The Snobs Think It's Good To Be Up In The Air

Brandon: It's kind of embarrassing to be reviewing this movie so long after it has been out of the theater, after awards season, and long into its DVD career. But, now that we've finally had a chance to check out the much-hyped flick, we just had to tell the world how much we loved Up In The Air!

Jenni: Agreed. Sure, just about any movie with gorgeous George Clooney in it is going to get my support - heck, I'll even forgive him for Leatherheads. But, beyond his awesome looks and incredible performance, this was a good movie all-around.

Brandon: As professional amateur movie critics, we're sadly way behind the times in keeping up with what's out there. Now that we're finally able to get caught up on some of the movies that received Academy Award nominations (this one received 6 different Oscar nods), so far this has been my favorite film that was nominated for best movie 2009.

Jenni: The plot was engaging, the characters were all endearing in their own ways, and, although we totally should have seen it coming sooner, the ending was even somewhat surprising. Overall, it was a great viewing experience, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this one to my friends.

Brandon: Agreed. The Snobs heartily support George Clooney and this great film. And with that, the Snobs are out. Peace!

You can watch the trailer for Up In The Air here.

Fantastic Mr. Fox Is Quite Fantastic

Brandon: Among movie snobs, the topic of "Wes Anderson movies" often inspires heated debate. As a filmmaker, his movies inspire a very strong love/hate reaction in viewers. In a couple of our past posts, I've mentioned how much I enjoy Wes Anderson movies. I love the way he frames a scene, his excellent use of music and wardrobe to set a tone, and his world of quirky, yet completely sincere characters. I think he's a great storyteller.

Jenni: I'll agree with you to a point. Sure, I enjoyed The Royal Tenenbaums, I loved The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, but then with The Darjeeling Limited I found myself realizing something a little unpleasant - I had seen that movie before. In fact, I realized that all of Wes Anderson's movies are pretty much the same plot and storyline, just set in different exotic locales. All of his movies have these selfish, entitled characters that struggle relating to each other until some tragedy strikes the group, which then brings the characters together and recognizing their dependence on each other.

Brandon: You speak the truth, and I feel sadly disillusioned. Oh, how the great have fallen in my eyes!

Jenni: Don't let my words take away from the movie of the week, though. Sure, I went into Fantastic Mr. Fox expecting the worst, but I came away completely surprised. Yes, the movie actually follows the same plot of all of Wes Anderson's other movies, but the stop-motion animation was fascinating! I really think that if Wes Anderson were to continue making his future movies in this same manner, I would totally forgive him for being stuck in such a storytelling rut.

Brandon: Yes, Anderson found redemption in my eyes too. Just as I pointed out all of the reasons that I loved Wes Anderson movies before, his stop-motion animation employed in this movie only served to emphasize all of his movie-making strengths. This movie was whimsical and funny and brilliant. I absolutely loved this flick.

Jenni: So even if you're a life-long Wes Anderson hater, you should give this movie a chance. With that, the snobs are out. Peace!

You can watch the Fantastic Mr. Fox trailer here.

The Snobs Take a Trip In the Hot Tub Time Machine

Brandon: Is it possible that the Snobs are actually going to review a movie that's still in theaters? Let's face it, the Big Screen Snobs have been Small Screen Spectators for most (all) of this semester. But, yes, the hype is real. Jenni and Brandon pooled their cash for a babysitter, and treated themselves to a night out on the town!

Jenni: You really are a ladies' man, Brandon, and you know just how to treat me right. Buy me a fancy spaghetti dinner and take me out to see Hot Tub Time Machine, and you've won this girls' heart forever!

Brandon: Yeah, I'm pretty awesome, and this flick was bound to score me some good husband points. Does this movie even need any introduction more than what we've given it already? If you've seen any of the trailers for Hot Tub Time Machine, you already know what this movie's about, and pretty much exactly what happens in the movie. And, if you've been living under a rock for the last 3 weeks and haven't seen any of the millions of commercials that they've been playing on all of the TV networks, the title alone should clue you in to what this movie's about.

Jenni: Yup. This review pretty much writes itself. Hot Tub Time Machine focuses on the exploits of 4 friends who jump into a hot tub in 2010, but walk out in 1986. From there the hilarity ensues. If that sounds funny or entertaining to you, then this movie is right up your alley. If it sounds stupid and lame to you, then you're better off avoiding this movie.

Brandon: Exactly right. This movie was exactly what I was led to believe that it would be, and it lived up to my expectations. There were no surprises, no sappy stories of redemption, and no real moral to be learned. This movie is just goofy fun, and it doesn't try to do anything more than that. For that, I give my conditional endorsement. If this sounds like a movie you'd enjoy, I'm sure you'll like it. If it doesn't sound like fun to you, then you'll hate it.

Jenni: I loved this movie! It was hilarious, infinitely quotable ("Get out of my way, stool!" and "Have you been watching Red Dawn again?" are just a few of the many gems to be found inside), and it had plenty of goofy 80's references to keep the elderly crowd pointing and giggling. I'm telling all my friends to check this one out. And with that, the Snobs are out. Peace!

You can watch the red band trailer here.

The Snobs Take a Gander at Moon

Brandon: Sam Rockwell is one of my favorite actors. He has a knack for picking rolls that feature characters that have a complexity of personality and emotion, and as an actor, he conveys the depths of these characters awesomely. I've been a fan of his ever since he played the double-crossing bad guy in the Charlie's Angels movie, and his acting prowess blew me away in Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. The man is incredible, and I was so excited to finally check out his latest cinematic masterpiece, Moon.



Jenni: I'm getting a little jealous over here. Although I also approve of Sam Rockwell as an acting professional, you're kind of gushing about the guy. Do I detect a hint of a man-crush?



Brandon: Never you fret, Jenni, my love. For although my admiration of Sam Rockwell and his superb acting abilities knows no bounds, you are my one and only. But from an objective male point-of-view, how could you not love that man?!



Jenni: Moving on....as I mentioned, I was also excited to see this movie. Other legitimate movie critics had given mostly positive reviews of this futuristic sci-fi flick, which features a very minimalist cast. In Moon, the story follows Sam Rockwell's character, astronaut Sam Bell, who is finishing up his three year tour of duty on a remote moon mining station where he is the lone process supervisor. The three years of solitude with only his trusty computer companion, GERTY (voiced superbly by Kevin Spacey), for company has started to take its toll on Sam, and, after a freak accident during a routine maneuver in one of the lunar rovers, Sam finds himself questioning his own identity, as well as whether he truly is alone on the moon.



Brandon: What a great story concept! The other critics we had listened to had promised a bit of a mystery to unravel, and I know I was excited to find out what was really going on. I suppose my hopes were a little too high for this movie. Not to beat a dead horse, but Sam Rockwell did deliver on the acting front. His portrayal of a man that may or may not be going insane is great. No, the acting wasn't the problem here, it was just my expectations of something more to this film.



Jenni: We're in agreement there. The film was done well, and I would still recommend it to anyone wanting a decent sci-fi flick, but I would hesitate to play up the suspense of the film. Sure, there is a bit of a mystery to the film, but it's pretty easy to figure out what's going on fairly early in the movie. No, the suspense in the film comes after the big "reveal", and you worry about how Sam's going to deal with the revealed truth. It was still a good flick, but it just wasn't the mystery film that I was promised.



Brandon: You summed things up very nicely there. So, go check out Moon, and enjoy it for the great job that Sam Rockwell does. It's worth it just for that! And with that, the snobs are out. Peace!



You can watch the trailer for Moon here.

Brandon's Top Five Movie Favorites

Brandon: It's going to be tough following up Jenni's top 5 list - especially since she stole a few of my favorite movies for her list. However, I think I can throw together a pretty decent list of my own. So, without further ado, here's five awesome movies that I can recommend without hesitation to anyone.



Number 1 on my list is American Beauty. This is one of the first movies that I remember being specifically mesmerized by the actors in the film. Kevin Spacey won an Academy Award for his portrayal of an everyday-kind-of-guy going through a mid-life crisis while lusting after his teenage daughter's best friend. It's the kind of character that most people would find repulsive in real life, but he becomes a fascinating character on a journey of self-discovery in this film. Sam Mendes was a largely unknown director before this film, but when this film won the Best Picture Oscar in 1999, it put him on the map. It's a brilliant film.




My number 2 movie is Wes Anderson's The Royal Tenenbaums. I fell in love with this movie about a dysfunctional family dealing with growing apart as they grow up. The ensemble cast is top-notch, and each of the quirky characters are given enough screen time for us to come to know and love each of them by the end of the film. You truly do come to care about these people as they all learn to confront some uncomfortable truths about themselves.



The Lord of the Rings trilogy holds a place of honor on this list. I grew up a Star Wars nerd, and I'm still a huge fan of sci-fi and fantasy flicks. However, it's hard to find representative movies of those genres that don't suck in some way or another. Star Wars had the terrible prequels, Star Trek movies are only good half of the time, and fantasy movies are typically made for younger audiences. Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy blows away all of those other movies, and they appeal to a wider audience than even the books could have. These movies had great special effects, believable acting from grown men playing Hobbits and wizards, and a great epic story.


Number 4 on my list is Donnie Darko. I had no idea what I was getting into the first time I saw this movie. Donnie Darko defies conventional genre labels, as I've heard it referred to as a sci-fi movie, a horror movie, and a dark comedy all from different sources. I think all of those descriptions work, since this movie takes the viewer through time and space in its exploration of the strange events surrounding a teenage boy and his terrifying dreams. It's surreal in context, but rooted in an almost-conventional coming-of-age story. If nothing else, it'll keep you watching just so you can try and figure out what the heck's going on.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind finishes up my list. Yet again, I've chosen a movie with a non-linear storyline, and with a plot that defies tradition and physics. However, this love story about a boy and girl falling in and out of love left me re-examining my own relationships, and wondering how life would be if I were to just erase unpleasant memories from my life. The movie's great, and the deep conversations that it inspires after the credits roll are totally fun too!

Thus ends Brandon's top five! The snobs are out. Peace!

Click on any of the movie posters to see the trailers.

Jenni's Top Five Movies

Jenni: Being such movie snobs, Brandon and I often get asked, "Well what movies do you actually like?" So, Brandon and I got to talking this weekend about our top five favorite movies of all time, and we decided to share our lists. This week we'll look at my picks for awesomest movies ever, and next week we'll see if Brandon can top my list without copying any of my goodness.

I'll even begin with my number 1 favorite movie of all time: Forrest Gump. Following the extraordinary life of the lead character, this movie has a little something for everyone - drama, humor, love, action - and you leave feeling totally satisfied. What a fantastic movie!

My number 2 pick is a little less conventional. Kill Bill (both Volumes 1 and 2) is often overshadowed by some of Quentin Tarantino's other great movies, but for me, this is definitely his best! It's a pure Kung-Fu action flick from start to end, though there's definitely a lot of heart at the end. Splitting the epic saga into two separate films was a tough decision for the filmmaker, but it was a choice that ultimately served to make the movie better. There are some tonal differences between volumes 1 and 2, but it's all part of The Bride's journey, and it helps us, as the audience, sympathize with her struggles even better.

Number 3 is a movie that most people probably haven't seen because it didn't have a large theatrical release. The Reader deals with some very adult and controversial subject matter, but it's protagonist, as played by Kate Winslet, leads such a tragic life that you become completely engrossed in her story. Winslet absolutely earned her Academy Award for her performance in this film, and I recommend it to anyone who's willing to brave the R rating to see.

My number 4 pick is a little unconventional for this kind of list, but I've got to give my support to The Matrix. This sci-fi action flick will break your brain as you try to figure out just "What is the Matrix?", but you'll love the ride as your blown away by one of the sharpest action flicks ever made. The special effects seem almost commonplace now, since they're used in just about any movie or TV show made these days, but that's because this movie totally changed action sequences and how they're made. This movie changed the industry! And, if you ignore the two lackluster sequels, this movie can still stand on its own as one of the best action flicks ever.

Finally, number 5 on my list of greatest movies ever is Babel. Again, this movie wasn't a huge blockbuster when it was originally released, and I can see how its theme of miscommunication in every human relationship can be a hard-sell to the general movie-going public. However, stellar performances by all of the actors and a very harrowing plot will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout.

And those are my 5 favorite movies that I can recommend to anyone looking for a great movie. With that, the snobs are out. Peace!

You can view the trailers for any of these movies by clicking on their movie poster.

The Snobs Are Feeling Big Love

Brandon: We were bad this weekend. Instead of watching a movie to review like we should, Jenni and I decided to have a Big Love marathon and get caught up on Season 4 that's been piling up in our DVR.

Jenni: Yes, we were bad, but it just felt so right! Big Love might not be a "big screen" production per se, but, hey, it's not TV, it's HBO! And I've got to say, after some of the duds that we've sat through over the last few weeks, I was ready for something that was almost guaranteed to be a great viewing experience.

Brandon: I'm with you. We've been following the exploits of Bill (Bill Paxton) and his harem of wives as they struggle to be a big, happy polygamist family in a monogamist world ever since Season 1. It was great to finally get caught up on all of the drama in their lives this season now that Bill is running for public office, and his many wives struggle to find their own identities in both the public world as well as in their family at home. It's such a simple, yet quirky premise, but it's by far the most entertaining thing on TV these days.

Jenni: It's true, we both love the Big Love, and this season was mostly great. Sure, there were some oddly out-of-place episodes this season (the episode in Mexico when Bill and family go all Rambo on a polygamist compound seemed really out of character), but for the most part all of the characters had plenty of screen time in which to grow and explore their characters. Heck, this season I went from thinking of Margie (Ginnifer Goodwin) as my favorite sister-wife, to rooting for Nicolette (Chloe Sevigny).

Brandon: Me too, and I never thought that would happen! And if you're a Utah native, you're going to love the Hollywood version of Utah. Everything from state liquor laws, basements in houses, and of course the omnipresent influence of the Mormon church in daily life is a continual source of drama. Yes, Big Love comes with the Snobs' resounding seal of approval. With that, the Snobs are out. Peace!

You can visit the Big Love homepage here.

The Snobs' Case Against The Informant!

Brandon: I've always had a special place in my heart for Steven Soderbergh films. He has a real knack for filming fast-paced dialogue. Although it's just a couple of actors talking, he's able to capture it in such a way as to emphasize multiple layers of meaning, build tension in the scene, and bring out the humor of the situation brilliantly. That's why I was so excited to finally see his latest film come to DVD - The Informant!

Jenni: I've also been a fan of Soderbergh's films over the years. Although he's had a few less-than-awesome movies released with his name above them (I'm looking at you, horrible Oceans 11 sequels), for the most part, his movies win critical acclaim, and box office dollars (I'm looking at you, original Oceans 11 remake and Traffic). The various trailers for The Informant! made it seem like this would be another awesome and hilarious Soderbergh hit. But, oh, how wrong we were....

Brandon: The Informant! stars Matt Damon as Mark Whitacre, the government's star witness in a price-fixing lawsuit against a global business giant. The trailers imply that this film will have all of the fast-paced dialogue and quirky characters that we've come to love and expect from Soderbergh. And, in that regard, we got what we expected. Matt Damon does a great job as a goofy undercover informant who thinks of himself as a super-spy. However, I wasn't prepared for the many layers of corporate intrigue that seemed to weight this movie down. It was two hours of talk about kickbacks, embezzlement, and courtroom politics.

Jenni: I suppose we should have known this wasn't going to be a drama about robbing casinos or the dark world of drug trafficking, but I wasn't at all expecting a procedural drama about how to build a government lawsuit. I agree that Matt Damon was great as the starry-eyed super-spy wannabe, but his amusing performance wasn't enough to keep me interested in what was going on. In fact, while I cared about his character at the beginning of the film and wanted to see how he was going to bring down the corporate baddies, by end of the film I just wanted him to get what was coming to him. Anything to make this movie end.

Brandon: I think you summed things up pretty well there. For all of those Matt Damon fans out there, you'll enjoy his performance in The Informant! But for everyone else that wants to see a comedy, or a drama, or any movie where anything remotely interesting happens, you'll want to rent Oceans 11 or Traffic instead, and skip The Informant! And with that, the snobs are out. Peace!

You can watch the trailer for The Informant! here.

Extract Left a Bad Taste In Our Mouths

Brandon: I'm a big fan of Mike Judge's work over the years. Beavis and Butthead were controversial and hilarious when they first came out, King of the Hill was always under-appreciated while it was on TV, and Office Space is one of the funniest cult comedies of all time. When Extract came to DVD, I was certain we were in for a treat!

Jenni: Judge's writing has always been his strongest talent, and he's an expert when it comes to capturing the humor and heart found in conversations with everyday people. Extract introduces us to Joel Reynolds (Jason Bateman), the owner of a flavoring extract factory, who is struggling to cope with his potentially unfaithful wife, his own infatuation with his cute new employee (Mila Kunis), and the rest of his employees that are trying to take advantage of him. A plot like this should have been comedy gold for Judge.

Brandon: Yes, it should have been. In fact, the plot of Extract so closely resembles that of Office Space (as seen from management's point-of-view) it should have been an easy home run. What with a factory full of disgruntled employees, stoner best friends, idiot gigolos, and annoying neighbors, how could this not be an absolutely amusing movie? I'm still so confused as to how this turned into one of the most boring and humorless films I've seen in a long time.

Jenni: It broke my heart too. I mentioned how Mike Judge is a consistently incredible writer, and it seems like many of the jokes in the movie were probably very funny on paper. Something just didn't translate well when it went from script to film. Personally, I blame the acting. Jason Bateman's bumbling shtick was funny enough when he was on Arrested Development, but it's getting old in everything else that he does. I didn't like his character, and I hated how he got such a **SPOILER ALERT** happy ending when his actions were often just as deplorable as those of the rest of the characters. He was an inattentive, career-driven clod, so it's no wonder why his wife was so unaffectionate.

Brandon: I'm not such a Jason Bateman-hater. Sure, we've seen him play this character before, but it still seemed appropriate for the part. I am a Ben Affleck-hater though, and his character definitely could have gone. His "hilarious" stoner cameo was lame and pointless. But my dislike for Ben Affleck runs deep, so I can't attribute my hatred of this movie just to his presence in the film. No, I have to turn the focus back on Mike Judge. Although I applaud him as a writer, I really think it was his role as a director in this film that deserves the blame. There was some funny material hidden in there, but I think that the pacing and tone of the film just killed any humor that could have been had.

Jenni: Although I still place a lot of the blame on Jason Bateman and Ben Affleck - good point there, by the way - I agree that the directing and editing could have been tightened up a lot. I felt like the director had a shopping list of plot points he was trying to get to the audience, and we were just dragged from one scene to the next. Everything was very plodding, very deliberate, and very formulaic. Ultimately there was just no joy, and thus no humor in this movie.

Brandon: I agree, and you summed things up nicely there. This movie had tons of potential, but it had no heart. It doesn't get any recommendation from me either. And with that, the snobs are out for this week. Peace!

You can watch the trailer for Extract here.

The Snobs Check Out A Serious Man

Brandon: Ah, a Coen Brothers film! These guys are truly great filmmakers. I love how they take characters that are somehow representative of a particular group - such as North Dakotans in Fargo, aging hippies in The Big Lebowski, cowboys and bounty hunters in No Country for Old Men, and a 1960's Jewish family here in A Serious Man - and they place them in extraordinary situations to see how such a character would react. Their films are always fascinating character studies.



Jenni: This movie is no exception. Set in the 1960's, A Serious Man focuses on Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg), a college physics professor and devout member of his Jewish community who struggles to maintain his faith while his life suddenly starts to fall apart. The Coen's take what appears to be a very simple premise, but they populate this narrative with such complex and fully developed characters that Larry's struggles seem epic.



Brandon: Larry struggles, a man of science confronted with a crisis of faith, all the while trying to do the "right" thing. On every side he is confronted with morally questionable, yet obviously easy escapes from his current trials. His story echoes that of the biblical Job, and I couldn't wait to see if Larry had a breaking point, or if he'd be able to overcome his adversity.



Jenni: But the movie's not all doom-and-gloom. In fact, I laughed my ass off following the story of Larry's teenage stoner son as he prepared for his bar mitzvah. And the best part of the movie had to be Sy Ableman (Fred Melamed), who was the man having an affair with Larry's wife. His character was such a haughty, super-intellectual snob, and he totally stole every scene that he was in.


Brandon: I wish I could be as cool as Sy Ableman. Someday, maybe....


Jenni: Keep working on that. While you do that, I'll be recommending this movie to all of my friends. It's definitely the best movie that we've seen in a long while, and I'm really disappointed that it didn't receive more attention when it was in theaters last fall.


Brandon: Yeah, it wasn't in any of the multiplexes in our area, but I can see how such a character-driven drama wouldn't appeal to the general movie-going public. Regardless, I also give my hearty recommendation to this awesome film. And with that, the snobs are out. Peace!



You can watch the trailer for A Serious Man here.

This Time the Snobs Visit Zombieland

Brandon: I've been so excited for this movie to come out on DVD! Most of the reviews that I had seen for this film described it as the best zombie movie to come out in years. The trailer looks gruesome and hilarious, and I'd heard that it's got a super-awesome secret cameo near the end that totally kicks ass. This had the potential to be a truly epic flick!

Jenni: I was equally excited. Zombieland follows the adventures of a small group of survivors in a zombie-infested world. And that's it in a nutshell. Sure, there's some subplots about finding love and companionship in unlikely places, but it's really just about different ways to kill a zombie.

Brandon: Yup, and like all good zombie-shooting video games this movie's full of lots of guns and baseball bats and falling pianos and such to kill the never-ending throngs of the undead. If you're looking for a film full of crazy ways to kill brain-eating monsters, this movie's going to be right up your alley. But, if you're looking for anything more than that in this movie, you're going to be disappointed.

Jenni: Agreed. Was it funny? Sure it was, but all of the really funny parts were shown in the trailer. Worse than that, even the best zombie kills were shown in the commercials on TV. Was there human drama (love, laughter, despair)? To a degree, yes, but really any scene that didn't involve zombies felt like filler material. The main characters were very good at killing zombies, but they were terribly stupid when it came to anything else in their lives. I'm not even sure how any of them had survived as long as they had. The movie basically focused on them making really bad decisions and then having to hurriedly find a way out of the ensuing carnage.

Brandon: Yeah, I'm with you. I spent the whole movie shaking my head and thinking of how dumb the characters all were. At least Woody Harrelson's character was charismatic when he was on-screen - he was fun to watch kill zombies. But was Abigail Breslin - Little Miss Sunshine - really in that movie? She had what, maybe two lines through the whole thing? And Emma Stone and Jesse Eisenberg? My goodness, but those two actors are so completely dull, and there was absolutely no chemistry between them. I hate to belabor my distaste for Jesse Eisenberg (see our Adventureland review below), but how does he always end up with the girl in his films? He plays such boring and monotonous characters in every movie that I've seen him in. I suppose that in a zombie-filled wasteland, girls just don't have much else to choose from.

Jenni: You be nice to Jesse! Sure, he's not the brightest bulb in the box, but he's cute and sweet. Your jealousy won't keep me from loving him! I'm just sad that his movie wasn't as good as it had been hyped-up to be. Even the surprise cameo near the end couldn't save the film. If anything, that whole sequence just left me confused and thinking again of how stupid the non-zombies in Zombieland really were.

Brandon: Yes, this was such a disappointment. It just had so much potential! Unfortunately I won't be recommending this one to any of my friends. Rather, if you want a great zombie flick, go out and find a copy of 2002's 28 Days Later (not the terrible sequel). That was awesome zombie action! So until next time, the snobs are out. Peace!

You can watch the Zombieland trailer here.

What's All the Fuss About The Hurt Locker?

Brandon: The Hurt Locker's finally on DVD! After having topped many critics' lists of the top movies of 2009 and receiving almost 100 different awards nominations, now we can finally see if The Hurt Locker lives up to all of the hype.

Jenni: The film follows a U.S. Army bomb squad stationed in Iraq as they work to disarm the various deadly bombs that plague the country. This really was an incredible look at the dangers our troops face over in Iraq. And director Kathryn Bigelow sure knows how to direct a suspenseful action scene.

Brandon: True that. I found myself holding my breath during several tense sequences in the movie. It seemed like there were bad guys and bombs around every corner in that country. Yet, despite all of the danger, I was really impressed with how almost all of the Army characters were shown to act with restraint and respect towards the Iraqi people.

Jenni: I was also impressed by the way the U.S. soldiers were portrayed. That was also one of my big concerns going into this movie. I didn't want to watch another movie that focused on the political and military quagmire in which the U.S. is involved in the Middle East. Although the topics were touched upon, as is necessary when setting the stage for any Iraq war discussion, the points were not belabored. The characters recognized the situation they were in, and they did their best to deal with matters on a day-to-day basis.

Brandon: Again, an excellent point. The script was very sharp, and it was wise to let the drama and suspense of their situation engross the viewer, as opposed to adding too much moral discourse. As an action movie, it was very gripping. The various bomb-defusing scenes were captivating, and the occasional gun-battles with insurgent forces were also very well done. But this movie is getting a lot of Oscar buzz for Best Picture, and I'm not sure if it's necessarily the best movie of 2009. Action-packed? Yes. Great character study/drama? I don't think so.

Jenni: I have to agree with you there. Although I don't fault the actors themselves, I still walked away from the film uncertain about the main character's, SFC William James (Jeremy Renner), motives. He seemed like a competent bomb-diffusing professional, but he was a danger to all of those around him. It was hard to feel any real emotional connection with him since I was so appalled by his behavior most of the time. So while the movie was generally good, I was still very removed from the story emotionally.

Brandon: Exactly. So while I'd recommend this movie, if only to see what all of the critical buzz is about, I don't think it would win any Best Picture awards with me. And, with that, the snobs are out. Peace!

You can watch the trailer for The Hurt Locker here.

The Snobs Visit Adventureland

Jenni: After all of the bloody mayhem of last week's movie, I'm ready for something a little more light-hearted. I've heard good things about another new DVD release: Greg Mottola's Adventureland.

Brandon: Me too. Rumor has it that Adventureland is one of the best comedy's to come out of 2009. Set in the summer of 1987, Adventureland focuses on a recent college grad (Jesse Eisenberg) who has to take a dead-end summer job at his local amusement park. It's there that that the struggling young man really learns about life... and love.

Jenni: Ah, a romantic comedy! And that Jesse Eisenberg is just so cute!

Brandon: I'm not so convinced that either of those things are so great. First of all, this is a romantic comedy centered around a college grad working at an amusement park? One goofy older guy I might believe, but he's not the only college graduate working there. Supposedly the whole cast are supposed to be these lost young-adults that don't know what to do with themselves now that they're not in school anymore. Really?!? I know that landing a job can be hard, but certainly with a bachelor's degree there's got to be more work to be had in that town than just the local amusement park. Besides, my local amusement park appears to be run almost entirely by the local junior high school. And secondly, I'd take Michael Cera over Jesse Eisenberg for my angsty, youthful protagonist any day.

Jenni: Okay, I'll admit that the plot seems a little contrived, but shouldn't older characters make the movie more relatable to a more mature audience? And don't get me started on the whole "who would win in the UFC Octagon? Michael Cera vs. Jesse Eisenberg" issue. You had Kristen Stewart to look at the whole time. Doesn't she drive all boys crazy? Or do her charms only work on vampires?

Brandon: Definitely just vampires. She's okay if you like your actresses to brush their hair out of their faces every time they say a line, but that grows a little tedious with me. And I still don't buy the older characters in this movie. Although I can see how that would make the movie appeal to a wider audience, it just made me think that the characters were a little socially retarded. Although they were supposed to be of post-college age, the situations were definitely still very high school-ish. However, if I was to somehow put the whole age-thing out of my head, I can see how this would be a decent "coming-of-age" flick. But a comedy, it was not.

Jenni: Finally I agree with you there. This movie was terribly mis-advertised. Although it was light-hearted in tone, and it had some fairly funny pieces, on the whole, it was not a comedy. But I still liked it! I left the film feeling uplifted and generally pleased. I'm still going to recommend this one.

Brandon: I didn't hate the movie, but I'm glad that we waited for the DVD to come out to see it. I would have been more upset if we saw it in the theater. So, basically if you're okay with mediocre acting and some major plot holes, then I'd give this one a "meh" on my scale of "shrug" to "meh". With that, the snobs are out. Peace!

Watch the Adventureland trailer here.

I Think They're Glorious Basterds!

Brandon: Let the snobbery begin! And what better way to kick off an epic blog than to watch an epic movie?! With the release of Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds on DVD, this seemed the perfect opportunity to see whether Tarantino's latest bloody epic lives up to its hype, or whether it's just a dud.

Jenni: Can you really go wrong with a Tarantino movie though? Granted, not all of his films meet with box office success, but he's one director that sticks by his vision and pretty much guarantees a viewing experience unlike anything you've ever seen before. Tarantino makes movies that take a look at a particular genre, and he tries to make the best "genre" movie that he can.

Brandon: Once again I'm in awe of your insight into these matters. And you're absolutely right - Tarantino's back at it again: this time setting his focus on World War II films. Set near the close of WWII, Inglourious Basterds follows a group of Jewish-American soldiers known as "The Basterds" working behind enemy lines to spread terror among German troops by scalping and brutally killing Nazis.

Jenni: With a plot like that, I don't think any viewers will be going into this movie expecting an Academy Award contender for best picture. However, Tarantino uses this outlandish plot to draw upon the viewer's American patriotism and get the audience behind him. Nazi's are the perfect movie bad guys! Before you even sit down to watch a WWII-era movie, the viewer is already familiar with the Nazi baddies, and we're already rooting for the Allies to go in and kick Nazi butt. Even though The Basterds are cruel and merciless, as an audience member I was rooting for them from Nazi kill #1.

Brandon: And therein lays the brilliance behind this movie. There's one scene early in the film when we see The Basterds finishing off a Nazi patrol that they had ambushed. As you mentioned, The Basterds were cruel and merciless, yet the Nazi commander was portrayed as honorable and brave (for the sake of that scened, and despite whatever other dastardly Nazi tricks he had committed off-screen). In fact, a good deal of the movie focuses on the Nazi soldiers, and we're shown their humanity and get to know them more than we do The Basterds. And yet whenever The Basterds come in and massacre these same Nazis we've gotten to know, as an audience we still cheer for the "good guys".

Jenni: That's exactly where Tarantino gets it right. There's another great scene near the end of the film wherein all of the high-ranking Nazi officers (including Hitler himself) are watching a German propaganda film in which a single Nazi soldier is sitting high in a building and killing Allied troops one-by-one. The Nazis in the theater are shown cheering and laughing as each Allied troop dies. And, understandably, we're disgusted by how terrible these Nazis are. However, mere minutes later, The Basterds come charging into that very same theater and start killing the fleeing Nazis in an almost identical manner to that which was shown on the propaganda movie before - shooting them from above like fish in a barrel. Where we as an audience were horrified before at the Nazi spectacle, we now find ourselves cheering for The Basterds when they do the same thing. To play on an audience's emotions like that is fine film making!

Brandon: Agreed! Although the movie wasn't my favorite of Tarantino's works, I still thoroughly enjoyed what he accomplished with this film, and I was entertained to the end. And don't forget the acting: Brad Pitt's performance as The Basterd's leader, Lt. Aldo Raine, has been called "over the top" by some critics, but in a film that tries to hard to play off of the viewer's nationalistic sympathies, I thought the performance was very appropriate.

Jenni: But credit for the true outstanding performance of the film has to go to Christoph Waltz as German Col. Hans Landa. His performance was fascinating. His character was so devious and cruel - he embodied the true Nazi threat in the film. I couldn't take my eyes off of him, and every time he was on screen I would hang on his every word. What an awesome performance! He's already taken home the Golden Globe fore Best Supporting Actor in a drama this year. I would be shocked if he didn't receive similar honors at the Academy Awards in March.

Brandon: So overall, I think we can both give our seals of approval to this film. Ah! It sure is nice to come away from a movie feeling satisfied; though I'm a little sad that we didn't get to be more snobbish for our inaugural post.

Jenni: Don't you fret, my fellow snob. A good movie is truly rare to find. I'm certain we'll find something fun to critically destroy very soon. With that, the snobs are out. Peace!