50/50 (2011)

Seth Rogen has written a movie that completely makes up for the fact I sat through The Green Hornet. This was an honest and intimate portrayal of dealing with a disease that could stop anyone in their tracks.

Adam Learner (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a 27-year-old journalist who works at a public radio station with his best friend Kyle (Rogen). Adam has a solid relationship with his girlfriend Rachael (Bryce Dallas Howard) and his family. One day after work, Adam heads to the doctor because of some chronic back pain. It's there that he learns he has a rare form of spinal cancer. Understandably, Adam doesn't believe the diagnosis at first, but then has the unenviable task of coming to grips with it. Rachael and Kyle seem to take the news well, at first, while Adam's mother (Anjelica Huston) isn't as accepting. In order to help deal with the disease, Learner is recommended to take counseling. His case is given to doctoral student Katie McCay (Anna Kendrick). The two of them soon form a bond over the fact they are new to their respective scenarios. Adam's cancer has a 50% survival rate, but he's hoping a good attitude can take him the rest of the way.

I had a great time watching this movie. It took such a devastating topic, one that affects practically every family, and gives looks at it from an emotional and hilarious point of view. Joseph Gordon-Levitt gives a terrific performance, per usual. Anna Kendrick and Seth Rogen also did great in their supporting roles. While at times this film felt like a Wes Anderson knockoff, the engaging plot and characters kept me from losing interest in the style of film making. This almost assuredly has a spot in my year-end Top Ten list. Grade: A-

Inception (2010)

Holy cow. This lived up to all the hype that I had put on it based on the trailer. The acting was superb, the story was terrific, and the action was unbelievable. The most fun I've had watching a movie in a long, long time.

Cobb and Arthur (Leonardo DiCaprio and Joseph Gordon-Levitt) specialize in a very unique form of security/thievery. They do so by invading their subject's mind. However, Cobb has something else on his mind and that's seeing his kids again. Through a serious of events, Cobb is a wanted man in the United States. He decides to take one last job from a wealthy international businessman (Ken Watanabe) in order to get his past crimes erased and so he can see his children. The job he is intended to do is not as easy as it seems. Without getting into too much detail, because it will being to ruin the movie, I will say that things on this job go out of control. The main question is: Will Cobb see his youngsters ever again?

At it's core, this is a very basic action movie plot. Guy needs to do one more job to get out of the biz. It's where the story goes with that plot that I absolutely loved. All of the cast were terrific, but Gordon-Levitt and Tom Hardy really commanded the screen and took over when they were needed. I got bothered by one person leaving the theater early when I went so I will say this: Don't NOT leave/miss this movie. Watch it in theaters if you can, Blu-Ray if you wait. It's well worth it.

(500) Days of Summer (2009)

What a fantastically fun and unabashedly honest movie. The movie tells you upfront that it is not a love story and it really shows what two people go through within a relationship that doesn't work in the end.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Tom, a mid-level greeting card writer who is very much a romantic. He tries to always find the joy in life and manage to come out in love. Then, he meets Summer (Zooey Deschanel). Summer doesn't believe in love...at all. She wants to just flow through life wherever it takes her and won't let love get in the way. Regardless of all that, Tom and Summer spark up a relationship. Not your average relationship, but a relationship nonetheless. As the movie progresses, not in chronological order, you see the good times and bad times of their courtship.

Anyone, at some point in their life, should be able to relate to this movie. It takes a frank look at how people deal with dating and puts it in the guise of a romantic comedy that really isn't one. Don't get me wrong, this movie is not depressing. In fact, I had a lot of fun watching this movie. The performances were fantastic, especially by Gordon-Levitt (whose work in the past few years really needs to be recognized for its brilliance) and the writing better be nominated for something come awards time. It also benefits from a great soundtrack (see: Regina Spektor's "Us"). Watch this movie as soon as you can.

Killshot (2009)

Sometimes great acting can benefit a movie, sometimes it can't. This movie was the latter. While the actors gave some solid performances, the story was old and predictable.

Diane Lane and Thomas Jane play a newly separated husband and wife. Mickey Rourke and Joseph Gordon-Levitt play a newly "married" duo of killers. One day, there paths cross and now Lane and Jane are on the run because Rourke's hitman is so deadly, no one who sees his face ever lives. Gordon-Levitt plays his hot shot new partner who just doesn't shut up. It's a cat and mouse game and I guarantee you already know who wins.

Strong performances all around, mostly by Rourke and Gordon-Levitt (he is fastly becoming one of my favorite actors). But the story is so jaded and loses the viewers interest so fast that I figured out the whole movie within 15 minutes.