Trance

Trance may very well be the best art heist film I have ever seen. Better than The Thomas Crown Affair, and....... Well, let's face it, there may not be that many "art heist" films. However, as far as films focused on stealing high priced merchandise, this one still has to be near the top of the list. It not only succeeds as a heist film, but also fall into my personal favorite genre, "Thriller". Throughout the film, we as the audience are never quite sure who are actually telling the truth? Who stole what? Who is playing who, and ultimately, who will win? James McAvoy plays an art museum curator guy who knows the protocol when a robbery may occur. When he is knocked senseless during a robbery and loses his memory, he knows he saved the day, or did he... At this point the plot twists and turns endlessly for the duration. When the bad guys kidnap the good guy to get information that his brain can't remember is when it gets out of hand. He goes to a therapist to "unlock" suppressed memories in order to find the painting the film goes all over the place. I have watched Trance a few times and every time it is enjoyable. Vincent Cassel is brilliant as the villain, but Rosario Dawson playing the psychiatrist and the sexy love interest is the reason to watch this movie...if you are a man that is. As I said, Trance is one of the most clever, twisted films that caught me completely of guard when I first watched it. Most enjoyable and extremely smart. Enjoy it for what it is and relish in the fact that you are watching something semi original.

NBM rates Trance 4 out 5 stars

Trouble With the Curve

What's not to like? Clint Eastwood, John Goodman, and the always lovely and extremely talented Amy Adams star together in a baseball movie. It also stars Justin Timberlake, who in my opinion, could be an Oscar caliber actor if he would just give up his miserable and very unsuccessful music career and focus on doing films, but that is none of my business. This film is less about baseball and more about family ties, or lack there of. It does have the baseball element, but to me, it is sub plot. It focuses on the Father / Daughter relationship between Gus and Mickey (Eastwood and Adams). They have a checkered past, but when dear old Dad needs help due to health issues, Mickey shows up to try and help. It is the typical film about redemption from past choices and opening up dialogue to build a future together. It is beautifully acted and I still have no idea why Rotten Tomatoes and IMDB gave this film such a poor shake. I have seen it at least 5 times and it has easily become a film I can not scroll past if it is on. That should tell you just how good it is. I was surprised at how emotional a film it is. It has one of, if not the saddest scenes I have ever seen. I get teary eyed each and every time I watch said scene. Give this one a try if you have missed it because you believed those other critics. I am telling you it is great. 

4 out of 5 stars from NBM

American Sniper

I have been considering to write about this for 5 days now but had no idea how to convey my thoughts on the film. Do I write is from the perspective of the film itself? As in, the writing, directing, story, acting etc....or do I write it based on the man himself and what he did for our country? There has been so much press both positive and negative. I cannot remember the last time a film that was not strictly a documentary became such a hot button topic. "The Interview" maybe, but that was a completely different can of worms. I don't think they compare in the same realm of the controversy they birthed. Apples and Oranges. I have read so much about what people think about what Chris Kyle was to America and of course I have my own opinion, so I am going to try and stay on point with a review of the film itself. Anyone who watched Lone Survivor knows how powerful and nerve racking a movie can feel. This film is not nearly as nerve racking as Lone Survivor, but I enjoyed it more. Lone Survivor is great, but it is 100% a war film. American Sniper is a Life film. It follows Chief Kyle into war, but that is only half the film. The other half is his home life. I did not know the sequence of events that the film was going to cover. I read the book beforehand (which if you know me, you will know how rare it is that I read) and the film follows it very well. Chris Kyle was not the perfect man, perfect soldier, perfect husband. He was not even the perfect sniper according to him, but he was the best he could be. The film follows his life from an early age rodeo cowboy through his enlistment and SEAL training, marriage, kids, and most of all, his missions. The way Eastwood puts the timelines together is such a perfect way to keep the film moving forward through the years. I rather enjoyed that the film showed his first tour, along with his first kill, key missions on that tour, and then he would go home for a bit till his next tour. This happens four times and like I said, this is less of a war movie and more about the human condition. Chief Kyle seemed to be on a different plain than most other humans. He felt more at home on the battlefield than he did in bed with his wife. He did not know how to shut off, and this caused him major problems when he was back stateside. When the Oscar nominations came out and Bradley Cooper made the cut for Best Actor, and Jake Gyllenhaal was snubbed for his fantastic work on Nightcrawler I was confused. That was until I saw Cooper embody Chris Kyle in every aspect. He deserves that nomination and at times I was watching this broken man, and I became emotional for Chris Kyle though I was watching an actor. That is a performance second to none. As for the debate of this film glorifying war, or being propaganda, or Kyle being a "serial killer" which is absurb, I would like to quote a man that wrote it down better than I could have. 

      "I just watched American Sniper. It was a powerful and touching film. The movie was more of an exploration of PTSD and the nature of war than it was a lauding of Chief Kyle. He is no doubt an American hero that saved many lives and deserves respect for that in itself. The movie portrayed Chief Kyle as a fallible man. A man with problems. A man with a heart. A man's man. A man that struggled despite his apparent strength and legend. This was not a pro-war film or a propaganda film. American Sniper is about a subsection of our society that many have no idea even exists and by no means understands the pain and trauma they endure while endeavoring for America. Fighting and dying for their brothers in arms. This was a movie that needed to be made. Not just for Chief Kyle's legacy, but rather for the world to understand who our military people are." - Bryan Seaver

As for NBM, I rate American Sniper - Phenomenal and I urge you all to support this film

Star Trek Into Darkness

Let's put it this way. As if I wasn't already stoked for SW: Episode 7 (Strange opener, I know) with JJ at the helm, now I feel I must seclude my life to living in a bubble so as not to die prematurely before it arrives. Trek to me is an awesome precursor into our future of the "other" Sci Fi series JJ will take over. It gives us a very good peak into what this man can do with an epic scale of space and time proportions. I know to you "Trekkies" I have just blastphemed on high, but I don't care. I am not the one who hired JJ to cross into a galaxy far far away, so I feel I can mention the 2 movies in the same paragraph. Let me also say this. Into Darkness is no Iron Man 3. I actually liked it better. Maybe it's the fact I am not as versed in Trek's theology, or maybe it is because we have had a steady dose of Marvel for years now, but had to wait 4 LONG years on this sequel. Either way, Into Darkness starts off strong and with a run time right at 2 hours, it never really slows down. It is intense, dramatic, nail biting inducing, and quite comedic. I went in knowing I would enjoy it, but not really knowing the premise, or the villain it felt like a brand new thing in my life that has been missing.  It is smart, well thought out, and visually stimulating. 
The film may be one of the best I have seen to combine this smart of a plot, perfectly placed comedic one liners, and action parallel with anything Marvel puts out. Now I know I am comparing this film to other franchises, but I want you all to understand how worthy of your time it is. To me, Trek has always been sub par with everything else I loved. Now, it is turning into a series I can get behind. Spock and Kirk have their great chemistry once again, but Benedict Cumberbatch steals the show as the villain, John Harrison. He aims to turn the star fleet on it's ear, and does a pretty good job at it, but his plans are way bigger and at this point in the film, it gets very fun and interesting. It twists and turns, but it very fluid in it's delivery. As good as the first one? Absolutely. I believe I like this one a little better. It's just so AWESOME. Along with the fantastic leads in the film, stand out performances are delivered by the brilliant Simon Pegg as Scotty, Karl Urban as Bones, and Zoe Saldana as Uhura. I cannot think of any part of this film that I didn't enjoy. JJ even did a good job of not throwing promiscuous 3D shots in the film that would have no bearing on the non 3D viewer. I saw a couple but they were not exaggerated, and they were quick. If you liked the first one, you will like this one. If this looks good to you, go watch it. It is all around outstanding.

NBM rates Star Trek Into Darkness - Phenomenal

Savages

A film that I was DYING to see, quickly turned into an "eh" moment, that then transformed into little desire. I should have gone with my first instinct. While not perfect by any means, it was FUN. A great development of character by a man I tend to hate. Oliver Stone has never made a great film. You start film dropping and I will argue to the death. I do not enjoy his work, and while this film had Stone nuances, it was actually great. To be honest, it is filled with great performances, but Aaron Johnson stole the show. He was even better than Taylor Kitsch, who I tend to like, even though 90% of his films have been considered flops. Savages follows 2 drug dealers on the top of their profession. They sell the best product, and they move tons of it. When they are "Offered" a deal to go into a distributorship partnership, it seems to good to be true. Hmmm, that usually means it is. When the dealing boys deny their Mexican buyers and "spit" on the them to boot. This gets very, very ugly for these guys. Then it gets worse. What is worse than the threat of death? Threatening to kill their girlfriend. That's right. Singular, as in they have the same Girlfriend? Exactly. O (Blake Lively) is their joint girlfriend. Weird, right? Either way, the dynamic delivered works really well. When threats come down, it is better to be on the same page with your cohorts than be divided. She is the catalyst that gives both these Men a no holds barred, balls to the wall, no care for themselves mentality. Now, I know why people hated it. All anyone has to do is read 5 reviews, and 4 of them will mention the ending. I get it, but the ending did not ruin anything for me. A movie that is truly enjoyable can't really be ruined by the ending. It may be tarnished, but not ruined. The entire film keeps us guessing and it is extremely interesting. I would have liked at least one more really good action scene, but there is very little wrong with this film from beginning to end. Don't let all of the wishy washy, mixed reviews deter you. If you wanna see, by all means, watch it. It is worth it.

NBM rates Savages - Awesome

Argo

 

You all know I am a Ben Affleck fan, but only since he took a director's position and proved he knows what he is doing. He is currently my favorite director. With 3 films now under that belt, all of them could have been Oscar contenders, but without fail, he has not made that cut just yet. I do feel he was snubbed with his last offering The Town, and while I feel Argo is a shoe in to crack the top 10 noms for Best Picture, I'd more like to see Ben in that illustrious top 5 Directors of the year category. Will he win? I don't know. I don't really care. I just feel he should be recognized for his efforts. I kind of hope he doesn't win. Why? I worry if he wins that prestigious career making award, he may become complacent and not give as much effort as he has. Each of his 3 features show signs of improvement and his "cinematic eye" is growing stronger. As perfect as The Town was, Argo is damn near flawless. Not only is it a true story, but to lay down this ridiculous story into 2 hours and have it be perfect is a feat in and of itself. Argo is the true story about the 1979 Iranian hostage situation that was declassified in 1996. I don't know much about this history because I was not alive in 1979. With that said, you will be given all you need to know to give you a coherent film. There is no info you should know beforehand to enjoy this film. Like I said, Perfect. The Argo mission had nothing to do with the actual hostages, but focused on retrieving 6 Americans who escaped capture and holed up in the Canadian ambassador's mansion in Iran. Tony Mendez (Affleck) is brought in to help. He is the CIA's top ex-fil guy (short for Exfiltration), and he is there to comprise a plan of attack. The ideas that the CIA are coming up with are asinine, and Tony's is not much better. Fortunately for him it is the best bad idea they have. Make a fake movie. The homework aspect of it where Tony goes to Hollywood to get his fake movie made is absolutely hilarious. Sharing screen time equally through this portion of the film is John Goodman playing legendary make up artist John Chambers, and old school movie producer Lester Siegel played by Alan Arkin. This is the comedic portion of the film, and this stupid plan must be 100% perfect, and they only have a few weeks to make it so. With that said,  this movie is a thriller in every sense of the definition. The last half of the movie I sweated out my shirt, my wife picked her cuticles, and I had knots in my stomach. Wanna know what makes a good movie great? Knowing how it will end (Ya know, because it happened 33 years ago) and still being that knotted up. Quality film making Mr. Affleck. If the trailers look at all interesting to you, go watch it. No one should be disappointed in this film, and if you are, well then I will just say one thing, ARGO #U@& YOURSELF.

NBM rates Argo - Phenomenal

Lawless

I was really anticipating this film, and probably not for the reasons you may think. My #2 reason was content. I love watching stories from this era and the fact it is based on true events doesn't hurt either plus it had that gangster quality about it, but the #1 reason is Tom Hardy. I'm not sure anyone in Hollywood commands the screen as he does right now. He plays Forrest Bondurant. A bootlegger in Franklin Virginia during prohibition. Luckily for him and his outfit, he lives in a small town and local authorities pay him no mind. Probably because they appreciate the shine he produces as much as the next person. Forrest is a no frills guy. He lives quiet as long as he is not pushed. His crew consists of his two brothers, Howard and Jack(LaBeouf). Jack has bigger dreams than what Forrest is allowing, but Jack must choose his own path. Forrest tries to keep a level head about Jack, but knows jack may have to learn the hard way. Things are fine till Forrest declines to give new officials a kick back on profits he earned, so he finds ways to run around them. When Special Inspector Rakes (Guy Pearce) shows up to crack skulls things begin to change. He is as ruthless as he is ugly. The slicked back hair with a strange middle part that spreads a good 3/4 of an inch apart to his sadistic sociopath attitude, and I think what made him look more scary are the lack of eyebrows. He feels he is above the law in enforcing the law, and he frightens people, but not Forrest. This is a great story of family ties, illegal business, and the lengths some will go to protect what they hold dear. Beautifully filmed and violently gruesome. It reminded me of gangster films of yesteryear, and I LOVED it!!! It was better than I expected it could be and for fans (Male) of Jessica Chastain, you are in for a treat. She is glowingly elegant. Beautiful as can be and she delivers a little treat that I didn't see coming. As much as Tom Hardy takes over, even at second billed behind LaBeouf, it is actually Pearce who steals the show. Totally demented and brilliant. Could get him Oscar Gold. And for those of you excited to see another brilliant performance from Gary Oldman, you will not be disappointed. With that said, I expected more from him than 3 small scenes that really had very little bearing on the bigger picture of things. All around fun film that I recommend.

NBM rates Lawless - Phenomenal 

Rabbit Hole

This is the single most depressing film I have ever seen. Sure, with the cast you know it has to be good, which from that aspect it was. The content, however, is hard to bare if you have kid(s), want kids, or have a soul and or a pulse for that matter. I can think of only one reason to watch this film. If you feel like crying. That's it. 
     I wrote the first paragraph only after watching half of the film, but like a train wreck, I could not look away. I had to finish it. I had to see if Becca (Kidman) would be alright. I had to see how long Howie (Eckhart) could deal with being alone emotionally and physically. These two people both experienced the same loss but coping mechanisms are different with all people. And lastly I had to know why she was stalking the boy pictured above. Did he remind her of her son? Did she feel a strange connection with this young man? I had to know, and the information I am not going to tell you, would break your heart. The scene pictured is one of the most gripping scenes I can remember in recent history. The pain these two have seems almost insurmountable. I also want to point out that my rating system does not apply to this film. I cannot, in good conscience, rate this film AWESOME, or PHENOMENAL. it just needs an overall rating with no catchy words attached. The content is just too heavy for any of my adjectives.

NBM rates Rabbit Hole - 4 out of 5 stars

NBM rates Rabbit Hole

Brave

This is one of my favorite Pixar offerings that is not a sequel in some time. I like it better than Up, Wall-E, Cars, Ratatouille just to begin with. Then I would have to really think about the films I like the most and make an in depth voting system to help me accurately determine where Brave would stand overall. Initially I am thinking 4th behind the Toy Story franchise (Lumped together), Monster's INC, and Finding Nemo. I liked it that much. I liked that I didn't know what the sub plot was going to be. All we know from the marketing campaign is that the heroin wants to change her fate. What is her fate? Well, she is a King's daughter and she is now old enough to be betrothed to someone she has never met. This is where the old adage "Be careful what you wish for" is instituted to the fullest. I thought it was going to be similar to "It's a Wonderful Life", but it couldn't be further from that. I am not going to get into what actually changes in her life, but it turns into a tale of fixing what you have already done, and not taking for granted the people most special in your life. Brave is the most vibrant film since Nemo in my opinion. The ocean has so much to offer as far as color and scenery, and Brave used beautiful landscaped from Scotland along with using very understandable accents and set in the 10th century make this comedy so much fun to enjoy visually alone. The story is fantastic as well, and lots of people were telling me it was dark and my 3 year olds may be frightened. I think I disagree with this. It has one or two scary moments involving a big snarling bear, but when I heard it was dark, I immediately thought of black magic and faces melting ala Raiders of the Lost Ark. That was not the case and my kids were not frightened. I loved it and cannot wait till I can buy it on DVD and wear the disc out from overuse. To me, it was a refreshing rebirth of what Pixar is capable of.


NBM rates Brave - Phenomenal

The Adjustment Bureau

This is one of the best films I have seen in recent years. Maybe it was the subject matter. Maybe it was that I had it pegged all wrong, and it was unlike anything I could have expected. I don't know, but I now LOVE this film. I thought it was going to be a political thriller much like The Ides of March. Not even close. Politics play a role in the plot, but by no means is this film political. This film answers to a higher power than any government could ever possess. It's mainly about life choices and where they will lead your future, but it is also about intervention when necessary to give one a bit of a nudge in the direction you are "suppose" to go. David (Damon) is about to embark on two moments that will define him as a man. He is about to lose an election for a Senate seat, and he is about to meet Elise (Blunt), aka, The woman of his dreams. It is love at first sight, but it is not meant to be. That doesn't stop him from looking for her, but it will be 3 very long years before he runs into again and this is where we get an inside look into what "The Adjustment Bureau" is. Without giving away to much, they are a group of men who feel they know what is best for every human on Earth, and they are also the ones who give those little nudges I spoke of earlier. The thing about this Bureau is no human knows of their existence. Not suppose to. They merely observe, until observing isn't enough. I immediately related them to the observers from Fringe, but in fact this is based on a book that precedes that show some 30 years, so JJ Abrams is actually the plagiarizer here. Shame Shame JJ. So what we here is actually a really great thriller that will keep you enthralled with the end game, and it may make you think of some of the choices you have made in life that you either regretted or didn't understand why you do such a thing. Is there an Adjustment Bureau, or is all just Free Will? Fantastic film with wonderful performance all around. Buy it, rent it, watch it, pass it along to anyone who hasn't seen it. 

NBM rates The Adjustment Bureau - Phenomenal

The Grey

I knew this would be worth a look because of Liam Neeson. He is more bankable  right now than he has ever been, and I'm not sure when that happened. Batman Begins helped, but I think it was Taken that did it full on. This very much has the feeling of the movie Alive at the beginning. A plane full of people crashes in unfriendly circumstances. Not only is it freezing, but in The Grey, the survivors have to also fend off a blood thirsty pack of wolves. It's one of those films that doesn't have "a lot". Not a lot of effects. Not a lot of story. Not a lot of character back stories. It's a bare bones script about 7 Men fighting to survive in the wilderness they were thrust into against their will. Luckily for the other 6, they have Ottway (Neeson). A survivalist who actually made a living keeping wolves at bay so the men could work unhindered on the Alaskan rig. He knows the breed and he hunted them down, but more than that, he respected them. An unrecognizable Dermot Mulroney is one of the 7, which surprised us. I thought he would have got a little recognition among this cast of no ones. The adventure that takes place isn't a long one in terms of run time. The Men face obstacles and terrain, but they know it will be the wolves that get them, if they are destined to be got, if you will. An intense film to say the least. Very well done, and Neeson delivers as he always does. If you wanted to see it, but haven't, I'd say the trailers delivered pretty accurately as to what is in store for the viewer.


NBM rates The Grey - Awesome

The Dark Knight Rises

I've been saying it for months that this would be the movie to see this Summer and I was right. There is absolutely nothing not to like with Christopher Nolan's third and final Batman film. It could not have been better in my opinion and that all goes back to story. Without a good story, action can only carry a film so long. Rises gave us months of teasers and posters and hoopla about what was going to happen, but to be honest, we never actual have a clue of what Bane's end game is. We know he wants to tear down Gotham, but why? That is how well the movie was made. We already determined we were going to see because it is to be the end of an era, and The Dark Knight was so brilliant we wanted to see Nolan outdo himself, and he does. At 2 hours 45 minutes it was actually perfect. You may get some saying it was long while others want even more, but with absolutely no loose ends, one of the smartest plots of any film, let alone a Batman film, and total closure, I could not ask for more. There is only one thing I would have changes, but will not add spoilers in my review as I try never to. I did know it was special, but when it was over I was almost relieved. Not that it was over, but that it was as good as I had hoped, which historically speaking, third films in a franchise never live up. I did a lot of reading while avoiding spoilers, but I remember reading about some Batman Begins callbacks. I watched the night before and though I would not have been lost, it really refreshed my memory and I recommend that be the route you take before watching Rises. The mystery surrounding Bane is really the heart of this film, and Tom Hardy with his intimidating eyes, his glares, and his attitude is a complete scene stealer...MOVIE STEALER. Once it was all over I thought back to 3 hours prior and realized I had no idea what this film was going to be about. It begins with one of the coolest scenes ever. Full on action right out of the opening gates and I was in awe. It does take place 8 years after Harvey Dent dies, and The Batman hasn't been seen since. Neither has Bruce Wayne for that fact. He has become a shut in, a recluse if you will. He has no desire to get back in the suit, but Bane makes it pretty hard not to, and from here the plot get smart. It's a bit of a financial thriller to be honest, and we don't know why. It's very clear what is transpiring, but like I said, why? The slew of characters is brilliant. Gary Oldman back as Commissioner Gordon is brilliant as usual, but the new comers are even better than I could have imagined. I love Joseph Gordon Levitt, and he is a mere beat cop. The only difference is, he asks questions and he is intuitive. Honestly I didn't see him getting much screen time, but he is an intricate part of the entire film. Morgan Freeman returns as Lucius Fox, but Michael Cane as Alfred once again shows why he is one of the best actors of all time. His emotion on the big screen will make you emotional. Now we come to Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman. Dare I say it? I think I like the Anne Hathaway version better than Michelle Pfeiffer...GASP. I do, but I think it is more of a writing thing. I like where Nolan took her better than where Burton took her. She is beautiful, elegant, but can kick your ass in a hurry. She was a great addition. We could not ask for any better action than we got, and I also am glad I made this my first IMAX movie. It was Epic and I want to watch it again. I don't feel I need to tell you any more than I have, because you are already set whether you want to see it or not. It is one of those big screen movies that should be scene in that scale. I liked it better than The Avengers and I loved that movie, but I also like it better than The Dark Knight because Rises is very smart. Christopher Nolan claimed "Rises" will encompass "Finality" but I will let you decide. 


NBM rates The Dark Knight Rises - A Cinematic Work of Art

Friends With Kids

I was very curious in seeing how accurate a film could be when the Writer/Director/Star, Jennifer Westfeldt, doesn't have kids. Apparently very accurate, and very enjoyable, yet at times very depressing. This is the story of 6 friends who's lives take very different turns. No one in the film opposes marriage, but kids are what change everything. The 6 players are Leslie and Alex (Maya Rudolph & Chris O'Dowd) who were the first to be married and the first to have kids. Missy and Ben (Kristen Wiig and Jon Hamm) are the sexual couple of the film. Their relationship is based on pleasure, but they love each other. They also are married and have a kid. Lastly there is Julie and Jason (Jennifer Westfeldt & Adam Scott) who are not married and are not even involved with each other. They are best friends with absolutely no romantic feelings between them. As everyone's lives begin to move forward in the evolutionary process we all know as "normal",  Jason and Julie feel like everyone is doing it wrong. As they all get together a few years down the road, Alex and Leslie have 2 kids and Ben and Missy have one, Jason and Jules realize, these people are not the ones they were friends with. The daily stress of raising children, no time for romance let alone sex of any kind, they feel depressed for their friends and at the same time happy with their current lives of freedom and friendship. Then Jason comes up with the brilliant idea of being able to have a child without losing his mind. A mutual agreement between friends. They decide to have a kid together, keep their friendship in tact, split the responsibility 50/50, and keep their dating lives exactly the same. Nothing can go wrong here. Their friends take issue with it as it is an asinine idea, but they are adults and can do what they please. Jason and Jules hush the naysayers pretty quickly when the baby is born, but like all things new and exciting, they can quickly become taxing and exhaustive. Tensions begin to flair when each of the become involved with other people. Jason with Mary Jane (Megan Fox) and Julie with Kurt (Edward Burns). This is the point where decision have to be made, and no one wants to face the harsh reality that everyone but Jason and Julie knew would arise. It climaxes at what of the most intense and uncomfortable drunken dinner arguments of all time and lives are forever changed. This is one of the best films I have seen in a while, especially a film that deals with a topic so ordinary to 90% of the population. I really enjoyed it and if you have kids and are happy with your marriage you will too. If you have kids and hate your wife, this may just push you into divorce. It is an eye opener and you may not like what you see.


NBM rates Friends With Kids - Phenomenal

Moonrise Kingdom

This may very well be the greatest love story of all time. There are definitely some aspects that set this film apart from traditional love stories. For instance, the title characters are 13 years old. What does a 13 year old know? Apparently a lot when it comes to commitment and choice. This is the story of Sam and Susie, which in a few years should be as ubiquitous as Noah and Allie when one talks about love stories. I must admit I am biased right out of the gate with this film. This is one of those followings I tend to go head over heels for, and it has nothing to do with the film itself. It is the Writer/Director. Wes Anderson. He is a master of "his" craft. I say "his" this way because he makes films unlike anyone else in Hollywood. He shoots differently. Uses no frills or cheap tricks. All character driven pieces which all seem to come off very personal to him, and he makes no apologies for his work. The average movie goer may not like his style. It takes some getting used to considering it looks like it is shot with a Radio Shack camera in someone's spare time. Moonrise is set in 1965 which also plays well. He shoots this film in a sort of noir tone. Color tone that is, and it is perfect for dating it back some 40+ years. Sam does not fit in, and he decides to leave His Khaki Troop behind. On to bigger and better things. This is where we get a peer into the major plot of what is going on. On his journey he runs into Susie. This meeting is no accident. They are running away together. They both hate their lives and feel they can be happy together. The small water locked town sends out a search party for Sam, not even realizing Susie is with him. This is where Wes Anderson shines. His characters. Bruce Willis is the local cop who seems clueless, and yet is the most brilliant character on screen, besides the kids of course. Ed Norton plays the scoutmaster who "loses" Sam and this is one of his most earnest endearing characters he has ever portrayed. At first we think he might be a dick, but it turns out he is a really sweet guy who wants everyone to be happy. Then we have Susie's parents played by Bill "F*@%!ng" Murray (I know that's not his real middle name) and Francis McDormand. They are attorneys who I wished had more dialog with each other as it always came across very well, but alas this was a vehicle for the kids. With this all star cast of adults playing alongside a handful of kids no one has ever heard of, the kids stole the show. It is amazing. This is the ultimate coming of age film that speaks the way humans do. Not how Hollywood does. It is sweet and pure in every way. Everyone I know who has seen this has said it's his best film to date. Not for me. Personally it comes in 2nd, literally on the coattails of The Darjeeling Limited, but still one of the finest films you will see all year, and once it has the opportunity of a national audience on DVD, I believe it will grow the legs it currently does not have with such a minimal number of theaters taking a risk on it. I was pleased with the turnout for today's show. Noon on a Tuesday, there were 7 other people in there with me and that was spectacular to me. Oh ya, and Wes Anderson's muse, Jason Schwartzman shows up and also a surprising role from Harvey Keitel rounded it out. I loved it, and you may or may not. It depends on how you feel about Mr. Anderson.


NBM rates Moonrise Kingdom - A Cinematic Work of Art

Melancholia

This is one review I do not want to write. I don't know how to tell you what I felt about it, while at the same time discouraging any of you from watching it. There are rarely films that I watch that I feel have absolutely no point. Melancholia is one of those films. However, I enjoyed it somewhat. Maybe it's my mentality toward the norm. The status quo if you will. I love to like things that everyone else doesn't get or plain out hate. It makes me feel superior in a way to know that I get "it" whatever that may be. The title however is a perfect match for my final emotion when the credits ran. I expected this great artsy film about a woman who had infinite knowledge about the Universe and all living things. Not the case. The trailer made it seem like Justine (Dunst) was a medium of sorts. She was somehow connected to the universe and maybe she had an outlook beyond the standard human knowledge. Turns out she may or may not. It actually doesn't let us know anything about her, except for the fact that she is completely Bat S#!+ crazy. We are never given an inside view of why everyone pussyfoots around her. No one wants to upset her, or she may have an incident. The first 35 minutes of the film is exactly as it should be. No frills, one camera, dialog driven, indie film that makes me glad I am watching it. The through a turn of events, a lack of explanation, and a cauldron of misconception it kind of derails. I will say this. If you have any inkling to see Melancholia, watch the opening 8 minutes which is filled with random images that move at an alarmingly slow motion, while Beethoven's 9th plays in the background. That song is already dramatic and depressing, but when paired with the images, it almost suicidal. If you get past that, you will enjoy the next half hour. After that, it's a crap shoot. Melancholia actually is referring to a planet on a course to glide by Earth in a wonderment of beauty never before seen. However, there may be a slight chance it hits Earth destroying all life. The brightest spot in the film is Kiefer Sutherland's character. He is brilliant in his angriness. John Hurt is also brilliant as Justine's Father who may or may not be insane. It is very strange, and I don't know anyone who would like it. Slightly enjoy it maybe, but like it is unlikely. I also feel if any of my readers went out and rented it, they would blame me solely for their current state of unhappiness.


NBM rates Melancholia - Good

The Guard

Every once in a while we are blessed with a film from across the pond that enhances our life. Usually once per year a film really grabs the attention of the Americans and the most recent offering is the smash Action/Comedy/Drama, The Guard. The Guard is referring to one man really. His name is Gerry Boyle (Brendan Gleeson) and he is anything but orthodox when it comes to his job. I will call him a police officer, though I am not sure if this term is the correct where he lives in rural Ireland. The film gets right into it inside of the first 30 seconds. This is where we learn all we need to know about Gerry's mentality about his job and how he sees things. This film is an obvious UK film. Kind of dry witted, great jokes that may go unnoticed, or even not understood. Not like they are so brilliant we don't "get" it, but literally, we can't understand what the Feck they just said due to thick accents and dialect of the region. I got to hear Gaelic for the first time also. Apparently so does Wendell Everett (Don Cheadle). Cheadle is most unexpected in the film as he is the only American actor present. He plays an FBI agent hot on the trail of drug smugglers transporting 500 million dollars worth of illegal narcotics. That's Half a Billion. When Agent Everett shows up in the small Irish town, he is insulted almost immediately by our anti hero, Gerry. Gerry never holds his tongue no matter how crass he is being, he doesn't much care. If it's his day off, don't bother him, and if you don't want the truth wrapped up in an extremely sarcastic, smart ass fashion, then don't ask him a question. He is old school. He does what he wants and throughout the film we get the feeling he is a dirty cop, but we are never sure. He doesn't seem to respect the badge or any of his co-workers for that matter, but he is a brilliant detective. Everett ropes him into helping him, though he feels Everett doesn't listen to half of what he says. Once the gangsta drug dealers get involved the film amps up a bit, and it is definitely a film that needs to be viewed at least 3 times to catch all the cheeky dialog. Whether its the dialect or the fact it is hard hear over your own laughter, it is definitely worth every one's time.

NBM rates The Guard - Phenomenal

Act of Valor

That's right, Act of Valor. Though it does not get officially released for two more weeks, I was able to view this film tonight. It appears The Jester is a Real critic, or he just knows the right people. Anyway, I treat you tonight in hopes that you can contrive whether or not you feel like watching this film, that to me, seems like a labor of love more than anything for the people who made it. The hook this film has going for it is that all the "actors" are active duty Navy Seals, so as the audience, we are suppose to believe this is as real as it gets. Well, as skeptical as I was that actual Seals were able to film a movie while being active duty, I still wondered. Within the first five minutes of dialog between the two main characters, I realized, Hmm maybe they weren't fibbing. These guys CANNOT act!!! It seems they barely know how to speak to each other. This had me worried. I had no real idea of any of the plot points, but all I could focus on was the horrible delivery of words. Luckily it got better. This film has several things it made me think of. It does have good production quality, but it feels like the TV show "Human Target" at first, and then quickly guides its way into Jack Bauer territory. Let me explain further without giving much away. We meet our Seal team and then they receive a mission. An extraction of a "Person of Interest". Once target is acquired, the bigger picture comes to light leading into the real mission. The way Act of Valor is selling itself is all based on the action it delivers, but in my opinion, they should really start to market the plot. It is very solid. I feel the way I'm going to sell this to you (readers) is going to have very little to do with the plot. I have said it is solid and it flows extremely well. Way Better than I expected it could. The way I'm gonna sell it is all based on visual stimuli. I don't know if my emotions are too heavily invested due to the military man (Hey Bro) in my family, but this may be the greatest action film of all time. The way it is shot and pieced together is second to none. The intensity it puts out will make you quiver to your core. Most of us cannot imagine what its like to be a soldier in battle, but if Valor is at least 25% of what it shows us, then we should all have a pretty good idea of what it may actually be like. There were times it got so intense I found myself chewing my hair. Now I have a bald spot where I used to have beard. Ya, it's that good. That tactics displayed are not Hollywood glorified, and though I didn't fathom what these guys do, it certainly seems like the number one military in the world would institute these tactics. I mentioned earlier how the film was shot. Imagine a seasoned director who could use so many camera angles that are perfect. Now, mix those in with "X" number of soldiers wearing helmet cams. This is called the POV shot or Point of View. The nerds would call it "First Person Gamer." Always staring down the barrel of your weapon is what we get. To shoot an entire film that way would be hard for the audience to watch. I would say they used the POV for about 20% of the final cut and that paired with regular camera angles made one beautiful film. It felt like a documentary at times and I mean that in a good way. Why do we love documentaries? Because they are Real. This feels real. No or low music during the ops help with the intensity. All we hear are the men breathing. Good stuff These guys are the best at what they do, and Valor shows what they can do. I mentioned earlier these guys couldn't act. Well, when you put them in full gear, shouting commands, taking orders, falling in and doing what they are trained to do, Well, it's flawless. It seems so fluid. It was really hard for these guys to simply talk to each other in front of a camera, but when it comes to their task, there is no better than The Navy Seals. When it was over I was left with so many emotions, and I think it will be different for everyone. This is the best Military movie I have ever seen. No cheesy speeches (That we inevitably love), Top notch action, a Great plot that will hit close to home with anyone who watches this, and some very Heart tugging moments. If you don't get the slightest bit emotional, you are not human. I don't care whether it's Happy, Sad, Angry, Depressed...This film will make you feel something. I am disappointed the film makers released in the month when the least amount of movies are viewed, but at least by June, you should be able to rent it/Own it.
Direction - Work of Art
Acting- Good to Phenomenal (The Bearded commander is Great at acting and he has the best scene in the film)
Action- Work of Art
Story-Phenomenal
NBM rates Act of Valor - A Work of Cinematic Art

Rocky IV

"And the Russian is cut, and it's a Bad cut!!!" This may be the shortest review in NBM history. It only makes since that Rocky IV would be my first review in the franchise, because it is my favorite. That's right, I didn't say, "Was my favorite", I said "IS MY FAVORITE". A-Bomb and I had this discussion, and while his Favorite is III, we believe it all depends on which one you may have grown up with the most. I must have watched IV 40 times as a kid, and probably at least another 10 as an adult. Yes, technically IV is probably the fourth best behind I, II, and III, but to me and my memories, none stand higher. In a Franchise with 5 great films and one mediocre one (you know who you are 5), Rocky IV will always have that special place in my heart, and if you haven't seen it, I don't respect you as a human being. Sorry
NBM rates Rocky IV - Phenomenal

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Skeptical. That's the word I used to describe my ambitions of this film. The fourth in a franchise stemming back to the late 1960's, this version was going to tell us exactly how the apes came to power. The only reasons I watched this is because of James Franco, and the fact that everyone has been touting over it, which I had to see with my own eyes what all the fuss was about. The fuss was literally about "Awesomeness", in my opinion. Within 25 minutes this film will have it's hooks in you, or maybe just it's opposable thumbs, if you will. The film is an origin story following Caesar, who we all know was the first Evolved ape from the other films. He was the primate's god in a sense. The founding Father of their power and now we learn how that happened. Like everything bad that has happened in film, it all starts with a "Cure". Scientists really do screw up more than fix. A "Cure" for cancer created the Nightwalkers in I Am Legend, and a "Cure" usually always has ramifications beyond the creator's realm of forethought. The cure in this film is for Alzheimer's. It creates extreme brain function and allows damaged cells to heal themselves. It is tested on apes and one of those monkeys passed the trials onto her newborn. It will always be embedded in Caesar's DNA and he will never cease to learn. We watch as he learns and a big part of that knowledge stems from his Father, in a sense, Will (Franco). Will created the drug and he now has a hairy son. He teaches Caesar as much as he can, but Caesar is getting to smart for his own good, and he makes a costly mistake when trying to protect his own. This is really fun to watch and the CG is not bad at all. It is always scary when dealing with a film that uses CG in every scene, but this is good enough, it is not distracting from the film. It also boasts one of the very best visuals I have ever seen and it involves gun fire and a Gorilla jumping at a helicopter. Enjoy that scene and the little details that are present in the slow motion capture of it all. Smart and perfectly orchestrated by the writer's, Director, and Cast. I know several of you are probably thinking the same way I did, but I am a believer in this new film and it ended perfectly. PS. Damn Dirty Apes does make it into the dialogue at one point. This version is head and shoulders better than the Marky Mark version and I liked that version as well. Just good movie making.

NBM rates Rise of the Planet of the Apes - Phenomenal

Moneyball

This film is for everyone. Baseball fans who want an inside look. Movie fans who like good, true stories, and Brad Pitt fans who appreciate how easy he makes his job look. The story of Billy Beane is one very few know. When choosing a biopic, Beane would not be my first choice considering the lack of impact he has had on pop culture in the real world. However, his impact on the game of professional baseball is something that will live on forever. This really is fun to watch from any aspect, but it really seems Beane was nuts when it came to his job. He didn't care about "the system" that has been in place for 100 years. He wanted to win. The only problem was figuring out how to beat a team with 142 million dollar payroll with his measly 38 million dollar budget. He recruits the unlikeliest of people to aid him in his mission, and as they say, the rest is history. There is not much I can write about this. You just have to trust me when I say it is brilliant. Billy Beane is the GM of the Oakland Athletics and he "Likes winning even more than he Hates Losing". It makes sense. His right hand man is Peter Brant (Jonah Hill). A Yale Economics graduate who is good with numbers. He realizes players are over paid for any number of reasons and he feels the Moneyball system works. Peter and Billy's number one concern when looking for ball players on a budget can be defined by three letters. OBP. On Base Percentage. If you get on base the most, the odds are in your favor. It is a very smart film, but the fact the Billy was able to re-invent the proverbial wheel is something amazing. No one had faith in what he was doing. The Manager Art Howe fought him tooth and nail to the point Billy went to the extreme to "Make" Art do what he wanted. He lost some long time scouts because they didn't agree with him, and when it got tough, as in not working, he stuck it out. For better or worse, he was gonna take his math experiment through at least 162 games. So much fun to watch and Pitt deserves Gold. The humor is great when it is needed and this is a smaller role than we have been used to seeing out of Phillip Seymour Hoffman, but he shines as Art Howe. Watch this film. At least once and you will not be disappointed.

NBM rates Moneyball - Phenomenal