DVD Review #38

The Road (2009) Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-Mcphee Directed By John Hillcoat

The Road is a somber film from start to finish. It doesn’t contain any hope, humanity, or happy endings, but it is worth a watch on rainy sad day if for nothing else but to remind you that things could be worse. The Road is based on a Cormac McCarthy novel (she wrote No Country for Old Men) and her tone and style is very gothic and dark. Relatively new director John Hillcoat (he previously did a small film called The Proposition) stays true to that style creating a dark and unpleasant film that is at times hard to watch, but so easy to predict. It is powerful, but ultimately falls short of greatness due to its lack of hope and a few fatale scenes that really steal what’s left of humanity from its main character…in the end really you’re are left with mostly hopelessness.

The Road is the story of a Father (Viggo Mortenson doing a good job with the part) and Son (Kodi Smit-McPhee whose at times annoying but grows on you) traveling south in a post apocalyptic world. There is no explanation really of what has happened and the only things that are clear are that the few remaining humans are struggling to survive due to food shortage and it is everyone for them self. As you can imagine hope and good will aren’t easy to come by. The pair walk through wasteland overcoming many obstacles along their way south. Most of the screen-time is taken by the father and son pair, but we are shown (via flashback) other characters and places such as the Mother (Charlize Theron who is unlikable in her part) giving birth to child as the world burns. The movie is slow but captivating, you are always curious to see what will happen next and you are constantly nervous as you anticipate it being something horrible (and it usually is). The Road is not a film for the faint of heart or the easily saddened, but it is a good film that will stay with you for good while after you watch it. The story is incomplete, but if you know Cormac McCarthy you know that is expected. I moderately recommend it for a somber day and I highly recommend a bottle of wine (try Benton Lane, the best of the Oregon Pinot Niors).

(The Shawshank Scale 1-10) A somber, sad, depressing film that never brightens…but a moving enough father/son tale that admirably earns it 6.0 rating on the Shawshank Scale.

American Idol Finale Recap and Comments (Season 9)

You know it is the beginning of the end when they stroll out Dane Cook for laughs (for which he so rarely delivers)…I suppose it is fitting that my last American Idol Finale would be the one I like least (yes I think the show may be something I give up next year…but I leave room for a take-back). There were some very nice highs (all past Idol Winners minus David Cook, taking the stage to sing off Simon, Lee Dewyze’s genuine shock that he won the show, and lastly the old-timers rocking out with kids some people wouldn’t like the Bee Gees and Hall & Oats on that stage seeing as though they probably never heard of them…but I actually like it…I’m a dork and therefore I am all about the dorky music), Unfortunately there were also some very low lows…Dane Cook (no explanation needed here), the Singles for the Idol top 2…(why on earth would they just lazily throw out two songs that aren’t originals???, and of course the sloppy, drunken, and ill-conceived monologue of Paula Abdul (I like her at times…but why on the finale…is the show about the judges or the kids?). Oh well let’s break down the last show.

Top 2-Finale

Best Performances of Top 2 week:

· (1) Lee Dewyze-(The Boxer) It was a great performance in Top 7 week and it was maybe better here.

· (2)Crystal Bowersox-(Black Velvet) I thought she did a strong version of a song that allowed here to show off her shops.

· (3) Lee Dewyze-(Everybody Hurts) It was odd at times but the overall performance was kinda souful and real.

· (4) Crystal Bowersox-(Me and Bobby McGee) She does this type of song well…but really are you going to run and download it?

Worst Performances of Top 2 week:

· (1) Lee Dewyze-(Beautiful Day)-Seriously this is the single…Ha! It isn’t totally ridiculous…but um mostly ridiculous?? The Lazy choice of Idol to use this as Lee’s single did not help him or the show out.

· (2) Crystal Bowersox-(Up to the Mountain)-Ok so this song is a solid song, but who in the hell is going to listen to this on the radio…you put this song on while on a long road trip…it’s causing accidents.

Winner: Lee Dewyze-Well it was a guy…but a deserving one, his voice is radio friendly and his story is cool…paint store guy to Idol…ok roll with it Lee.

Runner Up: Crystal Bowersox-She probably didn’t want to win anyway…this way she can cash her checks while still having more freedom to do her own thing.

Idol Downloads of the year-Think (Siobhan), Wicked Game (Siobhan), Paint it Black (Siobhan) Suspicious Minds (Siobhan), Forever (Garcia), Power of Love (Casey), The Boxer (Lee), You’re Still the One (Lee), Falling Slowly (Lee & Crystal), Come to my Window (Crystal), The Scientist (Katelyn Epperly), Oh Darling (Katelyn Epperly), Everybody Knows (Alex Lambert), Rhiannon (Didi Benami)…the best download of the year…BEAST OF BURDEN by the Winner-Lee Dewyze.

Movie Review #38

Movie Review #38

Robin Hood (2010) Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett Directed by Ridley Scott

The Summer movie season looks to be a bad one this year and there aren’t many big films for me to look forward to (not a Twilight or Harry Potter guy) so even though I wasn’t thrilled at the idea of cheating on 1991’s Robin Hood Prince of Thieves (Costner as the Hood and Alan Rickman as the sheriff…priceless) I rolled up my sleeves and jumped into the “Gladiator” version of Robin Hood. Even though it really wasn’t that necessary to make a reboot or prequel to Robin Hood, I’m sure the Hollywood fat cats salivated at the mouth when given the option to green light this Crowe/Scott reunion (the same two men who brought us Gladiator).

Robin Hood is the story of an ordinary archer (Robin Longstride played very Maximus-like by Russell Crowe) along for King “The Lion Heart” Richard’s 3rd Crusade (one of the less popular ones). Through some amazing coincidences (they are lazy plot points that hold this thing together) he finds himself in a position of fake Knighthood, returning to England, where he is left to fulfill the promise of a dying man (Robert Loxley) to return a sword to that man’s father. While returning the sword to Loxley Manner he meets Robert Loxley’s now widow Marion (Yep that’s Maid Marion…stay with me now), and Robert Loxley’s father Walter (played well by Max Von Sydow) who invites him to essentially take Roberts place in the family in order for them to keep their land. Marion (played well by the always good Cate Blanchett) is obviously not thrilled about this idea and they go back and forth until Maximus…um I mean Robin Hood wins her over. Did I mention the Loxley Manner is located in a town called Nottingham? Ok so since King Richard (who by the way is played brilliantly by Danny Huston in his brief screen time) is spending all of England’s money on his Crusade and all the men are gone fighting it, England is in dire straits. The King’s younger brother John’s solution to this is to tax the poor of course. While that is playing out there is a mysterious (and completely fictional) character Godfrey (played evil and pretty well by Mark Strong) who is conspiring with the King of France to take over England while it is weak…still following? So with the people mad at the King for over-taxing it is unlikely that they will join together to fight France’s army that is headed their way…unless there is a man that can bring them together that is…any guesses? Maximus…wait no…Robin Hood (or Longstride whatever) convinces them to fight as one…shadows and dust and such ensue. This film is just milking more out of the Robin Hood tale which historically speaking is very confusing and convoluted anyway…so it’s fine to just go off and make another story tangent for the purpose of making Gladiator 2…though it doesn’t feel genuine, it is still a decent watch.

(The Shawshank Scale 1-10) A silly plot, some good fight scenes, and an average epic that is neither as entertaining or as likable as Gladiator…but all that said it is still pretty fun at times and worth a watch…6.0 on the Shawshank Scale…though I fear that the Summer films may not get much better.

Food For Thought: Crowe has The Next 3 Days coming out later this year, which has his wife accused of murder in it…and also coming soon from Mr. Crowe: A remake of A Star is Born (2012)…weird right? Ridley Scott (The busiest guy in Hollywood) has among his many upcoming films, an Alien prequel and a reboot of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.