The Hurt Locker (2009)

The Hurt Locker

2009
Drama/Suspense
Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie

Heading into this award season many experts have The Hurt Locker as the leader to win Best Picture. Kathryn Bigelow is also considered the favorite to win the Oscar for Best Director, which is pretty amazing considering she is only the 4th woman to ever be nominated in that category (Sophia Coppola got nominated for Lost in Translation, really?). She will actually be competing with her ex-husband James Cameron in that category. The Hurt Locker follows an explosive disposal team in Iraq in the year 2004. When somebody finds an IED (improvised explosive device) on the side of the road, they call in these guys to deal with it.

I absolutely loved every scene dealing with the characters actually disabling bombs. The whole time they were with in reach of an active explosive I was on the edge of my seat. The situation itself as well as the way it was shot created an insane amount of tension and suspense. You sort of get a feeling on what characters are gauranteed to survive, but that does not detract with the fact that you really don't know what might happen when they get a call to a bomb site. I am pretty sure my nerves are nowhere near strough enough to deal with something like that in real life (a question a few of the character's ask themselves in the movie).

Now I said I loved every seen actually involving explosives disposal, but that is only half the movie, and sadly, I found everything else kind of boring. It might have just been because the bomb scenes are so tense and exciting nothing could compare, or it could just be the other scenes just weren't anything special. I never really gained any reason to care about the main characters. They share a little of their backstory but it really made no connection with me at all. Jeremy Renner and Anthony Mackie as the leads do a fine job. I believed them as their characters. They greatly expressed the wide range of emotions a team like that would go through. As great as they actors were, half of the movie really gives them very little to work with. There is a side story about Jeremy Renner's character befriending an Iraqi boy that starts off good, gets really intense, then diverts into what I consider to be an unrealistic and unnecessary detour that greatly took me out of the situation.

One issue a lot of people had with the movie was that the way the character dealt with the bombs and explosives was unrealistic and not how it was actually done. That did not bother me at all. I wasn't expecting a documentary on how to disable IEDs. I think they chose to show the situations in the way that best built tension and kept people's attention. I am okay with giving up a little realism if it is for the sake of improved entertainment. Though it is a valid complaint.

I recommend people check out The Hurt Locker. It has some of the most suspenseful and intense scenes I have seen in a movie this year. Unfortunately those scenes are surrouned by some stuff I didn't find that interesting. There is probably a good chance you will enjoy it more than me since most critics seemed to. It is not my favorite movie of the year, but I didn't hate it so it won't really bother me at all if it ends up winning Best Picture.

3 out of 5 Stars
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I Went On A Little Movie Watching Spree

I watch more movies than the average person already, but this weekend I took it up another notch and since I had nothing to do I ended up watching a lot of movies. I tried to mix them up a lot by genre, which I think I accomplished. It also would not have been possible without Netflix Instant streaming (and the ability to stream through my XBOX 360 to my TV). When Netflix first introduced their Instant streaming option on their site the selection was really weak. But over the last year or so it has improved greatly. Now there are hundred of good classic movies as well as newer releases and complete TV series ready to stream at the click of a button, it is a really great option than Netflix includes in your membership. So anyways over the past 5 days or so I have watched the following movies:

Planet Hulk
The Hurt Locker
9
The Donner Party
Detroit Rock City
Killing Zoe
Cannibal! The Musical
Dr. Strangelove
I'm Reed Fish
Singles
Cliffhanger

So yea, I guess I had too much free time on my hands. Now lets see how many of those movies I actually take the time to write a little about.
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Aziz Ansari: Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening (2009)

Aziz Ansari: Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening
2009
Stand Up Comedy
Aziz Ansari

Something you may not know about me is that I really don't like stand up comedy. Every so often I will find a comedian I like, but for the most part I never watch stand up routines. But based on what I had seen of Aziz Ansari, both stand up and acting roles and most importantly his old sketch show Human Giant, I found him to be funny so I decided to rent his new stand up special. Overall, I really liked it. Aziz is a funny dude in my book. But to get the enjoyment I got out of it you are going to have to be familiar with the following topics:

- Facebook (and not just in general, but know how people actually use it and react to things on it)
- the MTV show Next
- Kaney West
- Coldstone Creamery
- His character Raaaaaaaandy from the movie Funny People. At the end of the special he does an extra 10 mintues of material as Raaaaaaaandy, his alter ego that only tells jokes about his sex life and has a DJ backing him up.

The only special feature on the disc is him doing another 30 minutes of stand up material in front of an improv class. I loved this extra stand up material because he talks about one of my favorite shows of all time, Kid Nation, and the jokes he tells proves he actually watched it too, which makes him awesome.

I watch very little stand up, but when I do choose to watch some it is usually because I really enjoy the comedian. After watching this special Aziz Ansari joins the short list of stand up comedians I really love. Check it out if you are looking for some new stand up to watch. Now I just wish Human Giant would get released on DVD.

3 out of 5 Stars
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Gamer (2009)

Gamer
2009
Action
Gerard Butler, Michael C. Hall, Ludacris

I rented Gamer not really expecting it to be a good movie at all. I just hoped it was a crazy action movie I could have some fun while watching. It couldn't even deliver in that sense. There were just too many problems that made it an unejoyable experience.

Netlfix summarized the plot like this:
It's 2034, and humans can control and kill each other in a large-scale online gaming world. But Kable (Gerard Butler), a wrongfully convicted soldier forced to join the violent competition, tries to free himself by taking out its evil architect, Ken (Michael C. Hall). While being controlled by a rich kid (Logan Lerman), Kable must also save his wife, Angie (Amber Valletta), who's trapped in her own avatar world.

My thoughts about Gamer and now presented in a handy Pros vs Cons format.

Pros
- Boobs.
There are quite a few pairs of exposed boobs in this movie, and I consider that a positive.
- Violence.
I don't know if I have ever seen a movie with so many people getting shot in the head that actually showed that. Now violence in itself is not a positive, but I appreciate the fact that they went for it and didn't censore themselves.
- Attempts at video game and internet humor.
Only the attempt to reach out to these groups with inside jokes, not the actual execution of the jokes.


Cons
- Makes no sense.
There are so many things about the plot of this movie that make absolutely no sense. I won't list them all so I will just talk about the main one. In the movie a criminal on death row is allowed to play in a real life video game, but their body is being controlled by some kid playing it like a video game. If the kid wins enough matches in the game, the prisoner goes free. Why would they release the prisoner off of death row because some random kid was good at a video game? It literally has nothing to do with the prisoner, it makes no sense. Like I said there are a BUNCH of things about the plot in this movie that make no sense at all, but I don't have the time or patience to try and remember and list them all.
- Barely anything is explained.
In addition to stuff shown that makes no sense there are a ton of things that are not explained at all. How do they pick who controls the convicts? Not explained at all. I have a feeling most things weren't explained because the writers had no idea how to explain them.
- The action scenes.
One thing I did expect out of this movie were fun action scenes, and it didn't deliver. The action scenes are directed so terribly it basically ruins any enjoyment I could have gotten out of them.
- Pointless song and dance number.
Yea, you read that right. And yes, it was pointless and made no sense.
- The execution of video game and internet jokes.
I like that they tried to make these inside jokes to the video game community but all of them were executed poorly. And most of them seemed like they were written up by a 12 year old.
- Trying to make a social statement.
I think this movie was trying to make a statement that technology controls too much of our life. But it was hard to really get that message when the movie was so bad.
- The directing and editing.
Basically see everything above in the Cons section to see what these guys did wrong.


All I wanted when I rented Gamer was to have a fun time watching Gerard Butler shooting guys, but it I couldn't even find enjoyment of it on that level. There are way too many things wrong about this movie to ever suggest someone should watch it.

1.5 out of 5 Stars
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Pandorum (2009)

Pandorum
2009
Sci-Fi/Horror
Ben Foster, Dennis Quaid

2009 was a surprisngly strong year for sci-fi movies. Star Trek was a huge blockbuster hit. District 9 exceeded most people's expectations. Avatar became the highest grossing film of all time. I still haven't seen all the big sci fi movies that came out last year (Moon for instance), but as of last night I have seen Pandorum and I think it might have just been the best one. Somehow it only has a 28% rating on Rotten Tomatoes which makes no sense to me, and just makes me have less faith in critics' opinions. Because my "Tomato" rating was that it was pretty fucking awesome.

There is really not much new or groundbreaking about Pandorum, but it somehow still felt fresh. The story is very similar to many other movies (notably Alien and Event Horizon). A spaceship is in deep space (where there is no one to help when something goes wrong), some creatures show up, all hell breaks loose, and it goes from there. This time when stuff goes wrong the characters are in hyper sleep (they were basically frozen so they wouldn't age), so when they wake up they have no idea how long they were asleep for, and also suffer from short term amnesia. This makes the craziness going on in the ship to be even more frightening and confusing. When they finally start to get a grasp on what is going on they figure out a plan and set it into action to save the ship and whoever might be left of the crew. Even though I would label this a sci-fi movie, there are a lot of horror elements in it. The creatures that appear on the ship are very disgusting and frightening. So I wouldn't recommend this for people who get scared by stuff easily. Just imagining being chased by them could give you nightmares for a few days. One thing I appreciated about Pandorum was when it came to the creatures they didn't make them CGI. They were created with make up which just helps build the sense of the events really happening. The spaceship was also wonderfully created. Both the exterior shots showcasing its massive shape, and the intimate scenes taking place in its endless supply of winding corridors throughout the ship.

The two big names in this movie are Ben Foster and Dennis Quaid. Ben Foster is the starring role and does a fantastic job. I don't think I have ever seen him in something that I didn't like him in. It is great to watch his character trying to piece together what the hell happened on the spaceship, while at the same time trying to stay alive. Dennis Quaid had a smaller role than I imagined, but his character was still integral. There is a twist involving his character that I saw from a mile away, but it was still entertaining to watch take place.

With about 15 minutes left in the movie I was getting scared that it might end in a very unsatisfying way. Luckily for me the ending was not something I saw coming at all, but absolutely loved. Normally when I watch movies I am constantly checking how much time is left (bad habit), but I wasn't doing that with Pandorum. I was so into the story that the first half of the movie had flow by in what seemed like 10 minutes before I looked at how much more I had to go.

Pandorum isn't the most hyped sci-fi film from 2009 but I think I enjoyed it more than all the rest. It had a great mix of sci-fi and horror elements. It kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next while at the same time sitting back because I was afraid of what might be popping up around the next corner. Pandorum is really a must seeif you liked the similar movies I mentioned previously. I also say its a must see if you like sci fi, horror, or just want to watch an interesting movie with some creepy stuff going on.

4.5 out 5 Stars

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Bill's Top 15 + Albums of 2009

And with little fanfare here it is, my top 15 (and then some) albums of 2009. Making this list told me a few things about my musical tastes for this year. My musical tastes have evolved over the past several years, but pop punk is still far and away my favorite genre. Pop punk itself has also evolved like my music tastes. Most of the bands in that genre on this list incorporate bits of hardcore or other forms of music, bringing some new life into it. This year has also continued my love affair with pop music featuring female vocals. I am not sure how that started, but as long as they keep making catchy upbeat albums, I will continue to listen. The amount of country artsist on the list is really low, but that's because I really only like a few country artists and most of them didn't release anyting this year, or it just wasn't anything special (looking at you Miranda Lambert). I still listen to country radio more than any other type when in the car. I am sure those of you reading this will be unfamiliar with more than a few bands on the list, but please take a listen, you might find something you like (and if you do, tell me, I will most likely give you a link to download it) that you had never heard previously. I made sure to put a genre description before each link to give you a little heads up on what you might be hearing after clicking.

As always you can check out what music I have been listening to anytime you want by visiting my last.fm page.
http://www.last.fm/user/billcom6
(last.fm is a site that keeps track of the music you listen to)

In No Specific Order Here Are Those Also Receiving Votes...

Alestorm - Black Sails at Midnight (pirate metal)
Everytime I Die - New Junk Aesthetic (hardcore)
BoA - BoA (dance pop)
Tiffany Giardina - self titled (pop)
Broadway Calls - Good Views, Bad News (punk)
The Devil Wears Prada - With Roots Above and Branches Below (metalcore)
Emery - ...In Shallow Seas We Sail (punk)
Farewell - Run it up the Flag Pole (pop punk)
Fireworks - All I Have to Offer is my Own Confusion (pop punk/hardcore)
Say Anything - self title (punk)
Saosin - In Search of Solid Ground (post hardcore)
Cartel - Cycles (pop punk)

And now onto the actual list

My Top 15 Albums of 2009

#15
All Time Low - Nothing Personal
pop punk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xJdHkQkBTo
ATL is probably the most popular up and coming pure pop punk band around, replacing Fall Out Boy who held that title for the last few years. Its not hard to see why. Girls think they are cute, and guys can relate their lyrics (and like going to shows for bands where the audience is full of cute girls). I didn't like this as much as their last album, but its still fun stuff.

#14
Dreadnoughts - Victory Square
punk/celtic rock
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_aqTKCLquo
I am putting this on the list because it is something a little different than everything else. They are a band that mixes celtic influences (and a little Russian IMO) into punk music. I always hear people asking if there are bands similar to Flogging Molly or Dropkick Murphys and when they ask that I scream DREADNOUGHTs. Because they are very similar to those two more popular bands yet barely anyone knows about them, which is a shame. There musicianship is just flat out outstanding, whether it is on a guitar, a fiddle, or whatever else they are using. They even have one purely instumental song, and another song without music, and I actually like both of them which is amazing because I usually can't stand instrumentals. Listening to this album just makes me want to grab a beer and start dancing around.

#13
Gloriana - Gloriana
country/pop
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhEHjlsRQH4
I really have a thing for country groups that feature both female and male vocalists (Little Big Town, Lady Antebellum, Sugarland). Gloriana is the newest, and youngest, band to give that formula a try. The thing that impressed me the most with this album was that it in no way sounds like a debut. Everything about this album (music, lyrics, vocals) sound like they are from a group who has been together for like 20 years, it is really impressive. They were on tour with Taylor Swift for awhile and that makes sense. Their music has a lot in common with hers, and if they play their cards right they could even be as popular as her in the future, okay maybe not but they could be big. They did beat out Lady Gaga for the Best New Artist award at this year's Billboard Awards. I also can't forget to mention that both of the girls in Gloriana are really cute, which is a fact not lost on me at all.

#12
A Day to Remember - Homesick
metalcore/pop punk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kd-lbg1QQ-Y
For those who don't listen to this kind of music, ADTR is probably the biggest band in the scene right now. The crowd they had a Warped Tour was by far the largest. Even though I like them I am not sure how they became this popular. I guess their mixed of harsh metalcore vocals and guitar riffs combined with their melodic choruses attract fans from both ends of the spectrum. Their latest album is more of them perfecting their sound. Harsh screaming followed up with a extremely catchy chorus sung in clear vocals, just asking to be sung along with at a concert. I have seem them live twice in the past year or so, and that was still not enough.

#11
Cout Your Blessings - Like Gum In Your Hair
pop punk/punk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldppUiJCQvw
When I first started listening to this album I put in on my playlist and thought, "Hey, this is pretty good." Then a week later I realized I hadn't listened to anything else, and was Okay with that fact. The lyrics on this album, like the title, are are a little tongue in cheek and cocky. This might be because it is their debut, and because of that, I can't wait to see what they release next.

#10
Paramore - Brand New Eyes
pop punk/rock
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OH9A6tn_P6g
Paramore is probably the most popular band with a female lead singer out there right now. They are not my favorite, but they are close. This being their 3rd album they had built up a reasonably large fan base and with that comes high expectations. And lucky for them, they have met those expectations. This is an album for all of great pop punk songs with the subtle twist having a female vocalist (and lyrcisit) brings. My only complaint, like with most albums it seems, is too many slow songs, if every song was as fast and and upbeat as "Ignorance" this would have most likely cracked the top 5.

#9
Flyleaf - Memento Mori
rock/Christian rock
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbdCeWoEH1U
I have been waiting for this album for so long. Their debut album came out like 3 years ago before this one finally arrived. Flyleaf is another rock band with a female lead singer. I like Flyleaf more than Paramore because they are more of a rock band and seem less worried about appealing to 12 year old girls. People used to wonder if Flyleaf was a Christian band or not, well with this album they leave no doubts. Several songs feature them openly proclaiming their faith and I appreciate it.

#8
New Found Glory - Not Without a Fight
pop punk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1uWuwQGzlU (cool video, its part zombie movie)
NFG is probably my favorite band of all time. Though because of that (rightfully or wrongfully) I will never love anyting as much as their first few albums. Those were albums I listened to all the time in high school so they hold certain nostalgia for me. They have been putting out music I love for over 10 years, by far longer than anyone else on this list. So they are pros, they know what they are doing. They can write another song about girls and friends, but make it sound new and fresh. It pisses me off that kids in high school today that I see at shows don't name NGF as one of their favorite bands, because they are 5 times better than the crap they like better. NFG helped to perfect the modern pop punk style and are still some of the best at it.

#7
Carrie Underwood - Play On
pop/country
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTH-PMNBv9g (but basically every song on this is really good)
Even though this is not that high on the list I really have nothing negative to say about this album. This is Carrie Underwood's 3rd album so you basically know what you are getting, which is a great mix of pop and country. The people who made this album knew what they were doing. This is so finely polished and produced to be a great pop album there are no real flaws. I only dislike one song on the album really (Temorary Home which for some reason was chose as the second single), and any of the songs could easily be a hit single. If you like pop music or country music, there is no reason not to listen to this. Plus she is probably the celebrity I have the biggest crush on.

#6
Demi Lovato - Here We Go Again
pop
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWFWRLE1X3Q
I am in no way ashamed to admit that I am a huge Demi Lovato fan. Over the past 12 months she is my most listened to artist. If that puts me in the same category as 13 year old girls, then so be it. Her first album was one of my favs from 2008 and at first I didn't like this as much as that, but after more listens I think it has topped it. The song I linked to, Every Time You Lie, is seriously one of my favorite songs of the year, by anyone. For being so young she is really an impressive artist, writing almost all of her own music. There is a reason somebody like John Mayer worked with her on this album, because she is the real deal. I really should rent Camp Rock soon...

#5
BarlowGirl - Love & War
Christian rock
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTtENjxrmY8 (by far my favorite song ever from them)
BarlowGirl is a Christian pop rock band made up of 3 sisters. This is their most mature album. In past albums they seem like they worried about proving that they can rock with the boys, but they are not a hard rock band, so playing faster or harder does not really suit them. Instead on this album they explore new sounds and in the process find a sound that is their own. They also stake a claim with their beliefs with lyrics about abortion and what their faith their means to them. Most Christian artists shy away from controversial topics like that, but I am glad that BarlowGirl didn't because it has made them a better band. Can't wait to see what their next album sounds like.

#4
Selena Gomez & The Scene - Kiss N Tell
pop
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_YR4dKArgo&feature=fvst
I wasn't that excited for this album's release. I only listened to it because Selena Gomez is best friends with Demi Lovato, and since I like Demi so much I figured I might as well give it a try. Good thing I did, because this album is so fun. Selena Gomez isn't the best singer, but I don't care, all the songs here are great, catchy, pop songs that would be great to dance to, and I loved every minute of it. When I say I like pop music, I mean I want stuff exactly like this.

#3
MC Lars - This Gigantic Robot Kills
nerdcore rap
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTbwCsjN4Ek (perfectly describes all the hipster I see)
I would suspect that nobody reading this has really heard of nerdcore rap before. The best way I describe it is that it is rap about nerdy stuff (video games, computers, comic books, etc.) done by white guys. I liked nerdcore and MC Lars before this album, but this made me a hardcore fan. The ryhmes and lyrics on this are so smart and witty. It is also about stuff I can relate to, which something regular rap does not have for me. This album also mixes in other kinds of music, so its not just your regular hip hop beats the whole time. Check it out, it might suprise you.

#2
This Time Next Year - Road Maps and Heart Attacks
pop punk/hardcore
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmCK59b0BQM
Well this album came out of nowhere. I had never really heard of this band before listening to it, but I am glad I know about them now. This is some more upbeat pop punk that I love so much. A little less pop that other groups but that is no problem. Catchy hooks about stuff that I could very easily connect with (friendship, relationships, etc.). It is music I can't wait to hear at a concert and scream the choruses with everybody else in the crowd.

#1
Set Your Goals - This Will Be the Death of Us
melodic hardcore
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8Eb5jZu5UI
Here it is, my top album from 2009. A lot of magazines and websites had this as one of the most anticipated of the year before it came out, and its safe to say it succeeded in matching expecations. I liked SYG's previous album, but not to the extent that I thought I would love this one so much. This album just has such an energy to it. Like they were out to prove that they were good and they know what they are doing. Listening to it you can just feel that they love what they do and believe what they are saying. This album even has great guest vocalists (Hayley from Paramore and Chad from New Found Glory/Shai Hulud), something usually saved for rap music. This album is great and I know it took a lot of work from SYG to make it but I hope that "This Will Be the Death Of Us" is just a figure of speech and not literal...

And there is the list. Now to move onto all the stuff I am already missing from 2010.
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Halloween II (2009)

Halloween II (Unrated Director's Cut)
2009
Horror

Brutal. If I had one word to describe Rob Zombie's Halloween II it would be that. There are some scenes in this movie that are just completely brutal in their showcase of carnage and gore. I mean Michale Myers' stomps on a guys face until he is dead, and that's not even close to the worst of it. So it is safe to say this movie is not for anyone with a weak, or even mildy strong, stomach. I really don't watch movies that feature such explicit and realistic violence like that, so Halloween II basically pushed at my limits. Even though it was way more violent than I expected, I still enjoyed it overall.

The first Zombie Halloween was a real love it or hate it movie. It seemed like the more people liked the original Halloween the more they hated this remake. I was in the minority that I liked them both. They were totally different movies but both worth seeing in my opinion. It seemed like even more people hated this new sequel, but again I was probably in the minority that liked it.

The main reason I liked this sequel is that it helped explain a little more the motivation behind Michael Myers and why he is trying to track down his long lost sister (the main plot from the first film). I want to say I still have a crush on the actress (Scout Taylor-Compton) who played the main character and his sister Laurie, but her character is so crazy from her last run in with her psycho brother that its a bit of a turn off. Though she is still really cute, even with the scars (physical and mental) left on her from the first movie. And I am not her psychiatrist in the movie but I would have to say she might have less nightmares about a serial killer if she got rid of the mural dedicated to Charles Manson above her bed. One thing I really liked about this Halloween II is that we see brief shots of Michael Meyers without his mask. I personally loved this touch. Even without his mask on he is totally terrifying and imposing. The mask never was the reason he was scary, this helps underscore that point. Malcom McDowell reprises his role as Michael's former psychiatrist, but his storyline really isn't interesting and does not connect with the main plot until the very end, so it sort of feels like filler. The main part of the plot I disliked the most is that Michael and Laurie both see the same dillusions at the same time which is stupid, becaue it hinted at some kind of supernatural bond. Nothing else in the movie was really supernatural, and I wish it would have stayed that way.

I am not sure whether they plan on making another sequel in this reboot of the franchise (I heard rumors of Halloween 3-D awhile ago), but based on the way this ended the story can only really go in two equally ridiculous directions, so I am not really looking forward to another sequel (though I would see it anyways). Zombie originally said he would never make a second Halloween, so its doubtful he would make a third. Hopefully he goes on to direct a new project instead of another remake.
I would probably only recommend this to people who have seen the first Zombie Halloween movie and didn't hate it. As a slasher it accomplishes most of its goals, but there are a few subplots which drag it down, and some of the violence is so in your face it is really distracting, and would be a huge turn off to most people.

3 out of 5 Stars
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