ThreeGuysOneMovie

IMDb member since April 2011
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    IMDb Member
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Reviews

Captain Phillips
(2013)

Tom Hanks for Best Actor?
Captain Phillips is based on true events that happened back in 2009. A cargo ship on it's way to Mombasa, Kenya was hijacked by four Somali pirates. Captain Phillips and a few other men are held hostage and terrorized in the control room while the remaining crew members lock themselves into the engine room. One of the pirates decides to search the ship and the crew is able to capture him. They make a deal with the remaining pirates to release Philips and the other crew members. In exchange they will let the captured pirate go, give them the money they have in the safe, and let them escape in a life raft. Things go awry however and the pirates end up taking Captain Phillips hostage and escaping in the life raft.

Even if you are already familiar with this story and what happens Captain Phillips makes for some intense cinema. Greengrass does a nice job of balancing the chaos on board the life raft with the cold efficiency of the navy seal team. It makes for a compelling edge of your seat thriller. Once things start the action movies quickly and there are very few wasted scenes.

Hanks has received some much deserved awards for his acting chops in the past but the 3rd act of this movie might very well be the finest performance he has ever put on film. Don't be surprised if Oscar comes knocking again.

To read our full review head on over to 3guys1movie.com

Best Friends Forever
(2013)

Strong performances from Brea Grant and Vera Miao.
Best Friends Forever is basically a buddy road trip movie. What sets it apart from other road movies is that their is a nuclear apocalypse while they are traveling. Sort of a Thelma and Louise meets Mad Max combination except that nobody is driving around in muscle cars. Instead the two protagonists are crossing the desert in a Mercury Pacer. Brea Grant plays Harriet, a comic book artist who lives in LA with her best friend Reba (Vera Miao). Harriet is looking to make some changes in her life and has decided to move to Austin to work at a library and go back to school. She convinces Reba to come along with her on the road trip. While they are traveling, LA and several other major cities are destroyed by a nuclear attack. Since Harriet and Reba are in the middle of nowhere in the desert, they are unaware of the events that have taken place. They blissfully continue on their journey until they decide to pick up a group of hipsters who are hitchhiking. The young men end up stealing Harriet's car and all of her and Reba's belongings leaving them to fend for themselves. While they try and find their way back to civilization their friendship is tested as they try to work together to survive.

The Battery
(2012)

Don't dismiss The Battery before you give it a try
What's this? Yet another zombie flick? Haven't we had a enough already? It's probably true but don't dismiss The Battery before you give it a try. This is an interesting character driven movie that is surprisingly impressive in a see of sameness.

Lets just start right off by saying that if you are expecting a run of the mill intense gore fest with guts all over the place, you are going to be disappointed. The Battery is a buddy road movie with zombies as a background element.

The story revolves around two minor league baseball players who find themselves drawn together after a zombie outbreak. The two men travel around New England scourging for food and shelter and trying to stay out of the way of the biters. Both men have very different personalities. Ben (Jeremey Gardner) is a former catcher and seems to have acclimated to his new environment well. He is a survivor and is willing to do whatever it takes to get by. Mickey (Adam Cronheim) however, is still clinging to his old way of life. He refuses to kill zombies, pines after his ex-girlfriends and mopes around listening to his headphones.

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Upstream Color
(2013)

I am still going to eat Bacon after watching this film
Writer Director Shane Carruth (Primer) returns with his second film Upstream Color. A woman (Seimetz) is drugged and abducted by a man who uses a rather unique drugging method. Over a period of several days this drug causes the woman to become highly susceptible to suggestion. The abductor forces his victim to hand over her stash of gold coins, take out all the equity in her home, empty out all of her bank accounts and pretty much ruins her financial life. For extra fun, she is instructed to transcribe the book Walden (Henry David Thoreau) by hand. While this process is going on she neither sleeps nor eats anything with the exception of glasses of delicious ice water.

When her bank accounts are emptied and the money orders have cleared our victim Kris (Seimetz) is pretty well shattered. Not only is she now destitute but she also loses her job after not showing up for days. Similarly, she is completely freaked out by the entire ordeal and is trying desperately to recall what exactly has happened to her. Traumatized, she is now a shell of her former self and is walking through life in a zombified state in part due the medications she is now taking to deal with the effects of the PTSD she is so obviously suffering from

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Lady in a Cage
(1964)

A Surprisingly Graphic Film for 1964.
Lady in Cage! This is James Caan's first starring role (although not his first picture) and he plays a brutal character that he modeled after Marlon Brando in Streetcar Named Desire.

Olivia de Havilland (yes that Olivia de Havilland) is Cornelia Hilyard, a wealthy widow who is recovering from hip surgery. In order to get to the second floor of her house she has an elevator installed. On this particular day Cornelia is taking the lift upstairs when the power goes out and traps her between floors. Fortunately for her she has an emergency button that rings a bell outside the house. Instead of someone coming to rescue her however, the bell lures a bum (Jeff Corey) into the house. He steals some bottles of wine and then walks off with Cornelia's toaster which he takes to a local pawn shop. Randall (James Caan) and his two lackeys Elaine and Essie (Jennifer Billingsley and Rafael Campos) also happen to be at the pawn shop and they decide to follow the bum and see what he is up to. The bum goes to visit Sade (Ann Sothern) a local hustler who he is enamored with. Together the two of them decide to go back to Cornelia's house and rob the place blind.

Check out the rest of our review at 3guys1movie.com

El último Elvis
(2012)

The emotional roller coaster the film takes you on will keep you guessing about what exactly you are watching right up till the films conclusion.
Carlos, call me Elvis, Gutierrez works at a factory doing mindless assembly work. His job sucks, but not as much as the trampy whores he picks up on street corners for what passes for companionship in his life. When he is not busy working or ignoring his ex-wife and his daughter, Lisa Marie, he is working on his music. For Carlos, his main calling in life is that of an Elvis Impersonator. However, Carlos does not just think that he is impersonating The King, he thinks he is The King reborn or reincarnated or that he has a gift from god to emulate Elvis. To be honest it was sort of hard to tell what to think as the film is subtitled and it is difficult to discern Carlos's mental state. Is Carlos obsessed, delusional, bat s**t crazy or is he just a bit of a strange character and an Elvis fan?

Elvis, is forced to become the father that he has not been for his daughter, Lisa Maria, after his ex-wife is involved in a car accident. For the first time he develops a positive relationship with his young daughter. She becomes accepting of her fathers Elvis obsession and even starts to eat peanut butter and banana sandwiches. All the while when he is helping his daughter he is also hard at work perfecting his performance. It is worth mentioning that actor John McInerny does a very respectable Elvis impersonation (think late stage 1970?s Elvis). This is McInerny's first role in a film, in real life he moonlights as an Elvis Impersonator and it shows. The songs he performs in the film are actually of good quality.

Check out our full review at 3guys1movie.com

The Internship
(2013)

Not as risqué as Wedding Crashers but lots of laughs
This film certainly recaptures the magic of the Wilson/Vaughn comedic pairing. Despite the fact the comedy was a bit less risqué this time around, the film still had plenty of laughs. The crowd was certainly into the film as the theater was filled with folks laughing uproariously at many scenes in the film. A strong point of the script was it managed to point out the foibles of both 20 year-olds and 40 year-olds. I have not laughed so much watching a film in a long time.

Well they aren't re-inventing the wheel here or anything but The Internship is a legitimately funny movie and an enjoyable watch. There were moments that had me laughing out loud. For sure this was the funniest movie I have seen so far this year. It snuck up on me like last years 21 Jump Street.

To see our full review head over to 3guys1movie.com

American Mary
(2012)

A refreshingly original entry to the horror genre
For the most part I was impressed with this film. Katherine Isabelle was great in the lead role and it was one of the most impressive horror movie with a female lead I have seen since Angela Bettis in Lucky McKees May (2002). Tristan Risk steals the show here though as Beatress. A character you will definitely not forget. It's been a long time since I could say I saw a horror movie that wasn't mostly derivative and this was a refreshingly original entry to the genre. I do have some gripes however. The plot is a bit shaky and requires a little suspension of disbelief at times. Also, some of the editing is questionable at times and makes the movie a bit uneven and confusing especially towards the end where events seem to play out very quickly. Overall I was impressed with Soska sisters work given the small budget they had to work with. It's not perfect and I am sure you could easily spend your time picking the movie to pieces but if you are a fan of the genre you should find it entertaining.

To check out our full review head over to 3guys1movie.com

Compliance
(2012)

The Truth is Stranger Than the Fiction
To say that compliance is a controversial film is a bit of an understatement. It infuriated people so much at Sundance that they were getting up and walking out of the theater. People just couldn't fathom that this kind of thing could possibly happen without someone along the line calling bullshit on the the whole thing. I have to admit that while I was watching it, I was thinking the same thing. How could something like this happen? It's unrealistic. Once the film was over, I decided it was time to find out about these "actual events" that this film is supposed to be based on. What I found out shocked me. Not only is this story real, it follows the actual events with surprising detail. In fact, if anything, the film is actually pulling a few punches when it comes to the reality of what happened to this poor girl.

To read our full review head on over to 3guys1movie.com

Lars and the Real Girl
(2007)

A heart wrenching/warming, dramady about a rubber sex doll?
Lars (Gosling) is a lonely weirdo. He lives in the garage of the house he grew up in and shares a cubicle at work doing data entry. His brother Gus (Schneider) and pregnant wife Karin (Mortimer) live in the main house, but Lars has little contact with them. It is pretty obvious to even the most casual of observers that Lars is suffering from some sort of social anxiety order. He avoids eye contact, withdraws from human contact and keeps almost exclusively to himself. It would appear the only time that he leaves the garage is to travel to and from work and attend church.

One day at work, his cubicle mate is not looking at his usual porn sites. Instead he shows Lars a site where you can create your own anatomically correct woman. You can mix and match body parts to create your own hyper real sex doll. Soon enough Lars is ordering his perfect woman and awaiting its arrival from UPS. However, when his sex doll arrives, Lars does not have sex with it. Instead he brings "Bianca" to dinner at his brother's house and treats the doll as if she is real. Lars goes so far as to suggest that Bianca stay at his brother's home in a spare room as both he and Bianca are good Christians. As expected both his brother and sister in-law are a bit shocked to discover that Lars is dating a sex doll.

To read our full review head on over to 3guys1movie.com

Bernie
(2011)

Free Bernie !
Richard Linklater's Bernie is a hard film to classify. On the surface it is a faux documentary, with dark comedic and dramatic elements. However, the films narrative is interspersed with interviews of actual members of the community and actors so that what is truth and fiction gets quickly mixed. The effect of this filmmaking device is that the audience is never quite sure what to make of Bernie and is kept off-balance through the duration of the film. Without a doubt this is one of the odder films that I saw last year and was not at all what I expected when I sat down to watch it. The film is based on a true story that first appeared in a Texas newspaper.

to check out our full review head on over to 3guys1movie.com

Ascenseur pour l'échafaud
(1958)

A Fun Watch
OK I know I am getting a bit off the wall here but after re-watching Breathless recently I have been on a bit of French New Wave kick. That leads to me scanning through the criterion collection on Hulu and finding movies like Malle's Elevator to the Gallows (1958). Fans of Hitchcock on and movies like Diabolique (1955) will find a lot to enjoy with this one.

Maurice Ronet plays Julien Tavernier a retired military man who is in love with his bosses wife. The two of them come up with a fool proof plan to kill the boss and make it look like a suicide. On a Saturday near closing time, when the building is empty, Julien slips out his window uses a small grappling hook to climb up the side of the building and sneaks into his bosses office. Julien shoots his boss and then plants the gun in his hand. Then he escapes back down the rope and back into his own office. Confident he has pulled off the perfect crime, Julien follows his fellow employees out of the building ready to go spend the rest of the weekend with bosses wife (Jeanne Moreau). Right before he drives off, Julien looks up and notices that he has left the rope dangling from the side of the building. Cursing he foolishness, Julien re-enters the building to go and retrieve the rope. As he is riding the elevator back up, the porter turns off the power in the building and traps Julien in the elevator. What follows is a series of mistaken identities and bad decisions that will lead to dire consequences for everyone involved.

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Blue Velvet
(1986)

A severed human ear. Is that green mold? ewwww!
Jeffrey (MacLachlan) is called back to his old neighborhood following a family medical emergency. Lumberton is a sleepy, bucolic place filled with white picket fences, flower gardens and smiling firemen. While the town looks like something out of an episode of Leave it to Beaver or a republican's wet dream, not everything is as it is initially appears in Lumberton.

While walking near a field, Jeffrey decides to toss a few rocks at and empty glass soda bottle. This small act of mischievousness is the first step in the unravelling of the beautiful facade that envelops Lumberton. For rocks are not all that Jeffrey discovers in this field. A severed human ear covered with ants is strewn amongst the grass and rocks. Yes you heard me right a severed human ear. Is that green mold? ewwww!

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To the Wonder
(2012)

This film had more shots of spinning and dancing in fields than any film I have seen since the Sound of Music.
Never move from gorgeous Paris to butt crack Oklahoma seems to be the message of this film. As with the majority of Malick's work this film has a lot going for it in the way of visuals and cinematography. In addition there is a general lack of dialogue and much of the narrative consists of the characters private thoughts. If you are a fan of poetry, symbolism and arty films I could see you enjoying this film.

This is certainly not the film to introduce yourself to Malick, much like beer and coffee Malick films are an acquired taste. To the Wonder follows the same formula as films likes Days of Heaven and The Tree of Life with its' at times overbearing and monotonous narratives over incredible scenes and spectacular cinematography. If you have ever loved and lost or struggled with stages of a relationship you may find a moment where the film enters you and forces your thought to reflection. As always with Malick films, the film is beautifully shot and that alone is worth the price of admission.

I can't remember ever being so thoroughly enthralled and also annoyed with a movie at the same time. It is visually beautiful. Stunning in fact, but it is filled with some poor acting, banal dialogue, and bumper sticker philosophy. There is zero character development and you will find yourself not caring what happens to any of these people. Which is too bad since you will be spending the next two hours with them. That said, the amazing cinematography will most likely keep you watching.

to see our full review head over to 3guys1movie.com

The Place Beyond the Pines
(2012)

The Best Film we have reviewed so far this year
Women everywhere are going to be heartbroken when they watch this film. Cianfrance takes some huge chances with this movie. While he does not hit a home run with everyone of them it's great fun to watch him try. I Would be surprised if this film does not make more than a few men reassess the role of fatherhood.

I thought it was great. Very long, it was definitely really a long film, I know that that will be a complaint that a lot of people will lob at it. But I still thought it was exceptional. The performances were great, and the story was definitely epic. In spite of the enormous run time, I never lost interest. And in spite of the fact the central point of view jumps around like a hot potato, the tension was always high. There was always something very intense happening. The bank robbery scenes and get aways are very harrowing.

This was a very well acted film. There are some really terrific scenes and the movie turns on you in ways that you wouldn't expect. It is a long film however, and I can't help but think that some of this could maybe have ended up on the cutting room floor to spare everyone from a sore behind.

to check out our full review head over to 3guys1movie.com

Spring Breakers
(2012)

A full frontal assault of the senses
A full frontal assault of the senses Spring Breakers is equal parts bombastic, horrifying and genius. Far and away the most amazing and unique film I have watched at the theater this year. This film is sure to inflame the passions viewers. I can see groups loathing this film for its look at the hedonism that takes place at spring break and others reveling in raunchy excess. However, both those camps would be missing the wisdom that Korine is trying to impart.

Spring Breakers was an infantile approach to screen writing and movie making. Within 15 minutes of the film, despite the massive amounts of bare breasted women, I wanted to leave the theater and ask for a refund.

My gut reaction is just tell you this sucked. I had a few days to mull this one over though and the benefit of time is that it has allowed to appreciate the film a little bit more. I am definitely not suggesting that I thought this was good but…It does work on some levels. There are some scenes in this film that really impressed me. The long tracking shot of the robbery was great, and sequence where Franco is trying to seduce Gomez was so uncomfortable I was shifting in my seat. But then there are other parts that just don't work at all. Girls dancing with shotguns, crazy jump cuts, repeated lines of dialogue, etc. I am going to give Korine the benefit of the doubt and say that all the scenes of T&A were meant to be like the aversion therapy in A Clockwork Orange, and that the movie was meant to dreamlike in nature but it just doesn't work. It's just too much of everything.

To read our full review head on over to 3guys1movie.com

Savages
(2012)

will make you want to move to Laguna Beach
Adam – While I enjoyed the premise of the film, its execution left a lot to be desired. The film wanders around Laguna Beach, Dana Point and San Clemente, so it's easy on the eyes, but not much is actually going on. In a strange casting decision, the three main characters in this drug, drama Lively, Kitsch, and Johnson, end up looking like high school students in drama club, when paired up against our talented villains Del Toro, Travolta, and Hayek.

Scotty - This film was the definition of okay, decent acting, decent story, decent everything but nothing that was above that. I also had a real hard time with the ending and to not spoil it I will keep it at that.

Griff – This is a tough one for me. I have to admit that my opinion is a little bit biased since I live in Laguna Beach where the movie takes place. So it's hard for me to not have a soft spot for this movie but it is a bit of a mess. I hate narration in a movie and to me it reeks of lazy film making. I thought it was unnecessary and didn't even fit with the actual character. Although it had a few memorable scenes it really lacked some visceral punch. It's got all the pieces for a great movie, big stars, big time director, beautiful cinematography, but it never comes together to make for a memorable film.

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Forbidden Planet
(1956)

The forefather of many Sci-fi films and TV shows
Forbidden Planet was one of the first Sci-Fi movies to actually get a pretty large budget and it proved that there was a market for this kind of film. It's the forefather of many of Sci-Fi movies and TV shows that have come after it. Gene Roddenberry has even said the it was a part of his inspiration for the Star Trek series.

Forbidden Planet features some pretty good performances from the main cast. Nielsen does a good job as the determined Commander and Francis is great as the cute, innocent Altaira. Walter Pidgeon is the stand out here though as Morbius. His character creates the template for what would go on on to be the quintessential mad scientist in many other Sci-Fi movies that came after it.

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Batoru rowaiaru
(2000)

what the Hunger Games should have been
It has been suggested that the recent Hunger Games is a rip-off of this film. While the Hunger Games featured a bit more back story, and character development than Battle Royale, in many ways this is a superior film. Where the Hunger Games glossed over the reality of what was going on, this film fully embraces the murder and mayhem that would take place in such a situation. If the premise of your film is children killing each other, it's to the films detriment not to show that taking place. In a way skipping over the killing, actually serves to glamorize the horror, of what is being shown on the screen.

To see our full review head on over to 3guys1movie.com

The Dark Knight Rises
(2012)

An honest review? Good But Not Great Conclusion to the Nolan Trilogy
Adam: This seemed a bit uneven while viewing. The action scenes were very intense but there was a lack of a wow factor that the past two Nolan Batman films possessed. I did however really like the conclusion of the film which was surprisingly satisfactory and surprisingly open ended.

Scotty - Batman fans please listen before you yell at me for what you are about to read. Dark Knight Rises is the Return of the Jedi of this Batman series. The film was epic and long but at times was slow and diluted. This is not to say that the film was not good, it was, but out of the three this was the weakest. There are many aspects of the film I enjoyed, such as Banes character and even Hathaway's version of the Catwoman, although it was lacking in meow factor. TDKR is too long but I understand why, there is too much going on and a lack of focus on what is important.

Griff – The Dark Knight is a good movie and it's definitely a nice end to the Nolan trilogy. At times it felt like it got pretty heavy handed with some of the social commentary and some of the actions scenes were pretty cliché. The movie is bolstered though by strong performances from Joseph Gordon Levitt, Anne Hathaway, and Michael Caine.

Check out our full review at 3guys1movie.com

Moonrise Kingdom
(2012)

It's a story about young love, innocence, and figuring out your place in the world.
Adam – I wanted to be 12 years old and running around in the woods building forts and having adventures again. The meticulous world crafted by Anderson will be a joy for fans of his cinematic vision and should welcome in many new devotees. Moonrise Kingdom may be his most approachable work yet.

Scotty - Moonrise Kingdom is a magical journey that Wes Anderson paints with childish whimsy. It is certainly not laugh out loud funny throughout but more of an unspoken humor that resonates well after you leave the theater. Well written, well shot, and well-acted, this film will not get the credit it deserves in box office numbers but audiences will leave the theater with a sense of days gone by and an innocence that sticks in your gut.

Griff – I loved this movie. Great acting, and very clever and humorous script, and some amazingly well framed and well shot scenes. Wes Anderson seems to have me pegged with this his sense of humor because I thought this movie was hysterical. Maybe not a laugh out loud comedy but some truly funny scenes and great dialogue. It has a real charm and great sense of nostalgia. One of the best movies I have seen so far this year.

For our full review check out 3guys1movie.com

Brave
(2012)

intrigued to see a Pixar movie with a female lead that was based in Scotland
Adam – This was a good animated kid's movie from Pixar. The audience was filled with children and they seemed to be having a real good time. The animation was also pretty spectacular. I did see and hear some kids cowering and whimpering, so if your kid is a wuss you may want to think twice about taking them to see this.

Scotty - I thought the film was beautifully shot, especially the scenes in the hills of Scotland but I was underwhelmed by the picture as a whole. The story, although well written was pretty mundane and it fell flat with me.

Griff – Unfortunately it's difficult to judge any Pixar film on it's own merit. Instead we have a tendency to judge them against the entire body of work. As a result Brave was a bit disappointing. Wile the animation was top notch as usual the story falls a bit flat. Things start off pretty interesting but by the time we reach the third act the movie has fallen into complete cliché mode.

You can check out our full review at 3guys1movie.com

Ted
(2012)

the first filthy mouthed, pot smoking, Flash Gordon loving, vegetable pile fornicating animated teddy bear comedy I have seen
Adam:This was the funniest film I have seen this year. While Ted might not be everyone's brand of humor, it was nice to see a film not attempt to pander to such a broad audience that became another milquetoast comedy. Refreshing to see a film be bold and swing for the fences as far as raunchy comedy goes.

Scotty - Good but not great, funny but not as funny as you may be led to believe. Ted certainly had several laugh out loud segments and some great dialogue but I felt like it was a bit slow at times. There was certainly some memorable dialogue and the film will be referenced in normal conversation but I did not think it was in the same ilk as The Hangover, Something about Mary, or even Dumb and Dumber.

Griff – Much like 21 Jump Street from earlier this year, Ted is funnier than it has any right to be. I was pleasantly surprised by how funny this movie was. There were a few scenes in this movie that had me laughing out loud. This is raunchy humor for sure. Picture the family guy if it was rated R and you have an idea of what you are in for.

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Casablanca
(1942)

Escape to another time
Play it again Sam". "We'll always have Paris". "Here's lookin' at you kid". "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world she walks into mine".

These famous lines are just a few amongst the many memorable lines in the 1942 blockbuster Casablanca that was re-released Wednesday, March 21st to commemorate the monster classic's 70th anniversary. I was not about to wait for Casablanca's 100th Anniversary screening to see the hit movie on the big screen so I purchased a ticket to enter a silver screen time portal to view the film the way it was meant to be seen…….on the big screen. Unfortunately, the prices of the ticket, the popcorn and the soda did not go back in time but if there is a movie that is worth every cent of admission and snacks it is Casablanca.

For the very few of you who are not familiar with the plot of Casablanca here is a very brief synopsis of the classic. It is WWII and Casablanca is a haven for refugees who are escaping the stronghold of the Nazi military in eastern Europe. Escapees are willing to do whatever it takes to Get from Eastern Europe to Casablanca, Morocco to Lisbon, Portugal and finally, to absolute freedom in America. Rick's Americain Cafe is a hotbed of political corruption and refugee deal making in the tumultuous city of Casablanca. As interesting and complex the goings ons at Rick's may be it really just serves as a sub-plot to one of the most famous love affairs in movie history between the beautiful Ilsa Lund played by Ingrid Bergman and the timeless, cool, calm and collected Rick Blaine who owns Rick's Americain Cafe played by, of course, Humphrey Bogart.

I am not going to waste your time by going any further with the plot summary of this movie but I will say that with each time I see this phenomenon of a movie I am more and more amazed by the screen writing of Philip and Julius Epstein with Howard Koch. Incredible as the performances that are given by Peter Lorre(Ugarte), Claude Rains (Capt. Renault), Paul Henried (Victor Laszlo), Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman the ingenious screen writing of the Epsteins and Koch cannot be overlooked. To write a screenplay that embodies the beautiful complexities of love and the heinous complexities of WW2 politics is truly a feat of artistic genius displayed by the Epstein's and Koch. As the old saying goes, they don't make movies like this anymore.

Unfortunately time portals are not yet a reality but a movie theater is a great place to escape to another time, especially if you are seeing a classic like Casablanca. For those of you who have not seen Casablanca on the big screen please do not miss the next chance you have to do so. Here's to Casablanca being played again Sam.

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Frygtelig lykkelig
(2008)

If you like the Coen Brothers check this out
How would you like to watch a Danish film noir/classic western with some elements of a good twilight zone episode tossed in for good measure? Intrigued yet? Well you should be, director Genz's film Terribly Happy is such a fun watch, it will almost make you forget your reading subtitles. While part of the wave of Scandinavian imports to resonate with American Audiences recently, like the films Troll Hunter, Let the Right One In and the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Terribly Happy is its own unique beast.

Robert (Jakob Cedergren) is a police officer from Denmark, that has been reassigned to a small Danish hamlet. Robert is sent to serve a penance after making some mistakes in Copenhagen. South Jutland where Robert finds himself is a spartan land, filled with bogs, mud, cows and rubber boots. The local townspeople welcome Robert with less than open arms. It appears South Jutland is a town where people take care of their own, it's a rural one bar, one shop, one doctor place where everyone knows everyone elses business yet keeps to themselves.

The first friendly face Robert sees is that of Ingerlise (Lene Maria Christensen), the wife of the local bully Jorgen (Kim Bodnia). Ingerlise confides in Robert that she is being abused, but she is reluctant to do anything about her situation. The townspeople are well aware what is going on in town, but have their own views of both Ingerlise and Jorgen. Will Robert compromise his own moral compass to fit in with the town provincial societal norms?

Director Genz creates a dark intimidating atmosphere that permeates every inch of the screen. The characters are multidimensional leaving you to question and reassess their motivations and actions as the film progresses. The blending of several classic genres, western, noir and dark comedy, is achieved in no small part to the wonderful dialogue, and cinematography in the film. The characters seem real, albeit exceedingly creepy and your sense of right and wrong will be put to the test.

There has been a lot of talk of remaking this film in the United States. Director Genz has signed on for the project, however details about the project seems to have dried up since early in 2010. It's interesting to note that Terribly Happy is supposedly based on a true story. Novel writer, and eccentric Erling Jepsen claims the story is based on a distant aunt and uncle. If you get a chance check out the bonus features, to watch an amazing interview with Genz and Jespen, where Jespen slaps Genz several times causing him to walk out of the interview.

Fans of the Coen Brothers films, David Lynch, and modern film noir in general will find a lot to enjoy about Terribly Happy. The film is a dark and memorable addition to the fine films that have been coming from Scandinavia in recent years. Upon viewing its easy to see why the film was nominated for, and claimed so many international film festival awards. Head on down to South Jutland and give Terribly Happy a watch just don't forget to bring your rubber boots and a loaded pistol.

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