Green Zone -- Review

Walking out of a screening of Green Zone I cannot help but feel at a loss.  The film is breathe taking and really makes you sit back and think.  True this is a film, true it has roots that may hit home on many different levels, and yet on top of being something that is clearly making a statement, one must remember that the film is made for entertainment.  We have already had a good number of films made about the Iraq and Afghanistan wars from various points of view.  Stop-Loss is about the men and women who are serving longer tours than they originally signed up for by an involuntary extension.  Home of the Brave revolved around a group of men and women who have returned and their struggle to readjust to being back home.  Hurt Locker is about the unbelievable soldiers who are part of the army bomb squad called the Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit.  Taking Chance is about a soldier's experience across the country as he escorts the remains of Pfc. Chance Philips back to his home town.  And there are others that give us a quick look into certain aspects of how the past 9 years have  affected so many of the brave men and women who serve our country.  On so many levels this is the hardest review to write and yet I must remind myself, like I did as I was watching the film, that Green Zone is just a movie.

Green Zone is one of those films that I knew would be unbelievable, but due to the content I did not expect it to be made quite yet.  The events covered in the film occur in 2003 and can very easily be googled if you do not already know the facts about the US military's mad hunt for supposed weapons of mass destruction.  I will be honest with you, I am not very educated regarding what really happened--  and why!  And I did not follow the news like many people may have, but I remember bits and pieces of information from 2003 and yet I did not realize or expect the extreme measures that this film insinuates.  It is hard to believe to what extent some people will take things, and there are some extremes that should never be taken.  Director Paul Greengrass takes us on a thrill that easily rivals the action packed Bourne films.  The cinematography was gritty which adds to the suspense level as we go on the journey with Chief Warrant Officer Miller (Matt Damon).  The acting is amazing and never leaves you questioning the believability of the situation.  And as much as I dislike Greg Kinnear in many of his roles, my dislike for him as Clark Poundstone Pentagon Special Intelligence is no less.  

I know we have been in search for the truth, but if this is anywhere near the truth,  I cannot believe anyone would dare go to such extreme measures.  Green Zone is a film inspired by Rajiv Chandrasekaran's book ‘Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq's Green Zone’ which hit book shelves in 2006 and won the 2007 Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction.   No matter what side you stand on this film is a film that will not only entertain, but also make you think.  Take the events purly as a given, and follow along as a soldier turned rogue to find out the truth.  I highly recommend this film and feel that everyone should see.  I give Green Zone a 4.5 out of 5. 

Featurette

The Crazies -- Review

Have you ever reached your breaking point?  Been pushed beyond the limit and just gone crazy?  I know that lack of sleep causes a paranoia that could drive a person mad especially under strenuous situations.  What's the longest you've gone without sleep?  When I was younger a group of friends and I challenged each other to see how long we could go without sleep.  We lasted 3 days, but we had totally lost it by the time we crashed. How long do you think you'd last before going crazy? Have you ever tested the theory?  Now granted that is not exactly relevant to the film, but I wonder what each person's breaking point is.  The Crazies is a remake to the 1973 George A. Romero film and it will definitely push you right up to the edge as you follow 4 characters from escaping an illness that drives people crazy.

The Crazies was one of the few recent horror films that legitimately had me jumping in my seat.  The filming was gritty and dirty and added to the elements in a way that HD cannot touch.  For me the coarse picture with the filmed on 35mm film heightened my senses and allowed me to fall right into director Breck Eisner's hands by throwing in my face the fact that this film would not be a "nice clean" film.  I loved that not only were we given a taste of the crazies and their illness but elements were also left to our imagination by not showing us everything.

Granted, for as much as I enjoyed the thrill and suspense of this film, it almost felt like the beginning dragged just a little after a quick glimps of what was in store for us during the opening credits and then beginning the story.  The timeline only cover about 3 days, so with a running time of 101 minutes it roughly spent 30 minutes showing us the events that occurred in the small Iowa town.  With that I feel that we did not need as much time spent walking through fields, and would have preferred a little more information or interaction during the initial containment period rather than vomiting just enough information in to our laps at the end of the film.  Aside from timing, my only other complain is with the choice in ending.  I do not want to give away anything but I will say that it was a nice attempt but as the batter was swung I wanted the ball to get hit out of the park, but Eisner just happened to tip the ball back over home plate. 

In the end, after taking everything into consideration, I truly enjoyed Breck Eisner's The Crazies.  It was a success when it comes to remakes.  It definitely held its own in the world of horror and aside from the few fouls, this film gave me everything I went in looking for.  It scared me when I wanted to be scared and left me wanting just enough to go back for another round.  I give The Crazies a 3.5 out of 5 stars and with one of my favorite actors, Timothy Olyphant (Deadwood and Hitman) I could not take my eyes off the screen.  

Black Pearl Info -- Pirates 4

Word has come that the Black Pearl has landed in Hawaii, where the 4th installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean film is set to begin production in this coming May.  Check out the video below.

The Wolfman -- Review

Be still my beating heart of horror for this valentine's weekend you have found true love.

I have always been a fan of horror films and stand by the principle that nothing beats the original.  Yet I always wondered if/when Universal would make another go at their classics, especially after a trip to Universal Studios two summers ago.  February 12, 2010 is a date that will set into motion a movement within the horror genre that will make my heart pitter-patter a little louder and a little faster as it is the release date for the first of several updates to classic horror films.  There is just something breathtaking when you are able to watch a monster come to life right before your eyes.  

The Wolfman production had a few hiccups along the way, but the final film pays remarkable homage to the 1941 classic while giving the 21st century movie-goer everything they could possibly want from a film of this style.  From the moment the lights dimmed and the classic Universal logo appeared on the silver screen I felt butterflies in my stomach as the excitement I felt for one of my favorite classic films went through a much needed update.  If you have read any of my previous reviews I tend to go against remakes/updates and adaptations, but from time to time there is a film that needs to be presented from a more modern point of view. Don't get me wrong, it wouldn't be The Wolfman if there weren't elements of "cheese" scattered throughout the film, as all of the classic horror films hold that as part of their being and existence.  Be it that the film did not translate well through the years, make-up effects being slightly out-of-date, or a rather phony looking pentagram "etched" into the chest of the main character as his sign of become a werewolf.  It is all of these together that give us George Waggner's 1941 classic Wolf Man starring Lon Chaney Jr.  

The thing that makes Joe Johnston's direction of The Wolfman so great is that he is able to pay homage to the original through the use of props and make-up artist Rick Baker who brought Jack P. Pierce's original look back to life for a whole new generation to enjoy.  On top of the visual effects adding to the story, and the bone crunching and spin chilling transformation from man to monster a nightmare come true.  Not only did it send chills through my entire body watching the visual effects of CGI transform Benicio del Toro's body into the Wolfman and the carnage he leaves in his wake as he makes his way through Victorian England.  The updated story takes you on an interesting journey as to where the Wolfman actually comes from and how he came to be.  Johnston brings you on a journey straight through the psyche of a man that so many have grown up with.  It is Lawrence Talbot and del Toro's performance that not only opens your eyes to the soul and heart of this classic horror monster.  People always say that the eyes are the mirrors to the soul, and I don't know how Johnston was able to pull it off through all of the make-up, but his shooting style and shot choices give you a true glimpse into a misunderstood monster.  But of course, as I said earlier, this film could not be The Wolfman if it did not include a certain level of cheesiness. 

Without giving away any spoilers I will say that a quick line mentioned to describe Hugo Weaving's character Abberline was a slight stretch of the imagination, however it certainly left me scratching my head a little as to why it would be mentioned in the first place.  Yes, my horror fan mind started spinning with ideas for the endless possibilities (yet none of them should probably be followed through with).  The slightly odd almost Golum-like creature that made several appearances. Some of the dialogue between father and son felt almost straight out of the 1940 films, but getting to see the wonderful and amazing Anthony Hopkins transform into a werewolf made up for any blunder that had been previously made.  The cameo appearance of the brilliant make-up artist Rick Baker as one of the gypsy men, yes cheesy but just as great as the Marvel films with their Stan Lee cameos.  Other than that I really have no complaints.  The film surpassed every expectation I had by leaps and bounds and left me begging for more.  

The art and costume departments were brilliant and truly took you back to Victorian England with amazing sets and beautiful costumes.  Rick Baker out did himself and gave us a creature we not only recognized but loved for the modernization and update which only added to the scariness and danger of what the wolfman is capable of.  Joe Johnston's The Wolfman gave me chills when they were needed, made me feel love and compassion for a dangerous monster, and made my heart skip a beat.  All this single girl wanted for valentine's day was a date with one of her favorite monsters and what a perfect date it was.  Benicio del Toro and Anthony Hopkins stole my heart and gave me the bloody valentine I wanted, and it was with the grace and class of the beautiful Emily Blunt and a silver bullet that my night ended tragically.  

Thank you Universal for bringing back the classic horror films.  Bring it on you monsters!  I cannot wait the Creature from the Black Lagoon, Dracula and Frankenstein in the next few years.

2010 Wolfman Trailer/Featurette

1941 Wolf Man Trailer

Toy Story 3 -- New Trailer

The third installment of Toy Story has finally released a new trailer giving us insight into what the final chapter in the tale will be.  It also shines a light on those new characters that PIXAR fans have been talking and wondering about since word of a 3rd film was released.  Enjoy the trailer!


Toy Story 3 Trailer 2 in HD

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