A Lonely Place to Die

A LONELY PLACE TO DIE (2011) - May 13, 2012
A well made film about a group of mountain climbers who find themselves in some serious trouble when they stumble across a little girl buried in the woods.  Quite well made with some really tense set-pieces, the film doesn't really do anything we haven't seen before a bunch of times, but it's quite enjoyable for what it is. ***

Safe

SAFE (2012) - May 12, 2012
A decent action film featuring a typically awesome Jason Statham taking on Triads, the Russian Mafia, corrupt cops and more in an attempt to protect a young girl who has memorized a dangerous piece of information.  The film does a lot right -- the idea of Jason Statham essentially taking on the entirety of New York's underworld is pretty great, and the film does a good job of setting it all up.  Where director Boaz Yakin really stumbles, however, is in the action itself, which is kind of a big deal in an action movie like this.  The action is generally decent enough -- it's really well-choreographed and it should have been exciting, but Yakin undermines it at every turn with his uncomfortably tight framing and shaky cinematography.  It's generally passable, even if it could have been so much better -- right up until the disastrous final shootout in the casino, which is far too chaotic and pretty much completely incomprehensible.  It definitely leaves you with a bad taste in your mouth.  It's too bad, because I really liked a lot things about this movie -- if it had only been directed by someone with a better handle on how to shoot action, I'm pretty sure it could have been an instant classic.  **1/2  

After Life

AFTER LIFE (1998) - May 11, 2012
Another enchanting film from Hirokazu Koreeda -- this one finds a group of employees in the afterlife helping people determine their favourite memory.  The group then recreates the memory as a film, which the departed take with them on the next step of their journey.  It's a little bit on the slow side, but like almost all of Koreeda's films, there's something about it that draws you in and makes you want to spend time with these characters in this world.  ***

Chimpanzee

CHIMPANZEE (2012) - May 10, 2012
There's something inherently fascinating about chimps -- they're just so much like us, I guess.  This was a well made documentary about a group of chimps living in the jungle, focusing specifically on one baby chimp (who is pretty much absurdly adorable).  Some pretty dramatic stuff happens to the chimp, much to the delight of the documentarians, I'm sure.  It's actually a pretty engaging story, even if the attemps to make this as kid-friendly as possible are a little bit jarring (including a mostly superfluous narration track by Tim Allen).  ***

Headhunters

HEADHUNTERS (2011) - May 10, 2012
A really solidly made thriller about a headhunter who moonlights as an art thief, who winds up running afoul of his latest victim.  Featuring above average direction from Morten Tyldum, who makes good use of the widescreen frame and who keeps things moving at a very fast clip throughout.  The film lags a tad around the middle, but then recovers nicely with some twists and turns and some very well-staged action.  ***1/2

Chaos

CHAOS (2005) - May 9, 2012
A surprisingly shoddy film about a disgraced cop who finds himself investigating a bank robbery.  Featuring a really dull investigation, some truly horrible dialogue, and not much worth liking, this was just not a good movie.  Even the usually reliable Jason Statham does nothing to liven up the proceedings, and in fact gives an uncharacteristically bad performance -- but then everyone is bad here.  I really don't think it's any of the actors' fault -- they're all buried under the weight of Tony Giglio's leaden script, and his subpar direction.  Boo-urns.  *

The Killers

THE KILLERS (1946) - May 8, 2012
A really well made film noir about an ex-boxer who winds up getting murdered a few years after a payroll robbery gone bad.  The film actually has a similar structure to Citizen Kane -- the main character dies shortly after the film begins, and an investigator talks to those who knew him to piece together what led to his death.  The movie features an absolutely electrifying opening in which two hitmen terrorize the inhabitants of a diner; the rest of the movie is still pretty great, though it can't help but feel a little anti-climactic after that amazing opening.  It's really well directed by Robert Siodmak, who embraces all of noir's stylistic tropes with gusto;  there's also a really memorably impressive long take here, that reminded me of the opening of Touch of Evil, albiet less elaborate (I wonder if Welles took some inspiration from this film).  The film was also very well acted -- the main character could have come off as a generic tough guy, but Burt Lancaster brings a lot of depth to the role.  Ava Gardner also made for a memorable femme fatale.  ***1/2

13 Assassins

13 ASSASSINS (2010) - May 7, 2012
A surprisingly straight-forward and very enjoyable film from Takashi Miike about a group of samurai who embark on a mission to kill an evil lord, who is on the verge of attaining a position of great power.  Miike's direction is superb, as usual -- the earlier, moody candle-lit scenes fare just as well as the action stuff at the end.  And unlike pretty much every other movie of his that I've seen, this one avoids convolusion and overbearing quirk in favour of something much more conventional, which is refreshing.  The film drags a bit, particularly in the stretch after the group has left on their mission, but before the final battle.  There are also a lot of characters here (13), which means that some of them get the short shrift -- I honestly had a hard time keeping track of who was who during the final battle.  But man, that final battle... the last 40 minutes or so of the film consisted of one long battle, in which the 13 men take on an army of 200 in a small town.  It's awesome.  Miike stages the action like a pro, and it's exciting throughout (no small feat, considering that such a long action set-piece could have felt overwhelming).  ***1/2

The Avengers

THE AVENGERS (2012) - May 4, 2012
A mostly enjoyable if somewhat disappointing film about the Avengers coming together to ward off an intergalactic menace.  The film was never boring (well, maybe a bit during the epic final action sequence), but at the same time I was never really into it like with the Spider-Man or Nolan's Batman films.  However, it was well made, and obviously Joss Whedon has proved at this point that he's fairly adept at mixing character stuff with action -- and, as you would expect from a Whedon film, there is a fair amount of banter and humour (which are probably some of the best parts of the film).  I don't know what the deal is with Whedon's obsession with killing off the most likable characters, however.  Seriously, Joss.  Come on.  The film was good, though, if not quite the superhero masterpiece that it's being made out to be.  And I have to say, I never thought we'd reach a point where the spectacular large-scale destruction of a city would seem routine, however we've seen so many CGI cities get pulverized at this point that it's starting to feel a bit generic.  The last action set-piece was a bit of a drag (though it did contain a hilariously memorable moment involving a showdown betweek Loki and the Hulk).  ***

Indie Game: The Movie

INDIE GAME: THE MOVIE (2012) - May 3, 2012
Though the satellite feed kept infuriatingly cutting out (I probably missed about five minutes)
this was a really fascinating look at the lives of people who have poured so much of themselves into their creative output -- into one major make-or-break project (in fact, Blow literally says that if he can't finish the game, he'll kill himself -- he's joking, but there does seem to be a glimmer of "I'm kind of joking, but I'm kind of not").  It's about videogames, but what makes it work so well is the personal connection we form with these people.  I'm not sure that I've ever seen such a visceral portrait of what it is to pour so much of yourself into something.  ***1/2

First Snow

FIRST SNOW (2006) - May 1, 2012
A well made and basically enjoyable film about a cocky salesman who begins to unravel when he's told he's going to die soon by a small-town fortune teller.  The film was a bit low-key and doesn't add up to all that much, but it's well made and features some really good performances, particularly Guy Pearce in the main role.  ***

Tezz

TEZZ (2012) - April 29, 2012
An enjoyably cheesy and over-the-top Indian action film about a guy who plants a bomb on a passenger train that will explode if the train goes slower than 60 mph, and the cop tasked with taking him down.  It sounds like Speed meets Unstoppable, and that's basically what it is for the first little bit, but then most of the action after the first 40 minutes or so shifts to the cop trying to catch the terrorist (who the cop continually -- and hiliariously -- refers to as the "scoundrel").  There's absolutely nothing subtle here, from the ham-fisted dramatic moments to the over-the-top action, but it's fast-paced and entertaining throughout.  The first hour or so, which sets up the plot and focuses more on the train (and features a couple of tacked-on musical numbers -- a must for a Bollywood film, apparently), is just barely passable.  The second half fares much better, with some genuinely exciting action sequences directed with a slick competence by Priyadarshan (including a parkour-heavy foot-chase that almost plays out like parody, with all kinds of unnecessary flips and acrobatics).  The performances were all fine, though Anil Kapoor was definitely a standout, essentially playing a Jack Bauer-esque badass.  **1/2

The Five Year Engagement

THE FIVE YEAR ENGAGEMENT (2012) - April 27, 2012
Super meh.  About a couple who get engaged, and their ups and downs over the next five years.  Seriously routine and almost comically overlong, the film is generally well made but feels really familiar and does nothing to justify its epic 2+ hour length -- it drags throughout.  It's well acted, well made, and I did chuckle a few times, but man, the movie drags like a mofo.  They could have easily cut half an hour out of this film.  **

Lockout

LOCKOUT (2012) - April 25, 2012
Though Guy Pearce was just was awesome as I was hoping he'd be as a wisecracking action hero who has to save the president's daughter from convicts in a space jail (actually no -- more awesome), the film that surrounded him was pretty mediocre.  Passable, but mediocre.  I miss wisecracking action heroes who always seem to have a one-liner at the ready, and so I can't say enough about how much I enjoyed Pearce in the role.  I just wish that the movie itself could have been a bit better. **1/2

Groundhog Day

GROUNDHOG DAY - April 24 (Umpteenth Viewing)
About a guy who finds himself reliving the same day over and over again, this is an absolutely classic romcom.  It takes a really interesting premise and absolutely runs with it, and also features what is probably a career-best performance from Bill Murray.  It's good stuff.  ****

Jack and Jill

JACK AND JILL - April 23
I seriously need to just stop watching Adam Sandler's films.  At least I saw this one at home rather than theatrically, and thus was able to play with my phone in an attempt to fight off the film's mind-numbing tedium.  About a guy who must contend with his visiting "wacky" twin sister (with both roles being played by Sandler).  Though it wasn't quite as aggravatingly dull as Grown Ups, it still managed to be just as bad, and just as painfully unfunny.  With some comedies they don't even need to be laugh-out-loud funny if they're entertaining enough and you enjoy spending time with the characters.  But there's no attempt at fleshing out the characters or story beyond what's absolutely necessary -- it's just (terrible) gag after gag, followed by some completely unearned third act drama.  So seriously, who finds this funny?  I guess they must be out there, since Sandler's movies still do pretty well.  I need to sit one of those people down and get them to explain what's supposed to be funny here, because I just don't get it.  1/2*

Friends with Benefits

FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS (2011) - April 21, 2012
About two friends, a man and a woman, who decide to start doing it without worrying about being in an actual relationship, and the inevitable consequences that ensue.  The movie spends a lot of time commenting on the cliches and predictability of romantic comedies, but at the same time seems to want to have it both ways, both satirizing and ultimately wholeheartedly embracing romcom tropes.  For a movie that tries to act all hip and self-aware, it follows the Big Book of Romcom Cliches to a T (and it's much more egregious here than in your typical romcom, because at least your typical romantic comedy knows what it is and doesn't have any delusions of grandeur).  In particular, the prolonged third act melodrama stood out even more than it usually does.  But the movie was generally well made, both Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake were likeable and had good chemistry, and it was entertaining enough.  **1/2

The Hand that Rocks the Cradle

THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE (1992) - April 20, 2012
An enjoyable thriller about a family who hires a seemingly perfect nanny, not realizing that she's actually on a vendetta against the wife, and wants to try to steal her family.  Though it's a fairly typical '90s thriller, it's well made and memorable for just how absurdly evil Rebecca De Mornay's character is (she's definiting a lot more schemingly sinister than the typical villain in a movie like this).  ***

Hellraiser

HELLRAISER (1987) - April 19, 2012
A basically enjoyable if somewhat overrated (at least in terms of its cultural significance) film about a couple who move into a new house, only for the wife to discover an old lover in the attic (who, thanks to some satanic shenanigans, is missing most of his skin and flesh).  Much time is spent with the wife trying to lure men to be murdered and have their flesh stolen -- very little time is spent with Pinhead, who has little more than a cameo here despite the general notion that he is the star of this film.  The problem here is that the wife is not a particularly sympathetic or likeable protagonist, so spending most of the movie with her is a bit of a drag.  Once the Pinhead stuff really kicks in the film definitely improves, but that's only the last fifteen minutes or so.  **1/2

Martha Marcy May Marlene

MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE (2011) - April 18, 2012
About a young woman who, after spending about three years living in a commune with a cult, finally decides to leave.  She then goes to stay with her sister, but she has a hard time readjusting to life outside the cult.  Featuring some really effective, impressive direction from first-time director Sean Durkin, the film is actually pretty riveting at times.  It also features an amazing central performance from Elizabeth Olsen, and yet another impressive performance from John Hawkes, who is equal parts creepy and charismatic as the leader of the cult.  The film does feel like it's spinning its wheels a bit around the mid-section, but all in all it's a really solid first outing from Durkin.  ***

Sleepless Night

SLEEPLESS NIGHT (2011) - April 17, 2012
A really entertaining film about a cop whose son is kidnapped by angry drug dealers who want their stolen drugs back, and the game of cat and mouse that ensues in an enormous, labyrinthine night club.  The film does a pretty great job of quickly developing the protagonist and making him someone we care about, and then building up the tension as he attempts to avoid (and eventually confront) the criminals and corrupt cops who are after him in the gigantic club.  Though Frédéric Jardin direction is a bit shakier than I'd like, he generally does a pretty great job -- there's some really memorable action here, particularly a brutal, lumbering fight that takes place in a kitchen and involves drawers, pots and pans, and pretty much anything that isn't nailed down.  ***1/2

The Devil's Playground

THE DEVIL'S PLAYGROUND (2010) - April 16, 2012
A mediocre film about a group of people trying to get to where they know a helicopter will be during a zombie outbreak.  Having heard this described as the "zombie parkour" movie, I was definitely let down on that front -- the parkour really just amounted to the zombies enthusiastically jumping over things.  The main problem here (aside from the anemic zombie parkour) is Bart Ruspoli's uninspired screenplay; the story was the generic "group of survivors must get from point A to point B" that we've seen in so many horror films, and all of the characters were completely bland and unmemorable.  Mark McQueen's direction was basically servicable, but didn't do much to elevate the tired material.  **

The Cabin in the Woods

THE CABIN IN THE WOODS (2012) - April 15, 2012 (Second Viewing)
Yep.  Just as awesome the second time around.  ****

American Reunion

AMERICAN REUNION (2012) - April 14, 2012
A surprisingly bad sequel about the old gang getting back together for a high school reunion.  Not that I particularly remember any of the previous American Pie films, but I do remember them at least being entertaining, and this movie dragged pretty heavily at times; I was quite bored.  It didn't help that the writing was surprisingly awful -- every character had the dullest, most predictable arc possible.  Seriously, was this much melodrama really necessary in an American Pie film?  I could have overlooked all that if the film had been consistantly hilarious, but the comic set-pieces pretty much all fell flat (I saw the film with a packed crowd, and many moments that were presumably supposed to be hilarious were met with silence).  I got exactly one big laugh from the film, and it was from a throw-away line from John Cho (whose too-brief presence was easily the highlight).  *1/2

The Cabin in the Woods

THE CABIN IN THE WOODS (2012) - April 13, 2012
Awesomeness.  A seriously amazing movie about a group of teens who head out for some fun in a secluded cabin in the woods, only to find some sinister shenanigans afoot; meanwhile, in an underground bunker, their every move is monitored and controled.  This film essentially takes the "partying teens getting picked off one by one" subgenre, cuts it open and lays its innards bare for all to see.  It's a smart film that's also super entertaining and a lot of fun; it sets up a premise that allows it to comment on genre tropes in a way that feels completely organic.  It's exceptionally self-aware, without ever feeling smug.  It's also hilarious at times, and in that way might even supplant Shaun of the Dead as the best self-aware horror comedy.  It's kind of brilliant, actually.  Then there's the absolutely balls-out, mesmerizingly insane finale, which has to be one of the better things I've ever seen.  The whole movie is perfectly directed by Drew Goddard, who does a pretty great job of pacing the film and cutting back and forth between the teens and the control room without it ever feeling disjointed or jarring.  Another thing that's so great about the film is that it works just as well as a horror film as it does as a comment on horror films in general; it would have been easy for such a self-reflexive, self-aware film to feel more clever than exciting, but the movie is very tense and outright thrilling when it needs to be.  Oh, and all the performances were quite good, though special mention must be paid to Bradley Whitford and Richard Jenkins, who are pretty much perfect.  If I had one complaint, it is that it feels like slightly less time could have been spent with the teens -- all that stuff feels a bit stale (by design, of course).  But that is such a minor complaint for what is otherwise such a superlative, memorable film.  Seriously -- how can you not love a film that tries (and succeeds!) at doing something so different?  In a genre that tends to be as cookie-cutter as horror, a film like this is a rare treat.  ****

Small Town Saturday Night

SMALL TOWN SATURDAY NIGHT (2010) - April 12, 2012
A well made film about a couple of days in the life of a small town -- mostly focusing a guy's last couple of days before he's supposed to move away.  It's very well acted, particularly Chris Pine and John Hawkes, but it's low-key almost to the point of non-existence, and it really doesn't add up to all that much.  **1/2

Black Death

BLACK DEATH (2010) - April 11, 2012
A well made film, set during the time of the plague, about a young monk who joins a group of religious soldiers on a mission to find a village said to be untouched by the plague.  It's quite well directed by Christopher Smith, and has some really interesting things to say about the role of religion in society, and what fanaticism can do to people.  It kind of drags a bit towards the end, but it has a really memorable finale that definitely concludes the film on a high note.  ***

The Three Stooges

THE THREE STOOGES (2012) - April 10, 2012
Hmm.  As much as I like the Three Stooges, this just didn't particularly work.  It wasn't outright terrible -- the three leads do an admirable job of portraying the Stooges, and the Farrelly brothers do a pretty good job of replicating the feel of the classic shorts.  But the Stooges are characters who work best in small doses -- I suspect that there's a reason why we never saw a full-length movie starring the three, even in their heyday.  The three men probably realized that their particular brand of comedy would be tough to sustain over a feature-length film, something which is certainly borne out here.  **  

Tiny Furniture

TINY FURNITURE (2010) - April 9, 2012
A well made film about a girl, just returned from university, who moves back in with her mom and sister, and who struggles to find a place for herself in the world.  There's something very relatable about a character struggling with what to do with her life, though it's hard to feel too sorry for a 22-year-old in this position (I think perhaps being a few years her senior and yet being in roughly the same position made me a bit bitter towards the film).  The biggest problem here (aside from my aforementioned bitterness) was that none of the characters surrounding writer-director-star Lena Dunham are particularly likeable, so it's kind of a drag spending 90 minutes with them.  But this is definitely an accomplished first film (particularly considering the budget) so I look forward to what Dunham comes up with next.  **1/2

Valhalla Rising

VALHALLA RISING (2009) - April 7, 2012
A really well made film about a grizzled, mute, one-eyed viking who winds up tagging along with a group of crusaders on their way to the holy land.  Things don't quite work out as intended.  Featuring some really striking direction and cinematography, the film unfolds at a fairly deliberate pace (not much happens for long stretches), but it's pretty mesmerizing and certainly never boring.  This definitely confirms that Nicolas Winding Refn is a director with a serious amount of talent; the film is visually stunning and quite Kubrickian (after this and Bronson, which plays out in parts as a homage to A Clockwork Orange, it's pretty obvious that Refn is a fan of the K-man).  There's an almost horror-movie sense of dread, thanks to the direction and effective sound design.  ***1/2

Wrath of the Titans

WRATH OF THE TITANS (2012) - April 6, 2012
Meh -- more of the same.  Though I have to say, Jonathan Liebesman's direction was surprisingly passable.  The action was actually pretty decent, if nothing too special, which is far more than I was expecting given the man's past work.  As for the non-action stuff (which was quite a bit), it pretty much suffered from the same problems as the first movie -- the characters were all pretty bland, and the story wasn't terribly interesting.  **

Doomsday

DOOMSDAY (2008) - April 5, 2012 (Second Viewing)
Good stuff.  Though it feels more like a mash-up of several films rather than an original creation, it's a fun mash-up, and quite well made.  ***1/2

Mirror Mirror

MIRROR MIRROR (2012) - April 4, 2012
A moderately entertaining retelling of the Snow White story.  Though the film was aimed squarely at children, there was (mostly) enough here to keep adults satisfied.  Tarsem's direction was, as usual, visually audacious -- but actual storytelling continues to be a weak point, though he has gotten better since his first two films.  The performances were all quite good -- Lily Collins made for a charming Snow White, and Julia Roberts was obviously having a lot of fun in a rare villianous role.  **1/2

Happythankyoumoreplease

HAPPYTHANKYOUMOREPLEASE (2010) - April 3, 2012
An enjoyably affable film about an aimless writer in New York who meets a kid, and who meets a girl.  Well made by Josh "Ted Mosby" Radnor, and featuring a group of very likable characters (and good performances all around, including Radnor himself in the main role).  The film definitely feels like a lot of other indie romcoms with a group of 20-somethings trying to make their way in the world, but what the film lacks in originality, it definitely makes up for in charm and general likability.  ***

Mr. Nobody

MR. NOBODY (2009) - April 2, 2012
A really unique and kind of amazing movie about the many potential variations that the eponymous Mr. Nobody's life can take -- the film shows the impact of many of his choices, then goes back and shows us what would have happened if he had made the other choice.  This results in many different versions of the same man; some quite different from others.  It's all framed by him, well over a hundred years old and near death, in the future (where he's the last living mortal man), looking back on his life.  It sounds like it could be too complex for its own good, or hopelessly pretentious, but Jaco Van Dormael does a pretty amazing job of making all the characters (and their many variations) people who we come to really care about.  The film is also quite stylish and impeccibly directed, cutting seamlessly between the many realities without ever feeling disjointed -- no small feat, considering how much the film jumps back and forth through time and through the many iterations of Mr. Nobody's life.  ***1/2

Killer Elite

KILLER ELITE (2011) - March 31, 2012
A disappointing film about an ex-special agent who is forced out of retirement when his mentor is kidnapped.  There's little doubt that this film was misleadingly marketed -- made to look like a full-out action film when it's really a spy thriller with some action thrown in.  However, it's hard to fault a movie for its own poor marketing.  I can, however, fault it for being plodding and flat-out dull, with some clunky dialogue and unengaging spy shenanigns.  Though the film was competently made, the action was a bit iffy and the spy stuff was kind of bland, and all-in-all the movie just takes itself too seriously.  Though the novelty of seeing De Niro (briefly) kick ass was almost worth the price of admission alone.  **

The Raid: Redemption

THE RAID: REDEMPTION (2012) - March 30, 2012
A flat-out awesome movie about a group of cops who go to take down a crime lord in an old apartment building, which just happens to be filled to the brim with thugs and criminals.  The first half hour or so feels fairly perfunctory, with the team initially working their way through the building, and eventually getting ambushed.  It's after the ambush, when the team gets whittled down to a handful, and the film becomes Iko Uwais taking down wave after wave of hapless thugs that it becomes really magical.  The amazingly staged and fantastically choreographed fights are an absolute joy to behold.  There are some scenes here that are absolutely stunning in their intensity.  This is also an amazingly violent film; I don't think I've ever seen a martial arts film so breathtakingly combine intricately choreographed fights with in-your-face violence.  The fights here are absolutely no-holds-barred -- if a character has a knife, you'd better believe he's going to use that knife.  I seriously loved this movie.  ****

Monkey Warfare

MONKEY WARFARE (2006) - March 29, 2012
A low-rent but basically enjoyable film about a couple whose lives get shaken up when they meet a young girl who is full of the type of youthful energy they have long since lost.  The movie was basically well acted and sorta-kinda well made, but having read the script a few times, it was hard to watch it and not compare it to what I would have done (the movie in my head was far better than the movie on the screen).  **1/2

For the Love of Movies: The Story of American Film Criticism

FOR THE LOVE OF MOVIES: THE STORY OF AMERICAN FILM CRITICISM (2009) - March 26, 2012
A kind of low-rent but mostly enjoyable documentary about the history of film criticism, from the beginning of cinema to its heyday in the '60s and '70s to the current state on online criticism.  The movie was made by a critic, not a filmmaker, and you can tell (it's a little amateurish) -- but at the same time, the man's passion for film criticism definitely shines through.  The film drags a bit, but for the most part it's actually pretty interesting.  **1/2

Brute Force

BRUTE FORCE (1947) - March 25, 2012
About a group of prisoners who decide to escape, mostly to get away from a particularly brutal guard, this was a really well made prison movie.  You just can't go wrong with a good prison movie; there's something about cramming a bunch of desperate guys of low moral fibre into a small space that they can't leave that's rife with dramatic possibilities.  It helps that the evil guard was played pretty much perfectly by Hume Cronyn -- you really hate the guy.  ***

Silent House

SILENT HOUSE (2012) - March 24, 2012
A really well made film about a young girl who returns home to help her father pack up their spooky old house (with all the windows boarded up, just to make it spookier); spooky shenanigans ensue.  The film consists of one long take (or at least it's designed to look that way), which sounds gimmicky but which actually works fairly well.  The film establishes a fairly palpable sense of tension and dread almost right from the start, and pretty much does not let up for the entire film.  The use of the single take actually helps, in this case, to elevate the tension, because the audience knows that the tension cannot let up -- there's no cutting away to a new scene.  The film is almost a one-woman show, with Elizabeth Olsen spending much of the film wandering around the house alone.  Olsen proves to be pretty much perfect in the role; much of the film consists of close-ups of her terrified face, and she is so convincingly terrified that it actually makes the audience more scared.  It's a pretty great performance.  ***1/2

Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives

UNCLE BOONMEE WHO CAN RECALL HIS PAST LIVES (2010) - March 23, 2012
An absolutely entrancing film about a dying man who gathers his close relatives and looks back on his life (and his past lives) days before his death.  The film is very slow, and it's not really about much, but there's something very captivating and almost magical about it.  This is a film that features ghosts and strange spirits and treats them with a deadpan normalcy that somehow makes them feel simultaneously more magical and like almost humdrum everyday occurences.  I'm not doing a very good job of describing this movie, but it's quite delightful.  It helps that the film is beautifully directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul, who emphasises long takes in which the characters take their time in whatever they are doing; no one is in a hurry in this film.  This could have made the film disasterously uneventful under a lesser director, but here it only helps to draw the viewer in to this enchanting universe.  I also really liked the use of sound in this movie; the sounds of nature are used in a way that somehow manages to feel both very stylized and completely naturalistic.  ****

Merantau

MERANTAU (2009) - March 22, 2012
About a guy who moves from his small village to the big city, only to find himself trying to protect a stripper with a heart of gold from an evil businessman.  No, it's not the freshest / most interesting story ever, but this is a martial arts movie, so what really matters here are the fights.  And boy, do they deliver.  Intricately choreographed and satisfyingly brutal, the fights may not be mind-blowingly innovative, but they're exciting and solid without much room for complaint.  Director Gareth Evans stages the action like a pro, keeping things exciting and dynamic without ever resorting to the type of quick-cutting trickery that ruins so many contemporary action films.  Star Iko Uwais is a bit of a bland screen presence -- he doesn't seem to have the charisma of a Jackie Chan or a Donnie Yen, but he's obviously an awesome martial artist, so hopefully the other stuff will come in time.  He's definitely not terrible here, he's just a little bit bland.  ***1/2

Limitless

LIMITLESS (2011) - March 20, 2012
About a guy who starts taking pills that make him super smart; shenanigans ensue, mostly revolving around other people who want the pills for themselves.  Propulsively paced and stylishly directed by Neil Burger, the film feels a bit slight at times, and has an ending that feels a bit too pat, but it's well made and enjoyable enough.  ***

Murderball

MURDERBALL (2005) - March. 19, 2012
An enjoyable documentary about the American wheelchair rugby (a.k.a. Murderball) team and the lead-up to the Paralympics.  It's well made and definitely entertaining, though perhaps not quite as good as some people are making it out to be.  ***

John Carter

JOHN CARTER (2012) - March 18, 2012
A well made but overlong film about a Civil War-era soldier who gets teleported to Mars; Avatar-esque shenanigans ensue.  It's Andrew Stanton, so it's obviously very well made, but I just found that I was never quite as into it as I should have been.  There were some standout scenes, and the action was mostly fairly exciting; I was always engaged, but rarely excited.  Why?  Well, for one thing, Taylor Kitsch is a fine actor, but he lacks the charisma to draw you in and make you really root for John Carter.  Plus, the setting was kind of bland, and the story felt really familiar.  And then there's the length -- the 132 minute film probably shouldn't have been much longer than two hours.  The film opens with a 20+ minute sequence on Earth that had almost no narrative purpose other than to establish the character of John Carter; this is something that could have easily been done on Mars, with no need at all for the Earth stuff.  There are quite a few other areas in which the film could have been streamlined.  Oh well -- the film was entertaining enough, but it's hard not to be disappointed considering how much potential the film had.  ***

Faces in the Crowd

FACES IN THE CROWD (2011) - March 17, 2012
A cheesy but basically entertaining film about a woman who, after surviving an attack from a serial killer, finds herself stricken with "face blindness," unable to recognize even her own face in the mirror.  The film was competently directed, and the choice to cast a variety of actors in each of the roles to put the audience in the protagonist's shoes was an interesting one.  But the movie just felt like B-level stuff, with the low budget and general lack of talent apparent in the look of the film, the hammy script, and most of the performances (Milla Jovovich was pretty much the only person to give a decent performance -- or at least as good as could be expected, given the material).  **1/2

21 Jump Street

21 JUMP STREET (2012) - March 16, 2012
An enjoyable comedy about a couple of young cops who are sent undercover to a high school in an attempt to bust a drug ring.  The film drags a bit in spots, but it has some genuinely funny moments, including some clever self-aware gags, and features really great chemistry between Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum (who proves to be surprisingly adept at comedy).  ***

New Year's Eve

NEW YEAR'S EVE (2011) - March 7, 2012
I really thought there was nowhere to go but up after the horrendous Valentine's Day, but apparently I was wrong -- well played, Gary Marshall.  This was awful right from the start; every moment here felt forced and artificial, every character a walking cliche, and every joke so hacky and embarassing that even the writers of Two and a Half Men would cringe.  The film just ping-pongs from one vacuous character to the next, as if the editor thought that if he cut from subplot to subplot quickly enough, he wouldn't give people time to realize how terrible it all is.  It is interminable.  How they got so many recognizable actors to be in this is a bit of a mystery (though I suspect it had something to do with several dumptrucks filled with cash).  I watched this on a plane, and towards the end it occurred to me that I would have been more entertained by simply staring off into space for a couple of hours.  1/2*

Man on a Ledge

MAN ON A LEDGE (2011) - March 3, 2012
About a guy who, wrongly convicted of stealing an enormous diamond, sets out to prove his innocence -- he goes out on a ledge to attract as much attention as possible while his brother attempts to actually steal the diamond for real.  The stuff with Sam Worthington (whose American accent was especially sketchy here) out on the ledge was passable enough, though it did feel like it was spinning its wheels at times.  Where the movie really shines is the heist stuff -- though that may just be because I have a big soft spot for any movie dealing with heists.  Really though, this is just a solidly made by-the-numbers thriller that doesn't aspire to much, but which manages to be pretty entertaining throughout.  ***

Mars Needs Moms

MARS NEEDS MOMS (2011) - Feb. 22, 2012 (Second Viewing)
Yep, good times!  I'm definitely baffled at the critical/audience reaction to this film, because it's a lot of fun.  I can only chalk it up to mo-cap fatigue, which I totally get, but it's too bad that this film had to be the fall guy for mo-cap's overall mediocrity.  ***1/2

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance

GHOST RIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE (2012) - Feb. 19, 2012
About the further exploits of the Ghost Rider -- this time trying to lift his curse by saving a young boy from having his body taken over by the devil.  Though it's a step up from the original, that really doesn't take much.  It's hard not to be let down by this, since this seemed like the perfect material for Nevaldine/Taylor to really run with, but for the most part this felt woefully generic.  There was one amazing scene in which Nicolas Cage questions a guy while struggling to keep himself from turning into the Rider -- this was exactly the kind of inspired madness that I was hoping for when I heard that Nevaldine/Taylor were making a Ghost Rider movie, but it was sadly the only memorable scene in the whole film.  The movie also squandered a couple of pretty great supporting actors -- Idris Elba was saddled with a bizarre French accent, and Ciaran Hinds was a bit too restrained as the devil.  Meh.  It was basically entertaining, I guess.  **1/2

Safe House

SAFE HOUSE (2012) - Feb. 17, 2012
A decent enough film about a young CIA agent who finds himself in the care of a of an ex-operative with dangerous information.  Though Daniel Espinosa's shaky, Greengrass-esque direction (which is not the only thing this movie borrows from Bourne) is kind of tiresome, it basically works.  The whole film feels sort of been there, done that, but Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds were both good, and it had its moments.  **1/2

The Big Steal

THE BIG STEAL - Feb. 16, 2012
Thoug not nearly as heisty as you might think given the title (it's not about a heist at all -- it's about the aftermath of a robbery), this was an enjoyable enough film noir about a guy charged with a robbery who pursues the real robber while being pursued himself.  Featuring a solid tough-guy performance from Robert Mitchum, there's nothing particularly special here, but it's well made, entertaining throughout, and short enough that it never gets a chance to over-stay its welcome (71 minutes!).  ***

Fatherland

FATHERLAND - Feb. 13, 2012
An enjoyable enough movie about an alternate 1960s in which Germany won the war, and is the world's biggest superpower.  The film finds a cop (played by the great Rutger Hauer) investigating some murders that turn out to be related to a huge government cover-up.  The film is obviously going for a '70s thriller vibe, but in this case the conspiracy is the fact that the holocaust happened, so the investigation isn't all that interesting because we know all along what the big reveal is going to be.  **1/2

The Woman in Black

THE WOMAN IN BLACK (2012) - Feb. 8, 2012
An enjoyable if very routine haunted house movie about a young lawyer who visits a spooky old house, only to find some serious ghost shenanigans afoot.  Of course, he returns to the house multiple times, and even arranges to stay overnight (!), seemingly because he realizes that he is a character in a haunted house movie and decides to act accordingly.  Though the film is very heavy on cheap jump scares, it's quite well made and enjoyable throughout, and is fairly tense in parts.  ***

Miss Bala

MISS BALA (2011) - Feb. 8, 2012
A really well made but exceptionally slow-paced and meandering film about a young woman in Mexico who finds herself an unwilling member of a Mexican drug cartel.  Though Gerardo Naranjo's directorial style -- which exclusively favours long, meticulous takes -- is kind of mesmerizing (and there are some great set-pieces here), the film itself feels a bit too thin for its own good.  Perhaps most pressingly, we hardly learn anything about the film's protagonist, who stumbles through most of the film like a zombie -- the argument could be made that she's shell-shocked, and that this is how person might really react to these events, but that doesn't make her any more of a compelling protagonist.  I was seriously stressed out while watching this movie and thus wasn't really in the right frame of mind for a film such as this, plus the IMAX theatre right below mine was causing an annoyingly incessant rumbling, so I should probably watch this again at some point.  **

Twins

TWINS (1988) - Feb. 6, 2012 (Second Viewing)
A very enjoyable movie about a man, raised in seclusion on a small island, who decides to go to America to seek out his twin brother.  Though it's a bit silly and quite forgettable, both Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito are quite good and have great chemistry, and the film is definitely pretty fun.  ***

Contraband

CONTRABAND (2012) - Feb. 5, 2012
A decent enough if kind of middling action film about an elite ex-smuggler who's drawn back in for one more big score after his sketchy brother-in-law racks up some debt that he can't pay off.  The film was well made and well acted, and I can't say I've seen too many films revolving around overseas smuggling, but I was kind of losing interest as it went along.  I was always basically entertained, but yeah, it wasn't the best.  **1/2

After.Life

AFTER.LIFE (2009) - Feb. 4, 2012
About a woman who dies, and then finds herself in a funeral home with a funeral director who can talk to the dead.  Or maybe he's just a murderer trying to convince her that she's dead.  The film has an interesting enough premise but just doesn't do all that much with it -- it feels like a short film or like an episode of the Twilight Zone that's been uncomfortably padded out to feature-length.  All of the actors do the best they can with the material, but just don't have all that much to work with (Liam Neeson in particular is completely wasted here playing a character who should have been interesting, but who just comes off as bland).  **

The Guard

THE GUARD (2011) - Feb. 2, 2012
A well made and engaging film about a curmudgeonly small town Irish cop who finds himself working with an FBI agent when some drug-runners decide to import drugs through his town.  Though John Michael McDonagh's dialogue sometimes borders on being a little too stylized and showy for its own good, the film is mostly well made and quite funny throughout.  It helps that Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheedle are both very good, and have great chemistry.  ***

Chronicle

CHRONICLE (2012) - Jan. 31, 2012
A well made found-footage film about a group of three high schoolers who, after coming into contact with some sort of strange alien artifact, find themselves slowly developing superpowers.  The film provides an intriguingly down-to-earth take on the superhero genre (kinda like Invincible, I guess), and seems to provide a slightly more realistic scenario for what would happen if teens wound up with superpowers (costumes and crime-fighting are somewhat unlikely).  The movie starts out quite well, but then lags a bit in its midsection -- there are probably a few too many scenes of the teens getting into general shenanigans with their superpowers, and even at a very short 84 minutes, the film feels a bit padded out.  However, the film recovers nicely with a finale that is flat-out awesome.  It's easy enough to see why director Josh Trank is now a front-runner to direct a Fantastic Four reboot, despite his relative inexperience.  ***

Kill List

KILL LIST (2011) - Jan. 30, 2012
About a couple of contract killers who find themselves drawn into some increasingly weird shenanigans, this was an odd film that veers into some serious WTF territory in its last act.  The film definitely doesn't unfold as you might expect, starting off more like a drama, turning into more of a thriller, and then finally taking a left turn into WTFville.  I enjoyed it, though I really should have held out for a copy with subtitles -- the strong accents meant that I missed a good chunk of the dialogue.  I definitely wouldn't mind watching it again, if only to see exactly how everything leads into that crazy ending.  ***

Hatchet II

HATCHET II (2011) - Jan. 29, 2012
Continuing right where the last film left off, this one sees a group of hunters heading back into the swamp in an effort to kill Victor Crowley.  Like the first one, this one had a bafflingly low-rent, flat, TV movie-esque style that really did not do the film any favours.  It also eschews anything even remotely resembling tension or suspense.  On the plus side, there didn't seem to be quite as much cringe-worthy humour this time (though there's still a fair amount), and there's lots of wildly over-the-top practical gore effects -- the one thing that this series really seems to have going for it.  Honestly, maybe it's my lack of experience with '80s slasher films, but the appeal of these movies (aside from the gore) just goes right over my head.  Is the gore the sole appeal?  **

Haywire

HAYWIRE (2012) - Jan. 28, 2012
A great spy thriller / action movie from Steven Soderbergh, about an agent who gets double-crossed by her superiors and who sets out to get revenge.  Soderbergh puts his distinctive sense of style to great use here, and combined with David Holmes' perfect retro score makes this a very, very fun film to watch.  Soderbergh also proves to be a fantastic action director, allowing the brutal action to unfold in mesmerizing long takes, and completely exploding the contemporary notion that action scenes need to be cut into oblivion to be exciting.  The film is also stuffed to the gills with great actors, and ex-MMA fighter Gina Carano admirably holds her own -- she's not the best actress ever, but she definitely has a certain amount of screen presence.  Good times.  ****

The Grey

THE GREY (2012) - Jan. 27, 2012
A superlative film about a group of guys who survive a plane crash only to find themselves fighting for survival against the elements and an angry pack of wolves.  Though I was expecting more of a straight-forward thriller, the film is actually quite dark and has a surprising amount of depth, and features some really top-shelf direction from Joe Carnahan (he's definitely forgiven for the mediocre A-Team).  It's also really well acted, particularly (and unsurprisingly) Liam Neeson, who brings a level of gravitas and pathos that I don't think a lot of actors could pull off (or at least not as well as he does it).  Carnahan does a great job establishing and maintaining an atmosphere of dread and forboding, and the film is actually quite tense throughout.  It's pretty great, and it definitely reminds me of why I thought Carnihan had so much potential after Narc.  ****

Vanishing on 7th Street

VANISHING ON 7TH STREET (2010) - Jan. 25, 2012
About a group of survivors who try to deal with the fallout after an unseen, shadowy force makes 99% of the population disappear.  The film starts out quite well, kind of stumbles a bit around the midsection, but then recovers nicely with some pretty tense stuff towards the end.  Though it's no Session 9, Brad Anderson's atmospheric direction is top notch, and the film is definitely worth watching despite some of its shortcomings.  ***

Ironclad

IRONCLAD (2011) - Jan. 24, 2012
A disappointing film about a group of soldiers who try to protect a castle from an evil king.  Though Jonathan English's direction was fine most of the time, he is absolutely terrible at action -- he mostly falls back on quick-cut/shaky-cam laziness, resulting in muddled, unexciting action.  The characters were mostly pretty good, though James Purefoy was oddly bland in the lead role (Purefoy can be an extremely engaging screen presence, so I blame the director on that one).  Brian Cox and Paul Giamatti are clear highlights -- Giamatti, in particular, is clearly having a lot of fun playing a scenery-chewing villain (there's one scene in particular, where he angrily explains why he has the right to be king, that is flat-out awesome and almost makes the whole film worthwhile).  **

Angel Face

ANGEL FACE (1952) - Jan. 23, 2012
A kind of bland film noir about a guy who gets tangled up with a woman who may or may not be trying to murder her parents.  Though the film was decently made by Otto Preminger (whose no-frills direction almost completely eschews the stylistic tropes film noir became known for), it's just never all that compelling, and it definitely overstays its welcome a bit.  **

Everything Must Go

EVERYTHING MUST GO (2010) - Jan 22, 2012
A rare dramatic turn from Will Ferrell, in which he plays a guy who, on the day he loses his job, goes home to find that his wife has locked him out of his house, and all of his stuff on is on his lawn.  The movie is solidly made and features a strong performance from Ferrell, but otherwise is not particularly memorable.  ***

A Dangerous Method

A DANGEROUS METHOD (2011) - Jan. 14, 2012
A really well made but kind of disappointing film about Carl Jung's complicated relationship with one of his patients, and his friendship with Sigmund Freud.  The film is very well acted, particularly Michael Fassbender and Viggo Mortensen as Jung and Freud.  However, it's kind of slow, and extremely talky -- I don't believe it originated as a play, but I wouldn't be surprised if it did (okay, I just checked, and not surprisingly it did start as a play).  It does sort of feel a bit disjointed (it's basically one scene after another of people sitting around talking to each other), however it's well made and well acted enough that it is worth watching.  **1/2

The Adventures of Tintin

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN (2011) - Jam. 8, 2012
About a young reporter who finds himself caught up in a mystery involving a model ship and years-old sunken treasure, this was kind of a disappointment.  It was enjoyable enough, and it actually started it quite well, but by around the half-way mark the film starts to peter out and really runs out of steam.  There is, however, one absolutely spectacular long take towards the end of the movie that's pretty much worth the price of admission alone.  Spielberg definitely still has some tricks up his sleeve, though I have yet to be sold on the ultra real mo-cap style employed by Zemeckis over the last few years, and here to somewhat better effect (it's slightly cartoonier than what Zemeckis is doing, but still a little bit too eerily real for my tastes).  **1/2

War Horse

WAR HORSE (2011) - Jan. 6, 2012
A really well made but way overlong film from Steven Spielberg about World War I through the eyes of a horse.  A lot of people are down on this movie because it's so unapolagetically old-fashioned, and ham-fistedly emotional, but I think Spielberg knew exactly what kind of movie he wanted to make, and he went for it with gusto (and I will admit, the film did make me weep like a little girl).  The last hour was pretty great, but pretty much everything that comes before it either feels completely overlong, or downright superfluous.  I think if this movie had been about 40 minutes shorter it could have been great, but instead it is merely good.  ***

Young Adult

YOUNG ADULT (2011) - Jan. 6, 2012
Another really well made film from Jason Reitman about an emotionally stunted 30-something writer of young adult fiction who decides to go back to her hometown in an attempt to win back her old high school boyfriend (who just happens to be a happily married recent father).  Though the main character does veer a little bit into Bad Teacher territory, in that she tends to be a little bit one-note in her bitchiness, she ultimately is a much more interesting character than the one in that movie.  It helps that Charlize Theron is very, very good.  However, the film really shines in the scenes with Theron and Patton Oswalt, who is surprisingly good and who brings much more depth to the character than you'd expect from the guy who played Spence on The King of Queens.  ***1/2

A Bittersweet Life

A BITTERSWEET LIFE (2005) - Jan. 4, 2012
Another superbly directed movie from Kim Jee-woon (I really need to watch I Saw the Devil again) about a guy who goes after his boss after he tries to have him killed.  Kind of like a shorter, more straight-forward version of I Saw the Devil, the film features some spectacularly violent, stunningly awesome action set-pieces that definitely solidifies Jee-woon as a way above average action director in my mind.  The characters/plot are fine, if nothing too special, and the movie does overstay its welcome a bit, but it's so well directed with such strong action that it really doesn't matter.  ***1/2

The Best and Worst of 2011

THE BEST AND WORST OF 2011

BEST:

1) Attack the Block
2) The Descendants
3) Drive
4) A Separation
5) Super 8
6) Hanna
7) The Tree of Life
8) The Artist
9) Cafe de Flore
10) The Innkeepers

WORST:

1) Ong Bak 3
2) Larry Crowne
3) Transformers: Dark of the Moon
4) Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
5) Bad Teacher
6) Battle: Los Angeles
7) The Change-Up
8) Sleeping Beauty
9) In Time
10) Cowboys and Aliens

The Innkeepers

THE INNKEEPERS (2011) - Jan. 2, 2012
Another really effective horror film from Ti West, about a couple of employees at an old hotel that's about to close down, and the supernatural shenanigans that are afoot.  West takes his time with the characters here -- in fact, the first half of the film feels more like a low-key drama, and the horror stuff only starts to seriously kick in in the last half hour or so.  But it absolutely works, because the film is so well made, and because the characters and the performances are so good.  There's genuine chemistry between the two leads, and all the time spent making us care about the characters just makes the horror stuff all the more effective.  I think it's clear enough at this point that West is a serious talent (and, like with House of the Devil, Jeff Grace's memorable score is a highlight).  ***1/2