Where the Wild Things Are **Theaterical Review**

Where the Wild Things Are

PG

1 hour, 41 minutes

Starring: Max Records & Cathering Keener

With the voice talents of: James Gandolfini, Paul Dano, Catherine O’Hara, Forest Whitaker, Chris Cooper, and Lauren Ambrose. 

Meet Max. Max is a idealistic and imaginative kid. However, he finds himself incredibly frustrated with his family and dealing with the outside world. He can’t get what he wants and what he feels he needs from the people around him. When a fight breaks out between him and his mother, he runs away to a distant island. It is here that he encounters the Wild Things and probably much more than he expected. 

What a great movie. Wonderful, whimiscle, heart warming, funny, sad, and just plain awesome. 

Never in my life have I seen a film so perfectly characterize what we all go through growing up. We have to deal with disappointment, expectations that aren’t met, errors in communication, learning to properly express ourselves, and how to just basically deal.

The Wild Things seem to represent each aspect of Max’s personality, just expressed in more similier terms. Through his time with the Wild Things he gains understanding of his own frustrations and problems as he watches the them deal with the same. He is also more understanding of his mother as well as the other relationships that surround him.

This is easily a delight for both children and adults alike. The dialogue is beautifully written witha the perfect mixture of comedy and drama. The characters are beyond lovable and extremely memerable. The writing hits the nail on the head perfectly. I found myself shaking my head in disbelief several times. I literally couldn’t believe how dead on the movie was. The soundtrack was nearly flawless. You don’t really understand how imortant a well choosen soundtrack is until you watch a film that completely misses the mark (Watchmen is my prime example). 

I highly recommend this film. Hell, go see it twice even. I know I would. I think that this is destined to become a classic in its own right. One of the movies you can’t wait to watch on a rainy day while you are sipping your hot cocoa. It will always leave you with a warm and fuzzy feeling.

4.5 out of 5

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Law Abidding Citizen **Theaterical Review**

Law Abidding Citizen

R

1 hour, 48 minutes

Starring: Jamie Foxx & Gerald Butler. 

This “gritty” action thriller tells the story of a family man, Clyde (Butler), who found himself in an unfortunate situation when his family was brutally murdered infront of him. He finds that his lawyer, Nick (Jamie Foxx), is more willing to broker a deal with one of the criminals rather than send both to jail. One of the men is set free. 10 years later, Clyde shows up and decides to exact his revenge on those who wronged him and his family justice.

Although the concept for Law Abidding Citizen seems nearly fool proof, the film was a rather clumspy attempt. You have Jamie Foxx for crying out loud. This felt like an example of good actors that get caught up in a bad movie. Alright, I’ll take that back. It wasn’t a BAD movie, it was just predictable and overwhelmingly mediocre. The man lost his family and is now operating under the fact that he has nothing left to lose. Not to mention he’s remarkably good at killing people without having to be in the same room. The motive matches, but there is no hard evidence. That in itself is exciting stuff. Yet I felt little to no interest. 

Some of the kills are surprising, but not enough to keep you moving through the film. There was very little emotional attachment to the characters. The twists of the story twisted, but didn’t seem THAT shocking. Each new turn left me shurgging my shoulders and thinking, “Okay.” For a film like this, had the pacing been more intense maybe they would have something on their hands. There are far too many places where it just drags along and you’re waiting for something of interest to happen. 

I wouldn’t recommend this film. However, if you still feel compelled to see it wait for the DVD release. You’ll feel much better about the time you spent. 

1 out of 5

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Zombieland **Theatrical Review**

Zombieland

R

1 hour, 27 minutes

Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin

Zombies have invaded the Earth yet again and it has never been so hilarious! It’s been 8 years since a deadly virus has struck the planet and there are very few survivors left. In order to avoid having attachments, people don’t give out their real name. Instead they are identified by where they are from. Our unlikely hero is Columbus. He’s stayed alive by having a list of survival rules that have proved quite effective. He is joined by Tallahassee, Wichita, and Little Rock in their quest for survival from the Zombie invasion and in hopes of finding a place that is Zombie-free.

This may be one of the most fun movies of the year. The comedy is top notch, with memorable characters, great action, beautifully/creatively photographed, amazing zombie violence, and considering that this is a story of survival (or so you think) it is extremely light hearted. It’s difficult to watch this movie and not fall completely in love with all of the characters and want to see each one succeed in their dreams. 

This movie is just fun. Plain and simple fun. I highly recommend it. This movie will do everything that a good movie should. I promise the you will leave the theater satisfied and amused with a smile on your face.

5 out 5  

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9 **Theatrical Review**

9

PG-13

1 hour, 19 minutes

Starring: Elijah Wood, Christopher Plummer, Martin Landau, John C. Reilly, Jennifer Connolly, and Crispin Glover.

FINALLY! I can’t tell you how long I have been waiting for this film to hit theaters. Ever since I saw the trailer I was completely in love and this was one movie that I was actually looking forward to seeing.

9 tells the story of nine doll like creatures who have been given the spark of life while they try to survive in a post apocalyptic world. There is not a single living organism left on the whole planet, all that remains are these dolls and the machines the destroyed humanity.

Something as original as this film hasn’t been produced in a very long while. The vision itself is amazing. Surprisingly, it’s an animated film with a PG-13 rating and extremely action driven. Who says that cartoons are for kids? I did like this movie for all that it did provide, but overall I am disappointed because it could’ve been so much more.

There is a quote from the film that describes my sentiments perfectly, “We had such potential.”

The biggest problem that 9 suffered from was a severely under developed script. The movie felt like watching an outline that got made into a full length feature. The movie doesn’t even hit the 90 minutes mark. They had all the time in the world to develop something very strong. The trailer had such an strong emotional kick to it (thanks to Coheed and Cambria) that the film failed to bring out. The set up is great, but the overall explanation to the mystery of their creation is a little glossed over and lacking in importance and urgency to the characters. 

The characters, although you grow to know and love them, are seemingly one dimensional. For characters that are surviving with no purpose in life in a destructive and dangerous world, you would think they would be a little more emotionally scarred. They would’ve established relationships of love and hate amongst their small group as well as good and bad histories. However, the movie doesn’t take nearly anytime with its characterization and simply moves onto the next plot point. I think that had they explored deeper into the relationships between the characters it would’ve have a much heavier impact on the audience and create a more memorable film. 

Overall it’s fun to watch and certainly nothing you’ve ever seen before. I just wish that it had a little more kick to it. Unfortunately in a couple of years I think people will forget about this one. 

2.5 out of 5

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Inglorious Bastards **Theatrical Review**

Inglorious Bastards

R

2 hours, 32 minutes

Starring: Brad Pitt, Melanie Laurent, Eli Roth, Christoph Waltz, Michael Fassbender, and Diane Kruger

Tarantino is back kittens! Who doesn’t love a good Quentin Tarantino movie? I have to say that he makes a trip to the cinema an experience within itself. This is one of the many reasons I will skip to the theater to see the latest he has to offer.

Inglorious Bastards tells the story of those fighting the good fight in Nazi occupied France. A group known to the Nazi’s as ‘The Bastards’ find their way through France brutally taking down any Nazi they come across. The story is a bit convoluted and follows not only the Bastards, but a British solider, a German actress, and a young Jewish woman seeking revenge. 

Tarantino is a master with dialogue as well as building tension in the most unassuming way. You watch the scenes play out and he lets the tension build slightly until you find yourself shifting in your seat because you are that uncomfortable and worried for the characters. 

A lot of the scenes seem to go on a little longer than needed. As said before, Tarantino loves his dialogue. As fun as that all is, sometimes I feel like we lose track of the story at times. However there are moments where it seems to go on too long and doesn’t appear to be going anywhere only to have a big pay off. The very first scene is a great example of this. 

What I love about Tarantino movies are that he is a very aware filmmaker. He throws conventions into his movies only to play with and alter them. You have to be a big movie fan to truly appreciate what he puts into these films. 

As big of a fan as I am, I can’t say that this was his best attempt. It wasn’t his best, but I can’t say it was his worse either (I reserve his Worse Ever award for Death Proof). It’s worth watching at least once, but there is something about the pacing and overall story that falls just a little flat. It is still filled with top notch violence, great comedy, and shocking realizations. 

The best thing about this entire film were the performances. I strongly believe that Brad Pitt should just do character work for the rest of his life. If you look at his performances in Inglorious Bastards and Burn After Reading, you will understand my position on the matter. Horror director/writer Eli Roth lights up the screen. I literally could not take my eyes off of him.

The absolute jewel of this film came from Christoph Waltz. He is completely new to American audiences as all of his previous work was in German films. I will say that he is the guy to watch and probably the best performance to come out of the whole movie. He might be the number one reason to see it in the first place. 

3 out 5

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District 9 ** Theatrical Review **

District 9

R

1 hour, 51 minutes

Starring: Sharlto Copley

Aliens are here! Not in the way you may think. District 9 paints us a picture of a world where Aliens have come to Earth, somehow trapped themselves, and are now living in a slum that separates themselves from the human population. The story follows Wikus Van De Merwe, an MNU agent who goes into the slum to help with the Alien relocation.

I’m just going to come flat out and say it, District 9 is one of the best movies of the year. No point in doing a song and dance on this. It’s great. The use of storytelling is magnificent. It leaves you completely on the edge of your seat. Not only is this film heart pounding, there are certain moments that are down right heart warming. Not to mention the social commentary that explores issues of racism against an Alien/South African backdrop is absolutely astounding.

It’s hard not to fall completely in love with Wikus Van De Merwe, played by Sharlto Copley. Where did Copely come from?! This is his first film EVER. He’s absolutely amazing to watch. I feel that his character is destined to become a cinematic classic. Something tells me we’ll be seeing a lot more of him in the next couple of years.

The action scenes are amazing. If you don’t gasp several times during the film I doubt you have a heart in your chest.

Yes, the trailers that advertised this movie were pretty vague and that’s sort of the beauty of it all. Go see this movie. For the first time in a long time, filmmakers have allowed you to explore the film as the events unfold without having spoon fed you everything in the trailer.

5 out of 5

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Funny People

2 hours, 26 minutes

Starring: Adam Sandler, Seth Rogan, Leslie Mann, Eric Bana, Jonah Hill, and Jason Schwartzman.

The man himself, Judd Apatow is back. Funny People tells the story of comedian George Simmons who finds himself afflicted with a terrible and ultimately life threatening disease. As a result, he turns to amature comedian Ira Wright to help him with his stand-up. We follow George and his journey navigating through death showing us the true sorrow and comedy of it all.

I did enjoy this movie, overall. However, the story and structure is extremely disjointed. There is a large cast of characters that are followed beyond George Simmons. Ira Wright learns and grows a lot as a comedian and a person throughout his experience working for George. Some of the most entertaining moments came from Ira’s roommates, played by Jonah Hill and Jason Schwartzman, who are also aspiring actors. Even more complications arise when George’s former girlfriend comes back into his life. She’s married with children and perhaps they are getting a little too close.

The movie is split down into two very separate films. The first half is George, Ira, and the roommates going through life and figuring it all out. Some of the profound moments ever caught on films comes from the portrait painted of George, an extremely funny and tortured man. Suddenly a shift takes place and the film is all about George winning his girl back. The tones feel completely different. When the shift occurred, I felt myself sitting there wondering what this movie is really about. The message seemed so loud a clear going into it, but by the time the credits were rolling I had no idea what I was supposed to walk away with.

The comedy is top notch. Although the movie feels like a collection of moments rather than having a single cohesive story, the moments are feel worth the ticket. Not to mention the many celebrity cameos are wonderful.

Eric Bana is the best thing about the entire movie. Granted he doesn’t even show up until half way through, but you won’t be disappointed.

The thing is, we are used to seeing a very specific kind of movie from Judd Apatow and this one is a little different. I think that had the movie continued on the path and tone of the first half of the movie, completely ditching the full ex-girlfriend story-line, this film would’ve been something very special.

3 out of 5

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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

PG

2 hours, 33 minutes

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Michael Gambon, and Alan Rickman

The sixth installment is finally here. Yes fanboys and fangirls, this is a time to rejoice! In the latest venture of Harry Potter series we see the ramifications of Voldemort return as well as a conspiracy to uncover. I wish I could say more without ruining the plot, but I’d rather you enjoy your movie experience void of spoilers! (That’s for those of you who refuse to read the books, but faithfully follow the films)

Out of all of the Harry Potter films I would have to say that this one is my absolute favorite! I know that there are a great deal of Harry Potter fanatics out there that would disagree with me. There were some liberties taken with the transfer from book to film, enough so to make any die hard cringe.

As stern as I can be about my movies and how I judge them, I take particular care when watching a adaptation. What I love most about books and movies are the story telling. Frankly, the way that you tell a story in a book is much different than that of a film. Time is a big factor and pacing is approached much differently. 

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince had the best pacing and interest level of any of the movies before it. What tends to happen is that the moments happen in the movie, simply because they happened in the book. As a result the moments are stale because they lack emotional involvement or an analytical view of why this particular scene is important to the plot or characters. In a movie, you have to make every second count. There wasn’t a single point in the Half Blood Prince where one moment didn’t logically lead to the other or aide the overall story, or lend to the growth of a character. 

Yes, I will admit that I was disappointed by the lack nitty-gritty details that fans adore. What is important is that the overall story was communicated to the audience. A better explanation of the meaning behind the character of the Half-Blood Prince would’ve been nice and that is my biggest complaint of the movie as a whole. However, if you’re only a follower of the movies, you won’t even notice and enjoy the movie a great deal. 

At the end of the day we still have two full length movies to tie this rather epic story up. Warner Brothers made a great move in splitting Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows into two parts. I have confidence that the large part of Voldemort’s back-story, which was noticeably  missing from this one, will be in these last installments.

4 out of 5

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Public Enemies

Official Movie Poster

Public Enemies

R

2 hours, 20 minutes

Starring: Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, and Billy Crudup

Michael Mann has done it again! Or has he?

Public Enemies follows the life and times of notorious bank robber John Dillinger and the crime spree that swept the nation. 

Such an idea for a film seems like a winning film from the beginning. You have a highly known figure as your main focus, Michael Mann directing and some of the biggest names in hollywood as your principle actors. 

I am a complete sucker for Johnny Depp. I would pay money to watch him read the phone book. Sadly, this mediocre venture left me wanting to walk out of the theater. It’s hard to watch this movie and develop any sort of emotional attachment to the characters or their situation. There is no first act, you are throw into the middle of everything without any sort of knowledge about who these characters are or how they relate to each other. Regardless of that, as the movie progresses, I was still left knowing nothing about the characters, who they are, how they tick, or why I should even care. People backstab each other, but it means nothing because the relationships are not established or built on. 

I will say that going to the movies is a spectators sport, but a great film will make your forget that you are watching a movie. The world that you are being introduced to should be so engrossing that any audience member will feel like they are apart of the action. There was not a single moment in Public Enemies where I felt that. Seeing this movie felt like watching people you know nothing about on a security camera for two hours.

1 out of 5

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Confessions of a Shopaholic DVD Review

I know how moviegoers like myself usually feel about February film releases. Usually it means that it’s a mediocre movie that will leave thinking, “Ah, that was okay.” I have to admit, Confessions of a Shopaholic is anything but.

We follow Rebecca Bloomwood, a compulsive shopper who finds herself in big trouble after her credit debt starts to rack up. She loses her job and fights to get one at a fashion magazine, only to find herself writing articles about personal finance. The irony isn’t even lost on her.

Read the Full Review here

Overall Rating:

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