Movie Knews - Nov 13, 2012

I'm going to try to do something a little different today. Instead of reviewing a movie, I'm going to catch you all up on what's going on in recent movie news. I think I'll do this once a week or so just to change things up a bit. Lets get started.

STAR WARS EPISODE VII - THE RETURN OF DARTH VADER?
First and formost, rumors are circulating that Darth Vader is set to make a return in the new Star Wars film. While I'm actually excited for the new film, my main concern is that Vader kind of has a severe case of being dead. Not only did he just die,  but his body was burned and he became one with the Force.
If that isn't as dead as you can get, then I have an awesome beard... which I don't... fuck you, it'll get there...
Point is, resurrecting Vader is the stupidest thing imaginable. However, if you want to bring back Force Anakin, I'm cool with that. It actually makes sense, given that the original Han, Luke, and Leia are at least up for an appearance.
Michael Arndt, Oscar winning screenwriter (Little Miss Sunshine) who also wrote Toy Story 3 has already been hired to write the film. However, high profile directors such as Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino (could you imagine him doing Star Wars?), Zack Snyder, and unfortunately JJ Abrams have all said "no" to the project. Personally, I would have picked JJ Abrams, seeing the amazing job he did with Star Trek. At least they have similarly good intentioned reasons: because of the impact that Star Wars had on them, they're afraid that they'll fail. Which is actually a very legitimate reason.

ANCHORMAN 2 IS REPORTED TO FEATURE A MUSICAL NUMBER
Anchorman 2 is reported to feature a musical number... title already said that. Sounds pretty great.

TRANSFORMERS 4 WILL MOST LIKELY HAVE AT LEAST A COUPLE OF EXPLOSIONS 
Transformers 4 will be directed by Michael Bay. It will star Mark Whalberg and will take place 4 years after Dark of the Moon.

THE HOBBIT SOUNDTRACK STREAMING FOR FREE
Second up, The Hobbit soundtrack is streaming from a little app embedded on several websites. You can't skip through songs, so you have to listen to the whole thing at one time, and you can't download it either. It's completely worth listening to it all, the score is incredible. And if you have no intention of listening to the entire 1 hour and 45 minutes, you ought to at least listen up to the 22 minute mark, in which the Dwarves sing the Misty Mountains song from the trailer... gave me chills.

TOM CRUISE IS REALLY SHORT
In other news, see the trailers for Jack Reacher? Here's a fun fact: according to a reliable source (Papa Weitzel aka my dad) the character Jack Reacher is supposed to be over six feet tall, according to the books. Tom Cruise is only 5' 7". But Cruise is an alright action hero, so we'll see how this pans out.

Okay, so that's all I have for now. So enjoy this little funny faux article and I'll be back soon with more reviews!

-Weitzel

THE TREE OF LIFE - Review

The Tree of Life

Drama, 2011

Directed by Terrance Malick

Starring
Brad Pitt
Sean Penn
Jessica Chastain


The Tree of Life is simply one of the artsy-est films I've seen. Is that a good thing? I don't know.
Despite winning the Palme D'or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2011, it was one of those "love it or hate it" kind of movies. Truthfully, I'm kind of mixed on this one.
This movie is quiet. There is very little dialogue at all, and soft music is almost always playing in the background. This is complimented by gorgeous cinematography. Take any single frame out of this movie and it could be your desktop picture. It's that beautiful.
The story is... complicated, to say the least. The first act is duller than Ben Stein teaching economics to high schoolers. There are some trippy special effects, as Malick attempts to go through the early stages of life on earth. And honestly, it's kind of boring. There are some dinosaurs at one point. The dinosaurs look pretty good though, but they don't really do much.
The second, and largest part of the film, takes place in the memories of Sean Penn's character as a young boy. Brad Pitt plays his tough love father (if you can call it that) with Jessica Chastain as his mother, basically the polar opposite of his father. The father-son relationship is the main component of the story, and for the most part, it's entertaining.
However, everything else is just plain old fucking dull. Sean Penn doesn't have anything to do, and the ending is pretty strange.
This is undeniably an art film for art people. I am not an artsy person, but I know what I like and what I don't like. The Tree of Life has a little of both.

On the Upside - Decent story in the second act and gorgeous cinematography.

On the Downside - It's often boring.

Long Story Short - If you're a casual movie watcher, skip it. If you're really into art films, then you'll feel right at home.

Score - 6/10

ZODIAC - Review

Zodiac

Mystery/Thriller, 2007

Directed by David

Starring 
Jake Gyllenhaal as Robert Graysmith
Mark Ruffalo as Inspector David Toschi
Robert Downey Jr. as Paul Avery
Chloë Sevigny as Melanie Graysmith
Anthony Edwards as Inspector William Armstrong
John Carroll Lynch as Arthur Leigh Allen


While many serial killer films use bloody violence to drive the story forward, Zodiac is all about great performances and an excellent script. Not to say that there isn't a little bit of violence, which is actually pretty tame as far as serial killer films can go.
Based on the actual Zodiac killings in the late 60s and early 70s, the story follows the obsession of Robert Graysmith, a political cartoonist for the San Francisco Chronicle, as he attempts to solve the mystery. In the police department, Inspectors David Toschi and William Armstrong work to solve the mystery as well. Mark Ruffalo and Jake Gyllenhaal both have exceptional performances. The film is almost completely driven by tense dialogue, and the script is great. There are no action sequences of any kind.
Fincher's ever present sense of style is perfect for this sort of film. The entire movie is shrouded in darkness. The film is actually very quiet and tame. The movie is a combination of police procedural and  investigative journalism, an unusual,but perfect combination for this sort of material.
Zodiac isn't just an exceptional movie, but it's also a pretty disturbing story as well. The film is based on real events, which, when you think about it, takes the whole experience to another level.

Memorable Quote - 
Robert Graysmith: "I... I need to know who he is. I... I need to stand there, I need to look him in the eye and I need to know that it's him."

On the Upside - Great acting, great script, great sense of style.

On the Downside - Can feel a little bit lengthy, running at 2 hours and 40 minutes. A few details might get lost in the dense story.

Score - 9.5/10

LINCOLN - Review

Lincoln

Biographical Drama, 2012

Directed by Steven Spielberg

Starring
Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln
Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln
Tommy Lee Jones as Thaddeus Stevens
David Strathairn as William Seward
Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Robert Todd Lincoln

Steven Spielberg sure has a knack for historical dramas. Schindler's List, Munich, and Saving Private Ryan are all incredible snapshots of the times in which they take place. Lincoln, Spielberg's latest, is yet another great film from the acclaimed director.
Lincoln takes place during the months before the President's  assassination in April of 1865. Honest Abe must deal with the task of ending the Civil war, as well as attempting to pass the 13th Amendment through the House of Representatives, which proves to be no easy task. Truthfully, I don't know too much about Lincoln, so this film was a bit of a history lesson for me, aside from the 13th Amendment and that he was assassinated (sorry to spoil the ending for you.)
The acting is top notch, with a perfect performance (once again) by Daniel Day-Lewis. Watching every moment of his on screen is a pure joy. Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones, and David Strathairn make up for an exciting supporting cast and their chemistry is great.
While the film starts out very strong, the second half isn't necessarily weak, but it tends to drag in some spots. And with a 150 minute (2 hours, 30 minutes) runtime, it can really drag on. And when it drags, it can be boring. However, one of the highlights of the film comes at the end of the film, as the House of Representatives votes in the 13th Amendment to abolish slavery. I was on the edge of my seat, even though I knew it was going to happen.
Unfortunately, the death of the President is poorly handled. It's very anticlimactic, and while it doesn't bring the film down at all, it could have been much more interesting to watch.
Lincoln is an exceptional film, with Oscar worthy performances. It's surprisingly educational, and very entertaining.

Memorable Quote - 
Abraham Lincoln: "This settles the fate for all coming time. Not only the millions now in bondage, but of unborn millions to come."

On the Upside - Strong performances by all. A damn good history lesson as well.

On the Downside - It's very long, and it definitely drags a bit in the middle. Lincoln's death is poorly handled.

Long Story Short - A great historical drama, but it isn't for all audiences.

Score: 8.5/10

SKYFALL - Review

Skyfall

Action/Espionage, 2012

Directed by Sam Mendes

Starring
Daniel Craig as James Bond
Judi Dench as M
Javier Bardem as Raoul Silva
Naomie Harris as Eve
Ben Whishaw as Q
Ralph Finnes as Gareth Mallory
Bérénice Lim Marlohe as Sévérine


Wow.
Skyfall is a serious game changer. While Casino Royale took the series in a new direction, Skyfall actually takes an even larger leap forward. The film is riddled with allusions to the repetitive nature of the Bond films, how they've been playing the same game for a long time. And with Skyfall, change finally comes to the series in such a massive and unexpected way, it puts the previous installments to shame.
For the longest time, Bond was about sweet gadgets, political intrigue, sexy women, and bad guys who wanted the world and then some. There wasn't that much subtext or underlying emotional themes, with maybe a couple of exceptions. And while Casino Royale gave Bond his emotional center through Vesper Lynd (the film's Bond girl), Skyfall actually is more about the morals and ethics of what comes with working for MI6.
Despite having a far deeper story, the film does a little bit of going back to its roots. Ben Whishaw is spectacular as the new Q, and actually helps out Bond by giving him a couple of gadgets, including his classic Walther PPK. Even the Astin Martin makes an appearance.
The cinematography is absolutely unmatched. Beautiful framing and an unexpected use of colors bring this particular installment to life. For example, during a tense fight sequence in Shanghai, it almost has the feel of a classic Bond intro, and it stands out as being one of the best sequences in the film. It's certainly the most stylish Bond film to date. Roger Deakins, the cinematographer, deserves an Oscar for his spectacular work. Adele sings the theme song this time around, and needless to say, it's perfect. The song has that classic sexy and sultry feeling, while at the same time feeling new and original.
Although there are references to the past all over the place, it's more about what made Bond so iconic as apposed to past missions themselves. M is finally given something to do other than just sit at a desk, finally becoming a wonderfully realized character who plays an immense role in the story. Javier Bardem's Silva is one of the most entertaining villains to date, easily stealing the show.
Daniel Craig is at his absolute best, and I might be one of the few who believe that he might just be the best Bond ever, maybe even exceeding Sean Connery.
I can't wait to see what comes next.

On another note, I would recommend seeing Skyfall in IMAX. Unlike some films, the movie doesn't shift from one film format to another, it remains in a constant state of IMAX.

Memorable Quote - 
Bond: A radio and a gun? Not exactly Christmas.
Q: What were you expecting, an exploding pen?

On the Upside - Bond finally has the emotional core that even few films today can manage. Bardem, Dench, and Craig all have Oscar worthy performances. It's certainly the most visually appealing Bond film to date. The script is dynamite, chockfull of references to the series past, setting a new precedent for the future. Adele's theme song is pitch perfect as well.

On the Downside - I can't figure out how Bond 24 is going to top this one.

Long Story Short - Skyfall is the best Bond film. Period. Stop reading, get off your computer, and go see it. You'd be a fool not to, Bond enthusiast or not.

Score - 10/10

GOLDFINGER - Review

Hey readers,
Just something to mention quickly before the review: all of my posts will have links to youtube videos and sometimes pictures. I wouldn't be adding links if they weren't relevant, and today's post has a lot of them.
Enjoy the review!

-Weitzel

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Goldfinger

Action, 1964

Directed by Guy Hamilton

Starring
Sean Connery as James Bond
Honor Blackman as Pussy Galore
Gert Fröbe as Auric Goldfinger
Harold Sakata as Oddjob

James Bond has a pretty good track record: 50 years, 23 movies. And while most people are unanimous on Sean Connery being the best out of the 6 Bonds, many are divided on which film is the best. I think that it's Goldfinger.

To be honest, I can't really place exactly why I enjoy it so much. It's only the 3rd film in the series, following Dr. No and From Russia With Love. I think it's just really entertaining, much more so than most of the other Bond films. Goldfinger and Oddjob make for great villains, and Pussy Galore (what a name, right?) is one of the best Bond girls ever. Connery is as charming as ever. The theme by Shirley Bassey is personally my favorite Bond theme, even better than Paul McCartney's Live and Let Die.

In Goldfinger,  Bond is sent to investigate bullion dealer Auric Goldfinger, who they believe is smuggling gold internationally. Things naturally take a turn for the worse, and things escalate rather quickly. Goldfinger is actually a very entertaining villain probably due to the amount of screen-time he gets. He has some great lines, and his master plan is actually pretty genius.

I'll say it again, it's difficult to say why I like it so much. Most of what I look for in a movie is if it's entertaining or not. Because if you have a movie that isn't entertaining, then what's the point? If you ask me, out of all 22 Bond films that I've seen, Goldfinger stands the test of time. Watching the Bond films as a kid, Goldfinger is the one that I always come back to with the fondest of memories, while many of the others were lost in the wind. To this day it stands as my absolute favorite Bond film.

Memorable Quote - 
Bond: "Do you expect me to talk?"
Goldfinger: "No Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!"

On the Upside - One of the most entertaining Bond films ever made with tons of memorable moments.  Goldfinger is probably the best villain in the series canon, and for the most part, the film holds up well, except...

On the Downside - Some of the fistfights don't hold up. Then again, the movie is almost 50 years old.

Score - 9.7/10

Weitzel will return tomorrow with a review of Skyfall.

MAGNOLIA - Review

Wow. So this is day 3 of reviews. It looks like it might be a daily thing, but nothing is set in stone.
Even better, yesterday I had 33 page views, which is better than 17 from day 1.
Small victories, am I right?
You should share this post so more people see it or something. Also, feel free to comment if you have any opinions of your own about the movie. And I do take recommendations on something you want me to review.
Because I'll do it.
Anyway, don't forget to go out and vote today, and I know that the media is shoving this whole voting thing down your throats, but I think it's important to our future, and everyone should have a stake in it. If you don't know who to vote for, then do some research and then go out and vote. I recommend going to this website and completing the quiz to see who your potential candidate is. It's pretty dense, but good.
I'm slowly making adjustments to the layout of the posts. I won't modify old posts, but hopefully the tweaks will work themselves out over the next week or so and I'll get a nice consistency going. I personally like the Memorable Quotes at the end. We'll see how the formatting pans out.
Did you ever wonder why the title, which is already bolded, italicized, and underlined, a different color from the rest of the text? Click on it and you'll be brought straight to an official trailer of the film. If you haven't seen the movie in question, I recommend checking it out.
Enjoy today's review of Magnolia!

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Magnolia

Drama, 1999

Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson

Starring
Philip Seymour Hoffman
John C. Reilly
Philip Baker Hall
Tom Cruise
Julianne Moore
William H. Macy
Jason Robards
Melora Walters
Jeremy Blackman
Ricky Jay

When I first saw Magnolia back in January of 2010, I honestly didn't think much of it. I remember thinking that it was a pretty cool movie with some really interesting story elements and some great acting. And as time went on, I kept thinking about it. Maybe not right away but Magnolia never really left my head. It burrowed its way deep into my brain and never seemed to go away.
I didn't watch it again until a few months later, and I don't know what it was, but I was completely blown away the second time around. It's the one movie that I always come back to, time and time again. I don't think I've recommended a movie to more people than Magnolia.
The story revolves around a wide range of characters on an ordinary day, and everything is connected. Each character influences another character's story in some way or another. I'm just going to summarize the characters briefly:

• A honest, average joe cop just trying to get by day to day.
• A nurse just trying to help his dying patient connect with his long lost son. 
• A famous television game show host who learns he has only a couple of months to live.
• A misogynistic and very successful motivational speaker who helps men pick up women. 
• A young trophy wife who married a man for his money.
• A lonely former game show winner who had great childhood fame.
• A dying man who wants to connect with his son. 
• A lost and confused cocaine addict. 
• A child prodigy who dominates a game show revolving around intelligent children. 

Now I know that you can determine which stories connect with one another just based on these character descriptions. The special thing about Magnolia is that each of these stories is just as interesting as the next. There is never a dull moment. As the story skips around at an even pace from character to character, the 186 minute (3 hours, 8 minutes) runtime seems to go by much faster than it really does. The stories and characters converge in very unexpected ways, and the finale, although a bit strange and unusual, brings a sense of completion. The acting is simply superb all around, with particularly strong performances by John C. Reilly and Tom Cruise. 

The film boasts a great soundtrack, with some superb songs by Aimee Mann and a score by Jon Brion that really hits the mark. The film is beautifully shot by Robert Elswit, who has done work on the majority of Anderson's films.
Take it from Anderson himself, who once said "I really feel... that Magnolia is, for better or worse, the best movie I'll ever make."
Magnolia is without a doubt the most beautiful movie I have ever seen.
As I sit here writing this, I find it difficult to express my admiration for this film in words on a page. All I can really say is that you owe it to yourself to see this movie.

Memorable Quote -  Narrator: "There are stories of coincidence and chance, of intersections and strange things told, and which is which and who only knows? And we generally say, "Well, if that was in a movie, I wouldn't believe it." Someone's so-and-so met someone else's so-and-so and so on. And it is in the humble opinion of this narrator that strange things happen all the time. And so it goes, and so it goes. And the book says, "We may be through with the past, but the past ain't through with us.""

The Upside - Literally everything about this movie. Some of the best storytelling ever captured on film.

The Downside - Literally nothing.

Bottom Line - I've already said this a million times - watch this movie. I've watched over 700 movies in the past (almost) 3 years and it remains to date, the single best movie on that list.

Score - 10/10

WRECK-IT RALPH Review

Wreck-It Ralph (2012)

Directed by Rich Moore

Starring
John C. Reilly
Sarah Silverman
Jack McBrayer
Jane Lynch

Movies based on video games have a reputation of being pretty awful. I mean, seriously, have you seen Super Mario Bros? It's probably the worst movies I've ever seen. Absolute garbage.
But these films didn't really become commonplace since the early 2000s, with films like Tomb Raider and Resident Evil. And few have been considered to be any good.
And then there's Wreck-It Ralph, which, despite being based on a completely fictional video game, is unquestionably the greatest video game movie ever made.
The premise for Wreck-It Ralph is basically the video game equivalent of Toy Story. When the lights go out and the arcade closes, the video games and their characters come to life. Characters can travel out of their own games and into others. The film stars Ralph (voiced by John C. Reilly), a villain in the fictional classic arcade game Fix-It Felix Jr. Ralph is tired of being the bad guy, and wants to be the hero he knows he can be. Despite opposition from others within his own game and fellow baddies, Ralph sets out on a quest to become a hero by winning a medal in another game. Without giving too much away, Ralph's actions cause more problems than expected, and he must save the entire arcade from threat of being shut down completely. Along the way, Ralph meets a very colorful cast of characters, and the video game universe created by Disney is simply incredible and full of subtle references that gamers will pick up on.
Despite a great opening, the beginning of the second act moves a bit too frantically. It feels like tons of stuff is being thrown at you a bit too quickly, but it isn't hard to follow or anything. At times, things can feel a bit too overwhelming. It recovers quickly though, and the story moves at a good pace from then on. In addition, the grand finale feels as though it was wrapped up a bit quickly, but the ending is still solid.

On the Upside - Strong voice acting, fun premise, and great animation makes for the best animated movie this year. Tons of tiny references for the hardcore gamers will make you chuckle.

On the Downside - Some minor pacing issues and a weak finale can be a bit frustruating, but it doesn't bring the experience down too much. Non-gamers will probably not like it as much.

Bottom Line - Gamers will love Wreck-It Ralph, others won't get the full experience. But it's still worth watching. The best animated movie this year.

Score - 9.5/10

New Blog + First Review: LOOPER

Hey peoples,

I'm Josh Weitzel, and this is my very first in what will hopefully be a long and illustrious blog in which I talk and review movies... and other stuff maybe.
Anyone who knows me will say that I'm completely obsessed with movies. It's really one of the only things I talk about and also one of the few things that I know tons about. And I talk quite a bit about movies on facebook and such, so I figure why not start a blog so I can go on and on about this kind of stuff. It makes perfect sense, right?
First of all, a few things you should know:

• I won't just review new releases, but older movies that have been around for a while. 
• I give each movie a number rating, always out of 10. 
• I'll do an editorial mixed in with a review, on occasion. 
• I'll talk about upcoming movies and other movie news as well. 
• I'm not a writer, so I'll probably make plenty of grammar mistakes. 

I guess that's the long and short of it. Posting will be pretty inconsistant for now. I've got one lined up
for ya, so check out my first review below.


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Looper (2012)

Directed by Rian Johnson

Starring
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Bruce Willis
Emily Blunt


BE WARNED: VERY MILD SPOILERS AHEAD, BUT NOTHING TOO MAJOR THAT WOULD COMPROMISE THE ENDING OF THE FILM. PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK.

In a world where Hollywood is dominated by movies based on books, true stories, and comic books, it's hard to create believable science fiction worlds that actually make for a good film. I love science fiction, and even more than that, films that are completely original. Yes, the concept of time travel has been used countless times. But Looper, simply put, is easily the most original, and realistic, time travel film in recent memory.
So I'm just going to say it - Looper is the best film I have seen this year.
Don't get me wrong; movies with universal acclaim like The Avengers and Argo are exceptional, but what Looper does with its world is simply extraordinary.
Lets set it up, just based on the trailers:
Time travel gets invented, outlawed immediately. Criminals use time travel to send someone they want dead into the past, where the loopers kill them and dispose of the bodies. Things get interesting when Joe (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) finds himself having to kill his future self, Old Joe (played by John McClain, aka Bruce Willis). McClain/Willis escapes, and JGL has to find him and kill him before he gets killed by his mob boss.
First of all, lets examine the time travel concept. Used in this film, it is not just original, but plausible. And while there are always loopholes in time travel movies, the film does the best to explain them, and actually succeeds for the most part.
Now consider this: In most time travel films, if someone meets his future self, everything goes belly up. In this case, it just creates more timelines, which can be a little of a mind fuck, and nothing really implodes or anything. And it's incredibly entertaining to see JGL and John McClain talk to each other as the same character, but more on that later.
Simply put, the time travel mechanics work wonderfully, but that isn't even the tip of the iceberg.
Moving on.
The acting is pretty good. JGL does a perfect young Bruce Willis, and Bruce Willis is basically... well... Bruce Willis, which isn't a bad thing at all. Because Bruce Willis is fucking AWESOME!
But the most surprising performance, (MILD SPOILER ALERT) without giving too much away, is by a young 7 year old child actor named Pierce Gagnon. He plays a significant role in the second act of the film, and is actually the most surprising performance in the whole film.
Otherwise, the film is beautifully shot, edited, written, and acted with a great supporting cast. The action is absolutely top notch, despite being somewhat limited. Nothing too over the top, everything in the film remains as plausible as science fiction can get, never feeling unrealistic. It's completely original.
I think I love this movie so much because after all of the hype (most of it just being me being really excited) it actually payed off 100%. Few films may be totally awesome, and live up to the hype, but few films exceed it. Looper absolutely blew me away in every single category. I can't recommend it enough.
On a final note, Looper is absolute proof that ORIGINALITY IS NOT DEAD! 
And this is why I believe that Looper is the best film of 2012 so far.

Memorable Quote - 
Young Joe: We both know how this has to go down. I can't let you walk away from this diner alive. This is my life now. I earned it. You had yours already. So why don't you do what old men do and die?
Old Joe: Why don't you just take your little gun out from between your legs and do it... boy?

On the Upside - Great and original story, good performances, creative use of time travel, solid action, and overall a very entertaining movie. Also, JGL's makeup actually makes him look like Willis without looking too ridiculous.

On the Downside - A bit of a pacing issue in the beginning of the second act, but it recovers pretty quickly. Not anything too major to worry about.

Bottom Line - Go see this movie. If you have no desire to see it, then watch it anyway. It's just that good.

Score - 9.8/10