Cloud Atlas

5.7

It may be wrong to review this monstrosity after only one viewing. I'm still unsure of where exactly I stand. I had to make a valiant effort to be swept away by the filmmakers' vision. Its epic scope is daunting and uninviting. In fact, every facet of this film seems to be designed to alienate viewers. The otherworldly cheesy dialogue is, at times, laughable. The pace wavers and parts can be horrendously boring. Bits and pieces are humorous or engaging but by the conclusion the relevance of certain scenes, let alone entire stories is cloudy if not absent entirely.

The cross cutting between stories and overall editing was outstanding, especially considering the success of the film's message depended on it. I knew going in that the only connections to be had were purely thematic, but even then I am still not entirely convinced of the thesis. Sure, each character goes out of their way to explain how "everyone is connected" and "we are all one" but by the conclusion, this was lost in the jumble. The pieces fail to add up to a cohesive whole and aren't anything special on their own. The film's roller coaster of dramatic tension creates a unique emotional map that helps to differentiate the film from any other.

Technically, the film is no marvel. It feels overtly digital and cold. The signature effects gurus under-deliver here, partly due to a dialogue-heavy story. The music and cinematography are also unsensational, making a point to keep the performances at the forefront of the film. Each actor varies in quality and do what they can with the material. Tom Hanks does his best but can't help but look like an idiot spouting lines like, "That's the tru-tru." Still, its nothing compared to Hugo Weaving's female nurse or green goblin. Like I said, the film shoots both its feet before starting the race. Also its worth noting that the whole "everyone is connected, good and evil balance out" doesn't seem to apply to Weaving, who is a constant villain in every story.

The gimmick where a pool of actors play multiple roles occasionally works and helps with the theme but is mostly a distracting game of "spot that actor!" It is an interesting choice but wildly overdone. The make up is very impressive, especially compared to Prometheus' Guy Pierce. The film is ambitious and worth seeing a second time (preferably for free and with subtitles) to get a better grasp on it, but I highly doubt that will change my opinion. This is the first time I can say the trailer for a film perfectly captured the essence of its larger counterpart. Instead of answering the big questions presented in the trailer the characters simply ask them over and over. The ultimate truth at the end of the film is a cop out to the three hours of questioning proceeding it. In other words, Cloud Atlas fails where The Tree of Life succeeds. It isn't atrocious but for some indeterminate reason, the film falls remarkably short of what I imagined to be the Wachowskis' grandiose vision.

Shallow Grave

8.0

Danny Boyle's feature debut oozes with style and weighty substance. It is an excellent thriller with engaging performances by all three leads working off a good script. The friendship between the three feels genuine, as does the descent into horror in the third act. Sequences such as Alex and Juliet's shopping spree breathe frantic bursts of life into the film and show off the filmmaker's trademark camerawork. David's descent into madness is the hardest sell of the film but actor Christopher Eccleston pulls it off beautifully.

The film's voyeuristic sequences are slick high-points and off set the 90's tone dominating the running time. It never seems dated but rather feels like a product of a specific time period. The action/thriller tidbits in the third act are letdowns, in terms of both story and style. The psychological tension lovingly built over the course of an hour is released fairly quickly and haphazardly. Thus the ending is a bit of a disappointment but ultimately speaks to the film's underlaying theme of the fragility of both the human spirit and body.

Skyfall: IMAX

6.9

Bond is back! Kind of...well, not really. It wouldn't be fair to say the film is flawed from the start. The opening action and credits are the best the film ever gets. The train sequence is nothing short of exquisite and is followed by the best title sequence this side of Goldfinger. The extensive animation tricks even boost the mediocre Adele song into listenable territory. From then on, the film tries its damnedest to counteract its label as a Bond film. But technically, the film nears perfection. Roger Deakins' digital photography is beautiful to look at, especially in IMAX.

Many compare it to Batman Begins in that it shifts the franchise to a new direction that favors realism. This approach succeeds to a point but damages the film when substituting grandiose action sequences with overly-dramatic exposition. The main difference between Batman and James Bond is Batman can be stripped of his comic attributes and still function as an enjoyable and interesting character. Bond, on the other hand is hardly anything without his trademarks.

Skyfall favors the portrayal of "James Bond, the man"  rather than the "character," continuing Casino Royale's expert reinvention. Trouble is, it renders much of the film's first act useless, rehashing previously-established character flaws. Its refreshing and new to see 007 rock a half-beard, get wasted and fail to hit a target but still unnecessary. Once James Bond has a wash and a shave, the film finally feels like its kicking into gear, an hour too late.

The entire premise revolves around M. The female version of the character, played by a stuffy, Brittish Judi Dench has appeared in less than a third of the series. Her character exists solely to dish out Bond's latest mission and scold him when he's done too much damage. She's exposition incarnate. So it's only fitting that an entire film be devoted to a character who chocks up less than an hour of screen time throughout 7 films. The audience is expected to care about this character when in fact, she is one of the weakest parts of the franchise.

By the time Bond encounters the film's dastardly villain (in a round-about, nonsensical way) the film is half over. But there is a glimmer of hope in Javier Bardem's scene-chewing performance. He is eccentric, fun and best of all, has worthwhile, grounded motivation for enacting evil. The perfect microcosm for the film's attempt to blend realism with franchise eccentricities. Unfortunately, he adheres to the fatal flaw of the film.

From start to finish, Skyfall only goes halfway Bond. Moneypenny, Q, and other Bond figureheads are brought into the current "realistic" period alongside the essential gadgets, cars, and music. Q and his gadgets are not alluring or engaging. The film's Bond girl is on screen for less than 10 minutes and falls completely flat. The action (aside from the opening) is delivered in small bursts that would fit in any of the Bourne series if they weren't so ordinary. Its maddening to think that an essential series in the action genre is taking cues from its own copycats.

Bardem's villain fails to do anything worthwhile after a solid introductory speech. The whole ordeal reaches its boiling point as the second act concludes. 007 triumphantly revs up his Aston Martin as the Bond music kicks into full swing. The promising snippet is upended moments later when gunfire destroys the parked car. Instead of a car chase, we are treated to the car pulling out of a garage, parking, and getting destroyed. How rewarding.

Comedian Patton Oswalt once said, "I don't give a shit where the stuff I love comes from. I just love the stuff I love." The third act of Skyfall concludes in a house in the middle of the English countryside, the site of James Bond's childhood. I can't think of a more anticlimactic setting for an action film. Even as a helicopter attacks our heroes with gunfire, the film drags. Conflicts resolve exactly as you'd expect. Skyfall isn't a bad film but it is a bad Bond film. The final moments of the film rehash more Bond treasures from the past. Hopefully, in the next film they will actually come to fruition.

Spinning Plates

6.4

The food-centric documentary centers around three different restaurants, all various degrees of interesting. The driving force of the film is Grant Achatz and his Chicago eatery Alinea. A world famous chef diagnosed with tongue cancer creates perfect dramatic tension but thankfully the film does not dottle on what could easily become documentary passe. Instead, we are taken into the exciting world of food experimentation inside one of the best restaurants in the world. The story could easily fill a feature-length documentary and is dragged down by its two generic companions.

The film maintains a rigid pace throughout, devoting equal time to each restaurant. Because the other two segments are nowhere near as interesting as Grant's, the film suffers for its democracy. Iowa's Breitbach's is a community-centric restaurant that moved from a troubled past full of bad luck to a plateau of easy living. This story's drama happens entirely in flashback, while the owner tearfully reminisces over the restaurant's multiple destructions. Not only does this weaken the film but the remaining segments on Breitbach's lack drama in their depiction of Iowa's way of life.

The final segment revolving around a small Mexican family joint, La Cocina can be taken at face value. Sure, I sympathize with the struggling Mexican family and their troubles, but the story offers nothing new or interesting and ends up being, for better or worse, a sob story. The overall film is a well-made, evenly-paced look at various food cultures across the country. It doesn't rank with the best of them, but is still interesting.

Answers to Nothing

0.2

The film is exactly as useless as it sounds. Taking advantage of the ancient movie myth that an audience should generally care about other people's problems if they are relatable, the film is a mess. Mental illness, senile parents, drug addiction, blah, blah, blah. We've seen this movie a thousand times before and like its predecessors, it offers no answers to its various real world problems. Sympathetic characters with sympathetic problems are neither engaging nor fulfilling. The film's only saving grace is Dane Cook, in his first serious role, who unknowingly delivers his finest comedic performance to date in a film.

The Other Dream Team

3.9

The independent documentary tells the story of the 1992 Lithuanian basketball team and their struggle to overcome. Despite an original story, the doc feels very run-of-the-mill. It follows a very loose structure and is bogged down with exposition on the country and its affairs. It is important to give the story proper context but not so much that it distracts from the narrative flow. Technically, the film is lacking. The dialogue isn't properly mastered and often clips and the score is generic and schmalzy.

Another unexpected flaw relates to the filmmaker's choice to focus on specific members of the team. On the surface, this seems like an excellent idea that could bring humanity to a faceless group of people. In execution, each subject isn't given enough screen time to develop, leaving every player indistinguishable. The film is an OK documentary with rudimentary flaws. It never really captured my attention and should be skipped, especially considering the vast number of sports documentaries that tower over this one.

How to destroy angels_ - An Omen [EP]

6.8

The unthinkable has happened. If How to destroy angels_' new series of songs is any indication, Nine Inch Nails maestro is finally happy. At least as happy as a goth superstar can get. The male half of the married duo's band has made a decidedly significant gap in his musicianship since putting his calling card on the shelf in 2009. Three years, two soundtracks, various singles and upcoming collaborations later, Reznor emerges properly with An Omen.

"The beginning is the end and keeps coming 'round the bend." One of the first things Reznor utters on this EP loops back to the finality of his 2009 performances. It was clear NIN, like the Who and Jay-Z before them wouldn't disappear after their "final" tour but still, fans knew 2009 marked the end of an era. The brilliant Social Network score and its bloated companion score to Dragon Tattoo painted a picture of a man settling. Soul-crushing synths and yelps of anguish were replaced with gentle orchestration and the overall sound of decay. Does the transition continue with An Omen? Yes and no.

One of the first noticeable aspects of the band's second outing is the overwhelming calm inherent throughout. "Ice Age" is haunting, ominous and easily the most beautiful thing the band has ever recorded. I get the feeling that the duo behind Angels have traded pain in isolation for shared loneliness. The latter is no less depressing and reflects music that fits right along side "The Fragile" or "La Mer." But there's an inner warmth to the new material, proving there can be an upside to eternal darkness. There are plenty of highs and lows throughout the EP's 32 minutes but it lacks the forward momentum of the original EP. The new EP unfortunately also dips into boring electric territory towards its conclusion.

If nothing else, An Omen reassures us Reznor has not gone quietly into the night. It is nowhere near a proper return but serves to bridge the gap perfectly between his subdued movie soundscapes and a new era of industrial rock Gods Nine Inch Nails.

Major Lazer - The Observatory, Santa Ana, CA, 10/18/12

9.3

It's 1:30 on a Friday morning and I'm trudging out of the Observatory, covered in sweat. Question is, does more of the sweat belong to me or the half-naked girls bouncing along side me? Such is the nature of a Major Lazer show. The venue itself achieves near perfection, just as long as you get there early enough to snag a spot on the tiny dance floor. I was fortunate to do so and watched as the Observatory filled up with underage girls, drug-addled teens and plenty of PBR-touting hipsters. The majority of whom didn't think twice to blow their dance nut on the first 3 hours-worth of shitty DJs.

Even the near-sighted half of the crowd whipped into shape once the dynamic duo and their posse of scantily-clad hype women blasted onto stage. With all due props to Girl Talk's hall of fame house party, Major Lazer 's show is a tour of duty. Both acts feed off of and match the crowd's energy but the Major demands you move for 90 minutes straight. For the price of admission you are enlisting in his army of excess. The dynamic duo work their assess off to make each night unique and unforgettable. Girl Talk's pounds of confetti and toilet paper is traded off for charisma, showmanship and sheer force.

The stage show is also not without its gimmicks. The aforementioned hype girls perform sexual gymnastics and show the audience in champagne and Major Lazer dollars. When the audience adjusts to the sex thrown in their face, they up the ante, demand every audience member loose their clothes. When everyone is friendly with each other, every attractive female is brought on stage to strut their stuff. Not to be outdone, the Jamaican beauties return to summon a lucky guy in the audience, strip him down and give him the lap dance of his life.

The Major monicker fits all too well. Each song trumps the last and both members urge you to kick it up a notch every other minute. The concert eventually becomes an all out war against yourself and fellow soldiers to never stop moving. Its absolutely bonkers and over in a flash. Not only are these guys two of the hardest working performers out there, they have successfully crafted a show that one of the seven wonders of the modern music scene. I will gladly follow Major Lazer into battle any chance I can get.

Bullitt

5.6

The well-known car chase blowout is the definitive peak of the film, surrounded by an hour and 40 minutes of bloated melodrama. The editing Oscar was well deserved, even if it was due entirely to the car chase. Performances are very strong and there is a realistic style to the whole endeavor that feels very 70's. It is hard to connect to the characters when the script is more focused on being "cool." Things pick up a little with the climax but can't compare to an exhilarating ten minute car chase that spawned countless copycats.

Brave

4.7

Pixar's latest effort sadly proves that the animation titan can make a bad film. Kid-centric Cars movies aside, Brave is easily the company's worst film to date. If nothing, it proves that they've finally nailed hair animation. The gnawing emptiness looming over the film may be due to the last-minute change in directors. I understand it is a mother/daughter story at its core and some of its impact may be lost on me.  On the surface, all the pieces are there but they fail to add up to a decent story, let along something Pixar-worthy.

Worst of all, the film never lives up to its title. Pixar's first female protagonist Merida is half strong female warrior and half typical teenage girl. More power to Pixar for creating a character half their audience can relate to (the other half for a change) but sadly she never rises to become the hero she is set up to be. The film's fatal misstep relates back to this character flaw in that every set up fails to deliver. This results in a strong first act that crumbles as it progresses. The established will-o'-the-wisps are never really brought to fruition, remaining reminiscent of video game markers. The changes in the characters are very weak and unmotivated and happen because they must at that point in the film. It goes without saying that technically, the film achieves perfection. But whether or not a directing change is to blame, the film falls entirely flat.

Ted

5.5

You get exactly what you see here. Re-hashed dick and fart jokes from Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane. Aside from bringing anything new to comedy, it functions well and hits all its marks. Romance, action, comedy; this one's got it all. For a story about a talking bear, the film itself is rather bland. Some jokes completely miss their mark (creepy father and son duo) but some expected one-liners are chuckle-worthy. All the main players pull their weight and prove that MacFarlane is a competent director. The bear animation stands out as the film's most noteworthy achievement, really bringing the R-rated ticket bait to life. The film relishes in straightforward comedy and spends its running time playing it safe. A middle-of-the-road movie that doesn't ask for much and doesn't give back much in return. And for most, that's just fine.

Savages

5.4

Oliver Stone wants to be cool again. His latest film, masked underneath hot new talent, sleek photography and a crass script is a run-of-the-mill popcorn flick. At first, it seems like a vehicle for his political thoughts on the marijuana industry. This is quickly dulled by a weak story that's too flashy and convoluted for its own good. The end product is the cinematic equivalent of a 40-year-old trying to blend in with the 20's crowd at a night club.

No one actor really stands out. Old go-to's John Travolta and Benicio Del Toro are on autopilot here but still manage to outshine their young-Hollywood co-stars. For the most part, the entire film feels impersonal and cold. At 131 minutes, it overstays its welcome and doesn't manage to say much with all that time. The editing is sleek enough to feel modern but never devolves into spastic Bourne territory. The cinematography is the best part of the film, crafting a Southern California that really "pops." The flick nails the market of empty drama but is a far cry from a passable Oliver Stone picture.

Kendrick Lamar - good kid m.A.A.d city

9.4

Its about damn time a rapper fully committed to the "concept album." Amidst the contemporary scene filled with blunt smoke and dubstep crossovers, Kendrick Lamar turns the clock back to the early 90's and (gasp!) weaves a cohesive story! Hints of Tupac, Ice Cube, Kanye West and every notable rapper of the past 20 years pop up throughout Lamar's ambidextrous flow. The real treat is, even after wearing his influences on his sleeve, the album still could only have come from Kendrick. Contrasting the refreshing riffs from the Clinton era ["m.A.A.d city (part 2)," "Compton"] the majority of the album is akin to the freshness of Kanye's debut. At its best, Lamar's origin-story LP marks a new direction in hip-hop.

Thankfully, the album avoids most of the pitfalls of any rapper's auto-biography. All the ingredients of ghetto life are present but tired concepts like shootouts, 40's and bitches are turned upside down through Lamar's unique point of view. Every blunt hit and party is seen solely through Kendrick's eyes, building a strong character and a vibrant, detailed story. The creative device of videotape interludes index the album's mosaic of Compton and maintain the LP's stone-faced seriousness. Lighter moments peek out here and there to remind listeners that any life, no matter how ghetto-centric isn't all doom and gloom. One of the album's highlights, "Backseat Freestyle" contextualizes Lamar's chest-beating rhymes as the character's first freestyle. Thus his hubris chanting "Damn I got bitches!" actually feels endearing.

Overall, the album paints a bleak picture that, for all intensive purposes is real as fuck. Kendrick censors names and fills the gaps between songs with tape-recorded slices of ghetto life. Featuring characters we are all familiar with through pop culture, the skits are ridiculously well-performed. Equally overdramatic and off-the-cuff, they feel surprisingly genuine. Herein lies the key to the album's message of redemption, which wouldn't work so well if it wasn't so damn real.

The transformation of rap music in the last decade is mainly due to the over-exposure of the Internet. When anyone can make a career out of rhyming, newer artists strive to set themselves apart using bizarre studio techniques and one-of-a-kind personalities. Enter the Danny Browns and Odd Futures who justify their existence with off-kilter flows and in-your-face personas. Kendrick Lamar message-driven music overshadows his fellow newcomers by not letting his unique voice outweigh the enjoyment of listening to his music. Lamar does occasionally falls victim to this pitfall and alienates his listeners. "Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe" and "Sing About Me" feature competent verses that are slaughtered by annoying, unbearable choruses.

The puzzling choices in a few of his cuts don't overshadow the fact that is easily the best rap album of 2012. It doesn't come close to comparing to the front-heavy disappointment of Kanye's Cruel Summer. Compared to that, the production is refreshing and straightforward. Lamar's lyrics can hold up on their own. Its too early to tell if good kid, m.A.A.d city will stand among the Chronics and the Reasonable Doubts but compared to every other high profile release of the year, it's a breath of fresh Compton air.