Medea’s Big Happy Family: No words

So, Tyler Perry has yet to get the balance right with a black comedy.  I have the same problem with him as I do Vince Vaughn: too much.  You can poke fun at a few stereotypes, and even throw in some wise cracking old people, but to have only buffoonery characters, is unforgiveable.  Especially if they are only black (I really do think if there were some hillbilly white people, I feel less appalled).  And then on top of writing in those characters, they are directed  in a way that is like “You know how we embellish black people?  Let’s play only those aspects up!  More weed, Jesus, and incoherent babble!”  Overall, this movie was a hot mess, full of ignorant and offensive people.  And it had so much potential…

Verdict: Tyler Perry owes me money (skip)

A Good Man: Frustrating and engaging

I can’t dance...not really anyways.  One of my bucket list items is to develop a craft: drawing, dance, jewelry making, welding… the oboe.  The biggest obstacle from me currently is my utter lack of transforming an idea into something that invokes emotion and is aesthetically pleasing.  That’s why I find this film so fascinating as it follows a radically individualistic persona, Bill T Jones, through his entire creative process.  From an idea about the heroism of Abe Lincoln, to an inspiring dance piece portraying race and politics, this film highlights all of the frustrations of genius bearing its gift tro the world.  Though I don’t think I personally would have gotten the production if I had gone to see it blind, I appreciate the opportunity to peer behind the curtain and into the heart of its creator.

Verdict: If you ever wanted to understand a creative better (Do it)

Soul of Sand: Silly fun

I hate overly dramatic films, mainly because I have little tolerance for emotions.  I can barely deal with the tensions and misunderstandings of my own life, why would I pay to subject myself to the self-destructive and irrational behaviors of others?  Well, I have learned that there is something to be said for style.  The style in which Soul of Sand was overly dramatized, the embodiment of the casts, the stupidity of young love, mixed with a relatively hoaky storyline, made the film a joy to partake in.  Irrespective of if it’s the Indian approach to a film, I tip my hat to this film.  It may have been ridiculous, but it ended up in the “guilty pleasure” camp rather than “I want my life back.”

Verdict: don’t know how, but do it if you can (see it)

MSPIFF: Minneapolis-St Paul International Film Festival

I often don’t give Minneapolis enough credit, mainly because it’s niche specialties aren’t for me.  But I never thought I’d be as excited as I was for the Film Festival this year.  300 films, 3 weeks, and the member ticket discount.  <Angels singing>.   To be fair and equitable, we can assume that the festival is equivalent to the Olympics of films, and while you may be the best of your country, and far better than anything I could do, someone still has to lose, someone wins, and a bunch of people finish unrecognized.  Mostly I am judging based on 1) cultural education, 2) storytelling ability and 3) personal enlightenment.  So below is my running judgment of films I have made it to thus far.   

The Losers	Honorable Mentions	The Winners
A Screaming Man (Chad)	Reconciliation: Mandela’s Miracle (S Afr)	A Good Man (US documentary)
Mad Bastards (Australia)	I’m Not Black, I’m Coloured (S. Africa)	Soul of Sand (India)

Limitless: Exhilarating fun

The superpower of intelligence?  Fantastic!  It’s about time we’ve glamorized the awesomeness of the mind rather the destructive force of the brawn.  Though in this case it may or may not be from drug abuse, I’m just going to look the other way.  Baby steps.  The thing I found most interesting about this movie is how Bradley’s character exists above the law.  There are a bunch of shady things he does that he gets away with, and this toying with amorality adds a zippy twist to the film, for which I will overlook the films shortcomings.  Because, echoed in the ending message, it’s totally worth it if you can save humanity as an outcome…or is it?

Verdict: Buzzworthy (see it)

Arthur: Honestly charming

It was like Elf except instead of being imported from the North Pole to NYC around Christmas time, Arthur is imported from Britain and trapped inside a Marvel-themed party.  Though he is a full-fledged drunk with severe family issues, he has surprisingly good manners/morals for a ridiculously spoiled rich kid.  Even without knowing the value of a dollar and constantly distracting himself with thoughtless entertainment (he has a floating bed and a fleet of vehicles from cartoons, including the Batmobile), his idealistic view on love was touching and you can’t help but root for him to win.

Verdict: If you fancy, though you could do without (Discount)

Source Code: Confoundingly entertaining

The trailer for this film left much to be desired… there’s a special mission that allows a Captain to replay a crucial 8 minute scenario that, if solved, would save some people.  Don’t know who, don’t know how, and don’t know why he was chosen.  Apparently, neither does he, and so we learn what’s going on at the same time the officer does...  so you’re engaged in discovering the puzzle while you watch.  Similar to a Jason Bourne experience, swapping secret intelligence with sci-fi technology, we start with a fit of amnesia and uncover something no one was expecting.  While I’m still a bit puzzled as to what actually happened, they get points for trying a new storyline.

Verdict: worth your time… not necessarily your money (at your convenience)

The Black List: post-Oscar season sludge

Movies take anywhere from 2-3 hours of a person’s dedicated time.  And while I have spent a ridiculous amount of time to devote to this border-line obsession, even an avid movie goer such as myself knows when to draw the line.  There are some movies that are just plain awful and you know it without even seeing it (like any Katherine Heigl movie… she’s batting like 100).  A friend of mine captured it best: “it’s like they are just blatantly stealing my money.  Like they know it’s crap and didn’t even try to hide it.”  So, while sometimes Hollywood can fool me with a well-cut teaser highlighting the only funny jokes or romantic scenes in the entire film, there are some monstrosities no amount of marketing and publicity can save.  Thus, the boycott list of Winter/ Spring 2011 (you’ll notice a few patterns):

Title	Rationale
Battle: LA	I still don’t even understand its premise, but it looks absolutely pointless (people fighting aliens for LA without even the comic relief of Will Smith  or M Night Shyamalan’s reputation for suspense)
Beastly	While it actually looked enticing on the surface (I love re mixing a classic story), I just hate Vanessa Hudges, like all Disney teen idols.  Flare for the dramatic.
Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son	The first one was terrible… adding another cross-dressing goof isn’t going to enhance much, regardless of what idiotic situation warrants the get-ups.
I am Number Four	Outside of being terribly named… yup, nope.  That’s about it.  Aliens being bounty-hunted; it’s like Escape from Witch Mountain without the adorable adolescents.
Sucker Punch	Similar to why I won’t be watching Beastly (Vanessa Hudges), angsty teens in a fantasy 300 world sounds like a terrible idea. Though I do like the cinematic liberties, it can’t overcompensate for an awful script.
Unknown	It’s the most predicable story line ever… Wolverine Origins or Bourne Series (“I curse the day I lost my identity and those responsible though I initially volunteered for it”) without the cool claws and the familiarity of the characters.

Inside Job: partially informative

I was a bit delayed in seeing this one, but it was definitely worth it.  Though it definitely has some personal biases flowing through the narration, it does a good job of breaking down a ridiculously convoluted process like the sub-prime mortgage market into a simple powerpoint flowchart.  It highlights the systemic issues with our capital markets today, and while I don't agree with all of the implied solutions, it definitely gets me thinking in the right direction.  For instance, maybe it is wrong to idealize wealth as status and coast at your job, as you could wind up a very rich criminal in the end.  Then again, I am about to start my HBS experience in the fall...
Verdict: It'll make you a better person... (do it)