Review of Whatever Works. Whatever works.

Whatever Works, written and directed by Woody Allen, stars Larry David as me, but personified to fit into a film. I'll start off with that. My favorite part of the film was how much I was reminded of myself in this film through Larry David's character. To the last little complaint about the human race, it's as id this movie was made for me. And I'm sure there are other films for other people that seem as though it was tailored to match their lives. So, if you see this film and you really know me, you'll see. But enough about me, let's move on to the film. Woody Allen is known for quirky romantic comedies and comedies about the human condition and what the world is coming to. Although it seemed like a goofy hybrid between the two, it was still good. Funny and clever, but a little too religiously focused. It seemed as though every few minutes someone had something to say about religion or atheism. It got repetitive and even though one or two gay jokes were sprinkled in at the end as well, it didn't harm the experience all that much. also, three times in the film, Larry David pulls the camera aside and acknowledges it as if he were talking to an audience. It's a cute little addition, and I laughed a few times because of it.
Also co-starring Evan Rachel Wood as a southern girl who knows very little about anything and is also very oblivious to the world around her, is taken in by David and taught about his beliefs. They shared an interesting chemistry and I enjoyed her naive reactions to what he would say. The romance factor in the film really isn't stressed as much as it should have been, given the context. It seemed as though the romance was withheld until the very end, just to wrap things up.
The Verdict:
Whatever Works has flaws, stiff direction pops up every now and again, some of the supporting actors fall flat, and the focus on religion became a bit boring. But through the flame and smoke emerged a good quirky comedy about life and what's in store for us. I give Whatever Works five of the catchphrases that I'm going to use a lot out of five. 5/5.

Review of Saving Private Ryan. Not only one of the best war movies ever made, It's one of the best movies ever made.

Saving Private Ryan, boasting superb directing from Steven Spielberg and an all-star cast featuring Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, Edward Burns, Tom Sizemore, Vin Diesel among others, is a captivating masterpiece of film that keeps the audience on it's toes from the climactic and bloody opening on the beaches of Normandy, to the explosive finale in the ruins of a french town, Spielberg captivates the audience by vividly detailing the trials and horrors of war in a realistic way. Not only is this a document of war, it is also a message of warning to all who aren't aware of what happens in battle. War isn't worth it. It isn't worth the millions of lives that are spent on it. That main theme is shown throughout, but not in a sense where it takes away from the experience. Actually, it adds to the grit and the realism that are the foundations of this film. And boy this movie is very dark. Not for the faint of heart or queasy of stomach, even I, someone who doesn't mind some violence here or there, got upset while watching so many people die in so many gruesome ways. But Spielberg wanted to recreate those utterly terrible moments, and he did it with much vigor and great strength. The acting is great, with every character and supporting character giving it their all. But the standout performance for me was Barry Pepper as Private Daniel Jackson, who, while toting a deadly sniper rifle and the God-given talent of accuracy, would say a prayer for those he was about to kill. He played the role so well that I really had to pick him out of the crowd. If I were to detail every character and their personalities, this review would be ten pages long. And that was another great part about the film. Every character was developed so well and you don't even really get a formal introduction. You're just thrown into war with each of them learning about them as they learn about each other.
The Verdict:
The story was amazing, cinematography was awfully beautiful, direction was dark and gritty, and the actors never miss a step. I won't go as far to say Saving Private Ryan is THE best war movie ever, but it is one of the best, and one of the best movies period. 5/5

Review of Toy Story 3. I love your leg warmers! Nice ascot!

Toy story 3 is one of the greatest films ever made. Hands down. A fantastic and classic third film in the Toy Story franchise. It was everything I wanted it to be and more! I was terrified and anxious, I laughed and I cried! Boy, did I cry! I cried more seeing this film than any other film I've ever seen. But that's the magic of Pixar, they make you feel honest emotions for toys. Toys! They have geniuses working at the Pixar company. Absolute genius shines through every aspect of this film. I'm not saying it's perfect, no film is perfect. But this may be the closest you'll get. One of the things I like best of the Pixar films are the allusions to other films. There are many prison break film references here, and one was a very recognizable hint to Escape From Alcatraz. This film was also a step away from what the traditional Toy Story films were focused on. Rather than having the antagonist be a human like in the first two, the problems come from a different source. It was a perfectly executed idea, one that I hope they repeat in the future if Pixar chooses to continue the franchise. But that was one of the biggest problems. The fact that everything was wrapped up so well in the end, I fear for the inevitable. Toy Story 3 may be the final film in the series. Although all of my favorite animate toys have found their place in history, there were many new additions to the cast. One of my favorites was Mr. Pricklepants, a posh British porcupine wearing laderhosen. But no matter how small the role, every single new toy was a joy to see on screen. Some are only seen for one or two scenes, but those scenes are amazing. Heck, every scene was amazing!
The Verdict:
Toy Story 3 is a beautiful, almost necessary piece of cinema. Although, as I previously mentioned, a step away from the traditional Toy Story films, it was a step in the right direction. A emotionally moving masterpiece. If I saw someone from Pixar right now I would hug them like the newly iconic Lots-O-Hugging bear, and say,"Is now the time to be hysterical?!" I give Toy Story 3 five of the most stylish dolls of all time out of five. 5/5. I would give it a six if I could!

WHAT?! HE CHANGED HIS NUMBER 1?!

Yes, I did. I changed my number one spot to Every Pixar Movie Ever Made. It's hard knocking a film out of the number one spot, because, at least for me, It is a prestigious reward and award for excellence in film making. But that's why I picked Pixar as a whole. I love every single one of their films, and never do I get so excited to see the newest one on opening day and then buying it the day it comes out on DVD than any other films. Every time my heart is captured. I laugh, I cry, and I am honestly thrilled to have them on my number one spot. You may be thinking that since Toy Story 3 is coming out in a few days as of publishing this post, I may have softened up to Pixar and just throwing them acclaim. That is 100% false. I've always loved Pixar, and I figured now was as good a time as any to show that love. I really couldn't pick one, nor could I really review one specifically, because I would be sayoing the same thing over and over agani about all of them. I will be writing a Toy Story 3 review, though. I know, I really made a surprise play here, but every word I said is true. I hope you enjoy the Pixar films as much as a do. And that's a LOT!

Second Opinion: Precious: Based on the Story Push by Sapphire

Rarely will I ever release a second opinion on a film, mostly because my opinion probably won't change drastically. But, unfortunately, that's not the case for the film Precious. After much deliberation and thought as to why I might release a second opinion, I decided there were a few things that needed to be addressed. I reviewed Precious back when it came out on DVD towards the middle of March, 2010. I gave it high acclaim because of the great acting, interesting characters, and fascinating plot. I still believe the acting a character development were great, but I have doubts about the story. I had thought it was a testament to all of the poor people out there who need help, and while I still do, I suppose I had taken myself too seriously with that statement. Finally, I have decided that Precious presents so many sad and dismal situations, that it's a film just for the sake of being sad. Maybe the filmmakers didn't even realize that fact, but the sadness factor was too evident here. So there you have it, my second opinion of Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire. My new score is three out of five. 3/5.

Review of Hannah Montana: The Movie. Let's face it, this movie sucks.

Hannah Montana: The Movie. Here we go... Directed by Who Cares and starring That Pretty Girl and Her Friends, this movie is an absolute abomination. Terrible story, music, acting, anything to do with this film is horrible! You might say,"Oh, it's for kids, give them a break!" NO! I can't! Take your kids to see Up or Toy Story. Those films are amazing! Children and adults love them! I think I might start a group to get rid of every single copy of this "movie" in existence. This is one of two films that I've seen that I think are complete wastes of time and money. The Unborn is in second place, but only because no one breaks out singing every five minutes! I want my 102 mintes back! Gaah!!!! One star out of five! Bleh!

Review of Shutter Island. Wait, what?

Shutter Island, directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, in their fourth film endeavor, is about a WWII veteran turned U.S. Marshall who was called to Shutter Island, a remote island for the criminally insane, to catch an escaped patient. Wow. This is a movie that begs to be seen more than once. There are so many little details in the plot, it's almost impossible to catch them all. But that's a good thing. It's a film that requires you to pay close attention and messes with your mind in the process. Never in my life have I seen a film that makes me think I might be insane. Even hours after the film was over I kept on pondering what happened. If a film can make someone think that much about it, you've definitely hit your mark. And I would have trusted almost no one else other than Martin Scorsese to helm such a masterpiece. Each little detail is presented with so much vigor and intensity, Scorsese is probably at his best here. Scorsese and DiCaprio have certainly been friends for a while, being DiCaprio's fourth film under Scorsese, you would have thought he might miss a step or two. But this may be one of DiCaprio's best roles. He fits the character so well and shares such great emotion towards all of the other characters. Of course, while he may be the stand-out performance, there are plenty of other actors that chew the scenery as well. Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, even Jackie Earl Haley is here. They all do great in their respective roles.
The Verdict:
Shutter Island is a highly original, beautifully shot masterpiece of cinema. I loved every second of it. Scorsese is an amazing director, DiCaprio is an amazing actor, and the plot i;s one for the ages. Some of my favorite films are complex mysteries, and this one tops the list in that genre. I give Shutter Island five rats in the sea out of five. 5/5.

Review of Apocalypse Now. The horror... The horror...

Martin Sheen has a mission. A mission that doesn't exist. Directed by Francis Ford Copolla, Apocalypse Now is a masterpiece. Set in the middle of the Vietnam War, Martin Sheen is sent out to kill a corporal gone rouge and insane, played by Marlon Brando. Marlon Brando does a terrifyingly great job here but unfortunatley only gets about fifteen minutes of screen time, and it's all at towards the end. So we have to settle with Sheen and his crew for most of the film, which isn't entirely bad, either. There were many scenes that were glorious pieces of Sheen but most of the time he's very quiet. Unfortunatley for him, the supporting cast completely outshines him. With Robert Duvall, Fredric Forrest, and even a young Laurence Fishburne among others, Sheen can't compare. The overall atmosphere of the film is amazing, I could even tell by the dialouge how much effort was put into crafting the story. The audio and video are superb, especially for it's time. The intense gun fights, the eerie narration, and the orange filter that I noticed throughout completley set the bar for almost all films to come after it.

The Verdict: Apocalypse Now, running at an astounding 153 minutes, can be hard to watch at times, but in the end, you get one of the most exciting and horrific films you'll ever see. I give it five surfers in a warzone out of five. 5/5.

Review of A Beautiful Mind. The mind is a dangerous place.

A Beautiful Mind, directed by Ron Howard and starring Russel Crowe, is a biopic about the famous John Forbes Nash Jr. and his life. I was glad that finally someone was able to create a biopic that wasn't too short not giving enough information or too long to the point of boredom. Clocking in at two hours and sixteen minutes, A Beautiful Mind was the perfect length, keeping viewers interested with a thick and complex plot and good dialouge. Ron Howard was obviously at the top of his game here with fantastic direction, almost as good as Apollo 13, which was one of his best films. Oh, Russel Crowe, we can't forget about him either. He gives a powerhouse performance here, his absolute best. Better than Gladiator, better than American Gangster, anything you could think of, I could fight back with something from here. He takes on the character of John Nash so well that by the end it would be believable to think that he was Nash. Just fantastic. Alongside him were Jennifer Connely and Ed Harris, who both fill their roles well too.
The Verdict:
A Beautiful Mind is not for the weak minded. It is a complex film that takes many twists and turns. But if you can understand it you'll have a great time watching a great film. I give it five super cool British roommates out of five. 5/5.