Annie Hall(Woody Allen)(1977)

Wow on a side note before I start this review I just noticed this is my first review in over three weeks. Not that anyone really cares but be prepared for a couple more reviews in the next couple weeks as I am like 5 movies and one book behind. I have also decided to do away with the number grading. I will still put letter grades but no more numbers.

It is hard to really say anything new on a movie that is a near perfect classic such as this film is. It is one of the funniest movies ever written, it is well directed and has some amazing acting to top it all off. This movie is one that is truly inspired and clever, filled with so many moments that should be inside your cultural lexicon it is unbelievable.

The acting is one of the main reason i feel that Annie Hall has managed to stand the test of time. Keaton as a ditsy Midwestern girl and Woody Allen as a neurotic stand up comedian work so well together. They have such an immense amount of chemistry that do not really see all that often in every movie. They play their parts so well you feel these characters are real(I guess it would not be too hard for Woody Allen since he is basically just playing himself in this movie). All the supporting actors do their assigned duties well and do not derail the movie by being out of place or by being terrible actors. Also this has a tiny guest role for a younger Christopher Walken and he is absolutely hysterical as Dwanye.

This movie defiantly rated 18+ not for the usual reasons that is a gross out teen flick but if you watch this film too young you may find it boring(I will admit the pace is somewhat slow but not too slow). Also some of the jokes may fly over your head. I saw this movie at a young age and I will admit the latter part of that statement happened to me. Although it still does have a lot of moments that would be hilarious for almost anyone who appreciates humour.

Of course this film is not the most original movie out there but it defiantly does dabble in a few film aspects that were not unheard of in 1977 but were different then what was mostly being done in film at the time in the comedy genre. The most original aspect of this movie is the breaking of the fourth wall(for those unaware of what that means it is when an actor talks directly into the camera basically making you aware you a watching a movie). Another moment is when Annie and Alvy are talking and the subtitles are saying different things then what they are saying. Another is how Alvy is waiting in line and he is able to pull out Marshall McLuhan to prove his point against the film snob.(I always found this part to be even more humorous due to the fact that many Woody Allen fans do act like the obnoxious film snob we see waiting in line at the movie theatre. The list could go on forever from the animated part tossed in to how Woody Allen puts himself into flashbacks in his childhood to how the story is not told in a straight linear fashion. Many of these moments now are generally in every person cultural lexicon and they are the moments that really make this film hilarious.

Another factor into the hilarity that is this movie is many of the clever gags and witty one liners. Some of my favorite one liners ever come from this movie. Some examples are the over quoted"those who can't do teach. those who can't teach teach gym", when describing L.A. "they never throw their garbage away they just put it on t.v." and lastly describing award ceremonies being such a farce"Adolf Hitler fascist dictator of the year". There was also a lot of clever and heart warming moments in this film such as Alvy and Annie making the lobster and Alvy coming over to Annie's to get the bug out of her bathroom.

This film is one of my personal favorites and quite possibly is the funniest movies I have ever seen. It has a ton of intelligence, wit and poignancy that puts this movie above a lot of other comedies. It is a movie that has stood the test of time quite well and should be viewed by audiences for decades to come. A true American masterpiece
A+
-Hutz

Ferris Bueller's Day Off(John Hughes)(1986)

When a person thinks of the 1980's the first things that usually com to their mind are big hair and John Hughes movies. This movie does fit into John Hughes' realm of what he writes about, young people struggling to deal with the world around them. I find that Ferris Bueller's Day Off Stands out among his other movies because it truly is more entertaining than all his other movies. Although most of his movies don't really hold the test of time and are only found "great" by the group of people who grew up in the time period and are clouded with nostalgia.

This movie was acted well enough. I am not a huge fan of Matthew Broderick but he plays his character well enough. The women who plays his girl friend is pretty awful and it is pretty obvious that the only reason she is their is for eye candy. The most intriguing out of the three would have to be Ferris' friend Cameron played by Alan Ruck. He is the only one who really has any emotional depth. I guess the other actors can't be blamed for their lack of depth though. That blame lies on director/screenwriter John Hughes. I must say though that their is one terrific acting performance by Jeffery Jones, playing the tough dean. This performance has now become somewhat iconic and for good reason.

The humor of this movie is not something that takes multiple viewings to get, but alas that is a true John Hughes film. The targets are quite obvious(schools, living too fast, etc.) and there really is no hidden layers beyond the shell of this movie. It is a typical teen movie where they're fighting for recognition, individuality and independence. Not that I am saying this message is not a good one. We all could use a little break to slowdown and "smell the roses" but it fails under repeat viewings as their is no depth. There is quite a few few funny gags in this movie though. They of course mainly involved the Dean trying to catch Ferris' and really ruin his life. There are quite a few that are quite dull and tedious. Like the Dean getting his foot stuck in the mud(c'mon and people try to use movies like this to show teen movies now are stupid.) Overall though if it is your first time seeing this movie you will like it because it is entertaining and funny despite it's problems.

One major problem I have though with this film is the lack of emotional depth and character development. The only one that changes in this movie is Cameron. He has an epiphany near the end of the film that he must learn to stand up to his dad and to authority figures in general. That is truly the message of this film so it fits well into the story. The problem I have with it though is I don't know it just seems a little contrived and you only feel a little for Cameron. I for one though feel more for Cameron and his personal struggle than I do for Ferris Bueller though.

One absolutely iconic moment that will not be forgotten from this movie however is that epic race home between Ferris and his family. The music is perfect for the scene and it is really adrenalin packed and exciting. If there is any reason you have to see this movie, the chase scene is the reason. It must be part of your cultural lexicon so you can understand the numerous references and homages it has received.

A movie that will forever be part of the 1980's movie cannon. It is an entertaining one but one that does not hold strong under multiple viewings. It's a movie your parents will show you to display how "radical" the 80's were.
68/100 C+
-Hutz

The French Connection (William Friedkin)(1971)

Although this movie robbed a Clockwork Orange of the Oscar in 1971 it is defiantly not undeserving by any means. It is a slowed paced, gritty crime drama which still stands the test of time today. Sure here are some problems with this film but in total it was not a terrible effort.

A stand out feature was the absolutely superb acting. Gene Hackman is absolutely amazing as "Popeye" Doyle the rough , aging crime detective. He is by far the standout performer of this movie, since he truly does capture the spirit and essence of his character. Scheider also was great in his role as Doyle's partner. They make quite a good team and the chemistry they share is top notch.

The plot in this one is gripping and filled with tension. It may be slow paced but it is extremely well told and exciting if you truly are paying attention. I found it worked better and the holes in the plot weren't as noticeable if you pictured this movie as a bunch of loosely strung together series of vignettes. Doing this it is easy to fall into the story without seeing the gaping plot holes.

The plot holes in this movie are big but they are not quite enough to ruin the movie for me. Some of the major plot holes for me had to be how Fernando Ray's character manages to escape the bridge. For one it is not a huge bridge why not just surround the thing(I for one thought that they had done that but when they turned around, nope! he was able to make a break for it.) Another hole is how they manage to rip apart a huge car and put it back together with absolutely no damage in under 5 hours. This would be an impossible feat. There are a couple others I cannot recall at this moment. Again these are small plot holes that don't ruin the movie only damper in the final results of the film.

What really works for me is what I think one of the main themes is, the differences between the rich and the poor. This is shown well in the constant juxtapositions between the two classes. (ie Popeye eating pizza in that shoe repair shop while like 50 feet away a bunch of people eat like kings and queens and eye the dessert cart. Another example is how Popeye lives in a dumpy apartment while Weinstock has a nice Hollywood Esq hotel room.

Finally probably the most talked about part in this whole movie, the car chase scene. It is absolutely phenomenal. A work of pure cinematic genius and superb editing. No one was told about the scene being shot that day so the frenzy it causes is totally real and it really shows.(although the producers did pay for the man's car which was smashed.) Another factor which feeds into the excitement of the car chase is the fact that this movie moves rather slow so when this car chase happens you really get the adrenalin pumping. This is a car chase that goes down as one of the best and it truly is.

French Connection the often imitated is one that will go down in film history(I am sure it is already). This movie manages to not get ruined by it's plot holes that often plague it's genre mates through it's suburb acting performance by the great Gene Hackman and it's strong writing. This gritty crime drama is one you would not if you are a fan of police/detective movies. Hell you should not miss this movie if you care about cinema at all.
83/100 B
-Hutz

And the Hippos Were Boiled in Their Tanks(Jack Kerouac and William S. Burroughs)(1945*)

This novel comes from not one great author but two! What is not to like? Two of the greatest writers of the 20th century writing one novel. This novel was based on the real life events that unfolded around Kerouac and Burroughs in the 40's. The raw and real events of a murder that shook the Greenwich Village and forever changed the two aforementioned authors.

Okay it may not have changed them forever but this novel really did give us a look into the underbelly that the Beats lived in. Also Burroughs became addicted to morphine after this incident so who really know how much this experience truly had on them. We also cannot forget that this whole incident really did really help spark the Beat movement. It introduced them all together(Burroughs, Kerouac an Ginsberg) and also showed them of the protege author relationship.

I am not going to say this is as good as either of the works each author is known for (On The Road by Kerouac or Naked Lunch by Burroughs) but it is a solid outing nonetheless. It can also be forgiven since the young age age of our authors, I think Burroughs was 30 and Kerouac was a mere 21. From this book you can see the seedlings that would make the authors literary powerhouses. For Keroauc it shows the descriptiveness he would show the bizarre nature of days spent and Burroughs his fascination with abuse of authority. For both it truly showed how much detail they put into every piece of writing and how precise they could be with their writing.

This story is written in a way that has not really chosen too often, for obvious reason it works. Each chapter swaps between being written by Kerouac and Burroughs. Burroughs writes as Dennison and Kerouac writes as Ryko.

Many people have described this book as simply a showing of post WW2 New York underground hipster scene but I found it too be more than that. I felt it read as more of a noir novel. Of course we cannot simply throw of the fact that it really is a book showcasing the Beat "scene". It reads as a memoir with some omissions intact so that they could cover the murder up. The obvious omission of Ginsberg and no overly homosexual activity since this would have been perilous for the murder trial of Lucien Carr since it was the 40's and homosexuality was not even close to being accepted.

It cannot be denied though that there is obvious homosexual undertones to this book. This are portrayed immensely through the Dennison character(surprise Burroughs wrote this character.) He often expresses homosexuality through his acquaintance Al. The homosexuality was obviously hidden so the cover up would succeed. It seeps through in a couple lines like wish "girls could just be done with" and also with Ryko going out to sea with the Navy which is classically known for its homosexuality romanticism. You can also see the satire in Dennison's voice when he wants to "get girls"(he reads like a Naked Lunch character who is subvertly homosexual.)

Some scenes that really stuck with me were the one where Dennison was rubbing the leg of a women in a New York apartment. This one stuck with me because it seemed so anti-Burroughs also the other scenes were the bars scenes with Ryko. Man at age 21 even Kerouac knew how to write with the best of them. The barflies and dives described rival Bukowski in there detail and realism. These men know detail!

You may have noticed the asterisk beside the date. This was because it was written in 1945 but was not published until 2008 at the wishes of Lucien Carr and also Burroughs did not think it was worthy of publishing. He said it was primitive and held no literary value. Mr. Burroughs I am sure there are quite a few people who would disagree!

From the two most important writers of the Beat Generation comes a novel of a harrowing murder and the events leading to this murder. It was the novel that is seen as a catalyst for the Beat Generation and it is a shame it took so long to be released because it is truly a gem. Also I am hoping this novel finally put to rest the ridiculous idea the Burroughs became influenced to write after the tragedy in Mexico. This book shows that Burroughs was simply born a writer.
86/100 A
-Hutz

Toy Story 3 (Lee Unkrich) (2010)

From a studio known for making the best animated films this one is no different. An instant classic that succeeds in being as good or even better than the first two movies.

First off I have no idea why people would be worried about this movie being terrible. It's coming from Pixar! They do not make bad movies(There worst movie, Cars was still good even though it was a blatant marketing ploy) so I have no idea why this one would be any different. I guess people were just worried about people "screwing up" their beloved childhood series but in truth Pixar will not continue a series unless it has a really good idea anyway so to me there really was no worry.

Te animation was just spot on perfect! It was vivid and lifelike, with every single character, setting and background filled with tremendous attention to detail. It is simply mind blowing how realistic they can make these toys look through animation. They are all carefully crafted with precision and detail. Some moments that stuck out for quality animation were when Buzz is dancing in Spanish mode. The movements were so fluid you barely realized you were watching animation. It is clear who truly i the giant in the animation department and it is Pixar.

The voice acting was again just amazing. Avoiding actors who will just get people in the seats they get actors who actually can deliver their lines with character and emotion and it truly shows. Not that I am saying they didn't have some big names( they had Tom Hanks and Micheal Keaton for crying out loud) the only difference is these actors chosen are able to deliver there lines in a believable way that makes you believe them. The ensemble is just fantastic and truly shows what great acting can do, move you. You cannot really pick out a person who was wrong in his or her role, that's how great it was.

Animated movies for some odd reason are seen as movies for kids when in reality this could not be further from the truth. I believe like most other Pixar films this one was made for all ages. It had a lot of jokes that the kids would find funny but the jokes were done in a way that people no matter how old you are would find them funny. They did not stick to juvenile stuff but laced their kid jokes with subtle humour. This was also chalk full of references to old Pixar films(WALL-E and Monsters Inc. ) but also to other movie classics such as Star Wars Return of the Jedi and Jurassic Park. This is why Pixar films stand above the crowd, they do not limit themselves to lowbrow child humour but they do throw it in the mix every once in a while.

This installment was also darker than its previous counterparts. With themes dealing with subjects such as abandonment and loss it is no wonder. Most of the darker scenes do come from old memories of Lotso. These moments are not few and far between but constantly lay just beneath the surface of a lighter, fluffier film. It manages to portray these themes in way that is not significantly cheesy or anything like that. In fact you always feel for the characters even the ones that are supposed to be the "bad guys". That's what good writing does. Other animated films take note, hell regular films take note, this is how you can portray deep emotion in movie that is still madly funny.

I cannot finish my review without mentioning the little intro animation Night & Day. This little intro was not my favorite but it still was pretty cool. The animation was great and it was a nice little intro to a magnificent movie.

As a lover of the first two installments I had high hopes for this movie and it sure did live up to those high expectations. I even let this review stew in my brain a while so it would not be clouded by over-hyped nostalgia but it truly was just a standout film. The story telling and the animation were just spot on and I couldn't have asked for a better third to one of my favorite trilogies.
87/100 A
-Hutz


Pixar makes yet another brilliant film in the third installment of the Toy Story franchise. It is really no surprise as they've been making some of the best American animated films for years.

People often worry about whether or not movies will ruin some nostalgic moment from their childhood by adding a sequel(Star Wars/Indiana Jones) but as a kid who grew up entranced by Toy Story I can say that this movie was the best of the franchise and a good finish to the trilogy. It had everything it was dark but funny and the plot was layered with emotion. It was good for anyone of any age as it had jokes for kids but also a perfect movie for adults.

The plot of this movie was much darker than the first two installments. The themes dealt with various deep subjects such as abandonment, loss and growing up/nostalgia. The growing up topic was easily shown through Andy's character and his never playing with the toys etc. But he certainly felt nostalgic when he saw Woody every time in the toy box. The darker themes which would've most likely been noticed by adults was the depressing theme of abandonment shown mostly in Lotso's character and even Andy's toys as they never got the love from Andy which they needed/wanted. Lotso's abandonment was one you could see clearly and you could certainly see his foil to the other toys(Andy's). Where's Andy's toys at the beginning tried to get Andy's attention. Although they did give up after operation toy chest they later regained faith from Woody's constant pushing to remind them that they were Andy's toys and he needed them. But Lotso just gave up immediately when he saw his replacement of another Lotso bear. But he also took the other toy with him.

The section of the movie revolving around the daycare center was very Orwellian. With the constant trucks driving around and the Monkey surveillance. Lotso was the big brother character (although he was directly seen) while all the other toys who had given hope because of abuse at the hands of "playtime" and other tactics(Buzz and the chair) reminded me of the people who went through the ministry of love etc. The escape plot was my favorite part of the movie with every toy working together to complete a common goal. It was full of jokes including my favourite of the pig playing the harmonica and the potato heads. I really liked how they pulled the toys together by showing Andy really did mean to put them into the attic with Mrs Potato heads eye being under the bed being use as a sort of psychic mind mechanism.

The heartfelt emotion was really running high in this movie with Andy's constant ignoring of the toys and their desperation in wanting to be played with. Although when they did get their goal they absolutely hated it as they were abused harshly by the little kids who go to play with them. But anyone who didn't feel something when Andy was forced to put the toys in the attic and take Woody doesn't have a heart. But the most emotional heavy scene is defiantly the part when the toys are going down the belt about to be killed it the raging fire. It was extremely tough to see Woody rescue Lotso only to get his tables turned by him because he was still the same selfish toy who couldn't get over his own personal abandonment. But the Aliens did manage to save the day right as I was on the brink of tears. "The Claw" was my favourite thing that they brought back from the two previous movies as it was probably my favourite thing in the first two movies. Lastly the part where Andy is giving up the toys was also a deep tear jerker as he gives everyone up fine and can deal with his connection to the toys but when the girl asks for Woody it is truly heart wrenching because you know deep inside he doesn't want to give up the toy but he knows what is right is to give the toy to a person who can play with they toys. At least Andy got one last play session (by this point I was balling) with the toys and he explained what every toy meant to him and how to play with them. So the toy got what they really always wanted to be played with by Andy and to remain together.

The animation along with every Pixar movie was fucking the pinnacle of animation. Everything looked really fluid and beautiful and lifelike. After a while in my opinion you couldn't notice that it was truly animation as it looked so incredibly lifelike. Every scene stood out as just brilliant and even the scenes with the humans looked real. Pixar has always been the best in animation in my opinion and with this movie they surely continued tht streak.

The voice acting talents of all the people involved in this flick really helped this movie although it didn't not need the help at all. It had Tom Hanks,Michael Keaton,Joan Cusack, Don Rinkles, Ned Beatty and Tim Allen. A stacked cast for an animated film. Every single voice actor held their own and advanced the character and deepened the depth of the character and the story.

Lastly the short of Night and Day was really cool. It was a nice beginning to the film although not the best one Pixar had made not even the best one preceding a Toy Story film. I liked how in the end the night and day combined and they both got what they wanted with the girl etc.

Overall the best movie I have seen in 2010 in theaters. It was close to being the perfect movie but it had a few tiny flaws. This was what every film needs a layered plot along with a stacked cast and emotional depth. Nostalgia aside it was the best movie of the franchise and I really hope another one doesn't get made as I really don't see it going anywhere but this one was great.

90/100 A
-Mcclure

From Paris With Love (Pierre Morel) (2010)

From Paris With Love is John Travolta trying to recapture the base he had lost (young males) but it fails miserably. The plot was cliched and boring. Basically it was John trying to be bad ass again it was a blatant advertisement of his rebirth blah blah ( remember me I was a bad ass in Pulp Fiction).


Many of the movies "funny" moments relied on cliched stereotypes about military and post 9/11 humour which can be brilliantly funny but the writing was far too sloppy to be considered laughable. The movies plot derives from a very cliched place a person(Rhys Meyers) who has a great life, hot girlfriend etc is just dying to see some action as a "agent" oooo lala. The thing is he gets paired up with a person who shoots first and asks questions later ( Travolta). But it gets better and better because the two of them get into so many jobs and places where it would seem that escape was inevitable but they manage to pull it out with Travolta killing 12 at a time while they're surrounding him. So of course they do the most obvious thing with the plot and involve terrorism and drugs original I know. But as it turns out Rhys Meyers girlfriend is actually one of the terrorists and he most confront her. But the greatest part of this masterpiece is that guess what country the drug smuggling and plan to bomb the UN embassy? That's right Pakistan and guess where the bombs are hidden under heir burkas. An obviously blatant propaganda push as France had just placed a law banning burkas to stop fundamentalism and stop terrorism. SEE it's beautiful.

The one bright spot in this mess is the romance between Rhys Meyer's and his girlfriend in the movie but they fuck that over by making her the main terrorist who he must kill in the end and he does. The movie ends in one of the shittiest looking shots of the characters playing chess and Rhys Meyer revealing that he now carries a desert eagle and is now a lot like his thuggish partner( Travolta). There is talks of turning this abomination into a franchise I really hope not. I can normally jsut stand that are pure escapism but this one has no real value or evn re watch ability if a sequel were to arise. Man Morel is doing pretty bad with this directing thing but then agin his movies aren't my style.

4o/100
-McClure

Half Nelson(Ryan Fleck)(2006)

This movie is set in a cliche ridden movie area, inner city school with and idealistic white teacher trying to advance the children further in life. Half Nelson manages to steer clear of the cliches that plague other movies of this type through it's strong acting, believability, great shooting and strong writing.

This movie stars Ryan Gosling as an idealistic teacher who is well liked and cherished among staff and students. At night though he drugs himself with cocaine to get by. He is incredible in this movie. He is believable and truly takes on the role of Dan Dunne. He is touching and he portrays his character with so much emotional depth it is a travesty he didn't win an Oscar that year. This was one of my favorite actor performances of the last decade. The girl who plays Drey also gives a likewise performance as a girl whose parents are never there for her and a brother who is in jail for dealing narcotics, who finds comfort with a teacher who rarely finds comfort in others. She was simply mesmerizing and it truly showed. She was totally believable and real. There really was not a person out of place in this film. all the actors were believable and kept you connected to the story.

A strong central theme to this movie was how two opposing forces go up against each other. This was done incredibly well in this movie with a number of inter cut juxtapositions(Dan sex scene juxtaposed with Drey). It is also portrayed in almost every aspect of Dan's life whether it be him being an idealistic teacher while at night he is addicted to cocaine or how both the lead characters are struggling to escape from a drug filled world.

The shooting style of this film almost felt documentary like at times. It has no fancy lighting no heavily decorated sets or anything like that, just the bare bones stuff. It could not have suited this movie better. The movie tried to portray a movie that feels real and the shooting style definitely helps that. It had the raw indie feeling to it(it almost felt like a foreign film) so that really helped. It is also has a soundtrack of Broken Social Scene songs that fit the movie well but are used sparsely. This is a good trait. The lack of music and external sounds really helps portray the reality of the situations and helps you feel the emotions between the characters.

The writing of this movie to put it simply was stunning. It was real and raw and you couldn't help but feel for the characters as they struggled in everyday life in the inner city. It was subtle and did not shove a message of the school system, race or drug abuse down your throat but let let you come to your own conclusions about these topics. It also portrayed drug use in way rarely seen in movies. It did not portray drug users as so sick diseased person but like people you'd meet everyday and that's the true reality. Drug users can be anyone and that is great that this movie portrayed it in such a real and honest way.

As a last point I would love to touch on Dan's family. We see his parents both political activists in the 60's now just a couple of suburbanites who are alcoholics. We also see his brother and girlfriend. These two go on peaceful protests and the like and are in fact cardboard cut outs of a happy couple in the suburbs. The interesting part of the family is truly the parents. I feel that they are the foil to Dan's character. They have substituted political action for alcohol and have truly given up hope on politics and the future(the father mocks Dan about teaching). They were once in the middle of the action but have now detached themselves from it. This is far from how Dan is trying to teach the young inner city children about civil rights and the like.

Half Nelson manages to avoid the cliche of the inner city school children being taught to succeed and manages to paint an authentic and harrowing tale of struggle with modern, everyday life. It is acted by an incredible ensemble who are lead by Ryan Gosling, who gives the performance of his life. It was a first for director Ryan Fleck and he shows great promise in his career(I have yet to see his follow up Sugar but I hear it's fantastic. He also has a new movie coming out Sept. 2010 which looks promising so we will see.)
86/100 A
-Hutz