The 44th is really the 1st in my mind

For the first time in my life I voted for someone who I actually liked. Someone whose hand I would honored to shake. Someone who I am happy represents our country, and my own beliefs. Usually I'm settling- voting for the "lesser of two evils"- but not this time. This time felt really good.



I do find it surprising that in a time when we elected, for the first time ever, a black man to be the President of the United States, there is still intolerance. The same state which sealed Obama's victory voted to ban same sex marriage. I kept seeing "Vote NO for Prop 8" but I never thought it would pass. Well it did and now same sex marriage is banned in California. Can someone please explain this to me?

One more thing...
This song was written in response to Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind." When Sam Cooke first heard the song he was taken aback at how well a white man wrote a song about the black experience. While Dylan claims that's not what he was writing about, Sam Cooke penned this classic regardless and the power resonates more today than ever.
"A Change is Gonna Come"

For Your Listening Pleasure...

Angel from Montgomery...such a powerful...beautiful...haunting and lonely piece of music sung perfectly by Bonnie Raitt and the songwriter John Prine.

Let the Right One in

Just in time for Halloween comes one of the creepier trailers I've seen in awhile.
I found it on Ain't it Cool, but it was originally posted on Rotten Tomatoes.

Otis covers The Hardest Working Man in Show Biz

The Man covers The Man. Who could ask for anything more? Thanks for this one Kindy.

Shine A Light

Martin Scorsese is a die-hard music fan. He has always infused his movies with rock music, fueling his scenes with energy and vigor. It wasn’t much of a surprise when he made his first concert documentary, The Last Waltz, that it was not only an exercise in style but had some of the greatest musicians onstage throughout. Well I’m a die-hard Scorsese fan. I literally have watched Goodfellas, rewound it (when DVD’s didn’t exist) and watched it again. I’m also a die-hard Stones fan so when I heard about Shine A Light I was beside myself.

Unlike The Last Waltz, Shine A Light doesn’t have a lot of doc scenes throughout- it has a few, but it’s all archival footage. There isn’t a single interview conducted by Scorsese. Mainly it is all about the music. As far as documentary footage goes, there is a wonderfully edited opening section of the film involving the back and forth the Stones and Scorsese went through to get the staging right and then in true Scorsese fashion there is a great line of dialogue and then a smash cut into the opening number. There’s only about 5-7 minutes of archival after this so if you were looking for a straightaway doc, don’t bother- but if you want a musical doc, you’ve got it. I for one was enraptured.

The camera work is top notch. Scorsese famously wrote shot lists on music cue sheets for The Last Waltz so he knew which camera would do what, and what lighting cue would hit on a certain section of a certain song. Yes, he did. Here doesn’t seem to be much different. His cameras are all over the place and he captures beautiful moments. Of note…he hired the top cinematographers in the business to shoot the concert, again, much like he did in The Last Waltz.

There are 3 musical guests that join them onstage and all are excellent with one notable, expected standout and that would be Buddy Guy. If you’ve ever seen Buddy Guy in concert or even just heard him you know what a presence he is. The man is 72 years old, not much older than The Stones, but he wiped the floor with them. He sings, with Mick, Champagne & Reefer, and it is beyond words. Watch for a tight shot on him that just holds on his face during the performance, I was trying to find it use it in this post but can’t seem to. It got to me and made me wonder where his head was at that point.

Jack White comes out to sing and play with the boys on Loving Cup- my personal Stones favorite. Since I have a keen love for this song I was fully prepared to have Mr. White hunted down and killed if he fucked it up in anyway. Not only does he kill, he has some moments that have made me listen to his version of the song again and again. He also has clear knowledge and respect for a version of the song found on the box set The First Decade. More than commendable, I have a new respect for him.

Christina Aguilera comes out to duet with Mick on Live with Me. It becomes clear quite quickly that while Mick probably has a huge appreciation for her singing talents, he also has a huge appreciation for some her other assets. Some have called it creepy and weird watching him dance with her, but I just laughed because if anyone is surprised to discover that Mick is still a complete horndog I don’t know what to tell them. Also, this is man who’s has gotten women that much younger than him so he probably thinks he might have a chance. In either case, she was terrific also.
Too some, his voice may be an acquired taste, but I loved Keith’s tracks in the film. He sings You’ve Got the Silver, another one of my favorites and Connection, which was one of my highlights.

Until another Stones song makes it into one of his films, this could be the only true Scorsese/Stones collaboration in this life. I know I’ll cherish it.

2 Months to the day...almost

Been awhile...I completely slack (clearly) when I have a lot going on, and to be honest I really haven't seen many movies this summer. Aside from being uninterested in most, I also haven't had much time. I did see Charlie Bartlett and Vantage Point on On Demand and both were entertaining, but nothing. More importantly, I saw The Stones/Scorsese concert doc Shine A Light, which I'm going to write a review of. The short review is: Amazing.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button has a new trailer. I've been anticipating this movie since I read about it years ago and with each new trailer it looks more and more amazing. David Fincher has an uncanny ability to infuse pizazz and camera flair into emotional stories and is only improving with age. Anyway, check out the trailer and see for yourself.

TV-wise, the new season of Entourage started a few weeks ago, which I've been enjoying and I started watching the new show True Blood, which I also like. It's entertaining, slightly campy, violent, very sexual and very well written and acted. Give it a look see.

The new season of Dexter started last night and I can't emphasize enough how great it is. Both of the previous seasons are available on DVD- rent them or buy them because it's easily the best show on TV, although as someone pointed out to me that I don't watch Mad Men and that could be a close runner up if not better. Either way, Dexter is excellent.

I'm still working on an original score for Okay Great, but I'm seriously considering dropping it online with the temp music and just updating it when I have the score. Could be soon so keep an eye out.

For Your Listening Pleasure...

The Rolling Stones are known for their classic pumped up bluesy rock n roll. I don't think alot of people have heard this grinder - Memo from Turner - from the Performance soundtrack and they should cause it's nasty. Ry Cooder is ripping up the slide on this track.


For a similiar vibe check out Jammin' with Edward although Memo from Turner isn't on it. The album was tossed together one day while for an a fellow band member to show up- possibly sleeping off a hangover. Keith? Maybe? Sorry I can't find a link to a tune from the album.

W

A teaser trailer for Oliver Stone's W has been leaked. I'm really interested in this film for many reasons. Stone is an compelling filmmaker even when he's heavy handed and he's great when he attacks a subject he's passionate about and he's definitely passionate about his hatred for Bush. So am I. He also is making this film at a break neck pace and I think that just drives filmmakers even more. Spielberg made Munich top to bottom in 6 months and it's a masterpeiece. Stone is on an even tighter schedule. I believe he started shooting in April and the film will be released before the election. Hope this one turns out as good as the teaser looks.

***EDIT***
Sorry it's already been pulled. This is the problem with illegally "leaked" material. I'll post again when it finds it way back online.

W. Teaser Trailer
by iliketolookatmyranch

The Savages

I watched Philip Seymour Hoffman knock another one out of the park last night. In a performance he won an Independent Spirit Award for Best Actor for, Hoffman plays the son of an abusive father who now has dementia and needs home care. Laura Linney plays his sister, complimenting Hoffman's performance with a note perfect one herself. Dig the scene when she's looking for a red pillow. Another great scene is when the two of them are in a hallway and Hoffman is an awkward position.

The Savages is at times funny and sad, but very observant and challenging. I enjoyed it very much for the writing and directing by Tamara Jenkins and especially the performances. Laura Linney, like Hoffman is always top notch but Hoffman has had a helluva year. Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, Charlie Wilson's War and The Savages. Most actors hardly give 3 performances as good as those in their careers, nevermind in one year.

For Your Listening Pleasure...

This is such a good tune...chill, feel good...love it. If you've seen 25th Hour you may recognize it from there. It's called Bra by Cymande. Enjoy!

For Your Listening Pleasure...

I'm a new fan of Afro Celt Sound System but they're addictive because they kick ass!

"I'm just ahead of the curve"

In retrospect, 1989 was a pivotal year in my movie-going experience. I saw 3 movies that year that changed my outlook on film. Do the Right Thing completely opened my eyes to everything from tone to choice of music, color and camera movement and angles. sex, lies and videotape was a movie completely different from anything I had seen up to that point and it proved to me you could make a movie without action and mostly dialogue, which was basically all I was writing at that point. I also saw Batman.

Batman was being hyped beyond belief. It was everywhere and I was fired up! I saw it with my friend Jon on opening weekend in a packed theater. When the movie ended, everyone in the theater jumped to their feet and applauded. My friend Jon and I looked at each other and said “let’s get the fuck out of here.” Batman was the first major movie disappointment in my life. You see I wanted so much more out of Batman. I had watched the series on TV as a kid and I loved it. What the fuck happened?! While Nicholson was fun (when isn’t he?) it was a cakewalk for him and he didn’t take any risks. I realize a lot of people liked that movie and my elder cousins thought I was too young and stupid to get it. Fuck you guys- the movie still sucks!

Well, when Batman Begins was announced I had renewed fire, thanks to the choice of Christopher Nolan as director and Christian Bale as Batman. Then came Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman and Cillian Murphy. Nice cast and Nolan can do no wrong. Batman Begins was incredible- ballsy, smart, action packed, faithful and yet rooted in the real world, not some fucking cartoon land where everything can be written off to fantasy and “comic books” never having to make some real dramatic choices. This Batman wisely took its time building character and motivation and story. I’ve watched it several times since on HBO and DVD and it holds up well.

I saw The Dark Knight last night and was completely blown away. At 2 ½ hours, one might think the film is too long. It isn’t, it’s perfect. I feel bad for Sam Raimi because he tried to do in Spiderman 3 what Nolan has done here. Spiderman 3 bite off more than it could chew and soured the trilogy. The Dark Knight bit off a lot and chewed it right up. There is significant character development with some new faces and the film wisely takes its time building to the conclusion on that character and story development. I stayed away from previews and press so I’m not going to talk about plot, I’d rather have you discover that for yourself.

The Dark Knight is a character study. A dark (get it- hahaha) character study. Essentially everyone in the film has moral decisions to make or is deeply troubled- to say the least in the Joker’s case. Nolan and his brother Jonathan, who co-wrote The Prestige and the short story Memento is based on, wrote the script, which is chock full of big action set pieces. There are bursts of action all throughout the film and big gasp inducing moments- one in particular, you’ll know it when you see it. And the setup for the next Batman is brilliant.

Okay so Heath Ledger…um, how do I put this…? Heath Ledger is incredible and you miss him when he’s not onscreen. His work is so rock solid he makes the other highly talented actors around him appear to be lazy. He also had the most fun role, but still. Ledger has always made impressions in film. He’s just one of those actors. I realize Brokeback Mountain has been reduced to late night talk show one liners and further proof of the country’s homophobia, but if you go back and watch that film, his performance there is amazing. Now back it up to The Dark Knight and look at the difference. In both films he uses everything a good actor should. He has a posture and walk to go along with the voice, the laugh and the small mannerisms he displays with his mouth and the constant liplicking. His commitment is undeniable. I can’t wait to see the movie again just to watch his performance. I must mention that it made me sad to watch him in this film, but you know why.

Drunk in A Park on A Saturday

Pottyboy strikes again.


Drunk In A Park On A Saturday from Pottyboy on Vimeo.

"Do you drink?" "Oh God yeah."

I was gone for the past week and a half for work, but I managed to sneak a few from netflix. First I saw Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, an excellent piece of work from one of the greats, Sidney Lumet. The always spot on Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke play brothers who plot what they think will be the perfect crime. They are wrong, of course. Definitely check out this very well made film and don't let anyone tell you about it so you're nice and surprised.

I also saw Jumper, which should have been a big ballsy action flick, instead it just felt like a slight, paint by the numbers- holy-shit-did-they-cut-alot-of-stuff-out- standard popcorn movie. That being said, it flew by, had some fun action, good effects, and was fine for a brain dead sunday afternoon.

Finally, I saw Charlie Wilson's War which I liked quite a bit. The two out of three ain't bad, can't miss cast consisted of Tom Hanks, Phillip Seymour Hoffman (in another stellar performance) and Julia Roberts. Mike Nichols directed from a Aaron Sorkin script. The film is based on a true story and you don't know whether to laugh or cry at the outcome, but it seems pretty fitting for our government. I'm going to take this film as an opportunity to rail a bit. I think Julia Roberts sucks. I just wish she'd continue to be a stay at home mom and not act anymore. Actually to call her an actor is an insult to actors. She sucks, and yet she always comes across as so pleased with her performance as she's performing it. I have news for her- she shouldn't be pleased because she isn't good, and it's all the more apparent when she's acting opposite Hoffman and Hanks. Would've been nice if they got Cate Blanchett, or Kate Winslet, or the numerous other ubertalented actors out there besides her. But enough about her, Charlie Wilson's War is very good.

Blindness

This looks very cool. It has tone to spare- creepy tone. This is the latest film from Fernando Meirelles, who directed City of God, and The Constant Gardener, two fantastic films. If haven't seen them, put them high atop your list- they're worth it. Meanwhile check out the trailer for Blindness. It's slated to open September 26th.

http://www.apple.com/trailers/miramax/blindness/large.html

Also worth noting...I find Mark Ruffalo and Julianne Moore to be two of the better and more interesting actors working today, and the rest of the cast ain't too shabby either.

For Your Listening Pleasure...Boogie on Reggae Woman

The first time I heard this song I think I listened to it about 50 times in a row. I'm not kidding either. This was before iPods, and the like, so I was laying on my bed listening to it on my walkman- just rewinding it over and over again. It's a fan-funk-fucking-tastic, groovy tune. Enjoy!

"WHERE THE FUCK ARE MY HARD-BOILED EGGS?????!!!!!"

This is the best news I've heard in awhile. This has already been confirmed, but to continue to hear more and more about it just makes me smile. As reported in the NY Post this morning...
'ARRESTED' MOVIE IN 'DEVELOPMENT'
By MICHAEL STARR

June 25, 2008

A big-screen version of cult favorite "Arrested Development" is on the fast track.

Jason Bateman, who starred as Michael Bluth in the Fox sitcom, says an "Arrested" movie is being planned for next year.

"When it was on TV, if you missed one word, the whole third act could be blown for you," Bateman told the London Times.

"And TV is a different experience," he said. "You come home and you've got to finish a call so you miss the first ten minutes or you get snacky and you go to the fridge and you miss another two minutes.

"So it's a different experience to film."

"Arrested Development," which aired on Fox from 2003-2006, revolved around the quirky Bluth family and was narrated by Ron Howard (who co-produced the series).

It was never a ratings hit, but was a critical darling and developed a cult following.

The show also starred Portia de Rossi, Jeffrey Tambor, Jessica Walter, Will Arnett and Michael Cera ("Juno").

If the movie comes to fruition, it would be the latest in a long line of hit-or-miss big-screen versions of TV shows, including the just-released "Get Smart," a box-office smash with Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway in the roles originated by Don Adams and Barbara Feldon in the classic '60s series.

Other TV shows, including "The Wild Wild West," "The Mod Squad" and "Miami Vice," had a rocky transition to the big screen.

This is one of my all-time favorite shows. For a gauge my others are The Simpsons (though in the past 6 or 7 years it's been fairly lackluster considering what it used to be), The Sopranos, Seinfeld and quite possibly Dexter. If you have never seen this show, I can't stress to you enough how brilliant it is. Yes I know brilliant gets thrown around alot but this show deserves the title. There are only 3 seasons so go out and buy the DVDs. There are clever jokes twisted into other clever jokes which revolve around clever plotlines. The characters are about as sharply drawn as you can get. Ron Howard executive produces the show and he also narrates. Guess what? He's fucking perfect! The lore has it that he read a temp track for the pilot and everyone loved it. The rest is history. At least it is to the 53 people who actually watched the show. What other show on TV has roofies, the blue man group, christians, magicians, pot smoking, incest, afternoon delight, and the aforementioned hard-boiled eggs? If that doesn't sell you then check out the cast.By the way this show also wisely put Jason Bateman back on TV and cast Michael Cera before Superbad and Juno came out. Plus they hired David Cross.

"Then why don't you marry an ice cream sandwich?"

Dope

Apparently you don't have to be smart ot be a police officer. My friend sent me this and if you haven't seen it, you need to. The video speaks for itself.

George Carlin - Rest in Peace, motherfucker

Here was a man who fought for freedom of speech with his famed 7 Dirty Words. He always marched to the beat of his own drum and if you didn't like it, well...you could fuck yourself. His uncanny ability to pull the bullshit out of situations is unparalleled. I saw him live in Las Vegas about 10 years ago and he made fun of men who wore cowboy hats and had earrings. He was brutal and that kind of shyte is right up my alley. I watched 2 couples walk out, one of which the man was yelling "You've changed!" Um, no sir, you have just grown into the very thing Carlin has always made fun of. He was wearing a cowboy hat. I couldn't tell if he had an earring on or not. I've posted the first 20 minutes of his last televised standup special. It's extremelu appropriate. He has a scathing section about what people say to you when someone dies. It's the kind of rant that'll have you pissing in your pants laughing, and your fist in the air for how right on the nose he is. Unless, that is, you think he's "changed."

The section I mentioned is at 9:45 and the next clip picks up right where the first leaves off. But if you've got the time, the whole thing is genius.

For Your Listening Pleasure...Feels So Good

This song puts me in a good mood the moment I start listening to it. The title says it all. Chuck Mangione is the man-gione. I couldn't find the long version with the melancholy lead up and extended end so this will have to do. I really want to use this song in a film one day...

For Your Listening Pleasure...

I think I'm going to try and do this on a regular basis. And by "this" I mean post a song for you to enjoy, a song that I enjoy. This song is enjoyable in general, and it's a favorite of mine to listen to when I get off the train and walk within a mass of people to the "Shuttle Bus Area." The best is when you're listening to a song like this and you get a few "runners" aka people who run to their shuttle so they don't miss it. These are usually people who haven't run in probably 20 years. It's quite a show. Any-who, here's Herb Alpert's title track to Casino Royale- the original one that is. Although it would've been really funny to watch Daniel Craig kick ass to this song.

Burn After Reading

The Coen Brothers rule! They do so many things so well, but I really love when they do comedy. I especially love when they do comedy with fairly stupid people in it, which is often. And if not stupid then crazy. Or both. Well their new film, Burn After Reading has quite a cast. It's also the first time they're not using their mainstay, and one of my personal favs, DP, Roger Deakins. Apparently he was busy, but they hired Emmanual Lubezki so they aren't exactly suffering. The film is about an ousted CIA agent whose memoir falls into the hands of two dimwitted gym employees and they are determined to exploit him. I love when Brad Pitt plays dumb or incompetent and seems to be in full stride here. This is a Red Band Trailer so put the kids in the other room, just in case.
Burn After Reading - Red Band Trailer

Stevie Wonder Burns Down Sesame Street

I stole that line from my buddy Cal who sent me this link. Not only is it funny to imagine, but it's true- not literally of course but musically. This is the fucking badass jammy jam, but what do you expect from The Man himself. Make sure you watch the whole video.

She Must Be Heigl

This has been bothering me since I heard about it last week. This chick needs to check herself in a big way. The following is an open letter from a writer at New York Magazine and it nails the whole situation right on the head.

Dear Katherine (Kate? Katie?),
So you’ve acted out once again (no pun intended!). You’ve withdrawn your name from Emmy eligibility, because, in your words, ''I did not feel that I was given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination.'' And now you’ve started a fight with the writers of Grey’s Anatomy. Their feelings are hurt, Katie: "It's an ungrateful slap in the face," one show insider told EW. You actually won the Emmy for supporting actress last year, which was really so lovely for you. So why, this year, are you so sure your material doesn’t even warrant a nomination? Let’s think.

Okay, Heigl, we agree that Izzie’s story lines have become increasingly marginal and unbelievable. Lately, everyone on the show seems to think that Izzie’s completely irritating. So do we! We actually groan aloud when your perky face appears onscreen! There’s a theory we have about this, Katherine, so listen closely. Have you ever thought that maybe the writers are incorporating your own personality into that of your character? Because we read a lot of women’s magazine and gossip sites, and we think we kind of know you at this point. And guess what? You’re totally annoying and self-righteous, just like Izzie!

Of course, we, too, were offended by Isaiah Washington. He called your on- and-off-screen best friend, T.R. Knight, a faggot, and that’s just uncalled for. You established yourself as Knight’s defender and kept speaking to the press about how Washington should be fired. So we guess that’s nice of you and all, but you really should have let your friend fight his own battle. You ended up looking pretty darn priggish.

And then (and then!) you called your own hit movie, Knocked Up, “a little sexist.” You have a right to your opinion, and we might even agree with you. But you were Apatow’s first choice for that movie, you did it, you made lots of money, and it made you a certified movie star. What possessed you to bash it? Do you think you’re above the work that you do? It was a comedy, and you profited tremendously. You’re no Streep, honey, and even she does Abba with a smile.

Now we’re going to throw you a bone: We think you’re a talented comedic actress. That’s right, your timing is much better than most, and you have a goofy onscreen persona that combines nicely with your California-girl looks. Plus, My Father the Hero was one of our favorite movies growing up, so we’ll always have a soft spot for you, Heig-y. Though last week, in a dark moment, we watched 27 Dresses on demand. Now that was a case of writers messing up your material.

So please take our advice. Grey’s Anatomy is a soap opera. Get off your high horse, missy. You talk all about the integrity of the Academy? Ha! You know they’re giving an Emmy to a reality-TV show host this year, right? Stop pissing off your writers and directors and castmates. We want to like you, Katherine, really. Please stop making it so hard to do so.

Warmest regards,
Emma Rosenblum


I agree with most of it. I think Isiah Washington deserved any bullshit he got but she's so fucking self-righteous that it came off as self-serving - "look at me" than genuine. I didn't like her much before she started spouting off against the very people and projects that have made her a star. I don't think she's talented at all and thought she was by far the weakest part of Knocked Up. I've never seen Grey's Anatomy and could give a shit less about it. McDreamy, McSteamy, McPissoff- boring, pretentious, overly dramatic, cutting a supposedly meaningful montage to today's latest pop-song one hit wonder and roll credits- WHO THE FUCK CARES? I'm getting off topic though...

It wasn't necessary for her to say what she said. She could've not responded. She could've put the blame on herself. I'm sure she has the attitude of "I tell it like it is!" or "I'm just being honest." Fine. Fair enough. See how many people want to work with you if you throw everyone under the bus who's worked with you in the past. I believe they call that biting the hand that feeds you.

Word is she wants to be a movie star. 27 Dresses was pretty successful- I didn't see it and I didn't need to, I've already seen My Best Friend's Wedding and the countless others with the same plot. Lots of actors want a movie career, but she should keep one person in mind; David Caruso. I don't think he even trashed the writers of NYPD Blue, but he had a good 1st season and fancied himself a movie star. Know what happened? He left the show, which continued on for about another 12 seasons, and starred in a movie called Kiss of Death and it fucking died at the box office. He struggled in "no-one-gives-a-shit-about-you-land" for several years until he landed a piggyback hit- CSI: Miami. Well he sucks on that show. He sucks bad. Has he learned his lesson? No. By all accounts, (I've read a bunch, and heard second hand from people who've guest starred and worked on the show) he's a total pain in the ass on the show to everyone around him. Katherine Heigl should put her fucking head down and keep working.

Hey Vimeo!

Gracias to Pottyboy for pointing me in the direction of this site. It's free to sign up, and they allocate you 500mb a week of upload content. Their compressions and are very good and you can also upload and view in HD! Very sweet! Maybe this is where Okay Great will make it debut...it's 20 minutes long and most sites only 10...I'll have to see what Vimeo allows. You don't have to be a filmmaker or wannabe You Tube dipshit to post stuff. If you have kids and want to post videos of them for friends and family who live in other parts of the country, use sites like Vimeo, Meta Cafe and Revver for quality alone. You Tube is good for getting lots of random views, but the quality is shit.

The Truthiness of Steve Depino

The Truthiness of Steve Depino from Jeff Reilly on Vimeo.

Edit This

Edit This from Jeff Reilly on Vimeo.

See Real Women: Really See Women

See Real Women: Really See Women from Jeff Reilly on Vimeo.

My Favorite Holiday

My Favorite Holiday from Jeff Reilly on Vimeo.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

I've been tracking this film for awhile and my excitement is only heightening. It's a love story, but not your typical love story. The man, Benjamin Button (obviously), played by Brad Pitt is aging backwards. Yes, that is the premise. I don't know much more only because I don't want to spoil too much. To make the film that much more intriguing, it's directed by David Fincher, written by Eric Roth and Cate Blanchett co-stars. Oh and it's based on a story by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Any for anyone who cares, it's being shot digitally- just like Fincher's last- Zodiac.

Dewey Cox Rocks

I've watched Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story twice now and I almost pissed my pants on several occasions and any poorly timed sips from my soda could've resulted in spitting it all over the place. Writer/Director Jake Kasdan and Co-writer Judd Apatow make a very smart choice in the tone of the film. The action is played deadpan, but it's funny as hell. Molded after such biopics as Ray, Walk the Line, The Doors and even Don't Look Back(instant street cred), Kasdan and Apatow also take little bits and pieces from real life rock star and incorporate it into the script. The fun is trying to spot them all- good luck there's a ton. They also made the right choice in casting John C Reilly, though I biased because I've been a fan of his for a long time (and his last name is pretty fucking cool too!). Jenna Fischer is terrific as well and there is a great supporting cast behind them and one of the coolest, and out of left field cameos I've ever seen- and the performance is funny as shit. See if you can spot it- it's not obvious. The cinematography is outstanding, which was another inspired choice on the filmmakers part because most comedies don't go out of their way to create Academy Award winning photography. Definitely check this out.
***Note- Make sure you watch through the credits.

Okay Great

I've been fine tuning Okay Great and screening for friends and crew members looking for some feedback. I'm essentially done. I'm really pleased with the film but now comes the tough part- finding a composer to score the film. The music I used in the film is pretty out there, it certainly isn't your typical score and trying to replicate the tone is going to be difficult. A really talented audio mixer named Mike Ryan is going to mix the film for me for basically nothing and he is also putting his feelers out for a composer. I have a few other friends sending emails to people they know, so if any of my 1 or 2 readers knows someone who is a musician or music composer and is interested in taking on a challenging piece of work for little to no money (sounds appealing, right?) please send them my way or give me a shout with their info. Muchos Gracias!

Copper Mason

My friend Jamin Bricker co-wrote and directed this short film. It's actually the beginning of a webisode series which he shot the first 3 episodes of over a weekend in May. Erin Rosa produced the film and she was my co-producer on Okay Great. It's whacky and fun- check it out.

From Crackle: Cooper Mason - Internet Retail Extroardinare

Coat Hangers for Strait Jackets

The title doesn't mean anything, I just like it. I suggested it as the name for our production company at work, but we didn't end up changing the name, so it's a title waiting for a home. Since I'm going to post a bunch of random shit, I figured I'd throw it out there. Maybe it's the title for a short film...

So it's been 2 years, almost to the day, that I finished Edit This, so I thought I'd post it.


Edit This from Jeff Reilly on Vimeo.

Can't believe it's been 2 years and I still enjoy it, which I guess is a good sign.

Also, after 7 long months, I have completely a pretty-close-to-finished cut of Okay Great. Between work, wedding planning, and life in general, I wasn't always able to sit down and grind it out, but as friend told me recently, it'll happen when it's ready. There's still some work to be done in the editing room, then get someone to score the film with original music and then do the final audio mix. My goal is to be ready by august to submit to Sundance and then wait for the rejection letter.

A few weeks ago, my fiancée and I went on our official engagement shoot, although we've been engaged for 2 1/2 years. Regardless, we are lucky enough to have Steve Depino and Carla Ten Eyck shooting our wedding and they both teamed up for the engagement shoot as well. We had a great day! Lost of fantastic pictures, (no surprise if you've seen any of their work) laughs, beers, and dinner to top off the night. I'll never be able to thank either of you enough, but know how much we appreciate your work and personalities and that we count ourselves as very lucky to have you be a part of our wedding day. If the pictures from the big day are half as amazing as the engagement pictures then we're in for an enormous treat. If you want to see our photos, go here for steve's and here for carla's.

I've been too busy to get out to the movies and the ones I have seen haven't left an impression on me. I watched There Will Be Blood again, which is on DVD and if you haven't seen that yet, you need to. Yeah that's right, you NEED to.

"Forty-nine Per-fucking-cent!"

Carla Ten Eyck sent me this after seeing it on Robert Norman's blog. She thought I'd rate high. She was right. And yes I am proud of myself. Apparently, my rating is 449% MORE than other websites who participated.


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A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints

I love reading memoirs. I’m fascinated with reading true stories about real people, and I don’t mean it in a history buff kind of way. Some examples…A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius (an ironic title but right on the money), A Million Little Pieces, My Friend Leonard, Private Parts, Jarhead, Goat, Running with Scissors (actually everything by Augusten Burrows, and the same goes for David Sedaris), Superstud and Kick Me…I’m sure you get the point, but if you’re a reader, write these titles down! I may be adding one to this list by next week, except in this case, I saw the movie before I read the book. It’s called A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints and it knocked me for a loop.

The film is based on the memoir of the same title by Dito Montiel, who also wrote the script and directed the film. It is a coming of age story about a young man growing up Queens who desperately wants to get out. While plotting his escape, there are many things going on his life that propel him to want to leave but could also keep him from going anywhere.

The film has a raw intensity and energy that you find in personal works, especially first time filmmakers. There isn’t a whole hell of a lot that is conventional about this film. It’s shot with a handheld documentary style that brings real authenticity to the film and the cutting style is all over the place- and I mean that as a compliment - there are jump cuts, repeat cuts, flash forwards, fragments of scenes are teased and filled out seconds or minutes later. Where most filmmakers would hold a dramatic scene to elevate the drama, here they cut away and everything hasn’t been explained in the scene yet, but it will be. In case I’m not explaining myself well enough, Gene Siskel used to say ‘it isn’t what a film is about that matters, it’s how it’s about it’ and that theory applies here. The way this film is told supports the film exactly the way it should. The film is told in flashback, but it doesn’t feel that way. It starts at, what I assume is, a book reading and the cutting style starts to shine through right away. The next thing you know we’re back in Queens in 1986.

There have been a lot of coming of age stories set in NYC and the surrounding boroughs, especially those where the main character wants out. This film stood out to me because of the material. The script is well written. The dialogue is natural and feels authentic but that only goes as far as the actors take it. Well, the acting couldn’t be better. Shia LaBeouf, who has continually impressed me, delivers a truly great, involving, three dimensional performance as Dito. Like Johnny Depp, he is an actor whose eyes tell you everything and never have I seen him in a film where it benefits him more than here. Chazz Palminteri and Dianne Wiest play Dito’s parents and are, as always, wonderful. Robert Downey Jr plays the adult Dito and again, when has he turned in a bad performance. There’s no exception here. He is such a natural actor that he makes it look easy, which if you’ve ever acted- it’s anything but easy. There was a big surprise here only because I didn’t know too much about him, but Channing Tatum is phenomenal. He reminded me of Mark Wahlberg when I saw The Basketball Diaries. He has an undeniable intensity and when he’s onscreen, it’s tough to take your eyes off him. The only film I had seen him in was Step Up, which I watched with my fiancé on HBO. Not normally my cup of tea, to say the least, and I don’t remember much from the movie, but I do remember thinking he and the female lead had decent chops. He shows what he can do here and apparently some filmmakers have taken notice. Oliver Stone cast him in Pinkville, and Michael Mann just cast him as Pretty Boy Floyd in Public Enemies. He also has a role in Kimberly Pierce’s new movie, Stop/Loss and he’s playing Duke in GI Joe. Keep you eye on this kid because if he keeps at this rate he’s going to be a big, big star.

Okay, so I’m going to Amazon to buy this memoir and you should go rent the movie.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is not the film you are probably expecting it to be. Automatically you’d assume that it’s a shoot ‘em up western. It isn’t. It’s a deeply hypnotic, lyrical and poetic, both visually and literally, film which I fell deeply into. It is also a western with some shoot ‘em up and much like There Will Be Blood and No Country for Old Men, this film is a slow boil, brimming with intensity.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert tells story of the last 7 months of Jesse James’ (Brad Pitt) life. Quickly we get the idea that the hangers on in the James Gang are all starfuckers with their gaze set directly on the elusive, charismatic and mysterious Jesse James, but none more than Robert Ford (Casey Affleck). Not yet 20, Robert Ford worships his childhood hero with the same wide-eyed wonder he did 10 years earlier, though he acts like he doesn’t. It’s a crush essentially, and he doesn’t hide it well.

The film follows the members of the James Gang as they chunk off into groups and separate following a train robbery. Most are related to each other in one way or another and never stray too far for too long, usually ending up back at the Ford household. And it is there where Jesse James seals his fate with the socially awkward Ford.

The film doesn’t just focus on James and Ford, we get to know all of the members of the gang, and love them or hate them, they are richly drawn and beautifully brought to life by an incredible cast. There are little performance gems all over this film. Sam Rockwell, Paul Schneider, Garret Dillahunt, Jeremy Renner, Sam Shepard, Gretchen Mol, and Mary-Louise Parker deliver terrific performances which can’t be fully appreciated until they are seen. Ted Levine (Buffalo Bill from The Silence of the Lambs) and Zooey Deschanel show up for a brief period of time and leave a deep impression. This is a great cast. Before I saw the film and read the cast list I was excited- Bravo to the casting director, the director or whomever came up with the idea of casting these actors. There are people whom you may not recognize but have been doing terrific work on TV and in smaller, meaning less widely seen, films.

Brad Pitt is someone whose work I’ve admired for a long time. I noticed him in Thelma and Louise just like the rest of the world, but I felt the part to be a little showy and frankly, kind of obvious. Kalifornia is what really brought him to my attention and if you haven’t seen the film, seek it out. For those of you who have seen it, you’ll appreciate something Pitt does in the film that is a direct nod to Kalifornia. It would be easy to forget that he’s such a great actor seeing as how his personal life has become tabloid fodder and lame late night talk show jokes about how many kids he has. He has a varied and high reaching line of movies trailing behind him…12 Monkeys, Interview with a Vampire, True Romance (best stoner ever), Legends of the Fall, Fight Club, Snatch, Ocean’s Eleven, Babel…you get the idea- The man is not afraid to take chances. His performance here is beautifully nuanced- at times big and powerful and at others small and equally, if not more, powerful. He won Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival and I can see why.

Casey Affleck had a great year. He was very good in Gone Baby Gone and he is even better in this- not that it’s fair to compare (poet didn’t know it) but from frame one to the end frame he is nothing less than totally convincing. He broke my heart. Sad and awkward, angry and introverted, proud and ashamed- he covers it all and he covers it all very well. I’m starting to reconsider my belief that Javier Bardem gave the best supporting actor performance of the year.

This film is also very well directed by Andrew Dominik, who has only one other credit under his belt, the terrific Chopper starring a then unknown Eric Bana (Hulk, Troy, Munich). The film is deliberately paced and mannered. Shots hold for longer than we’re used to, cutaways are used to show the mood of the characters and set the tone and mood for the film as a whole. Portions of the film are punctuated by voice-over passages done in a very even almost stoic voice as if they were being read directly from the book. These scenes are shot in the same fashion and have the same musical score. It’s an interesting technique that some might not like but that I loved.

Now onto the cinematography; Good God is it amazing. Roger Deakins is my favorite DP and while I was over the moon that Robert Elswit picked the Oscar for his work in There Will Be Blood, I think the award belongs to Deakins. There isn’t a single shot in the film that isn’t beautiful. Most of it is downright breathtaking. For a man who consistently does incredible work, he truly out does himself here. The film is painterly and eye-poppingly majestic. I’d be curious to know how much of the film was shot with natural light. Some of it looks as though it’s lit only with candles. I was mesmerized. This is a wonderful film, but something significant would be missing without Roger Deakin’s photography. Bravo, sir!

I saw this film in the ideal conditions and you should do likewise should you choose to seek it out. Lights completely out, volume cranked. I wish I saw it in the theater but alas I didn’t. This came and went from theaters faster than Daddy Day Camp and that’s fucking sad if you ask me. I’ve read, I believe on Ain’t it Cool but I can’t be sure, that the studio didn’t like or believe in the film and so they “dumped” it. This means they released it in a very small amount of theaters, did no promotion for it and essentially cut their losses and didn’t give a shit about it. What a shame…and keep in mind this film is not for everyone but neither is Daddy Day Camp or the innumerable other total piece of shit, waste of time and money films released every week. There is exceptional work from cast and crew alike in this film and it’s too bad more people haven’t seen it.

Cloverfield

It's pretty tough- check that- it's practically impossible to live up to hype. I had my first run-in with hype when Batman (Tim Burton's version) came out in 1989. Severe disappointment didn't even cover it. My buddy Jon and I anxiously awaited it's arrival and when it came we were there- super long line wait 'n all. When the movie was over and the lights came up everyone was on their feet applauding. We were on our feet too saying "Let's get the fuck out of here!" Thank God for Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins- faaaaaaaaaaar better. Any-who, with the marketing and mystery surrounding Cloverfield the hype was nearing epic proportions and I started to worry because I didn't want Batman-like disappointment again. Due to a busy schedule I wasn't able to see Cloverfield until the other day and I was not disappointed. Quite the opposite in fact.

I was extremely anxious for the first 15 minutes because I knew what was coming and I just wanted it to happen. But the film is getting you to know the characters and their situation a bit before, well...you know. Rob is moving to Japan and his friends are throwing him a going away party. His brother Jason and his girlfriend are the main hosts and Jason passes off "camera testimonials" to Hud. Hud spots Marlena, who isn't really supposed to be there and falls in love or lust or whatever, with her almost immediately. The biggest problem, however is that Rob has recently slept with Beth, a longtime friend, first time lover. She shows up to the party with some fucking tool because Rob didn't know how to talk to her after they had sex. It's alot right? And, really, it happens in a short amount of time, but that's what was great about it. It's also what's realistic about it. I hung with a fairly large group of close friends throughout college and that's how it happens; word travels fast and everyone knows everyone elses business in 2.2 seconds. There is a very real feel brought to this movie, not just from the handheld handicam camera work, but from the writing and acting.

Although I was getting into the story, I was also very anxious through the first scenes of the film because I knew what was in the mail, so to speak. When it happens, I had stopped being anxious and was really getting into the scene at hand and then- WHAM- it hits. From there the fucking wheels come off. This is an intense movie. And tense. I was tense throughout. My fiance almost chewed her fingers off her hand after she took care of the nails. There are moments where the action settles down a bit but the intensity stays.

The idea of first person camera work intrigued me and was largely the reason I was attracted to this film. Execution is another story- things can get screwed up easily, but not here. Here it works. Very well. The action and the reality of the situation are palpable because of the camerawork. The constant movement of the frame- panning, adjusting, twisting and tilting...it feels real. You are never taken out of the moment with a cutaway. And there's no editing to speak of. I mean there is but it's just the camera being turned off and on so sentences and scenes get cut and then WHAM you're back into a new one. There are no cutaways or reaction shots. There also is no music telling you how to feel in each scene and believe me you don't miss it. The reality of it all weighed on me and in large part it was due to the technical work, but the acting was a huge part of it as well.

The cast is made up of, not unknowns, but not well knowns- if you known what I mean. You'll recognize or vaguely recognize most of them, or maybe not at all if you don't watch a lot of TV. Everyone was very natural and in a movie like this where it's shot, essentially, raw documentary style how do you act natural in the middle of a very unnatural situation. Natural in this situation would be an orgy of shock, confusion, shit-your-pants-fear, I mean someone might have a breakdown and someone else might take charge. Even though there is a script, it feels like there isn't by the interactions between the characters. Hud, played by TJ Miller, is the man behind the camera and he is constantly making comments and observations. His performance is paramount to the film coming off and he plays it very well. I also liked, Michael Stahl-David, who played Rob, and Lizzy Caplan, who played Marlena. Jessica Lucas plays Lilly, and she's currently on CSI. She has the potential to be a big star. As an aspiring writer/producer/director I get really excited for people that break into the big time and it was exciting for me to see all these young actors kicking ass in a Major Motion Picture, produced by a Major Hollywood director/writer/producer, which, conveniently brings me to my next point

JJ Abrams is the producer, NOT, the director, which isn't to say that he didn't have alot of input- I'm sure he did, but at the end of the day, he's the producer. I can pretty much guarantee you he wasn't in the edit room, day in and day out, like the director, Matt Reeves probably was. People get this confused alot and as a result sometimes the director or writer doesn't get the credit he or she deserves. This film is a mammoth undertaking and one false move could fuck the whole thing up. Matt Reeves did an amazing job and I applaud him. He's a writer/director who co-created Felicity and directed The Pallbearer, both very credible pieces of work, but an out of control, train off the tracks monster movie they were not. I can't wait to see what this guy has up his sleeve next. By the way, I'm taking nothing away from JJ Abrams. I'm sure he had alot of input and the man is clearly talented- he delivered the best Mission Impossible movie by far- but people think it's his movie and it's isn't. Not entirely at least.

I want to address something I've read in some reviews, not all, but some. People have complained that no one in their right mind would have continued filming through all the chaos. I disagree. Completely. First of all you can't definitely say what any one person would do in this situation because you don't definitely know, but that's beside the point. I know someone who would continue filming as he was trying to run for his life. He would have actually been going out of his way to get cool shots. His name is Pottyboy. Got to his site and you'll see what I mean. But even that doesn't give the slightest idea of how much has shot in his life. This is also besides the point. Making a case for the movie being unbelievable because you don't feel someone would continue filming is a stupid point to make. There wouldn't be a movie in the first place if the person didn't film it, so you shouldn't be in the theater if you don't like the concept. By taking a "realistic" or "documentary" approach the film opens itself up to such criticisms, but I feel they are unfounded and moot. When you go see Transformers you don't say "How did they get a guy in the middle of the highway to film them fighting?" Why? Because it's a movie, entertaining you, hopefully, so you know it's not real. Well Cloverfield is presented as "found footage" therefore we should buy into the fact, even though we know it's not real that someone did continue filming whilst running for their life and enjoy what we see, much like we'll buy into Transformers. This is why we go to the movies, folks, so we can be entertained. Hopefully I've made myself clear on this because it baffles me that someone would use that as an argument.

Either way, Cloverfield is an amazing film and I can't wait to see it again. An extraordinarily effective and groundbreaking approach to a monster movie that lived up it's brilliant marketing plan. Good luck to anyone who tries to top it. They'll need it.

There Will Be Blood

Paul Thomas Anderson is one of my favorite filmmakers and I’ve loved to pieces every film he’s made. I believe it was 2 or 3 years ago I read he was making a new film called There Will Be Blood. Super heightened anticipation doesn’t even come close to describing my desire to see this film and I finally got to see it on Sunday. I was hypnotized throughout the film. Everything about the film- the writing, directing, acting, cinematography, editing, etc…- sucks you in, casts you under its spell and leads to a dazzling finish that knocked me on my ass. Actually I was already on my ass but when the film ended, I sat in my chair not moving.

As more time passes from when I saw the film, it’s sinking in deeper and deeper. There are shots and lines of dialogue I can’t get out my head. Images in the film, so powerful, are burned into my brain and pop up like my own private slideshow. Anderson’s movies always have this effect on me. The amount of times I’ve watched Boogie Nights and Magnolia would appall people of better sense than mine, but I can’t help myself. There Will Be Blood is no different. I want to go back to the theater and watch it over and over and over again.

This film tells the story of Daniel Plainview and his quest to succeed, to dominate all people and things, no matter what. He doesn’t let anything get in his way. Anything at all. He's "an oil man" and he has "a competition in him." His drive is so strong he doesn't want to see anyone other than him succeed. He’s a self-made man who built himself from the ground up and Daniel Day-Lewis plays him to perfection. I think everyone knows that Daniel Day- Lewis doesn’t give bad performances. Ever. I think this is his best performance and knowing what we know about him, that’s no small feat. Much has been made, with good reason, about his performance in the film but I’m surprised more people haven’t made mention of Paul Dano’s performance, an actor who’s work I’ve been enjoying a lot lately and I was beyond excited when I found out he was cast in the film. He plays Eli Sunday, a supposed "prophet," but really he's more interested in profit. This is a film about greed, but it is also a film about God and without Dano's extremely strong performance as the preacher, the film would be broken. You may have seen Dano in Taking Lives, The Girl Next Door or The Ballad of Jack & Rose (also starring Daniel Day-Lewis) but I’m sure you remember him as the self-imposed mute from Little Miss Sunshine. He does incredible work in There Will Be Blood. Look for him as the lead in Spike Jonze’s version of Where the Wild Things Are. Dillon Freasier plays H.W. Plainview, Daniel's adopted son. He is an absolute revelation. His performance is so important to the movie and although his imdb page lists no previous film credits, his work is that of a seasoned actor.

Paul Thomas Anderson has created a film so simple, yet so complicated. I've heard and read that this is a departure for him. I disagree. You still feel his imprint in the writing, camera work (though with less kinetic dolly moves) and cutting style-not mention it is a sprawling epic, much like Boogie Nights and Magnolia (Magnolia takes place in one day but it feels like a lifetime). There is a rhythm to his writing and the beats he uses draw you into his scenes and ultimately his entire film. He isn’t afraid to hold shots. For awhile. (I’d love to know how many cuts are in this film, by the way.) Though the film is just over 2 ½ hours, there is no fat on it- not unnecessary bullshit. I must say when the early word about the film starting emerging and people were throwing around comparisons to Citizen Kane, Giant and other works of exceptionally high caliber, I wasn’t surprised. I wasn’t surprised by the fact that he had made a quote-unquote masterpiece. I just nodded ‘Yeah, of course. He’s the fucking man.’ I’ve wanted his films to sweep the Academy Awards but they never do. If There Will Be Blood doesn’t, I might throw my fucking TV out the window.

Robert Elswit is a terrific cinematographer who’s been doing particularly good work lately (Good Night and Good Luck, and Syriana to name a few). This is 4th film with Anderson and his work is nothing less than breathtaking. He created beautiful, lasting, epic images which, as I’ve mentioned, I can’t get out of my head. Not only is the film shot well, it is also edited very well. Dylan Tichenor, an extremely talented editor, who has also worked with Anderson on his last 4 films, does wonderful work once again. The Production Design by Jack Fisk is truly awesome. I would hope to see all of these names on Oscar ballots in a few weeks.

The score is by Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead fame. It’s easily one of the best scores I’ve ever heard. I dropped a few tracks on this blog a last month, but heard with images in it’s entirety give rise to the emotions going on in the film, but on the surface and under it. At times subtle and at times not, the score, much like every other aspect of the film, is perfect.

Much has been made of the nearly wordless opening, which lasts, I think, 10 minutes or so. Either people didn’t mention or I didn’t read that there are quite a few nearly wordless sections of the film that are fantastic and exciting. This film is a slow burn and it takes it’s time- necessary time- getting to where it needs to go. But from the first frame you can feel the intensity of it, simmering- waiting to boil, crouched in a dark alley, around a corner, fist clenched, ready to pounce. That intensity never settles. That intensity has been slow cooking in me since I saw it yesterday. I can’t get this film out of head.

Dexter

Pottyboy has been raving about this show, in fact it's his favorite all-time show, and he burned a DVD of the first 2 seasons for me. My fiancée and I stayed up until 4am last saturday watching the first season. Yeah it's that good. Dexter is a forenics expert, specifically a interested in blood spatter patterns, who moonlights as a serial killer. But he kills other "killers" or people he deems bad. He even collects evidence and has a procedure based on years of training from his foster father. Just-"this much"-ever-so-slightly over the top it's barely noticable, Dexter is American Psycho meets CSI (not the shitty NYC or Miami editons, even though Dexter takes place in Miami). But even that doesn't describe it entirely. I'm sure I've said it before, but tone is HUGE, and the tone in this show is balanced so delicately and so well you don't even realize it until you reflect. At times, hilarious, moving, scary and violent this show blends just about every genre into a big bowl. Speaking of reflecting, as the episodes go on, right up and into the finale you realize you've seen a truly well thought out and brilliantly conceived idea that spans 13 episodes. Michael C Hall plays Dexter to perfection and without his performance the show doesn't work. The show just finished it's second season on Showtime, so in the meantime, and the midst of the writers strike, when there's very little to watch on TV, rent the first season of Dexter.

Cloverfield Party

This could be cool. Sadly I'll be knee deep in work. Who's going to go so I can live vicariously.

Roundup

I hope everyone had a nice holiday and a Happy New Year. I’ve seen a bunch of good movies lately and they are all worth mentioning. Here we go-

Juno
In fell in love with this movie early on, and when it was over, I wanted it rewound so I could watch it again. Juno is a 16 year old girl who discovers she’s pregnant and decides to give the baby up for adoption to whom she thinks are the ideal parents. The result is touching and hilarious. This is the debut from screenwriter Diablo Cody and I can’t wait to see what she has coming down the pipeline. It’s also the second film, after Thank you for Smoking by Jason Reitman who has a good eye for comedy and casting. Which leads me to Ellen Page, who plays Juno. Her performance is note perfect, in a delicately balanced film, and award worthy. She’s perfect. Her supporting cast isn’t too shabby either. You can’t beat charm and humor. Check it out.

The Bourne Ultimatum
The best of the bunch. It’s fast and furious but more importantly we see a different Jason Bourne than before and it made the film that much better than it’s predecessors. Matt Damon is such an interesting choice for the character and he’s done it so well. He kinda makes it look easy. There are a few action set pieces here that made me sit up in my chair (couch, whatever). I’ve seen this film on a few 10 top ten of the year lists and I can see why. There is a fight scene in this movie which ranks right up there with the very best and joining it is a fight scene from Eastern Promises (see below).

The Kingdom
I’m surprised this wasn’t a bigger hit. Then again I’m not. People don’t go to the movies to escape something very real to us. An oil company community in Saudi Arabia is attacked at an afternoon picnic/softball game. An FBI crew goes in to investigate. The director, Peter Berg, described the movie by saying the “first two-thirds of the film are like cocking a giant bow with a big arrow and the last third we let it go.” True and true. The movie is taut and intense- it’s a slow burn, but the last 20 minutes are batshit. Oddly enough I saw this movie about two hours after I saw Juno and Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner are in both films, together (literally in Juno, they’re married).

Eastern Promises
I have read that this film plays like an Opera. I’ve never seen an opera but if they play like this, I’m down. Viggo Mortensen is a bad motherfucker in this movie, plain and simple. He plays the “driver” for the Russian Mob, but he’s so much more than that. This film unfolds beautifully and I had avoided trailers, reviews and the like so I went in fairly blind and I’m glad I did. Try to do the same. David Cronenberg directed this and much like A History of Violence, (a film I greatly admired) Eastern Promises is told swiftly and cleanly, meaning it doesn’t muddle down in unnecessary shit. Very admirable, especially for a movie I’d find tempting to tell in a much longer running time.

Shoot ‘Em Up
Fucking crazy. I read somewhere that within the first five minutes of this film, you’ll know whether or not you’re going to like it and I agree. I loved it. This movie is pure fun and adrenaline. The story and the action move fast and some scenes get more outlandish than the next. I mean outlandish in a good way because the action is inventive and well thought it. Clever too. Shoot ‘Em Up would be a fun on a triple bill with Run Lola Run, and Running Scared (Paul Walker -who can really act when he wants to, not Billy Crystal) – a compliment to all of those films by the way. Clive Owen and Paul Giamatti are not usually a disappointment when it comes to performance. This movie is no exception. I mention Giamatti of note- I loved all his work here.

Bug
If you liked fucked up movies and I mean fucked up, watch Bug. It’s from William Friedkin, who directed The Exorcist. Ashley Judd and Michael Shannon play two lonely people who connect and find comfort in one another. Harry Connick, Jr. who alwasy plays "creepy" well, plays Judd’s “ex” who has just been released from prison. This film hits you in back of the head without warning. I wouldn’t call it a horror movie, but it creeped me out in a big way.