The Hangover

Release Year: 2009
Review: Great comedies need to both be original and push boundaries. 'The Hangover' definitely pushes boundaries. At times it might have pushed them too far, and was just crude for the sake of being crude. Many of the great comedies over the last few years all seem to both take risks but also had a heart. This film took risks, but there wasn't much else there. It was a funny film, no doubt about it, I just wish there was a bit more too it. 'The Hangover' felt like the the dim-witted jock of the new Apatow-comedy generation family. None the less, if all you are looking for is a laugh there are plenty to be had.
Rating: 3/5

The Up Series

Release Year: 1964-2005
Review: A documentary following the lives of fourteen children from Britain coming from various walks of life in attempt to measure the impact of social class on their lives. The series starts introducing the kids at the age of seven, and revisits them every seven years for updates on their lives. The series is a fascinating, voyeuristic, view on how average people live, work and age. It is engrossing to be able to watch the lives of these people unfold. Expectations from the childhood are either realized or go tragically awry. The every day struggles that face everyone, such as the struggle to find steady work, marriage problems, and raising a family are all explored in the film simply by taking a look into these people's lives. The 'Up Series' is an important documentary which sheds light on human growth, the impact of class background and a slew of other human behavioral issues. Besides its importance, the documentary is also sheer entertainment. Once you watch one you will want to watch the entire series out of curiosity. The participants are all unique and interesting in their own way, its hard not to have a favorite. This is a monumental documentary and should be required viewing as so much can be learned about life from it.
Rating: 5/5

Special

Release Year: 2006
Review: A small film with a lot of thought, 'Special' is about a mundane meter maid who is mentally impaired to believe he has super powers after taking trial anti-depressant medication. The plot was fascinating to me even before watching the film, and the execution was even better than I had expected. While the plot is often light and comes across humorous, you began to understand how sad the story really is. Underlying are powerful messages of individuality, the corruption of drug companies and the tragedy of those with mental illnesses. 'Special' is a frequently funny but altogether moving film which shouldn't be overlooked.
Rating: 4/5

The Player

Release Year: 1992
Review: A movie buffs movie, delving in the cut-throat world of Hollywood in the form a mystery. Griffin Mill(Tim Robbins) plays a ruthless Hollywood studio script reviewer who becomes paranoid after receiving death threats. The film is brimming with references to classic movies, and movie jargon is found throughout. This quick insider banter is often poking fun at the industry itself, and the Hollywood studios are often the butt of the jokes. Being a Robert Altman film, a director who is well respected by actors, and seeing that its a film about Hollywood, there are countless cameos from a slue of popular actors of the time. I enjoyed these constant Hollywood references and the way that Altman meandered around the chaotic sets dropping in and out of conversations, in a way that he had become famous for. These references and quips were the highlight of the film. I appreciated the what the film did with the plot, and the payoff was satisfying, but ultimately I found nearly everyone in the film, particularly Griffin, so loathsome that I didn't enjoy the experience moment to moment.
Rating: 3/5

Mulholland Dr.

Release Year: 2001
Review: A very difficult movie to digest, 'Mulholland Dr.' is none the less captivating and absolutely engaging. The plot is difficult to describe, but its roughly about an actress who is starting out in Hollywood who meets an woman who has amnesia after a car crash. What the movie is actually about is the key question to ask yourself through out the film, and one that no one has really been able to say with any certainty. The non-linear, often chaotic and always stylized film making employed by Lynch is nothing short of masterful. I often review movies stating that I didn't like them "moment to moment". 'Mulholland Dr.' is enjoyable second to second, scene to scene. There are countless stunning scenes that are flawlessly executed and instantly classic. It is hard, at times, to keep your jaw from dropping as you watch them unfold. As soon as the film finishes you will want to watch it again. Don't try to over think the plot, but enjoy the films beauty. 'Mulholland' is truly a remarkable piece of film making.
Rating: 5/5

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Release Year: 2005
Review: The fourth film in the series, and the best up until this point. The young actors, who marred the previous chapters so much with their poor acting, are starting to come around. They've developed their talent and feel comfortable with their characters, allowing the director to put more focus on them, creating richer scenes. Normally, I take issue with the amount of material they leave out of the films, but this time around they managed to compress the essence of the book very well into an entertaining movie, despite axing a few of my favorite characters completely. My biggest problem with the translation from the page to the screen in this case is the way that Professor Dumbledore is played. In the books he is always very calm and put together, but in this film he is played very angry and frantic which was distracting in every scene he was in. This film does take a much more ominous tone and is full of dark imagery and themes which seem to only make this into a more compelling movie. The film succeeds at capturing the magic of the books and transitioning them into a movie, and is without a doubt an improvement on the franchise.
Rating: 4/5

Fargo

Release Year: 1996
Review: A sort of odd comedy that could only be described as 'Coen-esque', "Fargo" is a bizarre, but oddly endearing film about a kidnapping that goes terribly wrong. For the most part the film was enjoyable, but certain aspects prevented me from really getting behind it. The whole mid-western accent and personality seemed a bit gimmicky, and while the mid-west is where the story takes place, and people from that part of the country may very well be like that, it felt too much like a running joke that eventually went stale. The ever present gloom and misery caused, not only by the circumstances of the plot, but also the setting in the bitter cold and the gray, dull tones, began to ware on me and made some scenes uncomfortable. There were some very funny moments, and the main character, Marge (played by Frances McDormand), is always entertaining and charming. 'Fargo' isn't my favorite Coen brothers movie, but it was certainly worth watching.
Rating: 3/5

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Release Year: 2004
Review: Another year in the fantastic world of Harry Potter and another attempt at reining in the boundless imagination of JK Rowling into a two and a half hour feature film. With each successive film they seem to be getting closer to producing a more sound and compete representation of the book. With this attempt they took more liberties with the plot than any of the other two by far. As the books get longer, it becomes harder to cram all the plot points into a concise children friendly movie, even without all the needlessly long Quidditch action scenes. Building upon the trend started in the previous film, the child actors are given even more acting time, and while they've made some improvements they're lack of acting ability is painfully apparent and is the biggest downside of the film. It feels like the films are going in the right direction, but haven't quite gotten to the level that the books deserve quite yet.
Rating: 3/5

Reservoir Dogs

Release Year: 1992
Review: One of Quentin Tarantino's best films, 'Reservoir Dogs' is a unique take on a botched robbery. One of the interesting things about the way Tarantino approaches this heist film is that you never actually see the crime. In fact, much of the movie is about what you don't see. For a good portion of the movie you are left in the dark, just as the group of burglars are, as to what went wrong. Tarantino masterfully guides the story, not in a linear sequence, but in a sequence that reveals just enough of the story to keep tension high, and the plot exciting. Besides a visually and stylistically brilliant film, 'Reservoir Dogs' also explores the theme of trust and the nature of good and evil. The payoff of this theme in the film's climax is one of the most memorable in Hollywood endings, and the commentary on the subject is profound. Tarantino, working on a small budget, manages to make a film which almost never leaves a single room of a warehouse feel more exciting than a big budget blockbuster. However wonderful his directing was, this film wouldn't have worked had it not been for a superb ensemble cast, each of who made their character believable and every scene enthralling. Everything about this film exudes Tarantino. Highly stylized and perfectly executed it is one of the best heist films around and is endlessly watchable.
Rating: 5/5

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Release Year: 2002
Review: Once again it's difficult to get past the liberties the film takes with the film plot. After just reading the book even subtle discrepancies seem glaring. However, putting this aside and only taking the film in as an entity in of itself I'm still left wanting. My biggest gripe is with the acting which, given the young actors experience, is unsurprisingly poor. However, each has established themselves firmly as their character. It's very hard to think of Harry Potter and not think of Daniel Radcliffe at this point. In the first film there was very limited acting given to the Hogwarts students, undoubtedly because of their inexperience. Instead, the first movie felt like a picture book, where most of the story telling was done through imagery rather than dialog. This film gives a bit more trust to the actors and the scenes are beginning to feel a bit more complete. Overall it was a good attempt to condense the book into a film under three hours, but it still felt a little cheap and a bit empty.
Rating: 3/5

Angels and Demons

Release Year: 2009
Review: I hadn't read the book, so I approached 'Angels and Demons' with an open mind. It certainly isn't a perfect film, but overall it was an enjoyable action adventure. A sort of, slightly more intellectual, 'National Treasure'. A lot of the plot is fascinating, owing of course to the source material, but it did seem that some of it was dumbed down, and parts were over sensationalized, to fit the mold of a summer blockbuster. Ron Howard was very careful to tip toe around the potential controversy the film's subject could ignite and tried to stay as neutral as possible on religion. The entire premise can basically be broken down to the long standing debate of science versus religion, so the film certainly had the opportunity to spark some anger. The pandering to stay politically correct wasn't much of a detriment, but the fact that it was so obvious didn't do much to forward the plot either. The best part of the film is just taking in the beautiful locations which the film was shot in Rome. 'Angels and Demons' may not be a memorable movie, but it was entertaining, interesting and if nothing else, a nice bit of eye candy.
Rating: 4/5