The Kings of Summer

                                                           

            Everyone remembers growing up as a teenager. We all couldn't stand being around our parents or any adults that were not cool for that matter. Not to sound like the Fresh Prince, but we know ‘parents just don’t understand’. What if though you had enough and you decided that you could leave and make a place of your own? I know we all thought that at some point, but what if you actually did it? Well let me tell you a story of some kids that did, well at least in this movie they did.

         Joe (Nick Robinson) lives with his father, just the two of them. Nothings seems odd, just the normal parent/teen relationship. The one thing we can tell right along is that Joe is not happy. Then you have Patrick (Gabriel Basso) who has super over protective parents, and really annoying.  Well over protective and annoying in Patrick’s eyes. Joe comes up with a plan; why not build a house out in the middle of the woods, where no one can find them. Joe finds the perfect spot and with the help of Patrick and a kid that just turns up named Biaggio (Moises Arias), they build a new home. A home away from their parents, where they can become the men they want to be and do whatever they want. No more rules, hunt for your food, that is unless they run out of money and can’t buy anything from a restaurant.  In other words do something that almost every kid has thought about doing themselves.

          “The Kings of Summer” was a big hit at Sundance earlier this year.  First time writer Chris Galletta, gives us a fresh coming of age story. This is one of those movies few people will see, but one that most people should. It is easy to get caught up in the tent pole movies that come out every summer, but what about the original ideas? Think of going to the movies as food, yeah you love that fast good and eat it whenever you can, but every now and then you want something really good. So you head to that fancy restaurant and partake in a delicious meal. Well “The Kings of Summer” is that delicious meal. You want to savor it and enjoy it, because you know next time you eat it will be the same fast food you always get. There is nothing wrong with big summer movies; it is just good to mix in something with substance in between. Take your friends, or take a date, because this is one summer tale you will all wish you could tell.

Brian Taylor

 

        

Before Midnight

                                                             

              Love is the greatest feeling any of us will ever feel. When we find that one that completes us, life’s trial and tribulations seem no match for it. Those in what they consider the perfect relationship understand that love is just part of the equation. Most relationships break down because of a lack of communication, if you can just talk your problems out, you are half-way to solving them. Now I know you are asking ‘am I reading a review for a movie or did I stumble on an advice column?’  Well for the benefit of mankind, I will not be giving any more relationship advice, but I will tell you about a great love story.

          In 1994 Richard Linklater released a little film called “Before Sunrise”. The story was simple, Jesse (Ethan Hawke) meets a girl named Celine (Julie Delpy) on a train and the sparks fly. You can’t help but feel the instant connection from the first moment they meet. They walked around Vienna all night; talking and getting know one another where every minute feels like life, and not a movie. Nothing they talk about feels like it was written, but just normal conversation between two people, trying to get to know one another.

Ten years later, the story picks up in “Before Sunset”. Jesse has become a writer and comes to Paris on a book tour. Celine just happens to live in Paris and seeks out Jesse to catch up with him on his life, and to reminisce on that day ten years ago in Vienna. The story stays the same, it’s just about two people who seem to fall in love and getting to know one another again. *SPOILERS* By this time Jesse is now married and had a son, but his heart has always been with Celine.

In the latest chapter “Before Midnight” We find Jesse and Celine married, with twin daughters. Though they have never married they are together, and on holiday in Greece for the summer. Once again, they are dealing with life and love and show that anything is possible.

Sometimes the hardest thing to talk about is something you enjoy so much. It is so easy to vent about everything you hate about someone or something, but when it comes to praise, words can be lost. That is where I am at with these movies, I enjoyed them so much, I find coming up with the right words difficult. I think the best compliment I can give all three films, is that I never felt like I was watching a movie. The whole time I felt like I was just watching two people getting to know one another, like I was part of a “Twilight Zone”-esque group observing them for some study on relationships.  And that’s part of the reason I watch so many movies.  To be transported by a film, and to feel something at the same time can be an incredible experience.

This is a movie you can watch alone, or with your significant other, and either way enjoy it all the same. This is the kind of love we all want to find, and like this unique yet average couple you are watching on screen, you will fall in love with all three of these films again and again.

Brian Taylor

Man of Steel

         
                                                             

             In today’s movie landscape the comic book movie rules all. It seems like every year one comes out that breaks box office records. And for studios it’s not just enough to release one, you have sequels and even reboots. And as well as most of these movies have done, there has been something missing since 1978, something faster than a speeding bullet. It seems Superman has been forgotten in a Marvel and Dark Knight world. Well that is all about to change with over two hours of superhero bliss.

         Sure in 2006 Bryan Singer released “Superman Returns”, an ode to the classic Richard Donner movie. The problem was it just didn't hit the spot, and plus *Spoilers* they gave Superman a kid, and anyone who has seen Kevin Smith’s “Mallrats” knows the problem with that. That also was B.A. (before Avengers), and the universal love for any and everything superhero related. So D.C. watched what Marvel did and put together an all star creative team to bring back the man who put “super” in the word superhero.

After the success of the Dark Knight trilogy it was a no-brainer to have writer David S. Goyer and his Batman buddy Christopher Nolan team up to make Superman relevant again. Now you need someone who’s known for stunning visuals, and flowing capes, so you bring in Zach Snyder (300, Watchmen) who is all about style. Now that you have assembled a dream team all that is left to do is make it happen, and boy did they. Most people know the iconic story of Superman, but Goyer and Snyder somehow make it their own. Everything about this film works, and belongs in the pantheon with films like “The Avengers” and “The Dark Knight”.

        When the trailer came out for this film, I couldn't stop watching it. It just gave you this feeling that you could be watching something great. A Hans Zimmer score doesn't hurt either.  With that said, the film lives up to that trailer. Superman has been told the same way since the original film in 1978. Spaceship crashes into earth, the Kents find a baby and raise it as their own, Clark discovers he has powers, gets a job at the Daily Planet and well you know the rest.

With “Man of Steel” Goyer and Nolan start with the spaceship, but then shift to Clark trying to find himself. They use flashbacks to show his life growing up, and decisions that made him who he is today. This is such a good story it would be easy to forget about the direction, but Snyder has his fingerprints all over this movie, and all of this makes for a great film. With such a large shadow cast by the original “Superman” this film got out of that shadow in a single bound. I always remember the tag line for the original, “You’ll believe a man can fly”. And that promise was kept. This time the filmmakers of “Man of Steel” will make you believe a man can soar.

Brian Taylor

            

What's on DVR? Harley Davidson and The Marlboro Man

Guns are meant to be shot Harley, not thrown!”

 

          It’s a Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid rip-off, even the title suggests such.  The dialogue and acting are not very good, the villains are not cool or scary, and the story is kinda basic.  But I do enjoy watching “Harley Davidson and The Marlboro Man”.

What mostly makes the movie worth watching, or what appealed to me and my brother when we used to rent it all the time as kids was the two leads Don Johnson as Marlboro and Mickey Rourke as Harley.  Their banter made the film watchable, that and the ‘midnight movie’ feel of the whole thing.

The pair along with some friends pull an armored car heist that goes bad when they discover they boosted the latest illegal drug instead of cash.  Then a thin Tom Sizemore and slightly thinner Daniel Baldwin go after them and basically try to shoot them a lot.  Watching it now I do get the feeling that Rourke was trying too hard to be stoic and Johnson was trying too hard to be funny.  It’s a lot less endearing now twelve years later, but I still like most of Johnson’s performance.

Again it’s by no means a great movie but it’s fun for late night watching, which not surprisingly is how I’ve watched it the past couple of times.  That being said I think I’ve exhausted my viewing experience on this non-classic, and I’ll probably never watch it again.  Thanks for the memories guys.

--Robert L. Castillo

This is the End

     

                                                             

                 What would you do if the world ended tonight? I am sure there are many things running through your mind right now, but above all, most people would say they would want to be with the ones they love. Now what imagine you were at a party and during that party that is when the world ended? As you can tell those are some deep questions but it’s just the plot line for a new comedy that stars a lot of funny people.

              Seth Rogen playing Seth Rogen is at the airport to pick up his old friend Jay Baruchel played by, yep Jay Baruchel. Jay has just come to chill with Rogen for the weekend and catch up on old times. Seth though wants to go to James Franco’s house warming party, and I mean who wouldn’t. While there, they run into a who’s who of Hollywood, starts like Craig Robinson, Jonah Hill, and Michael Cera. The party is hopping, but Jay and Seth go to the store to pick something up. At the store something happens, there is an earthquake and some light shoots down from the sky and take people somewhere. Seth and Jay are scared out their mind and run back to Franco’s house. When they arrive everything fine, but then everything falls apart and everyone seems to fall down a giant hole. Franco lives, and so does Rogen, Baruchel, Hill, and Robinson and they all barricade themselves in Franco’s house. Now all they have to do is live through whatever is happening and survive each other.

        Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg have made some pretty funny movies together. They made movies like” Pineapple Express” and “Superbad”, movies that have plenty of laughs. So coming up with what they wanted to work on next they came up with the perfect idea, let’s play ourselves in a movie about the end of the world. I mean brilliant idea right? Everyone gets to be themselves and add a little embellishment just for fun.  The story is based on a short Seth Rogen and Jay Baruchel made in 2007 calles “Jay and Seth Versus the Apocalypse”. I love the idea of actors playing themselves, and making fun of who we all think they really are. There is no one better than this cast to do just that and the audience is the winner with this movie. Making a good comedy seems like it has become a lost art the last few years. I mean I know there is always an exception, but let’s face it, comedies are scraping the bottom of the barrel.”This is the End” is that exception and proves you can make a good comedy still. The other good thing is that after this movie you may have the answer to the question I asked at the beginning. Then you too will be ready when the end does come.

Brian Taylor

                                                             

The Purge

                                                         

                                   The Purge

        Let’s face it; the world sometimes is not a very good place. You have war, poverty, and famine as well as many other things that affect so many of us on a daily basis. The age old question is ‘how do we cure these ills that face our world?’  Scholars have tackled this subject and there most likely will not come up with an answer in the foreseeable future. Well it seems some filmmakers have an idea what could solve most of the trouble in the world, that idea in this case is called “The Purge”.

      What is the purge you ask? Well in our future, 2022 to be exact, unemployment is down to 1%, and crime is pretty much non-existent. What could cause such a utopia you ask? Well the government has given everyone twelve hours once a year to commit any crime they want. Whoever is bothering you, for one day you can kill them and no one will arrest you. James Sandin (Ethan Hawke) is a normal guy who is pretty well off. You see James sells security systems to protect people from what goes on during the purge, and let’s just say business is booming. James and his family live in a nice house with one of those great systems that James sells. His wife Mary (Lena Headey), daughter Zoey (Adelaide Kane) and son Charlie (Max Burkholder) don’t partake in the purge, instead opting to stay in and staying safe. All the family believes in the purge, well except Charlie, who thinks it is wrong to have such a night. After the purge has begun, Charlie notices a man running and begging for help, so Charlie decides to help him, and lets him in his family’s house. When the people who want to purge this man find out where he is at, they threaten James and his whole family if he doesn't give him back to them. James must make a decision on whose life he is willing to risk.

     The purge sounds like a great idea, not the actual idea, but for a movie. The story is pretty basic and moves along very well. The filmmakers do not disappoint and actually deliver an enjoyable movie. Written and directed by James DeMonaco who has more writing credits than directing, doesn't let up on the suspense as you watch the story unfold. The best part is DeMaonaco keeps the running time at just under an hour and a half, which keeps everything short and simple. Nothing over complicated and the plot is as straight forward as they come. The added benefit is that it could act as great birth control as both the children bring all the problems onto the parents by their actions. When I first heard of this movie I thought it was a good story idea. After seeing the movie I can tell you there are a lot of films I would love to purge from the multiplex, but this is one I would let survive.

Brian Taylor

The Nightmare I heard before I saw

          When I was 9 years old in 1984 and the closest to horror I ever got on film was the terrifying and mildly scarring TV version of “The Exorcist” which my uncle didn’t realize he was traumatizing me for years to come.  I mean the devil was in this little girl’s bedroom.  I had a bedroom.  Would the devil eventually make it to my room?  I got over it through the all-consuming Star Wars and Superman films, leading to movies with heroes like the Bandit, Popeye, Indiana Jones, Zorro and Rocky.  Horror films pretty much stayed off the radar, unless it was an action/adventure with scary elements like “Clash of the Titans”, “Dragonslayer”, “The Dark Crystal”, and to a certain extent “E.T.”

The only true horror I saw, or more factual, glimpsed through weaved fingers, were “American Werewolf in London”, “Cat People”, “The Howling”, “Poltergeist”, and “Creepshow”.  But in ’84 my imagination was captured by my first exposure to the horror movie slasher (Jason Voorhees came later) with the razor fingers to back it up.  I speak of course of the Wes Craven classic “A Nightmare on Elm Street”.  Not the best horror film of that year, that honor goes to, in my opinion “Children of the Corn”, the chanting in that soundtrack still creeps me out.

The youngest of sisters on my mother’s side, my Aunt Frances was a huge movie fan.  She dug the Disney stuff and like a lot of people she also loved to be scared.  I have a favorite memory of her with her hands over her eyes during “Poltergeist” when the clown *SPOILERS* comes to life.  She refused to watched as did I, but she expressed her fear better than me by stating “I don’t wanna watch, I have clowns in my house.”  Which was true, they were everywhere, pictures, hanging figurines all around the house.  Even I began to watch them with an untrusting eye after “Poltergiest”, and I didn’t even see the scene either.

So Aunt Frances used to watch me and my brothers whenever we were out of school.  It was winter-break and she had seen the first installment of the “Nightmare” series and she was so fascinated by what she had seen that she had to tell someone about it, even if it was a 9 year old.  She started at the beginning with Tina’s nightmare and began to re-tell the movie to me in explicit detail about the burned man with the Indiana Jones hat and Christmas sweater and a glove with razors who hunted teens in their sleep.  I stood by the sink as she washed dishes, then by the stove as she cooked, and leaning out the patio door as she did laundry, all the while as she hit the high points and every nightmare as well as the creation of the monster that became Freddy Krueger.

I couldn’t get enough, I was captivated, and it sounded like the best movie ever.  One thing about my Aunt, she can spin a yarn like few others, and her descriptions were so detailed and her passion about it was unlike any other movie described to me up to that point, it was safe to say I would never forget it.  I finally saw the video case on a “Pop-in-Go” movie rental shelf a couple of years later when I noticed the unmistakable image of Freddy’s glove over a terrified Nancy’s face.  I had to see it.  Had to.  My dad watched it with me and had his finger on the fast forward button in case of a sex scene, of which there was only one.  I was scared out of my mind, and I loved it, even though it took years to get over the last time the devil was in my bedroom, in my over-active imagination, I welcomed it this time in the form of Mr. Krueger.

It’s true, he was eventually turned into a caricature of his former self, but if the Star Wars prequels have taught us anything, it’s that nothing, no matter how bad, can take away the lasting memories of the great movies that we see, or in some cases hear.

--Robert L. Castillo       

Open Letter to M.Night Shyamalan

                                                     

                           I want to thank you first of all for the wonderful stories you have given us. When you wrote “The Sixth Sense” it was one of those stories that captured the imagination. You were a big bright star in a dismal Hollywood, the next big director that was going to conquer the world. For your follow up you made “Unbreakable”, where you did a great comic book movie before comic book movies were cool. It was such an original story and still is as good as anything Marvel has put out since then. Now you really have people’s attention, we are actually looking forward to the next M. Night Shyamalan film. The next film was “Signs”, a film with Mel Gibson; I mean does it get much better than that? The story was intense and I think most people even looked past the water thing, because you were the guy who brought us “The Sixth Sense”.

                      So from 1999 to 2002 you brought us two amazing movies and a pretty good one, so what will the follow up be?  When I saw “The Village” I could see the beginning of your decline. I looked past it, because of the movies you had brought us already, because even greatness can be average sometimes. So how many chances do you give someone because of their past? Well with you sir, I was still fully in, when “Lady in the Water” came out, I was excited, thinking, ‘he is back’. Well after seeing the movie, I could see that you were not, and that you were still sliding backwards. Then the movie that was as bad as you can get came out in “The Happening”. I mean what was that film even about besides bees and Matt Damon.

               So I am thinking you have hit rock bottom, but then you release “The Last Airbender”, not as bad as “The Happening” but not much better either. So when do you give up on a storyteller who has given you so much great stuff? Well then you gave up directing duties and wrote “Devil”. Not a good movie, but you could see in the story what made us all love you in the first place. So you release something that gives us as moviegoer’s faith in you again and what do you do to return that faith? Well you release “After Earth”; I mean you went back to “The Happening” level. I don’t know if I can give you another chance, I am tired of being disappointed. It’s like you are that ex who you always get back with because of the promise of greatness, but then you realize they are the same person you didn’t want to be with anymore.  There is no spark anymore, the magic is gone.  Could it be true that you got a sped-up version of George Lucas-itis?  That after two films you surrounded yourself with yes-men that tell you everything you do is genius?  

I keep thinking this is all part of your plan, that like in “The Sixth Sense” you are going to give us a crazy twist. Unfortunately the twist is that you haven’t written or directed any of your movies since “Signs” and that it was a kindergarten class writing all the other stories. I really hope that is true, because if it isn’t, then that just means that you wrote them, and that maybe you were not that good a storyteller as we all believed.

 Brian Taylor