As a passionate hater of all things Family Guy, Ted sounded like a horrible idea, even with the impressive cast it Seth MacFarlane assembled. The idea of a animated teddy bear cursing, doing drugs, and having sex with trashy girls didn't sound appealing at all. It just sounded annoying. I was wrong. Ted is a wonderful comedy, one that manages to keep you laughing the whole way through and manages to have some genuine heart shine through as well.
Ask anyone, it takes a lot for me to get passionate about a comedy. Maybe I'm just hard to please, but films like The Hangover or virtually anything starring Adam Sandler rank among some of the worst movies I've seen. Ted is a welcome exception to that tradition, thanks, in part, to MacFarlane's wonderful script. Ted never takes its ridiculous premise too seriously, but develops it well enough to make it more interesting than you'd expect. And, while the film certainly wears it's R rating on it's sleeve, the tone is surprisingly sweet, almost like a grown up version of the Tom Hank's classic Big. Along with all the pot smoking and sex jokes, audiences see a surprisingly tender romance, just the right amount of quirk, dark humor, self awareness and, most importantly, a completely realistic and compelling relationship between Ted and John.
That takes me to the acting in the film, which is uniformly solid. Mark Wahlberg is a decidedly hit or miss actor. He either turns in a wonderful performance (The Departed), is a great film's weakest link (Boogie Nights) or just all sorts of terrible (Fear, Planet of the Apes, Rock Star). His performance in Ted turns out to be one of his best. The entire film relies on his relationship with Ted, requiring Wahlberg to convincingly share the scene with a computer generated teddy bear. That's something very few actors can pull off, but Wahlberg does the job nicely, toning down his movie star nature to play a relatable man-child the audience can root for, even when he's doing wrong. That being said, it's MacFarlane who steals the show. It may only be his voice in the film, but that's not to say that he isn't the best thing about the film. His characterization of Ted is so well thought out, entirely convincing and, most importantly, hilarious. As for the supporting cast, virtually everybody does a good job, even if important characters like Mila Kunis don't have too much to do.
Ted, a film I couldn't care less about prior to seeing it, has become one of my favorite films of the year and one of the few films I'd pay to see in theaters for a second time. It's wonderful entertainment, well made, and truly hilarious. If you don't mind some very crude humor, give it a try, you won't be sorry.
OVERALL GRADE A-
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
The Amazing Spider-Man: Not Amazing, But Certainly Not Terrible
Let's just get this straight, I don't hate remakes. I don't even hate the idea of remakes. Sure, certain movies should never, ever, ever be remade by anyone. But, at the same time, certain films both good or bad, could be very interesting or, dare I say, done better by another artist's interpretation. So, no, I don't hate remakes. Not one bit.
That being said, while I was never against a re-make of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man, I wasn't exactly begging for one either. Don't get me wrong, I hated Spider-Man 3 with every fiber of my being, but did I really need to see my favorite web crawler swinging through the streets of Manhattan yet again? No. And I really wasn't interested in seeing his origin again, even with a new cast and more modern special effects. But, The Amazing Spider-Man had the talent necessary to convince me that maybe, just maybe, a remake (I'm sorry, 're-imaginig') of Spider-Man could be better than the original. A talented director, two of the best rising stars in Hollywood, state of the art 3-D effects, and a few great trailers. I was pumped. But, while The Amazing Spider-Man wasn't a bad film by any means, it was definitely hindered by some major flaws and doesn't even hold a candle to the first two Raimi films.
The best thing about The Amazing Spider-Man was actually the worst thing about the Spider-Man trilogy, and that's the casting. Each actor is perfectly cast in TASM. Andrew Garfiled is wonderful, constantly charismatic, tough when he needs to be, and utterly convincing in the role. I'm a straight man, completely confident with my sexuality but, hell, Garfield was so damn lovable that I almost fell for him too. Almost. Emma Stone also turned in a strong performance, even if she's not as memorable as she was in her other films. Thanks in part to the writing, Stone makes Gwen Stacy more than just the girl-next-door archetype we've come to expect from the series, and much more than a damsel in distress. But, stealing the show is Dennis Leary as Captain Stacy. Leary was wonderful, turning in one of the best performances of the year. His performance was so compelling I'd pay another $14.50 to watch a spin-off entirely about his character.
The action, while not entirely memorable, is also well staged an exciting. Thanks to some truly wonderful special effects and great use of 3D (I'm not a huge supporter of the medium, but I recommend paying the extra bucks to see this film in it) the action is exciting and a lot of fun to watch. The original Spider-Man was one of my very first favorite films, and watching the action scenes from it makes me feel like an 8 year old again. While those scenes in TASM weren't that good, those action scenes certainly made me feel young(er) again.
But, then, there's the problems. The big problems. The main one being the film's villain. Honestly, was including the Lizard an afterthought for the writers? He's one of the absolute worst villains I've ever seen in a comic book movie! He is, essentially, thrown into the film after it's already half over, and his motive and 'evil plan' feels only half thought. Not to mention that he's not exactly that threatening and whoever had the idea to have the Lizard talk in a completely unaffected British accent deserves to be fired.
Also annoying is the fact that, even with some additional twists and a little mystery thrown in to keep us on our toes, the overall origin of Spidey is essentially the same and, even with better actors, it feels like we're watching the same movie over again. I tried hard to care about Uncle Ben and that fateful spider-bite again, but I simply couldn't.
The Amazing Spider-Man is a good movie, and one of the better summer blockbusters of the year. That being said, if you're expecting to be swept away by the film and already plan to pre-order your tickets for the sequel (which is already scheduled for May 2014, by the way) then you might be disappointed. As for me, I liked this film, but when I'm itching for a Spider-Man fix, I'll return to the Raimi version.
OVERALL GRADE: B-
That being said, while I was never against a re-make of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man, I wasn't exactly begging for one either. Don't get me wrong, I hated Spider-Man 3 with every fiber of my being, but did I really need to see my favorite web crawler swinging through the streets of Manhattan yet again? No. And I really wasn't interested in seeing his origin again, even with a new cast and more modern special effects. But, The Amazing Spider-Man had the talent necessary to convince me that maybe, just maybe, a remake (I'm sorry, 're-imaginig') of Spider-Man could be better than the original. A talented director, two of the best rising stars in Hollywood, state of the art 3-D effects, and a few great trailers. I was pumped. But, while The Amazing Spider-Man wasn't a bad film by any means, it was definitely hindered by some major flaws and doesn't even hold a candle to the first two Raimi films.
The best thing about The Amazing Spider-Man was actually the worst thing about the Spider-Man trilogy, and that's the casting. Each actor is perfectly cast in TASM. Andrew Garfiled is wonderful, constantly charismatic, tough when he needs to be, and utterly convincing in the role. I'm a straight man, completely confident with my sexuality but, hell, Garfield was so damn lovable that I almost fell for him too. Almost. Emma Stone also turned in a strong performance, even if she's not as memorable as she was in her other films. Thanks in part to the writing, Stone makes Gwen Stacy more than just the girl-next-door archetype we've come to expect from the series, and much more than a damsel in distress. But, stealing the show is Dennis Leary as Captain Stacy. Leary was wonderful, turning in one of the best performances of the year. His performance was so compelling I'd pay another $14.50 to watch a spin-off entirely about his character.
The action, while not entirely memorable, is also well staged an exciting. Thanks to some truly wonderful special effects and great use of 3D (I'm not a huge supporter of the medium, but I recommend paying the extra bucks to see this film in it) the action is exciting and a lot of fun to watch. The original Spider-Man was one of my very first favorite films, and watching the action scenes from it makes me feel like an 8 year old again. While those scenes in TASM weren't that good, those action scenes certainly made me feel young(er) again.
But, then, there's the problems. The big problems. The main one being the film's villain. Honestly, was including the Lizard an afterthought for the writers? He's one of the absolute worst villains I've ever seen in a comic book movie! He is, essentially, thrown into the film after it's already half over, and his motive and 'evil plan' feels only half thought. Not to mention that he's not exactly that threatening and whoever had the idea to have the Lizard talk in a completely unaffected British accent deserves to be fired.
Also annoying is the fact that, even with some additional twists and a little mystery thrown in to keep us on our toes, the overall origin of Spidey is essentially the same and, even with better actors, it feels like we're watching the same movie over again. I tried hard to care about Uncle Ben and that fateful spider-bite again, but I simply couldn't.
The Amazing Spider-Man is a good movie, and one of the better summer blockbusters of the year. That being said, if you're expecting to be swept away by the film and already plan to pre-order your tickets for the sequel (which is already scheduled for May 2014, by the way) then you might be disappointed. As for me, I liked this film, but when I'm itching for a Spider-Man fix, I'll return to the Raimi version.
OVERALL GRADE: B-
What I Loved (And Didn't Love At All) About The Dark Knight Rises...
I've literally started writing a review for The Dark Knight Rises four times but I feel like it's almost impossible to do so. The most amazing thing about this film is that I both completely love and utterly loathe certain aspects of this film. That being said, I feel like it'd be better for me to review the film in list form. So, as I'm going to be spoiling the film in my list, let me just say this for those that have not seen the film: as a whole, I really liked the film. For all it's flaws, I think it's a good movie and, out of the five films in contention for a spot on my Top 10 of the year, it's number 3. It has a good chance at being one of my very favorite films of the year. I don't think it revolutionized the comic book genre or that it's one of the best films I've ever seen, but that's ok. It's a good movie and if you see it, I feel confident in saying that you'll get your money's worth in entertainment. That being said, major spoilers follow:
Friday, July 6, 2012
Rock of Ages: Movie Review
In a weird way, Rock of Ages isn't all that different from the 80s rock songs it showcases. With very few exceptions, a majority of 80s rock is cheesy, over the top, and is enjoyed ironically by modern listeners. Rock of Ages isn't all that different. While it's (fairly) enjoyable, it is most certainly not a 'good' movie/
Opening with one of the cheesiest movie-musical moments this side of High School Musical, the oh-so conveniently named Sherrie Christian arrives in Hollywood with a suitcase full of records and very little cash (because, if you are a talented singer and truly love rock music, there is no problem with that plan). She quickly finds herself working in The Bourbon Room, a sleazy bar well known for being the starting place for many of rock's greatest legends, including Stacee Jax. Jax is a sexist, alcoholic, and washed up rock legend who will be returning to the Bourbon Room for a farewell concert which will, hopefully, save the bar from closing down. A bunch of other stuff goes on too: Sherrie falls in love with an aspiring rock star and, naturally, complications ensue. Catherine Zeta Jones shows up every once in a while to talk about shutting down the Bourbon Room. Mary J. Blige owns a strip club and sings a lot. Characters become so upset with their relationship drama that they become strippers and/or boy band members. A monkey wears a dictator outfit and throws stuff around rooms. And, of course, everybody breaks out into song and the purity of rock music is celebrated (even though, let's face it, the fact that all these songs are appearing in a musical shows that the music industry is fueled by business, not passion.)
This may sound like a negative review but, in fact, I did enjoy some of what Rock of Ages had to offer and certainly don't regret spending $10 on it. The movie is fast paced, the dance numbers are well choreographed, and the music is, well, about as enjoyable as most 80s rock, with the added benefit of seeing A-list stars belting the tunes. Some songs work better than others, sure. The highlight of the film is (easily) the strip-club set rendition of "Any Way You Want It", while other songs (like the completely unnecessary "I Can't Fight This Feeling" or an uncomfortably long version of "I Want to Know What Love Is") fall flat. But, the film manages to be enjoyable throughout and throws so much at you that it's hard to ever get bored.
Also adding to the film's entertainment factor is Tom Cruise. Whatever the media may paint Cruise to be, there is no denying that he's a talented actor who will give 100% to a role, no matter what is asked of him. Playing shock rocker Stacee Jax may not be his most challenging role, or even his best, but he is definitely the number one reason to check out the film. As for the rest of the cast, the film does a poor job of giving everybody enough time to shine, regardless of how talented they may be. Leads Jullianne Hough and Diego Boneta are good enough to carry the film, but don't expect either of them to win an Oscar any time soon. Alec Baldwin and Catharine Zeta Jones are clearly having a great time singing and dancing and are a lot of fun to watch, but they both don't have anywhere near enough screen time to make their characters worth remembering. Malin Akerman is given a completely unnesescary role that requires her to strip down to her bra and panties and mimic sex positions with Cruise. Russell Brand will either annoy you or entertain you, depending on whether or not you appreciate his comedic stylings. And Mary J. Blige, quite simply, seems completely miscast. Honestly, Rock of Ages is the sort of film that won't leave you feeling guilty for watching, but won't exactly fall in love with either. There is just as many problems as there are positive attributes in this film, and the joys of 80s rock can only take you so far.
The idea of 'purity in music' may be a bit cheesy and even questionable, but we've seen such an idea seem completely legitimate in classics such as Almost Famous, cult films like Empire Records or even pretty forgettable ones, like Reality Bites. Yet, Rock of Ages seems almost completely commercial and superficial so, as the credits prepare to role and Diego Boneta celebrates the fact that rock will never die, it comes off as cheesy and obnoxious. There's nothing wrong with the fact that the film incorporates previously recorded hits but, to dress itself up as some sort of portrait of the greatness of rock 'n roll is self righteous. I won't deny it, I actually enjoyed watching this film and loved Tom Cruise's performance. But, with a messy script, hit-or-miss casting, and more cheesiness than the director intended to incorporate, the film is far from a great one. Yes, Diego Boneta, rock 'n roll may never die. But by the end of the year, I'm fairly certain this film will be all but forgotten.
OVERALL GRADE: C+
Monday, June 18, 2012
This Year In Movies (So Far...)
So, obviously, I'm starting this blog almost half way through the year. Over the course of the past six months I've (occasionally) been posting my thoughts on films I've been seeing on Tumblr but, let's be honest, Tumblr isn't exactly the best place for film criticism and I barely updated it anyway. This website is a much better format for film reviews, news, editorials and long-winded rants anyway. But, just so everybody that's actually going to read this blog knows what films I've seen in theaters so far this year, and what I've thought of them, I made up this little list below:
Chronicle (dir.)
OVERALL GRADE: B
To me, Chronicle felt more like a great TV pilot than a great film. By the time the movie ended, it seemed like only the first chapter in a much more complex, interesting world that the writers and directors had just barely begun to examine. There are a lot of interesting ideas up on the screen, some incredibly innovative action scenes (watching the main characters play football in the sky remains one of the most exhilarating sequences of the year) and an intelligent script filled with surprises. The characters' progressions towards good and evil felt natural and well paced. But, then, the film ends suddenly, leaving me with many questions. I truly hope that a sequel will eventually see the light of day.
The Lorax (dir.)
OVERALL GRADE: D+
Honestly, was this film an animated comedy or propaganda? I'm all for animated films being used to teach lessons towards young children and, in fact, I agree with the environmental message at the heart of this movie. But I've never seen an animated film get this damn preachy. From the opening musical number until the very last shot, the film shoves it's agenda down the throat of it's audience, forgetting to incorporate character development, an interesting plot, or even funny jokes into the mix. While the animation may look beautiful, this movie left me feeling shallow and with enough rage to chop down an entire forest.
21 Jump Street (dir.)
OVERALL GRADE: B+
So...Channing Tatum can act. Or, at the very least, he can be a funny leading man. 21 Jump Street proved to be the first major surprise of the year. This was a fast paced, well written and completely enjoyable comedy. The writers and directors wisely chose to acknowledge the fact that the movie was a shameless rip-off of a classic TV series within the first ten minutes and continued to remain self aware throughout, thus making the film feel surprisingly original. The movie also has a great pace to it, keeping the audience excited from beginning to end. And, yes, Channing Tatum is hilarious. So, no matter what you think you know about 21 Jump Street, keep an open mind and check it out. You'll probably be surprised.
The Hunger Games (dir. Gary Ross)
OVERALL GRADE: A-
I never read the books, but I really enjoyed The Hunger Games. If you ask me, any sort of back lash against the film is (in most cases) stemming from a sort of wave of hatred that follows any sort of film that is, for some substantial amount of time, popular or embraced by the masses. The minority of negative opinions during opening weekend become considerably louder as the film's popularity continues to grow, until such a hatred (unfortunately) becomes the status quo. But, I'm not here to discuss whether or not people like The Hunger Games. Personally, I don't care. All I know is that I thought this film was very well made, featured terrific performances, and kept me excited throughout. It may not be entirely original, but I can forgive that due to the way the film got me emotionally invested in the characters and impressed me with it's smart commentary on reality TV. Come at me, haters.
American Reunion (dir.)
OVERALL GRADE: B-
As a huge fan of the American Pie series (not the crappy straight to DVD 'sequels', the original trilogy), the idea of all the characters returning for an epic reunion seemed to good to be true. Unfortunately, with my expectations set so high, I could only brace for disappointment. What made the original trilogy so great was that amidst all the extremely crude (but somewhat accurate) depictions of horny high school/college guys was genuine heart. The four main characters were genuinely nice guys that you could root for and even relate to. They weren't trying to use girls for sex, they were actually interested in relationships and not hurting anybody's feelings. And, at the end of the films, the message was about their terrific friendship, not who got laid (even though, rest assured, they all got laid). To see the original group deal with wives, children, and a distinct lack of a sex life should have been much funnier than the actual film ended up being. There were too many characters, none of whom were all that interesting, most of the crude gags ended up failing and the plot lines, which including Jim trying to reignite his sex life, Finch falling for a sexy bartender and Kevin (yet again) falling for Vicky, were all pretty boring. It wasn't until the final scene, where virtually the entire original cast is brought back for a terrific and touching finale, that we see what the film really could have been.
The Cabin in the Woods (dir. Drew Goddard)
OVERALL GRADE: A+
As a huge fan of Joss Whedon, the wait to see Cabin in the Woods was particularly excruciating. Having heard about the film three years ago when it was originally set to be released, only to have to wait through tons of delays for it to finally arrive in theaters, was one of the words pains a movie nerd could ever encounter. Well, Cabin in the Woods was well worth the wait. This insanely original, balls to the walls hybrid of horror, sci-fi, action, comedy, and sheer nerdiness is virtually everything you could ask for in a horror film. It's quite simple; this film is incredible. The more horror films you've seen the more you will appreciate it. And, do not get anything spoiled for you. But, most importantly, go see it.
The Five Year Engagement (dir. Nicholas Stoller)
OVERALL GRADE: C-
Hands down the biggest disappointment of the year so far, The Five Year Engagement should have been the perfect date movie. After all, the last time Nicholas Stoller and Jason Segel teamed up they graced us with one of my all time favorite comedies, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, a film that only improves in quality each time I watch it. But, The Five Year Engagement, while still funny and with a terrific cast, is filled with flaws that come close to ruining the film. For one thing, the film never ends. It may only be 127 minutes, but it feels like 157, maybe more. At least twenty minutes could be cut, maybe more. Secondly, the film forces conflict unto the two main characters. None of the setbacks in their relationship feel like they actually had to happen, making it hard to sympathize or, really, even care. And, finally, I think this film is quite misogynistic. (Spoiler Warning Until the End of this Paragraph) At the end of the film, we are supposed to believe that it was all Violet's fault that their wedding was delayed so much because she tried to have her dream job. While her boyfriend's faults are depicted, the movie makes it quite clear that she should have compromised and not do what she wanted because her husband had insecurities and his own issues. It just annoyed me, especially since their last collaboration (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) had really well written, well developed female characters.
The Avengers (dir. Joss Whedon)
OVERALL GRADE: A+
I've talked about this film too much, so I'm going to make it quick. This is my favorite super hero film of all time, by far. It was as if somebody interviewed my ten year old self and asked him what he wanted to see in an action film (lots of explosions, cool characters, funny jokes, epic action, and a hot girl) and then somebody incorporated all of that into a well written, intelligent screenplay. It's my favorite film of the year so far and if it's not on my Top 10 list by the end of the year, I'd be surprised.
Men in Black III (dir.)
OVERALL GRADE: B-
OK, so the first third of this film is pretty awful. But, once the movie traveled back into the 1960s, I had a lot of fun. Josh Brolin really gave a great performance as Young Agent K, I liked the whole 'alternate dimension' idea, the action scenes were pretty entertaining, the ending was surprising, and I've had that Pitbull song stuck in my head since I first saw it. I don't love the movie nearly enough to talk about it anymore, and, to be honest, I've forgotten a lot about it anyway, but I had fun. That counts for something, right?
Snow White and the Huntsman (dir. Rupert Sanders)
OVERALL GRADE: C-
Charlize Theron is incredible. This film is not. I will say this; for a first time director, Rupert Sanders really knows how to direct exciting, lively, and well staged battle scenes. All the action sequences were fun. But, he still has much to learn about scenes of dialogue and story progression. Maybe it was the fact that we've (literally) seen this story countless times before, or maybe it was just that the characters in the film weren't all that interesting. But, regardless, when swords weren't clashing and armies weren't fighting, I had trouble to stay awake. That being said, Charlize Theron is simply incredible. She personifies evil in this movie, and chews the scenery without ever being distracting or too over the top. She deserved a better movie. Oh, and, just gonna say it, Kristen Stewart wasn't half bad in this movie.
Take This Waltz (dir. Sarah Polley)
OVERALL GRADE: B
This film is currently available on Video on Demand. I paid ten dollars to see it via iTunes, which is pretty good considering it's only going to be playing in around 100 theaters, if that, when it arrives in theaters later this month. So, for me to see it from the comfort of my bedroom, I'm pretty happy. Anyway, I recommend this to anybody who's interested in a mumble-core romance film that's bound to cause discussion about gender roles and modern relationships. I do have issues with this film, primarily that the film feels almost too 'indie movie' at times. Also, there's a completely obnoxious sex montage that feels way too over the top, and a scene of full frontal female nudity from like six different girls of varying ages and weights which feels incredibly pretentious and like it's in the film just because it can be. That being said, Michelle Williams is terrific (as always), while Seth Rogen and Sarah Silverman are surprisingly good while not playing their go-to character archetype. Plus, I do love when films leave you contemplating the subject matter.
There you have it. I still have a number of films from this year I've yet to check out (off the top of my head: Haywire, The Grey, Goon, The Raid: Redemption and Prometheus) and you can expect reviews for those films and more later this month!
Chronicle (dir.)
OVERALL GRADE: B
To me, Chronicle felt more like a great TV pilot than a great film. By the time the movie ended, it seemed like only the first chapter in a much more complex, interesting world that the writers and directors had just barely begun to examine. There are a lot of interesting ideas up on the screen, some incredibly innovative action scenes (watching the main characters play football in the sky remains one of the most exhilarating sequences of the year) and an intelligent script filled with surprises. The characters' progressions towards good and evil felt natural and well paced. But, then, the film ends suddenly, leaving me with many questions. I truly hope that a sequel will eventually see the light of day.
The Lorax (dir.)
OVERALL GRADE: D+
Honestly, was this film an animated comedy or propaganda? I'm all for animated films being used to teach lessons towards young children and, in fact, I agree with the environmental message at the heart of this movie. But I've never seen an animated film get this damn preachy. From the opening musical number until the very last shot, the film shoves it's agenda down the throat of it's audience, forgetting to incorporate character development, an interesting plot, or even funny jokes into the mix. While the animation may look beautiful, this movie left me feeling shallow and with enough rage to chop down an entire forest.
21 Jump Street (dir.)
OVERALL GRADE: B+
So...Channing Tatum can act. Or, at the very least, he can be a funny leading man. 21 Jump Street proved to be the first major surprise of the year. This was a fast paced, well written and completely enjoyable comedy. The writers and directors wisely chose to acknowledge the fact that the movie was a shameless rip-off of a classic TV series within the first ten minutes and continued to remain self aware throughout, thus making the film feel surprisingly original. The movie also has a great pace to it, keeping the audience excited from beginning to end. And, yes, Channing Tatum is hilarious. So, no matter what you think you know about 21 Jump Street, keep an open mind and check it out. You'll probably be surprised.
The Hunger Games (dir. Gary Ross)
OVERALL GRADE: A-
I never read the books, but I really enjoyed The Hunger Games. If you ask me, any sort of back lash against the film is (in most cases) stemming from a sort of wave of hatred that follows any sort of film that is, for some substantial amount of time, popular or embraced by the masses. The minority of negative opinions during opening weekend become considerably louder as the film's popularity continues to grow, until such a hatred (unfortunately) becomes the status quo. But, I'm not here to discuss whether or not people like The Hunger Games. Personally, I don't care. All I know is that I thought this film was very well made, featured terrific performances, and kept me excited throughout. It may not be entirely original, but I can forgive that due to the way the film got me emotionally invested in the characters and impressed me with it's smart commentary on reality TV. Come at me, haters.
American Reunion (dir.)
OVERALL GRADE: B-
As a huge fan of the American Pie series (not the crappy straight to DVD 'sequels', the original trilogy), the idea of all the characters returning for an epic reunion seemed to good to be true. Unfortunately, with my expectations set so high, I could only brace for disappointment. What made the original trilogy so great was that amidst all the extremely crude (but somewhat accurate) depictions of horny high school/college guys was genuine heart. The four main characters were genuinely nice guys that you could root for and even relate to. They weren't trying to use girls for sex, they were actually interested in relationships and not hurting anybody's feelings. And, at the end of the films, the message was about their terrific friendship, not who got laid (even though, rest assured, they all got laid). To see the original group deal with wives, children, and a distinct lack of a sex life should have been much funnier than the actual film ended up being. There were too many characters, none of whom were all that interesting, most of the crude gags ended up failing and the plot lines, which including Jim trying to reignite his sex life, Finch falling for a sexy bartender and Kevin (yet again) falling for Vicky, were all pretty boring. It wasn't until the final scene, where virtually the entire original cast is brought back for a terrific and touching finale, that we see what the film really could have been.
The Cabin in the Woods (dir. Drew Goddard)
OVERALL GRADE: A+
As a huge fan of Joss Whedon, the wait to see Cabin in the Woods was particularly excruciating. Having heard about the film three years ago when it was originally set to be released, only to have to wait through tons of delays for it to finally arrive in theaters, was one of the words pains a movie nerd could ever encounter. Well, Cabin in the Woods was well worth the wait. This insanely original, balls to the walls hybrid of horror, sci-fi, action, comedy, and sheer nerdiness is virtually everything you could ask for in a horror film. It's quite simple; this film is incredible. The more horror films you've seen the more you will appreciate it. And, do not get anything spoiled for you. But, most importantly, go see it.
The Five Year Engagement (dir. Nicholas Stoller)
OVERALL GRADE: C-
Hands down the biggest disappointment of the year so far, The Five Year Engagement should have been the perfect date movie. After all, the last time Nicholas Stoller and Jason Segel teamed up they graced us with one of my all time favorite comedies, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, a film that only improves in quality each time I watch it. But, The Five Year Engagement, while still funny and with a terrific cast, is filled with flaws that come close to ruining the film. For one thing, the film never ends. It may only be 127 minutes, but it feels like 157, maybe more. At least twenty minutes could be cut, maybe more. Secondly, the film forces conflict unto the two main characters. None of the setbacks in their relationship feel like they actually had to happen, making it hard to sympathize or, really, even care. And, finally, I think this film is quite misogynistic. (Spoiler Warning Until the End of this Paragraph) At the end of the film, we are supposed to believe that it was all Violet's fault that their wedding was delayed so much because she tried to have her dream job. While her boyfriend's faults are depicted, the movie makes it quite clear that she should have compromised and not do what she wanted because her husband had insecurities and his own issues. It just annoyed me, especially since their last collaboration (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) had really well written, well developed female characters.
The Avengers (dir. Joss Whedon)
OVERALL GRADE: A+
I've talked about this film too much, so I'm going to make it quick. This is my favorite super hero film of all time, by far. It was as if somebody interviewed my ten year old self and asked him what he wanted to see in an action film (lots of explosions, cool characters, funny jokes, epic action, and a hot girl) and then somebody incorporated all of that into a well written, intelligent screenplay. It's my favorite film of the year so far and if it's not on my Top 10 list by the end of the year, I'd be surprised.
Men in Black III (dir.)
OVERALL GRADE: B-
OK, so the first third of this film is pretty awful. But, once the movie traveled back into the 1960s, I had a lot of fun. Josh Brolin really gave a great performance as Young Agent K, I liked the whole 'alternate dimension' idea, the action scenes were pretty entertaining, the ending was surprising, and I've had that Pitbull song stuck in my head since I first saw it. I don't love the movie nearly enough to talk about it anymore, and, to be honest, I've forgotten a lot about it anyway, but I had fun. That counts for something, right?
Snow White and the Huntsman (dir. Rupert Sanders)
OVERALL GRADE: C-
Charlize Theron is incredible. This film is not. I will say this; for a first time director, Rupert Sanders really knows how to direct exciting, lively, and well staged battle scenes. All the action sequences were fun. But, he still has much to learn about scenes of dialogue and story progression. Maybe it was the fact that we've (literally) seen this story countless times before, or maybe it was just that the characters in the film weren't all that interesting. But, regardless, when swords weren't clashing and armies weren't fighting, I had trouble to stay awake. That being said, Charlize Theron is simply incredible. She personifies evil in this movie, and chews the scenery without ever being distracting or too over the top. She deserved a better movie. Oh, and, just gonna say it, Kristen Stewart wasn't half bad in this movie.
Take This Waltz (dir. Sarah Polley)
OVERALL GRADE: B
This film is currently available on Video on Demand. I paid ten dollars to see it via iTunes, which is pretty good considering it's only going to be playing in around 100 theaters, if that, when it arrives in theaters later this month. So, for me to see it from the comfort of my bedroom, I'm pretty happy. Anyway, I recommend this to anybody who's interested in a mumble-core romance film that's bound to cause discussion about gender roles and modern relationships. I do have issues with this film, primarily that the film feels almost too 'indie movie' at times. Also, there's a completely obnoxious sex montage that feels way too over the top, and a scene of full frontal female nudity from like six different girls of varying ages and weights which feels incredibly pretentious and like it's in the film just because it can be. That being said, Michelle Williams is terrific (as always), while Seth Rogen and Sarah Silverman are surprisingly good while not playing their go-to character archetype. Plus, I do love when films leave you contemplating the subject matter.
There you have it. I still have a number of films from this year I've yet to check out (off the top of my head: Haywire, The Grey, Goon, The Raid: Redemption and Prometheus) and you can expect reviews for those films and more later this month!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)