Netflix pick for 12/23/13 – ‘Zodiac’

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“Zodiac.” Simply awesome. David Fincher. Robert Downey Jr. Mark Ruffalo. Are you kidding me? So good.

From my original write up on Examiner.com:

“Fincher is the king of working with darkness and shadows, and much like the rest of his films, Zodiac is blanketed in creepy blacks and the scariest of shadows. Most of the scenes take place at night or in dimly lit locales. But Fincher also shows us one of the Zodiac killings which took place in the broad daylight, and it might be one of the most chilling scenes in film (and no, not in this film, but in all films). The clinical and calculating coldness of his unblinking camera puts the audience in a very uncomfortable position in relation to the crime, forcing us to stand off to the side just a few feet from the victims to be. The viewer becomes all knowing and helpless at the same time. Another great example of Fincher’s skill comes in a scene towards the end of the film, when newspaper cartoonist turned true crime author Robert Graysmith (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) visits someone on his own accord to find out information on a possible Zodiac suspect. The scene quickly becomes intense as Graysmith finds out that the person he is visiting might actually be the Zodiac killer himself. These are just two examples of amazing scenes in this movie, a film that is downright silly with greatness.”

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Netflix pick for 12/17/13 – ‘Desperado’

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If you have not seen “Desperado” yet, then have we got a spicy treat for you. Robert Rodriguez’ 1995 sequel to his 1992 break out super low-budget surprise movie “El Mariachi” is a sequel in all the right ways, in that it hits a lot of the same beats as the first film, but adds some new stuff and also turns everything up to eleven (usually thanks to an enlarged budget), making for something even cooler, slicker and bigger than the original. And when you can upgrade to Antonio Banderas for your leading man, you jump all over that, it’s a win for everyone, right? (sorry, original mariachi/desperado Carlos Gallardo).

This is a fun movie, mixing elements of revenge thrillers with spaghetti westerns and the low-budget Spanish exploitation filmmaking that Rodriguez started out in to get his beak wet all to much aplomb and great skill. It is almost a shame the Rodriguez is now making either kids movies or throwback films that are “trying to be bad,” so to speak, because when he got started in the 90s he was looking like the next John Woo, but with PASSION. Just watch how fun and sexy and cool this movie is and tell me he’s spending his time wisely with Spy Kids movies. (well, financially that’s his money maker so I get it but still you know what I mean).Continue Reading …

Netflix pick for 12/9/13 – ‘Zoolander’

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Who would have thought that Ben Stiller, of all the things he has done with his career and all the things he became famous for over the years, would excel the most at being a director? Sure people see Ben Stiller and they immediately think of all his most popular movies like the “Meet the Parents” films and “Night at the Museum” and whatnot, but the REAL talent of the man lies in his abilities behind the camera. A shining example of this skill is this week’s Netflix Instant Pick of the Week, “Zoolander.”

Made in a pre-2001 world, “Zoolander” is about a male fashion model who gets unwittingly recruited to be an assassin all “The Parallax View” style, and it is a crazy, satirical movie that skewers the fashion industry and the world of models, and there are moments here and there with a touch of the surreal that just makes this movie so weird and different and fun. And since at least 2008, Ben Stiller has talked about working on “Zoolander 2” but that’s not necessary, we can all just enjoy this great little comedy, and we can patiently wait for the next Ben Still directorial effort.Continue Reading …

Netflix pick for 12/2/13 – ‘Young Adult’

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From the director of “Up in the Air” and “Thank You For Smoking” comes this little character movie about a young adult novel ghostwriter clinging to her youth and trying to reconnect with her high school flame, despite that fact that he’s married and has a brand new baby.

“Young Adult” is all about Charlize Theron, as she’s so awesome in this as the somewhat successful and slightly pathetic writer struggling with that transition between her teenage years and adulthood, and in that now typical Jason Reitman way this movie has the nice balance of comedy and drama, with an off kilter and somewhat unlikable protagonist to really throw in an extra curve there. And it works because this is a well made movie and is definitely most entertaining.Continue Reading …

Netflix pick for 11/25/13 – ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’

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Just a perfect mix of whimiscal director and angst-ridden screenwriter, “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” is a modern classic from director Michel Gondry and writer Charlie Kaufman about relationships, how they fail, how people react to their failings, and how trying to forget these relationships can actually help someone remember all the good stuff that they already did forget about.Continue Reading …

Netflix pick for 11/18/13 – ‘Holy Motors’

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Holy cow, it’s “Holy Motors,” one crazy movie from France that people just about fell out for when it came out last year. Critics and cinephiles alike were delighted by this trippy and fascinating movie, while surely your average film watcher was flummoxed by such a bizarre and different film. But it is now in a place where we can all enjoy it together, and afterwards we can talk about our favorite bits and what left us scratching our heads and what guarantees that we will be remembering this movie for awhile.

From my original review of “Holy Motors” published last February:

“The best way to see this movie (or just about any movie, in my opinion, which is why you are here to begin with), is with as little information beforehand as possible. That way there are no expectations and nothing is spoiled and the movie can take it’s time in showing it’s cards. If at all possible, bookmark this review and see the movie first and then come back here and read the rest. You’ll have a more bewildering yet exciting and ultimately fulfilling experience, trust me on that one. And this is the internet, so it is not like this review is going to go anywhere. We’ll all still be here when you get back.

Meanwhile, for those who have seen the movie or who want the deets anyway, this is the story of actor Monsieur Oscar (Denis Lavant) and what appears to be a fairly typical day in his life, which consists of being shuttled around town in a limo from appointment to appointment, where he has to perform different deeds in different costumes, while we (and presumably he) are not told why or who is paying for such acts. It’s like he is being hired to do avant garde performances, usually in public (once in a motion capture studio), and often times ending with people in tears, kidnapped, mangled or dead, and it is evident this is all taking it’s toll on Oscar, as he neglects eating and chooses instead to drink between jobs, looking more and more haggard as the day wears on.”

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Netflix pick for 11/11/13 – ‘Senna’

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“Senna” is a documentary about the Formula One racing career of legendary Brazilian racer Ayrton Senna and how he tore up the F1 circuit for ten years straight, and the movie also focuses on the overall safety of the drivers throughout the years and a particular rivalry that Senna has with another racer.

But what makes “Senna” a truly unique and compelling documentary is how there was apparently an abundant amount of home video footage and Formula One archival footage from as far back as the early 1980s, and there was so much footage in fact that a narrative film was able to be made by editing all of this footage together, so we have a documentary without any commentary, or cutting to people sitting in an underlit room and talking about what is was like back in the day — instead we actually get to see it all unfold before us, and it is a really fascinating movie, whether or not you like racing. That’s besides the point. It’s a compelling look at an interesting person.Continue Reading …

Netflix pick for 11/5/13 – ‘The Last Temptation of Christ’

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Martin Scorsese is known for making “Goodfellas” and “Taxi Driver” and “Casino” and what not, but he has a number of movies that people regularly forget about when talking about this great filmmaker. And it just so happens that Netflix has one of these movies, “The Last Temptation of Christ.”

Based on a novel of the same name, this is a movie that posits the question, what if Jesus Christ (superstar) was just a man after all and actually struggled with the all the same sins and problems we all struggle with? Because of the characterization of Jesus in this movie and also because of a scene depicting him indulging in his more carnal desires, religious groups just FREAKED OUT and hated on this movie really hard.

But you know what? Screw the haters. It’s not like this movie somehow takes the place of the Holy Bible. People need to be less frightened by viewpoints and ideas different their own.Continue Reading …

Netflix pick for 10/28/13 – ‘Commando’

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“Commando” is one of those iconic Arnold Schwarzenegger movies from the 1980s, relying very much on Arnold’s impressive, award winning physique and his knack for portraying unstoppable machines of destruction on camera, figuratively as well as literally. While the character of John Matrix is not a cyborg, he might as well be, as he does things humans pretty much can’t do, which includes racking up a body count of just over 100 people, with about 80 of them dying at Arnold’s hands directly. Ah the 80s. When violence was king.

Part of what makes “Commando” awesome is how simple the story is, jumping into the plot really quickly by having John Matrix’s daughter (Alyssa Milano) getting kidnapped early on, sending Matrix on a journey to rescue his daughter from some scumbags. It’s pretty much “The Terminator” meets “Man on Fire.” Sound good to you? Good. Oh yeah and this movie also features Bill Duke, David Patrick Kelly, Rae Dawn Chong and Dan Hedaya, so there’s also that. And some guy gets the top of his head removed when Matrix throws a buzz saw blade at him like a frisbee.Continue Reading …

Netflix pick for 10/21/13 – ‘Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior’

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When “Ong Bak” got a U.S. theatrical release in 2003, it was one of those limited release deals, playing in only one theater in town, and only playing there for a couple of weeks. It wasn’t even one of the better theaters, either. It was a dingy piece of crap that ain’t even open anymore. But still. I have fond memories of that shithouse. Because that is where i saw “Ong Bak” on the big screen and it thoroughly kicked my ass and I have never forgotten that.

From my original write up on Examiner.com:

“Martial arts movies are made all the time all over the world, but it is only on occasion when a movie is made that signals the break out of the world’s next big martial arts action star. And in 2003, one of these movies was released. And it was good.

Ong Bak: Muay Thai Warrior features stuntman turned lead actor Tony Jaaa and it is pretty easy to see how this movie positioned him to be the Next Big Thing. Of course thanks to hindsight we all know he went a little nuts and buckled under the pressure of making Ong Bak 2, but back in ’03, people were throwing around the ole “the next Bruce Lee” adage in reference to his incredible work. And it all really started with this movie.”

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