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Sometimes if a film excels so exceptionally in one specific field of filmmaking (be it screenwriting, cinematography, directing, acting, etc.), all of its other flaws in the other departments of the filmmaking process can be easily condoned. Avatar epitomizes this notion. Weak screenplay and cheesy dialogue aside, this is a film that holds true to its austere ambitions and surpasses its own self-coveted hype. Exclamations such as “film event of the decade� and “the most revolutionary film of a generation� have stuck to the project like flies on a swatter, and the justice within those statements can only be beheld once one experiences the film for what it is: a supreme technical marvel and a spectacle of pure imagination...[more]...

From Batman to James Bond, the “rebooting” of certain franchises have certainly opened more doors in terms of storytelling by being able to introduce us to darker, deeper, more mature and thematically resonant depictions of characters that are already deemed as iconic. As the latest franchise to be given a revamp, Star Trek proves to be no different. Aside from the nitpickings of uber-fans, the series has been reborn and is now bigger, more thematically rich, better developed, more accessible, and just plain better than ever...[more]...

Unlike this summer's earlier, and brilliant, Star Trek, this "reboot" of a popular franchise brings absolutely nothing new to the table. Although, I guess I couldn't even be expecting much since just about everything in the thematic department has already been all said and done with the first two Terminator installments. Terminator Salvation is just bloated, big-budgeted fan fiction with nearly zero redeeming quality. Sure, McG can craft a decent action sequence, but what else can he offer? From poorly written characters, a lazily plotted story outline, and an ensemble of talent gone to waste, there's really nothing to be engaged with at all. It may even be a real shame, because while no future installment will ever reach the same ground that James Cameron touched with his first two Terminators (the only REAL installments in my opinion), this could have actually been a fun time, at the least, and even a worthy attempt for up-and-comer Sam Worthington to prove his worth (the man was second to Daniel Craig for the role of James Bond. He's gotta have something worthwhile about him), but the end result is just lazy, turgid filmmaking.

After crafting two of the most grandiose period pieces of recent memory, it is only intriguing for director Joe Wright to choose such a strictly character-driven, gritty and barebones piece such as The Soloist. Judging by how his first two efforts excelled so wonderfully as beautifully realized and well-developed ensemble pieces, one can acknowledge that Wright is growing to be a filmmaker keen on character study, and with such a glaring departure from all of the elaborate set pieces and aesthetics, it can only seem fitting for the director to hone his skills even further with a much more austere, subtle, and contemplative work. And yet, despite its admirable efforts from the talent that helped conceive it, The Soloist just doesn’t bring forth any sort of material that proves to be affective...[more]...

There has never been a doubt in my mind that Sam Mendes is one of the most prominent talents to have emerged in filmmaking over the past ten years. There is certainly a keen astuteness to his work, as he has not only honed the pitch-perfect aesthetic value of his filmmaking to the utmost degree, but has also managed to employ a rather austere consistency in the thematic material of each of his efforts. From the jarring monotony of suburbia, to the tumultuous and deceiving underbelly of the Irish-American criminal underworld during the roaring twenties, and the mental desperation of the mundane desert amidst a dubious war, if one thing is for sure about each of Mendes’ films, it is that they all in their own way serve as terse studies of how individuals can be suppressed by their environments. And while Mendes has already treaded into the territory of suburban desperation with the magnum opus that was American Beauty, Revolutionary Road proves to be a masterful film of its own right and on its own grounds, if simply for the genius source material and the astoundingly bravura talent that carries it...[more]...

Looking at his filmography, I cannot help but be utterly impressed by the wide amount of range and versatility that Danny Boyle has managed to display over the past decade. From drugs and zombies to childhood fantasies and space odysseys, Boyle has certainly imprinted his stellar, jolting, and kinetic foray onto an admirable array of genres and thematic material, be it horror, crime-drama, science-fiction, magical-realism, or exploits into the human condition. With his directorial talents being honed to grander extents within each subsequent effort, it’s only a matter of time before Boyle reaches the peak of his craft and bodies forth his magnum opus – the prime culmination of everything he has encompassed as a filmmaker - a magnum opus which, in time, will arguably be referred to as Slumdog Millionaire...[more]...

Ever since their creation, our perception of certain superheroes has always been in a near constant state of flux; from their light-hearted origins in 1940’s – 60’s comic books to their more mature, realistic, and even darker presentations in films and graphic novels. And yet, one can easily say that no other fantastical, heroic icon has undergone such an immense metamorphosis as Batman has. We have seen him as the subject of several campy serials, as a clean-cut and philanthropic do-gooder, a jaded millionaire, a mysterious recluse, and most of all, a brooding avenger consumed by a traumatic past and a profound inner turmoil. There’s no question that the Batman legacy has continued to darken and mature more and more with each and every take of the character as he’s pulled down further and further into a more hard-edged, gritty, and realistic depiction that has ultimately defined his universe as an epic arc of a growling complex hero...[more]...

There is just no telling how many fields of storytelling and innovative endeavors in animation the geniuses over at Pixar animation studios are willing to conquer. Their ever-growing list of successful efforts is without a doubt unprecedented in versatility, accessibility, and all-out admiration. From a modern fable with talking toys, to a dysfunctional family of superheroes, and to a tiny rat with a huge dream of making it big as a chef in Paris, there’s no doubt that Pixar is never afraid at all to reach a level of maturity and subtlety that’s nearly unparalleled with most family movies. So, where does Wall-E, their latest triumph, fit in the already impressive oeuvre? Be it the absolutely uncanny animation that bodies forth a plethora of textures and nuances beyond belief or the sublime characterization of the adorable titular character, there is no doubt in my mind that Wall-E is a grandiose effort in not just the meticulous art of animation, but the craft of storytelling in general...[more]...

It comes in no surprise at all that writer/director Martin McDonagh wrote and directed a slew of award winning plays before venturing into film, because it’s merely impossible to look at his first feature-length picture, “In Bruges”, and not recognize the utterly brilliant strokes of characterization, development and dialogue that are so astute, they could have only been written by someone who knows the craft of writing and developing characters all too well. And with that said, it would be an absolute understatement to say that McDonagh’s writing talent is put to uncanny use in In Bruges...[more]...

It’s somewhat of an odd decision for such a renowned director like Michael Haneke to make his English-language debut by retreating to his own source material and remaking what may as well be his most controversial, disturbing, and polarizing work to date. The original Funny Games ultimately worked successfully as a quaintly intriguing experimental thriller that tested our capacity of viewing violence and satirically ridiculed the media’s ability to make us immune to it. But with Haneke’s potent message already said and done to the best of his ability, it would be hard to say that his second sermon of preaching has just as much of an impact...[more]...

One may notice that all of the greatest comic book movies are the ones that centrally derive from the vital understanding of their hero, be it the complexities and inner-turmoil of Batman, the relatable vulnerability of Spiderman, or the strong sense of alienation experienced by the X-Men. Iron Man, while not pertaining to the depth of a more admirable effort along the lines of Batman Begins, is a comic book adaptation that renders the sensibilities and elements of its source material with a keen sense of palpability that understands and stays achingly true to the heart of the source material. And most importantly, it knows how many beats the protagonist’s heart strikes per minute just as well as it understands how to translate him and his origin into today’s times and in today’s world...[more]...

Is it the surfeit of thrills, the glorious action sequences, the mysterious and intriguing plots, the quaint nostalgia, or the sheer fun of it all that has made Indiana Jones one cinema’s most beloved creations? After a near twenty year absence from the silver screen, one can easily and justifiably expect a triumphant return that recaptures all of those assets and delivers the goods that we all know and enjoy, be it within a plentiful amount of colorful characters or as many thrills can be mustered from a surefire plot. Does “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” disappoint? If one is expecting more than a silly good time, then yes, it painfully does so...[more]...

After embarking upon uncanny success in The 40-Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, and Superbad, there’s no doubt in my mind that when one thinks of surefire comedy in today’s cinema, one may as well easily connote to the Apatow troupe. With their unprecedented ability to craft completely natural, believable, and utterly relatable and realistic characters and situations as they have done since their humble beginnings on the short-lived television series “Freaks and Geeks”, it appears as if all Judd Apatow and his team want to do, rather than grossing us out or spoofing major elements of pop culture, is to show us the simple hilarities we experience in our own lives, be it through social insecurities, tumultuous relationships or unexpected pregnancies...[more]...

In the same tradition of last year’s Little Miss Sunshine, Juno can in a way be considered as this year’s prominent “little movie that could”. It is a film that came out of nowhere, stole our hearts, and earned its merits with nothing more than pure, utmost sincerity, warm geniality, and one of the most glaringly sharp and witty screenplays of the year, filled to the brim with such poignant humanity, you can’t help but want to squeeze each and every character within the grasps of a hug...[more]...

It is a rarity for a film to be richly substantial in that same kind of poetry and lyricism one would find within the bowels of a multi-layered novel, let alone one that is helmed by one of the finest scribes of the past century. It is territory that only the great filmmakers have conquered, and in that sense, it would be fair to say that Joel and Ethan Coen have officially raised their flag as some of the finest American storytellers of our time with what may as well be their magnum opus, No Country for Old Men...[more]...

While hordes of critics and movie-goers have irresistibly compared American Gangster to its various counterparts, there’s no doubt in my mind that the film’s prominent influence comes, not from Coppola, De Palma or Scorsese, but from its very own subject: Frank Lucas. And as if the most notorious drug kingpin in American history doesn’t already make a painstakingly juicy subject for a film, there’s no telling how many layers can be unraveled from the buried facets that lie not only within Lucas’ rise and fall, but also what he represents as a member of his race and as a part of the American dream...[more]...

Now that the Harry Potter franchise has grown out of its rugged childhood robes and has fit into a much more adult wardrobe, it would be fair to say that the ever expanding boundaries of its story has made enormous room for a grand amount of much darker themes, symbolism, mythology, and all-out magic that is just begging to be explored. With The Order of the Phoenix, the fifth installment of the seven part franchise, Potter’s story is taken to the next progressive level and proves that we are just one tiny step closer to reaching those grim times that are yet to come…that is, as Harry receives his first kiss and battles the epitome of all evil, at the same time...[more]...

Some may consider the difference between what is called a “children’s film” and what is called a “family film” to be quite trivial. But, quite the contrary, it couldn’t be any more distinct. If there’s one filmmaker working today who acknowledges that austere borderline between these two types of films, it has got to be Brad Bird. While Bird’s filmography is almost exclusively edged towards animation projects, that in no way diminishes the maturity, poignancy, and connectivity of his foray; a foray that seems to carry all of the ballasting elements that have been the keys to Pixar animation studios’ success. Just look at the man’s body of work and you’ll know what I’m talking about. The Iron Giant? A heart-warming tinge of nostalgia with such an enormous heart, you just want to rub noses in it. The Incredibles? A film of with such an austere attention towards its characters, you forget you’re watching an animated family feature and view it as a genuinely fulfilling experience. So, where does Ratatouille fall? Quite simply, the film is an utter delight...[more]...

One can easily view Transformers from one of two perspectives: either as a sheer, mindlessly fun and explosive summer blockbuster with gallons upon gallons of buttered popcorn, or as a complete debacle of a movie that’s as hollow as an inflated balloon. It’s a battle royale fueled with a throng of gargantuan robots, elite military combat, and oodles of explosions, flying bullets, car chases, pulverized skyscrapers, and chaotic menace. Either way you decide to look at the film, just remember to leave your thinking caps at home when seeing it...[more]...