The Scorecard Review

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The Wrestler

Directed by: Darren Aronofsky
Cast: Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood
Running Time: 1 hr 45 mins
Rating: R

Plot: Randy “The Ram” Robinson (Mickey Rourke) morphs into a fractured, middle-aged version of the world famous professional wrestler he was in the 80s. Desperately seeking to reinvigorate the high of his heyday, “The Ram” fumbles through a series of eye-opening experiences that may lead him off the beaten (literally) path for good.

Who’s It For? This is from the director of both Pi, and Requiem for a Dream, and let me be the first to say this film may not fit into a category anywhere similar to these brilliant predecessors. This is a fresh perspective on how being washed up doesn’t necessarily mean you’re completely hung out to dry.

Expectations: Rourke (a former boxer) ... Continue Reading

The Reader

Directed by: Stephen Daldry
Cast: Kate Winslet, Ralph Fiennes, David Kross, Hannah Herzsprung
Running Time: 2 hrs, 2 mins
Rating: R

Plot: The story of a young man’s affair with a retired SS Guard, and how time and consequence can tear apart pair of unlikely lovers.

Who’s It For?: For people who can get past the inaccuracy with which modern filmmakers egocentrically depict foreign countries. Didn’t Germans speak, you know, German in the 1950s? Just wondering.

Expectations: There has been a lot of Oscar talk regarding Kate Winslet’s performance in this film. Though she’s great, it’s in a very traditional sense. This is her period piece tragedy. All great actresses are granted the opportunity to star in one of these and it usually earns them at least one nomination. This is all well and good ... Continue Reading

Darren Aronofsky reminds me of Egon from The Ghostbusters. This is not a slight. He’s an engaging man whose lack of pretension is as much of a relief as it is an underrated character trait—especially for a critically acclaimed director of his stature.

Throughout our roundtable interview the Brooklyn native poked fun at us for never seeing Angel Heart [Mickey Rourke’s supposed 1980s masterpiece], apologized for a nagging sneeze-attack, and sized up our knowledge of the Hip Hop culture his hometown is famous for.

For a guy who has just made what’s certain to be an Oscar-contending Indie-juggernaut, Aronofsky didn’t seem like an elitist having made Requiem for a Dream, π, or The Fountain. In reality, he seemed to have much in common with the character Harold Ramis craftily displayed on ... Continue Reading

Yes Man

Directed by: Peyton Reed
Cast: Jim Carrey, Zooey Deschanel, Bradley Cooper, Rhys Darby
Running Time: 1 hr, 44 minutes
Rating: PG-13

Plot: Carl Allen is a pensive, heartbroken nobody who avoids all contact with the outside world. Though his friends insist he burst out from a cocoon of stymieing depression, Allen doesn’t see the worth of “getting back out there.” When a free spirited friend from his past arrives, he introduces Carl to a world in which all questions are answered with “yes.”

Who’s It For?: Fans of an emerging genre of comedy that attempts to transcend all facets of human emotion. When Judd Apatow ushered in “raunchy, thinking man’s humor,” it was just the beginning. Now, each time a new director sets out to create something funny, he also tries to get his ... Continue Reading

Nobel Son

Directed by: Randall Miller
Cast: Alan Rickman, Bryan Greenberg, Shawn Hatosy, Mary Steenburgen
Running Time: 1 hr 42 minutes
Rating: R

Plot: When Barkley Michaelson’s father is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, it begins a series of events that turns his directionless life around. An oft-troubled kid who has been pursuing his PhD in the study of cannibalism, Barkley get tangled up in an unorthodox love-triangle where nothing (and I mean nothing) is as it seems.

Who’s It For?: Fans of film-noir. Director Randall Miller undoubtedly studied at Tarantino Film School, so be prepared for a slew of quick cuts, harsh editing, and a soundtrack custom made for pretentious art students. But seriously, this is a film that tries hard to prove its level of coolness to a crowd not quite hip enough to ... Continue Reading

My Name is Bruce

Directed by: Bruce Campbell
Cast: Bruce Campbell, Ted Raimi, Grace Thorsen, Taylor Sharpe
Running Time: 1 hr 26 mins
Rating: R

Plot: When an unexplained supernatural yeti-monster wreaks havoc on a rural Oregon town, the community requires desperate measures to save themselves. When a naïve super-fan believes Bruce Campbell is the only one who can help, he kidnaps his hero to thwart the evil that has invaded his beloved community.

Who’s It For?. Bruce Campbell fans, only. If you have no knowledge of the man or his films, steer clear. This film is made along the same lines as the Evil Dead series. If you’re a fan however, get in line.

Expectations: It’s easy to be swept up in the relative hype of this film. What’s easy to forget is that none of ... Continue Reading

Four Christmases

Directed by: Seth Gordon
Cast: Vince Vaughn, Reese Witherspoon, Robert Duvall, Mary Steenburgen
Running Time: 1 hr 22 mins
Rating: PG-13

Plot: An evasive couple attempts to forgo sharing Christmas with their slew of family members, but are caught in the act (on national television). Faced with the unthinkable reality of having to withstand four Christmas gatherings, fun-loving Brad [Vince Vaughn] and Kate [Reese Witherspoon] are reminded how powerful the “holiday spirit” is.

Who’s It For? Those who haven’t grown tired of watching Vince Vaughn candidly play himself for the umpteenth time, and those who have sincerely believed Ms. Witherspoon can’t “bring the funny.”

Expectations: Relatively speaking, Seth Gordon is “merely (a) freshman,” when it comes to film making. This the sixth time he’s taken a seat in the director’s chair, and the first time ... Continue Reading

JCVD

Directed by: Mabrouk El Mechri
Cast: Jean-Claude Van Damme, François Damiens, Zinedine Soualem, Karim Belkhadra
RunningTime: 1 hr 36 mins
Rating: R
Opens: In Chicago on Nov. 14 at Piper’s Alley

Plot: A self-conscious Jean-Claude Van Damme stars in a film about a self-conscious big screen star (himself) whose life has unraveled. As if losing custody of his child, and compiling a long list of tax problems weren’t enough, when our hero ventures into a bank for a loan, he’s offered another scary addition to his list of problems.

Who’s It For? Only life-long Van Damme fans will get the laundry-list of inside jokes only diehards would find amusing. Though we’re all aware of the action-star’s existence, his twenty-plus year career has been largely ignored. He’s never had a critical hit, nor any mainstream cred outside ... Continue Reading

Synecdoche, New York

Directed by: Charlie Kaufman
Cast: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Samantha Morton, Catherine Keener, Michelle Williams
Time: 2 hrs 4 mins
Rating: R

Plot: When suburban theater director Caden Cotard’s life begins to unravel in a very unconventional way, his ambitions to create an original work arise. This is the story of a man whose self-consciousness and self-awareness are constantly playing tug of war. As a result, he attempts to stage a large-scale production of the brutality honest living provides. The lens through which we see his deteriorating world is nuanced by none other than the eccentric Charlie Kaufman.

Who’s It For? People with patience. People who allow directors to present inexplicable realities that merge with reality. If you liked Being John Malkovich, but you weren’t sure what it was about, this is probably the film for you. Kaufman has a talent to make you care about something you may not understand. Those who prefer a linear tale with a Hollywood ending should find any other two-hour excursion. ... Continue Reading

There are certain actors who carry a movie without having to bear the weight. Paul Rudd invented this situation. He’s a character actor with leading-man looks who impressively walks the fine line between the two without loosing a shred of the charisma that would make President Obama proud.

Girls love that smile. Guys love that he thinks Coldplay is “gay.” Filmgoers eagerly line up to see movies he’s featured in (well, we’ll find out with Role Models). A trained stage actor, Rudd seems to effortlessly portray a whole gamete of characters who only resemble one another only because of those trademark baby-blues.

7. As Kevin in 200 Cigarettes

Recap: As a heartbroken twenty something whose affinity for cancer-sticks rivals only his instance that without love, life is neither meaningful, nor necessary.

Reason: As he ... Continue Reading

Stefan Forbes is a courageous documentarian that says what he believes and believes what he says. In his latest effort, Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story he sheds a microscopic light over the life of the Republican Party’s last rock star, Lee Atwater.

While working on both the Reagan and Bush (the first one) campaigns, Atwater found ways to persuade an impressionable American public by using tactically fabricated realities to sway their vote. Though his methods were hardly admirable, they were powerful in the sense that the fables he concocted were not only believed by Americans, but completely accepted on a national level.

Boogie Man reveals the web of lies surrounding Atwater’s systematic stranglehold on Washington for more than a decade, right up to his shocking demise. Forbes provides us with a ... Continue Reading

Gavin O’Connor is hardly as exhausted as I anticipate. Just as I’m being walked upstairs to talk to the critically acclaimed director, I’m told this is his last interview of the day.

Not a good thing.

Despite the fear that O’Connor may be spent, I actually find him to be an engaging conversationalist, whose passion for his latest film [Pride and Glory, out tomorrow] is rivaled only by his daughter’s passion for Disney Music.

As we talk, it seems O’Connor is well prepared for the onslaught of attention he’s sure to get once Pride & Glory hits the theaters.

———–

Do you mind if I ask you some “ice breaker” questions so as not to lull you to sleep?

Not at all.

Okay, great. What’s dominating your ipod at the moment?

You now what’s dominating my iPod? ... Continue Reading

Pride & Glory

Directed by: Gavin O’Connor
Cast: Colin Farrell, Edward North, Jon Voight, Noah Emmerich
Time: 2 hrs 5 mins
Rating: R

Plot: The Tierney family has been a part of the New York Police Department for two generations and their pride is thicker than the blood that binds them. When Ray (Edward Norton) uncovers a controversial case involving the corruption of the men in blue, the bond that has tied his family together begins to unravel in more ways than one.

Who’s It For?. Fans of shoot-em-ups with a backbone. Edward Norton doesn’t take roles that he could just phone in. You may want to tune in if you don’t mind being left in the dark without having your questions overshadow the thrilling good guy v. bad guy story.

Expectations: On paper, this film has got everything: an exceptional cast, a riveting story, and a gifted filmmaker. With a line up this impressive, it’s difficult to see how it could miss as a critical success. Though there were rumors as to why it wasn’t released in March as originally planned, this is the quintessential buzz film. ... Continue Reading

Hunger
Directed by: Steven McQueen
Cast: Michael Fassbender, Liam Cunningham, Stuart Graham, Liam McMahon,
Time: 1 hr 36 mins
Rating:

Plot: An urgently told story about prisoners confined in Northern Ireland’s H-Blocks in the early 1980s. Despite having had happened a quarter century ago, these infamous tales of torture hit alarmingly close to home in the wake of recent events related to the world-wide war on terror. This story is about young men of a different era, led by Bobby Sands, who undergo a 1981 Hunger Strike in the fight for their human rights amidst an era of nearly unimaginable tyrannical rule.

Who’s It For? Anyone who is a self-proffesed history buff, but who also requires strong authenticity in the retellings. This film cuts close to the bone, and is not for adolescent-laden history classrooms ... Continue Reading

W.

Directed by: Oliver Stone

Cast: Josh Brolin, James Cromwell, Richard Dreyfuss, Elizabeth Banks

Time: 2 hrs 9 mins

Rating: PG-13

Plot: The story of President George W. Bush (Brolin). This is a touching story of how our present President came to be, and why he may still be unsure about how he actually got here.

Who’s It For? Not for everyone. In fact, about 24 percent (Bush’s approval rating at press time) of you will absolutely hate the methods Stone uses to present a faux-biopic where no amount of fiction could possibly paint a more honest portrait of the most troubled President in recent memory. Many (you know who you are) will engage in spurts of laughter not often heard in joint cinematic experiences.

Expectations: Stone likes to tackle heated issues, particularly in the political vein ... Continue Reading

What Just Happened?
Directed by: Barry Levinson
Cast: Robert De Niro, John Turturro, Bruce Willis, Stanley Tucci
Time: 1 hr 53 mins
Rating: R

Plot: Robert De Niro stars as a once prominent Hollywood producer whose life is spiraling out of control while his career similarly falls from grace. We spend two weeks with him as things go from bad to worse, to better… one too many times.

Who’s It For? Those of you with a sweet tooth for ironic Hollywood satire, made by the same people their particular film is poking fun at, will love the punches What Just Happened? lands throughout.

Expectations: While De Niro’s career has been on a much-talked-about downslide, it seems to be the perfect vehicle to resurrect his own recent shortcomings. Perhaps a film as self aware as this one can ... Continue Reading

Flash of Genius
Directed by: Marc Abraham
Cast: Greg Kinnear, Lauren Graham, Dermot Mulroney, Alan Alda
Time: 1 hr 59 mins
Rating: PG-13

Plot: A small-town Michigan inventor’s idea for an intermittent windshield wiper is promptly gobbled up by the Ford Motor Company. Perpetually downtrodden, Robert Kearns risks everything (including his family) to take the automakers to court.

Who’s It For? Fans of the based on a true story genre who appreciate a filmmaker who can authentically encapsulate an era in the past. Anyone with relative interest in the time period that separated the optimism of the 1960s, and the self-absorbed 1980s should most definitely tune in.

Expectations: Early Oscar talk circulated the industry regarding Kinnear’s performance. A long-time producer who has had a hand in everything from The Hurricane to Dawn of the Dead, Marc ... Continue Reading

Towelhead
Directed by: Marc Abraham
Cast: Summer Bishil, Maria Bello, Aaron Eckhart, Peter Macdissi
Time: 1 hr 56 mins
Rating: R

Plot: A tale a troubled Arab girl who forges through the tumultuous tweens amidst amplified adversity. Along with reaching her sexual awakening, young Jasira learns the yings and yangs of bigotry and racism without much help from her anti-role model parents.

Who’s It For? This is film based on the novel written by Alicia Erian. It’s interesting to see how successful books are morphed into feature films. Also, anyone interested in witnessing what could be the most provocative coming age story about a thirteen-year-old girl. Yes, I’ve seen Thirteen.

Expectations: Those of you expecting the rumored controversy this film with initiate should ready yourself. It’s difficult to fully assert how far this film goes with the material. Far past previously set standards for what’s expectable, especially considering the subject matter related films have dealt with. There will be a few scenes where it’s guaranteed you will be pushed to cover your eyes. ... Continue Reading

Narrative Review

Miracle at St. Anna
Directed by: Spike Lee
Cast: Derek Luke, Michael Ealy, Laz Alonso, Omar Benson Miller
Time: 2 hours and 40 mins
Rating: R

It’s nearly impossible to make a great film. Making a really good film is a different story. The main difference is great films rarely stray too far from the story being told. While they do contain series of subplots, each tangent is an essential addition to the film. They provide a nice layering that pads the story into a visual novel.

Spike Lee is an excellent cinematic storyteller. This is a fact you cannot dispute. That being said, even great storytellers don’t always make great films. Miracle at St. Anna is an ambitious rehashing of James McBride’s novel about the 92nd Infantry Division’s involvement in the Italian campaign during the closing years of World War II. Where other directors may have pointed fingers, and gotten preachy by over generalizing the large-scale segregation of America’s African American troops of the era, Lee simply tells a specified story of four soldier’s whose lives came together amidst these vexing conditions.

We begin in the present day (okay, 1983), following a mild-mannered man whose job as a post-office employee funds a relatively trouble-free life in New York City. He’s quiet, loves John Wayne-starring war films, and God. It’s when he blows a pasty, European man away in cold blood (seemingly unprovoked), the questions flood the audience as quickly as he wielded the gun: Why? Did he know that guy? Is he crazy? ... Continue Reading

Narrative Review

The Lucky Ones
Directed by: Neil Burger
Cast: Rachel McAdams, Michael Pena, Tim Robbins
Time: 1 hr 51 mins
Rating: R

Imagine a world in which free will does not exist. Sucks, doesn’t it? Now imagine that a free world does exist, but you have no access to it. For 111 grueling minutes, three lost souls find themselves amidst a slew of situational reminders that though they may not be traditionally free, it’s their choices that decide whether or not they will one day know what it feels like to decide for themselves.

Plotting a course not too dissimilar from that taken in Stop Loss, Neil Burger’s The Lucky Ones is a tale of three soldiers (McAdams, Pena, Robbins) whose luck has all but run out. Stuck fighting a war that few still believe in, they are unable to break free, and despite attaining wounds on the field of battle, are granted a mere 30 days to regroup for yet another tour of duty. Burger’s vision isn’t so much to cinematically trash-talk the war as it is to satirize the people who blindly judge those who fight it. It’s an interesting angle that he pulls off in subtle visual comedic moments, and once involving a cameo from John Heard that’s too deliciously funny a scene to spoil with explanation.

This is a story about three different people in very similar predicaments. Tim Robbins nails his role as Cheever, a middle-aged veteran whose patience with the longevity of military life has reached the end of the road, only to realize life as a civilian can toss you just as many curves. By dumbing down her innate wit and masking the grace that stole hearts in both The Notebook and Wedding Crashers, Rachel McAdams plays Colee, a wounded soldier whose simpleton naivety is sincerely depicted to a T of unfailing diligence, and heartbreaking innocence. The real story in this film is Pena. ... Continue Reading

We start the Top 7. You finish the Top 10.

Sam Rockwell is an enigmatic Hollywood leading man. Why? Well, it’s difficult to assert that he’s actually reached that esteemed level. Despite attaining an admirable resume throughout his eclectic career, his versatility as an actor has been overshadowed by our inability to efficiently classify what it is he brings to the big screen that makes him so good.

With the looming premiere of Choke the 39-year-old may be on the verge of the break through many of his fans have been waiting for. Though their collective patience may be wearing thin, there are a slew of roles in which Rockwell has shown his promise of one of Hollywood’s most versatile actors. While he may have yet to find the niche most actors ... Continue Reading

Neil Burger is calm. As he stretches himself across a couch likely more expensive than anything I will ever own, his demeanor forces me to relax. I like him immediately. After slinging a slew of random inquisitions at him, it’s easy to read he’s willing to talk about more than whether or not his latest film The Lucky Ones should be looked at just another cinematic depiction of a country at war.

“You know our movie’s not a ‘war’ movie. It’s really about American now. It’s a road-trip movie.”

Though he’s not protectively assertive in his insistence that his film is largely an observational piece about America, it’s easy to see he says what he means.

Burger continues, “I think the movie is like a snapshot of the country. In a way, it’s… ... Continue Reading

Narrative Review

Burn After Reading
Directed by: Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
Cast: George Clooney, Frances McDormand, Brad Pitt, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton
Time: 1 hr 35 mins
Rating: R

Earlier this year the Coen Brothers brought home some notable hardware for their peculiarly blunt No Country for Old Men. By bringing the same fresh sense of perspective, and uncanny attention to cinematic detail, the siblings adequately rivaled anything they had completed before by taking another step forward. In an effort to, perhaps quiet the storm of Oscar, they’ve brought us a film that reminds us how dark their version of comedy can be.

The only trouble was, they may have had too much to work with. In the end, it’s more of a mess than a masterpiece.

When you employ a cast of legendary Hollywood ringers, it’s ... Continue Reading

Traitor
Directed by: Jeffrey Nachmanoff
Cast: Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Said Taghmaoui, Neal McDonough
Time: 1 hr 54 mins
Rating: PG-13

Plot: When a special operative (Cheadle) goes into deep cover constructing horrendously deadly bombs for a terrorist group, he unwillingly becomes a public enemy to the C.I.A.

Who’s It For? Not for the faint of heart, or anyone who only follows world affairs casually. It’s a more relevant version of the Jason Bourne story, hitting far closer to home than any James Bond spin off ever has.

Expectations: A stellar cast isn’t always the perfect formula for cinematic success. After sterling performances in thinking-man films (Hotel Rwanda), and touching humanized features (Reign Over Me), the question is whether or not Cheadle can pull off both at once.

SCORECARD (1-10)

Actors:
Don Cheadle as Samir Horn: Reinstates ... Continue Reading

We are a generation of list-makers. It’s an obsession even Calvin Klein would have a difficult time masking the pungency of. The truth is we all believe our lists have more credibility than others. While there is no objective way to match the weight of our opinions versus those of others with more literary prominence, one thing is for certain: After the July 18 premiere of The Dark Knight, Heath Ledger will have inevitably (based on early critical acclaim) cemented his perch atop the list of the greatest cinematic super villains of all time. Despite this imminent reality, it would be fair to first tip our cap to those who line up right behind the late Australian actor.

Though many A-listers have had their respectable catalogues all but erase any obvious ... Continue Reading