The Top Ten Movies of 2009

Hey everyone. I did not do a Ten Top List last year and got a lot of flack for it. So, with that said, here is my Top Ten of 2009. Enjoy.

 

Runner Up: Drag Me to Hell

 

I loved Sam Raimi’s Drag Me to Hell. To be honest, it was the most fun I’ve had in the theater this entire year. In fact, every time I’ve viewed this movie with a group of friends, I’ve had a great time. The movie is a great return to the horror genre for director Sam Raimi that is filled with great performances, nice scares and wonderful horror / comedy gags. The whole movie is just a lot of fun. Please see it if you haven’t already.

 

10. Where the Wild Things Are

 

Spike Jonze’s Where the Wild Things Are wasn’t what a lot of people where expecting. It was dark, at times slightly scary and pretty depressing. Still, it was a great piece of filmmaking that really captured what it was like to be a child but through an adult’s eyes. The special effects were incredible, the performances were spot on and Jonze’s direction was both inspired and full of energy. Where the Wild Things Are is a movie you should definitely check out if you’re a fan of Jonze’s work, the original children’s book or intelligent filmmaking in any sense of the word.

 

9. Avatar

 

James Cameron’s much-hyped Avatar delivered in a lot of ways. The 3D was incredible. Experiencing the film in the theater (especially in a 3D IMAX theater) was one of the coolest experiences of my life.  While many have complained about the film’s simple storyline and occasional bad dialogue (which there is a lot of), I never stopped enjoying this film. Most people point to the film’s effects being the reason behind this but I must disagree— if the film had a bad plot, then there would be no reason to be invested in the film or much less even watch the film. While simple, Cameron’s story is well told and is constantly engaging and entertaining throughout. That, combined with some near-revolutionary special effects and 3D, makes Avatar a very unique and special film-going experience.

 

8. Funny People

 

The first time I saw Funny People, I was slightly disappointed. However, as time has gone by and I’ve watched it more, the film continues to grow on me. Not only is it director Judd Apatow’s most mature film to date… but also it may be his best. The film is surprisingly angry and depressing. Its characters are cruel and, at times, hard to like. Still, the film remains truthful, honest and really tells a unique story. Along with all of this, it really does have some great moments of comedy. Plus, Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen and Eric Bana all give really solid, memorable performances. Funny People is not for everyone but I can’t help denying that there’s something really special about it. I hope to write more on the film at a latter date.

 

7. Inglourious Basterds

 

Inglourious Basterds is a great movie. However, I can’t help but be dismayed knowing that it could have been Quentin Tarantino’s masterpiece if he had just shown some restraint. The film runs twenty minutes too long and the dialogue scenes are all beyond drawn out (and this is coming from someone who was a defender of Death Proof). Despite these drawbacks, this movie still manages to be light-years better than the majority of the films released this year. Tarantino really manages to create some tension-filled sequences, gives some interesting takes on violence and delivers with an insane finale that not many saw coming. However, the shining light in the film is actor Chistoph Waltz, who’s take on Colonel Hans Landa (a.k.a. The Jew Hunter) is beyond brilliant.

 

6. Watchmen

 

Being a giant fan of Alan Moore’s original Watchmen graphic novel, I was really apprehensive about Zack Snyder’s film adaptation. Lucky for me, the adaptation was pretty solid. Sure, it was beyond confusing for most people who had never read the graphic novel. And yes, the new ending was just a sterilized vision of Moore’s original shocker. However, the movie worked. It was Watchmen in film form. And it was never boring. In fact, it was pretty damn entertaining. Jackie Earle Haley’s incredible performance as fan favorite Rorschach definitely helped this notion.

 

5. 500 Days of Summer

 

Despite 500 Days of Summer being poppy and glossy in nature, the story it has to tell about relationships really hit home with me. I really identified with the character of Tom and felt like I had been in his shoes before (in fact, I know I have… it was just this past summer... no pun intended). The movie manages to be incredibly entertaining and humorous all the while telling a pretty painful story about a guy getting his heartbroken and dating the wrong girl for him. With that said, I loved it.

 

4. Star Trek

 

Star Trek was not only the most entertaining blockbuster I saw this summer but it was also the most heartfelt and thought-out. I feel like it’s impossible to not like this movie. The story is familiar and new at the same time. Nearly everyone can find some character that they identify with in some way, shape or form. The action sequences are incredible. The film has one of the best uses of the concept of time travel that I’ve ever seen. And it’s just fun. It takes Star Trek and completely revitalizes it… making it all fresh once again. It’s really a great example of how to completely revamp a series.

 

3. Up in the Air

 

Up in the Air is Jason Reitman’s best film to date. It tells the story of a materialistic, company man who has cut himself off from the world and everyone that really matters and how he truly pays for it. It manages to be exciting, funny, charming and absolutely devastating all at the same time. But, most of all, it feels genuine. There was a lot of care and talent that went into this movie and it truly shows. It has a wonderful story, great characters, solid acting and inspired directing from one of the best working directors today.

 

2. Adventureland

 

Adventureland surprised me in so many ways. While it was sold as just another teen-sex comedy, it was actually a personal piece from director Greg Mottola about growing up, falling in love and working one of the shittiest jobs on the planet. Everything about the movie felt so genuine and honest that I couldn’t help but fall in love with it. The cast was great, the direction was well thought-out and personal, the soundtrack was amazing, the humor was spot on and the story was well crafted. I couldn’t help but identify with the character of James, feeling like I’d been in his shoes more than one occasion. To me, that’s really the most special thing about this movie. It really made me feel like I had been there, putting a warm feeling in my stomach by the time the credits rolled.

 

1.     District 9

 

District 9 blew my mind the first time I saw it. It took a concept that had been done before (aliens land on Earth) and injected such an insane amount of freshness, originality and energy into it that it was a little overwhelming to watch the first go-around. With director Neil Blomkamp’s haphazard, quasi-documentary direction style, the film feels more real than it should. After five minutes, it really starts to feel like what you are watching is actually real and not a fictional film. That is not an easy feeling to achieve with an audience. The film has truly powerful sequences filled with occasion humor, incredible action, moral issues and sometimes even horror. The movie is never not entertaining nor does it ever let down on its dosage of originality. I have never seen a movie like District 9 and I don’t think I ever will again.

 

I hope you guys enjoyed and agreed with this list. Here’s hoping 2010 is an equally great year for film.

Watch This 70-Minute Review of The Phantom Menace

Nobody liked Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. The film has been a subject of fan boy hatred ever since it was released back in 1999. There have been countless rants and acidic reviews on the film since it's original release date. It was basically the moment when George Lucas became the enemy to all the people who had grown up with the original Star Wars trilogy. For many, it was the moment our childhoods died a little.

Despite all the rants that have popped up since this infamous film's release, did you know that there was a 70-minute review posted on YouTube? Yes, that's right-- 70 minutes. And it's absolutely brilliant.

The other day I found this item featured on /Film. It comes from a guy simply called "Mike from Milwaukee" and is actually a well-thought out piece of criticism. This isn't your typical YouTube review where a guy sits in front of a camera and talks. No. This is an epic piece of filmmaking. Mike goes through the whole movie and various pieces of behind the scenes footage to show you, the viewer, exactly why this movie did not work and completely fell apart. 

The review is also filled with some very dark humor that I feel may turn some people off (Mike presents himself as a character; a film nerd that isn't very subtle about being a serial killer on the side). However, don't let that keep you from watching this. I really can't stress this enough-- you have to watch this review. It is absolutely required if you like film in any way, shape or form.

I know that the 70-minute time length may turn a lot of people off. Conveniently, it is provided in seven 10 minute segments on YouTube (all of which I have embedded below). Please just start watching the first part. I guarantee you that you won't be able to stop watching once you do (I ended up watching the whole thing in one sitting when I definitely didn't plan on doing so). It's a very entertaining, fascinating piece of criticism. Plus, if you get through the whole review, one thing's for sure-- you'll never look at pizza rolls the same way again. I know I don't.

Watch this epic review below. 

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Part 4:

Part 5:

Part 6:

Part 7:

I hope you guys enjoyed it.

Source: /Film

A Year with Twin Peaks

Last Christmas break, I really fell in love with a television show. Unfortunately for me, it was a show that had been off the air for well over ten years.

I received the Gold Box Set of Twin Peaks as a gift on Christmas day from my parents. I had never seen a single episode from the show at that point in time. I had asked for it knowing only that crazy director David Lynch was behind the show and that I had found a great deal for the box set on Amazon. Since I was also lucky enough to get a Blu-ray player last Christmas as well, my Twin Peaks set really got the shaft for a few days. I don’t think I watched the pilot episode until three days after Christmas. However, a lot of things changed once I did.

I can remember getting up early that specific Saturday morning just to watch Twin Peaks for the first time. In a way, it was the perfect time and setting. It was an especially cold morning. The air was icy and thick. Outside, the sky was hazy and slightly overcast. Still, despite this, there was a certain warmth about my house. As the main theme kicked in over my surround sound system and that opening image of the bird on a tree limb covered my screen, something clicked inside of me. Everything just felt right.

Through that first episode, I was kept completely intrigued the entire time. I was taken in immediately by the murder mystery surrounding the death of the young but mysterious Laura Palmer, the amazing rural Northwestern Pacific atmosphere that soaked every frame, the charismatic Agent Dale Cooper (played brilliantly by Kyle MacLachlan), Angelo Badalamenti’s haunting original score and David Lynch’s skilled blend of quirky humor and nightmarish horror. From the very beginning, the show hit a certain chord with me. I knew it was something I was definitely going to enjoy. However, I never knew how much it would resonate with me for the next few days.

That very first day I watched two DVDs worth of episodes out of the ten-disc box set. Slowly, I was becoming obsessed. And, in a way, I needed to.

Last Christmas break at this point in time, I was in a pretty serious state of depression. I had had an incredibly hard semester of college where I almost lost my 4.0. During this time period, I reached my breaking point in terms of studying and working. At the same time, my obsessive compulsion disorder was raging out of control, making the whole situation much worse. By the time I got out for Christmas break, I was beyond burned out. It looked like I was getting better when a certain situation with a girl I had feelings towards went very bad. Upon this, I got sick with a bad sinus infection and got bronchitis. Because of the depression I was in, I couldn’t seem to get better.

I spent the majority of the break sick. I was still in the middle of this state of sickness and depression when I got my hands on Twin Peaks. Slowly, but surely, it became the one thing that could get my obsessive mind off everything that had been going on around me for the past few months.

That following week, all I did was watch Twin Peaks. 

And I’m not just talking about watching the series off and on. I am talking about getting up early in the morning, starting the show and finishing it up late that night. In a way, I had truly found an escape from all the things that were going on around and inside of me. Every time I turned a new episode on, it was like David Lynch was taking me on my own personal trip to the town of Twin Peaks-- the land of women with eye patches who are obsessed with drape runners, a dancing midget that visits people in their dreams and the best damn cherry pie you’ll ever taste in the USA.

There were times when the watching the show wasn’t completely enjoyable. I was watching the Season Two premiere at 2 am one morning. Without delving into big spoilers, I got to what I call the “hospital scene” at the end of the episode. This one of the first times where the character of Bob (who I’ve talked about on this site multiple times before) was really showed off in the show and the result was pretty horrific to me. I do not scare easily. I’ve seen so many horror films by this point that I’m pretty much numb. But there was something about this scene that really got to me. I was scared. A numb feeling crept in from my stomach and moved through my legs and to my toes. I felt sick. I can actually remember looking away briefly for a moment or two.

By the time the scene was over, I knew I wouldn’t be sleeping very well that night. Sure enough, I didn’t. I actually had nightmares about Bob that night. While the scene doesn’t bother me on the same level as it did that first time, I still got chills every time I revisit it. There were many moments through the show that repeated this level of horror to me, though maybe not to the same extreme.

By the time I finished the show, I was completely obsessed with it. By this point, my brother (and former YDKS Movies guest writer) Austin had started watching with me. He too was pretty engaged in the show. The closer we got to the show’s finale, the more our anticipation for the show’s grand ending became. Unfortunately for both of us, we had no idea what was in store for us.

I’m still very torn over the ending of the final Twin Peaks episode. For those unaware, the show ends on an ambiguous cliffhanger. The reason for this was that David Lynch was unhappy with the show’s direction during the second season and basically came in and sabotaged it. In some ways, the episode feels like a middle finger to the fans that stuck around through the whole show. In other ways, it almost feels fitting. It’s just as insane of some of the show’s more bizarre moments. Also, it goes the Twin Peaks route of making one think a little harder than other shows out there. After seeing the disappointing but artistically appealing Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, the show’s ending does make a little more sense in hindsight. It was disappointing the first time I saw it but, the more I’ve watched it and thought about it, the ending has grown on me.

With the show finished and done, I can remember a vast, empty feeling running over me. Now what was I going to do? There was no more Twin Peaks to occupy my mind. Quickly, I purchased the critically panned Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me. This film prequel to the series quenched my Twin Peaks thirst slightly but, in the end, it didn’t do the series justice. It just didn’t have the same atmosphere and feel that the show had. It was disappointing but I still believe that it does have its moments of brilliance (if interested, you can read my full review here).

When Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me didn’t measure up to my hopes, I found myself looking for other ways to satisfy this new void in my new life. After much thought, it finally hit me— I could introduce my friends to Twin Peaks. Throughout my life, I’ve loved bringing movies I’ve loved into my friends’ lives. Watching it with them on their first viewing has, for me, always been like watching it for the first time again myself. Now, I could do this with Twin Peaks.

At the beginning of the spring semester of 2009, I brought my box set of Twin Peaks with me to college is large zip lock bag (once again, that’s my OCD kicking in). The first night we were all on campus, I got my friends Caleb, Rob, Guy and Seth together to watch the pilot episode. By the end of the viewing, they all seemed to like it. I can remember being really excited and overjoyed that I was going to get to watch the all over again and with my good friends.

Unfortunately, this feeling didn’t last. The further that we got into the first season of the show the more they seemed to dislike the show. Because of the way I had talked about being scared by the “hospital scene” over the break, they were expecting an all-out horror fest. So, when instead they got a show filled with David Lynch’s quirky humor and revolving-door love stories soaked with a dread-filled atmosphere, they weren’t pleased. By the time we reached the end of the first season, they were ready to call it quits. In the process, they (specifically Caleb) verbally belittled the show that I had come to love so much.

To be honest, the situation was beyond disappointing. In fact, it was quite upsetting. To me, there is nothing worse than two feelings in the world— getting rejected by woman and having a friend dislike a movie that I am very passionate about. So when my friends rejected Twin Peaks, I was actually pretty upset and angry.

A month or two passed where I didn’t watch Twin Peaks with anyone or by myself. Then, something special happened. My friend and former co-writer Zach read my review of Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me and expressed interest in watching the show itself. I had been talking to my friend and current co-writer Ellis about the show at the same time. So, one night, we three sat down and watched the pilot episode.

Immediately, they were as hooked as I had been on my first viewing. They got the humor, the atmosphere, the weirdness and the horror. We were all on the same page. As we continued to watch, our viewing turned into Twin Peaks parties. By this time, my friend and frequent commenter Blossom had joined in on the fun.

I cannot tell you wonderful the Twin Peaks parties were. There have been times this year when I’ve lamented with Zach, Ellis and Blossom about how much I miss them. We’d all get together with chips, cookies, salsa and whatever else we could get together and feast on as David Lynch’s bizarre world unfolded before us. As the episodes played, we’d offer up on our own running commentary that was usually beyond foul. I’ll be honest— some of the worst things I’ve ever heard come out of a human being’s mouth were heard during those Twin Peaks parties.

We also used to get quite worked up emotionally during these Twin Peaks parties. During one session, my RA began to knock on my door because he thought my TV was too loud. Ellis, all wrapped up in the episode, yelled, “F*ck off!” The RA then entered the room awkwardly and muttered, “Um… negative…”

When I finished watching Twin Peaks with this special group of friends, it was just as emotional for me as it was the first time I finished the show. It really felt like something special was leaving my life. The harsh ending was a little easier the second go around and, to my surprise, the guys were much more accepting of it than I had been the first time around.

With the end of Twin Peaks parties in June, my viewing of Twin Peaks had come to an end. Now, it’s December again. It’s almost been a year since I first watched the show. It’s just weird to think of all that’s changed since the first time I got my view of the small town of Twin Peaks. It’s just hard to think of my life now without having Agent Cooper or the weird old Log Lady somewhere in the back of my subconscious. It’s even scarier to think how bad my depression may have gotten last year if it hadn’t been for this amazing show to take me away for hours at a time.

As I get closer to the one-year anniversary of receiving Twin Peaks, I find myself wanting to introduce it to someone else and thus watch it all over again for a third time. It’s been making its way back into my life. Recently, I made my own personal poster for the show (which can be viewed at the top of this article) to be hung up in my dorm room and my room back home. I recently downloaded the Season Two soundtrack and Julee Cruise’s “Float into the Night” album (which features many songs that were used in the show) and have been listening to both non-stop. I’ve also been mentioning the show in subtle ways to my little sister for the past few days. Deep down, I’m hoping I can get her to watch the show and get just as obsessed with it as I’ve been.

Even if I cannot get my sister to watch the show with me, I hope that this article can maybe convince some of you out there that haven’t seen the show before to give it a shot. In fact, you can do so for free here on IMDB, which features every episode of the show minus the brilliant pilot episode, which can be found here.

If you’ve never seen Twin Peaks before, please give the show a shot. It’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen. I wouldn’t have written such a long article like this about my history with it if it weren’t. I only can hope that, if you do decide to give the show a shot, that your experience with it is as enjoyable, rewarding and special as mine has been. David Lynch truly created a work of art with this series. It’s deeper and more symbolic than most shows that you will encounter in your life. The easiest way I can think of describing what watching Twin Peaks is like is that it is somewhere in between having a beautiful dream and a horrible nightmare. It’s the kind of show that really puts you in a certain state of mind and mood. Watching that cold night wind blow through the dark, evil-filled forest will send goose bumps crawling up your arm. Never will you look at a ceiling fan or a streetlight the same way again. And never will you want to have a piece of cherry pie more in your life.

So I hope you all watch Twin Peaks. I hope you all get to see the budding friendship between Agent Cooper and Sheriff Harry S. Truman. I hope you learn the importance of Tibet. I hope you all get to meet the horror that is Bob. I hope you all get to take that deep trip into the dark woods at night to the Black Lodge. As you fall deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole, just remember one thing— the owls are not what they seem.

A Review of Brothers

So school is out for the holidays.  Expect a few more reviews from me in the coming months, as I've been doing a lot of movie watching.  Most recently, I caught Jim Sheridan's Brothers at The Grand here in Hattiesburg.  (Note: I tried seeing The Road in Harahan, Louisiana.  Advice: Do not try to see a movie on a rainy day anywhere near New Orleans.  Trust me.)

I think the previews did a disservice to this picture.  I immediately thought this had the potential to be a a spin-off of the really bad elements of the dreadful Pearl Harbor: husband is assumed dead, brother moves in for some loving, gets it, husband's not dead, conflict unfolds.  To my relief, Brothers has a lot more to offer the viewer than a bad version of a plot device used in a terrible movie.  

The film involves two brothers, Sam (Tobey Maguire) and Tommy Cahill (Jake Gyllenhall).  The two are opposites, Sam being a structured, disciplined, family-oriented Marine, and Tommy a wild, tattooed, ex-con, albeit with a good enough heart.  The other major players in this movie are Sam Shepard (Pulitzer Prize winner of Buried Child and a host of other accomplishments) as the brothers' father Hank Cahill, and the lovely Natalie Portman as Sam's wife, Grace Cahill.  

The initial conflict stems from Sam's redeployment to Afghanistan.  He leaves behind his wife, two daughters, and Tommy, who is fresh out of prison.  One of the most intense scenes involves Tommy's first dinner with the family since his parole--one of Sam's final dinners before he is deployed.  Hank, a former military man himself, is clearly proud of Sam's choice of a career in the U.S. Marines, and is openly disdainful of Tommy's reckless past.  The tension produced between Hank and Tommy is authentic, and overall Sheridan did a fine job of maintaining this tension for the movie's duration.

Things are further complicated once Sam is deployed.  Aside from being a solid dramatic film, Brothers appears to have something to say about the psychological damage of war.  When Sam's team is shot down by a band of Islamic fundamentalists, he and a companion, Joe, are taken as prisoners.  They are starved, tortured, and commanded to participate in a propaganda film.  Initially, Sam remains calm, while Joe unravels.  With time, however, Sam's mental stability begins to fade, and the results are brutal.  Once again, this particular portion of the film was one of the most powerful.

Sam is declared dead.  Once the family mourns his loss and accepts his disappearance, Tommy steps in as a father figure to Sam's two daughters.  Jake Gyllenhall shines in this portion of the movie as Tommy Cahill.  He is charming, convincing, and sincere.  In Sam's absence, Tommy is no longer forced into the shadow of his brother.  He develops as a person, contributing something to society, serving his loved ones, and honing in on his talent and interests.  Hank is forced to acknowledge his son's good work, and there is mending between father and son.  Sam Shepard also has his moments in this film, the acting good and solid.  It's easy to see why Grace feels attraction to Tommy.  The two daughters fall pretty in love with him, causing a good deal of tension for Sam once he returns home.  The previews don't do justice to this part of the movie.  I won't spoil it for you, but I will say it contains more depth and enjoyment than the previews indicate.

The second half of the film focuses on Sam's return home.  Hemingway's "Soldier's Home" comes to mind.  Like that short story's protagonist, Sam is expected to return from his traumatic experience and resume his role within "the norm."  However, in this story, there's a bit more at stake.  He exudes many of the symptoms associated with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.  Sam is also unable to function away from the war, and is more interested in getting back into combat than being with his loved ones.  The drama and pain that unfolds is convincing and pretty remarkable.  The film contained an ending I didn't foresee, making the movie a less predictable story than its previews depict.  Stories like this have a tendency to fall into the Lifetime movie melodrama trash heap.  Not so with this movie.

Brothers isn't flawless.  There are scenes I think could have been cut back, certain situations that are less likely to happen in modern life.  Overall, however, the film remains afloat due to the solid performances of the cast, and the interesting story that the previews don't hint at.  Not a bad movie, and certainly worth your eight bucks at the box office.

Speech of the Week #40: The Gary Busey Edition

Welcome everyone to a weekly column here on YDKS Movies entitled Speech of the Week! Every week, I will post a new scene from a movie that features a speech of some sort being given. After all, there are a lot of famous scenes in film where characters give an influential speech of some sort. Then again, there are also a lot of scenes where characters give a speech and it just comes off cheesy and lame. In this section, you will see both kinds. That's right, people, I'm giving you the good and bad of film speeches all wrapped up in one great big package. I hope you all enjoy.

This week's Speech of the Week is a little different than most speeches one will find here on YDKS. This week's speech doesn't actually come from a movie. Instead, it is an interview about a movie. The movie in question is Quigley, a 2003 low-budget Christian film about a rich a-hole (Gary Busey) who gets reincarnated as a white Pomeranian named Quigley in order to right all of his previous wrongs. If that plot synopsis doesn't sell you on the film, I don't know what will.

I didn't even realize this film existed until earlier tonight when my friend and former co-writer Zach Osborn told me about it. He's actually seen the movie and says it's just as awfully wonderful as you would imagine (in fact, he may be doing a guest writing spot here on YDKS to not only review the film but tell his pretty epic story about the role Quigley has played in his life). 

The interview below is of Gary Busey explaining the movie and how amazing it is. This is one of the most disturbing and hilarious interviews that I have ever seen. Let's just say there are times when Busey talks about how he received certain "information" from the other side during a near-death experience. He also talks about how God gave him cancer in his face all the while speaking with a pirate accent. 

It's just so bizarre that you have to watch it for yourself. Enjoy it below. 

A Review of Twilight

First off, sorry for my absence over the past few weeks. I've been working hard on getting my GRE score up in order to get into film school. That and I've had other school and personal related things going on to keep me away. So I apologize. I should have more free time in the coming weeks (especially when Christmas break starts up).

Secondly, I bet you never expected to see a review for Twilight on here, did you?

Twilight has been one of those things that I've always enjoyed tearing apart here on YDKS Movies. The appeal for the series has always really alluded me and I didn't understand the crazy enthusiasm from these teenage girls for movies that had some of the worst trailers I've ever seen. Still, the fact remained that I had never seen the movie. With all the ripping I do on the series, it did kind of seem a little unfair that I haven't actually seen the movie I had been tearing apart. Also, with the movie looking as bad as it did, I found myself morbidly curious to just how awful it could be. According to my sister Avery, who was a fan of the books, the movie was beyond terrible. I knew I had to be in for a treat.

The night I got out for Thanksgiving break, I borrowed my sister's copy of the movie (which I don't understand why she owns it if she hates it...), snuggled up underneath my warm bed sheets and prepared myself for two hours of pure, MTV-style, teeny bopper garbage.

In a way, I got what I wanted. Twilight is a really bad movie. However, I have to say I was a little disappointed in my film viewing experience. The fact is, the movie wasn't absolutely unwatchable like I thought it would be.

Surprisingly, there are some things that Twilight has going for it. I felt that a lot of the first half of the movie with Bella getting adjusted to a new life in Washington worked for the most part. Sure, the situation has been done before but Catherine Hardwicke's handheld direction style really helped make it grounded and slightly interesting. Of course, this all goes downhill once the Cullens are introduced... but we'll get to that later...

Another thing that I felt worked well was the relationship between Bella and her father. For me, this was the most interesting part of the movie. I really like how actor Billy Burke portrayed Charlie. He made the scenes with him and Kristen Stewart a lot more interesting than they probably were on the page. The scene where Bella runs away and has to tear him down before doing so was particularly effective. I only wish I could care about the love story more than this father daughter subplot.

As far as the love story goes, I found the build to it interesting. The first encounter between Bella and Edward is really awkward and driven by a misunderstanding. In a sense, it feels like a lot of high school encounters that one can go through. That's when I felt that the relationship was working. It was when Hardwicke really latched onto the angsty and awkwardness that comes with puberty and going through a relationship, especially with someone who is very different. Unfortunately, once Edward finally admits that he's a vampire and he and Bella start follicking through the woods, things go really downhill. But I have to admit, I enjoyed the build to this at times.

While a lot of people really harped on Robert Pattinson's performance in the film, I think he did his best with the material he was given. Stephanie Meyer, from what I got from the screenplay based on her novel, isn't the best writer in town. Her dialogue is cliche and can be beyond awful at times. So, considering Pattinson had to deliver lines like "And so the lion fell in love with the lamb...," I felt he did the best he could with the situation. I did feel he brought some stand out moments to the screen as Edward at times. The fact that he just seems to freaking hate himself for being a vampire really made him kind of interesting to me. There were some nice moments of angst he had, especially in the car ride after saving Bella from some potential rapists. Unfortunately, Meyer's bad writing and terrible special effects really keep him from shining too much.

And now for the bad. First off, this movie has some of the worst special effects I have ever seen. Considering the book series is such a massive best seller, you would think that they would have a bigger budget for the film series. The effects look hokey beyond belief. Every time I would start to get into the film, a terrible effects sequence would start up and I would be out again. I really cannot stress how bad the effects are. They really are up to par with those exhibited in a SyFy Channel original movie. Yes, it's that bad. Unfortunately, director Hardwicke does not really seem to know how to film action sequences very well either. This only makes the bad effects stand out more and makes them more laughable.

The romance between Edward and Bella was really off and on for me. While the build was solid for the most part, the moment they become a couple in the woods I tuned out. The reason behind this is because it really just starts to feel like a written relationship. Everything that happens between Edward and Bella doesn't feel natural. It almost feels like what Hardwicke believes what would happen in a relationship between teenagers. Once I got to the scene where Edward and Bella just lay on the ground, staring longingly into each others' eyes for like five minutes, I couldn't stand it. 

Still, the relationship has its moments. The kiss between them in Bella's bedroom was really effective and their moment after the fight with James was pretty engaging as well. 

One of the biggest problems I had with the relationship is the fact that I didn't like Bella very much. Many people give Kristen Stewart flack for this but, to be honest, I think I have to go back to Meyer's writing. Bella as a character just isn't interesting. There's really nothing going on with her. She's the new girl. That's it. That's all that she has going on. In the end, she's just too damn boring and flaky to really care about. Because of this, it was harder for me to get into the relationship between her and Edward.

Hardwicke's portrayal of vampires in Twilight is mostly laughable. The scene where the Cullens are introduced in the cafeteria had me rolling my eyes. The fact that they look so pale and ridiculous really took me out the movie a lot of the time. How could no one know that there's something wrong with them? No one looks that pale and dresses so damn weird in real life. With all the realism that had been established so far, their introduction just felt cheesy. The way the evil vampires are portrayed is even worse. They are always shot in slow motion from a low angle when they enter a scene. They all dress in a beyond ridiculous fashion. They just sit out like a sore thumb. It's just silly.

Still, out of all of these complaints, nothing measures up to the infamous vampire baseball scene. Yes, that's right: vampires play baseball in this movie. I'm not sure why but Hardwicke devotes a whole five minutes to it. It's cut awkwardly to a Muse song, has shots randomly cutting between fast and slow motion and shows off the movie's terrible special effects more than it should. This scene is just so out of nowhere and terrible. It's just beyond silly. I still don't understand it.

In the end, Twilight wasn't the worst movie I've seen. It has some decent moments here and there. I felt that Pattinson made the character of Edward more interesting than he was on paper but that the text and terrible effects really held him back. I also felt that the subplot between Bella and her dad was pretty effective. Unfortunately, Meyer's terrible writing, beyond awful special effects and off-and-on direction from Hardwicke really stop the movie from ever becoming good or remotely original. Twilight ends up being your typical teenage movie with a vampire covering thrown in to make it appear like it's unique in some way. However, it's terribly cliche, often too silly to ever invest in and terribly mediocre. I honestly can't remember one scene that really made me ever want to see the movie again and that's not a good thing. It's not unwatchable but it's truly forgettable at the same time.

3/10

Kick-Ass Teaser Trailer Released

The teaser trailer for Matthew Vaughn's film adaptation of Mark Millar's comic book Kick-Ass was released yesterday. This movie has been racking up some serious buzz since footage premiered at Comic-Con this past summer. Apparently, test screenings have been held since then and the reviews have been nothing but glowing. And I'm talking "this is the best comic book movie ever made" kind of glowing.

The basic premise is that a normal kid decides to become a superhero. He puts on a costume and goes out to fight crime. Of course, he has no super powers and, because of this, he often gets the crap kicked out of him. His appearance spawns multiple copycats and he is hunted by an assortment of violent characters.

Since the teaser trailer is a green band, I am told that it doesn't really give a sense of how this movie really is. With that said, it's still enjoyable. The opening of the trailer is really clever and quite beautiful to watch. However, I don't think I'm digging the use of "Bad Reputation" by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts over the last half of the trailer. 

Anyways, I'm still excited about seeing this movie. Watch the teaser trailer below.

Source: Trailer Addict

Watch Bobby Loves Mangos

I saw Bobby Loves Mangos a few months ago when /Film hosted it as a Video of the Day. Since watching it back then, I have been meaning to do an article on it. However, things ended up coming up and I forgot about it. That is, until now.

In the late 1990's, director Stuart Archer made this short and began getting it into various film festivals. However, the film didn't really pick up until he infamously tricked Robert Ebert into watching the film (a story that is told before the film starts in the YouTube version below). Ebert ended up loving the movie and endorsed it.

The plot for Bobby Loves Mangos is very simple but still very intriguing. An elementary school principal receives a videotape in the mail from the future that warns him of a school bus accident that will kill fifty children. The story deals with a lot of moral decisions and what happens when you try to change the future. Also, the ending is surprising and not exactly where I thought the movie would go.

Watch the whole short film below in three parts. It's pretty low budget but the story and direction are so strong it's pretty much impossible not to get sucked in. 

Source: /Film

Near Dark Goes Twilight

While Monster Fest has come to an end here on YDKS Movies, I do have one more horror movie related item to talk about here.

In 1987, director Kathryn Bigelow made a flawed but underrated vampire film called Near Dark. The film managed to be an odd but refreshing mix of a classic vampire film and a western drama. In the movie, the word "vampire" is never ever dropped. The vampires do not have fangs. The only thing that makes them vampires is the fact that they must feed off of human blood and must stay out of sunlight.

The film showcases a pretty impressive cast with the likes of Lance Henriksen, Bill Paxton and Jenette Goldstein (all fresh off of James Cameron's Aliens). The movie features some very tense scenes (the infamous bar room massacre and the motel escape attempt being stand outs) and even has some impressive symbolism (with vampirism working as parallel for drug addiction). Still, the movie is pretty dated and does drag in places. Also, it's ending never really fit well for me personally.

Despite these flaws, Near Dark is a respectable entry into the vampire genre of film. It's not great but it's pretty good. And it certainly doesn't need to be compared to crap like Twilight.

Unfortunately, that's what seems to be happening. On November 1oth, a Blu-ray version of the movie is being released with the cover at the top of this article. The cover blatantly tries to go for a Twilight look. It makes Caleb all white and pale, giving him the look of Edward while turning Mae into the damsel that Bella always seems to be on advertisements.

The thing is, that doesn't even make sense with the Near Dark plot. Mae is the vampire that turns Caleb. Caleb spends most of the movie sick and struggling with vampirism. He doesn't even really become a strong hero figure until the end. Mae is the one who has to be the strong one through most of the movie. Also, none of them are pale in the movie. Sure, Caleb's pretty white when he's sick at one point but they never look all Edward Cullen pale. 

Just look at the Anchor Bay Special Edition DVD cover above that was released a few years back. That's what the cover of Near Dark should look like. It captures the retro 1980's feel of the movie while also getting the ominous feeling of it across as well. It just feels right. The new cover doesn't feel right at all. It just feels like a cheap cash in on a shameful but lucrative franchise. 

I know some may not see a need for this article but I do. I just really don't like it when movies try to cash in on the success of other films... especially when those other films are terrible ones that just happen to be successful due to an idiotic fan base. The fact is, this new cover will probably sell more copies of Near Dark. I just wish it didn't. 

The fact is, Near Dark, despite its flaws, deserves better. 

The 25 Scariest Moments in Movie History (Part 5)

Hey everyone and welcome to Monster Fest 2009 here on YDKS Movies.

For Monster Fest 2009, I'm doing a very special countdown where I cover my personal 25 Scariest Moments in Movie History.

When I was a kid, I was actually pretty terrified of horror movies. I usually could not watch them all the way through and would be stuck staying up all night if I did. Today, that's not the case. I'm pretty lucky if a horror movie can get a jump scare out of me nowadays. Still, there are a lot of scary movie moments that have gotten to me over the years and I felt that Monster Fest 2009 would be the perfect time to celebrate them.

Please note that these are my personal picks for the scariest moments in movie history. They are based on the films that I have viewed myself. If one of your favorite scary movie moments doesn't end up on the list, don't take it personally. Either I didn't see that movie or it just didn't affect me like it did you.

Also, please note that a lot of these movie moments are big spoilers. If you haven't seen the movie in question, please know that the moment could spoil a very significant moment of the film for you (some key moments are taken from the endings of films). So read / watch at your own risk.

Click Here to View Part 1.

Click Here to View Part 2.

Click Here to View Part 3.

Click Here to View Part 4.

Part 5 of 5.

5. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory- Wonka's Chocolate Tunnel From Hell

I bet you didn't expect to see Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory on this list did you?

Despite the fact that Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is a children's movie, it has one of the most horrific scenes in movie history. I've actually talked about this scene on this site before. Everything is all magical and wonderful in the movie until Wonka takes everyone on a boat ride on the chocolate river. Then, everything goes straight to hell. 

This scene comes absolutely out of nowhere and it truly is terrifying. It has visions of snakes squirming on peoples' faces, a chicken getting its head chopped off and Wonka giving a scary speech. Then, at the end of the scene, he screams like a banshee. It's so bizarre and terrifying.

This scene killed me as a kid. Watch it below.

4. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)- Freddy Kills Tina

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) is one of the scariest movies ever made in my opinion. To me, the concept of Freddy Krueger is completely terrifying. There's nothing worse than a killer that gets you in your most vulnerable state: when you're asleep and in your dreams. 

The first kill in the movie was one of the scariest things I've ever seen. The scene works so well because, at first, you cannot even tell that Tina is having a nightmare. Everything feels very real and like it could happen to someone late at night. 

Wes Craven really sets up great tension and suspense in this scene. Everything builds up slowly until Freddy's big reveal. And what an awesome reveal it is. He comes down a small alley way, with his arms stretched out to a ridiculous length. Then, he delivers one of the film's most infamous lines. He refers to his killer glove as God himself. What's creepier than that?

The scene ends with one of the creepiest death scenes ever filmed. Freddy slashes Tina up, dragging her body up the wall and over the ceiling in real life. The image that results is really surreal and very frightening to see.

Watch the scene below.

3. The Shining (1980)- The Twins

It was hard to pick just one scene from Stanley Kubrick's film version of The Shining (1980). There are so many moments from this movie that get under my skin. Visions of an elevator overflowing with a wave of blood, a decaying corpse making out with Jack Nicholson and a woman in a bear suit performing oral sex all plague my dreams because of this movie.

In the end, I had to go with the scene where young Danny stumbles upon the ghosts of the Grady twins in the hallway. This scene is a definition of creepy. That and the fact that we see quick glimpses of their cut-up bodies really doesn't help things.

Watch the scene below.

2. An American Werewolf in London- Werewolf Dreams

An American Werewolf in London really is an unique movie. It manages to be both really funny and quite scary at the same time. While most people remember its Oscar winning transformation scene the most, it was the dream sequences that take place near the beginning of the movie that always scared the hell out of me. 

There are three distinct dream sequences in this section of the movie. One deals with David stalking and eating a deer (very weird and surprisingly graphic), one deals with David turning into a werewolf / vampire hybrid and the other deals with werewolf Nazis breaking into David's home and murdering his whole family in front of his eyes.

While the last dream is completely horrific and leaves a lasting impression, it was the second dream (which is where the above screen shot comes from) that always really got to me. I'm not sure what it was about it that got to me... but it always did. The dream has a really haunting and surreal nature to it. And when David does eventually turn into the werewolf / vampire hybrid, I was always really surprised by it.

The first time I saw this scene, I was really young. Let's just say I didn't sleep for a week.

Watch it below.

1. Muholland Drive- The Winkie's Monster

First off, let me say that I know that this choice will divide people. Not everyone has seen Mulholland Drive and, technically, it's not even a horror movie. However, it does contain what I, and many others, consider the scariest scene ever filmed.

As I stated earlier with the Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me scene, David Lynch is one of the few filmmakers that can actually still scare me. I didn't even see Mulholland Drive until I was a freshmen in college. Even still, it really freaked me out. And no scene freaked me out more than the Winkie's Diner scene.

Anyone who has seen Muholland Drive always brings up this scene. It really is a connecting factor for the people that have watched this movie. It's like all the viewers have gone through their own personal hell and they happen to find someone else who has gone through something really similar. I haven't met anyone who has seen this scene and wasn't scared in some way by it.

The set up is really simple. A man meets with his psychiatrist at Winkie's Diner to discuss a dream he had the other night. In that dream, he was eating at Winkie's and then he ventured outside. Once outside, he went behind the diner where he ran into a monster.

After talking to the psychiatrist about the dream, they decide to go outside and see what they can find.

That's all I'm going to tell you. Honestly, the best way to watch this scene is in the context of the rest of the movie and with a good surround sound system. Still, if you've never seen it before, please watch it below. It's just a small glimpse into David Lynch's talent as a director. It shows how well he can build atmosphere, tension and create a nightmarish scenario in a really boring, everyday setting. Also, it just shows how he can create really freaky scenes that will keep you up late at night.

Watch the scene below.

Well that's it for the countdown. I hope you all enjoyed it as well as Monster Fest 2009 here on YDKS Movies. Happy Halloween everyone.

Review #2 (that rhymed)

I've been told that people can't write anything new; we can only rewrite what's already been written. Apply said phrase to film, and I think there are plenty of examples that prove it's true. Often this is an awful thing (i.e. recent movie Sorority Row, an uninspiring, poor nod [I'm being generous] to I Know What You Did Last Summer). However, some ideas, no matter if they are cliched can work. Jeff Nichols's Shotgun Stories, while treading familiar territory, is a story that delivers.

Taking place in southeast Arkansas, Shotgun Stories involves two sets of brothers, each set sharing the same father, but a different mother. The story is told from the perspective of Son, Boy, and Kid Hayes, their names proof of their father's failure to love them. Though their father has abandoned and failed the three, he does better by his second wife and sons. When the three are informed of their father's death, they head to the funeral, where Son asks if he can say a few words before the burial. After several scathing remarks, Son spits on his "father's" casket, enraging the four by the second wife. The feud begins.

Like any good story about war and hate, this one focuses on the futility of retaliation. A Wendell Berry quote comes to mind in connection to the film's plot: "Violence breeds violence. Acts of violence committed in 'justice' or in affirmation of 'rights' or in defense of 'peace' do not end violence. They prepare and justify its continuation." Nichols's film drives this idea home. For every act of violence one of the brothers commits, another one is returned. Think the futile retaliations in The Godfather set in the backwoods of Arkansas. Unlike Coppola's film, however, a glimmer of light is behind all the shadows cast in this movie.

As I said, the plot has been done before, but what makes up for it is the sincerity prevalent in this movie. This isn't a pretentious movie. It's not the hackneyed revenge story so many filmmakers tell us we should care about. There is real pain here, scars, the moments of resignation that all of us have to face when living. It's not perfect, and that's not the point. What is here is genuine, and worth your time.

Aside from the story, there are beautiful and moving images throughout its duration. The south in its glory. Nichols's work reminds me of the things I adore about Southern gothic literature. Violence, redemption, pain, and death. It's all here. I look forward to what Nichols does in the future.