Reviews from the Dark Side presents
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Released 12/17/14
The conclusion of Peter Jackson's second Middle Earth trilogy invades your local Cineplex this week. In the previous trilogy, Return of the King was such an epic film that it would take a lot for Jackson to conclude this series on the same high note. It's a daunting task. Was it successful? The cast from the first two films (Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Evangeline Lilly, Luke Evans, and Lee Pace to name a few) returns for the third and final ride.
You can take an educated guess as to what occurs if you have viewed The Desolation of Smaug. Enraged and chased from the Lonely Mountain by Thorin Oakenshield and his allies, the dragon, Smaug lays fiery waste to the nearby human city of Laketown in retaliation. After the dragon's attack, the survivors are left without a home and look to Thorin for aid to rebuild.
Unfortunately, Thorin has been infected with the dragon's sickness that is causing him to grow quite mad and paranoid. He orders his followers to barricade the Lonely Mountain from all outsiders and obsessively searches for the lost and legendary Dwarf jewel, the Arkenstone, among the mountain's treasures. And, to make matters worse, Thorin is losing his faculties at the worst possible time. His old enemy, Azog, is approaching Erebor with a massive Orc army. Thranduil, king of the Woodland Elves, has also arrived with a large Elven army and joined with the survivors of Laketown against the new Dwarf king. For his own selfish reasons, Thranduil, is seeking the treasures within the mountain. With this many armies at their front door and their king not quite himself, the dwarves within the mountain have a bleak outlook on their survival.
Oh, and there's that small matter of an ancient presence from the past gaining power that threatens Dwarf, Elf, Hobbit, and human alike.
The Battle of the Five Armies is a more than adequate conclusion to this saga. It has the feel of exactly what it is, an appetizer to a larger meal. And, that was part of the problem for me. Lord of the Rings was so epic in scope and consequence that The Hobbit may have been doomed to fail in comparison. Although there was impending gloom in this movie, it just didn't carry the same weight. It didn't quite have the feel that "everything is going to Hell if the good guys don't win."
I've never read J.R.R. Tolkien's books, so I'm not really qualified to determine how closely Peter Jackson followed his vision. But, I think one thing that removed some the grave nature of this trilogy as compared to LOTR was that the impending return of Sauron was pretty much pushed to the fringe in this film more than it was in the previous two. Aside from one 10-15 minute sequence in The Battle of the Five Armies, there's not much reference to the carnage that is to come. Some of the principle characters are worried about his coming, but, an outsider is not exactly sure why unless he/she has watched the first trilogy.
On the positive side, you can see every penny that was spent on the sweeping landscapes and 3D effects. The film has a magnificent look like its predecessors.
The audience finally gets a taste of some characters in action. Galadriel (Cate Blanchett) has a creepy demon-elf scene dispatching Sauron's presence which is terrific. Elrond (Hugo Weaving) and Saruman (Christopher Lee) display some fancy battle prowess fending off Ringwraiths (why doesn't Gandalf fight like this). And, there's always the welcome sight of king ninja-elf himself, Legolas (Orlando Bloom), who is up to his usual master archery and aerial acrobatics. Notice how a majority of the cool factor I mention here involves Elves? Just sayin'.
The Hobbit is to Lord of the Rings what Episodes I-III were to Episodes IV-VI in the Star Wars series. Don't misunderstand. The Hobbit trilogy is so much better than Episodes I-III. But, it just didn't quite have the same grandeur about it overall. The Battle of the Five Armies does provide a few good battle scenes, but nothing on the grandiose scale of Return of the King or even the Two Towers. It's an appropriate ending to the series, but not an always spectacular one. It's worth viewing, but I'm not sure how memorable it will be. I'm not usually an advocate of making movies longer, but, maybe The Hobbit should have been two movies instead of three.
The Dark Lord of the Sith says:
***1/2 stars
Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Good viewing. Much better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. Could possibly foot the price of a non-Matinee.
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here.
Saturday, December 20, 2014
Saturday, November 29, 2014
Horrible Bosses 2
Reviews from the Dark Side presents
Horrible Bosses 2
Released 11/26/14
Comedy is one of my favorite movie genres. Along with action and horror, it makes up my "big three." As much as I love comedy, I've come to one unfortunate truth about it. The genre doesn't lend itself to sequels very well. Unless you're the Three Stooges or, to a lesser extent, the Marx Brothers or Abbott and Costello, inspired lunacy only seems to be good for one take. Think about most recent attempts. Did the two Hangover sequels come close to generating the sheer hilarious idiocy of the first? They weren't bad, but, the first Hangover was a classic. How about American Pie? The theater sequels didn't approach the crazy teen raunch of the original. And, let's not get into the awful straight-to-video sequels. What about the Friday movies? When Chris Tucker left, the magic left. All of this said, I still had some hopes for the subject of this review, Horrible Bosses 2, the sequel to the underrated 2011 film.
The cast of the original has returned, with the exception of Colin Farrell (who I won't say anything about if you haven't seen the first movie). Despite my trepidations, I was willing to give Horrible Bosses 2 a shot due to my love of the first film. With the additions of Oscar-winner, Christoph Waltz and Chris Pine to the mix, what did our returning cast (Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, Charlie Day, Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Aniston, and Jamie Foxx) have in store for us this time?
Our "intrepid" heroes, Nick, Kurt, and Dale (Bateman, Sudeikis, and Day) have escaped the shackles of corporate America and decided to go into business for themselves thanks to their ingenious new invention called "The Shower Buddy." Looking for investors in their new venture, they cross paths with insanely wealthy businessman, Burt Hanson (Waltz), who, incredibly, is very interested in helping them achieve the American Dream. He goes as far as to place an order for thousands of Shower Buddy units to sell in one of his catalogues and set them up with bank funding to produce the product despite the protests of his arrogant son, Rex (Pine).
Now, since the name of this film is Horrible Bosses, I don't think I'm giving away anything by saying things don't go as planned and Burt's true intentions aren't benevolent. After they are bilked out of their company and dreams, Nick, Kurt, and Dale embark on a plot of revenge. But how do three goofballs go about exacting vengeance on someone much smarter and much wealthier than they are? First, they'll pay a prison visit to Nick's psychotic former boss (Spacey) for some much needed advice. After being thoroughly insulted, they'll try their former "murder consultant", "Motherf*$#&r" Jones (Foxx). The three eventually come up with a ridiculous plot on their own involving Burt's son. But the plan will need guile, intelligence, and a little bit of laughing gas pilfered from Dale's former boss, nymphomaniac dentist, Julia Harris (Aniston).
Sadly, Horrible Bosses 2, suffers from the same affliction as most comedy sequels. Much like the recent Anchorman 2, it just seems like most involved are trying too hard at making the same jokes from the first film funnier or, at the very least, funny again. There's very little magic here. There's nothing inherently wrong with any of the performances, but it seems like the actors' talents are being wasted. Of particular concern to me was Jason Sudeikis' character. In the first film, he was a goof to be sure. Here he plays much more of the buffoon on par with Charlie Day's character. It was just weird to me that the powers that be decided to make Kurt a complete clod as I don't remember him this way. Maybe I need to watch Horrible Bosses again.
As mentioned, Day, is almost inhumanly stupid as he plays a version of his character from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (as he always seems to do). Bateman, of course, plays the straight man in this madness; he's not a dumb guy, but clearly not a master criminal who isn't helped by being saddled with two clowns as partners.
That's not to say that Horrible Bosses 2 isn't without its moments. Kevin Spacey chews the scenery as Nick's evil ex-boss. Waltz plays a snake-in-the-grass with glee. Pine is perfectly smarmy as the pretty-boy ass of a human being who has secrets of his own. But, most notable again, is Jennifer Aniston. Like the first film, she steals just about every scene she's in. And the great thing about it is she looks like she's having so much fun with this character. Julia knows what she is and makes no apologies for it.
Watching Horrible Bosses 2 isn't the worst way to spend 90 minutes of your time. But, viewing it is something best left to a lazy Sunday afternoon watching Netflix.
The Dark Lord of the Sith says:
*** stars
As a reference, I would rate the first film at four stars.
Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Good viewing. Much better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. Could possibly foot the price of a non-Matinee.
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here.
Horrible Bosses 2
Released 11/26/14
Comedy is one of my favorite movie genres. Along with action and horror, it makes up my "big three." As much as I love comedy, I've come to one unfortunate truth about it. The genre doesn't lend itself to sequels very well. Unless you're the Three Stooges or, to a lesser extent, the Marx Brothers or Abbott and Costello, inspired lunacy only seems to be good for one take. Think about most recent attempts. Did the two Hangover sequels come close to generating the sheer hilarious idiocy of the first? They weren't bad, but, the first Hangover was a classic. How about American Pie? The theater sequels didn't approach the crazy teen raunch of the original. And, let's not get into the awful straight-to-video sequels. What about the Friday movies? When Chris Tucker left, the magic left. All of this said, I still had some hopes for the subject of this review, Horrible Bosses 2, the sequel to the underrated 2011 film.
The cast of the original has returned, with the exception of Colin Farrell (who I won't say anything about if you haven't seen the first movie). Despite my trepidations, I was willing to give Horrible Bosses 2 a shot due to my love of the first film. With the additions of Oscar-winner, Christoph Waltz and Chris Pine to the mix, what did our returning cast (Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, Charlie Day, Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Aniston, and Jamie Foxx) have in store for us this time?
Our "intrepid" heroes, Nick, Kurt, and Dale (Bateman, Sudeikis, and Day) have escaped the shackles of corporate America and decided to go into business for themselves thanks to their ingenious new invention called "The Shower Buddy." Looking for investors in their new venture, they cross paths with insanely wealthy businessman, Burt Hanson (Waltz), who, incredibly, is very interested in helping them achieve the American Dream. He goes as far as to place an order for thousands of Shower Buddy units to sell in one of his catalogues and set them up with bank funding to produce the product despite the protests of his arrogant son, Rex (Pine).
Now, since the name of this film is Horrible Bosses, I don't think I'm giving away anything by saying things don't go as planned and Burt's true intentions aren't benevolent. After they are bilked out of their company and dreams, Nick, Kurt, and Dale embark on a plot of revenge. But how do three goofballs go about exacting vengeance on someone much smarter and much wealthier than they are? First, they'll pay a prison visit to Nick's psychotic former boss (Spacey) for some much needed advice. After being thoroughly insulted, they'll try their former "murder consultant", "Motherf*$#&r" Jones (Foxx). The three eventually come up with a ridiculous plot on their own involving Burt's son. But the plan will need guile, intelligence, and a little bit of laughing gas pilfered from Dale's former boss, nymphomaniac dentist, Julia Harris (Aniston).
Sadly, Horrible Bosses 2, suffers from the same affliction as most comedy sequels. Much like the recent Anchorman 2, it just seems like most involved are trying too hard at making the same jokes from the first film funnier or, at the very least, funny again. There's very little magic here. There's nothing inherently wrong with any of the performances, but it seems like the actors' talents are being wasted. Of particular concern to me was Jason Sudeikis' character. In the first film, he was a goof to be sure. Here he plays much more of the buffoon on par with Charlie Day's character. It was just weird to me that the powers that be decided to make Kurt a complete clod as I don't remember him this way. Maybe I need to watch Horrible Bosses again.
As mentioned, Day, is almost inhumanly stupid as he plays a version of his character from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (as he always seems to do). Bateman, of course, plays the straight man in this madness; he's not a dumb guy, but clearly not a master criminal who isn't helped by being saddled with two clowns as partners.
That's not to say that Horrible Bosses 2 isn't without its moments. Kevin Spacey chews the scenery as Nick's evil ex-boss. Waltz plays a snake-in-the-grass with glee. Pine is perfectly smarmy as the pretty-boy ass of a human being who has secrets of his own. But, most notable again, is Jennifer Aniston. Like the first film, she steals just about every scene she's in. And the great thing about it is she looks like she's having so much fun with this character. Julia knows what she is and makes no apologies for it.
Watching Horrible Bosses 2 isn't the worst way to spend 90 minutes of your time. But, viewing it is something best left to a lazy Sunday afternoon watching Netflix.
The Dark Lord of the Sith says:
*** stars
As a reference, I would rate the first film at four stars.
Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Good viewing. Much better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. Could possibly foot the price of a non-Matinee.
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here.
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Gone Girl
Reviews from the Dark Side presents
Gone Girl
Released 10/3/14
Adapted from Gillian Flynn’s bestselling novel, director,
David Fincher, returns to the mystery thriller genre. Fincher has directed some of my favorite
thrillers of all time in classics like Seven and Fight Club. At the same time, he’s directed a couple of thrillers
that left me flat in The Game and Panic Room.
I’m sure I’m in the minority there, but, I like to buck the norm. So, I
wasn’t sure if I would get "good Fincher" or "bad Fincher" going into Gone Girl. But, I was more than intrigued by the trailers.
Our story begins with Nick and Amy Dunne (Ben Affleck and
Rosamund Pike). They’re the all-American
couple. Both are very attractive,
upwardly mobile people. He’s an aspiring
writer working for a men’s magazine. She
has been the subject of a popular series of children’s books created by her
controlling parents since she was a child herself. After they meet at a party and later marry,
their romance appears to be the stuff of storybook legend. On the surface, that is.
Through a clever rendering of present day and flashback
sequences, the audience is introduced to the real relationship between this
cover model couple. Through an
unfortunate set of circumstances including Nick being downsized by his employer
and the couple moving from New York to his hometown in Missouri to care for his
ailing mother, the magic slowly fades.
On the afternoon of the couple’s fifth wedding anniversary,
Nick returns home to find a broken coffee table and his wife missing. Amidst the manhunt for Amy, the remainder of
the first half of the film unfolds from two points of view. The present depicts Nick struggling against
overwhelming public opinion that he has murdered his wife while he vehemently
proclaims his innocence. The other half
is told from Amy’s point through diary entries.
As her story unfolds, Nick is painted in a very different light. He’s moody, aggressive, and volatile. And, she’s very clearly afraid for her
life. But which version of this story is
the truth? Nick may not be the salt of
the Earth he outwardly projects to the world, but is he a killer? Is Amy really the “poor victim” of Nick’s
anger, or is she far more manipulative than anyone has guessed?
Gone Girl excellently examines dishonesty, the effects the
media has on appearances, and the economy’s effects on marriage. It’s a taut thriller filled with good to
great performances, particularly by Rosamund Pike.
In addition to the main characters, Tyler Perry actually gives a more
than credible performance outside of one of his Madea roles as Nick’s
high-priced, hotshot defense attorney.
Neal Patrick Harris gives a positively creepy performance as Amy’s wealthy
first boyfriend who has never gotten over her.
Gone Girl is really a hard film to describe with any great
detail without giving away the punchline, and there are several. It’s a long movie at 149 minutes, but it did
keep me riveted for much of this time. With
nice performances by the cast and an intricate, engrossing plot, you would
think this is easily a four-star review, right?
Not quite.
Gone Girl has the trappings of a great movie, but doesn’t
quite reach that height for one reason alone.
I’ve said this in previous reviews.
An ending can make or ruin a movie.
You all know that I tend to like endings that dive headlong into the
bizarre. This ending left me flat. I found myself saying “Whaaaa?” instead of “Wow!” Sleeping on it for a day, the ending does
make a bit of bizarre sense, but, the payoff just isn’t there. It’s not satisfying given the roller coaster
you’ve been riding for 145 minutes. I
thought that maybe Fincher had taken some liberties with the story. Reading a synopsis of the book on Wikipedia,
I can sadly say that he didn’t. The book
ending is just as unsatisfying. And, it’s
not because evil ends up winning. You
also know that doesn’t bother me. But, I
couldn’t help but feel this was a light ending for a film with a heavy theme.
Gone Girl is an entertaining thriller that I won’t say is
ruined by its ending, but it is impaired by it.
And, that drops the score significantly.
The Dark Lord of the Sith says:
*** starsRatings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Good viewing. Much better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. Could possibly foot the price of a non-Matinee.
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here.
Sunday, August 3, 2014
Guardians of the Galaxy
Reviews from the Dark Side presents
Guardians of the Galaxy
Released 8/1/14
The penultimate chapter of Marvel Studios Phase Two project marches into theaters this week with the release of Guardians of the Galaxy. Directed by James Gunn, this saga about a ragtag group of space adventurers was a bit of a stretch for Marvel and Disney. These are not well-known characters from the Marvel Universe even for staunch comic book fans. I have to admit the trailers for this film left me lukewarm, and I wasn't quite sure what to expect. With Marvel Studios on such a high after The Winter Soldier earlier this year, this was a very dubious movie to release indeed.
For those of my readers who are sports inclined, have you ever heard of the term of "being in a major groove?" That's how I would describe Marvel Studios at the moment. Right now, only they could take a group of B-list, no, make that C-list or even D-list characters, and blow your mind with an incredible feature film. No, I don't know how they did it with Guardians of the Galaxy, but, they did. So, how do you make a coherent story about a Han Solo wannabe, an assassin, a revenge-driven psychopath, and two mercenary thugs uniting for a universe-saving cause?
After the death of his mother in 1988, a young Peter Quill is abducted from Earth for unknown reasons by a group of space pirates known as the Ravagers led by Yondu Udonta (Michael Rooker). Twenty-six years later finds an adult Quill (Chris Pratt), now a master thief for hire (calling himself Star-Lord), on a mission to steal a mysterious orb on a hostile planet. It's a theft that proves more than problematic for Quill as he is immediately intercepted by agents of the fanatical Kree terrorist, Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace). Barely escaping Ronan's goons, Quill travels to the planet Xandar to sell the orb for a huge score.
On Xandar, Quill runs afoul of Gamora (Zoe Saldana), an assassin in the employ of Ronan, who was sent to retrieve the orb. It turns out that Star-Lord's former abductor/mentor, Yondu, is not pleased with him either as Yondu was looking to cash in on the sale of the orb before his pupil stole it. He expresses his displeasure by placing a bounty on Quill's head. It's a bounty that two rough-and-tumble hunters can't resist. Looking for their own score on Xandar, meaning perps with the highest prices on their heads, Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper), a genetically engineered raccoon with an affinity for battle tactics and large guns, and Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel), a seemingly simple-minded treelike alien who serves as Rocket's muscle, coincidentally discover Quill. The ensuing melee lands Star-Lord, Gamora, Rocket, and Groot in the maximum-security prison, the Kyln, after they are all apprehended by Xandar's resident police/military force, the Nova Corps. It's in the Kyln that the four prisoners meet the tough and powerful Drax (Dave Bautista), an alien with a serious grudge against Ronan.
So, why is this orb of the utmost importance? The orb casing houses one of the all-powerful Infinity Stones, a coveted object by some very unsavory beings in the galaxy. And, where there are Infinity Stones, you can bet the mad Titan, Thanos (not seen since the end credits of The Avengers), isn't far behind. He and Ronan have formed a destructive alliance. In exchange for finding the stone for Thanos, Ronan gets to use it for the destruction of Xandar. The Accuser is not very keen on the uneasy treaty his native Kree have with the Xandarians. To aid him in his quest, Thanos has loaned his "daughters", Gamora and Nebula (Karen Gillan), two women the Titan has trained to be living weapons from a very young age. Unknown to both power-mad villains, Gamora has her own agenda and reluctantly needs her new "team" to complete her objective.
Marvel has always attempted to inject humor in their movie releases. Guardians is a departure from the norm as it is as much a comedy as it is super hero adventure. And, it's hilarious from beginning to end without being overly corny in its humor. Seriously, there's a walking, talking sardonic raccoon. The film obviously has the ability to laugh at itself.
Lee Pace chews the scenery very well as Ronan. He's a truly evil being who cares nothing about the destruction he leaves in his wake. So, in other words, he's an excellent big bad. Although as the true comic geek that I am anticipating what is to come, every villain is in some way going to feel like "filler" from Marvel Studios until Thanos is ready to fully grace us with his presence.
There were very good performances all the way around. Even WWE star, Dave Bautista, had his moment in the sun a few times. And, of course, the vocal stylings of Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel steal scenes more than once. But, I have to give credit where it's due to Chris Pratt. Honestly, I thought from the trailers he was going to be "Tony Stark lite", and I would find him more annoying on occasion than humorous. When I'm wrong, I'm wrong. Peter Quill is very much his own unique character and Pratt has a lot to do with that. He's roguish and manipulative without ,as he so eloquently states it in the movie, being a total d!@&.
There was one thing in Guardians of the Galaxy that struck me as a little odd, and I'm not entirely sure why this was done. I think there was a lost opportunity to introduce the Nova Corps as a powerful intergalactic force. The Novas are Marvel's equivalent to the Green Lantern Corps at DC. Here, they are just sort of...ordinary.
Watching Guardians of the Galaxy made me realize that I've been very generous to some movies this Summer that didn't come close to this one in terms of entertainment value. I gave Amazing Spider-Man 2 a four-star review, and, while I think it's gotten a bit of a bad rap, it did admittedly have some warts. X-Men: Days of Future Past? Good movie, but there are a few continuity issues there that will make your head explode. Neither one holds a candle to GOTG. And this is coming from one of the biggest Spider-Man fans on the planet Earth. Only The Winter Soldier edges it this year in terms of the super hero genre. And, it doesn't edge it by a wide margin either. I was thoroughly pleased by how much this film clicked on just about every cylinder possible.
So with Marvel on the roll that it's on, it makes me even more eager to see them regain all of their properties. I would love to see what they would do with Spider-Man and the X-Men after seeing what they've done with this little-known group. Hopefully, they'll get the Fantastic Four back shortly (boy does that need a shot in the arm). Marvel Studios has made me a believer. Bring on Ant Man!!! OK, I have to lay down now.
The Dark Lord of the Sith says:
****3/4 stars
Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Good viewing. Much better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. Could possibly foot the price of a non-Matinee.
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here.
Guardians of the Galaxy
Released 8/1/14
The penultimate chapter of Marvel Studios Phase Two project marches into theaters this week with the release of Guardians of the Galaxy. Directed by James Gunn, this saga about a ragtag group of space adventurers was a bit of a stretch for Marvel and Disney. These are not well-known characters from the Marvel Universe even for staunch comic book fans. I have to admit the trailers for this film left me lukewarm, and I wasn't quite sure what to expect. With Marvel Studios on such a high after The Winter Soldier earlier this year, this was a very dubious movie to release indeed.
For those of my readers who are sports inclined, have you ever heard of the term of "being in a major groove?" That's how I would describe Marvel Studios at the moment. Right now, only they could take a group of B-list, no, make that C-list or even D-list characters, and blow your mind with an incredible feature film. No, I don't know how they did it with Guardians of the Galaxy, but, they did. So, how do you make a coherent story about a Han Solo wannabe, an assassin, a revenge-driven psychopath, and two mercenary thugs uniting for a universe-saving cause?
After the death of his mother in 1988, a young Peter Quill is abducted from Earth for unknown reasons by a group of space pirates known as the Ravagers led by Yondu Udonta (Michael Rooker). Twenty-six years later finds an adult Quill (Chris Pratt), now a master thief for hire (calling himself Star-Lord), on a mission to steal a mysterious orb on a hostile planet. It's a theft that proves more than problematic for Quill as he is immediately intercepted by agents of the fanatical Kree terrorist, Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace). Barely escaping Ronan's goons, Quill travels to the planet Xandar to sell the orb for a huge score.
On Xandar, Quill runs afoul of Gamora (Zoe Saldana), an assassin in the employ of Ronan, who was sent to retrieve the orb. It turns out that Star-Lord's former abductor/mentor, Yondu, is not pleased with him either as Yondu was looking to cash in on the sale of the orb before his pupil stole it. He expresses his displeasure by placing a bounty on Quill's head. It's a bounty that two rough-and-tumble hunters can't resist. Looking for their own score on Xandar, meaning perps with the highest prices on their heads, Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper), a genetically engineered raccoon with an affinity for battle tactics and large guns, and Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel), a seemingly simple-minded treelike alien who serves as Rocket's muscle, coincidentally discover Quill. The ensuing melee lands Star-Lord, Gamora, Rocket, and Groot in the maximum-security prison, the Kyln, after they are all apprehended by Xandar's resident police/military force, the Nova Corps. It's in the Kyln that the four prisoners meet the tough and powerful Drax (Dave Bautista), an alien with a serious grudge against Ronan.
So, why is this orb of the utmost importance? The orb casing houses one of the all-powerful Infinity Stones, a coveted object by some very unsavory beings in the galaxy. And, where there are Infinity Stones, you can bet the mad Titan, Thanos (not seen since the end credits of The Avengers), isn't far behind. He and Ronan have formed a destructive alliance. In exchange for finding the stone for Thanos, Ronan gets to use it for the destruction of Xandar. The Accuser is not very keen on the uneasy treaty his native Kree have with the Xandarians. To aid him in his quest, Thanos has loaned his "daughters", Gamora and Nebula (Karen Gillan), two women the Titan has trained to be living weapons from a very young age. Unknown to both power-mad villains, Gamora has her own agenda and reluctantly needs her new "team" to complete her objective.
Marvel has always attempted to inject humor in their movie releases. Guardians is a departure from the norm as it is as much a comedy as it is super hero adventure. And, it's hilarious from beginning to end without being overly corny in its humor. Seriously, there's a walking, talking sardonic raccoon. The film obviously has the ability to laugh at itself.
Lee Pace chews the scenery very well as Ronan. He's a truly evil being who cares nothing about the destruction he leaves in his wake. So, in other words, he's an excellent big bad. Although as the true comic geek that I am anticipating what is to come, every villain is in some way going to feel like "filler" from Marvel Studios until Thanos is ready to fully grace us with his presence.
There were very good performances all the way around. Even WWE star, Dave Bautista, had his moment in the sun a few times. And, of course, the vocal stylings of Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel steal scenes more than once. But, I have to give credit where it's due to Chris Pratt. Honestly, I thought from the trailers he was going to be "Tony Stark lite", and I would find him more annoying on occasion than humorous. When I'm wrong, I'm wrong. Peter Quill is very much his own unique character and Pratt has a lot to do with that. He's roguish and manipulative without ,as he so eloquently states it in the movie, being a total d!@&.
There was one thing in Guardians of the Galaxy that struck me as a little odd, and I'm not entirely sure why this was done. I think there was a lost opportunity to introduce the Nova Corps as a powerful intergalactic force. The Novas are Marvel's equivalent to the Green Lantern Corps at DC. Here, they are just sort of...ordinary.
Watching Guardians of the Galaxy made me realize that I've been very generous to some movies this Summer that didn't come close to this one in terms of entertainment value. I gave Amazing Spider-Man 2 a four-star review, and, while I think it's gotten a bit of a bad rap, it did admittedly have some warts. X-Men: Days of Future Past? Good movie, but there are a few continuity issues there that will make your head explode. Neither one holds a candle to GOTG. And this is coming from one of the biggest Spider-Man fans on the planet Earth. Only The Winter Soldier edges it this year in terms of the super hero genre. And, it doesn't edge it by a wide margin either. I was thoroughly pleased by how much this film clicked on just about every cylinder possible.
So with Marvel on the roll that it's on, it makes me even more eager to see them regain all of their properties. I would love to see what they would do with Spider-Man and the X-Men after seeing what they've done with this little-known group. Hopefully, they'll get the Fantastic Four back shortly (boy does that need a shot in the arm). Marvel Studios has made me a believer. Bring on Ant Man!!! OK, I have to lay down now.
The Dark Lord of the Sith says:
****3/4 stars
Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Good viewing. Much better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. Could possibly foot the price of a non-Matinee.
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here.
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Reviews from the Dark Side presents
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Released 7/11/14
In 2011, a new addition to the Planet of the Apes saga was introduced. Not only was it a new chapter, it was also felt like a reboot of the franchise itself. Some old school POTA fans I know were not very pleased by the idea of a reboot thinking you can't improve on a sci-fi classic. Tim Burton sure didn't inspire anyone with his rendition (although I'm one of the few who actually liked it). Not being a huge fan of the original or the sequels it spawned, I went into the theater with a more open mind about Rise of the Planet of the Apes, but still felt a little "meh" about the whole thing. And, I got one of the biggest shocks of my moviegoing life as ROTPTA made me care about the franchise for the first time. It made me want more. So, this time, it was with a great deal of excitement when I made my journey to see this week's sequel, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. But could the sequel really capture the magic of Rise? Most fall well short of their original source material.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is one of the rare sequels that successfully and logically continues the narrative from its predecessor. DOTPOTA picks up 10 years after Rise. Super smart chimpanzee, Caesar, leads a large community of apes in the woods of ruined San Francisco. They are thriving in an apocalyptic world following their own moral code of "ape not killing ape" and living in relative peace (or so Caesar believes).
Humans on the other hand have not fared nearly as well. In total disarray after the viral epidemic that began at the end of Rise, packs of human survivors are scattered across the globe. One such group has created a settlement within the San Francisco ruins. But, quickly running low on fuel stores, they need an alternate power source to generate the electrical power they so desperately need. The dam in ape territory would fit the bill nicely.
When a small scouting group from the settlement travels into the woods to look for the new power source, they are discovered by two young chimps. Thus, both ape and human become aware of each other's presence within the region for the first time. At first reluctant to assist the humans and become involved in their problems, Caesar consents to assist the small party to avoid conflict. But, there are factions within both the ape and human communities that distrust each other so much that war will become inevitable despite Caesar's wishes.
Dawn is not quite as heartfelt has Rise was, but it feels like a logical progression from that film. In Rise, Caesar learned the treachery of humans. In Dawn, he learns the treachery of his own kind. By the end, with his resignation to the imminence of war between ape and human, it will be interesting to see the direction his character is taken in future sequels (which I'm sure are coming). He doesn't hate humans, and he knows that some are as opposed to conflict as he is. But, depending on the direction the story is taken, he will have to become more of a dictator in the future to fit an ape conquering of the planet.
Even if these two films and upcoming films chronicle events leading up to the original, I applaud the efforts of fleshing out the story. Although my hope is the powers that be take the story in a different direction because the original never made much sense to me. I know it's classic sci-fi, but that's always been my opinion. Another thing I'm grateful for is the focus of this series on the ape community itself and the society they've built. It's not based on a pseudo-ape religion, but on the natural survival of the species. It all feels much more organic this time.
Dawn continues the excellent CGI work that was introduced in Rise. The apes are still very much apes with a few human qualities (many in Caesar's case) as opposed to human actors clearly wearing make-up. The latter was good for its time, but would definitely not work today. Andy Serkis deserves special consideration for his motion-capture work for Caesar. He puts so much emotion in the ape's facial expressions that it's uncanny. I guess I should expect no less from the actor who did the same for Golem, right?
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes hits all the right notes for a sequel and is everything you would expect from a follow up to a great film. It's visually stunning and has intelligence to boot. I wouldn't necessarily say it's the greatest sequel ever made as that honor still goes to The Empire Strikes Back in my eyes. But, Dawn is in the team photo of one of the better ones that have been produced.
The Dark Lord of the Sith says:
****1/2 stars
Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Good viewing. Much better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. Could possibly foot the price of a non-Matinee.
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Released 7/11/14
In 2011, a new addition to the Planet of the Apes saga was introduced. Not only was it a new chapter, it was also felt like a reboot of the franchise itself. Some old school POTA fans I know were not very pleased by the idea of a reboot thinking you can't improve on a sci-fi classic. Tim Burton sure didn't inspire anyone with his rendition (although I'm one of the few who actually liked it). Not being a huge fan of the original or the sequels it spawned, I went into the theater with a more open mind about Rise of the Planet of the Apes, but still felt a little "meh" about the whole thing. And, I got one of the biggest shocks of my moviegoing life as ROTPTA made me care about the franchise for the first time. It made me want more. So, this time, it was with a great deal of excitement when I made my journey to see this week's sequel, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. But could the sequel really capture the magic of Rise? Most fall well short of their original source material.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is one of the rare sequels that successfully and logically continues the narrative from its predecessor. DOTPOTA picks up 10 years after Rise. Super smart chimpanzee, Caesar, leads a large community of apes in the woods of ruined San Francisco. They are thriving in an apocalyptic world following their own moral code of "ape not killing ape" and living in relative peace (or so Caesar believes).
Humans on the other hand have not fared nearly as well. In total disarray after the viral epidemic that began at the end of Rise, packs of human survivors are scattered across the globe. One such group has created a settlement within the San Francisco ruins. But, quickly running low on fuel stores, they need an alternate power source to generate the electrical power they so desperately need. The dam in ape territory would fit the bill nicely.
When a small scouting group from the settlement travels into the woods to look for the new power source, they are discovered by two young chimps. Thus, both ape and human become aware of each other's presence within the region for the first time. At first reluctant to assist the humans and become involved in their problems, Caesar consents to assist the small party to avoid conflict. But, there are factions within both the ape and human communities that distrust each other so much that war will become inevitable despite Caesar's wishes.
Dawn is not quite as heartfelt has Rise was, but it feels like a logical progression from that film. In Rise, Caesar learned the treachery of humans. In Dawn, he learns the treachery of his own kind. By the end, with his resignation to the imminence of war between ape and human, it will be interesting to see the direction his character is taken in future sequels (which I'm sure are coming). He doesn't hate humans, and he knows that some are as opposed to conflict as he is. But, depending on the direction the story is taken, he will have to become more of a dictator in the future to fit an ape conquering of the planet.
Even if these two films and upcoming films chronicle events leading up to the original, I applaud the efforts of fleshing out the story. Although my hope is the powers that be take the story in a different direction because the original never made much sense to me. I know it's classic sci-fi, but that's always been my opinion. Another thing I'm grateful for is the focus of this series on the ape community itself and the society they've built. It's not based on a pseudo-ape religion, but on the natural survival of the species. It all feels much more organic this time.
Dawn continues the excellent CGI work that was introduced in Rise. The apes are still very much apes with a few human qualities (many in Caesar's case) as opposed to human actors clearly wearing make-up. The latter was good for its time, but would definitely not work today. Andy Serkis deserves special consideration for his motion-capture work for Caesar. He puts so much emotion in the ape's facial expressions that it's uncanny. I guess I should expect no less from the actor who did the same for Golem, right?
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes hits all the right notes for a sequel and is everything you would expect from a follow up to a great film. It's visually stunning and has intelligence to boot. I wouldn't necessarily say it's the greatest sequel ever made as that honor still goes to The Empire Strikes Back in my eyes. But, Dawn is in the team photo of one of the better ones that have been produced.
The Dark Lord of the Sith says:
****1/2 stars
Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Good viewing. Much better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. Could possibly foot the price of a non-Matinee.
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here.
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Transformers: Age of Extinction
Reviews from the Dark Side presents
Transformers: Age of Extinction
Released 6/27/14
Michael Bay's fourth installment of the highly successful Transformers franchise thunders its way into theaters this weekend. Bay, long known for being a director who favors style over substance, isn't a favorite among critics, and, as follows, his Transformers franchise has suffered the same fate. But, no one can fault the gobs of cash these CGI spectacles draw. Age of Extinction should be no different. As for quality, while I've always liked the series as a whole, even I have to admit the quality of story has declined since the first movie was released in 2007.
The beginning of the film furthers the Transformers mythos by verifying the robots' "Creators" came to Earth millions of years ago during period when dinosaurs still roamed the planet. The purpose was to "terra-form" the Earth into a mechanical world. It's a concept that will be a catalyst for the film's ending. This process caused the extinction of the entire species.
Flash forward to the present day a few years after the "Battle of Chicago" that wrecked the city back in the third installment of the franchise. The time hasn't been kind to Optimus Prime and his Autobots. Since the near destruction of Chicago, they have been hunted by the U.S. government under the direction of the CIA's Harold Attinger (Kelsey Grammer). Under the public pretense of hunting the remaining Decepticons (the Autobots' sworn enemies) on Earth, the CIA has developed an elite hunter/killer group, Cemetery Wind.
Attinger has an ulterior motive aside from his extreme patriotism. Working with a Transformer bounty hunter, Lockdown, who claims to work on the behalf of the "Creators", both Attinger and Lockdown are on a desperate hunt for the missing Prime. Little do they know Optimus has been found by an unlikely source. Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg), a struggling robotics inventor in Texas, purchases the deactivated leader after finding Prime in an abandoned theater while the robot is in his transformed semi-truck form. Hoping to strip the semi down for its parts, Yeager, inadvertently reactivates Optimus who has developed a logical distrust of humans thanks to the ambush that deactivated him and the hunts that have destroyed most of the Autobots remaining on Earth.
When Attinger is alerted that Prime has been spotted, he sends Cemetery Wind and Lockdown to Texas to acquire him leading to a confluence of events that forces Prime and Yeager to work together to uncover Attinger's endgame. Optimus is forced to call in the only surviving Autobots (Bumblebee, Drift, Hound, and Crosshairs) in hiding to infiltrate the mega-techno conglomerate, KSI, operating out of Chicago. KSI has been conducting experiments on slain Transformers under the guidance of its CEO, Joshua Joyce (Stanley Tucci) who has a nefarious alliance with Attinger. Unknown to all, an evil presence from the past has been manipulating everyone from behind the scenes for his own sinister reasons.
After AOE, I can still definitively say, the first Transformers film remains the best of the group. There are leaps and holes galore here. Mark Wahlberg as an eccentric, inventive genius doesn't quite work. He looked much more comfortable when he was shooting Decepticons with an alien gun. There's just about every family cliché imaginable from Cade's daughter wanting to leave the uneventful, road-to-no where rural life she feels trapped in to the daughter rebelling and dating a guy her father doesn't approve of in the beginning.
There are plenty of sappy, eye-rolling "rah-rah" moments including one from Optimus Prime himself. The film is loud, frenetic and an overall full assault on the senses. Not to mention that it's overlong to a fault. A good 30 minutes could have easily been trimmed. Some action sequences just felt like they would never end.
All of that said, AOE is great, mindless fun. You know the kind I mean. It's a perfect Summer spectacle. While the action sequences can be unbelievably long, they are spectacular. I defy you to find a more magnificent shot in 2014 than the slow motion transformation of Prime and Bumblebee as they go from car to robot flipping through a semi-trailer and over a bridge while catching/protecting their human allies. It's an eye-popping standout in a film that is filled with visual eye candy.
And, for those of you nostalgic types, your heart will leap at the introduction of the Dinobots to the series (finally). Even with a convoluted story about the Dinos being a group of legendary robotic knights being held captive on Lockdown's ship, the 10-year old in me was giddy when I heard Grimlock roar! For those not familiar, that's the Transformer who becomes a mechanical T-Rex. And, the sight of a sword-wielding Optimus Prime riding into battle on Grimlock's back left me speechless.
While the acting is nothing to write home about (and what do you expect from a movie like this), I will note that Kelsey Grammer does make a convincing villain. It's a far cry from Dr. Frasier Crane. There's also some great, if somewhat corny, comic relief from John Goodman as the voice of the cigar-chomping Autobot commando, Hound. The best comic scene comes from Bumblebee getting a monster-seized 'tude when he discovers a man-made Transformer that is supposedly a better version of him. Classic comedy.
Transformers: Age of Extinction is not always a smooth ride, but it's an entertaining one. Like the other films before, the human element sometimes interferes unnecessarily and serves only to prolong the film with useless, contrived drama. But, for an action junkie, it delivers its share of thrills and robots beating the Hell out of each other. And, in the end, isn't that why you watch these movies in the first place?
The Dark Lord of the Sith says:
***1/2 stars
Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Good viewing. Much better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. Could possibly foot the price of a non-Matinee.
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here.
Transformers: Age of Extinction
Released 6/27/14
Michael Bay's fourth installment of the highly successful Transformers franchise thunders its way into theaters this weekend. Bay, long known for being a director who favors style over substance, isn't a favorite among critics, and, as follows, his Transformers franchise has suffered the same fate. But, no one can fault the gobs of cash these CGI spectacles draw. Age of Extinction should be no different. As for quality, while I've always liked the series as a whole, even I have to admit the quality of story has declined since the first movie was released in 2007.
The beginning of the film furthers the Transformers mythos by verifying the robots' "Creators" came to Earth millions of years ago during period when dinosaurs still roamed the planet. The purpose was to "terra-form" the Earth into a mechanical world. It's a concept that will be a catalyst for the film's ending. This process caused the extinction of the entire species.
Flash forward to the present day a few years after the "Battle of Chicago" that wrecked the city back in the third installment of the franchise. The time hasn't been kind to Optimus Prime and his Autobots. Since the near destruction of Chicago, they have been hunted by the U.S. government under the direction of the CIA's Harold Attinger (Kelsey Grammer). Under the public pretense of hunting the remaining Decepticons (the Autobots' sworn enemies) on Earth, the CIA has developed an elite hunter/killer group, Cemetery Wind.
Attinger has an ulterior motive aside from his extreme patriotism. Working with a Transformer bounty hunter, Lockdown, who claims to work on the behalf of the "Creators", both Attinger and Lockdown are on a desperate hunt for the missing Prime. Little do they know Optimus has been found by an unlikely source. Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg), a struggling robotics inventor in Texas, purchases the deactivated leader after finding Prime in an abandoned theater while the robot is in his transformed semi-truck form. Hoping to strip the semi down for its parts, Yeager, inadvertently reactivates Optimus who has developed a logical distrust of humans thanks to the ambush that deactivated him and the hunts that have destroyed most of the Autobots remaining on Earth.
When Attinger is alerted that Prime has been spotted, he sends Cemetery Wind and Lockdown to Texas to acquire him leading to a confluence of events that forces Prime and Yeager to work together to uncover Attinger's endgame. Optimus is forced to call in the only surviving Autobots (Bumblebee, Drift, Hound, and Crosshairs) in hiding to infiltrate the mega-techno conglomerate, KSI, operating out of Chicago. KSI has been conducting experiments on slain Transformers under the guidance of its CEO, Joshua Joyce (Stanley Tucci) who has a nefarious alliance with Attinger. Unknown to all, an evil presence from the past has been manipulating everyone from behind the scenes for his own sinister reasons.
After AOE, I can still definitively say, the first Transformers film remains the best of the group. There are leaps and holes galore here. Mark Wahlberg as an eccentric, inventive genius doesn't quite work. He looked much more comfortable when he was shooting Decepticons with an alien gun. There's just about every family cliché imaginable from Cade's daughter wanting to leave the uneventful, road-to-no where rural life she feels trapped in to the daughter rebelling and dating a guy her father doesn't approve of in the beginning.
There are plenty of sappy, eye-rolling "rah-rah" moments including one from Optimus Prime himself. The film is loud, frenetic and an overall full assault on the senses. Not to mention that it's overlong to a fault. A good 30 minutes could have easily been trimmed. Some action sequences just felt like they would never end.
All of that said, AOE is great, mindless fun. You know the kind I mean. It's a perfect Summer spectacle. While the action sequences can be unbelievably long, they are spectacular. I defy you to find a more magnificent shot in 2014 than the slow motion transformation of Prime and Bumblebee as they go from car to robot flipping through a semi-trailer and over a bridge while catching/protecting their human allies. It's an eye-popping standout in a film that is filled with visual eye candy.
And, for those of you nostalgic types, your heart will leap at the introduction of the Dinobots to the series (finally). Even with a convoluted story about the Dinos being a group of legendary robotic knights being held captive on Lockdown's ship, the 10-year old in me was giddy when I heard Grimlock roar! For those not familiar, that's the Transformer who becomes a mechanical T-Rex. And, the sight of a sword-wielding Optimus Prime riding into battle on Grimlock's back left me speechless.
While the acting is nothing to write home about (and what do you expect from a movie like this), I will note that Kelsey Grammer does make a convincing villain. It's a far cry from Dr. Frasier Crane. There's also some great, if somewhat corny, comic relief from John Goodman as the voice of the cigar-chomping Autobot commando, Hound. The best comic scene comes from Bumblebee getting a monster-seized 'tude when he discovers a man-made Transformer that is supposedly a better version of him. Classic comedy.
Transformers: Age of Extinction is not always a smooth ride, but it's an entertaining one. Like the other films before, the human element sometimes interferes unnecessarily and serves only to prolong the film with useless, contrived drama. But, for an action junkie, it delivers its share of thrills and robots beating the Hell out of each other. And, in the end, isn't that why you watch these movies in the first place?
The Dark Lord of the Sith says:
***1/2 stars
Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Good viewing. Much better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. Could possibly foot the price of a non-Matinee.
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here.
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Reviews from the Dark Side presents
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Released 5/23/14
BRYAN SINGER IS BACK!!! Now this statement can be considered good or bad depending on which side of the aisle you fall on regarding the X-Men franchise (one I'm sure Marvel Studios is salivating to get their hands on). While it's widely considered that Singer's first two X-Men films have been the best in the series, he hasn't been without his detractors for the lack of character development or the liberties he has taken with the material itself. Of course, fans have seen how the franchise can spin out of control without Singer at the helm with the much maligned X-Men: The Last Stand (which I didn't think was awful, by the way), X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and the somewhat tepid fan response to last year's, The Wolverine.
With Days of Future Past, Singer has combined characters from the first two X-Men films along with characters from 2011's critically acclaimed X-Men: First Class from director, Matthew Vaughn (and, hey, Singer was a producer on that one). Based on one of the most popular stories in X-Men lore, DOFP stars Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellan, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Shawn Ashmore, Ellen Page (one of the few links to The Last Stand), and Halle Berry reprising their previous roles as our favorite heroic mutants (well, Magneto is debatable as far as being heroic). For those not in the loop, that's a human being born with extraordinary abilities.
In a dystopian future, hunter/killer robots known as Sentinels have all but exterminated the mutant population and have also turned their attentions to normal human beings who are considered mutant sympathizers. Barely surviving and still fighting the good, if hopeless, fight are a small band of X-Men who are cornered in Moscow. After putting up a valiant fight, Colossus, Iceman (Ashmore), Warpath, Blink, and Sunspot prove to be no match for their invincible foes. One X-Man, Bishop, is able to project his consciousness into his younger body in the recent past with the assistance of fellow X-Man, Kitty Pryde (Page, and how did she get this power suddenly?), to warn the group of the upcoming attack.
The group rendezvous in China with Professor Xavier (Stewart), Magneto (McKellan), Storm (Berry), and Wolverine (Jackman) before the attack happens in Moscow. There a plan is formulated. Since this present-day nightmare of mutant resentment and destruction can be traced back to one tragic event in the past, someone in the group must have their consciousness projected back decades in time to inhabit his/her younger body to try to stop the event from occurring. It's decided that Kitty will send Wolverine back to 1973 to seek out a much younger Charles Xavier (McAvoy) and Magneto (Fassbender) to assist him in stopping the fateful occurrence.
Said occurrence was created by the mutant shape changer, Mystique (Lawrence), after she fatally shoots military contractor and mutant experimenter/tormentor, Bolivar Trask (Peter Dinklage). His execution fuels anti-mutant sentiment and breeds the creation of Trask's Sentinel program with an added bonus. The Sentinels have proven to be almost impossible to defeat due to Mystique herself as the shape shifting adaptability of her DNA is captured and used to make the robots adaptable to any mutant power used against them.
So, a battle is waged on two fronts. One in the future where the Sentinels have located the X-Men again and the ragtag band must hold them off long enough for Wolverine's mission to succeed (and the audience is already privy to how well the mutant offensive played out in Moscow). The other battle is waged in the past where Wolverine has to not only convince an emotionally broken Xavier to help, but also to work with the man he deems responsible for both his emotional and physical condition, his former best friend. Even getting to Magneto in this time period will prove difficult as he has been blamed and captured for committing another tragic event in world history.
The one thing that struck me about DOFP is that it was an X-Men movie with Wolverine that wasn't solely devoted to the characterization of Wolverine. Don't get me wrong. I love Wolverine, and I'm a huge fan of Jackman playing the character. However, I will admit the focus on Logan has been at the detriment of the rest of the cast more often than not. DOFP is clearly an opportunity that both Singer and the franchise have taken to capitalize on the current success and popularity of Jennifer Lawrence. It's mainly Mystique's movie. And, as has mostly been the case, Lawrence is up to the task and more than carries her weight as a conflicted soul torn between two ideologies (Xavier's and Magneto's).
I was also intrigued by the young Charles Xavier speaking of a mutant in conflict. James McAvoy does a fantastic job depicting a man with so much self doubt and self loathing that he's pretty much given up on life itself. He's a sharp contrast from the sure and decisive older version of Xavier played by Stewart
An unexpected strength of the film was the introduction of Peter Maximoff (Evan Peters) to the series as a supersonic mutant with no code name as of yet (although comic fans know him as a tweaked version of the sometimes X-Men ally/foe, Quicksilver). He added some much needed comic relief to an otherwise bleak-toned movie. I have to admit the still shots I first saw of the character and the snippets revealed in the trailers didn't have me expecting much from him. But, Peters has arguably one of the best scenes in DOFP during the Magneto breakout. It's such a clever and brilliant scene that you'll be applauding both the actor and director.
For those wishing for a tighter continuity between the events in the franchise, you can rejoice. DOFP effectively reboots the X-Men timeline. So, if you have a bad taste in your mouth from X-Men Origins, The Last Stand, or even, The Wolverine, let's just say they didn't really happen (although I'm still trying to wrap my head around if The Wolverine should be included in this list). You can now watch the X-Men movie saga through four movies (First Class, X-Men, X2, and X-Men: DOFP). And, this brings me to one of my problems with DOFP. Not so much a problem as an observation really.
As a continuity buff, it's just a little too messy to say, "Here, audience! Remember these good things that Singer did/has done, but not the bad things that he didn't touch." In some ways, it's better to make a clean break and reboot the whole franchise a la Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy or Marc Webb's Amazing Spider-Man series (although that one hasn't been as well-received as hoped for), and the reboot of Star Trek. A new director with a new set of ideas and a tightly-woven story can do wonders for an ailing franchise. What Singer is attempting to do is reset on the fly.
I particularly have trouble reconciling where/if The Wolverine fits into the current continuity at all having just been released a year ago. Wolverine has bone claws at the end of that film, yet he has adamantium claws again in DOFP. We also know that Professor Xavier and Magneto seek him out in the mid-credits scene advising that they need his assistance to stop a grave threat to the mutant race. Logan is understandably shocked to see Professor X as he remembers him being obliterated in The Last Stand. So, how much time has actually passed between the end of The Wolverine and DOFP? We know the world isn't in ruins in The Wolverine, yet, everything has gone to Hell when DOFP begins. When/how did he get the metal claws back? Why does the Professor exist in his own body again? Okay, that last part can be explained away if the Last Stand never happened, but it was still a story I would have liked to have seen pursued. Also, Professor X and Magneto are two of the smartest men on the planet. They couldn't have come up with a plan to stop this mess before the near-obliteration of mutantkind? Wouldn't Mystique have killed Trask before X-Men and X2 took place? Yet there was no mention of this in the first two films. And, on a smaller note, just how did Magneto gain control of Trask's experimental Sentinels anyway when the robots supposedly "don't have an ounce of metal in them." No metal? It kind of defeats Magneto's power wouldn't you think? It's almost as if the powers that be are trying to make the pieces fit where they don't.
I know these are inherent problems when dealing with time travel and, it appears in this case, alternate timelines. It doesn't always make a lot of sense and you can give yourself a migraine trying to figure it out. It's not that these questions kept me from enjoying what DOFP was. It's just that I would have liked for the pieces of the puzzle to fit a little more perfectly than they did. It's something I'm really going to have to get over when the next Star Wars movie is released next year.
I've mentioned this before, I believe, but given what Singer is attempting to do with the franchise, it bears repeating. If The Avengers franchise has done nothing else, it has forced movie studios to look at this genre of film as more than stand alone, special effects extravaganzas. Rich movie universes with strong storytelling are being mined from super hero material that was once considered to have fringe fan bases. In addition to the aforementioned Spider-Man franchise under Marc Webb, we have Warner Brothers/DC Comics ready to do the same thing with the Justice League in a couple of years. Continuity makes for tighter storytelling and endless possibilities from these characters' long histories. Super heroes have gone mainstream. It's the Golden Age for someone like me who grew up with the material. And, fortunately, there's no end in sight.
Days of Future Past is a strong outing for Singer to get the franchise back on its feet and rolling in a clear direction. With the reset button pretty much being pushed, the director has also given himself access to a few more pieces on the chessboard. Pieces that had perished previously. He has done the best he can to right certain things that happened when he wasn't in the driver's seat short of truly starting over from scratch. Since he will be in charge for the next X-Men film in 2016, I'm sure Marvel's mighty mutants will be in good hands yet again. Hopefully, there will be some development of other characters that haven't been given a chance to shine as of yet (Storm, Rogue, I'm looking at you).
As with most Marvel-related movies, there is an additional scene after the end credits that introduces the next "big bad." It's not a jaw-dropping scene by any means, but it is an important one when you hear the chant, "En Sabbah Nur." Yep, just let the Apocalypse out of the bag there.
The Dark Lord of the Sith says:
***3/4 stars
Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Good viewing. Much better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. Could possibly foot the price of a non-Matinee.
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here.
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Released 5/23/14
BRYAN SINGER IS BACK!!! Now this statement can be considered good or bad depending on which side of the aisle you fall on regarding the X-Men franchise (one I'm sure Marvel Studios is salivating to get their hands on). While it's widely considered that Singer's first two X-Men films have been the best in the series, he hasn't been without his detractors for the lack of character development or the liberties he has taken with the material itself. Of course, fans have seen how the franchise can spin out of control without Singer at the helm with the much maligned X-Men: The Last Stand (which I didn't think was awful, by the way), X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and the somewhat tepid fan response to last year's, The Wolverine.
With Days of Future Past, Singer has combined characters from the first two X-Men films along with characters from 2011's critically acclaimed X-Men: First Class from director, Matthew Vaughn (and, hey, Singer was a producer on that one). Based on one of the most popular stories in X-Men lore, DOFP stars Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellan, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Shawn Ashmore, Ellen Page (one of the few links to The Last Stand), and Halle Berry reprising their previous roles as our favorite heroic mutants (well, Magneto is debatable as far as being heroic). For those not in the loop, that's a human being born with extraordinary abilities.
In a dystopian future, hunter/killer robots known as Sentinels have all but exterminated the mutant population and have also turned their attentions to normal human beings who are considered mutant sympathizers. Barely surviving and still fighting the good, if hopeless, fight are a small band of X-Men who are cornered in Moscow. After putting up a valiant fight, Colossus, Iceman (Ashmore), Warpath, Blink, and Sunspot prove to be no match for their invincible foes. One X-Man, Bishop, is able to project his consciousness into his younger body in the recent past with the assistance of fellow X-Man, Kitty Pryde (Page, and how did she get this power suddenly?), to warn the group of the upcoming attack.
The group rendezvous in China with Professor Xavier (Stewart), Magneto (McKellan), Storm (Berry), and Wolverine (Jackman) before the attack happens in Moscow. There a plan is formulated. Since this present-day nightmare of mutant resentment and destruction can be traced back to one tragic event in the past, someone in the group must have their consciousness projected back decades in time to inhabit his/her younger body to try to stop the event from occurring. It's decided that Kitty will send Wolverine back to 1973 to seek out a much younger Charles Xavier (McAvoy) and Magneto (Fassbender) to assist him in stopping the fateful occurrence.
Said occurrence was created by the mutant shape changer, Mystique (Lawrence), after she fatally shoots military contractor and mutant experimenter/tormentor, Bolivar Trask (Peter Dinklage). His execution fuels anti-mutant sentiment and breeds the creation of Trask's Sentinel program with an added bonus. The Sentinels have proven to be almost impossible to defeat due to Mystique herself as the shape shifting adaptability of her DNA is captured and used to make the robots adaptable to any mutant power used against them.
So, a battle is waged on two fronts. One in the future where the Sentinels have located the X-Men again and the ragtag band must hold them off long enough for Wolverine's mission to succeed (and the audience is already privy to how well the mutant offensive played out in Moscow). The other battle is waged in the past where Wolverine has to not only convince an emotionally broken Xavier to help, but also to work with the man he deems responsible for both his emotional and physical condition, his former best friend. Even getting to Magneto in this time period will prove difficult as he has been blamed and captured for committing another tragic event in world history.
The one thing that struck me about DOFP is that it was an X-Men movie with Wolverine that wasn't solely devoted to the characterization of Wolverine. Don't get me wrong. I love Wolverine, and I'm a huge fan of Jackman playing the character. However, I will admit the focus on Logan has been at the detriment of the rest of the cast more often than not. DOFP is clearly an opportunity that both Singer and the franchise have taken to capitalize on the current success and popularity of Jennifer Lawrence. It's mainly Mystique's movie. And, as has mostly been the case, Lawrence is up to the task and more than carries her weight as a conflicted soul torn between two ideologies (Xavier's and Magneto's).
I was also intrigued by the young Charles Xavier speaking of a mutant in conflict. James McAvoy does a fantastic job depicting a man with so much self doubt and self loathing that he's pretty much given up on life itself. He's a sharp contrast from the sure and decisive older version of Xavier played by Stewart
An unexpected strength of the film was the introduction of Peter Maximoff (Evan Peters) to the series as a supersonic mutant with no code name as of yet (although comic fans know him as a tweaked version of the sometimes X-Men ally/foe, Quicksilver). He added some much needed comic relief to an otherwise bleak-toned movie. I have to admit the still shots I first saw of the character and the snippets revealed in the trailers didn't have me expecting much from him. But, Peters has arguably one of the best scenes in DOFP during the Magneto breakout. It's such a clever and brilliant scene that you'll be applauding both the actor and director.
For those wishing for a tighter continuity between the events in the franchise, you can rejoice. DOFP effectively reboots the X-Men timeline. So, if you have a bad taste in your mouth from X-Men Origins, The Last Stand, or even, The Wolverine, let's just say they didn't really happen (although I'm still trying to wrap my head around if The Wolverine should be included in this list). You can now watch the X-Men movie saga through four movies (First Class, X-Men, X2, and X-Men: DOFP). And, this brings me to one of my problems with DOFP. Not so much a problem as an observation really.
As a continuity buff, it's just a little too messy to say, "Here, audience! Remember these good things that Singer did/has done, but not the bad things that he didn't touch." In some ways, it's better to make a clean break and reboot the whole franchise a la Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy or Marc Webb's Amazing Spider-Man series (although that one hasn't been as well-received as hoped for), and the reboot of Star Trek. A new director with a new set of ideas and a tightly-woven story can do wonders for an ailing franchise. What Singer is attempting to do is reset on the fly.
I particularly have trouble reconciling where/if The Wolverine fits into the current continuity at all having just been released a year ago. Wolverine has bone claws at the end of that film, yet he has adamantium claws again in DOFP. We also know that Professor Xavier and Magneto seek him out in the mid-credits scene advising that they need his assistance to stop a grave threat to the mutant race. Logan is understandably shocked to see Professor X as he remembers him being obliterated in The Last Stand. So, how much time has actually passed between the end of The Wolverine and DOFP? We know the world isn't in ruins in The Wolverine, yet, everything has gone to Hell when DOFP begins. When/how did he get the metal claws back? Why does the Professor exist in his own body again? Okay, that last part can be explained away if the Last Stand never happened, but it was still a story I would have liked to have seen pursued. Also, Professor X and Magneto are two of the smartest men on the planet. They couldn't have come up with a plan to stop this mess before the near-obliteration of mutantkind? Wouldn't Mystique have killed Trask before X-Men and X2 took place? Yet there was no mention of this in the first two films. And, on a smaller note, just how did Magneto gain control of Trask's experimental Sentinels anyway when the robots supposedly "don't have an ounce of metal in them." No metal? It kind of defeats Magneto's power wouldn't you think? It's almost as if the powers that be are trying to make the pieces fit where they don't.
I know these are inherent problems when dealing with time travel and, it appears in this case, alternate timelines. It doesn't always make a lot of sense and you can give yourself a migraine trying to figure it out. It's not that these questions kept me from enjoying what DOFP was. It's just that I would have liked for the pieces of the puzzle to fit a little more perfectly than they did. It's something I'm really going to have to get over when the next Star Wars movie is released next year.
I've mentioned this before, I believe, but given what Singer is attempting to do with the franchise, it bears repeating. If The Avengers franchise has done nothing else, it has forced movie studios to look at this genre of film as more than stand alone, special effects extravaganzas. Rich movie universes with strong storytelling are being mined from super hero material that was once considered to have fringe fan bases. In addition to the aforementioned Spider-Man franchise under Marc Webb, we have Warner Brothers/DC Comics ready to do the same thing with the Justice League in a couple of years. Continuity makes for tighter storytelling and endless possibilities from these characters' long histories. Super heroes have gone mainstream. It's the Golden Age for someone like me who grew up with the material. And, fortunately, there's no end in sight.
Days of Future Past is a strong outing for Singer to get the franchise back on its feet and rolling in a clear direction. With the reset button pretty much being pushed, the director has also given himself access to a few more pieces on the chessboard. Pieces that had perished previously. He has done the best he can to right certain things that happened when he wasn't in the driver's seat short of truly starting over from scratch. Since he will be in charge for the next X-Men film in 2016, I'm sure Marvel's mighty mutants will be in good hands yet again. Hopefully, there will be some development of other characters that haven't been given a chance to shine as of yet (Storm, Rogue, I'm looking at you).
As with most Marvel-related movies, there is an additional scene after the end credits that introduces the next "big bad." It's not a jaw-dropping scene by any means, but it is an important one when you hear the chant, "En Sabbah Nur." Yep, just let the Apocalypse out of the bag there.
The Dark Lord of the Sith says:
***3/4 stars
Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Good viewing. Much better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. Could possibly foot the price of a non-Matinee.
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here.
Sunday, May 4, 2014
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Reviews from the Dark Side presents
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Released 5/2/14
It's now here! The start of the 2014 Summer movie season officially begins this weekend with the release of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, the sequel to the somewhat maligned 2012 reboot of the Spider-Man franchise. Marc Webb returns as director. Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, and Sally Field reprise their roles from the first film with some notable additions to the cast, including Oscar winner Jamie Foxx and Dane Dehaan. Reviews I've read of the movie have been very mixed to this point. Then again, they were mixed for the first Amazing Spider-Man (to a lesser extent) which I loved. As a lifelong Spidey fan, this is one I've anticipated since the beginning of 2014, especially after seeing the insanely action-packed trailers. In this Avengers-laden movie world, can anything capture the imagination of moviegoers quite like Marvel Studios has in recent years?
Let's get this out of the way early. ASM 2 is not the near masterpiece that Captain America: The Winter Soldier was, but, it's pretty...spectacular (thought I was going to say "amazing" didn't you). It's a nice blend of comedy, action, and sadness. If you're a longtime Spider-Man fan, you probably already know what I'm alluding to with that last word. But, more on that later.
In ASM 2, we find Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) becoming more comfortable in his role as the amazing wall crawler and defying the promise he made to his girlfriend's, Gwen Stacy's (Emma Stone), dying father to keep his distance from her. It's a promise the responsibility-conscious Peter finds to be a heavy burden as he does secretly agree with Captain Stacy despite his love for Gwen. Add to this his continued bewilderment of his parents' abandonment many years earlier and Peter is an emotional mess despite the happy-go-lucky visage he has as Spider-Man.
Peter's emotional well-being isn't destined to improve as an old friend has returned to New York. Harry Osborn (Dane Dehaan), who has been stashed away in boarding schools abroad for a decade, has come back to New York to pay his respects to his dying father, Norman (Chris Cooper), the CEO of the infamous Oscorp Corporation. Never any love lost between father and son, Norman advises the same disease that is killing him is genetic and will also kill Harry unless he continues to develop the experimental research at Oscorp. Part of that research is experimentation started by Peter's late father, Richard. Despite past friendships, Peter and Harry will reunite in a deadly way.
Meanwhile, an electric engineer at Oscorp, Max Dillon (Jamie Foxx), has grown an unhealthy attachment to Spidey after the web slinger saved his life. Dillon's fragile mental health is taxed even more when an accident at Oscorp transforms his body into pure electric energy. Hero worship turns to hatred after a misunderstanding between Dillon and his idol in Times Square which gives Spider-Man a new, powerful enemy and gives Harry an instrument of destruction that can be used to his advantage.
I think the best way to complete this review is to separate what worked as opposed to what didn't (or maybe could have been done better). Let's start with the negative. This is the one thing that worried me when I first knew of the reported cast of ASM 2. Multiple villains in movies such as this rarely work. The inherent problem is that each character's motivations aren't clearly defined and origin story seems rushed. Although Webb handles this issue better than most I've seen, the same problem still exists. I wish movie studios would learn this lesson. Super Hero movies are better when you focus on one protagonist vs. one antagonist. The only time multiple combatants don't feel contrived is when there is supposed to be a team concept behind the characters as with the Avengers. Another reason Avengers worked so well is because Joss Whedon didn't have to deal with origin stories. Marvel Studios had already taken care of those in previous movies so he could devote adequate screen time to each character. I think this would work with villain team-ups that aren't naturally reliant on a group setting. Introduce them in one movie and then bring them back in later ones as fully realized characters whose evil shenanigans can be focused on.
Max's/Electro's transformation from lonely hero worshipper to murderous villain seems rushed. It may not be as off-putting as Anakin Skywalker's harsh transformation into Darth Vader, but there wasn't much chance for development of Electro's character to make the transition very meaningful. His rage seems like a tantrum from a petulant child more than truly being angry at Spider-Man. Ol' Max has just about the neediest personality in reality or fiction.
Harry Osborn is a more fully realized character whose motivations are clearer and more understandable as a desperate young man driven to insanity by internal and external factors. Yet, even his transformation deserved a little more than the three minute screen time it received (anyone remember Venom from Spider-Man 3). What makes this transformation memorable is the impact it delivers. Harry maybe should have just been the mastermind behind Electro in this film or should have been the only villain. His villainy could have been more fully developed in either of these scenarios.
There is a small segment featuring the Rhino where Paul Giamatti is chewing up the scenery in a mechanized battle suit. Fortunately, this segment is very brief and exists only to see some great scenes of Spider-Man in action. The suit doesn't work as it's just a big, loud clanky thing. It's a bit of a waste of a classic, if minor, villain.
As for what the film gets right, there's much to be excited about. ASM 2 is first of the five Spider-Man films made where I can say Spidey felt completely like Spidey. On the one side, you have Peter's vaunted sense of responsibility on display which causes as misery to him as any beatdown he may receive from the villain of the week. It's no different here as defying his promise to Gwen's father weighs heavily on him and he denies himself happiness out of his desire to protect those he loves.
This time, however, Spider-Man is back to his old wisecracking self. Attempts at this have been made before, but this time, it's fully realized. Even Webb's first ASM depicted Peter as more of an angry, smart-ass teenager than the funny wise guy he normally is. What Webhead fan wouldn't have a mile-wide smile when he refers to Electro as "Sparkles?" Some of Peter's interactions with his Aunt May (Sally Field) are the funniest in the film. The whole chimney scene is short, but packs an amazing comedic punch.
While I do wish that someone could figure a way to give the audience a more classic Green Goblin look, I will admit that Marc Webb handling the issue as a physical transformation for Harry was far better than the silly bodysuit and mask from Sam Raimi's first Spider-Man film (boy that thing was awful). The transformation was creepy and a full representation of Harry's descent into madness.
Speaking of the Goblin, I would be remiss in not mentioning Dane Dehaan's performance as Harry Osborn. Dehaan plays Harry with charm and smarminess at the same time. You feel for his plight, yet you are always aware of an underlying maliciousness inside of him. It's an intricate mix that Dehaan pulls off quite well. He's a very good young actor who can definitely do justice to angst-ridden characters (see Chronicle if you haven't).
The movie's heart comes from the relationship between Peter and Gwen. A problem with most super hero films is the lack of chemistry between hero and love interest. Think about it for a minute. Have any of the Batman movies had a strong leading lady as the hero's love interest outside of Catwoman who really is an antagonist in those movies? Jane Foster in the Thor movies? Not really. Mary Jane in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man movies? Meh. Pepper Potts from Iron Man? OK, but not spectacular. Any of the Lois Lanes? Margot Kidder maybe. Kate Bosworth not at all. Amy Adams, too early to tell. Garfield and Stone have an easiness and timing with each other that is unparalleled in this movie genre. It probably helps that they are a real-life couple, but, it's a refreshing change to see two actors that do act like they should be together. And, without trying to give too much away, makes the climax all the more gut-wrenching.
The action scenes which is the meat of any super hero movie are absolutely insane. Again, Spider-Man's movements, while always handled very well previously, felt more like Spider-Man with all the inhuman movements a character like this should have. Webb also added a very nice touch in the Times Square scene with Electro where the wallcrawler detected all the potential dangers in his immediate area in a slow-motion sequence. For someone who can move as fast as he can, I'd imagine that's how the world would look much of the time.
While there are some weaknesses to ASM 2, the good far outweighs the mediocre. While not my favorite Spider-Man film overall, it deserves more than a dismissive look. In addition, you're introduced to the first stages of a contained Spider-Man universe that Sony is attempting to create, a la Marvel Studios' Avengers universe. You're going to see some familiar objects when Oscorp opens its "Special Projects" vault. There's also an allusion to something very "Sinister" coming Spidey's way in the future.
ASM 2 was a great way to kick off the Summer. I hope it has a good fate at the box office.
The Dark Lord of the Sith says:
*** 1/4 stars
Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Good viewing. Much better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. Could possibly foot the price of a non-Matinee.
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Released 5/2/14
It's now here! The start of the 2014 Summer movie season officially begins this weekend with the release of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, the sequel to the somewhat maligned 2012 reboot of the Spider-Man franchise. Marc Webb returns as director. Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, and Sally Field reprise their roles from the first film with some notable additions to the cast, including Oscar winner Jamie Foxx and Dane Dehaan. Reviews I've read of the movie have been very mixed to this point. Then again, they were mixed for the first Amazing Spider-Man (to a lesser extent) which I loved. As a lifelong Spidey fan, this is one I've anticipated since the beginning of 2014, especially after seeing the insanely action-packed trailers. In this Avengers-laden movie world, can anything capture the imagination of moviegoers quite like Marvel Studios has in recent years?
Let's get this out of the way early. ASM 2 is not the near masterpiece that Captain America: The Winter Soldier was, but, it's pretty...spectacular (thought I was going to say "amazing" didn't you). It's a nice blend of comedy, action, and sadness. If you're a longtime Spider-Man fan, you probably already know what I'm alluding to with that last word. But, more on that later.
In ASM 2, we find Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) becoming more comfortable in his role as the amazing wall crawler and defying the promise he made to his girlfriend's, Gwen Stacy's (Emma Stone), dying father to keep his distance from her. It's a promise the responsibility-conscious Peter finds to be a heavy burden as he does secretly agree with Captain Stacy despite his love for Gwen. Add to this his continued bewilderment of his parents' abandonment many years earlier and Peter is an emotional mess despite the happy-go-lucky visage he has as Spider-Man.
Peter's emotional well-being isn't destined to improve as an old friend has returned to New York. Harry Osborn (Dane Dehaan), who has been stashed away in boarding schools abroad for a decade, has come back to New York to pay his respects to his dying father, Norman (Chris Cooper), the CEO of the infamous Oscorp Corporation. Never any love lost between father and son, Norman advises the same disease that is killing him is genetic and will also kill Harry unless he continues to develop the experimental research at Oscorp. Part of that research is experimentation started by Peter's late father, Richard. Despite past friendships, Peter and Harry will reunite in a deadly way.
Meanwhile, an electric engineer at Oscorp, Max Dillon (Jamie Foxx), has grown an unhealthy attachment to Spidey after the web slinger saved his life. Dillon's fragile mental health is taxed even more when an accident at Oscorp transforms his body into pure electric energy. Hero worship turns to hatred after a misunderstanding between Dillon and his idol in Times Square which gives Spider-Man a new, powerful enemy and gives Harry an instrument of destruction that can be used to his advantage.
I think the best way to complete this review is to separate what worked as opposed to what didn't (or maybe could have been done better). Let's start with the negative. This is the one thing that worried me when I first knew of the reported cast of ASM 2. Multiple villains in movies such as this rarely work. The inherent problem is that each character's motivations aren't clearly defined and origin story seems rushed. Although Webb handles this issue better than most I've seen, the same problem still exists. I wish movie studios would learn this lesson. Super Hero movies are better when you focus on one protagonist vs. one antagonist. The only time multiple combatants don't feel contrived is when there is supposed to be a team concept behind the characters as with the Avengers. Another reason Avengers worked so well is because Joss Whedon didn't have to deal with origin stories. Marvel Studios had already taken care of those in previous movies so he could devote adequate screen time to each character. I think this would work with villain team-ups that aren't naturally reliant on a group setting. Introduce them in one movie and then bring them back in later ones as fully realized characters whose evil shenanigans can be focused on.
Max's/Electro's transformation from lonely hero worshipper to murderous villain seems rushed. It may not be as off-putting as Anakin Skywalker's harsh transformation into Darth Vader, but there wasn't much chance for development of Electro's character to make the transition very meaningful. His rage seems like a tantrum from a petulant child more than truly being angry at Spider-Man. Ol' Max has just about the neediest personality in reality or fiction.
Harry Osborn is a more fully realized character whose motivations are clearer and more understandable as a desperate young man driven to insanity by internal and external factors. Yet, even his transformation deserved a little more than the three minute screen time it received (anyone remember Venom from Spider-Man 3). What makes this transformation memorable is the impact it delivers. Harry maybe should have just been the mastermind behind Electro in this film or should have been the only villain. His villainy could have been more fully developed in either of these scenarios.
There is a small segment featuring the Rhino where Paul Giamatti is chewing up the scenery in a mechanized battle suit. Fortunately, this segment is very brief and exists only to see some great scenes of Spider-Man in action. The suit doesn't work as it's just a big, loud clanky thing. It's a bit of a waste of a classic, if minor, villain.
As for what the film gets right, there's much to be excited about. ASM 2 is first of the five Spider-Man films made where I can say Spidey felt completely like Spidey. On the one side, you have Peter's vaunted sense of responsibility on display which causes as misery to him as any beatdown he may receive from the villain of the week. It's no different here as defying his promise to Gwen's father weighs heavily on him and he denies himself happiness out of his desire to protect those he loves.
This time, however, Spider-Man is back to his old wisecracking self. Attempts at this have been made before, but this time, it's fully realized. Even Webb's first ASM depicted Peter as more of an angry, smart-ass teenager than the funny wise guy he normally is. What Webhead fan wouldn't have a mile-wide smile when he refers to Electro as "Sparkles?" Some of Peter's interactions with his Aunt May (Sally Field) are the funniest in the film. The whole chimney scene is short, but packs an amazing comedic punch.
While I do wish that someone could figure a way to give the audience a more classic Green Goblin look, I will admit that Marc Webb handling the issue as a physical transformation for Harry was far better than the silly bodysuit and mask from Sam Raimi's first Spider-Man film (boy that thing was awful). The transformation was creepy and a full representation of Harry's descent into madness.
Speaking of the Goblin, I would be remiss in not mentioning Dane Dehaan's performance as Harry Osborn. Dehaan plays Harry with charm and smarminess at the same time. You feel for his plight, yet you are always aware of an underlying maliciousness inside of him. It's an intricate mix that Dehaan pulls off quite well. He's a very good young actor who can definitely do justice to angst-ridden characters (see Chronicle if you haven't).
The movie's heart comes from the relationship between Peter and Gwen. A problem with most super hero films is the lack of chemistry between hero and love interest. Think about it for a minute. Have any of the Batman movies had a strong leading lady as the hero's love interest outside of Catwoman who really is an antagonist in those movies? Jane Foster in the Thor movies? Not really. Mary Jane in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man movies? Meh. Pepper Potts from Iron Man? OK, but not spectacular. Any of the Lois Lanes? Margot Kidder maybe. Kate Bosworth not at all. Amy Adams, too early to tell. Garfield and Stone have an easiness and timing with each other that is unparalleled in this movie genre. It probably helps that they are a real-life couple, but, it's a refreshing change to see two actors that do act like they should be together. And, without trying to give too much away, makes the climax all the more gut-wrenching.
The action scenes which is the meat of any super hero movie are absolutely insane. Again, Spider-Man's movements, while always handled very well previously, felt more like Spider-Man with all the inhuman movements a character like this should have. Webb also added a very nice touch in the Times Square scene with Electro where the wallcrawler detected all the potential dangers in his immediate area in a slow-motion sequence. For someone who can move as fast as he can, I'd imagine that's how the world would look much of the time.
While there are some weaknesses to ASM 2, the good far outweighs the mediocre. While not my favorite Spider-Man film overall, it deserves more than a dismissive look. In addition, you're introduced to the first stages of a contained Spider-Man universe that Sony is attempting to create, a la Marvel Studios' Avengers universe. You're going to see some familiar objects when Oscorp opens its "Special Projects" vault. There's also an allusion to something very "Sinister" coming Spidey's way in the future.
ASM 2 was a great way to kick off the Summer. I hope it has a good fate at the box office.
The Dark Lord of the Sith says:
*** 1/4 stars
Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Good viewing. Much better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. Could possibly foot the price of a non-Matinee.
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here.
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Reviews from the Dark Side presents
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Released 4/4/14
Marvel Studios releases have become spectacles of late, especially since the release of the Avengers in 2012. This week's release of the Captain America sequel is no exception. Marvel has set the bar fairly high in recent years. Speculation is that The Winter Soldier is arguably the studio's best release ever. What? Better than the Avengers? Could it really be that epic for the picky comic connoisseur like myself?
Well, I don't know if I would call it Marvel's best release yet, but, it's pretty epic in its own right, easily in the team photo as one of the best movies of its genre. It's a perfect mix of action, comedy and political intrigue. And, it has the feel of a game changer in the Marvel movie narrative (and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on the television side for that matter).
We find Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) still a stranger in a strange land since he was unthawed from his decades long sleep a couple of years ago. Aside from the occasional clashes with international peacekeeping force, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s director, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), regarding trust, he's still fighting the good fight on Fury's behalf performing highly important and classified missions for him. At least, that's what he thinks until Fury let's him in on something he finds highly disturbing.
S.H.I.E.L.D. has adopted the philosophy of neutralizing threats from the vast stores of data they have on just about every living man, woman, and child on the planet before they become uncontrollable. To do this, three experimental and heavily armed Helicarriers connected by satellite link have been designed to take out anyone who fits this profile, by the thousands, if necessary. As Fury states, "S.H.I.E.L.D. views the world as it is and not how they would like it to be." It's a philosophy the good Captain has a big issue with. But, with Fury's friend and senior S.H.I.E.L.D. director, Alexander Pierce (Robert Redford), in lockstep with him regarding "Project Insight", Rogers is outvoted. And, that's when everything in The Winter Soldier hits the fan in a big way. Fury becomes compromised (or does he?) and events are manipulated to make Captain America an enemy of the state. And, who is this mysterious super terrorist codenamed The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) making The Captain's life difficult? Who is he and who does he work for? Rogers is sure not to like either answer.
What I like most about what Marvel is doing here is the way they are interconnecting their stories in the "Phase 2" stage of their films. And, they're often very subtle interconnections. In The Winter Soldier alone, we're reintroduced to Loki's spear from The Avengers (albeit during the end credits), Iron Man's repulsor lifts on a very large scale through the Helicarriers, and a serum developed by Bruce Banner that slows the heart rate to almost nothing.
As with most movies of this genre, the action and death-defying stunts are amped up to amazing levels. But, this one is done in a more organic way if that makes any sense. It's not like Thor, Spider-Man, or Iron Man where you expect fights and adrenaline-rushing sequences to be on a grand superhuman scale. Directors, Anthony and Joe Russo, have taken care to scale back the CGI on this one. While Captain America does most things that most humans couldn't do, what he's doing still feels decidedly human and anchored somewhat to the real world which fits the character exactly. It's different, but just as exciting to see on-screen.
There are some familiar and new faces in The Winter Soldier. Scarlett Johansson and Cobie Smulders return as The Black Widow and S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Maria Hill, respectively. Two characters are introduced who are very important to the Captain America mythos. Anthony Mackie is brought into the fold as Cap ally, Sam Wilson (The Falcon), an ex-paratrooper highly trained in aerial combat using a specialized flight pack with wings. Emily Van Camp is introduced as S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent, Sharon Carter, a woman who becomes very important in Cap's life in the comic. We'll see if the powers that be follow suit with that in the film adaptations.
Another thing that sets The Winter Soldier apart from many super hero movies is the direction of the storyline itself. It's as much a political thriller as it is a super hero movie with deceptions and intrigue galore. I said earlier that this movie will have far-reaching repercussions within the Marvel movie universe. Seeds from this movie have even been planted in the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. television series. There's something very rotten happening in this group. I won't give much more away, but, a certain counter organization is rearing its ugly little head (or should I say heads) again in the 21st century that's bad news for everyone.
I also don't know why I feel the need to say this, but, I will say it again anyway. Unless it's of absolutely no interest to you, you do not get up and leave the theater from any Marvel movie whether it's from Marvel Studios, Sony, or Fox before the last end credit has rolled. Two segments are provided here during the end credits. The lesser one (in my opinion) is at the very end of the credits that likely has more to do with the next Captain America movie than it does with the Marvel Universe as a whole (depending on where they take the story) involving a character on the verge of remembering some important things. The first post credit scene happens about mid-way through that will have ramifications for next year's Avengers: Age of Ultron movie. You've been told. Leave the theater at your own risk.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier is well worth the wait and hype. It's an excellent piece of movie making by all parties involved and keeps the bar raised high for the genre. This is the golden age for the comic book geek. I've heard some say super hero movies are ruining Hollywood. All in the eye of the beholder I guess. If you have no interest in this type of spectacle, it's not going to be your cup of tea. For someone like me who grew up on comic books, it's Candyland and Disney World rolled into one.
Oh, and P.S. Marvel. Nice touch that Cap has crossed Star Wars off his "To Do" list!
The Dark Lord of the Sith says:
***** stars (been a couple years since I've given this one)
Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Good viewing. Much better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. Could possibly foot the price of a non-Matinee.
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Released 4/4/14
Marvel Studios releases have become spectacles of late, especially since the release of the Avengers in 2012. This week's release of the Captain America sequel is no exception. Marvel has set the bar fairly high in recent years. Speculation is that The Winter Soldier is arguably the studio's best release ever. What? Better than the Avengers? Could it really be that epic for the picky comic connoisseur like myself?
Well, I don't know if I would call it Marvel's best release yet, but, it's pretty epic in its own right, easily in the team photo as one of the best movies of its genre. It's a perfect mix of action, comedy and political intrigue. And, it has the feel of a game changer in the Marvel movie narrative (and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on the television side for that matter).
We find Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) still a stranger in a strange land since he was unthawed from his decades long sleep a couple of years ago. Aside from the occasional clashes with international peacekeeping force, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s director, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), regarding trust, he's still fighting the good fight on Fury's behalf performing highly important and classified missions for him. At least, that's what he thinks until Fury let's him in on something he finds highly disturbing.
S.H.I.E.L.D. has adopted the philosophy of neutralizing threats from the vast stores of data they have on just about every living man, woman, and child on the planet before they become uncontrollable. To do this, three experimental and heavily armed Helicarriers connected by satellite link have been designed to take out anyone who fits this profile, by the thousands, if necessary. As Fury states, "S.H.I.E.L.D. views the world as it is and not how they would like it to be." It's a philosophy the good Captain has a big issue with. But, with Fury's friend and senior S.H.I.E.L.D. director, Alexander Pierce (Robert Redford), in lockstep with him regarding "Project Insight", Rogers is outvoted. And, that's when everything in The Winter Soldier hits the fan in a big way. Fury becomes compromised (or does he?) and events are manipulated to make Captain America an enemy of the state. And, who is this mysterious super terrorist codenamed The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) making The Captain's life difficult? Who is he and who does he work for? Rogers is sure not to like either answer.
What I like most about what Marvel is doing here is the way they are interconnecting their stories in the "Phase 2" stage of their films. And, they're often very subtle interconnections. In The Winter Soldier alone, we're reintroduced to Loki's spear from The Avengers (albeit during the end credits), Iron Man's repulsor lifts on a very large scale through the Helicarriers, and a serum developed by Bruce Banner that slows the heart rate to almost nothing.
As with most movies of this genre, the action and death-defying stunts are amped up to amazing levels. But, this one is done in a more organic way if that makes any sense. It's not like Thor, Spider-Man, or Iron Man where you expect fights and adrenaline-rushing sequences to be on a grand superhuman scale. Directors, Anthony and Joe Russo, have taken care to scale back the CGI on this one. While Captain America does most things that most humans couldn't do, what he's doing still feels decidedly human and anchored somewhat to the real world which fits the character exactly. It's different, but just as exciting to see on-screen.
There are some familiar and new faces in The Winter Soldier. Scarlett Johansson and Cobie Smulders return as The Black Widow and S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Maria Hill, respectively. Two characters are introduced who are very important to the Captain America mythos. Anthony Mackie is brought into the fold as Cap ally, Sam Wilson (The Falcon), an ex-paratrooper highly trained in aerial combat using a specialized flight pack with wings. Emily Van Camp is introduced as S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent, Sharon Carter, a woman who becomes very important in Cap's life in the comic. We'll see if the powers that be follow suit with that in the film adaptations.
Another thing that sets The Winter Soldier apart from many super hero movies is the direction of the storyline itself. It's as much a political thriller as it is a super hero movie with deceptions and intrigue galore. I said earlier that this movie will have far-reaching repercussions within the Marvel movie universe. Seeds from this movie have even been planted in the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. television series. There's something very rotten happening in this group. I won't give much more away, but, a certain counter organization is rearing its ugly little head (or should I say heads) again in the 21st century that's bad news for everyone.
I also don't know why I feel the need to say this, but, I will say it again anyway. Unless it's of absolutely no interest to you, you do not get up and leave the theater from any Marvel movie whether it's from Marvel Studios, Sony, or Fox before the last end credit has rolled. Two segments are provided here during the end credits. The lesser one (in my opinion) is at the very end of the credits that likely has more to do with the next Captain America movie than it does with the Marvel Universe as a whole (depending on where they take the story) involving a character on the verge of remembering some important things. The first post credit scene happens about mid-way through that will have ramifications for next year's Avengers: Age of Ultron movie. You've been told. Leave the theater at your own risk.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier is well worth the wait and hype. It's an excellent piece of movie making by all parties involved and keeps the bar raised high for the genre. This is the golden age for the comic book geek. I've heard some say super hero movies are ruining Hollywood. All in the eye of the beholder I guess. If you have no interest in this type of spectacle, it's not going to be your cup of tea. For someone like me who grew up on comic books, it's Candyland and Disney World rolled into one.
Oh, and P.S. Marvel. Nice touch that Cap has crossed Star Wars off his "To Do" list!
The Dark Lord of the Sith says:
***** stars (been a couple years since I've given this one)
Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Good viewing. Much better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. Could possibly foot the price of a non-Matinee.
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here.
Saturday, March 8, 2014
300: Rise of an Empire
Reviews from the Dark Side presents
300: Rise of an Empire
Released 3/7/14, now in theaters
Zack Snyder returns as the writer and producer of his latest sword and sandals epic, 300: Rise of an Empire, the sequel (of sorts), to Snyder's 2006 film, 300. Turning the directorial reigns over to Noam Murro this time, Snyder tells a fictionalized version of the real life Battle of Salamis. As with the first 300 film, Rise of an Empire is based on another of legendary comic book writer/artist, Frank Miller's, graphic novels.
With 300 being one of my favorite movies of all time, Rise of an Empire had much to live up to. And, it does to a point. You have the typical gore and bloodletting that you would expect. It is still depicted in an awesome way with captivating stop-motion photography that was made so popular by the first film. But, the issue is while the action is still great, it's not original any longer which gives the movie an almost ho-hum feeling at times. Again, don't misunderstand. It's still good stuff, but it's a little "been there, done that", too.
Rise of an Empire is both prequel and sequel to 300. It's also unique as most of it runs concurrently with the first movie as well. It chronicles the Persian God-king, Xerxes', continued march on the Greek city-states. This time, the battle is focused on the Persian Navy's assault on Athens while the Army's ground forces deal with King Leonidas and his Spartan Guard from the first film.
The Persians' animosity towards the Greeks stems from an incident 10 years prior to the events of 300. At this time, Persian King Darius I's charge at Greece was halted by General Themistocles (Sullivan Stapleton) of Athens. Darius paid for the assault with his life thanks to Themistocles, an incident Darius' son, Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro), would not forget.
By Xerxes side manipulating him every step of the way is his greatest military commander, Artemesia (Eva Green), a Greek woman taken in by the Persians with a huge ax to grind with Greece. And, it doesn't help that Artemesia is just slightly off her rocker either.
Facing overwhelming odds against Artemesia's immense Navy, Themistocles holds his own for a time through guile and determination. However, he knows it's only a matter of time before his Athenians are crushed by sheer numbers alone, especially if he can't convince Queen Gorgo (Lena Headey) of Sparta to join him. But, the good queen isn't in a helpful mood as she just received word of the fall of her husband, Leonidas, and the 300 to Xerxes' Army.
The true treat of Rise of an Empire is Eva Green as she is by far the most developed and well-rounded character of the film. "Cray cray" doesn't begin to describe her. Watching her made me feel like she was the female equivalent of Darth Vader at times. Failure is not tolerated under her command for any reason.
Director, Murro, does a great job of depicting the differences between the Athenians in Rise and the Spartans of 300. The Athenians aren't warriors by nature. While they're tough, gone are the "8-pack abs" and love of fighting of the battle-hardened Spartans. They're more philosophical and less physically imposing than their counterparts. It was an interesting contrast in appearance and style.
Rise of an Empire is a very nice companion piece to 300 which fleshes out what was happening in the other important city-state while Leonidas and his men made their heroic stand. Eva Green makes it more than just a mere copy of the original with her unhinged performance. It doesn't get high marks on originality, but it's an adrenaline rush all the same.
The Dark Lord of the Sith says:
***3/4 stars
Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Good viewing. Much better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. Could possibly foot the price of a non-Matinee.
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here.
300: Rise of an Empire
Released 3/7/14, now in theaters
Zack Snyder returns as the writer and producer of his latest sword and sandals epic, 300: Rise of an Empire, the sequel (of sorts), to Snyder's 2006 film, 300. Turning the directorial reigns over to Noam Murro this time, Snyder tells a fictionalized version of the real life Battle of Salamis. As with the first 300 film, Rise of an Empire is based on another of legendary comic book writer/artist, Frank Miller's, graphic novels.
With 300 being one of my favorite movies of all time, Rise of an Empire had much to live up to. And, it does to a point. You have the typical gore and bloodletting that you would expect. It is still depicted in an awesome way with captivating stop-motion photography that was made so popular by the first film. But, the issue is while the action is still great, it's not original any longer which gives the movie an almost ho-hum feeling at times. Again, don't misunderstand. It's still good stuff, but it's a little "been there, done that", too.
Rise of an Empire is both prequel and sequel to 300. It's also unique as most of it runs concurrently with the first movie as well. It chronicles the Persian God-king, Xerxes', continued march on the Greek city-states. This time, the battle is focused on the Persian Navy's assault on Athens while the Army's ground forces deal with King Leonidas and his Spartan Guard from the first film.
The Persians' animosity towards the Greeks stems from an incident 10 years prior to the events of 300. At this time, Persian King Darius I's charge at Greece was halted by General Themistocles (Sullivan Stapleton) of Athens. Darius paid for the assault with his life thanks to Themistocles, an incident Darius' son, Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro), would not forget.
By Xerxes side manipulating him every step of the way is his greatest military commander, Artemesia (Eva Green), a Greek woman taken in by the Persians with a huge ax to grind with Greece. And, it doesn't help that Artemesia is just slightly off her rocker either.
Facing overwhelming odds against Artemesia's immense Navy, Themistocles holds his own for a time through guile and determination. However, he knows it's only a matter of time before his Athenians are crushed by sheer numbers alone, especially if he can't convince Queen Gorgo (Lena Headey) of Sparta to join him. But, the good queen isn't in a helpful mood as she just received word of the fall of her husband, Leonidas, and the 300 to Xerxes' Army.
The true treat of Rise of an Empire is Eva Green as she is by far the most developed and well-rounded character of the film. "Cray cray" doesn't begin to describe her. Watching her made me feel like she was the female equivalent of Darth Vader at times. Failure is not tolerated under her command for any reason.
Director, Murro, does a great job of depicting the differences between the Athenians in Rise and the Spartans of 300. The Athenians aren't warriors by nature. While they're tough, gone are the "8-pack abs" and love of fighting of the battle-hardened Spartans. They're more philosophical and less physically imposing than their counterparts. It was an interesting contrast in appearance and style.
Rise of an Empire is a very nice companion piece to 300 which fleshes out what was happening in the other important city-state while Leonidas and his men made their heroic stand. Eva Green makes it more than just a mere copy of the original with her unhinged performance. It doesn't get high marks on originality, but it's an adrenaline rush all the same.
The Dark Lord of the Sith says:
***3/4 stars
Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Good viewing. Much better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. Could possibly foot the price of a non-Matinee.
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here.
Monday, February 17, 2014
Robocop
Reviews from the Dark Side presents
Robocop
Released 2/12/14, now in theaters
What is this? Yet another remake of a movie classic? Does Hollywood have no new ideas in the pipeline? Well, we know the answer to that one. But remakes aren't necessarily a bad thing if you can somehow make it better than the original. A very daunting task, I know. At the very least, a remake should make us look at the material a different way and not be a scene-for-scene copy all while keeping enough the original material to be recognizable. Yikes, that was a mouthful! So, without further ado, let's get down to what you really want to know. Does the Robocop remake make you cheer or jeer?
Joel Kinnaman takes over the role of the cyborg supercop from Peter Weller, while Jose Padilha steps into Paul Verhoeven's director's chair. While the remake may have a more morose tone, it is an action-packed thriller that, at times, bests the original.
Robocop starts as two stories that fatefully converge. The year is 2028. The Omnicorp Corporation (OCP), led by opportunistic CEO, Raymond Sellars (Michael Keaton), has cornered the market on robot technology overseas. Heavily armed machines created by Omnicorp now serve as the police force in many nations and have replaced much of the manpower in the U.S. Military. But, the ever-ambitious Sellars is losing out on a potential goldmine. The use of clinical, remorseless machines policing American streets has been vehemently rejected through the Dreyfus Act. Sellars and his marketing team come up with the idea of "selling" their technology to the public by adding a human element.
Enter Dr. Dennett Norton (Gary Oldman), a scientist on the Omnicorp payroll. Norton has made amazing advances in robotic prosthetics. Appealing to the doctor's need to help the gravely injured, Sellars is able to get him on board with the project. Now, all they need is the right subject.
Detroit detective, Alex Murphy (Kinnaman), is one of the only honest cops in his corrupt precinct. While working undercover to catch a notorious drug dealer, he hits the tip of the iceberg as to how deeply the corruption in his precinct extends. Getting far too close to the truth, his partner is badly injured when their cover is deliberately blown. Knowing Murphy would not give up on the case now, his car is rigged to explode, critically wounding Murphy. And voila, Omnicorp now has its potential human guinea pig. After Sellars convinces Murphy's wife to sign the release that is.
Thus, for the first time in history, man is merged with machine. Murphy is reborn in a nearly unstoppable robot body. Omnicorp's marketing machine has worked overtime selling Murphy's story as a human interest piece to further the company's agenda. Murphy's transformation can't fail without dire political and financial consequences for OCP. So, despite Norton's objections, Murphy's human personality is suppressed to allow the machine full reign over his actions. But, OCP's best efforts are thwarted every time as the human never remains buried by the machine for very long, making a Murphy a threat to the conglomerate's gargantuan ambitions.
Visually, this film is stunning. The Robocop armor is sleek and more aerodynamic here. With all due respect to the original movie which was great, that armor looked like a tank that wasn't conducive to quick movement. I believed Kinnaman's cyborg when the situation called for fast action. The director also made a nice decision with the cyborg's visor. Instead of being permanently attached to Murphy's head, the visor was turned into more of tactical weapon as it automatically appeared when Robocop was in battle mode and retracted when he wasn't. These were nice contrast moments between man and machine. I also liked the decision to make the armor "more tactical" as Sellars would say in the movie by making it black. It felt more like a covert ops suit than a robotic exoskeleton this way. I wish this look would have stayed in favor of the more classic look (yes, I just gave that away).
When the audience is introduced to what's left of Murphy after the explosion, it's sad and disturbing. It reminded me of a line from the Metallica song, One. "I'm waking up I cannot not see that there's not much left of me." Unfortunately, Murphy is able to see. That would have messed with my head permanently.
And, yet another good decision amongst many good decisions in the film was a concerted effort to keep Murphy as human as possible. When he's not controlled by the machine, Murphy speaks in his human voice. Weller's Robocop always felt very robotic. Again, I'm not complaining about the original, but I like the small subtleties that Padilha has added.
Hopefully, this will be a springboard for Joel Kinnaman as he does a more than credible job here. I became familiar with him in the TV series, The Killing. It wasn't long before I found him the only thing watchable on the show.
There are other subtle little cookies Padilha adds like small segments of the original Robocop theme. He also adds a bit of symbolism in Raymond Sellars because that's exactly what Keaton does through the whole movie. He tries to sell the Senate. He tries to sell the American public. He sells to Norton and the Murphys. Every last group is led to believe that what he's doing is a good idea until they often realize (too late) that it's all a bill of goods and there were never any good intentions involved.
And, the social satire Verhoeven included in the original can all be embodied by Samuel L. Jackson's character, Pat Novak, a television host who is pretty much in favor of militarism and corporate greed. He's essentially a mouthpiece for Sellars. One thing I would like to thank Padilha for is giving the audience a classic Samuel L. Jackson moment at the end of Robocop. Oh, you all know what I mean by that!
It appears that Hollywood has found the formula for churning out remakes that are at least as good as their predecessors. In the last three years, we've had Dredd in 2012 which was far superior to the original train wreck. Then there was Carrie in 2013 which I thought improved on some aspects of the original (although the ending of the original can never be topped). Now, there's Robocop. Padilha has done a masterful job of putting his own spin on the character while keeping it decidedly recognizable in more than name only. This is Robocop for a new generation.
Now, I'd buy that for a dollar!
The Dark Lord of the Sith says:
****1/4 stars
Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Good viewing. Much better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. Could possibly foot the price of a non-Matinee.
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here.
Robocop
Released 2/12/14, now in theaters
What is this? Yet another remake of a movie classic? Does Hollywood have no new ideas in the pipeline? Well, we know the answer to that one. But remakes aren't necessarily a bad thing if you can somehow make it better than the original. A very daunting task, I know. At the very least, a remake should make us look at the material a different way and not be a scene-for-scene copy all while keeping enough the original material to be recognizable. Yikes, that was a mouthful! So, without further ado, let's get down to what you really want to know. Does the Robocop remake make you cheer or jeer?
Joel Kinnaman takes over the role of the cyborg supercop from Peter Weller, while Jose Padilha steps into Paul Verhoeven's director's chair. While the remake may have a more morose tone, it is an action-packed thriller that, at times, bests the original.
Robocop starts as two stories that fatefully converge. The year is 2028. The Omnicorp Corporation (OCP), led by opportunistic CEO, Raymond Sellars (Michael Keaton), has cornered the market on robot technology overseas. Heavily armed machines created by Omnicorp now serve as the police force in many nations and have replaced much of the manpower in the U.S. Military. But, the ever-ambitious Sellars is losing out on a potential goldmine. The use of clinical, remorseless machines policing American streets has been vehemently rejected through the Dreyfus Act. Sellars and his marketing team come up with the idea of "selling" their technology to the public by adding a human element.
Enter Dr. Dennett Norton (Gary Oldman), a scientist on the Omnicorp payroll. Norton has made amazing advances in robotic prosthetics. Appealing to the doctor's need to help the gravely injured, Sellars is able to get him on board with the project. Now, all they need is the right subject.
Detroit detective, Alex Murphy (Kinnaman), is one of the only honest cops in his corrupt precinct. While working undercover to catch a notorious drug dealer, he hits the tip of the iceberg as to how deeply the corruption in his precinct extends. Getting far too close to the truth, his partner is badly injured when their cover is deliberately blown. Knowing Murphy would not give up on the case now, his car is rigged to explode, critically wounding Murphy. And voila, Omnicorp now has its potential human guinea pig. After Sellars convinces Murphy's wife to sign the release that is.
Thus, for the first time in history, man is merged with machine. Murphy is reborn in a nearly unstoppable robot body. Omnicorp's marketing machine has worked overtime selling Murphy's story as a human interest piece to further the company's agenda. Murphy's transformation can't fail without dire political and financial consequences for OCP. So, despite Norton's objections, Murphy's human personality is suppressed to allow the machine full reign over his actions. But, OCP's best efforts are thwarted every time as the human never remains buried by the machine for very long, making a Murphy a threat to the conglomerate's gargantuan ambitions.
Visually, this film is stunning. The Robocop armor is sleek and more aerodynamic here. With all due respect to the original movie which was great, that armor looked like a tank that wasn't conducive to quick movement. I believed Kinnaman's cyborg when the situation called for fast action. The director also made a nice decision with the cyborg's visor. Instead of being permanently attached to Murphy's head, the visor was turned into more of tactical weapon as it automatically appeared when Robocop was in battle mode and retracted when he wasn't. These were nice contrast moments between man and machine. I also liked the decision to make the armor "more tactical" as Sellars would say in the movie by making it black. It felt more like a covert ops suit than a robotic exoskeleton this way. I wish this look would have stayed in favor of the more classic look (yes, I just gave that away).
When the audience is introduced to what's left of Murphy after the explosion, it's sad and disturbing. It reminded me of a line from the Metallica song, One. "I'm waking up I cannot not see that there's not much left of me." Unfortunately, Murphy is able to see. That would have messed with my head permanently.
And, yet another good decision amongst many good decisions in the film was a concerted effort to keep Murphy as human as possible. When he's not controlled by the machine, Murphy speaks in his human voice. Weller's Robocop always felt very robotic. Again, I'm not complaining about the original, but I like the small subtleties that Padilha has added.
Hopefully, this will be a springboard for Joel Kinnaman as he does a more than credible job here. I became familiar with him in the TV series, The Killing. It wasn't long before I found him the only thing watchable on the show.
There are other subtle little cookies Padilha adds like small segments of the original Robocop theme. He also adds a bit of symbolism in Raymond Sellars because that's exactly what Keaton does through the whole movie. He tries to sell the Senate. He tries to sell the American public. He sells to Norton and the Murphys. Every last group is led to believe that what he's doing is a good idea until they often realize (too late) that it's all a bill of goods and there were never any good intentions involved.
And, the social satire Verhoeven included in the original can all be embodied by Samuel L. Jackson's character, Pat Novak, a television host who is pretty much in favor of militarism and corporate greed. He's essentially a mouthpiece for Sellars. One thing I would like to thank Padilha for is giving the audience a classic Samuel L. Jackson moment at the end of Robocop. Oh, you all know what I mean by that!
It appears that Hollywood has found the formula for churning out remakes that are at least as good as their predecessors. In the last three years, we've had Dredd in 2012 which was far superior to the original train wreck. Then there was Carrie in 2013 which I thought improved on some aspects of the original (although the ending of the original can never be topped). Now, there's Robocop. Padilha has done a masterful job of putting his own spin on the character while keeping it decidedly recognizable in more than name only. This is Robocop for a new generation.
Now, I'd buy that for a dollar!
The Dark Lord of the Sith says:
****1/4 stars
Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Good viewing. Much better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. Could possibly foot the price of a non-Matinee.
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here.
Saturday, February 8, 2014
2014-The Best (and Worst) of the Rest
Justice League: War- Animated feature from Warner Bros. featuring DC Comics' most famous heroes (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Cyborg, and Shazam) and their formation into the Justice League. The catalyst that brings them together is the invasion of Earth by the universal conqueror, Darkseid. This is another triumphant effort by Warner's animated studio. They know how to place DC characters in the greatest light possible. It's non-stop action and mayhem. And don't think the depiction of any of these characters has a "goody two shoes" motif. The League gets down and dirty here including one character who is normally not a killer taking that drastic step. Parts of this one aren't for the kiddies.
**** stars
The Hungover Games- In this latest send-up of Hollywood pop-culture, an amalgam of The Hangover, Hunger Games, Ted, Thor, and other fan-favorite movies are parodied. Four friends celebrating one's impending wedding with a bachelor party are transported to an alternate universe where Hollywood icons battle to the death in brutal combat. These types of movies often troll way too hard for laughs and this one is no different. A couple of mildly amusing moments is about all you'll get here.
**1/2 stars
Ride Along- The buddy cop genre is given a twirl by rapper, Ice Cube, and comedian, Kevin Hart. Painfully predictable. As South Park's Officer Barbrady would say "Nothing to see here!" Ice Cube acts as ornery as a horse that's just been gelded, and Hart acts like a buffoon. Has some value if you're a fan of Hart's comedy.
**1/2 stars
Bad Words- This black comedy features the directorial debut of actor, Jason Bateman. Bateman stars as a 40-year old man who enters a national children's spelling bee for his own subversive reasons. Very funny, very twisted. It has some heart when Bateman's character befriends one of the contestants, albeit a sick heart. Kathryn Hahn and Allison Janney co-star.
***1/2 stars
Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones- Why does anyone bother with this series? It's been the same scenario every time. It's about 80 minutes of things that go bump in the night only to wake up and give you something to chew on for the final 10 minutes or less. This time a coven of witches is stirring up trouble for unsuspecting young men who have been marked for possession since birth. With these movies, less is not more. It's downright boring.
*1/2 stars
The Legend of Hercules- Director, Renny Harlin, takes on the Greek hero/legend starring Kellan Lutz as the titular character. Some of the CGI is a bit comical (think '80s Clash of the Titans). It's not a horrible film, but there's no wow factor on an action or dramatic level to write home about. The term "meh" will come to mind when you think about it. That is, if you think about it at all.
**1/2 stars
Oculus- This fright fest from director, Mike Flanagan, is more an exercise in psychological terror than about creepy things trying to scare the Hell out of you (although there is a fair amount of that, too). An antique mirror housing a malevolent presence becomes the subject of a young woman's (Karen Gillan) obsession when she comes to believe it was responsible for the deaths of her parents and subsequent psychiatric incarceration of her younger brother several years before. The lines between reality and flashback become blurred and very often happen simultaneously as the siblings remember and relive that fateful night. The film does a good job creating a mood that's chilling, while also providing a small sense of redemption for some characters. But, sometimes that redemption comes with consequences of its own. It's not as blood-curdlingly scary as some horror movies, but it does create a sense of uneasiness.
***1/2 stars
Noah- Director, Darren Aronofsky's, biblically inspired epic is likely to offend some (or many) staunch followers of Bible lore. In fact, it's only resemblance sometimes is that it's about a man who builds a large boat and transports a lot of animals during a flood. But, if you can get past rock angels, a vicious army led by a descendant of Cain, Noah's grandfather having magical healing powers, and Noah himself being a touch callous (evil some might say), it's an interesting fantasy/adventure that happens to have some religious overtones. Don't take it too seriously and you'll be fine. Expect a blow-by-blow retelling, and your head will explode. Environmentalists and PETA will love it. Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, and Emma Watson star.
*** stars
I, Frankenstein- A modern take on the classic monster with Aaron Eckhart entering the large boots and electrodes of Dr. Frankenstein's labor of love. With the exception of a few ugly scars, Eckhart looks like the only monster who could pass for a GQ model. That's not the issue. The nonsensical plot involving an order of gargoyles, a demon prince, and Dr. Frankenstein's journal is the issue. Watching I, Frankenstein reminded me of watching Van Helsing a few years ago. I expected something beautiful and kick-ass and got camp and idiocy. There's a few nice moments featuring exploding demons, but there's not much to truly enjoy here. Bill Nighy as the big bad is laughable. He was much scarier in the Underworld series. Yvonne Strahovski co-stars.
**1/4 stars
Reasonable Doubt- Dominic Cooper and Samuel L. Jackson star in this mediocre thriller about an up-and-coming D.A. who commits a fatal hit-and-run and the man actually blamed for it who may be a serial killer himself. Sounds like the makings of a taut cat-and-mouse game between the two main characters, but there are way too many leaps in logic that make no sense at all. And while there are legitimate reasons for the killer's murderous psychology, the movie takes the easy way out at the end and completely vilifies him by making him act in a way that doesn't follow his motivations. Very lazy writing and lackluster performances make this one a skip unless you're just looking for something to do for 90 minutes.
*1/2 stars
Draft Day- Kevin Costner stars in yet another sports-related movie that has been his forte over the years. This time he is the embattled General Manager of the NFL's Cleveland Browns on, what else? NFL Draft Day. Even with its contrived happy ending, Draft Day is an enjoyable enough day-in-the- life viewing of a pressure-cooker of a job. Whether the sports-related events in the "War Room" are accurate is anyone's guess unless you have intimate knowledge of a sports executive's life. But, I was sucked in regardless. Jennifer Garner, Frank Langella, and Denis Leary co-star.
***1/4 stars
A Haunted House 2- I had no idea that last year's horror spoof from Marlon Wayans warranted a sequel, but here it is. This time the arguably goofiest member of the Wayans family does a comic send up of recent horror offerings Sinister, The Conjuring, and The Possession. Like the first film, some of it is actually pretty funny (especially the Sinister spoofs). Other parts are just plain Marlon on overkill moments (the man knows he likes to show his naked rear end). It just doesn't always feel like a feature film. Most of it feels like comic segments you might see on a show like SNL spliced together with no real coherence.
**3/4 stars
Sabotage- Arnold Schwarzenegger leads an elite squad of DEA agents who get in over their heads when $10 million is lost in their most recent bust. One by one the team is hunted down by an unknown assailant(s). But is it the cartel taking them out, or, is it one of their own? Are different agendas at work here? Sabotage is a darker and more hard-hitting action thriller than we're used to from Schwarzenegger. His team is mostly a gang of cutthroats and scuzz balls. Even Arnold's motives are questionable. I can't remember one eye-rolling one-liner here. And, despite the typical action movie shootout and somewhat hokey showdown ending, this worked for me.
***1/4 stars
Godzilla- As with The Transformers series, the humans in the movie are more than a bit immaterial. Oh, there's nothing inherently wrong with the human characters or their storylines. They at least aren't annoying. But, you find yourself wanting to blaze through all of their minutiae and fast forward to the monster beatdown. I give points to the film's trailers. The story itself is a complete curveball from what you might think it is. Godzilla himself looks amazing. He alone is worth the price of admission when he's finally seen and his high-pitched roar is heard. Bryan Cranston stars.
***1/2 stars
That Awkward Moment- Zac Efron, Miles Teller, and Michael B. Jordan, star as three best friends navigating the complicated and, sometimes, murky waters of relationships. It has some funny "bro" moments, but it's a trite film that has the "been there, done that" feel of so many other romantic comedies. It's not bad per se, but there are better ways to spend your time.
**3/4 stars
Bad Country- Most straight-to-video offerings are straight-to-video for a reason. Tom Berenger's bad Cajun accent notwithstanding, Bad Country really wasn't a bad crime thriller. This story of a maverick Louisiana detective (Willem Dafoe) recruiting a known felon (Matt Dillon) to infiltrate a Dixie mob isn't great by any means, but it has suspense, good pacing, revenge, and nice shootouts. It's an entertaining watch.
*** stars
A Million Ways to Die in the West- Seth MacFarlane's second directorial adventure lampoons the Wild West in this story of a hapless sheep farmer who unknowingly becomes involved with a notorious gunslinger's wife. While not as funny as his first offering, Ted, I can say there is more than enough hilarity here to avoid a sophomore jinx. And, of course, since this is Seth MacFarlane, there is a fair amount of bad taste included. I'll say this again as I said in my review of Ted. Why can't MacFarlane be this funny with Family Guy? MacFarlane stars as the leading man. Charlize Theron, Liam Neeson, Giovanni Ribisi, and Sarah Silverman co-star.
***1/2 stars
Maleficent- Angelina Jolie stars as the titular villain in this live action reimagining of Sleeping Beauty. But, is Maleficent the true villain of this story? There is some spectacular photography and special effects at play, particularly when Maleficent crashes through a palace window in slow motion. But, I wasn't terribly excited by the story itself. Not that there is anything wrong with the film mind you, but I was never a big fan of Sleeping Beauty growing up.
***stars
The Monuments Men- George Clooney directs and stars in this biographical depiction of a military commissioned team of art historians attempting to recover stolen art and artifacts from the Nazis during World War II. It's a feel good homage to a little-known operation if you can call any retelling of a war as "feel good." The film does have its comic and tragic moments and it's a story that has merit, but I would have been good with a 10-minute blurb. Matt Damon, John Goodman, Bill Murray, and Cate Blanchett co-star.
*** stars
Pompeii- Love and gladiatorial combat are set against the backdrop of the famous volcano eruption of Mount Vesuvius in ancient Rome. Celtic slave, Milo (Kit Harrington), seeks vengeance on the evil Roman Senator, Corvus (Kiefer Sutherland), who murdered his tribe several years earlier. Along the way, he becomes involved with the daughter of Pompeii's city ruler all while trying to stay alive in the arena and avoiding the lava and ash of the volcano's eruption. Gladiator this is not. It doesn't carry that film's emotional weight or have its overall acting chops. But, this film isn't half bad. It gives you some spectacular shots of the volcanic eruption and the damage it leaves in its wake. While the sword battles aren't particularly bloody, they are well choreographed. There are worse ways to spend 100 minutes.
***stars
3 Days to Kill- What does a terminally ill CIA field agent do in his final days? He tries to reconnect with his estranged wife and daughter. Kevin Costner is Agent Ethan Renner who awkwardly attempts to be a father/husband when he discovers he has brain cancer. Promising his family he's done with the life, he's sucked back in by CIA assassin, Vivi Delay (Amber Heard), who is on the hunt for an international arms dealer and requires the retired agent's unique skills and expertise. Part comedy, part action thriller, 3 Days to Kill is passable entertainment. It won't have you on the edge of your seat, but it won't bore you to tears either.
*** stars
Devil's Due- Here we have yet another horror movie shot in the what I find increasingly annoying "found footage" format. That is to say that the camera work is choppy and doesn't tell a full story. Devil's Due tells the story of a young couple unknowingly kidnapped for an arcane ritual on their honeymoon. And then, before you can say Antichrist, the wife is pregnant with a demon child. All manner of strange shenanigans follow. I will say this one was slightly more enthralling than any of the Paranormal Activity films I've seen.
**1/2 stars
Veronica Mars- Kristen Bell returns as the former teen, now adult, private eye in this film that takes place approximately ten years after the TV series ended. Veronica has tried to leave her former life behind moving from California to New York. She's traded in her private eye credentials for law school. But when a former love is accused of murder, the super sleuth goes back into action. Bell plays Veronica at her smart aleck-y best. It's an entertaining film if you were a fan of the series. If you weren't, it's nothing you haven't seen before.
***1/4 stars
Non-Stop- Liam Neeson stars as a Federal Air Marshal who finds himself entangled in a twisted plot on a transatlantic flight. It's a much more intriguing, intricate plot than I would have ever given it credit for. Neeson, as always, is a more than credible action star. Julianne Moore co-stars.
***1/4 stars
The Grand Budapest Hotel- Director Wes Anderson helms this quirky, comic tale of a 1930s concierge who teams up with the hotel's lobby boy to clear his name after he is framed for murder. There aren't many laugh out loud moments here, but plenty of small chuckles. It runs a little long for my tastes without having outrageous, rip-roaring humor, but it's an entertaining watch nonetheless. Ralph Fiennes heads an all-star cast.
***1/4 stars
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit- Like Star Trek and James Bond of recent memory, Tom Clancy's covert agent gets a shiny, glossy reboot with Chris Pine as the titular character. This time, Ryan attempts to foil a terrorist plot that could cause the financial ruin of the U.S. orchestrated by a Russian tycoon. There's nothing inherently wrong with this film. There's also nothing particularly new and exciting either. It's watchable, but instantly forgettable. Kevin Costner, Keira Knightley, and Kenneth Branagh (who also directs) co-star.
**3/4 stars
The Lego Movie- Who woulda' thunk it? A cute and funny movie devoted to Legos! Yes, those little interlocking kids blocks! But that's what we have here. Emmet (Chris Pratt) is an unimpressive Lego construction worker who unthinkably might be the prophesied "Special" capable of stopping the oppressive Lego doomsday weapon "Kragle" that's controlled by the oppressive ruler, Lord Business (Will Ferrell). Yes, it's as silly as it sounds. And, it works. The CG effects are incredible. It's a children's movie that also has enough content for the over 10 audience to enjoy.
***1/2 stars
Neighbors- Wow. OK. Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne star as new parents living in a quiet neighborhood until a fraternity moves in to the house next door. At first wanting to be one of the "cool kids", the couple tries to make friends with their new neighbors until the inevitable misunderstanding leads to all-out war between them. Making very little sense and largely unfunny, this film was praised by critics and has made its fair share at the box office. Meanwhile, A Million Ways to Die in the West (an infinitely funnier movie) has been universally panned. Go figure. Zac Efron co-stars.
*1/2 stars
Edge of Tomorrow- Tom Cruise stars in this sci-fi tale of a soldier who repeats the same day countless times after dying in battle against alien forces. The jumping back in time segments do take a few leaps in logic, but it does have its thrills for the action junkies out there and it's comedic moments as Cruise's only ally in this adventure is sometimes all too happy to kill him to make him repeat the day until he gets it right. Emily Blunt co-stars.
*** stars
Tammy- Melissa McCarthy co-wrote and stars in this road comedy about a middle-aged woman-child who loses her car, husband, and job all within a few hours. Needing a change of scenery, she hits the road with her eccentric, alcoholic grandmother (Susan Sarandon) on an adventure-filled trip to Niagara Falls. What could go wrong? Well, everything of course! It's a cute movie, but not hilariously funny. While it would take a lot for McCarthy not to be funny, my fear is that she might be typecasting herself as she's played a variation of her Bridesmaids character a few times now and I think she has a broader range than this.
*** stars
Joe- Nicolas Cage stars as an ex-con who becomes a father figure and eventual protector to an abused 15-year old boy. I have no idea where in America this film takes place, but it's poverty-stricken, washed out, and dirty wherever it is. It's a tight, suspense-filled thriller...for the last 10 minutes! Prior to this, it's an incongruous look into the title character's life of debauchery.
**1/2 stars
Deliver Us From Evil- Scott Derrickson, the director of Sinister, offers this disturbing account of true events starring Eric Bana as a present-day NYPD detective caught in the middle of a ring of demonic possession. Derrickson still knows how to give the audience the creeps in a big way. It's nothing you haven't seen before as far as scares go (well, that scene with the cat is pretty sick), but it gets high marks for atmosphere.
***1/4 stars
Think Like a Man, Too- The gang's back together. This time, the couples (and one semi-single) are in Vegas for the wedding of two of their own. And, you can imagine the respective bachelor and bachelorette parties don't go quite according to plan. I enjoyed the sequel a little more than the original as it doesn't drift into as much melodrama. However, unless you're a fan of Kevin Hart's manic riffing, there's not a lot to sink your teeth into.
*** stars
Adult World- Emma Roberts stars as a "professional" college student and would-be poet who takes a job at an adult video store after her parents cut off her funding. Working among the strange and unusual staff and patrons, she learns how to live on her own, finds love, and meets (stalks) her literary idol (John Cusack). It's a cute and moderately amusing film.
*** stars
About Last Night- This remake of the 1986 film is surprisingly sharp and funny. The venue has changed from Chicago to Los Angeles, but the premise is the same. A man and woman formerly unlucky at love unexpectedly fall hard for each other after a one night stand. The trials and tribulations of that relationship are explored in the aftermath through their infatuation to their painful break-up and eventual realization they can't live without each other. Michael Ealy and Joy Bryant replace Rob Lowe and Demi Moore in this version. Several scenes are stolen by Kevin Hart and Regina Hall as the couple's two psychotic friends who have a love/hate (mostly hate) relationship that parallels the main storyline.
*** stars
The Purge: Anarchy- This sequel to last year's surprise hit offers more of an examination of the social consequences surrounding a night of lawlessness. For those not aware of the premise, in the near future, the new "Founding Fathers" of the U.S. have mandated an annual 12-hour period called the Purge where almost all crime (including murder) is legal. While the first film follows one family's gut-wrenching night during the Purge, the sequel follows five people whose lives become entwined during this intense night of survival. Like the first film, this one is overflowing with social commentary and moral dilemmas. I found it a fascinating look into the evil side of human nature.
***3/4 stars
Lucy- Scarlett Johansson stars as an unwilling drug mule internally transporting an experimental drug in this latest Luc Besson action slugfest. When the drug accidentally leaks into her system, Lucy discovers that she is able to unlock the full potential of the human brain while at the same time losing everything that makes her human. Lucy is a fun movie as she learns her full capabilities which are vast to say the least. The action sequences are great, but it lost a little bit for me as the film attempts to be a pseudo-intellectual glimpse into the human spirit. Overall, it has enough thrills to recommend. Morgan Freeman co-stars.
*** stars
Hercules- Dwayne Johnson stars in the year's second big studio release featuring the son of Zeus. This sword and sandals romp takes itself far less seriously as the Legend of Hercules does. Johnson does what is expected as the legendary strongman. Based on a graphic novel, the film has some fun with the Hercules legend and his fantastic exploits indicating that some of the hero's adventures are a little exaggerated. It's a fun, summer popcorn movie with nice action and CGI sequences and nothing more. But, that's enough.
*** stars
Under the Skin- Scarlett Johannson is an alien who assumes human form. She has an accomplice who rides at breakneck speed on a motorcycle through the highlands of Scotland for reasons unknown. She seduces the men she encounters in her serial killer van and takes them back to her place where they both undress and the man inexplicably disappears into a pool of black infinity. Then, Scarlett dresses and repeats the cycle for absolutely no reason at all. Did I mention Scarlett Johannson does explicit nude scenes here? Yeah, even that's not enough to save this abomination.
1/2 star
The Raid 2- The sequel to the 2011 action hit, The Raid 2 follows shortly after the original film and finds one of the surviving heroes, Rama, recruited to go deep undercover to infiltrate an Indonesian crime syndicate. There's a lot of fast-paced martial arts action that harkens back to old school films. It's a little silly and comical at times, especially watching it with the dubbed English vocals. I would have liked this better if not for one thing. At 2 1/2 hours, this movie is way too long for its own good. Thirty minutes could have easily been sent to the cutting room floor.
*** stars
Divergent- In this first installment of the film adaptation of Veronica Roth's young-adult novel trilogy, conformity is the rule of the day in a future dystopian Chicago. All citizens are divided into five distinct groups based on their character traits. But what happens when someone exhibits traits from more than one faction threatening to turn this world of strict rules upside down? Civil War is the answer. The premise of this series, in all honesty, struck me as extremely silly. However, the execution by director, Neil Burger, made for an entertaining and unsettling look at how humanity tries to exert control over its environment. Shailene Woodley stars as "Tris" Prior, the primary protagonist of the series.
***1/4 stars
Blood Ties- Clive Owen and Billy Crudup star as brothers in 1970's New York on different sides of the law. Older brother, Chris, is released from prison and attempts to lead a normal life which becomes increasingly difficult. Younger brother, Frank, an NYPD detective wants to believe in his older sibling, but becomes increasingly disenchanted with Chris' behavior. Blood Ties isn't particularly gripping or intense, but there is some emotional significance as the strength of familial bonds are explored.
*** stars
Frank Miller's Sin City: A Dame to Kill For- Director, Robert Rodriguez, returns to the town without pity in a sequel of sorts to the 2005 anthology film. Shot in the same film noir style as the original, A Dame to Kill For once again ties together several of comic creator, Frank Miller's, stories from the Sin City series. Miller himself wrote two new stories exclusively for the film. Sadly, this second visit to Sin City doesn't have the same spark as the previous film. Everything seems very...rushed, and, at times, not well thought out. A Dame to Kill For isn't bad by any means, but, it definitely isn't as much fun. Josh Brolin, Jessica Alba, Powers Booth, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rosario Dawson, Bruce Willis, Eva Green, and Mickey Rourke star.
**3/4 stars
Rage- Nicolas Cage is a former criminal who has worked hard to forge a legitimate life for himself and his family. When his teenage daughter is murdered, he believes his former life has come back to haunt him, and those old instincts return as he conducts his own "investigation" into the crime with former cohorts. This could have been an interesting look into how unchecked anger can lead to ruin, but Rage is made in such a slapdash and dull manner that it loses much of its bite. And, how many speeches are given to Cage's character about the road he has chosen that really don't apply to his particular situation? Danny Glover co-stars.
**1/2 stars
As Above, So Below- In yet another horror film shot in the "found footage" format (why are these so popular), brilliant young student, Scarlett, has inherited her late father's curiosity for uncovering historical myths. One such myth leads her to the catacombs underneath Paris, France, in search of the fabled Philosopher's Stone. She leads a team, including an old love interest, into these dark, claustrophobic tunnels where they inevitably encounter strange phenomena. It becomes a fight for each to confront his/her greatest fear and get out of the maze alive. Aside from some truly uncomfortable scenes of people making their way through tight spaces, this is a hackneyed snooze of a horror film that ends abruptly and offers no real reason why these strange occurrences happen in the first place. I wondered why this movie happened to be made.
** stars
Blended- Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore star in their third collaboration. Two mismatched people, a divorcee and a widower, are set up on a horrible blind date. It ends with each hoping to never see the other again. Strange (and contrived) circumstances connect them again when they are both booked on the same vacation in South Africa with their respective families. As you would expect, anger turns into a much different emotion over the week they are forced to interact. The laughs are steady, if not sidesplitting. Sandler tones down his usual obnoxious self. Here, he's a poor, clueless schlub, particularly where his daughters are concerned. Barrymore is an uptight control freak. It's a clichéd movie, no doubt, but, it's cute. The two leads play well off each other. The biggest laughs come from Terry Crews as the leader of the vacation resort's resident singing group.
***1/4 stars
Transcendence- Johnny Depp stars as scientist whose curiosity with the universe is taken to new heights when his consciousness is uploaded to a sentient computer after an attack from a technological terrorist group takes his life. Plugged into all technology on Earth, he begins to change life on the planet for the better, or, does he? Some believe he is the most dangerous thing that exists and will stop at nothing to put an end to his "tyranny." For me, this is a most welcome return of Depp to actual acting. He's weird, of course, but Johnny Depp is always going to be weird. But he's weird without being a kooky dingbat, an act that has started to grow tiresome in his recent films. Transcendence is a beautifully shot movie that takes a few leaps in logic, but, it entertained me overall. Morgan Freeman and Paul Bettany co-star.
***1/4 stars
A Walk Among the Tombstones- An ex-cop (Liam Neeson) in self-imposed exile working as an unlicensed private investigator takes on a case assisting a known drug trafficker find the men who kidnapped and murdered his wife. It's an intense if not overly exciting thriller. Neeson's quiet, tough-guy performance is what carries the film.
*** stars
The Equalizer- Denzel Washington and director, Antoine Fuqua, team up once again in this big screen adaptation of the '80s television series. Washington is Robert McCall, an unassuming all-around good guy who works at a home improvement store. He's friendly, helpful, and quiet, if somewhat mysterious to his colleagues. When a young prostitute he befriends is severely injured by her handlers, the truth finally emerges. McCall is a former black ops operative who can "equal" the odds for people in need of his type of assistance. Washington is excellent as McCall. He flips the switch between modest everyman to ruthless killer with ease and believability. The Equalizer is a film with a very simple premise and it delivers on that premise eloquently.
**** stars
Dracula Untold- How many times has the story of Dracula been told? You don't know either do you? Too many to count? Oh, yes! So, what could actor, Luke Evans, possibly have to offer in this rendition that was even remotely of note in the role of the vampire supreme? It turns out, quite a bit. Dracula Untold tells the story of how the legendary Vlad the Impaler became the bloodsucking Count we all know and love. With nice special effects sequences, some human angst, and an impressive body count, Dracula Untold delivers a different take on the legend. The one thing that could have made it better is more bloodletting. It is Dracula, after all. But, it has a PG-13 rating, so there is only so much red stuff you're going to see.
***1/4 stars
Ouija- In this uninspired, paint-by-the-numbers horror fiasco, a group of friends become targets of a mysterious Ouija board when a dark spirit within the board is accidentally awakened. This is the kind of horror movie that irritates me. Everyone here is just going through the motions of what they think a horror movie should be. You have your typical jump scares that aren't particularly frightening. A few ghastly prosthetics does not create the sense of squirm-worthy uneasiness that is the stuff of good horror movies. Ouija board horror was handled much better by the cheesy 80's film, Witchboard. That should tell you something.
* 1/2 stars
John Wick- Keanu Reeves stars as the titular character in this stylized, gun-fu action thriller. Wick is an ex-hitman who is forced back into his former life when a group of thugs takes all that is important to him after his wife's death. What John Wick lacks in plot, it makes up for in adrenalized "bang-bang" action. It's a simple movie of a badass man doing a lot of badass...you get the idea. And, it works.
***1/4 stars
St. Vincent- Bill Murray stars as an acerbic old curmudgeon who becomes the reluctant babysitter for his new neighbor's (Melissa McCarthy's) young son. You might think given Murray's and McCarthy's comic chops, this would be a riotous farce. But, St. Vincent has some very dark undertones that delve into surprising sentimentality. There are a few laughs along the way, but it's no where near as madcap as you think. McCarthy plays this one much straighter than she has in her recent films. Strong performances from Murray, McCarthy, Naomi Watts, and newcomer, Jaeden Lieberher, as the young boy who bizarrely bonds with Murray, drive the movie.
*** stars
Nightcrawler- Jake Gyllenhaal channels his inner creep as a quietly brilliant sociopath, Lou Bloom, who latches on to the art of nightcrawling. That is, following murder and mayhem on his police scanner and filming the carnage to sell to local news stations. Lou has no remorse about what he does or how he does it. He's a social climber of the highest order who will use anyone to reach his goals. This is a bizarre, macabre thriller driven by Gyllenhaal's great performance. I would go as far as saying it's an Oscar-worthy performance. Renee Russo co-stars as the evening news director at the local station who buys Lou's footage.
***3/4 stars
Big Hero 6- Marvel and Disney team-up for computer-animated hijinks to bring the this Marvel series to life. It's the story of five unlikely heroes and a lovable robot forming a super team (of sorts). It's cute with beautiful animation as you would expect from Disney. It also has its fair share of loss and sadness. And, for those who love super hero action, there's plenty for you to chew on, as well. Is it The Incredibles? No. But it's pretty good.
***3/4 stars
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day- You might think this Disney family comedy is a cutesy, sugar-soaked movie. Well, it is. It's also surprisingly very funny. Alexander is the second youngest child in his busy, happy family. However, most days he isn't very happy himself. When he makes a wish on his birthday that his family could experience one really bad day to see what it is like, they experience what it's like to be Alexander. Times five. Although the film has the typical happy ending with lessons learned that you would expect, it's a lot of fun getting there. Steve Carrell and Jennifer Garner star as Alexander's supportive, but frazzled parents.
***1/2 stars
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1- Jennifer Lawrence is back as Katniss Everdeen, the reluctant face of a revolution. Mockingjay Part 1 is pretty much a set up movie much in the same way as The Deathly Hallows Part 1 was to the final chapter of the Harry Potter series. Everything comes to a slow boil before the inevitable monster mash that is sure to come in part 2. Here, Katniss deals with the revelation of her home in District 12 being destroyed and becoming the official face of the revolution against the evil Capitol of Pan-Am. The story moves along with a couple of nice action sequences and a twist revelation at the end. It's good, if not totally spectacular. But, as I said, it's a set up to something bigger that's sure to come.
***1/2 stars
Road to Paloma- Jason Mamoa stars as a man on the run from the FBI for murdering his mother's rapist and killer. He's heads out on the road with his biker/musician/bad boy brother-in-law to scatter his mother's ashes encountering a few adventures along the way. The concept is good, but, utterly this is a road to futility that was almost a good movie, but, not quite. Produced by WWE Films.
**1/2 stars
The Penguins of Madagascar- Those adventurous commando penguins (Skipper, Kowalski, Rico, and Private) from the Madagascar franchise step away into their own big screen adventure to save animal kind from a maniacal menace from their past. This is an exercise in pure silliness that has its laughs and some cute, heartfelt moments. But, I think the penguins work better as co-stars than as leading characters.
*** stars
Muppets Most Wanted- Is there nothing from my childhood that Disney doesn't own now? Marvel Comics, Star Wars, the Muppets. Anyway, those silly puppets return in a fun, rollicking adventure involving a criminal Kermit the Frog lookalike wreaking havoc on the Muppets' lives. The treat in any Muppet movie is the multiple celebrity guest appearances. P. Diddy, Usher, Celine Dion, Ray Liota, Danny Trejo, and Lady Gaga are among the notable cameos. Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell, and Tina Fey have major co-starring roles.
***1/4 stars
22 Jump Street- I mentioned in another review that comedy generally doesn't lend itself to sequels very well. Well, here's one exception. Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum reprise their roles from the first film. This time the hapless cop duo goes deep undercover on a college campus to smoke out a drug ring. More sophomoric hijinks ensue, but these two have an unusual chemistry that still keeps the material fresh and funny.
***1/2 stars
Life After Beth- What do you do when your beloved girlfriend dies and inexplicably comes back to "life" as a people eating zombie? That's the premise of this silly indie movie that takes a little while to get its legs under it, but actually becomes mildly amusing halfway through. It's not necessarily good, but it provides a few sight gags that are entertaining. Aubrey Plaza, Dane Dehaan, Molly Shannon, and John C. Reilly star.
**3/4 stars
Exodus: Gods and Kings- Ridley Scott's "Gladiator-styled" take on the Old Testament, Exodus, features Christian Bale as Moses. So, we have the embodiment of God as a petulant 10-year old child who speaks only to Moses, Moses himself as one of the first recorded terrorists, and the Ten Commandments written by Moses himself while 10-year old God serves him tea. In other words, there are some liberties taken and not always in an entertaining way.
**3/4 stars
Only Lovers Left Alive- So, here's what the world was waiting for, an artsy vampire movie. Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton star as centuries-old vampire lovers. He's an underground musician in Detroit who seems to be in a constant state of depression. She's a thrill-seeker who loves to read and dance. Badly. When they come together again after an undisclosed length of time, their world is turned upside down by her self-centered sister (also a vamp). These two slog through two hours in a perpetual daze. Yes, I said TWO hours. Unlike our "heroes", that's two hours that just ticked away on my limited life span. And, what's with Tilda's hair?
* star
Batman: Assault on Arkham- This latest animated trek into the DC Comics Universe pits Batman against the Suicide Squad on the grounds of the famous Gotham City asylum. Both sides have different agendas for wanting inside of Arkham that inevitably run headlong into each other. Warner Brothers animation churns out good stuff time and again and this one is no different. Although I will say that I didn't like it quite as much as some of their other more recent offerings. This is definitely not made for the little ones as it has its fair share of swearing, obscene gestures, and almost-nudity.
***1/4 stars
Chef- Jon Favreau stars in and directs this indie comedy about a once "next big thing" chef who rediscovers himself after a meltdown with a food critic. Out of a job and publicly embarrassed, Chef Carl (Favreau) buys a food truck and reconnects with his son and ex-wife in the process. It's cute and fun, if not hysterical. It has solid performances throughout. And, it provides proof that Sofia Vergara is not always annoying. John Leguizamo, Dustin Hoffman, and Scarlett Johansson co-star.
***1/4 stars
Mr. Peabody and Sherman- DreamWorks animation brings the genius dog and his adopted son to life in a rollicking time jumping adventure. History gets turned on its head when the title characters visit important times in the past through their Way Back Machine. Of course things don't go as planned and a hole is ripped in the space/time continuum. It gets a little heady for a child's movie, but it's silly enough to still bring laughs. Ty Burrell is the voice of Mr. Peabody.
***1/4 stars
The Quiet Ones- This British horror film loosely based on true events in the 1970s is an extremely slow burn. It's almost a no burn as it slowly builds suspense. A college professor, his two assistants, and a camera man embark on a quest to prove the supernatural does not exist within a haunted young woman. Through their questionable experimentation, they discover how wrong they are. The Quiet Ones has a few twists that are eye-opening, but it really doesn't keep you on the edge of your seat.
**3/4 stars
Million Dollar Arm- This feel good Disney movie based on real life events follows a down-on-his-luck sports agent whose one last shot at saving his failing business is creating a reality show to find the best cricket players in India with the goal of turning them into professional baseball players. It has the typical comical and heartfelt moments as he finds two young men with Major League potential and brings them to the U.S. to train. It makes you smile and gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling particularly as the film provides a synopsis of what happens to the real life people it is based upon before the end credits. Alan Arkin has the part of crotchety old geezer down to a science now. John Hamm, Lake Bell, and Bill Paxton star.
***1/4 stars
Annie- I'll be the first to admit that I am not the best person to critique musicals. With very few exceptions, I don't like them much. This latest rendition of Broadway classic, Annie, is no different. The actors are fine with the possible exception of Cameron Diaz who is over-the-top as Annie's mean foster mother in a less than entertaining way. The film's cloying sweetness was enough to give me a toothache. Not my cup of tea. Jamie Foxx, Rose Byrne, and Quvenzhane Wallis (as Annie) star.
**1/2 stars
The Maze Runner- In yet another big-screen adaptation of a young adult book series, The Maze Runner follows a group of teenage boys who live a peaceful existence on a grassy knoll called the Glade surrounded by a mysterious stone maze. When the newest entrant, Thomas (Dylan O'Brien), is deposited into the Glade with no memories of how or why he came to be there, life for the inhabitants begins to escalate to dangerous levels as truths about the maze begin to reveal themselves. Apparently young adults like reading about apocalyptic futures because it seems that's what every book series is geared toward for this group. The Maze Runner should have two sequels if the studio follows suit with the book series. This was an entertaining, if not completely clear, introduction to this world-gone-to-Hell.
*** stars
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles- What else do you need to know? Four hard-shelled reptiles jacked up on an experimental compound learn ninja skills from their genetically-enhanced foster father and sensei (a rat) to protect New York from the evil criminal organization, the Foot Clan, and their leader, the Shredder. This reboot of the franchise is slightly edgier than previous film adaptations, but it still packs enough cheese for fans of the previous series to appreciate.
*** stars
The Giver- Decades into the future, after a war, humanity has rejected all forms of emotion to live in a bland, but safe utopian society. The only person who still remembers everything from the past is the Receiver of Memory (Jeff Bridges). The elders, who decide the fates (and jobs) of the entire community, decide the future fate of 16-year old, Jonas. He is to succeed the current Receiver and is tasked to train with him until he is ready to take over. But what happens when Jonas experiences emotion for the first time? Can he go back to his old way of unquestioning obedience, or will he become the most dangerous man in this fake perfection? Based on another young adult novel, The Giver is a fascinating look into the feelings that make us all human. That is, until you see the metaphorical ending that leaves you scratching your head. Meryl Streep co-stars as the Chief Elder.
**3/4 stars
Let's Be Cops- Jake Johnson and Damon Wayans, Jr. star as two likable losers, one an ex-college football star and the other a low-level video game designer, who masquerade as police officers for kicks and get in way over their heads taking down an organized crime syndicate. You have to "think stupid" to get through the glaring plot holes in this film, but, it's fun and has more laughs than I expected.
*** stars
The Expendables 3- If you have seen either of the other two offerings, you know the drill. The all-star mercenary team composed of action stars from each of the last four decades is tasked with taking down a psychotic arms dealer linked to the team's past. There's tons of shootings, explosions, bone breakings, and self-aware gags throughout. There's nothing thought provoking here, but, it's fun if you take it for what it is. Stallone, Statham, Crews, Couture, Lundgren, Schwarzenegger, and Li are joined by Antonio Banderas, Wesley Snipes, Mel Gibson, and Harrison Ford among others this time around.
*** stars
Into the Woods- Disney's adaptation of the Broadway play is an amalgam of several fairy tales including Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, and Jack and the Beanstalk among others. A hideous witch has cursed a lowly baker and his wife with childlessness for a past misdeed of the baker's father. In order to lift the curse, the baker and his wife must retrieve four unusual items for the witch that will restore her youth and beauty within three days. Thus the race is on for the couple to obtain the objects from their unusual owners. But even if everyone gets what they want, is there ever truly a "happily ever after." I have to admit that I didn't know much about the Broadway play going in and wasn't aware the film was a full musical. For a musical, I actually didn't mind Into the Woods. It's fun for the most part with hints of edgy darkness. It's hysterical at times. And who knew most of the all-star cast actually had singing chops? Meryl Streep, Anna Kendrick, Emily Blunt, and Chris Pine star.
*** stars
Tusk- A departure from his usual fare, Kevin Smith wrote and directed this tale of a podcaster who disappears in the backwoods of Manitoba while interviewing an old seafaring recluse for his internet show. Unknown to the hapless podcaster is the recluse's profound fascination with a certain sea mammal and the designs he has to merge human with animal. The film states it is based on true events although I'm not quite sure how. It's horrifying and ludacris at the same time. I will give it a slight recommendation as you have to see this to believe it. Think a slightly kinder version of The Human Centipede.
*** stars
Stonehearst Asylum- Based on an Edgar Allen Poe short story, the film answers the question of what does really happen when inmates run an asylum. As you may expect, chaos. But, given the movie takes place in the early 20th century, modern medical practices were quite harsh in general and downright barbaric for the insane. So, the so-called sane doctors and staff who originally ran the asylum weren't conducive to good mental health either. Some characters aren't who they appear to be here. And to that a twisty plot and you have a pretty solid thriller. Kate Beckinsale, Ben Kingsley, and Michael Cain star.
***1/4 stars
Good People- A struggling young couple stumbles across some very good fortune after they find a stash of money in their dead boarder's room. Good fortune, that is, until the boarder's former associates come looking for it themselves. Here's another fairly solid, little-known crime thriller that's fairly standard in plot, but has an exciting, climactic showdown at the end that makes good offensive use of a nail gun. Kate Hudson, James Franco, and Tom Wilkinson star.
***1/4 stars
Snowpiercer- Leave it to human beings to turn on each other even in the middle of a post-apocalyptic future. In 2031, the survivors of a frozen Earth continuously circle the globe on a speeding bullet train. But as in regular society, a class system has developed within the train with humanity on the brink of extinction. The privileged control the comfortable head cars while the downtrodden occupy the cold, dirty tail cars. The orchestrator of the latest "tail-car" revolution, Curtis Everett, is determined to make his way to the all-powerful engine and confront the leader, Wilford, to make him atone for the misery of the class system. But, when all is revealed, everything may not be as black and white as Curtis believes. Snowpiercer takes some funky leaps in logic. It keeps you enthralled just enough to keep your attention through the end, but, ultimately you feel exhausted and unfulfilled. Chris Evans stars.
**3/4 stars
Blue Ruin- In this revenge-driven thriller, vagabond, Dwight Evans, looks to even the score for his family after his parents' killer is released from prison. Yet another movie that starts with a great premise, but, poorly executes said premise. You try getting through the 90 minute running time and see if you don't want a bullet to your brain. Mind-numbing boredom at its best.
* star
No Good Deed- Idris Elba is a deadly criminal psychopath who escapes from prison and terrorizes a suburban housewife (Taraji P. Henson) while leaving a trail of bodies in his delusional wake. There is a bit of a twist as criminal and victim do have a link that's revealed near the end of the film. There's nothing original and it's all very derivative. Henson's character is stupid beyond belief. But, I still found it strangely entertaining. It's a no frills type of thriller that feels..."comfortable" if that makes any sense.
*** stars
Horns- Part love story, part murder mystery, part supernatural horror, part comedy, Horns is usually the type of movie jumble that doesn't work for me. Adapted from a novel by Joe Hill, Horns follows the story of a young man (Daniel Radcliffe) accused of his girlfriend's rape and murder. After a night of hard drinking, he discovers he has developed demon horns on his head. Even more amazing, the horns force people to reveal their deepest, darkest secrets and compel them to do the bearer's will. This film was not critically acclaimed and I'm not sure why. It's one of the best I saw in 2014. Daniel Radcliffe gives a performance far removed from Harry Potter that will impress.
***3/4 stars
The Skeleton Twins- A movie starring comic heavyweights such as Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig should be a recipe for a raucous laugher of a film right? Well, you would be wrong in this instance. This is a somewhat meandering story of two estranged, perpetually depressed and suicidal siblings who both lead train wrecks of a life. Yes, there are instances where Hader's and Wiig's usual lunacy is on display, but, ultimately, you're left wondering if this trip was really necessary. Ty Burrell and Luke Wilson co-star.
**3/4 stars
Annabelle- This prequel to The Conjuring follows the unholy, possessed demon doll as it wreaks havoc on a nice suburban family in the 1970s. Borrowing material from much better movies, Annabelle commits the cardinal sin of being a horror film that is not scary. Tacky, obvious jump scares permeate the a film. I wasn't the hugest fan of The Conjuring, but, at least it was solid. Annabelle is a cheap cash-in attempt.
*1/2 stars
Sex Tape- I will be the first to admit that I didn't see much to this movie in the previews. I love ridiculous comedies, but, this one didn't seem all that amusing. I am happy and surprised to say that I was very wrong. Sex Tape has laughs throughout. Both Cameron Diaz and Jason Segel are actually very funny in the lead roles (Segel is no surprise, Diaz, just a bit). The premise? A married couple looking to re-capture some of the lost sexual magic in their relationship make a sex recording that is accidentally uploaded on the internet for all to see. Queue the silly hijinks of recovering said recording. You know humor doesn't always need to be high brow and sophisticated. Sometimes you're just in the mood for a movie that aims at the lowest common denominator. And, Sex Tape adheres to the first rule of comedy. It's funny. Rob Lowe shines as the CEO of a family-oriented company with strange proclivities.
***1/4 stars
The Interview- The controversial movie pulled from multiplexes across America is both vulgar and juvenile. But that's part of its charm, too. James Franco and Seth Rogen star as a popular, but, dimwitted tabloid journalist and his sensible producer who look to legitimize their craft by interviewing the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, who, apparently, is a fan of their show. The duo is enlisted by the CIA to "take him out" due to their close proximity to the maniacal despot. The Interview takes some huge liberties with current history, but, it is an amusing satire that's worth a look.
*** stars
Dear White People- In this modern-day satire of race relations on an Ivy League college campus, a "black-themed" frat house party organized by Caucasian students gets terribly out of hand and brings unwanted press to the University. The film is sly and amusing at times as it depicts the events leading up to the party, but, ultimately, it feels like there's a whole generation of young people with identity crises. It's still entertaining enough to recommend.
*** stars
Men, Women, and Children- The film follows a group of Texas high school students and their parents as they navigate the many ways the internet has changed their lives. Subjects of anorexia, infidelity, pornography addiction, and fame hunting are explored along with their unfortunate pitfalls. It's movie I found both sad and provocative. If nothing else, it did make me feel something. Jennifer Garner and Adam Sandler star.
***1/4 stars
Life of Crime- This Elmore Leonard adaptation is a quirky tale of two fumbling criminals who concoct the ingenious plan of kidnapping a wealthy real estate developer's wife for ransom. There's one problem. The developer doesn't want his wife back as he was planning to divorce her and replace her with his younger mistress. The many plot twists and double crosses start to become a little lackluster and confusing. There are some good performances, but, this should have been better than it was. It's not bad, but, not particularly memorable either. Jennifer Aniston, Tim Robbins, Isla Fisher, and Yaslin Bey (Mos Def) star.
**3/4 stars
Get on Up- Chadwick Boseman is the highlight of this biopic on the career of music legend, James Brown. Boseman and the music are the stars and... there wasn't much else for me. The direction of the film ranged from confusing, nonsensical flashbacks to Brown inexplicably breaking the fourth wall for no reason at all. Boseman should be lauded as he has the artist's voice inflections and movements down to a science. But, after seeing it, I'm glad I waited for a rental.
**1/2 stars
Whiplash- Miles Teller is a student in a prestigious music school whose goal is to become a premier jazz drummer. The obstacle? A tyrannical professor (J.K. Simmons) who seems to take an ominous delight in berating his pupils. It's a good performance by Teller as a young man who becomes obsessed with his craft and pushed beyond his limits. It's an exceptional performance by Simmons who really has never received enough credit for being the great character actor he is.
***1/4 stars
The Remaining- A group of friends examine their lives and faith as the Rapture strikes Earth in this apocalyptic horror film. Neither thought-provoking nor particularly ominous, the movie just sort of lays there on the screen. You had more poignant commentary on this type of apocalypse from a silly movie like This is the End than you do from this. And it's shot in that annoying found footage format.
**1/2 stars
Foxcatcher- Based on a true story, Foxcatcher tells the tale of two Olympic-medal brothers (Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo) who become sponsored by wealthy and odd wrestling enthusiast, John Du Pont (Steve Carrell), to both train and instruct at his newly opened Olympic training camp on his estate. Du Pont forms an unhealthy bond with one of the brothers that eventually ends under unfortunate circumstances. It's a slow-moving film, but the three principal actors all turn in more than credible performances, particularly Carrell. You've never seen him quite like this before. He's almost unrecognizable.
***1/4 stars
If I Stay- Chloe Moretz stars as a 17-year old music prodigy who is gravely injured in a horrific car accident with her family. Having to choose whether to live or succumb to her injuries, she takes the audience on a harrowing journey. And harrowing is the word for it. Between the film's frequent flashbacks/forwards, it's very hard to really care about anything that's going on here. And Moretz's spirit self running through the hospital every few minutes started to become a little tedious. Chloe Moretz is a very good young actress. I don't fault her for this one. She just had a dull script to work with.
**1/2 stars
Birdman (or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)- Michael Keaton stars as washed up movie star, Riggan Thomson, who writes, directs, and stars in the Broadway adaptation of a 1960s short story in an attempt to validate his career. Thomson played the super hero, Birdman, in a trilogy of highly successful movies in the 90's. He has a few idiosyncrasies like speaking to and holding conversations with himself in his Birdman persona and believing he can move objects through telekinesis. His completion of his dream will not be easy as he's dealing with a volatile method actor and recovering addict daughter along with his own issues. This is supposed to be a pseudo-comedy I think, but, it's a little too artsy to really determine what it is. The best movie of 2014? I think not! And, it disappoints me to say that because I so wanted to like Birdman given the cast. I like films that make you say, "What the Hell?", not "What the Hell was that?!!" There's a difference. Emma Stone, Edward Norton, Naomi Watts, and Zach Galifianakis co-star.
**3/4 stars
Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb- Ben Stiller returns as the night security guard of the coolest museum on Earth in the third installment of the popular series. This time, the magic tablet that makes all the exhibits come to life when the sun goes down is mysteriously dying. So, it's up to their protector, Larry (Stiller), to unravel the riddle in Great Britain to save his waxy friends. This third installment is cute and harmless. It has some laughs, but, it's nothing you haven't seen from this series before. I give it a slight recommendation, but, it's the dietary equivalent of empty calories. Robin Williams, Steve Coogan, Owen Wilson, Rebel Wilson, and Ricky Gervais co-star.
*** stars
Jersey Boys- Clint Eastwood directs this adaptation of the Broadway play depicting the rise of the musical quartet, the Four Seasons. Biographies for me usually fall on either side of the pendulum. There isn't much room in the middle. I found Jersey Boys to be competently acted, if not, greatly acted, and competently directed by Eastwood. It handles 4th wall narrative much better than a previous biography, Get On Up, I reviewed on this list. The real treat in a film like this is the music itself. I think the actors sang most of the songs themselves, which is impressive, if the actor who portrayed Frankie Valli could actually come close to the notes Valli himself could hit.
*** stars
American Sniper- Clint Eastwood directs another biographical story in 2014, this time depicting the life of Navy SEAL and sniper, Chris Kyle, who fought in the Iraq War on four separate tours of duty. Known as the deadliest sniper in U.S. history, Kyle had a distinguished military career, but, found it hard to adapt to civilian life. Eastwood doesn't pull any punches in his depiction of the general ugliness of war. Unlike with many films of this nature, I didn't find the battle sequences over-sensationalized. But it's still a grim look into the mind of a soldier bound by duty who had an extreme difficulty "turning it off" so to speak.
***1/2 stars
The Theory of Everything- Eddie Redmayne's Oscar-winning performance is very much deserved in this story depicting the life of physicist, Steven Hawking. The film is mostly a vehicle for the Redmayne and co-star Felicity Jones in the role of Hawking's first wife, Jane. It's a bit of a slow watch, but, it's a heartbreaking one as well given Hawking's circumstances battling ALS.
***1/4 stars
Fury- In this World War II action-drama, a lone U.S. tank crew deep behind German lines must hold a stretch of road alone after the rest of their unit perishes. Fury is pretty much what you would expect from a film of this sort. Intense action, bodies horribly blown apart, and a tragic ending greet you for the 135 minute run. I don't think I'm really giving anything away there. Don't all of these movies end tragically? It's well done, but, I've had my fill of war movies. Brad Pitt, Michael Pena, and Shia Labeouf star.
***1/4 stars
The Judge- Robert Downey, Jr and Robert Duvall star as a hardnosed judge in a small Indiana community accused of murder and his estranged hotshot lawyer son who defends him. This one has usual family melodrama between father and son that you would expect. It's the strength of the two leads that makes this an entertaining enough journey. Billy Bob Thornton, Vera Farmiga, and Vincent D'Onofrio co-star.
*** stars
Before I Go to Sleep- This twisty thriller follows a woman who survives a brutal attack. The catch? Every night she goes to sleep, she forgets her former life. To add to her confusion, the two men in her life, her husband and her doctor, seem to have competing agendas in jogging her fractured memory. The ending devolves into the usual fight-for-your-life battle, but there are enough forks in the road to keep you entertained for its 90-minute runtime. Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth, and Mark Strong star.
***1/4 stars
Dumb and Dumber To- The Farrelly Brothers collaborate once again with Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels in this sequel to the 1994 film. So, is this second romp through idiocy successful? Partially. I'll admit I laughed loudly a few times. But this film has the same "been there, done that" feel of most comedy sequels. Do you really need to know the plot? It's Carrey and Daniels acting as dementedly stupid as they possibly can. If you're a fan of moronic nonsense, this movie is your Holy Land. Personally, I think there's a place for inspired lunacy, or, at least an attempt at it, so I'll give it a mild (very mild) recommendation.
*** stars
V/H/S Viral- The horror anthology returns for its third installment. While I admire that unknown indie filmmakers are taking a stab at a genre that many consider low rent, I have to say the sequels haven't been as inspired or as disturbingly weird as the original. Once again shot in the found footage format that I "love", (that's the shtick of this series), the vignettes cover a wild car chase, an out of control magician, a parallel world, and a Mexican Demon Cult vs. skateboarders.
**1/2 stars
The Imitation Game- This seems to be the year for biopics as this is yet another. The film follows the life of Alan Turing, the British mathematician responsible for cracking the code to the Nazi Enigma Machine during World War II and the father of the computer age. Yes, it doesn't sound very exciting, but, I was drawn in despite a somewhat haphazard time switches between past, present, and future. Turing's story is a sad one as, by necessity, he can't be recognized for his work. It's absolutely tragic that he is unable to lead a normal life period. The movie is driven by a strong performance from Benedict Cumberbatch in the lead role. Keira Knightley co-stars.
***1/4 stars
The Fault in Our Stars- Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort star as terminally ill teenagers who find love in this film adaptation of John Green's novel of the same name. It's a bittersweet, if overwrought at times, romance that is made palatable by the likeability of the two leads. I give much credit to Woodley and Elgort. They have great and believable chemistry onscreen.
*** stars
Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Worth a look. Better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. I'm doing my happy dance!
5 *= Pure eye candy. I have seen the top of the mountain, and it is good.
**** stars
The Hungover Games- In this latest send-up of Hollywood pop-culture, an amalgam of The Hangover, Hunger Games, Ted, Thor, and other fan-favorite movies are parodied. Four friends celebrating one's impending wedding with a bachelor party are transported to an alternate universe where Hollywood icons battle to the death in brutal combat. These types of movies often troll way too hard for laughs and this one is no different. A couple of mildly amusing moments is about all you'll get here.
**1/2 stars
Ride Along- The buddy cop genre is given a twirl by rapper, Ice Cube, and comedian, Kevin Hart. Painfully predictable. As South Park's Officer Barbrady would say "Nothing to see here!" Ice Cube acts as ornery as a horse that's just been gelded, and Hart acts like a buffoon. Has some value if you're a fan of Hart's comedy.
**1/2 stars
Bad Words- This black comedy features the directorial debut of actor, Jason Bateman. Bateman stars as a 40-year old man who enters a national children's spelling bee for his own subversive reasons. Very funny, very twisted. It has some heart when Bateman's character befriends one of the contestants, albeit a sick heart. Kathryn Hahn and Allison Janney co-star.
***1/2 stars
Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones- Why does anyone bother with this series? It's been the same scenario every time. It's about 80 minutes of things that go bump in the night only to wake up and give you something to chew on for the final 10 minutes or less. This time a coven of witches is stirring up trouble for unsuspecting young men who have been marked for possession since birth. With these movies, less is not more. It's downright boring.
*1/2 stars
The Legend of Hercules- Director, Renny Harlin, takes on the Greek hero/legend starring Kellan Lutz as the titular character. Some of the CGI is a bit comical (think '80s Clash of the Titans). It's not a horrible film, but there's no wow factor on an action or dramatic level to write home about. The term "meh" will come to mind when you think about it. That is, if you think about it at all.
**1/2 stars
Oculus- This fright fest from director, Mike Flanagan, is more an exercise in psychological terror than about creepy things trying to scare the Hell out of you (although there is a fair amount of that, too). An antique mirror housing a malevolent presence becomes the subject of a young woman's (Karen Gillan) obsession when she comes to believe it was responsible for the deaths of her parents and subsequent psychiatric incarceration of her younger brother several years before. The lines between reality and flashback become blurred and very often happen simultaneously as the siblings remember and relive that fateful night. The film does a good job creating a mood that's chilling, while also providing a small sense of redemption for some characters. But, sometimes that redemption comes with consequences of its own. It's not as blood-curdlingly scary as some horror movies, but it does create a sense of uneasiness.
***1/2 stars
Noah- Director, Darren Aronofsky's, biblically inspired epic is likely to offend some (or many) staunch followers of Bible lore. In fact, it's only resemblance sometimes is that it's about a man who builds a large boat and transports a lot of animals during a flood. But, if you can get past rock angels, a vicious army led by a descendant of Cain, Noah's grandfather having magical healing powers, and Noah himself being a touch callous (evil some might say), it's an interesting fantasy/adventure that happens to have some religious overtones. Don't take it too seriously and you'll be fine. Expect a blow-by-blow retelling, and your head will explode. Environmentalists and PETA will love it. Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, and Emma Watson star.
*** stars
I, Frankenstein- A modern take on the classic monster with Aaron Eckhart entering the large boots and electrodes of Dr. Frankenstein's labor of love. With the exception of a few ugly scars, Eckhart looks like the only monster who could pass for a GQ model. That's not the issue. The nonsensical plot involving an order of gargoyles, a demon prince, and Dr. Frankenstein's journal is the issue. Watching I, Frankenstein reminded me of watching Van Helsing a few years ago. I expected something beautiful and kick-ass and got camp and idiocy. There's a few nice moments featuring exploding demons, but there's not much to truly enjoy here. Bill Nighy as the big bad is laughable. He was much scarier in the Underworld series. Yvonne Strahovski co-stars.
**1/4 stars
Reasonable Doubt- Dominic Cooper and Samuel L. Jackson star in this mediocre thriller about an up-and-coming D.A. who commits a fatal hit-and-run and the man actually blamed for it who may be a serial killer himself. Sounds like the makings of a taut cat-and-mouse game between the two main characters, but there are way too many leaps in logic that make no sense at all. And while there are legitimate reasons for the killer's murderous psychology, the movie takes the easy way out at the end and completely vilifies him by making him act in a way that doesn't follow his motivations. Very lazy writing and lackluster performances make this one a skip unless you're just looking for something to do for 90 minutes.
*1/2 stars
Draft Day- Kevin Costner stars in yet another sports-related movie that has been his forte over the years. This time he is the embattled General Manager of the NFL's Cleveland Browns on, what else? NFL Draft Day. Even with its contrived happy ending, Draft Day is an enjoyable enough day-in-the- life viewing of a pressure-cooker of a job. Whether the sports-related events in the "War Room" are accurate is anyone's guess unless you have intimate knowledge of a sports executive's life. But, I was sucked in regardless. Jennifer Garner, Frank Langella, and Denis Leary co-star.
***1/4 stars
A Haunted House 2- I had no idea that last year's horror spoof from Marlon Wayans warranted a sequel, but here it is. This time the arguably goofiest member of the Wayans family does a comic send up of recent horror offerings Sinister, The Conjuring, and The Possession. Like the first film, some of it is actually pretty funny (especially the Sinister spoofs). Other parts are just plain Marlon on overkill moments (the man knows he likes to show his naked rear end). It just doesn't always feel like a feature film. Most of it feels like comic segments you might see on a show like SNL spliced together with no real coherence.
**3/4 stars
Sabotage- Arnold Schwarzenegger leads an elite squad of DEA agents who get in over their heads when $10 million is lost in their most recent bust. One by one the team is hunted down by an unknown assailant(s). But is it the cartel taking them out, or, is it one of their own? Are different agendas at work here? Sabotage is a darker and more hard-hitting action thriller than we're used to from Schwarzenegger. His team is mostly a gang of cutthroats and scuzz balls. Even Arnold's motives are questionable. I can't remember one eye-rolling one-liner here. And, despite the typical action movie shootout and somewhat hokey showdown ending, this worked for me.
***1/4 stars
Godzilla- As with The Transformers series, the humans in the movie are more than a bit immaterial. Oh, there's nothing inherently wrong with the human characters or their storylines. They at least aren't annoying. But, you find yourself wanting to blaze through all of their minutiae and fast forward to the monster beatdown. I give points to the film's trailers. The story itself is a complete curveball from what you might think it is. Godzilla himself looks amazing. He alone is worth the price of admission when he's finally seen and his high-pitched roar is heard. Bryan Cranston stars.
***1/2 stars
That Awkward Moment- Zac Efron, Miles Teller, and Michael B. Jordan, star as three best friends navigating the complicated and, sometimes, murky waters of relationships. It has some funny "bro" moments, but it's a trite film that has the "been there, done that" feel of so many other romantic comedies. It's not bad per se, but there are better ways to spend your time.
**3/4 stars
Bad Country- Most straight-to-video offerings are straight-to-video for a reason. Tom Berenger's bad Cajun accent notwithstanding, Bad Country really wasn't a bad crime thriller. This story of a maverick Louisiana detective (Willem Dafoe) recruiting a known felon (Matt Dillon) to infiltrate a Dixie mob isn't great by any means, but it has suspense, good pacing, revenge, and nice shootouts. It's an entertaining watch.
*** stars
A Million Ways to Die in the West- Seth MacFarlane's second directorial adventure lampoons the Wild West in this story of a hapless sheep farmer who unknowingly becomes involved with a notorious gunslinger's wife. While not as funny as his first offering, Ted, I can say there is more than enough hilarity here to avoid a sophomore jinx. And, of course, since this is Seth MacFarlane, there is a fair amount of bad taste included. I'll say this again as I said in my review of Ted. Why can't MacFarlane be this funny with Family Guy? MacFarlane stars as the leading man. Charlize Theron, Liam Neeson, Giovanni Ribisi, and Sarah Silverman co-star.
***1/2 stars
Maleficent- Angelina Jolie stars as the titular villain in this live action reimagining of Sleeping Beauty. But, is Maleficent the true villain of this story? There is some spectacular photography and special effects at play, particularly when Maleficent crashes through a palace window in slow motion. But, I wasn't terribly excited by the story itself. Not that there is anything wrong with the film mind you, but I was never a big fan of Sleeping Beauty growing up.
***stars
The Monuments Men- George Clooney directs and stars in this biographical depiction of a military commissioned team of art historians attempting to recover stolen art and artifacts from the Nazis during World War II. It's a feel good homage to a little-known operation if you can call any retelling of a war as "feel good." The film does have its comic and tragic moments and it's a story that has merit, but I would have been good with a 10-minute blurb. Matt Damon, John Goodman, Bill Murray, and Cate Blanchett co-star.
*** stars
Pompeii- Love and gladiatorial combat are set against the backdrop of the famous volcano eruption of Mount Vesuvius in ancient Rome. Celtic slave, Milo (Kit Harrington), seeks vengeance on the evil Roman Senator, Corvus (Kiefer Sutherland), who murdered his tribe several years earlier. Along the way, he becomes involved with the daughter of Pompeii's city ruler all while trying to stay alive in the arena and avoiding the lava and ash of the volcano's eruption. Gladiator this is not. It doesn't carry that film's emotional weight or have its overall acting chops. But, this film isn't half bad. It gives you some spectacular shots of the volcanic eruption and the damage it leaves in its wake. While the sword battles aren't particularly bloody, they are well choreographed. There are worse ways to spend 100 minutes.
***stars
3 Days to Kill- What does a terminally ill CIA field agent do in his final days? He tries to reconnect with his estranged wife and daughter. Kevin Costner is Agent Ethan Renner who awkwardly attempts to be a father/husband when he discovers he has brain cancer. Promising his family he's done with the life, he's sucked back in by CIA assassin, Vivi Delay (Amber Heard), who is on the hunt for an international arms dealer and requires the retired agent's unique skills and expertise. Part comedy, part action thriller, 3 Days to Kill is passable entertainment. It won't have you on the edge of your seat, but it won't bore you to tears either.
*** stars
Devil's Due- Here we have yet another horror movie shot in the what I find increasingly annoying "found footage" format. That is to say that the camera work is choppy and doesn't tell a full story. Devil's Due tells the story of a young couple unknowingly kidnapped for an arcane ritual on their honeymoon. And then, before you can say Antichrist, the wife is pregnant with a demon child. All manner of strange shenanigans follow. I will say this one was slightly more enthralling than any of the Paranormal Activity films I've seen.
**1/2 stars
Veronica Mars- Kristen Bell returns as the former teen, now adult, private eye in this film that takes place approximately ten years after the TV series ended. Veronica has tried to leave her former life behind moving from California to New York. She's traded in her private eye credentials for law school. But when a former love is accused of murder, the super sleuth goes back into action. Bell plays Veronica at her smart aleck-y best. It's an entertaining film if you were a fan of the series. If you weren't, it's nothing you haven't seen before.
***1/4 stars
Non-Stop- Liam Neeson stars as a Federal Air Marshal who finds himself entangled in a twisted plot on a transatlantic flight. It's a much more intriguing, intricate plot than I would have ever given it credit for. Neeson, as always, is a more than credible action star. Julianne Moore co-stars.
***1/4 stars
The Grand Budapest Hotel- Director Wes Anderson helms this quirky, comic tale of a 1930s concierge who teams up with the hotel's lobby boy to clear his name after he is framed for murder. There aren't many laugh out loud moments here, but plenty of small chuckles. It runs a little long for my tastes without having outrageous, rip-roaring humor, but it's an entertaining watch nonetheless. Ralph Fiennes heads an all-star cast.
***1/4 stars
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit- Like Star Trek and James Bond of recent memory, Tom Clancy's covert agent gets a shiny, glossy reboot with Chris Pine as the titular character. This time, Ryan attempts to foil a terrorist plot that could cause the financial ruin of the U.S. orchestrated by a Russian tycoon. There's nothing inherently wrong with this film. There's also nothing particularly new and exciting either. It's watchable, but instantly forgettable. Kevin Costner, Keira Knightley, and Kenneth Branagh (who also directs) co-star.
**3/4 stars
The Lego Movie- Who woulda' thunk it? A cute and funny movie devoted to Legos! Yes, those little interlocking kids blocks! But that's what we have here. Emmet (Chris Pratt) is an unimpressive Lego construction worker who unthinkably might be the prophesied "Special" capable of stopping the oppressive Lego doomsday weapon "Kragle" that's controlled by the oppressive ruler, Lord Business (Will Ferrell). Yes, it's as silly as it sounds. And, it works. The CG effects are incredible. It's a children's movie that also has enough content for the over 10 audience to enjoy.
***1/2 stars
Neighbors- Wow. OK. Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne star as new parents living in a quiet neighborhood until a fraternity moves in to the house next door. At first wanting to be one of the "cool kids", the couple tries to make friends with their new neighbors until the inevitable misunderstanding leads to all-out war between them. Making very little sense and largely unfunny, this film was praised by critics and has made its fair share at the box office. Meanwhile, A Million Ways to Die in the West (an infinitely funnier movie) has been universally panned. Go figure. Zac Efron co-stars.
*1/2 stars
Edge of Tomorrow- Tom Cruise stars in this sci-fi tale of a soldier who repeats the same day countless times after dying in battle against alien forces. The jumping back in time segments do take a few leaps in logic, but it does have its thrills for the action junkies out there and it's comedic moments as Cruise's only ally in this adventure is sometimes all too happy to kill him to make him repeat the day until he gets it right. Emily Blunt co-stars.
*** stars
Tammy- Melissa McCarthy co-wrote and stars in this road comedy about a middle-aged woman-child who loses her car, husband, and job all within a few hours. Needing a change of scenery, she hits the road with her eccentric, alcoholic grandmother (Susan Sarandon) on an adventure-filled trip to Niagara Falls. What could go wrong? Well, everything of course! It's a cute movie, but not hilariously funny. While it would take a lot for McCarthy not to be funny, my fear is that she might be typecasting herself as she's played a variation of her Bridesmaids character a few times now and I think she has a broader range than this.
*** stars
Joe- Nicolas Cage stars as an ex-con who becomes a father figure and eventual protector to an abused 15-year old boy. I have no idea where in America this film takes place, but it's poverty-stricken, washed out, and dirty wherever it is. It's a tight, suspense-filled thriller...for the last 10 minutes! Prior to this, it's an incongruous look into the title character's life of debauchery.
**1/2 stars
Deliver Us From Evil- Scott Derrickson, the director of Sinister, offers this disturbing account of true events starring Eric Bana as a present-day NYPD detective caught in the middle of a ring of demonic possession. Derrickson still knows how to give the audience the creeps in a big way. It's nothing you haven't seen before as far as scares go (well, that scene with the cat is pretty sick), but it gets high marks for atmosphere.
***1/4 stars
Think Like a Man, Too- The gang's back together. This time, the couples (and one semi-single) are in Vegas for the wedding of two of their own. And, you can imagine the respective bachelor and bachelorette parties don't go quite according to plan. I enjoyed the sequel a little more than the original as it doesn't drift into as much melodrama. However, unless you're a fan of Kevin Hart's manic riffing, there's not a lot to sink your teeth into.
*** stars
Adult World- Emma Roberts stars as a "professional" college student and would-be poet who takes a job at an adult video store after her parents cut off her funding. Working among the strange and unusual staff and patrons, she learns how to live on her own, finds love, and meets (stalks) her literary idol (John Cusack). It's a cute and moderately amusing film.
*** stars
About Last Night- This remake of the 1986 film is surprisingly sharp and funny. The venue has changed from Chicago to Los Angeles, but the premise is the same. A man and woman formerly unlucky at love unexpectedly fall hard for each other after a one night stand. The trials and tribulations of that relationship are explored in the aftermath through their infatuation to their painful break-up and eventual realization they can't live without each other. Michael Ealy and Joy Bryant replace Rob Lowe and Demi Moore in this version. Several scenes are stolen by Kevin Hart and Regina Hall as the couple's two psychotic friends who have a love/hate (mostly hate) relationship that parallels the main storyline.
*** stars
The Purge: Anarchy- This sequel to last year's surprise hit offers more of an examination of the social consequences surrounding a night of lawlessness. For those not aware of the premise, in the near future, the new "Founding Fathers" of the U.S. have mandated an annual 12-hour period called the Purge where almost all crime (including murder) is legal. While the first film follows one family's gut-wrenching night during the Purge, the sequel follows five people whose lives become entwined during this intense night of survival. Like the first film, this one is overflowing with social commentary and moral dilemmas. I found it a fascinating look into the evil side of human nature.
***3/4 stars
Lucy- Scarlett Johansson stars as an unwilling drug mule internally transporting an experimental drug in this latest Luc Besson action slugfest. When the drug accidentally leaks into her system, Lucy discovers that she is able to unlock the full potential of the human brain while at the same time losing everything that makes her human. Lucy is a fun movie as she learns her full capabilities which are vast to say the least. The action sequences are great, but it lost a little bit for me as the film attempts to be a pseudo-intellectual glimpse into the human spirit. Overall, it has enough thrills to recommend. Morgan Freeman co-stars.
*** stars
Hercules- Dwayne Johnson stars in the year's second big studio release featuring the son of Zeus. This sword and sandals romp takes itself far less seriously as the Legend of Hercules does. Johnson does what is expected as the legendary strongman. Based on a graphic novel, the film has some fun with the Hercules legend and his fantastic exploits indicating that some of the hero's adventures are a little exaggerated. It's a fun, summer popcorn movie with nice action and CGI sequences and nothing more. But, that's enough.
*** stars
Under the Skin- Scarlett Johannson is an alien who assumes human form. She has an accomplice who rides at breakneck speed on a motorcycle through the highlands of Scotland for reasons unknown. She seduces the men she encounters in her serial killer van and takes them back to her place where they both undress and the man inexplicably disappears into a pool of black infinity. Then, Scarlett dresses and repeats the cycle for absolutely no reason at all. Did I mention Scarlett Johannson does explicit nude scenes here? Yeah, even that's not enough to save this abomination.
1/2 star
The Raid 2- The sequel to the 2011 action hit, The Raid 2 follows shortly after the original film and finds one of the surviving heroes, Rama, recruited to go deep undercover to infiltrate an Indonesian crime syndicate. There's a lot of fast-paced martial arts action that harkens back to old school films. It's a little silly and comical at times, especially watching it with the dubbed English vocals. I would have liked this better if not for one thing. At 2 1/2 hours, this movie is way too long for its own good. Thirty minutes could have easily been sent to the cutting room floor.
*** stars
Divergent- In this first installment of the film adaptation of Veronica Roth's young-adult novel trilogy, conformity is the rule of the day in a future dystopian Chicago. All citizens are divided into five distinct groups based on their character traits. But what happens when someone exhibits traits from more than one faction threatening to turn this world of strict rules upside down? Civil War is the answer. The premise of this series, in all honesty, struck me as extremely silly. However, the execution by director, Neil Burger, made for an entertaining and unsettling look at how humanity tries to exert control over its environment. Shailene Woodley stars as "Tris" Prior, the primary protagonist of the series.
***1/4 stars
Blood Ties- Clive Owen and Billy Crudup star as brothers in 1970's New York on different sides of the law. Older brother, Chris, is released from prison and attempts to lead a normal life which becomes increasingly difficult. Younger brother, Frank, an NYPD detective wants to believe in his older sibling, but becomes increasingly disenchanted with Chris' behavior. Blood Ties isn't particularly gripping or intense, but there is some emotional significance as the strength of familial bonds are explored.
*** stars
Frank Miller's Sin City: A Dame to Kill For- Director, Robert Rodriguez, returns to the town without pity in a sequel of sorts to the 2005 anthology film. Shot in the same film noir style as the original, A Dame to Kill For once again ties together several of comic creator, Frank Miller's, stories from the Sin City series. Miller himself wrote two new stories exclusively for the film. Sadly, this second visit to Sin City doesn't have the same spark as the previous film. Everything seems very...rushed, and, at times, not well thought out. A Dame to Kill For isn't bad by any means, but, it definitely isn't as much fun. Josh Brolin, Jessica Alba, Powers Booth, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rosario Dawson, Bruce Willis, Eva Green, and Mickey Rourke star.
**3/4 stars
Rage- Nicolas Cage is a former criminal who has worked hard to forge a legitimate life for himself and his family. When his teenage daughter is murdered, he believes his former life has come back to haunt him, and those old instincts return as he conducts his own "investigation" into the crime with former cohorts. This could have been an interesting look into how unchecked anger can lead to ruin, but Rage is made in such a slapdash and dull manner that it loses much of its bite. And, how many speeches are given to Cage's character about the road he has chosen that really don't apply to his particular situation? Danny Glover co-stars.
**1/2 stars
As Above, So Below- In yet another horror film shot in the "found footage" format (why are these so popular), brilliant young student, Scarlett, has inherited her late father's curiosity for uncovering historical myths. One such myth leads her to the catacombs underneath Paris, France, in search of the fabled Philosopher's Stone. She leads a team, including an old love interest, into these dark, claustrophobic tunnels where they inevitably encounter strange phenomena. It becomes a fight for each to confront his/her greatest fear and get out of the maze alive. Aside from some truly uncomfortable scenes of people making their way through tight spaces, this is a hackneyed snooze of a horror film that ends abruptly and offers no real reason why these strange occurrences happen in the first place. I wondered why this movie happened to be made.
** stars
Blended- Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore star in their third collaboration. Two mismatched people, a divorcee and a widower, are set up on a horrible blind date. It ends with each hoping to never see the other again. Strange (and contrived) circumstances connect them again when they are both booked on the same vacation in South Africa with their respective families. As you would expect, anger turns into a much different emotion over the week they are forced to interact. The laughs are steady, if not sidesplitting. Sandler tones down his usual obnoxious self. Here, he's a poor, clueless schlub, particularly where his daughters are concerned. Barrymore is an uptight control freak. It's a clichéd movie, no doubt, but, it's cute. The two leads play well off each other. The biggest laughs come from Terry Crews as the leader of the vacation resort's resident singing group.
***1/4 stars
Transcendence- Johnny Depp stars as scientist whose curiosity with the universe is taken to new heights when his consciousness is uploaded to a sentient computer after an attack from a technological terrorist group takes his life. Plugged into all technology on Earth, he begins to change life on the planet for the better, or, does he? Some believe he is the most dangerous thing that exists and will stop at nothing to put an end to his "tyranny." For me, this is a most welcome return of Depp to actual acting. He's weird, of course, but Johnny Depp is always going to be weird. But he's weird without being a kooky dingbat, an act that has started to grow tiresome in his recent films. Transcendence is a beautifully shot movie that takes a few leaps in logic, but, it entertained me overall. Morgan Freeman and Paul Bettany co-star.
***1/4 stars
A Walk Among the Tombstones- An ex-cop (Liam Neeson) in self-imposed exile working as an unlicensed private investigator takes on a case assisting a known drug trafficker find the men who kidnapped and murdered his wife. It's an intense if not overly exciting thriller. Neeson's quiet, tough-guy performance is what carries the film.
*** stars
The Equalizer- Denzel Washington and director, Antoine Fuqua, team up once again in this big screen adaptation of the '80s television series. Washington is Robert McCall, an unassuming all-around good guy who works at a home improvement store. He's friendly, helpful, and quiet, if somewhat mysterious to his colleagues. When a young prostitute he befriends is severely injured by her handlers, the truth finally emerges. McCall is a former black ops operative who can "equal" the odds for people in need of his type of assistance. Washington is excellent as McCall. He flips the switch between modest everyman to ruthless killer with ease and believability. The Equalizer is a film with a very simple premise and it delivers on that premise eloquently.
**** stars
Dracula Untold- How many times has the story of Dracula been told? You don't know either do you? Too many to count? Oh, yes! So, what could actor, Luke Evans, possibly have to offer in this rendition that was even remotely of note in the role of the vampire supreme? It turns out, quite a bit. Dracula Untold tells the story of how the legendary Vlad the Impaler became the bloodsucking Count we all know and love. With nice special effects sequences, some human angst, and an impressive body count, Dracula Untold delivers a different take on the legend. The one thing that could have made it better is more bloodletting. It is Dracula, after all. But, it has a PG-13 rating, so there is only so much red stuff you're going to see.
***1/4 stars
Ouija- In this uninspired, paint-by-the-numbers horror fiasco, a group of friends become targets of a mysterious Ouija board when a dark spirit within the board is accidentally awakened. This is the kind of horror movie that irritates me. Everyone here is just going through the motions of what they think a horror movie should be. You have your typical jump scares that aren't particularly frightening. A few ghastly prosthetics does not create the sense of squirm-worthy uneasiness that is the stuff of good horror movies. Ouija board horror was handled much better by the cheesy 80's film, Witchboard. That should tell you something.
* 1/2 stars
John Wick- Keanu Reeves stars as the titular character in this stylized, gun-fu action thriller. Wick is an ex-hitman who is forced back into his former life when a group of thugs takes all that is important to him after his wife's death. What John Wick lacks in plot, it makes up for in adrenalized "bang-bang" action. It's a simple movie of a badass man doing a lot of badass...you get the idea. And, it works.
***1/4 stars
St. Vincent- Bill Murray stars as an acerbic old curmudgeon who becomes the reluctant babysitter for his new neighbor's (Melissa McCarthy's) young son. You might think given Murray's and McCarthy's comic chops, this would be a riotous farce. But, St. Vincent has some very dark undertones that delve into surprising sentimentality. There are a few laughs along the way, but it's no where near as madcap as you think. McCarthy plays this one much straighter than she has in her recent films. Strong performances from Murray, McCarthy, Naomi Watts, and newcomer, Jaeden Lieberher, as the young boy who bizarrely bonds with Murray, drive the movie.
*** stars
Nightcrawler- Jake Gyllenhaal channels his inner creep as a quietly brilliant sociopath, Lou Bloom, who latches on to the art of nightcrawling. That is, following murder and mayhem on his police scanner and filming the carnage to sell to local news stations. Lou has no remorse about what he does or how he does it. He's a social climber of the highest order who will use anyone to reach his goals. This is a bizarre, macabre thriller driven by Gyllenhaal's great performance. I would go as far as saying it's an Oscar-worthy performance. Renee Russo co-stars as the evening news director at the local station who buys Lou's footage.
***3/4 stars
Big Hero 6- Marvel and Disney team-up for computer-animated hijinks to bring the this Marvel series to life. It's the story of five unlikely heroes and a lovable robot forming a super team (of sorts). It's cute with beautiful animation as you would expect from Disney. It also has its fair share of loss and sadness. And, for those who love super hero action, there's plenty for you to chew on, as well. Is it The Incredibles? No. But it's pretty good.
***3/4 stars
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day- You might think this Disney family comedy is a cutesy, sugar-soaked movie. Well, it is. It's also surprisingly very funny. Alexander is the second youngest child in his busy, happy family. However, most days he isn't very happy himself. When he makes a wish on his birthday that his family could experience one really bad day to see what it is like, they experience what it's like to be Alexander. Times five. Although the film has the typical happy ending with lessons learned that you would expect, it's a lot of fun getting there. Steve Carrell and Jennifer Garner star as Alexander's supportive, but frazzled parents.
***1/2 stars
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1- Jennifer Lawrence is back as Katniss Everdeen, the reluctant face of a revolution. Mockingjay Part 1 is pretty much a set up movie much in the same way as The Deathly Hallows Part 1 was to the final chapter of the Harry Potter series. Everything comes to a slow boil before the inevitable monster mash that is sure to come in part 2. Here, Katniss deals with the revelation of her home in District 12 being destroyed and becoming the official face of the revolution against the evil Capitol of Pan-Am. The story moves along with a couple of nice action sequences and a twist revelation at the end. It's good, if not totally spectacular. But, as I said, it's a set up to something bigger that's sure to come.
***1/2 stars
Road to Paloma- Jason Mamoa stars as a man on the run from the FBI for murdering his mother's rapist and killer. He's heads out on the road with his biker/musician/bad boy brother-in-law to scatter his mother's ashes encountering a few adventures along the way. The concept is good, but, utterly this is a road to futility that was almost a good movie, but, not quite. Produced by WWE Films.
**1/2 stars
The Penguins of Madagascar- Those adventurous commando penguins (Skipper, Kowalski, Rico, and Private) from the Madagascar franchise step away into their own big screen adventure to save animal kind from a maniacal menace from their past. This is an exercise in pure silliness that has its laughs and some cute, heartfelt moments. But, I think the penguins work better as co-stars than as leading characters.
*** stars
Muppets Most Wanted- Is there nothing from my childhood that Disney doesn't own now? Marvel Comics, Star Wars, the Muppets. Anyway, those silly puppets return in a fun, rollicking adventure involving a criminal Kermit the Frog lookalike wreaking havoc on the Muppets' lives. The treat in any Muppet movie is the multiple celebrity guest appearances. P. Diddy, Usher, Celine Dion, Ray Liota, Danny Trejo, and Lady Gaga are among the notable cameos. Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell, and Tina Fey have major co-starring roles.
***1/4 stars
22 Jump Street- I mentioned in another review that comedy generally doesn't lend itself to sequels very well. Well, here's one exception. Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum reprise their roles from the first film. This time the hapless cop duo goes deep undercover on a college campus to smoke out a drug ring. More sophomoric hijinks ensue, but these two have an unusual chemistry that still keeps the material fresh and funny.
***1/2 stars
Life After Beth- What do you do when your beloved girlfriend dies and inexplicably comes back to "life" as a people eating zombie? That's the premise of this silly indie movie that takes a little while to get its legs under it, but actually becomes mildly amusing halfway through. It's not necessarily good, but it provides a few sight gags that are entertaining. Aubrey Plaza, Dane Dehaan, Molly Shannon, and John C. Reilly star.
**3/4 stars
Exodus: Gods and Kings- Ridley Scott's "Gladiator-styled" take on the Old Testament, Exodus, features Christian Bale as Moses. So, we have the embodiment of God as a petulant 10-year old child who speaks only to Moses, Moses himself as one of the first recorded terrorists, and the Ten Commandments written by Moses himself while 10-year old God serves him tea. In other words, there are some liberties taken and not always in an entertaining way.
**3/4 stars
Only Lovers Left Alive- So, here's what the world was waiting for, an artsy vampire movie. Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton star as centuries-old vampire lovers. He's an underground musician in Detroit who seems to be in a constant state of depression. She's a thrill-seeker who loves to read and dance. Badly. When they come together again after an undisclosed length of time, their world is turned upside down by her self-centered sister (also a vamp). These two slog through two hours in a perpetual daze. Yes, I said TWO hours. Unlike our "heroes", that's two hours that just ticked away on my limited life span. And, what's with Tilda's hair?
* star
Batman: Assault on Arkham- This latest animated trek into the DC Comics Universe pits Batman against the Suicide Squad on the grounds of the famous Gotham City asylum. Both sides have different agendas for wanting inside of Arkham that inevitably run headlong into each other. Warner Brothers animation churns out good stuff time and again and this one is no different. Although I will say that I didn't like it quite as much as some of their other more recent offerings. This is definitely not made for the little ones as it has its fair share of swearing, obscene gestures, and almost-nudity.
***1/4 stars
Chef- Jon Favreau stars in and directs this indie comedy about a once "next big thing" chef who rediscovers himself after a meltdown with a food critic. Out of a job and publicly embarrassed, Chef Carl (Favreau) buys a food truck and reconnects with his son and ex-wife in the process. It's cute and fun, if not hysterical. It has solid performances throughout. And, it provides proof that Sofia Vergara is not always annoying. John Leguizamo, Dustin Hoffman, and Scarlett Johansson co-star.
***1/4 stars
Mr. Peabody and Sherman- DreamWorks animation brings the genius dog and his adopted son to life in a rollicking time jumping adventure. History gets turned on its head when the title characters visit important times in the past through their Way Back Machine. Of course things don't go as planned and a hole is ripped in the space/time continuum. It gets a little heady for a child's movie, but it's silly enough to still bring laughs. Ty Burrell is the voice of Mr. Peabody.
***1/4 stars
The Quiet Ones- This British horror film loosely based on true events in the 1970s is an extremely slow burn. It's almost a no burn as it slowly builds suspense. A college professor, his two assistants, and a camera man embark on a quest to prove the supernatural does not exist within a haunted young woman. Through their questionable experimentation, they discover how wrong they are. The Quiet Ones has a few twists that are eye-opening, but it really doesn't keep you on the edge of your seat.
**3/4 stars
Million Dollar Arm- This feel good Disney movie based on real life events follows a down-on-his-luck sports agent whose one last shot at saving his failing business is creating a reality show to find the best cricket players in India with the goal of turning them into professional baseball players. It has the typical comical and heartfelt moments as he finds two young men with Major League potential and brings them to the U.S. to train. It makes you smile and gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling particularly as the film provides a synopsis of what happens to the real life people it is based upon before the end credits. Alan Arkin has the part of crotchety old geezer down to a science now. John Hamm, Lake Bell, and Bill Paxton star.
***1/4 stars
Annie- I'll be the first to admit that I am not the best person to critique musicals. With very few exceptions, I don't like them much. This latest rendition of Broadway classic, Annie, is no different. The actors are fine with the possible exception of Cameron Diaz who is over-the-top as Annie's mean foster mother in a less than entertaining way. The film's cloying sweetness was enough to give me a toothache. Not my cup of tea. Jamie Foxx, Rose Byrne, and Quvenzhane Wallis (as Annie) star.
**1/2 stars
The Maze Runner- In yet another big-screen adaptation of a young adult book series, The Maze Runner follows a group of teenage boys who live a peaceful existence on a grassy knoll called the Glade surrounded by a mysterious stone maze. When the newest entrant, Thomas (Dylan O'Brien), is deposited into the Glade with no memories of how or why he came to be there, life for the inhabitants begins to escalate to dangerous levels as truths about the maze begin to reveal themselves. Apparently young adults like reading about apocalyptic futures because it seems that's what every book series is geared toward for this group. The Maze Runner should have two sequels if the studio follows suit with the book series. This was an entertaining, if not completely clear, introduction to this world-gone-to-Hell.
*** stars
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles- What else do you need to know? Four hard-shelled reptiles jacked up on an experimental compound learn ninja skills from their genetically-enhanced foster father and sensei (a rat) to protect New York from the evil criminal organization, the Foot Clan, and their leader, the Shredder. This reboot of the franchise is slightly edgier than previous film adaptations, but it still packs enough cheese for fans of the previous series to appreciate.
*** stars
The Giver- Decades into the future, after a war, humanity has rejected all forms of emotion to live in a bland, but safe utopian society. The only person who still remembers everything from the past is the Receiver of Memory (Jeff Bridges). The elders, who decide the fates (and jobs) of the entire community, decide the future fate of 16-year old, Jonas. He is to succeed the current Receiver and is tasked to train with him until he is ready to take over. But what happens when Jonas experiences emotion for the first time? Can he go back to his old way of unquestioning obedience, or will he become the most dangerous man in this fake perfection? Based on another young adult novel, The Giver is a fascinating look into the feelings that make us all human. That is, until you see the metaphorical ending that leaves you scratching your head. Meryl Streep co-stars as the Chief Elder.
**3/4 stars
Let's Be Cops- Jake Johnson and Damon Wayans, Jr. star as two likable losers, one an ex-college football star and the other a low-level video game designer, who masquerade as police officers for kicks and get in way over their heads taking down an organized crime syndicate. You have to "think stupid" to get through the glaring plot holes in this film, but, it's fun and has more laughs than I expected.
*** stars
The Expendables 3- If you have seen either of the other two offerings, you know the drill. The all-star mercenary team composed of action stars from each of the last four decades is tasked with taking down a psychotic arms dealer linked to the team's past. There's tons of shootings, explosions, bone breakings, and self-aware gags throughout. There's nothing thought provoking here, but, it's fun if you take it for what it is. Stallone, Statham, Crews, Couture, Lundgren, Schwarzenegger, and Li are joined by Antonio Banderas, Wesley Snipes, Mel Gibson, and Harrison Ford among others this time around.
*** stars
Into the Woods- Disney's adaptation of the Broadway play is an amalgam of several fairy tales including Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, and Jack and the Beanstalk among others. A hideous witch has cursed a lowly baker and his wife with childlessness for a past misdeed of the baker's father. In order to lift the curse, the baker and his wife must retrieve four unusual items for the witch that will restore her youth and beauty within three days. Thus the race is on for the couple to obtain the objects from their unusual owners. But even if everyone gets what they want, is there ever truly a "happily ever after." I have to admit that I didn't know much about the Broadway play going in and wasn't aware the film was a full musical. For a musical, I actually didn't mind Into the Woods. It's fun for the most part with hints of edgy darkness. It's hysterical at times. And who knew most of the all-star cast actually had singing chops? Meryl Streep, Anna Kendrick, Emily Blunt, and Chris Pine star.
*** stars
Tusk- A departure from his usual fare, Kevin Smith wrote and directed this tale of a podcaster who disappears in the backwoods of Manitoba while interviewing an old seafaring recluse for his internet show. Unknown to the hapless podcaster is the recluse's profound fascination with a certain sea mammal and the designs he has to merge human with animal. The film states it is based on true events although I'm not quite sure how. It's horrifying and ludacris at the same time. I will give it a slight recommendation as you have to see this to believe it. Think a slightly kinder version of The Human Centipede.
*** stars
Stonehearst Asylum- Based on an Edgar Allen Poe short story, the film answers the question of what does really happen when inmates run an asylum. As you may expect, chaos. But, given the movie takes place in the early 20th century, modern medical practices were quite harsh in general and downright barbaric for the insane. So, the so-called sane doctors and staff who originally ran the asylum weren't conducive to good mental health either. Some characters aren't who they appear to be here. And to that a twisty plot and you have a pretty solid thriller. Kate Beckinsale, Ben Kingsley, and Michael Cain star.
***1/4 stars
Good People- A struggling young couple stumbles across some very good fortune after they find a stash of money in their dead boarder's room. Good fortune, that is, until the boarder's former associates come looking for it themselves. Here's another fairly solid, little-known crime thriller that's fairly standard in plot, but has an exciting, climactic showdown at the end that makes good offensive use of a nail gun. Kate Hudson, James Franco, and Tom Wilkinson star.
***1/4 stars
Snowpiercer- Leave it to human beings to turn on each other even in the middle of a post-apocalyptic future. In 2031, the survivors of a frozen Earth continuously circle the globe on a speeding bullet train. But as in regular society, a class system has developed within the train with humanity on the brink of extinction. The privileged control the comfortable head cars while the downtrodden occupy the cold, dirty tail cars. The orchestrator of the latest "tail-car" revolution, Curtis Everett, is determined to make his way to the all-powerful engine and confront the leader, Wilford, to make him atone for the misery of the class system. But, when all is revealed, everything may not be as black and white as Curtis believes. Snowpiercer takes some funky leaps in logic. It keeps you enthralled just enough to keep your attention through the end, but, ultimately you feel exhausted and unfulfilled. Chris Evans stars.
**3/4 stars
Blue Ruin- In this revenge-driven thriller, vagabond, Dwight Evans, looks to even the score for his family after his parents' killer is released from prison. Yet another movie that starts with a great premise, but, poorly executes said premise. You try getting through the 90 minute running time and see if you don't want a bullet to your brain. Mind-numbing boredom at its best.
* star
No Good Deed- Idris Elba is a deadly criminal psychopath who escapes from prison and terrorizes a suburban housewife (Taraji P. Henson) while leaving a trail of bodies in his delusional wake. There is a bit of a twist as criminal and victim do have a link that's revealed near the end of the film. There's nothing original and it's all very derivative. Henson's character is stupid beyond belief. But, I still found it strangely entertaining. It's a no frills type of thriller that feels..."comfortable" if that makes any sense.
*** stars
Horns- Part love story, part murder mystery, part supernatural horror, part comedy, Horns is usually the type of movie jumble that doesn't work for me. Adapted from a novel by Joe Hill, Horns follows the story of a young man (Daniel Radcliffe) accused of his girlfriend's rape and murder. After a night of hard drinking, he discovers he has developed demon horns on his head. Even more amazing, the horns force people to reveal their deepest, darkest secrets and compel them to do the bearer's will. This film was not critically acclaimed and I'm not sure why. It's one of the best I saw in 2014. Daniel Radcliffe gives a performance far removed from Harry Potter that will impress.
***3/4 stars
The Skeleton Twins- A movie starring comic heavyweights such as Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig should be a recipe for a raucous laugher of a film right? Well, you would be wrong in this instance. This is a somewhat meandering story of two estranged, perpetually depressed and suicidal siblings who both lead train wrecks of a life. Yes, there are instances where Hader's and Wiig's usual lunacy is on display, but, ultimately, you're left wondering if this trip was really necessary. Ty Burrell and Luke Wilson co-star.
**3/4 stars
Annabelle- This prequel to The Conjuring follows the unholy, possessed demon doll as it wreaks havoc on a nice suburban family in the 1970s. Borrowing material from much better movies, Annabelle commits the cardinal sin of being a horror film that is not scary. Tacky, obvious jump scares permeate the a film. I wasn't the hugest fan of The Conjuring, but, at least it was solid. Annabelle is a cheap cash-in attempt.
*1/2 stars
Sex Tape- I will be the first to admit that I didn't see much to this movie in the previews. I love ridiculous comedies, but, this one didn't seem all that amusing. I am happy and surprised to say that I was very wrong. Sex Tape has laughs throughout. Both Cameron Diaz and Jason Segel are actually very funny in the lead roles (Segel is no surprise, Diaz, just a bit). The premise? A married couple looking to re-capture some of the lost sexual magic in their relationship make a sex recording that is accidentally uploaded on the internet for all to see. Queue the silly hijinks of recovering said recording. You know humor doesn't always need to be high brow and sophisticated. Sometimes you're just in the mood for a movie that aims at the lowest common denominator. And, Sex Tape adheres to the first rule of comedy. It's funny. Rob Lowe shines as the CEO of a family-oriented company with strange proclivities.
***1/4 stars
The Interview- The controversial movie pulled from multiplexes across America is both vulgar and juvenile. But that's part of its charm, too. James Franco and Seth Rogen star as a popular, but, dimwitted tabloid journalist and his sensible producer who look to legitimize their craft by interviewing the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, who, apparently, is a fan of their show. The duo is enlisted by the CIA to "take him out" due to their close proximity to the maniacal despot. The Interview takes some huge liberties with current history, but, it is an amusing satire that's worth a look.
*** stars
Dear White People- In this modern-day satire of race relations on an Ivy League college campus, a "black-themed" frat house party organized by Caucasian students gets terribly out of hand and brings unwanted press to the University. The film is sly and amusing at times as it depicts the events leading up to the party, but, ultimately, it feels like there's a whole generation of young people with identity crises. It's still entertaining enough to recommend.
*** stars
Men, Women, and Children- The film follows a group of Texas high school students and their parents as they navigate the many ways the internet has changed their lives. Subjects of anorexia, infidelity, pornography addiction, and fame hunting are explored along with their unfortunate pitfalls. It's movie I found both sad and provocative. If nothing else, it did make me feel something. Jennifer Garner and Adam Sandler star.
***1/4 stars
Life of Crime- This Elmore Leonard adaptation is a quirky tale of two fumbling criminals who concoct the ingenious plan of kidnapping a wealthy real estate developer's wife for ransom. There's one problem. The developer doesn't want his wife back as he was planning to divorce her and replace her with his younger mistress. The many plot twists and double crosses start to become a little lackluster and confusing. There are some good performances, but, this should have been better than it was. It's not bad, but, not particularly memorable either. Jennifer Aniston, Tim Robbins, Isla Fisher, and Yaslin Bey (Mos Def) star.
**3/4 stars
Get on Up- Chadwick Boseman is the highlight of this biopic on the career of music legend, James Brown. Boseman and the music are the stars and... there wasn't much else for me. The direction of the film ranged from confusing, nonsensical flashbacks to Brown inexplicably breaking the fourth wall for no reason at all. Boseman should be lauded as he has the artist's voice inflections and movements down to a science. But, after seeing it, I'm glad I waited for a rental.
**1/2 stars
Whiplash- Miles Teller is a student in a prestigious music school whose goal is to become a premier jazz drummer. The obstacle? A tyrannical professor (J.K. Simmons) who seems to take an ominous delight in berating his pupils. It's a good performance by Teller as a young man who becomes obsessed with his craft and pushed beyond his limits. It's an exceptional performance by Simmons who really has never received enough credit for being the great character actor he is.
***1/4 stars
The Remaining- A group of friends examine their lives and faith as the Rapture strikes Earth in this apocalyptic horror film. Neither thought-provoking nor particularly ominous, the movie just sort of lays there on the screen. You had more poignant commentary on this type of apocalypse from a silly movie like This is the End than you do from this. And it's shot in that annoying found footage format.
**1/2 stars
Foxcatcher- Based on a true story, Foxcatcher tells the tale of two Olympic-medal brothers (Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo) who become sponsored by wealthy and odd wrestling enthusiast, John Du Pont (Steve Carrell), to both train and instruct at his newly opened Olympic training camp on his estate. Du Pont forms an unhealthy bond with one of the brothers that eventually ends under unfortunate circumstances. It's a slow-moving film, but the three principal actors all turn in more than credible performances, particularly Carrell. You've never seen him quite like this before. He's almost unrecognizable.
***1/4 stars
If I Stay- Chloe Moretz stars as a 17-year old music prodigy who is gravely injured in a horrific car accident with her family. Having to choose whether to live or succumb to her injuries, she takes the audience on a harrowing journey. And harrowing is the word for it. Between the film's frequent flashbacks/forwards, it's very hard to really care about anything that's going on here. And Moretz's spirit self running through the hospital every few minutes started to become a little tedious. Chloe Moretz is a very good young actress. I don't fault her for this one. She just had a dull script to work with.
**1/2 stars
Birdman (or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)- Michael Keaton stars as washed up movie star, Riggan Thomson, who writes, directs, and stars in the Broadway adaptation of a 1960s short story in an attempt to validate his career. Thomson played the super hero, Birdman, in a trilogy of highly successful movies in the 90's. He has a few idiosyncrasies like speaking to and holding conversations with himself in his Birdman persona and believing he can move objects through telekinesis. His completion of his dream will not be easy as he's dealing with a volatile method actor and recovering addict daughter along with his own issues. This is supposed to be a pseudo-comedy I think, but, it's a little too artsy to really determine what it is. The best movie of 2014? I think not! And, it disappoints me to say that because I so wanted to like Birdman given the cast. I like films that make you say, "What the Hell?", not "What the Hell was that?!!" There's a difference. Emma Stone, Edward Norton, Naomi Watts, and Zach Galifianakis co-star.
**3/4 stars
Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb- Ben Stiller returns as the night security guard of the coolest museum on Earth in the third installment of the popular series. This time, the magic tablet that makes all the exhibits come to life when the sun goes down is mysteriously dying. So, it's up to their protector, Larry (Stiller), to unravel the riddle in Great Britain to save his waxy friends. This third installment is cute and harmless. It has some laughs, but, it's nothing you haven't seen from this series before. I give it a slight recommendation, but, it's the dietary equivalent of empty calories. Robin Williams, Steve Coogan, Owen Wilson, Rebel Wilson, and Ricky Gervais co-star.
*** stars
Jersey Boys- Clint Eastwood directs this adaptation of the Broadway play depicting the rise of the musical quartet, the Four Seasons. Biographies for me usually fall on either side of the pendulum. There isn't much room in the middle. I found Jersey Boys to be competently acted, if not, greatly acted, and competently directed by Eastwood. It handles 4th wall narrative much better than a previous biography, Get On Up, I reviewed on this list. The real treat in a film like this is the music itself. I think the actors sang most of the songs themselves, which is impressive, if the actor who portrayed Frankie Valli could actually come close to the notes Valli himself could hit.
*** stars
American Sniper- Clint Eastwood directs another biographical story in 2014, this time depicting the life of Navy SEAL and sniper, Chris Kyle, who fought in the Iraq War on four separate tours of duty. Known as the deadliest sniper in U.S. history, Kyle had a distinguished military career, but, found it hard to adapt to civilian life. Eastwood doesn't pull any punches in his depiction of the general ugliness of war. Unlike with many films of this nature, I didn't find the battle sequences over-sensationalized. But it's still a grim look into the mind of a soldier bound by duty who had an extreme difficulty "turning it off" so to speak.
***1/2 stars
The Theory of Everything- Eddie Redmayne's Oscar-winning performance is very much deserved in this story depicting the life of physicist, Steven Hawking. The film is mostly a vehicle for the Redmayne and co-star Felicity Jones in the role of Hawking's first wife, Jane. It's a bit of a slow watch, but, it's a heartbreaking one as well given Hawking's circumstances battling ALS.
***1/4 stars
Fury- In this World War II action-drama, a lone U.S. tank crew deep behind German lines must hold a stretch of road alone after the rest of their unit perishes. Fury is pretty much what you would expect from a film of this sort. Intense action, bodies horribly blown apart, and a tragic ending greet you for the 135 minute run. I don't think I'm really giving anything away there. Don't all of these movies end tragically? It's well done, but, I've had my fill of war movies. Brad Pitt, Michael Pena, and Shia Labeouf star.
***1/4 stars
The Judge- Robert Downey, Jr and Robert Duvall star as a hardnosed judge in a small Indiana community accused of murder and his estranged hotshot lawyer son who defends him. This one has usual family melodrama between father and son that you would expect. It's the strength of the two leads that makes this an entertaining enough journey. Billy Bob Thornton, Vera Farmiga, and Vincent D'Onofrio co-star.
*** stars
Before I Go to Sleep- This twisty thriller follows a woman who survives a brutal attack. The catch? Every night she goes to sleep, she forgets her former life. To add to her confusion, the two men in her life, her husband and her doctor, seem to have competing agendas in jogging her fractured memory. The ending devolves into the usual fight-for-your-life battle, but there are enough forks in the road to keep you entertained for its 90-minute runtime. Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth, and Mark Strong star.
***1/4 stars
Dumb and Dumber To- The Farrelly Brothers collaborate once again with Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels in this sequel to the 1994 film. So, is this second romp through idiocy successful? Partially. I'll admit I laughed loudly a few times. But this film has the same "been there, done that" feel of most comedy sequels. Do you really need to know the plot? It's Carrey and Daniels acting as dementedly stupid as they possibly can. If you're a fan of moronic nonsense, this movie is your Holy Land. Personally, I think there's a place for inspired lunacy, or, at least an attempt at it, so I'll give it a mild (very mild) recommendation.
*** stars
V/H/S Viral- The horror anthology returns for its third installment. While I admire that unknown indie filmmakers are taking a stab at a genre that many consider low rent, I have to say the sequels haven't been as inspired or as disturbingly weird as the original. Once again shot in the found footage format that I "love", (that's the shtick of this series), the vignettes cover a wild car chase, an out of control magician, a parallel world, and a Mexican Demon Cult vs. skateboarders.
**1/2 stars
The Imitation Game- This seems to be the year for biopics as this is yet another. The film follows the life of Alan Turing, the British mathematician responsible for cracking the code to the Nazi Enigma Machine during World War II and the father of the computer age. Yes, it doesn't sound very exciting, but, I was drawn in despite a somewhat haphazard time switches between past, present, and future. Turing's story is a sad one as, by necessity, he can't be recognized for his work. It's absolutely tragic that he is unable to lead a normal life period. The movie is driven by a strong performance from Benedict Cumberbatch in the lead role. Keira Knightley co-stars.
***1/4 stars
The Fault in Our Stars- Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort star as terminally ill teenagers who find love in this film adaptation of John Green's novel of the same name. It's a bittersweet, if overwrought at times, romance that is made palatable by the likeability of the two leads. I give much credit to Woodley and Elgort. They have great and believable chemistry onscreen.
*** stars
Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Worth a look. Better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. I'm doing my happy dance!
5 *= Pure eye candy. I have seen the top of the mountain, and it is good.
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