Blog Pick Week #18

   With the Oscars just days away, we felt this was a good time to recommend this movie. Directed by one of the nominees from this year, and one of his earlier films. For this week we are recommending the 1971 TV movie "Duel" directed by Steven Spielberg.
   Yes we did say a TV movie, but don't let that fool you. "Duel" stars David Mann (played by Dennis Weaver), as a businessman simply on the road. Along his journey he comes across an irate truck driver who wants nothing less than to drive David off the road. What could cause the truck driver to behave in this manner?
   "Duel" has the genius that is to become Steven Spielberg in it from start to finish. We all know what Steven Spielberg has become, but in this film he keeps us on the edge of our seats with his editing, just like he did in "Jaws". Sequences where we aren't sure what is about to happen and simply keeps us in suspense as we slowly round the corner. One thing we wont see around that corner is the face of the truck driver. That is because at no point do we know who the man behind the wheel is, only that he has a serious gripe with David.
   Here is a film that is solid from beginning to end. Nothing but quality filmmaking without the fancy special effects. "Duel" may have been a TV movie but this is in no way an after school special. Until next time happy viewing.

by
Joe Talmage
webmoviepick@gmail.com

"Duel" trailer

Blog Pick Week #17

   Sooner or later this movie was going to be our pick of the week, and it so happens to be this week. The movie stars two talented actors and directed by an equally talented director. We are talking about the very dark but knockout film, "Fight Club".
   With a title of this kind you can imagine this isn't a family film. "Fight Club" stars Brad Pitt and Edward Norton. Meet "Jack" (Edward Norton) an insurance claims adjuster who to put it simply, hates his job and the direction his life is going. Suffering from insomnia, he begins going to focus groups for various illnesses in which he doesn't have, all to try and end his own suffering. May not make sense right? Well it shouldn't because this is only the beginning. Traveling on assignment he meets Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt). Tyler is the solution to Jacks ailments, simply because Tyler is everything he isn't. Soon enough the two form a club in which members can let out aggression by engaging in hand to hand combat. The club grows to take on other tasks but will Tyler and his cohort go along? Who is this Tyler Durden anyway?
   "Fight Club" is considered a dark film, but this is an engaging thriller from start to finish. One of David Finchers finest films with two brilliant performances by Brad Pitt and Edward Norton. This is a film that is a guaranteed hit. Until next time happy viewing.

by
Joe Talmage
webmoviepick@gmail.com

"Fight Club" trailer

Blog Pick Week #16

   We have a unique situation here for our pick this week. Usually when a remake of a movie is done, it rarely is better than the original. This time the remake is comparable to the original and is basically just as good. The movie in question, and therefor our pick is: "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo."
   Based on the Swedish novel of the same title by author Stieg Larsson. The Vangers, a well to do family  with a substantial fortune, has an unsolved murder of a young girl named Harriet, who is a member of the Vanger family, that occurred forty years prior. Without any real leads only suspicions of what happened to her, one member of the family has not been able to let it go since the crime happened. Enlisting the help of banished journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig), who is convicted of libel in a story he published earlier and about to serve a jail sentence. Mikael is hired to uncover and solve, if possible, the mystery behind what happened, and who killed Harriet. Brought in for help to uncover the clues, is a girl that is not the run of the mill investigator, Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara), a girl that is known as a problem child but has a talent that makes her the perfect person for the job.
   An Oscar nominated performance by Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander in the remake film by director David Fincher, as well as an Oscar win for film editing, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" is an exhilarating thriller that was equally as good as the book.
   The original is a Swedish film in English subtitles. If you don't mind watching a movie with subtitles, watch this one. In the event of a tie, the original might have a slight edge over the American version.
   Either film is worthy of watching, so we are taking the easier way out and recommending both. Until next time happy viewing.

by
Joe Talmage
webmoviepick@gmail.com

"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" trailer

*SPECIAL PICK*

   Yes we have given our pick already for this week, and no this is not an advancement of next weeks pick. Considering today is Groundhog Day, take a wild guess what movie we are recommending to watch?? Think real hard and it should hit you in the face. You guessed it, the best movie to see today is the 1993 Bill Murray classic "Groundhog Day".
   A television weatherman named Phil (Bill Murray), is sent to Pennsylvania to cover the famous groundhog, and discover whether he sees his equally famous shadow. When the entire event is over, Phil believes his adventure is over and he will go back to covering real important news. To his dismay he discovers he is trapped on the date of February 2. Reliving the day over and over drives Phil to the brink of insanity, to the point he will do anything to end his misery. Ever have that feeling of deja vu where you feel like you have experienced a situation before? Phil has, and his is multiplied by 10. What will he do to escape this fate?
   First rule of thumb, if Bill Murray is in it, it has to be good. Bill Murray plays one of his memorable roles in this film and surrounds himself with an equally hilarious script that adds up to a comedic home run. "Groundhog Day" is considered a classic for a reason, this is not only the perfect film to watch on Groundhog Day, but a great film to watch all year round. Until next time happy viewing.

by
Joe Talmage
webmoviepick@gmail.com

"Groundhog Day" trailer