The Box (2009) review

Norma (Cameron Diaz) and Arthur Lewis (James Marsden) don't seem to be any different than any other hardworking family in the late 1970s on the surface, but things aren't always what they seem. After a freak accident at the doctor's office when she was 18, Norma suffers from a disfigurement on her foot and has a noticeable limp. A student humiliates her in front of her class while she's teaching and Norma is under the impression that would be the worst part of her day until she's informed that the discount faculty had been getting on tuition would be cut next semester. Meanwhile, Arthur works for NASA and had been counting on being recruited as an astronaut since he aced every test, but is rejected for failing the psychological exam. Already living paycheck to paycheck, Norma and Lewis wonder how they'll support their son Walter and themselves until an opportunity presents itself in the form of a box. Arlington Steward (Frank Langella), a man who's missing half of his face, shows up at the Lewis home and makes them an offer that could solve all of their financial situations at the expense of somebody else with the simple push of a button. But the consequences that unfold for Norma and Arthur ar far greater than what they bargained for.

Richard Kelly is capable of making pretty fantastic films. Donnie Darko is still his crowning achievement. People seem to either love the film or think it's highly overrated, but with repeat viewings over the years it's become a favorite and has a cult like status. Southland Tales showed promise, but just felt like the second half of an already established franchise. That turned out to be true when the three graphic novels were published and were recommended to be read before seeing the film. I admire the fact that they took a different approach to the filmwatching experience, but since I didn't hear about the reading material until after I saw the film it seemed like a lost cause. Possibly too much to be bothered with. So Kelly offers his take on a Twilight Zone episode with The Box and the result leaves the viewer with mixed reactions.

The film seems to drag a bit in the first half hour as it introduces us to the Lewis family. The box is dropped off on their doorstep, but then we're offered a glimpse into the daily lives of Norma and Arthur Lewis; mostly what their careers and daily struggles are like. Once Mr. Steward shows up and explains what the box does is when the film begins to gain momentum. From that point until around the time Arthur gets knee deep into his investigation is when The Box is at its peak. There's at least one twist in there that's actually pretty satisfying, but it's unfortunate that the film can't keep that up for its entire duration. From then on, it just seems like the film adds more and more weird plot twists and ridiculous explanations. You'll want the film to have ended 20 minutes prior by the time Mr. Steward makes his second offer to the Lewis family.

The dialogue seemed to fluctuate between sounding natural and sounding forced throughout the film. The film takes place in 1976 and it's established rather well, for the most part. At times, it felt like some of the dialect from today slipped through the cracks and made it into a film that took place over 30 years ago. The acting wasn't entirely satisfying either. Was Cameron Diaz's accent noticeable in the trailer for the film? It didn't really click until around the five minute mark of the actual film and seemed to kind of come and go depending on how much dialogue Diaz actually had in a particular scene. Frank Langella was the most enjoyable, but if he wasn't missing half of his face or being so mysterious then his character would probably be kind of dull since he doesn't actually show any range of emotion in the film. The CG also seemed to look a bit low budget during the three gateways scene, which is odd since the pool scene was pulled off incredibly well. With all of these superbly CG animated films coming out as of late like Disney-Pixar's Up, Disney's A Christmas Carol, and even next year's Toy Story 3, if CG of a lower quality is contained in a film after that it becomes extremely evident in comparison.

Richard Kelly's The Box puts a modern day spin on a classic story and while it isn't entirely satisfying, it does have its high points. As the puzzle the film is wrapped in unravels, its first few reveals are interesting, but it was like they tried to cram in as many twists and turns as possible as the film went on. While Kelly has at least one great film under his belt, it seems like he still hasn't found a specific stride to being a great director. That doesn't mean he's not capable of doing so and he certainly has his trademarks that seem to bleed through in his films (usually something relating to another gateway or dimension), but that he hasn't been able to channel a similar formula to what made Donnie Darko such a standout film. That, in itself, is disappointing.

Theatrical Release Date: November 6, 2009

Director: Richard Kelly

Genre: drama, mystery, thriller

Runtime: 115 min

Cast: Cameron Diaz as Norma Lewis
James Marsden as Arthur Lewis
Frank Langella as Arlington Steward
Sam Oz Stone as Walter Lewis
Gillian Jacobs as Dana

Overall Rating: 6/10

Jennifer's Body (2009) review

Devil's Kettle is a small town where everyone knows everybody. The story revolves around the relationship between Needy (Amanda Seyfried) and Jennifer (Megan Fox) and other than having similar interests, the two are polar opposites. Needy is more of the quiet, girl next door type that is a bit of a bookworm with a heart of gold whereas Jennifer is more spontaneous, mean spirited, and the stuck-up, hot cheerleader type that every high school boy seems to dream about being with. One night, Jennifer drags Needy to Melody Lane, the one bar in town, to see a new flavor of the week indie band called Low Shoulder. When the bar catches on fire and most of the people inside are crushed or burned in the destruction, Needy thinks that's where this horrible night gone wrong would end. That is until Jennifer decides to go off with the band in their van and Needy has to make her way back home alone. After that night, a demon is transferred into Jennifer's body with an unquenchable hunger for high school guys. As Needy begins to accept what's happened to her BFF, she realizes that she's the only one that has a chance of stopping Jennifer once and for all.

Other than Megan Fox, the other factor that was pushed really hard in the advertising campaign for Jennifer's Body was the fact that Diablo Cody, the screenwriter for Juno, was attached to this film. To be honest, I think Cody's contributions are what I enjoyed most. The dialogue and humor of the film are both witty and laugh out loud funny at times. The writing, in general, made what otherwise would have been your average horror film worth watching and fairly entertaining in the long run.

This is probably the best we've seen acting-wise when it comes to Megan Fox. She isn't much other than eye candy in the Transformers films and was just an egotistical tramp that just so happened to be a rising star in How To Lose Friends & Alienate People. Other than the demonic possession part, her role in Jennifer's Body isn't too different from her role in How To Lose Friends & Alienate People. I'd give most of the credit to Cody's great writing, but Fox is actually able to display a bit more of her acting range this time around. While it probably isn't much compared to, you know, actresses with talent and she sounds like she has a cold most of the time, it's more than what we've seen from the actress in the past and everyone has to start somewhere.

The storyline doesn't offer much fresh material when it comes to horror films, but it gets the job done. The ending offers a bit of a different take on what would otherwise be an ending that would leave room for a sequel. With the conclusion to Jennifer's Body, however, it's more open ended. They could stop here and it would be a fine stand alone film, but it leaves enough questions unanswered that a sequel could see the light of day. Since the movie only made around $18 million worldwide, a sequel seeing theatrical distribution seems unlikely. A direct to DVD sequel with B-actors is definitely a possibility though. Aren't they always with horror films?

Jennifer's Body is superbly written on one hand, but feels like a run of the mill horror film on the other. The high point is definitely the screenplay by Diablo Cody, who manages to make Megan Fox's acting abilities look better than they ever have. But it seems the films enjoyment will rest solely on the shoulders of how much you enjoy horror films that don't shy away from blood. If you're not a fan of horror, I'd recommend staying away from this one. But if you're a fan of great writing, quite a bit of blood, horror, or Megan Fox's sex appeal then you should definitely give this one a go.

Theatrical Release Date: September 18, 2009

DVD Release Date: December 29, 2009

Director: Karyn Kusama

Genre: comedy, horror, thriller

Runtime: 102 min

Cast: Megan Fox as Jennifer
Amanda Seyfried as Needy
Johnny Simmons as Chip
Adam Brody as Nikolai
J.K. Simmons as Mr. Wroblewski
Lance Henriksen as uncredited (cameo)

Overall Rating: 7.5/10

Vampires (1998) review

Image property of Columbia Pictures

A group of eccentric vampire hunters lead by the rugged and cold-hearted Jack Crow (James Woods) never really stop working. Taking great pride in the fruits of their labor, they work hard and play even harder as their celebrations after a job well done consist of alcohol flowing freely and plenty of women to take their minds off of work. But this particular job didn't go exactly as planned and it's weighing heavily on the mind of Jack Crow. Even after killing what's referred to as a "nest" of nine vampires, the master was no where to be found. Hardly a reason to celebrate in Jack's eyes. Unfortunately, his gut instinct was right as things get a hell of a lot worse for Jack's team when the master shows up to their little shindig. But this master is different from the others; stronger, more powerful, and why does he know Jack's name? There's something more elaborate going on and Jack Crow is going to find out exactly what it is while eradicating as many vampires as he possibly can along the way.

Judging by the ratings this film has (34% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, 5.8/10 on IMDb), I guess it's safe to say that this could be a guilty pleasure of mine. I love most of John Carpenter's work and I really enjoyed his take on vampires. Jack Crow is certainly reason alone to sit through this and although the character originated in John Steakley's novel, I feel Crow is just as strong of a character in Carpenter's world as Snake Plissken from Escape From New York. Even though he's basically a mean spirited SOB, you can't help but sympathize with the character as the film moves on. Considering all that's happened to him in his lifetime, he seems to be a decent guy deep down underneath that extremely thick and rough exterior. His dialogue was also a lot of fun. Gems such as him asking Father Adam Guiteau if he had wood after the fight they just had or when he's explaining the true mythos behind vampires and to "forget whatever you've seen in the movies" was just classic.

Other than Jack Crow, I actually really enjoyed the storyline which seemed to be a breaking point for a lot of people. A vampire seeking a black cross to finish a reverse exorcism, so he can walk in daylight without turning to dust. Only Carpenter could pull something like that off. Their methods of killing vampires were also a bit more original and unorthodox compared to other vampire films of the past. Jack Crow would shoot an arrow from a crossbow, which would be attached to a wire on the bottom of a jeep that would be reeled in by Daniel Baldwin's Anthony Montoya that would drag the vampire into the sunlight where their body would burst into flames. Maybe it's considered cheesy to some, but it was refreshing to see something different for a change. As big of a horror fan that I am, I don't really think of myself as a fan of vampires. I'm not sure if it's because I'm picky or because it seems like everything is being recycled when it comes to storylines in horror films these days, but I like to think when a vampire film does make an impact on me that it says more than the average horror film containing vampires.

John Carpenter, the master of horror, delivers a refreshing and interesting take on vampires with the aptly named Vampires. It also dawns another strong lead character in a Carpenter film in the form of Jack Crow and contains some of the most witty and enjoyable dialogue of any horror film from the late '90s. The storyline is also magnificently peculiar, which is a definite plus in my book. This would definitely make my list of favorite vampire films, if I ever decided to make one. If you're a fan of John Carpenter and haven't seen this gem, I highly recommend doing so. Or if you have, maybe it's time to dust it off and give it another watch.

Theatrical Release Date: October 30, 1998

DVD Release Date: February 9, 1999

Director: John Carpenter

Genre: horror, action, thriller

Cast: James Woods as Jack Crow
Daniel Baldwin as Anthony Montoya
Sheryl Lee as Katrina
Thomas Ian Griffith as Jan Valek

Overall Rating: 8/10

Revised top 20 horror films of the past 20 years

Back in August, I wrote an article listing the top 20 horror films of the past 20 years. After creating the list, I wasn't entirely happy with it and neither were a lot of you that read it. So just in time for Halloween, I revised the list and came up with one I'm relatively satisfied with. Hopefully we can agree it's at least an improvement over the original list, which can be read here. I tried to get rid of the films that were more fantasy, sci-fi, or drama over horror from the previous list. So without further adieu, here we go:

20. Gozu (2003)
Takashi Miike is notorious for his bizarre films and is usually associated with the fact that his films are usually incredibly weird and spectacularly violent. While his filmography does have more to offer than that, films like Ichi the Killer and Audition fall into that category and are probably Miike's most popular films to date. Most lists like this include Audition, but Gozu had more of an impact on me. While Miike shines with films dealing with over the top gore like Ichi, his yakuza (Japanese mafia) films are just as good. Gozu is kind of a mix between Miike's Rainy Dog and Visitor Q films, but the ending alone thrusts Gozu into the horror genre much like Audition did. The film's finale would probably sound ridiculous on paper, but is pulled off rather well and stays in the back of your brain long afterwards. The cow headed demon is also something worth seeing.

19. The Frighteners (1996)
I'm actually one of the few people who prefer Peter Jackson's horror films over his long, epic films like Lord of the Rings and King Kong. This may actually be viewed as a guilty pleasure more than anything, but after watching the film again recently I have to say it's still one of my favorite horror films. Somewhat underrated, the film has some pretty spectacular special effects; a trait that would become standard for the films Peter Jackson became involved with. The film felt kind of like Dead Alive with the cinematography and some of the humor, but had Marty McFly in the lead role.

18. The Descent (2006)
The cinematography in this is where the film shines. Scenes during the cave exploration captured claustrophobia to near perfection. The feelings of dread and panic were easy to succumb to after viewing those scenes. That along with the fact that the entire cast was made up of women who not only had a good head on their shoulders, but were generally all around strong characters. One of the first horror films of the past two decades to have a strong female cast.

17. Nightbreed (1990)
Often overlooked and butchered by the MPAA, this film is incredibly underrated. It's based on a Clive Barker novel, so even if it's edited to hell you know it'll still deliver when it comes to blood. David Cronenberg as Dr. Philip K. Decker might just be the best reason to sit through this film. His character sticks with you long after the credits roll. That and the make-up effects are above-par considering how old it is.

16. Braindead/Dead Alive (1992)
One of the craziest and goriest zombie movies ever, the film's lawnmower scene escalated it into cult classic territory. While the film could be considered cheese to some, its dark humor and massive amounts of blood really make it a fun watch.

15. From Dusk till Dawn (1996)
Another film that's often overlooked, it gave us a taste of how great of a team Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino really are. It was a vampire film full of wit, dark humor, and plenty of bloody graphic violence. Boasting quite a cast that included George Clooney, Harvey Keitel, Juliette Lewis, and even horror make-up effects legend, Tom Savini, this was a horror film that contained all the right ingredients found in a cult classic.

14. Event Horizon (1997)
Before Paul W.S. Anderson gave us the Resident Evil franchise, he brought us quite a nice little horror film set in space. As terrifying as it is memorable, Event Horizon is best described as a sort of Hellraiser in space (if it didn't suck and wasn't like Bloodline). I remember watching this when it first came out on VHS when I was younger and it just haunted me for weeks. A horror film that is able to accomplish that deserves to be mentioned.

13. Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon
One of the most original and intelligent horror films I've ever had the pleasure of sitting through. While establishing his own origin, Leslie Vernon also dissects the basic formula for most famous slasher films. He seems so charming and funny that as you're watching him, you grow to like him and forget that he's actually having people shoot a documentary as he continues his quest to become a horror icon. I found it interesting that horror legend, Robert Englund, basically played the Dr. Loomis character from Halloween in this. Interesting choice.

12. 1408 (2007)
One of the best Stephen King adaptations of the past few years, this was all John Cusack. Cusack really carried the film and put in an incredibly strong performance. Considering it's just him alone in a hotel room for about an hour, the fact that Cusack not only makes that time bearable but also entertaining is a feat in itself.

11. Session 9 (2001)
There's nothing like a psychological horror film that delivers. A film that sticks with you long after it's over and makes you want to watch it again because other pieces of the puzzle only seem to unravel in multiple viewings of the film. Session 9 is such a film. The setting pretty much tells you right off the bat that things are going to get really ugly, really fast. Once things do take a turn for the worse, however, is when the film truly shines.

10. High Tension (2005)
High Tension is pretty much the film that garnered the wave of French horror films crashing onto US shores. Some people may prefer other French horror films that have come out in the past few years like Inside, Frontiere(s), or Martyrs, but those films probably wouldn't be available to us if it wasn't for the success of this film and it's for a good reason. The original version of the film was so gory that it was rated NC-17 and was edited down to an R-rating to be shown in US theaters. It set the bar for French horror for many horror fans. Try to look at a concrete saw after seeing this and tell me you don't think of the blood-soaked finale.

9. 28 Days Later (2003)
The atmosphere established in the first half hour of this film is what really made this film for me. Its most notable contribution to horror was taking a different spin on the zombie phenomenon and caused a rather massive debate amongst horror fans about whether "the infected" were zombies or not (they're not, by the way). While some people prefer 28 Weeks Later, it wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for this film. So I have to give credit where it's due.

8. Dog Soldiers (2002)
Another film that made a lasting impression on me. Its dark atmosphere was the essential ingredient to it making this list. That and I was incredibly pleased with how the werewolves were done. Some of the best I had seen in a long time. Dog Soldiers was also my introduction to Neil Marshall's work and immediately made me a fan of his.

7. Jacob's Ladder (1990)
Another psychological horror film that really hits it out of the park, this may just be Tim Robbins best role. The demons Jacob Singer sees, the overall general atmosphere of the film, and the film's cinematography make the film genuinely scary. The violent head shake is easily something that could haunt your nightmares. Any film that gets you thinking deserves a mention, in my opinion. Jacob's Ladder does just that, especially after the ending.

6. Grindhouse (2007)
Planet Terror and Death Proof were two extremely fun horror films created by Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino respectively. On their own, the films are good. They both have their redeeming qualities that make them worth owning and require multiple viewings. But the theatrical version of the film with the faux trailers, the way the film was meant to be seen, is something special. A horror extravaganza that seemed to capture everything you loved about horror films of the 70's and 80's. It wasn't a remake or an adaptation. It just paid tribute to the films every horror fan loves yet offered us something new at the same time. That and Kurt Russell as Stuntman Mike was one of his greatest roles ever.

5. Drag Me To Hell (2009)
Sam Raimi's return to the horror genre, which is pretty much all that needs to be said for some to make a list like this. Raimi brought a horror film to theaters that wasn't a remake in a time where just about everything was a re-imagining or a sequel to a revamp. Not only that, but it was one of the most original horror films to be released in the past few years. Drag Me To Hell has hints of Raimi's beloved Evil Dead franchise, but is more enjoyable to me than that franchise as a whole. Not many horror films are able to make me laugh and gross me out at the same time.

4. Dracula (1992)
Just watched this again recently. I could've sworn I had seen this years ago, but didn't remember a lot of it. The real gem of this film is Gary Oldman as Dracula. People who have seen the film either love him in the role or hate him, but I fall under the love him category. Anthony Hopkins was great as Van Helsing as well, but it's Oldman who steals the show and makes me hold this film in such high regard.

3. Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994)
Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt took unusual turns in their roles, but had fantastic results. Tom Cruise as Lestat and Brad Pitt as Louis are arguably two of the actors best roles. Cruise made you believe that Lestat was rotten to the core and took incredible pride in it while you almost felt sorry for Pitt as Louis since he had come to regret the fact he ever became a vampire in the first place. The film was just incredibly enjoyable from Louis telling Christian Slater's Daniel Malloy his unbelievable tale to Lestat driving down the highway in Malloy's convertible with Guns N Roses blasting through its speakers.

2. Zombieland (2009)
This is by far the most fun I've had with a horror film for as long as I can remember. Not only was it laugh out loud funny, but it also managed to breathe life into an exhausted segment of the horror genre. It had felt like everything had been done with zombies and every film that was made concerning them was just rehashed from previous films. Zombieland came along and made zombies entertaining again. The film was just fun and entertaining from beginning to end and it contained one of the best cameos in a horror film ever.

1. In the Mouth of Madness (1995)
John Carpenter is one of the best horror directors around and In the Mouth of Madness is one of his finest works. Containing another exceptional performance by Sam Neill, the story is where this film really shines. All of the monsters and special effects are top notch, as well. Everything looks just as spectacular today as it did in 1995 since they went the practical route instead of CGI. The Lovecraft influence that was there in The Thing is there again this time around. This might just be my favorite of Mr. Carpenter's extremely impressive resume.

Antichrist (2009) review

Image property of IFC Films

A married couple suffers one of the greatest losses any couple could endure, but the wife seems to be taking it harder than the husband. She's enrolled in the hospital until he, a therapist, thinks the doctors aren't doing a good enough job with her and that she'd do better at home under his care. She blames herself for their suffering while he thinks he can help her. They decide to depart to a cabin in the woods in hopes of relaxing a bit and to undergo his therapy. Things start out a bit rough, but it seems like progress is being made. That is until nature steps in, who has other plans for them, and the situation begins to quickly deteriorate.

This is quite possibly the most disturbing film I've ever sat through. Inside made me feel incredibly uneasy and Jack Ketchum's The Girl Next Door made me feel uncomfortable and a little nauseous, but Antichrist seems to take it to another level (I haven't seen Irreversible, however, which I hear Antichrist being compared to quite a bit). While Antichrist doesn't show absolutely everything and it's usually rather brief when it comes to showing disturbing material, it shows enough to make your stomach drop.

Throughout the film, everything that takes place just doesn't feel right. From the very first scene, the viewer knows that the film probably isn't going to be an easy watch. The character's actions and the setting being rather isolated leads one to believe a series of unfortunate events will eventually be taking place. Antichrist doesn't swerve the viewer into thinking it's going to be something else. The foundation is set right from the get-go. The film slowly builds towards the last thirty minutes or so and you're kind of left thinking, "I've got a bad feeling about this," up until that point. However, once things start taking a turn for the worst, your reaction will be something along the lines of, "Oh no, what is she going to do with...WHAT THE ----?! Now she's taking a...what is that?! OH ----!"

Everything else leading to the last half of the film is done incredibly well. The cinematography is rather incredible, especially while they're in Eden. Everything is so lush and green while certain shots alone say more than the characters in the film ever could. The score is haunting and successfully establishes putting its viewers on edge. The song used at the beginning and end of the film is beautiful yet heartbreaking at the same time. The entire film is spent with this married couple and their performances are top notch. It's just those last thirty to forty five minutes take such an abrupt turn. The film hints at things going downhill, but everything hits the fan so suddenly. Nothing can really prepare you for how unrelenting and horrifying the finale is. The events that unfold in this film will haunt you and stick with you for an incredibly long time.

The less you know about Antichrist, the more surprising that first viewing will be. That's the main reason this review is so vague. Don't read up on it and don't watch anything other than the trailer before seeing the film. Just be warned, the film shows enough for a gutrenching reaction. It's no In the Realm of the Senses, but it's definitely along those lines. Antichrist's strongest asset is the atmosphere it builds throughout the film. The air just seems to be constantly thick with the fact that something terrible is going to happen at any moment. While the film is disturbing, shocking, and was able to make me feel things most horror films aren't capable of, I wouldn't say the film was enjoyable. It's not to say the film isn't done well because it is in almost every aspect, but I could hardly see myself popping the movie in to entertain me on a Saturday night. The film takes its toll on you and I don't think it's a film I'd really enjoy sitting through again.

Theatrical Release Date: October 23, 2009 (NY, LA, SF)

Director: Lars von Trier

Genre: drama, horror, thriller

Runtime: 109 min

Cast: Willem Dafoe as He
Charlotte Gainsbourg as She

Overall Rating: 6/10

Where the Wild Things Are (2009) review

Max is a boy who possesses something that fades away for most as they grow older and that's a young child's incredible imagination. His only dilemma is that he doesn't really have any friends of his own. He builds an igloo out of snow and tries to share it with his older sister, Claire, who seems more interested in hanging out with her friends. Max's mom embraces Max's imagination and even asks him to tell her stories, but everything falls apart when Max tries to save his mom a seat in the fort he just built that would save them from hot lava while she's on a date. Things quickly spiral out of control and Max winds up running away. He finds a boat by the water and takes it out into the sea. As he explores the open water, he becomes astray while he succumbs to the relentless weather and crashing waves of the ocean. That is until he stumbles upon an island where an incandescent glow of a small fire catches his eye. He finds that the island is inhabited by large, hairy, horned creatures. He's discovered where the wild things are and he will be their king.

This film is nothing short of amazing. As the film progressed, I found myself looking back on the memories of having the book read to me as a child. The film manages to capture the magic contained in the book and elaborate on it. It really made you feel like you were looking at the world through Max's eyes. It was almost like watching a world within a world. I found myself overcome with emotion by the time those credits showed up on the big screen. That's a special experience in itself.

Just about every aspect of the film is enjoyable. They really did a fantastic job stretching a ten sentence story into an hour and a half film. The writing is fairly superb as the pacing really flows once the ball gets rolling and the dialogue seems like it's straight out of the mind of a young boy. Max Records couldn't fit the Max role more perfectly. His range of emotion and the way he's able to have that look of innocence in his eyes is spectacular. Every action that Max made just felt so heartfelt.

The wild things are what really steal the show. The way they were pulled off just makes them look so realistic. Jim Henson's Creature Shop did a really phenomenal job on them. Despite the wild things being unhappy the majority of the film, it's really just a joy to watch them walk, move, talk, or smile.

As extravagant and imaginative as the film is, it did seem to have one flaw. The beginning of the film seemed to drag a bit. Everything leading up to Max finding the wild things just seemed to last a little too long. I realize they did all that they could with the source material and their efforts are extraordinary given how short that material is, but from a film critic's standpoint the beginning of the film dragged slightly.

Where the Wild Things Are is one of the most heartwarming and whimsical experiences at the theater I've ever had the pleasure of sitting through. If you read the book when you were younger, then this film will really hit home. You won't want it to end. You'll want King Max and the wild things to continue sleeping in a pile, having wild rumpuses, engaging in wars, building those glorious forts, and having Max stay there forever. I highly recommend seeing this wonderful film.

Theatrical Release Date: October 16, 2009

Director: Spike Jonze

Genre: adventure, drama, family, fantasy

Runtime: 94 min

Cast: Max Records as Max
Pepita Emmerichs as Claire
Catherine Keener as Mom
James Gandolfini as Carol (voice)
Paul Dano as Alexander (voice)
Catherine O'Hara as Judith (voice)
Forest Whitaker as Ira (voice)
Michael Berry Jr as The Bull (voice)
Chris Cooper as Douglas (voice)

Overall Rating: 9.5/10

Bronson (2009) review

Michael Peterson has always wanted to be famous, but didn't really have any potential to be much of anything. So he robbed a post office and received a seven year sentence. That seven years soon became over thirty and the majority of it was spent in solitary confinement. It was during this time that Michael Peterson let his alter-ego, Charles Bronson, take over. During his multi-year prison sentence, Peterson became violent and unpredictable. To this day, he's still considered to be Britain's most famous prisoner. Michael Peterson was no more and Charles Bronson was all that remained.

Bronson is one of the more interesting films I've had the pleasure of sitting through as of late. In the trailer (and movie poster), a quote can be seen where a reviewer called the film, "A Clockwork Orange for the 21st century." That quote is really spot-on. There is a big Clockwork Orange influence in this film. While Michael Peterson narrates the entire film, the film jumps between what actually happened and Peterson performing in front of an audience in a rather large theater. The make-up, the setting, and Hardy's performance are all very Clockwork Orange-esque. Another film that came to mind was Snatch. The action sequences and a lot of the humor gave off the same kind of vibe Guy Ritchie's film did. Bronson is very much its own film, but shares the same beloved qualities of the films mentioned.

Bronson is what it is because of Tom Hardy's performance. He's guiding you through his life, his dreams, and his goals while you're with him the duration of the film, so it's only logical that he steals the show since he gets the most screen time. The fact that he doesn't waste any of it is something to be proud of though. He makes what would be a rather dismal story entertaining, exciting, and worth sitting through. Hardy's performance is the highlight of the film. There's really no questioning that.

Bronson was really a sleeper hit for me since its premise didn't interest me at all, but it wound up luring me in with its trailer. It's a very unorthodox type of film that isn't like many other films out there. Films like Bronson think outside the box of normal cinema and is the type of gem you'd hope to find whenever you journey out to your favorite theater. If you're looking for a film with a strong lead actor performance that is a knock-down-drag-out, eccentric, thrill-ride, then look no further. Bronson is exactly what you're looking for.

Theatrical Release Date: October 9, 2009 (NY), October 16 (LA)

Director: Nicolas Winding Refn

Genre: action, biography, drama, thriller

Runtime: 92 min

Cast: Tom Hardy as Charles Bronson

Matt King as Paul

Overall Rating: 9/10