Hanna

Hanna is the most badass film of the year so far.  It is a rare breed of a film an artistic action film that is bombastic pulse pounding adrenaline rush.  It stars Saoirse Ronan, Eric Bana, Cate Blanchett and is directed by Joe Wright (Atonement, Pride and Prejudice).

The film is about a girl named Hanna (Ronan) who has spent her whole life training with her dad in the Arctic to be warrior and to hide from the CIA.  When her dad allows to finally to go out into the world to kill the head of this CIA operation played by Blanchett.  After thinking she has killed her mark she tries to integrate back into the world, however with this Black-ops group still following her it will be hard for her to get close to anyone because with bad people following her its possible they will get hurt too.

The film is a success because of three things.  The character of Hanna is a very complex one which Ronan hits it right on the head, she is able to catch the deadly side, and the vulnerable side.  Joe Wright's visual style is like no other here,  he films the action scenes so weirdly and intensely that makes you feel almost like you are on drugs in some parts.  Finally the Chemical Bros.  score is also one of the best I have ever heard.

My only criticism with this is not even the film itself, its with the MPAA forgiving this a PG-13.  There really violent moments to this, that I thought no way this can e PG-13.  What can I say America loves violence,  but sex and the King of England saying the F-word sixteen times is bad.  However it is not a complaint I have with film personally.

Hanna has many allegory to fairy tales like little red riding hood, it is also interesting to see how she has to come to understand the world after being isolated from it.  Hanna has never heard of music, so when she finally hears it is cool to see her act like a child and go crazy over it.  After all she never really had a childhood to begin with.  Overall I strongly recommend this movie.

Rating 93%

Antichrist

This is probably the most disturbing film I ever seen. It is about a couple who's kid died by falling out of a window while they where having sex. So to deal with this despair they go a cabin they own to find away to get rid of their grief. While at this cabin weird things occur that involve their subconscious selves, leading to terrifying truth that one in the couple is hiding from the other.

Now I do think the film is well made, and the film also looks gorgeous to look at. However, I had trouble believing these characters. There is no humanity to found in them, and there actions are far to exaggerated for the audience to connect with them. It is certainly interesting while you watch it, but way to inhumane for it to be good.

Rating 52%

Source Code

Source Code is one fun sci-fi thrill ride. Its quantum physics meets terrorism meets groundhog day. Its definitely one of the best films of the year so far. With a great performance by Jake Gyllenhaal and a good job in directing by Duncan Jones (director of Moon).

The film is about a soldier who wakes up on a train, and is in the body of another man, who is accompanied by a beautiful woman. He has no clue what is going on and within a few minutes the train explodes. Soon the soldier wakes up in capsule where he learns he is in a government program called source code which is able to occupy the last 8 minutes of someones life. His mission is to figure out who blew up the train, because there will another attack soon.

Jake Gyllenhaal gives may be one of his best performances of his career here. He has to go through so much arrange emotion here, sadness, confused, anger, romance, and being an action hero all at the same time. This role has also what all actors like "catharsis". Its one of the best Hollywood leading male performances I've seen in awhile. Michelle Monaghan is also good romantic interest too.

The film has problem though, the score feels cheap, and some of the cgi moments also looked cheap too. The ending is also a bit of an cop-out too. However the editing is good and the sound design works to great effect. The scenes are so well written and acted that I'm able to forgive its flaws.

Rating 89%

Limitless

Limitless is may be one of the biggest surprises of 2011.  It is fun, energetic, sexy, and most importantly original. This film I have a hard time comparing to any other.  The close I can come close to is superhero film meets Trainspotting. 

The film is about an unfocused writer who comes in contact with a drug which makes him able to access 100% of his brain at one time.  Doing this he is able to climb the path to success really fast.  Doing this he takes a lot of risk to reach his success by dealing with some pretty evil guys through wall street.  Plus like every drug there side-effects.  This drug has side effects of blackouts, headaches, vomiting, and of course death.

Now there are  a lot of flaws in this film.  The idea itself is not logical, its not that us humans can only access 15-20% of our minds capability, its just that to do certain task we need 15-20% of our mind.  Also the ending is one big cop-out in my opinion.  It felt way to crowd pleasing.

With all of that being said this one fun film, the visual style unlike any other film I have ever seen.  Bradley Cooper gives his best performance of his career.  Robert De Niro is finally able to get a good role in the longest time.  Plus a lot of good minor performances in the film.  The dialogue is good and the set up to scenes are good too.  I recommend you see this.

Rating 78%

Greatest Films of the 80s

20. Raising Arizona

Favorite Scene

Directed By the Coen Bros. and Starring Nicolas Cage, Holly Hunter, and John Goodman

19. The Terminator

Favorite Scene

Directed by James Cameron and Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Biehn, and Linda Hamilton

18. Raiders of the Lost Ark

Favorite Scene

Directed by Steven Spielberg and Starring Harrison Ford

17. The Last Emperor

Favorite part (the score)

Directed By Bernardo Bertolucci and Starring  John Lone and Peter O'Toole

16. Witness

Favorite Scene

Director Peter Weir and Starring Harrison Ford and Kelly McGills

15. Full Metal Jacket

Favorite Scene

Directed By Stanley Kubrick and Starring Matthew Modine, Lee Ermey, and Adam Baldwin

14. The Thing

Favorite Scene

Directed by John Carpenter and Starring Kurt Russel and Keith David

13. Brazil

Favorite Scene (spoiler)

Directed by Terry Gilliam and Starring Johnathan Pryce and Robert DeNiro

12. The Live!

Favorite Scene

Directed by John Carpenter and Starring Rodey Piper and Keith David

11. Gallipoli

Favorite Scene (spoiler)

Directed by Peter Weir and Starring Mel Gibson and Mark Lee

10. Blue Velvet

Favorite Scene

Directed by David Lynch and Starring Kyle MacLachlan and Dennis Hopper

9.  The Breakfast Club

Favorite Scene

Directed by John Hughes and Starring Judd Nelson, Emilio Estevez, and Molly Ringwold

8.  The Road Warrior

Favorite Scene

Directed by George Miller and Starring Mel Gibson

7.  The Empire Strikes Back

Favorite Scene

Directed by Irvin Kershner and Starring Mark Hamil and Harrison Ford

6.  Blade Runner

Favorite Scene

Directed by Ridley Scott and Starring Harrison Ford and Rutger Hauer

5.  Aliens

Favorite Scene

Directed by James Cameron and Starring Sigouney Weaver and Michael Biehn

4.  Raging Bull

Favorite Scene

Directed by Martin Scorsese and Starring Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci

3.  The Shining

Favorite Scene

Directed by Stanley Kubrick and Starring Jack Nicholson and Shelly Duvall

2.  The Elephant Man

Favorite Scene

Directed by David Lynch and Starring Anthony Hopkins and John Hurt

1.  Das Boot
Favorite Scene (Spoiler)

Directed by Wolfgang Petersen and Starring Jurgen Purchnow

Rango

Rango is one of the best animated films I've ever seen, hell its one of the best westerns I have seen.  This film is not a kids movie, it is a surreal Sergio Leone style western that just happens to star a Lizard and a town full of the dirtiest reptiles, amphibians, and rodents you will see.

Rango is a lizard who ends up stranded in the middle of the Mojave Desert, and comes to find a animal town by the name of Dirt.  Here Rango becomes the Sheriff after telling lie to make him seem heroic.  However the town has water problem and they turn Rango to fix the problem.

The film is combination of a tale of Seven with One Blow, Chinatown, The Wild Bunch, a Sergio Leone western, and a Pixar film.  However the film feels original because Gore Verbinski is not afraid to have surreal imagery and the punch line to every joke works.  Also one of the best action sequence I've seen in a animated films.

The voice acting is top notch, Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin, Ned Beatty, and Bill Nighy are all great.  The Animation is incredible,  maybe some of the best animation I've seen (be afraid Pixar).  Hans Zimmer score is great, as usual.  Keep up Gore, bring back the great westerns like this.

Rating 92%

The Adjustment Bureau

The Adjustment Bureau is a one of the best romantic films I've seen in awhile. Now don't be fooled by the trailer this is not a sci-fi thriller like most Philip K. Dick adaptations. It is a lot like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind meets Dark City. The film is held together by the great chemistry that Matt Damon and Emily Blunt have and good supporting performance.

The film is about a congressman who falls for a girl when really according to this mysterious supernatural group called the adjustment bureau he should of not, because it is not part of the great plan set out for humans. So that the adjustment bureau tries to have the congressman to get his fate back on the right track by having him not fall in love with her.

The performances are good, the cinematography is also great, along with the score by Thomas Newman. Terrence Stamp also gives a good supporting performance. The biggest problem with the film is the ending is underwhelming. However I do strongly recommend this movie.

The Score

Rating 75%