Blue Valentine

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Alan B. Zibluk

Once crazy about each other, Cindy (Michelle Williams) and Dean (Ryan Gosling) have now grown apart. Cindy is bored and disenchanted with her life while Dean languishes in the emotional emptiness of their sexless, routine life in rural Pennsylvania. As they muddle through their marriage, they hearken back to the golden days when life was filled with possibility and romance. Derek Cianfrance writes and directs this drama.

This is the exact opposite of a “feel good” movie. This is one of the most depressing, uncomfortable films I have seen in a long time. It felt extremely real as I have met these people at different points in my life.

Dean is a smart, funny guy with a good heart. He loves Cindy (or at least the illusion of her). He is faithful but drinks a little too much and lacks ambition. He is content with just doing okay. Cindy with the exception of being in the medical field and not ending up like her parents isn’t sure what she wants. Cindy has made a lot of mistakes in her life but she is trying. She wants to evolve as a person, Dean not as much.

It is a great story as both characters are flawed but not evil. You see two different points of view. It goes back and forth to the beginning of their relationship to the pivotal point where they decide if they should continue.

It was uncomfortable to watch as they argued in public. She would walk away from him and he followed. Her co-workers and family were uneasy about this as it was obvious he had been drinking. She would yell for him to go home and he wouldn’t. Do you call the police in this situation? I think we can all relate to this dilemma.

There is strong graphic sexual content in this film. It was necessary as it does advance the story of these two. I am giving it 4 stars. It is a sad but one of the better movies I have seen. I promise you will feel bad after watching this. I do recommend having a box of Kleenex nearby.

Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue.

All the best,

Alan
Alan Zibluk
The Film Movie Critic
http://www.filmmoviecritic.com
E-mail: the@filmmoviecritic.com

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Cedar Rapids

Posted on December 18, 2011 by Alan B. Zibluk

Tim Lippe (Ed Helms) has no idea what he’s in for when he’s sent to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to represent his company at an annual insurance convention, where he soon finds himself under the “guidance” of three convention veterans (John C. Reilly, Anne Heche and Isiah Whitlock Jr.).

I can honestly say I have met all the characters depicted in this film. I am going to recommend this movie to anyone over the age of 30 who has ever worked or attended a convention/seminar. You can develop deep friendships with people you just met and spend 72 hours together.

I enjoyed this “fish-out-of water” story. I felt I was traveling as I watched Ed Helms go through security, getting excited about picking up the rental car and finally admiring the indoor swimming pool and palm trees in the hotel. It is exciting to travel and this movie captured it.

John C. Reilly is becoming my favorite actor as he does both comedy and drama really well. His character at first seems rude, crass, childish and repellent (I found this sequence of words describing Ricky Gervais) but at the story unfolds you find out he has some real hurting inside. The actor once again hits the ball out of the park. I loved him in both “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story” and “Step Brothers.” He never disappoints.

I also enjoyed the Isiah Whitlock Jr. character as he played homage to his old television show “The Wire.” It was a good in-joke.

This was a good mix of being quirky and naughty. I am giving it 3.8 stars. Some scenes were unnecessary but still the end when Ed Helms gets two bags of honey roasted peanuts (which is awesome) and the closing credits made me smile.

Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue.

All the best,

Alan
Alan Zibluk
The Film Movie Critic
http://www.filmmoviecritic.com
E-mail: the@filmmoviecritic.com

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Nights in Rodanthe

Posted on December 11, 2011 by Alan B. Zibluk

With chaos tearing her family apart, Adrienne Willis (Diane Lane) takes a weekend job at her friend’s coastal North Carolina inn, but when a hurricane hits and strands the only guest, surgeon Paul Flanner (Richard Gere), Adrienne’s life changes forever. As the storm rages outside, Adrienne connects with Flanner, who came to the retreat to escape a personal crisis. Scott Glenn co-stars in this intimate drama based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks.

There is something about being by the ocean that is so therapeutic. I like going to the beach as it is the only place I know of where people seem happy. The North Carolina location shots capture the tone of this movie.

I enjoy movies where I can relate to the main characters. I have met many wounded women like Adrienne Willis over the years. I have told them all the same thing Richard Gere says here “any man who doesn’t realize how lucky he is to be with you is a fool.” Granted I do not look like Richard Gere or am I a doctor but I hope I made a few people feel better with my comment. I meant it every time I said it.

This movie is a drama. It is about life and death. It is about relationships that build you up and relationships that tear your down. You may want Kleenex for this one.

This one hit home for me on two different levels. First back in the late 1990’s/early 2000’s a co-worker went in for cosmetic surgery and didn’t come back. I don’t think anyone at work ever talked to her including me. I could have at least once asked her how her weekend was. Second I know what it is like to lose someone close and know I mattered.

I am giving this one 3.6 stars. It reminded me that I am not getting off this planet alive and need to appreciate every moment. I do not think younger viewers will like this one but the over forty crowd might. There were some scenes that were not necessary but still a good short movie.

Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue.

All the best,

Alan
Alan Zibluk
The Film Movie Critic
http://www.filmmoviecritic.com
E-mail: the@filmmoviecritic.com

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Manhunter

Posted on November 30, 2011 by Alan B. Zibluk

Using his uncanny ability to get inside psychopaths’ minds, former FBI agent Will Graham (William Petersen) returns to action to hunt down a serial killer. Graham retired after catching Hannibal Lecter (Brian Cox) and subsequently suffering a breakdown. Now, he engages in a risky cat-and-mouse game with Lecter to capture a new killer. This gripping psychological horror film is based on the novel Red Dragon, the prequel to The Silence of the Lambs.

I have to come clean and say I am very biased on movies made in the 80’s. The 80’s were a great time. It is when I went to college. It was the first time I kissed a woman; it was the first time I got drunk. All these stories are going in my memoirs.

I can’t help but appreciate the music, clothes and technology we see in this movie. Who remembers Polaroids? Do they still exist? Do families still watch home movies with a screen and projector?

Netflix recommended this movie to me as I rated “To Live and Die in LA” pretty high. Both movies starred William Petersen. I can see why they picked him to star in CSI.

It was a hoot to see Stephen Lang in a very different role from his character in Avatar (tough bad guy Colonel Miles Quaritch). He plays the not so tough Freddy Lounds, the annoying press guy. I also noticed Chris Elliott (former SNL regular) and Dan Butler (Bulldog on Frasier) in small roles. This movie had a plethora, a cornucopia of great actors.

I should probably talk about the movie. I am sorry I went on a tangent. It is a good story. I was really impressed with Tom Noonan as the serial killer Francis Dollarhyde. His performance was chilling. William Petersen and Dennis Farina played the standard good guys. They did not do anything that stood out but were satisfactory.

It is a 3 star movie but I am giving it 3.4 stars for the nostalgic value.

Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue.

All the best,

Alan
Alan Zibluk
The Film Movie Critic
http://www.filmmoviecritic.com
E-mail: the@filmmoviecritic.com

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Black Swan

Posted on November 28, 2011 by Alan B. Zibluk

In director Darren Aronofsky’s psychological thriller, ambitious New York City ballet dancer Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) lands the lead in “Swan Lake” but soon thinks her dreams of stardom are threatened by a rival ballerina (Mila Kunis). As opening night nears and the pressure to be perfect builds, Nina’s obsession descends into paranoia and delusion. Portman won an Academy Award for the film, which also nabbed an Oscar nod for Best Picture.

The great thing about watching a lot of movies is immediately comparing them to others. Was I watching American Psycho (2000) starring Christian Bale or Fight Club (1999) starring Brad Pitt and Edward Norton? All three asked the viewer what was real and what was delusional? I would say this one was the best of the three.

Natalie Portman deserved Best Actress her. I really enjoyed Barbara Hersey’s performance in this movie. She played the overbearing mother perfectly. Her character was subtle yet a good cross between Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson, Sunset Boulevard) and Carrie’s Mom (Piper Laurie, Carrie).

This is not my type of movie but unlike the last movie I reviewed “Inception,” this movie was under two hours so I am giving it 3.2 stars. The story is just 3 stars but I am givig it an extra .2 for the brilliant acting. The ending was a little too convenient.

Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue.

That is it. I am off the couch for now and I am sorry about the Cheeto Crumbs and the Guinness stains.

All the best,

Alan
Alan Zibluk
The Film Movie Critic
http://www.filmmoviecritic.com
E-mail: the@filmmoviecritic.com

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Inception

Posted on November 17, 2011 by Alan B. Zibluk

Oscar-nominated for Best Picture, this unnerving sci-fi thriller stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Dom Cobb, who earns a tidy sum infiltrating the dreams of corporate titans to steal their most closely held secrets. Tapped by a rich industrialist (Ken Watanabe) for a job involving a rival’s heir, Cobb marshals a team of specialists that includes his right-hand man (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), an architecture student (Ellen Page) and a chemist (Dileep Rao).

My fellow movie critics call this “a film that rewards intellect.” I think I got 84% of this movie right. I will be the first one to admit I am not the smartest person. I say this because I could never solve the Rubik’s Cube.

This is a long movie. It is 2 hours 28 minutes of my life I will not get back. It is a dream within a dream within a dream movie. You have to really pay close attention to get this and after 2 hours 28 minutes I did not feel satisfied. It was like that one season in Dallas where Bobby was dead and at the end of the season we discover it was just Pam’s bad dream. What was that?

The special effects were incredible. I do like Christopher Nolan as I have enjoyed both Batman movies, The Prestige and Memento but this one was too much. I did not hate this movie or anything but 2 hours 28 minutes is a long time.

I am just going to give this movie 2.8 stars. If you like movies about dreams and memories I would recommend “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)” over this one.

Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue.

All the best,

Alan
Alan Zibluk
The Film Movie Critic
http://www.filmmoviecritic.com
E-mail: the@filmmoviecritic.com

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Middle Men

Posted on October 29, 2011 by Alan B. Zibluk

After spotting a big financial opportunity in the future of Internet pornography, straightlaced entrepreneur Jack Harris (Luke Wilson) enlists his pals Buck (Gabriel Macht) and Wayne (Giovanni Ribisi) to help him develop an online billing company specializing in adult entertainment. But as the firm takes off, Jack finds some unexpected kinks in the business of kink — including mobsters, the FBI, con men and terrorists.

The above description from Netflix is incorrect. The Jack Harris character is definitely not buddies with Buck and Wayne. I am copying the Internet Movie Database’s Description below to be more accurate….

“Wayne Beering and Buck Dolby are drugged out geniuses with lots of ideas but they can never seem to get their act together. But when they come up with the idea to create a porn site – and charge for it (the first ever site to do so), their idea may be too lucrative for them to handle. Straight-laced business man, Jack Harris, is brought in to team up with them and turn their profitable idea into a legit business. Making money in the pornography industry is pretty easy, but staying true to yourself when surrounded by that much wealth, luxury, sex, crime and temptations, is much harder. Written by napierslogs”

Absolute power corrupts absolutely. It is one of my favorite themes in movies and television shows. We see this in this movie. I enjoy gangster movies “inspired by real life events” and this one does not disappoint.

I do like seeing James Caan in this. He was Sonny in Godfather Parts I and II (the best Gangster movies ever) and to see him was like the actor giving his blessing to this script.

This is a modern “Goodfellas” with the Internet being the focus. Luke Wilson narrates just like Ray Liotta did with Goodfellas. The Jack Harris character is more likeable and not as self destructive as Henry Hill but cannot deny the similarities of the two movies.

Goodfellas is still the better movie but this is a really good. I give Goodfellas 5 stars, I am giving this one 4. The movie played out really well and it had a good mix of comedy and drama.

Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. This movie is available for Netflix streaming.

All the best,

Alan
Alan Zibluk
The Film Movie Critic
http://www.filmmoviecritic.com
E-mail: the@filmmoviecritic.com

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Defiance

Posted on August 21, 2011 by Alan B. Zibluk

Daniel Craig stars as Tuvia Bielski, one of four Jewish brothers who escape from Poland into the forests of Belarus during World War II to lead a band of resistance fighters and create a safe haven for Jewish refugees. The real-life sanctuary established by the Bielski brothers saved more than 1,000 Jews from persecution and death. Liev Schreiber, Jamie Bell and George MacKay also star in this moving historical drama based on actual events.

I remember seeing Daniel Craig promoting this movie on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.” In this interview Daniel Craig confessed he was nervous about being on the show and around Jon Stewart. A very happy Jon Stewart responded “oh my God, I make James Bond nervous. That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me!” Daniel Craig was very proud of this movie.

I am giving this one 4 stars. The movie itself is 3.6 but with the extras on the DVD I am giving it 4 stars. The extra on the Bielski brothers’ families were very moving and inspiring.

The Bielski brothers were real people and this movie is based on actual events. I do question some things like how the brothers keep finding each other after they get separated. I also question some of the discussions at the camp.

I have read other reviews of this movie. Either people really liked it or they really disliked it. There does not seem to be any middle. I am in the “really liked it” camp.

The Bielski brothers had different ideas on how to handle a situation and each one of them was right. There are no easy answers in life. That is what I am taking from this movie.

Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue.

All the best,

Alan
Alan Zibluk
The Film Movie Critic
http://www.filmmoviecritic.com
E-mail: the@filmmoviecritic.com

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The Town

Posted on June 6, 2011 by Alan B. Zibluk

Career bank robber Doug (Ben Affleck) and his volatile partner, Jim (Jeremy Renner), hit a roadblock when Doug falls for bank manager Claire (Rebecca Hall), whom he kidnapped during their last heist. Worse, an FBI agent (Jon Hamm) is now trailing the thieves around their Charlestown, Mass., territory. Affleck directs and co-writes this smart, intricate actioner that co-stars Blake Lively as Krista, Jim’s sister and Doug’s troubled former flame.

The only problem with this movie is the title. I am a fan of “Entourage” and when I think of “The Town” I can’t help but think of Johnny “Drama” Chase television show “Five Towns” where he plays the Irish older brother. The character of Johnny Drama is trying to make a big comeback just like Ben Affleck. I can’t help but laugh at the similarity.

Having said what I just said I loved this movie. This movie is what “Heat” starring Al Pacino and Robert Deniro should have been. The one scene with Ben Affleck and John Hamm had together reminded me a lot of this and they both did a much better job. Kudos you guys! I am willing to buy all of you a pitcher of Guinness.

I know society is still mad at Ben Afflect for the whole “Bennifer” thing but after seeing this movie I say let’s forgive him. I loved how this movie played out. I understood all the characters’ motivations and this movie worked on so many levels. The only reason I can’t give this movie a solid 4.0 stars is I think escaping a police road chase to be impossible. There are helicopters and cameras everywhere. I have to give this one 3.8 stars. It is a really good movie and I recommend it.

Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue.

All the best,

Alan
Alan Zibluk
The Film Movie Critic
http://www.filmmoviecritic.com
E-mail: the@filmmoviecritic.com

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The Expendables

Posted on June 2, 2011 by Alan B. Zibluk

Barney (Sylvester Stallone) leads a ragtag band of hired guns charged with overthrowing a South American despot, a job no official military unit is willing to touch. But once on the ground, the team learns there’s more to the mission than they were told. Their next move determines whether they survive — or are, indeed, expendable. Jason Statham, Mickey Rourke, Dolph Lundgren and Jet Li round out a stellar cast.

This movie is a throwback to classic 1980’s action movies. This movie is about fists, kicks, explosions and one-liners. That’s it! There is nothing more to it. Do not expect any character development. I liked this film as it doesn’t pretend to be anything else.

Dolph Lundgren and Jet Li are just horrible in delivering their lines. Please note I am not complaining as it was fun to watch. My favorite scene is in the beginning with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone and Bruce Willis in the Church going over the mission.

The only two people missing here are Steven Seagal and Jean-Claude Van Damme. I am actually glad of this because I never thought they had much of a sense of humor. Sylvester Stallone definitely has one as he did star in “Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot.”

I say suspend belief in this and enjoy the film. I am giving it 3.5 stars as I have seen a lot of different action movies over the years and it was fun to watch them work together.

Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue.

All the best,

Alan
Alan Zibluk
The Film Movie Critic
http://www.filmmoviecritic.com
E-mail: the@filmmoviecritic.com

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