The Wrestler - T

Darren Aronofsky’s “The Wrestler,” shows that, in both movies and wrestling, the line between reality and play-acting may be less clear than we assume. Shooting his battered hero mainly from behind, as if you were seeing the world through the wrestler’s eyes, makes a convincing show of brute realism. The supermarkets, trailer parks, V.F.W. halls and run-down amphitheaters of New Jersey are convincingly drab. But the story that emerges is disarmingly sweet, indeed at times downright saccharine — a familiar parable of squandered hopes and second chances.

Randy "The Ram" Robinson, played by Mickey Rourke, is anything but a phony. His real name, which he can’t stand to hear, is Robin Ramsinski; his muscles are puffed up with steroids, and it’s highly doubtful that his flowing mane is naturally blond. But this careful fakery is, to some extent, what certifies Randy as the real thing, an authentic, passionate, natural performer. The description fits Mr. Rourke as well.

Now, 20 years later, he — Randy, that is — has been relegated to shabbier halls. He has trouble making the rent on his trailer, and his health is failing. His professionalism, however, is undiminished, and the most moving and persuasive scenes in “The Wrestler” show the Ram backstage with the men who are his comrades and rivals, working out the finer points of their routines with a warmth and respect completely at odds with the viciousness they display in the ring. While the fights are choreographed, the pain and the blood are frequently real. We are privy to tricks of the trade, like the tiny bit of razor blade that Randy uses to open a cut on his face in the middle of a bout.

But Randy’s real problems are outside of the ring. He is estranged from his daughter, Stephanie, (Evan Rachel Wood), whose anger when he tries to reconcile suggests some major mess-ups in the past. He also has a crush on a stripper known as Cassidy (Ms. Tomei), whose lap dances and friendly chitchat he interprets as signs of reciprocated interest. Randy and Cassidy (it’s not her real name, either) are both performers, both expert at faking something the customers desperately want to believe is real. The wrestlers don’t really hate one another, and the stripper doesn’t really love you.

Wrestlers like “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig, Jake “the Snake” Roberts, and Bam Bam Bigelow are all embodied in Randy “The Ram” Robinson. They were wrestlers whose better days are behind them, and wrestling doesn’t pay the bills anymore. For some of them, death came too soon. In this brillant movie about a guy who can’t let go because the outside doesn’t want him, Mickey Rourke may finally bring the one thing that professional wrestlers have longed to receive: Respect! This is a must see!

17 Again - M

Mike (Matthew Perry) suddenly finds himself as a seventeen year old again (Zac Efron). He thinks that he is being given a second chance to change his own life and the choices he made in high school. Later in the movie, he realizes that he did indeed choose the right path. He just didn't try hard enough to make it the best path that it could be. I really liked how they didn't have him actually go back in time. Instead, Mike is living in present day, posing as a teen, and going to school with his own kids. He even helps out his own estranged wife, Scarlett, who is amazed at how much this new kid resembles her soon-to-be ex.

I found the movie to be quite entertaining. There were several laugh out loud moments, and I felt that it never crossed the line into being stupid humor like so many teen flicks do in this day and age. I did think that the way he actually transformed into a teenager and then back to an adult was kind of lame. He became young by falling in a river after seeing a janitor that doesn't really exist, and he goes back to adulthood simply by leaving a basketball game and running down the hall. At least Back to the Future had the cool DeLorean with the flex capacitor that needed electricity from the lightning bolt to return home...way cooler! The movie did have a scene almost straight out of Back to the Future when Mike wakes up in a bedroom with his daughter Maggie. She is there to soothe him after he got punched out. Maggie begins to hit on him, causing Mike to become extremely uncomfortable just like Marty in BTTF feels after the teenage version of his mother starts to hit on him in the bedroom.

The whole storyline between his genius best friend Ned and the hot principal had me laughing until we discover that she is a sci fi geek as well. I'm sorry, but an attractive grown woman like her would never really be into all of that trekkie, cyborg, video game stuff. One of my favorite scenes had to be when the young Mike shows up to his divorce hearing to read a note to Scarlett. I KNEW the paper would be empty, and I'm a sucker for a man pouring out his heart to his lady. It was so sweet to hear about the memories that Mike had of the first time he fell in love her.

17 Again (Interview with Dakota)

Last week, Dakota and I had a movie date at Cinemark to see the new Zac Efron movie, 17 Again. I thought it would be fun to post an interview I did with her, to see what a 6 year old thought about the film.

M: On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the best, how good was this movie?
D: 9

M: What was your favorite scene?
D: (When Mike is talking to Scarlett's friend Naomi) Hey Nyomi. Naomi! I don't care!

M: What was your least favorite part?
D: When she (Scarlett) was chopping the trees down in the backyard because it was loud.

M: Did you think that the character named Ned was nerdy or cool?
D: Nerdy, because he likes Star Wars and he has a lot of swords and light sabers.

M: Can you tell me what the movie was about?
D: It was about him (Mike) when he was 37 and he went back in time to change his life and he makes friends with his kids and he likes the kids' mom.

M: Do you think Mike should have chosen to be a basketball player instead of marrying Scarlett?
D: He should marry Scarlett because he loves her. He made the right choice and bailed on basketball.

M: If you were in high school, would you date a guy like Stan?
D: NO! He wanted to do sex but they're not married yet. (That's my girl!!)

M: Who is cuter...Zac Efron or Joe Jonas?
D: Zac Efron because he is sweaty and has hot pecs. (WHERE does she get this?)

M: Tell me your favorite movie snacks.
D: Reese's Pieces, hot dogs, and popcorn

W.

This review is not based on how I feel about former President Bush’s eight year term as our president. This review is about Oliver Stone. In years past, he has made a few eye opening movies that made the public think, such as Platoon, The Doors, and Wall Street. However, he’s made some clunkers as well . Natural Born Killers, Any Given Sunday, and U-Turn come to mind.

As far as movies about U.S. Presidents go, to where JFK and Nixon were well put together, this movie, W., missed the mark for me. While Stone showcases certain parts of Bush’s life, the feud that exists between Bush Sr. and W. felt a little made up.

The movie does depict W.’s inconsistency to hold a well paying job, his run as the minority owner of the Texas Rangers, his run as Governor of Texas, and his eight years as President of the United States. While Josh Brolin does a remarkable job portraying Bush, the scenes jump around so much that you lose track as to where they are in the story. Richard Dreyfus portrays Vice President Dick Chenney, but unfortunately plays him in a forgettable role. As someone who has lived in Dallas his whole life, it was nice to see Dallas Cowboy play-by-play man Brad Sham have a brief cameo in the movie, but that’s not enough to keep my interest.

Oliver Stone can direct many powerful movies like World Trade Center. If you're thinking of giving W. a try, stay away!

Beer League

If you are a Stern fan, you’ll like this movie! If you are an Artie Lange fan, you’ll love this movie. If you don’t like either one of them, this movie is not for you. Artie Lange, who has talked about his life on the Howard Stern show, gives his fans another reason to root for him in this movie.

The humor is sophmoric, but Artie is just being Artie! It is filled with gay bashing, drug humor, lots of T&A, and oh yeah, they try to play softball throughout it. This is not a Bull Durham, Major League, or The Natural movie, but that doesn’t mean it’s not fun.

Ralph Macchio is n this movie as Artie's best friend as he is planning to marry a woman who flat out hates the best man, in this case, Artie. Laurie Metcalf plays Artie’s mom who, if you listen the Stern Show, plays what Artie considers to be a close second to his real mother.

The movie also has a few former SNL’s who cameo in the movie, Jim Florentine (Robin Quiver’s ex boyfriend in real life), Jim Breuer, and even Tina Fey. As for Artie Lange, he’s not going to win any acting awards in this one, but honestly, I don’t think he’s looking for that.

Being a Stern fan, I can honestly say…..this one’s not for everyone, but like I said, if you love Artie Lange, you’ll love this movie.

Private Parts

I recently saw this movie again for the first time in a long time. While the movie doesn’t hold up due to the fact that Howard is remarried and is no longer on free radio, it does show the human side of a man who may just be misunderstood. For those who have Sirius, and who have been listening to Howard, know how much of a radio genius this guy really is. Plus, if you’ve listened to the History of Howard Stern, you know the whole story of how Howard worked his way to the top.

Private Parts takes bits and pieces from the History of Howard Stern and shows us how one man could do so much with no true backing from his own employers. The movies starts with his upbringing in New York. For those that have listened to him talk about his parents on the air, get to see a funny reinactment of Ben and Ray Stern, It shows how he met his first wife Alison at Boston University. Then it show the stations he worked for, along the way meeting the people who would later become part of the Stern show, Fred Norris and Robin Quivers. From Hartford, to Detroit, to Washington, and then to the (at that time) mecca of radio, WNBC in New York, we see how Howard Stern became the radio legend that he is today.

The movie does leave out a few things however. While signing to go to WNBC, the people at DC-101 let him go after he tried to call Air Florida after one of their planes crashed into the Potomiac. While the WNBC years focused on the Pig Vomit years (Pig Virus in real life), they left out the Incubus years, the other program director who gave Howard a hard time.

All in all, it was a delightfull, funny movie that, quite frankly, aren’t made anymore!

No Country For Old Men - M

Okay, I REALLY was not looking forward to watching this movie. Just the title alone sounds like a boring film to me. The movie started out to be somewhat interesting when the police officer gets choked by Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) with his handcuffs. But the next scene is where the movie lost me. Josh Brolin, who plays Llewelyn Moss, spends an ungodly length of time walking around the desert finding dead bodies, abandoned vehicles, tons of weapons, and the suitcase of money. It just dragged. Then, I didn't get why he goes back in the middle of the night to bring water to a guy who had probably already died from his wounds. He knew that there was a chance that he would not return alive, so why did he risk it?

The movie has a few interesting scenes. I liked when Chigurh sets the car on fire in front of the drug store and then just walks in and helps himself to the medicines and supplies that he needs to treat his gunshot wound. It was also fascinating to follow Chigurh's psycopathic killing spree as he hunts down Moss.

The rest of the movie was weird, pointless, and confusing. Tommy Lee Jones' character seemed unimportant to the plot. He looked like a lazy cop that didn't care to follow up on any leads himself. Woody Harrelson's character also seemed pointless. There were so many holes in the movie.

Then, the final scene plays, the screen goes black. and I looked over at Trey completely baffled. WTF kind of ending was that? I asked him to replay the final scene because I just didn't get it. I kept waiting for the title to make sense. It was one of the worst movies that I have ever had to sit through. I spent about half an hour after the movie googling the reviews online trying to figure out (1) Why so many people loved the movie, (2) What does the title mean, and (3) What was the point of the whole thing?

One thing is for sure...I will not be watching this movie ever again to figure out the answers. It stunk!!

No Country for Old Men - T

This. Movie. SUCKED. They say a dollar doesn’t go far anynmore, and they’re right! If you are at Blockbuster or your local rental store and you see this movie on the shelves, stay away.

The story starts with the bad guy, played by Javiar Bardem, already in custody, manages to escape, after killing the officer that arrested him. He then goes on a killing spree using an air gun. Then we see Josh Brolin’s character, who finds 2 million dollars in a bag from a drug deal done wrong. He takes the money and runs, thus telling his wife to get out of town.

Then we find the sheriff, played by Tommy Lee Jones, who is searching for the meaning of life, or somethinig like that. Quite frankly, the Tommy Lee Jones character is a thankless role, and the movie could of lived on without him. The Josh Brolin character turns out to be a thankless roles as he is killed off without a warning. As for the Javiar Bardem character, it reminds me a role that Sly Stallone played back in the 80’s…John Rambo from the first Rambo movie. The difference is that the audience could understand what made Rambo tick. Bardem’s character is just moving through life, killing everyone in sight. Granted, that might just be the character. Towards the end of the picture, after Tommy Lee Jones gives a long winded speech about his dreams, the movie ends!

The Academy Awards got this one wrong! The movie felt incomplete for me. I get that the cinematography was great. I even get how Javiar Bardem could get nominated. But where’s the story? What’s the point? If you have a dollar on you and you go into your video store, stay away from this movie!

Slumdog Millionaire - T

Slumdog Millionaire was the best picture of 2008, so they say! Personally, I don’t get it.

The first half of the movie was all over the place for me. We get to see the main star being tortured and watching his appearance on their version of Who wants to be a Millionaire. Everytime he is asked a question, he remembers back to an earlier time in his life, which for some reason, gives him the answer he needs to continue on.

After you get passed the first half of the movie, which is all subtitles, the movie does get better! We see the love of his life, and the choices she felt that she had to make. We see his brother and how money changed his life. And of course, we see the evil Regis try to keep the main star from winning the money.

All in all, it was a good movie, but in my mind, not the Best Picture of the year.

Slumdog Millionaire - M

Trey and I decided to watch every Academy award winner for best picture, in backwards order. So, we began with the 2008 film, Slumdog Millionaire. I knew absolutely nothing about this movie going in. Once I realized that it was going to be a bunch of flashbacks in the main character Jamal's life, I began to think it was going to suck. I thought that some parts were very hard to understand what they were saying because of the Indian accents.

I felt myself getting more and more into the storyline as it progressed. Once I found out WHO the men were that had "taken" Jamal and were questioning him, things started to make sense for me. One of my favorite scenes was when the WWTBAM host leaves a B on the mirror in the bathroom. I liked seeing it play out where Jamal answers D, and the host keeps trying to make sure that he doesn't want to go with B instead. I loved when the movie caught up to the present, and the excitement builds as Jamal goes for the final question.

The actors who played Jamal, Salim, and Latika as adults were all very good. I joked with Trey that Salim looked like a young Michael Jackson with his curls and his sunglasses. What I loved most about Slimdog was definitely the cinematography. The director did an amazing job finding a way to make the rundown dirty slums of Mumbai look so beautiful. Several of the shots just looked like a piece of art, and I really liked the camera angles that he used. The colors were so vivid, and the use of lighting was perfection (especially in the final scene where Jamal and Latika kiss). Another hit in my book was the musical score. It really worked well in building the intensity of some of the chase scenes, and I loved how it was hip and modern music, yet it still had the Indian flair to it. Jai Ho!!

Do I think it deserved best picture? That's a tough one, since I have not seen any of the other movies that were nominated for the award last year. I would like to think that is does, just because it was so different from all of the other films that Hollywood has been putting out lately. I think it definitely stands out.