Give It A Chance? is a series of articles based around the horribly overused quote “give it a chance”. Exploring the idea of whether a film has been misjudged or a constant reminder of just because some art forms CAN be exhibited doesn’t mean they SHOULD.

So there I was; at home on a Friday night and needing a creative fix. I thought to myself that maybe a movie would help. Though instead of choosing something that I have been meaning to watch, I thought it was time to give something else a try. After reviewing and watching as many films as I have, many a friend have told me that I have become too “jaded” or “cynical” when watching a film. Friends would tell me that I constantly write something off without just giving it a chance. So it was with that mindset that I took an open mind to check out the critically butchered: Jack and Jill.

Now I won’t divulge who the person who recommended this movie was; but I can tell you he is no fan of Adam Sandler. I on the other hand, have been a fan of his since his days on “SNL” and love his early work such as “Happy Gilmore” and “Billy Madison. This recent Sandler outing however is a far-cry for what in comparison to his earlier days could be described as “genius”.

This movie has no real structure or narrative and simply led me to constantly ask the question “why?” and mutter the response “huh”. The movie begins with what is the only not completely horrible sequences which consist of documentary footage resembling “When Harry Met Sally” and fake home movie footage of the titular characters ala “Happy Gilmore”. Sadly, its from those sequences that the movie is just a steady downhill slope down to the deepest trenches of truly bad movies.

The real problem with this movie (beyond it’s premise) is that Sandler actually is a talented person. But in an ironic twist the film also stars Al Pacino as himself playing someone also capable of so much better. The movie tries to even play to fans of Adam Sandler’s “SNL” days with cameos by David Spade, Tim Meadows, and Dana Carvey. But much like these poorly used cameos, this movie is just a complete waste of time. Adam Sandler has reached George Lucas status. To those question what that means; it’s when you continue to make money off the idea of how something was once good and have done nothing but deteriorate that original idea to the point of total creative annihilation. This George Lucas status has continued to where now Sandler is just surrounded by so many “yes men” who not dare challenge these horrible ideas in fear of not collecting a check.

Whether it’s the blatant product placement in the scene’s tired LA setting or just the act-by-numbers performances; I can’t tell what annoyed me more. This movie is the equivalent of eating at a Taco-Bell for some form of nourishment only to find yourself physically sick afterwards. Although the truly saddest part of this movie is that the movie’s core audience (idiots) will more likely recognize Jared “from Subway” Fogle (yes, he has a meaningless cameo too) rather than Al Pacino. This movie was purely awful, mind-numbing, and probably one of my biggest regrets watching. I truly pity the film critics who were forced to watch this sad excuse of entertainment. So if you’re asking whether or not you should “give this movie a chance” please heed this warning and run far, far away.

Verdict: DON”T GIVE IT A CHANCE

Netflix Limbo is a series of articles that examines the films that may have been skipped over in your Netflix Queue but need to be watched immediately.

To leave a legacy in this day and age can be a tough thing. With so much available to you with technology; to simply document your life is no longer a feat. But what about before all that? What about before we could see a life streaming as it happens on the Internet? If you truly understand what it means to not only leave a legacy, then you will understand why Senna is such an important name.

In the self titled documentary “Senna”, the film follows the career and life of formula one racing drive Ayrton Senna. Now, I will admit my knowledge of formula one racing begins with the video game “F1 Pole Position” and ends with Sacha Baron Cohen’s portrayal in the racing farce “Talledega Nights”. From that limited experience, I can fully admit that a film chronicling an athlete of a sport I knew very little about didn’t interest me. So there it sat at the very front of my Netflix Queue for months on end. Many people told me to see this film but I just made one excuse after the next. Fortunately, one morning I was just awake enough to finally give those suggestions a try. This documentary is not only an amazing work of art but one of the finest films I have ever seen.

What truly makes this documentary extraordinary is the fact that it contains all the necessary factors needed for an amazing documentary and then some. The footage of the film is what truly makes it stand out above the rest, because that is all you see. There are no talking heads but merely voices in the background that narrate this story you feel should have been told a long time ago. We see footage from when Senna was very young all the way and through his famous career. The audience is given a front row seat to this man’s amazing life through family home movies, driver’s seat racing footage, intimate interviews, and private conversations. The footage shown throughout the film feels so personally by the end, you feel as if you truly knew Senna.

When the film ended I couldn’t help but feel impacted in a way that a documentary hasn’t done in a very long time. I not only implore you but demand of you to see this film as soon as possible. It has a story that unfolds with characters so rich you would think they had to have been written. “Senna” will have you captivated from start to finish with a pacing that simply can’t be matched. The film is directed flawlessly by Asif Kapadia, a director that after seeing this film will be one to constantly watch out for years to come.There are movies that you should see and then there are movies you HAVE to see; the documentary “Senna” is both.

“Senna” is now available on DVD/BLU Ray and Netfllix Watch Instantly

Gone but not Forgotten is a series of articles that talks about films that may have come in and out in theaters or straight to DVD. These films are in this “humble” writer’s opinion not properly recognized… until now

Does a comedy have to make you laugh in order to be a comedy? If a comedian is featured is it required for him to do slapstick? These are a few questions I thought to myself while watching the film “The Big Year”.

The film’s premise is basically three bird watchers or “birders” (Steve Martin, Owen Wilson, and Jack Black) who travel and compete in a contest held every year to see who can “spot” the most birds in that year. Each character comes from a different walk of life but each share the similar obsession and love of bird watching. For me however, I saw the film differently. What these characters truly crave is adventure, most of them have lives outside bird watching and see this as a hobby. But rather than crave something dangerous like cattle driving exemplified in the film “City Slickers”, this craving is sensible. It is because of that fact and this being a hobby, that the film doesn’t reach for more than it has in it’s deck. There are a few falls here and there but the laughs are few and far between. While this would seem like a bad thing for most comedies, this isn’t really like most comedies.

This story is mainly meant to show a life outside of the regular, which I believe is why these men love “birding” so much. It’s also conveniently why I really loved this film. The locations take you all over the world and introduce you to something you may have previously written off as boring. All the while the have characters each with their own internal conflict and show how bird watching helps them solve it.

I really enjoyed this film because as mentioned, it isn’t funny. I can appreciate a film that knows what it has to offer and doesn’t stretch the concept further than it needs to go. More often than not we see films that try to do too much, and while I wouldn’t say this film does too little, it does just what’s expected of it. It’s not everyday you see a film do unexpectedly enjoyable and was actually a refreshing change of pace.

What I admired most  about this film is that with such self-realization, it doesn’t under-perform your expectations but rather leaves you feeling entertained and educated. As simple an accomplishment as that may be, it’s one of the few films that can do that today.

When a film ends I often think of what I take from it, and with this film it was many things. I was left with knowledge of a world I once rejected but now found interesting. I was left knowing that while most of the recent works from it’s three main stars have been “lack-luster” this project shows hope. Though more importantly I left this film realizing that nothing is always what it seems and that film, like life is worth exploring. So if a film that many may have not seen can teach me all of that I’d say it’s worth remembering in the end. The film is directed by David Frankel (“Marley and Me” The Devil Wears Prada”) and based on a book by Mark Obmascik. While conveniently those credits like the film’s plot may not speak to you, this film is definitely worth a second look.

SHUT UP AND PLAY THE HITS documents the last days of LCD SOUNDSYSTEM. The film primarily focuses on James Murphy and his decision to call it quits. An interview is used as the driving narration, intercut with beautifully shot performance footage from their final performance at Madison Square Garden.

Murphy seems to be a kind and gracious man that is self-aware, sincere, and happy to be doing what he does. We start off following Murphy the day after their final gig, He wakes up with his French Bull Dog on top of him, a dog that has an eerily comical resemblance in appearance and even in personality to Murphy. It’s not hard to immediately be fond of Murphy’s personality. He carries himself with ease and seems like a no-bullshit kind of guy that loves his band, his bandmates, and the music they create. This is refreshing to see after getting to used to watching more recent “rock docs” like “Some Kind of Monster” or “Dig” that focus on the conflicts and inner-turmoil of bands. While I liked those docs and they are entertaining, it becomes kind of irritating and ludicrous to see these guys bitching about being rock stars (or in the case of Dig, lack thereof).

Murphy is sensitive and you can empathize with him and his difficult decision to retire LCD SOUNDSYSTEM. Even though it’s for selfish reasons, those reasons are respectable and understandable. If you’re an LCD fan this doc is easy to love, and if you’re not an LCD fan I think it would be hard to see this and not leave a fan. There are some appearances by Arcade Fire and even Reggie Watts in their final performance – and the production of the show is beautiful. Directors Will Lovelace and Dylan Southern really did an excellent job capturing the atmosphere and energy of the show. As I noted earlier, it’s beautifully shot and sounds amazing too.

When it’s all said and done, you feel like the crying fan in the final shot: you’re sad to see such a good band go, but happy you were there to see them shine.

GOD BLESS AMERICA is the third film from Bobcat Goldthwait and definitely his most accomplished work to date. It seems as though he’s finally found his voice as a filmmaker; he’s learning how to tell a more cohesive story, and he’s even getting his own visual style. GOD BLESS AMERICA is a very dark comedy, but relatable one, about everything that’s wrong with American culture today. It follows Frank, a sad, stalky, middle-aged, divorced parent that carries the weight of the world with every sad glance he makes at the depressing programming on his TV. Frank, however, has had enough by the time we meet him and it’s not long before he teams up with a young girl (who witnesses his first murder) and goes on a Natural Born Killer-esque killing spree.

Frank is played wonderfully by Joel Murray. We understand has irritation and why he’s fed up, we can empathize with him, and even kind of root for him. His partner in crime (also a great performance by Tara Lynne Barr) is like a mix of Juno and Mallory (from NBK), the first of which is actually joked about in the film. There will definitely be a lot of criticism about the violence in the film and how it may seem irresponsible, but the film does a good job of leaving you with the question, “how is what GOD BLESS AMERICA showed any worse than all the garbage that is glorified on TV?” We’ve basically come to a point that anything is allowed as long as it doesn’t promote violence. But anyone with a little sense knows how foolish that is. Greed, lust and vanity (along with the other 7 deadly sins) all lead to violence in one way or another. As a culture we have lost our boundaries, to paraphrase Frank. We have lost the ability to be civil. I won’t ruin that line by directly quoting it because it comes after a great monologue from Frank that basically puts things into perspective and explains the purpose of their crusade.

This film was very entertaining and although dark, it did keep the laughs coming. I think it establishes Bobcat as one of the best filmmakers working in dark comedy, up there with Todd Solondz. Sometimes the only way to deal with taboo subjects is to just add a little humor and heighten the absurdity a bit, as both Solondz and Goldthwait do so well. Goldthwait is more like a pissed off Mike Judge than he is Todd Solondz, but he is as dark and taboo as Solondz. This is an important film for this Kardashian-obsessed YouTube generation. Obviously I don’t think violence should be encouraged and that going on a killing spree is the answer, but this is a movie, and it plays out like a dark fantasy for the people that are fed up with the stupidity that we’ve allowed to consume our culture. Maybe it will wake some people up, maybe it will cause some controversy, and maybe it will be a cult classic that will be missed by the people that really need to see it, but I’m glad it got made and I’m glad Goldthwait was bold enough to take the risk and make a film like GOD BLESS AMERICA.