Hey everyone,

College is taking a considerable amount of my time up, as expected, so I won't be posting too much for a while, but I will try my best to get something up sometime soon.

Watch movies alot!

Troy.

Wright loses 10 experience points

Scott Pilgrim V.S. The World

Director: Edgar Wright.

Starring: Micheal Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Anna Kendrick, Kieran Culkin, Chris Evans.

Scott Pilgrim V.S. The World is a rushed film that often feels like it's much, much less than it could be. Edgar Wright steps away from a truly original directorial style to go mainstream with Scott Pilgrim, and the result is a rushed movie that panders too much to the video game and comic book crowd.

Micheal Cera plays Scott Pilgrim, a geeky, jobless loser living with his gay friend in Toronto. Striving toward his youth, he begins dating a 17 year old high school girl, Knives Chau (Ellen Wong.) He drags Chau along until he meets Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) at a party. He immediately becomes infatuated with Ramona and decides to abandon Chau to pursue her. Flowers is aloof to his advances, but when she finally warms to him, he realizes he must defeat her seven evil ex-boyfriends. Scott takes on the challenge to win Ramona's heart.

Now, I might have some major people disagreeing with me, but let me clarify a few things. I'm not a gamer, or a comic book lover, really. I don't have any problem with either thing, but it's just never been my thing. So this film felt like a celebration of all the things that I don't really identify with. It's fast, fun, and involving to a gaming audience, and it just kind of flies by the rest of us. Wright used his distinctive editing style and surrealist qualities to great effect in Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, but in Scott Pilgrim, it was overused and at the same time underdeveloped. It might have to do more with Wright's reputation than the film itself, but Scott Pilgrim has been hailed as a hallmark of the “ADD” culture that we live in. Really? Since when are we branding our culture after a deficit disorder? I think we sell ourselves short constantly in Hollywood. Our culture likes mindless action flicks and can't pay attention to an actual story, so we need to pander to that brand and change the quality of our films, right? I disagree. I think we should constantly challenge ourselves with the films that we make. If this is what defines our culture, obnoxiously fast editing that wears out its welcome, fast and flashy video game gimmick visuals (yes, that's what it is, a gimmick) then I'm kind of scared for the future! Wright's direction is unique, yes. It's certainly entertaining and fun, but does it define the age that I live in for me? I don't think so.

The acting is nothing special either. Micheal Cera stars as....Micheal Cera. He portrays the same character that he portrays in every movie. He's awkward, he's gangly, an he hasn't quite hit puberty yet. He's interested in some girl who is aloof at first, but later falls in love with him. Are you asleep yet? This character is really getting tiresome, and it's not going to work commercially forever. Micheal Cera is a one trick pony. Winstead as the love interest is adequate enough, but her character is one-dimensional as well. She's a standoffish bitch who does what she wants but then has that one soft spot, that one weakness that allows the story to progress. The shining light of the cast is Kieran Culkin, who plays Pilgrim's gay roommate Wallace Wells, an acts as a witty and sarcastic spiritual guide for Scott. Culkin's charisma and overwhelming charm helped make this a somewhat entertaining experience for me. Ellen Wong is dreadfully obnoxious as Pilgrim's high school girlfriend Knives Chau. Scott Pilgrim, ultimately, made me laugh, but it annoyed more than anything.

Score: 6.5/10

More Ferrell and McKay hilarity.

The Other Guys

Director: Adam McKay.

Starring: Will Ferrell, Mark Whalberg, Eva Mendes, Micheal Keaton, Steve Cougan.

3/5

Love em or hate em, Will Ferrell and Adam McKay are an unstoppable comedic force in Hollywood today. The Other Guys hearkens back to buddy cop movies of the 80's, a la the Lethal Weapon franchise as well as Beverly Hills Cop. The Other Guys might function as a celebration of the genre just as well as it parodies it, with the actor-director team mixing in their signature brand of raunchy jokes, perfect timing, and hilariously random, zany situational comedy.

Alan Gamble, (Will Ferrell) is a accountant for the NYPD. He does up the numbers and the paperwork that the superstar field officers, (played by Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne Johnson) are too busy kicking ass to do. He's a geeky, square yuppie who takes no risks in life. Terry Hoitz (Mark Whalberg) works across from him. He's a no-nonsense former police officer who must now work along with the geeks in accounting because of a haunting police past (it's not serious, don't worry.) Alan discovers that a famous financial monster (Steve Cougan) has not received some scaffolding permits on buildings in the city. Pairing up as partners after the strange death of the superstar officers, Gamble and Hoitz go to arrest (Cougan) but uncover a bigger crime regarding extortion of funds to cover up expenses. Now, the two rookie officers are stuck in he middle of a huge scandalous conspiracy.

The script presents McKay at his most focused. There is a point to this film, a political point, as seen in the ending credits where statistics from the financial crisis flash across the screen. Also, a line at the end of the film references Goldman Sachs, the corporation in hot water from the government right now. But, McKay has not lost his comedic touch. The jokes are random, hilarious and executed to perfection by most of the cast. This is just as, if not more quotable than Stepbrothers or Anchorman. Not everything is perfect, however. Many cameos and bit parts by the cast fall flat. Rob Riggle plays the same character that he plays in...everything. Wayans has a few funny lines, including what is arguably the funniest in the film, but overall he didn't create anything fresh or exciting. Jokes fall flat or are rehashed from earlier in the film. But the charm of the leads and the zaniness of the story keep the film going at a brisk pace and allow it to be hilarious.

The chemistry between Ferrell and Whalberg is picture perfect. The geek and the hard ass are a classic combination for a duo, and both actors play their respective parts with a vigorous and zealous quality. McKay has a steady hand behind the camera, making for a breezy and enjoyable film. His fine work is his most impressive to date, many of the over the top action sequences being better than some of his serious action contemporaries. The explosions and car chases have just enough surrealism to not take them seriously.

With a vision and focus for their film, Ferrell and McKay create their best yet, a comedy/parody classic with enough crazy comedy to satisfy Ferrell and McKay fans.

Hey,

I saw The Other Guys recently, so look for that review, (Who knew Mark Whalberg could be funny?) And tonight I'm seeing Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, so those two should be posted around the same time. Keep reading!

Troy.

The Ghost Writer

The Ghost Writer

Director: Roman Polanski

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan, Kim Cattrall, Olivia Williams

Many people say that Roman Polanski should be in prison, not still making films. I tend to agree with them. But boy, does he really know how to intrigue and envelop an audience. Polanski's latest effort stars Ewan McGregor as an unnamed “ghost writer” who is hired to revise and finish the memoir of Adam Lang, former British Prime Minister. Lang's original writer, Mike McAra drowned suspiciously. Only a day into the project, Lang is accused of working with the CIA to support illegal torture methods of middle eastern terrorists. “The Ghost” soon discovers that his predecessor may have come close to discovering the truth about Lang before he disappeared.

Based on a novel by Robert Harris, The Ghost Writer is a taut, suspenseful and relevant political drama. Harris' intention in his Adam Lang character was to draw comparison to Tony Blair, Britain’s last Prime Minister and a controversial figure in the war on terror. Polanski's fascinatingly original camera work is reminiscent of Hitchcock; the claustrophobia, the shaky back and forth shots of “the Ghost” in a car chase all create a sense of the character being watched, studied and scrutinized. This film was released on the same day as Shutter Island and they both depict a man trapped on an island, (though the type of land formation is irrelevant,) physically and psychologically. This is also a theme echoed in Steig Larsson's novel The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. “The Ghost,” no matter where he goes is never alone, whether it's the presence of another human or Polanski's doing, (following him with the camera, so to speak.) Both Scorsese and Polanski were really speaking to Hitchcock's style with their films released in 2010.

Ewan McGregor gives a somber subtlety to his role, but also a lighter, almost comedic at times, performance. His character was thrown into a situation to which he had no ties, and so his honesty is believable. Brosnan and Williams give great supporting turns as the Langs, a couple with troubles, secrets, and things to hide. Brosnan is a perfect politician, and I think he was born to play one. He has charisma, he has rhetoric, and he's not afraid to use it! His wife, Ruth, is portrayed by a very fiery Olivia Williams; a woman who has always had control over her husband and has recently been losing it while he has had charges brought against him for war crimes.

Polanski brings his signature to this film. It is a moody political thriller, almost Gothic in tone. Compared to most of today's super slick, fast paced an sleek political thriller's, Polanski's effort is a breath of fresh air as both a faithful novel adaption and a taut and chilling film.

The Outlaw

My next review, whenever I get a chance to write it, will bring back the good ol' days. I will critique The Outlaw, Howard Hughes' originally banned 1943 Billy the Kid adaption. On the subject, I got 4 old Westerns on two DVDs for $6.00!!! What a deal!!!

INCEPTION

4.5/5

Inception

Director: Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight, Insomnia)

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio (Shutter Island, The Departed) Joseph Gordon-Levitt (500 Days of Summer, G.I. Joe:Rise of Cobra) Ken Watanabe (Memoirs of a Geisha, Letters From Iwo Jima) Cillian Murphy (Red Eye, 28 Days Later) Ellen Page (Juno, Whip It)

I'm brimming with excitement just sitting down at the computer to write this. I just got back from the movie theater and I want to give the entire movie away, just to have someone to vent my excitement on, but I won't. This will be an entirely spoiler-free review, as hard as that will be.

Inception follows Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his team of hackers as they attempt to break into the subconscious of others and steal their thoughts. Because of the career and life he leads, Dom has been forced to run from his children in America and live a life of exile. Searching for a way home, Dom receives an offer from a businessman, Saito (Watanabe.) Saito wants the heir to a rival company, (Cillian Murphy) to denounce his title when his father dies and break up the empire. For this to be possible, Cobb must do the opposite of what he normally does: instead of extraction, he must perform inception, placing an idea inside someone's subconscious rather than taking one out, a concept which many consider impossible. Dom is promised a way home if he can complete this task.

Now, despite some problems with the narrative and Ariadne (Ellen Page,) who's character existed purely to answer the audience's question and act as the naïve, young character, which extended the narrative unnecessarily in places, Inception is a thrilling and highly intelligent summer blockbuster that should revolutionize the way that audiences perceive what a great summer movie should be. For action junkies, the action is in top form, with engrossing Nolan-style camera work and plenty of it. The special effects are superb and realistic, and I give a special credit to Christopher Nolan for not going 3-D on this-it would have been tragic. It also gives something to audience members looking for a thinking man's movie; it has the central themes of coming to terms with the loss of a loved one and going on despite their absence. Nolan takes what was a classic crime plot and gives it a psychological twist, something that he did with great results in Insomnia.

This ensemble cast is impressive. DiCaprio at the helm plays an intense, and complex character, a character very similar to his in Shutter Island, but there is something more to his performance here; a more confident, charismatic element. Between this and Shutter Island, DiCaprio is sure to get an Oscar nod this year, and I hope that it is his year. He has waited too long and too patiently for his well deserved Best Actor award. Joseph-Gordon Levitt is solid as Cobb's right hand man, Arthur. He beats up bad guys while floating through the air, and looks good doing it. Cillian Murphy, who is a Nolan regular, gets his first major role in a Nolan film as Robert Fischer Jr., the heir to his father's corporation. He portrays a man who never lived up to his father's expectations, and this strain in his relationship with his father is one of the things that allow Cobb and his team to do what they need to do, but I can't give too much away! Murphy is superb, he gives a very emotional and passionate performance. The only weak link in the cast is Ellen Page, who, again serves as an information vehicle: “But, how...?” "But why does this....?” This is the only part of the script that gets tiresome.

Inception is definitely worth the ten bucks, nay absolutely worth the fifteen bucks for an IMAX ticket. It's an engrossing, smart, and mind-bending trip into not only the minds of the characters on the screen, but also your own mind. I can safely say that I don't think I will ever look at a dream the same way again. Inception may not be Freudian, but it definitely delivers on every level. Check it out as soon as possible.

Sorry, I lied. I just watched this movie, so I decided to make this my first review. Hope you enjoy it, you should check the movie out.

4/5

Revolutionary Road

Director: Sam Mendes (American Beauty)

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio (The Aviator, The Departed) Kate Winslet (Hamlet, The Reader)

In Revolutionary Road, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet star as a young, attractive married couple who seemingly have the American dream figured out. However, there are many beneath the surface problems with their life and marriage together that plague them.

Sick of seeing her husband in a dead end job that she knows he doesn't enjoy, April decides that they should move to Paris with their two children to not get trapped under the hopelessness of life where they are.

The acting in this film is top tier. DiCaprio is groundbreaking as a man who feels trapped by what his father was and what he believes that he should be. Upon first seeing that this was a repairing of the Titanic romance pair, I was a bit skeptical about whether the chemistry could work again. But it did, tenfold. DiCaprio, whose most recent performances had been of smugglers (Blood Diamond) and CIA operatives (Body of Lies,) brings his acting back to reality, his portrait of a regular man dealing with everyman issues is real, it is believable, and it is also heartbreaking. Kate Winslet's depiction of a mentally ill housewife is thought-provoking, and it's just more incredibly impressive stuff from Winslet who is always incredible. Other than the two leads, the standouts are slim, except for Micheal Shannon, who plays the mentally ill son of the Wheeler's friend, Mrs. Givings. This performance scored Shannon a nomination for best supporting actor, which he should have won. His character exposed all of the truths behind everything that the Wheelers did, raising the issue of the blurred lines between sanity and insanity. DiCaprio's character summed up the general view that society has toward the mentally ill by saying “You're wrong! He's insane!”

Sam Mendes presents another lyrical and sympatheic portrait of a struggling American family, just as he did with his Oscar winning American Beauty. This movie really could have been melodramatic, but it wasn't. Everything there was real, right down to the sweat on the faces of the Wheelers on a hot July night. It's refreshing when films include details like that, it brings an entirely new sense to the film. It's such a simple detail, yet many directors choose to make their stars look as beautiful as possible to please audiences.

The weak points of the movie are in the pacing department. Flashbacks come and go inexplicably without a reference to the fact that it's a flashback. Also, the Wheeler's kids are strangely absent throughout the majority of the movie, and the script did not make it clear where exactly they went. Were they sent away because of their mother's mental illness, or were they just magically absent when their parents were yelling, screaming, and fighting with each other? That confused me.

Revolutionary Road is a unique film that presents a different angle to the American dream-escaping the American dream, following passions, and being truly happy. Unfortunately, the Wheelers expierienced the harsh reality of said dream- with tragic consequences.

First Review

My first review will be posted next week after I see Christopher Nolan's highly anticipated follow up to the critically acclaimed commercial knockout The Dark Knight, Inception. I am a big fan of both Christopher Nolan and Leonardo DiCaprio, so I have definitely been looking forward to this one.

Introduction

Greetings movie lovers!

I started this blog as a place to share my love for movies with the rest of the world wide web. I can's say how often I will be posting when I'm not busy with work and other things, but I can say that if you want a opinion to run with the professional reviews that you have already read before seeing a movie, then check here at troy'smovies for a second opinion.

Thanks,

Troy Ellis.

Don't become a product of your environment. Let your environment become a product of you.