“District 9” Review

Imminent domain ghettos, slums and policed states are none of the images initially conjured by the poster and commercials for the motion picture District 9. What starts off as a documentary style film, complete with interviews from city and government officials, about the ill will and hostility towards aliens who have taken residence in the skies over Johannesburg, South Africa becomes commentary on various topics spanning the prison industrial complex and the racial separation that loomed in the same nation.

Based on Neill Blomkamp’s short film Alive in Joburg, District 9 explores the hostile relationship between literal illegal aliens and human city residents. The plot portrays a rendition of anti-immigration sentiment seen in the United States in past, real-life presidential campaigns, and then builds on the ubiquitous theme of love–or the preservation thereof.

The protagonist, Wikus van der Merwe (Sharlto Copley), is introduced as a less than capable paper pusher for a military-like organization and has been adorned with the most undesired, but necessary, job facing the organization: personally serving imminent domain notices to the aliens housed in heavily policed slums. The story then spirals down a rabbit hole leading to science fiction escorted by other worldly technology coveted by the local gangs and governments of every industrialized nation.

What unfolds as a bit predictable is still executed wonderfully by obscenities and military verses civilian violence. All in all, District 9 holds true to the claim of one of the most original storylines this year and protests an inhumanity against man–or in this case, alien. This is most definitely one of the must see films of the year, a point agreed on by various critics and web sites such as RottenTomatoes.com

—Brandon Jones

“(500) Days of Summer” Review

The narrator of (500) Days of Summer wants to make it clear that the movie shouldn’t be thought of as a love story, even if boy does meet girl. Yet the indie film is, in its own way, a story about love.

The title is a pun–the movie does not reenact 500 summer days. Instead, ‘Summer’ refers to the character Summer, played by Zooey Deschanel. The film shows how Deschanel’s character’s life intertwines with Tom Hanson’s (Joseph Gordon-Leavitt). Summer and Hanson both work in a greeting card factory and develop an office romance. The movie shows various days in a 500-day romance, with each day a different scene. What’s different about this L.A-set film is that the sequence is jumbled, as if pages are being read out-of-order in a book. In fact, much of the movie is set up like a book. In the beginning of the film there is a note on the screen that makes it clear that all of the characters are not real, but fictional.

Yet, there’s a real-life aspect to the film. It likely will appeal to readers of NYLON fashion magazine. This is seen especially through Deschanel’s wardrobe in the movie, which looks like something straight out of an Urban Outfitters catalog. People who are into independent music will like the character of Tom–he believes Summer is perfect since she likes alternative bands like The Smiths and Pixies. The theme of indie music comes up in the film as well, with The Smith’s “Please, Please, Let me Get What I Want,” and Pixies’ “Here Comes Your Man,” playing at crucial points during the plot.

Stylistically, the little things make 500 Days of Summer different. From the unexpected Broadway breaks-outs, to the scene where Tom where walks up a flight of stairs to a party at Summer’s house. In the later scene, the screen splits and shows two different scenes: what Tom envisions to happen at the party, and what actually happens at the party.

Acting-wise, Gordon-Leavitt shows off his penchant for brooding and clipped dialogue, much like in the hard-boiled drama, Brick. Deschanel plays a subtle, if central role to the film, showing off her on screen carefree, doe-eyed personality. Geoffrey Arend’s character, McKenzie, provides comic relief to the film.

Though sometimes the movie is set in an alternate universe–an L.A. without crime, minorities or smog, the romantic comedy perfectly captures the relationship between two young indie-music fans. In fact, from the IKEA date to museum dates to record store dates and from Deschanel’s dresses to Gordon-Leavitt’s sweater vests, it’s an ideal film for people who like the independent-music culture.

Rating: PG-13
Grade: A

–Evan Tokarz

“Public Enemies” Review

Before seeing Public Enemies, it seemed like a mix between American Gangster and Catch Me If You Can ― but I was pleasantly surprised to see a new type of movie. This film was based around the life of John Dillinger (Johnny Depp), an infamous bank robber and the most wanted American public enemy.

Well-liked by the public because he was polite and respectful even when robbing banks, Dillinger and his friends seemed able to hide anywhere and do anything, until a special police unit was created ― its main purpose to find and catch Dillinger. The task force was led by Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale), the most successful field agent at the time. Unknown to Dillinger, the task force was slowly finding their way toward him while he continued to rob banks. The only challenge Purvis must overcome to find Dillinger is getting more competent police on his team.

Dillinger even had time to fall in love with a woman, Billie Frechette, played by Marion Cotillard. As his friends are killed and connections lost, Dillinger does whatever he can to hold on to what he has left and try to make it out alive.

Depp played a different role than in most of his other movies, and he played it well. The actors’ great performances and different looks than in other movies gave them each a new character completely. The unusual cinematography included varying sound levels, first-person views, unique angles, unsteady cameras and close-up shots. Mixing these with what seemed to be old footage made the different scenes enjoyable. However, it would have been better with more subtle transitions between different effects and sound levels.

Sometimes, the fighting and shooting scenes were too over-the-top and made the movie seem like part of a video game. Overall, however, the differences between Public Enemies and most other movies made it worth watching.

Rating: R
Grade: B+

― Daniel Risner

“Away We Go” Review

Away We Go tells the story of Burt Farlander (John Krasinski) and Verona De Tessant (Maya Rudolph). Quintessential slackers, the thirty-somethings have no visible direction to their lives. Verona said aloud in their ramshackle house, “Are we screw-ups?”

In the crass opening scene, Burt realizes Verona is pregnant. Though more traditionally than expected given their attitudes, the rootless lovers want to be near Burt’s family when the baby arrives. Burt’s parents, played expertly by Catherine O’ Hara and Jeff Daniels, announce that they can’t stay in Colorado — that they are finally making good on an old plan to move to Belgium. Daniels and O’Hara have a clear chemistry, and seeing more of them in the movie would have made it far more interesting.

With no remaining ties to Colorado, Verona sees the possibilities of a new home. “Think of the possibilities. We can live anywhere,” she said.

Burt, an outdoors type, readily agrees. The two want to find meaning and direction in their lives, and, equally important, a home for their child. So begins a trail of vignettes.

In Phoenix, Verona meets an old friend, a daytime drinker (Allison Janney) who insults everyone in earshot, even her children. Her husband, played flawlessly by Jim Gaffigan, provides an excellent dopey foil to Burt and Verona’s restrained politeness.

The trip to Madison leads them to a friend of Burt’s, a senseless New Age college professor. The professor, played by Maggie Gyllenhaal, abhors strollers, bras and proper parenting. The facial expressions Krasinski makes when he is uncomfortable during this part of the movie are very similar to the expressions he uses on the show The Office.

Krasinski plays Burt with oafish charm. He tells Verona at one point in the film that “He wants to be the kind of dad that cobbles things for his son.” Sighing, Verona quickly comments that he probably meant to say “whittle” ― an example of the way Rudolph uses restrained anger in her role as Verona.

When the couple arrives in Miami, Burt comforts his brother whose wife has left him and his child alone. Burt is terrified that the unwed Maya might one day leave their child, so, cleverly, while canoodling on a trampoline, he compels Verona to promise to a series of vows ― making sure to phrase each question to elicit a response of “I do.”

Finally, after the two see firsthand how raising children can go awry, they decide on a home. The movie ends with the couple sentimentally realizing that home is where the heart is.

Regrettably, much of this movie is as saccharine as the ending, despite the convening of great talent. For this movie, Sam Mendes, director of American Beauty and the recent Revolutionary Road, teamed up with Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida, both rising stars in the contemporary literature world. However, the cameos alone salvage the movie — from the airheaded, polysyllabic Jeff Bridges to the over-the-top earthiness of Maggie Gyllenhaal.

As for Burt and Verona: Yes, they’re screw-ups, but at least they’re learning.

Rating: R
Grade: C+

— Evan Tokarz

“State of Play” Review

Fast-paced action and a blatant thought-provoking message characterize director Kevin Macdonald’s political thriller, State of Play.

Some might find the film’s criticism of the current state of newspapers harsh, but it also acts as a plea to fix the newspaper problem, offering a suggestion for both how to fix the problem and why it is worth fixing.

Running at just over two hours, the film Stars a round-faced Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams and Helen Mirren. Crowe plays Cal McAffrey, the glorified hero, a veteran journalist who does not blog or write flashy stories to sell papers, but always gets the real story. Della Frye (McAdams) is the newbie blogger who has to learn the traditional ways of hard-news reporting. The two work together to keep the government in check and show their editor that publishing the truth is a more important goal than getting out a quick gossipy story that will make money.

It is set in Washington D.C. and shows a glimpse of the idealized and romanticized world of big-city political journalism, a message that is contrary to the current state of major newspaper organizations.

State of Play features convincing acting and an amazing cameo by Jason Bateman, also known as Arrested Development’s Michael Bluth.

The plot is based on the 2003 BBC series, which explains the English-sounding names like Della Frye and Robert Bingham. Although condensed, the film adaptation closely follows the TV series plot.

During the credits, images of newspaper printing show that when the important story is finished, it goes to newsprint rather than online.

The film is worth watching for the concept and worth liking because it is as rich in style as it is convincing.

Brad Pitt and Edward Norton were originally cast to play the leading roles, but when Pitt backed out, both had to be replaced. Crowe and Affleck filled their roles.
–Christine Labit

“Adventureland” Review

Eisenberg (left) and Stewart (right) play off each other well in Adventureland

With the release of his newest film Adventureland, Superbad director Greg Mottola continues his run of funny, agreeable mainstream comedies with a surprising amount of depth to them as well. Just like Superbad turned out to be uncommonly insightful about male friendships and their use of the three words “I love you,” there’s more to Adventureland beyond the corn dogs and crotch-punching (although those comprise some of the best parts as well).

Admittedly, this film seems more obviously personal than Superbad, with the heart of the film being a romance story. After James’ (Jesse Eisenberg) parents run into financial trouble, he is forced to cancel a post-college graduation trip to Europe, and possibly his planned move to New York. He ends up working in the Games section of the Adventureland amusement park, where he meets indie-rock girl Em (Kristen Stewart), makes her a mixtape and staggers through a summer crush.

It’s important to note that nearly all of the main characters are college-aged rather than within the high school surroundings of Superbad, with James just about to enter graduate school. Sometimes this concept stretches belief (Do all college students and alumni still live in their parents’ houses?), but it does place the characters’ circumstances in a different, slightly unhappier context.

While all the protagonists of Superbad had to lose was waiting until college to lose their “scarlet V” and possibly an unpleasant bus ride home, the stakes are higher for the cast of Adventureland. They are twenty-somethings who should have their lives reasonably together, yet the greatest constant in their existences remains a summer job at an amusement park – among their other troubles. Even the ditzy Rides girl who dances unironically to Falco’s “Rock Me Amadeus” has to work in order to pay for her father’s injury.

Ryan Reynolds plays an older mechanic for the park, but his life is no less problematic, as he resists a life of faithful domesticity with his wife. The manager couple of Adventureland (played by Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig) at least both seem to be content for the film’s entire running length. Then again, Hader’s character also has a mustache in this movie, and it is a well-known scientific fact that mustaches bring stability.

Speaking of stability, there’s the movie’s consistently great soundtrack. Among the film’s best surprises was to hear a Husker Du song, and the also excellent The Replacements play a fairly prominent role in Adventureland’s music. I always thought “Unsatisfied” in particular was begging to be put onto celluloid somewhere, and I’m glad it ended up in a reasonably good movie like this one. On top of all that, the band Yo La Tengo is responsible for the film’s score.

Finally, the acting is also strong. Jesse Eisenberg plays a far more likable character here than his The Squid and the Whale counterpart, and both Kristen Stewart and he act capably enough here to forgive some of the contrivances in the plot of their relationship. I’m grateful too that Martin Starr, who was in the great, short-lived television show Freaks and Geeks and is just a generally hilarious guy, has a fairly large supporting role in this movie. He plays Joel, James’ sarcastic, intellectual Games co-worker whose idea of a come-on is giving his object of affection a book by Russian author Gogol- and his scenes belong in the film’s highlights. The personalities of these three characters are not unlike Adventureland itself- imperfect, but also witty and affable enough to overlook any negative traits. Adventureland definitely warrants a recommendation. -Jimmy Geurts

AMC Veteran’s Hosts Best Picture Event

Tonight’s best picture award goes to? Good question.

All five of the films nominated had great storylines, special effects and great actors.

I couldn’t make up my mind which one should win best picture, so I went to the AMC Theater’s Best Picture Showcase on Saturday to see why the academy picked the five films for Best Picture.

I sat through over 13 hours of film with free re-fills on popcorn and soda to help me make it through the day.

First up was Gus Van Sant’s Milk. Sean Penn’s portrayal of gay-rights icon Harvey Milk was phenomenal. He is definitely one of the best actors of our generation.

The Reader was the second film of the day. It opened in post-WWII Germany. A 15- year-old is seduced by an illiterate Kate Winslet. She gives the boy sex in exchange for him reading the classics to her. The acting in the film was good, but it moved along very slowly. I thought Winslet performed better in Revolutionary Road and should have been nominated for that film and not The Reader.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was next. The special effects to make Brad Pitt look old and frail were absolutely amazing. The movie had a great love story that could stand the test of time and various historical events. I don’t think Brad Pitt will win for Best Actor as he performed well, but I think what made his performance was the special effects. Take that away and there’s only a passable performance left that would not have been oscar worthy.

Slumdog Millionaire was the fourth film. From the bathroom poll I took after the film was over, the consensus was that it’s this year’s dark horse for win. The journey that the main character, Jamal, goes on from the slums of India to winning 20 million rupees is astounding. If it does not take home the big one, Danny Boyle should without a doubt win for Best Director for this film; he fit the pieces of the puzzle together magically.

The last film of the day was Frost/Nixon. This film took a very long time to become appealing. The best part of the film was in the end when the interview between Frost and Nixon takes place. Frank Langella’s Richard Nixon was wonderful, however I don’t think it was enough to trump Penn’s performance for Best Actor.

So what will win best picture? Probably Slumdog, but don’t be surprised if Milk’s stellar performances shine through enough to take it’s place.
– Libby Hopkins

Notorious a B.I.G. success

The end of the Notorious B.I.G.’s story is already widely known — a young rapper is gunned down at the age of 24 in Los Angeles — less than a year after the death of another rapper Tupac Shakur with whom the entire East Coast/West Coast rap wars are reputed to be about.

Notorious begins with B.I.G.’s death so that it can tackle his life. The storyline quickly goes to Brooklyn in the 80s. Biggie, then known as Christopher Wallace, is a chubby scholar raised in a single-parent home. Fast forward ten years, and Wallace is chasing his own version of the American Dream. He trades good grades for life as a drug dealer and teenage father. His rap skills are hinted at, but are not a major part of his character, yet.

Eventually, his short-lived career as a drug dealer lands him in prison. It is this time spent behind bars where he develops his skills as a rapper. Upon his release he records a demo that lands into the hands of Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs and he is offered a record deal. His budding rap career is jeopardized when a drug deal to an undercover police officer lands him–and childhood friend and fellow drug dealer– D-Roc in jail. D-Roc takes the wrap in order for B.I.G. to pursue his dreams.

From this sacrifice the Bad Boy Empire of the mid-90s was born. It is here where the notorious parts of B.I.G.’s life are explored: the friendship with Tupac that evolved into the media generated east coast/ west coast feud, the love triangle between Big, Lil Kim and his wife Faith Evans, and his painful journey from a boy to man.

The actors’ portrayals of complex characters are what make the film feel so authentic. Jamal “Gravy” Woolard became Biggie. He reportedly gained 60 pounds and took voice lessons at Julliard to achieve Biggie’s asthma-tinged speech. Faith Evans—played by Antonique Smith—is a dead ringer for Faith -Evans. And Derek Luke nails Puff Daddy’s over-the-top swagger and dance moves.

Notorious succeeds in that it does not focus on the fascination with his untimely death, but rather the people and experiences that shaped a too short life. This story successfully adds the beginning and middle to story in which we already know the end. – Raena Boston

Runtime: 100 minutes
Rating: R
Grade: A

Australia Review

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman and Brandon Walters

When an English aristocrat named Lady Sarah Ashley (Nicole Kidman) journeys to the foreign continent of Australia, she finds her husband whom she was traveling to meet, has been murdered. Alone and confused about what her husband was trying to accomplish down under, she learns that the land her husband has just purchased is in high demand.

The neighboring community, whose monopoly dominates the local cattle business, is willing to go to great lengths to acquire the land and use it to corner the cattle herding market. She meets a cattle rustler, appropriately dubbed Drover (Hugh Jackman) who is more than a little rough around the edges but willing to help, and reluctantly she agrees to set out on a journey to save the land she inherited.

“Australia” is a film about human diversity and prejudices and offers a deep look into the Australian Aboriginal culture and the harsh racial policies imposed by the Australian government concerning Aboriginals in the 1940’s. The policies were especially cruel towards those that were half Aboriginal and half another race.

Set in the Australian outback, the film boasts sweeping landscape scenery of many diverse natural locations.

Other charming elements are the on-screen chemistry between Lady Ashley and Drover and the love that Lady Ashley finds for a half-caste Aboriginal child named Nollah (played by 11 year-old, Brandon Walters).

Damaging to the film’s success, director Baz Luhrmann overloads on themes, incorporating World War II towards the ending and contributes to the movie being far too lengthy.

Though the movie is not great, it’s good and includes fine acting, beautiful cinematography and touching, thought-provoking details. — Andrea Gallagher

Rating: PG-13

Run time: 2 hours and 45 minutes

Grade: B

Bolt Review

Starring: John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Susie Essman and Mark Walton

For action-hero super dog Bolt (voiced by John Travolta), everyday is an adventure. Extremely loyal to his best friend and human owner Penny (Miley Cyrus), the two always manage to save the day. However, Bolt is really raised on the set of their ultra-popular television show and truly believes that he possesses amazing powers.

When he accidentally falls into a package bound for New York City, he is taken out of his sheltered surroundings. Reality slowly sets in when his customary skills fail to function and Bolt has to come to terms with the fact that his life as he knows it has been a lie.

He sets off on a journey to return to Hollywood and be with his beloved Penny. Along the way he enlists the help of a street-smart and sarcastic Cat named Mittens (Susie Essman) and a brave, adoring hamster named Rhino (Mark Walton).

The movie includes a classic cross country road trip and trouble follows the trio the whole way. Unfortunately, this story has been told before. It is similar to the movies Homeward Bound and Fievel Goes West, but with today’s necessary addition of a superhero twist. The animated movie is also enhanced with 3-D projection.

Though it may be considered a tired storyline, in typical Disney fashion the movie demonstrates major underlying morals. The importance of “never abandoning a friend in need” and unrelenting loyalty are the lessons learned in a predictable yet lighthearted and fun manner. — Andrea Gallagher

Rating: PG

Run Time: 1 hour and 36 minutes

Grade: B-

In theaters now