High Fidelity (8/10): A great ensemble cast and a wonderful soundtrack make this a fun experience.

“Nobody worries about kids listening to thousands, literally thousands of songs about heartbreak, rejection, pain, misery and loss. Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?”

Stephen Frear’s High Fidelity breaks the fourth wall from the very opening scene as Rob Gordon (John Cusack) begins sharing with us about his top 5 breakups right at the time his girlfriend, Laura (Iben Hjejle), is moving out of his apartment and leaving him. It is evident he is hurt, but he brushes it off by saying she doesn’t even rank in his list of the most hurtful breakups. That is when he begins listing who each one of them were while we get flashbacks of those memories intertwined with the present in which we are introduced to his job, friends, and his passion for music. Rob is a vintage record store owner and his two employees, Dick (Todd Louiso) and Barry (Jack Black), are as much music snobs as he is, and they too enjoy making lists of their favorite things usually involving music. The more we get to know Rob, we realize that he isn’t the typical romantic character we’d find in a film like this. He is deeply flawed, he has cheated on his girlfriend, he doesn’t seem to be going anywhere with his life, and he is afraid of commitment. Somehow he always believes to be the victim in the break-ups, but from what he says we know that he has never been boyfriend of the year material. It is hard to root for a character like Rob, but John Cusack delivers such a charismatic and engaging performance that we accept his flaws and want him to get over the heartbreak. Along the way he realizes that Laura really belongs on the list and decides to revisit some of his past flames to discover what he has been doing wrong. 

Frears has directed some great films (The Queen, Philomena), along with not so good ones that feel like direct to TV movies, but High Fidelity belongs in his top list of best films. It is a romantic comedy that has an entertaining script, some great performances, and of course a wonderful soundtrack. The screenplay was adapted from Nick Horny’s book but instead of setting the story in London they bring it to Chicago and it absolutely works. Jack Black and Todd Louiso give strong supporting performances and you believe they actually are these snobs who are living music encyclopedias. They complement Cusack’s performance and deliver most of the comedic moments. As for John Cusack I believe this is one of his best performances although I still need to see a couple more of his films to solidify that claim. The romance in High Fidelity is also incredibly believable and relatable which is hard to come across by in most rom-coms. Neither Cusack nor Hjejle are portrayed as these perfect role models in a relationship, they are both flawed characters who have made some poor decisions.

Even though my music knowledge is very limited, I was able to relate to these characters because of their shared passion. I may not have that same passion for music, but I do for movies or sports so I understood where these characters were coming from and believed the culture this film created surrounding music. The screenwriters knew what they were writing about and each one of the actors delivered, and that is what has made High Fidelity such a cult favorite for many teens. It manages to be smart and funny at the same time. It is also one of the best examples of a film successfully being able to break the fourth wall and including the audience in the genius of the movie and its charm.   

Dead Man Walking (9/10): A thought provoking spiritual drama.

“I want the last face you see in this world to be the face of love, so you look at me when they do this thing. I'll be the face of love for you.”

Dead Man Walking is a film that explores the unique and unexpected bond formed between a Catholic nun and a convicted murderer on Death Row. I know this doesn’t exactly sound as a compelling plot nor a crowd pleaser, but it was definitely a thought provoking film and surprisingly one of the best movies of 1995 thanks to the strong performances. Tim Robbins adapted the screenplay from Sister Helen Prejean’s nonfictional book of the same name, and he also directed this inspirational spiritual drama that avoids being one sided and preachy by approaching the material through several different viewpoints. Sister Helen Prejean may be an advocate for the abolition of the death penalty, but this film rather than take sides on the issue allows for both views to make their case and doesn’t seem to have a hidden agenda. Robbins could’ve taken the easy way out by making the convicted murderer more sympathetic, but from the very first scene he’s in, we know this is no saint and the film doesn’t shy away from what he did and the effect his actions had in the family of the victims. This is one of those rare films that approaches a controversial subject and succeeds at being balanced, which makes it a great tool for discussion.

Sister Helen is probably one of the most authentic Christian characters portrayed on film as she is purely empathetic towards everyone around her. She isn’t forcing her religion on this convict or trying to convert him, but rather finding a way for him to come to terms with what he did and find redemption by taking responsibility for his actions. She truly cares for this man, who isn’t exactly a role model, and there is never any judgement in her words. It is rare to find a spiritual character like this portrayed on film in such an honest way, and Susan Sarandon takes the strong material and delivers one of her best performances to date. She simply cares for everyone around her and she is trying to do what is right because she is committed to her beliefs, and she actually applies them which is a rare thing (not even Christian films seem to get this right at times). Sean Penn also delivers a strong performance as the convict, Matthew Poncelet, who every time he opens his mouth the less sympathetic he is, but it is evident he is trying to hide his true emotions and blame everyone else for what he has become. His chemistry with Sarandon is what carries this movie, but there are also several strong supporting performances. Margo Martindale is an actress that is often overlooked, but she deserves more recognition. She can effortlessly play a villain like in The Leftovers, or a loving and supporting Sister like she does here. R. Lee Ermey and Celia Weston play the resentful parents of the victim, and they share a great scene with Susan Sarandon that says a lot about her character. Tim Robbins hasn’t directed a better film and I think he owes much of the success of this movie to the strong performances along with his well written and thought provoking script. 

My Review: Bernie (9/10)

¨A story so unbelievable it must be true.¨

Bernie is among the top 5 films I`ve seen this year, and as the tagline suggests this is one of those few movies that you feel assured is actually true because it`s just too unbelievable to be made up. We all know that most films based on true stories are almost completely fictional except for a few details, but here we have a really interesting story that even used some of the real people involved in an interview format that gave the movie a documentary like feeling. I really loved this film directed by the great Richard Linklater (Slackers, Dazed and Confused, Before Sunset) who made independent movies popular in the early 90`s. Once more the story takes place in his beloved Texas, with people who he`s very familiar with, and so the film turns out to be a great character study while at the same time combining dark comedy, drama, and suspense. All these elements mixed together combined with a great performance from Jack Black, Matthew McConaughey, and Shirley MacLaine make for a near perfect movie. Bernie really took me by surprise, just like Jack Black did with what I think is his best performance ever; I had a great time watching this. The small rural town of Carthage in Texas is also a main character in this film as we meet its people who all seem to adore Bernie as much as I did this movie.

The film is narrated in a semi documentary style as we have the story taking place and it being interrupted by several interviews of the Carthage townspeople who share their opinion about Bernie (Jack Black). The interview serves to continue the flow of the movie as at first they explain how Bernie arrived at their small town. Bernie, an expert mortician, is hired by a funeral director to assist him and from the very beginning he has everyone`s admiration for being such a hardworking loveable and caring guy. He makes friends easily and very soon has the admiration of the entire town. He not only assists the funeral director, but is always willing to go the extra mile offering special funeral services like singing for them or offering special words. He also helps out in several theater plays in the community and serves as the music minister for the local church. Everyone in Carthage likes him and has only but good things to say about him. After Marjorie Nugent`s (Shirley MacLaine) husband passes away, the wealthy widow befriends Bernie. Everyone in town hates Marjorie because she is really mean spirited, even her family has stopped communicating with her for years and even has filed lawsuits against her, but somehow Bernie found a way to get to her. The unlikely duo turn into good friends and travel the world together, but after some time Marjorie turns completely dependent on Bernie and he begins to feel like he`s in a prison with her. This leads Bernie to do something he will regret for the rest of his life.

Bernie is a film based on character study, and a very good one at that because you have a very interesting lead character. He is a very friendly, caring, and giving man that everyone likes. At the same time he seems to be concerned about what others think of him and is always looking for their approval and acceptance. He isn’t concerned about the money as he is with receiving acceptance and that is why he is always giving things to others and helping them. For this reason he can´t find a way to leave Marjorie because he knows he will break her heart and he doesn’t want anyone not to like him. This is not only Jack Black`s best performance to date, but in my opinion it is the best male lead performance of the year and he should receive recognition for his portrayal of Bernie. He is excellent in this film and Jack Black fans should see this movie. This is the second time he has teamed up with director Richard Linklater after School of Rock, but this is a much mature performance and greater movie. Shirley MacLaine is also great in her role as the mean and demanding Marjorie, but we`ve all seen her deliver these performances in the past. Matthew McConaughey also gives a great performance as the town`s District Attorney and he does a good job without going over the top with his character. Bernie really caught me by surprise and I really enjoyed the movie.

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My Review: The Muppets (8/10)

¨Am I a Muppet, or am I a man? If I'm a man, I'm a Muppet of a man. ¨

James Bobin was perhaps barely known for his work as a writer in TV series such as Da Ali G Show and The Flight of the Conchords, but after his direction in his first feature film, The Muppets, he will be recognized and remembered for bringing back the 70`s film and TV series back to life. Bobin has accomplished what I thought in today`s advanced technological world couldn`t be done: bring back the Muppets to popular mainstream and make them stars all over again. This film was a very pleasant surprise and didn’t just work only as a nostalgic piece, but it also managed to convert new fans with some catchy songs and great cameos. Whoever thought the Muppets were done and over with was wrong, because they`ve really made millions of new fans and there movie was on par with their greatest shows in the eighties. Seeing these characters back in the big screen without any use of animated effects and just being their old selves was such a great feeling. It allowed for a better story to be told and not just rely on the special effects like so many animated films do now a day. The spirit of Jim Henson is still alive and he would`ve been pleased with this latest effort. One of the reasons this film worked so well was thanks to the funny script which was written by Jason Segel (who also stars in this film) and Nicholas Stoller. Segel had already proven to be a great writer when he wrote the hilarious Forgetting Sarah Marshall. At the end of that film we came to know about his characters passion for directing a Muppet opera. Perhaps it is really a dream of his and he got close to achieving it with this film. The question I`ll have to ask Segel is if he is a Muppet or a man.

Gary (Jason Segel) and Walter (muppet voiced by Peter Linz) have been very close since they were born. The two brothers always spend time together and one of their favorite hobby`s is watching The Muppets on television. Walter admires the muppets and dreams of meeting them, and one day Gary decides to take him to their Theater in Los Angeles. Gary is actually going to LA to celebrate his tenth year together with girlfriend Mary (Amy Adams), but he convinces Mary to let Walter come with them. Once they arrive at the Museum, they are torn to see the place abandoned and no muppet in sight. While Walter is touring Kermit`s old office he overhears a conversation an oil tycoon named Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) is having, saying that he is going to buy the abandoned theater and extract oil from under the sacred place. Walter is terrified after hearing this and decides to search for Kermit in order to let him know about Richman`s evil plans. The only way to save the theater is to come up with ten million dollars before the end of the week. Gary, Mary, and Walter find Kermit and tell him they still have time to come up with the money if the Muppets get back together and raise the money. That is when Kermit begins enlisting every one of the muppets one by one and preparing a lived telecast show to raise the money. Veronica Martin (Rashida Jones) decides to produce the show despite believing the Muppets are history because their hottest show got cancelled and they need something to cover the hole, but she says they will need a star to host the show. The Muppets find Jack Black and convince him (by kidnapping him) to do it against his will. Thus the show begins and the race against the clock to raise the money.

The comedy along with the musicals in The Muppets work to perfection. I loved every one of the songs in this movie, and Kermit`s single was so good. Jason Segel and Amy Adams have a special chemistry together. Adams reminds us why we fell in love with Enchanted and Jason Segel plays his useful loveable self. It was such a nostalgic feeling to see The Muppets back in action, but they were great as always. Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, Animal, Fozzie, Beaker, Rowlf, and company were all spectacular. These are the characters I grew up with so it was really something to see them together once again in such a well written and entertaining movie. Perhaps the weakest part was the villain; Chris Cooper is a great actor but his character was a little over the top. The best part of the film in my opinion was the cameos. I absolutely loved each one of them, but I don’t want to give away any surprises. My favorite was the cameo from the ¨Am I a Muppet or a Man¨ song. This is a movie for everyone, fans of the old series and young kids will enjoy this alike. The Muppets is one of the pleasant surprises from 2011. It`s definitely worth a watch.

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My Review: Kung Fu Panda 2 (6/10)

¨ My fist hungers for justice! ¨

Po has returned to save China once again in Kung Fu Panda 2; with the same writers (Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger), but a different director (Jennifer Yuh). Many consider that the original Kung Fu Panda is DreamWorks’s best animated film to date; in my opinion their best one is How to Train Your Dragon, but Kung Fu Panda was still a great movie. I had my concerns with the sequel because I knew it was going to be hard to meet expectations. Cars 2 failed in this respect for Pixar, but Kung Fu Panda 2 worked a little better. This film isn’t nearly as good as the 2008 original, but for a sequel it works really well; it probably won`t win an Oscar (Rango seems to have it pretty much locked up this year, although I didn`t like it), but it is still very entertaining and the entire family will have a good time with this movie. The best thing about the film is the animation. Guillermo del Toro was brought in as the creative consultant for the Art Department and it really paid off because the look of the film is impressive and so are the visuals. The story is actually the weakest link, but it works mostly thanks to the characters we grew to love in the first film. There is also an interesting villain, voiced by Gary Oldman, so that was also a plus, but the story was really predictable. After the first 15 minutes you knew exactly what was going to happen at the end. Jean-Claude Van Damme also has a small role as the Master Croc, and it was fun to hear him.

Po (Jack Black) is living in the temple with the five kung fu warriors he has always idolized since he was little: Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Viper (Lucy Liu), and Crane (David Cross). They seem to be training very hard as we hear Po breathing very heavily, but they are actually all staring at how many breads Po can fit into his mouth. Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) calls for Po and tries to teach him about finding inner peace. Po is more of an action kind of Panda and is waiting to show off his kung fu skills as the Dragon Warrior (title which he achieved in the first film). His opportunity comes when the Village where his father Mr. Ping (James Hong) lives is attacked by a group of wolves who are stealing all the metal from the village. The wolves are gathering metal in order to create a secret weapon that will put an end to Kung Fu. They all work for the evil White Peacock named Shen (Gary Oldman) who is threatening to conquer China with this new powerful weapon. There is something about Shen that bothers Po and reminds him of his forgotten past. Po begins to have flashbacks about his childhood and discovers that Mr. Ping is not his actual father. Along with his friends, Po begins a quest to stop Shen before it`s too late, and at the same time discover the truth about his past.

Kung Fu Panda 2 is not as fresh and fun as the first film, but it still was a lot of fun. Po is really a fun character and one can`t help but be reminded of Jack Black when watching Po trying to do his kung-fu stunts. Po is not only voiced by Jack Black, but he seems to be inspired by that character. In the same way there is a scene where we see Master Croc (voiced by Van Damme) do one of his singular moves from his action films. Jack Black is an incredibly funny actor and we find some of that comedy in Po`s animation. Gary Oldman also brought a lot of things to his new character, and he is always great at playing the villain. Kung Fu Panda 2 might not be as good as the original, but that doesn’t mean you won`t have fun with this family friendly film. My only complaint relies in the story, but the animation and visuals make up for it. Kung Fu Panda is a fun film you can enjoy with the family, but not much more than that.

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