15/365 Carriers

Starring:   Piper Perabo, Lou Taylor Pucci, Chris Pine, Emily VanCamp

Genre: Sci-Fi

Discovery:  Again, another night I was looking for ‘Hurt Locker’, no dice.  Got this based off of the cover saying “Chris Pine is brilliant!” (yea, yea let’s not get ahead of ourselves)

Summary:  Four peeps (2 brothers and their girlfriends) are heading to a beach on the West coast to wait out the pandemic that plagues the human race.  They come in contact with a father/daughter that are seeking a cure for the disease,  the two of them end up changing the course of the groups’ journey.

First Glance:  I really respected this movie because it is hard to make an engaging film with so few characters throughout the whole story.  In fact by the end there are only 2.  I won’t spoil which ones.  Lou Taylor Pucci is a new crush of mine.  What an acting powerhouse he is (I first saw him in ‘Answer Man’).

Deeper Look:  With most of the human race having died due to this pandemic, it makes the trip the group is taking that much more tenuous.  The follow a set of rules which keeps them safe until one decides to break the pact.  My favorite relationship is between the brothers; it’s the “star” of the movie.  The actors portrayed a true bond that siblings would have, right down to the fighting & competitiveness but ultimate unconditional love.

What I Took Away from this Movie:  Bleach is your friend.

Final Glimpse:  It had some really great moments but felt short in length.  I even checked and it was just over 8o minutes.  Could have used some more development.

14/365 District 9

Starring:   Sharlto Copley, Eugene Khumbanyiwa, Jason Cope

Genre: Sci-Fi

Discovery:  When asking around for recommendations, someone told me this was “way cool” alien flick.

Summary:  Wikus (Sharlto Copley), an employee of MNU, has to move the aliens in district 9 to a new area because the humans are unhappy with them inhabiting earth.  Through an unfortunate accident Wikus gets sprayed with a chemical that starts turning him into an alien.  In the end he has to chose between what is right & becoming human again.

First Glance:  This film was shot entirely in South Africa on location.  The camera was hand-held which gave you a sense of being right in the middle of the action. (Behind the scenes girl says: The aliens were phenomenal.  The had a texture and depth to their exo-skeletons that is sometimes lacking with typical CGI creatures.  It was not motion capture even though the aliens portray real emotions & movement)

Deeper Look:  When the movie opens up the main character is someone who annoys the heck out of me.  As the film progresses, you see him develop & take a journey that makes him much more sympathetic.  Wikus starts thinking about the treatment of the aliens.  Johnson, an alien, that he offers to help at first for his own selfish reasons;  ultimately it turns into a personal sacrifice in order to get Johnson home to get “help” for the aliens being tortured by MNU scientists.  Don’t think this mission comes without a price.  It’s huge.  I won’t give it away though.

What I Took Away from this Movie:  Aliens are people, too.

Final Glimpse: For not being a sci-fi nut, I very much enjoyed this movie & want to see this director next movie (also a sci-fi!)

13/365 Halloween 2 (Rob Zombie)

Starring:   Scout Taylor-Compton, Tyler Mane, Malcolm McDowell

Genre: Horror

Discovery:  A while ago someone told me how good of a director Rob Zombie is and that I should check out his movies.  CUT TO: Me renting Halloween 2, to see just what this guy has to offer the horror genre.

Summary:  Laurie Strode is haunted by her brother Michael, who seemingly will kill anything in his wake just to get to her.

First Glance:  When I think of Rob Zombie, this movie might be the ultimate reflection of how I imagine him being.  Chaotic, fast paced, dark, and confusing.  He may be none of those things but his movie is.  Switching between dream sequences, fantasy, and real life, I got a bit confused as to what was happening. Michael seemed to have developed a “back story”.  The screaming was really good.  Scout, is no Jamie Lee Curtis (no offense).

Deeper Look:   I watched my first scary movie when I was 12.  Friday the 13th (original), it didn’t get any creepier & gory than that.  I love scary movies.  Back then, I would to try to figure out how they did certain things.  The behind the scenes stuff really fascinated me.  Still does.  Back to the task at hand…Halloween 2.  Best word to describe it would be: SOLID.  Good but not great.  Scary but not chilling. Gory but not visceral.  All the traits that the original one had.  Maybe it is unfair since it is not a true remake.  Almost everything is different except the characters involved. Ultimately, that is what you get when you take on a movie so legendary.  You have to do it justice or the true fans will revolt.  The final product is one which did just enough to keep that from happening.  It just can’t secure it’s own place in history.  (Behind the scenes girl says: the scene where they discover Annie is a visual masterpiece, the hours it must have taken to transform that bathroom and her “lifeless” body, really good stuff.  i always wonder why horror movies rarely get best makeup, it is a super challenging specialty.)

What I Took Away from this Movie:  I still love to figure out visual effects. Horror is the best genre to play with them.

Final Glimpse:  Capable & gory remake but does not capture the true thrills of the original.  I won’t be too harsh because this is the only Rob Zombie film I have seen.

12/365 Better than Sex

Starring:   David Wenham, Susie Porter

Genre: Indie Romantic Comedy

Discovery:  This was a Netflix recommendation

Summary:  Josh and Cin meet at a nightclub and decide to embark on a one night stand; if only it was that easy.  What ensues is a he said/ she said retelling of their love affair.

First Glance:  The way this movie opens is a film pet peeve of mine: series of close ups trying to show us what happened the night before & extreme closeups of the two people waking up.  Determined, I kept watching and was soon rewarded with the typical aussie brand of humor.  The director used faux interviews & flashbacks to show us how this couple fell in love despite that being the last thing they wanted to happen.  V.O’s added an interesting element to let us know what was going on in the minds of Josh and Cin.

Deeper Look:   There is a laughter that comes when something is so shockingly irreverent, I found myself slightly uncomfortable and yet smirking because of the veracity that they captured of a budding romance.  If you get embarassed by sexual situations, do not watch this flick.  Even though I did enjoy the story there were a few glaring weaknesses. 1) the film became way too artsy for its own good at certain moments (& it broke the 4th wall; a no-no) 2)  wanted to see more of the couple interact in the “real world”.  SPOILER:  One of my favorite scenes comes when he tells her they should go out for a bite to eat and that launches her into a 2 hour long marathon of “getting ready”. Very cute.  (Behind the scenes girl says:  for all its shortcomings it made me laugh, and that isn’t bad)

What I Took Away from this Movie:  Love reveals itself in the most interesting ways.

Final Glimpse:  The Australian peeps have the best senses-of-humor, I am convinced of it.

9/365 Across the Hall

Howdy peeps!  Because I went all lazy on my Netflix queue and a trip to video store I haven’t watched movies the past few days.

Never fear!

Come back later for more reviews for my 365 movie challenge.

Thanks.

Update:  (9/365) : Across the Hall

Starring:   Mike Vogel, Brittany Muphy, Danny Pino

Genre: Thriller

Discovery:  At the Red Box and there was no ‘Hurt Locker’ so I thought to myself, why not get a scary movie.

Summary:  This is one movie I have trouble summarizing for fear I will spoil the story.  So here goes: Girl cheats on guy.  He exacts revenge w/ a twist.

First Glance:  I really love the way this director captured the feel of the old hotel.  Also, a BIG fan of non-linear story telling.  Instead of being lead down a path, you get little snippets and alternative perspectives until you reach the end of the journey which is totally clever.

Deeper Look:   I love scary movies.  Seriously.  While this is not one of the most suspenseful I have ever seen, it does a fair job of it.   It isn’t a complex story.  That is the beauty of it.  Not bogged down by too many details that you are left with a “what’s happening?” feeling.  Instead, you just buckle in and go for the ride.

What I Took Away from this Movie:  Cheating is bad.  :)

Final Glimpse:  Adequate thriller with some good reveals.

8/365 It’s a Boy Girl Thing

Starring:  Samaire Armstrong, Kevin Zegers

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Discovery: Just good fun.  Time for a silly movie.

Summary:  Take two good looking high schoolers: Nell, the typical overachiever and Woody the popular guy & QB then add in a freaky friday twist. What do you get…It’s a Boy Girl Thing.

First Glance:  Very simple rom com.  Fish out of water theme plays out with lots of jokes.  Both Kevin & Samaire play the opposite sex really well, it’s a delicate balance so they didn’t become caricatures.

Deeper Look:   None

What I Took Away from this Movie:  Walk in someone else shoes before you judge them.

Final Glimpse:  What you see is what you get plus plenty of laughs.

Hope for Haiti Now

7/365 Adam

Starring:  Rose Byrne, Hugh Dancy

Genre: Romantic Comedy (with dramatic undertones)

Discovery: Looking at a film festival site, saw it, and into the netflix queue it went.

Summary:  Adam (Hugh Dancy) is a man who lives a life of solitude after his Dad dies, that is until Beth (Rose Byrne) enters his life and teaches him how to open up.

First Glance:  This is an authentic story of two people trying to connect despite the obvious complications that occur when facing a romantic relationship with someone who has Aspergers Syndrome (a from of autism).  (Behind the scenes girl says: The lighting is one of my favorite parts of the cinematography in this film.  Both characters are developed though their costumes in a genuine way. )  The two leads have ridiculous chemistry.  AMAZING.

Deeper Look:  ’Adam’ is the type of movie that made me “fall in love” with films.  I. also, like working on this type of movie.  Small, intimate, and full of heart.  You could tell that the story meant a lot to the actos/director/crew.  Nothing about it screams “look at me!” but it is one that you will walk away from thinking about true connection.  Real love and how complex & beautiful it can be. This story unfolds so sweetly you think it is heading in one direction then it takes a turn to an unexpected place; leaving you with some uncertainty, like life.

What I Took Away from this Movie:  You need to open your heart in order to really connect in love.  Compromise is a part of the package.

Final Glimpse:  Please, please watch this sweet, unassuming gem of a movie.

6/365 Gamer

Starring:  Gerard Butler, Amber Valletta, Michael C. Hall

Genre: Sci-Fi/Action Adventure

Discovery: A buddy of mine, Matt, worked on it.  Thought it would be fun to watch for the costumes alone.  Little did I know that would be all that I ended up enjoying about this movie.

Summary:  Guy trapped in a video game world created by a raging psychopath.  The premise is that if the “contestant” can win 30 games they go free.  Big challenge: they are controlled by people outside of the avatar world.

First Glance:  If you are a fan of hand-held, jump cuts w/ little substance you will love this flick.  It is fast-paced and almost made me get a migraine with all the strobing effects.  Great action sequences though & I loved the costumes.  Futuristic, japaname style.

Deeper Look:  Deeper.  Hmmm. Gerard Butler looks good with dirt on his oiled down pecs.  Seriously, about the only thing I can say is this movie showed me a world that is controlled by technology.  That is a scary thought.  Other than that, nada.

What I Took Away from this Movie:  A headache.

Final Glimpse:  Unless you are friends with someone who worked on it.  I say: PASS.

5/365 Post Grad

Starring:  Alexis Bledel, Zach Gilford, Michael Keaton, Jane Lynch, Carol Burnett

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Discovery: I saw that an actor from one of the best TV shows on right now (Friday Night Lights) is in this, so I rented it.  Big Mistake!

Summary:  A young woman, Ryden (Alexis Bledel), graduates college and is thrust into the “real world” where she learns lessons about life and love with the help of best friend, Tom (Zach Gilford), and her family.

First Glance:  Very stereotypical, formulaic sicky sweet rom-com.  Even shot all ‘glossy’ & one note throughout.

Deeper Look:  I would love to say that I walked away feeling great about love after this sicky sweet chick flick.  What I was left with was a cramp in my side from laughing so hard.  This is the movie that I like to mock.  Hey, we all know the purpose of a GOOD rom-com.  To make you get lost in the fairy tale side of love for 90 minutes.  To jump in with both feet embracing a story that is all about cliches. Great hair, clothes, and problems solved in 3 acts.  What I got:  none of the above. Everything felt too placed.  For that, it fails.  What it did well was give me many laughs about how false & cloying it felt.  Even the romance which is what this whole movie revolves around is half-assed.  No chemistry.  None.

What I Took Away from this Movie:  Some rom-coms are worth avoiding.

Final Glimpse: Stay away, not even the great Carol Burnett can save this ‘heap of dung’ flick.

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