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movies, top 10

Top 10 Guy Movies to See Before You Die

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No, this isn’t a collection of fine art or introspective indie films. These are man-guzzling, eye-popping, armpit-sweating flicks that will double your testosterone and make you want to chug a 12-pack of beer and do 10,000 pushups with your pinky fingers.

Are they the BEST man movies ever made? Not likely.

Are they the most BADASS man movies ever made? Probably not.

Are they a list of my 10 favorite man movies ever made? Absolutely.

1. Fight Club (1999)

The first rule of Fight Club is that you do not talk about Fight Club. The Second Rule of Fight Club is that you DO NOT talk about Fight Club.

2. 300 (2006)

movie poster for 300 a film by zack snyder who created the movie Sin City

Despite some misguided opinions, 300 is not a commentary on current world affairs or the American war in Iraq. It’s about 300 of the manliest of man with incredible abs being badasses for 117 minutes.

3. Die Hard (1988)

movie poster for Die Hard starring Bruce Willis, the movie that changed action movies forever

Die Hard is the classic man movie that revolutionized the action movie genre by adding depth, mystery and incredible plot twists. It may be over 25 years old, but that doesn’t make any less manly to watch.

4. Rambo: First Blood (1982)

movie poster for Rambo: First Blood, starting one of the most famous action franchises

The original Rambo: First Blood made in 1982, not the 2008 gorefest sequel. Here we have one of the manliest men of all time doing all kinds of extremely awesome man things like killing baddies with handmade primitive weapons, building deadly traps out of raw materials and gunning down guys like a madman—but without the cartooniness of its sequel, Rambo II.

5. Saving Private Ryan (1998)

movie poster for Stephen Spielberg's World War II movie epic Saving Private Ryan

If there ever was an epic war story about brotherhood, this would be it. War, guns, explosions, blood and guts, and bros before hos. That’s what it’s all about.

6. Conan the Barbarian (1982)

movie poster for the original Conan the Barbarian film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger

Before its sequel and the 2011 remake ruined its reputation, this stoic barbarian film about swords and sorcery was a regular part of the manly meal. Let’s make it so once more.

7. Gone in Sixty Seconds (2000)

movie poster for the remake of Gone in 60 Seconds starring Nick Cage

Guys, cars, cops and criminals. Need I say more?

8. Gunga Din (1939)

movie poster for the Cary Grant classic adventure film Gunga Din

This nearly forgotten classic is about boys being boys. Features the noble savage, cavalry coming to the rescue, evil natives and lots and lots of fights.

9. Bad Boys 2 (2003)

movie poster for classic guy movie Bad Boys II starring Martin Lawrence and Will Smith

Two badasses with guns doing manly things, like shooting baddies in a ridiculous over-the-top glamorous version of Cops.

10. The Godfather (1972)

movie poster for The Godfather starring Al Pacino and Marlon Brando

Let me make you an offer you can’t refuse: Betray the family and you sleep with the fishes. Watch this movie and you will understand.

Minimalist Reviews, movies

Red State, a film by Kevin Smith

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Red State (2011) is Kevin Smith’s first and only derivation from his View Akewniverse, and probably for good reason. Smith skillfully creates an authentic world filled with realism in violence and characters devoid of true white hats while successfully avoiding the heavy rambling dialogue of his prior work. And while the atmosphere, acting and mise-en-scene are superbly imparted, the film ultimately suffers as a soaking mess in terms of plot and structure.

red state movie poster for minimalist review of the movie film Red State by Kevin SmithFascinating characters are the heart and soul of Red State. Smith seamlessly shifts the focus between central cast members without disrupting the plot. Minimal effort is required to reveal the rich inner lives of the characters (which is to be expected, given his prior work), even though there are “few redeeming characters” (filmmaker’s words).

Smith’s use of unknown actors lends gravity to the authenticity of the film, but this decision is a double-edged sword, making the introduction of famous actor John Goodman halfway through the film jarringly intrusive. Had his character been introduced at the 17 or 30 minute mark (or even as the protagonist) this could have been averted.

While Goodman’s performance proved to be one of the least interesting in the whole film, actor Michael Parks portrays his character with absolute brilliance. His performance is perfectly and fully realized, charismatic, and utterly entrancing, the true gem of the film.

While the director demonstrates his usual strength as a character-oriented storyteller he also describes his grave lack of ability in plot development. The story is handled clumsily, going out of its way to draw Waco parallels at the expense of an organic plot. In a failed attempt at richness, Smith fails to juggle multiple storylines, each being underdeveloped and poorly communicated, the confused cluster finally crashing into a smoking heap by the end. Other problems stem from this failure, such as numerous payoffs with no accompanying setups (including a key piece in the plot’s final moments), frivolous character deaths, and far too little much “telling” through monologues instead of “showing.”

In the end, this reviewer felt that the film should have been about the cult, not the outside interlopers. More material was to be gained by doing so and would provide the audience greater understanding of each faction in the film. As it is, even the title “Red State“is an ungainly play at immature political commentary.

Rating: 2 / 5

Minimalist Reviews, movies

Ender’s Game, a science fiction film by Gavin Hood

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(Although we have a few comments to make regarding the film as a whole the majority of this review will be dedicated to the story’s adaptation from page to screen.)

Gavin Hood’s Ender’s Game takes a science fiction classic and visualizes it with dazzling realism and originality. The opening is rough and plagued by hokey dialogue but as the story progresses it gradually comes into its own, culminating in arguably the most breathtaking climactic end battle in all of science fiction to date, although the penultimate battle scenes leading up the climax feel truncated, making the third act feel rushed. Asa Butterfield (the principal lead) delivers a performance that becomes increasingly impressive as the film progresses.

photo poster of the film ender's game by writer/director gavin hood, the minimalist review being written by james gilmore

As both writer and director, Hood impressively adapts difficult material to the silver screen, improving notable segments from the book such as the battle school sequence and simulated battles, and correlating Mazer Rackham’s final battle with Ender’s active progress during the course of the main plot.

However, some adaptation decisions were more poorly chosen, such as the near total absence of Ender’s older brother, Peter, who features so prominently in terms of theme and character development (for Ender) but is almost completely absent from the film, despite his being referenced often. As written, the character of Peter should have been omitted altogether to prevent unnecessary dilution of the plot. Also the psychologist character whose presence remains strong throughout the story is so poorly written and spouts redundant dialogue and concepts that are not illustrated in the film, especially earlier in the portions. So much more could have been done with the character to both expand and draw out Ender’s character but very little is ever utilized. The character ends up as a bloated element of fat filled with hot air.

Ender’s Game’s greatest weakness is its botched final reveal. By showing an additional point of view (an excellent adaptation choice) the filmmaker expands on the world of the story but presents the new information in a way that prematurely gives away the ending, thereby lessening the potential impact of one of the greatest reveals in science fiction history.

Despite its shortcomings, Ender’s Game is an enjoyable cinematic journey through an original world tantalizing to viewers who are fans of science fiction. Ender’s Game was adapted from the widely known novel of the same name by Orson Scott Card.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

Minimalist Reviews, movies

Star Trek: Into Darkness, a film by J.J. Abrams

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J.J. Abrams’s long anticipated sequel Star Trek: Into Darkness outdoes its predecessor in action, intensity and spectacle. Despite a running time of 2:12 (132 min) the film feels a little too short to play out the struggle between the protagonists and the main antagonist, played by Benedict Cumberbatch. The saturation of fan service and cross-references to other events in the Star Trek universe is an unending treat for fans of the franchise but at times detrimental, especially when it results in lines of hokey dialogue. A simple substitution of one of the film’s mindless action scenes for a short sequence to deepen character and theme development would have greatly benefited Into Darkness.

The first Star Trek took us with surprise by the acting intensity portrayed by its young cast. Into Darkness retains the same cast but fails to carry over the compelling emotional punch from its prequel. Part of this failure results from the from the disappointing script characterization of several cast members, namely Kirk, Spock, and Uhura. Benedict Cumberbatch proves the exception to this rule in his portrayal of the notorious Khan.

The biggest issue in Into Darkness is with the main antagonist, Khan. As one of the most intelligent and complex characters in the Star Trek Universe, more story and screen time oriented toward exploring the character’s intricacies is required in order for his personal journey to feel complete by the conclusion of his story arc. Instead of actually exploring the character, the story turns him into a 1-dimensional foe with no further development beyond the mid-point—a sad misappropriation of story potential. Much more could have been made of his shifting ally/enemy role as well but the film took the easy way out with his character, thereby losing both strength and depth as a result.

One of the most exciting films of the 2010s.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

movies, top 10

10 Short Films for Cinephiles

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I am a long time lover of short films. Poignant, succinct, and bite-sized, short films allow the viewer to escape into a world of emotion and fantasy for a few minutes at a time. Occasionally I find a rare gem that transcends language and culture to deliver a powerful experience, so today I want to share an eclectic selection with you. There are so many excellent short films out there that I cannot hope to share them all, so here are 10 short films every cinephile needs to see before they die:

1. The Reward (2013)

Adventure, Animation, Fantasy 
An epic bromance made as a graduation film. Read more about The Reward on io9.com or IMDB.

2. The Red Balloon (1956)

Family, Fantasy
La ballon rouge is about a Parisian boy who finds a sentient balloon that follows him. Read more about The Red Balloon on Wikipedia or IMDB.

3. La Jetée (1962)

Drama, Sci-Fi
In the aftermath of World War III a few survivors attempt to time travel back to a time before the earth was decimated. “The Jetty” is a French experimental film unfortunately I could not find a version with English subtitles. Read more about La Jetée on Wikipedia or IMDB.

4. Splitscreen: A Love Story (2011)

Romance Shot using a camera phone, this creative short wordlessly literally brings two people together. Read more about Splitscreen: A Love Story on Slate.com.

5. The Wrong Trousers (1993)

Animation, Comedy Link: A claymation short about a man and his intelligent dog who face off against a malicious bank-robbing penguin. The follower trailer hardly does the full short justice. Read more about The Wrong Trousers on Wikipedia or IMDB.

6. The Black Hole (2008)

Sci-fi A sleep-deprived office worker accidentally discovers a black hole – and then greed gets the better of him. Although the only free version of The Black Hole is a trailer, you can download the full version at Warpfilmstore.com.

7. The Chubbchubbs! (2002)

Animation, Comedy, Sci-fiAn Oscar-winning comedy short rife with sci-fi spoofs about a janitor whose dream of becoming a singer comes true. Read more about The Chubbchubbs! on Wikipedia or IMDB. here.

8. Paperman (2012)

Comedy, Romance Link: [ need to find ] An Oscar-winning short in which Disney proves that they still have some magic up their sleeves and they don’t need Pixar to make it happen. Paperman originally played in theaters at the opening of Wreck-It Ralph (2012). Read more about Paperman on Wikipedia or IMDB.

9. Election Night (1999)

Comedy An idealistic voter discovers that abstract ideas don’t always match up to reality. Read more about Election Night on Wikipedia or IMDB.

 

10. Bad Motherf*****r (2013)

Action/Adventure Although a music video, Bad Motherf*****r is a short film in its own right as well. Watch a James Bond-like hero escape from capture in a blood pumping POV sequence. Like it’s less spectacular prequel, Bad Motherf*****r was filmed using a Go Pro camera. Warning: graphic violence and language. Read more about Bad Mother*****r on Awsm.com or IMDB.

Minimalist Reviews, movies

Suspiria, a horror film by Dario Argento

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Dario Argento’s classic Suspiria is one of the highlights from the golden age of the 1970s horror genre.

Intense in every sense of the word, Argento’s film is violent, visually vibrant and surreal with an alarmingly ear-grating soundtrack intentionally designed to set the audience’s nerves on edge. Be prepared for an experience that is both oddly immersive and abrasive to the senses.

minimalist review of dario argento's 1970s horror classic SuspiriaThe lighting, set design and shot composition are more the stars of this film than the doe-eyed lead, played by Jessica Harper, who merely drifts from one scene to the next as if led by an invisible hand.

The film’s vibrant visuals are just enough to counterbalance a feeble, sometimes nonsensical story and nonexistent character development. Some of its colorful dream-like qualities and childish dialogue make more sense when the viewer understands that portions of the film were inspired by the dreams of co-writer Daria Nicolodi, and that the script originally intended for the protagonist and her classmates to be no older than 12, but neither excuse a weak story.

Suspiria is a stunning film like no other, so be sure to put it in your canon of “must-sees” for cinematographers, art designers, filmmakers and horror buffs alongside other visually salient works like Roman Polanski’s Repulsion.

Rating: 3 / 5

Minimalist Reviews, movies

Get the Gringo, a film by Adrian Grunberg

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By James Gilmore

Adrian Grunberg’s gritty tough-guy film, Get the Gringo, is a wry tongue-in-cheek action crime drama with an edgy but resourceful troublemaker for a protagonist. He is proactive and refreshingly clever, a guy who only looks out for himself in world where everyone is corrupt and everyone is out to get him.

Colorful in texture, tone and visuals, Gringo creates a palatable experience for the audience free from the dictatorial confines of the mainstream Hollywood studio system, as is evident in some of its more taboo elements and several touches of brutal violence. Characters grow out of the naturally developing, organic plotline and are inseparable from this well-told story.

Some viewers may find parts of the third act low on the believability scale but overall Gringo’s storytelling flaws are minimal.

Although the film may not aspire to deep philosophical pondering the film fulfills its goal as a solid piece of entertainment. If you are in the mood for a Friday night flick that is refreshing, stimulating and all-around entertaining, give Get the Gringo a try.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

Minimalist Reviews, movies

The Last Airbender, a film by M. Night Shyamalan

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by James Gilmore

M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender is nothing short of a fiasco. Watching Airbender is like watching a group of kids play make believe on a $150m budget. Of its scant virtues are a solid midpoint with an interesting twist and beautiful cinematic scenery, neither of which are enough to save this film from ridicule and oblivion.

The plot is a series of anticlimactic events wherein few sources of conflict come to a head in a do-or-die confrontation. The acting lacks any sense of urgency, even at the most critical of moments, and most of the characters appear to have only a narrow range of emotions, most of which consist of being at the brink of bursting into tears at any given moment. Further exacerbating the problem, awkward, immature dialogue is almost exclusively expository and devoid of subtext, castrating every scene of any potential emotional fortitude. Although targeted to a younger audience this does not give the filmmaker an excuse to leave out basic elements of storytelling (contrast Airbender to any Pixar film and one can see the difference is not so much a disparity as a black gaping chasm).

For a director incapable of creating fast-moving action sequences to take on an action film is certainly laudable as a challenge to Night’s filmmaking abilities, but unfortunately the result is an abysmally failed experiment. While is directorial skills remain unquestioned, he should stop writing his own material and stay away from action-oriented films as his own style caters much better to the slow-moving sequences of his earlier works.

Perhaps the most fatal flaw of Airbender is its repeated penchant for “telling” the audience about the world of the film and hardly ever “showing” it. Most of the story is revealed through expository dialogue instead of showing the audience through visual imagery. He takes “show, don’t tell” to the polar opposite, telling the audience about the movie instead of actually illustrating it for us. The oddity is so extreme that one might think there wasn’t enough time/money to finish shooting these sequences, as in the climactic battle of the classical sword-and-sandal epic Cleopatra.

Through his restrained intensity and confident subtlety, Aasif Mandvi is the acting highlight of the film and just about the only positive element in it.

M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender is a fantasy epic that falls far short of its grandiose aspirations, ultimately coming across as a very expensive B movie (like his previous film, The Happening). It’s safe to say that we won’t be expecting any blood-pumping thrillers or teen heartthrob sensations out of Shyamalan anytime soon—or ever.

Rating: 1.5 / 5

Minimalist Reviews, movies

Ichi the Killer, a film by Takashi Miike

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By James Gilmore

From the director of 13 Assassins comes Ichi the Killer, a gruesome but creative narrative that challenges the senses with its pushing of sex and violence to the extreme in an orgy of gore (a “gore-gy” if you will). (Ichi is banned in several countries for its “high impact violence and graphic depictions of cruelty”[Wikipedia].)

Although listed as an action/comedy/crime film imdb.com, Ichi may feel more like torture porn than anything else to regular movie-going audiences. Its surreal, creative departure from typical gore flicks is intriguing, enhanced by a unique soundtrack, thoughtful acting, and a deceptively simple plot which takes on new depth at the midpoint.

Ichi’s tortured main character is furnished with the uncanny ability to paint any room with a smorgasbord of blood and guts. A sexual dysfunctionary, this weak-minded assassin is the victim of manipulative bullies who push him to avenge a non-existent incident from his past. And while the film plays out as a visual dissertation on sadomasochism, the story is actually about bullying and bullies who, as adults, are fighting for survival among the fiercest criminals of the Shinjuku underworld. The protagonist manages to purge the screen of its many villains in a disappointingly anti-climactic conclusion.

Although it may be the most light-hearted torture porn ever made, Ichi the Killer is not for the faint of heart. Anyone expecting innocent laughs, seat-riveting action or a good old fashioned crime story should avert their eyes and ears and move on to something else. File Ichi in the “most gruesome films of world cinema” category, right next to Salo.

Rating: 3 / 5

Minimalist Reviews, movies

Act of Valor, a film by Mike McCoy and Scott Waugh

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By James Gilmore

Act of Valor is a ballad of the unsung heroic deeds of Navy SEALs in clandestine operations.

Although neatly structured the film feels less like a coherent story than a series of military reenactments with a few specks of story spliced in between action sequences. Valor is generously laden with fan service for military aficionados, but at times the ultra realistic use of military jargon crosses the line from necessity to extraneous masturbation. Action sequences deliver impressive intensity and speed while skillful POV camerawork immerses the audience inside each mission, lending a sort of video game feel to the advancement of the plot.

The acting is as wooden as it gets and not just in terms of line delivery—no surprise, considering the principal characters are played by real Navy SEALs and not professional actors. Unfortunately this means that emotional tangibility with the main characters is difficult to establish, even with the repeated use of artificial filmic constructs employed to build personal empathy.

Actor Jason Cottle’s uncanny intensity makes his performance stand out among the cast.

If Act of Valor teaches us anything, it’s that “actual” does not equal “dramatic.” For a stellar example of how dramatizing reality improves its filmic qualities, see Seal Team Six: The Raid on Osama bin Laden. In spite of its painful dialogue and feeble plot, Act of Valor is a realistic, tense experience that military and action enthusiasts will love.

Rating: 3 / 5