Shutter Island

Release Date: February 19th, 2010

Click here for the Shutter Island Trailer.

In 1954, U.S. Marshals Teddy Daniels(Leonardo DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule(Mark Ruffalo) travel to the mysterious Shutter Island and its institution for the criminally insane to investigate the disappearance of a murderous patient committed for drowning her three children. Teddy and Chuck are tasked with finding the patient and bringing her back to the institution.

While investigating, Teddy and Chuck slowly begin to realize that the entire staff at the hospital is hiding something and nobody is willing to talk. Teddy and Chuck decide to leave the island but are forced to stay when a hurricane moves in. On the island Teddy begins to have hallucinations and the longer he stays the worse they get.

As the mystery of the institution begins to unravel, Teddy and Chuck begin to realize that if they don't figure out what is going on that they, like the patients, may never leave Shutter Island.

Loosely based on the book of the same name by Dennis Lehane, Shutter Island is a thriller set in the early 1950's that will have you guessing the whole time trying to figure out just what is actually going on. The movie is directed by acclaimed filmmaker Martin Scorsese and stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo and Ben Kingsly.

There has been a lot of hype surrounding this move recently with many people waiting with anticipation for it to come out, especially after it got delayed from an October 2nd, 2009 release date to the final February 19th, 2010 release date. But is it worth all the hype? Many critics say yes but you didn't go to them, you came to me to see if I think it is worth all the hype so lets get into my review.

The initial trailers and publicity for this movie was very intriguing, and it appeared to be a psychological thriller that would require a bit of thinking and attentiveness while watching it. Movies like this grab my attention because I enjoy not knowing what is happening and trying to figure out what is going on. This is where Shutter Island really shines, the mystery. The whole movie has you wondering who is actually sane and who is insane and makes you sit there and wonder what in the world is really going on.

The whole movie builds and builds to the moment Teddy finds out what is going on and when he finally gets there you are just as surprised at what he finds as he is. I will say that the twist at the end may be figured out by some but the ones who do figure it out will not, like me, have it 100% correct. The ending is also where the movie strays away from the book so those of you who read the book will not have the ending completely ruined for you, whether or not that is good or not is up to you.

I'm not a huge fan of Leonardo DiCaprio. I know all the women out there have some strange attraction to him but acting wise he hasn't really blown me away. I'm not saying he is terrible my any means but he isn't top on my list of amazing actors. That being said, DiCaprio did a very very good job in this film. I liked the way he carried himself in this film. His stance and his mannerisms made the character real for me. I also though his dramatic sequences were top notch, allowing the audience to empathize with his character. Overall this is one of DiCaprio's best performances in my book.

DiCaprio wasn't alone in this film however. Starring alongside Leo was the very talented Mark Ruffalo and the always fantastic Ben Kingsley. Ruffalo was very good in his role as DiCaprio's partner Chuck. Ruffalo added a sense of calm to the intense and, sometimes, chaotic performance of DiCaprio and the rest of the craziness this film displayed. He was a kind of anchor to DiCaprio, balancing out the two personas. Kingsley did a fantastic job as the Chief Psychiatrist of the institution Dr. John Cawley. Throughout the film you always wondered what Kingsley's motives were. On the one hand, he always tried to convince you that he was a good person and out to help the patients, yet on the other hand it seemed like he hid a dark secret, one that he was willing to do anything to keep hidden. This added another sense of mystery to the film and an aspect that kept you tentative and guessing.

Overall, Shutter Island was a great film. The atmosphere and the setting gave you chills and it made you afraid to see what was around each corner. Scorsese did a fantastic job of making a truly terrifying mental institution and a setting that made the movie stand out. The plot was enticing and kept the audiences attention and even though it strayed from the book, it will still leave you shocked.

I give Shutter Island 8 Delusional Psychopaths out of 10

Watchmen

Release Date: March 6th, 2009

Click here for the Watchmen Trailer.

"Who Watches The Watchmen?"

Another movie by director Zack Snyder(300) that was derived from a graphic novel. Watchmen is a mystery story set in an alternate 1985 America. Nixon is President, we win Vietnam, and masked superheroes are a part of every day life. Although these superheroes do not actually have real powers, they are all kind of like Batman, no powers but they all fight really good.

It is 1985 and superheroes have been a part of society for many many years. But now, they are all normal people in society since Nixon made wearing a mask illegal. But when a hero is brutally murdered, an outlawed but determined fellow superhero named Rorschach sets out to find the truth, a deeper plot slowly begins to unravel. Rorschach begins to see a plot to eliminate any all masked superheroes, past and present, and discredit all of them. The group of heroes, known as The Watchmen, one and only job was to protect humanity, but while they watch over humanity, who watches the Watchmen?

Since this movie is directed by Zack Snyder, who is the visionary director of 300, another graphic novel turned into a big screen sensation, you know that the visual direction will be stunning, and that is exactly what it is, stunning. Since it is a superhero movie, the feel also has to be above normal. The way the movie is shot has a very gritty feel. A lot of the scenes in the movie take place on the streets of the city at night. So scenes are made to look really dirty and real. The acting was also good. Each of the characters played each part differently. One one side you have the typical cliche hero in Night Owl(Patrick Wilson) who just wants everything to be good and and try's to handle every situation calmly and without harm. Then you have the Comedian(Jeffery Dean Morgan). The Comedian definitley blurs the line between hero and villain. Although the comedian works as a Watchmen, he continually does horrible things, like murdering a Vietnamese woman carrying his illegitimate child or the beating and attempted rape of a fellow superhero. The Comedian actually takes pleasure in others people's suffering. The main character you follow through most of the movie, Rorschach(Jackie Earle Haley), is one of the most interesting characters I've seen in a superhero movie. Even though wearing a mask is against the law, Rorschach still wears a potato sack-like mask with moving ink blots on them that resemble the ink cards of psychiatrist. Rorschach is another hero that blurs the line between hero and vigilante. He will do whatever is necessary to get the job done and his character is definitley my favorite. There is also the mysterious Dr. Manhattan(Billy Crudup). Once a normal physicist, a tragic accident transformed a man into Dr. Manhattan, a glowing blue, interstellar being with the power to make things do whatever he wants. The only problem with Dr. Manhattan's character is that he likes to walk around naked. Now, this isn't such a bad thing if it is kept in moderation. However, Dr, Manhattan likes to flash his, shall we say, "downstairs friend", a lot. In any scene where he is not out in public, you get a good look at Dr. Manhattan's package. Other than that, I have no real flaw with this movie. Visually it is beautiful and it has major action. The fight scenes in this movie are incredible. Since the superheros have no super powers, they need extreme fighting skills, and that is exactly what they have. The combat in this movie is some of the best and brawliest I have seen in a superhero movie and rivals the extreme combat found in movies like The Matrix

Overall this is by far my favorite movie of the new year. It has everything you could ask for in a superhero movie. I give Watchmen 10 incredible crime fighters out of 10.