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.