Reviews from the Dark Side presents
Pain and Gain
Released 4/26/13, now in theaters
Action director extraordinaire, Michael Bay, trades big explosions (sort of) for comedy in the action comedy, Pain and Gain. This true life tale of Miami bodybuilders kidnapping a local businessman for monetary gain stars Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson, Ed Harris, Tony Shalhoub, Ken Jeong, Rebel Wilson, and Anthony Mackie.
Daniel Lugo (Wahlberg) is passionate. He's the senior trainer at Sun Gym in Miami, and he guarantees that all of his clients will get pumped when he's done with them. He's also tired of living on a trainer's paltry salary and believes he's destined for something greater after attending a Johnny Wu (Jeong) self help seminar. That something greater involves local businessman, Victor Kershaw (Shalhoub), who becomes one of Lugo's clients. Kershaw makes the critical mistake of bragging about his riches at every opportunity. In his mind, Lugo believes those should be his riches and decides to follow "the American Dream" by kidnapping Kershaw and forcing him to sign over his assets.
But, Lugo needs partners for this type of undertaking. He recruits fellow trainer and loyal follower, Adrian Doorbal (Mackie) into his scheme. But the crew isn't complete until they meet Paul Doyle (Johnson) at the gym. Doyle has recently relocated to Miami after a stint in Attica. He's a recovering drug addict who found religion while in prison. And while he is a gentle soul at heart, he soon finds himself in need of money and lodging when he has an altercation with the priest at the local church that is supplying him with employment and residence.
Thus, with Doyle on board, the Sun Gym Gang is complete. While the trio does have some initial success, they soon find kidnapping and extortion isn't as easy as they believed it would be, and their scheme spirals out of control with both hilarious and horrifying results.
First, let me say that I will always think of Dwayne Johnson as "The Rock." It was this persona he developed in the WWE that showed me he was a terrific actor. Pain and Gain, for me, is his best acting job since he became a Hollywood star. Paul Doyle is played as both a pathetic and comedic figure and Johnson sells both sides of the character, particularly the comedic element. If you don't believe Johnson is a funny man, watch this movie and see if you feel the same way. This is part of what's great about him. He looks the part of an action star, yet, he has tremendous comedic chops that will leave you in stitches. He is the new Schwarzenegger, only, you know, actually funny.
Aside from Johnson, all the actors turn in more than credible performances from Wahlberg's dominating go-getter to Shalhoub's obnoxiously callous businessman. Kershaw is such an unlikable person that you don't really mind much that terrible things are happening to him.
While a departure from Michael Bay's usual loud, explosion-filled fare, Pain and Gain still sports its share of thrills for the action junkies out there. In fact, hilariously absurd is what I'd call most of the action.
The plot of Pain and Gain becomes so bizarre that you must keep in mind that it is based on a true story. The movie even reminds you of this in a ridiculous segment near the end involving a barbeque grill. In addition, there is humor involving Kershaw's resistance to being killed, Doorbal's erectile dysfunction, and Doyle's severed toe. Trust me, there is a strange logic to all of these events.
Pain and Gain is the best time I have had at the movies so far in 2013 (that could easily change with Summer season starting next week). It's a strange romp that is played for a lot of laughs, but, also keep in mind that even as inept as the Sun Gym Gang is/was, they committed some pretty horrible crimes that were no laughing matter to the victims involved.
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. Buy this on DVD when released!
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Evil Dead
Reviews from the Dark Side presents
Evil Dead
Released 4/5/13, now in theaters
Director, Fede Alvarez, takes on a horror legend with his remake of the Sam Raimi classic, Evil Dead. Alvarez's version stars Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernandez, Lou Taylor Pucci, and Jessica Lucas. Can Raimi's handpicked choice to direct the remake reclaim the magic of the original movie?
The film begins as a young woman is captured in the woods. She wakes up to find herself tied to a post in a basement awaiting "saving" by a group of onlookers, including her father. An old woman reads from an ancient book imploring the girl's father to save her soul. Just before she is burned, the audience realizes she is indeed possessed by an unspeakable evil presence.
The film forwards to an unnamed future time period where Mia (Levy) has traveled to a remote family cabin in the woods in an attempt to kick her drug habit. There to assist are her brother, David (Fernandez), his girlfriend, Natalie (Elizabeth Blackmore), and friends, Olivia and Eric (Lucas, Pucci). Soon after arriving, the group follows a horrid stench emanating from the basement where they discover several dead cats hanging from ceiling hooks. They also discover the book the old woman used earlier.
As Mia struggles mightily with her sobriety and growing uneasiness in the cabin, Eric, a teacher who is curious about the new book, begins to examine its pages. Despite the disturbing images within the book and unaware of the consequences of his actions, Eric begins reading passages from the book aloud. When Mia's growing uneasiness reaches a fever pitch, she attempts to leave the cabin against her companion's wishes and encounters a demonic presence in the woods. Thus begins a night of terror that Mia, her brother, and friends are not likely to ever forget. That is, if they survive the ordeal.
So, what can you really say about the remake of a classic except whether or not the remake does justice to the original material? For me, it's a bit of a mixed bag. The biggest mistake I think the remake made was not playing an absurd situation for laughs. This is what the original Evil Dead trilogy did masterfully. The remake went for the straight horror element. And something this absurd only works through the sheer stupidity of the players in the game. Seriously, how many portents and stop signs do you need when reading a book made of flesh? Every page Eric reads from the book has a message of "Don't say this" or "Stop Now!" and what does he do? He continues reading the enchantments in the book aloud and releases Hell on Earth! Or, at least Hell in a secluded cabin. The original Evil Dead has its fair share of idiots, of course. But, since it played the situation for laughs as well as fright, the plot plays much better in the original.
Again, going for the straight horror element, the remake does succeed in creating a foreboding, chilling atmosphere. Its scores of blood and jump scares does achieve the first rule of horror; be unsettling. As a work of pure horror, Evil Dead delivers.
There is a new "Ash" so to speak. I won't reveal which character survives to the inevitable sequel(s). What I will say is fans of Ash should stick around for the end credits. You might find it really "groovy!"
Evil Dead does what is needed for a horror movie. It provides gore galore and unsettles you with some truly putrid imagery. However, it doesn't possess the cheesy fun of the original. It's a decent watch if not a great one.
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. Buy this on DVD when released!
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here.
Evil Dead
Released 4/5/13, now in theaters
Director, Fede Alvarez, takes on a horror legend with his remake of the Sam Raimi classic, Evil Dead. Alvarez's version stars Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernandez, Lou Taylor Pucci, and Jessica Lucas. Can Raimi's handpicked choice to direct the remake reclaim the magic of the original movie?
The film begins as a young woman is captured in the woods. She wakes up to find herself tied to a post in a basement awaiting "saving" by a group of onlookers, including her father. An old woman reads from an ancient book imploring the girl's father to save her soul. Just before she is burned, the audience realizes she is indeed possessed by an unspeakable evil presence.
The film forwards to an unnamed future time period where Mia (Levy) has traveled to a remote family cabin in the woods in an attempt to kick her drug habit. There to assist are her brother, David (Fernandez), his girlfriend, Natalie (Elizabeth Blackmore), and friends, Olivia and Eric (Lucas, Pucci). Soon after arriving, the group follows a horrid stench emanating from the basement where they discover several dead cats hanging from ceiling hooks. They also discover the book the old woman used earlier.
As Mia struggles mightily with her sobriety and growing uneasiness in the cabin, Eric, a teacher who is curious about the new book, begins to examine its pages. Despite the disturbing images within the book and unaware of the consequences of his actions, Eric begins reading passages from the book aloud. When Mia's growing uneasiness reaches a fever pitch, she attempts to leave the cabin against her companion's wishes and encounters a demonic presence in the woods. Thus begins a night of terror that Mia, her brother, and friends are not likely to ever forget. That is, if they survive the ordeal.
So, what can you really say about the remake of a classic except whether or not the remake does justice to the original material? For me, it's a bit of a mixed bag. The biggest mistake I think the remake made was not playing an absurd situation for laughs. This is what the original Evil Dead trilogy did masterfully. The remake went for the straight horror element. And something this absurd only works through the sheer stupidity of the players in the game. Seriously, how many portents and stop signs do you need when reading a book made of flesh? Every page Eric reads from the book has a message of "Don't say this" or "Stop Now!" and what does he do? He continues reading the enchantments in the book aloud and releases Hell on Earth! Or, at least Hell in a secluded cabin. The original Evil Dead has its fair share of idiots, of course. But, since it played the situation for laughs as well as fright, the plot plays much better in the original.
Again, going for the straight horror element, the remake does succeed in creating a foreboding, chilling atmosphere. Its scores of blood and jump scares does achieve the first rule of horror; be unsettling. As a work of pure horror, Evil Dead delivers.
There is a new "Ash" so to speak. I won't reveal which character survives to the inevitable sequel(s). What I will say is fans of Ash should stick around for the end credits. You might find it really "groovy!"
Evil Dead does what is needed for a horror movie. It provides gore galore and unsettles you with some truly putrid imagery. However, it doesn't possess the cheesy fun of the original. It's a decent watch if not a great one.
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. Buy this on DVD when released!
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here.
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Spring Breakers
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.
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.
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.
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