"Young Adult" Review

I saw two movies over the last few days. One of them was Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol and the other was, obviously, Young Adult. I pretty much knew what I was going to get with M:I. Tom Cruise and his respectable-actor friends in an extremely large-scale action movie. With Young Adult, I really should have known what I was getting into. The director is Jason Reitman. I'm familiar with Up in the Air, Thank You For Smoking, and Juno. The writer, also from the Juno team, is Diablo Cody. She also writes - and is creator of - The U.S. of Tara, more work I'm familiar with. I'm a big fan of that show. One of the co-stars in it is Patton Oswalt so I've been getting increasingly familiar with his dramatic work, and I've seen his comedy here and there. The last piece is Charlize Theron. She's been in quite a few movies, even though she's slowed down in recent years, and I've seen my fair share of her films. Between that and Turbo's mild obsession with her, I can safely say I'm familiar with Charlize Theron. So, by all accounts, I should have been ready for Young Adult... so why wasn't I?

In the beginning of the movie we see Mavis Gary (Theron) in her everyday life. She guzzles Diet Coke, enjoys the perks of single life, and leaves her TV on E! almost 24/7. The only mildly interesting thing she's got going on is that she's the writer of a formerly popular book series for teens. In a desperate search for inspiration on the final novel in the series, she sifts through emails and finds the announcement of a newborn baby from her high school flame. You'll possibly recognize Buddy Slade (Patrick Wilson) as Nite Owl II from Watchmen. He's a hell of a lot cooler in this movie. Buddy and Mavis have some history as high school sweet hearts and Mavis plans on refreshing their twenty-year-expired relationship in an attempt to add some much needed excitement to her life. She leaves Minneapolis (a.k.a. The Mini-Apple) for her hometown of Mercury and greets her ol' stomping grounds with general disgust. It becomes obvious pretty quickly that she's the best thing to ever come out of that town. Matt Freehauf (Oswalt) is the embodiment of just how awful Mercury is. First of all he's Patton Oswalt (fat, not particularly attractive) but to make matters worse, he's handicapped. An incident in high school earned him the nickname "Hate Crime Guy" and left him reliant on a cane ever since. I won't ruin his story though. Anyway, she bumps into him at a bar and their mutual enjoyment of booze leads to an odd friendship between people who are opposites in about every other sense.

Once Mavis sinks her teeth into Buddy, she doesn't let go. Matt tries to talk sense into her throughout the movie but she is dead set on freeing her Ex-beau from his unhappy marriage. It just so happens that he's not really unhappy. Now with this much info, you can probably guess what problems are sure to follow. I'm here to insure you that you are wrong. They could have gone obvious with this. They could have made Buddy and his choice between his family and Mavis the focus of the climax of this movie, but Reitman and Cody avoid this mistake. Instead, they stick to their protagonist and make her so much more complex than she originally seems. I found myself trying to understand why I couldn't hate Mavis. On the surface it would seem that her being the protagonist in a comedy protects her from being disliked but as we dig deeper, we find the sympathy comes from somewhere much more real. Everyone who sees the movie won't relate to being the popular kid from school, but we all experience some sense of attachment to our past. For some it's positive and we long to enjoy our high school years again. For others, the past is at the root of present problems. Both sides of the spectrum are explored in Young Adult. They clash and combine wonderfully for a fresh collection of interactions. This movie oozes authenticity. Diablo Cody's writing creates a relatable experience by scrapping eloquence and classic 'wit' in favor of unrefined, crude profanity one might hear in real conversation. Somehow it manages to be smart with stupid people and no one's the wiser. It's difficult to explain but a real treat to witness.

Young Adult is a movie that's hard to stop thinking about, like it has an aftertaste. The whole movie is Diet Coke. It's like a classic, everything in place. It's got the Academy Award nominated director, the Academy Award winning actress & writer, and a general air of success all around it. However, it's a little too off for the mainstream. It might not be exciting enough or hilarious enough for the masses so it takes a specific taste. Like our protagonist and her cola, it's possible that some will be inexplicably addicted to this brand of film. And honestly, those who can learn to appreciate this may be better off than someone who won't deviate from the original formula. I've gotta say, I'm pretty proud of that analogy. I'm giving Young Adult 3 Stars. It would be 4 but I don't feel like photoshopping this image.

See, they're Diet Coke stars. Chyeah!

"The Descendants" Review

Long time no type I guess. Sorry to all the loyal readers out there but I've been pretty busy with school lately. It's crunch time so there have been essays due and tests to study for and that won't be letting up for another week or so. Over my Thanksgiving break I managed to schedule in something I actually wanted to do. Sunday night, before getting back to the grind, Turbo and I went and saw The Descendants. It's a new film by Sideways director, Alexander Payne, starring George Clooney. The story is set in Hawaii where Matt King (Clooney) has been burdened with the responsibility of caring for his children alone after his wife is in a boating accident and falls into a coma. In the movie the doctors reveal that she won't be waking up and King has to start informing his family and friends, while guiding his children through the challenges that come with such a tragedy. In addition to this, he finds his wife was cheating on him (it's in the trailer so I don't think that's a spoiler) and he takes it upon himself to find out as much as he can about his wife's lover.

Alexander Payne said in a recent interview that he finds the setting of a story to be just as important as the story itself. The fact that The Descendants takes place in Hawaii means a lot. For one, it means we get plenty of shots of the beautiful archipelago. The King family are the descendants of King Kamehameha himself. In the film, Matt and his cousins are trying to decide what to do with all of their land. Matt, being the sole trustee, has final say on what is to be done with the land. Matt King's independent wealth along with his connections take us from island to island to see the crystal clear beaches, miles of sandy coastline, and green jungles and grasses (jungles and grasses that his cousins propose they sell to hotel builders). The setting also means we get a look at a life that many of us probably don't consider. If someone tells you they're from Salt Lake City or Seattle, you probably just assume it's shitty there like it is wherever you live. But if someone says they're from Hawaii, we get this idea of some amazing exotic life where everyone's kicking back 24/7. The movie immediately attacks this notion and never lets up. They've got all the same problems over there as we do here in the mainland. They need lawyers and real estate agents. They have in-laws who hate them and annoying neighbors. The only difference is that they can usually count on the weather being nice. The score in the film is another huge factor in allowing the setting to come to life. Hawaiian music is heard all over the place. At the end of the credits we couldn't even pronounce the names of the majority of pieces. I'm just glad no one who spoke traditional Hawaiian was there to hear us butchering their language.

Matt's big surface problem throughout the movie is that he doesn't know how to deal with his two daughters, Scottie (10-years-old) and Alexandra (17). He refers to himself as the "backup" parent in the movie. When Scottie is first introduced, she's in trouble for showing her classmates disturbing pictures of her comatose mother in school. Alex is away at a private school originally and when Matt and Scottie go to pick her up on a whim, she's out golfing drunk with a friend. It suffices to say, there's a lot on Matt's plate as he begins the "single parent" era of his life. The characters allude to a dark past for Alex but she seems to be a bit more on the ball now. Matt counts on her to accompany him to break the bad news to their relatives. She's also his main support system in finding out that his wife was unfaithful to him. Shailene Woodley (pictured above) is spectacular as Alexandra. I don't watch a lot of The Secret Life of the American Teenager so I had never heard of her before but she really impressed me. I wouldn't be surprised if she got some recognition from the Academy; at least for a supporting role. Judy Greer (Arrested Development, Archer) and Matthew Lillard (Scream, Scooby-Doo) contribute solid performances. Honestly, everyone does a great job pulling together for believable interactions. It's so easy to rely on someone like George Clooney to carry a film but Payne allowed him to work without the entire project living or dying by his presence. This was, without a doubt, the right way to go.

Sharp dialogue, dense characters, genuine laughs, and some heartfelt exchanges are all wrapped up into one intriguing narrative. The execution is perfect even if no one aspect or scene jumps out as absolutely fantastic or completely unexpected. I don't think you can go wrong with spending your cash on The Descendants. If you're looking for something to watch this holiday season that isn't geared towards children, I suggest you look this up. I'm giving The Descendants 5 Dancing Hula Dolls. Chyeah!

Diamonds Are Forever - MW3 Daytage

I have been super busy, with school and life stuff out of High School. BUY CALL OF DUTY MW3. And enjoy this daytage, or clips from one sesh. This is Killer, Signing out. Chyeah.

50/50 Review

This is really kinda late, but no one else posted this and I have to write a review for a film in current release for a class anyway so I decided to post this.

We all know the saying, "You have to laugh to keep from crying." I have a feeling that this sentiment, along with the fact that this was a true story, was one of the main inspirations for this film. 50/50 tells the story of a likeable 20-something guy named Adam Lerner (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who finds out, pretty much out of the blue, that he has cancer and his odds are 50/50. He's stunned. He runs, he eats well, and has always refrained from smoking. How could a young, healthy guy like that get cancer? Well, shit happens. His relief is his best friend Kyle (Seth Rogan). While Kyle tries to keep it together and act tough for the both of them, you can tell he's hurting inside. Adam's other relief is his girlfriend Rachael (Bryce Dallas Howard), but she proves herself to be not so trustworthy and Adam breaks up with her. Immediately afterwards, Kyle adopts the attitude that Adam could use his cancer to pick up dates.

When Adam isn't spending time with Kyle, he's either getting his weekly chemo treatments with two of the hippest old guys on the block, Alan and Mitch (Philip Baker Hall and Matt Frewer) or he's seeing the hospital-appointed psychiatrist Katherine (Ana Kendrick). It is during these meetings with Katherine that we begin to see Adam's true feelings about his disease. He's aloof at first, bu the more the innocent and inexperienced doctor probes, the more he reveals his fears. These scenes during their meetings are some of the best in the film, and some of the most honest scenes in recent cinema.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt does an outstanding job as Adam. If he isn't nominated for Best Actor at the upcoming Oscars it will be a crime. He does such a great job of conveying all the different emotions that Adam is going through. Seth Rogan is his usual self when he's being funny, but he has a couple of serious moments as well and pulls them off beautifully. Ana Kendrick is as cute and charming as any actress I've ever seen. Anjelica Huston plays Adam's neurotic mother with the skills that only a seasoned actress like herself could pull off. Her neurosis is not without cause, either. Not only does her son have cancer, but her husband (Serge Houde) has Alzheimer's.

The most wonderful aspect of this film is that it perfectly blends drama with comedy. I have to admit I was a little skeptical when I went in to see the film. Knowing that Seth Rogan was a big part of it and that the story was based off of his best friend and writer of the film, Will Reiser, who had cancer and beat it. I was unsure if they would be able to balance the drama and the comedy, or if it would turn out to be a run-of-the-mill Seth Rogan comedy. My fears were dashed, however, because 50/50 is just as funny as it is heartfelt and I can't remember a film in recent memory that's like that. If there are any cliches in the film, and I counted few, the superb acting, the skillful direction, smart screenplay, and the onscreen chemistry between all of the characters more than makes up for them. One of the best films I've seen all year. CHYEAH!

Audio, Video, Disco Review

lot has happened to me musically since 2007 when Justice's first album, †, was released. For one, I didn't listen to Justice. I didn't listen to much of anything to be honest outside of hip-hop and R&B. In 2009 I was introduced to Daft Punk and later on, Justice. House quickly became one of my favorite genres and † set the bar for what I was looking for in all electronic music. Two years later, Justice has finally released their sophomore record, Audio, Video, Disco and this is my review.

The album starts with a track called "Horsepower." As it's name suggests, this piece gets the album going strong. It hits you with the dirty sound you've come to love and expect from Justice and lifts the spirits for this album to be more of the same from this group. In some cases, that would be a bad thing. However, when it comes to Justice, I'm sure I'm not the only one who has just been craving more from them. The next track is the first single from AVD entitled "Civilization." Justice introduces some vocals this time but the formula is still pretty much the same. By the time you get into "Ohio" you kinda get the sense that this is a more watered down version of Justice. If this is your first time getting into House music or just this band, you might find this easier to attach to. Of course, I'm always an advocate of diving right into a group's best or first so I'd still recommend †. I have to admit though, I love "Canon." It reminds me of Human After All era Daft Punk the way it repeats the same riffs over and over until you care about them.

By the time "On'n'On" finished, I realized how much I prefer the vocals on †. The childlike sounds of "D.A.N.C.E." and whatever you wanna call Uffie in "Tthhee Ppaarrttyy" have been replaced with the airy, high-pitched male vocals that are so popular these days. "Parade" starts with some strong base but never really goes anywhere. It'll certainly attract the dance fans though. By "Newlands," I was thinking to myself "hey, this is really different?" I didn't even realize it but the direction on AVD is just completely different. It sounds a little more rock-influenced. Pitchfork claims it's prog-rock influenced and I guess I can hear it but I didn't pick that up for myself. They get paid for this shit though, right? I'm doin' this for the love of you people. Anyway, back on topic. "Helix" is kinda what I expected this whole album to sound like. It's still more conventional dance music but it has a Justice tinge. I dig it, and that's as good of a compliment it'll get. AVD finishes with a title track. This was also released as a single so anyone who cares has probably already formed opinions about it. I prefer closing tracks to be a surprise when I first listen to an album but hey, who cares what I want? I'm just a potential customer. My opinions on this song pretty much summarize the whole project. I like it, I don't love it. Will I listen to it again? Definitely. If Justice wants to tour around here I'll definitely try to get into the show. To be honest, I expected to be disappointed but I'm really not. Audio, Video, Disco is a solid album and it shows Justice isn't just some fad who made some mediocre music that crowds attached to. They're serious and I'm fully expecting to be impressed by whatever they release next.

I'm giving Audio, Video, Disco a 1985 White Lamborghini Countach. Just one of 'em though. Chyeah!

Common Post. Trust me on this one.

I'm pretty sure everyone knows who Common is by now. Rapper, actor, activist, and generally cool guy, Common is someone I'd look up to if I was trying to get famous. Common has been gaining respect in the rap game since 1992. His last album, 2008's Universal Mind Control was a disappointment. His upcoming album, The Dreamer, The Believer, on the other hand is shaping up to be one of the best rap albums of the year in this writer's opinion. I posted the first single, "Ghetto Dreams," recently and the second single continues to deliver satisfying, conventional hip-hop. Blue Sky features classic Common vocals. In a rap world ruled by metaphors and double entendres in every line, Common takes it back to the 90s (again) with a more straight forward style of rhyming. The production is flawless and No I.D. is to thank for that. Listen for yourself. I'll be waiting patiently for it to get the radio play it deserves.

In addition to a new album, I learned last night that Common is going to be one of the stars in the upcoming AMC series, Hell on Wheels. The title refers to the world surrounding the building of the transcontinental railroad in the 1860s. Common is playing a recently freed slave in the series and has been giving 2nd to top billing, not bad. I'm a little weary of his acting talents. He hasn't really had all that much responsibility as an actor in anything that turned out good. That's not to say he ruined anything though, Just Wright was probably screwed from the get go. I guess when the series premieres on November 6th, we'll have a good indication of his acting chops. TV acting isn't as demanding as film acting so he should be alright. Here's the trailer to the show in case you're interested.

The farthest off of Common's known projects is his collaborative album with equally-skilled rapper, Nas. Apparently after "Ghetto Dreams" the two decided to record a full LP that they're calling Nas.Com. Get it? I don't see any reason that album shouldn't be absolutely fantastic. Whenever it comes to light (currently scheduled for some time in 2012), I'm sure it will put all of these pop-minded, radio friendly rappers to shame.

That's all I wanted to say. November could be the month where Common becomes a household name. I've been a fan of his since Be in 2005. He's worked with some of the greats in the entertainment industry from J. Dilla to Ridley Scott. He's earned the love his new show and album may very well get him. This post is just me saying good luck & fingers crossed. Chyeah!