Monday, October 22, 2012

HICK

     CHLOE GRACE MORETZ  EDDIE REDMAYNE  BLAKE LIVELY

LULI (MORETZ) HAS JUST TURNED THIRTEEN AND IS FED UP WITH HER ALCOHOLIC PARENTS SO SHE DECIDES TO, AFTER SEEING A COMMERCIAL ON TELEVISION, RUN AWAY TO LAS VEGAS.  ALONG THE WAY SHE RUNS INTO EDDIE (REDMAYNE) AN EX RODEO COWBOY WHO HAS BECOME A SMALL TIME CRIMINAL, AND GLENDA (LIVELY) A GRIFTER WHO HAPPENS TO LIKE LULI AND DECIDES TO WATCH OVER HER.  ALSO, THERE IS A HISTORY BETWEEN EDDIE AND GLENDA.
ESSENTIALLY, THIS IS A COMING OF AGE ROAD MOVIE.  LULI GETS EXPOSED TO THINGS THAT NO THIRTEEN YEAR OLD SHOULD BE, SHE MAKES BAD CHOICES FOR HERSELF AND EVENTUALLY COMMITS AN ACT THAT MAY BOTHER HER THE REST OF HER LIFE. 
EDDIE IS A TRUE SLIME BALL.  YOU KNOW HE CAN'T BE TRUSTED FROM THE FIRST TIME YOU SEE HIM, AND HE PROVES IT AGAIN AND AGAIN THROUGHOUT THE MOVIE.
GLENDA IS ALL FOR HERSELF AND NOBODY ELSE.  SHE ONLY PICKS UP LULI BECAUSE SHE KNOWS SHE CAN USE HER, WHICH SHE DOES TO ROB A STORE, AND THEN LEAVES LULI TO GET BY ON HER OWN.
LIVELY AND REDMAYNE DO A VERY GOOD JOB WITH THEIR CHARACTERS, BUT ONCE AGAIN IT'S MORETZ WHO SHOWS US JUST HOW GOOD AN ACTOR SHE IS.  SHE IS GOING TO HAVE MANY AWARDS IN HER FUTURE.
RATING  3 out of 5

MOTHER'S DAY

     REBECCA DE MORNAY  JAIME KING  FRANK GRILLO  PATRICK FLUEGER

BETH AND DANIEL (KING AND GRILLO) HAVE JUST BOUGHT A FORE CLOSED HOUSE THAT ONCE BELONGED TO THE KOFFINS: MOM NATALIE (DE MORNAY) AND HER FOUR CHILDREN, THE OLDEST BEING IKE (FLUEGER.)  THE BOYS DON'T KNOW THAT THEIR MOM HAS LOST THE HOUSE, AND WHEN ONE OF THEM GETS SHOT DURING A BANK ROBBERY, THEY HEAD HOME, ONLY TO DISCOVER THE NEW OWNERS AND THEIR FRIENDS HAVING A PARTY.  NEEDING MONEY, WHEN NATALIE SHOWS UP, THE KOFFINS DECIDE TO STEAL FROM THE PARTY GUESTS AND THROW IN A LITTLE TORTURE ALONG THE WAY. 
THIS IS A VERY BRUTAL, VIOLENT AND OFTENTIMES  STRANGELY DISTURBING MOVIE.  THE THREE KOFFIN BOYS WANT ACTION AND ARE READY TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET THAT; THEIR SISTER, THE YOUNGEST OF THE CHILDREN, IS QUIET YET CAN BE JUST AS BRUTAL AS HER BROTHERS WHEN NEEDED; ALL THE CHILDREN WORSHIP THEIR MOTHER, WHO IS THE TRUE PSYCHOPATH, SHE WILL SHOW YOU KINDNESS AND SYMPATHY BUT THEN TURN RIGHT AROUND AND SLIT YOUR THROAT.
I FOUND ALL THE ACTING TO BE GOOD.  EACH OF THE CHARACTERS GETS THEIR SCREEN TIME, AND THEIR INTERACTIONS SEEM TO BE TRUE AND HONEST.  HOWEVER, THE STANDOUT HERE IS DE MORNAY: WHILE THERE IS NOTHING ABOUT NATALIE TO LIKE, DE MORNAY HAS BEEN ABLE TO CREATE A CHARACTER WE BOTH LIKE AND HATE, A VERY DIFFICULT THING TO DO.
AS WITH THE ACTING, THE DIRECTION IS ALSO DONE WELL.  THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE AND MANY THINGS GOING ON, AND THE DIRECTOR KEEPS IT ALL CLEAR, TO THE POINT AND GOING AT A GOOD PACE.  IT IS ALMOST AS IF THE MOVIE IS PLAYING OUT IN REAL TIME, WHICH ONLY ADDS TO THE TENSION.
RATING  3 out of 5

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

THE AGGRESSION SCALE

     RAY WISE  DANA ASHBROOK  FABIANNE THERESE  RYAN HARTWIG

MOBSTER BELLAVANCE (WISE) HAS JUST GOT OF PRISON AND IS LOOKING FOR THE PERSON WHO STOLE HIS MONEY.  HE SENDS FOUR OF HIS HENCHMEN, LED BY LLOYD (ASHBROOK), TO FIND THE MONEY AND THE PERSON.  THE SEARCH LEADS LLOYD TO A FAMILY OF FOUR, WHOSE KIDS, LAUREN (THERESE) AND OWEN (HARTWIG) END UP HAVING TO DEFEND THEMSELVES FROM THE HENCHMEN.  OWEN HAS SOME EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS, NEVER TALKS AND HAS A HISTORY OF VIOLENT BEHAVIOUR, WHICH HE USES TO FIGHT OFF THE BAD GUYS.
THE DIRECTOR DESCRIBED THIS MOVIE AS "HOME ALONE MEETS RAMBO" AND THAT IS AN EXCELLENT ANALOGY.  OWEN SETS UP TRAPS AND OUTSMARTS THE BAD GUYS THROUGH OUT, SOME OF IT BELIEVABLE, SOME NOT.  LAUREN, WHILE NOT AS INNOVATIVE, ALSO FINDS HER 'BAD SIDE' AND HELPS OWEN IN THEIR FIGHT. 
THIS IS A VERY VIOLENT AND BLOODY MOVIE.  THE BAD GUYS DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO, AND THEY DO IT "LOUD AND MESSY" AS INSTRUCTED BY BELLAVANCE. 
ASHBROOK, AS LLOYD, WAS VERY MENACING AND SCARY TO WATCH.  HARTWIG, IN NEVER TALKING, MADE OWEN BELIEVABLE AND VERY CREEPY.  AND THERESE, AS LAUREN, STARTED OUT BEING A BIT IRRITATING, BUT BY THE END I WAS ROOTING FOR HER AS MUCH AS OWEN.
YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT THIS MOVIE.
RATING  3 out of 5 

DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK

FOUR FRIENDS ARE OUT RUNNING ERRANDS, AND WHEN THEY OPEN THE TRUNK OF THEIR CAR THEY FIND A DEAD HOOKER.  NOT KNOWING HOW SHE GOT THERE OR WHO KILLED HER, THEY DECIDE THE BEST THING TO DO IS GET RID OF THE BODY, BUT THAT LEADS THEM INTO A WILD AND BIZARRE STRING OF EVENTS THAT INCLUDES A SERIAL KILLER, DRUGS, A PRIEST AND AN ABANDONED DOG.
WITH A NAME LIKE "DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK" THIS FILM IS DESTINED TO BECOME A CULT CLASSIC, WHICH IT PROBABLY WILL BECOME.  IT WAS WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY TWINS JEN AND SYLVIA SOSKA, THE SELF-NAMED TWISTED TWINS, AND THEY MORE THAN PROVE THAT IN THIS, THEIR FIRST FULL LENGTH MOVIE.  IT HAS DOSES OF HUMOR, BRUTALITY, VIOLENCE, TORTURE AND GORE, ALONG WITH SOME THINGS THAT SEEM TO BE TO PREPOSTEROUS TO ACTUALLY HAPPEN.  BUT, THIS IS AN INDEPENDENT LOW-BUDGET GRINDHOUSE STYLE FILM AND ALL THAT IS EXPECTED, SO WHEN YOU WATCH IT KEEP THAT IN MIND AND REMEMBER TO JUST ACCEPT THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN, YOU WILL ENJOY IT THAT MUCH MORE.
RATING  2.5 out of 5

Monday, September 24, 2012

WIN WIN

     PAUL GIAMATTI  AMY RYAN  JEFFREY TAMBOR  BOBBY CANNAVALE
     BURT YOUNG  ALEX SHAFFER  MELANIE LYNSKEY

MIKE (GIAMATTI) IS A STRUGGLING LAWYER MARRIED TO JACKIE (RYAN) WITH TWO KIDS.  HE ALSO VOLUNTEERS AS THE HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING COACH WITH HIS TWO FRIENDS VIG (TAMBOR) AND TERRY (CANNAVALE).  THEIR TEAM LOSES MORE MATCHES THAN IT WINS.  MIKE IS THE COURT APPOINTED LAWYER FOR LEO (YOUNG), WHO IS WEALTHY BUT SUFFERING FROM DEMENTIA.  DURING A HEARING, MIKE DECIDES TO BECOME THE LEGAL GUARDIAN FOR LEO ONLY SO HE CAN GET THE $1500 MONTHLY STIPEND.  ALL SEEMS GOOD UNTIL LEO'S GRANDSON KYLE (SHAFFER) SHOWS UP, RUNNING AWAY FROM HIS MOTHER CINDY (LYNSKEY).  KYLE ALSO HAPPENS TOP BE A CHAMPION WRESTLER.
WIN WIN HAS IT ALL: COMEDY, DRAMA, ACTION, A WELL WRITTEN STORY AND GREAT PERFORMANCES, MAINLY FROM THE ALWAYS EXCELLENT GIAMATTI.  HE HAS PLAYED THIS TYPE OF DOWN ON HIS LUCK CHARACTER MANY TIMES, AND IT SHOWS IN HIS PERFORMANCE THAT HE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO DO IT TO MAKE MIKE COMPLETELY BELIEVABLE.  I ALSO FOUND SHAFFER'S PERFORMANCE AS KYLE TO BE QUITE GOOD: HE IS STRUGGLING WITH THE RELATIONSHIP TO HIS MOTHER, TRYING TO FIT IN AT A NEW SCHOOL, GET BACK INTO WRESTLING, LIVING WITH A NEW FAMILY AND GETTING TO KNOW HIS GRANDFATHER. 
RATING  3 out of 5

LUCKY

     COLIN HANKS  ARI GRAYNOR  ANN-MARGARET  JEFFREY TAMBOR

BEN (HANKS) HAS JUST WON THE STATE LOTTERY, MEETS, DATES AND MARRIES HIS CHILDHOOD FRIEND LUCY (GRAYNOR), LIVES WITH HIS MOM PAULINE (MARGARET) AND IS BEING INVESTIGATED BY DETECTIVE WAYLON (TAMBOR).  BEN ALSO HAS A LITTLE SECRET: HE IS A SERIAL KILLER.
LUCKY IS A VERY DARK COMEDY.  THE PERFORMANCES ARE GREAT, ESPECIALLY HANKS AS BEN, WHO HAS CREATED A VERY QUIRKY CHARACTER, AND GRAYNOR AS LUCY, WHO DELIVERS MOST OF THE COMEDY IN A VERY STRANGE BUT LIKABLE WAY.  THE STORY, WHILE SOMEWHAT FAR FETCHED, IS WELL WRITTEN AND STAYS WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF WHAT IS LAID OUT IN THE MOVIE.  FINALLY, WHILE THIS IS A COMEDY, YOU SHOULD ALSO BE AWARE THAT IT DOES DEAL WITH A SERIAL KILLER AND THEREFORE HAS SOME SCENES THAT ARE NOT VERY FUNNY, ALTHOUGH NOTHING IS TOO GRAPHIC OR GORY. 
RATING  3 out of 5

Monday, September 17, 2012

ENTER NOWHERE

     SCOTT EASTWOOD  KATHERINE WATERSTON  SARA PAXTON

TOM, JODY AND SAMANTHA (EASTWOOD, PAXTON AND WATERSTON) ARE THREE STRANGERS WHO END UP AT A DESERTED CABIN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WOODS.  AS THE MOVIE UNFOLDS, THEY BEGIN TO LEARN ABOUT THEMSELVES AND EACH OTHER, FINALLY REALIZING WHY THEY ARE THERE AND WHAT THEY MUST DO TO SURVIVE.
AS A VIEWER, WE ARE DROPPED INTO THIS STORY AND WE HAVE TO LEARN WHAT IS GOING ON AS THE CHARACTERS LEARN WHAT IS GOING ON.  IT IS A VERY EFFECTIVE WAY OF TELLING A STORY, SINCE IT KEEPS US INVOLVED AND INTERESTED IN THE MOVIE. 
AS FOR THE MOVIE, IT IS VERY WELL DONE.  THE STORY IS STRONG AND THE DIRECTION KEEPS THINGS MOVING.  WITH THE THEME OF THIS STORY, IT IS VERY EASY TO GET THE VIEWER CONFUSED, BUT THE DIRECTOR AVOIDS THAT AND MAKES IT UNDERSTANDABLE. 
THE ACTING IS ALSO GOOD.  EASTWOOD KEEPS TOM FROM TURNING INTO A JERK AND MAKES HIS WANTING TO CARE FOR THE OTHERS SEEM TRUTHFUL AND BELIEVABLE.  PAXTON PLAYS JODY AS THE INDEPENDENT AND SMART ASS ONE WHO JUST WANTS TO LEAVE.  HOWEVER, AS HER CHARACTER GROWS, SHE BECOMES SUPPORTIVE AND CARING TO THE OTHER TWO.  FINALLY, AS SAMANTHA, WATERSTON IS THE WEAKEST OF THE THREE.  BUT WHEN SHE HAS TO STEP UP AND HELP, SHE DOES IT WITHOUT QUESTION. 
FINALLY, THE TWIST AT THE END IS NOT TOO UNEXPECTED, BUT IF YOU WEREN'T WATCHING CLOSELY, YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED.  THIS IS A MOVIE I WOULD EASILY RECOMMEND.
RATING  3 out of 5