Inglourious Basterds

As if no time had passed, Quentin Tarantino is back. Occasionally a leap year, or even just half a decade, we as a humble movie going crowd are privileged enough to see Tarantino's latest. Inglourious Basterds, a film he has talked about making for many, many years, has finally arrived. And the verdict? Everything you want from Tarantino. Sure, his name may often be uttered with overestimation, or even disdain, but for me, the man knows how to make a damned entertaining flick. Inglourious Basterds is loosely based on an Italian war film from the late 70's, but is essentially it's own film. There are Nazis, American-Jews hunting Nazis, and a plan to end WWII. But like most Tarantino films, the plot may be the least important aspect. Trademark dialogue and wonderful acting usually are the marks of a great Tarantino film, and this one is no different. Christoph Waltz, as a Jew-hunting, Nazi officer, is probably the strongest and most interesting character in the film, though the likes of Brad Pitt, Eli Roth, and Melanie Laurent are certainly up there. Each have their own story to tell, and each one is equally interesting. Action may not be as high as expected, but when fighting does happen, it is usually bloody and in your face. But did you really expect a ton of action? I didn't think so. Either way, Inglourious Basterds is a 2.5 hour film that hardly feels like it, and is funny, dramatic, and disturbing all at the same time. That's all I need.

Genre - Drama (3.75)

Screenplay (4)
Acting (4)
Production (4)
Directing (3)

District 9

District 9 is a different breed of creature. Like the aliens showcased the film, District 9 is a movie that takes time getting used to. What kind of creature is it (action, comedy, drama), which is its real face (straightforward narrative or first person/faux-documentary)? In reality, it is a combination of all these, and the fact they are seamlessly stitched together makes the end product something fresh and new and exciting. So while the story itself is kind of thin, and typical storytelling techniques are used to tell it, the real power comes from the racial commentary the alien/human conflict generates. Some people love the aliens, while others hate them, wanting them segregated, even using racial slurs, like "prawns," to denigrate them. The first half of the film features a lot of these xenophobic relations, as the corporation, MNU, overseeing the aliens the last two decades decides to move them from Johannesburg to a facility some couple hundred kilometers away. But once our main "hero" becomes more deeply involved with the alien race, the action intensifies and some amazingly intense and raw footage is shown. The alien weapon technology is some of the coolest stuff you'll see on screen this year (decade?). It doesn't end where you expect it, but certainly where it should. District 9 is, for a lack of a better word, fun. And I mean ridiculously fun. Definitely one of the best of the summer. Blood, guts, and aliens. Is there anything better?

Genre - Sci-Fi (3.75)

Screenplay (3)
Acting (4)
Production (4)
Directing (4)

Halloween (2007)

It took a couple of years, but I finally decided to watch the remake of the horror classic Halloween, this one by Rob Zombie. Me and Zombie have a shaky history, and with the sequel fast approaching, it seemed like I should finally give it an actual shot. Could he do John Carpenter's original justice? Well, in short, no.

Problems: The backstory, for a couple of reasons. It shed too much light on a character who is more powerful and frightening when shrouded in mystery. Michael Myers is the embodiment of evil, and a tortured past just lessens this fundamental aspect of the killer. Plus, the backstory lasts far too long, which only hurts the second half of the film. By the time we meet Laurie Strode and her gang of soon-to-be-dead friends, we only spend a couple minutes with them before Michael comes storming in with that damned knife of his. No character development for the far too annoying characters. Too cap it all off, these time issues are even worse when the film runs too long, thus proving how mismanaged things were.

Successes(?): Zombie can shoot a decent looking film, that is for sure. There might not be any tension in the shots, but they look nice. And Zombie's casting choices can be especially great, especially with his Devil's Rejects friends (Ken Foree being the finest of them) and Malcolm McDowell. Maybe these better portions will be put to better use in the sequel. I'm hoping so at least.

Genre - Horror (2.5)

Screenplay (2)
Acting (3)
Production (2)
Directing (3)

Better Off Ted (Season 1)

Like some great shows before it, I was hesitant to watch Better Off Ted when commercials first began to air. The title was kind of dumb (still kind of is), the premise seemed 50/50 at best, and it appeared to be too sitcom-y for my taste. Yet, when the show was scheduled to hit the air, I was on the couch, ready. Good buzz, a solid looking cast, so why not try it? I would have skipped Arrested Development too, had I not got this strange pull from the commercials. I assumed I'd be let down, but tried it anyways, and thank god for that. Risk is sometimes the ingredient necessary to find really quality shows.

So Better Off Ted began and right from the get-go I was hooked. The writing was sharp and funny, each cast member handling their lines with just the right amount of over-the-top. I like all the characters, though scientists Phil and Lem are probably ranked just a little bit higher than most. But I return to the writing, which is probably the reason I love this show so much. The first seasons strongest episode is the fourth, titled "Racial Sensitivity," holds nothing back and goes for broke. I hadn't laughed that hard at a single episode of television since...well, probably since Arrested Development. There is nothing too strange for the show to handle, and that leaves an unlimited source for jokes. Plus, the fake Veridian Dynamics commercials they play near the beginning of every episode are awesome. Certainly, the show isn't perfect, but most episodes were solid if not brilliant. And because ABC decided to give the show a second season, there may be some (hopefully) positive changes that will lead to an even stronger season. The dysfunctional office comedy has seen success in recent years, with the likes of 30 Rock and the aptly titled The Office, and Better Off Ted has earned its place beside the two. If subsequent seasons are as strong as those other shows following seasons were, then the world is in for a treat. So now maybe more will watch and I won't have to see another great television series end too early.

Genre - Comedy (3.75)

Screenplay (4)
Acting (4)
Production (4)
Directing (3)

(500) Days Of Summer

Desire and reality are two forces that rarely seem to mix well. It's that whole oil and water thing. We want what we desire, believe it is attainable, yet in the end most will find only disappointing results. Which is sad, but made all the worse when you know from the beginning that what you want won't be what you get. And thus we delve into the little indie rom-com, (500) Days of Summer. Utilizing a time hopping narrative, we are told the story of a young man who falls in love with the girl of his dreams, Summer. In a traditional rom-com, there would be little doubt one could guess the outcome of the relationship without ever seeing the film, and the same would go for (500) Days of Summer if that damned narrator didn't shoot that idea out of the water in the first few minutes. And knowing the end doesn't ruin it, but forces the viewers to hope beyond reason that what they know to be true is false, which is kind of the point. I credit the writers, Michael H. Weber and Scott Neustadter, for using the disjointed narrative perfectly, getting both the good and the bad of the Tom/Summer relationship almost simultaneously. A couple of scenes are so great that you wish you could have watched a film entirely composed of like scenes. One is a dance number that goes on long and ends hilarious, pushing past cute and tiresome into funny. The other is shown in split screen, detailing what Tom, our main character, expects to happen at a party with Summer and what actually takes place. Again, desire and reality mixing to ill effect. But while the writing was solid, so was the acting. Zooey Deschanel plays her cute and funny and wonderfully weird role perfectly, making a great pairing for Joseph Gordon-Levitt. He is an actor who picks his roles carefully, winding up in a diverse and solid group of pictures, which one might have scoffed at the idea back when they were watching him on 3rd Rock from the Sun. So while desire and reality might not mix, the creative forces behind (500) Days of Summer do, which may make the whole thing that much more powerful.

Genre - Comedy (3.5)

Screenplay (4)
Acting (4)
Production (3)
Directing (3)

The Hurt Locker

Leaving a theater in stunned silence can either mean a film left you wanting, or left you satisfied. The Hurt Locker, a film both about the Iraq war and about bomb squad technicians, should leave you immensely satisfied. It is a war film largely devoid of commentary on war and is a story about a tortured man, without focusing on the specific aspects his tortured, crazy life. And these are components that build an interesting film. The Hurt Locker, directed masterfully by Near Dark and Point Break director Kathryn Bigelow and written by Mark Boal, is without a doubt one of the best films of 2009. From beginning to end, there are reasons to laugh, cry, and shrink into your seat. Watching these men, and one in particular, disarm amazingly dangerous bombs in the middle of a war zone is something to behold. Tension can be ratcheted up even when nothing happens, the inherent danger of the situation allows for it. There is no guarantee on who makes it out, especially in a film where big name actors can die as quickly and easily as a real soldier. Jeremy Renner, steals the show, despite it kind of being his show, simply by acting as passionately as his character feels about disarming explosive devices. He, along with Bigelow, are likely in contention for an Academy Award, which the film itself is likely to be recognized for, and I think all are deserving. Such a naked, honest examination of humanity and war, and especially one that doesn't overdo itself, is worthy of high praise at the very least. I am not the first to sing its praises, and likely not the last. For me, I wanted the film to draw to a close at certain points near the end, and thought the actual ending would leave a sour taste in my mouth, only to have an ending so pitch perfect to the tone of the film that it actually made me smile (albeit in a rather twisted way). Certainly worth time and money.

Genre - Drama/Action (4)

Screenplay (4)
Acting (4)
Production (4)
Directing (4)

Angel (Season 1)

Spin-off shows are fascinating creatures, existing only due to the inventive minds behind another show dreaming up the character(s) first, allowing them life in their own show. Angel is one such show, following the titular character who was first featured on the Joss Whedon show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Whedon is responsible for Angel too, creating the show when Angel no longer was needed as a love interest for Buffy. While the two shows deal with supernatural forces, Angel is more grounded in a private eye/procedural structure. Angel is hired for cases and solves them, all with the help of his friends. Like Buffy, Angel is nothing without the supporting cast. Cordelia, a Buffy alum, and Doyle are just as important as Angel himself. And when Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, who also comes from Buffy, arrives part way through the first season, he too becomes integral. The first season is much lighter than what eventually follows, much like Buffy, which found darker story lines in its third season, when Angel was just beginning. But most of the writing staff had connections to both shows, so that only makes sense. There is much to love about Angel, especially in the different directions both the show itself and its characters (the transformation of Cordelia and Wesley being key). Another Whedon hit.

Genre - Supernatural (3.25)

Screenplay (3)
Acting (4)
Production (3)
Directing (3)

Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince

This may very well be the first no-nonsense Harry Potter film of the series yet. Viewers are immediately launched into the world of our title character, and done so with no background or catching up. Perhaps the filmmakers realized, and rightly so, that by the sixth entry of a seven entry series, audiences should know characters and locations without silly exposition to explain everything to newcomers. And I'm glad for that. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is an exceptional film, and perhaps the best of the series. The Prisoner of Azkaban was reigning title holder, at least in this reviewers eyes, until now. While I applaud Alfonso Cuaron for taking us into a darker, more grown-up world of Harry Potter, I think what David Yates and Steve Kloves, the director and writer respectively, have done here is more striking. All the fat of the novel - and yes, each of the Harry Potter novels had fat that would be an unnecessary burden for a film adaptation - is entirely cut from the movie, leaving only a rich and beautifully told story that essentially acts as a bridge between the beginning entries and the final chapter. But that isn't a bad thing, not in the least. We still get characterization, smart writing, funny one-liners, and excellent directing. Some characters, especially fan favorites, are pushed to the back, given only the briefest amount of screen time, appearing only to serve as a reminder of who will play a part in the final films. As long as you can embrace the Part 1 of 2 (or 3 to be technical) nature of the film, there is little doubt you'll enjoy Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

Genre - Fantasy (3.75)

Screenplay (4)
Acting (3)
Production (4)
Directing (4)

Moon

I'm going to try and make it through this review using the least amount of space puns as possible, so wish me luck. Moon is a quiet little science fiction indie that you likely haven't heard of, even less likely to have seen, but is one you should seek out. Even for you non-sci-fi'ers, Moon features an amazing performance by Sam Rockwell, who mostly owns all the screen time, that is when the Kevin Spacey voiced robotic assistant GERTY isn't around. But even on the science fiction itself, there isn't much to alienate viewers unfamiliar to the genre, as the story is more grounded in human issues than space ones. Most will talk about the twist that takes place in the middle of the film, but there is more to the film than that. Moral issues of right and wrong are the focus, and that is what director - and son of David Bowie - Duncan Jones wants you to pay attention to. Moon has touches of other classic sci-fi films layered within, but it also subverts cliches by tweaking what you may think will happen. That is perhaps the best part of Moon outside Rockwell's stellar acting. As with any thoughtful science fiction movie, Moon demands to be digested, to ponder the implications of the events that take place inside the film. Warning: there are very few actions scenes, and many scenes of Rockwell going about his day, figuring out the mystery he has uncovered, so you Transformers/explosion oriented sci-fi watchers be wary. Other than that, you've got nothing to worry about.

Genre -Sci-Fi (3.25)

Screenplay (3)
Acting (4)
Production (3)
Directing (3)

John From Cincinnati (Season 1)

Watching John from Cincinnati made me think about a world where Lost ended its run long before questions could be answered. Chilling, for sure, but more importantly, it would be unfair. That's how I felt with John from Cincinnati. Questions were being asked, but the show never really got a chance to answer them. But where Lost began more conventionally, only later delving into intense mythology, and thus allowing additional seasons, John from Cincinnati jumps right into it, leaving viewers confused. Apparently, most were not willing to wait for the story to unravel, and abandoned ship before anything truly powerful could be developed. But the episodes that do make up the first, and only, season are quite good. The show follows the famous, surfing Yost family - a group as great at surfing as they are at being completely dysfunctional. Everyone has problems, even the peripheral characters who enter into their lives, leaving a stranger named John, likely not from Cincinnati as he states (read: mimics), who has some mysterious powers and seems to be able to read the future, yet cannot string together a coherent sentence unless he repeats others. Suffice it to say, John is an interesting character, and the way he interacts with the Yost's is compelling enough to lead you through the first season even though you know there is nothing to follow. Which, as it happens, is what I advise you to do. Now. Go forth and discover the mind-bending world of John from Cincinnati. Okay, that's it.

Genre - Drama (3.5)

Screenplay (4)
Acting (2)
Production (4)
Directing (4)