Tuesday Movie Reviews

Sherlock Holmes
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong
Directed by Guy Ritchie

I'm not a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes; the stories, the movies, the TV shows. I enjoy them every once in a while, but I find the mystery is always solved by detailing things that nobody would ever think of. Perhaps that's the point, that Holmes is so great he sees and recognizes those things that a normal person wouldn't. But I think it's always necessary to include the viewer in on those things rather than just tell them. This movies does a little of both, but not to great effect. Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law are pleasant to watch. They banter about and make things exciting for the most part. But I had no idea Sherlock Holmes knew kung fu! Who'da thunk? Too much action ruins the mystique of Holmes. Basil Rathbone never jumped out of a window! Basil Rathbone never fought someone bare-fisted for money. I felt the "updated" version of this Holmes was a little hard to swallow. But hey, it's a Guy Ritchie film, so I guess I should have expected as much. Rachel McAdams' character was pretty much useless and Mark Strong is the definition of over-acting. Exciting and funny at times, but overall a disappointment.

GRADE: C+

An Education
Starring: Carey Mulligan, Peter Sarsgaard, Alfred Molina, Olivia Williams, Emma Thompson
Directed by Lone Scherfig

Carey Mulligan is a real find! She has appeared in small roles in about 4 or 5 movies, but she absolutely shines in this tale of a young girl who must decide between furthering her education in 1960's London or living the good life with an older man. The older man, played with the perfect amount of creepiness by Peter Sarsgaard, can show her the best of fine art, fine cuisine and fine music. But things aren't always what they seem. Mulligan appears in just about every scene in the film, and you still want to see more of her! She's smart, charming, funny and dealing with real issues that must have been prevalent at those times. Alfred Molina really stands out as her father, a strict but compassionate man that really only wants the best for his daughter. Wonderful minor characters appear and each one brings something to the story. The ending was a bit abrupt, wrapping up everything that happened in a nice little bow, but getting there is absolutely worth it. Highly recommended!

GRADE: A-

....one other movie I saw this week but was released a couple of months ago is:
Moon
Starring: Sam Rockwell, Dominique McElligott, voice of Kevin Spacey
Directed by Duncan Jones

Watching trailers of this movie made me think it was a bit of a rip-off of Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. A guy, in space, on a ship, being run by a super smart computer. I was very wrong! Although there are a few similarities (Kevin Spacey sounds very much like H.A.L.), Moon actually has a terrific premise that's very easy to follow and get totally involved in. Sam Rockwell, in my opinion, is one of the best actors working today, and in the scenes where he plays off himself (you'll understand when you see the film) are some of his best work. There was never a moment when I thought "this is too far-fetched". There was never a moment that I wanted to pause the movie to get something from the fridge. I was submerged in this man's life and dilemma that much. I don't want to get into the actual story because it may ruin it for you, although there is no real mystery to solve. Just watch it and enjoy because it's rare to see something this original anymore.

GRADE: A

Customer Service Woes

So I finished my shift yesterday at the store and I realized that I have been in the customer service business too long. What follows will undoubtedly be an expletive-filled tirade, so those with sensitive eyes and minds may want to go watch funny cats on YouTube....




I would say 95% of customers that come in to the Blockbuster that I work at are kind, personable people. It's that other 5% that drive me out of my mind. If you've worked a week in a customer service stressed industry you'll understand what I'm talking about. It takes only one person to throw your entire day off, and fuck them for doing so. These jackasses have some sort of feeling of entitlement when they come into a store. I had a woman in yesterday, texting away on her Blackberry, who brought two movies up to the counter. I give her my smile and my "How are you doing today?" opening. "Two days!" she says without lifting her head to meet my eyes. She obviously would like her rentals for two nights instead of a week, but how about a "I'm fine. How are you?" or even a "two days, please" would have sufficed. I don't know who this woman is, she hasn't presented her membership card or told me her last name or anything. I let the rude attitude go and ask if she has her card with her. She mutters some name that I can neither hear nor spell even if I did hear it. She still hasn't even looked up from her Crackberry. "I'm sorry, what was that name?" I ask. This finally got her attention as she stopped texting for three seconds to look me right in the eye and, very loudly, say her name as if I was retarded. FUCK YOU!!!! Who the hell do you think you are?? I couldn't give a shit if you are in the worst mood of you're life and having a completely shitty day...I'm a human fucking being that doesn't need to be yelled at because you couldn't take the time to speak clearly. I said that to her...not really. So now I'm seething on the inside. I can't imagine being this rude to someone for absolutely no reason at all. I find her name and process her movies silently as she continues to text away. Before I can give her a total or ask if there was anything else I could get for her, she whips out her debit card and swipes it through the machine. I say "I haven't set that up for you yet. Are you paying by debit or credit?". Swiping the card again she says "Debit". I still haven't totalled up her transaction while she keeps swiping, meaning nothing is happening. Now I take my time to get the machine ready for her purchase. I love doing that. If you totally ignore my existence I will make you wait as long as I can just to piss you off. That may be a bit childish on my part, but it gives me a tiny bit of satisfaction. Anyway, she pays, leaves without saying a word, and leaves me in a bad mood for the rest of the day. Did she even realize how rude she was? Probably not....absolutely not. It's these fucking customers that leave a bad taste in your mouth for days afterwards. What makes them think they can treat people this way? Is it a disease? You've come into my store, where I sell things, and you don't have the common decency to even smile or say "Hi"? When did this become OK?
I think of times that I shop in stores. Because I've worked in customer service for over 20 years, I know somebody, at some point, is going to try to sell me something. I either politely decline or ask for more info. That's all I ask of anybody that may be reading this. It is our jobs to try to sell stuff to you. If we didn't do that our stores would close very quickly and you'd have no place to go to piss people off.

Tuesday Movie Reviews

The Blind Side
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Quinton Aaron, Kathy Bates
Directed by John Lee Hancock

After finally seeing The Blind Side, after all the hype for Sandra Bullock, after all the "feel good movie of the year" talk, I found the movie to be...ok. It is very formulaic, following the process of all other inspirational stories such as Lean On Me, Stand And Deliver, Erin Brockovich, etc. I'm not saying that's necessarily bad, but it's been done a thousand times before. Sandra Bullock was good, but did she deserve an Oscar and all the accolades she received? I think not. I truly believe anybody could have played this role. It's Bullock's great screen presence and personality that won her an Oscar. I liked The Blind Side, and I liked Quinton Aaron's portrayal of Michael Oher, but it's definitely a re-hash of other, maybe better, films.

GRADE: B

The Fantastic Mr. Fox
Starring (voices of): George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Michael Gambon, Willem Dafoe
Directed by Wes Anderson

I have been a huge fan of Wes Anderson's ever since his first feature Bottle Rocket. Rushmore, Royal Tenenbaums, Life Aquatic followed and didn't disappoint. I'm even in the rare category of those who liked Darjeeling Limited. I had some trepidations about watching an animated film by Anderson. Turns out The Fantastic Mr. Fox is my second favourite of all!! (Nothing beats Rushmore). I loved this film. I don't know if it follows the story from which it came, written by Roald Dahl, but I don't care. The stop-action filming is breathtaking! The characters are fully formed and brilliantly funny. Will kids like it? I'm not too sure. I think some of it will go over their heads. Anyone over 15 should enjoy it, though. Now that I've seen this film I have doubts as to whether Up should have won Best Animated Feature at the Oscars. It's that good!!!

GRADE: A

The Men Who Stare At Goats
Starring: George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Kevin Spacey, Jeff Bridges
Directed by Grant Heslov

I wanted sooooo much to like this film. The commercials made it look hilariously funny. Maybe in the hands of Steven Soderbergh it could have been. I just don't think director Heslov had any idea where he wanted to go with it. The first half hour or so introduced some very funny and quirky ideas, but the follow through wasn't great. I started to lose interest about half way through and had to fight myself from falling asleep. Now, after saying this, the idea that some of these things actually happened is mind-boggling. It's amazing the kind of things the American Army comes up with. Ewan McGregor was really the best part of the movie, as Clooney and Bridges just seemed to be coloring by numbers. Disappointing, but not terrible.

GRADE: C+

Brothers
Starring: Tobey Maguire, Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman, Sam Shepard, Mare Winningham
Directed by Jim Sheridan

The reviews I read for this film were on the average side. People seemed to like it, but nobody seemed to love it. I LOVED it. I don't know if it was the mood I was in when watching it, but I find it incredibly hard to believe that any of the three leads weren't nominated for Academy Awards this year. Maguire, Portman and especially Gyllenhaal were fabulous. The high drama and tension built up was palpable. Director Sheridan didn't make one bad move. He's helmed such great films as My Left Foot and In The Name Of The Father, so he knows what he's doing. Sam Shepard was letter perfect in his role as the father. My only trouble was with the kids. I have issues with little children that can bring up emotions as well as the older daughter did. Is she acting? Is she pretending? What happened before Sheridan said "action" to make her cry like that? I find it disturbing and bothersome. But I'm just nitpicking. The movie was great!

GRADE: A-

Everybody's Fine
Starring: Robert DeNiro, Drew Barrymore, Sam Rockwell, Kate Beckinsale
Directed by Kirk Jones

The movie was...fine. The performances were...fine. The story was...fine. There isn't too much to criticize or praise about this film. It plays along like a Movie Of The Week, a little funny, a little weepy, totally predictable. What I did like was the performance from Robert DeNiro. He has always been one of my favourite actors thanks in large part to his early work with Martin Scorsese. But in recent years he has played a sort of caricature of himself. In this movie, he actually had a little more to go with, a character of depth and turmoil that DeNiro presented very well. That was a welcome surprise. Otherwise, if you have to rent this one...fine.

GRADE: C+

Best Courtroom Movies

So I was watching 12 Angry Men yesterday (caught it on TMC, so it had commercials...blah!), and I started thinking about great scenes in or around the courtrooms. I decided to make a list (doesn't sound like me at all). Here are ten movies that have, in my opinion, some great courtroom scenes:



12 Angry Men (1957)
Ok, so the actual courtroom scenes are few and far between, but the result of it is one of the best movies ever made. Henry Fonda leads the 12 jurors in the trial of a young boy accused of murder. Fonda is the only man that believes there is reasonable doubt as to the validity of the case presented by the prosecution. The next 90 minutes display some of the best writing (taken from a play) and acting that has ever been filmed. Fantastic performances by all, including Lee J. Cobb, Martin Balsam, E.G. Marshall, Jack "Klugger" Klugman and Jack Warden. Stands up incredibly well after 50+ years!
IMDB rating - 8.9

Witness For The Prosecution (1957)
Marlene Dietrich is the rich wife of a murdered man. Having been the only witness to his murder she must give testimony at the trial. The lawyer investigating the murder is played by Charles Laughton, a savvy man who has been in bad health and shouldn't be taking on such high profile cases anymore. But the mystery is too much for him and he goes full force into the trial. Some fantastic scenes in the courtroom that are very easy to follow (written by Agatha Christie) and Dietrich and Laughton are remarkable in their performances. Great ending will leave the viewer very satisfied!
IMDB rating - 8.3

A Time To Kill (1996)
Ok, so Matthew McConaughey is not our greatest actor, but he does an admirable job in this thriller about a man who kills in the name of his child who was raped and murdered by some redneck bigots. Tell me the scene when McConaughey tells the jurors to imagine the girl was white wasn't extremely powerful. It may have been predictable, but it worked, big time! The rest of the movie may be quite forgettable, but that scene alone makes this a movie to watch.
IMBD rating - 7.1

In The Name Of The Father (1993)
There isn't a great deal of courtroom scenes in this one, but the redemption scene at the end is phenomenal. From the great editing to the fantastic performances of Emma Thompson and Daniel Day-Lewis, the last scenes are so very memorable. The rest of the movie is quite good, too...and it's based on a true story. Well worth seeing!
IMBD rating - 8.0

A Few Good Men (1992)
A bit long and a bit meandering, this movie's greatest assets are the scenes in the courtroom. So Jack Nicholson is famous for his line "You can't handle the truth", but I always loved the utter shock on the face of Tom Cruise when he finally gets Jack to break. A standout for me in this movie is Kevin Pollak, a stand-up comedian/impersonator that handles his role with quiet ease and strength. Directed quite well by a man usually known for comedy, Rob Reiner.
IMDB rating - 7.6

Anatomy Of A Murder (1959)
I'm not sure if I ever enjoyed James Stewart so much in any other film he did. He plays a small town lawyer who gets a great chance to defend a murderer. Only, is he defending the right person? There are many questions as to the validity of the people surrounding the case, but Stewart sees through all the B.S.....or does he? A great movie that can keep you guessing along with the star. Stewart plays the role like his everyman-type made famous in his Hitchcock movies. We feel for him when he discovers the truth, and ache with him as he decides what to do with it.
IMDB rating - 8.2

To Kill A Mockingbird (1962)
I think we all had to read this book in school, and some of us were lucky enough to watch the film there, too. Gregory Peck is a good man, a family man, and the man who must set the town right. The courtroom scenes, although not as powerful as some others, are important, and tell a great deal about Southern America at the time. The film has not held up as well as others, but is still an American classic that can't be ignored. And that's Robert Duvall as Boo Radley!
IMDB rating - 8.5

Philadelphia (1993)
Known more for the outstanding performances of Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington, Philadelphia has one of the best scenes in a courtroom that I can remember, and it's all because of Jason Robards. Watching this man realize what he had done to Tom Hanks' character, realizing what a horrible man he had become, is reason enough for this film to be lauded the way it was. Robards tells so much without saying a word, and on film, that is SO powerful!
IMDB rating - 7.6

JFK (1991)
Obviously this 3 hour movie has a lot going for it, and a lot of information to retain while watching it, but it's the courtroom scene where Jim Garrison (played very well by Kevin Costner) unravels the events of November 22, 1963 that stand out in my mind. That long scene takes everything we've learned about the assassination of John F. Kennedy and makes it easier for all to digest. Was it a conspiracy? Nobody will ever know, but this scene surely makes a grand point.
IMDB rating - 8.0

My Cousin Vinny (1992)
All the others were known for their dramatics. My Cousin Vinny is a comedy that has some great courtroom scenes that make you think and laugh all at once. Joe Pesci was totally convincing as the big city lawyer in his first big defense trial, in a small town no less. His girlfriend, played by Marisa Tomei, comes along for the ride and turns out to be a great help in breaking the case. Tomei won an Academy Award for her role (some say it was a mistake - either by the Academy voters or Jack Palance, the man who presented the award) and Fred Gwynne, in his final acting role, was amazing! Great fun.
IMDB rating - 7.3


Some honorable mentions: Primal Fear, The Reader, ...And Justice For All.

Tuesday Movie Reviews

Ninja Assassin
Starring: Rain, Naomie Harris, Ryan Maslow
Directed by James McTeigue

By no means is this movie going to win any awards for writing, but if you want a little bit of fun for an hour and a half you could do much worse than Ninja Assassin. If you remember those great kung fu movies of the 70's, you'll appreciate this film. It has all the mystique of the Ninja...how they move in the shadows, how ruthless they are in their kills, blood, blood, blood. What I liked most about this film is that you could tell they didn't take themselves too seriously. The blood that spewed was obviously added in digitally, making the fight scenes seem almost cartoonish...but it worked! Definitely not a movie for everyone, but the pure action will suffice a true fan of the genre. The director McTeigue directed another fun action movie, V For Vendetta, which I recommend watching as well.

GRADE: B

Did You Hear About The Morgans?
Starring: Hugh Grant, Sarah Jessica Parker, Mary Steenburgen, Sam Elliott
Directed by Marc Lawrence

I didn't have great expectations when I put this movie in the old DVD player and I turned out to be right on the money. Grant and Parker play a separated, high profile couple that witness a murder. For their own protection they are sent to Wyoming until the FBI can locate the killer. Hilarity ensues...or tries to anyway. The jokes are lame, the writing is awful and Hugh Grant looks like he's embarrassed to be there. I usually like Grant's stuttering, English-style Bob Newhart shtick, but it just doesn't work here. Parker, who I never found talented or easy to look at, fails every step of the way. The only saving grace is Sam Elliott, finally back in his cowboy outfit that works incredibly well for him. The outtakes in the Special Features weren't even funny! Predictable and boring.

GRADE: D-

Good Hair
Starring Chris Rock, Eve, Maya Angelou, Ice-T, Nia Long, Al Sharpton
Directed by Jeff Stilson

I have never been a fan of Chris Rock. I don't find him funny. He seems, to me, to try too hard for a laugh and usually comes across mean instead of funny. That being said, this documentary about the struggles of black people and their hair was quite funny. It was also incredibly eye-opening. Rock interviews some celebrities as well as some "common" people about the craziness that goes along with making a black person's hair look good. I had no idea about the cost of hair weaves. I was blown away that women spend thousands of dollars on these things. But the film goes a little more in depth with regards to the reasons why, women mostly, go through what they do. Did you know that the chemical in hair relaxer can eat through an aluminum can in less than 5 hours? Children as young as 2 put this crap in their hair!! Crazy, but presented in an interesting enough way that it should hold your attention.

GRADE: B

Now, a new feature to my Tuesday Reviews...other movies released today and my impression of them. (I could be totally wrong, but I often guess pretty close to their true entertainment value).

The Princess And The Frog - looks pretty good, kids should love it.
Armored - looks like average action, probably a predictable twist.
Astro Boy - looks like it could be fun for young kids
The Fourth Kind - looks awful.
Broken Embraces - Penelope Cruz and Pedro Almodovar...must be good!

Best Sports Movies

So I'm lazing around on a bleak Sunday afternoon and I thought I'd make a list...I love lists. Ten great movies in the genre of Sports. I decided to just name the titles rather than rank them from 1 to 10 because I loved all of these movies. If you enjoy baseball, basketball, hockey and football these ten movies are what I consider "can't miss". Most are based on true events and all of them convey a level of respect that is earned by the players involved.

Hoosiers (1986)
I just finished watching this on TV today (the inspiration for this list). I hadn't seen it in quite some time, but it is truly one of the greats. Gene Hackman plays a high school basketball coach in the small town of Hickory, Indiana where high school basketball is the most important thing to the townspeople. Through his no nonsense style of coaching and the respect he gains from the players he is able to lead the team to the State Finals. Based on the real life rise of the Milan Indians of 1954, the movie has great scenes of redemption and a wonderful supporting cast, led by Dennis Hopper who garnered an Academy Award nomination for his role.
IMDB rating - 7.5

Rocky (1976)
Even though Rocky Balboa loses in the end, this movie was the blueprint for inspirational sports films. A good-for-nothing thug engages in the amateur ring and gets the chance of a lifetime when he's hand picked to face the Heavyweight Champion of the world in his hometown of Philadelphia. At no time does the viewer think Rocky will pull this off, but you can't help but root for him. Sylvester Stallone wrote the screenplay after watching a relatively unknown fighter, Chuck Wepner, go into the 15th round against the great Muhammad Ali in 1975. Winner of the Best Picture Oscar at the 1977 Academy Awards.
IMDB rating - 8.0

Field Of Dreams (1989)
Based on the novel "Shoeless Joe" by W.P. Kinsella, this is a fantasy tale that seems like it's all about baseball but is really about a man connecting with his dead father. Kevin Costner is low key but great in his role as a man who hears voices coming out of his cornfield. He builds a baseball diamond and some magical things begin to happen. What he thought was something he was doing to honor the memory of his father (his father's favourite player was "Shoeless" Joe Jackson) it turns out to have been something he needed to do for himself. Every time I watch this movie I cry at the end! "Hey, dad, wanna have a catch?". Kills me!
IMDB rating - 7.7

Rudy (1993)
A small kid who always dreamed of playing football for the Notre Dame Fightin' Irish struggles through great adversity to make his dream come true. Based on the story of Rudy Ruettiger, the movie brings forth so many emotions surrounding the personal trials of this young man who just would not take "no" as an answer. Inspirational film making to be sure.
IMDB rating - 7.3

Slap Shot (1977)
One of the most quoted sports movies in history, it must have been some fun watching this film when it was released. Very few movies before it used such profanity! Paul Newman is Reggie Dunlop, the man that realizes people will pay to see violence rather than quality hockey. This course of action leads to the purchase of the three Hanson brothers...and the rest is cinematic history. Hilariously fun to watch and there actually are a few scenes of good hockey.
IMDB rating - 7.2

The Longest Yard (1974)
Burt Reynolds plays Paul Crewe, a famous NFL quarterback that goes a little crazy and finds himself in prison. While there, he is forced to put together a football team of ragtag inmates that will have to play the guards. Turns out, after all his hard work, the warden wants him to throw the game in exchange for an early release. What is Crewe to do? Very funny screenplay and the camaraderie felt between the prisoners is inspiring. DO NOT see the re-make with Adam Sandler and Chris Rock!!
IMDB rating - 7.1

The Pride Of The Yankees (1942)
How can I not include the story of possibly the best baseball player that ever lived and his inspirational struggle against a disease that is associated with his name. Lou Gehrig was a monster of man that could do everything on the baseball field. But when he was diagnosed with ALS, an incurable disease, his true merit as a man came through. Gary Cooper is great as Gehrig and the movie includes some real life ball players such as Bob Meusel, Bill Dickey and some guy named Babe Ruth. Nominated for 11 Academy Awards in 1943.
IMDB rating - 7.7

Invincible (2006)
Another inspirational true story produced by the Walt Disney Corporation. Mark Wahlberg plays Vince Papale, a 30 year old man who always loved the game of football. When the horrible Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL decided to hold open tryouts (a desperate move or publicity stunt?) Papale decided to take the chance. Incredibly, he was signed on for the 1976 team. Just when things seemed down and out for this hard working Philadelphian, he begins a three year career in the NFL! Nuts!!!
IMDB rating - 7.0

Raging Bull (1980)
I wasn't sure if I should include this in my list, but since the central character is a boxer, and the actual boxing scenes are so brilliantly filmed, I did. Robert DeNiro plays Jake LaMotta, a volatile, abusive man who just happened to be one of the greatest fighters ever. His rise from mediocrity to fame and fortune, and his subsequent fall from grace is Martin Scorsese's true masterpiece. Filmed in glorious black and white, Raging Bull was nominated for 8 Academy Awards, winning one for DeNiro and one for film editing.
IMDB rating - 8.4

Caddyshack (1980)
It's main theme is golf, so I'm including it in my list! Another film that is easily one of the most quoted of all-time. Chevy Chase has never been better, Ted Knight is deliciously evil and Bill Murray made himself a star as the crazed gopher hunter. "Cinderella story..." is all you need to say and people know what movie you're quoting. Silly, yes, but good natured fun all 'round. (Well, good natured if you're over 18 that is).
IMDB rating - 7.3

So there's ten of my faves. Honorable mention goes to Bull Durham, Major League, The Hustler (if you consider pool a sport), North Dallas 40, Semi-Pro and Tin Cup.

Jimi Lives!!

So I bought my first CD (other than a few bootlegs I got in New York) in more than three years on Tuesday, Jimi Hendrix' Valleys Of Neptune. The disc contains 12 new songs from a guy who's been dead for nearly 40 years. Some of the songs are just different studio versions of familiar titles such as Stone Free, Red House, Fire and Hear My Train A Comin'. The others are songs I had never heard before which, for a huge fan of Jimi's music, is just ducky. Most of the songs were recorded just before Noel Redding and Jimi had a difference of opinion that essentially broke up The Experience. As much as I like the CD for Jimi's wildly creative guitar licks, it reminded me of what a great drummer Mitch Mitchell was. The drumming is very prominent through all the songs and Mitchell's fast-paced work keeps up perfectly with Jimi's creativity. It's great!
Now the purchase of this CD reminded me of how old I am. I walked into Best Buy and asked the guy working in the music and games department where I could find the new Jimi Hendrix CD. (I asked him after looking around myself for 10 minutes and finding nothing but Lady GaGa and the like). He asked when the CD was released. I said "today!". He brought me around to one of the feature endcaps and pointed to the bottom shelf...THE BOTTOM SHELF! I realize that the kids today may not be into the music of the 60's and 70's, but the first studio music from a rock n' roll GOD in more than 30 years, a dead God at that, and it's on the bottom shelf??? I cringed, paid my $15 and left. But the clerk's total ignorance of who Jimi Hendrix was shocked and hurt me. I remember when I was 18, 19, 20 years old I knew all about musicians such as Elvis Presley, The Beatles and other such artists that changed the face (or ear) of music 30-40 years prior. Why don't kids the same age as I was then know anything about Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Doors, etc.? I was working a couple of weeks ago with a 21 year old who just got back from Vegas. He was telling me about some shows he went to. I told him, many years ago, I saw James Brown at Caesar's Palace. He looked at me puzzled and said "Is he a comedian?". WHAT THE FUCK?!?!? James Brown, the godfather of soul, and he had no idea who he was!! Now I didn't imagine he would have known James Brown's entire song catalog, but I sure as hell would have thought he had at least heard of the man!! Christ...am I old or has today's youth just become so in-the-moment that they have no clue anything happened before they were born? I weep for our youth.....

Corey Haim is dead...

So I learned this afternoon, via text message from a fellow employee, that Toronto's own Corey Haim had died at the age of 38. This got me thinking...wasn't he already dead??? I mean, who has heard anything from Corey Haim in years? Then I remembered that fabulously sad reality show The Two Coreys. If you have never seen this show, please find a way to download it somewhere. It's like watching a car crash over and over again. The other Corey, of course, is Corey Feldman. The two Coreys made several films together in the mid to late 80's ranging from passable (The Lost Boys) to down right imbecilic (Dream A Little Dream). The reality show was all about Haim trying to get his life back together after spending yet another stint in re-hab. He tried to get back into the business of "show" with little help from his former friend and joint-toking comrade. Feldman wanted nothing to do with him because of a falling out they had many years before. But with the help of therapy the two Coreys became...well...not so much better. It was disturbing to watch a bloated Haim go on and on about the troubles in his life. How being a child actor was a curse for him rather than a gift. How he was abused (sexually?) because of his high profile status. I felt, as I watched this, I wasn't sure if all these stories were true or dreamt up for dramatic value. I understand how most child actors get a false sense of being. How they are forced to grow up too fast and make certain decisions that most of us don't have to worry about until our late teens. But it also seems that every one of these child actors don't know when to turn off the performance. Life to them is always in front of the camera. When I was very young, 5 or 6 years old, I used to wonder where the camera was in my house. I thought people in other cities were watching me, as I used to watch Days Of Our Lives with my grandmother. Maybe these child actors thought the same thing, and never realized that the camera wasn't there. It is sad that someone with great promise in his youth (his performance in Lucas was outstanding) had to end up as just another in a long list of child actors that lost their way and ended up dead, and probably alone. Corey Haim is not the first, and, unfortunately, won't be the last.

Tuesday Movie Reviews

Up In The Air
Starring: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman
Directed by Jason Reitman

I saw this movie while I was on vacation in Florida in January. At the time, everybody was saying this was the runaway Best Picture bet for the Academy Awards. It was lauded in many newspapers and websites as the best of the year. I didn't see that. I liked it, but perhaps the hype got to me. George Clooney is, well, George Clooney...not a fantastic performance, but strong as always. Let's be honest, he's quite easy to watch. My real surprise was the great performance by Vera Farmiga. I've always liked her, mostly in smaller roles in movies like The Departed and Nothing But The Truth, but she really breaks out in this role of a female version of Clooney's character with less moral values. She is definitely worth the price of a rental. The movie itself is funny at times, serious at others, but I found it quite predictable. Still, well written and worth seeing.

GRADE: B+

Precious: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire
Starring: Gabourey Sidibe, Mo'Nique, Mariah Carey, Paula Patton
Directed by Lee Daniels

A very difficult movie to watch, especially the first half hour or so. Sibide is an unknown that goes full force with her role as the abused teenager Precious. She was, surprisingly, fabulous. But the real star of this film has to be Mo'Nique. She was absolutely fantastic as the horrible mother. I felt repulsed and sorry for her at the same time. Her Oscar win last night was well deserved. A couple of scenes I found were a little long and unnecessary, such as the many fantasy scenes. I understand why they were there and what they were meant to say, but one or two were enough to make the point. Some great supporting performances by Paula Patton and Lenny Kravitz (yes...Lenny Kravitz!), but Maraih Carey was a stand-out in her small role as well, which surprised the hell out of me. Great film making, but again, very hard to watch at times...be prepared!

GRADE: A-

Old Dogs
Starring: Robin Williams, John Travolta, Kelly Preston, Seth Green, Bernie Mac, Matt Dillon
Directed by Walt Becker

I had to watch this movie just to see how bad it was, according to the reviews I read. I have to tell you...the reviews were DEAD ON! This was one horrid sight gag after another. The story was ridiculous! Williams and Travolta are big-time business men that never wanted to have or had time for kids. Then, all of a sudden, Williams agrees to take care of two seven year olds that,turns out, he had fathered while the mother spends two weeks in prison...IN PRISON!! His entire life values change on a dime for, really, no reason at all. All the ensuing "jokes" must have been aimed at the seven year-olds in the audience, because if you have half a brain, none of the will make you laugh. (Yes, seven year-olds actually have half a brain!). I guess kids may find some of this funny, but beware if you have to sit through it with them. By the way, what the hell is Seth Green thinking??? Isn't he better than this? He's part of the force behind the very funny Robot Chicken. How does he think this could help his career?? Sheeeesh!!!

GRADE: D-

Capitalism: A Love Story
Starring: Michael Moore
Directed by Michael Moore

You either love his movies or hate them. I am a fan of this overweight documentarian, and his latest attack on what's going on in the US is another hit for me. Although I feel this is Moore's most jumbled documentary (a lot of different ideas are presented and it's a little hard to follow at times) he still makes his point...and does so with all the humour and anger he can muster. A story of a Chicago windows and doors company was my favourite part. I realize Moore's movies are heavily slanted to his personal opinion, but you can't deny the fact that some of the things he says makes a lot of sense. Or maybe you can deny it...isn't that the beauty of watching a Michael Moore film? By the way...I'm all for Socialism!!!

GRADE: B

Boondock Saints II: All Saint's Day
Starring: Sean Patrick Flannery, Norman Reedus, Billy Connolly, Peter Fonda, Clifton Collins Jr., Julie Benz
Directed by Troy Duffy

I've had a few people tell me this movie does not live upto it's original, which I, and many others, absolutely loved. I had to disagree with every one of them. OK, it's not original, much of the sequel has very similar shots and editing as the first movie. I'll give them that. But this film was still a lot of fun to watch. The two vigilante brothers who kill in the name of the Lord are very easy to watch and are quite funny. There is a good amount of gun play violence and I liked the slow-motion photography that made the first movie so good. Troy Duffy is not a seasoned director, by his own admission, and he borrows heavily from the likes of Quentin Tarantino and Guy Ritchie, but he is able to convey fun and violence adequately enough for the viewer to enjoy for a couple of hours. Now, Julie Benz' accent was terrible and Peter Fonda was completely mis-cast, but it didn't take away from the joy I was having while watching this film. I may be alone in this, but I really don't care!!

GRADE: B

It's A Wonderful Night For OSCAR!!

So I'm thinking I would be remiss if I didn't devote a blog to my Oscar night predictions for tonight's ceremony. Taking the lead from my friend Bradley, who made some very sound predictions on Facebook, here is what I think will happen and what I think should happen:

Best Picture
If The Hurt Locker doesn't win I will be amazed. If Avatar does win, I will drink an entire glass of milk in shit-filled protest!! (I know that will hurt me more than anyone else, but you get my point). I refuse to watch James Cameron tell the world how great he is, again. The Hurt Locker was tension-filled storytelling, directed beautifully by Kathryn Bigelow. Of the other nominees, the only movie I think should win is Up.

Best Actor
I've only actually seen two of these nominees in action; George Clooney in Up In The Air and Jeremy Renner in The Hurt Locker. I will go with the buzz, though...Jeff Bridges will win for Crazy Heart. He is an awesome, over-looked actor who has been nominated 5 times previously and will finally win tonight. I must say, I am curious to see if Colin Firth will sneak in there, another great actor in which I've heard was a fine performance in A Single Man.

Best Actress
Again, I've only seen two of theses nominees in action; Gabourney Sidibe in Precious and Meryl Streep in Julia And Julia. I must say, I loved Streep's performance! She was mesmerizing as Julia Child. I hope she wins, but I think Sandra Bullock will take it for The Blind Side. Bullock, for me, has always been solid as a romantic comedy leading lady and if the Academy decides to compare her work in The Blind Side to her work in All About Steve, they should name the statuette after her!

Best Supporting Actor
Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds. He will win; he should win! His performance was the best I've seen in any movie in 2009/2010. From his very first appearance in that movie I wanted to see more and more of him. Phenominal!

Best Supporting Actress
Mo'Nique for Precious will win and I'm thinking should win as well. I just saw Precious a couple of days ago and was amazed at the power of her performance. I hated her character with such passion, but felt incredibly sorry for her at the same time. It was her brilliant performance that made me feel that. Before seeing Precious, I was firmly set on Vera Farmiga winning for Up In The Air. Things changed a couple of days ago...

Best Director
I have no idea who will win this award. I feel three nominees have a good shot at it; James Cameron for Avatar, Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker; Quentin Tarantino for Inglourious Basterds. Again, I don't want to hear from Cameron at all tonight, but his film did revolutionize 3-D viewing. Tarantino, although in my eyes not his best film, will definitely be in the running simply for the two most powerful scenes in Basterds (the opening 20 minutes is still remarkable!). But, when it comes down to it, I think Bigelow will become the first woman to win the Best Directing Oscar.

Best Adapted Screenplay
I believe Jason Reitman will win for Up In The Air, but I'm praying enough of the committee saw In The Loop and will reward it as being one of the funniest movies EVER!

Best Original Screenplay
Build a fable of Hitler getting his during WWII, add some violence and comedy to the mix, plus a meaty role for Christoph Waltz and you'll see Quentin Tarantino ramble on for twenty minutes tonight as he accepts his award for Inglourious Basterds. I feel The Coen Brothers' A Serious Man is too "out there" for Academy voters, and I doubt they'll award an animated film best screenplay, although Up should get it.

Best Animated Feature
Up...that is all.

Everything else will be won by Avatar, technically speaking that is. I'm looking forward to seeing Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin play off each other tonight. I have a feeling it will be a great broadcast that should end sometime around 4:30 in the morning. So enjoy....

OK, Blue Jays, Let's Play Ball!!!

So I'm looking through my annual baseball magazine and I thought I'd make a few statements about the upcoming 2010 season. First of all, a little background...

I have been a baseball fan for over 30 years. Used to be that hockey was my favourite sport, but baseball has been number one in my heart for a very long time. I'm gearing up to see my 21st consectutive Toronto Blue Jays' home opener. Even when I lived on the West Coast for a year and a half, I still flew back in early April to catch the home opener. Now that's dedication. The baseball magazine that I mentioned used to be called Street And Smiths but was sold to The Sporting News a few years ago. I've been collecting these annual magazines since 1987. It contains about 150 pages of predictions for the upcoming year along with pages and pages of stats. I love stats!! I live my life by stats!!! How many people know the career leader in triples? How many people know who had the most walks in a single season? How many people care? Makes no difference to me!!

Anyway, the mag claims the Jays will end up in last place in their division, the most competitive division in all of baseball. I disagree. I know Roy Halladay has flown the coop (and I truly hope he does well in the National League), but we have some great players still. Shaun Marcum is coming back, Ricky Romero is a great lefty and we still have the best second baseman in all of baseball in Aaron Hill. Now, can we compete with the likes of the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees? No, I don't think so. But I do think we'll give Tampa Bay a run for third in the division. Hell, we may even end up with a winning record! Either way it goes, you can bet I'll be at the Dome for at least 20 games this year, and I'll be cheering the boys on every step of the way!

Now, for those who care, a few more predictions:
The World Series will be won by the St. Louis Cardinals over the New York Yankees.
The Chicago Cubs will NOT win the World Series for the 114th consecutive year!
Albert Pujols will have a career year (which is saying a lot with the career he's had so far) and will win the Triple Crown for the first time since 1967!! The Triple Crown, by the way, is won when one player leads his league in batting average, home runs and RBI's...the last player to do it was Carl Yastrzemski 43 years ago!
Roy Halladay will win the Cy Young award as best pitcher in the National League.
Ichiro Suzuki will not get 200 hits for the first time in his career.
Derek Jeter will win the American League MVP award.
And, I will be very drunk and very happy on the night of April 12th!!!!

GO JAYS GO!!!!