Anti Christ

This horrifying tale of human nature by Lars Von Trier promises to shock and disturb and by all means does. However, what sets this movie apart from the often ridiculous horror genre is the skill with which the film was made. This film starring Charlotte Gainsborg and Willaim Dafoe (the only two actors in the film) is about a couple recovering from the death of their child who falls out of the window while they are fornicating in the prologue of the film. Dafoe plays a psychologist who is intent on helping his wife through the stages of grief. The go into the woods where the wife had spent the summer and is afraid of because of her tremendous grief. Her grief of course eventually spirals into maniacal events which terrifying and most of all shock the viewer. Though at time this film may seem overly graphic, this explicitness adds to realism of the film and is necessary to move the viewer.
Many other critics have condemned this film because they don't see what the film is trying to say. Well not every film needs or even should have a clear meaning and that is not a reason to condemn the film. But, the film does have a powerful message about the power that grief and wild emotion can have on the human spirit and what gruesome actions it can lead to.

Overall 8.5/10 Bottom Line- Do not see this movie if you can't handle sexually or violently explicit material but if you can and are willing to give it a change you will enjoy this film.

The Hurt Locker

One of the first films about the modern Iraq War, The Hurt Locker portrays the war with a realism that is rare in war films. This movie doesn't look at the war through any particular paradigm: it is neither anti-war or pro-war, nihilisitic or romantic- the film just portrays the war like it is. This war where there is no obvious enemy and the common battle is disarming bombs and watching for snipers has a tremendous effect on the psyche's of the soldiers and The Hurt Locker captures it accurately through the use of character contrasts. In one poignant scene, a soldier says "How do you it knowing that you are risking life and death every time you go out there?" The other soldiers responds, "I guess I just don't think about it."
This film portrays meltdowns and bombings but also stoicism and victory (if you can call it that) and not too much of either.

Overall 9/10 Bottom Line: One of the most objective and realistic movies of its kind.

AVATAR 3D

I like to think about this movie in two ways: first as a visual experience and second as an actual movie.
As a visual experience, this is one of the most amazing theatrical events since Star Wars. The 3D is remarkable and the movie creates a completely new world that an audience can immerse themselves in because of the impeccable technology used in the production of this film ($230 million worth or more). This movie is also an excellent preview for the future of cinema as it displays what is possible for films in the future.
With that said, Avatar is a subpar movie. The story of Avatar is essentially the story of Pocahantas and the destruction of the Native American Indian except on another planet. There is nothing wrong with this story except that it is extremely unoriginal and predicable. I understand that a director when trying to market a film that has such expensive technology associated with it would need to produce a safe plot and movie to insure that audiences will accept it. This is exactly what James Cameron did. Although pioneering in his use of special effects, he played it stale and safe with the actual movie. For most audiences, the special effects are enough to force them to ignore the flaws of this 3 hour epic. This acting is also mediocre.

Visual Experience- 9/10
Movie- 4/10
Overall- 6/10
Bottom Line: Excellent special effects and 3d graphics; mediocre movie. Go for the sensation.

Precious Review

This film will win multiple Academy Awards, Golden Globes, and has already been critically acclaimed and the winner of three awards at Sundance. Clearly this film has gained the favor of Hollywood. I am going to take a stand.
This film could have been great. Graphic depictions of abuse are rampant throughout the movie and at times well acted and disturbing for an audience to watch. However, this movie suffers from what executive producer's Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry are often guilty of in their other work: being too over the top. The depictions of abuse are so common and horrific in this movie, it wears on the viewer and it becomes gratuitous. It is shocking and disturbing but more like the way movies like Hostel and Saw are disturbing, they are so dependent on shock value that it distracts the audience from the obvious flaws of the movie. The gratuity of Precious, horrifies an audience and when in the final third of the movie when it fails in character transformation the audience ignores because to criticize this movie would make one feel guilty and appear racist.
This movie fails because the characters are one dimensional. The mother at the end in her final confession, doesn't apologize or have any realization but instead justifies her evil abuses and so her character albeit the victim of abuse herself is one of complete inhumane abuse. The teacher is wholly perfect and there are no flaws in her character. At the end of movie when Precious is supposed to have fully matured and chose to be responsible for her children, she is pictured in front of the welfare building.
This movie tries to instill hope but instead becomes a one dimensional that forces pity and guilt down an audience's throat and nothing more.

Overal Score: 5/10 Bottom Line: Gratuitous and plodding and lacks reconciliation in the end. See this movie if you enjoy pity and guilt.