MOVIE REVIEW: STRAYS

Abandoned on the mean city streets by his lowlife owner, Doug, a naive but lovable dog named Reggie falls in with a fast-talking, foul-mouthed Boston Terrier and his gang of strays. Determined to seek revenge, Reggie and his new canine pals embark on an epic adventure to get him home and make Doug pay for his dirty deed.

Director: Josh Greenbaum

Cast: Will Ferrell, Jamie Foxx, Will Forte, Isla Fisher, Randall Park, Josh Gad, Harvey Guillén, Rob Riggle, Brett Gelman, Jamie Demetriou, Sofía Vergara

Release Date: August 2, 2023

Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy

Rated R for pervasive language, crude and sexual content, and drug use.

Runtime: 1h 33m

There's a pretty long history of talking animals family films from The Adventures of Milo and Otis, Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey to more recent entries like A Dog's Purpose which are generally wholesome affairs.  Strays takes the general concept and delivers a raunchy comedy which leans heavily on gross out humor with uneven results.  Josh Greenbaum's film delivers some laughs throughout its brisk runtime but it never really finds a consistent groove since some set ups work better than others.  When it works, there are some genuinely funny moments but when they don't they fall noticeably flat which is a shame since the main foursome is made up of strong comedic talents.  Will Ferrell, Jamie Foxx, Isla Fisher and Randall Park deliver fun performances as the motley crew that embarks on the journey.  The four of them deliver lines with a snappy ease that you'd expect with experienced performers with Foxx delivering the most consistent turn.  Ferrell's role seems perfectly suited for his style but the script doesn't let his character let loose as much as you'd expect which keeps him reined in from his classic freak out mode.  Isa Fisher and Randall Park are fun in supporting roles with Fisher proving to be the film's secret weapon.  The four share solid chemistry together but they never really hit their stride because the script uses gross out humor way too much for my taste.  Its a shame because there's plenty to satirize about the genre, something do in passing with a recurring bit about a narrating dog and a very specific cameo.  That's not to say there aren't laughs to be had in Strays but a bit of variety in the comedy would have made it more memorable overall. 

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: TAG

One month every year, five highly competitive friends hit the ground running for a no-holds-barred game of tag -- risking their necks, their jobs and their relationships to take one another down. This time, the game coincides with the wedding of the only undefeated player. What should be an easy target soon becomes an all-out war as he knows they're coming to get him. 

Director: Jeff Tomsic 

Cast: Ed Helms, Jake Johnson, Hannibal Buress, Jon Hamm, Jeremy Renner, Annabelle Wallis, Isla Fisher, Rashida Jones, Leslie Bibb

Release Date: June 15, 2018

 

Rated R for language throughout, crude sexual content, drug use and brief nudity 

Runtime: 1 hr. 40 min. 

Genres: Comedy

Review:

Tag is one of those goofy comedies that shouldn’t work because of the flimsy premise but it succeeds more often than not.  Jeff Tomsic creates a fun little film that moves along at a steady pace with the “tag” sequences standing out for ingenuity.  The film’s biggest asset is it’s collection of stars.  They all share good comedic timing and chemistry together.  The jokes go off in fairly rapid fire manner with the movie never lingering too much on anything to avoid stagnation.  Its breezy style makes it easier to overlook some of the horrible things these friends do to each other.  Still it makes for a funny movie that’s got a beating heart underneath it’s crude exterior.  There are a few dead spots here and there but nothing damning even though they could have used female members of the cast a bit more.  Same complaints aside, Tag is a surprisingly funny film that doesn’t disappoint. 

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: KEEPING UP WITH THE JONES

An ordinary suburban couple (Zach Galifianakis and Isla Fisher) discover that their hospitable new neighbors (Jon Hamm and Gal Gadot) are actually government spies. Soon, all four of them are caught up in an international espionage imbroglio. Greg Mottola (Superbad, Adventureland) directed this action comedy. ~ Daniel Gelb, Rovi

Director:Greg Mottola 

Cast: Zach Galifianakis, Jon Hamm, Isla Fisher, Gal Gadot, Matt Walsh

Release Date: Oct 21, 2016

Rated PG-13 for

Genres: Comedy

Review:

Keeping up with the Jones is a fun little comedy.  As a spy movie satire it’ll never live to last year’s Spy or even Mr. & Ms. Smith which it borrows heavily from as well.  Still, it’s light and breezy direction by Greg Mottola makes for an enjoyable if inconsequential comedy.  Its biggest strength is its cast.  The foursome of Zach Galifianakis, Jon Hamm, Isla Fisher & Gal Gadot are likeable throughout with each shining at one point or another. The plot in of itself is thread bare with nary a surprise in sight.  This oversight does leave the film lingering past its expiration point.  It’s a shame because with a slightly better script and plot this could have been something special. 

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: THE GREAT GATSBY

An aspiring writer falls under the spell of an aloof millionaire with designs for the young scribe's unhappily married cousin in director Baz Luhrmann's adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's celebrated novel. It's the spring of 1922, and wide-eyed Midwesterner Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) has just moved to New York City in pursuit of the American Dream. Settling into a home next door to wealthy Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio), Carraway grows increasingly fascinated by the elaborate parties held at his new neighbor's estate. Meanwhile, across the bay, Carraway's cousin Daisy (Carey Mulligan) flounders in her marriage to philandering aristocrat Tom Buchanan (Joel Edgerton). Inspired by the debauchery on display at Gatsby's wild parties and the lives of the wealthy elite, Carraway begins putting pen to paper as it gradually becomes clear that his cousin and the millionaire share a complicated romantic past that remains unresolved. Isla Fisher, Jason Clarke, and Elizabeth Debicki co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Baz Luhrmann

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan, Isla Fisher, Joel Edgerton

Release Date: May 10, 2013

Rated PG-13 for some violent images, sexual content, smoking, partying and brief language

Runtime: 2 hr. 22 min.

Genres: Drama, Romance

Review:

Let me start off by saying that I personally love Baz Luhrmann’s style. I’ve been a fan since I first saw his take on Romeo and Juliet. Moulin Rouge was one of the best movie going experiences I’ve ever had, turning me into a fan of movie musicals along the way. I’ll even admit that I enjoyed Australia which was an over long bloated mess of a movie but there was enough there for me to like that I had no problem trudging through its 3 movies in one self. Needless, to say I’m an easy mark for his latest adaptation and slightly biased. My expectation were set fairly high and while the movies runtime worried me, especially after sitting through an overlong Iron Man 3 last weekend. When it was all said and done I wasn’t disappointed. I watched the film in 3d, of the few shot in nascent 3D, and it thoroughly impressed me in its immersion especially in the frenetic first half where you feel like streamers and confetti fall around for the better part of the hour. Once we head into the more somber 2nd half of the film Baz pulls back, as required by the plot, and it’s equally engaging. The 4 primary cast members all deliver excellent performances throughout. Leonardo DiCaprio is mysterious and mostly restrained; he does a good job of capturing Gatsby psyche on film. Tobey Maguire, who’s usually bland for me, was rather impressive as the doe eye naïve narrator who slowly becomes more and more cynical as the film progresses. Carey Mulligan isn’t asked to do much but she does display a broken sadness appropriate for her character throughout. Joel Edgerton is just as impressive as DiCaprio and Maguire as the brutish Buchanan, his performance is actually quite eye catching. Equally eye catching is seeing Baz Luhrmann’s last 3 films come together to form this film. There are bits and pieces that taken from each but combined to deliver one of his most complete and compelling films.

A

Cindy Prascik’s Review of The Great Gatsby

Dearest Blog, with an extra-busy weekend ahead, yesterday I spent the afternoon with The Great Gatsby.
A smalltime New York stockbroker is drawn into his mysterious neighbor's bigtime life.

Not sure how I could spoil a story that's almost 90 years old but, for argument's sake, we'll say spoiler level here is mild, nothing you wouldn't have gotten from the trailers.

Dear Blog, we all know too-high hopes often lead to disappointment. Since I burned vacation time to see this opening day, it goes without saying my expectations were ridiculous, but I'm pleased to report the movie met all of them.
Starting with the obvious, Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby looks magnificent. I elected to pass on the 3D, and it was still as amazing as anything I've ever seen, so much so that I'll be seeing it again in 3D as soon as I can. The costumes, sets, and makeup are effectively another character in the film, setting each scene's mood and even its tempo. The quirky soundtrack suits the movie perfectly.

Leonardo DiCaprio is an actor I'll see in anything. Even if the project doesn't appeal to me, I know he'll be good enough to make it worthwhile. His Gatsby is alternately infuriating and heartbreaking, another stellar turn in an amazing career. Carey Mulligan does a fine job in the female lead, difficult for me to admit since I despise her. I generally have no feelings on Tobey Maguire either way, but his is the one role I wished had been filled by someone else. Curiously, his Spidey replacement Andrew Garfield kept coming to mind as a better fit. Gatsby reunites Zero Dark Thirty's Joel Edgerton and Jason Clarke in two quite unsympathetic roles. My favorite performance in the film is from newcomer Elizabeth Debicki. She doesn't have as much to do as some others, but every second of her screen time had my full attention.

Gatsby exceeds two hours by a fair bit, but it never felt long to me; I enjoyed every minute. If I ever knew what caused its release to be moved from December to May, I've forgotten, but after seeing the film it seems wrong. Gatsby is definitely more Awards Season fare than Summer Blockbuster.

The Great Gatsby runs 143 minutes and is rated PG13 for "some violent images, sexual content, smoking, partying, and brief language." (Does the MPAA seriously use "party" as a verb...and have a warning for it??) It is a beautiful, spectacular movie-going experience, and I can't wait to see it again.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Great Gatsby gets eight.

Now, if anyone needs me, I'll be building a mansion across the bay from where Gary Oldman lives with his wife.

Until next time...




Guys, guys, guyzzzzzzz...I think I'm in love (again)! ;-)

MOVIE REVIEW: BACHELORETTE

ON DEMAND IN THEATERS

BACHELORETTE



Kirsten Dunst, Isla Fisher, and Lizzy Caplan star in this comedy about three dysfunctional friends who attempt to leave the past behind while serving as bridesmaids at the wedding of a woman they mocked mercilessly back in high school. As teenagers, Regan (Dunst), Gena (Caplan), and Katie (Fisher) used to call Becky (Rebel Wilson) "Pig Face." Years later, Becky is about to tie the knot and asks her taunting former classmates to join the wedding party. And though Regan is determined to give Becky the ultimate bachelorette bash, tart-tongued Gena has already started partying hard well before the big night, and capricious Katie seems to have her head stuck in the clouds. Later, as the ladies cut loose and the booze begins to flow, a mishap with the wedding dress sends the entire event spiraling out of control, leading to a wild night of debauchery that nobody will ever forget. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Leslye Headland

Cast: Kirsten Dunst, Isla Fisher, Lizzy Caplan, James Marsden, Adam Scott.

Release Date: Sep 07, 2012

Rated R for Drug Use, Sexual Content and Pervasive Language

Runtime: 1 hr. 33 min.

Genres: Comedy

Review:

Bachelorette is a darkly comedic film that deals with enough dramatics to make for a choppy feel. Writer/Director Leslye Headland peppers her film with enough vitriol to her dramaedy to leave an impression. Her three leads are generally dislikable and overall fairly terrible human beings. Luckily they are played impressively by strong comedic actresses who keep them from being utterly off putting. Kirsten Dunst delivers fine work as the ice queen head of the group. The always dependable Lizzy Caplan and her deadpan delivery make her character more interesting than she actually is. Isla Fisher is still rather adorable as a damaged ditz who bra size is bigger than her IQ. Rebel Wilson is fairly underused and Marsden and Scott mostly relegated to the sidelines. Scott is given the meatiest of the supporting roles with Caplan (a nice Party Down reunion). Leslye shoots an interesting film and directs her actresses with impressive command. Her biggest issue is finding a good rhythm to the film. It never finds a steady feel. It hits its best most consistent marks during its second and final acts. Outside of that the laughs are a bit sparse. The finale feels unearned and too tidy for the characters and general madness involved. Still it’s a film that’s probably closer to The Hangover than Bridesmaid if not nearly as consistent as either of those films.

B-

[Trailer] The Great Gatsby

I’ve watched this trailer a few times and I’m still a little taken aback by it. Personally I’ve been a fan of Baz Luhrmann, even enjoyed his over bloated Australia, but I’m going to hope some of the odd choices can be written off to a strange marketing campaign. I’ll hold judgment until I see more but for right now I’m a tad confused at what direction this is going to take….