35/50x2: Machete

This was one of those films that the idea of it really had me interested, but I was a bit put off by the horrible violence that may be portrayed. Luckily, I got past that and decided to watch it anyway - and the violence was much more cartoony than horrible.

So, Machete was originally created as a fake trailer in front of the Grindhouse double feature. It was so popular that Robert Rodriguez decided to create a full-length film from it.

So, Machete (Danny Trejo) is a Federale. He is on his way to rescue a kidnapped girl when he is betrayed by his own chief and handed over to a drug-lord, Rogelio Torrez (Steven Seagal). Torrez kills Machete's wife and daughter in front of him and then leaves him for dead.

Years later, a man that looks like Machete shows up in Texas looking for odd jobs. He winds up being hired by Michael Booth (Jeff Fahey) to kill Senator McLaughlin (Robert De Niro), who is re-running for his senate position and is sending hundreds of illegal immigrants out of the country.

But, as Machete lines up the shot he realizes he is being setup, Booth works for McLaughlin and this was a way to gain sympathy votes and help McLaughlin's border campaign. Machete ends up being shot in the shoulder, but is able to escape.

Sartana Rivera (Jessica Alba) is an agent brought in to track down and bring in Machete. But, she along with Luz (Michelle Rodriguez) help Machete in taking revenge against both Booth and McLaughlin. Not to mention Machete's priest brother, Padre (Cheech Marin) and Booth's daughter out for revenge of her own, April (Lindsay Lohan).

I have to admit this was a pretty fun romp to watch. Sure, it was way over the top, but the filmmakers knew that and did it on purpose. Everyone working on this film was obviously in on this being so over the top - and it worked tremendously. It was really entertaining throughout.

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Tuesday's With Movies: 6/5/12

John Carter: So, a few weeks ago the family and I went to a drive-in movie to see The Avengers. That drive-in just so happened to have a double feature happening - the second film was John Carter. We left after The Avengers. Sure it was late, but I probably would have left anyway. There is just nothing about this film that pulled me in, and it bombed at the theater, so my thoughts must be other people's thoughts as well.

Act of Valor: Not really sure why a Navy SEALs team would even allow a filmmaker to follow them - if this were a completely fictional film, or perhaps even one based on a true story it would make sense. But, this appears to be a mix of an active team and original film making. I am just not into this.

Safe House: Denzel acting as the bad ass? Plus Ryan Reynolds. Yeah, sounds like a decent watch to me.

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island: For some reason, the first movie didn't really get me excited to watch it. Which is odd, because I enjoy a nice Brendan Fraser flick every once and again. But, this one actually, for some odd reason, had something that grabbed me. Unfortunately, I have a bit of OCD and I will now have to watch the first one to get to this one.

Machine Gun Preacher: Not really sure. I heard about this one awhile ago, but after reading about it just now - looks like something I may want to check out. Gerard Butler is a bit of an enigma for me - I am not really sure if I like him or not. He has tried both action and comedy, and I have enjoyed a few of each and hated a few of each. So, I guess he is in the middle.

34/50x2: True Romance

Well, this is one of those movies that some random event happens that really causes a ripple effect throughout the entire film.

In True Romance Clarence (Christian Slater) is a comic book store worker who, on his birthday, goes to see a triple feature at a movie theater. While there, he meets Alabama (Patricia Arquette) and the two hit it off and head home together.

Throughout the night, the two begin to fall for each other - and then Alabama confesses that she didn't meet Clarence by chance, that she was sent to the theater by Clarence's boss, and she is a call girl.

Clarence goes to Alabama's pimp, Drexl (Gary Oldman), to try and smooth things over and let him know she is out of the game - and to pickup Alabama's belongings. Things, of course, go a bit wrong and Clarence winds up grabbing a suitcase he believes is Alabama's but it actually is a suitcase full of cocaine.

Thinking he could make a quick buck, Clarence gets in touch with Dick (Michael Rappaport), who talks to Elliot (Bronson Pinchot) an actor who is tight with a producer Lee Donowitz (Saul Rubinek) about purchasing the drugs. Meanwhile, gangster Vincenzo Coccotti (Christopher Walken) finds Clarence's wallet at Drexl's place and tries to track him down to find the drugs.

The cops get wind of the deal after a police officer pulls Elliot over and discovers the cocaine. So, they put a wire on him in hopes of bringing down the higher ups in the drug deal.

So, everyone is coming together at the same time - Clarence and Alabama; Lee the producer; the cops and the gangsters. What could possibly go wrong?

Pretty fun movie and a ton of great actors. By the way as much as we need more Christian Slater in the world - we definitely need more Bronson Pinchot.

It's a bit weird at times, I mean Clarence has an imaginary Elvis friend (Val Kilmer), who is never really seen in full body, but is heard talking back to Clarence. Plus, a pretty early in his career Brad Pitt as Dick's stoner roommate, Floyd.

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HOT: Philadelphia

OK, let me have it. As a Tom Hanks fan, in fact him being my favorite actor, it is a shame that I had never seen the film that earned Hanks his first career best actor Oscar. I have meant to watch it forever, but never got around to it. So, when I came up with this Hanks-O-Thon I knew I would finally have my chance.

Not that I didn't know what Philadelphia was about, but I am so glad that I finally watched it. It was a masterpiece. Hanks stars as Andrew Beckett, a hot shot lawyer who is on the way up at his law firm. In fact, he was just promoted and given the companies new client, which is very important to the firm.

What the company doesn't know, however, is that Beckett is keeping the fact that he is a homosexual from them - and not only that, but he has acquired AIDS. During the meeting, one of the partners notices a bruise on Beckett's head - he plays it off like he got hit with a racquetball, but it is actually a lesion caused by his disease.

After finishing his project for the new client, Beckett heads home and has an attack - he is sent to the hospital for treatment and his partner, Miguel (Antonio Banderas) meets him there. While at the hospital someone at the firm has misplaced the project he had finished - and it somehow was also deleted from his computer. Despite someone finally being able to find the work he did - the partners called him into his office and fired him.

Beckett believes that he was actually fired because the partners had found out that he had AIDS and was a homosexual. He decides to sue the company for firing him due to a handicap - which is what he finds out that the AIDS virus is considered. He searches high and low for an attorney to help him with the case, even talking to Joe Miller (Denzel Washington), who is an ambulance chasing lawyer that makes television commercials. And, at first, even he turns him down.

As we find out, AIDS is still pretty new and most of society is unaware of how the disease is spread. Beckett shakes Miller's hand and touches his desk - and Miller rushes to his doctor afraid he may have caught the disease. Plus, Miller is a homophobe - flat out saying he hates gay people.

After stumbling across Beckett in the library, Miller approaches him and eventually becomes interested in his case - and decides to help him out and become his lawyer.

The rest of the film is the court room battle. Miller trying to get the 12-person jury to believe that Beckett was fired due to his lifestyle choice and contracting the AIDS virus. While the company's lawyer, Belinda Conine (Mary Steenburgen), argues that the company had no knowledge of Beckett's disease when they fired him.

Just a remarkably well-acted film up and down. Hanks was amazing and his body must have went through torture during the filming. As much credit as Hanks got for his role, Washington deserves equal praise for a man who fights for his client despite being both frightened of the disease and holding such hatred for homosexuals. And, though his role is not large, Banderas was also very good as Beckett's partner.

I usually don't comment on the camera work of a film, but the work done here was masterful. The close ups of faces and handshakes and just small things that are usually so insignificant, but because of the story of a man with AIDS is being told it is blown up, were amazing. Usually tight shots like that would frustrate me - but because of the story being told it was done very well.

I am very ashamed of myself for taking nearly 20 years to finally watch this film. But, I can definitely say it will not be another 20 before I watch it again. I am not sure where it ranks in the pantheon of Hanks films for me yet - but I will know more at the conclusion of this list. It is definitely pretty high up there though.

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33/50x2: Jarhead

For the most part, war movies can be pretty good to watch. As someone who has been lucky enough to never have to fight in a war, it gives you that feeling about just how horrible war can be. Even though it doesn't even come close to the actual experience.

Jarhead is a film about Anthony Swofford's (Jake Gyllenhaal) time in the military during the 1991 Gulf War. Swofford joined the military after not really fitting into civilian life after high school. He then found out just how difficult boot camp can be.

But, Sykes (Jamie Foxx) notices that Swofford just may have what it takes in a different section of the military - the snipers.

As Swofford makes the switch to sniper, he is sent to the Persian Gulf as part of Operation Desert Storm and is paired with Troy (Peter Sarsgaard), who will be his spotter - or someone that gives the coordinates for the sniper to shoot.

Most of Swofford's unit doesn't see any action throughout the entire mission. They do a lot of walking around, training and horsing around - especially Swofford, who gets himself demoted due to a few pranks and accidents around camp.

Finally, after months, Swofford and Troy are given a combat mission - to shoot two Iraqi officers. They were finally getting their moment to shine and be apart of the war. But, at the last second a higher ranking officer comes in and orders an air attack to destroy the entire area. Once, again Swofford and Troy are left out.

I can't say this ranks up there with a lot of the great war films that I have seen. But, it was a pretty interesting watch and I really did enjoy the characters.

Gyllenhaal stood out pretty well, but Foxx and Sarsgaard were also pretty great in their roles. For a war movie there wasn't much action - but for a film based off of Swofford's actual memoirs, I guess this is how war was to him - so that is fine with me.

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