Movie of the Week - The Thin Red Line

This week’s movie is The Thin Red Line (1998).

The film is about U.S. soldiers’ experiences of the battle of Guadalcanal during WWII, and while the film itself is fictional, it is based on James Jones’ autobiographical novel. The film is directed by Terrence Malick and was the first film he made since Days of Heaven (a twenty year break). The crew is superb on the film featuring a score by Hans Zimmer and wonderful cinematography by John Toll. It also boasts an all-star cast, though many of them are briefly in the film (check out the full credits). While the film could be compared to Saving Private Ryan, both coming out the same year, both taking place during WWII, both being nominated for a number of Oscars, the films are very different – Malick’s focuses on the emotion of the characters and features the landscape prominently, almost as a character onto itself (something that is apparent in all of his films). The story is secondary (almost fading away) to the emotion that the images evoke in the viewer, while Spielberg’s film is very story driven. The initial cut of the film was far too long; some estimates have it at ten hours and others at five. It took Malick and his multiple editors about two years to refine it down to its theatrical cut, and in the process losing performances from Billy Bob Thornton, Martin Sheen, Gary Oldman, Bill Pullman, Lukas Haas, Viggo Mortensen, and Mickey Rourke and by some accounts vastly altering the initial project. What makes the film great is that while it is an epic in scope, it feels very subdued and personal. Malick’s collaboration with Toll is beautiful and there is a great scene featuring John Cusack leading a charge on a hillside turret/bunker. This is a must see for fans of war movies and/or existentialist cinema. Check out the trailer.

The Thin Red Line (Criterion Collection Blu-ray/DVD/normal DVD)

At the Movies – June 2010

Must See in Theatres:

Toy Story 3 (Lee Unkrich) – Animation – Jun 18^th

The film is the third in the Toy Story series (obviously, unless the ‘3’ is a trick or ploy?) and focuses on Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the toys as they deal with Andy leaving for college and them being dumped in a day-care center. Just like Toy Story 2, the film has some new great characters and voice-actors: Bookworm voiced by Richard Kind, Lots-O’-Huggin’ Bear voiced by Ned Beatty, Mr. Pricklepants voiced by Timothy Dalton, Stretch the Octopus voiced by Whoopi Goldberg, Trixie voiced by Kristen Schaal (from Flight of the Conchords), Dolly voiced by Bonnie Hunt, and Ken voiced by Michael Keaton, among others. Along with these new characters, all the favorites return from the series (Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and Joan Cusack are all back). The director Lee Unkrich makes his solo directorial debut, but he did co-direct the Pixar films Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc. and Toy Story 2, so he has quite a strong background in good storytelling, in addition he worked as an editor on these and other Pixar films. The screenwriter Michael Arndt also has an interesting background, having previously written Little Miss Sunshine. It will be interesting to see how much of his voice finds its way into the story (his mix of sarcasm and depression in comedy – things not often found in films aimed at children, but Pixar does generally have a broader appeal). Pixar has a great track record and this is likely to be another wonderful film from them. Check out the trailer.

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

Get Him to the Greek (Nicholas Stoller) – Comedy – Jun 4^th

The film is about a record company intern who must get rock legend, Aldous Snow, to a concert at L.A.’s Greek Theatre. The problem is, Snow is in London and seemingly has no intention of making it to the show – basically it is a wacky road trip comedy. This movie is worth checking out due to who is involved. Director Nicholas Stoller’s last movie was Forgetting Sarah Marshall, which was brilliant (of course Jason Segel is not in this, nor did write the script this time, but…) Stroller is filling in for Segel this time writing the script, though based on interviews it sounds like a lot of the film is improvised comedy. Stroller has a good comedy writing background having worked on Judd Apatow’s Undeclared (Apatow is also producing this). Stroller has also brought back Forgetting Sarah Marshall composer Lyle Workman to score the film and hired (awesome) cinematographer Robert Yeoman to shoot it.  The film will also feature a number of music and star cameos (check the credits if you want to be spoiled). The film also has an excellent cast, starring Jonah Hill and Russell Brand, and featuring Rose Byrne, (Mad Men’s) Elisabeth Moss, Aziz Ansari, Colm Meaney, and Sean Combs. The film has the potential to be the best comedy of the summer (or at least in the top three). Check out the trailer.

The A-Team (Joe Carnahan) – Action – Jun 11^th

Based on the TV series of the same name, the film is about a group of Iraq War veterans who look to clear their names with the U.S. Military, having been framed. Director Joe Carnahan has made both a silly and outrageous action film in Smoking Aces and a crime drama thriller in Narc, so he has the tools to make a sold action thriller (I just hope it is more Narc than Smoking Aces). Carnahan also worked on the screenplay. Cinematographer Mauro Fiore is shooting the movie, which is a big plus as his last two movies were Avatar and The Kingdom. So the movie is going to have good action and look great. Another plus is that the film is being produced by action veterans Ridley and Tony Scott. The film also boasts a fantastic cast, Bradley Cooper, Liam Neeson, Sharlto Copley (from District 9), and Quinto ‘Rampage’ Jackson play the A-Team, while Jessica Biel and Patrick Wilson co-star. Original members of the A-Team, Dirk Benedict and Dwight Schultz, also appear in the film (too bad no Mr. T). The film looks to be a good mix of humor and outlandish action (something we come to expect from this type of blockbuster) and should be a fun time at the cinema. Check out the trailer.

Good for Dates:

Killers (Robert Luketic) – Romantic Comedy – Jun 4^th

The film is about a vacationing woman who meets the man of her dreams and they swiftly get married; only she does not know about his past. As they settle into their married life, his past suddenly and dangerously comes crashing back into their lives (this logline could really go any number of ways, but here they have rolled rom-com). Katherine Heigl reunites with her The Ugly Truth director, Luketic, for the film (is that a good thing?) and Ashton Kutcher is along for the ride this time and is producing. The movie looks a bit like Mr. & Mrs. Smith, only somewhat different, but the trailer definitely gives the same sort of vibe; although, Luketic has no experience shooting action sequences (but you have to learn sometime). The film has a good crew with Missy Stewart’s production design, Russell Carpenter’s camera and lighting and Rolfe Kent’s score. Along with Heigl and Kutcher, the film features Tom Selleck (which is probably awesome in a Mr. Baseball sort of way), Catherine O’Hara, Alex Borstein, and Rob Riggle. The film will probably be really generic and predictable, but sometimes that is the type of movie people like to see and will be good counter programming to all the action films (oh wait, this has action in it too, never mind). Check out the trailer.

Fun Movies:

Marmaduke (Tom Dey) – Comedy – Jun 4^th

The family film is about a suburban family that moves to a new neighborhood with their Great Dane, who seems to wreak havoc obliviously (basically it is like the producers saw Marley & Me and thought, hmmm, where can we get a film like that, saw the Marmaduke comic and poof, this film was made, it even has Owen Wilson in it). The film’s strength is in its live-action and voice cast, as it is pretty solid. Judy Greer, Lee Pace and William H. Macy star in the film, while Emma Stone, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Kiefer Sutherland, Sam Elliot, Steve Coogan, George Lopez, and Stacy Ferguson voice characters, and Owen Wilson voices the main character. Director Tom Dey has a fairly good background in comedy, though this seems to be the lightest of his four films. Hopefully a good cast will carry the film and make it enjoyable. Check out the trailer.

Splice (Vincenzo Natali) – Horror – Jun 4^th

The film is about two young ambitious yet rebellious scientists who defy legal and ethical borders and experiment splicing human and animal DNA resulting in a new organism. Director Vincenzo Natali comes from a background of small sci-fi thrillers so this is right in his wheelhouse (so to speak). The film stars Adrien Brody (the first of his two ‘What is he doing in this’ films of the summer, the other being Predators) and Sarah Polley. Natali has a good team working with him on the film: cinematographer Tetsuo Nagata, who should elevate the visual style and aesthetics of the film, production designer Todd Cherniawsky, who has a strong background in set design, and producers Joel Silver and Guillermo del Toro, both of whom bring their own set of skills. The film also tested well among viewers at screenings. The film should be a strong entry in the horror/thriller genre for the summer based on the production team. Check out the trailer.

The Karate Kid (Harald Zwart) – Action – Jun 11^th

The remake of the 1984 film is about a single mother and her son who move to China for a new work opportunity. The son is teased and picked on in school and thus embraces kung fu first as a way to fit in and survive, but later as a meaningful part of his life taught to him by a master in the art (essentially it is the same as the original movie). Director Harald Zwart does not have the best track record as a director, thus this film will have to live on its performances and story. It is screenwriter Christopher Murphy’s first produced script, so his success as a writer has yet to be determined. The film stars Taraji P. Henson, Jackie Chan (is anyone really surprised by this…did not think so) and Jaden Smith. The good part about Smith starring in this, his parents Will and Jada Pinkett Smith are producing and they have brought fantastic composer James Horner, cinematographer Roger Pratt and production designer Francois Seguin to the project (if only they could have hired a good director too) and Jackie Chan brought in one of his great stunt chorographers Gang Wu. Maybe all these great technical people can elevate the film. For many this is just another film (remake) that just did not need to be made (revisited), but it should serve as a decent kid’s film. Check out the trailer.

Jonah Hex (Jimmy Hayward) – Action – Jun 18^th

Based on the comic, the film is about a bounty hunter, who has one foot in the grave and one in the world of the living giving him supernatural abilities, that the U.S. military makes a deal with: his freedom if he can stop a terrorist bent on unleashing Hell on Earth. The directing-writing collaboration on this film is an odd one. Director Jimmy Hayward has his background solely in animation (Pixar films as an animator, and directed Horton Hears a Who! for Fox Animation – all films aimed at younger viewers), while screenwriters Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor specialize in absurdist overly crude action films (aka Crank). It will be interesting to see how this collaboration plays out. However, the good news is that Hayward definitely has a good visual eye (which is always a great bonus in film). The film has a good production team with producer Akiva Goldsman who has a strong background in sci-fi and action thrillers, composer John Powell who is know for his work on Paul Greengrass’ Bourne films and cinematographer Mitchell Amudsen who shot Transformers and other big action pictures. The highlight of this film however is the cast and the fact that it is a western action thriller (there really are not enough westerns these days). The cast boasts a very strong supporting cast with John Malkovich, Will Arnet, Michael Fassbender, Thomas Lennon, Michael Shannon (everyone should see his performance in Revolutionary Road), and Lance Reddick (from The Wire). There has also been a lot made about Megan Fox co-starring as a prostitute. Josh Brolin stars as Johan Hex and is a good choice to carry the film and, as seen in No Country for Old Men, is quite good in the western genre. The film should be interesting to say the least (be it good or bad) based on all involved. Check out the trailer.

Grown Ups (Dennis Dugan) – Comedy – Jun 25^th

The film is about five high school friends who reunite over the fourth of July holiday weekend. Everything about the film seems to have nostalgia for 90s’ comedies. It is directed by comedy veteran Dennis Dugan who made the films Problem Child, Happy Gilmore, Beverly Hills Ninja, and Big Daddy over the decade, co-written by Fred Wolf who wrote Black Sheep and Dirty Work over the decade, along with working on SNL and stars Adam Sandler (who also co-wrote the film), Chris Rock, Rob Schneider, David Spade, and Kevin James (who does not fit the 90s’ nostalgia, but I imagine this would be Chris Farley if he were still living). These actors were all (minus James) at the top of their game and fame in the 90s’ making most of the best comedies of the decade (The Wedding Singer, CB4, Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo, Tommy Boy, at least they were good at the time). Joining these comedic legends is a very good cast including Salma Hayek, Maya Rudolph, Steve Buscemi, Mari Bello, Jamie Chung, Tim Meadows (The Ladies Man), and Norm MacDonald (awesome, he really needs to be in more stuff). The cast alone is a good enough reason to see this. It is hard to imagine this film not being funny and entertaining, especially for fans of the actors’ many 90’s comedies. Check out the trailer.

Knight and Day (James Mangold) – Action – Jun 25^th

The film is an action-comedy about a secret agent who goes on a blind date with an unlucky-in-love woman and ends up pulling her into an adventure around the world to protect the key to an infinite power source, but not all is what it seems. The first thought about this movie, based on the two main actors and action spy type movie that it is, is ‘blah, not another one of these movies with these people’. And in most cases this would probably be a sound observation, but here there are a few things to like, even in a action-comedy spy movie starring Tom Cruise (though, remember that Mission: Impossible III was pretty great) and Cameron Diaz. First, it has a good director – James Mangold’s last two films were the very entertaining 3:10 to Yuma and the strong performance based Walk the Line. There is a strong production team backing Mangold up, including: composer John Powell (also scoring this month’s Johan Hex), talented cinematographer Phedon Papamichael (who shot Mangold’s last to pictures) and production designer Andrew Menzies (who worked in the art department on Avatar, Munich and X-Men). Plus, the supporting cast is pretty good too with Paul Dano, Maggie Grace, Viola Davis, and Peter Sarsgaard. The movie at the very least should a fun exciting time (the trailer makes it out to look as much) and while probably in the same cinematic vein as The A-Team (and likely not as good or as fun) it should turn out to be better than the ‘blah’ people expect it to be. Check out the trailer.

Art-House Watch:

Ondine (Neil Jordan) – Drama – Jun 4^th (limited)

The film (aka, darker independent Irish Splash) is about an Irish fisherman who discovers a young woman in his fishing net and believes that she might be a mermaid (cause that is the first rational thought that comes to mind). The film is by veteran writer-director Neil Jordan (who generally makes quality work, highlighted by The Crying Game, though I always liked High Spirits, but mainly because of Peter O’Toole in the film and the silliness of it all). The film stars Colin Farrell, Alicja Bachleda, Dervla Kirwan, and newcomer Alison Barry. The film should also look great with Christopher Doyle shooting it (he is known as Kar Wai Wong’s D.P.) and production design by Anna Rackard who does good work in the locale. It looks to be a nice Irish fairytale and it did well in the UK and was nominated and won a number of Irish Film and Television Awards. Check out the trailer.

I Am Love (Luca Guadagnino) – Drama – Jun 18^th (limited)

The Italian film is about a tragic love story set against the turn of the millennium in Milan. It chronicles the fall of the haute bourgeoisie due to the forces of passion and unconditional love. The film is touted as a tour de force performance by actress Tilda Swinton and has received international recognition. The film looks to be a visceral experience of passion, color and emotion, director Guadagnino talking full advantage of having cinematographer Yorick Le Saux and production designer Francesca Balestra Di Mottola (who trained under Aline Bonetto on A Very Long Engagement, talk about learning from the best with that film’s production team and director) on the picture. Check out the trailer.

Cyrus (Jay & Mark Duplass) – Comedy – Jun 18^th (limited)

The film is about a recently divorced man who meets the woman of his dreams, only then he met her son who still lives at home. The film has received a lot of indy recognition (film version of street cred) due to cult comedy directing brothers Jay & Mark Duplass writing and directing the film (their better known films, which are still not that well know, are Baghead and The Puffy Chair). The film also did well among fans and critics at Sundance and the SXSW film festivals. It stars John C. Reilly (first you shake it then you bake it), Jonah Hill, Marisa Tomei, and Catherine Keener (not a bad cast at all, some might it even call it a great cast for the project). Reilly and Hill’s work together is likely to be hysterical. Oddly, however, the film’s producer is Michael Costigan, who works mainly with Ridley Scott, but has ventured into comedy before with Smart People. The film is supposed to be a riot. Check out the trailer.

Movie of the Week - Amelie

This week’s movie is Amelie (2001).

The French film is about a young girl who is a little strange due to a sheltered upbringing. One day she decides to start helping people and in the process she comes to realize she is alone and is just in need of help and love. The film is directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet (one of the great auteurs of the last two decades) and he put together one of the best technical crews ever to work on the film. Every aspect is brilliant, from Jeunet and Guillaume Laurant’s lovely script full of humor and emotion and Yann Tiersen’s memorable and fantastic score, to the visual brilliance and illumination of Bruno Delbonnel’s cinematography and Aline Bonetto’s production design, mixed with Herve Schneid’s interesting editing. The film is a perfect collaboration between the filmmaker and other artists on the project (as well as being my favorite film). The cast is also wonderful, headlined by Audrey Tautou’s star making performance as Amelie Poulain. What makes the film great and one of the best of the last decade is its quirkiness, its beautiful sense of the artistic nature of the medium and the emotion it evokes in the viewer. It is a splendid film to say the least. Check out the trailer.

Amelie [Blu-ray/DVD]

Prudent Purchase List – June 2010

Prudent Purchase New Releases:

1.) Burn Notice: Season Three [DVD] – Jun 2

Other New Releases/Updates:

1.) Alice in Wonderland (Three-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy) [Blu-ray] – Jun 2

2.) The Wolfman (2-Disc Unrated Director’s Cut) [Bluy-ray/DVD] – Jun 2

3.) Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Vol. 7 [DVD] – Jun 2

4.) Shutter Island [Blu-ray/DVD] – Jun 8

5.) Curb Your Enthusiasm: The Complete Seventh Season [DVD] – Jun 8

6.) The Illusionist [Blu-ray] – Jun 8

7.) The Book of Eli (Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy) [Blu-ray] – Jun 15

8.) Family Guy, Vol. 8 [DVD] – Jun 15

9.) American Dad!, Vol. 5 [DVD] – Jun 15

10.) Green Zone [Blu-ray/DVD] – Jun 22

11.) Entourage: The Complete Sixth Season [Blu-ray/DVD] – Jun 22

12.) Predator (Ultimate Hunter Edition) [Blu-ray} – Jun 29

Movie of the Week - Open Range

This week’s movie is Open Range (2003).

The film is about a former gunslinger, Charley Waite, looking for a peaceful life with a cattle hauling outfit. However, the group comes across an overbearing wealthy landowner that forces Charley to take up arms once again to protect his friends and livelihood. The film is one of the best Westerns made in the past decade, and it is a genre that actor, director and producer Kevin Costner has had success in before with Dances with Wolves (not to mention a genre that needs more films to be made in). The film is based on the book by Lauran Paine. The technical aspects of the film fit Costner’s vision well and really create the ambiance of the time period and area of the country. Costner assembled a great crew including: a score from Michael Kamen (one of his last), cinematography from J. Michael Muro (his first job as D.P., and he did wonderful work) and production design from Gae S. Buckley (who also worked on The Book of Eli). The film co-stars Robert Duvall (who is perfect in the role, sort of visiting his Lonesome Dove performance a bit), Annette Bening and Michael Gambon. What makes the film great is Costner’s ability to work in the genre delivering not only a fantastic western but a great film too. The way he uses the camera to show the landscape is superb (in a time when development was ever encroaching on the open spaces and the way of life of the cowboys) and his action sequences are top notch and a highlight of the film. This is a must for fans of the genre. Check out the trailer.

Open Range [DVD]

Movie of the Week - Rounders

This week’s movie is Rounders (1998).

The film is about a young law student and reformed gambler who returns to big stakes poker to help a friend pay off loan sharks after him. Highlighted by a wonderful cast full of fantastic and memorable performances, it is a great script from David Levien and Brian Koppelman that makes the film work so well. The writing and John Dahl’s best directing effort really bring the viewer into the world, underbelly, of high stakes poker. The film speaks the language, but is still accessible to those not familiar with poker. Back to the performances, Matt Damon and Edward Norton are both pitch perfect in the film. John Turturro, Gretchen Mol, Famke Janssen, and Martin Landau provide good supporting work. However, it is John Malkovich’s turn as a Russian mobster/loan shark that is fabulous. What makes the film great is the acting work and the world that the film examines. It was ahead of its time at it release just before the explosion of interest in poker. This is a must see for fans of Damon, Norton and/or Malkovich (or really fans of film in general). Check out the trailer.

Rounders [Blu-ray/DVD]

Iron Man 2 (2010) – Review

Iron Man 2 is full of sleek visuals, large action pieces and humor, and yet the film’s narrative is poorly structured – leaving it with noticeable peaks and valleys. Mostly the film works, the cast is great and the technical aspects of the film are generally good – the film is entertaining and most will be quite satisfied. The issues with the film arise from its story and overall structure. The film drags noticeably in parts and seems as if it was pieced together from a series of ideas rather than flowing seamlessly throughout. Thus, the film plays wonderfully in moments – there are a number of memorable lines, performances and scenes – but it is not cohesive. The timeline of the film, while seemingly to take place over a number or days or weeks, is muddled in that logically the events more likely take place over the course of a full year, but there is no sense of the passage of time – everything is immediate yet there are clues that large gaps of time rationally must have passed. The story itself is average, the villain is a bit weak, and his motivation and character not nearly evolved enough to make the viewer care. Another issue with the film is in the characterization of Tony Stark. While Robert Downey Jr. is good again in the role, the film seeks out to dive more into the character, yet for those that have seen the first film the character is well established and thus here in this film he feels more like a caricature of himself than a real person. This leaves the viewer disconnected during moments of character development, because since the character is not real or does not feel real (aside from the film being fictional, of course) the viewer does not have a stake in the outcome, in the journey, and thus the film drags. Sure, the viewer will still enjoy the action and laugh at the humor, but for the film to be great there must be a bond formed between the characters, especially the lead, and the viewers (and this is not asking too much of a blockbuster or comic based film, see Spider-Man 2 or Christopher Nolan’s Batman films for reference). These aspects of the film leave the narrative pacing slow (in a film that is not that long), which hurts the film as a whole. But there is a lot to like here too. The action scenes are big and well constructed (though there does seem to be a lot of casualties of innocents that are not referenced). Jon Favreau does have an eye for fun yet cinematically interesting action, which is nice to see amongst many other films with often overly generic and boring action (the final action scene in the Japanese garden is pretty awesome). The best part of Justin Theroux’s script is the humor. There are a number of very funny scenes and lines throughout, and this humor mixed with the awe of the action saves the film from mediocrity. Like with Iron Man, this sequel is mostly good but again suffered from a poor structure, should Favreau return to helm a third, hopefully he can produce a film that flows well (which is really the hardest thing to do in filmmaking). Technically, the film has many triumphs – the score is not one of them. John Debney’s work tries to hard to be like other superhero films (noticeably like a mix between Batman and Spider-Man), it does not have its own identity, and thus not memorable. It is lost to the background instead of enhancing the film. Matthew Libatique’s lighting was both good and awkward (something I noticed more the second time). The sets were lit very well and the Iron Man costumes looked great too, the use of shadows in many of the action scenes was great (and Scarlett Johansson looked great, so I am sure she appreciated the lighting too). However, some of the actors did not fair as well. Sam Rockwell in the hanger scene looked beyond tan (if you look at his hands they look like they are caked in mud), meaning that Libatique’s use of the white scale in the scene was either a bit off or he intended the characters to look like they had spray on tans. J. Michael Riva did a wonderful job with the production design. The sets were great. The film had an overall slick look to fit with the character of Iron Man, and thus Tony Stark. The visual effects are also top notch in the film. The cast was fun and there were a number of solid performances and great bits too. As stated above, Downey Jr. was good, though his performance was hindered by the story a bit. Don Cheadle is every bit as good as Terrence Howard, bringing a lot of the same feel to the character. Mickey Rourke plays a Russian version of himself and his character is vastly undeveloped. Gwyneth Paltrow, Samuel L. Jackson and Scarlett Johansson are all good and fitting for their parts (Jackson has a great stare in the film). And, Sam Rockwell is up to his zany goodness. There are also a number of small enjoyable segments featuring John Slattery (always awesome), Favreau, Kate Mara, Leslie Bibb, Clark Gregg, and Garry Shandling. Iron Man 2 is a lot of fun and full of entertaining moments, no doubt, but sadly it is a step below the best blockbusters and superhero films. 7/10

Movie of the Week - Grosse Pointe Blank

This week’s movie is Grosse Pointe Blank (1997).

The film is about a hit man who returns to his hometown of Grosse Pointe after disappearing ten years ago, by choice, for his high school reunion. He must also face old friends and the love of his life who he also ditched without a goodbye. The film stars John Cusack (and may be my friend of his performances and films), and Minnie Driver and features Dan Aykroyd (who is amazing in this, Popcorn!), Alan Arkin, Jeremy Piven, and Joan Cusack. The film is a mix between a rom-com and action film (pre-dating all the similar movies coming out in the last few years, and this one is still by far the best). The action is well played for a comedy and the humor is hilarious. What makes this film great is Cusack; he is perfect in the role, which he co-wrote with Steve Pink and D.V. DeVincentis. He has the perfect mix of all the qualities to bring Martin Blank to life and engage the viewer throughout. The screenplay is fantastic as well and highly quotable. Cusack also hired Joe Strummer from one of his favorite bands, The Clash, to work on the score, and along with a cool score the soundtrack is also filled with gems. Check out the trailer.

Grosse Pointe Blank [DVD]

Robert Downey Jr. – Movies Spotlight – May 2010

Today, Robert Downey Jr. is a huge star. He is known for Iron Man and Sherlock Holmes. But he has always been a great actor, from supporting roles in teen comedies in the early 80’s to starring roles by the 90’s to international fame and blockbuster hits by the end of the 00’s. This month he stars in Iron Man 2, touted to be the biggest superhero movie of all-time.

Early Career, the 80’s:

After appearing in a few small films in the late 70’s and early 80’s, Downey Jr. finally got his break when he joined the cast of Saturday Night Live, and got small roles in John Hughes’ Weird Science and supporting James Spader in Tuff Turf. While he was fired from SNL the next year, as the show was overhauling its cast to avoid cancellation, he had established himself in the business. In 1986, he was considered for Duckie in Pretty in Pink, but lost out on the role, and picked up a part in the Rodney Dangerfield comedy Back to School. However, it was his role in Less Than Zero, based on the Bret Easton Ellis novel, which gave Downey Jr. his breakthrough to bigger and better opportunities. His performance was praised by many critics. Off this new found acclaim, he was cast in Chances Are, Air America opposite Mel Gibson and Soapdish.

Rise to Fame, the 90’s:

In 1992, Downey Jr. had a role of a lifetime as Charles Chaplin in Richard Attenborough’s Chaplin, and he did not disappoint. He is fantastic in the film and garnered an Academy Award nomination (losing to Al Pacino, blind and yelling stuff). Chaplin firmly established him as one of the best young actors in Hollywood. However, he did not choose or end up staring in any very good film through 1995, but did find good supporting work in Robert Altman’s Short Cuts, Oliver Stone’s Natural Born Killers and Ian McKellen’s rendition of Shakespeare’s Richard III. In 1996, Downey Jr. had his first drug-related arrest; he claimed that he had been on drugs since he was eight and struggled into 2001 to get clean – he was arrested a number of times and in and out of rehab. His career in the second half of the 90’s was not so great either. His best known films from this period are: Two Girls and a Guy, The Gingerbread Man, U.S. Marshals (you know it is not going well for you when you co-star in the sequel/spin-off to a great movie, The Fugitive, and your movie is awful), and Bowfinger. Chaplin, his first staring role and what should have been only the beginning, ended up being the only good film he had the lead in during the whole decade (pretty sad).

Rock Bottom and Rebirth, the 00’s:

In 2000-2001, Downey Jr.’s drug problems were costing him roles. He was supposed to play Hamlet in Mel Gibson’s stage production in LA, star in America’s Sweethearts and Woody Allen wanted to cast him in Melinda and Melinda – all of which did not happen. However, despite continuing to struggle with his addiction, he had a few great performances in the early part of the decade. Downey Jr., in a small role, is very good in Wonder Boys and practically saved Ally McBeal from being cancelled with his character, Larry Paul, in season four. By 2003, he was ready to start fresh and revive his career clean. He took the lead in the Mel Gibson produced The Singing Detective and co-starred with Halle Berry in Gothika. For The Singing Detective, friend Gibson paid his insurance bond so he could work on the film, while on Gothika producer Joel Silver withheld forty percent of Downey Jr.’s salary until after the film wrapped (apparently, similar clauses are now part of most of his contracts since). With those two film behind him without any issues, he was able to find a number of good roles in smaller or independent films, including: Good Night, and Good Luck., A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, A Scanner Darkly, Zodiac, and Charlie Bartlett, all of which were met with critical acclaim. But, it was his performance in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (a personal favorite of mine) that really re-jumpstarted his career and made fans and film executives take notice.

Blockbuster Hero:

Up until 2008, Downey Jr. had never starred in a blockbuster (or even appeared in one for that matter), but that all changed that summer. In May 2008 Iron Man opened to a huge box office, acclaim from fans and critics and made Downey Jr. an international star. Only for him to follow it up with Tropic Thunder, another well received film also featuring a fantastic performance. Not since Chaplin has he really concretely staked his position in Hollywood as one of the elite actors, with his performances in films from 2005-present he has done just that. He is Iron Man, no doubt. And again with Sherlock Holmes, he is Holmes. In both films he is what makes them work, what makes them great. It is wonderful to see that he has turned his life and career around. He has two of the most successful franchises entering into this new decade.

Future Projects:

Along with Iron Man 2, Downey Jr. has Todd Philip’s new comedy Due Date coming in November. The film co-stars Zach Galifianakis and Michelle Monaghan, and features supporting work from Juliette Lewis, Jamie Foxx and Alan Arkin. It is a road trip film about Downey Jr. hitching a ride with Galifianakis to make it to his child’s birth on time. In 2011 and 2012, he has the sequel to Sherlock Holmes and Joss Whedon’s (YES) The Avengers, which sees Iron Man, The Hulk, Thor, Captain America, and others all team up in the same film. There are also plans in work for a third Iron Man.

Robert Downey Jr. Box Set (Selected Filography/Career Highlights):

1.) Chaplin (1992) – lead actor* [DVD]

2.) Short Cuts (1993) – supporting actor [DVD]

3.) Natural Born Killers (1994) – supporting actor [Blu-ray/DVD]

4.) Wonder Boys (2000) – supporting actor [DVD]

5.) Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) – lead actor* [Blu-ray/DVD]

6.) Good Night, and Good Luck (2005) – supporting actor [Blu-ray/DVD]

7.) Zodiac (2007) – lead actor [Blu-ray/DVD]

8.) Iron Man (2008) – lead actor [Blu-ray/DVD]

9.) Tropic Thunder – lead actor [Blu-ray/DVD]

10.) Sherlock Holmes – lead actor [Blu-ray/DVD]

*Editors Picks