Currently browsing the "Jake Gyllenhaal" tag.

Everest

The biggest star of Everest is the mountain itself. So if you plan to see the movie, you’ve got to spring for the IMAX 3D. Bring popcorn – and oxygen! In many ways, the movie is reminiscent of Gravity (which I liked visually, but disliked narratively), only this time, the action takes place on a mountain instead of deep space. It’s an immersive experience that offers a glimpse into what drives certain adventure-seekers to pay big money to forego hot showers, oxygen, and terra firma, in a potentially fatal effort to summit the world’s tallest peak. The movie is based on the true story of one deadly day on the mountain: May 10, 1996. Climbers from two expeditions got caught up in an unexpected, violent snowstorm while making their final ascent toward the summit.

Nightcrawler

Movies like Nightcrawler pose a real challenge for me as a frequent film ‘opinionator’ because I simply didn’t like it nearly as much as I’m supposed to, especially considering my ‘day job’ in broadcast news. I guess I wasn’t in the mood for creepy and disturbing. And that’s exactly what Nightcrawler is – a crime thriller that left me feeling more distressed than entertained. I’m sure that’s what the filmmakers were going for. But who needs to PAY for that?

Yes, the performances are excellent. Jake Gyllenhaal got all gaunt and wild-eyed to play Lou Bloom, a smart but psychotic petty thief who stumbles upon a new career as a nightcrawler in Los Angeles – filming and selling grisly accident and crime scene footage to the highest bidder(s). And Rene Russo is chillingly good as Nina, an ethically-challenged news director determined to do whatever it takes to get her struggling TV station out of the ratings cellar.

Prisoners

This one’s tough. The performances are excellent, but I kind of wanted my two-and-a-half hours back. Prisoners is intense and plodding and psychologically taxing, and every parent’s worst nightmare. Hugh Jackman plays Keller Dover, a desperate father who decides to take matters into his own hands when his young daughter and a neighborhood friend go missing. Jake Gyllenhaal plays the lead detective whose entire life revolves around his job.

Source Code

Don’t be scared away by talk of quantum mechanics, complex mathematical equations, and computer source codes. You don’t have to understand any of that to enjoy this movie (trust me, I know). Source Code is a bit like Groundhog Day meets Speed meets Inception meets 24. It’s a sci-fi thriller that takes place primarily on a commuter train that is – literally- about to explode.

Love and Other Drugs

Love and Other Drugs is a bit of a mess, just like life is a bit of a mess sometimes, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t an enjoyable mess. The movie seems to be one thing, then another, then another. You can’t label it easily and I like that about it.

2010 Fall Movies

We’re moving out of the summer blockbuster kids’ movies and into the fall when traditionally a more serious adult roster hits the screens. This year? Well, there are a few that seem Oscar worthy, several with our favorite men headlining, a couple that look like real chick flicks and what just might be some nice comedies. See for yourself.

Brothers

Brothers is another film that I went to having one expectation from the previews and came away with a different story altogether. Directed by Jim Sheridan (In America) and starring Toby Maguire, Jake Gyllenhaal and Natalie Portman, it is a remake of the Danish movie Brødre which was written and directed by Susanne Bier (After the Wedding).