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

Revolutionary Road(Sam Mendes)(2008)

How was this movie get denied for a Best Picture nod at the Oscars? It was one of the best movies of the year if not in the last five years. This movie is shot beautifully, acted well and writing with precision and is hard hitting. I know this mellow dram is not for everyone I understand but I love it and find it a film masterpiece.

Another terrible decision for the Oscars was not even nominating Kate Winslet for this movie. This was a great acting performance. She feels so real and you can truly feel her pain and agony of being stuck in suburbia. She portrays a women who is cold and unlikable so well it is unbelievable. You also feel strongly for her husband played by the versatile Leo Dicaprio. You feel the pain of not being loved by the person who he still has extreme feelings for. The struggle he feels as he gives up his dream because he realizes that he has responsibilities and that his Wife cannot understand this. They both play so well off each other that you truly buy into the situation. They fill the situations in their suburban smear with extreme tension and hate. Kathy Bates portrays a women who has completely bought into the suburban dream. She loves things only to be the way they should be, the grass and inch long and the couples lovable. She is an incredible actress and it is no difference in this picture. The secondary character that really steals the scenes he is in is Micheal Shannon. The relatively unknown actor plays the psychotic math genius John Givens. His mannerism are perfect and he truly steals the scenes he is in as he carefully breaks apart and analyzes the couple's dream. He is simply spell binding in it and is a severely underrated actor. Many comparisons people are making are to the late Heath Ledger in his performance as the Joker. I can defiantly see it. I find that Micheal Shannon almost outshines him though. There is not an actor/actress out of place in this film and it truly shows.

This was also one of the most beautifully crafted movies of the year. The scenes in the car after the play in the first ten minutes are mind blowing. They are so dark and portray the breakdown of their marriage perfectly. The suburban house shots are shot beautifully perfectly portray the 50's suburban life. The lighting is flat out amazing. The close in shots of the couple eating breakfast after April's breakdown is simply stunning. You could cut the tension with a knife and the shot selection defiantly helps portray this.The art direction is just stunning. It's no wonder it was nominated for the Oscar. Also the sound was absolutely brilliant. There would be no music in some scenes such as the breakfast after April's meltdown and it rose the tension even more. While it some parts it had the same little sound loop playing which was perfect in it's place.

A great part about this film is also it's way that it is able to split so many different people on it. Some people believe April to be in the wrong and others Frank. This is what makes a true film great. There is not an easy answer to this question so it opens it up for multiple viewings and plenty of discussion. I find April to be in the wrong in this one though. She manipulates, and twists Frank until he nothing but a broken shell of a man. She blames him for her not becoming an actress and living and adventure filled life but truly it is no ones fault but her own. She has a complete breakdown and in the end just ends up torturing Frank until he literally is cracked and broken beyond repair. Of course Frank is not without his faults. He is unable to truly break free from the so called "American Dream" and is unable to truly live. Truly though would the situation have been fixed in Paris? No. April could just no longer stand Frank because she see him as the reason for her pitiful existence in the drab suburbs, being a housewife just like every other woman on the block. You can defiantly see where April is coming from though. Also another strong point of discussion brought up was abortion*Spoiler* was the abortion justified? I truly believe it was. The child was not conceived through love and would have grown up in a poisonous environment. The home they made is no place for a young child. It would not be loved in that household. Therefore it should not be brought into it. It truly was a noble thing that April did.

A sequence that truly did stand out for me as portray the suburbs for me was after the entire Wheeler breakdown no one wanted to talk about it. The Campell's, their best friends in the neighbourhood just wanted to forget it ever happened. After the meltdown they just find another couple and after discussing the Wheelers for two minutes Shep can stand it no longer and demands that they stop talking about them. Also when Kathy Bates' character is discussing it with her husband simply turns his hearing aid off drowning her out and us out as well.

We truly feel for the Wheeler's marriage. This is because of superbly potent and precise writing. It is truly a raw look into the "American Dream" and into a marriage that is crumbling from the top down. The characters are less just characters in a script but feel like your own family, friends or neighbours. People who truly cannot stand each other but stay together for face sake. That is where the film truly rocks you. It is almost too real. You do not want to see these characters tortured emotionally like they are but at the same time that is what makes a film great. It is an amazingly crafted view of a suburban prison and it's effects on it's inmates.

Some people are making comparisons to Sam Mendes' other film American Dream and that is fair. They both deal with suburban zombies and the effect the "American Dream" can have on you. It in no way should affect the way you see this film though. This movie as great as American Beauty is cannot hold up to this movie.

Truly a great American movie(finally) open for many viewings(also rare among American made movies.) A perfect viewing of a "perfect" marriage destructing from the inside and with it the "American Dream" crumbles behind it. This film is not for everyone as it can be hard to watch and for some may be over dramatic. I found it however to be a perfect melodramatic balance. Never relying too much on it's melodrama to grasp at your heart strings but is filled with raw, real emotions which give you an immense feeling for the characters of Revolutionary Road.

-89 A
-Hutz

Zombieland(Ruben Fleischer)(2009)

This is the second time I watched this movie and let me tell you it definitely does not get better the more times you watch it. It is movie solely made to watch once with a couple of your buddies and then play Call Of Duty and forget about it.

The movie is acted well by most of the actors. Jesse Eiseberg plays a character that is ever so popular nowadays, a young white male who is smart but cannot get laid for the life of him. He acts his part well and overall is a good actor(see him in Adventureland a far superior comedy film). Woody Harrelson is a bad ass. He plays this character type well. Even when we see him in his emotional states it is believable so good job on that. The two girls in this film are alright. Not great but not terrible either. Big ups on getting a Bill Murray guest appearance. He was great in his little cameo and the guy rules!

There of course is some flat out hilarious scenes but of course there is going to be. The thing is that there is nothing beneath the surface of this movie. It's just a laugh and see it once because you'll get all the jokes the first time through. They barely break the surface on what could have been an even funnier movie.

The writing is what I find really lackluster. There was a bit of a stab at character development but for the most part it is just a gory, action, comedy but what can you expect I guess? The running gag of the Twinkie was seriously painful. It was good for the first bit but then just turned to the worst. When he finally gets one at the end you are are not really emotionally satisfied but I guess that is because you really have no emotional attachment to his character. Also the whole girls back stabbing them and then becoming friends then back stabbing them again was just boring and cliche. Movies do not have to stick to that same boring archetype that most comedies have.

All in all it truly is not too bad. I mean it's an okay way to spend ninety minutes(more than that and it would drag). I would suggest instead though, if you are in the mood for a zombie comedy rent Shaun Of The Dead because it is better written, more clever and just an overall better film.
71/100 C+
-Hutz

Grosse Pointe Blank(George Armitage)(1997)

My first review of a movie from the ever so glorious decade that was the 1990's. This movie was extremely dry and a little absurd but in a way that worked. It stars the ever so dreamy John Cusack and the ever so dreadful Minnie Driver. It has many scenes that work and a couple that are really terrible. This is a a movie that portrays hit men in a funny way without being insanely cheesy and unwatchable.

John Cusack is dreamy. There I said it. He also is a great actor. This is probably his best role besides maybe Say Anything. He plays the role of a troubled hit man very well. His arguments with Dan Akroyd are flat out hilarious. They play so well off each other it is unbelievable. Cusack's therapy session are dry and incredibly well written. The only weak point of the acting comes from the ever so awful Minnie Driver. She could've easily ruined this movie but somehow the part she plays is small enough that it does not ruin it. She is a terrible actress and should never have gotten work ever! Dan Akrod plays a great villain. He acts like an absolute maniac when he is shooting up the house. The scene him and Cusack have in the diner is hilarious and fast paced. The line dealing with the omelet was so simple yet worked.

The writer of this movie surprisingly has no prior experience and no more pictures written to this day but it really does not show. The writing is incredibly well suited for this movie and works for all the characters. It is incredibly dry in parts and over the top in others. The characters are very well developed. The only problem I see is how the two government agents are developed and then discarded like they are nothing. Why waste our time developing them if you are just gonna toss them away like that?

Of course though this movie couldn't miss some stupid cliche ridden parts. For example the giant shoot up and explosion in the store and the guy playing video games was so oblivious to it that he could not hear it. Like come on! Do they really need something like that? I hate scenes like that. It just reeks of 1990's cliches.

Lastly the soundtrack on this movie is just killer. So many great 80's alternative bands on the soundtrack that it is worth seeing just for the amazing soundtrack.

For a genre so cliche ridden it works extremely well and manages to pull itself out of the proverbial shit that is the hit man genre. It is because of the amazing writing and the great comedic performance between the main actors. This movie delivers on what it is supposed to be, a dark yet fluffy comedy.
74/100
B
-Hutz

Youth In Revolt (Miguel Arteta) (2010)

First movie from 2010 I am rating and it happens to be a quality movie. I'll say it this is not the best movie obviously or even close to it. What it is though is another quirky movie starring the always awkward Micheal Cera.
This movie at first glance just seems to be another movie that has Micheal Cera smarter than most of his peers therefore cannot get laid. In retrospect this movie was more than that. It was chalk full of some great cinema references and awkward moments that were chalk full of humour.
This movie plays heavily on Micheal Cera being an awkward teenager and for me it works. I still find him as funny as ever and his conversations with the characters in this movie are what make it watchable. His conversations with Leftie and when he is talking about Phil stand out as simply hilarious. for me a lot of the other characters really weren't that great. Justin Long was not funny neither were most of the supporting cast. Sad to say it as much as I love him Steve Buscemi was not at his best in this one, neither was Zach Galifianakis but he can say almost anything and make me chuckle so he is forgiven.
There were some things about the film in general that did not work for me. The cut scenes of clay mation were totally unnecessary and really just bothersome. We get it your trying to make your movie look "indie" but they did not need to be in there. Also I felt that this movie was rushed. It felt it was jumping from place to place and it really fucked with the flow. This lead to a severe lack of character development in some parts. Just how fast it moved from I'm a loser to I have a girlfriend to I am an arsonist for you was just too fast and it somewhat lost me.
The creation of the second persona really worked for me. It was funny and broke Cera out of his little awkward shell even though only for a little bit. This is what I felt made this movie different from all the rest of the awkward teen comedies we have been flooded with since Juno hit it big. Francois does what ever it takes to get Nick laid. In the end we find out that the girl may have been attracted to Francois but she fell in love with Nick(awwwwww)
Gustin Nash, the writer of this movie(well adapter) does another great job writing a quality, quirky little teenage film. Although I would highly recommend tracking down the other movie he wrote Charlie Bartlett as I found it to be of a higher quality and was more cleverly written.
I have not read the book but I have heard from someone who read it that Leftie plays a much bigger role in the book. I would have loved that in the movie too. The conversations between Nick and Leftie were the funniest in the film and to be honest Leftie's character was somewhat underdeveloped and had an immense amount of potential behind it that was left untapped.
I have no idea how much longer Micheal Cera can keep playing the same role and keep it funny but I feel that time may be coming soon. It is a good thing he does not do too many movies a year. To be honest no matter how bad you thought the film was nothing can beat hearing Micheal Cera, with a fake pencil moustache say "I want to tickle your belly button from the inside. "
76/100 B
-Hutz


Youth In Revolt the first movie in 2010 I am reviewing is another movie starring the lovable Michael Cera most like Seth Rogan find him to be used way too much and for the same role. But he does fill the role well. But this movie may have been Cera time to shine but it defiantly was not the best movie starring him.

This movie had a stunning supporting cast but the roles and jokes they laid out often fell flat and just weren't funny. Bushemi looked old and this movie really was not his thing. His character seemed out of place. Zach Galifinakis was not as funny as he normally or should be. He is by far the best stand up comedian going and in this movie it didn't show.Maybe feature films aren't his thing(although I just bought the Visioneers starring him so I'll see if he can truly be the next great comedic film star as many were praising him for in the Hangover). Justin Long was the only supporting actor whose character seemed to work and he fit right in with this movie filled with teenage angst and love. His character was so out there that he was genuinely funny although some of his jokes did fall flat.

Cera character was crafted brilliantly although redundant based on his previous works. He is an awkward teenager who loves Fellini and Sinatra but fot the life of him he can not get laid. His character and his jokes were very self serving as I feel a sort of connection to him and his feelings of out of touchiness's with today's world and customs. But Cera's charcter also felt boring at times and that he was trying far to hard to grasp for a Juno esque comedy of saying things that hipsters would love but awkwardly so everyone thinks it's funny. His character did seem really heartfelt in wanting to be with this girl. He values his friendship with his even weirder friend Leftie more than anything,although if you watch the special features you see a scene where Cera's character(Twisp) beats up his friend for the dog. Thankfully that scene was cut as it would have totally ruined the only thing Cera's character really had going for him in that he was genuinely nice person torn astray by the prospect of love and getting laid.

This movie unlike every other movie Cera has been involved in really had not one else to support him it was truly the Michael Cera show and he did work it. He outplayed Galifinakis, Buschemi and Liotta although all these actors were out of their element. He showed that he can act without the need to be supported by better actors(Page and Bateman) and tighter scripts(Superbad). It will be interesting to see his next few choices for roles. Hopefully he tries a movie outside of his type casted element.


Nick Twisp's alter ego Francois ala Breathless(Sheeni's name for her furure husband) is a brilliant example of what Cera would be if he was a badass. But Francois is chalk full of humor that too relies to heavily on you knowing Cera's regularities instead of just being regularly funny. But there is a certain way he says " I want to tickle your belly button from the inside" that would make any conservative die laughing. The humor in showing the conversations between Twisp and his alter ego Francois are what really save this movie from being the next typical teenage movie looking to capitalize on Juno success ie Nick And Norah's Infinite Playlist

The clay scenes intertwined in this were very neat and an interesting choice. I thought it was even cooler to wrap up the story in clay credits. Also the scene where Twisp is on shrooms was really cool and funny Nice work.


The plot of the movie was clear and precise. You knew exactly that Twisp was gong to get the girl. That the mom's boyfriend was going to leave her and have Twisp arrested. But through all the predictability it was very funny and you were rooting fro Cera all the way. I can't wait to see what next movie Nash is to do as he has become quite good on capitalizing on the teenage hipster/awkward comedy movement(he directed Charlie Bartlett which is a far better movie). Overall a sort of meh film which deserves to be put back in to obscurity for angsty teenagers of a next generation to hail as a great movie. Cera has certainly will and can do better
70/100 C++
-Mcclure

Zach and Miri Make A Porno (Kevin Smith) (2008)

The director/writer behind movies Dogma and the Clerks one and two wrote/directed this one and you can certainly tell. It is vulgar and all that fun stuff but it is not completely retarded.

This movie can really be split into two of Kevin Smith's comedy choices, raunchy humour a la Clerks in the beginning and romantic comedy a la Chasing Amy in the ending. It works well enough. Although I do find the plot incredibly flimsy. Back and forth, back and forth does she love me? Does she hate me? The ending was so predictable it seemed like the person who wrote Legion wrote it (haha ba-zing). We have come to expect that from raunchy teen humour though
haven't we?

The humour of this movie work insanely well. It is so down too Earth and realistic. Although it is mostly dirty jokes and the like but c'mon how many of us haven't cracked jokes involving sexuality(in a way that is not homophobic), vaginas and transforming your fave movie titles into porn movies because I for one have done that. That is the movies sparkling light. The characters feel real and likable and of course you want the two main leads to get together because they are just meant to be and everything will be sunshine, lollipops and rainbows.

This movie has a phenomenal cast of regulars who have been in the shadows of their movies and television shows(Craig Robinson and Justin Long) and the spotlight(Seth Rogen). They all work really well together and bounce off each other well. There was a couple of really flat stale characters though such as Delaney's wife. She is a mean black wife who controls her husband ahahha boo-urns. For the most part though they work well. Also some of the guys in the porno are terrible actors, can't remember their names but they shouldn't be in movies.

overall a movie that will most likely be forgotten(unless it manages to be kept in people's minds for pushing it's R rating) because it is just another raunchy teen movies the last decade has been come to be known for in comedies. This movie was a nice little romp good for watching with a bunch of friends and wasn't to take a load off and laugh.
-73 B
-hutz


A very underrated comedy especially in the wake of comedies that Apatow and company have been releasing(it seems like 10 a month). But that is usually Writer/Director Kevin Smith's thing his movies are either highly overrated(Clerks) or very underrated(this one and Chasing Amy).

Just like in many of Rogen movies he seems very realistic and although most people dislike him I find him very down to earth and a perfect match to his counter part(Elizabeth Banks). The regulars of the comedy movie circuit really put this one into the next level especially Justin Long and Craig Robinson. The characters in the porn movie were also very believable being that they were lunk headed and brawn over brains etc. The touching emotional realm that Zach and Miri hit was also believable as a pair that had been through everything and there was tons of references in the movie showcasing how badly they wanted to be a couple an aspect very believable in our culture where people are often afraid to make the first move and step against commonality.

The plot was pretty thin but was layered nicely with some hilarious raunchy humor without being in the boundary of hurtful toward a sexual choice etc some may have viewed Long's character as cheap way for homophobic laughs but I felt the true purpose of this one to one make fun of Miri in the begging and to show that it doesn't matter what sexuality etc you are people are still afraid to push over the status quo. The porn titles were hilarious and an activity Hutz and I often did when bored(once again a relatable aspect)

So in the world where a stupid R rated raunchy comedy gets released weekly(The Goods) this one truly stands out and can hold its own against good R rated comedies (Superbad/Knocked Up) hopefully it is not just remembered for the stir it caused about it maybe getting the X rating and unlike most people I enjoyed this the whole way through. I just wished I would've seen this in theaters.

-McClure 84/100

Legion(Scott Stewart) (2010)

I knew I should've never let my my mom talk me into watching this movie. Holy shit if you've got 2 hours of your life to FUCKING waste please don't even watch this movie.
I never got the fascination people have with movies like these. It truly does boggle my mind. The sad thing is though there might even be people out there that enjoyed this movie.
I am not going to go on about this movie because frankly I feel bad wasting the electricity it takes to run my computer to type about this movie. The pacing was terrible, the action was subpar and the plot was bland and stale. It is so filled with holes it looks like a block of swiss cheese.
35/100 F
-Hutz

The Simpsons A Year In Review (2010)

While my douche counter part was reviewing some book nobody cares about. Just kidding book is rad. I'll review something everyone cares about or at least they would've cared about had this been 1994. A Simpson's year in review I only missed 3 episodes this season and will update when I eventually see them during the summer. This season had about 3 good episodes and the rest were lackluster with it in 3rd place for worst season behind seasons 20 and 18.

Homer The Whopper:B-
Bart Gets A Z:C
Great Wife Of Hope:C+
THOH XX:C+
The Devil Wears Nada:C
Rednecks And Broomsticks:C
Oh Brother Where Bart Thou?:C
Thursdays With Abie:C+
Once Upon A Time In Springfield:C+
Million Dollar Maybe:C
Boy Meets Curl:C-
The Color Yellow:C+
Postcards From The Wedge:Not Yet Rated
Stealing First Base:D
Greatest Story Ever Doh'd:C+
American History X-Cellent:C
Squirt And The Whale:Not Yet Rated
Chief Of Hearts:B
To Surveil With Love:B
Moe Letter Blues:C+
Bob Next Door:C+
Judge Me Tender:Not Yet Rated

Best Episode Of The Season:To Surveil With Love
Worst Episode Of The Season:Stealing First Base
Most Overrated Episode:The Color Yellow
Most Underrated Episode:Once Upon A Time In Springfield or Homer The Whopper
Biggest Let Down:American History X-Cellent
Biggest Surprise:Once Upon A Time In Springfield
Best Guest Star:Seth Rogen

See you all next season. I hope it gets better although I doubt it will. But new Futurama is on the horizon so lets hope it turns out well and doesn't turn into another Frankenstein a la Family Guy :)

-Mcclure

Naked Lunch(William Burroughs) (1959)

Please note this is a review based on the novel by Burroughs not the film by David Cronenberg which I hear is simply mind bending and splendid :)

This novel was one of the biggest mind fucks I have ever had. Before I even finished reading the book I found myself re-reading passages and certain chapters just trying to get a grip on what was going on and in the end I'm not even sure if I got the final message correctly.

The Beat writers have been a fascination for me for the last couple months and I find Burroughs to be the most fascinating of the bunch. Sure some may say that Kerouac and Ginsberg can write better, with a more jointed story but I'd put Naked Lunch up against any of their best works.
The stream of conscience that this novel is written in makes it difficult for some people to digest put I find it works extremely well for a book of this manner. It allows us only to see what Burroughs wants us to see. This makes me feel disjointed but intrigued.

William Lee starts this novel off with a weird journey in search of his next fix. He eventually makes his way to Mexico where he is assigned to Dr. Benway where Benway tells him of all his previous works in Annexia. Dr. Benway is one of the most fascinating characters in literature. He is a man with no conscience only looking to advance his performance instead of caring for his patients. This is a great parody of the medical field in general that is so open to experimenting on their patients to advance their performance.(An interesting fact: Dr. Benway was the first ever online persona ever recognized. In real life!)


It then moves to a place called The Interzone. This place is a wasteland devoid of any decency. In fact the first glimpse we get of the Interzone is the charcter Hassan throwing an orgy that has been wrecked by a character named AJ who is decapitating people. This Interzone is used to satirize everything from decency , what we truly find decent. Many people hold relatively liberal views but when faced with a situation like this we are absolutely disgusting we soon forget our "we should be free to do what we feel" mantra. It also satirizes politics but making all the parties n the Interzone seem ridiculous. I also believe it is used to satirize higher education as shown by the mocking of the university professors and students.


The book then shifts back to William Lee who is finally caught but he kills the two police officers after him and is on the run again. When he calls the Narcotics squad though there is no one by the names of the two officers making it seem like a drug induced dream of Lee's.


One of the major themes though I find is how Burroughs is trying to tackle mind control devices. Whether it being government. medicine or sexuality(Benway tells us how in Amnesia there was no homosexuality because there was no deviancy.) He also explains how he could control people sexually(He would train men to shit on the sight of him and after he would eat their assholes out while the man crying still ejaculated. He describes it as "tasty"


Finally This one was of the greatest novels ever written by a man who obviously had a very unique view on the world and gladly shared it with us through his ironic, post modern satire and truly mind bending prose.
P.S. Any hipsters out there this would look great in your back pocket.
91/100 A
-Hutz

The Road (John Hill Coat) (2009)

For our first blog post Mr. Mcclure and I decided to review The Road a film that left us with two varying opinions.




This movie was based of the beautifully written novel of the same name by Cormac McCarthy. Maybe this is why I felt so disconnected during this film. The novel was for me at least one of the best of the novels written in the last ten years (if not the best) and the film was somewhat of a disappointment because I had such high hopes for it. I mean I know movies are seldom as good as the books but I was just expecting more I guess.
This movie was acted well by Viggo. He handled the role of a father trying to keep his son alive in a post apocalyptic world well. He was filled with the right amount of emotion and really I don't think there's an actor who could've done better in the role. Also Robert Duvall was a nice touch as Eli.
The music for this made by Nick Cave who is a great musician I know but the music did not fit this movie at all. The over the top symphonics of some of the scenes totally ruined some of the more "heart wrenching" and "suspenseful" . There is scenes where the music is blaring when really all I wanted was silence. Scenes don't need over the top music to move you into feeling for the characters. It was an obvious aim for a larger audience who only feel emotion when the music tells them to.
There was some great scenes in this movie though. When the Man is talking with Eli was the best scene of the whole movie. The shots were extremely long and you could really feel struggle and emotion felt by the two men(maybe because there was no music getting in the way!) I absolutely loved the the long shot of just the gun when the Man asks "do you ever think of killing yourself?" and Eli replies " I couldn't ask for such luxuries in these hard times." This is a scene that I felt came straight out of the beautiful prose of McCarthy's book.
There was a lot of scene that fell flat though. One that stands out the most is the scenes when they discovered the half eaten people in the cellar. This was one of the most suspenseful scenes in the book because it was described so well by McCarthy but in the movie it just felt rushed and packed with adrenaline.
I can make connections with how the prose of this novel was handled with how Steinbeck's novel Of Mice and Men was handled. Both were beautifully written filled with great descriptions of the heartbreak and harrowing losses. Their film counterparts on the other hand were good for what they were but just couldn't pull off what the two great novels of their time achieved. I must point out though that The Road was a way better adaptation though. Grade:68/100 C+
-Hutz


The Film The Road based on the brilliant novel By Cormac Mccarthy is one one that went vastly unnoticed at awards time(Oscars etc.) and it really shouldn't have. As with most of Mccarthy's books the adaptation of this one was brilliant. This one was placed in the hands of John Hill Coat and for a director making his virtual full movie debut he handled it very well. As good as Mccarthy's prose is it was matched pretty well in this adaptation as this film was suspenseful and insightful.

The choice of actors in the film was perfect as Viggo was the man I had pictured when I was reading the novel when it first came out. He was pefectly in tune with his charater with just the right ammount of emotion and strength. The choice of Mcphee was great as he filled the role of the innocent yet weirdly wise child portrayed in Mccarthy's novel. The choice of Robert Duvall as Eli was great and really unexpected but it worked really well and the scenes involving him really carried the movie.

The movie was really caried through insightful dialouge between the man and boy just like in Mccarthy's novel and many of scene capture the suspense that Mccarty was going for in the novel. The scene that really sticks out to me is the scene where they're in the house with the cannibals harvesting people for food and the boy and the man almost get caught in the basement. The next scene is also filled with suspense wit the man placing the revolver on the boys head so that he wouldn't have to be eaten by the cannibals. But luckily they make their escape.

The emotion truly runs high in this film as well especially at the end when the man and the boy reach the coast where they're expecting things to be better. But things aren't better on the coast and the man can truly see it and still wants/needs to be their for his son. But the pair are soon robbed of everything. They do manage to find the robber only to leave him with nothing as they take everything. The boy then finds it hard to belive that him and his dad are the good guys. But the dad fully belives he is teaching the boy to be self suffecient as he knows he will soon die. After the father's emotion filled death the boy is picked up by a family and although his father told him not to take any risks he goes with the family (the family does have the fire inside though) and the film ends.

In closing a great movie adaptation of a more brilliant novel. It can and does teach us a valuable lesson about our planet and its environment. The movie may have even worked better in the reigns of a director like the Coen Brothers but Hill Coat did a brilliant job directing this film.

Grade: 78/100 B
-Mcclure