127 Hours/Unstoppable: An Awesome Double Feature

There was something interesting about seeing these two films back-to-back. Both are about overcoming human adversity and how the struggles of each character emerges as a true heroic act. Danny Boyle is on fire with 127 Hours, not only showcasing one of 2010's finest offerings, but certainly letting the world know that he is a director to be reckon with. I am also on board for pushing James Franco to the top of the list for the Best Actor Oscar race. This is his show, and without him, the movie would have been nothing more than a flat and tiresome tale.

Thank heavens real life hero Aron Rolston didn't give in when the minds behind the Saw franchise approached him and asked if they could tell his story. I can imagine his response (at least in his head) involved words that would be dubbed over with asterisks. I'm sure it was tempting at first, making your courageous tale into a film for millions to see, but he couldn't have possibly sold out that way. With Danny Boyle at the helm, I'm sure he felt the complete opposite. After being pinned in between a rock a hard place in the middle of Moab, Utah, Aron spent 127 hours trying to break free. Along the way, he learned what was important in his life and naturally began to fill it with regret. Soon however, he realized that he was not ready to die, and with one extraordinary act, he literally cut himself free.

I'm telling you things you already know. This isn't about finding out what happens in the end. It's about the journey, and how in our crazy and hectic world, there was a moment of stillness, a moment of choice, and a moment of truth. Aron's choice was an incredible one, allowing moviegoers to not only experience an incredible story, but an incredible movie.

Now, Tony Scott's Unstoppable with Denzel Washington and Chris Pine is not at all similar to 127 Hours in terms of subject, but in terms of relevance and being put to the test, they are. Scott's best movie in years is a simplistic and tremendously exciting tale about two men who do everything in their power to stop an unmanned speeding freight train ("the size of the Chrysler building," says one character) from plowing into the town of Scranton, Pennsylvania. Oh, and the train also has nuclear material on board, making it a fast-moving bomb.

Denzel plays Frank, a veteran engineer who teams up with young conductor Will (Chris Pine, from Star Trek fame) to find a way to stop the threat. We learn about their everyday struggles, and through this event, they find a way to make peace with their past wrongdoings. While the creative minds behind the movie may have not planned on the timing of this movie, it worked out extremely well in their favor. In a time where America is down (but not out), these are the stories that fill people with hope. It's about stopping the train. Through this, we learn how courageous people can be. If the end credits was the only thing I hated about this movie, then I think it's safe to say Tony Scott and company did something right.

127 Hours: **** stars
Unstoppable: ***1/2 stars

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 - *** stars

(Radcliffe, Watson, and Grint seem to be looking into their futures, unsure as to what it will be. My prediction? They'll be just fine.)

In what should be expected as all build-up and no payoff, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 is a blessed gift for fans longing for insane and intrepid detail. Which means it’s bittersweet knowing that this book was split up into two movies. While I enjoyed Part I and its beautiful cinematography (and some very solid direction once again from David Yates), I couldn’t help but feel that sometimes less is more. Still, given the fact that Part II will be a full-scale action picture, it was nice to take some time with these emotional characters before we see them hit the battlefield. When all is said and done, it is another successful entry in what has felt like an everlasting franchise.

After Part II is released in July, it will be the first time in ten years that a Harry Potter film won’t be gracing the multiplexes. While I’ve never been a die-hard fan of the series, I must give the franchise the credit it deserves. The art direction and cinematography are some of the finest of any recent blockbusters. And even though I have a hard time remembering which film is which (a lot of these films are very similar in terms of story arc), most of these films are absurd visual treats, to the point where audiences seem to be taking them for granted.

Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint are now in the ultimate center stage of what will become the highest grossing film in the franchise (this or Part II). Reprising their roles as Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley is comforting, considering how many franchises out there that go through so many casting changes (adding and dropping new and old characters) it’s as though it doesn’t feel connected to the prior films (Iron Man 2 and Spiderman 3 are recent examples). Here, we are deeply invested into the characters, so we know their emotions are real.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron venture away from Hogwarts to finish what Dumbledore has started: defeat the Dark Lord. Voldemort is getting more powerful by the minute and it’s only a matter of time before things start to spiral out of control. The film feels as though everything is in a matter of time, causing the loss of some necessary urgency. But as the dynamic Trio gets taken to the edge, their raw actions start to surface. To find the rest of the Horcruxes, the three must avoid letting their fears come between them, considering all they have to take it out on is each other.

When it comes to a franchise as big as this, one must applaud the cast and crew for their dedication to detail and excitement. I cannot tell if this is the weakest chapter in the Harry Potter series, but I do know that it’s earned enough merit to award a strong recommendation to fans and a mild one for all other interested viewers. Because once the credits start to roll, there is this feeling that something huge is about to happen.

We’ll find out July 15, 2011.

Movie Still Breakdown #1: Home Alone 2 - Electrified in New York

So here's the deal: I needed something to spark up my website. I chose to create a Movie Still Breakdown, where I find the most ridiculous still images from movies and somehow analyze it into something significant. Won't you help me out by sending some of your favorites?

Movie Still Breakdown #1: Home Alone 2 - Electrified in New York

Remember seeing Home Alone when you were a kid? It wasn't as appalling then, but it's still as funny. Just not in the same ways...

When Home Alone came out in 1990, it grossed $285 million domestically, at the time the fifth highest grossing movie of all time. Of course that means it would spawn a sequel. Now of course in every sequel you have to take things to the next level. So director Chris Columbus and company decided to up the ante with the shenanigans that happened between the movie's hero Kevin McCallister (not the father) and the two clumsy criminals, played ridiculously by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern. It still blows my mind that at the same time Joe Pesci was destroying the competition for a best supporting actor Oscar in Goodfellas, he was gracing our presence as a To Catch a Predator style thief. Don't these criminals realize that even if they got away with everything, they would still have to leave the country forever considering the countless murder and stealing charges? Not to mention the fact that the person they murdered was an 8-year old child. On Christmas Eve. In the kid's own home. By himself.

Those cold-hearted bastards.

But not to worry! The cold-hearted bastards in almost every movie usually get their comeuppance. Which leads us to this picture. Daniel Stern plays Marv, the dumber of dumb & dumber, which could explain why he ended up in this predicament. After getting covered in paint, Marv heads over to the sink to wash himself off. To bad Kevin rigged the sink handles with electricity, causing Marv to look like John Candy and Steve Martin from that scene in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles when they almost get hit by two oncoming eighteen wheelers.

I wondered what was going on in Marv's mind:

"Why is there hair growing out of my bones?"

"Wow, I can't believe this is happening again."

"I hope Harry doesn't find out I'm in love with him."

"No, seriously, why is there hair growing in my bones?!?"

"I really have to lay off the DMT."

"I hope this is good enough for my audition for The Nightmare Before Christmas."

"SERIOUSLY....HAIR....GROWING....IN....MY....BONES?!?!?!?"

"I scream like a girl."

These are classic films from our childhood. I just hope to God that when they remake this, they at least have the confidence to step it up even more.


-If you find any picture you think deserve a breakdown, send them to me at caseylamarca@gmail.com!

Due Date - ** stars

In nothing more than a finely marketed product to sell tickets, Due Date is often as lazy as it is desirable, offering the bare minimum of laughs in order to bring in the already expected demographic.

I found this film odd from the very beginning. After coming off the biggest R-rated comedy of all time with The Hangover, director Todd Phillips takes the safe road with what seems to be a wackier version of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. Unfortunately, this version is low on character development and high on forced humor.

It seems like something happened in the movie's post-production stage that caused a frustrating shift towards the whole stuff-the-screen-with-as-many-jokes-as-you-possibly-can technique. With that in mind, Due Date loses any credibility of actually pulling off a cohesive story.

What saves the film in any sense is its cast. Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galafanakis bring their A-games to the roles of Peter Highman and Ethan Tremblay, two strangers who attempt to travel from Atlanta to Los Angeles in time for the birth of Peter's child. Along the way, they experience hard times that always seem to work out, forced attempts at humor, and random scenes with Jamie Foxx, who plays an old buddy of Peter's. Foxx isn't trying that hard to continue his acting career after his breakout year in 2004 with Ray and Collateral. Instead, he seems to just be mailing it in.

As does the film.

Paranormal Activity 2

**1/2 stars

When the first Paranormal Activity came out last year, there was a sense that we were watching a movie of some importance. After all, it is the most profitable film of all time. Made for only $15,000, and grossing over $100 domestically, the now classic horror movie showed audiences that you don't need big splashy effects to make something scary. Due to its enormous success, it wasn't long before a sequel was greenlit. Here it is, Paranormal Activity 2, a prequel, but a sequel, and soon to be a threequel semi-scary exercise in fear. I found it scary and disturbing, only to be let down by a rushed and lazy ending.

The sequel does make some interesting choices that allows the viewer a more widescreen look at the action. The story is about Katie Featherson's (the character from the first flick) sister and her family. The story begins with them having a break-in. Or what they think is a break in, because they soon realize that nothing is stolen. So the family sets up security camera, which lets scenes unfold more organically, instead of just a video camera point-of-view.

Then again, that is what made the first one rather scary. Then again, the security cameras gives the director the whole room to play with. I still can't decide, but I will say that the original still stands tall. The sequel is on a bigger scale, but the first kept a lasting impression. This is more of a rekindling of old magic rather than creating something new. In this day and age, I guess that's all you can ask for.

Catching Up is Hard to Do: Why the Film Critic Inside Me is Starting to Come Back

(My renactment of the opening scene in M. Night Shyamalan's The Happening)

I know I sound like a broken record, but I can’t get over how awful this summer was for movies. Besides the exceptions of Inception and Toy Story 3, the pain the film critic inside had to endure this year was almost too much for me to take. When The Last Airbender came out in July, not only was it a disappointment, the critical back-lashing behind it made me second guess a passion I’ve had since I was 12 years old. So I apologize if I needed a three-month break. Luckily though, my old habits are starting to resurface.

Just because I stopped writing reviews for a while certainly did not mean I stopped going to the movies. I just felt a little uninspired after trying to figure out what in the hell happened this summer. So instead of focusing on the past, I am starting to look to the future.

I think this year made me realize just how much of a fan I am of event movies. Sure, most of them aren’t the best movies of the year, but a few always are. This year was Inception, last year was Avatar, and the year before that was The Dark Knight. I think with the future of what is to come for the blockbuster genre is a sure sign that the movie lover in me is ready to come out again.

In the next five years or so, we will have a third Batman movie, a new Superman movie, The Avengers, Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit (in two parts), the conclusion to the Harry Potter franchise, an Avatar sequel, and two new Spielberg movies. Here's hoping that blockbuster cinema will finally get back on track.The reason why I have chosen to highlight these movies is because of the talent behind them.

Christopher Nolan is concluding his Batman trilogy with great promise, along with supervising the new Superman movie directed by Zack Snyder (Watchmen, 300).

The Avengers will mark the first time several comic book characters will be in one movie with all the leads coming together (Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man in particular).

Peter Jackson is finally confirmed as the director for The Hobbit. No offense to Guillermo Del Toro, while it was disappointing that he moved on, I found it very fitting that Peter Jackson is retaking the thrown.

Harry Potter, one of the most profitable franchises of all time, is nearing its end, and it looks to be at the top of its game.

James Cameron is heading back to Pandora with a sequel to the biggest movie ever, Avatar, where it's rumored that the second chapter will feature the oceans of Pandora.

And finally, Steven Spielberg, the king of blockbuster cinema himself, is on the fast track to direct his first feature since the disappointing Indiana Jones revival in 2008. In fact, he may be competing against himself. In December 2011, he will be releasing his animated featuring with co-producer Peter Jackson, The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn, and only five days later will his WWI film War Horse be released. It is a story about a young man who tries to get his horse back after it is sold to the Calvary, even though the man is to young to enlist.

I’m not saying all of these films will be successful. I’m simply stating that because of the talent behind them, we may be looking at a comeback for the genre. Or to word it more truthfully, we hope for a comeback. Let’s not forget about that Michael Bay movie that is being released on July 1^st, 2011, that not only looks to damper my spirits, but to completely rip my movie-loving heart out. I am talking about its title: Transformers: The Dark of the Moon.

My only emotional response to that title? Pink Floyd should sue.

A Week to Render: A LaMarcable Production

For those of you who haven't heard, my brother Ryan and I started our own production company this year called LaMarcable Productions. We've been on a roll lately, taking meetings with CEO's, making short films for executives and business owners, and on it goes. This week was the most epic week in LaMarcable Productions short history. Here is our story of making an entire short film (from start to finish) in less than one business week.

MONDAY (October 18th, 2010)

As I took the train from Boston's South Station to New York's Penn Station, I couldn't help but feel as though I was living something I always dreamed about. About two days prior, Ryan asked me to come down on a limb to create a short film for a certain show that I am not allowed to expose of (as of yet). Our mission was to write the script, cast it, shoot it, and edit it all within five days. It was going to be a challenge. I had three words for that: BRING IT ON.

I arrived to Ryan's apartment in Brooklyn around 8pm. Without wasting anytime, Ryan had already written a rough draft of the script. We worked all night on re-writes, and around 3am, we finally created what we thought was the final draft. Along with that, Ryan played Producer and dealt with casting all day. We had a whole day of auditions lined up for the next day, looking for the talent that could bring our film to life.

TUESDAY (October 19th)

Auditions all day. Unfortunately, many canceled (as they usually do), but we were lucky enough to find our cast. The stage was set. 10 hours of casting was over, and for the first time in two days, Ryan and I took a breather.

We watched (as I re-watched) Joaquin Phoenix's epically outrageous documentary I'm Still Here. When I first saw it, I was still unsure if it was real or a hoax. Seeing it a second time knowing the latter, I couldn't help but appreciate it even more. Was Joaquin Phoenix that sick and tired of playing the Joaquin Phoenix character? Or was the Joaquin Phoenix character sick and tired of Joaquin Phoenix? Anyway, next day was the shoot. Here came the all-nighter. Little did we know we were going to receive a curve-ball on the first pitch.

WEDNESDAY (October 20th)

First (and only) day of production. The cast was set to arrive at noon. At 12:30, we got a call from our lead actor saying that he could not make it. We responded with a respectful, "Oh, I see." Then we hung up the phone. Ryan and I looked at each other with that same look of doom. But not to fear. We were able to shift our cast around to make it work. We filmed all day, took a break before the night shoot, and then headed into Manhattan for the crescendo of production.

Fish Restaurant (in the village) is not the biggest restaurant in the world, but it captured what we were looking for. With only one boom microphone, a couple of cameras, a bicycle for a dolly, and lights made up of what we could find lying around in Ryan's apartment, we were ready to do work. Take after take, hour after hour, we finally wrapped around 3am. We headed back to the apartment, knowing that we still had an epic day ahead of us.

THURSDAY (October 21st)

Now you would think that the hard part was over, right? Scripts, filming, handling schedules of our cast, yada, yada, yada. Well, think again. We started editing at 12pm (after I edited another film I was already working on) and did not finish until 6am on Friday. Sitting in front of a computer monitor putting the pieces to the puzzle together is both the most frustrating and rewarding thing on this earth for me. Luckily, we got through it with smiles on our faces.

FRIDAY (October 22nd)

Our smiles are still hanging tough. It was 6am. Ryan and I sat down on the couch with quite possibly the biggest sighs in the history of the world. Those sighs quickly turned to laughs when we decided to watch the 6am showing of the movie Black Dog with Patrick Swayze (a B-movie classic from our childhood). I forgot how bad this movie was, featuring some of the worst chases in the history of cinema. The term black dog is related to the myth that when truck drivers are on the road too long, they start to see a black dog running straight at their vehicle. We now share the feeling of that myth, only instead of a road, it was with a computer monitor.

At 3pm, I took the bus home. I should have arrived home around 8pm. Due to Friday night traffic, I strolled in far past 10pm. I am writing this now at 2pm on Saturday, having just caught up on some necessary sleep. So, what's next? It all starts again next week when I go back down on Monday night for another shoot. The black dog is waiting for LaMarcable productions to swerve. That will never happen, because like I said earlier... BRING. IT. ON.

FREEZE!
-Casey LaMarca
Co-founder and head of productions for LaMarcable Productions

The Social Network

**** stars

As Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) navigates through the complex web of the Harvard University campus during the opening credits of David Fincher’s mesmerizing film, The Social Network, it struck me deeply that there seemed to me a dark and crude awakening just waiting to lurk up upon this brilliant, but deeply tormented soul. I also knew that I was in for one hell of a cinematic treat.

Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin dives head first into the social and legal world of the founders of Facebook and how this story seems to be the defining one for the Internet generation. The result is a complex and unforgettable look at the brilliant but cold, eccentric yet egotistical, and passionate but maniacal Zuckerberg and his posse of ex-friends turned enemies.

The story begins with Zuckerberg going head-to-head with the thing he fears the most: a real life connection with someone. This time it’s a girl, at a bar, which leads to her telling him off. The clear irony here is that the man who has more “friends” in the world can’t find a single person who’d want to be his “friend”. The only one that ever came close was Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield) the CFO and co-founder of Facebook. But we all know that story. Mark does everything in his power to make sure that Facebook is his and no one else’s, which is why the last scene in this movie is so rivetingly powerful.

Once Mark and Eduardo have enough to launch the site, the return is almost instant, having 22,000 hits in one night.

Which leads to what’s now a 500,000,000 member network.

How social.

Having read the script, I can assure you that it’s great. The movie however, is even better, which proves just how incredible of a director Fincher is. It’s hard to argue that this is not his best film. It’s poetic, flawlessly paced, and layered with razor-sharp performances from its leads. Justin Timberlake is perfectly cast as Sean Parker, the creator of Napster who jumps on Facebook with Mark to grab as much of the pie as he can. His flawed character, along with Mark, leaves him with only that: Facebook, plenty of friends, but it’s hard to find anything real about it.

Can’t say the same for the movie.

Catching up from the Summer

Ten Movies I Didn't Review Until After Summer's End

In perhaps the most unorthodox top ten I've ever done, I decided to hold off on my reviews for a while (if you need a reminder, CLICK HERE) to create a completely random list of 2010 summer films as a way to calculate just how much damage the movie has created for Hollywood. Each film will be graded based on its overall rating, the necessity of the film, and whether or not it's worthy of a sequel. Enjoy!

The A-Team (gets a B- for effort)

Whoever edited The A-Team did such a good job disguising this loud summer spectacle as a story, when in fact its hard to tell what in the hell is even going on. However, I will say that it does a much better job than most in that area. Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, and Sharlto Copley are a winning team in an overall losing effort. Next time, how about giving us some meaning behind the characters' motives? Well, considering it only grossed $75 million, looks like there won't even be a next time.

Overall Grade: **1/2 stars
Necessary: Not Really
Sequel Worthy: No.

The Other Guys (seem to be the right ones)

This has to be the biggest surprise of the summer. The Other Guys is pretty hysterical, reminding us just how funny the combination of director Adam McKay and Will Ferrel can be. Him and Mark Wahlberg match perfectly in this buddy-cop parody that is ridiculous enough to be considered funny and not ridiculous enough where it forgets to tell a coherent story (YOU HEAR THAT VAMPIRES SUCK?) Watch out for this one becoming a Ferrell cult classic in years to come.

Overall Grade: *** stars
Necessary: Yes
Sequel Worthy: Nah, there is a thing called too much.

Piranha 3D (Beyond hilarious)

It's sad that this is the most satisfying 3D picture of the summer. Not because it's the best movie (obviously), but because of its ability to stay true to itself. It never takes itself seriously, it has some of the most epic kills this side of Final Destination, and is perhaps the funniest film of the year.

Overall Grade: *** stars
Necessary: Not really, but...
Sequel Worthy: It's already been greenlit. It's pointless, but this time around they're letting audiences vote for a character they want to see killed. Come on Michael Bay...

Machete ("don't text")

More non-sense seems to mean more fun these days. And if that's the case, Machete fits the bill. Based off the trailer from the 2007 schlock-fest classic Grindhouse, Robert Rodriguez lets you know upfront that the movie was made strictly for those in need of some stupid smarts. Danny Trejo hardly flinches or speaks, but when he does, hang on.

Overall Grade: *** stars
Necessary: Maybe, maybe not...
Sequel Worthy: I'll say no, but count me in for Werewolf Women of the SS.

The Expendables (are expendable)

What a disappointment. Stallone tries his best, but the script is really lame, it takes itself too seriously when it shouldn't and forgets what kind of movie it's trying to be after the opening credits. I give major props to Stallone for still looking bad-ass in his sixties, but perhaps it's best to let the past be the past.

Overall Grade: ** stars
Necessary: It could've been, but no.
Sequel Worthy: Won't hurt anyone, but no. But what do I know? The sequel's already been greenlit.

Knight & Day (The difference between is?)

This was a weird movie for me. Had this movie been released a half a decade sooner, this would have been one of the highest grossing movies of the year with better reviews. Instead, it's been reduced to mixed reviews and a disappointing box-office run. For me, I enjoyed this movie. Nothing more, nothing less. Tom Cruise reminds everyone that he is, always has, and always will be a phenomenal physical actor. His devotion to his craft is so clear that if anyone is still giving him shit for being a little crazy, they have a lot to prove. While it's nothing to goggle over, it's nice to know that there's a movie this harmless every couple of years or so.

Overall Grade: *** stars
Necessary: Yes
Sequel Worthy: Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (this...)

I think I'm starting to understand why the Twilight movies are not good movies. It's so simple too. It's not because it's a movie about vampires (there are some good ones out there), it's not because of its directors (Catherine Hardwicke made the darkly fantastic Thirteen, Chris Weitz has had a very successful career minus The Golden Compass, and David Slade knows the supernatural genre well with 30 Days of Night), it's not because of the cast (for they seem appropriate for their parts), and finally, it's not because it's a chick flick. These movies are mediocre because the source material is mediocre. Stephanie Meyer deserves praise for the success she has made for herself, but unless you're a 13-year-old girl who gets wet over dead and supposedly beautiful killers, this one is not for you.

Note: I will give the movie one small credit, admitting that it's the best of the three.

Overall Grade: ** stars
Necessary: For some, yes. For others...
Sequel Worthy: A dumb question considering its following.

Shrek Forever After (and after, and after, and enough already)

Another Shrek. How surprising. Although, it's nice to know that this one is the last one (for now, anyways). DreamWorks seems to be squeezing every cent out of this franchise. Unfortunately, the creators behind the lovable Ogre screwed themselves over by trying to add more pop cultures references than any other financially successful one out there. I don't know if that's a sign of weak writing or lazy storytelling. It's a ripoff of It's a Wonderful Life, followed by a preachy exposition of what it's supposed to take to live "happily ever after".

Overall Grade: ** stars
Necessary: No
Sequel Worthy: Hopefully, they'll stick to their word and call this one the final chapter.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (The Forgotten Blast)

There is something truly to love about the style of Edgar Wright's adaptation of the popular graphic novel. And although I tell myself I'm sick of Michael Cera, both his movies this year (this and Youth in Revolt) have been very fun and entertaining. Scott Pilgrim is in mind, one of the best movies of this very weak year. The visuals and pacing are close to perfection and impossible to ignore. Besides Inception and Toy Story 3, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World was the saving grace for this summer of movies. I hope that it gets another life on DVD.

Overall Grade: ***1/2 stars
Necessary: Absolutely
Sequel Worthy: A sadly disappointing box-office run has doomed its future.

Jonah Hex (The worst movie of them all)

This pile of SHIT is a true pile of SHIT. It's not Josh Brolin's fault for trying to find an action franchise, but this has to be the biggest disaster of the year. Perhaps the reason why The Last Airbender seems to be the popular choice of that category as of late is because more people saw it (it made $130 million domestically). Jonah Hex collapsed out of the gate with $10 million. The only fascinating that came out of this movie is Armond White's review of it. That guy gets me every time.

Overall Grade: * star
Necessary: I shiver at people who say yes
Sequel Worthy: Again, shiver...

2010 Summer Movies: A Season to Forget

Without Inception and Toy Story 3, where the hell would this summer of movies be?

Wait, what about Iron Man 2? No more than a passing grade. Robin Hood was so twenty years ago, Shrek Forever After tasted like nothing more than profit for DreamWorks, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and Sex and the City 2 are in contention for the worst movie combination for a holiday weekend ever, Katherine Heigl somehow found a way to sink even lower after last year’s scariest movie, The Ugly Truth, by teaming up with Ashton Kutcher in Killers, The Karate Kid only made money because nothing else was being offered (accept the mildly entertaining The A-Team, which flopped), Tom Cruise deserved better in Knight and Day and its disappointing box-office performance, The Last Airbender failed to deliver on its promising trailers, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice was advertised as Enchanted for boys, except studios forgot that that’s like saying Eat, Pray, Love is The Expendables for girls, Salt was the biggest rip-off of the year, Dinner for Schmucks came and went, The Other Guys was amusing but wasn’t asked to do much else, and no one gives a pile of crap that Nanny McPhee has returned. It’s sad when a movie called Piranha 3D that is released in the latter half of August has to provide the goods for one of the funnest times at the movies all summer. Without Toy Story 3 and Inception, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World probably would have been the best movie of the summer, but that’s still not saying much for mass audiences, considering the movie opened to a more than disappointing $10 million.

So, what can Hollywood do to revive itself for next summer? Simple, learn from Pixar and Christopher Nolan. Pixar taught us that you don’t need to rush a sequel to make a profit or a good movie. It’s been eleven years since Toy Story 2, and the third installment is on the verge of passing the $1 billion mark, along with receiving some of the best reviews any movie has ever received. So hold your horses with movies like Iron Man 3, and make sure you have a great story before giving us more piles of mildly entertaining mediocrity. As for Toy Story 3, there is no reason why it can’t be nominated for best picture. The only reason why it’s not the front-runner at this point is because of:

INCEPTION. Far and away the best film of the year. Christopher Nolan taught us that it’s important to not only entertain an audience, but to challenge them. He did it for the comic-book genre with The Dark Knight in 2008, and now he seems to have done it for the entire blockbuster genre with Inception. The movie has made over $600 million worldwide and is in no way slowing down. If Hollywood can’t take the hint that people want more bang for their buck, then expect Prince of Persia 2: The Oceans of Space and Sex and City 3 co-starring Lady Gaga as Lady Gaga to lead the pack for Memorial day Weekend, 2013.

If that’s the case, I look forward to December 21^nd, 2012.

Dinner for Schmucks

**1/2 stars

Is witty randomness in a comedy funny or just plain random? That is the question I had to ask myself after Jay Roach's Dinner for Schmucks, a adaptation of the french film Le dîner de Cons. Paul Rudd and Steve Carrell offer their predictably comfortable chemistry, just comfortable enough where humor is expected, but too comfortable enough where it all becomes a bit too familiar. Carrell plays Barry, a mentally unstable alter ego of Rain Man who spends his days creating portraits out of dead mice. Rudd plays it safe with his go-to-persona as the likeable guy who dislikes everything and is forced to make a decision between his career and his personal life. But he only has to do that until the script hits the third act and lets him get everything anyways. I did catch myself laughing more than once at the film's stylishly crafted climatic dinner scene, but in the end, the result is a mixed bag.

Salt

** stars

A movie based off an original screenplay doesn’t necessarily make it original. The latest bad-ass-chick-spy-flick starring Angelina Jolie rips off so many other movies that it actually comes off as if it were trying to be something new. After an intriguing first act, Salt gets bogged down in ridiculous action sequences and bombastic twists, ultimately leaving viewers coldly unsatisfied. While I still admire Jolie’s hard-hitting performance, I can’t help but wonder why she chose a story about a character that’s been done so many times before. She’s already proven to everyone that she’s the biggest female action star in the world. Next time, remember that audiences deserve more than just reassurance.

M. Night Shyamalan: To Be Continued...

It’s been almost three weeks since The Last Airbender was released. My emotions have cooled.

When the film was released, I stated in an article (about the hatred critics have towards Shyamalan) that I was considering giving up film criticism forever. While I’m still pondering my future, I figured it would only be fair to have a follow up to that article because I did state a quote from Roger Ebert, “Your intellect may be confused, but your emotions will never lie to you,” as a way to express my anger towards the universal pan of The Last Airbender, even though I still found the film to be a disappointment.

I realized after I published that article that my emotions had rattled my intellect quite a bit. But I still stand by remarks for a few definitive reasons.

In my original article, I stated that the 3D was a major reason why the film was a failure. This is still true. I went to see it again in 2D and it was a much better visual experience. However, I did take the time to analyze what I had heard from others and why many felt that Shyamalan failed as a writer.

I’ll admit: Shyamalan ultimately failed. I probably noticed it more than most because I am still such a huge fan of his. The man used to be considered one of the stronger storytellers in the business, but like many filmmakers, he has become lost in his own world. This happens to many who helm such a big project.

For example, when Darren Aronofsky’s The Fountain fell apart after budget concerns, he disappeared to China for weeks. He later resurfaced, and in my mind fully succeeded. Shyamalan on the other hand seemed unable to balance his parts in so many aspects of the film (writing, producing, directing, and even marketing) that he forgot to tell the story he was supposed to tell.

As a director, Shyamalan was still able to bring his visual wizardry to the screen. And while I can understand that the first hour of the film can be hard to get through, I still enjoyed the third act. Combining James Newton Howard’s intriguing score (and Shyamalan owes a lot to this man for creating some of the best soundtracks of the past decade) and Industrial Light and Magic’s fantastic visual effects gave the film an acceptable finish.

In this day and age, moviegoers are lucky to see even a handful of memorable films. Especially in 2010, which is one of the worst years for movies ever. The Last Airbender may be a disappointment, but I think the reason why I gave it somewhat of a passing grade was because it was trying to be something different.

I think it’s wrong for critics to pan a filmmaker in such degrading ways because it becomes more about rants for journalism sakes rather than how someone individually feels. While there is certainly nothing wrong about trashing a film, it’s how you trash it that makes all the difference.

In Michael Bay’s case, you’re supposed to trash his films. He expects you too. So do it in a way that adds to that notion. In Shyamalan’s case, it’s as though people are on a mission to see him fail. I can’t even tell people I’m a Shyamalan fan half the time because I’m looked down upon before I even open my mouth. Yet it seems people have forgotten about Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, which (for me, anyways) is close to the worst movie of all time.

So you can calm down about your hatred towards this movie, because a sequel is probably not going to happen. While it’s grossed an acceptable $100+, you were able to piss and moan enough that Paramount has probably gotten the message. Feel better now?

Maybe after writing this second article, my emotions are back. You'll find out for sure in article number three.

Inception

**** stars

Thank you Inception, for reviving the movie industry.

Before this visually exhilarating masterpiece, this year of movies was dead on arrival. Not only will this film take your dreams and show them to you, it feels almost guaranteed that no other film will come close to matching Inception’s emotional complexity, at least this year anyway. This is the movie event of the moment, the most satisfying film of the year, and an instant classic of the sci-fi genre. It’s James Bond plus The Matrix, with a pinch of Stanley Kubrick, and thrown into a blender controlled by Christopher Nolan.

Leonardo Dicaprio amazes me. He’s been on an absolute roll (including this year’s Shutter Island) and there’s no stopping him here as Dom Cobbs, a professional subconscious extractor who steals peoples dreams by breaking into them. During the dream state, the mind is at its most vulnerable, and Cobb has nearly perfected his skilled thief ability. However, he is running from his past after a job in corporate espionage turned him into an international fugitive. Losing his wife in the process, Mal (played remarkably by Marion Cotillard), Cobb must take one final job to get his life back.

Alright, that’s the basics. Well, then again, there are no basics when it comes to Inception. Whether or not you understand the plot is irrelevant. There are dozens of scenarios going on at once, and it is the viewer’s choice to decide which one they want to follow. It doesn’t matter which one. They all have one hell of a payoff. You could follow Cobb’s tragic story of losing his loved one. You can take the journey with Cobb and his dream team of specialists where instead of pulling off a heist to steal an idea, their task is to plant one in someone else’s mind (aka Inception). Or even follow the layers of a dream and how the deeper you go, the more dangerous it becomes of ever coming out of one.

There has always been a beauty to Christopher Nolan’s screenplays. There is more to see than meets the eye. There is more to feel than meets the heart. There is more to dream than meets the mind. Inception sneaks into your thoughts and ignores any request of extraction.

Dicaprio and Cotillard are on fire, and with the combination of them and an A-list cast including Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Michael Caine, Ken Watanabe, Cillian Murphy, Tom Berenger and Tom Hardy, there’s a certain maturity to this film that moviegoers these days can only seem to dream of. Luckily for us, the dream is real. If someone told me that there was a film out there that could possibly reach the blockbuster heights of The Dark Knight, I’d say that only Christopher Nolan would be able to do it. He may have just done it. Maybe I’ll know for sure after a necessary second or third viewing.

In the words of my friend Vincent Pisacane, “Inception saves the summer from all the shitastic shit that came out before it.” Amen, Vince. Amen.

The Last Airbender Reaction: This Critic Has Had Enough of Critics

I never thought I’d see the day where I’d consider giving up film criticism…

Forever.

Today may be the day.

One of my all time heroes, Roger Ebert, once said, “Your intellect may be confused, but your emotions will never lie to you.” I have lived by this quote ever since I discovered it back in high school (I even used it as my senior yearbook quote). I have been reviewing movies since I was 13 years old. I am now 21. I was planning on reviewing movies forever.

But things change.

Because it is in this quote by Roger Ebert that has for the first time, failed me. This is directly linked to the outlandish and irresponsible bashing towards M. Night Shyamalan’s newest film, The Last Airbender.

First and foremost, let’s get the obvious stuff out of the way. The movie is being viewed as a disappointment. And it certainly is. The editing is choppy, the acting and writing are stiff, and it feels very rushed. While I still found it entertaining enough to give it a positive review, I understand why this film has been negatively received.

That is not the issue here. The issue is HOW it’s being negatively received. In all my years of reviewing and loving movies, I have never seen such clear and blatant hatred towards one filmmaker (you’ve been impeached Michael Bay). The saddest part? It doesn’t even seem to be about his movies anymore. It’s becoming personal.

This is not a film critic’s job. A critic’s job requires him or her to look at a film, ANY FILM, from a clear and objective viewpoint. Everyone knows my hatred towards Michael Bay, (and yes I enter his films cautiously), but I’m always optimistic that he may surprise me. As for M. Night, I have and always will be a big fan. While I’m sad to see him underperform again, he does not deserve the hatred that has now been injected into his bloodstream.

“Your intellect may be confused, but your emotions will never lie to you” is a quote about trusting your own judgment. Who cares what anyone else thinks? If you have an emotional connection to a movie, then it’s your responsibility to honor that when your intellect is having trouble keeping up. For example, when I first saw Darren Aronofsky’s The Fountain, I couldn’t figure it all out, but I knew it was one of the most emotional experiences I’ve ever had watching a film.

In regards to The Last Airbender, (EVEN BEFORE THE MOVIE WAS EVEN RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC!) there has already been a universal agreement that this is “the death knell to Shyamalan’s career” (James Berardinelli from ReelViews). That “he is an idiot” (Matt Pais from Metromix.com). That “M. Night can ruin the world” (Jordan Hoffman from UGO). Even Roger Ebert, one of the fathers of film criticism, collapses under his own words. Ebert hates 3-D. And yes, he’s right, the 3-D is awful here. But he also took away a whole star from Toy Story 3 because of the 3-D, so he seemed ready to jump on Airbender before even viewing it. Why didn’t you see it in 2-D? Or were you too excited to jump all over the 3-D because you knew it would be a more interesting piece of journalism?

In fact, I could even use a quote from his review from The Happening, which he liked and gave three stars, to describe how I feel about The Last Airbender. “I suspect I'll be in the minority in praising this film. It will be described as empty, uneventful, meandering. But for some, it will weave a spell.” You forgot about us some this time around, Mr. Ebert.

He’s not alone. Everyone’s jumping on the bandwagon. It happened in 2008 with The Happening, in 2006 with Lady in the Water, and in 2004 with The Village. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen someone change their mind about Shyamalan just because everyone seems to shit on him.

Therefore, I conclude with what I started with: Has the emotions of critics confused their intellect? Are they automatically built to search for the negative and block out the positive in a Shyamalan film? Am I the only who found the third act of the film to be a rousing, visually stimulating action spectacle?

It’s completely acceptable to hate the movie. Go ahead. It’s your right as a moviegoer. But it’s not cool to do it for coolness sake. It’s cool to remember that Shyamalan has made some great movies. And that hopefully one-day, when everyone gets over being a critic, they’ll remember what it was like to be a moviegoer. If this onslaught continues, I will be forced to depart from the critic inside me and join the latter. I fell in love with this profession because I love the movies. I would hate to become the person that would make someone feel the way I feel today.

After all, your emotions will never lie to you.

The Last Airbender

**1/2 stars

I can't tell you how long I've waited for this movie. It always felt as if it were in the distant future. Now that it's in the past, I can relax, and say this objectively: While it is a disappointment, it's still an entertaining movie.

But I'm sure there will be people who are even more disappointed then I am. I've always had to defend myself when people have told me that the only reason why I want to see (or will like) The Last Airbender is because it's an M. Night Shyamalan film. I respond with a simple answer: yes. And to no surprise, I found The Last Airbender to be a visually absorbing, high-spirited fantasy epic.

However, I know I will probably in the minority on this one, because it definitely feels like a Shyamalan movie. He has always been a better director than a screenwriter, and the movie takes a while to find the right groove. Once it's found, the movie kicks in to high gear with a beautifully staged battle sequence.

Based off the hugely successful Nickelodeon Anime Series, The Last Airbender tells the story of four nations made up of four different elements (Earth, Air, Fire, Water), where the Fire Nation has declared war and only the last remaining airbender (played by newcomer Noah Ringer) can stop them from destroying mankind. The criticism this film has received for its controversial casting (having white actors play parts that were originally of Asian decent) went from legitimate to downright frustrating. I think there was a mistake somewhere, but it's certainly no reason to boycott a movie unless of course it was the filmmaker's intention to purposely piss people off. Maybe that's why Jesse McCartney was replaced with Slumdog Millionaire's Dev Patel.

At 103 minutes, The Last Airbender never really has the time to naturally unfold all four elements. The film tends to rush in order to stay faithful to the series's first season, but it's satisfying as a Shyamalan fan to know that my expectations were somewhat met. I implore people to see the film in 2-D, because the 3-D conversion almost ruined everything. When that's the case, I know that the movie itself is not to blame.

How The Last Airbender Can Become a Big Hit

Is Shyamalan Ready To Get Back On Top?

For all those who know me, I am a big M. Night Shyamalan fan. However, I am realistic enough to admit that the man has fallen into a rut in terms of critically acclaimed hits. No matter how much I think The Happening is completely misunderstood, I digress, and look to the future.

So here we are, only a few days away before Shyamalan unleashes his $150 million fantasy epic The Last Airbender, based off the hugely successful Nickelodeon Anime Series about four nations made up of four different elements (Earth, Air, Fire, Water), where the Fire Nation has declared War and only the last remaining airbender (played by newcomer Noah Ringer) can stop them from destroying mankind. Including a marketing cost of $130, the movie is already $280 million in the red.

But that's nothing new. Avatar's production cost came close to $300 million, Iron Man 2, Robin Hood, Alice in Wonderland, and Toy Story 3 are all north of $200 million. However, this is Shyamalan's first attempt at tackling non-original source material with a franchise kicker to boot. When all is said and done, the man needs his movie to deliver.

It's facing tough competition, too. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse opens one day earlier, meaning the movie will have to be critically well-received in order to climb past it.

Is it possible? Can The Last Airbender somehow beat Eclipse? The answer is no, only for the weekend though. As history has shown us, Twilight tends to stumble in its second weekend, mostly because all the fans have already tasted their sustenance. So if Shyamalan pulls it off (and early word of mouth has been positive), we could see it proclaim the #1 spot in its second weekend. It's certainly a long shot, but in a summer movie season that has only been saved by Toy Story 3, anything is possible.

With a PG rating, a visually astounding trailer, and a fresh adaptation, there is a chance that M. Night Shyamalan will be tasting victory for the first time in years.

Toy Story 3 destroys Jonah Hex, rakes in $110 million

.............SUCCESS!.. ........FAIL.............

It's no surprise that Toy Story 3 hit #1 and Jonah Hex hit rock bottom. The Pixar smash took in an estimated $110 million on its opening weekend, while Jonah Hex collapsed due to its incoherency with an atrocious $5 million gross.

It neither is or isn't Megan Fox's fault that the movie bombed. It bombed because everything about it sucked. No offense to Josh Brolin, who tries his best, but the movie is 72 minutes of combined visual effect footage, thrown in with Brolin narrating as Hex to remind the viewer that they are not watching an incomplete film.

As for Toy Story 3, the reviewed movie so far this year, look for this blockbuster smash to be one of the highest grossing movies of 2010, including a surefire nomination for Best Picture. Better yet, we may be looking at the front-runner.

Toy Story 3

**** stars

I was 7 years old when the original Toy Story came out in 1995.

Therefore, I was 11 when the sequel came out in 1999.

I am now 21 years old, having just graduated college exactly one month ago, and just experienced Toy Story 3 for the first time.

And I will forever say this: Toy Story 3 is more than genius. It is more than a movie. It is a return to your childhood for infinity and beyond, all within a smooth running time of 109 minutes. Call me premature, overemotional, or even illogical, but Pixar’s Toy Story 3 is one of the greatest sequels of all time, one of the greatest animated movies of all time, and far and away the best film so far this year.

Not only does the third chapter in one of the greatest of all franchises match (and perhaps exceed) its predecessors, it has even changed my views on sequels. Some work, some don’t. But Toy Story 3 is the nail in the coffin in the debate that as long as you have a captivating story with characters an audience cares about, sequels can forever work.

So too bad for you Iron Man 2, you can go to hell Sex and the City 2, and no one cares about you anymore Shrek Forever After, as we have reached the movie that has saved the year of 2010.

Pixar makes the most important decision of its life by sticking to its roots. They know that Toy Story was their first baby and to only justify it would be to stick to that audience. Therefore, we see Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz (Tim Allen), and the rest of Andy’s toys struggling with the idea that Andy is moving off to college and that the day they’ve been worrying about for so long has been finally bestowed upon them: their play days appear to be over forever. So when they are mistakenly thrown into the garbage instead of the attic by Andy’s mom, the toys think they’re ditched and decide to find a new life for themselves.

The exception is Woody (who Andy wants to take to college with him) who decides to first save his friends from extinction before making the big move. After being saved from the dump, the toys find themselves donated to Sunnyside, a day care that looks like toy heaven at first glance, but behind the curtain it is an evil dictatorship ruled by Lotso (meaning Lots-o’-Huggin’) a pink and evil toy. After experiencing toy hell, the toys learn that Andy’s attic may not be so bad after all.

So leave it to Pixar to save the day once again. Leave it to Pixar to return true movie magic to the big screen on an annual basis. Leave it to Pixar to remind adults of their childhood (and for this, I am eternally grateful). Toy Story 3 mixes all the right emotions to create a nostalgic, natural high even time travel cannot provide. When all is said and done, you will be reminded of the message these movies have successfully conveyed to all of us:

You’ve got a friend in me.