50/50 Review

50/50

Written by Will Reiser
Directed by Jonathan Levine

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Anna Kendrick.

How do you face cancer? It’s no easy road. I couldn’t begin to devise a plan to deal with it if I was diagnosed myself. Adam wasn’t ready either. Nor was he ready to hear that his type of cancer gave him only a 50/50 chance of survival.

Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a 27 year old who writes pieces for AM radio, and works along side his best friend Kyle (Seth Rogen). Adam lives with his girlfriend despite the fact that his best friend hates her guts. Adam’s girlfriend (Bryce Dallas Howard), a struggling painter who looks for the constant support from him struggles to deal with everything when the tables are turned and Adam needs the support. While sick at home, Rachael cheats on Adam at her art show, and Kyle (Seth Rogen) catches her in the act. Kyle makes sure to confront Adam about it in front of Rachael, where Kyle convinces Adam to throw her out.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt does a phenomenal job playing Adam, and I was able to feel every emotion that came into his head throughout his struggle. Anna Kendrick plays Adam’s inexperience psychologist, Katherine McCay and she does a perfect job at trying to counsel him, yet she is unable to avoid getting personally involved in his life outside of the sessions. Don’t worry, this isn’t just a great drama, this is a great warm feeling comedy. For example: After Rachael moves out, Kyle gets Adam to hook up with girls at a club after explaining to them that he has cancer, so that Adam can forget about what Rachael did to him. Seth Rogen helps keep this just as much of a comedy as it is a drama that you don’t want to miss. Also notable performances by: Angelica Huston, and Phillip Baker Hall. 50/50 sounds like a coin toss, but this film offers much more than heads and tails.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and maybe some of the other actors got nominated for the Golden Globes, or the much anticipated Academy Awards this coming winter.

9 out of 10

Let Me In Review

Let Me In (DVD Release)

Directed & Written by Matt Reeves
Starring: Kodi Smi-McPhee, Chloe Grace Moretz, and Richard Jenkins

I don’t usually watch horror films. Why? The reason is that most of them are predictable, or not horrifying at all. Ever since the 80’s, the horror film genre has been going down the drain. Yes, we’ve had Hostel, but that’s merely shock value horror. The days of meaningful horror films with some sort of heart behind it have been few and far in between. Horror films nowadays have been simplified down to shallow plot lines, and extensive death scenes. Mind games have gone out the window, and character development never stayed around (exception: Silence of the Lambs).

Especially vampire horror flicks. It used to be John Carpenter’s Vampires and today its Edward Cullen, the vampire who glitters in the light. After being dragged to the last three Twilights, I gave up on vampire films. The genre was dead, and I bought a rose for it’s grave. Until Let Me In caught my eye. After seeing Kickass, Chloe Moretz became the new Dakota Fanning to me. Although I failed to catch it in theaters, I made the first step toward queuing it on my Netflix.

Based off a remake of a 2008 Swedish film, Let Me In delivered all that of its predecessor, and much more. It tells the story of a bullied 12 year old boy, Owen who befriends a Vampire child in a New Mexico town in the 1980’s. What gives it away? The Los Alamos Memorial Hospital, and the reflection of Reagan speaking on a television after a man falls several stories out of a hospital window (you pick up the setting within 8 minutes of the movie). Anyways, I must say that the dialogue, and the chemistry that Owen (Kodi Smi-McPhee) and Abby (Chloe Moretz) have is great. Let Me In removes all of the impersonal interactions of horror norms, and instead we get to see the depth of both main characters. In the movie, Owen suffers with life between his parents getting a divorce, and kids at school maliciously beating him up (to the point of sever harm).

Abby serves the story as a reinforcer, who helps Owen overcome his everyday realities. Chloe Moretz’s quiet but yet insightful character provides chilling reminders that at times you have to do whatever’s necessary to survive (whether it be seeking your meal, or defending yourself against the elements that try to destroy you). At the beginning of the movie, Owen plays with an Rubix Cube and he struggles to solve it. Abby on the other hand solves it within a night. This maybe symbolizes the problems (or puzzles) that Owen has yet to figure out a solution for (but solves by the films end).

Let Me In proposed itself as a childhood romance horror film, and it fit it’s label to a T. It was probably best horror film that I’ve seen in the last couple of years. I recommend you open your eyes, and door to Let Me In. You won’t be disappointed at what shows up.

7.5 out of 10

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Review

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows - Part 1 / Part 2

Directed by: David Yates
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rubert Grint, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, and Michael Gambon

Doby? Doby. Doby! “Yes Sir?” Let me give you a recently worn sock for your freedom. First, I ask only that you wash it with Tide, because I  flew around all day as black mass of energy, and they rank of something terrible. “Aye, Sir”.

Okay, so that never happened in any of the 8 films, but I needed some way of leading myself into this movie review, and what better way than product plugging. Now on with the show. I will be first to tell you, that I was never really sold on the Harry Potter bandwagon. Never read a single J.K Rowling book, and never uttered “Winguardian Leviosa” with a plastic wand from Walmart. When the first film came out it was interesting but appealed more to my younger brother’s age group (he’s 2 ½ years younger than me). After that, I didn’t stay too in tuned with rest of the following films as they were released. It wasn’t until 2007, when I started to catch up to more recent films. I saw Chamber of Secrets, Prisoner of Azkaban, and The Goblet of Fire. Still, the dark and emotionally in depth complex that you would expect from a transitioning group of magic bound friends from children to adults wasn’t there (Besides the death of Robert Pattinson character at the end of the Triwizard Tournament.)

Then finally, came The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and Part 2. Both films are focused around the idea that Harry Potter needs to find all of these Horcruxes. The Horcruxes are seven objects in which Lord Voldemort split his soul into. As long as the Horcruxes survive, so does Lord Voldemort. These last two movies, a split from the final book are emotional wrenching, and filled with moral dilemmas that leave Harry, Ron, Hermoine, and even Severus Snape at the crossroads. In the last movie we learn the motivation behind Snape’s betrayal on Dumbledore. Something that Harry never could of imagined. All I will say is that for the last 7 films I always believed Snape was a sleeping villain. Someone who constantly convinces us that  he is on the side that counts, but still holds this poker face that you can’t help but question every step of the way.

The last two movies bring about jealously, envy, and most of all coming to terms with death. Martyring yourself for the sake of the ones you love. Knowing that cards have been dealt in your favor long enough, and that its time to ante up. Let’s not forget after all of the awkward tension, we finally get to see Ron and Hermoine kiss after destroying one of the Horcruxes in the snake’s chamber. We also get to see Neville Long Bottom (Yes, the kid who used to get potions blown up in his face) ultimately saving Ron and Hermoine but decapitating Nagini (Voldemort’s snake and Horecrux). Through out the vicious attack that falls upon Hogwarts Castle that leaves it ruins, Harry manages to trick Voldemort (who is now mortal) into a duel in which Harry destroys Voldemort forever. Part 2 leaves a triumphant end to such a long running story, but also brings ends to some of the audiences favorite characters. I’d say that these last two movies were a whole different level for Harry Potter movies to come before.

For the first time, I was able to feel the character’s tears, joys, and losses as I watched their comfort world torn to ruin. The most heart wrenching scene was in Part 1 when you watch Hermoine put a spell on her parents to erase any memory of her from their lives. It was that scene alone that set the tone for the best two Harry Potter of the series. I won’t spoil too much more of the plot, but I’ll just say that I highly recommend ANYONE to see the Deathly Hallows Part 1 and Part 2.

7 out of 10 for Deathly Hallows: Part 1

8.5 out of 10 for Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Captain America: The First Avenger Review

Captain America: The First Avenger

Director: Joe Johnston
Stars: Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, and Tommy Lee Jones

The Human Torch, a Marvel hero, is cast as another Marvel hero. COMIC BOOK Violation. You can’t have the same actor play two heroes that are in the same universe. You might say well Ryan Reynolds played Green Lantern, and played Deadpool in Wolverine. This is correct but each character is a from a different universe. One being DC and the other, Marvel. So when I heard that Chris Evans, who played the Human Torch was going to play another Marvel hero in this summer’s Captain America, I was scared. Well, more doubtful of the movie’s success. The Human Torch fit Chris Evan’s personality to a T, and Captain America was a lot different. Captain America was a simple, subtle, and emotionally strong hero.

12:00 am hit, and the movie began. Now was my chance to judge whether not Captain America: The First Avenger was a Comic Book Violation or an exception to the rule. First, it was quite odd what they did to Chris Evan’s physique to make him a foot shorter, and 75 pounds smaller. However, it wasn’t done terribly and never distracted me from the storyboard of the film. As the film went on, you become empathetic to Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) and his situation. Always wanting to be the man that any other could be, but always falling short to difference. Until he’s given the chance to be in the army, but Stanley Tucci’s character. After that, our zero is used in an experiment that terms him into our hero. It’s then when we get to see all the work that Chris Evans put into his body as he was preparing for this role.

Captain America is born!

The film kept us with plenty of storyline to leave us feeling like we are a part of some grand story unraveling. Great lines from Tommy Lee Jones gives the movie that slight comedic edge that any winning formula needs. Especially the line about giving a kiss when Captain is about to jump onto a large plane starting to take off for New York City. Plus, let’s not forget about Hugo Weaving who plays Red Skull. Without a great actor to portray the villain we wouldn’t have a movie (think of Heath Ledger in “The Dark Knight”).

By the film’s closing, when Captain America leaves his leading lady with a promise for a dinner. You realize just how much of actor Chris Evans has become. From “Not Another Teen Movie” to Captain America. Captain America did what it needed. After two failed attempts from Hulk movie launches, Marvel needed to start building the momentum toward the Avengers movie that comes out next summer. With Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Thor, and now Captain America they have a whole lot of steam. The preview they have of a The Avenger at the end of the credits keeps you assured too.

7.5 out of 10

Transformers - Dark of the Moon Review

Transformers - Dark of the Moon

Directed by: Michael Bay
Starring: Shia LaBeouf, John Turturro, Rosie Huntington-Whitely, Patrick Dempsey, and John Malkovich

Michael Bay. People call him the dictator. The director with a high list of demands. Megan Fox parted ways with him before the filming of Transformers 3 because of his high demands. However, these demands do equal results in his movies, and Transformers: Dark of the Moon is no different. You need to be in great shape to survive the long drawn out action scenes that are sprinkled through out the movie. The action scenes that add an extra hour or more to the run time of all his films. But it makes the perfect summer blockbuster.

It takes place 3 months after Sam graduates from his Ivy League college. Sam struggles to find a job having no experience besides saving the world twice. Shia LaBeouf is great as always as Sam Witwicky, personal friend of the Autobots. Sam lives with his new beau, Carly Spencer who replaces Megan Fox’s character (In the script it’s said that Makayla breaks up with Sam and leaves him). Carly is played by Victoria Secret model Rosie Huntington-Whitely (She’s even given some slow motion scenes that could be worthy of a lingerie commercial). As the movie continues you on, Sam is once again faced with saving the world and salvaging his romantic relationship. You watch as some of your favorite Autobots are destroyed, and not brought back to life. You get some great supporting performances from John Malkovich, and Patrick Dempsey who pull Transformers 3 out of the same path as its predecessor.

Transformers 3 is a great 2 hr and 34 minute action packed adventure. With enough explosions, and swinging robots to keep any adrenaline junky happy. The downside is that script is very empty, and at times not even there. Character development is good for the first 45 minutes but begins to fizzle out into just action sequences by the end of the movie and then a Linkin Park song hits the theatre speakers as you would come to expect.

In hindsight they should of incorporated Bumblebee more. Not so much with saving Sam, because that was the one part of Bumblebee’s role that stayed. But more as a character to help develop Sam. Instead, Optimus had most of the screen time. He did however, offer his famous lines of advice that opened, drove, and ended the movie. All in all, it still a movie to see. The first Transformers movie in 3D, and something that can keep your eyes occupied.

5.5 out of 10

Bridesmaids Review

Bridesmaids

Directed by: Paul Feig
Starring: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ellie Kemper, and Melissa McCarthy

When you see from the guy who brought you “40 Year Old Virgin”, “Knocked Up”, and “Superbad”, what do you think? That it has a lot to live up to? I think so. Bridesmaids is a Judd Apatow comedy. So that means you’ll see: witty dialogue, physical comedy, and many sexual references. However now, all of these things are being delivered by a line-up of leading ladies instead of Seth Rogen, Steve Carrell, and Jonah Hill. And with that let me give you the gist of the film (SPOILER ALERT!)

Annie (Kristen Wiig) is love rejected woman with no self esteem. No scene shows it better than the opening segment between her and a hilarious Jon Hamm (Madmen, The Town) that showcases an awkward sex scene which ends in the morning with Annie having to climb over his front gate to leave. As the beginning of the movie progresses we are shown just why she is at this stage of her life, and how the tough economy killed the dream that she had followed of owning her own bakery. But nothing hits Annie closer to home then when her best friend of 20+ years tells Annie that she’s getting married.

Kristen Wiig is the perfect cast for this role, using her much acquired improvisational skills from Saturday Night Live to benefit every scene. And for once, Hollywood does a movie that doesn’t have an unrealistically beautiful star  playing an everyday Jane like Annie. It gave it a more realistic feel, and made the scenes with Annie just that much more sad, and comedic.

The movie progresses around the months leading up to the wedding. The other bridesmaids really remind you how important it is to have a complete ensemble cast, even in comedy film. And like most happy endings, Annie is able to find herself and a man who loves her for who she is. But its discovered in a quirky and unbalanced manner much like a good time at a bar on college night.

There are many different scenes throughout the film that had me spitting out my drink, and choking on my popcorn (By the way, you have to love the random inclusion of “Hold On” by Wilson Phillips as such a key memory in the movie). With this being the first movie screening I’ve seen, I wasn’t disappointed at all. Bridesmaids delivered anything that it may have promised, and truly exceeded the expectations that any of its trailers set. I had no idea how funny this was going to be, and was planning it being a cute chick flick. It’s not that at all, it’s the next produced classic to add to Judd Apatow’s resume.

7.5 out of 10

Thor Review

Thor

Directed by: Kenneth Branagh
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins, and Natalie Portman

Grab your hammers and helmets for this comic tale of about the God of Thunder! A powerful but arrogant warrior who is cast out of his world of Asgard by his father and banished to earth. While on earth, he learns what takes to be a true leader, and hero.

Okay, so Thor isn’t one of the most believable superhero tales that Marvel has created but every fan takes it for what it is. Knowing this, you have to go into the theatre with your taste for realism on a vacation. Thor doesn’t possess much of it. However, that doesn’t stop it from delivering a +1 on the right side for Marvel movie adaptations. Daredevil was crap, the first Hulk was crap, the second Hulk was reasonably good, but besides X-Men and Iron Man, that was it…until now.

Thor needed to be quality, otherwise the Avenger Movie coming out next summer wouldn’t be worth a matinee ticket (and still may not, I have my doubts). So how did Thor do? Very well actually. Marvel is beginning to find their formula for success and it consists of the right balance of humor, plot, and action much like that of Iron Man. Several times during the movie I found myself smirking at witty dialogue or choking on a funny situation. Not to mention how great Chris Hemsworth does as the mighty Thor, son of Oden. Natalie Portman plays a safe but enjoyable role as the muse of Thor who offers to help him because of the mystery that lies behind him. Anthony Hopkins is an honorable and wise, Oden. In this movie we also get a nice cameo of Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye who is tempted to almost take out our hammer wielding hero in one part of the movie not too long after Thor arrives on earth.

Throughout the movie, action is a constant, and at times it got a little busy but it always seemed to remain true to an underlying plot, and direction. For comic book fans, much of Thor almost seems like a large preview for the Avengers movie, constantly connecting the dots that intertwine the heroes in the graphic novels. Yet in the end, you don’t leave confused, but satisfied that the Avengers Movie is one step closer to be the epic movie that its suppose to be.

7 out of 10