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Reviews
X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
Very Disappointing
*spoiler alert* I went into this film with high hopes. The potential for a great Wolverine movie, regardless of whether or not it was needed, was there. I saw it in the trailers (aside from the goofy helicopter scene). After seeing the movie, I realized how wrong I was.
Let me just say, it is far from the worst movie I've seen, but being a big comic book fan, this (along with Spider-Man 3) ranks among the most disappointing movies I've ever seen.
The biggest problem was the plot and writing. Dumb dialogue and a very condensed tale of Wolverine's beginnings made it hard to watch. Although I loved the opening sequence, it just went downhill. Too many cameos and not enough screen time for the ones who matter. I would have loved to see the entire Stryker team work together all film. To see each member interact and react to each other, a la Saving Private Ryan and Predator would have been a treat. Instead we get one mission, and Wolverine just stands around. We never get the sense that he is part of the team, or that they really are a team.
What doesn't work: -the cameos (there are a slew, all the way up to Gambit) -too showy (special effects are very abundant and they don't look good) -lack of explanation (why does Wolverine just walk away near the end after finding out his love is alive? Why can't Sabertooth survive the adamantium procedure? Why is there a boxing scene with Wolverine and Blob?) -
There are a bunch of other minor quibbles I could list, but here are some positives: -Acting is all-around good, particularly Hugh and Liev. -Opening Scene -Minor supporting characters are well portrayed (especially Deadpool)
Overall, It is worth watching only (and only) if you actually enjoyed X3: Last Stand and you are completely obsessed with all things wolverine. Otherwise, skip.
Audience of One (2007)
A documentary for anyone, regardless of faith
Pastor Gazowsky is a nice man. He is humble, caring, has a healthy family, and is devoted to his faith. He also wants to make the most expensive movie ever made, based on seeing his first movie at age 40! This documentary on the onset seems wacky and strange, but it isn't. Neither is it scathing or brutal in its portrayal of a man with a vision. It simply tells the struggle of a man with no film making experience trying to adapt the story of Joseph to the big screen, sci-fi style. As an audience member, you'll find yourself cringing over how awkward Pastor Richard Gazowsky is trying to explain how the film making process is going. But it is well worth watching.
Tokyo! (2008)
Tokyo! is! Awesome!
I can honestly say I've never seen a film quite like Tokyo!. It's extraordinary in its scope and themes of love, identity, and purpose. Three different filmmakers: Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine...), Leos Carax, and Joon Ho Bong direct this triptych containing three different stories centered in the city of Tokyo!. All three stories do a great job conveying what it feels like to be a small fish in a big pond. The first film, Interior Design, is about a couple moving to Tokyo and trying to fit in. The second, and my favorite, is called Merde, and to explain it does not do it enough justice. You just have to watch it. The final story, Shaking Tokyo!, is a strange love story, but it works well with the city itself. The film is so unique, it must be viewed by everyone! Go see it!
The English Surgeon (2007)
Incredible True Story
This film is so touching and moving, I nearly cried several times. The English Surgeon is about real-life Dr. Henry Marsh, who travels from England to the Ukraine with secondary medical tools to help his Russian counterpart perform surgeries. It is a great documentary. Dr. Marsh is compassionate, but realistic; he will tell a patient outright they have no chance to live. But he keeps trying, despite his emotionally fatigued state.
What I found most intriguing about this film is how pivotal it is to our society. This man travels across the world to try and make a difference, even with the odds of his patients living unknown. He gives it his all, and it can teach us all to show a little more compassionate to our fellow man.
Just Buried (2007)
Soooo Twisted, yet so good.
I wasn't expecting much from this film at first, but minutes in, I was intrigued, and as time went on, I really dug the story and the characters. Oliver inherits his father's funeral home in a town where no one is dying. The solution? Kill people. It's dark comedy at its finest. Jay Baruchel plays a nerdy weasel while his partner in crime, Rose Byrne, mixes seductive tendencies with a cold blooded streak. It's quirky and gory (a warning to those people who are squeamish). The twists and turns shocked me each time. I only wish the film was longer, because the story has so much potential. But don't let that dissuade anyone. The film is great.
In a Dream (2008)
In a Dream, what a dream it is...
This is an excellent visual documentary about a flawed family trying to make it work. Isaiah Zagar is an artist who suffers from a mental disorder, and his son documents his life, from his early childhood to his current lifestyle. He is kind, artistically brilliant, and yet emotionally troubled. His wife loves him, his older son is trying to start his own family, and his youngest son records it all. Each one tells their own story. We see them go through the good times and the bad. Speaking of good, Zagar's art is AMAZING. I wish I lived in Philadelphia to see it.
All in all, a touching tribute to a family that makes you reflect on your own.
The End of America (2008)
Is this the End of America?
I will come out and be totally honest: I'm not a fan of politics. They annoy me, and too much drama comes out of it. That being said, I was relatively shocked to find out the new documentary, End of America, is quite engrossing. Based on Naomi Wolf's NY Times Bestseller, the film takes a page from Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth and splits up lectures with gritty footage and informative interviews. Yes, the film takes a side, but it's a side that everyone can relate to. The film does do a good enough job not to completely bash President Bush or anyone specifically, but simply the system as a whole. EoA explains how the 2001 Patriot Act has limited American civil liberties and what we can do to not only recognize the problem but how to combat it. A highly intriguing film, End of America's message is more important than one might think.
JCVD (2008)
Van Damme is Back!
Wow. That's what I was thinking after the opening title sequence, and that word never left my mind as I watched JCVD. The new Jean Claude Van Damme movie combines great action, gritty drama, and some actually good acting from everyone, especially Van Damme. From the opening action movie set sequence all the way to the famous 4 minute monologue, the movie is so unconventional and clever that it sets it apart from any straight to video release and bumps it up with the elite action films. I was really surprised how much similar this film is to Dog Day Afternoon, in terms of the setup and dramatic tension (Even the main villain looks like John Cazale from DDA). Overall, a great surprise for modern cinema. Check it out now and then buy it on DVD!
The Deal (2008)
The Deal is Real!
I recently saw this film, and once again, William H. Macy does not disappoint. He portrays these saddened characters so well (among his other great portrayals), and this film is no exception. I'm a huge fan of films within films/Hollywood satires, so The Deal fit right in. The film portrays a struggling, suicidal screenwriter who wants to go out with a bang, but during his final project, he finds new hope and strength to continue. LL Cool J is just hilarious as the main action star/method actor. His scenes stand out the most. But the film's dialogue is great, as well as the movie within a movie, a film based on Benjamin Disraeli but with a twist. I won't spoil anything else, except to say it's well worth the viewing if you love movies, William H. Macy, or more movies.