Moneyball

Starring Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, and Philip Seymour Hoffman

Directed by Bennett Miller

Release Date: September 23rd, 2011

Based on the book Moneyball: The art of winning an unfair game by Michael Lewis, the film stars Brad Pitt as GM Billy Beane and Jonah Hill as "Peter Brand", a fictional character created for the film. Beane worked against the budget given him and used a system known as "Moneyball", using player statistics rather than try to break the bank for the best players available. Soon, members of Beane's own team and A's fans begin to question his decisions and whether he should still be manager the following season.

I had heard that Moneyball would be The Social Network in 2011. Would I agree to that? Yes and no. Yes, in that both films take a relatively complex subject and summarize them for a general audience. No, in that Moneyball isn't as entertaining or well acted as The Social Network was. Brad Pitt is fine, but he really doesn't do anything memorable; it's just a very standard performance from him. Philip Seymour Hoffman, playing manager Art Howe, is just wasted in this regard. Hoffman is an award-winning actor, showcasing a wide range of talent in such films as Red Dragon, The Savages, and Charlie Wilson's War. Sadly, there's nothing for him to work with, as anyone could have played this part.

Rating: * * * * of 5 

30 Minutes or less

Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Aziz Ansari, Nick Swardson, and Danny McBride

Directed by Ruben Fleischer

Release Date: August 12th, 2011

 Ripped from the Headlines,  30 Minutes or Less is a loose adaptation of this odd crime story. The screenwriters claimed that they only took the inital premise as a spring board, but I find there are too many similarities for it to be a coincidence; that being said, the movie is still very funny and I highly recommend it.

Both sets of actors have great chemistry together, Eisenberg and Ansari as the unwitting victims or Swardson and McBride as the criminals. Ansari himself gets a lot of great one-liners while Eisenberg makes a convincing dupe for McBride to blackmail into robbing a bank. Speaking of McBride, he is an understated comedian that can deadpan his way into hilarious dialogues about tanning salons or how explosives work. If McBride ever decides to quit comedy for a while, I think he's got a great future playing cinematic villains.

Rating: * * * * 1/2 of 5

Nowhere Boy

Starring Aaron Johnson, Kristin Scott Thomas, Josh Bolt and Anne-Marie Duff

Directed by Sam Taylor-Wood

Release Dates:

December 26th, 2009 U.K.

October 8th, 2010 U.S.

An emotionally gripping biography on a rock-and-roll legend.
By now, everyone in the world is familiar with The Beatles: Ringo Starr, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and John Lennon. But how many of us knew about his childhood, his home life?
Nowhere Boy covers John Lennon from 1955 to 1960, from his years as a young man living with his Aunt Mimi (Scott Thomas). John (Johnson) is a rebellious youth, always getting in trouble at school and making a ruckus with his friends out and about. Soon, John's friend Pete (Bolt) has discovered that John's mother Julia (Marie-Duff) lives nearby and John has finally got to meet the mother he's never seen for years. Julia becomes John's inspiration, his drive toward the siren song of rock-and-roll. Then, as they say, the rest is history.
The one criticism I have? Nowhere Boy is a tad too self-aware. Sure, we the audience know that John Lennon will soon go on to biggger and better things, but did everyone in his life? At times, it feels like the screenwriter (or the director) just wanted to fit in another Beatles reference just in case the audience forgets whom the movie is about. Other than that, the film boasts a great rock-and-roll soundtrack and stellar performances from the cast. Big kudos to Johnson (Kick-Ass); his portrayal of John Lennon was humorous, charming, and emotional.
If you're a Beatles fan, you'll love Nowhere Boy.
 
Rating: * * * * of 5
 
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127 Hours

Starring James Franco

Directed by Danny Boyle

Release Date: November 5th, 2010

Out in the wilderness, Aron Ralston must struggle against all odds to survive.Based on the true story of Aron Ralston, director Danny Boyle and James Franco adapt Ralston's harrowing story to the big screen. In 2003, Aron (Franco) went out one weekend in Robbers Roost, Utah to have an adventure. Soon, Aron gets his arm pinned under a boulder: he has limited tools and no one knew he was going out there. With the clock ticking and Aron low on solutions, he may have to go to extremes to survive.

The cinematography for this film is incredible. The way that Enrique Chediak and Anthony Dod Mantle evokes a sense of wonder during Aron's trials one minute and then dread and claustrophia the next. Boyle himself makes Aron's personal nightmare into a fanstastic experience to view Aron's moments of panic, joy, and remorse. James Franco does an amazing job of portraying Aron Ralston, making the majority of his screentime into a powerhouse performance playing off of his echoes, loneliness, and desperation.

127 Hours is a mesmerizing experience that must be seen to believe it. Danny Boyle captures the intense and fast-paced action of Aron's expericnes while James Franco gives a strong performance as Ralston.
 
Rating: * * * * 1/2 of 5

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The Social Network

Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, Armie Hammer, and  Rooney Mara

Screenplay by Aaron Sorkin

Direted by David Fincher

Release Date:  October 1st, 2010
The obsession to get ahead and be at the top of the societal classes, Mark Zuckerberg became a visionary, thief or both to those around him. Did Mark steal Facebook, or did he create the latest social network on his own?

Usually, I would type a description of the plot, but that would give away the amazingly stunning story written by Aaron Sorkin, so I'll just say this: I was wrong about THE SOCIAL NETWORK. I would tell people that there's no way this is a good idea, that facebook was just made, that there's not enough impact on pop culture to warrant a movie, etc etc. Ok, I was wrong; this is the perfect time for a movie about how our generation is obsessed with being the most popular, who's dating who, and being the best.  We all spend hours on facebook; why wouldn't a movie about facebook make sense? So, with the creation and its' humongeous impact of facebook, now was the time for David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin to team up and bring on the best scripted dramas of 2010.

The movie is fantastic, from the inital scene where we meet Mark Zuckerberg (Eisenberg) and his blunt, forceful demeanor with his soon-to-be-exgirlfriend Erica (Mara). Due to his social ineptitude and lack of grace, Mark appears to be rude but in his eyes, he is merely telling the truth without wasting any time in his responses in day to day life. Mark can be a genius and a villain, all in the same breath. Jesse Eisenberg is a great actor, breathing life in to what could have been a sterotypical introverted nerd.

The Social Network is a battle of intellectual properties, friendship, and popularity.
 
Rating: * * * * 1/2 of 5

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Click Here to buy The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook: A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal

The King's Speech

Starring Colin Furth, Geoffrey Rush,  Helena Bonham Carter and Guy Pearce

Directed by Tom Hooper

Release Date: December 10th, 2010

A stunning display over the determination of the Duke of York and his dedication to his country in 1930's England.

In 1930s England, King George V (Gambon) rules over the land as a powerful monarch and a commanding speaker to his country. His son, Duke of York Albert George (Firth), has a stutter and a fear of one day ruling in his father's absence. After seeing the best physicians and doctors in the country, Albert's wife Elizabeth (Bonham Carter) discovers a speech therapist named Lionel Logue with an unconventional style that may cure Albert of his stutter and gain a composure suited for a king. Soon, Albert's brother David (Pearce) has abdicated the throne and now Duke of York Albert has become King George VI of England....

The King's Speech, based on the true relationship between George VI and Lionel Logue, is a riveting drama where the spoken word commands all and the ability to speak one's mind is of the highest importance, whether they be king or commoner. The attention to every word spoken, to the impact of conversation amongst the royal family, is a battle of wills and power that is stagging to behold yet so familiar the audience can relate to Albert's struggle to control his stammer and speak his mind. Speaking of Albert, Colin Firth is staggeringly fantastic as Albert, moving through the room as a royal yet wanting to know the life that an everyday Englishman goes through. There's a striking sadness when Albert pours out his soul to Lionel, such as when the two have a session where Lionel instructs Albert to "sing" everything he wants to say. The rest of the cast is fantastic, from co-star/executive producer Geoffrey Rush, to Timothy Spall doing an amazing performance capturing the nuances of Winston Churchill.

A tale of a man trying to express his presence and authority in times of war, The King's Speech is an amazing story with a stellar cast of British and Australian talent.
 
Rating: * * * * 1/2 of 5

The Fighter

Starring Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Melissa Leo, Amy Adams, and Jack McGee

Directed by David O. Russell

Release Date: December 10th, 2010

A tale of overcoming advesary, The Fighter is a tale of "Irish" Micky Ward living in the shadow of older brother Dicky Eklund, whose claim to fame is knocking down "Sugar" Ray Leonard. For nearly 10 years, Micky (Wahlberg) has been coached by brother Dicky (Bale) and managed by his mother Alice (Leo). Soon, Micky is tired of the neglect and abuse from his mother and the mismanagement by his brother due to Dicky's addiction to crack cocaine. When Dicky goes to prison, it becomes clear that Micky's one chance to turn his career and life around, he's got to take it despite the accusations and hurt feelings. In the end, both Micky and Dicky have to fight to change for the better.


More of a character story than a traditional boxing story, The Fighter is an emotionally gripping story with an amazing cast. First of all, Christian Bale is staggeringly fantastic as Dicky, making the character the egotist he was and a sympathetic figure to his addictive personality and shortcomings in life. Bale is so charming and likeable that it it becomes clear why Dickie is such the celebrity he was in Lowell, Mass., and why he and his family get hit so hard by the tragedy of his crack addiction seen in a documentary made by HBO. Mark Wahlberg (after the critically panned roles in The Happening and The Lovely Bones) does a commendable job as Micky Ward. Wahlberg gives the audience a symapethic character that the audience can relate to, as Micky is beset by family dramas and his less than stellar boxing record. Finally, there are the supporting actresses, Melissa Leo as Alice Eklund and Amy Adams as Charlene Fleming, Ward's girlfriend. Both actress give stellar performances, Leo as a coniving, greedy manager who praises Dicky above all else, and Adams is great as Charlene, the tough girlfriend willing to fight Alice and Micky's 6 abrasive sisters.

The Fighter is a great drama with commendable boxing sequences. For Oscar Season 2010, you've got to see Christian Bale's Best Actor Nominated role as Dicky Eklund.

Rating: * * * * 1/2 of 5