The Trailer Park: World War Z

Max Brooks' World War Z is a modern classic. It's easily one of my favorite books and manages to craft a story of the end of the world through dozens of different perspectives. It never sticks with just one story, but jumps around the globe chronicling the surviving efforts of all sorts of people, at all different times post-apocalypse. Naturally, when I heard a film was on the way, I was incredibly excited, then wondered how it could be adapted with justice. Unfortunately, World War Z, the movie, starring Brad Pitt, is a "loose" (very loose) adaptation of Brooks' novel and I have to say, I am all sorts of disappointed.

World War Z has been a film that's been struggling in production. Rumors of a weak script and bad direction led to many believing the movie is dead (or undead?) on arrival. Well, today the first full-length trailer premiered and I have to say that those rumors may be right. While the footage shown in the trailer isn't necessarily awful, it reeks of generic plot points and has way too much CGI for its own good. I already suffered through a computer generated destruction of another end of the world book, I Am Legend, and I prayed that I wouldn't have to suffer through that again. Unfortunately, it looks like Will Smith was swapped out for Brad Pitt and was given the support of a whole lot of guns. I will certainly be reluctant heading into this (I'll still see it) but I hope that this trailer doesn't show what the film will be all about. God forbid it receives a PG-13 rating.

World War Z hits theaters June 13, 2013. It also stars James Badge Dale, Matthew Fox, Mireille Enos, and David Morse.

Sept 7: Snatch

"Unscrupulous boxing promoters, violent bookmakers, a Russian gangster, incompetent amateur robbers, and supposedly Jewish jewelers fight to track down a priceless stolen diamond."

Directed by: Guy Ritchie, Rated: R, 104 minutes

So watching Safe, among a few other things, made me want to revisit Snatch (another Statham vehicle), the 2000 Guy Ritchie film that many (including myself) consider to be his best movie. It's hilarious on an entirely unique level and packs the style and energy Ritchie's become known for. It's also worth mentioning the performances of a huge cast, with the standout being the obvious with Brad Pitt, who plays a gypsy bare-knuckle boxer no one can understand. Some may complain that the plot is very similar to Ritchie's first film, Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, but Snatch is much more fun. It's as though Ritchie honed his craft with Lock, Stock and mastered it with Snatch.

Whenever you have The Stath in his natural element, and Pitt out of his, you know you're going to have a good time. 

The plot follows Turkish (Statham), a boxer promoter who just wants a new caravan to work out of (you know, to be more professional). He sends his partner, Tommy (Stephen Graham), to a campsite full of pikeys (or gypsies) to acquire something fancier. At the campsite, Tommy meets Mickey O'Neil (Brad Pitt), who's clearly the 'leader' of the camp, as well as a champion boxer. After the deal goes sour, Tommy's bodyguard, Gorgeous George, challenges Mickey to a fight in order to get their money back. Of course, Mickey takes George out with one punch and puts Tommy and Turkish into an awful position, as he was going to fight for them in just a few days. Not wanting to completely back out of the fight (and lose their balls, money, and everything else they would like to hold onto), Turkish tells the other promoter, a crime lord named Brick Top (Alan Ford), that he'll find another fighter to replace George and heads back to Mickey for another favor. Meanwhile, Franky Four Fingers (Benicio Del Toro) has a stolen 86 karat diamond on his hands and plans on selling it for millions. As the diamond shifts hands between all sorts of gangsters, from Boris the Blade, to a bunch of 'unprofessional' criminals who moonlight as pawn shop owners, and even an American (Dennis Farina) and Bullet Tooth Tony (Vinnie Jones), who owes who what gets even more complicated. Every different story is connected in it's own odd way and seeing it all come together in the end is absolutely brilliant. But it all does make sense in the end.

You do not f**k with Brick Top. The glasses alone tell you to watch yo'self before he wrecks yo'self. 

If the above synopsis sounds confusing, I apologize. Ritchie's films tend to be so complex, yet ridiculously simple at the end, and explaining what happens is rather tricky. However, it's in these twists and turns of the plot that Snatch shines, as you cannot expect what will happen next and if a certain character even survives the film. So much happens in such a short amount of time and it's a credit to Ritchie's use of quick-cuts and high energy scenes that help bring it all together in the end. Snatch is easily his best film and as much as I like his Sherlock Holmes films, I'd love to see him return to the gangster genre that made him famous. As for Snatch, Brad Pitt absolutely steals the show as Mickey. He's both brutal and hilarious, and seeing him blend Tyler Durden with an awesome (and probably unintentional) impression of Colin Farrel and every other Irishman is so much fun to watch. He's incredibly hard to watch, but as opposed to confusing the audience, the characters that talk with him in the movie are just as confused, leaving it as a recurring joke that just makes you smile.

The film also features a squeaking dog. That is all. 

As you can tell, I'd highly recommend this flick. It's the perfect blend of comedy and action and manages to combine ridiculous situations with a touch of realism that makes everything work. It's certainly a Ritchie film and while many have tried to duplicate his style, he's still the master of his 'genre'. The characters are all colorful and fully-fleshed out and each story that unfolds is more exciting than the previous. Everything works and the final product is worth all of your time and effort. You'll laugh, you'll cringe, and you'll be shocked at a lot of what plays out on screen. Not many movies can do that effectively so when you can find one like Snatch, you know it's a keeper. 

The Good:

unexpected turns that leave you floored, but also makes you laugh the moment after (or even during)

The Better:

a great cast filled to the brim with character actors you'd recognize from everything, led by the terrific Brad Pitt who wanted to make the film because of how much he loved Guy Ritchie

The Best:

it's fun and original... something you never get these days

Overall: 8.8/10

Trailer:

Aug 21: Se7en

"Two detectives, a rookie and a veteran, hunt a serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins as his modus operandi."

Directed by: David Fincher, Rated: R, 127 minutes

There aren't as many serial killers movies as one would think, let alone effective ones. The idea of a man (or woman) going around a city murdering unsuspecting people, leaving calling cards or signatures, has always been a creepy fascination a lot of us have. But in that fascination, there is fear and one would think that movies inspired by that fear would be aplenty. Some of cinematic history's greatest villains are serial killers- Norma Bates (Psycho), Alex DeLarge (A Clockwork Orange), Hannibal Lecter (The Silence of the Lambs). These performances are also considered some of the best of all time, so perhaps a big reason there aren't as many serial killer flicks is because of the level set so high by these previous people. However, David Fincher has managed to produce two terrific movies about this topic- Zodiac, an underrated masterpiece about the Zodiac Killer, and his most certain masterpiece, Se7en.

The movie also has the most disturbing opening credits of all time. 

Se7en follows Dt. David Mills (Brad Pitt) and Dt. William Sommerset (Morgan Freeman) as they pursue a serial killer that bases each of his murders on one of the seven deadly sins. As the two detectives get closer to discovering the identity of the killer, they're thrown into a loop and find themselves even further away. The film's plot is formulaic, and you know that another body will be discovered every fifteen minutes or so, but the way Fincher crafts the story makes everything more intense and downright eerie. Going into the film, most people are aware of the seven deadly sins, but the creativity (if that's the right word) that goes into each of the murders, turns the film into something you can quite never expect. 

You won't be able to eat spaghetti for a long time after watching the film. 

As in all of his films, Fincher throws fully fleshed out characters into an absolutely miserable and bleak setting, where right off the bat he abandons all hope. You're constantly on edge, as are the characters, and each turn holds a danger you know is there, but still can't avoid. It's full force fear in the most successful way, and Se7en grabs your throat at the beginning of the film and only lets go (and throws you to the ground) days after the credits roll. Se7en also features one of the most compelling, frustrating, and genius endings in movie history and brings everything together in the most depressing way possible. As for the identity of the killer, you're completely left in the dark with the detectives, and it's only when they know "whodunit", that the audience is aware as well. Se7en also has terrific performances from both Pitt and Freeman as well as a phenomenal performance from the killer (who's identity I will not disclose for those who have not seen the film). 

Who is the man behind the murders? *ominous music*

I cannot recommend this film enough. Fincher has quite the filmography under his belt, with films (along with the previously mentioned Fight Club and Zodiac) such as The Game, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Panic Room, and The Social Network. With films like those, it means a lot when I say that Se7en is his best film. It's full of f**ked up imaginative murders, taps into the fear we all have, and creates something so dark with no hope you can't help but feel uncomfortable. The audience only witness the destruction one man puts out on a bunch of strangers, and while we never see the actual act of murder happen on film, the consequences and aftermath are all on display. Each glimpse leaves you bothered but also intrigued, and while the film doesn't make you a bad person, it taps into a part of your curiosity you probably wouldn't want on display. 

The Good:
great performances from the entire cast, who are each given moments to shine
The Better:
masterful sequences that play close to even the smallest of details, showcasing a man so disturbed and so twisted, yet genius in his work
The Best:
an overall eerie feeling that doesn't leave you right away and a lasting effect that leaves you knowing full well that you just witnessed a masterpiece

Overall: 9.7/10

Trailer:

May 21: The Tree of Life

"A family with three boys in the 1950s. The eldest son witnesses the loss of innocence."

So, after months of putting it off, I have finally seen The Tree of Life. I have had it sitting in my room forever, never really finding the time to sit down and watch it, knowing it's a rather heavy experience with a lot of "what the hell is going on?" moments. I decided to just give it a go, popped it in the Blu-ray player (yeah, fancy), and sat back for two and a half hours as I watched one of the most beautiful, yet confusing, films I have ever seen. Directed by the ever elusive Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life is both a film packed with symbolism (I think?) and meticulous crafting. 

And there are dinosaurs! I know! I have no idea why either!

The Tree of Life is a story of how the world began, starting at The Big Bang, taking a quick stop in the 1950s to focus on a family, then jumping to modern day, followed by the end of the world. So much happens and every single scene is shot as though it is its own work of art. As we travel through time, we witness nature at its beginnings and the eventual evolution of life. There really is no story to these scenes and the bulk of the plot is what happens when we see the O'Brien family (patriarch- Brad Pitt), struggling with their own problems. Every member of the family is cast perfectly and the acting is amazing, especially by Pitt and his sons. Jack (Hunter McCracken who also wins best name ever) is the eldest son and the primary focus of the story. His struggles with his over-authoritative father (Pitt) are the main conflict, and we see Jack becoming a man of his own. His encounters with friends, his brothers, his faith, and his family all leave much to question, as the tribulations seem so minuscule to the fact we're also on a journey through time. I think that's the point however, and that love conquers all?

Holy Hell does that not look like the spitting image of Pitt hanging off his shoulders?

The Tree of Life is an experience. Similar to Enter the Void (review) and 2001: A Space Odyssey, the primary focus is on the visuals with very little dialogue. Every shot is gorgeous and the cinematography is mind-blowing. Malick has a reverence to his story and for film itself, and his approach to film-making is incredible. Malick's visuals and special effects are accompanied by an equally amazing soundtrack and, if time traveling is this beautiful, I would love my own Tardis and/or DeLorean. The Tree of Life is a must see, but must be watched with an open mind and a lot of patience. 

The Good:

a unique movie experience that has much more meaning and symbolism to be understood in one viewing and leaves a lot to be discussed

The Better:

incredible acting by the entire cast, with noteworthy performances by the three brothers, Brad Pitt, and Jessica Chastain

The Best:

mesmerizing special effects and visuals that are heightened by an equally tremendous score 

Overall: 8.6/10

One of the best trailers I have ever seen: