FILM: Children of Men Review

Bottom line: it was shit. Alfonso Cuaron is an amazing director, the abundance of jarring p.o.v. shots, and his directing of A Little Princess and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban prove that. But the writing was shotty and the minor characters were underdeveloped. The only thing that saves the film—and made it an understandable possible Oscar nominee—is its testament to the miracle of birth and seeing how it can silence chaos. Except for that, it’s clear why it only made $35 million.

REACTION: Babel Review

Unlike Laura, I’ve never seen an Alejandro González Iñárritu film. I had nothing to compare it to and I really didn’t have any great expectations. After watching the film, I would’ve given Adriana Barraza the Best Supporting Actress award. Granted, I didn’t see Dreamgirls and maybe Jennifer Hudson was truly remarkable, but the mounting fear and desperation that she expressed personifying the plight of illegal immigrants was a much more resounding story of discrimination than Hudson’s. Besides the Mexican border story, I also enjoyed the tale of the two Moroccan brothers. Their coming of age story was pretty well done given that they had very little time to tell it. In it, a young boy learned to overcome his ego. But the true story—the one the director was trying to translate, literally—was an attempt to illuminate the plague of miscommunication that has infected the world. The images of people of different colors and cultures united by their common dilemma were supposed to ultimately show that we’re all the same. But by the end, I felt even more disassociated from everyone else in the world. The way the emotions and the purpose of the film stay with you long after the credits stop rolling is what made the film Oscar material. But I agree with Laura. Every film is open to individual interpretation. However, there’s always a chance that a negative message is interpreted and I don’t think Iñárritu intended for that to happen.

FILM: My weekend choice: THE LOOKOUT

This weekend I chose to see The Lookout, NOT Blades of Glory. I had free tickets to see Blades of Glory and I still didn't go. That's right. Not even for free. I did love Anchorman, but I didn't want to taint my perspective of Will Ferrell after watching Stranger than Fiction. I'll wait till it's on video.

The Lookout wasn't as impressive as I expected. For Scott Frank's directorial debut, he did pretty well. But Frank didn't give the actors, especially Joseph Gordon Levitt, much to work with scriptwise. You've heard Frank's words in Get Shorty, Out of Sight, Minority Report, Flight of the Phoenix, and The Interpreter. I've seen 2 out of 5 and liked neither of them. But Frank stopped being a box office hit about 5 years ago. Levitt was his usual moody, raw self burdened with a different backstory. I get that he never wants to be pegged as the bumbling idiot he played in "30 Rock" and 10 things I hate about you ever again, but now he's just burrowed himself a brand new hole he won't be able to get himself out of when he tries. I guess he won't even try until he gets himself an Oscar nod like his fellow actor Ryan Gosling. There wasn't much to the film. Just what you would expect. The movie's motto gives the whole thing away. So, wait for video.

FILM: Babel speaks to its audiences

Movies leave you with a message. Really good movies leave you with three or more.

Alejandro González Iñárritu truly redeems himself with his direction of the Oscar-winning Babel. Perhaps I shouldn't say that considering I've only seen one of his other movies, Amores Perros ("Love Dogs" or "Love's a Bitch" in English), but the countless scenes of bloody dogs in that movie was enough for me to hate the guy.

Other than the brief beheading of a chicken, Babel has no tortured animals, just a poor Cate Blanchett who gets shot in an extremely unlucky, wrong-place-wrong-time type of situation while vacationing in Morocco with husband Brad Pitt. The unhappily married couple's two perfect blond-haired, blue-eyed children are back home with Aemilia (Adriana Barraza), the kids' nanny and an illegal immigrant from Mexico. When no one else can watch the kids, Aemilia is forced to take the kids back to Mexico with her for her son's wedding.

Meanwhile the culprits of the Blanchett shooting, two young Moroccan brothers who were innocently and foolishly testing out a new high power rifle purchased by their father, hear that an American tourist has been shot on a bus. They panic as they realize what they have done. The rifle serves as a link to the fourth story of the movie which takes place in Japan. A deaf-mute teenage girl, tortured by social pressures and stifled by her inability to speak, is determined and desperate to lose her virginity.

These four loosely related sets of situations are cleverly and successfully interweaved, unlike Amores Perros where the stories were rather sloppily wrapped together. Iñárritu has an odd way of establishing time in his movies. In Babel, the stories keep jumping back and forth, leaving you with the impression that they are all going on at the same time. In actuality, however, the different events precede and follow one another and it is up to the viewer to piece the puzzle together. It is a stylistic move more than anything less. Nevertheless, it works.

The stories unfold and while the link between the situations is clear, the underlining relationship and point of it all are not. Monica clued me in that the movie is essentially about the overbearing lack of communication among humans, which makes sense considering its title (See Babel). I left the movie believing it was about the opressiveness of governmental and social systems, while my boyfriend came away with a statement about motherhood (the motherless Japanese girl and Aemilia as a vicarious mother to the kids).

In any case, this never boring, curiously developed, neatly crafted film is worth seeing. Iñárritu spells out a message for you, and the beauty of it all is you can read it any which way you want.

FILM: Will Ferrell at his sexiest

Note to Monica: You said you found Will Ferrell to be handsome in Stranger than Fiction. Funny, I always thought you'd like a Ferrell with long brown locks, a sexy stare, and a killer sense of style, say something a little more Blades of Glory? I for one love a man who can work a pair of blades on the ice. Please keep us posted on this next Ferrell venture, I sure as hell will not be spending my good 10 dollars to see it anytime soon.

FILM: 3/30 New Releases

By now 300 should be put to bed. But apart from the surefire shenanigans of Blades of Glory, there isn't much to kick TMNT out of the top spot...except for maybe its bad reviews. There seems to be a consensus that the "real" life turtles were better than the animated/CGIed ones. Maybe they should've mixed the two like they did with Spiderman. This weekend there's something for everyone, from the kids to the dorks to the mystery lovers.

BLADES OF GLORY

We all know that once Will Ferrell is hired for any job, whether it be an anchorman or a race car driver, he will completely destroy the profession's credibility. Ice skaters beware. Joining him is the consistently doofy John Heder, the pervy Will Arnett ("Arrested Development"), and the snarky Amy Poehler ("SNL"). Expect a lot of pratfalls, gay jokes, and straight up weirdness in this comedy.


THE LOOKOUT

I know. I know. Joseph Gordon Levitt is a respectable indie actor who's earned his street cred, so going to see this movie to gawk at him would be inappropriate and immature. I'm of course, going to do it anyway. Oh, the plot. Right. He plays a former athlete who gets amnesia after a horrible accident and is somehow tricked into helping a bunch of hooligans rob the bank he works at. Isla Fisher, Borat's baby mama, and Matthew Goode (Chasing Liberty) are his costars. But let's be honest, we'll barely notice their presence.


MEET THE ROBINSONS

Take a trip to the future with Lewis and watch him find the perfect family. Of course, villains always make cartoon flicks more enjoyable and—not missing a beat—their goons are bumbling fools who keep the laughs coming. Keep your eyes on the "scary" T-Rex.

FILM: Stranger than Fiction Review

Strange because it’s nearly nonfiction

He smiled. I’ve never seen a comedian smile, I thought. Not many comedians are attractive. In fact, most comedians, or funny guys in general, are only attractive because they’re funny. It’s what I imagine Sarah Silverman sees in Jimmy Kimmel. But in that moment, when I saw Harold Crick—or Will Ferrell who disappeared within Harold Crick—smile as he watched a funny film in a theater, it was the first time I thought he was very handsome. It was a genuine smile…or so I think. He is an actor after all. I tried very hard to think about all the movies I’ve seen him in: Old School, Anchorman, Wedding Crashers, etc. and I couldn’t think of any time when he didn’t forcefully give a goofy grin or a nervous smirk or a bewildered look, his lips half cocked.

He never gets to play characters at lower decibels. It kind of reminds me of Jerry Lewis or even Amanda Bynes. Whenever they did or do comedy, their facial features are feng shuied until the crowd is doing crunches, their mouths gaping like dilated pupils. No, I did not laugh out loud. But, there were certainly moments where I faintly snickered. I feel bad for those who Black Friday-ed the theaters, two-to-a-seat, to see what wily character Ferrell would pull out of his hat this time. Having had a multitude of Paul Revere’s, I knew not to expect that tense sensation one has in their gut after laughing for what seem like hours but are mere minutes. I knew that Ferrell was going for something else. Something deeper than Jack Black’s maniacal punting of a dog off of a bridge—despite how sadistically funny that was. I knew that he would have to face imminent death and that something had to be funny about that. But normally a person knowing they’re going to die, like cancer patients and those inflicted with AIDs, don’t find this sort of scenario that hilarious. Is there something wrong with us that we do?

Emma Thompson, who I have seen in very few films—Junior, Love Actually, Harry Potter, and Nanny McPhee—was a pathetic sight to endure throughout the film. Her character, Karen’s, persistent desire to kill off the heroes of her books seemed secretly suicidal, especially since she always envisioned herself dieing instead of the hero. It wasn’t until the end of the film, when she’s properly groomed and dressed, that she seems to possess any respectable qualities. I guess you’re supposed to hate her, because she’s going to kill poor, defenseless Crick. But she is just doing her job—and unknowingly at that.

In the moment, when your vision readjusts itself to this new Karen, she awakens something in the viewer, almost like an epiphany, a thought, an idea that was always there, but was suddenly uncovered by this new and improved Karen. She said, “It’s a book about a man who doesn’t know he’s about to die, then dies. But if the man does know he’s going to die and dies anyway—dies willingly knowing he could stop it—then…I mean, isn’t that the type of man you want to keep alive?”

This movie isn’t funny, because it’s true. It isn’t about some poor schlub who faces doom. Karen is God—albeit almost every woman’s depiction of the holy being. Think about how God spends Her day. If you ask yourself what happens every day no matter what, everywhere and anywhere, you couldn’t say that the sunrises. In some continents, that only happens half the year. You could, however, say that every day someone dies. Therefore God spends every day trying to figure out how someone is going to die and who that someone is going to be. In Catholic scripture, churchgoers are taught that God loves all his children, even if they commit sins. He will welcome them into his heart and his home with as equal affection as a non-sinner—not that there’s such a thing. The reason for that—or what I believe to be the reason—is because after all the tests and trials that these sinners have endured, they still return to him and seek forgiveness. They’ve been shown that this world blows and it isn’t going to get any better, and yet they still turn away from a life where they could possibly find happiness in doing evil things and turn towards him. That’s called blind faith. There’s no proof that She exists or that there’s a heaven or that we’re getting 40 virgins when we kick it. In having blind faith, we sacrifice our free will to disobey Her.

Harold Crick sacrificed himself for a little boy because he blindly believed that it was his destiny to give that boy a second chance. And in turn, God or Karen gave him a second chance. His blind faith and self sacrifice saved him. That’s what the movie was about: taking risks.

A bottled up IRS agent who could not distinguish the moments in his life that were “significant” from the “mundane” ones—because they melded—risked his heart and his job to live for the first time in his life. Therefore, the moral of the “unfunny” story is that sometimes it pays to sacrifice everything, or else you’ll never have anything actually worth living for.

FILM: Future Sequels

By now you must've heard that Shia Labeouf (Constantine) is rumored to be in the 4th installment of the Indiana Jones series, alongside Harrison Ford and Cate Blanchett (Notes on a Scandal) [who apparently is slumming it for a quick payday]. Known for being the perfect sidekick comic relief in Constantine and I, Robot, it seems Labeouf is trying to make himself a household name, first with Transformers this summer and soon with Indiana Jones.


Speaking of action sequels, The Mummy 3 has been in the works ever since the 2nd film made $433 million world wide. Quite the incentive. Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz are said to be back on board. The plot is straying from the sands of Africa and into Asia with the help of Jet Li and maybe Michelle Yeoh (Memoirs of a Geisha). Li will be a villain. The new mummy, which I think is Li, will be China's first Emperor Qin Shihuang, who wants revenge on the people who cursed his warriors and turned them into terracotta statues. He wants to take over the world by releasing his army. The actual lead in the film will be Alex Pettyfer (Stormbreaker), who will play Fraser and Weisz's son, Alex. It makes sense to pass the movie onto younger shoulders to prolong the series.

Although I'm really excited to see what adventures both those movies are going to bring once they start shooting, I'm more excited about Resident Evil: Extinction after watching the trailer. No more dark underground locations. It seems Alice (Mila Jovovich) has become a gun-slinging cowgirl in the Nevada desert, the only place with human life on Earth. Somehow Mike Epps, Oded Fehr, and Ian Glen are still alive in the sequel. Joining the cast are Ali Larter ("Heroes") and Ashanti (John Tucker Must Die).

FILM: Box office outcome - 3/26/07

As I predicted, TMNT kicked 300 out of the top spot with $5 million more pesos in their little green pockets. And despite the skepticism of my high-class friends, Shooter debuted at #3, albeit with a pathetic gross of $14.5. An indie film I forgot to mention, The Last Mimzy, came in at #5. Rainn Wilson, who plays Dwayne in "The Office," stars in it with a bunch of kids who are developing abilities that are apparently derived from aliens. What kid wouldn't want to go see that?! The Hills Have Eyes II did better than Dead Silence when it debuted, probably because it was a sequel. Sadly Reign Over Me didn't do too well. It probably shouldn't have premiered around Spring Break season. Hard to bring up the subject of 9/11, when all anyone wants to do is lay out on the beach and guzzle tequila. For a minority-driven indie, Pride did pretty well, pulling in $4 mil. The only indie that suffered was First Snow, but then again it was only released to 3 theaters.

1. TMNT - $25.4 mil
2. 300 - $20.5 mil
3. Shooter - $14.5 mil
4. Will Hogs - $14.4 mil
5. The Last Mimzy - $10.2 mil
6. Premonition - $10.1 mil
7. The Hills Have Eyes II- $10 mil
8. Reign over me - $8 mil
9. Pride - $4 mil
10. Dead Silence -$3.5 mil
First Snow– $15,500 (3 theaters)

I didn't get to see Shooter. Instead I opted to spend my $7.50 on 300. The action was well-designed and well-orchestrated. The main characters King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and Queen Gorgo (Lena Headey) were great at making you root for them. I don't want to spoil it, but both guys and ladies have a hero in this film. Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) was a ridiculous caricature of a villain in comparison to Theron (Dominic West) who didn't need to be 8ft tall and covered in gold to be a pompous political parasite on humankind. Other than Santoro's campy homoerotic display of power, I would've changed how uninvolved Leonidas' son was in the film. Maybe there'll be a sequel.

I'll be seeing The Lookout with Joseph Gordon Levitt this Friday night, but I'm sure everybody else will be bracing themselves for the overpowering display of machismo in Blades of Glory, which, if TMNT sucked, will glide into the #1 spot. And just so we're clear, I won't be seeing the movie with Levitt, he'll be in the movie.

FILM: New to the Box Office - 3/23/07

KEY
Fork it over: Pay however much to see it.
Chance it: It could be really really good if you gave it a chance.
Time to spare: If it's a rainy day and you have a pocket full of cash.
Sneak in: Your money is better spent on popcorn.

Once again, these weekend's newbies face the challenge of beating out the magnanimous 300. But perhaps the hype has finally faded away, giving them unlimited access to your wallets. And the contenders are:


REIGN OVER ME

I first saw this trailer when I went to the movies for The Pursuit of Happyness to watch another comedian turn into a dramatic actor (Will Smith) before my eyes. Neither Smith's nor Adam Sandler's characters seemed that farfetched for a well-known comedian to play. In fact—although it may be because the plot has to do with 9/11—I was very moved by the trailer and the sorrow that overwhelms Sandler's character so much so that he ceases to function like a normal human being. It's easily relatable, whether 9/11 affected you or not, because one way or another we'll all eventually know what it feels like to lose someone you love. And it's more personal than United 93 or Oliver Stone's World Trade Center because it's about the after shock that can last forever. If you're looking for a break from all that carnage and implausible death that the theaters are offering you now, then check this movie out. Plus, it would be cool if we could officially declare that Sandler isn't a one-trick pony. Chance It


SHOOTER

Ok. So, I was just as surprised as the rest of you when Mark Wahlberg was nominated for an Oscar as a Supporting Actor. But that doesn't mean I don't love watching movies where he barely speaks and makes concerned and thinking faces, and where I can just sit back and watch the action. This film is sort of what Bourne Identity would be if Jason Bourne had his memory...if that entices. If not, you could go to see Michael Pena slum it after his Crash days. Or to see how long you can manage not to picture Kate Mara in her Zoom superhero outfit before you die laughing. Either way, there is surely some enjoyment to be had. Sneak In


TMNT (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)

Needless to say, if you grew up with these green karate kicking bad asses you are eager to see what they look like professionally animated and what the big wigs of Hollywood have mutated them into. This probably has the best chance of kicking 300 out of its top spot. It unites all the kids and the 20 year olds having flash backs. I've always loved TMNT, but I think I prefer them non-animated. Chance It


THE HILLS HAVE EYES II

If you're looking for better horror than Dead Silence... Time to Spare


The underdogs/indies:

FIRST SNOW

In this drama, Guy Pearce (Factory Girl) plays someone who learns of his fate from a psychic who tells him that he will die on the first day it snows. Sounds fairly simple and easy to predict. But with an interesting cast like Piper Perabo (Because I Said So), William Fichtner ("Prison Break"), and Rick Gonzalez (Roll Bounce), there's a good chance it won't greatly dissapoint. Sneak in


PRIDE

Terrence Howard and Tom Arnold battle it out in this drama about racism and equality. Going the Glory Road and Remembering the Titans route with the sport of swimming, Howard tries this timid attempt at perhaps more Oscar buzz recognition. But no matter how true the story might be, unless it's a fresh take—how many times can we explain how utterly retarded slavery and racism was and is—the critics won't bite. Time to Spare

FILM: Box office outcome - 3/19/07

I really thought Dead Silence would've been met with better appreciation this weekend and that Premonition and I think I love my wife would take 3rd and 4th place behind 300, but I guess I underestimated the power of word of mouth. Audiences are raving about the amazing scenes in 300, ultimately shaming any other contenders.

But I guess you can't really give 300 all the credit. It seems even Wild Hogs beat out those three films shoving them lower on the box office list:

3. Premonition - $18 mil
4. Dead Silence - $7.7 mil
5. I think I love my wife - $5.7 mil

Surely the box office slots will play a game of musical chairs after this Friday's line up with films like Teeange Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Last Mimzy, Shooter, Reign Over Me, and The Hills Have Eyes II premiering. I'll be seeing Shooter (because of my obsession with Mark Walhberg), but sadly I'm also going to squeeze in a 300 viewing...gotta know what all the hullabaloo is about.

ALBUM REVIEW: Timbaland's "Shock Value"

Timbaland has been in the game for 13 years under 3 different labels working with countless musicians of every genre and alongside several producers, yet he's only had one album. So this April he'll be releasing his sophomore debut, where he collaborates with artists like Swedish rockers The Hives and post-punk L.A. revival band She Wants Revenge, not to mention his favorite collaborators Justin Timberlake and rapper Magoo.

Timbaland isn't wasting his fleeting moment at the top ringside with Timberlake and Nelly Furtado one bit. He's mixing genres and beats, trying new things and testing the waters. You could say he's trying to see how "untouchable" he really is. Will it still sell eventhough every track isn't heavy with base-bumping club beats?

My personal favorite track is "Throw it on me" with The Hives. For some reason I picture this song perfectly fitting into some action movie/TV show/commercial background.

MUSIC: March Obsessions

I'm feeling really blues-y and mellow this month. So, maybe that's why I've worn out my "Recently Added" playlist on my iPod. In order of most repetitions:

James Morrison
I can't say enough about how amazing this UK import is when he's crooning in your ears. He is basically the seriously sick lab experiment mutation of Justin Timberlake, Gavin DeGraw, JC Chasez (that's right, 2 N'syncer's), John Mayer, and Michael Jackson. His raspy voice and inspiring lyrics will have you rediscovering yourself during a daydream.
Recommended tracks (you know, besides all of them): "Under the Influence," "You Give Me Something," "One Last Chance," "Undiscovered," and "Call the Police."

Paolo Nutini
This 19-year-0ld Scottish Italian has been making the rounds in the U.S. media, even on "TRL" with "New Shoes"--not my favorite of his songs. I actually prefer less Poppy tracks that reflect his indie rock side, who he credits Oasis and Damien Rice for.
Recommended tracks: "Loving You" and "Jenny Don't Be Hasty"

Amy Winehouse
I think Perez Hilton has well informed the masses of this incredible singer who could probably give Alicia Keys and Beyonce a run for their money when it comes to soul music. This girl has a laundry list of tormenting memories to sing the blues about. Besides the already worn down "Rehab," which talks about her rebelious anti-Britney-route decision, she has several others addressing lovers and her affinity for having more than one.
Recommended tracks: "You Sent Me Flying," "You Know I'm No Good," and "Me & Mr. Jones."

Young Love
Jennifer Lopez made his song, "Find a New Way to Dance," pretty popular with her MTV reality show about dancers. This Texan is getting Americans to entertain the idea of electronica/dance as a non-glow stick required genre. Who knew?
Recommended tracks: "Closer to You"

FILM: New to the Box Office - 3/16/07

Last weekend 300 conquered with a deafening $70 million right out of the gate, ripping Wild Hogs out of the top spot. Sans the typical press-push for a comic film—stars visiting every single media outlet in the world—they impressively attracted faithful comic readers and tripled their audience with the CGI-laden trailer.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the tracks, Zodiac, a promising thriller, had a fatal drop from #2 to #5. Word has quickly circulated that it's an exhausting 2hrs 38min of procedural fact regurgitations and hardly any first person serial killer accounts, which, for a generation that thrives on visuals, makes for a boring Friday night. While we're on the subject of failures, The Number 23 has only managed to gain $30 mil in 3 weeks. Jim Carrey's foray into serious thrillers has been met with the same enthusiasm as that of his venture into dramas (The Majestic). Undoubtedly Carrey was trying to recreate himself like he did in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, when he was showered with praise.

However, despite the fairly obscure reputation of The Bridge to Terabithia—in comparison to Harry Potter and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe—which has amassed a slow and steady box office of $66 million, and Breach, which, banking solely on good reviews, has reached $30 mil in 4 weeks.

This weekend, 300's main competition lies with the following:

PREMONITION


First, there's the supposed Chick flick meets Horror Thriller. Sandra Bullock faces the terrifying realization that every other day she wakes up her husband (Julian McMahon) is dead. She spends a majority of the film trying to prevent his death on the days he isn't dead and trying to outsmart the Grim Reaper. Could be a great date movie because of the mix of romance and suspense.

I think I love my wife

Chris Rock's characters have evolved from a fast talking, street-walking chump to an overworked, underappreciated husband, showing how much he's aged. Since a couple of midde-aged, semi-experienced comedians have already swept the box office packing in $88 mil with Wild Hogs, there's no reason Rock can't scrounge up at least half that since he's peaked the interest of women who'd like to know what goes through their husband/boyfriend's mind when they're thinking of cheating and commiserated with the men who know what temptation feels like.

DEAD SILENCE
I am not a fan of clowns, puppets, or clowns and puppets that murder. So if you want to see this trailer, youtube it yourself. However, if you don't have any clown or puppet related phobias and happen to have enjoyed Child's Play and several other voodoo-oriented horror films, you might find this one enjoyable. I can only bare to entertain the clever tagline uttered by drone-like children: "And if you see her, do not scream, or she'll rip your tongue out at the seam." This horror film is the only real competition 300 will have.

MUSIC: Beyonce, Shakira, Ciara Music Videos

Beyonce & Shakira "Beautiful Liar"
The video shows them acting like the mirror of each other, like they're one in the same. I personally think that Beyonce is just trying to prove that she can do all the dance moves that Shakira can do and that she's not that impressive...which is a tad petty.




Beyonce "Upgrade"
I loved this song since the first time I heard it, just because of the beats. This video is funny because for the first half she not only says Jay-Z's parts, but she pretends to be him.



Ciara "Like A Boy"
This was actually my favorite song off of Ciara's new album and I'm glad she went so far as to dress in drag. But the coolest and juiciest part of this video is the fact that she doesn't just wear a wife beater and baggy jeans, she has corn rows and tatoos on her arms...interesting...just like Bow Wow. Maybe she felt compelled to release this single since he had the balls to release "Outta My System," a song that suggests that he's still in love with her. Especially from the last words in the video: "If I could, I would turn back the hands of time and correct all my mistakes that I ever did. But now I guess I gotta move on right? It’s still hard and I still love you till this day."