Al Zibluk: Just Keeping It Real

The Film Movie Critic Review – The Informant! (2009)

admin — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 19:47:58 +0000

The Film Movie Critic Review – The Informant! (2009)

While gathering evidence against his institutional employer to help the FBI build a price-fixing conspiracy case, affable agribusiness executive Mark Whitacre (Matt Damon) begins to piece together a fantasy world of his own. Scott Bakula, Joel McHale and Melanie Lynskey co-star in Steven Soderbergh’s dark comedy, which is based on Kurt Eichenwald’s acclaimed nonfiction book about the true-life Corporate America whistle-blower.

This movie is based on a true story. The events were so bizarre it is treated as a dark comedy. There were times it felt like a public service message about bipolar disorder. Some moments were so absurd I could not help myself from laughing. I think most people would not like this movie but I am giving this one 3 stars. Matt Damon did an impressive job.

Alan
Alan Zibluk
The Film Movie Critic
http://www.filmmoviecritic.com
Home: (203) 393-9630
Cell: (203) 500-3834

The Film Movie Critic Review – Avatar (2009)

admin — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 17:35:44 +0000

The Film Movie Critic Review – Avatar (2009)

Disabled Marine Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) travels to planet Pandora to become an avatar, ingratiate himself with the natives and help Americans mine lucrative unobtainium. But he finds himself in an interstellar conflict after falling for Na’vi warrior Neytiri (Zoe Saldana). James Cameron writes and directs this Golden Globe-winning CGI odyssey that has broken box office records. Sigourney Weaver and Stephen Lang co-star.

Wow! Normally I don’t like long movies but in this case it was necessary for story development. This belongs on the shelf with other long classic movies like Gone with the Wind, The Godfather 1 and 2 (not part 3) and The Deer Hunter. I really liked the Sigourney Weaver character. It was a cross from Ripley in Alien to Dian Fossey in Gorillas in the Mist. I am easily giving this one 5 stars. I would give it more if I could.

Alan
Alan Zibluk
The Film Movie Critic
http://www.filmmoviecritic.com
Home: (203) 393-9630
Cell: (203) 500-3834

The Film Movie Critic Review – Up in the Air (2009)

admin — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 19:48:45 +0000

The Film Movie Critic Review – Up in the Air (2009)

Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) racks up miles flying around the country firing employees on behalf of companies. But he faces losing the job he savors to recent college grad Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick) — and losing the ability to escape emotional ties to anything. A connection he builds with Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga), however, might change his outlook on the future. Golden Globe winner Jason Reitman’s smart comedy also stars Jason Bateman.

I really liked this movie. There were some funny lines where I did laugh like when George Clooney was stereotyping people at the airport. It was also sad seeing people losing their jobs. It was a good mix. This was a good fit for me as I have done quite a few trips where I did live out of a suitcase. I am curious about the underlying message in this. Is it better to be attached or detached from other people in our lives? I am giving this one 4 stars.

Alan
Alan Zibluk
The Film Movie Critic
http://www.filmmoviecritic.com
Home: (203) 393-9630
Cell: (203) 500-3834

The Film Movie Critic Review – Aberdeen (2000)

admin — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 19:16:14 +0000

The Film Movie Critic Review – Aberdeen (2000)

Kaisa (Lena Headey), a beautiful and feisty Scottish woman, finally has her life together – at least until her mother (Charlotte Rampling) asks an enormous favor: to bring back to her Kaisa’s estranged, larger-than-life father (Stellan Skarsgard). The two of them, father and daughter together, set out on a wild, brutally funny yet heartbreaking journey, which takes them through their emotional past before reaching their ultimate destination.

This is wonderfully written and acted but depressing road trip movie. As a favor to her dying mother, a young successful lawyer must find her alcoholic father who abandoned them when she was a child. As they travel together, they face both the past and present. This is not a Hollywood feel good reunion movie. This is more harsh and messy. I think every alcoholic should see this movie.

The Film Movie Critic is giving this one 4 stars.

Alan
Alan Zibluk
The Film Movie Critic
http://www.filmmoviecritic.com
Home: (203) 393-9630
Cell: (203) 500-3834

The Film Movie Critic Review – In the Company of Men (1997)

admin — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 00:27:19 +0000

Exiled to a branch office for six weeks, two white-collar middle managers (Matt Malloy and Aaron Eckhart, in his breakout role) come up with a way to kill time: Find an insecure woman, independently romance her and then simultaneously dump her to squelch her self-esteem. Writer-director Neil LaBute’s powerful, amoral look at office politics and sexual gamesmanship is guaranteed to push buttons with its searing, cruel candor.

I do not classify this movie as a comedy as it is one of the darkest, cruelest things I have ever seen. It is downright nasty but that is the intent. This movie made Aaron Eckhart’s career and he is perfect as Chad who can be both despicable and charismatic at the same time. The only complaint most people have about this film is the cinematography. It was low budget. I am giving it 3 stars.

Alan
Alan Zibluk
The Film Movie Critic
http://www.filmmoviecritic.com
Home: (203) 393-9630
Cell: (203) 500-3834

The Film Movie Critic Review – Duplicity

admin — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 18:49:50 +0000

Julia Roberts and Clive Owen co-star in this curveball-throwing thriller as a pair of romantically involved corporate operatives who are entangled in a bitter rivalry between two mammoth pharmaceutical companies. Paul Giamatti and Tom Wilkinson convincingly round out the heavyweight cast as warring big pharma CEOs in this intriguing espionage effort from writer-director Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton).

This is not a bad movie. I enjoyed the whole corporate espionage story and thought Paul Giamatti was a hoot. There is plenty of betrayal, backstabbing and paranoia. It comes down to who is playing who and I was satisfied with the end. I am giving this one 3 stars.

Alan
Alan Zibluk
The Film Movie Critic
http://www.filmmoviecritic.com
Home: (203) 393-9630
Cell: (203) 500-3834

The Film Movie Critic Review – Slumdog Millionaire

admin — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 18:46:46 +0000

After coming within one question of winning it all on the Indian version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?,” 18-year-old Mumbai “slumdog” Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) is arrested on suspicion that he cheated his way to the top. While in custody, he regales a jaded inspector (Irfan Khan) with remarkable tales of his life on the streets and the story of the woman (Freida Pinto) he loved and lost. Danny Boyle directs this Oscar-winning Best Picture.

This is a very good suspenseful movie. It was upsetting at times. The game show was a brilliant plot device. If you enjoy this movie I would also recommend Cidade de Deus (aka City of God). Cidade de Deus is in subtitles but in my opinion a little better than this. I am giving Slumdog Millionaire 4.4 stars. Cidade de Deus is one of the few movies I gave 5 stars. The balcony is now closed.

Alan
Alan Zibluk
The Film Movie Critic
http://www.filmmoviecritic.com
Home: (203) 393-9630
Cell: (203) 500-3834

The Film Movie Critic Review – Funny People

admin — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 14:50:07 +0000

Famous and wealthy funnyman George Simmons (Adam Sandler) doesn’t give much thought to how he treats people until a doctor (Torsten Voges) delivers stunning health news, forcing George to reevaluate his priorities with a little help from aspiring stand-up comic Ira (Seth Rogen). Judd Apatow (Knocked Up) writes and directs this moving comedy that also stars Leslie Mann, Jonah Hill, Jason Schwartzman and Aubrey Plaza.

This movie is a dramedy. It had its moments but I thought 40 minutes too long. I am giving it 2.8 stars. If it was 40 minutes shorter I would have been given it 3. I do like Judd Apatow, I want him to produce my script when it is completed.

Alan
Alan Zibluk
The Film Movie Critic
http://www.filmmoviecritic.com
Home: (203) 393-9630
Cell: (203) 500-3834

The Film Movie Critic Review – Adaptation

admin — Thu, 27 May 2010 19:42:12 +0000

Charlie Kafuman (Nicolas Cage) is a Los Angeles screenwriter battling enormous feelings of insecurity and impotence as he struggles to adapt The Orchid Thief, a book by Susan Orlean (Meryl Streep) whose main character, John Laroche (Chris Cooper), searches for love. Add to the mix Charlie’s twin brother, Donald (also played by Cage), and you have a surreal, Spike Jonze directed gem about the search for passion.

This is one of those movies that begins slow and gradually builds into something. It took me 40 minutes to get into this movie, 60 minutes to love it and hope for the experience not to end. Then the last 25 minutes it got me to hate this film. Seriously! This was a really bad relationship. Smooth move Netflix for recommending this piece of garbage for me. I loved this movie and then I was let down big time at the end. I hate it when a movie starts out great and then ends badly. This is one of those movies. All of you associated with this movie let me down. I am giving you one star. First time ever in my Netflix history to give a movie one star. This was a big FU to me.

As the Film Movie Critic, I get to dislike this movie which I did.

Alan
Alan Zibluk
The Film Movie Critic
http://www.filmmoviecritic.com
Home: (203) 393-9630
Cell: (203) 500-3834

The Film Movie Critic Review – Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price

admin — Thu, 13 May 2010 19:48:04 +0000

Filmmaker Robert Greenwald takes aim at the corporate giant that’s come to symbolize big business in America Wal-Mart blasting the box store Goliath for allegedly paying substandard wages, skimping on employee benefits and gutting communities. This hard-hitting, emotional documentary profiles the struggle of everyday folks from around the country who’ve committed themselves to fighting the mega-retailer.

When I watch a movie like this I like to hear both sides. You will only hear one side in this one. I can tell you alone of the Walton Family charitable contributions is reason enough not to like them. Apparently there has been a lot of crime in Wal-Mart parking lots. They have security cameras everywhere but only pay attention to what is going on inside the store. Customers and ex-employees said they really don’t care what happens to the customer once they leave.

Alan
Alan Zibluk
The Film Movie Critic
http://www.filmmoviecritic.com
Home: (203) 393-9630
Cell: (203) 500-3834