Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Quentin Tarantino is one of the only directors in our times that creates for audiences a true cinematic experience. He does it again with his latest opus, Inglourious Basterds. The film is sort of a remake of an obscure Italian B-movie from the 70s, but other than the name, time and location of the film, it's pretty much a completely different movie. Like many Tarantino projects, this follows multiple storylines than eventually intersect.

The Inglourious Basterds are a commando group of Jewish Americans dropped into France during the Nazi occupation of WWII. Brad Pitt is the head of the group. All the characters are strong and unpredictable. They scalp a lot of Nazi's. There is so much more to the plot, but that's all I care to share at this point.

The movie is beautifully shot by cinematographer Robert Richardson, who is popular with Scorsese and Oliver Stone. The pop soundtrack was limited in this Tarantino release, but present and appropriate. Also missing was the strong language usually found in his films. The language issue is this film is that there is dialogue in English, French and German. There are a lot of subtitles to be read.

Tarantino takes time in the film to also show off his knowledge of both French and German cinema knowledge of the 40s. There are references to films and actors from that time in both countries. It's not often to get a modern film referencing UFA (the principal studio during that period in Germany). There is also a salute to the old nitrate film stock.

The R rating comes mostly for the graphic violence, i.e. realistic scalping! (153 minutes)

District 9 (2009)

District 9 does what hasn't been done in a long time. On a relatively meager budget, it manages to pull off a convincing sci-fi/action/morality tale. The film takes place in the present. A large spacecraft has stalled above Johannesburg, South Africa. Aboard were a bunch of sickly aliens who look similar to humanoid craw fish. They are kept in a secured concentration camp-like area called District 9. The area has become a slum and the government decides to evict them all...action ensues in the process.

There is the obvious correlation of this story to South African apartheid, but also a bigger statement on how we treat each other and other living things. Everyone becomes expendable.

The film is presented somewhat in a reality show ala Cops fashion but then morphs into a regular narrative driven film. The movie is cast with unknowns which helps bring you into the story without being distracted by a celebrity face. The CGI aliens are very realistic and also are not a distraction. The pacing is just right as you move through the story in almost real time.

I walked out of this thinking, "this is a great movie!" I think most people would feel the same way. The film is Rated R for the violence and language...think Humans and Aliens...blowing up, literally. (112 minutes)

Land of the Lost (2009)

"Marshall, Will and Holly
On a routine expedition
Met the greatest earthquake ever known
High on the rapids It struck their tiny raft (insert screams here)
And plunged them down a thousand feet below
To the Land of the Lost
To the Land of the Lost
To the Land of the Lost"
Sid and Marty Krofft have done it again, well kinda. I went into this film not expecting much, I was a fan of the TV series with all its cheap blue screen tricks and recycled stop motion animation. Directed by Brad Silberling and starting Will Ferrell, Danny McBride and Anna Friel. It was everything I expected from a Will Ferrel movie and more. The countless call backs to the old TV series, the silly banjo music. It was quite a fun ride, if you are in the mood for a fun movie, this is it. The sequence when they all got loaded in the desert was pretty darn funny. Basically check it out.

Terminator Salvation (2009)

Terminator 4, or the first in a new trilogy, talk about action film! Thats what it was, so don't go in expecting something with a deep brilliant story. We meet Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington) on death row, signing over his body to science like 10 years before skynet takes over. Then Bam, Christian Bale is almost nuked at a facility where the resurrected Marcus Wright comes crawling from the tomb, and so the story begins.
Pretty much non-stop action, explosions and lots of CG. Some looked cheesy some was pretty rock solid. The CG Arnold was pretty weak, like our Governor.... There were lots of call-backs to the old films, Molten Metal, Freezing, semi-truck chases and kicking out windows.
Anyway, it was a very good setup for the next 2 films, we'll see how they pan out. This has the potential to bleed into the matrix franchise. So if you are in the mood for Action and not much thinking, this one's for you!

~Matt

Star Trek (2009)

J.J. Abrams, a brilliant creator and story teller has done it again, from some long running awesome TV shows to some stunning feature films. Star Trek was everything it was cracked up to be. From beautiful visuals to a well crafted story. Have no fear all you Star Trek Geeks, it all ties in to the Star Trek Galaxy. The well picked cast was excellent and we hope they stick around for the next batch of films.
Really this film is a must see, for ANYONE. If you know nothing about Trek you will still have a great ride. If you want space battles, hand to hand combat, a story, it's all here. J.J. really pulled this one off.
I wont give any spoilers but what it comes down to is, just go see it.

-Matt

The Watchmen (2009)

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Imagine a 1980s where Nixon is still president, we won in Vietnam and we are closer than ever to nuclear annihilation. That's really the only interesting aspect of this graphic novel to film adaptation. There is not much of a movie here, so much as some stylized sets and costumes with a violently graphic fight sequence every 15-20 minutes.

The hype has been so big on this film, I figured that I needed to see it opening day. Apparently, it was a film that even one it's creators, Alan Moore didn't think could be made. Moore, I think was ignored of his admonishment. The original comics were written in the late 80s but I can see that there is a place for this material in our current time. What I also believe is that we have had enough reminders that America is its own worst enemy, but here we once again have a film guilting us up again.

The Watchmen are a second generation of vigilante heroes with great strength but not really any superpowers. That is except for Dr. Manhattan, who is a post-human with all sorts of powers, akin to one of the X-Men. The heroes had retired but then find themselves needed again after one of their own is killed. That is where the story could have gotten good, but instead, over two hours of the two hours and forty minutes of movie is filled with expository story. Some good performances were had by Patrick Wilson and Malin Akerman. I'd have to say Billy Crudup was also a standout, but we mostly had just his voice since his character was a computer composited humanoid. Jackie Earle Haley gives another fine performace following his turn in Little Children. The film was directed by Zack Snyder, who also made "300." Lucky for us he cut down on his use of chroma key, which allowed for a much more realistic, albeit heightened, setting.

The Watchmen comic enthusiasts will likely love the movie. Those of us that have not will mostly be left empty. I can understand that once again we have a movie turning the superhero concept on it's head, but give me something more than a reminder that mankind is greedy, destructive and has brought doom and gloom upon ourselves. The film is bleak and hardly escapist fair. (Rated R, 161 minutes)