Film Review: The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

IMDB Score 8.7
Rotten Tomato Score – 75%

Directed By Martin Scorsese
Starring – Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Kyle Chandler, Rob Reiner, Jean Dujardin, P.J. Byrne, Jon Bernthal, and Matthew McConaughey

Based on the true story of Jordan Belfort, from his rise to a wealthy stockbroker living the high life to his fall involving crime, corruption and the federal government.

I feel like I should be on Quaaludes right now as I type this up. I feel like everybody should be on Quaaludes while they read this. How about just…Quaaludes.

Writing this a couple days after Leo won the Golden Globe for Best Actor, I’m starting to realize that this may be the year that Leo finally wins and Oscar, and he would totally deserve it. Leo stars in this absolutely insane film about rich people in the stock market and what kind of luxuries go with that. To my surprise, the theater in which I saw this film was still packed to the brim which was great but also horrible because I always seem to be a magnet for people like to talk during the entire duration of a film. The fact that this was three hours long only impressed me more on how awful people are. Even with those distractions, I still enjoyed the film.

Scorcese has always been a interesting director to me. Sometimes he’ll have a film that is a well balanced machine of great acting, wonderful camera work, and interesting story. Goodfellas, The Departed, Hugo, and Shutter Island come to mind. Then there is the Scorsese that seems to miss on the subject matter but still gets great performances out of his actors. Casino and Gangs of New York featured powerhouse performances but just fell a little short story wise although were entirely entertaining. The Wolf of Wall Street will be joining those two films. It’s a film filled with great acting and fun but really didn’t have any substance to carry in into my top film of the year.

Leo was amazing. I hope he does more comedies because the man is hilarious. The timing he developed with Jonah Hill was amazing to watch and like I said in the beginning I expect him to take home his first Oscar. In a year FILLED to the brim with amazing male performances, I hope Leo takes home the statue. He earned it. Like everything he does, he went full on crazy in this film. The scenes with him on drugs, which is like every scene, were some of the funniest scenes of the year and it was because of the brilliant way Leo controls his face. He’s always been a fantastic actor but this just rounds out his resume as being a jack of all trades. Jonah Hill cemented the fact that he can act with his supporting role as Donny, Belfort’s Vice President.

The film was just a non stop freight train of debauchery that had many people laughing, gasping, and shutting their eyes while also being memorized with the circus unfolding at every angle. The only thing I could say was that the story just didn’t hold up. I honestly didn’t find myself engaged in fact that these people could possibly do serious jail time. I didn’t care if they were caught or died or anything. It was like dumping sprinkles, sugar, chocolates, and ice cream on a steak. The fun and craziness of the film completely overpowered any substance underneath. That being said, it’s one of the few films that adheres to that structure that I still found very good and worth the price of admission, if you can handle it that is.

Shit, the ludes are kicking in.

3.5/5

Film Review : The Kings of Summer (2013)

IMDB Score – 7.2
Rotten Tomato Score – 76%

Directed By – Jordan Vogt-Roberts
Starring – Nick Robinson, Gabriel Basso, Moises Arias, Nick Offerman, and Erin Moriarty

Three teenage friends, in the ultimate act of independence, decide to spend their summer building a house in the woods and living off the land.

It seems like the “coming of age” story is getting a bit played out. I wanted to see this mostly because of the players involved and the fact that the trailer makes it look like a modern day “Stand By Me” but I couldn’t help being a bit bored with the whole kids learning how to be mature adults thing. “The Spectacular Now” and “The Way Way Back” complete the trio with this film to give this summer the summer of teenage angst and rebellion.

I actually ended up really loving the first half of this film. The film follows Joe, played by Robinson, and Patrick, played by Basso, as they go trough their strange home lives in search of a way out. A party that gets busted up leads them to a spot far out in the woods where they decide to escape too and build a house. Biaggio, played hilariously by Arias, tags along and the three set out to get supplies for their summer.

A lot of people are bashing this film for being a bit pretentious but I honestly didn’t see it. I didn’t take the moral lessons that the film was throwing out by the end of the film so it really didn’t matter much to me that it came off a bit derivative and contrived. It was a just a funny film about kids experiencing their own summer. Moises Arias honestly should be in more things. He was easily the best thing about this film and stole every single scene. He might be the funniest person I’ve seen in a film all year. The rest of the cast did a great job and you just can’t go wrong with Nick Offerman. The second half of the film just couldn’t keep up with the humor and charm of the first half as the drama of the situation became just too much for me. I wouldn’t say it ruined the film for me but it certainly took points away.

I can’t blame the film though. I have horrible problems ending things.

3.5/5

Film Review : Nebraska (2013)

IMDB Score – 8.1
Rotten Tomato Score – 92%

Directed By – Alexander Payne
Starring – Bruce Dern, Will Forte, June Squibb, Bob Odenkirk, and Stacy Keach

An aging, booze-addled father makes the trip from Montana to Nebraska with his estranged son in order to claim a million-dollar Mega Sweepstakes Marketing prize.

I’ve finally been able to get to the theater this week and while I still have to see “American Hustle” and “Wolf of Wall Street”, I decided to see this first in case it is no longer in theaters next week. I think I still have plenty of time to see the other two. My local art theater was still running it albeit in the smallest theater imaginable but I left satisfied.

Alexander Payne has always been a director whose work I enjoy. I haven’t seen a single film of his that I didn’t like and while he doesn’t have a flat out masterpiece in his body of work, he never fails to entertain or tell a good story. I think Nebraska might just end up being my favorite film of his.

First off, the cinematography in this is amazing. Phedon Papamichael did a phenomenal transforming the dull bland landscape of Nebraska and Montana into very pretty images of desolation and despair. I live in New Jersey. I have always lived in New Jersey. When I decide to move away from here I’m either going north/south or all the way out west because I don’t think I could last in that environment. I’ve never seen streets that empty besides Christmas morning and even then there are still people buzzing about. The minimalist way they decided to shoot this film, with the long wide angle shots of rolling hills and baron landscape made for a very relaxing and peaceful watch. I just don’t think I could live in such a place.

The film ended up being a lot funnier than I thought it was going to be as it captured the “culture” of living in such places hilariously. Mundane conversations and one worded answers have never been so funny. One review I read claimed that the film was like visiting his relatives so I’m guessing the film portrayed life out there pretty well. Bars with the same people in it that have been going there for 40 years and shops and stores that went out of business decades ago litter the main drag of the town of Hawthorne, where most of the film takes place. Bruce Dern, who plays the character of Woody, stops there on his way to Lincoln to collect his million dollars which he is convinced he won. Woody grew up there and the people he used to be around are still there after all these years, not having moved or changed an inch. It is there that the bulk of the story takes place as old friends and family try to cash in on their friends recent claim to fortune.

The acting was fantastic in this. Bruce Dern and June Squibb, who plays his crass and resentful wife Kate, were both hilarious. Dern did a remarkable job playing a lost and confused old man trying desperately to find meaning in his life. Squibb stole pretty much every scene she had as more and more horrible things came out of her mouth as if she had no idea anybody else around her would be offended. One particular scene at a cemetery had me dying as the respect for the dead was just non existent. Will Forte and Bob Odenkirk, two actors who are known for their comedy work, did a great job portraying the sons of Dern and Squibb who are trying to distance themselves from their old stomping grounds. Forte was especially charming.

The film displayed themes of family and greed while also sticking to the comedy that is just oozing out of the midwest. People from the area might not even find the humor in it because it was just so subtle. The whole theater was cracking up watching eight men sit and stare at a television without saying a word until somebody asks another “you still got that old chevy?”…”Yep.”

If you can get out to see it please do. It’s going to be a wonderful rainy day film for me when released on blu ray and is a gorgeous film to be seen on the big screen. Its Payne at his absolute driest bbut also at his funniest.

4.5/5

Film Review : We’re The Millers (2013)

IMDB Score – 7.1
Rotten Tomato Score – 47%

Directed By – Rawson Marshall Thurber
Starring – Jason Sudeikis, Jennifer Aniston, Will Poulter, Emma Roberts, Ed Helms, Kathryn Hahn, and Nick Offerman

A veteran pot dealer creates a fake family as part of his plan to move a huge shipment of weed into the U.S. from Mexico.

When was the last time I reviewed a comedy? No, seriously when was it? Okay, I’m not a big modern comedy person. I’ve always been into the classics such as Airplane!, Mel Brooks films, and anything involving Bill Murray but good modern comedies are few and far between. A modern comedy works for me when either the subject matter and plot makes sense or it’s so ridiculous that I’m able to detach myself and have fun.

We’re The Millers did neither.

The premise just seemed fabricated to try to be funny. “I know guys. Lets take four people who don’t like each other and have them smuggle drugs across the border…AS A FAMILY”. From the writers of bleh, and the creators of bloop, comes MEH! I didn’t like it. I think I chose to watch it due to the somewhat reputation it has in the online community but I’m going to have to disagree with my fellow bloggers. I found it bland and silly and only really laughed a couple times, mostly from Nick Offerman and Jason Sudeikis whom I find funny. I’d say it’s definitely a comedy that had potential given the comedic timing of the cast but the writing and delivered jokes just didn’t hit.

I’ll keep trying comedy. I’ll keep trying.

2/5