The 5 Best James Bond Movies Ever

James Bond is one of the best characters in cinematic history and has been apart of some of the best action movies ever made. He also is one of the most well known and most quoted character ever from tirivial details from the way he says his name to the way he orders his vesper martini. With Skyfall being the 23 Bond film ever made, I have compiled a list of my favorite Bond movies. Seeing a I wasn’t born until the Brosnan era, my bias for the newer movies is clear. Given the promise showed by its trailer, I believe Skyfall will also be on this list come Friday

#5 You Only Live Twice

Doesn't quite have the same ring to it as YOLO, but You Only Live Twice was an exciting Bond film that even served much of the inspiration for the Austin Powers franchise. Bond fakes his own death before going to Tokyo to investigate the hijacking of an American spacecraft. Blofeld, the main antagonist, appeared in six in several James Bond movies and has a baldhead, scar along his face, and a cat. Does Dr. Evil ring a bell? It also marked the temporary retirement of Sean Connery from the role, before later coming back for two more films. 

 #4 Dr. No

Dr. No was the very first bond film ever made, setting the precedent for the rest of James Bond movies to come. Sean Connery was suave, sophisticated, and lethal in his first installment as the super spy. The movie included a great villain, in the titular Dr. Julian No and a beautiful Bond girl in Honey Ryder. Director Terence Young injected as much humor as he could into the script, making scenes including murder and sex much less offensive and every Bond film has followed suit since. 

 #3 Goldfinger

The third Bond movie ever made, Goldfinger was a major financial and critical success. Including a Bond girl named “Pussy Galore” and the infamous Oddjob, whose height was a critical asset in the Goldeneye video game, Goldfinger was the movie that introduced his famous use of gadgets as well as the infamous “shaken, not stirred” martini line. Bond also manages to escape death from lasers, Oddjob, and plane crashers all why stopping Goldfinger from stealing gold from Fort Knox. 

 #2 Goldeneye

Goldenyeye has everything a bond fan could ever want; intense action scenes, two beautiful women, and one excellent villain. Alec Trevelyan is one of the best bonds villains ever. Being ex MI6, he is Bond’s match is physicality and fighting and in the end, it’s Bond’s tenacity that propels him to victory. It was also the first time Pierce Brosnan played Bond, doing an excellent job and setting the tone for the next four films. Lastly, the opening scene where Brosnan rides a motorcycle off a cliff to skydive into a falling plane has to be one of the coolest cinematic scenes ever. It also spawned the best N64 game ever.

 #1 Casino Royale

The origin story fans deserved, Casino Royale showed a side of James Bond viewers have never seen. Not only was Bond making rookie mistakes on chases, but he was shown to vulnerable for the first time. He was ready to leave his life as a spy for one of love with Vesper and for a time being was everything bond was supposed to be not. From the very opening scene, the movie sets a serious tone and Daniel Craig shows that he means business as bond. He also packed on tons of muscle and choreographed fight scenes well for some of the most realistic fighting scenes across the entire series. 

The Best James Bonds: Ranking the Actors who played the Iconic Hero

James Bond is one of the longest living and adored characters in cinematic history. With the first movie coming out in 1962, Skyfall marks the 50^th anniversary of the world class British spy. Daniel Craig marks the sixth actor to play Bond and although his casting was panned, his performance was widely praised. In honor of Skyfall  coming out this week, I have ranked my favorite James Bonds of all time from worst to best. 

#6 George Lazenby

With only one film as Bond under his belt, Lazenby is the least popular and well-known Bond. He won the role due to his performance in a screen-test fight scene. In his only film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, he had tensions with the director and Connery was eventually lured back to the role. 

#5 Timothy Dalton

Dalton was only cast as Bond only due to Pierce Brosnan’s lack of availability. Dalton did a great job in his first installment, The Living Daylights, which was both a critical and financial success. However, his follow up, License to Kill, was exceptionally lackluster and he rendered easily replaceable.

#4 Roger Moore

With 7 films under his belt, Moore is tied for the most Bond films of all time. A suave ladies Man, Moore is often remembered for his sexual exploits than his fighting style. He was a bit soft compared to some of his predecessors and successors, making him fourth in this list. 

 #3 Pierce Brosnan

Bronsnan averaged the most kills per film making him the most lethal Bond of them all. With four films under his belt, Brosnan was impeccably suave, sophisticated, charming and daring, establishing himself as an immediate fan favorite. The only blemish on his career was the poorly done Die Another Die, which lead the franchise to decide to go in a new route. 

#2 Daniel Craig

Although he is still new, Craig’s first two performances as bond were stellar and Skyfall could make him number one on this list. Craig is intense, ripped, and incredibly believable as the world class spy who manages to fight and survive every encounter he faces. By far the most believable fighter and spy, Craig was the first actor to be nominated for a BAFTA (the British equivalent to the Academy Awards) for playing bond. 

#1 Sean Connery

Having created the legend, the man is James Bond. Tall, dark, handsome, charming and suave, he created one of the most envied men in all of cinema history. Connery also had the broad build of a fighter, as he was an amateur bodybuilder who even competed in the Mr. Universe contest.  His portrayal received the blessing from Ian Fleming himself and is one of the reasons the legend of James Bond has lived on for 50 years. 

Trailer of the Week: Gangster Squad

Gangster Squad is this week's trailer of the week, showing an incredible story with great promise. Based on a true story, Gangster Squad follows the story of  Los Angeles cops going deep undercover to save the city from Mickey Cohen and an influx of eastern criminals. Starring Sean Penn as Mickey Cohen, and Josh Brolin and and Ryan Gosling as the leaders of the squad, this movie is star packed. The movie was pushed backed from a September release date due to re-shoots caused by the Aurora theater shooting. However, the newly edited trailer is epic, showing an epic shootout in Chinatown as well as a love triangle between Penn, Gosling and the red hot Emma Stone.  With Michael Peña and Nick Nolte rounding out the cast, Gangster Squad will surely be the best movie out this January.

Link to Gangster Squad Trailer

The Top 5 Movie Villians of All-Time

Villains are often the best character in any movie. They’re scary, threatening, and often leave us with nightmares for weeks. They lack a sense of morality, leading them to bend and break the rules, creating some of the most interesting scenes in history. Sometimes you can’t help but root for them, but as people want good to prevail, they are destined to lose. In honor of Halloween, I have compiled a list of my top 5 villains of all-time.

5) The Terminator, The Terminator

The terminator is a ridiculously scary killing machine that has not been programmed to understand the meaning of the word, “stop.” Arnold Schwarzengger is great as the titular killing machine. He’s got the imposing body as well as robotic body language and he seems to be an insurmountable threat. I know if a robot or human that’s 6’2” and 240 pounds comes at me, I’m getting out of the way. 

4) Hannibal Lector, The Silence of the Lambs

Anthony Hopkins stars as the incredibly eerie and creepy Dr. Lector. Hopkins does actually not have that much time in the film, but his presence is felt in every second he’s on screen. He went on to win an Oscar for his performance, was knighted by Queen of England, and became one of Hollywood’s creepiest actors of all time.

3) Hans Landa, Inglorious Basterds

Christoph Waltz went from unknown to a household name over night with his take as Hans Landa. In a movie filled with ridiculous scenes and dialogue, Waltz steals the show with a brilliant performance, seeming to truly enjoy hunting jewish people. You never once question his motives nor his passion for his job. He was rewarded with an Academy Award for his role and pretty much a spot in any future Quentin Tarrantino movie. 

2) Darth Vader, Star Wars IV-VI

Possibly the most intimated voice in cinematic history, Darth Vader is one of the greatest villains of all-time. Incredibly powerful and ruthless, Darth Vader commands the screen compared to the much smaller Luke Skywalker. Although his legacy was slightly tainted by poor performances  by Hayden Christensen and Jake Lloyd in the prequels, Darth Vader will forever be remembered for striking fear into the hearts of Star Wars geeks everywhere. Disney just bought Lucas Films yesterday and has green-lit Star Wars 7. I'm hoping, as are many, that Darth Vader and the Star Wars legacy is not further tarnished.

1) The Joker, The Dark Knight

Heath Ledger’s performance as The Joker was truly extraordinary. Ledger went to great lengths that most actors never do, locking himself in a hotel room for weeks developing the voice and walk of the character. Most people are unaware that Ledger helped create the character and design the make up. The Joker was his creation and he gave quite an unforgettable performance. It surprised no one that he won the Oscar for best supporting actor, despite being part of a comic book movie. His legacy will forever be remembered. 

Honorable Mention: Bane, The Dark Knight Rises

I may be a bit biased towards Batman, but it's because the movies were so well done. Menacing and powerful, Tom Hardy is electrifying as bane. Throughout the film, his physical prowess and fighting ability is tremendous. Although Hardy is small in stature, he made Bane appear to be a giant through an incredible use of body language. Batman’s physical strength is clearly no match for Bane, but his mental strength allows him to persevere.

New Wolverine Poster Released

The poster for The Wolverine was released yesterday, exciting comic-book geeks everywhere. It's simple, showing the outline of Hugh Jackman with his claws out with a Japanese motif. The Wolverine is expected to take place after X-Men: The Last Stand and follows Hugh Jackman all the way to Japan, where he is suggested to train with a samurai warrior. Still, several months away, this poster has begun the hype for what should be the best Wolverine installment yet.

The Top 5 Fitness Inspiring Movies of All-time (for men)

Everybody likes a buff guy. Or at least Hollywood seems to think so. In almost every single action movie and even some non-action movies, viewers are shown a buff guy to swoon over. Their thought process is simple; men want to be that guy and women want to be with that guy. As a fitness buff myself (pun intended), I do not mind seeing the muscley hero and often find it inspiring. On more than one occasion, I have left the movie theater to go to the gym immediately after. Thus, to perhaps help other fitness minded people, I have complied a list of the top 5 fitness-inspiring movies of all time.

5) Pumping Iron

Pumping Iron is the bodybuilding documentary that made Muscle beach and Arnold Schwarzenneger a household name. It helped sparked a fitness revolution in the 70’s and 80’s causing many people to start lifting weights. Throughout the films entirety, viewers are shown the hard training bodybuilders do and lifestyle they live. Often glamorized, a viewer can’t help but feel compelled to workout. However, Pumping Iron does do a serious disservice by not mentioning the use of steroids.

4) Rocky 3

Sylvester Stallone was not out of shape in the first two Rocky films, but he wasn’t exactly ripped either. Perhaps Stallone was tired of all the recognition Arnold was getting for his body and it inspired him to get in shape and he definitely did. Stallone is ripped to shreds in Rocky 3, causing envy amongst many male viewers and likely an increase in gym memberships.

3) Any Mark Wahlberg Movie.

From Boogie Nights to The Fighter, Wahlberg is ripped! Known for not wearing a shirt, Wahlberg was made famous as a Calvin Klein underwear model and he kept his good physique through hard training over the years. Look out for Pain and Gain next year, as Walhberg put in 40 pounds to play a body builder and is his biggest size ever.

2) Any Matthew McConaughey Movie

Born with great genetics and an aversion to clothing, McConaughey is shirtless in just about every movie he has ever made. Even at age 42, he trained hard for Magic Mike and was in the best shape of any actor in the movie. Sadly, the Texas-born actor has lost 30 pounds for a role as an aids victim and his body may never be the same again.

1) 300

This one is no surprise. Most of the male actors do not wear any shirts in this movie and almost all of them are exceptionally toned. Although rumors of steroids and digital color shading were brought up, no one can deny how ripped Gerard Butler is in this movie. Training immensely hard for eight months, he created one of the most physically envied movies ever to exist.They even created a workout off the movie, where you complete 300 repetitions of various exercises to target your whole body. Be aware, it's not easy.

Christian Bale Body Transformations

Actors often undergo huge body changes to fit a role. Whether its bulking up to play a super hero or slimming down to play a drug addict, the changes are often immensely difficult and drastic. Christian Bale has done both. The Welsh actor is notorious for changing his body roles, made infamous by his jaw-dropping performance in The Machinist, where he lost 60 pounds (1/3 of his body weight). Bale then immediately put on slabs of muscle to play the caped crusader in Batman Begins. Instead of staying built for the Batman sequels, he had to lose weight for roles in between each film, essentially erasing all the progress he made. Sure, his changes are probably easier for him to do with Hollywood personal trainers, but an exceptional discipline is definitely required. The photo below shows all of his transformations in the past twelve years and with The Fighter 2 expected to happen, Bale's transformations are far from over as he will likely have to slim down once again.

A method actor, Bale has become a physical chameleon fitting into the desired shape each role commands.

The Top 5 Movie Bromances Ever

Behind every great man is a great…bro. Every man needs a good bro to have his back and few things in this world are as important. Even in the wedding party, the Groom’s bro is called the “Best Man,” so it’s clear to everyone how important he is. Bromances transcend regular friendships and a guy should be so lucky to have one  As a good friend of mine once said, “Friends come and go, but bros are forever.” With that in mind, I compiled a list of the Best movie bromances of all time.

5) Bryan Taylor and Mike Zavala, End of Watch

From the moment they fist bump after their first kill until the final scenes of the film, Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña have one the strongest bromances I have ever seen in a film. The strength of the entire movie is bolstered by their relationships and through their interactions on and especially off the job, we are able to see that their relationship transcends friendship. Given the possible mortality of their job, it becomes clear that they have each others back through life and possible death.

 4) Han Solo and Chewbacca, Star Wars IV-VI

Han and Chewie’s bromance is evident from their first moment together in A New Hope. Originally starting out as smugglers, Luke appeals to their noble side and they end up playing an integral part in helping the rebellion, a huge bro move. Han also seems to be the only one who can understand Chewie and Chewie is devastated when Han goes missing in Hoth and is frozen by Jabba. Through thick and thin, these two  bros have each other’s backs. 

 3) Frodo and Sam, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Few bros would go to the end of the world and back for you, but that’s exactly what Samwise did.  Sam nearly drowned, was almost slayed numerous times, and had to constantly thwart off Gollem, but stuck with Frodo all the way until the end and the ring was destroyed. Although Same is less than four feet tall, he has the heart of a giant and has a bro loyalty as strong as anyone. 

 2) Jon and Jeremy, Wedding Crashers

Jon and Jeremy are two of the broest movie characters ever to exist. They party, they get around, and they always have each other’s backs (Rule #1). They compensate for their emotional detachment of women through their strong friendship and their bromance is one for the ages.  They also created one of the funniest movies of all time that will forever be quoted. 

1) Peter and Sydney, I love you, man

The number one choice is obvious as the entire movie is about a bromance. From meeting the bro to courting him, I love you, man is a how to make friends manual. It may have some of weird scenes and may make you uncomfortable at times, but I love you, man is one of the funniest and broest movies I have ever seen. 

Honorable mention: Schmidt and Jenko, 21 Jump Street

Another hilarious movie showing the bromantic relationships of cops. Word has it their bromance has transcended the screen into real life, which could help their chemistry in the planned sequel.

Movie of the Week: Pitch Perfect

I was originally reluctant to see Pitch Perfect because it seemed very cheesy and frankly dumb. While it was exceptionally cheesy, it was actually quite hilarious and turned out to be much more entertaining than I guessed.

The plot is terribly cliche. Anna Kendrick plays Beca, a social outcast who would rather become a DJ than go to college. Then against all odds she joins the Barden Bellas and now finally has friends. As a fan of electronic dance music, it's nice to see it being implemented into more films as its populraity increases. Kendrick plays her role well, but her disdain for her stepmother and father as well as detachment of other people is never properly explained.

Her love interest is played by Skylar Astin, an up and coming actor with an uncanny resemblance to Dane Cook. However, Astin is much funnier and a better actor than Cook.

The two funniest characters of the film are played by Rebel Wilson and Adam Devine. Wilson is hilarious as Fat Amy, elevating every scene she is in and likely has a bright career ahead of her. Devine plays the lead of The Treblemakers, the all boy rival acapella group to the Bellas. Devine is arrogant, a jerk, and downright hilarious.  His character is very similar to the role he plays on Workaholics, except Bumper is douchier, if that were even possible. Every song he seems is hilarious and he can finally display his singing ability he show glimpses of on his show.

Overall, Pitch Perfect is a funny film that should entertain you if you can get past the acapella jokes. While I think men will like this movie, I think women will LOVE this movie.
Final Grade 7 out of 10

Trailer of the Week: Iron Man 3

The Iron Man 3 trailer dropped today to the delight of comic book geeks and movie goers everywhere. Iron Man 3 will have to make up for its lackluster predecessor, but will definitely have a strong appeal to fans after the rampant success of The Avengers. Robert Downey Jr. reprises his role as Tony Stark, who seems to be troubled with insomnia due to the plethora of threats against him and his girlfriend, Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow). The action sequences look stellar and it appears either someone has finally created rival Iron Man technology or more likely has stolen one of Stark's suits. Either way Stark looks to be up against an unstoppable force (if only Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth weren't busy with schedule conflicts). Sir Ben Kingsley is Stark's main antagonist, The Mandarin, who I honestly know nothing about. Due to his interesting look, I'm going to give the make up department the benefit of the doubt and say they did a great job. Guy Pearce, Don Cheadle, and Rebecca Hall round out the Iron Man 3 cast, making it look exceptionally promising. Much better than Iron Man 2 anyway.

Link to Iron Man 3 Trailer

The Top 5 Bank Robbery Movies of All Time

Bank-robbery movies are some of the most exciting and interesting movies Hollywood continues to produce. They are, without a doubt, my favorite type of movie and drive millions of viewers to the movies every year. Due to the plethora of excellent bank robbery movies, I have complied a list of my personal top 5 favorite films on the subject.

5. The Dark Knight. The opening bank heist is intricate, compelling, and pulled off well by The Joker. Through sheer genius, he is able to steal 68 million dollars without having to share any of the money.
It also sets up the rest of the plot in one of the greatest movies ever made.

Heath Ledger R.I.P.

  

4. Ocean's 11. A remake of the 1960's classic, this film has a terrific cast showing a witty and hilarious side to bank robbers. Despite its humor, Danny Ocean and the boys still pull off a clever heist of over 160 million dollars and was interesting enough to spawn two sequels. 

 

 

3. Heat. Although this is the best directed best scripted and best put together film on this list. It's very exciting and captures Los Angeles crime in a unique way. The heists are well thought out and pulled off with great skill and the cafe scene between Al Pacino and Robert Deniro is legendary. The only thing I felt was missing was a little character development, making it number three on my list.

 

2. Point Break. Often ridiculed, Point break is one of the most exciting movies I have ever seen. With scenes featuring night surfing, skydiving, car chases and bank robbery, it's action packed and never leaves for a dull moment. Add Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze, and you have one of the most quotable movies ever made. Reeves and Swayze's bromance develops throughout the movie, causing a clash between the law and loyalty. Most people are unaware that the director Kathryn Bigelow later went on to win numerous Oscars for The Hurt Locker and that James Cameron executive produced this film. 

1. The Town. The Boston based film takes you right into the minds and lives of bank robbers and appears very realistic. Wonderfully directed by Ben Affleck, The Town tells the story of a man born into the life of crime who wants more, but cannot seem to separate himself from his friends. With tremendous supporting acting by Jeremy Renner, this movie takes the idea of loyalty to a whole other level. It may be a bit cliche at times, but The Town is excellent and won Bro Movie of the Year 2010, an award that speaks volumes about this film.

Honorable Mention: The Fast and the Furious. Exceptionally similar in plot to Point Break, this movie is every bit as exciting and quotable as the legendary surfing film. However, the heists are rarely shown and seem implausible, making it barely miss the cut of the top 5.

The Economist: James Bond Statistics

With Skyfall just weeks away from being released, The Economist has released a graph comparing all six James Bonds' pertinent statistics; number of kills, number of martinis, and number of sexual conquests per film.  Surprisingly, the dashing Pierce Brosnan led all Bonds with the most kills per film, racking up an impressive 19. While Daniel Craig is the irrefutable fittest Bond of all time, his muscles have not helped him in the ladies category as he trailed all Bonds with a mere one conquest per film. Craig may cope his frustration with alcohol, considering he drinks the most martinis per film. However, this time Craig may be enjoying beer instead of his signature Vesper martini as Heineken has paid a substantial fee for product placement. Whatever Craig drinks, Skyfall looks stunning in respects to both action and plot. Coming out November 9th, it may not only be Craig's best Bond film, but one of the best Bond films of all time.

With only two films under his belt, Craig will likely have several chances to improve his stats.

Total Recall Book Review: Entertaining yet Ineloquent

As an avid reader, I still did not initially see the appeal to Total Recall, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s new biography. However, after being encouraged to read it by a friend, I dove into the book headfirst and had difficulty putting it down. Arnold’s story is truly incredible. He started out as a scrawny Austrian boy to become the world’s best bodybuilding champ to Hollywood’s highest paid movie star to California Governor. The man has definitely made a strong case for the most interesting life of our generation. However incredible the story may be, the book itself dos not live up to the hype and leaves something to be desired

Although the content is great, the writing of the book is mediocre. I understand Arnold is not a native English speaker, but his ghostwriter, Peter Petre, could have taken more liberty to change Arnold’s diction in many parts of the book. It may have been their intention to play off his infamous accent, but it is very ineloquent at times and it often feels like it iss written to be spoken than read. The biggest problem for me is my perception of his honesty.

 In a book with several chapters chronicling his rise from scrawny boy to the buffest man in the world, he only mentions steroids a mere three times. He says that his use of steroids was not that helpful, comparing its effects to that of a good tan. As a long time fitness fanatic, I know this to be untrue. He trained 5-6 hours a day six days a week. This schedule is impossible without the use of performance enhancing drugs. Without them, his body would break down from overuse and his muscles would not grow.

Perhaps the biggest problem is his revelation of his affair with his housekeeper. In a chapter titled “The Secret,” Arnold leads readers to believe he only slept with his housekeeper one time and that he did not consider the child she bore nine months later could possibly be his. The rest of the chapter discusses his estranged relationship with his wife instead of the affair, which to my dismay was not what I was interested in. A man of immense confidence, Schwarzenegger’s ego is all but certain the cause for his multiple affairs. It’s also worth mentioning the irony of the way he describes his soon to be ex-wife. He calls her his “dream girl.” I find it ironic that a man so disciplined with his body and life could not be disciplined with a woman he loved so much.

 I personally found the chapters following his rise in the bodybuilding world while working out in Venice to be the most interesting. Perhaps that’s because it shows the hard work he went through in order to reach the point where he was today. The chapters of his movie career were also entertaining, but I struggled at times to finish his political chapters. His stint as Governor was not popular amongst California citizens so its no surprise it’s likely going to be the least popular section of the book as well.

 Overall, I would describe the book as good, but not great. His legacy is to be admired as he has had immense success in numerous industries, but I would still not recommend this book to everyone. As a big fan of both fitness and entertainment, this book was an easy choice for me and left me greatly entertained. But someone who is not a major fan of either may find themselves bored and wanting more. For me the strength of this book is its ability to inspire others. Arnold was very successful through hard work and determination. Thus, if you can take one lesson from his life and this book, it is that hard work and tenacity begets success.
Final Grade: 6.5 out of 10.

The Five Best Outfits of Crazy, Stupid, Love

Crazy, Stupid, Love is one of the best romantic comedy movies I have ever seen. In my opinion, it's the best! That's because it finally gave something to guys who see romcoms with their girlfriends to enjoy: a bromance. Steve Carell is a down and out husband on the brink of divorce. Ryan Gosling is a dapper player, who can charm any woman. Although the two couldn't be more different, they slowly converge to each other over the course of the film as the strength of their bromance grows.

The irrefutable best scene of the movie is the Carell's makeover at the Century City mall. Although he may be mean at times, Gosling turns Carell into a coiffed lothario. Clothing is central to the plot of this film. Most actors average about 9-10 clothing changes a film. Gosling had 36. So in honor of is every changing wardrobe, I have compiled a list of my 5 favorite outfits of the film.

#5

An excellent suit paired together with a striped shirt. The colors complement each other well and give Carell the confidence and swagger his character was previously missing. This combination is stylish albeit safe, meaning this can be pulled off by almost anyone.
 #4

The only non-suit on the list. This white  leather jacket is awesome.  It fits exceptionally well and catches other people's attention. The black sweater underneath it complements well too. A bit bold, this style of jacket may not be suited for everyone.
 #3

The only three piece suit Gosling wears in the film. It's stylish, bold, and definitely enviable. The black shirt and pocket square add strength to this look it  and the whole outfit greatly emanates Gosling's confidence. Three piece suits are hard to pull off, but a this color of grey is easy to match and pair good shirts and ties with.
 #2

Gosling is introduced in this maroon suit, showing his character's sense of style and boldness immediately. While most people could probably not pull this off, if done well, you will be turning heads everywhere.
 #1

The movie was smart to save the best suit for the best scene. Designed by Confederacy, a LA based brand, this blue suit paired with the stripe shirt standouts amongst several epic suits. The suit alone costs about 1300$ so  I recommend emulating the color and design with a cheaper designer.

While most men would never need or be able to afford all these suits, Gosling and Carell's style should be applauded and emulated. When buying a suit, it's important to have it well tailored and to match it with good color shirts and ties. Accessories are also important. Pocket- squares and tie bars add subtle points in style. Watches and shoes are critical. My opinion is "less is more," as I prefer simple designs to louder ones. Either way elevating your dressing game is will have lasting effects.  You will turn more heads and receive more attention. In the words of my good friend David Twogood (who is heterosexual), "There's nothing better than a well-dressed man."

Movie of the week: Argo

Having been exceptionally impressed by Gone Baby Gone and The Town, I was intrigued by Argo from the beginning. Ben Affleck delivers his best work to date. Based on the real life story of CIA agency Tony Mendez, Argo follows the story of one man's quest to save six escapees who escaped the U.S. Embassy in Iran minutes before it was taken over in 1979. A race against time, Affleck must save the hostages before the Iranian government finds them and subsequently makes an example of them.
Argo is a clear choice for Best Picture and Best Director Oscar nominee, but I do not belive Affleck deserves a Best Actor nomination. He does well and is very believable, but never stands out or elevates a scene in a memorable way. The supporting acting however is excellent. John Goodman is goofy, hilarious, and makes every scene he is in enjoyable. Alan Arkin is equally convincing as Lester Siegel, an integral part to the success of the mission and Bryan Cranston is his terrific same terrific self.

Affleck's direction is superb. He captures the unrest in Iran well in addition to Mendez's internal struggle with getting the escapees out of Iran unharmed. Constantly seen abusing alcohol and junk food, Mendez appears to have an obsessive personality  that he carries into the mission as he constantly strives to do whatever it takes to see the escapees freed.

The only bad thing about Argo is Affleck's style. Although his haircut and wardrobe is fitting for the time, Affleck does not have the swagger we all know he can possess. Besides the silly haircut and wardrobe, he has also allowed his body to decline since The Town albeit likely for the role as Mendez.

I highly recommend Argo. As a long time fan of The Town, it's hard for me to say, but Argo is a better film. It may lack a performance as powerful as Jeremy Renner in The Town, but its overall supporting cast, script, and ending make it a more solid and entertaining film. And Affleck has now proved he can direct and produce solid movies outside of Boston. After barely surviving Gigli and Daredevil, the future of Affleck's career is bright. Anyone and everyone who likes movies should go see this.
Final Grade: 9.5 out of 10.

Trailer of the Week: Django Unchained

With a plethora of good trailers out, my pick of the week is Django Unchained. Directed by Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained stars Jamie Foxx as the titular character who is a slave helping a bounty hunter in return for helping free his wife in addition to his own freedom. Joined by the magnetic Christoph Waltz, Leonardo Dicaprio, Samuel L. Jackson, and Kerry Washington, Foxx leads a strong cast just before the end of Oscar season. Murder, slavery, and vengeance with a western setting could be Tarantino's most interesting film yet and comes out this Christmas.

Link to Django Unchained Trailer

Top 10 Lines of the Fast and Furious Franchise

 
For those of you who don't know, the production of Fast Six is well under way. I am privileged to see photos from the set everyday by following both Vin Diesel and The Rock on Facebook. And if you don't follow either actor, you should start immediately. Although I'm not a gearhead myself, I'm a HUGE fan of the franchise and although they may not be the best movies made, they are some of the most quotable. Fast Six comes out next May, but until then, here is a list of the best quotes in the series. 

10. "I don't feel like I'm under arrest. How about you Brian?" -Dominic Toretto
       "No, not even a little bit." -Brian O'Conner
        -Fast Five, A defiant albeit hilarious response to The Rock's feeble arrest attempt

9. "Only my homeboys call me Rome" -Roman Pearce
     -2 Fast 2 Furious, Another hilarious reply as Tyrese show's his anger at Brian years after his betrayal

8. "You know, this ain't no ten-second race." -Shawn
    "I've got nothin' but time." -Dom
    -The Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift, Even with a 30 second cameo, Dom steals the scene in this lackluster movie

7.  "I said only pussies run nitromethane" -Dom
      -Fast and Furious,  Dominic's attempt at verbally flexing his muscle against another driver

6..  "Stay the fuck out of my way" -Agent Luke Hobbs
      -Fast Five, The Rock showing his toughness in his first scene of the series

5. "I never narc'd on nobody. I never narc'd on nobody."- Dom
     -The Fast and Furious, Double-negatives aside, here we see Vin's passion comes into play as he screams this line while simultaneously beating Johnny Tran's face

4. "Pockets ain't empty, cuz" -Brian
     -2 Fast 2 Furious, A hilarious line after stealing money from the drug lord Brian helped set up. I'm not sure why, but 2 Fast 2 Furious went in a very "Bro" route, using the word bro or cuz in almost every line. If you get a chance watch "2 Fast 2 Furious in 60 seconds" on youtube. Hilarious

3. "Nice car. What's the retail on one of those things?" -Brian
    "More than you can afford, pal, Ferrari!" -Ferrari driver
    "Smoke 'em" -Dom
   -The Fast and Furious, Another hilarious interaction preceding one of the better race scenes in the movie

2. "You almost had me? You never had, you never had your car... Granny shiftin' not double clutchin' like you should. You're lucky that hundred shot of NOS didn't blow the welds on the intake! You almost had me? Now, me and the mad scientist got to rip apart the block... and replace the piston rings you fried. Ask any racer, any real racer. It doesn't matter if you win by an inch or a mile; winning's winning"
    -The Fast and Furious, A beautifully done monologue by Vin

1. "I live my life a quarter mile at a time. Nothing else matters: not the mortgage, not the store, not my team and all their bullshit. For those ten seconds or less...I'm free" -Dom
-The Fast and Furious, the emotional crux of the first movie and possibly the most memorable line of the entire Franchise

You can honestly write a book about all the amazing lines of this series . It was hard to narrow it down to just ten. I writing is classic and the actors enhance what  otherwise could have been dull lines. I can't wait for Fast Six and hope they make a Fast Seven.
  

Looper: Hollywood's Most Original Idea in Years

Perhaps the most original idea developed by Hollywood in years, Looper delivers a complex plot that has viewers constantly changing which character they root for. The year is the 2044 and Joe Simmons (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) works as a mafia hitman, also known as a Looper. Although time travel does not exists in Joe’s world, it has been invented by 2074. Immediately outlawed, time-travel is then only used by illegal crime syndicates to kill and dispose of bodies without a trace. Bodies are sent to Joe in 2044 where he immediately kills them, and drops them in a furnace without anyone ever noticing. Joe is paid well and lives a comfortable life as he frequents a nightclub and saves his bounty to move to France. A caveat about Loopers is at some point their contract will be expire with the Looper killing their future self, a process known as “closing the loop.” After witnessing all of his friends’ loops close, Joe can’t help but wonder when he will be next. One day Joe is waiting to kill his target until he appears and bears a too striking a resemblance to Joe. Startled younger Joe hesitates, giving older Joe (Bruce Willis) enough time to escape. After playing cat and mouse for a short while, the two meet at a diner. Old Joe reveals he intends to he has tracked down “The Rainmaker,” the future mob leader responsible for closing all the loops. The only problem is “The Rainmaker” is one of three possible five-year-old boys and Old Joe intends to track down and kill them all. Thus a race develops as Young Joe tries to track down and kill Old Joe to close the loop before he can kill all three boys. Young Joe’s task is made especially more difficult as he has to avoid being captured by the current mafia to fulfill his contract and follow his dreams. The ending might shock you, but the movie will definitely entertain you. In addition to the complex plot, writer/director Rian Johnson did a beautiful job creating a futuristic dystopian world. He also touches on the concept morality. A contract killer, a habitual drug user, and betrayer, Joe is a clear anti-hero the audience can’t help but root for. Lastly, the make-up department deserves much praise. After doing sophisticated face molds of each actor, Gordon-Levitt had make-up applied daily ranging from three to four hours in length to make him appear more like Willis with a solid end result. I highly recommend Looper. It’s a fresh story in the exceptionally trite world of Hollywood storytelling. Final Grade: 8 out of 10.