January 2014 Film Ratings

Below is a list of the films that I watched during the month of January. They are in order of the date watched. Each film is scored based on our scoring model and assigned a grade accordingly. Dates represent the film's US theatrical release.

The month was highlighted by a theatrical viewing of Martin Scorsese's, The Wolf of Wall Street.

Tower Heist (2011) Score: 27 - 6.5, Grade: C+
White House Down (2013) Score: 18.5 - 4.5, Grade: F
The Frozen Ground (2013) Score: 26.5 - 6.5, Grade: C
The Wolverine (2013) Score: 27.5 - 6.5, Grade: C+
The Amazing Adventure (1936) Score: 25.5 - 6, Grade: C
Don Jon (2013) Score: 29 - 7, Grade: B
300 (2007) Score: 25.5 - 6, Grade: C (Re-Watch)
16 Blocks (2006) Score: 27 - 6.5, Grade: C+ (Re-Watch)
Thanks For Sharing (2013) Score: 25 - 6, Grade: C
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) Score: 34.5 - 8.5, Grade: A (In Theater)
The Act of Killing (2013) Score: 28.5 - 7, Grade: B-
The Spectacular Now (2013) Score: 28.5 - 7, Grade: B-
Fruitvale Station (2013) Score: 30 - 7.5, Grade: B+
The Lone Ranger (2013) Score: 24 - 6, Grade: C-
Lee Daniels' The Butler (2013) Score: 31.5 - 7.5, Grade: B+
Captain Phillips (2013) Score: 32 - 8, Grade: A-
The Family (2013) Score: 28 - 7, Grade: B-
What Maisie Knew (2013) Score: 30.5 - 7.5, Grade: B+
Ain't Them Bodies Saints (2013) Score: 31.5 - 7.5, Grade: B+

New in Town (2009)

Directed by Jonas Elmer

Starring: Harry Connick Jr. and Renee Zellweger





Typically I reserve reviews for those movies which a) I see in theaters b) I find really entertaining or c) are monumentally terrible.

This happens to fall into the latter. Now I should state that I am not much of a Renee Zellweger fan. I think her best performance to date was in Cinderella Man and she was adequate in Chicago and Me, Myself & Irene, but I think she is generally overrated and the fact she won an Oscar for Cold Mountain makes me cringe.

So as you can see leading into this movie there was not much hope for me liking this movie. I decided to try out the idea from my last post (Grading based on expectations) I expected this to grade out in the 4-6 range. Which means my expectations were fairly low though not close to being low enough.

Acting (4 - Below Average): I am sure there are days when I come to work and I do not perform as well as the day before. Everyone is like that and to some extent you could there are days when (by no fault of my own) little is accomplished. That describes the acting in this film. While I would not classify the acting portion as unwatchable it was definitely sub par. That said this is where this particular movie shines (that is not a good thing). In all honesty I liked JK Simmons, like always, and Siobhan Fallon did a decent job (above average for her).

Audio / Visual (1 - Unwatchable): While the camera work could be classified as average the polka music that plays throughout is a HUGE distraction and annoyance. Its not even the fact that its polka that's bothersome, but the particular songs that were chosen. The audio portion of this film lends itself to the rating chosen.

Plot (1 - Unwatchable): So a female business professional comes into the board meeting late, wearing 6 inch heels and a tight fitting dress and is provided the opportunity to become vice president by turning around the operations of a small food production plant. Oh if it were only that simple. This script contains pretty much everything a bad script should have, predictability, unfunny jokes, poor character background, and terrible dialogue. There is really no redeeming quality to this plot, at all. And will someone please tell Hollywood that the whole I "I don't like you, but I really do like you, but I am not going to tell you or show you until I get drunk and then I will try to hit on you thing" has been done about 5 billion times to many. And the whole widower raising kids is overplayed too (no offense to those people who are actually in this situation). For as many times as I have seen this in film there must be a huge population of guys in this situation that I don't know about...yes I am talking to you Disney.

Entertainment (2 - Terrible): I'm not sure there is anything else I can say about this film other than don't spend the $1 at red box to rent it.

Overall (2 - Terrible)

I do not know who would be more offended by this movie, female business professionals, people from Minnesota, or the people that actually watched this film. I tried hard to find an actual budget for this film to see how much Hollywood threw away, but I couldn't find it. It's sad to think that a movie like Slumdog Millionaire almost doesn't happen yet trash like this gets picked up and filmed all the time.

I Love You, Man

Directed by John Hamburg

Starring Paul Rudd and Jason Segel


Acting (7): Rudd and Segel are natural fits for the bromance genre. They're equal parts everyman awkwardness, hollywood charm, and frat boy intellect. Though they don't have to stretch much, they play the roles well. Supporting characters played by JK Simmons and Jon Favreau also provide some laughs.


Audio / Visual (7): There is nothing special about the way this film was shot, but there was nothing distractingly bad either. Since a portion of the plot revolves around Rudd and Segel's love of the band Rush, plenty of their classic tunes are interwoven throughout.

Plot (7): The Bromance genre has found a niche over the last couple years and this film falls right in line with it's predacessors. The story is formulaic for the most part and the film ends with a rather cliche and corny wedding scene. However, the story is well executed. The pace is solid and the characters, particularly the two leads, are developed enough that the audience actually cares about the outcome.

Entertainment (7.5) While some of the more vulgar jokes fall flat early on, the film picks up steam as the relationship between Rudd and Segel's characters develop. The film manages a decent balance of vulgar college humor and sweet Rom Com charm. Despite most of the major laughs being given away in the trailer, there is still plenty of entertainment value here. Rudd proves, once again, to be one of the most likable comedic leads in the business.

Overall (7) GOOD

Styles of Movie Watching

Over the years of watching film I have come to realize that there has to be varying degrees of movie watching. With advertising and the internet being so prevalent it is almost impossible to watch a film without having some preconceived feeling of what the film will be or what ones response to the film will be.

To be completely honest my viewpoint is almost always biased. When I hear that a movie is gaining Oscar buzz I tend to give the film more leeway as it relates to our critique points. When my cohort on this blog gives a raving review I go into the film with a positive light. Now that's not to say that I don't completely disagree with professional critics (i.e. I completely despise Pulp Fiction) at times or on the rare occasion Derek (Gran Torino), but I go into the movie looking for ways to find the good aspects of the film and not completely subjective as one should.

I think a case in point for this is Derek's review of The Happening. He had heard from me how horrible it was, and from everyone else for that matter, so he approached the movie expecting the absolute worst and he found the redeeming qualities instead.

So all that to ask, what is the resolution to this problem?

I am not sure there is an answer. I guess to get an absolute true opinion one must watch a film having seen no preview and having heard nor read a review of the film unfortunately for the average movie fan this is not an option. So maybe the answer comes from gauging our expectations. Maybe we set up a scale that we expect a movie to hit when we start and then rate the film based on what it provides based on that scale. This might keep us from finding that sneaky hidden gem (think Once or Diving Bell and the Butterfly), but it may also help us judge movies for what they are. Remember this is all a form of entertainment and all actors and actresses take different films for the paycheck. They all mail it in occasionally.

So obviously this whole thought process stems from something. Well, by my wife's choice I spent this evening watching Bride Wars, now my expectations going in were low and in the end even those expectations were too high. Even Anne Hathaway could not come close to saving this disaster of a film, but it got me thinking that maybe there should be a sliding scale for rating movies. Maybe going in for movies that we have a preconceived estimate in our head we rate how the movie did at meeting those expectations.

I don't think anyone goes into movies like the aforementioned Bride Wars or say Fools Gold, another Kate Hudson classic, expecting to see Oscar worthy performances, state-of-the-art camera work, or amazing special effects they just want to be entertained and some will find those films entertaining. I on one hand loved the first Mummy movie even though Brendan Fraser should not be seen anywhere near an Oscar stage (Yes, I have seen Crash and yes the rating is deteriorating for me daily). Watching the movie back there are lots of issues, but it is entertaining and maybe that should be rated on a different scale than say The Departed or Revolutionary Road. Of course as it stands our scale is open to all classes and varieties of film and unfortunately that means a VERY low rating for the likes of Bride Wars (it could be on a two point scale and it would still be rated poorly). I think though for someone out there if you based the scale not on the quality of the overall picture from a critical standpoint, but maybe completely how entertained they were for a film, that they were not expecting Oscar worthy performances, than someone out there might rate that move higher, but its not me.

YFG and the forgotten films of 2008

Making a quality film doesn't always ensure box office success or even critical acclaim during award season. Whether independant or backed by a large studio, all films rely on marketing to to create interest. As much as any other industry, film is a beauty contest. When a film does well at the box office or takes home an academy award it's no accident. Millions of dollars go into wooing both audiences and critics with the hopes of generating a buzz that will yield a significant return. Without this financial backing, even the best of films can go unnoticed.

2008's Oscar darling, Slumdog Millionaire nearly fell through the cracks when Warner Bros. shut down their Indie distribution division. Had Fox Searchlight not purchased and released the film, it would have almost certainly headed straight for DVD, killing any and all hope of Oscar glory.

Unfortunately, when financial disaster strikes, not all films are lucky enough to be rescued. In December of 2008, Yari Film Group's (YFG) movie distribution division filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy. YFG had long been a major independent movie distributer with titles like Crash, The Matador, and the Illusionist to their credit. The company's financial woes left two films with legitimate award show aspirations, Nothing but the Truth and What Doesn't Kill You, in limbo.

What Doesn't Kill You was "fortunate" enough to receive a limited theatrical release in the US just three days before YFG went under. Directed by Brian Goodman, What Doesn't Kill You is a gritty, enthralling crime drama set in South Boston. In what could easily pass as a Dennis Lehane novel adaptation, the film chronicles two life long friends and their lives as theives, drug dealers, and runners for a crime boss. Ethan Hawke and Mark Ruffalo are both quite convincing as small time Irish thugs. Amanda Peet, who plays Ruffalo's wife who is struggling to deal with her husband's life outside of the home and family, also gives a notable performance. While the film probably isn't Oscar worthy, it's certainly a very solid drama that had the potential to be a real crowd pleaser with a little marketing.

In what is perhaps the best film about print journalism since 1976's All the President's Men, Kate Beckinsale stars as a reporter who, despite pressure from the federal government, refuses to give up her source that broke the biggest story of her career. Beckinsale, along with Alan Alda and Vera Farmiga deliver very strong performances worthy of acclaim on any stage. While Beckinsale and Farmiga were nominated for Critic's choice awards, the straight to DVD release of the film killed any chance they had of Academy Award or Golden Globe nominations.

Both Nothing but the Truth and What Doesn't Kill You are exceptional films worthy of a wide audience. However, with the troubles of YFG and the lack of financial support behind these films, even their recent DVD releases are bound to go unnoticed by most.

The Fall

The Fall made its way through the film festival circuit during 2006 and 2007. It finally recieved a limited US release in the spring of 08. There was very little buzz about this film and it recieved very modest accolades. However, when my good friend and highly respected movie critic, Justin Newsome named The Fall his top film of 2008, I had to see it.

Acting: (7) An unknown Lee Pace was an interesting choice for the lead. While he handled emotional hospital scenes quite well, the fantasy action sequences were really a stretch. Whether it was an artistic choice or folly, he appeared almost comical as the "Blue Bandit." The little girl added a great deal of depth and reality to the film. She obviously struggled with English and her lines. However, Pace played off her so naturally that her stutters and repeats flowed like natural conversation.

Audio / Visual: (9) There can be no debate that the film's visuals are astonishing. During the fantasy sequences, the screen is filled with wide landscapes, elaborate sets, and choreograhped movements that are quite enchanting. Tarsem's vision and imagination are the stars of this film. In fact, the film's visuals could actually be criticized for overpowering both the characters and the complex story. The only complaint I would raise involves the costumes of the bandits. Again, I'm not sure whether this was intentional or not, but the costumes reminded me of a low budget community theatre play.

Plot: (8.5) There is really a lot going on in this film. There are so many stories within the story. Tarsem skillfully weaves the story of the stunt man and the young girl together through the telling of the epic revenge saga. The film runs the risk of becoming muddled and confusing when it attempts to fuse storylines occuring in both the fantasy and real world simultaneously. By the end of the film the stories have all been told fairly well. If you're able to avoid being distracted by the events happening on the screen, you may actually be able to follow each of them.

Entertainment: (8) This film would have been engaging as a silent movie. The visuals are that powerful. The stories (all of them) are worth a listen. I always tend to give extra credit to original, bind benders, as is the case with The Fall.

Overall: (8) - Very Good

Rachel Getting Married

Rachel Getting Married (2008)
Directed By: Jonathon Demme
Starring: Anne Hathaway, Rosemarie DeWitt, Debra Winger, Bill Irwin

Well as stated in my previous post it has been tough getting the time to watch movies lately, but the fact that a Red Box just opened in the local grocery store will hopefully help things out.

Acting: (9.5) It is funny how quickly someone can become a favorite. All it took was The Devil Wears Prada and Anne Hathaway jumped to the top of my list of favorite actresses, and this performance gives credence to that view. The movie truly shines through the acting displayed by the entire cast. This is probably one of the best ensemble performances I have ever seen. Everyone for the most part nails their parts and as a whole it doesn't get much better. My favorite aside from Anne was actually Mather Zickel, who I thought stole most of the scenes he was featured in.

Effects / Cinematography: (7) Camera shots for the most part were great, but I have to complain about the length of the wedding scenes. I thought it was a poor choice of editing and it dragged on....and on....and on. They could have easily cut 10 minutes out of the post wedding without impacting the overall movie in any way. Its my opinion that every scene should have a purpose and there was just way too much filler. I hear Derek say that it was to bring a balance of joy to all the sorrow of the film, but it was just too much for me.

Plot: (8.5) A modern day adaptation of the prodigal son, or in this case the prodigal daughter. I thought the script was well written and flowed effortlessly.

Entertainment: (7.5) The unending wedding scenes really brought the movie down a notch for me on an entertainment level. I thought the feeling portrayed of actually being a part of the festivities was done pretty well, but both the rehearsal dinner and the post vows parts were extremely tedious.

Cumulative: (8.125) Overall a solid movie and one that should be studied in film classes across the country. The acting was phenomenal, but editing choices brought the overall score down a bit for me. I haven't gotten through all of the 2008 movies that Derek has, but I would place this near the top of my list as well.