The Final Destination (2009)

Well I am pretty sure it is safe to say that we all know the overall plot to Final Destination films.

Everyone dies, Wait! Actually it's just a vision. Everyone Run! Everyone else dies. Now everyone who did not die, dies off in the order they were supposed to die originally, hot chick dies in there somewhere, kid who saw the vision dies last. Roll Credits.

Aaaannnddd...this one is NO different


There are 2 reasons to actually watch this film

1. You sat through and watched the first 3
2. It's in 3D!

Sadly I did not have the proper glasses for 3D viewing, damnd rentals. (Red & Blue for those interested)

It's too hard to rate this one in comparison to the 3 prior. Because it is all the same plot! This one did have some of the more gruesome death scences of the whole series. However nothing will match the Fire Escape Impale of Final Destination 2.

Overall not much to say about the film other than, If you've seen one Final Destination film, you've seen them all.

The Final Destination (We hope that it is) recieves 5 Elevator Deaths out of 10.

Try going to the mall now.

Metal: A Headbanger's Journey (2005)

This documentary is a look into the culture created by heavy metal music and its impact on the world.

The documentary is directed and starring Sam Dunn, an Anthropology major and life long Metal Head. On a quest understand the genre and what makes it so popular and important in the lives of millions.

There were some odd moments to mainly because In My Opinion the whole goth, chains, dark and piercings look is a joke and a posers representation of metal. That people need to look in the mirror and see how ridiculous they look.

There was also a rather strange interview with some members of the band "Mayhem" which was nothing more than just a curse laden "piss off" and "Fuck you" rant towards society. Which taught me that if you ever need to interview someone, make sure they are sober.

It was nice to hear different odd stories from some of the world's best bands. Although my favorite bands were notably absent =(. But I really struggled to see a point in the documentary overall. So the only real reason to watch this is to see some of your favorite bands and learn about some of the things they've experienced.

The Soloist (2009)

I have a bit of a soft spot for classical music that I developed an ear for in 2 years of studying Music Theory because it was all we really listened to and it was the easiest way to learn the staff. Imparticulary fond of J.S. Bach because the man was a genious.

But the music was the best part of the film, which doesn't bode well for the film. The dialogue was very stale and monotonous. I had to set personal feelings aside but Jamie Foxx was actually decent in this, and has convinced me that the only role he should ever portray is as a musician.

This was by far not one of the best roles Robert Downy Jr. was cast in. He portrays a columnist for the L.A. Times, Steve Lopez, who runs into a street musician, Nathaniel Ayers, at a Beethoven statue in Downtown LA. His is faced with much adversity in trying to help the Ayers better his life. But Ayers is a schizophrenic which can make it difficult to communicate with him. Lopez spends a year writing a column and brings attention to Ayers situation in life.

The film does shed light on an often forgotten topic that plights our country today. Hundreds of thousands are living on the streets homeless with no shelter to turn to. The Film sends the message that it takes just one person to make a difference in someones life and have the do a complete 180.

Overall a decent film in which the music was better than the film itself.
The Soloist recieves 4 Iron Men out of 10

The Invention Of Lying (2009)

Now, I Am no Fan of Ricky Gervais, but he did create The Office so I gave figured I owed the film that much.

Take notice that this film presents a Religious Agenda not shown in trailers, very deceptive, just like organized Religion.
Everyone can interpret the message differently and If you don't like my view, make your own goddam blog
In my opinion the film is suggesting that that Religion is a lie which brings a =) to my face.

Ricky Gervais...NOT Funny...Not now, Not ever. But the man can write. He developed a very interesting. But he needs to stay behind the camera and stop writing roles for himself. The film would have been far better without him, Look how well that worked for NBC's The Office so maybe they should have cast Steve Carell in the lead role instead...

Other than it's IMO anti-religion bits, the best part of the movie were the various cameos by Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jonah Hill, Jason Bateman and The Great Edward Norton. Anything with Ed Norton and Hoffman automatically makes it better.

It has an Overall great concept, being the only person in the world who can lie has its perks, but you lose sense of who you really are.
Yes, this review was not so much about the movie itself but my dislike of Gervais, quite frankly...he doesn't deserve my time
Final Judgement: Rent It...from the Library

The Invention of Lying gets 5 Da-white Schrute Wanted Ads out of 10

Academy Awards 2009

With The Academy Awards right around the corner it is time to pick out who will win this years Oscars!
MY CHOICE FOR WINNER






Best Picture

• Avatar
• The Blind Side
• District 9
• An Education
• The Hurt Locker
• Inglourious Basterds
• Precious
• A Serious Man
• Up
• Up in the Air

Having only seen 4 of the 10 films nominated really hurts my ability to choose. My personal favorite of the group was Up but it's not going to win this catergory.

Best Actor

• Jeff Bridges - Crazy Heart
• George Clooney - Up in the Air
• Colin Firth - A Single Man
• Morgan Freeman - Invictus
• Jeremy Renner - The Hurt Locker

The Dude abides...

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

• Matt Damon - Invictus
• Woody Harrelson - The Messenger
• Christopher Plummer - The Last Station
• Stanley Tucci - The Lovely Bones
• Christoph Waltz - Inglourious Basterds

Waltz was amazing. Re-invents the Nazi on Film. It is his award to lose.

Best Actress

• Sandra Bullock - The Blind Side
• Helen Mirren - The Last Station
• Carey Mulligan - The Last Station
• Gabourey Sidibe - Precious
• Meryl Streep - Julie & Julia

I Loved this movie so much, saw it on opening day with my mother =) she was phenomanal

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

• Penelope Cruz - Nine
• Vera Farmiga - Up in the Air
• Maggie Gyllenhaal - Crazy Heart
• Anna Kendrick - Up in the Air
• Mo'Nique - Precious

Goin out on a limb here, It is Mo'Nique's award to lose but im pretty sure the academy has a soft spot for Cruz.

Best Animated Film

• Coraline
• Fantastic Mr. Fox
• The Princess and the Frog
• The Secret Of Kells
• Up

One of my top 5 films of '09 and Pixar Always wins and the reason it will not winn Best Picture.

Best Directing

• James Cameron - Avatar
• Kathryn Bigelow - The Hurt Locker
• Quentin Tarentino - Inglourious Basterds
• Lee Daniels - Precious
• Jason Reitman - Up in the Air

There is 2.35 Billion reasons for him to win this awards

The Song Remains The Same (1976)

This was one of the few Christmas presents I recieved in '09

It took a while to write a review for this film because I watched it on my Mother's suggestion. Which was to only watch it after Midnight because growing up in the late '70s the local theater used to run a midnight cap of the film. So i watched it under the same settings and only got 20-30 minutes a night.

The opening scene made an attempt at mimicing the humor displayed by The Beatles a little over a decade prior in A Hard Day's Night and Help! but not as funny.

It attempted to provide some serious moments with Robert Plant being chivalrous and some other moments of the band trying to be deep. A feat that would be mastered by Pink Floyd in '82s The Wall.

As for the actual concert footage it was filmed at Madison Square Garden over a 3 day span during their '73 Tour. And was not a good concert footage wise as 2003's Led Zeppelin but that can be easily attributed to seeing that first.

One scene that really struck me was The early days of Piracy in music. The Band manager was flipping out on an MSG worker for allowing an unoffical vender to sell band merchandise.

Having seen other band films well before this made it's nothing special but thats my own fault.