Interesting Facts: Gone Baby Gone (2007)

- This is Ben Affleck's major film directoral debut, and his first screenplay credit since Good Will Hunting.

- It is based on a book of the same name by author Dennis Lehane, who also wrote books-that were-turned-into-movies Mystic River and Shutter Island.

- All of the extras were Boston locals, intentionally cast that way for authenticity.

- Ben Affleck considered starring in the film, instead the lead went to his brother Casey.

Little Known Facts: The French Connection (1971)

- The lead characters Popeye Doyle and Buddy Russo were based on 2 real NYPD detectives named Eddie Egan and Sonny Grosso.  The detectives even consulted on the film with director William Friedkin.

- The car chase sequence is considered one of the all time best in film.

- There is a shot of the Manhattan skyline where you can see the first tower of the World Trade Center still being built.

- The film won 5 Oscars and was nominated for, and won, a slew of other hardware.

Little Know Facts: Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

- Other actors considered for the role of Axel Foley were Mickey Rourke, Al Pacino, James Caan and Sylvester Stallone

- Stallone was actually set to be Axel until about 2 weeks before filming began.  He left taking some of his writing ideas from this film and used them for what would become the movie Cobra (1986). 

- Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold and John Ashton improvised many of the comic scenes.  Many takes were ruined because cast, crew, and even the director would be laughing so hard during the filming.

- Inspector Todd, Axel's boss, was actually played by Detroit Police Homicide Detective Gilbert Hill.

- This holds as one of the 3 highest grossing 'R' rated films of all time; the other 2 being The Passion of the Christ and The Hangover.

Quick Look: WarGames (1983)

People in the Movie: Matthew Broderick (Ferris Bueller's Day Off), Ally Sheedy (The Breakfast Club)
Director: John Badham (Saturday Night Fever, Short Circuit)
Pigeonhole: Drama / Suspense

In Summary: Set during the early 80's era of the Cold War, a high school computer hacker named David Lightman (Broderick) accidentally connects to NORAD's supercomputer called WOPR (War Operation Plan Response) while trying to find a game company's new video games.  Seeing other games listed in the computer's directories David begins to play a game called Global Thermonuclear War, unknowingly triggering a simulation at NORAD they believe is genuine attack.  David soon realizing something is "not right" attempts to end the game, however, the computer's AI (artificial intelligence), which is referred to as 'Joshua' throughout, insists that the game be played to completion which will involve launching nuclear missiles to destroy the opponent.  David is arrested, because the government believes he could be a terrorist, and he is taken to NORAD for questioning.  Because Joshua is connected to NORAD's computers, the belief is that the computer simulation will inadvertently launch the U.S.'s nuclear missiles and start World War III.
But it's all just a game, right?

My Take: This is an excellent film with some still relevant messages about technology, the military, and the idea of mutually assured destruction.
Broderick was coming off of his film debut just months earlier (Max Dugan Returns) and is perfect as the lead.  He comes off as the misunderstood geeky type and curiously innocent in his actions, compared the more cynical "I do what I want" attitude of today's high schooler portrayals.  Ally Sheedy plays Jennifer, David's friend, in a minor supporting role before her foray into her bigger 80's characters.
The idea from the opening of the film is that humans would hesitate to intentionally launch nuclear missiles even at their enemies, so the decision making should be turned over to a computer to make those life and death choices.  However, the big fallacy of letting a computer make those choices, especially choices that could lead to worldwide destruction, is exactly what was illustrated here - what if the computer was "wrong", and could not distinguish between a simulation and reality.  In the end of WarGames, Joshua "learns" that there would be no winner in a nuclear war, in a seemingly hopeful conclusion. 
Also portrayed well was the civilian versus military personnel in decision making that happened at NORAD, as well as the old school (humans do everything) versus the new school (computers do everything) involvement.
A point I would like to make about WarGames, is that in 1983 there was not a computer in every household, like now.  David's system would have been upper level for home use, but I suspect if my son looked at it, he would laugh at what a "dinosaur" it is.  There were not instant news updates every second, and mobile phones were still over a decade out of the mainstream.  Seeing this movie at the time was tense, because theoretically, it could have or may have actually happened and we (the general public) would never have known.  Seeing WarGames today might not have that same tension, but it really is an excellent movie, and one of the best of the 80's. 
A little more brain food to think on: even today, what could a highly skilled hacker do to unleash a cyber attack that could result in military response?

The movie is rated 'PG', but would likely be a 'PG-13' now and purely for language.  (There was no PG-13 when this film was released.)

Review: Flatliners (1990)

People in the Movie: Kevin Bacon, Julia Roberts, Billy Baldwin, Kiefer Sutherland, Oliver Platt
Director: Joel Schumacher (The Lost Boys, 8MM, The Number 23)
Pigeonhole: Thriller /Drama/ Suspense

Briefly: Five sexy med students (ok, Platt is arguable) decide to "flatline" - stopping their own hearts for various amounts of time so they are technically "dead", while the other four monitor and then resuscitate - to supposedly discover what is beyond life and death.  After revival, what they find is their guilty consciences for past actions have come out to haunt them in the form of hallucinations, and in one of the doctor's cases, physical attacks.
Schumacher created a great looking film with great sets and scenery; attractive actors; and excellent style with cameras, editing, and sound.  Even with these now well established names, the acting in Flatliners is very borderline, with Bacon probably turning in the best performance, and the plot comes off shaky at best. 

More: **spoiler alert**
- Steckle (Platt) - is the geeky bow-tie wearing sort.  He has a decent supporting role in this film; he comes off as the voice of reason, although that "reason" is usually ignored, and is the only one of this "crew" that does not flatline.  Which is probably for the best.
- Nelson (Sutherland) - is the first of the group to flatline.  Nelson comes off as a bit obsessive, and has "something to prove" as far as his doctoring skills go.  His initial motive for this demented experiment seems to be genuine scientific exploration.  During his flatline he sees some fast, intense flashes from his childhood involving an incident while he and some of his friends bullied a boy named Bill Mahoney.  After he is revived Nelson then begins to have waking hallucinations of this bullying incident, except Billy (still a boy) is now attacking Nelson, the adult.  The "incidents" begin to increase in intensity, and Nelson sports fresh injuries after each new hallucination.  However, Nelson chooses to lie to the others about where his injuries are coming from, because he wants to continue the flatlining experiments.
We piece together as the film progresses that as a child Nelson and his friends bullied Billy; in the instance Nelson keeps seeing, Billy climbed up a tree to escape his tormentors while they pelted him with rocks.  One last rock was thrown which struck Billy causing him to fall out of the tree and he dies from his injuries.  It seems that Nelson's guilt over Billy's death is causing him to harm himself, and in the last scene of the movie he flatlines again to try to finally resolve the battle in his mind.
- Joe Hurley (Baldwin) - Joe is the second of the group to flatline.  Joe is engaged, but is still a "player" of sorts since his fiance currently lives out of town.  Joe has had sex with multiple women over an indiscriminate period of time, and secretly videotaped each of these trysts.  After his flatline and revival he reports to the group having had an "erotic" experience, garnering some sarcastic chuckles.  However, Joe's reality turns into him having hallucinations of the women he had one night stands with, and each woman now confronting him - but not violently.  This "horror" culminates when his fiance visits his apartment, discovers his video collection, and then breaks off their engagement.
- David Labraccio (Bacon) - is probably the best doctor of the bunch.  While he might not initially agree with the idea to flatline, he decides that there could actually be some deeper knowledge in the experience and becomes the third of the group to go.  His visions and hallucinations after coming back center around him (as a child) and his friends bullying a girl at school; her name is Winnie Hicks.  Winnie appears (still as child) and begins taunting David the adult as he is riding the subway one afternoon - again it does not result in a physical attack, like Nelson.
David decides to locate the adult Winnie Hicks and apologize, which lifts the burden of guilt.  He informs the others this is the way to "cure" whatever happened.
- Rachel Mannus (Roberts) - is the fourth flatliner.  Her emotions seem fairly flat through the movie until she goes under.  Of the group she probably had the most personal reason to search for meaning in "anything" after death.  Her revival was particularly difficult for various reasons, and her hallucinations center on seeing flashbacks of her father.  We learn through her progression that he was a veteran and that he killed himself when she was a child (she was also in the house at the time), and she continues to harbor deep guilt about it.  Rachel in a waking hallucination discovers that her father was a heroin or morphine addict, likely because of something that happened in the war, and that she is able to make peace with him and his suicide.  

And so: This film is pretty entertaining, and it is great to be able to look back and see these actors in the early stages of their careers.  Schumacher created a great environment, and good crescendo of intensity that does really make this a thriller film.
Where this film flatined was in the diversity of experience after the death and subsequent revivals.  Bringing people's guilt into a waking hallucination as a plot driver?  It worked best for Nelson and Rachel because it was obvious their experiences were still affecting their daily lives, and in Nelson's case he was in true physical danger after his flatline.  And I will compliment Schumacher for keeping us guessing about what was going on in the bathroom with Rachel's father (his drug use) that caused him to bolt out of the house and kill himself when Rachel, as a child, opened the door.  That was excellent work with these two characters and did make this film worth seeing.
But David and Joe's experiences offered literally nothing to the plot.  I felt absolutely no tension or danger coming towards them, and in Joe's case it was almost like we should think "good, he got what he deserved".  In fact, I question whether Joe even really felt guilt about his past acts, other than getting caught.  Had something more been done with these two characters - maybe altered the post-flatline experience to something beyond "guilt", and created either more danger or conflict - Flatliners could have been a truly great film.

Review: 28 Weeks Later (2007)

People in the Movie: Robert Carlyle (The Full Monty, Trainspotting), Jeremy Renner (The Town, The Avengers)
Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
Pigeonhole: Horror / Apocalyptic / Thriller

In Summary: This movie builds on some plot elements from its predecessor 28 Days Later, but none of the original characters returned.  At the end of the previous movie the characters saw a plane flying overhead, implying that the infection may not have spread to the rest of the world as they had believed.
Early in this film we learn that 5 weeks after the initial outbreak all of the infected have died of starvation.  A U.S. led NATO force comes to take control of Great Britain at "11 weeks", where it will remain under strict quarantine; at "18 weeks" it is declared relatively safe, and then 28 weeks after the initial spread of the Rage virus people are brought back (folks who either hid out, were abroad, or found their way to a protected area) with the assistance of the NATO force, to repopulate and resettle the London area.
A woman carrying the virus, but without the "rage" symptoms is soon found and brought to the quarantine.  Predictably the virus is, once again, quickly spread through the people there and decisions have to be made who lives and who won't.

Recommendation: I think 28 Weeks Later is a pretty good sequel; it looks and feels like a bigger budget film compared to its predecessor. While there are some very cliche horror movie moments, and a fairly predictable plot unfolding, it is entertaining to watch.  'R' rating is for language, violence, and gore.

My Take: **spoiler alert**  This movie opens during the original Rage virus outbreak.  Don (Carlyle), his wife Alice (Catherine McCormack) and several others are hiding out in a cottage.  A group of "infected" break into the cottage to attack; the group runs upstairs and Don goes in a different direction than the rest of them .  He dives out of a window leaving his wife and the other to become infected.
Now at 28 weeks later people are being admitted back into London to repopulate the area, but under the watchful eye of American military and medical supervision.  Among this group of "settlers" are Tammy and Andy - Don and Alice's children - that were traveling in Spain during the outbreak.  Don is now a service engineer, and after reuniting with his kids he explains that he survived by making his way to a military area after the attack on the cottage, but that Alice did not make it. 
One day later the kids predictably break protocol and leave their "safe zone" on a scooter to go back to their house, in an "unsafe area", to collect some of their personal effects.  An Army Sergeant named Doyle (Renner) sees them leaving and follows.  Tammy and Andy arrive, and after going through the house to pick through belongings, find their mother still alive sitting in her bedroom in a near catatonic state.  The soldiers arrive and take everyone back to their district.  Alice is quickly quarantined in a biohazard area, and the doctor discovers that she is carrying the Rage virus - also still highly infectious - but she is displaying no symptoms (other than the red eyes the infected have), which is encouraging because now the doctor may be able to work on a cure.
However, in an extreme stupid horror movie moment, Don sneaks through security to see Alice in the biohazard area.  He apologizes for leaving her behind and kisses her.  Oops.  Don becomes immediately infected, kills her and goes on an Rage virus spreading rampage.  Almost every civilian in the district becomes either infected as they have contact any newly infected person or is killed immediately during the attack.  I think this was another slight disconnect I had with this film - that these "highly trained experts" (medical and military) did not seem to account for what might happen if an infected person got into the district, and how they would react/respond.  On the plus side, it did really highlight the panic that would ensue if a virus like this one were to ever spread, but there was a supposition of ignorance, again, considering the circumstances that was a reach.     
As the chaos is taking hold, a doctor named Scarlet (Rose Byrne) grabs the two kids to escape just as the Army is being order to shoot at will to contain the outbreak.  Doyle, ignoring his execution orders, grabs the three to escape, as well.  He radios a friend of his named Flynn, who flies a helicopter, to assist in their evacuation.  Flynn states to meet at Wembley stadium, where he will be able to land.  It is now a scary cat and mouse chase through the deserted streets of London between the four protagonists, the newly infected, and the Army trying to extinguish anything moving because they are considered risks.  Doyle is soon killed, and while Scarlet and the kids are making their way through the London Underground, Don emerges, kills Scarlet and bites Andy.  Tammy then shoots Don, while we see Andy's eyes turn red, but he does not display any other rage symptoms, just like his mother.  The two get the stadium and Flynn takes them France, per the pre-arranged instructions.
In the final scene, it is noted to be 28 days later; we see the now abandoned helicopter and hear a voice shouting for help over the radio.  The city is Paris, and a group of about a dozen infected people are witnessed running amok.

In Conclusion: Other than the 2 colossal acts of stupidity - the kids leaving the safe zone, and Don being able to get to his wife causing the new outbreak - I really like this film, and it is a great complimentor to 28 Days Later.  The environment is tense and foreboding, the actors were all well cast, and the action kept up at a good pace.  Plus, the movie's conclusion was congruent with previous 96 minutes and did not feel forced or improbable (both huge pet peeves of mine with endings).  If this is the new face of the "zombie genre" as were Danny Boyle's stated intentions, then I am on board.    

Awesome movie quotes: Major League (1989)

".. ahh, Jesus, I like him very much, but he no help with curveball."

"Are you saying Jesus Christ can't hit a curveball?"

"Alright Harris, let's not start a holy war."

Bob's Quick Look: The Last Exorcism (2010)

Cotton Marcus is a southern preacher who is suffering a crisis of faith and is therefore looking to retiring from the evangelical profession. As a final act, he seeks to expose the fraudulent nature of exorcism by inviting a camera crew to follow him as he performs his final “battle” against the forces of Hell. The documentary team behind him, Cotton answers a letter from a widowed father believing that his daughter has been possessed. The preacher shows the audience the tricks of the trade, such as hidden wire, prop smoking crucifixes and the like, and walks the onlookers through his performance. Once it is over however, the girl’s plight is not over as he “symptoms” continue, and Cotton’s investigation into the family’s past brings him closer than he has ever come to true evil.

*Spoiler Alert* This movie takes an interesting approach to exorcism horror. The main character is admitting that he is a fraud and is showing the audience how he, and many people in his profession, bilk people into believing their loved ones are healed when they might require medical and/or psychological treatment. The film does a good job of bringing this point up, while remaining focused on the main character and his internal conflicts.

The film moves at about the pace you would expect from either a pov or exorcism movie, but it manages to remain constant rather than slowing down and speeding up as some horror films tend to do. In other words, I never found myself saying to the screen, “will you just get on with it already?” as I have found myself doing lately (people in the theater tend to dislike this.)
The cast turn out a solid performance. Special props go to Ashley Bell who performed all her own body contortions and bends for the exorcism scene, eliminating the need for special effects.
The film moves towards a certain twist, namely that even though it is concluded the girl was grief stricken, disturbed and needed a shrink, she really is demon possessed and the main characters pay for their error. But when we get to the twist, the writer goes so far into left field that I would almost, almost classify this as a diarrhea-splatter ending. The one thing that is staying my hand on this, is the fact that the twist that is presented is not what I was expecting, so it succeeded in throwing me for a loop. But, when it came, I found myself saying, “What the Hell?”
Fans of both pov and exorcism styles of horror should check this one out. It will not disappoint.

Review: Monster (2003)

People in the Movie: Charlize Theron (The Devil's Advocate, Prometheus, Hancock); Christina Ricci (Prozac Nation, Sleepy Hollow, Black Snake Moan)
Director: Patty Jenkins
Pigeonhole: Drama / True Crime

Very Basics: Monster is a semi-biographical and somewhat sympathetic look at the serial killer Aileen Wuornos.  The film focuses primarily on Wuornos' (Theron) romantic relationship with Selby Wall (Ricci); the murders that Wuornos eventually commits; and her subsequent conviction and death sentence. 
The film, writer/director, and actors were nominated for and rightfully won multiple awards for Monster.

Recommendation: I highly recommend seeing this one- the performances, direction, and production are all top shelf.  Just looking at pictures or news clips of Wuornos, then seeing Theron's portrayal, is really quite chilling noticing the similarites.  I consider this one of the best films of the 2000's. 
I will note that the subject matter is very dark, so caution is warranted.  'R' rating is for violence, rape, and language.

My Thoughts:  Monster begins with Aileen, who is a prostitute, moving to Florida.  She meets Selby in a bar, and after some initial hesitation on Selby's part, the two become romantically involved.  Their bond and passion are both very strong, but Aileen and Selby have no place to live, and no steady income, which causes some strain.
Aileen continues to pick up men, but is soon brutalized by a "john" and she ends up killing him in self-defense as his attack progressed.  After this incident she wants to give up prostitution altogether so she can make a better life for her and Selby, but sadly finds that with her prior criminal record and lack of usable skills, she cannot find legitimate work.  Aileen decides to go back to prostitution, but now with the intent of robbing and killing the potential victims.  We see them spend the stolen money so the two can go out and enjoy themselves, although Selby is naive as to where the money is coming from.
Selby later reads in the newspaper about some of the murders and begins to suspect Aileen.  They have a fight and Selby leaves to go back to her family in Ohio.  The police close in and arrest Aileen, and while having one last phone conversation with Selby, Aileen says that she acted alone to protect Selby from prosecution.  Selby later has to testify against Aileen, for which she sentenced to death for the murders. 

Monster falls into my "once and done" category.  It is an extremely well done movie, but it is also very depressing, maybe even more so because of the portrayal of real events and people.  As I noted above, Wuornos is portrayed sympathetically.  She has mental issues that go back to childhood physical and sexual abuse, and has been a prostitute since she was a young teen to make the proverbial "ends meet".  We see that the first murder is an act of self-defense, and that her subsequent murders were not to satisfy some need to kill, but more out of her desperate desire to maintain a source of income for her and her girlfriend.  That did not make killing "right", and Jenkins does not portray it that way - but it illustrated that Wuornos seemed to be stuck in a cycle of poverty and violence that she was never able to break free from.  I will leave anyone to their own opinions about whether or not Aileen Wuornos was worthy of our sympathies, as I imagine any of her victim's friends and family could have a different take.
The tone and look of the film feels "authentic", nothing is glamorized - from the dive bars, to the costumes, to the scenes and supporting actors.  The story and ending are in no way "Hollywood", and we are left to ponder whether any real justice was served here for anyone, even as the verdict is doled out.  There are many social issues that go beyond the movie and reality behind this story.  I think Patty Jenkins was able to capture this in her direction, and Theron & Ricci were able to give us a glimpse of a woman's life beyond her terrible criminal acts. 

More:
- An item of note (or distinction) - Selby Wall is based on Wuornos' real lover Tyria Moore, who she had been involved with for several years before the murders began.  The movie has Aileen meeting Selby and the murders taking place close together.  Also, Moore may have been involved in at least 1 or more of the real murders with Wuornos - the two were seen disposing of a victim's car together.
- The soundtrack, which was supervised by Steve Perry from Journey, was excellent.
- Aileen Wuornos killed 7 men, and received 6 death sentences - one man's body was never found.
     

Awesome movie quotes: Road House (1989)

"Calling me 'sir' is like putting an elevator in an outhouse. It don't belong."

Awesome movie quotes: Airplane II: The Sequel (1982)

"..and I can sum it all up in just one word: courage, dedication, daring, pride, pluck, spirit, grit, mettle, and G-U-T-S, guts. Why, Ted Striker's got more guts in his little finger than most of us have in our large intestine, including the colon..." 

Awesome movie quotes: American Beauty (1999)

"Janie, today I quit my job. And then I told my boss to go fuck himself, and then I blackmailed him for almost sixty thousand dollars. Pass the asparagus."

Awesome movie quotes: American Beauty (1999)

"Look at me, jerking off in the shower... This will be the high point of my day, it's all downhill from here."

Awesome movie quotes: Airplane II: The Sequel (1982)

"Irony can be pretty ironic sometimes."

Awesome movie quotes: Road House (1989)

"I got married to an ugly woman. Don't ever do that, it just takes the energy right out of you. She left me, though. Found somebody even uglier than she was. That's life. Who can explain it?"