MOVIE REVIEW: Tetro (2009)

Having visited Argentina around the same time this film came out, I was delighted to have seen some familiar locales revisited in Tetro. What I didn't expect though, was that it happened to be a really good movie too. Perhaps the fact that it was directed by Francis Ford Coppola was a given; I hadn't seen any of his more current work, and I was pleased to see from Tetro that he is still in top form. With this film, however, his creativity hits new zeniths, and he manages to blend the visual storytelling from other metaphorically-bent directors, like Pedro Almodovar and Federico Fellini, while keeping intact his own brand of intense character study. Artsy as it may be, it's also a fine drama as well.

Bennie Tetrocini, a young military school dropout, travels to Buenos Aires, Argentina to reconnect with his estranged brother, Angelo. Upon entering the home he shares with him and his Spanish girlfriend, Miranda, Bennie discovers a withdrawn, morose soul, plagued with a broken leg, and an inconspicuous case of writer's block. Upon uncovering his unfinished work, Bennie decides to take charge of his life by reinventing himself as a writer, and basing his first work off of his brother's notes, much to Tetro's chargin. Bennie hopes that the final result will uncover the secrets behind his dysfunctional family, his relationship with Tetro, and finally give him closure and respect to the work he started.

Tetro is a really beautiful film to watch; filmed mostly in black-and-white, the cinematography and aesthetics are sublime and complement the grayscale scheme excellently. Some shots I almost consider picture-frame-worthy. Of course it goes without saying that the acting is very solid; most of the dialogue wavers between English and Spanish, and features two of my favorite actresses in Spanish cinema: Maribel Verdu, and Carmen Maura, both give fine performances and are a treat to watch. While the story is quite frankly, rather dark, it's not hard to invest in the story, as the audience will feel a sense of familiarity within the naivetee of Bennie's fish-out-of-water experience in La Boca. Coppola should really come back to doing mainstream film though, he is missed.

8/10

Peace,
- Jon

MOVIE REVIEW: Amarcord (1973)

Once again, the Criterion Collection offers me something I've been meaning to see for years but never gotten around to it: Federico Fellini's Amarcord an Italian slang-term of some sort meaning "I remember", the film is supposed to be a semi-autobiographical account of Fellini's life as a child growing up in facist Italy. Filled with numerous moments of fantastic imagery, some wacky characters, and a heartfelt pastoral atmosphere, Amarcord is a very interesting look at the genius of Fellini and how he brings his ideas to life on the screen. Rather than superfluously elaborate on the different vignettes in the film, I will say that one must experience it for themselves, as the somewhat nonexistant story lends itself to personal interpretation.

As my first foray into Fellini's work, I must say, I was quite pleased. The lack of a linear story peturbed me a bit, at first, but I got used to it, and eventually became intrigued at Amacord for its interesting visuals and the often hysterical performances. There's several funny moments involving coming-of-age where the boys of the village are sent to the church to confess their carnal sins. They also play great pranks on their teachers, and one of them has an ironic encounter with a buxom tobbaconist. At the heart of the film, is a story about family, patriotism, and appreciation of life in Italy that must be something I will never be cognizant of. But in Amarcord, Fellini does a wonderful job of sharing that love of his country with this love letter to his homeland. If the dictionary put films underneath it's definitions, one would find Amarcord under "pleasant".

8/10

Peace,
- Jon

MOVIE REVIEW: Bonnie and Clyde (1967)

Crime stories always interest me, whether it's the inception of how their subjects fell into their dirty deeds, or just the lurid subject matter itself, it's always great material for entertaining storytelling. Bonnie and Clyde was something I'd been meaning to get around to for awhile. Notorious for it's level of violence back in the 60s, I can assure you, they weren't kidding! Bonnie and Clyde is probably the bloodiest, bullet-riddled film I've seen that's not a western (I can assure you, in my opinion, The Wild Bunch is more comfortably the Scarface of the 1960s, in terms of violence). What some may not know is, it also happens to be a pretty interesting character study, about it's two notorious subjects.

In the 1930s, Clyde Barrow meets Bonnie Parker, after she foils his attempt to steal her car. On a rash decision, Bonnie joins Clyde on several of his bank heists and becomes infatuated with her two new loves - Clyde, and a life of crime. What begins to complicate matters between them involves Clyde's obnoxious brother and his equally grating wife coming along for the ride. Despite the obvious pressures placed on their relationship, Bonnie and Clyde somehow manage to make a decent living out of becoming cultural icons of crime...for a while, anyway...

In a way, Bonnie and Clyde can almost be seen as a dysfunctional romance/drama with tommy guns. Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty bring so much charisma and life to their characters that I became riveted the minute they stepped onto the screen. It's no wonder this film was so popular when it came out, the way director Arthur Penn glamorizes the gangster life almost makes the sins of crime seem like an idyllic fantasy in itself. At times, I couldn't decide though if I felt the pace of the film was too quick, because I didn't know if I was getting enough of a sense of character development in the film. However, the hedonistic tone, and the acting easily made me forgive this. And for a 60s film, the violence is fierce, with several sustained shootouts and enough bloodshed which probably paved the way for such graphic depictions like that of The Godfather. While Bonnie and Clyde is also a tragedy, it's an extremely riveting look that enthusiastically romanticizes the gangster life of the 1930s.

8/10

Peace,
-Jon

MOVIE REVIEW: The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)

Well, this was an interesting surprise. Matthew McConaughey in a movie that's not a romantic comedy, and where he doesn't play a half-baked meathead. Enter The Lincoln Lawyer, where McConaughey plays a shady criminal defense attorney, whose main clientele is the typical street scum of Los Angeles. Obviously a substantial departure from what he's done in the past, he carries the film with unquestionable charisma and the way he manifests his character. The actual movie itself...well...

Mickey Haller, a criminal defense attorney, conducts his consultations out of the back of his Lincoln sedan and away from the scrutiny of the office environment. One day, he is given the opportunity to defend the playboy son of a wealthy Beverly Hills mogul, who has been accused of murdering a prostitute in a bar. Through a series of contacts, Haller works his way into trying to manipulate the jury without having to let Roulet, his client, walk the green mile. That is, of course, when he realizes the linking role Roulet originally played in a case that didn't go so well for one of his earlier clients...

I really wanted to enjoy The Lincoln Lawyer, but honestly, I thought the way the director executed the project was...lackluster. The investigation versus the cross-examination courtroom scenes almost feel like they're coming from two completely different films. Needless to say, I was interested at the investigation aspect of the story, but when it came to the actual courtroom scenes, it just felt like perfunctory melodrama that ultimately drove the film into predictability. On the other hand, the acting was fine, and I think McConaughey actually managed to outshine the rest of the cast as the swaggering Haller, it's just a shame they couldn't tighten up the script and make the scenes with testimonials interesting. So yeah, I was a little disappointed with the way the film turned out, but at least I enjoyed the aspects that worked for me.

6/10

Peace,
- Jon

MOVIE REVIEW: Paul (2011)

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost never let me down as writers. They are also my favorite British comedy duo, mocking everything from films, nerd culture, to the occasional lack of common sense in humanity. Their latest, Paul, is a love letter to alien visitation, government conspiracy, and road films. Action-packed in some moments, and touching in others, on top of it all, it happens to be gut-bustingly funny. The humor is sharp, and filled with numerous references to sci-fi movies, as well as comic-culture.

Graeme and Clive, a nerd duo from Britain, travel to Los Angeles for Comic-Con and a road-trip across the Southwestern US to tour alien visitation sites. One night, they encounter Paul, a stranded extraterrestrial who pleads to hitch a ride, much to the interest of Graeme and chagrin of Clive. They learn that Paul is being chased by men-in-black from a shadowy government agency, and gradually about Paul's unique alien abilities, and the influence he's had upon science-fiction pop-culture (given his "familiar" appearance). The quick pace of the feds closing in on Paul and his friends are the only thing increasing their urgency to help Paul find his way home.

Paul exceeded my expectations for a comedy: it has a great cast, and a pretty original take on the alien visitation story. While there were a couple of the usual cliches associated with the genre, from time-to-time, this was wonderfully balanced out by anything hilarious that managed to rear it's head. Seth Rogen brings an amazingly fresh presence as the voice Paul, himself. Rather than play him as drunk, clumsy, or perpetually foulmouthed, as we've seen in films like this before, his portrayal of Paul is more akin to the slacker-type. Paul is much more laid-back, headstrong, and doesn't come off as a mere special effect, he's easily the most interesting character in the whole film. I wish we got to learn a little more about his backstory, but sequels can always change that. Paul is sure enough to be my vote for funniest movie of the year, unless The Hangover Part II, manages to change that.

Paul's introduction -

9/10

Peace,
- Jon

MOVIE REVIEW: Clerks (1994)

Clerks is one of my all-time favorite films. It is the 1990s answer to The Graduate, and a minor time-capsule of that decade, in it's depiction of American slacker-culture and New Jersey; where I live. This film spoke to me in such an honest, crude, dorky, and philosophical way during my adolescence that it made me realize director Kevin Smith and I truly are pseudo-intellectual soul mates. When it comes to the overaching message on life Clerks preaches, one can interpret it as nihilism punctuated with absurdity, but I see it as growing the balls to be proactive in life, and that things can always be worse for the average, American, young-adult, male.

In Leonardo, New Jersey, 22 year-old Dante Hicks works as a cashier clerk in a low-rent Quick Stop convenience store. His life is going nowhere, and the toils of work are eating at his patience and self-esteem. Dante frequently butts heads with his opposingly self-motivated college girlfriend, Veronica. He also still has a thing for his loose, and engaged ex, Caitlin. His best friend, the snarky, sarcastic, movie-buff Randall works next door to him in a video store, and is his main foil in life as well as his philosophical counterweight. As customer after customer walks in and continually serve as an extra source of irritation for him, Dante realizes he's having the worst day of his life - the day he "wasn't even supposed to be here, today!".

Beneath the cheap black-and-white film, twisted characters, and vulgar humor, Clerks has a mind and soul that defies it's slacker trappings. Not to say this film had a huge influence on my life, but I relate very strongly to certain aspects of each of the characters, which makes the film a treat for me to watch. Despite being an amateur (at the time), Kevin Smith makes himself out to be a naturally talented writer/director. Citing influences as Jim Jarmusch and Richard Linklater, among others in the credits, their influences become very apparent upon certain glances. Anyone who has been in the position of being condescended for their job, youth, or intelligence should find solace in Clerks. I had the opportunity of seeing Smith's first cut on the blu-ray. While it is a little rough-hewn and features some subtly different scenes, along with a darker ending, I prefer his final version with the more careful spit-and-polish. Either one is worth seeing.

Oh, and here's my favorite scene, infamously known as #37 -

Clerks (The First Cut) - 9/10

Clerks (Theatrical Cut) - 10/10

Peace,
- Jon

MOVIE REVIEW: How to Train Your Dragon (2010)

How to Train Your Dragon is one of those movies you dismiss upon first glance after seeing the ugly title trailing numerous cartoony antics in the previews. So, of course, nothing else compelled me more to see it than after it started gaining a certain amount of buzz in the past year. It's not the next Shrek and it wasn't anywhere near as compelling as Toy Story 3, but it was damn fine entertainment than most kids movies I'm coerced into watching, from time to time.

In the ancient times when vikings pillaged the Nordic seas, dragons were once their only foe. And for vikings, hunting dragons was a celebrated (and inescapable) pastime, due to the rash of dragon attacks affecting their lands for years. Unfortunately, for young Hiccup (who's a hilarious dead-ringer for Justin Bieber), dragon-hunting is not his forte. Hiccup decides to change things when he proves his worth for dragon-fighting school, after incidentally shooting down a young dragon. However, when Hiccup begins to bond with the dragon, who he names "Toothless", he discovers there's more to the fractitious relationship between humans and dragons than he originally believed.

Dragon is a meaningful story about learning acceptance for others and following one's dreams. Yet in true Hollywood fashion, it's cleverly disguised as a vivid, CGI fantasy tale for kids. The pace is brisk and the voice acting is stellar. Not quite sure why all the vikings speak with Scots-Irish brogues, but it amused me for sure. At least they didn't have them go all-out "Swedish Chef", or something horribly stereotyped towards Scandinavians. The story does unearth some of the typical good-versus-evil cliches every now-and-then, especially towards the conclusion. But there is actual pathos in Dragon, rather than a cop-out happy ending for sentimentality's sake. There's lessons to be learned for each of the characters, and that's what makes the film most significant amongst the crop of kids flicks of the past year.

8/10

Peace,
- Jon

MOVIE REVIEW: Mulholland Drive (2001)

David Lynch has always been a weirdo, in my opinion, as far as his treatment of film goes. However, he has a cult following that's just as strong as that of someone like Stanley Kubrick. While his work is strange, there's a certain poetry to his cinema that I find very engaging. After ten years of hearing nothing but how great it is, I finally got around to seeing Mulholland Drive. And while it is quite an epic story at length, it is well-worth watching if you are interested in good mysteries.

A car accident on Mulholland Drive in Los Angeles results in one surviving woman, who makes her way into an isolated apartment. Betty, a young, up-and-coming actress moves in and finds the woman in her new home, who has now taken on the alias "Rita". It turns out, Rita has amnesia, so Betty resolves to help her get back on her feet and find out what happened to her before accident occured on Mulholland Drive. What starts out as a conventional mystery/thriller, takes some interesting turns and subplots, before throwing convention completely out the window in a fascinatingly ambiguous finale.

Amidst the idiosyncratic characters that populate the film, Mulholland Drive has a wonderfully hypnotic, almost dreamlike quality that really drew me in. There's a lot of interpretations going on out there, as far as what the story means, but I'm personally with the camp that believes in dreams playing a huge role in the story. David Lynch apparently is keeping his mouth shut on the matter, as is evidenced through many interviews I found. While he definitely leaves a lot of the film up for open interpretation, I have slight concern over this technique being a bit divisive. Acting-wise, it's all good. Laura Elena Harring is mesmerizingly beautiful, and I wish she did more movies. Being my favorite performance, she brings a great noir-like quality to Rita, in the film. Although I'm not a huge fan of the ambiguity put in place by the film's final act, I respect it as a creative choice, as it brings about a unique quality to the film's story. If you can muster the will-power to handle the hypnotic nature of Mulholland Drive, this is a film definitely worth seeing again.

8/10

Peace,
- Jon

MOVIE REVIEW: Children of a Lesser God (1986)

Ever since I saw Seth MacFarlane and Alex Borstein shockingly lampoon deaf actress Marlee Matlin on "Family Guy Presents: Seth & Alex's Almost Live Comedy Show", doing a rendition of Lady Gaga's "Poker Face", I became curious about Matlin's claim to fame - A milestone drama known as Children of a Lesser God, which has become somewhat noteworthy in American deaf culture with the way it provides insight into the educational and social world of a deaf community. Movies that deal with interactions between "normal" people and different cultures fascinate me, because they're grounds for so many interesting character dynamics.

James is a newly-employed speech teacher at a school for the deaf. One day, he encounters Sarah, a young janitor, disillusioned with the world in front of her. Moved by her articulate nature, James attempts to take her under his wing in an attempt to re-acclimatize her (a theme popularized more recently in Good Will Hunting). What James doesn't expect is to actually fall in love with Sarah; their relationship becomes a turbulent road to discovering their own inner conflict, based on their ability to communicate.

Children of a Lesser God is fascinating as a drama, even more so from the fact that it was based on a play. As stated before, since the majority of the action is centered around James trying to convince Sarah that she has advanced ability to communicate, and Sarah trying to convince James she has never had, nor needed to make herself "better" by learning how to speak. The acting is fantastic, but Marlee Matlin is obviously a standout, the fact that she is deaf doesn't betray the fact that her ability to express emotion in American Sign Language is consummate. Her performance is the epitome of the saying "actions speak louder than words". If I had one major criticism about the film, it would be that I'd have preferred subtitles for the ASL, rather than have William Hurt awkwardly speak the gestures back in English to the audience. I understand this was a carryover from the play, but it was only done right in a few major instances. Nonetheless, it wasn't too bothersome in an otherwise great movie.

8/10

Peace,
- Jon

MOVIE REVIEW: Rango (2011)

My first reaction to seeing the poster and trailer for Rango was "Kermit the Frog's cracked-out chameleon cousin" (there's even a joke in the film about the relationship between amphibians and reptiles, go figure). The characters in Rango are so odd-looking, I'd expect the most overprotective of parents to be repulsed by their appearances in fear of how their kids might react. Nevertheless, Rango is a case of "never judge a book by it's cover", the story, spirit, and voice acting are what make this otherwise unorthodox, strikingly Tarantino-esque children's film very memorable.

A thespian chameleon with an identity crisis, Rango comes to adopt his name after his knack at improvisation lands him a new job as the sherrif of the town "Dirt". As he brings the town to believe that he's a tough, gun-slinger, he investigates a town water-shortage that's been brought on by a recent drought. Rango rounds up a posse, made up of the local town critters, and they go on an adventure that features some of the funniest action and adventure sequences I've seen in an animated film in years. Packed with homages from Apocalypse Now, to The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, even the humor is enough to entertain adults as much as the kids.

Is there anything really that bad I can say about Rango? Well, I guess it can be a little cliche and abstract at times. It's also incredibly irreverant, so be prepared for some moments of weird humor that otherwise falls flat in comparison to most of the other wittier gags. If you're an adult seeing Rango thought, you're probably seeing it for the performances, and Johnny Depp, as usual, is fantastic. It was refreshing to see him play a socially awkward, occasionally wimpy-type since Sleepy Hollow, and the cartoon medium serves his performance wonderfully with Rango's un-humanly, wacky body language. Perhaps this may very well be my pick for Best Animated Film of The Year; not nearly as much of the emotional depth of last year's winner, Toy Story 3, but a lot of fun, for sure.

8/10

Peace,
- Jon

TRIPLE FEATURE MOVIE REVIEW: Grey Gardens (1976)/The Beales of Grey Gardens (2006)/Grey Gardens (2009)

Every family has crazy relatives, even Jackie Kennedy. In the early 1970s, her aunt and cousin; mother and daughter, Edith and Edie Bouvier-Beale came under fire from sanitation authorities and the tabloids for the decrepit state of their estate, Grey Gardens. After Kennedy saved them, via the almighty dollar from eviction, a pair of documentarians known as Albert and Charlie Maysles decided to film a documentary about the eccentric pair's reclusive lives. That documentary, Grey Gardens became a cult hit, and spawned a broadway musical, and a biographical telefilm.

Grey Gardens is particularly interesting, because it makes one wonder "How did two people go from having everything, to living in almost perpetual squalor?" through the camera lens, we are treated to a day in the life of "Big" and "Little" Edith Beale. Little Edie is a dynamic spinster who parades the house doing song and dance routines while showing off her bizarrely stylistic fashion choices and elaborating upon her family history. Her mother, an uber-liberal with a feisty wit, is a matriarch in every sense of the word. Still spry in spirit, Big Edie manages to enchant with her humor and tales of her family history. While the Beales living conditions are atrocious and appalling, their personalities exude through, and make the film fascinating as a non-fiction piece.

The Beales of Grey Gardens is a companion piece to the first film, made from unused footage from the first cut of Grey Gardens. The Beales is interesting for those who wanted to know more about the family, but it's very much a fan-service and suffers from a lack of cohesiveness in comparison to Grey Gardens. I much preferred the TV film Grey Gardens as a companion piece, because it chronocles the early lives of the Beales and is a very apt dramatization, supported by some wonderful performances by Drew Barrymore, Jessica Lange, and even a memorable cameo by Jeanne Tripplehorn as Jackie O, herself. While it doesn't exactly break the mold in biopic filmaking, it's very entertaining, especially if you aren't familiar with the original film itself. All in all, the story of the Beales is one of a kind, and the original documentary does a fascinating service of portraying their lives

Grey Gardens (1975) - 8/10

The Beales of Grey Gardens - 6/10

Grey Gardens (2009) - 7/10

Peace,
- Jon

MOVIE REVIEW: The Children's Hour (1961)

At some point or another, I like to get around to seeing filmed versions of plays I've read in the past. The Children's Hour is one of those films. Thought of as highly controversial upon it's release for being one of the first mainstream films to deal with a lesbian theme, it's no surprise that the theme's presentation is pretty tame, by today's standards. The manner in which the film deals with it in a dramatic construct, however, is amazingly potent. Much like the play, I didn't find myself carnally wondering if "so-and-so" are really lesbians, but rather fixated at the concern over what could possibly happen as a result of the dilemmas faced by either party.

Two schoolteachers, Karen and Martha, are celebrating the inaguration of their newly-opened all girls school. Karen, who is in a relationship with a local doctor, is best friends with Martha, who resents Karen's blossoming love life on the grounds that marriage would ruin her teaching career. One of the students, Mary, is the granddaughter of the school's major benefactor, and she also happens to be a bully. Incredibly spiteful towards her teachers for being overly disciplinary, she stumbles upon Martha revealing an interesting secret to Karen. By spinning the truth, Mary sets in motion a rumor that slowly destroys Karen and Martha's careers and lives.

Any film starring actresses who I've experienced in the past to be competent at their craft almost always guarantees a good film. Silver screen sirens Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine are at the top of their game here, they give what I consider, some of the most powerful performances of their careers. The rest of the cast is also very compelling, even some of the younger members surprised me at times. While I feel the film's audacity suffers slightly, due to the laws of film censorship at the time, I was very pleased with the way it turned out from a dramatic standpoint. A possible remake would do wonders to correct the implications made in the film that cover up explicit content (and I'm not talking about sexuality). But as it stands, the film we currently have is great, and a wonderful companion piece to the play.

8/10

Peace,
- Jon

MOVIE REVIEW: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993)

Oh boy, do I have some catching up to do! To make a long story short, I've got several important events coming up, combined with work that have completely turned my life upside-down until the beginning of April. But no matter, whenever I find a few minutes to myself, I do what makes me happy, like writing. So ever since I saw TMNT, I realized I'd never actually seen Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III of the original series. While I have been told by all accounts that it is terrible, I saw it, and I was surprised by how entertaining at the core it actually was. Sure it's dated as sin, and cheesy enough to make four large pies (get it? Nah, didn't think so). But it put a smile on my face for the nostalgia kick.

On a regular visit, journalist April O'Neil gets sent back in time by a mysterious artifact she brings back to the Ninja Turtles. Determined to rescue her, the turtles go back in time to Feudal Japan, and encounter a kingdom under siege by a ruthless warlord and a corrupt British colonist. Meanwhile, April finds herself in hot water when she accidentally convinces the people she's a witch, and Splinter, along with Casey Jones need to acclimatize a group of warriors accidentally sent back in place of the turtles. Oh yeah, and there's the obligatory brother-issues between the turtles on top of that.

If this movie were made today, it would be no different than anything released straight-to-video, production-wise. The whole movie is so cheap-looking, I'm surprised it actually made it to theaters. Even for the 90s, it looks as though it were a TV-movie, straight off of the Family Channel. Still, I wasn't too bothered by this, since the whole time I knew what I was getting out of it. The action is fast, fun and the comedic gags are childishly silly, but I found it all to be very enjoyable, as someone who was once young when this originally came out. Granted by biggest problem was that there were some awkward moments; a lot of jokes fell flat, and Leonardo gives CPR to a child one scene, but everything was really all in good fun. As an unashamed "Turtles" fan, I found it fairly enjoyable.

7/10

Peace,
- Jon

MOVIE REVIEW: TMNT (2007)

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, an unforgettable staple of my childhood: One of the most dynamic cartoon series for anyone who grew up in the early 90s, the turtles have experienced an unanticipated and welcome resurgence in recent years. Enter TMNT, a film reboot of sorts for the series that sort of picks up where everything left off and injects fresh new life in the series, despite the movie being rather ordinary for a cartoon actioneer.

Ever since the events of the last film series, the turtles have gone their separate ways. But Leonardo, being the stalwart one, resolves to bring them back together after persuasion from their friend, journalist April O'Neill that New York City needs the turtles back to fight crime. When a mysterious, ancient Aztec power is unleashed upon the city, even the once-formidable Foot Clan finds themselves against the odds which puts the turtles in a compromising position to bring themselves together, or let New York implode unto itself.

TMNT was a welcome homecoming in my eyes and did excellent justice to the series by making me feel right at home with the atmosphere. The animation is slick and polished, it gives off a cheap look of "Jimmy Neutron", at first, but in reality, the simplistic look is more about they style and the intention to emulate the cartoon series of old. The thing with the story is, the story itself doesn't really feel too fresh and comes off more as the typical revisonist story, complete with fracticious inner-team conflict that results in a falling-out (but you know they're going to make up, again!). I also wished the film had more action, there were really only two major fight scenes with all the turtles, the rest were more intimately relegated to singular characters. Half of the fun of watching "Ninja Turtles" was seeing all of them in action at once, so I felt the action could have delivered a bit more. But overall, TMNT was fun, the creators could've done a lot to easily screw things up, and thank goodness, they didn't.

7/10

Peace,
- Jon

VIDEO GAME REVIEW: The Great Gatsby (1990?)

I'm sure many of you are thinking, "What the heck? There's a video game on The Great Gatsby?!" And yes indeed there is, and while it's not the most original thing in my opinion, it certainly is something to be realized. I first encountered this game through a friend on Facebook via the feed. Apparently, as the story goes, this was a game for the NES found at a yard sale by some people who decided to upload the ROM onto a flash file. Dated around 1990, it would appear to be, from the description, a cancelled platformer by some anonymous company. Now, mind you, some of this information I take with a grain of salt, the people could have just made this game completely on their own, but their lips are dubiously sealed. No matter, though. Because this is some interesting stuff...

For those of you unfamilliar with the story (shame on you, if you're not). Great Gatsby is an amazing book by F. Scott Fitzgerald about a young drifter in New York who gets a taste of 1920s high society after being taken under the wing by a wealthy man named Gatsby. What follows in the game is a very loose adaptation of sorts as you battle your way through parties, train rides, etc. in what is an odd but engaging mix between Mega Man and Super Mario Bros.. You pick up coins for points, get a hat for a powerup to your boomerang-like weapon, and duke your way through flappers, waiters, bootleggers, and other 1920s archetypes. It's incredibly campy, but there's a certain charm that kept me playing, and although I haven't beaten it yet, I will, eventually.

For those of you who are particularly interested - Click Here to play.

7/10

Peace,
- Jon

MOVIE REVIEW: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008)

Movies about the Holocaust are a cathartic experience for me; whether fact or fiction based, they always serve as a reminder to my sense of humanity and assessment of my moral compass when viewing from either perspective of the Nazis or the prisoners. It is painful to realize in the 70 years since the war began, that genocide is still a major world issue, but stories and accounts are the ray of hope that makes awareness and action possible. It is for that reason I welcomed The Boy in the Striped Pajamas with open arms, and despite minor historical liberties, manages to be an effective and powerful film with a slightly different message than those of us who are familiar with these films would expect.

In the early 1940s, young Bruno moves into the German countryside from Berlin with his affluent family after his father, a high-ranking officer in the SS, is comissioned to preside over a remote working camp. Restless from the isolation, Bruno wanders toward the camp boundaries and encounters Shmuel, a young Jewish boy the same age as him. The two bond over the bewilderment of their predicaments; their naivetee punctuated by their chance meeting occuring simply at the wrong place at the wrong time. As time passes on and the veil of secrecy from Nazi propaganda is slowly pulled away from the family's eyes, the boys also gradually become aware that the work camp is more harrowing than they expected; and tragedy looms in their wake.

In war, the first victims to suffer are generally children. We as global human society send minors to fight our battles, and brainwash those of elementary age with propaganda. The most heartbreaking thing of all is neither side, whether you're looking at the "enemy" or the "ally", typically fully understands why this is happening. That is why I felt this film struck that chord beautifully, and actually has a theme that resonates stronger with the loss of innocence as a result of the horrors of war. Sure, historical accuracies can be questioned, such as why Shmuel got away with survival in the camp for such a long period of time, but that isn't quite the film's main purpose. I was so drained after watching this film, I had to go straight to bed. But in the end, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas managed to exceed my expectations. On top of teriffic acting and a haunting score by James Horner, this is a film I will remember for a long time.

9/10

Peace,
- Jon

MOVIE REVIEW: Man on Fire (2004)

Man on Fire is a thriller that I had been meaning to see for a long time. On first glance, it seemed reminiscent to one of my favorite films Leon: The Professional, and I was curious if this was the case and how it might expand on any similar themes. What I got was something good, but strikingly different from what I expected. Man on Fire brings a gritty, urban, mystery story along with some strong visual flair that evokes the style of John Woo; even the comic book-style subtitles needed at certain points are a precursor to the technique implemented in Slumdog Millionaire. It's all fine and dandy, but only by the time the film's second act begins.

In Mexico, John Creasy is an ex-CIA hitman hired by a wealthy Anglo family to serve as a bodyguard to their young daughter, Pita. As Creasy settles into his new home and job, he takes on an extra, unanticipated role as a father figure to Pita; something he never understood how to do at any point in his life. When Pita is kidnapped by druglords in exchange for a hefty ransom from her family, Creasy sets out to clean up the local drug cartel, and uncovers some dirt on his employers in the process.

Man on Fire has a slow buildup that consists of mainly seeing the developing bond between Creasy and Pita. While this seems necessary, it felt a bit perfunctory in front of my eyes, and in contrast to the rest of the film, almost like added scenes in a hypothetical "extended-version-DVD". The acting was pretty good, but the characters and writing seemed a little unbalanced at times. For example, while it's fun to see Creasy roast Mexican druglords into carnitas, he's surprisingly sloppy at times for an ex-CIA hitman. For starters, you'd think as a bodyguard, he'd at least wear a Kevlar vest after taking a max of three bullet hits to the torso and surviving the duration of the film...or maybe he's Chuck Norris? Also, I felt a little more exposition on his backstory would've been more appreciated, rather than resorting to making him a cookie-cutter, hardened warrior. Nevertheless, the film satisfied my action craving, but undoubtedly, there was still some room for improvement.

7/10

Peace,
- Jon

MOVIE REVIEW: Let Me In (2010)

Let the Right One In, a Swedish vampire-romance film between two children was everything Twilight should have been, and deserves over half the attention that the latter, pedestrian, disaster-of-a-vampire-film turned out to be. Now we have an American remake, Let Me In, which is more of a re-imagining of sorts that draws upon the original literary source material a la last year's True Grit. While it presents some stylistically interesting departures from how I originally came to know the beautiful story, I had a problem shaking the overall feeling of deja vu which made the two films seem almost too similar to one another.

In the early 1980s, a bullied young boy named Owen, living in an apartment complex in New Mexico befriends his new neighbor; a shady young girl named Abby. What Owen doesn't realize is that Abby is in fact, a vampire, and her serial-killer guardian assists in her dirty work in order to provide her the sanguine sustenance she needs for her survival. When the curiosity of outsiders and Owens bullying start to go to a head, the two decide to take matters into their own hands.

Having really enjoyed Let the Right One In, I was determined to view Let Me In with an open mind. The trouble is, there wasn't really a whole lot stylistically, aside from the cinematography and art direction, that allowed me to disconnect those feelings of overly-embellished familiarity. While the acting and directing are quite good, I was still yearning for the tragic, gruesome subtlety of the Swedish version. Let Me In is played out more like a contemporary horror film, complete with explicit gore and loud scares. I can accept that fact as this is supposed to be a re-imagining, but again, it distracted me from my interest in how the relationship between Owen and Abby was supposed to develop. There's a lot to enjoy in Let Me In, and fans of the original will probably find it entertaining, if not, somewhat indulgent, in the tradition of most American remakes.

7/10

Peace,
- Jon

MOVIE REVIEW: The Adjustment Bureau (2011)

I hadn't originally planned on seeing The Adjustment Bureau, and the trailers, which made it seem like a poor rip-off of Damon's The Bourne Identity and The Matrix set my expectations low. But as I was watching it, I was somewhat surprised and slightly pleased by how the story actually defied the conventions and precedents established by it's own advertising campaign. What I got out of it, was a decent film that made a pretty serviceable adaptation of it's original source material.

Towards the end of the last decade, David Norris is a charismatic politician who is cooling his heels after abruptly losing the New York senate race. One night, he encounters a mysterious woman, Elise, whom he falls in love with, only to lose contact with her when a group of equally mysterious men known as "The Adjustment Bureau" reveal to him that they are in control of his and every human being's fated destiny on Earth, and that his own is not to be involved with Elise for the sake of losing any potential he has towards being contributory to humanity. Norris resists and a large-scale chase sets in between him and the team in a struggle over free will.

Adapting Dick's stories to film has often been a tricky task; especially when the works are short stories. The impression I get is that there's only so much plot to cover, you either fill in the blanks with artistic license or you pick a point in which to stop. Thankfully though, the screenwriters seemed relatively respectful towards this notion, so the pace and atmosphere of Adjustment Bureau are spot-on. It's a lot different than what many caper-film fans may be used to - there's only two scenes of violence, and most of the story is propelled by the romance angle. Could it have been more gripping? Probably. It's very good light entertainment at it's best. At my highest recommendation, it's something you can bring your significant other to and equally enjoy out of both genres it represents being relatively inobtrusive to one another.

7/10

Peace,
- Jon

MOVIE REVIEW: Last Tango in Paris (1972)

Somewhere online, I caught wind about the recent death of actress Maria Schneider to cancer. Her life story seemed pretty tumultuous, and much of it seemed to have precipitated from making her breakout film - Last Tango in Paris - an erotic drama that apparently was somewhat of a sleeper hit in the 70s, starring Marlon Brando, and featuring several steamy encounters between him and her that were responsible for the film's dubiously earned 'X'-rating (it's still NC-17, today). Curious on how the film has held up, as well as the story, I decided to check it out.

After the suicide of his wife, bereaved loner, Paul, wanders the streets of Paris in a nihilistic trance. One day, he encounters Jeanne, a nubile young woman who is engaged to be married to an equally-young filmmaker. When Jeanne runs into Paul again after trying to rent an apartment, the two set off a sexually charged affair that is marked by a no-strings-attached attitude, and a promise to remain anonymous towards one another, in order to receive what would appear to be emotional therapy from raw, human contact. Paul begins to complicate matters though, when he falls for Jeanne, and vice-versa.

Last Tango is a slow film, a characteristic that I've noticed of Bernardo Bertolucci. He's not a dynamic filmmaker when it comes to visuals, but very much so when it comes to characterizations. In which case, the acting here provided by Brando and Schneider is fantastic; there are spates of improvisation from Brando that are just downright funny at times, due to the spontaneity. But unfortunately, the film does go through some lulls and some may be disappointed to find out it's not as prurient like the poster may imply. While the few sex scenes are rather graphic, they're not portrayed in a sleazy, pornographic manner. I'd say it's still worth checking out, if you're interested in marginally artsy dramas. Just don't watch it too late so that you may give it your full attention.

7/10

Peace,
- Jon

MOVIE REVIEW: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)

Wow, this is Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time? Disney, what in God's name did you do to one of my favorite video games when I was a kid? Wouldn't it have been a lot interesting if you stuck with swordfighting turban-clad guards in spike-lined dungeons in order to rescue the princess? Why does Jake Gyllenhaal sound like he's dubbed with that pseudo-British accent? I wasn't really this clueless throughout the whole movie, but I did feel like it left a lot to be desired.

In ancient Persia, a street-smart youth hoodlum is taken under the wing of the king and raised as his own. As the Persian empire spreads and Princess Tamia, of a rival land is betrothed to the titular Prince Dastan, he becomes wrongfully accused of regicide by his people, when his father is mysteriously assassinated. Taking Tamia along with him, Dastan escapes into the desert, and comes across a magical dagger that can reverse time in the short term. The dagger is what becomes his and Tamia's sole dependant on restoring order to Persia, and the king's ursurper.

Jerry Bruckheimer knows how to produce good-looking films, but rarely ones with a comparable script. Prince of Persia is no exception; with almost entirely nothing but CGI, fight-scenes, and - albeit - very well-choreographed action sequences, I really felt like I was watching someone play a video game the whole time. Or, at least, one long video game movie sequence. The acting was fine, I can get over the casting, since let's face it - by our legal standards, Middle Easterners are de facto caucasian, and these are actors playing roles - end rant. But what the heck was up with Gyllenhaal's accent? It's unlike how he usually sounds, I wouldn't outright call it horrible, it was just...weird. Too bad I can't really find any good parody videos that I would put up.

Despite my criticisms, the action is rather stellar, and I enjoyed a lot of the stunts, sword-fights, and the cliche characters. I did tune out a lot to the overall film though, because the story was just so bland and ill-executed. It's a shame they didn't take the time to work on the script a little more, because whoever wrote dialogue for this was obviously just collecting his paycheck towards summer vacation.

6/10

Peace,
- Jon

Food for Thought: Spaghetti Al Pomodoro

Last year, on Mother's Day, I purchased the book Audrey Hepburn, An Elegant Spirit: A Son Remembers as a present for my mother. The book, written by Hepburn's son, is a touching memoir and account of his relationship with his mother, and even included some interesting recipes of hers. One that caught my eye, was Hepburn's recipe for Spaghetti Al Pomodoro (or pasta with tomato sauce, for all us Yanks). Not actually "her's" in the literal sense, but mentioned in the book as a traditional Italian recipe she adopted as her own.

The recipe interested me, because of the use of Roma tomatoes, and that it is quite similar to the rich pasta sauce my mother had perfected, notably with the use of carrots. Needless to say, I incorporated elements from both influences, and created something of my own. The one secret I'll keep is that I'll never mention what brand of Roma tomatoes I actually use, but they're fairly easy to find, and that's all I'll have to say.

- 2 large cans of peeled Roma tomatoes

- 2 celery stalks

- 2 carrots

- 1 small onion

(If you're short on prep time, you can substitute the last three ingredients for a cup or two of mirepoix. Wegmans sells it by the bag in the salad section; one bag will do the trick).

- 2 cloves of garlic

- A handful of mushrooms

- A bunch of fresh basil leaves

- Olive oil

- Red pepper flakes, black pepper, and a pinch of salt, to taste.

- 1 box of spaghetti (or your favorite kind of pasta)

Chop the onions, garlic, celery, carrots, and mushrooms. In a pot, coat the bottom with some olive oil and add the garlic and onions. sauté until the garlic starts to brown, and the onions caramelize and sizzle. Add the celery, carrots, and mushrooms, cook for several minutes. Add the tomatoes and a handful of the basil leaves, washed, and stir. Add the red and black pepper, and salt, along with a drizzle of olive oil. Stir well and let it simmer for 45 minutes. Turn off heat and let it sit for 15 minutes. Cook the pasta al dente, use some olive oil in the water to keep the pasta moist. Serve with the rest of the basil leaves, washed and cut, along with fresh parmesan.

It's safe to say that this dish was a success at my little Oscar Nite bash at my house. A bit indifferent about The King's Speech winning Best Picture, but it's a good movie for sure. I may not be Italian, but it's my personal opinion that the dish tastes closest to the salsa di pomodoro I've had in several local, authentic Italian restaurants in central New Jersey. Anyway, this is a great dish - it's cheap, healthy, and can be made in at least an hour. The sauce even stays fresh for quite a while. I should make more, as I'll probably be craving it, soon...

Also, I really should read up on what's been going on, over in Wisconsin with the unions, but a lot has been going on in my life, lately. Hopefully, I'll get a chance when life slows down a notch. ;-)

Mangia!
- Jon