I Just Gotta Dance

Recently, I was a guest on my friends' podcast all about dance movies. We had a great time talking about our favourites, but being a podcast; we were limited on time and the ability to show visuals. Enter WWQTW?! I'm super excited to post again and glad they got me off my butt and working. You can listen to the podcast here or follow them on Facebook or Twitter by clicking on the links. It is also available on iTunes, so search for: a2b Aubyn & Brielle Talk About Stuff .

The movie that started this all was "Center Stage" (2000). To say we love this movie is an understatement. It was part of my yearly roster forever! While I was never a ballerina, I was a dancer for a number of years and I love some of the little things included in the movie like the beginning where all the dancers are getting ready for class. Sure, I think most dancers would show up with their shoes already sewn, it's good for people to see the level of customization that goes into each dancers shoes. It's blood, sweat, and tears baby!

Below is our agreed favorite scene: The finale. The choreography by Susan Stroman  is amazing. You have to have a sense of disbelief (how does she change complicated hair styles in 30 second changes??) but who cares? It's dancing!

My hosts each picked two additional dance related films they loved. Aubyn chose "Strictly Ballroom"  (1992) and "Every Little Step" (2008). Following the basic format for dance films of the Introvert/Lone Wolf who finds themselves or their humanity through their interactions with another person and through the art of dance. In this case, it's a ballroom dancer who dances to his own drummer but finds the importance of compromise with a new partner. Her favorite scene was the finale from "Strictly Ballroom". Of course! The finale of any dance movie always contains the best dance sequence.

"Every Little Step" is a documentary about the revival of "A Chorus Line" on Broadway. It follows the long and arduous process of casting a show and getting ready to perform. It's a great film about what it really takes to be a professional artist. Talent isn't enough- Everyone is talented. It takes a lot of hard work, a bit of ego, and the inability to do anything else. I love this doc as well, though if you're looking for big dance numbers you will be disappointed . If you like docs like this, I also recommend "Broadway Idiot" about the making of the Tony winning musical.

Brielle chose "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" (1985) and "Dirty Dancing" (1987). How can you have a dance conversation without talking about "Dirty Dancing"?! I just want to go to that kind of summer vacation in a resort in the Catskills. "Girls" is a great choice in this list because it speaks more to social dancing instead of professionally trained dancers. Kind of the "So You Think You Can Dance?" of it's time.

My two choices were "Shall We Dance?" (1996) and "All About Jazz" (1979). With only about an hour to cover all of this in the podcast, I couldn't adequately express my love for Bob Fosse. He is hands down my favourite choreographer. His signature style, deep lunges and back leans, finger snaps, wrist flicks, have influenced everyone who came after him. He may have been a bit of a son-of-a-bitch, but he was a talented one. Check him out in "The Little Prince" (1974):

The movements look effortless, and that was the particular hardship to his style. They were anything but easy. Every move is precision, every step thought out and rehearsed ad nauseam.

My favourite piece of choreography by Bob Fosse is in "Sweet Charity" (1969) featuring Shirley MacLaine and Sammy Davis Jr. The music, the dancing, the performances. It makes me smile every time. I can't help it!!

There are so many other great dance movies and scenes, but I would be remiss if I didn't also include a clip of Ann Reinking doing her thing. Perhaps I'll write another post with more suggestions and clips. Until then, what is your favourite dance movie or scene?

*all videos via youtube.com

Getting Under Your Skin

"Under The Skin" (2014)
Director: Jonathan Glazer
Starring: Scarlett Johansson

Michel Faber's novel of the same name is one of my favourite books, possibly my favourite modern novel. I discovered it upon publication when I worked at a bookstore and immediately fell in love. I made everyone I could read it. When my boyfriend and I first got together, I made him take it with him on an extended trip with the warning that he "must read this book or don't bother coming back". Perhaps that's a bit harsh, but I kind of meant it. Faber has such a way with story telling that crosses genre boundaries. His lead, Isserly, is at once both feminine and other, child-like and sultry. She's a character in pain but who stomachs it for the greater good. I have been anticipating this film for over a year and was anxious to see how they would translate the cerebral sci-fi novel to the big screen. 

After having watched the film, I wish more reviewers had pointed out this is a very loose adaptation of the book. Perhaps then I wouldn't have found myself waiting patiently for the climax to unfurl or confused by the complete departure from my beloved text. One must assume the departure was that of budgetary constraints. The novel is sparse in terms of locations (Scottish Highlands, car interior, barn), but leaves so much up to the reader to interpret. In Glazer's film version, the lead is now Laura; a vaguely English rose with exotic features that convey safety and sensuality. Johansson plays her not as a stranger in a strange land or as a tortured soul battling physical pain and adolescent awkwardness, but as a brooding silent type with her eyes and thoughts only on the mission at hand. That mission is to pick up men on the street, take them back to her house, and do god knows what with them. The film allows the reader inside this sanctuary much sooner than in the book and that's a godsend. Once inside this onyx room, we get a glimpse into the big picture. It's only after Laura picks up a man with facial deformities that her interactions with her subjects up to the point begin to weigh on her. It's the first glimmer of a nurture verses nature argument and one of the better I've seen. She wanders the countryside, aimless and intrigued. Could she run away from her purpose? Could she hide here in Scotland forever?

Jonathan Glazer does a great job at creating a haunting, nightmarish dream scape of a film that begs to be watched repeatedly even if doing so will fuck your mind again. I walked from the theatre in a daze, the last time doing so having been Mike Nicol's "Closer". The script is almost dialog free. The visuals (from Daniel Landin, mostly of music video fame) are really the main character. Glasgow stands in for Inverness and it's people all the background you need. Much is shot with hidden cameras and the men Johansson talks to are not actors but real passerby. It lends a realism that is comforting while making their outcome all the more disturbing.

This film is for those who love avant garde, experimental, foreign, and quiet films. It is not for the sleepy. The score by newcomer Mica Levi sounds like Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, and Howard Shore on a synthed out trip through some crazy mind freak. Fans of the book should be advised to leave their memories of the text at the door and simply give in to the experience that will beg to be discussed at length with other viewers after the show.

Hello Old Friend

Today I had an interesting conversation with my boss and a few regulars about blogging. My boss has read my blog and likes it. That's heartening, but I feel like I don't have as much time to write as I used to. Perhaps this has something to do with not being at an office job anymore. I certainly had more than enough time to devote thirty minutes a day to typing out a review when sitting in a cubicle. I also had more time to watch movies and go to the theatre when I worked a 9-5. Since moving into the bar scene, I find that all I want to do when I get home is catch up on TV and sleep. My days off are crammed with all the tasks that MUST be completed for me to continue living. Add to this the lack of internet at my house and you get a pretty lazy blogger.

The positives: I think I'm finally starting to find a balance after over a year of being a paid night owl. I am also consciously choosing to watch the movies that languish in my queue or on top of my DVD player. I miss writing about what inspires, drives, and truly nourishes me. That may sound cheesy, but film and to a slightly lesser extent TV have been my touch stones. I have always been interested in what makes them good, what other people think, and how they factor into my life. I don't know what I would do if my TV broke. Actually, I do; as that happened to me not too long ago. I borrowed money from my parents to replace it ASAP.

As a welcome back to blogging, I want to talk about a movie I just saw.

"Would You Rather" (2012)
Director: David Guy Levy
Starring: Brittany Snow (also Exec-Producer), John Heard, Enver Gjokaj, Sasha Grey, Eddie Steeples

"Would You Rather" is perfectly described as a cross between "Hostel" and "Ten Little Indians". The concept isn't particularly new, but the approach and acting elevate it beyond previous works. We meet Iris (Snow) as she interviews for a job. She just quit school to take care of a sick brother after both parents have died. Money is tight, and she doesn't seem qualified for much. Her brother's doctor introduces her to Shepard Lambick (Jeffery Combs), the head of some huge corporation? Endowment? It isn't explained very well. Needless to say, he's rich and giving away money. Would Iris be interested in attending a dinner party, playing a game, and potentially winning enough to make all her and her brothers' dreams come true? Sounds too good to be true, and that's our first red flag. WYR doesn't try to be smarter that other films of its ilk, it simply understands that you, the viewer, know what's going to happen, and speeds along until hitting pay dirt.

Iris agrees to go to the dinner where she meets a cast of characters plucked from the pulp headlines: a gambler down on his luck (Heard), a saucy minx (Grey), the token black guy (Steeples), the ex-military guy (Charles Hofheimer), the little old lady (June Squibb). Dinner seems pleasant until the game is introduced.

It's a simple children's game. We've all played it: Would you rather? In our version, the choices are usually between bedding some famous actor or the weird guy at school. Drinking some weird concoction or kissing a dog. Who knows? The possibilities are endless! Of course, this is a horror/suspense film, so the stakes are much higher. I don't want to ruin some of the ingenious ways Mr. Lambick has devised to torment and test his potential beneficiaries, but I will pose this offered question: Would you rather electrocute yourself or your neighbor? How much are you willing to risk to chance?

At times, WYR made me cover my eyes. It was a nice change of pace for me truthfully, where nothing is usually weird or disgusting enough that I've not seen it before. In this case, I may have seen it before, but I cared more for the characters involved that I didn't want to see what I knew must happen.

Is this torture porn in the same way Hostel may be categorized as? No. Is it equally, if not more, disturbing? Yes. What would the average person do in these"Exam" or "Cube" that "Hostel". It's really about what makes a person human? What limit is too far? What would you do to achieve what is most important to you? It is in these questions that WYR succeeds.

circumstances? As one character expressed, we'd like to think we know but as the timer runs down, what would we really do? Thinking on this now, I think the film has more in common with

Would you rather??

Quothe the raven...

"The Raven"
Director: James McTeigue ("V for Vendetta")
Starring: John Cusack, Luke Evans ("Immortals", "Clash of the Titans"), Alice Eve ("Entourage" TV, "She's Out of My League"), Brendan Gleesen

*** (3.5 stars)

I have been waiting for this movie to come out for what seems like forever. I find myself saying that often about the movies I review and for that I'm sorry. However, when you pair John Cusack (hello, gorgeous) with Edgar Allan Poe (uh... not so gorgeous), every depressed teen's entry into depressive poetry, you know it's going to be a film like no other.

Some suspension of belief is required to truly enjoy this movie, the lack of physical similarities between the lead actor and his real life counter part not withstanding. One must also suspend any knowledge they have of Poe himself. Yes, it is true there is no record of Poe for the three days proceeding his untimely death; but I hardly think he did it in the joie de vivre spirit shown in the film. It's also hard to think of him as a man capable of getting out of the bottle and drugs long enough to have a love life or any real life for that matter. That being said, there are many facts and facets of the movie that come directly from real life and from what is known.

Baltimore, Maryland- 1849. Poe is back in his adopted hometown and desperately poor. His only salvation is the off-limits daughter (Eve) of a well to do businessman (Gleesen). She is is inspiration and the only thing he thinks about more than booze, dope, money, and fame. Soon, grisly murders begin to happen that only the new detective (Evans) can explain- they are based on the work of Poe. He then enlists the help of Poe to try and solve these murders. Who will guess the killer first, the audience or the detectives?

What surprised me most was how bloody this film was. Thinking back on it I can't imagine why I was surprised, but I was. I guess it's just been a while since I've seen a person cut in half or disfigured outside a "torture-porn" or more traditional horror flick. The FX by Szilvia Paros ("Pillars of the Earth" TV, "Hellboy") are well done and support cinematographer Danny Ruhlmann's ("In a Savage Land", "Little Fish") epic shots.

Cusack toes the line between curmudgeon and scholar well, though it takes a while to warm to some of his acting choices. Eve really shines in a scene that finds her playing out "The Tell-Tale Heart" (not a spoiler, it's the clip she's been showing on appearances). I hope Evans makes more pictures that require acting and clothing (not that I mind him being half naked in the least). His weathered face reminds one of Daniel Craig and he has the potential for the same silent glances heavily weighted in meaning as well.

The only downfall to "The Raven", and responsible for the 3.5 rating instead of 4, is the somewhat disjointed storytelling. It is as if the film didn't know how to start itself or how to end. The middle, the investigation of the crimes, is well executed. Each murder points a finger towards the next and Evans and Cusack make a great team in trying to decipher them. Without giving too much away, the revelation of the killer was a bit of a downer as well. The obligatory confession that even villians not in a James Bond film must give felt like an after-thought.

Fans of the actors, subject, or genre will appreciate this film; though I'm not sure it needs to be seen in the theatre. Rental will allow what I hope to be good special features beyond the usual making of. A featurette linking characters in the film with their real life counterparts would play well. As would one exploring the many theories surrounding Poe's death.

A Pair of Star-Crossed Lovers

Every once in a while, I get on a genre kick. Sometimes it's horror, sometimes comedy or foreign. This week I was all about biopics.

First up:
"Bright Star" (2009)
Director: Jane Campion
Starring: Ben Whisaw (Keats), Abbie Cornish (Fanny), Paul Schneider (Mr. Brown)

** (2 stars)

Based on the poet John Keats secret love affair with Fanny Brawne near the end of his life. Fanny comes from a somewhat established family and is of the age when she must think about marrying, and more importantly, marrying a man with money. Her best prospect is family friend and failed poet Mr. Brown, who teases her life a child on the playground. Enter young Keats- poor, mysterious, talented. Fanny is immediately drawn to him and their secret rendez-vous commence. Tragedy strikes when Keats contracts TB and is sent off to Rome to convelese. Months later, he is dead at 25- a failed poet.

If this sounds like spoilers, I apologize. However, history tells us these things so I don't feel I'm ruining anything. That you know the romance is ultimately tragic was part of the marketing campaign.

The film has a great premise. Part biography, part history, part love affair; how could it go wrong? But, wrong it does. The film feels overly long dispite coming in just under two hours long. The acting is good, Cornish and Schneider especially. Cornish displays the naivity and ideality young woman possess, and that many a heroine of romantic lore have been written around. Schneider, perhaps best known for independent films "All the Real Girls" and "Lars and the Real Girl", has a fantastic Scottish accent and teases Miss Brawne as if it's an Olympic sport. Whisaw is fine as Keats, but it does not compare to his "star making" turn in "Perfume" or more recently on BBC's "The Hour".

Furthermore, the film is boring. Too much film is spent on voice over's of letters written and poems being tried out when it could have shown the action to a much better result. Campion is the champion (pun intended) of quite, moody, romantic fare. Her approach is no different here, though I feel she was far more interested in her subjects personally than she was at making us fall in love with them.

The movie did make me want to know more, mostly because I was left knowing so little, so I jumped to Wikipedia for an overview. Five minutes browsing the internet left me with a much better taste in my mouth. Why didn't they play up the secrecy of their affair? No one knew until Fanny's death when she bequithed the love letters to her children. Her life was far more intersting during and after her time with Keats, I wish the film had focused more on her.

Next, I finally say Cronenberg's "departure" film.

"A Dangerous Method" (2011)
Director: David Cronenberg
Starring: Michael Fassbender, Keira Knightley, Viggo Mortensen, Vincent Cassel
Awards: Golden Globe nomination, Best Supporting Actor- Viggo Mortensen, London and Los Angeles Critics Association Best Actor- Michael Fassbender, Venice Film Festival Golden Lion- David Cronenberg

****(4.5 stars)

Just after the turn of the century and prior to World War I, a destraught Russian woman, Sabina (Knightley), is delivered to Jung's Zurich clinic. She is histerical and fights help with every fiber of her being. Jung begin's what was then refered to as "the talking cure" on her, based on his readings of Freud's papers. As Sabina gets better, so does the relationship between student and teacher, both of Jung and Freud and Jung and Sabina) developes. Together, Freud and Jung work to develope and create what becomes psychoanalysis. As Sabina gets better, she begins a long-term affair with the married Jung that releases him from his own mental confines. She goes back to school and becomes a therapist herself. However, this love triangle soon becomes toxic to many involved ending in the infamous rift between these two masters of the mind.

The biggest surprise in this film may be Knightley. She physically embodes a woman suffering from past trauma's and guilt. The opening scenes in which her whole body fights her revelations is brilliant. Fassbender may be the most exciting actor of his generation. Jung could easily become an unsypathetic character, yet he creates a man flawed and accepting of his own flaws. Mortensen and Cronenberg should have a contract, along the same lines as Time Burton and Johnny Depp, and make as many films together as possible. Both bring the best out of the other and the unscene relationship that must be evident off camera bleeds into the performance.

The film makes clear the stylistic differences between Freud's and Jung's approach to the psyche that is easy for the layman to grasp. Again, it is the female character that is almost more interesting. Sabina graduates and becomes a respected psychoanalyst. During the war, she moves back to Russia with her husband and family. During World War II she refuses to leave her home and is killed, along with her children, by the Nazi's. That she is no longer forgotten is wonderful.

I would certainly recommend this movie to anyone interested in the birth of our understanding the mind, to those with a major crush on the actor's or director (guilty!), or to anyone interested in a movie that makes them think. I certainly understand you may need to be in the right mind set for such a film, but try to get there!

Cronenberg is a director that continues to grow even though he doesn't need to. Having made his name as the Canadian father of horror, he know puts that same eye to detail, destruction, and psychology to more realistic forms. His next project, "Cosmopolis", takes him back to the future armed with the character development he has perfected in recent years. Not even the presence of Robert Pattinson is enough to turn me off this film.

Hello Blogging My Old Friend

Wow! I hadn't realized how long my hiatus was until I started working on this post. Thankfully, I've got the whole interweb thing figured out and finally working so I will not be away for so long again. Can I just say I really missed you?

So much has happened, too much really, that I'm just going to focus on the films shown at my eponymous movie club. I'm really trying to take it back to my original intention so we are alternating between older/classic films and more modern fare. This year, I'm also trying to focus on a different genre each month and choosing a film that perfectly encaptures it.

Where we left off:

"The Apartment" (1960)
Director: Billy Wilder (Seven Year Itch, Sunset Blvd., Some Like It Hot, legend)
Starring: Shirley MacLaine, Jack Lemmon, Fred MacMurray
Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Art Director, Best Editing. Nominations: Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Cinematography, Best Sound

"The Apartment" is one of my favourite movies. I can remember seeing it when I was fairly young (big shocker) and didn't know what it was about. Now, it amazes me that this movie was made at all and I wonder if it could still be made successfully today. What would it be rated? Surely not the PG it received from the Hays office.

"I'm too old for that sort of thing, I mean; in a VW."

Bud (Lemmon) is a young man trying to work his way to the top at work. Unfortunately, he's a bit misguided and lets executives use his apartment for their trysts. When his boss Mr. Sheldrake begins to use it, he brings over the colourful and carefree elevator operator Bud likes named Fran (MacLaine). Soon it becomes apparent that this scheme isn't going to work out and Bud must come to terms with the consequences of standing up for the girl of his dreams and potentially losing his career.

"The mirror is broken."
"Yes, I know. It makes me look the way I feel."

"The Apartment" is full of the typical bon mots we expect and love from Lemmon and MacLaine and McMurray (of My Three Sons fame) is deliciously evil as a boss and lover with few morals or ethics. It is a must see for fans of comedy and the actors, as well as a must for those who place a high emphasis on award wins.

"Tomie" (1998/1999)

Director: Ataru Oikawa

Starring: Miho Karro, Mami Nakamura, Yoriko Doguchi

I saw this movie for the first time after the cover art caught my eye at Blockbuster. It is the kind of movie you watch and when it's over ask yourself, "What the heck just happened?" I couldn't have told you the story or what it was about other than there was a head in a bag and it grew a body (as if you need to know anything more than that!). I must have watched it three times and could never say more than that! If you like it, there are also several sequels of varying success. Watching this again with the club made me feel a bit silly. The plot is not nearly as absent as I remember, but the film is still an easy entrance to the world of modern Japanese horror films and perfect if you have a group with members who are uncomfortable around anything scary.

Tsukiko is a troubled young woman who can't remember what happened in her past to make her so. She seeks the help of a psychiatrist who through hypnoses uncovers a name- Tomie. Who Tomie was and why she is haunting Tsukiko becomes the core of the movie. At the same time, a detective is investigating a rash of serial murders that also uncovers the name Tomie. A young man has the aforementioned head in the bag and talks to it. It talks back. I won't give away more for fear of ruining it, but the identity of the killer, Tomie, and what happened to our heroine as a child are all revealed.

Perfect for lovers of Asian cinema and Japanese horror especially. Also good for anyone looking for a good mystery with a bit of blood in it.

"The Searchers" (1956)
Director: John Ford (Grapes of Wrath, Stagecoach, How Green Was My Valley)
Starring: John Wayne, Natalie Wood, Vera Miles, Jeffery Hunter
Awards: DGA nomination, AFI #1 Western, AFI Top 100 Films #12

To agree with AFI is a bit redundant, but this is my favourite Western as well. It showcases the quintessential Wayne hero/curmudgeon and is beautifully shot, acted, and written. What else would you expect from the grandfather of Westerns, Ford?

"Ethan, I gotta ask you and Martin to take a ride to the State Capital."
"Is this an invite to a necktie party, Reverend?"

Shortly after Ethan Edwards (Wayne) comes home from the civil war, his brother's ranch is attacked by Indians (sorry P.C. people!) and everyone is killed except his youngest niece who is kidnapped. Ethan forms a search party and spends years looking for her. Finally, he finds her, all grown up, and played by Natalie Wood in what would normally be an embarrassing performance. Having lived with the Comanche for so long, can she be rescued?

"That'll be the day."

"The Searchers" is a long movie, but one with enough weight and importance behind it to make the time sail by. The male actors really shine as does Miles, as the young woman in love with a member of the searching party. The film holds true today with its themes of racism, family, and war. A must for Western lovers, but seriously; if you're a fan of Westerns you've probably already seen it. Otherwise, it is simply a must see for everyone.

[side note: A great drinking game- Drink every time Wayne says something snarky or acts like a smart ass. You'll be pleasantly buzzed before the end of the first reel.]

"La Haine (Hate)" (1995)
Director: Mathieu Kassovitz
Starring: Vincent Cassel, Hubert Kounde, Said Taghmaoui
Awards: Best Director (Cannes), Best Editing, Film, & Producer (Cesar Awards), Best Young Film (European Film Awards), Best Director & Film (Lumiere Awards), Empire Magazine 100 Best Films of World Cinema #32

Mathieu Kassovitz made a name for himself by making films that addressed social and political subjects in a youthful and fresh way. Most American movie goers will know him as the love interest in "Amelie" and I encourage you to seek out his French films as well.

"Jusqu'ici tout va bien..." ("So far, so good...")

Centering around the race riots in the Paris ghettos, "La Haine" follows the lives of three friends during a 24-hour period. The trio represent an almost unlikely alliance in France: Vinz- Jewish, Said- Muslim, and Hubert- African/French. Each responds slightly differently to the riots and police brutality effecting their community. They both try to go about their day as normally as possible and try to find someone to blame for the beating of their friend Abdel. The ending is one that you will talk about for years to come and the conversation that stemed from this film was one of the best in the clubs history.

"La Haine" doesn't pretend to have the solution to Frances difficulty, not does it delve to deeply into what caused this horrific level of hate amoungst the haves and have nots, the white protestant and everyone else. It does give you something to think about. The film regained the spotlight again in 2005 after Kassovitz criticized then Home Office Minister Nicolas Sarkozy (now President) made racist comments following another bout of riots in and around Paris. The transcripts of those conversations is priceless!

The Adjustment of Desire

**** (4.5 stars)

Film makers have been enamoured with love and life lost since the beginning of film. Whether it be Chaplin's Little Tramp in "City Lights" or Goddard's tragic prostitute, the sacrifice's we as a people make for the love of another or even ourselves has lead to our greatest triumph's and most horrible loses.

While watching "The Adjustment Bureau" yesterday, I kept thinking about those themes as well as Wim Wenders "Wings of Desire" and subsequent American remake "City of Angels". Remember when Nicholas Cage was good?

Wender's "Wings of Desire" (available on beautiful Criterion) is about a "melancholy" angel named Damiel who watches over Berlin, Germany; listening in on the populations thoughts. Eventually, he finds himself drawn to an equally lonely circus performer and makes the decision to become human. It is then that he begins to understand the subjects he has been observing and what it means to be alive. In the American version, the trapeze artist is a doctor played by Meg Ryan. It is refreshing to see a an American film that does not feature a happy ending, particularly a romantic one. Here, the love story ends tragically, as life often does; but the lessons and life lived by the Angel, even in such a short period of time, will forever change him. When asked if he would do it all again, knowing the outcome would be tragic, would he? The answer is immediately, "yes". To quote Nat King Cole and Baz Luhrmann's "Moulin Rouge"- "The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return".

"The Adjustment Bureau" takes a slightly different, more sci-fi than metaphysical approach to the same themes. Matt Damon plays a young, up and coming politician in New York who seems to have everything until he loses the big race. It is then that he meets a beautiful and mysterious stranger, the equally mesmerizing Emily Blunt, who instantly charms him with her laissez-faire attitude and provides the spark he needs to get back into his life. But, it's supposed to end there, in the Men's bathroom just before he gives his speech of defeat. Chance intervenes and they meet again, except they were never supposed to. Someone was sleeping on the job, literally. A group of mean dressed like J. Edgar Hoover's G-Men, are tasked with carrying out a master plan that involves preempting chance and keeping the world and human choice in balance. Once Damon sees behind the curtain, his life is forever changed.

Based on a short story by Philip K. Dick (love him!), it's a hard film to summarize without giving too much away. It's the kind of movie you want your friends to see so you can discuss and analyze it more fully. I do not envy the man who's job it was to cut the trailer! This is an important movie about life, love, destiny, and choice. It ponders the questions philosophers have been asking or aeon's- What is free will? Is there such a thing as destiny? Who created and controls the universe?

Veteran writer and first time director George Nolfi ("Ocean's Twelve", "The Bourne Ultimatum"), does an amazing job keeping the balance between action and emotion. Fast paced car chases dissolve into personally touching moments. One that will stick with me forever comes after Damon has been lectured by the Second in Command (How do I love thee, Terence Stamp). He reveals "The Plan" to Damon in hopes he will give up on his quest for the girl he shouldn't have and get back on the track his life is supposed to take. Like many of us when faced with hard truths, he is stubborn and runs from his planned destiny to see Blunt dance with her modern ballet company. It is after he see's her there that Stamp reveals the other half of The Plan- That everything we do, our choices effect those around us. Can we be unselfish enough to give up our own desires if we know it will kill someone elses? Can love conquer all? The answer awaits you at the end of this film and I won't spoil it here. Needless to say, I'm totally blaming the wine for why I became a slobbering mess by the end. A must see!

Camera Obscura

There are enough articles out there lamenting the return of summer as it pertains to the television watching experience. It should be noted that the rise in reality TV during a time when people should be outdoors doing exactly what they are watching is ironic, but not really problematic. Reality TV is all around us, 365 days a year. Personally, it is during the summer that I find some of the most interesting shows that would normally not get a spot in the line up are shown. Here is what I am currently obsessing over on TV this summer:

"Oddities"- I didn't even know there was a Science Channel, but a friend of mine turned me on to it and was shocked when he discovered I had never heard of this show before. Even more strange, I have been familiar with the cast and concept for some time. "Oddities" focuses on Obscura Antiques & Oddities in Manhattan's East Village. Specializing in the strange and unusual, Lydia Deets would certainly be a regular there, they have exactly what you're looking for. That is, if what floats your boat is anything from a human skull, to turn of the century medical equipment, to a taxidermied two-headed calf. Yep, it's that kind of place. I heard about it a couple years ago when actress Chloe Sevigny made a video tour/introduction to the neighborhood for Bust magazine. It's pretty cool and worth checking out. New episodes air Saturday and there is a mini-marathon on the 18th. Check local listings.

"Auction Hunters"- I got sucked into this show a few months ago at a friends house. Seriously, I have the best friends. How do they know about these things?! The show follows the Laurel and Hardy of storage auctions, Allen Haff and Ton Jones as they scouer California, and sometimes the whole country, in search of forgotten treasure. I love the enthusiasm both have for what they do, as well as the value of many of the items they find. There has been some chatter on the web that the whole show is fake and both Haff and Jones are actors. Personally, I wouldn't call a few appearances as Thug #1 or Bouncer or Detective #2 an acting career. Heaven forbid they try to supplement their income with extra and day player work. Isn't that what southern California is all about? Both say that about 80% of their purchased units are "busts", so doesn't it make sense to have some easy work on the side? Regardless, the show is pretty entertaining and airs on Spike TV throughout the week.

"My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding"- This one my sister turned me on to. If you've never seen it, it's worth checking out one episode just to squelch your curiosity. I don't recommend watching too many in too short a space, as they narrator repeats herself a lot as if the premise is impossible to comprehend or our brains may have leaked out our ears since last week and we forgot all about what we were watching. Seriously TLC, it's not rocket science. What it is, is a big hot mess. The show focuses on Gypsy's and Irish Travellers in England as they embark on their big day. Oddly, the most shocking thing isn't that most of the brides are 18 or under, it's the outrageous wedding dresses they were. Many are so heavy and cumbersome that they cut into the girls and permanently scare them. It's a fascinating look at a usually camera shy culture.

"The Killing"- If you missed out on this series, it's a bit late to jump in now. The season finale is this Sunday but it has been picked up for a second season (yea!!) and I'm sure AMC will re-run the whole thing after the season ends. Set your DVRs now! Based on a popular Danish TV series, the story follows the disappearance of a young woman in Seattle and the possible connections she may have to the changing political climate there. Detective Sarah Linden thinks it's her last day on the job when the body turns up and she's forced to stay on and partner up with her replacement, former NARC detective Steven Holder who may have a past of his own. The show is moody and dark and calmly paced. Each episode offers a clue into the disappearance and murder of Rosie Larsen or into the surviving characters. The pace can seem languid at times, but it all works to build suspense week to week. Those viewers who think "Mad Men" is like watching paint dry should probably avoid this series as well. Of course, you should probably avoid life all around. Just kidding. Kinda. Some of my best friends can't get into either show. Check listings for repeat showings.

NBC Thursdays- During the fall, there is so much competition for space on the schedule that often, shows I like get pushed aside. Case in point- NBC. I love "Community" and "30 Rock", but I know they will re-run in the summer so I set them aside while I watch other crap. This is the best thing about summer! Network TV is in re-runs and now you can catch up. My favourite new show of the mid season was "Happy Endings" on ABC. I totally forgot when it was premiering so I missed the first few, but you can watch them on Hulu or on abc.com. This is the new "Friends" for the 20-30 something set. The episode on hipsters and zombies alone is enough to get you obsessed with this show!

"SYTYCD" - My all time favourite reality show. Say what you will about some of the judges (poor Mary Murphy), but this is a show were the contestants have to have actual talent. Talent and drive they have perfected since they were very young. It showcases all forms of dance from the street performer to the classically trained ballerina, though the contemporary dancers do seem heavily favoured. It's not their fault really, just the name of the game. You need to be amazing at your style of dance as well as be able to learn choreography and a basic understanding of other styles. Cat Deely is the most enigmatic host on TV and it is an outrage that she has not been nominated for an Emmy.

Cable Rocks- Covert Affairs, White Collar, The Closer, The Glades, Eureka, In Plain Sight, and True Blood (#waitingsucks) all return this summer. I just got into "White Collar" and already am hooked on the story lines. The best part is, with the exception of "True Blood", you can jump right into any of these shows. Okay, okay; you can jump into "True Blood" as well, although by now you would be well advised to watch the Season 3 recap (playing constantly) or just set  your DVR for 7 PM Central time when the Season 3 finale followed by a series refresher airs before the new episode.

Two words: The Inbetweeners. The boys are back for the third and final season. If you're not watching, you're an idiot. Or, you don't have cable.

Of course, there are several new shows still upcoming that have my attention peaked:

Falling Skies on TNT- Can Steven Spielberg lead us wrong? If this show were on network television, I would be more worried the answer might be yes. Instead, basic cable outlets like TNT seem to stand behind their projects a lot more than network. Fingers crossed, this show following the aftermath of an alien invasion 6 months later has the chops. Noah Wylie in the lead role certainly helps.

Suits on USA- This show could really fall on it's face. The premise alone makes me cringe, but the charismatic Gabriel Macht will pull me in every time. Here, he plays a lawyer tasked with hiring the firms latest rookie pawn. Instead, he's charmed by a con man (sort of?) who knows everything there is to know about the law, just without the degree. I'm predicting I'm over this show in three weeks.

Wilfred on FX- Possibly the weirdest show coming to a TV near you. Ryan, suicidally down on his luck, begins to see his attractive neighbors dog in a new light. Specifically, as a man in a dog costume. Elijah Wood, as the lead, should bring the right mix of angst and humour. My understanding is this show is best watched after many cocktails or other enjoyments.

Alphas on Syfy- Kind of like "X-Men" if the mutants were getting pay check and health benefits. The always amazing David Strathairn could be the new Professor X. Well, not really. How could he be replaced? Still, my little geek heart is all over this one.

Whisker Wars on IFC- Was there any doubt the founder of Moustache Tuesday would not watch this show? this semi-mini-series follows Team USA as they travel the country competing in beard competitions in preparation for the world event. I love to see the winners every year and wonder, "What the hell do you do for a living?"

The Hour on BBC America- No info as of yet on the site, but Variety ran a nice article. The 6-part mini-series follows the adolescents of broadcast journalism during the Cold War. May sound boring, but there's a great cast and an espionage story line that should make it must watch TV.

What are you excited about watching this summer?

Backyard Movie Making: Super 8

**** (4.5 stars)

Sometimes I think it would be nice to relive old memories. The ones from childhood you often think about in times when being an adult is rough. There's my first birthday party to see "The Land Before Time", or the homemade Twister game at my Kindergarten Halloween party. The year I was Catwoman for Halloween, or when a deer walked within three feet of me at my Grandmother's house. It seems obvious that is exactly what writer/director J.J. Abrams and producer Steven Spielberg were doing when they conceived of "Super 8".

Set in 1979-1980, a group of boys entertain themselves in small town Ohio by making 8mm movies about zombies. What none of them expect is that the fantasy world they've created will suddenly show up on their door step. After witnessing a horrific train crash, their sleepy town of Lillian undergoes several strange events from lost phone lines, to missing car engines, to missing people. The U.S. Air Force shows up to take control of the wreckage as well as the town. The fate of the people lie in the youthful audacity and curiosity that only children have. What they find is at times funny, moving, scary, and cheesy.

It would be unfair to say too much about this movie. The trailers, some of the best in recent years, have done a good job of building suspense and excitement for the film without giving anything away. The audience I was with jumped three times, but laughed along with the jokes twice as often. And, that's the thing. This isn't really a sci-fi film, it's a coming of age movie that everyone regardless of how they grew up can relate. In the band of geeks, there's the chubby one, the dictator, the quiet one, the crazy one, the passive one, and the hot one. These actors, many of whom have few to zero credits to their names, capture what it was like to be adolescent. The dialog rings true because they were free to ad lib where need be. Another testament to Abrams power as a director. I would love to see him dial it back a bit and make a really personal (even more so) film. Something that reminds us this is the guy who created "Felicity". It's time for his "first feature" and not another blockbuster. Of course, with the estimated earnings of this movie, that dream will probably never come to pass.

It's easy to make comparisons to Speilberg's early work, especially "E.T." and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind", but that really diminishes the film that is Abrams creation. Certainly he was influenced by these films, but what filmmaker working in this genre isn't? There was a lovely quote by Spielberg in this weeks "Entertainment Weekly" that talked about how all films influence us and it's impossible to make a movie that doesn't draw on those influences, whether it be a complete rip off, homage, or tone. [side note: I wish I had the article with me, it was really good, but I'm writing this away from the house so I suggest you just go out and get you a copy!] Someone should wake up M. Night Shamylan and tell him this is how you make a movie.

I'm not sure this is the summer movie to trump all summer movies, but it is enjoyable on many levels that other blockbusters are not. A perfect double feature: "X-Men: First Class" and "Super 8". We could subtitle it: "A lesson in what the summer could be".

The Power of X

It should be noted that I am a geek. One of the highlights of my year so far was attending the Dallas ComicCon and missing Leonard Nimoy in the hall by just seconds. Geek.

I love comic books; the art, the characters (both fantastical and realistic), the stories. Whether it be a far away galaxy or right here on earth, the future or in the present or the past; I am constantly impressed by what the writers and artists are able to accomplish. Comic books, and their grown counter part the graphic novel, represent the perfect blend of my twin passions- movies and books. Seemingly simple writing is reinforced by the art work, both working diligently to move the story forward and build characters frame by frame.

It seems shocking that it would take so long for Hollywood to jump on the geek bandwagon, until you remember comics are for kids. Or, at least that was the popular thought when the greatest characters were created in the 50s. Who would have thought a dime store comic book would later sell for millions?

Regardless of how long it took to get there, Hollywood eventually did come calling and have been turning out both good (1st Superman, Batman, Blade, Iron Man, Ghost World) and bad (Daredevil, the Hulk, Barb Wire, Tank Girl (though I LOVE that movie), Ghost Rider) ever since. The list could go on. It amazes me how anyone could fuck up a comic book movie. It's all right there! The set design, art direction, costumes, physical characteristics, etc. Each character has a long and layered back story. There are established hero's and villains, not to mention plots galore. Seriously, some one must be taking the piss to turn out as much garbage as they do.

It was with great excitement that I went to see "X-Men: First Class". I love the X-Men. Of all the big "brands", the mutant warriors of good and evil are by far my favourite. I love how each character is so different from the next, but there are subtle overlaps in powers. The line between good and evil is also blurred as each villain and obstacle are attacked by opposing sides- the "good" X-Men and the "bad" Magneto and his army. [side note: Does anyone else think it's kind of lame that Magneto didn't get a cool moniker for his brood?].

My favourite character is Jean Grey, almost exclusively because she becomes the Dark Phoenix whom I adore. It is much for this reason I loved "X-3", and seem to be the only person who did! I urge you to go back and watch it again. Sure, Brett Ratner isn't known for the subtlety that proved Bryan Singer the right man for the job. (Remember when everyone hated that he was directing? Fools!). The story was good but perhaps they tried to do too much in too little time (much like this newest film). **SPOILER ALERT IF YOU NEVER SAW "X-3: THE LAST STAND"** Still, who could forget when Mystique is cured of her mutant-ness and Magneto leaves her behind? I think the line is something like, "You were beautiful, now look at you." To a nude Rebecca Romijn!! Or, the struggle Rogue goes through when faced with the possibility of a cure. Should she? Shouldn't she? I hated the choice she ended up making, though now, years wiser, I understand it.

How did Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Erik Lehnsherr (Michael Fassbender) meet and then how did they come to be foes? (I won't use the term enemy, as I've always felt they still have a great deal of love and respect for one another). When did they become Professor X and Magneto, respectively? When was the school for gifted youngsters established? Why is Charles in a wheel chair? All and more will be answered!

The film starts with our hero's in the 40s- Erik in a Nazi prison camp and Charles in a mansion in upstate New York. It then moves pretty quickly to the 60s and the dawn of the Cuban missle crisis. Mutants are alone, unrecognized, and in hiding. Erik is hunting his old nemesis and war criminal Sebastian Shaw (a devilishly cool Kevin Bacon) and Charles is getting is doctorate in Oxford. Soon, he is enlisted to help CIA operative Moira MacTaggert (Rose Byrne), and believer in the extraordinary, as she hunts for Shaw. Shaw has taken what he learned as the chief medical experiment guy in concentration camps and turned himself into a superhero with the ability to absorb energy. He looks smashing! Joining him on his quest for world domination is Emma Frost (January Jones), Riptide (Alex Gonzalez), and Azazel (an unrecognizable Jason Flemyng). On the side of good, Charles and Erik use a prehistoric version of Cerebro to locate other mutants who may be able to help in their task. Finally, more than half way through the movie, we meet the first class: Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence), Beast (Nicholas Hoult), Angel, not to be confused with the male Angel from "X-3" (Zoe Kravitz), Havok (Lucas Till), Banshee (Caleb Landry Jones), and Darwin (Edi Gathegi). It's nice to see some new faces in the already established movie-verse of X-Men.

Matthew Vaughn has transitioned well from the indie darling "Layer Cake" to more commercial fare like "Kick-Ass" and this film. His attention to character is precisely what this film needed. There is a lot of history (both real and from the comics) to cover, and not getting lost or dragged down and away from the plot could be tricky in less capable hands. I think there were just too many cooks in the kitchen, with four credited screenwriters, not to mention two story by credits. Clearly, someone had a lot of fun writing it but the film would have been better if it didn't try to introduce too much of the school. It should have been called "X-Men: Origins" and saved the "First Class" moniker for a second film when we could really explore the establishment of the school.

There are great performances through out, most notably Fassbender. It's great to see Magneto with a bit more humanity, before it is killed and he begins trying to lead the mutant uprising. Lawrence proves she can handle a blockbuster (good thing what with "The Hunger Games" poised to become the new "Twilight") and Hoult shows just the right edge of nerd and carnivore. The biggest fault in casting is the other women. I'm not sure if Jones is just used to the "Mad Men" school of acting or if she just can't act, but she was never really present and seemed to phone it in. One would think the role of Ice Queen would be perfectly suited to her, but I guess that doesn't work in every dimension of the 60s. Thankfully, it does not distract from the overall film. Byrne is also under utilized, but I disagree with other reviewers that her character was so unbelievable. We must remember, most women at this time were homemakers or secretaries. It is not far fetched that she would be demeaned or objectified in the work place. Of course, the Moira MacTaggert of the comics is a lot more interesting (and not a CIA agent), but what can you do?

I want desperately for this film to do well (knock on wood). I want more sequels! There is so much story to be told, so many characters who still have not had their day, it would be a shame to stop here. Whether you're a card carrying geek like me or just someone looking to have fun at the movies (all without having to check your brain at the door), then this is the must see of the summer.

**** (4 stars)