Sept 30: Looper

"In 2072, when the mob wants to get rid of someone, the target is sent 30 years into the past, where a hired gun awaits. Someone like Joe, who one day learns the mob wants to 'close the loop' by transporting back Joe's future self."

Directed by: Rian Johnson, Rated: R, 118 minutes

In a day and age where everything that comes to theaters is seemingly another remake, reboot, adaptation, or spin-off, original ideas are hard to come by. With Looper, writer/director Rian Johnson gives us something we have never seen before, pushing the limits of our imaginations and our intelligence as a movie-going audience. It's packed full of visual marvels, has one of the most unique stories I've seen, incredible makeup, and has some pretty damn fine acting from its rather small cast. 

The whole thing just reeks of cool. 

In the future, murder has become something of the past, with tracking devices preventing people from killing off one another. So, the mob utilizes time travel when they want to get rid of someone, sending them back 30 years to be knocked off. Loopers, who work in the present time, are then waiting for their targets to be sent back, and kill them immediately after they arrive. Joe (Levitt) is one of the best and does his job without question. However, when he comes face to face with himself from the future (Old Joe, Bruce Willis), he hesitates pulling the trigger and accidentally lets himself go. What then unfolds is a manhunt through the city, as Joe knows if he can't find Old Joe, he'll be dead sooner than later. The events in the big city lead to a quiet farm in the middle of nowhere where a young woman, Sara (Emily Blunt) and her son, Cid (Pierce Gagnon), play a rather important role in the decisions Joe makes in his hunt for himself. 

Oh, and there's a terrific Jeff Daniels that provides a couple of twisted laughs as Abe, the man in charge of the Loopers. 

If the above description sounds confusing, I apologize. Looper is far from confusing, with everything explained quite simply, with very little loose ends left hanging about by its conclusion. Rian Johnson manages to create a script that's not only mind-blowing in it's originality, but it actually makes sense. The twists and turns the film carries out are also quite unexpected, even when you think you know where the movie is heading. It's in this that the film really shines, as something that makes you think, while leaving you vulnerable for a twist, is quite refreshing. 

Give this guy $200 million and let him make whatever he wants with it!

Along with the script, Looper has some of the best makeup work I have ever seen. The filmmakers used practical effects, makeup, and prosthetic work to turn Joseph Gordon-Levitt into a younger Bruce Willis. Along with Levitt's acting, he completely morphs into Willis, and it's easy to believe they're the same person, or at least related. At first, I thought this idea would be very distracting (from what the trailers made you believe), but the final product is flawless. It's remarkable what they are able to do with a bit of makeup and some plastic, and I expect the makeup department to receive some recognition come the Oscars. It's also worth noting that the special effects look great as well, with Johnson painting a "could-be" picture of the future, blending the familiar with ideas we know are on the horizon. It's dark, it's sad, it's plagued by the poor, and the technology is both plausible and futuristic. 

This video doesn't quite do the comparisons justice, but you can get a feel of how good the makeup is. 

Of course, a movie can't be incredible with just a smart script and stylish visuals. The acting in Looper is some of the best of the year, even resurrecting a rather stale Bruce Willis and reminding us that he can still kick ass and actually act. He has a handful of heart-wrenching scenes that could easily be dismissed with poor acting, but Willis does a fine job in them and really impresses. As mentioned, Joseph Gordon-Levitt does a great job as Joe, bringing his usual charisma and likability to a character who does a lot of dirty work. Emily Blunt also delivers a great performance as the tough "because she has to be", Sara. She's alone on a farm, with just her son, and is strong enough to be believable as a young woman doing it all on her own. And she's sexy, even when she's made to look more "plain". But, the star of the show is the young Pierce Gagnon. This kid gives us some of the best acting I have ever (and I mean ever) seen in someone his age, and he proves to be much smarter than his youth would make you believe. 

This kid CAN act!

Looper is one of the best movies of the year and one of the smartest films to come out in the last decade or so. With an intelligent script that leaves you guessing, great visuals and even better acting, the movie fully delivers. I had this flick on my list of films I could not wait to see, and had actually managed to avoid as much information about it to stay away from spoilers. What I can say is that the few trailers I did see gave absolutely nothing away about the story, and I have to give a tip of the hat to the marketers behind it. There's much, much more at the heart of the story than just your run-of-the-mill action movie, and seeing it all play out is so much fun. Do yourself a favor and reward yourself with Looper. You won't be disappointed. I cannot wait to see what Rian Johnson does next. 

The Good:
great makeup work and visuals that feel like nothing you've seen, and manage to turn something that could have been campy and distracting, into a work of art
The Better:
marvelous performances but a stellar cast, and an introduction to a young talent that has quite the future for himself
The Best:
a great story about time-traveling that doesn't feel too confusing, and manages to deliver something smart

Overall: 9.5/10

Trailer:

Sept 8: Sin City

"A film that explores the dark and miserable town, Basin City, and tells the story of three different people, all caught up in violent corruption."

Directed by: Frank Miller & Robert Rodriguez, Rated: R, 124 minutes

Sin City is a film with balls- big, violent, hilarious balls. It's like nothing you've seen before and is a festival of eye candy, with each scene looking sexier than the last. The film features one hell of a cast, all obviously having one hell of a fun time with it, and manages to turn something 'pulpy' into something that's worth every moment of your time. It's simply too cool to ignore, even if you're not a fan of a violent, over-the-top, good ol' fashioned orgy of awesome. 

And Jessica Alba plays a stripper. That is all. 

In the city of Basin City, criminals and prostitutes are at every corner. You survive by paying off the cops, being a badass yourself, or being a sexy dame a guy would kill for. Sin City focuses on three individuals in this ultra-violent "Gotham"- Dwight (Clive Owen), Hartigan (Bruce Willis), and Marv (Mickey Rourke). Dwight's a do-gooder who knows the streets as well as the women of Old Town (Basin City's version of a red-light district, but the "women of the night" are in charge, not the cops). Hartigan's a cop, one of the few good ones left in the city. He tracks down a girl kidnapped by a rapist and swears to do whatever it takes to keep her safe, even if it means losing his own life. Marv, a hulk of a man, is bullet-proof in his mission, seeking the murderer of a pretty whore that gave him too much attention. Throw in a constant narration from each of the men, detailing their lives with the most noir-esque lines you can imagine, and Sin City turns into the perfect combination of classic detective stories, pulp novels, and the grindhouse style of the 70s. 

The best part of the film is the visual style, being one of the most faithful comic adaptations (of any kind, actually) of all time. The pages of Frank Miller's graphic novels come to life on the screen, each scene literally ripped from the pages. Even the color palette, a heavy black and white with colors for accents, come straight out of the novels. Not only is this beautiful to watch, but the color scheme fits the stylized nature of the plot and turns something so violent and bloody into a work of art. Robert Rodriguez, best known for his Mariachi Trilogy and yes, Spy Kids, continues to show how incredible he is with a camera and creates his own unique masterpiece, giving so much depth and character to a 2D world that the genius Frank Miller created. 

Sin City is one of those films everyone needs to see, if just for the technical aspect alone. Yes, it's incredibly violent and and not for the weak of heart, but the gorgeous detail put into the film as well as the a group of characters so perfectly cast makes it easier to swallow. Sin City is an instant classic in its own genre and shows you that faithful adaptations do exist. While comic adaptations of every nature fly into theaters every summer, Sin City still remains the best, even after seven years and the continued promise of a sequel. As we all know, if you turn the right corner of Sin City, you can find anything. Here's hoping that anything is that sequel. 

Mickey Rourke was born to play Marv. 

The Good:

a great cast, with each actor fitting his/her role perfectly

The Better:

dialogue so rich with awesome, with every line reminiscent of something you'd read or hear in the 50s, when being cool was everywhere and a lit cigarette made you a badass

The Best:

a unique style that turns the film into something more than a run-of-the-mill action flick and proves that graphic novels can make a perfect leap to film

Overall: 9.5/10

Trailer:

If you're not sold on the film now, just take a look at the rest of the cast- Rosario Dawson, Michael Clarke Duncan (RIP), Elijah Wood, Carla Gugnio, Josh Hartett, Powers Boothe, Rutger Hauer, Benicio Del Toro, Brittany Murphy, Devon Aoki, Alexis Bledel, Jaime King, and Tommy Flanagan.  

June 24: Moonrise Kingdom

"A pair of young lovers flee their New England town, which causes a local search party to fan out and find them."

I am a huge fan of Wes Anderson and every single one of his films. I especially love Rushmore, Fantastic Mr. Fox, and even the underrated The Darjeeling Limited. He has a very unique approach to his movies, painting them as almost live-action storybooks, with vibrant colors, beautiful sets, and characters that are a little too over-the-top for the real world. He is certainly an acquired taste and many may find his movies to be a little too odd, but each one is its own work of art, and Moonrise Kingdom is no exception. In fact, it's one of Anderson's strongest, most imaginative films. 

The story follows Sam and Suzy (newcomers Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward), two young lovers who decide they have had enough with their families and friends and decide to run away together. The only thing, however, is that they are situated on a 16 mile island and don't have the widest of spaces to run off to. The runaways cause quite the ruckus in the small island community and everyone, from the only police officer, Captain Sharp (Bruce Willis), to a dedicated, yet confused Khaki Scout Master Ward (Edward Norton), join in the search for the two secret lovers. And thus, Moonrise Kingdom plays out in glorious fashion, mixing romantic and comedic themes, while interlacing a somewhat violent manhunt, as though the runaways are fugitives eluding capture. The shakeup of themes leads to a rather unpredictable story and makes it all the more enjoyable. 

Can't mention a Wes Anderson movie without talking about the good music, which also creates one of the most unique end-credit experiences. 

I would highly recommend Moonrise Kingdom. I am very sad to see the film is in such limited release, as a wider audience should have access to this work of art. Moonrise Kingdom has incredible attention to detail and each shot is set up beautifully, with each set constructed with great care and precision, each item and background creating another layer to this imaginative love story. The cast is flawless, and; Anderson was able to get two terrific performances out of the two leads, who both show signs that they certainly have what it takes to make it in Hollywood. The movie also features Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman (two Anderson staples) as well as Frances McDormand, Harvey Keitel, and Tilda Swinton. Wes Anderson continues to make magic in his movies and I eagerly anticipate whatever he has for us next. Watch Moonrise Kingdom, you won't regret it.

The Good:

such attention to detail that you can watch the movie several times and still miss little aspects

The Better:

a great script that is in true Anderson form, blending romantic, funny, and even dark themes to create a vibrant, colorful world and cast of characters

The Best:

that very cast, with each actor fitting his/her perfectly and showing that Anderson really does get the best performances out of everyone he works with

Overall: 9.2/10

Trailer:

June 4: The Fifth Element

"In the colorful future, a cab driver unwittingly becomes the central figure in the search for a legendary cosmic weapon to keep Evil and Mr Zorg at bay."

The Fifth Element is a fun, over-the-top, colorful trip through a twisted and vibrant future with an equally entertaining cast of characters. The Fifth Element, written and directed by Luc Besson (The Professional), is a passion project for the man and his creative talent oozes throughout it. The movie is clearly meant to be something special, and while it may not be the most profound or meaningful film, it is extremely unique and original. If you can just sit back and enjoy the film, without taking it seriously, you will love it. If, however, you're looking for another Star Wars, you're out of luck. While there is a lot of what you'd expect in this space action/comedy (creatures, a pretty evil villain, good vs. evil) there is also quite a bit of sex and a lot absolutely ridiculous situations. It's all in fun and I don't believe it to be any attempt to establish a truly developed universe on its own. 

Although it has quite the potential as ugly creatures are always a good place to start

Every five thousand years, a being called The Fifth Element comes to Earth, protecting mankind from evil. This supreme being harnesses the powers of the other four elements (fire, wind, earth, water) and saves the world. When The Evil, an evil entity planet/space thing enlists the help of Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg (Gary Oldman), a greedy inventor who only seeks wealth, to find the stones and prevent the Fifth Element from retrieving them and saving Earth. When the Element is destroyed in transit, scientists on earth revive it from its remains, creating Leeloo (Mila Jovovich), the perfect specimen. She escapes the facility and runs into Korben Dallas (Bruce Willis), a retired ex-military commando (pretty much Space John McClane). Dallas falls in love with Leeloo and after she becomes aware of her mission, he vows to help her retrieve the stones and protect her along the way. This was the best I could do explaining the story, as I found it rather confusing at first. There are other parties involved in the "race of the elements" and even an extremely flamboyant Ruby Rhod (Chris Tucker) getting caught up in the action and narrating it for his radio talk show. 

Shocking fact- in Chris Tucker's 12 year career, he has starred in only 10 films. Three of which are with Jackie Chan. Where the f**k are you, Chris!?

The Fifth Element is definitely worth watching. The film is a ride, simply put. It's fun, entertaining, easy to swallow, and insanely imaginative. Bruce Willis plays himself, in space, and whenever he does that (always), you know it's going to be good. Mila Jovovich is incredibly lovable as Leeloo, dancing the lines between cute, sexy, and badass all at once. Something she has now come to be known for. However, it's Chris Tucker who steals the show in a role he was born to play. He's hilarious, over-the-top (as is the entire movie), and his narrating of what's going on helps keep the comedic tone throughout. The Fifth Element is one of a kind. There is really no other movie like it and that's what makes it special. Colorful, extremely ludicrous, but oh, so creative, The Fifth Element is one of the best sci-fi movies ever made. 

The Good:

great special effects that help create a colorful, busy, crazy future

The Better:

an equally colorful cast of diverse characters that are all cast perfectly with noteworthy performances by Jovovich and Tucker

The Best:

the fact that the film was released 15 years ago and there has yet to be something as bizarre and lovable in the sci-fi genre...minus some dated technology, the film has really stood the test of time

Overall: 8.4/10

Trailer:

Discussion:

Is The Fifth Element a genuine classic or simply a cult-classic that will fade away to the realms of obscure movie references and trivia?