Important Update

As you may know, I made five posts this week, one for each day of the business week.  Now it's Saturday and it is time for some news and explanation.

The main reason I made those posts was to keep you interested in my reviews and as an apology for not posting as frequently; this may not be the first time I do this.

The second reason is the purpose of why this post even exists.  As of Monday, July 25th I will be on a three-week hiatus and I will be at camp.  While I am gone, you can request movies I should watch by politely emailing me at FreshonFilm@gmail.com, but do not expect a reply until I get back.

I hope you can all understand and still enjoy reading my reviews.  Have a good day, everyone.  I will leave my past five posts under so you can see what I posted during the week.

Psycho

There is no better way to end the week than with one of my top favorite movies of all time, Psycho.  Soft-spoken Janet Leigh and Anthony Perkins give by far their most memorable performances ever.  Having one of the best music scores of all time, it is suspenseful, exciting, surprising, haunting, and the best film Alfred Hitchcock has ever made.

Marion Crane (Leigh) and her boyfriend Sam Loomis (John Gavin) plan to try to get married, but Loomis isn't making much money, and leaves to his work place in California.  On a Friday, however, Crane is trusted with $40,000 from her boss.  Having a miserable life she takes this opportunity to start a new life and visit Sam.  After driving through a storm she wanders into the Bates hotel, run by Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), who is overshadowed by his mother.

This movie is terrific, from its beautiful cinematography, to its staggering performances, this movie is pure entertainment throughout.  Alfred Hitchcock had made his most controversial film yet with scenes considered vile at the time, and was the first American film ever to have a toilet flush on screen.  The way Hitchocock directed this film is like no other I had ever seen.  The film is a beauty and an art-form that is a pioneer for the horror genre.

There is no horror movie I like more than Psycho.  I like it so much, you would assume Universal paid me to write this.  There are little to no things that seem flawed in this film.  It is, in my opinion, the most creatively unique horror film ever made.  So popular, that every horror film today gives at least a little credit to Psycho.  This movie, deservingly so, receives a 4/4.

Top Five Films That Receive Too Much Credit

We all have those films that we do not understand.  There are those types of films that people question, "What makes this so high art?"  I think movies are a prime example of having such a colossal fanbase that it is brings the most controversial question (after "what is the best movie ever?") to the table:  "What is the most overrated film of all time?"  You can consider this a list of what I consider the most overrated movies of all time, but I don't feel it as that way.

Note: I enjoy all of the films listed, even though it may not seem that way.  Obsessed fans beware

5. Raging Bull

I like this movie a lot, actually; it is one of my favorite films Martin Scorsese has ever made.  To me, Robert De Niro (who won his second Oscar for his part) and Joe Pesci (who received his first Oscar nomination for his part) portray one of the best brother duos in film history, and arguably the best of the 80s.  The only problem is, it is not immensely special like many say.  There are plenty of other Scorsese films that I find better, for example Goodfellas and The Departed.  AFI ranked it the fourth best movie in cinema history on their 2007 Best Movies list, and that is a bit stretched in my opinion.

4. Vertigo

This is another movie I like - maybe not as much as Raging Bull, but nevertheless a great film.  It has lots of thrills, excitement, passion, and everything you traditionally find in a Hitchcock classic.  The art-direction and cinematography blow me away, and makes this film even more gorgeous than it is.  The problem is, it suffers the same as stated before:  there are better films.  Again mentioning the AFI, it is ranked number one in the mystery genre, and voted the eighth best film of all time.  It feels like Jimmy Stewart's other classic, Rear Window, but without a wheelchair and more quiet lover.  Great  film, but not the best.

3. The Godfather

I have no problem with this movie at all; it is a very fine film.  Its pacing is fine, the storyline is unique enough to have any moviegoer intrigued, and is a revolutionary pioneer in the "gangster" genre.  Many people will not like what I say, but I find many other films that could easily be considered the greatest film of all time, as many say, that are not the Godfather.  The part when Michael and his family travel to Italy, felt way too slow to appreciate.  The most exciting part of the film, however, has to be the incredible climax at the end of the film; there are few endings I can appreciate more.

2. The Dark Knight

As I stated, there are parts of the Godfather that just feel too slow for me.  Usually, having a film being slow isn't a problem for me, but here, half of the whole film is just plain boring.  Half of the time it is just talking, talking, and occasionally you see the Joker (Heath Ledger) become exciting, which is the best part of the film.  In my opinion, it in no way compares to the original classic directed by then new at the time Tim Burton.  The Batman (Christian Bale) and Joker in the 2008 version just do not seem as fresh as in the original, when it was unheard of to see Batman (then played by Michael Keaton) have a dark, grim story, besides the original comics created by Bob Kane.

1. Inception

It makes me cringe when people praise this movie to such a high extent.  It is by no means revolutionary - it feels exactly like Avatar but with more people.  And do not argue that Avatar wasn't about dreaming, because Sam Worthington's character did fall asleep to enter the other world.  Getting back on topic, it just felt like director Christopher Nolan wanted to show off his imagination by having lots of well-done visual effects, make money, and have a unique twist on the thriller genre.  The gun-violence action shown felt like watching Bonnie and Clyde in a snowy, modern setting.  The characters were flat, too; Joseph Gordon-Levitt had done way better in 500 Days of Summer, what I consider, a modern-day romantic comedy classic.  And do not get me stated on Leonardo Dicaprio.  Solid film, nothing revolutionary.

Well, this list was a bit of a downer, but I had to vent my anger.  All respect is due to Christopher Nolan, as I do appreciate him and his work.

Die Hard

Die Hard is the movie that made actor Bruce Willis and character John McClane a household name.  Die Hard features what AFI considered one of the best villains of all time, Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman).  Die Hard has eye-candy action, appealing to any audience.  Die Hard is arguably the best action movie ever.

John McClane (Willis) is a New York Detective who is flying to Los Angeles to visit his wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia).  Everything starts off going as expected - he gets to his limo, gets into the hotel safely, etc. - until a surprising visit by a group of terrorists, led by Hans Gruber holds up the entire hotel.  No matter what, McClane has to stop each of the 12 terrorists. 

This movie is how action films should be made.  It has a creative story, a unique but crazy enough villain, to make the story work.  There are many twists that make the story easy to hang on to, and I was left hanging at the edge of my seat the whole way through.  Plus the cinematography done by Jan de Bont makes the film look just as gorgeous as it seems.

Overall this film is awesome.  I say 'awesome' because, as I said earlier, this film appeals to anyone.  I know I am repeating much of what I said in my top ten list earlier on, but this film is worth watching many times.  I recently found this on DVD used for $3, and is worth every cent.  For $3, it receives a 4/4; generally, however, it is a 3.5/4.

Red Dragon

While browsing on Netfilx, I was trying to find a bad horror movie to the list of "horror movies you should not watch."  I then found what I had heard about a few times, and decided to watch instead of anything else.  Red Dragon is the third film in the Hannibal Lecter series, and is definitely a solid entry, but still misses the elements that gave the Silence of the Lambs its legendary status.

Will Graham (Edward Norton) is an FBI agent who is leaving early retirement to catch a serial killer, known as the "Tooth Fairy".  He approaches an enemy Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) to receive advice on how to catch him.  Over time, though, the Tooth Fairy is receiving information about Graham's family.

This movie has a lot of big names including Hopkins, Norton, Harvey Keitel, Ralph Fiennes, and Philip Seymour Hoffman.  Each cast member does a fine job, but Norton doesn't have the same feel as the detective that Jodie Foster had as Clarice Starling, and the same applies for Fiennes.  Throughout the whole film, it still, however, manages to keep my interest throughout.  The only problem is, there are many momentum killers, but fortunately there is no "fake build-up", a major cliché no audience member appreciates.

As a movie, Red Dragon is solid.  In the Lecter series, it still doesn't compare to the first, but it isn't meant to.  The film was written by the screenwriter of Lambs, Ted Tally, and does a fine job.  It is by no means considered a great or high-caliber film.  But the big names and the adequate performances by each of the leads makes it worth watching at least once.  The story is just a replication of the original classic, and is worth a 2/4.  It just misses the excitement the Best Picture winner had.

Saving Private Ryan

Often considered one of Steven Spielberg's best, Saving Private Ryan is a story of heroism, danger, and most importantly, inspiration.  Tom Hanks gives his best performance as Capt. Frank Miller ever since the title character in Forrest Gump.  The ensemble is once again top-notch, but also diverse and first-class.

This epic takes place starting at the Normandy Invasion, June 6, 1944.  The Allied forces arrive at France and just get annihilated by Nazi soldiers.  Soon after, Captain Frank Miller seven other troopers are out on a mission to find Pvt. James Francis Ryan, a soldier whose whereabouts are unknown, and no one knows whether he is dead or alive.  It is up to those warriors to save him, and save themselves.

As stated, the story starts at D-Day.  That first act has some of the most real, violent, sad, gruesome scenery in film history and is the definition of the R rating.  Besides that, it is also some of the best scenery in history.  Each fighter along with Miller provides something of a character study, and makes you feel sympathy for each character.

I wish this review could be longer - you never know, edits do happen - but there are many spoilers that I would rather not.  This film is what makes the Epic genre so strong.  It stands alongside classics such as Gone with the Wind and Schindler's List as one of the best of the genre.  The movie is memorable, caring, and takes itself seriously enough the way it should be.  I agree when people say Saving Private Ryan is overrated, but this film receives a 4/4.

Horrible Bosses

I am never one to appreciate comedies, but this is an exception.  This story has a hysterical concept of three guys (Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, Charlie Day) who get together, and devise a plan to literally kill their bosses.  The concept for the story is great, and is possibly the best summer comedy this year.

Nick Hendricks (Bateman) is frustrated after his boss, David Harken (Kevin Spacey) takes on the position he always dreamed of and blackmails him to keep his job, despite being late.  Dale (Day) hates his boss when right when he gets engaged, his boss Dr. Julia Harris (Jennifer Anniston) harasses and wants to sleep with him before the marriage, and cannot quit because he is on the list of child offenders.  Kurt Buckman (Sudeikis) enjoys his job, but once his boss dies, his son drug-addicted, psychologically child takes over, ruining what Buckman felt was a fun job.  Then the three drunkenly converse about killing their bosses, and soon hire a consultant (Jamie Foxx) to help take care of business.

There is not much to say about this film, but to start, it is awesome.  It is the kind of film older teenage kids would love, and has the humor to make any adult laugh, no matter how old.  It appeals to a great percentage of people because it does what almost every adult has fantasized about.  Director Seth Gordon does his best work yet, and I hope can do even more stuff like this in the future.

The performances are what steal the show.  By far, the best was Spacey playing as the pretentious boss who cares about nobody except himself, which is what makes his character Harkin so entertaining.  All three of the employed characters are proficient and entertaining.  Being a comedy, critics bashed on this film a bit, but is deserving of a 3/4.  It is worth seeing this movie.

The Tree of Life

Directed by on-again, off-again director Terrence Malick, the Tree of Life is the story following a family with three young boys in Texas during the 1950s.  Its art-style is gorgeous, and is one of the most creative films of the year.  Brad Pitt plays his best role since Benjamin Button, and the ensemble of the young boys are terrific for what they bring to the table.

As said, it follows a religious Texas family in the '50s.  The oldest child, Jack (Hunter McCracken/Sean Penn), loses his innocence and reminisces his childhood to make peace with his father (Brad Pitt).  In modern time, Jack finds himself lonely and he tries to find out what faith and worship are and the purpose of living.

The film isn't much dialogue, but more of a verbal character study.  For example, following the parent Pitt plays, you can see without listening that he loves his children, but is very strict, very stern, and abuses them.  He gives a fine performance, but an Oscar-nod is unlikely.  Jessica Chastain plays his wife, but is more of a character that dances around and is in la-la land.  Lastly, it is the performances by Laramie Eppler and McCracken as the two main children that steal the show.  They are innocent, sympathetic, and fun to watch without being a hassle to follow.

Now for what we all want to discuss:  the "art show."  It is incredible.  Each and every part of what we see in what seems like a trip on getting high is exquisite, and deserves credit, but is complimented by the wonderful cinematography provided.  Never have I felt so into scenes like what you see ever since watching 2001: A Space Odyssey.


This film is one of those one-in-a-million films that, while a bit narcissistic, is vastly intelligent, and treats its audience seriously.  Unfortunately, it is a limited release, took a half-hour to get there, but was worth it.  It felt slow at parts, but was still exciting to see Jack's childhood, and the final sequence was beautiful and worth it.  This film could potentially win many Oscars, like Editing, Cinematography, Visual Effects, possibly Sound, and even Best Director.  This film will make you ask lots of questions, and receives a 4/4.

A Fairly Odd Movie: Grow Up, Timmy Turner!

I know what you're all going to ask:  "Why are you reviewing this?"  Because ever since childhood I have watched the Fairly OddParents and is my favorite animated show on Nickelodeon.  It contains a big percent of my childhood and imagination, so to see this movie was incredible for me.  It is a live-action TV movie with some CGI starring dried-up celebrity Drake Bell as Timmy Turner.  How does this movie turn out?

It takes place in the ever-so-wonderful town of Dimmsdale, and it is Timmy's 23rd birthday; so many viewers will ask, why does he still have his fairies (Cosmo, Wanda, and Poof cast varied) if you lose them by teenage years?  Because it notes the audience that by behaving like a child, he still can keep them.  Later on in his day, he walks by the park and notices that his friend, Tootie (Daniella Monet), has become incredibly gorgeous over the years after looking like a creep.  He soon over time develops a crush on her, which is maturing, making it more possible to lose his Fairy God Parents.

This movie couldn't have made me more mixed on opinions.  There were characters I didn't appreciate seeing remade, that were unnecessary like his childhood friends Chester and A.J. (Chris Anderson and Jesse Reid), and his villainous ex-babysitter Vicky (Devon Weigel).  However, there were characters that delightful to see like the "toughest fairy in the universe", Jorgen Von Strangle (Mark Gibbon) - who, although was based off of Arnold Schwarzenegger, reminds me more of George C. Scott.

The story was immeasurably cheesy, and the CGI for the fairies was substandard, and it irked me to a degree that it just looked atrocious in the end.  There were some stand out moments that made me laugh, but most was targeted for a young audience, but that's who the show was made for, a young audience.  The acting was tolerable enough that I enjoyed it thoroughly.  I thought the dialogue would be pure stupidity, but turned out to be adequate in the end.  It seemed to be classic Butch Hartman to me, though, and i appreciated it that way.  This is a hard movie to rate, but I give it a 2/4.

Inglourious Basterds

As many of you can infer from what I've written before, I love Quentin Tarantino.  He is by far one of the most absolute best filmmakers in the business today.  Without a doubt, Pulp Fiction is one of my favorite films of all time.  However, in 2009, Inglorious Basterds was released, and it was argued to be the next best film Quentin's ever made.  Is it?

When the Nazi Party had occupied France, there is a group of eight Jewish-American soldiers, lead by another man, Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt).  They had been selected so they can frighten the Nazis, and make sure no Nazi survives by murdering them, and scalping each one after.  Soon enough, they receive attention from the Nazis and help a woman, Shosanna Dreyfus (Mélanie Laurent) whose family was shot brutally by Col. Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz), who is currently one of my favorite modern villains.

As with all the hype that went with it before its release, it lived up to it and more.  Despite the conversations sometimes being a bit apathetic, the rendezvous at the tavern and most of the climaxes in each act were exciting and make you feel more ebullient in a certain way.  The performances were astounding, each character feeling so fresh and distinct, especially by Waltz and the Basterds.  Each one stood out uniquely and seeing them ferociously murder a Nazi is just so pleasurable.  Quentin Tarantino, once again, created another terrific ensemble.

Out of everything, the script is what steals the show.  Every little part of each dialogue is ingeniously written and makes you head-over-heels throughout every act of the film.  What stands out the most is the conversation at the beginning of the film, with Hans Landa talking to a dairy farmer (Denis Menochet) about hiding Jews.  After that very scene, Waltz was sure to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, because he was superlative the whole way through.

This movie is great.  Maybe I'm biased towards Tarantino, but his filmmaking contemplation is unrivaled.  For every film he makes, it just insults how bland and dull cinema can be, whilst making them surpassingly entertaining, much like the way films made by Stanley Kubrick were.  Needless to say, I predict this film will be considered a modern classic for all the right reasons.  Inglorious Basterds receives a 3.5/4.

Top 10 Movies That Never Won an Oscar, But Should Have

If you couldn't tell from what I have posted for reviews, you will sure know by now that I am biased towards classic movies.  I love watching them just to see what kind of ideas they had to use for filming before computers were hot.  This list, however, is about the classics the Academy (in my opinion) overlooked.  Across the internet, you see lists of movies that never won "Best Picture," but this is about what never won, period.  This is my first top ten list, so I hope this goes well.  Without further ado, let's begin.





10. Die Hard

What is there not to say about this film?  This is the perfect example of how an action movie can appeal to both kids - making them feel like a tough cop as John McClane (Bruce Willis) is portrayed - and adults and be adequate simultaneously.  I guarantee you that the Academy would never vote this film for best picture (not favoring action films very often), but it was nominated for visuals, sound, sound effects, and editing.  I felt it could have at least walked home with Sound, but nevertheless it didn't.

9. Reservoir Dogs

I've reviewed this before, so I will be brief, hopefully.  Quentin Tarantino is known for making movies with a rendezvous involved (Pulp Fiction, Inglorious Basterds, etc.), but this movie is nothing but one.  Starring one of my favorite ensembles of a group of criminals, with lots of suspense and excitement, not knowing what will happen next to who.  This movie failed to receive any Oscar or even Golden Globe Nomination, which is a big shame.

8. The Big Lebowski

Arguably one of the best the Coen Brothers ever made, this film is everything any kind of film-lover would enjoy, with its smart story, well-done cinematography, and its memorable performances from Jeff Bridges, Julianne Moore, and possibly the best sidekick put on screen, John Goodman as Walter Sobchak.  This movie also has one of the most hysterical stories ever done, about the "Dude" (Bridges) getting redemption for his soiled rug.  Sadly, this film received no nominations, much like "Dogs" not even for John Goodman for Best Supporting Actor.  What a tragedy.

7. Stand By Me

This is one of the most innocent movies ever made, being a story of four young boys who go on an adventure to seek a dead body, in hopes of being famous.  Okay, maybe not the most innocent thing out there.  It's has a perfect run time of 89 minutes (1 hour, 29 minutes) and has so many memorable moments.  River Phoenix and Wil Wheaton especially stand out, and the older gang is so much fun to see.  This movie only earned a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay, which it should have won but lost to A Room With a View.

6. Fight Club

Yep, here it comes - the all-and-mighty Fight Club.  This movie is incredible with the best performances I have ever seen by leads Edward Norton and Brad Pitt.  It has one of the best stories of the 90s, being about an insomniac (Norton) and a soap salesman (Pitt) starting an organization to reduce male stress.  I know some people find it terribly overrated, but this film is one of my all-time favorites.  If it's one of my all-time favorites, why is it number six?  Because it wasn't nominated for enough Oscars, only one, for Sound Effects.  This may seem like a weird reason, but that's your problem.

5. A Clockwork Orange/Dr. Strangelove

  These movies are so unique in such crazy ways.  Both being made by Kubrick, I tied them for this position.  A Clockwork Orange is an incredible interpretation of a sadistic teenage rapist who volunteers for therapy to reduce crime in a futuristic Britain, and the pacing is top-notch, with Malcolm McDowell's strongest performance.  Dr. Strangelove has Peter Sellers being Eddie Murphy, before Eddie Murphy was Eddie Murphy, playing three lead roles involving the stop of a nuclear holocaust.  Clockwork was nominated for Editing, Adapted Screenplay, Director, and Picture; Strangelove was nominated for Lead Actor (Sellers), Adapted Screenplay, Director, and Picture.

4. Psycho/Rear Window

 I promise you this is the last tie on the list, but this is because they are made by Alfred Hitchcock.  I personally prefer Psycho more, but some seen to like Rear Window more so this position is tied.  Psycho is the definition the question "how was this movie omitted from Best Picture?"  It had such a wonderful story, brilliant pacing, Anthony Perkins playing the role of a lifetime, and an ending that influences all horror films today.  Jimmy Stewart gives one of his best performances in Rear Window, playing a photographer stuck in a wheelchair who spies on a neighbor's window, suspecting them of being a murderer.  Classic Hitchcock.  Psycho was nominated for Black-and-White Cinematography and Art Direction, Supporting Actress (Janet Leigh) and Director; Rear Window was nominated for Sound Recording, Color Cinematography, Screenplay, and Director.

3. It's a Wonderful Life

I've reviewed this before as well, so things may be repeated.  This is a wonderful movie (ironic, yes), which is more perfectly suited for the holidays better than any other movie, ever.  Jimmy Stewart gives most likely his most powerful performance after serving for World War II, being George Bailey, a depressed businessman who is helped by an angel without wings who shows him what life would be like without him.  It's a beautiful story, with top-notch writing and performances which make this movie just as great, even to this day.  This movie was nominated for Best Sound Recording, Film Editing,  Lead Actor (Stewart), Director, and Picture.

2. 12 Angry Men

This is a movie that is impossible not to love.  It has one of the most memorable character-studies of an ensemble I have ever seen, analyzing 12 jurors with completely different personalities.  Taking place in a murder trial, one of them, juror eight (Henry Fonda) tries to persuade the rest that the case isn't as clear as the prosecutor had said.  Fonda gives one of his most underrated, heroic performances, and every one of the jurors should be nominated or awarded, but there are only two acting awards.  It was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, Director, and Picture.

1. The Shawshank Redemption
I'm sorry, everyone, I tried not to put this at number one, but I couldn't resist.  This movie is perfect; it is number one on IMDb for many reasons.  How about the innocence of all the jail mates surrounding Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), or the prefect pacing this film has, despite being two hours and 22 minutes long?  What about the thrilling opening, sending chills down your spine each time watching the court case?  How about its striking musical score it provides?  And especially, what about the bond that he and his friend Red (Morgan Freeman) share with a bright, hopeful, tear-inducing ending?  This is usually regarded as one the best movies ever, and I am usually biased when it comes to this movie.  Oh, and no, I was not payed by Warner Brothers or Castle Rock to write about this entry.  The movie was nominated for Best Sound, Cinematography, Film Editing, Original Score, Adapted Screenplay, Lead Actor (Freeman), and Picture.  How could this movie not win any Oscars, let alone not nominating Frank Darabont for Best Director?  Shame on you, Academy, shame on you.