Reel Time: Sinister

Now, I know I already did a review of this film on my other blog: mattmonstermovies.blogspot.com But I don't think that was a particularly good review. So let's try again: (Possible spoilers ahead.)

Sinister:
Former true-crime novelist Ellison Oswalt (name inspired by writer Harlan Ellison and comedian/writer Patton Oswalt) moves into a house to write his newest book, in an attempt to re-start his career and get the success he used to have. His story is based on the disturbing tale of a family of five: the mother, father, and two kids were hung from a tree in their backyard, and their youngest daughter Stephanie has been missing for 9 months. The cops don't like him because he does somewhat exploit tragedies and he basically attracts a media circus to small towns. What Ellison doesn't tell his wife and kids is that the house they're living in is actually the house the murder took place in. While moving in, Ellison discovers a black box full of old home movies on Super 8 reels, and finds a camera and projector. He believes this could possibly help him in researching the family. He puts in the film "Family Hanging Out '11", as that is the one closest to the date where the family was killed. He discovers a cheery, but somewhat surreal and eerie film of the family hanging out in their backyard, but he notices the film is made by an outside observer. Suddenly, the footage cuts to a still shot of the family being hung in their backyard. He then discovers the other films are in fact other gruesome murders which take place across the country, spread out throughout time. He also begins to notice a strange, cult-like symbol painted around some of the murders, and a surreal, eerie, demonic figure observing the murders from a distance. With help from the funny local deputy and the intelligent Professor Jonas, he discovers that the figure and symbol may have something to do with an ancient Pagan deity with an appetite for children's souls. As Ellison continues to observe the films, things become more intense, and Ellison decides he's had enough. But is it too late, and has his family become lost in the supernatural? Something that the film must be given credit for is that it is truly frightening. It is an emotionally disturbing and atmospheric film, that works extremely well due to the slow-burning pace. Unfortunately, many of the film's best scares are somewhat spoiled in the bad marketing campaign. The snuff films that Ellison discovers are truly real-looking and extremely disturbing, and the images you see with be burned into your memory for many nights. They all have double-entendre titles, like: "BBQ '79", "Lawn Work '86", "Pool Party '66", and "Sleepy Time '98". The movies are not in chronological order, but in order of shock value, a clever move by the filmmakers. The music in the film is truly breathtaking. Director Scott Derrickson (Exorcism of Emily Rose) gathered songs from genres like black metal, avant garde, and dark ambient from around the internet, from bands like Aghast, Ulver, Aghast Manor, Judgehydrogen, Sun-O))), and Accurst. Each song piece fits the tone of each film, and will haunt your dreams. Christopher Young (Spider-Man 3, Drag Me to Hell, The Grudge, Urban Legend, Ghost Rider, The Gift, The Rum Diary, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Hellraiser) also gives a great background score, with a creepy little musical queue for when something otherworldly occurs. Writer C. Robert Cargill (Carlyle of Spill.com fame) truly uses the medium of film well, making the Super 8 films a literally living entity. The design of the villain is truly terrifying, but so simple that it's not distracting. He has very brief appearances, but all are threatening and frightening, and add an oura of mystery to him. The online campaing includes fake news pages about the murders and a motion poster, and are as inventive as the film. Ethan Hawke gives a remarkable performance as Ellison, who can be a douche, but you root for him all the way, so his brutal downfall becomes all the more tragic and horrifying. James Ransone and Vincent D'Onfario give supporting roles as Deputy and Jonas. The deputy gives some great comic relief to help the audience cope with the horror between demon sightings and snuff-film viewings. Fred Dalton Thompson returns to the silver screen as the sherriff. The film never leaves the house for the entire run-time, and as things get more intense, it adds an essence of claustrophobia, stress, and paranoia. The opening shot lets you know what kind of a film you're in for, and it's fucking creepy, and it's not the last time you see stuff like it. As the films get more brutal and terrifying, the camera starts gradually progressing to a point where the camera never cuts back to Ellison, giving the audience less relievance from the horror of the films. There are a few cheesy bits made for the trailer, or for teenagers to shout in the audience during scary parts, and characters do makes some stupid, horror character mistakes, but at least the script gives a valid excuse for this. Ellison does make the stupid mistake of, oh, I don't know, never turning any damn lights on, ever! But you won't care, because the movie holds up enough, and it haunted my dreams for quite a while. Job well done, and I hope a sequel is on it's way soon, as I want more Sinister! I believe this film will be scaring people for the next 50 years. Maybe longer. 5/5 stars.

Ang Lee's new epic

Life of Pi:

In the mid-50's or 60's, a teenage Indian boy Pi is moving on a giant ship to Canada from India with his family and the animals from his father's zoo. The ship is sunk by a freak storm, killing everyone on board except for Pi, and four animals: a hyena, a zebra with a broken leg, an orangutan, and a tiger named Richard Parker. Eventually, only he and the tiger are left, and he must survive at sea with the tiger, who, he forms a strange bond with. This movie could have been boring as all hell or could have been extremely interesting. Fortunately, it was the latter. Irrfan Khan plays Pi as an adult, and gives a strong emotional performance. Suraj Sharma plays Pi as a teen, and has proven himself a talented young actor, hopefully he makes it into another big movie. From what I've heard, the 2001 novel the film is based on is fantastic, so I had high expectations for this film. The film reached them. This is a far better film than Avatar, which the film is being compared to. The visuals are just incredible. Even the credits are cleverly shot and set-up. Ang Lee brings his distinct visual style to this film. Lee is a great director who can really hop from genre to genre. (Martial-arts films, romances, dramas, action films.) Giving the tiger a name gives him even more of a character. Richard Parker never speaks a word, but you can look into his eyes and just see a rich character behind them. The film is genuinely tense at times, but it never loses it's charm and beauty. The film also has a very subtle sense of humor. It's a pretty dark film for a PG, and I think young kids won't think it's all that good, so take them to see a more kid-oriented Thanksgiving movie. This film is slow-paced, but it pays off, with amazing special effects, with an extremely realistic-looking CG tiger. The film presents a truly compelling emotional adventure-drama. There are moments where Pi believes he and his friend Richard Parker will die, and it gets some tears building up. Life of Pi is one of the most remarkable and emotionally gratifying films of the year. It's a visual feast for the eyes, and I recommend it for anyone, even children, who probably won't appreciate the film until they're older. 5/5 stars.

Is this Toy Story for video games?

I look at Disney's new animated film Wreck-It Ralph.

Wreck-It Ralph:
The film begins with a sweet little hand-drawn short called "Paperman", which is excellent and touching. In a popular video game arcade, which house dozens of new and classic games, there is a game known as Fix-It Felix, Jr. In the game (a homage to Donkey Kong), gamers play Felix, who helps an apartment building by fixing it after the villain, Wreck-It Ralph, destroys the place. After hours, the game characters leave their homes within the consoles and travels through plugs and extension cords to Game Central Station, the central plug hub of the arcade. They can mingle and party, but must be back to work by sunrise, or players may think they're out-of-order, and the games may be unplugged for good, leaving the game characters "homeless" at the Central Station. When Ralph, who isn't accepted by his peers, becomes tired of being the villain, he leaves his game to check out other games so he can win a hero's medal. Felix has to chase after him to avoid being unplugged and the two often narrowly miss each other, running into other character's, including a tough female soldier from Hero's Duty (a parody of Halo, Call of Duty, and the movie Starship Troopers), and an annoying little "glitch" girl from Sugar Rush (a candy-themed parody of Mario Kart). The movie is heartwarming and funny, with numerous video game references that will amuse gamers and casual viewers alike. The film features cameos from Q*bert (celebrating his 30th anniversary), Pac-Man, Sonic, and Tapper. it also features cameos from the heroes and villains of games like Mario, Sonic, Pac-Man, Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, House of the Dead, and even a cameo by Skrillex. There are also numerous items seen from Mario, Q*Bert, Pac-Man, and Metal Gear Solid. There are also numerous candy puns withing Sugar Rush, like Whoppers, Beard Papa, Laffy Taffy, and Nesquik mix. John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jane Lynch, and Jack McBrayer give funny, heartwarming, and memorable voice performances as Ralph, Vanellope, Sergeant Calhoun, and Felix, respectively. Alan Tudyk (Serenity, Firefly, 42, I Robot, Tucker and Dale vs. Evil) voices King Candy, who serves as a minor antagonist for part of the film, but I can't tell too much more than that. The film was directed by Rich Moore,who provides some voice work, and who directed several episodes of Futurama and The Simpsons. It shows, as the film is clever, funny, and original. It is similar to Toy Story, in the way it's imaginative and heartfelt. The way the writers chose to explain how the game world works is ingenius and funny, and the film is not a cheap knock-off, but a sweet and clever film that a lot of work was put in to. Props to the director, writers, and voice-actors for this one. Plus, the animational is beautiful, slick, and colorful. There are some immature moments, but then again, it's still made for children. Wreck-It Ralph is a great holiday film, kid's movie, and just a greagt movie overall. It's got a lot of heart and the writer's turn the film's background into a gamer's look and find, adding on an extra layer of wow-factor. This is a guaranteed classic. 4/5 stars.

 (Images: Wikipedia.com)

The Wachowski's new science fiction epic

I take a look at the new science fiction epic based on the best-selling 2004 novel.

Cloud Atlas:
The film follows six different time periods and shows the surreal ways in which they are all connected: In the South Pacific Ocean in 1849, a San Franciscan lawyer seeks to arrange a business deal with a slave plantation to assist his father-in-law, meanwhile being poisoned by a greedy doctor and bonding with a stowaway slave; In Scotland in 1939, a young man leaves his gay lover to work with a famous composer to create his own masterpiece "The Cloud Atlas Sextet", while writing letters to his lover; In San Francisco in 1973, a young reporter begins to uncover the truth about the new nuclear plant being built near the city, while being hunted by a bloodthirsty hitman; In London in 2012, an elderly publisher is at a party when Cockney gangster Dermott Huggins (who has written a terrible book that the man has published) throws one of his harshest critics off a balcony and is sent to prison. He then must escape Huggin's three gangster brothers, and accidentally is confined to an old folks' home, but plots an escape. In the new city, "New Seoul" in Korea, in the year 2144, a fabricant clone is enslaved to a life-long servitude to a fast-food joint, until she is freed by a soldier of the local resistance, whom she falls in love with, and he reveals to her a Soylent Green-style world that the public is unaware of (foreshadowed earlier in the 2012 timeline.) Finally, in the abandoned Hawaiian Islands 300 years after the previous timeline, a tribesman named Zachry assists a young, technology-savvy visitor form an off-world colony in sending out a beacon for help, while avoiding the Kona, a tribe of vicous cannibals, and whilst being haunted by visions of "Old Georgie", his tribe's version of the Devil. The cast is large and often show up in different time periods, sometimes as different races and genders (which is used to comedic effect). The film has a flip-floppy tone, but it works. Instead of just showing the six stories in chronological order, it with shift between each, giving them enough time to progress forward, then moving on to the next which saves it from being like most antholgoy films where some are just bookend stories. The cast includes familiar faces like Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugo Weaving (From the Wachowski's The Matrix, as many of you know, who always plays a villainous character), Susan Sarandon, Jim Broadbent, Jim Sturgess, Hugh Grant (who alos often plays a villain), Keith David, Ben Whishaw (Q from Skyfall), Doona Bae, and James D'Arcy. They all have varying roles from heroes, to villains, to complex characters. They all give fantastic performances, and sometimes only show up for a brief moment, unrecognizable. Even some background actors do multiple timelines. The way they tie together all the stories is truly clever and detailed, as each time period is watching or reading some from of each story. Examples: The post-apocalyptic Hawaiins watch a recording of the 2144 story, the 2144 characters watch a movie based on the 2012 story, the 2012 characters are reading about the 1973 character, the 1973 characters are reading letters from the 1939 story, and the 1939 characters are reading a book based on the 1849 story. Also, all the characters somehow hear the Cloud Atlas Sextet somewhere in time, possibly in a dream or in a store, or in a car. The visuals and special effects are breathtaking, and truly work in the IMAX format. (Although I saw it in a regular theater.) Some of the action scenes, such as the chase throuh Neo Seoul, the fight with the Konas (who are like the orcs in that they never cease to be creepy or threatening), and the comedic fight in the Scottish bar in 2012, are fantastic. Cloud Atlas deserves the 3-hour runtime, as it's an experience, not just a movie. You need to pay attention, so no bathroom breaks. It's truly a masterpiece, and I hope the Wachowskis come out with less movies like Speed Racer, and more like this. 5/5 stars.

 (Image: Wikipedia.)

Robert Zemeckis' brand new drama

I look at Robert Zemeckis' new drama, his first live-action film since 2000, and his first R-rated film since 1980.

Flight:

Airline pilot Whip Whitaker flies an airline plane after a sleepless night full of sex, booze, and drugs with his young flight attendant, and only an hour or two after using cocaine. When the plane begins to fall apart, he must save the plane through crazy circumstances, and saves everyone on board, minus two flight attendants (including his lover) and four passengers. But, the NTSB drug tests show he was drunk and high while flying, and he could be responsible for the loss of life. But, through several other tests, they discover he was the only pilot who could save the plane. He comes under federal investigation, and he begins a relationship with Nicole, and ex-drug addict and alcoholic, and these conflicting emotions and struggles send his life spiraling downward. Denzel Washington gives a mesmerizing and fascinating performance as Whitaker. He steals the show, and the film becomes more of a story about the life of a struggling, irresponsible alcoholic. He has emotion in every scene he's in, and you can tell he really put his heart and soul into the performance. You'll see several familiar faces, such as John Goodman in a hilarious and offbeat role as Harling Mays, Whip's idiotic and crazy hippy friend who deals drugs. Others include Kelly Reilly as Nicole, who gives an empathetic performance as a woman struggling with life; Don Cheadler as Whip's lawyer Hugh Lang; Bruce Greenwood as his friend Charlie Anderson; Brian Garaghty as Whip's young  and very religous co-pilot, Melissa Leio as the NTSB investigator; My Name is Earl's Nadine Velazquez as Katerina, Whip's young flight attendant with whom he has a relationship with; and Law and Order:SVU's Tamara Tunie as his friend and flight attendant Margaret. The film has a great soundtrack featuring classic rock from the 60's, most notably The Rolling Stone's "Gimme Shelter" and "Sympathy for the Devil". Robert Zemeckis' realistic approach and gritty direction give the film a fresh and distinct feel and look from his more recent films. (The Polar Express, Beowulf, A Christmas Carol) You really need to treat yourself to this film. It's not the usual holiday, feel-good film or action blockbuster, but a sometime humorous, but all-around gritty and dark drama about an alcoholic near the end of his run. Flight is a truly exhilirating, invetive, and beautiful drama with an all-star stellar cast and a great, visionary director to make it all fit together. 5/5 stars.

 (Image: Wikipedia)

The new kung fu film from RZA and Eli Roth

Today, I look at a strange and obscure new film, that's Quentin Tarantino-produced, Eli Roth co-written, and it's written, produced, and directed by a rapper.

The Man with the Iron Fists:

This is an interesting one. It's written, produced, and directed by RZA, leader of the rap group The Wu-Tang Clan, who is also the title character. The film chronicles the misadventures of an ex-slave blacksmith in Jungle Village, a ghetto Chinese village ruled by several warrior clans, often at fued: The Wolves, The Hyenas, and the most powerful, The Lions. When Gold Lion, hte noble leader of the Lions, is betrayed and killed by his own lieutenants, his son, an Englishman, and the blacksmith join forces to take the unstoppable and now devious Lion clan down before they steal a shipment of government gold. The cast give over-the-top, one-dimensional, but overall fun performances, which works for the film. RZA plays The Blacksmith. He's very emotionless in his performance, even when needing to be dramatic. But man, that dude's pretty bad-ass. The bad-assery is added by the strange, but cool backstory given to him: an escaped slave given training by a Buddhist monk clan, and becomes a blacksmith who then unleashes his "chi" through his iron fists. Rick Yune plays Zen-Yi (The "X-Blade"), a master of kung-fu, and Gold Lion's son, who builds an armored suit with various knives and spikes attached to it which aids him in battle. He seeks to avenge his father's death so he and his girlfriend may be at peace in their home in the mountains. Russell Crowe plays Mr. Jack Knife, an English military man, with a cool gun-knife thing that saws people in half. He, for some reason, is also a master of kung fu, and most of his early scenes are just him having kinky (not graphic) sex at the local whorehouse. Lucy Liu is Madame Blossom, the local whorehouse operator, who is a master of kung-fu, and whose whores make up the Black Widow clan, killing ill-willed customers in the night with poisoned darts. David Bautista plays Brass Body, a hulking muscle man whose skin can turn to brass to avoid injury, and immeadietly deflects bullets, blades, or projectiles. Jamie Chung plays Lady Silk, the Blacksmith's love interest whom he is paying off to set her free of the whorehouse life. Cung Le plays Bronze Lion, a beefy and evil lieutenant of Gold Lion, and a traitor. Finally, Byron Mann gives an over-the-top, cheesy, and tonge-in-cheek performance as Silver Lion, the main villain. He takes so much pleasure in being evil, it's often played for comedy. He is obviously the best part of the film. The film even has a cameo by exploitation star Pam Grier. The music is mostly rap and stock kung-fu music. The fight scenes are very unrealistic and stylized, but are a ball, and you can tell the filmmakers really had a fun time making the scenes. But, although the characters are hilarious and are fun to be with, the fact that they barely have personalities begins to bug you. But, all in all, that was the point. The film was a throwback to the tongue-in-cheek, cheap, badly acted, hilarious kung-fu movies from the 70's. As always for any Tarantino production, there's a good deal of film references or allusions, and I like how the opening credits are in Chinese characters and have subtitles, like an old Shaw Bros. movie. The Man with the Iron Fists is a "leave your brain at the door" experience. A roller-coaster ride with little character development, but some amazing fights, spectacular special effects, beautiful sets, cool kung-fu, interesting imaginary weapons, and all the sex, gore, and insane violence you come to expect from Quentin Tarantino and Eli Roth. Great for any kung-fu fan. 3.5/5 stars.

 (Image: Wikipedia.com)

Sorry...

Sorry, I've been giving the wrong address for my other blog, it's mattmonstermovies.blogspot.com I was mis-typing it the whole time. How funny, go check it out!

Reel Time: Chronicle

Today, I look at the sleeper hit Chronicle.

Chronicle:
Released just a few months before I started doing reviews on my blog, this was a pleasant surprise for many viewers. It chronicles (tee-hee) the life of Andrew, a teenager (who happens to have the shittiest life ever) who, along with his cousin and a friend, discovers an underground, almost ancient technology. The trio discover they have telekenis and a psychic connection with each other. They, like teens do, use their powers to fuck about and play pranks. But, when they start to get stronger, Andrew begins to lose control, and unleash his inner demons. The young cast of no-names are fantastic. Dane DeHaan plays Andrew, a disturbed teen with zero social life. He begins filming his life, and shows his shitty home life (abusive alcoholic father, mother dying of cancer, poor), bad school life (bullies, no friends, no girlfriend, isolated), and his isolation from his own family (cousin is distant, mother loves him but always is sick, dad hates him). DeHaan really pulls off the role, and the change into evil does not feel drastic, but very gradual and natural. And this film shows that people with absolute power (especially those who have never had power before) will never become heroes, but flawed, tragic villains. This film isn't quite on par with Unbreakable, but it's just under there. Alex Russell plays Matt, Andrew's cousin and friend. He is distant at first, but grows close to Andrew through bonding with their powers. He gives an empathetic and realistic portrayal of a jock trying to be more of a smart guy. Michael B. Jordan plays Steve, a popular guy who is a sportsy guy who bonds with Andrew and Matt. He really bonds with Andrew, which makes Andrew's downfall and his breaking away from Steve more tragic. Michael Kelly is great as Richard, Andrew's abusive asswhipe of a father. The film is written and directed by Josh Trank (The Kill Point), and co-written by John Landis's son, Max Landis (TV's Fear Itself). Although it appeals to fans of the found footage genre, it uses the psychic powers of the boys to it's advantage, using them to make excuses to move the camera like traditional cinematography. The special effects are spectacular, and several scenes are the most realistic view of flying I've ever seen. Chronicle is smart, emotional, entertaining, and near the end, somewhat dark. A great film that combines the superhero film, sci-fi, teen movie, a dark drama about the downfall of a disturbed boy, and a smart psychological film. A must-see. 5/5 stars.

Lincoln review

Today, I look at Steven Spielberg's new war epic, Lincoln, a semi-follow-up to last year's War Horse. Not a sequel, but another Spielberg epic.

Lincoln:
The film chronicles the months leading up to the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation (Funny enough, the film was released in the weeks leading up to the 150th anniversary of this great day). It is not a chronicle of Lincoln's life. And the film is stronger for it. Lincoln's life is vastly intriguing, but his life wasn't an accomplishment, his accomplishment was the indoctrination of the EP. The film is led by an all-star cast. Daniel Day-Lewis plays President Abraham Lincoln, a role that originally went to Liam Neeson. Now, just gonna say this now, there is a very beloved attraction at Disneyland called Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, which chronicles Lincoln's life and greatest moments. I make sure to visit it at least once every time I visit. Now, that version of Lincoln is very different from how Spielberg and Day-Lewis envision him. He is a big, broad, loud man with almost an importance to the way he moves. Day-Lewis plays him as a quiet, peaceful, somber man who is physically imposing, but not that proud or broad. I believe each interpretation is true to the man, and each are great in their own way. The Disneyland attraction shows the vision of Lincoln, almost as an icon. This shows us the human side of Lincoln. Both have great, but very different voices for Lincoln. Daniel Day-Lewis plays Lincoln very effectively. He and the rest of the cast make this an emotional powerhouse of a film. Lincoln talks at almost a whisper, so when he raises his voice or loses his temper, it's all the more effective. It's great seeing Day-Lewis stretch his bounds, as he usually plays big, broad characters, and recently has played very malicous or destructive characters. (Bill the Butcher in Gangs of New York, and Daniel Plainview in There Will Be Blood) He makes Lincoln an engrossing and intriguing character, and really drives the film. He enjoys a good story and joke, and lifts the sometimes very depressing mood at times. Sally Field plays Mary Todd Lincoln, his infamously mad wife. But, Spielberg shows her as not that crazy. She is a woman on the fringe, and although she loves her husband, she has yet to get over the death of their middle son, Willie. Field gives an emotional and powerful performance, and her relationship with her husband is strange, but altogether very sweet and caring. Tommy Lee Jones plays Thaddeus Stevens, a speaker at many Congressional debates, and an advocate for abolition. He gives a very sympethetic performance, showing Stevens as a near-crippled, emotionally distraught man, he is one of the best characters in the film. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Robert Todd Lincoln, Lincoln's eldest son. They have a strained relationship, and Robert longs to join the military. Robert can come off as loving and kind, and then at one point he brushes off a poor man begging him to a deliver a letter to Lincoln, and he basically tells him to piss off, and comes off as an asshole. He doesn't have quite as big a role as he was advertised to have, but altogether, an interesting man. Gulliver McGrath plays Tad, Lincoln's youngest son, who has a good relationship with his father. So (and am I really spoiling anything here?) when Lincoln (spoiler!!!) dies at the end, his reaction is truly heartbreaking. David Straithairn plays Secretary of State William Seward, a smaller, but still powerful role. Jackie Earle Haley (Watchmen, A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Bad News Bears) plays Confedrate V.P. Alexander H. Stephens, a small role, but still effective, as a pretty racist, but polite, confederate. I believe that Dane DeHaan (Andrew from Chronicle) makes a cameo as a young soldier at the beginning of the film. The muscial score by John Williams (like in War Horse) is forgettable and a little bland (unusual for Williams), but it does very much carry the film, just a little forgettable. Be warned, there are some very brief, but somewhat gruesome moments, especially for PG-13. But, I would not discourage people from seeing it, because I believe it's an important historical film that's true to facts, and I really enjoyed the acting and story. 5/5 stars.

Daniel Craig Bond Trilogy

Today, I look at one of the most beloved and acclaimed film franchises ever. (Well, at least three of them.) Well, I look at the most recent three: the prequel series starring Daniel Craig and Judi Dench as Bond and M (Dench reprising her role from the Bronsnan films). Let's begin, there's a lot of movie to get through. (Possible spoilers ahead.)

Casino Royale:
This films chronicles Bond's journey to becoming the Bond we know and love. The first scene chronicles his first two kills: one a messy, Bourne-style fight, the other: a cold, calculating kill we expect from Bond. We see his ID card printed up, and we see his jounrey to becoming Bond, his first martini, his first introduction ("Bond, James Bond"), his first real mission. This Bond abandoned the usual Bond formula after Die Another Day had proved such a failure eight years earlier. This was more inspired by the sleeper hit The Bourne Identity and it's sequels. The plot follows Bond's first mission: find the international criminal Le Chiffre, who is being hunted by African warlords due to complications with money. He plans to get it back by winning a criminally-run game of Texas Hold-'Em at the Casino Royale. Bond, and his contact, the mysterious Vesper Lynd, try to take out Le Chiffre, but conflict ensues, and things get more complicated than Bond had hoped... The cast are fantastic. Daniel Craig offers a darker, more serious, but altogether more human Bond than we've ever seen. He has a more brutal and fast-paced way of killing than previous Bonds, and doesn't drop as many one-liners, which is what makes him such a great Bond. He doesn't even have any fancy Q-branch gadgets to assist him, relying on pure skill. Eva Green gives agreat performance as Vesper She's not the typical Bond girl. She's smart, but isn't constantly shown as eye candy. She has very dark moments, especially in the scene where she and Bond are nearly murdered by African war criminals. Madds Mikkelsen plays Le Chiffre, a French villain who is a banker serving many international criminals, who is an expert mathematician and a genius chess player, and applies his skills to poker-playing. He isn't quite that big Bond-baddie like Dr. No, or Goldfinger, but is a worthy adversary for Bond's first mission. he has a creepy presence, due to his one scarred eye and deadly pale face, almost like a vampire. Judi Dench plays M, aka "Mother", the head of MI6. She is cold and somewhat remorseless in some situations, and has a bit of an odd relationship with Bond, that of well, a stern mother. She is a key character, but isn't a big part of the movie. She is more of a side character. Jeffrey Wright plays Felix Leiter, a CIA contact who works with Bond during the poker tournament. Isaac de Bankole plays Steven Obanno, an African warlord who was working with Le Chiffre through an outside contact, Mr. White. Jepser Christensen plays Mr. White, a contact for a criminal organization. The music is interesting. The theme song, "You Know My Name" by Chris Cornell of Soundgarden fame, serves as the main theme of the movie. They do not play the Bond theme until the end scene, for that's when Bond becomes the Bond we know. The main theme is pretty kick-ass, and is the first Bond theme not to share the same title as the film (Editorial note: sorry, no it's not.) . The action and stunts are spectacular, exciting, and are excellently paced. The opening chase on an African construction site is pretty exhilirating, and the stunt work is truly amazing. The final shoot-out in Venice is pretty damn intense and suspenseful, with some great tension built up. The direction by Martin Campbell (Green Lantern, GoldenEye, Mask of Zorro) is slick and inventive, just like Bond himself, and I believe this is because Campbell has directed a Bond film before, having experience with the franchise. This is truly one of the best Bond films ever made. It took a gamble by trying a completely new approach, and succeeded on all levels. Casino Royale is a heart-pounding action-thriller that will leave you on the edge of your seat until the credits roll, and this is a movie centering around a card game! 5/5 stars.

Quantum of Solace:
This was the first direct sequel in the entire franchise. After the death of his lover in the last film, James Bond seeks revenge on the people responsible. He is aided by Camille Montes, a beautiful but tough woman seeking revenge for the murder of her entire family. He is aided by a fellow MI6 agent, a CIA ally, and a contact from the last film in taking down Quantum, a criminal orgnaization which Mr. White worked for, led by the mysterious Mr. Greene. This film is not quite as good as Casino, mainly due to the fact it took many cues from the original films, and didn't follow the successful pattern that the previous film did. The direction by Marc Forster is slick and cool, but the plot isn't quite as complex or interesting as the previous installment. Daniel Craig returns as Bond, this time a little more cold and less complex than the Bond we saw in Casino, and he isn't quite as interesting either. Olga Kurylenko plays Camille, Bond's sexy and smart accomplice, who seeks revenge for her family's murder. She is pretty good Bond girl, but doesn't have that flare to her that Eva Green did in the previous film. She is a good actress, but the character isn't written as well. Mathieu Amalric plays Dominic Greene, the main villain, and leader of Quantum, who is posing as a businessman who is starting a reforestation program. He is a step above Le Chiffre, but not quite that ultimate Bond bad guy yet. He's a formidable opponent, representing hidden evils in people, but really isn't all that interesting. Unlike Le Chiffre, or any other Bond villains, he doesn't really have that presence around him, and is threatening, but isn't all that complex, like you'd want a Bond villain to be. Gemma Arterton plays Strawberry Fields, an MI6 agent who assists Bond in his investigation of Quantum. She constantly tries to be Bond's equal, to no avail. She is a strong woman, but also, not all that interesting. Giancarlo Giannini plays Rene Mathis, Bond's contact from Casino Royale, this time helping Bond investigate Quantum. Jeffrey Wright once again plays Felix Leiter, Bond's CIA contact who helps him take down Greene. The music is pretty good. The main theme: "Another Way to Die" by Jack White and Alicia Keys is pretty good, but, like many things in this film, is not as good as Casino. Marc Forster, director of such films as Stranger than Fiction, The Kite Runner, Monster's Ball and Finding Neverland presents a slick and cool film which is, at it's core, simply mediocre. The action scenes are pretty damn good, but aren't as good as some stuff in Casino. Overall, Quantum of Solace is an acceptable Bond film, but doesn't live up to the hype. 3/5 stars.

Skyfall:
This film is released on Mr. Bond's 50th birthday, and was announced November 3, 2011, 50 years to the exact date that Sean Connery was first announced to play Bond. This definitely lives up to the hype. This is a must-see for anyone, anywhere. When MI6 is attacked by a shadowy cyberterrorist, Bond is called back into action after being presumed dead for several months after an incident involving the cyberterrorist. After being so shaken, Bond is hardly ready to take on a new enemy, let alone a (gasp) real Bond villain. Enter Mr. Raoul Silva, the effemintent, theatrical, and truly terrifying cyber-criminal with a strange relationship with M. He is a ruthless, disturbed, ingenius, intelligent, and completely insane ex-MI6 agent who felt betrayed by M when he was captured on a mission and left for dead. Javier Bardem (who I feel is typecast as the villain) gives a subtly creepy and brilliant performance as Silva, who's only goal is to make sure M, Bond, and the entirety of MI6 is taken down and humiliated. Bardem plays it ever so effeminate, with the right tinge of theatricality, making the villain thousands of times more threatening than he already is. He even flirts with Bond.  During this conflict, M and Bond's relationship is put to the test, Bond's psyche is pushed to the limit, and M is questioned on her ability to lead MI6. As usual, Daniel Craig gives a great performance as Bond. He is my favorite Bond so far, which will make me sad when he's inevitably replaced by someone else. I just hope he can get one or two more out before he gets too old for the part. It's gonna be hard to top this one, though. Judi Dench gives a more human and deep side to M that has been somewhat missing in the character. She is truly broken down as good agents die, and she is confronted by the insane Silva, who shocks and appauls her with his continued efforts to end her life, no matter what the cost. Ralph Fiennes (another actor often typecast as the villain) plays Mallory, chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee, and one of Bond and M's closest allies. He is a smart, tough, and very cool character, and gives Fienne a break from his usual evil deeds. Naomie Harris and Berenice Lim Marlohe play Bond girls Eve Moneypenny and Severine, one a bad-ass MI6 agent, the other an enigmatic and tough woman in the employ of Silva. Ben Whishaw plays Q, the new MI6 quatermaster, who does not equip Bond with nifty little gadgets that help Bond out of every situation, but instead a radio transmitter, and a gun that fires only in his hands. The writers do have a little joke about how the Q branch are basically equipping Bond with an arsenal of dues ex machinas. In fact, that's something I truly enjoyed. it had the realism of Casino, but some fun of the original Bond films, and some truly witty humor. Due to it being the 50th anniversary, they do make clever references to past Bond film (one is a title drop), but don't shove it in your face like Die Another Day did for the 40th anniversary. Albert Finney makes a cameo as Kincaid, the caretaker of Bond's old estate, a role that was originally offered to the original Bond, Sean Connery. Rory Kinnear plays Bill Tanner, the Chief of Staff at MI6. Ola Rapace plays a sadisitic, nearly mute French mercenary by the name of Patrice. The music is terrific. The main theme: "Skyfall" by Adele, is a terrific theme, and Adele surprised me, not needing autotune to make her voice beautiful. It really matches the tone of the film. This is as good a Bond theme as any, the best in yeats. The direction by Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Road to Perdition, Jarhead, Revolutionary Road) is slick, smart, and well-paced. The action is breathtaking, and really exhilirating and fun. Skyfall is the ultimate Bond film, the ultimate action-thriller, the ultimate spy film, combining the fun of last year's Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and the darkness of this year's The Bourne Legacy, making it a balanced, thrilling, action-packed, spectacular thrill ride. This is truly worthy of being called the 50th anniversary celebration of Bond. This is a must-see for any moviegoer, and any Bond fan, or any average joe, the year's best blockbuster by far. 5/5 stars!!!! Happy 50th Mr. Bond, let's hope for another great 50 years!

Here Comes the Boom review

Today, I look at the "comedy" film Here Comes the Boom, the latest Kevin James film.

Here Comes the Boom:
I saw this film last week, and have been putting it aside, and am now reviewing it. This, like many Kevin James productions, is lackluster. And like other features (such as Paul Blart: Mall Cop and Grown-Ups) it's simply boring. There were a few moments of chuckling, but otherwise, the movie's pretty damn boring to watch. It doesn't know if it's a sports dramady, or a straight-up slapstick. The plot follows Mr. Voss, the supposedly "cool" biology teacher who tries to save his friend Marty's school music program from being cut by competing in boxing matches. He mostly fails, but there are some pretty good fights. Funny enough, I didn't want to see this film. I saw this on October 30th, and wanted to get a second screening of Sinister as a Halloween film. I saw it at a San Francisco Century Theaters, which, to my dismay, had just show the original Halloween just an hour prior to our arrival, and was showing the comedy Young Frankenstein the very next day, Halloween. I was dragged to see this under the promise I could see Sinister on Halloween. (Check out my review of that film on my other blog: mattsmonstermovies.blogspot.com) The cast are pretty dull. Kevin James is okay as Mr. Voss, and does the usual "cool" act while being a total idiot at the same time. Salma Hayek plays the nurse, who is the object of Voss' affections. She eventually become his girlfriend (like that would happen). Henry Winkler (Fonzie!!) plays Marty, the funny and kind music teacher. He's a wonderful and sweet man, and he does have a pretty good chemistry with Voss, which is a little saving grace in the film, unfortunately, that's overshadowed by some cheap gags. Gary Valentine shows up as Eric, Voss' brother in a troubled marriage, which is often showed for humor, because broken marriages are soooo funny. Fiipino Charice plays Voss and Marty's student Malia, a young Filipino girl who enjoys music, and sings at one of Voss' battles. Bas Rutten plays Niko, a comedy relief, Russian-stereotype character (evne though he's from Holland), who is the best part of the movie. He trains Voss, and Voss helps him become a US citizen. There are also numerous cameos from UFC celebrities, like Joe Rogan. The film is paced pretty slow, and they immeadietly try to make anyone who disagrees with him an asshole or a weirdo (namely, the principal and vice principal.) The plot is so thin, Wikipedia sums the entire film up in a paragraph or two. If you want to go see a good comedy, see Young Frankenstein, or go see the dark comedy Seven Psychopaths. Also, go rent 21 Jump Street, Magic Mike, or Ted. This one, go see it if you want, but otherwise, skip it or rent it. 2.5/5 stars.

 (Image from: Wikipedia.com)