The Dack enjoys some Milk...

On my quest to see all the Best Picture nominees I ventured out to see this years most politically polarizing film...

The Dack was looking forward to seeing some great acting with a cast that included, Sean Penn, James Franco, Josh Brolin, and Emile Hirsch and he wasn't disappointed. It was nice to see Sean Penn transform himself into the well know political figure, Harvey Milk and the Dack is sure that he will probably win the Oscar for best actor because Hollywood will want to flex its muscle after this years California Prop 8 battle. Although his performance might be the best of the year the Dack can't say for sure until he checks out The Wrestler which he is planning on doing later this week.

While there are those that are going to dismiss this film simply for it's story about a bunch of Gay Rights activists..... the Dack thought that the history covered in this film was actually something worth knowing about. The movie shows that in the 60's and 70's there were people being attacked and killed for being openly homosexual but I had no idea that in 1978 there was a proposition in California that was going to allow public schools to fire anyone who was homosexual, and even fire someone working in schools who supported homosexuality. In 1978 this proposition almost passed in California even with former California Governor Ronald Regan and current President Jimmy Carter speaking out against it. Harvey Milk being the first openly gay politician elected to a major political office became a larger than life figure in his fight against prop 6. It was in this atmosphere that Gay Rights was launched into the national spotlight. Before this even the Democratic Party did not have anything on their platform concerning Gay Rights. Sitting in the theater I was surprised that I had no knowledge of these events even thought they took place only 30 years before.

I understand that this films subject probably isn't everyone's cup of tea but I for one thought this was a very well crafted Biography film while not as moving as Braveheart, it is defiantly on the same level as Walk the Line and Beautiful Mind, mainly due to excellent performances by the entire cast most notably Sean Penn and James Brolin who are both nominated for Oscars... Milk winds up with sevenDacks.

Joss Whedon finally returns to tv with Dollhouse...

The Dollhouse February Friday 13th at 9.

After several years away from television Joss Whedon is bringing us a new show..... granted his last show Firefly was unceremoniously pulled off the air just as it was coming into it's own.... It's no wonder that he hasn't been keen to jump right back in...

The Dack hopes Whedon can create more television magic like he did on his previous shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. Yes, I know some thought those shows were cheesy but the Dack thought they had some of the best writing that tv has seen in the last 20 years...

Here comes the Dollhouse...

The Dack checks out his second Best Picture nominee....

The Dack almost forgot that The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was nominated for Best Picture....... with all the recent Oscar buzz surrounding Slumdog Millionaire, The Reader and Milk..... Benjamin Button seems to have been forgotten about... well, at least by the Dack who has been wanting to see this one since it first came out...

This film is nothing short of a epic tale of a man's life..... unusual as it might be since he was born and old man and is actually growing younger... This film is also about the power of love and what it's limits are.... it might also test your limits on how long a film you can sit through with it's almost 3 hour run time, leaving the theater the Dack felt he has grown old watching it. That isn't to say it wasn't worth it..... Brad Pitt is spot on in this one giving a wonderful performance both as a young man trapped in an old man's body and as a old man trying to figure out how to cope with becoming younger as the world around him passes him by... The Dack hopes somehow he can land an Oscar for it but chances are his performance will get lost in the shuffle.... Cate Blanchett, as usual gives a solid performance but at this point I don't think she is capable of giving anything less. She plays the only true love of Benjamin Button. This film works for two main reasons..... the chemistry between the two stars is excellent and David Fincher the director does a wonderful job of crafting the story of Benjamin Button's curious life. I am a big fan of Fincher from his two most popular films Fight Club and Se7en.... this movie is very different from those two films but he handles the task of filming a man's entire life and does it brilliantly in the tale of Benjamin's life but the scenes in present day feel flat comparitavly..... this does give a slightly unbalanced feeling throughout the film.

I must say that although this film is very long, I don't think it could have been handled any other way..... the supporting cast does and excellent job of providing great characters even when little to no time is spent developing them, which is also a testament to the world Fincher has created.

The Dack really enjoyed this one and felt truly inspired as he left the film... but this film was limited by the fact that trying to squeeze an entire man's life.... from birth to death... especially a man who is born old and dies as a child is too much for one film to handle and for that it suffers.... In the end because of that the Dack can old give this one eightDacks.

New trailer for Tarantino's latest.....

While some may find Quentin Tarantino's films a little too much, The Dack is a big fan. Ever since his first writing credits in True Romance I've been hooked...... he may be ripping off old stuff but the modern spin he puts on his films along with the colorful dialog is something the Dack can't help but love.... oh, and Brad Pitt is in this one to......

Even if you have never liked a Tarantino film before.... how can you not be a little excited for his take on a WWII pic?!!! Ok, fine..... this movie is going to way to over the top for most but the Dack can't resist.

Here come the Inglorious Basterds......

The Dack sees his first Best Picture Nominee of 2008.....

The Dack has not really had any desire to see any of the Best Picture nominees for this years Academy Awards but after hearing several good things about Slumdog Millionaire, the Dack figured he needed to check it out for himself.....

I'll be honest, I really only knew two things about this movie..... The director Danny Boyle had done a few films the Dack had enjoyed, Trainspotting and 28 Weeks Later, and it had something to do with a poor kid from India ending up on India's version of Who Wants To Be a Millionaire. In fact this probably worked better......

Boyle is at the top of his story telling in this picture, which in execution is very similar to Forrest Gump using flashbacks to develop the story of Jammal the main character.... but that Dack must add that this film has a much darker tone because Jammal grew up in the slums of India, which after you see this film you will realize is not a place you would wish on anyone. The cast which are all Indian the Dack has heard are mostly unknowns but that is hard to believe with the solid performances given by everyone.

The Dack was a blank slate waiting for this film to impact him in some way..... and impact it did. I don't really want to tell you anything other than go see this movie.... find some spare coin and go check out the best movie 2008 had to offer. It's got everything you could ask for in a film, drama, action, suspense, a epic romance, all while giving you that warm feeling inside that great films do......

Don't worry that this will be one of those award season films that is well crafted but doesn't touch you...... The Dack left the theater excited about quality films again and that's why Slumdog lands tenDacks!!


In case your not really convinced yet, hopefully the trailer will help.