Revolutionary Road 4 stars. Dicaprio should’ve got the Oscar. He does things in this movie, they’re just incredible. Not huge over the top stuff, but layers on top of layers of emotion and complexities and subtlety all over his face and his body language and his eyes. I feel like most actors should be on TV talking about hair fibers and exit wounds. That being said, the movie is also very good. Maybe it has to do with my own personal relation to the themes (wanting more than the American dream, never resigning to life) and maybe because it’s such an intelligent drama(a rare thing). It’s never one sided, you can’t easily judge anyone in the movie, it’s not about unreasonable emotional repression, nor about painfully un-self aware characters(all the things I was scared about going in). Beautifully lit by top 5 cinematographer Roger Deakins(No Country for Old Men) and Sam Mendes proves that he’s best at character work(American Beauty) as opposed bigger films(Jarhead). It’s going to be a tough one for the married couples, but I think it’s great. **One note. I despise composer Thomas Newman. He did one great score(The Shawshank Redemption) and every subsequent score always uses simple piano and lots of strings. American Beauty, Road to Perdition, Cinderella Man. Listen to them again. It’s all the same tricks. I hate you!
Appaloosa 2 1/2 stars. Everything I was worried about. Ed Harris isn’t much of an action director. And if it’s not Unforgiven or Deadwood, then it’s going to be a subpar Western. It’s not even that fun like Tombstone is or Clint Eastwood spaghetti westerns. Viggo is wasted. A disappointment all around.
Vicky Cristina Barcelona 2 stars. I think the last Woody Allen film I really liked was Melinda and Melinda four years ago. It all sounds the same. And there’s always an irritating female character saying lots of things. Go rent Annie Hall.
Max Payne 1 star. Blade+Se7en+Constantine-Quality=Max Payne. The trailer is fantastic. The movie is as dull as Mark Wahlberg.
The Rocker 2 stars. Nothing particularly special about it. It’s better than most Hollywood teen movies. I just wish it was a bit more different. Apatow has made the other comedies seem tame and amateurish. Emma Stone from Superbad is added to the list of Girls Geeks Love. That list includes Natalie Portman, Jaime King from Sin City, Rose McGowan, Kristen Bell, and Lindsay Weir.
The Wackness 1 1/2 stars. One of the ugliest lit films I’ve ever seen. I couldn’t get over the main character’s ridiculously thick New York accent. It may be about the mid 90s but so what. Another strong willed flirtatious girl with an insecure geek guy. It’s THE cliché for the 21st century.
Zack and Miri Make a Porno 3 stars. A lot better than I expected. It’s sad that Kevin Smith will never make a movie as good as Clerks or Chasing Amy, but this one is pretty good. A lot of raunchy stuff(hey the word Porno is in the title), but a lot of funny stuff too. Craig Robinson(Darryl from the Office) is hilarious again in a supporting role. And I finally like Justin Long in a movie and did not just want him to die.
Pineapple Express 3 stars. Still a lot of fun, if at times bizarre with its choices of heavy violence. Every scene with Franco and Seth Rogen work. “Because I’m in the dumpster already!” Leave it to these guys to make a car chase that is actually unique(that kick through the windshield is hysterical). And the final action blowout is still great with Korean commandos and hand-to-hand Franco vs. Rosie Perez. “You’re in the jungle now baby!” Genius. The best trailer of last year with that great track from M.I.A.
