Review: Sex and the City 2 (2010)

"Sex and the City" is one of HBO's most popular shows, and it ran on the network from 1998-2004. I caught it every week, without fail. It is one of my all-time favourite shows, and I was delighted when they decided to make a movie about it back in 2008. Sex and the City was released the day I graduated from high school, and despite my best efforts to see it, they never materialized. I had to wait until it was released on DVD several months later, and I'm ever so glad I did. I watched it with my best friend, who until that point had been somewhat put off by the show's subject matter. By the end of the film, however, she'd completely changed her opinion about the show. In fact, I think she liked/likes the movie more than me. When we found out that they were making a sequel, we were ecstatic. Unfortunately, by the time Sex and the City 2 was released, we were living in different countries. This won't stop us from enjoying the film, though. And I can guarantee that we'll be having a long talk about it in the near future. 

It's been two years since we last visited Carrie, Samantha, Miranda, Charlotte, and the big city, and not a whole lot has changed.

"Me and you, just us two."

Carrie is finding it difficult adjusting to the routine that goes along with married life. She's worried that her and Big are becoming a boring couple, as Big no longer feels the need to go out all the time, and perfers to stay in, watch the tv, and eat takeways. Carrie, on the other hand, is desperate to remain a hip couple, which leads to Big suggesting that they spend two days a week apart. After hearing this, Carrie is more than happy to travel to Abu Dhabi with the girls.

Samanatha hasn't changed a bit, and is still trying to keep her youth and avoid menopause. After attending a film premiere with former lover Smith Jared, Samantha is invited to spend a week in Abu Dhabi, which she accepts on the condition that the girls can go with her.

Miranda has been experiencing a few problems with her new boss, and decides to quit her job, leaving her free to travel to Abu Dhabi with the rest of the girls.

Charlotte is having a hard time with her youngest daughter, Rose, who is going through her terrible twos. She's also experiencing problems with her children's nanny, Erin, who never wears a bra. This didn't cause Charlotte concern until Samantha chimed in, as a joke, that Harry may cheat with the nanny. Charlotte has since become obsessed with the idea of Harry cheating, and is initially hesitant to go with the girls to Abu Dhabi.

"You have to take the tradition, and decorate it your way."

One thing I loved about Sex and the City 2 was that, for the first time, we learned just how and when Carrie arrived in New York City and met the other girls. I had always assumed that Carrie was born in New York, and though we are not given her actual place of birth, we do learn that New York was first introduced to Carrie Bradshaw in 1986. Carrie then met Charlotte in 1987, Miranda in 1989, and Samantha some time after that. Interesting stuff.

I also loved seeing the clip of It Happened One Night, though its use later is the film was terribly tacky. I wish that that had been left out.

Most of Sex and the City 2 takes place after the girls arrive in Abu Dhabi, which I think is a shame, as "Sex and The City" IS New York. Not Abu Dhabi. This disappointed me a bit... Quite a bit, actually, and this is not my only annoyance with the film. My biggest complaint comes from the fact that a large amount of its plot is unrealistic, and, sometimes, just downright ridiculous. Again, most of this can be found in the Abu Dhabi portions of the film. There's one scene in particular involving a bookclub that is quite possibly the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen in a movie. However, despite all of this, I still really liked Sex and the City 2.

The cast. I won't mention names here as everybody did a great job in their roles, as they should. After all, they have been playing their respective characters for more than a decade.

I think that one of the main reasons I love the Sex and the City films so much is that I already know and love these characters, and have done for years. They feel like my friends, not just characters on a screen, which brings me to another reason why these films mean so much to me: They are about friendship. These girls know that, no matter what happens, they will always have each other. I'm lucky to have this type of friendship with my best friend. We're an ocean apart, yet, in a funny way, we're still together, and, like Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda, we always will be.

"We made a deal ages ago. Men, babies, doesn't matter. We're soulmates."

Love the girls. Love the city. Love the sex. Love the movie. 8/10

Trivia: During one of the scenes in Sex and the City 2, Big picks up Carrie to take her to dinner. In this scene, Carrie is wearing the same dress she wore when she apologized to Big's former wife Natasha in season 3 of the show.

Review: Holiday Affair (1949)

I read somewhere once that nobody in Hollywood wanted to work with Robert Mitchum after his arrest for cannabis possession in 1948, for which he spent a total of 50 days behind bars. RKO Pictures, the studio to which Mitchum was signed at the time, was very embarressed by his arrest, and wanted him to develop a cleaner image upon his release from jail. This resulted in the making of 1949's Holiday Affair. Though the film did not do well throughout its initial release, it later found an admiring audience through the airing of re-runs on TCM. Holiday Affair is now considered to be a minor classic, and holds a annual role in many people's traditional holiday viewings.

During the holiday season, a young mother meets a sales clerk at a department store, and, through a series of accidental run-ins, they begin to fall for one another.

"So, if you wish real hard for something, maybe you might get it"

The young mother mentioned above is Connie Ennis (Janet Leigh), a comparison shopper for a rival department store. Connie is a widow, who can't seem to get past the memory of her late husband. She spends most of her time at work, or at home with her friend, Carl (Wendell Corey), and her son, Timmy (Gordon Gebert). Carl has been in love with Connie for quite a while, and has asked her to marry him on several occasions. She, however, has turned him down everytime. Connie's son Timmy is a bright, well behaved six year old, and he and his mother have a wonderful relationship. Timmy has got to be the cutest kid I've ever since onscreen, and I would just love to give him a great big hug (And I'm not a hugger).

The sales clerk is a man named Steve Mason (Mitchum). He a bit of a drifter, who dreams of building boats in California someday, but doesn't have the finances to do that at present. Mason is a very wise character, and can read people incredibly well. He is drawn to Connie from the moment he meets her, and absolutely adores her son upon meeting him.

This was the first time I have seen Holiday Affair. I had been after it for quite some time, and eventually found it earlier this year on Ebay. I bought it immediately, and waited until now to watch it. Robert Mitchum is my third favourite "classic" actor, behind Jimmy Stewart and Cary Grant, and I love Christmas movies (Even the tacky ones...), so this sounded like a great combo for me, and I did really enjoy the feature.

"And I want a girl that'll drop everything and run to me, no matter what the score is."

Classic movies are so wonderful because the characters don't tend to be overwritten. It seems to me that movies nowadays feel the need to draw a clear, bold line between characters that are "good" and characters that are "bad". For example, if Holiday Affair had been made today, the character of Carl would have been a scheming, cheating, little arsehole, who would do everything in his power to keep Connie away from Steve. However, in the 1949 film, Carl does anything but that. You see, in classics (Romantic comedies, that is), the "bad guys" were never really all that bad; they were just good guys that weren't "the one". I think that romantic comedies of today need to watch more films from the 1930's and 1940's. Perhaps then they'd get it right.

I have this thing about watching old movies. I tend look at all the children and adults, and even the animals, and wonder where they are now; if they're still alive and what they'd be doing if they were. I found myself doing this throughout Holiday Affair. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad one...

Robert Mitchum was as cool as ever in his role as Mason. Boy, was that man built! Janet Leigh was very sweet as Connie, and Wendell Corey was good as Carl, but the runaway performance of the film was given by little Gordon Gebert, who played Timmy to perfection. Loved that kid; I want one of my own. A Timmy, that is. But, knowing me, I'd treat him more like a pet than a child. Ahh, well...

Holiday Affair is good little film to help get you into the holiday spirit. 7/10

Trivia: Like many of the classics, Holiday Affair was revived for a radio adaptation a year after its cinematic release in 1950, with Robert Mitchum reprising his role as Steve Mason.

Review: Scrooge (1951)

Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol is one of the most well known stories ever written. Originally published in 1843, there have been dozens of adaptations of the classic novel since its release, and this adaptation is considered to be one the best. Released in 1951, Scrooge was a box office disappointment in the US, and only received mixed reviews, despite the fact that it was praised in the UK. Over the following decades, however, the film became a huge success on television, and is considered by many to be the best version of Dickens' story.

Need I write a summary? Oh, ok: A grumpy old man named Ebenezer Scrooge, who despises Christmas, is visited by three spirits on Christmas Eve: the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas present, and the Ghost of Christmas Future.

"Bob, I haven't taken leave of my senses. I've come to them."

Scrooge, which was released in the US under the title A Christmas Carol, expands on Dickens' original novella. Giving the character of Ebenezer Scrooge more background, the movie shows us exactly how and why Scrooge became who he did. The film also tells us how Ebenezer met Jacob Marley, and depicts several stages in their friendship, right through to Marley's death, which occured seven years to the day before Scrooge is set.

The ghost effects in Scrooge are very effective. You can see right through each of the ghosts, and I imagine this was difficult to do in 1951. So, I am quite impressed.

The version of Scrooge I viewed was in colour, though I feel that I may enjoyed it slightly more in black and white. Film tinting, which is the colouring process this film went through in later years, is when a movie filmed in black and white is later dyed with color. Kind of an inbetween of the two extremes (Colour & black and white). I must admit, I'm not a fan of this process, and believe that films that use it should have simply stuck to one or the other. However, my dislike of the picture quality is hardly the screenplay's fault, which, coincidentally, I rather enjoyed.

"God bless us, every one!"

I love the novella A Christmas Carol, and enjoy many of its adaptations, my favourite one being The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992). However, having said that, my favourite performance of Ebenezer Scrooge is actually from this movie, Scrooge, as played by Alastair Sim. Sim was born to play Ebenezer, and he skillfully makes a brilliant transition from a grumpy grouch to a cheery fella within the space of 86 minutes. A very good performance indeed. The rest of the cast also do a very good job at bringing Dickens' characters to life.

Scrooge is the classic tale of a man who comes to understand the meaning of Christmas. This film should be made mandatory Christmas viewing. 8/10

Trivia: Though these days the word 'scrooge' is somewhat of an insult, meaning a mean or nasty person, back in Charles Dickens' time, the word was a slang term meaning 'to squeeze'. It was Dickens' novella, A Christmas Carol, which made the word what it is today.

**BONUS** According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the definition of 'humbug' is "Something designed to deceive or mislead".

Look out for another adaptation of A Christmas Carol to be reviewed later in the season.

Review: The Running Man (1987)

Richard Bachman is one of the world's great story tellers. He's a true master of his craft, and there seems to be no end to his extraordinary imagination. I know what you're thinking. "Who the heck is Richard Bachman?" Perhaps I should tell you his real name. You see, Richard Bachman is a pseudonym used by an acclaimed horror writer, called Stephen King. This movie's plot's beginning to make a little more sense to you now, isn't it?

The Year is 2017, and the world has become one miserable place to call home. After the collapse of the global economy, America has become a heavily censored, totalitarian police state. Nice, right? Anywho, the protagonist of our story is Ben Richards, a former military pilot sent to prison for something he didn't do. After escaping from a labour camp, Richards attempts to leave the United States. Upon being caught at the airport, he is selected to be a contestant on "The Running Man", the most popular show in the history of television. "The Running Man" is a game show that gives prisoners the chance to walk free... If they can escape from The Stalkers, a group of armed, highly trained hunters with only one objective: to kill the contastants.

"Don't touch that dial!"

As a child, this movie freaked me out. I was 10 years old the first time I saw The Running Man, and I remember it vividly (Thanks Dad!). Yes, the first time I saw it, I wasn't a fan... However, that was a long time ago. I now really like this movie. Funny how time changes things, uh?

"The Running Man" is an incredibly disturbing idea for a game show. The idea that we, as humans, could one day look forward to watching people brutally killed on live television is awful, and I certainly can't imagine it occuring in my lifetime. Having said that, it does make a terrific idea for a film. The movie The Running Man is very entertaining, though, at times, a little horrific. I mean, pretty much any time a chainsaw appears in film, you know it's not going to be pleasant, but The Running Man's basic plot is actually quite enjoyable.

I find films that are set in the future to be rather interesting. It's always cool to see someone else's view of what the future could be, but the future that is dipicted in The Running Man is just dreadful. It's a very dark, extraordinarily cruel place to be. I would sooner die than live there.

"I live to see you eat that contract, but I hope you leave enough room for my fist because I'm going to ram it into your stomach and break your god-damn spine!"

One thing I love about movies set in the future that were made in the past is that they are so completely outdated. Take computers, for example. I'm sure that back in the day (1987), the computers featured in The Running Man looked all high tech and glorious, but now they just look like big boxes with buttons on them. I suppose they still look fairly sophisticated, but they've got nothing on the computers of today.

One bone I do have to pick with this movie is/are the videos that the game show uses to show the crimes the contestants have commited. How did they obtain them? Are they telling me that in the future, everything, and I do mean everything, is recorded? I highly doubt that. Especially considering that Richards' so-called crime took place in a helicopter, high in the sky. Ahh, well... Just thought I'd point it out. It doesn't exactly ruin my viewing.

"Who loves you and who do you love?"

Arnold, Arnold, Arnold... Ahh, do I love him. But you already know that. Needless to say, I enjoyed seeing him in this film. Someone else I enjoyed seeing in The Running Man was game show legend Richard Dawson, who plays Damon Killian (aka an extreme variation of himself). I love watching re-runs of "Family Fortunes" with Dawson as the host, and his casting in this movie was very clever. Well done to whoever came up with that.

Now that I think of it, Arnie has actually done a lot of these futuristic-type films. There're The Terminator movies (1984, 1991, 2003), Total Recall (1990), The 6th Day (2000)... Man likes the future, I guess.

The Running Man is a rather violent, rather enjoyable movie, that features some of Arnie's best lines. What more could you want?  8/10

Trivia: There are a decent amount of dance sequences featured in The Running Man, all of which were choreographed by former "American Idol" judge, Paula Abdul.

Review: Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

A Sequel surpassing the excellence of its predecessor is a rarity in cinema. It really doesn't happen that often. However, in my opinion, Terminator 2: Judgment Day managed to achieve this. T2, as it's nicknamed, was the most eagerly anticipated film of 1991, earning north of $500 million worldwide, making it the highest grossing film of the year. The film currently ranks 42nd on IMDb's Top 250.

It's been eleven years since Sarah Connor incountered the terminator, and she has since been locked away in a high security mental institution; all evidence of her meeting with the terminator seemingly erased. But, before long, a new model of terminator, the T-1000, is sent from the future; it's mission: to terminate John Connor, Sarah's son and leader of the resistance. To give him a chance at survival, the resistance send their own terminator to protect John, the same model that tried to terminate his mother all those years ago.

"Hasta la vista, baby."

In T2, Arnie's terminator is still every bit the lean, mean, fighting machine he was in The Terminator (1984), but, throughout the film, it's as if he softens. As a viewer, we know that terminators do not have human feelings, but if there was ever a terminator that came close, it was this one. In his scenes with John, the terminator seems more of a gentle giant than a lethal killer. His protection of the child could easily be mistaken as that of a father. By the end of the film, John and the Cyborg develop a touching bond that it undoubtable, which gave me a thought: If a terminator is capable of learning just about everything else, perhaps, with time, it could also learn to feel.

Sarah Connor is a completely different person in T2 as opposed to who she was in The Terminator. In the first film, she was a gentle, perhaps weak, woman. In T2, she is anything but. Sarah is now a hard, strong, skilled woman - A living terminator, if you will - and she will stop at nothing to protect her son, the future leader of the resistance. Sarah fully realizes just how important John is to the survival of the human race, and her only goal in life is to keep him alive; she couldn't care less about her own survival.

The T-1000 is an extremely advanced killing machine. Instead of being half man, half machine (like the terminator model 101), the T-1000 is made entirely of liquid metal, with the appearance of being human. What's so clever about the T-1000 is it has the ability to shapeshift. The model can also self-heal its wounds in mere seconds, rendering it almost indestructible. The entire concept of the T-1000 is very clever, but to disguise it as a cop was genius. In that uniform, the it can get away with almost anything without a second glance. The T-1000 is a truly fascinating character.

"It's in your nature to destroy yourselves"

I absolutely love this movie. I can watch it again, and again, and again. And I do, for that matter. It's far more exciting than the first and every bit as brilliant, and it is without doubt my favourite of the Terminator film series. It actually angers me that they continued on with the series after T2, as neither of the two latest films have lived up to the genius of the first two, and I honestly hope that they don't make any more.

The special effects featured in Judgment Day are awesome. Absolutely amazing, especially as far as the T-1000 is concerned. Even today, almost 20 years after the film's release, watching the T-1000 melt into a puddle of liquid metal, before reforming itself, is stunning. It's no wonder that T2's visual effects team won oscars for their work. They were very much deserved.
James Cameron is one of my favourite directors, and I would gladly watch just about anything he makes. What I would give to look into his mind... The things he comes up with are fascinating. He's incredibly creative, and I look forward to seeing what else his can come up with in the future.

"What's wrong with your eyes?"

I love Arnold Schwarzenegger. I don't know why, but I do. I would watch him in anything, whether he's any good in it or not. This movie happens to be one of those times where he is, actually, good - VERY good. His performance is rather gentle, and he has great chemistry with Edward Furlong, who plays John Connor. Furlong was also very good in his first acting role as Connor. It's a shame that his career hasn't lived up to its phenomenial debut, though, at 33, he still has time. Linda Hamilton gave, what I believe to be, the best performance of her career in T2. She plays Sarah with a kind of psychotic intensity, and it really works for the character. Robert Patrick also gives an intense performance as the T-1000; however, though his terminator is scary, it isn't as scary as Arnie's terminator in The Terminator. Despite this, he was very good in the role.

My 'judgment' on T2? If you haven't already, see it. Now. 10/10

Trivia: During one of the final scenes of T2, the T-1000 molds itself to look like Sarah Connor, hence the appearance of two, identical Sarahs on screen. Instead of using clever special effect methods to insert Linda Hamilton, who played Sarah, into a shot, James Cameron brought in Hamilton's identical twin sister, Leslie Hamilton Gearren, to play the T-1000 version of Sarah. According to Hamilton, one day on set, Arnold Schwarzenegger mistook Gearren for herself, resulting in an embarrassing yet amusing situation.

Review: L.A. Confidential (1997)

L.A. Confidential is one of those movies that I've always sort of avoided. You see, it was almost unanimously praised by critics upon its release in 1997, and films that have a perfect, or almost perfect, approval rating turn me off. Not because I don't believe a film deserves such a rating; that would be silly. It's just because I usually find films that the critics love somewhat boring. This isn't always so. Sometimes, I do agree with them... But I usually don't. Anywho, why did I finally sit down to L.A. Confidential? Two words: Kevin Spacey. I've had a bit of a Spacey week this week, and I thought I'd cap it off with this. I'm very pleased that I did.

Three L.A. cops, all with very different methods of policing, work together to try and solve a muli-murder case.

L.A. Confidential is a story of corruption. The "top" cops are intent on trying to reassure the people of L.A. that the police are on their side; however, a majority of them are bent to the back teeth. Everybody has an angle, and almost anybody can be bought.

"Oh, great. You get the girl, I get the coroner."

The three officers at the centre of L.A. Confidential are fascinating characters. Jack Vincennes, played by Spacey, is an incredibly suave, fame whore. Vincennes has a job as an technical advisor for a TV show. Slightly bent, he also works with tabloid magazine editor Sid Hudgens (Danny DeVito). Together, they set people up for a pay off: Vincennes gets money, and Hudgens gets pages. Bud White, Played by Russell Crowe, is a tough-guy cop, whose main target is women beaters. He has no problem with doing some damage to those (men) who have commited crimes, and often does so. He's the Police Captain's go-to guy for those who need to be taught a lesson. Ed Exley, played by Guy Pearce, has a dog-eat-dog mentality. He wants to get to the top, and he is willing to step on anybody to get there. As the only non-bent cop of the three, Exley is very straightlaced and all about justice. He became a police officer to help give justice to those that have been wronged, such as his father, who was shot dead by an unknown man several years earlier.

L.A. Confidential has a very film noir feel to it, which is great, as I am curiously fond of this genre of film. I really loved the style of the movie. Set in 1953, L.A. Confidential really has that 1950's feel to it. The clothes are beautiful and the music sets the scene perfectly. The characters even talk like I'd expect them to in the 50's. You can tell that incredible detail went into making this film look so good, and it really paid off. It is very stylish.

This movie is far more interesting than I thought it was going to be. It moves swiftly from one point to another and does not pause for thought, leaving the viewer completely interested in what's happening onscreen, from start to finish. This means that the film feels a lot shorter than its 138 minutes (WOOT!).

"Rollo Tamasi"

L.A. Confidential has an ensemble cast full of terrific actors. Spacey, Crowe, and Pearce all shine in their respective roles, and work very well together. Kim Basinger is also good in her role as Lynn Bracken, the high-class escort; however, I wouldn't have labeled her performance as Oscar worthy (Basinger won the Best Supporting Actress oscar in 1998 for her portrayal of Lynn). The rest of the cast, which includes Danny DeVito and James Cromwell, also to a fabulous job bringing their characters to life; there wasn't a bad performance in this film.

I really, really liked L.A. Confidential. Films like this make me rethink my view on critical "darlings". 9/10

Trivia: Kevin Spacey, who played Jack Vincennes in L.A. Confidential, was told to base his character loosely around Rat Pack legend, Dean Martin.

Review: Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987)

The late John Hughes was a brilliant filmmaker, who specialized in films based in and around the city of Chicago. His movies usually revolved around the lives and trials of teenagers. On the occasion, however, Hughes did travel outside his comfort zone, and wrote scripts that revolved purely around adults. Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Starring Steve Martin and John Candy, was one such film. Often when two nig-name comics collaborate in this form of media, the results are disastrous, the two stars feeling it necessary to out-do one another. Planes, Trains & Automobiles is the exception to the rule. Released in 1987, the film was praised by critics and went on to become 21st highest grossing movie of the year.

Two men, who don't particularly like each other, rely on each other's help in order to get home in time for Thanksgiving.

"Six bucks and my right nut says we're not landing in Chicago."

Neal, played by Steve Martin, is the straight guy of this story. He's a big business type of guy, who clearly makes a lot of money, and spends little time with him family. He leads with his head, and doesn't have a lot time for games or nonsense.

Del, played by John Candy, is the complete opposite of Neal. Del is the lovable dope who leads with his heart. We love Del the minute we meet him, and we know that, with him, all is not quite as cheery as it seems.

"I haven't been home in years."

From the moment Neal and Del meet, they have a personality clash, not that Del notices this. Neal is immediately irriated by Del and would like nothing more than to be rid of him for good. Del, on the other hand, really likes Neal, and instantly considers him, and just about everybody else he meets, a friend. This initially makes us not necessarily dislike Neal, but we certainly don't like him as much as Del. Early on in the film, Del gives a great speech about liking himself, and that he won't change for a cynic like Neal. This is where Neal has a change of heart, and realizes that Del isn't really all that bad. Later in the film, when Neal discovers the truth about Del, we see Neal finally understand Del and appreciate Del for who he is. It's one of those warm and fuzzy, feel-good moments that always brings tears to my eyes. I'm such a dope... 

Steve Martin is one of the greatest comics around these days. He's very funny as Neal, however, his humour is subtle and understated. John Candy's humour, on the other hand, is obvious yet unintented, which makes for a great contrast between characters. It wouldn't have worked to have had both of these actors playing over the top eccentrics, so this film strikes a nice balance on the comedic front. Candy is completely lovable as Del, as he was in every single one of his roles. John Candy couldn't walk on the the screen without bringing a smile to everyone's face. He always played that character we loved; the one we rooted for. He is, and forever will be, sorely missed.

"I like... I like me."

John Hughes is a name that'll likely appear here a couple more times over the Christmas season, as he also wrote the screenplays to Home Alone (1990) and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992). This man was a fascinating writer. The way he managed, as an adult, to tap into the teen mind is, as of yet, unmatched. However, this movie, Planes, Trains & Automobiles, proved that Hughes could also write convincingly for adults. Hughes was a one-of-a-kind filmmaker, and I imagine he'll be one of the ones that we always remember.

Planes, Trains & Automobiles is the best Thanksgiving movie that I know of, and the only one that I watch year and after year. 10/10

Trivia: In Planes, Trains & Automobiles, there's scene in which Neal, played by Steve Martin, angrily tells a car rental agent, played by Edie McClurg, that the car he has rented is not in its space. During this one minute scene, Martin says the word "fucking" 18 times. "Fuck" is then used a further time by McCurg. This scene was added to the final print of the film to give the movie a higher rating.

HAPPY (early) THANKSGIVING!

Review: The Ref (1994)

And so it begins... Well, almost. CHRISTMAS!!! I do love Christmas, and, more to the point, I also love Christmas films. So, over the next month, a majority of the things I post on this blog will be related to my favourite holiday, Christmas. And where better place to start than with this little-known gem from 1994, The Ref.

On Christmas Eve, after a robbery gone wrong, Gus, a petty criminal, kidnaps a couple at gunpoint. Unfortunately for him, he kidnaps his worst nightmare: A bickering, fighting, yelling, obnoxious married couple, who can't stand the sight of eachother.

"From now on, the only person who gets to yell is me. Why? Because I have a gun."

Pretty much from the onset on the film, we realize that Gus is not really a bad guy and that he wouldn't actually hurt anybody. We also realize that he may be just what Caroline and Lloyd, the couple Gus holds hostage, need. They've been at odds for years, and Gus manages to bring them together by making them see eachother's point of view.

This movie is funny, yet not in a stupid way. I feel that a lot of Christmas comedies get a bad wrap because, often, the humour is very immature. Not that that's always a bad thing, but, when a film revolves around adults, I believe the humour should reflect that, as The Ref does. Sure, there's still the occasional cheap shot, but, overall, this film is rather smart. And the faces that Kevin Spacey pulls throughout the film are hilarious; The Ref is worth watching for that, alone.

"The spirit of Christmas is either you're good or you're punished and you burn in hell."

Denis Leary is very good here as Gus, the thief, but the heart and soul of this movie are Judy Davis and Kevin Spacey. The are very funny and have a great chemistry. They make a fabulous onscreen couple. The rest of the cast are supporting players, and they all do a fine job in their respective roles.

The Ref is an unfairly overlooked Christmas flick that I think more people should see. It certainly brings a smile to my face, as I'm sure it would yours. 8/10

Trivia: Despite The Ref being set at Christmas time, the film was released in March of 1994. Perhaps this is why its performance at the box office was so dismal...

Review: Night On Earth (1991)

Night on Earth is an anthology comprised of five short stories that take place at the same time, on the the same night, in different cities around the world. All five of the stories revolve around taxi drivers and their respective fares that night:

Los Angeles - A very young, female cab driver takes a successful Hollywood casting agent to her Beverly Hills home. Along the way, they discuss their future hopes and dreams. 
(This is my least favourite of the stories.)

"Sure, Mom."

New York - A man finally manages to hail a cab in the middle of New York City, only to discover that it's German driver not only doesn't know how to drive to Brooklyn, but doesn't really know how to drive at all. Eager to get home, the man and the cab driver strike a deal: the driver becomes the passenger and the passenger becomes the driver.
(This one was my favourite story.)

"Look, yeah, it's allowed! This is New York!"

Paris - A taxi driver, sick of being treated badly by his fares, drives a blind woman home. Facsinated by her and her ways, they spend the ride discussing her condition and how her life differs from his.
(I think that this story carries the best message(s).)

"Look, I don't care if you're green or blue like a carrot! For me the word color doesn't mean anything. I feel colors... but you'd never understand that!"

Rome - A taxi driver picks up a priest, whom he believes to be a Bishop, in the middle of the desserted city. Before long, the driver begins confessing his sins to his passenger, all of which involve sexual desire, to the priest's shock.
(This is definitely the funniest of the five shorts.)

"I love these one way streets!"

Helsinki - A taxi driver responds to a call made by three drunken men, one of which has passed out. On the drive to their homes (They all live on the same street), the men discuss why they are so drunk, and realize that things could be a lot worse.
(Of the five stories told, this was the saddest.)

"Whatever happened to you that was worse than that?"

All of the stories are about 30 minutes long and seem to offer a message to the viewer. My favourite of the stories was the second one, that takes place in New York City. Within this story, two people realize that they have a lot in common, and become unlikely friends on their journey. Of all of the stories, this one is the happiest and leaves you feeling rather good.

One aspect of Night On Earth that I appreciated was that the stories that took place in non-English speaking countries were told in their native languages, with subtitles for English speaking viewers. A lot of films would just as soon have their characters all miraculously speaking English, so this was a pleasant surprise.

I'm not really sure why they chose to do to two American tales. They could have easily exchanged the Los Angeles one, which I believe to be the worst of the bunch, for a story set in London. I understand why they could not have used Australia or Africa, because it would not have been night at the same time as the other cities, but why two US cities were used, I don't understand. There are plenty of other cities in plenty of other countries that could have had much more interesting stories.

The cast of all five shorts are good in their roles, especially the cast of the New York City and Rome shorts. Overall, everybody did a great job.

I imagine that HBO's "Taxicab Confessions" was somewhat inspired by Night On Earth, though they're hardly in the same league; Night On Earth is better. 7/10

Trivia: The part of Corky, in the Los Angeles short, was written specifically for Winona Ryder, who ended up playing the part.

My Five Favourite Films: James Stewart

Jimmy Stewart: My all-time favourite thespian. What a great actor, and, by all acounts, he was also a pretty great guy. There isn't a movie he's in that I wouldn't watch. That's how much respect and admiration I have for Jimmy.

Now, this one was rough. Usually, I make it a rule not to have any so-called "honorable mentions" on my lists, but this time round, I just couldn't do it. You see, Jimmy made so many wonderful films that it is impossible to only mention five of them without feeling horrible about it. So, having said that, here are my five favourite Jimmy Stewart films, with three honorable mentions that only just failed to make my top five:


5.) Mr Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

"Great principles don't get lost once they come to light. They're right here; you just have to see them again!"

4.) Vertigo (1958)

"You shouldn't keep souvenirs of a killing. You shouldn't have been that sentimental."

3.) Harvey (1950)

"Years ago my mother used to say to me, she'd say, "In this world, Elwood, you must be" - she always called me Elwood - "In this world, Elwood, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant." Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. You may quote me."

2.) It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

"What is it you want, Mary? What do you want? You want the moon? Just say the word and I'll throw a lasso around it and pull it down. Hey, That's a pretty good idea. I'll give you the moon, Mary."

1.) Rear Window (1954)

"I've seen bickering and family quarrels and mysterious trips at night, and knives and saws and ropes, and now since last evening, not a sign of the wife. How do you explain that?"


Honorable Mentions: The Shop Around the Corner (1940), Vivacious Lady (1937), You Can't Take It With You (1938).

Review: The Negotiator (1998)

I love a good action movie. Actually, action is probably my favourite genre of film. What's great about it, is it's easy; you don't need to think about anything, unless you choose to, that is. An action movie usually contains many elements from other genres as well, such a comedy, suspense, thriller, drama, mystery; in fact, action is really the only genre that can roll almost any of the other genres into one, and it's always great fun to watch.

When Lieutenant Danny Roman, a negotiator, is framed for the murder of his partner, Nate Roenick, he decides to take the law into his own hands. By assembling his own group of hostages, and making his own set of demands, Roman hopes to prove his innocence to his colleagues, and find out who really murdered his friend.

"When your friends betray you, sometimes the only people you can trust are strangers."

Movies that include the setting up of an innocent person usually tend to bug me, especially toward the beginning of the film. I find the actual setup extremely hard to watch. Can't explain why. The thought of everyone turning against you because of something you didn't do... Perhaps I put myself in the "innocent's" place, but I really don't know. I suppose it just makes me uncomfortable. However, having said that, the payoff that usually occurs at the end of these movies is awesome and totally worth the uneasiness of the start.

The Negotiator is a very entertaining, fast paced, action-thriller. It contains a bit of everything, which is exactly what the best action films do. I recommend it to all who love a good action flick.

I just have to bring this up: During these types of films, script writers generally forget that people need to use the restroom every so often; however, the writers of The Negotiator did not forget this, so I'd like to say thank you to James DeMonaco and Kevin Fox for remembering this little fact of life.

"You were wrong about me. What if I'm right about them?"

There are alot of similarities to Die Hard (1988) in The Negotiator; so many so that I won't bother going into it. But, as Die Hard is my favourite film, I had little problem with this. I imagine the writers of this film are also Die Hard fans, and probably used it for inspiration. No harm done. If anything, the film benefited from its Die Hard resemblance.

One thing I must mention about The Negotiator is its ending, or, more to the point, what should have happened after the whole ordeal was over. **Spoilers ahead** Right, what happens at the end of the feature is that Roman does indeed prove his innocence, and, we are lead to believe, that everything returns to normal. I take issue with this. You see, despite the fact that Roman was not guilty to begin with, by the end of the film, he was guilty of many things. Really, he could have been arrested and jailed for a number of crimes. I mean, he held people hostage a gun point, he destroyed a government building; these are crimes punishable by jail time. I highly doubt that the same people willing to believe Roman to be a murderer, and send him to prison for that, would think twice about sending him to prison for crimes he actually committed. Anywho...

Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey are both completely believable as Danny Roman and Chris Sabian, respectively. Jackson has one of the best resumes in the business, and this film fits in perfectly with that. As far as Spacey is concerned, he's one of the best actors currently working, and it's always a pleasure to see him onscreen. The rest of the cast is full of faces you recognize but names you don't. They, too, are all very good in their roles.

The Negotiator is exciting, and very suspenseful. I had a really good time watching this film. 8/10

Trivia: The Negotiator was originally written to star Sylvester Stallone in Kevin's Spacey's role of Chris Sabian, and Kevin Spacey in Samuel L. Jackson's role of Danny Roman. However, when Stallone, thankfully, turned down the role, Spacey decided to switch roles, and Jackson was then brought in to play Roman.

Review: Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Reservoir Dogs marked the directorial debut of Quentin Tarantino. Originally working as a video store clerk in California, Tarantino was advised by Hollywood producer Laurence Bender to write a screenplay, but he went one better: he wrote two. After selling the rights to his other screenplay, True Romance (1993), for $50, 000, Quentin used his earnings to finance Reservoir Dogs. Released as an independant film in 1992, Reservoir Dogs became a massive critical hit, and introduced the world to a different style of filmmaking. A style that involved a lot of swearing, a decent amount of violence, and an awful lot of fun.

A group of strangers, who go by colours as names, come together in the hopes of pulling off a major jewelery heist. Yet, despite careful preperations and a seemingly perfect plan, the heist goes horribly wrong. The remaining members of the team are then left wondering how the cops found out about the heist, and whether of not there is a rat within their group.

"Are you gonna bark all day little doggie, or are you gonna bite?"

As I previously stated, Reservoir Dogs was Tarantino's first feature film, and, not only did he direct and star in the picture, he also wrote the screenplay. I'll tell ya, the way that man writes dialogue is phenomenial. It's fast paced and extremely smart, especially during scenes in which his characters have long conversations about completely random topics. An example of this is the first scene of Reservoir Dogs, where the characters sit around a table in a restaurant and analyse Madonna's "Like a Virgin". Interesting stuff, genuinely.

I read somewhere that Reservoir Dogs contains 269 uses of the word "fuck". That mean that fuck, or a variation of it, is said almost 3 times every minute. Now, that sounds a bit extreme, and it is, really. I'm sure this film would have been just as good without all the bad language, but that's Tarantino's style. It's how his characters would talk if they were real, and he remains faithful to that.

"Somebody's shoved a red-hot poker up our ass, and I want to know whose name is on the handle!"

This film also contains an exteme amount of violence. There is a scene in the movie where a man has his ear cut off, and it is gruesome. Very hard to watch. This same man is then doused with petrol, before being shot several times. In fact, many people are shot several times throughout the course of Reservoir Dogs, and there's plenty of blood to prove it. If seeing blood upsets you in any way, then I would not recommend watching this film.

Reservoir Dogs is comprised of a superb cast, which includes Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Steve Buscemi, and Tarantino himself. In my opinion, no one member of cast stands out greater than another. They are all excellent in this film, and deliver Tarantino's dialogue brilliantly, which, I imagine, is no easy feat.

Reservoir Dogs was Tarantino's first film, and one of his finest. 9/10

Trivia: In the theatrical release of Reservoir Dogs, there were no female speaking parts. However, in the 10th anniverary special edition DVD, there are several (featured in scenes that were deleted from the original film).

Review: Catch Me If You Can (2002)

2002: The year of Leonardo DiCaprio's comeback. After 1997, and the immense success of the film Titanic (1997), DiCaprio decided to cool his acting career for a while. Between the years 1998 and 2001, Leo only had three new film releases, all of which did not perform well at the box office. Then came the year 2002. The month was December, and DiCaprio had two films opening within 5 days of each other, with a massive director at the helm of each movie (Spielberg directed Catch Me If You Can; Scorsese directed DiCaprio's other 2002 release, Gangs of New York). Catch Me If You Can was the most successful of these two films, and went on to become the 11th highest grossing film of the year; the 3rd highest grossing film of Leo's career, behind Titanic (1997) and Inception (2010).

Catch Me If You Can is based on the true story of Frank Abagnale Jr, who forged cheques, fraudulently posed as an airline pilot, a doctor, and a lawyer, and stole millions of dollars from the US Government, all before he turned 21 years old. 

"Ah, people only know what you tell them, Carl."

Although Catch Me If You Can is based on truth, the film veers of course from real events throughout much of the feature. In the movie, Frank is shown to be an only child, whereas in real life, he we was one of four kids. The amount of money that Frank allegedly stole from the government is also different in the film as opposed to what he actually stole. His real capture was also completely different than how it was dipicted in the movie. This is just the tip of the fictitious iceberg; however, the film is still based on truth, and doesn't make any major changes to Frank's actual story.

This has got to be one of the quickest 2 & 1/2 hour films I have ever seen. Love that! But, no, really, this film genuinely felt no longer than 90 minutes long. It was very entertaining, and rather funny. Not once was I bored.

"Stop chasing me!"

Catch Me If You Can happens to star two of the world's most famous and talented actors: Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks. They also happen to be two of my favourite actors. DiCaprio plays the lead role of Frank Abagnale Jr., a man causing the US Government an awful lot of trouble.  Leo was the perfect choice for the character, and made Frank out to be a completely likable, if misguided, young man. Hanks was brilliant as Carl Hanratty, the FIB agent in hot pursuit of Abagnale. There is certainly a comedic edge to this character, but Hanks does not overstate it, and is just right for the role. The film costars Christopher Walken, who plays Frank's father, Frank Senior. Walken is also very good in the movie, but he has far less sceen time than either DiCaprio or Hanks.

I'm very pleased that I finally "caught" Catch Me If You Can, and I hope to "catch" it again sometime. 8/10

Trivia: According to costume designer Mary Zophres, Leonardo DiCaprio has 100 costume changes throughout Catch Me If You Can.

**BONUS** The first scene in Catch Me If You Can features a reenactment of the time the real Frank Abagnale Jr. appeared on the US game show "To Tell The Truth". Here's a link to Abagnale's appearance on the show in 1977:

To Tell The Truth

Review: Little Darlings (1980)

Coming of age is one of my favourite subjects in film. It probably has something to do with the fact that I, myself, have been "coming of age" for the best part of my life. I am an adult, yet I don't feel as if I am one, and coming of age films help me to keep the illusion just a little bit longer. This particular coming of age film, Little Darlings, was a modest hit at the box office, and went on to beome the 20th highest grossing film of 1980.

A group of girls from various backgrounds go away to camp for the summer. Upon their arrival at camp, the "leader" of the girls, Cinder, discovers that two of her clan, Angel and Ferris, are still virgins. Knowing that the girls hate each other, Cinder decides to place a bet that Ferris will lose her virginity before Angel. Taking the bet, Ferris and Angel battle to be the first one to lose their virginity, and find themsleves growing up in the process.

"I wanted the girls to like me. I wanted to be in just once. I didn't want to be the rich kid."

Little Darlings is a good film, and I imagine it could be very beneficial to teenage girls who are determined to lose their virginity. The girls in the film are fifteen years old, and far to young to be having sex. Even they, themselves, know this and state it within the movie; however, the peer presure, thrust upon them by Cinder, is too much, and the girls find it hard to admit their true feelings.
 
Peer pressure is something we've all had to deal with at least once in our lives, and this, in my opinion, has got to be one of the worst forms of it. Feeling pressured into having sex is never a nice thing, but, as a teenager, I'm sure it's worse. However, the girls in this film are smart. They don't do anything they don't want to do. It's just a shame that this isn't always the case in the real world.

The two girls at the centre of this movie are complete opposites. Ferris is a well brought up, highly educated product of wealth, while Angel is an uneducated, tough girl from the working class. Initially, the girls can't stand each other, and have very different views about sex. Ferris' view is all about romance and poetry, yet she fails to comprehend that love sometimes involves the act of sex. Angel, on the other hand, has no interest in the love side of things, and views sex as an entirely physical act, not realizing that feelings may come into it. Throughout the course of the film, the two girls begin to understand one another, and realize that they are not all that different after all.

"... Don't let the name fool you."

The outcome of Little Darlings is dealt with very well. One of the girls does indeed lose her virginity, while the other remains a virgin. What's nice about the conclusion of the film is that we, the audience, realize that Angel and Ferris have come around to each other's way of thinking. Ferris realizes that love sometimes involves sex, and Angel realizes that sex sometimes involves love.

Tatum O'Neal and Kristy McNichol were both very good in their roles of Ferris and Angel, respectively. They both made their characters likable and relatable. The rest of the cast of girls also did a good job, as did Matt Dillon, who played Randy, in his second film role.

Little Darlings is a nice movie that carries some important lessons. All teenage girls should see it. 8/10

Trivia: Kristy McNichol, who played Angel, took up smoking for her role in Little Darlings. Unfortunately, she was never able to quit.

Review: Time After Time (1979)

Time travel. Love it. Wish I could do it myself. However, as exciting as time travel sounds on paper, I am more often that not disappointed by films that feature it. In fact, the only film I can think of where time travel was actually used in a way that I enjoyed is Back to the Future (1985). Even so, the idea of time travel facsinates me, so I'm usually willing to give films that feature it a chance, such as this one: Time After Time (Love the title).

In 1893, H. G. Wells shows his friends his latest creation: A time machine. Unbeknownst to him, one of those friends, Dr. John Stevenson, has been going around London murdering women under the assumed name Jack the Ripper. After being discovered by the police, Stevenson uses Wells' time machine to travel to the year 1979. Realizing what his former friend has done, H. G. is hot on his trail, and, with the help of a young lady named Amy, he tries to put a stop to Stevenson and his murderous ways for good.

"Every age is the same. It's only love that makes any of them bearable."

When I first heard of Time After Time, I thought it sounded incredibly exciting. Jack Ripper let loose in the 20th century - That sounds like a fairly awesome flick, and I suppose, in certain ways, at certain times, it was pretty good. But it just wasn't good enough. They could have done SO much more with this material. It's a shame, really.

When a film is based on truth, or set in a time or year before filming actually took place, I tend to pick it to death. It is VERY easy to make a mistake, and I'm afraid that this movie did indeed make a few. For example, in the film, Wells mentions that he is divorced. Though by 1979, this would be true, in 1893, it was not (Wells divorced his first wife in 1894). Another thing that I noticed was that Wells, and Stevenson for that matter, seemed to have very few questions about 1979, and what events occured between 1893 and 1979. It was like barely anything had changed for them, especially in Stevenson's case. He didn't seem phased by the future at all. If I were from 1893, and I was suddenly thrust into 1879, I'm quite sure I'd be somewhat scared and utterly confused about where I was and what was going on around me. They seemed to fit in almost perfectly, like nothing had changed. I don't think so...

"I'm a twentieth century woman. I have a career and a mind of my own. Be reasonable. How am I gonna make it in 1893?"

**Spoliers** Sorry. I usually try not to include spoiler sections, but I'm afraid I can't avoid it on this movie. Where, Oh where, to start? Well, it's unconcentional, but we'll begin at the end. How annoying! Knowing that Amy Robbins was the name of Wells' second wife, it was obvious that Amy would give-up life in 1979 for love, and travel back to 1893 with Wells. What I kept thinking was, "What about her parents? Her friends? She can't just leave!" Now, of course, one could argue that she had no family or friends, but she did have a job. What about that? Did she not think about these things before leaving? Evidently not.

Something else that greatly bugged me about this movie is that H. G. falls in love with Amy, and her with him, ever so quickly. Now, I'm all for love at first sight and all that, but these two people, especially her, weren't particularly lovable, and they certainly wouldn't have gone for each other. I suppose this is debatable, however. I mean, we didn't see everything that happened between them while they were together. A miracle could have occured off screen, though I doubt it.

And finally, back to the ending. It was kinda confusing. I mean, I understand what happened to Stevenson, I think, but I don't understand how it happened, if you get my drift, which you won't unless you see the movie, which I'm not sure I'd recommend doing. The ending doesn't even leave the film historically accurate, as, in the movie, people now know who Jack the Ripper was/is. Oh, I don't know, and I don't care to continue.

The acting. Well, to be honest, I actually quite liked Malcolm McDowell as Wells. I think he did a pretty good job. David Warner, who played Stevenson, I loved. He plays a menacing villain. Warner has this fabulously deep voice, much like Alan Rickman's. I hear him talk all day. Then there's Mary Steenburgen. She seems to play the sam character over and over again, and there's just something about that character that I don't like. I can't put my finger on it... Ah, well.

To be fair, at stages within Time After Time, I was genuinely into the film. But at others, I just wanted to switch it off. Perhaps I may appreciate it more after a second viewing, though I can't bring myself to watch it again just yet. 6/10

Trivia: Time After Time was Corey Feldman's feature film debut. He was seven at the time of filming.

Review: Working Girl (1988)

Released in 1988, Working Girl went on to become the 11th highest grossing film of the year, grossing nearly $64 million in the United States, and nearly $103 million worldwide.

New Yorker Tess McGill works as a secretary for Katharine Parker, a mean, scheming bussiness woman. When Parker breaks her leg on a skiing holiday, Tess takes the opportunity to get ahead in the game, after discovering Katharine's plans to steal one of her ideas and sell it as her own. With her boss out of the picture, Tess excells in bussiness, and her love life benefits from her new found confidence as well.

"Can I get ya anything? Coffee? Tea? Me?"

I've been after this movie for quite some time, and I'm really glad that I've finally had the chance to see it. It is a really good little film, and features some spectacular views of New York City. The movie itself doesn't require a lot of thought. I enjoy films like this. It's nice to be able to sit down infont of your telly or computer and just watch a film without having to process everything you see. Some movies have a habit of being impossible to follow without complications arising or eventual boredom and/or loss of interest. I can't stand it when a movie makes me feel stupid because I didn't understand what was happening onscreen. I mean, I'm sure I can't be the only person that's walked out of a film thinking, "What the hell was that all about?", can I? Anywho...

I found Working Girl to be rather inspiring, especially for females. It makes you believe that you, too, could succeed if you really put the effort into it. I'm not sure that Tess went about finding success in the right way, but, at the end of the day, she really didn't have any other options. 

"I have a head for business and a bod for sin. Is there anything wrong with that?"

There's something about films set in winter that I love. It doesn't have to be a Christmas movie, this one is not, but if a film has a winter setting, it's likely to make me feel happier. Isn't that bizarre? I've always thought so... Ah, well.

Working Girl is a sweet little movie, one that I shall certainly see again. 8/10

Trivia: Certain scenes in Working Girl were filmed in the 7 World Trade Center, which was destroyed in the September 11th attacks of 2001.

Review: Stand By Me (1986)

It never fails to amaze me how some films manage to effect me emotionally. In a way, it sounds almost ridiculous. I mean, usually you don't know the characters in a film, and a great deal of them have never actually existed, but they still somewhow manage to penetrate our emotions, and make us feel for them; make us feel as if we knew them; as if they were our friends, or our friends of friends. Like they're really out there somewhere. At least, that's how I feel, and it's how I felt when I first saw Stand By Me.

After learning of the death of a childhood friend, Gordie LaChance writes about the adventures he experienced with his three best friends in the summer of 1959. What follows is a story of discovery, understanding, and, above all else, friendship.

"Alright, alright, Mickey's a mouse, Donald's a duck, Pluto's a dog. What's Goofy?"

Stand By Me is a wonderful little film about the fears kids face about growing up and moving on in life. The four characters at the centre of the picture are best friends, and have been since they can remember. With a new school year on the horizon, and separation looming in the air, the boys make the most of the time they have left together, knowing that, as soon as the school year commences, they will likely drift apart, and make new, different friends.

I find this film to be very emotional. You can't help but compare the boys' friendships to your own personal friendships, and it certainly makes you look back on the friendships you had when you were a kid. As a person who is still friends with a majority of the people that they grew up with, the way this movie ends saddens me. I wish it could have been different for the boys. I really do.

"It happens sometimes. Friends come in and out of our lives, like busboys in a restaurant."

The four boys are played convincingly by Will Wheaton (Gordie), River Phoenix (Chris), Corey Feldman (Teddy), and Jerry O'Connell (Vern). You truly believe them to be friends, and they all deliver excellent performances in the film, especially Phoenix. I'm quite the fan of River Phoenix and his brief yet brilliant career. In a way, his untimely death at the age of 23 makes Stand By Me all the more poignant. There's a scene in the movie where Phoenix's character walks off into the distance and disappears before our eyes. It's almost as if it were a foreshadowing, of sorts, of River's own death in 1993. Very sad indeed.

If you haven't already guessed, I love this film, and I believe that all teenagers should be made to watch it before they morph into adults. 10/10

Trivia: Stand By Me was based on a novella called "The Body", written by Stephen King. Yes, I said Stephen King. He's actually quite good at writing drama, not just horror. King also penned the novella which became the basis for the movie The Shawshank Redemption (1994), another wonderful feature that you should absolutely find the time to see.

Review: Revolutionary Road (2008)

Sometime in mid-1996, Leonardo DiCaprio met Kate Winslet during the making of the little-known movie Titanic (Ha!), and they've been great friends ever since (at least, according to them they have been). Anywho, since the completion of Titanic, these two have been looking for another project to work together on, a project that needed to meet just one piece of criteria: It could be nothing like Titanic. And, indeed, they found this project, in Revolutionary Road.

Based on 1961 novel of the same name, Revolutionary Road is set in the 1950's, and follows the relationship of April and Frank Wheeler. Frank and April are a young couple that feel they weren't made to fit in with everyday 1950's society. Frank has a well-paying job, they live in a big house, and they have two beautiful children, but the Wheelers arn't happy. They want more, particularly April, who's dreams of being an actress were dashed when she fell pregnant. Hoping to get out of their situation while they still can, April plans a move to Paris for the family, but all does not go as she had hoped.

"Hopeless emptiness. Now you've said it. Plenty of people are onto the emptiness, but it takes real guts to see the hopelessness."

DiCaprio and Winslet accomplished what they had originally set out to do: Revolutionary Road is nothing like Titanic. While both films have a great sadness to them, Revolutionary Road's subject matter is far more depressing. This statement in itself seems ridiculous considering the loss of life that occured during the sinking of Titanic, but that film represented hope for its characters. They were not willing to just give up. In Revolutionary Road, however, most of the characters, including the Wheelers, have given up on any hopes and dreams that they ever had, and have settled for an uninteresting, mundane life.

One similarity between the two films is that both sets of characters (Jack and Rose from Titanic; Frank and April from Revolutionary Road) are entrapped. In Titanic, this entrapment comes from being stuck on a sinking ship. In Revolutionary Road, it comes from being stuck in a bad marriage. In a way, both sets of characters are also fighting for their survival. In Titanic, this is a given, but I also believe this to be true of Revolutionary Road.

"No one forgets the truth, Frank, they just get better at lying."

The performances given by DiCaprio and Winslet are great; they are on top form here. I once heard DiCaprio state that he felt completely comfortable around Winslet, and he believed he could do anything with her or to her while acting. This came across in Revolutionary Road. He gives a great performance as Frank Wheeler, however, he is outshone by Winslet. I think that, out of the two of them, she is the better actor, if only slightly, and she really brought the character of April to life. Now having said that, Winslet did not give the best performance of the film. That was given by Michael Shannon, who played psychiatric patient John Givings. Shannon has minimal screen time, but boy did he make the most of it. He really didn't hold back in his portrayal of Givings, and absolutely deserved his Best Supporting Actor nomination at the Academy Awards that year (2009).

If you're hoping to find a Jack and Rose reunion here, I wouldn't recommend you seeing Revolutionary Road. If you do, however, want to see a good movie about suburban life in the 50's, then this is the film for you. 7/10

Trivia: Revolutionary Road was the first and only (so far) time that Kate Winslet worked with her then husband Sam Mendes (They are now separated). This also marks the second time that Kathy Bates, who plays Helen Givings, has worked with Leonardo DiCaprio and Winslet. The three of them starred together in the film Titanic eleven years earlier.

Review: What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)

A film starring Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio... Need I say more?

Gilbert Grape is a regular kind of guy. He lives in the middle of nowhere, where nothing particularly interesting ever happens, he works at the local grocery store, where he makes home deliveries on a daily basis, and he lives in an old, two story house with his family, which consists of his mother, two sisters, and a brother. Yep, Gilbert's life, from an outsider's point of view, seems fairly Ordinary... Only it's anything but.

"I love the sky. It's so limitless."

What's Eating Gilbert Grape is a very sweet film about the life and trials of Gilbert Grape. As the man of the house since his father's suicide, Gilbert is incharge of looking after his mentally retarded brother, Arnie. When Arnie was born, the doctors informed his parents that he probably wouldn't mke it past the age of 10. Now approaching his 18th birthday, Arnie is both a blessing and a curse to Gilbert, who loves his brother, but longs to escape his routine life.

Gilbert's mother, Bonnie, is another obstacle within his world. At around 500 lbs, she's classified as morbidly obese, and hardly ever leaves her sofa, let alone the family home. Bonnie began gaining the weight after years of depression following her husband's death. She can no longer perform her motherly duties, and feels very much in the way of her children's happiness, though they would never admit that to her.

In 1993, neither Dicaprio nor Depp were what you'd call superstars. They were both known, Depp more than DiCaprio, but neither of them had the ability to carry and sell a film. As a result, What's Eating Gilbert Grape didn't perform very well at the box office. I imagine that, had the film been released today, the result would be very different.

"You're my knight in shimmering armor. Did you know that?"

Leonardo DiCaprio received his first Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of Arnie, and he should have won. Not for a moment do you believe that Arnie is being played by an actor. I imagine that there are people out there who really believed him to be mentally retarded. His performance is that good. I really grew to love Arnie.

The rest of the cast is also very good, particularly Johnny Depp, who, lets face it, is good in just about anything he does.

What's Eating Gilbert Grape is, at times, a bit awkward to watch; however, I would recommend that you at least try. 8/10

Trivia: When it came time to cast the roll of Bonnie, Gilbert's morbidly obese mother, casting dirctors could not find an actress suitable for the role. After watching an episode of "Sally Jessy Raphael" which talked about people who were too big to leave their houses, the filmmakers contacted the show in hopes of getting intouch with one of its guests, Darlene Cates, who was later cast as Bonnie.

Movie Quote of the Day

"You're so cool."

- True Romance (1993)

Something Special

This was created for TCM in 1994. It's beautiful. If you love film, you will love this.

100 Years at the Movies

Review: Avatar (2009)

Wow. It's official. James Cameron is definitely my favourite director of modern cinema. Some of the things that this man manages to capture of film amaze me. It's incredible. He's incredible. I mean, you just have to look at his films. The Terminator (1984), Aliens (1986), T2 (1991), True Lies (1994), Titanic (1997); all frontrunners in their respective times for technological advances. Cameron knows how to make a movie, and he demonstrates this again with Avatar, his latest masterpiece.

The year is 2154, and paraplegic Jake Skully has been offered a job replacing his recently deceased brother on the moon Pandora, a world inhabited by the Na'vi, a group of tall, blue-skinned creatures very similar to humans. A former Marine, Jake accepts the job, which requires him to become one with the natives, and to gain their trust. However, it isn't long before Jake feels caught between what he is ordered to do, and what he feels it is right to do, as Pandora starts to feel more and more like his home.

"I see you."

At 161 minutes, you know exactly what I was thinking before I sat down to watch Avatar: Why does it have to be so bloody long? It was its length that prevented me from seeing it with the rest of the world in the cinema, and why it took me so long to rent it. But, boy, am I glad I finally did. The best part about this film? For me? The fact that it didn't feel like almost three hours. The film was not too long. Its length was proportionate to its story. The movie needed those three hours so the story could be told so that we understood it. A shorter film would have resulted in a confused audience. Good call, Cameron.

The movie itself is thrilling from start to end. Pandora is visually spectacular. It is awesome; genuinely awe inspiring, and beautiful to look at. The story of Avatar wasn't boring, and didn't seem to leave anything out; I had no lingering questions when the film had finished. I also really enjoyed all of the acting, particularly from Sam Worthington and all of the actors that played Na'vi.

"If you are one of us, help us!"

The performances in Avatar are unique in that they were given by actors and translated into a type of animated CGI. This process is called motion capture, and it allows actors to actually give a live performance, which is later transformed into a digitally animated character, as opposed to only lending a voice to an animated character. This means that all of the actors that played Na'vi in the film actually acted out all of their parts. They did this by wearing special suits that were designed to capture all of the actors' movements. These movements, which included facial expressions, were later digitally translated into CGI.

All of the actors in Avatar had to go through intense training and preparation inorder to accurately portray their characters. Taking this, and what I stated above, into consideration, all of the actors in the film did an extraodinary job. Over the last couple of years, Sam Worthington, who plays Jake, has proven himself to be a fine actor (Fine in many ways...), and I doubt he'll be leaving the big screen any time soon. I've seen Zoe Saldana in many films over the years, but this was the first time I've ever really noticed her. She did an excellent job at playing Neytiri. Sigourney Weaver was very good in her role as Grace, and the rest of the cast also did a great job. No complaints.

"She said all energy is only borrowed, and one day you have to give it back."

I've heard that there are planned sequels to Avatar, and I'm not sure how I feel about this. For the most part, I believe that a great film should not have a sequel, but then we wouldn't Have T2 (1991). I suppose I'll just have to wait and see on that front, though I would prefer Cameron to lend his time to new, different projects. His imagination fascinates me, and I'd like to see what else he could come up with.

I really, really like Avatar, but I like Titanic more. I believe that to be Cameron's finest work. 9/10

Trivia: The original script for Avatar was written in 1995 by James Cameron, 12 years before filming began on the picture. Avatar finally began filming in April, 2007, though it wasn't released until December, 2009.

Movie Quote of the Day

"You know, this place makes me wonder."
  "Yeah, what's that, boss?"
"Which would be worse, to live as a monster or to die as a good man?"

- Shutter Island (2010)

Review: Red (2010)

I love Bruce Willis. If I ever had the chance to cast a movie, I would most definitely throw him in there somewhere. He is very cool, even past 50, and lends something special to the action genre that other actors don't possess. If his next film happened to be action ortiented, consider me at the multiplex (Or, at the very least, Blockbuster). No question. That's how much I love him. So, when I first heard of his new movie, Red, I was rather excited, and today, my sister and I went to see it. The result? What do you think?

Frank is red. No, not the color. In this case, red stands for Retired, extremely dangerous. A former CIA operative, Frank is now living the quiet life, the most exciting part of his day being a call to pensioner's services (He has a crush on one of the agents there). However, this peace and quiet is soon destroyed, when a group of heavily armed men invade Frank's house in the middle of the night. Their intention? To kill Frank, but he has other ideas. Together, with his old CIA cronies, Frank and Co try to figure out why he is being targeted, and who is behind the attack.

"Old man, my ass!"

Red is a very exciting movie. It starts off slow, but don't let it fool you. It gets very fast, very quickly. I haven't had this much fun at the cinema in a long time. I was laughing every five minutes, and I mean laughing, loudly, as was my sister. This film is funny! I wasn't expecting that. It also looks great (As does Mr. Willis...). I really enjoyed myself. I had a fabulous time.

The action scenes in Red are very cool to watch. It's easy to see that a lot of care and attention went in to them, and that really paid off. The gun work in this movie is also fantastic. All of the actors looked so badass, especially Helen Mirren. She's had some pretty great roles lately. Not that I care to much about it, but another thing I noticed about this movie was the costume design.  All of the actors looked great. Whoever was incharge of wardrobe did an excellent job.

"I remember the Secret Service being tougher."

The entire cast of Red is amazing. Willis, Mirren, Morgan Freeman, Brian Cox, Mary-Louise Parker and Karl Urban were all brilliant in their respective roles, but the standout was definitely John Malkovich, who plays Marvin. He was absolutely hilarious in an insane sort of way, and alone made the film worth watching.

This movie was a real ride, and I want another go. 8/10

Trivia: John C. Reilly was originally cast in the role of Marvin, but dropped out, and was replaced by John Malkovich, aka the best part of the film. Good decision!!