Movie of the Week: Die Hard 2

   

   
    Movie of the Week (1/19/14-1/25/14): I'm in the mood for another action flick this week so why not one that was a sequel to one of the best action movies of all time. That's right, Bruce Willis returned to his iconic role as the cop from New York who is always "At the wrong place at the wrong time." Now this might have been a step down from the first one, but it really wasn't a very big step down because it had a good director, that classic '80's action feel, and a couple of interesting twists. This is Die Hard 2: Die Harder.
    This second adventure follows John McClane in Washington D.C. at Dulles International Airport as a group of traitorous rogue U.S. military men take over the airport. There mission? To intercept an airplane carrying a terrorist general and set him free. And if they do that they all get paid a bunch of money and get to live in "paradise." But of course John McClane will do anything to stop them as they have caused planes to circle the airport until they run out of fuel. McClane's wife is on one of the planes, so that gives him some motivation to find and stop the traitors from intercepting the general and killing any innocent people.  
    Now, like I said Bruce Willis returned as John McClane and we all love watching his exploits and Bruce does another great job in a role that will always be his. Bonnie Bedelia returned as Holly McClane, in a smaller role, but still kept the feel of Die Hard alive. Reginald VelJohnson even has a short cameo that was nice to see. William Sadler plays the main antagonist as Colonel Stuart, you may know him from The Shawshank Redemption among many other films where he plays a good small character. This is one of his different roles where he plays a tough military man and can fight... good, he gives us a good performance. We also have John Amos as a military Major who comes in as relief during the chaos, and Dennis Franz as the Captain of the airport police, who can be quite annoying at times. Robert Patrick also has a brief appearance in a small role as one of the bad guys.
    The first thing that makes this a good movie is its small connections to the first movie with all of the little things that the director, not the same from the first one, put in there. You'll know them when you see them, or hear them. The director for this film, Renny Harlin, who also did Cliffhanger, gave this his own touch as it is a little more faster paced and filled with a little more over the top action. But, that's okay because it was fun and exciting to watch, let alone gory, and got to the point faster. Renny Harlin is a good director he just hasn't made any good choices since Cliffhanger in 1993 and I wish he did because he had potential.
    This movie also had very good effects when it came to the shootouts and were choreographed very well, which made them intense to watch. Another thing that made this a good, not great, sequel were the twists that we have and they have a few clues to them along the way, some easier and some not so much, but of course once they happen you are still shocked in a way. But, it was something that made the film better and brought some characters together in the end that we wouldn't have thought would come together. In the end this is a sequel with its own feel to it yet had plenty of connections to the first one, good direction, effects, and good twists that will keep you entertained.
3/4 Stars

Movie of the Week: Mystic River

   

 

    Movie of the Week (1/12/14-1/18/14): We are in awards season and the Golden Globes air tonight. So, I have chosen this wonderful, yet disturbing, film that won Sean Penn and Tim Robbins a Golden Globe and Oscar along with other nominations. Clint Eastwood directed this great film that is driven by wonderful acting and a fantastic screenplay. The story is dark and this is a film that probably only a few can watch one time because of some of the subject matter and the emotion going around, but nevertheless it is one of the best films of 2003. This is Mystic River.
    The film opens with the three main characters as kids playing hockey in the street when a mysterious car pulls up and asks them to get in. The men were posing as cops. One of them gets in and is sexual assaulted, but nothing is shown, and then he escapes. This sets his character up for the rest of the movie when the three of them are drawn back together when the daughter of one of them is killed. The movie is then one thrill ride as one of the friends is a cop and tries to figure out who killed her. The other ends up becoming suspicious about the other friend. The story is widened when other characters are revealed and are thought to have something to do with her death, including her boyfriend.
    What makes this movie fabulous to watch are the performances by the great cast. Sean Penn does the best as he plays Jimmy Markum, the father of the girl killed, who has a criminal past and suspects his past enemies as people who may have killed her. He delivers a powerhouse and frightening performance that won him Best Actor at the Golden Globes and Oscar's. Tim Robbins won Best Supporting Actor at the Golden Globes and Oscar's as Dave Boyle, an emotionally traumatized man that was sexual abused as a child and because of that he becomes a suspect as something he did the same night that girl was killed is revealed. Kevin Bacon is the third friend as he plays Sean Devine, the detective trying to find the killer. He also gives us one of his best performances as he is caught in the middle and by the end is the man who truly figures out who killed the girl. The rest of the cast is capped off by Laurence Fishburne, Laura Linny, and Marcia Gay Harden as she also delivers an Oscar nominated performance.
    The acting is the best aspect of this film, but the second is Clint Eastwood as he directed this masterpiece. He gives us another dark, chilling, yet exciting movie that will leave you thinking once it is over. Along with directing, he also scored the film and it too is great as it is used perfectly, especially during the climax, and builds the suspense throughout the film. This is a perfectly scored film. It is also wonderfully written, based on a novel as well, with the perfect pacing, dialogue, and scenes that build and come together by the suspenseful ending and everything is explained. The editing is not too shabby either, particularly during the climax as we have several things going on at once.
    By the end of this great movie not only are the characters traumatized by what has happened, but we might as well be too. This is one of those movie that leaves us in almost a state of peril by the way it all unfolds. Now, I know that sounds like a bad thing, but really we are still thinking, why did that happen? Why didn't he just tell him this? Or show him that? That is what makes this movie so great, besides the acting, it is a haunting story that is hard to watch at times, but we can't stop watching! Plus the ending is left open a little for us think what will happen to one of the main characters, and I love those type of endings. This a wonderful film that is perfectly acted, directed, written, and scored. It would have won Best Picture had it not been for Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King being released the same year.
4/4 Stars

Movie of the Week: Under Siege

   

 

    Movie of the Week (1/5/14-1/11/14): I'm back! My apologizes for not having a movie last week, I know many of you missed it! But, I'm back this week, a little late, but the playoffs last night was responsible for that. And since my team lost I think a good action film to let off some steam is a good one to have this week. I'm sure many of you had a team that lost and want to let off some steam too, this is a good one to do just that. It is also Steven Seagal's best movie and has a great supporting cast to go with it along with some intense fight scenes. This is Under Siege.
    This film is set on a battleship while terrorist take it over in order to get back at the government that did them wrong by stealing nuclear warheads to use against them. During a surprise party for the captain the bad guys land on the ship by helicopter posing as the band and they then take it over by surprise themselves along with the help of a traitor. Casey Ryback is forgotten about since he was locked in the meat locker for an earlier scuffle with the traitor, an officer on the ship, and ends up escaping. From there on Ryback becomes a one man army as he tries to stop the terrorist from doing something terrible.
    I'm sure you know that Steven Seagal is Casey Ryback and really does a good job in this role because it fits him the best. He is a cook, former Navy SEAL, and he is handy with knives, his fists, explosives, and guns, which is why Seagal is perfect for this role. His acting is still not the best, but it is certainly enjoyable to watch him in his best role. We also have Tommy Lee Jones as the leader of the terrorist, William Stranix, who has a vendetta against the government and CIA as they screwed him over. Jones gives us another great performance and did a great job in the final fight scene between him and Seagal. Gary Busey is also great as Commander Krill, he plays a character that the crew doesn't like and the audience will not like because he is the traitor and it is he who Ryback doesn't get along with. All three of these main cast members really worked well together and had good chemistry when on screen. The rest of the supporting cast also is very good.
    The writing to this might seem similar to Die Hard, and in a way it is because it is pretty much that on a ship, but we have different reasons for terrorist. So it is different in several ways and it works well, it is a well written screenplay. We also have director Andrew Davis, who would go on to direct the Oscar winning The Fugitive with Tommy Lee Jones a year later. You can tell that it has his touch to it. It has that classic action feel, which The Fugitive had as well, from the late eighties and early nineties, which means that there are not a lot of cuts in the fight scenes but are shot very well in longer than usual segments, unlike today where there is a cut every couple seconds. With his touch to the film, it makes the film much better.
    The sets for this film were also very good as they matched how the real U.S.S. Missouri looked and made the film darker, which was a good fit. The movie also sounds good and has very good sound editing and mixing. With so much going on in each particular fight scene, shootout, and dialogue scene with Stranix while he is talking to the Navy commanders is edited together very well, along with the editing of the film, all of these mix together perfectly. The score is also that classic action movie score from the eighties and nineties and it is exciting to listen too, even when there is not much going on. This is a very good intense action film, with great shootouts, fight scenes, particularly the last one, sound editing, directing, and great performances from the entire cast. Let's start the New Year off with a bang!
3/4 Stars

Movie of the Week: Jack Frost

   

 

    Movie of the Week (12/22/13-12/28/13): Christmas is pretty much here already so lets have a movie to watch this week about Christmas. We all wish we could make things better with somebody or our family members. But, most of the time that thought doesn't cross our minds until the most cheerful season comes around. That is what happens in this film, except something terrible happens when a child's father dies in a car crash and then a year later he gets a second chance when he comes back as a snowman. He then gets a second chance at being the father he should have been. This is Jack Frost.
    Michael Keaton plays Jack Frost, yes that's his real name, as a man with a family, but also loves his life as a musician. It is this where he must do things which makes him keep breaking his promises and not being with his family, mainly his son. From the short time he is actually on the screen, and not voicing the snowman, he does a pretty good job, although it is not his best performance. But, the fact that he signed on last minute probably had something to do with it. Kelly Preston plays Gabby, his wife, and we get a decent performance for her as well. Joseph Cross plays Charlie, his son, who he comes back to spend time with, and the majority of the time we get a good to mediocre performance from him, but he does his job when it counts. Mark Addy, from Game of Thrones, plays Mac, a close friend of the Frost family and is there to help Charlie through the ordeal from time to time.
    The story here is pretty clear as is the message which we pick up on pretty quick, which also comes up clearly in the end as well. So, the story is fairly basic, but that doesn't mean it won't be good to watch at times. Although we get several cheesy moments throughout, there is still enough seriousness floating around to make you keep watching, and yes even with a talking snowman. That being said the effects were pretty decent on the snowman, but you can also tell that they used a lot of the money on the snowman because a couple other scenes where effects were needed were a little dull. Also, at times at the family home you can clearly tell that they are in a studio just by looking in the background.
    Again, this is not a big time movie and does not have a great story that will blow your socks off, but it has a meaningful story. And that aspect, along with the family friendly atmosphere, is what kept this movie from being a total wreck. Now, we get a good performance from Michael Keaton, good visuals on the snowman, and we get a good mix of comedy and seriousness because by the end of the movie we get a serious scene that might make you shed a tear of two. This is a good family movie that you can sit down and enjoy, it gives a good message, and has a feel good feeling to go along with it. But, its lack of direction, great story telling, and acting by some of the younger actors hurts it in the end. Nevertheless, Merry Christmas!
2/4 Stars 

Movie of the Week: The Wild Bunch

   

 

    Movie of the Week (12/15/13-12/21/13): Well, it's time to pull an oldie again, but not just any oldie, an oldie from my favorite genre in film. The western genre is probably the oldest of all genres and its heyday lasted a good forty years. There were so many westerns made between 1930 and 1970 that it is impossible to count them all. However, that is a good thing because there were so many different stories to be told that many of them were original stories and turned into classics. This film here is a classic but not as big of a classic as some others, but that was because it was apart of the groundbreaking graphic westerns in the late 1960's. This is The Wild Bunch.
    The title tells you that this could be a graphic story and from the opening sequence that proves to be true. It opens with a prolonged bank robbery by the main characters and from there on it is one fun ride. The film follows a group of older outlaws who want to do one last job before the officially retire. Once they escape the bloody shootout a bounty hunter is on to them and then they run into more trouble as one of them is captured. As the time around them is changing and the west is no longer wild, it is now 1913, they stick with their old habits in a new era and attempt one last rescue mission of their captured friend. The film then ends as it began, in a bloody and gory shootout that you must see to believe.

     The film has a great cast and the best being the late great Ernest Borgnine as Dutch along with William Holden as Pike, Robert Ryan as Deke, Edmond O'Brien as Freddie, Warren Oates as Lyle Gorch, Jaime Sanchez as Angel, and Ben Johnson as Tector Gorch. This cast is really fantastic and one to forever remember and unfortunately all of them have now passed. But, at the time this came out in 1969, they were all at the top of their game. They all deliver us great and heart pounding performances and as the movie goes it they only get better. By the end they become a wild bunch that we come to love but ultimately know their demise just by watching their actions throughout and it is a group of performances to remember.
     The very first thing that we notice about this film, because it is use so much and so well, is the editing. From the opening violent sequence the editing essentially becomes a character on its own because it adds so much to the shootouts. The editing is intense during specific scenes and helps shows multiple things at once, which is quite cool and impressive to see considering the time this came out. We also have great writing here, the screenplay is written very well because it digs us deeper into each character as the movie goes on, we learn more about each character, some through flashbacks, which is why we end up liking each one.
    We also have great direction as Sam Peckinpah adds to his resume of graphic films. He is known for his graphic and bloody films, especially during a time where that had just not come around yet. He was pushing the limits and changing film with this graphic picture as he does a fantastic job yet again. You can tell that each and every scene has his personal touch. Along with his touch is a haunting score that drives the film further. This is not just a violent western as the reign of that genre came to end, it is about a group of older, out of date per se, outlaws who continue to stick with their old ways as times change and the Wild West came to an end. From opening to close we are given a great story with an even better cast along with some fantastic gory shootouts that helped changed film and turn it into what we know it as today.
3.5/4 Stars.

Movie of the Week: Running Scared

   

 

    Movie of the Week (12/8/13-12/14/13): Hey, gang! I know I am very late this week, but the heavy snow and ice this past weekend caused us to have no Internet for a few days. But, I'm back now bringing you all the movie of the week, which I know you were anxiously waiting for! This week we are going to steer away from the Christmas movies. As all of you know we lost Paul Walker about a week and half ago, so young at that, and I thought we could honor his memory this week by watching a movie in which was underrated and a movie where he gave us his best and most powerful performance. That movie is Running Scared.
    This 2006 film was not very well known by the national audience upon its release into theaters, it wasn't until it reached home video that it gained popularity. But, once it did more and more people began raving about Paul's performance. The film focuses on a thug who, after a drug deal gone wrong, is suppose to get rid of the gun used to kill a dirty cop in the drug deal. But, things take a drastic turn when his neighbor's kid finds and takes it to shoot his abusive father. The gun then takes a trip through the night ending up in the wrong hands as Joey, Paul Walker, races to find it before everything goes terribly wrong. He runs into several events throughout the night and by the end of the movie he reveals a big secret.

Paul Walker displaying his talent in a scene of rage. 

    As I said, the film stars the late Paul Walker as Joey Gazelle who is a low time thug trying to make a living, or so we think. Walker delivers us the best performance of his career and it is a powerful one, one that probably should have had Oscar consideration. As things get worse in the film he gets better and better, this film is driven by him and the amount of talent he showed in this film showed us what he was really capable of. The supporting cast is pretty good here too, although there are not too many well known actors. We have Chazz Palminteri as a corrupt cop, Vera Farmiga as Joey's wife, Cameron Bright as Oleg, the kid who took the gun, Alex Neuberger as Joey's and Teresa's son, Johnny Messner as a young mob thug, Michael Cudlitz as another mobster thug, and Bruce Altman and Elizabeth Mitchell as Dez and Edele respectively as a frightening couple that we come across in the film's events.
    The other really good thing to say about this film is that it was written very well. It is an interesting story that takes place all in one night and the scenes where written very well, even if some of them are disturbing. It was written by the director, Wayne Kramer, who is virtually unknown but did a very good job at directing this dark movie. There are several scenes that are frightening, not scary, to watch because they were written and directed so well. One scene in particular, which is the best in the film, is the scene at the hockey rink, towards the end, it is so well written, directed, acted, and edited that it gave me chills when I watched it. Kramer is not a well known director but he did a great job with this picture.
    The film also has good editing, but at times the editing is a little to extreme, it seems they got slap happy with it every now and then and I think that was a weakness in the film. With the film taking place at night and in not very well lit places it can be hard to see sometimes, but the majority of the time you can tell what it going on perfectly and that made the film have great cinematography and lighting at times when it needed it, for example, the hockey rink scene. Overall this is a well written and powerfully acted film with a few hiccups every now and then. But, this film is graphic at times and that means the violence, language, and sexual content. It is so graphic in fact that the director thought it would get an NC-17 rating when he submitted it, but it got an R rating, nevertheless he was disappointed that it did not. This is a very good film because the late Paul Walker put everything he had into this film and it will be one of his to remember for years to come. Rest easy Paul.
3/4 Stars

Movie of the Week: Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas

   

 

    Movie of the Week (12/1/13-12/7/13): Well, December is finally here and the Christmas season is upon us and I'm sure most of you reading this already have your Christmas trees up. But, you best keep an eye on your trees along with all of your decorations unless you want some green thing to take them away. That's right, lets kick off Christmas this year with a movie adapted from the classic children's book. This is one of my favorite Christmas movies to watch this time of year because it brings a smile to my face and makes me laugh. This is Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
    This film is quite simple to follow, it doesn't have any special plot points to it until the very end and it was adapted well. It is about a fantasy land inside a snowflake that houses Whos who love the Christmas season, some might say too much. But, nevertheless they make an interesting story about one of them who hates the season of Christmas and is set on stopping it from coming by stealing all of their decorations and gifts. That person is called The Grinch.
    That Grinch character is played by non other than Jim Carrey, it's almost hard to tell that that's him under all that makeup, but it is. Jim Carrey does such a great job in this film that you can't tell it's him because of how he changes his voice and once he does that he literally is The Grinch.  He gives us such a funny performance that I laughed out loud several times throughout the movie. Without Carrey in this role I can't imagine who else could had done it and it certainly wouldn't have been the good movie it is without him. The film has a decent supporting cast with Taylor Momsen as Cindy Lou Who, Jeffery Tambor as Mayor Augustus Maywho, Christine Baranski as Martha May Whovier, Molly Shannon as Betty Lou Who, and Clint Howard as Whobris. The supporting cast here is decent not great, but The Grinch runs the show in this film, even though they give us funny performances overall.
    Now, there are two things that really make this movie stand out much further than others from when it came out and even today. Those two things are makeup and set design. The makeup on all of the characters is absolutely phenomenal. Every actor does not look like themselves as they are covered in special makeup to look like Whos. The Grinch's make and costume took hours to put on, put it was worth it as it won the Oscar for Makeup. The sets were also beautifully crafted as they helped bring to life a new place of oddly shaped houses, landscape, cars, and many other items that brought Whoville to the screen. Another great aspect of the film that got nominated for an Oscar.
    We also have very good costume designs in this film as very creative minds give each character distinguished clothing, also nominated for an Oscar. The films director, Ron Howard, also did a very good job as he gave us a very colorful and family friendly comedy, with some crude humor every now and then, that has a heartwarming premise by the film's end. Even though it's not his best work, it is one to remember for the holidays. From start to finish you will be amazed at how the film looks, how the beautiful sets look, how well crafted the makeup is, and how perfect the character costumes are. Not to mention a lot of laughs and the catchy score and great theme song.
3/4 Stars