What I've Been Watching

For the majority of my life, I've always loved watching movies that gave me a laugh or were remakes of books that I loved. Now that I am a little older and have had a more experiences, I have come to enjoy all types of film, not just movies that will give me a quick laugh. As of late, I have been watching great films of the past, movies that had heart, a message, and amazing performances. In the last couple of weeks, I've watched a number of movies ranging from the 1950's to the present. And in these weeks, three movies really stood-out. Those being the 1957 film Twelve Angry Men, the 1968 film The Producers, and the 1979 film Manhattan.

I watched Manhattan the same day I watched Woody Allen's other masterpiece Annie Hall. After watching both film's I had a similar reaction to both. Both films were love stories and both were studies into a man's incapableness when it came to sustaining a relationship. The love story in both is not with a woman, but with the city of New York. This is where I separate the two films. Annie Hall is an unbelievable film about two people with a number of problems who use each other in attempts to make themselves feel better about themselves, but at the same time their similarities make them a perfect match. In Manhattan you get almost the same story, but the reason Manhattan had a greater affect on me was due to the look of the film. Woody Allen has always been a genius when it comes to shooting New York, and his shots in Manhattan are even more outstanding because they are shot in black and white. His nighttime shots of New York have a glow about them that even if you shot them in color, you wouldn't get the same vibe. Manhattan is a beautiful movie that personifies the great Woody Allen.

The 1968 version of The Producers is one of the funniest movies of all-time. Starring Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder, it is one of Mel Brooks' great achievements. These three comic minds make this film. Now Zero Mostel was one of the great comedic minds of his time, but I really think it is Gene Wilder's performance that stands out. Wilder has always had the ability to make people laugh and here he is at the top of his game. Playing the flustered accountant Leo Bloom, Wilder’s timing and spontaneity are uncanny and this is shown in a number of scenes in the film. One sequence that really stands out is when Mostel and Wilder meet for the first time. Their chemistry in the scene is beautiful to watch and Wilder proves why he's a comic genius. The whole movie is a bundle of laughs, but they are very thoughtful jokes and it is truly Mel Brooks doing his finest work. Today many comedies go for quick laughs and one-liners whereas in The Producers the jokes are perfectly written, each scene has numerous laughs instead of just one.

My first thought after watch 12 Angry Men is that I just watched the greatest movie ever made. There are so many aspects of the film that I adored that I could write a paper about it, what I really think stood out to me is how I was able to relate to each character in the movie. In the film, a jury of twelve men has to decide the fate of a teenage boy who was accused of killing his father. At first it seems as though the verdict is simple that the boy is obviously guilty. However, when one of the jurors played by Henry Fonda votes not guilty, the following scenes of him trying to prove the boys innocence are two hours of invigorating speeches, arguments, and understanding amongst twelve men from a number of different backgrounds. 12 Angry Men is another film shot in black and white, but still has the ability to set the mood of a scene. When put together with the camera angles used, you get a film that even though it has only one set, you feel like you were at the scene of the crime because of the descriptions given by each of the characters. There is just something about this movie that has the ability to connect to it's viewers and it is full of emotions...all of which I felt while watching the film. I think I can easily say that 12 Angry Men is my favorite movie of all-time, and I implore everyone to see it.

Movies 4

Hello again readers, since my last post I’ve seen a number of movies, read a ton of reviews and heard input from friends about certain movies they want to see. Through all of this I’ve begun to realize something…movies as a whole are no longer trying to be inventive and really push the issue with their content. For the most part they are just trying to make money. Now I guess I can’t say there is really anything wrong with that because that’s the business world. However, there was once a time in film when movies had a purpose. People didn’t go just to be entertained; they went for the experience and the joy of seeing what was then art. Now a day studios keep sending out movies that they know will bring in the cash. For example, this week, Couples Retreat came out staring Vince Vaughn. Now I’m not saying that the movie was terrible, I’m just saying that before seeing it, I knew what to expect. I knew I was going to get Vaughn’s usual shtick and that there would be laughs here and there; which is exactly what the movie was, your typical blockbuster comedy that didn’t bring anything new to the table except for maybe it’s beautiful location. I just don’t get it, has the movie industry run out of fresh ideas? I mean it’s like Andy Paschen’s game at a bar, you know what to expect ladies but yet you still end up giving him your time. And one last thing before I get to my recommendations, another movie that I won’t be recommending that just came out is Paranormal Activity. This is the 15,000 dollar budget movie that has been doing midnight showings for the past couple weeks and is just now hitting a majority of theaters. Let me first state that I think horror movies are a waste of time, especially American made horror movies. I think it’s terrible that studios waste money on movies that are two hours of blood and guts without a plot, yet they know that the public will come see the film. I don’t know what it is inside of people that like seeing other people getting slaughtered, but I really think some great movies could be made with the money spent on horror movies. Back to the topic at hand though, a lot of my friends are amped up to see Paranormal Activity, but in the end I think they are going to be disappointed. Yea they’ll be scared, but that’s all they’re gonna be. They aren’t going to come out of the movie saying, “Wow! That’s the best scary movie ever.” No they are just gonna be scared for a while and take nothing away from the movie. People need to understand that you don’t just have to go to the movies to be entertained, you can go and learn something and experience something beautiful.

What To Watch For

This week I’ve only got one recommendation for movies coming out soon, mainly because there’s not much of a selection this week, and I’ve already told you about two of the movies.

My Recommendation: Black Dynamite. Now if you think Samuel L. Jackson is a bad mother-fer, then you’re going to love this movie. Not because Samuel L. Jackson is in it, but because Michael Jai White is a badder mother-fer. This is a movie that isn’t trying to be anything more then what it is, which is basically a farce of Shaft. When a movie’s villain is called nothing more then “The Man,” you know there is something special. “The Man” is corrupting Black Dynamite’s streets with drugs and alcohol so what does he decide to do? Kick some ass as if he was Chuck Norris’ brother from another mother. Even though the movie is shot like a 1970’s porno (not like I would know anything about that stuff) I still think you should go out and see it, cause it will make you laugh. I mean come on any movie that has a buff black man runnin the streets and speakin all sassy and what not has to be pretty good.

This movie was based on a Stephen king book…no f*@%in way

My Recommendation: Stand By Me. Another one my favorite, Stand By Me is another great friendship story and growing up story. Based on the novella The Body by Stephen King four boys travel into the countryside to find the dead body of one of their peers. There are a number of reasons to love this movie, but two reasons why I always love watching it are because of the interaction between the child actors and the music. The four actors are Wil Wheaton, the great River Phoenix who died before reaching his prime as an actor (now we are left with his lunatic of a brother Joaquin), Corey Feldman, and Jerry O’Connel. When you’re watching this movie take a second to notice how well these actors make us feel like the journey they’re on is real. Not to say this plot is impossible, but the chances of it actually happening in real life are very slim. However, you just feel for these kids and everything they go through, that you basically forget it’s a movie. You are to relate to the bonds they have with each other and you just get caught up in the story. Then there is the music in this movie. Classics like “Stand By Me,” “Rockin’ Robin,” “Great Balls of Fire,” and “Lollipop,” make this movie something really special. The music comes in at perfect times to show joy, sorrow, and excitement, at all times it only enhances the movie. The music becomes it’s own character and you look forward to hearing what song is coming up next. Stand By Me is great alternative to a horror film, it has it’s thrilling moments, but you’re going to take something out of it and not to mention Kiefer Sutherland plays a badass in it. You can’t go wrong with Stand By Me.

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What To Watch For

So everyone it’s been about a week since my last post and I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. Not to mention a lot of movie and trailer watching. Now everybody usually thinks of the fall as a dead spot for movies. Which is true most studios do throw out their junk around this time. However, as the hibernation ends we have a lot to look forward too in these upcoming months. Big names like Denzel Washington, John C. Reilly, Vince Vaughn, Ellen Page, and the almighty Robert Pattison all have movies coming out…and to be honest they all look pretty f@*%in sweet. But from what I’ve seen one of these stars movies looks a cut above the rest and yes I’m talking about the vampire one.

My Recommendation: Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant. Starring John C. Reilly, this movie looks quite enjoyable. Ever since Talladega Nights Reilly has become a household name. But he has been one of the best actors in the business for a long time. The movie has one of the cooler plots I’ve seen in recent years. Reilly plays a vampire who is part of a freak show called Cirque Du Freak. One night a teenager named Steve played by Nick Massoglia stops by the show. When he sees Reilly he notices something familiar about him. He has read about him…”In a book”(BOOM! Dodgeball reference). That’s right, Steve is a bit of a nerd and has books on vampires and it just so happens that Reilly was in one of them. He returns to the show the next night and is offered a proposition by Reilly, to become his assistant (thus the title). Now if that doesn’t sound like an intriguing plot then you’re crazy. The movie was adapted from a book, and there have been people who are worried that the movie is going to be totally different because it is being marketed as a comedy. Never having read the book I can’t say whether or not this is a big deal, all I can say is I’ve got high hopes for the film.

Ready To Be a Kid Again?

One movie I know most of us are anticipating is the new movie version of Where the Wild Things Are. Now whether you were born under a rock or to parents who don’t love you, you know this wonderful children’s story by Maurice Sendak. Because I don’t want to ruin the story for the obvious Communists who haven’t read this story (which is a WHOLE 15 pages); I will tell those who have that they can expect a new side to the journey and a more human aspect, hopefully without losing the heart of the story.

There are a plethora of reasons to be excited about this film. First and foremost are the cast and voices; a few of these actors being Forest Whitaker, Catherine Keener, Mark Ruffalo, and Max will be played by Max Records. However, what I am most excited about is the animation and look of the film. From what I have seen in previews and clips this looks like a beautiful movie with glorious sets and it really looks like the lighting will play a large part as well. I cannot wait to see how director Spike Jonze plans to bring the monsters to life. I read that they used a mixture of animation along with having people wear 8-foot suits to bring these kind creatures to film. I’m also going to put it out there that god himself Tom Hanks is producing the movie, so you know it can’t be to bad. Even though movies like this don’t usually live up to the hype, I’ve got inkling that just like the book, this movies gonna have some magic.

I Just Want to Be a Dancing Queen!

Men I’ve got a question. Why is it that we don’t dance anymore? I know what you’re thinking “David that is a very weird and frankly silly question.” Well boys I’m not kidding around. There was once a time in this country when we expressed ourselves through dance. You may say that the dancing you do to day is how you express yourself, but let’s be serious. We all know that the only thing showing an expression is the girls face when she realizes what she’s rubbing up against. I mean of course we all enjoy this type of dance, but deep down I know we all want to be able to let loose once in a while. Think about the greats: Kevin Bacon, John Travolta, and Patrick Swayze. They had the balls to go out there and let the music take control. So if any of you guys are looking for a little inspiration, I’ve got just the thing.

My Recommendation: Billy Elliot. We have all seen the movies about women doing actions that were looked down upon by society, but we haven’t seen it that much on the guy’s side. In the movie the title character Billy is an 11-year-old British boy who’s father forces him to take boxing lessons. Of course Billy can’t stand boxing so one day he walks over to the ballet class. Quickly his talent is noticed and he proves how easy dancing can be when you put emotion into it. When his father finds out, Billy is put into a position. Follow his father’s orders, or defy them and continue dancing. Not only is Billy Elliot an inspiring film, but it is glorious to look at and the dancing scenes are just superb. You may be hesitant to rent this movie, but it’s really great and you’ll be happy you saw by the end.

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How To Spend $8.50 Wisely

There are plenty of new movies coming out in upcoming weeks that look very intriguing from Megan Fox in Jennifer's Body to the remake of Fame, this fall is shaping up to be full of box-office hits. However, just because the trailers make the movie look unbelievable doesn’t mean they will be. I mean heck, we all went to see Transformers 2: Revenge of The Fallen, but that movie was a piece of shit. So what I am trying to get at is a lot of these movies are built up to look amazing…when actually they suck. We shouldn’t give the studios the satisfaction of our hard earned money, for a terrible movie. I am not saying that the movies I recommend are going to be amazing, but they are worth your time.

My Recommendation: From everything that I have seen and read, the movie that I think you should spend your money on this fall is The Informant! With Matt Damon. Directed by Steven Soderbergh (who is one of the most underrated directors of the era) the movie is a dark comedy about Mark Whitacre (Matt Damon). Whitacre works at Archer Daniels Midland where he is rising in the company quickly, however the FBI comes to him asking him to do some undercover work. What they soon find out is that Whitacre has bipolar disorder. Based on a true story, Mark Whitacre helped the FBI crack one of the largest price fixing cases in U.S. history.

Why It’s Worth Your Money: Steven Soderbergh and Matt Damon are my two main reasons for this recommendation. Soderbergh is a master when it comes to “darker” movies like this. He has shown this previously in movies like Traffic, Erin Brokovich, and Sex, Lies, and Videotape. One reason he is so good is due to his great use of music in his films. It is as though the score becomes a character in the film. Then there is Matt Damon. Damon is easily one of the most consistent actors in Hollywood today. And when it comes to character acting he is one of the best. I have a feeling his character here will be a mixture Will Hunting from Good Will Hunting and Linus from the Ocean’s series; a character that will have a mixture of wit, smarts, and humor. Because of these two men and a great supporting cast, I have every reason to believe that The Informant! will be one of the best movies of the year.

What To Watch For

There are a lot of great movies recently that have been overlooked by the public either because they weren’t marketed like some other movies, or because they were small indie films that didn’t hit many theaters. One that comes straight to mind is my favorite movie of the year 500 Days of Summer. Well there are even more indie movies like this coming out this fall and you should keep your eye out for a couple.

My Recommendation: There are a couple of notable smaller/indie movies coming out soon like Brief Interviews With Hideous Men and Antichrist, but my recommendation is Trucker. From director James Mottern, we get your not so typical mother, son story. Michelle Monaghan plays Diane a female truck driver who is living an unhealthy lifestyle. When her ex-husband played by Benjamin Bratt is diagnosed with cancer, she is given control of their 11-year-old son played by Jimmy Bennett. Although this may sound like a story we’ve heard before, the performances by Bennett and Monaghan especially make this movie worth seeing. Monaghan is an actress, who we have seen in such movies as Gone Baby Gone and The Bourne Supremacy, but here she is given room to shine and she takes full advantage of it. Not to mention she is one of the hottest actresses we have working today and I hear we get to see some of her “assets” in the movie. What I love that Mottern does in this movie is that even though he has a story we’ve seen before on film, he’s not scared to allow his actors to perform and take control of the story. This allows us as viewers to watch and really relate to the performances, which in the end makes for a great movie going experience. Think about Slumdog last year, it was similar to stories we’ve seen before, but the performances were so heart wrenching and thought provoking that we were able to connect and that’s what made the movie so good. When it comes to movies today, we can’t always expect brand new ideas every week, but what we can expect are outstanding performances from actors and actresses who are able to put their heart into a performance.

Your Best Friend Just Went To Jail and You’re Feeling Down

My Recommendation: The Shawshank Redemption. Considered one of the best movies of all time, Shawshank is one of the greatest friendship stories ever told on film. Staring Tim Robbins as Andy Dufresne and Morgan Freeman as “Red,” “The Shawshank Redemption takes place in Shawshank Prison during the early 1900’s. So you may be wondering how this movie will make you feel better? I mean it’s filled with depression, suicide, and rape. You may ask, “Shouldn’t I watch this movie if someone I hate is sent to prison, David?” In a way I guess picturing someone you hate getting raped by a group of guys who call themselves the “Sisters” would be pretty satisfying. However, this movie is just to inspiring and full of heart. Seeing Andy and Red’s relationship grow in a place as gruesome as Shawshank is so beautiful that you welcome the tears when they start flowing. That’s right I’m man enough to admit that I cried the first time I watched The Shawshank Redemption. So if you pop it in after your good friend is sent to jail, you can feel better knowing he may find someone who will be there for him just like you always have been. Of course now a day our prisons are full of maniacs and groups of gang members…so maybe it’s not the perfect time period piece to watch. But nonetheless I have no doubts it will help you cope with your friends prison sentence.

These first couple of reviews I did in the past couple months, but I've decided to put them up hear to get things rollin.

Date Night

All right guys, so you’re taking your girl out tonight and you’re not sure what to see. Usually you’d have her pick the movie, but she said you could pick tonight. So what do you do, do you go with the oldest trick in the book and see a horror flick so you can cuddle up to her when she gets scared? Or do you go for the sappy drama in order to show your soft side? Well I’m here to help:

First Date- If it’s the first date, you’ve got to be cautious. You don’t want to go straight to the horror film because she might not want to get to intimate on the first date. But you don’t want to go to the sappy drama either because let’s be honest, if things aren’t working out you don’t want to be sitting there watching some boring movie.

My Suggestion- See Inglourious Basterds. Quentin Tarantino’s latest masterpiece is a movie that may not look like it’s for women, but to be honest it’s for everyone. The movie has comedy, drama, and action with great performances from Brad Pitt, Melanie Laurent, and Christopher Waltz. It is your typical Tarantino with wonderful performances, a great story, and witty dialogue. It is certain to satisfy both you and your date.

Spending $8.50 Wisely

With the economy being so dismal lately, going to the movies is one of the cheapest activities you can do. However, that doesn’t mean you can just go to the theater and expect satisfaction from seeing any old movie. You need to spend you money wisely and I’d like to help.

My Suggestion- The movie I believe you will be most satisfied with this week is District 9. District 9 IS the best movie of the year…so far. It is a movie that is so imaginative and inventive, that it has turned a new page in cinema. The movie takes place in the future in South Africa. An alien ship has stalled over Johannesburg and it’s alien passengers become refugees. When a company called MNU becomes involved…a lot of crazy shit starts to happen. It is one of the coolest movies I have ever seen, but not only does it have cool graphics and some sick action sequences, but it is thought provoking as well. It makes you think of apartheid in Africa and how poorly we treat certain people in this world. District 9 is one of the best movies of the year and it is definitely worth spending your money on.

If You Want To Have A Gay Moment, Without Having A Gay Moment

So guys, say you are home on a Friday night and you are bored. You decide to watch a movie, but you don’t feel like watching the usual action or horror film that you usually watch. You decide you want to watch something on the lighter side, but will still keep your interest. So what movie do you choose?

My Suggestion- I Love You, Man. At first, when you look at the title you may think, “What the hell am I getting myself into?” What you are getting yourself into is one of the funniest movies ever made. As the title implies it is about a bromance. However, both men are completely straight. Paul Rudd and the underrated Jason Segal give stellar performances in this comedy that will have you laughing throughout. You may feel uncomfortable at times, but in the end you’ll realize that the topics brought up in this movie are things we talk about with our guy friends everyday. So if you are ever in this situation and pop in I Love you, Man. You will, “Totes Magotes” enjoy it.

Startin' Off

Hey all, so i've decided to give this blog thing a try. In the past couple months, I've really started to take my writing seriously and I have always had a passion for movies. So I decided to bring the two together. In my blog all I am really going to do is share my thoughts on movies, give my recommendations, and try to spark a love for movies in all you guys. Now I am just starting with this, so give me time, but trust me when I say I really put a lot of time in my writing. I have been known to watch six movies in a day, so hopefully I will have continuos posts. That is about it for now, I hope you enjoy!