21 Jump Street Review

On Friday it was me and my girlfriend Ashley's 4 year anniversary and out of the blue we decided to go see 21 Jump Street starring Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum. In the film the two went to high school together and Hill was a nerd while Tatum was a jock. After high school both decide to join the police force and become friends because Tatum can't pass the mental exam and Hill can't pass the physical exam. After getting on the force the two are stuck doing day shift duty at a local park which is the exact opposite of what they wanted to do. One day they come accross a gang of bikers getting high at the park and think this is their big break to get on as a full time cop. After arresting one of the bikers in a hilarious chase scene Tatum and Hill forget to read the Miranda rights. Instead of being fired they are transferred to an undercover operation at a high school on Jump Street. From there they start unraveling a drug operation that threatens to get worse unless they find the supplier.

The film is directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller who have worked together on a lot of animated projects but this is the first feature length live action film for the two. I think the technical aspects are all solid in this film which is something I spend some time on if I feel as though it is less than good but in this case nothing really to complain about. The biggest issue of the film is the pace which can be a tad jumpy at times to the point where I literally jumped out of my seat a bit from the sheer unexpected nature of edits. Some of the gags were funny at first but wore thin by the end of there stints. Finally the most annoying character was Ice Cube who at first was hilarious but in some points just got downright annoying with the crazy captain schtick. However he was sprinkled around enough for me to forgive him.

Overall the film is funny and tries to stay away from any cliches of the comedies, maybe at times a little too much which sacrifices story at times. The pacing is hit or miss but overall works very well. The cameo by Johnny Depp is nice and unexpected even if you are expecting it. Finally the acting is solid if you are looking for a good comedy to go to this week, this is the one for you for sure. Go check it out!

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

Hesher Review

It has been a lot of movie watching lately and last night I viewed the film Hesher directed by Spencer Susser. This film is great I must say...so let me go into detail:

The story of this film revolves around a young boy named TJ who is just having a terrible life ever since his mom died in a car crash. From the start this is hinted at but not actually shown until almost the end of the film. The character of Hesher played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt comes into TJ's life after TJ breaks a window of a house Hesher is squatting in. From there Hesher just shows up in TJ's house and begins to life there along with TJ's Grandmother and Father who don't really care. The father played by Rainn Wilson is a wreck who just sleeps all day and takes pills and the Grandmother is an old matriarch who does what she can to keep things normal but throughout the film her health slowly declines. TJ meets strange characters and gets into a lot of trouble alongside of Hesher but in the end it is the worst things that happen in life that make people the best possible versions of themselves.

The technical aspects of this film are rock solid to say the least. Audio design is spot on with ambience where it needs to be and music in the perfect spots. The camera work while mainly handheld is still awesome and well placed. The cinematography is great with just subtle lighting throughout the film creating a nice effect. Also editing is just great and is used very effectively. Like I said before the technique of the film is great.

The acting again is amazing. Gordon-Levitt is amazing as Hesher, Devin Brochu as TJ is a strong young boy lead character, Rainn Wilson is on spot, and Natalie Portman adds a great soft touch to cap off an awesome cast.

My final point is the story which is poetic and destructive all leading up to an ending that will make you cry as much as it will make you laugh. It is a bittersweet movie that delivers on every cylinder. Look for the scene where the accident happens, it is the most brilliant point of the movie where amazing editing, acting, and the fact that you know what is going to happen make it so tense. That is the great thing about this movie it builds on every point made early on in the film, almost like a well built structure.

Go see it tonight!

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

Could Barely Wait

I almost couldn't wait to post this before midnight, but I held it back until now.

So today I had my interview which went great, it was about an hour long but after it was all done we came to the conclusion that I should wait until February to try and start due to the crazy schedule of the minimester. So when February comes around I will hit him back up and start the internship.

After that I went to the premiere of Fang a horror comedy film directed by Jonathan Boushell. It was a very funny cheesetastic picture that had a definite life of its own which is hard to find in a student film. I hope Mr. Boushell continues making pictures and growing as an artist he has a lot of talent. Everything was great about it, and I was glad to have been invited.

Tonight I ordered all the items to decorate the set for my samurai film which has transformed from a music video to a standalone story which will be super short but hopefully come out pretty bad ass. I just hope for post I can find a voice actor who can speak Japanese, that would be great. I am happy it is all coming together and by the end of the year I should have two solid short films which is an awesome accomplishment. I think with these last two it will make 4 short films in one year! 2011 has been great to To Tony Productions.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess