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Once - The best film of 2007 so far. The film is beautifully simplistic and it's release date is very ironic as I watched the film sandwiched between two theaters projecting summer blockbusters. The star of the film is Glen Hansard...sound familiar indie rock fans??? That's right, he's part of The Frames, a very enjoyable Irish indie rock band. He plays a street musician who meets an immigrant (Marketa Irglova who was only 17 when they shot this film) in Dublin. Do they fall in love? No. I think this might be the first movie about falling in like. You keep looking for that sloppy Hollywood, they run into each other's arms...doesn't happen. The viewer simply enjoys seeing these two people admire each other and create something, beautiful music. The music in this film is mind-blowing...to the point where you watch them sing a full four-minute song and it never becomes dull. This is an impossible feet. Not to take anything away from John Carney, the director, but set the camera on a tripod and let Irglova and Hansard just sing for two hours and I will watch with a smile. Do yourself a favor...go see this film. It reminded me why I want to make movies, something that seems to be lost in today’s cinema of three's and explosions.
Ocean's 13 - This is an easy film to break down: The First hour...horrendous, zero stars. The Second hour...better, two stars. The result...one star. The film moves so fast, scene after scene, that none of these great actors have a chance to show off their chops. The director Steven Soderbergh's talent can never be challenged with such razor edge films like Traffic, Out of Sight, and The Limey. He is also responsible for one of the most influence indie films with Sex, Lies, and Videotape and the mind-boggling/mind-numbing Schizopolis. There is little trace that this same man who made such film was behind the camera on 13, after seeing the final product he was probably in the digital jungle eating a hoagie and giving thumbs up to every take while counting his cash. If you enjoyed the first two, then see the film, you will have a good time. Get popcorn, soda, and some candy, because you need to elevate every aspect of making this an enjoyable movie experience.
Spider Man 3 - Worse film of the year that I have seen in theaters. I'm not even going to give this film the time for analysis. If you liked this film...good for you.
Sicko - Oh, how I hate Michael Moore. His films are nothing more than propaganda. But, man, are they fun to watch. I was a big fan of his debut film, Roger and Me, but then panned Guns and Bush...OH...how could one go about doing that!?!? I'm not even going to get into the fact that you don't need to twist the footage or forge documents to prove that guns are dangerous or Bush has made many, many dumb mistakes, but it's Moore's meal ticket so he does it. And he does it again...this time with socialized healthcare. He makes his routine huge statements and dramatizes them with little support but set pieces that automatically makes his point the right one. My suggestion is see this film to witness a master at crafting an entertaining documentary, not to come out of the theater with conspiracy’s or how America needs to change NOW. Having directed and worked on several documentaries myself, trust me, almost all the truth is manipulated regardless of intent. Look at it this way; hundreds of hours of footage were edited down to two hours. Someone had to choose those particular scenes, add the voice over, and guide the viewer. In the end, Sicko is a very enjoyable watch (applause for Moore) but see it more as a narrative work then a case against America's healthcare...or as Moore would suggest, the lack there of.
