Is Anybody There?

Directed by: John Crowley

Quality: Toast

“Is anybody there?… Is any body there?”, an erie line spoken by the great Sir Michael Cain during a equally erie séance that takes place in John Crowleys new film, Is Any Body There? I went to see this movie at my favorite theater in town. The Fine Arts. This theater is a great place to see a flick, aside from it being hard to find a parking place since it is located in downtown Asheville. The theater has a really great vibe to it. To start off, they show art, independent, and foreign films- my personal favorite. Also they play great music before the show. Not that annoying teeny bopper crap that they play at more main stream theatres like regal. Another neat thing is that the screen its self has a curtain that opens when the film starts. I just love when theatres gives off a feel that fits in with the type of movie you are seeing.

I'll be honest. I had seen the trailer for this film, but did not plan on seeing the actual movie. The only reason I did was because I wanted to spend some time with my girlfriend. The theatre I work at is closed for renovations, so because I get in free at the Fine Arts Theatre, I decided to just go see the movie for something to do. I did not remember what the basic plot of the movie since i did not pay that much attention to the trailer.

This emotional film is about a young boy named Edward (Bill Milner) who lives with his Mum, Dad, and 10-or-so elderly people and takes place in a 1980’s seaside England. Most 10 year olds like trains or go to play for there football (soccer) matches while there parents cheer them on and provide a snack for this weeks game, but Edward... he is a little different. You see, Edward likes to learn about paranormal activity. He likes it so much that he deliberately sets off the fire alarm in his home, that has been converted into a old peoples home by his mother and father, so he can conduct paranormal experiments with out getting into trouble or being botherd by the elderly. Well Edward comes home from school one day to discover there is a grumpy old ex-magician, Clarence, who now lives there. Clarence is Grumpyer then any of the already annoying, strange, senile elderly people that live there. Of course after a wile Edward and Clarence begin to bond. Clarence teaches him magic tricks and helps Edward conduct his paranormal experiments but also trys to teach Edward his opinon on ghosts and life after death, that there is non. Edward however trys to teach clarence the complete opposite, that there is.

The Film was excellent. Great directing, great acting, great script, great cinematography, great everything! For the film dealing with death, a touchy subject especially for me, It was very enjoyable. Michalel Cian did brilliantly in this film. Though i never thoght otherwise. He plays a elderly grumpy ex-magician who is haunted by his past mistakes. Cian really understood the character he was playing. And because of his great preformance and his connection to the person he was playing I could really feel his character too. When he would cry, I felt like crying, when he was angry, I felt his anger, and when he would try to teach Edward magic tricks, I felt like I was there learning with Edward. Bill Milner who played edward did a great job as well. I last saw him in another one of my favorite films, that I also saw at this theatre, Son of Rambo. In this film you can see his potential as actor just like in Son of Rambo. He does a good job at playing this odd ten year old boy who Is bullyed at school, has been surrounded by death in this old persons home, and who has to watch his mother and father argue about there bankruptcy. The movie also looked really good. Every shot looked nice and the coulers were great for the feel of the movie.

I really enjoyed this film as you can tell. I suggest it to anyone who wants a very good story that portrays real issues and also has great acting. Although it is unlikely since it is to early in the year, but I hope that Michael Cain gets an oscar nomination for the role he played in the film. I say that this is a delightufl flick that is definitely a nice golden brown piece of toast.

I also highly suggest watching Son of Rambo. It is a great tale about the imagination that children possess. I loved it.

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

Directed by Shawn levy'

Quality--Stale and Moldy

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian. The first one was a funny, clever, even action packed film. This one, not so much. I went to the big theater in town The Regal Biltmore "Grande" to see this with my youth group. To start, the theater is pritty big its exiting in away to see a movie there. There are flashy lights etc. It gives some what of a better experience then when i go see a movie at the theater I work for but that will soon change after we finish with our renovations. I walked in, got my ticket, hung out with my group of friends, talked to a friend who works there, and got in line for a Icee. Whitch by the way is one of the only reasons i ever go there because right now my theater does not have Icee's. But anyways i do the typical things I do when I go see a movie. All of this got me in the happy-go-lucky movie goers mode. You know the one were you smile and are all gitty, You go in and find your seat, Watch and critique the trailers with your pal, all with a smile on your face. But then, then it happens. The movie starts, That smile disappers, You look at your Icee or popcorn or other bit of junk food, then at your ticket stub, and lastly your best firend who allways looks like hes haveing the best time of his life, you think about new friends you could make. The kind who watch indie & art films and eat at wired authentic chinese restaurants... you know the type. You wonder if they might give you a refund. But no... no-no you don’t go and ask. You wait. You wait to see if it gets better. Then half way through when you know you can't get a refund that’s when you realize that there is no hope left. You shed a tear for your money and then you think man this movie will not get any better.

Okay, so im being WAY overdramatic, but that is what I do. This movie had laughs. It had some fun, It was a good kids film. But im not a kid. That is why, for this review, I am going to split it into two separate reviews. Because if I write one review it wouldn't do the few good parts of this film justice. The first review is going to be of this film as a kids movie. The second will be as a movie for all ages, which in my opinion, is what the movie should have been made for since I do not think 4-10 year olds go to the movies by them selfs, but who knows in this day and age. Its probably likely. Also I will try to keep the reviews simple and short. I don’t want you to be sitting here for a hour reading it. Actouly i do that would be great if i could captivate you for that long. If only this movie could have done that.

Let me also say something. I understand that you might think i was thinking to much about it when i saw this. Well i went in knowing not to think to much. and this is still what i thoght

Kids Movie:

This, as a kids movie, was not so bad. Excitment, fantasy, and laughs. It had all that. If I had a kid I would defiantly take him to see this one. Intelligence? Historical accuracy? Things children today should be learning from a movie like this? No. If you plan on taking your kid to see this insted of Hannah Montana or something so that maybe they can not only have fun and laugh but also because you think it might sneek some education into it. You might want to think again. The movie did have accurate names, it did make some... some history references that your kids might not know and now would because of the movie. For instance how Amelia Earhart was the fist woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, And how she inspired the first African American pilots, and that Al Capone was a gangster but other then that, there were just a bunch of names kids might or might not have heard of. They never really explain what who some of the people are or what they did. Like Napoleon or Ivan the Terrible or even Albert Einstein. Only that Ivan and Napoleon were bad guys and that Albert Einstein was some what smart and Also that the fourth of the three Stooges. If you see the movie the way they depicted him was degrateing. I may be going a little over bored here. It was a kids movie and I need to remember that. It had some very funny moments. It had dialog that a kid would understand. It had educational value, though it was a very little amount. And for that I say the movie was a stale peace of bread. If your kid has not seen a Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian let them watch the first before you pay the $6 - 10 bucks for a ticket to see the second.

Adult Movie:

Here is were I get to have fun. As a adult movie. This was just bad. The movie was so incredibly simple and predictable, to the point were I forgot there was even a story line because I already new the entire movie. And when I say that i knew the whole movie, I strangely new everything down to the very end. There were also WAY to many improved or what seemed to be improved moments. Two characters talking to each other sprouting of pulp culture refrences that they should not even know as well as museum jokes and then making fun of each other or slaping each other or both acting like complete morons. These convorsations took way to long. Draging the movie on and on wile we watch these stupid pop culture wize dumbys. Which leads me to my next topic. Is every one in history stupid? I mean really? Was Albert Einstein a bumbling idiot? Was Al Capone, one of the most successful gangsters in history really just a arrogant, stupid, jerk? Well hang on... Jerk probably, arrogant most likely, but stupid? Come on now, how much did he make again? I don’t think a stupid person could accomplish what he did. But that brings me to one of the few good things about this movie. Some of the characters, including Al Capone had a great wardrobe. Al Capone wore a three piece suit and was digitally black and white which was kinda neat, Amelia Earhart wore her flight suit which looked great on her and Ben Stiller put on a new security guard uniform which provided a nice nostalgic moment from the first film. A good part. Actually GREAT part of this movie was mis Amy Adams. She is such a great actress. And in this movie she plays Amelia Earhart. She has it down too. She was one of the only parts of this movie that I enjoyed. But there was one more part. Johna hill. He had a little improv scene with Ben Stiller. He was a security guard. It was so incredibly funny. Im taking the few funny parts as well as Amy Adams into consideration here and it just did not do it for me, so im saying its one moldy piece of bread.

As a kids movie this was pretty good. But for you, adults going with your kids, im sorry but you might not like it. Take them to see Terminator Salvation instead. Ha ha ha...

Makeing CD Mixes

Making Cd mixes

What will I do with my iPod! Man? Mp3 players have become another part of our body. They are nice, but in a way annoying. Like when you're talking to someone and they can't hear you because they're too busy listening to their music and I'm sure what they are listening to is the kind of music that only they like and how dare anyone else’s listen to it. Anyways You see them all the time. Every one from grandpa to trendy little punk kids walking downtown. I had a hook up in my car. It was a cassette tape with a long cord out of it that you plug into your iPod. Well that broke. I was upset because of course it was a iPod product so it cost me a arm and a leg. When ever I put it into my tape player the thing just makes this awful noise. Well I started to listen to the few CDs I have and have been getting bored with them. So I decided to go a little old school. I made a mix tape. Its not actually a TAPE but it’s the same concept. it’s a mix. It wasn’t just a random group of songs though I really put effort into making a great sounding great flowing cd. I tried to make the songs flow. I started with simple songs that were song by groups with multiple vocals going at the same time. During those songs though they flowed into acoustic music. Very nicely so that you cant really tell that you are listing to a different style music then when you started. After that it goes into more pop-like catchy tunes. Then it flows into some angrier music, continues to morph into slower tunes and ends with a great, dramatic piece of music. I suggest you to try it. Its challenging and fun to make. I’ve listened to mine quite a few times. Here’s the track listing.

Zack’s Mix

The Beach Boys……………..Wouldn’t It Be Nice
The Velvet Underground….White Light/White Heat
Linus Van Pelt……………….I’m Awake Now
Who……………………………Tommy Can you Hear Me?
Belle & Sebastian…………..Get Me Away From Hear
The Kabeedies………………..Lovers Ought To.
Elton John……………………Saturday
Panic At The Disco………….Mad As Rabbits
Reel Big Fish…………………The New Version Of You
Rancid………………………..Journey To The End of East Bay
Kiss Kiss………………………Satellite
Operation Ivy……………….Unity
The Doors……………………Break on Through
Bright Eyes………………….The Calendar Hung Its Self
Yeah Yeah Yeahs……………Gold Lion
Cursive………………………From The Hips
Janis Joplin-…………………Summer Time
James Taylor……………….Sweet Baby James
The Velvet Underground…Pale Blue Eyes
Death Cab For Cutie………..I Will Posses Your Heart
Cursive………………………What Have I Done

Also try making a CD case for it. Designing the cover and back. That was also very fun.

Terminator Salvation

Directed by, McG

Quality Fresh.

“Come with me if you want to live”, oh the nostalgia. This movie was full of it. I stepped into the renovating theater i work at very excited to see this film but at the same time dreading the letdown I asumed I was going to witness. Bad directing, bad acting, bad script, tons of corny moments. This is what the majority of reviews I read online and in magazins had said. So this is what I went in thinking I would see, Christan Bale playing Batman... I mean John Connor fighting to save the human race while stiffly acting out a terrible script. But as i watched things became more clear. This was not going to be what i read. What it would be was a enjoyable movie going experience.

The movie did not start out good. The first 25-30 minutes are actually like the reviewers say. Which was defiantly not good. The beginning should be one of the best parts of the movie. The film begins with Marcus Wright(Sam Worthington), a man on death row minutes before his sentence will be carried out. The scene did not please me. I couldn’t tell if it was the director McG’s fault or perhaps it was the script writers or maybe even the actors. The movie then did what every sequel does, whitch makes me mad. It told us what had happened in the other movies. They never do this "retelling" well. Its always a actor or actress listing off things that have happened in the previous movies. Them saying it never feels natural it just feels very forced. Or it’s a bunch of title listing of things as well, And this movie has both. I sigh just typeing that. I understand that you need to retell these things for people who have not seen the past films but I think they should try a little bit harder to make it seem more natural. I mean in my dayly life i dont randomly tell people what happond to me yesterday. I do when they ask or when it comes up.

After about 25 minutes of things making me more and more frustrated, like can we try to think of a cleverer way to kill a Terminator then dropping something heavy on it? I found the movie began to get more enjoyable. The directing seemed to be getting better as well as camera movement which had been making me mad i dont know why it was makeing me mad the camera just kept doing really odd things. Also the dialog felt more realistic. The action scenes started getting intense to the point were I couldn’t blink because I was afraid I would miss something.

A really fun thing about this movie was all the references to the previous films. It was all verynostalgic. From John Connor saying, “I’ll be back”, to Kyle Resse(Anton Yelchin) saying, “Come with me if you want to live!”, and defintly the CGI Arnold Schwarzenegger. All of these provided a great tingly feeling inside me. Kind of like seeing Leonard Nimoy in the recent Star Trek Reboot. It just gives you that special wow feeling that makes you smile and might give you goose bumps.

Speaking of Anton Yelchin, I think he is really going to go places. He was great in this film. As well as others such as Charlie Bartlett and Star Trek. Pretty soon I’m sure we will see him up on the Oscar stage accepting an award for some great performance.

I have always loved the end of the Terminator movies, except the third movie, they are always sentimental and sad. For instance, in the first film we have Sara caressing her swollen belly, in the second we have John shedding a tear for the loss the Terminator who he befriended, in this one I won’t give anything away but you still have that feel.

So in the end, Terminator Salvation was a solid film. Not as good as the first and second movies but defiantly up there with them in my books. People said that because of director McG, the films fate would be the murder of the franchise and the dvd in the 5 doller bin at walieworld. But what Terminator teaches us is that “Fate is what you make” and I feel McG has made a good flick and has the potential to make the next Terminator film even better then this one and fix the mistakes he had. Time will tell. So in the end, I’d say Terminator Salvation was a loaf of pretty Fresh bread.

Malcom X Review

MALCOM X
Directed by, Spike Lee
Quality Fresh
“You’ve been had, You’ve been took, hoodwinked, bamboozled, run amuck, run a stray” powerful words spoken in real live by Malcolm X played in this Biopic by a stunningly similar looking Denzel Washington (Inside Man, Glory, and The Mighty Quinn) and directed by always controversial Spike Lee (Do the Right Thing, Inside Man, and Miracle at St. Anna).
This movie was a good retelling of the life of Malcolm X. The movie takes place between 1925-1965. Over many cities in the United States and also Mecca in Saudi Arabia. The movie portrays the great afro American leader Malcolm X as he strives to teach the black community about the Muslim faith and help them to understand that they do not belong in the white culture that they were forcibly brought too. But above all that it shows the conflict Malcolm has with his own faith. It shows that he believed what he believed. But towards the end of his life he deserved they hypocrisy found in his leader the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. The film was well acted, Filmed, and Directed. It did not hide the fact that Malcolm X was a gangster as a young adult, and they did not hesitate to show his life the way it really was. They did not butter him up. They showed that he had flaws like every human but was also this great, great leader. Denzel Washington gives a GREAT performance as Malcolm x. Nailing Malcolm X’s speeches, his tone, even his walk. He really conveyed the emotion of Malcolm. He even looked like him.
Wile the movie was very good. It had a few flaws. The movie didn’t do a great job at conveying time. I found myself wondering what time frame we were dealing with. They show news reels but they don’t happen enough to get the point across of what the date is. Also the beginning is very slow. I respect the fact that they showed Malcolm’s past and not hide that he was a gangster. I just feel they should have speeded it up a lot. Getting to where he started to make a change and make a difference faster
Aside from a few flaws this was a very well made movie. Spike Lee’s style is clearly there, and the acting was spot on. Spike lee wile as a person is whiney and annoying he sure does make a good movie. And I hope he continues. Spike Lees Malcom X is pritty Fresh Bread.