A Year in Netflix - "Premium Rush"

Let's just jump right into this.

There IS a story amongst all the bicycle riding.  I swear.  A day in the life of a NYC bicycle carrier.  Well, sort of.  A package of great importance must get from one area in New York to another area by 7 P.M.  The bike boy tries his best to maneuver through the mean streets of New York while also trying to stay clear of a dirty cop who wants that package for himself.  That's basically it.

I really had no interest in seeing this movie.  There were really only 2 reasons I put this in my Netflix Queue at all.  Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Michael Shannon.  Good ol' Joe (500 Days of Summer, The Dark Knight Rises, Looper) plays the bike messenger.  And he's good at his job.  Because he loves his job.  He weaves through the city streets like a machine (there are instances where he sees a choice and the outcome before he makes the decision, which leads me to believe he is a robot) and has crazy moves like jumping over gates, hopping on cars, somehow ducking under trucks.  ALL WHILE ON HIS BIKE.  I love Mr. Gordon-Levitt in everything he is in.  Even this.  Yes, it's ridiculous.  Yes, it's silly.  Yes, there is barely a story.  But, damn it, Joe is so watchable.  He is a fantastic actor.  And let's not forget about Michael Shannon.  Michael Shannon!  Fucking Zod!  (Michael Shannon plays Zod in the upcoming Superman movie "Man of Steel")  Words can't even begin to tell you how high I hold this man.  He is AMAZING.  I think it's unforgivable that he was looked over for Best Actor for his role in Take Shelter.  He wasn't even nominated.  For shame, Academy.  He was a powerhouse in that flick.  But this isn't about Take Shelter.  It's about Premium Rush.  And he is really good in this.  He plays the dirty cop who is after the package.  But he isn't a villain, which was surprising to me.  He's just a guy who is in way over his head in gambling debt.  You kind of feel for him at one point.  Well, I certainly did.

I also think David Koepp deserves some credit.  He's the director and one of the writers.  Honestly, going into this flick, I thought to myself, "Ok, David.  WOW me.  You've got a lot of making up to do for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull!"  (I won't go into that here.)  And while this movie isn't great, it is still A LOT of fun.  Not the kind of "fun" Michael Bay thinks he is making with the Transformers movies.  You actually are having a good time watching this movie.  It's mostly told in real time, showing us where everyone is at one point and showing us how they get there.  I wonder if they thought of calling this "Google Maps: the Movie" at one point?  It does play with flashbacks a few times, but only to serve the story.  Feeding us info as we need it.  And the action is very well done.  I've never been more concerned for bike riders and I hate those hipster dicks.

All in all, Premium Rush was a surprisingly enjoyable movie.  A bit silly at times with a bare bones story, but still fun.  B.

A Year in Netflix - "Your Sister's Sister"

Hello, everyone!  Good morning.  Good afternoon.  Good evening.  Depends on when you're reading this, really.  A while back, I posted an entry about movies that motivate me.  It was kind of a review of films and it was one of the most enjoyable things I've written.  The reason being I'm so passionate about films.  It's weird being so passionate about something so silly.  I could talk about films, actors, directors, writers, production companies, composers, and everything in between for days.  Weeks, even.  Does that make me a nerd?  Yes.  A nerd is someone passionate about something.  The reason I say it's weird is because films ultimately don't amount to much.  It's not like being passionate about politics or people struggling in Haiti or something like that.  But I'm getting off topic.  Let's get back on track.

After I wrote that post, I decided to do that more often.  Reviews on films.  It's just so much fun.  I don't know if it's fun to read, but it is certainly fun to write.  So that's what I'm going to do.  Review films.  Now know this, I'm not a critic.  I'm not even a professional writer.  I'm a just a guy who is passionate about films.

Yesterday, I decided to start a project on Facebook.  I have Netflix, instant and DVD in mail, and thought "I should do one of those 'Photo a Day' type things".  But instead of a photo a day, I'll take a picture of my Netflix DVDs.  Every DVD for a year.  Starting today.  Starting with Your Sister's Sister.  And with each picture, I'll write a little review on my blog.  So, here it goes.

Your Sister's Sister is a small movie.  Meaning that there are 3 characters in the entire thing.  But boy, do those 3 people keep your attention.  The plot is fairly simple.  It's been a year since Jack's brother died and he still hasn't really gotten over it.  His life is sort of in shambles.  You don't know the specifics, but it doesn't matter.  You just need to know he's kind of a wreck.  His best friend, Iris, decides the best medicine is for him to get away.  So she sends him to her childhood home on this little island you need to take a ferry to get to.  So he goes.  When he gets there, he finds he's not alone.  Iris' older sister, Hannah, is there.  We learn that she is there because she too needed to get away.  She just got out of a 7 year relationship.  Jack and Hannah drink together that first night and some things happen.  The next morning, Iris comes to surprise Jack with groceries and such and is surprised herself to find Iris there.  Jack decides that keeping the drunken hookup a secret from Iris is the best thing.  What follows is a study on Iris and Hannah's relationship, Iris and Jack's relationship, and all the complications brought on by them.

This could have easily veered into Soap Opera territory.  It's sort of a romantic-comedy-drama with plenty of melodrama, but it never feels like a play caught on film.  Most, if not all, of the credit belongs to the actors.  I am always in awe of Mark Duplass.  He plays Jack.  He's most famous for playing Pete on FX's The League.  But he is also a terrific filmmaker himself.  Not only that, he's also a fantastic actor.  He does the drama so well while also bringing comedy into it effortlessly.  This doesn't get seen on something like The League.  Emily Blunt, who plays Iris, knocks it out of the park.  But seriously, when does she not?  She brought life into the sluggish third act of Looper.  Rosemarie DeWitt also gets huge props from me.  It's amazing how much chemistry Emily and Rosemarie have.  The thing you've got to know is, Rosemarie came on board only a few days prior to filming.  The part of Hannah originally was going to be Rachael Weisz, but she had to bow out due to scheduling conflicts.  The chemistry is never more astonishing than in one particular scene where Emily and Rosemarie are laying in bed and talking.  All in one shot.  It's such a pure moment when Iris is confessing her love for Jack, and the pain Hannah is feeling when she realizes "Shit.  I slept with this guy that my sister loves.  Shit".  And the complications just keep piling up.  It's not a "twist" kind of movie, but there are moments where you go "oh my god."

Admittedly, the third act kind of drags, as with most films, but the first 2 make up for that.  You're invested in these people.  They feel real.  You care about the outcome.  This is a terrific little film that I can't recommend enough.  Seek it out!  Do it.  Especially if you dig emotional comedy/drama between real people.  If not, go watch Battleship.  I feel sorry for you if you do.

Your Sister's Sister: A.