The Hunter (2011)

Directed by Daniel Nettheim
Written by Alice Addison, Wain Fimeri and Daniel Nettheim, based on the novel by Julia Liegh
Starring Willem Dafoe, Sam Neill, Frances O'Connor and Morgana Davies

Martin, a mercenary, is sent from Europe by a mysterious bio tech company to the Tasmanian wilderness on a hunt for the last Tasmanian tiger. A creature thought to have been extinct for nearly 80 years.

On it's surface, this film seems like your typical hunt or be hunted, mercenary thriller. A guy is hired for a job and finds out he is being followed. But at it's core, this is so much more than that. It is also about man and their unjustified desire to control nature and the world, even at the risk of killing off an entire species.

Willem Dafoe is captivating in his performance as a hunter hired to kill the last Tasmanian tiger in existence, if legends are truthful. The entire movie keeps you on the edge of your seat as question after question enters your mind. Will he find the tiger? If so, will he kill it? If not, what will happen to him?

Will Willem Dafoe kick some ass and take some names?

Through archive black and white footage and photographs, the story of the Tasmanian tiger is revealed. Through hunting, the species came to an end. This movie provides you with an intense sadness that these magnificent creatures were killed off for pointless reasons. This was a great movie that surprised me with having more meaning behind it than previously thought. And the cinematography for it was gorgeous. 

My Rating: 7/10

Men, Women & Children (2014)

Directed by Jason Reitman
Written by Jason Reitman and Erin Cressida Wilson, based on the novel by Chad Kultgen
Starring Adam Sandler, Jennifer Gardner, Ansel Elgort and Kaitlyn Dever

A group of high school teenagers and their parents attempt to navigate the man ways the Internet has changed their relationships, their communication, their self-image and their love lives.

An example in the potential dangers of the Internet, as well as the dangers of being an overly protective parent when it comes to your child's online activities, there are very few people who will not relate to at least one of the many scenarios portrayed in this film. Emotionally driven by the feeling of hopelessness  and insignificance we all feel at some point in our lives, Jason Reitman does not hold back when telling this universal story.

This movie touches on so many subjects in such a short amount of time, yet drives home a point with every single one. It's remarkable that a story that's all over the place, such as this, can make so much sense.

The acting in this movie is top notch. Not award winning, but great none the less. Particularly by Adam Sandler. It's movies like this that make we wonder why he still does comedies. His dramatic roles are always more impressive and enjoyable, and this was no exception. Perhaps it's because most dramas don't give him a reason to vacation in exotic locales.

My Rating: 7/10

All Good Things (2010)

Directed by Andrew Jarecki
Written by Marcus Hinchey and Marc Smerling

Starring Ryan Gosling, Kirsten Dunst, Frank Langella and Lilly Rabe
David Marks was suspected but never tried for killing his wife, Katie, who disappeared in 1982, but things occur in his life that bring suspicion of him back into the investigators attention.

Based on the true story of Robert Durst, the subject of the HBO docu-series "The Jinx", this film made it surprisingly easy to sympathize with the alleged murderer who may or may not have committed these crimes (He did.. he totally did). I have yet to watch the series, but I was taken aback at how humanized they made him seem.

Were it not based on a true story, this movie would have been easy to look over. It is one of the many films that gain notoriety on it's subject matter alone. There was nothing spectacular about anything, from acting to cinematography. It was all very blasé for having such an unbelievable, yet true inspiration.

Pictured: Ryan Gosling being blasé.

It could have been so much more, but perhaps given the time this film was made, certain facts about the case weren't available at the time. It's a good movie. I enjoyed watching it. But this is like "Gone Girl's" little sister filled with teenage angst. Though, I definitely want to watch "The Jinx" now.

My Rating: 6.5/10

Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)

Directed by James Foley
Written by David Mamet, based on his play of the same name.
Starring Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Kevin Spacey, Ed Harris and Alan Arkin

An examination of the fast-paced, cut-throat nature of working in a real estate office.

Remarkable acting and superb writing run this movie. Without them, this film would be nothing. The story is not particularly interesting, unless you're big on sales. But the characters are just eccentric enough to keep you engaged throughout the whole movie.

I feel this would be more interesting to see as a play as it was originally intended. I found myself annoyed by all of the two-faced techniques of salespeople. Much like I do when I go to a car dealership. But that is not the fault of the film. It is the fault of the shit filled world that is competitive sales.

It's all about brass balls, apparently.

While this movie did infuriate me by reminding me how much I hate sales, I quite enjoyed it. As a fan of incredible acting and writing, there was nothing that would have made me dislike this movie. I just really hate sales and the people who work in sales. Scum of the Earth.

My Rating: 7/10

Movie Trailer Tuesdays - 3/17/15

Happy St. Patrick's Day too all my non-Irish friends! To my Irish friends… happy Tuesday!

This week, I got some very exciting trailers for you. Let's get to it!

Inside Out
Directed by Peter Doctor and Ronaldo del Carmen
Starring Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Lewis Black and Bill Hader
After a girl moves to a new home, her emotions are plunged into chaos fighting for control of her mind.

FINALLY! After years of sequels and one underwhelming stand-alone movie ("Brave"), PIXAR looks like they're back to their roots! While the majority of their sequels have been decent, they haven't made a truly great original film since 2009's "Up". I'm hoping this gets them back on track. "Inside Out" hits theaters June 19th.



Infinitely Polar Bear
Directed by Maya Forbes
Starring Mark Ruffalo, Zoe Saldana, Imogene Wolodarsky and Ashley Aufderheide
A manic-depressive mess of a father tries to win back his wife by attempting to take full responsibility of their two young, spirited daughters, who don't make the overwhelming task any easier.

This looks extremely tender and heartwarming. It looks to have that warm, independent feel that somehow makes it easier to connect to the film even in just a short trailer. Mark Ruffalo has been getting some great reviews regarding his performance in this and I am looking forward to seeing it. As of now, "Infinitely Polar Bear" does not have a non-festival release date. Perhaps they're holding off to make a push for award season next year.



Adult Beginners
Directed by Ross Katz
Starring Nick Kroll, Rose Byrne, Bobby Cannavale and Joel McHale
A young, narcissistic entrepreneur crashes and burns on the eve of his company's big launch. With his entire life in total disarray, he leaves Manhattan to move in with his estranged, pregnant sister, brother-in-law and 3-year-old nephew in the suburbs - only to become their nanny.

At this point, the only reason I would see this is for Nick Kroll. It doesn't look too interesting to me, but I like the cast enough to give it a shot. We'll see how it goes when it is released on April 24th.


Cut Bank
Directed by Matt Shakman
Starring Liam Hemsworth, Teresa Palmer, Billy Bob Thornton and John Malkovich
A young man's life in unraveled after witnessing a murder that he filmed in his rural town of Cut Bank, Montana.

This definitely looks interesting. It looks like a mix between "No Country for Old Men" and " Fargo". With this star-studded cast, I'm sure it will be worth a look. I'm not sure if this will be amazing. But it will be released online April 5th, so you can check back for a review around that time. I'm sure I'll watch it.



Before I Wake
Directed by Mike Flanagan
Starring Kate Bosworth, Thomas Jane, Jacob Tremblay and Dash Mihok
When a couple takes in a foster child, they think all of their prayers have been met since losing their own son. But things take a turn for the worse when they discover that terrible things sometimes happen when the boy sleeps.

This could go either way. It looks interesting and seems to have a somewhat original premise from other films in the "demon-child" genre. But what worries me is the PG-13 rating. Its rare that a PG-13 horror movie ends up being good. But their are few exceptions. Will this be one? We'll find out when it opens nationwide on May 8th.


Thanks for checking out this weeks trailers. Be sure to come back next week when we'll have more. In the mean time, check out some of my reviews. You might find a movie you have never heard of before.

Primal Fear (1996)

Directed by Gregory Hoblit
Written by Steve Shagan and Ann Biderman, based on the novel by William Diehl
Starring Richard Gere, Laura Linney, Edward Norton and John Mahoney

A controversial defense attorney takes on the case of a murder of an Archbishop allegedly committed by an alter boy, pro bono. After days of cross examination, new information comes forward that could hurt his case and causes him to question everything he believes about his morals, his career and the altar boy's story.

Overflowing with great performances, including the Oscar nominated role of Edward Norton, this film is a blood pumping thriller with many twists and turns. So many, in fact, that even though I had already knew how this film ended (from years of hearing about it from people who don't know the meaning of the word spoiler), I was still second guessing what I thought I already knew.

Edward Norton is remarkable in this movie. And unfortunately, there isn't much more I can say about it without giving key information away. Just take my word for it. It is an intense courtroom drama that will keep you at the edge of your seat.

Where other legal thrillers become slow and convoluted, this when excels at keeping it's pace and presenting the evidence of both sides in way that you're able to understand. As if you are the juror, every single bit of evidence makes sense. It feels like a real trial, making it that much more interesting.

My Rating: 7/10

Open Windows (2014)

Written and Directed by Nacho Vigalondo

Starring Elijah Wood, Sasha Grey, Neil Maskell and Adam Quintero

A jilted fan finds himself pulled into a deadly game of cat-and-mouse after he accepts the opportunity to spy on his favorite actress via his laptop. A skilled hacker works his way into every aspect of the fan's life in order to control him throughout the night.

This movie is definitely interesting. It takes the fear of hackers and their obsessions with actresses and displays their computer onto the big screen. Filmed and edited entirely to only show the open windows (OH, I GET IT!) of programs on a computer desktop, the action never cuts away from what the protagonist is looking at on his screen. 

Instead, the director chose to only move from window to window, looking into various programs, phone calls and videos. The style of this movie is undeniably unique. And one that I feel will be copied in future movies. But that is where the positives end for this movie.

Sorry, Elijah

The entire plot seemed like it was attempting to be convoluted in order to impress, but rather than achieve that, it just felt simple and convenient. Many of the things that the computer hackers were doing  seemed overly fictitious and made up for the sole purpose of making the style this was made in less boring.

Topped off with terrible acting (Elijah Wood excluded), this movie had little going for it other than the unique filming style. If you want to watch a decent thriller film with a unique filming style, that happens to be starring Elijah Wood, might I suggest 2012's "Maniac". It's not amazing, but if you're looking for those criteria, that is a much better choice.

My Rating: 3/10