Mud Review

Mud: Matthew McConaughey plays the title character Mud, a drifter of sorts who is living in an old abandon boat that is actually stuck in a tree. The film is set in rural Arkansas along the Mississippi river. The setting and characters are so rich and interesting, you can't help but get involved in the tale. Two young boys stumble across Mud when they go to investigate the abandon boat themselves. An unlikely friendship is formed between the boys and the shifty stranger. After hearing Mud’s story explaining why he is living on this river island and avoiding town, the boys agree to help him get the boat fixed up for him to set sail. They also agree to help him track down his girlfriend played by Reese Witherspoon who is in town waiting to hear from Mud. She is not the only one looking for him however as there is a bounty on his head. The story reminded me of the great coming of age movie Stand By Me – which can only be a good thing. Like director Jeff Nichol’s past two films Take Shelter and Shotgun Stories the characters are so well written and so well played that you can’t help but care about them by the end of the film. In a time of movie sequels galore, I loved the unique story and setting. McConaughey continues the roll he is on with another outstanding performance. This is one of the best independent films of 2013! 

Rythemovieguy’s Grade: 3.5 Jaws

If this movie had parents they would be: Stand By Me & One Crazy Summer

The Great Gatsby Reviewed

The Great Gatsby: Calling it the “Great” Gatsby is a bit of false advertising as this latest adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald is decent at best. The movie tells the story of the mysterious Gatsby who throws outrageous parties – in fact Gatsby’s parties are right up there with Thornton Melon’s from Back to School. He is doing this to catch the attention of his past love Daisy ( Carrie Mulligan) who lives across the bay. They are finally reunited, but can they erase the past enough to have a future together, that is the actual mystery. What had me excited from the time I heard Baz Luhrmann was directing was the lavish party scenes he would bring to life.  However, while they were fun to take in….it was nothing close to the wonder we saw in Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge. The story is told through Gatsby’s next store neighbor Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) who gives a serviceable job. The movie really belongs to DiCaprio who I thought was fantastic as Gatsby and Joel Edgerton who was equally great as Daisy’s husband Tom. The film missed its mark emotionally – I was never drawn in by Daisy and Gatsby’s romance. While I enjoyed watching this classic novel unfold on screen, I found myself wanting to care more about the fate of the characters involved. Great Gatsby? NO – More like Decent Gatsby....

Rythemovieguy’s Grade: 2.5 Jaws

If this movie had parents they would be: Moulin Rouge & The Talented Mr. Ripley

Top 10 of 2012

Top 10 of 2012: As we approach the most unpredictable Oscars in years, I find it a perfect time to name my top 10 films of the year. For those of you that listen to my podcast  CinemaJaw, I gave my list out weeks ago in episode # 136. However there is something about "putting it on paper" that makes it seem official. As always I have also included a second opinion (Jen's list is listed below). I have also included a third opinion (MattK, co-host of  CinemaJaw). Many of these films are out on DVD and VOD. Enjoy.

Ry's Top 10
10) Looper
 9) The Impossible
 8) The Life of Pi
 7) Django Unchained
 6) Silver Linings Playbook
 5) The Perks of Being a Wallflower
 4) Argo
 3) Searching for Sugar Man
 2) Moonrise Kingdom
 1) Zero Dark Thirty

Jen's Top 10
10) 5 Broken Cameras
 9) Life of Pi
 8) The Impossible
 7) Argo
 6) Your Sister's Sister
 5) The Perks of Being a Wallflower
 4) Cloud Atlas
 3) Silver Linings Playbook
 2) Zero Dark Thirty
 1) Searching for Sugar Man

MattK's Top 10
10) Jiro Dreams of Sushi
 9) Prometheus
 8) Lawless
 7) Skyfall
 6) Dark Knight Rises
 5) Amazing Spiderman
 4) Wreck-it Ralph
 3) Ted
 2) Django Unchained
 1) The Avengers

Side Effects Movie Review

Side Effects: Take two pills and call me in the morning. Steven Soderbergh’s latest prescription drug thriller stars Rooney Mara, Jude, Law, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Channing Tatum. Mara plays Emily Taylor, a young woman suffering from depression while her husband (Tatum) is in prison for insider trading. Upon his release she tries to get healthy by seeking out help from a psychiatrist (Law). This is a “thriller” not a “drama” so not everything is what it seems. Soderbergh opens up the twist early, which I found refreshing. This allowed the last 40 minutes of the movie to play out like a good detective story. In fact, I have not seen such good detective work done by a doctor since Harrison Ford in The Fugitive. While I did enjoy some of the twists, I unfortunately found the story implausible near the end. I am not sure the courts would allow Law’s character to keep treating a patient as the case was building against them. Jude Law gave worthy performance as did Rooney Mara (although I found her hair to be distractingly bad).  The more leeway you give the script the more you will enjoy, for me it was not the perfect dose.

RyTheMovieGuy’s grade: 2.5 Jaws    

If Side Effects had Parents, they would be: The Fugitive and Primal Fear

Hyde Park on Hudson Movie Review

Hyde Park on Hudson: Bill Murray playing president FDR in 1939 during King George VI visit to America is enough to peak anyone’s interest. We are not use to seeing Murray portray any nonfictional characters much less a president of the United States.  He did a wonderful job, but at times I still wanted him to be “Bill Murray” on screen more than I wanted to see him try to be FDR. The story is based on true events concerning the 1^st ever visit to America by a King and Queen of England. The stammering King George VI was here to gain U.S. support for World War II. FDR decided to have them out at his summer home in Hyde Park for a casual gathering. Having cocktails before dinner and serving hot dogs at a picnic was just a couple of controversial choices made by the president during their visit.  It might be looked at as trying to belittle the King and Queen or seen as a way to bring the countries together. This side of the story worked, however it was overshadowed by a storyline that did not. Laura Linney plays Daisy a distant cousin of FDR that actually goes on to have a love affair with him. She spends many days at the Hyde Park house while FDR is there. She is crushed to find out that she is not the only woman he is seeing. The film more or less celebrates the fact that FDR had affairs with multiple women.  That just felt wrong to me. Not to mention I thought Laura Linney’s character came off like a bump on a log. They should have focused much more on the King’s visit and less on the love affair.

Rythemovieguy’s Grade: 2 Jaws / C+  

If this movie had parents they would be The King's Speech & An Affair to Remember      

Silver Linings Playbook Review

Silver Linings Playbook: This is the best Dramedy of the Year! Bradley Cooper plays Pat, a guy who moves back in with his parents after finishing up a stint in a mental hospital. He needed help after going through a traumatic event with his wife, which more a less ended their marriage. He soon meets Tiffany, played by Jennifer Lawrence who recently lost her husband in a car accident. Her Mental state is far from perfect as well. The two begin to gel as they work on a dance project together. Meanwhile his dad (Robert De Niro) is a die hard Philadelphia Eagles fan who works as a bookie throughout the football season; he also shows sign of OCD which complicates Pat’s home life. The film’s unique characters and brilliant writing supply some hilarious moments, such as a fight that breaks out at an Eagles' tailgate. The movie also has a soft side as we root for Pat and Tiffany to overcome their mental obstacles and find happiness in life. I cannot say enough good things about the cast – Best Ensemble of the year! Chris Tucker even pops up as Pat’s friend from the mental institution and gives a mellow yet amusing performance. David O. Russell who wrote & directed the movie did a wonderful job balancing the drama with the comedy. This one of the best movies of the year –

Rythemovieguy’s Grade: 4 Jaws / A-

If this movie had parents they would be: Rain Man & Strictly Ballroom         

Lincoln Movie Review

Lincoln: Sitting through Spielberg’s latest film brought me back to my days at Nazareth Academy – sitting in Mr. Jaglin’s History class, shooting spit balls over at Tim Allison. While this film is an amazing accomplishment from a historical point of view, I did not find it all that entertaining. Daniel Day Lewis does a phenomenal job as old Abe, he will no doubt receive his 5^th Oscar nomination for this performance.  He is not the only star in this film either. In fact every role seemed to have a big name behind it. Sally Fields shined as his wife Mary Todd.  Tommy Lee Jones meanwhile knocks it out of the park as Representative Thaddeus Stevens.  I felt his performance was on par with that of DDLs and his character is just as important to the story.  David Strathairn, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, James Spader, and John Hawkes are all wonderful in their small roles as well. The story is not that of Lincoln’s life, but of the 3 weeks leading up to the passing of the 13^th amendment to abolish slavery. Much of the drama takes place inside the House of Representatives as they argue over the amendment.  The film’s biggest fault is that is does not take us out of the Washington gridlock to show us the current state of the Union and the impact the amendment will have. While I enjoyed the history refresher I cannot say this is one of the best movies of the year.  I would actually say skip it in the theater and see it on DVD some lazy Sunday.

Rythemovieguy's Grade: 2.75 Jaws / B-

If this movie had parents they would be: Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter & Mr. Smith Goes to Washington    

Flight Movie Review

 Flight: Denzel Washington gives a very emotional performance in the first live action film in 12 years from director Robert Zemeckis.  Denzel Plays Whip Whitaker, an airline pilot with a drinking problem. When his plane malfunctions during flight he miraculously saves the plane and most everyone on board with a rough crash landing. However before he can be proclaimed a hero an investigation on the crash is conducted. This could turn the spotlight from heroism to his drug and drinking problems. The story is really about substance abuse and the challenges a person must overcome to deal with it. How many lies can the conscious take? Washington’s performance as the troubled soul is extremely strong. The ending of the film is emotionally powerful mainly because of Denzel’s acting. And Speaking of acting – Don Cheadle is great here as the lawyer defending Denzel during the investigation. Also John Goodman pops up as his drug buddy.  He only has 2 scenes in the film, but both had the audience rolling with laughter. Meanwhile Zemeckis gives us another memorable movie plane crash (who could forget the scary scene with Tom Hanks in Cast Away). I appreciated the fresh take on substance abuse, the idea of a man under the influence still being heroic at times made for an interesting plot. Don’t wait to see this one on a plane...

Rythemovieguy's  Grade: 3.5 Jaws / B+ 

If this movie had parents they would be: Leaving Las Vegas & Airplane  

The Sessions Movie Review

The Sessions: John Hawkes and Helen Hunt star in the true story of Mark O’Brien, a man who lost the ability to control his body muscles due to polio. He was basically paralyzed from the neck down, however he did still have feeling throughout his entire body. Most of the day he lived in an iron lung which helped him to breathe, only being able to stay out on his own for 3 hours a day. At age 36 he meets a sex surrogate and loses his virginity. The Sex Surrogate is played by Helen Hunt, who at age 49 courageously bares it all a couple of times on screen. John Hawkes meanwhile pours in a tremendous performance as Mark O’Brien, he basically has to convey all his feelings with just his facial expressions because for most of the movie he is laying on a bed under covers . I would be shocked if he does not get an Oscar nomination for this. Although the subject matter is on the sad side, the movie has plenty of humor. Some of the funniest scenes involve William H Macy who plays a priest that Mark confides all his sexual experience too. The chemistry between Hunt and Hawkes brings some heavy emotion to the story – see this one for the performances alone!

 Rythemovieguy's Grade: 3 Jaws / B

If this movie had parents they would be: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly & American Pie

Cloud Atlas Review

Cloud Atlas: “Everything is connected” – This is the main theme in this ambitious new film from Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski, and Lana Wachowski. The story spans thousands of years over six different storylines. The large cast, including Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugh Grant, Jim Broadbent all play multiple characters throughout the film. Tom Hanks (6 different roles) for instance, plays characters whose soul makes a complete cycle from killer to hero. Other big ideas are introduced, such as how an act of kindness can have a ripple effect that can change lives for hundreds of years. We are treated to many different genres, from drama to comedy to mystery to sci-fi; this is truly an epic film. Although there are some clear crossovers between the storylines, for the most part they stand alone. It is the themes that crossover and connect in different ways. I found the cinematography to be downright gorgeous at points. I also loved the score, it is big, beautiful, and connects with the emotions of the movie perfectly. The Wachowskis explained in a Q&A after the screening how they adopted this complex book from David Mitchell to the big screen. One of the big changes was interlacing all the storylines together, whereas the book sticks with 1 storyline at a time. I have to compliment them on how well the movie flowed; it was easy to follow and kept each storyline on the same pace. This is not a film that has a definitive conclusion, instead it offers big ideas and grand themes that you can reflect on for hours after the screening. See it in the theater, open your mind, and enjoy.

(RytheMovieGuy with Lana Wachowski). After the screening Lana also explained that the three directors worked as a unit. Instead of each directing certain segments, they worked as a team directing the movie as a whole. (The DGA made them put credits at the end to the contrary).

Rythemovieguy's Grade: 3.5 Jaws / B+

If This movie had parents they would be: Babel & Solaris

Argo Review

Argo: Ben Affleck makes it 3 for 3 on his directing efforts. In Fact Argo is his best film to date as a director. The Movie is based on a true story; In 1979 With the Iranian revolution at its peak, students and militants stormed the US Embassy in Tehran taking 52 Americans hostage. However 6 US Diplomats did escape the Embassy during the raid and they took refuge at the Canadian embassy. Figuring away to get these 6 Americans out of Iran proved difficult. The Idea the CIA rolled with was to send in CIA agent Tony Mendez (Affleck) posing as a Canadian film producer. He would meet up with the 6 American diplomats and have them all pose as a Canadian film crew scouting locations for a new Sci-Fi film titled: Argo. Giving them all Canadian passports and identities, not to mention setting up the movie with a studio, securing a budget and having actors reading for parts to make the film look legit in case there was any inquiring by Iran was all part of the plan. This is one tense ride, the kind of story that will have you on the edge of your seat a few times. It all starts with one heck of a scary opening scene inside the Embassy. From there, the story is engrossing and easy to follow. The style and look of the film are perfect.  We are also treated to some humor, thanks to John Goodman and Alan Arkin who are involved in the Hollywood studio behind Argo. This is one of the year’s best films – Don’t Miss it.

Ry’s Grade: 4 Jaws / A-

If this movie had parents they would be: Wag The Dog & Munich

Looper Review

Looper: Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays a younger Bruce Willis in this latest Time Travel film from director Rian Johnson. Set in 2044 Levitt plays a Looper, a person who assassinates people sent back in time from the future. There is a need for this because in the future, people are “tagged” and tougher to just get rid of by the mob without getting caught. This is until the future mob sends back the older version of him to kill – thus closing his Loop. However the older version of himself (Willis) has a plan for traveling back in time and escapes getting killed. That is just the beginning of this complex story. Together they figure out why a person named the rainmaker is trying to close all the loops 20 years into the future. The film introduces some exciting new ideas about time travel, such as burning something onto your arm so your future self gets the message. Levitt meanwhile does a great job of acting like a younger Bruce Willis – mimicking his facial expressions and attitude.  Throw some fun action sequences into the mix and you have one of the better time travel movies in recent years. As with any time travel movie you will be thinking about the plot for a couple days after. I liked this one a lot –

Ry’s Grade: 3.5 Jaws / B+

If this movie had Parents, They would be: Terminator & Blade Runner

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen Review

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen: Emily Blunt, Ewan McGregor, and the always underrated Kristin Scott Thomas star in this quirky film about salmon fishing and dare I say …faith. A very wealthy Sheik has a dream of bringing the pastime of salmon fishing to his people in Yemen. The plan gets helped along when the Press secretary for the Prime Minister of Great Britain is looking for a positive story from the middle east. She is looking to combat the negative bombing stories that are normally in the news. Emily Blunt plays Harriet, a representative of the sheik who hires a fisheries expert - played Ewan McGregor, to help the Sheik realize his dream. McGregor’s character thinks the plan is rubbish at first glance. After spending time with the Sheik and Harriet he slowly begins to believe in the idea. Of course Blunt & McGregor strike up a romantic relationship along the way( This is a romantic comedy, not fishing documentary). The script is fun….lighthearted and silly, yet at the same time has some more serious themes swimming upstream. I do feel there were too many lose ends at the end of the movie to give it a proper ending. As a result the conclusion is choppy and a bit rushed. That said I love the creativeness of the story and Kristin Scott Thomas’s performance is hilarious!

Rythemovieguy’s grade 2.5 Jaws / B -

If this movie had Parents: Field of Dreams & A River Runs Through it.

Rythemovieguy's Top 10 of 2011

2011 has come to a close.....it may not have been the strongest year for movies, but it did have its share of "must see films." We saw the end of Harry Potter, another Hangover, giant transformers destroy Chicago, and some Bridesmaids crap in their dresses. Yet it is a silent black & white film that is stealing the spotlight late in the year. Movies really do offer something for everyone. Below I have listed my Top 10 Movies of the Year and like always I was lucky to see them all with my "best half" - so I have included Jen's list below mine...as a second opinion is always good to have.

10) The Descendants - A Difficult story to tell, but George Clooney's performance makes it work.

9) The Help - It is meant to be a little lighter on the subject matter, yet it still packs a powerful punch.

8) The Tree Of Life - The Most Ambitious film in the past 30 years.

7) Martha Marcy May Marlene - The hidden Olsen sister "Elizabeth" stars in a movie that will stick with you long after you see it.

6) Beginners - The Best movie about love this year!

5) Drive - The most stylized movie of the year is a fun ride!

4) War Horse - Seeing all the different lives the horse touched worked for me.

3) Warrior - Cliche? Yes.....but ultimately this is a story about family that had me cheering in the aisle.

2) The Artist - Refreshing to see a simple story told in such a creative way.

1) Shame - The Best movie of the year tackles a difficult subject matter with grace. Michael Fassbender is brilliant as is the cinematography and the score.

Jen's Top 10 -

10) Martha Marcy May Marlene

9) Midnight In Paris

8) Beginners

7) The Debt

6) The Artist

5) A Dangerous Method

4) The Help

3) Jane Eyre

2) Shame

1) Warrior

Honorable mention of both Ry & Jen: 50/50

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Midnight in Paris

Midnight In Paris: Woody Allen's 44th feature film is a true charmer! Owen Wilson plays Gil, a writer who is engaged to Inez (Rachel McAdams). They are in Paris with her Family for some vacation. Gil Loves Paris, but longs to go back to the 1920s when the city was the vibrant artistic capitol of the world. Low and behold when Gil goes out for a walk alone, at midnight he is transported back in time. He is able to meet such young artists that were in Paris in the 20s such as Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Cole Porter and Salvador Dali (played hysterically by Adrian Brody). Each day he comes back to present time and spends the day with his wife. The city of Paris looks fabulous in the movie - The opening sequence reminded me of the way Allen showed New York in his 1979 masterpiece Manhattan. Owen Wilson delivers Woody's lines perfectly - it is easy to see the Allen character in him, but at the same time he makes it all his own. This is not so much a love story as it is a tale of appreciation for a golden age of art. I could not help think that one day we will look back at this time in cinema as a golden age of the art form. A time when legends such as Scorsese, Spielberg, Coppola, and Woody Allen made films that stuck with us for generations....

Rythemovieguy's Grade: B

If this movie had parents they would be: Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and Before Sunrise

Tron Legacy on Blu-Ray

Tron: Legacy on Blu-Ray: 28 years after the original pushed the visual boundaries of film, the second installment shows up on Blu-ray aiming to do the same. In the digital effects age we live in, this is a rather lofty goal. However, I think they accomplished that goal – this is one Awesome looking movie! Not only is this eye candy from start to finish, but Tron Legacy will also give your home theater sound system a work out. Now the question is did they give us a story with enough substance to keep up with the dazzling sounds and visuals? Sadly the answer is No. Sam Flynn, the son of Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) goes looking for him in the digital world, which has now evolved as it tried to become a utopia of sorts. The speed bikes are back as is Jeff Bridges, who comes off as “The Dude” stuck in a video game….the only thing he was missing was a white Russian. Once reunited, the mission becomes trying to get out of the digital world. The story fails to give us a reason to care about the characters and that reduces the joy of the main action sequences near the end. That said this is still a movie to have some fun with, it is a real treat for your eyes and ears……..just not so much for the brain.

2.5 Jaws / C+

2010 top 10 !!!!

Better late than never - I apologize for the lack of reviews over the past year, however it was not from a lack of movie watching. My concentration has been on my podcast - CinemaJaw (A weekly podcast where I give all my reviews and more). I still went out to the theater and spun DVDs just as much if not more than I always do. Yesterday we posted the latest episode of CinemaJaw which was a celebration of the year in film - 2010. We cover our top 10 lists - explaining why we liked each film, pick our worst movie of the year, play trivia and more. Give it a listen when you have time or download it at itunes. As for my favorite films from 2010, I have listed them below and as always I have included a second opinion. Jen,who I am lucky to enjoy all these movies with, has her top 10 listed as well. Enjoy and check out the Jaw - http://cinemajaw.com/wordpress/

10) Rabbit Hole

9) The Kings Speech

8) The Social Network

7) True Grit

6) The Ghost Writer

5) The Fighter

4) Blue Valentine

3) Inception

2) 127 Hours

1) Black Swan

A Second opinion - Jen's top 10

10) Catfish

9) Temple Grandin

8) True Grit

7) 127 Hours

6) Black Swan

5) The Social Network

4) The King's Speech

3) Rabbit Hole

2) The Fighter

1) Inception

The Social Network Review

The Social Network:...a.k.a. The Facebook movie: In the fall of 2003 Mark Zuckerberg, a student at Harvard, sat at his computer in his dorm room and created a site that changed the way the world would communicate forever. If the story was that simple we would not have much of a movie and Mark Zuckerberg would not have been sued for 600 Million dollars by his best friend. The film opens up with Zuckerberg (played by Jessie Eisenberg) sitting with his then girlfriend at a restaurant on campus. The dialogue exchanged by the two characters is hilarious, fast paced, and insightful. We instantly have an understanding that Mark Zuckerberg has a yearning to be accepted. When he is approached with an opportunity to help develop a website for some classmates a light bulb goes off. Zuckerberg asks his best friend Eduardo Saverin to fund a new project of his called "The Facebook". Once the website takes off there are question marks on who deserves credit for what.....hence some major lawsuits. The movie jumps back and forth between the two lawsuits against Zuckerberg and to the time when he was creating the website. Eisenberg does an excellent job of portraying a young man who is emotionally disconnected from his friends and obsessed with creating something larger than life. He carries this film from start to finish and is ultimately the reason the movie works so well. The script is also superb, with humor laced throughout....I found this movie to be much funnier than expected. The score is done by Trent Reznor (yes, Nine Inch Nails Trent). The music supplies a dark undertone to the story and conveys the idea that something is being created that is larger than anyone expects. The only element I wanted to see explored more was the impact Facebook has had on society. This is an interesting and poignant story that is well told and entertaining......I think I will hit the "Like Button" on the film's fan page.

Rythemovieguy's Grade: B

If This Movie Had Parents they would be: War Games & Real Genius

Iron Man 2 Review

Why It's Worth Seeing: Iron Man is back and this time he brought some friends with him. The first film was a huge success with both fans and critics. Knowing this, the filmmakers did not change the formula too much, just added to it (this is not new Coke, it's Coke Classic in a bigger bottle). Tony Stark has come out to the public as being the man behind the suit. I find this refreshing compared to the typical "secret identity superhero scenario" we normally see. The U.S. military wants Tony Stark to give them the secrets behind the Iron Man technology, but Mr. Stark thinks this could only lead to inappropriate use. Meanwhile, in Moscow Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke), the son of a scientist who worked with Tony Stark's dad is hard at work harnessing similar technology to use against Iron Man. Besides some spectacular action scenes the film is filled with perfectly written characters and witty dialogue. Sam Rockwell in particular shines as Justin Hammer who is working for the Defense Department. I must also note that Gary Shandling shined in his small role as Senator Stern (I'm a closet Shandling fan). Scarlett Johansson and Samuel L. Jackson both pop up as characters that the comic book fans will enjoy even more than the casual fan.

Why It's Not: To be honest the movie does very little wrong. The only knock against it would be that the story and characters do not feel as fresh as they did the first time around. They did not take too many risks with pushing the Iron Man story-arc in a new direction.

Verdict: The summer movie season gets off to a fantastic start. This is a pitch-perfect summer blockbuster that mixes high octane action with fun, well written dialogue.

Rythemovieguy's Grade: B+

If this movie had parents they would be: Iron Man & Rocky IV