Munich

Film Title: Munich
Year: 2005
MPAA Rating: R
Length: 164 minutes
Film Genre: Action / Drama / History
Director: Steven Spielberg
Producer: Kathleen Kennedy, Barry Mendel, Steven Spielberg, Colin Wilson
Writers: Tony Kushner and Eric Roth (screenplay) / George Jonas (book)
Players:
Eric Bana as Avner
Daniel Craig as Steve
Ciaran Hinds as Carl
Plot: 11 Israeli Olympians died in a hostage crisis at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich. A team of mercenaries was assembled by the Israeli government to "take care" of those responsible. Flashbacks of the hostage situation are interspersed with the assasinations of the Palestinian conspirators.
Acting: Munich stars several up and coming actors plus a few seasoned veterans. The great character alchemist Spielberg creates another incredible ensemble. Bana is a great lead man - belonging with the likes of the also young Christian Bale (Equilibrium, American Psycho, Batman Begins). Daniel Craig, the new and improved 007 (Casino Royale), shows his blooming potential in his protrayal of the ever-abrasive and sometimes comedic David. Hinds' Carl reminds one of a past nearly forgotten in his classic style and demeanor.
Cinematography: You average Spielberg shots - some of the best. A vintage feel with its slightly desaturated color palette.
Visual: Some disturbing usage of explosives (a charge planted in a man's bed, for example), but some of the best witnessed in a film. They are believable and powerful at the same time - a feat hard to come by in a movie.
Audio: Great! Great! Great!
When I watched it last: An hour ago
What to watch for: Performance by Bana, the oh-so-real feel of the film (due in part to clips from actual 1972 news programs and spot-on creations of other broadcasts), a story of Avner's family so many miles away in Brooklyn and finally the madness of a man driven to guilt and paranoia.
What to watch out for: Language, Violence, Mild Sexual Content, Nudity (a woman is shot and left naked)
IMDB Rating: 7.9 out of 10
Roger Ebert Rating: 4 out of 4 stars; "Munich is an act of courage and conscience...As a thriller, Munich is efficient, absorbing, effective. As an ethical argument, it is haunting."
The Cinema Standard Overall Score: 8.2 out of 10; The content of the movie may split some opinions of the movie, but it is a striking success of a film. Watch this one.
--Reviewed by Brady

Movie in a Minute: The Polar Express

Robert Zemeckis' Polar Express is a fun-filled adventure to...where else, the North Pole. Tom Hanks plays the main character, a boy who has doubts about Santa Claus and Christmas magic. Hanks also plays the conductor, a stern man who - according to himself - "has never been late". To top it all off, Hanks also voices four other characters in the film. Digital motion capture was used for the entire film, and while from-scratch animation is more desirable (according to this article's writer), the film looks pretty good overall. This children's-classic-to-movie hit will take you on a round trip journey to the North Pole, where magic abounds and all one is asked to do is...believe.
The Cinema Standard "Movie in a Minute" Rating: 7.6 out of 10

The Right Stuff

Film Title: The Right Stuff
Year: 1983
MPAA Rating: PG
Length: 153 minutes
Film Genre: Adventure / Drama / History
Director: Phillip Kaufman
Producer: Irwin Winkler
Writers: Phillip Kaufman and Tom Wolfe (book)
Players:
Sam Shepard as Chuck Yeager
Scott Glenn as Alan Shepard
Ed Harris as John Glenn
Dennis Quaid as Gordon Cooper
Fred Ward as Gus Grissom
Lance Henriksen as Wally Schirra
Plot: The Right Stuff chronicles the origins of the United States Space program. It begins with Chuck Yeager breaking the sound barrier and continues the story through the Mercury 7 space program.
Acting: The acting in this movie was superb. John Glenn is played by Ed Harris who always has the ability to communicate raw emotion on screen. Sam Shepard plays a very determined and proud Yeager, who was not accepted in the space program. My favorite was Scott Glenn's portrayal of Alan Shepard, his hi jinks and his launch sequence scene are classic. Quaid plays the arrogant Cooper, who brags he is the best pilot he's ever seen. His Mercury mission was the last solo space flight of any American astronaut. Ward delivers a great performance as the tough and hardworking astronaut Gus Grissom. If you watch Apollo 13, it opens with the story of Grissom's death in the Apollo 1 fire.
Cinematography The cinematography is as good if not better than some modern space/action films. Launch sequences are shot very much like modern launches are filmed. The placement of a camera in a low position in the space capsule was genius. It captures all the drama and emotion of the pilot's flights.
Visual: The flight / launch sequences and spaces scenes are amazing when you remember this movie was made in '83 and special effects were not all computer generated.
Audio: The sound of engines roaring and fly-bys are as good as modern flight or space movies.
When I watched it last: Last night
What to watch for: The competition between the astronauts, hilarious hi jinks and amazing action sequences.
What to watch out for: Language, Length of film (3+ hours)
IMDB Rating: 7.8 out of 10
Roger Ebert Rating: 4 stars (makes Ebert's Great Movie list)
The Cinema Standard Overall Score: 9.0 out of 10. The Right Stuff is a great movie, full of great story telling and action. This movie also affords us the opportunity to see Harris, Glenn, Shepard and Quaid before their careers took off. If you like movies about the US Space program and the history of flight this movie is for you.
--Reviewed by Jason

Riding Giants

Laird Hamilton being towed into a wave

Film Title: Riding Giants
Year: 2004
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Length: 105 minutes
Film Genre: Documentary / Sport
Director: Stacy Peralta
Producer: Paul Crowder
Writers: Stacy Peralta and Sam George
Players:
Surfers:
Jeff Clark
Darrick Doerner
Laird Hamilton
Dave Kalama
Greg Noll
Plot: A look into the origins and history of surfing.
Acting: No real acting. Riding Giants features conversations with many world famous surfers. This film is the telling of their stories, of their surfing exploits and details how surfing evolved and became what it is today.
Cinematography Interviews accompained by surfing footage.
Visual: Some of the footage is just sick. When you see Laird Hamilton drop on a 60+ wave you will have to pick your jaw up off the floor.
Audio: Good soundtrack featuring old beach music and modern alternative.
When I watched it last: 10 minutes ago
What to watch for: Many comedic moments, crazy waves, spectacular wipeouts and amazing stories.
What to watch out for: Some language
IMDB Rating: 7.6 out of 10
Roger Ebert Rating: 3 and 1/2 stars
The Cinema Standard Overall Score: 8.5 out of 10. I got into surfing this past summer and fell in love. This movie tells a captivating story with great footage of gnarly waves and nasty wipeouts. Whether you are into surfing or not this documentary is entertaining and full of interesting and colorful stories.
--Reviewed by Jason

Eragon

Film Title: Eragon
Year: 2006
MPAA Rating: PG
Length: 104 minutes
Film Genre: Action / Adventure / Fantasy
Director: Stefen Fangmeier
Producer: John Davis, Wyck Godfrey, Adam Goodman
Writer: Christopther Paolini (novel), Peter Buchman (screenplay)
Players:
Edward Speleers as Eragon
Jeremy Irons as Brom
Sienna Guillory as Arya
Robert Carlyle as Durza
Garrett Hedlund as Murtagh
John Malkovich as King Galbotorix
Plot: King Galbatorix has reigned as tyrant over Alegaesia for many years, ridding the land of the famed Dragon Riders. A young boy named Eragon steps forward to take hold of his destiny as the next - and possible last hope - of the riders.
Acting: A poor rating is probably giving too much credit to most of the actors in this film.
Cinematography: There are few scenes which show any real cinematographic merit. A few of the wide landscape sweeps are nice, but overall it is an average action adventure film.
Visual: Some of the flight scenes are good. Galbatorix's castle/hall/room/whatever you would call it is a poor job of design. It's just sad. I don't think there were actually any walls, it must have been an open set with a cloth map on one side and a big throne on the other.
Audio: A decent soundtrack.
When I watched it last: Two nights ago
What to watch for: Saphira and the incredibly beautiful Guillory as Arya.
What to watch out for: Dark magic, not much else. The acting and screenplay is bad enough. Thanks for ruining an incredible story!
IMDB Rating: 5.0 out of 10
Roger Ebert Rating: 2 out of 4 stars; "Tales of flying dragons and sword-wielding heroes are grand indeed, especially when the child in each of us can find a world of enchantment therein. Eragon could have, and should have been such a tale." (Miriam di Nunzio)
The Cinema Standard Overall Score: 5.6 out of 10. As Durza, the Shade, relates Eragon, "I expected you to be...well...more." I couldn't have said it better myself.
--Reviewed by Brady

Joyeux Noel (Merry Christmas)

Film Title: Joyeux Noel (French) / Merry Christmas (USA)
Year: 2005
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (originally R, but was changed on appeal)
Length: 116 minutes
Film Genre: Drama / War / History / Foreign
Director: Christian Carion
Producer: Christophe Rossignon
Writer: Christian Carion
Players:
Benno Furmann as Nikolaus Sprink
Diane Kruger as Anna Sorensen
Guillaume Canet as Lieutenant Audebert
Alex Ferns as Gordon
Daniel Bruhl as Horstmayer
Gary Lewis as Father Palmer
Plot: The recounting of a Christmas truce on the front lines of World War I. Scottish, French and German soldiers share the joy of Christmas, much to the chagrin of their commanding officers.
Acting: The three unit commanders - Scottish Gordon, French Audebert and German Horstmayer - are a superb onscreen trio, but one character stands out from the rest. Gary Lewis' Father Palmer is the true hero of a story filled with heroes.
Cinematography: Not much to brag about, but there is nothing to complain about either.
Visual: There are not a lot of special effects, but probably because the movie is set in World War I.
Audio: Sweeping war-movie music with ebbing symphonies are interpersed throughout the film. The singing in the film steals the show though. Sorensen and Sprink make up a performing duo on and off the stage. The couple are a soprano and a tenor in German opera and share a love interest. They entertain the amassment of troops and bring an emotion to the front line that has been suppressed by the hate which surfaces in war.
When I watched it last: Last Night
What to watch for: Lewis' sermon.
What to watch out for: A bedroom scene with very brief nudity; some blood (it is a war movie, or at least a movie that occurs during a war).
IMDB Rating: 7.7 out of 10
Roger Ebert Rating: 3 out of 4 stars; "[T]his moment of peace actually did take place, among men who were punished for it, and who mostly died soon enough afterward. But on one Christmas, they were able to express what has been called...the brotherhood of man."
The Cinema Standard Overall Score: 8.3 out of 10; Though I didn't write much on this film, it is definitely a must see, especially near Christmas time.
--Reviewed by Brady

Brick

Film Title: Brick
Year: 2005
MPAA Rating: R
Length: 110 minutes
Film Genre: Crime / Drama / Mystery / Neo-Noir
Director: Rian Johnson
Producer: Norman Dreyfuss, Ram Bergman, Mark G. Mathis
Writers: Rian Johnson
Players:
Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Brendan
Nora Zehetner as Laura
Lukas Haas as The Pin
Noah Fleiss as Tugger
Naoh Segen as Dode
Matt O'Leary as The Brain
Emilie de Ravin as Emily
Plot: A girl mixed up in the drug world of an average high school dies mysteriously. Her ex-beau decides to find out who is responsible. Welcome to the neo-noir detective movie.
Acting: The acting in the movie is strange to say the least. Every character is played one step beyond normal - an oversaturation of reality, or absurdity at times. I like it for the most part. Gordon-Levitt was a perfect cast for this role and Zehetner's Laura is the epitome of the beautiful femme fatale (it's even mentioned by Brendan in the movie).
Cinematography: The cinematography is nice, but not ground-breaking. Scenes at a tunnel were shot well with some of the action shot outside looking in and some of the action shot from the inside looking out, creating silhouettes.
Visual: When Brendan is punched in the face, a fast white flash (almost comic book starburst style) fills the screen. I'm not sure how I feel about it, but it's a cheap effect to accomplish and at least adds something to the action. Another cheap, but very effective, visual is the way that Johnson transitions from Brendan's dream sequence back to reality. A piece of black plastic moves up a waterway, slides up and covers the camera. Then it is quickly pulled off Brendan's head like the covers of his bed. The plastic coming up the water was actually filmed backwards with Emilie walking backwards as well, so that when played forward the plastic would flow up the water beside the awkwardly walking Emily.
Audio: Slow moving songs with odd sounds - interjected during periods of the film that are devoid of dialogue - match the movie's odd plot and action.
When I watched it last: Last Night
What to watch for: Gordon-Levitt's Brendan, the incredibly beautiful Zehetner, Tugger's Mustang, the Pin's cane, the Pin's mom and any scene involving a fight.
What to watch out for: A shot to the head with much blood, reference to drug use, language.
IMDB Rating: 7.8 out of 10
Roger Ebert Rating: 3 out of 4 stars; "The story is never clear while it unfolds, but it provides a rich source of dialogue, behavior and incidents."
The Cinema Standard Overall Score: 8.0 out of 10; I liked the movie but was confused for the most part and still had many questions at the end, but what mystery movie doesn't and shouldn't leave you questioning things?
--Reviewed by Brady

Top Movies

So, you can’t figure out what movie to watch tonight?

How about watching one of the greats – those classic movies that define their respective genres? So here’s a list of 50 great films that everyone should see at some point in their lives. These are our picks for making a great movie night!

Secondary genres are listed in parentheses.

Action: The Matrix (Sci-fi) / Die Hard (Thriller)

Adventure: Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade (Action)

Animated: Toy Story (Comedy) / The Lion King (Drama)

Comedy: Monty Python and the Holy Grail (Historical, or Hysterical) / The Princess Bride (Drama)

Comedy – Romantic: You’ve Got Mail (Drama)

Comedy – Dramatic: Forrest Gump (Historical)

Comic Book: Batman Begins (Action)

Courtroom: A Time to Kill (Drama) / A Few Good Men (Drama)

Creature: Jaws (Action/Adventure) / Jurassic Park (Action/Adventure)

Crime: The Untouchables (Drama/Gangster) / The Godfather (Drama/Gangster)

Documentary: Ken Burns’ The Civil War (Historical)

Drama: The Shawshank Redemption (Crime) / Schindler’s List (Historical)

Epic: Gladiator (Drama)

Experimental: Memento (Suspense)

Fantasy: Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Drama)

Foreign: Leon: The Professional (Crime/Drama)

Heist: Ocean’s 11 (Crime/Thriller)

Historical: Gone with the Wind (War/Drama)

Horror: The Shining (Thriller) / The Ring (Thriller)

Indie: Pulp Fiction (Crime/Thriller)

Mini-series: Band of Brothers (War)

Musical: The Wizard of Oz (Adventure) / Moulin Rouge! (Comedy/Romance)

Sci-fi: Star Wars: A New Hope (Drama) / 2001: A Space Odyssey (Experimental)

Sci-fi – Alien: The Abyss (Drama/Thriller) / Alien (Thriller)

Sports: The Natural (Drama) / Remember the Titans (Drama)

Suspense: The Sixth Sense (Drama/Thriller)

Thriller: Se7en (Crime/Drama) / Collateral (Crime/Drama)

Thriller – Psychological: The Silence of the Lambs (Crime/Drama)

War – Civil War: Glory (Drama)

War – Foreign War: Braveheart (Drama/Historical)

War – Revolutionary War: The Patriot (Drama/Historical)

War – Vietnam: Apocalypse Now (Drama/Psychological Thriller) / Platoon (Drama)

War – WWII: Saving Private Ryan (Drama/Historical) / Patton (Drama/Historical)

Western: The Outlaw Josey Wales (Drama) / Unforgiven (Drama)