Friday, October 31, 2008

Review: CHANGELING

For those of you that don't know, I also write film reviews for a street team here in Tampa for the Tribune and I wanted to just paste my quick thoughts on the film from which can be found in the print version of the Tribune as well as online here at The Tampa Tribune Reel People page.

What I liked: No, Eastwood hasn’t lost it yet like many thought he would after the successes of MYSTIC RIVER, MILLION DOLLAR BABY, and LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA. But in keeping, he has returned and brought us one of the best films of the year. Although Eastwood may not seem to shine techniaclly, it is really the subtleties that make CHANGELING what it is.
And of course we are not forgetting the leading lady, A. Jolie, who many tend to forget is an actress first, and then a celebrity. If A MIGHTY HEART didn’t assure you that she’s worthy of the screen, then this definitely will. I have not seen Jolie as emotionally invested in a character as she is as Christine Collins here. There are some great supporting performances by Jeffrey Donovan as Police Capt. Jones in charge of the investigation as well as another remarkable performance by Amy Ryan whose breakthrough role in GONE BABY GONE last year impressed us all.

What I disliked: Honestly, CHANGELING is brilliantly smooth around the edges and whereas the 140 minute run-time may seem like too much, Eastwood leaves us with little time for detachment.

Would I recommend it?: The Oscar Race is well underway and I’ll be surprised if Jolie doesn’t receive a nomination. Eastwood weaves this non-fictional tale through several genres, least of all drama and suspense, but above all else, horror. Parts of this horrifyingly true tale can be some what compared to aspects of ZODIAC, SNOW ANGELS, GONE BABY GONE and even LA CONFIDENTIAL. CHANGELING is not only a great film but a truly extraordinary story of determination and hope. Get out and watch, now.

Score: 9 out of 10
- Nizar Babul


So...yeah, I did really enjoy the film. Really, the near two and a half hours don't hit you as hard as you think they would. Although the story does breakaway from Jolie's character Christine Collins for a while sometimes, Eastwood doesn't at all lose us and that is many times very easy to do when attempting to cover several different events.

Here in CHANGELING, we have the good, the bad, and the killers. Essentially, the tale leaves for very few characters with any grey to show and as calm as Eastwood is in letting the camera and editing nudge us in any which direction, the dialouge certainly beats us with it. Most characters stay constant throughout and give little thought to the opposing mentality.

I do have to point out that there are several great performances including Jolie's. Amy Ryan has a brief stint as a prostitute locked up in a psychopathic ward. And the most disturbing performance goes to Jason Butler Harner. Managing to extract grief and rage towards him, his performance alone brings this film to one hell of an finale.

I'd say, head out this weekend and check it out. Make it a double-feature with ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO. And then prepare for the next two months of spectacular films including November 14th's QUANTUM OF SOLACE. Thanks.

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Sunday, October 26, 2008

International trailer for HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE; start lubing up your wands and broomsticks


Man, oh, man...they definitely shouldn't have shown us the international trailer so soon because now I am kind of pissed that it's not coming out in a month, where as I didn't really care before. Well, you saw it, what do you think? The trailer was most likely cut a couple of months back when it was still supposed to come out in November (so don't get your hopes up, we still have another eight or nine months to go). Still, November is to be the primer for the month of December. I just saw CASINO ROYALE again the other night for the sixth or seventh time and it was still just as great as ever. I thought this was a post about HARRY POTTER? QUANTUM OF SOLACE opens wide November 14th.

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Thursday, October 23, 2008

Trailer for UNDERWORLD: RISE OF THE LYCANS



Official Plot Synopsis (courtesy of /Film): The prequel story traces the origins of the centuries-old blood feud between the aristocratic vampires known as Death Dealers and their onetime slaves, the Lycans. In the Dark Ages, a young Lycan named Lucian (Michael Sheen) emerges as a powerful leader who rallies the werewolves to rise up against Viktor (Bill Nighy), the cruel vampire king who has enslaved them. Lucian is joined by his secret lover, Sonja (Rhona Mitra), in his battle against the Death Dealer army and his struggle for Lycan freedom.

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Wednesday, October 22, 2008

WATCHMEN updates: Big, Blue, and All-powerful

WATCHMEN is really picking up although not much has been made public after Comic Con and the recent Warner Bros./FOX legal debacle. But alas, WB has been conducting fairly clandestine screenings on random and the first inklings of spoilers are hitting the web. But! And this a very interestingly used 'But,' they are saying that Zack Snyder might've shot a whole alternate ending that is being shown at these screenings to test whether or not it works. The word is apparently...well, some think it's good, and some hate it. I won't spoil it for anyone that hasn't read the novel, though I very much advise that you do, but the ending in the screenings are updated to correlate with current world issues.
Well, along with these screenings, WB has released a new teaser poster this week (shown above) shortly after the the Scream Awards on SPIKE TV premiered some new footage which is available below also, which is very, very cool. Until next time, enjoy.

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Saturday, October 11, 2008

Alright, alright, here's the new trailer for TRANSPORTER 3

I swear I wouldn't get swindled into a third TRANSPORTER film if it ever came to fruition thanks wholly to the cartoony disaster that was the second film. But alas, they have swindled Nizar, swindled him good. Yes, the trailer looks "fun" and "exciting" and "intense" and "like a kick in the testicles" and all those other bullshit words they'd use to get you into the sticky theater seat, and I like it. Even with a plot that can just as well be crafted into another CRANK film, you can count me in, but I swear that if the train that they're fighting on rides off of a bridge and they continue to fight like gravity doesn't exist like in the second film, I'm fucking leaving the theater, all up in arms. TRANSPORTER 3 comes out November 26th. Enjoy.

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Second DEFIANCE trailer, Ed Zwick's latest film might actually be present come the Oscars

Zwick hooked me with the first trailer a little under a year ago and this one's that much better. The film's been getting pushed back but I think it will fit in well amongst VALKYRIE and FROST/NIXON. So, after you watch Daniel Craig kick all kinds of ass as Bond, you can see him a month later kicking even more ass of the Nazi kind. The film also stars personal favorites of mine, Leiv Schreiber and Jamie Bell. Check out the latest trailer below. Enjoy.

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Thursday, October 9, 2008

New trailer for our (beloved?) TWILIGHT; might not be as great as a live-action GARGOYLES film, but it'll do

We here at GREEN HOUSE FILM REVIEWS have been promoting the TWILIGHT film since it was announced a year ago and that sultry release date is almost upon us, November 21st. One week after QUANTUM OF SOLACE blows our face off, TWILIGHT will come and tenderly nuzzle the bridge of its nose against our chin and nonchalantly stick its teeth into our neck/wallet. Tonight, we bring you the latest and perhaps last trailer for TWILIGHT before it hits theaters and collectively rips the panties off of young (and presumably of legal age) females nationwide (myself included?). Well, since it was just released online, the quality is pretty bad, but tolerable. I'd say this is the best trailer so far, giving us scenes we actually want to see instead of a mess of ones that make the film feel made-for-TV. Enjoy.

gargoyle

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Trailer for THE UNBORN; amazingly enough, it's not a remake

David Goyer, a name closely associated with BATMAN BEGINS and THE DARK KNIGHT. Goyer has also directed such smash hits like THE INVISIBLE most recently and BLADE: TRINITY before that. So, when I read a while back that he was spearheading a new horror/mystery, I was excited but then immediately grounded also reading that neither Jonathan nor Christopher Nolan had anything to do with this film, and in their stead, Michael Bay. Don't worry, I'm not here to grind Mr. Bay, no, I've moved on to Mr. Ratner. But now, the trailer is out and it does look, while still generic (even the title. Seriously, what was wrong with just UNBORN?), creepily intense. I'm sure it'll be successful at the box office and I have been looking forward to the next mediocre American horror film (no one tops the Asians). Enjoy below the trailer for THE UNBORN.

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Wednesday, October 8, 2008

NAILING YOUR WIFE

I was one of the sparse few who did enjoy SLITHER because it was good enough to integrate the comedy into the action unlike standard parodies (see: EPIC MOVIE, DATE MOVIE, SUPERHERO MOVIE, and all those other MOVIES).
Anyhoo, the director James Gunn is creating a series of internet porn shorts. Now, before you stop reading and immediately play the video (unless you've already stopped reading and have already played the video), there's a twist. His series will be called PG PORN and won't have any sex. Instead, we'll get to focus on what we actually watch porn for, the horrible acting and the laughable effort the actors put into their horrible acting. So, we start off the PG PORN series with a bang with its first short, NAILING YOUR WIFE. Enjoy.


Nailing Your Wife

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Monday, October 6, 2008

THE OFFICE; original Japanese version


Thank you NBC (and FOX), we the people have been waiting a long time for a Hulu.

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Friday, October 3, 2008

THE UNINVITED trailer; crusty milk=sour, black milk=symbiote

Way way back, earlier this year, I spoke of some official casting choices for the part of Bella in the TWILIGHT film. One of the names that I did consider better suited for the part over Kristen Stewart was Emily Browning usually identified from the LEMONY SNICKET film. I also mentioned she was working on a film, THE UNINVITED, which is a remake of the Korean horror film A TALE OF TWO SISTERS. In my opinion, this film looks pretty bad. I strongly advise all of you watch the original because though the film is slightly cliched, the Asian horror take on certain stories really make it was it is. Anyhoo, the trailer for THE UNINVITED is finally out after just, so, long, and it's now waiting for you to view below. Any thought?

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Thursday, October 2, 2008

False Exclusivity: First five minutes of BLINDNESS

Well, the film's been through a few different cuts but after this past Sundance, word at Telluride and TIFF was that the final cut indeed does work the best and that...is great to hear. I have definitely been looking forward to BLINDNESS as you might recall from earlier this year I spoke of my anticipation for both THE HAPPENING and BLINDNESS. Remember? Remember that?!


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