September 26, 2012 | 5:55 pm

Review: ‘Looper’

Posted by Joan Alperin-Schwartz

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''Looper', written and directed by Rian Johnson ('Brick') is an intelligent, engrossing, thought provoking, and totally entertaining, sci fi film about time-travel and what a person will or won't do to save the person they love.

There's also some kick ass action, great characters, excellent acting and at times, it's actually, funny.

'Looper' stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Joe and Bruce Willis as...Old Joe aka Levitt's future self..

The film takes place in Kansas 2042. Time travel has not yet been invented, but 30 years from now, it will have been. Only problem is, it's illegal...and controlled by a syndicate of gangsters, who basically run the world.

These bad boys use a time travel device to send the people they want eliminated, back to 2042, where men known as 'Loopers' kill them and collect a whole lot of silver bars for their work.

Apparently there is absolutely no place for a murderer to dispose of a body thirty years from now...And we think our planet is in trouble, now...

Anyway, because of the illegality of the whole murder thing, eventually the Loopers, themselves, must be eliminated. So after thirty years of killing people...give or take a couple of months...the loopers must oft themselves....well, their older selves.

This is one of the many cool parts of the film.

The loopers wait in this open field, out in nowhere land, for their future selves to pop in. When they arrive, their heads are covered with a hood. When the hoods come off, the realization that the looper must kill himself really sinks in. Of course, not all of them wants to go along with the plan....I mean. can you blame them?

Well, there's a lot more to the plot, but I don't want to spoil the great surprises... I will say that...Emily Blunt and a wonderful young actor, Pierce Gagnon, who plays Blunt's very special son, as well as Jeff Daniels, who's an extremely interesting, bad ass gangsta, all play essential roles in this exciting, orginal film.

Along with the the acting being pitch perfect, the dialogue is clever and witty, raising some very important philsophical issues.

To sum up, 'Looper' is definitely a film that will make you think...about the choices you'd make when it comes to love...love of another person...and love of humanity.

'Looper' opens in theatres, Friday September 28th. It received 4 1/2 bagels out of 5 from myself. Check out our video to see what John thoughts and his rating...Hint...He actually liked it

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September 21, 2012 | 11:07 am

Review: ‘House At The End Of The Street’

Posted by Joan Alperin-Schwartz

If you are expecting a super scary horror film, you will be disappointed.  If however, you are expecting a lifetime movie of the week, damsel in distress film, you will not be.

Personally, for the first 50 minutes of 'House At The End Of The Street' I was kind of bored and then came a 'twist' and I sat up in my seat....but not for long.

Okay, so here's the story...Sarah (Elisabeth Shue) is a divorced mom who moves into an upscale neighborhood to start a better life with her daughter, Elissa (Jennifer Lawrence, 'Hunger Games') Only trouble is there are rumors that the nearby woods are haunted by a homicidal killer named Carrie Ann...Seems she murdered her mom and dad...Sounds like one ungrateful kid...

 Anyway, Elissa befriends Carrie Ann's brother, Ryan (Max Thieriot) who still lives in his deceased parents' house...Poor guy is an outsider thanks to his sister's little murder spree.   But that doesn't stop Elissa from falling for him.  Can't really blame her...The dude is cute.

To say anymore about this film would be giving too much away.  But what I will say is...unfortunately this is a definite DVD/Netflix rental....

Also, if you decide to take an evening stroll in the dark, spooky woods with a homicidal maniac running loose, you may want to consider another form of entertainment.

I gave 'House At The End Of The Street' directed by Mark Tonderai ('Hush') and written by David Loucka ('Dream House') based on a story by Jonathan Mostow ('Terminator 3') 2 1/2 bagels out of 5.  The films opens Friday, September 21, 2012

Check out our video to see John's rating and for more of our incredible witty banter.

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Let us know what you think of 'House At The End Of The Street'

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September 20, 2012 | 5:14 pm

Review: ‘Trouble With The Curve’

Posted by Joan Alperin-Schwartz

• 'Trouble With The Curve'  is... a)corny...b)nothing you haven't seen before and c) totally entertaining.

Clint Eastwood is Gus, an aging baseball scout for the Atlanta Braves. Gus has more than a few problems...He's losing his eyesight, has trouble peeing, his contrat expires with the team in three months and might not be renewed.  

Oh and did I mention that his relationship with his high powered lawyer daughter, Mickey (Amy Adams) is far from great. In fact it sucks.

Amy and Gus are total polar opposites. Gus hates technology...Thinks computers are a ridiculous way of tracking a players stats and won't even consider using a cell phone.

Amy, on the other hand, practically sleeps with her laptop. They do, however, have on thing in common...Their love for baseball.

When circumstances arrive that forces Mickey to accompany Gus on a scouting trip through North Carolina, they both get one last chance to heal old wounds and maybe...just maybe, have a real father/daughter relationship.

Yes this film is old fashion, but it works. There's even a little romance thrown in and a moonlight swim thanks to Justin Timberlake. He plays a former pitcher who's now a Red Sox scout. Mr. T. does an adequate job at being boyish and charming. His chemistry with Amy isn't great, but it won't put you to sleep either.

Rounding out the cast is John Goodman, Gus's long time bff/co-worker and Matthew Lillard, an obnoxious jerk who wants to be the next...Gus.

'Trouble With The Curve' which opens in theatres Friday, September 21st.

The film was directed by Clint's long time producing partner Robert Lorenz and for a first time director, he does a good job with his cast. Randy Brown, also a first timer, wrote the script.

I gave 'Trouble With Curves' 3 bagels out of 5. Check out our video to see John's rating and for more of our banter.

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Thx everyone and let us know what you think.

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September 19, 2012 | 3:07 pm

Review: ‘End Of Watch’

Posted by Joan Alperin-Schwartz

'Training Day' starring Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke is one of my favorite 'cop' movies.  It was written by David Ayers and now...once again...Ayers continues his fascination with the 'Men In Blue' with his new gritty drama entitled 'End Of Watch'.

This time his focus isn't on police corruption, but on the every day life of the men and women who patrol our streets and put their lives at risk on a daily basis to serve and protect us.

'End Of Watch', while not completely satisfying on an emotional level, does work for the most part, thanks to the two leads, Jake Gyllenhal and Michael Pena who have great chemistry between them.

Gyllenhal is Brian Taylor, an ex Marine, who comes from a wealthy family in Davenport Iowa.  He wants to be a lawyer and attends college at night, where he studies film as well as law.  Taylor is a dude that loves to take risks.  His sensitive side only comes out when he talks about or spends time with his girlfriend, Janet (Anna Kendrick).

Taylor's partner,  Mike Zavala (Mike Pena) couldn't be more different.

Zavala joined the force right out of high school.  He grew up on the streets of East L. A. and has been married to the same woman, Gabby (Natalie Martinez) since high school.

Sitting in their police car, waiting for their next call, the two cops converse candidly about the risks of the job, including the rush and fear that comes with the territory.

This is juxtaposed with their humorous conversations about women, life and fellow officers.

One thing is always clear...Taylor and Zavala would give their life for each other.  They are brothers on every level.  This is especially clear when a hit is put out on their lives by  the Mexican cartel.

On the other side of the law, we meet the shadowy figures from the Sinaloa Drug Cartel and an L.A. street gang and their members Big Evil, Wicked, La La and Demon, among countless other 'hoodrats and homies'.

As the action unfolds, it's seen through handheld cameras shot from the P,O.V. of Taylor, the gang bangers, dash cams, surveillance cameras and the citizens caught in the line of fire.  This 360 degree perspective creates an intense portrait of the city's darkest and most violent streets.

This is a powerful story about family, friendship, love, honor and courage.  It's not a perfect film, but it's definitely worth seeing.

Rounding out the cast are America Ferrera, Cody Horn and Paul Grillo as fellow cops.

I gave 'End Of Watch' which opens in theatres, Friday September 21, three and a half bagels out of five.  Check out our video to see John's rating and for more of our banter. 

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Let us know what you think of 'End Of Watch'.

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September 16, 2012 | 11:13 am

Review: ‘The Perks Of Being A Wallflower’

Posted by Joan Alperin-Schwartz

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September 6, 2012 | 5:10 pm

Review: ‘The Words’

Posted by Joan Alperin-Schwartz

'The Words' written and directed by Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal (co-wrote story for 'Tron-Legacy') is a movie within a movie within a movie.

Yes, it does sound confusing and convoluted, but it's really a very compelling and entertaining film. 

When 'The Words' begin, we meet celebrated novelist, Clay Hammond (Dennis Quaid).  He's standing before a crowd of fans including grad student, Daniella (Oliva Wilde) reading excerpts from his bestselling novel, entitled, 'The Word'.

As Clay continues to read out loud, the story comes to life and we meet the characters from his book, starting with successful writer, Rory Jensen (Bradley Cooper) who is receiving a prestigious award for his debut novel.

Unlike Hammond, Jensen didn't write the book he's getting all the credit for.  In flashbacks, we discover that Jensen found the manuscript in a weathered brief case that he bought while on his Paris honeymoon with his wife, Dora (Zoe Saldana).

Back in the States, Rory reads the manuscript.  It's the extraordinary story of a young soldier (Ben Barnes) who falls in love with a French girl, (Nora Arnezeder) in post WW11 Paris.  Rory realizes that he could never write as deeply and as powerfully as this unknown author.

After receiving rejection, after rejection for his own work, Rory winds up publishing the novel under his name.

All goes well for our adored novelist until...he meets an old man (the wonderful Jeremy Irons) who has a story to tell him.

In a separate flashback, we find out who this mysterious elderly man is and where he came from.

So we have three stories that intertwine and add up to a very powerful story that touches on some very intesting and thought provoking themes...

What happens when a person realizes, that they will never become what they dream of becoming...What happens when someone makes a choice as a youth and has to suffer the consequences of his actions as a grown man, and finally, what happens when ambition is valued above love.

'The Words' which opens in theatres, Friday September 7, 2012 is a beautiful, touching, film about creativity and how in the end, everyone...wants to touch something truly, great.,

I thoroughly enjoyed it and for that reason, gave the film, 3 1/2 bagels out of 5.

John of course, had a very different experience.  Check out our video to see his bagel rating and more of our thoughts.

Please SUBSCRIBE to our youtube channel and LIKE us on our Two Jews On Film facebook page. Thanks everyone and let us know what you think.

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August 28, 2012 | 10:26 pm

Review: ‘Lawless’

Posted by Joan Alperin-Schwartz

Prohibition, gangsters, brothers, Virginia, moonshine, a sadistic lawman, violence, lust, love and family…That’s some of the things you’ll find in ‘Lawless’ directed by John Hillcoat (‘The Road’) and written by songwriter/musician, Nick Cave (The Proposition), based on Matt Bondurant’s book ‘The Wettest County in the World’, a fictionalized account of his family.

The film tells the story of the infamous Bondurant Brothers, Forrest, (Tom Hardy), Howard (Jason Clarke) and the youngest sibling, Jack (Shia LaBeouf) who made and sold moonshine in the 30’s. They lived in the mountains of Franklin County and were as different as brothers could be.

Jack, the ambitious one, dreams of expensive suits, fast cars, and getting it on with the very pretty and very religious, Bertha (Mia Wasikowka).

His bro, Howard, who survived the Great War, is the more laid back of the three, while Forrest, who nearly died of the Spanish Flu, is known far and wide as being immortal. He’s also a guy you don’t want to mess with.

Times are tough and jobs are scarce in these parts, but the Bondurants are entrepreneurs and have built a thriving business by concocting an intense and popular brand of moonshine.

But Franklin County’s bootlegging days are about to end, with the arrival of Special Deputy, Charlie Rakes (Guy Pearce) from Chicago.

Rakes is a vicious, sadistic dude with a bad hairdo. He’s determined to bring law to this lawless place, no matter what he has to do…Translation…He’ll kill, maim, torture anyone who gets in his way.

And the Bondorants, who bow down to no one, are not about to let this power hungry, sexually conflicted jerk, mess with their way of life.

‘Lawless’ is a beautifully shot, edgy, exciting, violent, touching portrait of a time in our history when gangsters ruled the city streets, and outlaws were the stuff legends were made of.

Everyone in the cast was excellent, with Tom Hardy being the standout. He created such an interesting, complex character…A man filled with rage but at the same time, had an equally intense vulnerability. This was especially apparent in his scenes with Jessica Chastain, who played, Maggie, an emotionally wounded burlesque dancer.

Also worth mentioning is Gary Oldman as gangster, Floyd Banner, who is both a friend and foe to the Bondurants. Even though he appears in the film sporatically, Oldman’s presence is felt throughout.

‘Lawless’ which opens in theatres, Wednesday August 29, 2012, received 4 1/2 bagels out of 5. I absolutely loved everything about it and John actually liked it as well.

Check out our video to see more of our thoughts and watch me try and convince John that his bagel rating needs some adjustment.

Please SUBSCRIBE to us on youtube and LIKE us on our Two Jews On Film facebook page. Thanks everyone and let us know your thoughts about this movie.

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August 22, 2012 | 3:59 pm

Review: “Premium Rush”

Posted by Joan Alperin-Schwartz

Sometimes a film is 100 per cent entertainment…That is definitely the case with “Premium Rush” written and directed by David Koepp (writer of “Spiderman” & “Mission Impossible” etc).

This film is one big roller coaster ride…one that you’ll want to keep riding, right up to the end.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is Wilee, ex law student, turned bike messenger, extraordinaire. He spends his days dodging speeding cars, crazed cab drivers and 8 million New Yorkers, hurrying to get wherever, and…he loves every minute of it.

To get an idea about who Wilee is…His bike is super lightweight, with only one gear, and…no brakes. Wilee had them removed, so now’s he’s the fastest bike messenger in New York City.

Wilee loves to tell fellow bike messenger, Vanessa, (Dania Ramiez) his on-again, off-again girlfriend, that putting on a suit equals death for him. That’s why, he’s decided at least for now, not to take the bar exam.

Our speed demon lives for thrills and soon after the movie begins, Wilee gets more thrills than he ever could have imagined when his boss, gives him one last job to do, at the end of his shift.

Assignment is simple. Pick up a small envelope in the Village and deliver it across town…The job has to be completed in…90 minutes…It’s a…Premium Rush.

Piece of cake right? Not when you have an over the top crazy, degenerate gambler, crooked cop, Bobby Monday (Michael Shannon) on your heels trying to stop you.

I must say that, Shannon is absolutely memorizing in this part. There’s a scene, where he’s playing the chinese tile gambling game, Pai Gow and trust me, you won’t be able to take your eyes off of him. He is that good.

‘Premium Rush’ is one of the most exciting films I’ve seen in a long time. The stunts and the action will have you sitting on the edge of your seat. The characters, including…

Wole Parks as Manny, a rival messenger with a super expensive bike and a super set of biceps and Jamie Chung (Nima) are all excellent.

I gave “Premium Rush” which opens in theatres, Friday, August 24th, 4 bagels out of 5 and John came pretty close with his score. Yes, a film he actually liked.

Check out our video to see more of our thoughts

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