Vision Quest

Need an 80s kick? Want to see what Linda Fiorentino looked like in her 20s? Then this is the movie for you! Actually, Vision Quest is so much more than this. Let me put it like this, there is a scene near the end in which one character recounts his emotional experience while watching Pele do a live, in game bicycle kick on television. I won’t try to recreate here, but it is very moving. Noticing that my wife’s attention had been peaked at this particular moment, I simply looked at her and said, “Honey, THAT is sports.” Vision Quest is about sports. It’s about the physical, emotional and spiritual journey of the athlete as he/she attempts to break from the mold into realm of greatness. It’s also about life. In one way or another, all of us want to drop to 168 so we can wrestle Shute. It even has a Madonna cameo (she sings “Crazy for You”), but I personally was more excited about the Journey theme song. Check it out sometime on Demand or DVD. You won’t be disappointed!

Julie & Julia

This movie is definitely a “chic flick” as it where. Told nearly entirely from the perspective of the two women (Julie Childs and Julie Powell) and directed by a woman, Nora Ephron, the film doesn’t exactly scream “male buddy movie.” So, you can imagine my “excitement” when my wife, Michelle, dragged me to it, on a Sunday, the first Sunday of the return of the NFL. Being a good husband (too good?) I acquiesced, reluctantly. Much to my surprise, I actually enjoyed it (I know, I know, remove tampon now). Honestly, it is very well acted and the writing and directing aren’t too bad either. What’s more, Amy Adams’ character is a blogger who blogs to find some sort of sanity in her otherwise stressful chaotic life, so, I guess I kinda identified. Plus, if you like food, this movie is the equivalent of a foodie porno. Despite all this female energy being funneled into the film, something beautiful happens during the plot: I won’t say exactly what, but there is a fight between the Amy Adams character and her husband and, for the first time in movie history, IT’S TOTALLY HER FAULT. And, she knows it, as does the entire audience. It was refreshing not to have the guy cheating, or being the “asshole” and groveling for an apology, or leaving the woman to cope with the harsh world he’s left in behind in tatters. I’m not saying guys aren’t jerks sometimes or that it’s really always women who make relationships difficult (I’m not a misogynistic jerk—I went to Julie and Julia with my wife on the first Sunday of the NFL!!!), but it isn’t always the man’s fault either, as 90% of movies would have you believe. So, I recommend this picture…maybe not one for the typical guys night out (though there were a couple of guy pairs in the theatre), but certainly worth taking your sweetie to sometime. I would, however, recommend doing it on a night when football is not on.

Children of Men

I’m a Sci-Fi buff, so bear with me, but this movie is very good. It illustrates a chilling, not to distant future in which the human race loses the ability to reproduce. It’s incredibly real and terrifying, and the film does a good job exploring the possible social and cultural breakdowns that could occur under such circumstances. Don’t get me wrong, it has some cheesy moments (parts of the end are a bit on the contrived side), but they are very few and far between. The movie is also extremely violent, which didn’t at all bother me, but be warned. The performances are pretty good. Michael Caine is terrific, playing a character well outside his typical upper-class, elitist Englishman comfort zone. Clive Owen is good as usual, though he seems to play the same character in everything I see him in: sort of a dreary, dark, almost mopey intellectual who stands in between the fringe and mainstream of society. Regardless, he always pulls it off and makes it interesting, and this film is no exception. Obviously, this one isn’t in theatres anymore, but I recommend checking it out via NetFlix or OnDemand. It’s pretty hardcore, but intellectually compelling and frightening…very intense.

Across the Universe

This movie sucks big donkey balls. It’s nothing more than a contrived vehicle to get from one Beatles song to the next. They even named the main characters Jude and Lucy!! Gimme a break. What’s worse is that the performers CAN’T EVEN SING!!! They’re off pitch and seem to miss notes…frequently. Moreover, the producers got the bright idea of changing the songs to make them, perhaps, more contemporary friendly. Look, I’m more of a Stones fan, but even I know that you just don’t mess with the Beatles. I don’t particularly like musicals to begin with, but this one is just a disaster. The visuals aren’t even that compelling, which is apparently what they tried to market it on (since they ruined the songs, botched the writing, and hired actors who look better than they can sing, which, believe me, says a lot!). CRAP, CRAP, CRAP. Do not rent it, NetFlix it, OnDemand it or even watch it if it happens to be on cable. You’re better off with reruns of Full House. The wife and I watched it On Demand, and both really wanted to blow our brains out after ten minutes.

500 Days of Summer

Believe it or not this is a guy’s movie. By that I mean that it is told from the perspective of a head-over-heels, “I’ll do anything for you” sensitive dude who just wants his would be girlfriend to love him as much as he loves her. Being kind of a softie myself, I liked it…a lot. This is a movie that very easily could have become a cheesy, boring, cliché romantic comedy (see my forthcoming The Proposal review), but intentionally and successfully averts that tragic downfall becoming of most “relationship movies.” Rather, it’s smart, funny, and a very real and honest comedy about boy meets girl…and gets shredded in the process. The performances are good, it’s very well written—the dialogue is witty and real—and the music is great, much of the soundtrack is some of the lesser played indie rock stuff that you’re more likely to find on XM than most of the dumpy FM stations that remain today. I watched this one at the Angelika, my second time to go there in a month. Starting to really like this movie theatre: it’s intimate, but still has stadium seating! Anyway, I digress. Go see this movie. It’s well done, and women seem to like it too, which makes for a decent date movie, though the post-movie conversation may be a bit awkward if you’re not in a seasoned relationship.

POINT BREAK

Okay, this one is a guilty pleasure of mine, so much so that I actually “on-demanded” it the other day to watch it for to 50th time. Look, the movie’s no Oscar winner, but it’s pure action, pure adrenaline and pure Keanu (“I can’t describe what I’m feeling right now”…we know, Keanu). If you like any of those three elements, you’ll enjoy the film. I happen to like all three. I don’t expect many people to dig this film the way I do, but I think it can still be appreciated for it’s pure entertainment value. Car chases, foot chases, great surfing shots, bank robberies, skydiving (parachutes optional)…what the hell else do you need? Plus, there are some classic Busey moments. In fact, one can’t help but wonder if Busey’s character in Big Wednesday quit surfing, joined the FBI and became the washed up old agent that partners up with Utah. Hey, it was his idea that the ex-presidents were surfers after all! Kathryn Bigelow (director of the recently released Hurt Locker) does a great job making an otherwise terribly cheesy B movie with mega stars into something great (well, maybe not GREAT, but great). Patrick Swayze also turns in a solid performance as Keanu’s surfer guru and eventual nemesis. The movie is old school, but to me it is a classic that can never be overlooked. It is best viewed late night in the summer on any cable channel to remind you of the times you watched it over and over again when you were thirteen. “Utah! Git me two!”

MOON

Fly me to the moon, and let me play amongst the stars…Moon is good, not great, good. I saw it last week with a buddy at the Angelika in Dallas. Had never been there before, but it seemed like the movie theater that “the cool movie kids” go to. That’s beside the point. Moon has everything that movie aficionados and indie freaks are looking for: top quality acting, solid skilled directing, and it's particularly well written. It even throws in a little action here and there to keep it exciting. I truly believe that this movie is best viewed with absolutely no information about the plot or characters, so I’ll limit the review to just my own personal opinions about the film’s attributes. Rockwell and Spacey give terrific performances. I would not be surprised to see accolades coming both their ways next winter. The directing is also top notch; the shots are well composed and every frame is kept interesting despite the limited nature of the environment (it all takes place on the dark side of the moon, okay, sorry, that’s all I’ll say about the story). But where this movie really succeeds is in the writing. The story moves at just the right pace to keep you interested, while revealing just enough to keep the plot going. Moreover, the character development is superb. Throughout the film, you get the feeling that you are seeing every single personality and emotional aspect of Rockwell’s character, exhibited in the most intriguing way (you’ll have to watch it to understand what I’m saying). Spacey’s portrayal of Gerty, Rockwell’s computer system and moon bound companion (I know, I know, that’s all I’ll say), gives off an eerie sense of compassion that no machine should ever possess. I’ve already read and heard too many comparison’s to 2001’s (and 2010’s) HAL, so I’ll avoid that cliché, but that doesn’t make it not true. All in all, I would recommend this as a date movie, believe it or not. It’s interesting and intellectual and evokes a lot of emotion. Both you and you’re sweetie will be nice and entertained and have plenty to talk about once the projector rolls out.