Men of Honor

"Goddammit Cookie, move your ass,
I want my TWELVE!"

5 Stars

I love this movie! I've seen it so many times, and it moves me to tears of inspiration every single time I see it. Why haven't I bought this one yet?

The true story of, Carl Brashear played by Cuba Gooding Jr., a black man from rural Kentucky wants more than anything to join the Navy in the early 1950's. At that time black solders were only allowed to cook, but by breaking the rules to show his talent as a swimmer, he was able to get the attention of the upper class men and got the job of a rescue swimmer. With time and a little help from his friends, he was able to enter and graduate from the U.S. Navy Diving and Salvage School to become a diver in the U.S. Navy.

During his training under the instruciton of Leslie Suday, played to perfection by Bobby D., he had to fight through the prejudice of the day over and over again. He was part of the first integrated class to graduate from diving school.
This man's story is just so amazing, I apologize if I'm rambling. I just get so excited about this film.

His ultimate goal is to become a Master Diver. In the 50's their diving suits were the Mark 4. They always remind me of the opening sequence of the Scoopy Doo cartoons. All together the suit weighed 190 pounds. It's thick, heavy, bulky, and the diver has such limited visibility. I don't know how they got anything done in those! Watching this I always sigh and am thankful how far we have come in modern technology. New suits, and gear make this job so much safer for these men and women.

After much success as a diver in the Navy, he then looses his leg! And he still is determined to become a Master Diver. This is the best montage scene ever. I just noticed the song playing this time while he was training. "I Wish It Would Rain" by the Temptaions. The words to this song as he's working, and breaking his body is powerful. ....Chills.

Not only was Brashear the first African-American Navy Master Diver, but he was also the first amputee diver certified or recertified as a U.S. Navy diver.

You've got to be made of stone if this movie does not move, or inspire you to do great things. Carl Brashear wasn't trying to make history as a black man who who was the first, but simply a man who was the best.

Phat Girlz

"Poo-Doo, POW!"

3 Stars

How cute was this movie? (Poo-Doo POW has become my new catchphrase by the way.) From my other reviews you may know that I'm a big Mo'Nique fan, so when I saw the previews with her in it AND the location was Palm Springs, I knew I was in.

Mo'Nique stars as Jazmin, a sassy fashion designer frustrated with trying to fit into a size 2 world. Together with a rotund cohort, the ever outspoken Jazmin struggles with her weight -- and finding love and acceptance -- until one day the plump pair meet the men of their dreams..where they least expect to find romance.

The film quality is really indie, but the message comes through loud and clear. I can see some folks turning it off right away because it looks really cheap. I really enjoyed it, the writing and Mo's delivery really made me laugh.

Being a larger girl, I really hate confidence boosting fat women movies. I never can identify with most of those women. I don't feel dumpy (Well, not all the time, but we all have our days...), and I've always felt I've got a good amount of sex appeal, yet my size and my weight equal otherwise to most. That's one reason why I love Mo'Nique (First and foremost I love her comedy). She makes absolutely no apologies for her body. I love how she uses her size as power, and her sarcasm is flawless. The things that come out of her mouth, have at some point crossed my mind, or better yet have come out of my mouth too. You can't fuck wit her! And you've gotta love her. That's what this movie's about.

Plot summary courtesy of Netflix

District B13

"He's like, uh...
Like a bar of soap."

2 Stars

This is a real guys movie. The previews were awesome! That's what dragged me into all this. But this plot is so retarded.

Set in 2010 Paris, the government has fenced off "problem area's" into different districts.
Barrio 13 is supposed to be the most hard-core. Yet one of our heroes grew up there and chose not to sell crack, and become the local do-gooder instead. After he dumps millions of dollars worth of coke down the drain, the big drug lord want him dead, and they kidnap his sister to lure him into their trap.

Our other hero is a cop sent into District B13 to, get this, detonate a nuclear bomb that was stolen from the government and is now on a 23 hour countdown. Of course it's the very predictable red digital numbers that beep as every second passes. OOooo.

Some how these two hook up, and it really reminded me of playing Double Dragon on Sega Genesis. Two buff dudes kickin' ass in baggy pants and tank tops. Chain link fences, and loads of bad guys to beat up.
There were a bunch of fight scenes, and a super cool acrobatics scene in the beginning of the movie. If you are a fan of that stuff, you'll love this movie. This guy jumps from rooftop to rooftop, and can easily slip through the most narrow of passages. It is from the makers of the Transporter so think along those lines.

It was just too predicable for me. It is in French, but the dubbed version isn't that bad. If you do choose to watch it in French be warned that they talk really fast, and the subs are really quick. If you wear glasses use 'em.
So if you are an action buff, or know the name of the last Steven Segal movie you could really enjoy this movie.

Babel

"My mom says Mexico is dangerous."
"Yeah, it's full of Mexicans."

5 Stars

How fortunate have I been lately to have seen two 5 Star movies so far this month! I was so wrong about this movie. From the previews I thought this was some political terrorism movie. No way. This film is deep.

When an American couple (Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett) vacationing in Morocco fall victim to a random act of violence, a series of events unfolds across four countries that demonstrates both the necessity and impossibility of human communication. Director Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu artfully weaves together three seemingly disparate stories of strangers in strange lands.

Why the hell do people go to these third world countries to "vacation". Blanchett's character is ripped right out of a Ralph Lauren ad, and in the Moroccan desert is slathering Purel on her hands after touching anything. After being shot on their tour bus she is forced to seek some frontier medicine from the local medicine man who sews her up with a rusty needle and hands black with days of caked on dirt. This scene is awsome.

The story of the two young boys of a poor goat herding family is nail biting as well. These two boys get a hold of a gun, and treat it like a toy, until real life consequences change their ways. The boys will be boys thing reminds me of stories my boyfriend tells me about him and his brothers doing bad things, then getting into trouble, and soon trying to get back out of trouble. A real brother thing.

We then meet an angst Japanese teenager who needs just a molecule of attention. She feels her handicap isolates her terribly, along with the frustrations of being a teenage girl anyway I could just feel this girls dark, dark hurt. Very well done.
Great scene of her going to a nightclub with friends. Really puts you in her shoes.

Nobody told me Gael Garcia Bernal was in this movie! And why not, he's been in half of all Alejandro's films. This director knows, and shows real Mexican culture. The Nanny/Housekeeper for the traveling couple in Morocco takes their children across the border to attend her son's wedding. Talk about culture shock. It was nice to see a blond haired blue eyed little girl who wasn't Dakota Fanning for once.
Hecka Mexican scene : the kids are at someones place in Mexico, and their entertainment? "Go chase the chickens!"

I found a running theme in this movie : invitation into homes. Or at least the places people call home. A tour guide on the bus in which Blanchett's character is shot says, "I will take you to my town." and invites her and her husband in his home to "heal". The children of this couple are taken out of their home, and invited into their nanny's family home. In the home of the Japanese student lies the nucleus of her pain, and she invites a detective into her home, hoping he may show her love. The goat herders invited a gun into their home, and changed the course of all these character's lives.

I really was never going to see this movie. Yet, after a couple people whose suggestions I really trust told me I absolutely had to see this movie, I did. It's unfortunate that the previews were so misleading. If you too aren't sure about seeing it, you've just got to try it. Now I sound like them.

Brick

"I've got all five senses and I slept last night, that puts me six up on the lot of you."

3.5 Stars

I had this movie for weeks and I just couldn't get to it. There it was with my mail day in and day out. It has been on my list for months, so I knew I wanted to watch it. I'm glad I finally sat down, took my time, and dove into this strange story.

This unconventional film noir -- set in the halls of a modern-day high school -- marks a promising debut for writer-director Rian Johnson. Teenage loner Brendan Fry (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is forced to navigate his school's social network when a secret crush turns up dead and the murderer is any one's guess. Through intense interactions with thespians, band geeks and druggies (including a grown-up Lucass Hass), Brendan works to crack the cliques --and the case.

I have had such a crush on Gordon-Levitt ever since he played an aging alien trapped in a 12 year-old's body on tv's Third Rock from the Sun. My has he grown. He's grown into a mini Keanu Reeves. In this film he takes on a look that really looks like my boyfriend when I first met him! My mom thoroughly agrees.

But enough about the men, how bout the movie? Whelp, it was kind of hard to follow. The "inside" lingo is confusing, but I sat back and put full trust in the movie. After all this disc has been staring me down for weeks resulting in my own guilt trip, so I wasn't about to throw it out so fast. I'm glad I didn't.

I had a hard time figuring out if these kids were in high school or in college. I guessed it was high school, the letterman jackets gave me a hint, but it's just strange. It really reminded me of Twin Peaks. A high school couple involved in some heavy situations, involving other tragic characters. I'll bet this budding director is a big David Lynch fan. I loved his concepts, though. It was as if you put Lynch in a washing machine and it shrunk. It's not as great as it was, but it's still the same piece with a new shape. Did that many any sense?

One things for sure this director Rian Johnson is really into shoes. Lots of shoe close-ups, and shoe sounds. Shoe details, and even a shoe scene! Shoes.

I still wouldn't recommend it to people unless you seen the previews and really want to see it. I just couldn't put it at 4 stars, because it took some work to follow what was happening. It did get clearer as the movie progressed. Also, I could feel where Johnson was going with his concepts in the film, along with some particular shots (The Pin at his desk in his the den. Low ceiling, bad wood paneling, desk,lamp, eagle sculpture, and tiki god. Really cool shot.), but I just don't think he pulled the whole thing off. Lucas Hass, and my Joseph Gordon-Levitt were great. Where as everyone else I feel was really miscast. Too bad.
But I do feel that Rian Johnson will just get better. A great first film effort.

Plot summary courtesy of Netflix

The Departed

"I'm gonna smoke. You don't smoke? One or those fitness freaks, huh? Go fuck yourself."

5 Stars

I wasn't too sure what to rate this movie. I originally wanted 4.5, but after a night of sleeping on it, I had to give it a 5. The truth is, this movie made me physically nauseous I could feel the stress that each of these characters were burdened with, and it made me sick. I loved it!

To take down South Boston's Irish Mafia, the police send in one of their own to infiltrate the underworld, not realizing the syndicate has done likewise in Martin Scorsese's crime thriller. While an undercover cop (Leonardo DiCaprio) curries favor with the mob kingpin (Jack Nicholson), a career criminal (Matt Damon) rises through the police ranks. But both sides soon discover there's a mole among them.

I love Marty (Scorsese. Yeah, we're close. That's why I get to call him Marty.), I watch Goodfella's, and Casino on a regular basis, and catch Cape Fear, or Gangs of New York whenever it's on the tube. After watching these films over and over I find even in this movie he uses pretty much the same soundtrack on each. But it doesn't bother me, it makes it more of a Marty movie. I'm so happy to see Marty back with the gangsta shit.

Right out of the gate your are invested in these characters. And when the title finally hits, you know "it's on!" I feel Matt Damon is such an under rated actor. He did a flawless job. Proof : The most tense cell phone call between him and Leo you will ever see.
Leo as well did a fantastic performance. I like Leo older. He's hot, especially when he's beating people up. Is that wrong? It was getting to be really painful and hard to watch him lie over and over again. I think that's when my stomach started to turn. There are also so many other people are living these double lives in this story. It's crazy! It's really "who do you trust", along with a lot of "oh shit" moments. Believe me, you'll know 'em when you see 'em.

Alec Baldwin is perfect, you gotta love him in this role. Nickolson does a good job being...well, Nickolson. I love the whole Boston Irish scene. I was saying "cawksicka" all week. I may have to buy the sound track as well, for the theme song alone. A hardcore theme for a hardcore movie. When you see the name Scorsese you know you are in good hands. Love that little man with the big eyebrows.

Plot summary courtesy of Netflix

Ocean's 11 : Spring Pick

"I'm gonna drop you like 3rd period French."
5 Stars
Spring Pick

Whenever I really want to feel like I'm in Vegas, I pull this movie out. As one of the set directors said, "We wanted to make it look like the Vegas we all wish it was." Done.
I feel it's the heist movie of heist movies. Primo cast, great director, witty writing, and modern glamour has made this franchise so successful. Director Steven Soderbergh said while making this movie he did not in any way want to "re-invent" the Rat Pack. As he put it, there is and will only be one Rat Pack, so he didn't even try to emulate those men. In his own way though he's created the Modern Cool.

Simple plot. Ace criminal rallies professional crime buddies to steel over $160 million from three Las Vegas casinos. "That is the sexiest thing I have ever seen." For Mr. Ocean there is more to gain than just a couple bucks.

Roll call looks like this, if you don't know. George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia,
Julia Roberts, Bernie Mac (AKA Ramon Escalante), Elliot Gould, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Carl Reiner,
and Don Cheadle who I feel really gives this movie class. A great example of his subtle powerful acting is in one look he gives. When the crew is reviewing the plan, Rusty (Pitt) answers a question in English from Yen who only speaks Chinese. Sitting on the couch next to Yen is Basher (Cheadle). The look he gives to both of them makes me laugh every time! I don't even think it's meant to be noticed much, but it has become one of my favorite scenes. This cast is the best! I'm so glad they all keep coming back, and then some.

I love how the viewer isn't in on everything. Like their personal, "inside" lingo is only for them. What is a "Boskey, a Jim Brown or not to mention the biggest Ella Fitzgerald ever"? As if they don't even trust us.
What does Rusty whisper to Saul at the race track that makes him join? It almost doesn't matter. It makes them that much cooler.

The locations are amazing as well. The moment I saw Ruben's house which the movie says is Las Vegas, I knew which house it was in Palm Springs. One of the pioneer modern homes called the J.J. Robinson house. It was like seeing a friend I knew in a movie!
The extras are great to watch. The best featurette is "The Look". Even if you aren't into fashion it's a great look at how these characters were built. It doesn't explain why Rusty (Pitt) is always eating in his scenes.

I can't talk about this movie enough. It really is exciting for me everytime I see it. It's also a great boost for me when I know I'll be going to Vegas soon. Loves it!