DREAM HOUSE Review

You know how you wish some stories would have been told differently? Whether it be in tone or structure, you can see the hint of an intriguing plot and interesting characters in it and what might have made this appealing to actors and a director on the page? Well, "Dream House" is about the epitome of that. For the first half hour or so I really began to wonder what such credible actors as Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz, and Naomi Watts saw in such material. Not to mention the waste that is Elias Koteas in a bit part. But despite the pace somewhat picking up and the conclusion being slightly more satisfying than I expected after the first hour drug by, "Dream House" still feels like a mess of a film that had all the right in the world to be much better than it is, but it simply just...isn't. Craig gives a solid performance and I know he is starring in a big murder mystery later this year as the lead in David Fincher's American "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" but that is what this film needed to be. A man, accused of murder who can't remember if he killed his family or not and may or may not be psychotic goes searching for clues as to what actually happened. Then again, that would be "Memento" mixed with "Shutter Island" and while those are fine films it just makes it obvious there was nothing fresh about this idea in the first place and thus no need for it at all.

Will (Daniel Craig) and Libby (Rachel Weisz) are
concerned when their daughters see someone outside. 

The story (as if you don't already know all of it from the trailer) centers around Craig's Will Atenton who quits a job in publishing in the city to relocate his family to a small, peaceful New England town. With Weisz playing the loving wife role and two cute daughters at home as well, Will is living the dream as he works on his novel by day and spends more time with his family than ever granted before. Of course, this trying to be the horror film its advertised to be, things start to get a little strange. Too bad none of it actually elicits any genuine scares as they seem more a distraction to the usually reliable director Jim Sheridan, than critical moments that aid the plot of the story. Sheridan has worked countless times with Daniel Day-Lewis and made charming films like "In America" and solid dramas such as 2009's "Brothers". The man also made "Get Rich or Die Tryin'" though and here again seems to be plodding through a pointless script for the paycheck. Even in interviews Sheridan seems to be lackluster about his passion for the project acknowledging that while slightly more art house in its nature, you have probably seen this film before. I couldn't agree more.

Will's neighbor Ann (Naomi Watts) knows more than
she wants too in "Dream House".

The story is set up so that Will and his family learn of the murders and are surprised that such brutal crimes were committed at their idyllic home. As I said though, if you have seen the trailer you know all of this as well as the major twist at the center of it. Why the producers decided to divulge so much information in the trailers could only mean they didn't have much faith in the film without that hook, and even in promising that wasn't the biggest twist in the film, I think we all knew. Even if we had no idea, it is apparent early on the wife and children never leave the grounds of the house and that they are in fact figments of our protagonist's imagination. This is only confirmed when Naomi Watts, playing the estranged neighbor across the street, shows up and looks strangely at Will as he talks to his family. And I do apologize if you think by reading this I am spoiling this film for you, but honestly if you had any intention of seeing it you would have known as well as I before entering the theater that this is where it was heading. I will give "Dream House" this though, and that is I was pleasantly surprised by the enlightening epiphany Will reaches at the end of the film rather than the cliched cheap scare or easy out. The film does respect his character and everything he has gone through, but still, this last ditch effort doesn't erase the fact I wasted an hour and a half on the rest of it.

Will is able to leave his "dream house" and all its
baggage behind him.

I really can't be mad though, I knew this wasn't going to be my new favorite horror film going in and I came out with a feeling that while somewhat disappointed this didn't prove the rest of the critics wrong it did prove to be better because of those expectations set by critics and fans alike. "Dream House' is a mystery thriller that tries to scare us, but the only real mystery is why such time and talent was wasted on such a half baked product when they could have been producing something much more worth an audience members time. Both Watts and Weisz are no strangers to the art house/indie scene and make important choices in their efforts to play real characters that reflect real world issues. Sure, it is fun to do a project like this every once in a while, but at least pick one that is fun! Not something that your audience will get bored with or that has been told countless times prior. We may never know why such talent was wasted on this half hearted film, but if you really want to get to the bottom of it-"Dream House" isn't the worst you could do on a rainy night in October when you have absolutely nothing else to do. It has a few redeeming qualities, just not enough to recommend outside those exact circumstances.

DREAM HOUSE Review

You know how you wish some stories would have been told differently? Whether it be in tone or structure, you can see the hint of an intriguing plot and interesting characters in it and what might have made this appealing to actors and a director on the page? Well, "Dream House" is about the epitome of that. For the first half hour or so I really began to wonder what such credible actors as Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz, and Naomi Watts saw in such material. Not to mention the waste that is Elias Koteas in a bit part. But despite the pace somewhat picking up and the conclusion being slightly more satisfying than I expected after the first hour drug by, "Dream House" still feels like a mess of a film that had all the right in the world to be much better than it is, but it simply just...isn't. Craig gives a solid performance and I know he is starring in a big murder mystery later this year as the lead in David Fincher's American "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" but that is what this film needed to be. A man, accused of murder who can't remember if he killed his family or not and may or may not be psychotic goes searching for clues as to what actually happened. Then again, that would be "Memento" mixed with "Shutter Island" and while those are fine films it just makes it obvious there was nothing fresh about this idea in the first place and thus no need for it at all.

50/50 Review

One may not believe cancer can be amusing, and in fact it is not, but to the person going through life who is blindsided by the disease, it seems crucial they make good on their situation. That is essentially the hook for "50/50" a dramedy of sorts that shows a most genuine portrait of what it must feel like to be young and sick and how it affects the people that are a part of your life. From a script penned by Seth Rogen's real-life friend Will Reiser who did in fact go through this experience, we are given a glimpse as to why it is just as important to allow yourself to enjoy life as it is to not take it for granted. Director Jonathan Levine who is mainly known for "The Wackness", his own little bio-pic from 2008, gives the film a perfect tone; shifting from humorous moments to ones laced with deep meaning and sadness that really resonate in our protagonist. This really is a moving film, a wonderfully well-rounded movie that is consistently effective both in its humor and moments of hurt. Who would have thought September, usually a dumping ground for crap, would warrant some of the best films of the year so far. After "Drive" on the 16th and "Moneyball" last week, "50/50" definitely continues the streak and does so with an honest, human story that you should go out and see. Now.

Rachael (Bryce Dallas Howard) and Adam
(Joseph Gordon-Levitt) upon discovering he has cancer.

The story centers around Adam, a young, genuine guy who is in a relationship with a pretty girl and has a meaningful job working in radio. Adam then begins having night sweats, his back hurts; he goes to the doctor and learns he has cancer. It is at that moment we see why the performance of Joseph Gordon-Levitt is indeed so valuable to this film. Adam is a likable guy, he doesn't smoke, he doesn't drink...he recycles. He means well in everything he does, and Gordon-Levitt knows exactly how he would respond to such news. He's in shock sure, but he seems more worried about how those around him will react than anything. He is so unsure he gives his girlfriend an out before letting her tell him she is going to take care of him. Too bad she turns out to be the only real source of vengeance Reiser let seep into the script. Bryce Dallas Howard has become accustomed to the bitch role this year playing what could have essentially been the mother to her character here in "The Help", but other than this one sour note, the film moves along nicely with Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen as his best friend Kyle making an interesting pair as well as a great couple of scenes with Anjelica Huston as Adam's mother and Philip Baker Hall as a fellow patient Adam gets chemo with and does weed with. As much as Rogen has played the pot-smoking, moocher before, there is a different level to it here that no doubt comes from Rogen's real life stake in the project. Yea, he is a loud-mouthed, trash talker, but he has a big heart and he cares about his friend. Rogen is firing on all cylinders and after different roles in "The Green Hornet", "Funny People", and "Observe and Report" I don't think I ever realized how much I enjoy just watching Seth Rogen be himself.

Adam and best friend Kyle (Seth Rogen) have fun
destroying some "art".

To be honest though, Gordon-Levitt is the real anchor here. If not for him this might have come off more melodrama than either Reiser or Rogen would have liked, but the truth is it is hard to make a movie with this type of subject matter and avoid being overly-sentimental. "50/50" works it out though and while Rogen takes care of most of the humor there is also a nice new relationship brewing between Adam and his therapist Katherine. As played by "Up in the Airs" Anna Kendrick, Katherine is a student gaining her doctorate who is getting experience through patients such as Adam. Adam is skeptical at first, but the awkward banter between the two that becomes an honest learning experience for both of them is something only such gifted actors as Gordon-Levitt and Kendrick could bring. Whether we smile as we watch their chemistry grow or try to hide our chests swelling up as we see Adam sit along side Philip Baker Hall and Matt Frewer as they receive their chemotherapy from the silence of those awful drips we are fully invested in this character. As the treatment goes on, and the disease gets worse, Adam becomes a darker character, but Gordon-Levitt does not allow this to make him someone we no longer know, he makes him honest. We see why he feels the way he does. Why he doesn't call his mother back, why he won't invite Katehrine in when she gives him a ride home, and why he is afraid to tell Kyle to stop using him to score sex. He is, at his core, that same unselfish guy, who just wants to live in peace. The cancer disturbs that goal, that peace of mind and to watch Adam try to cope with that while allowing the people in his life to go through whatever process they need to is plenty engaging, but it also demonstrates why Gordon-Levitt is one of the best actors of this generation.

Katehrine (Anna Kendrick) and Adam cross some
Doctor/patient boundaries...

When Adam is finally sent into surgery, the film visually describes that culmination of uncertainty perfectly. Not many words are spoken, but everyone understands. The nicely balanced scenes of laughter and heart continue through the movie's conclusion. The actors rising to an occasion that makes "50/50" one of the best films of the year and gives us a certain comfort level that let us know it is okay to laugh in the face of a disease that could kill you. It is okay, in fact, it is probably for the best that you do laugh. This is no "Bucket List" this is what you do when you don't know and you just take it as it is. You shave your head instead of letting the cancer do it for you, you be brutally honest with the girl who cheated on you while you were sick, and you mend relationships while finding out which ones really mean the most to you. It is raunchy, it is heartfelt, but it is not an all out Rogen comedy. It is a great little film that continues Gordon-Levitt's winning streak and delivers a story of finding the humor unlikely places and the joy of quiet triumphs. Odds are, you will love "50/50".

50/50 Review

One may not believe cancer can be amusing, and in fact it is not, but to the person going through life who is blindsided by the disease, it seems crucial they make good on their situation. That is essentially the hook for "50/50" a dramedy of sorts that shows a most genuine portrait of what it must feel like to be young and sick and how it affects the people that are a part of your life. From a script penned by Seth Rogen's real-life friend Will Reiser who did in fact go through this experience, we are given a glimpse as to why it is just as important to allow yourself to enjoy life as it is to not take it for granted. Director Jonathan Levine who is mainly known for "The Wackness", his own little bio-pic from 2008, gives the film a perfect tone; shifting from humorous moments to ones laced with deep meaning and sadness that really resonate in our protagonist. This really is a moving film, a wonderfully well-rounded movie that is consistently effective both in its humor and moments of hurt. Who would have thought September, usually a dumping ground for crap, would warrant some of the best films of the year so far. After "Drive" on the 16th and "Moneyball" last week, "50/50" definitely continues the streak and does so with an honest, human story that you should go out and see. Now.

MONEYBALL Review

I'm not a big baseball fan. Sure, I can enjoy the atmosphere of the ballpark and the thrill of actually being present at the game but you will never catch me watching it on TV. I just never found the dynamics of the game as intriguing when sitting on the couch, but you wanna know what I could sit on my couch and watch all day that concerns baseball? "Moneyball". Going in I expected good things, Brad Pitt is a movie star, but more importantly, the man is an honest, gifted actor. As Billy Beane, the manager of the Oakland A's he is faced with the loss of three key players and a tiny budget as compared to some of the bigger franchise teams. Beane has to make some difficult decisions and chooses the route that goes against everything baseball scouts have done for years. Pitt commands the screen as Beane and is completely deserving of the Oscar talk that has been swirling around the project. This is an underdog story, but one that doesn't take on the sensational aspects of the story most movies would exploit. Like the story it is telling, the film goes against expectation, not relying on set pieces, special effects, or big dramatic scenes. It is a simply told, linear story that chronicles a mans effort to do something he truly believes in when the rest of the world is laughing at him.

Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) and Peter Brand (Jonah Hill)
check out their newly assembled team.

It is in the pre-season trading game that Beane comes in contact with Peter Brand, a Yale graduate who studied economics. Beane sees the reliance his Cleveland equals place on Brand and in a great scene where Beane approaches Band and intimidates him to the point of confession we see the wheels begin to turn in his head. In what might be the oddest pairing ever, Pitt is aligned with Jonah Hill who shows real promise here as he stretches his comedic chops to a more cut and dry role that asks him to restrain. He plays it right and he plays it well. While Pitt is the anchor of the film, Hill proves to be a worthy wunderkind that is the real reason for Beane's success. Beane was looking for a new way of thinking and Brand was searching for someone to listen. It is a match made in heaven and to watch these two men drool over stats and computer analysis of players that no one wants, that are underrated or simply throw the ball funny creates one of the most intriguing films I have seen this year.This is one of the biggest surprises of "Moneyball".

Art Howe (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is baffled
by the decisions his manager is making.

You may go in expecting a baseball movie, but in reality the sport itself is serving as a backdrop for a story that boils down to the business that goes on off the field. Don't worry, it's just as entertaining, and for a passive fan such as myself, it is all the more exciting. What this means though is that we are left with a tremendous amount of talking. Lucky for us Steve Zaillian is credited with the screenplay ( Schindler's List, Gangs of New York, American Gangster, and the upcoming Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) as well as Aaron Sorkin helping out who is known for his quick, witty dialogue. It may seem recognizable if you saw last year's "The Social Network" but both writers are able to draw us in with the logistics of the business and the skills it requires to garner what you need while at the same time defining these characters and what makes them good at what they do. Beane is a man who has been burned by the system of picking individual players on their promise. He was a high school all-star who had everything going his way, who's head was filled with the fact he was good enough by the same scouts and managers he is now surrounded with in Oakland. He knows that Brand is right in his theory, he knows that it will pay off just as much as if he were to try and replace Johnny Damon, the upside is that it could work even better.

Billy shares a rare moment with his daughter
Casey (Kerris Dorsey).

"Moneyball" is a movie about strategy, it shines in brief moments of comedy when sharp conversations are exchanged over the phone in the midst of the trading game and shines even brighter when we feel the tension building as the A's close in on the longest winning streak of all time. The supporting cast is stacked with players like Philip Seymour Hoffman, robin Wright and Chris Pratt who makes all kinds of leaps here with limited screen time. Still, this is Pitt's movie and he owns it, strutting around as the man with everything to prove and even more to lose. His self doubt so big that he can't even watch the games in person. It is this man, and his ideals and dreams that drive this experiment. The desire not only to win, but to change the game completely and the reasons why is summed up perfectly by a late in the film pep talk and job offer from the Red Sox owner. "Moneyball" has a few flaws in that it is a bit longer than it needs to be and features a few scenes with Billy's daughter that feel necessary but underdeveloped and not enough a part of the story that it leaves the mark on his day to day or for that matter the conclusion that the makers claim it to have. But like the players Beane and Brand pick to play on their roster, this movie surprises you over and over again with how good it is and how interesting this odd subject matter can be. It is not just an inspirational sports film, but a movie that is smart and cheer-inducing. You will definitely cheer, but probably not for who you expected to.