Review: Twilight

This post is a guest review from my sister Sarah, age 13, who is a fan of the Twilight book series.

Twilight (2008)
"As a fan of all the Twilight books (except for Breaking Dawn for its disappointing end to the series) this movie resulted in just the same disappointment. The whole point of the Twilight books was to tell of a powerful love story that you'd get so caught up in you would miss the writing quality of an amateur, Stephanie Meyers, but in the movie, it's the exact opposite. All you notice from the opening scene of Bella Swan driving to the airport to the ending credits, is the cheesy lines and terrible casting. At one point Edward even says 'Hold on tight, my little Spider-Monkey.' There is even a 'car chase' in a Ford Focus.

The crowd for opening night laughed regularly throughout the movie at its absurdity. If you have not read the books, you will not understand a majority of it. For example, you would not understand why for about an hour of the movie Edward plugs his nose whenever around Bella, as well as many other parts of the movie.

For those that have read it, it also feels off. In the book, Edward was the perfect representation of the perfect guy (if he was a vampire I guess...). In the movie, he just came off creepy and pedophile-like. The parts that may be your favorite in the book, like the meadow scene, were slaughtered with forced lines. In the book, Edward is supposed to be beautiful, graceful, and mysterious. In the movie, however, his makeup was caked on so much you wondered why they did not just cast Marilyn Manson.

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Whenever Jasper came onto the screen, the crowd burst out laughing at his constant look of confusion that resembled a pale Raggedy Ann Doll on drugs. And for those of you that read the books, as far as I know, Edward's talents were strength, speed, and reading minds-- when was he ever able to crawl up the side of a tree?

If you'd like a laugh, buy a ticket. If not, don't waste your money.

This pretty much sums it up." - Sarah, my sister, age 13

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Review: Role Models

Role Models (2008)
Despite its entirely misleading advertising campaign, Role Models is definitely not a kid's movie. Full of crude humor, vulgar sex references, and other usual antics of the modern male comedy, this is certainly not something you want to take your kids to see.

However, it is not fully an adult comedy, either. The film spends a lot of time showing strange kids being, well, kids. In a lot of ways, much of the movie is a study of the strange dramatics behind Live Action Role-playing. It also makes sure to teach us "valuable lessons." Because of this, it can often feel like a kid's movie, even though I would never want a child of mine to see a movie where the adult mentor teaches the ten-year-old kid how best to evaluate "boobies" and takes him to a raging party to spend some valuable time together.

Of course, I would be taking it too seriously if I actually took offense to these events. It is, after all, a silly comedy and in a lot of ways it succeeds that way. However, the movie overall is embodied in one of the young boys (played by the oft-obnoxious Bobb'e J. Thompson): it looks like a kid, it has the emotional depth of a kid, but it has the mouth of a teenage boy.

Role Models suffers from not taking one genre and sticking to it. But, overall, it was much funnier than the trailers would lead you (or, at least me) to believe. Also, Rudd and William Scott (usually a part of the support cast), hold the film delightfully well as its leads. Definitely a surprising film (even if only because I had low expectations to begin with) and worth seeing for any Rudd-enthusiast.

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What to Watch This Week

In Theaters: Changeling (2008)

"A mother prays for the return of her kidnapped son. When her prayers are answered, however, she begins to suspect the boy who comes back is not her child. Inspired by true events that took place in Los Angeles in the 1920s."

The performance is definitely what drives this movie. The story, one of continuously-piled drama, disappointments and frustrations, is full of surprises (so long as you do not read anything about the true story behind it beforehand). A great story in a good film. It could have benefited from better pacing and tighter editing (it is a bit too long, but there is also just not enough John Malkovich, so...). Also, I could have used more heart-wrenching, soul-shaking, out-right-emotional-devastation scenes for Jolie (there is less of the violent "I want my son!" that you see in the trailers and more consistent, even tears), but I'm a masochist for that kind of drama.

It is definitely worth the watch if you like period pieces, true crime tales, Angelina Jolie, or if you want to be prepared for Oscar season. Jolie is crying for probably 85% of this film, so definitely look out for her come February 22, 2009. Fans of The Office or her performance in Gone, Baby, Gone should keep an eye out for Amy Ryan, who gives a fantastic performance in the short time she appears onscreen.

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On DVD - This Week's Theme: "Marriages that Work"
The Thin Man (1934)

"In New York, a detective, his wife and his dog solve the murder case of an eccentric inventor."

So few marriages that work in cinema these days, right? In fact, I would be hard-pressed to name a single couple in film from the last few years that has been truly "solid." My boyfriend often jokes that movies and television have led him to believe that marriage is inevitably terrible and married people are boring or unhappy (thanks, Hollywood).

He needs to watch The Thin Man, and so do you. It is a great, funny, and thoroughly modern film from 1934 that I would recommend to anyone. It fits this week's theme far better than any I could think of.

But, it is sad that I had to go back so far to find such a good example of a great, natural marriage. It's about time we have another film that defies the studios' penchant for unstable (or, if not unstable, then unrealistic) relationships. As Monika Bartyzel over at Cinematical so accurately pointed out,

"Nick and Nora are a couple that put today's Hollywood pairs to shame. Their communication is laced with quick-witted banter, which thrives not just because of its cleverness, but because of their relationship. Nick and Nora are at peace with each other. They know where they stand. They know how to communicate honestly. They don't take trivial matters too seriously. They are, for lack of a better word, solid."

How can you not love a couple where, when one gets drunk, the other orders enough drinks at once to catch up? Or, when Nora walks in on Nick hugging another woman to comfort her, she simply makes a face at him (and he makes one back)? William Powell and Myrna Loy play the couple to absolute perfection. They not only have a romantic chemistry, but also an easy friendship.

Forget the lofty romantic couplings like Jack and Rose, Christian and Satine, Inman and Ada (...okay, not entirely, of course). I would kill to have a relationship like Nick and Nora's.

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Review: Quantum of Solace

Quantum of Solace (2008)
This movie is exactly as you should expect it to be. However, it probably won't be what you actually expect it to be. Casino Royale raised everyone's expectations for the Bond flicks as a most successful reboot of the previously-stale franchise.

Unfortunately, Quantum of Solace is not quite as good. It falls noticeably short of its predecessor. However, to be fair, for a Bond film it is still highly enjoyable. It does everything it is supposed to. Big explosions, great locations, hot women, easily-defeated enemies, high-tech gadgets, and a slimy bad guy. There are fight scenes on every mode of transport but a train and a pedal bike.

And, the great thing about the Daniel Craig Bond is that you actually feel his every cut, scrape, and bruise, because he's actually feeling them, too. He is truly the best Bond, the most highly-nuanced Bond, and yet still the Bond with the most mass appeal. In a time of the antihero (e.g. The Dark Knight), Craig adds his historic character to the mass of new additions and modern revamps. He's the hero, but is he always doing right? Is he truly a good guy? Or is he a bad guy working for the good guys? Whatever the case, you're rooting for him, because you know that at least in the end all will be right and he will help us get there.

That said, Quantum is not the most intelligent spy thriller out there today. It does not have a very compelling conflict. The badie is not much worse than a lot of corporate bigwigs today. Maybe this makes it all more "realistic," but not more entertaining. And, while the lead bad guy is more "realistic" and physically noncompetitive, Bond is still unmatched in physical and sexual dominance. The film tries to be more realistic without taking its lead along with it. You can tell that it is trying to match the "gritty realism" of contemporary action films because the camera is shaking violently, and you can hardly see any of the cool stunts that they set up (thanks, Bourne). In the first fight scene I could not for the life of me tell which running suit was which. I got it-- it is supposed to be "real." So then why is Bond still positively unmatchable?

I think Quantum loses its focus. Is it supposed to be an over-the-top escapist film, where someone fitter and better looking than us kicks everyone's ass and saves the girl? One where we never actually worry about whether or not he will win in the end because he always wins? Or, is it supposed to be an intelligent commentary on contemporary culture? A gritty look at the moral contradictions of an antihero? Can it really be all of these things at once, as it tries to be? I don't know if it can.

So, as far as intelligent revamps go, Quantum is not really one of them. But, it is a damn good action film. If my expectations were not so high after Casino, I might not have much to pick apart with this movie. It is a highly successful action film, with very entertaining and elaborate fight sequences. The pacing is much, much improved from Casino, and it is perhaps one of the most succinct action flicks in the past year. It does not dwell on the sappy sideplots, like its predecessor (a very welcome change for this reviewer). If there is one thing Quantum does not try to be, it is romantic, and this works well for developing Craig's Bond. He focuses on being brutal, cold, and ironic-- as James Bond was originally written. And this, ultimately, is a much more entertaining Bond-- even if it is not deeper.

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Link: If Celebs Moved to Oklahoma

If Celebs Moved to Oklahoma
Strange how perfectly normal these celebrities can look with a little photoshop skills.

Two Reasons Why Kate Winslet Should Win the Oscar

The Reader trailer has finally been released.



And, in case you've missed it, the Revolutionary Road trailer.



By the trailers alone, looks like she could/should win for either. Though, I would guess Revolutionary Road has a slightly better chance for her since in the book that character just screams Oscar-potential performance. I just hope it doesn't split the vote for her, and end in her defeat. Maybe The Reader will be put in for Supporting?

Kate needs to win already. What more does the Academy need from her?

Review: Zack and Miri Make a Porno

Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008)
Kevin Smith will likely be compared to Judd Apatow with this film, considering it contains the same raunchy humor, identical casting, and surprisingly endearing romantic side plot. And, it would be completely appropriate: Zack and Miri was a laugh-out-loud hilarious, superbly acted film with some of the most relateable characters in film today. Seriously, who wouldn't want Zack and Miri as friends?

In Zack and Miri, two best friends, down on their financial luck, gather up a team of unlikely heroes to make a porno. That plot, however, is only a device to bring together an unconventional romantic comedy between two refreshingly normal people.

Even though Smith has been doing this brand of movie for years before the Apatow gang, hopefully this one will finally bring him mainstream success.

The only critique I have of this extremely funny film is that the long-term friendship between Zack and Miri was not developed quite enough. I would have appreciated a little more character development. With a little more backstory, or a few more illustrative scenes of their special bond, it would have been all the easier to root for the two of them, or to understand how they went from giving each other a hard time about going to the bathroom with the door cracked to being in love.

However, Zack and Miri are still quite sympathetic and, most importantly, hilarious. It has all the makings of a modern comedy hit. Fans of both Smith and Apatow will love it.

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