You Can't Go Home Again

I love Battlestar Galactica! I've already watched the entire series once over but I couldn't help but rewatch it's excellence. To that end, almost every episode is great but I have to say my favorite and most memorable is You Can't Go Home Again.

Katee Sackhoff is AMAZING in this one. Hard and soft rolled into one with an added splash of levity, I love the fact that she is a Portland native too. (Sidebar.. where was she in the Portlandia episode One Moore Episode ??? ) It's great that I moved to the Pacific NW only to discover that a lot of my favorite writers, musicians, and actors come from this neck of the woods. Just a shame she's not gay ; )

Not a very insightful post... just what I'm watching.

Paired it with: Woodchuck Hard Cider and a green salad from Solstice

Battleship

This is one movie that I had no expectation for and am very glad for that. I thought that anything beyond absolute crap was going to be a stretch for a movie based off of a board game BUT the screenwriters, Jon and Erich Hoeber (Red),  and the director, Peter Berg, (Friday Night Lights) did an excellent job of creating a coherent and not completely unbelievable script. To me, it felt more like a love story to the Navy than it did a propaganda movie for the military; which is what I expected when I saw all the military cooperation involved in the shoot.

The actors throughout the film were also stellar. This also holds true for Rihanna, believe it or not. She did a wonderful job of fleshing out her character without gratuitous shows of her flesh. The first 30 minutes are packed with alum of HBO series', and of course several from Friday Night Lights which Peter Berg both directed and wrote for. 

The introduction was really strong, and included pretty much everything that it need to include. It made me laugh, connected me to the place, the main characters, the love interest, the goal, EVERYTHING.  Very textbook but interestingly done with the multiple camera angles and did I mention funny. Best scene in the whole movie by far.

The only questions that I had for this movie were: 1 - How does a 26 year old fuck up enter the Navy and become a captain in a year? 2 - Did Subway sponsor the movie?

Bottom Line: Bar none better than anything by Michael Bay and better than most comic book/action hero movies. Great job for an action film! (Especially one based on a board game). 

I paired it with: Pumpkin cider and a Caesar salad from Solstice.

Chronicle

Congratulations to Max Landis for writing one of the most original sci-fi screenplays in recent years with Chronicle!! It was fresh in story, production design, and most importantly cinematography. Since the story is shot like a home movie rather than a typical fashion it could have ended up really choppy like The Blair Witch Project (which I couldn't stomach). However, I was pleasantly surprised that it was rough, as it was supposed to be, it didn't feel unsteady. The fact that they left the camera relatively stationary at times when there was action kept it from that fate.

 

The film felt subtle to me. With most plots that contain supernatural events the effects are the driving force. This movie felt like the diary of a nerdy, shy, abused teenage boy on film and he happened to get super powers. With said powers he discovers strength but his anger at his treatment by the world, combined with a lack of morals, results in the perfect villain.

As a side note... a word of caution if you are someone whose heart has been broken by someone named Andrew; This film may not be your cup of tea. By the end, that monicker is yelled out so many times it is distracting. I personally flinch every time I hear that particular name so the final half hour was a jumpy one. 

Bottom Line: Brilliantly written, cast, shot and edited this is a great movie for any sci-fi lover looking for a fresh take at the genre. Seamless, subtle effects coupled with a character driven plot line equal one hell of a film. Also, the fact that it is supposed to be in Seattle will make anyone in my current neck of the woods smile. Thank you Laura for the recommendation.

I paired it with: Miller Light and Sausage Pizza. Happy Fourth of July!!!!

Saoirse Ronan

So after a long spell with out the wonders of technology, I am back. Thanks to the new laptop I can finally write about all the great movies I've been watching lately.

I'm going to start not with a film but rather several that feature the beautiful Irish actress Saoirse Ronan. She has been on my radar for several pictures but the last few I've seen her in were as excellent in their entirety as she is an actress in them.

The first film that I noticed her in (and most American viewers as well) was the stunning 2007 film Atonement. Although her character is not the one you root for, it was her eyes and the haunting way she communicated through them that made me take notice of her.

Then as Susie Salmon in 2009's The Lovely Bones she was completely absorbing. Between her and the intensely creepy portrayal of George Harvey by Stanley Tucci the movie left me completely wowed. From start to finish, they and the other supporting roles played by Mark Wahlberg and Rachel Weisz, had me hooked. It was a nice adaptation of the book as well which is a rarity it seems these days.

The next film and one of my current favorite in the action/mystery genre was Hanna. Starring in the title role, Saoirse was again completely believable. Though she is tough and plays off of both Cate Blachett and Eric Bana exceedingly well, it was the touching scene with Jessica Barden as Sophie that took me in. The shots were elegant and so quiet that they instantly transported me back to those awkward but beautiful first moments of youthful intimacy.

Finally, a movie I have seen three times now is The Way Back. As Irena, she breathed fresh air into this film. The harsh but beautiful surroundings provided a stark reality to this true story based on the amazing 4,000 journey of men who escaped from a Siberian gulag. With all the dark, dirty men and terrible conditions in the beginning, the entrance of Irena brightened the mood, if only for a bit. A wonderful film for not only the writing but the sheer beauty and remoteness of the shooting locations it is one not to miss.

Bottom Line: Saoirse Ronan is definitely a girl to watch in the upcoming years. With her beauty, keen acting talents, and excellent choices in roles she will be holding Oscar gold before too long.