The Counselor - A Beautiful Ride through a Dark, Dark Place

While I love almost any movie,  it has to be something spectacular to peak My Beloved's Interest.  A few things I learned at the screening for The Counselor:

• My Beloved  really REALLY likes Cameron Diaz.  God help me if I catch him searching craigslist for yellow convertibles
• The Drug Cartel is very bad.  DO NOT PISS OFF THE DC
• Cheetahs can be tamed and kept as pets
• Michael Fassbender is a very sexy man

 

 A sneak peak of "The Counselor":

My definition of a great movie is one that sticks in your mind for days.  It's the topic of discussion for hours; not only about the movie itself, but about your own life & ways they may seem parallel or shockingly different.  If we use this definition as our measuring stick, then The Counselor is a great movie.  We did talk about it for hours after it ended.  I did think about my own life, my own "moral dilemmas", my own love. The problem is though, no matter how much we talked about, no matter how many times we tried to go from Point A to Point B, we could never get there.  

The Counselor is breathtakingly beautiful.  The opening desert scene drips of leather and wealth beyond your wildest dreams. The homes, the cars, the people, THE STARS - no question.  Spot On.  Over the top opulence.

 

There is GREAT acting - Fassbender is incredibly sexy and very believable.  Brad Pitt, as usual, is perfect in his role.  Penelope is lovable in her innocence and Carmen Diaz is very, very good.  But it is Javier Bardem who steals the spotlight:

As uaual, he knocks it out the park.  I loved his portrayal of  "Reiner"  I love his voice.  He is fantastic.


I also loved the script.  Such poetry:

"Life is being in bed with you - everything else is just waiting."

"If you pursue this road that you have embarked upon, you will eventually come to moral decisions that will take you completely by surprise."

"You're in trouble.  When the axe comes through the door, I'll already be gone"

"You are the world you have created.  When you cease to exist,  this world you have created will also cease to exist."

The music is INCREDIBLE:

As beautiful as all of this is, please be assured. this is a VERY, VERY ugly movie.  The greed and filth which fuels these beautiful lives is paraded around for us all to see.  The violence sneaks up on you, literally.  It is beyond my comprehension and I could not even watch.  As it turns out, neither could My Beloved.  When I asked him if it was horrific, he said "I don't know - I couldn't watch."  

It's a dark ride - this movie.  It's wierd, when I first left the theatre I was not too excited about it.  But the more I thought about it, and asked questions of others who attended the screening, the more it grew on me.  It's worth the $10 ticket - I will say that.  Just pay attention folks.  You must pay attention.  And be prepared to look at yourself in the mirror and think about your own moral dilemmas.  Because you will. I promise you will.

Captain Phillips - A MUST SEE

The true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years.  

Rated PG-13   - 134 minutes 

 
 I screened Captain Phillips on Wednesday night, and I have been thinking about ever since.  That is the true measure of a great movie.  It sticks with you.  You want to learn more.  Research, research, research.  But whatever you do, wait until AFTER you see the movie to do your own research.  I knew the story, yet was still so riveted that I destroyed at least two theater napkins into tiny little shreds of paper.  I can't imagine watching it through the eyes of someone who has never heard of Captain Phillips.

Because I don't want you to know the story, it's hard to write a review.   Trust me on this.  The less you know the better.  But here is what I will tell you:
 
I am not a scary movie fan, but because of my gig as a movie critic for KQTV, I must see a few. I have seen The Conjuring.  I have seen The Purge.  And nothing in either of those two scary movies compared to the sheer terror you feel when looking into the eyes of the Somali Pirates in this film.
 

 
The self appointed "captain" of the pirates, Muse, is played almost effortlessly by a young man named Barkhad Abdi. (second from left).  I will be very disappointed if he does not get a Best Supporting Actor nod. 

Abdi fled Somalia with his parents when he was 7 years old.  Last year he was working in his brother's mobile phone store in Minneapolis when he heard about a casting call for Somali-American men for this movie. He was chosed out of 700 other men - and he had absolutely no acting experience.   He speaks about a conversation with the film's director, Paul Greengrass, which resonated with him and helped him get into character::

 Greengrass "took me aside and said, 'You know the similarities between you and the real Muse?'"

Abdi said Greengrass' question caught him off guard.

"I'm thinking that this guy (Muse) is a criminal. Why did you compare me to him?,"' Abdi said he asked Greengrass.

The director's message to Abdi was succinct: Muse took a risk in being a pirate and failed. Abdi took a risk in wanting to become a film actor, and if he didn't do it well, he was going to fail too.

The risk the director alludes to is the possible backlash Abdi might experience in his close-knit Somali community in Minneapolis.  Many Somalian-Americans did not support this movie happen,  fearing it would bring criticism to their community.  Abdi said it is this exact reason he wanted to try out for the part.  He felt rather than trust someone else to do a good job, he knew he could trust himself the most.

Paul Greenglass also directed United Flight 93, the plane that crashed on 9/11.  He brings that same intensity to this film.  Tom Hanks tells he met the four Somali actors for the first time on the day they filmed the "ship takeover" scene.  Greenglass made sure of it.  Having Hanks never see these men until they were screaming at him and pointing automatic weapons in his face; well you can imagine.  Hanks himself says he was terrified.

About Hanks - well of course he is fantastic.  He does the job we all expect him to do.  One of the greatest actors of our time.

There is a scene in the movie when Phillips (Hanks) is being told to "breathe".  I could actually hear the other movie goers - my sister and I included - letting out breath.  

This film totally sucks you in and it is a hell of a ride.  One of the best movies I have seen in a long time.  

Oscar Buzz:  

Best Picture
Director - Paul Greengrass
Actor - Tom Hanks
Supporting Actor - Barkhad Abdi

 

Gravity - An Oscar Front-runner

I am a movie lover, but I have very specific tastes.  I want to either fall in love with the idea of falling in love, or I want to be so touched by a movie that I can't catch my breath.  So this movie wasn't anything I was particularly excited about seeing. 

That being said, Gravity isn't a movie you "see".  It feels more like a ride.  The special effects are out of this world (no pun intended)!  For 90 minutes, you can imagine what it must feel like to be in outer space.  You can imagine yourself if put in that situation - would you be able to keep it together?  Not panic?  The loneliness and fear Ryan Stone (Bullock) must have been feeling - it's hard to comprehend:

I was lucky enough to see this in IMAX 3D before it was released to the public.  The movie goes extremely fast and keeps your heart racing the entire time.   I especailly loved the audio - one minute so loud you could barely stand it and then deathly silence.  Exactly how I imagine space to be.  

I watched the movie through the eyes of a filmmaker and I was completely in awe.  I have no idea how they were able to make everything seem so real.  I left wanting desperately to talk to an astronaut who had seeen the movie to get their take on it.  Thanks to Eric Melin for forwarding a few articles to read - articles that interviewed astronauts who had seen the movie.  And they were impressed.  I am going to say that again:  Actual astronauts were impressed.  That seals the deal.

Sandra Bullock obviously carries the movie with just a touch of Clooney.  You have to be an amazing actor to pull something like this off.

My prediction:  Oscar nominations for Cuaron for Director.   I fully expect Gravity to take home the win in Visual Effects and it is sure to be a front runner for Best Picture.  I am leaning heavily towards Bullock for another Best Actress nod as well.

While it wasn't my favorite story, there is no denying it was a spectacular piece of work.  No doubt about it. I would encourage everyone to go see it.  In IMAX or 3D.  

James Gandolfini - Enough Said

 'A divorced and single parent, Eva (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) spends her days enjoying work as a masseuse but dreading her daughter's impending departure for college. She meets Albert (James Gandolfini) - a sweet, funny and like-minded man also facing an empty nest. As their romance quickly blossoms, Eva befriends Marianne (Catherine Keener), her new massage client. Marianne is a beautiful poet who seems "almost perfect" except for one prominent quality: she rags on her ex-husband way too much. Suddenly, Eva finds herself doubting her own relationship with Albert as she learns the truth about Marianne's ex. Written by ID-PR'
Rated PG-13 (93 minutes)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


I have always had a soft spot for big lovable guys. So it goes without saying I always love the James Gandolfini's...the John Goodman's....so....guess who could barely get through this movie without bawling every 5 minutes (and it wasn't really that sad).  James Gandolfini's early departure from this world was a great loss for film lovers like me.  We are all lucky he was able to finish this little gem.  Julia Louis-Dreyfuss is the perfect fit as well.  I imagine her heart broke when she watched the final cut.  Enjoy " Enough Said":

I was lucky to see both Don Jon and Enough Said within a few days of one another.  While I LOVED "Don Jon", I felt like I was watching someone else's life.  Watching "Enough Said" felt like home.  Warm and comfy.  Instead of nightclubs, we have "Pajama Sundays".  Instead of "my boys" we have "our daughters." Refreshing and very real.  And very, very sad given that Mr. Gandolfini passed away unexpectedly at the young age of 51, before the film was released.

This is no Tony Soprano movie. It is a charming, lovely snapshot of the dating world for single parents in the "middle ages."  "Albert" is your regular guy -- slightly overweight, a little bit of a slob.  But totally loveable.  It is no stretch to imagine Louis-Dreyfus' "Eva" falling for him. 


Empty Nesters will totally get this movie.  Anyone tossed into the thankless job of step-parenting will TOTALLY get it.

It's not a movie that will probably get much attention, but it is a fun way to spend an afternoon.  I even went alone, and still felt like i was amongst friends.  All James Gandolfini fans will be happy to have this gift he left for us all.  That's a good thing.

My Body, My Pad, My Ride, My Family, My Church, My Boys, My Girls, My Joseph Gordon-Levitt

With a Trailer like this, there's really not a whole lot I need to say about Don Jon so let's just start here:

 I went to Don Jon for two reasons:

1.  My daughter insisted

2.  My other daughter insisted

 3.  It was my birthday so my arm really didn't need to be twisted too hard. 

Two of my daughters are IN LOVE with Joseph Gordon-Levitt.  When I think of him, I just think of "Third Rock From The Sun" so I did not get it:

This was circa 1996.  Man am I old.  MAN were they right - look who is ALL grown up:

Hubba.  Hubba.

Go to this movie for the eye candy alone.  Not to mention JGL wrote it, directed it, and starred in it.  

And yes girls, you can take your SO.  For God's sake, Scarlett Johannson is his conquest:

This movie is so "naughty" I felt myself blushing in the dark theater - but at the same time it is one of the sweetest movies of the year. It is also one of the funniest. I absolutely loved it.  

Perfectly cast, we meet Jon Martello (a bartender?) winningly played by Mike The Situation--Er I mean Joseph Gordon-Levitt. In one of the funniest runs of the movie, Jon faithfully attends church to make his confession to his priest.  He then moves on to the gym where he times his workouts based on the number of "Hail Mary's" he has been assigned.  And sometimes this number can be high.  Not only does Jon have the pick of the bar-scene babes, he also has a dirty little secret.  An addiction to online porn.

Back to that perfect casting:  Enter Barbara Sugarman (played by the over-the-top sexy Scarlett Johannson).  It seems Don Jon has met his match.  He'll do about anything to make her happy - even swear off porn (apparently cell phone pics don't count)

Dutifully taking night classes to impress Barbara, Jon and his cell phone sneak peeks attract the attention of a Non-Trad named Esther (again - perfectly cast Julianne Moore).  I am gonna leave it at that.  This little twist sealed the deal for me.  Fantastic script.

Tony Danza plays Jon's father so convincingly, I might suggest the two men trace their family tree.  I wouldn't be surprised to see it connect somewhere.

The main story of the movie  - porn does for men what chick-flicks do for women - was something I hadn't given much thought to.  But once I started thinking about it, I couldn't believe how exactly right he got it.  It is the same damn thing.  I left there shaking my head...and wondering where beautiful men like Joseph Gordon-Levitt were when I was 25...or where I might sign up for my next night class.

Prisoners - The Ending Held ME Prisoner....

How far would you go to protect your family? Keller Dover is facing every parent's worst nightmare. His six-year-old daughter, Anna, is missing, together with her young friend, Joy, and as minutes turn to hours, panic sets in. The only lead is a dilapidated RV that had earlier been parked on their street. Heading the investigation, Detective Loki arrests its driver, Alex Jones, but a lack of evidence forces his release. As the police pursue multiple leads and pressure mounts, knowing his child's life is at stake the frantic Dover decides he has no choice but to take matters into his own hands. But just how far will this desperate father go to protect his family? Written by Warner Bros. Pictures

Rated R - Disturbing violent content including torture, and language 
2 hr. 26 min.


September kicks off "awards season", & Warner Bros. is buzzing early on. 
Newbie Director Denis Villeneuve's name is being thrown around along with his stellar cast, Hugh Jackman (who plays Keller Dover), Jake Gyllenhaal (Dectective Loki), and the entire production for Best Picture.  Am I surprised?  Maybe just a little.  
More surprising, or perhaps disappointing, is the fact that Paul Dano's (the pitiful Alex Jones) name ISN'T being mentioned.  Once again, he gives us a performance so believable, so raw, you feel almost sick to your stomach.

 
 Paul Dano portrays Alex Jones, the mentally delayed suspect in the disappearance of two girls, and Melissa Leo is his protective aunt. (Provided by Warner Bros.)

The beginning of the movie is much better than the ending, and Villeneuve takes forever to get there.  But just as you start to get fidgety and bored with all the cliche's, desperate mom's starting to question dad's..alcohol fueled rage...he grabs your attention back with a twist.

While we know we should focus on the kidnapping crime, the unimaginable "other crime" is so profound and thought provoking, I imagine lots of "what would you be willing to do" conversations on the drive home.

 

 I really think Villeneuve missed the mark in the end, though.  There were too many things left unanswered.  Too many things thrown into the mix that didn't need to be there.  

And I hated the ending.  That's all I will say about that.



 

A Review, A Rumor, A Disappointment and A Dream - where do I begin?

There is so much going on in Hollywood,  I hardly know where to begin!   

So…in no particular order:

We’re The Millers             Rated R                1 hr. 40 minutes

In We're the Millers, Jason Sudeikis plays David, a small-time pot dealer who sells to local soccer moms. Always trying to keep a low profile, he is forced to take on a gang of gutter punks and losers. Having lost his pot AND all his cash to these hoodlums, he becomes a drug smuggler to help out his supplier played by Ed Helms. Lucky for us, he is able to convince his stripper/neighbor Rose to go along and play his “wife-next-door." Rose is played by Jennifer Aniston.  You can thank the casting director for Aniston. She is simply amazing.  Will Poulter and Emma Roberts tag along pretending to be their kids and the adventure begins. 

Lots of laughs for sure but don’t feel bad if you wait until this one comes out on DVD.   No matter how you see it, make sure you stick around for the bloopers. Some of the funniest parts will be found there.

What's That Jack?

Hollywood is abuzz over a report that Jack Nicholson has retired from show business.  RadarOnline reports “memory issues” behind this decision.  However, don’t count him out just yet. This gossip hasn’t been confirmed.  The actor's name quickly became a trending topic on Twitter as fans panicked over the prospect of one of the greatest living American actors exiting stage left.  In typical Hollywood fashion however,  a separate source told NBC News that reports of Nicholson’s demise were greatly exaggerated.  Even if the three-time Academy Award winner hasn’t officially retired however, it certainly has been a while since fans have seen him on the big screen.  A rep for the actor has not responded to a request for comment. (Thanks www.nydailynews.com)    

Personally, I think his best recent performance was this little exchange with Miss Lawrence at the Oscars:  (feel free to stop watching when Hathaway shows up)

And last but certainly not least – we got THIS news:

Dakota Johnson and Charlie Hunnam Cast as Leads in Fifty Shades of Grey

I panicked when I googled this Hunnam character and was met with this:

 

I mean seriously this guy looks NOTHING like Christan Grey. I was beyond upset!! But upon further research, I came across this version. Yes this is the same man…and my pulse slowed (or raced, depending on what you mean...wink wink..)

 

All of this happened Sunday mid-morning, while I was on the back of the Harley.  I tried to tell Jay the seriousness of the situation, but he refused to pull over so I could calmly do my research.  I am sure those who saw me on the bike thought I was having a seizure or had lost my mind.  It was so stressful trying to Tweet and Google while going 70 mph on a bike!!

Let’s just hope the latter picture is who shows up to play Christian Grey.  

If you know me, you know I was rooting for Dylan McDermott.  Sigh.  It wasn’t meant to be.  Who knows, maybe he will get cast as Christian’s sexy Dad, Carrick. A girl can dream, can't she? 

 

I am really looking forward to screening Don Jon next week. How convenient that the screening is the eve of my birthday?! After watching the trailer, you'll agree that this is the best possible way to celebrate my birthday, especially since my daughters will be going with me! 

My BFF Bridget and I really, really want to go to the Oscars in 2014.  Think we can make it happen?  I sure do.  Be sure and check back often and follow me on Twitter @take2review to see how close we can come to making this dream come true.  We are pretty resourceful girls!