Andy-Pennsylvania

What is there to say about this film that hasn't already been said 100 times? It's shot beautifully with amazing landscapes and haunting imagery. Some of the action sequences, particularly some of the early moments of the film, are totally unforgettable and will leave you with that open-mouthed "how did they do that" look on your face. Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy completely disappear into their roles. I think it's time to hand them both Oscars.

The only thing that stops me from giving it a perfect 10 is the story. In the end, it's more or less a pretty simple story of revenge and survival, which is great and very well executed, but I guess I was just hoping for a little more to it. Then again, I can't really come up with anything, so maybe this will iron itself out with a couple more viewings. I'd recommend this to just about any film fan, certainly those that enjoy the work of DiCaprio and Hardy, who probably have never been better.

I happened to randomly catch a festival screening of Prep School in LA recently and was glad I did. Obvious from the title, the movie is set at a fancy private school and concerns the trials and tribulations of the students and some of the faculty.

The first 10-15 minutes of the movie is a little meandering, with some promising young actors and funny dialogue peppered throughout, so I was totally unprepared (and pleasantly surprised) by a very dark and twisted turn the movie takes.

Without giving too much away, the main character Thomas is slowly realizing that his friends are not who they appear to be. One friend is a bully, another has emotional issues, and one friend in particular is revealed to be one of the most vile characters I've seen in any high school movie (there were audible gasps at my screening over some of the things coming out of this character's mouth).

I was ultimately surprised by how involved I got with the plot and these characters, especially after the slow start, and I was actually left wanting more by the time the end credits rolled.

The movie has some problems, mostly stemming from its small budget. The conceit of a European style (and rugby-obsessed) boarding school existing on the West Coast doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Also, while most of the lead actors are quite good (particularly the messed-up friends of Thomas), some of the one-scene or two-scene players don't fare as well.

That being said, if you're a fan of small indie dramas, this is an unusually gripping and memorable one. Not sure if this will get a wider release, but I'll keep an eye out for this to pop up on Netflix to give it another watch.

When I heard that a short film directed by the Karate Kid himself was playing at a local film festival (Studio City), I was curious enough to buy a ticket for the block it was showing in. I was very impressed to see that Ralph Macchio had crafted such an emotionally resonant and beautifully shot short film.

It's a simple and bittersweet story about growing up. It focuses on a young boy who becomes fascinated by a dancer who he sees in the window adjacent from his New York apartment building. The relationship between the boy and the dancer is initially awkward, but morphs into something very moving and very human.

After Across From Grace Alley, I will definitely keep my eyes out for more of Macchio's work. Hopefully he tackles a feature for his next go-round.