Monthly Archives: March 2011

A Player To Be Named Later [2005]

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A Player To Be Named Later [2005]

A Player To Be Named Later [2005]
Directors: Bart Stephens
Genre: Documentary/Sports
Language: English
Country: USA

Today is one of the best days of the year for sports fans: Opening Day of baseball. In light of the new season, I perused Netflix’s Instant Watch for some baseball movies and found this little known documentary: A Player To Be Named Later. This 2005 film chronicles the 2001 season of the Milwaukee Brewers’ Triple-A affiliate, the Indianapolis Indians. The movie revolves around five players:

- Brad Tyler, a 32-year-old veteran who never got the call up to the majors. Near the end of his career he bounced around professional baseball, including a stint in Mexico.

- Micah Franklin, another veteran hitter who played for a bunch of different teams over his career yet only had one brief stint in the big leagues (1997).

- Kyle Peterson, a former first round draft pick who has struggled with serious injuries throughout his career.

- Allen “Meat” Levrault, a pitcher who spent the majority of his 2001 season in Milwaukee with less than impressive results (6-10, 6.06 ERA). He played in 2003 for Florida, and then struggled in the minors for the rest of his career.

- Marco Scutaro, a Venezuelan athlete who is the only one from this group still playing today. He is the current starting shortstop for the Boston Red Sox.

What makes this documentary so interesting is that it shows what life is like for these guys both on and off the field. None of them are guaranteed to make it to the big leagues; in fact, it is estimated that only 6% of minor leaguers actually get the callup at some point in their careers. Yet these guys still continue to pursue their dream against all odds.

Throughout the movie there are clips showing the players with their families, interviews with “super fans” of the team, and some interesting discussions with team personnel. All of these people share one common trait: the love of the game. Having said that, I’m not sure how much A Player To Be Named Later will appeal to non-baseball fans. For those who love the sport, however, this is a fascinating look into the lives of those who are so close, yet so far from the majors.

8/10

The Switch [2010]

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The Switch [2010]

The Switch [2010]
Directors: Josh Gordon & Will Speck
Genre: Comedy/Drama/Romance
Language: English
Country: USA

A romantic comedy with a ‘spermy’ twist.

The Switch stars Jennifer Aniston, who is apparently on a mission to tackle every rom-com role made for 40-year-old single women. This time around her character, Kassie, has decided she wants a baby and is going to go the insemination route instead of opting for more conventional circumstances. Her best friend, Wally (Jason Bateman), is disappointed by this but attends her “insemination party” anyway. At the celebration, Wally proceeds to get shitfaced and accidentally dumps the donor’s (Patrick Wilson) sperm (conveniently left in a cup) down the bathroom sink. In a fit of boozy negligence, Wally decides to fill the cup back up with his own, ahem, specimens.

Flash forward seven years later. Kassie, now back in NYC after leaving for a job, meets up with Wally and introduces him to her child, Sebastian (Thomas Robinson). A series of uncanny resemblances leads Wally to remember that fateful night (he was near a “blackout” stage when it happened), and then hilarity is supposed to ensue.

As with so many other romantic comedies, The Switch has its shortcomings. There are some ridiculous plot developments (an insemination party, really?), occasional cookie-cutter dialogue and the usual issues with predictability, but this movie rises above most in its genre due to one person: Jason Bateman. Seriously, his performance as the lonely, subdued Wally is entirely what makes this film watchable. This is a man who has been in love with his best friend for so many years, yet has never been able to take those feelings to the next level. I usually could care less about these types of movies, but I couldn’t help but root for the guy to follow his dream, even considering the bizarre circumstances that got him into this situation. This is a testament to Bateman’s performance (certainly not the script).

Other than Bateman (and the kid, who is actually pretty funny), the general cast is mediocre at best. Aniston sleepwalks through her performance, not really adding anything new to her repertoire. Patrick Wilson is solid, albeit unspectacular, as Kassie’s other love interest. Jeff Goldblum and Juliette Lewis both have small roles, and neither one seemed thrilled to be doing their parts.

Without Jason Bateman, The Switch would have likely fallen into the same rut that so many other romantic comedies belong to. The movie has its funny moments and it isn’t boring — that’s about all you can ask for from something like this. If your girlfriend is begging to watch something in the genre, opt for The Switch instead of The Backup Plan. You will be glad you did.

6/10

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans [2009]

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The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans [2009]
Director: Werner Herzog
Genre: Crime/Drama
Language: English
Country: USA

A common misconception is that Port of Call New Orleans is a remake of the Harvey Keitel-starring 1992 film, Bad Lieutenant. It is not; it just so happens that both movies revolve around a self-destructive police officer who exhibits truly appalling behavior. In fact, director Werner Herzog lobbied to have the movie’s name changed before its release, but was unsuccessful.

In Port of Call, Nicolas Cage stars as Det. Terence McDonagh, the degenerate cop in question. After suffering a severe back injury on duty, he becomes hooked on painkillers and pretty much any other drug he can find (heroin, crack, cocaine, etc.). McDonagh abuses his power to get what he wants by frequently bullying citizens and threatening them with jail time if they don’t help him feed his drug and/or gambling addictions. He is the essence of human scum, yet he is considered the best detective in New Orleans. It is this parable that makes it hard to feel attachment to this character, yet at the same time it is difficult to look away from his depravity.

This is Nic Cage at his finest. The man has been in a lot of crap movies these days, and his acting has been questionable to say the least. In Port of Call, he has free reign to go crazy and have this be acceptable. McDonagh is portrayed as a wild man, a reckless individual who Cage takes over the top throughout the entire movie. To say he is entertaining is an understatement; it’s just painfully difficult to like the guy.

Cage is aided by a solid supporting cast. Eva Mendes plays his prostitute girlfriend, Frankie, who shares a mutual love of drugs. Val Kilmer has a small (and subdued) role as his work partner. Xzibit plays a drug kingpin who is involved with some heinous crimes in the city. Tom Bower is McDonagh’s alcoholic father, and his background provides further insight as to how Terence became such a lowlife.

Port of Call New Orleans is a wild ride that knowingly indulges in excess, and thrives because of this. While I would hesitate to call this a *great* film due to occasional laughable dialogue, bizarre character behaviors and the difficulty to actually want to embrace any of these schmucks, I did enjoy the movie quite a bit. I would be remiss not to mention Peter Zeitlinger’s stunning cinematography; there are some truly gorgeous shots of New Orleans that really give the film a strong connection to the area. As an exercise in debauchery, Port of Call is certainly worth viewing. One question though: what the hell was up with Herzog’s reptile infatuations?

7/10

Ambrosia [Half Acre Brewery]

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Ambrosia [Half Acre Brewery]

Ambrosia
Brewery: Half Acre (Chicago, Illinois)
Style: American Pale Wheat Ale
ABV: 6.0%

After two ridiculous extended work weeks in a row, I really needed to kick back with a refreshing brew tonight. Thankfully my favorite local brewery Half Acre just released their latest offering: Ambrosia, a wheat beer brewed with Hibiscus flowers and oranges. Perhaps this spring release was a bit pre-emptive since the weather immediately turned to shit in the following days, but I am not complaining either way. This is a damn good beer.

As you might guess from the design above, Ambrosia is heavily influenced by the 8-bit culture. The guys at the brewery got their hands on an NES system recently and hooked it up in their office. Their retro gaming escapades paved the way for a brand new beer, which just so happens to coincide with the beginning of spring.

Ambrosia’s appearance is on the darker side of wheat beers. When poured into a glass, it has a dark orange color that looks absolutely delicious. The aforementioned Hibiscus and orange notes are prominent, as this has a definite citrus taste to it. The beer does leave a little bit of a lingering bitterness on the tongue, but it is not overwhelming. If I had a lawn to mow, this would be my drink of choice. It is an excellent session beer, easily drinkable, and it packs some surprising punch with its 6% ABV.

The release of Ambrosia reminds me of my days in Michigan when Bell’s Brewery would ship out their Oberon Ale. Fuck robins chirping — that was the true sign of spring’s arrival for me! Ambrosia is an excellent spring beer, and I hope it becomes an annual release. This brew is going quick, so if you are in the Chicagoland area make sure to try it ASAP!

8.5/10

Get Low [2010]

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Get Low [2010]

Get Low [2010]
Director: Aaron Schneider
Genre: Drama
Language: English
Country: USA

Don’t let the title fool you — this is not a film about Lil’ Jon & the East Side Boyz.

Get Low tells the tale of Felix Bush (Robert Duvall), a reclusive mountain man living in 1930′s Tennessee. One day he receives word that a past acquaintance died due to old age. This gets Felix to think about his own life and how he is near the end of the road himself. On a rare venture into town, he stops by the funeral home and makes an odd request: he wants to have a funeral for himself while he’s still alive. The funeral’s owner (Bill Murray) and his ever-ready understudy (Lucas Black) are dumbfounded by this question, but agree to throw him a “funeral party.” Bush’s goal for this party is for people to tell stories about him (since he has developed quite the reputation because of his living habits), and to finally tell the secret as to why he has been a recluse for the last 40 years.

I found this to be an interesting plot concept, and apparently it is based on a true story. However, I was initially intrigued by this movie largely due to its cast. Seriously, there are some masters at work here. Robert Duvall is excellent as an old hermit, effortlessly portraying a man who strikes terror to those who only know the urban legends, yet also showing a polite and witty man to those who get to know him. Bill Murray is also on the top of his game as the shady funeral director who will do anything for a quick buck (i.e. perform a funeral for a living man). Although there are questions about his character, the funeral director comes across as a likable guy, which is very much to Murray’s credit. I haven’t really seen much from Lucas Black before, but he holds his own against the legends, and I’m sure he had the time of his life on set with them. A couple other greats have small roles as well — Sissy Spacek plays an old flame who knew Felix way back in the day, and Bill Cobbs is a reverend who is perhaps the only person who actually knows Bush’s secret.

While the acting certainly shines, the movie itself is slow and takes its sweet time to really get anywhere. This isn’t a huge problem since it really is a delight to watch these actors on screen, but the script could have been livened up a bit. As one would expect, the party is hyped up throughout the movie. The funeral director spends significant time marketing the event and trying to get a large turnout, even getting Felix to appear on a radio show to help bring in people to tell stories about him. Unfortunately, by the time the party actually comes, it is a bit anticlimactic. The movie hypes up what will happen at the event, but doesn’t deliver on everything promised. I couldn’t help but feel a tad ripped off in the end.

Still, even with its shortcomings Get Low is a good first effort from director Aaron Schneider. A stronger script could have taken this movie to another level, but it does just enough to get by thanks to its fantastic cast.

7/10

Brief Notice

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Dear Readers,

I have been extremely busy as of late and have had little time to sit down and write. My workload has doubled over the last couple weeks, although I will still do what I can to come up with new material. I was able to watch a couple movies over the weekend, and I plan to do reviews for both of them (Dial M For Murder & Get Low). Other than that, I will tackle some old endeavors if time permits. Regular review postings should resume after this upcoming weekend (I hope!).

Also, if you haven’t already, please consider making a donation to help Japan. The image below goes to Google’s extremely resourceful page that provides several options for donating. It is really easy to do, and even a $10 donation helps!

Please Donate to Japan

Top 10 Movies of 2010

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OK – so I am 2 1/2 months late with this list, but better late than never, right? It took me a long time to actually get caught up on everything I missed from last year. While there are still plenty of movies that I need to see (especially some highly-rated documentaries), I finally feel satisfied enough to compile a list. Starting with number ten…

127 Hours
10) 127 Hours
Danny Boyle + AR Rahman + James Franco = one hell of a combination. This could have been a disaster in the wrong hands, but this survival story worked out rather well.

Exit Through the Gift Shop [2010]
09) Exit Through the Gift Shop
Who would have thought a documentary about street art would be so good? The fact that no one knows for sure if this was a hoax or legit makes the film all the more better. But, seriously, who the hell is Banksy??

The King's Speech
08) The King’s Speech
I had no interest in seeing this beforehand, and I liked it a lot more than I thought I would. Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush were phenomenal in this movie, and it rose to great heights when they were on screen together. I disagree with the Oscar win, but there’s no denying that this was good.

True Grit [2010]
07) True Grit
Another strong effort from the Coens, and newcomer Hailee Steinfeld is likely destined for great things. Loved the dark humor and snappy dialogue.

Winter's Bone
06) Winter’s Bone
Such a bleak portrait of life in the Ozarks. John Hawkes provided one of the more memorable characters of 2010 in “Teardrop” and Jennifer Lawrence shined in the lead role. Makes me want to read the book.

Toy Story 3
05) Toy Story 3
I finally caught up on the trilogy just recently, and while I would have a hard time ranking the movies, I loved how Pixar closed it out with TS3. Fun story, and I even dug the new toys.

The Fighter [2010]
04) The Fighter
More of a family drama than a sports movie, although it excels at being both, The Fighter succeeds mostly in part due to its magnificent acting. Christian Bale, Melissa Leo, Amy Adams and even Mark Wahlberg were all game for this one, and it made for a very memorable experience.

Buried [2010]
03) Buried
This may be the biggest example of a “love it or hate it” movie from last year. I loved Buried, and I found it to be one of the best thrillers to come out in recent years. It’s hard to believe that a movie about a man stuck in a box could be the most exciting movie of the year, but director Rodrigo Cortés made it happen.

Black Swan [2010]
02) Black Swan
Darren Aronofsky is probably my favorite director working today, and Black Swan is up there among his best work. Natalie Portman absolutely deserved her Oscar for this one. It’s a shame that the general population remembers this only for its “lesbian” scene…

The Social Network
01) The Social Network
Another example of a movie that should not have been half as good as it was. Seriously, this is a movie about Facebook! Seemingly not the most interesting subject matter, yet all of the pieces aligned to create a modern-day masterpiece. Just an excellent movie, and my personal pick for the Best Picture of 2010.

Honorable Mentions:
Blue Valentine
- Can’t say enough about Ryan Gosling & Michelle Williams in this movie.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
- Lots of video game-style fun.
The Kids Are All Right
- Equal parts funny and sad, but always entertaining.

Video Game Review: Crash Bandicoot [Playstation, 1996]

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Crash Bandicoot [Playstation, 1996]

Crash Bandicoot
System: Playstation
Publisher: SCEA
Developer: Naughty Dog
Release Date: August 31, 1996

It is easy to see why Crash Bandicoot caught on as the Playstation’s mascot in 1996. Crash was charming, quirky and charismatic, and he fell in line with other popular offbeat animal mascots at the time (Sonic the Hedgehog, Tasmanian Devil, etc.). His first game, aptly titled Crash Bandicoot, is a platforming adventure that is a hybrid of both 3D and 2D styles. The graphics are strictly 3D and hold up surprisingly well today, but the game plays more like a 2D platformer than anything else.

Crash has 32 levels set on three islands, and there are a good mix of styles as the game progresses. Some levels are traditional horizontal side-scrolling fare, whereas others have Crash moving vertically instead. Every now and then a different spin on these levels will appear. For instance, an early level has Crash running frantically toward the bottom of the screen while avoiding obstacles in order to outrun a giant boulder. This variety keeps things fresh from beginning to end.

Crash Bandicoot [Playstation, 1996]

For the most part, the gameplay is fairly formulaic. Each level has enemies and crates scattered throughout. Enemies can kill Crash in one hit (unless he is powered by the popular Aku Aku character), although they can be taken care of either by performing a carefully timed spin attack or by simply jumping on them. The crates bear helpful items, including fruits (collect 100 for an extra life) and extra life tokens. Pretty basic stuff, but it works.

Crash Bandicoot has two glaring problems that hold it back from potential greatness. 1) The save system is royally fucked. In order to save your progress, you have to find three unique items in a level and then finish a brief bonus round, some of which can be tricky to complete. This is a very off-kilter system, and it is not very effective. Crash is not an easy game, and it is possible to complete 2-3 levels, die, and then have to start right back from square one because you missed out on the bonus round. It’s amazing that someone thought this was a good idea. 2) The controls are so finicky that they can cause cheap deaths, and this happens far too often. Since the game can only be played using the D-Pad, this setup is far from optimal. Thankfully this would be rectified in future games.

Even with these two weaknesses, Crash Bandicoot is definitely enjoyable. There may be times when you will want to smash your controller, but the game has such a fun atmosphere that it’s hard to stay mad at it for long. This is an admirable first effort for a once-great franchise.

7/10

Silent Bob Speaks: The Collected Writings of Kevin Smith [2005]

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Silent Bob Speaks: The Collected Writings of Kevin Smith

Silent Bob Speaks: The Collected Writings of Kevin Smith
Author: Kevin Smith
Original Release: April 2005

Kevin Smith is a fat-ass fashioner of marginally successful films who isn’t hung very well. Now before you hang me out to dry for that remark, it should be noted that those are *his exact words*, not mine. If you aren’t familiar with the popular director (Clerks, Mallrats, etc.), then you will quickly realize that much of Smith’s banter in his writings is very self-derogatory. The dude thinks very little of himself and doesn’t understand how he has a following. While these ramblings are occasionally amusing, Smith beats this to death by bashing himself over and over again.

Silent Bob Speaks is a collection of writings that Kevin Smith posted on the internet in the first half of the last decade. Self-bashing is a common thread, as mentioned earlier. There are also equal parts discussing his “heterosexual man crush” on Ben Affleck, random comic book ramblings (including his thoughts on the first Spiderman movie), and reports on his issues with morbid obesity. Since the essays were published at various times, there is a lack of cohesiveness between them. Perhaps as a result, the writings are very much hit-and-miss.

There are a handful of great chapters in here, such as Smith’s interviews with Tom Cruise and Ben Affleck (especially funny to hear Ben talk with such optimism about his upcoming roles in Daredevil, Gigli and Jersey Girl — how did that turn out again?). And of course, Smith is actually quite gifted with his humor, although sometimes his lack of confidence causes him to be crude just to try to get a laugh.

Silent Bob Speaks is a quick read, but only hardcore Smith fans will get maximum enjoyment out of this. I like the guy, even though his work has lately been spotty at best, but I just wish he would lay off the self-deprecating tangents. Look, Kevin, you are a genuinely funny guy. Stick to your guns and write with confidence — your work will be all the better for it.

6/10

The Saboteur [Xbox 360, 2009]

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The Saboteur [Xbox 360, 2009]

The Saboteur
System: Xbox 360
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Pandemic Studios
Release Date: December 8, 2009

One of the most criminally overlooked games to come out in the last couple years.

The Saboteur is a Grand Theft Auto-style sandbox adventure game that is set during World War II in Nazi-occupied Paris, France. It also happens to be Pandemic’s last game before the studio was shut down for good. You play as Sean Devlin, an Irish racecar mechanic who gets cheated out of a race and subsequently becomes involved in a serious revenge plot against the Germans. The story revolves around a number of ethnic stereotypical characters, but this never becomes an issue since it is presented in an easygoing “adventure movie” narrative. Some liberties were taken with the realism factor, but it is all done in the name of making this a fun video game.

Other than the 1940′s France setting, which is really freakin’ cool, what sets this game apart from other sandbox titles is its style. The Saboteur utilizes both color and black & white to its full advantage. In areas of heavy Nazi occupance, the game’s world turns black and white. As Sean helps areas of the city fight back and resist the Germans, color slowly starts to seep back into the locales. This transformation is so simple, yet so utterly brilliant. I can’t think of any other games that do something like this, and it’s amazing that merely a different palette can evoke such power in a video game.
The Saboteur [Xbox 360, 2009]

Whether you want to play through the story missions or just blow up Nazi installations is entirely up to you. You have the freedom to do whatever you please, and you are given the entire city of Paris (as well as some of the countryside) to do it in. The game takes pride in the fact that you can play through guns-a-blazin’ or opt for a stealth route by sneaking around in Nazi gear. While this option is nice, it is much more fun to run around Rambo-style than it is to sneak past guards. The stealth mode is actually a lot more difficult than it should be, as the enemies are often way too quick to sniff you out and blow your cover. It’s possible to get through the game this way, but not really optimal.

In terms of pure gameplay, The Saboteur is a blast. The 1940s setting is perfectly encapsulated with music from the era, classic vehicles and old-style fashion. Devlin has free reign and can steal any car he wants, climb any building (with slick Uncharted-esque controls) and purchase weapon upgrades from a number of black market dealers. When you tack on the side missions and hundreds of “freeplay events” scattered around the game world, it could take a good 40 hours or so to 100% the game (it takes roughly 10 hours to complete just the story on its own). In a world like The Saboteur, it is easy to get sucked in and not want to leave.

It amazes me that this game flew under the radar when it was released in December 2009. I didn’t know anything about it until just recently myself. The Saboteur is an all-around fun game with a good amount of depth, and it excels partly because it doesn’t take itself too seriously. While the stealth features could have been polished up a bit, this is still one of the best sandbox games I have played. Definitely a steal at the $20 or so it runs for these days.

8/10