I Saw A Film Today… Now You See Me

Magic is a fascinating art, even if it is one of those things that I can go years without thinking about. And I do mean art, much in the same vein of lock-picking and thievery. It takes a particular set of skills to be able to deceive an entire room of  people into believing something is complex when in fact it is simple. That is why when someone reveals the big secret, it’s rather disappointing. Let the mice in our cerebellum quickly churn complexities when a slow pace is all that’s required. I believe that was the purpose behind Leterrier’s Now You See Me. But like many ideas presented in this film, they are left muddled and ambiguous.

Four magicians, one a mentalist (Woody Harrelson), one a con man (Dave Franco), one a traditionalist (Jess Eisenberg), and his former assistant/former love interest (Isla Fisher), are all struggling to make ends meet when out of nowhere the four are given tarot cards with invitations to a mysterious apartment. Fast forward a little bit and the four are performing under the title of The Four Horsemen in Las Vegas, where their first act is robbing a bank in Paris.

Obviously this sort of act doesn’t go unnoticed by the public, which transform The Four Horsemen into overnight celebrities. It also attracts the attention of others, like the FBI (Mark Ruffalo), Interpol (Mélanie Laurent), and someone named Thaddeus (Morgan Freeman) who 1) likes to debunk magic acts, and 2) is probably a downer at a party. And with each show the Four Horsemen perform, the more the stakes are raised.

The biggest pitfall out of the numerous that are in Now You See Me is that it tries to be too clever. It tries so desperately to be a magical version of one of Soderbergh’s Oceans films but with a thinner script. And for a film that is about magic, it relies heavily on CGI. So heavily that at many times it’s distracting. And if you’re going to make a movie about magic, it almost feels lazy to use CGI.

There is nothing to glue your interest to the story, or the characters for that matter. There is actually a moment about 3/4th of the way through the film in which one of the Four Horsemen die (for those who don’t want spoilers, I’ll keep the identity of the character secret). And as you sit watching his corpse burn (Whoops, narrowed it down to three), you just don’t really care. You just think, “Oh, bloody hell, that must be a really horrible way to die”. You don’t care. The people in the movie don’t care. It just adds cheap drama zest to a bland film.

The cast is about just as effective as the script. The only one who is in top form is Woody Harrelson, who bring the few genuine laughs in the film. Well, Sir Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman are in top form too, but that’s not unexpected. But the rest, sadly, are below par. Ruffalo and Laurent are unconvincing as agents falling in love. Eisenberg is still in Zuckerberg mode here. Franco is still annoying, like the guy who plays guitar at a party. And Fisher was just an unnecessary addition to the film.

But this film will draw crowds and sadly they’ll like it. The brainless row of people in front of me figuratively had their minds “blown” by how “clever” the film is. And I assume if you go into this film in a zombie state, this would be a pretty damn clever film. But any form of consciousness above this, and you only have pretentious predictability.

Verdict: Skip it!

* Rated PG-13 language, some action, and sexual content. 115 minutes. Directed by Louis Leterrier (The Incredible Hulk, The Transporter).

** Thanks to my friend Cody for seeing this with me.

I Saw A Film Today… Star Trek: Into Darkness

Outside of J.J. Abrams first Star Trek film, I have not really explored the Trekkie universe outside of a few episodes of the original series. It doesn’t have to do with Star Trek over Star Wars or any of that stupid bollocks, it’s just another thing I would have to take time out of my life to watch them. I turned twenty-three recently. Which made me think about life a little more and about the time I have left and blah blah philosophy ponderings. And as much as I love entertainment, I feel- I’m going to stop myself before I begin rambling. The point is this: As great as film and television are for escapism from the currents of life, if you don’t take the time to enjoy life more, then what are you escaping from? Or something like that. Basically, don’t sit around all the bloody time and do something you lazy git.

Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) is still the captain of the USS Enterprise and still not following the rules. After an observatory mission does wrong, requiring Spock (Zachary Quinto) to be rescued from an active volcano, the Enterprise is taken from him and given back to Admiral Pike (Bruce Greenwood).

But after a terrorist named John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch) attacks Starfleet and leaves the Enterprise captain-less, Kirk take the helm again and pursues Harrison on a personal vendetta. But after capturing the fugitive, the crew realize they have only cracked the surface of the truth.

I feel sympathetic for the other blockbusters that come out this summer. Or year frankly. It’s going to take something truly mind-blowing to out due this film. This is just how you do a modern-day blockbuster. Plenty of drama and conflict, a little bit of comedy, and of course plenty of dazzling action sequences.

J.J. Abrams continues to impress with each film he produces. He melds nostalgia with modern film making techniques effortlessly and without cheapening anything. His storytelling has a flow that hasn’t been present before. It ebbs and flow naturally. One of the distractions, one of the very few, that plagued the genesis film is where too much is being thrown at you. A lot of back story, told in staggered states. You don’t get this with the sequel. You know the characters, time to get down to business.

Relationships do play an important part here though. One of the main focuses in the story is the strange and sometimes strained relationship between Kirk and his crew, mainly his friend Spock. This is where Pine and Quinto really shine. When they are together, they showcase the highs and lows of any friendship in a way that makes you understand why one cares for the other, and vice versa. One scene near the end especially does this, a scene that will make even the driest of eyes moist.

The real scene stealer, and the highlight of the film, is the pure brilliance of Benedict Cumberbatch. His stoney villain carries a cloud of genuine mystery throughout the entire film. He is sinister and cold to his very core, from the icy bravado of his voice to his unflinching and sudden violence, Cumberbatch is easily one of the most terrifying villains in years.

The supporting cast is great as well. The addition of Alice Eve, admittedly, was a little perplexing. I understand that Dr. Carol Marcus is part of the Kirk/Khan story, but I just don’t understand why here. She isn’t really integral to the story, outside of stripping to her intimates. Regardless, Eve has light air about her. Then there is the rest of the Enterprise gang, who much like the first go around don’t disappoint. Another great thing about this film is that it makes a point of showing that every member is important. Whether it be Scotty or Zulu, everyone matters, which is something that seems to be lost often in a film such as this.

Skip the 3-D. Just another standard film wearing an ill-fitted stereoscopic cut suit. Other than that, Into Darkness is a staggeringly great film that any movie-goer would consider seeing twice. J.J. Abrams really set the bar high early in the blockbuster season.

Verdict: See it!

*Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence. 129 minutes. Directed by J.J. Abrams (Star Trek, Super 8).

**Poster by Matt Needle.

*** Special thanks to my friend Cody for exploring the final frontier with me.

I Saw A Film Today… The Great Gatsby

It was only a few months ago that I finally read Fitzgerald’s classic novel about a mysterious fellow named Jay Gatsby. While I found his tale a little bland until the final act, which can be attributed to the story’s age and its numerous copycats, it is unmistakable how great a writer Fitzgerald is. I was enamored with his storytelling. So I was excited when I learned about a big budget film adaptation. But that excitement was quickly replaced with sadness when I learned Baz Luhrmann was behind the wheel. And that sadness was replaced with boredom as I sat in the theater.

Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) is a recent Yale graduate who is trying his hand at bonds in New York City. He moves into a little home dwarfed by the towering mansion of his rich neighbor. After a while, Nick is invited to one of his neighbors decadent parties personally where he finally meets the man named Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio).

Gatsby becomes friends with Nick, but for ulterior reasons. Gatsby fell in love with Nick’s cousin Daisy (Carey Mulligan) years ago before he left for the war, and wants Nick to help set up a meeting between the two long-lost lovers. When the two are finally reunited, they fall madly in love again. The only things standing in between them being together is Daisy’s brutish husband Tom (Joel Edgerton), who is having his own affair with a poor mechanic’s wife (Jason Clarke and Isla Fisher).

If F. Scott Fitzgerald had been alive to see this adaptation of his classic novel, I’m pretty sure a quarter of the way into the film he would have gone on a bender of Gin Rickey’s until he drank himself into a coffin. Baz Luhrmann took a classic story that is entertaining and lively on its own and somehow made it extremely boring. I checked my watch for the first time in the night and was astonished to find that the movie had only been playing for a mere fifteen minutes. And that included the two previews before the film itself. That wasn’t the last time I checked my watch either. Two hours is a long time made only longer by a dragging film.

I read or heard somewhere that Luhrmann decided on the soundtrack of this film because of some nonsense about Fitzgerald including jazz in his book, so he decided to incorporate hip-hop in his film. The result is laughable though. Jazz music would have made sense in a scene taking place in a speakeasy with black dancers. It was the music of the era. Instead you get a hip-hop track by someone named Q-Tip over black dancers twerking. But what was worse was the bloody terrible cover songs. Beyonce taking on a Amy Winehouse tune? Almost criminal. Modernizing something isn’t always bad as long as what you’re updating warrants updating, which Gatsby doesn’t.

The one thing that can be said about Luhrmann’s bastardization is that it does have a grand scope with grand visuals. But these visuals were created with dated CGI technology that, compared with the other blockbusters in the last few years, looks like it was made with Microsoft Paint on a Dell computer. I’m sure these moments of floating letters and sweeping digital zooms really pop in 3-D, but in standard definition it falls flat and feels amateurish.

The cast is pretty decent though. Not what I would call DiCaprio at his best, nor at his worst. Sure, he inhabits the aurora of Gatsby well, but there was something off that I can’t place my finger on. Maybe the fluctuation in his accent or his body language. But Tobey Maguire was exactly how I predicted him to be: annoying. There’s just something exhausting about every role he takes. Something that makes you sigh tiredly. Carey Mulligan is great though. She is one of the few characters from the film that actually matches the character from the book, or at least met my expectations. The other would be Edgerton’s sly bully version of Tom. His is a true brute and manipulator.

There is not much to like about Luhrmann’s adaptation. Quite frankly it’s a goofy mess from the very beginning. Gatsby is a rich story with a unique, albeit glamourized, view of the Roaring Twenties. But instead Luhrmann produces a film with a drawn out story that is overshadowed by mediocre visuals.

Verdict: Skip it!

*Rated PG-13 for some violent images, sexual content, smoking, partying, and brief language. 143 minutes. Directed by Baz Luhrmann (Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge).

** Poster by Midnight Marauder.

*** Thanks to my friend Cody for trudging through this film with me.

I Saw A Film Today… Iron Man 3

Shane Black, the director of Iron Man 3, is also the director of one of my favorite films, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. It stars a then nearly unemployable Robert Downey Jr. The rest of the cast, including Val Kilmer and Michelle Monaghan, are just as brilliant. It’s a devilishly clever film as well, a melting pot of genres ranging from noir, satire, and intelligent humor about an actor forced into a pulp fiction crime during yule tide Los Angeles with an old flame and a gay P.I. If you have the time, you should check it out. It’s quite brilliant.

Tony Stark (Downey Jr.) can’t sleep. Ever since the Avengers fought aliens in New York, all of which takes place in a little film no one saw, Tony has been substituting nocturnal slumber with tinkering, making improvement after improvement to the Iron Main suit. This leaves him with a strained relationship with Pepper (Gweneth Paltrow), little knowledge of the outside world, and panic attacks.

When he does take time to check the news, it’s not good. A terrorist going by the name Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) is planting untraceable bombs around the states and making threats to the President. Which kind of brings up an interesting point: Where are the Avengers? Or SHIELD, for that matter. A terrorist is making threats to the country, and Hawkeye and Black Widow are too busy to do a security detail for the Pres? I know they all are off doing their “own thing”, but are you telling me Steve Rogers is too busy to throw a few punches for his beloved ‘Murica? Just a thought. Okay, back on topic.

But when Tony bites off a bit more than he can chew, his world quickly crumbles around him. Can he muster up enough strength to save everything he loves?

This installment of the Iron Man tale is the best so far. I was skeptical a bit if Black could produce a great film on a blockbuster format, and happily I have been proven wrong. His unique brand of comedic yet serious storytelling fits brilliantly in the world of Tony Stark. The balance is flawless between the two opposing forces of comedy and tragedy, which should be the benchmark of any future Marvel flick. That’s one of the few flaws of the Marvel films: they are a little too comedic at times, even in action scenarios.

This is more of a rediscovery film for Stark. Not a lot of actual suiting-up action here. In fact, quite the opposite with the use of an drone-esque Mark suit. Which brings up the topic of The Iron Legion’s presence in this film. During the climatic final battle scene, which I ultimately found cluttered, there are more than 40 of these Mark suit flying unmanned and fighting enemies. Which is a bit frightening if you think about it. Maybe Black is subtly making a statement about The U.S.’s policies of drone strikes around the world and the use of drones within the country itself in the last couple of years. Or at least this is what kept crossing my mind.

I didn’t see 3 in 3-D. So I can’t really tell you if you should skip the extra fee for the standard edition. But I don’t really see what 3-D would have added here, much like in The Avengers. Sure, there is a lot of action where things are flying everywhere but it wasn’t utilized very well in the previously mentioned film either. And it should be noted that this film wasn’t filmed in 3-D, but converted in post-production. My guess: save some cash and see it in good ole’ standard format.

Robert Downey Jr. was born for the role of Tony Stark, that much has been established since the first film. But this is the first time you really get an in-depth look at the man behind the mask. You see Tony at his lowest and most open and just how resilient this man is, which is exactly what I hoped Black would bring to the table. Downey shows his whit, his emotion, his charisma, and concern, sometimes all at once.

The supporting cast is equally great. Gweneth Paltrow is just lovely here as the strong Pepper Potts. I don’t really understand why this woman gets so much flak from chubby bloggers. She’s a good actress and god forbid she suggest you try eating alternative and better foods, Chubs. Don Cheadle is a fun character and provides a good sidekick/comic relief throughout. Guy Pearce and Ben Kingsley make an interesting duo as Mandarin. They both have great performances, but it’s a bit disappointing with how the whole Mandarin situation is handled. To make the arch-nemesis of Iron Man such a joke is a bit insulting. Maybe there is more to Kingsley’s character than meets the eye. We’ll see I guess.

Shane Black did something with this third installment which was needed: He gave Tony Stark humility. He made him something more than the rich wise-cracker that most have come to love. You get to understand that the flamboyance is merely a show, truly.

Verdict: SEE IT!

*Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence throughout, and brief suggestive content. 130 minutes. Directed by Shane Black (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang).

** Poster by Midnight Marauder.

*** Thanks to my friend Cody for seeing this film with me.

I Saw A Film Today… Pain & Gain

I’ve not always been kind to Michael Bay. But then again, he makes it very easy to do so (his highest Rotten Tomatoes rating is a wee 67% for The Rock, which is just a terrible film). For a man who has the ability to make blockbusters with such ambitious and grand visuals, he certainly has a small concept of coherent storytelling. Look, I’m all for suspending reality for a film, but to have that luxury you must compensate with a compelling story. Bay doesn’t understand that I believe. He has a “get it done, don’t think about it” mentality that leaves little room for originality.

All Daniel Lugo (Marky Mark Wahlberg) wanted from life was the ‘Murican dream, that 50′s suburbia perfect life that so many strive for but never reach. And giant muscles. But he’s not going to get the first at his current job as a charismatic trainer at Sun Gym. But when a shady deli shop owner named Kershaw (Tony Shalhoub) comes to the gym looking to bulk up, Lugo sees his path to the good life via theft. But don’t worry, he’s seen lots of movies.

To help with this heist are fellow lunk heads, Doorbal (Anthony Mackie) and the recently released convict/Jesus freak Paul (Dwayne Johnson). After barely capturing Kershaw and weeks later getting all his money, all that was left for the gang to do was kill their only witness… which they fail horribly at doing.

But that doesn’t matter, because the police don’t believe Kershaw’s story and the three gym rats are living the dream. But when Kershaw convinces a P.I. (Ed Harris) to help with his case, combined with the dwindling money of the three, things are not looking good for the gang.

Now, this is the type of film I like from Mr. Bay. One with macabre humor and an alright script, much like the Bad Boys films. His gritty, over-saturated scenes matched with neon tropics of the mid 90′s Florida is an entertaining set piece to view without being overloaded with brainless scenes, which has become a trademark of his.

This story is pretty unbelievable. So much so that if it wasn’t based on a true story it would be completely absurd. Well, it still is, but the fact that it is a well documented story adds a disturbing realism to it. I haven’t read the entirety of the articles written by Pete Collins, only skimmed, but most of the stuff seems to be there. Certain elements like the number of men involved and their past life and crimes are left out. Plus, certain physical and ethnic liberties were traded for big celebrity names, such as Wahlberg and Johnson’s. I guess in some way these offenses are excusable. In some eyes, probably not.

The casting in this film is close to sublime. Wahlberg, Mackie, and Johnson all are great as ambitious and dumb lunks (Imagine that). Johnson turns in a purely brilliant comedic performance here as the gullible loser of the bunch. Wahlberg personifies the arrogance of stupidity seemingly effortlessly. Mackie is kind of the buffer for the two. Together you get an almost Three Stoogian trio. But beefier and dumber. The supporting cast is pretty good too. Shalhoub, Rebel Wilson, Rob Corddry, and especially Ed Harris are great.

Pain & Gain is a very entertaining and different film from Michael Bay. One that I enjoyed. Then again, the more I think about aspects of the film, the more faults I find with it. So I’m just going to stop thinking about it and enjoy it for what it is, a jaded view of the mirage of the ‘Murican dream.

Verdict: Rent it!

*Rated R for bloody violence, crude sexual content, nudity, language throughout, and drug use. 130 minutes. Directed by Michael Bay (Transformers, The Rock).

** Thanks to my friend Cody for sharing this cinematic adventure with me.

I Saw A Film Today… Oblivion

I like Tom Cruise. I really do. Say what you will about his off-screen beliefs or behaviors, but when that man steps onto a film set he gives everything he has got. Especially in action films. The man knows how to entertain simply with energy, which barely balances between controlled and exploding. Few actors are skilled enough to tip-toe that line quite like him, which makes him a great fit for Oblivion. Although he does portray blokes named Jack a lot it seems.

In 2077, sixty years after an alien race has invaded Earth, the planet is an irradiated wasteland and any remaining humans have moved to Saturn’s moon Titan. Jack Harper (Cruise) and Victoria (Andrea Riseborough) are some of the few remaining people who inhabit the planet. Their job is to protect excavation machines that converts water into energy. In two weeks though Jack and Vic will leave Earth behind and join the others on Titan. Jack has reservations about this, all of which stems from flashbacks he has from a time before a mandatory memory wipe his company makes him take. Still following?

But Jack’s world is thrown for a loop when a spacecraft that has been floating in space for nearly sixty years ago crash lands on the planet with humans on board. The only survivor of the group is a woman named Julia (Olga Kurylenko), whom Jack recognizes from his flashbacks. And things only get more confusing for Jack when he learns nearly everything he knows is a lie.

What I really learned from watching Oblivion is that there is more than one way to make a good film, or at least a new way. Most good films are deemed good because they have an original and, more importantly, interesting screenplay.

Oblivion goes the opposite route. It picks and chooses from the classics and the greats. It takes a little from Minority Report, has a dash of Blade Runner and District 9, and takes quite a few elements from Moon. Sprinkle this with a little originality that is rooted from a graphic novel by director Joseph Kosinski, and you’ve got an entertaining and fresh sci-fi film.

It is a dense film though. The synopsis above is just a fraction of what takes place in the film, or even its core story really. The sad falter of this is how the more layers you try to add, the more Oblivion‘s solidarity begins to crumble. But with the pulsating soundtrack composed by M83 ushering you along at a constant pace, it could almost go unnoticed in a certain mindset.

 The film itself is very beautiful. It’s very minimalistic, especially in the set pieces like Jack’s “cloud home”. The whole film in fact has this sort of minimalism to it, even though it has massive scope. The colors palate is a drab white, grey, and tan for most of the film, making scenes of green wilderness or glacial waterfalls that more brilliant. The whole time I was watching this, i was in awe of what Kosinski’s created.

Tom Cruise is in his element in this film. His comfort with this sort of character over the years shows through in this film. His supporting cast helps too. Academy award winners Morgan Freeman and Melissa Leo have a relatively small presence in this film but for whatever small screen time, they make up for with simply great acting. And the two leading ladies are not bad either. I’ve always enjoyed Olga Kurylenko. She is feminine yet holds her own in a fight. And Andrea Riseborough holds her own as well. And I always enjoy an appearance by Zoë Bell, even if it is only briefly.

Oblivion is, like Prometheus, a science fiction adventure you either love or hate. It’s pacing may be a lot to take in at times, but fans of sci-fi will appreciate the elements it incorporates from the greats of the genre.

Verdict: See it!

*Rated PG-13 for sci-fi violence, brief strong language, and some sensuality/nudity. 126 minutes. Directed by Joseph Kosinski (TRON: Legacy)

**Poster by Killian Eng.

*** Thanks to my friend Cody for sharing this cinematic adventure with me.

I Saw A Film Today… Evil Dead

The first time I saw Sam Raimi’s horror classic The Evil Dead was in July 2oo8, around the time I started to really explore film seriously. I remember seeing that it was coming on IFC, back when the channel was still commercial free, and deciding to give it watch. Immediately the creepiness set in as the camera swoops across a swamp, a camera technique used throughout the film that for me is one of the more memorable moments of the film, among many. It was raw, heart-pounding, sadistically funny, and it was a favorite immediately, as was its sequel/retelling Evil Dead 2. Army of Darkness, not so much. And now, as is the trend of today, it is getting a revamp.

Mia (Jane Levy) is a junky who wants to kick the habit. To do this a group of her close friends (Lou Taylor Pucci, Jessica Lucas, Elizabeth Blackmore) and her neglectful brother (Shiloh Fernandez) decide the best place to attempt this is at the decaying family cabin in the middle of the woods. Because simply admitting her to a sterile hospital is too easy.

But when a stench leads the group to explore the basement, they discover dead cats hanging from the ceiling, a boomsti- I mean shotgun, and a book bound in human flesh. Within the pages of the book is a scribbled and simple instruction: Do not read or say these words. So, naturally, one of them reads and says the words.

What quickly follows is hell descending on the cabin as a demon possesses Mia. With their route blocked and evil hiding behind every shadow, the group must rally together to survive.

Evil Dead is a pretty good horror film. It’s not great, but aside from the satirical and now ironical The Cabin in the Woods, what was the last great American horror film you saw? It’s not terrible either. What Alvarez brings to the table here is a revitalization of sorts to a sagging genre. It’s a mix of old and new. There is no CGI here. Every bloody dismemberment and demonic face is real people with real prosthetic bits.

I guess the best way to describe it is a typical run of the mill, cabin in the woods horror film with real scares. They’re not cheap scares, like a ghoul popping out of nowhere or random primal squeals. But they are not top of the line either. If anything, they are moments that will satisfy the blood lust of a gore fan and make you squirm in your seat at least once or twice. From graphic self-mutilation to seemingly small stuff like a machete dragging across a thigh, I’m sure there is something in this film to make even the most die-hard fan uncomfortable.

Take what happened at the showing I attended. I saw it with my friend Cody, along with three other separate couples scattered about the theater. By the time the credits began rolling, there was only one of those three couples left. The other two walked out at the height of the gore, not from disappointment I imagine. If anything, Evil Dead earns it’s R-rating easily, and I hear it had to be edited to avoid an NC-17.

Which brings me to a slight deviation, which I’m prone to do from time to time. A common trend I’ve noticed from working at a theater is that parents suck. I mean, you suck as a person if you are willing to drop your pre-teen child off to see an R-rated anything and then just drive away. I agree, the MPAA is filled with a bunch of prudes, but really? Is two hours to yourself worth your precious cargo seeing a woman willingly split her tongue in half with a box cutter (in the instance of this film)? Or, for that matter, dragging your one-year-old into a film they clearly have no business being in just because you couldn’t find a babysitter? No argument you have will stop me from calling you a moron. A damn moron.

Performances here are what you expect from a horror flick. Nothing good. Everything is on overdrive, like a soap opera with decapitation (a.k.a The Walking Dead). Jane Levy and Shiloh Fernandez are unbelievable as siblings. But at least Fernandez shows some form of range. As well as Lou Taylor Pucci, who you would believe is more of a stoner than a teacher. The rest, forgettable.

Fede Alvarez took this franchise and put his own spin on it, while retaining enough from the original to make it a pretty good film. It’s not really original or anything you haven’t seen before, but it’s better than most of the rubbish lately.

Verdict: See it!

*Rated R for strong bloody violence and gore, some sexual content and language. 90 minutes. Directed by Fede Alvarez (Directorial Debut).

**Poster by Midnight Marauder. Amazing work, eh?

***Thanks to my friend Cody for sharing this cinematic adventure with me.