Trailer Breakdown: RED DAWN

One of the latest trailers to hit the Internet is the first for the upcoming remake, Red Dawn, which is directed by Dan Bradley and stars Chris Hemsworth. As I usually do with these trailer breakdowns, I'll be bringing up some questions concerning the film just after the trailer. To start, take a glance at this first look of the new film:

And now, for a few questions that came to mind while watching the trailer:

1. To start, what is Red Dawn?

As I previously stated, Red Dawn is an upcoming action flick that serves as a remake of the 1984 film of the same name. This film will center on an apparent invasion from the North Korean army that lands in a small, nondescript American town. An on-leave Marine (Hemsworth) visiting home gets caught in the middle of the attack, and he leads a rag-tag group of survivors in a strike against the enemy. This follows the basic plot and concept of the original film, with the key difference being that the foe in the 1984 venture was the Soviet Union, not the North Koreans. 

2. How will this film hold up against the original film?

The original Red Dawn film holds the illustrious status of being the first film released in the United States to achieve the newly-created PG-13 rating. It earned this rating after being considered, at the time, to be the most violent film ever made according to the Guinness Book of World Records, which states it holds a rate of 2.23 violent acts per minute. Made on a very modest budget of $4.2 million, the film managed to return nearly $40 million at the box office, making it a financial, if not critical, success. Considering the nature of the storyline, critics were divided on the film, which currently holds a fifty-three percent approval rating on Rottentomatoes.com. Still, there are some pretty lofty goals in there for this new Red Dawn to achieve, but will it be able to stand up next to its predecessor?

3. Considering the state of today's political society, how will this film be met by critics and audiences?

In recent years, the threat of a North Korean attack on the United States has always been on the back-burner with the news, and in light of the North Korean's recent misfire with their missile testing, I wonder whether this film's release is timely or not. In a way, the film is taking the idea of a possible attack and bringing it to life, following it through by showing that a small group of young Americans can take down an entire section of enemy army. I have a feeling that the film will be met by heavy resistance from the critical community, but there should be factions of audiences that will probably fall in love with the concept.

4. Plot Issue: This trailer makes it seem as though the North Korean army has a personal vendetta against the main family. Why would they?

The trailer clearly shows Hemsworth's character's father (seemingly) being murdered by a Korean military leader in execution style. The scene then jumps immediately to Hemsworth uttering, "They messed with the wrong family." I have a bit of an issue with this: Why would an army bent on taking over an entire country waste their time with one individual family? I'm sure the film will concoct some way to make it all make sense, but based off the trailer, it already seems a little bit silly. Still, it could easily make for a more emotional piece, but I can't see any way that this subplot won't be a cheap attempt at drawing that emotion from the viewer. 

5. Where does this film place Chris Hemsworth on the Hollywood scene? 

To answer this question, I'd like to take a look at Hemsworth's brief filmography. He made a memorable appearance in 2009's Star Trek, but it wasn't until his starring role in 2011's Thor that he became a household name. That name only grew with the release of The Avengers and Snow White and the Huntsman, both action films that showcased his ability to be an action star. If Red Dawn manages to be a success, it should solidify Hemsworth's status as the next big thing in action, and with sequels to Thor and Snow White and the Huntsman already in the works, he shouldn't have a problem continuing that particular vein of success.

6. How will the rest of the cast play out?

We're actually getting some relatively big names in this particular venture, and it should be a cast that performs well. Most prominent are the inclusions of Josh Hutcherson - fresh of the success of The Hunger Games - and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, but we're also going to see the likes of Josh Peck and Adrianne Palicki. In an action movie, acting sometimes gets shoved off to the wayside, but here's to hoping that this cast can bring something of value to the screen.

7. How will first-time director Dan Bradley handle the film?
After making a bit of a name for himself as a stunt coordinator, Bradley had the opportunity to go behind the camera with Red Dawn, making this his first directorial effort. I've seen many a first-time director make a quality film, but there's plenty more who have failed miserably. Given the type of film, I'd be a little worried that this first venture might be a bit underwhelming, but with his background in stunts, I'd say that the visual effects and stunt work should be top-notch.

8. At the end of the day, will Red Dawn just be another dumb, big-budget action remake?

This is always going to be the biggest question for a film like this. Remakes are always going to be taken with a grain of salt, and while it can be done, it's tough to make a quality remake. People are going to remember the source material in a nostalgic way, so to top an original film, a remake has to be something truly spectacular. Will Red Dawn be able to do just that? My money's on no, but I've been wrong before. 

Red Dawn will hit theaters in the United States on November 21, 2012.

Movie Review: ACT OF VALOR

ACT OF VALOR

2012
R


"That last night at home, you think about how you could have been a better dad, a better husband, that bedtime story you should've read, or that anniversary you forgot."
-- Senior Chief Miller

Act of Valor is a 2012 war film directed by Mike McCoy and Scott Waugh that utilizes active-duty Navy SEALs, whose full names were not released for security reasons, as the film's central actors. When an elite team of Navy SEALs led by Lieutenant Rorke and Chief Petty Officer Dave is sent on a covert mission to rescue abducted CIA agent Lisa Morales (Roselyn Sanchez). During their rescue, they pick up a cell phone that leads to intel describing the relationship between a smuggler named Christo (Alex Veadov) and Abu Shabal (Jason Cottle), who are planning an attack of terrorism on United States soil. As the SEALs getting deeper into the thick of the plot, they face stronger and stronger opposition as they do whatever they can to keep their country safe.

When I first heard about Act of Valor, I heard a lot of buzz about the fact that the film was using acting-duty SEALs to portray the characters on-screen. At the time, I thought this was a nice idea, and I thought it might bring an added sense of realism to the film and its story. When the movie opened to generally negative reviews, however, I started to get a little worried that this somewhat high-profile flick might potentially flop with moviegoers. The film currently holds a 25% approval rating on Rottentomatoes.com, and that negative aspect is supplemented by the following critical consensus:

It's undeniably reverent of the real-life heroes in its cast, but Act of Valor lets them down with a clichéd script, stilted acting, and a jingoistic attitude that ignores the complexities of war.

Unfortunately for the film, I have to agree wholeheartedly with this particular sentiment.

Let's start with the screenplay. While I thought that certain moments had their own personal merit, the storyline as a whole was too outrageous to be believed. Now, the battle sequences themselves are splendidly done, and the SEALs do bring that realistic element to the screen. In a way, you can say that a lot of the action sequences provide a bit of authenticity in the film, and if Act of Valor wants to hang its laurels anywhere, it would be on those scenes and those scenes alone. However, we're getting a bit of a side story with the Lieutenant Rorke character that plods along and weighs down the rest of the film. The moment you learn about his personal life, you know exactly how the film is going to end. And it is in this way that the film becomes a clichéd shell of every other war film that's ever managed to grace the silver screen. Once you figure out the ultimately predictable finale, the film loses its spark, and it becomes difficult, and even a tad bit boring, to watch.

The second strike against the film is the acting level of the cast. While some of the career actors - namely, Sanchez, Headov and Cottle - manage to turn in decent performances, the acting aspect is where the use of real-life SEALs manages to drag the film down. Although they prove to be authentic in their battle sequences, the SEALs prove to be bad actors at best in the rest of the film. Whether this is a knock against their ability or a knock against the screenplay, I'm not entirely sure; however, some of their interactions seem so strained that it almost proves ridiculous.

Ultimately, Act of Valor does offer authentic battle scenes, and it offers a nice message about and pays great tribute to the men and women who have given their lives for their country over the years. But in a world where you have great films like 2007's In the Valley of Elah, 2009's The Hurt Locker or 2010's Green Zone that also deal with the war on terror, it's difficult to imagine that Act of Valor could ever possibly compete.

Movie Review Summary
Grade: C-
0.5 Thumbs Up

Movie Review: RED TAILS

RED TAILS

2012
PG-13


"We have a right to fight for our country, the same as every other American. We will not go away."
-- Colonel A.J. Bullard

Red Tails is a 2012 war film directed by Anthony Hemingway that tells the story of the Tuskagee Airmen, a squadron of African-American fighter pilots in World War II. Subjected to simple missions, the squadron led by Marty 'Easy' Julian (Nate Parker) and Joe 'Lightning' Little (David Oyelowo) finds themselves bored with the war they've chosen to fight. Despite having proven their ability time and again, the higher-ranking officers don't see any reason to give the Tuskagees any more responsibility. However, Colonel A.J. Bullard (Terrence Howard) finally makes a deal with the head of a bombing squadron who has been consistently losing bombers after their fighter escorts chose to attack the enemy fighters rather than provide cover. After a successful first mission, the Tuskagees, who have become affectionately referred to as 'Red Tails,' continue to delve deeper into their wartime effort, taking on more and more difficult missions until they're offered the chance to make a final run at Berlin itself.

I know I'm a bit late on seeing this film, but I finally had the opportunity to sit down and give it a watch. Part of the reason that Red Tails gained so much early publicity is the fact that Star Wars creator George Lucas financed and produced the project. When you have that big of a name stamped onto a film, you can be sure it's at least going to generate a bit of publicity, even if the film itself isn't exactly all that great. Sadly, that's the case here.

The first thing you're going to notice is that the film's dialogue seems way too forced and almost proves to be laughable from the get-go. As you may know, I consider an effective screenplay to combine two things: a decent storyline and above-average dialogue. When it comes to the things the characters say, their words have to match the time and the place of the film and seem realistic given the film's setting and the characters themselves. Unfortunately, Red Tails fails entirely on this given point. While the film offers an interesting - albeit fictionalized - story based on real events, the dialogue is so atrociously bad that it took me out of the film from the start. Nothing any of the characters say seems realistic, and it all just seems out of place from the World War II effort. In a way, the dialogue makes the characters a little too unbelievable, and as a result, there's no way for the audience to get lost in the storyline. The screenwriters got half the formula, but you need all the ingredients to make an effective screenplay.

It's just too bad that the script isn't all that great because the acting isn't half-bad. Sure, we're not really getting anything awards-worthy, but considering the type of film, I thought the cast did a decent job. Parker and Oyelowo steal the show, but Howard does manage to have a few good scenes. Also be on the watch for smaller roles from the likes of Bryan Cranston, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Ne-Yo.

If anything works well within the film, it's the dogfight sequences. Lucas has always been on the top of his game when it comes to special effects, and as we have seen with the Star Wars franchise, he sure knows how to bring forth the aerial battles. The dogfights seem mostly genuine, and they offer the only bits of excitement that the film is going to produce. Sure, the effects themselves aren't necessarily top-notch, but they're still pretty darn good considering. These dogfights may be as close as we get to new Star Wars-esque battles, and for that, Red Tails may be worth the time.

At the end of the day, Red Tails is probably a film you can miss. Although it did generate a bit of publicity early on, it failed to score at the box office, earning less than it took to make. The melodramatic and predictable storyline, mixed with off-kilter dialogue, makes this one a tad bit unwatchable and ultimately throws away some quality visual effects work. It's just too bad no one's really going to appreciate it.

Movie Review Summary
Grade: D
1.5 Thumbs Down

Movie Review: CASABLANCA

CASABLANCA

1942
PG


"You played it for her, you can play it for me."
-- Rick Blaine

Casablanca is a 1942 Academy Award-winning drama directed by Michael Curtiz that centers around a romance in the midst of World War II. It takes place in December 1941, where we meet Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), an American owner of a saloon in Casablanca in Morocco, a place which serves as a springboard for Europeans looking to make their way to the Americas. Ever since the love of his life left him standing on a train station, Rick has been cynical and apathetic to life and politics, so he simply makes his living day in and day out without causing much trouble. That all changes when a couple of German couriers are murdered in the Moroccan desert and two letters of transit to Lisbon are found missing. Rick happens upon the letters on the night that his former love, Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman), walks into his bar with her husband Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid), an escaped captive of a German concentration camp who has become a leader in an underground movement determined to stop the German army's advance. Because of his political standing, attempts are made to keep Laszlo in Casablanca, but as old feelings start to return, Rick finds himself caught in the middle of the authorities and his love for Ilsa.

I've only seen Casablanca once before watching it today, and it was definitely quite a few years ago that I gave it my first viewing. I vividly remember loving it upon my first watch, but it wasn't until today that I remembered just how brilliant and beautiful it actually is. There's something about this movie that just sucks you into the storyline and the characters and never once releases its grip.

For starters, we've got a fantastic, Oscar-winning screenplay to set the film's storyline. For whatever reason, stories of romance set against the backdrop of wartime efforts seem to work relatively well (also see: 1939's Gone with the Wind). In this case, we're never actually taken into the war, but the entire storyline revolves around the German Third Reich's attempt to keep one man from fleeing to the Americas where he could possibly speak of the atrocities he suffered at their hands. At the same time, we're being thrown into the middle of a past romance that suddenly resurfaces at the most inopportune moment. Throw in a few twists and turns for good measure, and you've got yourself a story that's going to keep the viewer engaged on its own. Some of the real strength of this movie's screenplay, however, lies in its dialogue, which proves to be exceptionally brilliant. At times, it delves into the serious, but there's actually quite a bit of witty and sarcasm thrown in here and there for those of you who are paying attention. I hadn't noticed it until today, but there's quite a bit of comedy to be had. And it's a bit of an understatement to say that this film is quotable. In 2005, the American Film Institute (AFI) released their list, "AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movie Quotes," and Casablanca was featured six times, making it the most featured film. Here are the featured quotes (and their rank on the list), for your reading pleasure:

"Here's looking at you, kid." -- Bogart as Rick Blaine (#5)
"Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship." -- Bogart as Rick Blaine (#20)
"Play it, Sam. Play 'As Time Goes By.'" -- Bergman as Ilsa Lund (#28)
"Round up the usual suspects." -- Claude Rains as Capt. Louis Renault (#32)
"We'll always have Paris." -- Bogart as Rick Blaine (#43)
"Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine." -- Bogart as Rick Blaine (#67)

To put it lightly, the screenplay is pitch perfect and offers quite the cinematic experience all on its own.

Fortunately, we have a stellar cast that lives up to the fantastic screenplay and puts it into good use. Bogart gives an amazing turn in an Oscar-nominated performance, and he really steals the show. I've gone back-and-forth on whether I'm a fan of Bogart's style, but watching this movie will always make me respect and enjoy him as an actor. Bergman and Henreid offer great supporting roles, but some of the other supporting characters are truly the ones who stand up with Bogart as the stars. The aforementioned Claude Rains is damn near flawless in his execution of a "poor corrupt official," and he brings a dose of both comedy and menace to the screen. Dooley Wilson plays the aforementioned Sam, Rick's nightclub piano player who has been with him since his days in Paris, and who also brings the film's main theme ("As Times Goes By") to life. Here's his rendition from the film, for your viewing pleasure:

Also be on the watch for a great performance from Peter Lorre, who does well with his limited screentime.

At the end of the day, Casablanca is a classic romantic drama that everyone needs to see. As I said before, I had forgotten just how good it actually is, and I'm so glad I took the time to give it a view again today. If you haven't seen this film by now, do yourself a favor and put it at the top of your to-watch list. This is about as must-see as they come, and I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

Movie Review Summary
Grade: A+
2 Thumbs Up

Movie Review: WAR HORSE

WAR HORSE

2011
PG-13


"Can you imagine flying over a war, and you know that you can never look down? You have to look forward, or you'll never get home."
-- Grandfather

War Horse is a 2011 dramatic war film directed by Steven Spielberg that serves as an adaptation of the 2007 stage play of the same name, which in turn was adapted from a 1982 children's novel by Michael Morpurgo. When his father drunkenly purchases a beautiful thoroughbred horse in the hopes that it will plow his fields, Albert Narracott (Jeremy Irvine) defies expectations and trains the horse, which he names Joey, to do just that. Despite his success, a spot of bad luck forces Albert's father to sell Joey to the army when England goes to war against Germany. The horse is placed into the care of Captain Nicholls (Tom Hiddleston), who takes Joey into the very front of the war against the Germans. From this moment, an incredible adventure begins, with Joey first fighting with the English then with the Germans. At the same time, however, Albert has made it his solemn vow to find Joey and bring him home, no matter the lengths it may take.

(Note: While the above plot synopsis is a tad bit sparse, I think I've conveyed the basic story outline of the film without giving away too many of the plot details. I'd rather not engage in spoilers more than I must in order to craft this review successfully.)

The first thing you're going to notice about War Horse is the beauty of its cinematography. In the film's opening scenes, we're placed in a beautiful English countryside as we (slightly) witness the birth of Joey and the start of Albert's fascination with him. From there, we're gradually taken into the depths of wartime efforts, an area in which we know Spielberg is well-versed (see: 1998's Saving Private Ryan). As the film trudges onward, the cinematography and set pieces become gloomier and gloomier, and the visual aspect of the film helps to create and enhance the mood that the audience should be feeling. It's rare that the visual aspect of a film will affect me so deeply, but with Spielberg at the helm, I should have known we'd be in for such a spectacle.

Fortunately, the rest of the film corrals around this beautiful central aspect and complements it rather well. In terms of creating the mood, I'd have to say that composer John Williams did a stunning job with the movie's score. This is the second Williams-scored film I've reviewed in the past few days - the first was the also-Spielberg-directed The Adventures of Tintin - and of the two, I'd have to say that this one feels more like a Williams score. It's sweeping and truly interpretive of the grandness of this film, and it aids the cinematography in creating the film's overall atmosphere. Here's a little snippet of the opening title sequence, for your listening pleasure:

While it is those two cinematic devices that work most effectively throughout the film, there's still quite a bit to say about the most pressing issues: the screenplay and the acting. Let's start with our storyline, shall we? In a sense, it's a very straightforward story. The audience is essentially following Joey from one locale to the next, seeing his plight as he traverses the European countryside in the midst of the horrors of war. In a way, the film is split into a series of vignettes. As Joey makes his way from one caretaker to the next, the tone of the film shifts as well. As a story, it's a little bit complacent and sappy at times, but I can see where an individual could find an emotional connection. There were moments where I was truly terrified for Joey and his well-being, so in that, I have to say that the film succeeded in crafting an emotional bridge. At the end of the day, however, the sentimental nature of the film was just a tad too much for my personal liking. It just seemed a little too over-the-top and gentle. Then again, knowing that this was based off a children's story might add a little bit of perspective to that insight.

The acting in the film is solid, if not all that spectacular. Jeremy Irvine does well as our film's lead, and his bonding with the horse that played Joey seems terribly genuine, and they work well together on-screen. There are some rather recognizable faces hidden in the swarming ensemble here, and yet, there isn't one particular character who stands above the rest, save for perhaps the Grandfather (played by Niels Arestrup) whom I quoted at the start of this review. Be on the watch for the following appearances in the film:

Peter Mullan as Ted Narracott, Albert's father
David Thewlis as Lyons, the landlord
Benedict Cumberbatch as Major Jamie Stewart, Captain Nicholls's commanding officer
Celine Buckens as Emilie, the Grandfather's granddaughter
David Kross as Gunther, a German soldier
Eddie Marsan as Sgt. Fry, an English soldier

At the end of the day, however, War Horse didn't particularly land that emotional punch that I so expected it to give. Nearly all the positive reviews I've read on the film have mentioned that the film pulls at the heartstrings, but aside from a few fleeting moments, there just didn't seem to be that much depth to the film. That doesn't mean that I found it to be terrible; on the contrary, I thought it was a well-constructed and beautifully-shot cinematic adventure. I only fear that the memory of the film will be as fleeting as the moments of emotion I was able to enjoy during my watching of this movie.

Movie Review Summary
Grade: B+
1.5 Thumbs Up

Movie Review: DAS BOOT

DAS BOOT

1982
R

Das Boot is a 1982 German war film directed by Wolfgang Petersen that centers around the crew of a German U-boat towards the end of World War II. When Lt. Werner (Herbert Grönemeyer), a Navy war correspondent, is assigned to chronicle life on a German U-boat, he joins the crew of Captain Henrich Lehmann-Willenbrock (Jürgen Prochnow) for their voyage into the Atlantic Ocean. Because I don't want to give away too much of the plot's details, I'll simply give you the synopsis as presented by the Internet Movie Database: Das Boot tells the story of "the claustrophobic world of a WWII German U-boat; boredom, filth, and sheer terror." That's about as good of a breakdown as I could give without telling you exactly what happens.

The first thing you're probably going to notice about this film is that it's incredibly long. The original theatrical cut spans for roughly two-and-a-half hours, and the extended director's cut - which I was able to watch - adds another hour on top of that. The length alone is going to turn some viewers away, but for those of you who can stomach sitting through a movie this long, I can honestly say that you're in for quite an experience. Add to the fact that you'll be reading subtitles (unless you know German), and I probably only personally know a handful of folks who would even attempt to sit this one through.

I'm going to start with the acting because I have a little bit more to say on the side of screenplay. I thought that the cast was extremely well-rounded, with each man giving a finely-detailed performance. It seemed as though each principle character had their own unique personality. The aforementioned Prochnow and Grönemeyer deliver fantastic performances, but there's definitely a lot of love to spread around. Klaus Wenneman is great as the boat's Chief Engineer and closest friend to the Captain, and we also get some great performances from the 1st and 2nd Lieutenants, played by Hubertus Bengsch and Martin Semmelrogge respectively. And Erwin Leder gives a number of memorable scenes, so be on the lookout for him as well.

Now, for the screenplay, which scored an Academy Award nomination in the "adapted" category. The basic storyline is pretty straight-forward, which we'd expect from a film of this nature. We see the daily activities of living on a U-boat, and we see the "boredom, filth, and sheer terror" that it provides to the crew. At the same time, we're getting little bit of political context. At the film's outset, we learn that the Captain is tired of the ongoing war and sees it for how it truly is - the Germans are on their way to losing to the Allied forces. However, the rest of his crew consists of young, idealistic men who still believe in the words and the message of their Führer despite all the evidence that has been stacking up against him. This ideology is epitomized by Bengsch's 1st Lieutenant, who is as stiff as they could possibly come. Despite their obvious concepts of the war around them, all of them men still stand together when it comes to battling their enemy. That's where I think something even deeper comes into play within Das Boot's screenplay. We're given a story with a very human element, and it's filled with joy and sadness, elation and tragedy. At the end of the day, it's a story of survival, and I think that makes it all the more relatable.

In a way, Das Boot can be seen as a difficult film to enjoy, especially being an individual outside of Germany. Although you never really get the sense that these men are Nazis, that's basically what they are and will be throughout the film's entirety. Sure, they may have their reservations about the leadership, but ultimately, they're the ones that I was raised to cheer against in films like Raiders of the Lost Ark or Schindler's List. The Nazi Party has become synonymous with evil, and humanizing a group of them could seem a little off-putting for some. But that's the wonder of the film - despite all the reasons to hate these men, you start to develop a sort of affection for them, to the point where you're crying with them and cheering with them. A lot of credit has to go to Petersen's direction, but the screenplay definitely sets this film up for its ultimate success.

Overall, Das Boot is a film that you should probably watch if you haven't already done so. Try to get the director's cut if you can, and definitely try to watch it all in one sitting. I'm not sure if it would have as much staying emotional power if you try to break it up into smaller chunks. It's easily one of the best war films I have ever seen, and as you'll see below the picture, it ranks as one of the greatest films I've had the chance to witness. So give it a chance as well - I doubt you'll be disappointed.

Movie Review Summary:

Grade: A
2 Thumbs Up

Rankings
Best All-Time: #91

Movie Review: GOOD MORNING, VIETNAM

GOOD MORNING, VIETNAM

1987
R

Good Morning, Vietnam is a dramatic comedy directed by Barry Levinson that centers around an armed forces radio DJ during the Vietnam War. The film opens on the arrival of Adrian Cronauer (Robin Williams) upon his transfer from Greece to the conflict in Vietnam. He immediately starts his job as one of the new disc jockeys for the armed forces radio network, but his alternative approach to broadcasting, which deviates extremely from the status quo that the network had previously offered, meets immediate resistance from his superiors, Lt. Steven Hauk (Bruno Kirby) and Sgt. Major Dickerson (J.T. Walsh). However, the men stationed around the country quickly take a liking to Cronauer's broadcasts, making the decision to remove him from his seat all the more difficult for Dickerson and Hauk. Soon after his arrival, Cronauer meets and falls for a young Vietnamese woman named Trinh (Chintara Sukapatana) and befriends her brother Tuan (Tung Thanh Tran) in order to get into the family's good graces. He tries to balance his newfound friendships with the stress of his job, where he's quickly being censored from telling the troops the truth of what's really happening around Vietnam. Cronauer ultimately has to decide whether to act against his superiors' wishes or fall into step with them.

The first thing you're going to notice about this film is Robin Williams. He's one of the first people you see once the movie starts, and he's in almost every scene from that point on. I think it should be mentioned that Williams scored his first Academy Award nomination - for Best Actor - for this role (he ultimately lost to Michael Douglas for Wall Street), so even the Academy took a little bit of notice despite the comedic nature of the performance. Although I don't think it's his best performance, it definitely ranks near the top of Williams fare. When he has to draw it back and be dramatic, he does so with a fire and a power that truly resonates. And what can I say about his comedy? You should know that he ad-libs all of his radio broadcasts in the film - he's probably one of the only people who'd be as capable of doing so - and they prove to be brutally hilarious. Overall, Williams makes this film, which is good because I did have an issue with some other stuff. But more on that in a moment.

The rest of the cast fills out quite nicely, to be honest. There isn't a weak link anywhere in the film, and although there's no one else that quite reaches Williams' level of insanity, everyone plays their part as best they can. Kirby and Walsh are very good as our two main antagonists, and they easily make you want to hate them very quickly. Forest Whitaker also plays a very strong supporting role as Cronauer's best American friend, Edward Garlick. The two have a lot of over-the-top funny scenes - there's a good contrast between Cronauer's comedy and Garlick's dorkiness - but they also share some sentimental moments as well. I'd also like to give a shout out Cu Ba Nguyen, who plays openly gay bar owner Jimmy Wah. He doesn't have a huge role in the film, but whenever he's on-screen, it's almost impossible not to laugh.

I did have a tiny bit of issue with the screenplay, if only that it's a tad bit predictable. There's really only one major twist in the storyline, but I figured it out the moment they telegraphed it early in the film. It takes the rest of the film for everyone else to figure it out, and I thought that was a little bit lame. I just thought it was so blatant that it took me out of the movie for a little while. I eventually found my way back into the storyline, but for a while, I was just waiting for everyone to come to the ultimate realization I had already assumed. Aside from that, the screenplay is relatively strong. The story isn't anything brilliant, but it works well considering the brand of fare. The dialogue also works to the film's advantage, even if much of Williams' was ad-libbed on the spot. Ultimately, I look to that one little goof in predictability that keeps Good Morning, Vietnam from being a fantastic film. Fantastic films don't ever let you think outside of their immediate universe, but that little tidbit threw me out for a little while. Fortunately, it did enough to draw me back in.

I do want to make mention of the brilliant soundtrack used within the film. The orchestral score is good, but it's used rather sparingly. However, when you have a musical compilation that includes Them, The Grass Roots, The Beach Boys, James Brown, Wilson Pickett, Louis Armstrong and the Supremes (and many more!), you know you're in for an auditory treat. I don't know what it is about movies about Vietnam, but they all tend to have fantastic soundtracks. Maybe it's just the time period. Yeah, that's probably it. But Good Morning, Vietnam definitely knocks that pitch outta the park.

Overall, I don't know whether Good Morning, Vietnam is really going to be a movie that'll stick with me forever. Yeah, Robin Williams is great, but I could easily forget about this movie within the coming weeks. That being said, it's definitely worth a watch if you're in the mood. Just because you might forget it in the future doesn't mean it's not going to entertain you in the present. So give it a go and see how you feel. I'd bet you'd rather enjoy it.

Movie Review Summary:

Grade: B+
2 Thumbs Up

Movie Review: BLACK HAWK DOWN

BLACK HAWK DOWN

2001
R

I'd like to consider myself a bit of a movie buff. Most of my friends come to me for advice when picking what flick they should watch over the weekend. I can uncannily tell you the year that quite a few movies were released in a heartbeat. I'm not saying I'm the biggest movie fan, but I do have a bit of an obsession. Despite this, there are obviously quite a few movies that I have yet to see. I mean, I'm only twenty-two, and in the course of cinematic history, I find it difficult to think that anyone could have possibly seen every movie ever made. However, I had one friend who wouldn't take my critiques seriously until I saw The Godfather (which now rests at #18 all time for me), and I still get a lot of "How have you not seen that movie?" for any number of films. Black Hawk Down was one such movie, and I know I'm going to take a lot of flack for waiting this long to give it a gander, but worry no more, for I have finally seen it.

Black Hawk Down is a Ridley Scott film that tells the true story of the Battle of Mogadishu, which was a raid aimed at capturing two high-ranking officials serving warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid in Somalia. The film follows the ensemble cast that comprises a group of Army Rangers as well as Delta Force operatives who attempt to make the capture but are pinned inside the city when one of their Black Hawk choppers is shot down. The rest of the movie shows the frantic efforts of the soldiers and the higher-ranking officers to get all of their men out of the hostile area of the city.

The filmmakers placed some lofty expectations on this film by having the opening title card read the following quote from the Greek philosopher Plato: "Only the dead have seen the end of war." That's a rather deep and thought-provoking quote to start a war movie, don't you think? I think it sets the stage for the hope that Black Hawk Down will be a war movie with something more. It was a gutsy call, essentially making the audience say, "Alright, now you better back it up and give us something good." And boy, do they ever back it up.

The first thing you're going to notice about the movie, especially if you're watching it now in 2011, is the huge amount of familiar faces. When the film was released in 2001, a lot of these guys hadn't yet made a name for themselves, but now, we've got some heavy-hitters and A-listers giving fine performances all the way around. To give you an idea of how deep of a cast we've got, let me list the men you should recognize most easily (and why you'll recognize them):

Eric Bana (from Hulk and Troy)
Ewan McGregor (as Obi-Wan Kenobi from the Star Wars prequels)
Ioan Gruffudd (as Mr. Incredible from the Fantastic Four films)
Jason Isaacs (as Lucius Malfoy from the Harry Potter franchise)
Jeremy Piven (as Ari Gold from "Entourage")
Josh Hartnett (from Pearl Harbor and 40 Days and 40 Nights)
Orlando Bloom (from The Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean)
Tom Sizemore (from Heat and Saving Private Ryan)
William Fichtner (from Armageddon and The Longest Yard)

Now, I recognized quite a few more people, but they're probably not actors you'd recognize instantly like the ones listed above. Normally, I'd be against having so many recognizable actors in a movie (although that wasn't the problem ten years ago, it left open the possibility for Black Hawk Down to age poorly with too many big-names shoved into one flick), but somehow, it works this time around. We never get a huge, get-to-know-you stage for any one of the characters although some get a little more than others. In a way, the film's screenplay keeps the audience at arm's length from the action, the carnage and the pain, which you can either take or leave. However, the fact that it was written that way helps to counter the fact that we've got a big, big cast and doesn't let the individual stars take over the ensemble piece. That's a huge plus.

The pacing of Black Hawk Down is fantastic as well. For the first hour of the battle, we're nearly going along in real-time with the soldiers while they fight their way to the downed chopper. After that, we have to take jumps in time - otherwise we'd be watching a fifteen-hour movie. Ridley Scott does a great job with directing, never taking his foot off the gas once he's slammed it to the floor. The end result is a high-speed, ultra-realistic war movie that leaves you utterly breathless.

It's difficult to make a war movie that's more than just a glorified action flick. A lot of times, we end up with movies that start out well but simply fall into the same rote shoot-em-ups. Black Hawk Down, however, carries an aura of something more, and I think, going in, the filmmakers knew exactly what they had. Perhaps that Plato quote wasn't as gutsy a call as we would have thought in the beginning.

Movie Review Summary:

Grade: A-
Current All-Time Rank: Best - #121
2 Thumbs Up

Movie Review: JOHN RABE

JOHN RABE

2010
Not Rated

You can watch the trailer here

I found this movie while randomly searching through the foreign film section of NetFlix's Instant Watch films. I'm definitely glad I took a chance on it.

John Rabe (pronounced rah-buh), which was directed by Florian Gallenberger, tells the true story of a German businessman running a Siemens factory in Nanking, China in the late 1930s before the start of the second World War. When the Japanese start to bomb Nanking, Rabe (Ulrich Tukur) decides to aid the Chinese workers in his factory, many of whom he had known for the majority of his twenty-seven years in China. After the initial attacks, Rabe and his wife Dora (Dagmar Manzel) attempt to flee to safety, but John stays behind only to see his wife's boat attacked and destroyed before his very eyes. He falls into a state of depression but maintains his resolve to help the Chinese by creating a "safety zone" within the city that they hope the Japanese will acknowledge. With the help of a college teacher (Anne Consigny), a doctor (Steve Buscemi) and a young German idealist (Daniel Brühl), John Rabe does everything in his power to help the Chinese people while keeping the Japanese forces at as great of a distance as possible.

To start, I'd like to say that John Rabe is as much a foreign film as 2001's No Man's Land - yes, there are scenes in languages other than English, but there's also plenty of screen-time with characters speaking only English. If I had to break it down, I'd say that this film is about forty percent German, thirty-five percent English, twenty percent Japanese and five percent Chinese. We get the whole package when it comes to the languages, so I guess it's fair to call this a "foreign language" film. However, there's no mistaking that this was a German-made and produced feature, so that can't be taken away from it.

That being said, the screenplay is actually pretty good. Despite the constant change in language, I never felt lost with the story or the dialogue. I think that the story was conveyed as best as it possibly could have been, although there were a few scenes that probably didn't need to be left off the cutting room floor. I think that the writers did a decent job giving us some very emotional scenes that expressed the gravity of the viciousness of the situation in Nanking, so that's also a plus. I don't really have any qualms about the screenplay - it's just solid if not fantastic.

The acting is also very good all-around. Tukur is splendid as our lead, a historical figure I had never heard of before seeing this movie (which may be a bit of a shame considering all he did). He conveys his emotions in a very quiet manner, and I think that made his character all the more likable. Tukur made me want to root for Rabe to succeed in his endeavor. Brühl is also very good in his supporting role, and if you recognize him, there's a good reason - he played Pvt. Fredrick Zoller in 2009's Inglourious Basterds. Even Buscemi gives a great performance in a completely surprise role (yes, I was utterly speechless when he showed up on the screen; apparently I need to do a little more research before I watch these movies...).

Overall, it's definitely a film worth watching, especially if you're a history buff or are interested in wartime films. It's an interesting story that made me think about Schindler's List quite a bit, but it's nowhere as good as that masterpiece. Still, John Rabe should be seen if only to advance a little bit of historical knowledge in somewhat entertaining fashion.

Movie Review Summary:
Grade: B
Thumb... Mostly Up

Addition to Awards
2010: 1 nomination