Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part II Review

The Harry Potter book series is one of the most renowned book series of all time. Forcing the New York Times to create a children’s top seller list since this series had been overtaking the top spots well past it’s publication date. Needless to say with this series of books and films, J.K. Rowling has solidified her Potter universe into pop culture status. This is a book series that has become a transcendent story that will exists for many years to come. Harry Potter has become part of our modern day mythology. While the movie series has it’s fair share of ups and downs, this final chapter has been long anticipated. With many Potter fans calling it “The End of Their Childhoods,” the one question lingering on their minds since that cliffhanger ending in Deathly Hallows Part I (2010) is “Will the last film deliver the ending that we all want and deserve?”

This film series has come to a fantastic closure. Picking up moments after the last film’s cliffhanger, the film follows wizard Harry Potter and his friends as they seek the means to destroy Lord Valdemort. The story in this final chapter is essentially a two-hour third act. All of the elements that popped in the first seven films, make a return in a exciting and unexpected ways. The film is so taught and so emotionally wrenching that it leaves you as Harry and his friends have been dealing with this whole plot for seven films: Emotionally Exhausted. Is this a negative?; Far from it. What the tail end of the film leaves you with is the sense that this series is done. No loose ends are left and the audience is left with an astounding sense of pathos. The ending works to pin you to the edge of your seat as the pieces are coming together, whereas in the last film, the characters dealt with failure upon more failure. This is one of the grimmer entries in the series. The actors have all brought their A-game to this chapter. The film is filled with so many emotionally heart wrenching scenes that requires talented actors to really sell these scenes, and none of them disappoint by a long strench.

As much as these movies are a joy to behold, there are a few flaws. You can’t watch this film without watching the last one as this is meant to be a part two of a narrative. While a lot of moments in the film feel rushed, at a two hour runtime this film could have been longer. The shortest of the Potter films, but they could have used a bit of pace here and there. The epilogue is a bit much, but leaves the audience on a good note. A very satisfying movie despite these flaws.

The film has so much heart and story packed in that the audience is bound to leave the theater wiping away the tears from their face. The film will leave one with elated sense that their beloved series has come to a very satisfying conclusion and that story the fans of the novels knew and grew up with has been captured on film. After this film, there’s no need for anymore in the franchise. This modern day epic mythology of Wizards and Magic has come to a satisfying conclusion.

Harry Potter…thanks for the wonderful send off.

9 of 10

A-

"Let Me In" REVIEW REWRITE!

There's always that nails-on-a-chalkboard reaction when audiences hear another film remake is on the way. Especially for a film embraced by critics and viewers as Tomas Alfredson's chilling Swedish vampire-film "Let The Right One In." Sometimes we get remakes that bastardize the original film and are churned out to exploit a fan-base. To all die-hard fans of the 2008 original film and novel: lay down your wooden stakes. With "Let Me In", Writer/Director Matt Reeves has not only crafted one of the best horror films of recent years, but a film that will go down, along with John Carpenter's remake of "The Thing," as one of the best remakes ever.


The basic premise revolves around a reclusive and viciously bullied boy named Owen (Kodi Smith McPhee) as he befriends a vampire-girl named Abby (Chloe Moretz). As the story between the children unfolds, a string of death and tragedy surround their friendship. Story-wise, this film is less of a remake and more of a well-told adaptation of the original Swedish novel. What Revees brilliantly changed is the Swedish landscape to the American landscape and how much that adds to the narrative while still staying true to what made the original film and the novel work to reinvent the vampire story and tell a fascinating story.


"Let Me In" takes place in Ronald Reagan-era 1983 in Los Alamos, New Mexico. During the time when Reagan famously stated "The evil was around America". This adds a chilling and frightening resonance to this vampire coming-of-age story that focuses on the violent nature of growing up and punctuates that chilling fear from the 1980s. Everything in the translation from the original Swedish landscapes works well for an American context. When watching the film, it's hard to not feel that wave of nostalgia and flashback to that moment in your childhood where you felt different from everyone else or befriended the new next door neighbor and plunked down five dollars at the local arcade together.


The writing is so textured that Revees nails it on the head with the emotional beats to where you have a strong sense of pathos to each of these characters. Moretz delivers a mature and chilling performance as Abby. McPhee's performance as Owen is hard to not have empathy for, given the sad nature of being a child of divorce and brutal bullying, a really great performance by McPhee. Richard Jenkin's brilliant performance as "the father" communicates so much with very few words and his eyes that he becomes the stand out performance from the cast.

The direction by Revees is great as well. The cinematography is gorgeous. It uses a yellow hue of streetlamps against the snow to create this gritty and realistic tone to the film. While the film is in the fantasy realm with vampires, this little touch grounds it in reality. The locations are nostalgically recognizable and they seem like that neighborhood you grew up in years past. The shots and the pacing take a leisurely approach. The long shots and slow pace allows for the audience to pick things that once you see the film again, you notice all the little subtleties that Revees put in and it makes the viewing more rewarding.

The film has so much heart that it transcends the horrific elements and becomes really a sweet coming-of-age film between a boy and a vampire-girl. Though this is a remake, don't let that stop you from seeing this. This remake stands above the rest as a film not made for a profit, but because this story deserves to be retold. Revees proves with this film that with the right storyteller and intention, there can still be some great remakes. The story is one of the more profound and original vampire stories to be told. FULL-PRICE!!

9 of 10

"Let Me In" REVIEW

There is always that nails-on-a-chalkboard reaction when audiences hear another film remake is on the way. Especially for a film embraced by critics and viewers as Tomas Alfredson's chilling Swedish vampire-film "Let The Right One In." Sometimes we get remakes that bastardize the original film and are churned out to exploit a fanbase. To all die-hard fans of the 2008 original film: lay down your wooden stakes. With "Let Me In", Writer/Director Matt Reeves has not only crafted one of the best horror films of recent years, but a film that will go down, along with John Carpenter's remake of "The Thing", as one of the best remakes ever.


The basic premise revolves around a reclusive and viciously bullied boy named Owen (Kodi Smith McPhee), as he befriends a vampire-girl named Abby (Chloe Moretz.) As the story between the children unfolds, a string of death and tragedy surround their friendship. Story-wise, this film is less of a remake and more of a well-told translation of the original Swedish story. What Matt Revees has done so brilliantly with this film is have the change to the American landscape add to the narrative.


"Let Me In" takes place in Ronald Regan era 1983 in Los Alamos, New Mexico. During the time when Regan famously stated that "The evil was around America." This change adds a chilling and frightening resonance to this vampire coming-of-age story that focuses on the violent nature of growing up and punctuates that chilling fear from the 1980's. Everything in the translation from the original Swedish landscapes works well for an American context. When watching the film, it's hard to not feel that wave of nostalgia and flashback to that moment in your childhood where you felt different from everyone else or befriended the new next door neighbor and plunked down five dollars at the local arcade together.


The writing is so textured that Matt Revees nails it on the head with the emotional beats to where you have a strong sense of pathos to each of these characters. Chloe Moretz delivers a mature and chilling performance as Abby. Kodi Smith-McPhee's performance as Owen is hard to not have empathy for given the sad nature of being a child of divorce and brutal bullying. Just a really great performance by Kodi. Richard Jenkin's brilliant performance as "The Father" communicates so much with very few words and his eyes that he becomes the stand out performance from the cast.

This film doesn't try to outdo the original film, but brilliantly reinterprets some of the events and attains it's own identity. The film has so much heart, that it transcends the horrific elements and becomes really a sweet coming-of-age film between a boy and a vampire-girl. Don't let the fact that this is a remake of a great film stop you s from seeing this. This remake stands above the rest as a film not made for a profit, but because this story deserves to be retold. In walking out of this film, the argument between the folks waiting in line shifted from whether or not this movie was any good to whether the original or this film was the superior film. Matt Revees proves with this film that with the right storyteller and intention, there can still be some great remakes. FULL-PRICE!!

9 of 10

Fantastic Mr. Fox QUICKSHOT REVIEW!

Wow! Wes Anderson can direct a animated film and he comes off like a pro his first time through! Definitely a fantastic and well made film and everything works so well, but you can smell Wes Anderson from a far. Some of the jokes are sorta out of place, but doesn't detract from the heart of the picture. The animation is weird, but that fades away quickly and you end up losing yourself in the story! FULL-PRICE!!!

The Twilight Saga: New Moon REVIEW!

Just so bad to the point that it's hysterical.

The plot makes no sense. There is no structure to this "story." It is hallow in every way possible. But is it unwatchable? Not really. The story is just a despicable and just negative story line that ultimately tells girls that if your guy leaves you, all you need to do is threaten suicide and he'll be back running with open arms. The acting is atrocious. This is the type of movie that these actors will never be able to live down. Michael Sheen is maybe the best actor in the whole flick. The director must have been in on what a crock this story is because it seems that he made a lot of choices with the fact that he knows the tweens and cougars are going to be going nuts for this and he just gave them literally what they wanted! While it is bad, I would say the tweens and cougars will laugh later on when we look at the box office success of this film as we do for the Phantom Menace and even that film was so much more better! While there are aspects that should make this film better, I wasn't surprised by what I saw. I can't really recommend this film on it's quality past the fact that it is a movie that is bad to the point where it needs to be seen to be believed. The fact that this movie has gone on to break records in the box office is an embarrassment. I did enjoy the first one and didn't hate it cause it seemed like it was made with more "heart" and this one just feels like SAW for women. Ladies you can have this movie. I am not crapping on it because I did have more fun talking about how bad it was than actually seeing it. Based on it's quality...it's SOME OL' BULLSHIT!

But a MATINEE with a few drinks in cuz you'll laugh your ass off!

Boondock Saints II REVIEW!

Troy Duffy is one of those directors with a really bad rap in the filmmaking community. With all of the negative word of mouth behind him, he is back. He is back with the first film since his cult hit Boondock Saints. Now it leads us to now.

This film is beat for beat the same film as the first. While the film's scale has certainly expanded since the last film, the storypoints are almost all the same. Clifton Colins Jr. is a wasted talent in this film and he plays one of the biggest hispanic cliches in a movie in a long while. He serves no real purpose than to try and fill in the shoes of a character that died at the end of the last film, without the audience liking him. The actors from the last film are all fine. The brothers still kick ass and they are as strong as ever. Julie Benz is miscast and Judd Nelson is wasted a bit too. Every new actor is either playing a tired or offensive cliche.

With all of this said, I wasn't bored by the film. I had fun with it in a lot of parts. I thought it was more or less the same film as the last one. It didn't expand on any of the thematics brought upon in the first film. The weakest point of this film is in the script. It is the same film, but it was still fun. The brothers are back, but I can't help but feel as if the novelty of the first film has kind of rubbed off. There are some great set pieces to the film, but the story feels very lackluster at points and a retelling of part 1. This is a movie made for the hardcore Boondock fans. It was't as bad as it could have been. So, I'd give it a RENTAL. It was fun seeing the brothers back for another go!

Christmas Carol in 3-D REVIEW!

Robert Zemeckis is at it again with the all CGI film again, but only in this case: it works really well with the story and it is the only way this story could have been done to do it justice. Charles Dicken's eerie classic story is faithfully told with the right tone, the right look, and the right angle. This film is very dark as Dickens' original novel was parable for righting wrongs and it for the most part doesn't talk down to it's ideas.

First off, the performances were spot on. Of course this is a CGI movie, but the director's intention is to keep some of the actors in the film as much as possible, but the film can't help itself from feeling as if these performances were being compromised or changed as the animators saw fit. Gary Oldman is great in his role as Bob Cratchit and you really feel for his situation. One of my favorite aspects is that they really sell the idea that the Cratchit household is just a depressing place with no ray of hope in sight, but these people hang onto that hope because it is all they have left. Jim Carrey did a fantastic job as Scrooge. Jim Carrey plays Scrooge as the mean and the downright despicable old man that you just can't help, but hate in the opening of the picture. His Scrooge is just a oddly shaped human being that is just as much thrilling as it is disturbingly scary to watch him throughout the film. He does a great job as the ghosts as well. I thought Jim Carrey was the highlight of the film.

The other great thing about this film is that Zemeckis gets the soul of the story down! He gets the griminess of the story and that works well in playing the fact that this isn't a happy setting for Scrooge and it gives him more reason for his change later on in the picture. There is no real presence of Tiny Tim as he was just a side character, and I didn't miss Tiny Tim much. This film does away with the campy and family elements that the previous pictures had, but it does keep all of the depressing aspects intact. The creepy and depressing aspects is what is really going to sell this movie to mature and young audiences. I think that this is definitely a really dark film, but you can take your kids to see this. The 3D definitely worked and I thought it was great!

With all of my praise of the film, I didn't think the film was entirely perfect. The only aspect that I think the film lost me was in the last scene in which Scrooge is being chased by the ghost of christmas future. it is a common criticism. That scene seemed more played for laughs and it downplayed the more depressing aspect about the film, but thankfully it doesn't last long and Zemeckis gets right back on track with getting rid of Scrooge's squeaky voice and his size change and getting serious once again before any real harm is done the integrity of the picture.

Overall, a very faithful rendition of Charles Dickens' classic story. I thought that Jim Carrey, Robert Zemeckis, and crew have done a fantastic job retelling this classic story to a new audience. While I thought the only flaw was a choice with the last act, Zemeckis nails everything else. This is easyily above what Polar Express and Beowulf did both technically and storytelling wise. I'd give this one a FULL-PRICE! Check this out!

Pirate Radio REVIEW!

To start off, the film is very much a coming of age tale with a different gimmick. Is that to say that this is a bad film? Nope. This film is very much about getting to know these people and what the cultural feeling was to have to listen to rock and pop in the UK at that point in history. While it does have some findings of it being a bit generic with it's music selection, I found that just following these characters was very interesting enough. The film has you fall in love with each of these characters and it gives most of them dimension and further complicates their lives as the film progresses. This film is an ensemble piece and it's more about the lives between the characters rather than the typical story about how these characters changed the world of rock. They did, but in a sense they didn't. They were only interested in providing the music for people and spreading the world. This film has a very ALMOST FAMOUS vibe, but with a bit less going for it. While I did like the film, it seemed to be trying a bit too hard at points with the soundtrack and with each of the characters not nesscaryly having an arc, but watching the film, I was able to forgive all of that.

The performances are all pretty spot on funny! The characters and actors all have a great chemistry that shines on-screen and you just fall in love with each of these characters from the get go. If you are to be stuck at sea with a group of people, namely Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, and Nick Frost, then you're going to have a blast with this film!

Overall, fun film to watch and it definitely was an enjoyable experience. I am right on the edge because I know the film is a great watch, but I wouldn't say go out and see it right away. This film is very funny and I did enjoy it a lot for it was trying to do, so I'd have to give this flick a MATINEE! I had a lot of fun watching these characters, but didn't get much from the story. It was a coming of age tale of a different sort.

Antichrist REVIEW!

There comes a film that once in a while completely baffles me in terms of where to place it. In the whole time I reviewed films, I've rarely come across those films. Lars Von Trier's ANTICHRIST is definitely one of those rare and exceptional films. Without giving out too many spoilers this film was clearly written in a state of depression or in a time of pure grief. Von Trier has transported me to a world where you just feel the pain, blood, sweat, and tears present in every single frame of this beautifully shot film. However, I while I did enjoy the film to an extent, I can't quite defend it. It is a divisive film. There are a number of conflicting opinions on the film. Some call it an artistic achievement. Some call it just an offensive and terrible film and that the director is just "masturbating" on-screen. I called it a visceral experience and definitely not for the faint of heart.

On the positive side, this film has two great performances. Willem Dafoe is great in the role as "HE." His character is very sympathetic and you feel as if he is a character that is conflicted between choices of the intellect and choices of the heart. He is a well rounded character and I thought Defoe did a great job portraying that. The main thing that stood out for me was Charlotte Gainsbourg. She was fantastic in her role. She communicated that grief aspect to her character. I thought that she had a lot to say with simply her eyes and you do feel she has changed by the end of the picture. Both Her and Defoe did a great and believable performance, but Gainsbourg pulled a career defining performance. It takes a lot of bravery for Gainsbourg to pull off the emotions that she portrayed in the film. This is not a easy performance to watch or portray and she did a great job. You can see she is an actress with a lot of potential. The cinematography is just excellent. The film looks amazing and it has all of these nightmarish imagery that will shock you and stay with you for a long time to come.

On to the negatives.

While the visuals and the performances are definitely there, there doesn't really seem to be a rhyme or a reason as to why the extreme things are happening onscreen. There really isn't much to be said or much to connect by the end. Although this film has a lot of thematic material that is reaching out to a higher concept, the film just seems as if it is made more to shock than anything else. The film is just a visceral experience. It is stunningly shot, but it is very much an art house film of a different sort. The symbolism of the picture gives it a conflicting tone. It is called Anti-Christ, but the last act of the film doesn't really connect well to the promise from the first two acts. The last act is an all out endurance test. The two climatic set pieces that guarantee this will get an NC-17 rating, will have you cringe in your seat. It is pretty outlandish. The nudity in the film also becomes very distracting at points. The film after a while just had me question what is the purpose of trying to gross out or offend the audience. It is just buying into it's own ideals a bit too much and you get the sense that the director has completely alienated his audience for the sake of shock value.

Ultimately, I feel that the film was a strong experience in cinema, but not one I'd go back and rewatch again anytime soon. I'd say it's a beautiful looking film and it makes you dive into the nightmarish dreams of the director. It's definitely not a film for everyone. People will be split on the integrity of the film. While I did think it was worthwhile and not boring, I wouldn't recommend all to see it. I would say this film is a MATINEE, only because you owe it to yourself to see it in a cinema and get the full experience of the picture the way it was intended to be seen. This film is unapologetic as is Lars Von Trier's vision of a couple's descent into madness.

8 of 10

Gentlemen Broncos REVIEW!

In walking into this screening, I wasn't particularly too excited to see this. I tried to distance myself for my personal hatred towards Jared Hess. I don't think Napoleon Dynamite was one of the funniest films of this generation, I thought it was painfully boring at times. I thought Nacho Libre was a bit funnier, but still pretty bland and boring. Now comes to this. I heard about what kind of film this was, and noticed the talent attached behind it. Jermaine Clement and Michael Angarano was attached to this! I am a fan of Jermaine's work on Flight of the Conchords and I have been a fan of Michael's work in the underrated Snow Angels, so I actually was willing to give this movie a shot! Walking into the theatre, I experienced something I didn't think was going to happen. For the first 30 mins, I was really digging this movie! I was laughing! I thought this movie was going to a place that was going to have me really dig the shit outta it, but then again...it's a Jared Hess film...

HE FUCKS UP ROYALY IN THE LAST HALF OF THE FILM and HE LOSES ME!!!

GODDAMN IT!!!

Ok I am going to list some of the positives. On the positives, the thematic ideas behind the film easily push this film into the realm where it is Jared Hess' best work to date! The opening act of the film is a really interesting set-up. Jermaine Clement is hilarious in the film! Michael Angarano is good in the role. I actually liked his character for the most part. I thought that the 2 leads were great! We can't ignore Sam Rockwell! Sam Rockwell's scenes are all ridiculous, but are hilarious! Overall, the cast and the opening act is what this film has going for it.

What this film doesn't have going for it? Well in Essence...it's JARED HESS and the script. Goddamn was I betrayed by this film. I thought that the opening acts of the film were leading up to a really thoughtful story about what it means to be a writer and to get all of these bad stories out of your system. I connected to the film because I myself am a struggling writer! I bought all of the insecurities and the lame ideas that come from writing really bad stories. I thought this film was going to go places...but it fucking didn't. The opening acts really have some meat on the bones, but then the later half of the film turns into a total Jared Hess film and he has to throw all of the cheap cop-out/gross-out jokes and it becomes a tremendous mis-fire. The midpoint of the film had nothing else to say. The film reached a point where I was questioning "why is the director making THIS the main idea for the last acts?" I was saying to myself at the screening "No!....No!!! I WANT TO LIKE THIS!!! PLEASE!!!" The last acts tembling of the film seems abrupt and not becoming of the interesting ideas that this film had presented to me in the beginning! The feeling I felt coming out was just pure betrayal. The leads are all well cast and are built up enough to an ending that fuckin goes nowhere! The last act is where it all fuckin gets ridiculous. The jokes are all lame, boring, and in low taste and then out of her ass, one of the side characters pulls out a plot device that just comes out of nowhere and you can't believe for a single second that this character has the remote mental capacity to even contemplate doing what she does in the very last few minutes of the film. The film fucks up badly.

This is a film with a lot of potential. I was surprised by Jared Hess, but he went back to his old ways and screwed the film into the dirt despite having the wonderful talent behind him on this. I'd say that this film is a SOME OL' BULLSHIT!!! Skip out on this. If you really need to see this, watch the trailer as all of the best moments and pretty much the whole film is in it. Otherwise, It's not worth the time.

Saw VI + Paranormal Activity REVIEWS!

Hi guys! I decided to catch a double feature before the halloween weekend! I thought I'd give ya a double review!

First off

Saw VI

While this has a all of the elements of a Saw film, this was actually quite a surprise for me. While I think that this film won't garner new fans to the series, but this one holds up as a solid horror film. I've always liked the character of Jigsaw and this film actually has you sympathize with him for who he has gone after. Also the main story-line is actually interesting to the point where these traps are all well-conceived to where they people an emotional test for the audience as they are for the characters. Granted this is not great material, but it is one of the better written of the Saw sequels since the first 3 films. The traps do not disappoint and neither does this sequel. The positives have more to do with the story and it's a great close to Jigsaw's storyline and all of the major questions are solved, but it still leaves it open for a new film. The negatives of the film is that the acting apart from Tobin Bell (who is still great after 6 flicks) but the cast are all bad. Costas Mandylor is still terrible and I hate his character.

Overall, not a bad sequel to Saw. I dug it and thought that the film was good enough to redeem the series. You can take it as a satire that points out the flaws in the healthcare system, the traps are all elegantly constructed and great, and the story-lines are starting to wrap up. Saw VI is what the fans wanted from a Saw movie since Saw III. Easily one of the better films in the series. It is a MATINEE! Check it out!

7 of 10

Next Up

Paranormal Activity

I thought this film was quite Effective! It used no gore effects and it had enough legitimate scares that will pull you in and leave you in your seat just creeped out. While not as scary and amazing as people lead you to believe, it's a solid thriller. The film is a typical couple moves in story and all of this crazy stuff starts to happen. It's not particularly a great storyline, but the execution of the film is what drew me in. The lack of answers and the way these events unfolded were paced just fine. There are a number of scenes here that are just uncomfortable to watch and there is no monster in the picture. Just a force of nature and it's about how these kids make all the wrong choices and how their story concludes. The postives of the film have to be the set-pieces and the pacing of them. Each of the set pieces build up in tone and just leave you on the edge of your seat. The negatives is that the acting can become quite bad. Some of the moments just didn't play out real to me despite how realistic the filmmakers tried to make it. The situations take major leaps of faith in terms of what these characters would do.

Overall, with these minor complaints I found the film to be a breath of fresh air. While it maybe comprared to blair witch, I found this a much better film. It employed real scares with legitimately scary and creepy sequences. These sequences made me feel uncomfortable to where the film connected with me on that fear of being messed with in that vulnerable state of sleeping. Overall, I'd say this a a MATINEE! Not the masterpiece and becoming one of those overhyped films, it is a strong recommend to see this with a crowd or on a date and just have fun. I enjoyed it quite a bit.

(7 of 10)

Here ya go guys!!! Hope ya enjoyed and check these out soon during the weekend. Definitely a great time with a midnight screening crowd, friends, or with a date!

TAKE CARE GUYS!!

Where the Wild Things Are REVIEW!

If I was to describe this film in a word, I would have to say its "childhood." The film is Spike Jonze's way of telling kids that childhood is a great time, but sooner or later; we all have to grow up. The main point of this film is set behind the idea of what it means to grow up and what it means to take your own temperature as a child. Spike Jonze nails so many sentimental and emotional beats that it just becomes such an inspiring a great ride into the imagination of this little boy.

The story line was told well. I think Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers did a fantastic job adapting the very short book into a feature length kid's story. While there are some flaws, the positives of the screenplay supersede any of the inherent flaws the film has overall. The storyline is about childhood and the pain that comes with growing up and just realizing that it's time to move on and face yourself. It's a kid's movie, but it's a kid's movie of a different sort. This is the type of kid's movie that parents take their kids to if they want to find out the harsh realities in life and how we all have to grow up sooner or later. The great part about the film is how they channel Max's childhood feelings and thoughts into the creatures. You feel that these creatures are strong and dangerous, but gullible, naive, and with the thought process of a child. You know what, that's exactly what they are! Why would they believe that Max is a king? Because it is his imagination. These creatures want that person to look up to take care of them and nurture them...just like Max. The film delivers some of it's mature thematics in an eloquent and beautiful way that you feel this film is transcendent of the genre.

The acting of the film is quite strong. While in the opening act of the film you see exactly how out of control Max is and why he is feeling as he is, but you don't really fall entirely in love with him at the start. You're not supposed to. He is a normal kid that is not trying to impress anybody and he is doing his own thing, while others have moved on and grown up or just need to better their own lives. That comes in direct conflict with Max as he is comfortable being a young kid, not growing up, and causing trouble. This is directly communicated fantastically by newcomer Max Records. He delivers such a great performance as this out of control kid that you sense there is a change in him by the film's end. You start off not liking his character, but his character really does grow on you and you feel a connection to his character in this magical world. All of the other voice actors all do a great job with their roles. The casting of James Gandolfini as Carol is a brillant move on Spike Jonze's part. His voice puts you on an uneasy path because James' voice is menacing and it is everything it needs to be to convey the feeling that these creatures are fun, but he is unpredictable and dangerous. The parrallels between Max and Carol are just so brillantly told that you sense that Max is needing to change his own ways or else he'll stay being that wild and unpredictable in his home life. It's only until he gets a taste of what it feels like to deal with him that it starts to make Max do something he'd thought he'd do: Grow up. The acting was just great. Catherine Keener was great in this film in the small part she plays, but Mark Ruafflo is a bit wasted in this film. Overall, great acting in the film by both the humans and the creatures.

You can't talk about this film without mentioning the spectacular work of the creature effects. The creature facial work is done so well that the blend of CGI and practical effects become seamless. It works as a storytelling device and you don't feel these creatures are being held back by any means. These creatures look fantastic! The cinematography of the film also is amazing as well. The movie is so well composed that you sense that magic that is evident in each frame. It's just a stunning visual treat!

While I did like the film a lot, there are some flaws. The film tried a bit to hard to not talk down to kids to the point of it having a real crisis of identity. It doesn't want hold back mature themes, but the film carries a feeling of melancholy that you don't know what to make of it when the film's magical moments are over. The material covered seemed a bit too depressing and shoe horned in. Another flaw I found was that the middle of the film dragged for a bit too long and seemed as if it had nothing to do for a while. They are building this city...for what really? it seemed a bit like they ran out of ideas for Max and the wild things to do that the middle section of the film didn't live up to what the film had to offer with the first couple of acts, thankfully the last acts of the film pick it up. The film just seemed to be a bit hallow despite of what it tried to convey to the audience. It also seemed to be a children's movie, aimed at adults. It has a high nostalgic factor for adults that most don't know what to make of it. It's just a bit all over the map, but it didn't detract the film for myself.

Spike Jonze has captured what it means to have to come to that age where you know you are getting older and need to mature. He captures the spirit of the book effectively. His film is a beautifully told sentiment about growing up in a rough time. Most important of all, it's about how when we are in our most vulnerable, we turn to our own imagination to find solace. Overall, While not the movie we expected, it's still very enjoyable. it wasn't trying to conform to the formula of it being a kid's film, but it's transcendent of it's own genre. This is a dark and deeply emotional, but a bit hallow at the same time. This is a FULL-PRICE movie to me. This is a special film and I enjoyed it quite a bit!

A Serious Man REVIEW!

The Cohen brothers time and time again have managed to both make high caliber films as the classic Fargo (1996), The Big Lebowski (1999), and my personal Favorite: No Country For Old Men (2007). They have also managed to make films that are less than impressive with films like The Ladykillers (2004) and the "intolerable" Intolerable Cruelty (2003). But with this film, by the finale of the picture; I didn't know how to feel about it. I knew that I liked it, but I couldn't tell how much I liked it.

Before I go any further: This Film is VERY JEWISH! The basic premise of the film is about a Jewish father and husband, who is watching as his life goes down the drain. His marriage is falling apart, his relationship with his kids is questionable, and his brother won't stop loafing around the house. While the premise of the film is not something that is different, the structure of the film is very unique. The questions about what kind of film this is going to be is set up with a great opening sequence. This opening sequence establishes the vibe that film is going to be; which is a black comedy. While doing that is fine, I am guessing that some people aren't going to get that at first. The black comedy in this film is taken to a realm of little color. The story is so dark and deep to an extent that you can't help, but feel so very bad for the lead character. You just sit there for the runtime and watch how this man's life is truly going down the toilet. That is the whole point to this film. Without giving off too many spoilers, the whole arc of watching this man's life fall apart is paid off with a deep, heartwarming, and mature concept that you forgive the pain you underwent watching this film. That isn't to say the film is bad by any stretch. The story reaches a point that is heartbreaking and painful to watch, then it provides that little ray of hope for these characters that makes the experience payoff. The script in this film is excellent! The Cohens harken to the dry humor that they are well known for. It's dry humor, but you almost have to work hard to see past the grimness and the heartbreak of what the Larry character is going through, but there are some laughs to be had this film. It is structured well, but this is definitely another film in which the Cohens have definitely broken the rules of cinema 101.

The acting of the film is....well can you say apart from "It's the Cohen Brothers movie!" This acting on this film is great! Everyone has their moments! Fred Melamed as Sy Ableman definitely has a great and humorous part in this film. His scenes with the Larry character is just so uncomfortably hilarious to watch and Fred does a great job with that role. Richard Kind as Undle Arthur is funny in most of his scenes and you end up liking that character quite a bit. The one standout of this film has to be Michael Stuhlbarg as Larry Gopnik. He carries this film all-through and he delivers a subdued performance that allows you to read into his eyes. He is very introverted, but he delivers a lot to tell through his eyes. He delivers a pain and a likable quality at the same time in which you start off not liking this character and by the end of the picture, he wins you over. I definitely enjoyed watching Larry's arc of the picture the most and he delivers the standout performance! The cinematography of the film is very great as well. The Cohens are back with their regular cinematographer from No Country For Old Men: Roger Deakins. Deakins delivers a great visual and subdued style that works with the picture! The film is just really well shot and it works!

The negatives of the picture depends entirely on the audience. While I know that people love to be thrown curve balls in movies, the Cohens pull the rag from under you. The ending of the picture is definitely abrupt, but it's definitely going to be one thing the audience is going to be split on! While it works for the picture, many do argue that it should be clear as to what happens and it shouldn't be left to our imagination. I was split on it. I didn't want it to end like that, but I got exactly what the directors were trying to do with the film after I saw the film. If you take it, it can be good thing. A key theme in the film is that life sometimes has no answers and it pulls the rug from under you at the wrong time. The film's problem is that it's unclear if most audiences would go through with that again.

Overall, this film is a black comedy that is a surprise and a worthwhile check. I wasn't into the film when I started watching it, but the film won me over. I did get what the Cohens were trying to do and they definitely break the rules of Cinema, but I did like them all for it after the picture was done. The script is great, the cinematography is great, and the acting is good too. This is a FULL-PRICE movie! I dug it!

Till Next time take care guys!

Whip It REVIEW!!

In watching this film, It never occurred to me that this was Drew Barrymore's debut as a film director. She comes off as a pro with this film right from the start. The film is a great debut by Barrymore. I wasn't too interested in this film's subject matter, but the fact that Ellen Page was starring in this made me take a second look at it. I thought that the film could be good to ok, but I didn't expect to end up actually going for the ride and enjoying it.

The basic premise of the film is a girl coming of age tale. We have seen this story told a thousand times. Girl is an outcast, Girl finds passion, Parents don't like passion, and then you throw in alot of the cliche's of a coming of age story and you got this movie, but there are enough elements that are present in the picture that definitely make this one different. The subject matter of roller derbying is one that I thought was going to be a big leap of faith on the part of Drew Barrymore making this an interesting sport and she nails it. About 10 minutes into the movie, I saw that Roller Derbying really lent itself to being a very visual and an intense experience on film. It was awesome to see these sequences cut together. On the directing aspect of the film, Drew Barrymore comes out great and she proves she can direct.

The acting of the film is good. I thought that the team had their moments. It was great to see Zoe Bell again in a film. I thought that Kristen Wig was great in her role, and Juilette Lewis was great as the leader of the rival roller team, but definitely the stand-out of this film is Ellen Page. Ellen Page is what makes this film so watchable and she carries a lot of baggage on her shoulders throughout the picture. She delivers the wit and charming aspect from the Bliss character. You feel that throughout the film she is unsure of herself, until you see that strength emerge from her and she becomes even tougher and more vulnerable emotionally. Ellen Page is perfectly cast in this role. It isn't her playing a hippster on the par of Juno, but she is still a hippster, but more likable.

The technical aspects of this film from the editing and the pacing all work great. The film delivers that brutal and competitive nature of the skating arena and it works as a cinematic experience.

The one flaw to the film is that the script is very predictable. Of course there are some moments that are thrown in for good measure, but the film follows a lot of the cliche' moments from most coming of age stories about girls. By the time you get to the third act, you can predict most of the major beats and character choices. It's a complaint that drags the film and makes it lose a little bit of steam in the third act, but the last act of the film picks it up again and brings back some of the heart of the first two acts.

Overall, this film is a great coming of age tale and finding your passion. It's predictable: Yes. It is bad? Not by a stretch! I enjoyed this film quite a lot. Drew Barrymore definitely brings a heart to this film as the director as she shines both off camera and in front of the camera. Ellen Page gives a strong performance and her arc is fun to watch! I'd say this is a FULL-PRICE! Go check this out! A pleasant surprise and quite a touching film!

Halloween II REVIEW!!!

Time and time again Rob Zombie has proven that he is one creative and talented musician/artist/filmmaker. I wasn't a fan of House of 1,000 Corpses, but the visuals were great in the film. I think that Devil's Rejects is a far superior film than Corpses and I actually dug the 2007 Halloween Remake. It was a different vibe and feel and I applauded Zombie for trying something different and not simply rehashing the original story and give us a re-telling of that classic first film. It was different and it was an entertaining and solid horror flick. Now this brings us to Halloween 2. I was actually looking forward to this film because I did enjoy the remake and I know he was going to have his own re-interpretation for the sequel since he is not bound by the limitations that he had before with a remake. Plus the fact that he can outdo himself with each movie definitely had me on it's side. I was definitely looking forward to it.

Well, the film is essentially taking a much more fantasy element to the story. While the first film delved into the dysfunctional family aspect of the Michael Myers character, this film focuses on the "white horse" and the relationship between Michael and Laurie. Doing that is fine, but they just didn't make it interesting and they threw cliche' upon cliche' onto the story to the point where I felt as if I was being force feed all of these mental health aspects. The film is also just a bit on the unorganized side. While this film has a lot of kills, they are all the same kills and it just gets a bit tiresome by the end. The Halloween theme is not present in most of the film and it just decided to forget that it was a Halloween movie. I have to give props to Zombie for not rehashing the original sequel, but it still wasn't that interesting. I wasn't all that impressed. Most of the character development is undercut by a scene that happens later on. The main protagnist isn't active and you really aren't rooting for her. The Characters that come from the original are either not the same characters or they have just changed to really generic and unlikable characters completely different from the original film's portrayal. The character of Sam Loomis is completely wasted and is just not a likable character at all in the entire picture. Nearly every character here is wasted and not likable. The film also takes the biggest leap of faith with Michael Myers. While I was fine with Michael Myers being somewhat of a hobo, you need to have Michael Myers stay consistent. His mask comes on and off on a constant basis. That conflicts with his character that was established in the first film. The film just doesn't know what story to tell about Michael Myers and what to convey about his character. It is just a misfire character-wise. It is one thing to play around with the mythos, but it is a completely different thing to negate everything that had happened to the characters in the last film.

The acting of the film just ranging from mediocre to terrible. Scout Taylor-Compton is just terrible in the film and is one note. Brad Dourif was surprisingly good and I liked his character much more in this film. Sherri Moon-Zombie feels very shoe-horned in to a comic extent! The gore is brutal, but brief.

I am completely convinced that this film wasn't directed seriously by Rob Zombie. There are tons of lines of dialogue that are overly just unbelievable even for a horror flick. The tone is all over the place and it was just weird to explain Michael Myer's motivation by using the "white horse" psychology is just too much. It was better to have Michael as a force of nature in the first film and now explaining everything makes him a victim and you don't want that for an iconic mass-murderer.

With all of this bagging on the film, the cinematography for a 16MM film was great. There was a lot of standout moments visually with the white horse that definitely gives this film it's own vibe, but it's a small positive in an otherwise decent slasher film.

Overall, It's a character mess all around and just disappointing as a Halloween film. It undermines everything that Michael Myers was as a icon. The film is not going to win any new fans and it is just all over the place in terms of what it wants to be. The only reason to watch this on the big screen would be to see the 16mm cinematography as it does add to the vibe of the film. Overall, I would have to say that this film is just ok. I got a slasher film, but it's not Halloween. Michael Myers definitely deserved better and if the series keeps on track with how it's going so far, I fear that we may get a feeling of Deja Vu in which the series just gets progressively worse and worse after the third film. This is just a RENTAL film at best. I didn't hate the film, but I was disappointed.

Inglorious Basterds REVIEW!

Quentin Tarantino has hit the nail on the head for what escapist cinema is. Instead of giving us the action flick that Tarantino gave us with Kill Bill, he gives us the art-house glimpse of what we all wished would have happened in World War II all of those years ago. The film is just entertaining and keeps you interested in the whole two and half hours.

The Plot of the film is already enough to be it in the exploitive cinema genre, but it isn't. It's about Americans that are dropped behind enemy lines and kill Nazis. What the film cleverly hides is that it's not just america that wants to kill Nazis, it's nearly everybody else as well. While we all may not be on the same team, we all share a common enemy at points in history. The film takes a much more subtler approach as to present this plot. The film is not based solely on the title characters of the Basterds, but on multiple story arcs. This film is much more in line with Pulp Fiction than it is with Kill Bill. When I say that it's much in line with Pulp Fiction, I mean that the plot is based on developing the characters so that you know why most of these characters are doing what they are doing. The Basterds aren't really given much screen-time, but by the end of the film we get how passionate they are about killing Nazis and the fact is that these jews are pissed as hell and they went to crack skulls and take names...or in this case scalps. We also view the film from the point of views The Basterds, of a Jewish woman who escapes her brush with death, a German colonel nicknamed "Jew Hunter" (fantastically played by Christoph Waltz),and a German Actress. That storylines is developed enough as the Basterds are except we feel a connection to what is happening to some of these side characters. We either love them or we love to hate them. While we aren't given any of these characters whole live stories, we know full and well what they are about. This is a testament to why Tarantino is such a great storyteller and why we all love him for not presenting us with all of this unnecessary backstory that could have been used to beat us over the head with.

The Acting of the film is definitely great! Brad Pitt is hilarious as Lt. Aldo Raine. Brad Pitt is spot on with this character and definitely rises to the occasion again with Tarantino at the helm. Melanie Laurent is great as the Jewish woman Shosanna Greyfus and she proves more of the emotional thrust of the picture with her story-arc. When we see all of the crazy things that goes on with the other story arcs, her story is the one we can all gravitate towards to provide the beat that grounds the seriousness of the picture. When this arc is closed we see how she came to that point and it doesn't feel like a cheat for this type of picture. As great as Melanie Laurent's performance was, the surprise and one of the standouts of the picture is Christoph Waltz performance as Col. Hans Landa. What made this character so effective is that this character is shades of grey throughout the picture and he steals the screen, whenever he is on. His character is the one character that poses the biggest threat to the Basterds and his portrayal makes his character so rich, textured, and fascinating to watch. His viewpoints on what he is doing is a unique in a way we have not seen before and it definitely one of those signature Tarantino roles. The great thing about the acting of the picture is that they all are played right. Nobody feels out of place and everybody is there to serve a part of the story.

The direction of the film is Masterful. Tarantino doesn't talk down to the plot of the film and he sticks to a tone all the way through. This film is very talkative and is dialogue focused. The one aspect that will catch many off guard is one of the strongest things it has going for it: the film is very subtitle heavy. About most of the film is told in a different language, which helps maintain the tone and reality of this picture. What makes this film different from the other World War II films of late is that these characters don't overcome their cultural and language barriers. If they are french, they speak french, and if they are dumb americans that don't know how to speak German, they don't. What sets this apart from films such as last year's Valkyrie was in the fact that film decided to forget that germans are germans and have everybody speak in a perfect english accent, which undercut the picture because we were supposed to get that these Nazi's were trying to right wrongs and we got Tom Cruise trying to assassinate Hitler. This film uses the language barriers to it's advantage and it creates a whole different type of suspense building that is credible and effective in one of the opening scenes of the film. It's almost as if Tarantino saw that Hollywood was too concerned with entertaining and getting to the audience to the point that it undercut the film's message and now he decides to tell what would have happened if these characters existed in our world and he makes them very believable. Not everybody knows french or german and Tarantino is fully aware of this fact and he uses it to his advantage. The Direction is pretty much flawless even for it being a foreign spoken film, it feels very real and Tarantino nails it!

While a lot of the people are going to have a problem with what this film does with Historical events, Tarantino provides an entertaining dive into the alternate world of the Basterds. The ending will definitely be something people are going to be talking about and it doesn't fail to entertain. What Tarantino also does with the picture is take that idea of "wouldn't it have been great if we saw this happen to Nazis?" and he taps into the fact that we would have all like to have seen Hitler pitted against a ruthless group like the Basterds. He taps into that complicit nature in all of us to see someone get exactly what they deserved, and he also tapped into the fact that most of these Nazi's were people and that they are as flawed as we are, but he definitely makes the nazis the antagonists of the picture. We all had a common enemy and we are all similar in our goals despite what side of the world we are from. This films goes to show that Quentin Tarantino is a much smarter writer and storyteller when he devides to not give us a by the numbers war-film and he surprises us with this brilliant piece of Kosher Porn!

I'd say this is a definite Full-Price!!! It is one of the best things Tarantino has done in years.

Orphan REVIEW!!

Before seeing this film, This trailers gave off the impression that this was going to be a film that was very much in the same vein as the classic horror film The Omen. It also seemed to me like a film that was destined to let me have a great first half only to deliver a lackluster 90's style plot twist that negates the whole point of the first two acts. I went into this with an open mind and I decided to give this movie a shot. To which, I can safely say I am glad I did.

Ok this film completely surprised the hell out of me. Without giving away any spoilers of the film, this film established within the opening that even though they are treading the old and cliche' plot device that seemingly is taken straight out of a film such as The Omen, this film is going to present a different angle to the whole kid killer story. This film knows what it is, and it knows what it wants to be. It is also aware of the fact that this is a child murderer movie and it uses that knowledge to it's advantage. You can tell that the filmmakers all saw films such as The Omen in which the antagonist is a child and is seemingly in control of the situation. It knows that audiences out there have seen films such as The Omen or The Good Son. Whenever the film seems to be heading into cliche' territory it redeems itself in surprising ways. What this film does so effectively and brilliantly is play on the fact that this is a kid killer story and they use that to it's advantage. As I was watching the film, I got more and more tense especially in the first acts where you realize that kids are both in danger and committing the crimes. These filmmakers are aware of the fact that children doing these heinous and evil things is much more disturbing to an audience than if an adult was doing it. The filmmakers understand that the best angle to get through and convey these intense feelings of terror and suspense to the audience is to put the kids in dangerous and believable situations. This film nails it!

The opening act of the film is rather predictable to say the least, but after an OK first act, it redeems itself and quickly gets into full swing. This film is the type that as the plot keeps progressing, it gets better! In the second half of the film it becomes an engaging mystery. Not in the same vein as a film like The Omen which relies heavily on fantasy biblical elements or how The Good Son revolved around an inexplainable killer mentality, the plot in this film is very believable. It doesn't feel like a cheat when you get to the last act of the picture. They also have moments that nearly parody those classic Kid killer movies with the characters having some beats that are taken from those film, but twisting them in a way you haven't seen before.

What this film also does effectively is create characters that are dimensional. These characters are all flawed in some way and they are all using each other to get that sense of happiness, but that becomes their downfall. The Characters of Kate and Peter Coleman have some dimensionality to them that shows they are flawed, but they are trying their best to keep the family together despite the situations that come about. They don't seem like the typical parental figure that doesn't see their flaws in the family, but you can't help but understand why they are in the situation they are and what is going through their heads. With that said, I was kind of let down by their logic for wanting to adopt. It seems a bit easy, but it went away quickly and it's a very small complaint. This film gets you to care for the characters more than your typical suspense thriller. That's what makes Kate's character so good in that you understand she is right in her understanding what is going on around her and putting the pieces together, but she's in a real deep hole that is tough to climb out of with those around her. You can't help applaud when she tries to not let her family become next in line to this child antagonist.

The standout in this film without a doubt is Isabelle Fuhrman as Esther. She gives about as creepy a performance as you can get in these child murderer story. At the beginning of the film, she does something that the audience kind of isn't expecting...she actually wins us over, but you still get the hint that there's something not totally right about this one. The opening act of the film show that she can be a lovable child and that you don't really see a logical progression as to why this child goes on to do what she does. She is also not the typical child murderer who kills simply because of the fact she enjoys killing. You get the impression that she is doing it on a "Either-it's-me-and-you" basis and definitely chooses the latter. Her progression in the film doesn't seem like a cheat and as she tears the family apart and you see how manipulative she can get, you sense that she's in full-control of the situation. That creates an effective villain and by the end of the third act, she has you in her grim and all bets are off by that point in the film. That is a true sign of an effectively scary and unpredictable character.

Onto the flaws of the film. While I did enjoy this film, this film maybe too much for audiences to take. Because it is so tense and you understand that children's lives are at risk, it almost becomes too much to a point. While I thought this worked to the film's advantage and it certainly had an impact on myself, I would say that there's still that audience that is uncomfortable with seeing children in danger this way. But that's merely a case of knowing what your in for and to go along with it.

Overall, I thought this film was a big surprise! I wasn't expecting this film at all. It's definitely an entertaining one and effective thriller at that. It didn't leave me feeling betrayed and it kept the intensity all throughout. The film has some creepy and uncomfortable moments that are played brilliantly with the knowledge that this film is in familiar territory. It does not feel intimidated by the films that have come before it, it merely knows what it wants to be and knows of a good angle to give that thrill to audiences. I'd say that for the film it is and you know what you are in for when you see this, this is worthwhile and entertaining. I'd never thought I'd say this, but it's a FULL-PRICE! I enjoyed the hell out of it!