Moonrise Kingdom

Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom begins with a series of pans across the home of Suzy Bishop (Kara Hayward) depicting her daily activities with her brothers and her parents, Walt (Bill Murray) and Laura (Frances McDormand). We see Suzy looking at the world through binoculars, which she describes as her special power, as she can see things in greater detail. We then cut to the camp of Khaki Scouts run by the overzealous, hyper meticulous, Scout Master Ward (Edward Norton), where we learn of the disappearance of orphan Sam Shakusky (Jared Gilman), the least popular member of the camp.

Sam, as it turns out, had met Suzy, and after a correspondence, the pair decided to run away together. A series of events ensues that leads the Sheriff of the town (Bruce Willis) to lead a search party that encompasses everyone from the other Khaki Scouts to the parents to Scout Master Ward. Oh, and Tilda Swinton plays a character just named Social Services, which really tickled my fancy.

Cannes, Day 1: Begging in Tuxedoes

This morning began with a delicious pastry from a little place just down the road along the beach with two other members of the trip, Rawson and Arthur. We could hardly contain our excitement for the day ahead and the start of what was sure to be an incredible festival. Moonrise Kingdom, Wes Anderson's new film was all set to open and all of us were determined to find our way into one of the two screenings that evening.

We had a meeting with Nicola at noon, in which he described the access that our passes provided us, which is pretty high, considering we are essentially the least relevant people at the festival (according to some). After the meeting, a group of us walked with Nicola into town and picked up the last of the free bags, after which we ran to the MonoPrix, a dollar store type of shebang, in order to pick up white boards to help us in all of our begging needs. Of course, I made the immediate decision that Hayley and I needed to have multicolored pens. Only 4 more euros, but totally worth it.

We split into pairs, and Hayley and I began our trek out into the glamorous lobbies of the hotels housing the film elite. We were a bit confused at first, unsure of how to approach the people casually lounging about, so we decided to casually browse the free Variety magazines on the table. After summoning our courage, we began to approach people, asking them if they knew of any extra tickets lying about. I got to give out my awesome Rear Window inspired business cards.

 While we were unsuccessful in our search, we met a nice artist who invited us to his art show next Thursday, some wonderful producers from Brisbane, and a sound producer from Montreal. Some people were very cold, leading to the following encounter with what we had perceived to be a nice older couple.

Hayley: Hi! I'm Hayley and this is my friend Adam! We were wondering if you knew of any tickets for tonight that were lying around?
Me: We're students from the US, and we're here on a program where we get to go to the film festival!
Man (with some sort of accent): That's very nice.
Hayley: Yeah, it's really exciting. What are you doing here?
Man: Well, I am trying to buy a movie from this woman.
Hayley: Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't want to interrupt!
Man: Yes. Please don't do that .


So... that was mildly awkward.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

I entered the movie theater shivering. This was it. The big kahuna. The one I had been waiting for with bittersweet anticipation.

Standing in line to enter the theater, I glanced around to see teenage Harrys, Hermiones and Rons all around me. Even a particularly nasty looking Bellatrix shot me a glance. And then there was the massive Hagrid who seemed abnormally large (costume win of the night for sure).

Hagrid and Luna waiting for midnight!

I sat in my seat as wizards dueled up and down the aisles. "Avada Kedavra!" someone yelled. I turned to my friend and shook my head. "She's dressed up as a Gryffindor," I said, my voice tinged with disappointment (and a British accent). "A Gryffindor would never use an Unforgivable Curse in a proper Wizard's Duel." I shook my head. "Muggles."

Conversations swirled around me but I couldn't participate. I was too excited. And saddened. Harry Potter has been such an integral part of my life. And this was the end. Except not. Thank god for Pottermore (coming soon).

And then the previews started. Some of them looked good, but I was in no state to pay attention or fully remember any of them. And then, without warning, the camera began to sweep across the ocean towards Dumbledore's grave. Voldemort had taken the Elder Wand.

Horrible Bosses

"I'm gonna kill him" is an expression that's become an everyday occurrence. Of course, the rest of us probably don't have psychotic, borderline rapist cokeheads for bosses. Or maybe some of you do. I don't know where you work.

Anyway, this is the premise of Seth Gordon's new film Horrible Bosses. Basically, these three guys - Nick Hendricks (Jason Bateman), Dale Arbus (Charlie Day of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) and Kurt Buckman (Jason Sudeikis of SNL) - have had enough. Each of their bosses are totally insane. 

Nick, who works in finance, works for Dave Harken (Kevin Spacey), a crazy evil psychotic man who refuses to allow anyone into higher level positions while simultaneously torturing Nick with his evil ways. Not so fun. Meanwhile, Dale is a dental assistant to Dr. Julia Harris, DDS (Jennifer Aniston), who consistently grabs his crotch and tries to force him to have sex with her. Which doesn't seem too bad because Jennifer Aniston has never looked sexier in a film, except that Dale is engaged. And then there's Kurt, who works at a chemical company for Jack Pellitt (a Donald Sutherland cameo - very high profile), who is simply the nicest man in the world. Until he dies and his son Bobby (Colin Farrell), a coked up crazy partier who just wants to milk the company for all the money left in it, takes over.

My Top 25 Best Animated Films

Time Magazine just came out with their list of the Top 25 All-TIME Best Animated Films. I have quite a few disagreements with the list. Some films should not be on there at all and some were blatantly ignored. How did Kung Fu Panda end up on there? Really?

So here is the list I wrote up. I think it’s fairly decent. Let me know what you all think.

My List of the Top 25 Best Animated Films

25. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

As the first feature in the Disney Vault, Snow White has to be on the list, so I put it last because while it is clearly an achievement in cinema – from the bright colors, vivid imagery, use of the multi-plane camera, etc.- Snow White’s voice is so freaking annoying, like nails on a chalkboard. And this is coming from a true Disney addict. So while the movie should be on the list, I morally can’t place it any higher.

To Steal a Diamond

It's amazing how fascinated people are by material things. Not to sound like I'm above it all. I'm right in there with the rest of the world. I think deep down, we're all a bit materialistic.

Which is why there are always a ton of movies about thieves and robberies and all that jazz. So today we're going to have a little chat about what I think are the 5 best films about stealing diamonds.

In no particular order:

A Fish Called Wanda (1988)

So I may have lied a bit when I said that this wasn't in order, because this film is absolutely my favorite film  that I'm putting here. The film follows an odd foursome - gangster and leader George Thomason (a twist on the name of the actor who plays him), crony Ken Pile (Michael Palin), con artist Wanda Gershwitz (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Otto West (Kevin Kline), the latter two having been brought in from the outside.

Honestly, the theft itself is not the focus of the movie, unlike most heist films. In fact, the heist is easy and goes without a glitch, except for one little old lady who happens to see them. So they hide the diamonds and walk away, only to have Wanda and Otto turn in George and try to take the loot for themselves).

X-Men: First Class

Last night I went with my dad to see X-Men: First Class after weeks of anticipation- and it did not disappoint. Yes, there was a great hype around the film, a hype almost as large as Alex Summers' ego (watch the film if you don't get that), but I believe that Matthew Vaughn has directed my favorite film in the X-Men series.

From left: Michael Fassbender as Magneto, Rose Byrne as Dr. Moira McTaggert, January Jones as Emma Frost, Jason Flemyng as Azazel, Nicholas Hoult as Dr. McCoy/Beast, Lucas Till as Alex Summers/Havok, Zoe Kravitz as Angel Salvadore, Jennifer Lawrence as Raven/Mystique and James McAvoy as Professor Charles Xavier.

I have to admit that it is a difficult statement for me to make. The original two X-Men films were dark and real and the pain and rejection that the mutants felt was tangible on the screen. I really did love them. Just don't get me started on The Last Stand.

That being said, Vaughn's approach to First Class was unique to the series in that it was not a comic book being turned into a movie, but rather a comic book that was transferred to the screen. The wit and humor of the original comics was still there while still framing an action packed story. Perhaps the most purposefully direct homage to the comics is the film's training montage, which literally frames the images in comic book panels across the screen. Pretty clever.

The character development throughout the film was pretty good, although I did feel that some parts were lacking. First, there's Professor X. Honestly, as one of the most interesting characters in comic history and the most openly mysterious

A Birthday Note to Roger Ebert

Dear Mr. Ebert,

I'd like to start off by wishing you a very wonderful and happy 68th birthday today. It really is amazing that you have been writing reviews for the Chicago Sun Times since 1967 - that's 44 years of reviewing film.

So yes, being one of the longest running and most famous film critics in the world is a true accomplishment, and it is no secret that people trust and respect your opinion more than any other critic today.

But the truth is, it's more than your consistency and skill in reviewing that has made you arguably the most important film critic today. It's the fact that you, along with others, such as the amazing Pauline Kael (I must give credit where credit is due), finally gave a VOICE to criticism. I took a film class first semester in which we read a bunch of reviews for Katharine Hepburn films, from both the time of release and more modern times. The truth is, reviews that came before seemed to have no spirit, no spark that reflects whether the critic had a passion for the film or not. It was either great, good, average or bad.

And then I read your review for Guess Who's Coming for Dinner, which you wrote in your second year of reviewing for the Sun Times, and I was immediately engrossed.

And the Academy does it again…

So as many of you have probably heard, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have announced yet another curveball headed in our direction. Yes. The number of nominees in the Best Picture category has been changed again.

But not to any old number. Like the pre-1944 Oscars, the number of pictures nominated will actually be based on pure merit. If a film is good enough to be voted in as a nominee, well then it will.

However, unlike pre-1944, the number of nominees must be between 5 and 10 rather than 8 and 12.

Check out the article on TV Guide.

So is this a good thing?

Absolutely. Positively. Undeniably and reliably.

Limiting it to 5 is limiting some of the great films made that maybe didn’t have the commercial success or widespread release of its competitors, meaning that films that may be of a high enough caliber

Midnight in Paris

I love the movies. And I love Woody Allen movies. Even Scoop.

So I went into the theatre (which was sold out for an earlier viewing) with pretty decent expectations for Allen's newest film Midnight in Paris, but I have to say, it surpassed them all.

The film was stunningly shot, another one of Allen's perfect homages to one of the world's great cities. And he doesn't let you forget it. From the opening sequence of Paris' amazing monuments and cultural sites in the sun and rain, which throughout the film, seems to make Paris all the more beautiful, Allen makes sure that we know that this is freaking Paris and magic can happen.

Cult Film Spotlight: Heathers

I've always been a huge fan of dark comedy and cult films. They're fun and witty and so horrific that you have to laugh at the gore.

Which is why I need to make sure that everyone in the world has seen Heathers.



Let's just say this film is pretty much the original Mean Girls....

But on steroids.

Released in 1989, the film stars Winona Ryder as Veronica Sawyer, and angsty girl in the popular clique at her school, which consists of her and her three friends, Heather Chandler (Kim Walker), Heather Duke (Shannen Doherty) and Heather McNamara (Lisanne Falk). But she hates her friends and wants to rebel against their nasty ways - which span from ruling the school with spite to torturing innocent overweight girl Martha "Dumptruck" Dunnstock. So when Veronica meets bad boy J.D (Christian Slater) and he pulls a gun on some jocks in school, she is obviously going to be smitten.