Good Riddance: 2010 is over, but...

...we must look for hope in 2011.

Right? I mean, that's the only way it works. You reflect, then move on. There is no reason for me to remind you again about my feelings towards the year 2010 for movies. However, I must acknowledge both sides: the best and the worst of 2010.

Let's start out positive. Here are the best films of 2010. (Note*: I still haven't seen a handful of films that could potentially make this list, including The King's Speech, Winter's Bone, Blue Valentine, Inside Job, Waiting for Superman, Rabbit Hole etc. But I feel it's more important to stay relevant and get this list finished while it's still the new year).

10. I'm Still Here

Joaquin Phoenix has more of a chance at actually becoming the rapper he portrayed in I'm Still Here than winning Oscar for it, but that doesn't change the fact that it's one of the best performances of the year. Not only because people bought into it, but that him and director Casey Affleck were able to fool people for as long as they set out to do. If they made one false move, the hoax would have came out long ago and this documentary experiment would be nonexistent. I saw this film long before I found out it was a hoax and I won't deny that there were moments that felt true. This is a stunning portrait of a darker Hollywood, one that is incredibly relevant and in this case, utterly fascinating.

9. Enter the Void

If I rated the best films of the year in terms of entertainment, Enter the Void would be closer to the worst than the best. It has a longevity to it that is very difficult to shake off, but somehow it's also one of its most important assets. Director Gaspar Noe creates an abstract portrait of a glimpse of the afterlife through the eyes of a drug-dealer in Japan who watches over his sister. The journey is exhausting, but I found myself revisiting it a second time trying to dissect it. And then a third time. For anyone looking for a film ready to shake up the rules, visit Enter the Void, an acid trip not for the squirmish.

8. The Ghost Writer

Roman Polanski may have had a terrible year personally, but professionally, he's at the top of his game with The Ghost Writer, a taut and very intelligent thriller about a ghost writer (played by Ewan McGregor) whose been hired by former UK Prime Minister Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan) to write his memoirs. Along the way, we find more about this politician than meets the eye. A breathtaking ending highlights a highly captivating story about the consequences of corruption.

7. The Fighter

David O. Russell's best movie features quite possibly the best performance of the year. Christian Bale's portrayal of Dicky Eklund is a revelation and it's sure to give the overdue actor his first Oscar nomination. Who else in the supporting category matches the caliber of Bale? I would say this is his race to lose. Amy Adams and Melissa Leo are fantastic in their supporting roles, with Adams playing Micky Ward's (Mark Wahlberg) girlfriend and Leo playing the overbearing mother. This is a riveting story about fighting to the end. The title The Fighter may be generic, but no other title could be more appropriate. This is a wonderful surprise of a movie and the best commercial film of the holiday season.

6. The Kids Are All Right

Don't be fooled by its nomination for Best Comedy at the Golden Globes. This sharp and smartly written portrait of the contemporary family (or non-contemporary, depending on how you look at it) is as much a rich drama as it is a relevant comedy. Annette Benning and Julianne Moore are on fire together as a lesbian couple whose children wish to meet their sperm donor dad. It may sound like a sitcom premise, but in actuality, nothing could be farther from the truth. Benning is especially great here, whose character must struggle with the idea of her partner's betrayal and must rediscover the importance of family and forgiveness. If nothing else, you are looking at the best independent film of the year. In anything else, well, I can't praise this film enough.

5. 127 Hours

I am little disappointed 127 Hours hasn't been recognized as much as other films this awards season. Instead, it's been riding solo highlighting James Franco's performance of Aaron Ralston, the man who literally got stuck between a rock and a hard place and freed himself 127 hours later by cutting of his arm. While you could picture this cinematic experience exhausting, believe me, by the end, I was begging for more (perhaps that's why I saw it twice). Franco delivers a performance he's been teasing for years. I always knew he was very talented, but here his talent is out on full display. Danny Boyle continues his tremendous vision while maintaining his unique style. Every film in my top five could be number one, so don't let the numbers fool you. This is an unforgettable film.

4. Toy Story 3

In my original review of the film when it was released back in June, I wrote:

"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."

I stand corrected. This is a marvel gem. Pixar is unstoppable. Everything you've heard about this film is true. It's technically flawless. I'm ranting. But it's true. All of these short sentences mean that I have too many excited thoughts in my head. All of them positive. All of them...exuberant.

3. Black Swan

Black Swan is Darren Aronofsky at his most untamed brilliance. Natalie Portman gives the performance of her career as a ballerina dancer who receives the title role in the show Swan Lake, and soon after becomes the victim of her own mind when she spirals down a bumpy road of psychological terror! As the film progresses, so do your fears. This is a finely tuned suspense thriller that acts as both a human drama and an absurd thriller. This movie sucks the life out of you and replaces it with more than you can bare. Do not think for a second that this statement is anything but positive.

2. The Social Network

In terms of relevance, The Social Network is the most important film of the year. Like I said before, all of these films in the top five could easily be number one. So don't think that in giving this movie the second spot that I'm taking anything away from this incredibly written piece by Aaron Sorkin, this audaciously directed film by David Fincher, and this perfectly acted drama by its stars. Jesse Eisenberg must surely receive a Best Actor nomination as Mark Zuckerberg, a person who has gone from a Harvard dropout, to inventing Facebook, to Time Magazine's Person of the Year. In regards to importance, if you are going to see one film this year, this has to be it.

Now in regards to entertainment, if you going to see one film this year, is has to be...

1. Inception

Why? Because it achieves everything it needs to achieve and then some. How can a director follow up a film like The Dark Knight? Only if you are Christopher Nolan, the finest director of his generation. The man has hardly missed a step, and with Inception, you are looking at blockbuster filmmaking at its utmost finest. I'm even hesitant to call Inception a blockbuster because the only thing really "blockbustery" about it is its release date and budget. It's as mindbending as 2001: A Space Odyssey, it's as well acted as any other film this year, and it has the ability to relate to every single person on the planet. Nolan said he wanted to make a film that could effect anyone. We all dream, so how can you not appreciate the depths of Inception? As always, Leonardo Dicaprio is in top form, and I must say that the awards season needs to be more kind to the final remaining movie star on the planet that is almost guaranteed to deliver 100% of the time. If you can't find what you're looking for in Inception, watch it again, and go deeper. Not only do I expect this film to be everlasting, I am almost certain that in the decades to come, future filmmakers will turn to Christopher Nolan's dream movie as a large blueprint in Hollywood's history.


For the worst movies of the year, I didn't see a lot of films that could have made this list because my college loans kicked in and I live far away from the screenings I try to go to. So bare with me that I don't have ten movies here. As time progresses when I see other films, I will add more to the list. For now, here are some of the worst movies of 2010:

-Clash of the Titans

Bad 3D. Bad action sequences. Bad almost everything. There's no doubt Sam Worthington is a fresh sight for sore eyes, but an up-and-coming movie star like him can't save this from being one big marketing machine. Expect the sequel to be just as flat.

-Jonah Hex

There is something seriously wrong with studios when they think they can get away with something as bad as Jonah Hex. This isn't even a movie. This is 80 minutes of footage that was shot with Josh Brolin staring at the screen with a pretty bad-ass scar, and along the way, he has other scenes with other actors. This is no story. No buildup. No payoff. Thus, it has no purpose. This is close to the bottom of the barrel for 2010, right behind another film for worst of the year. We'll get to that in a minute.

-Salt

Another Angelina Jolie movie, another way for her to show off that she's apparently better than anyone else in Hollywood. Sure, she's gorgeous and talented, but there's only so many times I can see a movie with a woman who clearly has a hard time sharing the screen with anyone else. That or the characters she portrays has a sense of superiority to them that is not the flattering kind. After viewing this film, you will have the taste of its title in your mouth.

-Sex and the City 2

Long, overstuffed, and embarrassing, and in many cases, offensive to every woman on the planet. Better yet, almost every person. Did the cast & crew forget that we are in a recession? I will say this. If you are looking for an epic drinking game, drink every time a character magically has a new set of flashy clothing on. In fact, it may the only way to sit through the film.

-Shrek Forever After

Shrek Forever After lives up to its title. It feels like forever, and after, it's just another Shrek. Was anyone else done with this franchise when the bad guy was still in office?

-Splice

An awesome premise turns into sure insanity when a third act not only cripples the film, but paralyzes it into a state of shocking awkwardness.

-When in Rome

A January movie if I ever saw one, this one comes right off the assembly line, starring Kristen Bell and Josh Duhamel, two actors who have careers, but certainly cannot carry a film. Unless the script is as awful as I remember. My brother saw a test screening to this film and he said half the audience walked out. He then told me they made serious changes to it to make it better. How can this version get any worse? I guess anything is possible.

THE WORST OF THE WORST:
A representation of 2010 at its ugliest...

-Valentine's Day

Not only the biggest ripoff of the year, but perhaps one of the worst "movies" of all time. I quoted "movies" because this isn't really a movie. This is what happens when actors need a paycheck. A big one. And they don't want to travel, so the story must take place in Los Angeles. Also, no one in this star-studded cast signed on until director Garry Marshall (Pretty Woman) asked Julia Roberts to. Once she did, everyone came on board. They probably realized how awful the script was, but I guess there is an expression in Hollywood that every agent must memorize to tell their clients, "Well, Julia Roberts is doing it, so how bad can it be?" Trust me on this, it's bad. Not only is a plot non-existent, it's pure gimmick. It's a movie called Valentine's Day released on Valentine's Day that's about nothing but the fact that the movie takes place on Valentine's Day. As if this wasn't bad enough, we must brace ourselves for a spin-off of this idea. In a couple years, watch out for New Year's Eve. You heard me, watch out.


To conclude, 2010 was the worst year of movies since I started reviewing them in 2001. Besides a handful of exceptions, this year was about gimmicks (3D, comic-books, remakes of old classics). Everything is a gimmick these days. Even movies like The Tourist are a gimmick. Don't worry about a story, you have two beautiful people in it that you love! For the people who actually want this, good for you. But for the others, and I suspect there are many, I have a message for you. Stand up to Hollywood. You'd be surprised how much power you have. Hollywood cannot survive without us, the moviegoer.

Therefore, you must let the studios know that you don't want Little Fockers under your Christmas tree, that just because the first Iron Man was great doesn't mean you wouldn't mind if the sequel was just a two-hour commercial for the upcoming Avengers movie, that just because 3D worked for a precious few like Avatar doesn't mean you want it in every movie, and that just because a movie ticket is still relatively cheap compared to other forms of entertainment, you're not willing to drop $20 on an IMAX 3D movie if what's being offered is of Shrek Forever After caliber.

Despite all this, I really want to end on an optimistic note. The beauty of a new year is that there is always hope for a fresh start. And just because 2011 begins with the forever delayed Nicholas Cage movie Season of the Witch, I must remain positive. It's my New Year's resolution. Who knows, maybe Season of the Witch will be the funniest movie ever.

I apologize to anyone who is sick and tired of my bellyaching during 2010. For them, I promise to return to the beginning of why I started this website in the first place...

Because I love movies.

Black Swan - **** stars

If someone told me one of the best films of 2010 would be about ballet, I wouldn’t have laughed, I would've said it would need one hell of a director.

Funny, I said the same thing about wrestling in 2008.

Darren Aronofsky is far and away the most ambitious independent director of his generation. In fact, he may the most daring director, period. Not once has the man faltered from accomplishing the film he wanted to make (including the aching process he endured during The Fountain). In 2008, he resurrected Mickey Rourke’s career (and perhaps a genre) with The Wrestler. This year, he leads Natalie Portman to the best performance of her career with Black Swan, a gripping piece of art that turns a woman’s fantasy into a real nightmare.

Portman plays Nina, an obsessive ballerina in a New York City ballet company. This is clearly explained just by how this woman lives: still living with her former ballerina mother in a claustrophobic apartment, thinks and talks nothing but ballet, and is scared by anyone who rivals against her. So when artistic director Thomas Leroy (played with method madness by Vincent Cassel) gives her the lead role in the play Swan Lake, her life begins to spiral out of control.

There are two roles in Swan Lake Nina has to play: the White Swan and the Black Swan. Nina is a perfect White Swan, but it’s the Black Swan she needs serious work on. She befriends a new dancer named Lily (Mila Kunis, who’s career I suspect will explode after this film), who seems to fit the darker role, thus making her a threat to Nina. However, their rivalry turns into an odd friendship, and through this, Nina allows a darker side to seep into her innocence. Fueled by jealously, sexual-desire, and the obsessive drive to be a perfectionist, Black Swan tells a tale that everyone with a nightmare can relate to. What’s physically real or not is irrelevant, because when something is as powerful as what Nina has created in her mind, it’s real to that person. And thus, Nina self-explodes. The third act of this film is an astonishing finish to an already astonishing set-up. You will be shaken to the core.

In an interview with MTV, Aronofsky said that at one point, The Wrestler and Black Swan were the same movie. I suspect many will find Black Swan to be the more superior film, but it would be great if one day someone cuts these two films together. For now, both stand on their own, with Black Swan representing Aronofsky at his most untamed brilliance.

Golden Globe Reactions

What was once obvious is now official. The Hollywood Foreign Press loves the star. Even though moviegoers have moved on from that gimmick, the HFPA haven't seemed to follow suit. With Alice in Wonderland, Burlesque, and The Tourist receiving nominations for Best Comedy/Musical, that category is forever plagued (The Kids Are All Right is a fine choice, but the only fine one at that). Johnny Depp gets nominated for both his roles this year for Alice in Wonderland and The Tourist, which critically, is probably his worst year in a decade, but Leonardo Dicaprio (Shutter Island & Inception) gets shut out completely from quite possibly the best year of his career? Doesn't matter here though. Also picking up the most undeserved nomination is Angelina Jolie in The Tourist, also her worst year critically in a long time). Still doesn't matter though. They are laughing their way through this. As well they should be. But I digress...

The Best Drama category had no surprises, but I do like that Black Swan is making headlines. Natalie Portman deserves a clean sweep to the Oscars. Inception, The King's Speech, and The Social Network were expected (and although I haven't seen The King's Speech yet, these look like the three favorites). The Fighter was a nice surprise, although I don't see it having a chance of winning the big award come Oscar night. However, Christian Bale does. If he doesn't win Best Supporting Actor, there is no justice in this world. WHAT DON'T YOU F#!*&@% UNDERSTAND?!?

Toy Story 3 will win the animated feature category (no surprises there), and if you're interested in any other categories, check them out below. I want to talk more about this Best Comedy/Musical category shenanigans.

I know that the Golden Globes are all about honoring the big stars. I get it. In fact, most of the time the ceremony is more entertaining than the Oscars. It's more laid back, the celebrities are allowed to drink, and everyone seems to actually enjoy being there. But that is no reason to give nominations to movies like The Tourist, Burlesque, and even Alice in Wonderland. First off, was The Tourist a comedy? I didn't see it, but by the looks of it, it's not. Alice in Wonderland is also not a straight-up comedy, but I guess it's closer than a drama. But the film was a disappointment, and certainly not Tim Burton's best effort. And then there's Burlesque, which only seems to be in there because it's the only actual musical out there. This is why comedies are shut out of the Oscar race, because the deserving ones rarely get nominated. The Kids Are All Right is a fantastic movie, and I think it's either Annette Benning's or Natalie Portman's race to lose. Given Benning's veteran status, she may be the favorite.

I think this category sums up a year of movies that was truly the worst in a long time. Besides the handful of exceptions like Inception, 127 Hours (which I think was snubbed), Black Swan, The Social Network, and Toy Story 3, this best comedy category is literally scrapping the bottom of the barrel to find nominees. I'm sure Red was a fun movie, but what about something a little more groundbreaking like Scott Pilgrim vs. the World or even Kick-Ass? Again, this year has been tough on the comedy genre, but sometimes there are no excuses. If The Tourist wins, which I'm almost certain it won't, but if it does, we are looking at a new low point in Hollywood. One which after this summer of movies, I didn't think was possible.

Here is a complete list of nominees of the 68th annual Golden Globe Awards:

• Picture, Drama:

"Black Swan"

"The Fighter"

"Inception"

"The King's Speech"

"The Social Network"

• Picture, Musical or Comedy:

"Alice in Wonderland"

"Burlesque"

"The Kids Are All Right"

"Red"

"The Tourist"

• Actor, Drama:

Jesse Eisenberg, "The Social Network"

Colin Firth, "The King's Speech"

James Franco, "127 Hours"

Ryan Gosling, "Blue Valentine"

Mark Wahlberg, "The Fighter"

• Actress, Drama:

Halle Berry, "Frankie and Alice"

Nicole Kidman, "Rabbit Hole"

Jennifer Lawrence, "Winter's Bone"

Natalie Portman, "Black Swan"

Michelle Williams, "Blue Valentine"

• Director:

Darren Aronofsky, "Black Swan"

David Fincher, "The Social Network"

Tom Hooper, "The King's Speech"

Christopher Nolan, "Inception"

David O. Russell, "The Fighter"

• Actor, Musical or Comedy:

Johnny Depp, "Alice in Wonderland"

Johnny Depp, "The Tourist"

Paul Giamatti, Barney's Version"

Jake Gyllenhaal, "Love and Other Drugs"

Kevin Spacey, "Casino Jack"

• Actress, Musical or Comedy:

Annette Bening, "The Kids Are All Right"

Julianne Moore, "The Kids Are All Right"

Anne Hathaway, "Love and Other Drugs"

Angelina Jolie, "The Tourist"

Emma Stone, "Easy A"

• Supporting Actor:

Christian Bale, "The Fighter"

Michael Douglas, "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps"

Andrew Garfield, "The Social Network"

Jeremy Renner, "The Town"

Geoffrey Rush, "The King's Speech"

• Supporting Actress:

Melissa Leo, "The Fighter"

Helena Bonham Carter"The King's Speech"

Mila Kunis, "Black Swan"

Amy Adams, "The Fighter"

Jacki Weaver, "Animal Kingdom"

• Foreign Language:

"Biutiful"

"The Concert"

"The Edge"

"I Am Love"

"In a Better World"

• Animated Film:

"Toy Story 3"

"The Illusionist"

"How to Train Your Dragon"

"Despicable Me"

"Tangled"

• Screenplay:

Danny Boyle, Simon Beaufoy, "127 Hours"

Lisa Cholodenko, Stuart Blumberg, "The Kids Are All Right"

Christopher Nolan, "Inception"

David Seidler, "The King's Speech"

Aaron Sorkin, "The Social Network."

• Original Score:

Alexandre Desplat, "The King's Speech"

Danny Elfman, "Alice in Wonderland"

A.R. Rahman, "127 Hours"

Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, "The Social Network"

Hans Zimmer, "Inception"

• Original Song:

"Bound to You" (written by Samuel Dixon, Christina Aguilera, Sia Furler), "Burlesque";

"Coming Home" (written by Bob DiPiero, Tom Douglas, Hillary Lindsey, Troy Verges), "Country Strong";

"I See the Light," (written by Alan Menken, Glenn Slater), "Tangled";

"There's a Place for Us" (written by Carrie Underwood, David Hodges, Hillary Lindsey), "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader";

"You Haven't Seen the Last of Me," (written by Diane Warren), "Burlesque."

TELEVISION

• Series, Drama: "Boardwalk Empire," HBO; "Dexter," Showtime; "The Good Wife," CBS; "Mad Men," AMC; "The Walking Dead," AMC.

• Actor, Drama: Steve Buscemi, "Boardwalk Empire"; Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"; Michael C. Hall, "Dexter"; Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"; Hugh Laurie, "House."

• Actress, Drama: Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife"; Elisabeth Moss, "Mad Men"; Piper Parabo, "Covert Affairs"; Katey Sagal, "Sons of Anarchy"; Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer."

• Series, Musical or Comedy: "30 Rock," NBC; "The Big Bang Theory," CBS; "The Big C," Showtime; "Glee," Fox; "Modern Family," ABC; "Nurse Jackie," Showtime.

• Actress, Musical or Comedy: Toni Collette, "The United States of Tara"; Edie Falco, "Nurse Jackie"; Tina Fey, "30 Rock"; Laura Linney "The Big C"; Lea Michele, "Glee."

• Actor, Musical or Comedy: Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"; Steve Carell, "The Office"; Thomas Jane, "Hung"; Matthew Morrison, "Glee"; Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory."

• Miniseries or Movie: "Carlos," Sundance Channel; "The Pacific," HBO; "Pillars of the Earth," Starz; "Temple Grandin," HBO; "You Don't Know Jack," HBO.

• Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Hayley Atwell, "Pillars of the Earth"; Claire Danes, "Temple Grandin"; Judi Dench, "Return to Cranford"; Romola Garai, "Emma"; Jennifer Love Hewitt, "The Client List."

• Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Idris Elba, "Luther"; Ian McShane, "Pillars of the Earth"; Al Pacino, "You Don't Know Jack"; Dennis Quaid, "The Special Relationship"; Edgar Ramirez, "Carlos."

• Supporting Actress, Series, Miniseries or Movie: Hope Davis, "The Special Relationship"; Jane Lynch, "Glee"; Kelly Macdonald, "Boardwalk Empire"; Julia Stiles, "Dexter"; Sofia Vergara, "Modern Family."

• Supporting Actor, Series, Miniseries or Movie: Scott Caan, "Hawaii Five-O"; Chris Colfer, "Glee"; Chris Noth, "The Good Wife"; Eric Stonestreet, "Modern Family"; David Strathairn, "Temple Grandin."

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...