TheLawnWrangler (Level 18)

(Here's my review! http://www.screened.com/goon/16-206044/user-reviews/?review_id=5699) Goon is an incredibly violent film with a tender streak. Delivered through a deliciously stylish, rapid-fire lens, the story of Doug Glatt and his loyal teammates is fun, but also way too sweet and well told for its own good. Starting with an impressive story and character set-up that uses speed to its advantage, the film manages to balance intense montage and action-happy moments in company with calmer, more character based situations. Though the contrasts seem like extreme polar opposites, director Michael Dowse tackles Jay Baruchel and Evan Goldberg’s hilarious, harsh, but considerate script in a way that makes everything work and feel consistently energetic but careful. This dark comedy’s blood streak is almost as explosive and deliberate as something that Tarantino would do- subtly ridiculous punches of absurdity cut to perfect timing, but at the same time, it’s viscerally cringe worthy. Dowse and his cinematography help pack the right amount of punch and chaos to result in entertainment and fascination. While Goon serves as a great, violent comedy, there’s also enough care put into the development of its protagonist, to the point wherein his character is possibly the most intriguing part of the film. Perhaps it’s because such strong writing and performance is rarely given to the main characters of goofy comedies. Goon breaks this standard and impresses on this front, among many others. Seann William Scott’s performance as the affable, dim, but sweet Doug Glatt. Not only does Scott pull off the necessary action, but the certain air of goofiness he maintains isn’t overly done- he reaches what feels like the just the right level of child-like wonder and kindness to not be cartoony, but enough to be unique. I’m definitely classifying this as his best performance yet. His heart practically defines the film- underneath all the craziness and blood-shed, Goon’s about Doug wanting to find his place in the world, and please those that matter to him. Similar to Bobcat Goldthwait’s film God Bless America, Goon is a violent tale about kind people. Its careful edge combined with kinetic dark fun made it more enjoyable than I could’ve possibly imagined, and justifies its classification as an immediate classic, or at least one for the ages that deserves your attention.

Wes Anderson’s latest film is possibly one of his best yet. Moonrise Kingdom brings back a sense of romance and child-like wonder amongst your standard fare of self-development that we’ve come to know and love in Anderson’s more beloved works. Dealing with adolescence and being a misfit to damn near everyone, Moonrise is quite a vulnerable, honest tale in terms of where its emotions are. The film is sweet, as is its premise, but the real core is actually quite sad, and almost harsh in terms of how open it can be. It’s an impressive step from his normal deadpan sensibilities. With Moonrise, he takes a bit more of a bare approach with his script and direction. Funny and heartfelt, it exceeds his normal limit, impressively so, but still maintains all the hallmarks of his unique kind of storytelling, through integral set-design and filmmaking. From the technical perspective, Anderson is still strong in sticking to his style, and even often pushes for a little more than expected, for the sake of truly delivering on the sweetness and heft of the tale and its trappings. Again, in usual Wes fashion, the cast here is top notch, with new comers to the roster doing justice to Anderson’s tone, as well as what is required of their performances for the characters and story. Most impressive are the two youngters at the forefront Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward. I’ve always noticed that the best kid actor performances come from good directors, and with Anderson requesting such specific attitude out of his actors, I think we were safe to trust him in terms of casting, as it pays off with these two. Their performances are strong and sweet, but don’t take away from their true age, but give them something interesting to play with. Moonrise Kingdom is sweet and simple, but Anderson’s small developments as a director help make it a very valuable work of his. No doubt is it one of his more equally accessible films, but even for the fans, it’s satisfying to see that Anderson is getting stronger and stronger as an artist.

The Grey is beautiful, in more ways than just one. Tip-top and confident are the technical workings capturing and pushing the story forward, but even bolder was the ensemble of characters we joined in this tale of survival and reflection. From Neeson, and going all around an essential circle of 8 fantastic character actors putting in some of best respective works of their career, we are thrust into a dead setting of fear and misery and truth of person, where their performances shine and keep you attached. Keep you caring and looking forward. Grim are the stakes at all points in time, and whether it's this group running for their literal lives, or the downtime in between where we see their growth and how far they've grown, it's an absolute achievement in character writing and working. Not to mention, the eyes and ears following action and drama are expertly tailored and handled, to somewhat of a bold and fittingly visceral degree. Style when necessary, observation at all times, constantly keeping things interesting by pulling new visual tricks out one by one, not only looking good, but serving perfect purpose in story telling and atmospheric set-up. - Sheer fear and insanity that washes down over us in hardship is portrayed in a light that has not been shed a lot in recent memory, but just like something like 127 Hours or any other tale of survival, this film keep that theme apparent at all times. It's refreshing and touching, in bringing up facets of faith and determination and the will to work and live in and at all times. It's terrific in thought and practice, impressively enough, only adding to a shockingly large pile if things this movie does exceptionally well. Director Joe Carnahan was dealt a superb hand with his cast, and utilized them wisely with timing and emphasis dished out in doses of just what we need, when we need it. Whether it's laughs or emotional looks inside, the tone is balanced in a satisfactory way, working the strengths of the attitude, but having the overall undertow in check at absolutely all times. From technicals to story to the acting, and even down to the score that knows it's time and place, and the voice it needs to uphold in whatever such case, The Grey had a team behind it that knew what they were doing, and did their jobs astonishingly well. It 's impressive all around, combining naked performances in blindingly cold cinematic craftsmanship, and a story about being a living, breathing human being in a world where hope is almost practically depleted completely. The Grey is not only a good action thriller, but it’s also a VERY good movie all around, especially being one that maybe is a bit too important for it's own good. I legitimately hope this goes down as a classic, as I think it deserves that status for years to come.

The premise of Your Sister’s Sister is something that could easily be made in a trite manner without care or heart. Lynn Shelton’s simple but detailed approach in directing characters through both comedic and dramatic bouts prevents this from happening and in turn result in a quiet, beautiful little story. The strength of the film oozes from the performances of our three main characters, as portrayed by Mark Duplass, Rosemarie DeWitt, and Emily Blunt. Being the only three focus points other than an early on cameo by an impressive Mike Birbiglia, and consistently gorgeous looking landscapes and locations, we get to simmer in their strong execution of body language and delivery of natural, genuine dialogue. Duplass being a veteran at improvisation gives one of his more naked, truthful performances to date, though still impressive in balancing a cheeky personality with his fractured emotions. All the more intriguing and satisfying are the performances of DeWitt and Blunt, who really bring the heat in terms of selling reality through behavior. Like Duplass, they’re highly capable of delivering on beloved banter and necessary emotions, ready to bring you to an unexpected tear. Charming they all are indeed, but as well they’re artists that know how to develop their characters to the right distances. The trio progressively works toward really living the establishment of the relationships at hand. When these people mean to each other is highly important, and thankfully portrayed professionally and in just the right way. Director Lynn Shelton lets emotions and wits fly at steady but hectic pacing, through a generally still but perfectly leveled lens that knows its distance. Intimate moments are captured in entirely appropriate frantic pacing with an observational approach, and otherwise, we’re left with lovingly portrait-like landscape shots. It doesn’t take up a lot of the film’s time, but you can truly appreciate the spaces of the two main exterior spaces involved. With such steady filmmaking, confident filmmaking, this allows Shelton to really focus on the characters and their stories. Turning what is essentially a love triangle into something even more, about friendship and sibling-hood is what makes her direction so perfect and appropriate. Seeing the quiet but loaded exchanges of looks and dialogue with purpose lets the audience feel close to the sweetness and equal amounts of heartbreak. Through awkward encounters, untimely personal revelations, and respective self-realizations, we witness the laughs to be shared and tears to be shed amongst a truthful group of human beings. Shelton and Duplass’ story of life and loss makes some very beautiful statements and creates a sweet, heartfelt story that exceeds standard rom-com expectations. Instead, we’re given Your Sister’s Sister, a tragic turned uplifting slice of reality, driven by strong performances and direction that bring to life what is normally quiet, but ultimately is more important and special than expected.

Django Unchained fulfills exactly what its premise promises, and in that practice, Quentin Tarantino and gang manage to make possibly his most easily acceptable film to date. By that, I don’t mean that this is Tarantino-lite. Django is as violent, hilarious, and fun as one could be promised to expect from a Tarantino film. What surprises me is that the style isn’t so much of a character anymore, and pleases rather than distracts, much like in Inglorious Basterds. As well, this happens to be his most romantic film since the Kill Bill films, and it goes to show that Quentin’s passion as a storyteller can be put to beautiful use on a deeper level than reverential, blood-thirsty appreciation. The film uses its long runtime well, and tells a simple but harrowing story of friendship, vengeance, and love at its core. Similar to Basterds, Django has an almost fairy-tale like quality to it. The tone playing with that ideal practically amplifies the fun and sweetness to revel in. Everything becomes fantastical within this unique world that captures a period of time impressively, while placing spaghetti western sensibilities within said world. The appreciation and dedication to both the setting and tone are in high, passionate spirits, and match-up almost perfectly. At that same time, the subject of racism is never stepped over, and controversy never really is stirred- instead, we’re given a strong, crazy adventure of a tale that actually has great worth to it in the end. A lot of this comes from the participation of the disturbingly talented cast involved. Jamie Foxx impresses us all with his charming, heart-driven performance as the titular character, and maintains a beautiful amount of chemistry with his partner in crime with Dr. King Schultz, as played by Christoph Waltz. Waltz cranks up the charisma once again to satisfying degrees, right up against the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, who practically smacks you across the face with his strong performance, and Samuel L. Jackson in a comedic but dastardly and daunting role as DiCaprio’s second hand man. These are definitely the highlights of performance, but absolutely every single other player in tow does beautiful work, from Kerry Washington to Don Johnston, and even Quentin Tarantino’s ridiculously fun cameo. With a hard working cast at bat, Tarantino has great space to do his dirtiest stylistically, and to advantageous ends, making this journey humorous and technically impressive/enjoyable. Crash zooms, perfect comedic and dramatic pacing, and deliberate camera work make an impression, but again, never overstep their place. In the end, though, through all the explosive bloodshed and passionately correct storytelling and character work, Django Unchained is fun and beautiful at once. I always love when Tarantino can get emotional, and this is perfect proof of what he can do, which is no wrong, honestly. With Django Unchained, Tarantino and everyone involved had their hearts in the right place, and ended up make something that you won’t regret seeing over and over again.

(Here's my review! http://www.screened.com/the-master/16-204938/user-reviews/?review_id=6190) Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest feature is possibly his most challenging yet, probably since Punch-Drunk Love. Though weird in concept, most of the time, his projects end up being accessible to most audiences as general dramas. Punch-Drunk Love and The Master both maintain an aggressively spastic air to their run-time, pace, and filmmaking voice that make it hard to ease into. These films also focus on very violent, complicated characters, The Master being a special case wherein our protagonist in Joaquin Phoenix’s character Freddie Quall is practically an animal. Throughout the film, we witness his progression into becoming a human being, thanks to the ownership and friendship of Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman.) The following film is a harshly cut and beautifully captured portrait of friendship, ruler and owner relationships, and internal struggles of broken men. Even though Anderson doesn’t work here with his standard cinematographer, what he does with Mihai Malaimare Jr as top notch in quality as his works have ever been, but out of sheer beauty, and by artistic storytelling standards, loaded frames and shots and all. With all that, and being shot on 70mm, The Master is definitely one of his strongest looking works so far. On a storytelling standpoint, The Master is psychologically fascinating, filled with uncomfortable humor and extremely fascinating, often harsh and intense mental practice between our three lead characters. Hoffman does beautiful justice to his showman of a character, portraying the cracks and all of his structure and psyche, especially when he trying his hardest to grasp onto whatever control he could maintain. Above and beside him is Amy Adams, who gives a shockingly strong performance, toeing a very delicate and subtle line of domination and submissive nature. I was pleasantly surprised to see her so strong in here. The real star of the show is Joaquin Phoenix, though, in most likely his most intense and best role to date. Living through pure id, tendency, and instinct, Freddie Quell is basically a wild animal in need of taming. It’s fascinating to watch through breaking and development, but what makes it an even more intriguing performance to watch is the subtext and backstory behind it. Freddie was damaged by the war he just came home from, and he is lonely and heartbroken by a lost love. Through alcoholism and his action-hungry looseness make him a ticking time bomb of a threat, but an even more intimate and heartbreaking figure that you care for as much as you are fearful of. The Master is gorgeous and stylish, and still has Paul Thomas Anderson’s air of dark comedy present around it, but as a character study and through Joaquin Phoenix’s brilliant, disturbing performance, it became equally as important as There Will Be Blood, if not more personable. While it is intense and even disturbing in a different way, it still maintains a shell-shocking amount of heft that you won’t be able to shake off for quite a while, whilst trying to figure out what the hell you just watched. That aspect is what makes The Master so fascinating, and one of the best, if not the most intriguing, films of 2012.

(Here's my review! http://www.screened.com/the-silver-linings-playbook/16-207295/user-reviews/?review_id=6260) With his flaws and all, I still believe that David O. Russell is a damned filmmaking artist, and he’s only getting better with recent works like the Fighter and Silver Linings Playbook. With Playbook, he definitely proved that he may be about passion, vigor, and intensity when it comes to his drama and comedy, but it also showed that he has a soft side and can make truly beautiful films from all sides. His handle with a camera and editing are still as strong as ever, with harsh cutting and a camera that basically dances around the importance being portrayed. Usage of steadicam, handheld runs and tracking shots make for gorgeous, active movement that always impresses the eye. In terms of our subjects, the performances all around in this film are top notch, especially amongst our three leads in Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, and Robert DeNiro. All of which bring a good sense of humor to the table, but also are entirely capable of working their characters to their fullest strengths, in bringing them to their highest and lowest points. When they break under pressure and what plagues them emotionally, the fractured spirits amongst them are entirely believable and relatable, almost to the point wherein when you see them cry, it almost feels too real. Very impressive performances all around, even from the supporting cast. Silver Linings is also probably O. Russell’s strongest character story to date, dealing with mental instability, depression, and the humanity all at once, within his usual roster of passionate subjects. This is a sad conquest of romance, hopes, and dreams, and looking for the goodness in the world amidst all the hatred and tragedy that plagues these peoples’ lives daily. It’s a rough life to witness during progression, but it attaches you to these people, who otherwise would be cast out by anyone and everyone else. By the time their journeys are complete after such harsh vying for happiness, let alone general assuredness, this film turns into one of the most comforting, satisfying comedy dramas in quite some time. O. Russell knows how to treat an audience, and Silver Linings Playbook is his sweetest, most heartfelt and intense venture yet, with all the dark laughs and moments of commonplace awkwardness and tragedy to share. In the end, it feels like being with family, and even after all the bad things you’ve gone through, the good times are worth admiring, and looking forward to. It’s a perfect feel good film that lets you persevere with its characters.

Director Richard Linklater seems to have a great appreciation and knowledge of how ridiculous Bernie’s story is. In his approach to putting this tale to film, his tendency for dark realism and fun but heavily intriguing tone resulted in something deliciously fascinating. Part dramatization, part faux-documentary, Linklater almost runs Bernie off of this sort of greek chorus of natural-seeming townspeople from the stage our story takes place on. Their sense of humor through humanity is uncanny to the point wherein I don’t know if they’re real or actors- either way, it’s impressive and way too fun to witness. Within their league are Jack Black, Shirley McClaine, and Matthew McConaughey, who each hold their own in such perfect ways in pertaining to the attitude of the film. McClaine plays a beautiful bitch of a woman, and is delightful in how antagonistic she is- you love to hate her. McConaughey and Black are the real champions here, with McConaughey possibly being the funniest he’s ever been, while Black is giving the performance of his lifetime. Black as Bernie is of a humble nature that allows him to be as goofy as he usually is, but this time, it’s justified. Bernie’s charisma and loving nature plays perfectly into Black’s sensibilities of bravado and bombastic energy, but also require some push from him as well, and boy does he deliver. Black’s honesty and delicate nature through playing Bernie as a businessman, man of faith, and friend is impressive and believable in such a way that if it wasn’t for the fact that it was Jack Black playing the role with McConaughey and McLaine in tow, I’d almost believe that this was all real. But even with that, Linklater treats it like reality with a great amount of style and charisma that makes Bernie as interesting and fascinating as it would be if it were real. There’s enough laughs and intrigue here to make it even better than a full-on documentary. Bernie is a weird dark comedy that you won’t be able to stop thinking about for quite some time, and that’s for good reason.

(Here's my review! http://www.screened.com/indie-game-the-movie/16-207641/user-reviews/?review_id=6267) This documentary highlights everything I love about being an artist and about loving art in general. Indie Game: The Movie treats lightly but truthfully the world of video games from all ends, be it the fans on forums or the developers in bedrooms and big offices. It’s a perfect portrait of this constantly booming scene of different kinds of people that are ultimately just fans at heart. Directors Lisanne Pajot and James Swirsky decided to find story in the trials and tribulations of three indie game developers: Jonathan Blow (Braid), Phil Fish (Fez), and the duo of Edmund McMillen and Tommy Refenes (Super Meat Boy.) Their tales are that of hardship, whether it is through lack of support, people misunderstanding their aim, or general disappointment with the cards that life is dealing them. It’s equal parts fascinating and endearing, as despite how you actually feel about video game, the core of this film is about human nature- our desire to create, to love, and to be loved. The subjects of the film are interesting and intriguing enough to maintain focus on their own- they’re passionate people that’ll grab your attention with their intelligence, charisma, and vulnerability. Indie Game: The Movie easily makes accessible what normally seems like a bit of a niche crowd and topic. I definitely have a special appreciation for this film, but I think anyone can find something what is great about it. There’s enough style and intriguing attitude to help keep afloat what is already an interesting world with interesting stories. Throughout, it’ll have you feeling everything for these protagonists, and it might even inspire something in you. It sure did for me, and that’s just one aspect of why I love this little documentary.

Mike Birbiglia does his fascinating story even more justice with the film format, both in front of and behind the camera, in very Woody Allen/Louis CK-esque jabs of heartbreak and warmth. Visually, ‘Sleepwalk” is a treat in every corner, with Birbiglia really stretching himself on his first run as a director, with impressive strokes of genius here and there. Written unconventionally in a fresh manner, we’re truly told a story, but one that we still feel engrossed in as we see it play out in both comedic and dramatic ways. It’s 100% true in its heart, admirably so. It’s a very low-key movie that almost works like a heavily one-sided conversation, which may not seem like a good thing, but with Birbiglia treating you to a tale, only good and entertaining things can happen. Even as a straightforward narrative, Mike develops his characters and stories at steady paces, even when he tries to pack as much of the full story in as possible. He does an admirable job of juggling, and in the end, we get a truly pleasant movie to watch, and in many ways, interact with. I also don’t think I’ve ever wanted pizza after watching any other movie. Ever.

I’m going to tread water cautiously here, as I just want to be fair to anyone who has not seen this film. Cabin in the Woods is a unique horror comedy that approaches the genre like no other movie before it. The script by Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon goes to a place that movies in general just don’t go that often these days, and it revels in the ridiculousness of the world it plays within. Messing with stereotypes and clichés in the best, self-aware ways possible feels fresh as opposed to tiresome, and the cast of your horror film standards does a fair amount of justice to their characters without being full-on caricatures. They work toward the self-aware blows given throughout, and by Drew Goddard’s sure and steady direction are allowed to have some fun. Most notable in our cast of players are Bradley Whitford and Richard Jenkins, whose roles I’d rather not discuss, but will say are performed to dead-pan perfection. Another highlight is found within Whedon regular Fran Kranz, playing Marty the Stoner. All others do well in their roles, sure, but Marty is such a beloved character that I can’t help but give him some respect in his downright hilarious performance. Honestly, kudos to everyone involved here. The Cabin in the Woods is a special film that I’m really glad exists, and I hope that Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon will continue to bother going outside the box, because this is a great, fun sign and example of the possibilities at hand.

(Here's my review! http://www.screened.com/the-comedy/16-207846/user-reviews/?review_id=6235) The Comedy is a very, very rough movie. Rick Alverson’s slice of negative life shown through Tim Heidecker and his brilliant, bold performance makes for an entirely perplexing viewing experience, but one that you can’t help but be amazed by. This film is exactly what people mean by a car crash in slow motion- you can’t help but stare. The simple direction approach taken by Alverson helps heighten the fascination to be found in performance, both dialogue driven and purely through body language. Heidecker and friends like Eric Wareheim, James Murphy, and Gregg Turkington find theirselves in truly absurd conversations that are funny, but from a more outside perspective, it’s just intriguing to witness and hear. It’s impressive character work as much as it is great improvisational abilities. They apply their weird anti-comedy sensibilities for the sake of something bigger and harsher. In Tim’s case, we’re dealing with a very broken, mysterious character whose intentions, motivations, and emotions are very much a mystery. The polarizing under-spoken and over-exaggeration with which he plays his disturbing character turns a character study from aimless to experimental, leaving the audience as observational scientists just trying to put together what the hell is going on in this guy’s head. At once, the film is also a deliciously dark comedy that looks beautiful through and through, but the truly important and impressive part of The Comedy lies within what it says without saying anything. Watching Tim Heidecker wield loaded blank expressions and insultingly ignorant words in order to try and find purpose in his life through Alverson’s distanced but busy handle is a challenging practice, but that’s exactly why The Comedy is so special, let alone important.

I’ve always been in the Ben Affleck fan boat, but now I’m especially hanging on since that lately, he’s been growing and growing into more of a damn good director, and Argo is his best work so far. Argo stretches Affleck’s abilities in thriller sensibilities, and helps showcase some great style and capability when it comes to pacing action and intensity. The last 30 minutes of this film still stand out as some of my favorite filmmaking and movie watching of the year. Truly impressive stuff that keeps you at the edge of your seat, always intrigued. Affleck also handles an ensemble like a pro. The various players involved from many angles in this film do a great, natural justice to their performances, more specifically in the performances of the 6 stuck in Iran, who convey impressive levels of fear, anger, intensity, and emotion. Heavy hitters like Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, Alan Alda, Kyle Chandler, and of course Ben Affleck do well as they usually do, and help keep this thriller afloat through its intriguing world the script built and portrayed. Affleck’s affection for plan building sensibilities and this world of fake filmmaking in the 70s make the build-up of the plot and exposition equally as fun and exciting as the latter half of the film when actual business goes down and gets dirty. He treats the entire situation at hand with heft, keeping you the viewer concentrating through and through. Maybe the patriotism played at points could be a bit much, but in contrast to the more hectic and intense moments of the film, they work in terms of downplay and coming down from a great climax. What Affleck does with Argo is truly impressive and appreciative, and just another great sign of his ever-growing talent as a filmmaker, and even as an actor, as well as the high levels of talent within everyone involved.

(Here's my review! http://www.screened.com/wanderlust/16-198526/user-reviews/?review_id=5616) David Wain is just getting better and better as a comedic filmmaker, and Wanderlust is a perfect example of what he can do really well. Combine strokes of filmmaking and comedic insanity found familiar in the likes of Stella or Wet Hot American Summer, and sprinkle some genuine heart and a decent relationship story reminiscent of his work on Role Models, and you’ve got what Wanderlust pulls off, to very impressive ends. Wain’s handle on comedic timing and pacing, along with visual gaggery and insanity is nothing but improving with time and work. Wanderlust is full great audible and sight gags that can make the sharpest eye keel over crying with laughter. But again, like in your standard David Wain affair, the actors really manage to steal to show with all of the weird performances and quirks they deliver upon. The comedic cast in Wanderlust has no end in its list of impressive, very talented and funny names. Paul Rudd, Joe Lo Truglio, Ken Marino (who damn near deserves every single award known to man for his performance), Kerri Kenney, Justin Theroux, Jordan Peele, Kathryn Hahn, Lauren Ambrose, Jessica St. Clair, Todd Barry, Michael Ian Black and Showalter, Malin Akerman, and Alan Alda are just the tip of the iceberg, and even Jennifer Aniston manages to hold her own amidst the ridiculousness going on. Though at the core, we have Rudd and Aniston playing a troubled couple desperately trying to get by. Their chemistry is strong, but they do even better on their own when playing with others. The collective of comedians at work here is beautiful to witness in progress, as they’re all masters at their craft spouting out Wain and Marino’s ridiculous words and ideas with absolute glee and energy. Everyone involved with Wanderlust seems to be having an absolutely blast of a time, and that factors into how much fun the film actually is. It’s as great as any of Wain’s other works, if not probably one of the better projects. And with the help of Judd Apatow and some experience under his best, Wain managed to make Wanderlust very sweet and reasonably heartfelt, to which it leads up to at proper and well-developed pace. Wanderlust works from many angles, and is an absurd, fun, and sweet comedy that proves that David Wain is a comedic filmmaking force to never stop watching out for.

(Here's my reivew! http://www.screened.com/killing-them-softly/16-204936/user-reviews/?review_id=6273) Films about businessmen always fascinate me. What Killing Them Softly does is tell a story about business wherein the business is killing, and dammit, does it succeed in being intriguing, smart, and flat-out cool. Director Andrew Dominik applied his style well to the little bits of action to be found throughout the film- they’re lingered upon in an observational light that adds to the idea that this is a business. We’re witnessing men at work, which just happens to be bloody. This story is filled with a great cast of characters, carried through by a strong cast of character actors. Scoot McNairy, Ben Mendelsohn, James Gandolfini and many more play different kinds of criminals and different types of men. All of which basically stand in the way of Brad Pitt’s character of Jackie Cogan, who wants nothing but cleanliness. No emotions, no connections- only killing who needs to be killed. His distanced performance is fascinating, especially when playing with Richard Jenkins’ Driver character- the two of which are the centerpiece of a messy, weird, and partially humorous crime deal gone wrong. It’s interesting and strangely fun, as much as it is intense to watch play out. Dominik’s artistic stroke is as beautiful as ever, especially in dealing with such an interesting perspective of a story. The film may get preachy throughout its run time, but if anything, that shows that it is a passionate film that packs a punch with only a few gunshots to dish out. Like any good sparingly violent film, when it hits, it hits HARD, and is fun and fascinating in the process. Killing Them Softly isn’t exactly a shoot ‘em up, but has a lot more worth to it, and has a sort of cult edge to it, which I hope is maintained in coming years, because the film damn well deserves it. Wanderlust: David Wain is just getting better and better as a comedic filmmaker, and Wanderlust is a perfect example of what he can do really well. Combine strokes of filmmaking and comedic insanity found familiar in the likes of Stella or Wet Hot American Summer, and sprinkle some genuine heart and a decent relationship story reminiscent of his work on Role Models, and you’ve got what Wanderlust pulls off, to very impressive ends.

Making a film based off a ridiculous ad inquiring a little too seriously about time travel could easily make for a simple, possibly insulting comedy about a crazy person. New filmmakers Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly go the exact opposite way and make something very beautiful in Safety Not Guaranteed, which turn something that is just blatantly funny into something sweet and with emotional purpose. The film deals with themes of regret, wish-fulfillment, sadness, hope, and friendship in beautiful, but still successfully humorous ways- the truth underneath it all keeps it in check. With such a great cast, the film’s ideas are conveyed perfectly, within the characters of Aubrey Plaza (who does justice to her standard dead-pan demeanor by taking it farther), Jake Johnson, and Mark Duplass. Johnson gives a surprise turn in morphing a seemingly sleazy plot into something sad, and in the end really executing the hurt through his character performance. The real highlight here is Mark Duplass, actor and filmmaker responsible also for this year’s Jeff Who Lives at Home. The similarities between Jeff and Safety Not Guaranteed lie within a sort of misfit sense of hopefulness, in that there’s something more- they’re movies about dreamers. Mark sells being this seemingly crazed/troubled character from all angles, from the weird sense of charisma around him, his questionable but confident intelligence, and most importantly, his heart, which is so dedicated and set on doing something good. It’s an equally sad and funny film about human beings and their tendency to wish for happiness. Safety Not Guaranteed sure does end up being funny, but in the right ways, not antagonizing anyone. As well, it ends up being something even more- something special. It’s a film with soul and spirit that begs you to be vulnerable along with it- trust me, it’s well worth it.

This film is one hell of an adventure, and showcases probably one of the best coming of age stories in quite some time. The story it tells is a unique one about bravery, loss, and becoming the best that you could be. It’s a heartbreaker without much uplift until the post-storm calm, which takes a while to get to, through the intensity, sadness, fear, and so forth that is handled perfectly throughout this journey. First time director Benh Zeitlin tells and captures a story that you just need to see to believe, frankly. Visually, the style Zeitlin applies feels just right. The beautiful handheld sensibilities of the visual direction make for very spastic and frantic pacing and intensity throughout the more heart-racing moments of the film. It’s an absolute marvel to witness. Supporting actor Dwight Henry holds a harsh, powerful role that challenges the audience, as much as he does challenge our lead character, beautifully portrayed by newcomer Quvenzhane Wallis. Her performance as the ever learning, changing, and exploring Hushpuppy will steal your heart and soul with ease, smash it with a hammer, then nurse it back to health. The tale of Hushpuppy is not an easy one, especially for the emotions. It’s somewhat of a rollercoaster that really goes places and makes you feel… a lot. Her tale is a personal one, and is perfectly captured as such. That personal edge pays off all the way through to the end, and makes Beasts of the Southern Wild a truly beautiful experience, that surely will leave you in tears, or at the very least feeling good by blackout.

(Here's my review! http://www.screened.com/the-do-deca-pentathlon/16-207835/user-reviews/?review_id=6194) Either big or small, I wholeheartedly look forward to any and all Duplass Brothers projects to come. The Do-Deca Pentathlon brings the brothers back to their lower budget dramedies, this one being about family, and being very successful at it too. It perfectly highlights all of the awkward tension, drama, and weirdness that comes with being a blood-connected unit. Mark and Jay do a great job in pulling the best out of their actors while working with heavy amounts of improvisation, especially from their leads Mark Zissis and Steve Kelly. The chemistry they share is impeccable and brings naturalism to a whole other high. They deliver on the humorous aspects of their relationships, but also deal well in respective character work, and in developing their selves throughout the film, pulling perfect bits of spontaneous humor and drama at just the right times. The Duplass filmmaking sensibilities comes back and with a zoom-happy vengeance, but works really well in this case. The documentary style is applied well to this home-grown tale, and doesn’t really interfere, but rather helps heighten both the comedy and more emotional moments. Sure this is a scaled back version of what Mark and Jay Duplass can do with a movie, but it goes to show that they can do a whole lot of great with little on their hands. The Do-Deca Pentathlon shows their complete worth and great levels of talent as storytellers and filmmakers, doing as they do best in capturing weird, true slices of life with a heart always at their core.

Video Games mean a lot to me. They’re an important part of my life that I hold near and dear to my heart. To see it so well captured and treated in Wreck-It Ralph, I was absolutely pleased as punch, especially considering how it exceeded all my expectations generally as a movie. It’s got a lot of sweetness and heart to it, with an interesting character based tale on its shoulders. Wreck-It Ralph works its emotions and characters with grace, if not played slightly for children. There’s still enough spirit and heft to appeal and work for all ages, which I think it really does. Honestly, it works and is one of my favorite Disney movies of late, which may be obvious due to the subject matter. It’s a clever film that deals with its properties in a unique, really interesting way that made me just want more. The world the filmmakers created is so fascinating and crazy that I feel that so much more fun could be had, and so many other kinds of tales could be told- it’s like Toy Story all over again. The film’s cast is filled with heavy comic hitters that do more than expected of them, of which many audiences and myself are sure appreciative about. John C. Reilly, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch, and Sarah Silverman, among many others do great work, especially in the case of Reilly and Silverman. Reilly does comedy and drama well as usual, but Silverman plays somewhat of a tragic, adorable little character and sells it in a way that gets her sensibilities in there, but also works for the whole piece as well. It was really impressive, just like practically everything else in this film, from the beautiful opening short film to the sweet, uplifting ending of this crazy adventure. Clever, heartfelt, and purely fun, Wreck-It Ralph should be beloved, and should be so for quite some time. I sure hope this isn’t the last we’ve seen of Ralph and his friends.

Magic Mike is through and through a great dramedy, similar to Paul Thomas Anderson’s Boogie Nights. It’s stylish, funny, and a good amount of entertainment, but at a certain point, it bothers to really worry about its characters, and in just the right way. Steven Soderbergh does a great job in directing character, story, and tone through his constantly flashy but none too distracting technical handle. It helps serve the before and after of fun until bad things happen. The harsher moments of Magic Mike are captured in usual Soderbergh fashion, with a visceral attack on drama that feels awkward but true, and ultimately necessary. It’s really well done, and in comparison, the quicker paced, higher spirited excitement of the good times work objectively and through enjoyment- it maintains an energy that is hard to pull off, and is very impressive here. Plus, it’s just a sweet film in the end, with all the character work actually paying off appropriately and in perfect strides. To bring the Boogie Nights comparison back, the ensemble cast involved in Magic Mike is all around terrific. It’s a weird crowd we deal with, though our main players maintain their personal truths through and through, especially and surprisingly in Alex Pettyfer, Matthew McConaughey, and Channing Tatum, who really takes the cake here. McConaughey and Pettyfer do great work, but Tatum really impressed me with his performance, in putting on his… weird sense of charisma that he has, along with putting some real heart and personality into his character. He does a great job in delivering on the film’s equal blows of heartbreak and uplift, ultimately doing well representing Magic Mike’s tone and point as a film, for which it is absolutely worth watching. Please don’t let its subject deter you- if it turns you off, know that it’s played really well for humor and character, and isn’t the only thing the film has to offer, among its many other great features.

This is one of those cases wherein I’m not entirely sure when I should classify a film on here as a 2011 film or 2012 film. The Raid: Redemption was released for me this year, so I will count it as such. I’ll take this opportunity to just flat out state it- The Raid is one of the best, craziest, and most ridiculous action films I’ve seen in quite some time, if not ever. Its action scenes, in both hand-to-hand combat and with gunplay, are orchestrated brilliantly and brutally. How director Gareth Evans captures the bloodshed is stylish but equally as decisively and perfectly choreographed in its flow and scope. Fast, flashy, as intense as the violence itself- its precision is exactly what was needed. Even the music, as scored by Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda fit the tone and aggression of the tale perfectly. It drives the action like a constantly active situation. The film fits to the feeling of a video game of sorts, through its quite literal level structure that gets more and more intense as it progresses. Sure, it isn’t the most dense film narratively, but the little story it does have is serviceable, and its presence is well worth it through to the end. At least it sets up good possibility for sequels, right? As long as they’d be as absurd, fun, gut-wrenching, and punch-drunk insane as The Raid: Redemption, I think it’d be nothing but a good idea.

Movies about individual survival really cut to my core with ease. The personal approach to pure physical, emotional, and mental capability being tested, not to mention spiritual worth and strength being left in the balance, are ideas that when played with, I find to be really fascinating and emotional, especially if well handled. Life of Pi does well in observing these themes, and puts its impressive visual prowess, and the strengths of its lead actors to good use in making an intriguing adventure with a heartbreaking, and heartwarming core. From all corners, this film is flat-out beautiful. Ang Lee’s style hits hard with the colorful, sweeping visuals and justified use of effects, making this open-watered hell and all its contents look as serene as it is isolating. The worlds Lee created on land and in the middle of the ocean are often beyond words, and make perfect use of 3D technology. On the storytelling side, the film is equally as hefty. It deals with tragedy, loss, spirituality, and relationships in many unique, personal ways. The movie is reminiscent of the likes of 127 Hours and even We Bought A Zoo, both for very obvious reasons, but I consider it to be complimentary. Both those films are impressive on how they cover humanity at its highest and lowest points, and the beauty to be found inside the human spirit, and even in nature, alongside the viciousness within- they’re gorgeous portraits. Life of Pi is equally as strong in those aspects as those films are. It has a great amount of spirit and heart in it, and for that, I think it is beautiful, and worth watching because of so.

Cloud Atlas is a bold movie that I won’t forget for quite some time. I always admire the mixing of various stories, even if it isn’t entirely well done- it’s a risky move that may not always pay off, but at least introduces some good ideas. The Wachowski’s (and Tom Tykwer’s) newest tale takes this step with a strong, unique story, and gave it some special life, through intertwining multiple stories through multiple periods of time. In the end, I felt like it worked, or was at least worthy of some respect. Cleverly playing with about 8 or so recurring players throughout the various periods of time, the film is really impressive from a filmmaking and storytelling perspective in connecting and weaving through the worlds. Technically, it’s a definite achievement. What the directing/writing trio set out to do is executed quite brilliantly through respective production design and development, not to mention through very strong, varying performances. All of these aspects collide together in a very romantic way, be it through love or just pure passion. The film has a lot of heart in it, and it is delivered in very sweeping, emotional ways that pay-off fantastically in the end, even if you are taking a bit of a stretch in enjoying the film. But again, while it’s merely my opinion that this film felt correct in all of the crazy things it tries to do and in all of the beautiful things it tries to say, no matter what you feel about this film in the end, I can’t help but feel that it’s entirely worth respecting.

I’m not a musical guy. I’m sure this isn’t the first time you’ve heard that, but it’s true. I see the appeal, but can never really get into it. I always feel like there is a lack of genuineness that comes with the style, as if it’s all about pandering and lacking in subtlety. Tom Hooper’s take on Les Miserables has me second-guessing that opinion, because if this is what can be done with musicals, then color me interested. The grand scale with which Hooper brings upon this tale is mind-boggling- fantastical to a degree that feels magical but entirely fitting. With performances and capturing such, a strong level of intimacy is used to approach singing performances and all. The various aspects of Les Miserables, including its story, style, performances, and music, surprisingly never get in the way of one another, and thanks to such a talented cast and crew under Hooper’s strong direction, it ends up being everything and more that the original story could deserve out of artistic reverence and respect.

I’ll be honest, I was very nervous walking into Jack Reacher. The trailer painted it as some sort of trailer super-cut of generic Tom Cruise based action thrillers with charm and insanity. Then I remembered that those are kind of awesome. And then I was surprised to see that Jack Reacher actually had a bit of a unique edge to it that made it stand out in the end, while still maintaining a high level of fun that surpassed all of my expectations. Jack Reacher is the slap in the face that I needed to remember that action films can be well done and be fun at the same time. A majority of the film just felt very in control, but also loose enough to be enjoyable and indulge in some of the more ridiculous bits of action standards. It also helps that there’s a spirit behind the film that is personal without being preachy, other than about general right and wrong. The underlying attitude throughout toes a very sensitive line, and succeeds in balancing fun and passion all at once, keeping your attention quite decently as it goes on and develops. Be it through Tom Cruise’s enjoyable charismatic presence, Werner Herzog’s ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY PERFORMANCE, or the well-done action and pacing throughout this detective-like thriller, I found myself enjoying a lot of, if not all of Jack Reacher, and pleasantly surprised that I did.

Judd Apatow’s approach to life and honesty in capturing it is probably one of the more admirable things going on in Hollywood currently. Some call it self-indulgent, but others and myself seem to find it brave, intriguing, and fun because of the realities involved. This is 40 is probably his most autobiographical work to date. If it wasn’t for some occupational plot points and the casting of Paul Rudd (and other celebrities), this seems to be more or less Apatow’s actual life. It’s an assumption (made by many), sure, but I think it roots in how well this film works for what it is- a portrait of a currently active family, with its highs, lows, and all. As the audience, we simmer in the humorous but visceral awkwardness and angst thrown around, and it sticks, because of how genuine it is. The kids are cute, Leslie Mann does what she does, but seeing the family dynamic in play is fascinating and almost beautiful to watch, especially when shit hits the fan. Apatow, as usual, did a fantastic job of balancing drama and comedy, blending them through even more blurred lines that impress in their neutral attitude. Many scenes can be accepted in different ways, and I love that Apatow and his crew of very talented and funny actors pulled that off. Even though Pete and Debbie weren’t my favorite characters from Knocked Up and they continued to not be the most likeable characters ever, the fact that Judd played with that gray area of likability through truth is admirable and enough justification to make a film about them. It’s his story, and I love that he made it, and it’s good realizing that in the end, I loved the story itself as well.

(Here's my review! http://www.screened.com/tim-and-erics-billion-dollar-movie/16-206984/user-reviews/?review_id=5497) Comedy movies really work well when the director and everyone on the crew are as funny as the people on camera or the script they’re working with. With comedians Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim directing this thing as they do for all their projects, expectations are easily met within the absolute insanity that is the filmmaking behind Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie. This movie is as subtle as it is audaciously ridiculous with no remorse for pushing you out of your comfort zone. Trust me, its an adventure that will leave a mark, whether if you’re a fan of their work or not. I feel like Billion Dollar Movie may be a good way to introduce people to Tim and Eric, but it’s also just a perfect example of how extreme these guys can be, meaning this is them practically at their best. Purposefully poor and eclectic filmmaking decisions, a story that they never back down from despite how ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS IT IS, a recently nuked 4th wall, trigger-happy improvisation sensibilities, and a tendency to go for the unexpected plague this film in the best way possible. Tim and Eric aren’t short on help in delivering their unique brand of… life. With the assistance of Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, Zach Galifianakis, Will Forte, and many others from their usual roster and newcomers, Tim and Eric made this film almost as a manifesto of sorts- this is what we are about, and we think it’s great, as do the fans. If you’re in, this movie is probably anything and everything you’ve ever wanted. If not, well, watch it anyway and film your reaction.

Hear me out… this movie is great. Director Timur Bekmambetov may have a hot streak for taking his films too seriously, but looking on his handle with Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, it’s clear that the tone he approaches his projects with is equally as fun, if not more so than blatantly spelling out how absurd everything is. Here, he fills the film with slow motion, style, and a strange amount of soul. There’s a spirit to this film- a certain energy that heightens the action and comedy within it, but also helps push the characters to a degree that makes them more worthwhile in following. The cast does some great, charming justice in holding up a film, especially considering how ridiculous the story they’re playing in is. They toe the line constantly, and are better off for it. Most of all, this movie is just pure fun, and the “dramatic” support from the side is decent and fun enough to follow, so much so that it doesn’t stop the momentum. I feel weird going in depth with this film. All I can really say is that it surprisingly works, and is a strong piece of entertainment. Everyone on board seems so heavily willing and up for whatever absurdities occur, and Bekmambetov’s style, being as ridiculous and fun as the general idea of this film makes a perfect pairing in execution. This is a strong film for midnight screenings and such- it has a cult feeling to it that I feel is really well deserved. There’s not much else I can say, you just need to watch it to believe it- this film is a good amount of fun that in the end is strangely but surely well done.

(Here's my review! http://www.screened.com/chronicle/16-199716/user-reviews/?review_id=5566) Chronicle broke the found footage motif of filmmaking. From this point on, the only way to improve upon this idea of perspective is unique usages of cameras or angles. Chronicle did something special, which is put a purpose behind the camera’s presence and usage, almost to a point where it is prominent in its dramatic importance. Granted, the various ways the camera is manipulated is developed in very clever ways, concerning character state and progress in their journey. Visually, the film justifies itself and proceeds to go above and beyond what was expected of it, to make one of the more impressive movies in general from this year. Its cast is strong and sells high school realistically, aside from expected drama. As well, the super hero angle approached from normal, dumb-ass kids doesn’t overdo itself or get too goofy. Filmmakers Josh Trank and Max Landis do justice to young adults, as well as an intriguing and well-handled origin action story. Dane Dehaan plays an emotionally stunted protagonist and handles his gaining of power and breaking of humanity really well- the blurred lines between revenge hungry monster and an angsty, hurt human being are walked along splendidly. The rest of the cast is quite strong, especially in Michael B. Jordan as Steve the popular kid, and Michael Kelly as the protagonist’s messed up father. As a whole, the cast does a good job in really selling everything as if this were the personal accounts of a depressed teenager just trying to make it through life… before he gets super powers. Both ends of that statement, action riddled and drama based, are really well done, enthrallingly so in Chronicle, which impresses and surprises consistently.

Skyfall starts off strong, literally, with its first visual cue and musical beat. But then it turns into something that feels somewhat standard for a little bit- felt like a Bourne film, if anything. It ends surprisingly, but the entire sequence left a trite taste that worried me. Thankfully, as soon as the first explosion goes right after a stylishly badass opening title sequence (which makes me think that from this point on in Daniel Craig’s career, he’ll only do films with really cool credits sequences and songs), all my worries were thrown away and replaced with sheer giddiness and interest. The film began to take on a sort of personal, passionate approach to its story and characters. It reminded me heavily of this year’s The Dark Knight Rises, in good and bad times. Hell, it’s even paced like one of Nolan’s Batman films, and this absolutely is not a bad thing. Sure, it gets ridiculous plenty of times and its ideas can leave some rolling their eyes, but how director Sam Mendes and cinematographer Roger Deakins capture these events is nothing short of intriguing and beautiful looking. Post the introductory chase sequence, Skyfall consistently looks gorgeous, and maintains fantastic balance between action and simply stunning and smart photography. Thankfully, it isn’t just a pretty looking bad film, as the script is quite good, and seems to actually bother with interesting themes and ideas in a strong way! But it’s especially well delivered by the entire ensemble. Judi Dench and Daniel Craig do fantastic jobs with their roles, mainly in adding a more human aspect to them than seen before, but the clear winner here is Javier Bardem, in unique, expected demeanor, kicking the crap out of a bad guy role and making the film his bitch. Outside of his role and the fantastic cinematography, Skyfall is bold and hits hard, making for a truly exciting experience that only gets more tense and crazy as it goes on. It’s absolutely ridiculous at points, but that’s absolutely part of its charm in the end.

(Here's my review! http://www.screened.com/21-jump-street/16-204452/user-reviews/?review_id=5662) 21 Jump Street is a comedic kamikaze attack. It’s a movie that is exhaustingly hilarious and clever, but is almost sneaking in how good it is, balancing out the perfect amount of comedy intake. Phil Lord and Chris Miller directed the living crap out of this thing, filling it to the brim with manic action and coverage of well-timed insanity. Their great filmmaking ability is heightened thanks to the entirely capable, brilliant cast. This group is just overflowing with talent, from its two perfectly paired leads in Jonah Hill and an impressive Channing Tatum, and down through the line of great players like Dave Franco, Chris Parnell, Ice Cube, Nick Offerman, Jake Johnson, and Rob Riggle. No member is out of place or does any wrong- they just do their respective part in making something just purely funny, and I’m happy to say they succeed. At the hands of Michael Bacall and Jonah Hill’s brilliant, self-aware tackle of a familiar kind of set-up, this film is purely under the label of impressive. The directors’ handle with ridiculous effects, editing, and other weird technical tropes, the actors going nuts on the improv scale, the great writing- it all really came out of nowhere, and more importantly, it all worked. In the vein of many Apatow and McKay comedies, this will be beloved for quite some time, and I am quite alright with that. In fact, I endorse it, because this film is bonkers fun, and great for it.

ParaNorman continues Studio Laika’s streak of beautiful stop-motion animation hits, and proves itself as my favorite animated film of the year. For starters, it is beautifully constructed and crafted. Little details always matter in animated films for me, and this film does a good job in making every single thing in frame count, be it for laughs or for context. With that, I must say that I’m once again impressed at the studio’s ability to create a really interesting world and do good things within it, like make a genuinely creepy kind of tale with emotional blows that feel genuine and well earned. As the film neared its third act, I suddenly realized that while this film is definitely clever and “Edgar Wright for kids”, it’s also by the people that made Coraline. From that point on, the film took on its dark streak with pride and a serious air that impressed more than it did daunt. There’s a heart at the very core of this film, especially for the misfits out there, and in delivering on making them the heroes, this film really won my love. As well, the film has a really strong script that proves a certain reverence for the genre that ParaNorman finds itself within. There’s an amount of love and respect for the spirit surrounding it, as well as the characters within it. Additionally sporting a quick-witted sense of humor, a score by Jon Brion (always welcome), a strong, eager to play cast, and a noticeable, admirable push to make something really special that’ll hit hard, ParaNorman is a destined classic.

The first part of Peter Jackson’s new epic adventure is an easily accessible one that drew me in quite easily. Its sense of humor and openness to setting out on adventures adds to a mystical air the film maintains throughout. Though it’s a grand journey our characters set out on, Jackson made it clear and crystal, all of the stakes at hand here, as well as each and every situation that arises. The crew we roll with on this adventure is filled to the brim with charisma and enough individual intrigue that makes the group mind even more interesting. At the head of the film, though, is Martin Freeman, as the affable Bilbo Baggins. As the unexpected hero, Freeman does well in being befuddled and confused. Though as he progresses, his character develops to braver, bolder ends, even if he’s still unsure. He makes for an easy to follow protagonist that you can really root for. The Hobbit is truly a technical marvel, impressing with its high quality CGI and exciting penchant for action. The cinematography flies through these complicated, well detailed locations and landscapes, giving you a good idea of the scale and intensity going on at all times. It’s gorgeous and exciting at once, in usual WETA fashion. It’s good to know that Jackson still has a great storyteller in him, and The Hobbit is definitely a great start to an intriguing, sure to be enjoyable trilogy.

Prometheus has a story that follows a common theme that I’ve really admired in various other films from this year, which is that it is about dreamers and people searching for something bigger than they are. This sort of core is encapsulated within a shell that showcases my favorite aspects of sci-fi horror- silent, stark imagery in which vastness is equally as frightening as close quarters. Ridley Scott’s capturing of the world within this film is casual, and only stylish in broad, but appreciative strokes, be it through camera movements or ingenious placement. This matched up against an interesting level and tone of excitement and intrigue, be it out of fear or discovery, makes the adventure that we’re following feel that much more exciting and new to us as it is to the characters we’re following. It’s impressive on a technical standpoint throughout, with which it helps establish a strong tone for a unique world. I think why many viewers were disappointed by this is because Damon Lindelof’s script sets up a lot of great questions and ideas, but in the end, most of them aren’t able to be taken into account. Though by this token, I felt it was kind of appropriate, and added a level of mystique and dark charm to the film. In a movie that’s essentially about humans wanting to literally meet their maker, it’s fair that there are some things that just stand in our way/stop us. Included, the drive to keep searching anyway is even more satisfactory. These themes aside, I think Prometheus has a lot of worth to it. It’s an adventurous sci-fi horror film that looks beautiful in establishing a gargantuan, mysterious world to explore and mess with the players involved. Speaking of which, the cast all around is really strong, especially within Idris Elba (as cool as a cucumber), Michael Fassbender, Logan Marshall Green, and Noomi Rapice. Each of these character revel in varying levels of humanity, and it is interesting seeing them interact and essentially toss around existential ideas. So take that, and a fascinating universe beautifully rendered and captured, and you’ve got Prometheus- a bold and gorgeous looking film with a lot of questions. Many aren’t necessarily answered, but that honestly shouldn’t deter you from such a cool, creepy, and fascinating adventure.

Like many others, I was very worried about Brave during the time leading up to its release. I felt it looked very gimmicky and like the humor came from a much more blatant place than we're used to in Pixar. I was so satisfied to be proven wrong upon watching it. I ended up really liking Brave, as it is a very sweet, funny, and exciting movie that looks absolutely beautiful on top of it all. As a tale about individuality intertwined with acceptance of the beauty of family, Brave has a lot of beautiful themes and ideas, of which it tackles in some unique ways. In a sense, I can see how where the film goes could make some eyes roll, but the end result it zeroes in on pays off perfectly on all of the promises it establishes early on. I can't say its the best Pixar film, but in many respects, its one of the more admirable ones to be made. Where it goes with its main character is special, especially in comparison to Disney's past princess tales, and in covering such an important topic like being yourself, the film absolutely succeeds. Along with that, it's fun, funny, and contains some of the most gorgeous landscape and closely detailed moments of animation and art design I've probably ever seen. Pixar did as Pixar usually does, and yet they went the extra mile as well. Brave has a lot of worth to it, and teaches some special lessons along the way. It's a strong, sweet film that will be beloved for a long, long time, and deservedly so.

Films about police officers in LA so rarely have the chance to be unique or have something new to them these days. It'll all be gritty and violent with a dramatic edge to it, but what else? WHAT ELSE, FOLKS?! How about you make one of the cops a filmmaking student? Dumb idea? Sure sounds like it, but dammit, End of Watch somehow makes it a fascinating, intriguing look into the lives of two police officers. More importantly, it's a look at two really good friends as their lives are constantly challenged and in danger. They've got love in their lives, and they have dreams/worries/fears- seeing them in such an intimate, almost frightening closeness really heightens the intensity and stakes at hand, in a clever, stylish way. Just when I thought found footage/first-person films were starting to get tired, this film makes some bold, interesting choices. It's an ambitious approach that isn't necessarily perfect, but its fascinating to witness playing out. What really makes this film worthwhile is the friendship at its core, between Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña. These two take chummy police officers to an entire other level, adding a sense of humanity that almost feels in another league compared to this film's conceit. Sure, they're headstrong, testosterone driven alpha-males, but when they really get close and bare all to each other, their characters suddenly become very special. They gain another dimension and a vulnerability that draws you in like a tractor-beam. You can't help but feel for these guys, especially as they break and desperately try to hold it together. What solidifies the strengths of these two though is when they're just being good friends. When they're joking around and just talking in the car or with friends, the chemistry between Gyllenhaal and Peña is so believable and delightful. Hearing Peña repeat a joke as if someone didn't just hear it is such a small but perfect detail that helps shine deeper into his character. It's very soul-bearing, well developed choices and details like that which make End of Watch a really strong, stylish action thriller that truly is about two well established and portrayed human beings in their best times, and at their worst times.

One aspect of Adam McKay productions that I absolutely love is that it seems like everyone involved with these films seems to be having the most fun while making them. The Campaign definitely is no exception, as it is ripe full of great scripted and unscripted comedy. Similar to The Dictator, this film seems like perfect playing ground for strong comedic actors to just mess around and toss around ridiculous ideas. With the likes of Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis, and Jason Sudeikis, the film is equal parts clever and goofy- what else could you expect from Jay Roach, who brought us the Austin Powers films? The Campaign is very much in this vein, and I've got to say, it still works. There's a bit of satire going on here, and it isn't too strong, but at the same time, it isn't being beaten over the head of the audience. Instead, the film just works as an easy to get behind comedic piece about two characters. Both Ferrell and Galifianakis are still in top-notch form, and pull off some great stuff here. Ferrell gets to go insane, as he is good at doing, and Galifianakis does his goofy Seth Galifianakis schtick, but adds a level of sweetness to the simpleness that works in building the character. In the end, I felt that The Campaign was just a strong comedy. Granted, I am a fan of comedy, and in many ways, I am easy to impress. Really though, this film is just pure fun, with not much else to aspire to. And that is completely fine.

Nearing the “end of his filmmaking career”, Steven Soderbergh seems to have been tackling different genres he hasn’t necessarily approached yet. With Haywire, he tried his hand at the spy-centric action thriller, with which I’m happy to say that he absolutely succeeded in doing. His unique style applied perfectly to this kind of film, and even improved many aspects of it, including the cadence of fight scenes and chase scenes, as well as the working of backstory concerning the protagonist and their plight. Considering the protagonist is female, Soderbergh also does a great job of not using her gender in the wrong way- in fact, it empowers her against her enemies, several of which consider her to not be formidable as a foe because of so. She proves them wrong… oh so very wrong. In delivering emotion, Gina Carano isn’t necessarily a pro yet, but she holds her own quite well, among a cavalcade of great actors who give great performances. But when looking at the action of the film, Carano absolutely wrecks it as an action star. Her work with fight scenes is impressive, brutal, and convincing. In this sense, Soderbergh’s direction of action really lets the players prove their worth. Great cinematography and pacing captures the endlessly impressive deliverance of violence without cutting too much or drowning the scenes with music. Instead, we’re treated to nothing but room-tone and the very detailed audio of impact and pain. The vantage point from which we see most of the chasing or fighting is perfect in placement and composition. We should expect no less from Soderbergh, but considering that it’s an action film, this is just really impressive as far as the genre goes. I know he might be stopping in the not too distant future, which is a shame, but based on his most recent films, I’d say that Steven Soderbergh will definitely be missed, but will leave behind a very impressive filmography from beginning to end, and Haywire is a strong presence on that list.

My entire life, I’ve had a strong affinity for stop-motion animation. The Pirates! Band of Misfits helped reconfirm my love for this kind of animation, by being an incredibly well made adventure of a film, with a great sense of humor and spirit. The deliberateness to the camera work and animation is impressive and really strong, with a great sense of style through color and fantastic design, not to mention the swiftness of movement. And like any good animation film, a lot of the visual gags and minute details make for a lot of the fun in the end. Aardman Animation’s work is impressive and well done as ever in this sense, as well as from the storytelling and performance perspective. The film, as the title gives off, has a great misfit attitude and mentality to it. It’s an exciting and funny story that goes to interesting, very clever places, especially considering it’s a one about pirates. Along with that, it is also a very sweet story about sticking together as a team and working to be the best you that you could be. Yes, it’s a kid’s film, but the entertainment value is as strong as a Pixar film would maintain, meaning it’s generally fun for the whole family. And with such a strong voice-acting cast with folks like Hugh Grant, Martin Freeman, Anton Yelchin, Jeremy Piven, Salma Hayek, and various others. They really have fun with the script, and help convey how ridiculous and fun of an adventure it is that they’re on. But as well, especially concerning the main crew of pirates, they deliver on how nice of a story it can be at its core. Fun and sweet is the name of the game, and with The Pirates! Band of Misfits, I’d say it’s hard to be disappointed.

While I don’t think it lives up to the likes of In Bruges or The Guard, Seven Psychopaths is a strong black comedy from Martin McDonaugh. It’s got an ambitious reach to it, mixing violence with an intriguing story about storytelling, more specifically screenwriting. Imagine Adaptation mixed with a Tarantino film, and you have Seven Psychopaths. It’s a fun, messed up film with a bloodstreak, as well as various really interesting ideas and things to say. The cast is full of nothing but winners in big and small roles, including Colin Ferrell, Sam Rockwell, Christopher Walken, Tom Waits, Kevin Corrigan, Michael Stuhlbarg, and many other pleasant surprises. At the hands of McDonaugh’s stylish directing and a tension/intrigue and trigger-happy script, the cast gets to play with heavy dialogue and ridiculously messed up but fun set-pieces, adding up to frankly unexpected ends. As good dark comedies normally do, this film has two sides to it. Though it doesn’t always succeed entirely in blending them, and the film seems to think it’s cooler than it actually is, Seven Psychopaths is a delightful dark comedy worth checking out. Just rule of thumb, the word psychopath loses its fun when it’s repeated over and over again.

There’s honestly not much I can say about The Avengers other than that I really enjoyed it, flaws and all. Joss Whedon’s direction of action and build-up, though there’s a lot of it, is stylish and manages to make things that feel already well established still feel interesting. Pushing through seemingly tedious moments throughout the film, the character development and chemistry amongst the main characters serves as strong enough to maintain focus and enjoyment. The cast is impressive, and works well as a group. Seeing these characters finally interact is a definite treat, and pays off all the way through. Not to mention, as soon as the action kicks in, in addition to the drama developed through characters and backstory, the mixture is exciting and a good amount of fun. Really, that’s why I liked this film so much- it’s a lot of fun with some interesting character stuff tossed around here and there, blended in with a fun action film. A good sense of humor and a good amount of spirit as well delivered by Joss Whedon and gang makes The Avengers an interesting superhero film and what I would consider a successful one. It’s a strong concept and delivery of this slice of the Marvel universe, and I cannot wait to see more.

Matt Walsh of the Upright Citizens Brigade made a seemingly trite concept something very sweet and very funny. Utilizing his improvisational comedy skills in directing and working with his actors/friends, he managed to put together a very naturally flowing film that balances emotion and absurdity in equal blows. Shot and edited like a documentary, the simplicity in filmmaking almost adds a level of charm to the story. It’s simple, but the zoom happy, handheld sensibilities work for this simple kind of tale, in helping capturing the many brilliant moments of spontaneity, be it in terms of comedy or drama. In front of the camera, High Road has probably one of the better comedy casts compiled in recent years, mainly in its utilization of popular and not too well known but incredibly talented personalities from the Los Angeles comedy scene. The list is endless: Abby Elliott, Rich Fulcher, Lizzy Caplan, Matt Jones, Ed Helms, Rob Riggle (who does some impressive work on an emotional side as much as he does with comedy), Horatio Sanz, Morgan Walsh, Joe Lo Truglio, Seth Morris, Joe Nunez, Brandon Johnson, Andrew Daly, Kyle Gass, Curtis Gwinn, and many more populate this strange, fun road trip of a film. At the head of it all, we’ve got James Pumphrey, who plays a goofy but loveable and passionate protagonist. In many ways, his character of Fitz reminds me of Jason Segel in Jeff Who Lives at Home- an airhead with dreams. His character is sweet, and the adventure he goes on is easy to get on board with, to worthwhile ends. Next to Pumphrey is newcomer and beloved star of MTV’s Teen Wolf, Dylan O’Brien. Dylan is talented on such a natural level that it’s almost unbelievable. Improv seemed to be first nature for the young man, who worked his character and the ridiculous world around him with ease, and when it’s time to be serious, he delivers on the character’s more dramatic side. Sure, it’s an absurd film with goofy-stoner expectations to it, but High Road ends up having a very sweet edge to it. Matt Walsh does well in blending honesty with ridiculousness, and in the end makes a very quick and simple, but very enjoyable and even valuable comedy with much more to it than meets the eye.

(Here's my review! http://www.screened.com/god-bless-america/16-207394/user-reviews/?review_id=5710) Bobcat Goldthwait is an increasingly peculiar filmmaker that constantly bothers to blend comedy, sweet and dark, with themes and morals that you’d normally find in dramatic films. Not to mention, the subject matter of his tales are usually quite challenging, normally being about something like, I don’t know, a woman giving oral pleasure to a dog, or a teenager accidentally killing himself while masturbating. God Bless America is probably his boldest topic to date, in sympathizing with a pair of spree killers. I am satisfied to say that he succeeds in making it entertaining and actually sweet- it’s probably the sweetest spree-killing movie ever. It’s ridiculously funny, has a good amount of style, and a passionate heart to it, from an opinionated level to the relationship between its two main characters. Between the more action heavy sequences and more emotional moments, Bobcat maintains a steady level of style with his visuals and technical that never overstay their welcome or detract from what’s going on. It’s great looking, but with purpose. As well, in standard Bobcat Goldthwait fashion, his motions toward having a big fat heart at the core of his stories come correct once again, in creating a charismatic and loveable pair of misfits (played brilliantly by Joel Murray and Tara Lynne Barr) who murder for the sake of niceness. Sure, the film can be a little preachy at points, but what it has to say is actually valid, and is delivered passionately, from the character perspective and farther outside from that. Let’s not forget that we’re talking about Bobcat Goldthwait here- this is a very funny film. But, and to positive ends, he bothers to go the distance and give his story and characters some purpose in their existence and actions. Through that and his various other great choices through direction, he makes God Bless America much more than your standard action comedy. It’s a very special, tender film about people killing bad people.

I’m a self-proclaimed manly man, truth be known (It’s a joke! I’m essentially a woman), but if a movie can make me cry, I feel that means there’s something special about it (or my life is quite rough at the moment.) The Sessions’ set-up seems almost too perfect and directed toward exact Oscar bait- disabled protagonist that overcomes hardships. I’m happy to say that Ben Lewin’s eccentric but honest approach to the subject of sexuality and humanity is far from manipulative or exploitative for the sake of an award. In fact, it turns it into something very personal and beautiful, not to mention strong, especially because of the impressive feat of making sex something more than, if not at all sexy, but instead highlighting the almost tear-jerking sense of humanity and sweetness that comes in intimacy and connection. Lewin’s simple and sweet direction and script gives well deserved space to the actors, who really earn praise here. Helen Hunt and William H. Macy give strong performances that act as much more than your standard side dramatic characters- their effects on our protagonist and his story are heavy and important. Macy’s character especially is well written and performed, as a personable priest. The smaller performances here and there from the likes of Moon Bloodgood and W. Earl Brown even hit the right mark, which helps keep everything surrounding the central performance strong enough to support it. That brings us to John Hawkes, who has been absolutely killing it career-wise recently. He’s done some very versatile work, and this is probably his most vulnerable performance to date. Playing a man living in an iron lung, with a somewhat crap card dealt from life, his sense of humor up against his own really close awareness to his own humanity and everything bad and/or beautiful around him is equal parts heartbreaking and heartwarming, but overall purely praiseworthy. As far as protagonists that use a lot of voice-over go, this one absolutely works, considering his handicap, wherein he thinks and writes more than he does motion. Of course, his facial language is well stretched and performed as well, but the delivery of his thoughts and words is even more beautiful to hear- it’s like poetry. When it comes to him and the actual sexual sessions he goes through, wherein he learns to make love and learn about his body, the scenes can indeed become awkward, but Hawkes’ performance up against Hunt’s sweet and tender mother-like demeanor is so vulnerable and nerve-wrecking, but pays off, just like every single factor in this film, once penetration and contact is made. Like this film, I don’t mean to be crass about the sex within it, but the absolute heft with which sex is treated is so unique and special that it almost brings you to tears just thinking about it, let alone watching it through a well directed lens and performed by one of the strongest actor working today. I can’t recommend seeing this film enough, honestly. Just be open, and you’ll get the best of it.

Rian Johnson never makes an easy film, and I don’t think he ever will. His films are dense from story and filmmaking perspectives, and his delivery constantly sticks the landing, then immediately punches you in the face. Looper is absolutely no exception, as it has an entirely welcome sense of style that helps deliver a complicated but interesting time-travel plot with many personal trappings within it. As usual, Johnson’s pacing and sense of rhythm is entirely intact, impressively so, making all moments of action, and even the quieter ones in between feel equally as strong, without beating you over the head with lavish visuals or technical trickery. Instead, the style helps the actors play out this personal tale within a very interesting world with ease. Joseph Gordon Levitt and Bruce Willis both hold their own and do a good job of conveying the same character from different perspectives. As well, we’ve got a hard-ass Emily Blunt, a surprising performance from child actor Pierce Ganon, Paul Dano, Jeff Daniels, and Noah Segan turning in good, charismatic performances as expected from a Rian Johnson film. If anything plagues this film, its that the time-travel based plot leads to intricacies and minute details that can confuse and mix things up. Johnson can’t really be blamed, as this kind of film is a complicated one to pull off, and other than some small chinks in the armor here and there, Looper ends up actually being very good and very fun from pure entertainment levels, and as well as a strong, impressive action thriller.

Take This Waltz is a unique film about romance that highlights an inherent humanity that many of us can’t even fight, but some somehow do- everything that’s new eventually becomes old. Sarah Polley’s quiet but visually loud direction helps convey such feelings, opposing our protagonist’s shifting feelings on two loves, one that she’s growing tired of, and the other just now blossoming into something special. On one side, we’ve got Seth Rogen, who has been really stretching himself over the years, proving that he can do drama quite well. In fact, in this film, he has probably one of the harsher scenes to deal with, and his performance is tender and heartbreaking beyond words- very impressive stuff. Here, he plays the husband to our protagonist who is so comfortably in love with her, while she feels unnerved from this, almost feeling stuck. On the other hand, we have Luke Kirby as the new, more handsome love interest that enters our protagonist’s life. Playing the brooding, impressive man in the mix, Kirby does a fine job in adding humanity to this somewhat trite kind of character. He’s genuine in his advances, even though his actions are absolutely what you’d expect from this guy. In the middle of it all, we have a conflicted, very strong Michelle Williams, whose unspoken mind-state takes up a lot of this film’s runtime. Polley’s choice to just observe her with the people in her life, and see how she deals with her thoughts and choices as an individual and partner is fascinating, and very human- very portrait-like. Williams does not hold back with her performance, even when her character is aware that she’s in the wrong- in fact, catching her in confused states of peril and emotional hardship makes up for some of the more interesting moments of the film. She wields her talents wisely and like a pro. Sprinkle in some absolutely beautiful technicals, a surprisingly strong side performance from Sarah Silverman, and an intriguing story with an intriguing thought behind it, and you’ve got Take This Waltz- a film that has a perspective on love that you don’t see every day, but is even more brutally honest than your standard heart-struck tale.

While I agree Family Guy has run its course, I am still in the boat that says Seth Macfarlane is a talented comedic mind, with a unique voice. Ted is a good example of Macfarlane's worth, as it is a strong comedy with many unique punches amongst predictable territory. When dealing with absurd comedy, Seth has a good self-aware step to himself, but it doesn't stop him from having fun and going the whole 10 yards with any bit of material. Ted is no exception, as many ridiculous things come about throughout the film, and though he has a hyper-awareness of it all, it doesn't hinder the spirit of any of it. Surprisingly enough, the script on a story level works, and has an endearing amount of heart behind it. The great thing is that none of it is ironic or with malice, despite the fact that some of the humor could be a little mean, if not intended with good spirits. I mean that's just Seth Macfarlane. I was just pleased that he bothered being heartfelt and stuck with it. As a director, he's got some talent! A lot of the more ridiculous moments are really well done and visually brilliant on a comedic level. I think he's got a good career ahead of him as a comedic filmmaker and writer. Ted is a perfect example of how good Seth can be- I'd say it's a stepping stone toward his best. It's a strong, fun, and impressive start, and I can't wait to see what else he has up his sleeve, because this is pretty darn good.