Film: Bruno

STARRING: Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat, Sweeny Todd, Talledaga Nights)
DIRECTOR: Larry Charles (Borat)
WRITERS: Sacha Baron Cohen, Anthony Hines, Dan Mazer (Borat, Da Ali G Show); Jeff Schaffer (Eurotrip)
PLOT: Ultra-gay Austrian fashionista Bruno wants to become a star in America. Uncomfortable interactions ensue.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 It’s hard to do a review of Bruno without mentioning Borat. They are kindred spirits but I found myself rooting less for Sacha Baron Cohen latest character. Borat had more of an innocent demeanor being a simple foreigner; Bruno should know better so he doesn’t come off quite as well. Of course, you have to applaud the risks that Baron Cohen when it comes to his characters.
4 I did find the content of this movie more pointed and relevant. The plot seemed to make sense as Bruno tries to make it big. His challenging of middle America’s responses to homosexuality is humourous and relevant given the gay marriage debate in California. Borat was more random as he tries to meet Pamela Anderson.
4 Unfortunately most of the funny bits can also be found in the commercials. There are some lines here and there but it did not contain the same awkward humour as Borat. Maybe it’s another ‘been there, done that’ sort of thing.
4 Of course, most of the time, I found myself wondering what is real and what is staged. People say the dumbest things when they are being videotaped. I felt a little bad for Ron Paul who is taken advantage of and led under false pretenses. I did like Harrison Ford’s response however. Watching the climactic ending at UFC, it seems obvious that Baron Cohen must have some pretty tight security in order to keep himself from being killed.
4 I understand that when looking at the modeling world and homosexuality, there might be some nudity, but Bruno was over the top. It was pornographic. It should get an X-rating for some of the shots. The swingers party crosses so many lines I can’t count them. It was mostly these times where I was embarrassed to be watching this film. Luckily, this is the last of the Da Ali G Show characters, so Baron Cohen doesn’t have to top himself. Thank goodness.

RECOMMENDATION
Wait for TBS
(You might appreciate
the censored version)

COMING SOON
Harry Potter 6

Film: Taking of Pelham 1 2 3

STARRING: Denzel Washington (Inside Man); John Travolta (Swordfish); John Turturro (Transformers)
DIRECTOR: Tony Scott (Man on Fire, Domino, Spy Game)
WRITER: Brian Helgeland (LA Confidential, Man on Fire, Payback)
PLOT: A New York subway dispatcher has to negotiate with a terrorist who has taken over one of the subway cars.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 Pelham is an okay flick but was reminiscent of Speed but without all the action from the good guy. The two leads are great on the phone together but things veer way off course when they get off the subway. Same problem Speed had.
4 Tony Scott has a style all his own. Lots of epileptic camera movement and titles appearing on the screen periodically. Sometimes it works; sometimes it gives me a headache. Man on Fire it worked. Domino = headache. This film is pretty much 50/50.
4 I hate it when characters are stupid for the sake of the plot. There is a point where just one passenger needs to contact the dispatcher to stop a train but instead they all just panic. Lazy storytelling. I expect a bit more from Brian Helgeland.
4 I liked the casting of James Gandolfini as the mayor. It suited him. Some nice Giuliani jokes too. Also glad to see John Turturro restrain himself as the negotiator. After his awful Transformers performance, it’s nice to see him being normal.
4 The mouth on Travolta’s character was unnecessary. He says motherf*****r way too much to be taken seriously.

RECOMMENDATION
Wait for Movie Central

COMING SOON
Bruno, Harry Potter 6

Film: Public Enemies

STARRING: Johnny Depp (Pirates of the Caribbean, Sweeny Todd ); Christian Bale (The Dark Knight, Terminator: Salvation)
DIRECTOR: Michael Mann (Miami Vice, Collateral, Heat)
WRITERS: Ronan Bennett (newcomer); Ann Biderman (Primal Fear); Michael Mann (Heat)
PLOT: The Feds try to take down John Dillinger and other notorious gangsters during a crime wave in the 1930s.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4While watching Public Enemies, I kept thinking back to a couple of other classic films. Enemies blended the criminal crackdowns of The Untouchables with the cocky anti-heroism of Bonnie & Clyde. Granted that’s some good company to be with but it also felt a little ‘been there, done that’. I was hoping for a little more originality.
4 This film hinges on Johnny Depp’s performance. Without him, this movie would truly fail. If nothing else, watching Depp’s slick, charismatic portrayal of John Dillinger is worth the admission. He is one of the greatest actors of our generation. Unfortunately, Christian Bale was only so-so as Elliot Ness-like Melvin Purvis. I was hoping for a more powerhouse performance from Bale.
4 Michael Mann does a great job of filming some of the shoot-em up action sequences; he also plays with some interesting low angles. What started to bother me though were his extreme close-ups when people were talking. When you start spending your time counting the moles on someone’s face or judging their eyebrow grooming, you’re camera is a little too close.
4The shoot-out scenes were entertaining but I was hoping for more bank robberies. Why were these gangsters so good at their jobs? There is one scene near the end where they begin scheming a train robbery but nothing comes from it. That’s something I wanted to see. Along with the shoot-outs, I did enjoy some of the ways the gangsters foiled the feds. Good times.
4I guess when it all comes down to it. I was expecting a little more drama in this film. I didn’t feel connected to Purvis and didn’t know why he was such a stand-up guy. I didn’t feel connected to a lot of the story. With the exception of Depp, it just felt a little flat. I guess I was hoping for more with a double-punch of Depp and Bale. Maybe my expectations were too high. Oh well.

RECOMMENDATION
Wait for DVD
(Still an enjoyable flick, but
not needed in the theatre)

COMING SOON
Bruno, Harry Potter 6

Film: Transformers 2

STARRING: Shia LaBeouf (Indy 4, Disturbia ); Josh Duhamel (Las Vegas); John Turturro (Quiz Show, Mr. Deeds)
DIRECTOR: Micahel Bay (The Island)
WRITERS: Robert Orci & Alex Kurtzman (Transformers, Star Trek) Ehren Kruger (Reindeer Games)
PLOT: Sam is the key (of course) to reviving both Optimus Prime and some do-hickey that will destroy the earth. Explosions ensue.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 I have the same complaint I had with the first installment. These Transformers don’t look like the toys I used to play with. They’re too complicated. They have too many parts. And something I noticed more this time around is that I can’t tell what facial expressions they’re making. Are they angry, sad, concerned, happy? I can’t tell because their face is too busy with gears and crap. I knew this going into the film but it still bothers me. I still prefer the cartoon.
4 The human acting is so over-the-top. Everyone seems like an action cliché. It’s very disappointing. One scene I did like is when Shia LaBeouf’s Sam screams like a little girl when he is attacked in his dorm room. Funny. But that was it. I feel sorry for John Turturro who deserves better than this garbage. His character is so poorly conceived, he has nowhere to go but insane.
4 I think Michael Bay has been given too much power since going over to Dreamworks. When he was working with Jerry Bruckheimer, things were fun. Bad Boys and The Rock had a wonderful mix of action and humour. Because Bruckhemier is so hands-on, Bay was kept at bay. Michael’s last three films with Dreamworks have a much colder and darker look and are lacking in the light humour department. Bay knows how to blow things up and shoot complicated sequences but that’s not enough. Which leads me to plot.
4 In the film, Turturro’s character asks one of the old Transformers to just tell him the basic plot. I wish the audience could have got one for this movie. The plot is paper-thin. In one scene, Sam says he has to go two miles from one end of a rundown town to the other. This takes one hour on film because of all the explosions in between. I hoping I can blame Kruger for the flimsy storytelling. Orci and Kurtzman wrote Star Trek. They are in my good books. I’m assuming Kruger took the initial storyline and punched it up until it was unrecognizable. Sad. Also, since the film is called Transformers, I would hope there would be more about the Transformers rather than focussing 90% on the human element. The human angle in important since the movie takes place on earth but still.
4 I know this film is supposed to be aimed at teenagers, but the humour was so juvenile, it made me fear for mankind. But if you like seeing dogs hump each other and you snicker at any mention of the word “balls”, then this is the film for you. It’s also for those who just want to ogle Megan Fox’s body as she runs from place to place and leans over cars in slow motion.

RECOMMENDATION
Avoid at all costs

COMING SOON
Public Enemies

Film: The Proposal

STARRING: Sandra Bullock (Miss Congeniality, While You Were Sleeping ); Ryan Reynolds (Wolverine, Van Wilder)
DIRECTOR: Anne Fletcher (27 Dresses, Step Up, choreographer)
WRITER: Peter Chiarelli (newcomer)
PLOT: An executive blackmails her assistant to marry her to keep from being deported back to Canada. Of course a family get together puts a wrench in the plans.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 I don’t consider myself a fan of romantic comedies. However, I have seen most of the Sandra Bullock ones (except Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous; I couldn’t get past the title). Bullock is fun to watch. It seems effortless to her. She is not afraid to look foolish and she’s great at being sarcastic and sincere. That’s probably why they keep putting her in these films.
4 Ryan Reynolds is so darn charming. I will always see him as Van Wilder, no matter what kind of role he plays. His line delivery might always sound the same but it seems to work. I also like that he’s a good Canadian boy. Way to represent.
4 Like many comedies, it’s the supporting roles that steal the show. Betty White (Golden Girls, Mary Tyler Moore) proves that she still has the comedic chops. She is so fun to watch. There’ s a weird chanting scene, but I think it’s just in the movie to give White more time to interact with Bullock. It’s also nice to see Oscar Nunez (The Office) in his multiple roles. His stripper performance is quite disturbing.
4 At times, I felt like I was watching While You Were Sleeping. Sandra Bullock is great at making families fall in love with her and then she leaves them sad when things don’t work out. That is until the guy chases her down with the family’s blessing. Disappointing and cliché.
4 Lots of people are talking about the ‘nude’ scene where a naked Bullock and Reynolds run into each other. The scene does not serve the plot at all. I’m pretty sure it’s in there to show the audience that Bullock can still look young and sexy. The setup is so over the top as well. Reynolds’ character decides to take off all his clothes while standing on his bedroom balcony instead of in the bedroom. Who does that?

RECOMMENDATION
Wait for Movie Central or TBS
(you’ve seen this all before)

COMING SOON
Transformers 2

Film: The Hangover

STARRING: Bradley Cooper (Wedding Crashers, Alias ); Ed Helms (The Office); Zach Galifianakis (Tru Calling)
DIRECTOR: Todd Phillips (Old School, Starsky & Hutch, Road Trip)
WRITERS: Jon Lucas & Scott Moore (Four Christmases)
PLOT: Three groomsmen wake up from an outrageous bachelor party that they have absolutely no memory of. And the groom is missing.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 What makes this film work is the chemistry of the lead characters. All three of them are so different from each other, but they have an instant rapport. This male bonding reminded me a lot of Old School, also directed by Phillips.
4 Great tight cast. Bradley Cooper has paid his dues in a lot of films, so it’s great to see him take the lead. Also it’s fun to see Ed Helms outside of The Office. But in the end, it’s Zach Galifianakis that steals the show as the weird brother-in-law. He’s going to make it big soon.
4 Half the fun of The Hangover is trying to figure out what actually happened the night before. I had just as good a time figuring things out as I did enjoying the humourous situations these groomsmen found themselves in. And just so the audience isn’t left hanging, we get to catch a glimpse what actually did happen over in the night with a series of photos that run alongside the closing credits. You could tell they had fun posing for the outrageous pics.
4 Because it’s Todd Phillips and because it’s the comedy norm these days, along with the laughs comes the inevitable raunchiness. It is a bachelor party after all. There are a few disturbing scenes thrown into the mix. It’s too bad really, another film that I have a hard time recommending to most people. Also I can only look at Helms' broken teeth for so long.
4 The Hangover is definitely a guy movie. It’s full of male humour, bodily functions and such. With I Love You Man, Star Trek and now The Hangover, this year’s crop of films are definitely being aimed at the male population. Take that Sex in the City: The Movie.

RECOMMENDATION
Wait for DVD
(Nothing really cinematic about it)

COMING SOON
Taking of Pelham 123, Transformers 2

Film: Up

STARRING: Ed Asner (Studio 60, Lou Grant, Elf ); Jordan Nagai (newcomer)
DIRECTORS: Pete Docter (Monsters Inc.)
& Bob Peterson (first-time)
WRITER: Bob Peterson (Finding Nemo)
PLOT: Carl tries to fulfill his lifelong dream of seeing South America by transporting his home using thousands of balloons. Unfortunately for him, an eager boy scout is along for the ride.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 Pixar gets everything right. Again. What I love about Pixar films is the heart that is found in each story. While there is plenty of wit, humour and slapstick, I often find myself really caring for these animated characters. Even though you can see some of the character progression a mile away, it is still endearing when it’s presented on the screen. Loved the grape soda pin.
4 Pixar animation is like nothing else. They take so much time to perfect their images. The balloons alone are worth watching. I also like how they make the humans look like cartoon characters instead of trying to make them look realistic. I love that Carl is so boxy in his design.
4 Like Wall*E, this film does not load up on the characters. We are given a chance to really get to know four or five individuals. Simplicity is the key. And I while I hate a movie like Snow Dogs where live animals are given the gift of speech, I love how they justify the talking dogs in this film. Dug is awesome.
4 Even after seeing plenty of trailers for Up, it never occurred to me that Russell, the boy scout, is Asian. I must hand it to Pixar for ignoring the stereotypes that are often found in other Disney fare. I liked the racial diversity and that it’s not made into an issue in this picture.
4 My one concern with Pixar (and I noticed this during Wall*E as well) is that their films seem to be aimed more at adults with some stuff thrown in for the kids as opposed to aimed at kids with a couple of things just for the parents. Since Up deals with the elderly and honouring the memory of a loved one, I wonder how much the kids enjoy the film. I’m sure they like Russell and Dug, but a lot of the content seems like it would go over their head. Don’t get me wrong, I love the themes and artsy-ness of Pixar movies but I sometimes wonder if I’d feel the same way if I were a parent.

RECOMMENDATION
See it in the theatre
(All Pixar films need a big screen viewing)

COMING SOON
The Hangover, Taking of Pelham 123, Transformers 2

Film: Angels & Demons

STARRING: Tom Hanks (lots of films); Ewan McGregor (Star Wars prequels); Ayelet Zurer (Vantage Point)
DIRECTOR: Ron Howard (Da Vinci Code; Frost/Nixon)
WRITERS: David Koepp (Spiderman) & Akiva Goldsman (Da Vinci Code; I Am Legend; I, Robot)
PLOT: Robert Langdon returns to solve a murder and prevent a terrorist attack on the Vatican.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 I was not a big fan of the Da Vinci Code. I recall saying “it’s like Indiana Jones with 1/10 the action, 7 times the exposition and none of the light humour.” In comparison. Angels & Demons was far better. There was a lot more action, a race against time and even a few tongue-in-cheek jokes here and there. Sure, there are many conveniences that make this story work, but I found myself entertained, most of the time.
4 Ron Howard did a fine job directing this film. I was disappointed with his choices on Frost/Nixon, but he seemed to make it up here. With lots of aerial shots and swift-moving camera work and a nicely pulsating score, Angels & Demons keeps you within the action. Another great improvement over Da Vinci Code.
4 Tom’s haircut. Ron Howard even admitted that the biggest complaint of Da Vinci Code was the length and greasiness of Langdon’s hair. It’s nice and trim now. Smart move Howard.
4 The death scenes were a little too grotesque this time around. Lots of burning and such make it a little more queasy to watch. Maybe they were going for a more restrictive audience, but it seemed a little over-the-top and gratuitous.
4 So I enjoyed most of the film, but the last half hour is utterly predictable and ridiculous. (Is flying a helicopter that easy?) It unfortunately takes away from the entire picture. The race was great; the result was blah. It was laughable and that’s not what you want in a film looking at terrorist plots and ritual sacrifice.

RECOMMENDATION
Wait for it on DVD

COMING SOON
TV Season Roundup & Terminator: Salvation

Film: Star Trek

STARRING: Chris Pine (Smokin’ Aces); Zachary Quinto (Heroes); Karl Urban (Bourne Supremacy, Lord ot the Rings); Eric Bana (Hulk, Munich)
DIRECTOR: JJ Abrams (Alias, Fringe, Lost, Mission:Impossible III)
WRITERS: Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman (Fringe, Transformers)
PLOT: The early days of James T Kirk and the USS Enterprise crew

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 With the exception of a couple sappy TV shows, everything JJ Abrams touches is gold. Pure gold. He knows how to reinvigorate a franchise. While I’m sure you could credit a lot of individuals, it all comes down to Abrams bringing it all together. It was well worth the wait. Looking forward to his next venture.
4 Trying to recast Star Trek is a challenge since so many people relate to the original. Many of the 'early versions' look the part and those that don’t, make it up with loads of charm. The most surprising for me is Karl Urban as Bones. I never liked Bones on the original, but he is pretty awesome in this update.
4 Even with all the special effects and space jargon, it all comes down to character and story. It’s the strength of these two aspects that make Star Trek soar. The relationship between Kirk and Spock is electric and fun to watch. I also like myself a good origin story. Learned a lot of things about these classic characters.
4 Don’t get me wrong, the special effects are top notch. The space battles are captivating. Some of the digital effects are a little cheesy, but not original Star Trek cheesy.
4 I’m not a Trekkie or Trekker or whatever. I know some names, maybe a few alien races, but not a stitch of Klingon. I’ve watched a few of the movies but never on an opening night. And even with my lack of Star Trek knowledge, this film was fantastic. You don’t need to know the history of the franchise. Of course, there are also plenty of inside jokes for the die hard fans. Either way, you will not be disappointed.

RECOMMENDATION
See it in the theatre
(Worth your time and money)

COMING SOON
TV Season Roundup

TV: Lost

STARRING: Matthew Fox (Party of Five), Josh Holloway (newcomer), Evangeline Lily (newcomer), Jorge Garcia (Becker), Naveen Andrews (Bride & Prejudice; Planet Terror)
CREATORS: JJ Abrams (Alias, Fringe) & Damon Lindelof (Crossing Jordan)
PLOT: Plane crash survivors are linked to a remote island filled with mysterious people and supernatural qualities.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 Time travel pisses people off. Not me. I love what has happened this season. Is it confusing? Hell ya! But Lost has never been an easily explainable show. It’s challenging, which is why Middle America stopped watching and went back to According to Jim. Lost is a show that makes you sit around with fellow addicts and compose theories and predictions. The writers even help out a bit by letting some characters speak to their audience. A recent episode that had Hurley and Miles explaining time travel rules that differ from Back to the Future was nothing short of magnificent. This is an intricate season and I’m loving every minute of it.
4 To those who know me, they know I often knock Evangeline Lily’s Kate character. Not only did I use to work with the Lily at Green Bay Bible Camp, I think Kate is awfully annoying to watch (especially with her flip-flopping on who she’s in love with). Surprisingly, a recent Kate-centric episode was actually good. I also don’t like Jack much either. Happily, Jack is more in the background this season and Sawyer is front and center. I like this change.
4 Of course Michael Emerson steals the whole show as Benjamin Linus. This bug-eyed villain is so good at manipulation; you have no idea if he’s stringing the audience along as well. It’s easy to ask yourself why people keeping trusting Ben, but that just shows how well he’s written and how well Emerson portrays this morally bankrupt character. My favourite line of his this season is on the plane where Jack asks him about the people in the economy class who might die in the imminent crash. Ben’s response? “Who cares?” Gotta love this antagonist!
4 With only one season and four more episodes to go, the revelations are coming fast. One of the early complaints of the show was not giving answers. (Heroes tried to give answers quickly and look what happened to them.) When I re-watched the first season, I was amazed how easily we were entertained with one reveal about a character by looking at their backstory. Now we demand 4 or 8 revelations in every episode. Well, they are coming. The upcoming 100th episode should reveal a lot and I hear rumours that we’ll see Jacob by the end of this season. I’m giddy just thinking about it.
4 I’m happy that my wife loves this show as much as I do. She started watching season one last spring. It was slow going for a bit. Not much momentum when I look back at early eps. Then it was four episodes a night. She caught up quickly. Now, she’s making predictions and theorizing with the best of them. I love her.

NOTE: If you plan on watching Lost for the first time, you have to watch it in order; you won’t understand a thing otherwise. Trust me.

RECOMMENDATION
Must See Television
(Next day discussions are necessary)

COMING SOON
TV reviews of Dollhouse, Reaper

TV: Damages

STARRING: Glenn Close (Fatal Attraction, 101 Dalmations), Rose Byrne (Sunshine, 28 Weeks Later), Tate Donovan (The OC, Hercules)
CREATORS: Daniel Zelman (Fool’s Gold) Glenn Kessler & Todd Kessler (Sopranos)
PLOT: Patty Hewes tries to take down an energy supplier while Ellen Parsons seeks vengeance from the failed murder attempt last year.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 Nothing is what it seems. This stellar show strives on red herrings. Just when you think one thing is happening one week, it changes the next. Damages keeps you on your toes. It’s riveting.
4 Glenn Close is amazing. She is in control of every scene she’s in. While she amps up the bitchiness most of the time, she shows great range especially with her troubled marriage this season.
4 Ted Danson (Cheers) and the fantastic Zeljko Ivanek (Heroes) stole the show last year and even though their stories ended, Damages managed to bring them back in some form this year. It was nice to see them again.
4 The editing was not as slick this year, maybe because there were not as many time jumps. Also, the story was a little more clunky this season but it’s still better than most things out there.
4 I really wish more people could watch this show. It airs on FX, which is unavailable in Canada. I’ve had to download episodes because I’m sure it will be awhile before our Showcase channel unveils the second season. I can’t recommend Damages enough, it’s probably my favourite drama behind Lost. However, you have to watch season one first if you want to get into this show.

RECOMMENDATION
Must See Television

COMING SOON
TV review of Lost, Parks & Recreation, Heroes

Film: Monsters vs Aliens

STARRING: Reese Witherspoon (Walk the Line, Legally Blonde); Seth Rogen (Knocked Up, Superbad); Hugh Laurie (House; Black Adder); Will Arnett (Arrested Development; Blades of Glory)
DIRECTORS: Rob Letterman (Shark Tale) & Conrad Vernon (Shrek 2)
WRITERS: Maya Forbes & Wallace Wolodarsky (The Rocker)
PLOT: Incarcerated B-movie monsters are released to take care of an alien invasion.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 Seth Rogen steals the show as B.O.B, the Blob. Despite his gelatinous form, his attitude and humour shine through. He’s one of those characters who are often more in the background but every line out of their mouth is golden, like Marvin (voiced by Alan Rickman) in Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
4 Great casting all around. Really liked the idea of Stephen Colbert playing the president. Very nice. I wish Hugh Laurie got a little more to work with as Doctor Cockroach. Will Arnett was pretty funny as The Missing Link. Reese Witherspoon and Kiefer Sutherland turn in good work. Actually Paul Rudd (who I loved in I Love You, Man) didn’t add much at all as Witherspoon’s lame fiancé, go figure.
4 Not bad for a Dreamworks film. It’s no Pixar, but who is? I usually bash Dreamworks for its adult humour that is inappropriate for young children, but this one held up really well. The story is fun and tongue-in-cheek. It’s simple, but it works.
4 The bad guy is pretty lame. Rainn Wilson (The Office, The Rocker) does what he can as the antagonist, but he’s not really scary. I wish their was a variety of aliens to match the monsters. I guess they want you siding with the monsters.
4 We watched the movie in 2D because my left eye is a little wonky and makes it so I can’t see 3D images really well. You could tell some of the opening shots was perfectly drawn for 3D but I wondered where the rest of the 3Dness was, it seemed to fade as the movie progressed. But then again, I wasn’t wearing special glasses, so what do I know. Stupid left eye.

RECOMMENDATION
See it in the theatre
(3D should be fun. Fun for the whole family)

COMING SOON
Probably Star Trek

Film: I Love You, Man

STARRING: Paul Rudd (Knocked Up, Role Models); Jason Segel (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, How I Met Your Mother)
DIRECTOR: John Hamburg (Along Came Polly, Undeclared)
WRITERS: John Hamburg (Meet the Parents, Zoolander) & Larry Levin (Dr. Doolittle, Dr. Dolittle 2)
PLOT: Friendless Peter Klaven goes on a series of man-dates to find a Best Man for his upcoming wedding.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 Paul Rudd and Jason Segel have amazing chemistry! These guys play so well off each other, you can tell that they are good friends when the camera stops rolling. I Love You, Man is definitely a guy movie, and these two actors are completely relatable even when they do goofy things. Just check out thei air guitar and 'slapping the bass'.
4 I often complain when actors improvise too much in a film at the expense of the plot for some bizarre, random laughs. However, Paul Rudd’s improv-ed lines in this movie are nothing short of amazing. Rudd’s Peter Klaven wants to sound cool when hanging up a phone, leaving a message or giving a nickname and every single mumbled word out of his mouth is completely, hysterically awkward. I don’t know how you would write some of that dialogue, so kudos to Rudd for making any sign off cooler by comparison.
4 I admit I have a bias when reviewing this movie. I am getting married on Sunday, so watching a film about a guy picking a best man seemed very appropriate. I never said I was objective when I review films.
4 I Love You, Man has a fun supporting cast, especially the work of Jon Favreau and Andy Samburg. Favreau (Swingers, Daredevil) plays a jerk of a husband who is forced to spend time with Peter. His animosity towards Peter is great fun. Samburg (SNL) does a nice job playing the little brother who gives much needed advice. Good stuff. Also Rashida Jones (The Office) does a very fine job playing Peter's finacee. I didn't find her to be the stereotypical girlfriend.
4 Like many of the comedies today, this one is also a tad too long. Twenty minutes shorter would have made this movie so much better. Comedy is supposed to be fast. I don’t know why directors and writers insist on dragging the humour out. Oh well.

RECOMMENDATION
Wait for the DVD
(Nothing really cinematic about it)

COMING SOON
Maybe Duplicity

Film: Watchmen

STARRING: Billy Crudup (Almost Famous); Jackie Earle Haley (Little Children); Patrick Wilson (Lakeview Terrace); Malin Akerman (Heartbreak Kid)
DIRECTOR: Zack Snyder (300)
WRITERS: David Hayter (X-Men, X2) & Alex Tse (newcomer)
PLOT: When an ex-superhero is murdered, one of his colleagues begins an investigation but finds something far worse is going on.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 Beautifully shot. But then again, I expected that from the guy who brought us 300. The camera moves around seamlessly and perfectly captures the darkness that surrounds these gritty superheroes. Of course they also focus on the violence, which at times is pretty extreme. But then again, it’s the 300 guy.
4 Pretty sweet soundtrack. The songs seem to counterbalance what is being seen on the screen. Nat King Cole’s 'Unforgettable' during an extremely violent brawl? Nice. Also the opening credits done to Bob Dylan’s 'The Times They Are a Changin’' is masterful and fun.
4 The story is fascinating but a little too over ambitious. There is a lot of plot and backstory to go through. Clocking in at two hours and forty-five minutes, it’s a little hard to sit through that many character studies. But I guess if they wanted to stick to its graphic novel source, it’s justified. I haven’t read it. Kinda want to. But I heard the movie changed the ending. Typical.
4 Costumes and make-up were great with the exception of President Nixon. The superhero outfits are wonderfully elaborate, Rorschach constantly changing mask is fantastic but the nose job and aging they give to Nixon looks so fake. Almost like a rubber mask. It’s too bad we see this hideous mug near the beginning of the film.
4 Too much penis! This is the second movie in a row where I’ve had to complain about the excess of nudity. I know in the graphic novel, Dr. Manhattan is nude most of the time, but we don’t need to see it on the screen for that long. And speaking of long. C’mon. How much did Crudup pay to have that thing CG’d? The graphic novel is much more tasteful. Imagine that.

RECOMMENDATION
Wait for the DVD
(It’s really long.)

COMING SOON
I Love You, Man.

Oscar Predictions 2009

Time again for my fearless Oscar predictions. Last year, I didn’t do too badly but I did screw up royally with the short films. I’m hoping to make a comeback in those categories this year. Here are my predicitons of who I think will win (not necessarily who I want to win, but luckily I’m a big fan of Slumdog Millionaire). Here they are from smaller awards to the bigger ones.

Live Action Short Film: Spiielzeugland (Toyland)
(Holocaust film. Need I say more?)
Animated Short Film: Presto
(It’s Pixar. It was before WALL-E. The bunny is adorable.)
Documentary Short: The Witness – From the Balcony of Room 306
(Witness to the assassination of Martin Luther King? Why not?)
Sound Editing: The Dark Knight
(Gotta give Dark Knight something. They like to give blockbusters this award.)
Sound Mixing: The Dark Knight
(More often than not, the film that wins Best Sound Editing, wins this one too.)
Original Score: Slumdog Millionaire
(The driving rhythm of this film helped make it the masterpiece it is.)
Original Song: “Jai Ho” (Slumdog Millionaire)
(Who doesn’t like a Bollywood dance number? It’s pretty infectious.)
Visual Effects: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
(An old deformed body with Brad Pitt’s face pasted on. I’m impressed.)
Make Up: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
(The work it took to make Brad Pitt look 90 and also 25? Outstanding!)
Costume Design: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
(The Duchess is the safe choice, but I think Button needs more stuff.)
Art Direction: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
(This is a hard one. Button is more epic in scale though.)
Film Editing: Slumdog Millionaire
(The flashbacks and quick cut editing make this film a great candidate.)
Cinematography: Slumdog Millionaire
(Slumdog is beautifully shot. Interesting angles all around.)
Documentary Feature: Man on Wire
(Guy walks on a wire between the WTC towers. I’m still awaitng the rental.)
Animated Feature: WALL-E
(This one should have benn nominated for Best Picture. I think it’s a lock.)
Foreign Language Film: Waltz with Bashir
(It’s either Waltz or The Class. I’m going with the animated war film.)
Adapted Screenplay: Slumdog Millionaire
(A pretty safe bet on this one.)
Original Screenplay: Milk
(I’d prefer WALL-E, but Hollywood needs to support this trailblazer.)
Best Director: Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire)
(Shooting Slumdog was pretty ambitious. He’ll get his reward.)
Best Supporting Actress: Taraji P Henson (Benjamin Button)
(This race is wide open with Winslet gone. I’m going on a huge limb.)
Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)
(It’s a lock. I will be dumbfounded if he doesn’t win this one.)
Best Actress: Kate Winslet (The Reader)
(It’s between Winslet and Streep. Winslet’s never won. It’s about time.)
Best Actor: Sean Penn (Milk)
(Penn was amazing job as Harvey Milk. I would prefer Jenkins or Langella though.)
Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
(Frost/Nixon doesn’t have enough going for it but great acting. The Reader is polarizing the voters with its raw subject matter. Milk has some great elements but not enough for the top prize. Benjamin Button is epic and is second-runner up. Slumdog Millionaire not only has the momentum, but it has all its elements working together in perfect harmony. It’s the feel-good underdog story of the year.)

So let’s see how I do on Sunday. Who are you predicting? Feel free to comment especially if you think I’m way off.