Away We Go Review

Score: A-

After witnessing the ultra-depressing "Revolutionary Road," I didn't think Sam Mendes could pull of a dramedy (drama/comedy), but its time to insert my foot in my mouth.

"Away We Go" is the best dramedy film I've witnessed since "Little Miss Sunshine" hit the screens almost 3 years ago to the day. 

The film capitalizes best on creating situations that are not too far fetched. No scene or dialogue is over the top. 

Traveling to different area's to see what location is best to raise a child is a concept that is surprisingly original and amazing. The locations (Phoenix, Wisconsin, Montrael and Miami) beautifully play into the story.

Character portrayals are spot on here. Maya Rudolph actually rests her comedic personality and displays a serious side I didn't know she had. Her character is the perfect compliment to the scene stealing Burt, hilariously portrayed by the boy next door John Krasinski. 

After numerous dull and boring roles in Leatherheads and License to Wed, Krasinski finally is able to perform to the fullest extent of his abilities. His character is down to earth, hilarious, caring and hilariously obnoxious. All of which I'm sure Krasinski is in real life. I was unable to find a moment where I didn't want to be his character Burt. On a side note: His beard is magical.

The movie would not be complete with all the side-splitting cameos from Maggie Gyllenhaal, Allison Janney, Jeff Daniels and Catherina O'Hara (respectively perfectly portraying Krasinski's mid life crisis parents). 

Witty dialogue, obscene and awkward one-liners, amazing location shots and perfect chemistry turned "Away We Go" into a genre-defining film.

New Ears

Sometimes when I'm listening to my ipod stereo in my car, I kind of have the tense feeling of shutting it off. I have 3,955 songs on my Ipod. With that amount, one would be foolish to be bored with what they have, but sometimes I do. I just get the feeling of boredom and start to loathe the repeating of my playlists. But who doesn't get sick and tired of what they listen to? I guess that's why bands typically release an album every 2 years or so.

Sometimes I wish I could erase my memory of some albums I've listened to and re-listen to them so I can remember the feelings I had when I heard that first guitar riff or that machine gunned double bass pedal kick. To re-collect that feeling of awe is something worth reliving.

So in response to that feeling, I've come up with the top ten albums I would want to re-listen to.

10. Minus The Bear - Menos El Oso

9. Taking Back Sunday - Where You Want To Be

8. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

7. Alkaline Trio - Goddammit

6. Jimmy Eat World - Bleed American

5. Finch - What It Is To Burn

4. Underoath - Define the Great Line

3. The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound

2. The Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eye's Ahead

1. Set Your Goals - Mutiny!

Of course I could make a list probably up to 50 but I usually top ten's get the meaning across.

God I love top ten lists.

As I am

I was in a coffee shop the other day trying to wake up out of a funk that was occupying my body at the time when I saw a women reading a book. She held the book so tightly you would think it was her child she was holding onto. She was completely tranced by the book that I don't think a flasher could distract her. I knew how this woman was feeling at the time because I get the same way after listening to The Helio Sequence's "Keep Your Eye's Ahead" album. As I forgot that I was staring at her, she caught sight of my stare and questioned if something was on her. I told her no and that must be a good book to hold your attention that well. She said it was and asked me if I like to read. Unconfidently I said yes. I grabbed my coffee, bid the reader a good day and drove off. 

I took more thought into the question she had asked me, "Do I read?" The truthful answer should be no, cause I don't read books, I read comics and graphic novels, which some people would see that as "immature." What-the fuck-ever. About ten years ago, I fell in love with a character named Peter Parker, who is also known as Spiderman. I was completely mesmerized by this agitated character who was a bumbling high school student one minute and an take-no-prisoners hero the next. After delving into other comics such as Iron Man, The Flash and Captain America, I gave up reading books. I focused all my literature attentions to comics. I fell in love with characters such as Dan Dreiberg, Bruce Wayne and Tony Stark. I got ridiculed for my obsession with comics, but I never understood why. Even when I would talk to shoppers at the local used bookstore, they would smug with their pretentious attitudes, thinking to themselves how better they are then me cause they spend 5 bucks on used literature thats just gonna decorate their bedroom and collect dust. Society feels like they have to "dumb" their selves down in order to accept comics as thoughtful and insightful material. 

WHY?

Terminator Salvation Review

Score: B

You really can't come into this movie expecting any surprises since the plot has been referenced by its predecessors, but Terminator doesn't worry too much about being original.

This is the film that every Terminator fan has been waiting for. The fight against the machines has unraveled and it is a brutal one to say the least. 

I was extremely concerned for the franchise after the piece of shit that was T3. I had never been that disappointed in a film, until I saw Spiderman 3, so I wasn't too concerned with this film because they had no where to go but up. And how can you argue with the casting of Christian Bale as John Connor. I didn't think he could take on another larger then life character. But what really got me hooked was James Cameron giving the ok to McG on the film and Paul Haggis (Crash) polishing the script.

Christian Bale's portrayal of John Connor is definitely the best out of the major 3 actors that have taken a swing at the character. He transfers Connors distraught and confusion of this battle he has been preparing and known about his whole life. He is keen on finding his future "father" Kyle Reese (Anton Yelchin) throughout most of the film and his determination is felt just as much as his anger was felt when he cussed out the production guy. His interaction with his wife Kate Connor, played by Bryce Dallas Howard, takes a back seat to his eagerness to find Reese. I do wish there was more interaction between the two, and when there was I was hoping for more passion from Bale.

The guys that steal the film are Sam Worthington, playing the don't-fuck-with-me-I-have-a-bad-past Marcus Wright and Yelchin as Reese. James Cameron personally recommended Worthington to McG for the part that was offered to James Brolin. This guy is THE next big action star. He brings so much more depth to a character that could have be written off as a sidekick. I was skeptical about casting Charlie Barlett, aka Anton Yelchin, as Kyle Reese, due to his lack of size and his unproven action abilities, but he blew me away. He brought justice to the character. 

McG took the machines look to a whole new level. They look like the ignored offspring of Megatron. They make Optimus Prime look like a Tonka Truck. The flawless interaction and scenes with the machines are brilliant.

Overall, the film reminds everyone what a pure action film should be. 

Star Trek Review

Score: A-

Even though I am a comic book and Star Wars geek, I never got into the whole Star Trek franchise. I felt that it was the geekiest of the geek genre, and I wouldn't be caught dead near it, but after seeing this film, I may question that.

I was skeptical coming into the showing because I never cared for the franchise but I am a big JJ Abrams fan and was curious to see the direction he took with this. I was bitter when finding out about Abrams taking over the Trek film because I was crossing my fingers for him to helm a new Superman flick.

First things first, if you have never been a fan of Star Trek, this movie is for you. It doesn't require any deep knowledge of the previous films and series to understand what is going on. 

Of course the film is an origin story, which seem to be the hot ticket these days with action films.

Showcasing the upbringing of Kirk and Spock didn't need too much time to show and its better that they didn't. The tone of the film is more buoyant with shades of seriousness. It's nice to see someone not trying to ride the dark theme coattail that the dark knight has created.

Chris Pine's portrayal of the laid-back hound dog James Kirk is spot on. He also brings a badass sense to the character that I think Shatner lacked. Zach Quinto was born to play Spock. Besides the fact that he looks identical to Leonard Nimoy, but the calmness and intellectual characteristics that the character has, Quinto reciprocates. In his first major film appearance, Quinto is amazing and captures the attention of the audience. 

The story is well thought out and even though it deals with time travel, is easy to follow. All the other character appearances with Simon Pegg, Anton Yelchin, John Cho, Eric Bana, Bruce Greenwood, Karl Urban, and Zoe Saldana are perfect supports to the two stars. 

The film spends a short time showing Bana's villianness motive, which should have been looked into deeper.

Overall, the film takes great time expanding the relationships between the characters. Great effects and character portrayals allow this film to be an instant classic.