‘Side Effects’ Review: Soderbergh’s Last Film(?) Is Best of 2013 (So Far)

Director Steven Soderbergh has made a career out of telling unique stories with flair and precision on the big screen. From his indie debut Sex, Lies & Videotape to Side Effects, what reportedly may be his final big screen film, he’s never lost his edge and continued to develop and push himself within the medium. Side Effects, a title which hints at the side effects of drugs which play a huge role in the film, is a solid, calculating film that brings more to the table than you would expect.

Rooney Mara (The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo) and Jude Law star as patient and psychiatrist in the film. Mara’s Emily awaits the return of her husband (Channing Tatum) from prison after four years served for financial fraud (insider trading). Emily though, can’t handle the stress of her life and tries to kill herself by crashing her car. After survival, this leads her to the psychiatric care of Law’s Dr. Banks who begins to prescribe drugs for her to make her healthier and happier.

Dr. Banks (Jude Law) is blindsided in mysterious ”Side Effects’.

What unfolds is a series of situations that result in upping the ante of drugs for Emily and after a tragic event, Dr. Banks and Emily become tied to one another as events unravel. Soderbergh shoots the film with a tight focus on the subjects, which blurs the background, known as a shallow depth of field. The purpose is to have the audience semi-participate in the feeling of being drugged. Of course, beyond what is a clinical study, a thriller unspools on screen, a side effect, which means that there is more than than meets the eye.

Side Effects is not an outstanding film, but it is the best so far of 2013. It tells a story that you think you know and surprises the audience at the same time. It would be a shame if Soderbergh really does not direct for the silver screen any more. The auteur of Out Of Sight, Erin Brockovich, Traffic, Ocean’s 11 and more, has shown consistently that he is one of the better directors going for nearly two decades. Perhaps he moves on to another venture, but a man so skilled would be greatly missed in a medium often becoming more cookie cutter. That would be an undesirable side effect to his departure from directing. Let’s hope he keeps going.

David O. Russell Is Perfect Choice For Romantic Dramedy ‘The Silver Linings Playbook’

Sometimes a movie can attack your vulnerability. David O. Russell’s heartfelt The Silver Linings Playbook is just such a movie. It’s a film that packs a stellar cast into a combustible mix of force and funny. The characters have three dimensions with real problems and their situations are such that even a Hollywood ending couldn’t ruin them. But O. Russell (director of Three Kings and I Heart Huckabees) always lives on the fringe of Tinseltown, which makes him the perfect foil to hide a romantic comedy inside an emotional, dysfunctional dramedy. Smart, heady stuff.

Playbook finds Bradley Cooper’s Pat home too soon from a mental institution after beating his wife’s lover into submission upon his catching them in the act. He mistakenly aches for his wife and his insecurity and insufficiency are palpable throughout. When Jennifer Lawrence’s Tiffany, a widow and not so comfortable in her own skin herself, is setup on a date with Pat – through her sister (Julia Stiles) and hurting and hilarious husband (the continuously strong John Ortiz) – the sparks fly, and not in a good way. Their fire is not a stove on simmer but a furnace sitting on heat for a month that’s ready to be exposed to a lit match.

Comedy subtly mixes with drama in O. Russell’s unconventional genre bending “Playbook.”

Pat and Tiffany work through eachother to get what they want; Pat to reconcile with his estranged wife and Tiffany, to be more liked by the world around  her, and secretly, Pat. Robert De Niro is Pat’s Philadelphia Eagles obsessed, gambling and distrusting father. Pat’s looney bin cohort (Chris Tucker) who frequently escapes, provides a welcome balance of comedy to the tension between Pat, Tiffany, his brother, mom, the local cop (a Dash Mihok sighting) and just about anyone else you can think of. O. Russell conveniently lets the boys come to his party, while having a strong female lead handle the emotional core.

When Pat joins Tiffany for her dance off, the real emotions between Pat, his wife, Tiffany, and the entire crew of family and friends is revealed. Playbook allows you laugh at the dysfunction while secretly tugging at your heartstrings. It’s a delicate act of a director at the top of his craft. There are not many false notes in this one, with Pat constantly struggling against himself and his anger. The performances are epic and the film is the welcome surprise of the season thus far.

Films-U-Missed: The Raid: Redemption Movie Review 

The Raid: Redemption was one of those movies that came into my consciousness via word of mouth. This isn’t entirely uncommon, but usually I choose my movies on my own with some reviews sprinkled in. This film wasn’t even on my radar, which makes for a bit of a unique story. Anyway, the film – made even more mysterious by the fact that when I sat down to watch it, I had no idea what it was about – is an Indonesian martial arts film mixed with drama with a relatively miniscule $1.1 million budget. When I sat down to watch it all unfold, I came away pleasantly surprised.

I am not a huge martial arts film type of guy. The Jackie Chans, Bruce Lees and Jet Lis of the world don’t particularly move the needle for me. That is not to say I am averse to them, but they don’t get me excited to see a film. So, while The Raid: Redemption has tons of fun martial artistry in the film, I am rarely blown away by the “innovation” of it. What made The Raid fun was the actual bit of dramatic story to the film. So, a bit more about that is necessary I guess.

Gun vs. Knife is rarely a fair fight.

The Raid stars Iko Uwais as Rama, a rookie cop who is entering a drug lord’s project building trying to take him down once and for all. Rama is about to have a child, as his pregnant wife awaits his safe return. Rama and a 20-some member SWAT team embark on their quest to enter the project tenement and capture the drug lord. The names are less relevant than the story, as Rama sees his team of neophytes begin to get obliterated after they are discovered by the drug lord and his innumerable henchmen. All the while, Rama is uncovering a surprise as to who is involved with the drug lord.

‘The Raid: Redemption’ Rules As A Martial Arts Movie

Rama finds out that his brother is deep undercover as a cop in tight with the drug lord. He is so deep in fact, that he may be beyond saving. Additionally, Rama’s team ends up dwindling to a small few, with the henchmen piling on the surrounded cops and shooting them to death. Using martial arts is one of the only ways Rama can kick some ass, so therefore the movie continues to gain steam as his skills continue to come out. All the while, he is protecting a bloodied mate and trying to figure out whether to leave (hopefully, alive) or go after the drug lord, which might have been a raw deal from the start. It’s fairly heady stuff.

The inability to truly fly marred the henchman’s fight ability little.

Mike Shinoda of “Linkin Park” and his own solo rap career “Fort Minor” helped bring awareness of the film to American audiences. He also performs on two songs of the relatively cool, up-tempo soundtrack. That soundtrack helps to support an increasing number of choreographed fights as the movie moves along, between Rama and the henchmen as well as the drug lord’s top fighter and the cops. There is some impressive bone breaking, neck snapping and some unique death sequences throughout the film. What ties it all together is a cool story with a nice ending that doesn’t sell out. Director Gareth Evans will undoubtedly be a name to watch for, as he directs with flair here.

The Raid is not a perfect film and unless you are fluent in the language, you have to read the sometimes quick to pass by subtitles which can take you out of a few moments here or there, but not much. There actually is not a lot of dialogue needed in the piece, as it is all shot in one location essentially and the action paces the film, which allows the viewer to experience the movie visually – the way a film like this should be taken in anyway. The Raid is a quality movie, particularly for fans of martial arts films as you will undoubtedly get a lot of fighting and there is a lot of gore in the piece. If it sounds up your alley, don’t delay and check it out ASAP. Enjoy.

Charlize Theron Downplays Her Sexy Looks in ‘Young Adult’ Movie Review

Young Adult never really latched on with domestic audiences, and it’s understandable why. The film earned just $16m in the U.S. despite a recognizable star (Charlize Theron) and an emerging named director and writer. The film is difficult to classify. It was sold as a comedy, but it’s definitely dark – if and when you are laughing. Meanwhile, it carries the pacing of a drama. Its lead is an adult who thinks she’s still young, in part due to her profession and in part because she really appears to be mentally challenged and depressed. This is a film with a strange tone, very independent in nature though seemingly aspiring to bigger audience appeal. What results is a middling film that struggles to find its footing with an audience. It tries to be too many things at once and ends up hitting singles and doubles instead of home runs most of the time. What laughs there are do hurt deliciously though.

Theron does “her thing” – which is to play against her considerable looks. Her Mavis Gary is a ghostwriter for a once popular teen series of books. So, while she has the money from a seemingly successful career, she doesn’t really have the recognition. A writer’s life is lonely. She is of a small town who moved on to write in big, bad Minneapolis. However, her loneliness leads her to return home to said small town to try to win back her high school flame, Buddy (Patrick Wilson). Unfortunately, as Mavis is well aware, Buddy has a newborn and a wife to contend with. Alas, she intends to breakup his marriage and be with Buddy.

‘Up In The Air’ Director Jason Reitman and ‘Juno’ writer Diablo Cody Team Up for ‘Young Adult‘

While Mavis arrives in said small hometown, she meets Matt (Patton Oswalt) at a bar. Matt was a former classmate who Mavis barely remembers. Oh yeah, Matt is a “cripple”, due to an unfortunate beating he took in high school. Matt is every bit as depressed as Mavis is, without the delusions of grandeur. You can already tell where their relationship is heading and that is one of the saccharine issues with Young Adult. It’s obvious Mavis, who thinks like a “Y.A.” as she calls it, does so because she is a writer attempting to get into the mind of teens for her book series. Her delusion takes on a real form though, due to a failed marriage of her own along with massive amounts of Maker’s Mark – a stiff whisky for those not in the know.

A writer in her element. Charlize's Mavis eavesdrops on a convo in 'Young Adult.'

Ultimately, Mavis chases Buddy, while Matt looms. The conclusion to the drama is coming from a mile away, but that’s not always the point. The beats the film hits are typical and expected. However, the movie still has so many moments of awkward discomfort that there is redemption to be had. The juxtaposition of small town and big town is at play. The idea of giving up who you were and moving on from your past. There are some real themes explored in Young Adult and the film is mostly successful at this exploration.

Still, its not an entirely fun ride getting there – director Jason Reitman lacks visual flair, simply portraying small town America as a place few would seemingly want to be, yet most are. The punch to Diablo Cody’s writing is biting but errs on sadness rather than humorous. You wanted to laugh more than you were allowed to. That ultimately settles the film into middle of the road fare, kind of like it’s small town and local denizens. They’re either happily dimwitted or occupied with repressed depression and neither is a particularly pleasurable place to be.

The Guard stars Brendan Gleeson (The General) as Boyle, a local guard in a small Irish town who stumbles upon a murder with his typical dimwittedness (or is it?) and sarcasm. This hilarious film, while not offering a ton of ‘guffaws,’ nevertheless had me chuckling from start to finish. It ranks as one of the best movies of 2011 and the best comedy of the year.

When Don Cheadle’s uptight U.S. FBI agent Wendell Everett visits to investigate a major drug movement, the film really begins to take off. Everett is not one for the chiding that Boyle provides and he never is sure of how bright the local guard truly is. In tone this film most echoes 2008’s stellar In Bruges.

Brendan Gleeson's Boyle just wants to have fun.

The plot is relevant to the film, but the movie makes its way through its wisecracking lead and strong cast of supporting characters. From the underused Mark Strong (RockNRolla) to David Wilmot’s hilarious henchman, there are plenty of laughs to be found throughout. Writer/director John Michael McDonagh makes his directorial debut one to crow about, deftly mixing interpersonal relationship interactions within a larger framework of cop work. This is a talent to keep an eye on in the future.

One of the reasons The Guard shines is the chemistry between the two leads. These two men, who, I have long admired, are both in fine form here. Cheadle obviously loved the material as he also served as a producer on the project. It also is a film that takes chances, making very politically incorrect statements to great effect that typically just don’t fly in American films. The ending is one that also is not common to films made in the U.S., which makes it all the more satisfying. Let your guard down and have fun with this film; it’s worth your time.

Director Miguel Arteta’s Cedar Rapids Movie Review – Starring Ed Helms, John C. Reilly, Isiah Whitlock Jr. and Anne Heche

The title for the film Cedar Rapids (movie trailer) makes it sound like a potentially wild, rafting movie, until you look at a map and realize it is instead based on the city of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Here, Cedar Rapids serves as a big, intimidating locale for Tim Lippe, a middle-aged, small town insurance salesman, who has never even been on a plane before. A yearly insurance convention, the AMSI, is the reason for the gathering and Tim’s boss desperately wants him to win the prestigious 2-diamond award for their tiny Brown Valley insurance company.

Tim is portrayed by Ed Helms, who prior to this I have seen in one film role ever, via 2009’s The Hangover. He plays the exact type of character one would expect, a semi-single, lonely, straight arrow with nothing but good intentions in his heart. Tim has been thrust into the role of representing the agency after the sudden death of a colleague. Once Tim arrives at the convention, conventional hi-jinks ensue.

While Tim is treating the AMSI as a serious business trip, convention veterans from other insurance companies come to whoop-it-up and let loose, to escape their lives for a few days. At the convention we meet Dean “Deanzie” Ziegler, Ronald Wilkes and Joan Fox. The plot essentially revolves around the veteran outlandish trio taking conservative Tim under their wing to show him the ropes of the convention.

Ann Heche's Joan sees something in Ed Helms's Tim in the comedy Cedar Rapids.

The Cedar Rapids Cast Has Palpable Chemistry in this Broad Comedy

Tim eventually loosens up with the help of John C. Reilly’s Deanzie, who serves as the primary source of comedy, with his loud, brash, endearing and interfering ways. Isiah Whitlock Jr., best known for his role in the hit cop-crime drama “The Wire,” plays the sexually ambiguous Ronald, with a wink-wink to the audience and serves as a good yin to Deanzie’s yang. Anne Heche’s Joan brings the foursome together while naturally engaging in some sexual fun with Tim. All the characters bring their own baggage to the convention, with the possibility of seeing it disappear. Mix in a hooker with a heart, some untold truths about the 2-diamond award and the story can find its legs.

If you couldn’t tell, Cedar Rapids is primarily a fish out of water, coming-of-age story with morality undertones, which works well enough. It’s a tale we’ve seen a thousand times before, but it still has its endearing moments. Director Miguel Arteta (Star Maps, Youth In Revolt) lets the actors serve the story without interfering with any technical camera tricks. What makes the film work is the general realism of the situations the characters find themselves in, even if their way out of those situations might not be common.

Rapids will surprise no one but it has a few laughs and the cast generates enough chemistry to propel the film forward towards its completely expected climax. Despite the lack of thrills, you can’t help but root for Tim, and it’s to Helm’s credit and a pretty smart script by first-time big screen scribe Phil Johnston, that it all holds together. Supporting players like Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Root and Rob Corddry are welcome additions. Tim’s journey wouldn’t be complete without them.

Here is the latest in a series of posts I have been doing on movie rentals or video rentals from my Netflix queue.  You can read the first in the series right here, and the follow up post here.  These write-ups cover the most recent movies I have seen from the DVD rental service, in order of which I saw them.  They cover a spectrum of films, both in my instant watch activity as well as straight random and new movie rentals to my home.  You will indeed find spoilers in these write ups, so be forewarned.  These are mini-reviews of sorts, that include the star rating I submitted to Netflix, based on their somewhat flawed, IMO, 5-star rating system.  Enjoy.

Youth In Revolt (2010)

This Michael Cera led film had an intriguing trailer, though I have not traditionally been a fan of his, I took the plunge.  I can’t say that I was particularly rewarded for doing so, but the movie where Cera’s Nick creates an alternative law-breaking, risk-taking persona, Francois, in order to impress a girl had its moments.  The small town Nick is a desperate loner so Francois easily becomes the real star.  He eggs on Nick to do malicious things, which eventually catch up to him, all in the name of love.  Miguel Arteta’s direction hinted at Wes Anderson’s style with a welcome whimsical, is it real or not, presentation of situations on screen.  This was mildly entertaining, but nothing worth writing home about, so instead I write for you.  3 out of 5 stars.

Clash of the Titans (2010)

Medusa was having a bad hair day for several years now.

Its been years since I saw the Harry Hamlin original as a youngster, but cheesily fond memories made me show interest in this remake.  Sam Worthington stars as an otherwise forgettable hero, who is caught in a war with the Gods in order to save civilization (or something along those lines).  The storyline was irrelevant, as the special effects were the show.  Impressive as they were, this obviously lacked depth and was predictable.  Louis Letterier handled the direction capably for the most part, which was a a bit of a surprise considering the bashing I have seen him take.  Liam Neeson’s “release the Kraken” was the most memorable line (although it seemed better in the trailer).  I was able to accept this as mindless entertainment at home, but it wasn’t worthy of my hard-earned dollar in the theater.  Perhaps its sequel, which is to be shot in 3D from start to finish (unlike this versions add-on in post), might improve on this film.  Who knows? 3 out of 5 stars.

What Doesn’t Kill You (2009)

Mark Ruffalo and Ethan Hawke star as friends who grew up together in a life of crime.  When they get busted, one of them wants to go straight and the other, not so much.  Based on a true story and directed by Brian Goodman, who has a role in the film as well.  Ruffalo plays Brian. A little unevenly paced and shot, but still a reasonably touching film with decent performances from the leads as well as Amanda Peet as Brian’s wife.  The film is about the power of overcoming self-created obstacles and making “the right” decisions.  The film is a little above average and the tale is something that most all can relate to. 3 out of 5 stars.

Chloe (2009)

This thriller starring Liam Neeson and Julianne Moore in a troubled marriage was a bit out there. Cue young, temptress Chloe (Amanda Seyfried) to stir the pot. I thought Seyfried did a good job; I’d never seen the rising star act before. Additionally, I’d eard of Atom Egoyan, but never seen a film he’d directed.  This one was very much a Fatal Attraction wannabe. The film had a strange tone, one in which once you got the gist of what was happening, you could see the outcome from a mile away.  If you like sex, Seyfried, and/or twisted thrillers, this might be up your alley. I wanted to like this more than I did. Egoyan’s direction was very reserved and a little unsettling at times, to ratchet up the drama, but there wasn’t enough originality or “meat on the bones” so to speak, for me to recommend this. 2 out of 5 stars.

9 (2009)

Those that know me know that my Netflix queue is getting stretched when I end up reaching for an animated film.  Still, I had some interest in this off-beat animated film about some weird dudes in a post-apocalyptic world. Though I had seen the original, award-winning short film, there wasn’t much additional to see here overall.  I just can’t seem to get emotionally invested in animated creatures and this standard tale of fighting for their lives and fighting to be alive was no different. Decent animation I suppose, but nothing I would go back to again. Watch it “high” and you might enjoy it more. 2 out of 5 stars

Body Of Lies (2008)

Crowe scoffed at lending his razor to Leo for this scene.

Russell Crowe is a dweeby, political CIA man stationed in the US, with Leonardo DiCaprio his rogue CIA agent stationed internationally doing all the dirty work.  You know, putting his life on the line, getting involved emotionally with the locals, etc., while Crowe chats him up in deep-seeded discussions as he tends to his domestic family life as if nothing serious is going on. An interesting juxtaposition between the two characters, but the film never really takes off. Leo does his best to captivate and Crowe makes his straight man as smarmy as can be, but I can understand why it wasn’t much of a crowd-pleaser. It was just sort of flat and uninventive overall.  Ridley Scott is failing to move me as a director much anymore. I wonder if he has lost his touch (and I think he might have).  He needs to call up Boogie Nights-era Mark Wahlberg and John C. Reilly to get that touch back. This was an average affair, I’d give it 2.5 if I could. It ended rather blandly and was quite talky for a supposed action director. 3 out of 5 stars

Facing Ali (2009)

Documentary, as the title states, of boxers recounting their stories of when they fought Muhammad Ali. Ten men, including Larry Holmes, Ken Norton, Ernie Shavers, and George Foreman chime in on the champ.  Boxing fans will love it, as it is a bit of history wrapped into a strong package. I am a fight fan and learned a lot about the history of some of these fights, the stories of the challengers and their feelings for what Ali meant to them and their careers.  Good info, surprisingly touching, without a hint of bitterness from any of the fighters.  Not tons of actual fight footage, similar to Tyson in that regard, but just the boxers describing Ali in their own words.  A portrayal of the brutality of the sport (very different though from the likes of After The Last Round) as evidenced by where some of these men are now, but also the gratitude that the sport owes and shows Ali. A worthy companion piece to any number of Ali-related films that are out there in the pantheon such as Michael Mann’s Ali, the also very good When We Were Kings and Thrilla In Manila. 4 out of 5 stars.

Me and Orson Welles (2008)

A somewhat entertaining period piece about Orson Welles (a strong Christian McKay) directing a play that stars Zac Efron. This moved about fine, was paced okay, mixed in a coming of age tale for Efron’s Richard, and essentially broke no new ground.  Richard Linklater directs in a straight-forward manner and Claire Danes co-stars to add a little “star-power” to this tale.  No laughing, no crying, no real emotion. I thought it might be a little better than it was, but my watching this shows that my queue is nearing the end of the line, as there were several other films I would have seen but they were all rented out.  2 out of 5 stars.

Robin Hood (2010)

Have you seen Gladiator? Have you seen Braveheart? What about Kingdom of Heaven? Rob Roy? If you have seen any of these, then you have essentially seen Robin Hood, Ridley Scott’s latest period action epic. There is very little action to be had in this Russell Crowe/Cate Blanchett vehicle though. It is really just a tale where we follow around the main character as he acts out his destiny, falls in love, and fights for his new freinds/family/town. I would have rated it higher if I cared at all, or at least if I could understand the characters through their usual 12th century Hollywood talk. I think it would have been better off if if stuck with its original movie title of Nottingham. It was all so…bland. It’s no wonder it didn’t do well in theaters; its long and it offers nothing new. 2 out of 5 stars.

Any sports fan knows that boxing is a savage sport. Even those unaffiliated with it in any way are likely to come to that conclusion. It is also known as the “sweet science” and it takes skill, passion, hard work, mental toughness, and physical strength to step into the ring and face an opponent. To create a better life, to become a champion, to support a family, to fulfill a dream; all of these are reasons one enters into the sport. But what is often overlooked is what takes place outside of the ring, after the spotlight is off.  The physical toll that takes place on one’s brain, the mental fight that boxers deal with in their daily lives. These are the sides exposed and examined in the boxing documentary After The Last Round.

The film opens to the usual sights one acquaints with a sport that was once side-by-side with baseball as the most popular sport in America. From the gladiator stadium in Rome to the present day, the body blows, haymakers and knockouts that one often associates with the sport; all of that excitement and brutality is on display. After The Last Round documents the situations of five individuals who have all been into the ring, the effects that choice has had on themselves and their families, whether cautionary tale or success story.

Denny and Phil Moyer were brother boxers who entered into the ring in the 50’s at the behest of their father. Both men have suffered an inordinate amount of brain damage and their lives in recent years have left them a complete shell of their former selves. They while away in a retirement home, with only the most simplistic signs that they can still communicate. Essentially, they are living dead.

The film also follows Phil and Tony Bruno. Phil, a father to son Tony, who was seriously injured in a sparring match with a friend and now lives his life with half the side of his body in virtual paralysis. His thoughts are at a rudimentary level compared to where they were heading, when Tony was a strong academic at Colorado University.

DaVarryl Williamson is a fighter still going at 38 years old, hoping for one last shot at fulfilling his dream of a world title. He once lost a title shot on an accidental head butt against then Heavyweight Champion Vladimir Klitschko. With the undying support of his wife, he soldiers on hoping to reach his goal. Kelsey Jeffries, a female fighter who was never close to people, has achieved the titles and looks towards life after boxing. Their stories all unfold for us to see.

Some of the sport’s preeminent writers, doctors, neurosurgeons and even clips of boxing legend Muhammad Ali, all help to serve the story.  The film jumps around a bit but its well put together. In its own way, it attempts to evenly lay argument for those opposed, and for, the sport of boxing.  It’s not a surprising film by any means, but it’s eye-opening nonetheless and a worthy watch for fans of boxing, documentaries, or the human condition. The best way to track down info on the film is via its website.

Of Note: I was fortunate enough to watch this film at an intimate screening benefiting the Retired Boxers Foundation. The organization was headed up by Alex “The Bronx Bomber” Ramos, a man who has suffered frontal lobe damage due to his fight career. With the support of Bull Durham director Ron Shelton, the foundation was able to get on its feet a decade ago.  Several notable men of the sport were in attendance and spoke; the likes of referees Don Cortes and Richard Steele, champions: Tony “The Tiger” Lopez, Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini, legendary Ken Norton and even a former NFL star Dwight Hicks. They all spoke about the effects of damage from their sports, their careers, and the film. It was both engaging, spirited and sad at the same time. I encourage you to look into the Foundation and donate if the mood so strikes you. There is no question that countless former ring warriors could use the support.

The ads that promote the new film The Town as “Heat meets The Departed” aren’t far off at all, and that’s very high praise. Ben Affleck shows that he is undoubtedly a director worth watching here. The action is invigorating, the drama compelling, and the performances authentic.   His Gone Baby Gone was one thing, but the complex heist film The Town, a nickname for Charlestown, Massachusetts, enters into a new class of its own and may be a film worth checking for come awards season.

The Town follows Affleck’s Doug MacRay, a leader of a quartet of criminals; local “townies” where robbing runs in the family (literally). They figure, why stop at armored cars when you can knock off banks?  Thus, we’re thrown into a heist in progress where bank manager Claire (Rebecca Hall from Vicky Cristina Barcelona) is held hostage during the crew’s escape.  Things become confusing as her hostage turned love interest turned the only person who can connect the gang to the crime is an unwilling pawn in the future safety of the clique.

Ben and Jeremy in disguise in Affleck's The Town.

While Doug may be falling in love, Jeremy Renner’s unplugged Jim carries menacing baggage with him into every scene. His 9-year stretch of hard time has hardened him, making him yearn for action and naturally question the motives of Doug. Things get deeper with the involvement of the FBI tracking the crew who continue to plot further thievery.  Claire becomes a pricey bit of evidence that will have allegiances tested and the heart fighting the mind.

This is a tale we have seen before, in both the aforementioned films, and many others (like Mann’s Public Enemies).  But what separates The Town is the grimy reality in the Boston locations and the three-dimensional relationships among the characters.  There are times when perhaps the movie is too ambitious but despite a script quirk or two we stay riveted to our seats just the same. The ambitious climactic boost job is one you won’t want to miss.

Blake Lively sex-pot stirs the plot in The Town.

Strong supporting performances can be found throughout, such as the revelation that is Blake Lively and the solid Jon Hamm.  I know they are TV stars, but I am not a boob-tube watcher and have never seen either of them act before, which I guess puts me behind the curve here.  Additionally, Renner (Hurt Locker) again proves he is an actor on the rise and small roles from Pete Postlewaite and Chris Cooper also resonate.

By now, Ben Affleck should truly be a hero in his hometown of Boston. He has shed light on the working class and brought his love for the area to the big screen in grand fashion again.  The only thing left to ponder at this juncture, is whether The Town belongs in the Oscar race for 2010.  That discussion is sure to be right around the corner or at the least, lurking somewhere in your town.

Here is another in a series of posts I have been doing where I briefly discuss the latest movie rentals I have seen from my Netflix queue.  Did the title already say that?  I will shut up then now.  Previously, there were several films I mentioned in this prior post, so I will pick up where that one left off.  Do you see the natural progression here?  The dvd rental, or blu-rays in some cases, in the post are in chronological order of video rentals or simply, the films I have seen – so here is the most recent batch of films for your perusal. Yes, there are likely spoilers all over these write-ups, so be warned if you haven’t seen the films.  As usual I will give you my Netflix star rating, based on their somewhat flawed IMO, five-star system.

Greenberg

Ben Stiller, Rhys Ifans and Greta Gerwig in Greenberg.

I was looking forward to this quirky indie starring Ben Stiller as a 40-ish single man returning to California coming off of a stint in rehab/mental institution.  While that aspect of it is not explored, the film finds Ben’s Greenberg struggling to connect with those around him, including former close friend and ex-bandmate Ivan (Rhys Ifans) and a potential love interest in Greta Gerwig’s Florence.  Greenberg floats unevenly through various situations from bizarre sexual mishaps to drug induced partying to quiet restaurant moments that turn ugly.  Director Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale) lets the action unfold naturally, but the pacing is almost too slow with the events too disconnected at times to be engrossing.  Greenberg is a movie worth watching for indie fans, but a pass for people who think they are getting the Meet the Parents type of Stiller. His performance is far more nuanced and reserved here.  3 out of 5

Cloverfield

The Godzilla-esque Cloverfield made waves at the box office, opening big and getting some of the stars steady work in films after its release.  The movie is set in New York and while it can be a bit lazy with its entirely hand-held camera (yes, I said the ENTIRE movie is hand-held(!)).  It kept my interest, which is more than I thought it might.  I thought some of director Matt Reeves visuals were pretty imprressive (the characters crossing between two high-rise building touching hundreds of feet above ground was particularly cool).  The acting is fair; tolerable given that nobody has ever been in a situation quite like the fantastical one presented.  This is not a repeat viewer, but I thought it was serviceable.  Another 3 out of 5.

Surrogates

Bruce Willis’ career has to be on a steady decline.  Surrogates‘ sci-fi, futuristic premise where we live in a world where our clones interact and humans never leave the house is an interesting one.  But the CGI is pretty lame, the story lacks substance and in the end, it was a forgettable experience.  This felt like a B-level movie with a (former(?)) A-list star in it.  The ending is semi-predictable and there is not enough there to warrant much else.  I am surprised that the teaming of Willis and Ving Rhames (two Pulp Fiction stars) have fallen off as bad as to end up in this.  Disappointing. 2 out of 5.

Cop Out

Bruce Willis sleepwalks his way through the horrible Cop Out.

Did I just say I was disappointed in Bruce?  Oh my.  Kevin Smith’s wholly generic Cop Out with Willis and Tracy Morgan playing partners who end up on the outside of their jobs trying to solve a case that involves murder, drugs, a baseball card, a potentially cheating wife, corrupt cops and a bunch more.  This film attempts to have laughs, yet instead repeats generic one-liners like Morgan’s “I love you like a fat kid loves cake.”  Are you f*cking serious?!?  This film is an outright travesty. The “stars” are completely mismatched.  The acting is horrible and Bruce looks entirely disinterested.

I suspect that Smith (Zack & Miri Make A Porno) will pass it off that it was supposed to be this way.  I call that BS.  You wasted your time, the stars time, the audiences time and the studio’s money.  Smith is bordering on a thin-line that should find him on the outside of Hollywood for good if his next film doesn’t succeed.  Its too bad, because I like the man, but he really shows little talent for directing (a basic point and shoot-style), a marginal talent for writing (but at least he is a unique voice to be sure), and I’m just entirely disappointed in the man that once made the respected Clerks. That was so long ago.  1 out of 5 stars.

Green Zone

This was a somewhat surprising revelation.  I found the film to be totally acceptable and am in many ways sorry that it did so poorly at the box office.  I understand why, but I feel sorry for the film, as it is quality through and through.  Director Paul Greengrass leads Matt Damon’s Roy Miller into Iraq on a (likely fantastical) story of a man and country of troops searching for WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction).  While Miller and his Marine brethren continually invade and investigate supposed locales for WMD, he begins to question the intel which leads to government conspiracies and cover-ups which will potentially be largely eye-opening for any American (and even Iraqis).  This is a sad tale but tautly and smartly told with little wasted effort.  It is not a Jason Bourne clone which it seemingly was marketed to be.  It is a thrilling film about politics and war, that should have more Americans (and viewers in general), questioning the validity of the way their government conducts their democracy.  4 out of 5 stars.

W.

Oliver Stone’s biopic of George W. Bush was a perfect film to follow seeing Green Zone, though unintended.  I felt Stone presented a fair and compelling look into Bush and his presidency, with the looming presence of George Sr. a constant driving force for his son.  I didn’t expect to be as interested in this as I was.  There were strong acting performances in several roles, most notably Thandie Newton’s Condi Rice imitation and of course, Josh Brolin’s brilliant W.  Highly surprised he didn’t get more props for his acting here.  Scott Glenn’s incredibly moronic Rumsfeld, Richard Dreyfuss’ Dick Cheney and the always strong Jeffrey Wright (does he ever misstep?) as Colin Powell also rated well.  This was an interesting film, well shot, and a nice look (potentially) into areas of his personality and presidency that the laymen would never know.  Good stuff. 3 out of 5 stars.

Remains of the Day

A rare light moment for Stevens in Remains of the Day.

After seeing Mark Romanek’s Never Let Me Go based on Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel, I decided to look up the author and discovered that his most revered novel Remains of the Day was made into a movie which garnered 8 Oscar nominations in 1994 (for the ’93 film).  Hence, I watched the film, which stars Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson as servants to a rich man with Nazi ties.  While Hopkins’ Stevens is loyal to a fault, his inner struggle was difficult for me to fully see on film.  I wanted it to be harder for him to maintain his staunch demeanor than it was seemingly revealed. Still, I can’t deny it was fine acting.

If he is belittled, he takes it every time, just going about his work and never encroaching with his opinion.  Whether losing his father or living his life without a chance at love, Stevens stayed strong.  Still, this was an interesting depiction of a man who seemed to have misplaced his loyalty and hurt the possibility for a greater life as a result.  That is something that many of us can relate to.  This was an interesting film, but it never really took off for me and I didn’t see a payoff I was expecting.  3 out of 5 stars (though I’d give it 2.5 if I could – it deserves the rounding up).