Spring Breakers

Cast of Characters:
Alien - James Franco
Faith - Selena Gomez
Candy - Vanessa Hudgens
Brit - Ashley Benson
Cotty - Rachel Korine
Archie “Big Arch” - Gucci Mane

Director - Harmony Korine
Screenplay - Harmony Korine
Rated R for strong sexual content, language, nudity, drug use and violence throughout

      Every year, around mid to late March, legions of college kids flock to the state of Florida (my birth state and first hometown, by the way) to commit stupid, drunken, horny acts. That joyous time of year that every parent dreads knowing their once sweet, little princess is now going topless for beads and on the cover of a nudie video is called "Spring Break". Take a good look at your little ones, parents. That will be your kid in about ten to fifteen years. With Spring Breakers, James Franco plays a gangsta rapper with former Disney stars Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens as two of his bikini clad babes by his... Whoa! What the hell? Let's rewind that there... sih yb sebab dalc inikib sih fo owt sa snegduH assenaV dna zemoG aneleS srats yensiD... Disney stars Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens - okay, yeah, that's not a typo.

      The film centers on four childhood friends now in college. They are Faith (Selena Gomez), Candy (Vanessa Hudgens), Brit (Ashley Benson), and Cotty (Rachel Korine). The four are trying to save up to go down to the Sunshine State for spring break, but they've only been able to save up between three to four hundred dollars - not enough for the four of them together. Brit and Candy hold up and vandalize a small, fast food restaurant - Cotty being the getaway driver - to make some quick cash. Faith, being the more innocent one out of the four, is a bit taken aback by their scheme to make money for the trip. Seeing that they now have the money to go down to Florida though, she reluctantly overlooks what they've done.

      While on spring break, the four go buck wild like the rest of those wild and crazy college kids. Their vacation is temporarily put on hold though when they're arrested at a party that happens to have drugs. The judge states he won't charge them with possession since the drugs weren't theirs, but he orders that they either pay a fine or spend two nights in custody. They obviously have run out of money, so it's two nights in prison for the four of them. Also in attendance at the court hearing was Alien (James Franco), a rapper who's been running a few spring break parties in the area. Alien (his real name being Allen) takes a liking to the four and bails them out, promising to show them a good time. Faith, right off the bat, is uncomfortable with hanging out with Alien. She's completely turned off by his lifestyle, especially after finding out he makes most of his money selling drugs. Having been worn out from the arrest, Faith decides to leave and head back home. 

      What should I say about this movie? It's profane. It's vulgar. There's dozens upon dozens of scenes of former Disney stars nearly bursting out of their bikinis... It's also the best movie I've seen so far this year, and certainly will be one of the most unforgettable by year's end. Writer/director Harmony Korine is no stranger to controversy within film. His 1995 film Kids (which he wrote) was a great, yet deeply disturbing look at teen sex and substance abuse, and it was very much polarizing amongst both moviegoers and critics. With Spring Breakers, Korine indulges in a number of stylistic flourishes, creating a dark, dreamlike, surreal atmosphere that takes a harsh, unrelenting look at the binge drinking, crotch grinding, topless world college kids throw themselves into during Spring Break. The second half of the film (which I refrained from explaining for the sake of spoilers) finds the girls spiraling further down in their own hedonistic hell. The performances are terrific. This is perfect casting. James Franco dives head on into this role, and it's one of those roles where you hear about it and go, "What the hell?", then you see it and realize there's not a single false note struck in his performance. The four girls are equally strong. Selena Gomez, although not in the film as long as the Hudgens, Benson, and Korine, really surprised me with her terrifically conflicted role as Faith - the only one out of the four with a bit of a backstory. Her character is a born-again Christian. She adores her grandmother, and attends a Christian youth group. However, she still wants to experience the fun, party lifestyle of Spring Break, but once she gets a taste of what certain bad choices can lead to she realizes it may be fun for a moment, but when the dream ends you're in for a rude wake-up call. Vanessa Hudgens' character couldn't be any more polar opposite of Faith. Aptly named Candy, she's one wild, little minx that seems to have no concept of the term "line in the sand" and no regard for consequences whatsoever. Clearly, Vanessa has shredded any trace there may be left clinging to her of High School Musical. Hell, I was almost tempted to Google her and Gomez's age just so I could be assured I wasn't gonna leave the theater and find Chris Hansen waiting for me at home with his To Catch a Predator film crew. It's a daring performance by Hudgens that - unlike a few other Disney "Tween Queen" gone bad performances - actually works. She pulls no punches and goes all in, and I was seriously impressed.

      Obviously, this film will be polarizing, and I'm just telling you now, you're either gonna love it or hate it. When I walked by the movie's poster at the theater, I noticed it kinda looked like an advertisement for a dumbed down party film. The movie's anything but that. It's a provocative and at times darkly funny film about the hedonistic lifestyle associated with Spring Break and the consequences that may come with it. Korine doesn't shy away in the slightest from the boozing, the dancing, the gyrating, and the drug fueled partying, but he also doesn't shy away from the consequences. What starts out as one bad choice leads to exponentially bigger bad choices. That's what makes this movie so great and unforgettable. I give Spring Breakers an A (★★★★).

REVIEWS COMING LATER NEXT WEEK...

Benjamin's Stash: Video Pick of the Week
Top 50 Movie Villains of All-Time: Part V
21 & Over
G.I. Joe: Retaliation
The Host 
Olympus Has Fallen

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone

Cast of Characters:
Albert Wunderstein/Burt Wonderstone - Steve Carell
Anthony Mertz/Anton Marvelton - Steve Buscemi
Jane - Olivia Wilde
Rance Holloway - Alan Arkin
Doug Munny - James Gandolfini
Steve Gray - Jim Carrey

Director - Don Scardino
Screenplay - John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein
Rated PG-13 for sexual content, dangerous stunts, a drug related incident and language

      Absurdist comedies have always been a hit or miss endeavor. That’s mainly because most, if not all of them follow the same formula. Whether it be Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, or Blades of Glory (must’ve run out of subtitles), all have the same formula and stock of characters: the one or two antagonists (one likeable, the other a pompous blowhard), the eccentric villain, the obligatory female assistant that ends up being the love interest, and the oddball, aging mentor. With The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, you know it’s gonna follow the same path like the rest of them. Will it be a hit or miss?

      In 1982, Albert Wunderstein is a pint-sized boy who’s harassed by local bullies. On his birthday, his mother gets him a magic trick set by legendary veteran magician Rance Holloway (Alan Arkin). Seeing it as an escape from the everyday pounding he’d normally face each day from the bullies, Wunderstein practices all the tricks he can. His ability to now perform magic tricks attracts the attention of one his schoolmates, Anthony Mertz. The two form an instant friendship and become magician partners.

      Years later, Wunderstein (Steve Carell) and Mertz (Steve Buscemi) are now grown up. For the past few years they’ve been performing an ongoing gig with their assistant Jane (Olivia Wilde) at the Aztec Casino in Las Vegas under the stage names Burt Wonderstone and Anton Marvelton. The problem they’ve run into recently - as brought up by casino owner Doug Munny (James Gandolfini) - is that their act has gone stale. For the past few years Burt and Anton have been doing the same tricks, same routines, even the same introduction song (“Abracadabra” by The Steve Miller Band). An even bigger problem for the duo is brought before them when Munny shows them a TV advertisement for cutting edge street magician Steve Gray (Jim Carrey) and his viral show Brain Rapist (Clearly a satire of Criss Angel's Mind Freak) . Munny feels Gray’s street magic is the future of magic and that if Burt and Anton aren’t gonna update their act, he’ll have to find new performers ‘cause what they’re doing now ain’t selling tickets.

      As Burt and Anton’s star begins to fade and Steve Gray’s begins to rise, Burt starts looking for work elsewhere. Eventually, he lands an entertainer gig at a nearby assisted living center where he finds living there, of all people, his childhood hero - Rance Holloway. Holloway has now given up magic for years, but seeing the man that got him into magic in the first place seems to have rekindled a passion fire for the magic he once loved. From that moment, Burt sets out to reclaim his spot back in Vegas with an act amazing enough to bring back his relevancy.

      Like I said up at the top, absurdist comedies of this kind tend to be hit or miss. For the most part, the Will Ferrell comedies of the past decade were mostly miss after miss (Old School and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy were rare exceptions) not ‘cause the stories were the same, but ‘cause the characters he'd play were all the same too and it was the same annoying comic bit every time. I will admit The Incredible Burt Wonderstone is certainly predictable, but I gotta tell you, I laughed quite a bit. For starters, Jim Carrey hits a grand slam as the Criss Angel-like Steve Gray. I haven’t laughed at a Jim Carrey performance this hard since 2003's Bruce Almighty. There’s one scene in particular where both Gray and Wonderstone go off in a “Anything you can do I can do better” type magic showdown at a kid’s birthday party that’s flat-out hysterical. The other supporting performances are solid as well. Buscemi has a great comic moment when after Anton and Burt have a fallout, Anton goes on a charity mission to Cambodia. There he hands out magic kits to the native kids (instead of food and clean water, of course), and the reaction by the kids is priceless. Carell has a similarly great awkward moment during a solo show where, having done the same duo routine for years and years, has to improvise his set on a whim that ends up looking like he’s talking to himself. Also, both Olivia Wilde and Academy Award winner Alan Arkin manage to take the obligatory roles of the love interest and aging mentor respectively and make them both work effectively. Arkin in particular is terrific, delivering a great gag on how he actually performed a certain trick.

      Yeah, it has its weak moments. James Gandolfini is a very talented actor (Watch Zero Dark Thirty if you don’t believe me), but here he seemed slightly miscast. I mean, it’s a bit cliche to have the big, hulking mafioso type character play the casino owner. Aside from that, this may be a predictable comedy, but it still achieved the goal any comedy sets out to do, and that’s make me laugh. You know, when I first saw Carrey show up on the screen, I kinda let out a small chuckle that built up to a loud laugh. After seeing him do unfunny flop after flop for the past number of years, it’s great to see him in - a supporting role, mind you - but still one hell of a hysterical one. I give The Incredible Burt Wonderstone a B+ (★★★½).

The Croods

Cast of Characters:
Grug Crood - voiced by Nicolas Cage
Guy - voiced by Ryan Reynolds
Eep Crood - voiced by Emma Stone
Ugga Crood - voiced by Catherine Keener
Thunk Crood - voiced by Clark Duke
Gran - voiced by Cloris Leachman

Director - Kirk DeMicco & Chris Sanders
Screenplay - Kirk DeMicco & Chris Sanders
Rated PG for some scary action

      DreamWorks Studios hasn't had quite the success that Pixar Animation has enjoyed over the years; however, that being said, they've still have created some very imaginative animated tales from Antz to the Shrek films, Kung Fu Panda and the underrated Over the Hedge. This year, DreamWorks has released their next animated endeavor, The Croods. 

      Eep Croog (voiced by Emma Stone) is a teenage Neanderthal girl living back in prehistoric times. Her family is one of the few to survive primarily due to the strict rules of her overprotective father Grug (voiced by Nicolas Cage). While in their cave home, Grug tells nightly stories to his family - wife Ugga (voiced by Catherine Keener), son Thunk (voiced by Clark Duke), baby daughter Sandy, and mother-in-law Gran (voiced by Cloris Leachman) - about the dangers of exploration and "new things". The stories all seem to revolve around a character more than coincidentally similar to the curiously explorative Eep and all end with the character dying due to her curiosity. 

      Ignoring the advice of her father, Eep leaves the cave one night where she meets Guy (voiced by Ryan Reynolds) - a young, bright, and extremely inventive cave boy who may or may not have caught Eep's eye just by creating what she thinks is a "baby sun". It's actually fire. Guy warns her about what he feels is the world's "end". She tells her family of this theory of Guy's, but her obstinate father refuses to budge. In his mind, they're perfectly safe as long as they stay in the cave... until the cave is destroyed by an earthquake, that is.

      Following the earthquake, the family is forced to move and enter what they see as a whole new world. They soon meet up with Guy, who Grug finds to be nothing more than a young, obnoxious know-it-all. It's even more annoying to him when he sees how his family comes off as totally enamored by him. Together the Croog family, along with Guy, must brave the new world and the possible dangers that it presents as they venture out to find a new and suitable home.

      When I first saw the advertisement for this film my first reaction was, "Hmm... Probably just another Ice Age." While it's true that there are some similarities, this is still a creatively animated and funny film. Right at the opening of the film there's a cleverly funny introduction of the family going hunting for food in a way that resembles a football playbook more than anything else. The animation here is first rate. The color is extremely vibrant and it's just a beautiful film to watch. The voice-over performances are terrific. It's been a while since I've seen anything with Nicolas Cage in it that was worth my time, let alone money. He's great as the patriarchal head of the Croods, and it was just great to see (or I should see hear) him back in a role that's thoroughly entertaining. I mentioned above the scenes with him telling a different cautionary tale each night, but always containing the same character and ending with, "... And then she dies!" Both Emma Stone and Ryan Reynolds are perfectly cast as Grug's typical teenage daughter Eep and Guy respectively. Catherine Keener is solid as the soft-spoken voice of reason counterpart to Cage's hysterically overprotective Grug, and no matter what she does, when isn't Cloris Leachman funny? Along with the gorgeous visual style and great voice-over work, this film also has some genuine heart that adds a nice touch to the film. They may be Neanderthals (that just so happen to be more fluent and well spoken in the English language than some of my friends), but even they realize as a family they are all they got, and that it's vital they cherish each other when it appears the world around them is crumbling away.

      While not as heartwarming as Shrek or as imaginative as Over the Hedge, this is still miles better than the DreamWorks dud Shark Tale. I certainly wasn't expecting to hate this film, but I also wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did. Yeah, Grug doing the mother-in-law jokes are cliche and get a bit long in the tooth after a while, but you'll love the way the animation jumps out of the screen and grabs your attention. You'll enjoy the voice performances, and I think you'll appreciate the heart it contains at the center of it. I give The Croods a B+ (★★★½).

The Call

Cast of Characters:
Jordan Turner - Halle Berry
Casey Welson - Abigail Breslin
Officer Paul Phillips - Morris Chestnut
Michael Foster - Michael Eklund
Alan Denado - Michael Imperioli

Director - Brad Anderson
Screenplay - Richard D’Ovidio
Rated R for violence, disturbing content and some language

      There are approximately 188 million calls to the 911 Emergency Dispatchers each year. That’s at least the statistic given to us by the new 2013 film The Call, a high-concept thriller about a 911 operator trying to locate a kidnapped girl. Statistics aside, though, is this film worth you lightening your wallet down five to ten bucks?

      Jordan Turner (Halle Berry) is 911 dispatcher who receives a call from a distressed girl whose house is being broken into. Jordan calmly gives the girl instructions to evade the criminal, but when the call disconnects, Jordan re-dials the number. The call ring tone alerts the criminal, and it’s this action from Jordan that unfortunately leads to the girl’s murder. After realizing what has happened, Jordan naturally is traumatized by the event. Despite being comforted over the ordeal by her boyfriend, Officer Paul Phillips (Morris Chestnut), Jordan feels she can no longer handle the stress that comes with handling emergency calls.

      Six months later, Jordan is no longer handling calls, but is now a trainer for 911 operators. While delivering training instructions to a batch of operating newbies, one of the rookie operators gets a distressed call from a girl named Casey Welson (Abigail Breslin). Casey states that she has been kidnapped at the mall and is in the trunk of a man’s car. Due to the fact that Casey is using a disposable cell phone, the operator is unable to trace the GPS location of the phone. Seeing that the operator is a rookie and is not handling the call well, Jordan - although reluctantly at first given her past - takes over the call.

      Technical error aside (It is, in fact, possible for 911 operators to trace GPS locations on even disposable phones), this was an entertaining thrill ride with some strong back and forth between Halle Berry’s operator and Abigail Breslin’s victim. Director Brad Anderson (who previously directed Christian Bale in the terrific The Machinist) delivers a fast paced, edge of your seat thriller for about three-fourths of the film, and I was prepared to give the film a solid recommendation... Then the ending showed up, and boy, does it commit a big screen writing no-no by having Berry’s character switch gears into the “take matters into her own hands” role. I don’t know much about protocol within 911 operating units, but I’m pretty sure Jordan Turner thinking she’s all of a sudden Clarice Starling may be against protocol. Whether it’s against protocol or not is beside the point. Writer Richard D’Ovidio had a solid, entertaining thriller within his hands and for whatever reason decides to take the ending down the “heroin solitarily saves the day” route. It’s a cheap cop-out of an ending, and given the concept and story that D'Ovidio had, you’d think he could come up with a more clever conclusion. What he ends up opting for is something you'd expect to see in some straight to DVD torture flick.

      Glaring critique aside, I’m still giving this film a mild recommendation. While it’s not worth rushing out and seeing right away, it’s still worth a watch. Aside from Michael Eklund's not quite believable portrayal of the kidnapper/serial killer, the performances are strong. Both Berry and Breslin have some nice, inspired moments together. Morris Chestnut has a solid supporting role as well playing a cop - unlike the detective he played in Identity Thief - that actually knows how to put two and two together, and director Brad Anderson strings together some intense, terrific thrills. The weakness is in the writing, but it’s still worth checking out once it’s released on disc or maybe even catching it as a matinee if nothing else is planned. I give The Call a B- (★★★).

Top 50 Movie Villains of All-Time: Part IV

      The second to last of this five part series, we are almost to the finale with Part IV of the top 50 movie villains of all-time. Let's start the countdown with the top 20.

20) Lex Luthor (Superman) - Gene Hackman
      1978 - Batman has the Joker. Spider-Man has the Green Goblin. Superman has Lex Luthor. As the Man of Steel’s arch nemesis, Luthor is charming, intelligent and devious all rolled into one. To make a fortune in real estate, Luthor plans on buying large amounts of desert land and then divert a nuclear missel test flight to the San Andreas Fault. The missel would in turn sink California, making Lex’s land the new U.S. West Coast, thereby increasing its value. Academy Award winner Gene Hackman was perfectly cast as Superman’s nemesis, striking just the right tone of both cockiness and terror in the iconic role. When hearing that one missel is heading to Hackensack, New Jersey, Lex's girlfriend, Miss Teschmacher, mentions to Lex that her mother lives in Hackensack. All you need to see is Luthor look down at his watch, then back at Teschmacher, shaking his head no to realize under that smile, this man is as ruthless as they come.

      SPOILER ALERT: In the highly unlikely - I'm hoping - event you have not seen the original Star Wars trilogy, the next clip contains some major plot spoilers within the dialogue.

19) Darth Sidious/Emperor Palpatine (Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi) - Ian McDiarmid

      1983 - Of course, everyone knows the main villain of the Star Wars franchise to be Darth Vader. That being said, sometimes even the greatest of villains have a puppet master. The way he has manipulated Darth Vader for years under his command is the stuff of pure evil. On top of that, he then gives film protagonist Luke Skywalker the choice to either join his side or... well, die. Ian McDiarmid is perfect as the slithery emperor. Even little things like his insidious chuckle before uttering, “Good... Your hate has made you powerful.” add much more to his dark persona.

18) Count Dracula (Dracula) - Bela Lugosi
      1931 - Francis Ford Coppola’s 1992 film Bram Stoker’s Dracula may have been more faithful to the original novel, but there’s no doubt that Bela Lugosi’s Dracula is by far the definitive depiction of the legendary vampire. Everything from his presence to the slow and deliberate pacing of his dialogue - “I bid you... welcome!” - was captured with such powerful perfection by the Hungarian Legosi. Even in the moments where he says not a single word, Legosi comes off just as frightening with that icy, cold stare of his that stays with you long after you’ve seen it. It’s unfortunate that this role ended up being such a double edged sword for Legosi. As famous as the role made him, it also brought upon him the curse of typecasting following this film. That still doesn’t take away the fact that 1931's Dracula is one of the greatest works of horror to ever grace the silver screen.

17) Count Orlok (Nosferatu) - Max Schreck
      1922 - If a movie with no spoken dialogue can still manage to either move you, make you laugh, or send a chill down your spine, you know you have a masterpiece in the making. That is the case with Nosferatu, the classic German silent film from the early twenties. Max Schreck’s Count Orlok is easily the most unsettling of all the vampire depictions. One of the most unforgettable images ever is the shadow of Count Orlok slowly creeping up the staircase. Is this “scary” by what today’s horror films define as scary? No, but Nosferatu still manages to haunt you. Count Orlok’s not the type of villain that jumps out at you screaming “Boo!” with a blood drenched machete in his hand. He’s the type of monster that slowly creeps up behind you and breathes on the back of your neck causing the goose bumps on your arms to rise, and in some ways you could argue that's even worse.

16) Max Cady (Cape Fear) - Robert Mitchum
      1962 - I apologize for the subtitles and advertisement distractions. This was the only clip I could find and I was hoping to find the "I'm gonna do something to you and your family that you ain't neva' gonna forget." scene. Anyway, with all due respect to the great Martin Scorsese, his 1991 remake is far and away inferior to the original starring Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum as the perverted rapist, Max Cady. Holding Georgia lawyer Sam Bowden (Peck) personally responsible for his conviction, Cady - upon his release - begins stalking Bowden’s family, particularly his wife and 14 year old daughter. What makes Max Cady such a perfectly disgusting villain is not just his behavior, but how easy it is for him to basically get away with murder. Every time Bowden tries to pin down Cady with the police, it seems the authorities can’t find the evidence proving Cady’s wrongdoing. Having studied law while in prison, he knows how to be one step ahead. It’s that type of frustrating, make your skin crawl, foil for Bowden that makes Robert Mitchum one hell of a nasty villain.

15) The Shark (Jaws) - “Bruce”
      1975 - A modern day version of “Moby Dick”, Steven Spielberg’s breakthrough hit Jaws, proved you could have a “villain” that’s just as monstrous as the rest of them without being seen onscreen. For most of the film, you don’t see the shark even when it’s attacking its victims. That’s the beauty of Jaws and the genius of Spielberg. When we do finally see the shark, the wait makes the reveal all the more worth it leading up to Roy Scheider’s classic line, “... We’re gonna need a bigger boat.” Whether it’s Spielberg’s ability to create suspense out of an unseen monster, the late, great Robert Shaw’s depiction of the shark during the town hall scene or John Williams’s phenomenally perfect musical score, there’s a reason people were afraid to go into the water in the seventies.

14) Annie Wilkes (Misery) - Kathy Bates
      1990 - It is my sincere hope that I never attract a reader like Annie Wilkes. Kathy Bates won an Oscar for Best Actress for her chilling portrayal of the obsessively psychotic Wilkes. A die-hard fan of famed novelist Paul Sheldon, Annie ends up taking care of Sheldon after he is involved in a nearby auto accident. What seems to be a dream come true for her ends up being a nightmare for him when he starts to realize she takes his writings a little bit too seriously... not enough of an understatement at that too. It’s her ability to always be one step ahead of Paul whenever he tries to break free that makes her so convincingly terrifying. It’s when she looks back on Paul and utters, “God, I love you.” after breaking his ankles of course, when you realize just how bat-shit crazy this woman really is.

13) Khan Noonien Singh (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan) - Ricardo Montalban
      1982 - Revenge. Khan or “Khaaaaaaaan!” is all about revenge. Once exiled by Captain James T. Kirk and then blaming Kirk for the death of his wife, Khan vows to avenge her. His plan is to activate the Genesis Device - a torpedo that is capable of both reorganizing matter to create habitable worlds and destroying planets. The scene in which he uses his mind controlling eels - “pets” as he calls them - to gain control of the USS Reliant is just as disturbing to watch nowadays as it was for me when I was just three years old. Nightmares naturally followed back then.

12) The Queen (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs) - voiced by Lucille La Verne
      1937 - The first of Walt Disney’s feature length productions also happens to be my personal favorite of all the Disney animated films. It also contains the most wicked of all the Disney villains - the Queen. This woman has no black heart or heart of stone. No, those with a black heart or heart of stone at least have a heart. Vain and jealous are just the tip of the iceberg with this icy bitch. Upon finding out that she’s no longer the “fairest in the land” but her step-daughter, Snow White, is, she orders a huntsman to take Snow White out into the woods and kill her. Of course, she’s gonna need proof that Snow White is dead so she also wants her heart cut out and placed in a jeweled box. Consider it a memento. When you see the Queen’s true ugliness in the form of that old witch, and then see Snow White responding back with that sweet voice and demeanor of hers, you just wanna choke the old, bitter hag for how she could ever find it in herself to kill such an innocent girl.

11) The Joker (The Dark Knight) - Heath Ledger
      2008 - Don’t get me wrong. Jack Nicholson’s performance in Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman was terrific, but Heath Ledger’s was even better. While Nicholson’s was more an ode to Cesar Romero’s campy Joker from the sixties, Ledger’s was dark, sadistic, demented, anarchic, and surprisingly intelligent as well. As Batman’s rival arch-nemesis, the Joker was the one villain that was able to get under Batman’s skin and inside his head the most. No one could bring Batman closer to breaking his “one rule” - not to kill anyone - more than the Joker. Plus, if you’ve seen the final installment, The Dark Knight Rises, in the clip I showed, you realize he’s eerily prophetic. “They’ll cast you out like a leper... You just watch. When the chips are down, these civilized people will eat each other alive... See, I'm not a monster. I’m just ahead of the curve.” It’s a beautifully twisted performance and it earned Ledger a posthumous Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor - one he deserved regardless of whether he was dead or alive, by the way.

      That's all for the first half of the top 20. Next week, I'll have the best of the best with the top 10 greatest villains to ever appear on the silver screen.

Benjamin's Stash: Video Pick of the Week

      Hello, once again, readers. It’ll be a busy week on here; there’s lots of posts for you coming up, but first it’s Tuesday. Time for my video pick of the week. This week’s pick is one example of what I refer to as a “popcorn flick” - a film where there’s no heavy plot, backstory or twists and turns. You just make yourself a bowl of popcorn and prepare to be entertained. This film, led by an A-list cast, certainly delivers the entertainment that it promises.

      Anaconda focuses on a group of “National Geographic” film-makers shooting a documentary on a long-lost South American tribe on the Amazon known as the Shirishama. Led by director Terri Flores (Jennifer Lopez), the group consists of cameraman Danny Rich (Ice Cube), production manager Denise Kalberg (Kari Wuhrer), sound engineer Gary Dixon (Owen Wilson), film narrator Warren Westridge (Jonathan Hyde) and anthropologist Professor Steven Cale (Eric Stoltz). Along their journey, they encounter a man who has been stranded in the river. His name is Paul Serone (Jon Voight). Serone leads them in believing he can help them with their search for the lost tribe, but unbeknownst to them, he is actually a snake poacher trying to capture an Anaconda - the world's largest snake. One Anaconda caught alive, according to Serone, could be worth a million dollars. If any of these people had seen anything about snakes on Animal Planet, they'd be smart enough to know that's easier said than done.

      I hate the term "guilty pleasure". If I like a certain movie, why should I be ashamed of it? Yes, some of my favorite movies ever are hard hitting films such as The Godfather, Raging Bull, Fargo, and Pulp Fiction. Nevertheless, that doesn't mean I can't enjoy a good entertaining movie if it is well made, and this movie is one hell of an entertaining flick. For starters, there's no complicated plot. This film is very much self aware of itself, and doesn't get bogged down in some heavy handed story. A film crew's shooting a documentary. They pick up a snake poaching hitchhiker. They get involved with a really pissed off snake, end of story. Also, for what many would consider an entertaining "B-movie", the performances are surprisingly strong, particularly from scene stealer Jon Voight. He takes this performance and has a ball with it. A villainous performance like this always runs a fine line between believable and overacting, but Voight strikes just the right tone. It's a terrifically sleazy performance from the Academy Award winning film veteran. His final scene in the movie - involving a wink - is by far his most memorable. Credit should also be given to cinematographer Bill Butler. It's a beautifully shot movie that portrays the jungle as both seductive yet ominous. Obviously, as someone that's always been fascinated with reptiles, I know full well that snakes of any kind don't actively hunt humans, and that they don't scream like shrieking banshees, and that if they do attack humans, it's only out of either fear and self defense and (or) you're invading its territory. Guess what? I also don't care in regards to this film. This is the type of film I watch for entertainment, not scientific accuracy. Although, to its credit, it did get the Anaconda's place of origin right (tropical South America) unlike it's God awful turd of a sequel which made its new place of origin Borneo of all places (it's extremely plot heavy story about something to do with flowers they breed in being a new type of Viagra or whatever didn't help either). This film is definitely all about what you see is what you get. Director Luis Llosa manages to create an effective, top notch, mass-appealing entertainment which is not easy to do by any means. Anaconda is straightforward and to the point, and it's one wild and fun 90 minute ride. Yeah, that's right. So sue me. Just go watch it.

Jack the Giant Slayer

Cast of Characters:
Jack - Nicholas Hoult
Princess Isabelle - Eleanor Tomlinson
Lord Roderick - Stanley Tucci
King Brahmwell - Ian McShane
Fallon - voiced by Bill Nighy
Elmont - Ewan McGregor

Director - Bryan Singer
Screenplay - Darren Lemke, Christopher McQuarrie, & Dan Studney
Rated PG-13 for intense scenes of fantasy action violence, some frightening images and brief language

      “Jack and the Giant Beanstalk” is one of the most beloved fairytale classics of all-time, ranking right up at the top some of the greatest such as “Cinderella”, “Little Red Riding Hood”, and “Hansel and Gretel”. Assuming most - or just some - kids are able to put their iPhones down for just a minute or so to read a book every once and a while, they’re familiar with the story of Jack facing the dreaded giant known for quoting the infamously memorable line, “Fee-fi-fo-fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman!” Now with Jack the Giant Slayer, the fairytale comes alive on the big screen, but with a slight twist.

      The film opens in the Kingdom of Cloister. Two children from two different economic classes, Jack a young farm boy and Princess Isabelle, are each being told a story on the legend of King Erik the Great. Legend has it that King Erik once defeated a race of invading giants and then had them banished to a land somewhere in the sky between heaven and earth. It was only by way of a magical crown, made of the same stone that composes the giants' hearts, that King Erik was able to keep the giants at bay.

      Ten years go by and Jack (Nicholas Hoult) is trying to sell his horse in order to continue supporting his uncle’s farm. While in town he notices Princess Isabelle (Eleanor Tomlinson) and is immediately smitten by her after having to defend her honor from a group of thugs. He then is greeted by a monk who offers him a few “magic” beans he had stolen - a crime unbeknownst to Jack - in exchange for the horse. Jack agrees to the deal. Back at home, Jack’s uncle is rightfully upset with Jack for making such a foolish deal and tosses the beans on the floor. 

      Meanwhile, at the castle, Princess Isabelle is going through her own family ordeal when her father, King Brahmwell (Ian McShane) arranges for her to marry his rather shady adviser, Lord Roderick (Stanley Tucci). Upset at the news, Isabelle runs away from home and unwittingly seeks shelter from a storm at Jack’s house. While inside from the rain, one of the beans happens to take root, turning into a massive beanstalk. Jack escapes from his home, but unfortunately is unable to rescue the princess as the beanstalk takes her and Jack’s home up into the sky.

      Wanting to rescue his daughter, King Brahmwell sends an army along with Jack, Elmont (Ewan McGregor), the leader of the king’s elite guard, and Lord Roderick up the beanstalk to save Isabelle. Little do they know, though, that a fearsome race of giants, led by the two headed Fallon (voiced by Bill Nighy), await them all, seeking revenge back on earth against the race of men for what King Erik has done to them.

      What a surprisingly entertaining film this was. I've said before on this blog that you never judge a film by its trailer, and one of the great joys of watching movies is that every now and then you're surprised by how good a film really is. Obviously, this film strays a bit from the traditional fairytale, but director Bryan Singer does an excellent job creating an edge of your seat atmosphere, particularly when Jack and Elmont first meet one of the giants. The CGI work on the giants is first rate and there are some amazing visuals throughout, especially once we see around the land of the giants. Nicholas Hoult - following his entertaining performance earlier this year in the terrific Warm Bodies - delivers another solid performance. Eleanor Tomlinson has a nice screen presence and both her and Nicholas create some likeable chemistry together. Stanley Tucci seems to be having a ball, hamming it up in a nice villainous role. Bill Nighy is perfectly cast as the leader of the giants and delivers some solid voice-over work, and Ewan McGregor is particularly great as the noble Elmont. I also credit writers Darren Lemke, Dan Studney, and Academy Award winner Christopher McQuarrie (re-teaming with Bryan Singer, both from The Usual Suspects) for not bogging the script down with too much of a backstory, or writing in the obligatory "can't stand the sight of you, so naturally we'll fall in love by the film's climax" story arc between the love interests. The goal of a movie like this is to be entertaining, adventurous, and thrilling and both director Bryan Singer and his team of writers succeed.

      Is this film predictable? Of course it is, but we generally have an idea beforehand how the movie's gonna turn out anyway. Plus, predictability within a film generally gets a slide if the film can still prove to be highly entertaining, and this movie proves to be just that. With solid performances, terrific visuals, and some genuinely thrilling moments, this - along with Oz the Great and Powerful - is and yet another great film the entire family can enjoy. I give Jack the Giant Slayer an A- (★★★½).

REVIEWS COMING LATER NEXT WEEK...

Benjamin's Stash: Video Pick of the Week

Top 50 Movie Villains of All-Time: Part IV

The Call

The Croods

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone

Spring Breakers

Top 50 Movie Villains of All-Time: Part III

      With twenty down, and thirty more to go, let's continue on with Part III of the top 50 movie villains of all-time.

30) William "Bill the Butcher" Cutting (Gangs of New York) - Daniel Day-Lewis
      2002 - As much as Adrien Brody's performance in The Pianist was definitely Oscar worthy, Daniel Day-Lewis deserved to win Best Actor the most. As "Bill the Butcher" Cutting in Martin Scorsese's phenomenal Gangs of New York, Day-Lewis is unrelentingly ruthless as he leads his gang of men known as the "Natives" during the New York Draft Riots of 1863. All you need to see is his opening scene when he steps outside and flashes that sinister grin of his toward the rival Irish gang, the "Dead Rabbits", to realize just how sadistic he really is. Even more intense is his scene involving a knife throwing skit with Cameron Diaz's Jenny Everdeane as the target.

29) Jane Hudson (What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?) - Bette Davis

      1962 - In this great 1962 classic, Bette Davis proves once again why she's one of the greatest actresses in the history of cinema. A former vaudevillian child star turned a bitter, washed up alcoholic, Jane now takes care of her crippled sister Blanche (Joan Crawford), also a former, glamorous star. When I say take care of, by the way, I mean she's abusive, belittling, and maddening drunk. You'll never forget the scene where she's singing "I've Written a Letter to Daddy" and then sees what she's become in the mirror, years after her days in the limelight  It's a terrifically entertaining yet still unsettling performance of a former star now an embittered shadow of her former self. 

28) Colonel Walter Kurtz (Apocalypse Now) - Marlon Brando

      1979 - Despite only appearing near the end of the film, the late, great Marlon Brando's Colonel Kurtz is still the centerpiece of this masterful tale set amidst the horrors of the Vietnam War. The character of Colonel Kurtz is beyond a mystery. A former, highly decorated, U.S. Special Forces Captain having gone insane, Kurtz now leads a cult-like following with his own troops inside Cambodia. Special Forces Captain Benjamin Willard (Martin Sheen), sent by the army to terminate Kurtz, describes it best upon meeting him. When Kurtz asks Willard if his methods are indeed unsound, Capt. Willard simply responds, "... I don't see any method... at all, sir." The scene I just played is brilliantly intense. No music, just the sound of water slowly dripping and the buzz of wildlife in the background while Kurtz clearly puts up no fight whatsoever against Willard. It's almost as if he's begging for death to take him away from what he's become. Sheen displays just the right amount of anxiety as he faces the insane yet tranquil Kurtz, not quite knowing what to make of the situation he has been put in. The use of lighting as well making the appearance of Kurtz fade in and out was brilliantly executed. It's his "horror" speech though that will leave the biggest impression on you.

27) Angel Eyes (The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly) - Lee Van Cleef

      1966 - Quite a lengthy scene, mind you, but well worth it. Who says your villain needs to have that lengthy, grandiose speech? Lee Van Cleef's Angel Eyes, from Sergio Leone's masterpiece The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (the final entry of "The Man With No Name" trilogy) starring Clint Eastwood, is proof you can have a villain that's just as sadistic and terrifying, if not more so, in the quieter moments where not a single word is spoken. He's not in the film as much as Eastwood's Blondie or Eli Wallach's Tuco are, but like film critic Michael Phillips once said, "You don't over-exploit a terrific villain." Angel Eyes is in the film at just the right moments when he needs to be and the final trio gun showdown between Blondie, Tuco, and Angel Eyes is one of the greatest, heart pounding intense, cinematic moments ever. In fact, Van Cleef's performance inspired another great director to craft the next villain on this list. 

26) Colonel Hans Landa (Inglourious Basterds) - Christoph Waltz

      2009 - Academy Award winner Christoph Waltz won his first of two Oscars (both from Tarantino films, by the way) for his role as Colonel Hans Landa, the savage yet very charismatic Nazi aptly nicknamed "The Jew Hunter". It would've been so cliche and predictable to portray Colonel Landa as this over the top, angry buffoon like some Nazi caricature. Landa though is bright, intelligent, eloquent, multilingual, and yes, sadistic in his quest for exterminating the Jewish people. The scene I just played was enough to merit Waltz the Oscar, but an even better moment is the dinner scene between him and Shosanna (Melanie Laurent), aka the girl that got away in the beginning. The viewer knows that Landa is well aware who he's having dinner with, but it's that quiet tension of "Is he or isn't he gonna get her?" that gnaws at you. The subtle fear he gives Shosanna while she holds in her emotions until the moment he leaves the room is just one reason out of the many why I think Tarantino is the great writer he is and one of my personal favorite filmmakers.

25) Dr. Christian Szell (Marathon Man) - Laurence Olivier

      1976 - He just wants to know if it's safe. Is that too much to ask? Don't tell me you didn't squirm when he presses hard on the cavity. Since the last villain was a Nazi, I figured why not continue the trend? The late, great Laurence Olivier's Dr. Christian Szell is on a mission to retrieve an extremely valuable diamond collection he had originally taken from Jews that were killed at Auschwitz. As you can clearly tell from the above clip, he's willing to go to rather tortuous lengths to find out where they are. The final showdown between Szell and Dustin Hoffman's "Babe" Levy is one of amusement and payback. You'll just have to watch for yourself to find out how amusing.

24) Man (Bambi) - No one

      1942 - No, I'm not anti-hunting at all, and I happen to enjoy venison quite a bit, but were you expecting the villain to be Thumper? One of Disney's crowning achievements in animation also contains one of the most sobering moments for an animated film. The genius of Walt Disney here is that you never hear the hunter's voice, nor do you ever see him. It's that fear of what you can't see, yet you know it's still out there that adds to the suspense. On top of that, you get that one line from Bambi's father, "Your mother can't be with you anymore." followed by the quiet sadness on Bambi's face that still manages to speak volumes to you. It's animated films like these that prove Walt Disney was a storytelling genius. 

23) General Zod (Superman II) - Terrence Stamp

      1981 - Obviously, everyone knows Superman's arch-nemesis is Lex Luthor; however, General Zod, in my opinion, deserves to be second in line considering their history. Once a citizen of Planet Krypton, General Zod was exiled to the Phantom Zone where, along with his two partners in crime Non and Ursa, are unwittingly freed by Superman. Zod is calm, cool and arrogant with a lust for power and world dominance, all of which are captured pitch perfectly by Terrence Stamp. Zod's lust for power turns to revenge when he soon finds out Superman, a fellow Kryptonian and the son of Jor-El, stands in his way.

22) Phyllis Dietrichson (Double Indemnity) - Barbara Stanwyck

      1944 - A top three film noir classic, Stanwyck's Phyllis Dietrichson quite possibly had husbands cancelling their life insurance policies at the snap of a finger. The term double indemnity refers to a clause in some insurance policies where the payout doubles if the cause of death is revealed to be an accident. What starts as a simple auto insurance renewal for Phyllis's husband through insurance salesman Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) leads to a murder plot by the soon to be former Mrs. Dietrichson on her husband. It's not just her murder plot that makes her such a bad villain. She also ups the ante by using her beauty and charm to seduce a once innocent man selling insurance into her devious scheme for money.

21) Henry F. Potter (It's a Wonderful Life) - Lionel Barrymore

      1946 - It wasn't the fact that "Mean, old Mister Potter!" was a money hungry slumlord and banker. Hell, there's a little bit of "money hungry" in every one of us. It was his smarmy, smug attitude along with his total disregard for town good-guy George Bailey that really made your skin crawl. It was then his stealing of George's Uncle Billy's $8,000 deposit in order to drive the Bailey's business into bankruptcy that really makes you hate him. It's when, if you didn't hate him enough already, he looks upon George - in his most desperate hour of need - and says "You're worth more dead than alive." where you wish George Bailey, Mary Bailey, Uncle Billy, Clarence Odbody, hell anyone would just bitch slap that gimp out of his wheelchair. It's a truly brilliant performance from Lionel Barrymore, and the opposing chemistry between him and Jimmy Stewart's George Bailey is excellent. You can't help but smile and laugh a little at the end when George giddily runs by Potter's office and, after all that Potter put him through, happily yells, "Merry Christmas, Mr. Potter!", to which Potter responds, "And a happy New Year to you... in jail!"

      That's all for Part III. Only two more to go 'til we reach the top ten. Feel free to let me know who you think will be my pick for the number one villain of all-time or who you think should be the number one pick.

Benjamin's Stash: Video Pick of the Week

      It's time for this week's edition of Benjamin's Stash: Video Pick of the Week. This week's pick is an excellent independent, character centered film starring Kate Beckinsale and one of my favorite actors today, Sam Rockwell.

      Snow Angels opens with a high school marching band preparing for the school's final football game of the season. They are shocked when they hear the sound of two gunshots from a distance away. We then flashback to a few weeks earlier. Arthur (Michael Angarano) buses tables for a local restaurant. One of his coworkers, Annie (Kate Beckinsale), a waitress, used to babysit him when he was younger. Arthur's home life is a bit of a mess with his parents in the midst of a separation and showing no regard for their son. The one ray of light in Arthur's life at the moment seems to be the plucky Lila (Olivia Thirlby), a new student with a talent in photography. Meanwhile Annie's life is no better, even worse than Arthur's. She's juggling taking care of her daughter and ill mother all the while dealing with her separated husband Glenn (Sam Rockwell), an on the wagon alcoholic trying to get his life back on track. The fact that Annie's also having an affair with her best friend's husband doesn't make things easier for her either. It's through one event in the town where the lives of all of the above mentioned will cross.

      I'm a sucker for character driven stories with intersecting paths amongst the characters. The performances are by far the film's greatest strength with four strong performances by the leads. Michael Angarano is terrific and strikes just the right notes as the shy teen dealing with his family's struggles. Olivia Thirlby (best known at the time, prior to this, as Ellen Page's best friend in Juno) has the quirky and nerdy yet cute teen part down pat. Kate Beckinsale has delivered solid work prior to this film, but gives one of her best performances here. Sam Rockwell, though, gives a performance that easily could've (and I think should've) earned him a supporting actor Oscar nomination. It's a heartbreaking performance of a man trying to make things right but always falling two steps behind for ever step taken. Writer/director David Gordon Green sets just the right tone for this film. Nothing is forced or over-dramatized and he allows the characters within the film to grow at just the right pace. On top of that, the climatic moment near the end (which I'll refrain from giving away) is one not of gripping suspense which you'd expect, but harsh realism. This certainly didn't receive the accolades that Crash - another intersecting paths, character driven film - got, but it's still a movie well worth your attention.

Oz the Great and Powerful

Cast of Characters:

Oscar "Oz" Diggs - James Franco

Theodora - Mila Kunis

Evanora - Rachel Weisz

Glinda, the Good Witch of the South - Michelle Williams

Finley - voiced by Zach Braff

Master Tinker - Bill Cobbs

China Girl - voiced by Joey King

Knuck - Tony Cox

Director - Sam Raimi

Screenplay - Mitchell Kapner & David Lindsay-Abaire

Rated PG for sequences of action and scary images, and brief mild language

      Oz the Great and Powerful is easily the most anticipated prequel to a beloved classic since Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. After about four years of waiting to be developed, the highly anticipated prequel has arrived. That being said, does it live up to the high expectations?

      Oscar Diggs (James Franco) is a small-time magician from Kansas. He dreams of being the combination of Harry Houdini and Thomas Edison, yet unfortunately his dreams seem to be out of reach as long as he's running shows at the local fair. While escaping a potential fight with the circus strongman by way of a hot air balloon, Oscar collides head on with a tornado that sends him spiraling to what he believes to be his inevitable demise. Once the storm has passed, he finds himself in the Land of Oz. There he meets the witch Theodora (Mila Kunis) who believes Oscar is the one wizard prophesied to overthrow the wicked witch responsible for killing the king of Oz and return peace and order back to the land. On their way to the Emerald City, they run into a flying monkey by the name of Finley (voiced by Zach Braff) who pledges a life debt to Oscar after the he saves him from a lion.

      Once Oscar and Theodora arrive at Emerald City, Oscar is introduced to Theodora's sister, another witch by the name of Evanora (Rachel Weisz). Evanora is not as enthused as Theodora is about Oscar's presence and is skeptical of whether or not he really is a "wizard". Nevertheless, she offers Oscar all the gold and treasure of Emerald City if he kills the wicked witch who lives in the Dark Forest. To do so, he has to destroy her wand which is the source of all her power. While Oscar and Finley set out to destroy the wicked witch, the meet China Girl (voiced by Joey King), a plucky china doll who begs Oscar to take her with him. The wicked witch killed her family and destroyed her homeland, so she wants payback.

      Upon entering the Dark Forest and encountering the one they believe to be the "wicked witch", Oscar, Finley, and China Doll are surprised to find out that it is actually Glinda, the Good Witch of the South (Michelle Williams) who they were sent to kill. Glinda believes that Oscar is the true wizard sent to rescue Oz from the real wicked witch Evanora. Oscar is obviously overwhelmed at the idea of him having to save the entire Land of Oz. He sees himself as nothing more than a magician, but Glinda refuses to give up on him as they plan to set things right against Evanora.

      SPOILER ALERT AHEAD: Going into this film, I had somewhat high expectations. I love the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, but certainly wasn't going to compare Oz the Great and Powerful to what I believe to be one of the greatest films of all time. That's just not fair to this film. All things considered, and despite mixed reviews, I enjoyed this film quite a bit. For starters, director Sam Raimi is no slouch when it comes to visual presentation and this film is absolutely gorgeous to look at. Whether it's the set design, cinematography, or the special effects, this is a visual marvel to watch. James Franco wouldn't have been my first choice to play "the great and powerful wizard", but he gives a solid performance. Michelle Williams is very likeable as Glinda and gives off just enough sweetness to her role without having it come off as corny. Zach Braff and Joey King also deliver some often-times funny voice-over work. It's the lovely Rachel Weisz though that hits it out of the park as Evanora. She does a terrific job. The film's weakness lies in Mila Kunis. She's miscast as the good witch turned very bad Theodora. That's not a slight on her per se, 'cause Kunis is a fine actress, and up until her transformation into the Wicked Witch of the West, her performance is actually good. It's after the transformation where she doesn't come off quite as believable as she should be. Obviously, in the 1939 film, Margaret Hamilton's perfect performance as the Wicked Witch was the stuff of nightmares for children, and those are some mighty big shoes to fill regardless of who it is cast to play the part. Like with comparing this film to the original, it's once again unfair to compare Kunis's performance to Hamilton's. I just feel it could've been better. All things considered though, this is still an entertaining and satisfying tribute to the original.

      Could it have been better? Of course. I still enjoyed the ride, though. In spite of the one weakness, it still provided some solid performances. Overall, the film is visually breathtaking and at its center it has heart to it, providing a few fitting nods to the 1939 classic. Like it's predecessor The Wizard of Oz, this is definitely a movie both children and adults can enjoy. I give Oz the Great and Powerful an A- (★★★½).

REVIEWS COMING LATER THIS WEEK...

Benjamin's Stash: Video Pick of the Week

Top 50 Movie Villains of All-Time: Part III

Jack the Giant Slayer    

Top 50 Movie Villains of All-Time: Part II

      Last week I began the first of a five part series on the 50 greatest film villains of all-time. Here with part II, let's continue on with the next ten in the countdown.

40) Captain (Cool Hand Luke) - Strother Martin

      1967 - If you thought Warden Norton from The Shawshank Redemption was cold, Strother Martin's Captain makes Warden Norton look like Deputy Barney Fife. "Now I can be a good guy, or I can be one real, mean son of a bitch... It's all up to you.", he says during the preliminary lineup. Despite not fitting an intimidating profile, what with his greyish-white hair and reedy, southern accent, he was one not to be trifled with. When wronged or crossed, he'll let you know who's boss, but, hey, like he mentions in the now infamously iconic line, "I don't like it any more than you men."

39) Dr. Rene Belloq (Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark) - Paul Freeman

      1981 - I hate having to use the big climatic ark opening scene, but even this took forever for me to find. Plus, unless you've been living under a rock for the past thirty or so years, I'm assuming you've already seen not just one of the greatest action flicks, but greatest films in general of all-time. That being said, Dr. Rene Belloq, for a villain, was cultured, sophisticated, eloquent, well dressed, yet above all, obsessed. Assisting the Nazi regime, Belloq was obsessed with finding, capturing and eventually opening the lost Ark of the Covenant for what he sees as a "transmitter to God". In the end though, Belloq finds out the hard way what happens when you essentially open "Pandora's Box" in one hell of a thrilling finale.

38) Cruella de Vil (One Hundred and One Dalmatians) - voiced by Betty Lou Gerson

      1961 - For God's sakes, she wanted to make fur coats out of adorable Dalmatian puppies. How the hell does she not make this list? It wasn't just her look - one of the most iconic of all the Disney villains - but also her spoiled and snobbish behavior (excellently voiced by Betty Lou Gerson) that made your skin crawl. Plus, my God, she wanted to make fur coats out of cute puppies! How "Anita, dah-ling!" was able to be her friend - hell, just stomach her period - is beyond me.

37) Auric Goldfinger (Goldfinger) - Gert Frobe/voiced by Michael Collins

      1964 - There have been many memorable Bond villains (most recently portrayed by Javier Bardem in last year's terrific Skyfall), but none were as memorable as the devious Goldfinger. His plan of taking over Fort Knox not to rob the gold, but to devalue it thereby increasing the value of his own stock was ingenious and diabolical. Plus, it's almost impossible to forget the murder of Jill Masterson in one of the most enduring and memorable images in film history. In talking about Goldfinger, it'd be wrong of me not to give a solid nod and mention to the quiet yet menacing Oddjob (Harold Sakata), but it's Auric Goldfinger that steals the show.

36) Lars Thorwald (Rear Window) - Raymond Burr

      1954 - One of legendary filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock's greatest works, Rear Window is a must see on how to make a great, taut thriller. Raymond Burr is perfectly chilling as Lars Thorwald, a wholesale jeweler that, according to the eyes of Jimmy Stewart's L.B. "Jeff" Jeffries, may or may not be hiding something. All you need to see is that one scene I just showed you where Thorwald notices the ring being signaled to Jeffries then slowly looks straight ahead, dead-on at Jeffries to realize this is a masterpiece. The final confrontation where Thorwald, while not seen, creeps up the steps to Jeff's apartment and the viewer can only hear his slow, booming steps while Jeff anxiously awaits is cinematic gold. Who knew Perry Mason would make my top 50 villains list?

35) Eve Harrington (All About Eve) - Anne Baxter

      1950 - The gorgeous Anne Baxter's Eve Harrington is living, walking proof of the Proverb "Charm is deceitful and beauty vain." The title says it all. Eve Harrington may appear humble as she befriends Broadway's biggest star Margo Channing (Bette Davis) and becomes her understudy. Deep down, though, she's seductive, scheming, manipulative, and is willing to use anyone to get where she wants to go. I don't wanna give away the ending, but trust me when I say it's a great and rather fitting ending for Eve.

34) Nurse Ratched (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest) - Louise Fletcher

      1975 - Louise Fletcher earned every bit of her Best Actress Oscar for this role. It's her calm demeanor along with those smug glances she gives Jack Nicholson's Randle McMurphy that makes you still wanna smack her into a straight jacket, and the undercurrent of sexual tension between her and Randle adds so much more to their back and forth chemistry no matter how off-putting they are to each other. It's the final confrontation between her and Brad Dourif's young, stuttering Billy Bibbit though that really makes you finally love to hate her.

33) Lady Tremaine/The Wicked Stepmother (Cinderella) - voiced by Eleanor Audley

      1950 - Confession, no one scared me into fertilizing my diapers as a toddler more than Cinderella's wicked stepmother. Yes, it's true. In today's world, you have to wonder how many complaints to Social Services this woman would get 'cause she is a Bitch, and that's with a capital B. It's the coldness in her calm, smooth voice when she peeks back through the door - after ruining Cinderella's chance at the ball - and says "good night" that makes her so terrifying. You almost have to applaud Cinderella for her "turn the other cheek" ability to take so much abuse. I mean, how much can a girl take before they go all Kill Bill on the three of them?

32) T-1000 (Terminator 2: Judgment Day) - Robert Patrick

      1991 - In what I believe to be the best in the Terminator film series, Terminator 2: Judgment Day gave us one of the most menacing villains of all-time. Made of a liquid metal known as "memetic poly-alloy", T-1000 is able to shape-shift into... well, pretty much anything. Now what makes him so menacing is the fact that he looks like the everyday cop he's disguised as. Writer/director James Cameron could've nabbed a Schwarzenegger look-alike such as Jean-Claude Van Damme or Dolph Lundgren. The lean and fit Robert Patrick, however, was completely polar opposite of Schwarzenegger in almost every aspect which is why he was the perfect choice.

31) Jame "Buffalo Bill" Gumb (The Silence of the Lambs) - Ted Levine

      1991 - Is it really too much to ask to put the lotion back into the basket? Obviously, when people think of The Silence of the Lambs they think of Hannibal Lecter. Rightly so, but still the ultimate shame in that is not enough credit is then given to Ted Levine's haunting performance as "Buffalo Bill". As a serial killer who skins his female victims' corpses so he can make himself a "woman suit", Levine is nothing short of terrifying and certainly made a number of people scared to put on lotion just like Jaws made people scared to go into the ocean. People, remember Academy Award winners Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins's roles in this film, but Ted Levine's performance deserves its recognition too.

      Well, that's all for Part II. Next week I'll have Part III (30-21) up. Feel free to comment on any villains you think should be in the list while we continue up to the top 10. These are naturally my own opinion, so I'd love to read what you think.

Benjamin's Stash: Video Pick of the Week

      It's time for Tuesday's edition of Benjamin's Stash: Video Pick of the Week. This week's pick of mine is a gripping film containing a disturbing backstory within a tale of redemption. The star of the film, Edward Norton, received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor (His second overall nomination) for his hauntingly powerful performance.

      American History X focuses on two brothers, Derek Vinyard (Edward Norton) and his younger brother Danny (Edward Furlong) as it alternates between Danny in the present and Derek from the past. With their father - a fireman - having been shot while on duty, Danny looks up to Derek as his biggest influence. The problem is Derek's an avowed Neo-Nazi and member of a South Los Angeles skinhead gang. Following an attempted break-in by a couple of Crips, Derek shoots one dead and curb stomps the other. He is then sentenced to three years for voluntary manslaughter. Cut to present day. After turning in a paper praising Mein Kampf, Danny is forced by his school principal to write a paper about his brother who is set to be released from prison that same day. Derek, now a changed man, is clearly upset by his brother's way of life, but in no way is surprised. He realizes he is the sole reason and influence Danny is the way he is. Not wanting to see his little brother go down the same destructive path he set for himself, Derek goes out of his way, even putting his life on the line, to show Danny that the life he's pursuing isn't worth it and that he's living proof of it.

      I'm a big Edward Norton fan, and can name a number of films of his that I've more than enjoyed. It's this film, though, where we see Norton's most risky performance. As Derek Vinyard, Norton doesn't pull any punches and in no way holds back. He takes this role head-on and the result is amazing. This isn't a cutesy, made for TV transformation of character either. His change of heart is genuine and the path leading up to it is by no means easy for him to endure. Edward Furlong (most remembered as John Connor in Terminator 2: Judgment Day) gives one of his best performances ever as Derek's young, impressionable brother Danny and the supporting cast featuring Elliott Gould, Fairuza Balk, Stacy Keach, Ethan Suplee, Guy Torry, Avery Brooks and Beverly D'Angelo is equally strong. There's also a quiet yet memorable cameo appearance by William Russ (my generation would most remember him as Alan Matthews, aka Cory's dad, from TV's Boy Meets World) as Derek and Danny's father who acts as the possible influence for Derek's own mindset. Director Tony Kaye does a terrific job painting Derek's dark past with scenes in black and white. It poses a sharp contrast to the scenes of present day in color all leading to a conclusion that has even a cold-hearted son of a bitch like me feeling a lump in my throat. While not an easy film to watch for some, this is still a powerful movie and one you won't forget.

The Last Exorcism Part II

Cast of Characters:
Nell Sweetzer - Ashley Bell
Gwen - Julia Garner
Chris - Spencer Treat Clark
Louis Sweetzer - Louis Herthum

Director - Ed Gass-Donnelly
Screenplay - Damien Chazelle & Ed Gass-Donnelly
Rated PG-13 for horror violence, terror and brief language

      In 2010 the low budget film The Last Exorcism was released. Unlike most low budget horror films where they achieve nothing more than a cult status amongst its fan-base, The Last Exorcism received both critical and box office success. Naturally with any film’s success, the studio heads chomp at the bits at the possibility of cashing in on a sequel. Three years later, in 2013, The Last Exorcism is given its sequel with the ironically titled The Last Exorcism Part II.

      Following the events that took place in The Last Exorcism, Nell Sweetzer (Ashley Bell) has been placed in the care of a home for girls. The home’s caretaker, Frank, doesn’t buy into any of the past events that occurred in Nell’s life and assures her that she’s perfectly safe at the home. Normally, that means in about 30-45 minutes, she won't be. Over time, it seems that Nell is able to move on from her past. She quickly becomes friends with one of the other girls at the home, Gwen (Julia Garner). She also gets a job doing cleaning work at a motel and catches the eye of a local boy named Chris (Spencer Treat Clark).

      It seems now that all is right in Nell’s little world and she can finally have peace... No, of course not. The film’s titled The Last Exorcism Part II. You think people pay money to see Nell peacefully go about her life day by day? Things start to go south for Nell when she first sees a man that appears to be her father Louis (Louis Herthum) warning her about what is after her. Then she starts to have various demonic visions haunting her at night. Seems the demon Abalam felt the last exorcism wasn’t good enough. Frank insists to Nell that none of what she seems to be going through is real. The girls, on the other hand, aren’t so sure especially after seeing a youtube video of footage from the original possession. One girl even believes Nell may still have part of the demon inside her.

      Where to begin? Other than not being either scary, creepy, unnerving, suspenseful, or even good at all for that matter, this is what I refer to as a completely unnecessary sequel. The documentary handheld camera style of the first film is gone. What you have here is a mainstream, straightforward horror movie... minus the horror. There are no scares whatsoever. I’m not talking cheap jump scene thrills. You can have a great scary movie without cheap thrills. Honestly, though, I would've even taken cheap thrills 'cause there are absolutely no scares whatsoever of any kind. None. In a movie supposedly advertised as a horror film. Hell, I nearly fell asleep watching it. Did you get that? I nearly fell asleep watching what I thought was a horror film, but after sitting through it for 80-85 minutes, I realized either the demon Abalam is on Ritalin or it must not be a horror film. Normally, horror movies scare me into pissing my pants, or make me jump, or hell, at least lift my state of being past comatose. The characters are one dimensional as well as predictable and the big, climatic exorcism scene - involving of all things a chicken - falls flat. All of this which leads to an ending that had me rolling my eyes and thinking "Gimme a break". We may be seeing The Last Exorcism Part III: This Time We Mean It soon. I recently saw The Last Exorcism, the first film of the series, and I was thoroughly entertained by it. The “found footage” format wasn’t quite as effective as say The Blair Witch Project, but it was at least trying something new within the genre of exorcism films which outside of the original classic The Exorcist fail to impress me (The Exorcism of Emily Rose would be another unique exorcism film I highly recommend). The story involving a charismatic minister duping innocent people with staged exorcisms until finding himself facing an actual exorcism was intriguing. The performances were solid (particularly from Ashley Bell who comes off as bland here). More importantly, unlike this movie, there were genuinely scary moments in the film culminating in a satisfying ending. 

      Why bother making a sequel at all then? Hey, as great as The Blair Witch Project was, why make its sequel? Why make the fifteen million pointless sequels to the cleverly made Paranormal Activity? Well, like those other films, I believe the studio heads felt since the first film was such a big hit, they’d inflate the budget and throw more money at the sequel. Just ‘cause you throw more money at something, though, doesn’t mean it’ll stick. In my opinion, watch The Last Exorcism. It’s a solid B+ film and won’t disappoint. Its sequel though is one of the worst films of the year, and unless you're out of Valium, I say don't bother. The studio clearly thinks you shouldn't as well. What does it say when a studio is too ashamed to screen their film for the critics? Is it an act of defiance and they don't care what the film critics think? No, far from it. It says even they think this is an hour and a half long pile of crap. There are two grades I don’t dish out as much as others ‘cause they’re reserved for either the best of the best or the worst of the worst. One’s an A+... This film ain’t it. I give The Last Exorcism Part II an F (0 stars).

REVIEWS COMING LATER THIS WEEK...

Benjamin's Stash: Video Pick of the Week

Top 50 Movie Villains of All-Time: Part II

Oz the Great and Powerful

Top 50 Movie Villains of All-Time: Part I

      Greetings from Orlando, Florida! Conflict is essential to any story’s greatness. Whether it is man vs. man (most common), man vs. nature or man vs. self, a conflict is needed. There is no greater personification of conflict than the role of the antagonist, more commonly known as the villain. What makes a great villain? Intelligence, manipulation, and the ability to rack the protagonist's nerves are all necessary character traits of a memorable villain as they pose strong challenges for the story’s hero. Charm and charisma are also key traits and who says evil can’t be both as well? We all know of the phrase, “A wolf in sheep’s clothing”, and to be honest, some of the best villains ever written are even more charming and charismatic than the heroes they face. It’s that mask of deceit hiding their true colors that makes them all the more evil.

      In this five part series I’ll present to you the top 50 greatest film villains of all time. They’ll range from films of all genres dating from today’s most eccentric fiends all the way back to the silent era of film. Out of the 50 villainous performances, 15 were nominated for an Academy Award with 7 of the 15 winning the Oscar. Some of the clips will run a little longer than normal, but I find them to be essential in establishing the villain's character for you.

 

50) Walter Peck (Ghostbusters) - William Atherton

      1984 - Who says a comedy can’t have a great villain? Atherton’s Walter Peck was bureaucracy dressed in a three piece suit. As an officer for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Peck’s mission was to shut the Ghostbusters down by any means necessary, even if that meant causing further harm to the city of New York. In his mind, the Ghostbusters weren’t saving the city. They were creating illusions through harmful chemicals in order to make a quick buck. It’s one of the most underrated villainous performances, and he was such a great comic foil for Bill Murray’s Dr. Peter Venkman. One interesting note - to go along with the scene that was played - on the Ghostbusters audio commentary, writer/actor Harold Ramis (who played Dr. Egon Spengler) said after the film became a gigantic hit, Atherton told him he couldn’t walk into a bar without someone wanting to pick a fight with him all the time. The cherry on top though - a school bus of kids going by, spotting him and screaming out the windows, “Yo, dickless!”

49) Calvin J. Candie (Django Unchained) - Leonardo DiCaprio
      2012 - The most recent villain on this list, DiCaprio’s Calvin J. Candie is all “sugar and spice and everything nice” with that charming, debonaire smile of his along with a side of sadistic, cutthroat, and just try to do him wrong. As a slave owner who runs a Mandingo fighting chain and happens to own title character Django’s (Jaime Foxx) wife Broomhilda, Monsieur Candie’s scene involving a beaten down slave attacked by dogs is enough to send an uneasy feeling your way. It’s a phenomenal performance by DiCaprio, who certainly has portrayed conflicted men, but at least empathetic and likeable though. Here he finally shows he can play nasty amongst the nastiest of them.

48) Alex Forrest (Fatal Attraction) - Glenn Close
      1987 - If there's ever a movie made that could be used as a terrifying PSA against marital infidelity, Fatal Attraction would be it. Glenn Close’s Alex Forrest comes off as more than just a bit clingy. She attempts suicide, repeatedly calls Michael Douglas’s Dan Gallagher at work, then when that fails, goes for the home phone, and commits a number of wrongs most sane, law abiding citizens would frown upon, yet most crazy exes have right at the top of their to-do list. I’ll refrain from mentioning which of those “wrongs” are committed for the sake of those that haven’t seen the movie, but one thing’s for certain - she is not going to be ignored. To this day, almost thirty years after the release of the film, Glenn Close has stated she still gets men that walk up to her and say, “You scared the shit out of me... You saved my marriage”. Note to all pet rabbit lovers currently involved in an affair - hide your pets... You’ll thank me later.

47) Frank Booth (Blue Velvet) - Dennis Hopper
      1986 - The late Dennis Hopper’s Frank Booth was a drug and sex addicted, sadomasochistic, psychotic sociopath who terrorizes Isabella Rossellini’s Dorothy in the town of Lumberton. His infantile behavior in moments of rage such as his famous line, “Baby wants to fuck!” add much more to his twisted psychosis. Of course, to those that have seen Blue Velvet, we all know the most iconic aspect of Booth is his frequent inhalation of the unexplained gas (In 2002, on the DVD commentary, Hopper claimed it was Amyl Nitrite) through a medical mask. After years of film flops and battling drug addiction, it was Hopper’s performance here as the demented Frank Booth that gave him his much needed comeback.

46) Hans Gruber (Die Hard) - Alan Rickman
      1988 - “I am an exceptional thief, Mrs. McClane. And since I'm moving up to kidnapping, you should be more polite.” Hans Gruber is just one of many examples of how you can have a great villain that’s not crazy or psychotic, but actually eloquent, well dressed, and highly intelligent. As the leader of a group of terrorists, Gruber plans to steal $640 million from the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles, and most certainly uses terrorism as a means; however, in his mind he’s not a terrorist. He’s using terrorism as a tool to teach the Nakatomi Corporation a lesson about their greed. It’s that sort of deceptive trick (used by many great villains before and after) of portraying themselves as the good while their captives are really bad that makes Hans Gruber such a devilishly smart antagonist. On top of that, the back and forth between him and Bruce Willis’s John McClane is grade A entertainment.

45) Roger “Verbal” Kint (The Usual Suspects) - Kevin Spacey

      1995 - It’s hard for me to explain much of “Verbal” Kint’s character without giving much away, but Kevin Spacey knocked it out of the park as the hobbled Kint who’s interrogated throughout the film for a recent dockyard massacre. Both Spacey and screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie took home Oscars (Best Supporting Actor and Original Screenplay respectively) for their roles in this film. I can’t say much about the plot, but to those that haven’t seen it, I highly recommend you check it out. Spacey’s performance alone is good enough for a watch, but McQuarrie’s intricate script makes it even better.

44) Scar (The Lion King) - voiced by Jeremy Irons
      1994 - While not the greatest Disney animated film villain, Scar still gave children enough nightmares to keep them sleeping with one eye open with his “Cain and Abel” story arc. Being jealous of his brother Mufasa - who’s king of the pride - is just the tip of the iceberg. He then plans and executes the death of his brother. Hold on, ‘cause it gets better when Scar then places the blame of Mufasa's death on his nephew cub Simba in a guilt trip that drives him away for years (Giving the movie a perfect balance of slapstick fun mixed with sobering reality like most Disney animated films). As much I enjoy Scorsese and Stone and the Cohen brothers and Tarantino, I’m still never ashamed to say I’ve always loved Disney’s animated features. Their stories are unique and they’ve always been able to create extremely colorful villains. Scar (perfectly voiced by Academy Award winner Jeremy Irons) is no exception.

43) Jack Torrance (The Shining) - Jack Nicholson
      1980 - “Heeeeere’s Johnny!” This is like cabin fever except instead of being trapped inside an small, enclosed space with nothing to do, you’re trapped in a grand hotel... with still nothing to do. Author Stephen King may have at one point been quoted as saying he hated this movie, but that doesn’t change the fact that Stanley Kubrick’s interpretation is one hell of a horror masterpiece both in story and visuals. In particular, since this is about the villains, Jack Nicholson’s performance is a haunting tale of man descending into madness. At first, he refuses to admit anything is remotely wrong when his wife (Shelley Duvall) starts to show concern, but like a decaying foundation left unattended he slowly but surely begins to crack. On a side note, I showed this film to one of my friends who was spending the night, and after seeing it once, he refuses to watch it again.

42) T-101 (The Terminator) - Arnold Schwarzenegger
      1984 - He shows no anger, no passion, no psychosis, no emotions whatsoever. In writer/director James Cameron's breakthrough hit, the T-101 has been programmed to complete one mission: kill Sarah Connor and not just her, but anyone that gets in his way. It is through Sarah Connor that her own yet to be born son John will lead a resistance of men against the rising of the machines in the future. In spite of the fact that Arnold Schwarzenegger’s role isn’t flashy or in need of much, if any, acting at all, it is still a chilling performance. That’s the point though. He’s a machine. There is no show or theatrics, and in some ways, you can argue that it’s just as difficult to portray emotionless perfectly as it is theatrical. In a twist of irony, T-101 does reappear in the sequel (which I believe to be the best in the series), but this time reprogrammed to be the hero.

41) Anton Chigurh (No Country for Old Men) - Javier Bardem
      2007 - If you wind up facing him, get ready for one high stakes game of heads or tails. Javier Bardem’s quietly menacing Anton Chigurh made something as simple a coin flip frightening while at the same time turned a cattle gun into a rather fashionable weapon. Portraying a hitman hired to recover money from a drug deal gone bad, Bardem’s Oscar winning performance is nothing short of brilliant. It’s his quietest moments when he hardly utters a word that sends the biggest shiver up your spine. Like with their previous efforts, the Cohen brothers know what it takes to make a memorable villain. Here with Anton Chigurh (who, to be fair, is from the Cormac McCarthy novel of the same name), I argue is their most memorable.

      That’s all for the first ten villains with Part I. Next week I’ll have Part II which will have the next ten (40-31).