tbmforclasstsar Reviews

Mud (2012)

a powerful coming-of-age story complete with strong writing, bold direction, and great performances from seasoned actors and new talent

[10/10 · 5 May 2013]

I am always intrigued by films where the writer decides to tell a story from the perspective of a young kid. The decision is always a bold one, as you know you are creating possible complications with casting and the maturity and comprehension level of the young actors that will be playing your major roles. Even more bold is writing a story like this for a film that the writer will also be directing. This is not a writer creating an interesting story that has all the possible complications pushed off on someone else. It is a writer that knows all of this work will be on their shoulders.

In Jeff Nichols new film Mud, he does just that. Nichols writes a modern day Huckleberry Finn adventure following two young boys, Ellis (Tye Sheridan) and Neckbone (Jacob Lofland), who grow a partnership with a homeless runaway named Mud (Matthew McConaughey) that they meet on an uninhabited island. What begins as an agreement to help Mud in exchange for the right to keep a boat that the three have found on the island, the boys quickly form a friendship with the man and help him without necessity of a grand reward.

Mud's mission is simple. He wants to meet up with a former love interest, Juniper (Reese Witherspoon), but can't risk the reunion in public. Mud has people searching for him for actions in his past, and if he is ever going to meet up with Juniper again, he will need to create a plan with her that Ellis and Neck can help him carry out. Willing to be a part of the adventure, we quickly see the innocence and romanticism of the 14 year old Ellis, who wants to help the Mud and Juniper because they love each other.

Part of this romanticism is from his youth, but part of it seems to be that he wants to believe in love as his parents have recently separated and he has a love interest of his own in the form of a high school junior. With a mix of confusion about love, learning experiences about the hardships of relationships, and a coming of age story of Ellis as a man in both sexual interest and confidence and courage to stand up for himself, Mud becomes a fascinating tale of a young boy putting all his belief in the relationship of a homeless man on an island and the woman he loves that may or may not be waiting for him in the nearby town.

Jeff Nichols writing and directing style is evident once again in Mud. If you have seen either of his previous works, Shotgun Stories or Take Shelter, you know Nichols keeps a slower pace in his films, allowing for characters to become more realized and giving the audience a chance to connect with them. This also allows for Nichols' actors to give strong performances, which we see once again in this new film. The dashing McConaughey is hidden under dirt, bad teeth, and greasy hair, but it is his strong commitment to the character that makes us forget that this is one of the sexier actors working in film. From minute one, I believed McConaughey's portrayal of the strange and morally complicated drifter completely, as he was able to create a realistic and intriguing character that was the backbone of the film. Having a slow pace demands a strong grouping of actors, specifically the leads. If McConaughey's performance had been anything less, the movie would have suffered greatly for it, but with the commitment and work of the often times mocked actor, Mud is consistently entertaining and never dragged for me in the two hour ten minute runtime.

To read the rest of the review (IMDb form too short) visit: http://custodianfilmcritic.com/mud/

The Spectacular Now (2013)

a beautiful, genre-defining, genuine feature that may change the face of high school films forever

[10/10 · 3 May 2013]

It is really interesting to look at the history of high school movies in cinema. The 80s and early 90s gave us Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Dazed and Confused,Ferris Bueller's Day Off and the John Hughes classics like 16 Candles and The Breakfast Club; films that dove into the sexuality, partying, and innocence of high school. The late 90s and early 2000s brought on a wave of high school rom/com films like 10 Things I Hate About You,Clueless, American Pie, Drive Me Crazy, Can't Hardly Wait, and She's All That, comedies that focused on the romance aspects of high school,specifically dating and prom. The later 2000s changed again with Napoleon Dynamite, Juno, Superbad, Easy A, and Mean Girls, films that showed a much quirkier comedy side of high school and focused more on popularity and the fears and consequences of bullying.

And with the past few years that have gone by, I feel as if the design of a good high school film has once again shifted. Sure, we still see films like Prom, Project X, and 21 Jump Street that fit past high school forms, but I feel the focus on a lot of new films seems to be moving towards an authentic representation of the high school experience. While the crazy parties, overly sexualized youths, and Cinderella-esque romance stories interested audiences for years, filmmakers seem to be moving in a direction of creating real, genuine characters for the audience to fall in love with. We saw this last year with The Perks of Being a Wallflower, a film that is full of quirk, romance, and youth drama, but created honest characters and a very realistic story.

Even more authentic than The Perks of Being a Wallflower (to the point that Perks looks hokey) comes James Ponsoldt's (Off the Black, Smashed) third feature film, The Spectacular Now. The film follows the life of Sutter (Miles Teller), a very popular and loved member of a high school senior class that struggles with the reality of his high school years coming to an end. While Sutter may be the life of the party and a charismatic and fun person to be around, most of his classmates see him as nothing more than a out-going buddy at social events that isn't going anywhere in life. When his girlfriend Cassidy (Brie Larson) breaks it off with him, Sutter turns to a night of drinking that ends with him passed out on the grass.

Enter Aimee (Shailene Woodley), who wakes Sutter up on her front lawn on her way to delivering papers on her mother's paper route. Sutter joins Aimee on the news delivery ride and finds that she is incredibly easy to get along with and could be someone he might have a good time hanging out with. He invites Aimee to a party later that day and before you know it, a relationship is formed. Full of high school innocence and a strong chemistry, Sutter and Aimee make a great couple that is easy for the audience to quickly fall in love with.

But Sutter's life is consistently eating away at him. Constantly drinking booze, whether it be at school or on the job (alcoholism being nothing foreign to a James Ponsoldt film) and wishing to meet his father that had separated with his mother when he was young, Sutter's relationship with Aimee is the one thing that makes him happy day to day. Even when his friend questions why he would be dating her, Sutter knows that there is a connection with Aimee that keeps him loving life and living in the moment; away from the oncoming train of graduation. But is the relationship the couple has strong enough to keep Sutter away from his internal struggles and is Sutter willing to let Aimee come along for the ride? To read more (IMDb form too short) visit: http://custodianfilmcritic.com/the-spectacular-now/

Game of Thrones (2011–2019)

Walk of Punishment

[1/10 · 16 April 2013]

With the introductory episodes out of the way, and nearly all major narratives firmly established, this week we were treated to an especially raucous, brutally violent, and at times laugh-out-loud funny installment of a show that is already known for its violence and dark humor.

"Walk of Punishment," which could easily describe most of the events of books three and four in one succinct phrase, kicked things into high gear with our first big jaw-dropping moment, as well as not one, but two near rapes. It's overall a sprawling, but enjoyable episode which keeps the momentum going that was built in the previous two entries for the most part, aside from a few scenes in King's Landing that dragged mostly due to lack of real conflict at the moment.

So looks like I was wrong last week in saying we had met all the characters, when there was still Edmure and The Blackfish to be seen. How could I forget Blackfish after his two-season absence? And what better way to introduce such a beloved character from the books. Pushing aside Edmure after he fails to light the floating funeral pyre three times, Brynden "Blackfish" Tully makes short work of the matter when he fires a flaming arrow directly into the boat as it drifts into the distance, without even a glance back to see if it hits; the Medieval version of walking away from an explosion. Obviously, this is a man you want on your side. As we see in the meeting between Robb and Blackfish, he is a much more respected figure than Edmure, Robb's uncle, despite his status as the black sheep of the fish-sigiled family (thus the nickname, in case it wasn't clear). Later, Catelyn and Blackfish discuss the recently deceased Hoster Tully, whom she cries over. It's harder to connect emotionally to the death of someone we've never seen on screen or interact with Cat before, but when it becomes obvious that she's grieving more for the situation that she's put her own children into by leaving them the way her father left her, it's a much more gripping and heartbreaking scene.

Meanwhile, back in King's Landing, the small council has gathered to discuss affairs of state, beginning with a humorous chair shuffling scene, depicting more of Tyrion's satirical wit to the exasperation of the no-nonsense Tywin. And with the shuffling of the chairs so comes the shuffling of titles; Littlefinger is off to woo the widowed Lysa Arryn (Catelyn's not-quite-all-there sister) leaving Tyrion to take charge of the royal coffers. A bit of a demotion from Hand of the King, but at least he still has power, and after the emotionally crippling talk with his father in the first episode, it's a sugar-coated bitter pill. Tyrion also gives us the funniest scene so far this season when he decides to reward his faithful squire, Pod, for saving his life in the Battle of Blackwater Bay. Being that it's Tyrion, naturally Pod is rewarded with three working girls, which fills Game of Thrones' weekly nudity quota. However, when Pod returns from the brothel and lays the gold to pay the girls on his desk, Tyrion and Bronn are hilariously in stunned awe, and demand to know the details of Pod's first real and, by all imagination, miraculous conquest.

In a bit of fun for readers of the books, we're treated to a boisterous rendition of 'The Bear and the Maiden Fair' by Jaime and Brienne's captors, while the odd couple are literally bound to each other. In yet another smart move by the show runners, the list of important names has been shaved in an attempt to be kind to viewer's brains, but readers may be a little miffed at the absence of Vargo Hoat and his Bloody Mummers, when their appearance is so memorable. At least now that they're in the same dangerous boat, Jaime seems to be opening up to the female knight in a small way, when he gives her genuine advice on what to do when the captors rape her. Uh… baby steps?

To read the rest (IMDb form too short) visit: custodianfilmcritic.com/game-of-thrones-3-3-walk-of-punishment/

Game of Thrones: Dark Wings, Dark Words (2013) Season 3, Episode 2

Dark Wings, Dark Words

[8 April 2013]

Well it may have taken two episodes, but we've finally been reunited with the entire cast, and then some. Hopefully everyone's taking notes; it's going to get complicated.

The title of this week's chapter: "Dark Wings, Dark Words," is most likely an allusion to messages regarding a family death and the destruction of a familial home, received by Robb Stark early in the episode, but it aptly describes many of the events that befall the rest of the players in the game of thrones. While the previous installment seemed to have a much brighter tone, one of mostly triumphant returns, it's easy to see why certain characters' stories were saved for this somewhat grim episode full of torture, abductions, and the oh so punchable Joffrey (another form of torture). Game of Thrones as a series presents us with a world that is rarely black and white. Good people do bad things, and bad things happen to good people; in this way, the show has its emotional ups and downs, but twice as many downs. We're back to form here in an episode that mirrors the previous, only slightly gloomier.

As we're reacquainted with Bran in the first scene, it becomes immediately apparent as he's walking and drawing his bow, this is a dream. In a poignant throwback to the series premiere, the young Stark boy is instructed by his older brothers on how to aim and fire his arrow, followed by the ethereal, disembodied voice of Ned, echoing his reassurance after Bran misses his mark. The familiar three-eyed raven he aimed for flies off, and Jojen Reed (played by Thomas Brodie-Sangster, recognizable to any Love Actually fans…. guilty) reveals himself, explaining the nature of his dreams to an understandably confused Bran. Finally, it seems viewers are going to gain insight into the frequent and cryptic dream sequences that haunt Bran.

Later, Catelyn receives a one-two punch of bad news from her son Robb: her father has died, and Winterfell has been sacked, leaving her two youngest boy's whereabouts unknown. Dark words indeed. While this scene is clearly meant to be devastating: a daughter mourning her father, a mother beside herself with worry for her children, and a young king grappling with meting justice to his own mother, it comes across as nearly impenetrable to any who aren't paying extremely close attention, or have read the books. It's a shame that this scene lacks the emotional punch it deserves due to over-complication, and weak explanation.

To read the rest (IMDb form too short) visit: http://custodianfilmcritic.com/game-of-thrones- 3-2-dark-wings-dark-words/

Evil Dead (2013)

not nearly perfect, but an example of how simplicity can go a long way in horror film

[8/10 · 6 April 2013]

Horror film has been something of a disappointment for me over the last few years. With favorite horror films generally being the ones that play on the conventions of the genre such as Drag Me to Hell or Cabin in the Woods, or the horror/comedies like Shaun of the Dead, I can't remember the last time I saw a real good horror film. Which is why I was so excited to see Evil Dead.

A remake of the 1981 cult classic that was directed by Sam Raimi, Evil Dead was given the tagline "The most terrifying film you will ever experience" by its marketing department. Unfortunately, Evil Dead is not quite that good, but it does give us plenty of thrills, chills, and buckets of blood to make any horror fan happy.

The story is a very simple one: five young adults travel to a secluded cabin in the middle of the woods where evil and terrible things start to happen. Changing up the original 1981 story a bit, Evil Dead justifies the group being there because one of the girls, Mia (Jane Levy), is trying to give up a drug addiction cold turkey. The secluded cabin will provide a place for the group to keep Mia away from any outside influence and keep her clean. But everything changes when the group discovers that some sort of ritual had been performed in the basement of the cabin and a strange book, which is covered in a black bag and held closed with barbed wire, is found. And whenever you have the nerdy dude included in your horror story, which we do with one of our characters named Eric, you know he can't help himself but read anything he finds. Nerd.

So Eric the Nerd opens up the demonic looking book to discover demonic pictures and demonic writing. Written in blood are warnings about not messing with the book, but Eric reads on. Even when the book says not to read, say, or think the passage that is written, Eric grabs a paper and pencil to scribble out the words that have been crossed out and reads what is written. Let this be a lesson to you kids: reading is bad for you.

By reading the passage, Eric has released an evil into the forest that surrounds the cabin. And the evil attaches itself to the most vulnerable target: Detox Mia. And now that the evil is out, all hell breaks lose (there is really not a better way to put that). You better get ready to cringe and watch Evil Dead through your fingers. This film is not afraid to show disgusting and gruesome images. It. Is. Brutal.

Where the movie succeeds so well is in these horrific moments. A horror film that provides just that: horror. The film isn't dressed up with being overly sexualized or beating around the violence. When the evil hits, it hits hard, and it doesn't let up until the credits are rolling. There is blood, vomit, more blood, amputations, blood, every sharp thing in the cabin being used as a weapon, and then another hundred gallons of blood. When the amount of blood being slashed around almost meets laughable levels, you know you got something special.

To read the rest of the review (IMDb form too short) visit: http://custodianfilmcritic.com/evil- dead/

The Walking Dead: Welcome to the Tombs (2013) Season 3, Episode 16

Utter disappointment to end a terrible second half

[2 April 2013]

I think a friend on Facebook may have said it best today: "I think the only reason I continue to watch (The Walking Dead) is so I can refute claims that it's worthwhile." I couldn't have said it better myself. I have never watched a show where a lead character dying or a series of people being gunned down meant absolutely nothing to me. And I can't even put my finger on it anymore. Is it bad pacing? Yes. Is it poorly adapted? Yes. But there is something else that makes me feel so apathetic when watching The Walking Dead. What was once a show I looked forward to, a season has once again ended with me feeling like this.

So, yes, Andrea dies. She is bit by the Woodbury dweeb after he was gutted by The Governor, who has lost any kind of sanity that he may have once had. But as she sits bleeding out and turning into a zombie, I really felt nothing. And I was trying to figure out why. One factor was that I really started to not care for her character as the series went on. Dating back as far as season two when she almost snipers Darryl down, Andrea always came off as the girl that acted like she had it all together when she really couldn't handle anything. She acts like she is the badass independent woman, but then she stays behind in Woodbury with The Governor for sexy times instead of leaving with her loyal friend Michonne, who had saved her from sickness and walkers int he winter between seasons two and three. Then she had multiple chances to kill The Governor and passed on all those moments. She even went to the prison for a visit and decided to turn back and stay in Woodbury.

And I know what you Walking Dead lovers are thinking."Tim, she wanted to save everyone. She didn't want anyone to get hurt." I hear your argument. I understand what you are trying to say. Andrea said it as she was dying. But why? Why did she need to save everyone? Why did she stick around in Woodbury for so long when all signs pointed to trouble? Why did she feel like she had to care for these people that mean nothing to her? People that she literally has no relationship with other than the fact that they are neighbors. It really didn't make sense to me that she had such an allegiance to these people that have done nothing for her. Isn't this the same woman who didn't want to bring an injured boy into the group on the farm? Her sudden change to want to save everyone seems stupid and I could have cared less if she died at the point she did. I mean, she deserved it. Kill or be killed. Top that off with the fact she couldn't hold off the dweeb in zombie form when she had taken out three zombies that caught her by surprise in the middle of the woods and it equals the ultimate you deserved to die.

On other fronts, The Governor and his Woodbury army drove right into the prison camp with the best battle tactic in mind: just run in and try to kill everyone. It was crazy when that didn't pan out. "Hey Gov. Do you think maybe we should form a plan here? It looks like the group is hiding on us. Maybe just running in guns ablaze isn't the best plan" said no one in the group. "They killed eight of our people! Let's run in like f****** idiots and hope that they are all just sitting around not prepared to fight us when a war has been imminent for weeks!" screams The Governor. And wouldn't you know it, The Governor's plan didn't work. So when his army of normal citizens bails and starts trekking it back to Woodbury, The Governor has the obvious response: cut off the truck and gun down everyone on his side. Duh. And the obvious reaction by all of these people that are, remember, armed themselves is to run and not draw on the pirate leader that has turned on them. OK, maybe they were just super scared and instinct said run, but how does Martinez or Fat Lenny Kravitz not stop the massacre? Martinez has shown that he does have a decent side to him when he talked with Darryl earlier this season, and the look on Fat Lenny Kravitz's face was all "I want to get away…I want to fly away." I can't believe they just get int he car and drive away with The Gov.

To read the rest of the recap/review (IMDb form too short) visit: custodianfilmcritic.com/the-walking-dead-3-16-welcome-to-the-tombs/

Game of Thrones: Valar Dohaeris (2013) Season 3, Episode 1

Valar Dohaeris

[2 April 2013]

Spring is becoming my favorite time of year, because with it comes (insert winter-related clichéd pun). Now that I've gotten that out of the way, let's move on.

Before I begin, for full disclosure, I am an avid fan of the book series, so my views and opinions on the show are somewhat biased. As such, it's impossible not to notice when major events happen differently from the books I am a junkie for, but it's part of the reason an adaptation like this is interesting to watch.

The difficulty of adapting these novels into one-hour television entrées is readily apparent. The lack of any sort of episodic nature, central plot, or main protagonist, as well as a list of characters and locales a mile long makes even recapping the events of the episode an endeavor. But as the show enters the third season, it is apparent that the producers have more than hit their stride, having a clear understanding of when to hold back, and how to focus an episode not around every character, but themes and ideas. With the failure of Stannis' major assault of King's Landing in the explosive Battle of Blackwater Bay, the players have mostly been scattered, routed, or are taking breathers after a close shave. And it's this lull in the action that gives the producers perfect opportunity to hint at the season's narrative arcs, and by all indications it's going to be leagues beyond the thoroughly enjoyable yet oftentimes unmemorable season two.

The premiere, wonderfully titled "Valar Dohaeris" as a response to the season two finale, "Valar Morghulis" (readers will know what this means), begins with an atypical cold open (get it?) several hours from where we were left with the previous finale, in which the initial appearance of the shambling white walker army petrifies the admitted cowardly Samwell Tarly. Luckily, with the start of the premiere, he has found his feet and somehow escaped from the horrors surrounding him. Before he can catch his breath however, he's set upon by one of the frosty corpses brandishing an axe, only to be saved moments before his would-be beheading by an impeccably timed dire wolf lunge, and a torch from the small group of Night's Watch survivors. Although a glimpse of the battle at the Fist of the First Men (the mountaintop where the rangers made camp) would have been greatly preferable, the scene is tense, and provides just enough action to get the blood pumping before the ever-changing opening credits.

Meanwhile still north of the wall, Jon Snow finally reaches the massive wildling camp, under watch of the way too clean and pretty looking Ygrite (seriously, where's the dirt? You live in a hut), home of the mythical giants and equally mythical Mance Rayder, "the King Beyond the Wall." In meeting Mance, Jon is treated to another look into a world of alien freedom where, although given respect, no man is beholden to a lord.

To read the rest of the recap/review (IMDb form too short) visit: http://custodianfilmcritic.com/game-of-thrones-3-1-valar-dohaeris/

Olympus Has Fallen (2013)

Fun....but ridiculouly ridiculous...

[4/10 · 25 March 2013]

WARNING: OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN IS MEANT FOR BAD ASSES. THEREFORE, THIS REVIEW (OBVIOUSLY) CONTAINS LANGUAGE.

In the history of cinema, there have been plenty of films that demand that we stretch the realism of our real world. From sic-fi films such as Independence Day to Die Hard films that have one man taking out an incredible threat on his own, films love to stretch reality as far as they can. The new film Olympus Has Fallen may have stretched it the farthest I have seen in a very, very long time.

Starring Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Angela Bassett, and Morgan Freeman, Olympus Has Fallen tells the story of a secret service agent (who had previously been on duty to protract the President, but was transferred after an accident in which the First Lady was killed) who must take out an entire North Korean terrorist cell that has successfully invaded the White House. That's right. The White House was successfully breached and the President has been taken hostage.

But hold on to your dicks, because s*** talking agent Mike Banning (Butler) is here to save the god damn day. With nothing but instincts, a mean set of fighting skills, and a determination we only see from the real heroes like Rambo and John McClane, Banning is on a two-part mission: save the President and kill the son of a b**** that attacked the country he loves. Get out your sleeveless American flag t-shirts for this one, folks. Because f*** sleeves. Immense patriotism will be more than enough to keep you warm in any theater showing Olympus Has Fallen.

So how did these a-holes take over the White House? I mean, this is the most secure building in the world. How could these guys get in? Well, simple. First they flew a giant air bomber right through restricted airspace, shooting down a few fighter jets trying to tell them to back off, and took out the military personnel on the roof of the White House. Simple. Then they bombed the gate surrounding the White House and drove in giant dump trucks heavily equipped with machine guns. All they needed was for every secret service member to come running unprotected out the front doors of the White House, which, obviously, they do. Then they had their leader ready on the inside, teamed up with a traitor secret service agent, so they can kidnap the President. Duh. Piece of cake. And all they had to do was have everything go quickly and perfectly without military interference. I'm honestly surprised this hasn't already happened in real life. It looks so simple.

To read the rest of the review (IMDb form too short) visit: http://custodianfilmcritic.com/olympus-has-fallen/

The Walking Dead: This Sorrowful Life (2013) Season 3, Episode 15

Merle's late redemption

[6/10 · 25 March 2013]

THE-WALKING-DEAD It's really hard to start discussing an episode that is parts solid and awful. "This Sorrowful Life" had its highs, its very low lows, and plenty of "ugh" moments that make it hard for me to say whether I'd ever be willing to watch this episode ever again. I suppose that is the way almost every episode in the second half of season three has been, but this is probably the best example, as the highs hit almost redeemed the episode…but not quite.

"This Sorrowful Life" is basically Merle's episode. His big goodbye. So, you can look at it two ways: you hated Merle all along and you were yelling "Good Riddance!" as Darryl kabobed his brothers head or you were starting to like Merle and felt like there was a redemption to be had, which we sort of see in this episode. I believe this factor will impact how you feel about this episode.

If you felt the former (that Merle had to die (raise your hand if you are humming The Dixie Chicks song 'Goodbye Earl' right now)) than this episode was probably one of the worst ones of the season for you. As Merle ties up Michonne, walks her to a motel, almost kills her by setting off a car alarm, and drives her toward Woodbury, you are probably thinking that Merle is an absolutely awful character and no matter what he does, he won't make up for what he did. So when he releases Michonne and tries to take out The Governor, you most likely felt little emotion when Darryl cries after having to ice his hillbilly brother turned walker.

But if you are in the latter category (Atta boy Merle! Way to redeem yourself!) you probably thought the end of this episode was very emotional and that Merle went out in a courageous and bold fashion; trying to save his little brother who had a new family that wouldn't accept the one armed hick. Merle may not think deeply about his decisions when you give him a quick look, but deep down he knows what he is doing and does it in the most Merle way possible.

Personally, I am a little split. While I was tired of Merle walking around like a badass that didn't get along with anyone, he did try to redeem himself in the end and tried to save his baby brother. You have to respect any dude that goes out in a blaze of glory, bullets and fists flying, all to protect his family and kill a man that betrayed him. But in the end, I didn't feel the full impact of the moment. Merle's demise felt a bit rushed and the change towards redemption felt all too sudden.

To read the rest of the review (IMDb form too short) visit: custodianfilmcritic.com/the-walking-dead-3-15-this-sorrowful-life/

The Walking Dead: Prey (2013) Season 3, Episode 14

Another filler episode trying to hit a quota

[18 March 2013]

This week's episode of The Walking Dead, titled "Prey," contained a zombie inferno, a fight above a pit of zombies, and a deadly game of hide and seek. And while these scenes were meant to bring the excitement up and keep the audience intrigue high, the fact remains the same. "Prey" is just another episode of season three of The Walking Dead that is helping to fill an episode quota.

I know I have been saying this a lot lately (because it is true), but let me help to explain in case you don't understand why I keep saying it. At the beginning of "Prey," Andrea is in Woodbury and is skeptical about The Governor's intentions. Worried, she decides she is going to try and escape back to the prison group. The only other storyline in the episode is Tyrese and his group teaming up with the generically named Martinez to go fetch some zombies from a pit the Woodbury gang created. Tyrese disagrees with the tactic, gets in a fight with his old buddy Pale-Face Wimp Widower, and the zombies are later torched after the group has left by a disguised figure (my guess is Morgan). The sub-plot of the episode takes up about ten to twelve minutes of screen time. The other bulk is Andrea.

That is important. We are talking about over a half hour of screen time being the Andrea storyline of her trying to get away from Woodbury and back to the prison. After the point that The Dweeb tells Andrea about The Plantation Pirate's plan to capture Michonne and Andrea sees the torture seat Captain Phillip Sparrow has set up, she wants out. We have hit about the twelve minute mark of the episode when all of her escape starts to take place. First, she must convince Tyrese not to shoot her as she runs away. Then she has to hide in the woods from a Woodbury truck and fight off a surprise walker attack. Then she must outrun The Govclops's truck as he chases her down in a field. Then she has to play hide and seek in an abandoned factory and use a stairwell of walkers to escape. Then she continues to march all the way to the prison, where she can see Rick keeping an eye out in a watch tower. But after all of that, she starts to wave and is tackled by Captain Govclops before Rick can see her. She is taken back to Woodbury where The Governor straps her into the torture chair.

So…basically…the entire episode starts in Woodbury with Andrea wanting to leave and The Governor wanting her to stay and it ends with Andrea being held captive in Woodbury by The Governor. The incredibly long sequences running down a street, being chased in a field, and playing hide and seek in a warehouse all meant… nothing. They were useless. They did nothing but waste our time and give a round-about way of getting Andrea in that chair.

To read the rest of the review (IMDb form too short) visit: http://custodianfilmcritic.com/the-walking-dead-3-14-prey/

The Walking Dead: Arrow on the Doorpost (2013) Season 3, Episode 13

The Inevitable War That Will Never Come

[4/10 · 11 March 2013]

Hey guys! You know that war that we know was going to happen since the midseason finale five episodes ago that premiered on December 2nd?! Well… that war that we knew was going to happen is… still, eventually, going to happen. Ugh.

"Arrow on the Doorpost," the thirteenth episode of season three of The Walking Dead is nothing more than an episode that continued the rivalry between Rick and The Governor, established that the two groups are, in fact, not so different from each other, and that The Governor still has a bitter taste in his mouth about Michonne turning him into a southern pirate.

That really is it. Nothing more. While last week's episode, "Clear," was a nice break from the group that brought back a fan favorite to the show, "Arrow on the Doorpost" was a little bit of information and advancement spread out into a long and boring episode.

"Arrow on the Doorpost" begins with Rick heading into a barn while Darryl and Herschel keep watch. Already waiting for him in the barn is The Governor, much to Andrea's surprise when she shows up with The Muscle and The Dweeb. Rick suggests the obvious to The Governor. Split the two groups off at the river. One gets the east and the other gets the west. Simple, easy, obvious. But, of course, that doesn't fly with The Governor. He doesn't want to make a truce. He wants Rick to surrender. But we all know that's not going to happen either. So we are at a standstill. Wait, a standstill in The Walking Dead. No way! Outside, Darryl and The Muscle hunt down a few walkers in the area and realize that they both come from similar backgrounds that didn't demand killing and ruthless violence, but both have become these killers in the apocalyptic world they live in now. They call each other pussies, play the "who can kill a zombie better" game, and have a cigarette together. It's super cute. Then they talk of how they both know that nothing good will come from the meeting and that they will be fighting each other soon. Oh no! Two people with mutual respect that will soon be trying to kill each other. How very Hunger Games.

Meanwhile, Hershel and Dweeb Cake talk about the stories of their groups. Dweeby is keeping a journal as a history of what took place, so later generations can hear their tale. Hershel likes the idea and, holy s*** no way, they get along splendidly. Who would have thought? Rick and The Governor continue to negotiate over whiskey as we head back to the prison to see that Merle wants to go after The Governor; kill him while they have the chance. But Glen, Maggie, and Michonne fight back and stop him from leaving as their instructions from Rick were to stand guard. If they were to leave and go after The Governor, they could cause problems for Rick, Hershel, and Darryl. And this is the right way of thinking as The Governor reveals to Rick that he knows Rick had brought in a large supply of guns. The Governor clearly has eyes on the prison and if anyone was to leave, you could be sure The Governor would have been warned in plenty of time. So Merle is forced to stay at the prison where Glen and Maggie confuse who's turn it is to keep watch, decide to watch together, and then decide that keeping watch is for virgin wimps. Sex time commence! Don't worry guys… you're fine. This "imminent" war has been "imminent" for five episodes. You can probably bang for the entire next episode while Rick and The Governor play the game of chess that will never have a proper conclusion.

To read the rest of the review (IMDb form too short) visit: custodianfilmcritic.com/the-walking-dead-3-13-arrow-on-the-doorpost/

The Walking Dead: Clear (2013) Season 3, Episode 12

One of the best episodes of the series

[4 March 2013]

The last few weeks, I have been complaining about the logistics of The Walking Dead and the turn the show has taken to a much slower pace that really is driving no where. My biggest argument was that it felt like the show was trying to just fill episode quotas based on a story that was too short to fit a 16 episode order. Andrea's reunion was a pointless time waster, Rick seeing his dead wife took up far more time than it needed to, and Merle and Darryl leaving the group for one episode was not necessary at all.

And the biggest problem with these side stories and slow paced episodes: character development was nonexistent. We know Rick is crazy. We know Andrea is torn between the two groups. We know Merle is bad news. We know Glen is a cry baby. These episodes gave us plenty of time to explore these characters and find out more about each of them, but instead we continued on the same trends with the same characters. That is why I started comparing the second half of season three to season two. The show had become stagnant.

That is, until last night. Last night's episode, titled "Clear" for the work being done by one of our favorite characters that we haven't seen since episode one, was an exceptional episode and a look at what this show could be if executed properly week in and week out. Let's face it: the zombie portion of this show is a back seat factor; no longer the main threat, but the constant danger in the world these characters live in. While Rick's group and the Woodbury family have found ways to protect themselves from the walkers, the clash comes from the two groups fearing the other. Meanwhile, there is Morgan, a man we haven't seen since episode one. A man who took Rick in and saved him from the geeks wandering the streets. A man who had to shoot his zombie wife, had his son taken away from him, and has spent his days clearing areas in his neighborhood and fortifying himself in a building in his small downtown.

Finally, for once, we get to see how someone else is living in this situation. Someone who will only resort to killing other people if they threaten him, but won't take anyone in and bring anyone close to him. Someone who is only working on protecting himself from the evil wandering the earth. Someone who is not interested in fights with other people and only wishes to live quietly in his new home that he has booby-trapped for his protection. Morgan is the character I have been waiting so long to meet; a man who is terrified of the situation he is in, but doesn't group up with a bunch of strangers and try to make a new life. He protects himself, and that's it.

Morgan has been through a lot since we last saw him. Duane, his son, was bitten by his zombie mother and turned into a walker. Morgan finally was able to gun down his wife, but his hesitation cost his son his life. He has spent the time since Duane turned going through the surrounding neighborhoods from where he lives, killing the walker inhabitants and burning the buildings down so zombies can't conceal themselves. The man is smart and resourceful. He has collected a large number of guns and knives and has been able to survive by simply using traps and barricades and burning the strung up walkers. And while he seems insane on the outside, he is very observant and understanding of the situation. As Rick demands that Morgan join up with his group in a prison that they have taken over, Morgan asks "Did your wife die there?" He goes on to mention that he saw the amount of guns that Rick is taking; that there must be a reason he needs that large amount of weapons. And suddenly, it is Rick who is getting the talking to, not Morgan. Is the prison really that safe? Is the life Rick's group has chosen the right one? Morgan has made a quiet home for himself that is almost never under the threat of other humans killing him or walkers finding their way in. Meanwhile, the prison is the biggest target anyone could live in.

To read the rest (IMDb form too short) visit: http://custodianfilmcritic.com/the-walking-dead-3-12-clear/

The Walking Dead: I Ain't a Judas (2013) Season 3, Episode 11

Fillin an episode quota...

[25 February 2013]

When we last talked, I concluded by saying "if we take another week to toy with this war that has been on the horizon for four or five episodes, we are getting ourselves into another Hershel's farm situation: a show that is stuck in the mud, trying to fill episode quotas with a much too short story arch." And what did we get? I mean really, does anyone want to argue that anything significant happened in this episode that couldn't have taken up 2 minutes of a much more exciting episode? And this is why I almost feel like "I Ain't a Judas" is my least favorite episode of The Walking Dead. Is it better than some of the mid second season episodes? Probably. But in the scheme of where this episode came in, it is even more disappointing. We are at war. This has been said over and over and over and over. Yet, somehow the writers of this show have been able to push back any sort of major conflict for another episode. Right as the fight seemed to break out, we are back in that mud. Trying to work our way out.

Because seriously, let's look at the state of things at the end of "Home" to the end of "I Ain't a Judas." Rick: slowly going insane, occasionally screaming at everyone, not giving up the leader role. The rest of the prison group: worried, not sure about the state of their group, not open to outsiders. The Governor: cruel, conniving, manipulative. No change. Andrea: living in Woodbury, doesn't trust The Governor anymore, skeptical of every option she has.

Nothing has changed. Literally everyone is exactly where they were when the episode began. Sure, Andrea comes to the prison and visits her old group, and we are reminded that Andrea didn't know that not only T-Dog and Lori died, but even Shane. But she goes back to Woodbury after her visit, sleeps with The Governor (even if it was just seduction), and doesn't have the guts to end the terror by killing The Governor when she held a knife over his throat as he slept. Her visit means nothing. It just warns both groups that the war that we know will happen is going to happen. Yay. Now we know.

The only set of characters that are at a different point are Tyrese and his group, who now reside in Woodbury under the watchful eye (singular…get it…) of The Governor. What role will they play? Will they give The Governor all the information about Rick that they can and side with Woodbury, or when the fight starts, will they jump back on the prison groups side? Right now, we don't really know, but it is the only change that occurred in this episode. We literally could have skipped right to next week's episode, "Clear," and just been told that Tyrese and his three friends have joined the Woodbury group. Two minutes. That is all this episode provided.

To read the rest (IMDb form too short) visit: http://custodianfilmcritic.com/the-walking-dead-3-11-i-aint-no-judas/

The Walking Dead: Home (2013) Season 3, Episode 10

Entertaining, but head-scratching

[18 February 2013]

Now listen. I don't want to sound all whiney like Glen when I start getting into this review/recap. The Walking Dead is a very entertaining show, and I am always sure to watch it right away on Sunday nights. It has some pretty good action, some of the characters are pretty likable, and any time I can watch a zombie drama for an hour every week, I'm going to. But man, does this show have some head scratching moments.

Take last night's episode, "Home." The tenth episode of the third season, "Home" begins with an insane looking Rick trying to talk to his ghost wife. For anyone in this prison other than Rick, it would look like our sheriff and leader is stumbling across the yard aimlessly and talking and seeing things that aren't there. In fact, Michonne is standing in the yard when Rick starts chasing after Lori, and she is clearly thinking exactly that.

My question: why would you let Rick wander around like this? The group lets him walk outside the fence, away from the safety of an area that is zombie free. Has Rick proved he can defend himself in the past? Sure. But would you trust a psychotic widower rambling around with a gun to shoot zombies, protect himself, and protect others in the prison? I'd like to think you wouldn't.

Because here are the facts: Rick has just gotten done screaming his head off inside one of the prison blocks. His wife died during childbirth and Rick wasn't there to protect her. And now, Rick is stumbling around talking to himself and remaining silent with the other living people in the prison. Even trusting him with a gun is like letting a crackhead in Harlem babysit your child.

But OK, we are just going to let Rick wander around with a gun outside the safety of the prison fence. Fine. I guess I'll go with it. There are other affairs to deal with in this episode anyway. Mainly, we get a lot of conversations: Glen wants to go back and kill The Governor. Hershel wants to move out from the prison and find a new place to live. Maggie wants nothing to do with Glen. The Governor wants Andrea to lead the Woodbury people. Colonel Sanders' imprisoned and skinnier younger brother wants Carol to know that he was in prison for robbing a store with a toy gun. There is plenty talked about in this episode. You watched it. We don't really need to cover it all. I'll sum it up like this: Glen is a whiney bitch, Herschel is the only sane one in this show, and no one really cares about the scary-Mel Gibson looking hick.

To read the rest of the review (IMDb form too short) visit: http://custodianfilmcritic.com/the- walking-dead-3-10-home/

A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III (2012)

Sometimes quirky, sometimes fun, A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III ends up being mostly forgettable

[5/10 · 14 February 2013]

There are films that seem to be quirky for the sake of being quirky. There are films out there that seem like they were more fun to make than they are to watch. There are films that have a phenomenal cast, but none of the roles are as interesting as you could hope. There are films that have plenty going for them, but fail to come together as a whole. A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III is all of these films.

Written and directed by Roman Coppola, the co-writer of two Wes Anderson films (The Darjeeling Limited and Moonrise Kingdom), A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III feels like a parody of a Wes Anderson film that never moves past imitation and into the charming fun that we expect from an Anderson film.

The film stars Charlie Sheen as Charles Swan, a middle-aged, depressed, substance using artist who is coming to terms with a break-up with a woman he both loved and hated. Through a series of scenes that change from reality to what Charles is imagining, the film shows us that even though Charles absolutely hates many things about this woman, he can't live without her. He talks with several friends and members of his family (roles played by Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, and Patricia Arquette), but still can't come to terms with her leaving him.

What the film does offer is some pretty interesting imaginary scenes inside Charles' mind. From being attacked by attractive Native American dressed women to a ball-busting military force trying to chase Charles down, there is plenty to enjoy in the early parts of the film. But as the story moves along, it starts to drag…and that is saying something for a film that is only an hour and twenty minutes long. The first forty minutes is pretty entertaining, the last ten minutes are enjoyable, but there is a middle half-hour that lags some of the quirk, originality, and fun writing.

The other major achievement of the film is the work of Charlie Sheen, who, seemingly, can actually still act. Even though the role is pretty much exactly himself, there are a few scenes here and there where he displays the acting talents that made him a name in the first place. Topped off with a heartfelt monologue near the end of the film that Coppola writes with one of the best arguments for not breaking up I have heard in a long time, Sheen shows he is still a legitimate talent, even if his personal life is something to worry any director or producer from hiring him.

To read the rest of the review (IMDb form too short) visit: custodianfilmcritic.com/a-glimpse-inside-the-mind/

The Walking Dead: The Suicide King (2013) Season 3, Episode 9

Family, Break-Ups, and Dead Wives

[13 February 2013]

"Merle…Merle's blood." "My blood, my family is standing right here…waiting for us back at the prison." "You're a part of that family." "You're like a son to me, Glen." I never questioned if this group of survivors could be considered a family, but the writers of The Walking Dead felt it necessary to remind us of this in the mid season premiere. The theme has been pretty consistent throughout the show, but in an episode that involved making decisions about people joining the group, the notion of family was delivered continuously.

But things have changed dramatically. From the deaths of Lori and T-Dog in the first half of season three to the newest member to leave the group, Daryl, this "family" is on the verge of being completely broken. And with adoption candidates galore literally inside the house of this family, there are options to fortify this group and make themselves stronger, but Rick may have to find a psychiatrist in this apocalyptic world first.

The episode started with the great escape of Daryl and Merle. Aided by the cover fire of Rick and Maggie, Daryl and Merle were able to escape the grasp of The Governor…rather easily. I was amazed by the Woodbury group that has stayed so strong and even knocked off military outfits in its past. Sure, everyone wants to watch two dudes fight each other to the death with zombies on neck poles trying to eat them at the same time, but is no one watching the fence? Or the outer circle of the ring? It just seemed a little too easy for this group to let Daryl and Merle escape, especially when they should be on heightened guard after a raid had just finished earlier that night.

So, Daryl and Merle escape, but this immediately poses a problem. Rick, Maggie, Glenn, and Michonne: Princess Warrior all have beef with Merle. And it makes sense. Dude is not trustworthy, unstable, and handcuffs can't hold him. He could definitely be the figurative cheating husband that breaks the family apart. But he is Daryl's brother, and our bow-wielding hero is not about to leave his brother behind again, even if he knows that he is a total ass.

Meanwhile, back at the prison, Hershel is playing friendly to the caged homeless dog that is Tyreese and his friends; a group that seems trustworthy, but could come back to bite the group and give them all rabies…so to speak. Hershel seems to trust Tyreese, but knows the decision of their fate is not up to him. And maybe for good reason, as we soon see that Pale Face and his son, Blah, want to try to jump Carol and Carl, instead of burying their dead family member, and take over the prison. Tyreese and his lady friend Sasha Fierce try to talk the pair out of it, and when that fails, they step in-between the men and Axel and Beth, who came out to give the group shovels for the burial. There is trouble in every family, big or small, and Tyreese's group is no different.

To read more (IMDb form too short) visit: http://custodianfilmcritic.com/the-walking-dead-3-9-the-suicide-king/

Side Effects (I) (2013)

a thrilling drama with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing until the very end

[9/10 · 8 February 2013]

Since 2006, Steven Soderbergh has directed 12 different full length films. Ranging from comedy to drama, huge casts to small casts, the director has had some mild successes, but one could definitely long for the days when he was making films like Traffic, Erin Brockovich, Ocean's Eleven, and even as far back as Sex, Lies, and Videotape.

The director's newest film, Side Effects, is, in my opinion, the closest the director has come to his old successes in a long time. The film stars Jude Law as Dr. Jonathan Banks, a psychiatrist that winds up treating a 28 year old named Emily Taylor (Rooney Mara) who crashed her car into a brick wall just days after her husband (Channing Tatum) is released from jail. Emily seems to suffer from deep depression, an illness that took a major toll on her when her husband Martin went to jail for four years after being accused of insider trading.

Eventually, Dr. Banks gets Emily on a new medication, one that was recommended by her previous psychiatrist, Dr. Victoria Siebert (Catherine Zeta-Jones). The new med, Ablixa, seems to help her, but she has a side effect of sleep walking in the middle of the night. The side effect doesn't seem like anything major and nothing that couldn't also be treated with medication, but when Emily becomes violent in her unconsciousness, it creates a major problem for herself and for Dr. Banks.

What transpires is a very interesting story of depression, corruption, and deception. What starts off as a very simple tale of a depressed young girl and her doctor turns into a film that unfolds slowly but surely to reveal a deeper evil; an evil that could end in Emily losing her freedom and sanity and Dr. Banks losing his job and family. And just when you think you have the mystery figured out, another turn is made until the final minutes when the entire story can finally be understood.

The screenplay was written by Scott Z. Burns, the same writer that penned The Informant! and Contagion for Soderbergh. However, unlike a film like Contagion, Burns does an excellent job of pacing Side Effects and not rushing each detail and reveal. The screenplay is calculated and moves at enough speed to keep us completely invested in the story, but slow enough to not give us everything at once. Contagion was a film that seemed to throw as many shock factor moments together as it could, leaving a rather lackluster final product. Side Effects, on the other hand, builds its story and tension rather well and keeps us guessing at what the final outcome will be.

To read the rest of the review (IMDb form too short) visit: http://custodianfilmcritic.com/side- effects/

Warm Bodies (2013)

it may contain some obvious humor and lacks a bit of gore, Warm Bodies is a fun and touching romantic comedy set in a zombie world

[8/10 · 1 February 2013]

Last year, Jonathan Levine brought us one of the most touching and funny films of the year when he directed Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen in 50/50. A film about a young man who is diagnosed with cancer, 50/50 was a tight-rope walk between humor and sorrow that Levine directed rather brilliantly. Now, he has another film that hits comedic and touching tones, though the subject matter is a lot less serious.

Warm Bodies is the story of a zombie named R (Nicholas Hoult) who finds that he is starting to feel more and more human after meeting a girl named Julie (Teresa Palmer). Sure, some of his desire for the girl stems from gaining the memories of her old boyfriend after R kills him and eats his brains, but it is still a touching love story. Saving Julie from a horde of zombies by covering her human scent and walking her back to the safe haven of the plane he lives in, R slowly teaches Julie to look past his corpse appearance and see him for the caring undead he is; a monster trying to change.

Slowly, some of R's friends start to have feelings too; a brain-hungry set of deceased humans that are starting to feel emotions again. But in a world where humans have had to fight off the undead to survive an apocalyptic reality, can the humans come to accept these monsters that are trying to change for good?

Warm Bodies is as light hearted as they come in the zombie genre, making films like Sean of the Dead and Zombieland look like a George A. Romero film, but there is nothing wrong with that. If you are going to see Warm Bodies, a film advertised as a comedic romance, for zombie thrills, then you probably have walked into the wrong movie. But if you are looking for a thoughtful and fun film, you won't miss.

Let's start with the style. Having a lead character that can only talk in brief words or short sentences is problematic, but some pretty funny narration by R leads the film in the right direction. The recognition in R's head of the monster he is and the ridiculousness of zombies ("God, we're slow") is a fun inside joke between the protagonist and the audience and works to both connect us with the character as well as entertain us. This narration is important as at least 70% of the movie happens between R and Julie.

Other fun style points can be given to the fun soundtrack, which includes music from many popular artists as well as a few indie bands. The film also has a nice artistic style with grey hues for the present reality while some vivid coloring for the memory sequences in the film. The film never feels as dark as a horrific zombie film, but it disguises itself as one for some nice spoof fun.

To read the rest of the review (IMDb form too short) visit: http://custodianfilmcritic.com/warm- bodies/

Once Upon a Time: In the Name of the Brother (2013) Season 2, Episode 12

The Outsider and In the Name of the Brother

[6/10 · 22 January 2013]

I'm noticing a pattern when it comes to Once Upon a Time; a pretty good episode must immediately be followed by a pretty bad one. Case in point: last week's "The Outsider" and yesterday's "In the Name of the Brother." Whereas the former somehow miraculously spelled some progress for the show in terms of narrative momentum and character development, the latter didn't hesitate to dash it with a story that went off into its own rather meaningless tangent, completely diminishing any positive stability the previous episode may have established. And while at this point I probably shouldn't even be surprised such a pattern exists, I must admit—this whole back and forth thing is becoming increasingly frustrating.

When we last left our fairytale gang in "The Outsider," the show still never strayed too far from a silly line, goofy image, or quickly resolved strand (I'm looking at you, Archie) as it is ought to do, but it also held signs of promise; Mr. Gold had discovered a way of crossing Storybrooke's boundary line with his memory intact, a discovery that allowed him to begin planning a journey to seek Baelfire, Belle, through both the Storybrooke plot and fairytale flashback, provided the story's powerful, albeit too-neat, moral of fighting for what you believe in and finding strength within that belief, and Captain Hook finally managed to enact his revenge on the conniving crocodile he so passionately hunted by shooting his one true love and erasing her memory completely. Also, the episode's introduction of a mysterious stranger (Ethan Embry) teased with the glimmer of a good conflict. What was even more interesting about "The Outsider" was that it managed to establish Belle as real character with honest-to-goodness depth (this show really has done wonders reimagining Disney's classic princesses, I will give it that), and more importantly, it solidified Mr. Gold as one of the characters on this show with the most impressive arc.

And then "In the Name of the Brother" happened. Now, I don't know about the rest of you, but I was in no hurry to return to the world established for us a few months back in "The Doctor," but OUAT's remarkable ability to divert our attentions wins out yet again, and that's precisely where we go. The next hour then is spent on a morally conflicted Dr. Whale who struggles with saving the town's newest stranger (whose cell phone ringtone is the Star Wars theme, I might add; real subtle, Disney) or letting him die, a decision that could mean long-term consequences for Storybrooke. There are other random plots sprinkled throughout such as the horribly acted Dr. Frankenstein-themed flashback, Mr. Gold's realization that Belle's memory won't be returning any time soon (ultimately motivating him to officially leave to seek out his son and allowing him to revert to full-on baddie by the end of the episode), and Regina and Cora's completely disappointing reunion. Competing only with Mr. Gold for the title of this show's most interesting character, Regina's development up to this point in the show seems completely pointless now that she seems so quick to forget all the evil her mother has committed (though I will admit, Regina's reference to "Emma, Henry, and the other two idiots" was a moment of beauty).

To read the rest (IMDb form too short) visit: http://custodianfilmcritic.com/once-upon-a-time-2-11-2-12/

Zero Dark Thirty (2012)

a powerful, thrilling, and perfectly executed look into one of the greatest manhunts in history

[10/10 · 5 January 2013]

In February 2009, Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal took down the likes of James Cameron's Avatar, The Coen Brothers' A Serious Man, Tarantino's Inglorious Basterds, and Jason Reitman's Up in the Air when their $15 million film about a bomb squad in Iraq called The Hurt Locker won Best Picture at the Academy Awards. A powerful and thrilling look into the war in Iraq, Bigelow and Boal were commended for making a modern day war film that brought audiences into the drama of a political war that Americans didn't fully understand or fathom. Four years later, Bigelow and Boal have teamed up again for a modern day war tale that gives us the story of one of the greatest manhunts of all-time. Following the tale of a C.I.A. agent named Maya (Jessica Chastain) hunting down Osama bin Laden, Zero Dark Thirty is a heart- pounding, realistic thriller that gives us an inside look at one of the most memorable events of the last decade. At first, it seems like Zero Dark Thirty may be an overly political drama. The film begins with a black screen and a series of 911 calls on the morning of September 11, 2001. The calls are heart-breaking and place you right into the mindset of America at the time of this tragedy. Many lives were lost, people were hurt nationwide, and justice was sought for the pain we all felt. Bring in Maya and a cast of characters (highlighted by Jason Clarke, Kyle Chandler, and Jennifer Ehle) seeking information on the location of Osama bin Laden some three years after 9/11. With brutal torture methods, countless hours of questioning, and a search that seems like it will have no end, their search is an arduous and painful one that is not without sleepless nights, deadly threats, and tragic loss. One of the many highlights of this film is how Bigelow and Boal take us into the life of Maya and the crew searching down bin Laden. A strenuous fight to find a man who seems like he is gone forever that we invest in ourselves. With a two hour and forty minute runtime, we feel the frustrations of these C.I.A. agents as leads end in loss and the search seems to continuously go one step forward and three steps back. This search is highlighted by the acting of Chastain, Clarke, Chandler, and Ehle and the amazing script by Mark Boal. Engaging the audience from beginning to end is always a tough task for any screenwriter, but with a lengthy runtime full of frustrations and setbacks for the characters and audience alike, the screenplay must be sound to keep an audience invested in the story all the way through.

Texas Chainsaw (2013)

every cliché in modern horror movies rolled up into a painful hour and a half

[1/10 · 5 January 2013]

John Luessenhop's Texas Chainsaw 3D is a bad, bad movie. You know this. I know this. Unfortunately the producers and studio that backed this latest incarnation of Tobe Hooper's original genre-creating slasher film ignored what we, the audience, already knew, and decided to milk the franchise-cow for the sixth (and hopefully, final) time.

This new reimagining (as Hollywood likes to call it) starts off promising with archive footage of the original film. That was the first five minutes. After that, the movie spirals into unexplained and implausible territory, asking its audience not only to suspend disbelief, but disregard it completely.

The 2012 version of Texas Chainsaw is a direct sequel of the original, with the prologue taking place in 1974. Vigilantes show up at the infamous Sawyer home where the murders of several young adults literally just happened and proceed to torch it to the ground in a fit of vengeance. Amongst the chaos, a young Sawyer woman with an infant is found hiding in the garage. Then, in a laughably inane act of kindness followed by harsh brutality, one of the vigilantes saves the baby girl and randomly kicks the Sawyer woman square in the face.

If there was anything 2011's The Cabin in the Woods has taught us, it's that ridiculously attractive young adults will always venture out to parts unknown for no reason and behave in ways normal human beings would never agree to in real life given eerie circumstances.

Cut to Heather Mills (starring Alexandra Daddario's midriff and breasts). She finds out she inherited a home in Texas after her previously unknown grandma passed away while simultaneously discovering she's adopted. Usually this would tear at the soul of a normal person, being lied to your entire life by people you thought were your parents, but no. Heather's first instinct is to collect on her inheritance by dragging along her boyfriend, Ryan (Tremaine 'Trey Songz' Neverson), her best friend, Nicole (Tania Raymonde), and Nicole's boy toy (Keram Malicki-Sanchez) on an impromptu road trip. Along the way, they pick up a hitchhiker named Darryl (Shaun Sipos), apparently to add to the inevitable body count.

Texas Chainsaw fails to mention the time discrepancy as the original film took place in the 1970s and this new film clearly states it's 2012. Heather should be pushing 40, but no bother. In a movie like this, the only thing that matters is the gore, the scantily clad women, and the infamy of the original.

To read the rest of the review (IMDb form too short) visit: http://custodianfilmcritic.com/Texas- chainsaw-3d/

Django Unchained (2012)

a brutal, violent, yet fun vengeance western that fits perfectly into the Tarantino collection

[9/10 · 26 December 2012]

When you go to see a Tarantino film, there is plenty to expect and prepare yourself for. From unique film angles and stylistic choices to interesting song selections to the ultra violence that may make your stomach turn, Tarantino has basically created a genre of his own over the years that only his films occupy. And it is very easy to include Django Unchained into this list of films as a movie that is nothing short of what we would expect from writer/director Quentin Tarantino.

With films like Pulp Fiction, Inglorious Basterds, and the Kill Bill pair under his belt, Tarantino takes to a whole new genre and world in his newest film, Django Unchained. A vengeance film set as a western, Tarantino takes us to pre-Civil War America and deep into the south where slavery is at its height. The story follows Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) a German bounty hunter who seeks the help of a slave named Django (Jamie Foxx) to find his latest bounty. But upon partnering up with the slave, he finds that the man is a natural in the killing business and may come in handy as a partner.

Granting Django his freedom, Schultz realizes there is a greater desire driving his new friend: the search to find Django's wife, Broomhilda (Kerry Washington). Split up when his previous master sold the couple separately, Django seeks the new owner of his wife and is out to get his lady back. Finding that their partnership has grown into a greater friendship, Schultz partners up with Django on the journey that leads them to the plantation of Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), a violent slave owner who is only drawn to the men due to their proposition of buying a fighting slave from him for an over-the-top amount of money.

What unfolds is a violent, fun, explosive, and highly entertaining tale that we could only come to expect from Quentin Tarantino. It is an extremely complete film. From the writing and directing of Tarantino to the acting of the entire cast, to the lighting, costumes, and sets, Django Unchained is a really solid piece of filmmaking that reminds us why we get excited for Tarantino films. A film that will make you laugh, but also make your heart pound and put you on the edge of your seat, Django is a very fitting follow up to Inglorious Basterds and fits the Tarantino collection nicely.

It starts very early on with a sequence in a small town in Texas. The slightly flamboyant, bold, and proper Schultz comes to life through the experienced acting of Christoph Waltz who (with his second collaboration with Tarantino) may be the best actor to pair with the director ever. Waltz is wonderful in Django Unchained and, maybe even more importantly, he is a good guy in this film that we can cheer along with, unlike Hans Landa in Inglorious Basterds. Dr. King Schultz is an extremely fun character and Waltz brings him to such exuberant life that it makes the entire film that much more enjoyable. Likewise, Jamie Foxx is fantastic as Django. With a strong, Shaft-like demeanor that Django needs and a set of action skills that make him the hero he becomes, Foxx was perfect for the role.

To read the rest of the review (IMDb form too short) visit: http://custodianfilmcritic.com/django-unchained/

Les Misérables (2012)

a brilliant and moving adaptation of the award winning musical that will make you laugh, cry, and cheer this holiday season

[8/10 · 20 December 2012]

Let me preface this entire review with some important notes about myself. I really like musicals. Quite a bit. From an early age all the way to the present, I loved the excitement of the stage and had the pleasure of seeing shows like Phantom of the Opera, The Producers, The Lion King, Billy Elliot, Mary Poppins, Wicked, Jersey Boys, and many other shows as the national productions came to Chicago. But as far as music and sure beauty, Les Misérables was always my favorite musical. I was thrilled to see it last month when it came to the Cadillac Theatre in Chicago, and was looking forward to seeing Tom Hooper's film adaptation of the musical for quite some time.

This is all extremely important because Les Misérables is a film that will not resonate with everyone. This is a fact and is not a fault of the cast, crew, or director. The musical was not received well critically when it first premiered, and I would imagine this film could suffer the same problem from film critics this holiday season. It is a deep, draining, and long drama that does not give your emotions a rest from song to song and heartbreak to heartbreak. You should know that when seeing a film titled Les Misérables anyway, but in case you weren't reading the clues, it is heavy.

However, it will not receive a negative review from myself. On the contrary, I can do nothing but praise the film for being a bold, beautiful, and moving adaptation of what I consider to be one of the best musicals ever made. Claude-Michel Schönberg's absolutely gorgeous music transfers brilliantly to the silver screen as the power and emotion in melodies of "I Dreamed a Dream" "One Day More" "On My Own" and "Bring Him Home" will bring chills and tears to many an audience member seeing Les Misérables this holiday season.

Les Misérables is originally a novel by French writer Victor Hugo. The story follows Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman), a man who spent 19 years in prison for stealing a loaf of bread for his dying nephew and trying to escape his capture. Upon his release from prison, he tries to begin a new life when he is taken in by a kind hearted bishop (played in the film by the original Jean Valjean, Colm Wilkinson). Leaving Jean Valjean behind, he is constantly hunted down by the police inspector Javert (Russell Crowe) that was one of his original guards in prison. Making a new and fulfilling life for himself, Valjean is constantly haunted by his past while trying to make right the life he lives. Eventually he becomes mayor of a town and owns a factory. Here he encounters Fantine (Anne Hathaway), a young girl who turned to prostitution to pay for her child when she was fired by the foreman of Valjean's factory. Promising to care for her child when Fantine is on her death bed, Valjean devotes his life to the young Cosette (played in her adult period by Amanda Seyfried) and begins a new life with her in Paris.

The story continues following the life of Valjean and Cosette while bringing in the lives of a crass landlord (Sacha Baron Cohen) and his wife (Helena Bonham Carter), their daughter Eponine (Samantha Barks), and members of a revolution looking to change the way the people of France are treated by the government. The second act is filled with an explosive battle, a young love story, and the constant fight between Valjean and Javert.

As I stated above, the film is quite lengthy and complex and is on a pretty phenomenal scale. Being a musical that premiered over 25 years ago, we can understand why it took such a great deal of time for any director to even attempt to bring this epic to the screen. And Tom Hooper should be applauded for not only being bold enough to be the man to helm this project, but for also making some creative choices that could have ended tragically for this adaptation.

To read the rest of the review (IMDb form too short) visit: http://custodianfilmcritic.com/les-miserables/

The Walking Dead: Made to Suffer (2012) Season 3, Episode 8

Powerful closing to the best half season yet

[3 December 2012]

OK, so maybe there was a little less blood than I was expecting, but one thing is for sure: the first half of season three is the best run The Walking Dead has had in its two and a half season history. Full of new characters, suspense, and plenty of loss and agony, the show runner Glen Mazzara (who took over for Frank Darabont in-between seasons one and two) seems to have finally found his pace and form to make The Walking Dead successfully both in ratings and critical appeal.

Instead of taking a ton of time to recap this episode, let's just highlight some of the major moments and assume you actually watched the episode: Rick, Oscar, Michonne, and Daryl make their way in to save Maggie and Glen, Maggie and Glen try to escape the clutches of The Governor and Merle, a new set of characters enter the prison and Carl saves them from a zombie attack, Rick and the gang rescue Glen and Maggie and get in a gun fight, Michonne slays The Governor's daughter and puts a piece of glass in his eye, Oscar dies (add one black male and subtract one too…seen this before?), Rick think she sees Shane, and The Governor blames Merle for the 'terrorists' getting in and puts him and Daryl in the middle of a ring with a screaming crowd demanding their heads as the episode ends.

Yeah…there was a lot packed into this opener.

So let's break this down by groups. First off, Rick. Just when you thought Rick was getting back on track, he sees Shane in the middle of a gun fight. His delay in the hallucination actually costs Oscar his life. When Rick finally realized he was hallucinating on the phone a few episodes ago, he got to say his final goodbye to his wife (in his mind, of course). It felt like that was it; that Rick was back to being Rick and the group could move on from the tragic loss of Lori. But now it seems like that is not so. Shane showing up out of the fog shows that Rick has some serious problems in his sub-conscience. It has been a rough few months for Rick and it is really starting to take a physical and mental toll on him. How much longer can he last as a somewhat sane and wise leader of this group?

Michonne seems to have the best intentions in wanting to kill The Governor, but it is somewhat rash in a way as well. She doesn't really know anything for sure about him, she really just has her suspicions. Even when she finds the fish tank of heads, how can she know that he is keeping them for some sick or sadistic reason? Wanting to kill The Governor may in fact be the right instincts, but it seems strange that she quickly resorts to doing so without finding out more about the man. Is Michonne safe? Can the group trust a woman who, intentionally or unintentionally, is going to cause a full war between Woodbury and the prison residents? I'm not so sure. What I can say is by killing The Governor's zombie daughter, Michonne has awoken a not quite sleeping giant fully. The Governor is upset.

Speaking of The Governor, is this the moment where the full wrath opens up? What extents will he go to to take revenge for his dead daughter and his screwed up eye? Will this angry turn be doom for the prison group, or will it end up being a rash move that causes Woodbury to fall? And what will happen to his relationship with Andrea? Andrea, who finally knows that her group is close. Andrea sees Daryl at the end of the episode in the middle of the ring, and she must know that Rick and the group were the 'terrorists' that attacked Woodbury. And now that the curtain of the great and powerful Governor has been pulled back, can she continue to defend and trust him? Does she hold resentment towards the group for leaving her on the farm and will that factor into her loyalty in the second half of season three? To read the rest of the review (IMDb form too short) visit: http://custodianfilmcritic.com/the-walking-dead-3-8-made-to-suffer/

The Walking Dead: When the Dead Come Knocking (2012) Season 3, Episode 7

a thrilling episode setting up an explosive midseason finale

[25 November 2012]

Everything is setup. The battle lines are drawn. Loyalties will be tested. Worlds will collide. After watching 'When the Dead Come Knocking,' there is no doubt that next week's midseason finale will be an explosive conclusion to what has been a very solid half season of the hit AMC series, The Walking Dead.

Before the credits rolled this week, Merle gets some revenge and lets a little anger out on Glenn, a member of the original group that left Merle on a rooftop in Atlanta in season one. Demanding information from Glenn, Merle gets a headbutt to the nose when he gets a little too close to Glenn, and of course, doesn't take kindly to it. He beats Glenn to a pulp, as we see later int he episode.

Meanwhile, outside the prison, Michonne is growing weak from her gunshot wound and some dehydration. When the walkers around her start to realize she is not really a zombie, they turn on her. She fights off a few, but it takes the heroics of Rick and Carl to save her and get her and the supplies she carries safely back into the prison. Once inside, Rick tries to question her, but Michonne stays the quiet type.

Eventually, Rick heads back to the cell block when Darryl tells him he has something to show him. He is happy and very emotional to find that Carol is safe inside one of the cells and has survived her ordeal in the prison chase. A tearful reunion is observed by Michonne, who may see that these people are a little bit more honest and trustworthy than the occupants of Woodbury.

When Rick talks to Michonne again, she comes clean on why she came to the prison and that she witnessed Glenn and Maggie being taken captive. Michonne explains that she knows a way they can sneak into Woodbury and believes she can get Rick and his gang to where Glenn and Maggie are held captive.

Back in Woodbury, the interrogation continues with Glenn. Seeing that Glenn won't talk, Merle brings in a walker and tells Glenn that it is his last chance to talk. He doesn't talk and the walker is released. Just when it seems like Glenn may be meeting his end, he kicks down the zombie and starts using items in the room to hold him off while he tries to break the chair he is tied to. Eventually, Glenn is able to break out, and he puts a piece of broken chair right into the geeks head, killing the monster and saving his own life. This was easily one of the coolest scenes Glenn has ever been involved in and shows he is more than just squirrelly and quick: he is tough and can survive.

In another part of Woodbury, Andrea has put her clothes back on and is taking part in an experiment in the lab. One of the citizens of Woodbury had prostate cancer and the town did not have the means to treat him. The man volunteered to be a part of a test in the lab to help understand the walkers. Knowing he will die, he is put through an experiment where a series of questions are asked to him and he must respond if the answers are true. Pictures are displayed throughout the room and music is played reminding him of his life. The experiment is to find out if he will have any recollection of his life after he turns into a member of the living dead community. Andrea's job is to simply put him down when the experiment is complete.

In the other interrogation room, The Governor has Maggie take off her shirt and bra and threatens to rape her if she won't reveal where the group is. But Maggie proves to be just as strong as Glenn. She doesn't peep a word of the location of the group and The Governor leaves when he realizes he can't get any information from her.

To read the rest of the review (IMDb form too short) visit: http://custodianfilmcritic.com/the- walking-dead-3-7-when-the-dead-come-knocking/