Warrior

This is the one thing I didn't want to do. I did not want to watch another film that was released in 2011, because if I did, I knew I would have to amend my list (See where Warrior ranks) that took so long for me to perfect. Sure it is only one new entry which would only shift everything up one spot, but in fact I also watch another film last night after Warrior, so now it will be total chaos for me. Maybe it was my naive perception of Hollywood and their need to bring us "Based on a True Story" films that made me think this was based on something real. Maybe it was the Director that made me think that also. Gavin O'Connor directed this film and his other claim to fame is the Highly touted, not seen by as many people as it should have been, "Miracle". Warrior is one of those rare movies that gives lots of concepts, and some how makes them all work together in perfect harmony. It really is a Rocky-esque story multiplied by 2. Warrior gives us 2 underdog fighters in the fights of their lives. Motivated by completely different situations and fueled by different mentalities, "Irish" Brendan Conlon (Joel Edgerton) and Tommy Reardon (Tom Hardy) are men on a mission. Tommy shows back up in town at his Pop's house out of the blue some 14 years after he defected with his Mother. I only know it is 14 years because I read it on Rotten Tomatoes. Pop (Nolte) plays the 1000 day sober, ex drunk who drove his entire family away to perfection. Of course, they say, "write what you know". I think that mentality applies to his acting for Warrior. Brendan is a former UFC fighter who now teaches High School Physics. He and his wife have 3 daughters and they are struggling to pay the bills. When he is not teaching, he moonlights in no hold barred parking lot cage matches. He is the most well trained of any of the muscle heads that show up, so he does win, but he does take a beating as well. Tommy is bitter. To say he has a chip on his shoulder would be like saying an ice cube from the freezer sunk the Titanic. He is very intense and uses that to dismantle other fighters. He hates his Pop, but needs a trainer. I haven't mentioned it yet, but Tommy and Brendan are brothers. (Not a Spoiler- Watch the trailer). They are very estranged and there is a lot of animosity between them. When Tommy went with their Mother, Brendan stayed with Pop. Bad blood a brewing for 14 years. When a winner take all MMA tourney arises for the top 16 middle weights in the world arises, these two want in. Tommy needs to relieve some of his own grief from his time in the Marines, and Brendan needs to save his house from foreclosure. A 5 million dollar purse would solve everything, but only one person will win it. Neither one of these Cage newbs have a shot in hell, but that is why you play the game. Anything can happen. I mean, though unlikely, NBM writer Dean-O may be able to shave his "Bears Beard" this week. I doubt it, but you just never know what will happen. Like all Hollywood fiction, we know where this is going. Two unknowns, who are brothers, who hate each other, end up facing off in the title match. Brendan is very grounded, but Tommy seems unstable. He is a psychopath and after watching Hardy's performance, I am looking more forward to watching him unleash the true psycho Bane, in The Dark Knight Rises. The fight scenes are intense and brutal. Very well done. Brendan has some reservations against fighting his brother, but Tommy would be fine if he killed Brendan. What these two are fighting for are both noble, and no matter who wins, I would have been happy. I really enjoyed watching this play out, because I had no idea where it was going to lead. At 2 hours and 20 minutes long, it actually flows so well, it feels like 90 minutes tops. If this film had been based on real people Nolte would be a shoe-in for Supporting Actor Oscar in a Drama. He is superb. The way I rate this may surprise some of you, but allow me to explain. When dealing with a Biopic, the characters and stories are emblazoned in the text of history. The actors know who they are portraying and they need to be as similar, identical even, to those figures. Warrior was drafted on paper out of thin air as far as I know. The story came from a writer, and the characters were created by the actors cast to play them. It was all done to perfection. An engaging story about Family, good and bad, and the ties that bind. Great action that was not overdone. The fighting was not the center of the film, the characters were. With all that said...

NBM rates Warrior - A Cinematic Work of Art

2011 NBM Rankings

Here is a list of all the films I watched during Hollywood's 2011 campaign. They have been compiled and listed in order of my perception starting with my least favorite all the way down to my Number 1 film of the year. Click the Title to read Full Review...


45) Sucker Punch
44) Your Highness
43) Green Lantern
42) Hall Pass
41) The Change-Up
40) I Am Number 4
39) Scream 4
38) Bad Teacher
37) Rango
36) Cedar Rapids
35) Gnomeo and Juliet 
34) No Strings Attached 
33) The Hangover II 
32) Tucker and Dale vs. Evil
31) Everything Must Go 
30) 30 Minutes or Less
29) Fright Night
28) Captain America : The First Avenger
27) Hesher
26) Machine Gun Preacher
25) Thor
24) Battle Los Angeles
23) The Ides of March
22) Water for Elephants
21) Limitless
20) Tower Heist
19) The Lincoln Lawyer
18) Source Code
17) Our Idiot Brother
16) Hanna
15) Real Steel
14) Transformers : Dark of the Moon
13) Paul
12) Fast 5
11) The Help
10) Bridesmaids
  9) Cowboys and Aliens
  8) X-Men : First Class
 7) Warrior
  6) Horrible Bosses
  5) Crazy Stupid Love
  4) Super 8
  3) The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
  2) Drive
#1) Mission Impossible : Ghost Protocol


This was harder to do than you may think. Dramas, Action, Comedy, Noir, Indie. It would have been easier to divide them all into specific genres and then rank the genre independently, but I feel very good about the final order of my list. I hope you have enjoyed 2011 reading NBM as much as I have enjoyed Writing.

Mission Impossible : Ghost Protocol

I want to preface this by saying that when I saw the trailer 6 months ago, I knew I would see it in the theater no matter the ratings it received. Fortunately for the good of the nation, It has been swooned over by critics and audiences alike. I am no different. I had to see what it was going to be, especially due to the fact that a buddy of mine stated it was the greatest action movie ever. EVER!?!? What I knew I would appreciate about this latest installment in a very solid franchise was the fact that it would be more like the first. I say that because it is not a damsel in distress film like #2 and #3 were. This is about the IMF and how Ethan Hunt (Cruise) must save himself and his crew when a horrible event is pinned on them. An act of terrorism in a foreign country. That is the scariest situation possible. By far, this is the most clever and the best written film of all 4. At times this felt like a James Bond Film or an episode of 24 with Jack Bauer. Aside from those similarities, the biggest thing it had on it's side was the story. An in depth, very detailed film with lots of players and scenarios. It flowed extremely well and I was excited to continue to watch where it would take us. It took us to the top of the tallest tower in the world right there in Dubai. That entire scene which was way more than just what we've seen in the trailers and was definitely the highlight of the film. I also appreciate Tom Cruise doing all his own stunts, and there is a very funny story behind that scene in particular. **(Let me derail for a minute. Apparently the original stunt coordinator was fired because he wanted Cruise to wear a parachute while shooting the scene. He was not at ease about Tom being on harness only. Tom didn't want to wear a chute, so he found another stunt coordinator who would basically tell the insurance company that Tom would be perfectly safe. Kind of funny, but also shows that Cruise has bigger balls than I do, as I don't think I would have gone outside of that building relying on a couple of wire harnesses only.)**  

After the Kremlin is blown up (not a spoiler, just watch the trailer), the IMF is disavowed by the President and branded as terrorists. They must clear their names, all the while continuing on with their original mission. They are dealing with a scientist that wants to send the nukes and not just to one specific country or another. He wants to nuke the Earth. Ya, he's nuts. I don't think he even realizes he lives on Earth. Dumbass. So Ethan and crew must find this guy and his equipment before he launches a worldly holocaust. They must do it without any resources from the IMF as it has been disbanded. Another reason this film was so good was the addition of power player Jeremy Renner. He is fantastic in everything he is in. I was hoping he would have plenty of screen time unlike his cameo in Thor. I was not let down. Once we see him for the first time 20 minutes in, he is there in every scene and he is brilliant. A great sub plot unfolds with his character that adds to his character. Simon Pegg is back for his second MI film and he had as much screen time as Cruise himself. He was the comic relief and if Pegg knows one thing, it's comedy. I was happy with how the laughs were earned in this film. Almost like they weren't suppose to be funny. The chemistry between the remaining 4 IMF members is uncanny. I really felt like these people had been trusting each other for years, except Renner as he was a nubie to the cloak and dagger games Ethan has become accustom to. Rumor of a fifth is on the web this week and if they can write as quality a story as Ghost Protocol, then I am all for it. The one thing all the Mission films have given us is very cool tech. This one did not disappoint. It had some of the coolest gadgets that I wish existed. The fact that the writers basically invent things that are beyond un-probable really shows how clever they can be. The sad news was no Ving Rhames. Wah Wah, sorry. Well, almost No Ving Rhames. 

I am really close to rating this A Work of Art for it's Original Plot, Superb Acting (Tom Cruise's best performance of his career!!), Visuals, Action Scenes, Fantastic CG when necessary, and the utter body abuse Ethan Hunt takes for his team and the World. Ah Hell, I just convinced myself....

NBM rates Mission Impossible : Ghost Protocol - A Cinematic Work of Art

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

I was not going to miss this one, but for different reasons than you may expect. I went to watch this film last night with 5 other people. These 5 people all read the books. I did not. I feel I had an advantage to the over all enjoyment of the film, because of where the takes us. Being a crime solving noir flick, the ending is what it was in the book. Everyone knew where it was going to eventually lead, all they were doing was appreciating the Actors portrayal of the characters they love on paper, and hoping the Director didn't screw it up. I, on the other hand, had no idea where the murder mystery would take me. That kept me on the edge of my seat. Even with a run time of 2 hours and 40 minutes, it didn't seem long, The way it played out, there are several stories about several people, so for a while it is like we are watching two different films that will tie together. First off, The Director should legally change his name to David AMAZING-Fincher. The guy is a master at what he does. This is no different. When you must combine a story with several dozen characters, several plots and sub plots, wrap it up in under 3 hours, have it be 100% coherent, and have the non book reading audience not have a single question about anything just witnessed, you have done something more perfect than perfect. Another buddy of mine said it would be hard to understand without knowing the text of the books. This got me nervous. Alas, I have no questions about the film at all, except, when are the next two coming out?!?! I know Fincher is shooting them back to back, but I have not heard a guesstimate release date yet. No bother, I will embrace what we have now. On to the story. Mikael (Mik-ale) (Daniel Craig) has just been sued for publishing a libelous story he wrote in his magazine. It cleans him out, and he does not know what to do. With very little prospect, he is commissioned to write a memoir for a wealthy man name Henrik Vanger (Plummer). More than the memoir itself, Henrik wants Mikael to find out who killed his niece, Harriet, 40 years earlier. This is where we get an extremely well thought murder mystery. Mikael has to research over 40 years of history. 40 years ago there were no databases, or computers logging everything. He had his work cut out for him, but once he got into it, he became obsessed. Where we meet Lisbeth (Rooney Mara) is when the story goes into a dark place. She is a loner. She doesn't trust anyone, with good reason, and she wants her freedom. She has one thing going for her. Her attention to detail and her memory. She is a bloodhound on a case and Mikael turns to her as a research assistant when he can no longer think straight. He made a wise decision. She is fantastic. Daniel Craig may be the big name attached, but this is the Lisbeth show. Her attitude and demeanor are so violent, yet funny at times. Her look is something I've never seen before, yet she is comfortable in her own skin. These two are determined to figure out all the answers even if it kills them, which it could. They have a strange relationship to say the least. Mikael is the first man she has trusted in a long time, and Mikael needs her to be strong for the both of them sometimes. He knows he can depend on her if he is in need and she will deliver. The story never dulls, and never slows. When it ended, it ended. No loose ends. No questions. Everyone wins. I was so happy that good movies can still be made. 
PS: The opening credits is the best Nine Inch Nails video ever. I will also tell you, this film has one of the most uncomfortable scenes I have ever been privy to. It is near the end and I was holding my breath. Scroll down for Take 2 of this film review. Dean-O will give his review, and this should be good, since he read the books. A different perspective. 


NBM rates The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Phenomenal

After reading all three books in Stieg Larsson’s “Girl” trilogy two years ago, I was elated when I heard they were bringing an English version of the film to the big screen. Ever since I saw the first trailer, I’ve been counting down the days to this holiday season so I could see the images come to life. I’ve got to give a big thumbs up to David Fincher and the crew, because they did not disappoint! Rather than writing in my normally poetic, smooth flowing style, I’m going to share my thoughts on some major points:

• Script: it’s not “word for word” from the book, and there were a few points in the plot that were modified in the film that kept it fresh without changing the overarching story or character relationships. Well done.
• Rooney Mara/Lisabeth Salander: One word – remarkable! I knew Mara was playing the role, but I didn’t know who she was. I don’t think I’d ever seen her in anything before, or if I did, she made no impression on me. I went online today (after seeing the movie) to see what Mara looked like before this role. It’s a further testament to the unbelievable transformation she made. Her physical appearance is a perfect representation of Lisabeth, from the borderline anorexic physique to the haircut, piercings, tattoos and clothes. It’s not just a Halloween costume on screen, though. The most compelling part of this movie is the performance she gives. Mara managed to capture the essence of Salander and play it out on screen: balancing fragility with ferocity, appearing aloof yet calculating, seemingly comfortable being completely uncomfortable within society. I could write an entire review on this performance alone. If Halle Berry can win an Oscar for Monster’s Ball and Charlize Theron can win for Monster, then Rooney Mara needs to start working on her acceptance speech for this performance.
• Daniel Craig/Mikael Blomkvist: Craig managed to play this role better than I expected. He was understated and vulnerable rather than cocksure as his Bond role dictates. As the plot plays out, Blomkvist regains the confidence in himself and his abilities that was shattered in the early stages of the film, and Craig is able to depict this turn without firing a weapon or torturing anyone. The best acting I’ve seen from Craig.
• The Score: Effective, but I did have one complaint. When Salander is driving a scene, she’s given her own “Jaws” music – that musical accompaniment that is dark, eerie and leads you to 
  • expect something dramatic and shocking will occur. I think this was overdone. It wasn’t subtle enough, and it was just outright distracting in one of the early scenes in the film. I understand what they were trying to do, but discretion is sometimes the better part of valor. Fincher and Reznor could have exercised a little discretion here.
  • Billy’s Pan Pizza, sandwiches and coffee: if you’ve read the trilogy, you know that these were the three things that fueled Blomkvist and Salander. I was pleased to see all three playing a role in the film.
  I was blessed with the presence of Filter Jesus seated at my right hand during the film, and knowing that he had never read any of the books , I’m curious to hear his reflections on it. Enlighten us, oh Jester!
  
  
  Dean-O rates The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011): Phenomenal

Fright Night (2011)

I will be the first to say that this movie looked ridiculous, but reviews don't lie. Especially when the critics review it so well. (75% on RT). They hate everything. Why would they tout over a remake? A remake of a horror film that stars Colin Farrell just doesn't sound that appetizing. Couple that with a film that was "made" for 3D. By that I mean, while watching it in 2D at home, the obvious shots coming toward the front of the camera being thrust into theater audiences faces just feel flat to at home DVD renters. It just seems pointless, but this review is not about my dislike for 3D. Though that hand full of shots did take away from a good film, it did not ruin it for me or my "I'll watch it, but it looks awful" wife. In the end she was more surprised than me of how much she liked it. As you know, I pretty much like anything. Her, not so much. She likes to hate things to throw it back in my face that I wasted her time. Not really, she is a good sport most of time. What is great about Fright Night is the lack of character development. When we have a short movie, in order for it to be good, we need what we crave. Action, blood, plot. Not anything about the players it necessary some time. In this film, we know all we need to know from the trailers. Unlike Disturbia, which kept us guessing, Fright Night is very cut and dry. Jerry (Farrell) is a vampire. He is not a shiny vampire, he is a killing, vampire making machine. He likes the hunt and the kill. Within 15 minutes we hear a kid talk about Jerry being a vampire, and within 20 minutes we know it's true. What I love about Vampire movies, especially in our current vampire heavy society is the myth and the lore of it all. Every vampire in film survives by a different set of rules and it always interests me to see what the film makers vampires are susceptible to. This is no different. Jerry is a run of the mill vamp. No sunlight, very fast, no reflection, yada yada yada. It does seem like the vampires in this film are a direct rip off of 30 Days of Night, but then I saw some images from the original 1985 Fright Night (Ya, I never saw it). Now that I have seen those images, I realize that so many movies rip it off. Jennifer's Body, 30 Days of Night....and so on. Our hero in this film is Charlie (Anton Yelchin). He realizes right quick to not have anything to do with Jerry, unfortunately Jerry wants to mess with him. The only person to help Charlie is the host of a stage show called Fright Night (clever), named Peter Vincent. This character is the comic relief of the film. The film is riddles with decent to great jokes in between the horror. Charlie must stop Jerry before his entire neighborhood is wiped out. He must protect his mom and his girlfriend...at all costs. The film is very entertaining to say the least and the fights between hero and villain are fantastic. I went from no hopes to thorough enjoyment.


NBM rates Fright Night (2011) - Aweso-nomenal

The Change-Up

Oh Dave and Mitch. To say this story isn't cliche would be a bold face lie. It's been done a dozen times and none better than the original Freaky Friday with a young Jodie Foster. The closest other one would have to be the Judge/Savage vehicle Vice Versa. What has not been done to date in the body switching genre is a graphic hard R rated version featuring two grown ass men. These two men, Dave (Bateman) and Mitch (Reynolds) could not be more different, which is why the switching works for this particular film. If each of these guys were married and both of them had kids, then the switch would basically amount to your everyday wife swap for a few days. However with these two, that couldn't be further from the scenario we are blessed with. Mitch, or Uncle Mitch to Dave's kids is a single, unemployed actor who lives in Atlanta. An actor in Atlanta? Ya, that will get you work. Dave is a work-a-holic attorney trying to make partner at his firm after putting in 18 months on a merger proposal for his company. The switch could not happen at a worst time for either of these guys. What do we really expect from this type of vulgar movie? Apparently critics were let down. Were they really expecting an Oscar worthy film filled with dick jokes? I got exactly what I expected. The only thing that was a little off for me was the nudity, or lack there of. Nudity was present, it just was not the type of nudity we would expect from a guy like Mitch. When they switch, they have to be each other in every aspect of life, so the world does not implode. This means Mitch may have to sleep with Dave's wife, and Dave may have to cheat on his wife, though it's not even his body, he still feels it to be wrong. Dave really has the most to lose. His loser best friend now must understand law and marriage and raising kids...all of which he has never even considered to think about. The attitude changes of these two guys is really what sold it to me. To watch Dave go from over worker and sweet to a total D-Bag is great and of course Mitch goes the opposite. The jokes are good, sometimes great and I have never laughed so hard at babies being computer altered to do funny stuff. It is totally unrealistic and that is what we hoped for. It really shows what beneath the surface of both men in another cliche way, but there is nothing wrong with that. Cliche  can be good and The Change-Up offers up a new way to deliver an old story...with raunch, nudity, diarrhea, an abundance of F-Bombs, and Samurai swords. If you want to watch a comedy with very little thought, you will enjoy it. If you have kids, you will really enjoy it, and if you like Bateman and Reynolds, you can't lose. Rotten Tomatoes dogged it with a 24%. I think it should have at least been double that hitting 50% which is where I rate it. Right in the middle.

NBM rates The Change-Up - Awesome

The Help. Now on DVD and Blu Ray

I am not going to give a full review of this film as it has already been reviewed by the Missus. The Help was Raw, Emotional, disheartening, well acted, well written, and extremely well thought out. I enjoyed it immensely and you will too. 
The Jester rates The Help - Phenomenal. 
Read Lisa's full review Here 

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