CBGB 2013

A look at the New York City punk-rock scene and the venerable nightclub, CBGB. Director: Randall Miller  

Writers: Jody Savin, Randall Miller  
Stars: Alan Rickman, Malin Akerman, Justin Bartha  

Storyline
CBGB follows the story of Hilly Kristal's New York club from its conceit as a venue for Country, Bluegrass and Blues (CBGB) to what it ultimately became: the birthplace of underground rock 'n roll and punk. When Kristal had difficulty booking country bands in his club on the Bowery he opened his doors to other kinds of rock music. Kristal had one demand of the acts he booked; they could only play original music. No top 40's, no covers. It was the credo he lived by, support the artist at whatever the cost. Hilly Kristal ironically became known as the godfather of punk giving a chance to such bands as Blondie, Television, Ramones, Talking Heads, Dead Boys and The Police.  

Review
Look, full disclosure: I didn't have any of the baggage of ever hearing of or being at CBGB. I lied to get into the preview: (I'm sixty one and the cutoff was 60). I didn't fancy myself a fan of punk. Didn't really even know what it was. I LOVED this movie start to finish. The story, the texture, the music all lifted me into a different world. The cuts between this punk magazine and this story amazed me as they worked. The music is a dream collection and the quirky story of the accidental birth of this genre of music made me smile end to end. That there is a Jewish back story to punk music, the Godfather of punk, the lunacy of swastika sporting musicians given their chance in life by a Yid, just made it the sweeter. If this movie makes it to your area ever (which it probably won't in Portland, Oregon), race to it and enjoy!

Escape from Tomorrow

In a world of fake castles and anthropomorphic rodents, an epic battle begins when an unemployed father's sanity is challenged by a chance encounter with two underage girls on holiday.  

Director: Randy Moore  
Writer: Randy Moore  
Stars: Roy Abramsohn, Elena Schuber, Katelynn Rodriguez  

Storyline In a world of fake castles and anthropomorphic rodents, an epic battle begins when an unemployed father's sanity is challenged by a chance encounter with two underage girls on holiday.

About Time (In theaters October 17)

At the age of 21, Tim discovers he can travel in time and change what happens and has happened in his own life. His decision to make his world a better place by getting a girlfriend turns out not to be as easy as you might think.  

Director: Richard Curtis  
Writer: Richard Curtis (screenplay)
Stars: Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams, Bill Nighy  

Storyline
At the age of 21, Tim Lake (Domhnall Gleeson) discovers he can travel in time... The night after another unsatisfactory New Year party, Tim's father (Bill Nighy) tells his son that the men in his family have always had the ability to travel through time. Tim can't change history, but he can change what happens and has happened in his own life-so he decides to make his world a better place...by getting a girlfriend. Sadly, that turns out not to be as easy as you might think. Moving from the Cornwall coast to London to train as a lawyer, Tim finally meets the beautiful but insecure Mary (Rachel McAdams). They fall in love, then an unfortunate time-travel incident means he's never met her at all. So they meet for the first time again-and again-but finally, after a lot of cunning time-traveling, he wins her heart. Tim then uses his power to create the perfect romantic proposal, to save his wedding from the worst best-man speeches, to save his best friend from professional disaster and to ...  

Review
Really surprised by this one;was expecting the run of the mill rom-com, but it is so much more than that; it's about family and the smiles and cries of life. The whole film was filled with charm, wit and had its fair share of heartfelt moments. Time travel is a subject that has been visited many times in the film industry, but this had its own unique touch to it.

The film flows really nicely, it oozes class at some points. And the mere thought of having the ability to travel back in time sends your mind into a whirlwind of what-ifs? The acting is superb by all, but Bill Nighy was my favourite as Tim's Dad. When on screen with Domhnall Gleeson (Tim), the connection is very convincing and it was those scenes that i enjoyed the most. A very good film and worthy of a viewing by any standards

Bad Grandpa (In theaters October 24)

86-year-old Irving Zisman is on a journey across America with the most unlikely companion: his 8 year-old grandson, Billy.  

Director: Jeff Tremaine  
Writers: Fax Bahr (story), Spike Jonze (story), 3 more credits »  
Stars: Johnny Knoxville, Jackson Nicoll, Spike Jonze  

Storyline
Eighty-six-year-old Irving Zisman is on a journey across America with the most unlikely companion: his eight-year-old grandson Billy, in "Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa". This October, the signature Jackass characters Irving Zisman (Johnny Knoxville) and Billy (Jackson Nicoll) will take movie audiences along for the most insane hidden camera road trip ever captured on camera. Along the way Irving will introduce the young and impressionable Billy to people, places, and situations that give new meaning to the term "childrearing". The duo will encounter male strippers, disgruntled child beauty pageant contestants (and their equally disgruntled mothers), funeral home mourners, biker bar patrons, and a whole lot of unsuspecting citizens. Real people in unreal situations, making for one really messed up comedy.

The Counselor (In theaters November 28)

A lawyer finds himself in over his head when he gets involved in drug trafficking.  

Director: Ridley Scott  
Writer: Cormac McCarthy  
Stars: Brad Pitt, Goran Visnjic, Michael Fassbender  

Storyline: A lawyer finds himself in over his head when he gets involved in drug trafficking.

All Is Lost

After a collision with a shipping container at sea, a resourceful sailor finds himself, despite all efforts to the contrary, staring his mortality in the face.  

Director: J.C. Chandor  
Writer: J.C. Chandor  
Stars: Robert Redford  

Storyline
Deep into a solo voyage in the Indian Ocean, an unnamed man (Redford) wakes to find his 39-foot yacht taking on water after a collision with a shipping container left floating on the high seas. With his navigation equipment and radio disabled, the man sails unknowingly into the path of a violent storm. Despite his success in patching the breached hull, his mariner's intuition and a strength that belies his age, the man barely survives the tempest. Using only a sextant and nautical maps to chart his progress, he is forced to rely on ocean currents to carry him into a shipping lane in hopes of hailing a passing vessel. But with the sun unrelenting, sharks circling and his meager supplies dwindling, the ever-resourceful sailor soon finds himself staring his mortality in the face.  

Review
I entered the movie theater in Cannes without any expectation. Mr. Redford looked very confident as he past by to get a seat. I later understood why. He performed a rock solid act the whole movie through. He managed to play the role in a way that made me feel like it was happening that very moment, making me feel sympathy with the character. The plot and storyline where well put together but I still felt that there where times that left out possible events which could have made the movie either happier or darker.

However I felt that the middle path was chosen. Over all I really enjoyed the movie but I felt something missing why I was pending between a 6 and a 7 in rating. Also, the sound effects and way of building up the movie without music where really well performed.

Gravity (2013)

A medical engineer and an astronaut work together to survive after an accident leaves them adrift in space.  

Director: Alfonso Cuarón  
Writers: Alfonso Cuarón, Jonás Cuarón
Stars: Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, Ed Harris  

Storyline
A medical engineer and an astronaut work together to survive after an accident leaves them adrift in space.  

User Reviews
The film is a visual masterpiece. Yes there is a lot of CGI of course (basically everything you see on screen is fake) but it never felt like it. For once, the 3D definitely adds something to the experience. You get the depth of field you need to truly experience the movie and feel as through you're right there with Sandra. She gives an absolutely stunning performance, acting to absolutely nothing, yet always being right on the spot. If you get a chance to see Gravity in theatres, go for it, especially if you see it in 3D (even if you usually hate 3D, believe me, it's worth it.) Alfonso Cuarón has outdone himself with this film, it's definitely a must see for sci-fi lovers.

12 Years a Slave (In theaters October 31)

In the antebellum United States, Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery.  

Director: Steve McQueen  
Writers: John Ridley (screenplay), Solomon Northup (based on "Twelve Years a Slave" by)  
Stars: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael K. Williams, Michael Fassbender  

Storyline
Based on an incredible true story of one man's fight for survival and freedom. In the pre-Civil War United States, Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery. Facing cruelty (personified by a malevolent slave owner, portrayed by Michael Fassbender), as well as unexpected kindnesses, Solomon struggles not only to stay alive, but to retain his dignity. In the twelfth year of his unforgettable odyssey, Solomon's chance meeting with a Canadian abolitionist (Brad Pitt) will forever alter his life.

Review
Overall, this film had a great narrative, strong performances from the entire cast, and I would definitely recommend this film. I do have two complaints, though. I too felt that the ending was a bit abrupt. In all fairness, I'm not sure what kind of closure I was expecting but I felt like much was left unsaid. My biggest gripe of all has to be the torture scene I mentioned above in which Patsey (Nyong'o) yells something to Solomon and it just had John Ridley's over the top style written all over it. According to Solomon Northup's biography this exchange did not happen so why did Ridley feel the need to add such a dramatic statement? What was the need to create sexual(?) tension between Patsey and Solomon's character? The same could be said about a speech Solomon gives in the film. That too was fiction and not realistic but I guess they did that to emphasize on their message on hope.

Baggage Claim (2013)

Pledging to keep herself from being the oldest and the only woman in her entire family never to wed, Montana embarks on a thirty-day, thirty-thousand-mile expedition to charm a potential suitor into becoming her fiancé.  

Director: David E. Talbert  
Writer: David E. Talbert (screenplay)
Stars: Paula Patton, Taye Diggs, Jill Scott  

Storyline
Determined to get engaged before her youngest sister's wedding, flight attendant Montana Moore (Paula Patton) finds herself with only 30 days to find Mr. Right. Using her airline connections to "accidentally" meet up with eligible ex-boyfriends and scour for potential candidates, she racks up more than 30,000 miles and countless comedic encounters, all the while searching for the perfect guy.

Don Jon (2013)

A New Jersey guy dedicated to his family, friends, and church, develops unrealistic expectations from watching porn and works to find happiness and intimacy with his potential true love.  

Director: Joseph Gordon-Levitt  
Writer: Joseph Gordon-Levitt  
Stars: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore  

Storyline
Jon Martello objectifies everything in his life: his apartment, his car, his family, his church, and, of course, women. His buddies even call him Don Jon because of his ability to pull "10s" every weekend without fail. Yet even the finest flings don't compare to the transcendent bliss he achieves alone in front of the computer watching pornography. Dissatisfied, he embarks on a journey to find a more gratifying sex life, but ends up learning larger lessons of life and love through relationships with two very different women.  

User Reviews
Great directorial debut from JGL 8 March 2013 | by donokun (United States)

I saw this at a pre-screening for SXSW and I was really impressed. Joseph Gordon-Levitt really holds his own as a writer/director, and it was nice to see him in a role I hadn't really considered him "right" for. Scarlett Johansen and Julianne Moore are both wonderful as well. Basically, you should see this if you get the chance. It's funny, charming, different, and tells a great story that ends up going in a direction I hadn't anticipated.

This movie basically tells the story of a young guido (Gordon-Levitt) who has a porn addiction and ends up in a relationship with Scarlett Johansen's character. One thing leads to another, blah blah blah.... you'll see when you see it. I don't want to give too much away. Anyway, yeah! Really good movie, great directorial debut, and a well told story. I'd recommend this film.

Rush I (2013)

A re-creation of the merciless 1970s rivalry between Formula One rivals James Hunt and Niki Lauda.  

Director: Ron Howard Writer: Peter Morgan (screenplay)
Stars: Daniel Brühl, Chris Hemsworth, Olivia Wilde  

Storyline
Set against the sexy, glamorous golden age of Formula 1 racing in the 1970s, the film is based on the true story of a great sporting rivalry between handsome English playboy James Hunt (Hemsworth), and his methodical, brilliant opponent, Austrian driver Niki Lauda (Bruhl). The story follows their distinctly different personal styles on and off the track, their loves and the astonishing 1976 season in which both drivers were willing to risk everything to become world champion in a sport with no margin for error: if you make a mistake, you die.  

User Reviews
What a breath of fresh air... A brilliant film in every respect. I was lucky enough to this movie at a special preview and I cant tell you how great a film this is... At first you think its about racing cars, but its not it really does give you an insight into the human condition... The rivalry between Hunt and Lauder is just played brilliantly... The race sequences are superb, really taking you back to the 70s...

The heyday of this awesome sport. It shows the end of an era where the gentlemen drivers begin to give way to professional sportsmen and the end (in my opinion) of the excitement of the sport. It shows what a pale reflection today's F1 is of this once great sport, and what great characters we have lost... A real must see movie

Runner Runner

When a poor college student who cracks an online poker game goes bust, he arranges a face-to-face with the man he thinks cheated him, a sly offshore entrepreneur.

Director: Brad Furman Writers: Brian Koppelman, David Levien Stars: Ben Affleck, Justin Timberlake, Gemma Arterton

Storyline
Princeton grad student Richie, believing he's been swindled, travels to Costa Rica to confront online gambling tycoon Ivan Block. Richie is seduced by Block's promise of immense wealth, until he learns the disturbing truth about his benefactor. When the FBI tries to coerce Richie to help bring down Block, Richie faces his biggest gamble ever: attempting to outmaneuver the two forces closing in on him.  

Review
Justin Timberlake generally does well as Furst, wide-eyed and excited at first, troubled and harassed at the end. I liked his scenes with his father played by John Heard. I do not really expect much from Ben Affleck as an actor, and again here, he does not measure up. He is hardly believable as a nefarious gambling lord who could feed his enemies to crocodiles.

The beautiful Gemma Arterton is totally wasted here. She does not get to do much, and she does not have any chemistry with any of the men she is supposed to be in liaisons with. Anthony Mackie plays the FBI agent too over-the-top to be convincing. The story was too familiar to be exciting. The relationship of Justin and Ben (and Gemma, for that matter) were too dry to be engaging. The gambling jargon was too hard to follow to be interesting. The ending is too obvious to be worth the time spent watching.

Prisoners (2013)

When Keller Dover's daughter and her friend go missing, he takes matters into his own hands as the police pursue multiple leads and the pressure mounts. But just how far will this desperate father go to protect his family?  

Director: Denis Villeneuve  
Writer: Aaron Guzikowski  
Stars: Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis  

Storyline
How far would you go to protect your family? Keller Dover is facing every parent's worst nightmare. His six-year-old daughter, Anna, is missing, together with her young friend, Joy, and as minutes turn to hours, panic sets in. The only lead is a dilapidated RV that had earlier been parked on their street. Heading the investigation, Detective Loki arrests its driver, Alex Jones, but a lack of evidence forces his release. As the police pursue multiple leads and pressure mounts, knowing his child's life is at stake the frantic Dover decides he has no choice but to take matters into his own hands. But just how far will this desperate father go to protect his family?  

User Reviews
The director masterfully weaves the haunting atmosphere, and I was at the edge of my seat. The plot is a wonderful puzzle, unraveling slowly to reveal hidden layers of depth and complexity. The acting was wonderful, emotional and nuanced, with some unforgettable moments (The two leads - Gyllenhaal and Jackman - give their career best performances, but the biggest achievement in my opinion is Paul Dano's). The musical score contributes to a sense of dread, as well as the rich sound design and the chilly color palette of the breathtaking cinematography.

All those parts add up to a rare, gut-wrenching, dark and fascinating masterpiece - the kind that lingers with you long after the credits roll.