Review: The Grey (Joe Carnahan, 2012)

We’re about two months into 2012 but let’s chalk this up to surprise of the year. Director Joe Carnahan, coming off a terrible A-Team adaptation and before that, a disappointing Smokin’ Aces has stunned me with The Grey starring Liam Neeson. I was already deeply invested in the coolness that is Liam Neeson as of late. After all, he’s Qui-gon Jinn, Ra’s Al Ghul, Zeus, Admiral Shane, Bryan-the-kickass-dude-from-Taken and turns out he also has a sense of humor. The roles he has selected have been from a perspective of power, leadership and knowledge and he has continued this trend as John-the-kickass-dude-from-the-Grey.

John is a wolf hunter; He is hired by an Alaskan oil company to rid the area of wolves that feel threatened by the human presence. It’s noted early that John is depressed and attempts suicide by pointing the rifle in his mouth. He hears the cry of a wolf in the distance which stops him. John then boards a plane to presumably return home with the rest of the oil team but the plane crashes in a snowstorm. John awakes in the snow (in a very Lost-like sequence) with a few survive crew members. It’s not long before John is giving orders, telling the survivors to search for fire wood and keep watch from threatening wolves and trying to figure out a way to survive the cold and the wolves

The tension is felt immediately from the start of the movie even during the predictable plane crash. The violence is brutal enough without trending too close to a horror sub-genre, which would not have been necessarily a bad thing, but it works better as a psychological thriller. An example of this would be a scene where the survivors are huddled around a fire in the in the middle of the night. Cries from wolves lead the survivors to believe they are surrounded- there is an act of defiance from the survivors before the Alpha Male of the wolf pack lets out a bellowing ominous howl. From the perspective of the survivors, they see darkness… and at the top of the hill, they see only the breath from the Alpha Male with what little light is emitted from the fire. Well done Carnahan.

A lot of the terror is implied like in the example above, and not show on screen and I give credit to Carnahan for being able to portray this dramatically. The Grey feels like a different director from his prior work. The movie projects urgency to fight off the wolves as well as battling the elements of an Alaskan winter. There are also several other internal fights the survivors must face to escape their nightmare. The Grey is an exhilarating satisfying experience, not to be missed if you’re a Nesson fan; Be sure to stay after the credits for one final scene.


Grade: 89

Review: Hard Candy (David Slade, 2005)

Hard Candy: A movie I should have watched years ago. I remember the acclaim behind it when it was first released which should have been a reason to watch it then, but even years later as my love for Ellen Page platituded with her performances in Inception, Super and Juno, I should have watched it on general Ellen Page fanboysim. I’m glad to have spent time with Hard Candy over the weekend as it might be Page’s best performance; so early in her career too.

Hayley Stark (Page) gains the attention of Jeff Kohlver (Patrick Wilson, also best known in Insidious and Saw) from an online chat room. It is quickly brought to attention that Hayley is 14 years old and Jeff is over 30 and later we find out Hayley is gaining the attention of Jeff because she beliefs he is a pedophile. She gains access to his home and for the next 70 minutes, viewers will be stricken with a convincing performance from Page and some chilling (and shocking) revelations.

The shock factor and adrenalin rush is what made the movie so enjoyable, but it was not filmed-to-shock like other movies like the Human Centipede or Hostel. Those movies were specifically created for the sole purpose of gratuitous shock values. In Hostel, there’s a scene where there is torture being performed on a young girl and when the torturer turns around the camera specifically focuses on the violence. Hard Candy shocks from mostly dialog and what isn’t shown on screen. But what makes it so believable is Ellen Page’s on screen presence, her brutality, maturity but yet still holding on to a teenage innocence. She was 18 when Hard Candy was filmed (maybe 17) but her maturity as an actress shines through.

It’s unknown what multiple viewings will do to my appreciation of this movie; there are a few twists and turns that would draw away from a second viewing. But one thing is certain, Hard Candy with a cast of 5, is among some of the best dialog driven thrillers I have ever seen.

What I'm Currently Obsessed With (February 2012 Edition)

I appear to be falling out of the music scene. As the months go by, very little new music interests me. I don’t follow my go-to bands anymore from the 90s. Rancid, Incubus, Drop Kick Murphys, 311, Bad Religion, Social D, Hed Pe, Pantera. Remember Fear Factory? And when I mean I don’t follow them I don’t anticipate new their new music like I used to.

I listen to my Google Music collection, and stream SiriusXM and nothing feels as great as it used to. I can’t stand terrestrial radio. The commercials alone are worth me paying for satellite. Pandora can mix things up for you but you run out of minutes and I’d rather pay for a service with Howard Stern than one that doesn’t have him. But I’ve essentially given up actively searching for new music. Until great music crosses my path, I will have never known it existed. And this is exactly what happened as I watching the movie Drive (which btw is equally awesome) . Two songs I am utterly obsessed with right now, had to download them on my phone, on my PC and anywhere else a speaker exists. For your listening pleasure, I give you Kavinsky – Nightcall and College feat Electric Youth – A Real Hero.

Movies Watched in 2011

This is a list of every movie I watched in 2011, with the director, year the movie was released and final grade. The final grade is not always set in stone. I move movies around during the year after second viewings and reevaluations. This is the most movies I watched in a year since 2004 when I was in college and had nothing better to do aside from study. Comments are encouraged.

1 Once Upon a Time in the West Leone, Sergio (1968) 99

2 Stalker Tarkovskiy, Andrey (1979) 96

3 Black Swan Aronofsky, Darren (2010) 95

4 The Elephant Man Lynch, David (1980) 93

5 Melancholia Von Trier, Lars (2011) 92

6 127 Hours Boyle, Danny (2010) 91

7 Rashomon Kurosawa, Akira (1950) 91

8 Nosferatu, a Symphony of Horror Murnau, F.W. (1922) 91

9 Diabolique Clouzot, Henri-Georges (1955) 91

10 Attack the Block Cornish, Joe (2011) 91

11 The King's Speech Hooper, Tom (2010) 91

12 King Kong Cooper, Merian (1933) 91

13 Bride of Frankenstein Whale, James (1931) 91

14 Manhattan Allen, Woody (1979) 90

15 Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives Weerasethakul, Apichatpong (2011) 90

16 The Fighter Russell, David O (2010) 90

17 Kung Fu Panda Osborne, Mark (2008) 90

18 Elite Squad Padilha, José (2007) 90

19 Frankenstein Whale, James (1931) 90

20 Leon Besson, Luc (1994) 89

21 Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol Bird, Brad (2011) 89

22 Super 8 J. J. Abrams (2011) 89

23 Red State Smith, Kevin (2011) 89

24 How to Train Your Dragon DeBlois, Dean (2010) 89

25 The Men Who Stare At Goats Heslov, Grant (2009) 89

26 Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Wright, Edgar (2010) 88

27 Valhalla Rising Winding, Nicholas Refn (2009) 88

28 The Girl Who Leapt Through Time Hosoda, Mamoru (2006) 88

29 Mala Noche Van Sant, Gus (1986) 88

30 Let Me In Reeves, Matt (2010) 88

31 Quarantine Dowdle, John Erick (2008) 88

32 [REC] Balaguero, Jaume (2007) 88

33 The Cabinet of Dr Caligari Wiene, Robert (1920) 88

34 True Grit Coen Brothers (2010) 87

35 Freaks Browning, Tod (1932) 87

36 Rango Verbinski, Gore (2011) 86

37 The Social Network Fincher, David (2010) 85

38 Fright Night Gillespie, Craig (2011) 85

39 Hanna Wright, Joe (2011) 85

40 Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs Lord, Phil (2009) 85

41 Super Gunn, James (2011) 85

42 Ugetsu Mizoguchi, Kenji (1953) 85

43 Buried Cortes, Rodrigo (2010) 84

44 Rubber Dupieux, Quentin (2011) 84

45 The Conversation Coppola, Francis Ford (1974) 83

46 The Ghost Writer Polanski, Roman (2010) 83

47 Blue Valentine Cianfrance, Derek (2010) 82

48 The Expendables Stallone, Sylvester (2010) 82

49 Trollhunter Ovredal, Andre (2011) 82

50 Capitalism: A Love Story Moore, Michael (2009) 81

51 The War Game Watkins, Peter (1965) 81

52 The Pianist Polanski, Roman (2002) 80

53 The Green Hornet Gondry, Michael (2010) 80

54 The Arbor Barnard, Clio (2011) 80

55 Candyman Rose, Bernard (1992) 80

56 Tangled Greno, Nathan (2010) 80

57 Ten Days That Shook the World - Aleksandrov, Grigori (1928) 80

58 La Dolce Vita Fellini, Federico (1960) 79

59 Thor Branagh, Kenneth (2011) 79

60 The Passion of Joan of Arc Dreyer, Carl Theodor (1928) 79

61 Hot Tub Time Machine Pink, Steve (2010) 79

62 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Mamoulian, Rouben (1931) 79

63 The Phantom of the Opera Julian, Rupert (1925) 79

64 Never Let Me Go Romanek, Mark (2010) 79

65 The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call - New Orleans Herzog, Werner (2009) 78

66 Häxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages Christensen, Benjamin (1922) 78

67 Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Miyazaki, Hayao (1984) 77

68 Cave of Forgotten Dreams Herzog, Werner (2011) 76

69 The Good, the Bad, the Weird Kim, Jee-woon (2008) 76

70 Insidious Wan, James (2011) 76

71 Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance Masayuki (2009) 76

72 TRON: Legacy Kosinski, Joeseph (2010) 76

73 Munich Spielberg, Steven (2005) 75

74 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Oplev, Niels Arden (2009) 75

75 X-Men: First Class Vaughn, Matthew (2011) 75

76 The Adjustment Bureau Nolfi, George (2011) 73

77 Insomnia Nolan, Chris (2005) 73

78 Fright Night Holland, Tom (1985) 73

79 Duel Spielberg, Steven (1971) 73

80 Monsters Edwards, Gareth (2010) 72

81 From Beyond Gordon, Stuart (1986) 72

82 The Face of Another Teshigahara, Hiroshi (1966) 71

83 Creepshow Romero, George A (1982) 71

84 Bill Cunningham New York Press, Richard (2011) 70

85 Limitless Burger, Neil (2011) 69

86 Pickpocket Bresson, Robert (1959) 69

87 The Burrowers Petty, J.T. (2008) 68

88 Horrible Bosses Gordon, Seth (2011) 67

89 SLC Punk! Merendino, James (1998) 67

90 Frozen Green, Adam (2010) 67

91 Lord of the Flies Brook, Peter (1963) 66

92 Tree of Life Malick, Terrence (2011) 66

93 The Man from Earth Schenkman, Richard (2007) 65

94 Amelie Jeunet, Jean-Pierre (2001) 63

95 Your Highness Green, David Gordon (2011) 63

96 Waiting for Superman Guggenheim, Davis (2010) 63

97 Stake Land Mickle, Jim (2011) 61

98 Popcorn Herrier, Mark (1991) 61

99 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Fleming, Victor (1941) 60

100 The Kids Are All Right Cholodenko, Lisa (2010) 60

101 Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion Anno, Hideaki (1997) 60

102 The Green Mile Darabont, Frank (1999) 60

103 Seconds Apart Negret, Antonio (2011) 60

104 Winter's Bone Granik, Debra (2010) 59

105 Day of Wrath Dreyer, Carl Theodor (1943) 59

106 Vanishing on 7th Street Anderson, Brad (2011) 59

107 Kung Fu Panda 2 Yuh, Jennifer (2011) 58

108 The Thing van Heijningen Jr, Matthijs (2011) 57

109 The Phantasm Coscarelli, Don (1979) 57

110 DeepStar Six Cunningham, Sean S (1989) 56

111 Hang 'Em High Post, Ted (1968) 56

112 Screamers Duguay, Christian (1995) 56

113 From Within Papamichael, Phedon (2008) 56

114 Suspiria Argento, Dario (1977) 54

115 Rise of the Planet of the Apes Wyatt, Rupert (2011) 54

116 Unknown Collet-Serra, Jaume (2011) 53

117 Captain America Johnston, Joe (2011) 53

118 Wall Street Stone, Oliver (1987) 52

119 Voices Oh, Ki-hwan (2007) 52

120 Transformers: Dark of the Moon Bay, Michael (2011) 50

121 The Resident Jokinen, Antti (2011) 50

122 Robin Hood Scott, Ridley (2010) 50

123 Apocalypto Gibson, Mel (2006) 49

124 Cedar Rapids Arteta, Miguel (2011) 49

125 Source Code Jones, Duncan (2011) 48

126 Resident Evil: Afterlife Anderson, Paul W.S. (2010) 48

127 The Lost Boys Schumacher, Joel (1987) 47

128 Bridesmaids Feig, Paul (2011) 47

129 Faster Tillman Jr., George (2010) 47

130 Fast Five Lin, Justin (2011) 47

131 Skyline Strause Brothers (2010) 46

132 Hobo with a Shotgun Eisener, Jason (2011) 46

133 Sucker Punch Snyder, Zack (2011) 45

134 Battle: Los Angeles Liebesman, Jonathan (2011) 45

135 Ivan Vasilievich: Back to the Future Gaidai, Leonid (1973) 44

136 Cold Weather Katz, Aaron (2011) 44

137 Season of the Witch Sena, Dominic (2011) 42

138 A-Team Carnahan, Joe (2010) 41

139 Hereafter Eastwood, Clint (2010) 41

140 The Hangover 2 Phillips, Todd (2011) 41

141 Bad Teacher Kasdan, Jake (2011) 40

142 The Ward Carpenter, John (2011) 39

143 The Terminal Spielberg, Steven (2004) 38

144 Green Lantern Campbell, Martin (2011) 35

145 Passenger 57 Hooks, Kevin (1992) 30

146 Priest Stewart, Scottt Charles (2011) 29

147 Mutant Chronicles Hunter, Simon (2008) 33

148 The Descent: Part 2 Harris, Jon (2009) 27

149 Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Marshall, Rob (2011) 23

150 Cowboys & Aliens Favreau, Jon (2011) 18