Movies Blog : thrillers, romance

Christopher Nolan movies you've probably never heard of

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 21:14:00 GMT

With the success of Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and the now-in-theaters Inception, Christopher Nolan has become a pretty popular guy. And rightfully so.

However, most folks don't realize that Nolan has been making films for over 10 years.

As a fan of fine cinema, I've been following (wait for it...) Nolan's films ever since seeing Memento for the first time, shortly after its DVD release. And while his previous films didn't enter the public consciousness upon their release, at least compared to the level of his Batman films, they should have. These are amazing films.

So without further ado, I present a brief look, with purposely-ambiguous plot descriptions (i.e. NO-SPOILERS!), at Nolan's non-Batman/non-Inception films.

Following (1998) - Check our catalog

(...EPIC pun! Sorry, back on topic...)

Ambiguous Plot Description: An aspiring writer, obsessed with following strangers on the streets of London, forms a partnership with a burglar, breaking into flats and prying into the personal lives of the tenants.

Nolan's debut, a low-budget 70 minute black-and-white film, definitely hints at the director's future. The interesting thing about Following is the way the story is told...completely out-of-order. Scenes are shown in a completely random order. At first you'll be extremely confused, then less so as you start putting the pieces together. At the end, when all is revealed,...um, wow.

Memento (2000) - Check our catalog

Ambiguous Plot Description: A man, suffering from short-term memory loss, uses notes and tattoos to hunt for the man he thinks killed his wife. Starring Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Joe Pantoliano.

Like Following, Memento is not presented in chronological order...but it makes more sense here, in the context of the story. Amazing, one of my favorite movies.

Insomnia (2002) - Check our catalog

Ambiguous Plot Description: Two Los Angeles homicide detectives are dispatched to an Alaska town where the sun doesn't set to investigate the murder of a local teen. Starring Al Pacino, Robin Williams, & Hilary Swank.

Incredible, occasionally disturbing, performances by Pacino & Williams. Things quickly spiral out of control after [plot point that I won't reveal]...

The Prestige (2006) - Check our catalog

Ambiguous Plot Description: A mysterious story of two magicians whose intense rivalry leads them on a life-long battle for supremacy -- full of obsession, deceit and jealousy with dangerous and deadly consequences. Starring Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, and David Bowie as an amazing Nikola Tesla!

Based on a book of the same name, The Prestige was released between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. Strangely enough, it hit theaters right around the same time as The Illusionist...another film about magicians set during the Victorian Era. On its own, The Prestige is the better film; it also stars Scarlett Johansson, which gives it bonus points in my book.

And there you have it...the Christopher Nolan movies you've probably never heard of. But now you have. Check em out and sound off in the comments below.

More Info

IMDB.com: Find out more about Christopher Nolan on his IMDB page.
Amazon.com: Purchase the movies from Amazon using the Public Library Friends' referral link. All of Nolan's films, except Following, have been released on Blu-ray.
Mementos - The Freshmaker: CollegeHumor's Mentos commercial. In the style of Memento.

"Chuck" is about a nerd that becomes a spy...essentially my life story

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 17:50:00 GMT

In the television show Chuck, Charles "Chuck" Bartowski plays your typical 20-something computer-geek, stuck in a dead-end job at Buy More's Nerd Herd (a less-than-subtle parody of Best Buy's Geek Squad). He lives an uneventful life with his sister Ellie, until one day when he receives an email from his long-lost friend Bryce. Turns out Bryce is a rogue CIA agent, and his email contains an entire government database of top secret info, which embeds itself into Chuck's brain upon viewing.

Both the NSA and CIA want the intelligence returned to them and dispatch agents of their own - Major John Casey and Sarah Walker - to "retrieve" that data. When the original database is destroyed, Chuck has the only copy of that data, so he is forced to become a spy. Chuck's decision to keep his new-found occupation a secret from his family and friends, and to live his life as normally as possible, forces Casey and Walker to establish an uneasy alliance and secret identities (Walker poses as Chuck's girlfriend and takes a cover job at the local restaurant next to the Buy More while Casey gets a job at the Buy More), with the shared goal of protecting Chuck at all costs.

Seeing specific people/things causes Chuck to "flash", subliminally retrieving data about the person/object from the government database in his mind. Chuck uses this ability to help John & Sarah thwart evildoers and save the entire world from impending doom.

Sarah is an incredibly attractive female spy, and as they continue their "fake" relationship Chuck's feelings for her become real. There is lots of romantic tension, often mocked by smart-aleck comments by John (portrayed by Adam Baldwin, of Full Metal Jacket & Firefly/Serentity fame).

This show is brilliant, tied with The Office as my favorite current TV show. The cast is excellent, with real chemistry. The plots, while far-fetched, are extremely well-thought out, always resulting in hilarity and the unexpected. And the emotion evoked by the tension between Chuck & Sarah (not helped by Ellie's constant "I'm so happy you finally found a girlfriend" remarks), his belief that Sarah is way out of his nerd-league, the experiences with his ex-girlfriend (who re-appears in season 2), and his quest for more (a normal life and better job, for starters) creates endearing, genuine characters.

Season 1 was released on DVD & Blu-ray a couple months ago, and season 2 (which is even better than season 1) is currently airing on Monday nights at 7pm on NBC. It's a show you really need to watch in order, so check out the season 1 DVDs, catch up on the previous season 2 episodes at NBC.com, and watch the latest episode every Monday night!

More Information

EVPL Catalog: Check on the availability of Chuck: The Complete First Season on DVD at EVPL libraries.
NBC.com: Official website of Chuck. Find out more about the show, and watch full episodes from season 2!
Amazon: Buy Chuck: The Complete First Season on DVD or Blu-ray using these links, and the Public Library Friends will receive a portion of your purchase!

"Redbelt" not your typical karate movie

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 17:38:00 GMT

Redbelt, written & directed by David Mamet, is not your typical martial arts movie...it has very few action scenes. In fact, calling it a "martial arts movie" is a bit belittling, as it is first and foremost a drama. While it started extremely slowly, I ended up getting drawn in and loving it.

Chiwetel Ejiofor plays Mike Terry, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor barely making ends meet. A series of unfortunate events increase the financial burden on Mike and his wife, Sondra. While Mike is a talented fighter, he refuses to participate in any kind of fighting competitions, as they have commercialized something he deems pure.

While seeking Sondra's brother (who just so happens to be a fight promoter) to ask for another loan, Mike is able to defend actor Chet Frank (well-played by Tim Allen) in a bar fight. The two become friends and Mike is hired on as producer of Chet's latest movie.

The rest of the story involves extremely-surprising twists & turns, which force Mike to enter the ring in competition. I am refraining from detail to avoid any possible spoilers...there are a number of different sub-plots, but the masterful storytelling really shines as things never become convoluted.

The acting is top-notch as well. This film is Chiwetel Ejiofor's first lead performance, and he proves he is more than capable. After seeing him in Dirty Pretty Things, Four Brothers, Serenity (where he plays the most mild-mannered, evil villain I have EVER seen), & Children of Men, I must say that I am a fan of his. Tim Allen does a great job with his first serious role (no Tim "The Toolman" here!), and Emily Mortimer does a great job as a quirky lawyer who becomes entangled in the plot after some odd occurrences.

After seeing some of the forum posts on IMDB (i.e. "worst movie ever", "Garbagebelt", "This movie is PURE CRAP", etc.), I understand that this is a love-it-or-hate-it kind of movie. If you're expecting a brain dead beat-em-up, you will be disappointed with Redbelt. However, if you're able to enjoy slow-paced, thought-provoking movies, I think you will enjoy it. With its story of fighter honor & dignity, similar to the old Kurosawa films, I cannot recommend it highly enough!

More Information

YouTube: Check out the theatrical trailer.
EVPL Catalog: Check the availability of Redbelt at EVPL libraries.
Buy it at Amazon: Purchase your own copy at Amazon using this link to support the Public Library Friends.
Movie info @ IMDB: More info about the movie, including WORST MOVIE EVAH opinions, available at the Internet Movie Database.
Chiwetel Ejiofor @ IMDB: View the biography & filmography of this promising actor.