A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints

Directed (and written) by Dito Montiel, Belladonna Productions, 2005. Starring Shia LaBeouf, Robert Downey Jr., Chazz Palminteri,  Channing Tatum, Rosario Dawson and Dianne Wiest.

Genre: Drama, Crime.

There is a certain part of your life when you realize that you need to either stay where you grew up or run like hell. How many of you chose the latter?

A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints is a coming of age drama, mostly set in the 1980's, about a man who goes back to where he grew up and we see flashbacks as to why he left in the first place. It is based on the book by Dito Montiel (the director) and his life growing up in the boroughs of NY.

This movie came out 6 years ago to critical acclaim at many of the film festivals around this country. Shia LaBeouf was relatively unknown at the time he fought for and got this roll. (Transformers wasn't made until 2007) He won several "Best breakout role" type awards. I can see why, now.

On the surface, A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints is a gritty portrayal of a boy realizing he needs to leave his friends and family in order to save himself. But it is also about redemption and understanding the consequences of those actions.

The movie ran a little slow for me at times and went a little overboard in trying to be "real", but all in all I enjoyed this film. I will admit I like it when a movie is set in the 80's and it isn't over stereotyped with dialogue, wardrobe and make-up of that time. I will also confess that I am a sucker for watching any Robert Downey Jr.'s performances - ever since Less Than Zero.

I found this on the Sundance Channel just last week. Check it out.

Favorite thing: Discovering that Channing Tatum is a pretty decent actor.

Least favorite: The end seemed a bit abrupt.

Possibility of a sequel? I don't think so.

Did the previews ruin it or show too much? I have to be honest: I don't recall ever seeing the preview for this one.

Rating: R
Length: 100 minutes

Review: 6 out of 10

A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints - DVD

A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints - Book

Videos on Demand

Color Me Kubrick, A Home at the End of the World, Legion.

Color Me Kubrick

Directed by Brian Cook, Color Me K Productions, 2005. Starring John Malkovich.

Genre: Comedy, Drama.

Well, this was an odd – albeit true - tale of someone pretending to be Stanley Kubrick, the famous movie director, in London during his shooting of Eyes Wide Shut. John Malkovich plays the impersonator – brilliantly – as usual. (Is there anything this man can’t do?) Anyway, I started off liking the film with its cinematographic and musical homage to A Clock Work Orange but soon after the story continued I lost interest.

Part of me did have this “chuckle inside mentality” like I knew what was going on and the rest of the world (characters) didn’t. I did finish the movie with a small grin but not sure if I really cared for the film in its entirety.

Review: 4 out of 10

Rating: NR

Length: 86 minutes.

A Home at the End of the World

Directed by Michael Mayer, Warner Independent Pictures, 2004. Starring Colin Farrell, Dallas Roberts, Robin Wright-Penn and Sissy Spacek.

Based on a Pulitzer Prize winning novel called “The Hours” by Michael Cunningham.

Genre: Drama, Romance

It was an odd little film about 2 men who befriend each other when they are young in the late 60’s. The story is about creating your own family no matter your upbringing and however it affected it you.

Colin Farrel plays the lead and his innocent yet beguiling personality was quaint to watch and quite a departure for his normally macho driven characters. I also liked Dallas Roberts portrayal of the other lead and was trying to figure out where I had seen the actor before but couldn’t quite place him which is not my norm.

Review: 5 out of 10

Rating: R

Length: 97 minutes

Legion

Directed (and written) by Scott Stewart, Bold Films, 2010. Starring Paul Bettany, Lucas Black, Tyrese Gibson and Dennis Quaid.

Genre: Action, Thriller, Fantasy

I saved the worst for last. I remember seeing the preview for Legion in the theatre not too long ago and thought it could be interesting since they didn’t show too much. Then it came and went and now I know why.

As I stated before I can’t just bash a film if I don’t like it so I must give at least one thing I liked about it: the cinematography was good.

Review: 1 out of 10

Rating: R

Length: 100 minutes