Yes. I know, I'm way behind on my updates. Again. While I try to think of things to write about the movies I've seen in the theatres, let me tell you about a movie out on DVD I think you should watch, 'Captain America: The First Avenger'. And I hear you Canadians, rolling you eyes at me Captain America Andrea? Isn't that just a 124minute propaganda poster? And you might think that, but the fact of the matter is that it you have to remember that Cap's America doesn't exist anymore. This was a country that had to be dragged into WWII, hard to imagine right? Not only that but their enemies were the Germans and Japanese, countries who are better known for making cars than their militaries these days. What I'm really getting at is that, while even I was initially concerned that it would be a bunch of flag waving, it really isn't, it comes back down to a good ol' good vs evil archetype; where the good is an skinny, idealistic kid from Brooklyn who just happens to be injected with the Super Soldier Serum that makes him practically invulnerable and the evil is a crazy, mutated Nazi who wants to take over the world. Fun, right?
Interesting fact about this movie, Chris Evan turned down the role of Steve Rogers THREE times before agreeing to take it on. Which is pretty amazing, considering how wonderfully he embodies the character. However, it's a pretty big commitment, 6 flicks [down from the 9 Marvel initially wanted] and the pressure to carry the film, as well as the new Avengers franchise on his back. I was a little worried too, while I'm a big Chris Evans fan, it was more his humour that I loved, and I wasn't sure he could be the 'All-American' boy that Cap needs to be. There was no need to be concerned, Evans turns out one the most empathetic and idealistic performances I've seen in a while. Whether it's when he's digitally made into scrawny Steve or after he becomes Captain America he comes off as sincere in his desire to do the right thing, no matter the cost to his own person.
Do you know who Hugo Weaving is? You may say no, but I bet you're wrong, this guy has been in more blockbuster sci-fi/fantasy films in the past decade than most, 'The Matrix' trilogy, 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy, 'V for Vendetta', he was the voice of Megatron in the 'The Transformers' movies, you get my point. Anyways, he's back again as the Red Skull, the creepy head of Hydra, Hitler's super secret science division. And he's awesome at it. I'm sure playing a villain, as an actor, must be super fun, but he really pulls off the psychotic, world conquerer thing in a way I'm not sure another actor would be able to.
There are a plethora of great supporting performances in this film as well. Stanley Tucci and Tommy Lee Jones are great as Dr. Erskine and Col. Phillips respectively. Dominic Cooper plays Howard Stark, yes that would be Tony 'Iron Man' Stark's father, and I can almost believe that the two are related. Last but not least in the supporting cast is the lovely Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter, Cap's main squeeze.
ALRIGHT! For not really knowing what to say, I have certainly rambled on, as per usual. Needless to say, I think if you should go out and watch 'Captain America: First Avenger', especially, if, like me, you'll be waiting to see the Joss Whedon [EEE!!!] directed 'The Avengers' next summer! See you next time....hopefully sooner rather than later.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
Moneyball
Let me just get this out of the way before we get too far into this post. I don't like baseball. I understand the rules and I can appreciate the athleticism and talent it takes to play it, but I think it's slow and boring. What can I say, I'm Canadian, hockey's in my blood. Anyways, that being said, I always love a good sports movie, whether it's a sport I enjoy or not. The thing that really elevates 'Moneyball' for me is that it focuses on something that I enjoy, numbers. I'm not a big math fan per se, but I do love me some stats, I'm kind of a nerd for them, which really made this movie perfect for me.
The movie is an adaptation of the book 'Moneyball: The art of winning an unfair game', and I think the phrase after the title says it all. Even someone like me, who knows very little about the teams in the MLB knows that the Yankees have a ridiculous bankroll which makes it possible for them to buy pretty much any player they want, while other teams are forced to watch their best players go where the money is. This sets the stage for 'Moneyball', after losing to the Yankees in the 2001 postseason, the Oakland Athletics lose their three biggest names to free agency and teams with more money. This leaves GM Billy Beane [Brad Pitt] in a bit of a lurch; With a salary of approximately $41 million it's hard to compete with teams like the Yankees with their bankroll of $125 million. He can't get any more money from the owners, so he can't get any other big names to come to Oakland, simply because he can't afford them.
One of the most interesting scenes comes watching Beane and his scouts try to pick players for the upcoming year. They talk about 'pretty swings', 'nice strides' and 'good faces'. I didn't realise the game was so much about looks, and while I suppose these people are trying to bring fans to the stadium, wouldn't a winning team do that better than a good looking one? Beane continues to try and build a competitive team in Cleveland, and while he doesn't get the player he wants he does meet Peter Brand [Jonah Hill] a Yale economics undergrad with big ideas on how to assemble a better team, a statistical approach known as sabremetrics. When Beane returns to Oakland ready to wholeheartedly embrace sabremetrics his scouts are actively hostile to the approach that dismisses their years of experience and intuition and focuses almost solely on the players on base percentage. Despite pissing off his head scout, the rest of the scouting team AND the team manager Beane gets the team he wants, but can they win?
At first the team's poor play seems to be proving all the doubters, in and outside the team, right. But Beane is convinced that they aren't winning because team manager, Art Howe [played by the always superb, Philip Seymour Hoffman] refuses the play the team the way he built it, which included playing a former catcher, Scott Hatteberg [the adorable Chris Pratt] at first base. In a bold move he trades the team's best player to force Howe to do things his way. However as the season progresses so does the team's play, in the end having all the critics to eat their words when the A's go on to an MLB record winning 20 games in a row and make it to the post-season, albeit to lose again in the first round.
Despite falling short in the post season many other teams have gone on to take Beane's sabretrics-based approach at building their teams.
Okay, now I know that I've already rambled on for far too long, but just a couple extra little notes. Brad Pitt was superb as Billy Beane. The man doesn't make a lot of movies these days, [how can he with that passel of kids he has?] but it's obvious that when he does choose a role, he chooses one he care about. I also have to say how impressed I was by Jonah Hill. He's made his name being a funny guy, but here he proves that he isn't a one trick pony, and pulls off this dramatic role really well. Last but not least, Chris Pratt, you may not know him, and that's too bad. He's done mostly TV in the past few years, including currently being the adorable goofball Andy on 'Parks and Recreation' [<- this show is awesome, you should watch it]. His portrayal of Scott Hatteberg is wonderful; he brings a sweet uncertainty to his character that really makes you want to see him succeed.
Alright!! That's an awful lot about a movie about a sport I don't like, but it was darn good flick. Getting back into the swing of blogging is a little tricky, but stick with me and I promise to try and be more concise from now on. ;)
The movie is an adaptation of the book 'Moneyball: The art of winning an unfair game', and I think the phrase after the title says it all. Even someone like me, who knows very little about the teams in the MLB knows that the Yankees have a ridiculous bankroll which makes it possible for them to buy pretty much any player they want, while other teams are forced to watch their best players go where the money is. This sets the stage for 'Moneyball', after losing to the Yankees in the 2001 postseason, the Oakland Athletics lose their three biggest names to free agency and teams with more money. This leaves GM Billy Beane [Brad Pitt] in a bit of a lurch; With a salary of approximately $41 million it's hard to compete with teams like the Yankees with their bankroll of $125 million. He can't get any more money from the owners, so he can't get any other big names to come to Oakland, simply because he can't afford them.
One of the most interesting scenes comes watching Beane and his scouts try to pick players for the upcoming year. They talk about 'pretty swings', 'nice strides' and 'good faces'. I didn't realise the game was so much about looks, and while I suppose these people are trying to bring fans to the stadium, wouldn't a winning team do that better than a good looking one? Beane continues to try and build a competitive team in Cleveland, and while he doesn't get the player he wants he does meet Peter Brand [Jonah Hill] a Yale economics undergrad with big ideas on how to assemble a better team, a statistical approach known as sabremetrics. When Beane returns to Oakland ready to wholeheartedly embrace sabremetrics his scouts are actively hostile to the approach that dismisses their years of experience and intuition and focuses almost solely on the players on base percentage. Despite pissing off his head scout, the rest of the scouting team AND the team manager Beane gets the team he wants, but can they win?
At first the team's poor play seems to be proving all the doubters, in and outside the team, right. But Beane is convinced that they aren't winning because team manager, Art Howe [played by the always superb, Philip Seymour Hoffman] refuses the play the team the way he built it, which included playing a former catcher, Scott Hatteberg [the adorable Chris Pratt] at first base. In a bold move he trades the team's best player to force Howe to do things his way. However as the season progresses so does the team's play, in the end having all the critics to eat their words when the A's go on to an MLB record winning 20 games in a row and make it to the post-season, albeit to lose again in the first round.
Despite falling short in the post season many other teams have gone on to take Beane's sabretrics-based approach at building their teams.
Okay, now I know that I've already rambled on for far too long, but just a couple extra little notes. Brad Pitt was superb as Billy Beane. The man doesn't make a lot of movies these days, [how can he with that passel of kids he has?] but it's obvious that when he does choose a role, he chooses one he care about. I also have to say how impressed I was by Jonah Hill. He's made his name being a funny guy, but here he proves that he isn't a one trick pony, and pulls off this dramatic role really well. Last but not least, Chris Pratt, you may not know him, and that's too bad. He's done mostly TV in the past few years, including currently being the adorable goofball Andy on 'Parks and Recreation' [<- this show is awesome, you should watch it]. His portrayal of Scott Hatteberg is wonderful; he brings a sweet uncertainty to his character that really makes you want to see him succeed.
Alright!! That's an awful lot about a movie about a sport I don't like, but it was darn good flick. Getting back into the swing of blogging is a little tricky, but stick with me and I promise to try and be more concise from now on. ;)
Sunday, October 09, 2011
Warrior
I have to say I was wholly disappointed with the options available to me for my birthday movie this year. There really weren't a lot of 'group friendly' flicks out so my good friends Reen, Eduardo and I saw 'Warrior'. Now I have to admit, I wasn't super interested in seeing this movie, seeing as I have literally no interest in MMA. I don't get it at all: two guys pounding the crap out of each by any means necessary? Nope, writing it out doesn't make it sensible to me. However, the cast was strong and it got not bad reviews, so I figured, let's give it a go!
'Warrior' is the story of two brothers, and their completely different journeys to this giant MMA tournament called 'Sparta'. And while the movie is centred around this sporting event, the plot focuses intently on the two main characters. One has just returned from Iraq and the other is a school teacher. Let me just say right from the get go it's obvious who the victor is. From the moment you meet Tom Hardy's Tommy Conlon you dislike him. He's a jerk, I mean he's obviously a jerk with a HUGE chip on his shoulder, returning home to his formerly abusive and alcoholic father [Paddy Conlon, played masterfully by Nick Nolte] looking for a fight, but he's a jerk nonetheless. Joel Edgerton's Brendan Conlon on the other hand is a devoted family man; married with two girls and is a teacher that genuinely wants to impart knowledge to his students....Mmmm, I wonder who we're going to want to win?
Brendon is a high school physics teacher who used to fight but has settled down for his family. However, despite him and his wife working three jobs between the two of them, they're on the verge of losing their home. After a depressing meeting with a loan manager at a bank he decided to go to an amateur MMA fight to try and win some easy money. While he wins the fight, he also loses in a big way. Apparently the school board frowns on that type of behaviour from their teachers, and he's suspended. This puts him on the path to Sparta, he's an out of shape, former fighter, an underdog that you can't help but cheer for.
An odd subplot of the movie that furthers the 'Go Brendon Go' is that Tommy is an Iraq War hero. I know this sounds like maybe it should endear the audience to him, buuut not so much. He saved a group of soldiers...while he was on his way out of the country, abandoning his post. The character is so cold and awful to his now sober and repentant father that his words and actions in America override any heroism he did in Iraq. While his dad just wants to begin rebuilding a relationship with his son, Tommy only wants to berate him, and get out his anger on a man that doesn't exist anymore. No matter how many times he apologises, Tommy is unrelenting in his complete and utter dislike of his father. The final straw is when Paddy goes to talk to Tommy after a fight and Tommy spews out so much hate that his father falls off the wagon in a big way. How can any audience possibly like a character like that?
While watching Tommy alienate his family was hard, for me the worst part was watching the fighting. Just a personal thing, I don't like seeing people get the snot kicked out of them, even if it means they can win five million bucks to save their family. This made the last twenty minutes of the movie a little hard to watch, but I just had to see how the final battle would play out.
Wellll, that was a bit of a long post for the first one back, and probably a little rambly, but hey, I'm a little out of practice! I'll try and be more concise with the next few, until then: Happy Thanksgiving!
Brendon is a high school physics teacher who used to fight but has settled down for his family. However, despite him and his wife working three jobs between the two of them, they're on the verge of losing their home. After a depressing meeting with a loan manager at a bank he decided to go to an amateur MMA fight to try and win some easy money. While he wins the fight, he also loses in a big way. Apparently the school board frowns on that type of behaviour from their teachers, and he's suspended. This puts him on the path to Sparta, he's an out of shape, former fighter, an underdog that you can't help but cheer for.
An odd subplot of the movie that furthers the 'Go Brendon Go' is that Tommy is an Iraq War hero. I know this sounds like maybe it should endear the audience to him, buuut not so much. He saved a group of soldiers...while he was on his way out of the country, abandoning his post. The character is so cold and awful to his now sober and repentant father that his words and actions in America override any heroism he did in Iraq. While his dad just wants to begin rebuilding a relationship with his son, Tommy only wants to berate him, and get out his anger on a man that doesn't exist anymore. No matter how many times he apologises, Tommy is unrelenting in his complete and utter dislike of his father. The final straw is when Paddy goes to talk to Tommy after a fight and Tommy spews out so much hate that his father falls off the wagon in a big way. How can any audience possibly like a character like that?
While watching Tommy alienate his family was hard, for me the worst part was watching the fighting. Just a personal thing, I don't like seeing people get the snot kicked out of them, even if it means they can win five million bucks to save their family. This made the last twenty minutes of the movie a little hard to watch, but I just had to see how the final battle would play out.
Wellll, that was a bit of a long post for the first one back, and probably a little rambly, but hey, I'm a little out of practice! I'll try and be more concise with the next few, until then: Happy Thanksgiving!
Sunday, October 02, 2011
Wow. Is it really October?!
Where did this summer go?! I honestly can't believe that it's been 5 month since I posted! Bad Andrea, bad! I'll admit that I didn't see too many movies this summer, most of the ones I wanted to see came out early in the 'summer blockbuster' season and I was left with nothing much to watch come August. Then came September, to be quite honest, last month was a bit of a write off, life got WAY out of control.
But now we're on to October, and things seem to finally be coming together. Which means, I'll finally be resuming my posts!
There are a plethora of great looking movies coming out in the next couple of months, so expect to see me frantically trying to watch and then blog about them in a timely manner right here!
See you soon [I promise!]
But now we're on to October, and things seem to finally be coming together. Which means, I'll finally be resuming my posts!
There are a plethora of great looking movies coming out in the next couple of months, so expect to see me frantically trying to watch and then blog about them in a timely manner right here!
See you soon [I promise!]
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