Mend both Max Brooks' The Zombie Survival Guide and Shaun of the Dead and you get Zombieland. Only known by their hometown the characters played by Woody Harrelson, Abigail Breslin, Emma Stone and Jesse Eisenberg embark for paradise during the Zombie Apocalypse.
Movie Reviews
Atonement - A Better Pick for the 2009 Oscar
George Carlin was and still is often known for his "Seven Dirty Words", a particular list of words that cannot be said on America television. One of those words seems to offer more trouble. This particular word, offers quite a doozy of a plot twist int he 2007 film, Atonement.
Briony, a 13-year old girl is asked by Robbie to hand a love note to her older sister, Cecilia, played by Keira Knightley. However, it is the wrong note.
A Serious Man - Serious and Not So Serious
I originally saw this in theaters, however I never had a chance to write a proper analytical review. A Serious Man is one of those films that directors tend to earn after winning Best Picture. Larry Gopnik is a Jewish college professor with a pothead son studying for his Bar Mitzvah, a daughter who steals money to afford plastic surgery, his brother sleeps on the couch, and a wife who is leaving him for his best friend, who understands and is sympathetic to Larry's confusion.
The Hurt Locker - Top Notch Suspense
Suspense is still one of the most difficult elements to capture and express on screen. The Hurt Locker is a rare breed in the 21st Century. While the mostly unpopular Iraq War has netted a few films so far, The Hurt Locker offers a suspenseful look into the lives of the soldier, minus the political leanings.
Love it or hate it, the Iraq War happened, and is happening and the politics, lies, cover-ups, etc, etc have made the situation difficult for many. The Hurt Locker dives into the lives of soldiers of a bomb squad and their daily struggles with life and death. What makes this film stand out, is that instead of revealing a poitical agenda, it veers off to a new path. The story is told, and the struggles are revealed. This allowed director Kathryn Bigelow to focus on a little character development and control the suspense.
Moon - The Decade's Most Important Sci-Fi Film
Science Fiction has had a difficult decade. With the advent of computer generated imagery, few films have been able to truly use the language of cinema to the fullest. Avatar featured technological breakthroughs, yet only provided a story that lacked any originality beyond the futuristic setting.
Then there is Moon. Taking ques from 2001: Space Odyssey, Solaris, Alien and Primer, winking at the impending energy crisis, and the cloning, Moon is a masterfully told piece that may reshape science fiction...for those who see it.
Gardens of the Night - Disturbing & Realistic
During my short stint in LA as an intern, I had the pleasure to work on a little project called Gardens of the Night. Mostly I was making copies, scheduling audition appointments, filming auditions, etc. I did have a chance to read the script and enjoyed it as well. I remember briefly meeting director Damian Harris. But like all internships, this one ended and my interest in the project waned.
3 years later, I stumbled upon the film on Netflix Streaming and chose it as my night's entertainment. The film turned out relatively close to the original. A disturbing, yet realistic portrayal of children taking from their innocent lives and filtered into prostitution rings. Staring Gillian Jacobs prior to her appearance on Community, Tom Arnold, John Malkovich, and Evan Ross this film has enough talent to carry the emotional theme properly.
The Tenant - A Controversial Dive Into Madness
One of Polanski's most ominous films, The Tenant completes the filmmaker's "Apartment Trilogy". Polanski also stars and plays a Trelkovsky, who moves into an apartment where the previous tenant jumped out of the window. As he begins to get situated in his apartment, the other tenants are already complaining about him being too loud at night. Across from the apartment is the only toilet in the building, where Trelkovsky often finds another being staring back, motionless.
Youth In Revolt
It is easy to say that Michael Cera continually plays the same character over an over again. But all in all, no one does it better. Youth In Revolt gives Cera a chance to get bi-polar and plays two characters, Nick Twisp in Cera's typical low-confidence and awkward character, and Francois, a suave, articulate and ballsy French teenager.
The Room - Terrible, But Irresistible
Most filmmakers spend years fine-tuning their craft, yet still wary of every making a terrible film. Short film after short film, struggling to find the funding to make their dreams come true. It's all apart of the American film industry.
But some filmmakers find their fortunes sooner and are able to do what they please. The Room is one of those films, where either the director had too much money, terrible actors, and even worse, a poor crew; or was genius at his craft, so much that making a terrible film was his form of expression.
I doubt the latter.
Avatar - CGI Has Come Of Age
When you write a screenplay and choose not to produce it for 15 years because technology hadn't caught up, you really make an impression. Between the time James Cameron typed THE END on Avatar and released it to theaters this weekend, he released Titantic the largest box office hit ever.
The wait was worth it. Avatar merges Cameron's original signature style with his new battery of technological advancements and CGI rendering. Might I say, quiet the advancements.