Just Go With It - It's an Adam Sandler comedy...

Just Go With It - (3 Stars)
In Adam Sandler's latest comedy he plays his usual likable, slightly schmucky version of himself, this time named Danny Maccabee. Danny is a plastic surgeon who, after a failed wedding, finds himself carrying around a wedding ring as a way to get women to sleep with him. The plan works great until he meets the attractive Palmer, played by model Brooklyn Decker, (I never figured out if this was supposed to be her first or last name) who is instantly attracted to him, but instantly disgusted when she finds the wedding band and believes him to be married. Enter Jennifer Aniston as Danny's assistant, who he tasks to be his fake ex-wife asking her to "just go with it."

Out of the gate, "Just Go With It" is definitely funnier than Sandler's last movie "Grown Ups," which felt more like a filmed chance to hang out with his buddies than a movie. This is due in part to two things. First of all, Sandler didn't write this one. It's actually based off of an old movie called "Cactus Flower" which is actually based on a stage play. Sandler's influence is definitely still there in the script as everything still has the same feel as his other movies. Secondly, Aniston is there to play off of instead of a group of comedians. She does a decent job of being a foil to Sandler's antics and even holds her own in terms of comedy.

The story itself is pretty predictable, as is the norm for this type of movie (Not really a spoiler alert: I guessed the ending the first time I saw the trailer). The comedy is mostly a combination of sight gags (mostly not funny) and one-liners, all of which got a good reaction out of the audience I was watching the movie with. It also has elements of romance to it, but in the same vein as Sandler's other similar works ("The Wedding Singer," "Click"). Once the movie got into "ending mode" (this is what I like to dub the point in a comedy where they realize they have to wrap up their story and not just do endless gags) things got less funny, and felt a bit rushed. It all ends rather abruptly with most of the resolution appearing off-screen.

The bottom line is that those that liked "Grown Ups" will like this even better. Those that like Adam Sandler in general will enjoy it and anyone that hates Adam Sandler and still saw "Grown Ups" and didn't like it, well, they probably won't enjoy this one either (although, I'm not sure why anyone who doesn't like Adam Sandler would still be seeing his movies). Much like the character's in the story, the audience's best chance at enjoying the movie is to "just go with it" and try not to think too much about it.
Soundtrack Note: It felt as if almost every song in the soundtrack was either solely by Sting and/or the Police or was a remix/mash-up of their work. Nothing to this observation, I just found it interesting.
(116 minutes - Rated PG-13 for frequent crude and sexual content, partial nudity, brief drug references and language- 2011) (Netflix)

Easy Schmucks

Well, the movies are starting to come in quickly so I'm doing my best to watch and review them and get it posted. The latest batch is a pretty decent group that offer some good laughs and stories that, while not entirely original, are still enjoyable. I actually have about 3-4 other movies already rated, but the reviews aren't quite ready so I'll get you started with these two reviews that are:

Dinner For Schmucks - (3 Stars)*
The idea, taken from another foreign movie, is that Tim (Paul Rudd) wants to move up in his company. In order to do so, he must find and bring an idiot to a dinner in order to impress his boss. However, his girlfriend is not to keen on this idea. So, Tim is stuck until he runs into Barry (Steve Carell). What follows is one awkward moment after the other as Barry slides his way into every aspect of Tim's life.

The movie is decently funny, with many lines that are definitely quotable. But, it's not going to go down as the funniest movie of 2010. With that being said, I found myself more enjoying Tim and Barry's journey. It's a pretty typical "by numbers" type of character growth, but it's still enjoyable because of the outcomes. Carell plays well off of Rudd's Tim with his sometimes endearing oft-times annoying Barry.

Overall, "Dinner for Schmucks" is just a fun movie that has you rooting for the poor unwitting idiots brought to dinner by the real schmucks: the business executives.
(114 minutes - Rated PG-13 for sequences of crude and sexual content, some partial nudity and language - 2010) (Netflix)

Easy A - (3 Stars)
Emma Stone stars as the smart, witty Olive Penderghast who has problems being noticed at school until a rumor about her losing her virginity is circulated around the school. Realizing the benefits, she begins to perpetuate the rumors in order to help herself and others succeed. However, she quickly learns that there are consequences to her choices.

The movie starts out rather quickly and with a good amount of laughs. Stone is a natural as the verbose, well-read teen. It makes it very easy to root for her as she goes about the school. Perhaps the funniest parts involve her parents, played wonderfully by Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson. However, things get a bit tired after awhile when the film doesn't really seem to know where to go with itself. I found myself enjoying most of the movie up until the ending, which seemed a bit anti-climactic.
(92 minutes - Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements involving teen sexuality, language and some drug material - 2010) (Netflix)

The Social Town

The Town - (3 Stars)
Ben Affleck stars and directs this predictable but enjoyable crime movie where, once again, we are tasked with following and tend to find ourselves rooting for the bad guys instead of the good guys. . Of course, this isn't really the kind of movie where good and bad are black and white anyway. "The Town" felt like shades of "The Departed" meets "The Outsiders" meets any movie about robbing banks. It didn't blow me away, but I enjoyed it. This was mainly due to the fact that despite it doing nothing new, everything, from the acting to the writing to the directing, is executed really well. The movie gets bonus points for featuring some scenes at Fenway Park (and tons of wicked awesome Boston accents).
(125 minutes - Rated R for strong violence, pervasive language, some sexuality and drug use - 2010) (Netflix)

The Social Network - (4 Stars)*
Everyone and their mom seems to be using Facebook these days. I'm not trying to exaggerate (well, I'm slightly exaggerating). But what's the story behind "The Facebook?" Well, David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin have the strange, sordid (well, slightly sordid), and partially fictitious answer in their movie, "The Social Network."

The movie is an engrossing, character driven tale that follows Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) from a messy break-up, through Harvard and on to the eventual founding and expansion of the most popular social networking site currently online. The movie doesn't have a lot of action, since it revolves around the founding of a website, so some won't find much appeal. However, Fincher really has a gift for pacing his movies and keeping things moving.

In all honesty, I was reminded a lot of the little seen "Shattered Glass," with its focus on an interesting, but not well liked main character and the people in his life that he interacts with. Most of these interactions are not very positive. In fact, most will sympathize with his best friend and co-founder Eduardo (Andrew Garfield, who everyone will get to know soon as the new Spider-man) who slowly finds himself less and less a part of Facebook.

The biggest theme to me that resonated throughout the movie was a sense of tragic irony. Mark founds Facebook, at least according to the movie, as a way to get back at a girlfriend who dumps him. Along the way he alienates himself from many people and loses friends. Mark eventually finds himself the creator of the biggest social networking tool whose sole purpose is keeping up with and making friends, and yet he doesn't seem to have any friends of his own.
(120 minutes - Rated PG-13 for sexual content, drug and alcohol use and language - 2010) (Netflix)


Note: I highly recommend checking out Shattered Glass if you haven't seen it: Netflix

Ramona, Knight and St. Cloud (Attorneys at Law?)

Well, finally a batch of movies in which I can recommend every one. Each one was enjoyable in its own way and I even brought back my * to denote my must watch movie of the batch. I haven't been using it because lately it's been pretty obvious which ones to watch and which ones not to (as in they mostly stunk). I haven't updated in a bit as I still feel like I'm catching up from the holiday season and not quite in a rhythm yet. Hopefully things should get going again soon.

Knight and Day - (3 1/2 Stars)
After watching the trailer for "Knight and Day," I wasn't too thrilled to see it. I usually enjoy Tom Cruise, but Cameron Diaz is a completely different story (I mentioned my dislike for her briefly in my previous review of The Green Hornet). However, I was pleasantly surprised with the over-the-top action/thriller. The movie from the start seems to wink at the audience and acknowledge that it's going to be a goofy, but action-packed, ride which is why it works. A movie that purposely attempts being ridiculous is always better than a movie that doesn't try and ends up that way due to poor writing or acting. This is a great example of a good popcorn movie that you know not to take too seriously and just enjoy.
(109 minutes - Rated PG-13 for sequences of action violence throughout, and brief strong language - 2010) (Netflix)

Charlie St. Cloud - (3 Stars)
Went into this one with an open mind and I was rewarded with an enjoyable experience. The movie, though starring Zac Efron, is not a romantic comedy or teen romance movie. There are elements, very slight, but overall the story focuses more on loss. Overall I found "Charlie" to be pretty likable and engaging. Granted, at some parts it got a little strange or overly sappy (and one or two "suspend your disbelief" moments as well), it was still definitely worth watching.
(99 minutes - Rated PG-13 for language including some sexual references, an intense accident scene and some sensuality - 2010) (Netflix)

Ramona and Beezus - (4 Stars)*
I remember (vaguely) reading and enjoying the Henry Huggins books, and in turn, the Ramona books. I was also a big fan of the Ramona TV series that ran in the 90's starring Sarah Polley as Ramona. So, I had some lofty expectations for this new incarnation of Ramona and I was not disappointed.

From the start, if you were a fan of the old TV series, you need to distance the two and not try to make comparisons. It's the same with any remake/revision: don't try to compare it with the old one, just watch it and judge it on its own merits and not how it stands up to its predecessor. With that being said, I really enjoyed Joey King's Ramona. She was funny and quirky and definitely brought to life the character very well (with many memorable lines). Selena Gomez, who I was really worried they'd use too much because of her star power, gets about as much screen time as Beezus should. The books were written awhile ago so the movie takes some liberties with modernizing which I think is probably shown most in Beezus' casting.

"Ramona and Beezus" is basically what one would expect: a funny, sweet and enjoyable family film. But it also delivers more than that as a solid retelling of the classic Ramona stories with a solid cast. The movie is genuinely funny as well, not just for kids, but for adults as well. For some it might seem sappy or sentimental. But those who find it to be too much for them, probably aren't the people who enjoy this type of film anyway (or they are just trying to exude a little too much machismo).
(103 minutes - Rated  G - 2010) (Netflix)

The Christmas Repo Writer

Today I have two new reviews and one old one that I missed. These movies still fall a bit on the underwhelming side, but each has their own interesting aspect that bumped their reviews up a bit. I also have some tidbits for these movies that will work well in my first "After the Movie" post. I'm a bit miffed that I missed out on an easy chance at winning tickets again today (I thought they were just more tickets to see Due Date, and I'm good in that respect, but they were actually for any movie so I never called). So, no Harry Potter review upcoming just yet. Anyway, here are the reviews in order of my viewing:

Repo Men – (2 ½ Stars)

I'm a sucker for a well done, clever Science Fiction story. So, going into the movie, I thought there could be some potential for a surprise. To me that's one of the best movie going experiences, when a movie completely delivers something you don't expect. And while "Repo Men" has an interesting enough concept, it doesn't completely deliver in the end.

Jude Law and Forrest Whitaker play the title characters who, in the semi-near future, are tasked with tracking down and repossessing artificial organs that the owners have fallen behind in payments on. The idea is both well executed and sloppy at the same time. Some plot holes exist because of this (or I guess, more along the lines of logic or character motivation holes). 

The movie still moves at a pretty quick pace and provides some decent action. I actually gave the movie a higher rating because of the ending (which I will discuss more in my AtM post). While it may lack in some areas, "Repo Men" at least offers some action and some interesting ethical dilemmas. For example, to think of predatory lending extending to something that is actually in your body is a scary idea indeed.  

(119 minutes - Rated R for for strong bloody violence, grisly images, language and some sexuality/nudity - 2010) (Netflix)

A Christmas Carol – (2 ½ Stars)

I will be very happy when this 3-D fad finally comes to an end and movies will be made for the sake of the story, and not to serve a gimmicky technology. Disney's latest version of Charles Dickens' classic is a perfect example. What starts off as a seemingly faithful adaptation quickly falls prey to ridiculous flying scenes and various objects coming at the camera just for the sake of a 3-D audience. I did not watch the movie in 3-D, so it just came across as awkward and, well, unnecessary.

Since Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" is such a well known and beloved story, there's not much to say that people don't already know when it comes to the story. At times, this version follows the story closer than other adaptations. But, just when you think it might be on the right track, another gimmicky chase/action scene is thrown in. Jim Carrey does a pretty good job at channeling his inner miser (and the various spirits), but even that isn't enough to save this rendition. However, it still had some enjoyable moments. But this is mostly due to its source material. 

Note: Since it does try to keep closer to the story, there are some frightful moments. This is not recommended for younger kids. If you have younger kids, watch the much better Muppet Christmas Carol. If you don't have younger kids, watch Scrooge, or you might as well still watch the Muppet version anyway, too.

(98 minutes - Rated PG for scary sequences and images - 2009) (Netflix)

The Ghost Writer – (3 Stars)*

There was a lot of press build-up for Roman Polanski's latest film due to his possible extradition to the US and being placed under house arrest, and so on and so forth. To be honest, all of the press probably helped this movie get noticed, but it doesn't really help the movie as a whole. Especially when there are definite parallels to Polanski within the characters in the film.

Ewan McGregor is the ghost hired to help pen the memoirs of a former British Prime Minister (Pierce Brosnan) when the previous ghost writer is mysteriously found dead. The movie takes this premise and builds a suspenseful, complicated web of politics and deceit. The scenery in the movie is fantastically dreary and only adds to suspense. Perhaps the strongest aspect of the movie is Polanski's directing. However, the story is where things begin to unravel.

"The Ghost Writer" builds everything up incredibly well, but it all falls apart and becomes rather simplistic by the end. The movie, based on a book by Robert Harris (a former BBC reporter), also doesn't really try to hide its political opinions and message. So, instead of a good suspense movie to take you out of reality, you have a suspenseful movie that tries a little to hard to force an idea on you. Overall, there are many elements to this movie that are extremely well done, in the end it just fizzles.

(128 minutes - Rated PG-13 for language, brief nudity/sexuality, some violence and a drug reference - 2010) (Netflix)

John the Night Road Stalker: In Rome!!!

Finally, after quite a long hiatus, I have some new movie reviews. I've had a lot going on and just haven't had the time to getting these reviews finished and posted. They've been partially completed after I watched each movie, but now here they are. Part of the reason I didn't post was also due to not watching as many movies (nothing coming in, starting to watch "Fringe" again). However, now there should be a pretty steady stream of movies coming in (and maybe a few theatrical reviews as well!)

*The Road – (3 ½ stars) – 

“The Road,” based on the Cormac McCarthy novel of the same name, is a bleak vision of a post-apocalyptic American wasteland. The story follows a man and his son as they trek the wasteland in search of food and hope for a place that is free from all of the destruction. The movie is fairly faithful to book, however some character chemistry is lacking until the end of the movie, which does take away from the movie since most of the story emphasizes the relationship between the man and his son. I also found that the young actor who played the boy was quite annoying (more than I remembered the boy being in the book). Overall the movie does an excellent job of adapting the book although, at the same time, you really could just read the book.

(Netflix) (111 minutes - Rated R for some violence, disturbing images and language - 2009)

The Night Stalker – (3 Stars) – A television movie that kicked-off a subsequent series, “The Night Stalker” is the supernatural precursor to “The X-Files.” The story follows the exploits of the great character of Darren McGavin’s Kolchak, a newspaper reporter, as he tracks down what he believes to be an actual vampire preying on young women. The movie is a bit dated, but still a lot of fun. There is a second movie and the series, however it was short lived, but there was another an attempted resurrection a few years back (to no avail). Also, for those not familiar with the name Darren McGavin, he is the dad who finally relents to getting his son a Red Rider BB gun in “A Christmas Story.”

(Netflix) (74 minutes - Not Rated/Television Movie - 1972)

Dear John – (1 Star) – Chances are that if you are sitting in on “Dear John” you are either the intended audience or were dragged there/coaxed into renting it by the intended audience. Either way, expect the expected. As is standard in a Nicholas Sparks book-to-movie adaptation, we have our typical boy meets girl story full of bad acting, annoying characters and plenty of clichés. You can definitely tell that Sparks is a man trying to write a woman character because they always turn out terribly two-dimensional. By the way, I checked with the intended audience (two teenaged girls and one twenty-something girl): they didn’t like it either.

(Netflix) (108 minutes - Rated PG-13 for some sensuality and violence - 2010)

When In Rome – (3 Stars) –“When in Rome” is a romantic comedy that doesn’t take itself seriously and doesn’t require you to. Starring Kristen Bell (who is most know from her turn as Veronica Mars on CW) and Josh Duhamel (mostly known for being Fergie’s husband), as the couple of interest. They meet at a destination wedding in Rome near a famous fountain of love. The movie includes some funny bit parts from comedians Jon Heder, Danny DeVito, Will Arnett and Dax Shepard (Bell’s real-life love interest). Overall the movie is pretty predictable but remains enjoyable.
(Netflix) (91 minutes - Rated PG-13 for some suggestive content - 2010)


Upcoming Reviews:
Alice in Wonderland
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (for real this time)
The Wolfman (2010)
Dead Alive


Some potential movie reviews currently in theatrical release:
Grown Ups (definite review incoming, I have free passes)
Toy Story 3
Inception

Did You Hear The Young, Crazy Superman in the Air got Tenure?

This is a double week of movie reviews, although it's about the same as some of my previous week's worth. It's a modest bunch of movie, none of which truly stand out, but since it was nominated for several awards (and I enjoyed it, along with the director's previous works), I selected "Up in the Air" as my pick of the week. "Tenure" was close, but I think I need to watch it again to see where I stand on it. I also don't think it would appeal to many. Next week's movies are quite the beast. I will finally watch and review "Avatar," which I will try to do as objectively as possible (I'll also pretend I'm watching it on a big 3-D screen for full effect). But, that's next week...here are this week's movies (Side-note: I really like my title this week):

*Up in the Air – (3 ½ Stars)

George Clooney is Ryan Bingham, whose job it is to fire people when their own company doesn’t have the intestinal fortitude to do so. He spends his days literally up in the air flying from point to point on his seemingly cold-hearted endeavors. However, in an effort to save money, Ryan’s company takes the advice of its inexperienced recent hire (Anna Kendrick) and begins to implement a new means of firing people. Feeling his way of life being threatened, Ryan tries everything he can to stay in the air, which leads to Natalie (Kendrick) accompanying him on his journeys.

“Up in the Air” takes the viewer on a tough journey. Due to the nature of Ryan’s job, we are witness to a number of individuals at their lowest. But there are plenty of light moments to lift the mood as well as many funny moments. Ryan’s slow turn from the detached, disconnected (albeit charming) loner who spends most of his time on the road is engrossing and the interactions between Natalie and Ryan are often amusing and insightful.

(Netflix) (109 minutes – Rated R for Language and some sexual content – 2009)

Crazy on the Outside – (2 ½ Stars)

“Crazy on the Outside” finds Tommy (Tim Allen) released after a three year stint in jail. Fully intending to turn his life around and restart his father’s painting business, he runs into some snags in the form of his parole officer, a zany sister and his old partner in crime. Allen’s directorial debut is a well-meaning comedy with some funny moments, but it just doesn’t quite deliver what it could have.

 (Netflix) (96 minutes – Rated PG-13 for Sexual content and language – 2009)

The Young Victoria – (3 Stars)

Victoria (Emily Blunt) is the only heir to the throne of England. Unfortunately, nobody seems to really think she is fit for the job. “The Young Victoria” chronicles the early life of England’s longest serving monarch including her romance with her future husband, Prince Albert. The movie is a great looking period piece with pretty good acting all around. However, the directing leaves something to be desired. “…Victoria” shows signs of being an excellent movie and perhaps in the hands of a better director it would have been. But clunky cuts and strange transitions bring an otherwise entertaining movie down.

 (Netflix) (105 minutes – Rated PG for Some mild sensuality, a scene of violence, and brief incidental language and smoking – 2009)

Did You Hear About the Morgans? – (2 Stars)

“Did You Hear About The Morgans?” basically ended up being exactly as I had expected. Take two of the most annoying “romantic” leads in movies (Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker) and have the bicker and argue. Mix in a typical “witness protection” storyline that throws them into the middle of nowhere and you have the “big city/country” angle. There are some moments that are funny, and the movie does have a redeeming quality about it, but I just couldn’t get past most of everything else to really enjoy the movie.

 (Netflix) (103 minutes – Rated PG-13 for Some sexual references and momentary violence – 2009)

Tenure – (3 Stars)

“Tenure” stars Luke Wilson as college professor Charlie Thurber, who has never been able to gain tenure, despite being an intelligent and well-meaning guy. He seems to finally be on track to gain tenure at Gray University until a new Yale educated professor is hired into the department as direct competition. With his Bigfoot-obsessed colleague at his side (David Koechner), Charlie sets out to show that he has what it takes to earn tenure. “Tenure” is not as funny as it could have been (and this is its biggest drawback), but there are a lot of good moments throughout. Perhaps I enjoyed the movie more because I identified with Charlie’s plight, but I enjoyed tagging along on the journey.

(Netflix) (89 minutes – Rated R for Language, some sexuality and drug content – 2009)

Superman/Batman: Public Enemies – (3 Stars)

What do you do if your arch-enemy becomes the President of the United States? Based on the graphic novel by Jeph Loeb of the same name, “Superman/Batman: Public Enemies” has DC’s greatest superheroes team up to stop Lex Luthor in his latest bid to take over the world. Or has he finally turned over a new leaf? As a comic, the story works a lot better. There are certain intangibles that just don’t translate from comic to screen and this is the case with “…Public Enemies.” The movie is good, the comic is better.

 (Netflix) (75 minutes – Rated PG-13 – 2009)

Upcoming Movie Reviews:

Avatar

Invictus

Valentine's Day

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

Extraordinary Measures

The Complicated Imaginarium of Watchmen Broncos

This week's theme seems to be the difference a director can make. Two of the movies ("Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" and "Gentlemen Broncos") have directors that are less mainstream, but are very focused on an idea of what they want their movie to be and who it will appeal to. The other movies ("It's Complicated"  and "Watchmen") have more mainstream directors that more or less have churned out two predictable, mediocre movies. As for my pick for the week, I enjoyed Gentlemen Broncos more, but feel that Imaginarium was a better overall pick in terms of a "must-see movie" due to circumstances surrounding the movie.

*The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus – (3 Stars)

As many people know (and if you don’t, you do now) this is Heath Ledger’s last movie. Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell were called in to finish up bits of his role so that his final work would see the light of day. This ends up being one of the hardest things about this movie. The last time we saw Ledger, he was devouring the scenery as The Joker in “The Dark Knight.” So going into this movie after that tour de force is a little bit of a let down. It’s not a bad performance, but the Joker is a tough act to follow.

Doctor Parnassus (Christopher Plummer) believes that the world is kept in motion due in part to the stories we tell and our imagination. It is this belief that leads him to meet ‘The Devil.’ I want to pause here and say that while I enjoyed the performance of Tom Waits here, he wasn’t exactly the “root of all evil” kind of person you would expect, although this could have been the intention. ‘The Devil,’ or Mr. Nick as he is referred to by Parnassus, loves a good wager. It is through these bets that Parnassus gains immortality and eventually his Imaginarium, a place where ones imagination manifests in a fantasy world that ends in a choice between good (Parnassus) or evil (Mr. Nick).  The problem is that Parnassus, who is a definite candidate for Gambler’s Anonymous, has inadvertently wagered his own daughter. Losing hope quickly, things begin to look up when Parnassus and his motley crew discover a mysterious stranger who may be able to help turn things around (Ledger).

The prevalent idea throughout the movie is choice. Everything that occurs is the result of one or another person’s choice. More often than not the better choice is also the more difficult one. “Imaginarium…” is a fantastic looking movie. Due to the extraordinary nature of the Imaginarium, Terry Gilliam was able to utilize Depp, Law and Farrell as Ledger’s “through the looking glass” alter-ego. This dynamic works amazingly and improves the fantasticality of the movie. While there are many things that work, there are also many that do not. The story is very convoluted and it is very likely you may walk away from the end a bit befuddled. However, the movie lends itself to another viewing if only to peel apart some of the various layers of the movie’s message and narrative.

(Netflix) (122 minutes - Rated PG-13 for Violent images, some sensuality, language and smoking - 2009)

It’s Complicated – (2 Stars)

Jake (Alec Baldwin) and Jane (Meryl Streep) have been divorced for 10 years. They have finally reached a point of catharsis in their relationship. But when something rekindles the long-lost passion in their relationship, an affair ensues. “It’s Complicated” is everything you’d expect it to be. If you’ve seen the trailer, you’ve more or less seen the movie. The movie has its funny moments, but just isn’t anything special or new.

(Netflix) (121 minutes - Rated R for Some drug content and sexuality - 2009)

Gentlemen Broncos – (3 ½ Stars)

“Gentlemen Broncos” is the latest zany comedy/coming-of-age story from Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre). If you are familiar with Hess’ campy, low budget, dry as a bone humor style of filmmaking you will know what to expect from this movie. Hess’ movies are not for everyone but if you enjoyed his previous two entries, then this one will more than likely appeal to you as well.

Benjamin (Michael Angarano) is a homeschooled loner who enjoys writing Science-Fiction stories. He is meek and mild-mannered which tends to lead to him being taken advantage of by others. Benjamin’s only real friend is his mother, who designs and sells nightgowns for a living. When Benjamin steps out a bit to go to a writing workshop, he gets a chance to meet his idol, Ronald Chevalier (Jemaine Clement). However, Benjamin quickly discovers that Chevalier is full of himself. To make matters worse, Chevalier steals Benjamin’s story “Yeast Lords: The Bronco Years” and sells it as his own.

Benjamin is definitely a likeable character and it is because of this that “Gentlemen Broncos” works. The viewer gets to ride along with him on his journey of self-discovery and meet all of the strange characters he meets along the way. Characters that you come to expect from a Jared Hess film.

(Netflix) (89 minutes - Rated PG-13 for Some crude humor - 2009)

Watchmen – (2 ½ Stars)

“Watchmen” is based on the graphic novel of the same name and is directed by Zack Snyder (300, the unnecessary Dawn of the Dead remake). The graphic novel is a darker, grittier version of a super-hero story full of well-woven storytelling, moral dilemmas, philosophical ponderings and a lot of interesting visuals. Snyder’s version is more of a copycat eye-candy version of the story. It manages to wonderfully capture the imagery of its source, but without really capturing the essence of it. In many cases the movie seems to be trying too hard to look just like the graphic novel that it’s painfully cheesy. Snyder just doesn’t seem to understand what exactly he was working with and the immense scrutiny he would face by fans of the graphic novel (which is definitely worth a read).

(Netflix) (163 minutes - Rated R for Strong graphic violence, sexuality, nudity, and language - 2009)

Upcoming Movie Reviews:

Up in the Air

Crazy on the Outside

The Young Victoria

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call - New Orleans

Defendor

Did You Hear What Happened to the Morgans?

For a full list of upcoming reviews, click here.

Gran Education on Moon Parenthood

This week I again had a hard time deciding which movie would be my "pick of the week." I decided on "Moon" but it was so close, you should just watch "Gran Torino" while you're at it. Both are fantastic movies with Oscar-worthy performances from their leads (maybe a bit of carry over from last week). Rounding out the mix are two movies that ended up being pleasant surprises mostly in part to their wonderfully wrapped-up endings. I didn't quite have as many words in the titles this week to compose a proper title, but did the best I could with what I had (and an extra "on"). Also, for the first time, some of the movies are "Watch Instant" movies on Netflix (you can stream to your computer, game system, or other compatible device). I have denoted these movies with a ^.

Gran Torino – (4 ½ Stars)

Clint Eastwood is the epitome of a tough guy. “Gran Torino” sees Eastwood as aging Korean War vet Walt Kowalski, who still lives in his old neighborhood despite its change in residents and frequent gang activity.

After his wife passes it becomes apparent that Walt’s children are more interested in what Walt might leave them when he passes than getting to know him better. When Walt steps in and assists the next door Hmong family in their gang trouble, it sets off a change in Walt and the beginning of a friendship between himself and the family.

Despite Walt’s many flaws, he is an inherently likeable character and Eastwood brings a lot of emotion through his direction and portrayal. “Gran Torino” is another fantastic, emotionally-charged film from the master director.  

(Netflix)(116 minutes – Rated R for Language throughout, and some violence – 2009)

An Education – (3 Stars)

Jenny (Oscar-nominated Carey Mulligan) is a 16 year old with hopes of attending Oxford once she graduates with her father providing the biggest push. But when a chance meeting with the older David (Peter Sarsgaard) leads to more than a casual friendship, she begins to question her plans and direction in life.

I went into “An Education” with some skepticism, wondering what direction they would go in regarding the relationship between Jenny, the teen, and David, the older “playboy.” However, by the end, I was pleasantly surprised by overall direction of the film. Jenny receives quite the education (yes, I know!) from her experiences with David and his friends and learns some valuable life lessons.

(Netflix) (95 minutes – Rated PG-13 for Mature thematic material involving sexual content, and for smoking – 2009)

*^Moon – (4 ½ Stars)

I wanted to start this review off with a confession: I am a sci-fi fan. No, I don’t go to the extent that some people do (Dressing up, naming pets/children after characters, writing fan-fiction, etc.) but I am nonetheless a sucker for a good future/space story (key word: good). I realize that not everyone is as much a proponent of the genre that I am, so I take off my sci-fi hat and switch it out for a hopefully more objective post.

“Moon” takes place in the semi-near future. Earth has found a clean, renewable source of energy in Helium (He3) harvested from the surface of the dark side of the moon. Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) is the lone worker assigned to the Sarang mining station for a 3 year period. Sam is down to his final 2 weeks aboard the station, and it is clear from the start that it couldn’t come soon enough for the worn down astronaut. He begins to hallucinate and doubt begins to creep in as to whether he will get to go home after all and what is really going on at Sarang.

The movie is basically a one-man show (unless you count GERTY the robot, voiced by Kevin Spacey) and Rockwell does an excellent job channeling the loneliness and paranoia that Bell is experiencing. The more that he finds out, the more the tension builds. Clint Mansell’s (The Fountain) score perfectly compliments the action on screen and helps drive home the emotional impact of Sam’s inevitable decision regarding his status on the station. An intellectual sci-fi thriller that should appeal to more than just fans of the genre, as it is firmly rooted in the realm of possibility and not the extraordinary.

(Netflix)(97 minutes – Rated R for Language – 2009)

^Parenthood – (3 Stars)

Steve Martin is no stranger to the neurotic, yet loveable, father role. Whether it’s the “Cheaper by the Dozen” movies or “Father of the Bride 1 & 2,” Martin knows how to appeal to both the heart and the funny bone. However, before there was George Banks or Tom Baker, there was Gil Buckman. “Parenthood” follows the Buckman family and their parenting exploits. The movie maintains a decent balance of humor and heart, sometimes dragging a bit at times, but manages to overall stay true to its message and wraps everything up in a very satisfying way.

(Netflix) (124 minutes – Rated PG-13 – 1989)

Movies for this week:

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

Watchmen

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

It’s Complicated

Body of Lies

Where the Lying Capitalist Wild Box Things Happen - March 30th

I actually meant to post this last night, but completely forgot. This week's* batch was not quite as good as last week, but it could lead you to read some better books.

*some of these were watched earlier in the month, but I forgot to review them.

The Invention of Lying - (1 Star) - Ricky Gervais co-writes, co-directs, and stars in a movie about a place where lying has not been discovered. It's surprising how unfunny it is when people only tell the truth (and apparently whatever is in their mind at the time). Even with a very good supporting cast, this movie is just disappointing. (Netflix) (99 minutes - Rated PG-13 for Language including some sexual material and a drug reference - 2009)

Love Happens - (3  Stars) - Aaron Eckhart shines as a self-help guru who doesn't seem to take his own advice about coping with loss. Quirky, but a bit slow paced at times. Not by any means a great movie, but one that was better than expected.(Netflix) (109 minutes - Rated PG-13 for Some language including sexual references - 2009)

The Box - (2 1/2 Stars) - A morality tale of sorts that revolves around a couples' choice of whether or not to push a button that will grant them $1M dollars, but kill a person that they do not know. The movie has a creepy, foreboding atmosphere to it that fizzles as the movie drags on and meanders to its convoluted ending. The movie complicates a wonderfully simplistic short story (Button, Button) by Richard Matheson.(Netflix) (115 minutes - Rated PG-13 for Thematic elements, some violence and disturbing images - 2009)

Where The Wild Things Are - (3 Stars) - Based on the picture book by Maurice Sendak, the movie is spot on when it comes to the feel of the story. Everything visually about this movie is fantastic, however there really isn't enough substance in the source material to warrant a full length movie. Most kids will probably find it boring, as will a lot of adults.(Netflix) (94 minutes - Rated PG for Mild thematic elements, some adventure action and brief language - 2009)

Capitalism: A Love Story - (2 Stars) - The biggest problem with this movie is simply that Michael Moore is not that likable of a person. The movie brings up some interesting/unsettling information, but because of Moore's gimmicky delivery, you are left questioning the authenticity of it. Moore should take a page out of the affable Morgan Spurlock's book.(Netflix) (127 minutes - Rated R for Some language - 2009)


Movies For This Week:
Law Abiding Citizen
The Brothers Bloom
Doctor Zhivago

...All the rest - March 22

The Time Traveler's Wife - (3 Stars) -  A librarian (Eric Bana) inexplicably time travels, much to the chagrin of his lover (Rachel McAdams). A surprisingly charming movie as long as you don't give yourself a headache over-thinking the time travel mechanics involved and focus more on the character story. (Netflix) (107 Minutes - Rated PG-13 for Thematic elements, brief disturbing images, nudity and sexuality - 2009)

The Boys Are Back - (4 Stars) - A great performance by Clive Owen as a man who must raise his young son by himself after the untimely passing of his wife. A very good movie with fantastic cinematography (filmed in Australia).(Netflix) (104 Minutes - Rated PG-13 for Some sexual language and thematic elements - 2009)

Fido - (4 1/2 Stars) - The classic story of a boy and his dog -- if in fact that dog is actually a zombie. The movie is full of great tongue-in-cheek zombie humor. It bends some of the 'zombie rules,' but never in a way that damages the story.(Netflix) (92 Minutes - Rated R for Zombie-related violence - 2006)

Funny People - (4 Stars) - A comedian (Adam Sandler) who is diagnosed with a terminal disease hires a younger, struggling comedian (Seth Rogen) to be his assistant and sets about making things right in his life. Judd Apatow delivers another drama/comedy about the important things in life. A warning, despite it's redeeming qualities, some may find it too vulgar for their tastes.(Netflix) (146 minutes - Rated R for Language and crude sexual humor throughout and sexuality - 2009)

Marley & Me - (4 1/2 Stars) - Genuinely funny and an all around enjoyable movie, especially for those who have ever owned a dog, but definitely not limited to those that have. Even through all of its zaniness, it never seems cheesy or contrived.(Netflix) (110 minutes - Rated PG for Thematic material, some suggestive content and language - 2008)

(500) Days of Summer - (4 Stars) - As the movie states, "this is a story about boy meets girl...not a love story." Great performances by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel highlight this unique, quirky movie. The movie really shines in its presentation and in all of the little details throughout.(Netflix) (95 minutes - Rated PG-13 for Sexual material and language - 2009)

The Informant! - (4 Stars) - Matt Damon gives a fantastic performance in this dramatized version of the true events surrounding the highest ranking whistle-blower in American business history. A very well-written movie that is both funny and intriguing. Along the same lines as "Shattered Glass," although quite a bit 'goofier.' (Netflix) (108 minutes - Rated R for Language - 2009)


Movies for this week (subject to change due to time/lapse in interest):
Where The Wild Things Are
Capitalism: A Love Story
New York, I Love You

Terminator Salvation or Battle of the Robots

Terminator Salvation - (3 stars)

Perhaps one of the most popular things to do right now in Hollywood is to "reboot" a franchise. Rebooting a franchise could entail making a sequel, prequel or even a complete redo. Reboots have successfully happened to Indiana Jones and Batman, so why not the popular Terminator franchise?