BOOK OF ELI

Denzel Washington, Hughes Brothers....nuff said.

For most of you, all you need to know to have you running for the theaters are these two simple facts; Denzel Washington is the leading male, and the Hughes Brothers, the same guys that brought you Menace II Society, and From Hell, directed the film.

For those of you that need a little more convincing, that is where I come into play. If you are into the artistic components of film, such as the cinematography, and style of shoot, then the film is absolutely a must see. The diversity in uses of camera shots of different lengths and angles is very well and uniquely done. There is a dark but dreamworld sense of reality in the cinematography of the film. The artistry of the setting is intensely pleasing to watch, adding to the constant suspense of action that the plot intertwines within its cinematically artistic elements.

For those much more concerned with plot, simply put, it is a very good film. It is a movie about the post-apocalyptic world, which may seem to be a little over done these days. This movie, I assure you is better than any you have seen recently. The script has a very unique take on the new world, post apocalypse or "the war" as it is referred to in the film. Denzel Washington shines of course. The man is hardworking and brilliant as hell. You have not seen a Denzel Washington like this since his Oscar winning role in Training Day. Don't get me wrong; his character is a hero, not at all a villain. However, he has a great badass quality to him that is always refreshing to watch with an actor like Denzel, that typically plays the good guy. The fight scenes are quick, sharp and brutal. You will not be able to take your eyes off of the screen.

The film, however, does not come without its problems. There is a major revelation at the end of the film that is released about Washington's character (Eli). This revelation may be jarring to many of you because it contrasts starkly with the action throughout entire film. Whether or not you agree or disagree with the revelation at the end of the film, this is just more incentive to go to the theater and see it for yourself. No matter what your final critique be, checking it out in theaters for yourself will be money well spent-guaranteed.

So, I say again, GO SEE IT! Then hit me back right here with a few comments and let me know what you think!

Up in the Air

"I can't believe that Hollywood is going real." This is a direct quote from an elderly woman leaving the theater with me this afternoon and I could not have put the movie into better words myself.

The film includes an impeccable cast with a mix of Hollywood legends (George Clooney) and Hollywood women to look out for which include actresses Vera Farmiga from The Departed (2006) and Anna Kendrick, Twilight (2008). Clooney plays character Ryan Bingham who has built a career on ending the careers of others. The movie opens with Ryan (Clooney) introducing us to his life "Up in the Air". Due to his occupation, he lives the majority of his day to day life in an airport and he loves every minute of it....so it seems anyway. He has built a life free of any human connection, free of any desire to settle down, have children, or build any "real" relationships. It is jarring to see initially because Clooney is so damn convincing. Ryan actually does appear to be incredibly comfortable in his airport/hotel traveling home environment. However, as an audience member, there is something that still forces you to ask, "What is he running from? Something is missing with this guy but I just can't put my finger on it...."

This film comes from the same person that brought you Juno a couple of years back. If you like Juno, Up In The Air is a slightly more grown up, concrete version of the film. Farmiga, playing sexually liberated Alex, has pretty good chemistry with Clooney. Onscreen, the two work well together. It is comfortable and easy to watch. Natalie, played by Kendrick has come a long way since the teenage, annoying, insecure character she plays in 2008's Twilight. She shines in this film and I think we can expect to see quite a lot more of her. The film comes with a fast paced, quick-witted script, and very real characters that lack the Hollywood, superficial glamour that so many films today rely on for their success. This film goes deeper than that. It takes a very real look into the everyday lives of real people. It cuts out all the BS and tells the stories of actual people and actual occurrences that are relevant to today's American society. To top it all off, the film does not end in the typical, cliche way you might think it would. The film is in a word, "refreshing."

Til next time...

AVATAR in Digital 3D

James Cameron has done it again with Avatar. The movie is now the number two grossing movie of all time under Titanic which is also a James Cameron film. The movie has been in theaters a little over one month and it has already grossed 1.6 Billion dollars, catching up quickly with Cameron's Titanic which grossed a total of 1.8 Billion.

My History of Film II professor today made a comment about the film and the importance technology has played in the history of filmmaking over the years. Professor Korte said, "The history of the cinema is the history of the invention of its means." James Cameron's idea for Avatar came into existence 15 years ago. The movie has taken so long to hit the silver screen because Cameron literally had to wait for technology to catch up to his idea. The man is a pure genius.

Ok, so the movie is beautiful, and aesthetically pleasing, but you may be asking yourself how one could make such a claim as to call Cameron a Cinema Genius? One of the first elements of the film I noticed was the number of different film genres that Cameron comprised into one 2.5 hour film. The film is a romance, a fantasy, a fairytale, and a science-fiction film. Cameron encompasses all of these different genres based in the American story of European Bigotry Vs. the Native "Savage."

To add to the brilliance of the film, Cameron has created an actual language for the Na'vi people, living on Pandora. Leading lady, Zoe Saldana plays Neytiri, who is the first native of Pandora the audience is introduced to. Saldana was the first actor presented with learning the language and made it her own. All other cast members followed her lead with pronunciation, dialect, and accent.

Perhaps this is the philosopher and the hopeless romantic speaking in me, but Cameron has created an ideal, perfect world with Pandora and the Na'vi natives. These people live in a world where their energy, the energy of their forests, and the energy of their diety are all one entity. There is not civil war amongst the Na'vi people. There is no tearing down, and destruction of their forest for bigger and better technological advances. There is not harsh competition and jealousy amongst the natives. Even the most aggressive animals in Pandora survive as one unit with the Na'vi people.They feed on each others energy, the energy of the forests, and they all work, live, survive, and prosper as one. If one suffers, they all do. In the world of Pandora, the Na'vi people have what appears to be nerve synapses at the bottom of their manes of hair, that connect with the synapses of the animals that they use for transportation in their world. The two organisms' actually physically connect, feel each other's energy, and they work as a machine. It is incredible to see. Cameron has created a world unlike anything our mortal world has ever known. It is simple. It is pure. It is a world you cannot help but wish existed, which is what makes the movie so enchanting.

The movie called for a great deal of physical work from the actors which is the reason why when watching the film, even though these actors when in Pandora are approximately three times as large as their human selves, they look, move and respond identically to the way they would in their human bodies. Cameron accomplished this through new technological advances. The actors were put in black suits where they did all their physical work against green screen type technology. It is amazing to see these actors with an incredibly alien-like appearance, but still know without a doubt that it is Zoe Saldana herself playing the part. The Na'vi had the same mannerisms, facial expressions, body stature, and physical responses to that of the actors playing the part. It is obvious how much work, time, and detail went into making the film and that is precisely why it is the cinematic masterpiece it is. This film has completely broke the mold for filmmaking today. Filmmaking will never be the same again. Well done, Cameron.

I apologize for the lengthiness of this post. I guarantee you not all of them will be this long. Avatar is just one of those films...

Til next time...