Review: Drive

If you happen to have seen a trailer for Drive, you may get the idea that it is an all-out, white-knuckle thrill ride featuring fast cars and non-stop action. If you then happen to go see this movie, excited for said premise, you will be very, very disappointed. This is not an action movie for the masses. However, if you go into it with the idea that you're about to see a smartly made, stylish, indie thriller, you're going to be very, very satisfied.

While the title may insinuate that Drive is all about the cars, there is actually only about two major scenes that feature car chases. The title simply points to the fact that the main character is a stunt car driver by trade. But he just so happens to also be one heck of a getaway driver for hire. I usually don't get into detailed plot descriptions and I won't break with tradition here. However, I will say that one of these heists goes bad. So bad that he becomes the target of a very unstable and insane mobster.

The plot isn't what is important here. This film absolutely exudes style. There are some very interesting camera tricks and techniques in play that make it much different from your average action movie. It also has a really cool 80's style soundtrack that sets a nice atmosphere for the proceedings. The bottom line is that it knows exactly what it wants to be and the result is a style completely its own. That's what I admire most about this movie. It has its own voice.

Let's not forget the acting, though. This movie features a really cool, classic action star performance from Ryan Gosling. Gosling is known for his subtle and detached performances, and this one is in much the same vein. But here he gets to work in a genre that he isn't quite as familiar with. It's a refreshing change from the over-the-top action leads we see so much these days. Gosling's character is no doubt a dude you don't want to mess with, but he's also human- weaknesses and all.

Most of the people in the movie theater that I saw Drive with were obviously disappointed in the lack of explosions and car crashes that it had to offer. Let me give this advice: if you thought the trailer looked awesome, don't rush out to see it yet. You may not be getting what you think you are. But if you're interested in something different and a bit slower paced, definitely check it out.

Review: Contagion

Many times, horror movies involve a premise that is out of the realm of possibility or at least feels that way. Very rarely do we feel like what is happening on screen could happen to us the next day. Contagion, on the other hand, centers around a nightmare scenario that is hard to dismiss as fiction. This makes the film an unnerving and thought-provoking exercise in the thriller mold.

The movie mostly focuses on the doctors and scientists who are trying to trace the origins of a completely unknown and fast-spreading disease that is bringing the world to its knees. This race against the clock is definitely compelling, but the real center of the story involves Matt Damon's character, who quickly loses both his wife (who also happens to be the very first victim of the virus) and his stepson to the disease before he can blink. Stunned and suddenly facing an entirely new and terrifying life, he quarantines himself and his daughter, the only family he has left, in his house, waiting for good news. While that may sound a bit boring, the struggle raging beneath this main character is wholly compelling and smartly told.

There are quite a few different plot lines to be followed in Contagion and they are handled really well. But the overwhelming theme coming from them all is that while a worldwide epidemic spreads fast, panic and fear spread much quicker. Half of the issues stemming from the virus come to pass because of poor judgement and stupidity from the human race. What could of been a somewhat manageable situation is complicated by human emotions and turned into utter chaos.

Damon, as Mitch Emhoff, is really great here. I think one of the best scenes in the movie comes when a doctor is first telling Mitch that his wife has died, this being just hours after believing that she simply had a flu bug. Mitch's first question after the doctor gives him the horrifying news is "well, can I see her?" After the doctor once again explains that she has died, Mitch still holds a blank stare. He asks a few more questions before rushing off to return home to his stepson. There's no collapse in despair. There are no tears at all. Reality isn't fully reaching him. I found that an extremely interesting and refreshing scene that shows how complicated an emotional state Mitch is in, and how chaotic and confusing this new epidemic has become in just hours.

Don't be fooled, Contagion is not an action-packed "thriller" in the classic sense. While terrifying, it is very deliberate and builds tension and dread slowly. But if you give it a chance, you will be treated to a very smart and well acted film that explores a very real and unpredictable menace.

My Favorite Movies: The Shawshank Redemption

There's not a whole lot I can say about this classic that hasn't already been said. But I just can't help but talk about it. It is undeniably one of the best movies ever made.

First of all, let me just say that this movie has probably the best soundtrack ever made. The prison theme at the beginning is so powerful and moving that it's almost exhausting. Just epic, epic stuff. And then of course, the theme at the end of the movie, which is one that even if you haven't seen this movie, you probably have heard. A good soundtrack helps to bring out the emotions of the story, and these songs just perfectly aid the film's tone and atmosphere.

This is also maybe one of the greatest screenplays ever. The plot is so well-structured and the characters so convincingly drawn out that this should be required reading for any screenwriting class. There are tons of characters here that pop in and out of the film at various times, but Shawshank perfectly balances them and gives everyone depth. Even the minor characters.

The goal of (good) movies is to, in the end, say something about human nature or expose something about our daily lives. As you probably know, this is referred to as the theme. Shawshank features themes so powerful and relevant that I'm not sure a film will ever again be able to capture. This movie encapsulates the chaos and disorder that is most of our lives. The bottom line is that nothing that happens in Shawshank prison is fair or even has a reason. But at the end of the day, the dominating message is how powerful hope and friendship are in this world, and how we can escape the sometimes random and unfair happenings of our lives when we are strong-willed and filled with spirit.

To close, let me just say this: if you watch the "Brooks was here" scene and don't feel any moisture welling up behind your eyes, you have no soul my friend. You are an android.

And Now For Something Completely Different...

So I've been really negative about the Royals lately. And there's good reason for that. They are once again buried in last place and don't look like they will be competitive for the rest of the year. Add to that the flurry of bizarre roster moves and embarrassing on-the-field antics, and things are kind of depressing around Royals nation.

However, believe it or not, there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic for the future of this team. Everyone expected the Royals to lose around 100 games this year, so there's no reason to be any less optimistic than last year at this time. In fact, there are a few reasons to be even more optimistic right now. Here are some of those reasons:

• The bullpen. Let's be honest, everyone pretty much expected that our bullpen was going to be terrible this year. Inexperience is the theme, so some struggles should be expected. But what we got instead is the undeniable highlight of this team. What is essentially a group of rookies and Joakim Soria has turned out to be lights out. And the best part is that they're young, and are only going to get better. Do you know how scary that is (for other teams)?
• Danny Duffy. Although he got off to a somewhat shaky start, Duffy continues to get better and better every time he takes the hill. The Royals' starting pitching woes are well documented, so seeing a guy that is going to be a part of the future rotation do well early is really nice. And there's more pitching help on the way. Help that may come as early as next year with Aaron Crow possibly moving to the rotation.
  
• Alcides Escobar. This guy is becoming one of my favorite Royals to watch. Alcides has been wowing with his glove all year, but it wasn't until recently that he started hitting. In fact, since June 1st, he's batting over .300. If Escobar can bat somewhere around .270 and be a steady base stealer, this guy is going to be key in the Royals becoming competitive in the future.
• Young hitters. Eric Hosmer came up and immediately was impressive. He was cruising with a .300 average or better for his first month or so in the big leagues, but he has fallen off lately. However, there is no denying that this guy is going to be a stud. Once he has some time in the majors under his belt and gets a chance to make adjustments, watch out. On the flip side, Mike Moustakas has not looked good for the most part. But once again, he's young and is seeing top-notch pitching for the first time in his life. He's obviously got natural talent and he will definitely get better with experience. And how about Alex Gordon? Once viewed as a bust, all he's done this year is busted out the bat and should of been an All-Star. The Royals are putting together a great young core of hitters, with others such as Johnny Giavotella and Wil Myers on their way as well. This is going to be a scary offense if everything clicks with these young guys.

So Royals fans, try not to be too down during these frustrating days. If you look beyond the horizon just a little bit, there's a hint of something great.

Quick Review: The Tree of Life

Before I start with my thoughts on The Tree of Life, let me set a scene for you: The final screen fades to black. Almost as soon as the words "written and directed by Terrence Malick" appear on the screen, two things happen. An exhausted man behind me in the theater exclaims- "thank God," while about five or six others break out into applause. Immediately following that, audible groans. That perfectly sums up the film- polarizing.

This movie is definitely not for everyone. Anyone who is prone to falling asleep during long movies or needs something exciting happening on screen the majority of the time need not apply. This is a slow, slow movie. This is not necessarily a bad thing of course. It's deliberate and meaningful in it's pacing. The result is a mesmerizing experience, for people willing to indulge it.

Having said that, this is, in my opinion, the most technically stunning movie ever made. Avatar got high praise for being visually amazing, and I agree that James Cameron's magical, made-up world looked pretty great. However, what The Tree of Life does is far more impressive- it magnifies and demonstrates the wonders of OUR world. Sometimes we don't understand how amazing the world around us is every day. This film makes you think about and more fully appreciate these things.

There is an overarching narrative, but the meaning is open for interpretation. It definitely contains very spiritual imagery and themes, but I believe no matter what faith you are a part of, you will find something to grasp on to here. And that's the power of a good piece of art. It can be all things to all people at the same time. It is what you think it is.

If you are willing to give a chance to a movie that is very challenging and unconventional, then I definitely recommend this film. However, if you're just looking for a good time at the theater, your money is best spent elsewhere. Unfortunately, it's already too late for the man who sat behind me at Glenwood Arts Theater on Friday night.

Angry Royal Rant 7/9/11

This likely won't be a long post, but I was just thinking about something today.

It's been well-documented (mostly by me) that the Royals' management have made some awful decisions in 2011. Some of these decisions being ones that have no clear purpose. Watching this is incredibly frustrating as a fan. We have no control over this, and to see our team getting screwed by the people who run it night-after-night can be infuriating.

I believe that whenever the front office makes a move, they should have to be upfront about why they're doing it. They should have to be held accountable by us, the fans, the ones who support them with our money. I'm tired of secrecy. I'm tired of "trust the process." They need to start explaining their bonehead decisions, or else, as far as I'm concerned, all they're doing is throwing everything at the wall and seeing what sticks.

In some bizarre, utopian reality where management has to answer to the fans, here are just some of the questions I'd ask:

• Why add Kyle Davies, a career under-achiever who is 1-7 with an ERA over 7, into one of the already worst rotations in baseball? Give us one more opportunity to lose every week?
• When we're already losing in bunches, why do you continue to play Matt Treanor, an old fart who can't hit a lick, but is supposedly good behind the plate? What is the point of that?
• Why the constant lineup shakeups? Our offense is not the problem. If a player is hitting well in a spot- KEEP HIM THERE.

As always, I'll have more later. But for now, I'm going to go sit by the beach and dream of a world where the Royals aren't run by monkeys.

Angry Royal Rant 6/23/11

Welcome to the my first Angry Royal Rant section of the year. These will likely be coming fast and furious as the Royals' season starts to circle the drain.

If you're my Facebook friend or follow me on Twitter, you know that I'm pretty passionate about the Royals. And along with that, remember that the Royals haven't been to the playoffs since 1985, which was four years before I was born. And since I've been a fan, they've had exactly ONE winning season. They were just four games over .500. So I have every reason to be frustrated, cynical even. And there are definitely times where those attitudes take over. But the bottom line is that I love the Kansas City Royals. When I get mad and criticize them it's only because I want so badly for them to be good and I care so much.

That being said, the Royals now have the #1 farm system in baseball and many predict a bright future is ahead. They have already seen some young players called up who are already making an impact. So there's reason to be optimistic.

But of course, we still have to suffer through the present. And there are plenty of reasons to be angry with the current team. So now, here's the real reason(s) I'm writing this first Angry Royal Rant section:

• Jeff Francouer. Francouer is a seasoned veteran who has always been known for his strong arm. Early in the season, he actually played quite well. He was hitting home runs at a consistent pace and hitting for a good average. Then, the month of June came. Long story short, he now couldn't hit a baseball if he was holding a bat the size of Texas. He's just terrible. He swings at everything, unless it's a good pitch to hit. He lets those go on by. Despite the fact that this guy doesn't belong on our AA team, the Royals throw him out there every day and at a spot in the lineup that is expected to drive in runs. This wouldn't make me quite as angry if we had no one else to play in right field instead. But our minor league system is bursting with major league-ready talent that could immediately be an upgrade. I have a feeling it has something to do with the Royals management respecting a veteran player. But their job is to win games, not make sure a guy's feelings aren't hurt. It's been assumed that we are eventually going to trade this guy. Now, that moment can not come soon enough.

• Ned Yost's dartboard managing style. Yesterday, the Royals' manager Ned Yost shook up the lineup due to the Royals' recent offensive struggles. There's no problem with that concept, but the way he put together the new batting order was ridiculous. The first thing that confuses me is that he moved Alex Gordon from #1 (where he had been thriving) to #5. Gordon has showed he can get on base reliably, which is the lead-off hitter's job. Instead, at #1 Yost put Melky Cabrera. There's not necessarily anything terrible about that, but....why? There's no good reason to do that. It's obvious he's just throwing everything at the wall and seeing what sticks. But he's also ignoring the things that have "stuck" in the past. The other puzzling thing he did was put Billy Butler back at #3, where he was notorious for hitting into double plays. And what did he do in his very first game hitting there? I'll let you take a guess.

There are tons and tons of things I could complain about here, but I'll save some of that for later. The Royals seem to be settling into last place quite nicely.