The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008)

Starring: Asa Butterfield, Zac Mattoon O'Brien, Vera Farmiga
Director: Mark Herman


This film is about the innocence of childhood, the curiosity that makes the world magical from the perspective of an inquisitive young mind. A film about childhood friendship. A film that showcases how children see the world with such simplicity, perhaps implying that it is actually grown men who are the juvenile.

Finally, a film that doesn't want to follow a traditional Hollywood ending. A film that leaves you devastated, not because of the events of the film itself, but because we've been conditioned to believe in happy endings. Every film needs a hero and a villain, where the villain is defeated and the hero triumphs, right?

Mark Herman answers that question with a resounding no.

Watch the film. You'll see why.

B+ acting.
B directing.
B- plot.

Precious

Director: Lee Daniels

Starring: Mo'Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey and Lenny Kravitz

Year: 2009

**

Theme: Why Me? And understandably so. Precious is that character whose shoes no one wants to be in, and whose shoes, when left behind to tell a story, might make you shed those tears of pity.

A tortured existence who manages, despite all the crap dealt to her, to slip away into her own fantastic world of fantazy. In some ways, it's a version of "Pans Labyrinth" but to much less imaginative extent. After all, Precious is a Harlem teenager who has never had a boyfriend, been forcefully fed to grow into the size she is, and been pregnant twice. But let me leave the plot at that.

Mo'Nique stole the screen with her presence. She was downright intimidating. Scared the heck out of me. And then when she sat blubbering at the end, I felt disturbed at that ounce of compassion crawling out for her over-powdered round face. Amazing. A comdian doing THAT. How wonderful is human capacity!

Enjoyable... if you can call something like this enjoyable!

**

Rate: 6/10

Watchmen

Director: Zack Snyder
Starring: Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Patrick Wilson.
Year: 2009

**

Fun. Ripe with politics. Sexiness. Crime. Violence. And philosophy.

Yes, you read me right. Philosophy. The themes are all controversial and the heroes each are confronted with their own private issues that miraculously affects the survival of the human race...

I love Nixon's fake nose... and that they didn't bother to make it seem too real. It adds to the artistic appeal of the film.

If anyone knows where I can get a mask like Rorschach, holler. I want it!

**

Rate: 6/10

Harold and Maude

Director:
Starring: Bud Cort, Ruth Gordon
Year: 1972

**

A classic! A must see! And every other cliche you hear when they talk about films that must not be missed.

Dubbed as an "absurd comedy" when it first came out, it gained popularity and a cult following after its time. Makes sense.

Cort does a gem of a job being the comedic Harold... the deadpans and the expressions are PRICELESS. I even made a word for one of them: smirl. Watch his reaction when the gal runs away after she thought he self-immolated. You'll immediately see what I mean!

And Maude... dear, lovely Maude. She is the epitome of the goodness and natural essence of being human! Her persona is the light of the film.

There are so many memorable phrases and shots... I could list them forever and find myself simply typing out most of the script. Also, pay attention to Cat Stevens! Marvelous.

On my Top Ten Films List.

There, I've said it!

**

Rate: 9.5/10