TheGOLDENWALRUS

Sex addict, junky, drunk, redneck, racist, homophobe, trash, scum, asshole, prick, one of the many adjectives that define our protagonist in Dallas Buyers Club. In fact through out the film our protagonist never changes except for one thing - will to live. Amazingly, we love this guy throughout the film. This film appears to be the Gran Torino of this year.

If someone went up to me five years ago and were to tell me that Matthew McConaughey will be one of the finest actors in 2014 I would of not only laughed but would have gotten angry. But it's true. Our shirtless texan would win actor of the year at the Roscars (Ryan + Oscars). He's in two Oscar nominated films (Dallas Buyers Club and The Wolf on Wall street) and in a very underlooked film called "Mud" which he also excels most performances this year.

Directed by Jean-Marc Vallée who really hasn't put out anything worth caring about is a true story (kind of a rag to riches of human nature) of Ron Woodroof. A gambler of bull riding (rides a pretty good streak because if he loses he usually just runs) that lives day to day and tomorrow isn't a certainty until he receives news that he is HIV positive.

Given only 30 days to live he ignores every doctors orders and finds his own cure by visiting Mexico and finding a non FDA approved substance that prolongs his life. He smuggles this back into the United States dressed as a reverend and swears it's for his own use. He sells it on the black market saving many other AIDS patience teaming up with Rayon (Jared Leto) a cross dressing faggot - words of Ron.

Ron learns not only learns how life is precious but also accepts (I use this term loosely) homosexuals, cross dressers etc. Calling it Dallas Buyers Club allowing people to join with 400 dollars for a month of meds. Making lots of money and extending others' lives until the FDA shuts him down.

Dallas Buyers Club is a comedy by most means but it is an excellent character study and you'll get plenty of private moments with Ron. Jennifer Garner plays Eve, a doctor that attempts to befriend Ron while keeping her job at the same time which doesn't approve of Ron's new business. Probably her best performance since "Juno".

The movie definitely mocks the FDA (Food drug administration) which is the villain in the movie. One of the best lines in the movie when Ron is called a "common drug dealer" he responds "Oh, I'm the drug dealer? No, you're the F*****' drug dealer. I mean, goddamn, people are dyin'. And y'all are up there afraid that we're gonna find an alternative without you." The FDA is nothing but a business. Ron shops in a grocery store and tears up every bit of food which has the "FDA approved" slogan but still reeks of pesticides and unnatural hormones. Excellent screenplay in this one.

I think I might start giving most actors that I had the displeasure of watching before another shot. It took Matthew McConaughey till he he was 45 to take better scripts (roles that require the shirt on most the story). I have to admit this is my favorite acting performance this year. Even over the great "12 years a Slave".

A simple story with complicated results of kind of a rag to riches feel but with lots of f-bombs and cocaine. Martin Scorsese brings back his protégé Leonardo DiCaprio who stars as Jordan Belfort.

Perhaps one of the funniest hooks in years we see a midget about to smash into a target with a large group of midget-fancy idiots cheering him on. Belfort's voice over (only Scorsese can do voice over this good) explains his love for drugs, sex and of course money.

Belfort lives in a small apartment with his wife trying to provide for his wife as a stock broker but after an amazing words of advice by his coked-out boss Mark Hanna (brilliantly played by Matthew McConaughey) he quickly embarks into the world as a successful broker. Though he his work goes under he finds penny stocks and successfully manipulates people into buying garbage slots after he learns he can take 50% commission. This giving him the money to build his own emperor and the real fun begins when he meets the bizarre Donnie Azoff (Jonah Hill).

Greed is an understatement for Belfour after falling in love with a barbie-like blond, divorcing his wife, illegally earning money, but he does do good as he takes in a lot of single moms and down-on-luck employees and we still love the guy know matter how many coke lines he sniffs off of hookers.

The supporting cast is brilliant as in most Scorsese films. Himself and a few other directors only can get the best out of anyone but his screenplay is even better here. In fact, the whole time I was on the edge of my seat waiting excitedly for the next ridiculous, comical, out of control dialogue that was to be delivered next. One of the best paced three hour films I've ever seen even over "Blue is the warmest color" (Great year for the three hour mark).

Fantastic direction even though I'm not sure how accurate this film really is. The most comical scene being when Belfour was so drugged up he had to literally crawl to his car and somehow managed to drive "perfectly home without a scratch." But the scene with Balfour and Agent Patrick Denham was my favorite and smartest written. Both on different levels of dialogue and perfectly executed in everyday.

Easily be in my top five for the year and Scorsese's best film since the Departed.

9.25/10 - TGW

Very similar to Fargo we have Thin Ice. A cocky convincing insurance agent (Kinnear) thinks he's found his answer to all his problems when he finds out that after making a sale with a senile, lonely, old man (Arkin) that the old man has a violin worth thousands. Everything goes to plan to steal the violin until he meets a locksmith.

So here's the thing. We have an engaging thriller. Each scene does an excellent job escalating keep you biting your fingernails. You don't think anything could get worst but it always seems to. In fact it's very awkward and nerve racking.

Kinnear does an excellent job playing a sleazy salesman where at times literally steals and manipulate his clients. He's ahead of the game and for some reason we root for him. (Not sure about the unnecessary voice over) Arkin does an excellent job as the lovable elder man whom seems to only have a few years left in the tank. And then there is Billy Crudup, the crazy psychotic locksmith.

I got to tell you I loved this film. Well that is until the last ten minutes which not only left my jaw drop in disgust but also to many critics. It completely ruins the great performances and tone of the film. In fact, I hated the ending.

But all in all it was a good ride for a while.

My rating: 5.75/10 or C+