Top 10 Movie Picks for the Summer

10) Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince




Considering that I am largely biased with this film (as I have read all the books, watched all the films, and have been waiting for this to come out since the last one did), I decided it would be best to put this the farthest down on my list. The other films on this list have much less of a bias then this one, so I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt. I am, however, very excited about this film. We're getting into the really dark material of Harry Potter and there are so many surprises in store. Of course, I will be bitter and base it on the books, but in my review of it later this summer, I will try to be more level-headed with it.






9) $9.99



I don't really know much about the film but the trailer really intrigued me. It's a stop-motion claymation and a drama, looks like it should be very interesting. It revolves around a bunch of people trying to find meaning in their lives. There's even a regular Joe with wings. Who wouldn't love that?







8) Tetro



I am very excited for Francis Ford Coppola's newest work that he has written and directed. The story is about two brothers reuniting and fighting over what their past and father entails. The plot details are vague to me, but I am really excited to see a movie shot mostly in black and white, which then uses color to accent certain scenes. I love movies that do this the other way around, so this work should be very intriguing.







7) Food, Inc.
This documentary is about the inside look at America's corporate controlled food industry and all of it's faults. I think the thing that draws me in is not so much the exploitation but more that it urges people that we can make a change. It also looks like there will be segments with farmers telling how it is from their viewpoint. It's especially surprising that I want to watch this one, as I'm rarely interested in these types of films.














6) Every Little Step




Finally, a documentary that will look at a Broadway show from the beginning to the end (or at least the opening of the show). Plus, it's on the revival of Chorus Line. Who doesn't like that? It looks like it will give insight into what went into the original production. I am also a sucker for a movie with lots of dancing in it, so either way, this movie looks great!







5) Adam

I am very excited for this film, not because it is another star-crossed lover movie, but because it's about someone with Asperger Syndrome (a form of autism) and a love story involving them. The girl is from a more cosmopolitan background and meets this strange man with unconventional ways of picking up a girl. It looks like one of those fantastic films where you will laugh at one moment and then cry at the next.

4) Julie & Julia


Of all of my top picks, this is the one of the few with two really well know actors in it. I am excited to see another film with Meryl Streep and Amy Adams (if you haven't seen Doubt yet, you need to). This film is about the two true parallel stories of famous cook Julia Child who goes back to cooking school and blogging cooking lover Julie Powell who sets out on a mission to only make Julia Child's recipes for a whole year. These are two actresses who are constantly getting recognized for their work and rightly so. It's also written and directed by Nora Ephron, so I can't wait to see how this movie unfolds!







3) Taking Woodstock

First off, if you don't know the comedian Demetri Martin, you should check out his stand up because he is by far one of my favorites. And this is his first starring role in a movie and I'm thrilled to see what he will bring to the table. Plus, a movie based on how Woodstock got to be what it was looks great. Other great stars in this are Imelda Stauton, Liev Schreiber, Emile Hirsch and Eugen Levy. And of course Ang Lee is the director, so I have no doubt that this will be an excellent movie to see this summer.

2) District 9

The trailer for this film is enough to blow you away. I love mockumentaries, so I am excited to see a movie that looks at the serious side of that genre. It's about an alien race that is forced to live in a slum area of the world and the tension on both sides (human and alien). The concept of it alone is enough to make this my second top pick. I don't even care that Peter Jackson is producing it, especially because they probably just added him on for the publicity.

1) Paper Heart

I am positive that this will be the must-see movie of the summer! It's a documentary about a film crew and going around trying to show Charlyne Yi that she will be able to find love one day, something she doesn't ever see happening to her. Along the way, they meet Michael Cera who asks her out on a date and from there the documentary turns into a story about them falling in love. I can't wait to see a documentary wherein what it's trying to document is changed as new interests come up. This is as true as a love story can get and I can't wait to find out more!

Eulogy

***This is my first review that is on a film that I own/have seen before. I have decided for the time being that I will be reviewing these in a different matter. Because I will not be able to review them on my first time reactions, I will instead be discussing themes/reasons why I like to watch these films again and again. And by all means, let me know what you think about this.***

I remember that I first found Eulogy at Blockbuster, being drawn to it as the cast sounded phenomenal and I love a good dark comedy. This is one of the few films that I have bought without watching it first, I bought it on a whim hoping that it would be good. 

This brilliant dark comedy stars Piper Laurie as the widow of Rip Torn who has recently passed away. Her kids include Hank Azaria (the not all there porn actor), Ray Ramano (the "responsible" lawyer and father of two insanely hormonal sons) , Kelly Preston (the gay one of the family), and Debra Winger (the anal retentive, over-analyzing bitch). Zooey Deschanel plays the main character as Hank Azaria's daughter, the one who has been chosen to give a eulogy at the funeral. Also Famke Janssen plays the role of Kelly Preston's lover. 

The plot is that Rip Torn's character has recently passed away, so the entire family gathers to have a funeral and to comfort their mother. And just having all of these characters in one household has sparks flying everywhere. All the while, Zooey Deschanel has to give the eulogy; thus, she must figure out something to say about a man who was never around and didn't really have any great attributes. 

The reason that I love this film so much is that unlike many great dark comedies such as War of the Roses, this film is jam-packed with moment after moment of dark comedy jokes, or things that you laugh at that in any other situation would not be appropriate. I came upon this realization this time of watching it; the movie is made this way by how each member of the family has such different personalities that collectively make it a very dysfunctional family . 

One of the least influential characters but more there for support is Famke Janssen, Kelly Preston's soon to be life partner. She is new to meeting the family so she is mostly there to observe all of the wacky interactions of the family. Her only really bizarre attribute to the comedy is that she is a lesbian and is going to be committed to the sister of the family, a fact that nobody in the family will let them forget. Her best moment is when Debra Winger "apologizes" for criticizing their relationship and awkwardly asks her what they do for fun, with all sexual connotations implied. Famke just fires back with "triple-tonguing our cheese buds" giving Winger more than she had bargained for. 

Famke's life partner and youngest daughter of the family, Kelly Preston is the fireball of the family that is always ready to fight back to any retort thrown her way, which happens frequently. Constantly trying to make her sister approve of her, she has to stand up for her sexuality and partner, all the while trying to get through to her. Her best moment is when Winger and her get into a fight about how Winger thinks its hilarious that two women can pretend to have what only straight couples can accomplish. After spitting insult after insult to each other, they end up rolling around on the ground fighting.

Ray Ramano plays the irresponsible lawyer and father of twins that have hormones shooting out of their nostrils, a matter that Ramano only fuels. With an awkward mustache that only propels his character forward, Romano is the brother who is constantly getting forgotten about, to the point where his father not only forgot that he had 4 children but also called him by another name. He, like his sons, cannot get his mind out of the gutter, getting him into many sticky situations. One of his best moments is when right after his kids are disappointed with their mom's cake that she made for their birthday, complaining that they had ordered an "erotic cheesecake." Ramamo walks in on his wife crying over a cake that has been mushed into two dismembered breasts, which he can only comfort her by saying that they could be two ass cheeks. It's no wonder that his wife leaves him and his sons.

The most accomplished and often praised son of the family is Hank Azaria, who is most known for doing a famous commercial when he was young, wherein he took a bite of peanut butter and said "there's something stuck to my tongue." Rocketing off from this celebrated start he landed himself in the porno making career that he and his late wife both held jobs in. He is also the one to get over the grieving process the quickest as he doesn't seem phased by the event, possibly from some many years of smoking pot. One of his most memorable moments is when his daughter Deschanel knocks on his bedroom door and he tries to get rid of the smell of the weed that he is smoking. Realizing that wafting isn't working, he tries to wave a pot of flowers around the room, only to dump dirt all over the bed. Thinking he's good he goes to answer the door, where Deschanel points out that the joint is still in his mouth. He opens his mouth in shock, only to have the joint fall down his shirt. 

Zooey Deschanel is the central character in this film as she is not only the one who has to sum up some good ideas about her grandfather but also carries the romantic subplot with a childhood friend of hers. Although she is not that odd, she is the one who is constantly showing the audience how stupid things that are going on around her are. Even then, she has a hard time keeping her relationship with her childhood friend a secret as every time that they attempt to make out, it gets ruined either by a suicide attempt or by her "friend" accidentally injuring himself. Her best moments are any time that she makes sense out of a ridiculous situation, of which there is a plethora. 

Piper Laurie being the recent widow is the darkest character of them all. Feeling finally out of the grasp of her late husband and having to fully interact with her family under one roof it all becomes too much of a strain for her. What follows is two suicide attempts that the family is luckily their to stop, with the help of medical assistance. Hanging on to her last thread, each member of the family tries to comfort her but all to no avail. Her best moments are her suicide attempts which catch you off guard but ultimately will make you laugh the hardest. 

And last but not least, is the delightful Debra Winger that has something to say about everyone in the family, but no time to say something from her heart. Her husband and three kids are completely silent every time they are on screen, knowing that if they were to speak up that Winger would not allow what they would say to be of any significance. All the while, Winger is very proud of her family, feeling as though she has done the right thing as any normal member of society. Being a closeted homosexual herself, she brings out all of this frustration on her sister. Most of the conflict revolves around her as she not only has something to say but always wants to push people to their limits, finding joy in it. Her best moment is when she slips up by making out with another woman, something the whole family witnesses. This finally gives the family something to find her at fault for that she wouldn't be able to back down from. 

It is not hard to see how this makes such a delightful dark comedy, much less a dysfunctional family film. The movie is well acted by a very cohesive and well-known cast. The script is full of laughs and ultimately has a great twist at the end. My biggest complaint for the movie would be that there are a few times when the action lacks pacing. But other than that this is one of my favorite dark comedies and one of the best dysfunctional family films. 

Angels & Demons

Last night, I saw Angels & Demons. Now I've never seen The Da Vinci Code or read the book or read Angels & Demons, so I was going into this movie with no expectations and no real idea what it would be about. 

The movie begins with the death of the pope and how tragic it is. We get to see Ewan McGregor as Camerlengo Patrick McKenna, the pope's closest aide, smashing the ring of the pope. The scene then shifts to Tom Hanks as Robert Landon randomly swimming in a pool where the Vatican's Swiss Guard pick him up to help them with a kidnapping by the Illuminati, a secret organization in the Vatican. Not only has the Illuminati captured the Preferiti (the pope's top picks to replace him) and they threaten to murder each one of them and by midnight use "antimatter" that they also stole to destroy the whole Vatican. 

The movie is a time crunch of trying to save each of the Preferiti from being murdered and find the antimatter  before midnight when the battery runs out of the container it's being held in. The film revolves around the intricacies of the Vatican and their connections with the Illuminati and how this will help the good guys find each of the Preferiti before they die. The movie is one suspenseful scene after another, so much that when I left the theatre I was speechless for the longest time just trying to regain my consciousness of the non-suspenseful everyday life. 

I was bothered by the couple of instances where they seemed to lose this sense of urgency. This was due to Tom Hanks' character having to constantly spit out all of this trivia about the Illuminati or the Vatican or statues or something equally long and historical. 

The movie was mostly shot well but there were a couple of times that I felt nauseous because they loved spinning the camera around people rather quickly. Although one of the most annoying times was when Ewan McGregor's character said that the world was spinning out of control and then the camera "spins out of control" around him. It made my head hurt. However, it was all resolved at the end of the film where shot after shot was done beautifully.

Without spoiling too much of the film, the cataclysmic  event when the "bomb" goes off was not given very much importance. I mean, if this was supposed to give us clues to how the world might have been created, then it was downplayed more than I thought was necessary. I would of expected all those standing outside to watch the sky where the clouds seemed to be burnt and there was one big shining orb instead of all watching the man parachuting down from the sky. Unless that was supposed to be another symbolic thing, but I'll get to that later.

I was very happy that in this thriller, mystery, trivia-filled movie that it was not followed by a romantic subplot. There were not even a hint that Tom Hanks' character was trying to get with with his sidekick Vittoria Vetra, played by Ayelet Zurer, or the other way around. I feel like too many of these movies feel obligated to have a romantic subplot in so I was glad to see that they deviated from this. 

Speaking of the sidekick, she was almost completely unnecessary, only giving actual good tips of information every so often. She seemed to be there more as a device for us to hear all of Tom Hanks' thoughts than to actually add her own intellect to the situations. 

I will have to say overall, I really did enjoy this film. I thought that the acting was very well done by the main actors in it and I felt that the script actually brought depth to the characters, another matter that I was surprised this type of film would have. The plot itself was very well thought out and there were plenty of twists and turns to keep the audience on its toes. My biggest complaint for the whole film was the overuse of symbolism. We get from the title of the film that the it is going to have some element of the battle between good and evil and how they may be confusing to find in a person. However, the movie would not let the audience stop thinking about it, from the girl dropping an angel that she picks up that has blood on it to the wax statue that reveals something sinister behind it to the many, many instances of statues being used as both angela and demons who are watching everything that's happening. It was probably one of the most annoying uses of symbolism that I have seen in a movie.

Best Moment: The archive scene where Tom Hanks and the guard get stuck in the library and they are running out of oxygen. I loved the use of the eye-cam in this scene to show how much the two men how much energy they had left. This was by far my favorite intense moment as they tried multiple different ways to get out of it, all to no avail. A really, really good scene. 

Worst Moment: It's a tie between the eye-cam and the accent used by the Inspector of the Swiss Guard. I love the eye-cam in the scene described above as it was necessary to understanding what was happening. I did not like every other time it was used in the film, as it would be used when Tom Hanks was running and the camera would just show him looking at the hallway he was running down, so basically not having any purpose to switch to this different point of view. The other thing that really bothered me was the Inspector's accent. I could not tell if he was French, German, Spanish, or Italian. It often felt like he was trying for a certain accent but he kept falling out of it. Thank goodness he wasn't used for the second half of the film.  

     

X-men Origins: Wolverine

My first film review for this blog!!! Everyone rejoice!!!

Two nights ago, I went to see X-men Origins: Wolverine in theatres. I am personally a huge fan of X-men, so I had high expectations for this movie. And even though Wolverine is far from my favorite character, I still went in with a level mind. N0w understand when you read this that I will super critical because I love X-men so much.

If you at all know the character of Wolverine, you will know that he after he was experimented on that he lost all memory of who he was before. So naturally, the movie is everything that happened up to the point where he loses his memory. It does put somewhat of a damper on the movie because you know how it must end. However, it does not put a damper on what could happen in the rest of the movie.

The beginning of the movie takes place in the 1800's where Wolverine (or Logan as he is known for most of the movie) is seen as a child killing his own father who he thinks has just killed his father. After finding out that his friend Victor (who is actually his brother, I know confusing) is also a mutant, they run away. The opening credits consist of the two fighting through almost every war possible, as they seem to be immortal. Eventually, Victor's insatiable thirst for hunger becomes too much and Wolverine stops him before they tear apart their own army.

The rest of the movie consists of this rivalry between Wolverine and Victor (who would later become Sabertooth). They end up joining a special ops team of mutants that is trying to find a special rock in Africa. After that Wolverine leaves and goes to start his own life Canada. Victor starts killing people from the special ops team and ends up coming for Wolverine. And then the fighting commences.

The movie basically ends up being that Victor and William Stryker (the leader of that special ops team) are capturing or killing mutants to get their DNA so that they can create the ultimate mutant. And of course, Wolverine is the one who's going to straighten it all out.

The fighting scenes in this film are excellent, especially after Wolverine gets upgraded to having a metal skeleton. Not only can tell what is happening in the fights but they are very creative and keep you on the edge of your seat.

The film provided plenty of depth into Wolverine's story about who he is today. Hugh Jackman lives up to the challenge of taking on the role and carries it out beautifully. Plus, you get to basically see him naked for about 5 minutes in the film (even if one of them is obviously animated).

I was very impressed how their never seemed to be a dull moment and the plot had plenty of twists which made up for the fact that you knew how the movie would end. And if you love X-men, you will love the many references to the mutants found in all of the comics. I got really excited when ever they mentioned or showed some mutant that I knew.

Overall this movie is very enjoyable, and yes, I may be biased because I already like X-men so much, but I would definitely recommend this to someone looking for a good action/sci-fi film.

Best Moment: The final fight sequence is breathtaking. They manage to make a nuclear power plant look somewhat appealing. Plus who doesn't want to watch a fight between a man with metal claws, a man with swords coming out of his hands, and a man with super strong extendable fingernails. Plus, you know that the fight has to end somewhat creatively as all three of the combatants have super healing powers.

Worst Moment: Both clips after the film has ended. We already knew that Stryker had gotten punishment for what he did; we didn't need to see that he really did walk for all that time or that he was going to get punished even more. And then the scene at the very end was just terrible. It didn't make any sense at all, it was such an overused ending to the whole film, and I'm pretty sure they ripped it off from the ending of Freddy v Jason (yeah, I compared it to that film).