MOVIE REVIEWS: I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE

IN THEATERS

I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE



The survivor of a vicious gang rape turns the tables on her attackers in this remake of director Meir Zarchi's notorious 1978 horror classic. In order to seek inspiration for her next book, urbanite author Jennifer Hills (Sarah Butler) retreats to a secluded cabin in the woods. Little does Jennifer realize that she's just caught the attention of some particularly depraved locals, and her peaceful retreat is about to become a living hell. At first the sadistic intruders attempt to frighten Jennifer by breaking into her cabin, but then the attack gets out of hand. Desperate to escape after being badly brutalized, Jennifer throws herself into the river and allows her body to be carried away by the rapids. When her attackers fail to locate her corpse, they assume she is dead and return to their normal lives. But Jennifer isn't dead, and she doesn't forgive. Her attackers will pay for what they did, and nothing they say or do can prevent her from savaging them in the worst way imaginable before she sends them to hell screaming. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Steven R. Monroe

Cast: Sarah Butler, Daniel Franzese, Jeff Branson, Chad Lindberg, Andrew Howard, Rodney Eastman

Release Date: Oct 08, 2010

Rated R for pervasive strong sadistic brutal violence, rape and torture, nudity and language

Runtime: 1 hr. 47 min.

Genres: Drama

Review:

The original I Spit on Your Grave is the type of movie that generally reviled by the most and while I can’t say I ever enjoyed it, I did get its significance in exploitation movie history. When word came down that it was being remade, the next left me kind of perplexed mainly because it’s not anything people had been clamoring for and because the original is such a product of it’s time. At this point in time most of the exploitative aspects of the film that made it shocking aren’t as shocking nowadays. The remake doesn’t shy away from the more repugnant aspect of the film, it’s is a rape revenge film after all but it doesn’t push the boundaries either. Hence when the film is over, you’re left wondering if the whole enterprise was a misguided attempt to capture something that can’t be captured anymore, the limits of excess have been routinely pushed over the last 30 years. As a film, the remake is an admirable attempt at beefing up a film which was never a perfect creation. Monroe succeeds in making the film more dense and a more rounded out experience. The cast is fairly consistent throughout with Butler doing most of the heavy lifting. Butler has an impressive ability to display strength and determination especially after the assault. The cast of redneck miscreants are solid if fairly clichéd, Andrew Howard has the most interesting role one which wasn’t in the original. The film though has a lot of flaws and the most glaring being serious gaps in logic and a nonsensical timeline. It’s a solid attempt to improve on the original but not by such a large degree that it validates its existence or necessity.

C

MOVIE REVIEW: THE SOCIAL NETWORK

IN THEATERS

THE SOCIAL NETWORK



The remarkable story behind Facebook comes to the big screen with this Columbia Pictures production scripted by The West Wing's Aaron Sorkin and directed by David Fincher (Fight Club, Zodiac). The year was 2003. Computer programming wizard Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) was a Harvard undergrad when he laid the foundation for a social networking website that would revolutionize the way we communicate. Six years later the ambitious entrepreneur made his first million -- but that was just the beginning. Despite all of Zuckerberg's wealth and success, his personal life began to suffer as he became marred in legal disputes, and discovered that many of the 500 million people he had friended during his rise to the top were eager to see him fall. Justin Timberlake co-stars as Napster co-creator Sean Parker, with Andrew Garfield filling the role of ousted Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin. The Social Network is based on the book The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: David Fincher

Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Justin Timberlake, Andrew Garfield, Rashida Jones.

Release Date: Oct 01, 2010

Rated: Language, drug and alcohol use and sexual content

Runtime: 2 hr. 1 min.

Genres: Drama

Review:

My favorite filmmakers can make me watch films about subjects I’d never give another thought about. Most recently Paul Thomas Anderson had me thoroughly intrigued with turn of the century oil prospectors and now David Fincher has me terribly interested in the creation and founding of Facebook. I’ll be honest, when I heard that a movie about Facebook was in the works, I was terribly skeptical but when Fincher was tapped to direct and with Aaron Sorkin doing the script my interest was piqued. Within the first 10 minutes of the film, any concerns I may have had about the film were laid to rest with a rapid fire character establishing segment that covers more ground than some characters. Sorkin’s script sizzles throughout and Fincher’s direction is incredibly impressive, throw in a subtle but engaging musical score provided by Trent Reznor. Jesse Eisenberg is top notch in the lead role adding multiple layers to his character outside of his general nervous guy routine. Eisenberg makes Zuckerberg come across as terribly detached and cold but insanely intelligent and quick witted. Andrew Garfield is equally impressive as the overly compassionate and naïve Eduardo Saverin, he should probably receive a supporting Oscar nod for his work here, serving as a wonderful ying to Zuckerberg’s yang. Armie Hammer does double duty as the Winklevoss twin which is done with such technical precision that you’d never know it was 1 guy playing both roles. Justin Timberlake boarders on cartoonish as Napster founder Sean Parker showing up for a portion of the third act but disappears before the finale. Rooney Mara is the closest thing to a female character in the film and she has a total of 2 scenes. It’s a minor issue and doesn’t detract from Fincher’s work as he captures an energy and moment, even if the truth is somewhat fictionalized, of an era.

A

Paranormal Activity 2 - Official Trailer 2

Coen Brothers True Grit Trailer

Coen Brothers' adaptation of the book, not a remake of the John Wayne movie, and amazing cast, this one looks like it'll be a winner.

MOVIE REVIEWS: EASY A

IN THEATERS

EASY A



Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter is re-imagined as a contemporary high school comedy in this tale of a scheming student who plots to give her popularity a boost by painting herself the easiest lay in school. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Will Gluck

Cast: Emma Stone, Penn Badgley, Amanda Bynes, Thomas Haden Church, Lisa Kudrow, Stanley Tucci, Patricia Clarkson

Release Date: Sep 17, 2010

Rated: Mature thematic elements involving teen sexuality, language and some drug material

Runtime: 1 hr. 33 min.

Genres: Comedy

Review:

Quick witted, smart and just incredibly likable, Easy A should be Emma Stone’s coming out party. Director Will Gluck is fully aware that the film’s strength is it’s cast and script so he keeps it nice and tight. Gluck moves the story along at a brisk pace and he keeps Emma Stone front and center. Stone is more than up for the task and delivers her lines with a wonderful deadpan delivery. She brings an instant likeability and authenticity to her role. She owns the screen uses excellent comedic timing to keep you laughing throughout. The supporting cast is equally impressive. Thomas Haden Church, Lisa Kudrow, Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson all have limited screen time but each make an impression. Amanda Bynes is decent if a tad over the top as school Bible beater. Easy A is the type of movie that light while dealing with some interesting topics about the current world kids live in. It’s not a message movie and that’s alright. What it is is an incredibly funny comedy that’s gives movies like Mean Girls a run for its money. The wonderful Emma Stone keeps proving that she’s a force to be reckoned with in comedy.

A

Possible Voltron movie concept art

Being a child of the 80's, Transformer, Voltron and Robotech pretty much dominated my TV watching when I was growing up.

Michael Bay has done what he's done with Transformers and while the Robotech film has been in production hell for the better part of the last 5 years, Toby Maguire is producing. Voltron had been a project that I'd pretty much assumed had died after it'd been hinted at a few years ago.

Told via Joblo we get these possible concept art for the movie, see below.

If anything comes of it, time will tell but it's interesting to see. High res shots can be seen at http://www.joblo.com/index.php?id=33872