The International

--R-- The International is a crime thriller that pits good vs. evil, big business vs. government, right vs. wrong. The movie definitely will leave you questioning the perils of capitalism and if fighting back against "the man" is even worth it. I know that this movie sounds heavy, one that seems too close to home to spend 2 hours at the movie for. Especially when you go to the movies to escape life and imagine living in an entirely different world. This movie won't let you escape the economic status of the world right now. Instead it will make you think about which bank holds your money, and what prè tell are they doing with it?

This film follows a somewhat "rogue" inter-pol agent, and New York ADA as they try and prosecute one of the worlds largest most influential banks. I know that The International sounds like a dramatic slow paced film, but I am here to emphatically state that it is not! In fact with heart pounding tension and acting that is top notch this movie is not just entertaining and insightful, but also one of those rare films that make you think about society, and what we as citizens can do to correct it.

This film is R, for its language and violence. None of the violence is gratuitous and the language flows easily with the script. In other words, yes there is a lot of shooting of guns and swearing, but if you are already desensitized to these types of movies, there is no reason why you won't enjoy this film. And as a bonus you might just learn something as well.


cah

Mr. Brooks

--R-- It has been a while since Kevin Costner has done anything worthy of note and the only reason that this one is of note is mainly due to the fact that it was fun watching him play a bad guy.

Like most Anti-Hero films this one focused on Costner's Mr. Brooks and humanized him, making him likable even though he was simply a serial-killer...okay an exceptional serial-killer, but a serial killer none-the-less. Unlike most Anti-Hero films this one made justifications for why Brooks killed. That is why I didn't enjoy this one nearly as much as another Anti-Hero film like Payback, perhaps one of the best of its genre in recent memory. A film in which there was no excuses made, and no justifications to why he was bad...he just was.

In all, I did enjoy this film due to the cinematography, the directing, the acting with special attention to William Hurt (whom played a character that did more than simply add to Brooks' psychosis) who I have never seen give a sub-par performance (yes...including Lost In Space) and relished in the end as Mr. Brooks got a creepy and elegant punishment for his crimes.

cah

Fracture

--R-- There isn't much to say about this film so this is going to be short.

Anthony Hopkins playing the alleged murderer Ted Crawford as always did an admirable job, Ryan Gosling as ADA Willy Beachum did an adequate job. Gosling's whole problem was the eyes; he was playing an intense, anal retentive individual that was driven to be as perfect as he could be in every way. Throughout the film his eyes were distant, empty, some would say soulful...anything but intense, that fact bothered me throughout the movie.

In addition, within 10 minutes it was obvious what Crawford was doing and how he was going to get himself away with the murder of his wife. Furthermore, Crawford was a highly intelligent and very meticulous individual, how he didn't recognize the flaw in thinking about his double jeopardy notion confounds me. It was totally out of character for him and didn't make sense.

On the whole the movie was enjoyable and hard to watch in all the right places, it just fell a little flat for me, especially considering the remarkable leading cast it employed.

cah

The Lookout

--R--The Lookout brings a new and fresh look at a heist film that beautifully intertwines the intricacies of psychological drama wrapped around the mental disabilities of a once gifted and beloved individual. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays the titular character; a young man born into privilege and wealth as well as a gifted athlete who crashes his car into a broken down combine while trying to impress his girlfriend. This tragic accident kills two friends maims another and causes severe brain damage to Levitt's character Chris. This injury causes Chris to lead a life that is mundane and depressing, especially when compared to his previous existence.
Before I reveal too much of this magnificent film I would like to point out the surprisingly good acting by Jeff Daniels (Chris' blind best-friend), and Levitt's ever increasingly solid work is just a little of what makes this film worth watching. Not to mention that the cinematography, acting, directing and writing all combine to make this movie a potentially surprising film, especially come awards season.

cah