By Jordan Vetro

3:10 to Yuma

When Dan Evans, a small-time rancher (Christian Bale) realizes he’s going to be thrown off his land, he volunteers to help guard dangerous gang-leader Ben Wade(Russel Crowe) to a prison train for a 200 dollar reward. Dangerous as it might seem, the test is greater than he would imagine, as he is faced with protecting his renegade son, fighting off unpredicted obstacles and dealing with a criminal whose character and code were not expected from someone who seemed so heartless as Ben Wade.
A remake of an western made back in 1957, Yuma brings the classic western style up to date by intensifying both its visuals and its depth.
There are two aspects of this film that really combine to make it as good as it is. First, it pays constant homage to the classic western archetype. In one scene, the two principal characters are hiding behind barrels in front of a saloon, while forty guns are firing on them. I loved that aspect. At the same time, the film seems to challenge the moral code of gunslingers in all of those classic cowboy movies which it is, at the same time, imitating.
The language was somewhat crude and one generally knows what to expect in terms of violence when going to this type of movie, but overall, its morality (which is often directly linked to how different characters feel about Christianity and the Bible) and the message of the film override its crudities.
By the end of the film, the characters, story and reflections of the film make it really excellent, both to satisfy that urge to see a classic wild west film, and the appreciation of well-made films that try to carry a message with their stories.

Across the Universe

Across the Universe tells the story of a Liverpool dock worker named Jude who sets off to America to discover his estranged father, an American soldier who was stationed in Liverpool, but left, never to come back to the woman who fathered his son. When he gets to America he is quickly thrown into the wild, rebellious, Bohemian American lifestyle of the sixties.
Julie Taymor, a director well known for her achievements on stage, presents a film that is beautiful, innovative and intriguing, but there is one element that really makes or breaks a film. The entire film is a musical, completely scored with Beatles music. Some fans came out of the theatre quite unhappy with the presentation of the Fab Four music, but personally, I loved the new innovations on the songs, and the accompanying visuals, which are often shocking and beautiful.
One must be wary, with the down-and-out, rebellious lifestyle of the sixties children come a great many wild rebellious actions that you must be wary of if you are going to see the film. The artistry, though non-explicit, is often sexual, and the ideas of the Bohemians don’t always reflect the morals we must uphold. Personally, I can take such a film with an understanding of its context, but if you cannot, I would encourage you not to go.
The film is beautiful and enriching, this is the tune of many popular reviews. It demonstrates a new type of film that will hopefully rise above the sequels of sequels and shallow teen-comedies that studios are pumping out right now. I appreciate what the film is trying to say, the homage it pays to my favorite music group, and the methods it uses to communicate with its audience.

Superbad

I went to see Superbad under the impression that I was going to see the Bourne Ultimatum. Trust me, based on my own thoughts, I had no inclination to see Superbad. Having seen it, I found it both dissatisfying to my taste and an affront to my decency. Though the film is not explicit, it is stupidly crude. The story line is shallow and its characters are pathetic. The third film from the makers of the 40 Year-Old Virgin and Knocked-Up (neither of which I have seen, neither of which I am inclined to see) Superbad is meant to paint a real picture of students trying to end their high-school term with a bang. Their idea of a bang is going out to buy booze to waste the girls who they want to sleep with. The vulgar plot (which does try to end on a moral foot) is not saved by its humour which is the only thing that can save a movie with such a poor plot. The few sources of comedy come from two cops who are worse criminals that the men they bring in, and a couple of students who are even more stupid than the principal characters.
What really kills me about Superbad is that everyone is painting it as a real-life portrait of students all across the continent. This tells me that students are either much more moronic and pathetic than anyone would ever hope, or that the film has in fact gone lower than real life. As everyone seems to be saying they connect with the characters, the worst is true, and society is doomed, because everyone is as dumb as the guys in Superbad. I urge each and every one of you to try and be the exception. Rise above the masses who somehow found this film funny and moving, and say “this is not me.” Because if it is you that you see in that film, you have a lot of work to do.

Hairspray

If you seen the Phantom of the Opera, Chicago, Rent or Across the Universe, you’ll definitely noticed the return of a genre that’s been dormant for a while now. The musical is coming back. So far, we’ve witnessed powerful musicals that really gear on tugging our heartstrings with powerful singing and stunning visuals. Hairspray isn’t as stunning or powerful as some of its predecessors, and for that it has received some criticism, but I feel that Hairspray represents the musical genre really coming back in full swing. It seems that film producers are not only making the sprawling spectacle musicals but simply good films as well. Hairspray is certainly a good film. It’s a good comedy with very funny characters based on a very successful stage play. Some of the older talents like Christopher Walken, Michelle Pfeifer, and John Travolta (I’m sure you’ve heard all about his part) really deliver great performances, and the younger actors are all fun and play their parts well, especially Nikki Bolansky, an unknown who takes the lead part.
The film also carries a great message with it, it speaks into the sixites mentality that the public should only see the best kept and most approved aspect of society on television, and the fight that some people had to put up to show big businessmen that not only could they break the mold, but that viewers would love it. Touching especially on racism and fake-beauty, the messages are well embedded in a comical and enjoyable film. Overall, worth-seeing, especially for all of you silly musical lovers, and those who really like to walk out of the theater with that uplifted bounce in their step.