"Moneyball" and "Killer Elite"

So, yesterday I was feeling really desperate for some movie watching down time.  Did I have the money or time to spare - not really.  But did it improve my mood and energy level - Yes indeedy, it did! I really miss the days when I had the the luxury of cash and time for a weekly movie date (with anyone willing or by myself).  I did go alone last night, but that doesn't bother me in the least.  I get to watch what I want and eat ALL the popcorn... I really love those refillable tubs ready to attack my thighs at the first delectable taste of buttery, salty, crunchy goodness  :)
What did I go see all by myself in a late night double-header?  I saw Moneyball and Killer Elite (not that the title of my blog gave that away or anything....)

Moneyball was really good.  Starring Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill with supporting roles played by Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Robin Wright.  And this time, although I would have seen it just for cutie Brad - he was not the reason I saw it. 

I saw it because it's a sports movie.  I may not even be a fan of the sport, but I love sports movies.  Not a fan of golf, but I'll watch Tin Cup all day long.  Don't watch boxing but I'll watch Girl Fight or any Rocky movie at the drop of a hat.  I do like ice hockey and I love Mystery, Alaska.  Also a fan of NFL and Any Given Sunday.  Rugby - yes. And rugby movie Forever Strong - hell yes.  When it comes to ice-skating I will watch competitions and any movie about it (can we say Cutting Edge?).  How about skateboarding and Lords of Dogtown.  Soccer's not really my thing but I won't say no to Escape to Victory.  And baseball.... not a big fan (don't hate - I know it's America's game) but Major League is awesome.  And now I have another sports movie to add to a really, really long list of sports movies I love.  I have plenty more titles for every sport mentioned - don't think I don't.

Moneyball is based on a true story (which is always nice) of how the game was changed back in 2002.  It has a terrific cast (already noted), and makes you think about what really is important or not.  Maybe it's if money is the ultimate goal, or can gut instinct and personal biases replace hard facts and statistics.  Maybe it's what's important to you, personally.  It's funny and serious and has you cheering for this baseball team and it's General Manager (Pitt) who is fighting an uphill battle against his players, his coach, his spotters, his boss and pretty much everyone involved in the sport.  He has one ally (Hill).  The two make a crazy - awesome pair.  Watch this one, folks.  So worth it.

As for Killer Elite.  I liked it.  It starred Robert DeNiro, Jason Statham and Clive Owen.  It's a fast paced, violent action flick of the variety I love.  Hired killers doing their level best to rack up a body count and one guy trying to turn it around and reinvent his life sans the killing.  Good stuff.  Great cast.  Well acted.  Not sure why I didn't love it.  I think it may have had something to do with the main premise of the story being a little thin but still and all - it was a good movie.  You could wait for video on this one though, but watch it then - if this is the violent kind of action movie you also love :)

"Drive"

First, let me say that I didn't not like this movie, but I can say I didn't like aspects of it.  Drive stars Ryan Gosling (who we all know I love), Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Albert Brooks, and Ron Pearlman.  Great cast right?  And they all do a really great job. 

It's based on a book by James Sallis.  I haven't read it, but I'm interested in doing so because I really liked the main character.  He may not do the best of things, but he definitely does them for the best of reasons.  He's a terrific anti-hero.

I loved the romance aspect of the movie - that meeting the right gal changed this man's life from being rote (albeit exciting rote) to having some real meaning. 

The action scenes / violent scenes were fast / bloody respectively.

So, why didn't I love this movie?  It a nutshell, it was slow.  When it wasn't the above mentioned action / violence scenes, it moved at a snail's pace.  I mean really s...l....o....w!    My immediate thought as I left the theater was this must be the director's fault.  I don't know.  The overall vision is his, right?  The pacing, the look, the editing are all his final say, right?  I could be wrong - it's been known to happen.  But when you have all these scenes where nothing is going on more than watching somebody do nothing or the camera zooms in on a hand clenching for like a minute (perhaps exaggerated), I have to think, huh?

I looked at the director's credits and didn't recognize anything, but then he was apparently chosen by Ryan Gosling to direct.  I know Gosling has a history of doing some really bizarre movies, but I generally love them anyway.  This one - not.  But not because of the actors, acting, or story which were all good. 

As a side note, apparently the critics loved it.  It was "unique and to be celebrated".  Different strokes, huh?