07.13.2010 | By Jack Rico |
Rated: R for some strong sexuality, drug use, and language.
Release Date: 2010-03-26
Starring: Noah Baumbach, Jennifer Jason Leigh
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.filminfocus.com/focusfeatures/film/greenberg
07.13.2010 | By Jack Rico |
Rated: R for strong sexual content including graphic dialogue, nudity and language.
Release Date: 2010-03-26
Starring: Erin Cressida Wilson
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.sonyclassics.com/chloe/
‘Chloe,’ Atom Egoyan’s new directorial work, is the lesbian version of Fatal Attraction. You can expect a high level of nudity and explicit, erotic sexual lesbian scenes that almost make it feel like soft core porn. The look of the film is different though and resembles more Stanley Kubrick’s artistic ‘Eyes Wide Shut.’ The pacing, cinematography and camerawork, even its musical score, ignites thoughts of the film. The acting is strong and the story, for 85% of its duration, is utterly enthralling… until it collapses at the very end in an hyperbolic mess.
A gynecologist (Juliane Moore) hires an escort (Amanda Seyfried) to seduce her husband (Liam Neeson), whom she suspects of cheating. The results will back fire on her and reveal a side of herself she didn’t know existed.
For most of the film, this erotic thriller carries a slow enjoyable pace. It never reaches the depths of boredom. Each scene is crafted carefully to develop the characters and the meat of the story. The situations they are all in are plausible, but with an edge to them. Then out of nowhere, 20 minutes before its denouement, it becomes risible and loses all cogency and believability. I don’t even want to try and figure out why that happened, but this movie could have been great.
Despite that one deficiency, the whole of the film should not be dismissed. The engrossing, sometimes transfixing artistic sensuality of the sequences will keep you glued to your seat. The premise evokes real questions that ultimately many marriages suffer from, such as – can one ever really be only with one person for their whole life?
‘Chloe’ has an answer for that and it’s not necessarily the one you want to hear. The movie is a bit twisted, but it is very entertaining, you can’t wait to see what happens next and am sure most of you will feel the same too.
07.6.2010 | By Terry Kim |
Rated: Not Available
Release Date: 2009-12-11
Starring: Tom Ford, Christopher Isherwood, David Scearce
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:Australia
Official Website: http://www.asingleman-movie.com/
Since Tom Ford was such a successful designer—he is credited for reviving Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent—it was a surprise to many when he left Gucci Group in 2004. It was all the more surprising, therefore, when he started a film production company. A Single Man is his first feature, and one that shows potential for more good films to come.
A Single Man is adapted from Christopher Isherwood’s novel by the same name, and is about a gay English professor, George (Colin Firth), who is grieving for his long-time partner, Jim (Matthew Goode). To put an end to his woe, George decides to terminate his own life; it is this “final” day that we spend with him, meeting old friends and new, making amends before he leaves for the netherworld. George’s life examination process brings to mind other great films of the past dealing with death and existential loneliness, such as Akira Kurosawa’s Ikiru (1952) and Ingmar Bergman’s Wild Strawberries (1957). In between George’s encounters throughout the day—most notably with his student, Kenny Potter (played by Nicholas Hoult), a beautiful Spanish youth, and his next-door neighbor, Mrs. Strunk (Ginnifer Goodwin)—are flashbacks to some of George and Jim’s happiest moments together, all painful reminders that Jim is now gone, and George is still alive. When George finally comes to terms with his past and begins to envision a more optimistic future, fate takes an ironic turn, and he succumbs after his final heart attack.
The visuals are stunningly beautiful, and the music is just as powerful (sometimes dominating the images, even). The former aspect owes itself to Ford’s former trade, along with the collaboration of the director of photography, Eduard Grau, and the editor, Joan Sobel; the latter is thanks to the compositions of Abel Korzeniowski and Shigeru Umebayashi (most noted for the score in Wong Kar-wai’s In the Mood for Love). Because the camera usually works with no more than two actors at a time, and because dialogue is equally concentrated, the viewer cannot be less than captivated. Colin Firth’s and Julianne Moore’s remarkable performances heighten the film experience; Colin Firth’s Best Actor Award at this year’s Venice Film Festival is thus well-deserved. Alas, there is even Oscar buzz for both actors.
It’s hard to miss the 1962 undercurrents, as references to the Cuban Missile Crisis blast from television sets and radio stations throughout the film. Our protagonist lives in an era in which the nuclear threat looms menacingly overhead. We are then confined further, into some of George’s interior monologues (the novel is composed almost entirely of these monologues), consisted mostly of self-pitying, morbid comments about the humdrum reality. Tom Ford also gave the character more dimension by using autobiographical elements. For example, George’s preparation for his suicide was modeled after a suicide in Ford’s family.
The film is a spiritual tale, one that, as Tom Ford mentioned in his director’s statement, makes you realize that “the small things in life are really the big things in life.”
07.6.2010 | By Jack Rico |
Rated: R
Release Date: 2010-03-05
Starring: Michael C. Martin
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.brooklynsfinestthemovie.com/
‘Brooklyn’s Finest’ is a very good film that brings together some wonderfully gritty acting, an engrossing storyline and a riveting ending. There are some twists that you’ll enjoy and overall it’ll remind you of films such as ‘Crash’ and ‘Serpico’.
The plot goes like this – three Brooklyn cops who work at the same precinct wind up at the same deadly location after their personal problems converge them there.
Kudos to the comeback kid Ethan Hawke, who continues to deliver powerful, intense and captivating performances. One of my favorites from him is ‘Before The Devil Know’s You’re Dead’ from legendary director Sydney Lumet. Just a wonderful small film that didn’t get much play in 2007. He now reunites with helmer Antoine Fuqua from their days in ‘Training Day’ to deliver an impressive and fervent interpretation of a cop doing anything to provide for his family.
The rest of the cast, Don Cheadle, Wesley Snipes and Ellen Barkin also delivered magnificent performances as well. Wesley Snipes, who hasn’t been in much of note in nearly a decade, settles into this role as if he was born for it. And Ellen Barkin is unforgettable as the foul-mouthed, tough-as-nails FBI agent who makes life hell for Tango. I don’t mention Richard Gere because I thought he was the weakest link. His range is limited in these fiery films and what’s worse, he plays the same guy in every movie. Romantic dramas like his ‘Nights in Rodanthe’ or ‘An Officer and A Gentleman’ are a better fit.
Outside of the great acting the film does dribble into some typical police cliches, such as the dirty cop attending confession or undercover officers agonizing over turning against a friend they’ve made in the hood. These scenes are here, but they don’t distract you or make you say, ‘WTF, again!?’. It fits well with their characters and it didn’t bother me at all, I doubt it will for you.
Ultimately, it’s all about being entertained and taken to a world you submerge for two hours to then came back satisfied. ‘Brooklyn’s Finest’ does that and in a fine way.
Other films like this:
06.29.2010 | By Ted Faraone |
Rated: R for bloody violence and language.
Release Date: 2010-02-26
Starring: Scott Kosar, Ray Wright
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.thecrazies-movie.com/
In the 37 years since helmer George A. Romero foisted on us the $275,000 sci-fi/horror flick, “Crazies,” not much has changed except the value of the Dollar. The remake, billed as “The Crazies,” by helmer Breck Eisner, cost an estimated $12 million to make. It’s still pretty cheesy. And Romero gets executive producer credit.
Pic climaxes with an atomic bomb blast leveling an Iowa town. Too bad that its negative was not at ground zero. “The Crazies” is that awful. It gets half a star for some unintentionally funny scenes. It loses stars for telegraphing plot moves in advance, failing to build compelling characterizations, totally expected “Deus Ex Machina” resolutions when writers Scott Kosar and Ray Wright painted themselves into corners, crummy continuity, stilted dialogue, and blurry lensing. “The Crazies” uses every cheap trick to create suspense… and fails miserably.
Plot adheres fairly closely to the Romero original. Folks in a small town start going crazy, becoming homicidal maniacs. Source of the problem is quickly traced by Sherriff David Dutton (Timothy Olyphant, whom we last saw in the atrocious “Perfect Getaway”) to a downed jet in the town’s watershed. How a jet goes down in a small town without apparent damage and without an immediate response is beyond even the suspension of disbelief. This jet went down a week before pic’s action takes place. And no one save the town blowhard noticed.
We must mention pic’s funniest scene: The local undertaker has been infected. He goes after Sherriff Dutton with a high speed bone saw. Dutton subdues the mad mortuarian but the saw is still running. Propelled across the mortuary floor by its own motor, It heads straight for Dutton’s crotch until his deputy (Joe Anderson VI) steps on the power cord in one of those Deus Ex Machina moments. One wonders why the Army didn’t also cut off the electricity.
The purpose of a pic such as “The Crazies” is to create suspense, instill fear in audiences, and have them hanging on the edge of their seats for the ending. Fernando Meirelles did a far better job with similar subject matter in the 2008 “Blindness.”
Pic’s ending has sequel written all over it. Ultimately it will depend on the box office that this piece of trash does. “The Crazies,” which feels a good deal longer than its 101 minute run time, is rated “R” thanks to violence and repeated use of a four letter word for intercourse.
06.29.2010 | By Jack Rico |
Rated: R for strong crude and sexual content, nudity, drug use and pervasive language.
Release Date: 2010-03-26
Starring: Josh Heald, Sean Anders
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://hottubtimemachinemovie.com/
The R rated comedy ‘Hot Tub Time Machine’ is a disappointment that could have been prevented if the writers would have delivered better jokes, more frequently. Besides a few laughs, this comedy isn’t worth the ticket price or your time at the theater, but perhaps at home on DVD on a lazy Saturday night.
The story is simple. Four guy friends (John Cusack, Clark Duke, Craig Robinson, Rob Corddry), all of them bored with their adult lives, travel back to their respective 80s heydays thanks to a time-traveling hot tub. What ensues is nostalgic moments for most of the protagonists and a predictable twist for the finale.
For many men, there is nothing better than calling friends on a Friday night and catching a riotous R rated comedy. The attraction is the raunchy sexual humor and dialogue, ape-like rationale and an inane plotline that is already inherently funny. Many comedies in the decade of the 80’s embodied that sort of unrefined and unpretentious hilarity such as ‘Airplane’, ‘The Naked Gun’ and ‘I’m Gonna Git You Sucka‘. They were made for men and boy did we love them. 2008 saw one of my personal favorites – Role Models starring Paul Rudd and and Sean William Scott. They created a gem with scenes that pushed the envelope of comedy to its limits by having little kids curse like old curmudgeon truckers. ‘The Hangover’ reached perfection in the last decade. It received a Golden Globe nomination and even speculation that it would be nominated for an Oscar in the best picture category.
So what went wrong with ‘Hot Tub Time Machine’?
The jokes began strong and then they lagged. Those lagging moments cost the film everything. The writers, Josh Heald and Sean Anders needed to create rapid-fire jokes to avoid the sour comedic bits from affecting the strong, quick pacing of the beginning. As a result, the audience is left in limbo awaiting on hilarity that is saved for seldom occasions, as if there were rations of jokes left for us to laugh at. The acting overall was fine, some secondary 80’s cast selections were great such as Crispin Glover (Marty MacFly from Back to the Future) and Chevy Case.
The protagonists were a nice mix of actors that provided their fair skill of comedy. The highlight was Craig Robinson, who seems to be at home in this genre. If you ever saw him in ‘Zack and Miri Make a Porno’, he carried that movie on his back! John Cusack was a nostalgic touch that director Steven Pink I’m sure had as his secret weapon. John Cusack is the 80’s and it was great to see how he behaved under the ambiance of the period that made him a star.
Nevertheless, I was expecting so much more from this film. Whenever you see “rated R†next to a comedy, you feel like we’re in for something different (e.g. The Hangover). It’s a movie that filmmakers can sink their creative juices into without restraint. That mere idea is obviously much more difficult than it looks.
06.29.2010 | By Namreta Kumar |
Rated: PG for action violence and peril, some scary images and suggestive material, and mild language.
Release Date: 2010-02-12
Starring: Craig Titley
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.percyjacksonthemovie.com/
For anyone who loves the movie going experience this a perfect match. Chris Columbus has brought yet another beloved children’s book to life in his adaptation of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. The Lightening Thief is a charming lighthearted fare; that has smartly been adapted for the screen.
Percy Jackson’s (Logan Lerman) world changes when he discovers that he is a demigod. Soon he finds that his inadequacies serve him well; and that the Greek myths, the ones we all forget in grade school, are more than just ancient history.
Â
Chris Columbus does a great job of making Greek mythology feel like home in the Western world. In fact the juxtaposition of our modern realities to Greek mythology are what make the film charming to all ages. The CGI is all tailored to fit in well with the needs of the script and doesn’t over power it. Whereas other films of it’s nature have spent much more time working on some of the more flamboyant points of the novel Chris Columbus’ The Lightning Thief seamlessly blends all the elements together. While films like Harry Potter fail to capture the essence of the book, Percy Jackson and The Olympians does a remarkably better job.
Â
That being said some alterations have been made. For those of you that have read the book, sorry to say, as dictated by Zeus, the Kronos topic is closed for discussion. The “family†relationship that the book focuses on is the crux of this film. But don’t get too excited, if you hoped to see the jerk cousin from the book’s prophecy he doesn’t make the cut either. Although major arcs have been dismissed from this adaptation, it does a great job of keeping the heart of the book in the forefront.
Â
The cast also shares the credit for blending the two worlds seamlessly. They do an excellent job adapting the characters from the myths to the modern world. Brandon T. Jackson exceptionally modernizes the Greek satyr, Grover, by cleverly adapting modern style to the flirtatious and quirky nature of his character. Jake Abel carries Luke’s altered character off well, but due to some editing of the books for screen, it doesn’t all seem to add up on screen. Logan Lerman is the heart of the film. He not only ties together the film’s other cast and characters, but also reels in the audience. Percy Jackson feels like an accidental hero (to himself) in the book, and Lerman plays those insecurities and his perseverance well.
Â
When I left the theatre I remember feeling as light as my own childhood memories of going to the theatre. The best part about the film is that as an adult you get to re-live the wonderment of grade school mythology; and as a child you can almost believe that the old hero stories aren’t all lost. Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lightning Thief is an old fashioned good time at the movies.
Â
Also just a tip (especially for those that enjoyed the books): Don’t miss the end of the credits, I promise you will get your just reward.
06.22.2010 | By Alex Florez |
Rated: Not available.
Release Date: 2009-10-16
Starring: Sebastián Silva
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:Chile
Official Website: http://www.themaidmovie.com/
06.22.2010 | By Namreta Kumar |
Rated: R for language and sexual content.
Release Date: 2010-03-12
Starring: Sean Anders & John Morris
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.getyourrating.com/
She’s Out of My League is quite possibly the best romantic-comedy out, thus far, this year. The best part about this bromance is that it is equally a chick-flick.
In a nutshell she (Alice Eve) is a 10 and he (Jay Baruchel) is desperately trying to hold onto the status of 5. Essentially his family, friends, and lack of any real aspirations fail him; but she tiers of “perfection†and finds it all refreshing. The multitude of characters is what makes the film so much fun. From Kirk’s friends down to Molly’s parents everyone lends great talent and character to the film.
Kirk is more than just a five and Jay Baruchel makes this a reality. I must equally commend Jim Field Smith for this as well, because his direction gives each actor/character their shining moment. And at the end of it all, what makes this film work are those shinning moments. Smith’s direction has created a comedic piece that every guy can enjoy, and every girl will adore.
What makes the comedy here fun and unique is that all the characters are just that, characters. All of Kirk’s friends remind you of those same guys from high school down to your office and the advice they honesty dole out to Kirk make them all the more real. On the other hand Molly’s best friend and sister make this equally a chick flick, with their own frankness about her imperfections.
She’s Out of My League is not as good as Wedding Crashers but it does equal I Love You Man. It has a lot of little laughs and plenty of charm to finally leave you satisfied with a romantic comedy this year.
06.22.2010 | By Karen Posada |
Rated: PG-13 for violence, sexual content, language and smoking.
Release Date: 2010-03-12
Starring: Will Fetters & Jenny Lumet
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.rememberme-movie.com/
‘Remember Me’ does a fine job at making you part of it without you realizing it. If you are into romantic dramas you are going to love it, it is more than just romance though, the importance of family is felt strongly as well. The plot is made up of love and loss and the sense that we have to ‘live in the moments’ because we don’t know when our last day on Earth will be. It is your typical boy-meets-girl story but with a sense of reality in it and a twist of faith.
Our main character Tyler Hawkins (Robert Pattinson) is a troubled soul, who feels completely helpless, he wants to be a hero or a voice to those that need it, like his younger sister Caroline (Ruby Jerins). He had a privileged life growing up, but now wants to make it on his own, away from his workaholic father (Pierce Brosnan); who doesn’t expect anything good out of him. With his poetic boy looks and the sadness he has about him, he has a way with the ladies. His roommate Aidan (Tate Ellington) convinces Tyler to date the daughter of a police officer (Chris Cooper), to spite him for arresting them one night. Tyler has no problem sweeping Ally Craig (Emilie de Ravin) off her feet. Tyler gets lost in his own game and ends up falling for Ally’s quirky personality. She has the ability to show him through their connection by their troubled pasts, that he can live again despite of all the pain he’s felt. She brings out the best in him.
The love connection here is strong; Pattinson and de Ravin make the romance as well as their life stories very real to the audience. It’s hard not to fall in love with Pattinson in this film; he is the typical artsy passionate guy every girl would want. The quarrels among characters, especially “the big fight” between the couple is a bit ridiculous. The script tries to create drama where there really isn’t. Admittedly the ending is the strongest part of the movie, the filmmakers took a cheap shot at the audience, but it is the reason for the ½ star. It is a cheap shot that works, without it the movie wouldn’t have an impact and it would be easy to forget. We are given subtle hints about the ending throughout the whole movie but we only connect the dots when we arrive to it, it is what will make the audience feel a stronger connection to the story.
I definitely recommend it to the hopeless romantics; it will touch your hearts and leave you a little depressed. You are left with the sense that we do need to cherish every moment and live as if today was our last day.
 Go to our film page
