Michael Jackson's This is It

***1/2 Stars

What a wonderful surprise of a movie this is. The final curtain call of Michael Jackson’s career is a celebratory one. This is It is a simple and exuberant celebration of the spirit of one of this country’s most talented musicians. Even at the age of 50, the man can still bring it. Creator Kenny Ortega gives the fans and the world a glimpse of the man everyone knows, in ways no one’s ever seen before.

Paranormal Activity

***1/2 Stars

Finally, a true horror movie worth seeing. Paranormal Activity is an ingenious work of terror shot for under $15,000 back in 2007 by amateur filmmaker Oren Peli. Internet buzz and the sensation of amazing critical reviews allowed the film to become the #1 film in America this weekend with $22 million, making this one of my favorite pieces of box-office news all year. Not only is this film worthy of being #1, but it made Saw VI bomb with $14 million. Oh happy days.

For me, horror films today are too cheesy, bloody, and quantitative (hence my glee over Saw VI's underachievement in ticket sales). This is why I am so glad to see a film like Paranormal Activity achieve success critically and commercially. Starring two unknown actors named Micah Sloat and Katie Featherston, the movie is an 86 minute exercise of a young couple being terrorized by paranormal activity in their new suburban home. The film becomes increasingly horrifying as each act heightens the couple's fears. It begins small: Doors move on their own, loud bangs are heard, and an unexplained force begins to drive the couple to insanity. The movie is all build up to an ending that literally had me gasping for air.

Goosebumps are unavoidable, paranoia will ensue, and if you're seeing Paranormal Activity in a theater (which you should), expect the screaming of numerous individuals. Think Blair Witch set in your house, but with a much stronger this-could-be-real vibe. Whether or not you believe the film's stunts, it's an excitingly worthy addition to the horror genre. Paranormal Activity is not about plot, story, or violence, but rather a technique in displaying the scariest ways to frighten a moviegoer. Using this as its goal, the film succeeds, considerably.

Where the Wild Things Are

**** Stars

Where the Wild Things Are is extraordinary. Coming dangerously close to perfection, writer and director Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich, Adaptation) has created a masterful adaptation of Marice Sendak's classic tale about a kid leaving home to let out his wild side. This weekend marks a profound victory for the moviegoers of America. They have chosen Where the Wild Things Are as their #1 movie. After pulling in $11.9 million on Friday, expectations for the film's weekend total is now pushing $40 million. Perhaps now is the time for people to stop making remarks that Jonze's new film is "too dark" for children.

First off, what does that even mean? There is no foul language, no realistic violence, and not a single moment where a parent has to shield their child's eyes. Actually, I'd find it more appropriate if it was the other way around. For nearly a half a decade, Jonze set out to make a film made for the nine-year old in everyone, not strictly just for nine-year olds. There is a big difference. Most "children movies" are dumbed-down to the point of insulting. This time, we have received a gift from on high. I can't recall the last time a movie literally had me in tears long after it was over. It may be sad, but it’s also uplifting. Movies like this are the reason why I still write reviews. That's how much this film has affected me.

The story is all adventure. It follows a young boy named Max (Max Records) and his journey to a magical world. After a snowball fight gone bad with his sister's friends (one of them steps on his fort, hurting Max in the process), Max runs up to her room and trashes it. That night, his mother Connie (Catherine Keener) has her boyfriend over (played by Mark Ruffalo) and Max gets upset because she won't play with him. He disobeys his mother's wishes for him to quiet down, bites her, and storms out of the house running faster than he ever has in his entire life.

He heads to the sea and stumbles upon an abandoned sail boat. He hits the open water and sails to an island inhabited by seven monsters called the Wild Things, who instantly crown Max the king after he tells them stories about his adventures and magical powers. The creatures, poetically played by is actors (most notably James Gandolfini in one of his best film roles ever), are also phenomenal technological achievements. Jonze had his actors wear costumes that would eventually be completed with CGI faces. The effects are so amazing that you can't tell what's real and what's not. That means CGI has done its job. And because this island is in Max's imagination, these creatures aren't necessarily supposed to feel welcoming. Surrounded by mostly creatures for the entire film, Max Records (The Brothers Bloom) does a wonderful job here portraying one of the most popular child characters in children's literature.

Where the Wild Things Are is something I've never seen before. Here is one of America's most innovative auteurs crafting a children's book that only has ten sentences and a handful of pictures, yet somehow a film emerges that expresses more honesty and perception about being a child than any other sugarcoated tale ever made. Finally, there is a film out there that treats children like people, and not the other way around. For any parent out there who believes Where the Wild Things Are is too dark for their child, you are wrong. We were all children once, and after viewing this masterpiece, not only will you remember what it was like, but you will truly feel it. There is a nine-year old inside of all us, and I hope that will never change.

Zombieland

***1/2 Stars

Zombieland is a kick-ass thrill ride. It only lasts 81 minutes, but I promise you'll get your money's worth. In fact, it might be the best zombie movie ever. And this is coming from someone who has never fully embraced the genre. I never really got the point. How much substance can you really do when your antagonist is a creature who runs around like their on fire trying to eat humans for sustenance? Well, luckily Zombieland embraces this formula and gets mostly everything right. Starring Woody Harrelson in top form, he plays Tallahassee, a survivor of a zombie epidemic that has nearly wiped out human civilization. He collides with a young man named Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) after meeting on an abandoned highway. Fitting comfortably in the Michael Cera role, Eisenberg wonderfully conveys an awkward energy that Harrelson eats right up.

The premise is simple enough. Zombies try to infect you, so you try to kill them before they do. The film begins with Columbus explaining the rules of how to survive in zombieland. There's a hilarious sequence with Eisenberg defending himself from a fat zombie by following one of the rules called "Good Cardio." While at a gas station, the zombie attacks him, so he runs around in circles until the zombie gets tired, giving him time to fire a shotgun round right into it.

When Tallahassee and Columbus entering a store for supplies, they meet up with two sisters named Wichita (Superbad's Emma Stone) and Little Rock (critical darling Abigail Breslin) surviving the epidemic just like them. Events collide that force the four to work together. Your looking at a perfectly cast movie here that delivers the zombie thrills and kills you're craving for.

The reason why Zombieland works is because it avoids everything that's wrong with those "serious" zombie movies. Whether George A. Romero wants to hear it or not, zombies are and always will be, funny. To me, they have never been a legitimate villain, but rather just a pond for comedic scenes. Zombieland never gets serious on a universal scale, not one line of dialogue discusses the idea of a cure, and it centers all of its attention on its four stars. Featuring one of the best cameos ever, Zombieland may lack in substance, but it makes up for it by ignoring substance all together.

A Serious Man

***1/2 Stars

The Coen Brothers are out of their minds. A Serious Man is darker than dark, blacker than black, and convoluted to the point of incoherency. It's a wild and crazy ride that will leave you shaking your head.

Everything I just said in the paragraph above is a compliment. A compliment to the Coen's inner genius and the outer realm it lives in. For three straight years, they have given us fantastic moviemaking. No Country for Old Men is one of their finest films, Burn After Reading was heaven's of fun, and now A Serious Man, their most personal film to date. It's a glimpse in the life of two of Hollywood's strongest filmmakers. Starring Michael Stuhlbarg as Larry Gopnik in a star making performance, A Serious Man could be described as the Jewish American Beauty. It is both a social commentary and autobiography about a teacher whose life starts spiraling out of control. His wants a divorce, his brother is living off him, his tenure is in jeopardy, and his kids aren't exactly ideal students. "I've always tried to be a serious man," says Larry Gopnik. Try to ponder this statement after viewing the film's ending, one that literally shakes its characters into a physical and metaphorical state of gothic phantasm. You, the viewer of this brilliantly offbeat film, will also be shaken.

Capitalism: A Love Story

**** Stars

Michael Moore has been one of the most fascinating filmmakers of the 21st century. His passion is so strong and universally known that his reputation almost precedes the actual topics his films cover. For example, there is a scene in his latest documentary, Capitalism: A Love Story, where he calls a company for an interview and is hung up on the second he mentions his name. He also tried to get Hank Paulson (CEO of Goldsman Sachs and Secretary of Treasury under the Bush administration) on the phone, but failed. Why are people afraid of him? Are they hiding something? Or do they think he's a joke?

Let me say this, if you think this man is a joke, you are wrong. Disagree with him all you want, but at least be mature enough to listen to him. He wants to hear your thoughts too, because Capitalism: A Love Story is Moore's urgent and desperate plea for the American people to start paying attention to who is taking their money. When 1% of the country is richer than the lower 95% combined, something somewhere has to be going wrong.

For Moore, the problems began with the 1980 election of Ronald Reagan. The first act of A Love Story has Moore pouncing all over the man in charge during the 1980's. After comparing America to the Roman Empire, Moore paints a portrait of Reagan being the "image" of America. He was the leader of leaders. Well, at least he looked like one. During and after the Reagan administration, the rich kept getting richer and the poor kept getting poorer. It explains the whole 1% of the country owning the lower 95% thing.

As much as that's 100% immoral, there's more to Capitalism: A Love Story than just statistics. Like all of Moore's movies, the most powerful moments come from real people dealing with real issues. There is a segment in this film that profoundly scares me. Disturbs me. DISGUSTS ME. As a 21-year old, I still consider myself young at heart. So when this country puts teenagers in jail for things including smoking marijuana (which is now decriminalized in many states) throwing a piece of steak at a dinner table, and putting up something mean on MySpace, I believe the morality of those who allowed this should be brought to justice. Thankfully, the judge who made these verdicts got his comeuppance, but it doesn't change the fact that he was paid off to do this. Is that the American Dream? To isolate the youth instead of rehabilitating them?

I have this ongoing habit of asking questions in my reviews of politically charged films. Why? Because it's important. It's important to question things. Which is exactly what Michael Moore is trying to say in his riveting documentary. When I interviewed him about this film, Moore told me that so many people have sent him footage of their experiences with the economic crisis that he has enough material to make twenty films. It must be a bittersweet feeling for the passionate filmmaker. He has all the evidence he needs to make his case twenty times over, and while he has become extremely successful with his films, I'm sure he'd be just as happy if he never had to make a documentary about America again. Moore is in his prime with Capitalism: A Love Story, a hilarious and powerful experience you will never forget.

To read my interview with Michael Moore, click here.

Surrogates

** Stars

Bruce Willis returns to the big screen two years after his last starring role in Live Free or Die Hard. Unfortunately, his new movie Surrogates opened to a very disappointing $15 million. Given its pricey $80 million budget, this is yet the latest flop in what seems to be becoming a weekly trend.

It's too bad because this film could have been something really special. Its premise is so promising that while watching the film I felt disappointed in its reliance on cliched action sequences and recycled scenes of political mumbo jumbo. Here's a movie where you have one of the biggest stars in the world playing his vintage type of character (a cop), and this is the best script you can come up with? It's not terrible, but man could it have been so much better.

Willis plays Tom Grier, a detective in a world where surrogates (a robot you control so you can live your life from the safety of your own home) rule the streets. A surrogate can look and act anyway you want it to so long as it obeys the law. Therefore, Tom Grier isn't really a detective until halfway through the film, when he starts to learn the true meaning of life and wants to put an end to surrogacy for good. Don't worry, I'm not giving anything away. That's what the film is about. In fact, you probably already know more than that given the theatrical trailer's ridiculous amount of spoilers.

The movie begins with a murder, one where a real person dies when connected to their surrogate. Dealing with an unprecedented situation, Tom Grier, for the first time in a long time, must disable himself from his surrogate and venture out into the real world on his own. With the help of his FBI agent partner Peters (Radha Mitchell), Tom discovers the dark secrets of a world run by machines.

Surrogates is only 89 minutes long. I'm not saying it should have been longer, because I am glad it ended when it did, but I wish the script would have allowed its main character to grow more before being forced into a situation the story isn't ready to give him. Tom only has a few moments as his real self before he ventures out into the real world. There should have been more drama when dealing with a such a life-changing transition. Why not focus on this character's growth rather than trying to give such a universal message? We know machines can be a bad thing, so don't remind us unless there is a reason. Surrogates has all the pieces for a worthy addition to the science-fiction genre, but it can't quite put it together.

I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell

*1/2 Stars

When you have golden material for a raunchy movie, how is it possible to screw it up? Well, Tucker Max's film adaptation of his best-selling book I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell commits this very sin. The man's book is disturbingly hilarious, which documents his lifelong actions of vulgarity and what many have claimed to be acts of rape culture. Now I knew what to expect before entering the screening of the film, but it's too bad that it follows every single cliche in the bachelor party premise handbook. Perhaps Tucker should have made a documentary style film recreating the acts he has so infamously carried out. Too bad we have to settle for a film so tasteless that even the most tasteless man on the planet can't pull off.

The Informant!

**** Stars

There is a reason why Matt Damon is a movie star, and he proves it with his performance in The Informant!, Steven Soderbergh's screwball dramedy about a man who wants to do the right thing by taking down the corrupted company he works for, but in the process takes down himself.

Damon plays Marc Whitacre, a worker for the lysine developing company ADM. He is respected in the business community and successful in his personal life (he has a loving wife and children). He decides to do something about his company's price fixing tactics by taking it to the FBI. Over the span of the early 90's, Whitacre collected hundreds of tapes that proved the company's criminal activity.

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Unfortunately, his severe bipolar disorder forced him to basically work for both sides. As Whitacre dug himself deeper and deeper into his actions, the people around him began to discover that Whitacre may be a very unstable man. After years of work as a near-perfect informer, Whitacre became more than what he seemed. I won't tell you exactly what he did (in respect to those who want to enter the film blind), but I will tell you that what he did is part of this country's history that is extremely relevant to the times we live in. Whitacre, suffering from bipolar disorder, dealing with being an informant for the FBI, and desperately trying to hold his family together, became so entangled with telling people the truth, lies, conspiracies, gossip, and evidence that he forgot who he was, what he did, and what he had become.

The Informant! is fascinating. For the whole film, Damon, playing Whitacre, is basically narrating what is happening inside his mind. At first I thought the voiceover would be distracting, yet I found myself completely engaged by it. It sucks you into his mind, traps you, and refuses to let go. The script, written with precise detail by Scott Z. Burns (The Bourne Ultimatum) deserves an Oscar nomination for best screenplay. Burns gets so deep inside Whitacre's mind, that he has the character tell you his favorite body part (his hands) and why he wants people to focus on them. He tells us that one time he saved a man's life from choking by giving him CPR, and then explains how they still keep in touch through holiday cards. While it seems a bit pointless, and from an outside perspective rather boring, I can assure you it's not. The Informant! is an absorbing piece of cinema, showcasing Matt Damon like you've never seen him before. It's one of his best performances ever, in one of the best movies of the year.

9

*** Stars

9, based off the short film of the same name by its creator Shane Acker (a student at UCLA who received an Oscar nomination in 2006 for the short film), is one of the best visual experiences so far this year. Had the story been stronger, you would have been looking at one of the best films of the year. Still, Acker's feature film is a worthy spectacle about a group of rag-dolls (all named 1-9) trying to survive a post-apocalyptic setting from the technology and creatures humanity help create. The story focuses on the character 9 (voiced by Elijah Wood) who bands together with his own kind to understand the world's end, and what to do to ensure their safety. At many-a-times, 9's story feels like a video game's, but Acker's direction and visual wizardry demands the audience to see this film where it belongs, on the big screen. It's the only real way to experience it.

Extract

***1/2 Stars

Ten years ago, there was Office Space, Mike Judge's cult classic about a group of workers at a dead end job who eventually try to screw over their bosses. Now there's Extract, a hilarious film that reverses Office Space's premise and instead shows office life through the eyes of the boss. Played by Jason Bateman in top form, Judge's latest is a smart, witty, and thoroughly entertaining comedy about life in the workplace. Dilbert should be put to shame.

The Final Destination 3-D

* Star

I was lied to. Death did not save the best for 3-D. THE Final Destination is simply terrible. Seriously, this whole 3-D thing is starting to annoy me. At first, I accepted it (mainly because of Up), but now I'm sick of it. I have a piece of advice for any studio executive thinking of releasing their next movie in 3-D. How about instead of 3-D, you come up with a good story? That way you save some money, you can release it in more theaters, and your audience will come back for seconds. Like anything else, a gimmick will eventually die out. A good story will not. This throwaway piece of junk doesn't have one line of dialogue that includes any substance. It's literally a group of young, good-looking teenagers and a handful of clueless adults who escape a tragic, yet preposterously silly crash at a race track. The place explodes, but one kid has a premonition before it happens and him and a lucky few escape. Now, they must escape death before it's too late. Yada, yada, yada. You know the drill. The Final Destination is pure formula, a pathetically marketed product with shameless results.

It Might Get Loud

**** Stars

It Might Get Loud is a fascinating entertainment. A simple film, in which director Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth) understands its simplicity, and uses it towards his advantage. Featuring Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin), The Edge (U2), and Jack White (The White Stripes, The Raconteurs), this riveting documentary captures three fantastic musicians from three different backgrounds who meet to discuss the history of the guitar, their experiences of rock stardom, and to share a well-deserved jam session. Rather than Guggenheim trying to show his experience throughout the making of the film (a la Michael Moore/performance style), he keeps all the action on the stars. Page, clearly the superior presence of the group, is shot with the class and mysterious wit he has so gracefully earned. The Edge, while obviously not on par with Page or even Jack White when it comes to playing guitar, is displayed as a musician of technological expertize. And Jack White, who deserves to be ranked as one of this generation's most natural-born musicians, is the perfect counterpart to this trio. The first shot of the film has White making a guitar out of one string, a piece of wood, a handful of nails, and an empty glass coke bottle. "Who says you need a guitar?" says White. I won't argue with you Jack, but when it comes to you, Jimmy Page, and The Edge, a guitar isn't the worst thing to have.

Thirst

***1/2 Stars

Chan-Wook Park's vampire love tale is Bonnie and Clyde meets Let the Right One In. It is a visually stunning picture, with solid performances throughout. The story chronicles the aftermath of a medical experiment that was suppose to turn a man of faith into someone who would be able to cure a deadly virus. Instead, it turns him into a vampire. Now while they may seem a bit too silly for one to believe, remember whose hands this film is in. Chan-Wook Park is a master storyteller, and even though the film drags in some spots, it truly deserves the highest praise I can give for a film I should not have liked. I'm so sick of vampire stories, especially involving romance. I would be completely content if True Blood was cancelled and Twilight was never mention again. I was also one of maybe eight people that didn't like Let the Right One In. But Thirst, boldly able to blend the boundaries of fiction and realism, shows much more craft and devotion than any of the shows/movies I just mentioned. It is a highly entertaining blood-fest, with one of the strongest endings to a movie I have seen all year.

Inglorious Basterds

**** Stars

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Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds is a brilliantly unconventional piece of cinema that is absolutely one of the best films of the year. It dares to take huge risks only Tarantino is capable of taking. Whether you're looking for an antidote from this summer's ridiculously loud and noisy movies, or want to experience two-and-a-half hours of untamed, breathtaking cinema, this is it. In the midst of what is usually a quiet throwaway month for movies, this August has two of the best films of the year (this and District 9). It's the refreshing cleanse of fine filmmaking we desperate moviegoers ever so needed.

Inglourious Basterds may need a quick explanation for those who think this story is about Brad Pitt and a group of eight soldiers killing Nazis. Trust me, nothing could be farther from the truth. This is a much richer, more complex story than what's being advertised. Think Pulp Fiction set in World War II, a movie which follows several different characters in a specific genre who all unexpectedly cross paths, in which will decide the fates of every character involved.

The story begins in 1941, where a young Jewish refugee named Shosanna Dreyfus (Mealine Laurent) witnesses the brutal murder of her entire family carried out by Colonel Hans Landa (played by Christopher Waltz, in an extraordinary performance). The scene is set on a farm in Nazi-occupied France, and it evolves into one of the most intense introductions to a film you will see all year. Tarantino, a master at building tension, gives one of the strongest written scenes of his career, where you meet the evil and ridiculousness of Christopher Waltz's startling portrayal of a Nazi colonel.

Using his trademark by telling the story through chapters, the second chapter introduces us to the "Inglourious Basterds," a group of Nazi-killers headed by Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt). Their jobs? Killin' Nazis. And according to Raine, "business is-a-boomin." We learn about the Basterds through their violent punishments, their off-beat pasts, and Aldo Raine's mysterious ways of serving justice. When he crosses paths with Shosanna Dreyfus, who has become the owner of a cinema, we know exactly what to expect when they discover that many of Germany's high command will be attending a Nazi propaganda film at her theater. What do we expect? That they will be sneaking into the premiere. Not to see the movie, but to blow up the theater, and all those occupying it.

There is no doubt that Tarantino is probably one of the biggest lovers of film ever, but what makes him one of the greatest film directors ever is how he embraces that very love. For example, by using film stock for a weapon, a film critic as a character, and a movie theater as a location for the film’s climax, this is an unequivocal sign of a master at his craft using the very tools needed to create the filmmaker's passion. This is one of the only times you will ever see the climax of a film set in a movie theater, and not for a second does it ever feel like you are watching one.

Combining themes from numerous genres, Tarantino has made a masterful film, one that isn't at all about the history of World War II (in fact, it's probably one of the most historically inaccurate films of all time) but rather a celebration of moviemaking. That's what Tarnatino does. Anyone who criticizes him for taking lines and ideas from other films is missing the whole point. He's not stealing from them, he's honoring them. I don't want to give anything away, but I will say this. There is a line in Inglourious Basterds involving someone who does something, and they think it may be their masterpiece. You may decide for yourself what I mean by that, and what Tarantino meant too, once you see it.

The Time Traveler's Wife

*** Stars

The Time Traveler's Wife is the only wide release romantic drama of the summer. While I wish there were more than just one this summer, The Time Traveler's Wife, based off Audrey Niffenegger's best-selling novel, is a fine vessel to steer those in need of a Kleenex fix. Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana are perfectly cast in this character driven love story surrounding an interesting fantasy concept. Bana plays Henry, a Chicago librarian with a biological gene that causes him to abruptly time travel without warning. His condition provides the conflict for the film, which follows the love lives of Henry and his wife Claire (McAdams). The two must deal with the biological, emotional, and interpersonal effects of his time-traveling and find a way to control it enough to live happily ever after. While exposition easily finds its way into the explanation of Henry's conditions, the film is an absorbing and emotionally satisfying drama. If you are able to get past the ridiculousness that is the first thirty minutes, you will appreciate the immensely effective performances from Bana and McAdams, and feel the force of love through any ordeal, most notably the paradox of time. After all, isn't it just an illusion?

District 9

**** Stars

Who would have thought? One of the best films of the year is an alien movie directed by a first time director with a $30 million budget featuring no star presence whatsoever. As a label, District 9 doesn't exactly scream critical and box-office success does it? But labels are exactly the reason why this film is so refreshing. Neill Blomkamp, originally attached to direct the frustratingly canceled Halo adaptation, proves that he is no amateur when it comes to making movies. In fact, if someone told me this was directed by Peter Jackson and not just produced, I'd believe it. What makes this even more of a wonderful feat of filmmaking (along with its artistic success, of course) is its opening weekend at the box-office. District 9 pulled in $37 million on its opening weekend. For someone who is seriously committed to box-office tracking, this is one of my favorite pieces of movie news all year. Finally, a film worthy of taking the #1 spot.

The film's concept is one hell of an idea. Aliens, instead of invading earth, become stuck on earth. The film opens with documentary-style footage of interviews that reveal the history of how District 9 (a ghetto for "non-humans" only) came to be. Twenty years prior to the films events (it takes place in 2010) an alien ship is spotted above Johannesburg, South Africa. Instead of the aliens setting foot on the ground first, we humans get too anxious and decide to board the ship, only to discover a large amount of aliens suffering from illness. A ghetto is formed, and District 9 becomes the living ground for all non-humans (in case you were wondering about the terminology, the creatures are called "Prawns"). While apartheid allegory is clearly a present theme in the movie, Blomkamp dares not to exploit political messages of today's world, and instead lets the story unfold for the viewer to think for themselves. Who are the victims here, the aliens or the humans? Why won't we let the aliens leave? Why aren't the aliens attacking us? Is there meaning behind why the ship landed over Johannesburg, South Africa?

After twenty years of aliens on earth, people are beginning to grow tired of their money being invested in District 9. So a private company called Multi-National United (MNU) shows up to move as many creatures as possible to District 10 in order to control the over-populated District 9. The movie then shifts from a documentary style to a gritty sci-fi thriller, centering on a MNU field operative named Wikus van der Merwe (newcomer Sharlto Copley) and his experience in District 9. During his time there, he is exposed to a mysterious alien liquid, and over time, becomes very sick.

Sorry, but you'll have to see the movie to know what happens to him. My apologies, but there is not way I am ruining the element of surprise for you. All you need to know is that it's riveting entertainment.

I am baffled as to how Blomkamp was able to pull this movie off with only $30 million. District 9 feels like an epic summer movie, but one with the smarts and visual expertise you deserve out of an epic summer movie. I hope Michael Bay (Transformers 2) and Stephen Sommers (G.I Joe: The Rise of Cobra) are sitting down somewhere with their combined $375 million budget thinking, "Shit. I didn't know people actually wanted a story to go along with action." Good riddance again that this movie is taking names at the box-office. It's the film we've been waiting for all summer folks. So don't hesitate. Go see District 9, a vivaciously spectacular movie event with the heart of a natural storyteller and the eye of a born filmmaker.

G.I Joe: The Rise of Cobra

* Star

It seems coherency and storytelling are but a luxury in 2009's summer blockbusters. From X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, to now the latest G.I Joe: The Rise of Cobra, I am, in all seriousness, unable to sit down with you and tell you what these films are about.

I'm getting sick of writing reviews on these movies. And you must be just as tired of reading them. So here we are, another steaming pile of movie garbage forever cemented in our summer movie culture. I never thought I'd say this, but in terms of crap, G.I Joe: The Rise of Cobra comes dangerously close to Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen on many occasions. While the latter is still the worst of the worst, G.I Joe is like its annoying little brother. I hate both of them. And you should too.

So as the summer comes to a close, I advice you to check out what will be the last two worthy films of the summer, Inglorious Basterds (which is a masterpiece and absolutely one of the best films of the year) and District 9. For now though, enjoy Hollywood at its worst with G.I Joe: The Rise of Cobra.

The Windmill Movie

**1/2 Stars

Imagine a film about a person making a film about himself, but died before it was "finished." Then, in an attempt to honor his legacy, his friends make a film about him making a film about himself, but in the end never show the actually film. Thus creates, The Windmill Movie.

Did you get that? Basically, The Windmill Movie is a collage of random footage and interviews surrounding the life Richard P. Rogers, a filmmaker who desperately tried to make an autobiographical film about his own life. Sadly, he passed away from cancer in 2001, but his friends decided to create a documentary about the journey behind him and the unfinished film. The Windmill Movie asks a very interesting question: "Why is it so hard to make a movie about yourself?" That question is deep enough to spark a debate amongst anyone whose ever even seen a film. However, when watching an actual film about the fundamentals of personal filmmaking, the message, from an outside perspective at least, is rather forgettable.

I appreciate the effort and sincerity of Richard's friends here, by giving the world a piece of their friend's whole life, a life in which all he ever wanted was to make a movie and share it to the world. Whatever masterpiece he thought he was making though, is perhaps best kept to himself. The Windmill Movie is more of a homage than a film, and while I can't for a second dismiss it, there's really no reason to head out and see it unless you knew the man behind it.

Funny People

***1/2 Stars

The first 90 minutes or so of Funny People is a four star movie. The last 60 minutes or so of Funny People is a three star movie. Mathematically, this comes out to about a three and a half star movie. Too bad for that last hour.

Now Funny People isn't necessarily too long. The real reason behind why the last 60 minutes has everyone talking is the fact that it's a completely separate film from the first 90 minutes. It's as though Judd Apatow was reaching for the stars, but somehow landed on the moon. To put that in English, Funny People is a very good movie that should be great.

However, Apatow has nothing to be ashamed of here. He should be proud of his ambitious and daring new film that sets the bar for any other aspiring filmmaker living in the Apatow universe. Starring Adam Sandler in his best performance ever, Apatow seems to have created a co-autobiographical story about the real life Sandler and himself. Roommates in college, the two have expressed that the character of George Simmons (played by Sandler) is like a nightmare of what their lives could have been like without their wives and children. Interestingly enough, Simmons's love interest is played by Apatow's wife Leslie Mann, whose kids in the movie are their very own (just like in Knocked Up). With his life and soul literally invested into this project, this is his most mature and thought-provoking film yet.

No one else can play George Simmons other than Adam Sandler. This is his movie. Simmons is a very rich comedian who discovers that he is dying from a rare form on leukemia. He meets a young and upcoming comedian named Ira Wright (Seth Rogen) whom he asks to write jokes for him. Ira immediately accepts, and the two begin a friendship through immature jokes and their relatable profession. Jonah Hill and Jason Schwartzman are hilarious as Ira's roommates, who provide the nostalgic presences of two well-known actors getting plenty of moments to shine. When Rogen, Hill, and Schwartzmann riff off each other during their scenes together, it's like the feeling of something special happening. Funny People is ahead of its time, and it will likely be cherished as time progresses.

Perhaps this is why people aren't lining up right away to see this. What, did you not want to see drama? Is that it? Well, too bad. Funny People is both a comedy and drama, split right down the middle. Would you rather have everyone play it safe and return to the same old formula? Maybe Sandler is tired of playing the moron. Maybe Seth Rogen lost weight because he wanted to get healthy. Maybe Leslie Mann can actually act instead of just being Judd Apatow's wife. Maybe people should stop complaining about dramatic elements in a comedy (if all you want is a hilarious raunchfest, go see The Hangover again).

Or maybe we should realize that a film is not all about box-office receipts. A $23 million opening for a film like this is an absolute success. I'm not talking about its budget (reportedly around $75 million) but its subject matter. Sandler's three other "dramatic" movies, Punch Drunk Love, Reign Over Me and Spanglish, all underperformed at the box-office. Funny People is the most complex performance of Sandler's career. Perhaps this is another case of bad marketing. Maybe studios should start selling their movies based on what they really are. Perhaps this is why people aren't lining up right away to see this.

Funny People is a film to admire. Apatow is pushing real hard to establish himself as an auteur, and while there are flaws and mishaps along the way, it's also the work of a born filmmaker. We are at an age now where ambition is overlooked and giving into social pressure is acceptable. Apatow, keep doing your thing. And bring your college roommate, your family, and your friends along with you (and maybe Eric Bana once-in-a-while. He's hysterical in this film!) After all, you guys really are funny people.