Friday, November 27, 2009

Fantastic Mr. Fox

Mr. and Mrs. Fox (Clooney and Streep) live a content home life with their son Ash (Schwartzman) and visiting young nephew Kristophersen. But after 12 years, the bucolic existence proves too much for Mr Fox’s wild animal instincts. Soon he slips back into his old ways as a sneaky chicken thief and in doing so, endangers the whole animal community. Trapped underground and with not enough food to go around, the animals band together to fight against the evil Farmers - Boggis, Bunce and Bean - who are determined to capture the audacious, fantastic Mr. Fox.

My Review: And a fantastic animated story this was. Not only was the animation fantastic, but even more so, the humor the film gives. The performance of Clooney as a charmingly witty fox wins him some brownie points with me. The creativeness of the film captured me in ways that no motion picture has ever achieved. From beginning to end, the laughs kept coming and the performances and the story never dried up. If I had a better way of articulating myself, the praise of this film would never end. Deserving of best animated film. There, I said it. Now everyone knows what to expect from this astounishing tale---literally. ★★★★

Favorite line: "Why a fox? Why not a horse, or a beetle, or a bald eagle? I'm saying this more as, like, existentialism, you know? Who am I? And how can a fox ever be happy without, you'll forgive the expression, a chicken in its teeth?"- Mr. Fox

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

A Christmas Carol in Disney Digital 3D

A Christmas Carol is a tale of an old and bitter miser, Ebenezer Scrooge (Jim Carrey), who undergoes a life changing experience of redemption over the course of one night. Mr. Scrooge is a financier/money-changer who has devoted his life to the accumulation of wealth. An encounter with the ghostly figure of Jacob Marley (Gary Oldman) sets the stage for a mysterious and magical encounter with three spirits to help him realize the true magic of Christmas itself.

My Review: The film wasn't bad at all. I originally had no intentions of seeing this but was told that I should see it by numerous people. I actually enjoyed the tale for the most part. The exquisitely crafted visual experience made the film along with the performance of Jim Carrey, even though I usually can't stand him in other roles. It teaches the audience many lessons through its tale of a greedy-turned-generous man who touches lives and saves them as well. It was pretty scary for a children's movie but eventually melts the hearts of every audience member when Tiny Tim speaks his classic line. ★★1/2

Saturday, November 7, 2009

The Men Who Stare at Goats

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The film follows a reporter, Bob Wilton (Ewan McGregor), who stumbles onto the story of a lifetime when he meets a special forces operator, Lyn Cassady (George Clooney). As they set out on a new mission, Lyn reveals his twenty-year involvement in a top secret, psychic military unit and shares details of their activities, each more bizarre than the last.

My Review: This movie is 100% authentic satire at its best. The smart script accompanied by the performances of Clooney and Bridges scream hilarity. The story begins strongly in comedy aspects but never seems to recover as the film progresses. Overall, the film falls short of the high expectations that it set for audiences, yet I respect the movie's eagerness. It is worth seeing for its performance and story about nothing. ★★★

Friday, November 6, 2009

A Serious Man

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Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg) is a physics professor at a 1960s university, and his life is coming apart at the seams. His wife is leaving him, his jobless brother (Richard Kind) has moved in, and someone is trying to sabotage his chances for tenure. Larry seeks advice from three different rabbis, but whether anyone can help him overcome his many afflictions remains to be seen.

My Review: This film was utter brilliance. It's script and stellar performances of Stuhlbarg and Kind make the film. The Coen brother's direction is nothing short of flawless and it intrigues the audience. Though it is very, and I mean very dark, it isn't noticeable and the film is over before you know it. What fascinated me was the symbolism the storyline held. It is very thought provoking and frustrating until you see the whole movie for what it's worth. I will be shocked if this film doesn't get nominated for the Oscars in the screenplay, acting, or best picture catagory. ★★★★