Rambo

RAMBO (2008) - Jan. 29, 2008
A fitting conclusion to the Rambo series (assuming that this really is the last one). About Rambo, very grizzled and working as some kind of snake-wrangler, who must rescue a group of missionaries in Burma. Stalone does a good job showing what this character would be like in his 50s, and (as the director) updating the film's style for modern audiences while still making it feel like a Rambo film. It's entertaining throughout, and then there's the film's spectacularly violent climax, which has to be one of the better things I've seen in a while. ***

Rambo III

RAMBO III (1988) - Jan. 28, 2008
Like the second one, this is a full-out over-the-top '80s action film -- this one finds Rambo helping Afghan rebels fight the Russians in order to rescue his mentor. Though the action isn't quite as satisfying as the action from the second one (the action here is a bit explosion-heavy), this was still basically entertaining. Plus, it featured one of the better bad guy deaths I've seen in a while (Rambo pulls the pin off a grenade attached to a guy's vest, then pushes him down a pit with a rope tied around his neck, his neck snaps, and then the grenade blows him up. Good stuff.) **1/2

Rambo: First Blood Part II

RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD PART II (1985) - Jan. 27, 2008
An enjoyable sequel. Rambo is in full '80s-action mode here; all traces of the conflicted, somewhat mentally imbalanced soldier from the first one are gone, replaced with a much more straightforward action hero. It's good, but definitely in a different way than the first one -- by the end of the film it has become even more over-the-top than Commando, with Rambo taking on an entire army, first on foot then in a helicopter. It's silly, but fun. ***

First Blood

FIRST BLOOD (1982) - Jan. 26, 2008
About a Vietnam vet who gets himself arrested, goes crazy, breaks out of jail and then wages war on the local police force from the forest, this was a pretty good film. It's probably at its best at the beginning, before it becomes Rambo versus a bunch of inept cops in the forest (not that that stuff was bad, but it starts to drag a bit in the middle), but it was short, and pretty much enjoyable throughout. ***

Cloverfield

CLOVERFIELD (2008) - Jan. 23, 2008
Maybe it's because my expectations were lowered considerably after hearing about how shaky the camerawork is in this film, but I actually really enjoyed this. Perhaps it's the lack of quick cuts, but I found that the action -- even at its very shakiest -- was never as disorienting or hard to follow as something like 28 Weeks Later or the Paul Greengrass Bourne movies. In fact, the faux home-video style was actually really effective in drawing the viewer in, and some of the action sequences were amazingly visceral. The characters could have been better, but they were probably good enough considering how short the film is and how much stuff happens (I think they managed to strike a fairly good balance between developing the characters just enough so that you care about them, and maintaining a fast/exciting pace throughout). ***1/2

The Wrestler

THE WRESTLER (2008) - Jan. 23, 2009 (Second Viewing)
Yep, this was just as good as I remember it being. ****

The Bucket List

THE BUCKET LIST (2007) - Jan. 11, 2008
About a couple of guys who find out that they're dying and set out to achieve their dreams before they kick the bucket, this was pretty much just as cheesy and manipulative as you'd think it would be. What saves it are two very engaging lead performances from Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, who have great chemistry together and ensure that the film is always watchable, even in the cheesier stretches. **1/2

There Will Be Blood

THERE WILL BE BLOOD (2007) - Jan. 10, 2008 (Third Viewing)
PT Anderson is scary talented. And I think I've seen this film enough times to rank it with the rest of his films:

1. Punch-Drunk Love
2. Magnolia
3. There Will Be Blood
4. Boogie Nights
5. Hard Eight

But honestly, they're all so super close, I could switch any of those around and still be happy with the list. ****

The Best and Worst of 2007

THE BEST AND WORST OF 2007

THE BEST:
10. We Own the Night
9. Ratatouille
8. Michael Clayton
7. Gone Baby Gone
6. Vacancy
5. No Country for Old Men
4. Black Book
3. Persepolis
2. The Darjeeling Limited
1. There Will be Blood

THE WORST:
10. The Hitcher
9. Hannibal Rising
8. The Kingdom
7. Transformers
6. Lions for Lambs
5. 300
4. 28 Weeks Later
3. License to Wed
2. Sicko
1. Redacted

The Asphalt Jungle

THE ASPHALT JUNGLE (1950) - Jan. 8, 2008 (Second Viewing)
A superlative heist film. Features some really eye-popping black and white cinematography, and expectedly stellar direction from John Huston. It's definitely one of the better looking films I've seen in a while. And of course few people can play a tough-guy better than Sterling Hayden. The film feels a tad overlong, but that's a minor complaint. ***1/2

There Will Be Blood

THERE WILL BE BLOOD (2008) - Jan. 7, 2008 (Second Viewing)
I need to see this again. This is an almost indescribably amazing film, filled with so many great scenes and moments. I honestly can't think of a single complaint; the direction, the cinematography, the score, the performances... all superb. I'm not sure if this is my favourite PT Anderson film, which just shows how scary talented he is (this film clinches it -- he is right up there with Kubrick). ****

No Country for Old Men

NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (2007) - Jan. 5, 2008 (Second Viewing)
Though the movie is just as slow as I remember it being, there's so much good stuff here that it doesn't really matter. The Coens are certainly in peak form here, and I think that this may be their best looking film. And of course there is Javier Bardem, who I would have previously said gave the most memorable performance of the year, but, well... Daniel Day Lewis. Still, good stuff. ***1/2

Charlie Wilson's War

CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR (2007) - Jan. 3, 2008
It probably wasn't such a good idea to watch this immediately after watching There Will Be Blood. This was a cute film -- fluffy almost to the point of floating away -- and it was certainly entertaining enough. But I couldn't help but think about Blood throughout pretty much the entire film. It is nice to see Tom Hanks back in peak form here -- it's good to know that Tom Hanks is still the most charming man in Hollywood, and that the Da Vinci Code was just some weird misstep. I should probably see this again at some point when I haven't just watched one of the most magnificent and stunning films I've seen in a long time (it's sort of like trying to follow Watchmen with an Archie comic). **1/2

There Will Be Blood

THERE WILL BE BLOOD (2007) - Jan. 3, 2008
Wow! Wow. This was an astounding film, from the extended, dialogue-free sequence that opens the film, to the absolutely jaw-dropping finale (which has to rank among the best and most memorable endings of all time). There are so many great moments in this film I can't even begin to list them all. I think that this film has confirmed it: Paul Thomas Anderson is the greatest director working today, and yes -- maybe even the greatest director ever. It might be a bit soon for that pronouncement, but if he makes a few more films of this caliber then it is a done deal. And as awesome as Anderson's work is, he is matched in awesomeness by Daniel Day Lewis' performance, which is shockingly, astoundingly good. Wow! That's all I can really say. I need to see this again. ****

Every Girl Should be Married

EVERY GIRL SHOULD BE MARRIED (1948) - Jan. 2, 2008
A very enjoyable though at times ridiculous romantic comedy starring Cary Grant and Betsy Drake. The plot, involving Drake's character bumping into Grant and immediately deciding that she must marry him (and subsequently stalking him to learn everything down to his choice of underwear), was silly and more than a little contrived. But Grant was as charming as ever, and the film was essentially entertaining throughout. **1/2