15 Things You Didn’t know About The Simpson

Funny Acts of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev

Funny faces of  Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

Your Informant Is Light On His Facts

The Informant!

The Informant! is to comedy what Hal Hartley’s Amateur is to action films. This is to say that the film has certain elements of the genre, but never immerse itself completely. In the end, the film is restricted by the director’s established aesthetics.

The film is a loose dramatization of the real-life events in which a high-ranking executives became one of the most notorious corporate whistle blowers in recent years. Mark Whitacre (Matt Damon) is the president of Archer Daniels Midland’s (ADP) BioProducts division. ADP is a powerful company that specializes in corn…that’s right corn. When word gets out that ADP might be conducting illegal price fixing, Whitacre is enlisted by the FBI to gather as much evidence as possible. At first things look up for Whitacre as he becomes, in his mind at least, an exceptional sleuth. Yet as the FBI gets closer to exposing the price fixing issue, cracks begin to appear in Whitarce himself. As the FBI turn their gaze on Mark Whitacre, it becomes apparent Whitacre has many secrets of his own.

As I mentioned above, The Informant! is a comedy by Steven Soderbergh’s standards. It is not laugh out loud funny as, or anywhere near as good, Soderbergh’s brilliant film, Schizopolis. The Informant! is more of a dramedy that often strives for the lightness of the Ocean’s Eleven series, yet has the slowburn pacing of The Limey. It is as if Soderbergh is struggling with how much commercial appeal to give the film without sacrificing his independent roots. Personally, I would have prefer it if he had not tried so hard to walk that fine line between comedy and drama. Either go for a gripping tale ala Shattered Glass, or go straight comedy like Schizopolis.

The major issue I had with the film is that Steven Soderbergh takes so much delight in the absurdity of the situation that he glosses over many of the significant moments. The film glibly portrays Whitacre as a buffoon yet ignores the fact that he is actually a very smart man. It is tough to look at Whitacre as an idiot when comes from and ivy-league education, drives expensive cars, and pulls down a six figure salary. He is a man whose bipolar disorder is the catalyst for not only ADP's downfall but Whitacre's as well. Yes the situation Whitacre finds himself in are amusing; yet I could not help but feel slightly cheated by the end of the picture.

The most fascinating aspects of the story, in my opinion, are the price fixing and Whitacre’s motivations for working with the FBI for as long as he did. The bipolar element should heighten the overall complexities of these two situations from a cinematic stand point but, unfortunately, it does not. The Informant! felt like one long running gag where, by the end, you have learned nothing significant. Sure you laugh many moments but what is the point of telling Whitacre's story if you have nothing really relevant to say about it? The fact that Soderbergh uses an airy 1960’s sitcom-style tone in the film only helps to trivialize the whole film even further.

The one true gem in this film is Matt Damon. He, along with Soderbergh’s red-herring style of narration, is what keeps you interested in the film despite its many short comings. Damon really captures Whitacre's self absorb persona, especially in regards to the scenes where Whitacre gets to live out his fantasy of being a secret agent. At times it seems like Matt Damon is on a completely different level than everyone else. I found it odd that Soderbergh rounded out the supporting cast with talent comedians (e.g. Tom Papa, Tony Hale, Jonh McHale) yet had them all play it straight. Besides, Scott Bakula’s dimwitted FBI agent, there is not much for Damon to playoff of. While I was expecting another solid film from Steven Soderbergh, sadly, The Informant! left me feeling indifferent to both the price fixing scandal and Whitacre's life as a whole. The film had the potential to be something special but ended up being as forgettable as some of Whitacre's lies.

Dynamite Explodes With Laughter

Black Dynamite

If recent Hollywood "comedies", and I use that term loosely, such as Dance Flick and Disaster Movie has taught us anything; is that making a spoof movie is rather easy. The director already has the template of the film he/she is spoofing, so all that is left to do is add a few comical mishaps and the movie pretty much writes itself. Making an homage to a film, or genre, is something that is much harder to do. Many have tried to make a fitting homage but only a few, Todd Haynes' Far From Heaven for example, are actually successful. Upon first glance it is easy to dismiss Scott Saunder's film, Black Dynamite, as a mere spoof of the blaxploitation genre. Yet as you proceed through the film it quickly becomes apparent that Black Dynamite is not a spoof at all, but a true homage. It is a love letter to all that the blaxploitation genre has to offer.

After his brother is killed while working undercover, Black Dynamite (Michael Jai White), an Ex-Vietnam Vet/Ex-C.I.A. agent, vows to get revenge at all cost. Assisted by local pimps and black panther members, Dynamite declares war on all those who wish to infect his community with drugs. As the battle goes on, Black Dynamite soon realizes that a bigger conspiracy is afoot. One that could only be orchestrated by one truly dastardly villain..."The Man."

The great thing about Black Dynamite is that it appeals to a broad audience on two distinctive levels. On one level it is a fun screwball comedy that will entertain novices of the blaxploitation genre. On the other hand, for more seasoned fans of the genre, like myself, Dynamite has everything you have come to expect from a blaxploitation film...and I mean everything! It is tough to find a single aspect of the genre that is not covered in this film. One of my favourite moments in Pam Grier's Coffy, is when Coffy is walking into a building and the films' background music is detailing everything that has, and is about to, happen. A similar sequence is played out in Black Dynamite to great comedic effect. Dynamite is investigating his dead brother's apartment and the background music is warning that you never know who may still be hiding out in your dead brother's apartment. Sure enough, the bad guys are lurking around the corner and a shootout ensues.

It is obvious that Michael Jai White and Byron Mines, who plays Bullhorn in the film, spent a lot of time and care ensuring that all the unique elements of the blaxploitation genre were included in the film. You can see moments clearly influenced by films such as: Shaft, Coffy, Sweet Sweetback's Badass Song, Cotton Comes to Harlem, Dolemite, Willie Dynamite, etc. Yet White and Mines somehow find a way to give Black Dynamite its own unique feel. Similar to how Mike Myers was able to make Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery completely unique from the In Like Flint films it was paying homage to. Black Dynamite never feels like a carbon copy of other classic characters. You can easily picture Black Dynamite hanging out at a bar with Superfly and getting the same amount of respect as that character would.

The only real knock I have on Black Dynamite is that the final act goes on far longer than it needs to. By time the "island" sequence was over I had reached my fill of the film. Not to mention that the final battle with "The Man" is just downright silly. Especially when you consider who "The Man" actually is, and the "supernatural assist" that Black Dynamite gets while fighting this individual. Still, the fact that I have watched this film twice now, and laughed at all the same parts, shows that I am willing to overlook the absurd final act. While Black Dynamite works well on DVD, I wish that it had actually gotten a full theatrical release. I believe it would have done very well in theatres, not Austin Powers numbers, but decent enough. Oh well, at least on DVD Black Dynamite will be able to gain the cult following it deserves. Dynamite.........Dynamite....

It's Quite Elementary Indeed, Sherlock

Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes is a film that I may need to see again, yet the more I think about it the less I want to. I actually felt myself nodding off during one of particular action sequences. The loudest point in the film no less. While I think the holiday leftovers may have played a role in this, I am fairly certain the overall lack of originality was the bigger culprit. As much as I wanted to like Sherlock Holmes, I cannot deny that I was surprisingly underwhelmed with Guy Ritchie's latest work.

Arthur Conan Doyle's beloved character, Sherlock Holmes, has seen many different incarnations so it was only a matter of time before a blockbuster version rolled around. In this latest pumped up version, Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and his trusty aide Dr. John Watson (Jude Law) foil the plans of a serial killer, Lord Blackwell (Mark Strong), before he can take the life of his latest victim. Lord Blackwell is sentenced to death but somehow rises from the grave three days after he is hanged. While many believe dark magic is responsible, Holmes tries to prove that there is a logical explanation for Blackwell's reappearance. Holmes must also confront his issues with Watson's pending marriage; and the re-emergence of the only woman to capture Sherlock's heart, the chronic deceiver Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams).

It took me a long time to pinpoint what irked me the most about this film. A line in which Holmes states "It's all about the small details" kept looping in my head repeatedly before I finally figured out the problem. By primarily focusing on the elaborate action sequences, Guy Ritchie actually makes Sherlock Holmes rather dumb. I am talking about both the movie and the man. The greatest asset Sherlock Homes has as a character is his mind. Like the films points out it is his ability to tell a lot from the tiniest of details that makes him so fascinating.

Once you place that key element of his character into the background, what do you really have left? A mindless action movie centred around a character known for his mind. We are forced to watch Holmes and Watson in a series of over-the-top action sequences that generate no real sense of thrill. At no point do we ever question if Holmes will make it out of a particular situation alive. This is most noticeable in the outlandish battle at the shipyard. The closest we get to real tension in the entire film is scene with the pigs and the electric saw, and even then we are only mildly concerned with Adler's life.

I am all for trying to make Sherlock Holmes more rugged but then at least provide him with a more challenging case to work with. At times the movie felt more like the next chapter in Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code/Angels and Demons series. When Ritchie is not blowing stuff up, or staging slow-motion fights, we have to sit through a thin plot regarding the use of black magic. To top it all off, Guy Ritchie's version of Sherlock Holmes is an eccentric who needs work to keep himself sane. So when Holmes is actually collecting valuable information, such as licking a rock, Ritchie plays it off as just another one of Holmes' odd quirks. All these "quirks" are then overshadowed by the action moments, and serve no real purpose until "big reveal" during the last five minutes.

The one thing I will say in Guy Ritchie's favour is that he got the casting right. Robert Downey Jr. is the main reason to see this film. I loved his take on Holmes and he really carries the majority of the film on his back. Downey Jr. and Law have such great chemistry together that you could easily believe that Holmes and Watson have been in partnership for years. They react to things, both spoken and not, the same way an old married couple would. Guy Ritchie regular Mark Strong is adequate as Blackwood but the character is not a memorable villain at all. There is nothing really sinister or lasting about Blackwood, chances are good you will be more interested in a certain professor lurking in the shadows. Strong's abilities were better showcased in RocknRolla and Revolver. The weakest link is Rachel McAdams but this is more due to how her character is written rather than McAdams' performance. Irene Adler is supposed to be a cunning woman that can pickpocket Holmes' heart as fast as she can most men's wallets. Yet she spends most of the time as the woman in distress, and only occasionally as the swindler. There is no moment in the film where you truly get the sense that Adler and Holmes are madly in love but their lifestyles keep them apart. Frankly one can argue that Holmes had more romantic sparks with Watson in the movie than he does with Adler.

It is fairly evident that this film is setting the stage for a Sherlock Holmes sequel, which might actually work if they provide Holmes with a cunning villain and a great mystery. I just hope it is not another mindless romp for the greatest mind on Baker Street.

Job Security Not the Only Thing Up in the Air These Days

Up in the Air


A film that ask us to care not only about those who are being laid off but also the people doing the firing as well? Clearly this is a joke right? These were some of thoughts going through my head during the first twenty minutes of Jason Reitman's latest work, Up in the Air. I will fully admit that my early bias towards this film was due to the fact that it seemed to be making light of a subject matter that hit home personally for me. A mere two weeks prior to seeing Up in the Air, the company I work for had the tough task of cutting a lot of jobs. Not the best way to usher in the Christmas season to say the least. Though I was fortunate enough to survive the round of layoffs many people, including some good friends, were let go. It was a decision that greatly impacted those who were laid off, those who remained, and those that had the extremely tough task of deciding to let go people go. So what does this have to do with Up in the Air? Everything and nothing depending on your own perspective.

George Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, a corporate downsizer who spends most of his days firing people on behalf of companies too frightened to do it themselves. Ryan's work as a downsizer has him constantly travelling and living out of a suitcase for the majority of the year. While others may find this unbearable, Ryan relishes in it as he views it as the ultimate form of freedom. Yet the emergence of a young hotshot, Natalie (Anna Kendrick), threatens to permanently ground Ryan's highflying lifestyle. Natalie has created a business model that would allow the firm he works for to fire people via video conferencing. After witnessing people's reactions to being laid off first hand, Ryan believes that a face-to-face human element is needed to facilitate things smoothly. Especially if it is in the form of fake compassion, which Ryan has practically made an art-form. Ryan's boss (Jason Bateman) believes that Natalie's idea will save the company millions in travel expenses but decides to have Ryan take her out into the field as an experiment. This does not sit well with Ryan whose freewheeling traveling ways has now become rather cramped. To further complicate things, Ryan meets a fellow frequent flyer, Alex (Vera Farmiga), who might cause him to redefine all the things he considers important in life.

If Up in the Air had come out in another year, where it did not hit so close to home, there is a good chance I may not have loved it as much as I do. This is not to say that it is not a good film in its own right. It is just that, if I was not getting married in a few months myself, I would have probably found the wedding subplot unnecessary. The film really tries to cover a lot of different topics, maybe too many, in a rather short amount of time. Still, I must give credit to director Jason Reitman for keeping all the threads tightly woven. It is tough to make light of job loss in a way that will get the audience both laughing and reflecting. Yet this is exactly what the film achieves.

Ryan is a compelling character because his cutting cynical views on our unrealistic need for things (i.e. home, job, marriage, etc.) at times rings very true. Ryan views not being tied down to people and places as the ultimate freedom. Yet the freedom that Ryan enjoys so much is far more constricting than he knows. Ryan actually embodies everything that he normally preaches against in his "backpack" seminars. Instead of aspiring to have a family or owning material possessions such as a house, Ryan craves becoming one of only seven people in the world to achieve the highest frequent flyer miles status. He may not be able to tell you about what is going on in his siblings lives but he can rattle off all the best eateries and car rental places in every city. He keeps hotel room keys like a badge of honour.

The thing I liked about the way Reitman displays Ryan's many contradictions is how subtle it is at first. It only gradually show itself through several small, but key, moments with both Alex and Natalie. Speaking of Alex and Natalie, it must be noted that Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick give exceptional performances in this film. I would even go as far as saying that they literally steal the movie right out of Clooney's hands. Yes Clooney's work in Up in the Air is on par with his best performances in films such as Michael Clayton and Three Kings. Yet it is Farmiga and Kendrick that really make this picture shine.

On the surface Vera Farmiga's Alex is merely the female that might actually be able crack Ryan's cold exterior. As the film progresses we see that Vera's role is far more interesting, and complicated, than just the typical love interest. Farmiga gives the film such weight without ever having to overplay the role. There are so many subtle nuances in her performance that is really fascinating to watch. The same argument can be made for Kendrick who, despite having the flashier role, keeps her character grounded as she runs the gambit of emotions. Kendrick is required to be the shark, the comic relief, the conscience, and the hope in the picture. Natalie has the book smarts but her ambition blinds her to the fact that she is not the female Ryan. She is the person in your office who knows nothing about your day to day work, yet has all these great ideas to make your work easier. You hate her at first but eventually get to understand her and, dare I say, care about her on a certain level.

As I mentioned above, Up in the Air really connected with me as everything mentioned in this film hit extremely close to home on a personal level. It is a film that not only asks us to question what we want out life? But, more importantly, who do we want in the seat beside us while we are on this ongoing trip that life provides us. I did find that the film really struggled at times to reach the hopefully ending. If it was up to me, I would have ended the picture with the night shot of Ryan sitting on his bed looking aimlessly out of the hotel window after a key scene, which I will not spoil here, is revealed. Also in any other year I probably would have cut some of the stuff with the wedding as well. Who knows? Maybe I will reflect on this film again in a few years and see if I am still fond of the film. Yet as it stands today, Up in the Air connected with me in a way few other films have this year. Definitely one of the better films of this year.

Zombie Offers Land Discounts For the Brainy

Zombieland

One of the hazards with being a movie lover is that you often end up watching more films than you really should. After a while you see the same themes being played out over and over that you start to judge certain films harsher than others. I remember getting into a debate with someone over my thoughts about the movie G.I. Joe. During the discussion the person remarked that I was "being too critical" to which I responded "we are all critical, how else do you know if you like something or not?" Needless to say this took the debate to a whole other philosophical level. I knew what the person was trying to get at though. Basically he was saying that I was unable to simply sit back and enjoy a movie as pure mindless entertainment. Which I completely disagree with; I think we all, film buff or not, have a personal gauge for what films we find pleasing or not. How else would we find ourselves in discussions on the merits of G.I. Joe?

The point is there are some movies that I liked for no other reason than I had a blast watching it. It just happens that what I often consider enjoyable fluff others are not too fond and vice versa. One example this in 2009 is the movie vengeance flick, Taken. There is no deep statement being made, no scorching acting performances, etc. Taken is simply two hours of watching Liam Neeson physically going to town on a bunch of really evil dudes. I know many panned the film but I cannot deny that I had a great time watching it and will probably add it to my DVD collection at some point. Another film that falls into that same "guilty pleasure" category for me is Ruben Fleischer's Zombieland.

After a tainted hamburger sets off a series of events that turns the bulk of the world population into zombies, society is reduced to nothing more than a survival of the fittest mentality. Luckily, Columbus (Jessie Eisenberg) has come up with a series of strict rules which believes are key to ensuring longevity during the zombie epidemic. Along his travels Columbus encounters Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), a man who cares more about killing zombies in creative ways than he does about following anything resembling structure. The two unlikely drifters decide to team up but soon find out that working together has its equal share of advantages and problems. One of the problems comes in the forms of siblings Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Brislen). Not only does the arrival of these sisters threaten to hinder Columbus and Tallahassee's budding friendship, but it also may cost the men their lives.

Zombieland may not be as strong a film as fellow zombie comedy Shaun of the Dead but it was funny nonetheless. This is one of the few films I have seen in recent years where I actually would not mind seeing a sequel made. Normally I am against unnecessary sequels, or prequels for that matter, but Zombieland’s brisk pacing really left me wanting more. Plus, Columbus' list of rules can easily be expanded if they were to make a future installment. The thing I really enjoyed about the various rules was how practical, and simple, they all were. Part of the fun of this movie is picturing how you would cope in that situation. At first the seat belt rule seems silly but, once you see it in practice, you quickly realize how brilliant it actually is.

Sure I found the whole amusement park finale extremely far fetch, but I was having so much fun up until that point that I was willing to let it slide. If you really think about it, Zombieland is nothing more than witty pop culture references and creative zombie deaths. Yet that was enough to keep me both engaged and laughing. I will not try and give a highbrow spin on the movie because it is not deep at all, although it tries to be at one point. The whole no man is his on island theme regarding family worked much better in the films such as About a Boy. Regardless, Zombieland was a true guilty pleasure for me and I look forward a trip back sometime soon.

Updated List of Big Thoughts From a Small Mind's Reviews.

Please note a more updated film review list can now be found in the "Film Review" tab at top of the page

2011 Movie Report Card (click on titles for full review)

Exceptional (Grade Range A+ to A-)
Beauty Day A+
Rubber A+
13 Assassins +A
Wiebo's War A-

Good (Grade Range B+ to B-)
I Saw the Devil B+
Super B+
The High Cost of Living B+
Machete Maidens Unleashed B
The Pirate Tapes B
Hobo With a Shotgun B
Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives B
The First Grader B
The Black Power Mixtape: 1967 - 1975
The Trip B
Mighty Jerome B
Boy Cheerleaders B-
Trust B-

Passed the time (Grade Range C+ to C-)
The Hangover 2 C
Scream 4 C
Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen C
A Screaming Man C
The Chocolate Farmer C
The Lumberfros C
St. Henri, the 26th of August C-

Please make it stop (Grade Range D+ to F)
Viva Riva D
The Adjustment Bureau D
The Mechanic F
Vanishing on 7th Street F
Sucker Punch F

2010 Movie Report Card (click on titles for full review)

Blue Valentine A+
Winter's Bone A+
Inception A+
Micmacs A+
The Art of the Steal A+
Toy Story 3 A+
The Illusionist A+
Dogtooth A+
The Mountain Thief A
The Social Network A
Black Swan A
Dogtooth A
Never Let Me Go A
Ajami A
127 Hours A
The Fighter A
Scott Pilgrim vs the World A
The Kids Are All Right A
The American A
Exit Through the Gift Shop A
Mr. Nobody A-
The Last Exorcism A -
Fish Tank A-
The Messenger A-
Enter the Void B+
True Grit B+
Shutter Island B+
Cargo B+
One Big Hapa Family B+
Home B+
Dear Doctor B+
Year of the Carnivore B
Animal Kingdom B
The Kings Speech B
The Ghost Writer B
Youth in Revolt B
This Movie Is Broken B
Predators B
Machete B
The Town B
Gallants B
Waiting for Superman B
Toilet B
Kick-Ass B
The Book of Eli B
High School B
Despicable Me B
TRON:Legacy C+
Life During Wartime C+
Daybreakers C+
The Joneses C+
RoboGeisha C+
The Expendables C
Chloe C
The Losers C
Hot Tub Time Machine C
Alice in Wonderland C
Heartless C
The Last Lovecraft C
The Karate Kid C
Oxhide II C-
Iron Man 2 C -
Salt C-
Red D+
Faster D+
Edge of Darkness D+
Holy Rollers D
Brooklyn's Finest D
The Lovely Bones D
Centurion D
From Paris with Love D
Splice D
She's Out of My League D
Unthinkable F
Piranha F
Cop Out F

2009 Movie Reviews (click on titles for full review)

Hunger A+
Inglourious Basterds A
Up in the Air A
A Single Man A
Polytechnique A
Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire A
More Than A Game A
A Serious Man A
Gomorrah A
District 9 A
(500) Days of Summer A
Coraline A
Adventureland A –
Where the Wild Things Are A-
I Love You, Man A-
Tyson A-
Treeless Mountain A-
New York, I Love You A-
Black Dynamite B+
The Hurt Locker B+
PontyPool B+
Star Trek B+
Zombieland B+
Fifty Dead Men Walking B
Avatar B
An Education B
The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans B
Cloud 9 (Wolke 9) B
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus B
Taking of Pehlam 123 B
Sin Nombre B
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince B
The Brothers Bloom B
Taken B
The Hangover B
Watchmen B
Two Lovers B
Whip It B
Moon B
The Road B
Good Hair B
Sunshine Cleaning B-
Up B-
The International B -
The Princess and the Frog C+
Broken Embraces C+
Che C+
Paranormal Activity C+
Gigantic C
Bronson C
The Men Who Stare At Goats C
Duplicity C
Monsters vs Aliens C
Friday the 13th C
Obsessed C
Public Enemies C
The Informant! C
The Other Man C
Bruno C
9 C
The Proposal C
Antichrist C
Knowing C
Killer View C
Crazy Heart C
Surrogates C-
Sherlock Holmes C-
Orphan C-
Outlander C-
Angels and Demons C-
Fast and Furious C-
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra C-
Ninja Assassin D+
A Christmas Carol D+
The Box D+
He's Just Not That Into You D+
Ponyo D
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen D
The Blind Side D
Transporter 3 D
Observe and Report D
Drag Me To Hell D-
The Limits of Control D-
12 Rounds F
Paul Blart Mall Cop F
X-Men Origins: Wolverine F
Push F
My Bloody Valentine 3D F
Bride Wars F


2008 Movie Reviews (click on titles for full review)

Wall-E A+
The Visitor A+
The Dark Knight A+
Iron Man A
Doubt A
Milk A
I've Loved You So Long (Il y a longtemps que je t'aime) A
Rachel Getting Married A
Tropic Thunder A-
Kung-Fu Panda A-
Forgetting Sarah Marshall B+
Young People Fucking B
The Incredible Hulk B
The Good The Bad The Weird B
Happy Go Lucky B
In Bruges B
Funny Games B
Pinapple Express B
La Vie En Rose B
Hellboy II: The Golden Army B-
Rambo B-
Gran Torino B -
Blindness B-
Quantum of Solace C
The Secret Life of Bees C
Mongol C-
Sex and the City C-
Hancock C
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull C -
Speed Racer D+
Mr. Brooks D
Wanted D
Jumper D
Fool's Gold F
Saw V F
Death Race F
The Happening F
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian F



2007 Movie Reviews (click on titles for full review)

Zodiac A+
No Country for Old Men A+
Little Children A+
Children of Men A+
Michael Clayton A
The Darjeeling Limited A-
Black Snake Moan B+
I Am Legend B+
Vers Le Sud B
Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End B
Blood Diamond B-
Flags of our Fathers B-
Dreamgirls C
The Good Sheperd C-
Hairspray C
Beowulf D
Primeval F
Smoking Aces F


2006 Movie Reviews (click on titles for full review)

Apocalypto A-
Sherrybaby B
The Pursuit of Happiness C


New Classics?

Millon Dollar Baby A
Everyone Says I Love You A
Battle Royale B+


Vintage Flicks

Yojimbo A+
Strangers on a Train A+
M A+
A Married Couple A
Lenny A-
Roman Holiday B+
The Philadelphia Story B
Dial M for Murder B-
Sanjuro C
The Terror F

Retro Picks

Following B+
Extremities B
The Elephant Man C-
Hudson Hawk C-


Short Films

Jellyfish Boy B+
On the Flip Side B


Film Festivals (click on titles for full review)

Toronto After Dark Film Festival
TADFF Reviews
TADFF Daily Picks

TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival)
2010 TIFF Reviews
Countdown to TIFF 2010
2009 Recap Part 1
2009 Recap Part 2
2009 RecapPart 3
2008 Recap Part 1
2008 Recap Part 2
2008 Recap Part 3
2008 Recap Part 4

Toronto Reel Asian Film Festival
2010 Daily Picks
2010 Film Reviews

Shinsedai Cinema Festival
2010 - The Dark Harbour & Jellyfish Boy


Yearly Top Ten
Best Films of 2010
Best Films of 2009
Best Films of 2008
Best Films of 2007
Top Ten Films of the Decade: 2000-2009
Worst Films of 2009

Extras

Commentaries
Adventures in Podcasting
Press Releases
Top 10 / Top 5/ Random Lists
Which is Better?
The Must See List
Movie Marketing Monday
Sharing the Blogging Love
Film Pitches
Blog-a-thons
Whatever Happened To...?

Staring at Goats Hazardous to One's Health

The Full List of Big Thoughts From A Small Mind's 2009 Reviews.

This review was originally posted in my 2009 Toronto Film Festival Recap. The review has been re-posted as the film will finally be released in select cinemas tomorrow.

The Men Who Stare At Goats

After a chance encounter with Lyn Cassidy (George Clooney), journalist Bob Wilton (Ewen McGregor) realizes that he might have come across the juiciest story of his career. Lyn claims to be part of a special military group of “super-soldiers” trained in the art of mental warfare. They can become invisible, located hidden items, and even make a goat’s heart stop beating through mere thought. Yet after traveling across the Iraq dessert, in search of Lyn’s former unit captain Bill Django (Jeff Bridges), Bob begins to wonder if Lyn’s tales are actually more fiction than fact.

Grant Heslov’s latest feature evoked mixed reactions out of me at various points in the film. There are times when the writing in The Men Who Stare At Goats is truly brilliant. During these moments the dialogue is fast paced and the film hits all the right comedic notes. Unfortunately there are also times when it becomes painfully obvious that there is really no substance to the picture at all. Clearly they had a great concept but just could muster enough material to sustain a whole movie.

Many people I spoke with, who loved The Men Who Stare At Goats, cited the Coen Brothers’ comedies as one of the reasons they enjoyed the film so much. Whereas this was one of the major reasons I found the film disappointing. To me, The Men Who Stare At Goats plays more like a poor man’s Coen Brothers flick. Even Jeff Bridges seems to be phoning in his old performance from The Big Lebowski for this film. Also, several of the running gags, most notably the Jedi and other pop culture references, become stale rather quickly due to the constant repetition.

The overall casting is great and Heslov allow his actors to really let loose in their roles. Unfortunately Heslov needed to rein in the story much more than he does, especially in regards to the ridiculous third act. Again, there are some truly funny segments that almost warrant a mild recommendation for those scenes alone. Yet on the whole, despite the potential it displayed, The Men Who Stare At Goats was ultimately more disappointing than anything else.