Fight For Your Right (Revisited)

"You gotta fight! For your right! To paaaaaaaaaarrrrrty!"

If you were an 80's child, this chant by the Beastie Boys would have been put on blast on your radio or cassette player. To commemorate the song's impact 25 years later, member Adam Yauch aka MCA wrote and directed a short called Fight For Your Right (Revisited).

Seth Rogen, Elijah Wood and Danny McBride star as the hard-partying trio in Mike D, Ad-Rock and MCA.   Yauch enlists many of today's most talented actors and actresses to balance out the rest of the cast, especially Susan Sarandon, Ted Danson, Steve Buscemi, Rashida Jones and Rainn Wilson.

The film is based mostly on the travels that the Beastie Boys faced after the Fight For Your Right music video, including breaking into a liquor store, taking acid with groupies and getting into a hilarious breakdancing competition with their future selves (Will Farrell, John C. Reilly and Jack Black).

☆☆☆

Snatch

In 2000, Director Guy Ritchie brought a brilliant follow up to his critically acclaimed Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.  With Snatch, Ritchie exposes the hip, cool and violent view of London's gangster underground.  The movie is exceptional starting with the cast of larger than life characters in Jason Statham as an unlicensed boxing promoter,  Benicio Del Toro as jewel-thief Franky Four Fingers, Vinnie Jones as the legendary street assasin and Brad Pitt as the hilarious marble-mouthed boxer. The script is well written and brings Ritchie's characteristic fast-paced, yet twisting storylines. Not only was it considered "the coolest movie of the year" by Premiere Magazine, it is also a must see.

☆☆☆☆

Epic Movie Posters

These are some of the most unique movie posters.  Each of them has a very different design to catch the viewer's attention.

#1 Best All Time Horror Film

The Shining

The instant-classic horror movie based on the book by Stephen King.  Director Stanley Kubrick brings his trademark psychological aspect to the film, but that's not all that makes it scary.  The music in the beginning captures our ear drums and let's you know that something is not right with the Torrance's as they make the long drive to the hotel.  Different camera techniques also build up the tension of the events unfolding.  Jack Nicholson's portrayal of Jack Torrance's descendent into madness is groundbreaking and not to mention rather scary. The main reason why this film is the scariest movie on this list is because of the unexpected.  There are scenes that upset our psyche and make us feel really uncomfortable.  Here's a classic scene from the movie.

Happy Halloween!!!

#2 Best All Time Horror Film

The Silence of the Lambs

Anthony Hopkins gives the performance of his career as the cannibalistic Hannibal Lector.  Director Johnathan Deme gives us the heebie-jeebies with constant close-ups of Lector as he unblinkingly tells us about his victims.  This movie doesn't have as much gore as the rest of the films on this list, but it does have very disturbing conversation pieces.  Plus it is the only movie in the horror genre to win an Oscar.  Here's a look

Westridge 8 Theater

For all of you that are new to Washburn University and Topeka, here's a map of the Westridge 8 Theater.


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#3 Best All Time Horror Film

Psycho

Alfred Hitchcock's instant classic gave audience's the creeps....and made them double lock the door before they showered.  Anthony Perkins gives a chilling performance as Norman Bates.  The scene below is a testament to the film and gave birth to the horror genre.

#4 Best All Time Horror Film

The Exorcist

The movie that spawned numerous spin-offs (i.e. The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Paranormal Activity).  This film stars Linda Blair as the child possessed by the devil.  Audiences across the globe were terrified at how graphic the movie was, especially by a child.

Here is one of the most infamous scenes in the movie.Viewer Discretion is advised.

#5 Best All Time Horror Film

Jaws

The movie that made everyone afraid to go into the water. Thanks to this film, you may have decided against going to the beach for summer vacation and settled instead for the local Holiday Inn.  Gonna need a bigger boat? Yes indeed!

 

The Dark Knight Rises

This film is at the top of my watchlist.  It is considered as the most anticipated film of 2012 and a lot can atone for this.  The movie's predecessors Batman: Begins and The Dark Knight has grossed millions at the box office and has brought a new, darker image to Batman.  

Director Christopher Nolan claims that this is the final installment of the Batman series.  Let's hope it ends on a good note and defies expectations.  As you can see the stakes are incredibly high.  The film's top-billed cast includes new members Tom Hardy as the villain Bane, Anne Hathaway as Catwoman and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as John Blake. 

Tell me if this trailer doesn't make you excited:

"Bane Bane Matalo Matalo"

Jackie Brown

In 1997, Quentin Tarantino brought to the screen a film misunderstood by critics and audiences alike.  The movie was considered a failure and did not exceed expectations of Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction.  With Jackie Brown, you really have to look past those films, while watching it.  Jackie Brown is its own entity in the Tarantino universe.  

Unlike Pulp, Jackie Brown focuses more on story telling and character development.  It deals with the theme of getting old and an interesting plot that draws you into the film.  It also helps that Samuel L. Jackson delivers an outstanding performance as the gangster/arms dealer Ordell Robbie.  Pam Grier is also exceptional as Jackie Brown. Robert Forster was stunning and his performance earned him an Oscar nomination for his role as Max Cherry, the bail bondsman.  

Speaking of cast mates,  Michael Keaton, Robert DeNiro, Bridget Fonda and Chris Tucker round out the rest of this all-star ensemble.  I was a little disappointed that DeNiro wasn't used much in the film.  But, maybe that's the way DeNiro wanted it.  He has led and carried movies for years.  Maybe this is his time to take a back seat in the film.

Either way you look at it, Jackie Brown is a great movie.  Viewers just need to keep an open mind.

 ☆☆☆☆

Bronson

"My name is Charles Bronson and all my life I've wanted to be famous"

Those of you who think the role of Eames in 2010 Inception was Tom Hardy's breakthrough role, you are sadly mistaken.  Bronson brings Hardy's acting skills to the surface playing Michael Peterson, a troubled man who's personality is over-taken by his alter-ego known as Charles Bronson.  

This psychotic and electrifying true story  takes us into the mind of Bronson, making audiences question what is real and what isn't.  Zoo Magazine's Damien McSorely hailed Bronson as "A Clockwork Orange for the 21st Century" and indeed it is.  The opening line shown above, really sets the tone for the entire film. In my books it's worth the watch.

☆☆☆

Takers

Over the weekend I was able to watch the 2010 crime flick, Takers.  I was told by many (mostly female) people that the movie was worth the watch, so I decided I would give it a try. From the opening bank heist I could see why the opposite sex would enjoy this film as it stars Hollywood's youngest in Paul Walker, Hayden Christensen and R&B crooner Chris Brown.

The story seems all to familiar as it dabbles in other crime movies like Heat, Carlito's Way and Collateral.  Matt Dillon also stars as the cop chasing after the "cool bad guys with guns."  The only noteworthy performance in the film was surprisingly Hayden Christensen. Despite his shotty performance as Anakin Skywalker, Christensen delivers and often carries the film.

All in all, the movie is just a heavily-cliched crime movie with a little something for the ladies.  
Any takers? No.

☆☆

Malcolm X

In 1992, African American filmmaker Spike Lee wrote and directed a film that was based on a book that influenced him as a teen.  Malcolm X is a powerful and gripping movie-biography of the controversial Black Nationalist Leader of the same name.  It follows Malcolm's life through the events that shaped him as a human being and his beliefs in the Nation of Islam.

The intensity is brought to the starring role through Denzel Washington, who earned an Oscar nomination for his portrayal.  Washington's performance is reminiscent of Malcolm X in the way of his facial expressions, accent and hand gestures.  The movie does run a little long with an allotted time of 202 minutes, but the time is needed for the amount of depth needed to show who Malcolm X really is.  Despite what your opinion may be of Malcolm X, this movie might change your mind.

☆☆☆☆

The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley and Malcolm X heavily inspired filmmaker Spike Lee to write the screenplay for the film.  Below he talks to Ebony Jet Magazine about the book and the movie.

J. Edgar

J. Edgar marks the first film between director Clint Eastwood and actor Leonardo DiCaprio.  The movie could be marketed on those two names alone, however the story has generated much publicity as well as controversy.  Much of the hype is due to the careful examination of J. Edgar Hoover's private life as an alleged closeted homosexual.  All of this while Hoover was the face of law enforcement and the FBI.  The story unfolds November 9th.

Here's a look at the trailer.