As discussed in class, here are three short reviews for consideration. Take note of what each accomplishes in a short space: a brief introduction to the movie, and at least one discussion item relating to quality.
For Tuesday, please write your own--on a movie of your chosing--and bring it to class. This will be your first homework assignment.
Samples:
I'd like to take a moment to present three "short reviews" here for easier access, and as models of the typical (and effective) short review. As you can see, these are brisk...but make their points in a short space.
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PARANOID PARK
A Portland, Oregon, skateboarding teen (baby-faced Gabe Nevins) accidentally causes the death of a night watchman and (sort of) grapples with his conscience over it. Gus Van Sant's new film uses cinematographer Christopher Doyle (Rabbit-Proof Fence, Lady in the Water) to capture the vertiginous highs of skateboarding, while incidental music (especially Nino Rota) fills in the dreamy background. I love these strangely beautiful, radical Van Sant films. In zeroing in on these disaffected teens' universe, Van Sant creates a transcendent work of art. –Dennis Durmody
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Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN
"Y Tu Mama Tambien" — the phrase translates from Spanish as "And your mama, too" — is one of those Bildungsroman films that could begin or end with the phrase, "And my life was never the same again." The director, Alfonso Cuarón, works with a quicksilver fluidity, and the movie is fast, funny, unafraid of sexuality and finally devastating. The film, which takes place in Mexico, follows two hormonally consumed teenage boys, Julio (Gael García Bernal) and Tenoch (Diego Luna), whose infantile macho games seem more like baby steps when they meet Luisa (Maribel Verdú), a sad-eyed young woman who is married to Tenoch's older cousin. Tenoch and Julio come on to Luisa by promising her a tour of the wondrous beach called Heaven's Mouth. By the end, Julio and Tenoch are left with their eyes wide open. Those in the audience will have seen something unforgettable, too. — Elvis Mitchell, The New York Times
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21
Odds are you're going to like this lively spin on the true story of six MIT mathletes who broke the Vegas bank in the 1990s. Loosely adapted from Ben Mezrich's best-selling Bringing Down the House, the movie stretches facts like taffy but never shirks its responsibility to entertain. And, jeez, it's a kick to see Kevin Spacey up to his old tricks as the sultan of snark. Spacey plays Mickey Rosa, a math prof who cherry-picks the brainiest students to join his secret club of card counters. They rake it in at blackjack on weekend trips to Vegas. His newest recruit is Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess), an innocent with a knack for numbers to rival Rain Man's. Sturgess does a nifty job as this poor Boston lad, given that he's a Brit best known for starring in Across the Universe. The guy has acting chops and a built-in appeal that keeps us in his corner. It's a good thing, since Ben, who needs $300,000 for tuition at Harvard Medical, does some pretty stupid things to get it, like signing on with Mickey against his better instincts. And with Kate Bosworth slinking around as Jill, one of Mickey's spotters, he's a goner. Director Robert Luketic (Legally Blonde, Monster-in-Law) would like to be Scorsese following the money during the first third of Casino. He's not. But the setup for the sting is irresistible. Ben and the experienced Fisher (Jacob Pitts) do the heavy betting while Jill, Choi (Aaron Yoo) and Kianna (Liza Lapira) do the spotting for hot decks and the appearance of Cole Williams (a glowering Laurence Fishburne), the casino head-basher who steps in — there's no law against card-counting — when the house loses. 21 drags itself to a climax that puts credulity in splints. So what? In a multiplex of dumb-luck hits, it's a kick to watch Spacey and a gifted young cast use smarts to deal audiences a winning hand. --Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
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