True/False Film Festival

COX and I will be traveling to Columbia, MO to attend this True/False Film Festival this weekend.
True/False Film Festival Website
We are going to try and watch at least 3 films.

We will keep you posted on what we think, because we know that you will be hanging on the edge of your seat waiting for the next CatchaFlick post.

Jumper

Jumper is about David Rice who at the age 15 or 17 finds out that he can teleport anywhere he wants to. He first discovers this power one day after school when a mishap with giving a gift to Millie, (the girl of his dreams) takes place. It's now a few years later and David is and living in New York. He has learned to better control his powers and lives it up the only way an irresponsible young adult knows how. David lives in a Penthouse suite thanks to the money he steals teleporting from bank vault to bank vault. Lazy and rich, David spends his day’s teleporting from country to country partying day and night. It is clear that David did not have an Uncle Ben in his life to teach him "with great power comes great responsibility", maybe young David will learn that in part 2.
David decides to "jump" back home to win back the girl of his dreams. It is around this time that our hero (or lack of one) gets the attention of some "jumper" bounty hunters led by Roland, who believes that the ability to teleport is un-natural and a threat to existence. To keep Roland off his back David and Millie take a trip to Rome. In Rome, David meets Griffin, a fellow jumper that hunts Paladins (Jumper bounty hunters). Griffin gives David a brief history about the war between Jumper's and Paladins. Roland catches up with David in Rome, which leads to the movie's action packed climax.
Though dazzled by the movie's awesome special effects, I found the story very bland and very adolescent. It's a C+ for Jumper, Enjoy! ~Caleb

The Spiderwick Chronicles

The Spiderwick Chronicles is a family fantasy about the power of fantasy imagination, but if you look between the lines, the film is also about dealing with divorce and struggling with how to live with the parent that you blame for your world crashing down around you. The film does a fine job with blending the fantasy and the painful family politics together.
At the start of the movie we see the creation of the Spiderwick Field Guide. The Field Guide is a book created by Arthur Spiderwick. This Field Guide contains secrets of magic and creatures that live among us. You can learn how to call a Griffin to your service, make protective circles, and much more about the hidden magical realm. I was talking to a friend who has seen the movie and we joked that the Spiderwick Field Guide in a way was like a G Rated version of the Necronomicon. Arthur realizes the evil implications of the secrets inside the guide so he hides it and is never heard from again.
The time is now maybe 80 years later, present time. A family moves into the old Spiderwick house. The family has moved from New York to have a fresh start, but without their father. Jared (the main character) is the unhappiest with this new situation. It's hard for him, he doesn’t understand the divorce.
Jared comes across his great uncle's field guide, and despite the note telling him not to open the book, he opens the book anyway. This opening of the book sends out a pulse (like the one in Curse of the Black Pearl) that the book has been open.
An evil ogre master, who for years has wanted the book, knows that the book is in possession of humans, so he sends his horde of orc's to get it.
You will have to go see the movie if you want to know what happens next.
Great fantasy film for the kids, nothing to frightening in the movie. The Spiderwick Chronicles gets a B-. Enjoy! ~Caleb

Be Kind Rewind opens this Friday

This one comes out tomorrow @ Campbell 16, and it should be a hoot.
- starring Jack Black & Mos Def
- directed by Michel Gondry (also did Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind)

"when your walkin down the street.... and you see a little ghost.....whatcha gonna do about ghost bustas!"
check out the trailer here:

Monopoly: The Movie

Uinversal Pictures and Hasbro have made a six year deal to produce at least four feature films based on some of Hasbro's best known board games and toys. Some of the properties include Candy Land, Battleship, Ouija, and Monopoly.
Hasbro is already in negoitations with director Ridley Scott on the Monopoly film.

Persepolis

Persepolis is an amazing animated movie that tells the story of a young girl growing up in Iran during the Islamic revolution. It is through the eyes of the precocious and outspoken 9-year-old Marjane that we see a people's hopes dashed as fundamentalists take power, forcing the veil on women and imprisoning thousands. Clever and fearless, Marjane outsmarts the "social guardians" and discovers punk, ABBA, and Iron Maiden. Yet when her uncle is senselessly executed and as bombs fall around Tehran in the Iran/Iraq war, the daily fear that permeates life in Iran is palpable.
I found everything in this animated film interesting and real. Seeing the main character Marjane come of age and deal with the struggles of an extreme revolution was a joyful (time well spent at the movies) experience. My favorite thing about Persepolis is that it takes a touchy subject and handles it with grace, using a simple but very effective method of storytelling without the usual cartoon gimmicks. Persepolis delivers a new way to look at filmmaking and animation as a whole. B-!!! Enjoy. ~Caleb

Persepolis is now playing at the Moxie

The Invasion

If anything can be learned from this mess of a movie called The Invasion, it's how little Hollywood executives know how to make a bad movie a good one. Shame on you Warner Brothers for trying to make a quick buck on an inevitable bomb of a movie. The first mistake, another remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, I think two are plenty. The second mistake, having a talented German director make a Hollywood big studio movie (remake no less). Mistake number three, turns out that the Hollywood big shots didn't like Oliver Hirschbiegel's film (no mainstream appeal would be my guess). The best course of action would be for the producers and Warner Brothers to release the movie and see what happens. If the movie tanks, so be it, most films no matter how bad they are eventually find an audience. Mistake number four, hire people to do some rewrites and reshoots. The end result was a mess, but the movie stars Nicole Kidman, so moviegoers will see it anyway.
For me The Invasion fell flat from the get go, starting with a paper-thin plot. A mysterious flu epidemic begins to alter the behavior of human beings. A psychiatrist learns that the origins of this epidemic are extraterrestrial; she must protect her son, who just may be the key to stopping this invasion. A moody sci-fi thriller re cut with some flashy edits filled with action; make for a disconnecting and pointless movie. The The Invasion gets a F ~Caleb

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

One of the most touching and moving works of art I have seen in a long time. The director Julian Schnabel is a true artist and his talent is displayed with his most recent film. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is the true story of French Journalist Jean-Dominique Bauby who was the editor of the French fashion magazine ELLE. In 1995 he had a stroke that left him in a condition that is called lock-in syndrome. Lock-in syndrome is when you are alive but your body is paralyzed. The only part of Bauby's body that could move was his left-eye. While the physical challenges of Bauby's fate leave him with little hope for the future, he begins to discover how his life's passions, his rich memories and his newfound imagination can help him achieve a life without boundaries.
It makes sense that this film had to be directed by a sensitive and artistic person - painter/filmmaker Julian Schnabel. In the first 20 minutes of the film we only see what Bauby sees. This was truly one of the best cinematic moments I have ever witnessed. The way this scene is captured deserves an award all in itself. I understand why Schnabel walked away with last year's Cannes award for Best Director.
This beautiful movie really brings to life Jean-Dominique Bauby's story. The cast is top notch, and every scene is stunning. This movie also reminded me to not take life for granted and appreciate the finer things in life. A must see! I give The Diving Bell and the Butterfly a B+. Enjoy!!! ~Caleb

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is Now Playing at The Moxie Cinema

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

The title of this film leaves little to the imagination of said movie's climax. With this Jesse James movie it is more about the journey to the end and learning what makes these two character's click. I am glad to say that this journey pays off.
The Assassination of Jesse James... begins with the outlaw already a household name. The James gang are left with a rag tag group, and Ford to do one last heist, a train robbery. Once the job is done the gang goes separate ways. Jesse invites Robert to stay with his family; this is when we start to see the man- crush inside Mr. Ford really start to take shape. The movie does have a rather long run time, but it is not a problem because the film takes it time to show the deep and inner conflicts of every character. Brad Pitt gives one of his best performances in recent years. Casey Affleck really shows his range as an actor in his performance as Robert Ford. Seeing his character evolution in the movie is a real driving force for the movie. The production on the film is some of the best I have seen in years. The film was shot by one of the best cinematographers working in Hollywood. His name is Roger Deakins and if you are not familiar with his work look him up on www.imdb.com and take a look at the list of films he has done the cinematography for. He is up for two Oscars this year one for The Assassination of Jesse James..., and the second one is for No Country for Old Men.
For the most part this Jesse James tale is a great one; however, if you are seeking popcorn pleasures and instant gratification this one may not be for you. If you DO want to see this film, sit back relax and get ready to enjoy a motion picture. I give The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford a B- Enjoy!! ~Caleb

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Teaser Trailer

It is offical, Lucasfilm and Paramount Pictures have confirmed that the first teaser trailer for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull will debut this Thrusday morning on Good Morning America between 8 and 9am EST. The trailer will be on the Indiana Jones website indianajones.com shortly thereafter.

Here it is folks. Enjoy!

Retro Film Anthology Viewing @ 80's Party

So, ole C-O-X threw a Rad Party! We had some interesting characters arrive.

Here are some pics of the Motley Crew:










We watched 2 Totally Awesome Flicks:

We started with "Weird Science". Who doesn't remember this one?............well, amazingly a huge # of the party animals had NOT seen this one. Wow! blew me away. Anyway, how many Oscars did this thing win? I cant even remember.
Any teenager loved this movie. I think I have seen it at least 40 times. Directed by John Hughes & stars Anthony Michael Hall, Robert Downey Jr., Bill Paxton, and who can forget Kelly LeBrock?

Weird Science Trivia:
- John Hughes wrote this film in two days.

- Anthony Michael Hall makes a reference to a girlfriend from Canada. His character "Brian" from The Breakfast Club (1985) also makes a reference to an imaginary girlfriend from Canada.

- Kelly LeBrock's character name was inspired by Apple Computer's first GUI computer, the Apple Lisa.



Next up was "The Breakfast Club", and once again there was an astounding # of punks that had missed this one back in the day.
Awesome Film. Sweet Cast: Judd Nelson, Anthony Michael Hall, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy, and Emilio Estevez. Also Directed by John Hughes. Can't go too wrong with this.

Breakfast Club Trivia:
- John Hughes also wrote this film in two days.

- Most teenage movies that John Hughes has written are also take place in Shermer Illinois and involve a Shermer High School. Weird Science (1985), written by Hughes and also starring Anthony Michael Hall, also takes place in Shermer.

- John Cusack was originally cast as John Bender, but John Hughes decided to replace him with Judd Nelson before shooting began.

- The scene in which all characters sit in a circle on the floor in the library and tell stories about why they were in detention was not scripted. John Hughes told them all to ad-lib.

- At the time of shooting, Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall were the only Breakfast Club members of high school age, both being 16. Emilio Estevez and Ally Sheedy both were 22, and Judd Nelson was 25.


If you were there at the COX soire, you know you loved em. If you weren't I hope this sparks you to throwback to some of your favorite 80's movies. Later.
--SammyB

Grosse Pointe Blank

Rewatch. I own this movie, as I own a few of Cusacks films. I guess I would say that I am a fan.

There is a quality about Cusack that I like. I am not sure exactly what that is. Maybe it is how real he makes his characters. He brings this rare quality to the screen that I think so little do. He is one of the few actors that I could see myself having a conversation with, and genuinely having a great time.

I love that Cusack seems to like to have repeated actors/actresses with him. One of them being his sister Joan Cusack. One of the others being Jeremy Piven. How can one not like Piven? He is awesome. He is such a great supporting role to Cusack.

This film is great. I love the story, it is so original. The soundtrack is sweet, as are most of Cusacks films. Ever seen High Fidelity? if not, you should be taken to the back and........well you know. and if you havent seen Grosse Pointe Blank, then you are in for a treat. It mixes comedy, romance, and action. A great all around flick, even for a date night.

Check it out. I wont ruin it by going any further. But I will say that Minnie Driver is in it, and she is good too.

Just curious, but what is your favorite Cusack Film? I know I have a bunch, but there are also some that I need to see.

This is an A in my book.
Enjoy it, I did.
--Sammy B

Rambo

Finally got to see this last night. All I can say is Awesome! Awesome! Awesome!
Rambo has put back the action in action movies. Think about that famous lobby shoot out scene in The Matrix, remember all the gun mayhem going on? Quite the scene wasn't it, only take that gun battle and times it by 100 and throw in real bodies (not computer programs) and that’s the last part of Rambo. Stallone who also directed the movie understands 100% what an action movie needs to be. Bravo Stallone, I only hope Hollywood has taken notes on your film and thrown away the scripts for Bourne 4 and Mr. and Mrs. Smith part deux.

The film starts with footage of terrible, terrible, acts of violence and genocide happening in Burma. Burma is nothing to take lightly; these Burmese soldiers are truly evil nasty men. John Rambo has been living a fairly quiet life somewhere around Burma. One day these missionary folks visit him seeking passage up the river. He tells them he won't take them and suggests they go back home. Rambo has given up hope on humanity; he thinks the opposite what the kind good-hearted missionaries believe. No more does he believe in making a difference, everything he was taught to believe in, as a solider has been a waist. One of the missionaries convinces Rambo, so he takes them where they wish to go. Something bad happens (naturally) and Rambo has to fix it the only way he knows how. This time around Rambo has the help of a rough group of mercs, which adds a nice touch of depth and coolness.

If you see Rambo and you squirm or get all liberal about the violence of the film, pinch yourself because there is nothing PC about war and most importantly you ARE watching a action movie. Rambo gets an A+.
Take a raincoat and Enjoy!!! ~Caleb

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Well, I did see actually this movie with COX. I am just a little late in my post on this (I think he posted it that night).

I went into this film not really knowing what to expect. All I knew is just a little rumor about it being ultra-violent. Is it violent? Oh yeah! Usually I tend to have a problem with violence when it is depicted in certain ways in films, like maybe when it is not necessary, or if it is used to torture people for long periods of time (in front of their family nontheless). Rambo's violence seemed necessary to me. It is a war/action flick. It is supposed to be there. It makes sense. I will say about the only thing that bothered me while watching this in the theater was the fact that there was a husband and wife sitting just in front of us, and they decided to bring their 6 & 8 year old (guessing on age) boys to the movie. Bad idea!

Stallone directed this thing, and even co-wrote it. he did a fabulous job. I thought that the character development was fantastic. I thought I was back watching Predator again, getting to know the guys on the "choppa" before the mayhem begins. The cinematography is great. You felt as though you were in the woods/jungle with them. The suspense during the entire film kept me gripping my seat. I was pumped for the next scene, and the next. What was on Rambo going to do next?


There are some very memorable scenes in this movie, as well as some great Rambo/Stallone lines. I like the fact that there really arent too many recognizable faces in this one, other than Stallone. There are very many Vietnamese actors & extras in this one. I was blown away when the credits were rolling. I recommend this film to anyone that is a fan of Rambo or war movies. If you arent into those type of movies, then you probably wont like this one. Beware! This war movie is not for the faint of heart, or the squimish.
I rate this one an A-.
--SammyB