thought it was terrific.

A non-stop 'State of Play'

2009-09-02T11:30:00.000-07:00

My new release pick for this week was the political/journalistic thriller, "State of Play." And it certainly did not disappoint.

A few things attracted me to this film: the journalist and blogger main characters and that it took place in Washington, D.C., where I'm from. Many scenes were filmed there, and anyone from the area or who has visited will appreciate the shots of Georgetown, Ben's Chili Bowl, the Metro and other noticeable D.C. landmarks.

The film starts with a man running through Georgetown, clearly from someone or something. That someone ends up shooting him in a back alley, picking up the metal briefcase the he was carrying before shooting a pizza deliveryman on a bike, a witness to the first shooting. The running man ("DeShawn") dies, while the pizza man lies in a coma. The shooter gets away.

We are then introduced to Cal McAffrey (Russell Crowe, "Gladiator"), the epitome of old-school journalist: he wears an old suit, drives a 1990 Saab, has long hair, sings and eats while driving, yet has the street smarts to be a quality reporter with good connections. He starts investigating the double-shooting, not getting very far, before he heads to the office.

We then meet Rep. Stephen Collins, a Congressman leading a panel investigating corruption charges against PointCorp, a military defense company that is virtually "mercenaries for hire" in the same vein as Blackwater. Just before the day's hearing is set to begin, Collins learns that one of his aides, Sonia Baker, died earlier that morning in a Metro accident. Baker was Collins top researcher for the hearing. Collins is clearly upset during the hearing, and bloggers immediately start to speculate a romantic relationship between Baker and Collins, which turns out to be true. Collins is shamed, and plastered on all the news station.

McAffrey sees Collins on the news, and we learn that the two were roommates in college, and supposedly good friends. They meet later that night, and McAffrey has reason to believe Baker's death, ruled a suicide, and the shooting at the beginning of the move may be connected. That's all I'll give you, but it takes off from there.

The investigative journalism is great, and its a good story full of twists and corruption. The rest of the cast is great as well: Rachel McAdams as Della Frye, McAffrey's colleague and blogger; Helen Mirren as the Globe's editor; and Jason Bateman and Jeff Daniels in somewhat smaller roles. If you like suspense/thrillers/mysterious, you'll like this film.

"State of Play" is directed by Kevin Macdonald ("The Last King of Scotland") and is rated PG-13 for language and some violence. It is available on DVD at Crazy Mike's. The film was taken from a 6 part British mini-series in 2003, and I hope to watch that and possibly compare the two. I'll keep you updated.

Hopefully the "Final" one

2009-09-01T13:17:00.000-07:00

Gory, scary movies are usually the things I enjoy. They are like a guilty pleasure to me. Friday I went to see the latest installment of a gore-fest in the form of "The Final Destination." One thing about "the" movies before I go on: when you take the name of your first movie, add "the" to the beginning, and release it as your fourth movie, there is a serious issue. Take the "The Fast and The Furious" franchise. For their fourth installment, they dropped the two "the's." That's all I'll say.

This was the fourth "Final Destination," and it reminded me a lot of the first one, which may have been my favorite. All the films have the same basic premise: a group of friends are at an event or somewhere with a lot of people, and one of the friends has a vision of a horrific catastrophe. When he snaps out of it, he gets his friends away, and in the process, saves some other bystanders.

In the case of this "Destination," a group of two men and two women are at a stock car race. One of the men, Nick O'Bannon, has a vision of a bloody demise as cars explode and the track basically collapses on itself. Shaken up, he urges his friends out of the venue, bringing along some unlikely companions he has disturbed while on his way out. Needless to say, the tragedy occurs, and the friends and about 5 bystanders survive.

Until a mysterious fate begins to kill the survivors off one by one. The reason "Final Destination" has survived for so long is because of the unique way people die. The watcher of the movie KNOWS the people will die, its just a question of how. And the people who create these movies find gory, bloody and exotic ways for each to die. Not by simple things; it usually takes a string of seemingly unrelated events to claim their victims.

As the survivors who die do so in order that they did in his vision, O'Bannon realizes that if he stops someone from dying, then the chain is broken, and the remaining survivors will live. That's as far as I'll go with the plot line; you'll have to see it for the rest.

Like I said, you don't go see this movie for plot or acting; you go for action and crazy death scenes. Though not as good as the others, it wasn't a terrible movie, and I did enjoy, and even laugh, at some of the craziness of the movie. "The Final Destination" is rated R for lots of gore, some nudity, language and general death/mayhem. Now playing at the Ronan Entertainer.

Weekend preview

2009-08-28T14:15:00.000-07:00

Getting ready for the weekend, here's a look at what's going on today, and DVDs coming out Tuesday.

In Ronan, the Entertainer will show "The Final Destination" for the next week. I love this series of scary movies, so I'll go see it and review it ASAP. Looks pretty scary. In Polson, the Showboat will continue showing "The Proposal" and new release "Aliens in the Attic," a kids movie.

Tuesday, Sept. 1 sees the release of a lot of great new DVDs, all of which I want to see: "State of Play," a movie about journalism, "Sin Nombre," "Earth" and the baseball flick "Sugar" all hit the shelves. I really want to see all of these; I'll have one of them reviewed on Wednesday!

"Deadwood"

2009-08-27T10:56:00.000-07:00

Though not a new release, I can't resist mentioning my new obsession: the TV show "Deadwood." The show originally aired on HBO in the spring of 2004, and consisted of three 12-episode seasons. Crazy Mike's has all three seasons in stock, and I'm telling you, once you start, you won't stop watching.

Right now I'm on the 8th episode of season one and it is and incredible show. Based on Deadwood, South Dakota in 1876, the show features real people from the time, like Wild Bill Hickok, Wyatt Earp, Seth Bullock and Calamity Jane, with some artistic expression on how their lives actually unfolded. There are also fictional characters.

Deadwood is a lawless place, with no government regulations or oversight. It is the epitome of the "wild west": gunfights and duels, whiskey and whores, gambling and other things looked down upon in urban areas during the 1870's. Deadwood is a place where they make the rules, but there aren't many. The main draw for people coming into the camp is gold prospecting. Gold had been found in the surronding hills, and word spread quickly, drawing people from New York City and Chicago to try their luck in the new town.

If you live in Montana, I think you'll appreciate it a lot. Montana has a similar history to the one found in the Deadwood series, so it makes for an interesting parallel. A warning: there is a lot of profanity, nudity, violence and other unsavory aspects that make this show kid-unfriendly, so only watch it if you can handle these things. Take it from me, it is a great show, and while it was out, won a ton of awards and recieved a lot of critical acclaim. Just get to Crazy Mike's before me; I've been snapping them up!

A worthwhile "Adventure"

2009-08-26T12:22:00.000-07:00

Maybe it's because I could sort of relate to the guy. Maybe because it is a great "music" movie. Or maybe I just enjoyed it because of what it is, but "Adventureland" is sure to please any (girl or guy) who watch it.

The movie's pretense is basically a romantic comedy, but one that appeals to both sexes, like "Knocked Up" or "Juno." James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg) has just graduated from college in 1987 and has big plans for the future: a summer trip to Europe and enrolling in the Columbia graduate journalism school in the fall. Life is grand; until his parents break the news about money trouble. The Europe trip, set to be James's graduation gift, is scrapped. Instead, a summer at home in Pittsburgh, where James worries his intellect is not appreciated, is on the horizon. Enrollment at Columbia looks iffy. Oh, and James is a virgin.

Once home, James's parents insist he find a summer job, which is somewhat appalling to James, but he goes out to search. Immediately it is obvious this 22 year old hasn't worked a day in his life: his resume consists of watching the neighbors dog (who gave him a letter of recommendation) and his math SAT score. His job prospects look hopeless.

Until he heads out to Adventureland, the local sleazy amusement park, filled with old, unsafe rides and rigged carnival games. While speaking to Paulette (Kristen Wiig, "Saturday Night Live") and Bobby (Bill Hader, "Superbad"), the park's owners and managers, he is given the job without a second glance and starts immediately.

James is relegated to the games department, where he is given an impromptu orientation by Joel (Martin Starr, "Knocked Up"), a Jew big on Russian author Gogol. His booth constantly blasts "Rock me Amadeus" by Falco, a great eighties song that on repeat becomes extremely annoying but a great running joke. He also meets Em (Kristen Stewart, "Twilight"), a cute, mysterious girl who also works games at the park. The table immediately is set for a budding romance between Brennan and Em.

Then there's Jim Connell (Ryan Reynolds, "Van Wilder"), the super cool maintenance guy who claims to have jammed with Lou Reed. Guys want to be him and girls want to be with him; he is what cool was in the summer of 1987. So with these characters and a great soundtrack, you have the stage set for a bad summer job with a good cast of people.

I really enjoyed this movie for what it is. It's funny and sweet, and any recent college graduate (like me) will appreciate James's grand plans, and the eventual realities, like living with mom and dad, that set in for him. Also, he's a journalism major, just like I was.

As a period piece, the movie is awesome. For anyone that likes the '80s, they'll like everything about this movie. Em drives what I believe to be a Gremlin, a cover band at a bar plays Foreigner, there is lots of makeup and big hair and the soundtrack is perfect for every aspect of the movie. All the characters are great, including Bill Hader as Bobby.

I don't want to give anything away, but this review should give you an idea of what it's about. The film is rated R, and has some drug use, profanity and sexuality, and is available at Crazy Mike's in Polson. Questions or comments? Email me at sashagoldstein@gmail.com

Welcome!

2009-08-24T11:46:00.001-07:00

Welcome to my blog! As the title implies, this blog will be written by me, a reporter at the Lake County Leader, about movies in the Flathead Valley. Each week I'll review a new big screen release being shown either at the Showboat Cinemas in Polson or at the Entertainer in Ronan. Much thanks go out to Gary Dupuis, the general manager of Polson Theatres, Inc.; he helps bring these great movies to the area, so go watch them! I'll also be reviewing a new DVD release each week, courtesy of Crazy Mike's. They have an amazing selection of movies and 'crazy' special deals, so check them out; thanks go out to Sara.

In Polson, the Showboat Theater is playing "G.I. Joe" and "The Proposal." The Ronan Entertainer is showing "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3." Pelham features John Travolta as the bad guy and Denzel Washington as the unassuming good guy; the verbal interplay between the two is too good to miss. Check it out sometime this week.

Tomorrow (Tuesday) means new DVD releases at Crazy Mike's. "Adventureland", "Fighter," and the indie-flick "Sunshine Cleaning." Sounds like a great selection to me; I just don't know which to pick! Enjoy whatever you watch; don't forget that Tuesday's are 99 cent movie day as well. Stock up for a week of movie-watching fun. I'll be back either tomorrow or Wednesday with a review of a movie. Stay tuned!

Mission Mountain Movies

The 83rd Academy Award Nominees are.....

A desert full of "Grit"

Pete Postlethwaite: Feb. 7 1946 - Jan. 2, 2011

An unforgiving "Town"

Finally, getting to "The Greek"

Hardly "Unthinkable"

Oldie but goodie: "The Hunted"

Over"Due Date"

"Inception"ally cool

Home is where the 'Toy Story' is

Truly 'Precious'

New movie Tuesday

Sly 'Mr. Fox'

New movie Tuesday

'Brothers': A Family Affair

New movie Tuesday

An 'Island' of Insanity

New movie Tuesday

Flying high with some serious lows

New movie Tuesday

Oscar Recap

It's the end of the world as we know it....

Not so 'Law Abiding'

Future 'Surrogates'

New movie Tuesday

New movie Tuesday

New movie Tuesday

Some 'Serious' Problems

82nd Oscar Nominees

New movie Tuesday

Super Bowl Movie Trailers

New movie Tuesday

A 'Book' Worth Fighting For

No S*%^, 'Sherlock'!

New movie Tuesday

More Avatar links

Too Much 'Lying'

New movie Tuesday

Avatar and Pocahontas

Lots of baggage in 'The Hurt Locker'

New movie Tuesday

'Avatar'

New movie Tuesday

Iron Man 2

Forcefully 'Extract'-ed

New movie Tuesday

New movie Tuesday

Christmas/Holiday Movies

No Oliver Twist-kind of 'Orphan'

New movie Tuesday

Sad or 'Funny People'?

'Bruno'

Twilight: New Moon

New movie Tuesday

'Angels & Demons' and Priests, Oh My!

New movie Tuesday

An Awesome 'Trek'

'Zombies' Everywhere

A long way 'Up'

New movie Tuesday

A fun 'G.I. Joe'

New movie Tuesday

A Fake 'Proposal'

New movie Tuesday

"Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen"

Lots of 'Wild Things'

"Year One"

"Sunshine Cleaning"

New movie Tuesday

Please 'Go' 'Away'

A baaaad rent-a-cop

"Crank" it up

New movie Tuesday

A bite and a blog

Fun at the expense of "Natzis"

'X' Marks the Spot

New movie Tuesday

Sept. 15 DVD Releases

A 'Day' of reckoning