The Reel Deal Goes to Cannes Update #1: Insomnia Washes Over Me in an Awesome Wave

I just touched ground in France today and could be described as a jet lagged zombie. Apparently, staying up until 10 PM (French time) is the cure to jet lag. Luckily, I have not reached brain dead level of zombie yet.

Movie watching has not begun yet. However, that will happen in the next few days. I was informed that there may be a James Bond marathon on the beach. I guess it is fitting, as Nice and Cannes resemble the kind of towns that Bond would likely frequent. A film that can be shown beyond its typical medium is a special thing. And because it is James Bond (and includes the likes of "Thunderball" and "From Russia with Love"), you can bet I will be in line for tickets.

So far, this is my first impression of France. Not too shabby:

And contrary to popular belief, the French have a very good sense of humor:

Movie Review The Avengers

At one point, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) describes what is basically the film's premise, in which a bunch of superheroes are put into a room in order to see what happens. What he just described could also be a pitch for a new MTV reality show called "Real World: Superheroes."

At its worst, "The Avengers" is cheesy and derivative. At its best, it is fresh, funny, and exhilarating. There was never one moment in which I wasn't in some form of awe at what was occurring on screen.

The Reel Deal Goes to Cannes

In January 2009, The Reel Deal packed its bags and relocated to Park City, Utah for a week during the Sundance Film Festival. This Saturday, The Reel Deal will be heading off once again. This time, it will be to France for the Cannes Film Festival.

When I began watching and reviewing movies during middle school, attending Cannes became a dream. At this Festival, the likes of "Taxi Driver," "Apocalypse Now," and "Pulp Fiction" have had their debuts. I decided that I would do anything to get there, whether I arrive as a critic, a filmmaker, or a worker. This will be my first, but hopefully not my last, time attending Cannes.

My schedule will be hectic. I will be attending screenings and panels during any of the free time that I have. However, I will do my best to write a post at least once a day (or every two days, depending on how busy I am). This will continue until I arrive back in America on May 28. Hopefully, I will see movies like "Moonrise Kingdom" as well as those more obscure releases from places as far and wide as Mexico, Italy and South Korea.

I will post my review of "The Avengers" later today. Cannes updates will start as soon as humanly possible. Until then, keep Reel Dealin'.

Movie Review: Bernie

When we are first introduced to Bernie Tiede (Jack Black), he is making a dead body smile and look at peace. Surprisingly, being a mortician (or, in "gentler" terms, a funeral director) is no joke of a job, it is an art. What is so interesting about "Bernie" is not the art, but rather the artist.

While I hate to use such a tired phrase, "Bernie" is a story that truly is too strange to be fiction. In short, it can best be described as "Crimes and Misdemeanors" shot like a Christopher Guest movie. However, one simple sentence, and even one review, will be hard to do justice by the absolute surprise of the movie's complexity. This is unlike any work that director Richard Linklater and actors Jack Black and Matthew McConaughey have ever done.

Maurice Sendak: 1928-2012

Leave it to college to keep me out of the loop, but today, beloved children's author Maurice Sendak died after complications from a stroke. He was 83.

Sendak will always be one of the storytellers with a prime influence on my life. "Where the Wild Things Are," despite being turned into a mediocre movie, is still one of my favorite books. I believe it connected to every child, or at least this one, who wishes their bedroom was a jungle filled with monsters. "Let the wild rumpus start!" is still one of the great rallying calls for both children and adults alike.

But Sendak himself was quite an interesting man. As seen in his excellent series of interviews with Stephen Colbert on "The Colbert Report" earlier this year, Sendak was still so sharp and full of wit, even at his age. The loss of his talent as a writer, and his warmth as a human, will be missed. Watch him on "Colbert" below and you'll see what I mean:

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Grim Colberty Tales with Maurice Sendak Pt. 1
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My Least Anticipated Summer Movies: 2012 Edition

1. Battleship

I'm still trying to get over the fact that the trailer nearly ruined one of my favorite bands (The Black Keys) for me. "Battleship" has been the subject of ridicule for well over a year now. It might cause the world to implode if it actually turns out to be good. Regardless, I see this movie making huge returns at the box office, and spawning even more movies based on board games. The only thing I could ever admire "Battleship" for is the fact that it turned a board game with light up pegs into a movie about aliens. That takes some very uninspired chutzpah.

2. That's My Boy

There was a time when Adam Sandler was actually funny. And the fact that I wasn't even ten-years-old at that time doesn't matter. In my mind, "Billy Madison" and "Happy Gilmore" are still classics. Also, "50 First Dates" is underrated. But really, what has happened to him? He seemed to be making a turn into new territory with "Punch Drunk Love" until he instead decided to make "Jack and Jill." I did not laugh or even crack a smile once during this trailer. "That's My Boy" also stars Andy Samberg, the comedy superstar responsible for The Lonely Island as well as one of my favorite comedies of the past decade, "Hot Rod." To both Sandler and Samberg: please start making better choices after you cash your checks for this movie.

3. Ice Age: Continental Drift

I understand why so many sequels to "Ice Age" have been made. Studio executives want to make money and sequels to successful properties typically do just that. Turning movies into money is their job, after all. However, could they find some way to not give children such an inaccurate view of common historical knowledge? First, they suggested that dinosaurs existed during the Ice Age and now, they are doing the same with continental drift. This is why Pixar should be the only ones allowed to make animated movies.

4. Dark Shadows

Once upon a time, Tim Burton made original movies like "Edward Scissorhands" and "Ed Wood," and not movies like "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and "Alice in Wonderland." "Dark Shadows," based off of the television show of the same name, is about an eighteenth century vampire (Johnny Depp) who ends up in the 1970s. That premise could be funny, but the trailer just seems to hint at a lot of jokes about disco and afros. Trailers have the tendency to be misleading, but "Twilight" has ruined vampires in the same way that Tim Burton has ruined Tim Burton. The only possible saving graces here are Chloe Moretz and Alice Cooper.

5. LOL

I can't wait for the upcoming sequels "ROFL" and "YOLO."

The Dark Knight Rises: Final Official Final Theatrical Trailer

Death supposedly follows the rule of three.* Comic book movie franchises tend to do the same thing. However, if anyone could defeat the Grim Reaper, it would be Christopher Nolan and "The Dark Knight Rises." I don't think much more needs to be said here. My heart was racing the entire time I watched it:

As Troy Barnes of "Community" once said, "I have the weirdest boner".

*With the exception of "Iron Man 2." It is a great example of how not to make a sequel.