Tag Archives: Christian Dimartino

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The Film That Got Away: Clear History

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By Christian DiMartino

Title: Clear History

Genre: Comedy

Release Date: August 10, 2013

Rating: NR

Leads: Larry David, Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton

Writers: Larry David, Alec Berg, David Mandel, Jeff Schaffer

Director: Greg Mottola

Larry David is a genius. Why? Well, for one thing, he is the co-creator of Seinfeld, the greatest show of all time. Also, he is the creator of Curb Your Enthusiasm, the best show currently on tv. He skipped out on writing another season this year  in exchange for a great movie called Clear History.

In my personal movie rule book (it does not actually exist by the way), in order for a comedy to earn a high rating, it must truly be hilarious. Not only that, it needs to be entertaining and have a great storyline. Clear History is the first comedy in years that can be considered perfect, and it is a true pity it did not go to theatres (it is currently available on HBO).

The film revolves around a guy named Nathan (David), who works at a car company. When his business partner Will (Jon Hamm) comes up with an idea for a car named “The Howard”, Nathan can not stand it and quits, which turns out to be a huge mistake. “The Howard” becomes a billion dollar franchise, causing plenty of embarassment for Nathan, who is considered America’s biggest idiot.

Ten years go by, and Nathan, now completely unrecognizable, and going by a different name, is now living a quiet life in Martha’s Vineyard. His quiet life is soon turned upside down when Will shows up and buys a mansion. But here is the thing: Will does not recognize Nathan. So soon after Will’s arrival, Nathan hatches an idea: blow up his house.

David has done something interesting with this movie. Nathan, in all honesty, is not a good person. The fate of his character occurs mainly because he did it to himself. But like the characters on Seinfeld and like his character on Curb Your Enthusiasm, the viewer roots for Nathan. The viewer might not agree with what he is doing, but yet it simply has to happen. Clear History is a daring comedy without a soul, and sometimes that is not such a bad thing.

The film has a wide variety of colorful scene-stealing performances. Michael Keaton is fantastic as a maniac who helps Nathan with his plan. Liev Schrieber is hilarious as a detonator salesman, and J.B. Smoove is perfect as a townfolk who has an idea of what is going on. Kate Hudson, Eva Mendes, Bill Hader, Danny McBride, Amy Ryan, and even the band Chicago all have their moments.

As an enormous Larry David fan, the film does not dissapoint. This is one of the single-most entertaining films of 2013. Forget the years other great comedies (This is the End, The Heat, The World’s End). Director Greg Mottola (Superbad, Adventureland) handles these actors with care, and it is a pleasure to see them. There is not an unfunny second in this film. Clear History is a movie that keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat. The first comedy of its kind in a while.

The film has that sort of Curb Your Enthusiam-ness to it. There is a lot going on here, a lot more than described above, and each storyline is as entertaining as the next. It is hard to remember many comedies that work as well as this. Clear History has fallen from comedy heaven. It is a near miracle. There might never be anything like it again. By the end, it does have a sour after-taste. But for the sake of the movie, it is worth it.

This is probably the strangest of the “Films That Got Away”, mainly because it has only been out for a month. It is not quite a film that got away, bur rather, a film that is not going anywhere. I know plenty of people who have HBO and have never even heard of it. If it had been released a little sooner, it may have received an Emmy nomination. As  Larry David would say, “It’s pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty… pretty good.”

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Insidious: Chapter 2 fails to capture the nerve-wracking plot of the original

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By Christian Dimartino and Bryce Romig

There is a vicious cycle when it comes to scary movies. The original is released, it becomes an instant classic with a large fanbase; however, most of the time, the filmmakers do not leave the original alone. Instead, the director brings along a new form of terror: a sequel. About 99.99 percent of the time, the sequel never lives up to the original. So, going into James Wan’s Insidious: Chapter 2, the burning question on the viewers’ mind is this: Can it top the original?

Insidious, Wan’s 2011 movie that slowly gathered a cult like following, was one of the more effective scary movies in recent history. Wan hit another slam-dunk back in July with The Conjuring, an even better movie (and very successful and even critically acclaimed) which is among the year’s best.  So, there is a lot of hype to live up to. But did he do it?

The sequel takes place directly after the events of the original. The Lambert family is trying to move on with their lives and recover from the events they had previously been through. But of course, since this is a sequel to a scary movie, the recovering doesn’t last very long. The wife Renai (the always terrific Rose Bryne) starts to notice strange occurrences again, including the behavior of her husband Josh (Patrick Wilson, the most overlooked actor in Hollywood), who she doesn’t reallytrust, due to events of the previous film.

Warning: Do not see this movie without seeing the original. It is not worth it. For confusion sake, just sit down and watch the original. The sequel will not be completely confusing, but either way the original is worth seeing. The original has a solid plot that is crucial to the second.

It’s always nice to see good acting in a scary movie. Like in the original, Wilson and Byrne nail it. The statement about Wilson being the most overlooked actor in Hollywood is true. This guy is great in Hard Candy, Little Children, Lakeview Terrace, among others, and he is still not a household name. Neither is the gorgeous Byrne, who is known for FX’s Damages and Bridesmaids. These two are in top form here. Everyone’s acting is solid, and it is nice to have almost everyone from the original (even Lin Shaye’s deceased character Elise).

At the end of the day, Insidious: Chapter 2 is not quite as captivating as the original. For Wan, this is a step down from the original Insidious and The Conjuring. Jumping out of your skin is guaranteed, yet the movie needed something more chilling. It needed more of Tiny Tim’s “Tiptoe through the Tulips” or the freaky demon that had a close resemblance to Darth Maul.

It is a good movie, but some of it is uneven. Not quite all of it adds up. Also, the twist, while good, is out there, even for this movie. Insidious: Chapter 2, though flawed, is a consistently entertaining movie that is worth seeing. It works, just not as well as the original. But Insidious: Chapter 3, if it happens, is pushing it.

Regardless of a hard to follow plot and somewhat confusing storyline, Insidious: Chapter 2 is definitely going to leave you paranoid at night.

Rating: 7.5/10

Christian DiMartino

Columnist critiques movies of summer 2013

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By Christian DiMartino

The summer movie season is wrapping up, and after seeing 20 movies, it is about time for a summary. Yes, there were some that I missed out on, from blockbusters (The Wolverine, Pacific Rim) to indie hits (Blue Jasmine, The Bling Ring). But summer is over, and it is time to move on. Here are the high and low points of summer 2013. *Note* If Steven Soderbergh’s Behind the Candelabra was considered an actual movie (it was an HBO movie), it would certainly make the list.

The Best

5. Before Midnight: Most probably do not even know what this is, and it is a pity. Richard Linklater’s third chapter in the Before Sunrise trilogy is one of the best written and acted movies of the year so far. This time around, it has become more obvious that Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy have developed into bona fide actors. Yes, the movie is a talk fest, but it is worth it.

4. The Conjuring: The Conjuring is a movie that has been done before, but not much better. It is a good old fashioned haunted house movie that takes its time delivering the chills, rather than constantly making the audience jump. It also helps when actors as good as Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Ron Livingston, and Lili Taylor are involved. It is not the scariest movie, but it is among the best of its kind.

3. Iron Man 3: Iron Man 3, the first movie of the summer, kicked the summer off right. Often hilarious, with Robert Downey, Jr. doing what he does best, making people laugh, not to mention the  special effects, Iron Man 3 is a total blast.

2. The Great Gatsby: Ignore the critics. Baz Luhrman’s latest film is a visual marvel that captures the era and the essence of the novel well. Gorgeous and well acted, The Great Gatsby is as enchanting as movies get. Leonardo DiCaprio and crew could not have done better. Great job, old sport.

1. Star Trek Into Darkness:  J.J. Abrams’ previous Star Trek movie found a new fan (guess who?). After waiting four long years , the sequel finally came along, and it was well worth the wait. Star Trek Into Darkness puts the word “spectacle” into “spectacular.” The visual effects are marvelous and there are some nice references to previous movies. But what the crew really nails is letting the audience know these characters better, especially Spock (the terrific Zachary Quinto). Besides Quinto, the best actor involved is Benedict Cumberbatch, who steals the show as the villain. Star Trek 3 can’t come sooner.

Honorable Mentions: This is the End, Man of Steel, Monsters University

The Worst

After Earth: Of 20 movies, none of them deserved annihilation as much as this one. M Night Shamylan’s latest disaster is a 100-minute talk fest rather than a cool sci-fi movie. It is incredibly dull, and if Will Smith does not look interested, the movie is doomed from the start. The saddest thing about it is that it is not even Shamylan’s worst (Reigning champion: The Last Airbender).

Most Surprising

Tie: Fast & Furious 6 and The Hangover Part III: After giving up on both franchises, it is nice to say that both movies were pleasantly surprising. The well-reviewed Fast & Furious 6 is dumb fun, and proud of it. The poorly reviewed Hangover Part III is a bit different from its predecessors, and it is for the best. It is not as wild, but it is still funny and it ties the trilogy together well. Neither movie is amazing, but both are better than expected.

Most Disappointing

Kick Ass 2: It is sad to say that The Lone Ranger, which was torn apart by the world, was better than Kick Ass 2. The first hour of it lives up to the original. It is funny and fun, and Chloe Grace Moretz steals the show once again as the foul mouthed Hit Girl. But the sequel takes a wrong turn in the last 40 minutes, and it is a turn for the worst. It is also a waste of what could have been a great Jim Carrey performance. At the end of the day, it is a wasted opportunity.

Well, there it is. This summer was not the best. But it was a decent one. There were only two bad movies the entire summer, and some were borderline bad but shamefully enjoyable (White House Down, The Lone Ranger). It was also a good summer for comedies, such as This is the End, The Heat, and We’re the Millers. All this summer needed was another Batman movie and it could have been perfect. If the summer didn’t meet expectations, there is still a lot to look forward to in the rest of the year, such as The Wolf of Wall Street, American Hustle, Gravity, and Her. Count me in.

Christian DiMartino, Weekly Playlist

Columnist offers how to get prom night kickin’

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By Christian DiMartino

On May 11, the best moments of every students’ high school career will occur. A night many students wait long and ardently for, the mother of all parties: Prom. Do not let the top choice put a damper on the evening.

5. Footloose: Can prom scenes get any more memorable? The film takes place in a town where dancing and rock music are banned. Once the students flee outside the city limits, Ren (Kevin Bacon), the protagonist, bursts into the prom and shouts “Let’s dance!” So they dance, for what feels like a very long time, to Kenny Loggin’s “Footloose.” The movie is not that great, but like prom, the scene cannot be forgotten.

4. Pretty in Pink: The climax of Pretty in Pink takes place at the prom. Andie (Molly Ringwald), a not very wealthy girl, makes her own clothes and goes with her best friend Duckie (Jon Cryer). There, her wealthy boyfriend Blane (Andrew McCarthy), who recently broke up with her because of peer pressure, realizes that he loves her and decides that he does not care what others think. I am sure the rest is self-explanatory. It is a happy ending, and sometimes that is all people need to have a good night.

3. Grease: The first two movies mentioned were 80’s proms. This one is a 50’s prom, and is a little different. Danny (John Travolta) and Sandy (Olivia Newton John) go to prom in the middle of the movie, and it is so happenin’. There is a lot of dancing. A lot. This is when the “hand-jive” shows up. It is a blast, just the way prom should be.

2. Fast Times at Ridgemont High: Back to the 80’s proms. The prom scene is upbeat and once again is the climax of the film, but there is something a little different this time. Class clown Jeff Spicoli (Sean Penn) has been torturing his teachers all year. But on prom night, one of his teachers, Mr. Hand, decides to visit his home and gives him a history lesson, to punish him for wasting so much of his time in the year. But in the end, Jeff makes it to prom. It is a clever idea and the result is hilarious.

1. Carrie: Prom is supposed to be a night to be remembered forever, right? Well, there should be no problem remembering the prom in Carrie. This is easily the most memorable, but yet the most demented. Do not let this prom put a damper on your prom events. The chances of a girl with telekinetic powers murdering almost everyone at the prom are slim to none. But it is still a party to never forget.
For the record, I highly recommend pulling no prom pranks, as previously discussed, the results have the potential to be disastrous. 

Christian DiMartino, JT Samart, Online Only, Patrick Prifogle, Podcasts

Ten Minutes Or Less: Iron Man 3 review, Pre-Prom talk and other ramblings

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Greetings everyone and welcome to FC’s most awesome podcast. Today Patrick Prifogle is sick and can not attend the recording of our podcast. Instead we have Christian DiMartino, our resident movie expert. We talk about Iron Man 3 and give a little teaser of prom. So please enjoy the glorious sound of our voices.

Click here to listen to JT and Patrick’s very eighth podcast.