My Favorite Movies of 2008

Here are my favorites that I watched in 2008 organized alphabetically.

 

 

 

Boy A

This is a career making performance for Andrew Garfield in a film that will challenge the way you think you feel, and could stir up emotions you don’t even agree with. Any film that creates lengthy discussion well after it ends has done something right. This is a story about a 21 year old kid, who 10 years prior was involved in the murder of a classmate. Boy A is emotionally draining to watch and offers no easy answers. Much of it has been put on the back of Garfield, who really should received far more attention from the award circuits. Boy A will make you question yourself as well as how society looks at cases like this. It asks important questions like can redemption be found? It is an unsettling and disturbing of an experience as there is, and one you will not soon forget.

The trailer for this film is one of those trailers that gives away the entire movie.

 

 

 

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

I have always said that David Fincher is incapable of making a bad movie. While he is better known for much dark subject matter, Fincher shows his versatility with this magical fairytale. This is a gentle and methodically paced story aimed for the heart, and centers around the odd circumstances that surround Benjamin Button. Button bewitches the audience, and we are taken on journey throughout the course of his life. The relationship that is front and center throughout the is between Benjamin and Daisy (Cate Blanchett), but Fincher manages to connect family, friends, and quirky characters along Benjamin’s path. What is so interesting about this film is how the line of dialog “I was thinking about how nothing lasts, and what a shame that is” plays so heavily into the film’s theme. Since Ben ages backwards, he is seeing life as a waiting game. While romance plays such a heavy part to this story, that bleak outlook underlines every tone in this film. The similarities to Forrest Gump aside, this is a different kind of fable, with a perspective that only Fincher can bring.

Click for Trailer

 

 

 

 

 

The Dark Knight

There are no words to prepare you for just how great this film is, no matter how high your expectations, The Dark Knight will blow them away. What director Christopher Nolan has done with this franchise is beyond words, as he has created a film that will make you want to get down on your knees and bow in its greatness. There is a relationship triangle that involves Bruce Wayne/Batman, Harvey Dent/Two Face, and The Joker. It is a like a Greek tragedy with a story that boasts both a white knight (Dent) as well as a dark one. While both of these two are figuring out the best course of action on repairing this city, The Joker’s goal is to rip it apart and create an unimaginable amount of fear and terror for the rest of Gotham City. The script is poetic, entails incredible depth and takes a poignant look at the real world. Batman is pushed to the brink, to where he even questions hanging up the mask once and for all.

You can’t say enough about Heath Ledger’s performance as The Joker. He is absolutely terrifying, arguably the greatest villain in film history. I mean, this isn’t acting. This is a metaphysical transformation of a person into that character. He lives in the same world, thinks the same insane thoughts, and acts with the same merciless vengeance. Ledger encapsulates everything about the Joker, that maniacal unpredictability where his main goal is to corrupt everything and everyone around him. The little nuances like his extraordinarily odd body language, the walk, his hair raising vocal pattern, licking of his scars, and absolutely pitch perfect line delivery, it is one of the best performances I have ever seen. He even makes you laugh. How appropriate. In a film about chaos vs order, The Joker is the god of chaos.

From the H.E.A.T inspired bank robbery to the epic chase sequence, the action is simply jaw-droppingly awesome. The musical score by Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard is flawless, as it adds such a sense of foreboding to this movie, it is unsettling. The Dark Knight is my favorite film of 2008.

Click for Trailer

 

 

 

 

Doubt

As far as female performers go, Meryl Streep is getting pretty close to getting labeled “her airness”. No matter what the role calls for, she destroys any preconceived notions you may have and surpasses expectations time and time again. At this point what else can you say? This is a film that mainly relies on four roles, each performed so powerfully and with such grace, that only the highest skilled of actors can exude the inter workings of ones thoughts without even moving or saying a word. You can sort of tell that is a film based on a play. The sets are small and simple and the monologues between characters long. The performances by this cast are just unbelievable. How often does one film earn 4 nominations by the Academy just in the acting department? Doubt never forces us to think one way or the other. Instead it will present you a story in which you will more than likely pick one of the three characters to side with. The climax is bound to spark endless debate, as this is a perfect film to watch with a group of people. One of the most positive things a film can do is encourage discussion about it the second its over, and Doubt does this by being a fascinating and intense story.

Click for Trailer

 

 

 

 

The Fall

This is a visual masterpiece unlike anything you have ever seen, and unlike anything you will ever see again. It is a magical multi layered fairytale painted with some of the most beautiful locations spanning over 18 countries. The Fall took over 7 years to complete and many of the stills could be works of art. The story is engrossing with a character driven plot, and centers around the unbelievably adorable Catinca Untaru, who plays Alexandria. Personal interpretations can definitely be different depending on your perspective, and is one of the aspects that makes this film so enjoyable to talk about. The chemistry between Lee Pace and Untaru is wonderful, it feels like we are eavesdropping on their conversation every time they continue this story. Best cinematography of 2008.
Click for Trailer

 

 

 

The Good, The Bad, The Weird

As far as pure entertainment, there really wasn’t a film released in 2008 that can’t match this non-stop action adventure. From start to finish there are chase scenes, sword fights, and classic gun battles. Some of the many highlights include the opening train sequence, and one of the most epic chase scenes you will ever see. I was not familiar with director Ji-woon Kim before, but now I will be netflixing the rest of his filmography. The Good, The Bad, The Weird has all the fun and excitement of an Indiana Jones film mixed with a great sense of humor. As well as the film is designed to be action packed and wow you with its stunts, it packs enough laughs because of its great comedic timing and performances by the cast. All you need to know about the plot is involves the three characters pictured above and treasure map. It is a spaghetti western on steroids, with astonishing camerawork, and is one of the most memorable action movies in years.

Click for Trailer

 

 

Happy Go Lucky

What a travesty it is that Sally Hawkins was ignored by the Academy, as she puts on an unbelievable performance and makes “Poppy” one of the most original characters of 2008. Think overly optimistic meets gonzo, and you are just scratching the surface of this off the wall and fun loving character. From the opening scene where we see her endlessly chat with a disinterested sales associate, she comes off as bonkers. As the film progresses, her unbridled love for life and relentless positive attitude will win you over before the films end. It is rare that a character is this over the top without feeling like the actor is playing a part. Sally Hawkins just does such a splendid job, she makes Poppy into this kooky person, which feels so very real. Nothing fazes her, not her insane driving instructor, pestering friends, nor society’s expectations. If we all could only share that perspective.

Click for Trailer

 

 

 

 

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Guierllmo Del Toro is a visionary director of a special kind, evident after Pan’s Labryinth. He creates such eye popping wonderment’s in Hellboy II, you would swear they have to be from a comic book, when in fact most of it comes straight out of Del Toro’s mind. Everything happens for a reason as Del Toro passed directing movies like Harry Potter and the Half-Blooded Prince, I am Legend, and Halo to helm the reigns for Hellboy II. From the carnivorous tooth fairies, angel of death (picture above) to the green elemental monster, Hellboy II is filled with such imaginative characters and unique scenes (the troll cantina scene in particularl) ,you feel like a kid at a candy store with eyes wide and jaw slacked, staring in amazement. This is a film that creates such unique characters that the story actually carries some of the best special effects I have seen in a long time. How many movies can you say that about?

Click for Trailer

 

 

 

In Bruges

Talk about making an impact with your directorial debut, Martin McDonaugh has created a wonderfully dark and comedic drama centering around two hit men who take refuge in the city of Bruges after a mission goes terribly wrong. It is unusual for a film to contain such dark comedy, such fully developed characters and graphic violence without tipping the scale in some way. In Bruges manages to find that perfect balance, and is aided by an Oscar worthy screenplay. Colin Ferell and Brandon Gleeson are superb as two hit man awaiting word from their tyrannical boss, who as the film progresses, we become more and more anxious to meet. The script does everything right, it even manages to develop a character we don’t even see until halfway through. By that point, we are genuinely terrified of someone we only know by name. Ray is easily Colin Ferell’s most interesting character and finest performance to date. There are many complexities to his role and he pulls them with ease. Brandon Gleeson is equally captivating as Ken, and both of them act as a moral compass to one another.

There is a such a difference in tone and mood throughout the film, it isn’t surprising to find out that McDonaugh has experience in the theater, because this story contains so many emotions, it is hard to grasp this was his very first feature length film. McDonaugh embeds the locations of Bruges into the script so effectively, its almost like the city is another character, a hidden paradise from the rest of the world, which is used as a motif in the story. These assassins live in the real world and the consequences for living this type of life really have not been show in such a fashion. In Bruges is a riveting crime thriller that has a philosophical path, and yet is dark, funny, and lighthearted.

The Trailer for this movie is terrible. Just go see it.

 

 

Iron Man

What is hard to believe, is that only a few years ago, both Nicholas Cage and Tom Cruise were both at times picked to play Tony Stark. No offense to either of those fine actors, but this film just would not be the same without Robert Downey Jr. His performance is refreshing, and helps balance out the comic book genre. Downey invokes such sarcasm and narcissism into the role, it seems effortless. He makes an arrogant womanizing selfish alcoholic prick (who happens to be a mechanical genius) into quite the memorable character. The film takes itself seriously, but the great amount of comedy inside is due to the fact that Tony Stark is not your typical super-hero. Downey delivers these moments in spades and Favreau made a wise choice to make the film as ‘fun’ as it is. Why can’t every comic book adaptation be casted as well as this? Maybe this is a result of being the first film directly financed by Marvel Studios. Iron Man is an excellent movie, and it stands as one of the very best comic book films to date. An impeccable cast, outstanding performance by Robert Downey Jr, and extraordinary effects, it is a wonderful blend of action and comedy.

Click for Trailer

 

 

 

 

Let the Right One In

This is a character driven story about the unlikely friendship between a lonely boy and a female vampire. Few stories are told with such dark subject matter through the eyes of pre-teenagers. This isn’t your hackn’slash-repeat trash that plagues the box office every Halloween. Instead we see a tale of adolescent survival ism and the fantasy of finding a soul mate next door. The cinematographer does a wonderful job, nearly everytime we see blood in this film it is against the backdrop of a shade of white, making it jump right off the screen. Let the Right One In is hauntingly beautiful, with deliberate pacing and boasts two outstanding performances by the young Lina Leandersson and Kare Hendebrandt. It is genuinely creepy and shows you just how far behind American horror movies are from the rest of the world right now.

Click for Trailer

 

 

 

Rachel Getting Married

This film has the best ensemble cast of the year. Rosemarie Dewitt, Bill Irwin, and Ann Hathaway put on acting clinics. Hathaway’s character is filled with tragedy and trauma, where Dewitt shows such animosity and caring at the same time, like two forces working against one another. Irwin as the father is the peacemaker, who wears his heart on his sleeve. They bring incredible dimension to their complicated characters lives. That is a testament to the guerrilla style camerawork and skilled direction of Johnatham Demme. The side characters feel genuine, and there is so much going on, that the film shares some of the inter workings that can be seen at a real wedding. Hathaway also gives one of the most awkward wedding speeches I have ever heard, it is stomach churning, hand over the eyes cringe worthy. Rachel Getting Married is an extraordinarily personal film, that is authentic, warm and disorienting as any drama filled family can be.

Click for Trailer (Warning: Trailer does give away a bit too much)

 

 

 

Revolutionary Road

Further proof that the the Academy has no fucking clue what they are doing, they ignore one of DiCaprio’s finest performances, and nominate Kate for the wrong one. Sam Mendes has crafted one heck of a drama, stuffed with intensity, in a battle of hope versus reality. They examine the 1950’s lifestyle where family ideals are perceived to weigh heavily on ones life. As Kate’s character’s hope begins to erode, so does everything around her. The destructive dialog and tension created between these two people is unbearable at times, you just sit there transfixed and feel afraid. These fights are done with such authenticity, it is hard to let go. Kate and Leo are both fearless actors that portray so many emotions with such vulnerability, you can’t help but be in awe of these performances. The Academy should be ashamed of themselves for having their thumb up there ass over the years (as well as never nominating animated features for Best Picture!). Michael Shannon makes the most of his time on screen as nut job, and seems to be channeling the Joker a bit, its great nonetheless. I also loved the shout out to Titanic (Bates’s role, all three of them were in Titanic). Revolutionary Road is filled with raw emotion that will stir your senses making it another brilliant piece of work from Sam Mendes.
Click for Trailer

 

 

 

Slumdog Millionaire

This film shows us a refreshing look at the interconnectedness of all things, and how everything seems to happen for a reason. Captured with a visual style familiar to those who have seen City of God, Danny Boyle has put a new spin on familiar territory, and created an epic romance story using a fractured narrative. This makes the the path of the three main characters, Jamal, Salim, and Latika, quite the adventerous one. Flashbacks are used to advance the story, and proves to be an ingenious script design in creating intrigue with each character. The acting all around is spectacular. Slumdog Millionaire is directed with such skill, with a heart is so big, it seems to radiate off the screen. Few films released this year will impact you like this one.

Click for Trailer

 

 

 

Son of Rambow

This is an overwhelmingly charming and nostalgic trip through the 1980’s that focuses on the friendship between Will and the bully that is Lee Carter. Set in a small town in London, Will’s sheltered life is never the same after watching Rambo: First Blood, where his endless adoration for the cinema is born. Son of Rambow does an incredible job at showing just how powerful films can be on impressionable young minds with wild imaginations. The story weaves through childhood bonds and family conflict, and is the right bit of quirky and eccentric that is a staple of the 80’s comedy genre. These two young child actors should have a long career ahead of them. It also contains one of the best and most original ‘party’ scenes that you are likely to see. You would have to possess a heart of stone not to enjoy this movie.

Click for Trailer

 

 

 

Tropic Thunder

Ben Stiller directs and stars in the best comedy he has been a part of since Something About Mary. Tropic Thunder is ambitious in design and superbly excuted, filled with a cast of great characters that will bring you plenty of laughs. Jack Black plays Jeff Portnoy, an idiotic comedic actor who makes garbage comedy for a living. Ben Stiller is a washed out action star with probably the funniest movie inside a movie trailer of all time in Simple Jack. Robert Downey Jr. turns in a sensational performance as a no nonense Australian actor playing an African-American soldier who always stays in character until recording the dvd commentary. Downey disappears into this role and it is great to see him get nominated, the comedy genre is rarely ever rewarded. Tom Cruise though steals the show as a power hungry diet coke screaming studio exec, with a legendary dance scene. The funniest film of 2008.

Tropic Thunder

 

 

 

 

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Vicky Cristina Barcelona is visually stunning, boasts gorgeous locations that are beautifully photographed, and manages to be both funny and sexy. The story focuses on two art enthusiasts, Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) and Vicky (Rebecca Hall) . They are propositioned to spend the weekend with the mysterious Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem). It is a study on the human complexities of these relationships, and Allen creates such a wonderful sensuality, you cannot help but be intoxicated by it all. Penelope Cruz puts on an Oscar worthy performance as the fiery Maria Elena, and steals every scene she is in.

Click for Trailer

 

 

 

Wall-E

The Academy should just hand the award to Pixar whenever they decide to make a film, because they currently do not have much competition. In Wall-E, they manage to fully develop robots as characters with barely any dialogue, and make us audience members invest emotionally into their story. This is an extraordinary feat, especially considering live action films that use human actors have a difficult time to doing the exact same thing and they are done using plenty of dialog to do so. What movie in recent memory has used space as a backdrop for a story as poetic as this? From the Buy n’ Large evoking our gross mass consumption as a civilization to inevitably becoming the mass produced goods that we buy, this is one of the best animated films in a long, long time. It is shocking that something with such strong, dark undertones was produced by a big studio, and wrapped into what was advertised as a ‘family film’.

Click for Trailer

 

 

 

 

The Wrestler

This film is literally Mickey Rourke’s performance, and follows his character Randy “The Ram”, a past his prime wrestler struggling to cope with day to day life. Ram’s fame and fortune have long passed, only a broken down body and estranged daughter are the souvenirs left from his past life. The Wrestler is a character piece that captures the behind the scenes life of wrestling so well, it feels like it was captured from a fly on the wall perspective. The brutality that these wrestlers go through is a scripted and fun show to fans, but Aronofsky’s shows us through Ram that the violence comes at a cost. Marisa Tomei and Rourke are both tragic characters, but so very real, nothing about them ever feels artificial. Bruce Springstreen writes such a wonderful and appropriate song for this movie, it is one of the many categories that the Academy missed out with this film, further proving they are completely out of touch. Few films can be as unflinching and honest as this one, and hopefully Rourke is rewarded with Oscar gold.

Click for Trailer

Top 5 Villians of 2008

The Joker / The Dark Knight

Paul and Peter / Funny Games

 

 

 

Prince Nuada / Hellboy II: The Golden Army

 

 

Harry Waters / In Bruges

 

 

 

Tai Lung / Kung Fu Panda

Annoying Things That Piss Me Off in a Movie Theater

I love going to the movie theater. There is something special about seeing a movie on the big screen, in a packed house where the smell of buttery popcorn fills the air. Whether it be at the IMAX, AMC, or a main art theater, seeing a movie at the theater should be a pleasant experience. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. There are plenty of douchebags and annoying scenarios that can ruin anyones movie going experience. This is a list of just that.

Annoying Cell Phone Guy

There are few people in in a movie theater that will piss you off like the idiot that talks on his cell phone and lets his phone ring during the movie. Even though this has been addressed by messages via slides in the movie theater before the previews start as well as commercials featuring famous directors ,it still is a problem. Letting your crappy ring tone ring for an entire minute during a movie does not impress anyone. The only reason people let this happen is that they are the worst kind of attention whores. You really think letting your Lady Gaga ring tone is going to make people around you happy?  Theaters should follow the rules of Los Angeles’s Arclight and just kick them out immediately. Fuck these people.

 

 

Idiot Parent who brings baby into movie at night

If you can’t afford a baby sitter, you probably should not be in a movie theater. Seriously, you people can’t afford a measly 20 bucks or so to get someone to watch your kid for a few hours. Does your family hate you and want nothing to do with your kid? I just don’t get it. Don’t get me wrong, babies are cute and all, but when they start crying just as the film starts, you will do what anyone else would do. Turn your head around to see where the hell that sound just came from and start to get really, really pissed off and annoyed. You probably will silently curse the mother. I remember just as The Matrix Revolutions started, I heard a baby crying at an 11:30 pm showing. WTF people!!! You may not be angry at the baby, but instead your wrath will be focused on the idiot parent(s) who brought their child in the theater in the first place.

 

 

Stupid ass tall guy who sits right in front of you

This really isn’t that much of a problem anymore considering the fact that most theaters nowadays are stadium style seating on a bit of slant, but it still can happen. Sometimes even if you are early to the show, and sit down 20 minutes prior, some clueless Joe will stroll into the theater and plop right in front of you when the entire fucking  theater is empty. Maybe these people just need a hug because this type of behavior screams for attention. The only attention that this type of person should receive is a brutal ass kicking. People that are super tall should be forced to sit in the back of the theater. But again, this isn’t that much of an issue anymore.

 

 

Scum of the earth people who talk during the movie

This is my #1 pet peeve and really can ruin anyones movie going experience. People that fucking talk during a movie are the fascists of the inconsiderate army. You are not in your living room, you are not at your friends house, so shut the hell up. Sometimes the elderly might be confused on what is going on and converse with one another. Not excusable! I don’t care what age you are, you shut your damn mouth in the theater. It is incredible that nothing in these peoples’ brains  let them know that they are being assholes.  At Los Angeles’s Arclight, you are kicked out for this type of animalistic behavior. . I did not pay my hard earned money on a ticket and popcorn to listen to a stranger run his mouth. There are few things that can get me quite as angry as this.

 

 

Assclown who unwraps candy and eats loudly during movie

Buying goodies from the concession stand goes hand in hand with seeing a movie, but like anything, there is a certain etiquette that needs to be followed. Most of the time people will behave, but there is always those few absent minded scumbags who decide to open the most tightly wrapped candy or chomp away on popcorn with their mouth open halfway into the movie. Seriously, why do people wait to eat candy or whatever an hour into a movie? Isn’t the point to eat it after you sit or during the previews. You figure after an hour or so, people would be done eating whatever they bought. Seriously now, didn’t people stop chewing with their mouth open at age 7? It isn’t necessary to eat your food like a barbarian or a dog, it doesn’t make the food taste any better.

 

 

Dude who keeps leaving his seat during the movie

This especially sucks if you happened to sit near the very end of the row. You know this type of guy, someone who has the bladder of a 5 year old girl or that tub who needs to refill his popcorn and drink 3 times because they are ‘free’. It probably isn’t a good idea to refill a large popcorn (the only type you can refill) when it is made with anti-heart oil and butter. But whatever the reason is, it is not ok to get up numerous times during a movie. You piss all the people off you have to say ‘excuse me’ to, especially if you are doing it repeatedly. I personally would trip a person if he kept getting up and sitting down. Those people who have to take ‘important calls’, just fucking leave already. What is the point on missing random 5 minute segments, why see the movie in the first place.

 

Douchebag who keeps kicking/bumping your chair during the movie

This is definitely up there with things that piss me off the most in a theater. For whatever reason, some people think its ok to bump or move their feet in a way where it nudges the seat in front of them. To all assclowns: people can feel you bump our chairs when you partake in this extremely aggravating behavior. It isn’t funny or nice to repeatedly bump the chair ahead of you. I don’t care if you have arthritis in your knees and have to stretch them out, either don’t do it at all and suck it up or do it in a way where you don’t touch my motherfucking chair. How would you like it if I poked you in the eye? You probably wouldn’t like it very much, so leave my chair alone. I don’t even care if it is a large person sitting in the chair and they are accidentally kicking my chair. Cut back on the buttered popcorn and watch the damn movie from home. Just don’t touch my chair. I believe in karma, and I think if you kick peoples chairs you are in for world of shit.

 

 

Parasites who save 17 seats in a really crowded movie theater.

Even the nicest of people can be pissed off when this happens. Your hands are full in a packed theater and you eye 4 seats sort of in the back of the and you are just about to walk down the row and some messy haired parasites say “we are holding these seats for our friends”. Theater seats should be first come first serve. It is one thing to save a seat or maybe two for people in the bathroom or someone running late, but it is not ok to save a bunch of seats during a crowded show. If you can’t get your butt in the theater at a reasonable time, you aren’t that interested in seeing it, plain and simple. If you were that interested, you wouldn’t have your friend save 8 seats by placing his stupid windbreaker over two seats and repeating “These seats are saved”. LAME.

Sicko

 

 

Whether you like Michael Moore or not, the man has a penchant for creating conversation about important political topics that matter in America. He does that in Sicko in spades. Far less biased than his last documentary Fahrenheit 9/11, this takes a scathing look at the United States’ health care system, the only wealthy and industrialized nation that does not provide coverage for all of its citizens.

In this documentary we see a different Michael Moore. He has toned down a bit, and actually doesn’t appear until the end of the first hour. He lets the examples speak for themselves. We see numerous cases on how this current health care system is failing us. Nearly 50 million Americans have no coverage. 18,000 of us die each year because our health care plan does not cover what we need to stay alive.

Story after story, Moore shows us tragic examples of family members who have lost their lives because their HMO’s rejected their claim. Then there is the story of a man who accidentally cuts off the top of two of his fingers while operating a power saw. His HMO puts a price on each finger, 60 thousand for one, and 12 thousand for the other. What type of nation do we live in where stuff like this happens every day?

A former health insurance employee explains to us that companies actually look at it as a loss when they are forced to pay for citizens bills. Certain insurance companies actually rewarded its employees who had the highest rejection rate. What type of system is that?

Moore shows the recorded conversation that took place in 1971 between Richard Nixon and John Ehrlichman discussing health maintenance organizations, the birth of HMO’s, designed to make money and give less treatment to people. It is shocking that they actually say that. Then when Hillary Clinton tries to revamp the health care system after Clinton is elected president, 100 million dollars is spent in advertising to combat her ideals, which ultimately caused her defeat. She is now the second largest recipient in the Senate of health care industry contributions. In laymen’s terms, they bought her off. This is why there are 4 health care lobbyists for every 1 member of congress, an absolutely staggering number. These insurance companies make an ungodly amount of money at the expense of us. When our HMO won’t pay for treatment, some hospitals put people in cabs and drop them off in the middle of the street, and that disturbing video footage shown in Sicko.

But more importantly Moore never suggests a solution to the problem. Instead, he glaringly points out all its flaws. By going overseas to various countries, every health care system he visits has a far more effective system in giving coverage to its citizens’ than the United States.  This may be the reason why the U.S. is ranked #37th in health systems in the world. Various drugs in England only cost 10 dollars regardless of the amount. Moore takes a handful of 9/11 rescue workers who are not insured in America and sails to Cuba. One woman, who pays 240 dollars for her medication in the U.S., gets the same medicine for 5 cents. In Cuba, the access to their health care is universal. We also learn that the only free medical care you can get in the U.S is at Guantanamo Bay, where they hold some of the nation’s worst criminals, including al-Qaeda terrorists. We don’t take care of our own, yet we take care of terrorists? That doesn’t make much sense.

Michael Moore has created a humorous yet severely alarming documentary that really resonate with me. Something needs to be done about our current health system, which is not working. . Whether you love him or hate him, you definitely will take notice at what he shows us here.

Favorite Performances of 2008

Andrew Garfield / Boy A

 

Brad Pitt / Burn After Reading – Brad Pitt’s real best performance of 2008.

 

Angelina Jolie / Changeling

 

Heath Ledger / The Dark Knight

 

 

Amy Adams – Meryl Streep – Phip Seymour Hoffman – Doubt

 

Sally Hawkins – Happy Go Lucky – The worst acting snub this year.

 

 

Colin Ferell – Brandon Gleeson / In Bruges – Colin Ferell deserved a Supporting Actor nom.

 

 

Robert Downey Jr. – Iron Man

 

Jean Claude Van Damme / JCVD – What an original, unpredictable film where Jean Claude comes out of nowhere to give one of the most heartfelt performances of the year. Just. Wow.

 

 

Sean Penn – Milk

Ann Hathaway – Rose DeWitt / Rachel Getting Married – Dewitt should have received a nomination, another Academy mistake.

 

 

Bill Irwin- Rachel Getting Married

 

Leonardo DiCaprio – Kate Winslet / Revolutionary Road – Right along with Hawkins, the Academy totally missed the boat ignoring both of there roles here. The Reader was dreadful, Winslet should have been nominated for this.

 

 

Michael Shannon – Revolutionary Road

 

Sam Rockwell – Snow Angels

 

Robert Downey Jr. / Tropic Thunder

 

 

Tom Cruise / Tropic Thunder

 

Penelope Cruz – Vicky Cristina Barcelona

 

 

Josh Brolin – W.

 

Mickey Rourke / The Wrestler

 

Marisa Tomei / The Wrestler

What 24 Needs for Season 7 to Rock

For reasons that defy logic, the powers that be from 24 have decided to inform fans of a huge spoiler prior to the new season (see clip below.) Most likely they did this in an effort to bring back the pissed-off fans (and there are many) for the seventh season. Producers will most likely use this as a focal point of their ad campaign for the new season, which looks like it will start in the fall (we hope), so we have to embrace this idea. It can go either way. The first part of this article does not give any info about the trailer so it is safe to read for those who still want to be kept in the dark heading into season seven. Obviously, if you aren’t up to date with the show, you’d be an idiot to read this.

Season 7 Spoiler Teaser Trailer

 

 

Coming off season five, “24″ was on a roll. Even after so many incredible seasons, the fifth installment of this franchise was one of the best the show had seen thus far and dominated the Emmy’s with 12 nominations, including a win for best dramatic series and best actor for Keifer Sutherland.

What a difference a year can make. It is almost as if the writers strike happened last year with the way last season went. After a massively disappointing sixth installment, which included both new highs (the four-hour premiere was perfect) and lows (repeated storylines), the pressure is on the writers to make the show addicting and fresh as it has always been.

So how are they going to do that? For a show that has been to so many places and woven so many twists, what does the seventh season of “24″ need to again be considered the most addictive thing that isn’t crack?

First and foremost, the writers need to stop repeating storylines. How many times can you bomb CTU? The terrorists in season six snuck through the sewer to get into the building. Are you f-ing kidding me? Talk about lazy writing. It is a great thing they are getting rid of CTU in season seven, and even though we love the place, it has been the most attacked governmental building of all time. You’d think they would have beefed up security after season two. Repeated storylines helped doom season six to the lackluster land of mediocrity.

Here is what needs to be avoided in season seven:

 

 

- The Mole/Fake Mole -

It has been done to death, and we can’t see how they can conceivably pull off another believable traitor-esque situation. It seems there has been a mole in every season, along with the Gael version of a mole, where he turns out to be working with Jack all along (see season three.) This should not be a problem to eliminate, especially considering the fact that Jack Bauer should be on his own.

 

 

- Stupid Sub-Plots -

From Kim Bauer’s misadventures (remember the cougar) to Erin Driscol’s daughter that we didn’t give a shit about (I wasn’t disappointed when she killed herself), the writers should not inject time fillers that just eat up clock in between action scenes. They need to go back and examine on what made seasons one, two and five so perfect. Don’t write in bullshit filler subplots because all it does is anger the fans. I’d like to punch the writer in the face whose idea it was to have Chloe baby-sit Chase’s baby at CTU. The baby subplot was ridiculous and belonged in Days of Our Lives not “24.”

 

 

- The Power Trip -

This also has been done to death. From George Mason (R.I.P), to Noah Daniels (Powers Boothe) in season six, newly appointed people go on massive power trips throwing logic out the window and making personal vendettas a priority. Making irrational decisions after being appointed to a new position makes little sense to me. This again should be easy to take out of this upcoming season since Jack should not be working for a governmental agency.

 

 

- Over-Throwing The President -

This needs to stop. From secret congressional hearings, assassination attempts, bombings, and shooting down Air Force One (which was awesome!), this territory has been completely covered. The President needs to be left alone. If I was the President I would love Jack Bauer, but man, you got to keep your distance. Friendship with Jack Bauer when you are the President has led to some really bad situations.

 

 

- Important Governmental Aid Being Manipulated -

Again, this has been done a few times. From David Palmer’s idiot assistant, Noah’s manipulation skills, to the cowardly fighter jet pilot, weaker minded individuals should not be employed by a garbage truck company, let alone the higher branches of our government.

 

 

- The Important Person/Witness Gets Assassinated -

You know how this goes. That mysterious person is finally found and caught, moments away from safety or helicopter rescue, only to be sniped/killed/poisoned minutes after being in Jack’s custody.

 

 

- Side Characters Who Have Relatives In Peril -

Enough with a sick aunt or a crazy daughter already, we don’t care about side character’s families. If they were important, the writers would make them a main character. If after 13 episodes some side character’s mom is sick then screw ‘em. I don’t care about your mother because the story doesn’t care enough about you. Understand?

 

 

- Bad CGI -

This really only has happened a few times on the show (most notably the fall Marwan takes out of a building in season four), but for a show that has a pretty large budget in TV standards, they need to avoid the pitfalls on making that mistake. Ninety-nine percent of the time the stunts are awesome, but occasionally it will look just too damn cheesy. The last one I can think of happened in season five where they shot down the missile near the finale, and the explosion looked like something I made in Photoshop.

 

 

- Stop Leaving Potential Storylines Unexplored -

Whatever happened to the people that Nina Myers worked for overseas in season one? How exactly were they connected with the Drazens’ that were so hell bent on killing Jack in every which way? The writers need to stop leaving certain storylines unanswered. Much like how season six never really addressed the fact that Jack’s family was basically a bunch of terrorists, they need to stop presenting ideas and never fully running with them or addressing them. Make a choice, stick to it, and ride it to the end. You cannot present eight story paths and touch on a little bit of each.

 

 

- There Are Other Cities Besides Los Angeles -

Seriously, stop attacking the same city already. There are tons of cities that have potential, and in season five they seriously went out of their way for that missile to try and hit LA. Come on people, pick a new city. Los Angeles needs a break in the world of Jack Bauer.

For a show that has been on as long as “24,” it is difficult to stay at the top of the game without running into previous patterns. Here are a few possible ideas on what could make the seventh season rock. (The following does contain spoilers about season seven found in the trailer at the beginning of this column. Do not read ahead if you haven’t watched it.)- There needs to be a tragic ending. Season five killed nearly every character we knew, and really only Chloe and Buchanon are left. Does Fox have the balls to end this season with Jack’s death in the final episode? Probably not since Kiefer’s contract extends past this year, but I would love to see a dark ending to the season, something we have not had since season two.- There needs to be a HUGE twist. We get it, we have to swallow the idea that Tony Almeida somehow faked his death, is angry at the world, and now has turned heel and wants money or something from the government that will help ease his pain. But the Tony turned terrorist twist can’t be the only one. In the end, will Jack have what it takes to kill his best friend? He did shoot Curtis down in the absolutely shocking four-hour season six premiere, but this is Tony, a friend and colleague from day one that has saved his life on more than on occasion. The battle between them has to be of epic proportions. What would make Jack kill Tony? Maybe Tony kills Kim, as that would be an uber-evil move, especially for Tony. If they don’t add a dynamic into this picture that I’m not seeing, it would be like that scene from Point Break all over again where Jack lets Tony escape. Can Jack kill Tony?- Film a huge car chase scene. There hasn’t been any epic Ronin or Bourne Supremacy style car chases for this action series, and I think it is time for one. Can you imagine Jack Bauer behind the wheel of a super sleek sports car going 200 in a massive shootout with cars crashing all over the place? Yeah, that would rock.

- Bauer needs to be on his own. Limit the calling to Chloe or whomever to get him out of a tight jam. We known he needs some help from time to time, but I want to see Jack fly solo, especially with CTU out of the picture. Jack being Jack with no one to say he is breaking protocol.

- Up the ante with the torture scenes. I want more painful, sadistic and creative ways to hurt people. One of my personal favorites is when he is torturing Sayid-Ali in season two and what appears to be a live feed via satellite of Ali’s family. It then shows his son being executed. Not! The pretend game of “I kill your family” was absolutely brutal to watch. I can still hear Jack screaming ‘TELL ME WHERE THE BOMB IS.’ The torture scenes need to be improved in a big way.

- What if Jack has nothing to live for? If Kim somehow manages to die in this season, really, what would Jack have left? The end of season six cemented the fact that Jack will never ever be again involved romantically. His love life is dead, his wife is dead, his family is dead, can you imagine how insane Jack Bauer would be if Kim died? I think that would make for a crazy situation that would throw his logic out the window and he’d do something really f-ing stupid. Again, you would have to add something to make something, and that would involve killing his daughter. I am not sure the writers would do this, but maybe they are saving that as a way to end the show. If the government was somehow accidentally responsible for his daughter’s death, that is really the only way I can see Jack killing the person responsible no matter what the cost, even his own life.

- Set a goal, and stick to it. After Bauer killed Fayed in season six, it seemed to deflate as the writers then tried to incorporate that plot, the Chinese, and Bauer’s dad into the final stretch of the season. It was too much. If it is Jack vs. Tony, keep it that way until the finale. Sure you can have pieces to get you there, but buildup is key. When you achieve that goal with 18 episodes, what the hell are you going to do with the last six episodes? You can’t throw in some last second subplot for it and have that be the focal point for the finale. Pace the season properly and have the Jack vs. Tony showdown end with the finale.

- Explore new avenues. Encrypted key cards, EMP’s, and security camera footage have been done before. The outline of the plot from the season seven trailer does remind one of Live Free or Die Hard, but there still are plenty of fresh angles to work with. If I can think of new avenues for the plot to move towards, I hope the writers can.

People are now expecting the unexpected because that is what the show is known for. Fans are always guessing and second guessing who could be bad or what will happen next. They need a sixth sense-ian trick to get the audience to watch where they point their wand and have the truth somewhere hidden. It is going to be hard to do this after 144 episodes, but for this season to work, they better have something special up their sleeves.

24 of Jack Bauer’s Most Bad Ass Moments

I am a huge fan of the show and have seen most of the seasons a few times over during marathons and getting friends into it. Unfortunately, I was so disappointed with season 6, I have yet to watch season 7 because I am convinced that Fox is going to bleed this thing dry like they did with the X-Files. Season 6 just fell apart, everything felt re-hashed, lazy writing, a terrorist brother, and etc..

Anyways, here is my list of the 24 most bad ass moments of Jack Bauer. Enjoy.

24

Jack busts Tony’s ankle

Season 2 Episode 16

Jack is about to leave CTU with Kate Warner to meet a man that has info on the Cyprus recording. Tony stops them and demands to know what Jack is doing. Tony never got the memo that said Jack Bauer can break anyone and anything, but he will always break the protocol first. Tony should know better. Carlos Bernard actually sprained his ankle playing basketball, and the writers had to add this scene in last minute.

23

Cutting off a dead dude’s finger

Season 1 Episode 2

Right off the bat, 24 shows us it is just a little bit different from the rest as Jack cuts a finger off a dead bad guy to I.D. him.

22

Jack and Chase slice and dice Michael Amador’s hand

Season 3 Episode 16

When Amador tries to act like a tough guy and refuses to talk about Saunders, Jack makes him look like a stupid baby by slicing his hand. Amador quickly passes out from the pain. That is what happens when you make Jack angry.

21

And the Third Little Piggy went to the market…

Season 4 Episode 20

With Joe Prado being the only link to Marwan and being protected by a bitch ass lawyer, CTU does the only thing reasonable, and releases him. Jack Bauer then handcuffs him to the inside of the car and proceeds to break his fingers, one by one. The sound of bones cracking still makes me sick.

20

Jack introduces his Microtech Halo III SA Satin Blade to a Swat Member’s head

Season 4 Episode 13

Jack and Paul enlist the help of two civilians in order for them to fight off soldiers sent by McLennan-Forster. They take cover in a supply store, and engage in a firefight to CTU can pick up their location. If Jack has a knife and you have a gun, you still will lose.

19

Jack cuts off Chase’s hand

Season 3 Episode 24

With a deadly Cordelia virus device stuck to Chase’s arm, as soon as they show that axe, you know his hand is coming off. But that is what happens when you are Kim Bauer’s boyfriend, you lose limbs.

18

A Game of Russian Roulette

Season 3 Episode 5

If breaking Ramone Salazzar out of prison wasn’t enough, Jack and Ramone get captured by inmates who for shits and giggles set up a game of Russian Roulette. Thing is, the bullets in the gun are afraid to come out. This is what started the legend at CTU known as ‘Jack Bauer once played a game of Russian Roulette with a loaded gun and won’.

17

Jack hijacks a plane

Season 5 Episode 20

After hiding on a flight which has Christopher Henderson’s contact and incriminating evidence, Jack has to force an uncooperative pilot to see the Jack Bauer way. He’s just that bad ass. If Rosa Parks was in Jack Bauer’s seat, she’d move to the back of the bus.

16

Jack plays hang man with Abu-Fayed

Season 6 Episode 17

After finally cornering Fayed, who was responsible for the deaths of 13,000 people, Jack proceeds to smack the **** out of him. Using a brutal metal chain after a series of vicious punches, Bauer puts him down. After this, season 6 went down the toilet

15

Jack finally kills Nina Myers

Season 3 Episode 14

Well, murder is more like it since she was unarmed, but she had it coming. Maybe I am a sick person, but I wanted Nina to shoot Kim Bauer so I wouldn’t have to see her act like a dumb blonde bitch again. Sadly though, this was an exit to one of my favorite villains on television.

14

Busy 8 Minutes

Season 4 Episode 6

In 8 minutes time Jack goes in and takes out 12 terrorists, rescues Senator Heller from a live execution, rescues his girl Audrey, and manages in enough time for the air strike to be called off. No one in history will do as much in 8 minutes. Jack Bauer for president.

13

Jack takes out the entire Drazen crew

Season 1 Episode 24

After single-handedly killing the entire Drazen crew, he has Victor Drazen, unarmed standing on the docks. The cause of all the trouble today, he empties 11 rounds into Victor Drazen, emptying his clip by continually shooting at him even after he falls in the water. An extremely satisfying kill. The rage of Bauer is unmatched.

12

Paying for your sins

Season 5 Episode 22

Christopher Henderson: Hold it, Jack! Now lower your arms real slow and turn around! You were never really gonna let me go, were you?

Jack Bauer: No.

Christopher Henderson: (shoots empty gun, checks empty clip) Good for you, Jack.

Jack Bauer: You were responsible for the deaths of David Palmer, Tony Almeida, and Michelle Dessler. They were friends of mine.

Christopher Henderson: (before being shot twice) That’s the way it works.

Christopher Henderson, responsible for the deaths of Tony, Michelle, and David Palmer, gets what he rightfully deserves as Jack straight up murders his ass on top of a submarine. Although I would of preferred a violent torture until death, Jack just don’t have a lot of time.

11

Jack plays the pretend game: I killed your family!

Sayed watching his family getting killed. ha ha!

Season 2 Episode 12

In a battle of wills with terrorist leader Syed-Ali, Jack shows what appears to be a live feed via satellite of Ali’s family. After refusing to tell Jack where the bomb is. Jack gives the command to execute Ali’s son. Not! Absolutely brutal to watch the first time through. I can still hear Jack screaming, TELL ME WHERE THE BOMB IS!

10

The Ass Beating of Walt Cummings

Season 5 Episode 6

Jack: The first thing I’m going to do is take out your right eye, then I’ll move over and take out your left, and I’m gonna cut you and keep cutting you until I get the information I need, do you understand?

Jack can make any grown man cry and wet his pants, and the beating he puts on Walt Cummings is of epic proportions. The cherry on top is he gets to do it in front of pussiest president of all time, Charles Logan. Just awesome.

9

Jack shows Ted Coffel ‘the towel of torture’

Season 1 Episode 11

Following a lead from CTU, Jack interrogates a business man named Ted Cofell. He explains to Cofell, if he doesn’t start talking, he will do what the Russian Gulag used to do. Using a wet towel, he will force it down his throat, so the end of the towel will be in his stomach. The stomach will then try to digest the towel, and then Jack will rip the towel out of his throat, taking the stomach lining with it. Probably the best pyschological torture Jack has ever done.

8

The Death of Paul Reines

Season 4 Episode 20

Unequivocally, one of the toughest choices Jack has ever made. He orders surgeons at gunpoint to stop operating on Paul Reines and instead save a Chinese suspect’s life since he possesses information on the whereabouts to terrorist leader Habib Marwan. This leads to Paul Reines’s death. And the entire time Audrey is screaming for Jack to stop. Killing someone’s ex-husband(or husband that is separated) is not the best relationship builder. Probably shouldn’t be on a ‘bad-ass’ list, but I had to include it.

7

Shoot-out at the coliseum

Season 2 Episode 24

After Jack uses Sherry to lure Kingsley to a meeting, things go awry. Jack is forced to take out an entire team of elite agents, including running up a wall and breaking a dudes neck Ray Mysterio style. China may have billions of people. All we need is Jack Bauer.

6

Jack shoots Henderson’s wife in the leg

Season 5 Episode 11

There is nothing like shooting a civilian in the leg in order to get what you want. When ex-CTU agent Christopher Henderson refuses to inform Jack of the nerve gas, Jack puts a round into his wife’s leg. To his wife’s horror, Henderson still refuses to talk about it. That type of commitment is impressive.

5

Death is scared of Jack Bauer

Season 2 Episode 19

Shocked, sliced, tortured, and even flat-lining can’t stop Jack Bauer. Tortured until his heart stopped, then brought back from the dead, he kills everyone in the room. Naked. Now that is bad ass.

4

Jack pulls a “Lost Boys” on a Terrorist

Season 6 Episode 2

If being tortured for a year and a half by the Chinese wasn’t enough, Jack is brought back by his own government, only to be sacrificed to an informant who has information on terrorist leader Hamri Al-Assad. While being tortured, Jack manages to escape by biting a large chunk of flesh out of a terrorists neck. Awesomely brutal.

3

Sacrificing Jane Saunderrs

“When your daughter is infected, I’m going to make you watch her die.”

This is Jack Bauer at his most cold-blooded, a side no human on earth would want to see. Threatening to kill Jane Saunders at the end ultimately changed Saunders mind to give up the location of the vials. Lucky for Jane, her father didn’t have Christopher Henderson’s commitment.

2

Jack blows off a terrorist’s knee cap

Season 4 Episode 1

Somehow talking just doesn’t cut it. When Erin Driscoll and company at CTU aren’t able to get a terrorist suspect to talk, Jack breaks into the interrogation room and blows his fucking knee cap off (see bloody chunk in frame). Even though Jack doesn’t even work at CTU, he still runs the place.

1

I think I’m going to need a hacksaw

Season 2 Episode 1

One of the most bad-ass things Jack has ever done, and the very first thing he does after deciding to help CTU is murdering a federal witness, then taking a hacksaw to cut off his head in order to go undercover and infiltrate a group of American terrorists. Kid Rock’s song American Badass was inspired by this episode and dedicated to Jack Bauer.

Shoot Em’ Up

 

I can laugh at nearly anything whether it is silly, witty, parody, or satire. Arrested Development, Dumb and Dumber, any Will Ferell movie, the British office, or Hot Fuzz, they can all be enjoyed in different ways. Shoot Em’ Up falls into none of the above. It is a complete failure and a major disappointment. That is not because expectations were high, it is because the movie is just that damn bad. Not bad in the sense where you can laugh at it, but bad in the sense where you want to leave the theater before it is over.

This is an action/comedy/spoof where you can’t really question anything that happens because it is meant to be as ridiculous as possible. It succeeds in that aspect, but fails at being entertaining. This may be because the filmmakers were far to serious about not taking anything serious at all.

Right from the get go is an action scene that sets the tone the rest of the way. Smith (Clive Owen) is a stranger who battles 100 bad guys to rescue some random screaming pregnant lady (during which he delivers the baby and shoots off the umbilical cord with a gun) who the bad guys are after. He shoots an oil container and slides 50 feet on his back while shooting, taking out everyone around him. These types of scenes are repeated in increasingly ridiculous fashion. There is a shootout while Smith has sex with a prostitute named Donna (Monica Belluci), and a skydiving fight sequence, with each scene trying to top the previous one.

But there is no plot. These action scenes are piled on one another with little story to tie them together. Smith is a stranger who is caught up in some scheme where bad guy leader (Paul Giamatti) desperately wants to murder the baby Smith now has, in order for some bone marrow transplant to not happen while signing some sort of gun deal with a politician? It doesn’t make much sense at all, but even with fluff action pieces like Crank (which I liked), the story was coherent enough to follow.

The characters have quirks that are artificial and pointless. Smith eats carrots like Bugs Bunny, his hooker friend Donna is lactating, and bad guy Hertz (Paul Giamatti) gropes a dead woman’s tit in an attempt to suck on it. Not to mention the creepy bad guy who makes out with this dog, then tries to molest it later. None of this comes off as funny

The movie is meant to be stupid-funny but just comes across as terrible. Remember how bad the Wayans brothers were when they hosted the MTV Movie Awards awhile back? This film is almost that bad. This is Michael Davis’s (writer/director) theatrical debut, with all of his previous work released to DVD only. His resume includes the films Monster Man and 100 Girls. He also wrote the atrocity that is “Double Dragon”.

Even at its extremely slim 85 minute running time, it still feels way to long. You can only have so many action scenes until they start becoming a chore to watch, especially when there is no realism in anything at all. The acting makes as little sense as the plot. Monica Belluci comes across as someone who is speaking English for the first time, which doesn’t do anything to help her performance. Clive Owen seems like he wasn’t even trying. Maybe director Michael Davis told them to act bad on purpose.

This movie is a cartoon turned live-action cocaine induced fantasy, with a drug addicts wit minus the funny or entertaining bits. At absolutely no time did I enjoy watching this, and for the first time in many years, I debated walking out of the theater. If you can laugh throughout the movie, you may enjoy it. I however, did not.

The Bourne Ultimatum

You are immediately thrown into an action sequence. Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) is limping and trying to evade authorities. Not sure on what is going on or why, you quickly jump back in your seat glued in. It grabs your attention and never lets go, and less than two hours later, the ride is over.

Who knew that the best sequel of the summer of 07 would be that of the Jason Bourne series? With heavyweight like Spider-Man, Pirates, and Shrek all severely lacking the luster they helped colorfully create with previous entries, this series just kept getting better and better with each entry. Purely kinetic with gritty action, this slick realistic spy caper is easily the best action film of the year.

As Jason Bourne continues to search for clues that lead to answering who he really is, he contacts Simon Ross, a reporter who is writing a series of articles entitled “Who is Jason Bourne?” . Ross has stumbled upon a secret that is directly related to Bourne’s past. Essentially, this is a two hour chase film, with Bourne seeking out the information that will once and for all answer who he really is, while being one step ahead of everyone along the way. The stakes are far bigger this time though as other ‘super-agents’ are now assigned to take him out. Since the C.I.A knows his whereabouts, it is a collision course to the very end.

You have to love Matt Damon as Jason Bourne. After a series of some-what ‘soft’ roles, as Paul Rudd in 40 Year Old Virgin points out, he becomes entirely bad ass with this role, even entering Jack Bauer-like greatness. He looks and acts the part of the amnesia effected trained super killer to perfection. The stripped down no-nonsense hero of this series was a heavy influence in re-creating the struggling Bond franchise (See: Casino Royale).

Starring in roles like The Departed, The Good Shepherd, and the Ocean’s series, is there anything Damon can’t do? He is a chameleon of an actor,and now is an action star to boot. The level of seriousness that director Paul Greengrass takes with the rest of the cast in creating such an intense atmosphere reminds one of Michael Mann. Albert Finney, Joan Allen, and David Strathairn; they are always good.

From the fight sequences in the first entry to the legendary car chase in the second, they are all topped in The Bourne Ultimatum. The action is extraordinary. The unrelenting pace that the film starts off at, it gives you action scene after action scene, and before you know it, the credits hit. You are left smiling thinking to yourself, “wow”. These are the new blueprints to the spy action genre.

The extremely realistic way it is portrayed on screen is a direct result of director Greengrass’s effective use of the hand-held camera. From the chase sequences on foot to the mano-o-mano fight with the asset, the action on screen is always captivating. His loose style of camera work really creates a sense of urgency from each situation. You will more than once say to yourself “oh my gawd” while watching this movie (especially when Bourne drives a car in reverse off the top of a parking structure. Are you kidding me?). With Bloody Sunday and two Bourne films under his belt, Greengrass is quickly establishing himself as a director extremely capable in creating memorable action sequences in gritty fashion. And not only are they good action pieces, but great films nonetheless.

The Bourne Ultimatum isn’t just the best in the series, it is one of the finest action films released this decade. The questions raised throughout the first two films about Bourne’s identity have all been answered. Never once did they take ‘the Hollywood exit’, the decisions made by the writers all helped make this trilogy into one of the finest that you will ever see.

The Descent

“Hey, there’s something down here…”

How we will remember those words.  Director Neil Marshall has created a gripping story of frightening originality. The result is one of the best damn horror movies of the decade.

Not since Jurassic Park has a film created such suspense, giving you a genuine sense of uneasiness and keeping you pitched on the edge of your seat. I saw Jurassic Park when I was 12, so it really did take something special to generate that same feeling 13 years later. That nervous feeling you get in the pit of your stomach will be a constant one when watching The Descent.

The story follows six female friends. They are all adventurers and love extreme sports like base jumping, mountain climbing, and kayaking. A horrific tragedy occurs which creates some distance amongst the friends. Over a year later, these friends have planned a reunion to try and regain the normalcy that they once had. Juno, the ringleader, decides on embarking on a cave dwelling trip to an unexplored cavern, deep below the earth’s surface. What starts out as an innocent trip underground, becomes far more serious after an avalanche of rock block one of the tunnels they travel from. With no food or water these women must find a way out before the lights that they carry burn out. Adding to their impending doom are the mysterious creatures that inhabit the surrounding area.

While Juno tries to lead the way up, dissension starts to slowly dissolve the effectiveness of the girls’ abilities to work together. After the group encounters the creatures, some become separated from one another, making their path to the earth’s surface a near impossibility. The story has enough plot twists, shocking moments, to keep the story rather unpredictable.

This is a film of genuine suspense, so very rare these days with American horror films. Many rely on cheap tricks and gore to draw an audience. This is not one of those films.  The Descent does an exceptional job of keeping you glued in every step of the way, anticipating what is around every corner with many jumps along the way. The atmosphere is incredible. The lights they carry become their eyes, as they explore a pitch black world. The women must travel through uncharted territory, squeezing through tiny cracks in the earth, totally triggering fear in anyone with remote claustrophobia. It is uncomfortable to watch someone become stuck in a tunnel of rock. Certain scenes will put a strain on your psyche and are uncomfortable to watch.

The violence is disgustingly brutal. Internal organs and gushing arteries are just some of violence on tap. Once these women encounter the cave creatures, the blood flow is almost endless. There are specifically a few scenes that are hard to watch, and die-hard horror fans will absolutely love this. The film also does an excellent job at avoiding many key horror clichés.

The acting is excellent throughout the story, as all six cast members really do a great job at capturing the fear that would place in a situation like this. The cinematography is top notch, creating a variety of striking images and scenes that will become of cult-like popularity in the future. There are so many scenes where you will question, how the hell are the filming this? But one of the real treats of the film is the actual design of these creatures, which is simply ingenious. From the Predator like clicking sound, to their disgustingly slimy exterior, the nightmarish appearance of these creatures are up there with the best of them.

The only real nit-pick I have is that the film has such an exceptional build-up, that the ending feels slightly anti-climactic. But from what I have read, there is a different ending for some reason in the European version of the film.

The Descent is an exceptional journey underground that will leave each viewer with something to remember. Not only do these women have to battle these creatures, but they must battle themselves, as trust becomes as fleeting as the air they breathe. A film of stark originality and vision, it is one of the best horror films I’ve seen in a long time.