Day 220: American Me

Directed By- Edward James Olmos

Written By- Floyd Mutrux, Desmond, Nakano

Starring- Edward James Olmos, William Forsythe, Pepe Serna, Danny De Le Paz, Jacob Vargas

Critics Review- "worth seeing for Olmos' performance alone."- Scott Weinberg "eFilmCritic.com_

Rotten Tomatoes Rating- Critics- 75% Audience- 90%

Out of a possible 5 stars- 4 1/2 stars

My Review-

Edward James Olmos pulls double duty in this film; as director and actor, and he does it well it which is possibly one of the more violent films I have seen in a while, and what makes it more freighting then anything else is this actually happens. In the beginning of the film it states that it is inspired by a True Story, but things like that happen everyday, and from what was depicted it does seem like a really horrible place. The thing is this whole movie rest solely on Olmos' shoulders and he helps the movie move together since it is a story on his life and he narrates the film every now and then. Even though every actor contributed to the film in their own way, Olmos' was the one to watch as the young boy who rose to be a gang leader within the prison system and somewhat outside. In the film it shows that this was the only type of lifestyle that was waiting for them when they were growing up and would lead them along throughout their lives living on the streets of East L.A., another thing that was depicted really well was the prison life and what you have to do to survive will being their. What shocked me was that this was the meanest role I have ever seen Olmos' in, I have always seem him as the good friend, a father or a supporting role that helps a character move along, never in a role where he was calling the shots to get rid of someone. This movie is one of those types that need to be seen, and should be on your list of movies to see, and it should be like Weinberg said its worth it just for the performance from Edward James Olmos. He is also not a bad direct for his debut, I would like to see more from him or if he was directed other movies I would like to watch them and see how well he did with those films as well.

Day 219: Extract

Directed By- Mike Judge

Written By- Mike Judge

Starring- Jason Bateman, Mila Kunis, Clifton Collins Jr. Ben Affleck, Kristen Wiig, J.K. Simmons

Critics Review- "Well not as complete a success as "Office Space". it's often quite brilliant."- Brian Holcomb "CinemaBlend.com"

Rotten Tomatoes Rating- Critics- 63% Audience- 37%

Out of a possible 5 stars- 3 stars

My Review-

I do agree with the critics above, well it was not the funniest thing. I did have it's moments where it was really funny and smart. One of the people I found to be pretty funny in this movie was Ben Affleck as Bateman's best friend and at times not the brightest person. At times I found myself really enjoying this movie and other times I found myself to be a little bored. Some of the best parts of the movie were when they were all in the work place and we would see all the different workers and it worked well to see how they did not like each other and here how they had to deal with each other, and what made those scenes funny were; T.J. Miller, J.K. Simmons and, Clifton Collins Jr. and that last person I would like to see in more comedic roles. The story line was pretty funny, and it was good too see Mila Kunis in a different role then usual, she was like the bad guy sort of in this movie and I would like to see more of that. I did love Bateman in this movie I want to see him in more roles where he can do comedy as the main actor in a movie, he was the highlight of the film for me. One of the problems I had with this movie is that Gene Simmons did not need to be in, I thought he did nothing to really contribute to the movie and I thought they could have used someone different. I would recommend watching this movie if you are a fan of Mike Judge or any of the actors in this movie, and you will most likely enjoy it, maybe more then I did.

Day 218: Martha Marcy May Marlene

Directed By- Sean Durkin

Written By- Sean Durkin

Starring- Elizabeth Olsen, John Hawkes, Sarah Paulson, Hugh Dancy 

Critics Review- "The movie successfully keeps you guessing throughout as the young woman's memories vividly flash by and the truth is that you'll be guessing as the credits roll."- John Wildman "Film Threat"

Rotten Tomatoes Rating- Critics- 90% Audience- 71%

Out of a possible 5 stars- 4 1/2 stars 

My Review- 

This movie was kind of disturbing, and its not due to the story line. Its due to the fact that there are actually cults out there that are like this, and this is a look at what can happen to one person who has been part of one for a certain amount of time. This movie is wonderfully edited in a way that it blurs past into present, so like the main character Martha, we cannot tell what is real and what isn't. What makes this movie move is the acting from Elizabeth Olsen, and from this being a first movie she made quite an impression, its hard to realize that she is related to the Olsen twins. What Olsen does that she makes try to piece various parts of her life in the cult together to figure out what made her finally want to leave after living there for so long, and how she has to try and fit in to live a normal life. Then there is John Hawkes who has throughout out his career come on as just supporting characters and was never really able to show how well he could truly act, until this movie and Winter's Bone came out. After that we saw how well this man can act, and in here he is charismatic as fuck, he had such away with the people in the cult, that they would listen to every word he said. That's what made it disturbing that their are people like that with that kind of power over people, and will make you follow every word that they say. I suggest this movie if you do not want to a watch a happy go  lucky movie, since this isn't one, its quite a watch and will make you question certain scenes throughout the course of the film. For a first time director and for writing his first feature film, Sean Durkin makes quite a debut and makes his mark, as a director and write too look out for. I suggest watching this movie since it ends in a way that I cannot explain, it was to be seen to be understood or to make your on conclusion. 

Day 217: The Producers (1968)

Directed By- Mel Brooks

Written By- Mel Brooks

Starring- Gene Wilder, Zero Mostel, Kenneth Mars, Dick Shawn

Critics Review- "This is one of the funniest films ever made."- Roger Ebert "Chicago Sun-Times"

Rotten Tomatoes Rating- Critics- 93% Audience- 82%

Out of a possible 5 stars- 4 1/2 stars-

My Review-

Possibly one of the funniest Mel Brooks movies ever made. Gene Wilder is amazing and so is Zero Mostel, even though I have never hear of him until I saw this movie. Like one person says in the film, "Who knew Spring Time for Hitler, would be funny" and the scenes that we see for the play are really hilarious. When I first started watching it the beginning was quite weird, because Mostel's character uses old women to get money for plays, a LOT of old women. Which is kind of wrong but for a Brooks movie it's hilarious, Gene Wilder like always was really funny and he fit his character well as being worried and funny at the same time with his blue blanket and girl like scream. This one Mel Brooks movie to see if you have not seen it because for me it was not stop laughs throughout the whole thing, especially the guy they get to play Hitler; played by Dick Shawn, in quite possibly my new favorite on screen character, because his nickname is L.S.D, along with Franz Liekind the ex nazi who wrote "Spring Time for Hitler". I highly recommend this one since it is the original and it looks way better then the 2005 remake.

Day 216: Our Idiot Brother

Directed By- Jesse Peretz

Writer(s)- Evgenia Peretz, David Schisgall

Starring- Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel, Emily Mortimer, Adam Scott, Kathryn Hahn, Steve Coogan, Hugh Dancy, Rashida Jones, T.J. Miller,  Sterling K. Brown

Critics Review- " The rhythms are gentle, the smiles plentiful, the chuckles frequent, with the overall effect as pleasantly innocuous as the film's hero."- Bob Mondello "NPR"

Rotten Tomatoes Rating- Critics- 68% Audience- 53%

Out of a possible 5 stars-3 1/2 stars

My Review-

This movie should not be called "Our Idiot Brother", and I mean that in a good way. Paul Rudd's character Ned, just things he is doing the right thing when he says nothing but the truth or some times does not mean to twist it. This movie, well to me was more of a drama/comedy with the laughs every now and then, mostly from Paul Rudd and T.J. Miller who has small scenes every now and then throughout the film. This film was about how Paul Rudd's character Ned, gets arrested for selling weed to a police officer and how he ends up living with his three sisters throughout the movie. This movie is also mostly how Ned tried to do good by his three sisters; played by Banks, Deschanel, and Mortimer but in the process without realizing it almost screwed everything up. One person that irritated me the most was Steve Coogan and I usually think he is freaking hilarous in almost anything that he does, however in here I just wanted to punch him in the face. Well watching the movie I was surprised to see that Rashida Jones was not only a part of the cast, but she was Deschanel's girlfriend during the course of the film, which I will admit was pretty cool. Since this movie was too me more of a drama I felt bad for Ned for most of the movie, because he was trying to be good a person without judging anyone, and trust everyone. In the film and from the trailer; Ned says "I like to think that if you put your trust out there; if you really give people the benefit of the doubt, see their best intentions, people will rise to the occasion." Yes at times he could be an idiot, be he did not know he was being one, it was because he saw the good in everyone. This possibly one of Paul Rudd's funniest roles and since he was the main character I was glad too see that he is able to carry movie on his own. Everyone in the film did a good job acting wise, I wish I could have seen more from Mortimer and the outcome of her marriage with Coogan, and I also wanted to see more of Adam Scott who was able to add to the comedy and Banks' neighbor. It seems that this movie had a message throughout the whole film, and that was too see the good in people. The side story within the movie was good, how all Ned wanted to do was get his ironically named dog "Willie Nelson" back from the always funny Kathryn Hahn, and her idiot boyfriend played by T.J. Miller, where as Miller just wanted to be friends with Ned. All in all this was a pretty good movie, I do recommend this movie if you are a fan of Paul Rudd or anyone else in this movie, and this is not the movie you expect it would be, it is actually heart-warming and has a cheesy yet satisfying ending.

Day 215: Get Low

Directed By- Aaron Schneider

Writer(s)- Chris Provenzano, C. Gaby Mitchell, Scott Seeke

Starring- Robert Duball, Sissy Spacek, Bill Murray, Lucas Black, Bill Cobbs, Gerald McRaney

Critics Review- "Eccentric and ultimately touching."- Tom Long "Detroit News"

Rotten Tomatoes Rating- Critics- 86 % Audience- 73%

Out of a possible 5 stars- 4 1/2 stars

My Review-

This movie is loosely based on what an actual person wanted. I wish I would have known the whole story about the person that actually wanted this, but going away from that this was a really good movie. Despite it being a little slow at times everyone in this movie acted really well and made you feel for their characters especially Robert Duvall, now I have only seen a handful of movies with him in them; The Godfather, Apocalypse Now, A Family Thing, Deep Impact, and We Own the Night, and next too all of those Godfather and this one have to be my favorite. Since he was the main character in this movie all eyes were on him even if Murray and Black had some memorable moments in the film, without Duvall I believe the film would not have been that good. The story for this movie was really interesting; a man wanting to hold a funeral for himself while he was still alive. It got me right as I saw the preview, and it seems like we do not get many movies now a days that are sort of westerns like this one. Along with the story was also a semi mystery about Duvall's character Felix; and at the end as an audience we see why he had the whole funeral party in the first place, and one of the reasons why he did it was so that everyone can hear it from him and if he could not the only man that he ever told it too. The mystery was a 40 year old incident that Duvall kept hidden from everyone, and Duvall played the part very well about a man holding a 40 year old secret even if it kept certain people away. This was a really well acted my movie from everyone, I was surprised it did not get nominated for some awards during awards season when it was released. At times the movie was a little to slow for me and it could have been a little faster, and I thought certain scenes did not need to be in the film, because I thought it did nothing to move the story along.  Despite that one minor flaw, I highly recommend watching this movie. Robert Duvall gives an amazing performance, and it is a well thought story for being loosely based on a actual event, its worth the sit down.

Day 214: Reefer Madness (Tell Your Children) (Doped Youth) (1936)

Directed By- Louis J. Gasnier

Writer(s)- Arthur Hoerl, Paul Franklin

Starring- Kenneth Craig, Joe Forte, Harry Harvey Jr., Lillian Miles, Warren McCollum, Pat Royale

Critics Review- "A campy classic, full of awful acting and blatant misinformation."- James Sanford "Kalamazoo Gazette"

Rotten Tomatoes- Critics- 46% Audience- 43%

Out of  a possible 5 stars- 2 stars

My Review-

I can see why this was parodied as a movie musical. this movie was horribly acted, the shots were wrong. You were able to tell that some scenes had visible flaws. The actor that played the professor and I forgot his name was really creepy and acted like he knew everything by just looking at a person. I missed the movie musical which I watched first, but then at the same time some of the acting was so bad it was hard not to laugh at it. I can see why now the musical was over exaggerated it was because this movie as, since it was trying to prove the point that mary jane will make you go completely insane with laughter and start hallucinating random things. I kind of wish I would have watched the color version instead, even though it would be the exact same film, it would have been cooler to see how they used the color for the film. This is one of those movies that needs to be seen to see, why it was so bad then it became parodied into what is now one of my favorite musicals.