Sheep Movie Review: Seven Psychopaths

Seven Psychopaths, written and directed by Martin McDonagh, stars Christopher Walken, Colin Farrell, Sam Rockwell and Woody Harrelson. A fresh, different film that never takes itself too seriously and is surprisingly entertaining. If nothing else can be gained from this movie at least I found out it sure would be tiring to have a psycho friend. 

Plot: 

Marty (Farrell) is a struggling writer who dreams of finishing his screenplay, "Seven Psychopaths". Billy (Rockwell) is Marty's best friend, an unemployed actor and part time dog thief, who wants to help Marty by any means necessary. All he needs is a little focus and inspiration. Hans (Walken) is Billy's partner in crime. A religious man with a violent past. Charlie (Harrelson) is the psychopathetic gangster whose beloved dog, Billy and Hans have just stolen. Charlie's unpredictable, extremely violent and wouldn't think twice about killing anyone or anything associated with the theft. Marty is going to get all the focus and inspiration he needs, just as long as he lives to tell the tale.

It's always nice to see Colin acting in a film that shows off his character depth, and Seven Psychopaths does that for the lad and then some. Colin can blow things up and kick some butt when needed, BUT the man can also act his Irish booty off. There's subtlety to his craft and some down right earth shattering moments of realism. He never ceases to amaze me, plus the man's just easy on the eyes. *le sigh* 

Looking closer at Sam Rockwell I see a man who can wear many masks as an actor. Sam has this wonderful ability to become his characters, or maybe they become him, but no matter how you look at the guy you'll always find that charismatic quality shining through. He's a little dirty and disheveled, but that's what gives him the edge both on and off screen. Christopher Walken is the man! I don't care what film he's in or who he's playing, the man's an acting god. Period. 

The story itself is one that was a little hard to follow at times because there's a lot to keep track of, and almost an overload of secondary plots. Mixed and mashed scenes from present day to past all blend together with a movie script that's currently in the works. I wasn't sure how this would all come full circle but by the end it didn't really matter because the movie's message was received. There's action, and blood, in the film but that's not really the focus of the movie. Writer/Director McDonagh does a great job of mixing humor with action and pacing it all to the mood the audience is supposed to feel. It's very much a story within a story and shot in very vivid scope. 

Overall the film is both strange and refreshing, and it really does stretch out from the majority of Hollywood films. I felt like I was the psychiatrist and patient at times, it's entertaining for sure in an oddball kind of way. 

Getting 3 and 1/2 'hooker in a red dress' Sheep

KD

WonderCon 2011-Cowboys and Aliens Panel

WonderCon 2011 boasted many coming films and comics, among this group is the highly anticipated Cowboys and Aliens. Director Jon Favreau and Executive Producer Robert Orci were front and center answering questions. Cowboys and Aliens stars Harrison Ford, Daniel Craig, Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell, Clancy Brown and Adam Beach. Scheduled to hit theaters July 29th 2011, I for one am looking forward to this film.

Storyline:

The Old West.. where a lone cowboy leads an uprising against a terror from beyond our world. 1873. Arizona Territory. A stranger with no memory of his past stumbles into the hard desert town of Absolution. The only hint to his history is a mysterious shackle that encircles one wrist. What he discovers is that the people of Absolution don't welcome strangers, and nobody makes a move on its streets unless ordered to do so by the iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde (Ford). It's a town that lives in fear. But Absolution is about to experience fear it can scarcely comprehend as the desolate city is attacked by marauders from the sky. Screaming down with breathtaking velocity and blinding lights to abduct the helpless one by one, these monsters challenge everything the residents have ever known. Now, the stranger they rejected is their only hope for salvation. As this gunslinger slowly startsto remember who he is and where he's been...

Jon Favreau was asked a few questions about WonderCon it self, what it was like working with this amazing cast and if he prefers directing over acting. Here is a little bit on what he said.

Question: About attending WonderCon 2011.

Answer: "I was here in 2008 to promote Iron Man. It really was a wonderful moment, similar to this in that people didn't know what to expect. We were a bit of an underdog back then. ComicCon has turned into this huge thing and it's a lot of fun; but, WonderCon reminds me a lot of what ComicCon was like when I first started going to ComicCon. ComicCon has been so instrumental in so many movies really arriving that everybody focuses a lot of attention there; but, it's more like a big festival or big party. What's nice about WonderCon is it's a little bit more intimate and we can really have a dialogue here and talk about things. It's not like a big carnival. I think it also shows you guys who really cares about this group of people and I, for one, am very grateful for what you guys have all done for my career. So I want to make sure that this remains a priority. There's a much more limited slate of films that have prioritized this event so it allows for a better dialogue."

Question: What it was like to work with Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford.

Answer: "These guys were great. Daniel Craig is just an awesome, professional, great dude. I admired his work in Layer Cake and, of course, later in the Bond films where he was a sort of a vulnerable but really badass hero, where the wheels were always turning. He's really invested in the stakes of the moment. So you have that generation. And then, of course, Harrison was a late-breaking idea because we didn't think it was doable at all. We never thought he would want to come back to genre and--as most of the people in this room feel--we fell in love with the guy through films like Star Wars (crowd cheers like crazy) and Indiana Jones. To have him bring that pedigree was almost like when you would cast John Wayne in a western. He brings this entire history and so you have two generations of action stars who reluctantly have to work together--we start them very much at odds in a cruel environment--to rescue their people. It was just great. They both care deeply about the process, they were a lot of fun, we were all living out in Santa Fe for the summer, and it was a dream project."

Question: If he prefers directing over acting.

Answer: "I enjoy directing more to be honest with you because--now that this

[attending WonderCon] has become part of directing; now that we're trying to lock picture and finish off effects and get the music in and this is the moment when it tends to become the most trying and there's the most anxiety from the studios and you're trying to figure out your release and your marketing campaign--to be able to come here and show you this and to feel like we're throwing a party and have it be appreciated so much, it makes directing the most fun job there is in the world, for sure."

Favreau and Orci also talked with us about each character being a big part of the film, because every part matters in a western. There are no small parts. Director Favreau is also making use of social networking, speaking with blogs and using Twitter to get his movie out to the public. I speak for us all when I say COME TO THE SHEEP! We would love to have him talk Aliens with us any day of the week. :)

If you were lucky enough to have nabbed a seat in the viewing room you got a nine minute screening of the movie. A very tasty treat indeed. So what say you? Will you be going to see Cowboys and Aliens? Leave some comments below and let me know what YOU think.

KD

PS While I did get all this recored in my funky old mini tape recorder, my good friend Michael Guillen transcribed it on HIS blog first. You can check out the whole panel at The Evening Class. Thanks Michael! :)

Conviction

Conviction directed by Tony Goldwyn stars Hillary Swank and Sam Rockwell, film is in theaters now. My Mom and I went to see this movie and we both came to the same conclusion. Heart wrenching drama.

Plot Summary:

Betty Ann Waters (Hilary Swank), an unemployed single mother of two boys, saw her brother begin serving a life sentence in 1983 for murder and robbery of a woman living in a trailer next door to him in Ayer, Massachusetts. Kenneth's (Sam Rockwell) ability to appeal his conviction using public defenders has been exhausted and without a lawyer, he will die in prison. That is when Betty Anne, a high school dropout, decides to dedicate her life to save her brother. Convinced that he was innocent, she spent the next 12 years taking steps to earn a law degree.

With talented actors who deliver believable performances the movie was incredibly convincing. *tips hat* The heartache of having a loved one in prison for so long was unbearable to this devoted sister, and she took matters into her own hands. As life dished out it's worst she kept going, and for me it was amazing and inspiring. I had to ask myself, would I go that far? Hands down Yes! I would. :)

I recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys dramas based on true story's, for action fans this may not be your glass of Coke (lol). Literally I walked out of this film wanting to call my baby brother just to tell him how much I love him. And if you're reading this, Blackie I love you. *hugs*

With awards season coming soon it wont surprise me to see this film in the running. Beautiful film. Getting 4 amazed sheep!

KD