Archive for the 'Movie Reviews' Category
October 21st, 2011 by Aaron Neuwirth
It is not rare to see a new independently made thriller every so often, but it certainly is satisfying to see one that is well acted, rich with intrigue, and full of disturbingly quiet tension. The tongue twistery-titled film Martha Marcy May Marlene is one that unfolds skillfully, telling a story set within two timelines that involves a young girl’s plight while under the control of a cult and her struggle to assimilate back into normal life after escaping it. The overall narrative does not supply any more information than it has to and plays out like a slow burn, but there is a strong level tension that boils under the surface and a number of uncomfortable scenes that work very well with the story that is presented. Along with the breakout work from the lead actress, the rest of the effort to put together Martha Marcy May Marlene was strong enough to have the film creep its way into being one of my favorites of the year. Continue reading ‘‘Martha Marcy May Marlene’ Is Quietly Chilling’
October 20th, 2011 by Brian White
Like it or hate it, its Halloween season and you know what that means. No! It’s not another Saw movie. I think we all kind of had enough of those after the last stinker. Instead, it’s the new Saw-like franchise of the 10’s that took the world by storm in 2009, Paranormal Activity. That’s right ladies and gentleman. Paranormal Activity, aptly titled Paranormal Activity 3, is back with a vengeance, but this time around the third outing serves as a prequel, set some 18 years prior to the events of the first two connected films. The low budget, supernatural horror film hits theaters this Friday, October 21st, but you can read all about my first impressions below before heading out in this never-ending rainy weather, depending upon where you live of course. In hindsight, I suppose the dreary weather most of us are experiencing serves a purpose as a most righteous backdrop for horror films and Halloween. ‘Tis the season! Continue reading ‘‘Tis The Season: ‘Paranormal Activity 3’ (Movie Review)’
October 17th, 2011 by Gerard Iribe
Who’s in the mood for some controversy, violence, brutality, gore, and a few other things? Getting The Woman screener in the mail was a pretty hysterical experience, because it actually came with a doggie bag just in case I wanted to have a vomit. C’mon, after watching Martyrs and A Serbian Film back-to-back was The Woman really going to make me throw up? Well, keep on reading to see if the doggie bag was utilized. Why So Blu? is proud to present: The Woman. Continue reading ‘The Woman (Movie Review)’
October 15th, 2011 by Aaron Neuwirth
A pointless retread, cleverly disguised as a prequel to John Carpenter’s 1982 horror classic. Sure it is set before the events of the previous ‘Thing’, but this film so wishes to be just like its predecessor, it’s just too bad no one wanted to concentrate on a decent script or finding what it takes to recreate the sense of dread and paranoia that made that film so rewarding. I could try to be less harsh with this movie, but what is the point? I did not enjoy it, found many problems throughout, and have very little praise to give to it. I guess I’ll keep going, but the gist of this thing is that anyone unfamiliar with the previous version of The Thing should go seek that film out right away and avoid this film. Continue reading ‘‘The Thing’ From Another Decade…Was Much Better’
October 15th, 2011 by Aaron Neuwirth
So earlier in the week, before seeing the new update of Footloose, I watched the original 1984 Footloose, starring Kevin Bacon, for the very first time. Upon doing this, I found out something that I was not aware of – Footloose is a legitimately good movie and I was never aware of this fact. It rests on the silly logic of having a town under oppression when it comes to the subject of dancing, but the movie is quite enjoyable. With this remake, I can’t say I was excited for it, especially given my newfound appreciation for the original, but I was curious, as I learned it was under the direction of Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow, Black Snake Moan), who has a good handle on films with a country setting. Fortunately, while it goes the carbon copy route, I found this modernized update of Footloose to be quite enjoyable as well. Continue reading ‘Beat For Beat, It’s The Old ‘Footloose’, But In New Boots’
October 12th, 2011 by Mary Welms
Let’s face it; every movie idea has been done. So what does that leave? Remakes….and prequels. Case in point: The Thing (Strike Entertainment). While it leads one to believe it’s a remake, it in actuality is a prequel to the John Carpenter film of the same name. We all know that John Carpenter’s The Thing is utter perfection, so how would the new “prequel” compare to Carpenter’s film? Be careful who you trust, because not everyone is who they appear to be… Continue reading ‘The Thing (Movie Review)’
October 9th, 2011 by Aaron Neuwirth
In reviewing a film that would be described as a political thriller, the question of how that person leans versus how the film is deciding to lean can easily come up. This is the same as associating any personal view towards a film, come time for its evaluation. Being subjective while holding back personal views can easily be tricky business to contend with. It also feels non-bothersome to me, as I am fairly apolitical and was really just interested in seeing what this fantastic cast could do in this film. Headlined by Ryan Gosling and starring George Clooney both in front of and behind the camera, among others, The Ides of March is a solidly entertaining film that may not have the punchiest dialogue or sharpest take on modern politics, but is very well acted and assuredly made. Continue reading ‘Don’t Beware, But Instead Welcome “The Ides Of March”’
October 8th, 2011 by Aaron Neuwirth
As if one giant freaking robots movie was not enough for one year, we now have a new one that involves the seedy underbelly that is robot boxing. Well not quite, Real Steel is a fairly standard sports action/drama, which happens to be set a small amount of time in the future where robots have replaced humans in the world of boxing. However, despite the Rock ’Em Sock ‘Em concept of this film, the central plot of this story revolves around a father and his estranged son learning to come to terms with each other, bonding over the accomplishments of a robot boxer they turn from an underdog into the people’s champ. Despite its adherence to clichés and many other issues that I had with the film, there was enough heart, likability, and sweet robot fighting action to have kept me involved with what was going on. Continue reading ‘“Real Steel” Is Built From Likable Spare Parts’
October 7th, 2011 by Gerard Iribe
Hello boils and ghouls, it’s time for our movie review for a film that you may not have heard of until recently…and by recently I mean this last weekend. It had the #39 rank in terms of box office receipts and an awesome $7,826 per theater average. Did I mention it only opened on 11 screens? Yep, that’s pretty damn impressive by Hollywood or non-Hollywood standards, and this weekend is almost getting started! Oh, but you want to know how the movie is, right? Follow me. Continue reading ‘Filth To Ashes Flesh To Dust (Movie Review)’
October 5th, 2011 by Brian White
I wanted Rocky with robots, and I got it and so much more! Do I need to say anymore? Well, adhering to my own review structure on the website kind of dictates that I do. Boo! So let’s talk some more about a film I heard about so long ago, but never bothered to research or learn what the subject matter was until I saw my first trailer this past summer. All it took was one viewing of the trailer and I knew, I had to see this one. The subject matter instantly struck an emotional accord with me, and believe me…I long for and want to feel something in the dark world I live in. Continue reading ‘REAL STEEL Has REAL HEART’
October 1st, 2011 by Aaron Neuwirth
Cancer Comedy! See, when you scream that at someone, besides the natural awkward chuckle some may have, selling this idea may not be the obvious path to success. There is a tendency to make a film covering this sort of topic feel too sentimental or overly expressive in how it wants to make you feel. Basically, there is a tricky balance to maintain, if one wants the audience to be able to laugh with the lead characters involved in a story about someone getting cancer and dealing with it. 50/50 does manage to maintain that balance. It is a heartfelt comedy/drama that manages to wisely balance its jokes with sincerity and not come off as something too maudlin. Continue reading ‘“50/50” Tips The Odds In Your Favor’
September 24th, 2011 by Aaron Neuwirth
It is sometimes fun to write about the various adventures of Jason Statham, but other times it can present a challenge. Being perhaps the only pure modern action star of today, when Jason Statham makes a fun action movie, it is worth getting excited about and easy to go into detail about his latest wild and crazy adventures (see Crank, The Transporter). On the other side of things, when Statham makes a fairly generic action film, it becomes a bit tedious to try and find what separates it from the others (see The Mechanic, War). There is that third option as well (see Snatch, Lock Stock, or The Bank Job), which involves Statham embracing a different side to his natural cool factor that is not nearly embraced enough. Unfortunately, as much as I could have hoped for either option 1 or 3, Killer Elite falls into the generic category, which is only slightly aided by the presence of two well qualified co-stars. Continue reading ‘Standard Statham Romp Gets Star Aid In ‘Killer Elite’’
September 24th, 2011 by Aaron Neuwirth
In general, I am not big of watching professional sports. However, if I had to name a favorite, it would be baseball. Having said that, I only knew so much about the subject matter being addressed in Moneyball, a well written sports drama, based on true events, about a man attempting to shake up an old system with the intention to create a winning baseball team that is both ambitious and cost effective. The film is effectively made and well acted, creating an atmosphere that seems to communicate the situation and the stakes quite well to audiences that could either be quite knowledgeable of Billy Bean’s history with the Oakland A’s or unaware of the various in and outs when it comes to managing a baseball team. Regardless, it is an engaging film with a solid grasp on the material presented. Continue reading ‘This ‘Moneyball’ Has Been Hit Over The Fence’
September 23rd, 2011 by Scott Wampler
When the first descriptions of Tom Six’s The Human Centipede: First Sequence started making their way through the ether, there was a lot of nervous giggling: a horror movie where the bad guy stitches a trio of unwitting hostages together, ass-to-mouth? And it’s supposedly “100% Medically Accurate”? This sounded like exploitative garbage at best, a complete waste of time (and a borderline Troma film) at worst. But then a funny thing happened: Human Centipede turned out to be pretty damn good. Great, even. Could The Human Centipede 2: Full Sequence possibly be as good? Turns out, it’s an irrelevant question, as Centipede 2 is absolutely nothing like Six’s original film…and has a completely different agenda. Read on for our full review, after the jump… Continue reading ‘The Human Centipede 2: Full Sequence (Movie Review)’
September 23rd, 2011 by Aaron Neuwirth
When I first heard the title and saw a poster for Machine Gun Preacher, I certainly got the wrong impression. In the wake of films like Machete and Hobo with a Shotgun, I was definitely caught off guard by the very “grindhouse” nature of the film’s title. Machine Gun Preacher is actually a fairly intense biopic that deals with the plight of a man who reforms his ways, after having lived a life as a drug-dealing biker thug, and becomes a crusader of sorts for Sudanese orphans. It is an interesting story that has a few problems with addressing the morality of the situation and being a bit too sentimental; however, star Gerard Butler certainly gives it his all in a commanding performance. Continue reading ‘Lock And Load With ‘Machine Gun Preacher’’
September 16th, 2011 by Aaron Neuwirth
Seeing the pieces fall together in a film all so perfectly is a beautiful thing. The right combinations can sometimes still make for chaos, but at other times work in perfect rhythms. Drive presents this very positive latter angle. Taking a standard crime-story and turning into a piece of neo-noir art makes for a great cinematic experience. This film accomplishes that. Drive is stylish, pulpy fun. The type of inventive film that makes an old plot feel very fresh; and its lead by Nicolas Winding Refn’s fantastic direction and Ryan Gosling’s quiet cool as the lead. Continue reading ‘Buckle Up And ‘Drive’’
September 15th, 2011 by Kellen Boyle
Drive, starring Ryan Gosling, based off of the book written byJames Sallis, is a movie that’s hard to throw into a genre. It’s about a Hollywood stunt driver who works part time as a mechanic and a wheelman for the criminal underworld, until a failed heist means he has to kill everyone…you know, that old chestnut. The film isn’t as advertised…..and I mean that in the best possible way. Seeing early previews of the film, I entered the theater expecting to see some sort of cross between The Transporter meets Fast and the Furious meets some romantic hub ub utilizing the sex appeal of Gosling. What I got was blood….lots of it. Continue reading ‘‘Drive’….To The Movies!’
September 15th, 2011 by Aaron Neuwirth
I do not always have a chance to do this, but I have to sort of defend a movie that I am not all that partial to. The original 1971 Straw Dogs, from director Sam Peckinpah, was a film that came out during a transitional time in Hollywood, the New Hollywood period. It was controversial at the time and to this day, presenting a number of difficult scenes to watch, while serving as an exploration of violence in different forms with ambiguous answers to some of the actions of the characters. This 2011 update has nothing to say and feels completely unnecessary. While admittedly well made in places, this is the worst kind of remake, one that does not go the route of reimagining plot elements from the original and instead follows the same path beat for beat. Continue reading ‘You Can Put These Remade ‘Straw Dogs’ To Sleep’
It is not rare to see a new independently made thriller every so often, but it certainly is satisfying to see one that is well acted, rich with intrigue, and full of disturbingly quiet tension. The tongue twistery-titled film Martha Marcy May Marlene is one that unfolds skillfully, telling a story set within two timelines that involves a young girl’s plight while under the control of a cult and her struggle to assimilate back into normal life after escaping it. The overall narrative does not supply any more information than it has to and plays out like a slow burn, but there is a strong level tension that boils under the surface and a number of uncomfortable scenes that work very well with the story that is presented. Along with the breakout work from the lead actress, the rest of the effort to put together Martha Marcy May Marlene was strong enough to have the film creep its way into being one of my favorites of the year. Continue reading ‘‘Martha Marcy May Marlene’ Is Quietly Chilling’
