Sunday, December 23, 2012

Sleepwalk With Me Review

                      
           
 
            For those of you not familiar with the standup of Mike Birbiglia, it’s definitely worth checking out.  His act is living proof that some of the best comedy comes from real-life situations.  When he performs he evokes a sort of everyman quality that makes him rather likeable to the audience.  On a side note, during his performances I’ve always had the feeling that the person most surprised by Birbiglia’s success is Birbiglia himself.  If you are indeed one of those people that has not seen his standup, you don’t need to worry, because Sleepwalk with Me is more or less the same.

Sleepwalk with Me is based on Birbiglia’s critically-acclaimed one-man s Pa how of the same name that he wrote, starred and directed in.  Birbiglia’s character is named Matt ndamiglio but if you have ever seen him perform then it’s easy to tell that Birbiglia is basically playing himself.  The movie focuses on the life of a struggling comedian who tries to come to grips with his failing relationship, overbearing parents, and a career that appears to be going nowhere.  Unfortunately, he tries so hard to ignore these said issues, the pent-up stress manifests itself into an increasingly dangerous sleepwalking disorder that he also attempts to ignore. 

            Probably the best thing about this film is its self-awareness and brutal honesty.  As Birbiglia’s character narrates the story he knows that there will be many moments that will show him in a less-than-flattering light.  Such prime examples include beginning scenes by saying things like “I know.  I’m in the future too”, “What I should’ve said was…” and my personal favorite “Before I tell this part of the story I just want to remind you that you’re on my side.”        

Birbiglia never tries to glamorize the life of a standup comedian.  It’s an exhausting, low paying job that often requires him to drive several hours a day, practically every day just so he can talk on stage for a few minutes.  He’s forced to take a gig wherever he can get it because of the grim reality that in comedy, guys like him are pretty much a dime a dozen.  He becomes so desperate for work he takes a gigs he has no business doing.  His manager (who for some reason reminds me of Joey’s agent on Friends) books him on a job that barely covers what he spends on gas and then accepts another job that requires him to perform for half an hour even though he only has about ten minutes worth of material. 

The other notable problem about his job is that all his time on the road takes a serious toll on a relationship that was already having problems.  When his sister announces her engagement, his parents inevitably start asking when he and his girlfriend are going to get married.  By our narrator’s own admission, it’s a legitimate question considering they have been dating for about eight years, but sidesteps the issue and quickly tries to change the subject.  He doesn’t want to admit to his family, his girlfriend, or even himself that he doesn’t want to get married.  Deep down both he and his girlfriend seem to know their relationship is doomed to fail but neither one wants to admit it.  This is when the sleepwalking starts to become a serious problem.  At first he’s just yelling at a hamper thinking it’s a jackal but the longer he avoids the problem the worse the sleepwalking gets until he finally jumps out a second-story window while staying at a motel. 

The big problem with this movie is that Birbiglia’s problems with his career and his personal life never really blend together effectively.  When he’s on the road he’s able to forget his problems at home and when he’s at home he can forget about the problems with his career.  As a result, it often feels like I’m watching two separate movies. .  On one hand is a drama that realistically portrays the perks and pitfalls of a career in standup comedy.  On the other, you have a slightly dull romantic comedy about a couple whose relationship is slowly disintegrating like a tame version of Blue Valentine.  As result, the strength of which the first plot is written unintentionally highlights the weakness of the second.

Bottom line:  While the execution of Sleepwalk with Me isn’t perfect, Birbiglia’s script filled with unflinching honesty and self-deprecation make him endearing and likeable and by extension the movie itself.

Grade: B                
                       

Friday, November 9, 2012

Argo Review



   

When I first read about Argo, I naturally assumed that the story had been made up.  So imagine my surprise when I find out that it was actually based on a true story.  The story of Argo is usually the kind of thing that only happens in the movies and even then it would be difficult to believe.  Nevertheless, Ben Affleck makes a movie that never fails to be compelling.

Argo opens up with an uprising in Iran that results in the overtaking of the American embassy and the Iranians taking everyone inside hostage.  However, six embassy employees manage to sneak out the back shortly before the building was captured and find refuge at the home of the Canadian ambassador.  Figuring that it’s only a matter of time before the Americans are found and killed, the U.S. government attempts to devise a plan to get them out of the country.  CIA agent Tony Mendez comes up with the idea to smuggle them out of Iran by having them pose as a Canadian film crew scouting locations for a fake sci-fi movie. 

Ben Affleck’s career as a director has been short, but he has already proven himself to be a very talented director and that has never been more evident than with Argo.  He sets the tone of the 70s well and manages to include some surprisingly funny jokes about Hollywood without undermining the severity of the circumstances.  Even though his name may have top billing he never hesitates to share the screen with his talented supporting cast and Argo is all the better for it.  If anything, the supporting characters are some of the best parts of the movie including some standout performances from Alan Arkin and John Goodman.  While it’s likely only one of them will come out of this with an Oscar nomination both actors are very deserving candidates.

Argo has emerged as the early frontrunner to win the Academy Award for Best Picture and it’s not hard to see why.  It’s an intelligent, elegantly written, well-paced thriller that is certain to make a big splash at this year’s Oscars. 

Grade: A   

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Dark Shadows Review

                                                 
        
            I’m not going to bother to ask how this movie managed to get made because that’s really not a mystery.  Since Alice in Wonderland was so successful a couple of years ago, studios were more than willing to fund one of Tim Burton’s pet projects, especially with Johnny Depp on board as usual.  I’m not going to blame the studio for agreeing to make Dark Shadows because I know it probably seemed like a solid investment at the time.  I also won’t get angry at them for giving Burton a $150 million production budget because as usual he uses the money to make some stunning visuals and beautiful albeit gothic scenery.  As much as I usually enjoy his movies, the blame for this picture will probably go to the director himself and frankly, the blame is well deserved.                                       

            As many of you know, Dark Shadows is based on the 60s supernatural soap opera of the same name.  The show aired for about five years before being cancelled but has since gained a massive cult following.  The fans have been so dedicated over the years that both NBC and The WB made attempts to revive the show though ultimately both productions proved to be unsuccessful.  But enough of the history lesson what about the movie itself? 

            The movie begins with the son of a fishing magnate named Barnabas Collins (Depp) ending his brief relationship with a servant named Angelique (Eva Green) by saying he doesn’t love her.  Angelique turns out to be a very powerful, psychotic witch and unsurprisingly doesn’t take his rejection very well.  She takes her revenge on him by killing his parents, hypnotizing his girlfriend into jumping off a cliff, turning him into a vampire, having him buried alive in a coffin, and cursing his descendants to a lifetime of misery for good measure.  Seems like a bit of an overreaction but hey, what do I know?

            About 200 years later, Barnabas is finally released from his tomb and finds himself awakened in the 70s.  From here we are introduced to his descendants Elizabeth Collins Stoddard (Michelle Pfeiffer), her daughter Carolyn (Chloe Moretz), her brother Roger, and Roger’s son David.  Also living in the Collins estate are the family’s caretaker Willie, David’s live-in psychiatrist Dr. Hoffman and David’s recently hired governess Victoria. 

When Barnabas returns home he not only sees the run-down state of his family’s once proud mansion but also informed that the prominence of the family’s name has waned considerably as well.  Upon discovering this, he vows to restore the tattered reputation of the Collins name and break the so-called curse set upon his family by the still alive-and-kicking Angelique.  Naturally, shenanigans ensue, but mostly in the form of lame fish out of water jokes.  I’m not even joking; the entire first ninety minutes consists of Barnabas being puzzled by the strange customs and behaviors of the 70s.  This is mildly amusing for about the first twenty minutes but after that it becomes really grating to sit through.

            Most of these characters have so little consequence to the plot, I’m only able to tell you their names because I looked it up on Wikipedia.  If half of the cast had been taken out of this movie entirely, I doubt the story (what little there is) would’ve been changed at all.  Barnabas constantly talks about the family being in ruins largely because of Angelique’s curse but after watching this family I don’t really buy it.  The entire family just sits around and does nothing while bemoaning their so-called bad fortune of not having to work and living in the biggest mansion in town.  Their collective sense of entitlement and sloth-like behavior seems to have rubbed off on their hired help as well.  Their governess just seems to walk around the mansion with seemingly no memory of why she was hired in the first place.  Never once does the caretaker seem to so much as dust anything.  The little boy’s psychiatrist was apparently hired to treat him for a month and has instead lived in their house presumably rent-free for over three years with little sign that she’s even bothering to treat him at this point.  These people aren’t cursed, they’re just lazy. 

            If anything good has come from this, it’s that Depp has finally decided to take a break from Tim Burton movies for a little while by attaching himself to projects ranging from a Thin Man remake to a biopic about Dr. Seuss.  Otherwise the film as a whole was a complete grind to sit through.  So far, this is without a doubt the worst movie I’ve seen all year.  Mr. Burton I’m not angry, I’m just disappointed.  Actually scratch that I’m pretty angry too.

Grade: D-      

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Top 5 Must-See Movies of the Fall


1.     Perks Of Being A Wallflower
Release Date- September 21st
Starring- Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Mae Whitman, Paul Rudd
What It’s About- Based on the best-selling book of the same name, the film centers on introverted high school freshman Charlie (Lerman) who initially has trouble fitting in at his new school after his best friend commits suicide several months before.  Soon after, he makes friends with a group of seniors, including Sam (Watson) and her gay stepbrother Patrick (Miller) who both help to introduce Charlie to the many experiences of high school.   
Why I Want To See It- This will be Emma Watson’s first leading role since the Harry Potter films   finally came to a close last year and I’m interested to see how (or if) Emma Watson’s career goes on without the blockbuster series.  Also, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t find the story at least a little relatable.
2.     Argo
Release Date- October 12th
Starring- Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, Alan Arkin
What It’s About- In 1979, the CIA conspires to rescue several victims of the Iranian hostage crisis with a plan so insane that when I first heard about it I assumed it had to be made up.  They decide to go to Iran pretending to be Hollywood producers scouting for locations to shoot a fake science fiction movie.  
Why I Want To See It- This will be the third movie that Ben Affleck has directed.  Gone Baby Gone showed audiences that he was a capable director and The Town verified it wasn’t a fluke. With a talented ensemble cast at Affleck’s disposal this should prove to be an excellent follow-up.
3.     Looper
Release Date- September 28th
Starring- Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Emily Blunt
What It’s About- In the future, time travel has been invented but is highly illegal and is mostly used by the mob through black market connections.  Now when they want someone to disappear they send them thirty years into the past where one of their hit-men or “loopers” is waiting to finish the job.  One such “looper” Joe (Gordon-Levitt) is living large until he finds out his next target is his future self (Willis).
Why I Want To See It- Aside from Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s surprisingly dead-on Bruce Willis impression, I enjoy watching his movies because he very rarely gives a bad performance.  He’s been paying his dues for some time with leading roles in excellent independent movies (500 Days of Summer, 50/50) and supporting roles in summer blockbusters (Inception, The Dark Knight Rises).   I’ve always been hopeful that Gordon-Levitt’s next movie will be the one that propels him to the well-deserved A-List status that’s been eluding him. 
4.     Wreck It Ralph
Release Date- November 2nd
Starring- John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch
What It’s About- Ralph, an arcade game villain, fed-up with always being the bad guy decides to abandon his game in hopes of being a hero elsewhere, unaware of the can of worms he has opened in the process.  
Why I Want To See It- While a villain deciding that he’s tired of being a villain isn’t exactly the most original plot (Megamind being a recent example), I love this approach.  I’m pretty sure the trailer convinced me to see this movie after seeing the support group with the villains from all my favorite video games growing up.  It was like the video game equivalent of seeing all the Disney and Looney Tunes characters on screen together in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?   
5.     Silver Linings Playbook
Release Date- November 21st  
Starring- Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert DeNiro, Jackie Weaver
What It’s About- A former schoolteacher (Cooper) moves back in with his mother after a four-year stint in a mental hospital with hopes to get his life back on track and reconcile with his ex-wife.  Along the way he starts a friendship with his attractive neighbor (Lawrence) who is going through mental problems of her own.
Why I Want To See It- While from what I’ve heard, this movie leans a bit on the sentimental side and I should therefore hate it, I actually really enjoy watching those kinds of films as long as they are done correctly.  While it’s naturally hard to tell so far from trailers alone if this will be one of those movies, the casting of Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence as the two leads and David O. Russell’s involvement as director has me hopeful this will be one worth watching.



Tuesday, January 24, 2012

2012 Oscar Nominations Announced

I said in yesterday's post of my predictions that correctly predicting this year's nominess would be difficult and this morning I was proven right with significant surprises in virtually every category, especially in Best Picture category.   While I didn't exactly fare terribly, I still didn't do as good as last year.  But enough of that here's a list of this nominees and if I didn't post about the categories you're interested I recommend looking for a full list on either Rotten Tomatoes or Collider.

Best Picture 

The Artist

The Descendants

War Horse

Moneyball

Midnight in Paris

Tree of Life

Hugo

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close


Surprise Nominess:  Tree of Life and Extremely Loud Incredibly Close

Surprise Snub: Girl with the Dragon Tattoo


Best Director

Woody Allen- Midnight in Paris

Martin Scorsese- Hugo

Terrence Malick- Tree of Life

Michel Hazanavicius- The Artist

Alexander Payne- The Descendants


Surprise Nominee- Terrence Malick

Surprise Snub- David Fincher- Girl with the Dragon Tattoo


Best Actor

George Clooney- The Descendants

Brad Pitt- Moneyball

Gary Oldman- Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Jean Dujardin- The Artist

Demian Bichir- A Better Life


Surprise Nominee- Demian Bichir

Surprise Snub- Michael Fassbender- Shame


Best Actress

Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs

Viola Davis, The Help

Rooney Mara, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady

Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn


Surprise Nominee- Glenn Close

Surprise Snub- Tilda Swinton- We Need To Talk About Kevin


Best Supporting Actor

Kenneth Branagh, My Week with Marilyn

Jonah Hill, Moneyball

Nick Nolte, Warrior

Christopher Plummer, Beginners

Max Von Sydow, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close


Surprise Nominees- Nick Nolte and Max Von Sydow

Surprise Snubs- Albert Brooks-Drive and Patton Oswalt-Young Adult


Best Supporting Actress

Berenice Bejo, The Artist

Jessica Chastain, The Help

Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids

Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs

Octavia Spencer, The Help


Surprise Nominee- Janet McTeer

Surprise Snub- Shailene Woodley- The Descendants

Monday, January 23, 2012

2012 Oscar Nomination Predictions

2012 Oscars

Tomorrow morning the 2012 Oscar Nominations will be announced and months worth of speculation will finally be over. While correctly predicting the results of award shows has always been a bit of a crap shoot, this year's Academy Awards have been a little harder to anticipate especially considering the new rule change set on Best Picture category. There can now be no less than five and no more than ten nominees but my personal guess is that this year it's going to be eight. That being said, it's a pretty safe bet that I won't be batting 1.000 on this but I'll give it the old college try anyway. I'll be sure to post the actual nominations tomorrow to see how I did.

Best Picture
The Artist

The Descendants

Moneyball

Midnight In Paris

The Help

Hugo

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

War Horse

Best Actor
Brad Pitt- Moneyball

Michael Fassbender- Shame

George Clooney- The Descendants

Jean Dujardin- The Artist

Gary Oldman- Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy


Best Actress
Viola Davis- The Help

Meryl Streep- The Iron Lady

Michelle Williams- My Week With Marilyn

Tilda Swinton- We Need To Talk About Kevin

Rooney Mara- Girl With The Dragon Tattoo


Best Supporting Actor

Christopher Plummer- Beginners

Albert Brooks- Drive

Kenneth Branagh- My Week With Marilyn

Jonah Hill- Moneyball

Patton Oswalt- Young Adult


Best Supporting Actress

Berenice Bejo- The Artist

Jessica Chastain- The Help

Shailene Woodley- The Descendants

Octavia Spencer- The Help

Melissa McCarthy- Bridesmaids


Best Director

Michel Hazanavicius- The Artist


Woody Allen- Midnight In Paris

Alexander Payne- The Descendants

David Fincher- Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Martin Scorcese- Hugo