Your Sister’s Sister
Released June 15, 2012
Starring Emily Blunt, Rosemarie DeWitt, and Mark Duplass
Dramedy
Rated R
Your Sister’s Sister benefits from solid performances from it’s three leads, an intriguing premise, a heartfelt story, and a kindred innocence, making it a well-rounded dramedy that many film-goers will enjoy.
Score:
4 out of 5
Argo
Released October 12, 2012
Directed by and Starring Ben Affleck
Drama
Rated R
*Review by contributor Austin Winkler
Argo is the suspense drama film starring and directed by Ben Affleck. This is based on the hostage situation that took place in Iran in the 1980′s where a CIA officer named Tony Mendez (Affleck) created a fake movie and used this to bring those hostages to safety. This was one of my most anticipated movies of the year, and I can safely say that it’s definitely worthy of all the attention and positive reception its received.
Everything about this movie is near flawless. One of the film’s strongest points, believe it or not, is the costumes. The characters actually looked like they were inside that time period and it made the film more gripping and convincing. The acting was also pretty spot on. The performances from the main cast were genuinely entertaining, especially the performance from Alan Arkin as the fake film’s producer. Also, fans of The Town can all agree with me when I say Ben Affleck is just as good of a director as he is an actor. The special effects and the screenwriting were also impressive.
I’m not going to spoil anything about the movie, but one of my favorite things about this film is the last 30 minutes. The ending scene proves that a scene can make you sit on the edge of your seat, biting your nails and the hair on the back of your neck standing straight up without any gunfire or bloodshed. The whole ending had me worried, scared, excited, and anxious all at the same time. This is definitely one of the most exciting scenes in film for this year and possibly of all time.
Bottom line, Argo doesn’t get much wrong. This film doesn’t have that much action, but it’s as equally exciting as an action flick. This movie delivers and doesn’t disappoint. Make it a priority to see in theaters or buy it on Blu-Ray.
Take This Waltz
Released September 11, 2011
Rated R
Directed By Sarah Polley
Starring Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen Sarah Silverman, and Luke Kirby
116 Minutes
Take This Waltz is a 2011 independent romance drama written and directed by Sarah Polley. Michelle Williams plays Margot, a young and unsatisfied married woman. She is married to Lou (Rogen), who is a chef that specializes in chicken recipes. Margot’s life was typical and routine, until meeting Daniel (Kirby) by mere chance one afternoon while on a business trip. They coincidentally meet again later on the airplane home, and it just so turns out, Daniel lives right across the street from Margot. From here, it’s a constant struggle between feelings and what’s right and wrong as Margot tries to balance life with her husband and this new man with whom she shares obvious feelings with.
The film didn’t get much publicity and was shown in a limited amount of
theaters. Little do people know, this is actually a Canadian film. This could be part of the reason us here in the U.S. of A didn’t get a chance to see it when it was first released. I was utterly shocked as to how much I enjoyed Take This Waltz. The performances were gut-wrenchingly good, especially Michelle Williams. Seth Rogen’s role is a little undermined, but he remains a likable character throughout. Luke Kirby brings a refreshing performance to the table as Margot’s “other” love interest. Sarah Silverman, well, she’s typical, slightly annoying Sarah Silverman. You see the struggles of marriage and the ins and outs of relationships. The simplicity of the performances makes the film stand out. It all feels honest and real. The film is indie to the bone and cements itself as one of the better independent movies of this generation.
What makes Take This Waltz great is it’s precise storytelling that gets the viewer involved and interested. You enjoy watching Margot and how she lives her life, whether at home with Lou or out with Daniel. It’s always interesting, and that’s not always easy to do with a drama of this nature. The film displays the nuances of married life and the intrigue of something new. There is a vast amount of clever dialogue and also a few very subtle but important pieces of advice about life, which make complete sense, making you question your own personal circumstances in the real world. It manages to be extremely thought provoking from start to finish.
Seth Rogen and Michelle Williams are simply adorable as a married couple and are the perfect pair to represent two young people in love, or two young people who “think” they’re in love. Some interactions between the two just make you smile, while your heart nearly implodes because of the romantic spark they share. It’s simply beautiful, and it was quite surprising to me that Seth Rogen could be such a diverse actor, while not in his “funny” comfort zone. He should be applauded for his work here. Certain moments in Take This Waltz cut deep to the core emotionally, making it feel genuine with unrelenting honesty. This is one of it’s standout features.
The premise of the film is an interesting one, and it’s what will draw some people to watch it. The story, after all, is it’s most compelling aspect. Whatever the reason, you shouldn’t pass up the chance to see it. It pushes the intriguing idea of “All new things become old, and there will always be a void in a person, regardless of the circumstances.” Take This Waltz is one of the most unique, emotionally fulfilling pictures of the year, and should not be missed. You should definitely take this waltz.
Score:
4.5 out of 5
Act of Valor
Released February 24, 2012
Rated R
Directed By Mike McCoy and Scott Waugh
Starring Roselyn Sanchez, Nestor Serrano, and Emilio Rivera
110 Minutes
*Review by Contributor Austin Winkler
Act of Valor hit theatres on February 24th, 2012. As you know, this movie has received a lot of attention because the actors are real life, active-duty U.S. Navy SEALs.
The story revolves around the members of SEAL Team 7 and their covert mission to rescue a kidnapped CIA agent. After their successful extraction, they find out that the terrorist organization behind all of this is plotting to send suicide bombers to extremely vital cities in the U.S, and it’s up to the SEALS to put an end to the terrorist’s killing spree.
To start things off, I highly enjoyed this movie. The gritty action and
interesting story kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. The thing that really impressed me about this film were the performances put on by the SEALS. For “non-professional actors”, these guys were actually pretty good! They’re no where near Oscar-worthy, but they’ve done even better than a few of the professional ones. Another thing that was amazing to me was the use of actual ammunition, meaning they were using real weapons and ammo. This method for movie-making hasn’t been used since the 1920′s. It’s pretty dangerous, but when it’s used properly, you have yourself a very fresh and realistic picture. The only thing I didn’t really like about this movie was that it acted as if it were a war movie, when in reality, it’s an action movie.
Bottom line, Act of Valor is a great movie. I can see some of the very technical movie critics degrading this movie, but what they’re forgetting is that the director wasn’t really intending on winning any special awards, but to show respect for our military and to show that the U.S. Navy SEALs truly are the “Best of the best” of what our military has to offer.
No Score Given
Monsters
Released October 29, 2010
Rated PG-13
Directed By Gareth Edwards
Starring Scooty McNairy and Whitney Able
94 Minutes
Monsters is a 2010 low budget sci-fi film written and directed by Gareth Edwards. It follows the lives of a journalist named Andrew, (McNairy) and a tourist named Samantha (Able) who make their way from Mexico to the United States during an alien invasion. Andrew’s boss is Samantha’s father, so Andrew agrees to guide her to safety at his request. You’d think with a budget of only $500,000, a sci-fi film such as this would be cheesy and unrealistic. Think again.
Mexico has been labeled as an “infected zone”. The entire country is flooded with alien-like creatures. The infection is
spreading like wildfire. The Mexican military is doing all they can to soften the blow, but it’s a losing battle. Pretty intense huh? This is the story of Monsters. Andrew and Samantha’s short but sweet journey boasts some heartfelt, emotional moments and a couple frightening happenings. The premise itself invokes fear, but the film can’t ever live up to it. Given the budget, the film does a pretty darn good job though. The movie is supposed to be about two people desperately trying to make it to safety, but it tends to stall and throw in romance, sacrificing quite a lot. It can’t stay focused on scaring the audience or making us feel like the two people are actually threatened. There’s no truly scary moments, only two minimally frightening scenes. You would think with such a small budget, the alien creatures in the film would look silly or unrealistic. I am happy to say they do not. They are very well done, and are mostly kept mysterious and not shown very much.
The acting and directing are well done. The script isn’t anything to write home about though. It could have used a little more of everything, to be quite honest. More fear, more drama, more wit. What really “makes” Monsters a respectable film is it’s dark and mysterious feel. It gives off an aura, making you wonder “What are these creatures?” and are we going to be in trouble. One scene in particular, near the end, really gave the movie a much needed boost. It’s when the two leads finally arrive in America and there is literally no one in sight. This is the moment when you think “Now I feel afraid.” Dread sets in. Unfortunately, romance usually gets in the way of other potential scary moments like this. It’s almost a tragedy, because if the entire film were like this, we could have something great on our hands. One thing in particular that I didn’t like is 
that there were loose end that needed to be tied up at the end. It went for a bittersweet ending, but many will absolutely be furious about it kind of just leaves us all hanging. We don’t know what became of the world, the aliens, humanity, anything.
With a low budget, a non-established cast, and a middle of the road script, Monsters does a great job of making up for it’s shortcomings with a dark and mysterious overtone that looms from start to finish. Even though there aren’t as many scares or frightening moments as there needs to be, Monsters is still a satisfying sci-fi flick. It’s a low key, somewhat quiet adventure with real people, running to safety, from a real threat, and it always has a way to keep your eyes glued to the screen.
Score:
3.5 out of 5
Shame
Released January 13, 2012
Rated NC-17
Directed By Steve McQueen
Starring Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan
101 Minutes
Shame is a psycho-sexual drama co-written and directed by Steve McQueen, starring Michael Fassbender. It received a rare NC-17 rating, due to it’s high amount of nudity and sexual content. I’m warning you now, this film is completely off-limits for children. Shame revolves around Brandon (Fassbender), who, on the surface, is living the dream. He’s in his mid-30′s, very successful, and lives in New York City. What no one knows are is deep, dark secrets. Brandon is a sex addict. He craves sex, every single day. He constantly watches pornography and sleeps with different women each and every night. The man has a serious problem, and the film explores what it’s like to struggle with such a terrible thing such as this. When his troubled little sister, coincidentally named “Sissy” (Mulligan), comes back into his life, Brandon’s world is turned completely upside down, as he is caught in a constant struggle between right and wrong. At times, Shame may be hard to watch, but ultimately, the film proves to be very rewarding.
The film follows events of Brandon’s everyday life. You see his routines, habits, and most of all, his deviant desires for sex. It’s as close to a study on a sex addict as you will get. It totally envelops the character. The story of Brandon is extremely intriguing and wonderful to watch. Shame’s script is written with ambition, and it shows in every single scene. There’s plenty of drama, especially when Sissy comes into the picture. Fassbender puts on an Oscar-worthy performance, making you feel every ounce of his pain, sorrow, and…wait for it…shame. Whether he’s staring down a woman on the subway or crying in the rain, you can relate, and you feel what he feels. This is rare and it needs to be done with such precision in other movies these days.The chemistry between Fassbender and Mulligan is simply fantastic, as they play the perfect dysfunctional brother and sister. Although Brandon doesn’t show his emotions very often, you know deep down, he cares more for her than any human being on the planet. When his addiction worsens, you can only help but feel sorry for everyone involved. It’s as if you’re running from a demon in a nightmare, but you’re running nowhere. The demon always gets you, no matter what. Their relationship is something many will be able to relate to. Shame’s story and acting are truly top-notch.
The emotional depth in Shame is what sends it over the top. When a movie can make you connect the way this one does, you have something special. The film bares all, and I mean ALL. It’s almost like the film itself has no shame. It is however, what makes it feel realistic and honest. There are no secrets, everything is on the table for all to see. This honesty makes the film what it is. It’s heartfelt, emotional, and true to life. Shame is one of the most original and fresh films I’ve seen in a while. McQueen’s directing is spot-0n, not to mention the great writing. The film, at times, may seem slow, almost completely stalling. Some may be turned off by this, seeing it as a boring part of the movie. I, for one, believe these scenes are necessary because it fits so well with the film’s quiescent tone. Some of the most important parts of the movie are like this, including one where Sissy is singing a slow Sinatra tune at a show, while a tear rolls down Brandon’s eye. It’s moments like these that define a film, that make a film great. Shame has those moments.
In Shame, we watch Brandon as his sexual desires eat him alive, inside out, emotionally and physically. We wonder if he will ever overcome this disease. We hope he does, before he meets his, what seems to be, inevitable end. It’s a terrible thing indeed, but it sure makes for a standout film. Fassbender puts on a career-defining performance and the film’s script is tremendous. Shame is gripping, from start to finish. It’s tranquil, psycho-sexual overtone combined with outstanding acting, directing, and emotional depth make Shame an instant success. I wish it would have never ended.
Score:
5 out of 5
Sleepwalk With Me
Released August 24, 2012
Rated R
Directed By Mark Birbiglia
Starring Mark Birbiglia and Lauren Ambrose
90 Minutes
Sleepwalk With Me is an indie film written, directed by, and starring Mark Birbiglia. It’s based on a true story, one he actually told during a Broadway show of the same name. The film follows aspiring comedian, Matt Pandamiglio (Birbiglia), as he tries to juggle his lifelong dream career and a girlfriend who is aching to get married and have kids. Pandamiglio has major sleepwalking problems as well, which only adds to the stress factor. His dreaming and sleepwalking become increasingly dangerous, although it provides some great entertainment.
The story Sleepwalk With Me tells is honest and heartwarming. Matt Pandamiglio is a bartender who’s life is going nowhere, until he finally decides to do something about it. As he begins to get shows, you begin to cheer him on. It’s the perfect “average Joe” tale and it’s laid out with near perfection. As his jokes become stale and unfunny, Matt begins to tell audiences about his personal relationship with Abby (Ambrose), and that’s when he starts to blow up all over the United States. Although his fan base grows, the jokes he tells begin to resonate with him, making him realize what he truly wants out of life. The pacing is yet another thing in the movie done near-perfect. Each scene provides either a subtle laugh or important dialogue. The acting is very well-done, by everyone, even though Birbiglia isn’t a proven actor. This was quite a pleasant surprise.
Mike Birbiglia showcases his comedic talents in the film, giving it a shot of realism and honesty. Sleep Walk With Me is pegged as a comedy, however, it’s quality comedy. It isn’t slapstick whatsoever. This is probably a good thing. The film throws in a little drama here and there, giving it some diversity. The script is well-written and the story is well-told (by Birbiglia himself). There are a generous amount of funny moments in Sleepwalk With Me. For example, when Birbiglia’s character jumps out of a hotel window. You’ll find yourself cracking up, but it’s not a riot. The movie also offers up a surprising amount of emotional depth, which proves to be transcending. There isn’t much to complain about, overall.
Sleepwalk With Me surprised me and enlightened me on so many different levels. It’s a pleasant and endearing little indie flick that offers comedy, real emotion, and a clever script, outlined by a comedic overtone. The films is unique, inspiring, and heartwarming. Yes, Mike Birbiglio, we would love to sleepwalk with you.
Score:
4.5 out of 5
Pulp Fiction
Released October 14, 1994
Rated R
Directed By Quentin Tarantino
Starring John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, Bruce Willis, and Christopher Walken
154 Minutes
*Review by Contributor Austin Winkler
Pulp Fiction is the critically acclaimed dark-comedy/crime movie co-written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It was released on October 14th, 1994. The movie won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay and was nominated for six others, including Best Picture. It’s a mystery as to why it didn’t win at least one of the other awards it was nominated for.
The story is told in a very unique pattern. It’s like reading a book, but starting in chapter five, then moving on from one, to four, to six, etc. It’s a little hard to follow and it’s best to watch this movie at
least twice to fully understand and appreciate. It revolves around a duo of hitmen (Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta), a drug lord and his wife (Ving Rhames and Uma Thurman), and a boxer who’s desperate for money (Bruce Willis). The cast does an amazing job with the random dialogue and realistic conversations. As a matter of fact, that’s the best part of the movie: the dialogue. The reason why this movie won “Best Original Screenplay” is pretty obvious. Tarantino has been known for creating a realistic and entertaining dialogue for his movies. He does a phenomenal job in collaborating with the crew and making sure the job gets done. Nothing could have been done better.
The only people who would hate this movie are those who are insanely conservative about 
entertainment. This movie has a many words, and that’s an understatement. It seemed as if the F-Bomb was used in every other sentence. This movie also doesn’t have that many “violent” scenes. There is one, in particular that is sure to gross anyone out, especially those who have a soft stomach. The scene is done in such a humorous fashion (and believe me, it’s quite hilarious), but people who are uncomfortable with seeing a whole lot of blood should heed my warning. There’s also a couple of scenes that can be very awkward to watch with another person. There’s no nudity, but there’s sexual content, including dialogue and two sex scenes that aren’t shown, but heavily implied.
I’m 100 percent positive you’ll agree with me when I say that this is easily one of the best movies to ever make it to the silver screen. Check out my section on “Our Favorites,” this movie is listed as my #1 and it will take an unbelievable amount of film making talent to top this one.
Austin’s Rating:
5 out of 5
X-Men First Class
Released June 3, 2011
Rated PG-13
Directed By Matthew Vaughn
Starring Michael Fassbender, Kevin Bacon, James McAvoy, Rose Byrn, Jennifer Lawrence, January Jones, and Oliver Platt
132 Minutes
X-Men: First Class is a 2011 superhero flick directed by Matthew Vaughn. It takes place in the early 1960′s, even though the film starts out with a brief scene in the 1940′s. All your favorite characters from the comics are here, including Xavier, Magneto, Beast, Raven, and the sinister Sebastian Shaw. To put the story simply, Shaw is hell-bent on taking over the world, which means wiping out the human race, to make way for mutants. It’s up to Xavier, Lensherr, and the gang to stop him. The premise sets us up for some major action, and action we get. The film’s budget was a staggering $160 million, but does it deliver the super hero goods?
I’m here to say, X-Men: First Class DOES deliver the goods. It’s the best X-Men film of all time. It stands high on it’s own two feet when compared with a film like The Dark Knight, even though it doesn’t quite boasts that film’s courageousness. It’s premise will have you licking your chops for super hero action and epic throw downs. You get that here. Wanna see (pre-) Magneto go head to head with Sebastian Shaw? You got it. Wanna see Beast take on that ugly devil-looking guy that disappears (no one cares about him)? You get that too. There’s a ton of fights and a whole lot of action in X-Men: First Class. Action fans will not be disappointed. That means there are explosions, too.
First Class delivers a solid story, with minimal issues. It delivers an on-point, interesting and endearing tale of good vs evil with precision. Not only is it good vs evil, it’s humanity vs mutants, which sometimes rules out good vs evil as the movie progresses. You will begin to care about everyone, regardless of who they are. The characters need no introduction here, as we all know them from the comics of old. Someone very familiar makes a cameo, which will loosen you up a little during the tense story. Fassbender puts on a heck of a performance as Lensherr (Magneto) and the rest of the cast follows suit. His performance really surprised me, since it’s such a prolific character in the series. He got it, spot on. I was impressed. Kevin Bacon was also pleasnatly surprising as Shaw, making us all hate his evil guts. Even though the cast is star-studded, the characters lack emotion and chemistry, which prevents the film from reaching super hero movie perfection.
Arguably, First Class’ standout feature is it’s cinematography and special effects. I mean, WOW. If you watch it on Blu-Ray, you’re in for a treat. It’s eye candy galore for viewers. The film’s locations range from beautiful oceans to luxurious mansion and facilities. Whether indoors or out, the film looks amazing, and that’s all there is to it. The special effects are especially impressive. It boasts some of the best water effects I’ve seen in a movie. The effects during fight scenes are pretty spectacular as well. Never has something so fake, such as fiery, flying red rings looked so good!
X-Men: First Class delivers. It has all the pieces in place, creating an elite superhero movie. It can go to-to-toe with all the modern super hero movies, although it lacks much-needed emotion and character chemistry. The film is full of action and boasts incredible special effects. It also has some phenomenal cinematography. Don’t miss out. X-Men: First Class is the best X-Men movie of all time.
Score:
4.5 out of 5
Greenberg
Released March 19, 2010
Rated R
Directed By Noah Baumbach
Starring Ben Stiller, Greta Gerwig, and Rhys Ifans
105 Minutes
Greenberg is a 2010 indie dramedy about Roger Greenberg (Stiller), a man who is fresh out of a mental institution in New York City. He goes to Los Angeles to stay at his brother’s house while he is on vacation. Greenberg is now a carpenter, so he fixes things around the house and tries to get used to the real world again. He meets Florence (Gerwig), who seems to have her own issues, but nothing like Greenberg’s. The two become involved romantically, or at least try to, but things never quite go anywhere because of Greenberg’s absurd, erratic behavior. He often finds himself in trouble with his brother as well, mainly because of constant issues with the family dog. The relationship between Greenberg and his friend Ivan (Ifans), is probably the most interesting thing about the movie.
Greenberg is one of the most unlikable characters I have ever seen, and this essentially ruins the film. I’m not saying you
have to like him for the movie to be good, but here, it seems as if everything just backfires. Although he has mental issues, it’s still very hard to feel sorry for him or have compassion. His antics are simply ridiculous, and sometimes you just feel uncomfortable watching the guy. He’s a unique character, don’t get me wrong, but it’s almost completely ruined by the way he comes off, which is narcissistic, hateful, non-compassionate, and unaware of everyone else’s feelings or well-being. Coming from a huge Ben Stiller fan, I don’t know why he even signed up for it. As an indie film, it’s very underwhelming.
Despite it’s shortcomings, the film has it’s pros. It’s script is well-written, which is a huge plus. The dialogue here is pretty clever and enlightening as well. Aside from these things, the movie disappointed me greatly. Sometimes things just get weird and unnecessary. It seems like they threw in some sex, drugs, and a party for the simple fact of feeling relevant to today’s society. This is just nonsense and hurts the movie more than helping it. None of the characters have good chemistry either, and there’s not much emotion among any of them. In a 
way, this film could be a character study on a mentally ill man. It could very well be, but all of the pieces aren’t here. Instead of observing his character, it was decided that he just chew everyone’s head off, disappoint everyone, look like a jerk in public, and it all translates into a character that is so unlikable that the movie is a hassle to watch.
Greenberg is boring, slow, annoying, and introduces one of the most hated characters in movies today, despite his mental health. You will want the movie to be over about 30 minutes in. It’s a disappointment overall, and is not recommended. Greenberg could have been a good movie, and it’s a shocker that Greenberg himself is what ruins it.
Score:
2 out of 5
