Movie Reviews

Movie Reviews

Moneyball

Starring: Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Chris Pratt, Robin Wright

Directed by Bennett Miller

I went into Moneyball knowing that I would like it. How could I not? It's a story on one of my favourite topics, baseball. Not only baseball, but baseball statistics. I'm in a little bit of heaven! The story revolves around the Oakland A's team from 2002. After narrowly missing the World Series the previous year, General Manager Billy Beane needs to find a way to get there, with the smallest payroll in the majors. Traditional scouting methods simply aren't working anymore. A chance encounter with a bright Harvard graduate changes things for Beane, the A's and possibly the future of baseball. The Harvard kid, played incredibly well by Jonah Hill, has adopted a new way to judge a player's worth, based on the statistical re-arrangements of Bill James. By analyzing these new stats, nicknamed Sabermetrics, Beane is able to put together a team of underdogs that amaze everyone by winning 20 straight games and almost making the World Series again. Now the story is about Billy Beane, played by Brad Pitt in all his Robert Redford

beauty. There is no doubt the man is pretty, but I still maintain he doesn't act. His emotions are always on the surface, there is hardly ever interior monologue with his characters, meaning we get what we think we'll get. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's easy. I did enjoy the movie, although I desperately wanted them to go into much more detail with regards to Bill James' theories and stats. I'm a geek that way. But I realize this movie is made for the masses, those who don't necessarily know from On Base Percentage or Batter Runs and the like. It delivers on that respect, easily going along with high and lows that will keep you engaged. But Oscar talk for Pitt? I don't see it. Maybe for Jonah Hill...

GRADE: B

50/50

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Anjelica Huston, Bryce Dallas Howard, Philip Baker Hall, Matt Frewer

Directed by Jonathan Levine

Adam is an easy going guy. He takes care of himself - he jogs, doesn't smoke or drink, he recycles. But he has a pain in his back that he decides to get checked out. Turns out he has a very rare kind of cancer on his spine. His chances of surviving are about 50/50, which, as his best friend Kyle states, would be the best odds at a Vegas casino, so it's not so bad. We watch as Adam goes through chemotherapy, and we meet other cancer patients along the way (including Matt "Max Headroom" Frewer who is great). The story is based on real events that happened to the movie's writer, Will Reiser, who's friend, Seth Rogen, helped him along his journey. I wish I could say I liked everything about this film, but I didn't. I found it took too long to get to the meat of the film, not that he has cancer (which takes place very early), but the real struggle and dealing with the emotions. With about half an hour left in the movie, things finally started to come from the heart. Real emotions, real struggles, real questions. Gordon-Levitt was great as always, one of my absolute favourite actors around. (If you haven't seen Brick or 500 Days Of Summer, go...now!). Seth Rogen was annoying...a couple of good scenes, but mostly annoying. Why does it sound like he's trying to take in every bit of available air every time he laughs or breathes? Bryce Dallas Howard was very good as well, and absolutely beautiful...when did that happen?? But the real star of the show was Anjelica Huston. She brought unbelievable reality, strength and emotion to her role. She was phenomenal! She cannot, and will not, be looked over when the Academy comes to nominate Supporting Actresses next year. All in all, the movie was good. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and I felt privileged to watch Anjelica Huston break my heart!

GRADE: A-

....that's all for now, I got more in my head for another time. I'll start reviewing older movies that you may not have heard of or possibly never got around to seeing because they weren't in the theatre very long. With there being no more Blockbusters around, I'll even let you know if they are available on Netflix (which is definitely worth the $8 a month!!).