Creep

My Grade:  A-

Found footage films are all too common in today’s horror film landscape. It seems like every wanna-be filmmaker starts off with a found footage horror that is supposed to scare the pants off of you. They can’t all be The Blair Witch Project or the Paranormal Activity films, though. It’s not often that something new and interesting is done with this overused horror trope. Creep breaks that cliche mold, though. 

Creep follows Aaron (played by writer/director Patrick Brice) a freelance videographer as he takes a one-day gig in a remote mountain community. His client, Josef (Mark Duplass in a stunning departure from his usual roles) wants to make a video diary of sorts for his unborn son because he is terminally ill and may not live to see the birth of his son. It has all the makings of a quirky, feel-good dramedy but, as you might expect, everything isn’t as it seems. Things get weird, awkward, dark, and down right terrifying. 

The thing about Creep is that it’s not all in when it comes to the horror genre. It plays out more like a slow burn thriller with some decent twists and turns and a top-notch payoff. But it does offer some solid scares along the way. As with any found footage film, the first person point of view is immersive and adds tension by mostly only letting the audience see what Aaron sees. Brice uses this format very well to keep his audience on the edge of their seats. 

This film would be nothing without the outstanding performance by the titular creep:  Mark Duplass. Duplass usually plays the quirky, good looking, goofball friend or the unexpected love interest. He is most well known as Pete in the FX comedy “The League.” That makes his performance in Creep all the more impressive because it’s a far cry from his usual roles. It’s refreshing to see him being, dare I say it... creepy.

The writing is also very good. The dialogue is so natural between Aaron and Josef that I would be willing to bet that a good bit of it is ad-libbed. But, there are so many set-ups and payoffs it’s ridiculous - and very rewarding for the viewer who has paid attention. Things get brought up almost as a joke that foreshadow something later that isn’t so funny. However, the script is surprisingly funny in that awkward comedy kind of way.

The biggest issue I have with Creep is that we learn very little about our videographer Aaron. Other than a few anecdotes about his life, there isn’t much of a character there. So, when he is in danger, I don’t worry as much as I should for him. Simply putting me in his shoes by showing me everything through his camera lens doesn’t make me root for him any more. I root for him because I’ve seen enough movies to know I’m supposed to, not because I know enough about him to empathize with him or really care about his well-being.

Overall, Creep is a stand out in the over-populated found footage genre. It’s even a stand out in the horror/thriller genre due to strong writing, natural dialogue, a solid build up of intensity, and (most of all) a stellar performance from Mark Duplass. This film just hit Netflix so I would highly recommend adding it to your list. Its taut 82 minute run time flies by and is well worth a watch. 

A Walk Among The Tombstones

My Grade:  B

Liam Neeson is in his 60s and is one of the biggest action stars right now. That’s weird. But, while his Taken franchise lived on well past its prime and is thankfully over, Neeson made other action movies in which he basically played Bryan Mills (his character from Taken) but in different settings. That has gotten tiresome for me so I’m glad A Walk Among The Tombstones isn’t just another run-of-the-mill action flick. In fact, it’s not really an action flick at all. 

A Walk Among the Tombstones follows Matthew Scudder, an unlicensed private investigator with some inner demons who tries to find the people that kidnapped and murdered a drug kingpin’s wife. And these people that committed this heinous crime are some of the more twisted and evil baddies I have seen in recent thrillers. This is just a nasty, gritty, ruthless thriller which Neeson is able to elevate above its many cliches and plot problems. Without Neeson’s surprisingly strong performance as Scudder, this film would almost be a total mess.

The plot isn’t anything to write home about as it is full of genre cliches but it does offer a few solid twists and turns - not as many as it should for this type of film, but a few. The bigger issue, though, is that the supporting characters are horrendously underdeveloped. The only reason I care that these bad guys are brought to justice is because of how evil they are... not because I care about this drug kingpin’s wife (or the other victims for that matter). This film is chock full of bad people that get victimized by even worse people. That doesn’t make me care too much for their tough predicaments. 

The one supporting character we do care for is the young, homeless, wanna-be detective that Scudder reluctantly takes under his wing:  TJ (a very strong turn from newcomer Brian “Astro” Bradley). He is the most well-developed and interesting supporting character but he doesn’t really add much to the overall story which is honestly a shame. The chemistry between Scudder and TJ creates some of the best scenes in the film and TJ gives a glimmer of brightness in this overwhelmingly dark film. 

Overall, A Walk Among The Tombstones is a decent enough thriller which allows Neeson to do some real acting (which is a nice change of pace for him). We still get to see him threaten bad guys over the phone which is always fun, but he gets to do more than just beat the daylights out of people. This isn’t a film you’ll remember for years to come but it’s solid - albeit dark and grimy - entertainment and is worth a watch if you’re in the mood for a thriller with an old-school feel.

John Wick

My Grade:  A-

Keanu Reeves is not a good actor. There’s no hiding that. Seven of his thirty award nominations come from the Razzies and most of the rest are from the MTV Movie Awards. But, if you put him in the right role, he’s great. It turns out that the titular ex-hitman in the recent action flick John Wick is the right role. It’s a wonderful return to the genre for the guy whose best movie is probably the 1999 Science Fiction hit The Matrix. 

If you read the brief description of the plot of John Wick, you may think it sounds silly. A guy’s wife passes away but gives him one last gift:  an adorable little beagle puppy. And yes, it is very adorable. When he is filling up at a gas station one day, he happens to run into some ruthless Russian mobsters who like his Boss Mustang. They want to buy it from him but he won’t sell it. The younger Russian mobster doesn’t like being told “no” so he breaks into John’s place, steals the keys, and kills the puppy. This sends John Wick into revenge mode and the rest is history... graphically violent and intense history.

The action scenes are well choreographed and to-the-point which is nice. Also they are very brutal. There are a lot of one-shot kills which make them nice and succinct without a lot of those silly, long drawn out hand to hand fights that some action movies hang their hats on. These people have guns, so they use them. Also, it would be interesting to tally up a body count because it’s a ridiculous number. 

The biggest issue I have with this movie is that it doesn’t fully explore the most unique part of its premise. At one point, John stays at a place called The Continental which is essentially a hotel/safe haven for assassins. Everything operates on these mysterious gold coins (which don’t get fully explained) and it is against the rules to “do business” (kill people) on hotel grounds. If you do, in fact, do any business there, you will have to face consequences from “management.” This is a fun and unique idea but it barely gets delved into. Maybe there will be a sequel which will explore it more fully.

The other strong point is the stylish way in which John Wick is shot. It’s hard to put into words other than to say it just looks cool. Most of the film is basked in muted blue tones and the slick camera work helps move the action along while mesmerizing the audience. It’s good work from cinematographer Jonathan Sela who is no stranger to the action genre having shot Max Payne, A Good Day To Die Hard, and others. It’s also a solid directorial debut from highly experienced Stunt Coordinator (now turned director) Chad Stahelski.

Overall, John Wick is a solid entry into the annals of modern action flicks but isn’t one to make you think too much. It’s a great role for Keanu Reeves and features a few unique, fresh twists on the genre. It’s worth checking out in Redbox.

The Imitation Game

Written by Clam Sepulveda

(Note:  Clam's thoughts on the film do not necessarily reflect Nolan's thoughts on the film)

Clams' Grade:  A

Let me say that this is the strangest love story I have seen in a while. At first, on the outside, this film is about WWII and the breaking of the Nazi Enigma code. But the subtext goes far beyond the straight up history books we read in school. Now, I am not saying that subtext is a bad thing - seeing that this is based on a true story, I actually feel a little more informed, surprised and knowledgeable about history. Benedict Cumberbatch jumps from fire breathing dragon into a character with multiple layers and does it with great talent. Being the kind of reviewer that does not do a great deal of research into the plot of a movie - never reading another reviewers paragraphs and paragraphs of plot spoilers - I was pleasantly surprised that this movie was not completely what I expected. The Imitation Game should definitely be on the list for any movie lover this year.

About the Author

Clam writes for The Outlook, a local paper in Newton, NC. He is an actor live theater, film, and television and has been reviewing movies for nearly fifteen years. Some day he hopes to get his big break, and maybe make it to Broadway. Please feel free to e-mail you questions or comments to him HERE.

Taken 3

Written by Clam Sepulveda

(Note:  Clam's thoughts on the film do not necessarily reflect Nolan's views on the film)

Clam's Grade:  B-

I hate to see the day when people in film run out of ideas for amazing and impossible stunts for people to do. Even though it is common knowledge that Liam Neeson is actual superhuman in life - give the poor guy a break. But seriously, don't we all wish we had a dad like him? It is really hard to say much about this action film, we all know what we are getting into with a Liam Neeson movie - he has a specific set of skills and he is going to use them. Sure, the film in entertaining - a wonderful escape from reality, but it's not the greatest action movie ever. The only reason to view this in a theater is the fact that the sound really makes the experience (as opposed to my tiny TV and little speakers). So, if you love action films, crazy stunts and Liam Neeson using his set of skills amazingly, as always - then let me at least suggest a matinee.

About the Author

Clam writes for The Outlook, a local paper in Newton, NC. He is an actor in live theater, film, and television and has been reviewing movies for nearly fifteen years. Some day he hopes to get his big break, and maybe make it to Broadway. Please feel free to e-mail you questions or comments to him HERE.

Filth

My Grade:  C+

As the title suggests, Filth is a filthy movie. It’s not as filthy as The Wolf of Wall Street but, then again, no film is... not that I’ve seen anyway. But Filth was adapted from a novel of the same title by Irvine Welsh. You may recognize that name from the brutal but captivating, drug-addled dark comedy Trainspotting. I enjoyed that film and I am a big fan of James McAvoy (X-Men:  First Class, Wanted, and more) who stars in Filth, so I checked it out. Unfortunately, it isn’t as enthralling as Trainspotting, but it features a tour-de-force performance from McAvoy.

McAvoy stars as a highly corrupt cop (no doubt a sociopath) who will stop at nothing to one-up his fellow detectives to beat them out for a promotion. And when I say “stop at nothing,” I really mean it. Nothing is off the table. He dabbles in drugs, prostitutes, extra-marital affairs, pornography, and more to systematically destroy his competition. Unfortunately for him, he has some deep-seated emotional issues and might even hallucinate some things. He’s not ever really sure what’s real and what’s hallucination. The ending, however, delivers a pretty solid (albeit pretty messed up) twist that you probably won’t see coming.

As a film, it’s tough to watch but, as a character study, it’s intriguing and it’s visually quite compelling. The editing and cinematography capture that drug-fueled psychosis that the protagonist is plagued by and almost makes us feel like we are hallucinating with him. They do a good job of trapping you in the filth with the characters. None of the characters are worth empathizing with, though, making it not quite worth the trouble. If it weren’t for James McAvoy and his stunning performance, this would not be a very watchable film.

If you’re a McAvoy fan and you can handle the filth you’ll encounter, then check out this film. But, as a word of advice, maybe turn on the subtitles (like I did) because the strong Scottish accents can make the characters hard to understand. 

Gone Girl

My Grade:  A

David Fincher is one of my favorite directors. I have enjoyed most of his filmography except for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Also, Fight Club and The Social Network are a couple of my all time favorites. I guess I need to see Panic Room as it’s the only one I haven’t seen.

Anyway, let’s get to his most recent offering:  Gone Girl. I was wary of this one because of some of the casting choices. I have never been a fan of Ben Affleck as an actor. Even  in the movies he’s in that I like, I never really liked him in them. I love him as a director, though! Then there’s Tyler Perry. I couldn’t believe Perry found himself in a David Fincher film. I was borderline upset because I have seen snippets of Madea movies and that actor doesn’t deserve to work with a master such as Fincher. Well, thankfully, both of these men proved me wrong.

Gone Girl is adapted from a highly acclaimed novel which I have not read, so every twist and turn hit me fresh. And oh what a twisting and turning journey it is. It is about Nick Dunne (Affleck) who becomes the focus of a media circus when his wife (Rosamund Pike) goes missing. He enlists the help of cocky, high profile defense attorney, Tanner Bolt (Tyler Perry) to help him work through this trying situation. He also has his twin sister (Carrie Coon) for moral support. Then, other stuff happens which I can’t talk about without spoiling anything.

This is simply a great piece of dark, moody filmmaking that sprints through its 149 minute run time and leaves you guessing until the very end. It’s a taut thriller of the highest order crafted by the deft hand of a director at the top of his game. He owes a lot of the storytelling success to the writer of the novel and screenplay, Gillian Flynn. This is her first screenwriting credit and it’s impressive. The dialogue is sharp and witty with bits of dark humor thrown in at just the right times and I can’t think of a single scene that goes on too long or seems unnecessary.

The acting is also superb and, I never thought I would write this sentence:  I loved Tyler Perry in this film. Wow. I can’t believe I wrote that, but it’s true. He was perfectly cast and absolutely kills it as Tanner Bolt. Ben Affleck even impressed me. His role doesn’t actually require a lot of emotion for most of the film but he brings a vulnerability to Dunne that is necessary so we can empathize with him even though it seems he may have murdered his wife. The standout, though, is Rosamund Pike. There’s nothing to say about her performance as Amy Dunne other than it’s brilliant. She will scare you and make you feel for her, then scare you again, then make you hate her. All in a single scene. It’s powerful stuff.

The only casting issue is Neil Patrick Harris as Amy’s ex, Desi. He plays a rich boy with attachment issues and is supposed to be creepy. But, he’s still Neil Patrick Harris. It’s not his fault that I laughed when he appeared on screen. He plays his part very well. But he’s still Neil Patrick Harris. Unfortunately, he is simply too charismatic for this role and probably shouldn’t have been cast in it.

Finally, I would be remiss to not mention the haunting score that inches its way under your skin by capturing the sick mood of every last frame. Trent Reznor (with Atticus Ross) has worked with Fincher on other films like The Social Network and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and they are a match made in movie heaven. Nobody else could capture the mood of Fincher’s films like Reznor. My friend wrote on Twitter that “no two people were ever made for each other like Fincher and Reznor.” I agree completely.

Overall, Gone Girl certainly lives up to the huge hype. That doesn’t happen very often but, when it does, it’s magical. This film will also make you question some things about marriage and relationships but won’t tell you what to think. That deeper aspect makes it an even better piece of filmmaking that will go down as one of the best movies of the modern era.

Buried

My Grade:  A

I like watching unique movies. I don’t always enjoy the actual movie, but it’s nice to see something that isn’t like every other movie out there. Buried is one of those flicks that is different and probably shouldn’t be that good. But it is. It’s very good. And it proves Ryan Reynolds has some solid acting chops beyond sarcastic comedy.

Buried tells the story of Paul, a U.S. truck driver working in Iraq. We pick up his story after he has been attacked by insurgents and he wakes up buried alive in a coffin with a lighter, a cell phone and only a few other items. Then, the whole film is his race against the clock to escape his deadly claustrophobic predicament. 

Yes, the entire film is 95 minutes of Ryan Reynolds in a coffin talking to people on the phone. There is one other scene that takes place outside of the coffin but we only see it how Paul sees it:  on his cell phone. We stay in the coffin with Paul for the entire film and it is mesmerizing. For that, we have Reynolds to thank because he is captivating as he gets progressively desperate. 

While the situation is probably not very realistic, it feels very real. And, by keeping us in the coffin with Paul, the director (Rodrigo Cortes) makes us feel every ounce of desperation Paul feels. He also packs on the severity of the situation. As if being buried alive wasn’t enough, add in a snake, sand pouring into the coffin, suffocation, and more. Amping up the intensity with every minute makes this a top-notch thriller.

Finally, the last 10 minutes or so of this film might be the most tense final moments of any film I have ever seen. You really have to see it to get the full effect. You’ve heard of people being “on the edge of their seat” during movies. Well, I was literally on the edge of my seat and let out an audible gasp at the end. Buried draws you in and never lets you go.

Overall, this film is engrossing even though it seems like it shouldn’t be. You wouldn’t think that spending 95 minutes with a guy in a coffin would make a very good film... but when that guy is Ryan Reynolds, the director is Rodrigo Cortes, and the writer is Chris Sparling... it makes a very good film. So, if you can find a copy of Buried somewhere (I’m not sure if it’s on Netlfix) then do yourself a favor and watch it.

The Equalizer

My Grade:  B

I love Training Day. It’s one of my favorites and I can watch it over and over. With that being said, I was pumped to see that Denzel Washington was reteaming with his Training Day director (Antoine Fuqua) for the new action-thriller, The Equalizer. And, I must say, I got exactly what I expected in the theater which is good and bad.

There’s just something about Denzel Washington dispensing his own brand of justice which makes me giddy. And The Equalizer allows him to do just that by the wheelbarrow-full. I use that image instead of “boatload” or something else because his character, Bob, works in a Lowes that is renamed “Home Mart.” Bob is a good dude with a past that he clearly wants to put himself far away from.  He can’t, though, once he befriends a young hooker (a strange but solid turn from Chloe Grace Moretz) who gets mistreated (the understatement of the century) by her Russian pimp. Bob’s idea is “if you can do something, you should.” Well, he can. And he does… in a ridiculously violent and not entirely plausible fashion.

While it is an absolute blast watching Denzel dish out unique kills in well shot and edited fight scenes, I wish he struggled a little bit more. The odds are stacked so highly against him that it borders on silly that he doesn’t get hurt more than he does. It’s almost too easy, yet it still kept me on the edge of my seat. I think that’s because Fuqua doesn’t go for the standard guns-blazing shootout style fight scenes. He opts for a slower, one-kill-at-a-time, tension rich style of action which is not great for my nail biting because he succeeds in amping up the tension.

You would think that a movie like this would make the runtime fly by. Unfortunately, it doesn’t. The final hour or so goes by in a flash, but the beginning is strangely paced. There are a lot of lulls and exposition rich moments that are a bit too drawn out. If the flick were fifteen or twenty minutes shorter, I think it would have been a tighter, more evenly paced thriller.

The biggest surprise in The Equalizer is how effective the main villain is. He is terrifying! After Bob wipes out the main hub of the Russian mafia in Boston, the big boss from Moscow sends Teddy. Teddy is the guy that fixes problems. He’s a cunning, highly skilled sociopath with a penchant for extreme violence. Marton Csokas (Teddy) is no stranger to the big screen but isn’t widely known. I’d be willing to bet that after this terrifying turn opposite Denzel, he will be a good bit more attention. He ranks up there with some of the best villains I have seen at the movies recently and the first scene in which he meets Denzel’s character is the best written scene in the movie.

Overall, The Equalizer is stylish and a thrill to watch. The action is unique but the characters aren’t anything to write home about and the runtime should be a bit shorter to fix some slight pacing issues. Boasting strong performances from its leads, though, The Equalizer is a fun trip to the movies and delivers exactly what it is supposed to deliver. And it leaves room to become a franchise which is something Denzel deserves because, let’s face it, if Liam Neeson has one, Denzel should.

13 Sins

My Grade:  B-

I am a sucker for a film with a unique premise. That is something that 13 Sins certainly offers. How it does with that premise is iffy, but it is still an intriguing premise. 

A guy gets a seemingly random phone call offering him 1000 dollars to kill a fly that is buzzing around in his car. That’s easy enough, so he does it and the money is immediately transferred into his account. He is then offered more money to eat the fly he just killed. He finds it strange, but does it and more money is magically added to his account. Then he is offered the chance to continue playing this game for more money. There will be thirteen challenges, two of which he has already completed, and he will be a very rich man if he completes all of them. He is responsible for taking care of his mentally challenged brother and is engaged with a baby on the way... and he just lost his job. So he accepts. Little does he know, though, the challenges will get progressively harder and more immoral. 

As you can imagine, things get worse as he becomes a wanted man for some of the things he has done; however, if he stops the game at any point, he loses all the money he accumulated thus far. The mysterious voice on the phone also offers a clean slate if/when he completes all the challenges. Needless to say, the stakes are very high.

I love the premise of this film. It’s the reason I rented it. I am not a fan, however, of how the film executes its strong premise. It has a nice twist at the end but never answers the questions I want answered. I want to know about the people that run the game and how they find out all of this personal information about you. How are they watching you? Why are they doing this? These are things that would, if explained, make the film much more believable and effective. By the end, I was thinking about how impossible it would be for something like this to happen which took me out of the story. And, this film is listed as a horror film in Redbox and it is considerably less scary since it is entirely unbelievable. 

The genre issue I just mentioned is something else that is uneven in 13 Sins. It has elements of horror, action, drama, and even dark comedy. It makes it hard to classify for my site, but it gives the film a unique feel. It’s sort of like David Fincher’s Se7en in that aspect but the genre mashup really works here in 13 Sins. I feel the action elements worked the best, though. Daniel Stamm (director of The Last Exorcism) handles the action sequences and horror elements particularly well but I feel he falls down a bit on the dramatic exposition scenes. Those are few and far between, though, so it’s not a huge issue.

The big story here, though, is the little known but very experienced Mark Webber as the protagonist. He owns the screen and doesn’t let anyone steal scenes from him. His performance showed many levels of emotion and he even showed off some skills in a decent fight scene in a police station. His character is also the only really well developed character in the film. His story is a bit cliche but at least he has a story unlike most of the other characters.

Overall, 13 Sins is good but not great. It could have been great with a little more genre focus and more well developed secondary characters. It also suffers from a lack of a real villain. The voice on the phone who seems to runs the game is the villain; but, since we never see him, it’s hard to consider him a huge threat. The unique premise and solid cinematography, however, keep this film afloat and it turns out to be a lot of fun to watch. I am also glad it has a message underneath the surface:  for enough money, anyone can be turned into a monster. It doesn’t just tell us that point, though, it challenges that idea and lets the audience decide for themselves. 

Now You See Me

My Grade:  A-

In a summer of remakes, sequels, and Tyler Perry movies... finally, an original film that isn’t based off a book, another film, or a board game. And it has a stellar cast to boot?! Of course I had to see it! And I must admit that I was a little let down, but it’s easy to not live up to expectations when they are as high as mine were for Now You See Me.

Twists and turns abound in this heist thriller. But what sets this film apart is the magic. These magicians do the heists through their adept use of the dark art of magic... or so they say. Really they just use slight of hand tactics to perpetuate their crime spree. Complicating the matter further, however, is the fact that they don’t keep any of the money that they steal. They give it all away! Therein lies the thing that is supposed to make the audience (the audiences in the film but also the audience watching the movie) like the Four Horsemen as they’re called. While these actors are all highly charismatic, especially the smooth talking Jesse Eisenberg, the characters they portray aren’t quite paper thin... but close. So it’s easy to like them because of strong casting choices, not great writing.

The film, like its lead characters, tries to perform its own slight of hand by throwing twist after twist at us. We are gradually revealed the reasoning behind their seemingly random crime spree and it’s a believable avenue that these magicians might take. It’s not very believable, though, who’s behind it all and for whom they are working. No spoilers here, but I almost felt like the big reveal would only work if I didn’t second guess it at all but my fiance and I came up with a handful of holes in it just on the ride home.

So, the major twist could have been better but the other little twists are done very well and then are aptly explained in such a way that the audience has a collective “oh I see” moment. It’s just disappointing when the buildup is so good then the climactic twist ending isn’t.  Oh, well... they tried.

Apart from those issues, this is a highly entertaining film. You have to let it do what it’s supposed to do... namely take you for a magical, high octane ride without much questioning. But if you do that, you will thoroughly enjoy the film. It’s at least worth it to see the stellar cast put their charisma and strong personalities on display while working very well together.

Overall, the characters are a bit thin and some of the twists are too unbelievable even for a movie about magicians, but it’s an entertaining two hour thrill ride. It’s also a refreshing change of pace since four of the top five movies in the country are sequels (Iron Man 3, The Hangover III, Fast & Furious 6, Star Trek Into Darkness) and the sixth is based off a book which has now been brought to life twice in film. So, instead of seeing Will and Jaden Smith preach to you about Scientology in After Earth, go see Now You See Me.

Oldboy (2003)

My Grade:  A

Sex and violence seem to intersect on a regular basis in film... probably because sex sells and violence usually implies action which also sells.  In Chan-wook Park's 2003 violent thriller, Oldboy, sex and violence are at the heart of it.  Oldboy is based on a Japanese Manga (comic book) written by Garon Tsuchiya and illustrated by Nobuaki Minegishi.  It also has an American remake in the works to be directed by Spike Lee.

A regular guy named Oh Dae-su (Min-sik Choi) gets kidnapped and imprisoned on his daughter's birthday for seemingly no reason.  While in captivity he learns a lot of random facts from TV, learns how to fight by practicing punches and kicks against the wall, and slowly works toward escaping by scraping away at the walls with a chopstick.  After fifteen long years, however, he gets released for seemingly no reason.  He makes it his mission to find the people that kidnapped him and kill them for what they did to him and the things he learned in prison will prove very valuable.

As his past becomes more clear to him and he begins to uncover the truth about his captors, he finds out a lot of things he doesn't want to know.  He also realizes that someone has gone through a lot of trouble to manipulate him and seek revenge for something he did a long time ago.  Then, the actual truth is something that he, nor an audience could have seen coming.

Oldboy keeps you engaged for its entire two hours and will keep you guessing until the very end.  That is a testament to the strong writing.  If nothing else, this story is unique.  At first, it is a little hard to buy into because it's not clear as to why someone would imprison a man for no reason.  As the layers unfold, though, you will move to the metaphoric edge of your seat and never scoot back.  It's engrossing.

What helps this film be so captivating is the outstanding performances by its award-winning leads Min-sik Choi (Dae-su) and Hye-jeong Kang (Mi-do).  Min-sik Choi is especially good, having to show an incredible range and intensity throughout the film.  He actually won Best Actor at the Asia-Pacific Film Festival in 2004 for his performance in Oldboy.  

The cinematography by Chung-hoon Chung is also stunning.  Chung's camera expertly captures the grittiness of the world that Dae-su has to navigate and enhances the brutality of the narrative when necessary.  There are also some surprisingly gorgeous scenes that give a much needed break from the dirt and grime.  Two particular shots stick out as being especially good.  First, there's a long shot of Dae-su pleading with his captors from the slat through which they feed him while in prison (also a great moment in Min-sik Choi's performance).  The more impressive shot, though, is a fight scene that lasts about three minutes (that's just a guess about the time, it could be longer) and involves Dae-su versus at least twenty others in a hallway.  The camera pans back and forth as the fight takes place and never cuts until Dae-su has successfully finished off his attackers.  Epic.

Overall, Oldboy is a wonderfully done foreign film.  But, being a foreign film, it may not be for everyone.  It is done very artfully but very differently from much of American cinema.  Also, the brutal violence, disturbing nature of the plot, and nudity makes the film a little harder to watch than some films but is certainly worth checking out if you are into the thriller genre or foreign films in general.

Zero Dark Thirty

My Grade:  A

It might be hard, but forget all the controversy and debate circling Zero Dark Thirty and it’s still easy to see why it has garnered positive reviews, box office success, and award season buzz. Kathryn Bigelow has been directing little known shorts and features since the late 70s but she really burst into the public eye when she became the first woman to win the highly sought after Best Director Oscar in 2010 for The Hurt Locker. Zero Dark Thirty, her second foray into the portrayal of war in the middle east, solidifies her as a force... in that genre. If her next film branches out of the middle east (which I really hope it does), then we will see if she just has a niche, or if she can handle various kinds of subject matter. Whether she can handle other subject matter or not, though, Zero Dark Thirty is just short of a masterpiece. 

Everyone knows that Zero Dark Thirty is about the epic, lengthy manhunt for the most hated terrorist in recent history:  Osama Bin Laden. It follows Maya (a stoic but intense Jessica Chastain), a CIA operative, and her colleagues as they gather intelligence and risk their lives to take down the big bad Bin Laden. What it’s really about, though, is obsession. It’s a look at a woman who takes on a goal and is so driven to get it done that it almost drives her insane. On second thought, Maya travels far beyond mere obsession.

It’s clear that a lot of research went into making this movie and, whether it’s realistic or not, it certainly feels realistic which is ultimately all that matters to the audience. Nobody knows what really happened when S.E.A.L. Team 6 raided Bin Laden’s stronghold and I don’t think we need to know exactly... but the way Kathryn Bigelow brings it to the screen is possibly the most tense 20 or so minutes that you will experience in a film. “Gripping” and “riveting” are good words to describe the raid scene, but the entire film will keep you on the metaphoric edge of your seat. Nail biters, beware, because this film won’t help if you’re trying to stop.

Jessica Chastain kills it in Zero Dark Thirty. She doesn’t show a ton of emotion throughout the film, but that works for her character and when she does... holy crap, it’s chilling. Especially in a key scene where she gets in her boss’s (Kyle Chandler) face, she will take your breath away. The other standout is Jason Clarke who plays Dan and is called an “animal” by a terrorist captive. That’s a pretty apt description of him at first, until he gets burnt out, but he has some extremely intense scenes and plays with with a detached calm that makes him even more menacing.

In this kind of film, it can be hard to keep tensions high because everyone pretty much knows how it ends (unless you think Bigelow will rewrite history like Tarantino did with Inglorious Basterds), but Zero Dark Thirty does a great job of keeping the stakes high, building up to an intense climax, then closing with a very satisfying, albeit abrupt, ending. The only reason I can’t give this film an A+ is because it’s so heavy that I wouldn’t want to watch it over and over. When the film was over at my screening, the entire audience left in complete silence. That has some to do with the final image (which is perfect, but heavy), and a lot to do with the nature of the film itself. It’s great to watch once, but I’m not sure a lot of people will want to watch it over and over.

Skyfall

My Grade:  A

It’s time to break out the vodka martinis (or Vesper) because Bond is back! Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Revolutionary Road) directs the 23rd installment in the franchise an even 50 years (that’s half a century, folks) after Sean Connery brought the suave super spy to life on the big screen in the Terence Young directed Dr. No. Skyfall is the third film starring Daniel Craig as the familiar MI6 agent but he is the 6th leading man to embody this iconic operative in his 50 year big screen life (during which he has aged considerably well).

Skyfall opens with Bond in the midst of a dangerous mission in which he is pursuing a bad guy to retrieve some list that is briefly mentioned. Obviously you find out more about this list later, but you don’t need to know about it yet. You just need to bask in the adrenaline rush of the foot chase, car chase, fistfight, and subsequent SHOCKER of a twist right before Adele serenades us into a trippy, yet beautiful, credit sequence that certainly doesn’t disappoint. This wild opening sets the stage very well for the action packed and gorgeous film that is to follow.

I could talk about the plot, but I want to spare you the spoilers, so I won’t. What I will mention is why this is quite possibly the best Bond film ever made. The plot has a little to do with it because it is a taut, well-crafted thriller when it doesn’t even have to be. People want to see Skyfall because they like Bond... or they are middle aged women who want to see Daniel Craig shirtless. The plot ultimately doesn’t matter as long as it has enough style to give it a distinctly Bond flavor. The problem I had with Quantum of Solace (2008) is that I didn’t taste much Bond in there. It could’ve been any action star in that film. Skyfall, though, is a return to what is distinctly Bond:  fancy locations, well-pressed suits, classically beautiful cars, martinis, and (of course) relationships with women that get physically intimate at an unbelievable rate. Oh yea, and there’s a considerable amount of international espionage.

Another thing that is required in a Bond film is a visual style which Sam Mendes brings in buckets. One very noticeable stylistic trick is the use of a lot of silhouettes. Mendes backlights his main characters with various things including fire, a spotlight from a helicopter, and even a big digital video of jellyfish... and it’s awesome. Some may argue that it gets played out with how often he uses this visual tactic, but I love it. And I’m sure the actors love it because it makes them look bada**.

Ultimately, this film wouldn’t be any better than the twenty-two before it, but it resurrects Bond as a character in that we finally get some backstory on him and he actually has some weaknesses (you know, other than those for fast women and Vesper martinis). Seeing Bond’s vulnerability allows us to connect with him more and even have some sympathy for him. It makes him more human.

Finally, I would be remiss to not mention Javier Bardem (the scary-as-hell bad guy in No Country For Old Men) as former MI6 operative turned villain, Silva. He is awesome! He reminds me of Heath Ledger’s Joker from The Dark Knight. He isn’t quite as good, but he’s close. The way he carries himself, his laugh, how he interacts with his thugs, and his general presence is very Joker-esque but he won’t make you laugh like the Joker does. He is certainly quirky enough to be memorable, though, and it helps that he is brutally violent, highly intelligent, and has a propensity for the use of explosives.

In case you haven’t read this article and just skipped to the end, I’ll sum it up for you:  Skyfall is good so you should see it. And I want to leave you with an interesting fact that I read in an article by John Petkovic from “The Plain Dealer” in Ohio:  Skyfall marks the first ever Bond film in which he actually drinks a beer... Heineken to be exact (a product placement that is rumored to have been worth 45 million dollars). Crazy, right?

Argo

My Grade:  A

Have you ever seen Gone Baby Gone or The Town?  If you have, then you are probably like me and have become a Ben Affleck fan... as a director.  I’m still not convinced he’s a strong actor, though.  But he can certainly make a strong film as is evident in his newest film Argo which is ripe with Oscar buzz.

The story is what makes this film such a standout.  Yes, the actual historical story it’s based on is downright wild (a radical exfiltration of American embassy employees from revolutionary Iran involving a fake movie), but it takes some knowhow to tell it in such a way that keeps you guessing and biting your nails for two hours.  And Affleck has that knowhow.  Before watching this film, you may be familiar with the “declassified true story” that Argo is based on and know how it ended in real life... but Affleck makes you question the possibility of a happy ending up until the last possible moment.

One criticism that Argo has faced is in its representation of Iranians.  This is a valid criticism because Affleck doesn’t portray Iranians in a very positive light in Argo.  Most of them are violent revolutionaries that care for Americans as much as Americans care for cockroaches.  There are a few shreds of light in the dark bounds of Argo’s portrayal of Iranians, though.  These shreds come in the form of housekeepers at the Canadian Ambassador's house (that’s where the American embassy workers hide out).  These Iranian women are kind hearted people... but they are still housekeepers.  I’m personally okay with how Argo makes Iranians look; not because I hate Iranians, but because the historical event dramatized in Argo doesn’t shine a positive light on Iranians... so why should the film?

The problems I have with the film are Ben Affleck’s acting and the character development pretty much across the board.  Ben Affleck isn’t bad but isn’t good.  He’s good enough which doesn’t surprise me, but I want more!  The character development, though, is not even good enough.  Tony Mendez (Affleck) has a lot to deal with in trying to exfiltrate the “houseguests” as the embassy workers were called.  But, on top of that, he has an estranged wife and a son... if a film is going to superficially tug on my heartstrings, be at least a little creative about it, please.  His family doesn’t affect the story one bit.  They just seem to have been added in there in a feeble attempt to raise the emotional stakes.  I understand that Mendez may have had an estranged wife and son in real life, but this is BASED ON A TRUE STORY, not an actual true story.  Filmmakers are allowed to take some liberties.  Beyond that, we learn very little about the houseguests.  We want them to make it out of Iran alive because they are in a bad situation, not because we actually know enough about them to care for them.  They are what we call two-dimensional.

I would be remiss to not mention how absolutely hilarious some parts of this film are.  Alan Arkin and John Goodman steal the film with their knee-slappingly funny turns as the film people Mendez uses to make his film seem real enough to use it as part of the exfiltration plan.  Also, the shots at Hollywood that Argo takes in its Hollywood scenes are unashamedly honest.

Overall, Argo succeeds because of its intensity and fantastic pacing that keeps you on the edge of your seat (to use the old cliche) until the very end.  But it balances that intensity with hilarious Hollywood schtick and a thought-provoking look at the idea of unsung heros.  While the character development is rather weak, it isn’t unbearable and we end up not caring since we are so caught up in the story.  Get used to hearing about Argo as Oscar season quickly approaches.  Best picture?  Maybe...

Seven Psychopaths

My Grade:  A-

According to IMDB.com, Seven Psychopaths is about “a struggling screenwriter [who] inadvertently becomes entangled in the Los Angeles criminal underworld after his oddball friends kidnap a gangster’s beloved Shih Tzu.”  How could I not want to see that?!  Especially when the cast is so great... Colin Farrell, Christopher Walken, Woody Harrelson, and more!  Needless to say, I had high hopes for this one.  It didn’t quite live up to them, but it was pretty darn close.

The writer/director of this film the guy that won an Oscar for one of my favorite short films ever (“Six Shooter”), Martin McDonagh.  He went on to write and direct the quirky hitman film In Bruges which got him a nomination for Best Original Screenplay.  What sets his films apart is a razor sharp, darkly comedic wit that will make you laugh at the things you probably shouldn’t be laughing at.  Seven Psychopaths is no different.  What’s even better in this film, though, is that he uses the screenplay within the screenplay that Marty (Colin Farrell) is writing to comment on the movie itself.  One of these moments is when Hans is reading Marty’s script.  He mentions how weak the female characters are and that they either die really quickly or are obviously about to die.  That’s exactly how Seven Psychopaths is.  So it’s hard to tell if McDonagh meant for his female characters to weak, or he just noticed that they are so he threw that jab in there... brilliant, witty Englishman.

This film, witty as it may be, takes a while to get going.  Until I really got to know the characters and realized what was going on between Marty’s script and the movie, I thought the film was iffy at best.  Once I got into the middle of it all, though, I realized how smart this film truly is.  I really don’t want to ruin the plot or anything as some of the characters aren’t really who you might think they are, so I am going to move on from the plot; however, it is very engaging and takes some chances to comment on the action genre as a whole as it goes.

What really makes this film stand out is Woody Harrelson’s performance as Charlie.  Charlie is the psychopath (I forget which number) that gets his dog stolen.  He is your stereotypical gangster in that he has a slew of henchmen and is brutally set on his goal.  His goal, however, sets him apart from any stereotypes:  getting his dog back.  It’s a great paradox that this tough, brutal guy is tough and brutal because of his childlike love for his cute little puppy.  He also has a handful of other quirks that make him quite the memorable bad guy.  I could write all day about the great acting in this film, but I’m not going to (you’re welcome).  I do have to mention an epic monologue by Sam Rockwell, though.  Billy (Rockwell), Marty, and Hans (Walken) are all sitting around a fire in the desert one night talking about Marty’s script.  Billy starts to describe the epic ending he has written for Marty’s movie which features a shootout in a cemetery.  You have to see this thing to believe it.  He is so into it as he tells it and the movie flashes between him telling it and it actually happening... it’s a brilliant segment of the film.

Overall, it’s almost unfair how sharp and witty Seven Psychopaths is.  “It has layers” as Hans says in the film (and the trailers).  It does take a little bit to get into the story and realize what McDonagh is doing to your mind, but it works.  It kinda makes you like these guys... even though they’re psychopaths (which is mentioned a number of times in the film).

The Bourne Legacy

My Grade:  B-

Jason Bourne is back for The Bourne Legacy.  Hold up, actually he’s not.  Let me start over...

Aaron Cross is back for The Bourne Legacy.  That doesn’t sound right.  So, is Aaron Cross supposed to be Bourne’s legacy?  But Jason Bourne didn’t die at the end of The Bourne Ultimatum.  So how could he leave behind a legacy?  The strange thing is that I don’t actually miss Jason Bourne in this film because Jeremy Renner’s Aaron Cross is fantastic.  I do, however, miss Paul Greengrass (the director of the original Bourne trilogy) because Legacy, directed by Tony Gilroy (a writer on the original Bourne trilogy), is far inferior to the Greengrass directed films.

The main problem is that the premise is sort of sci-fi in nature.  The government has apparently been engineering stronger humans with a medicine that is never really explained.  Aaron Cross is one of these super-humans, if you will.  But the organization that has created these genetically superior humans now wants to destroy them all, and Aaron Cross decides to fight back.  It’s a bit more complicated than that, but that’s pretty much the gist of it.

One reason why the first three Bourne films were so good is that they were quasi-believable.  Yes, Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) did some things and got out of some situations that he probably shouldn’t have been able to do or get out of; but at least we were able to believe it because he hadn’t been genetically altered.  He was just highly trained and possibly brainwashed.  He didn’t have some sort of magic medicine that made him practically a superhero.

The other reason the first three Bourne films were so good, is that they focused on Jason Bourne and his identity crisis.  He spent most of those three films trying to figure out who he was and that is something that brings the story home for us emotionally.  On the surface, we see the chases and brutally epic fight scenes but then we really connect with Jason Bourne’s search for his true identity.  In Legacy, Aaron Cross’s main emotional objective is to stay super-human because he wasn’t very smart before he started in the program.  That seems a lot more selfish than trying to discover who you really are.

It’s not all bad, though, because (as I mentioned before) the Bourne films are packed with surface thrills.  Very good surface thrills that keep you on the edge of your seat.  This one is no different except for the fact that it doesn’t have as many fights, chases, shootouts, etc.  That was disappointing to me because the fights and chases are epic so I wanted more of them.  Legacy brings on a new Director of Photography (Robert Elswit) who has also worked on the other two features Tony Gilroy has directed (Michael Clayton, and Duplicity).  Elswit also shot MI4:  Ghost Protocol, The Town, Salt, and others... all of which have some very tight shootouts/fight scenes.  He is very good and he certainly doesn’t disappoint in Legacy. 

I would be remiss to not mention the final chase scene in Legacy.  It is pretty much epic.  Too long?  Probably.  But amazingly shot and edited?  Definitely.  Having done some editing myself, I am very amazed at how the final chase scene looks because there have to be over 600 cuts in about 15 minutes or so (just a guess).  AND I am impressed with Tony Gilroy’s ability to create something that complicated and make it look as good as it does in Legacy.

Also, the acting is very good all around.  I already mentioned Jeremy Renner being fantastic, but Legacy brings back some familiar faces from earlier Bourne films but also adds the beautiful and talented Rachel Wisz (Definitely Maybe, The Lovely Bones) and powerhouse Edward Norton.  Norton mostly stays in the office in Legacy, but his character holds some major power and Norton wields it with wonderful authoritative acting.  He owns the screen in his scenes just like his character owns the any room he is in.

Overall, The Bourne Legacy is lacking in a number of things including number of fight scenes, emotional depth, Paul Greengrass, and Jason Bourne.  Seeing as how the end of Legacy just screams, “We’re making a sequel,” I really hope that Matt Damon comes back with Jeremy Renner; Tony Gilroy steps back into only the role of writer; and Paul Greengrass takes back the directorial reins.  We will ‘cross’ our fingers (get it... like Aaron Cross... okay, I’m done).

Drive

My Grade:  A-

In a Hollywood full of car chases and shootouts, you might think Drive is just another film in the long line of mindless action films.  It's not, though.  Nicolas Winding Refn (who also directed the beautifully strange Bronson) directed Drive in 2011.  It is written by Hossein Amini (Killshot, Snow White and the Huntsman) and is based on a book by James Sallis.  The only Oscar it was nominated for was for Best Sound Editing but it picked up 42 wins in various festivals and ceremonies around the world.

Drive follows a mechanic (Ryan Gosling) who moonlights as a Hollywood stunt driver... and a wheelman.  For those of you who don't know, a "wheelman" is just a fancy term for getaway driver.  Throughout the film people call this mechanic various things including "The Kid" and "The Driver" but never his real name.

The Driver befriends his beautiful neighbor Irene (Carey Mulligan) and her son.  When Irene's husband, Standard (Oscar Issac), gets out of jail, though, he endangers the family because of some bad blood with local criminals.  In order to protect Irene and her son, The Driver agrees to help Standard pull a job to settle his debt.  The job goes horribly wrong, though, and The Driver must navigate the LA criminal underworld in order to save Irene and her son as well as himself. 

Drive is different from most films you will see; especially films about heists, car chases, and the criminal underworld.  Just hearing the story of this film may lead you to believe that it's an action packed thrill ride with explosions, revenge, double crossing, high speed chases, violence, etc.  And there is some of that but it's a much more surreal experience than you might think.  Refn is very deliberate with the filmic elements he uses (slow motion, lighting, cinematography, etc.) as if he wants you to know it's a film.  Most films these days try and be realistic... not Drive.  It almost over uses slow motion, involves such brutal violence that it's borderline appalling, and seems to focus more on mood/look rather than story or entertainment.

Another notable thing about Drive is how little The Driver actually speaks.  This is our main character and he barely says anything to anyone.  When he does speak, though, it is very deliberate (like the filmmaking itself) and to the point.  We also barely know anything about him.  It's amazing how much we care about him, though, despite having hardly any background information about him.  I think he gains our respect because he has a code that he doesn't budge on and because he is willing to risk his own life for a woman and her son that he barely knows.

You might be thinking to yourself, "If Ryan Gosling barely speaks in the film, it must be an easy role to play."  If you're thinking that, you're wrong.  It actually makes the role more of a challenge because what most actors portray through dialogue, Gosling has to show purely through body language and subtle expressions.  And when his character does show emotion, it is so visceral and intense that it shows how good Gosling really is.

Overall, Drive is one of the best films of 2011 but is not for everyone.  While it's extremely well-done from a filmmaking point of view, some may consider it too slow for their tastes - especially if they come into it expecting an action film.  The brutally graphic violence may also turn some off to this film, but every detail is taken care of and the look of the film is stunning.  Add the strong acting of Gosling, Mulligan, and their support (most notably a wonderfully dark turn from Albert Brooks) and you have a breathtaking film experience.

Infernal Affairs

My Grade:  B

Ever heard of a film called The Departed?  You probably have, seeing as how it was directed by one of the all-time greats, Martin Scorsese, and it won the Oscar for Best Picture in 2007 (along with 3 other Oscars).  Have you ever heard of a film called Infernal Affairs, though?  It is the 2002 Chinese crime thriller directed by Wai-keung Lau and Alan Mak that The Departed is based on.  It stands to reason that The Departed is as good as it is because of strong source material, right?

Infernal Affairs uses a simple but very interesting premise:  a mole for the mob in the police department squares off against a cop that goes undercover in the mob... each of them is supposed to find the other one.  That's all you really need to know about the film's story.  It's pretty basic.  The mob plans to sell some cocaine to some Thai people and the cops are trying to take down the mob.  But the real story is about the mole for the mob trying to figure out who the undercover cop is and the undercover cop trying to find out who the mob's mole in the police department is.

You'll have to watch it to find out what happens.  You may think that you already know what happens because you've seen The Departed... but you'd be wrong.  Infernal Affairs is slightly different and certainly worth the watch.

Some people can't deal with having to read subtitles for an entire film.  But, if you can get past that, Infernal Affairs is a good watch.  It is almost impossible to review this film without comparing it to The Departed (especially since The Departed is one of my favorite films ever) but, taking it on its own, Infernal Affairs is a very good film.  It's stylishly directed with cool shots, great editing, and a story that is refreshingly simple but unique.  There are many films about a dirty cop or an undercover cop... but seldom do you see them together or see them hunt each other.  It's good, tense stuff.

Having seen The Departed first, Infernal Affairs seems like a less fleshed out version of The Departed.  It's actually the opposite, though... The Departed is really a more fleshed out version of Infernal Affairs.  And "more fleshed out" refers to almost everything in the film; especially the characters.  The characters in Infernal Affairs are rather weak.  I didn't empathize with them or really get to know them like I hoped to.  Also, the very beginning of the story makes very large jumps in time that make the film start off very unevenly.  It works itself out, though, and becomes a well-paced thriller.

Limitless

My Grade:  B-

What would happen if you could use all of your brain's power rather than the 20 or so percent that you normally use?  That is the question Neil Burger's 2011 adaptation of Alan Glynn's novel ("The Dark Fields"), Limitless, addresses.  While Limitless didn't win any Oscars or anything, Burger is no slouch.  His first feature, Interview With The Assassin (2002), picked up awards at the Avignon Film Festival and the Woodstock Film Festival.  Also, despite only having a handful of features under his directorial belt, Limitless is not the first time Burger worked with A-list talent.  His 2006 film, The Illusionist, features Edward Norton, Jessica Biel and Paul Giamatti while his 2008 film, The Lucky Ones, features Rachel McAdams and Tim Robbins.

Limitless, like so many other films, is about a struggling writer - Eddie (Bradley Cooper).  Not only does he have a deadline quickly approaching with no manuscript; but, also, his girlfriend (Abbie Cornish) just dumped him.  With his world collapsing around him, he runs into his ex-wife's brother, Vernon (Johnny Whitworth) who also happens to be a drug dealer that has a new drug called NZT-48.  Eddie reluctantly decides to try the drug and, as promised, it allows him to use his entire brain capacity and he pumps out a good portion of his current manuscript with ease.  He is hooked. Like any drug, though, it becomes addictive which isn’t a problem at first. Eddie is on top of his game and living the good life... until he starts losing track of time and finds out he may have even murdered someone during that lost time. As things spin more and more out of control, he must struggle to keep his hold on life and maybe even struggle for his life. 

Limitless is a mixed bag.  The premise is intriguing, but taking Eddie into the stock market with his miracle drug is kind of boring.  Eddie could've done anything he wanted to on the drug.  His choice of making millions in the stock market is an okay choice, but it leads to another big problem.  The jargon associated with mergers, stocks, business acquisitions, etc. is all very technical and not easy to understand for those that aren't part of that world.  That makes the film hard to follow at times for people that don't have an intricate knowledge of things that go on in the billion dollar areas of corporations.  So, while the dialogue is probably very realistic, it's hard to relate to for the majority of the audience that just wants to get caught up in the fun premise.

The thing that really stands out in this film, though, is the cinematography.  It is simply incredible to watch.  Jo Willems is the Director of Photography and some of the shots he gets are breathtaking.  There are a number of shots that look like the camera is zooming through the city going in and out of car windows and everything... without cutting!  It's magical.  Also, the look of the film while Eddie is on NZT-48 is more vibrant than the rest of the film.  It almost makes you feel like you are on a drug while you're watching it.  It captures the idea of the drug perfectly.  The amazing editing by Tracy Adams and Naomi Geraghty helps add to the overall stunning look of the film.

This film also marks one of the first feature films in which Bradley Cooper is the main lead.  He was noticed big time in The Hangover but he was part of an ensemble cast.  While he was by no means a no-name actor during Limitless, this film proves that his performance can hold up a film.  His charisma and charm make this film work.  Also, if you can hold your own on screen with Robert DeNiro, you've got it going on.  Bradley Cooper does.