At the Movies with Fatwayne

Yes, I did manage to stay awake through the entire show including the Red Carpet preview. For the most part I found it to be fairly fast paced. I did enjoy Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin co-hosting the affair and bouncing jokes off each other and the audience. Of course, it is always interesting to see the stars and how good (or not) they look.

How did Fatwayne  fare as far as his choices for the top categories went? Well let’s see!
- Best Picture – I had picked Avatar despite it’s mediocre storyline. I felt that it more than made up for this flaw in every other category. I couldn’t argue with the Academy’s choice for the gritty Hurt Locker as the best of the best. That film certainly kept me on the edge of my seat.

- Best Actor – I pegged this one! Jeff Bridges was excellent as the overly indulgent and aging country singer. As far as I was concerned, he had no serious competition.

 - Best Actress -  This  one was a bit harder for me to pick. My sentimental favorite was Sandra Bullock as the sassy, blonde coiffured pepper pot with the huge heart, Leigh Anne Touhy. On the other hand there was probably the greatest actress of our time also up for the award. Meryl Streep’s performance as Julia Child in Julie & Julia was nothing short of amazing. My nod went to Sandra Bullock.

-  Best Supporting Actor – It shouldn’t have come as a surprise to anyone who saw Christoph Waltz’s portrayal of the S S Officer in Inglorious Basterds. He was as evil and cruel as he was glib, erudite and cultured.  His was a flawless and stunning performance and well worth the recognition.

 - Best Supporting Actress – OK, my bad! I did not see the movie Precious. I tend to stay away from movies that have a theme of violence against children. My choice was Maggie Gyllenhaal for her role as Jean Craddock in Crazy Heart.

 - Best Director – What a tough category this year! I was pulling for James Cameron for his fabulous effort on Avatar. My second choice was Quentin Taratino for his quirky work with Inglorious Basterds. I really did not think that Kathryn Bigelow had a chance with her sleeper of a movie, The Hurt Locker, despite its excellent direction and edge of your seat pacing. Just goes to show you what I know!

Well, there you have it. It was a good year at the movies and I had a very good time for the most part. I will keep on seeing the films that, in my opinion, offer promise and report back to you! It’s a job but someone has to do it!

Fatwayne

This is a remake of the 1973 George A. Romero horror film. It was crazy then, someone had to be crazy to remake it and I had to be crazy to go to see it!  Actually, it wasn’t a total waste since there was less zombie killing and, can you believe, a fairly plausible plot. Mind you, the plot was full of holes and sometimes way over the edge but our protagonists efforts to remain alive was fairly convincing.

The town of Ogden Marsh, Iowa has its water supply contaminated by a crashed military plane carrying chemicals that were to be destroyed. These chemicals were designed by the military to disrupt the enemy’s populace by essentially causing them to go insane or crazy, if you prefer that term. As the contaminate works its way through the town, more and more people start to exhibit murderous tendencies. It turns out that only four people are somehow immune to the effects of the carcinogen. Sheriff David Dutton (Timothy Olyphant) and his wife Judy Dutton (Radha Mitchell) who is the town’s doctor. Deputy Russel Clank (Joe Anderson) and town cutie Becca Darling (Danielle Panabaker) are the lucky ones. All other folks who might have escaped the insanity are killed by the marauding military patrols in their desperate attempt to control the epidemic.

As if killing everyone and burning their bodies isn’t enough to control the deadly outbreak, our fearless leaders decide to drop a nuke on the town. The government tries to spin the attack as a chemical plant explosion and resultant fire. Yeah, sure, but what about that huge mushroom cloud hovering over the city of Ogden Marsh? Miraculously, David and Judy manage to survive the crazies and the nuclear bomb and make it to the safety of a nearby city. If you can believe all of this then have I got a deal for you. How about some ocean front property in Arizona?

Quotes from The Crazies

Rated  – R  -

Fatwayne’s Rating   -      -

Yet another cop buddy flick replete with action, humor and pervasive foul language. Let’s look at each of these individually. The film delivers on the action front with the usual car chases, gun fights and fisticuffs. It offers us the typical foreign villains (this time Mexican drug dealers) some of who meet at church to plan and carry out their killings! I suppose this is designed to make them seem despicable in both the eyes of man and God alike. Now we get to the humor. Some of it is decidedly childish, especially that emanating from Seann William Scott (Stifler from American Pie).  As Dave, a petty thief and general nut case, his bantering with Tracy Morgan as Paul Hodges,  borders on hilarious in a juvenile way. The facial expressions of Bruce Willis (Jimmy Monroe) serve as a great back board to bounce the nonsense around. Tracy Morgan’s character comes across as funny but almost retarded at the same time. Now it is time to deal with the foul language. It seems that not a scene went by without the use of the “F” word. Why do you suppose that is? Its use has become mundane to say the least not to mention offensive when not used in a proper situation. I did not find its usage added a single thing to the movie but rather detracted from it.

The storyline evolves around two NYPD detectives who have been partners for nine years. To say the least, theirs is quite a quirky relationship. Jimmy Monroe’s daughter wants a big wedding for her upcoming marriage but Jimmy doesn’t have the funds to pay for it. His daughter’s step dad (Jason Lee) offers to foot the bill but Jimmy wants no part of that even if he is on suspension for thirty days without pay. He is in possession of a rare baseball card worth about $80,000 which he plans to cash in to generate the needed money. Unfortunately for him, he is robbed by Scott’s character Dave just as he is surrendering his card to a collector. This almost unbelievable scenario leads Jimmy and Paul on a hunt for the stolen card and in the process they cross paths with a baseball memorabilia obsessed drug dealer.

In general, I enjoyed this movie. Be warned however, I have been known to sit through equally mindless drivel and come out of it in a happy mood! You should also be aware of the fact that I may be somewhat biased since I am a fan of both Bruce Willis and Seann William Scott.

Quotes from Cop Out

Rated  -  R  -

Fatwayne’s Rating   -    -

Everyone makes his or her own bed and eventually has to sleep in it. That is the case with Otis “Bad” Blake (Jeff Bridges) but we still want everything to turn out right for him despite his destructive lifestyle. You see, Bad is a lovable fellow but an indulgent one also. He drinks way too much, smokes way too much and marries way too much. He is a four-time looser on the marriage front and a has-been country singer/songwriter who travels the roads trying to squeeze out a living singing at bowling alleys and cheap bars. It is completely understandable if Bad doesn’t sound too lovable to you. It is the magical acting of Jeff Bridges that manages to bring his character into our hearts (crazy, huh!)

There were times during the movie when I thought I could almost smell the whiskey and tobacco wafting from the big screen. Gloom and doom seem to be Bad’s partners in life. He is a lonely man in search of nothing in particular except his next drink. Luckily for him, he meets a much younger reporter, Jean Craddock (Maggie Gyllenhaal) who is divorced herself and has a four-year-old son. She interviews Bad and over time begins to see the man behind the musician and his obsessions. Their relationship begins to flourish and it is warming to see Bad develop a nurturing bond with Jean’s young son, Buddy. This was probably my favorite part of the film and served to illustrate the loving nature of Bad and the kind of man he could have been.

Things, but not all of them, begin to work out for Bad after he takes control of his life and enters Alcoholics Anonymous in an attempt to get sober. He also gets back to song writing, a talent that he has in abundance. Now, with a clearer head, he can try to mend some fences that he literally knocked down over the years. Unfortunately, not all hurts can be soothed but, all in all, Bad comes out OK.

One of my favorite actors is in this movie, Robert Duvall as Wayne Kramer. It seems to me that he just gets better with age. Duvall plays a bar owner and old friend of Bad. We even get to hear him croon a little! This was special and I am hopeful that he will be around a long time keeping us entertained with his superb acting ability. Also appearing is Colin Farrell as country star Tommy Sweet. His role is pivotal and I was delighted to see him reconcile with his former mentor, Bad.

Look, much of the movie is on the depressing side but it has fine acting and country music going for it. One thing for sure, I left the theater feeling pretty good and, that is how I judge a movie.

Quotes from Crazy Heart

Rated – R -

Fatwayne’s Rating – -

Move over Harry Potter, here comes Percy Jackson – Demigod! For the uninformed, a Demigod is the progeny of a mortal woman or man who mates with a God. Those Gods are so playful that once in a while it appears they like to slum with us mortals to get “down and dirty”! Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman) doesn’t know that his father is Poseidon and that he is half god with yet to be discovered powers.

Meanwhile, there is trouble in Olympus. Someone has stolen the most powerful weapon ever, this being Zeus’ master lightening bolt. For some reason Zeus believes that Poseidon’s son, Percy, is the culprit. He gives Poseidon 14 days to return the bolt lest war break out (wouldn’t you think that Gods would be beyond all of this?!).

Our teen demigod soon learns the truth of his past and destiny after one of his English teachers turns into a Fury and attacks him in an attempt to get information on the location of the lightening bolt. Lucky for Percy that his Latin teacher, Mr. Brunner (Pierce Bronsan) was on hand to save him from a very nasty death. It turns out that Mr. Brunner is much more than he appears to be. He somehow conceals his true form by occupying a wheelchair with a blanket over his legs. You see, Brunner is actually a centaur, the mythological Chiron. Percy also has a best friend, Grover (Brandon Jackson) who is also more than he appears to be . Grover gets about on crutches since his legs are crippled. In actuality, he is a satyr (half goat) in disguise assigned to protect Percy. Talk about hairy legs!

It is time for young Mr. Jackson to leave his naive life and commence training at Camp Half-Blood which is a training camp for demigods. There are quite a few of these characters at camp which is a testament to the lascivious nature of the seemingly bored Gods up in Olympus! At camp he meets a new friend and champion, Annabeth Chase (Alexandra Daddario) who happens to be the daughter of Athena. These two, along with Grover, go on a quest to free Percy’s human mother who was taken prisoner by a Minotaur and at the same time solve the problem of the missing lightning bolt.

In their journey they travel from Olympus to Hades with stops in Nashville, Hollywood and other less memorable places. On the way they encounter and battle all sorts of creatures from the afore mentioned Minotaur, Lotus Eaters, Medusa (Uma Thurman) and Charon, ferryman of the River Styx. It is quite an adventure and Percy gets to prove his courage and ingenuity along the way. I think that Harry Potter would be proud to call him a friend!

This is a movie that is “kid friendly” and palatable enough for adults. Don’t miss your chance for a family outing as this is the perfect opportunity.

Quotes – http://www.tvmoviequotes.com/percyjacksontheolympiansthelightningthief.htm

Rated   – PG -

Fatwayne’s Rating    -    -

Shutter Island or, as it could have been called, “loonies on the loose” is a dark and brooding film about mental illness and the treatment of this condition during the 1950s. The story centers around the mysterious disappearance of a patient from a hospital for the criminally insane. This facility is located on an island that would be harder to escape from than the notorious prison, Alcatraz. So just how did this patient vanish from her locked room and disappear? It is the job of two U.S. marshals Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) to solve this conundrum. Their efforts are hindered by an approaching hurricane and a hospital staff that seems to be hiding some dark secret. There are the usual flashbacks that are haunting one of the detectives, Teddy Daniels, as he tries to deal with his war experiences which included liberating the concentration camp, Dachau as well as the deaths of his wife and three children.

The marshal’s trouble is compounded by the arrival of the hurricane which interrupts power to the hospital and unlocks the doors to the cells that house the patients thus setting them free to roam about. They are also deceived by the facility’s chief administrator, Dr. John Cawley (Ben Kingsley) and his top physician, Dr. Jeremiah Naering (Max von Sydow). It seems to the investigators that this hospital is conducting sinister experiments on the patients reminiscent of those perpetrated by the Nazis.

It is an entertaining film with a few twists set in an eerie location with dark and brooding surroundings. Acting is superb and features Patricia Clarkson, Ted Levine, John Carroll Lynch and Elias Koteas as well as those already mentioned.

Quotes  -  http://www.tvmoviequotes.com/shutterisland.htm

Rated   -   R   -

Fatwayne’s Rating     -      -

If you have a few years on you or if you have seen the original 1941 film which starred Lon Chaney, Jr., you must remember what the old gypsy woman told Larry Talbot. If not, here it comes: Even a man who is pure in heart and says his prayers by night may become a wolf when the wolf bane blooms and the autumn moon is bright! This film remains basically true to the original in concept but there are a few news twists added to keep us interested.
For me, the beauty of this film was the countryside and sets used to bring us to 1880 London surrounds and the Victorian village of Blackmoor. This coupled with the costuming and attention to detail really works down to the beveled glass windows of the carriages. There are some positively thrilling shots to behold of London as seen from the rooftops through the eyes of the wolfman replete with, of course, a brilliant full moon. That was the beauty of this film, the beast is the gore which is depicted in great detail and I must tell you that the wolfman is a very sloppy eater!

Once again, Lawrence Talbot (Benicio del Toro) falls victim to the curse of the werewolf when he is bitten but does not die. He is saved by a very savy gypsy woman who may or may not be doing him a favor. He has come home to the palatial Talbot family manor to solve the mystery of his brother’s death. Here he reunites with his father, Sir John  Talbot (Anthony Hopkins) with whom he has been estranged for many years. Lawrence is a gentle man who is pure of heart but when the full moon rises all bets are off!

The CGIs are very good and it hurts to see a man turn into a wolfman even if it’s only a movie. There was only one scene that did not live up to the standards set by this film and you could tell that it was a generated background. Other that that, it was super! As mentioned, the film was set in the 1880’s and it was disturbing to see the state of medicine at that stage in history. Lawrence is committed to a mental asylum and subjected to “state of the art treatment” for the times but could only be termed barbaric by today’s standards.

We all know that there can be no happy ending for our unfortunately hairy hero. Despite this knowledge there are several plot lines that will keep you interested. Be sure to look out for Hugo Weaving who plays Scotland Yard Detective Francis Aberline. You will remember him as Agent Smith from the Matrix movies and many others. His unmistakable voice and physical presence adds much to this film.

With a little more TLC perhaps the werewolf could become as popular as vampires have of late. I can imagine a tender love scene set around Valentines Day when the wolfman’s significant other presents him with a brand new Gillette razor! I hope she remembers to give him lots of extra blades! He’ll need them!

Quotes  -  http://www.tvmoviequotes.com/thewolfman.htm

Rated  -R -

Fatwayne’s Rating   -    -

I must admit that it was the drawing power of Harrison Ford and Brendan Fraser that got me into the theater. I am reticent to view sad movies or movies that portray children suffering. I started to regret my decision when the movie began but then a strange thing happened to me! I became completely engrossed in the story and how ordinary people can accomplish extraordinary things.

John (Brendan Fraser) and Aileen (Keri Russell) Crowley have three children but only one is healthy. The other two are afflicted with a horrible and devastating genetic disease called Pompe. It is always fatal with those unfortunate enough to have it rarely living past the age of 2. In the movie these kids are 7 and 9 and will make you fall in love with them, especially 9 year old Megan (Meredith Droeger).

What gives the film its intensity is John and Aileen’s refusal to just sit back and let their children die. This is one family you just want to be happy and successful in finding a cure for this terrible condition. John’s research leads him to discover the work of an eccentric but brilliant research scientist, Dr. Robert Stonehill (Harrison Ford). Stonehill is working on a cure but in underfunded and has quite a way to go before it will benefit the Crowley children. John Crowley, who is a biotechnology executive, takes it upon himself to meet Stonehill in an effort to aid him in finding a timely solution to his kids illness. More tension is created as we watch these precious children’s health deteriorate in this race against time.

The movie does a good job in relating the substantial task of bringing a drug to market with all of the financial and governmental restrictions. Stonehill and Crowley are seeking the same goal but they are coming from different directions. It is engrossing to view these characters as they conquer every obstacle placed in their path and ultimately become good friends.

Quotes  -  http://www.tvmoviequotes.com/extraordinarymeasures.htm

Rated  – PG -

Fatwayne’s Rating   -    -

Oh boy, do I have memories of John Travolta going back to his sweathog days as Vinnie Barbarino and then his disco persona as the ever so cool Tony Manero followed by the ever so greasy Danny Zuko. He has certainly amassed quite a body of work with characters who can be worlds apart from each other (like Terl from Battlefield Earth). John  has quite a different look in this film as he goes bald with a goatee. It’s a good look for him and it certainly compliments his character who is an “over the top” CIA field operative named Charlie Wax. Charlie’s moniker should be the “Waxer” since he disposes of so many terrorist in this movie that a one point his partner tells him that he is averaging one killing an hour that day.

Jonathan Rhys Meyers plays an office type operative who would love to get an assignment in the field just like Charlie Wax. We all should watch what we wish for because this is what ultimately happens to Meyers character, James Reese. His new partner and his methods are quite unorthodox not to mention extremely dangerous. All of this is quite different than what Reese was expecting and it is evident that there is a learning curve here! The comedy comes to play when Wax goes about doing his job and training Reese at the same time. Charlie gets a kick out of seeing  James go about his on the job training and mostly getting his butt kicked and then ultimately saved by the veteran agent.

Paris is great to look at for the most part. We get to see all of the familiar sights as well as their version of the ghetto. If you are looking for action, this movie is chock full of it. If a buddy movie is your cup of tea, you should enjoy this one. There is also romance, intrigue and betrayal to keep things moving.

John Travolta proves once again that he can handle the action genre quite admirably. This man is a complete actor who is at home with comedy, dancing, singing (well almost!) and action with equal aplomb. I liked this movie and I am hopeful that you will to.

Quotes  -  http://www.tvmoviequotes.com/frompariswithlove.htm

Rated   -R -

Fatwayne’s Rating   -     -

It is good to see Mel Gibson back in a starring role. He’s been missing since 2002 but he seems to be in fine acting form for this offering. Gibson plays Thomas Craven who is a detective working for the Boston Police Department’s homicide division. He lives alone but has a daughter named Emma (Bojana Novakovic) who is the light of his life. The movie opens with Emma coming to visit her father but there seems to be a problem with her health as evidenced by severe vomiting and nose bleeds. As Thomas becomes concerned he decides to take her to the hospital and as they are walking out of the front door of his house an assassin opens fire with a shotgun killing Emma. As he is shooting Emma he yells “CRAVEN”.

The authorities assume that the killer was out to get Thomas but killed his daughter instead. Thomas goes into a deep depression but eventually starts to snoop around and through a series of discoveries, determines that his daughter was the intended victim. His problem now is to ascertain why someone would want to kill her. His investigation leads him into a world of cover-ups, politics and big business all in league with each other and attempting to keep their evil deeds out of the public view at any cost.

In almost all movies of this ilk, the bad guys usually get what is coming to them. We are not disappointed in this regard!  The ending is somewhat of a surprise but totally believable considering what Thomas Craven must endure in his search for the truth.

Ray Winstone, who you may recall from The Departed, Beowulf and other movies, does a terrific job of making this a more memorable film. The British actor is unforgettable as Darius Jedburgh, a CIA “shadow man” who is charged with preventing Thomas from finding out the truth or killing him. Although each of these men are very different from one another, they form a bond and Jedburgh allows Craven to continue his investigation.

Gibson and Winstone carry this movie and the storyline is enjoyable as is the action which does it’s fair share in keeping us entertained. The only negative I have to offer is that Gibson’s character does a little too much thinking (via flashbacks) about his deceased daughter. It starts to get a bit trying after a while. All in all, a good flick!

Quotes  -  http://www.tvmoviequotes.com/edgeofdarkness.htm

Rated  – R  -

Fatwayne’s Rating   -    -