The Best Movies of the Year...so far!

Seven and half months of this year have gone by and while there haven't been any instant successes like Inception last year, there are quite a few movies to talk about.  Keep in mind, I'll be discussing the movies I've seen so far.  There are so many movies pending on my to-see list but I hope to catch up by the end of the year.

So, without further ado...here are the top movies of the year...midway.

1) The Adjustment Bureau - My favorite film so far this year.  I loved Matt Damon and Emily Blunt who totally made us believe in their chemistry and need to be with one another.  Based on a story by Phillip K. Dick, this was masterful storytelling with amazing visuals and great acting.  Another impressive movie by Damon, he CAN do it all.

2) Super 8 - Incredibly nostalgic film about film making and the 80s that totally charmed due to its young cast.  It's not a monster flick at all, it goes much beyond it.  Absolutely loved it.  

3) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2- The final film in an epic storytelling saga that spanned over a decade.  Show me anyone who wasn't moved by the grand spectacle of it all.  It was definitely hard to say goodbye to Harry Potter.

4) Rango - One of the best animated films for adults I have seen.  Loved Johnny Depp's portrayal of insecure and needy iguana Rango who turns out to be a savior/hero of small Westernish town.  This could be the only Western flick this year that worked.

5) Source Code - Sci fi and Jake Gyllenhaal, two of my favorite things in a film, combined.  Second film by director Duncan Jones after his debut Moon that asks what if you could live the final 8 minutes of a person's life.  What would you do?  What would you find out? 

6) Limitless - Yet another thought provoking movie released this year.  What if there was a little clear pill out there somewhere that allowed you to use your brain's fullest potential?  What could you accomplish? What is it that you couldn't do?  This role was absolutely made for Bradley Cooper.

7) Bridesmaids - The feel good female flick of the year! Not really, but it is the funniest.  Kirsten Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne and Melissa McCarthy are absolutely spot on in their portrayal of real women and the way we deal with our friendships.  I laughed until I cried.

8) Kung Fu Panda 2 - Po is back with his awesomeness.  Twice as explosive as the first film, the second film told of the origin story of Po's real parents providing a real emotional touch.  I can't wait to see what happens in the next film in the saga.

9) Rio - While the actual story lacked in several places, the movie will astonish with the different locales it takes you to.  Just kick back, take a seat and go to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in all its animated glory.

10) Trust - Directed by David Schwimmer (yes, Ross from FRIENDS), this is one harrowing look at the dangers of teenagers and cyber chatting.  Emotionally brutal and containing fine performances from actors Catherine Keener, Clive Owen and newcomer Liana Liberato.

Movie Review: Super 8

Watching Super 8 is like an experience of being transported back to another era of filmmaking.   JJ Abrams' film is an homage to the Steven Spielberg films (he also produced this film) of the 80s and 90s where adventure and thrill combine to give a thoroughly exciting film.

The film opens somberly with the funeral of young Joe Lamb's (Joel Courtney) mother who has been tragically killed in a factory accident.  Both Joe and his father, Deputy Sheriff Jackson Lamb (Kyle Chandler) are trying to deal in their own ways with this grief.  While Deputy Lamb buries himself in his work, Joe turns to his friends especially Charles, the budding filmmaker in the group.  In the summer of 1979, the kids have focused themselves on making a zombie horror movie for a film festival.  While filming a movie scene one night, they stumble across a major train derailment which spells doom for their entire town.

But it isn't just a simple train derailment, something escapes from one of the carriages.  From thereon, the film becomes a battle of sorts, with the military getting involved and the threat the creature poses to the town and its inhabitants who Deputy Sheriff Lamb is trying so hard to protect.  Of course, as the adults try to handle it their way, who really swoops in and tries to save the day.  It's Joe and his friends.  That part was inevitable.

I thought the movie ended a bit too abruptly, I would have liked to see the action extended a bit more and seen the consequences of the ending.  But I loved the feelings of bygone era evoked by this film and its characters.  The tight knit group of friends, the tense relationship between Joe and his father, and his interest in Alice (Elle Fanning), an older girl who is the latest addition to movie-making group were all handled beautiful.  I would have loved to spent more time with them.

Overall, Super 8 is a nostalgic movie that reminds you of films you grew up with that dealt with kids going on fantastical adventures that made you feel like you were a part of.  A definite watch that might have you reaching to re-watch the films you grew up on.  Another fine feature by JJ Abrams and his team and a great debut by newcomer Joel Courtney on whose shoulders the whole films rests.   The rest of the supporting cast is great as well with Kyle Chandler leading the way.  I loved Riley Griffiths as the over-enthusiastic young director who always worried about production values and Ryan Lee as the kid who always has a handy stash of explosives around.  Always useful in a monster movie.  And finally, Elle Fanning is pitch perfect here; it's hard to believe she's only 14!

Directed and Written by JJ Abrams; Cinematography by Larry Fong; Editing by Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey; Music by Michael Giacchino

Additional cast: Riley Griffiths, Ryan Lee, Gabriel Basso, Zach Mills, Ron Eldard, Noah Emmerich

Rating: 

Hidden Website in Super 8 trailer!!!

So, just yesterday, I posted the second trailer of Super 8 which was more forthcoming about what the movie was about and it looks like the creative heads behind Super 8 are leaving little clues for us along the way.  It seems there is a hidden website in this frame.  Can you spot it? I couldn't.  But the clever people over at Reelz Channel did and it is amazing!

Go to www.s8editingroom.com to get some "behind-the-scenes" footage about some lost footage.  What else do you expect from the man behind Alias and Fringe and one of the original producers and director of first season of Lost?  This film is fast becoming one of favorites of the year and I haven't even seen the movie!

Trailer Time: Super 8, Cars 2 and The Smurfs

Get ready to be "smurfed" this summer! The cute blue Smurfs that we loved as kids as back in a full length CG feature set in New York. Also starring Neil Patrick Harris, Jayma Mays, Sofia Vergara and Hank Azaria as Gargamel, get ready to go blue in The Smurfs!!

Cars 2 goes around the world in this second trailer from Disney Pixar. Lighting McQueen and Mater get involved in an international espionage ring with a whole cast of new characters. This is going be such a fun ride!



And finally my personal favorite, a new Super 8 trailer showing more story and hinting at the monster behind it all. I don't know what I love more, that it's directed by JJ Abrams (Alias, Star Trek) or even produced by Steven Spielberg (E.T.), but the icing on the cake is Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights) as the dad/sheriff of the town of the mysterious train accident and absolutely goosebumps inducing score of Michael Giacchino that is giving me some 80s John Williams nostalgia. Can't wait to listen to the entire score on my iPod. Without further adieu, here's Super 8!

Poster Time: Bad Teacher, Super 8 and X-Men: First Class

Cameron Diaz is Bad Teacher!  

Banner poster for Captain Jack Sparrow for the upcoming On Stranger Tides

Yet another teaser poster for Super 8, love these small hints we get!

Dual posters for X-Men: First Class' Magneto and Professor Xavier.  Dark vs. Light

Evil vs Good.  

Trailer Time: Super Bowl Edition

Well, the Green Bay Packers won Super Bowl XLV by defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25 but the real reason to tune in were the commercials.  In particular, lots and lots of movie trailers.  There's a long list ahead of us so let's get started.

Oh, brother, I'm trying very hard to control myself and not laugh at Chris Evans here.  It was all fine when the posters and stills were released of him as Captain America: The First Avenger.  But the effects seem really cheesy and what are they aiming for? A Hulk-like body?  Not working for me.  Let's reserve judgement until the next trailer.

Moving on, here's a character who doesn't think much of his body image.  It's Po the Panda from Kung Fu Panda 2: The Kaboom of Doom who's back with Furious Five to "wok you".  Don't get it?  Watch the trailer.  They will wok you!

I'm sure you've wanted at some point in your life to watch a movie about cowboys or aliens. But in Jon Favreau's new film, Cowboys vs. Aliens you don't have to chose. You get both! And you don't pick Bond over Indy, you get both. Do you see where this is heading? Still no clue what the movie is about, I'm just going to watch it as two-for-one feature sci-fi meets western.



The robots are back but not Megan Fox. Although...nevermind, I'm not going to go there. It's Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon. I grow weary of this title.



Here's yet another Avenger, Thor, and while he may not be as buff as Captain America (no one is!), he sure is angry a lot. And he has a big hammer. You don't want to piss him off.



More Jack Sparrow awesomeness in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, thanks to Johnny Depp. To think an entire franchise rest solely on this one character, without him, there would be no films. Prepare yourself to lots of cheeky one-liners.



This is the one for me. What I was waiting for, a J.J. Abrams film after what seems like forever, Super 8, named after the old cameras.  I swear I got goosebumps when the somewhat familiar music and "From Steven Spielberg" tagline came up. This is totally giving me a sinister E.T. vibe. I cannot wait for this film.

Finally, I saved the best for last. You won't find a more colorful trailer than this, the misadventures of Blu the macau all the way from Brazil. You had me at Rio.

Quick News Update: Super 8 and Mission Impossible 4's new title

The blog postings have been scarce lately and I apologize.  I'm currently finishing up The Hunger Games series and it's extremely gripping.  But in the meantime, here's a bit of news to tide you over.

• JJ Abrams Super 8 gets a release date of June 10th, 2011.  Then the suspense will finally be over. 
• Oh, Lord! Step Up 4Ever planned for 2012.  This was inevitable.  The dance off continues.  
• Jeremy Piven will play the villain in the next Spy Kids movie.  I thought this franchise was done, but who knew there was story enough for another one.
• George Clooney is back to directing with Ides of March, an adaptation of Broadway's Farragut North.  His leading man in the film will be Ryan Gosling.  I sense Oscar already.
• As Super 8 gets a release date, so does Mission Impossible 4 gets an official title, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol.  What is up with the seriously uncool names?  Does a random movie title generator spit out these names? What does it even mean?  Rant over.  

Monday's Mentions

• The King's Speech won the Audience Award at the Toronto Film Festival.  Why is this big news? Previous awards winners include American Beauty, Brokeback Mountain, Slumdog Millionaire and Precious.  This is very good company indeed and an early front-runner for a Best Picture nomination.  More on this film when the trailer releases.  
• Empire Online is reporting that Kyle Chandler and Elle Fanning are cast into Super 8.  Considering there is very little information released on this film except for a teaser that begs for more intel, this is progress.  How about a plot summary next

• Top three at the Box-office this past weekend

1. The Town - $23.8 million
2. Easy A - $17.7 million
3. Devil - $12.5 million

That's great news for Ben Affleck whose career continues his upward swing and Easy A's Emma Stone who is now officially a star.  Welcome to the big leagues!   

• Meanwhile, brother Casey Affleck's I'm Still Here, the faux-mentary starring Joaquin Phoenix isn't having much luck, grossing only $145,957.  Many are calling this Phoenix's performance a career best.  Maybe, but nobody is buying it, literally. 

Link of the day: A nice list of ten great actor-turned-directors. Unsurprisingly, Clint Eastwood makes the list.