As The Weather Gets Colder Hollywood Heats Up.

Hollywood has a habit of saving the best movies until the end of the year, I for one can only say thank God. So far this year has not been overly great for movies. Finding five movies to place on a best of 2009 list was hard enough, Finding ten was next to impossible. Thankfully November and December will bring about twenty movies that could fit the list. For the older more mature audience member take a deep breath and relax the good movies are coming.

November brings comedy, and horror, alien abduction and world destruction and vampires and werewolf's. Some of these movies are sure to be playing long into the coming weeks, some maybe even months. I'm sure that every one will find at least one movie this month that they will be talking about for several weeks.

November 06th

A Christmas Carol

The Box

The Fourth Kind

The Men Who Stare At Goats

Precious

November 13th

2012

Pirate Radio

November 20th

The Blindside

Broken Embraces (Limited)

The Messengers (Limited)

Planet 51

Red Cliff (Limited)

The Twilight Saga: New Moon

November 25th

Fantastic Mr. Fox

Me And Orson Welles (Limited)

Ninja Assassin

The Road

December brings cartoons and musicals, Nelson Mandela and the Morgans and avatars and Sherlock Holmes. I'm sure that many of these movies that are going to be released in December will find a wide audience to spend their hard earned money to watch them over and over again. I can spot at least three that I will want to see at least twice.

December 04th

Armored

Brothers

Everybody's Fine

December 11th

Invictus

The Lovely Bones

The Princess And The Frog

December 18th

Avatars

Did You Hear About The Morgans?

The Young Victoria (Limited)

December 25th

Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakuel

A Single Man (Limited)

The Imaginarium Of Doctor Panassus

It's Complicated

Sherlock Holmes

Nine

Up In The Air (Limited)

Several of the movies scheduled to be released during this time frame will earn Academy Award nominations, and several will disappear long before consideration is even given to any Award. There will be movies for adults opening just about every week, with a small list of movies for the children. The movies The lovely Bones and Precious will hit close to home for alot of people, the subject matter is a very serious one and may be hard for many people to watch.

This is the time of year for adults to cheer about, the next few weeks will be like an oasis for the mature movie goer. My suggestion to all of you who love movies is to go out and enjoy several of these, the first few months of 2010 will bring another wave of seriously bad movies. So rush out and take in several of the above listed movies. I know I will.

The Cynic

This Goes Beyond Just Being Precious...Straight To Amazing

Lee Daniels’s Precious: Based on the novel "Push" by Sapphire is a vibrant, honest and resoundingly hopeful film about the human capacity to grow and overcome. Set in Harlem in 1987, it is the story of Claireece “Precious” Jones (Gabourey Sidibe), a sixteen-year-old African-American girl born into a life no one would want. She’s pregnant for the second time by her absent father; at home, she must wait hand and foot on her mother (Mo’Nique), a poisonously angry woman who abuses her emotionally and physically. School is a place of chaos, and Precious has reached the ninth grade with good marks and an awful secret: she can neither read nor write. Precious may sometimes be down, but she is never out. Beneath her impassive expression is a watchful, curious young woman with an inchoate but unshakeable sense that other possibilities exist for her.

Claireece "Precious" Jones (Sidibe) is a sixteen-year-old African-American who lives in Harlem in 1987. Although she is in the ninth-grade, she has not yet learned to read and write. This is no wonder given the ridicule she suffers from her peers who view her as a loser and a fat pig (they make oink noises when she walks by). Precious has one child by her father already: a daughter with Down Syndrome, who is looked after by her grandmother. After discovering that she is pregnant again, the principal of the school says that she must leave. Thankfully, Previous's math scores are exceptional and so she is assigned to an alternative school, Each One Teach One. There she is taken under the wings of Blu Rain (Paula Patton), who prepares troubled young women for the GEDs. She is a beautiful and charismatic mentor who inspires her students to express themselves in journals and to share the stories of their lives with each other. It is a perfect way for these girls to deal with the demons that have dragged them down. Precious is a survivor who has been severely abused physically and verbally by her horrific mother Mary (Mo' Nique), a lazy and angry woman who treats her daughter like a slave, denigrates her appearance and mental ability, forces her to eat more so that she becomes heavier, and blames her for stealing her husband's attention and sexual passion. The only way Precious can ward off the depression and emptiness of her daily life is by escaping into a fantasy world via her imagination. There she sees herself as a model, singing star, celebrity, or beautiful blonde. Precious is buoyed in her mind's eye by a fairy godmother (Susan B. Taylor) who bequeaths her with a beautiful orange scarf.

Precious is an emotionally poignant film directed by Lee Daniels and adapted from Push, a 1996 bestselling novel by Sapphire. This is a deeply spiritual film that conveys the many ways in which loving, kind, and compassionate people can be catalysts for real change in the lives of others. Blu Rain serves as a surrogate mother for Precious and offers her what she has never experienced before: someone who believes in her and nurtures her soul with love. Others who also offer lifelines are Nurse John (Lenny Kravitz), whose kindness surprises Precious, and Ms. Weiss (Mariah Carey), a welfare case worker whose professional detachment is shattered when she learns of the hellish dimensions of this degraded girl's home life. Precious is an inspirational film about one young woman's transformation thanks to the care and concern of those who take her into their hearts. Lee Daniels's Precious combines brutal domestic violence with be-all-you-can-be inspirationalism. Gabby Sidibe is remarkable as Precious, an obese black teenager in 1980s Harlem who is bullied at school, tormented by her mother and repeatedly raped by her stepfather. Precious maintains a stoic calm and dignity, taking comfort in poignant fantasies of a better life. This movie here is hands down, without a doubt in my mind THE BEST movie of the year and should not be missed. This gets a 5 on my "Go See" scale.

Life Is Precious No Matter Who You Are

In my review of Motherhood, I mentioned that it was the opening film in the International Film Festival, I also mentioned that the film didn't deserve that honor, and that luckily there were other, much better films that followed it and saved the Festival. One of those films was "Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire" This is one of the most emotional movies that I have seen in awhile. This movie will touch almost everyone, and some it will touch on a personal level. I found myself captivated by the power that this simple story contains.

Clareece 'Precious' Jones (Gabourey Sidibe) is an overweight, illiterate teen who is pregnant with her second child, the consequence of incest, by the boyfriend of her mother Mary (Mo'Nique). This isn't her only problem Precious is literally a shut in she goes to school, has fantasies about her teacher, comes home to cook and clean for Mary. Precious goes out to buy Mary's lotto numbers and then spends the rest of her night inside the house, her only activity is when she becomes a punching bag for Mary. One day at school she is called to the principals office, Principal Lichtenstein(Nealla Gordon) suspends Precious because she is pregnant. Later that night Mrs. Lichtenstein comes to Precious' house to tell her that they have enrolled her into an alternative school and that she starts the following morning. Mary blows up because she thinks that her welfare depends on this woman being happy. There is a later scene in the movie that is especially heartbreaking. The scene is where the grandmother brings Precious' first child, who is autistic to the house so that the welfare social worker can think that Mary is taking care of her, and this is truly a heartbreaking scene, the aftermath is gut wrenching.

When Precious gets to the alternative school her teacher Miss Rains (Paula Patton) takes special care to include all of the students in every project. The other students are not any where near the perfect role model but when Precious delivers her second child, a boy, they are there to support her. The movie conveys a dreary Harlem existence that is profane, hard-edged and brutal, but also has some rays of humanity and compassion that leave room for hope. With the help of Miss Raines and another social worker, Mrs. Weiss (Mariah Carey) Precious goes from a young woman in an impossible situation to a strong willed individual with the determination to push through it all, breaking free from the stereotypes that plague her, the past that haunts her and her mother's abusive control over her.

The films directing is of a high enough caliber that Lee Daniels deserves some praise this awards season and may be among several cast members to receive such a well deserved nod. The script is so well written that it never feels slow and the pacing of this film is steady enough that we're engrossed the entire time. Some praise should be given to Lenny Kravitz, who appears on screen to become a sort of guardian angel to precious in her time of need. This is one movie that you will walk out of thinking that no matter what your problems are, they are nothing compared to what you just witnessed. Precious has faced many such adversaries and has risen above everything thrown at her.

I give Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire a hearty 4 and on my avoidance scale an even heartier 0, this movie is hard to watch and several scenes will have you crying, this is not a movie for the entire family, this is one of those take you mom to see films and then spend some time talking about how fortunate you really are.

Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire is rated R for Child Abuse including Sexual Assault and Pervasive Language

Running time is 1 hr. 49 mins.

This Is It. The Way MJ Would've Wanted To Be Remembered

Michael Jackson's This Is It will offer Jackson fans and music lovers worldwide a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the performer as he developed, created and rehearsed for his sold-out concerts that would have taken place beginning this summer in London's O2 Arena. Chronicling the months from April through June, 2009, the film is produced with the full support of the Estate of Michael Jackson and drawn from more than one hundred hours of behind-the-scenes footage, featuring Jackson rehearsing a number of his songs for the show. Audiences will be given a privileged and private look at Jackson as he has never been seen before. In raw and candid detail, Michael Jackson's This Is It captures the singer, dancer, filmmaker, architect, creative genius and great artist at work as he creates and perfects his final show.

Ever since the project was first announced in August, the new documentary Michael Jackson’s This Is It has been shrouded in mystery. According to initial reports, Sony Pictures paid $60 million to acquire hundreds of hours of behind-the-scenes footage showing Jackson–who had died a little over a month before–rehearsing for his big comeback concert series in London. What exactly would that footage reveal? Would Jackson be a slurry, stumbling mess? Or would we see a flicker of the great entertainer– the King of Pop–who dazzled audiences for decades with thrilling dance moves and unstoppable tunes? Sony stoked the mystery by putting the footage on instant lockdown; aside from a short trailer, no scenes from This Is It have found their way onto TV or the web, which, in theory, only heightens its must-see appeal. To further fuel the hype, the studio decreed that the movie would only play in theaters for two weeks, borrowing a successful gimmick that Disney employed last year for its Hannah Montana concert flick. Not even critics got the chance to check out This Is It ahead of time. So, I did what any other good MJ fan would do. I went to the premiere scheduled for 11 PM Tuesday night. Surrounded by hundreds of fans, I found my seat, got completely comfortable and waited patiently for the actual movie to start. After a few movie trailers, at around 11:10, the lights went down, the screen went dark and…and…and…

And we saw a movie. The world didn’t spontaneously heal itself, the future of the music industry didn’t automatically become brighter and Michael Jackson didn’t rise from the dead and start doing the moonwalk. After all the pre-release and pre-show hype, This Is It is just a movie–a surprisingly well-made and compelling movie, but a movie nonetheless. In a way, all the studio-manufactured brouhaha surrounding the film may be doing it a disservice, as it leads viewers to expect a cinematic spectacle to rival a summer blockbuster like Star Trek or Transformers 2. But in reality This Is It is a more modest picture. This isn’t a concert movie–it’s a movie about the making of a concert. Director Kenny Ortega, a longtime Jackson friend and colleague, takes the audience through the show’s set list song by song–beginning with “Wanna Be Startin’ Something” (of course) and concluding with “Man in the Mirror”–revealing how each tune was going to be performed live onstage from the choreography, to the special effects to the King of Pop’s own vocals. Much of the footage is taken from a series of almost complete rehearsals, where the dancing is in place, but not all of the effects are complete and Jackson often sings along to backing vocals in order to go easy on his voice. There are also clips of additional material that would have been worked into the show; for “Smooth Criminal,” Jackson had himself digitally inserted into a series of film clips from old ’40s gangster pictures and Ortega shot new 3D footage of monsters tearing it up in a graveyard to accompany “Thriller.” In some cases, CGI-animatronics stand in for effects that were never finalized; “Earth Song,” for example, would have climaxed with an actual bulldozer rolling onstage to confront Jackson. If you’re at all interested in the art of stagecraft, This is It provides an invaluable look at what goes on behind-the-scenes of a mega-budgeted concert. Indeed, in some ways, seeing the process by which the show was put together is almost more interesting than the finished product ever would have been.

But what about the man at the center of the spectacle? Well Jackson–or as the entire crew calls him, MJ–is alternately engaged, enraged, enthusiastic, impatient and joyful. In other words, he’s an artist in his element, doing what he loves to do. His voice is strong and clear and he moves with the same grace he displayed throughout his life. Clearly the film has been edited to show him at his best, but, to his credit, Ortega does occasionally allow us to see behind his beautiful exterior. In some scenes, Jackson is visibly frustrated when the band misses a note or a dancer doesn’t execute a move correctly. And while we never see him offstage, a few moments do hint at his personal troubles. After rehearsing “Beat It” Jackson is so winded, he can barely speak–his age finally catches up with his body. Earlier, Jackson stops singing right in the middle of a medley of Jackson 5 tunes and launches into a rambling, nonsensical speech about his inner ear problems while Ortega humors him from offstage. One wonders how many more moments like that one are on the cutting room floor. Clocking in at almost two hours, This Is It does feel overlong. Part of that can be chalked up to the normal ebb and flow of a concert–some songs are simply better than others and everyone will have their own opinions about which tunes they would rather have seen cut from the set list. Personally, I could have watched Jackson rehearse “The Way Your Make Me Feel” and “Billie Jean” for a half-hour without growing tired of either song. On the other hand, his renditions of “Earth Song” and “They Don’t Care About Us” wowed me, but may almost put others to sleep. This Is It is far better than it had any right to be, largely because Ortega avoids turning the film into an overly sentimental obituary for Jackson. There are no images of teary-eyed fans despondent over the sudden death of their idol or awkward testimonials from Jackson’s peers and colleagues. In fact, the movie never addresses his death at all beyond a closing dedication. The focus here is entirely on the work that Jackson did while he was still alive. There is obviously much more to Michael Jackson’s legacy than this single concert, but that’s for future films to explore. For now, This is It provides a valuable service–it allows a gifted musician to deliver the career-capping performance he wanted the world to see, but never got the chance. This documentary gets an astounding 5 on my "Go See" scale. There will never be another quite like MJ and this is the way he should be remembered.

This Is IT. The Spotlights Last Shine On an Icon

Hollywood has long taken music icons and turned them into silver screen stars. The "Concert" film has been done with many of today's big music stars, U2, and The Rolling Stones to name a few, and now Michael Jackson stars in what is listed as footage shot solely for his own personal collection. "This Is It" is footage shot of Michael's final rehearsals before what would have been his return to the stage after a twelve year absence. The final fifty performances of this tour were sold out in advance and the King Of Pop wanted his fans to see perfection, this films delivers, albeit on a sad note.

The film showcases the dedication Michael had to his fans, the time and effort he took to make sure that every note of every song was perfect. He not only wanted the music to be right, he also wanted the dancers to be showcased and to become in essence a part of him. The movie is directed by long time friend Kenny Ortega that is a compilation of interviews, rehearsals and backstage footage of the Legend himself. Each song showcased in the film are among Michael's greatest hits, Billy Jean, Beat It, Bad, and of course Thriller. The dance portion of the show is toned down for Michael, he was, one must remember in his fifties, the biggest dance routine was for Thriller, Michael takes it easy during this song, and seems at times more worried about being able to carry the vocal portion of the songs then anything else. This dedication to each song, each step in the rehearsal process takes the fan deeper into the man's mind. he wants the fans who come to watch him to experience something that they wont ever forget.

It must have worked because the sold out audience clapped along with the songs, snapped their fingers and even sang along with their hero. One thing that should be pointed out is that this really isn't a "concert" film it is more of a making of film. Although this does nothing to distract from the movie at all, the fans deserve to understand what it is that they will be seeing. Michael would have wanted it that way. Would Michael have wanted his fans to see this film? It is after all nothing but rehearsal footage of Michael and Kenny directing the musicians, and dancers, leaving Michael to say over and over again, that this is why we rehearse. The movie studio, having paid an extraordinary sum of money for the rights to the footage, want the mans fans to go in thinking they will get a behind the scenes look at one of Michael's concerts, that isn't what you get, it is close but it is after all just footage of several rehearsals. We see as Michael oversees several facets of the show, some new animation sequences that were shot just for the concerts, we see how eleven dancers are turned into eleven hundred, we see new 3D footage being shot for the Thriller number, we get behind the scenes as Michael adds footage for Smooth Criminal and we see some footage for Earth Song, this number ends with a huge bulldozer coming onto the stage and stopping just short of Michael who would be standing at the stages edge.

I must confess that I am not nor have I ever been a Michael Jackson fan, but seeing the way the man took the time to make sure he delivered the best for his fans, and also the way that the beat grabbed you, no matter your taste in music, and soon has you snapping your fingers right along side the man or woman next to you. I must say that I now have an admiration for the man and his talent. The Michael we see on screen in This Is it is far removed from the man in his twenties, even his thirties, but he still has the desire and drive to put on a great show. Even if it is just archive footage.

I give This is It a 4 and on my avoidance scale a 0, I can not recommend this movie any more so than by saying it is nearly as flawless as the man himself. I understand that Michael was marred by controversy throughout his life, but this movie isn't about his life it is about his talent, his love and his ability to make people happy, just with his voice. Take your family, maybe introduce the kids to the King of Pop, if they don't already know more about the man then you do. if you have never seen a concert performance by this man this is your ticket to what would have been his farewell, and if you have seen one of his shows then by all means don't miss his last.

This Is It is rated PG for some Suggestive Choreography and Scary Images

Running time is 1 hr. 51 mins.

The Fourth Kind... Real Or Just A Mind Game?

Horror movies are all the buzz this time of year, we have so many thrown at us that it is hard to sort out the good from the bad, we have seen the small budget movie (Paranormal Activity) that has become overnight one of the biggest grossing films of the year, not to mention one of the best. We have gotten the countless remakes, of what were originally semi poor movies (The Stepfather) to begin with. We also get the movie that leaves you shaking your head in disbelief. That is exactly what "The Fourth Kind" does, it makes you wonder, and along the way it has a few little scares in store for you.

Dr. Abigail Tyler (Milla Jovovich) follows up on a study that was started by her late husband, she began videotaping sessions with traumatized patients and unwittingly discovered some of the most disturbing evidence of alien abduction ever documented. Their accounts of being visited by alien figures all share disturbingly identical details, the validity of which is investigated throughout the film. Some of the movie is archive footage and at the films start is almost more of a disturbance than entertaining, by the middle of the movie you hardly notice it.

When Dr. Tyler's patients all recount the same stories, about waking up around three AM and seeing an owl outside their window Dr. Tyler decides to place them under hypnosis. Her first subject is Tommy (Corey Johnson) when he goes under we witness his trauma, the fear in his eyes is incalculable and later when Dr. Tyler is called to his home by Sheriff August (Will Patton) Tommy murders his family and then commits suicide. Joined by her colleague (Elias Koteas) and a Sumerian translator (Hakeem Kae-Kazim), Dr. Tyler puts another patient under, Scott (Enzo Cilenti) the results are just as scary, we see through distorted camera footage what we will undoubtedly think of as demonic possession where Scott appears to be levitating off the bed. When Scott is paralyzed by the experience Sheriff August comes to Dr. Tyler's house to arrest her, it is the lone fact that Dr. Tyler had witnesses present that the sheriff doesn't arrest her. Leaving an officer outside of the Tyler house, the sheriff leaves, he is soon back when the officer reports something hovering over the house. We later find out that Ashley (Mia McKenna-Bruce) was abducted by the Aliens, this is what is considered The Fourth Kind.

The archive footage is scary at points and sometimes it is not much more than static, it is during these moments that the movie takes an almost unreal feeling, we see through the distortion that the person on the other side of the camera is almost something like a distorted human, mouth hanging agape beyond what we assume is normal, the sounds coming from the person are guttural and menacing.

I give The Fourth Kind a 3 and on my avoidance scale a 0, this is one of those small budget movies that will leave an impression on you long after you have walked out, and if you are a believer or not, you will be astounded by some of the footage and one in particular, the scene where they show the space craft hovering over Dr. Tyler's home seconds before her daughter is said to be abducted. The special effects are so intense that you feel drawn into the story, the archive footage becomes more of a character than some of the others, it becomes something that feels more real than the story itself. When we see Dr Tyler in the footage we immediately see that life has not been easy on her, and as the movie unfolds we see why it hasn't and we become attached to her and what it is that she appears to be going through. As a cynic I started to think about what plot twist Hollywood would throw at us and I am glad to say that they spare us this usual tactic.

The Fourth Kind is rated PG-13 for Violent/Disturbing Images, Some Terror, Thematic Elements and Brief Sexuality

Running time is 1 hr. 39 mins.

Come and Play A New Game With Jigsaw

The makers of the Saw films continue to make Rube Goldberg roll over in his grave with this sixth film in the series. Saw VI finds Detective Hoffman (Costas Mandylor) the target of a FBI investigation, but that won’t stop him from continuing the murderous mayhem started by Jigsaw (Tobin Bell).

After SAW V, I was convinced there was nothing that could be done to make this sixth installment of Saw work. As the torture and violent murders still are a huge part of the latest, it once again focuses on a couple of main relationships. Yet this time, Tobin Bell is featured in a very satisfying way as his connection to many of the characters in the series is explained. Now, it is a bit of a challenge to talk about what worked without giving too much away. What can I tell you without revealing too many secrets and surprises? If you don’t want to hear any spoilers at all, I suggest you stop reading because as much as I don’t want to ruin it for anyone, there will be spoilage (although very minimal, I promise). The key reason why Saw has been a successful franchise stems from the web that it spins. While it started off fairly simple in the beginning, it has expanded this time to a large and frightening subject… health care. Much of John Kramer’s frustration comes from how his doctors and all the so-called experts handled him as his sickness spread. And this chapter explores the chances at life that are rejected and simply not taken, simply for the almighty dollar. If this sounds overly preachy, it kind of is, but at the same time it is very relevant and also a little more relatable than you’d expect. But, as the traps are set and the game is played, one man in particular is given the chance to roll the dice. Peter Outerbridge is William, a man who has made a career out of deciding what and how much health insurance he should provide. He is a key player in the vicious life lesson many receive. I won’t say anything more about the plot, well, for the most part I won’t. It is hard to imagine the sixth film in this series would pack quite the punch as this did. But much like the third, this second trilogy finale answers the questions that have been asked and even supplies a conclusion that mostly works. It is terrific to see a couple of familiar faces whether it be in flashback, or possibly somewhere else. It is also great to see the expanded role of the lovely and talented Betsy Russell. She is quite good as Kramer’s widow and yes, we finally get a glimpse inside that box of hers. While there were a couple of choices that weren’t explored nearly as well as they should’ve been, the film has the sense to really focus on what the hell is going on. I even warmed up to Costas Mandylor as Jigsaw’s apprentice, Detective Hoffman and why he became Kramer‘s bitch. While he didn’t quite work for me when his true nature was revealed earlier in the series, I think he had a bit more to work with this time around.

There was an interesting look that each one of these films have contained. Both James Wan and Darren Lynn Bousman gave the series the stylistic, visually orgasmic look as the camera speeds around a potential victim (or student), and that bit of trickery is used here, but only slightly. There is a very cold and colorless atmosphere as the detectives investigate the continuing murders, but the traps and such are hot and bright. It feels like a Saw film, yet somehow first time director Kevin Greutert is able to cut down a tad on the visual acrobatics, and focus on telling a story. As the editor of the previous five, he adds a clarity to it that hasn’t been seen for awhile. In many ways, the look and feel of six is like a crossbreed of one and three. And yes, it really does work. Any qualms about six? Sure. With any sequel, especially when you are up to six, you could stand to lose a few pointless characters. One of the lead players wasn’t utilized quite as well as they could have been, thus, they don’t generate all that much sympathy or interest. I also felt that another main character was sort of shortchanged with their big final moment. It is too quick and they just seem to get off too easily, purely with an interest of making the ending scream sequel. Sure we already know there will be a sequel, so I don’t think making it so blatantly obvious is necessary. And yes, a couple of performances aren’t always hitting the right mark, but for the most part, I really gave two cents about folks I didn’t care about before. In the end though, Saw VI works and it works much better than I would’ve ever expected. The franchise might even benefit from ending here, but we all know that won’t happen. We’ll just have to wait for a whole new set of games to leave riddles and clues with… or will we? Whatever happens, Saw VI will still be one of the best and most fascinating in the series. This one gets a gory 3 on my "Go See" scale.