CrankLeft - News and reviews for Film, Games, Comics, Music, and Fan Conventions

The Strokes - Angles

There is something goofy about Angles. Yes, the cover art is a little silly, the albums title is a little uninspired, and it's a little short, but what's really goofy is what lies within.

Angles in its moments of brilliance, see guitar solo outro to "Under Cover Of Darkness", deserves a certain amount of praise. After all, this is the band that redefined our notion of New York's music scene, and quite possibly the entire indie rock, read: rock movement as well. AHJ's guitar riffs wrecked havoc on our very first pairs of white iPod headphones, probably costing Apple thousands in replacements. Julian's hugely overdriven vocals were nothing short of revolutionary. This combo let The Strokes become the Radiohead of comparisons to any band heralding anywhere within a 50 mile radius of the big city. Ten years and three solid albums later, one simply has to ask, what's changed? A lot actually, but not The Strokes.

Let's start with the guitar, yes it's there, all of its tonal rapture is certainly present in each track, but nothing is there to support it. Sure, there's more to The Strokes than a riff master on lead guitar, what about those crunchy tube fuzz vocals? Yeah, they make an appearance too, just in all the predictable places at all the predictable times. And then it starts to make sense, four albums in a ten year span, they've simply lost relevance. Maybe if each album was released one year apart, 2005 would have been kinder to Angles, but music has changed. Angles comes ten years after their commercial success, isn't that enough time to call it a throwback? Unfortunately so. Angles is stuck on one-hundred-and-fourty beats per minute, every track is a dull and underdeveloped effort from a band that has chosen to stagnate in its diminishing success.

Mr. Moon's Oscar Picks

This is an interesting year for the Oscar's. There are movies that are definitely deserving of a nomination, and there are others that I wonder why they are nominated. Here are my picks of the main catagories of who I think should win and who will most likely win.

Best Picture

Should Win: Inglorious Bastards

Will Win: Avatar

Best Director

Should Win: Kathryn Bigelow for the Hurt Locker

Will Win: Kathryn Bigelow

Best Actor
Should Win: Jeff Bridges for Crazy Heart

Will Win: George Clooney for Up in the Air

Best Actress

Should Win: Meryl Streep for Julie & Julia

Will Win: Sandra Bullock for The Blind Side

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Should Win: Christopher Waltz for Inglorious Basterds

Will Win: Christopher Waltz

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Should Win: Mo'Nique in Precious

Will Win: Mo'Nique

Animated Film

Should Win: Up

Will Win: Up

Avatar

Here is some movie math, take Dances with Wolves +Ferngully+Grownup Smurfs =Avatar. I am very disappointed on a film that has gotten so much hype and acclaim. After sitting down and seeing Avatar for the first time, I had mixed feelings and then just disappointed by the ending.

Avatar was the most expensive film ever made in history. It is directed and created by a James Cameron, who has done the Abyss, Terminator 1 & 2, Titanic, Aliens, which right there are a group of masterful films.

The film is based that people from planet earth travel to a far distant planet called Pandora and try to take the land of the natives called the Na'vi, who are sitting on a chunk of rock worth more money they could count. So the Americans send in a solder simulated in an Avatar body to connect with the tribe and get them to move so they don't get destroyed.

The best thing about this film is the CG, and technology that made the planet look like the real thing. The Na'vi and the creatures look realistic. It was an eye opening, and a masterful work on detail. This is the only reason why I give this movie three stars.

With all the time and effort they spent on making the film, you would think they would've spent time on the storyline and script. It as if they took the script from some other films already made and just changed the names. The script line is like watching a movie that I have already seen.

I know this is something that does happen all the time, were films are based off other films. I guess what frustrated me was that I expected more from James Cameron. I expected to be more entertained, and not looking at my watching wondering when this will end.

I am going against the tide on this, however my feelings is that you can film in the most beautiful parts of the world, but if the storyline is boring and already been done, than it doesn't work. If they decide to make a second Avatar, which I hope they do, I hope that Cameron learns on what is the weakness of this film and make it the strong point for the next like he did in Terminator.

If you liked this film, I recommend:

Dances with Wolves

Ferngully (mainly for kids)

Last of the Mohicans

District 9

Sherlock Holmes

With one of the most talented ever to be on screen, Robert Downey Jr. playing Sherlock Holmes, and Jude Law as Watson, we are embraced with a fun and exciting experience his winter in the Guy Ritchie film of Sherlock Holmes.

Set in London England, the movie starts off in a fast pace motion for Sherlock and Watson to solve one of London's darkest societies, and bash heads while doing it. I don't know a better director who would've started off hopefully a series of Sherlock Holmes films by having a director who knows how to show chemistry between two men and not be "flamboyant" about it, instead he shows a brotherhood, which I haven't seen since Zack Snyder's 300.

Many other critics are scared to embrace the Sherlock Holmes who knows how to think and also kick ass at the same time, and have some fashion sense at the same time. After reading Doyle's books again (because this movie actually got me interested in reading the original series) I find that this version of Sherlock isn't far off from the books, and I think Doyle would be proud of Ritchie's work.

Downey did a remarkable job playing the lead, and has definitely won the role that hopefully stick with him for a long time. I was excited to see him play Sherlock after his performance in Chaplin. As I watched the film, I felt that portrayed Sherlock like Grissom from CSI Las Vegas but 1800's style.

What would've been improved upon is the beginning. Though after seeing it again, I understand that the movie gets you on pace, however it would've been good to get a commonality with what they are doing than just starting in the middle of a chase.

See this movie. It was entertaining, and it was fun from the beginning till the end.

New Moon

1/2 Stars out of 5

I went to see New Moon with my wife. I had a great time watching my wife stare up at the screen when one of the male characters would take off there shirt. I have to admit, I had a good time laughing at the corny parts of the film that I did the actual film. One of the great things that is coming out of the movie is the list of future actors that will be in the spot light in our future cinema. There are great actors, and some that well...I am not sure how they got the gig in the first place.
I was asked what my favorite part of the movie was, and it would have to been when Bella cut her head on a rock, and Jacob to help with the little bleeding that there was ripped off his shirt to help. I laughed, and thought if I tried to pull off a stunt like that, I would be spread by mace and arrested for public indisency.
Overall, the story was really dry (more than the turkey this year;) and it would've taken some tips from "Lost Boys" with some more action in the movie. So though my wife enjoyed the "viewing" I was really disappointed. Especially with all the money they have to spend more on improving the film quality. Hopefully, they will take the advise from Harry Potter and get a director who can direct better for each movie to make it worth while to sit through.

If you liked this film I recommend:

Lost Boys

Hell Boy I & II

Astro Boy

I am finally taking a vacation and not going anywhere but hangin with the family. Having a 3 year old, and a movie geek like me wanting to go do something, we packed up the car and went to see Astro Boy.

The only reason we picked this movie because it was actually suitable for my 3 year to enjoy. However, leaving the theatre, it wasn't just my 3 year old who enjoyed the movie. My wife and I did as well.

Astro Boy is alot deeper and brings out the sentimental feeling between a loss of a family member and tryin to replace it. Sure there are holes and things that are in a typical movie. However, this is a lot better than the typical hero films like Dare Devil.

For those who have children, and you want to enjoy your time with the family, take them to see Astro Boy. You might be suprised.

If you liked this film, I recommend:

A.I.

Ghost in the Shell

Pinocchio

District 9

This has been a unique year for films. There has been more suprises of good films this year than we have seen in years past. District 9 is the cream of the crop when it comes to sleeper movies.

When I saw this film, I had really no idea what I was going to see. In fact, all I knew is that Aliens were being put in a consentration camp, and that was it. What the movie is that the aliens and the humans were not getting along. In fact you saw the cruelity of the distrimination the humans treated the aliens, even giving them a diragitory name called "The Prawns."

One of the greatest factors in the film is how the story was filmed. The film was presented like a mocumentary, and the first thought in my mind is "were is this going?" However, as the film progresses, you will see a facinating story, and how it all ties together at the end.

I am not going into more of the story except it is a must see! It is our Blade Runner of our time! SEE IT!!!

Sin Nombre

In the news, and in the papers, we read about immigration, and the troubles of the crossing of illegal immigrants across the Mexico border onto the US territory. However we never have seen in the eyes the brutal reality of why people cross the borders and the dangerous experiences they go through, risking there life's to come to America.

Sin Nombre is the movie that brings that point of view to all of us. It is a masterful movie that captures the lives of teenager who is apart of the MS, which is a very large and lethal gang, who decides to do what is right. At the same time a girl, who's father who started another life in the US, gets deported and is going to return back to New Jersey, and this time take his daughter from Honduras back with him.

The beautiful imagery, and great performances in the film, definitely is one of the best films this year, and hopefully will be recognized not just as a foreign film, but as one of the best pictures of the year.

If you like this film, I recommend:

Babel

Traffic

The End - Black Eye Peas

Often an album comes out that you can listen to from beginning to end, again and again. The Black Eye Peas new album "The End" fits into that catagory. I have had this album now for 2 months, and it is still as fresh as the first time I listened to it.

I was skeptical do to the first single "Bom Bom Paow" however my daughter loved that song so we picked up the album. That song is the beginning of the most creative and rythmic creations I have heard in a long time.

For those who know me, I love my Pink Floyd, my U2, the Posies, Radiohead, and the Blur, after hearing this record, I am excited to see what Black Eye Peas will do next.

Tyson

If you are interested in seeing a great documentary, check out Tyson on either Bluray or DVD. It is amazing to see the life of Mike Tyson, and were he started and were he is at now.

It never ceases to amaze me how fame, riches, and glory can make you more venerable that in the ring. The main thing to recognize in this film is how honest or a man Mike Tyson lets out.

This documentary doesn't hold back, and Tyson talks about his legal problems, his marital problems, and even biting off Hollyfield's ear! Which to me makes more sense of why he did it, if you were getting headbutt by Hollyfield time and time again.

This is truly one of the best documentary films of the year!

Inglorious Bastards

When war movies come to the screen, they have a statement to make such films like The Deer Hunter, Saving Private Ryan, and The Bridge over the River Kwai. Then you have controversial war movies such as Apocalypse Now, Platoon, and Schindler’s List, great films, with a power punch. Then were does Quinton Tarantino fit into the mix with his first war film? The answer is easy…in its own category, the Spaghetti Westerns of all War movies, pure genius.

Quinton Tarantino has written and directed such films: Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, Kill Bill Volume 1 & 2, Grind house, and now Inglorious Bastards. Tarantino is one director who isn’t afraid to go over the top, or make sure his story is told his way. It definitely holds true in his new war film.
His new film Inglorious Bastards is set during WWII, in France. There are two stories that run parallel to each other. The first story is about a girl who loses her family during a Nazi raid were they were hiding, and then takes over a movie theatre in France of her aunts and uncles. A rising star of a new Nazi film falls for her, and is determine to have film premiere at her theatre than anywhere else. The second story is about a US troop Unit called the Bastards. The unit is run by Lieutenant Aldo Raines “Apache” played by Brad Pitt, Sergeant Donny Donowitz who is known as the “Bear Brawler” played by Eli Roth and many more great actors. It is a unit of 8 US troops who are all Jewish, with a Southern half blood Native American at their side. They have one goal only…Killen Nazis.
It is the first time you see a war film, were you are not worried for the lives of the Americans, rather you see only the fear of the Nazi’s as the rumors of a unit who are haunting and slaughtering the Nazi’s.
The Nazi’s have a fierce Colonial Hans Landa played by Christoph Waltz, who is known as the “Jew Killer,” who has a big role in this film. Waltz definitely deserves an academy award for his role in this film. He could be pleasant, eating, speaking in whatever language, and you feel the intensity of his presence.
Even though I am a big fan of Tarantino’s film, there is something that didn’t work for me. The film was about 30 minutes to long. There were too many scenes with so much dialogue that was unnecessary. If he had cut down those scenes, it could be a tighter film. The other thing that didn’t work for me is that you really didn’t see the Bastards in action as much as you would want. The wish there was more to do with the Bastards than what we got. I felt too much be on the Germans and the other storyline, that wasn’t as appealing to me as the Bastards plot.
What did work are the characters. I really enjoyed watching all the characters that are in this film. I have heard much criticism on Brad Pitt’s role, but I thought he was a strong point, and played rather a supporting role to enhance the other actors in the film. His character definitely kept to his code…
The other thing that worked for me is the language used in the film. What I mean is that if they are German, they spoke German. Even if you didn’t know French, you knew when they transitioned to another language. It wasn’t like the movie Valkyrie, that had Tom Cruise speaking in English with no accent. It was more realistic that I have ever seen in a film.
It has been a long time since I have gone to a film, and at the end the whole audience applauds. It is definitely one of those films that you have to see twice to grasp everything this film wants you to embrace. It is the Spaghetti Westerns of all War films, and you can tell that Tarantino had fun making it.

If you enjoyed Inglorious Bastards, I recommend:
Apocalypse Now
Any of the Four Rambo films
Kill Bill Volumes 1 & 2

Nena's Pick of the Week: Ponyo

Two weeks ago, my daughter and I saw a film that was executive produced the english verson by John Lasseter called "Spirited Away." Both of us fell in love with the film, and watched it about 3 times. Suddenly we saw previews for another Japanese Animated Film Executive Produced by John Lasseter, which is called "Ponyo."

Since John Lasseter has done a great job in producing Pixar Films, he definitely has a great eye for good film. Ponyo was no exception. This film was an attractive film not for only parents watching, but also for the children.

Ponyo is a gold fish, who is an heir to the Goddess of Mercy and the caretaker of the Oceans. She was an adventurist and found her way into the care of a 5 year old boy. Later on she decides that she wants to be human, and through this story she throws the balance of the Ocean, Earth and moon out of control. She had to make the decision what she wanted.

There were several points that worked for me in the film. The art and the color used in this film was surreal. It was fun to see a film were kids can imagine again, and a film that could express without words. Though the plot and the theme of the film was simple, it really expounded with the care and love on the characters interacted with each other.

The main part I wish they didn't do is tell you at the beginning who were doing the voices of the characters. Not for the kids, but for the adults. When you find out that Tina Fey, Matt Damon, Liam Neeson, Bettty White, Kate Blanchett and more, I was trying to figure out who was voice was who's throughout the film. Even though a lot of them were obvious, at least for me, it took away from the beautiful story.

When "Up" came out this year, I thought that no way another animated film can be in contention with that film till I saw "Ponyo." Though I still love the movie "Up," The movie "Ponyo" is one that everyone should go and see.

If you enjoyed this film, I recommend:

The Little Mermaid
Spirited Away

Sherlock Holmes 2009 Prints Out

Here is some of the pictures of the Sherlock Holmes directed by Guy Ritche, and starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law. Looks interesting.

Public Enemies

One of the most underrated directors of our time Michael Mann pairs up with one of the most talented actors, Johnny Depp and Christian Bale to make a melodrama of Public Enemy #1, John Dillinger.

Michael Mann, who has directed Heat, The Insider, Collateral, Miami Vice, and Last of the Mohicans, pulls out another brilliant performance in a feature of John Dillinger, who is well known for robbing banks, escaping prison, and making the US government look like a bunch of bumbling idiots and takes it to the big screen with power and grace.

It starts out with Dillinger (played by Johnny Depp) breaking out some of his men out of jail. At the same time you see Melvin Purvis (played by Christian Bale) running down a famous criminal in the corn fields and gunning him down without escape. Director Mann, has done this before in Heat, with Al Pacino and Robert Deniro, and this same formula worked again. You feel the tension and dialogue between the cop and the criminal, and they aren’t even in the same scene. Genius!
Anyways, while Dillinger continues to make an ass out of J. Edgar Hoover, the head of the FBI, who wanted to bring down Dillinger for whatever it takes and regardless the cost. He hired Purvis to take over in Chicago since at that time there was no Federal laws to bring in Dillinger, if he crosses another states border.
On a side tangent Dillinger meets Billie Frechette, (played by Marion Cotillard ), and there romantic chemistry was strong.

Typically when you see a “romance on screen,” it is a waste of time on film or it breaks character; however for Depp and Cotillard did a great role, and a convincing role. It is amazing to see her convictions and since Dillinger showed his loyalty to her, she showed her loyalty to him. One of big things I really enjoyed was the important roles that women had in this film. Typically in a gangster movie, it is all about the men, but Mann showed the incredible influence that the woman had that even resulted in the death of Dillinger.

What worked for me was the cinematography. At times you would see the shaking of the camera, and at first I didn’t really like it…however as the movie went on, and the more I thought about it, I realized this film needed it in order to bring us to the time of the 30’s. Not for one second, do you think you were in another time or era.
What didn’t work for me in particular in this film were two things. First, I felt that the movie was 30 minutes to long. I am saying that only because I felt the time go by. Some of the scenes could’ve been shortened or taken out. The second thing is that I got annoyed with the music score. It wasn’t that I didn’t like the music used, it worked well, but it was the timing. It would come in at random parts. It wasn’t coordinated that well.

I just have a random thought about Michael Mann films. I always find that he illustrates the bad guys to be good, and the good guys play the role you don’t root for. You don’t see that very often. Even though you have a sense you know what is going to happen to them, it is interesting how he brings the likable qualities of Dillinger to the screen.

I would recommend this film to anyone. It was a fun movie with a great supporting cast. It is one of those films were I will need to see again. There was so much going on, that I will need to see a second time to enjoy it more. I can’t wait to see what else Michael Mann will come out with next.

The Proposal

With summer blockbusters such as Harry Potter, Transformers, Public Enemies all coming out, I had promised my wife that I would take her to the movie she wanted….which was the Proposal.

I have to admit, when I was going, I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this film, but I ended up going to just enjoy, and laughed from the beginning it started till the time it ended.
The movie is about Margaret Tate played by Sandra Bullock, who is a book publisher editor and chief. Everyone fears her and despises her. Her assistant is Andrew Paxton played by Ryan Reynolds. He basically plays her personal bitch. Were he does everything she needs, and is maintained there by her threatening of being thrown out with nothing.
Bullock has a meeting up at her bosses’ offices, were she finds out since she broke an immigration law, that she is being deported to Canada, were she was born UNLESS she has some other opportunity which ironically her assistant walks in as queue and she lied telling them that they are going to be married!
So the next major portion of the movie ends up at his family’s estate in Alaska, conning his family that they were engaged and the excitement only starts to increase from then!
Naturally this film is predicable for the remaining of the film, but with chemistry between Bullock and Reynolds, it worth my while to watch. Betty White plays his Grandma who was turning 90 years old. She added some spice to the film as well. You will get to see more of Oscar from the Office then you will want to see, but Oscar Nunez who plays Ramone did a great job playing a Pastor, a Stripper, a Store manager, and a waiter.
What didn’t work in this film is the whole immigration part. I am sorry, but the US Government doesn’t work that fast as they did in this film…trust me. Anyways, the timing of the film didn’t work for me. They flew from New York to a remote part of Alaska on a Friday, and returned to New York by Monday? That didn’t make any sense why they cut it so short.
All in all, the film was fun, the witty humor and chemistry of Bullock and Reynolds was definitely worth my time with my wife to see this film. I am sure it will be part of our movie collection, and I wouldn’t mind.
For all those men out there who owes your wife a movie out, take the opportunity to see this one, and it will be a win, win situation.

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)