DVD Review #41 (2009 Must See catch up version)

Ok so since the summer looks to be a bust thus far and it’s been hard to convince me to see the likes of Toy Story 3 and Twilight 3 (both of which I’m sure are fine but not my summer cup of tea) I will go back to my must see list of 2009 and finally get to some of the most well received films of lat year. Let’s see if any can crack my Top 10 List of 2009.

Invictus (2009) Matt Damon, Morgan Freeman Directed by Clint Eastwood

This movie is wonderfully acted, its cinematography and music are also perfect (Eastwood always nails those things), but it ultimately comes up a bit short for me. Bill Simmons (ESPN’s The Sports Guy) really was right when he suggested that the 30 for 30 documentary series (also on ESPN and it has been one of the best things on TV this year) really captures this moment better than the film. Invictus is about the 1995 World Rugby Cup champion South African team which one won the championship right on the heels of Nelson Mandela being released from prison and the Apartheid being abolished. It is an amazing story that is all the more amazing because it is a true one…I think the film fails due to the inability to capture the tone and feeling of the country well enough, and the aforementioned documentary (The 16^th Man) succeeds for that reason…it captures the conflicted feeling brilliantly. Invictus is still a better than average film, but if I ever need to teach someone about this bit of history I will show them the ESPN documentary before this film, the film seems to have been made with the idea that everyone watching knows the whole story of what happened in South Africa...and as we know America can tend to be a bit myopic and perhaps that's why the film didn't quite work at our box office.

(The Shawshank Scale 1-10) Invictus is a good film certainly worth watching, but if you want to be moved by this piece of recent history you better watch ESPN’s “The 16^th Man” part of the 30 for 30 series. Still an admirable piece of work from Eastwood and a well deserved 6.5 for the effort and acting.

The Blindside (2009) Sandra Bullock, Aaron Quinton Directed by John Lee Hancock

First off I will concur with the Academy and say that the very (Erin Brockovichy) performance of Bullock was Best Actress worthy, but the movie as a whole Best Picture material…um no, maybe close…but no. John Lee Hancock got sports right in The Rookie 2002 (solid film), but failed to get history right in The Alamo 2004 (awful movie), and though The Blindside is his best overall work as a director it still wasn’t good enough for me to be in the discussion for Best Picture (but it wasn’t the worst one in there…A Serious Man I’m talking to you here). The Blindside is well done and everyone should agree the Michael Oher and Leigh Anne Tuohy story is one that is both touching and inspiring, but the film though very likable, seemed to me to be missing some important relevant information about Oher’s life. Anyhow the film is good if not great and certainly was worthy of being the surprise hit of 2009 that it was.

(The Shawshank Scale 1-10) Though it borders on 7.0 I was only able to give it a good 6.5. It won’t crack my top ten but I was glad to have seen it and recommend it to sports fans and non sports fans alike.

A Single Man (2009) Colin Firth, Julianne Moore Directed by Tom Ford

A Single Man is a very stylish film that both capture your eyes and mind with its dark and plain story telling style of an ordinary man called George. Colin Firth really does give a tour de force performance with the title character, and if you don’t like him and his performance then you won’t like this film. Tom Ford really does a nice job keeping us interested with the cinematography and music, but the story is just too ordinary for us to be really moved…so we are just slightly moved by the end. Also given the ending which is lackluster in it’s final moments I can’t help but feel that I would’ve liked it more if it was just left 5 minutes earlier…just cut to black and leave us empty…but it is resolved like most films and because it is resolved it lacks greatness (in this case…I usually do like things being resolved).

(The Shawshank Scale 1-10) Colin Firth is great and the movie is an interesting one, but not worth a top ten spot or more than a 6.5 rating…however I will be in line for the next Tom Ford picture.

Youth in Revolt (2009) Michael Cera, Portia Doubleday Directed by Miguel Arteta

Miguel Arteta takes on the loved C.D. Payne novel and does a good job with it. Michael Cera was probably born to bring both Nick Twisp and Francois Dillinger to life. The screenplay is well written and the casting works all around (look for the funny Zach Galifianakis from The Hangover to steal some scenes here), but the movie isn’t top ten material. It can drag at times and the witty dialogue doesn’t come across as fresh and witty as it should. But still I recommend people see it because it is certainly worth a watch.

(The Shawshank Scale 1-10) I really like the young actor Michael Cera but he has to do something different before he is typecast permanently into roles like this. Youth in Revolt gets a good 6.5 on the scale.