The Squid and the Whale

   Sorry for the delay! As I explained in my music blog college among other things have been keeping me hella busy. But to move onto the movie, The Squid and the Whale is one of my favorites. While Noah Baumbach is an unfavorable director in my eyes (Kicking and Screaming I actually turned off, but this and Greenberg were wonderful), this movie shows that he does know how to write a story that can blow my mind and help me connect with the characters. Such well created characters star in this. They are in depth and disgusting and beautiful just like real people. It deals with a messy divorce and the effects on two abnormal kids. I suggest it if you are a fan of Wes Anderson (Rushmore, Life Aquatic), mumblecore movies, or even just quirk humor.

Before Sunset

    I saw this movie without seeing the first in the series (Before Sunrise) and I thought it was incredible. Richard Linklater is a genius at dialogue for sure. If you are unfamiliar with that name, he has done Dazed and Confused, Slacker, Waking Life, and the more known School of Rock which is very unlike any of his other films. He has a certain quality in all his movies that makes you feel like you are watching people being filmed that didn't know they were being filmed. The dialogue is so real (this movie is basically 2 hours of them walking and talking), and there are so many small moments in this when you are basically screaming for them to just go for it! I would actually suggest watching this before you watch Before Sunrise if you haven't seen either. 9/10

Ocean's 11 (1960)

   Ocean's 11 is a great movie featuring the rat pack plus a few others. While the dialogue was hard to follow at first, I soon caught up and got engrossed in the story. They didn't change much in the remake so if you have seen the more recent one with George Clooney and Brad Pitt you know the general premise. Brilliant thieves in Las Vegas trying to rob the bank. A little less technology was used but they did have some sweet spy stuff back in the 60s! I actually prefer the original to the remake, so if you haven't seen it yet I would recommend it. I got the original and the three newer ones in one dvd case for $15 at target, which is a steal! Sidenote- it would be awesome to be a lawyer who only deals in copyright things like handling a remake of a movie. It would be awesome to be a lawyer in general. But anyway check this movie! Super smooth and suave! 7.5/10!

Sukiyaki Western Django

   When one hears the words "Japanese Western" one is left to assume that the mind will be blown. Especially when Quentin Tarantino's name is posted on the awesome steel dvd case. Well that was me last night when I spent a good amount of time trying to pick out a new movie to buy. All the actors are Japanese except for Quentin Tarantino who is really only in the movie for 2 scenes. All of these Japanese actors speak in english the entire time, and it is pretty obvious that the majority of them that have only one or two lines don't speak english. My best description for it if you haven't seen it is to picture the comic book esque gore of the Kill Bill's, give it a struggling story line that is difficult enough to keep the viewer's attention, add some of that Asian film cheese, mix it all together and throw it in way over saturated colors and you have your Sukiyaki Western Django alright.

       Now while I do sound cynical about all of this (which I am because I wasn't that entertained) it was pretty cool. I know you remember the gore in Kill Bill and how blood exploded out of paper cuts and etc etc, well that's similar to what this movie was like. So all the action scenes were thoroughly bad ass. There was also a machine gun in a couple scenes (awesome) so if you think you can withstand the spotty storyline, give it a view.

5.5/10

The Shining (1980)

    Kubrick's, The Shining has been held as one of the best psychological horror movies of all time and I would mostly have to agree with that. It takes you on a couple month journey transitioning from the hotter seasons into winter as a man and his family move into a hotel to watch it for the down season. As the movie goes on, Jack Nicholson's character gets more and more angry and seemingly crazy. Personally I thought it was a little bit too slow paced in the beginning, but Kubrick likes it like that I suppose. Once the movie kicked into action though, I couldn't think of anything else happening outside of the film. There are many horrifying scenes that will haunt you in nightmares for the following months after viewing, including the twin girls that want to play, the dead woman that Nicholson finds and kisses and the bartender going down on that bear demon thing.

    Like always this film is awesome and I recommend it, blah blah blah, it's basically a classic and pop culture references it so much for jokes and whatnot so you should probably see it just for that reason.

9/10

What movies would you guys like to see reviewed?

I have seen many a movie, and I'm just curious as to what movies my readers are into. Suggest a movie for me to review and I'll do it! Chances are I've already seen it so it should be fine, but if I haven't I'll get on the ol Netflix and give it a watch. Reply in a comment!

The Twilight Samurai

   Well as always spoilers are here so if you plan on watching this movie I would skip down to the second paragraph. This is by far the best samurai/martial arts movies I've seen in the last 5 years. It takes an interesting view on Japanese samurai during what I would guess is the Edo period, showing that Japanese samurais still looked at being a samurai as a monotonous task comparable to an office job of the 21st century. It also is a pretty in depth view on the main character who is an awkward, tired man who wants nothing more than to perform these daily routines in peace and wait for death. He does not want to advance in his life nor does he want to change anything. He is used to the things that he has come to tolerate and is seemingly afraid of change (shown by him denying his life-long love for the reason that he is afraid of things changing). Overall he ends up maturing and becoming a little more happy towards the end when he is forced to fight which I thought was pretty awesome because it made him finally break out a little bit. That brought him to accept his love's hand in marriage. Such an awesome ending. those last 15 minutes blew my mind.

   If you haven't seen it, I highly suggest it. Such an awesome story. The pace is slower, but it just shows how life was back then (well how I imagine it would be). The characters are all insanely developed and it is good basic storytelling at it's best. 8.5/10