Now You See Me // A crack FBI squad and a super-team of the world’s greatest illusionists, who pull off a series of daring bank heists during their performances, go against each other in the ultimate game of cat and mouse.
I went to my first magic show in New York City at the Waldorf=Astoria last year, and I was amazed so this movie that combines the magic of movies and real live magic tricks will be a fun one. I’m really digging the cast which includes my favorite mad genius Jesse Eisenberg, the sweet Melanie Laurent (Beginners), the guy who brought Hulk alive again Mark Ruffalo, always up for a good time Woody Harrelson, more than meets-the-eye Isla Fisher, and, you know, James Franco’s brother, Dave Franco. I am alittle concerned that it will not be the magical feat that I professes to be but rather a collection of Vegas performer cliches (ehh, not a fan of Vegas) coupled with a dufus cop that chases them around, but I have hope. I’m sure the movie will be full of misdirections for the audience so it’s will be one to pay close attention to while watching. Oh, and what is Morgan Freeman’s role in all of this? One of these diversions?
I’m still building on my previous list…
51. Maybe playing on the sympathies of those who rescue you from choking IS a good way to make some extra cash. [
Choke]
52. Sometimes you just have to give someone a chance to step up, especially family. [
You Can Count On Me]
53. Racial tensions have a way to always bubble to the surface with devastating consequences. [
Do The Right Thing]
54. Leave idiots alone; they sometimes have the best intentions. [
Our Idiot Brother]
55. I definitely wish I could control my dreams and live within my fantasies [
The Good Night]
56. Life is a game show - with a little luck, love, and motivation, you can make it through [
Slumdog Millionaire]
57. Four walls can contain a whole secret life. [
28 Hotel Rooms]
58. Some people can be worthy of battling the world for. Oh, and yes, exs can be evil. [
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World]
59. Straightforward sex can be anything but. [
Young People Fucking (YPF)]
60. Everyone has trouble from their high school past they are better off facing. [
The Education of Charlie Banks]
Stay tuned; I’m more than halfway there…
…or “How Marvel got alot my time and money”
Let’s just say I was determined to watch the movies in the Marvel-verse that I hadn’t already seen before enjoying The Avengers. I had already seen both of the Hulk movies (the Edward Norton version definitely coming out on top), Captain American (which was pretty damn good), and the first Iron Man (blah). I just had to finish the movies out…
Thor (Friday, 5:30 pm). One of the best movies I never wanted to see. I attribute it all to Chris Hemsworth’s charming appeal.
Iron Man 2 (Friday, 7:30pm). A franchise that continues to cater to the role Robert Downey Jr was born to play. He has mastered the art of snarky and makes it oh so funny, yet just I still can’t really get into the movies for whatever reason.
The Avengers (Friday, 10:00pm). A little slow out of the gate and not enough Jeremy Renner, but a super-fun movie with a cast of characters that are great to watch whether they are playing nice or at each other’s throats. Ruffalo is definitely my favorite onscreen Hulk to date, Pine cracked me up with the red boots he sported in every screen, loved the on-screen bromance between Hulk and Iron Man, and (dare I say it) Black Widow had me intrigued.
Pop Culture Randomness (Marvel edition):
To me, Jeremy Renner is just plain exceptional. I first took notice of him in a couple of independent movies only a few years ago, but already he has joined the ranks of Leo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Ryan Gosling as one of my favorite actors of my time. I think that’s saying alot for a man who has struggled in the acting game for so long and has only just began to have his big break in Hollywood around the age of 40. He’s comes across so intense, so focused, and so consumed with his characters that you get lost in them too. He has consistently churned out some many really powerful performances in such a short time, it’s incredible. He is definitely one my list of actors I hope to meet one day. I only hope that he doesn’t get too “Hollywood” and stick close to the independent roots that have served him so well. So here’s to Jeremy Renner and his many great futures performances I’m anticipating (Bourne Legacy!). I give you my top five favorite Jeremy Renner performances to date. I highly suggest anyone of these movies for your viewing pleasure.
#5: The Avengers (2012)
I just saw this movie this weekend, and while it can be said that Renner didn’t have a big role as Hawkeye in this box office giant, he was credible as a loner and trained assassin, intensely determined, and created for his enigmatic character enough intrigue that I wouldn’t mind seeing in a Hawkeye (and Black Widow) sequel (or maybe more aptly, a prequel).
#4: Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol (2010)
Enter semi-suave Jeremy Renner as an IMF agent initially posing as an mild-mannered analyst. He was a great on-screen match for Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt, holding his own against this iconic character. For me, he brought the cool and the ease that balanced out the group dynamic and was probably the best thing the film had going for it.
Read more
Thanks for Sharing / First look photo from the upcoming movie involving three people (Mark Ruffalo, Josh Gad, Tim Robbins) who undergo a 12-step treatment for sex addiction all while trying to lead a normal life involving romantic relationship. From the current details floating around about this film, Gwyneth Paltrow is Ruffalo’s love interest; I’m not convinced of the chemistry between the two but as a fan of Ruffalo’s independent work, I will reserve judgement. See more photos here.
Surprise, surprise. It has been announced that Joss Whedon’s The Avengers will be screened on closing night of the Tribeca Film Festival on April 28th, ahead of its May 4th theatrical opening. As a tribute to “local heroes”, the festival has invited some of NYC’s finest - police officers, firemen, first responders, and military personnel - to attend the screening as special guests and have a change to meet the cast.
With the choice of the Judd Apatow comedy The Five-Year Engagement opening the festival and this latest move by the festival programming to secure of the most anticipated summer blockbusters for the closing, this year’s festival will be sure to get more press than in past years. As you may know, movies like The Avengers isn’t the usual fare for Tribeca but with the movie in the hands of Joss Whedon (Buffy, Firefly) it may be an interesting match. Joss Whedon, for the most part, always finds ways to connect to his indie fan base so big ups to him though I’m sure he is reaping the benefits of all the exposure.This should be one of the hottest tickets in town come April, folks, so plan on getting one if you can.
The list continues of some of the things I have learned over the years from watching independent films. Life is reflected in film after all…
11. You can’t hide in memories forever. Also, opposites often do attract. Oh, and changing your hair color with your mood just may be the way to go. [Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind]
12. Even demigods could use some time off. [The Nines]
13. Don’t even try to “keep up with the Joneses”. You will never be able to. [The Joneses]
14. Playing the “what if” game gets you nowhere. What happened has happened and may have happened regardless. [Another Earth]
15. You exist where you want to exist. [The Jacket]
16. If you want something from the universe, just ask for it, and then say thank you. Plus, you just can’t “adopt” any kid you find on the subway. [Happythankyoumoreplease]
17. Never get into gambling, especially betting on horse races. Also, it takes a special kind of guy to pull off a sweater vest. [Lucky Number Slevin]
18. You can’t split yourself into two; just make a decision and stick with it. Plus, yellow and green are both really dynamic colors. [Uncertainty]
19. Everything worth saying is best said through poetry. [Love Jones]
20. Never knock classified ads placed in your local Pennysaver-like periodicals. [Juno]
More to come…
