Reviews from the Dark Side presents
Spring Breakers
Released 3/22/13, now in
theaters
Child/teen stars Vanessa Hudgens, Selena Gomez, and Ashley Benson try to shed their good girl images in the new thriller, Spring Breakers. Directed by Harmony Korine, the film also stars Rachel Korine (the director's wife), James Franco, and Gucci Mane.
Brit (Benson), Faith (Gomez), Candy (Hudgens), and Cotty (Korine) are college students who have been friends since childhood. To escape the doldrums of college life, they decide to go on Spring Break in Florida. The only problem is they don't have enough money between the four of them for the trip. Unknown to Faith, Brit and Candy don face stockings and rob a local restaurant while Cotty drives the getaway car. Although taken aback by her friends' actions, Faith joins them on the trip to Florida with the stolen money.
Reaching their destination, the friends blend seamlessly into the wild partying local scene until they are arrested one night when a drug party is busted. Fortunately (or unfortunately depending on how you look at it) for the girls, two partyers busted with them are members of the local rapper's/gangster's crew. Alien (Franco) takes pity and posts bail for the girls. He proceeds to take them on a journey through his seedy world and involves them in his feud with area drug kingpin, Big Arch (Mane). As the four friends find themselves through the events of Spring Break, the question becomes who will leave this wild life behind and who will revel in its debauchery? And will any of them survive the experience?
When I saw the trailers for Spring Breakers, I thought it might be a trippy thriller. Well, the trippy part applies. Mostly, however, Spring Breakers is an allegory of girls behaving badly. Sometimes very badly. And the audience learns much about these young women. One is really a good person at heart. One is a fake wild child. By that I mean, it's not all fun and games for her when things get real. Two are outright sociopaths. This all could have been fascinating if only the material weren't presented in such an annoying manner. I know the way the movie was shot with frequent flashbacks to wild partying was supposed to be symbolic of these girls lives spinning out of control, but it was infuriating to watch at times. The film also had the maddening habit of repeating dialog. You missed a line? Don't worry. It'll be repeated at least five more times before the movie meanders on. What was supposed to be artsy (at least I guess that's what Korine was going for) just turned into a mess. Actually, I shouldn't be surprised. Korine was also responsible for another movie depicting out of control teenagers called "Kids" which was widely acclaimed but did nothing for me.
If Gomez, Hudgens, and Benson were attempting to change their images, mission accomplished. Although given the path Gomez's character ultimately takes, she has a chance of getting work from Disney again (*snicker*). And I'm not quite sure how to take James Franco here. He definitely comes across as a lowlife scumbag thug. But it's also quite comical watching him try to be "gangsta." Hillbilly hardcore is more accurate if you ask me. And I usually don't comment on someone's appearance, but on a completely unrelated note, Gucci Mane has to be one of the most aesthetically unpleasing looking men I've seen in long time (Jay-Z, you have competition buddy).
There's one other thing that bothered me a little. Now, I watch plenty of movies and TV. I read comic books. I enjoy professional wrestling. I am well versed on suspension of disbelief. But am I expected to believe two bikini clad college students (don't ask why they are in bikinis to do this) armed with two automatic machine guns are going to take out a compound full of gangster thugs who know they are coming? Just asking.
For those who care, there are a multitude of images of topless, partying college girls, alcohol and drug use, and plenty of gratuitous cheesecake shots of the four leading actresses.
I had high hopes for Spring Breakers. It is a kind of surreal experience that you want to like for its artful approach to what could have been a banal subject. However, the ball is fumbled by a script that seems to just spin its wheels for 90 minutes. This is a movie that is better seen on late night cable as opposed to a movie complex.
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. Buy this on DVD when released!
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of
Fame material here.
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Monday, March 11, 2013
Stoker
Reviews from the Dark Side presents
Stoker
Released 3/1/13, now in theaters
Park Chan-wook of Oldboy fame makes his English language film debut with the thriller, Stoker. The script was written by Wentworth Miller (any Prison Break fans?) and stars Mia Wasikowska, Nicole Kidman, Matthew Goode, and Dermot Mulroney. Before I begin, I would like to inform horror fans now who know nothing about the film that Stoker is not about Dracula or vampires period...are you still here? Let's begin!
India Stoker (Wasikowska) is a reclusive teenager whose only friend is her father, Richard (Mulroney). When a mysterious car accident claims his life, she is left alone in her family's vast estate with her emotionally unstable mother, Evelyn (Kidman), who makes token efforts to reach her introverted daughter, but can never reach her.
Both of their lives are upended when they meet Richard's brother, Charlie, at the funeral, an uncle India didn't know existed. Uncle Charlie seems perfect in every way. He's smart, charming, and resourceful. And Evelyn is infatuated with him, a fact that doesn't sit well with India. She goes on a mission to learn her uncle's secrets and learns some disturbing facts along the way. When India is attacked by a classmate one night, she is rescued by her uncle in disturbingly brutal manner. However, instead of being horrified by the act, she is now strangely drawn to her mystery relative. More disturbingly, witnessing this act may have awakened something in the emotionally awkward teen that his scarier than anyone could have imagined.
When I think about how to describe Stoker, several words come to mind. Words like strange, disturbing, mysterious, weird...well, you get the point. The Stoker family could use a lot of time on a psychiatrist's couch. That is if they aren't cooling it in a prison cell. It's a darkly Gothic and beautiful film that leaves you with the feeling of dread at times. That said, the plot does meander a little bit as India struggles through what can only be described as a miserable life (albeit self-inflicted) after her father dies. If you can survive the first 35-40 minutes or so, you will begin to be rewarded as the little action that does happen is often fast and blinding.
The standout performer in Stoker is easily Mia Wasikowska as the lonely, introverted India. She has a dark, almost soulless demeanor as she makes her way through the film. It's a perfect marriage to the dark spirit and themes of Stoker. Her performance would elicit some empathy if some of her actions weren't so disturbing.
Stoker may elicit some comparisons to Hitchcock's mind-bending thrillers with its twists and turns. It is not a horror movie in the truest sense, but it can make you a little uneasy at times. It is a film worth your time if you are a fan of the genre.
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. Buy this on DVD when released!
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here.
Stoker
Released 3/1/13, now in theaters
Park Chan-wook of Oldboy fame makes his English language film debut with the thriller, Stoker. The script was written by Wentworth Miller (any Prison Break fans?) and stars Mia Wasikowska, Nicole Kidman, Matthew Goode, and Dermot Mulroney. Before I begin, I would like to inform horror fans now who know nothing about the film that Stoker is not about Dracula or vampires period...are you still here? Let's begin!
India Stoker (Wasikowska) is a reclusive teenager whose only friend is her father, Richard (Mulroney). When a mysterious car accident claims his life, she is left alone in her family's vast estate with her emotionally unstable mother, Evelyn (Kidman), who makes token efforts to reach her introverted daughter, but can never reach her.
Both of their lives are upended when they meet Richard's brother, Charlie, at the funeral, an uncle India didn't know existed. Uncle Charlie seems perfect in every way. He's smart, charming, and resourceful. And Evelyn is infatuated with him, a fact that doesn't sit well with India. She goes on a mission to learn her uncle's secrets and learns some disturbing facts along the way. When India is attacked by a classmate one night, she is rescued by her uncle in disturbingly brutal manner. However, instead of being horrified by the act, she is now strangely drawn to her mystery relative. More disturbingly, witnessing this act may have awakened something in the emotionally awkward teen that his scarier than anyone could have imagined.
When I think about how to describe Stoker, several words come to mind. Words like strange, disturbing, mysterious, weird...well, you get the point. The Stoker family could use a lot of time on a psychiatrist's couch. That is if they aren't cooling it in a prison cell. It's a darkly Gothic and beautiful film that leaves you with the feeling of dread at times. That said, the plot does meander a little bit as India struggles through what can only be described as a miserable life (albeit self-inflicted) after her father dies. If you can survive the first 35-40 minutes or so, you will begin to be rewarded as the little action that does happen is often fast and blinding.
The standout performer in Stoker is easily Mia Wasikowska as the lonely, introverted India. She has a dark, almost soulless demeanor as she makes her way through the film. It's a perfect marriage to the dark spirit and themes of Stoker. Her performance would elicit some empathy if some of her actions weren't so disturbing.
Stoker may elicit some comparisons to Hitchcock's mind-bending thrillers with its twists and turns. It is not a horror movie in the truest sense, but it can make you a little uneasy at times. It is a film worth your time if you are a fan of the genre.
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. Buy this on DVD when released!
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here.
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Identity Thief
Reviews from the Dark Side presents
Identity Thief
Released 2/8/13, now in theaters
Melissa McCarthy and Jason Bateman are a wacky, mismatched pair in Identity Thief, a buddy-road comedy opening this weekend. The film is directed by Seth Gordon who directed 2011's Horrible Bosses. Jon Favreau, Amanda Peet, T.I., Genesis Rodriguez, Morris Chestnut, Robert Patrick, John Cho, and Eric Stonestreet co-star.
Sandy Bigelow Patterson (Bateman) is a low level employee at a leading Denver financial institution. He has a wife (Peet), two young daughters, and another child on the way. He hates his arrogant boss (Favreau) and jumps at the chance when his friend, Danny (Cho), and a group of other disgruntled employees at the firm jump ship to form their own company and allow him to make real money for the first time in his life. There's a problem, however. Sandy is the victim of a credit card scam perpetrated by a con artist the audience comes to know as Diana (McCarthy). Diana has racked up quite a bill in Sandy's name to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars. She has warrants out for her in Sandy's name, as well, which lands him in hot water with the authorities and his new job.
Since it will take too long for the authorities to undo the damage Diana has done and his job depends on him having a clean record, Sandy decides to travel to Florida to bring the thief back to Denver himself. He's in for more than he bargained for when he finally tracks down the tacky "Queen of Retail" as he has to endure a number of physical confrontations with Diana (usually ending with him receiving a throat punch), a crazed skip tracer (Patrick) who needs to bring "Sandy" in for missing a court date, and two hired thugs (T.I. and Rodriguez) who are tracking "Sandy" for their jailed mob boss who she has defrauded as well. Since Diana has no where to turn and Sandy lies to her about not having to face the police if she comes back to Denver with him, sticking with her dupe seem like the best option. Whether they get to Colorado in one piece or without killing each other is another matter.
Identity Thief is one of those movies where the appeal is completely about its star power. McCarthy and Bateman both deliver great performances in what is an otherwise standard road comedy. Bateman and Paul Rudd might be the best comedic straight men working today. I do think Bateman does deadpan the best, however.
The true standout here though is McCarthy. This lady is just plain funny without half trying. Whether it's situational or physical comedy, there just isn't any form of the medium where she doesn't shine. And she also has an opportunity to show off some dramatic acting chops in Identity Thief. She is more than up to the task in the film's primary dramatic moment as she talks about her sad past showing an emotion and vulnerability that many actresses couldn't pull off. This along with a couple of key moments when she is mocked for her appearance and you see the hurt in her face makes you feel sympathy for a character who is essentially a liar and thief. McCarthy has real talent and range as an actress that I hope continues to be tapped.
Identity Thief is a funny movie if not a completely hilarious side-splitting one. Again, the strength of the two leads is what drives it. It's worth a look.
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. Buy this on DVD when released!
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here.
Identity Thief
Released 2/8/13, now in theaters
Melissa McCarthy and Jason Bateman are a wacky, mismatched pair in Identity Thief, a buddy-road comedy opening this weekend. The film is directed by Seth Gordon who directed 2011's Horrible Bosses. Jon Favreau, Amanda Peet, T.I., Genesis Rodriguez, Morris Chestnut, Robert Patrick, John Cho, and Eric Stonestreet co-star.
Sandy Bigelow Patterson (Bateman) is a low level employee at a leading Denver financial institution. He has a wife (Peet), two young daughters, and another child on the way. He hates his arrogant boss (Favreau) and jumps at the chance when his friend, Danny (Cho), and a group of other disgruntled employees at the firm jump ship to form their own company and allow him to make real money for the first time in his life. There's a problem, however. Sandy is the victim of a credit card scam perpetrated by a con artist the audience comes to know as Diana (McCarthy). Diana has racked up quite a bill in Sandy's name to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars. She has warrants out for her in Sandy's name, as well, which lands him in hot water with the authorities and his new job.
Since it will take too long for the authorities to undo the damage Diana has done and his job depends on him having a clean record, Sandy decides to travel to Florida to bring the thief back to Denver himself. He's in for more than he bargained for when he finally tracks down the tacky "Queen of Retail" as he has to endure a number of physical confrontations with Diana (usually ending with him receiving a throat punch), a crazed skip tracer (Patrick) who needs to bring "Sandy" in for missing a court date, and two hired thugs (T.I. and Rodriguez) who are tracking "Sandy" for their jailed mob boss who she has defrauded as well. Since Diana has no where to turn and Sandy lies to her about not having to face the police if she comes back to Denver with him, sticking with her dupe seem like the best option. Whether they get to Colorado in one piece or without killing each other is another matter.
Identity Thief is one of those movies where the appeal is completely about its star power. McCarthy and Bateman both deliver great performances in what is an otherwise standard road comedy. Bateman and Paul Rudd might be the best comedic straight men working today. I do think Bateman does deadpan the best, however.
The true standout here though is McCarthy. This lady is just plain funny without half trying. Whether it's situational or physical comedy, there just isn't any form of the medium where she doesn't shine. And she also has an opportunity to show off some dramatic acting chops in Identity Thief. She is more than up to the task in the film's primary dramatic moment as she talks about her sad past showing an emotion and vulnerability that many actresses couldn't pull off. This along with a couple of key moments when she is mocked for her appearance and you see the hurt in her face makes you feel sympathy for a character who is essentially a liar and thief. McCarthy has real talent and range as an actress that I hope continues to be tapped.
Identity Thief is a funny movie if not a completely hilarious side-splitting one. Again, the strength of the two leads is what drives it. It's worth a look.
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. Buy this on DVD when released!
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Warm Bodies
Reviews from the Dark Side presents
Warm Bodies
Released 2/1/12, now in theaters
Zombie madness has the spotlight again in the new horror comedy, Warm Bodies. The film is based on Isaac Marion's book of the same name. Directed by Jonathan Levine, Warm Bodies stars Nicholas Hoult and Teresa Palmer in the two main roles. John Malkovich and Rob Corddry co-star.
After a zombie apocalypse, a restless teenage walker (Hoult, and, yes, I'm borrowing from The Walking Dead) endlessly wanders an airport terminal with dozens of other undead looking for meaning to his existence and...food. This teenager, later called "R", appears to be different than most other zombies as he's self aware of what he is but has foggy memories of his old life, including his name. And he's just unable to shake that troublesome "affliction" he currently has. He attempts communication with a fellow zombie, later called "M" (Corddry) with a series of grunts, snorts and occasional near-words. Like all of his brethren, he craves human flesh, particularly brains, as grey matter acts as kind of a drug for the undead and allows them to access the memories of the victims. As bad as the zombies are for what's remaining of humanity, there's an even bigger threat which gives even the regular undead pause. There are packs of zombies called "bonies" who have lost all traces of human consciousness and exist as skeletal remains always on the hunt for a beating heart.
Zombie and humans meet for the first time in the film when R leads a hunting pack outside the airport in search of food. His group encounters a group of teenagers from the nearby human encampment themselves searching for hospital supplies outside their city's protected walls. When the two groups meet, it's an instant blood bath. R meets Julie (Palmer), daughter to the human resistance's leader, General Grigio (Malkovich). Something strange happens to R when he notices Julie. He's instantly attracted to her and wants to protect her from the rest of his party. Of course that could have something to do with the fact that he just consumed part of her boyfriend's brain, too. He is able to disguise her from the other zombies in his party and takes her back to his home in the airport, an abandoned passenger plane. Further strangeness ensues as the two of them begin to bond and R starts to become more human as he continues to consume the boyfriend's brain (a traveling snack, if you will). Humanity is not only infecting R, it is also spreading to the other zombies still clinging to traces of their former selves. Now the trick is convincing, General Grigio and his army that the real enemies are the growing number of bonies that are a threat to human and zombie alike.
Warm Bodies is a relatively harmless romantic teen-comedy. It works on a certain level, but, in my opinion, it suffers a bit by straddling the fence between romance, comedy, and horror. I would have liked it a little better if it just picked a lane. It's kind of funny. It's kind of romantic. It's kind of sca...well, it's not really scary. I wish it would have played up more of the farce angle a la Shaun of the Dead or Zombieland. Those movies, while raucous comedies, also had those elements of danger associated with a zombie apocalypse. Warm Bodies tries to simulate the danger, but you never quite get that feeling of dread. Maybe that was the point since this is supposed to be some sort of bent rom-com as it turns out.
The performances are decent enough, although I think John Malkovich's talents are a bit wasted here. There's one thing I did really like. The zombies ran after their prey. I always find that much more terrifying than the undead ambling along and overwhelming their victims. The Bonies tear after their victims like the T-1000 did in Terminator 2, although it did look cartoonish at times.
Overall, I applaud that Warm Bodies tried to give a different take on a much used (overused?) subject. It is a bit of a stretch that the movie tries to convince you that all the zombies really needed was a hug and understanding to make everything better. But again, it's a different take on the subject. It's just not that memorable in any way, shape, or form. It's a passable distraction that you could wait for on Netflix or at Redbox.
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. Buy this on DVD when released!
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here. Get this DVD goes without saying
Warm Bodies
Released 2/1/12, now in theaters
Zombie madness has the spotlight again in the new horror comedy, Warm Bodies. The film is based on Isaac Marion's book of the same name. Directed by Jonathan Levine, Warm Bodies stars Nicholas Hoult and Teresa Palmer in the two main roles. John Malkovich and Rob Corddry co-star.
After a zombie apocalypse, a restless teenage walker (Hoult, and, yes, I'm borrowing from The Walking Dead) endlessly wanders an airport terminal with dozens of other undead looking for meaning to his existence and...food. This teenager, later called "R", appears to be different than most other zombies as he's self aware of what he is but has foggy memories of his old life, including his name. And he's just unable to shake that troublesome "affliction" he currently has. He attempts communication with a fellow zombie, later called "M" (Corddry) with a series of grunts, snorts and occasional near-words. Like all of his brethren, he craves human flesh, particularly brains, as grey matter acts as kind of a drug for the undead and allows them to access the memories of the victims. As bad as the zombies are for what's remaining of humanity, there's an even bigger threat which gives even the regular undead pause. There are packs of zombies called "bonies" who have lost all traces of human consciousness and exist as skeletal remains always on the hunt for a beating heart.
Zombie and humans meet for the first time in the film when R leads a hunting pack outside the airport in search of food. His group encounters a group of teenagers from the nearby human encampment themselves searching for hospital supplies outside their city's protected walls. When the two groups meet, it's an instant blood bath. R meets Julie (Palmer), daughter to the human resistance's leader, General Grigio (Malkovich). Something strange happens to R when he notices Julie. He's instantly attracted to her and wants to protect her from the rest of his party. Of course that could have something to do with the fact that he just consumed part of her boyfriend's brain, too. He is able to disguise her from the other zombies in his party and takes her back to his home in the airport, an abandoned passenger plane. Further strangeness ensues as the two of them begin to bond and R starts to become more human as he continues to consume the boyfriend's brain (a traveling snack, if you will). Humanity is not only infecting R, it is also spreading to the other zombies still clinging to traces of their former selves. Now the trick is convincing, General Grigio and his army that the real enemies are the growing number of bonies that are a threat to human and zombie alike.
Warm Bodies is a relatively harmless romantic teen-comedy. It works on a certain level, but, in my opinion, it suffers a bit by straddling the fence between romance, comedy, and horror. I would have liked it a little better if it just picked a lane. It's kind of funny. It's kind of romantic. It's kind of sca...well, it's not really scary. I wish it would have played up more of the farce angle a la Shaun of the Dead or Zombieland. Those movies, while raucous comedies, also had those elements of danger associated with a zombie apocalypse. Warm Bodies tries to simulate the danger, but you never quite get that feeling of dread. Maybe that was the point since this is supposed to be some sort of bent rom-com as it turns out.
The performances are decent enough, although I think John Malkovich's talents are a bit wasted here. There's one thing I did really like. The zombies ran after their prey. I always find that much more terrifying than the undead ambling along and overwhelming their victims. The Bonies tear after their victims like the T-1000 did in Terminator 2, although it did look cartoonish at times.
Overall, I applaud that Warm Bodies tried to give a different take on a much used (overused?) subject. It is a bit of a stretch that the movie tries to convince you that all the zombies really needed was a hug and understanding to make everything better. But again, it's a different take on the subject. It's just not that memorable in any way, shape, or form. It's a passable distraction that you could wait for on Netflix or at Redbox.
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. Buy this on DVD when released!
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here. Get this DVD goes without saying
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Silver Linings Playbook
Reviews from the Dark Side presents
Silver Linings Playbook
Released 11/16/12, now in theaters
Mental illness is spotlighted in David O. Russell's dark rom-com, Silver Linings Playbook. The many-time nominated for a hundred different awards all-star cast includes Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert DeNiro, Chris Tucker, Jacki Weaver, and Julia Stiles. That last sentence is said jokingly (although it's true) as I was actually quite looking forward to seeing the film.
Pat Solitano (Cooper) has been a guest of the state mental ward for the past eight months. Having been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, Pat was assigned to the institution as part of a plea bargain for having...overzealously beaten a man who he caught having an affair with his now estranged wife, Nikki. Upon release to his parents' care in Philadelphia, Pat wants to do nothing more than reunite with Nikki. That is, if he can get around that pesky restraining order she has on him and his father's obsession to bond with him every Sunday watching the family's beloved Eagles play football. To that end, he becomes obsessed with improving himself physically and mentally becoming a workout junkie even before he's released from the mental hospital. To the dismay of his parents, Pat Sr. and Dolores ( DeNiro and Weaver), he also refuses to take his meds initially which leads to disastrous and, at times, comical results.
Some time after his release, Pat has dinner with his friend, Ronnie (John Ortiz) and his wife, Veronica (Julia Stiles). He meets Veronica's sister, Tiffany ( Lawrence). Tiffany in many ways is as big of a mess mentally as Pat. She is a recently widowed, jobless, recovering sex addict. After several other "chance" meetings with Tiffany (mostly on his daily jog), Pat and Tiffany develop an odd friendship. In Tiffany, Pat sees his opportunity to communicate with his wife through her as she is an acquaintance of Nikki's. He asks Tiffany to pass a letter to Nikki that he has written explaining how much he has grown and changed. In exchange, Tiffany needs something from him. She has begun dancing as a therapeutic exercise and wants to enter an annual competition in the city. She needs a partner to enter. It takes some convincing (and a tantrum) from Tiffany, but Pat agrees to be her partner as he thinks it will further prove to Nikki how much he has changed. The two of them begin a rigorous training regimen in preparation and become closer without realizing it (at least Pat doesn't at first).
Meanwhile, the competition also becomes part of a parlay bet Pat Sr. makes with his gambling buddy. After losing a large bet on the Eagles/Giants game, Pat Sr. doubles down on the Eagles winning the next Eagles/Cowboys game with the added stipulation that Pat and Tiffany must have an average score of "5" in their competition for him to win back his money to open is dream cheesesteak restaurant. No pressure there for two extremely neurotic people on medication, right?
It's always risky to tackle a subject as delicate mental illness in a comic manner. It's not always done well. Russell pulls it off nicely without becoming overly sentimental and also not glossing over the fact that the two leads have serious problems. It's not a complete farce like Me, Myself, and Irene but it still has plenty of laughs throughout keep the audience engaged without depression. It's a story of two damaged individuals who miraculously find stability in each other. It's a sweet, if somewhat demented love story that thankfully bends the rules of traditional rom-coms.
As much as the director, Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence make this movie pop. The accolades they have received for their performances are well deserved. They are both terrific and believable in their angry, manic states. And they have the most important quality that two leads should have in a love story. Chemistry! As unstable as both of their characters are, they just fit. The entire cast gives good performances from Robert DeNiro's obsessive/compulsive Pat Sr. (wonder much where his son's problems come from?) to Chris Tucker as Pat's mental patient escapee friend. And, honestly, I don't really know how Jacki Weaver's, Dolores, wasn't in a psych ward herself looking after her husband and son.
Silver Linings Playbook while not uproariously funny is still one of the better 2012 comedies I've seen. It's also one of the better 2012 movies I've seen period.
The Dark Lord of the Sith says:
**** 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.
Silver Linings Playbook
Released 11/16/12, now in theaters
Mental illness is spotlighted in David O. Russell's dark rom-com, Silver Linings Playbook. The many-time nominated for a hundred different awards all-star cast includes Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert DeNiro, Chris Tucker, Jacki Weaver, and Julia Stiles. That last sentence is said jokingly (although it's true) as I was actually quite looking forward to seeing the film.
Pat Solitano (Cooper) has been a guest of the state mental ward for the past eight months. Having been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, Pat was assigned to the institution as part of a plea bargain for having...overzealously beaten a man who he caught having an affair with his now estranged wife, Nikki. Upon release to his parents' care in Philadelphia, Pat wants to do nothing more than reunite with Nikki. That is, if he can get around that pesky restraining order she has on him and his father's obsession to bond with him every Sunday watching the family's beloved Eagles play football. To that end, he becomes obsessed with improving himself physically and mentally becoming a workout junkie even before he's released from the mental hospital. To the dismay of his parents, Pat Sr. and Dolores ( DeNiro and Weaver), he also refuses to take his meds initially which leads to disastrous and, at times, comical results.
Some time after his release, Pat has dinner with his friend, Ronnie (John Ortiz) and his wife, Veronica (Julia Stiles). He meets Veronica's sister, Tiffany ( Lawrence). Tiffany in many ways is as big of a mess mentally as Pat. She is a recently widowed, jobless, recovering sex addict. After several other "chance" meetings with Tiffany (mostly on his daily jog), Pat and Tiffany develop an odd friendship. In Tiffany, Pat sees his opportunity to communicate with his wife through her as she is an acquaintance of Nikki's. He asks Tiffany to pass a letter to Nikki that he has written explaining how much he has grown and changed. In exchange, Tiffany needs something from him. She has begun dancing as a therapeutic exercise and wants to enter an annual competition in the city. She needs a partner to enter. It takes some convincing (and a tantrum) from Tiffany, but Pat agrees to be her partner as he thinks it will further prove to Nikki how much he has changed. The two of them begin a rigorous training regimen in preparation and become closer without realizing it (at least Pat doesn't at first).
Meanwhile, the competition also becomes part of a parlay bet Pat Sr. makes with his gambling buddy. After losing a large bet on the Eagles/Giants game, Pat Sr. doubles down on the Eagles winning the next Eagles/Cowboys game with the added stipulation that Pat and Tiffany must have an average score of "5" in their competition for him to win back his money to open is dream cheesesteak restaurant. No pressure there for two extremely neurotic people on medication, right?
It's always risky to tackle a subject as delicate mental illness in a comic manner. It's not always done well. Russell pulls it off nicely without becoming overly sentimental and also not glossing over the fact that the two leads have serious problems. It's not a complete farce like Me, Myself, and Irene but it still has plenty of laughs throughout keep the audience engaged without depression. It's a story of two damaged individuals who miraculously find stability in each other. It's a sweet, if somewhat demented love story that thankfully bends the rules of traditional rom-coms.
As much as the director, Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence make this movie pop. The accolades they have received for their performances are well deserved. They are both terrific and believable in their angry, manic states. And they have the most important quality that two leads should have in a love story. Chemistry! As unstable as both of their characters are, they just fit. The entire cast gives good performances from Robert DeNiro's obsessive/compulsive Pat Sr. (wonder much where his son's problems come from?) to Chris Tucker as Pat's mental patient escapee friend. And, honestly, I don't really know how Jacki Weaver's, Dolores, wasn't in a psych ward herself looking after her husband and son.
Silver Linings Playbook while not uproariously funny is still one of the better 2012 comedies I've seen. It's also one of the better 2012 movies I've seen period.
The Dark Lord of the Sith says:
**** 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.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Mama
Reviews from the Dark Side presents
Mama
Released 1/18/13, now in theaters
Reviews from the Dark Side presents its first review of 2013 with the Guillermo Del Toro produced supernatural horror/thriller, Mama. Andres Muschietti makes his directorial debut. With a PG-13 rating, there is little bloodletting for fans of the splatterfest. Instead, Mama's horror is more in the same vain as films such The Ring and The Grudge.
The film begins with a businessman by the name of Jeffrey (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) taking his two daughters, Victoria and Lilly, from the home of his estranged wife. Jeffrey has lost everything in a stock market crash including his mind. He has killed several of his associates and his ex-wife. Speeding off on a snowy road with his children, he crashes his car in the woods. Seeking shelter in an abandoned cabin, the distraught Jeffrey decides to end the lives of his young girls before, possibly, ending his own. He is abruptly stopped and killed by an ethereal entity, saving the girls lives. Victoria "sees" this strange being, but cannot discern its appearance due to her glasses being smashed from the earlier crash. Alone and abandoned, how do three-year old Victoria and one-year old Lilly survive?
Flash forward five years. Jeffrey's twin brother, Lucas, and his rocker girlfriend, Annabel (Jessica Chastain), have been searching for Jeffrey and the girls since their disappearance. Finally, with their funds all but depleted, their efforts are rewarded when searchers discover the abandoned cabin. Victoria and Lilly are still alive but living in the wild in a feral state. The girls are brought back to civilization and placed under the psychiatric care of Dr. Dreyfuss (Daniel Kash). With his recommendation and under vehement protest from the girls' aunt, Lucas and Annabel are given legal guardianship of Victoria and Lilly as long as they agree to reside in a special home the doctor has used to perform case studies. To say the girls' behavior is strange is an understatement. However, Victoria has retained much of her vocabulary from her earlier childhood and begins to show signs of normalcy. Lilly remains just as animalistic as she was when she was found in the woods. There is also something that is visiting the girls on a daily basis. Something that Victoria has revealed during her hypnosis sessions with Dr. Dreyfuss. Something dark and dangerous that has followed the girls out of the woods and will kill to protect them. Something the two of them refer to as "Mama." But will Lucas, Annabel, and Dr. Dreyfuss discover the secret behind Mama before it's too late to thwart her plans for Victoria and Lilly?
Mama gets an "A" for creepiness. Muschietti definitely knows how to set up a chilling atmosphere. There are, however, some big plot holes and leaps of faith the audience is asked to take. Items like, why would authorities keep a child's remains in an evidence box? How did Uncle Lucas suddenly obtain a map to Mama's cabin while in the hospital? Why would Lucas' brother ask him to save his daughters in a dream when he was the one who attempted to kill them in the first place? There are other things, too. I know I didn't fall asleep. I don't think I missed anything. There are just many convenient coincidences that move the plot along to its conclusion. I guess you can say this of many films, but parts of Mama are very contrived.
But Mama does offer good things, too. There is the aforementioned creepiness of the film. Mama is a terrifying entity, twisted and animalistic. Her ghostly face always seems to be in a perpetual shriek. And when she moves? Faster than a blink! Mama's CG is incredible. What I found more impressive, however, was the acting abilities of the child stars. Both Megan Charpentier (Victoria) and Isabelle Nelisse (Lilly) display an incredible range for such a young age, particularly Charpentier who actually pulls off being a lost, tortured soul. Even the younger children portraying Victoria and Lilly at three and one year old are decent. The child actors here give me even greater cause to be angry with George Lucas for forcing Jake Lloyd on an unsuspecting public. But, I digress. The ending is bittersweet. You can say that all got a little of what they wanted, even Mama. You have to see it to understand.
Where does Mama rank in the recent pantheon of horror movies? In my opinion, Sinister is still king here. However, Mama does give the audience enough creeps and chills to entertain despite some plot holes in the script.
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. Buy this on DVD when released!
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here. Get this DVD goes without saying
Mama
Released 1/18/13, now in theaters
Reviews from the Dark Side presents its first review of 2013 with the Guillermo Del Toro produced supernatural horror/thriller, Mama. Andres Muschietti makes his directorial debut. With a PG-13 rating, there is little bloodletting for fans of the splatterfest. Instead, Mama's horror is more in the same vain as films such The Ring and The Grudge.
The film begins with a businessman by the name of Jeffrey (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) taking his two daughters, Victoria and Lilly, from the home of his estranged wife. Jeffrey has lost everything in a stock market crash including his mind. He has killed several of his associates and his ex-wife. Speeding off on a snowy road with his children, he crashes his car in the woods. Seeking shelter in an abandoned cabin, the distraught Jeffrey decides to end the lives of his young girls before, possibly, ending his own. He is abruptly stopped and killed by an ethereal entity, saving the girls lives. Victoria "sees" this strange being, but cannot discern its appearance due to her glasses being smashed from the earlier crash. Alone and abandoned, how do three-year old Victoria and one-year old Lilly survive?
Flash forward five years. Jeffrey's twin brother, Lucas, and his rocker girlfriend, Annabel (Jessica Chastain), have been searching for Jeffrey and the girls since their disappearance. Finally, with their funds all but depleted, their efforts are rewarded when searchers discover the abandoned cabin. Victoria and Lilly are still alive but living in the wild in a feral state. The girls are brought back to civilization and placed under the psychiatric care of Dr. Dreyfuss (Daniel Kash). With his recommendation and under vehement protest from the girls' aunt, Lucas and Annabel are given legal guardianship of Victoria and Lilly as long as they agree to reside in a special home the doctor has used to perform case studies. To say the girls' behavior is strange is an understatement. However, Victoria has retained much of her vocabulary from her earlier childhood and begins to show signs of normalcy. Lilly remains just as animalistic as she was when she was found in the woods. There is also something that is visiting the girls on a daily basis. Something that Victoria has revealed during her hypnosis sessions with Dr. Dreyfuss. Something dark and dangerous that has followed the girls out of the woods and will kill to protect them. Something the two of them refer to as "Mama." But will Lucas, Annabel, and Dr. Dreyfuss discover the secret behind Mama before it's too late to thwart her plans for Victoria and Lilly?
Mama gets an "A" for creepiness. Muschietti definitely knows how to set up a chilling atmosphere. There are, however, some big plot holes and leaps of faith the audience is asked to take. Items like, why would authorities keep a child's remains in an evidence box? How did Uncle Lucas suddenly obtain a map to Mama's cabin while in the hospital? Why would Lucas' brother ask him to save his daughters in a dream when he was the one who attempted to kill them in the first place? There are other things, too. I know I didn't fall asleep. I don't think I missed anything. There are just many convenient coincidences that move the plot along to its conclusion. I guess you can say this of many films, but parts of Mama are very contrived.
But Mama does offer good things, too. There is the aforementioned creepiness of the film. Mama is a terrifying entity, twisted and animalistic. Her ghostly face always seems to be in a perpetual shriek. And when she moves? Faster than a blink! Mama's CG is incredible. What I found more impressive, however, was the acting abilities of the child stars. Both Megan Charpentier (Victoria) and Isabelle Nelisse (Lilly) display an incredible range for such a young age, particularly Charpentier who actually pulls off being a lost, tortured soul. Even the younger children portraying Victoria and Lilly at three and one year old are decent. The child actors here give me even greater cause to be angry with George Lucas for forcing Jake Lloyd on an unsuspecting public. But, I digress. The ending is bittersweet. You can say that all got a little of what they wanted, even Mama. You have to see it to understand.
Where does Mama rank in the recent pantheon of horror movies? In my opinion, Sinister is still king here. However, Mama does give the audience enough creeps and chills to entertain despite some plot holes in the script.
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. Buy this on DVD when released!
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here. Get this DVD goes without saying
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Django Unchained
Reviews from the Dark Side presents
Django Unchained
Released 12/25/12
Quentin Tarantino returns to the director's chair this week with his slavery-era revenge western, Django Unchained. Oscar winners Jamie Foxx and Christoph Waltz head an all-star cast including Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington, Don Johnson, Walton Goggins, and Samuel L. Jackson.
Django Unchained is set two years prior to the Civil War. Django (Foxx) is a slave and the current property of the Speck brothers as the film begins. He was recently purchased by the Specks at auction after his wife, Broomhilda (Washington), and he displease their previous master. As the brothers are transporting Django and a group of other purchased slaves across country, they encounter, Dr. King Schultz (Waltz), a German "dentist", one cold night. Schultz is trying to locate another group of siblings known as the Brittle brothers. When Django indicates he knows who the Brittles are and can ID them, Schultz cuts down the Specks and frees Django and the other slaves in their charge. It seems the good doctor, in addition to being a former dentist, is also a current bounty hunter. He offers Django a deal. Help him hunt down the Brittles and, in return, he will free Django completely and assist him in rescuing his wife. A wife now in the hands of Calvin Candie (DiCaprio), a plantation owner and proprietor of Candyland. Candyland is an amusement park of sorts for the privileged Southerners serving as a training ground for male slaves to fight to the death for sport and a brothel for the female slaves.
After finding the Brittles, Schultz takes Django under his wing as an associate and teaches him the profession (bounty hunting). Django proves to be a natural and as winter breaks, the two hunters travel to Mississippi and enter Candyland under the guise of purchasers interested in buying one of Candie's prized fighters. All their wits and skills will be needed to pull the ultimate con on Candie and his trusted house slave, Stephen (Jackson), who takes an instant dislike to the new "buyers."
It's been my experience speaking with moviegoers that Quentin Tarantino is a polarizing figure. You love his movies or despise them. Django will do little to change your opinion of Tarantino one way or the other. I fall on the love side of this fence and I did like Django. A lot at times. Other times I found some of the dialog a little tedious. There just seemed to be a bit of needless exposition that slowed the movie down. Clocking in at nearly three hours makes watching Django more of a marathon than a sprint, that much is certain. There is also a judicious use of the "N" word. Considering the era when this story takes place, it's to be expected, but it does border a little on the extreme. Those easily offended should stay away.
But that's not to say there wasn't a lot to like about Django either. I love Tarantino's humor. It always borders on the absurd which appeals to my somewhat bizarre sense of humor nicely. He is a master of taking what should be vile and offensive in nature and making the situation so ludicrous that even the most jaded are reduced to laughter. Take the "Klan" scene in Django as an example. It's a stroke of genius that Tarantino made a potential lynching gut-bustingly hilarious. There aren't many directors who can do this. He makes this scene one of the best and most memorable from any of his movies (in my opinion). I also found it comical that a movie depicting the slave era has a soundtrack combination of 70's R&B and gangster rap. It was strange hearing that against this particular backdrop, but I liked it.
If you like movies on the violent side, this film is right up your alley. When action happens it's swift and blinding. And a bit on the cartoonish side as well. Blood spurts several feet away from the victim. Bodies appear to be launched from cannons when shot. And we get to see Django brutally turn the whip against a slave overseer for good measure. Again, not your cup of tea? You should probably stay away.
The actors are at the top of their game in Django. Actually, while I think Jamie Foxx was good, I don't believe Django himself was the best character in the film. I believe that honor would go to either Samuel L. Jackson as the foul-mouthed (what else is new), turncoat house slave, Stephen or Leonardo DiCaprio as the charming, but ultimately brutal Calvin Candie. They're both so over the top evil, you can't stop watching the movie, if only to see the two of them suffer as horribly and miserably as they have condemned others. I particularly liked DiCaprio here as he plays a character very much against his normal type. In fact, I think this is the first film where I have seen him as a totally loathsome character. He's good as a villain. Here's hoping he plays one more often.
There is much to find disturbing about Django Unchained, particularly the graphic depiction of a brutal era in American history. But the movie is very Tarantino. Fans of his style will love it. Count me in that category even if I don't think this was his absolute best movie. It is still one of the better movies of 2012.
The Dark Lord of the Sith says:
**** 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.
Django Unchained
Released 12/25/12
Quentin Tarantino returns to the director's chair this week with his slavery-era revenge western, Django Unchained. Oscar winners Jamie Foxx and Christoph Waltz head an all-star cast including Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington, Don Johnson, Walton Goggins, and Samuel L. Jackson.
Django Unchained is set two years prior to the Civil War. Django (Foxx) is a slave and the current property of the Speck brothers as the film begins. He was recently purchased by the Specks at auction after his wife, Broomhilda (Washington), and he displease their previous master. As the brothers are transporting Django and a group of other purchased slaves across country, they encounter, Dr. King Schultz (Waltz), a German "dentist", one cold night. Schultz is trying to locate another group of siblings known as the Brittle brothers. When Django indicates he knows who the Brittles are and can ID them, Schultz cuts down the Specks and frees Django and the other slaves in their charge. It seems the good doctor, in addition to being a former dentist, is also a current bounty hunter. He offers Django a deal. Help him hunt down the Brittles and, in return, he will free Django completely and assist him in rescuing his wife. A wife now in the hands of Calvin Candie (DiCaprio), a plantation owner and proprietor of Candyland. Candyland is an amusement park of sorts for the privileged Southerners serving as a training ground for male slaves to fight to the death for sport and a brothel for the female slaves.
After finding the Brittles, Schultz takes Django under his wing as an associate and teaches him the profession (bounty hunting). Django proves to be a natural and as winter breaks, the two hunters travel to Mississippi and enter Candyland under the guise of purchasers interested in buying one of Candie's prized fighters. All their wits and skills will be needed to pull the ultimate con on Candie and his trusted house slave, Stephen (Jackson), who takes an instant dislike to the new "buyers."
It's been my experience speaking with moviegoers that Quentin Tarantino is a polarizing figure. You love his movies or despise them. Django will do little to change your opinion of Tarantino one way or the other. I fall on the love side of this fence and I did like Django. A lot at times. Other times I found some of the dialog a little tedious. There just seemed to be a bit of needless exposition that slowed the movie down. Clocking in at nearly three hours makes watching Django more of a marathon than a sprint, that much is certain. There is also a judicious use of the "N" word. Considering the era when this story takes place, it's to be expected, but it does border a little on the extreme. Those easily offended should stay away.
But that's not to say there wasn't a lot to like about Django either. I love Tarantino's humor. It always borders on the absurd which appeals to my somewhat bizarre sense of humor nicely. He is a master of taking what should be vile and offensive in nature and making the situation so ludicrous that even the most jaded are reduced to laughter. Take the "Klan" scene in Django as an example. It's a stroke of genius that Tarantino made a potential lynching gut-bustingly hilarious. There aren't many directors who can do this. He makes this scene one of the best and most memorable from any of his movies (in my opinion). I also found it comical that a movie depicting the slave era has a soundtrack combination of 70's R&B and gangster rap. It was strange hearing that against this particular backdrop, but I liked it.
If you like movies on the violent side, this film is right up your alley. When action happens it's swift and blinding. And a bit on the cartoonish side as well. Blood spurts several feet away from the victim. Bodies appear to be launched from cannons when shot. And we get to see Django brutally turn the whip against a slave overseer for good measure. Again, not your cup of tea? You should probably stay away.
The actors are at the top of their game in Django. Actually, while I think Jamie Foxx was good, I don't believe Django himself was the best character in the film. I believe that honor would go to either Samuel L. Jackson as the foul-mouthed (what else is new), turncoat house slave, Stephen or Leonardo DiCaprio as the charming, but ultimately brutal Calvin Candie. They're both so over the top evil, you can't stop watching the movie, if only to see the two of them suffer as horribly and miserably as they have condemned others. I particularly liked DiCaprio here as he plays a character very much against his normal type. In fact, I think this is the first film where I have seen him as a totally loathsome character. He's good as a villain. Here's hoping he plays one more often.
There is much to find disturbing about Django Unchained, particularly the graphic depiction of a brutal era in American history. But the movie is very Tarantino. Fans of his style will love it. Count me in that category even if I don't think this was his absolute best movie. It is still one of the better movies of 2012.
The Dark Lord of the Sith says:
**** 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.
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