Kick Ass (2010)

This movie is high paced from the first frame to the last. Mathew Vaugh (Layer Cake 2004) directs this 'R' rated super hero flick you always wanted Daredevil, X-Men, Spiderman, and Batman to be. It's violent, it's gory, it's profane, it's great. The story revolves around a high schooler who decides to put on a green scuba suit and try to help strangers in danger. Basically he wants to be a superhero and so he becomes just that. However he mostly just takes a serious beating throughout the whole film and eventually meets some other people like him that are after more than simply helping Grandma cross the street, this is where the story get's interesting so I'll leave the summary behind and let you figure the rest out for yourself.

The film itself is shot wonderfully. In addition to some clever (though rather transparent) cinematography the movie is amply amplified by some fantastic graphic design and comic book cut scenes. The characters are not the typically flat hero or predictably redeemable anti-hero that plague the comic movies as of late (a crime in itself ironing out the kinks of comic heros that make them so interesting). They have depth, darkness, and development throughout the film and keep you invested in the story which does slow from time to time. Nick Cage in particular does a good job as a semi-psychotic but loving father with some seriously messed up ideas of how to prepare one's child for the harsh realities of the world. This leads to comedic scenes of tenderly violent lessons juxtaposing hand guns and hugs to a wonderful effect. Mise-en-scene adds a lot to the overall feel of the film without being to obvious in its allusion to the comic book basics from which the film was built on.

The final battle scene is one for the record books as well. I can't say much without giving it away but the choreography is phenomenal and Chloe Moretz's unique manner of handling herself while going up against men over twice her size and almost punching the bullets out of her gun (and lots of them) is jaw droppingly awesome as well as gives rise to a few laughs along the way.



All in all this film is worth a watch and I think that if you see it once you'll find it slipping into the front of your Que for a re-watch before getting to some of those more obscure films you've been putting off for the last month, which is in no way a problem. Though be warned the violence is graphic and if that doesn't float your boat it may get in the way of this great film for you.

The Wind that Shakes the Barley (2006)

The Wind that Shakes the Barley relates the fascinating and tempestuous history of Ireland’s social and political revolution beginning in 1919 and concluding with a two year Civil War from 1921-1923, ending in the independence of the southernmost 26 counties. Cillian Murphy stars as Damien O’Donovan, a native Corkonian just at the cusp of entering the medical profession in a London clinic as Ireland spirals deeper into political upheaval and uprising. Despite the brutality of Black and Tan militias marauding throughout the Southwestern countryside, Damien nevertheless sets his sights on a career removed from the enveloping violence. Just as he is about to leave for London, he witnesses the beating of the train conductor (and member of the Irish Citizen’s Army) at the behest of a crazed British soldier, and thus returns to fight in the Irish Republican Army. Through his eyes the audience becomes privy to the clandestine actions of the countryside’s rebels as they mobilize against the British, and according to fated history, fall into a taxing and violent Civil War.

Once you get used to the near codified Cork accent (luckily I grew up knowing that “tree” was numerical, not arboreal, from my grandpa) the dialogue and pace of the film blazes through two captivating hours. Many, however, have called the film slow, and I should quickly point out that the plot holds special academic as well as familial significance to me, so I found the entire 120 minutes enthralling. The film is not entirely historically accurate, but luckily, it makes no claim to be. Instead, it uses the Cork countryside as a focalization of the many issues that pervaded the Irish independence movement: property, politics, economics, and class. To properly understand every aspect of the film, one would indeed have to hail from Ireland, but I fear even that would not be enough. This should not dissuade one from watching the film; instead, I hope it proves the opposite. The British are portrayed as brutish, while the Irish cause is unabashedly romanticized contrary to its stark realities. Nevertheless, they are realities that provide substantial cinematic fodder and The Wind that Shakes the Barley utilizes them to the utmost. Highly recommended.

Yojimbo (1961)

Samurai-flick meets spaghetti-western in this exciting comedy from (the brilliant) Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. Sanjuro Kuwabatake (Toshiro Mifune) is one of the most bad ass and fearless ronins (masterless samurai) in all of old Japan. The only trouble is he's totally broke. So when he discovers a small town completely overrun by murderous outlaws, torn by gang civil war, and tainted by gambling and prostitution, Sanjuro decides he might be able to make an easy buck by trying to bring an end to all the vice. Mostly by way of killing off all the criminals in town, the majority of which are complete idiots.


This movie is gonna blow your mind. In just the comical use of violence alone, Yojimbo is decades ahead of its time. I kept feeling like I recognized shots from a Tarantino film or jokes from a Coen brothers movie. The soundtrack adds a theatrical and somewhat goofy attitude to the film's style, making even the most disturbing images seem harmlessly humorous. The aesthetic is flawless; a perfectly balanced composition of black and white (just check out the screen shots) with thoughtful and graceful camera movement that keeps you in the action constantly. Without a doubt one of my favorite films of all time, made by my favorite filmmaker. Definitely a must-see.

The Good, The Bad, and The Weird (2008)

Exciting, campy, South Korean western/comedy. The plot is...meh. It's basically the same plot as It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World, except with murderous Korean thugs instead of American suburbanites, and the million dollars is map leading to buried treasure (boooooring). Storyline aside though, this movie is a wild ride with explosively original action scenes and a killer soundtrack. I was also really glad to see Kang-ho Song starring in this picture as "The Weird", by far my favorite South Korean actor, who you can also watch in Thirst and The Host on Watch Instantly. Song is always a delight to watch, and after watching Thirst just the other day he was almost unrecognizable in this film, his character is so radically different. Anyways, this movie is pretty absurd, but if you're just looking for a kick ass, bloody, Asian western with a hint of crass humor, don't even think twice about firing this film up. It's everything you need.