Sons of Anarchy (Season 5)

You know you’re watching a good show when each season moves the story forward instead of repeating itself. Kurt Sutter is storyteller gold right now, spinning this down-and-dirty tale about the rise of a young biker prince who continues to fall into a pit of corruption even as he yearns to get away. Charlie Hunnam delves even darker into his character and Katey Sagal complicates everything by turning into a real bitch. I mean, I hated her by the end of this season and I’m hoping she is killed off next season. How is this possible? I used to like her character. Not anymore. Yet that’s why I know I’m watching a great show because I’m emotional tested and thinking of these characters like real people. I’m glad I get a break from this show though because I know it’s only going to get nastier. Grade: A

Los Cronocrímenes [Time Crimes] (2007)

I love time travel films and this mystery box of a story is an enjoyable example of the sub-genre. Hector lives with his beloved wife out in the Spanish country and he’s just trying to enjoy his afternoon while his wife goes shopping. Yet his curiosity is tweaked when he sees through binoculars a woman out in the woods take off her closes. He decides to investigate only to become a victim to a crazy masked killer. He is stabbed and is able to escape to a science complex. It’s here that he becomes trapped in a time loop and where the adventure and the film’s many fun twists begin. I think this is a great little movie well worth checking out. Grade: B+

24 Hour Party People (2002)

British director Michael Winterbottom is a fascinating artist. Even his choice of films is odd. He’s done drama, science fiction and comedy. But when he’s doing comedy he smartly teams up with Steve Coogan. This is a semi-fictional retelling of Tony Wilson, reporter and music promoter, and how he helped support Manchester's music scene from the late ‘70s all the way to the ‘90s. The improvisational nature of the film doesn’t always work but the overall feel is that you’re watching a badly edited documentary. I enjoyed it but mostly because of Coogan’s performance, not the music history. If you like this music then you’ll probably be even more entertained than I was. Grade: B+

The Imposter (2012)

I can’t really tell if I liked this film. It’s a documentary that tells the strange story of Frédéric Bourdin. A French con man who succeeds to convince a Texas family that he’s their missing son. In many ways it’s a riveting story but the interviews from the real people mixed in with the recreations kind of annoyed me. It seemed artificial and made me wonder why these people would participate in such a project. While the unbelievable details at the beginning are very entertaining at first the way the story unravels isn’t as interesting. Grade: B

Andrei Rublev (1966)

Andrei Tarkovsky, the masterful Russian director of other such boring films as Solaris and The Stalker, delivers us another slow-moving epic. To be fair though I do believe this one is actually pretty good. Yes, I strained to watch it without falling to sleep but this meditation on the life of a Russian painter from the 15th Century is beautifully captured in black and white and I thought the various chapters were memorable with stories that actually interested me. My favorite story dealt with the scenes about the making of the bell. Grade: B

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)

I’m a big fan of Gary Ross and was bummed that he left this film series with Francis Lawrence attached to direct. I had yet been impressed with Mr. Lawrence, finding his biggest hit I am Legend a disappointing mess. How delighted I was to witness not only a better film than the first one (which I liked a lot) but one of the best book adaptations I’ve ever seen. I remember reading the book by Suzanne Collins and thinking it was almost un-filmable, that the action would have to be toned down some to make a plausible film. Wrong. This film matched my imagination almost to the exact detail. Katniss and Peeta survived the first Hunger Games and now they must parade about as celebrities, all to bolster the Capitol’s agenda. One problem: Katniss is a force of inspiration for a growing rebellion and that will force President Snow to change the rules. With an excellent cast of new characters and Jennifer Lawrence giving another memorable performance this series just became a contender for one of the best series made. Grade: A

Idiocracy (2006)

This might go down as Mike Judge’s masterpiece. A cautionary joke that seems to be coming true: we are getting dumber as a society. Luke Owen, a modern day Rip Van Winkle, wakes up to discover that he’s the smartest man in the world because everyone else is a moron. Smart and crude at the same time, this is the kind of comedy that will stand the test of time, unless we do get so stupid not to see the humor in it. Grade: A-

Miss Representation (2011)

This film is too important to be ignored. Yes, for those of us who are aware of the topic, it doesn’t highlight anything new, but for the rest of the world this film should be seen. Women are so badly misrepresented in our media today that it’s a shame. The problem isn’t about feminism or being politically incorrect. This is about half the population being degraded and labeled as secondary. Jennifer Siebel Newsom directs after she becomes a mother of a daughter. This is her call of arms and a hope that all our daughters grow up in a world where they are empowered not by their looks or sexiness but by their worth as human beings, their intelligence, their leadership skills and their ability to function without a predetermined label. Watch this film, even if you don’t have a daughter. I’m going to be a father to a son and I want him to see this film just as much. This is not a problem that only one gender faces; it’s a problem all of humanity needs to address. Grade: A

Twelve Chairs (1970)

I have wanted to watch this Mel Brooks comedy for some time. It’s an adaptation of authors Ilf and Petrov’s famous satire and the result is an amusing film lacking much of Brook’s comic magic. It’s basically a rat race kind of film about three men racing across Russia trying to locate one of 12 chairs that has some valuable jewels hidden in it. There are some funny moments but this isn’t nearly as great as his other classics like The Producers or Young Frankenstein. One of the reasons it didn’t do it for me was Dom DeLuise. Maybe in the sixties and seventies this guys was considered comedy gold but for me he’s just not that funny. His scenes were mostly annoying and made me wish for more Ron Moody. Not a disaster but certainly only for those curious. Grade: B

Upside Down (2013)

As a surrealist pseudoscience love story this high-concept film is a feat of imagination. Add any real science to this thing and it unravels like a badly made sweater. But for me, it’s still a warm sweater and I enjoyed it. Basically it’s a haves and a have-nots story where the haves live Up Above with their gravity going up and the have-nots live Down Below with gravity going the opposite direction; it’s called Duel Gravity in the film. The film opens with the rules: if anyone from one world goes to the other, they keep their gravity and basically float upward back to their world. Meet Adam and Eden, played by Jim Sturgess and Kirsten Dunst, who meet on mountain peaks, he’s from Down Below and she’s from Up Above. They fall in love and Adam will do anything he can to find a way to see her again, even if it means finding a way to her world. It’s really kind of cool and fun to watch. I mean, director Juan Diego Solanas and his effects team succeed at creating a beautifully new world that’s a wonder to behold. The story has a few holes in it, especially with the main character’s inconsistent motivation or lack of motivation at the end. Yes, if you overanalyze this concept too many questions pop up but if you just go with it and accept it for what it is and that is a clever love story, it’s an enjoyable experience. Grade: B

Spoiler Talk
I wanted to elaborate on the film’s big problem. Basically Adam at the end gives up and it’s Eden and Bob who find a way for Adam to be with her. It’s never satisfying to see your hero give up and then have another character make the story a happy ending. It’s so passive and makes a possible strong hero weak and unlikeable. As soon as it gets hopeless, we needed to see Adam make the necessary discoveries to get to the end of this film. Instead it doesn’t even feel like the same person. If not for this flawed ending I think this film would be way better. 

Animal Farm (1954)

This British animated film from Halas and Batchelor adapts George Orwell’s famous political satire in a rich and rewarding vision. It’s a grown up film about farm animals who revolt against their tyrant farmer only to fall under an equally dominating ruler. First there’s the rebellion, then the promise of enlightenment and lastly corruption. As I watched this I couldn’t help but think of what’s happening in Egypt right now. I guess we really don’t learn from our past and even brilliantly drafted stories that warn us does little to wake us out of our same old patterns. This film is still relevant today. That said I can’t help but wonder if anyone would be interesting in re-adapting this novel with the technology we have now. Pixar has never done an adaptation before but this would be a good choice if they ever wanted to take a big risk. Grade: B+

Take This Waltz (2012)

Sarah Polley writes and directs this anti-love story (if you will) about a married woman played by Michelle Williams who becomes infatuated by a neighbor. Seth Rogan plays her husband and I don’t believe has ever been this sincere. At times exciting in a bad way, it’s mostly a heart breaking film that asks real questions about matrimony and what “real” love is about. I’ll be thinking about this film for a long time, especially how far (in a believable way) Michelle’s character takes her fling. Grade: A

Spoiler Alert
Many times Hollywood romanticizes affairs and makes them “beautiful”. That’s one of the aspects of this film I really respect. It fools you, thinking it’s doing what most affair movies do and that’s make you believe the two people having the affair are soul mates and that they need to be together. Yet here we see how truly devastating a mistake such a choice is. Yet what’s also inspiring is that while Michelle realizes she made a mistake at the end, she owns up to and decides to love herself and respect her own person more than a marriage can. Only then can she experience and enjoy what marriage is.

Sons of Anarchy (Season 4)

So begins a new phase in the story of Jax Teller aka new Michael Corleone of the biker world. In this Season the tension only heightens as dark secrets are finally revealed and betrayals shake SAMCRO to the bone. I really enjoyed this season and can’t wait to see how the next one unfolds. Kurt Sutter is crafting a wonderful drama and just keeps on getting better. Grade: A 

Thor: The Dark World (2013)

The first Thor film was a huge surprise. While I wished the love story had been better developed Marvel and director Kenneth Branagh delivered a great set-up to one of comics most beloved heroes. Gone is Branagh with Alan Taylor taking over the directing duties. This is an excellent sequel with better more threatening villains and a love story that finally feels genuine. The special effects are top-notch. They really take you to this new world. Then there’s Tom Hidddleston’s Loki who pretty much owns this film. Chris Hemsworth is good too but he’s really a one-note kind of guy. I can’t wait to see where Marvel plans to take this franchise. Grade: B+

The Prince and the Showgirl (1957)

Laurence Olivier directs and stars opposite the brilliant Marilyn Monroe in this adaptation of the play The Sleeping Prince (awful title by the way). If you’ve seen the 2011 film My Week with Marilyn then you might be familiar with this bland completely miss-matched romantic comedy. Marilyn might have been having problems while making this film but you can’t tell; her comic sensibilities are on target. Mr. Olivier on the other hand proves comedic acting isn’t for everyone, even amazingly talented Shakespearian actors. The two of them just don’t work together. Marilyn’s character saves this from being a waste of time. Her portrayal of a showgirl who flips the tables on a Prince expecting a one-night of passion and instead seducing the Prince is enjoyable to watch, but only when the Prince isn’t around.
Grade: B-

About Time (2013)

This might end up being my favorite film of the year. Always the hopeless romantic and dreamer of the fantastic, I loved this film about a young man who learns that all the men in his family have the ability to travel through time. Instead of using it to read books like his father did or to gain wealth like most people would, he decides to find love. But it’s not just a story about a man falling in love. It many ways it’s about a man falling in love with life itself and I haven’t left a theater filled up with such joy in a long time. Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams and Bill Nighy star in a film written and directed Richard Curtis. Why this film isn’t more talked about I will never understand. Maybe some movies were made for just a certain group of people. I’m so happy that I’m one of those this film seems to have been made for. Grade: A

Searching for Sugar Man (2012)

Some true stories are so unbelievable and amazing that it shocks me not everyone knows about it. Thankfully the Academy rewarded this documentary with the Best Feature Documentary Oscar so others see it. It tells the crazy story of a musical explosion that happened down in South Africa surrounding the mysterious American musician Sixto Diaz Rodriguez. Years later two fans of the artist attempt to find out how Rodriquez died. I don’t want to say anymore. Just watch this film. It’s a real inspiring story that proves dreams can come true and sometimes in the most odd way. Malik Bendjelloul directs, pretty awesome for a first timer. Grade: A

The Prisoner on 2nd Avenue (1975)

Neil Simon’s play turned film starring the Jack Lemmon and Ann Bancroft. I’m a huge Neil Simon fan and love the work of both these actors. I was not disappointed. Jack plays Mel, a man who loses his job and goes through a mid-life crisis, shouting at his neighbors and hating the entire city. Meanwhile his wife, Edna, goes back to work and this change only drives Mel even more crazy. A bit dated, certainly, it’s still a wonderful adaptation of Simon’s terrific black comedy. Grade: B+

Oblivion (2013)

There’s a lot of hate for this Tom Cruise Science fiction thriller and I’m not sure why. It’s not a masterpiece but I was really entertained by it. Tom Cruise plays a repair man combination security guard who lives on a deserted, war-torn Earth in the future. He lives with his girlfriend played by Andrea Riseborough and it’s their one year mission to maintain various energy stations and keep them safe from leftover rogue aliens that caused Earth’s destruction. When they’re done with their mission, they will return to Saturn’s moon Titan where the rest of humanity lives out their days. Directed and written by Joseph Kosinski (of Tron: Legacy) it’s a fun dystopian adventure with many twists. Although I saw some of the twists coming as the story unfolded, I still enjoyed the overall package. As stated it’s not an instant classic, for there are some logic issues dealing with the aliens motivations, but I liked the premise enough to go with it. Andrea Riseborough, for me, stole the show; I really liked her performance. Olga Kurylenko is a bit young for the eternal young Tom Cruise but she executes her role fine enough. Morgan Freeman also stars and does his typical decent side character. Again no wow factor going on here but it’s still an enjoyable exercise of science fiction escapism. Grade: A-

Spoiler Alert
As mentioned above, the one issue I had with the film is that it’s not clear why the Alien invader needed to create clones that thought they were humans. If they could program a bunch of clones to be soldiers for them why not just program to maintain the power stations. I guess the human spirit eventually breaks free and that’s the point of Tom Cruise’s character’s journey. This might sound crazy to most people and I know it would never happen but I’d love to see a sequel. What you say? How could you make a sequel? After the alien space craft is destroyed the Earth is covered by all these clones who just realized that they’ve been deceived all this time. I’d love to see the point of view of a bunch of Tom Cruise characters trying to survive in this new world. Would they be outcasts? How would all the humans treat these clones? Would any of these clones be bad? There are so many possibilities.

Tampopo (1985)

I’m on a roll, another great film. This is a comedy about a truck driver and other ramen connoisseurs who collaborate to help a widow running a noodle shop make her place the best in town. This is what you’d call a real crowd pleaser, an entertaining tale that stirs your stomach as well as your mind. It’s just a fun film well-worth watching. I’m not a ramen foodie but I would become one if I could go to Tampopo’s noodle shop. Grade: A

Upstream Color (2013)

I absolutely am in awe of this film. Shane Carruth is my new hero. I don’t even know where to begin because I want so badly to write a blog worthy of such an original bizarre drama. Let me clarify right from the beginning, this is not a film for everyone. Many people will look at this beautifully eerie film about a woman and a man finding each other after being victims to a spiritual thief who uses a strange parasite to make them do whatever he commands them to do as being too odd. And it is odd but in such a poetic good way. I truly believe you could find a multitude of themes and inspiring ideas in this work of art. It’s open to so many theories. Amy Seimetz co-stars with Carruth and their chemistry on screen is vibrant. I rooted for these people to recover their lives and in the end realized that they ended up richer human beings for going through what they did. It’s part mystery, part science fiction fable, part love story and part metaphysical poem. After seeing Primer, Carruth’s first film, I figured a new talent had emerged but I would have never guessed he’d go completely against the grain and produce a work of art this special. Grade: A

Everything Must Go (2010)

Will Farrell can act. Really, he can. This isn’t the first time he proved this fact but if there was any doubt let this wonderful dramedy about a man who sells everything he owns to restart his life reaffirm it. Of course at first it’s not that Will’s character Nick wants to sell his stuff, it’s just that he doesn’t know what to do except sit on his lawn (to the house his soon-to-be ex-wife locked) and drink beers. But soon he befriends a teenager and his neighbor across the street played by Rebecca Hall. Dan rush the director and writer based the film the short story by Raymond Carver called, “Why Don’t You Dance?” Looks like I’m going to have to find my copy of the collection What We Talk About When We Talk About Love? and read it again to see how much he made up and how much he actually used. Grade: A-

Jedi Junkies (2010)

I don’t know if I should admit this but while watching this documentary about Super Star Wars fans, the kind of nerds that collect everything and obsess on every detail of the films to the point of absurdity, I was envious. I too am a fan of the Star Wars and if I had had my way as a kid I would have become a master collector as well. I remember dreaming of having a warehouse where I could build massive dioramas recreating my favorite scenes. As a teenager I would have jumped at the chance to learn out to fight with a Lightsaber. (Let’s just say the famous Star Wars Kid and I could have been good friends.) Even today I would love to devote that much time to Star Wars. But I didn’t take that fork in the road. I conformed to society’s norms and found a multitude of other passions to take up my energies. Some might find some of people in this documentary geeky or pathetic but for me they’re heroes. They never gave up and kept the Force strong. Thank god we have people like that in our world. Grade: B+

Gravity (2013)

There is little doubt this survival in space drama, this mostly one-woman show starring Sandra Bullock, will be nominated for Best Picture. Director Alfonso Cuaron merges reality and special effect in such a brilliant way I almost was convinced he took his cast out into outer space to make this film. Every sequence delivers a highly emotional roller coaster ride and Bullock gives her best performance in her career. She commits all the way to an actual complex character, making me forget that this is the same woman we’ve seen in dozens of films. George Clooney is also good in this one, even if his minor role could have been played by anyone. At 90 minutes long Cuaron knows when to take us in and when to end the story at just the right moment. I left the theater inspired and still dazzled. Grade: A

Spoiler Alert
Even a great film like this has to have a flaw or plot hole, if you want to call it that. It bothered me for a second while watching the film and then I let it go. Later while thinking about the scene some more it bothered me again. But in the end it’s such a nitpicky thing it’s not really significant enough to lower my rating. It appears Ryan (Sandra) and Stone (George) are about to tumbling past the space station and miss their one chance for survival. Ryan gets snagged into a parachute but is able to grab Stone before he flies past. But Stone tells her to let go and that she needs to save herself because if she tries to save him he’ll only kill the both of them. Yet the problem is that in space they’re weight less. It would be very easy for Ryan to yank his arm and float him back toward the space station. Also as soon as she grabbed him he’d stop moving forward because he would be traveling at the same force as the space station and Ryan. Two professionals trained for space walking would know this and so should the film makers. I’m assuming it all comes to drama, that the story dictated that Ryan needed to make a choice and if Cuaron had bound himself to science he felt he’d hurt the story. I think they could have found a way to work around this but I can live with what happens in the movie as is.

Fringe (Season 5)

Events prefaced in last season’s 19th episode ”Letters to Transit” continues on this the last season of the Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci’s created sci-fi detective show centered around concepts on the edges of science. Here we jump forward to the future where the Observers are no longer passive record takers but dictators who’ve taken our world prisoner. Released from amber, the Fringe team must work with Peter and Olivia’s adult daughter to save the world from these unbound-by-time beings. First let me get this out of the way: wow and thank you for taking the show into a new direction that really is exciting and refreshing. Just when the show was starting to feel formulaic they do a 180 and turn our heroes into the terrorists/rebels fighting the system. I really loved this season and feel like it was the best way to end the series. It’s unpredictable, emotional and completely original. My one complaint is that it felt Olivia’s character (who started out the main character) kind of takes back seat. That said the father and son story line between the Bishops is top-notch and I am in love with Georgina Haig who played Etta Bishop. The last episode was a tad too rushed for me (it deserved a two-hour closing) but ultimately it was still very satisfying. Now that it’s over I realize I’m going to miss this show a lot. Grade: A