Thick As Thieves (2009)

 

Genre: Crime/Drama

Starring: Morgan Freeman, Antonio Banderas, Radha Mitchell, Rade Serbedzija, Robert Forster

Also known as The Code. Heist and robbery movies have appealed to a large audience, but their success entirely depends upon the ultimate climax of the movie. Gabriel Martin (Banderas) is a small-time crook from Miami who catches the attention of Ripley (Freeman) who is a more accomplished thief. Ripley wants a partner to steal a pair of Fabergé Eggs from a Russian jewelry store known as Romanov. The existence of these eggs are supposedly unknown and Romanov wishes to keep it that way. Ripley claims that his previous partner, Viktor (Serbedzija) was killed by a Russian mafia, Nicky because he couldn't pay off his debt. Since Ripley had the reputation of being able to make money, Nicky ordered him to steal the eggs in order to pay off the debts. The movie doesn't have a very strong plot for a heist movie and most of the planning and execution of the robbery too doesn't spark enough excitement. The climax twist is only slightly better than the rest of the movie but nothing great either. The audience expects better out of Morgan Freeman movies and this one was a let-down.

Thumbs up: A simple watch and forget heist movie

Thumbs down: Needs more excitement attached to the robbery aspect

Rating: 6.9/10

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Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)

Genre: Sport/Drama/Comedy

Starring: Gary Cole, Will Ferrell, Jane Lynch, John C. Reily, Sacha Baron Cohen, Amy Adams, Leslie Bibb

Racing and NASCAR ran in the blood of Ricky Bobby (Ferrell) whose estranged father was a race driver. Ricky too went on to become a world famous race car driver until a car crash put him out of the track. A famous French Formula 1 driver Jean Girard (Cohen) has recently entered NASCAR and is giving Ricky a tough time. In an attempt to get the better of Jean, Ricky crashes his car and gets hospitalised for a long time. The trauma of the crash sinks deep into his head and he is unable to drive fast anymore. 20 mph seems like 200 to him and streaking down the race track in his underwear yelling 'fire' when there isn't any, becomes a normal routine to his life. His long-lost father, Reece (Cole) comes back in his life and tries to help overcome his fear and become the legendary driver that he used to be. The movie is a decent mix of adrenaline rushing sporting action as well as rib-tickling laughter, unfortunately, both, the 'adrenaline' as well as the 'rib-tickling' was quite weak. The climax scene didn't seem to have the kind of energy a racing scene should have and the comedy too was pretty normal and nothing that will want to make you watch the movie a second time. It's a decent entertainer but probably needs that missing component to really get it running.

Thumbs up: Good mix of sport and comedy

Thumbs down: Needs more spice

Rating: 6.3/10

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NOWHERE BOY

Written by Matt Greenhalg

Directed by Sam Taylor-Wood

Starring Aaron Johnson, Kristen Scott Thomas and Anne-Marie Duff

John: Why couldn't God make me Elvis?

Julia: Because God was saving you for John Lennon.

I’ve had the privilege of seeing some of Sam Taylor-Wood’s art firsthand in exhibition. It was stark, cold but yet still emotional and affecting. It was both sad and sexual, making for a challenging experience, to say the least. Still, it was an experience I’m glad I had and one that I am also glad to say, has effectively translated to film in Taylor-Wood’s first feature, NOWHERE BOY. The images here may be moving in comparison but are just as rich with depth and pain.

This is a story of a young boy in Liverpool, whom you might know as John Lennon. Unless you know Lennon’s history well though, you will not know this story. The film opens with a dream and that classically unmistakable opening chord from The Beatles’ “A Hard Day’s Night” rings in the image. That is the last you will hear of anything The Beatles ever sang or recorded for the rest of the film though. This is not that story, not exactly. This story is about a boy, played with surprising charm and strength by relative unknown, Aaron Johnson (KICK-ASS). This boy wants to put a band together but it proves to be tricky when he is caught between the affections of the aunt who raised him his whole life (Kristen Scott Thomas) and his unstable mother (Anne-Marie Duff) with whom he has just reunited. His name just happens to be Lennon and the band he throws together in a bathroom just happens to be one of the most influential of all time.

We all come from somewhere and if we happen to have been blessed with a little talent or a little genius, then the odds are that the somewhere we came from may not have been so simple a place. Taylor-Wood shows us Lennon’s somewhere and allows us to draw our own conclusions about what made the man that would become a legend rather than do all the drawing for us. There was nothing simple about Lennon’s upbringing. He was kept in the dark until he was an adult and by then, the damage had been done. Fortunately for him and for his fans the world over, that damage became great music.

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IT'S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY

Written and Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck

Starring Keir Gilchrist, Emma Roberts, Lauren Graham and Zach Galifianakis

Craig: I want to kill myself.

Nurse: Fill this out.

I have to begin by saying that IT’S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY is not really a funny story at all. In fact, it isn’t even that funny. It tries to be, and on occasion it can be, but the reason it isn’t is pretty simple. It shouldn’t be. This is the story of a supposedly suicidal teenager who checks himself into a mental hospital for fear he won’t be able to hold on much longer. Last I checked clinical depression bordering on suicide wasn’t a laughing matter and mental wards were not warm and fuzzy places where teens could come of age.

When writing/directing team, Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, first tackled depression and isolation, they gave us the harrowing indie drama, HALF NELSON, which earned Ryan Gosling an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of a crack-addicted, high school teacher. It was bleak, honest and raw. Just a few short years later though, they have seemingly lost all integrity as artists and their ability to be truthful to their own story and directorial instincts. From the moment Craig (Keir Gilchrist) enters the adult mental ward (the adolescent ward was conveniently undergoing renovations to allow for more implausibility and hopeful hilarity), everything feels false. Despite the fact that Craig’s problems amounts to girl troubles and pressure from his Dad (Jim Gaffigan) to get into the right college, he is admitted for a week. It takes him about a day to realize that his problems are really nothing compared to his new neighbours, allowing for six more days of learning valuable life lessons from adorable and endearing mental patients. They’re crazy, but who isn’t really?

If Craig doesn’t really need to be there, I’m not sure why Boden and Fleck think that their audience will feel any need to be there either. The ensemble do their best to comply, including a surprisingly restrained performance from Zach Galifianakis and a refreshingly vibrant one from Lauren Graham, but ultimately, they look lost, unable to figure out why they’re there too. There is humour in pain and we can be found when we are amongst the most lost but by making light of the dark places these patients go, Boden and Fleck only come off as lost themselves.

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Lucky Number Slevin (2006)

 

Genre: Crime/Drama/Thriller/Mystery

Starring: Josh Hartnett, Ben Kingsley, Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Lucy Liu

Slevin (Hartnett) a young man who has had a bad day has just come in to New York to meet an old friend of his, Nick Fischer. His bad day continues when he gets mugged and finds that Nick is not at home. Nick's over-enthusiastic neighbour, Lindsey (Liu) concludes that Nick is missing and starts investigating around the house like a crime-scene scenario. Nick owed money to two mafia lords, The Boss (Freeman) and The Rabbi (Kingsley) and since Nick was not at home, Slevin gets picked up. The Boss agrees to forget Nick's debt if Slevin kills The Rabbi's son and The Rabbi just demands his money back whether Slevin is Nick or not. In the background, a mysterious assassin called Smith a.k.a Mr. Goodkat (Willis) is carefully pulling the strings and planning a good murder. The movie has a different feel to it that is absent in the normal crime movie that you would stumble across. The climax is the highlight of the movie, although its not all that great. A good crime movie with a good plot, which makes it a great entertainer.

Thumbs up: Climax, plot

Thumbs down: Needs to be more spiced, lacked some good action

Rating: 7.2/10

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Black Sheep's Blu-Tuesday

What a lovely day to be a blu-ray ... Both today's BR announcements and releases are so fantastic that I can't help but smile as I ponder how much they are going to cost me ... First of all, fans of the traditional Disney animation of yore will delight to hear that BAMBI and THE LION KING are being prepped for BR release in the spring of 2011. Specific dates will follow ... One of my favorites and one of the most polarizing movies I know of in recent history, Sofia Coppola's LOST IN TRANSLATION is coming in time for the holidays, sort of. Amazon.com has the BR on December 7 exclusively, while regular retailers get it on January 4, 2011 ... There is good news if you were hoping to catch a quality version of the original John Wayne film, TRUE GRIT, before the Coen Brothers remake, starring Jeff Bridges, this holiday season. The 1969 original lands on BR December 14 ... And Valentine's Day titles are already being readied. Look for PLEASANTVILLE to make its way to BR on February 1, 2011 ... And now for this week's best BR releases ...

THE DARJEELING LIMITED

(Criterion Collection)

This may be some of his most accessible work but it may also be my favourite Wes Anderson film, after RUSHMORE, that is. Classic is classic after all. Owen Wilson, Adrian Brody and Jason Shwartzman are the most implausible of brothers and their antics on a train ride through India are outlandish and, at other times, somewhat obvious, but they are always delightful. And gorgeous, I should say. I can't afford a voyage through India but this will do me just fine for now. This is its first appearance on BR and, from what I've read, the transfer is remarkable. It is Criterion though so that usually goes without saying. The set contains an all new commentary track featuring writers Anderson, Roman Coppola and Schwartzman but, unlike the DVD that is sitting on my shelf, it does not contain the short film, HOTEL CHEVALIER, with Schwartzman and Natalie Portman, which explains Schwartzman's character backstory. I guess I will have to just own both the DVD and the BR. Oh well.

THREE KINGS

(Warner Brothers)

It has been quite a long time since I've seen this David O. Russell film and I can't wait to see how it holds up on BR. George Clooney, Mark Whalberg and Ice Cube are Desert Storm soldiers in this sharp, humourous critique on the war. Famed director, Spike Jonze (BEING JOHN MALKOVICH) gives one of the most surprising turns in the film, simply because I didn't expect anything from him at all. The disc features director commentary as well as a behind the scenes documentary, amongst a number of other juicy special features. I am just curious to see if the behind the scenes footage will contain proof of the reported on-set difficulties that almost ruined this great piece of filmmaking. I want to see Clooney throw a chair or something.

I AM LOVE

(Mongrel Media)

When I caught this epic film in theatres this summer, I was completely taken in by it. I was not expecting to love it as much as I did but it is absolutely enchanting and mesmerizing. Director, Luca Guadagnino channels the spirit of the French "new wave" thanks to a culmination of so many great formal elements - most notably the brilliant screenplay, stunning cinematography and stirring musical score. All of this is capped by a remarkable cast, led by Tilda Swinton in a role that could see her nab another Oscar nod. American readers can run out and buy this today but Canadian folks will have to wait until its release on October 26. Either way, don't miss it! The scenery alone is worth it.

For a full review of THE DARJEELING LIMITED, click the title.

Source: blu-ray.com

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HOWL

Written and Directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman

Starring James Franco, Jon Hamm and David Strathairn

Mark Schorer: Sir, you cannot translate poetry to prose. That is why it’s poetry.

I seriously doubt this could happen today, that a poem could spark such outcry as to demand it be banned in the courts as obscene. Fifty years ago though, that is exactly what happened to American poet, Allen Geinsberg, with his poem, “Howl”. The poem depicted the darker underbelly of America, a side of the country that the majority didn’t want to acknowledge. It spoke of the impoverished, the bohemians, the homosexuals and anyone else that really that didn’t fit into the status quo because of who they were or what they did with their days and nights. And so the debate is on – does different mean obscene simply because you cannot understand it?

The trial, the poet and the poem itself are portrayed separately and cut together to form what is the first narrative film by the Academy Award winning documentary filmmaking team of Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman (THE CELLULOID CLOSET, THE LIFE AND TIMES OF HARVEY MILK). Named after the poem, HOWL can only loosely be described as a narrative though. Albeit a somewhat safe choice for their first fiction foray, the filmmakers based their screenplay on court transcripts, archival footage and interviews, giving HOWL a very documentary feel. Ginsberg himself, played calmly and coolly by James Franco, is only ever shown in interview or in flashback, never driving any plot forward. The lack of formal focus makes for a free flowing experience but also never allows the film to truly find a firm foundation.

Like the point being proved in court by the “Howl” defense attorney (Jon Hamm) though, form needn’t be formal for the themes to be meaningful or have literary merit. Each component of the film, including a dark and rich animated interpretation of “Howl” from Monk Studios, functions fine individually and creates a whole unique unto itself. In that sense, HOWL honours its inspiration as best it can and proves the timelessness of the poem by allowing its relevance resonate even still today.

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