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Let me start by saying that I adore Francis Ford Coppola; the man is a visionary and iconic filmmaker that will make prolific films until he decides to stop and his career will be remembered for years after it ends. That being said, there are times I question Coppola’s filmmaking decisions…while I can’t say that I question why he made Youth Without Youth, I really can’t say that I understand the movie at all.

In the early stages of Hitler’s Germany Dominic is a 70 year old professor who is tired of life, and goes away on a trip where he is immediately struck by lightning. Dominic should be dead, but instead after weeks of medical care he heals and reveals that he now has an approximately 40 year old body; he allows himself to be studied by the doctor that oversaw him until Hitler’s scientists discover his existence and try to take him into custody. Dominic then lives the life of a fugitive as he continues his research on the origin of language.

This is a strange film, not a bad one, but a strange one. Along his journey Dominic discovers that he is gaining “super powers” including the ability to absorb information from objects, manipulate objects, and he uncovers that the lightning strike has created multiple personalities within him. Dominic does not age but if he spends too long around a loved one they age at a rapid rate. The film is a study of language, history and the possibility of past lives, but does not settle on one topic for very long as it studies the life that Dominic now leads.

One of my favorite things about Coppola is that he is not afraid to take risks. One of my favorite visual hints in Youth Without Youth is Coppola’s use of the upside down image; I won’t say what Coppola is indicating by using this but the images that he chooses to invert are striking and aid in his ultimate goal which is to make the audience think about what they are watching and why.

Youth Without Youth shares some of the same ideas as The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; the ideas of love, youth, life and experience. However, while I cannot say I am a huge fan of Benjamin Button or Youth Without Youth I do have to say that I enjoyed the journey a bit more in the case of Youth Without Youth.

Director & Writer: Francis Ford Coppola
Dominic: Tim Roth
Veronica/Laura: Alexandra Maria Lara

I heard Quentin Tarantino say once that he made a film before Reservoir Dogs that wasn’t worthy to be melted into guitar picks. Luckily Reservoir Dogs is good for a lot more than guitar picks.

The story of Reservoir Dogs is simple; a crime boss has a fence for some uncut diamonds that he wants to steal from a local diamond wholesaler so he hires 6 goons to pull the job, it should be simple – in and out. However, the actual heist goes sour fast and the goons that do manage to escape begin to think that there is a rat in their midst and they begin to tear each other apart.

This story is simple, but the way it is told is not. Tarantino blazed on the scene by making a film that was beautifully complex and layered and just off-beat enough to really sink in. It’s told through two time lines: the present and flashbacks for each important character so you can see how they got there. We are lulled into complacency with a witty speech about Madonna’s Like A Virgin and why tipping waitresses should not be a societal norm, then we are plunged directly into the after effects of the heist without ever seeing the actual heist.

This film would not be as entertaining as it is without a cast of phenomenal actors to fully realize the quirky characters within. Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen) is the hardened con who has done time for his boss and lost a bit of his sanctity for human life along the way. Mr. White (Harvey Keitel) os the old and wisened criminal who wants out of the heist clean but feels ultimately responsible for the bullet Mr. Orange took to the gut. Mr. Pink (Steve Buscemi) is the nervous, by the book con who wants to split. Mr. Orange (Tim Roth) is the undercover cop, shot in the gut. Mr. Brown (Tarantino) is the cheeky criminal who doesn’t make it out of the heist. All the performances are great, and the flashbacks are phenomenal. With each one we learn something else about the character and how they have gotten into this situation.

Tarantino is known for making super-violent films. However, while violence does occasionally bother me, I am the first to say that of all the films I’ve seen Tarantino does violence and gore in some of the most artistic ways I’ve ever seen. Reservoir Dogs is no exception. The Tarantino scene that shocked the world is in this film – and it is surprisingly less gory than you’ve been led to believe. Mr. Blonde chops off a bound and gagged police officer’s ear…and it is nail biting and stomach turning, but you actually don’t see a dang thing.

With this film Tarantino took the film world by storm, and I hope to emulate that someday as well.

Writer & Director: Quentin Tarantino
Mr. White: Harvey Keitel
Mr. Orange: Tim Roth
MR. Blonde: Michael Madsen
Mr. Pink: Steve Buscemi
Mr. Blue: Eddie Bunker
Mr. Brown: Quentin Tarantino
Eddie: Chris Penn
Joe: Lawrence Tierney
Officer Nash: Kirk Baltz

Joe: With the exception of Eddie and myself, whom you already know, we're going to be using aliases on this job. Under no circumstances do I want any one of you to relate to each other by your Christian names, and I don't want any talk about yourself personally. That includes where you been, your wife's name, where you might've done time, or maybe a bank you robbed in St. Petersburg. All I want you guys to talk about, if you have to, is what you're going to do. That should do it. Here are your names...Mr. Brown, Mr. White, Mr. Blonde, Mr. Blue, Mr. Orange, and Mr. Pink.
Mr. Pink: Why am I Mr. Pink?
Joe: Because you're a faggot, alright?

When Ang Lee’s version of The Incredible Hulk came out a few years ago I didn’t really have a problem with it, but I also didn’t think it was a phenomenal film. Quite honestly, the Hulk is just not a character that floats my boat. I enjoy it, but as stated before I’m more of a DC girl than a Marvel girl. However, I was quite intrigued when I found out that Marvel so quickly wanted to restart the hulk – there was longer between Batman & Robin and Batman Begins than Eric Bana’s & Ed Norton’s incarnations of the Hulk.

This incarnation of the Hulk story picks up roughly where the Ang Lee version left off, but it is not a direct sequel. The beginning credits speed through the Hulk back story, laying out the origin of his powers, and relationship with girlfriend Betty and her father who commissioned the experiment that went awry to give him his abilities. Where the film actually begins is in South America where Banner has been hiding out, attempting to research a cure for himself and trying anything he can to avoid a Hulk “incident”. As usual, this fails and Banner must flee to a new location avoiding being caught by General Ross.

What this movie has that the Ang Lee version lacked, is a genuine interest in Banner as the man and as the Hulk. Nothing against Eric Bana, but Norton latches onto the turmoil of the character in a way that Bana never did.

As is rumored to become more and more common in the Marvel film universe this film also ties into the rest of the Marvel world, alluding to Nick Fury, S.H.I.E.L.D. and even contains a cameo by Tony Stark who is met with perhaps my favorite line “you do wear the most interesting suits” by a defeated General Ross.

The only thing that really hurts The Incredible Hulk is merely the fact that it was released right after Iron Man. Iron Man was a near perfect film, and it is almost impossible for any comic book movie to be as good. That’s not an insult to The Incredible Hulk, it’s just an unfortunate release schedule as they are released by two different studios.

Director: Louis Leterrier
Writer: Zak Penn
Bruce Banner: Edward Norton
Betty Ross: Liv Tyler
Emil Blonsky: Tim Roth
General Ross: William Hurt

Betty Ross: The subway is probably quickest.
Bruce Banner: Me in a metal tube with hundreds of people in the most aggressive city in the world?
Betty Ross: Right. Let's get a cab.