Insert witty post topic here.

AKA, Will and Why Blogger Needs to Expand the Character Limit in Their Subject Lines. I tell ya, what I had was gold, but alas...

Anyways, first off, I'm sorry I haven't been able to contribute more to the blog as of late. I've been really busy finishing up my school shit and things are hectic enough without added responsibility. However, AJ seems to be posting enough for me, him, and maybe a...Third Man.














If you're any sort of movie fan (I mean, hey, why else would you be wasting your time reading our shit?), you're familiar with Carol Reed's classic noir The Third Man. Not only is it one of the best noirs ever made, but it's also one of the best movies in general. And just recently, Criterion decided to recognize this (for the second time, I should add) with a new two-disc DVD set. Now, admittedly, it was tough throwing down $35 for my copy, but it was well worth it. The picture on this thing is just fucking astounding for a film of this age; the wet cobblestones of Vienna have never looked better. And the extras...hell, I still haven't been through them all.

Bottom line? If you dig the flick (as well you should), run out and get it. And if you already own the earlier edition, I'd say it's worth the upgrade.

Now, I dunno how this happened, but somehow I managed to hit the movies not once, not twice, but three times this week. And to my surprise, all the flicks I saw impressed.






















Oh, what? Didn't think I was gonna hit one of the biggest movies of the summer? No...no, of course you did because chances are, you probably went to see it too.

I'd been jonesing for the next Pirates flick ever since the credits rolled on last summer's Dead Man's Chest, an action extravaganza that unquestionably (at least, in these eyes) wiped the floor, the walls, and maybe the ceiling too with the first film. So, with mad anticipation, I entered the theater...

I won't waste time giving you a run-down on the plot, as AJ already did that and then some. But in these days following my seeing At World's End, I've been having some serious deja vu. Honestly, where's Denzel when ya need him (hey, it was entertaining...)? I remember last year when all the fans of the first were expressing their disappointment with the second installment, while I was sitting there thinking, "What...the...hell is wrong with these people?" And now, with an even larger wave of displeasure upon us, I have only one thing to say.

What...the...hell is wrong with these people?

At World's End kicked ass, folks! Sure, in comparison to the almighty Dead Man's Chest it comes up relatively slight, but who cares? Captain Jack's as insanely hilarious as ever, Barbossa's back in action, and Davy Jones...damn, I like him more and more each time I see him. The flick's not without its problems (most notably, a first half that could've been cut down slightly), but getting to see these characters in action once again more than made up for it. And, jeez...the last half hour, which is basically one non-stop action sequence, is one of the most fucking mind-blowing things you're likely to see this year.

As far as the series goes, this one ranks second for me, and I'll definitely be picking it up whenever it hits the shelves. Arrgh! A-















To say the very least, I did not have high hopes for Disturbia when I went to see it. Hell, the only reason I was seeing it is because my theater, in its blatant stupidity, didn't get Knocked Up this weekend. However...to my shocking surprise...Disturbia was not bad!

I mean, yeah, it's basically Rear Window lite, but what're ya gonna do? Honestly, I really fucking enjoyed this movie. No, it's nothing great, and I've got a few complaints to toss out, but ultimately it's a decent film, as it's far smarter and way more intense than any other suspense-thriller out right now, especially for one directed to a younger audience.

What I really dug about the movie was that it took its time getting set up, something most other modern thrillers seem to avoid. The flick's very steadily paced, with just the right mix of character development and intense moments. And speaking of intense moments, the film's final fifteen minutes are fucking brutal.

I gotta say, David Morse was fantastic as the villain here - definitely some echoes of Raymond Burr. I've never been a big Shia LaBeouf fan, but he actually did a pretty good job as the lead. Of course he's no Jimmy Stewart, but he definitely showed more acting chops than I'm used to. This is the only flick I've seen from director D.J. Caruso (a lot of them look pretty iffy), but he's definitely got a good visual sense and has a knack for building intensity.

The caveats for this one lie mainly with a very mediocre array of supporting actors, some all-too-silly moments, and an opening scene that's...that's just not right for this movie. Should you choose to see it, you'll know what I mean.

I make no guarantees as to what you'll think of this movie, but as for me, I had a good time. And that's what counts...riiiight? B















I have saved the absolute best for last. When I first saw the trailers for William Friedkin's latest effort, Bug, I really didn't know what to think. It was one of those that looked interesting, while at the same time seeming sort of lame. But, as things turned out, I found myself near a theater that was playing it and curiosity won out. And thank God for that.

Bug is, without a doubt, one of the strangest films I've ever had the pleasure of viewing. It starts out as a slow-paced drama of sorts, but slowly becomes a descent into madness and paranoia. To say any more would be to spoil all the little surprises that Bug holds for its audiences.

Based on a play of the same name, Bug takes place almost entirely in a single hotel room, which, naturally, is reminiscent of Richard Linklater's brilliant indie, Tape. For just that, I have to give the film credit. Any movie that can hold interest and actually build intensity out of a single location deserves some recognition. But I tell ya..."intensity" is the understatement of the year for what Bug becomes.

As of now, Ashley Judd and Michael Shannon are easily my picks for best actor/actress this year. Their performances in this flick are just...amazing. Once again, I'll have to leave it at that, because going into detail would ruin the experience. I will say this, though. Remember the scene in JFK with Joe Pesci going apeshit in the hotel? Shannon's performance is very reminiscent of that...only multiplied by 1000000.

With Bug, William Friedkin proves that he hasn't lost his touch. The man behind such classics as The French Connection and The Exorcist, Friedkin's got expactations to meet and believe you me, he meets them and then proceeds to rise farther and farther above them with each frame. Bug's got some of the most interesting (and terrifying) visuals I've seen in a long while, and I gotta give him props for the directorial choices he made.

Basically, you have to see this movie. There's no telling whether or not you'll like it. In fact, chances are you'll dislike it (I know the other people in my showing certainly did). But you owe it to yourself to give it a shot...might come out surprised. A

And that's it for me this weekend. Hopefully in a few days I can get my ass to some showing of Knocked Up...and then proceed to laugh said ass off. As I write this, AJ's seeing it, so look forward to his thoughts on it.

That's all, folks...or something a little less clichéd. Your call.

The Grindhouse Phenomenon

When watching Grindhouse for the first time, I found myself asking one question and one question only: what the hell were Tarantino and Rodriguez smoking and where can I get some? Since then, I've seen it once more in theaters and I'd pay good money to be able to see it again, if only for the orgasmic rush of thrills, laughs, and intense entertainment that only Grindhouse can offer.

Grindhouse is, without a doubt, the most original film to come along in years. A love letter to the old slasher and exploitation flicks of the '70s, this film comes at you like a round of bullets or a speeding car and doesn't stop until you're in pieces all over the ground. Or maybe something a bit less morbid...

But no, this is Grindhouse! I've got a right to be morbid! The whole damn movie is morbid!

For those interested in going out for the Grindhouse experience, this is what's on offer: two feature-length films, Planet Terror and Death Proof, four fake (or maybe not...more on that later) trailers, and a slew of old "grindhouse"-style opticals and ads. To give away any more would be to ruin all the little suprises that await you.
















Both films included are simply outstanding in every right. Planet Terror is basically Dawn of the Dead...on crack. And heroin. And pot. And maybe some other shit, I dunno. It's easily the craziest, most over-the-top, endlessly gory flick to hit the cinema screens in decades. There are clichés aplenty here, and instead of trying to avoid them, Rodriguez embraces them like a mother hugging her only child and makes them feel brand-new once again. A word of warning: Planet Terror is not for the squeamish. When the blood starts spewing and the limbs start flying, the weak stomachs among us will be found out.
















Death Proof is Planet Terror's polar opposite. It's a slow, dialogue-heavy, character-driven thriller that only includes two action sequences. Personally, I loved just listening to these [mostly female] characters bullshit about guys and pop culture in a style that's so uniquely Tarantino, but for those who aren't up for it, just know that you'll be rewarded for your patience in the end. How, you ask? The answer is simple: the single greatest car chase ever to be put on film. Move over, Popeye Doyle, because Stuntman Mike's in town and he's gonna kick the living French Connection outta you.

And there's no way I can mention Stuntman Mike without giving props to Kurt Russell, who delivers one of the most memorable and most villainous performances of all-time. If he doesn't at least get a damn Oscar nomination, I'm suing. No, fuck that - I'm BOMBING. More on that at a later date...
















The four fake trailers I mentioned before are as thus: Machete (Robert Rodriguez), Werewolf Women of the S.S. (Rob Zombie), Don't (Edgar Wright), and Thanksgiving (Eli Roth) - all great trailers, each with a different sense of humor about them. After some thought, I finally decided that my favorite has gotta be Machete, a delightfully over-the-top piece by Rodriguez that probably best represents the style of the trailers these pay tribute to.

Grindhouse is just a great fucking movie any way you look at it, but the sad fact is that it's become quite the flop at the box office. Some blame the bad release date (two days before Easter Sunday). Some blame the violent nature of the film. But in these eyes, the reason for the poor ticket sales is simple: nobody wants to see a trashy-looking, over-stylized, three-hour-in-length homage to some old movies nobody's even heard of. No average moviegoer, anyway. You hear that?! You guys suck! Or not...yes.

However, Grindhouse has definitely generated a cult. The IMDb boards for the movie are constantly active, fan sites have been popping up, and there's merch all over the place. Both times I saw it, there was only a very light scattering of people in the theater, but it's almost appropriate that only a few people came out. These are the people who get the joke, the ones that Grindhouse actually means something to...like myself.


















Bottom line? Grindhouse is an experience not to be missed, and it's definitely one that I'll be calling a favorite. I've already got a poster, a shirt, and I'm working on getting the action figures currently available. Whenever the DVD hits (and it damn well better be a four-disc special limited collector's edition with special limited collector's edition packaging with a special limited collector's edition gold chain to wrap around it), I'll pick it up the first day. Grindhouse will live on in the hearts and minds of the fans until the end of time...two against the world, baby. Two against the world.

Or something a little less gay.

Whatever.

(BTW, if anyone's interested, all of the fake trailers can be found on YouTube.)

Catch and Release

Hmmm, my first post on the blog. Let's hope it's not something wordy, over-analytical, and pretentious...no, no, this is not the New York Times. Moving on...

Anyway, I'm the tran -- er, Will and I thought I'd kick off the posting with my thoughts on a recent release, Susannah Grant's Catch and Release.

From the trailers, one might think that this is a typical romantic comedy, but I came to find that there's a lot more to it. Centered around the aftermath of one man's death, this film allows us ample time getting to know the main characters of the play that was his life - his fiancée (Jennifer Garner) and his closest friends (Timothy Olyphant, Sam Jaeger, Kevin Smith). We've got several scenes here that are simply the other characters reminiscing about the man, all of which is definitely very good and very heartfelt material. The main caveat, however, comes in the form of a subplot concerning the relationship between Garner and Olyphant. Olyphant is definitely a good actor, most notably in Doug Liman's underrated Go, but here he's just a jackass (and seems to be aware of it) and their relationship - especially the beginnings of it - is wholly unbelievable. Their scenes alone together were fairly dreadful. One thing that surprised me here was Juliette Lewis, who has a good (and appropriately limited) role as a woman who claims to be the mother of the departed's son. All that said, the absolute top reason to see this film is Kevin Smith, who is nothing short of fantastic. Anyone who's ever seen one of his Q&A sessions or even a short interview will be familiar with the man's crude, talkative style and he brings all of that to his character here. In fact, he definitely deserves some recognition for this come Oscar time. Overall, Catch and Release is a case of the pros outweighing the cons. With some minor reworking, it could've been better, but as it is, it's a nice, sweet, often touching movie that anyone (even the guys) should dig.

Final Grade: B