Movie Review: Revolutionary Road

Ever since I saw the trailer for this film, which features a sampling of the abundance of moving dialogue, laced over a cover of Nina Simone's "Wild is the Wind". Seriously, if you don't feel like reading my review then at least watch this trailer and tell me you don't want to immediately get out of your chair and hit the theaters.
Revolutionary Road is chock full of great dialogue, as Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet turn in two of the finest performances of the movie year. I raved about Rosario Dawson in my Seven Pounds review, but after watching Winslet star as April Wheeler, wife to DiCaprio's Frank Wheeler, battle with the misery of suburban hell, it makes Dawson look like a minor leaguer. The movie opens with DiCaprio and Winslet meeting at a party and sharing a few drinks/laughs, the opening credits fade in and as they fade out we meet the couple years later in a suburban hill, with nice suburban furniture, two nice suburban children, and a nice suburban car. Frank Wheeler works in the city. April Wheeler tends to the home and children. Frank hates his job. April hates her life even more. What's interesting about this film, which takes place in the 1950's, is that it really makes you think (as a younger movie-goer) about your parents lot in life. As a 21 year old, all you think about is how your dreams are becoming less and less likely to be actualized, you see your family at home and their jobs and simply assume that they have accepted their lot in life and are happy with everything they have achieved. Perhaps, they are miserable and nobody even knows it. April Wheeler is miserable and she decides to let it be known; she convinces Frank - who, though reluctant, is likely just as miserable on the inside as his wife - to move to Paris and live life the way they always wanted. Soon after though, Frank gets offered a promotion, April gets pregnant and the couple struggle and fight over what they should do. The extremes of love and hate portrayed by DiCaprio and Winslet are unbelievable. What's most interesting about the film though, is the role reversal you get from a prototypical movie. How many times have you seen a flick where a man and wife settle down and have kids, until the man realizes he never achieved his goals in life and sinks into a mid-life crisis? Well, this time, the script is flipped and Winslet plays is masterfully, her performance is one of the best I've seen in a very long time and her emotional range was put on full display throughout. In a movie where DiCaprio and Winslet shined so brightly on the screen, I would be remiss not to mention the performance from Michael Shannon as a neighborhood man recently released from a mental institution. Shannon's character though is far from insane, he simply sees through the mascaraed and masks of happiness that Frank and Annie put on everyday and frankly, he steals just about every scene he is in. I rate this movie 4.5/5, the acting was incredible, the script was incredible, and the movie was really thought provoking.

Movie Review: Seven Pounds

Seven Pounds, starring Will Smith and Rosario Dawson, is the tale of... well, it's a story about... really, at it's core, its a movie that focuses in on... uh, honestly, I have no plot description. Not that the movie is about nothing, it is about something, but I'm just not really sure what and I literally had no clue what was going on for almost the entirety of its 2-hour runtime. I will say, though, it was beautifully acted by Rosario Dawson in a supporting role that is worthy of an Oscar in my book, her character was incredibly moving and played as the counter balance to Will Smith's (also putting in a near magnificent performance) solemn portrayal of Ben Thomas, a man whose plot line would surely spoil the movie if told. The problem, though, is that not only does the movie leave you scratching your head (and not in the unpredictable mystery/thriller type of way), but the storyline is complete nonsense and not-believable once it is finally revealed what Smith's Ben Thomas' motivation is for doing what it is he's doing. I realize this review may seem complicated and vague, but I don't have a lot to say about a movie without much purpose for the first 9/10 of the way through and if I do let it be known what happens at the end the movie is ruined. You'd have to see it to understand what I'm saying, but please don't rush out to theaters for this one, there are a ton of better choices. At the same time though, the movie certainly wasn't bad, my official rating of it is a 3/5, it is certainly an interesting - if not depressing (today was a very depressing movie day for me, I started my morning by watching Reservation Road on HBO and that literally ruined my day) - film that is acted flawlessly by Dawson, Smith, and even Woody Harrelson is a very small supporting role.

Roland Burris = Clown

God, this guy really wants to be a Senator doesn't he? Unfortunately, for a seemingly bright guy, he hasn't a clue. I honestly wonder what he expected to happen Tuesday when he showed up on Capital Hill hoping to be sworn in as Junior Senator. Did he think that anyone would accept the credentials of his designation by disgraced Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich? While it is true that legally, since Blagojevich is still the Governor and thus, still has the right to appoint the person to take over Obama's old senate seat, these aren't normal circumstances and normal actions should not be expected. Blagojevich is on the verge of getting the boot and at times like this it is pretty obvious what needs to happen; you make an exception to the rule. Hell, Bush is still in office, he should have no problem circumventing the seemingly illegal to do what he feels is right, seeing as that he has done just that numerous times over the last 8 years. Blagojevich really put Burris in a lose/lose situation by nominating him and really marred the reputation of Burris and for that I sympathize with Burris, but Burris is only compounding his misfortune by turning this into a media circus. A simple thanks, but no thanks would have been just fine. Yes, if not Burris this would be somebody else, but, let it be somebody else, who knows he might have legitimately been chosen after all this blew over, but now that seems pretty unlikely from where I'm sitting. What a mess.

Seeing a Movie Alone (in theaters)

Personally I have never done it and frankly, I find it appalling. I've often considered it... especially for something like an 11AM showing of a movie that has been out for a while, but I could just never pull the trigger because in my opinion, once you start seeing movies alone you're in full blown psychopath mode. I instantly envision a 36 year old man with a bag full of Werther's originals in his pocket at Madagascar 2 or Twilight trying to lure 6th graders into his van after the credits roll. Anyway, for those of you who have seen a movie in theaters by yourself, what was your experience like? Was it weird? Did you feel like a creep? Who did you whisper your mid-movie zingers to?

Also, for men out there, what is the etiquette on seeing chick flicks or movies about the gays (e.g. Milk) with other men? I for one am all for the gays, I love the gays, I wish I was gay, I consider gay to be the new black, but I refuse to see a chick flick with another man. It's just a line I won't cross. What about with rentals? When I go to a Redbox for example, sometimes I like to dabble in the romantic comedy genre (Definitely, Maybe is a solid flick), so what I'll do is pretend I'm talking on the phone to someone as I'm browsing through the machine... "whats the name of that stupid movie you wanted to see again?... oh that's right [insert chick flick here]" and then I'll rent it and still have my man card in tact.

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Movie Review: Gran Torino

Got to check out Gran Torino last night in what, to most of the U.S., counts as an early release screening, but the movie has been out in Bethesda for about two weeks now. Gran Torino, starring Clint Eastwood as Walt Kowalski, a recently widowed, volatile, old-school, Korean war veteran, tells the tale of Kowalski and his bond with his Hmong neighbors. Eastwood's Kowalski is a complete bad ass who is especially prone to spewing racial and ethnic slurs as if they were pleasantries. Walt Kowalksi is one of the few white Americans left in the neighborhood, and though set on secluding himself from his Asian American community at first, he eventually grows very close to his neighbors who are the victims of torturous behavior from a local Hmong gang. Kowalski even acts as a father figure/mentor to his next door neighbor, a soft-spoken, well-mannered Asian teen who is often bullied by the gang. Though the script and acting is shaky at times and the storyline is very contrived (especially toward the end), Eastwood's performance flat carries the film. The major beef I have with the movie though, is that aside from Eastwood the rest of the characters were given mediocre scripts to work with, especially from the minority characters who were not portrayed realistically at all. They are completely stereotypical characterizations of their racial groups and the dialogue is hardly believable. My initial instinct leaving the theater was to give the movie a 4 because I could not stop laughing from some of the incredibly racially insensitive lines. But after stepping back and fairly assessing all of the films shortcomings, I'm going to give this movie a 3.5/5. It's a very fun movie, especially to see in theaters with friends... just make sure you're not easily offended.

Movie Review: Slumdog Millionaire

Perhaps I should build up to this statement, but this is my favorite movie of the year. I feel like a plot summary is in order since a lot of people have never even heard of this movie, including the majority of the people I went to the movie with. The film centers around Jamal, a "slumdog" (which translates roughly for us in the States to "street kid"), who has landed a seat on the game show "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire" and is one correct answer away from being the first to go all the way and answer every question correctly. Being that Jamal has almost no formal education, he is tortured and interrogated by Indian police who suspect him of cheating. Through the interrogation we learn the story of Jamal, his brother Samir, and their friend (and Jamal's love interest) Latika, as Jamal explains through life experiences how he came to know the answers. The movie succeeds in not only its unique storytelling, but also because of the cinematography, and the way director Danny Boyle uses Mumbai, India as one of the supporting actors. This is the first hit movie from my memory that was centered in India, and I really hope to see more films from the area because it was really incredible. I know this is a hack line, but this is really a film that can make you laugh and make you cry. What's so amazing about the movie is that, in its essence it is a traditional Hollywood melodrama/love story, but the creative storytelling, the impressive acting performances, and awe-worthy cinematography make this a must-see. 5 out of 5 stars. Go see this movie while it's still out in theaters, and if I can I'd like to recommend the AFI in Silver Spring, it really is a great movie theater and I haven't had a single bad experience there.

Movie Review: The Wrestler

I woke up this morning and figured, its 2009, let's get things off with a bang and see one of the mostly highly praised movies of 08, so I set out to Bethesda to see The Wrestler. This is a movie that had interested me since I first saw the trailer on YouTube, but once it got a 98% on RottenTomatoes.com I knew that I couldn't pass it up in theaters. The movie centers around Randy "The Ram" Robinson, an aging professional wrestler struggling with the realities of life after stardom, he is broke, taking mass amounts of human growth hormones, living in a trailer park, and completely alone in life. Aside from his cult following in the underground wrestling world, The Ram is a forgotten man, and after a heart attack caused from the brutality of professional wrestling coupled with his steroid abuse, he contemplates retirement. Taking a job in a deli at a local grocery market, two of the best scenes of the movie take place, one showing Rourke on a high (a non-substance induced high, at that), he jokes with the customers and seems to be content with his job. Later, though, after he inevitably messes up with anyone who would potentially care about him, you see Rourke bitter and hostile. I won't spoil anything, but he eventually loses control, and such is emblematic of the highs and lows of a man once in the pantheon of American popular culture and now a tragic failure in life. I don't want to belabor the point because everyone is talking about it, but this movie was all about acting. The story was good. Not great, just good, but Mickey Rourke is deservedly getting all the Oscar buzz. I wouldn't go so far as to say I'm disappointed, but, I almost wanted more... I wanted the story to move me and it didn't. I must say though, Marissa Tomei is getting a raw deal, because she was phenomenal in her role as an aging stripper/mother and some of her scenes with Rourke in the strip club were great. As for rating the movie, it really reminded me of a documentary-style film, a lot of the camera work even got me dizzy just from the camera shaking slightly following Rourke as he walks down the stairs and runs through woods but thanks to Rourke's completely believable performance, the style of shooting worked out brilliantly. I would give this movie 4 out of 5 stars. Some of the wrestling scenes, one involving a staple gun are really brutal to watch, but some of the best cinema you'll see if you're just into really raw, gritty films. I would recommend you see Benjamin Button first, but this is still a must-see because of the performances of Rourke, Tomei, and even Even Rachel Wood, who played The Ram's daughter.