Inception

Inception is a science fiction film that was released in 2010. It was written and directed by Christopher Nolan, who has directed blockbusters such as Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Michael Caine and Cillian Murphy.

The film is about a team lead by DiCaprio's character, Cobb, who go into a persons dreams to extract information for paying clients. In Inception, Cobb must lead his team to put an idea into someone's mind. This is not easy since "inception" is thought to be impossible. Cobb is wanted for murder and cannot return to the United States, where his kids are, unless he does this inception mission. If his team completed the mission he will be granted a new life in the United States with his family.

The film has a ton of special effects. Just watching for the special effects alone would be worth it but the movie has much more than just special effects. The plot is very unique and is a breath fresh air with recycled plots in Hollywood right now. The cast is very diverse and all are amazing in their roles. The plot maybe confusing to some people but a second viewing would still be entertaining if it is needed to understand the movie better. If you are looking for a smart film that is also visually stunning than Inception would be a great movie to watch.

Batman Begins

Batman Begins was released in 2005 and is a reboot of the Batman story. It was directed by Christopher Nolan and is a much darker film thematically than the previous Batman films. What sets Batman Begins apart from the others is it goes in depth into the origins of how Batman came to be. Christian Bale stars as Bruce Wayne/Batman and does an amazing job basically playing two different characters in one film. It also stars Michael Caine as Bruce Waynes butler, Alfred. Liam Neeson plays the main villain in the film, Ra's Al Ghul. Gary Oldman plays a police officer who assists Batman in the film. The only acting that falls flat is that of Katie Holmes, who plays the love interest in the film.

Christopher Nolan does a good job bringing Batman into the "real world" instead of some fantasy comic book world with over the top super villains. In this film Batman is shown to be more of a detective with gadgets and martial arts training than a superhero. Even the famous Batmobile gets a "real world" makeover, it is more like a tank in this film instead of a unrealistic fantasy car like in other Batman films.

The dark elements of this film might be a little too much for kids to enjoy. It could be frightening to some viewers. However, those unfamiliar with the Batman story will enjoy this film because it does a good job telling that story. This isn't just a over the top super hero movie. It has something for everyone. Action scenes are prevalent in the film but there are also a lot of emotional aspects to the film.  This is one comic book movie everyone should watch.

Halloween (1978)

Halloween was created in 1978 and written and directed by John Carpenter. The film was created on an extremely low budget but did very well in the box office. It was one of the first films in the Horror sub genre of “slasher” films that would become popular from here on. Although it is classified as a “slasher” film, it has many unique qualities that are hardly seen in today’s horror movies. The films plot is very simple, which is common place for most horror movies. A young boy named Michael Myers kills his older sister and is sent away to a mental institute. After fifteen years, Michael escapes the Asylum and returns to his home town and in the process begins to kill teenagers on Halloween.

Although the film’s plot is simple, it is how the film is shot that makes this movie a horror masterpiece.  Carpenter does a good job at keeping the audience in suspense. One way he does this is by using the camera to give the viewer Michael Myers perspective when he is stalking his next victim. Michael Myers wears a mask and when the camera shot is supposed to be his point of view you can hear Michael’s heavy breathing as he watches his victims. This puts the viewer in the body of a serial killer. Another way the film suspense is utilized is by creating tension in the viewer. Carpenter uses quick edits to make the audience jump in fear.  In one scene Michael Myers hides in a closet and unexpectedly jumps out and kills a male character. Leading up to this scene we see Michael watching from outside the house and then surprisingly is inside and then murders. The score of the film also creates a lot of suspense and tension.  It is a simple piano key played over and over with some synth mixed in that creates an eerie feel to the movie. Carpenter does a good job paying homage to Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho.

For such a small budget movie, the acting is really top notch. The only seasoned actor involved in the film who is somewhat known is Donald Pleasance. The veteran actor does a really good job playing Michael Myers former psychiatrist who tries hard tracking Michael down and stopping him from killing. The movie was also Jamie Lee Curtis’ first movie in which she does a good job playing the studious main teenager in the town who is stalked by Michael. The other actors in the movie are decent but some of the other teenage actors in the movies acting leave a lot to be desired in the acting department.

Halloween is one of the best horror movies ever made. Its influence in the horror movie genre is still felt today which shows how great it is. Even though the film was made in the late 1970’s it holds up really well to today’s standards. Young horror fans and even non horror fans can appreciate the film. 

American Psycho

                       

The 2000 film, American Psycho is an adaptation of a novel of the same name written by Bret Easton Ellis. British actor, Christian Bale, stars at the lead character Patrick Batman. As with most film adaptations of a novel the movie will have some differences that fans of the book will notice. For viewers who have not read the book, American psycho will not effect their enjoyment.

The time period of the film takes place in the late 1980’s and is set in New York City. The film shows the character of Patrick Bateman as he lives his life as a Wall Street businessman. He lives an upper class lifestyle and is obsessed with making himself look “perfect”. He exercises daily and even goes to a tanning salon to look the part of a Wall Street businessman. He looks “perfect” except for the fact he secretly enjoys killing people.

The soundtrack for the film does a good job at portraying what Americans were listening to in the 1980’s perfectly. Popular artists such as Huey Lewis and the News and David Bowie were used to show life in New York in that time period.  The set designs and costumes of the actors in the film also do a good job of capturing the 1980’s. The suits all the businessmen wear show the viewer that this movie is set in the 1980’s

The acting from the main characters in the film is very top notch. Christian Bale does not disappoint portraying the psychopath Patrick Bateman. Bale devoted himself physically to the role by getting his teeth fixed, tanning at tanning booths and exercising, in real life, to look perfect just like how Patrick Batman is suppose to be. Other noteworthy acting in the film is to Willem Dafoe who portrays a private investigator who constantly bothers Patrick Bateman over one of Bateman’s missing friends. Dafoe does a good job acting as a suspicious investigator. Actor Jared Leto is fantastic portraying Bateman’s rival, Paul Allen and does so by acting like a stuck up “yuppie” businessman.

It is difficult to define American Psycho to a film genre. At points it could be called a “thriller” with its edge of your seat moments. To me American Psycho is a true horror film but with some comedy elements. The film contains graphic violence and sex, most involving Patrick Bateman. If the viewer is a fan of horror and slasher type film’s they will certainly like American Psycho because it satisfies those fans with it’s portrayal of a serial killer and what he does to his victims. The comedy in the film usually involves the audience laughing at the levels that Bateman goes to when creating the image of the Wall Street businessman that he is. A scene where Bateman grabs a coaster before his secretary puts her drinking glass on his coffee table was brief but very funny.


 The film is a must see for any Horror fan but it will also be enjoyed by anyone who enjoys a movie which pushes the boundaries. The fact it is also a timepiece of the 1980’s might bring some viewers who remember the 1980’s to relive the fashion and look of that time period. The movie all around was very well made and presented well. 

City of God

          

The movie is about a young teenage boy growing up in a slum near Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. The slum that the boy lives in is called “Cidade de Deus”, which translated from Portuguese is the city of god. The boy is named Rocket and is the narrator of the film and we are taken for a ride as he shows the conflicts that go on around him in the slum as he grows up. This movie is based on true events and is adapted from a novel of the same name as the movie. The movie is in Portuguese but is subtitled in English.

The movie is very unique in the way that it is cast. The director cast real street children and teenagers from Rio de Janeiro to star in the film. This adds some realism to the film that you don’t really see in other films. The only other film I can think of is an American film called Kids that also involves real city teenagers being cast in the movie with no acting experience.  The movies use of a narrator helps keep the audience member well aware of what is going on in the movie. This is important because the events are not told in order and bounce back between time periods from the 1960’s and 1970’s. The movie is primarily in the 1970’s.

 An aspect of the movie that may offend people is the use of violence. This movie is extremely graphic especially with violence. The violence in this movie is very graphic because it depicts a lot of children being killed by gunfire. It does add realism to the film but this may turn off some people.  It is a very surreal sight to see so many little kids and teenagers holding and shooting guns at people. The use of drugs in the movie is also very prominent. Drugs such as marijuana and cocaine are used by the characters and as well as a lot of alcohol. Since the movie is based on true events it’s hard to imagine this kind of stuff going on in the world but it is truly eye opening.  It could be seen as glorifying the gang culture because it shows how these poor kids become rich in their own right because of drugs but it also shows the downfalls.
 The cinematography of the film is beautiful. The director does a good job of showing the disgusting slums but also shows the beauty in the surrounding areas such as the beaches in Brazil. The story of Rocket’s life is very well told in the fact we feel the emotion he is going through. In one scene he loses the girl he likes to one of the Drug gang leaders in the film and you can feel the heart break he goes through knowing he can not do anything about it. If he would do something about it he would be killed.

            

Memento

            The film is directed by Christopher Nolan and is about a former insurance investigator named Leonard Shelby, played by Guy Pearce, who has no short-term memory after an accident that occurred when his wife was raped and killed by intruders and he sustains a head injury. He cannot remember anything that happens after the head injury so he must rely on Polaroid pictures with notes written on them and tattoos that he gets to make up for his lost memory. The main plot of the film is Leonard trying to figure out who the second attacker was that killed his wife and put him in this condition. Once he finds the attacker he plans on killing him.

           The most interesting aspect of this film is the fact it goes backwards. The first scene of the movie is actually the last part of the story. As the film continues and goes backwards the viewer finds out what leads up to that first scene. The movie is about memory or lack there of so it makes the viewer use their own memory because since the movie goes backwards the viewer has to remember what happened in the previous scene to understand what is happening in the next scene. This fact alone gives Memento a reason to be viewed and also makes it very re-watchable because the viewer may of missed something.

            The films scenes are very well shot. Nolan uses a lot of mirror scenes in the movie as well as many close up shots of characters faces, which emphasizes the actor’s facial expressions. You can really see the emotion in their face and feel for them especially Leonard. Nolan utilizes both black and white shots and color shots in the film. The majority of the film is shown in color but during flashback scenes, black and white shots are used. Nolan seems to use this to make sure the viewer isn’t confused which scene is a flashback since the film’s narrative plot is already confusing already as it is. The film does contain some violent and gory scenes but it is not too over the top and this is a rated R movie so it’s to be expected. The score of the film is very minimal but does have a hypnotic keyboard and orchestral sound that works well with the films visuals. The films editing is done well because without the right editing the film would be unwatchable because of the backwards style.

           This is definitely a film to check out it if you enjoy thrillers. The way the film is shown backwards gives the film a very unique quality to it that is hard to find in films these days. The acting by Guy Pearce is top notch and is very believable. The only flaw that I can tell is that it may be too confusing to some viewers and a re-watch is probably needed to understand the film completely. 

Drive

I recently watched Drive, a movie that I have heard nothing but positive things about. The main character is played by Ryan Gosling, he is known for playing the male lead in romantic movies such as The Notebook and Blue Valentine. In Drive, his character, which is never named and is credited as “The Driver”, does not have much dialogue but instead shows emotion in his movements and facial expressions. His emotions are usually only shown when he starts to become involved with Irene, his love interest in the film played by Carey Mulligan. Even then he continues to show his emotion only by smiling and brief dialogue. Irene has a son named Benicio and the driver does a great job at being a father figure for this child. Though this movie has an emotional aspect it does also have some very violent scenes. The violence is very graphic and gory but is not a main aspect of the film. The main part is the relationship the driver gains with Irene and her son and what he would do to protect them.

The director seemed to change the overused car chase film into a film that has car chases but is in fact not a car chase movie. Drive has emotion and feeling that other action movies just don’t have. This is not a Fast and the Furious type car movie. An example of this is how the director utilized an unorthodox soundtrack for a movie like this. Unlike other action movies from today, it uses a very 80’s electronic style score with some songs containing female lead vocals. It makes Drive very unique compared to other recent movies and it is quick to utilize this soundtrack right from the beginning of the movie in the opening credits. What also makes this action movie is the pace and editing. The pace of the movie is very slow which I can imagine will turn off fans of action movies, which usually have fast editing of scenes to make the pace faster. Instead this movie uses slow editing that draws out scenes longer so the viewer can feel the scenes instead of just quick glances of images on the screen. However, some fast editing is used during the few chase scenes in the film.

Overall I found this movie to be refreshing compared to other movies that have come out lately. The acting was amazing from every actor in the film but Ryan Gosling's performance steals the movie. I loved it from beginning to end and it was the first film in a while that I wanting to see again after it ended. If anything watch it for the amazing score and soundtrack.

First Blog Post!

I plan on using this blog to review movies I end up watching as the semester goes on. I'm a huge fan of watching movies so it seemed like a good idea if I became a film critic with this blog. I usually watch a new movie on DVD each week and also usually go to the movies to see new releases each weekend when I have the time. My goal is to review at least two movies a week and post my reviews.