Little Quickies: 'Nine' & 'The Wolfman'

I have not written anything for a while; it feels really nice to be writing again.

Three days ago, I watched two newer films. One was tolerable, the other I don't ever want to watch again.

Let's begin with 2010's 'The Wolfman.'

'The Wolfman' centers on exactly what the title says: a wolfman. Mindblown yet?

'Wolfman' stars Benecio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt, and Hugo Weaving.

Del Toro plays Lawrence Talbot, an actor returning to England from America.

He returns when he hears, from his brother's fiance', Gwen (Emily Blunt), that his brother has been brutally killed.

Despite being estranged from his father, (Anthony Hopkins) Lawrence goes back and vows to find his brother's killer.

He eventually comes to realize that whatever killed his brother is literally inhuman.

'Wolfman' is not exactly the best movie. It's pretty "cookie-cutter" in the typical monster movie. There's the monster. There's the skepticism. There's the woman who always ends up being loved by that monster who hopes she's into beastiality, etc.

It was still tolerable to watch and the violence makes up for some of the dryness. I have to admit, there were some really gross ways some of those extras died.

The design of the werewolf's face made me snicker a little bit as it reminded me of the 1950's werewolf movies, but I think they did that on purpose, as a "nod of the head" to the classic films.

The action is cool, the story is predictable, but it's not the worst movie in the world.

3/5

Rent worthy? Yeah, on a slow day and there's nothing else to watch.

DVD/Blu-ray worthy? I wouldn't get it. I need space for better deserving movies. Although, if you like it, getting it on Blu-ray would be a plus for the nice effects that have from time to time.

Random Tidbit Anthony Hopkins also starred in 1992's 'Dracula' as Van Helsing. First non-glittering vampires and now werewolves. I'm wondering if he's going to do a film about Frankenstein next.

Say "Nein" to 'Nine'

'Nine' is a musical about a famous Italian director, Guido Contini (Daniel Day-Lewis), and his struggle to make his next film. He attempts to have the audience have faith in him once more after a string of flops that followed his more successful first films. (Like M. Night Shaymalan)

His new film is titled, 'Italia' and production has already started.

There's no script, however. Not one page.

Contini knows it will be about Italy...but, what about Italy?

Frustrated, he tries to find inspiration through his dying relationship with his wife ('Inception's Marion Cotillard), his mistress (Penelope Cruz) and his muse (Nicole Kidman).

I can see the film trying to inspire sympathy from viewers for Guido, but I just could not feel sorry for his character. At all. But I have my very personal reasons as to why.

The music was only okay, but I want to applaude Fergie (YES, Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas) for her song "Be Italian" and short role. She gained about 20 lbs for her role and she's one of those women who looks amazing with extra meat on her bones. Seriously, she should just stay that way.

Two other songs I liked was "Cinema Italiano" sung by Kate Hudson and "Take It All" sung by Marion Cotillard. Fergie's was definitely the best overall.

So 3 songs out of about 11 I enjoyed. It's not enough for me to like 'Nine' completely.

I like the director's adaptation of' 'Chicago' MUCH better. If you haven't seen 'Chicago' and you love musicals, that is a MUST-SEE.

2/5

Rent worthy? If you're just curious at how everyone plays their roles or you love musicals, then yes rent it.

DVD/Blu-ray worthy? I don't want it. I will download those 3 songs I liked though.

Keep on watchin'

The Little Critic

'Inception' Initiated Excitement, Thrills, and Mindbending Moments

'Inception' is a newly released 2010 movie directed by Christopher Nolan ('Batman Begins,' 'The Dark Knight,' 'Memento')

Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is highly skilled at the art and process of stealing another person's valuable secrets and ideas from their subconscious while in the dream state, or "extraction."

Cobb's talent is highly valuable (and illegal) and his 'dream team' includes a man named Arthur ('500 Days of Summer's Joseph Gordon-Levitt), Eames, an 'imitator' (Tom Hardy), and Yusef, a chemist (Dileep Rao).

Cobb is later paid by powerful billionaire, Saito (Ken Watanabe) to do something different. Taking secrets and ideas from a person is not the only thing one can do in another's subconscious. A more dangerous act is called 'inception' or planting an idea into a person's mind. Saito wants this done on another young billionaire, his corporation rival's son, Robert Fisher, Jr. (Cillian Murphy). Saito wants ideas brought into Fisher's mind that would lead to the surrender of the family business, thus making Saito number one.

Saito promises that Cobb will be exempt of all charges brought against him and he will be able to see his children again. Despite the complications of inception, Cobb agrees out of desperation to be able to hold his kids and to see their faces once more.

Cobb sets out to look for a skilled architect and finds Ariadne ('Juno's Ellen Page). Her job as an architect is essential to the dream team as she is the one to create a maze-space layout of the dream's world.

Going into a person's subconsious is not as simple as entering and exiting a door. There are real, harmful dangers if one stays in that dream-state for too long. A person can lose sight of what is reality and what is a dream.

This movie took a very risky storyline and is orchestrated very well under Christopher Nolan's directing. I like this much better than his film, 'Memento' which is a good movie, but is completely shadowed by 'Inception' in my opinion.

It also messes and plays with your mind while you stupidly munch on your popcorn and/or nachos. It challenges you to think about the idea of a dream...within a dream...and having a dream in that dream that you are dreaming.....all while dreaming.

"WUT?"

Actually, it makes sense while you are watching the movie, but reading about it doesn't do the film justice.

The actors did WONDERFUL. They are a great cast and I had my doubts about Ellen Page at first. When she said her first line, I thought of one thing: 'JUNO.' I was worried that I would think of Juno McGuff throughout the whole movie, but Page actually did a good job and I applaude her for that.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is becoming a very successful actor and I hope that Christopher Nolan will use him as the next Joker, a role previously played by the late Heath Ledger. Gordon-Levitt and Ledger have similarities in the face and Gordon-Levitt seems to be a competent actor. I think it would work out. Hopefully Nolan thinks so too.

The graphics are not disappointing and neither are the action scenes. There were times when I felt genuinely worried for the team.

I also like this better than the other film DiCaprio starred in recently: 'Shutter Island' which was good, but I found it predictable. I came up with 2 different predictions throughout 'Inception' and was wrong.

I want to add a little tidbit to the people who have seen the film already because I thought it was weird. The music that was used to wake up/warn those in the dream-state is "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien" (I regret nothing) by famous old French singer, Edith Piaf. There was a film called 'La Vie En Rose' that centered around the singer's sad lifestyle and it starred Marion Cotillard as Piaf. Cotillard plays Mal, Cobb's wife in 'Inception.'

'Inception' is awesome to watch in theaters and be prepared to open your mind. This movie is not for people who do not like to think during movies. It really does, as someone I know put it, mind-rapes you. But in the best way possible, I think.

5/5

Rent worthy? I rather you watch it in theaters to get the awesome surround sound that 'Inception' carries, but if you have surround sound at home, go ahead and wait to rent it.

DVD/Blu-ray worthy? I think I'll get it on Blu-ray when it comes out. It has some really cool graphics and I like the concept of the story a lot. I would love to watch it again to see what I missed. Plus, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is SMOKING. Eye candy never hurts. Grrrrr.

Trailers that came with 'Inception': One really stuck with me because when I saw the trailer, I thought "Whoa, that looks cool." ...until I saw "From M. Night Shaymalan" which made me instinctively scoff really loud. It's like my body knows to shun him now. That movie is called 'Devil.' Other previews included a remake of 'Tron' which looks decent, 'The Town' with Ben Affleck, and 'The Social Network' which is about the making of Facebook or something, I don't know.

Keep on watchin'

The Little Critic