The Citizen Review " A man goes to the movies. A critic must be honest enough to admit that he is that man." -Robert Warshow

Matthew Says: A

One of the most anticipated movies of the year, based on one of the most widely renowned children's novels of all time, Spike Jonze has quite some pressure. The question that came up in my mind was, "How is Spike Jonze's raw, artsy style going to mix with a classic children's story?" Well I promise you, Where the Wild Things Are delivers!

Everyone knows the story of Max, who is sent to his room after a tantrum, and escapes into the world where the wild things are. This film just enhances it, making it realistic to the modern family of today, and adds a newer meaning to the story.

The filming of it is breathtaking. The technical merit of the wild things with the raw camera style truly capture what is was like to be a kid. And first time screenwriter Spike Jonzes creates subtle and surprisingly touching scenes between these two different kinds of creatures who aren't really that different.

This one of the most inventive, audacious and spectacular films of the year. It runs on human emotion, inventivness, and being wild. It's a must-see for 2009.

Sincerely,
The Citizen Review

Matthew Says: B+

The Puffy Chair is the independant debut for the writer-director duo, the Duplass brothers. It's a romantic comedy of sorts, and It's one heck of a good one. What's different about this one is the film starts with The two lovers already together. And they're not polar opposites who suddenly have everything in common.

Josh's dad's birthday is next week, and he wants to get him something special. He found an exact replica of a burandy puffy chair that his dad loved when he was little on Ebay. So he and his girlfriend Emily go on a roadtrip to get the puffy chair and take it to his dad's. Along the way they pick up Josh's brother, along with minor mishaps (including sneaking into a motel, busting into garage doors, and an overnight marriage) and major relationship rethinking.

This film was shot on a $2,000 camcorder, and uses friends and family for actors, yet has far better acting, writing and realism than any other romantic comedy I've seen. The acting is insanley real, with emotional scenes that seem like you're peaking in on some couple's fight in the next room.

Sincerely,

Matthew Says: A

One of my least favorite genres in film is the romantic comedy. The lines are never funny and the love between the two main characters never feels real or genuine. It seems as though the only reason for releasing them is to make money because studios know people love them. However, I have always kept an open mind for the first really good romantic comedy. Last year I thought it might be Last Chance Harvey, but.... no. In order for it to be good, it must have smart and witty humor, love that feels authentic, and a plot that doesn't follow the formula that some b movie set as a predecessor. (500) Days of Summer is that film.

The premise is ingenious and very real. Not every relationship works out. Even though the audience knows how the film ends, we still hope that maybe everything will end happily ever after. The writing, the acting and above all the originality and freshness makes this move superb. It has two really good performances by Joseph Gorden-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel, perfectly capturing their unique characters. And the whole film has a vibratory freshness that just bursts from the screen. You feel like this movie is going to impact film and audinces long after the last credits roll.

Sincerely,

The Citizen Review

This is a movie that was just released into selected theaters. The tagline is, 'This is not a love story... it is a story about love.' It's about an unsuccesful relationship between two people: a hopeless romantic (Joseph Gorden-Levitt) and an unbeliever in true love (Zooey Deschanel).

This movie has not yet been released in our area, but will this week, so expect a review for

(500) Days of Summer soon.

Sincerely,

Average grade: A-

Jack says: TBD (B+/A-)

Yep, as you can see, the newest installment in the movie interpretations of the famous Harry Potter novels has stumped me. Let me say somethings that I am certain about this film, 1) I really liked it. 2) It's my favorite HP film since #2 (3 It's no doubt a good movie (4 It is made with an aesthetic sensibility 5) It was much better than I thought it was going to be.

With that said, let's move into the realm of the unknown, if you will. I will say that in order to give a proper grade, I will have to see the film at least once more. Okay, like I said, it is very entertaining and enchanting, but I'm trying to determine how it will age over time. No doubt, the Chris Columbus-directed first two installments (the best in my opinion) will age like a true classic, and possible #4 as well and I think that the Half-Blood Prince may be the next best Potter film.

It is David Yates' second stab at directing this franchise and all the Potter fans are making sure he is doing a good job because he has secured the last two films. This second film was a much, much tighter than the Order of the Phoenix, which unfortunately was the weakest of the franchise. This film gives all true Harry Potter fans a jolt of hope. Because that minority of followers knows Harry and his friends, they know that the story is worth much more than a flaky modern teen thriller.

Matthew says: A-

The previous Harry Potter installment was Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix. And I was dissapointed with the film, it seemed empty. This Potter film is not. This movie is full, funny, dramatic, scary, and exciting. It's the best Potter film since the original two.

This one is more about the death eaters. Harry and Dumbledore try defeat them, and ultimately defeat Voldemort. There is lots of mystery to Voldemort in this one, and lots of secrets revealed. I like the film because it's so much more well made than the other ones. And it has a more dramatic, real-life feel to it. But still having the classic Harry Potter quirks and fantastical excitement the audience goes wild for.

Sincerely,

Average Grade: A-

Jack says: A-

Up is an enchanting film filled with wondrous larks, funny wisecracks, mythical-esque birds, and nail-biting adventure. With that said, let's say that I was a little disapointed. I mean, movie with the plot of Up has very little chance or error. It is a magical plot, but such magical plots should perhaps be approached differently from what Pixar studios did.

The reasson I didn't like it so much was the fact this you had to suspend your disbelief so much. I mean, senile man ties hundreds of balloons to his home (from where?) over night? And then in a matter of short hours, the small boy scout directs them to South America? Pretty Amazing. And also the fact that Carl's boyhood hero is still alive (and looking better than him) after about 70 or so years? So he'd have to be at least 100 years old? Well after all of this, it is still a film primarily for kids (no matter what Pixar says) and it's a jolly good one at that.

Matthew Says: A-

Up begins with Carl (the main character) as a young boy. He is quiet, and one day stumbles upon a girl, they form a club together (they both love an explorer and want to go to Paradise Falls one day). They fall in love, and it leaps to their marriage day, and a montage of clips showing their life together. They have a jar for saving up for Paradise falls, but life gets in the way. Stuff like the roof, bills, broken tires. And the film shows an almost poetic sadness that is rarelly seen in animated films.

It then shows Carl as a cranky old man without his beloved Ellie. And you pretty much know what happens from there, he ties balloons to his house and goes to Venezuela with little boy scout. There is trouble there too. The explorer Carl dreamed of seeing is there and wants an exotic bird they stumbled upon.

But, this isn't the main plot of the film although it does seem like it is to people who don't really pay attention. So in the end it's not about crazy explorers, weird creatures and island adventures. In the end it's about, afterall, life. And how if you have love in your life, it is an adventure. This is truly for kids and adults. This kids will marvel at the flying house, and love the little animals. But the adults will see past that and know what is at the heart of Up.

Matthew's Best Picture Predictions:

Nine

Shutter Island

The Lovely Bones

The Human Factor

Amelia

Those are my predictions, they are early, so they will change defianately. Possible winners; Nine and The Human Factor. Amelia and the Lovely Bones are very sketchy. I don't really know what kind of movie they'll be, it all depends on reviews. Once more movies have trailers, and buzz, the predix will be more accurate. But for now look out for those.

Jack's Best Picture Predictions:

Nine

The Human Factor

Shutter Island

Whatever Works

The Road

Here are my early Oscar predictions for 2009. Obviously it's extremely early to be making any sort of ramifications of what will be nominated, but based on casting, directions or trailers we can hopefully make a pretty accurate estimate. Nine is pretty obvious, it's Rob Marshall and it's cast is studded with Oscar winners (remember Chicago, a few years back? This is that movie for this year). The Human Factor and Shutter Island are also fairly solid picks just on the matters of casting and direction (Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman for THF and Scorsese and Emily Mortimer for SI). Whatever Works is pretty much a stab in the dark. There's a good chance that it won't get nominated, but it is Woody Allen and it has a wonderful cast, so who knows? The Road is another sketchy choice, but this has what some of the others don't: great subject material. The Road the novel by Cormac McCarthy (author of the novel No Country for Old Men, which won Best Picture) won the Pulizter Prize a few years back and therefore is grounds for a good story, let's just hope the producers don't make it too 'action-movie'. Those are my picks!

Sincerely,

The Citizen Review