Look at me, you see my face, call the cops, I saw your's too

After a heated battle, our favorite actor turned director is...Dirty Harry himself, Clint Eastwood, and why shouldn't he. With movies like Million Dollar Baby (best picture/director of '05), Mystic River (nominated for best picture/director '04), Gran Tarino, The Changeling. All great films.

For our movie review of:

The Town

This movie comes from the mind of Ben Afflec. Written and directed, this is Afflec's second shot at having sole creativity of a film. Gone Baby Gone was his first attempt which got high acclaim (and which I have never seen, and has just moved up to the next 10 movies in my Netflix que). The movie follows some townies from Charlsetown, MA, right outside of the city of Boston. Charlestown, according to the movie, is known for bank robberies and producing the best there is in the trade. The movie follows Doug MacRay (Ben Afflec, Dazed and Confused, Dogma, Gigli) who is an experienced thief and has lived his entire life in the business. His best friend Jim (Jermey Renner, S.W.A.T., North Country, The Hurt Locker) is part of his crew, who lay terror to banks all over the city of Boston. After a a bank robbery/hostage situation, Doug (Afflec) falls in love with said hostage. Drama ensues.

I had a great great time at the movies with this film. I must say Ben Afflec, as a writer/director is a very talented human being, Ben Afflec as the actor isn't as talented. The acting in this movie is top notch from small roles to main roles, accept Afflec, didn't much care for him. Jeremy Renner's character, for me, stole the show. He plays such a good, rouge-type with a short fuse. I really enjoyed the performance of Rebecca Hall (The Prestige, Vicky Christina Barcelona, Frost/Nixon) who, in my eyes is absolutely GORGEOUS! She played the hostage, turned love interest. Jon Hamm (The Day the Earth Stood Still, A Single Man) plays the head FBI agent trying to stop the bandits, who is at the edge of his ropes and will do what ever it takes to bring them down. Blake Lively (The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Accepted) takes on a pretty serious role compared to some of her latter ones, as the drugged up, love-him-can't-have him, maybe babies-mama of Aflec. Pete Postlethwaite (Hamlet, The Last of the Mohicans, Dragon Heart) is a great character actor who usually always fly's under the radar. He plays Fergie who is an Irish head gangster type who sets up all the jobs and he steals his few mins of screentime as well.

The story is set up great so that there is a lot of anticipation, a lot of build up, and you really start to care about the characters. There was a moment in the movie where I was getting a little restless. I had heard great things and was starting to wonder where these claims came from. Well the last 35-40 mins is so fun and entertaining, the payoff is well worth the time setup to feel for these characters.The setting was unreal, as it was filmed all in Boston. I'm a huge fan of car chases in films, and there is an unbelievable one set on the tiny, narrow streets of Boston. Heart pounding happens!

The one problem I did have was when Afflec went to meet Halls character. He was set to follow her and keep and eye on her. Obviosuly this wouldn't be a movie if he didn't start to get smitten with her. While she starts to open up about what happened to her, the dialogue was kind of awkward in the way Afflec was asking questions about the robbery. Just didn't fit for me.

The film did seem similar to Heat, which seems to follow the same storyline. This is my last job, fall in love, shoot out in open city. Afflec did a great job behind the camera, and a great job at making and entertaining movie, I'm excited for his next film.

Now for everyone's favorite game....GUESS THAT QUOTE!!!

1) "What do you guys want out of life?" "To die and come back as a leotard"
2) "I need your cloths, boots and your motorcycle" "You forgot to say please"
3) "I don't want a large farva, I want a goddamn litre o cola!"
4) "Snakes, why'd it have to be snakes?" "Asps...very dangerous. You go first."
5) "Do you believe that my being stronger or faster has anything to do with my muscles in this place? Do you think that's air you're breathing now?

Netflix Instant Watch of the Week: Fools Rush In. I'm not normally a romcom kinda guy but I got a soft side for Salma Hayek and Matthew Perry. It's a rather entertaining movie, with your cliche romcom story themes and plot moments. The humor from Perry however makes it worth while, and Salma Hayek is smoking hot. YOWSERS!

Netflix DVD of the Week: Rushmore. Wes Anderson is an ingenious director/writer. Not only are his movie hilarious, awkward and thoughtful, they are beautiful to watch them unfold. Rushmore has to by my favorite of the Wes Anderson movies. If you get a chance check out his stuff. Tells the hilarious story of a student who falls in love with his teacher, who gets double crossed by his friend who is about 30 years older then him. Great stuff!

A little movie news:

3-D Starwars
As the world turns, movies get put into 3-d, and so be it. I'm no advocate for 3-d but I love when 3-d is done well and adds something to the film (Avatar, How to Train Your Dragon). I don't agree with the idea that EVERYTHING HAS TO BE 3d. That's just silly. However Starwars is already and established, achieved franchise and to add 3d is just to add a bit of fun. Starting in 2012, each movie is going to be remastered for 3d theatres. Each year starting in 2012, a film will be shown, starting with The Phantom Menace and ending with Return of the Jedi. I think this will be fun seeing as I never got to see the original 3 movies on the big screen. That means I still have to wait until 2015 for that, but hey I'll get excited now. Here's the article from slashfilm.com http://www.slashfilm.com/2010/09/28/3d-star-wars-releases-reportedly-set-to-begin-in-2012/

Sally Menke passes away
I can't say that I knew who this women was, by name, but I did know her work. Sally Menke has been Quentin Tarantino's editor since he wrote and directed Reservoir Dogs all the way to Inglorious Basterds. Her work was done with such class and excellence. The style that QT has, I can only surmise, a lot to do with Menke working with him for so long, and learning and embracing what he was all about. Most people who know me, know I love QT. This is a sad day for film, and for QT lovers everywhere. Here's the full article on slashfilm.com http://www.slashfilm.com/2010/09/28/sally-menke-quentin-tarantinos-longtime-editor-has-died-at-56/

Again thanks for all the support, as soon as the Phillies are done (which I hope is in November after they win the World Series) I'll have more time to dabble.