Dirty Harry

This pop culture phenomenon has been hugely influential in cop and action films. This is what got Clint Eastwood into mainstream action and helped solidify his career. The movie on its own is just purely entertaining and fun. The action is at a good pace and keeps its tempo throughout the film. Eastwood is fantastic as Harry Callahan who is a cop that will break all of the rules to get justice. This film set the bar for action, adventure cop films and is especially good  because of its sick, sadistic, and evil villain. This is one of those times where I found myself actually wanting to jump into the screen and kill the villain. The movie is hugely intense and keeps its balance with keeping its intensity and still not being to dark. The series of films to follow would later become huge blockbuster successes but none of them would top the original, "Dirty Harry." "Go ahead, make my day." This is a thrill to watch.

5 out of 5 Stars

Battle Royale

This movie was incredibly awesome. It came out twelve years ago in 2000, based upon the Japanese novel of the same name that was released in 1999. If you check out this movie you will realize that it sounds a lot like "The Hunger Games." Well, in actuality "The Hunger Games" copies off of "Battle Royale." The story is set in a futuristic Japan where the adult feel threatened by the rebellions of youth. They pass a law, The Battle Royale Act, in which they take a Freshman high school class and put them on an abandoned island in which they must kill each other until there is only one person left. If there is no winner, everyone dies. The film sets up an interesting and cool concept about futuristic society and anarchy. It has a "Lord Of The Flies" feeling to it. The film is extremely violent and contains about the same level of violent content as "Kill Bill Vol. 1." The movie starts quickly and then it never lets up. You do not know who to root for because everyone is ultimately innocent in a way. We can relate to almost every single one of them. The film shows what happens with lack of order and control and puts teenagers in a survival of the fittest environment. This is one of the coolest movies to rank on my Top 100 list and it earns its spot for originality and execution. This is a movie that every guy just needs to watch. Forget the cheesy PG-13 rated, "The Hunger Games" that Hollywood is making. Watch the R rated intense, symbolic, and hectic "Battle Royale." This film is worth the time.

5 out of 5 Stars

Shame

This is probably the toughest film to watch that came out this whole year, excluding "Human Centipede 2." The film is powerful and delves deep into the emotions of a mentally tortured sex addict and his lonely sister. The film is extremely sad and depressing. It is hard to watch this story unfold although it is done to near perfection. Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan give riveting performances. It is a shame, no pun intended, that Fassbender was not nominated for an Academy Award because he is way more deserving than Demian Bichir and Gary Oldman. He is completely immersed into his destroyed character who cannot have sex romantically but only as a physical routine for pure selfishness. I wonder how people struggling with this problem feel when watching this distraught and helpless character when they are going through similar or the same difficulties. How do audiences that are filled with shame see this. Is it a wake up call? Like I said, this movie is hard to watch. It is rated NC-17, which is a rating that is very rarely given or accepted by studios. Most theaters and retail stores will not carry NC-17 rated movies and I understand why. The film at times feels like straight pornography. The sex in this film is extremely graphic. I understand that the filmmakers want to show the extremities of the character's addiction but I even thought this was too much. The sex is not erotic or attractive it is ugly and unemotional. Even though this may be the case I felt like they did not need to show so much. It goes over the top even though I see the point of it. Obviously, this film is not for everyone. It is emotionally and sexually graphic and hard to handle. The film makes you think and it leaves you depressed. The film is not for the feint of heart and I believe if you struggle with any sexual problems like addiction you should not view this film. In its portrayal of sexual addiction it only makes itself a stumbling block to those who are dealing with a sexual addiction. This movie should only be viewed by mature audiences who do not struggle with lust. I admit with hindsight, I probably should not have watched this film. It shows the disgusting struggles of sexual addiction and may be too much for some. The ending is perfect and the movie is directed seemlessly by Steve McQueen. I cannot wait to see more of his challenging films.

4.5 out of 5 Stars

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

So, this was the final film that I needed to see on my list of Best Picture nominees. It has the lowest percentage on Rotten Tomatoes out of all the Best Picture nominees. I thought it was actually pretty decent. A lot of people think that it is exploiting 9/11 and that it tries to provide catharsis when it should not but I do not feel that way. It did not seem lie anybody complained about this when the best selling book came out. I skimmed through some of the book and it seems to be a pretty faithful adaptation. The new young actor, Thomas Horn, I must admit gets very annoying and irritating. His character just tended to bother me after awhile. I can not blame this on Horn however, I feel like he does a good job. His character is just a bit of a pain. The film could be accused of trying too hard and maybe it does but it got to me at points. This is mainly because of the fantastic supporting cast. Viola Davis, Sandra Bullock, Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, John Goodman, and especially Max von Sydow do a fantastic job. I had a few tears drip from my eyes at one point in the movie. It is an interesting story that is saved by its actors. Sydow deserves the nomination he has received. I guess this movie is not for everyone but I like the director Stephen Daldry even though this film does not display any of his talent. This movie earns its stars for great performances and the story written by Jonathan Safran Foer. When I say the story I mean the book, not the screenplay. If you are watching all of the Academy Award nominees do not pass this up. It is not a bad as everyone is making it out to be.

4 out of 5 Stars

Take Shelter

What stood out about “Take Shelter” for me were the incredible performances given by Michael Shannon and more importantly, Jessica Chastain. She has had such a large bulk of fantastic roles this past year and she has given her all in everything she has been in. This is her standout for the 2011 year even if she is more recognized for her hilarious job in “The Help.” I am still trying to understand exactly what this film was saying. The very end is what makes me raise the most questions. I thought the scene before the ending was great and I understood how this man had to face reality to keep his family together. I do not want to ruin anything but what does the final ending mean? Beware of spoilers to come but does this ending mean he has been right? Are these dreams no accident? Is he sort of the modern Noah? I guess I did not fully comprehend it or something and I need to find out what exactly “the storm” represents. Is it the fear of what is to come or is it all the struggles of life? I feel like this movie was very smartly made so I do not think anything is there on accident. I am still pondering the significance of the daughter being deaf because I think that was more than just something to get us to sympathize more. There is a reason for all of the little things like that. It was a very good movie experience with incredible acting and cinematography. I will definitely read more to try and understand what the different things mean but for right now this movie is a bit of a puzzle that I cannot seem to solve.

4 out of 5 Stars

Magnolia

Is this movie weird? Yes. Is this movie long? Yes. Is this movie an incredibly well written, superbly acted, craftily directed, ingenious story with hidden themes and symbolism that leads to a biblical ending, and leaves its audience completely breathless? Yes. I am crazy in love with “Magnolia.” Talk about a movie with an incredible ensemble cast that all put their best foot forward. Director Paul Thomas Anderson, who I was never a big fan of, shows his incredible talent for crafting a heavily impacting movie about people and their regrets. There are ten main characters whose lives intersect and have parallels with one another. It is so brutally tragic and fantastic. The last twenty minutes of the film contain probably one of the most surprising endings ever. The ending is not meant to be taken completely literally, it is meant to hold a message for people and be taken figuratively. I probably would not have been completely sold on it without reading and understanding that before viewing the film with the help from my fellow friend and critic, Dan Schultz. Tom Cruise leads this pack of great actors. He gives the best and most hilarious performance of his entire career. Everyone does great and the movie stays with you. This is the kind of film that requires repetitive viewings if you want to even get half of everything that is stated here. That first viewing for me was epic and I am excited to sit down and experience this film again. This movie may be somewhat heartbreaking but it is necessary. This movie contains some of the realest and saddest emotions ever captured on film.


5 out of 5 Stars

Before Sunrise & Sunset

These two films go so perfectly together I categorize it as one phenomenal piece of work. Richard Linklater, who writes and directs, based the first film off an actual real life experience of his own. The setting is a chance encounter between to people that ends up being life changing. Two people meet, fall in love, and only have one night together before they must part. The second movie is them meeting again, a full nine years later. These films are superbly acted by the two young leads, Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, but what makes these movies so good is the script. It has some of the most genuinely written conversations ever in film history. If only people in real life were this straight forward and honest with each other. Each movie is rather short, the first is about 100 minutes and the second only 80 minutes, and this makes the two combined about the length of a longer movie. “Before Sunset” is very unique because it is done in real time. There are none of these sequences in which five minutes is actually an hour and a half rather each second you watch is a second in real time. These two lovers run into each other after not seeing each other for nine years and they have only about one hour together before they have to separate. This adds an anticipation to the movie that otherwise would not have been there and makes it more to the point. The other thing great about “Before Sunset” is that the film was actually made nine years after the first with the same actors and director. The actors have changed just like their characters and they pick up right where they left off. It is done perfectly. There is a sense of hope that you are left with after each installment that helps confirm the idea that sometimes, if you are lucky, it could actually work out. If you cannot tell from what I have already written I will make myself clear that “Before Sunset” is the better of the two movies. You could watch “Before Sunset” without ever seeing the first film and it would all make sense and you would not be confused however, “Before Sunrise” establishes the relationship between these two characters and is also an incredibly written and acted film. If you do not see the first film the second will not be nearly as potent and moving. You need both films to really be completely swept away by the story. These films have become a huge influence on the romance genre since their release. You can see it in many films nowadays in how they try and repeat what was once so perfectly and beautifully executed here. Nothing ever quite measures up. If you are a romance fan you cannot miss these movies, if you are even a movie fan you should not miss these either. This is a great example of how a well written screenplay can carry a film to greatness.

5 out of 5 Stars

When Harry Met Sally

This is one of the best romantic comedies ever made. The film starts out with these two very different people meeting, with a series of chance occurrences and fate these two become friends. This film takes you through their entire friendship and almost their entire lives. This is the closest any film has come to repeating the greatness of "Annie Hall." Rob Reiner, who I have always thought to be just a good director, takes advantage of a very clever script and two great actors. The movie shows a real relationship from both perspectives of each person. We see the the thoughts and feelings that the other may not. We identify with these people and learn something about ourselves and identify our own feelings. This movie is absolutely hilarious and will have you laughing throughout. You leave it with a sense of happiness and a feeling that this can really happen. All of the supporting characters are good in their roles and the script is the huge standout for greatness. It is impossible to forget the great scene with Meg Ryan at the diner that will have men second guessing themselves for years. Can a man and a woman be friends without sex getting in the way? I think this movie answers that question. This film has earned a very worthy spot on my Top 100 Films of All Time. The movie will touch your heart.

5 out of 5 Stars

Sex, Lies, and Videotape

This movie was awesome. This is the film that set Steven Soderbergh's career on fire as a director, it also kick started many actors' careers like Andie MacDowell, James Spader, and Peter Gallagher. This movie is credited with being the first real independent film because there was no studio backing it and many people thought this would turn out to be a "skin flick." Instead, it turned out to be a masterpiece of all of cinema, with one of the best scripts ever delivered on screen breaking down every taboo you could think of in the movies. This is one of the most sexual movies I have ever seen. This is not sexual in a way like "Basic Instinct" or some flick with a ton of sex scenes and nudity. This movie is sexual only through dialogue. I do not really want to give away any of the plot because this is the kind of thing you need to watch and then read about afterwards but let me just say once again the script is fantastic, the performances are great, and the movie has become in many ways a landmark in cinema. It has been referenced on lists as one of the most powerful movies ever made because of its influence on independent film making. It is not even the influence that makes this movie great but the incredible dialogue and story. This is the kind of script where if one thing was said wrong or awkwardly the audience would burst out laughing, instead the audience is gripped in intensity and their eyes are glued on the screen. The quiet and mesmerizing soundtrack by Cliff Martinez is also notable because when it hits it underlines the films emphasis when it brings out the big guns. He also did a fantastic job working on the soundtrack for this past years "Drive." This movie has one of the most intense endings ever for reasons that are almost unknown to everyone. It is weird how this sort of subject brings us to the edge of our seat. Hearing about this sort of thing just keeps us gripped, the secret sexual fantasies of other people. It is something everyone knows about and does but no one ever brings it to the table openly and talks about it much like the character of Graham Dalton. He is one of the most mysterious and best movie characters in all of history. He is honest and gets people to be more honest with themselves then they ever were before. This movie is intense and the questions it raises will keep you thinking. I watched it one night and then once again the following night showing it to a big group of friends. Be careful who you watch this with, it could maybe lead to discussions you do not want to have but then again you may not want to take my film advice. Like Graham said, you should never take advice from someone that you are not intimate with.

5 out of 5 Stars

Like Crazy

This is one of the best films of the year and it is one of the best romances to be released in awhile. This film is so splendidly and meticulously made you cannot think about absolutely anything else except what is happening on the screen. The chemistry between the two leads is magnetic. Felicity Jones and Anton Yelchin give the best performances of their whole careers. There is also great supporting work done by last years Oscar nominee Jennifer Lawrence. This film captured me and would not let me go. I am a sucker for romances, especially the ones that carry a unique style to it different from ones that we have seen before. Like, "Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind" and "(500) Days Of Summer" this movie has its own genuine realness and special quality to it. As this rather short film takes the audience through the relationship you literally feel it. It being so intimately real makes it hard to turn away from. We have all had feelings that these two characters experience, whether it be to a greater or lesser degree we relate to them. We sit on the outside of the situation and we want each of them to do the better thing for the sake of love and stay together even if we ourselves would not do so in real life. After seeing this film you will notice your own naivety. The ending is perfect, I could not see it ending any other way. Whether we like it or not this movie shows what happens in reality. I could go on for decades about the style director Drake Doremus brings to this film. The long and intense shots that seem to pass over time are beautiful. The film seems to focus on the tiny little things that change over time, physically and emotionally. We get a sense of what life is about and how important are time is with each other and to never waste it. We need to be patient and never do anything we will later regret. This film is a romance for the decade. I do not know if with time this film will later be more recognized but I know I will always remember it. This film really hit me. I feel like I really took something from it, something amazing and beautiful. It has impacted me and I will never forget it. Not only does this film inspire a unique way of storytelling for young directors but, it hits hard on those who are normal people living life and falling in love and to make every second count. Much of the dialogue in this film was improved which explains how real and delicate the conversations are. It is this kind of genuineness in movies that make them so great and impacting. This movie will make you laugh, make you smile, and it will make you cry.

5 out of 5 Stars

Martha Marcy May Marlene

This movie is weird, to say the least. It is about a girl, Martha, who shows up out of nowhere in the need of help and her sister takes her in after being completely out of contact with her for years. We do not know exactly where Martha has been but we soon find out by way of flashback that she was apart of some cult, similar to that of The Manson Family. Martha has increasing paranoia and mixes up her memories with real life. She has trouble adjusting and her sister and husband also have trouble handling her without having any clue about what she has been through. The movie is stressful and hard to watch and a little unhopeful but it is superbly acted. Elizabeth Olsen, yes she is the younger sister of the Olsen twins, gives an incredible and haunting performance. It is next to impossible to take your eyes off her. She is a far superior actress then her other two siblings with this movie alone as her evidence. It is crazy to think that this kind of talent has been hiding for this long. John Hawkes, who you will recognize from last years "Winters Bone," also gives an incredible as the leader of the abusive cult. The is the debut for director Sean Durkin, and I look forward to seeing what is next for him. The film does seem to lack a little bit of closure. To me, this is not the kind of movie you can leave open ended without any kind of solution. It felt a little slow and unfocused at times but all that is overcome by the amazing performances. I forgot to mention Sarah Paulson who probably gives the best performance of her career as the struggling sister. If you want to check out and see a major snub in this years Academy Award nominations, there is not a better example then Elizabeth Olsen in her harrowingly, powerful portrayal.

4.5 out of 5 Stars

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

What most critics found to be a gripping, well acted, and well written thriller about discovering a mole in the MI6 agency I found to be slow, groggy, and boring. I guess I have to say it is well acted and even written. The director Tomas Alfredson is talented, as made evident in "Let The Right One In." It just did not do it for me. I have never been a fan of these slower spy movies like, "Duplicity" and "The Good Shepherd." I find myself losing interest in what is going on and I then that is it for me. I tried to stay focus on it and it is not like I was tired when watching or anything like that. The movie just seemed dreary to me. I did not care who the bad guy was. It has a cool set up, with a nice back drop taking place during The Cold War, and the ending was done well. I just did not care about the mystery. The film did not seem to have that oomph it should have. Gary Oldman has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor. I did not think his performance demanded much from him, but that is okay because he should have been nominated for his work long ago. For me this film was an overall let down and disappointment.

2 out of 5 Stars

A Better Life

Chris Weitz; who directed "About A Boy," "The Golden Compass," and "New Moon;" after a long hiatus finally comes out with a film that is in the Oscar race. Although it is next to impossible for it to win it is still an honor to have Demian Bichir nominated for Best Actor. Yes, he gives a good performance; but is he more worthy than Michael Fassbender, Michael Shannon, and Woody Harrelson? Is it becoming a thing for Oscar to surprisingly nominate a Spanish actor every year? I do not know the answers to all these questions, but do know this movie was decent, not great. Nothing really seemed to strong about this typical father and son story that was clearly a political statement about illegal immigration. I liked the movie but it never really hit home. The acting is pretty good but nothing seems great and the story never really goes down intense routes that it could have. Jose Julian gives a good performance in the role of the son however, he sometimes comes across like he is forcing it. All in all this movie is better then most but it is not one you would look forward to seeing during the Awards Season. Check out Chris Weitz's earlier film "About A Boy." It truly is a remarkable film.

3 out of 5 Stars