The Soloist

Movie name: The Soloist
Year of release: 2008
Director: Joe Wright
Stars: Jamie Foxx, Robert Downey Jr., Catherine Keener, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Todd Hollander, Stephen Root, Justin Martin, Rachael Harris, Rob Nagle
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis:
Following the success of "Atonement", Joe Wright returns with another prestige film, based on the book by Steve Lopez. "The Soloist" follows the story of two men, both damaged by life, both trying to resume their paths in some way. The film starts by introducing us to Steve Lopez, a divorced journalist, trying to find a good story to report (his newspaper is cutting away on its' staff). When he accidentally meets Nathaniel Ayers, a homeless man with a strange aptitude for music, he begins researching his life and how someone that talented ended up on the streets of LA. His findings and his attempts to improve Nathaniel's life end up changing not only Nathaniel but himself. The film has a very interesting assumption, but ends up falling under the fallacy that people who have mental illnesses are somehow more sensitive and in tune with the beauty of life, than everyone else (who are too busy with mundane things). What saves the film from drowning in it's sappiness are the performances of Jamie Foxx, Robert Downey Jr and Catherine Keener. They all create believable people, not stereotypes. Downey Jr. and Catherine Keener in particular create people who have their flaws, but who are trying to go on with their lives retaining some sense of artistic integrity and also make a difference in the world. This is a film that though with it's shortcomings has great production values, in particular the beautiful photography of Seamus McGarvey. Worth checking out.

Observe and Report

Movie name: Observe and Report
Year of release: 2009
Director: Jody Hill
Stars: Seth Rogen, Anna Faris, Michael Pena, Ray Liotta, Celia Weston, Patton Oswald, Dan Bakkedahl, Collete Wolfe, Alston Brown, Danny McBride
Genre: Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5

Synopsis:
Jody Hill is one of the cases where his first independent and small budgeted film got seen by the right people and placed him on the right track. "The Foot Fist Way" was a small film that showcased the talents of Danny McBride, who has since then graced films as diverse as "The Heartbreak Kid" (directed by Peter and Bobby Farrelly) and "Tropic of Thunder" (directed by Ben Stiller), but it caught the attention of Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, allowing Jody Hill to move to bigger adventures. His second film, "Observe and Report" stars Judd Apatow's regular collaborator Seth Rogen and the fantastic Anna Faris. The film follows a young security guard, Ronnie Barnhardt, who is desperately trying to get the attention of Brandi, a clerk on the makeup counter. Ronnie sees himself as the last stand for all that is decent and straight in law and order - the mall is his domain. When a flasher appears and starts disrupting the mall, Ronnie sees this as an opportunity to get closer to Brandi. The appearance of a relaxed police officer starts a rivalry path for Ronnie, in order to get Brandi's affections. "Observe and Report" has a tone that oscillates between the hilarious (usually when Brandi shows up) and the painful awkward (the attempts of Ronnie to be a police officer). Seth Rogen makes Ronnie a naive and eternally deluded young man, eager to make himself noticed and seen. His mom, the hilarious Celia Weston, is eternally drunk and blames him for his father leaving. The funniest moments of the film belong to Anna Faris, who makes Brandi a white trashy slut, who loves partying and drinking vodka shots. The film has it's dark moments, but somehow they never really get developed enough to resonate. As it is, this is a comedy with some bite, but that feels unbalanced and with the need of a different perspective to really push the buttons.

Monsters vs Aliens

Movie name: Monsters vs Aliens
Year of release: 2009
Director: Rob Letterman, Conrad Vernon
Stars: Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogen, Hugh Laurie, Will Arnett, Kiefer Sutherland, Rainn Wilson, Stephen Colbert, Paul Rudd, Renee Zellweger, Jeffrey Tambor
Genre: Comedy, Animation, Action, Sci-Fi
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis:
The new animated Dreamworks picture comes in the heels of the hugely successful "Kung Fu Panda", which was released in 2008. And this year, again as last, Pixar will release their yearly film/event, this year that task falling upon "Up". "Monsters vs. Aliens" follows the life of a young woman, about to be married, who is transformed into a giant when a meteor collides with Earth. She is captured by the government and placed in a special unit, alongside other "monsters". When an alien threat appears on the horizon, the government sends this group to thwart their plans. The group eventually finds the true meaning of friendship and of belonging, no matter how different you really are. As is tradition in the Dreamworks Animation releases, the animation is fantastic and the level of detail and eye candy quite impressive. Where Dreamworks falters, when compared to Pixar, is in the narrative behind their visuals. Monsters vs Aliens brings humor (as usual), and again some pop culture references that children may miss, but is nonetheless a good effort to join the impressive library of titles that the studio already has created.

Gomorra

Movie name: Gomorra
Year of release: 2008
Director: Matteo Garrone
Stars: Salvatore Abruzzese, Simone Sacchettino, Salvatore Ruocco, Vincenzo Fabricino
Genre: Drama, Crime
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7

Synopsis:
"Gomorra" was Italy's official Foreign film oscar entry for the 2008 Oscar competition. It's a film that brings forth the story of the crime tentacles that are spreading around that country and throughout Europe (and the world in general). There has been a tradition in detailing the Mafia and Organized Crime stories that have always existed in Italy, something that RAI explored in the 80s with the very successful TV Show "La Piovra". However Matteo Garrone goes in a different path in his approach. He focuses on a particular microcosms of life, people that are connected to directly or are somehow involved with the way organized crime is processed. His film has a documentary look and feel, very close to the lives of people that deal with these realities every day. There is nothing glamorous in this reality, no instant gratification, and the painful deaths are very real. This is a film that haunts you for what it displays and that gives you shudders for the little hope that presents in the future.

I Love You, Man

Movie name: I Love You, Man
Year of release: 2008
Director: John Hamburg
Stars: Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, JK Simmons, Jane Curtin, Jaime Pressly, Jon Favreau, Sarah Burns, Thomas Lennon, Rob Huebel
Genre: Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5

Synopsis:
"I Love You, Man" follows the story of Peter Klaven, a young real estate broker, who is an all around nice guy, who proposes to his girlfriend Zooey and who has no real male friends. When Zooey and her girlfriends make some comments on how Peter does not have male friends, he decides to get help from his mom and gay brother who set him up on a couple of man-dates. These dates end up all without much success, but on one of his open houses, Peter meets Sydney, a young slacker who's out to meet some divorcees, and whose honesty and directness makes Peter immediately feel at ease. With the encouragement of Zooey, Peter starts going out more with Sydney in the hopes of having a best man for his wedding. The premise of this film is one that is rich with misshaps, and for some scenes the film succeeds in being funny, but most of the times it barely resonates. The choice of Paul Rudd and Jason Segel is spot on, since they both have come to tipify the characters they play: Rudd as the good guy who needs to get loose and Segel as the eternal slacker who needs to mature. However, unlike Judd Apatow's comedies that have a heart and a brain, this one has the willingness to debate things you don't see in romantic comedies, but it also has a lot of the Farrely Brothers school of comedy (the more "physical" part). It's a comedy that hits some spots, but one that in the end, doesn't register much.

Duplicity

Movie name: Duplicity
Year of release: 2009
Director: Tony Gilroy
Stars: Julia Roberts, Clive Owen, Paul Giamatti, Tom Wilkinson, Denis O'Hare, Kathleen Schalfant, Thomas McCarthy, Wayne Duvall
Genre: Crime, Thriller, Romance
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis:
After the success that was his first film "Michael Clayton", acclaimed screenwriter Tony Gilroy is back, on a lighter tone, with this story of industrial espionage/romantic comedy, that uses the palpable chemistry between it's two main leads. The film introduces us to a couple, Claire Stenwick and Ray Koval, both former secret agents, who decide to go to the private sector and get some quick money that will allow them both to retire and lead comfortable lives. They focus on two great corporate rivals, and try to find a way to make a profit out of a fantastic discovery that one of them has had. However between backstabbers and surprise twists, who is deceiving whom? The film is in many ways an ode to the classic hollywood style, much like Stanley Donen's "Charade" or even Alfred Hitchcock's "North by Northwest", with Julia Roberts and Clive Owen filling in for Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint. The story itself moves us back and forth, explaining how Claire and Ray came up with the plan and how everything comes to fruition. However one of the films main issues is it's rythm - the film feels stalled at certain sections. Some characters are very underdeveloped, particularly the severely underused Tom Wilkinson. The film belongs through and through to Julia Roberts and Clive Owen, who had played a couple in Mike Nichols' "Closer", but who are in much lighter mood here. They have such an easiness and cool rapport that they make this film worth watching.

Design By Humans

I finished another TShirt, and it's up for votes on DesignByHumans. Please vote for it by clicking here.

Watchmen

Movie name: Watchmen
Year of release: 2009
Director: Zack Snyder
Stars: Jackie Earle Haley, Billy Crudup, Patrick Wilson, Carla Gugino, Matthew Goode, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Malin Akerman, Matt Frewer, Stephen McHattie, Laura Mennell, Rob LaBelle
Genre: Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis:
Zack Snyder's third film is another adaptation of a graphic novel, following his hugely successful "300" (an adaptation of Frank Miller's graphic novel). "Watchmen" has been a project that went through different hands, from Terry Gilliam to Paul Greengrass, and following the success of Zack Snyder's first two films ("Dawn of the Dead" was the first), he was chosen to bring the project to life. Alan Moore responsible for writing the graphic novel (he also wrote V for Vendetta, From Hell and League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) has long distanced himself from the film adaptations of his work, and this was no exception. The film starts by introducing us to the death of a character called the Comedian. We find out he was part of a group of masked superheroes named Watchmen. The year is 1985 and the heroes have long been in retirement, since the 70s, when they helped the US and president Richard Nixon win the Vietnam War. The world is at the brink of nuclear war and the only one who can stop it, is one of the heroes called Dr. Manhattan, a blue superbeing who was transformed after an experiment gone wrong. The film follows the lives of these super heroes, flawed human beings with their own hopes and fears, all anchored in the dark character that is Roscharch, the one desperately trying to find the culprit behind the death of their former colleague. This faithful adaptation of the comic book, oscillates between being fantastically enthralling and visually stunning and at points borderline cheesy and ill conceived. The film hits the high marks visually, with the attention to detail and the production design and the photography of Larry Fong, that makes everything look eternally gloom, but on the other hand, it has pacing problems, sometimes over explaining things or presenting a very dubious ideology. The acting is also mixed, with high points being given to Jackie Earle Haley (who gives the best performance) and Billy Crudup, with low points being given to the wooden Malin Akerman and Matthew Goode. To sum it up, it's an entertaining, yet uneven film. Notheless worth checking out.

Design By Humans

I have a TShirt up for votes on DesignByHumans. Please vote for it by clicking here.

Creative Crossing

Sven Quandt who is responsible for the fantastic portal QNT has just released another great site that aims to showcase artistic work, on different areas. Check the portal and submit your work! You can check Creative Crossing here and QNT here.

Oscars

The Oscars just took place and this year "Slumdog Millionaire" took over everything. The film swept most of the categories and finally brought acclaim to Danny Boyle (who directed such films as "Shallow Grave", "Trainspotting", "A Life Less Ordinary", "28 Days Later" and "Sunshine"). Another deserving wins were addressed to Sean Penn and the great film that was "Milk" and of course Kate Winslet and her stupendous performance in "The Reader". The ceremony was a lot more dynamic than usual and Hugh Jackman was a great host. For a complete list of the winners click here.

Independent Spirit Awards

The Independent Spirit Awards were given on February 21st and the big winner of the night was the fantastic "The Wrestler". Darren Aronofsky's film won three awards. Also on the winner's list was "Vicky Christina Barcelona" with two wins, one for Woody Allen and another for Penelope Cruz. Check the list of winners here.

Revolutionary Road

Movie name: Revolutionary Road
Year of release: 2008
Director: Sam Mendes
Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Michael Shannon, David Harbour, Kathryn Hahn, Kathy Bates, Dylan Baker, Zoe Kazan, Max Casella, Jay O. Sanders
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis:
"Revolutionary Road" is the adaptation of a novel from author Richard Yates. It's also Sam Mendes' 4th film, following "American Beauty", "Road to Perdition" and "Jarhead". If his career thus far has been greeted with mixed reviews (from the universal acclaim of his first film, to the mediocre reviews that "Jarhead" achieved), one thing is certain: his films always have the prestige element associated with them. "Revolutionary Road" follows the life of a young couple, Frank and April Wheeler in America, circa 1950s. Frank and April are at a point in their lives where they feel they have compromised their dreams for a reality that is nothing like what they wanted or envisioned. April in particular feels suffocated and envisions a plan for them to escape: move to Europe and start over. Frank embarks on her ideas, but a surprising boost in his career makes their plans go awry with tragic consequences. The film is a dissection of a marriage and of how two people eventually sabotage each other because of their own fears and insecurities. The fact that the film takes place in the 50s, showcases the deconstruction of the perfect superficial look that families had (a bit like Todd Haynes did with "Far From Heaven"). It's nothing exactly new, but what ends up saving the film are the fantastic actors, particularly Michael Shannon who plays John Givings, a man undergoing shock treatments and says what he means as if there's no tomorrow. Kate Winslet does a great job with her character, but this year her performance to remember is in "The Reader". Leonardo DiCaprio continues to focus his intensity, but this time it feels a bit too forced. The film is impeccably photographed, courtesy of Roger Deakins and the score by Thomas Newman is melancholic and touching. Worth watching.

Push

Movie name: Push
Year of release: 2009
Director: Paul McGuigan
Stars: Chris Evans, Dakota Fanning, Camilla Belle, Djimon Hounsou, Cliff Curtis, Ming-Na, Nate Mooney, Neil Jackson
Genre: Sci-fi, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4

Synopsis:
"Push" is the new film from Paul McGuigan, following his previous effort "Lucky Number Slevin". The film follows Nick, a young man with unusual abilities who is contacted by young Cassie, in need of help to save her mother. Cassie herself is possessed of special abilities and as the film progresses, we notice that there are plenty of young men and women, all of whom possess these special powers. They are all after a case with a special formula, that was stolen by a young woman named Kira (herself with special powers). The film ends up being a cat and mouse chase where the ultimate goal is to get the case and save Cassie's mother (and themselves). The film drinks directly from the mythology that "X-Men" have created, but where those characters had some depth, here all of the characters are paper thin, and their entire purpose is to support the exhibition of their powers. The film mixes the noirish concept with the superhero theme, and the hybrid ends up falling short. The screenplay is certainly missing the originality that this film needed to gather some more attention. The acting doesn't really help much - Dakota Fanning ends up being the most memorable actor, while everyone else sleepwalks throughout the entire run of the film. A missed opportunity.

Gonçalo Salgueiro - Updates and New Look

The site of Gonçalo Salgueiro has just been updated with new visuals! Be sure to check it here.