See this more than once...

After watching Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist last night, I was able to watch a borrowed DVD movie Once.  Between the two, the latter can be said to be the far superior movie hands down. Where the first film tries too hard to create romance between supposedly unfit for each other individuals, the second film is the adult version of a romance that can never be or has tried to be but both parties restrain themselves...And I respect that. In the end of the movie, Once gives the viewer a sense that these characters will never forget each other nor stop thinking what they've done for each other.  Both embark on an innocent affair-non-sexual but more spiritual, emotional all expressed with song. And being a romantic for music, this movie will always be on my "infinite playlist" if they had playlists for movies.

NOTED FEATURES THAT MAKE THIS ON MY FAVORITE LIST:

1. The riddle of love and how two try to find solutions to it

2. The music...my God, the music!

3. The authenticity of emotions

4. Emphasized the true meaning of the independent creative artist (e.g., film, musician, etc.)

5. The elements within the movie that remind me of myself-

     a. playing improvised piano

     b. jamming with a new friend

     c. doing recognizance in a music studio

     d. jamming in my bedroom

     e. the need to move on and follow my dreams, with validation from family

     f. the solace of the shore and the beach

     g. the isolation of airports

     h. composing new songs

There are some similar elements to the two movies above, such as friends packed in a car, music studios, and how music plays a major element in both movies. But where both lead male characters play guitar and make their own music, Once wins over with the female character able to keep up with the rest of the band...and sending the male character to potential musical success....And in that, she is the kind hearted one (see previous review). In a sense, the characters in Once are both kind to each other and their respective mates-whether estranged or separated.  But maybe its because they are adults and no longer have to play games.....

For life is too short to play them....

 and as said in the song Falling Slowly

..."and games that never amount to more than their meant

    will play themselves out...."

Beautiful movie. A must to watch over and over and over again :)

Where Is Fluffy?...And Who are They?

Music Makes Love Go 'Round

There are many who have passed scowls against this movie.  Perhaps my bias comes from my infatuation with my "ideal man" Michael Cera, particularly as Nick.  Focused on others vs. himself, I find that appealing. Unabashed at what others might think of him, he hangs with friends who happen to be gay and plays guitar as well as "synthetic" drums for them in their band. But as all heroes, we have our weaknesses. And his ex-girlfriend seems to warp his good natured self.  Until Norah becomes an accidental part of his life in just one night that changes them forever. They both find themselves better for having known each other.  The one scene I enjoy is where Norah talks about an aspect of Judaism that says the world is made up of broken pieces and its up to us to bring them together....to which Nick replies, "Maybe we're the pieces....Maybe we're the pieces." Nearly in tears, Norah is compelled by both the simplicity and profundity of this statement.  Love has blossomed in this moment! :)

The music is awesome. I will have to investigate the soundtrack.  As far as movie criticism, there are hints of old '80's teen romances, with dialogue such as when Nick says, "I don't like to wash my jeans. I like to keep the night on them." Corny? Perhaps. There is also this vibe of campiness similar to Adventures in Babysitting (which one has to admit was funny...), with the search for Caroline inside a Scooby -doo van of misfits that make up Nick and Norah's party.

I have to admit, on the Richter scale of comedy and laughs, the reading would have to be fair if not zero.  There are cute moments and you get a few guffaws and one major gross out executed all too well by a female no less.  But could it match the buzzworthiness of JUNO, on which this movie seems to ride its coattails? Maybe not.

But what this movie taught me is opening up again my heart to the possibilities of what life has to offer, and how certain decisions must be made...as in the end

"Are you sad that we missed it?" asks Norah.

"No," Nick quickly responds with a smile. "This is it."

And both of them ride the escalator in each other's arms kissing....

Yes, I'm a sappy romantic, even if it does seem outrageous and unbelieveable.

Dawning of the Knight

Initially I didn't know what to expect or feel when The Dark Knight hit the theaters.  So much buzz can soon become a buzzkill. And with the great chatter in the media about the late Heath Ledger's great performance, which has got some people thinking he'll be offered a posthumous Oscar nomination for his role in the latest Batman film, one watches with caution to make sure all the talk isn't hype.

Rest assured, Heath's performance is wonderful! But as a film in general, all aspects work well. Christopher Johnathan  James Nolan has unveiled the Dark Knight once again with the glory its comic legend deserves. Even though I'm not really a hard core graphic novel fan, it may be safe for me to say that no fan of the real Batman will be disappointed on how Nolan's Batman has evolved. Praise to Christian Bale for his performance as well.  Batman has many deep layers and though I feel that he keeps his emotions at bay, I still hunger and wonder if we'll ever see a tear come across the eyes of Bruce Wayne and his alter ego. But understatement must be his MO to be in character I suppose.

Technology is a plus here. The utilization of the advancement of cell phones and sonar capabilities has certainly upgraded Batman's artillery, allowing him to live up to his namesake, as bats navigate their surroundings in real life in similar ways through the use of bouncing sound waves.  I wish I could have batvision like in the movie...

But once again, I fall along amongst the crowd and have to praise Heath in another performance that people will refer back to years from now.  So much potential. I know lots have compared him to James Dean, and in some ways he matches the profile. But he was an individual in his own right, and in his acting that shines through.  His Joker is one you love to love, but you know you must hate because he is just diabolically insane! Testing the limits of good and evil, and pushing good to do evil...only an insane "genius" would think of that....

I love how Harvey Dent had evolved from being the White Knight and then suddenly deteriorated after losing the love of his life. What love must do to our way of thinking that it can tear our core and rip us inside out to the point that life is just left up to chance.  

And speaking of chance, leaving the fate of lives is extraordinary in this film.  I know I run heavy with spoilers here. But I will not ruin one scene here for you. Just remember that once you see it , you might start clapping at the end of it for it makes you still have faith in good. :)

Go rush into the night and watch this latest installment of Batman....It will keep you guessing what will be in store for future sequels...

FYI: Is it possible that Gordon's son could be the next Robin??? What is his name?...... Stay tuned:)

A Robot More Human Than We

This movie reminds me of a story idea I've been playing in my head for quite awhile.  It makes me think about how we as humans so attuned to our ways of commercialism have overfed their need for products which make them forget about their humanity. We sit in front of the tube and forget how to live our own lives.  We forget how to take care of our bodies leading them to unsafe diseases that may linger insidiously or present themselves more noticeably in preventable obesity.  We take for granted the waste that this commercialism produces or the excesses we create and how the world suffers in the end.

Enter WALL-E. I appreciate the above poster's byline: 700 years after doing what he was built for, he discovers what he was meant for....This speaks poetically about my own frustrations with life. Is life all "eat, work, sleep, repeat cycle"?...Isn't life more than that?  What is our TRUE purpose. I find that the intro, sans dialogue will divide movie going people from those who are hard on action and dialogue vs. the plain moving picture aspect with subtle emotions portrayed by character acting not heavily reliant on words.  I myself do not speak much and I find myself relating a lot to Wall-E with his routines and his treasures of sentiment (i.e., love for Hello Dolly and his longing for love). But his world is devoid of any contact with anyone or companion, with the exception of his pet cockroach. My life has become like this sense of symbolic complacency until .......WALL-E's routine is changed.

Prior to his "life changing" moment of meeting his true love Eve, he picks up a plant. This will drive the rest of the film, which on many levels is comical and serious depending on what plane of thought you wish to dwell on.  But I get ahead of myself. After a cute courtship between WALL-E and EVE, who by the way plays a wonderful game of playing hard to get (notice how many times WALL-E sheepishly tries to hold hands with EVE), WALL-E gives EVE the plant he kept as a token of affection...This sends off a remote alarm to EVE's ship which houses the newly colonized humans now vegging out in space.

It is a great commentary and warning as we see humans moving about in their personal bastardized versions of Segues that allow them to converse with people or watch tv non-stop while eating a meal in a cup!  In WALL-E's chase to find EVE back on her on home turf, WALL-E breaks the barriers that these humans are used to, allowing a couple to see their surroundings for the first time, one now enabled to see the beauty of the stars or finding out that they have a pool!  Even WALL-E brings back politeness as he teaches a robot how to say hello and goodbye with a simple wave.

Yes, there is a lot of heart to this movie ironically taught through robots.  Robots teaching humans to take better care of themselves and their home planet. Many others who watch this may or may not get this kind of proselytization, or even become convinced that there's more than meets the eye than just good entertainment.  What can be said is that movies still are able to make people think.

And I continue to do so until my own purpose is revealed :)

Ouch, that Smarts!

The beginning of the recent Steve Carrell feature film leaves one dry at first. Even the opening sequence left me thinking of my own ideas wishing the writers would have taken it to a further level (particularly since Mel Brooks was one of three consultants during the filming). The meeting of Anne Hathaway's character on first screen is a bit rushed without the believability that these two could have any tension between them...(but you'd be surprised...though the party scene is quite cute with Anne and Steve in a dance off).

Action wise, no room for disappointment, of course one must think how far can one go with stunts in a comedy before it becomes more cartoon vs. action film. The balance was good enough to make Steve look tough and competent. Watch him holding a gun, impressive! I wouldn't want Michael from the The Office hold a fire arm. That's something Dwight would probably tutor him on :) (nudge to The Office fans out there-smile).

Acting wise, well, one thinks whose vehicle is this? Steve's? Steve & Anne's? Well, though there are a lot of names Alan Arkin and Dwayne Johnson to name a few, who garner A+ grades for their performance required of their roles, I'd have to say as a whole ensemble, the acting team earned a B+. Sometimes I just felt there could have been better delivery of lines. Then again, I WAS the only one laughing at most of the film's dialogue, which might have been lost on the rest of the audience...Humor is really touch and go.

Overall, this wasn't a bad film, nor was it THAT funny enough to let me remember lines worthy of repeating. For fans with esoteric taste in comedy, however, this film may have enough fans to hope for a sequel....And that might not be a bad thing.

What Happened in the Happening...

This will be brief as this movie should have been. It felt like an overbudget film school project with a film student who had connections and just felt like writing producing and directing a movie with a thin and weak plot, if any at all. Over the top acting, even for Mark Wahlberg. Confused acting from Zooey Daschenel. A poor little girl in the midst of traumatizing scenes. A pun intended....overkill in every scene!...People against planet warning that the planet is out to get us?....Maybe better as a commentary that we'll end up killing ourselves in the end the way we treat the world, even each other....

This film may make you want to "kill yourself" for watching it. M. Night please, you need to make another Sixth Sense...I'm not Hayley Joel Osment, but the fact that "I see dead people" isn't adding anything to my experience to life after I walk out of the theater. In fact, I grew depressed....Oh no...it's happening....................Oh no.....It's..........>(died of senseless time wasted discussing movie that is senseless)

Vantage Point: My First Blender Movie Review

What is a "blender movie" you ask. A blender movie is a movie mixed with lots of elements borrowed or derived from other known and perhaps not so well known movies. The knowledge of whether or not a movie is an obscure reference depends on the movie goer and his frequency of film viewing. The more movies you've watched, the greater the chances you are to pick up the following references.

I picked Vantage Point as my first blender movie review because it recently reminded me of two other movies I have seen last month: Cloverfield and Untraceable. Though the former was a botch job in my opinion, some of its elements were used effectively in the section featuring the vantage point from Forrest Whitaker. Being a tourist, he uses his HDV camera to capture his vacation to Spain, particularly a visit from the president. When the president appears to have been shot, he soon chases down a man, who we are uncertain is good or bad at this point but is actually a cop for the mayor. Cut away views from the main character's viewpoint back to first person perspective would have probably been a better technique used in Cloverfield.

As for Untraceable, technology is once again so advanced, that well, do I give the entire film away? For both films, technology caters to our needs towards voyeurism. More morbid in Untraceable, Vantage Point awakens a fear that technology can be used for evil as well as for good, though here good seems to have failed.

Then there are bits and pieces of The Italian Job and the French Connection. I call it the Spanish Connection Job. Small cars chasing each other brings me hope in my plans to buy a hatchback in the future. Though never a Nissan fan, Dennis Quaid came out of that chase in superhero fashion. You must watch this, but it may be a little unbelieavable, particularly towards the end. Everything seems to culminate in a traffic accident, bringing most of all the characters featured together as in the movie Crash. All roles appear intertwined to afffect one another.

On a happy note, never before has an action film gripped my attention nor made me cry at the same time. There is some brotherly love as well. If there is a need to call Dennis Quaid a comeback star, this movie is an excellent one to relaunch his career.

SIDE NOTE: New technique used in this film for me is like a LOST'S FLASHBACKS. You won't be disappointed with the twists either.

Happy Blender Movie Hunting :)

Book Runner

If I haven't read the book, perhaps my emotional sentimentality would have been affected more by this film. However, this film misses a lot in terms of the internal voice that narrates the story in the novel, leaving the audience much to decipher what really is going on the in the head of Amir. Though the boy actors who portray Amir and Hassan are endearing in their parts, I do not feel that bond that needed to be established to really feel the guilt that Amir must have carried all his life.

Nevertheless, whether film or in book form, the story itself lends one to question the possibility of redemption and whether it is ever too late to be forgiven, even to oneself. Issues of tradition, honor, faith, and loyalty all make great themes in this tale. I myself would recommend the book.

Juno is Numero UNO!!!

Fresh and witty dialogue wins immediate success for first time but witty and intelligent screenwriter Diablo (Brook) Cody! A short review of this movie pays homage to the concise delivery of the movie's film's 90 minutes which economically shells out laughs, tears, and mini-morality lessons all in one. Wrapped like a pig in a blanket, the wity verbal exchanges shared between every character -from the eccentric parents, the troubled young couple, and the growing teens on the verge of accidental adulthood-envelops the film's meaty core. The essential message seems that without any support, whether from family, friends, or significant others, life can be pretty crappy when crap gets slapped in your face! Words really cannot put my feelings into perspective in the way I had hoped....(Curse you Diablo and your writing genius which makes me feel unworthy of writing!)....

You just must go out and see this film.!!!

__________Overlyhyped movie of the month:.........CLOVERFIELD..........................................
This ad says it all. Overly mysterious to the great dissappointment this derivative art form has become. A throwback of Blair Witch Project without the chills but cheap thrills one might expect from an amusemnt park ride...If they had made this a 3D feature, perhaps I'd be more forgiving. Great angles allow for great opportunities to immerse the audience into the action. Funny J.J. Abrams didn't think of this. The director of this film should seriously think about doing a reedit before even considering a sequel...but let's hope the monster in the end this time has won! :)....

The first nail to seal the fate in which I lay to rest this film in the coffin it deserves to rest in: The size and proportion of the Statue of Liberty's decapitated head out in the streets of Manhattan to that of the screaming people running around it....Can I say "student film"?