Blue Valentine

When I saw Ryan Gosling's interview with Ryan Seacrest at the Globes, he claimed that it took him something like 5 years to shoot this film. After seeing it, I completely agree with him, and love him even more as an actor. I just wish he wasn't so dang serious so there wasn't this massive gap between each one of his wonderful works.
The story was so intimately told, that I really didn't know where we were going on the journey. The on screen, not chemistry, but realness between Gosling and Michelle Williams was uncanny. Supposedly they lived together for an extended period of time in order to reach this level. The plot line was beautifully told and really made me concerned and understand what is going on with American society. The story really wasn't anything new or different to things people experience everyday, but unless you have lived that you can't really relate. This was so real, and so emotionally gripping that I felt it, and was seriously affected by it. I always say that you can tell what a movie was like by how the audience is during the credits. Recently, in both this movie and Black Swan, people have been dead silent. For minutes on end just sitting still and quiet, which you don't see much these days outside of elementary school. I highly recommend this one, get it while you can, because you will hear it being called to receive some gold men statues. And if not, its probably because the Academy is still so dumbfounded by "The Tourist".

GREEN HORNET

I'm walking a fine line here. But i may love seth rogen more than zach galifianakis. He was
a) so freaking sexy as the party boy in the beginning
b) still mildly attractive wearing some weird green suit thing
c) so sweet and sensitive after a dramatic incident
even after all of that, the movie was great! I thought it was a fun story, and different from all the other "super hero" movies of our time. The car technology was super cool, and Cristoph Waltz was FABULOUS as the bad-guy drug dealer! It was fabulous to see him do something so fun as a detour from him more serious roles we've seen lately. It was a great movie to watch, I will probably purchase it due to sex, whoops i mean seth, rogen's wonderfulness.

The Dilemma. exactly that.

I went diligently on opening night for Vince Vaughan's newest, "The Dilemma". And now, I have a dilemma. Do I completely wipe the middle aged group of actors I once loved completely from my must-see list, or do I just seriously demote them. First "couples retreat", then "grown-ups", and now this. I understand that actors have to grow up, I mean Jim Carrey successfully did it, but this failed attempt by once greats like Vaughan and Adam Sandler and (please no) Will Ferrell makes me want to vomit. I'm sorry that everyone else in the world has decided to act like an adult, but I refuse to believe that my comedy should also.
Regardless, okay movie-some funny bits, mostly slapstick. Loved Queen Latifah and her repeated use of the phrase "lady wood" and it was nice to see Winona Ryder out there not stealing things.
Get it on rental, or like redbox, only for a night.

American History X

Big thanks to my frend and fellow movie connoisseur shelbie for this recommendation. A relatively unknown Edward Norton flick that is by far one of his best performances as far as I can tell. Made in 1998, it focuses on a skin head gang in Venice Beach, CA. I have to believe that the democratic nature of the film industry prevented this one from getting a lot of press, but I was completely blown away. It is scary to think that some of the things the skin head gang are upset about (border control, immigration, health care) while their opinions are extreme, in 12 years things haven't changed much policy wise. You must have a strong spirit for this one, and not be easily offended, but it was an incredible performance by the entire cast that really left me emotionally invested and curious about why America is the way it is.

Documentary Time!

"I'm Still Here". Weirdest shit I've seen in a long time. I'm still not sure what the goal was for Joaquin Pheonix and that atrocious crap, but it was weird and not 100% believable. If it was supposed to help his career, I'm going to go ahead and assume it didn't work. Also, his complaint of people always wanting him to act a certain way and be a character.....you are an actor bro, what else do you have to do? If you are looking for a confidence booster and reminder of why it may not be so great to be famous, this is it. He also did some serious damage to my hopes of being a successful white rapper. Way to set us back asshole.

"Exit Through the Gift Shop" was another not 100% believable plot line, but regardless it was hella cool. Banksy, the notoriously good and daring European street artist, is the illusive subject of this potential "mock"umentary. It was super interesting to see how the street artists move through the night, and how delusional some of them are. It definitely made me want to hone in on my spray paint skillz. See it fo' sho.
Both of these movies are on Netflix instant, so you really have no excuse.

Don't Believe Me?

Here's a list of Alamo's programmers top 10 of 2010. There's a few I missed, so more work to do!
http://blog.originalalamo.com/2011/01/04/the-austin-alamo-programmers-top-10s-of-2010/

Also coming soon, review of The Fighter (I agree with whatever real critic said the best sport film of the year) and possibly even a comment on the shit Lifetime movie "reviving ophelia" that I was forced to watch.