Movie of the Week - Garden State

This week’s movie is Garden State (2004).

The film is about a young man, disconnected from society, who returns home to New Jersey for his mother’s funeral. There, he reconnects with friends and his father after being gone for a decade. He also meets a girl who might finally bring some meaning to his life. The movie is directed, written and starred in by Zach Braff and represents one of the better first features of the decade. The film through its soundtrack also helped establish for the mainstream bands like The Shins, while sort of letting everyone in on what music was cool then (as some movies seem to do now and then). The film features strong performances from Natalie Portman and Peter Sarsgaard and great small bits from Ian Holm, Jim Parsons and Ron Leibman. What makes the movie great, however, is the script and Braff’s visual composition focusing on the fringe element of society (so to speak) – those not totally outside, but not the norm either. Check out the trailer.

Garden State [DVD]

Matt Damon – Movies Spotlight – March 2010

Matt Damon has become one of the biggest stars in Hollywood over the past two decades. He is in this month’s action thriller Green Zone, marking his third collaboration with director Paul Greengrass. Damon has been able to grow his career balancing dramatic, action and fun roles in both independent and Hollywood movies, which has now firmly established him as an “A List” actor – and a great one at that.

Early Career:

In 1988 Damon got his first film role in Mystic Pizza (which was Julia Roberts breakout film), though he only had one line. From there, he continued to take small roles in the television movie Rising Son and School Ties (which also features Ben Affleck). In 1993 he finally got a decent sized role in Geronimo: An American Legend, however he would continue to toil away in small roles in Glory Daze (a college-comedy which stars young Affleck, Sam Rockwell and French Stewart) and Courage Under Fire until his breakthrough finally came in 1997.

Breakthrough:

1996 was a good year for Damon. He began work on Francis Ford Coppola’s The Rainmaker and his breakout film Good Will Hunting. Damon and best friend Affleck wrote the screenplay for Good Will Hunting and pitched it around Hollywood. They even wanted another of their friends, Kevin Smith, to make the film, as he broke into the industry as a director on the success of his film Clerks. But Smith thought they should get someone who could do justice to their film. It turned out to be good advice as they were able to attach Gus Van Sant to the film. In 1997, Good Will Hunting was met with critical and commercial success garnering Damon and Affleck each an Oscar for best original screenplay and bolstering both of their acting careers tremendously. The film was also nominated for best picture and won Robin Williams a supporting actor Oscar as well. On the set of Good Will Hunting, Damon met Steven Spielberg who then cast him in Saving Private Ryan. There is a rumor that famed screenwriter William Goldman did extensive rewrites on the script, but they have been disavowed by all parties. Goldman did however offer notes on how to make the film more marketable to Hollywood, as did Rob Reiner. With the success of the film, Damon took roles in Rounders, Smith’s Dogma and The Talented Mr. Ripley. In The Talented Mr. Ripley, Damon solidified himself as not only a fine actor but a bankable and marketable rising star. The film proved to Hollywood that his success in Good Will Hunting was not a fluke.

The Hollywood Game:

Now having established himself in the film industry, Damon began receiving many offers and many roles. Thus, the Hollywood Game had begun. Picking the right projects to build a career is delicate with some luck sprinkled in. Coming off The Talented Mr. Ripley, Damon took a voice-acting role in Titan A.E., co-stared with Will Smith in The Legend of Bagger Vance (which is a little underrated) and the lead in All the Pretty Horses. All three were considered failures. But, as luck would have it, Damon had a role in the first of two franchises that would propel him to the top: Ocean’s Eleven. It is in Ocean’s Eleven that he would meet, now good friends, George Clooney and Brad Pitt, who would also get Damon involved in charitable work, which he is a strong proprietor of at present. It is also in this film were Damon would establish a long working relationship with Steven Soderbergh. In 2001, Damon would also start the first of three Project Greenlights with Ben Affleck, giving new filmmakers a chance to break into the industry, and he took another voice role in Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron as well as appearing in Van Sant’s indie Gerry, which he co-wrote. Then came his next big franchise and hit: The Bourne Identity. Again, maybe some luck, or just good foresight by director Doug Liman as Damon did not fit what people typically thought of as an action star. But Damon was and is fantastic in the role. From there Damon took roles in Stuck On You and The Brothers Grimm (a frenetically strange film, which also stars Heath Ledger and Lena Headey), working with The Farrelly Brothers and Terry Gilliam, respectively. He also made Ocean’s Twelve and his first with Paul Greengrass The Bourne Supremacy, which took the series to a new high critically.

Elite Actor:

Starting in 2005, Damon started to take on more serious dramatic roles. Elevated by the success of the Bourne films, he was able to have more control over his career and who he would work with. He first took a role in the Clooney Soderbergh produced political thriller Syriana, then Martin Scorsese’s Academy Award winning The Departed and Robert De Niro’s underrated The Good Shepherd. Those three films, staring opposite Leonardo DiCaprio and Angelina Jolie in the later two, cemented Damon into the Hollywood elite as not only an actor capable of receiving acclaim for his performances but also an actor to bring audiences to the cinema. Now fully established, Damon capped off his two series with Ocean’s Thirteen and The Bourne Ultimatum. Damon then took some time off, only doing a few cameos and a voice role for the English dubbing of Ponyo. He was back in 2009 with two award nominated performances a golden globe nod for Soderbergh’s The Informant! and his second acting Oscar nod for Invictus (the first acting Oscar nod was for leading actor in Good Will Hunting).

Cameos:

Damon has made a number of memorable cameo appearances throughout his career. For director Kevin Smith, Damon appears as an executive in Chasing Amy and later mimics the role in Jersey Girl. He also pokes fun of Good Will Hunting in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. Gus Van Sant’s Finding Forester harkens back to Good Will Hunting in its story nature, and Damon has a timely cameo near the end. Damon does a small voice role in The Majestic, plays one of the bachelors on the game show in George Clooney’s Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, and has a humorous role in Euro Trip. More recently, he has short appearances in Coppola’s Youth Without Youth and Soderbergh’s Che: Part Two.

Future and Upcoming Films:

Along with Green Zone, coming this month, Damon also has a small role in Margaret, The Adjustment Bureau, Hereafter, and likely True Grit coming this year. Margaret is a drama staring Anna Paquin about a girl who witnesses an accident and gets wrapped up in the aftermath. The Adjustment Bureau is a sci-fi romance co-staring Emily Blunt about a couple that is affected by mysterious forces keeping them apart. It is from the screenwriter of The Bourne Ultimatum and Ocean’s Twelve, George Nolfi, and is based on a Philip K. Dick short-story. Next is Clint Eastwood’s Hereafter; written by Peter Morgan, it is a supernatural thriller centered on three people who are touched by death in different ways. True Grit from the Coen Brothers is a western based on the Charles Portis novel about a tough U.S. Marshall who helps a young women track down her mother’s murderer. It also stars Jeff Bridges and Josh Brolin. John Wayne also stared in an adaptation of the same novel in 1969 also called True Grit, but the Coen Brothers have not based their script on the film, rather on the novel. Farther in the future, Damon has been linked to two Soderbergh projects: Liberace and the ensemble piece Contagion. Damon is also attached to play Robert Kennedy in Gary Ross’s film. And finally, Damon wants to work with Affleck on a film about members on the Yankees in the 70s who wife swapped. Damon also wants to start directing his own films.

Matt Damon Box Set (Selected Filmography/Career Highlights):

1.)          Good Will Hunting (1997) – leading actor, writer [Blu-ray/DVD]

2.)          Saving Private Ryan (1998) – supporting actor* [Blu-ray/DVD]

3.)          Rounders (1999) – leading actor* [Blu-ray/DVD]

4.)          The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) – leading actor [DVD]

5.)          Dogma (1999) – supporting actor* [Blu-ray/DVD]

6.)          Ocean’s Eleven (2001) – supporting actor [Blu-ray/DVD]

7.)          The Bourne Identity (2002) – leading actor [Blu-ray/DVD Combo]

8.)          The Bourne Supremacy (2004) – leading actor* [Blu-ray/DVD Combo]

9.)          The Departed (2006) – leading actor* [Blu-ray/DVD]

10.)      The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) – leading actor [Blu-ray/DVD Combo]

11.)      Invictus (2009) – supporting actor [not yet released]

* Editor’s picks

Movie of the Week - The Hunt for Red October

This week’s movie is The Hunt for Red October (1990).

The film is the first of four in the Jack Ryan series (based on the Tom Clancy novels), and is a cold war action thriller about the USSR’s top submarine captain, in command of their newest and best sub, who defies orders and sets a course for the USA. Jack Ryan and other CIA analysts try to ascertain whether he is trying to defect or start a war. The film is the last great film from John McTiernan (and the last of the McTiernan quality action trilogy – Predator, Die Hard and this). The film has strong leads in Sean Connery and Alec Baldwin (who is a good Jack Ryan and played it much differently than what most consider the quintessential Jack Ryan in Harrison Ford’s portrayal), while also having a great group of supporting and bit actors – Scott Glenn, Sam Neill, James Earl Jones, Rick Ducommun, Tim Curry, Stellan Skarsgard, and Jeffrey Jones. McTiernan also brought his Die Hard D.P., Jan de Bont, back to shoot the film, while Basil Poledouris (who scored many classic 80s film like RoboCop and Red Dawn) was hired to put music to the film. What makes it great are the performances, the mix of action, tension and spy coolness, and style that McTiernan brought to his early films – humor, action, suspense all melded together to make an entertaining end product. Check out the trailer.

The Hunt for Red October [Blu-ray/DVD]

At the Movies – March 2010

Must See in Theatres:

Green Zone (Paul Greengrass) – Thriller – Mar 12

A war thriller about a US Army officer who discovers that military intelligence given to him in his mission to locate WMDs is fabricated. He then goes rogue to uncover the conspiracy. The film is the third collaboration between director Greengrass and star Matt Damon. And like the two Bourne films they did together, this looks to be realistic and gritty. The film also boasts a supreme supporting cast including Jason Isaacs, Brendan Gleeson, Amy Ryan, and Greg Kinnear. Greengrass has also employed The Hurt Locker’s Barry Ackroyd to shoot the film (which is awesome) along with other frequent collaborators composer John Powell and production designer Dominic Watkins. The script is by action/thriller writer Brian Helgeland (who is having a busy year with Robin Hood and Salt coming in the summer). All in all, the film looks to be a solid action based war thriller with strong performances and a great director and team behind the camera. Check out the trailer.

Worth Checking Out (if not in theatres then at home):

Alice in Wonderland (Tim Burton) – Adventure – Mar 5

An adventure fantasy film about Alice, now 19, she returns to the magical world of her childhood, where she learns of her destiny to defeat the Red Queen. In typical style, Burton has fashion the world of Alice to look and feel like much of his other films. To do this, he has enlisted many of his customary collaborators, like composer Danny Elfman and actors Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Cater. However, Burton has also added some new people to his team including Avatar production designer Robert Stromberg (probably since this will be in 3-D too) and Pirates of the Caribbean cinematographer Dariusz Wolski to add to the epic sense of the journey that Alice must now embark on. Along with Depp and Carter, Burton cast a lot of good performers including: Anne Hathaway, Stephen Fry, Michael Sheen, and Alan Rickman (among others); but it is his casting of relative newcomer Mia Wasikowska (who is quite good in Defiance) as Alice that could elevate this over his last few pictures. This new Alice in Wonderland looks to be bigger and darker than the 1951 Disney animated feature, and hopefully it will be just as good. Check out the trailer.

Brooklyn’s Finest (Antoine Fuqua) – Crime – Mar 5

A crime drama about three unconnected cops in Brooklyn with differing careers whose paths begin to intertwine with deadly ramifications, the film is directed by Fuqua who is best known for his work on Training Day. The film looks like it is a return to the genre in which he succeeded in, following a number of less successful critical outings. In terms of cast, Ethan Hawke is back (though this is not a sequel), Don Cheadle and Wesley Snipes star, as well as Richard Gere (which should be interesting as his appearance seems out of place). Vincent D’Onofrio, Ellen Barkin and Michael K. Williams (yep, Omar from The Wire) also have supporting roles. Overall, it is a good cast. It will be interesting to see if Fuqua can bring back the same flair for the material, capturing good performances and entertaining the audience with his very capably shot action sequences. Check out the trailer.

Good for Dates:

Remember Me (Allen Coulter) – Romance – Mar 12

A romance about two lovers whose relationship is in peril as they deal with their respective family tragedies, the film is by TV-director Coulter, who has done fine work on many HBO shows but his last venture into features was (the less than good) Hollywoodland. The film stars Lost’s Emilie de Ravin and Robert Pattinson, and represents Summit Entertainment’s experiment – postulating that it is Pattinson and not Edward Cullen who is the box office draw (we shall see). Pierce Brosnan and Chris Cooper play supporting roles and add some experience to the cast. Jonathan Freeman is shooting the film – his lighting was the best part of Hollywoodland and he did great work on Rome. The film looks to present its young actors with some good dramatic work and this time hopefully Coulter can translate his fine work on the small screen to the silver screen. Check out the trailer.

She’s Out of My League (Jim Field Smith) – Romance/Comedy – Mar 12

A comedy about a nerdy guy that get a chance with a girl, thought to be so attractive that he really has no business being with her, the film is the first feature by Jim Field Smith. The film stars Alice Eve and Jay Baruchel and the hot girl and the dweeb. The premise of the film does not really endear it as something that could be called a must see, but surprisingly it looks funny in its advertisements. And, Baruchel is both a very funny and talented actor (see his work in Real Time, Just Buried and I’m Reed Fish for reference) and should make the story play better due to his involvement. The film at best will probably be a lighthearted good time at the cinema. Check out the trailer.

Fun Movies:

The Bounty Hunter (Andy Tennant) – Comedy – Mar 19

A comedy about a bounty hunter who learns that his next assignment is his ex-wife, a reporter digging into a murder cover-up, he thinks it will be an easy target until he realizes that she is in serious danger. The film stars Gerard Butler and Jennifer Aniston as the dysfunctional couple. Director Tennant has made a number of fun rom-coms in the past (most notably Hitch), and in Fool’s Gold (while not the best film) he blends action and adventure well into the rom-com formula, which should translate fittingly in this film too. While the movie will likely not be what one might call good cinema, it has the potential to be a fun mindless escape (and those are good too from time to time). Check out the trailer.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Thor Freudenthal) – Comedy – Mar 19

Based on the novel by Jeff Kinney about a wise-cracking middle school student, the film is by kids-movie director Freudenthal. The film stars relative newcomer Zachary Gordon and features supporting performances from Chloe Moretz (who is looking to have a breakout year with next month’s Kick-Ass and the remake of Let the Right One In in the fall), Rachel Harris and Steve Zahn. Despite the fact that the film is clearly made for kids, based on the trailer, it looks to have a broader appeal. Check out the trailer.

How to Train Your Dragon (Dean DeBlois & Chris Sanders) – Animation – Mar 26

An adventure film about a young Viking who does not quite fit in, he aspires to hunt dragons like the warriors of his tribe, but upon discovering a dragon, he befriends it and learns that there is more to the creatures than anyone ever thought. The film is directed by the team of DeBlois and Sanders, who did Lilo & Stitch for Disney (and I assume that DreamWorks Animation stole them away for this). The film has a great voice cast, staring Jay Baruchel and also featuring Gerard Butler, America Ferrera, Craig Ferguson, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, and Kristin Wiig. The film is yet another 3-D experience, as is everything it seems, whether it should be or not. This is again a children’s film that looks to have a broader appeal, and Baruchel should bring a lot of humor to the lead. Check out the trailer.

Hot Tub Time Machine (Steve Pink) – Comedy – Mar 26

A comedy about four friends that get into a hot tub in 2010 and when they get out they come to realize that they have returned to the 80s. The film is by the team of John Cusack, producing and acting, and Steve Pink, directing, who also worked together on Grosse Pointe Blank and High Fidelity, though Pink did not direct either of those, his only other helming job being Accepted. Along with Cusack, the film also stars Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson and Clark Duke. The plot of the film is something that has been done many times and ways before, this time round Chevy Chase plays the mastermind behind the time-traveling. But it feels like the plot is not really the point, rather the film uses it as a mechanism to allow the filmmakers to compose jokes with 80s nostalgia while being self-referential. Check out the trailer.

Art-House Watch:

The Secret of Kells (Tomm Moore & Nora Twomey) – Animation – Mar 5 (NYC)

An adventure film about Ireland’s Book of Kells, an illuminated manuscript, and the young boy that journey to protect it and save his people from invading barbarians. The film comes from Ireland’s film community and was a surprise nominee for this year’s best animated film Oscar – a surprise, not because of quality, rather because most Americans have never heard of it. The film features an unknown (at least for Americans) voice-cast, save Brendan Gleeson, and a very interesting and artist animation style. Check out the trailer.

The Runaways (Floria Sigismondi) – Biography/Music – Mar 19 (LA/NYC)

A biopic about the 70s teenage band The Runaways, the film is writer/director Floria Sigismondi’s feature debut. The project, however, seems like the right fit for her, as she has directed music videos for David Bowie, plus Joan Jett is on board with executive producer. Sigismondi also has talented people working with her in front of and behind the camera. Eugenio Caballero is the production designer on the film (worked The Limits of Control and Pan’s Labyrinth). A good young cast stars featuring Kristin Stewart, Dakota Fanning, Scout Taylor-Compton, and Arrested Development’s Alia Shawkat. Michael Shannon (who was amazing in Revolutionary Road) co-stars. The film looks to be artistic, based on the directors previous work, and should feature good performances and a good soundtrack. Check out the trailer.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Niels Arden Oplev) – Thriller – Mar 19 (Limited)

A Swedish thriller based on Stieg Larsson’s novel about the unlikely team of a disgraced financial writer and tattooed ruthless computer hacker who investigate the disappearance of a woman, who vanished forty years ago, the film is slated as the breakout film for director Niels Arden Opley. The film won best picture at the Swedish Oscars. Check out the trailer.

Greenberg (Noah Baumbach) – Drama – Mar 26 (Limited)

A drama about a New Yorker who moves to LA to housesit for his brother, an excuse for him to sit around and try to figure out his life; however his self-imposed apathy is confronted when he begins to fall for his brother’s assistant.  After the success of The Squid and the Whale followed by the disappointment of Margot at the Wedding, the film is Noah Baumbach’s third and was co-written with wife Jennifer Jason Leigh, who also has a role in the film. Behind the camera, Baumbach has Scott Rudin producing (who has produced Wes Anderson’s films, a friend/collaborator of Baumbach’s), Harris Savides shooting the movie and features music by LCD Sound System’s James Murphy. The film stars Ben Stiller in a funny yet more dramatic role; while in addition to Leigh, Greta Gerwig and Rhys Ifans co-star. The film should be along the same lines thematically as Baumbach’s earlier work, but hopefully will incorporate more of the character and humor of The Squid and the Whale (and less of the not goodness of Margot at the Wedding). Check out the trailer.

Prudent Purchase List – March

Prudent Purchase New Releases:


1.) Breaking Bad: The Complete Second Season [Blu-ray/DVD] – Mar 16
2.) Toy Story [Blu-ray/DVD Combo] – Mar 23
3.) Toy Story 2 [Blu-ray/DVD Combo] – Mar 23
4.) Mad Men: Season 3 [Blu-ray/DVD] – Mar 23
5.) Fantastic Mr. Fox [Blu-ray/DVD] – Mar 23

Other New Releases/Updates:


1.) Where the Wild Things Are [Blu-ray/DVD] – Mar 2
2.) Up in the Air [Blu-ray/DVD] – Mar 9
3.) Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire [Blu-ray/DVD] – Mar 9
4.) Brothers [Blu-ray/DVD] – Mar 23
5.) Red Cliff International Version – Parts I & II [Blu-ray/DVD] – Mar 23
6.) The African Queen [Blu-ray/DVD] – Mar 23
7.) Days of Heaven (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray/DVD] – Mar 23
8.) Sherlock Holmes [Blu-ray/DVD] – Mar 30
9.) An Education [Blu-ray/DVD] – Mar 30
10.) Alice in Wonderland (2 Disc Un-Anniversary Edition) [DVD] – Mar 30

Movie of the Week - Trainspotting

This week’s movie is Trainspotting (1996).

The film is a comedy/drama based on Irvine Welsh’s novel about a young man deeply immersed in the Edinburgh drug scene who tries to get out and get clean despite the allure of that around him, his friends, drugs, social situation. The film was the breakout hit for Danny Boyle (who won a best director Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire), which got him a deal with Fox and international exposure. Boyle worked with many of his early frequent collaborators on the film including: actor Ewan McGregor, writer John Hodge, producer Andrew Macdonald, cinematographer Brian Tufano, editor Masahiro Hirakubo, production designer Kave Quinn, and music by Underworld. This team helped shape the look and feel of most of Boyle’s work. The film has a great cast in addition to McGregor, especially Ewen Bremmer, Jonny Lee Miller, Kevin McKidd, Robert Carlyle, and then newcomer Kelly Macdonald. What makes the film great is its characters, its soundtrack, the dialogue – the experience of watching the film, being engrossed in the culture that the film portrays. Check out the trailer.

Trainspotting [Blu-ray/DVD]