The Rum Diary

The Rum Diary is one of the best films that I have seen in a long time. It is a movie based on the novel by the god of gonzo himself, Hunter S. Thompson (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas). It stars Johnny Depp (Edward Scissorhands), as a freelance journalist Paul Kemp in a revolution torn Puerto Rico. He gets a job at a local newspaper The San Juan Star, teetering on the edge of closing down. He stumbles into more than he bargained for when a business man named Sanderson played by Aaron Eckhart (Thank You for Smoking/ The Dark Knight), asks him to write some fake articles to scare up hype for an island resort. Kemp has trouble saying no to Sanderson due to the fact that he keeps saving Kemp’s ass, and not to mention his stunning wife Chenault played by Amber Heard (Hidden Palms). Kemp falls for Chenault and Puerto rico, as he tries to decide if he wants to work for the scheming Sanderson or stay with The San Juan Star.

This movie is full of adventure and mischief, and a lot of laughs. It has an all-star cast of some of Hollywood’s finest, and will not disappoint.

10/10

Greenberg

Greenberg was in my opinion one of Ben Stiller’s best films. He takes a break from his slapstick-like comedy, and enters into a comedic drama. Stiller plays a character named Roger Greenberg who was recently released from a mental hospital, and is house sitting for his brother while they are in Vietnam. Greenberg is an unlikeable awkward man who is extremely neurotic. When I say unlikeable I mean he has the tendency to say exactly on his mind, which annoys the other characters. He meets Florence played by Greta Gerwig (Arthur), his brother’s personal assistant.  He ends up falling for Florence who is very similar to him, and suffers from her own form of neurosis. Every time he gets close to her, he ends up freaking out and pushing her away. Greenberg goes through many ups and downs, and at one point he decides to go to Australia at the very last second but ends up jumping out of the car.

One thing you need to know going into this movie, is that there really isn’t a plot. Just because there isn’t a plot doesn’t make it a bad film. It’s just a neurotic man housesitting for his brother, and meets a neurotic girl. It’s very Indie in the way it was shot and written, with a lot of awkwardness mixed in.

7/10

Fright Night

Fright night (2011) is a remake of the 1985 film which i have yet to see. However I was thoroughly impressed with this film. It starred Anton Yelchin (Charlie Bartlett) as Charley a boy who ditched his old best friend Ed Christopher mintz-plasse (superbad)  when he entered high school and started dating Amy a popular girl Imogen Poots (Solitary man). People in their school and the surrounding town start going missing, and Ed is quick to blame a vampire whom he suspects lives next to charley. They say assumptions make assholes make out of you and me, but in this case they make a blood thirsty vampire out of Ed. When Charley realizes Ed has gone missing, he searches his room and finds a plethora of vampire lore and speculations that collates with the missing people in town. Charley’s new neighbor Jerry played by Collin Farrell (The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus), starts acting strange, so Charley goes snooping. He follows a lead he found in Ed’s room, and goes to visit Peter Vincent Played by the one and only David Tennant (Doctor Who). Peter is similar to a Chris Angel mind freak with a vampire theme. He freaks out on Charley when he tells him he suspects his neighbor of being a vampire, and kicks him out of his penthouse.  Before being kicked out Charley leaves a picture of a tapestry he took from Jerry’s house, which eventually persuades Peter that Charley isn’t crazy. Awhile after Charley gets  home and does some more snooping, his mother and Amy start to think he’s gone crazy and confront him about it. While they’re confronting him Jerry gets pissed off and unleashes a vampire rage that ends with a chase and Charley’s mom in the hospital. From there Charley and Amy rush to Peter’s penthouse, where they are attacked by some vampires (including Ed). Amy is captured by jerry and taken back to his house. She is pursued by peter and charley, who intend to free her or go out with a bang.

I enjoyed this film a lot. There was a decent amount of vampire lore weaved into the plot, it wasn’t just a crazy blood sucking monster on the loose. Burning crosses and holy water along with Van Helsing like weapons are used to fight the creatures of the night. But the most powerful weapon they possess is a wooden stake blessed by Saint Peter himself, which if stabbed through the heart will change anyone turned by that vampire into a human again.

7/10