The Big Short (9/10): Economics for Dummies

"Everyone, deep in their hearts, is waiting for the end of the world to come."

The Big Short is such a refreshing and surprising film because it manages to perfectly balance a difficult subject matter and make it entertaining. It is perhaps one of the most important films made this year reminding us of the worldwide economic breakdown that began in 2007 and left millions of people without their life savings. Many of us don't understand much about economics or how it works, and that is why we have been so eager to forget what happened and continue moving on as if nothing ever happened. This film refreshes our memory and reminds us of what a terrible crime was committed during the housing bubble collapse. The film centers on the few men who recognized the problem early on and took advantage of the situation. The Big Short is a dramatic movie, there is no doubt about it, but it also manages to include some comedic moments by breaking the fourth wall and including pop culture figures to explain some of the more complicated financial terms. It does it in a brilliant way and it's been a while since I've seen a film break the fourth wall as well as this one did. I've seen many documentaries on this subject, but this film manages to explain things better and open our eyes to the dangers we might face again in the future because we've ignored the real problem and seem to be repeating the same mistakes once again. Mckay manages to infuriate and open our eyes while entertaining us at the same time with an engaging film thanks to a witty adapted script which he helped co-write with Charles Randolph.

It's not the first time that a film based on a Micheal Lewis novel manages to draw in an audience that doesn't necessarily need to comprehend the subject matter. You could be clueless about baseball, but in Moneyball the story still managed to engage a worldwide audience. The same can be said about this film because the economic terms are explained in a simple way. That is why I believe this is one of the most important films of the year because it allows even those that never seemed interested in economics to understand how it still affects them. It is an eye opening film for those that felt uninterested in trying to understand what happened in 2007. If there is one film that audiences should see this year then this might just be the one (not for its technical or artistic value, but for the importance of its subject matter). 

The Big Short is Adam McKay's dramatic directorial debut and his background in comedy is what probably helped this film become more accesible. The man who brought us Anchorman, Talladega Nights, Step Brothers, and The Other Guys, now brings us a thought provoking film. He's received two Oscar nominations (directing and writing) for his work here and what an impressive film he has crafted. The film is heavy on dialogue, but the script is so perfectly written that each character in this film becomes memorable. The performances are outstanding which simply proves what a key element writing is for an actor. It was refreshing to see Ryan Gosling back again after his retirement from the big screen for two years. He plays the charismatic character he could easily play in his sleep, but he is still a delight to watch. He delivers a solid role, but out of the four big names it was Steve Carell who stood out. He gets the best dramatic moments and lights up each scene he enters in. Brad Pitt has a smaller role but he makes perfect use of his screen time with an understated performance. Christian Bale is the only actor who received a nomination for his performance in this film and it is well deserved. He plays a socially awkward character and totally sells it. There are films where there are so many big names that no one really gets to shine, but this film manages to make every character memorable thanks to the wonderful script. 

Fury (8/10): David Ayer's furious portrayal of the Second World War

“Ideals are peaceful. History is violent.”

When it comes to approaching war films, every director seems to have a certain agenda in the way they are going to portray it. David Ayer’s approach is summed up in that simple quote, delivering a war film that portrays the cruelty and rawness of war in a rather visual way. Ayer has had more misses than hits as a director, but if there is something he knows how to direct it is action set pieces. He may not be the greatest story teller and most of his characters aren’t developed at all, but when it comes to action scenes he directs them with great detail. Fury is at its best when it centers on the action and stays away from the dialogue and character buildup.  Very few war films have centered on soldiers fighting from inside a tank perhaps due to the physical constraints so in a way Fury is unique (unless you have seen the foreign film Lebanon which takes place entirely inside a tank). David Ayer isn’t the first director who has experimented with this, but he does deliver a solid and entertaining film with gruesome action scenes. Saving Private Ryan has changed the way films portray war, and Fury is one of those war films that has been influenced by it. I can’t recall another war film that depicts the cruelty of war in such an authentic and raw manner as Fury does. Fury is my second favorite film from David Ayer, but I still think End of Watch is his best. However, it’s a huge improvement over his previous film, Sabotage.

The characters in Fury are clichéd, we’ve seen them before in many other war films, but the action scenes are unique and engaging. Even Brad Pitt’s Wardaddy feels like a similar character from Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds without that heavy southern accent. The rest of the crew that Fury focuses on also play the usual stereotypes from numerous war films of the past. Logan Lerman plays the new boy who doesn’t seem to belong to this violent world, but who we will see transformed by the effects of war. Shia LaBeouf is the Christian soldier who will throw out a pair of Bible verses in between fights. Michael Peña is the wise cracking latino and Jon Bernthal the bully who is the hardest to sympathize with. These are the five crew members inside the Sherman tank that the film centers on. Despite not being unique characters and often quite dislikable, the actors give strong performances. Brad Pitt is great as the Sergeant, although at times his star power does get in the way. I still enjoyed his performance very much. Shia LaBeouf was a surprise as well, he delivered a credible performance. The easiest character to engage with was Logan Lerman’s, who delivered a surprisingly strong performance as well. The entire cast was solid despite playing clichéd characters. There is a sequence in the middle of the film that feels out of place and hurt the overall pacing of the film, but the final 30 minutes will have you at the edge of your seat again. It is intense. 

My Review: Interview with the Vampire (7/10)

"Who will take care of me my love, my dark angel, when you are gone?"

I just recently got around to watching Interview with the Vampire, twenty years after Neil Jordan directed this successful film, and I have to admit the recent overload of vampire films and novels over the past decade did affect my viewing since most of the innovative elements that Anne Rice introduced here I have seen in later films and TV series (like True Blood). I'm sure many of these films were inspired by some of Rice's original ideas which made this movie stand out above prior vampire films. Unfortunately I'm giving this a lower rating because I am a bit tired of these films and in my opinion the best vampire film continues to be Let the Right One In (which managed to stay low key unlike this epic story). Rice's story is imaginative and Jordan's direction visionary, thus creating a unique and dark vampire drama with some strong performances. The film did drag at times and it is a bit too long but several scenes were intense and skillfully delivered. If you are a fan of vampire films or of Anne Rice's work then you will probably enjoy this much more than I did because it is dark and gothic, but it does have its weaknesses and the ending is a bit off note.

As the title suggests, the story is told in the form of an interview as a journalist named Daniel (Christian Slater) encounters a 200 year old vampire named Louis (Brad Pitt). His story begins in 18th century New Orleans after having lost his wife when he was 24. Deciding he didn't want to live any longer, Louis set out to destroy his life picking fights at local bars. One night while doing this he catches the attention of a vampire named Lestat (Tom Cruise) who gives him the opportunity to become like him. Louis accepts and becomes Lestat's apprentice, however he isn't satisfied with his new life as a vampire and refuses to kill humans. Louis hates who he has become, but his life changes when Lestat turns a little girl named Claudia (Kirsten Dunst) into a vampire and together they form a family. Louis continues to narrate his story through two centuries as they encounter troubles and betrayals along the way.

Tom Cruise is a huge action star and at times it's difficult to separate him from his characters, but surprisingly he lost himself in the role of Lestat and gives a convincing performance as a blood lusting vampire. Brad Pitt despite not losing himself in the role as well as Cruise does still delivers a believable lead performance. The real surprise for me however was the young Kirsten Dunst who gives the best performance of the film. Once her character is introduced the story really picks up and it becomes engaging. In my opinion the interview scenes didn't work too well; I would have preferred if Louis simply narrated his story directly to us considering Slater's character doesn't really do much as an interviewer. Despite some flaws in the story, the film does look good and the effects are also done well. Jordan and Rice were able to create a unique vampire film that stood out from the rest and that is the reason why 20 years later it is still talked about and referred too.

My Review: True Romance (9/10)

"If you gave me a million years to ponder, I would never have guessed that true romance and Detroit would ever go together."

I would never have guessed that Tony Scott and Quentin Tarantino would ever go together, but what a pleasant surprise this romantic crime thriller turned out to be. Thanks to a sharp and witty script and entertaining characters True Romance was extremely cool. The best way I can describe this film is to take Patricia Arquette's character's words and sound like a broken record: all I could think of while watching this film was Quentin Tarantino you are so cool; Tony Scott you are so cool; every single actor in this film you are so cool, True Romance you are so cool. I can't believe I had to wait 21 years to get around to watching this considering how big of a Quentin Tarantino fan I am (and I'm also a huge fan of Tony Scott's work in Man on Fire). Tarantino's energetic script and Scott's stylized direction blended perfectly in this near masterpiece. The cast is absolutely brilliant here and there are so many memorable characters and scenes in this film. I think I enjoyed this film more watching it for the first time now than if I would have seen it in 1993 considering there are so many familiar faces that I probably wouldn't have recognized back then. Brad Pitt, Val Kilmer, Dennis Hopper, Gary Oldman, Christopher Walken, Samuel L. Jackson, James Gandolfini, and Chris Penn all have small but memorable roles. Oldman is barely recognizable playing a pimp with dreadlocks and a glass eye, but it is a unique performance. Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette give the performance of their careers here; it's a shame Slater has been in so many terrible films in the past decade because his performance here was promising. Arquette is adorable as Alabama and I can't think of another sweeter performance than hers. There is so much energy and charm in this film that it's hard to resist. Like good wine, True Romance will probably age better over time considering I couldn't believe how much fun I was having watching an early 90's film for the first time. True Romance you are so cool!

Clarence Worley (Christian Slater) is a comic book store clerk who also happens to be a martial arts film buff. He plans to spend his birthday as he always does, at the movies, watching a triple feature of Sonny Chiba. What he doesn't expect is that he will find the love of his life there. While he is watching the film, a pretty woman walks into the theater spilling her popcorn all over him. She apologizes and introduces herself as Alabama (Patricia Arquette). The two fall in love with each other after she opens up to him about her true identity. This leads them through a series of dangerous adventures involving pimps (Gary Oldman), the Sicilian mafia (Christopher Walken, James Gandolfini), drug dealers (Samuel L. Jackson), police officials (Chris Penn, Tom Sizemore), and Hollywood producers (Saul Rubinek, Bronson Pinchot). The film is full of energy and thrills as the two lovers face several obstacles along the way. Thankfully, Clarence seems to have a mentor on his side to guide him: an apparition of his idol Elvis Presley (Val Kilmer) who is sort of his conscious.

Even if you aren't a huge fan of Tarantino you could still enjoy True Romance for all the beloved actors in this film that weren't probably big Hollywood names back then. The film moves so quickly and the script is so energetic that It makes for a very entertaining watch. There are so many memorable scenes in this film, like the face off between Gary Oldman and Christian Slater, the group mexican standoff, and the violent hotel scene involving Gandolfini and Arquette, but the real scene stealer would have to be the one in which Dennis Hopper, who plays Clarence's father, is ambushed by Christopher Walken and his gang and they have a not so friendly chat about Sicilians. It was a pure Tarantino moment and there are a lot of these great dialogues that allow for the film to have such a great pace and move along so nicely. The style and characters in this film make it such a unique experience and film lovers will enjoy the Hollywood satire as well. I am so glad I finally got to see this wild and romantic film. This is another reason why Tony Scott will be missed.

My Review: 12 Years a Slave (9/10)

"I will not fall into despair till freedom is opportune!"

Steve McQueen is a brilliant filmmaker who makes movies that are sometimes difficult to watch, but at the same time are powerful and engaging. His characters usually are troubled souls who experience some sort of physical, psychological, or emotional torture. They are slaves of their circumstances, and no character literally captures these elements as well as Ejiofor's Solomon Northup as he is chained and sold into slavery. Some people claim that films about slavery and the Holocaust are overdone and exploitive, but I disagree, if made right they can be powerful and sensitive like was the case with 12 Years a Slave. The same people that make these claims are the ones that don't mind going to see five or six superhero or vampire films a year. There are good superhero movies and terrible ones, and it's the same thing with films dealing with these dark historic moments. This film isn't just a movie about slavery, it's a movie focusing on Solomon's story, it's a character study focused on an exceptional man who is determined not to lose hope or fall into despair. I'd even go as far as saying that more than a film about slavery, this is a dramatic and thrilling movie about the lack of human compassion. There are several villains in this film and they aren't only the slave masters, we see several scenes were even slaves turned their backs on each other, and that lack of compassion is what truly captured the essence of this film.

This beautiful screenplay adapted by John Ridley from Solomon Northup's autobiographical book, Twelve Years a Slave, tells the story of Solomon (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free man and New York citizen who was kidnapped, sold into slavery, and forced to work in several New Orleans plantations during the mid 1800's. This is where Solomon's fight for survival begins as he is determined to regain his freedom and return to his wife, Anne (Kelsey Scott) and two children. Once Solomon is sent to New Orleans he is sold by Freeman (Paul Giamatti) to a wealthy slave owner named Ford (Benedict Cumberbatch). Ford is a kind Christian, but ultimately he really wants to look out for himself and when Solomon has trouble with one of the overseers, Tibeats (Paul Dano), he sells him to a ruthless slave owner named Epps (Michael Fassbender). This is where Solomon's soul is really put to the test as Epps cruelty is unbearable. However, Patsey (Lupita Nyong'o) suffers the most from her Master's cruelty as she is raped and despised by Epp's Mistress (Sarah Paulson). We follow Solomon through these tormented 12 years as he experiences all sorts of horrors until he finally finds a compassionate heart.

This superb film benefits from a powerful lead performance from Chiwetel Ejiofor who deserves all the awards he's been receiving. His facial expressions and agony transcend the screen and break our hearts. The same could be said from the supporting performances from Paul Dano, Benedict Cumberbatch (who plays the more complex character and probably the only one that isn't either white or black morally), and Michael Fassbender who is the personification of cruelty. Fassbender, who was also brilliant in McQueen's two previous films, plays one of the most despicable characters in recent film history. McQueen's direction is outstanding and several of his scenes were beautifully shot while at the same time very disturbing. His trademark long takes stand out in this film. The whipping scene is horrifying and the long shot where he is tortured and left hanging while we see everyone else going on with their normal lives is a testament of the central theme of this film which had to do with the lack of human compassion and mercy. This is one of the best films of the year and completely deserves all the hype it's been receiving.

My Review: The Counselor (6/10)

"I'm pretty skeptical about the goodness of the good."

The Counselor is without a doubt one of the most divisive films of the year. It has received a lot of hatred, but at the same time some people absolutely loved it. I understand why this film has caused such a reaction because it doesn't follow your normal narrative structure and is heavy on the philosophical dialogues. I've liked most of Ridley Scott's films, I was one of the few who actually loved Prometheus, and I also think that Cormac McCarthy is a great novelist (No Country for Old Men being his masterpiece) so when I heard the two were going to work together I couldn't help but add this to my watchlist. My expectations took a blow when I read all the early reviews and so I went into this expecting a complete flaw. To my surprise it wasn't as bad as I was lead to believe (I can think of at least 50 films I've seen this year that are far worse) and I ended up slightly enjoying this. Despite its heavy loaded philosophical dialogues and lack of characterization, there are some great scenes in The Counselor and some great performances. This film easily has one of the most memorable murder scenes I've seen all year, but at the same time it has many scenes that really felt out of place (like the scene involving Cameron Diaz and the yellow Ferrari). The Counselor feels more like a McCarthy film than a Ridley Scott movie, and his dark humor and anti climatic scenes are all over the place here in this suspenseful thriller (if I can really call it that because it isn't really generic at all). The Counselor isn't an easy watch and at times it feels too preachy, but it kept my interest nonetheless. McCarthy's message about facing the consequences of your sins was loud and clear in The Counselor. 

The plot is pretty simple actually as the film focuses more on the dialogues than the actual events. Michael Fassbender plays a successful lawyer who is known simply as the Counselor. He falls deeply in love with Laura (Penelope Cruz), a girl of simple tastes, but in order to give her a dreamy life the Counselor decides to enter a one time deal involving drug trafficking. His business associate, the wealthy Reiner (Javier Bardem) who spends most of his time drinking expensive whisky in the mornings and watching his pet cheetahs hunt down rabbits, warns him about the dangers involved in this deal. Reiner has been in this business for a long time and knows how the cartel works, but the Counselor decides to team up with him nonetheless. Reiner's girlfriend, Malkina (Cameron Diaz), is a very smart woman who is kind of shady as Reiner never knows what she is up to. The middle man involved in the transaction between the cartel and Reiner is Westray (Brad Pitt) who also warns the Counselor about the world he's getting himself into. The deal is an apparently simple one as the cartel uses Reiner's trucks to carry the drugs to Chicago, but an unfortunate accident puts everyone's life in danger.

The Counselor, who ironically in this film is always receiving advice from everyone, learns that greed isn't a good thing. The film focuses on greed and evil, but there is way too much talking at times which makes it feel too preachy at times. I think that much of the criticism this film is receiving has to do with the high expectations that people had about it considering the talented cast and crew involved int his film. Michael Fassbender, Javier Bardem, and Brad Pitt actually lift this film in my opinion and make their characters bearable to watch on screen. These characters aren't people we would care for in any other film, but the actors make it tolerable. I especially liked Fassbender in this film and I think he gives yet another powerful performance. The weakest link here was Cameron Diaz who never felt natural in my opinion, but that perhaps was part of McCarthy's plan. She isn't as strong as Bardem was in No Country for Old Men, but she kind of plays that same character that McCarthy tends to include in his novels. This is the first time that McCarthy writes an original screenplay since the other films were based on his novels, and this is definitely more his film than Scott's. If you are a fan of his work than you will probably like this film more than other people. I think one of the key McCarthy moments can be seen through Ruben Blades's monologue about how our decisions ultimately set our fate. There are just too many memorable scenes in this film for me not to give it a passing grade. The Counselor isn't an easy watch, but if you go into it with your expectations lowered you might actually be in for a surprise.

My Review: Twelve Monkeys (7/10)

"I am mentally divergent, in that I am escaping certain unnamed realities that plague my life here. When I stop going there, I will be well. Are you also divergent, friend?"

That is the question that the audience has to ask itself during this sci-fi mentally ill time traveling futuristic movie. Is the lead character mentally ill or is he really on a mission traveling through time in order to find a cure to a deadly virus that has wiped off nearly all the population and forced the few survivors to live underground? Director Terry Gilliam has created a memorable sci-fi flick that like all time traveling films has a few in-congruencies but still manages to hold the audience's attention. Gilliam is better known for his work in Monty Python, but he's also directed different types of genre films like The Fisher King (dramedy), Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (adventure), and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (Fantasy). He has a pretty respectable filmography as a director, although I still think he did his best work in the 90's. This film has a strong screenplay, but it will be remembered for the strong performances from Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt. Twelve Monkeys is a dark futuristic film similar in some ways to Blade Runner although it kind of diverges all over the place with so many ideas. This is an inventive film but I don't know how many ideas were taken from Chris Marker's 1962 short film, La jetee, which inspired this movie. The screenplay was adapted by David Webb Peoples (Blade Runner, Unforgiven) and Janet Peoples. His influence from Blade Runner seems to be mixed in the screenplay here as well. This is a very fun sci-fi film although full of really weird moments.

The film takes place sometime in the future after a deadly virus wiped out over 5 billion people and the few survivors were forced to live underground. James Cole (Bruce Willis) is a convict who is sent by a group of scientists to the past in order to gather information about the virus. The scientists want to study the virus so they can create a cure and live in the outside world once again. Cole is mistakenly sent to 1990 instead of 1996 which was the year in which the virus began spreading, and he ends up in a mental hospital after attacking several police officers. At the mental hospital he is treated by Dr. Railly (Madeleine Stowe) and he also meets another patient named Jeffrey Goines (Brad Pitt) who happens to be the son of a famous scientist (Christopher Plummer). Cole at first begins to search desperately for the "Army of the Twelve Monkeys" because they are believed to be the group responsible for spreading the virus, but later he begins to question himself and believe that he might actually be insane himself. This is a puzzle that he will have to piece together with the help of Railly. 

This is the puzzle that Gilliam invites the audience to solve along the way and keeps us guessing as the plot unfolds before our eyes. I'm not a huge fan of futuristic films, but Gilliam's vision here is pretty hypnotic and poetic. Most of the film actually takes place in the past, but there are several elements introduced that keep us guessing what will happen next. There were a few stand out scenes like the one in which Cole and Railly are at a movie theater and begin commenting on how despite having seen the movie before the perception of it changes every time, similar to what is happening with Cole through his time traveling. Does his presence in the past change things in the future? Can he find the virus on time in order to save the people in the future? These are a few questions that the film raises. The more you think about things the more flaws you will find, but that doesn't take away anything from this sci-fi film. I really liked Brad Pitt's performance here for which he received an Academy nomination, although he lost to Kevin Spacey (The Usual Suspects). The film runs a bit long, but it never ceases to entertain.

Rating: 7,1/10

My Review: World War Z (8/10)

"Life as we know it is coming to an end in 90 days. It's on us to change that."

Marc Foster is a very versatile director. I loved his work in Finding Neverland, an imaginative drama. He's also directed The Kite Runner, Monster's Ball, Quantum of Solace, and Machine Gun Preacher. He has worked with very different genres and for the most part I have really enjoyed his films. World War Z was no exception, and he proves now that he can make a great suspenseful thriller. I was at the edge of my seat for the most part of the film and there were several heart pumping moments. I hadn't had so much fun in the movies for a while. Of course the film has its flaws, but I was highly entertained with this Summer blockbuster starring Brad Pitt who once again single handedly carries the film. The film reminded me in some ways of Soderbergh's Contagion although this film is more linear and straightforward focusing on one character. It isn't your typical horror zombie film where you have a lot of blood and gore everywhere. In this film most of the frightening scenes take place without showing much. I thinks this is much more effective in a movie than focusing the attention on the gore. O was really pleased with the film. I have to admit I had never heard about the novel which was written by Max Brooks, but I have heard this film is only loosely based on it and has taken several screenplay liberties. The screenwriters did a decent job with the story, but the real fun was watching the fast paced zombies chasing after Brad Pitt.

The film centers on Brad Pitt's character, Gerry Lane, a former UN investigator who has decided to retire and spend the rest of his life serving pancakes for his wife, Karin (Mireille Enos), and two daughters back home. Everything changes when a strange viral epidemic begins to spread very quickly affecting every human being and turning them into zombies in question of seconds. These zombies aren't your typical slow paced zombies, they actually move pretty fast and aren't so dumb. Thierry Umutoni (Fana Mokoena), Gerry's former boss at the UN, calls him back for duty considering the urgency of the situation. Apparently Gerry was one of their best investigators and so they ask him to try to locate where the virus may have initiated in order to find some sort of vaccine to treat the disease and stop it from spreading before it is too late. This investigation takes Gerry across the globe, beginning at South Korea, then Israel, and finally ending up in Nova Scotia. Along the way he encounters several secondary characters that give him insight as to where the disease might have begun. A former Israel military officer named Segen (Daniella Kertesz) joins Gerry in his pursuit.

The film is packed with suspense and thrills and will have you at the edge of your seat from the very beginning. It probably begins stronger than how it ends, but it still is a great experience. I loved every second of this film and was completely entertained despite the lack of character development and the lack of any explanation whatsoever as to how the disease may have begun. Marc Foster succeeds in creating a suspenseful and gripping movie and despite all the production problems they seemed to be experiencing during filming, the film still ended up looking great and surpassed my expectations tremendously. Don't expect it to be a gory zombie film and you will be very pleased with this exhilarating film.

My Review: Killing Them Softly (5/10)

¨This guy wants to tell me we're living in a community? Don't make me laugh. I'm living in America, and in America you're on your own. America's not a country. It's just a business.¨

Killing Them Softly is Andrew Dominik’s latest film which was nominated for the Palme d’Or in last year’s Cannes film festival. I really had high expectations for this film, but was disappointed with this noir action film. The entire film was a political allegory, but I really didn’t enjoy it all, and felt the political messages were a little too heavy and tiring. The highlight of Killing Them Softly was Brad Pitt’s performance, but in the first half of the film he gets very little screen time. This is the second time that Pitt works with Dominik after having worked with him in the critically acclaimed The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. That film was more beautifully shot in my opinion, but of course this being a sort of noir film the cinematography was much dirtier. It was shot using Kodak’s 500T 5230 film stock which gave the film a much darker and grayish tone to help set the mood of the story. Killing Them Softly was loosely based on George V. Higgins novel, Cogan’s Trade, and adapted for the screen by Dominik himself. The film has a lot of dialogues going on and little action, which isn’t exactly a problem for me considering I enjoy Tarantino films, but the dialogues in this movie were just not that entertaining, and the characters weren’t really memorable. Dominik was forcefully giving the film a political message and it was just too heavy handed for my taste, but I know many people enjoyed it so I can’t say Dominik failed. I’m simply not into political movies so I didn’t appreciate this very much. If you enjoy politics then you might appreciate the political allegory behind this action thriller, which in my opinion didn’t add anything new to the genre. It was very predictable.

Johnny Amato (Vincent Curatola) hires two amateur criminals, Frankie (Scoot McNairy) and Russell (Ben Mendelsohn) to perform a heist at a Mob poker ring operating in New Orleans. Markie (Ray Liotta) is the proprietor of the place, and when the two amateurs rob him, the mafia blames Markie for the heist since he has had a similar history in the past and the local criminal economy has collapsed. The mafia’s messenger is played by Richard Jenkins who we only know as the driver. He hires a hitman named Jackie Cogan (Brad Pitt) to kill everyone responsible for the heist in order for balance to be restored amongst the mob world. While all these situations are taking place we have several voiceovers playing in the background (television or radio ads) with political messages from Bush and Obama, in order to make sure the viewer understands the political allegory that is taking place here. The plot is pretty simple and not much happens between each dialogue that is taking place. James Gandolfini also has a funny role in this film as an alcoholic hitman.

The true star of the film is Brad Pitt who delivers each line in a very cool way without overdoing himself or going overboard with his character. He seems like a man who is in control. In one of his speeches he mentions how he doesn’t like it when his victims get all touchy and feely about being killed so he prefers killing them softly from a distance, thus the title for the film. That line and the last one he shares with the driver are perhaps the best scenes in this movie. I also have to say that Scoot McNairy gave a pretty good performance in the supporting role. He really seems like the main character of the film during the first half and he gives a solid performance. I really wasn’t familiar with his work although I do realize he was in Argo, but had very little screen time there. Overall I really was disappointed with this film and felt it didn’t present anything new to the neo-noir genre. There were few action scenes, but I really didn’t care much for the characters so I wasn’t immersed into this world that Dominik was trying to suck us into.

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My Review: Fight Club (10/10)

"The first rule of Fight Club is you do not talk about Fight Club"

I will go ahead and break the rule and simply talk about Fight Club; the 1999 film that I recently added to my favorite movie list. In my opinion this is one of Fincher`s masterpieces along with Se7en. David Fincher has made some great films, but none have ever rivaled his work in the 90`s with these two films. Both Se7en and Fight Club are among my favorite films and consider them superior to Fincher`s other great recent films like Zodiac, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Social Network, and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Fight Club is an extremely violent film, but I don’t think it`s gratuitous because the movie really works as a satire and raises several philosophical questions about how enslaved we`ve become under the capitalist and advertising system, but it also points out the danger of anarchy as well. We`ve become materialist beings finding our purpose in our possessions and have left out the spiritual part. Sometimes we need to feel pain to remind ourselves that we are alive, and in a way this film works as a highly crafted metaphor. I loved the way the story was presented and how this surrealistic film worked. Based on Chuck Palahniuk`s novel of the same name, and adapted for the screen by Jim Uhls, Fight Club is a masterpiece thanks to Fincher`s direction and the performance from the excellent cast which includes Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, and Helen Bonham Carter. I really loved this movie from beginning to end, including the twist in the final act. 1999 was the year of great twists considering this is when The Sixth Sense was released as well (my all time favorite film). Fight Club is a must see film for all.

The movie begins with a scene where the narrator (Edward Norton) has a gun forced down his throat by Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), to which the narrator begins to tell the viewer what has led him to this point through voice over narration, and so the film is told in flashback. He takes us back to the days when he was an office worker who experienced severe insomniac problems. The doctor recommended that he visit a support group with men who have suffered from testicular cancer in order for him to really see the pain other people have gone through. Despite not suffering from this condition, the narrator decides to do so and discovers that going to these therapies allows him to finally being able to sleep for the first time in months. After this, he decides to attend a different support group every night and everything seems to go well, until he discovers a manic depressive woman named Marla Singer (Helena Bonham Carter) who is doing the same thing he`s been doing: jumping from one support group to another. Seeing her as an intruder and a liar, the narrator can no longer find peace in the support groups and so his insomniac problems begin again. His life will change dramatically when he meets Tyler Durden, a soap maker, in an airplane and has an interesting conversation with him. They exchange numbers and when the narrator arrives home from the airport he discovers his condo has been blown up. He then decides to call Tyler and ends up moving in with him at an old abandoned complex. The two start a very different support group which they call Fight Club since they have to fight one another. The movement becomes popular and little by little they begin to form a revolutionary movement known as Project Mayhem, but things begin to escalate too fast and dangerously.  

Edward Norton appeared in the big movie screen during the 90`s and this was when he made his best films (American History X, Primal Fear, The People vs. Larry Flynt, Rounders, and Fight Club), although I would have to argue that his best performances were in American History X and The 25<sup>th</sup> Hour. However he is still excellent in this film as well. Brad Pitt is at his best playing the sort of chaotic and anarchic character who in some ways is similar to the narrator, but in others very different and more dangerous. He has a strong pull on Norton`s character and influences him deeply. Helena Bonham Carter also plays one of her best roles as this sort of manic-depressive character who stands her own ground in this mostly male dominated film. The performance from the cast is one of the best things about Fight Club which works in every level. The visuals and special effects are also fantastic. It is a dark film with a lot of violence mixed with satire that had me laughing quite a bit. I absolutely loved this movie and the ending was just brilliant.

  

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My Review: The Tree of Life (9/10)

¨The nuns taught us there were two ways through life - the way of nature and the way of grace. You have to choose which one you'll follow.¨

The Tree of Life is a beautiful movie, which works more like a poem than an actual narrative. Terrence Malick has made what is in my opinion one of the closest movies to Kubrick`s 2001 A Space Odyssey. There are several similarities, including imagery, use of music, and very little amount of dialogue in the picture. There is one moment where there is no dialogue whatsoever for about thirty minutes straight, so be warned this film isn`t for the average moviegoer. Film lovers and critics alike will probably love this film thanks to the beautiful imagery; it`s truly a poetic movie and it will stick with you for days to come. It`s an exploration of the meaning of life and the existence of God. If God exists than why does he allow evil? It`s a question we all make sometimes, and Malick answers it quite simply with a verse from the book of Job in the Bible: "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the Earth, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? ¨ Then there is a thirty minute montage of images beginning with the creation of the cosmos and universe, to the creation of Earth and the first living creatures up to the birth of a baby boy. This is where we realize that we are truly small creatures in the midst of such a vast universe. This boy ends up being the protagonist of the film as we see several flashes of memories he`s had growing up in a small Texas town. These are the experiences that have shaped him and led him to question God`s existence. In The Tree of Life, Malick manages to explore these common questions with great use of imagery. It is said that actions speak louder than words, in this case images speak louder than dialogues or typical narrative structures.

The main protagonist of The Tree of Life isn`t a character, we actually see much more imagery such as trees, water, rays of light, and other natural things, than we see people. Most of the imagery from the film comes from Jack O`Brien (Sean Penn) as we get to see his childhood memories and the things that have shaped his life up to the present day. He grew up in a small Texas town during the 50`s under the love of his caring mother, Mrs. O`Brien (Jessica Chastain), who represents the world of grace, and his stern father (Brad Pitt) who represents the world of nature (a more selfish view of the world). Jack (who is played by Hunter McCracken during his youth) is the oldest of three brothers. His fondest memories are of the three always playing together outdoors and enjoying life, although always fearing their father`s discipline. One of the moments that impacted his life was when the three were playing at a public pool and they saw a boy drown. Jack, who had up to that point lived under his mother`s vision of grace, now questions God and doesn’t understand how he could allow such a thing to happen. After his father goes away on a long business trip, Jack begins to go through a rebellious phase in which he does things he is not very proud of. We get to see all these memories and experiences Jack goes through as he recollects his past and tries to find meaning to life and the death of one of his younger brothers.

  

This is a movie in which every viewer will possibly leave with a different interpretation of the movie because the images can speak to us in different ways. It is a very thought provoking movie and Malick really has created a memorable and poetic film. Some of these images will remain in my mind for the rest of my life. I wasn’t really a fan of Malick`s work since I hated The New World and found The Thin Red Line quite boring, but after seeing this film I want to go back and rewatch those movies to see if perhaps my young age was a factor for it. Malick doesn’t make Blockbuster movies, but only time will tell if this film will become a cult classic. In my opinion this movie will be the most talked about film of 2011 over the next decades kind of like in the same way 2001 A Space Odyssey became such a cult fan favorite. This isn’t a movie for everyone, many won`t be interested in all the poetic imagery kind of like in the same way young kids aren`t expected to get excited about listening to classical music; they would much rather go to a rock or pop concert. The Tree of Life doesn`t have that kind of entertainment value, it`s more artistic than anything else. It makes you think about the meaning of life, and it really made me recall several moments of my own childhood. In a way, this is the same way I remember some of my own experiences throughout flashes of recollections I`ve had of my past. We all remember these vague experiences in which we first felt love, remorse, and guilt. This is truly a beautiful film and one I wouldn’t mind sitting through again.

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My Review: Moneyball (10/10)

¨There are rich teams and there are poor teams, then there's fifty-feet of crap, and then there's us. ¨

Moneyball was among the best films I`ve seen this year. It really caught me by surprise since I`m not a big baseball fan and wasn`t expecting much considering the subject matter. Baseball and economics seemed like a bad combination for me, but since Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, and Phillip Seymour Hoffman were all starring in this film I had to see it. It`s impossible not to fall in love with the Billy Beane character and the relationship he had with his young assistant Peter Brand. They are really the center of this movie so if you`re doubting wither or not you should see this worrying about the subject matter all I can say is go see it anyways because it is much more than simply another baseball movie. There are some very strong and emotional scenes where I couldn’t help but get goose bumps over a team and a sport I really didn’t care for. That is how good this film is. Moneyball is directed by Bennett Miller, who also directed Capote in which Seymour Hoffman won an Oscar for his lead performance as Truman Capote. Miller has proven he can make some great films. The movie was adapted from the book written by Michael Lewis (Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game) which focuses on the true story of the Oakland A`s General Manager, Billy Beane, who managed to put together the 2002 team on a very low budget by using computer-generated analysis to draft his players based on a formula which was perfected by his young assistant. This would change the game forever. Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network and Charlie Wilson`s War) did a great job at adapting the screenplay for the big screen.

The movie begins with real footage from the last 2001 divisional series game between the Yankees and the A`s. The A`s were winning the series two games to nothing, but the Yankees came back to win the final three games and leave the A`s out of the Championship Divisional game for a second year in a row. The bad news for General Manager, Billy Beane (Brad Pitt), is that he`s going to lose his three star players for the next season. The A`s don`t have the kind of budget that other rich teams like the Red Sox or the Yankees have. It`s just impossible to compete against those teams, so it`s time to think outside the box. Billy meets with his talent scouts to see how they can replace these key players without any money, but finds no solution. He decides to hire a young Yale Economic graduate who was working as an advisor for the Cleveland Indians. His name is Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) and he uses statistical data to analyze each player and decide which one has a better value based on their batting average and price. Beane and Brand go against all odds and decide to build their team entirely on these computer statistics. The scouts are outraged by the decision, but Beane believes this is the only way he can compete with the big budget teams. Beane also has some arguments with manager Art Howe (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) over whom he should start, but the main focus of the film relies on the relationship between Beane and Brand. There are also a few scenes dealing with Beane and his relationship with his young daughter Casey (Kerris Dorsey) who lives with her mom Sharon (Robin Wright) in California as well.

Moneyball works as both a sports film and a biographical movie, but it is really much more than that. It works thanks to a very strong performance from both Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill who shine in every scene they are together in. Since Beane doesn`t like to watch the games for fear of jinxing the team we don`t really get to see a lot of baseball. There are several conversations revolving around baseball, but it really isn`t that central to the film. The true heart of the film is Beane who we all want to see succeed and silence the critics. We want his system to work because he is such a charismatic character and he believes in what he is doing. The scene where the streak begins is very inspiring and one of the best moments in sports film in my opinion. I really got a lot of goose bumps during that twentieth game winning streak. I also enjoyed the side story revolving around Billy and his daughter Casey. Kerris Dorsey has little screen time, but she is great opposite Brad Pitt. As for Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Robin Wright they really don`t have much to work with and don`t bring anything to the story really. It`s a shame because Hoffman is a great actor and he could`ve had a better role in this film. In my opinion the ending is perfect as well and the soundtrack was also great. Moneyball was one of the most emotional experiences I`ve had with a movie all year and I really recommend this inspiring film.

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