No Country for Old Men Review

No Country for Old Men: It is so delightful to see the Coen brothers back in their elite form. In the same vein as Fargo and The Big Lebowski, Ethan and Joel Coen have once again tapped into a faction of people that will be memorable for years to come. No Country is adapted from the novel of the same name that was penned by Cormac McCarthy. We have seen this type of story told before. Basically, a man finds drug money that he shouldn’t have – keeps it – and is then chased by a mad killer who is also after the money. What separates this movie from the normal slaw are the unique and well-developed characters that are dropped into the saga. In particular, Anton Chigurh (played masterfully by Javier Bardem) as the menacing killer is so compelling to watch – only the Coen brothers could give us such a distinctive character. Josh Brolin plays Llewelyn, the (un)lucky guy who finds the money. Brolin plays the part perfectly, allowing the viewers to get involved in the film even further as his character is hunted down. The trinity is rounded out with the sheriff, played by Tommy Lee Jones, who is trying to make sense of all the mess happening around town. The film is shot beautifully with brilliant detail that adds to the intensity of the story. “Intense” being the key word as the characters get into some absurdly difficult situations. I sat in the theater with my heart racing and my palms sweating. I loved how the movie was so smartly written – I found each move the characters made to be well calculated. The only aspect of the film that I was not enamored by was the ending, which is what keeps this movie from a perfect score. That aside, the Coen’s have given us a magnificent motion picture……one of the best of the year.

* * * & ½ or Grade: A-

If this movie had parents they would be: Fargo & A Simple Plan

With a running time of 121 minutes

This film is rated R

American Gangster Review

American Gangster: Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, and Ridley Scott bring us the true story of one honest cop and his relentless pursuit of the biggest drug lord in NYC. Crowe plays Richie Roberts, a cop so honest that his peers despise him. Denzel plays Frank Lucas, a drug dealer so well cloaked in his surroundings that he is not even known to the cops. The hunt for Lucas starts in the late 60’s with the Vietnam War as the backdrop. Lucas finds a way to smuggle pure heroin from Southeastern Asia into the United States, allowing him to flood the drug market with the highest grade of product at a cheaper price. Where there is smoke, there is….a crack pipe. With just a little evidence to work with, Richie Roberts begins his investigation to find and bring down Frank Lucas. Both lead actors do a terrific job, considering the talent of the said actors, it is to be expected. I think the thing that surprised me the most was how interesting the story was. I found it to be much more in depth, detailed, and tied into history than past “drug dealer” movies. I also thought that Ridley Scott did an excellent job of showing how the two characters were similar in their own ways. The film itself does lack the eccentricity that makes similar movies such as Goodfellas and The Departed so fun to re-watch. Gangster is more of a “one watch" kind of movie, but that “one” is quite good.
* * * or Grade: B+
If this movie had parents they would be: Scarface & L.A. Confidential

With a running time of 157 minutes

This movie is rated R

** Guest Critic Corner **

** Guest Critic Corner **
Reviews from the O.C. by George Pfister
Michael Clayton:
Michael Clayton is an issue oriented drama, a taut legal thriller about a morally frayed law firm "fixer" (George Clooney). He is led into a crisis of conscience by a whistle-blower colleague, Tom Wilkinson, who I thought was outstanding as - a man who is so morally struck it causes him to demean himself in some aberrant behavior. This film is a must see, according to George Pfister of Southern California.

About George Pfister: Nicknamed “5.6 yards a carry” and father of the well known J.P. Pfister. George’s love for his son is overshadowed by his love for cinema.

Indie Incubator Review

Indie Incubator Film Fest #5: The spotlights were once again shining at the Original Mother’s on Division St., home of the IIFF. Matt Kubinski and Charles Klein have done an excellent job of raising the bar with each fest - #5 being no exception! After the lights went down, Big Tree Productions' Haunted House trailer kicked off the IIFF to a thunderous start. A few short films later came what I thought was the gem of the night, Land of the Free from Forge Films - a political, action packed movie that had incredibly high production value and a very intriguing story. Another compelling feature, Street Jesus: The Story of Willie York gave an interesting look at Peoria’s most famous homeless man. Not only was this film humorous, but it also featured awesome music from the band Primal Seed. The funniest, most creative movie of the night was Meat Shake brought to us by Rookie TV. Simple and to the point (3 minute run time), we watch a man try to order a milkshake, but the restaurant he is trying to order from only makes shakes using different types of meat. Adding to the humor and originality of this short film is the method of the dialogue which is done in a “rap/rhyme”. Rookie TV was also behind the animated short: 100 Grand which I found to be hilarious. The rest of the night saw more quality films flicker across the screen - the highlights being Janus from One Tear Productions and some clever short commercials for The Comic Vault. At the end of the night the three judges (Kathy Byrne from the Chicago Film Office, Ed Griffen from WTTW's Image Union, and Matt Sardo from The Chicago Comic Vault) awarded Meat Shake the Best in Show and winner of the first ever Image Union award. WTTW will air Meat Shake on Image Union in the near future. The Incubator has turned into a special event, providing great short films and tasty cocktails all inside an electrifying atmosphere. The next Incubator is April 2008, mark your calendars – you won’t want to miss it!!!

Rythemovieguy's pic for best of: Land of The Free

Incubator Best Of Fest Award: Meat Shake

Gone Baby Gone

Gone Baby Gone: Ben Affleck makes his directorial debut in this well written thriller. Ben abuses his newly acquired “Directorial Powers” right away and casts the lead role with his brother, the soft spoken / barely opens his mouth – Casey Affleck. Also starring in the film are Morgan Freeman and Ed Harris, both of which play excellent roles and are a joy to watch on the screen. The feature takes place in a poor part of Boston. Two local private detectives are hired to help find a missing girl from the neighborhood. Their investigation takes many twists and turns, but finally they discover that a much deeper crime was committed. The path the film takes that leads to the conclusion is perfect in that the viewer will not be sure which way they want to see it end. I am keen on movies with endings that make you choose what you think is best for the characters, with both outcomes being “right” in their own ways. These kinds of films are great conversation pieces after viewing and that is the case with Gone Baby Gone. Looking back at the story as a whole however, I find some of the basic structure not plausible and even a little impractical at times. Another personal gripe is the title of the film – Gone Baby Gone is said in a dramatic way by one of the characters which just sounds ridiculous. That being said I still recommend the movie and have to give Ben Affleck credit on his directorial debut. Hey, if it keeps him behind the camera and off the screen – we are all winners.

* * * or Grade: B -

If this movie had parents they would be: Mystic River & Brick

With a runtime of 114 minutes

This film is rated R