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The Social Network - A movie about The MyFace by David (Fight Club, Seven) Fincher
I love Midge!
Click the pic to see what could be the greatest gift a father could give his son. Make sure you read the description.
Last movie I saw...
Greenberg
Greenberg is Noah Baumbach's latest film about dysfunctional people. I skipped his last, Margot at the Wedding, but his other films, Kicking and Screaming and The Squid and the Whale, are favorites, and I've enjoyed his writing collaborations (Zissou) with Wes Anderson.
I made the mistake of seeing Greenberg on a date night with another couple. It really isn't the best movie to see with a group of people who aren't exclusively looking for a character study of a misanthropic 40-year-old that refuses to embrace responsibility. The title character does mean things to people because he feels he's been treated badly by life. The film's mantra, espoused by more than one character, is "hurt people, hurt people" and certainly this fits Greenberg. Ben Stiller turns in perhaps the best performance of his career and Greta Gerwig, playing the woman who is desperate enough to tolerate Greenberg's erratic behavior, is a real find.
If the movie has an intended audience, it seems to be people, or those who know people who can't transition from twenty-somethings to adulthood well. Does it get across its message effectively? Sure, the final act where Greenberg, at emotional rock-bottom, gets high at a college-age party and starts spouting out brilliant lines condemning the newest generation and inadvertently himself, bears his soul to the only friend who hasn't alienated, and finally makes the first steps toward allowing himself let go of the insufferable jerk he's found comfort in being for much of his life.
If you like character studies this is a good one. Subtle and challenging, if you at any way identify or can identify those like the title character, the slice of Greenberg's life that we get will stick with you. Stay away if the sober, soul-searching exploits of a stalled individual who keeps sabotaging his own happiness doesn't sound like a good use of an ninety minutes. Three-and-a-half Cougar Heads (one if this genre of film is foreign to you).
Greenberg is Noah Baumbach's latest film about dysfunctional people. I skipped his last, Margot at the Wedding, but his other films, Kicking and Screaming and The Squid and the Whale, are favorites, and I've enjoyed his writing collaborations (Zissou) with Wes Anderson.
I made the mistake of seeing Greenberg on a date night with another couple. It really isn't the best movie to see with a group of people who aren't exclusively looking for a character study of a misanthropic 40-year-old that refuses to embrace responsibility. The title character does mean things to people because he feels he's been treated badly by life. The film's mantra, espoused by more than one character, is "hurt people, hurt people" and certainly this fits Greenberg. Ben Stiller turns in perhaps the best performance of his career and Greta Gerwig, playing the woman who is desperate enough to tolerate Greenberg's erratic behavior, is a real find.
If the movie has an intended audience, it seems to be people, or those who know people who can't transition from twenty-somethings to adulthood well. Does it get across its message effectively? Sure, the final act where Greenberg, at emotional rock-bottom, gets high at a college-age party and starts spouting out brilliant lines condemning the newest generation and inadvertently himself, bears his soul to the only friend who hasn't alienated, and finally makes the first steps toward allowing himself let go of the insufferable jerk he's found comfort in being for much of his life.
If you like character studies this is a good one. Subtle and challenging, if you at any way identify or can identify those like the title character, the slice of Greenberg's life that we get will stick with you. Stay away if the sober, soul-searching exploits of a stalled individual who keeps sabotaging his own happiness doesn't sound like a good use of an ninety minutes. Three-and-a-half Cougar Heads (one if this genre of film is foreign to you).
Looking forward to seeing...
The Social Network - A movie about The MyFace by David (Fight Club, Seven) Fincher
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About Me
I love Midge!
The Perfect Gift
Click the pic to see what could be the greatest gift a father could give his son. Make sure you read the description.
Night at the Museum 2
ReplyDeleteThe first one was okay, my kids liked it so I took the family to see what looked like was going to be an enjoyable sequel. If you like the slapstick from the first (monkeys slapping/peeing on someone) then chances are you'll be fine with this incarnation. It's a movie that's supposed to appeal to kids - and it does (RJ & Madison giggled about it all the way home) but unfortunately doesn't have much to get adults involved (no second layer of subtle humor aimed at 18+er's that really good family films manage to fit in). Amy Adams as Amelia Earhart is the only actor that doesn't seem to be collecting a paycheck. Poor Hank Azaria (playing the villain) isn't going to get the good roles he deserves with this performance. Overall, the kids loved it, I was under whelmed and Carla (Ms. Walker) fell asleep halfway through. If you loved the first one - chances are you'll like this as well - just don't expect anything new.
Mr. Walker's rating:
2 cougar heads out of 5
RJ (5) and Madison (9)
4 cougar heads out of 5
Feel free to agree/disagree or post your own review.
I just saw Obsessed last night but I'm pretty sure that Mr.Walker wouldn't be into that kind of movie haha. Well I thought it would've been better than it was but it was good. But if you like thrillers then you should definitely see it :)
ReplyDeleteAs RJ would say about Obsessed, "Can't like that movie, it too scary for me." But I glad you're seein' for the rest of us. If you enjoyed it, great. I heard it was like Fatal Attraction w/ Glenn Close. Have you see that, Velveeta?
ReplyDeleteI've just seen The Darjeeling Limited, an V for Vendetta. These movies were both extremely different, and also entertaining; each in their own ways. TDJ is great for a laugh, i think i was cracking up the entire time. V for Vendetta really suprised me. I've never read the graphic novel or really heard anything about it, but it surpassed all expectations. Both of these movies were awesome.
ReplyDeleteI really like Wes Anderson's work, but remember being under whelmed by TDL. It might be one of those films you have to see twice before it hits you. I needed an excuse to watch it again, thanks! Still haven't taken in V for Vendetta -will check it out as well.
ReplyDeleteAnybody see Land of the Lost or Hangover?
No i have not seen that. But i did watch Marley & Me last night and i cried for about 20 minutes. It was super sad, but i really liked it.
ReplyDelete=) I saw "UP" over the past weekend, and pretty much agree with Mr. Walker's review of it. Pixar has never failed to produce an excellent film, and this one doesn't disappoint. Though the dog and the bird were exactly what I call "hyper animals" they weren't annoyingly hyper. =P A good healthy dose of angst in the beginning was well evened-out by a nice fluffy ending, though we still spent a good 10 minutes comforting my older sister, who kept tearing up at any sad part.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I've been taking care of my 6-year-old cousin most of this week, and I was very taken aback when he begged me to watch Singin' In The Rain. =) So we did. And despite the fact that I've probably seen this movie 100 times, it never, EVER gets old. A wonderful movie <3
I have seen a few movies this summer thus far.
ReplyDelete"Angels and Demons" - I am a big Dan Brown fan and I am very much looking foward to his next Robert Langdon novel coming out this fall. I am not, however, looking foward to Ron Howard making it into a movie. Just like with "The DaVinci Code," it seems like the screen writers for this film decided to change whatever they felt neccesary to make it more marketable, even adding characters that didn't even exist in the book. Would not recommend.
1 Hilde out of 5
"The Hangover" - I came into this with very low expectations and was just looking for a few tasteless laughs. I definately got those, but suprisingly enough, it kept my attention throughout. As long as you don't expect to be intellectually challenged, it is worth a watch.
3 Hilde's out of 5
"Star Trek" - Many people may be turned off to the idea of seing a Star Trek movie because they never saw any of the previos one's and are not a "Trekkie." This is absolutely not the case with JJ Abrams' new take on the Star Trek Saga. It is a prequel of sorts, and without giving away any spoilers, the movie is well written, cast perfectly and adds a twist that no other movie franchise has attemted before. From the perspective of a marketer for future films, and it's ability to not disappoint avid fans, this movie was pure genious.
5 Hilde's out of 5
Saw "Away We Go" Saturday night. This movie is about two thirty-somethings facing the inevitability of parenthood and being forced to grow into the next phase of life where it's not about you anymore. It's one-half screwball comedy (ala "Flirting w/ Disaster") and one-half dwelling on the meaning of it all (ala "Garden State). Unfortunately, the film needed to be one or the other. The first-half portrays characters as stereotypes for laughs and the comedy is too broad when juxtaposed with a second half that tries to pull hard at emotional strings and presents "real" moments of insight without really earning them. The experience overall was enjoyable (there is some funny stuff in the first half) and the acting wasn't bad (the guy who plays Jim from "The Office" basically does Jim from "the Office" with a beard - Maya Rudolph is great - she needs more parts!). Seeing it at the sold-old Tivoli with a bunch of other thirty-something couples didn't hurt either. Just with the director, Sam Mendes, could have had a more consistent vision. Three Cougar Heads out of Five.
ReplyDeleteCheck out this quote from a Transformers 2 review:
ReplyDelete"It’s like watching a blender for two hours while someone shouts at you. And then the last half an hour is the same, except it’s more like having your head strapped to a washing machine while you watch a blender and someone shouts at you."
Awesome.
This comes from Paul French, FHM (UK) Magazine
I have seen 3 new movies in the past month:
ReplyDelete1. Harry Potter 6: I enjoyed this film. I will agree that it doesn't have all the special effects and constant action that the previos films have had, especially the past 2, but if you have read the books, in all reality, this is probably the slowest of them all...and I think that is a good thing. The film does a decent job of showing all of the main characters begin to come of age. Their personalities are defined and that really does set up for the final installment(s) of the saga. They did leave out a few important back stories, but shame on you for not having read the books :)
4 Hilde's out of 5
2. 500 Days of Summer: I think that this is the indy film of the summer. The movie is not that well known, but Joseph-Gordan Levitt and Zooey Deschanel do an outstanding job going from love, to hate and everything in-between during their 500 day relationship. It mixes humor, with humiliation, with happiness and pain. This film takes a look at a relationship, one that many of us are all too familiar with, and makes one learn to appreciate it from an outside perspective.
4 Hilde's out of 5
3. Funny People: If you are a fan of Judd Apatow and any film he has made, I believe that you will be entertained and might enjoy the first half of the film, which is filled with witty one liners from Sandler, Rogen, Hill and Schwartzman. However, the film has a very serious underlying issue; What happens to a dying man who seems to have everything, but in all reality, has nothing? Apatow tries to tackle a subject much more serious than any he has before and you have to appreciate his effort. It reminds me a bit of Punch Drunk Love, and Adam Sandler does a great job in a quasi-serios role.
However, I believe that this story would have been perfect as two different movies. The writer tried to fit too much into a film and could have easily cut out most of the last 45 minutes of the film. With that having been said, still very funny, but don't bring the kids because they certainly do not shy from the vulgar jokes that all Apatow fans have come to enjoy.
3 Hilde's out of 5.
Mr. Hildebrand, I think you and I had the same experience while watching 500 days. You know it's a good film if your thinking about it (or it's haunting your thoughts) hours, days and/or weeks after seeing it.
ReplyDeleteIf you haven't noticed, I'm pasting old reviews from the front page in here when a new one is put up.
ReplyDelete“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” After five Potter films, you should know if you’re a fan of the series or not. So the question is not should you see it (you have to see it), but will it be satisfying? I’ll say yes because the filmmaking is solid, the acting is good all around and most of the important plot lines from the book made it onto the screen. Is it the best Potter yet? No. I didn’t have that since of excitement that I’ve had at end of the last three installments. Maybe it’s because the few action sequences from the book were more exciting on the page than on the screen. I’ve always thought the only advantage film has over prose comes with the handling of physical action. It’s been a few years since I read the sixth book, but I remember the cave and castle sequences at the end being much more suspenseful and extravagant than they are presented in the film. I understand why much of the book (the flashbacks) had to be reduced, but I expected the ending scenes to really come to life. Instead I was slightly underwhelmed. Otherwise, everything else was handled well. The kissing scenes were handled in a non-stereotypical way (not too mushy as teen smooches are oft portrayed) that Madison and I appreciated. Alan Rickman (Snape) chews up any scene he is in. And the series is lucky to have found three child actors years ago who have become solid performers with great chemistry. Like I said, it’s a solid entry into the series – could have been better – but doesn’t screw anything up. Four cougar heads out of five.
500 Days of Summer
ReplyDeleteAfter hearing a big buzz about this film in the winter during Sundance festival coverage, I’m happy to say "500 Days of Summer" lived up to expectations. It’s a simple film that non-chronologically dissects the relationship between to young adults that fall in and out of love. The viewer is given the perspective of Tom, the man, as he becomes certain that he’s met the love of his life. Unfortunately for Tom, Summer, his love interest, isn’t so sure about finding love as much as she’s looking to have a good time while it lasts.
Anyone who has been in a relationship where they’re more invested than the other will quickly recognize certain truths the film captures. The story of love is full of wonderful highs and gut-wrenching lows. Those of you who have gone through what Tom deals with after the rooftop party scene know that falling in love can lead to the most painful moments in a person’s life. But the film also showed how failed relationships can ultimately be good for us, and we’re better off having had them than not.
In his feature-film directorial debut Marc Webb proves that he’s someone to keep an eye on. He uses clever editing, split screen, flashbacks, and several other stylistic tricks to frame the story. Many of his choices work, some don’t, but at least he’s providing something interesting to think about with his visual acrobatics.
The chemistry between the lead actors, Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, is amazing and hopefully both will start getting more important roles in good films (one hopes Gordon-Levitt needed to pay some bills when he took the role of Cobra Commander in "GI Joe"). The rest of the cast seems limp compared to the leads and scenes that don’t include Tom and Summer are unnecessary.
After seeing the film, I couldn’t help but compare it to another inventive film that analyzes failed relationships – "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind." They definitely take different paths in presenting their stories, but both are fantastic in getting their points across.
The relationship film of the summer - it never insults your intelligence, captures the truth about the good and bad of love and presents the story in a stylistically visual and narrative way. Four Cougar heads out of five.