The Descendants Review

George Clooney and Shailene Woodley on a road trip in The Descendants

 The Descendants

A+

A review by Frederick Cholowski

Alexander Payne seems to know a lot about the American man. He’s depicted lives on the downturn in About Schmidt and Sideways. This time around in the Descendants he takes mega star George Clooney and the beautiful island of Hawaii and does it all over again. What comes of it is a masterpiece about a human under extreme stress. It also blends together the best of both comedy and drama to create a truly compelling film.

Matt King (George Clooney) is going through hard times. His wife is in a coma and is dying from a boat accident, he has to take care of his two daughters who he had never spent much time with (Shailene Woodley and Amara Miller), and he also has inherited a large piece of land on the island of which he has to decide, with the pressure of his extended family breathing down his neck, what to do with. On top of all this his eldest daughter Alexandra tells him that his wife had been cheating on him before the accident. Matt, along with his two daughters and Alexandra’s idiotic boyfriend Sid (Nick Krause), begin to play amateur detective while driving around Hawaii telling family members of his wife’s condition.

The Descendants has a fantastic plot filled with rich writing and fantastic characters. This could have turned into an average road trip movie with a Hawaiian background. Instead it is a rich and detailed examination of a man’s life on the decent. This has a lot to do with the fantastic script co-written by the director Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, and Jim Rash. It always seems to strike the perfect balance of comedy and drama. Another great thing about this film is its pacing. The film takes time to slow down and allow for great character moments while never bogging down the overall pace of the film.

This might be the best role George Clooney has ever had, period. Clooney tones it way down for this film and is subtle and mature. It’s a definite change of pace for and actor whose roles are usually large and flashy. Shailene Woodley also needs serious awards consideration for her role as King’s eldest daughter Alexandra. This is a quiet breakout for the young actress who shows off many sides of her emotional range in this film. The rest of the cast is also really solid, and by none of them really being familiar faces really sink into their characters.

Another large character in this film is Hawaii itself. The location is used quite well with beautiful shots spread out through the film. The best part about this is that Payne never overdoes it. Most of the shots blend in with the main plot itself and he never exploits the location, something that could have been very possible. The score mixes in some traditional Hawaiian with more modern music and is constantly there to bring us into the setting that these characters live in.

The Descendants is easily one of the best films of 2011. Its perfect mix of comedy and drama along with fantastic performances make it a much watch for film lovers. It also engages the brain, and hey any movie that does that in this age of film gets a glowing recommendation from me.

Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol Review

Tom cruse climes really high in Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol

Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol

B+

 A Review by Frederick Cholowski

After three films, the Mission Impossible franchise is reinventing itself again. This time with director Brad Bard at the helm, new members added to the crew, and about 20 minutes worth of footage shot in IMAX. The result is a fun action movie that feels more a kin to a James Bond movie than to the previous Mission Impossible films.

As in prior films MI4 follows Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) an IMS spy. This time after stylishly breaking out of Russian Prison Ethan and his team are framed for the bombing of the Russian Kremlin. This leads to the entire IMF being labeled as terrorists. His team this time round consists of the computer guy Benji (Simon Pegg), the tough female Jane (Paula Patton) and the “research guy” Brandt (Jeremy Renner). Their mission (if they chooses to accept it) it to hunt down the man who bombed the Kremlin, Hendricks (Michal Nyqvist), take the nuclear bomb codes away from him, and clear their names.

The plot is very standard for this kind of spy film and it allows for a lot of globetrotting and big action set pieces. The problem with the film is that it’s a little too long. The film starts to wear out its welcome in the last twenty minutes. As well the ending (despite the awesome final set piece) feels a little sloppy. Another small problem is that the film in its 133 minutes doesn’t give a lot of character exploration. What characters we get are subpar, and while I’m not expecting overly deep and complex characters in an action film I would like a villain who speaks more than about 6 lines of dialogue (poor Michal Nyqvist is terribly underused).

Acting wise this film is solid. Tom Cruise seems to be on autopilot here and is solid as Ethan Hunt. Paula Patton, who manages to get most of the emotional scenes, is fine here as well. Jeremy Renner acts as a kind of second super spy to Tom Cruise and Simon Pegg provides some welcome comic relief. As for the villain Michal Nyqvist, as mentioned earlier, is horribly underused and never has time to make Hendricks all that menacing.

The visuals are where this film truly shines. This film looks gorgeous in IMAX with the few key sequences that are shot in IMAX being the standouts. One in particular that takes place on the tallest building in the world in Dubai is absolutely stunning. I have never felt more tension and excitement in a single action. It actually feels like you’re up on the building with the character. The score is standard spy affair with a variety of different tracks to go with each location. It’s big and bombastic but never takes away from the film.

Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol is a very solid action movie. It is fast paced and a lot of fun from start to finish. Sure it is long and sometimes sloppy, but when the action scenes are this breathtaking and the set pieces so fantastic, the shortcomings can be forgiven; at least for most of the film.



Hugo Review

Hugo and Isabelle investigate an automiton in Martin Scorsese's Hugo

Hugo

A+

A Review by Frederick Cholowski

Martin Scorsese directing a family film, those are two things you don’t hear in a sentence very often. Yet here we stand in 2011 and the director of masterpieces such as Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and Goodfellas is doing just that with his latest film Hugo; a visual treasure that takes its place among Martin Scorsese’s growing list of masterpieces.

Hugo follows title character Hugo Cabret (Asa Butterfield), a young orphan who secretly tends to the clocks of a train station in 1920’s Paris. His father (played in flashbacks by Jude Law) died in a fire and the last connection Hugo with his father is a broken automaton that they found at a museum. All the while Hugo must constantly escape the clutches of the station inspector (Sacha Baron Choen). Hugo soon bumps ways with the mean old man who runs the toy booth (Ben Kingsley) and meets his charming young god daughter Isabelle (Chloë Grace Mortz) whose heart shaped key may be the key to finding the message hidden inside the automaton.

There is not all that much plot to be had here, but what is works extraordinarily well. The story is the personal Martin Scorsese has directed yet as he injects some of himself into the protagonist. There is also a throwback to the silent film era, one that is near and dear to Scorsese’s heart. It is also interesting that the goings on at the train station are almost a little silent film in themselves and they create a colorful, sometime hysterical backdrop for the events that transpire. These create a sense of wonder while never taking away from the overall plot.

The overall plot in itself is quite slowly paced for a family film. The pacing feels more a kin to the traditional Scorsese drama than to the fast paced family films of today. This is welcome as the film takes its time to set up the atmosphere and the characters that are vital to the overall experience.

Martin Scorsese has had many great performances in his films. Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver and Raging Bull, Joe Pesci in Goodfellas and Jack Nicholson in the Departed just to name a few. In Hugo he gets spectacular performances out of Asa Butterfield and Ben Kingsley. Both performances are spot on and magical. The relationship both their character’s share is full of tension at the beginning but slowly eases off as the film moves along. As for the supporting cast Mortz is charming as Isabelle a wondrous child whose head is constantly in adventure books and Sacha Baron Choen often is great comic relief.

The true winner here though is the visuals. This is the best use of 3D in a major motion picture I have seen; even better than the 3D in Avatar. The attention to detail here is fantastic as the 3D is not used as a gimmick instead as an extension to Scorsese’s creative vision. Everything from the sweeping shots of Paris to the Goodfellas like tracking shot through the train station is jaw dropping. I could go on and on about different scenes in this film and how gorgeous they are. Evan the restored silent films peppered throughout look fantastic. Visually, this is Scorsese’s greatest achievement to date.

After so many years of being proclaimed a master of film it is refreshing to see Martin Scorsese continue to try new things. Hugo is a film that well pulls from Scorsese’s roots, is something radically different. Hugo is also a magical piece of visual art and storytelling. One that deserves to be held at the same level as Scorsese’s many great films.

The Ides of March Review

George Clooney delivers a speech to the American Public in The Ides of March 

The Ides of March

A-

A review by Frederick Cholowski

Politics, one of the most convoluted and corrupted functions in all of modern society. Lying, cheating, and corrupting are all involved in the potentially nasty business. George Clooney’s 4th directorial effort The Ides of March examines, with great cynicism, the behind the scenes life of campaign managers. For the most part The Ides of March is a successful effort plagued by a flaw that prevents it from reaching greatness.

The Ides of March follows a young campaign manager Stephen Meyers (Ryan Gosling) who is trying to make Governor Mike Morris (George Clooney) the next president of the United States. Surrounding Meyers is a colorful group of people such as his senior campaign manager Paul Zara (Philip Seymour Hoffman), the opposing campaign manager Tom Duffy (Paul Giamatti). Meyers believes in Morris’s cause but his campaign soon starts to crumble after he meets briefly with Paul Zara and starts sleeping with an intern Molly Stearns (Evan Rachel Wood).

The Ides of March is a great film for the first hour and ten minutes. It’s an interesting and cynical case study about the inside of American politics. After that the film runs into some problems. It all of a sudden follows a weird subplot that involves Evan Rachel Wood’s character. A subplot which all of a sudden transforms the film into a B grade thriller. The whole subplot feels forced, rushed, and unnecessary and it keeps the film from reaching its full potential.

Acting wise this film has a ton of A-list talent. Gosling, Clooney, Hoffman, and Giamatti are all fantastic. Gosling gets the most time. Getting to watch his character go down to the jaded, cynical dark side is engaging. Gosling dose a great job at making the character arc believable. Clooney dose a very Clooney style role here. He’s calm and suave and has just as many flaws to him as he has likable qualities. Hoffman and Giamatti play rivals who are already jaded and cynical. They do a fine job as well and each help carry the film forward.

Technically The Ides of March oozes atmosphere. The tone is very dark and the shots are close and cramped. This gives the film a dynamic and stressful feel. One that tries to grip you at every one of its twists and turns. The score seems to try and emulate Trent Reznor’s score in last year’s The Social Network. For the most part it does a good job to keep the movie going.

The Ides of March is a really good political film that could have been great. The frustrating twist at the end somewhat spoils an overall dark and thrilling experience. This is a little sad because had it not been for that this film would have been a serious contender for film of the year. That being said The Ides of March is still a solid film that should definitely not be missed.

Moneyball Review

Brad Pitt looks serious about baseball in Moneyball

Moneyball
A-

A review by Frederick Cholowski

Sports movies love them or hate them they are probably always going to exist. Evan if most are predictable there are always the few who stand out from the pack. Moneyball is one of them as it manages to stay away from many of the clichés that usually haunt the genre. It also manages to deliver one of the most intriguing and insightful sports stories in a long time.

Moneyball follows Oakland A’s general manager Billy Bean (Brad Pitt) on a crusade to try and replace three of his biggest superstars after they were eaten up by other teams. Problem is that as Bean eloquently describes “There are rich teams and there are pore teams. Then there is fifty feet of crap and then there is us.” In other words they have very little money. Soon Billy finds his answer, a numbers crunching Yale graduate Peter Brand (Jonah Hill). Together they set out to make history by looking at baseball from a pure statistics point of view without considering things such as the personalities or integrity. He then has to convince old school coach Art Howe (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and the rest of the world that his team full of misfits has an actual chance to do something.

The success of Moneyball is in the writing and pacing. This movie made me cheer for baseball a sport witch in my opinion is boring and mundane. It is also fueled by a script written by two of the best screenplay artists in the world Aaron Sorkin and Steven Zaillian. While amazing Moneyball runes into some problems. While the managing parts of the film are insightful and fantastic the parts that involve Bean’s family feel a little clichéd and don’t work with the overall vibe of the film. It only really slows the film down and ruins the quick pace with parts of Bean’s life that I don’t end up caring about. Even with the pacing issues the film still held my interest even through the slower portions.

Acting is key here and it is solid on all fronts. Brad Pitt is convincing as the A’s general manager searching for a winning team. He has a certain charisma that lights up the screen every that he is present. This plus a solid emotional range give him the opportunity to be an early bet for an Oscar nod. Speaking of Oscar nods Jonah Hill is fantastically subtle as Peter Brand. He kind of channels a bit of Jessie Eisenberg’s performance in the Social Network (except not quite as socially awkward or destructive). He takes a tone downed approach and it works extremely well.

On the writing front it’s great to have such a great script here. The writing and dialogue carry through one finely crafted scene to another. In the management parts of the film Sorkin’s trademark fast talking witty dialogue shines especially during a great scene later on in the film involving risky trades. That scene alone made me almost completely forgive the clichéd family drama. On the tech side the film looks and sounds good with nothing really eye popping or special. All the actual baseball scenes while well done are nothing all that special. Even so if you can get me to care about baseball it’s a good thing.

Moneyball is a fun and smart fall film made better by a great script. It manages to avoid the potholes that many a sports film has fallen in before. While this is brought down by pacing issues and family drama Moneyball is still a step ahead of many of the films that have come out this year.



Caching Up on DVD: Hanna Review

Saorise Ronan jumping off a crate in Hanna

Hanna

A-

A Review by Frederick Cholowski

Action movies can be a very touchy subject. There are the ones that are amazing and fantastic such as Fight Club or Die Hard. Then there can be films like Transformers 3. So what happens when Joe Wright the director of such films as The Pride and the Prejudice and Atonement tries to make an action film? You get Hanna a really good action film that cares just as much about characters and plot as it does about blowing things up.

Hanna starts out in the middle of a secluded snowy forest where Hanna (Saorise Ronan) and her father Erik (Eric Bana) are living and training. After training montages and emotional moments we find that Hanna is ready for her ultimate mission which is to take down CIA agent Marissa (Cate Blanchett). Then a game of cat and mouse in sues all across Europe.

Hanna has a super solid edge of your seat plot that really has you going from the start. It’s fast paced and constantly moving. Evan so the film never seems to forget what’s important and while fast pace has a lot of great story elements to it as well. I have two main complaints though. When the film reaches its end it goes a little too over the top for me and while both Eric Bana and Cate Blanchett are brilliant they have very, very unfortunate accents that can take you out of the film sometimes.

Speaking of performances they are great across the board. Saorise Ronan is turning out to be a phenomenal young actress. She really shines here by adding some real emotional depth to the young killing machine Hanna. Overall Cate Blanchett is just plain fun to watch. She really goes over the top here and makes her role as the cold dark CIA agent one of the high points of the film. There is a solid supporting cast here to who add depth overall to the motion picture.

Hanna is also a showcase of style. This film is just plain gorgeous through and through. The action scenes instead of relying on quick cuts and gimmicks use long and lingering shots. My favorite action scene in the film is actually just one big tracking shot with no cuts at all. There is also a fantastic electronic soundtrack by the Chemical Brothers that sucks you right into the film right away.

Hanna is a very good action movie. It mixes good performances with a pace that keeps you at the edge of your seat the whole time. It also has a wonderful sense of style and grace that truly set it apart from other films in the genre. For a man who made two really methodical dramas Joe Wright can sure make a good action-thriller.

The Tree of Life Review

Jessica Chastain wandering in the distance in The Tree of Life

The Tree of Life

A+

A Review by Frederick Cholowski

Few directors have achieved as much buzz and popularity with as few films as Terence Malick. In only his fifth film in almost just as many decades Malick is reaching for the stars (quite literally at some points). The Tree of Life is the most deeply ambitious film I have seen sense Stanly Kubrick’s 1968 masterpiece 2001 a Space Odyssey. It’s a coming of age story mixed with the evolution of life on earth and loads of dreamlike metaphors. The film at one point even has dinosaurs! Surprisingly though all of the film works together in a package that is both a brilliant piece of film making and the best film I have seen so far this year.

The meat of the film focuses on a family in a small town in Texas. Raising three young boys are their parents, a mean yet affectionate father (Brad Pitt) and a mother who seems disconnected with the world around her (Jessica Chastain). For the most part the story focuses on the elder brother Jack (Hunter McCracken as a child and Sean Penn as an adult) who has the weight of expectations on his back. As he goes through childhood he gets angrier and angrier at his parents and the world around him until his breaking point is reached.

The rest of the film is way all over the place. Some of it follows a middle age Jack struggling to find his identity and his place in the world. Then there are the scenes witch depicts both the creation of the earth, prehistoric times and the afterlife. There are also scenes of dreamlike metaphors that while slightly odd add a point to the adult Jack sections of the film.

In a way The Tree of Life is defiantly plot less. Instead of concrete scenes it uses wisps of memories and emotions to convey its point. It relies less on concrete ideas and more so on bits of sight and sound. Dialogue in this film is scarce and mostly in voiceovers. Instead the film is dominated with images and music that helps convey the mood and emotion of each scene. The Tree of Life makes us truly rethink the way film is presented. It’s scattered yet tightly controlled and while in a way that is both grand a beautiful.

If there were any complaint I have with the film is that sometimes the Sean Penn scenes feel a bit unnecessary. Sean Penn has all of two lines of dialogue and kind of feels tacked on. It never really affects the film at all but sometimes it just feels kind of there. Also while some complain about the necessity of the creation scenes I think they add a lot to the film and truly put in prospective the problems and struggles of humans in contrast to the scope and grandeur of the universe.

As far as performances go everyone is great here. Brad Pitt is brilliant as the mean and sometimes abusive father. Pitt has a great energy that he brings to the role. Jessica Chastain who is a fairly fresh face is very good as a mother who feels a bit out of this world. The best actor in the film though is truly Hunter McCracken who is stunning as a confused and angry young child. His role is quiet and subtle yet daring and personal. For a child actor he has a wonderful maturity.

The real spectacles here are the visuals and sound. From beginning The Tree of Life is a gorgeous film with beautiful cinematography and fantastic visual design. Malick creates an almost dreamlike atmosphere for most of the film that really bring you in to the experience. As well Alexandre Desplat’s score is through the roof as it adds a whole new layer to the experience. Not since films like 2001 a Space Odyssey and Amadeus has music made such an impact on the film itself.

While it may take a couple more viewings to determine whether Malick has created a true modern masterpiece, The Tree of Life is undoubtedly one of the best films I have seen in a while. It’s refreshing to see something so ambitious and intelligent hit the cinema in an age where films like this are so rare. It truly challenges the way film is structured and the way us the audience view film. Challenging, emotional and beautiful The Tree of Life is by far the best film to come out in 2011 so far.

Cowboys & Aliens Review

Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford along with a lot of cowboys in Cowboys and Aliens

Cowboys & Aliens

B

A Review by Frederick Cholowski

What happens when you try to mix a western and a sci-fi film together? You get Cowboys and Aliens, a film that tries to bring out the best of both genres. The question is how well does it succeed. While Cowboys and Aliens may have some flaws it’s a fun, solid summer action film.

The plot begins when Jake Lonergan (Daniel Craig) finds himself in the American west, in the middle of nowhere, and with a funky bracelet firmly attached to his right hand. He soon finds himself in trouble with both the local law and with the town cattle provider Cornel Woodrow Dolarhyde (Harrison Ford). Then Aliens show up. This changes everything as now the whole west must work together to stop the evil beings.

Storytelling here is surprisingly strong for this kind of film. The problem is the tone. This film attempts to be dark and compelling when in truth there’s not enough material to push the film forwards. While there are some solid thematic moments it lacks the characters to really get behind. There is the gritty old guy and the hulking hero and some more caricatures in between but again no one I really connected to. Also when it tries to have those “trying to be dark and compelling moments” it drags the film down making the 118 minutes feel a little long.

Acting is solid across the board. Daniel Craig channels a little Bond here as the outlay Lonergan. While he doesn’t say much he dose do a solid job in this film as the hero, who just like the rest of us is trying to find out what the heck is going on. Harrison Ford is awesome as the old grisly Dolarnyde. He truly has a little fun with the role and it shows as I was having fun with him. Olivia Wilde plays the townsfolk who likes to give out random information at random times (yes another one of those characters) and manages not to be annoying unlike Gemma Arterton in Clash of the Titans.

What truly takes the cake are the direction and the special effects. The whole film feels like an old western mixed with an Alien style sci-fi film. Got to hand it to Jon Favreau for setting the atmosphere right off the bat. As well the action set pieces shine with gorgeous cinematography and clean editing. I always knew what was going on at every second and never got thrown into a state of confusion or nausea. Finally the best thing about it all it’s not in 3D so no motion blurring or dull colors.

Cowboys and Aliens is good summer fun. While it doesn’t have enough dramatic material to justify the tone or the running time it still manages to entertain with great atmosphere and direction. With a summer full of 3D origin stories, sequels, and Transformers it’s nice to see something stepping out of the box and giving this summer a breath of fresh air.

Caching up on DVD: Source Code Review

Captain Colter Stevens and Christina Warren prepare to be blown up in Source Code

Source Code

B+

A review by Frederick Cholowski

2 years ago new director Duncan Jones jumped onto the scene with the amazing film Moon. Now he has a bigger budget, another solid cast, and another twisted sci-fi storyline. Jones has a great creative vision and a passion for sci-fi and it shows in Source Code. While not quite as good as Moon, Source Code is still both more innovative and intelligent than most other films in the sci-fi genre.

Source Code follows Captain Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) who right at the beginning of the film finds himself on a train as another person. Before he has any time to collect what is happening the train explodes killing everyone on board. He then wakes up in a capsule and being talked to by one of the leaders of the operation Colleen Goodwin (Vera Farmiga). Apparently Stevens is a pawn in the Source Code experiment. The U.S. government is concerned about the train bombing because they think that it will lead to another bombing in Chicago. Stevens goes to an alternate reality version of the train incident for 8 minutes disguised as a teacher to try and find the bomber.

Source Code is a very fast paced thriller. At only 93 minutes long Source Code goes by in an instant well still developing the plot and characters. It gives you the since of frantic desperation as not only is Captain Stevens being forced to race against time, but he has to find out what is going on in the process. The main problem with the film is the ending. All the way up to about the last 20 minutes the film is fast pace and frantic. Then it slows down rapidly into an ending that doesn’t work for me at all.

Performances are solid across the board here. Gyllenhaal is actually quite impressive here compared to prior performances. Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, and Jeffery Wright are all solid here. No one stands out for better or for worse.

The real standouts here are the cinematography and direction. The way the Camera moves gives off the right feel at any time. When we need to feel rushed we feel rushed. When Stevens is in the capsule it feels cramped and claustrophobic. The direction works well with a mix of quick cuts and lingering shots. It gives off a very sleek and modern feel a change from the older feel of Moon.

Source Code is a good action thriller. It’s fast paced and a lot of fun. While the ending is unsatisfying and the performances unmemorable the good greatly out ways the bad. In two films Duncan Jones has managed to establish himself as one of the premier young talents of the last couple of years. He brings a breath of fresh air to sci-fi and I cannot wait for what he tries next.



The 3D Craze

3D glasses that hinder our movie going enjoyment

The 3D craze

Commentary by Frederick Cholowski

The first 3D movie came out in the 1950’s. Over 6 decades later 3D has taken off into what seems to be an untamable monster. Almost every big budget film is now in 3D and the craze doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon. So inspired by a recent episode of Ebert presents At the Movies I have decided to give my opinion on the tech and where the future lies for 3D.

Let’s start with the positives before going all negative. 3D when used right adds an added sense of depth to a film. The depth effect (as I will call it for now) is most useful when used subtly like in recent Pixar films. The depth effect when used not well though can completely take you out of a feature such as in the new Harry Potter film.

Movies that are shot in 3D also usually look really good. The best example of this (and of the usage of 3D in general) is of course James Cameron’s Avatar. The film’s world feels large, expansive, and beautiful with the added depth that 3D can provide. Also Cameron’s Avatar avoids motion blurring and color dulling something that has plagued films that add 3D in post production.

Speaking of witch adding 3D effects in post production to a live action film should be banned outright. I have yet to see a single successful example of this. The problem with adding 3D in post production is that most of the time it’s just a cheep way to make an extra buck. The film usually isn’t filmed with 3D in mind and it falls into all of the generic 3D problems without any payoff at all.

The main problems that most 3D films run into are the issues of color dulling and blurring. The glasses you wear to view the 3D reduce the light amount of light that reaches the eyes. This significantly dulls the brightness and vibrancy of the colors that are present on screen. This is especially bad for animated films witch rely now a days on vibrant color.

Blurring is something that is apparent in almost all 3D movies especially ones with large action sequences. First off when the 3D focuses on one thing the rest of the images that would normally look just fine get blurred out. This problem gets even worse once the camera starts moving at a good pace like in an action scene. This causes the infamous motion blur, blurring that happens when the 3D cannot keep up with the movement of the camera. This is most apparent in the 2010 film Clash of the Titans when the camera moves fast and furious and the 3D cannot keep up creating a hard to follow picture.

So are there ways to fix it? Well glasses free 3D is on the market now for smaller screens. This would allow the picture to remain as bright and vibrant as a 2D film. The problem with this though is aligning it with everyone in a theater. It’s hard enough to get the 3D properly aligned for one person on the Nintendo 3Ds imagine trying to get it to work for 200 people in a theater.

Another way to fix it, abolish it completely. This is an idea I’m all in favor for. I mean when did we ever get the impression that 2D films weren’t good enough? We don’t need hands, feet and swords jumping out at us if it cost us more money and reduces the quality of the film we are watching. Brightness and color wins any day over that. I guess we are trying to move technology forward towards the virtual reality idea, but I get more engaged watching a 2D movie way more often then watching it in 3D. The little tricks pull me out of a film not help to suck me into it.

I do not like the idea of 3D nor do I pretend to. It dulls the colors and blurs the image. Most of the time 3D is just there to make a quick extra buck anyways. Really the only film I would watch in 3D instead of 2D is Avatar. Nothing before or since has enticed me to spend the extra $3 to see the 3D version. So next time your at the cinema save the cash and see it in 2D.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 Review

Harry Ron and Hermione look on for one last time in the final Harry Potter

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

A+

A review by Frederick Cholowski

Note: Do not see this film in 3D. The post production added effects dull the colors and has motion blur issues. While this will have no effect on my review I definitely recommend seeking out a 2D showing.

After 7 books and 8 movies the Harry Potter franchise has reached its finale. A film that has been waited on since the final book came out in 2005 and expectations are off the wall. The final film needs to deliver. Well I’m glad to report that not only is the final Potter film worth watching it’s the best and most emotionally satisfying Potter film in the franchise.

Deathly Hallows part 2 starts right where the first part left off. Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) has taken the elder wand and things are looking quite grim for our heroes. Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint), and Hermione (Emma Watson) still have to find and destroy more horcruxes before facing the dark lord himself. Meanwhile Hogwarts has turned into hell on earth thanks to the new headmaster Severus Snape (Alan Rickman).

For the first time in a long time the story in a Potter film is truly something special. First off director David Yates uses his special abilities in creating mood and atmosphere. Yates hits all the right notes here striking the perfect balance of heroism and darkness. As well the film doesn’t suffer from the poor pacing issues of the last film. The horcrux hunt doesn’t bog down the pace this time.

Then there is the last half of the film witch stuns. It’s a fast pace emotional roller coaster with numerous stand out moments. Then they actually get the ending right. Some people may argue that it’s a little anti climatic but I don’t think so. I couldn’t see them attempting to make it more cinematic without making it cheesy and stupid.

For the first time in a potter movie I’m impressed by the performances. Radcliffe, Grint, and Watson all impress with the emotional depth they bring to each of their roles. Ralph Fiennes is great as Voldemort as he shows us two different sides of the villain. Of course Alan Rickman is amazing as Snape especially in a 5 minute segment late in the film that steals the show for me.

The special effects look really good here. Nothing feels cheesy or out of place here. The action scenes are great here and feel large and meaningful. Also the score in this film is fantastic. It is loud and bombastic when it needs to be, but then it quiets down and almost disappears when needed.

The finale of the Potter franchise is magical. It’s atmospheric and emotional well keeping the lighting pace. The most emotionally satisfying potter film to date Harry has certainly saved the best for last.

Good Fantasy to get over the Post Harry Potter Hangover: Harry Potter Week Part 2

Good Fantasy to get over the Post Harry Potter Hangover

Commentary by: Frederick Cholowski

    Well the Potter film franchise is coming to an end. What are you going to read/watch!!!!! You probably have a good idea but in case your super duper lost I'm here to recommend some fantasy!

 

A Song of Ice and Fire

    First book: A Game of Thrones

    Author: George R.R. Martin

        This is my #1 recommendation. I love this series because it's so unpredictable. No one is safe and you never know what's going to happen next. I'm on the four of five available books right now and am loving every second. Also an HBO original series titled Game of Thrones has been made based on the books and it is also amazing!!

 

The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel

    First book: The Alchemist

    Author: Michael Scott

        This is a fun little series from Irish fantasy writer Michael Scott. It's really fast pace and messes with a lot of mythology in ways that sort of make sense. It may not be the extreme rich detailed fantasy like the lord of the rings or song of ice and fire but for what it is it's a lot of fun.

 

The Inheritance Cycle

    First book: Eragon

    Author: Christopher Paolini

        The fourth book which has taken forever to come out is finally coming in November this is a great time to get into the franchise. It is a little slow sometimes and the story may resemble Star Wars at times but it's also very detailed and a lot of fun.

 

Lord of the Rings

    First book: The Fellowship of the Ring

    Author: J.R.R. Tolkien

        Who hasn't read these books or at least watched the movies. Tolkien's Lord of The Ring's remains one of the premier examples of fantasy. If you haven't read these why haven't you? That is all I'm going to say

    

Well there you go a place to start for now, and if you read all these well props to you. Anyways there you go if you have any favorites you can put them in the comments.

 

Tomorrow: Potter 7 part 2 preview

 

Looking Back at the Harry Potter Movies: Harry Potter Week Part 1

Looking Back at the Harry Potter Movies

Commentary by Frederick Cholowski

Well it’s almost over, the Harry Potter franchise which has spanned 7 novels and in a few days 8 movies is coming to a close. Those who know me know that I love the books, not read them 7 times and carve “nimbus 2000” into broomsticks love but still love it the same. Those who know me also know I simply like the films. Not saying they are bad by any stretch of the imagination (good means good) but not up to the level of the novels. Maybe it’s because they follow the novels too closely or lose a little charm at times but still I like them anyways. Well with the end of the film franchise (the book franchise ended a number of years ago) I have decided to look back and count down from my least favorite Potter film to my favorite Potter film (excluding the last one because it hasn’t been released yet).

7. The Chamber of Secrets

Ah yes number 2 my least favorite of the franchise. This was back when the films still hadn’t matured out of the we’re a bit kiddy faze. Don’t get me wrong I don’t dislike this film but it’s also the weakest in the franchise with a “we’re still young” feel. That would be radically changed in the next film but more on that later…

6. The Deathly Hallows Part 1

Here lies the reason why I’m only cautiously optimistic for the last film in the Potter franchise. This film didn’t work on its own it was just endless build up without achieving much. Then it just kind of ends! Right when the film starts to get some momentum going too. Again by no means a bad film but still one of the weakest in the franchise.

5. The Order of the Phoenix

How do you turn one of the best most richly detailed books in the franchise into the shortest film in the whole series? That is the question many Potter fans where asking when the fifth film in the franchise myself included. Not judging the book (which I usually try not to do) though this is a solid entry in the Potter franchise. It’s not great and feels a bit rushed but a solid film none the less

4. The Goblet of Fire

My favorite book in the whole series is the Goblet of Fire. I think it brings the series to new heights adding new depth and expands the franchise into new territory. Problem with this film is that this happened to the film series last film. More on that later. Anyhow Goblet of fire is a solid entry in the franchise and definitely deserves to be this high on this list.

3. The Philosopher’s Stone

This is the one that started it all. Sure it has its shaky points but this film brought all the atmosphere and character into the franchise almost flawlessly. It’s always a treat when you get to see one of your favorite books jump to life on screen and the first Potter film did this on almost all the right notes.

2. The Half Blood Prince

I am in the minority of people who love this one. It gets some much needed character development and build in before racing to an interesting (yet a bit anticlimactic) finale. It succeeds in being a good set up film while also be able to stand alone as one of the best in the franchise.

1. The Prisoner of Azkaban

Funny how my least favorite book in the franchise becomes my favorite film. This took the Potter franchise in a new much needed direction. It was darker and more convincing while still keeping the charm of the series. It also managed to grow the sires up a couple of years to get older people involved. It’s the only film in the Potter franchise I would call truly great.

Tomorrow:

Fantasy to read or watch after Potter

Transformers Dark of the Moon Review

Bumblebee watching stuff pointlessly explode in Transformers Dark of the Moon

Transformers Dark of the Moon

D

A Review by Frederick Cholowski

Let’s get two things off the chest before we start this review. 1. I do not like Michael Bay films. I have always thought they were loud and stupid. 2. I am one of those people who “doesn’t get” this franchise or how it could appeal to anyone who turns their brain on if not for a brief second well watching. Well now that’s out of the way, Transformers 3 is a stupid movie. It combines stuff going boom with more stuff going boom. It (as the last two did) avoids something called “character development” or “a decent storyline”. I mean do I sound like I’m asking too much. Honestly the average 1 hour TV show dose a better job at these things than Transformers 3 dose in 2 and a half hours. That’s just sad.

Let’s not try to explain the plot because there isn’t much. Basically the evil Decepticons want to take over our planet and recreate their former planet in its place. It’s up to a bunch of army guys, the good robots the Autobots, and Shia LaBeouf (with his model girlfriend of course) to save the world. Wahoo!

Bay blamed the poor screenplay of the last Transformers film on the writers’ strike. So why is the screenplay here even worse? Don’t worry Michael Bay will find something. Maybe Bay should just abandon the whole idea of a screenplay and give us 90 minutes of stuff blowing up. It would be much better than sitting there for two and a half hours listing to all the actors scream at the machines (who PS aren’t listening most of the time guys).

Speaking of actors oh Shia LaBeouf would you please for the love of god stop embarrassing yourself on screen. I mean come on I can’t believe you could have gone lower after your last couple of films. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is basically the pretty face for Michael Bay’s cameras to exploit. I mean come on every time she walks into a room with men in it they stare at her butt. I mean you gave us a butt shot at the beginning of the film do we have to be told every 5 seconds she has a nice butt? Anyways Frances McDormand dose a very wink wink nudge nudge I’m in a crapy movie performance witch I thought was kind of fun. Lenard Nimoy even appears to be Sentinel Prime and he even utters one of his famous lines from Star Trek 2 Wrath of Kahn “The needs of many out way the needs of few”. I wonder who gave the ok on that one.

The one good thing in this film is the special effects. I didn’t get the chance to see this film in 3D so I don’t know how well that worked, but even in 2D the effects are breathtaking. Michael Bay finally gets the action scenes right so I’m not confused about who’s on whose side. The problem though is that the big set piece is anticlimactic and predictable. I pretty much saw what was coming next at every point of tension (not that I cared enough about the characters to have any sense of tension…). The other problem is by the time it gets to the big action scene the film has gone on for one and a half hours (and that one and a half hours is not good) so I was so tired of the movie by the time it got to the big set piece I didn’t care about anything that was going on.

To put it in simple man's terms Transformers Dark of the Moon is not a good film. That’s putting it lightly, really lightly. It’s one of those films that while may be pretty at points, is never decent enough to make me care. Plus it goes on and on and on and on for 157 minutes. This shouldn’t even warrant 90 minutes mind you 157 minutes of torture. Transformers while not the worst movie in recent memory (Vampires Suck still holds that one) is up there. I think when it’s all said and done Transformers 3 might just be my least favorite movie of the year.

Cars 2 Review

Lightning Macqueen and Tow Mater zoom past danger in Cars 2

Cars 2

C+

A Review by Frederick Cholowski

Well the streak had to end sometime. Pixar’s 16 year streak of not making a bad movie has come to an end. While Cars 2 is by no means a terrible motion picture that should be burned, it’s just incredibly average. Everything from the jokes to the emotions feels forced where in other Pixar films it would be top notch. Cars 2 is by far Pixar’s worst movie to date and one that I sadly cannot really recommend to anyone over 10.



Cars 2 again follows Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) a young race car who has now gained super stardom in the US. He just came home to Radiator Springs after capturing his fourth piston cup to meet his best friend the tow truck Mater (Larry the Cable Guy). After a brush up with the biggest European race car Francesco Bernoulli he is thrust into the Word Grand Prix, a large race tournament to promote a new alternative fuel. Meanwhile good old Mater has gotten involved with two British spies Finn McMissle (Michael Caine) and Holley Shiftwell (Emily Mortimer) who are trying to find out who is behind a plot to destroy the Grand Prix race cars.



Lightning McQueen takes a back seat in this film as dose the racing. Where the focus lies is Mater’s spy subplot. The humor here though is obvious and heavy handed. It’s not handled with the usual finesse that Pixar is known for. Neither is the emotional part of the film. It just does not have the level of sophistication required to keep an older audience engaged in the characters and plot.



The performances here are good but not great. The one fun standout here is Michael Cane who works well as the older, more experienced spy. Other than that though Owen Wilson is ok although he lacks some emotion, Mater feels forced as a character to me but I guess that’s not the fault of Larry the Cable Guy. Most of the supporting cast (except of course the late Paul Newman) returns although most of them make small cameos throughout the film.



Visually, Cars 2 is stunning. Pixar’s animation is still the most vibrant and colorful in the industry. Each location the characters visit has its own unique and fun visual flare to it and the visuals are never dull and boring. I cannot comment on the 3D though as I chose to see it in brighter more vibrant 2D.



Cars 2 is the first Pixar film I didn’t like. It lacks the sophistication and finesse of past efforts from the company. Don’t get me wrong it’s by no means a terrible or unwatchable film but it’s not up to Pixar’s standards. Hopefully Pixar will ditch the sequels next year and bring us something original and special.



Super 8 Review

Super 8

A

A review by Frederick Cholowski

 

    Super 8 is director J.J. Abrams's homage to the film's producer Steven Spielberg. It's also a love letter to people who have embraced the art of filmmaking at a young age. Super 8 also manages to be the first film this summer that emphasizes character and plot over special effects and action set pieces. For that reason Super 8 is also my favorite film of the summer so far.

 

    Super 8 follows Joe Lamb (Joel Courtney) a young man who's troubled by the death of his mother. He and bunch of friends are helping Charles (Rickey Griffiths) complete a Zombie film for the local film festival. The group includes the always panicking Martin (Gabriel Basso), the lighting guy Preston (Zach Mills), the pyromaniac Cary (Ryan Lee), and the girl Joe has a crush on Alice (Elle Fanning). They soon find themselves in a fighting situation when as they are shooting a pickup truck derails a train. It seems like an accident until strange things start happening to the town and the air force shows up.

 

    The monster mystery set up is only a backdrop for the characters to settle their issues. For example Joe has some issues with his police officer father Jackson (Kyle Chandler) who is a bit of a workaholic. The story and characters shine here with good writing and excellent direction by J.J. Abrams. The characters are likeable and complex.

    

Some people don't like the ending of this film as much. I kind of like the ending as it feels very much like the way a Spielberg film would end. The ending fits perfectly with the tone of the film and to me never crosses the line and becomes corny.

 

For child actors there are some great performances here. This is Joel Courtney's first film and man dose it not show. He is fantastic as the awkward and sweet Joe. Also Elle Fanning (yes Dakota Fanning's younger sister) is spectacular as Alice. I would have never have guessed Elle was just 12 if I hadn't looked it up.

 

The film looks and sounds great as well. As expected with an Abrams/Spielberg creation the special effects are top notch. The beauty of the action and effects though is that they are used well and they never get in the way of the story or characters. Oh and props to composer Michael Giaccihino who creates a great John Williams like score.

 

Super 8 is a great summer film. It's Spielberg nature mixed with the modern influence of J.J. Abrams strike a perfect balance. Same with the film itself witch strikes a perfect balance of good story, character development, and action. Super 8's mix of all these things make it the best picture I've seen so far this summer. (Oh P.S. stay for a bit during the credits you won't regret doing so.)

Kung Fu Panda 2 Review

Kung Fu Panda 2

B

A review by Frederick Cholowski

    Animated sequels have a bad rap for not living up to the original. Shrek 2 wasn't as good as the original nor were any of the ice age sequels. Along comes Kung Fu Panda 2 the sequel to the fun yet flawed Kung Fu Panda and eyebrows raise. Well I'm glad to report that the second Kung Fu Panda is just as good as the original.

 

    Kung Fu Panda 2 continues to follow the panda Po (Jack Black) who is now the full time dragon warrior. Po's next goal is to find inner piece (which PS involves his past). This is where are villain comes in (wait for it, wait for it) an evil peacock Shen (Gary Oldman) who found the deadly usage of gun powder. Shen knows how Po ended up where he is today and this is a key for Po to find inner piece. So Po accompanied by the furious five (Tigress, Mantis, Crain, Monkey and Viper) go out to save China from the impending doom of a peacock with gunpowder.

 

    The plot is decent despite the fact that everything moves too quickly. The plot has no time to breathe and truly develop into something special. For example the inner piece story line (the most interesting of the two plot points) feels a bit rushed and unable to get past that wall between decent and really good.

 

    The voice work is fine here. All the American superstars from Angelina Jolie to Jackie Chan are good. The standout here though is Gary Oldman who clearly has a ton of fun as the evil peacock Shen. He's both the funniest and the most charming character here and he's the villain (go figure right).

 

    DreamWorks has clearly mastered the art of animation. Both the computer generated and the hand drawn animation looks great with great detail and lots of colors. I chose not to see this film in 3D so I don't know how well the it works but in essence I say save the money go for the brighter colors.

 

    Kung Fu Panda is a solid sequel to a good animated film. Well it feels rushed and sometimes uneven to me the film still looks and sounds great. Kung Fu Panda 2 is good solid summer entertainment that just misses being a really good animated feature.

Pirates of the Caribbean 4: On Stranger Tides Review

Pirates of the Caribbean on Stranger Tides

C

A review by Frederick Cholowski

    Well after the disappointment that was the 3^rd Pirates film we return for a fourth time to the Disney amusement park ride. This time we have a new director a new supporting cast and a new treasure to go find. Unfortunately this time around the series falls flat on its face. Unimaginative, predictable and boring Pirates 4 is the perfect example of a film that is there just to take your money.

 

    Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) returns as the title character this time he is going after the fountain of youth. Jack reunites with his old flame Angelica (Penelope Cruz) whose father Blackbeard (Ian McShane) is after the fountain as well. Oh but it doesn't end there. The British want to get to the fountain too. The British fleet is manned by former pirate Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) and assisted by Jack's former right hand man Gibbs (Kevin McNally). Oh and did I fail to mention the Spanish are after the fountain too… because they are.

 

    The plot is a clumsy attempt at an average adventure story. It never gets off of the runway, correction it never gets close to off the runway. At the beginning of the film it moves to fast with no chance for you to connect with anyone. After the first 30 minutes it starts to drag, and I mean really drag. By the end I was bored out of my mind. The expedition is not interesting, there is nothing interesting for the characters to say and it goes on and on and on and on.

 

    Johnny Depp manages to carry this film for about 10 minutes and then you get bored of him. The writers have given him nothing super interesting to say and he ends up repeating the same kind of speech many times. Penelope Cruz is even more plastic than Kiera Nightly (who surprisingly is sorely missed) in her role and Ian McShane is an uninteresting villain.

 

    The action scenes are alright. The opening scene is cool but all the scenes after it are predictable and uninteresting. One of the things I can now appreciate about the director of the original Pirates trilogy Gore Virbinsky is the way he did action scenes. He made them suspenseful and interesting. The action scenes in this film while flashy are drab. They feel too much like an uninspired video game than a convincing movie set piece.

 

    Pirates of the Caribbean on Stranger Tides fails to compel on basic levels. The dialog is basic, the characters uninteresting, and the plot unsatisfying. Throw in the film being way to long for what it tries to accomplish and you have another summer sequel that's not worth your time or money.

Sucker Punch Review

Sucker Punch

C-

A Review by Frederick Cholowski

    If there were ever a living breathing definition of the saying "all flash no substance" it would be Sucker Punch. A film that gets so wrapped up in eye popping action it forgets simple yet extremely crucial things such as you know Character development (which save for the opening scene there is 0 of) or a plot. Sucker Punch is a 2 hour visual tech demonstration that feels more like a shallow action video game than the interesting sci-fi action film it was trying to be.

 

    The film opens promisingly enough with our main vixen Baby Doll (Emily Browning) pretty much going through a living hell. Her mother dies then her abusive step father kills her sister and frames her for it. This get's Baby Doll put into an insane asylum where the male staff sexually abuses the women prisoners. Baby Doll bands together a group of inmates (played by Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, and Jamie Chung) with the plan of getting 4 items a map, a lighter, a knife, and a key to escape the asylum. To do this Baby Doll must use her powers of seductive dancing to put the members of the staff into a strange trance and then go into an action scene reality and grab the item they need.

 

    And well that's it. The whole plot from there on in is just a series of action scenes. We never get the chance to care about any of the characters or learn about them at all. There is no development or change in any of the characters at all. All we get is just flat stereotypical action film caricatures. Nothing else at all. Oh yeah and the plot. Well the whole thing is just basically a bunch of action scenes tied together by thin strands of transparent and predictable transitions. Nothing more, nothing more indeed.

 

    Then there is the end. The end that is one of the most cop out unsatisfactory endings I have seen in a long time. I won't spoil it (in case you actually go watch this film) but it's a secondary character that has not been that important all of a sudden being put into the spotlight when said character is not interesting and has no reason for being there other than being a cog in the plan. It is just so empty.

 

    Let's now talk about the main part of the film the action. The visuals are eye popping and pretty well done. My main gripe with the action scenes is that they felt like a video game that I was not in control of. While they are good in being massive set pieces they (like the rest of the film) lack the depth to be anything truly awesome.

 

    After watching Sucker Punch I left the theater empty and disappointed. It was like eating a Twinkie. It looks promising but then you bite in and there is nothing there. No substance just flash. Flash that cheated me out of my $17.50 I spent to go see this in IMAX. Flash that left me empty and disappointed as if I had been sucker punched.

The King’s Speech Review

The King's Speech

A+

A Review by Frederick Cholowski

    Have you ever been thrown into a situation you were not prepared for? This is the case in the story of King George VI the king with the horrible lisp, and for the film the Kings speech itself which has become the Oscar's darling only to be put down afterwards being called an inferior film to the Social Network. What do I think? I think it deserves every one of its Oscars and is my favorite English language film of the year.

 

    The King's Speech tells the story of King George VI's hasty rise to the throne during the time of war. One problem though. The King (Colin Firth) happens to have a bad lisp. After extreme frustration with many speech therapists his wife (Helena Bonham Carter) goes out and finds a therapist named Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush) who has very unusual methods. After much convincing King George (or "Bertie") seeks help from Lionel and they start to work on the King's flawed Speech.

 

    This is old fashion film making at its finest. The plot is bright and uplifting with only a few dark points interesting. Director Tom Hooper and writer David Seidler strike the perfect balance of light hearted humor and interesting points of drama. One of my favorite examples of this is one of the greatest and most creative uses of swearing in all of film witch left me laughing out loud well continuing to move the film forward.

 

    One of the biggest strengths of this film is the acting. Colin Firth is simply fantastic as King George VI. He keeps a believable stammer throughout the entire film and never ever loses the role at any point. Geoffrey Rush is fantastic as the common speech doctor trying to help but at the same time trying to teach the King about the Common man in Britain.

 

    The King's Speech is fantastic from begging to finish. Its attention to detail in the writing, direction, and cinematography is exquisite. Mix in the fantastic performances by both the lead and supporting cast and you have yourself a winner. Some say the Social Network was deserving of best picture at the Oscars, I beg to differ. The King's Speech to me is the pinnacle of English language films in 2010.    

Oscar Week Part 2: The Top 10 of 2010 Oscar Time Edition

The Top 10 of 2010 Refined Oscar Edition

Commentary by Frederick Cholowski

    2 months ago I released my top 10 of 2010; as I look back on that list it feels very incomplete to me, so I have decided to go back and refine the list for Oscar time. Again as I am not a paid critic I have not seen all the films of 2010 (although more than when I wrote my last list) so this list will still technically be incomplete. Without further due here is my refined top 10 of 2010.

    

    10. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

        After further review S.P.V.T.W. was the only film from 10-8 to stay on my list. Why? Because it was fun and cool and crazy and awesome. Nuff said.

 

 

    9. Winter's Bone

        This is a movie that I recently watched and really liked. It is one of those thrillers that does not rely on action scenes or giant twists, but instead on the characters. A fantastic performance by Jennifer Lawrence helps too along with a strong supporting cast. Winter's bone is a really cool film that you should check out if you haven't.

 

 

    8. The Girl who Played with Fire and The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's nest.

        What, two movies in one spot? For me the last two films in the Millennium trilogy are better watched together. They may be weaker than the fantastic first film but they are still solid thrillers and well worth at least a rent.

 

    7. Toy Story 3

        You've got a good threequal; you've got a good threequal. Toy Story 3 could possibly be the greatest third movie in a franchise. It was funny, charming and very emotional. Toy Story 3 is a fun motion picture that stands up as one of the best animated pictures.

 

    6. True Grit

        I always go backwards when I'm backing up! I was skeptical going into this remake of the classic, but if anyone could do it the Coens could. They did a wonderful job though and made a fun remake that trumps the original.

 

    5. The Social Network

        Man. This movie is all you want a drama to be. It has good writing, good acting and a good plot. The problem, well I put the next films ahead because they were more original and or in some cases slightly better.

 

    4. Inception

        I loved Inception. Nolan crafts a semi original idea and makes it awesome with cool effects and a plot that keeps you guessing. The heavy score helps too with giant base noises fit the mood where they fit. Overall Inception is just awesome.

 

    3. Black Swan

        When I get to reviewing this messed up movie I will attempt to describe how it screws with your mind. For now excuse me well I go back into recovery from this movie.

 

    2. The King's Speech

        For the first time in a while my favorite English speaking movie of the year could actually win an Oscar. The film is just old fashion film making at its finest with great writing, acting and general lovability. The King's Speech is fantastic and is my favorite non foreign film of the year.

 

1. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
   

   
    

   I could not take this out of the number 1 spot; I could not. This is a fantastic thriller in all aspects and far and away the best film of the year. Great performances, writing, plot, and the most fantastic female character to hit the screen (or in literature for that matter, you know the books). I love this movie and am scared for the upcoming American remake.

Oscar Week Part #1: The Oscars are Coming!! The Oscars are Coming!!

The Oscars are Coming!! The Oscars are Coming!!

Commentary by Frederick Cholowski

    The Oscars are coming!! Ahh!! Run! Hide! Anyways welcome to part 1 of my Oscar special. This article is me talking about the different aspects of the Oscars. On Wednesday I present my top 10 films of 2010 2 months later and then on Friday I give the lowdown on who I want to win and more importantly who is going to win. For now on this Monday I present my opinion article on everything Oscars.

 

    Another year, another Oscar ceremony. For the second time in two years 10 films have been nominated for best picture; and for the second year in a row we all know who the 5 real contenders because there are only 5 best director nods. First off the whole 10 best picture nominations needs to stop. What is the point when you know that five of the films in the category have no hope of winning? It's absolutely pointless! Anyways, the 5 best director nods (the films that have an actual chance) this year are Black Swan, The Fighter, The King's Speech, The Social Network, and True Grit. Although no best director nod for Chris Nolan is puzzling and I have not seen the fighter this year's list is pretty good. The two main favorites I hear are The Social Network and The Kings Speech; not to brag but I saw this coming and both are good choices.

 

    Acting is always crowded especially in the male category this year. Eisenberg vs. Bridges vs. Firth and those two other guys (smile, please don't kill me). Well we all know Firth will (deservingly) run away with it but the buildup is fun. I'm vying for new actress Hailee Steinfeld to win best supporting actress because she was fantastic in True Grit; the dames from the Fighter will probably win though but for now go Hailee (insert cheering noises here).

 

    

    One of my issues with the awards ceremonies of the last two years is no nod for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Nothing for best foreign film despite huge praise by tons and tons of critics (including myself). I know I have not seen any of the films in the foreign films category but I know none of them receive as much praise as The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (and personally having loved the film it is fun ranting about it getting snubbed).

 

    Well weather I like it or not the Oscars are coming to give their awards out and me a chance to argue with them. Anyways it should be fun yelling at my TV screen and complaining about the structure of the awards. Until then this ends part 1 of Oscar week 2011 join me with the Oscar edition of the top 10 of 2010 (now including The King's Speech).

The 2010 Roundup Part 2: The Top 10 of 2010

The Top 10 of 2010

An article by Frederick Cholowski

    Well the year is over and while 3D gimmicks and bad action flicks where plenty there were a lot of standout movies. These are my favorites of the year the crème de la crème of the bunch. Of course there is no way I have seen every film of the year (sorry The King's Speech please forgive me) but now here it is my favorite movies of the year.

 

    10.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

        This one snuck on the list. Not that it didn't deserve it though as Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is an amazing action comedy that was equally as funny as it had cool actioness (so not a word). The acting was great with the first real breakout role for Michel Cera and the humor mixed with stylized action was perfect. A fun movie with a great premise and a lot of epicness (again not a word) it deserves the number 10 spot on this list.

 

    9. Shutter Island

        Another one that snuck on this list. Very odd in every way with a neat little twist at the end Shutter Island is one of my guilty favorites of the year. While it did have its problems and the story is not that original, Scorsese always finds a way to put that touch on a film that will make it soar. Well by no means a great film this is my personal list and I thought that it was a very good one that I had fun with.

 

    8. How to Train your Dragon

        I couldn't not put this on the list. The best DreamWorks animated film to come out in a long time this film had what had been lacking from their films for a while, heart. Well good writing and amazing flying sequences help as well. This was the second best animated movie of the year and one that deserves a lot of mention.

 

    7. The Girl who Played with Fire

        Out of the two of the three Millennium Trilogy movies I have seen this is the weakest. Barley the weakest but still. This film though is still amazing with Noomi Repace caring her role of Lisbeth Salander (and the movie) to new heights. Through in a good plot and some good writing and some James bond style villains and you got an awesome thriller worthy of recognition.

    6.
Toy Story 3

        Pixar you are amazing. The way they create the best threequal ever with such ease and suaveness. Well I guess I don't know about that but what I do know is that Toy Story 3 soars on the screen. Pixar's animation is still the best with crisp colors and detailed little plastic toys. It doesn't stop there though as the writing, direction and voice acting is still the best in animation with each role lighting up the screen. And the ending, who can forget the ending. It was the perfect way to end the series (and almost made me cry shh).

 

    5. True Grit

        "I always go backwards when I'm backing up". Ok I don't know how that fit but man that line still holds up. So does the story of True Grit witch with the fingerprints of the Coen brothers all over it this remake was great. It had better atmosphere, action, writing, and most of the acting (except John Wayne no matter how great Bridges is he can't top that performance) than the original. True Grit is one of those remakes (a la the Departed) that excels over the original.

 

    4. The Social Network

        Slick modern direction, brilliant snappy writing and great acting propel this movie to greatness. Yes I said it, the first great film on this list the Social Network was everything you want in a drama. Just not quite enough to beat out these next three…

 

    3. Inception

        Chris Nolan dose it again! After the best film of 2008 The Dark Knight Nolan had massive expectations for his next film and man he met everyone of them. Slick action met with sophisticated plot and an A list cast this film excelled and was awesome. And let's not forget the final scene which will be discussed for a while.

 

    2. Black Swan

        Man this movie screws with your head!!! Black Swan makes the confusing and messed up parts in Shutter Island and Inception look silly as it was not afraid to punch you in the stomach and make you want more. With beautiful cinematography and one of the best performances of the year by Natalie Portman Black Swan was truly a gem missed by most. If you liked to watch great film and be thrown around and shocked in the process this is the film for you. I know it was for me.

 

    And my film of the year is….

 

1. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
   

   The best film of the year a Swedish film yes, yes it is. Well it was a tough race for the top 4 with most of the top 4 being interchangeable, this film always landed at number 1 for me. With brilliant acting (yay Noomi Repace!) and one of the best female protagonists in film. Mix that with brilliant writing and a plot that will keep you at the edge of your seat at all times. As well as some great characters and some truly shocking stuff that goes down. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a great film that I don't want to see Hollywood ruin with the remake.
   

The 2010 Roundup Part 1: the Awards

The End of Year Awards (Other than best picture)

An article by Frederick Cholowski

The roundup of 2010 is here and it's filled with awesome. I have decided to split my year end roundup into two parts. The first being the awards where I have fun and select winners for random categories, then in part two I give you my top ten films of the year. In other words this is all the awards except film of the year which will come in another article. So let's get down to business (mixed with fun like a mullet). As usual I am not a paid critic so there for I have not seen all the films of 2010 (most notably The King's Speech sorry!) and I am going with what I got, fools. Here we go part uno of the 2010 roundup.

 

Most Underrated:

    Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

    Question, why did no one go and see this? It was a very good film that was both funny and thrilling (although more awesomely funny). This movie didn't even break even. The puzzling question is why not? Am I missing something, in a year with bad 3D movies and stupid twilight sequels this should have been a huge hit.

 

Most Innovative:

    Black Swan

        Sure movies that screw with the mind are nothing new and neither are ballerina films. Mixing these together and putting it from the perspective from someone who goes insane with no distinction of reality from hallucination and you have one film spurring with new light.

 

Best Character

    Lisbeth Salander

        Tough, gothic and anti social Lisbeth Salander from the millennium trilogy is one unique character. She is the example of a character that is well developed, interesting to watch and unique from head to toe. One of the best cinema characters of all time Salander is truly amazing.

 

Most Disappointing:

    Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

        Man beginnings of books do not work as whole movies. I wish Warner had thought of that before splitting the final Harry Potter chapter. Poorly paced and abruptly ended it did not satisfy on the level that it should have at this crucial point in the franchise. If they can make part 2 great all can be forgiven but if not this could be one of the biggest disappointments (and not to mention poor creative decisions) ever.

Best Performance Female:

    Noomi Rapace as Lisbeth Salander in the Millennium Trilogy

        Man what a performance! Lisbeth is not an easy character to play and young Sweetish actress Noomi Repace is flawless as the gothic heroin. Fearless yet tortured violent yet peaceful if left alone feared yet strangely appealing Repace plays the character to perfection and lights up the screen every time she is on it.

 

Best Performance Male:

    Jesse Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network

        Wow as far as breakout roles go this has to be the largest. Before this role Eisenberg was a comedy actor and sort of another Michal Cera. Then comes The Social Network where he plays the youngest billionaire and the creator of facebook and is absolutely brilliant. Fast talking and incredibly snippy Eisenberg plays the role to perfection and will hopefully never look back.

 

Worst Film:

    Vampires Suck

        Do I have to say anything else than this movie is a piece of crap with nothing funny or entertaining about it. Or that the writing is terrible and the acting for the most part sucks (pun intended). Yeah it ran away with this one, right into the dumpster.

 

    Stay tuned folks for part two the top 10 of 2010!!!