Video: 11 Commercials from Famous Directors

This is pretty cool. Check it out here.

Thoughts on the Golden Globes

Hm, I love Kate Winslet. She's a spectacularly talented actress. BUT... I didn't like her in Revolutionary Road. I feel like her win for that spoiled her win for The Reader, which she was actually great in.

Slumdog MIllionaire was the Globes darling (I shouldn't be surprised)... I really did like that movie, but I also really loved Milk, and that wasn't nominated for hardly anything, so, come Oscar time, I'm going to have a tough time with predictions. I'm thinking I should put my money down on Slumdog.

I was all about the awards for The Wrestler (Best Song, Best Actor in a Drama). Very well deserved. And for some reason seeing Darren Aronofsky with that mustache made me have a huge crush on him.

And there's Heath Ledger--but who thought he wasn't going to win, right?

Review: The Wrestler (2008)

My general knowledge of Pro Wrestling comes from the flash, hollywood glamor I've seen on TV from a young age, with cocky and superficial "athletes" talking smack to one another. In Darren Aronofsky's latest film, there's some of the same flash, but none of the glamor, and none of the glory. In fact, this film is stripped of all pallor and modesty. It's the very brutal, honest look into a broken down man's life. It seems the only thing significant thing about him (Randy "The Ram", played by Micket Rourke) is that he's alive.

The film has the very real feel of a documentary, and the character is a real man who we want to help out, but can't. It's heartbreaking to watch him go through day-to-day life, through the mundane struggles of a man past his prime and devoid of glory. We see all that life has to offer outside the ring (his confused relationship with a stripper, played superbly by Marisa Tomei, and his damaged relationship with his daughter, played briefly by Evan Rachel Wood), but by the end, all that matters is what's inside the ring. Rourke completely transforms himself into Randy. Even when he's at his least sad, the years of hardship are still present on his face and in his movement; it's hard not to sting from that.

Aronofsky abandons his usual crispness for loose handheld work that works like magic. There is nothing pretty about any of it, yet somehow, it's absolutely beautiful. One of the year's best, hands down.

Recommended? Yes a hundred times

Grade: A
(3)

Review: Gran Torino (2008)

Wow, I just do not know what to say about this movie.

Except that it totally ROCKED! I'll admit, the trailer is just awful. So, I was really not expecting a lot from this film. But boy was I entertained. Clint Eastwood seems to be playing a caricature of himself, with the perpetual crease between the eyebrows, and a low raspy grumble for a voice. He may be old, but he kicks ass. As far as actor of the year? I wouldn't go that far. Though this is said to be his final performance as thespian, and I think he deserves respect and recognition.

Recommended? Hell yeah!

Grade: B-
(2)

Review: The Reader (2008)

Oh, I don't want to review this.

Recommended? Not really.

Grade: B-

(1)

Favorite Scenes: Trainspotting

Birthday Time: This Blog

So my little blog is 1 on this day. I started it to keep myself busy, and because last year I saw so many movies, but didn't have anywhere to archive my thoughts. I'm surprised I actually kept it going.

Sadly, since my little town of Minneapolis still hasn't released certain films released in 2008, I can't do my end of the year list.

Also for 2009 I'm going to do a new thing for reviewing stuff.

Year end total: 81