Review: "SHERLOCK HOLMES"

A recent cinematic fad occurring the last several years has been the practice of the "reboot". Unlike the "remake" of a single movie (where the basic story remains while characters are changed slightly or significantly, i.e. Ocean's Eleven, King Kong, and practically every horror movie), a reboot takes an established franchise and starts anew, with a fresh beginning (such as Christopher Nolan's recent Batman films, the Daniel Craig James Bond reboot, and even the latest Star Trek film-- though it'd probably be more accurate to describe the latter as both a prequel AND an in-continuity reboot).

While some may balk at the idea of reimagining beloved characters in new and even drastic ways, the upside is that the "reboot" can overlook the stale direction the previous franchise eventually took, and start completely fresh, introducing the characters to a new generation while still maintaining the core roots of the original idea.

The latest addition to this trend is Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's legendary Victorian-era detective in director Guy Ritchie's stylish, fast-paced, and inventive Sherlock Holmes. A highly entertaining update on the famous sleuth, Holmes may add details to the character that may raise the eyebrows of purists, but such qualms are overlooked by two terrific lead performances.

London, circa. 1890's. Eccentric yet brilliant private detective Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and his more reserved colleague/roommate Dr. John Watson (Jude Law) are the best sleuths in England, gaining both the respect and the ire of Scotland Yard for their unorthodox methods and consistent results. However, Sherlock believes that their partnership and friendship are being threatened by Watson's need to settle down, especially when he plans to propose to his girlfriend Mary (Kelly Reilly).

After the duo help capture murderous cult leader Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong), Watson prepares to move out of their flat, causing Holmes to become more reclusive than ever. However, their troubles are compounded after Blackwood's execution: the Satanic leader has apparently risen from his grave, inciting fear in the people of London, and is preparing to unleash unfathomable destruction on Parliament and, eventually, all of England.

As such, Holmes and Watson must put aside their differences and hunt down Blackwood before he kills millions, all while Sherlock contends with the return of a past romantic interest in the form of American Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams), whose allegiances may or not be in question.

As his previous Snatch and Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels have shown, Ritchie has an enormous flair for visual storytelling. His depiction of Victorian England is absolutely gorgeous, a bleak, Steampunk metropolis emulating the era's grubby urban landscape with amazing detail.

However, the biggest problem some may have with Sherlock Holmes is the newest reincarnation of the title character. While Sir Arthur's original version was an eccentric genius with an eye for obsessive detail, this version is Holmes-meets-action hero, adding elements barely touched upon in either the original books or the Basil Rathbone serials of the '30s (not to mention deleting the character's infamous addiction to opium): most notably, the fact that Sherlock is a highly proficient martial artist and pit fighter. But quite frankly, the method of how Holmes fights (imagining the battle beforehand move by move, after which it unfolds in a lightning-fast array of punches, kicks, and grapples) fits in perfectly with Holmes' meticulous nature. It also adds a layer of "bad ass" to a character who, being a seasoned detective, would naturally have effective combat abilities.

But such action-heavy sensibilities tend to derail the proceedings, becoming too over-the-top and even silly when it comes to the action, mayhem, and destruction, and the outrageousness feels like it belongs in another movie entirely.

Luckily, all that is tempered by the fabulous lead performance by Hollywood's Comeback King, Mr. Robert Downey Jr. Ever since reviving his career with last year's terrific Iron Man, earning a Best Supporting Oscar nomination for his riotous turn in Tropic Thunder, and reestablishing his dramatic skills with The Soloist, Downey continues his hot streak in his amazing recreation of the famous detective. Almost autistic and savant-like in his brilliant deduction skills, Downey's Holmes is a fabulous recreation of the character, embellished by Downey's natural charisma and snarky attitude.

Also highly entertaining is Jude Law as Holmes' best friend and irritable sidekick John Watson. Unlike Nigel Bruce's classic performances as the ultimate bumbling sidekick, this Watson is more than capable when it comes to fighting and saving Holmes' fat from the fire on multiple occasions. The "Odd Couple"-style bickering between Holmes and Watson is absolutely hilarious, and Downey and Law's rapport is wonderful. And though they're good in their respective roles, Mark Strong and the lovely Rachel McAdams aren't characterized enough to keep up with the lead performers.

As stated before, a reboot of a character as beloved and venerable as Sherlock Holmes can be a risky move. But such sentiments were made about Batman and James Bond before their respective reimaginations, and those fears were immediately allayed after the characters were given an amazingly fresh take. Thanks to highly imaginative direction by Ritchie, engaging performances by Robert Downey and Jude Law, fast-paced editing, a clever screenplay, and a catchy period-appropriate score by Hans Zimmer, Sherlock Holmes may very well be a solid rebirth for a classic franchise.

Letter Grade: "B+"

Review: "AVATAR"

Over thirty years ago, a little film called Star Wars hit theaters. Made for $11 million (mind you, that's not very much, even in 1977 dollars) and viewed as a potential flop by its distributor 20th Century Fox, George Lucas' cinematic gamble not only became (at the time) the highest-grossing film in history, but was regarded as a film that revolutionized the industry as we knew it. It was touted as a breakthrough in special effects and high-concept storytelling, and generally cited as a transcendent, groundbreaking experience not unlike The Wizard of Oz and 2001: A Space Odyssey.

After its release, Star Wars not only became a pop culture phenomenon, but a benchmark for all amateur filmmakers to follow. One of them was a young truck driver named James Cameron. After seeing Lucas' masterpiece, Cameron promptly quit his job and set out to become of film director. Starting out as a miniature model maker and art director, Cameron made his directing debut for the low-budget B-movie Piranha II. But after crafting the cybernoir action film The Terminator, Cameron's career took off, following Lucas' trend of creating new innovative filmmaking technology, especially in the realm of special effects, helming The Abyss, Aliens, Terminator 2, and True Lies.

Then, in 1997, a certain movie about a famous British passenger liner prone to crashing into huge-ass icebergs was released, becoming the highest-grossing film in history (and still holds that title to this day), and earned 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for Cameron. Though many cynics lambasted Titanic for its weak story and predictable love story, it nevertheless received raves for its mindblowing special effects and sound design.

But after Titanic's huge success, Cameron took a long break from moviemaking (save for a couple underwater documentaries), reportedly preparing for his dream project that's been in his head for decades, a project that Cameron had to wait for since he "needed the technology to catch up". Starting preproduction in 2004 and principal photography in 2006, the project, intially known as Project 880, was hyped as being the next Star Wars, a film that changed movies as we knew them.

Now, after years of waiting, Cameron's Avatar has hit theaters, and for the most part the rumors are true. A spine-tingling, highly imaginative, and jaw-droppingly beautiful work of technological genius, Avatar will truly change the landscape of cinema, just as Lucas' space opera did.

The year is 2154. The Earth's natural resources ravaged, humans have traveled to a far-off Earth-sized moon known as Pandora, mining the lush jungle planet for a valuable mineral. Unfortunately for the corporate powers-that-be, the native species of the planet, nine-foot-tall blue humanoids known as the Na'vi, aren't that willing to relocate from their sacred home. As such, the corporation's administrator Parker Selfridge (Giovanni Ribisi) employs former marines, lead by the gung-ho Colonel Quaritch (Stephen Lang), as mercenaries as a means to potentially force the Na'vi out.

But Selfridge is willing to go for diplomacy, utilizing the talents of Dr. Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver), a botanist in charge of the "Avatar" program, where human-Na'vi hybrids are created and controlled remotely by humans sharing genetic material with the Avatar. Since humans cannot breathe Pandora's atmosphere, the Avatars are used to interact with the Na'vi. Meanwhile, paralyzed marine Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) arrives at Pandora, where he's promised by Quaritch to get his mobility back if Sully, via an Avatar, infiltrates the Na'vi, learns their ways, and finds a way to get the blue-skinned aliens to relocate.

While escorting Grace and fellow scientist Norm (Joel Moore) in Avatar form in the Pandorian jungle, Jake is separated from his group, and eventually encounters Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), a Na'vi princess who almost kills Jake, but relents when she believes she sees a sign from the Na'vi goddess Eywa, telling her to bring Jake to her clan. Unaware of Jake's human origins or his mission, Neytiri convinces her clan and her father, chieftain Eytucan (Wes Studi), to teach Jake in the ways of the Na'vi. Despite feeding intel to Quaritch and Selfridge in the intervening months, Jake learns more about the customs and life of the Na'vi, coming to appreciate the species' connection to their planet. Jake begins to not only doubt the morality of his mission, but comes to regard the Na'vi as his own, as well as falling for Neytiri. As the military begins to move in on the Na'vi, Jake questions his allegiances, and begins to fight for the Na'vi rather than against them.

On the surface (well, OK, on all layers), the story is basically Dances With Wolves, only with blue aliens instead of Native Americans. In fact, the subtext is rather heavy, touching on subjects ranging from the past treatment of American Indians, the Vietnam War, the use of military forces as security detail (think Blackwater), and the oil controversies in the Middle East. And the story isn't anything new, having been touched upon in the aforementioned Kevin Costner movie, as well as the story of Pocahontas, and even the 1993 animated film Ferngully.

But if you think about it, the story of the first Star Wars film wasn't terribly original. Sure, the film as a whole is regarded as a triumph of storytelling, but Lucas' tale followed the usual blueprints for the Hero's Journey, gaining inspiration from comic books, movie serials, and Flash Gordon. And when you think about it further, you didn't really focus on Star Wars' story, but rather the exhilarating and cutting-edge technology on display.

With Avatar, it's no different. Though Cameron may be infamous for his perfectionism and his arrogance (watch his acceptance speech for his Best Director Oscar win in 1998, and you'll see why the latter is so true), his innovative contribution to the world of CGI and technological wizardry is never in doubt. Cameron reportedly helped develop new technology specifically for Avatar, including improved 3D cameras, more advanced motion-capture tech, and stereoscopic filmmaking techniques. And brother, the results are nothing short of heavenly. The richly envisioned world of Pandora is probably the closest we'll get to visiting another planet.

Here, Cameron's perfectionism and eye for detail shows: his Pandora is meticulously detailed to the smallest leaf and tiniest insect. Despite being produced by computer graphics, Pandora breathes with palpable life, a wonderous world with floating mountains, gigantic trees, gorgeous waterfalls that put those of the Amazon to shame, and jungles that seem ALIVE. It also helped that my screening was at a three-story-tall IMAX theater, so I felt like I was actually IN Pandora.

The motion-capture technology was no small potatoes, either. Popularized by Andy Serkis' performance as Gollum in the Lord of the Rings series, this filmmaking practice has improved by leaps and bounds, and here's no exception. As a part of Cameron's exclusively-made technology, 95% of the CGI Na'vi characters' performances were translated from the original live actors' performances, including their facial movement and expressions. The results are truly astounding to behold, the photorealism of both the alien creatures and the Pandorian environment meshing seamlessly with the live-action characters.

And those action sequences! I've seen great battle scenes before, but this set the bar as high as possible. The Na'vi are like alien Tarzans, gliding through the jungle with amazing fluidity. When they mount their flying lizard-like creatures (called Banshees), the aliens tear through the sky, their aerial maneuvers as cinematically jaw-dropping as the X-Wings attacking the Death Star in Star Wars. And the climactic battle scene between the Na'vi and the human military forces is amongst the most stunning war sequences in film history. Mere words cannot describe the sheer visual magic on display.

And even though the CGI is the true star here, Avatar's performances thankfully range from decent to terrific. After stealing the show from Christian Bale in this May's Terminator Salvation, Sam Worthington is believable and sympathetic in his performance of a man torn between two races. Sigourney Weaver also delivers a solid turn as the kindhearted scientist looking after the Na'vi's best interests, and Stephen Lang has fun chewing the scenery as the brutal marine colonel itching to wipe out the "blue savages" (though his role pretty much embodies every cinematic military stereotype possible). But it's Zoe Saldana's fabulous motion-capture performance as the Na'vi warrior princess that steals the show, emotional and absorbing, but also creating one of the most badass women warriors of late.

Some may regard Avatar's story reeking of liberal, anti-imperalist, anti-war thematic material, and to a degree, it does. But it's not necessarily a bad thing: Cameron explores the balance of spirituality and biology, best personified by Weaver's scientist character, who's unwilling to believe that the network-like connection between the Na'vi and their world is religious in nature rather than biological (one of many allegories to the Native Americans and their relationship to the Earth). The spiritual messages of Avatar are surprisingly potent, and the parallels to human's real-life treatment of Mother Earth ring true.

The advertisements and promotional material have touted Avatar as the latest evolution of cinema. After viewing this marvelous work of art, I realized that these claims were not mere hyperbole. It's a mix of spirituality, cathartic escapism, and state-of-the-art filmmaking skyrocketed to the nth degree. Avatar is a reminder of the power of imagination, and though he may or may not be the "King of the World" that he believes himself to be, there's no denying that James Cameron's imagination has brought us to a world that we would never bring ourselves to leave. A joyous, absorbing, tremendously exciting adventure, Avatar is a welcome sign that the movies still have the power to enlighten, engage, and most importantly, entertain.

Letter Grade: "A-"

Review: "INVICTUS"

Despite being one of the most legendary and prolific actors in the world, I've always believed Clint Eastwood to be a much better director than an actor. Not that I'm taking away from his onscreen talent, but ever since first going behind the camera for 1971's Play Misty for Me, Eastwood made an indelible mark on Hollywood, setting an example for the directors to come.

But what amazed me most about his directorial career was how radically it evolved in the last twenty or so years. Early on, Eastwood was mostly known for directing westerns, cop films, or war movies (I suppose the umbrella term "action" would probably be synonymous with his early filmmaking days). But it wasn't until 1992's western classic Unforgiven that Clint delivered a film that was truly emotional at its core, relying on strong performances and powerful thematic material rather than just slambang, shoot 'em up action.

Not only that, but as the years passed, the subject matter of Eastwood's films became increasingly and surprisingly diverse, best exemplified by a consecutive string of films starting with 2003's terrific Mystic River, to Million Dollar Baby, the sister films Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima (the latter of which I believe to be Clint's magnum opus), the mystery-thriller Changeling, and the race drama Gran Torino. None of these films (not even the aforementioned Flags and Letters) resembled the man's earlier work, but rather symbolizing Eastwood's branching out into different genres and themes.

So it's only appropriate that his next film, Invictus, didn't even remotely seem like a standard Eastwood picture. Based on the non-fiction book "Playing the Enemy", which chronicled South African President Nelson Mandela's attempt to heal his wounded country by having the black and white citizens unite behind South Africa's rugby team during the 1995 World Cup, Invictus mildly suffers from the usual conventions of sports movies, but overcomes such flaws with two tremendous performances by the lead actors.

In 1990, Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman), imprisoned nearly three decades for his involvement in the anti-apartheid movement, is released from jail. Five years later, Mandela is sworn in as South Africa's president, despite misgivings by some white constituents. Regardless, Mandela pleads with the disenfranchised blacks of the nation not to give in to petty revenge against their former Caucasian oppressors. Despite his efforts to bring both races together, there's still plenty of tension, especially within his own office, where his all-black security personnel, headed by no-nonsense bodyguard Jason Tshabalala (Tony Kgoroge), is miffed by the inclusion of white guards.

Not long after his inauguration, Mandela finds an unconventional way of uniting South Africa: getting the country behind the South African Rugby team and rooting for a run in the 1995 World Cup. The problem, however, is twofold: first off, the team, the Springboks, have been on a tremendous losing streak of late; and secondly, most of the nation's blacks hate the Springboks, believing the team to be a symbol of apartheid-era oppression. Nevertheless, Mandela becomes passionate about uniting the nation behind the 'Boks, meeting with the team's captain Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon), and encouraging him to lead the team by example. In time, the Springboks amazingly make a recovery, moving forward in the World Cup, with the entire nation behind them.

The problem with Invictus as a whole is also twofold: for starters, despite revolving around Mandela, too little effort is made in learning about the man's struggle and sacrifices during the horrors of South African apartheid. The film merely scratches the surface, and barely touches on Nelson's personal and family life (only one scene with his daughter gives only a little insight to such subject matter).

Secondly, in the climactic rugby tournament final, Eastwood falls into the difficult-to-avoid conventions of sports movies, most noticeably the usage of slow motion (which at times becomes very oppressive), tracking shots of hushed spectators, and the scene basically becoming a prolonged highlight reel of the match.

Thankfully, these are minor foibles when standing next to the terrific performances of Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon. As always, Freeman is outstanding in his third collaboration with Eastwood (Unforgiven and Million Dollar Baby, for which Freeman won an Oscar, being the other two). Freeman effortlessly captures the grace, dignity, and calm demeanor of Nelson Mandela, accurately painting him as a man entirely dedicated to reconcilation between the black South Africans and the white Afrikaans, risking his political reputation and even his life to meeting his goal.

Also delivering a solid turn is Damon as the captain of the Springboks, a man initially resigned to the consistent failure of his squad, but truly inspired by Mandela later on to not only bring his team together and lead by example, but to also make it their mission to inspire South Africa itself by its demonstration of teamwork and multiracial brotherhood. It's clearly a physically demanding performance for Damon (though I've never seen a full rugby match in real life, I've gathered from what I've seen that American football players have it easy compared to the padless hard contact rugby players endure), and Damon even pulls off a thoroughly convincing South African accent.

Even though it somewhat lacks the emotional power of Clint's previous Mystic River, Gran Torino, and especially Letters from Iwo Jima (not to mention a lack of explanation regarding the rules of rugby for stateside audiences), Invictus benefits from outstanding performances, proficient direction by Eastwood, and a rousing, uplifting finale that celebrates the merits of teamwork and national unity.

Letter Grade: "B+"

Review: "BROTHERS"

In early 2007, my brother-in-law shipped out for a year-long tour of duty in Iraq. Even though he didn't serve in the infantry, our family was still understandably worried about his well-being. Every day had the potential of being that fateful day of receiving horrible news. Luckily, he returned home safe and sound, but one still wonders about those having no idea what may or may have happened to those soldiers in their families.

Based on Susanne Bier's 2004 Danish film of the same name, Brothers covers such territory. Though not the best war film of late covering the psychology of active troops (this summer's superlative The Hurt Locker takes that trophy), Brothers nonetheless boasts a terrific cast and delivers a hard emotional wallop.

Captain Sam Cahill (Tobey Maguire) is a decorated Marine and family man about to embark on his fourth tour of duty in Afghanistan. He's happily married to his high school sweetheart, Grace (Natalie Portman), and together they have two daughters, Maggie and Isabelle (Taylor Geare and Bailee Madison).

Days before Sam ships out, he picks up his younger brother Tommy (Jake Gyllenhaal), a convicted felon just released from a three-year jail sentence for armed robbery. Though Sam loves Tommy dearly, the younger Cahill is viewed with obvious contempt by their father Hank (Sam Shepard), a retired Marine who's proud of Sam, but believes that Tommy is a ne'er-do-well lost cause. Grace also views her brother-in-law in the same respect.

Tragedy strikes, however, when Grace is informed that Sam's chopper was shot down over Afghanistan, with Sam and his squad presumed dead. As Grace tries to carry on with her life and care for her daughters, Tommy unexpectedly steps up to take care of them, redeeming himself in the eyes of Hank, and especially Grace.

Unbeknownst to them, Sam and a fellow soldier actually survived the attack, and are captured by Taliban insurgents. It's there that Sam is tortured repeatedly, and ultimately forced to do unspeakable things. Eventually rescued by American forces, Sam returns home to his family, but is now a changed man. With Sam emotionally broken, paranoid, and volatile (and suspicious of infidelity between Grace and Tommy), the family dynamics are changed irreversibly.

The most unfortunate aspect of Brothers is that the subject matter at hand isn't anything new. Even though David Benioff's (The Kite Runner) screenplay is decent, the story (for the most part) barely scratches the surface of what's going on inside the characters' heads. And though director Jim Sheridan (My Left Foot, In the Name of the Father) does a proficient job helming the picture, Brothers sometimes delves too much into melodramatics, and lacks subtlety in some scenes.

But those flaws are easily outweighed by the marvelous cast. As the Marine psychologically scarred by what he experienced as a captive of terrorists, an Oscar-worthy Tobey Maguire delivers the best performance of his career. Used to playing wide-eyed kids coming of age, here Maguire handles his character's transformation with amazing skill. In the first act, you believe him to be a loving father and a caring husband. But near the end of the second act, when Sam returns home, he's essentially a different person. Gaunt, bug-eyed, and tense, Maguire is absolutely bone-chilling as a man whose very humanity has been torn from him, and the rage, guilt, and paranoia festering inside of him explodes in a devastating climax.

As always (unless we're talking about any George Lucas movies she's been in), Natalie Portman is terrific as the wife who must start over when she believes her husband to be dead. Her character faced with loneliness, confusion, and ultimately fear when her husband returns, Portman is solid all throughout, her pain and loss very palpable. Gyllenhaal also delivers a great performance (though nowhere near as good as his role in Brokeback Mountain), though in the first third of the film, he doesn't seem too convincing as a hardened criminal. But he's much more convincing halfway through, when his character becomes more responsible and takes Sam's place as a father figure to the two girls.

And speaking of which, the best and most surprising performances come from Taylor Geare and especially Bailee Madison as the Cahill daughters (which doesn't come as a surprise, since Sheridan has a knack for getting great performances from child actors, as evidenced by 2003's In America). Their confusion and fear regarding their father after his return feels REAL. These aren't precocious performances by child stars, but rather fleshed-out, genuine, and 100% believable. In fact, the best scene in the film belongs to Madison's dinner table outburst at Maguire. The tension is so thick, you can cut it with a knife.

Despite suffering from some soap-operaish execution in certain scenes, as well as feeling too polished and conventional (especially regarding the "typical of Hollywood" ending), Brothers remains a powerful, heartbreaking, and superbly cast war drama free of politics or preachiness, but instead focusing on the horrors of war, especially on the home front.

Letter Grade: "B"

The Top 20 Comedy Films of 2000-2009

The final list of my "Top 20 of the Decade" series belongs to none other than the comedy genre. Although the 2000's weren't as successful as the '70s or '80s when it came to churning out classic after comedy classic, there were still some memorable and even terrific films that made us laugh. Since I refuse to create a "Top 20 Dramas" list since there are WAY damn too many for one man to choose from, I also threw in some films that would be classified as comedy-dramas, or "dramedies".

20. Jackass Number Two (2006)

Have you ever been tempted to do something really, REALLY stupid/dangerous/crude? An act where you just knew good things wouldn't come of it, but your morbid senses of humor and spontaneity thought otherwise? Welcome to the world of Johnny Knoxville and his merry band of masochistic fools, where getting kicked in the nuts, skateboarding off of rooftops, chugging beer with your butt, acting as the bait for sharks, or drinking a horse's, uh, special fluid is the norm. The sequel of the successful 2002 reality comedy Jackass: The Movie (itself based on the wildly popular MTV series), Number Two amps the dangerous, crude, disgusting, and absolutely hilarious stunts to brand new heights. More polished and more professionally made than its predecessor (is "professional" the right word to use?), Number Two benefits from terrific, frathouse camaraderie between the risk-takers, not to mention doing what comedies SHOULD be doing: making you laugh, whether you're proud of yourself for doing it or not.

19. Superbad (2007)

By July of 2007, the Judd Apatow revolution was in full swing. After having gained critical and commercial acclaim with The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up, Apatow began taking several burgeoning directors and screenwriters under his wing. One such screenwriter was Seth Rogen, a longtime collaborator of Apatow's who made his big on-screen splash in Virgin, and later gained the lead in Knocked Up. Considering their ample filmmaking chemistry, it only made sense for the two to collaborate on a screenplay by Rogen and his longtime comedy partner Evan Goldberg, called Superbad. Produced by Apatow and directed by sophomore director Greg Mottola, Superbad was a semi-autobiographical take on Rogen and Goldberg's teenage years. Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Michael Cera) are two high school seniors and lifelong friends facing separation when Evan is accepted to Dartmouth. Invited to a party hosted by Seth's crush, Jules (Emma Stone), the duo plan on getting a lot of booze, and finally losing their virginity to their respective dream girls. A sweet, engaging, and VERY raunchy comedy, Superbad boasts a superb comedic rapport between Hill and Cera, with the entire show being stolen by newcomer Chris Mintz-Plasse as uber-nerd McLovin'.

18. Old School (2003)

College truly is a major transitional stage in one's life: it's a period where the fun of youth ends, and the responsibilities of adulthood begins. But what happens if, years after your hard-partying days, you feel the instinctual need to go back to that oh-so-sweet stage of drunken irresponsibility? That's the gist of Todd Phillips' anarchic Old School, a 21st-century homage to frathouse classics such as Animal House and Revenge of the Nerds. Thirtysomething friends Frank (Will Ferrell), Mitch (Luke Wilson), and Bernard (Vince Vaughn) are all at stressful moments in their lives: Frank just got married, Mitch moved out of his house when he caught his girlfriend cheating on him, and Bernard pretty much cannot stand his "family man" status. So when Mitch moves into a house near a college campus, the trio begin to return to their booze-filled glory days, much to the disdain of the college's Dean Pritchard (Jeremy Piven), who was teased mercilessly by the guys in high school. Old School gained cult popularity of its own, and was responsible for the post-"SNL" success of Ferrell, who's at his whacked-out best here. Ridiculous, vulgar, and riotously funny.

17. Hot Fuzz (2007)

After director/co-writer Edgar Wright and co-writer/star Simon Pegg brilliantly sent up the zombie genre with 2004's Shaun of the Dead, it was only natural that the British duo went after the next obvious choice of mocking-yet-loving satire: the shoot 'em up police movie. London police officer Nicholas Angel (Pegg) is the best cop in the business-- so good, in fact, that his fellow officers believe that he's making them look bad. As such, Angel is transferred to Sanford, a village virtually free of crime. Responding to even minor offenses like public drunkeness with overly dedicated professionalism, Angel is annoyed with his current situation, especially once he's partnered with a bumbling, overeager constable (Nick Frost). A sly, droll satire of Jerry Bruckheimer-style action flicks, Hot Fuzz delightfully mines every action movie cliche and convention, not to mention poking fun at British stereotypes. And once again, like in Shaun, the chemistry between Pegg and Frost is terrific, suggesting a modern-day Laurel and Hardy, with stiff English upper lips.

16. Rat Race (2001)

Since breaking out big with his brother David and friend Jim Abrahams with the classic spoof Airplane!, Jerry Zucker has been responsible for some great cult comedies, such as The Naked Gun and Kentucky Fried Movie. When the trio split to do solo work, Jerry returned to the zany comedy well and directed Rat Race, a wonderfully goofy ensemble film clearly gaining influence from the 1963 classic It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. A random collection of people visiting a Las Vegas hotel/casino (including Breckin Meyer, Whoopi Goldberg, Rowan Atkinson, Seth Green, and Jon Lovitz) randomly discover special tokens, and are informed by the eccentric, gambling-happy billionaire Donald Sinclair (John Cleese) that a duffel bag containing $2 million is stored in a locker at a Silver City, NM train station. Each group given keys to open the locker, the race is on. A madcap comedy of errors, Rat Race benefits from a wide array of talented performers and silly, sight-gag-heavy Looney Tunes-style humor.

15. Pineapple Express (2008)

It's been a while since the "stoner comedy" genre churned out any memorable movies. In fact, not since the days of Up in Smoke and Fast Times at Ridgemont High have cannabis-themed films actually been truly funny. But in 2008, there was one surefire combination to bring back that comedy high: a producer in Judd Apatow, a deliriously funny script by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, and guns. LOTS and LOTS of guns. And explosions. Arguably the first "stoner-action-comedy", Pineapple Express is a terrifically enjoyable satire of high-octane buddy action films, as well as a sweet return to "Cheech and Chong" style wackiness. Dale Denton (Rogen) is a process server and pot aficionado who witnesses a murder by crime lord Ted Jones (Gary Cole). Panicked, Dale drives off, accidentally leaving behind his roach of a rare breed of cannabis called "Pineapple Express", a strain which Jones easily traces back to Dale's dealer, Saul Silver (James Franco). Now Dale and Saul must go on the run, with gangsters and crooked cops on their tail. The mix of over-the-top violence and weed humor meshes well, and of course, Rogen delivers as usual, but kudos must go to Franco, whose zonked-out delivery and Spicoliesque cheerfulness is absolutely priceless.

14. The Hangover (2009)

Some would agree that a hangover is a sign of a great previous night. But MOST would agree that a hangover is the sign that you did some REALLY naughty things, and didn't even know about it. For groomsmen Stu (Ed Helms), Phil (Bradley Cooper), and Alan (Zach Galifianakis), it was more than just getting wasted and trashing their Vegas hotel room. There's also the fact that there's a tiger in their bathroom, Stu (a dentist) lost his tooth, a baby is found in a closet... oh yeah, and there's that small problem of the groom-to-be (Justin Bartha) nowhere to be found. If Old School was practice for director Todd Phillips, then The Hangover was perfection. A riotously funny comedy complemented by fabulous chemistry between the three leads (and a standout performance from Galifianakis), The Hangover turned out to be the sleeper hit of 2009, making $460 million worldwide on a $35 million budget, becoming the highest-grossing R-rated comedy ever in America.

13. Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Most zombies films focus on just that: the zombies. We're paying more attention to those ravenous undead monsters, rather than the one-dimensional victims they're going after. But what if we were to pay attention to the dramatic/romantic goings-on of the runaway zombie food? Mix a romance, a comedy with decidedly British humor, and bloodthirsty zombies, and you've got one of the funniest horror movies ever made. Directed by Edgar Wright (creator of the surreal British TV series "Spaced"), Shaun benefits from a fabulous send-up/homage to all things horror (especially the films of Romero), and hysterical lead performances by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. A bloody good time.

12. School of Rock (2003)

I'm probably not the first to say that nowadays, there isn't as much focus as there should be on extracurricular programs at schools. Such afterschool activities have been known to help bolster students' creativity, skills, and chances for success beyond secondary education. But if you put Jack Black in charge of a class of fifth graders, chances are that the program will be given MUCH more attention, good or bad. A terrific and energetic home run from indie director Richard Linklater (Dazed and Confused, Before Sunrise), School of Rock is perfectly suited for Black's Tasmanian Devil-style energy. Dewey Finn (Black), a rock guitarist, is kicked out of his band for his massive ego and onstage antics. Threatened by his roommate's (Mike White) domineering girlfriend (Sarah Silverman) with eviction unless he gets a job, Dewey, in an act of desperation, impersonates his roommate and takes a substitute teacher job at a prestigious private school. Clearly the most unprofessional teacher there is, Dewey nonetheless realizes that his class of fifth graders are musically talented, and decides to assign them a special project: becoming the next big rock band. A delightful, very funny romp, where Black's antics are highly entertaining rather than obnoxious.

11. Ocean's Eleven (2001)

You can't find many genres that are more fun than the caper film. Famous for plot twists, infectious senses of humor, and ensemble casts, the genre never disappoints when it comes to pure entertainment. Such is the case for Steven Soderbergh's Ocean's Eleven, a spirited, ridiculously fun remake of the 1960 Rat Pack film of the same name. Recently paroled con artist Danny Ocean (George Clooney) violates his parole by traveling to California, where he meets up with his old heist partner Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt) and plans the biggest job ever: robbing three Las Vegas casinos owned by Terry Benedict, Ocean's old rival. Getting their old crew back together, Ocean and Ryan stack the deck against Benedict, and prepare for the biggest heist of the century. Cleverly written and directed, Ocean's Eleven would be nothing without its excellent ensemble cast, a veritable who's who of Hollywood heartthrobs and legends (including Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, Casey Affleck, Bernie Mac, Carl Reiner, and Elliot Gould). Light, fast-paced, and fabulously entertaining.

10. Elf (2003)

As I've stated before, Will Ferrell's spastic man-child works only in certain kinds of situations. And usually, it doesn't work. Luckily, director Jon Favreau was able to harness Ferrell's unique brand of comedy perfectly in Elf, a terrifically enjoyable Christmas comedy. Over thirty years ago, Santa Claus (Ed Asner) visited an orphanage on Christmas Eve, not noticing an infant crawling into his toy bag. Upon returning to the North Pole, Santa discovers the baby, and decides to have the child, named Buddy, raised by Papa Elf (Bob Newhart) as one of the elves in Santa's Workshop. Flashforward to present day: Buddy (Ferrell) is frustrated by the fact that he's the only elf that's over six feet tall, and is unable to make toys as proficiently as he should. Then comes the horrifying news: Buddy is a human, and his biological father (James Caan) is on Santa's naughty list. Therefore, Buddy decides to venture into the real world, unprepared for the not-so-jolly world of New York City. This is Ferrell's show, through and through. Absolutely hilarious in his childlike performance, it's a hoot just to see him in a green and yellow elf costume.

9. In Bruges (2008)

Despite what you may think, not ALL gangsters and hitmen are completely lacking in morals or decency. Some of them may have a heart of gold underneath their dangerous, trigger-happy exteriors. Some may even experience guilt from certain actions, even if it comes with the job territory. In Martin McDonagh's black comedy In Bruges, that old "emotionless killer" stereotype is broken down, in a wonderfully dark way. Hiding out in the Belgian city of Bruges, Irish hitmen Ray (Colin Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson) are awaiting instruction from their boss, Harry (Ralph Fiennes). Despite his snarky and antisocial personality, Ray holds a dark secret that's wracked him with guilt. But when Harry orders Ken to kill Ray, loyalties and friendships are put to the test. A very dark and bleak morality tale, In Bruges benefits from a wicked sense of humor, as well as terrific performances from all three leads.

8. The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)

Sex is always a touchy issue to discuss. Even tougher to disclose is whether or not you've even REACHED home base... especially if you're middle-aged. Andy Stitzer (Steve Carell) managed to go forty years without doing the deed, and he's gotten by pretty well. He's a stockroom worker at an electronics store, maintains a comfortable routine, and he's a pretty nice guy. He's also a nerd with a massive action figure collection, and he rides his bike everywhere. So after inadvertently spilling his secret to his wild co-workers (Paul Rudd, Romany Falco, and Seth Rogen), they egg Andy on to set out to finally lose his virginity. The first directorial feature by Hollywood powerhouse Judd Apatow, Virgin is a terrific example of how decidedly raunchy material can mesh with three-dimensional characters and an underlying sense of sweetness. Carell delivers a charming, highly likable performance, and the supporting cast of Rudd, Malco, and Rogen steal the show wherever they go.

7. Team America: World Police (2004)

Even though it's the most powerful nation on the planet, America hasn't always had the best relationship with the rest of the world. Many accuse the U.S. of imperialism, fostering a very unilateral foreign policy, and overall arrogance. And on the home front, liberals and conservatives are always at each other's throats. So who's better to capitalize on the comedic potential of such contentious issues than Trey Parker and Matt Stone? The creators of the hugely popular "South Park" franchise, Parker and Stone have always been equal-opportunity offenders. So with Team America: World Police, the duo waste no time tearing apart sacred cows. Utilizing cheesy marionette puppets (think "Thunderbirds"), Jerry Bruckheimer- and Michael Bay-style action cliches, and a LOT of vulgar humor, Team America earned its place as a comedy classic. A story about a team of American commandos hunting down terrorists (usually with ultra-destructive results), Team America takes potshots at both Republicans and Democrats, and does so with aplomb. It also has the funniest puppet portrayal of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il ever, and one of the most insanely funny sex scenes caught on celluloid. A must see.

6. Sideways (2004)

Wine's never been a favorite of mine. I've never truly understood the whole "culture" revolving about the beverage, as well as the wine "etiquette" amongst the more hardcore wine drinkers (such as the "correct" way to drink wine, or traveling to wineries). But Miles Raymond (Paul Giamatti) is one such person, and just remember, he HATES Merlot. Miles and his best friend Jack Cole (Thomas Haden Church), a commercial actor, travel to Santa Ynez Valley wine country a week before the latter's wedding (mostly so Jack can sow his wild oats one and have a fling one last time). What follows is a moving, intellectual, and very funny exploration into middle-age, lost relationships, and the ability to start over, with terrific performances by Giamatti, Church, and Virginia Madsen.

5. Knocked Up (2007)

Just like his previous The 40-Year-Old Virgin tackled losing one's virginity, Judd Apatow now covered yet another very special landmark revolving around the dirty deed: pregnancy. Continuing his streak of raunchy-yet-sweet comedies that made him a household name, Apatow brings us Knocked Up, a hysterically funny, unapologetically vulgar, and surprisingly emotional comedy. Slacker Ben Stone (Apatow protege Seth Rogen) and up-and-coming television personality Alison Scott (Katherine Heigl) meet at a bar, get drunk, and have a one night stand. Going their separate ways the next morning, Alison finds out eight weeks later that she has more than her career to worry about. Informing Ben of her pregnancy, the two prepare to become parents, all while awkwardly attempting to forge a relationship. Like Virgin, Knocked Up has a vulgar, sophomoric face, but underneath, it possesses a likable, human, and emotional core. Ben and Alison's situation is portrayed realistically, and their shaky chemistry is treated with genuine sentiment rather than one-dimensionality.

4. Best in Show (2000)

Every Thanksgiving, I indulge in the guilty pleasure of viewing the National Dog Show. I just find it fascinating how these people primp and baby their canines to utter (almost obsessive) perfection, as if winning this contest would validate their place in the world. In Christopher Guest's hysterical mockumentary Best in Show, we're given a backstage look into the madcap world of dog breeders and handlers. Sure, it's a fictional story, but one wouldn't be exaggerating too much to say that this isn't like the real thing. Guest's second foray into the mockumentary genre (following 1997's Waiting for Guffman), Best in Show benefits from a terrific cast left to their own performer's instincts, since most of the film's dialogue is largely improvised. All cast members a top-notch, especially Eugene Levy, John Michael Higgins, Parker Posey, and Fred Willard.

3. Burn After Reading (2008)

A major motif in most of the Coen Brothers' movies is the stupidity of humanity in general. No matter what your standing in society is, odds are that you have a li'l bit of stupid in ya. Fargo was a great example (of course, being set in Minnesota means you don't have to look too far for the less-than-sharp), as was The Ladykillers. After winning three Oscars for their somber, dark offering No Country for Old Men, the Coens returned to their lighter fare with Burn After Reading, an uproarious comedy of errors where everything seems to be connected, but in the end, it just doesn't make sense. After caustic CIA analyst Osbourne Cox (John Malkovich) quits his job, he decides to write his memoirs. His wife (Tilda Swinton) decides to file for divorce, and downloads many of his personal and financial files from his computer. By accident, the disc containing those files end up at a fitness club, where employees Chad (Brad Pitt) and Linda (Frances McDormand) assume the files are highly confidential, and plan to blackmail Cox for a hefty ransom. From start to finish, Burn After Reading is a madcap, paranoid, deliciously dark Looney Tunes cartoon trapped in a spy caper. The cast is fantastic (especially Pitt as a gloriously dimwitted personal trainer, and George Clooney as an adulterous and paranoid Treasury agent), and the Coens have a blast showing just how dumb we as a species are able to be.

2. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

Nobody's perfect. Everyone has flaws, be they big or small. But is that necessarily a bad thing? Eight-year-old Olive Hoover (Abigail Breslin) isn't the most glamorous little girl, but she still doesn't relent in her dream of beauty pageant glory. Too bad her incredibly dysfunctional family doesn't help matters. Little Miss Sunshine is a fantastic, irresistible celebration of the unconventional and the underdog. In Albuquerque, a very unordinary family is headed by Richard Hoover (Greg Kinnear), an unsuccessful motivational speaker with a huge Type-A personality. His wife Sheryl (Toni Collette) struggles to maintain her sanity as a mother of two; teenage Dwayne (Paul Dano), Sheryl's son and Richard's stepson, is a Nietzsche-reading brooder who took a vow of silence; Sheryl's brother Frank (Steve Carell), a gay Proustian scholar, has moved in after a failed suicide attempt; Richard's foul-mouthed, heroin addict father Edwin (Alan Arkin) has also moved in after being kicked out of his retirement home; and the couple's sweet, energetic daughter Olive. When Olive is accepted to compete in a California beauty pageant, the family takes an 800-mile road trip in their VW Bus, all while trying to sort out their differences. A charming, moving, and delightful masterpiece, Sunshine is a terrific study of family dynamics, self-esteem, one's place in the world, and the joy of just being yourself. Boosted by a stellar cast (especially Collette, Carell, and Breslin), Sunshine is a definite winner in any category.

1. Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)

It's understandable why other countries occasionally view Americans with contempt. After all, not all of the citizens of the United States are the most sophisticated, tolerant, or selfless. Of course, it's easy to stereotype, especially when it comes to scripted, fictional films. So what if the film in question featured REAL Americans, rather than actors portraying wildly stereotypical characters? British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen does just that, with his groundbreaking "mockumentary" comedy Borat. Based on a character from his terrific HBO series "Da Ali G Show", Borat explores those corners of America that usually aren't easily captured on camera. Kazakh journalist Borat Sagdiyev (Cohen) leaves his beloved home of Kazakhstan, followed by his portly producer Azamat (Ken Davitan), to travel to America for a supposed documentary chronicling American culture. Borat goes on to interview a wide array of Americans, from uptight feminists and Southern sophisticates, to jingoistic rodeo fans and drunken frat boys. But here's the kicker: the people Cohen (as Borat) encounters are real people, unaware that the casually racist, sexist, and anti-semitic Borat isn't the real deal. What follows is a fascinating, shocking, and uproariously funny look at America, bigotry, and how the two aren't always exclusive of each other. Cohen pulls off a marvelous task, remaining in character while interacting with truly colorful people (as well as when it comes to nude wrestling matches), and his Borat is a priceless comic creation. A terrific exercise in comedic perfection, Borat ranks as the greatest comedy of the last decade.


And now the Top Five WORST Comedy Films of the Decade:
5. Mr. Deeds (2002)

A classic 1936 Gary Cooper comedy reworked as a shallow, unbelievably stupid Adam Sandler comedy? Sheesh, is NOTHING sacred? Sandler plays a small-town pizzeria owner named Longfellow Deeds, who finds out that he's the heir to a $40 billion fortune. Wacky, scatological mayhem ensues. Same old Sandler manchild persona with just a different name and movie title.

4. Gigli (2003)

Hey, remember these two? Oh, 2003, what good times you gave us. You started with the boring and dull Hulk, went to the atrociously bad Dumb and Dumberer, assaulted us with From Justin to Kelly (but thankfully only in theaters for six weeks), and finally, you delivered the coup de grace with Gigli, the nadir of Ben Affleck's career, the unfortunate host to a foul (and sadly unforgettable) oral sex joke from Jennifer Lopez, and overall one of the worst stains on the underwear of popular culture. Basically a means of promoting the "Bennifer" hype, Gigli became one of the worst flops of all time (only recouping $7 million of its $54 million budget). "Gobble, gobble", indeed.

3. Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)

Now I know some of my friends are going to hate me for this, but come on. Will Ferrell's idiot manchild persona works best in only the most controlled of situations, and this farce was not one of them. It would have been a brilliant "Saturday Night Live" sketch, but this annoying tale of a hotshot NASCAR driver bloated its one-joke premise to an ungodly 108 minutes. Not even Sacha Baron Cohen playing a gay French Formula One racer couldn't save this piece of crap.

2. The Hottie and the Nottie (2008)

I'll be honest: I never saw this movie. I don't WANT to see this movie. You couldn't PAY me to see this movie. But really, when you see the trailer for this film, you watch all you really need to watch. I'm not even going to bother describing the plot of this vain, stupid, offensive crime against humanity. All it does is keep professional whore Paris Hilton in the spotlight, no matter how negative that spotlight is. And the worst thing about this film? Hilton plays the "hottie". Are you fucking kidding me? I'd go for that wart-ridden, toad-faced "nottie" any day of the week.

1. Disaster Movie (2008)

The title says it all. Basically, the movie is a series of poorly-structured vignettes parodying movies released in theaters mere months (or weeks) before. Therefore, Disaster Movie got its "material" from its targets' theatrical trailers. This is essentially the lowest point of the "parody movie" genre. Once it was great, what with classics like Airplane, Hot Shots, and The Naked Gun. But after the second Scary Movie, the well ran dry, giving us monstrosities like Date Movie, Epic Movie, Superhero Movie, Meet the Spartans, and now this piece of penguin shit. Awful, awful, awful.

Review: "THE HURT LOCKER"

Even though it's far superior to any other species on the planet (as far as we know), the human brain has always been riddled with its fair share of weaknesses and shortcomings. Even those with tremendous resolve and discipline have fallen prey to the demons of the mind: more specifically, addiction. Everyone either has or had an addiction, be they very mild or incredibly severe.

But what if a something as awful and dangerous as war could be addictive? A drug personified by the constant need to get an adrenaline fix by way of killing enemy combatants? That very conundrum drives Kathryn Bigelow's masterful and emotionally intense The Hurt Locker, one of the latest films to cover the current wars in the Middle East, but probably the first to actually delve into the psychological frames of mind our troops certainly may be in.

Set in 2004 Baghdad, two members of an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit, Spec. Owen Eldridge (Brian Geraghty) and Sgt. JT Sanborn (Anthony Mackie), have recently lost their leader (Guy Pearce) after he was killed by a remote-controlled IED. Soon enough, his replacement comes in the form of Sgt. First Class William James (Jeremy Renner), a decorated bomb disposal expert with nearly 900 defused bombs under his belt. The problem for Sanborn and Eldridge, however, is that James is a cocksure risktaker who, while highly proficient at his job, performs using unnecessarily dangerous methods. In a dangerous battlezone where insurgents and bombs are anywhere and everywhere, such tactics cause friction between James and his subordinates, with tension and stress building up with every bomb and every firefight.

Unlike previous films about the Iraq War, Bigelow throws politics out the window, instead focusing on the mindsets of these three men going from one precarious situation to another, and how the stress of war slowly but surely cracks away one's sanity, piece by piece.

Rather than the conventional war movie formula where we learn at length about the soldiers' families and home lives, The Hurt Locker mainly focuses on the "now": the movie is more like a series of vignettes, rather than a straightforward narrative. Almost every scene is wrought with extreme tension. You can almost literally feel the panic, fear, and adrenaline rush these men experience while under the pressure of not only defusing a bomb (timer or not), but also the threat of Iraqi insurgents hiding in plain sight, ready to strike. And all these scenes run the full gamut of possible outcomes: when it's clearly too late to defuse an IED, especially when civilian lives are at stake, the results are utterly heartbreaking.

Despite the war genre being dominated by men in the past, Bigelow (Point Break) is no small potatoes when it comes to crafting an emotional, intense, action-packed, and thrilling film experience. Every frame reeks of authenticity, from the production design (Jordan stood in for Iraq for filming), cinematography (the kudos going to Barry Ackroyd for a gritty, realistic, "you are there" element), a solid screenplay by Mark Boal, and manic, heart-pounding editing.

But all of that wouldn't click if it weren't for the fabulous onscreen talent. Mackie and Geraghty are completely convincing as two soldiers reaching their own breaking points in an everyday life-or-death scenario. But it's Renner who steals the show. Calm, steely, with a hint of unpredictability in his eyes, William is portrayed as a man who works on instinct rather than protocol, and it's obvious to the audience that war is more than a mere profession to him: it's becoming an addiction. It's a fascinating, award-worthy performance by Renner that personifies the emotional core of the film.

Far superior to those war films that choose to blindly celebrate hyper-macho attitudes rather than analyze them, The Hurt Locker is a one-of-a-kind experience that eschews political discourse and instead focuses on the human side of war. Do not miss this movie.

Letter Grade: "A"