Reviews: Past Week or So

This’s wassup.  I have been watching more movies than I can remember, Whew!

Firstly, “Paper Heart” was highly original, featuring Michael Cera and Charlyne Yi.  Directed by Nicholas Jasenovec, who other than this movie directed something called “Sounds Good to Me: Remastering the Sting (2004), which featured SNL’s Bill Hader (Superbad), “Paper Heart” was kind of a film/doc. about the meaning of love.  Comedian, Yi, claims to not believe, until she unexpectedly falls for the likes of Cera.  Great cuddle movie, again, refreshing and ‘riginal.

“The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard” was kind of regurgitated, raunch humor, but was mildly charming and pretty sexy.  It features a cast of very funny actors lead by Jeremy Piven (Entourage).

“Extract”  is the latest Mike Judge film (Beavis and Butthead, Office Space, Idiocracy, King of the Hill, etc.).  Judge did a pretty good job of staying Judge with this one, starring Jason Bateman (Juno, Arrested Development), Mila Kunis (Meg Griffin (Family Guy), Forgetting Sarah Marshall), and The Ben Affleck.  It’s judge’s usual mix of mundane life mixed with sex, drugs, and yes, rock & roll (George Clinton doos the soundtrack and Gene Simmons has a part).  It was far out.  I mean it.

“Avatar” was amazing.  Best time I’ve had at the theater since “Ironman,” rather, since I was a kid in Disneyworld.  I would have cherished having even the tiniest involvement with the making of it.  It stars Sam Worthington who recently had a part in “Terminator Salvation,” which I have honestly not seen yet, Sigourney Weaver (Aliens, Ghostbusters), and Zoe Saldana (Star Trek) from Jersey.  Going to see this one again in IMAX 3D this week.  James Cameron hits a game-winning grand slam.

“Up in the Air,” in theaters, starring George Clooney (Burn After Reading, Batman) and Vera Farmiga (The Departed, etc.) was very well done, from credits to credits.  It had twists and humor in all the right places.  Seen it last night.  It made me feel one with the universe.  Director, Jason Reitman has previously guest directed “The Office” and SNL, as well as “Juno” and “Thank You for Smoking.”

“Paranormal Activity” I watched on DVD about five nights ago.  I’m finally not thinking about it before I fall asleep at night.  The movie’s budget is estimated at $15,000 and it is currently in the $100 millions in grossing.  Remarkably it was done by little known filmmaker, Oren Peli.  I guess it couldn’t be any other way.  Part 2 is in the works.  Unfuckingbelievable.

“Sherlock Holmes” is actually Guy Ritchie cool action packed and from the faint notion I actually carry about ye ole detective stories I conduce that it stays pretty true to the tale.  But for instance, I always imagined Watson to look more like the penguin, than Jude Law.  Truly.

“It Might Get Loud” is a rock doc featuring Jack White, Jimmy Page, and The Edge.  Think about it.  Or just rent it, very cool.  Parts of it are pretty amazing, particularly one clip of an electrified crowd at a U2 concert.

“Nine” is a film, a musical, based on a play, based on Fellini’s autobiographical work, “8 1/2.”  I believe this is the age that the legendary Italian filmmaker perpetually lives.  This movie is star studded, any film with Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood, Last of The Mohicans) I might add is going to be good, right?  Also, scantily clad Fergie, Penelope Cruz, and Nicole Kidman WILL keep you watching fellas.

“Sideways,” starring Paul Giamatti (American Splendor, Pig Vomit) and Thomas Haden Church (who dates as far back as an episode of “Cheers” in ’89) is nothing new (2004), however I watched it and I love it, so I thought I’d mention it in one sentence.

Finally, “Lymelife,” directed by Derrick Martini (who is relatively quiet before this, co-written by his brother Steven), stars Alec Baldwin, two Culkin’s (not Macaulay), Timothy Hutton (whom I’ve been mistakenly calling Kevin Kline for nearly a week, probably because this character reminded me of the type in “Life as a House,” but much better), and Cynthia Nixon (Miranda – Sex and The City).  Adultery, growing up, and Catholicism are the themes in this one.  Martin Scorsese is the executive producer.  Captivating.  Martini won the FIPRESCI award for this one in Toronto.

This Is It

“I saw the Michael Jackson movie the other day” sounds like the beginning of a joke.  Well, it’s not.

Directed by that guy who’s in every other scene in the movie (Kenny Ortega, “High School Musical”), the film was fantastic, why?  Because it was just too good to be true, wasn’t it everyone?  People always attack a guy talking peace and love.  I’m coming to get you all who carry on with that pedophile poison.

Back to the film, we’re shown that for this tour, Michael had scoured the earth and surrounded himself with very few egotistical people, but rather mainly purely talented people.  The audience witnesses these folks emotionally live out their dream.

Michael was so thin and stiff, but he got better it seemed, sharper as the rehearsals carried on.  Too bad P-Y-T wasn’t performed.  Let me down just like when I saw Styx last year in Baton Rouge and didn’t hear Mr. Roboto.  But I guess that sort of thing is bound to happen with comebacks.  The lofty artist just has no idea exactly what people want of them anymore.

Michael grew too far away from his audience.  I wish he would’ve had his own reality show.  Although I liked him as a kid and my mother loves him to death, I felt estranged seeing him on screen.

So while my eyes honestly gained a little moisture at a couple parts during the film, I couldn’t really bring myself over the edge to cry.  Megan fell asleep.  “Captain EO” anyone?

Summer Hours

“Summer Hours” is one of the latest IFC French movies to DVD.  It’s kind of what I’d like to call a rite of passage story.  The plot (briefly) is three siblings leading very different, yet productive lives, decide that it is best to sell their recently deceased mother’s lovely, artful summer house.

“L’heure d’ete” (actual title) has been called writer/director Olivier Assayas’ masterpiece.  He has been writing and directing movies since the late 70’s.  He was featured in “Paris, je t’aime.”  He seems to work primarily though, on indy projects.

I liked this film very much, although honestly I thought it looked a little too aristo when I first looked at the cover of the DVD (the photo I’ve featured is much better, I think).  But in reality, this movie displays compassion, understanding, and French culture.  It’s very unique among most movies I’ve seen recently.  Nice work.