Happy Holidays!

Happy holidays, whichever one(s) you celebrate! This was partially shot at my parents house and a house in my neighborhood.

American Hustle

Four David O. Russell veterans team up to present one of the most interesting and entertaining films of the year. American Hustle is a film about two things: deception and survival. Be prepared to sit back and immerse yourself in a tale of deceit, lies, and passion. 

Set in New Jersey, the film follows Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) and his lover and partner in crime Sydney Posser (Amy Adams). Caught in a scheme by FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper) they are forced to work with him to pull their largest heist on Camden, NJ Mayor Carmine Polito (Jeremy Renner) to avoid jail time. Rosenfeld agrees as he attempts to keep his wife Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence) under control and quiet.

In the vein of a more accessible and comprehensible David Lynch, Russell really enjoys what he does and it is apparent. While it may be easier to understand than Mulholland Drive, it's still easy to lose your footing and wind up confusing yourself, but that's what makes it fun! It's easy to see Russell's passion overflow out of the film. 

The details all the way down to the music, set pieces, and costumes take you pack to the 70's; to a world of con-artists, mafia, and the FBI. The music alone was some of the best soundtrack work in recent memory. However, the colors, patterns, and clothes worn by every character both added to the feel of the 70's and added to the depth of the characters. 

David O. Russell crafts a wonderful plot built around four incredible characters, and that's where the beauty of this film truly lies. Unfortunately the story itself brings nothing new to the genre, but the characters move the film along with ease. Every character is played with precision and skill by the Russell veterans from 2008's The Fighter, Amy Adams and Christian Bale, and those from 2012's Silver Linings Playbook, Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence. 

Each of the actors shines in his or her respective roles. Christian Bale plays the con-artist who believes himself atop the world with perfection. Amy Adams portrays her seductive character, the lover and conning partner of Bale's, with ease. But the other two actors outshine the other two. Providing much of the comedic relief Cooper and Lawrence continue to show their acting prowess. Cooper plays the cocky FBI agent who coaxes the two con-artists into his master plan. He plays the sometimes crazed, oft arrogant character with perfection. Jennifer Lawrence has become one of the best young actresses in the business today and she does not disappoint in American Hustle. As the wife of Bale's character she plays the older, eccentric, and inquisitive character just over-the-top enough to make it believable. She never ceases to impress. Even Jeremy Renner nails his role as the near-perfect mayor. 

Overall, this is an amazing film in terms of directing, acting, and design. Every actor is successful in bringing the characters' passion to the screen. Each of those three things combine to pull you into the world surrounding the characters and make you feel like you were transported back forty years.

9.5/10

Gone With The Lawn

Here's my group's final project: "Gone With The Lawn." If you like lawns make sure you take the necessary steps to properly take care of them. Lawns don't need to be a part of the 'American Dream' as they have become. I, and my group, hope you enjoy our final project.

There are still a few tweaks we'll be making in the coming months, but this may become more than just a final project for one class.

For those of you curious about the many drafts, changes, and work that goes into making even a short six minute video here's my group's production book. This chronicles the changes we made throughout production and shows some production stills from when we actually were filming. Sorry in advance if you have to download it, but there's a handy table of contents if you're lazy!

https://mega.co.nz/#!lllFlKJC!eOVrOkjgppXlBadqaJuowlUTi5wsNYIOhdBtEXG_8vI

1x1

One final project was our 1x1. One filmmaker and one subject. My subject was Chris O'Brien, the Director of Sustainability at American University.

Katzen Still Camera

Explore a space visually. For this assignment we had to film two different versions, one with only still shots and one with camera movements. And could do one with a combination of the two as well.

Lumiere Project

This project was based on the Lumiere Brothers first films. We were to find an area in the place we recorded our soundscape and set the camera up and film for one minute.

Soundscape +Interview

This is the soundscape with an interview.

Soundscape

This is the soundscape my group recorded in production 1.

Visual Literacy Post

The class I TA for at American has asked me to come up with my favorite movies over the past years. I've done my best from memory and placed them where they belong after double checking. I thought I'd put it up here since a lot of people ask me about my favorite movies, but I have varying ones for different years. Here goes.

2000
1. Memento
2. O Brother, Where Art Thou?
3. Requiem for a Dream
4. Snatch
5. Scary Movie
6. Finding Forrester
7. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
8. Almost Famous
9. Best in Show
10. American Psycho

Honorable mentions: Gladiator, Battle Royale (the original Hunger Games), Pay It Forward, In the Mood for Love, The Whole Nine Yards, and the absolute worst movie that I haven't watched in a few years is Battlefield: Earth.

2001
1. Mulholland Drive
2. Royal Tenenbaums
3. Moulin Rouge!
4. Super Troopers
5. Donnie Darko
6. Frailty
7. Along Came a Spider
8. Monsters, Inc.
9. Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring

There weren't many films from 2001 that I really liked...

2002
1. Gangs of New York
2. Bubba Ho-Tep
3. 8 Mile
4. City of God
5. 25th Hour
6. Equilibrium
7. Murder By Numbers
8. Count of Monte Cristo
9. The Pianist
10. Bang Bang You're Dead

And of course Lord of the Rings: Two Towers

2003
1. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
2. Kill Bill: Volume 1
3. Identity
4. Texas Chainsaw Massacre
5. Oldboy
6. Love Actually
7. The Last Samurai
8. A Mighty Wind
9. Darkness Falls
10. 11:14

Honorable mention: The Room (Because it's so weird and bad)

2004
1. Crash
2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
3. Saw
4. Kill Bill: Volume 2
5. Big Fish
6. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
7. Mean Girls
8. Kinsey
9. The Motorcycle Diaries
10. The Woodsman

Honorable mentions: The Machinst (definite recommendation), Primer, and Club Dread

2005
1. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (also my favorite movie of all time)
2. Sin City
3. Brick
4. Hostel
5. Thank You for Smoking
6. The Jacket
7. Derailed
8. Cry_Wolf
9. Hard Candy
10. The Descent

Honorable mentions: Wolf Creek (best theater experience I've ever had) and History of Violence

2006
1. The Departed
2. Pan's Labyrinth
3. The Lives of Others
4. The Prestige & The Illusionist (can't separate them)
5. Akeelah and the Bee
6. Children of Men
7. The Devil Wears Prada
8. 300
9. A Scanner Darkly
10. Smokin' Aces

Honorable mentions: Little Miss Sunshine, Accepted, Silent Hill, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, Running Scared, Running With Scissors, 2:37, and of course Snakes on a Plane

2007
1. No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood (absolute best films of the year)
2. Into the Wild
3. Trick 'r Treat
4. Gone Baby Gone
5. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
6. Death Proof
7. Teeth
8. Charlie Bartlett
9. Shoot 'Em Up
10. Hostel: Part 2

Honorable mentions: Superbad, Juno, Across the Universe, Eastern Promises, We Own the Night, The Kite Runner, Funny Games (remake of Australian film from 1999)

2008
1. The Dark Knight
2. Slumdog Millionaire
3. In Bruges
4. Let the Right One In
5. Cloverfield
6. Repo! The Genetic Opera (super weird, but entertaining. Paris Hilton is in it and super crazy)
7. Definitely, Maybe
8. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
9. Otis
10. Burn After Reading

Honorable mentions: Be Kind Rewind and Wanted

2009
1. Inglourious Basterds
2. Zombieland
3. The Blind Side
4. The Hurt Locker
5. The Soloist
6. I Love You, Man
7. Star Trek
8. Up
9. The Hangover
10. Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (the entire Swedish series)

Honorable mentions: Antichrist (Lars von Trier is amazing, check out all his other stuff too!), District 9, Law Abiding Citizen, The Road, Push, The Collector, The Soloist, Exam (surprisingly excellent and is on Netflix instant watch), Precious, Funny People (only for Aubrey Plaza's standup segment of about five minutes, but it's totally worth the full watch too).

Also, Human Centipede. Yes it is disgusting, but it's an interesting concept and a pretty interesting film.

2010
1. The Ghost Writer
2. Toy Story 3
3. How To Train Your Dragon
4. It's Kind of a Funny Story
5. True Grit
6. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
7. The Debt
8. Rubber
9. Machete
10. Devil

Honorable mentions: Black Swan, Red, Blue Valentine, The Crazies, Howl, I Saw the Devil, Buried,  and A Serbian Film. Arguably one of the toughest and strangest films I've ever watched. Banned in several countries, involves some very graphic sex and violent scenes. Proceed with caution.

2011
1. Drive
2. Midnight in Paris
3. The Artist
4. Killer Joe
5. Attack the Block
6. Scream 4
7. Bridesmaids
8. Limitless
9. Carnage
10. Super 8

Honorable mentions: Hobo With a Shotgun (ridiculously fun movie), Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, and 50/50

2012
1. Cabin in the Woods & Silver Linings Playbook
2. Mud
3. Seven Psychopaths
4. The Master
5. Skyfall (my favorite Bond movie of all time)
6. Django Unchained
7. Perks of Being a Wallflower
8. Looper
9. Chronicle
10. John Dies at the End

Honorable mentions: Sinister, The Avengers, The Paperboy, and The Collection

To be completely honest, I'm sure I missed one or two of my favorites over the years, but I can't be entirely sure. If you want any explanations from this or anything let me know and I will do my best to answer your questions. I probably could have written a blurb about all of these to help more, but don't have that much time on my hands.

Dexter vs. Breaking Bad

After finally catching up on the eighth season of "Dexter" and the entire series of "Breaking Bad" I have come to a few conclusions about why so many people feel strongly about the endings of both series. Admittedly I may have to involve some spoilers, but I'll do my best not to for those who haven't seen the series finales of either.

Both series follow a main character trying to do right by his family, no matter the definition or blood shed. "Dexter" is the story of a serial killer who works for Miami Metro PD. "Breaking Bad," the story of a chemistry teacher, learning he has cancer, and decides to cook meth to pay for his medical bills. Both are excellent. Or at least were until season six of Dexter. Both follow chilling characters, who are fantastically portrayed by two phenomenal actors (Dexter by Michael C. Hall and Walter White by Bryan Cranston). Both involve anti-heroes, a main character who has some terrible flaw/need/draw that always pulls them back into dark scenarios.

The anti-hero has been a favorite of Americans since film noir was created in the late 30s/early 40s. And it has finally found its place on television at the very least in these two series. One about the redemption of a tortured soul, trying to find happiness (even if he didn't know he wanted it) and one about the decline of a man with cancer who does anything to keep his family safe.

I 100% agree with those saying that "Dexter" did not deserve the ending it received. Unfortunately it felt stale and like the writers just go sick of doing their jobs. Characters weren't acting like themselves, the character arc of Dexter himself was completely ignored. It was like the series wrote itself into a hole. It can't be denied. But, with "Breaking Bad", it was a show, following Walter White, that also wrote itself into a hole. The hole was more well-constructed, but that is most likely due to the inevitability of the entire premise.

One series you root for the main character to find happiness, not feed his need. Finding happiness and a life outside of his need. And the other you spend your time rooting for the main character to protect his family, but no one can deny the fact that most of the pleasure comes from his ability for the insane and calculated nature of his actions.

SPOILER ALERTS FROM HERE ON OUT

Dexter, as a character absolutely deserves a happy ending. Not the damn ending he received. I get that he shouldn't have gotten away scot-free, but that was the point of the show: his redemption. Him killing his sister was the humane thing to do and it is a controversial topic that people don't want to put themselves in. If I were Dexter and had lived the way he had I think the only thing to do in that situation would have been to put her out of her misery. Do you really want one of your loved ones to "live" as a vegetable? Never knowing that you're there? That you care? Why waste the time? I realize it's a tough decision, but think about it for more than a minute. If you keep them alive you're doing it because you're a selfish person. Because you want more "time with them." It's not the same.

However, the absolute ending of "Dexter" in dialogue still fit his character. You learn that his "dark passenger" still exists though it seemed that it didn't by the end. However, the only reason he could make a life with Harrison and Hannah is because they accepted him or who he truly was. Deb couldn't live that way. Until you get one smirk from her in the second to last episode.

Walter White in no way, shape, or form deserved a happy ending. There was nothing in my mind that made me want him to be redeemed. I don't care what other people say. He was compelling to some, but not to me. He just turned into an evil bastard. Season three of Breaking Bad I openly admit that I hated every single character. There was no one I could find believable or likable. But I pushed forward because I had to finish it. And then I did. The ending was very exciting and fit the series, but the ONLY reason for that was because you know that's how the series will end from episode one. You might not know why or how he will die, but you definitely know the only way the series could end by season two.

His family hates him, he doesn't do right by anyone except himself and possibly Jesse. Why do we care about him so much? He's not a good person. At all. I think for all of three episodes did I actually believe he was redeemable. Maybe that's why I delayed watching the series.

Are we as a country that angry that the most pleasure we find in a television show is cathartic? Does everyone really want to just have a reason to injure others and accomplish some dark and deep-seeded goal?

No matter. Both series are incredibly well-made, well-written (for the most part) and well-acted. I will admit that "Dexter" probably should have stopped after the sixth season. It could have, also! There was no clock on the series, nothing really driving Dexter in a time sense. There was always a drive for his character, but the best way to end it was to have him resolve that and no matter the actual end, I think he did finally "kill" his dark passenger.

And as much as "Breaking Bad" fans want more...There was nothing left to write. There was always a ticking clock, which made fans follow it more closely. It felt more real because almost everyone knows someone who has cancer, but no one knows a meth dealer...or a serial killer...

Or do they? (Summing both series up perfectly)

A Love Letter

Dear Madison,

I am one of the luckiest people in the world just from spending time with you. You are an incredible city full of some of the most outstanding people I've ever met and/or come in contact with.

You've taught me an amazing amount about life and myself, whether it was positive or negative. The times I've had with you have literally been the best times of my life and I'm very sad to leave you.

The farmer's market every Saturday, Mickie's Dairy Bar after a night of drinking, all the different bars, game days (no matter: football, basketball, hockey etc.), the new, old, and amazing friends, the concert scene, the terrace, Bascom hill (as long as you're not running up and down it!), two Champs Sports Bowls, three Rose Bowls, and of course my education here. You have made me who I am today and I can't believe my time (for now) with you is over.

Being a part of this city, even if it was just for five years, has made me one of the happiest people in the world! I can't believe I'm leaving to follow my dreams by making movies, but everyone is extremely supportive and wonderful about it all. I am unbelievably excited to go to Washington DC, but am and will always have a longing for Madison.

As a city it is one of the most unique places you can visit. The atmosphere every day is just amazing. There is always something going on! And on top of that you have football game days on Saturdays, which has been touted as the best college sports town by many people, and I obviously cannot agree more. This Sports Illustrated article says everything and more about what I think of this town on game day: 
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2003/sioncampus/09/10/top_ten0916/

And being in the band has aided my love of this city and this school. I don't know how I'm going to enjoy DC as much as I have enjoyed Madison, but somehow I know I'll find a way. It's going to be strange having to start over with brand new friends and brand new experiences, but I plan to make the best of it.

My friends here have been the best of my whole life and I cannot wait to come back and visit! Or see some out in DC or wherever any of them are. You have all made me who I am today and I am proud of everything you're doing. I'm also very grateful for the support and love you have shown me and couldn't be happier with the amount of friends I have. You're all incredible and don't EVER forget that.

I've always known I would leave you Madison, but am a very lucky man to have had the time that I've had with you and will never ever forget all things you've done for me. I will always remember my times in Madison as some of the best of my life. I know many people say that about their time in college, but they don't know what they're talking about unless they went to the University of Wisconsin Madison.

Thank you for the nights you took care of me. The countless game days I was a part of (and of course will be a part of for the rest of my life). The friends I've made through you. The incredibly unforgettable days and nights through you. The education I received from living in Madison. I feel like I'm the luckiest man in the world. And it will always come back to this city. I cannot express how much I'm going to miss this town enough. You are simply the best. Washington DC has a lot to live up to, but strangely enough I think it might. I will never have the same experiences as I did in Madison and I love that. You are an incredible and amazing city and cannot wait to come back and visit as often as I can.

Thank you for taking care of me for the last five years. From one capital to another! I will always hold a special place in my heart for Wisconsin, but 95% of that place is reserved for Madison. I love the friends I've made here, all the different experiences I've had, and of course you, the city itself. I'm undeniably one of the luckiest people ever (if I haven't explained that enough yet) and I can't wait to "brainwash" my children into being diehard Badger fans to the point that they can't go anywhere else, but Wisconsin. I love love love love love LOVE you. I am sad to leave you, but you've done an indelible amount of work on me and for that I say thank you.

We never say goodbye, but simply we'll see you real soon, AND ON, WISCONSIN.

The Purge

Every year for one night of the year all crime is legal. For anyone wondering, yes this includes murder. This is called the Purge and seemingly keeps the economy stable, crime rates down, and the country and society happy overall. The Purge had a ton of potential to be a taut and tense crime-thriller, but it falls just a bit short.

Instead of following just one perspective on the annual Purge, this film should have focused our attention on every aspect. From the "poor, homeless pigs who are not contributing to society," to the rich and protected, and finally to the hunters, the sociopaths, the people with an insatiable need to kill. Their hate being suppressed for 364.5 days of the year only allowing the beast to surface for 12 hours out of the year.

With a lot of potential wasted The Purge was still an entertaining movie experience. The idea behind the purge is how cathartic it is for everyone in the country and that seemed to translate to much of the audience as well, cheers and claps were heard throughout the film when certain deaths occurred. The acting overall was good.

Ethan Hawke has been out of major films for awhile, aside from last year's Sinister, which should have a sequel sometime in the near future, (I think). He showed that even a man who sells security systems and lives a life of luxury can still protect his family when he needs to. Lena Headey hides her anger and aggression well, with fleeting glances towards her husband. Max Burkholder and Adelaide Kane do a good job playing the kids, albeit fairly unintelligent ones. However Rhys Wakefield stole the movie as the "polite neighbor" (aka the leader of the crazy "hunters"). He was very similar to Heath Ledger's Joker in The Dark Knight including many of the facial expressions. He was terrifying. The other hunters really bring the crazy to life as well.

The storyline was overall, fairly basic. It was often predictable for the first half of the film. I kept waiting to be rewarded and brought around full circle with a few plot points, but was left hanging. While there were shortcomings in the plot, it made up for them in many entertaining ways. Whether it was the dialogue, the disturbing hunters, or the family dynamic, as a whole the story was thrilling.

Worth seeing if you have some pent up aggression, anger, or resentment and it's even worth seeing if you don't. It's a fun summer movie.

6.5/10

Mud

This is an instant classic. A combination of many of literature's finest and most intricate characters. Not only that, but the story is a perfect blending of various classic movies. Part Huck Finn, Tom Sawyer, The Tree of Life, Deliverance. Even some Hardy Boys flows throughout. It is, however, completely unfair to compare this to past movies because it stands alone with imaginative characters and one of the best told stories I've seen in recent memory.

Two young boys encounter a mysterious man on a beach and as they learn more about him they grow increasingly closer with him and involved in his affairs. Think Stand By Me, but without the discovery of a dead body. Details run rampant during the film and if you lose focus for one second you may miss something from earlier. It evolves at its own pace and reveals pieces of the story in slivers, never more than one bit of information at a time, but it never loses focus or drags. Not only that, but the one thing that ties everything together is the idea of true love, whether it be the version the young boys in different home situations have, or the one Mud is pushing upon them.

My opinions of child actors has been expressed here multiple times, but these two young men carry their roles to near perfection. Tye Sheridan, previously in The Tree of Life, played the role of a teenager in a crumbling home looking for adventure, better than I could have imagined. Bringing the innocence of youth to life is something that isn't necessarily an easy thing to do and as Ellis does an outstanding job. Jacob Lofland as his sidekick, Neckbone knocks it out of the park. The two played off of each other better than a lot of adult actors do. Reese Witherspoon reminded me of her role as June Carter in Walk the Line. Just as well acted and sadly portrayed as then, her character Juniper was equally as mysterious as Mud.

Matthew McConaughey has proven again, what he did in Killer Joe in 2011, that he's actually a great actor with skills as perfect as anyone. His character in this movie reminded me of a lot of things and people. He was expertly written by Jeff Nichols and felt like a ghost of a pirate for much of the film, but the best part was McConaughey. He was a man of few words, but his actions did all the speaking needed. This is easily his best performance of his career.

While the story and acting are both strong, what ties the film all together and makes this one of the best times you'll have in a theater (without special effects) is the cinematography and music. Some of the most beautiful shots occur in this film. Of the river, island, and the surrounding areas. There is one sequence mirrored in the film and when it comes back around it is extremely important. A single guitar ties the montage scenes together and adds to the feeling of small town life.

Do yourself a favor and sprint, bike ride, roller blade, drive, walk, ride a Segway for all I care. Get to the theater and don't miss this gripping tale of childhood fantasy, crumbling love, and one of my favorite stories to date. It will easily be one of the year's best films and should be around for awhile. Mud is a classic and we should be seeing a lot of it come awards season.

This is a movie that reminds me why I want to make movies. It was fresh, fun, entertaining, surprising, gripping, and just overall fantastic. Please go see this! (And take me along!)

10/10

This Is The End

First things first, I was lucky enough to get a sneak preview of this film over a month before it is released in theaters. Free tickets are never wasted on me! It was a very funny movie, for the first half, but after that it diverged into cheap laughs.

Following originally just two friends it becomes a conglomerate of nearly every relevant comedic actor of the times. All basically playing themselves makes it that much more entertaining and the cameos that happen within the first half hour provide some of the funniest moments of the entire movie! These cameos were funny mostly because of their gruesome conclusions within the first thirty minutes. You don't know who is safe and who will die, but it makes it that much more entertaining.

Story-wise it's very farfetched, but so are most end of the world movies. This is the End follows these actors playing themselves and having to deal with things like not liking an old good friend's new friends. However, when placed in a comedic actor's house it seems a bit misguided. As I said before the beginning was hilarious.

The acting overall is fine, but I can't believe that playing yourself in a movie is particularly difficult. Two of the best characters were Craig Robinson and Danny McBride, solely for the heart and absurdity, respectively, they both brought to the screen. James Franco proved that his role in Pineapple Express wasn't a fluke and that he actually has the panache to make people laugh, especially when he hints at a certain love or desire for another of the actors. Jay Baruchel, Seth Rogan, and Jonah Hill fill out the poster above and help make the movie move along. Jay's and Seth's friendship being the main motivation for a lot of the events.

Many of the laughs throughout the movie came from each of the actors ripping on another one. Tearing apart a past movie or simply just messing with one another. Other than that it seemed to have a fairly apparent agenda of shoving religion down the audience's throat. One of my biggest pet peeves of movies. I don't want to go to the theater for a sermon or even a bold political statement. If it can be pulled off without being so explicitly I never really mind, but this is far from that. It not only tries to shove religion down your throat, but it plunges into what many parody movies do the indelible failure that was Epic Movie.

Overall though, if you like stupid comedies, this will be right up your alley. Ending in a way completely unfit for the movie, yet even more rampant with some awesome cameos, This is the End could have been so much more than it turned out to be. If you're looking for a comedic take on end of the world movies you'll have to wait about three months, but it'll be worth it. World's End starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost from Shaun of the Dead comes out on August 23rd and I'm sure it will blow this movie out of the water. Mostly because I'm betting they tried to get This is the End out before World's End to try and steal some of its thunder. Unfortunately for the producers it will probably fall short.

5/10

Iron Man 3

Getting punched in the face has never been so much fun. At least since The Avengers. References to "New York," aliens, Tony Stark's past all culminated in this year's first blockbuster soon-to-be hit movie Iron Man 3.

Robert Downey Jr. is up to his old antics as Tony Stark, the witty, somehow lovable asshole and genius. Again, Gwyenth Paltrow plays Pepper Potts perfectly. Don Cheadle gives a repeat performance of the government-lackey version of Tony Stark because Stark is generally too busy being an avenger. Ben Kingsley and Rebecca Hall shine as The Mandarin and Maya Hansen respectively. Each putting great performances amongst an action film. And finally Guy Pearce. He reminded me a lot of his character from Memento, minus the short-term memory loss. Very one-track minded.

Story was strong and very entertaining. Lots of twists, if you haven't read the comics. Quippy dialogue as usual was intelligent and perfectly timed. This time around in the Iron Man series speaking played a larger role, which only made the fight scenes that much more adrenaline pumping. This is easily the best superhero movie since The Avengers, at least in terms of action. (The Dark Knight Rises was a superhero movie for non-comic book fans, in my opinion). Maybe because it has been one of the few notable superhero movies since that one.

The choreography for lack of a better term in the CGI was incredible! Tony is forced to fight in many trying situations one of which comprised one of the coolest sequences of the film. And all the mind-blowing things Tony does with his suits is fun to watch. Whether it's diving into a suit or fighting with minimal armor, you'll never expect the things he does with the suits.

Definitely the first blockbuster of the summer and a fun movie for everyone. 

9/10

Band

 There's no easy way for me to start this. The day that has always been in the back of my head has finally become reality. The day I officially end my time with the UW marching band.

I was born and raised a Badger and I'll never forget my time here. As a child I would fall asleep to a tape of my mother singing "If You Want to Be a Badger," "Hot Time," "Songs to Thee Wisconsin," and of course "On, Wisconsin." Call it brainwashing. Call it whatever you want. I know that those nights instilled in me a desire, which grew into a need, to be a badger even as a young child.

I can't summarize the feelings I have for this band and know I will forget something along the way, but I'm reliving every moment I can.

Being in band has given me some of the best experiences of my life. It all started with reg week. As a freshman you have no idea what to expect or how tough you have to be to make it. And once you're in, buckle up for one of the best rides of your life. There are ups and downs. Tough times and sad times, but mostly great times.

The pride I have for this university stems from this band. Everything has led to this. Riding your bike through rain, sleet, snow, wind, and even extreme heat, just to get to practice. Riding home during reg week and your legs cramping. Playing "On, Wisconsin" more times than you'll ever dream possible, but never getting sick of it. Getting chills every time you play "Varsity," solely because 80,000 badgers are singing along with you. Working your ass off every rehearsal. In any weather. Waking up early for game day practices only building the anticipation of the coming game. Then heading home and seeing some students already awake and drinking. Others asleep in their beds. Until small groups from the band blast a lively early morning rendition of our favorite song.

Playing for screaming fans all across the state and country. Gigs, volleyball, hockey, football and basketball games. Following my beloved team everywhere they go. Through road trips to other Big Ten universities, Big Ten championships, playing in Lambeau Field. Flying to bowl games and basketball games. Any time spent on a bus being filled with offensive jokes, stories, limericks, and general tomfoolery. Border wars, the light game, spider monkey, anything to keep us busy (not doing homework). The other bands we "meet" and like hate.

Wearing badger red everyday, in one way or another. Whether it's a T-shirt, sweatshirt, sweatpants, a cardinal red sweater that you've sweat in countless times, or a wool uniform. A uniform that brings pride to you every time you wear it. Walking to Camp Randall and having everybody cheer, ask you to play a song, try and give you a beer, or ask to take a picture with you. The dirty run-on chant, screaming "eat a rock" moments before taking the field, hearing fans cheer when "the University of Wisconsin marching band" is announced as we march down the field playing On, Wis. Watching the student section sing and do all the motions to "If You Want to Be a Badger." Watching number one teams fall by the wayside as my team crushes them and sends them home crying.

I can't write something like this without mentioning my friends and family. Thank you. The friends I have made have become some of the best I've ever had. Thank you for everything. To the only rank I've ever known, I don't know what I would've done without you. Hearing a mispronounced version of my last name the first day of real practice only led to a second family. Thank you rank 18. We're the best.

And finally, spending every moment of every band function trying to please an old man. An old man who became more than I ever thought he would to me. He's a mentor, a teacher, and a friend. He became a second father to me. Taught me a lot about myself, helped me grow, and oftentimes treated me as his own flesh and blood. The amount of gratitude and love I hold for him will never leave me and I will keep the lessons learned from him in my heart. There's no way I can thank him for everything he has done for me. The best thing I can do is play my heart out one last time.

There's a saying: "when one door closes, another opens," but with this band and this university, I know that the door will never close. However, for one last time I take the stage with an organization that changed my life. The love, passion, pride, and fun (among many other things) I learned will stay with me until my dying day. It's going to be a tough night, but I'm going to take in every moment. We never say goodbye, but simply we'll see you real soon, and ON, WISCONSIN.

A Good Day To Die Hard

On the flip side of how much I loved Warm Bodies,  A Good Day to Die Hard was pretty awful. Everything that was great in the previous Die Hard movies was nowhere near coming through in this iteration of John McClane (STILL played by Bruce Willis). I found myself laughing more at things that were supposed to be serious than at things supposedly added to make us laugh.

This was clearly a filler film, for Jack (John's son, played by Jai Courtney, recently in Jack Reacher) to take over the "family business," which basically only entails thwarting criminals and blowing lots of stuff up. It wasn't anything like the original classic involving small time criminals, led by a near perfect Alan Rickman, but a sad excuse for a Die Hard movie. I'm not sure how Bruce Willis can go from movies like Red or Looper to this. He's still a good actor, but this movie certainly did not showcase that.

That all being said. I was still entertained. Sometimes you just have to sit back and enjoy bad movies and this was one of those times. Scoffing at terrible dialogue, laughing at wild explosions, and just being utterly confused during most of the movie may make it seem like it's not worth seeing, which is true. Unless you can see it cheaper than a normally priced film, even for free if you want to sneak in somewhere. (Un)fortunately it is at the budget theater so get there if you want to make fun of films like Troy and Abed on "Community."


You might find yourself enjoying a film in an entirely new way. Or you may be mad about spending money and sitting through this film. Try counting the amount of onscreen deaths you see. I think my total was 87. Make it into a game. Find something to enjoy in it.

I'd need an entirely new blog to discuss all the problems with the script and dialogue, but who knows, maybe other people really loved it. Those die-hard Die Hard fans maybe up in arms at anyone who dislikes one of these films.

4/10

Warm Bodies

Zombie movies have been some of my favorite films. Oftentimes relentless gore and killing skirts the main plot. Warm Bodies took a different approach. It took the conventions of traditional zombie movies and made them funny and almost endearing. The premise surrounds a zombie, R (played by Nicholas Hoult of previous British "Skins" fame, among other films), who falls in love with a girl, Julie (played by Teresa Palmer). This causes...changes in him. And it's what makes this movie great!

Instead of focusing on the zombie apocalypse, Warm Bodies begins in post-apocaplypitic Los Angeles. By doing this, the film is able to blend quirky indie comedy and zombie movies. Hoult plays R as well as any oddball actor (i.e. Michael Cera or Jesse Eisenberg), but keeps a campy feel to his zombie body. And Palmer is a great love interest, figuring out R while trying to survive this terrifying new world.

While romantic comedies may not be suited for everyone, I think this one is. If not for everyone at least suited for those who are not fans of the genre. It was entertaining throughout. The biggest laughs coming from R's internal monologues and R's best friend and fellow zombie M (played by Rob Corddry, Jeff's lawyer nemesis on "Community").

There may be a few inconsistencies, but what romantic comedy doesn't have them these days. It was mostly small things, blood changing positions on character's faces between shots, characters changing positions without moving on screen. Other than that this idiosyncratic film blew me away. An outstanding film that I think was overlooked so far. Check it out at the budget theater!

9/10

Oscar 2013 Predictions

One week from today will mark the 85th Academy Awards and it'll be another year to remember. The Oscars are a time to look back on all the movies from the past year and celebrate them all! Like every year, I make my predictions in several of the major categories.

Best Supporting Actor
Should win: Christoph Waltz or Robert DeNiro
Will win: Waltz

Christoph Waltz plays every role he is in perfectly and his role as Dr. King Schultz is no different. Making an enjoyable character really fun to watch on screen and help tell the story. It was great to see Robert DeNiro playing a more powerful role than his other recent roles. Proving he still has his acting chops about him. It'd be great to see him win. And finally there's Tommy Lee Jones, who worked well in Lincoln and showed audiences how difficult compromising politically was in those times, but I don't think this is his year.

Best Supporting Actress
Should and will win (without question): Anne Hathaway

Using the live singing to its fullest, she nearly steals the entire movie with her brief time on screen. Showing anguish, pain, and a little bit of hope, Hathaway as Fantine blew this role out of the water and showed that she can get serious when she's not flirting with death as Selina Kyle in The Dark Knight Rises.

Best Screenplay
Should win: Django Unchained
Will win: Django Unchained

Possibly one of Quentin Tarantino's best scripts, I think it will take home the Oscar for best screenplay this year. With creative dialogue he sets up his gruesome violence, which he's known for, and makes you laugh when the violence is directed at slave owners/drivers. Only screenplay that might beat this out is Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom. His story of young love holds true to his quirky style of humor and show an odd take on the first love of two young children.

Best Adapted Screenplay:
Should win: Lincoln or Silver Linings Playbook
Will win: Argo

Having not read any of the things these stories are based on, I am looking at them solely based on the translation to the screen. Nothing can stop the Academy and every other award show giving the award to Argo, probably to make up for the fact that Affleck wasn't nominated for best director. That's why it'll win this award. It's not the best movie of the year. The most deserving of this award is Silver Linings Playbook. I didn't know it would be such an enjoyable film. Every twist and line of dialogue combined with the various extreme characters, made this a ton of fun to watch from beginning to end. Lincoln on the other hand is equally as good as Playbook, but much more dramatic and slow-paced. The part of Lincoln is seemingly written directly for Daniel Day-Lewis, much like his last award winning role as Daniel Plainview in There Will Be Blood.


Best Director:
Should win: David O. Russell
Will win: Steven Spielberg

With Affleck getting snubbed for this category, it could very feasibly fall into the hands of Steven Spielberg, again. Spielberg is a master of storytelling and he deserves this nomination as much as anyone. However, I'd like to see a comedic director win and Sliver Linings Playbook is just the movie that could do it.

Best Actress:
Should and will win: Jennifer Lawrence

Many critics claim that Jessica Chastain's performance in Zero Dark Thirty is the best female performance of the year, but that is simply not true. Jennifer Lawrence is more passionate and embraces her character's crazy side. She plays Tiffany, a recent widow, dealing with her new found intimacy issues. At the most pivotal moment she proves that she cares about Pat (Bradley Cooper) and does what Pat can't: stand up to his father Pat Sr. (Robert DeNiro). She sells this moment of genius absolutely perfectly. Lawrence fulfills what it means to be a best actress, whereas Jessica Chastain has very brief explosions of emotion that generally do nothing for the character.

Best Actor:
Should and will win: Daniel Day-Lewis

The Academy can make history this year. If Daniel Day-Lewis he will become the first actor to win this award three times. Only Walter Brennan (three times for best supporting actor) and Jack Nicholson (two for lead actor, one for supporting actor) have won three acting Oscars. Who is more deserving of this honor than Daniel Day-Lewis. A character actor who always finds a way to embody his character, whether it is a writer/painter who can only move his left foot (My Left Foot 1989), a gang leading butcher (Gangs of New York, 2002), or his most recent best actor win as a greedy oil prospector (There Will Be Blood, 2007). His acting can't be beat. And this year is no different. On screen there is no actor, no Daniel Day-Lewis. There is only Abraham Lincoln. He and Sally Field reportedly would text each other only in 1850s language to never be out of character. 

The only performance I could see beating him out would be Bradley Cooper, but that's probably only because I enjoyed Silver Linings Playbook immensely.

Best Picture:

Who will walk away with the biggest prize of the night? Again, critics and other award shows would have you believe that Argo is the best movie of the year, but it might only win to give Ben Affleck some redemption. However it's rare that a movie wins best picture without being nominated in the directing category. But Hollywood loves nothing more than a movie revolving around the production of movies (Last year's The Artist, proved that). While I do agree that Argo is good, it just didn't hit everything I feel a best picture should. There were very few characters I related to, believed, or cared about.

Amour, Life of Pi, and Les Misérables will all fall short due to the nature of the awards. Amour shouldn't win because it will handily take the best foreign film award. Life of Pi ends too ambiguously in my opinion, though the Academy often likes ambiguous endings. Being visually stunning isn't always enough to win. And Les Mis is fine, but it felt too much like watching a stage production, which kind of defeats the purpose of it being a movie.

Django Unchained and Beasts of the Southern Wild are the two dark horses this year. A charming performance by new comer and youngest nominee (at five years old) Quvenzhané Wallis, which carries the entire film, is endearing enough that I think it could take everyone by surprise and win the grand prize. Quentin Tarantino's films have been on the cusp of winning best picture a few times in his career. Pulp Fiction and Inglourious Basterds being the other two. Django has the acting chops, outstanding directing, and great dialogue that it could win, though the lacking best director nomination almost discounts Django from winning, much like Argo.

The final three had been the top three pictures leading into award season, but the late run by Argo winning lots of awards has changed that. Unfortunately for fans of Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty politics have all but killed any momentum it could have gained. Arguments over the portrayal of information-getting tactics among other things turned many voters in the Academy away. The most deserving of this award, to me, is Lincoln. Usually I'm not a fan of period dramas, but it was so expertly crafted and acted that I can't help, but hope it beats all the other movies out. Then there's Silver Linings Playbook, and if you haven't caught on, this was my favorite of the best picture nominees by far. Endearing, relatable characters, a great underdog story, and entertaining dialogue make this a movie that won't soon be forgotten.

Will win: Lincoln
Should win: Lincoln

Who I'd like to see win: Silver Linings Playbook

There you have it. Another great year of movies will soon come to a close, opening the door for the blockbusters (Iron Man 3) and new horror movies (like last year's Cabin in the Woods). But looking back there are a few movies that were completely snubbed as there are every year. The Dark Knight Rises rounding out Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy, should have received a few nominations including best picture, just based on how great the entire trilogy was. Sure the acting wasn't always the best, but Heath Ledger and Tom Hardy played two incredibly menacing villains. The Avengers, while being comic-book fanboys wet dreams, is only nominated for best visual effects and it will probably lose to Life of Pi.

Amour

Amour is a minimalistic love story about a man and his wife, who suffers from an attack, and how their love is tested. Whether it is through talking with her, feeding her, or just being with her, this is a tale of true love and the tribulations that can come with it in old age.

Foreign films often struggle in America due to the added issue of subtitles. Amour, however found a way around this. By choosing only static shots on the screen, save for a few moments when the camera follows the action, it is easier to read all the dialogue and see the character's expressions at the same time. The static shots also add a feeling of claustrophobia throughout the film.

And in a film about love and other emotions, expressions are key. Critics and audiences alike are relishing Emmanuelle Riva's performance as Anna and it is stupendously tragic, but without the outstanding performance of Jean-Louis Trintignant she would have been "hung out to dry." The chemistry the pair share on screen is unquestioningly charming.

What made their performance so great was the story and how it shows the audience the everyday struggles someone who has had a stroke must deal with. Going to the bathroom, showering, even eating. Nothing is off limits in this movie.

In the end Amour raises the question: What would you do for the person you love most?

8.5/10

Les Misérables

When driving to a movie theater, what do you want to see? A film or a theatrical production? My thought is that no matter what, you'd want to see a movie. Anyway Les Mis is great for what it is, basically a filming of the stage play.

A story seen in many different iterations, from original stage play to actual movie and finally to a filmed version of the musical. It has been done well in each version and I've seen all three. Easily the best one is this one. Only a few roles utilize the live singing to its full potential, but when it works, it shines incredibly brightly.

Starting with Anne Hathaway's singing of 'I Dreamed a Dream,' it is unparalleled by any other song in the movie. Powerfully sung and depressingly beautifully acted, she nails this song on the head and upped the ante for the songs later in the movie. Only matched by Samantha Barks' performance of 'On My Own.' This is what the live singing should be used for: emotional performances. The other performances worth noting are Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bohnam Carter. Adding the only humor to the story.

Aside from the singing, the acting was outstanding. Anguish, anger, and ambivalence abound throughout this dark and dreary musical. Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe are stupendous as the two main characters, even though Javert appears much too "magically" in this film. However this is more the original story's fault. How, over such a span of time, is one man supposed to inadvertently run into the man he is searching for?

Much of the acting is exactly what it needs to be, depressing and desolate. It works very well throughout, but far too many of the actors are singing just outside of their range and it shows in their facial expressions. In a stage play if you're singing out of your range you won't get the job, so why does it work on the screen? I don't have an answer for that. It's almost painful at times to see the straining in the actor's faces, only from the singing, not because they are identifying with the words.

Aside from the strain in the actors' faces there is not much else wrong with the movie. It would have been much better had they made it more of a musical instead of an opera. The only difference being actual dialogue versus constant singing. I wish there would have been more dialogue, though I know the stage musical didn't have much, if any, dialogue, but instead of singing with an annoying simple melody is worse than stopping your singing to actually speak.

Overall, it's a good adaptation of the musical, but the director needed to make his mind up whether to make his own version of Les Misérables or to copy, almost directly, the stage musical. In this case he chose to film the stage musical.

7/10

Zero Dark Thirty

Zero Dark Thirty is a grim, detached portrait of the CIA manhunt for Osama bin Laden. Technically it is brilliant, utilizing its handheld camera to the peak of its potential. Professionally shooting the Seal Team 6 sequence impeccably, making it look like it could have come straight from a documentary.

First things first, I'm generally not the biggest fan of war movies. There are always exceptions, most recently with The Hurt Locker and, now again with Zero Dark Thirty. Two movies from Kathryn Bigelow. What I loved about Locker was how it became not about war or fighting, but a character drama about an adrenaline junkie and I was hoping for something similar here. Unfortunately much of the character development falls very short. Minimalistic interactions between characters give fleeting glances at what these people went through, where they came from, how learning new information affects their relationships with one another.

At its pivotal moment, Zero Dark Thirty is hollow. I go to the movies to see a plot with developed characters and relationships, not to just see a condensed ten-year news report, from what the CIA will share, of what happened. 

Jessica Chastain gives a decent performance, with a few cursory moments proving her acting ability. It's hard to truly put a word to her performance; how can you, when the majority of her time on screen is spent silently looking off camera. I felt more like I was watching a high schooler getting her senior pictures taken for much of the film. Brevity is probably the most appropriate term here. However, the moments where she holds nothing back are incredible and add much needed, albeit minuscule, emotion to the movie. Maybe that's the point. How calculating and cold you have to become to be in charge of something like this. Jason Clarke easily steals the screen when he shares it. Playing an interrogator who beats and tortures detainees, gives a brief glimpse at the humanity some people risked as a part of this manhunt.

One thing I was sure Zero would be is a love-letter to America. I was pleasantly surprised with a general worldly look at the hunt. Instead of focusing on only the United States, Zero Dark Thirty does an outstanding job reminding the audience that it was not just this country in search of Bin Laden, but that it affected the entire world. 

Where Zero Dark Thirty really shines is its development of information-getting techniques used throughout this hunt. The torture scenes were uncomfortable, but rightfully so. How can people be up in arms about torture methods exposed periodically during the war and the hunt for Bin Laden. They were dark, gritty, and felt real. Yes, there were parts that seemed excessive, but isn't that what happened in the real search? As a country the first thing thought to do was torture anyone thought could have an iota of information as to the whereabouts of Bin Laden. Later in the movie the interrogation techniques lighten up, but still hold the same power. 

Mark Bohl and the whole team working on the script had quite a task ahead of them when they began rewriting it after Bin Laden was announced dead. What worked very well was the final twenty-ish minutes of the movie, where Seal Team 6 makes the move into the compound. This sequence and its unabashed use of torture, when needed, are Zero Dark Thirty's saving graces. 

In the end I wouldn't be upset if it won best picture, but I really don't know that it will. Both Lincoln and Silver Linings Playbook were expertly crafted from top to bottom. My advice to you, don't take Zero Dark Thirty as pure fact or pure fiction, but how you take tequila, with a grain (usually more) of salt.

8/10