The Wrestler - DC's take

The Wrestler is a brutal dose of the harsh reality behind the glitz and glamour of an often overlooked and demanding profession.  If one of the matches weren't bad enough, the aftermath in the locker room looks like torture.  Mickey Rourke disappears into his role of Randy "The Ram" Robinson.  Watching the movie, you feel Randy is destined to self-destruct at some point, but you start rooting for him anyway.  If you're even a casual fan of wrestling or just a fan of life drama, this movie is a must see.  Any more I could have said, Ray has already been dead-on with his assessment.  If you can't see it locally, add it to your Netflix as soon as it's available.

THE WRESTLER -- RAY'S REVIEW

I am sure that DC will weigh in on this movie with a review soon but I wanted to get mine up asap after seeing this gem of a movie.
First up I have to let you know I am a wrestling fan. Been a fan for years and am always in awe of the amazing feats that these athletes do. I also am always never shocked when I hear the tragedy that so many of these athletes end up suffering as they grow old. It is a sport with no union. It is a sport where you have to take unbelievable risks in order to get noticed and succeed. It is a sport where so few make it to the top.
The above reasons are what makes the subject matter covered in this movie so compelling before you see the movie. You go into it hoping that Aranovsky and Rourke can do the subject matter justice. What you get is simply...blown away.
I was expecting a good movie but I was not expecting the emotional ride that I was taken on with this movie. Mickey Rourke is in one word...AMAZING. I mean seriously the guy becomes Randy the Ram. You believe Randy the Ram exists. As a fan I was wanting to find some old tapes to watch some of his matches.
The story is about Randy the Ram the wrestler who was big in the late 80's. He has the long dyed blonde hair, the tights, and the legendary status of someone who has been to the top but is now nowhere near it. Randy is doing small time weekend independent shows for cash and can't afford his rent. He is performing to small halls with folding chair seats and half filled audiences and he is the veteran guy that still sacrifices his body like he is at Madison Square Garden. We know that his biggest fame came around 1988 and we don't know what he did to lose his big time status but as a viewer we know we like him. And that is one of the keys of this movie. You like Randy the Ram. He is a people person. Don't get me wrong he is incredibly flawed and there is no doubt in your mind that he is so self destructive he will never get the happy ending that you can't tell if he wants or not.
Randy works at a grocery store part time and then wrestles on the weekend. He really has no friends that we learn of. Only people that know him as the wrestler.
He does feel something for a stripper at a local club. She is Cassidy and she is played incredibly by Marisa Tomei. She shines. I mean SHINES in this role. You talk about letting it all hang out and like Rourke she is entirely believable as the aging stripper who knows there isnt much left for her to do in the career she has chosen except get fired.
The parallels between cassidy and Randy are really a credit to Darren Aranovskys script. Written like youre watching a documentary and filmed much like a low budget documentary that is more likely to wind up on the internet instead of the theater.
Randy has a heart attack and has to come to the conclusion that he can no longer do what he loves. He also comes to the conclusion that it is time for him to mend fences he broke years ago. That is where his daughter comes into play. Evan Rachel Wood is good but predictable as his daughter.
The movie is a helluva ride. You feel for Randy the Ram, you want so much for him to find happiness. You want him to find love. You want him to get that happy ending. Its just as I said earlier youre not sure he wants one.
The movie is fantastic and I give it 4 and a 1/2 out of 5. No doubt in my mind Mickey Rourke and Marissa Tomei should get Oscars and I am shocked it isnt up for Best Movie. Rourkes Performance will stand up for years as one of the best of this decade.

RAY'S RECCOMENDATION... GO SEE THIS MOVIE

Throwback Movies WWII Edition

The recent glut of World War 2 movies has inspired me to comb through the collection.  This month's throwbacks are my top 5 favorite WWII movies.

1. Band of Brothers - While technically not a movie, the series is the best 10 hours of the genre.
2. Dirty Dozen - Military inmates sent on a suicide mission.  What's not cool about that?
3. Sahara - Not the Matthew McConaughey movie, but The 1943 classic with Humphrey Bogart about a small platoon holding off a Nazi battalion in the middle of the Sahara desert.
4. Saving Private Ryan - Packing a star-studded cast, this movie still holds up as the best war movie in the last decade.
5. Kelly's Heroes - Clint Eastwood convinces a group of rogues to follow him into enemy territory for the promise of finding stolen Nazi gold.

Disagree?  Feel free to leave a comment and plead your case for your favorite I may have snubbed.

Last House on the Left

Horror movies generally don't pique my interest, but this thriller coming out this spring has definitely gotten my attention.

click here for the trailer

Top 10 must sees of 2009

Since yesterdays post was so much fun for me, here is my top 10 list of the movies I'm most looking forward to in 2009.

1. Watchmen
2. Star Trek
3. Inglorious Bastards
4. X-Men Origins: Wolverine
5. Fanboys
6. Terminator Salvation
7. Duplicity
8. Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen
9. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
10. Taken

Top 10 movies of 2008

After combing through all the releases of 2008, I have made a list of my 10 favorite movies that were released this past year.  I encourage reader to make a list of their own.

10. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist

9. Role Models

8. Pineapple Express

7. Traitor

6. Hellboy 2

5. Tropic Thunder

4. Zack and Miri Make a Porno

3. Forgetting Sara Marshall

2. Iron Man

1. Dark Knight

Looking Ahead January

Here's a look at the big movies coming out during this first month of 2009.

January 9th

Bride Wars

Unborn

January 16th

Defiance

Hotel for Dogs

Last Chance Harvey

My Bloody Valentine

Notorious

Paul Blart: Mall Cop

January 23rd

Inkheart

Underworld:Rise of the Lycans

January 30th

New In Town

Taken

Uninvited

The Spirit

Grabriel Macht stars as the Spirit.  As protector of Central City, The Spirit prowls the rooftops looking to defend the city's citizens from those with evil intentions.  One of the worst offenders is the Octopus (Samuel L Jackson).  Along with his scientist sidekick Silken Floss (Scarlett Johansson) and a slew of clones (all played by Louis Lombardi) to do his bidding, the Octopus is quite a formidable foe for Central City's lone hero.  Fortunately, The Spirit has the ability to heal from nearly any injury.  Unfortunately, he's not sure how he got these odd powers that showed up only after he died.  Worse yet, only the Octopus seems to know why.  On top of all that, an old flame (Eva Mendes) of the Spirit's former life just came back into town and is leaving behind a trail of bodies.  At least the Spirit still has friends on the police force and has a charming hold over the ladies in his life...

If the promise of Eva Mendes, Scarlett Johansson, Jaime King, Paz Vega, and Carmen Electra dressed in provocative outfits isn't enough, Sam Jackson give a great over the top villain performance that's sure to stay in memory for a while.  Any fan of Sin City will love this movie. The Spirit is pure action-packed and comedic entertainment.  This one goes perfect with the large popcorn.

Rated PG13     Run Time: 108 Minutes     Grade: A

Yes Man

Carl (Jim Carrey) spends his life saying no to all questions and opportunities that come his way.  Despite his friends best efforts, Carl prefers to close himself off inside his apartment and watch movie rentals.  Carl's demeanor changes, however, after his old friend Nick (John Michael Higgins) drags him to a motivational group.  The leader of the group (Terrance Stamp) convinces Carl that he must say yes to every opportunity he runs across.  Reluctant at first, Carl soon passionately follows the advice of saying yes to everything after a chance encounter with the quirky Allison (Zooey Deschanel) on his first night with the yes program. Hilarious hijinks ensue.

Jim Carrey returns to comedy with a smash.  Yes Man is the funniest movie out this season.  The supporting cast is great and the predicaments Carl gets himself into outrageous and sometimes life-affirming.  This movie is one worth seeing.

Rated PG13     Run Time: 104 Minutes     Grade: A-

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Brad Pitt Stars in this visually entrancing movie about a man named Benjamin who's life is spent aging backwards.  Based on the novel of the same name by F Scott Fitzgerald, the movie feels reminiscent of Forrest Gump in that the movie details the strange but interesting life of the main character while he narrates his story.  The difference is the director David Fincher keeps the movie a little darker and more mysterious than other movies of the like.  Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchet gave amazing performances and the movie was filled with intriguing characters.  The only flaw I found in the movie is that it is a bit long and seems to drag at some points.  The increased local ticket prices of $7.25 for a matinee may discourage seeing this in the theaters but Benjamin Button is definitely worth the rental when the movie's out on DVD.

Rated PG-13     Run Time: 166 Minutes     Grade: B-

Bedtime Stories

When Skeeter Bronson (Adam Sandler) is asked to look after his niece and nephew for a few days, parts of the bedtime stories he makes up for the kids to lull them to sleep actually happen to Skeeter the next day.

Sandler seems to have joined the ranks of many comedians pushing their craft towards a more family friendly humor.  The kids are sure to enjoy this one a lot more than the typical 30 year old movie goer.

Rated PG      Run Time: 99 Minutes     Grade: C