Shutter island (2010)

It’s very possible this would have been my first film above an “8” for 2010. However, I might always remember this as, the marketing disaster that was. The initial trailer released back in June with, "Taking of Pelham 1, 2, 3," ruined things for me. I knew the twist, and it was hard to get passed. Having said that, upon two viewings, this was very well written, the story was interesting, and the characters were complex. DiCaprio was great, and played what is arguably the second best role of his career. Marty almost always delivers, and he did again with Shutter Island. I'd like to see his next Leo collaboration be "The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt," but it seems to have been put on the back burner for now. No worries though. Whatever these two decide to get themselves into next, shouldn't disappoint. If I could ever say one thing slightly critical to Martin Scorsese, it would be this; take control of marketing next time. Shutter Island might end up being the greatest film released in 2010, and I didn't get the full experience. It was put together great. Just make sure you oversee things a little better next time, please. 8/10

-Travis Stauffer

Martin Scorsese, is without a doubt, one of the greatest directors of all time. We know that from his 4 decades of creating some of the greatest stories ever told on film. So, why wouldn't he start the new decade with his best thriller to date? Cape Fear is a good thriller that seems to get drowned out amongst his two gangster movies made in the 90s. Not only is this film directed by one of the greats; it is also written by the man who brought us Mystic River and Gone Baby Gone. This is another area that Cape Fear was lacking, a great writer to provide us a excellent remake of an already fine thriller. Add Leonardo DiCaprio (who very well could be considered the actor of the decade in the 00s) and you and you have the making of a potential masterpiece. The film also stars Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kinglsey and Max Von Sydow to round out the rest of the stellar cast. Shutter Island is about a detective named Ted Daniels, who had been sent to the Mental Asylum for the criminally insane on Shutter Island. At first he thinks this is a simple search and find, maybe question some people and move on. He then gets way more than he bargained for and actually becomes part of the chase himself. This film has 3 great acts. The set up shows you a nervous cop and his partner who want to solve the riddle of a missing rachel solondo. The second act shows our main character battling with reality and his own mind and ends the third act showing us the breaking of the main character and the one line of dialogue that sum's up the entire movie brilliantly and leaves everyone guessing what is real. One thing i loved about this film, is that every time you think it would get to be that predictable conventional asylum thriller; the movie takes a turn you don't expect. You then try to figure out what is happening during the duration of the film but you end up becoming just as lost as the characters, only to be revealed the pieces of the puzzle as if you were a character in the film yourself. This film just misses masterpiece thriller by a hair, there is 30 min in the film where can can lose you if you feel you already have it figured out and are just waiting for it to end. It also doesn't have the most incredible performance by leo (if you have seen everything else he has done with Marty). Other than that the only REAL flaw i can find in this movie is the marketing. This film was marketed as a "horror" when it is more of a Drama/Thriller. Also, if you are obsessed with Scoresese like me, you would have seen the original trailer which revealed half of the ending. The only other thing i can think that would make someone like this movie is the ending. The "twist" is more of the style of Rear Window where the twist is really no twist at all. In reality, the ending is exactly what you thought it would be.... or is it?

Shutter Island 8.6/10

-Zack Tinsley