MOVIE REVIEW: SHE’S OUT OF MY LEAGUE

Sunday, March 14, 2010

IN THEATERS




SHE’S OUT OF MY LEAGUE


An airport security guard gets involved with a girl who's very obviously of a higher caliber than himself, and schemes to make the relationship last as his friends and family watch along in disbelief. Kirk (Jay Baruchel) was languishing in a dead-end job as an airport security agent when he somehow managed to earn the affections of the successful and drop-dead gorgeous Molly (Alice Eve). Even Kirk isn't exactly sure what Molly sees in him, though he's willing to do whatever it takes to make the relationship work. With his friends, family, and ex-girlfriend all watching stunned from the sidelines, Kirk discovers that he'll have to work overtime in order to convince Molly that he's worth hanging on to. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Director: Jim Field Smith


Cast: Jay Baruchel, Alice Eve, T.J. Miller, Mike Vogel, Nate Torrence.


Release Date: ..Mar 12, 2010..


Rated R for language and sexual content


Runtime: 1 hr. 44 min.


Genres: Comedy, Romance


Review:


She’s Out of My League is generically written beauty and the geek rom-com that’s held together by its cast. The script hits all the major bullet points for these type of movies and we’ve seen the plot and characters before. The story follows a fairly pedestrian path and director J.F. Smith adds little to no visual flair to any of the proceedings. The relationships, the main one in particular, are sketchily supported and leave you wondering why these characters actually hang out together or date. The film’s strength is its up and coming cast led by Jay Baruchel. Baruchel has his measured type of comedy down, something he’s refined in supporting roles. There’s something both believable and charming about his quirkiness. Alice Eve, who looks like a miniature Christie Brinkley, is pretty flat and fails to make much of an impression. T.J. Miller does solid work as the prototypical loud mouth friend. Krysten Ritter does equally impressive as the female version of T.J. Miller character and both could have used a tad more screen time. A handful of inspired interactions make the film fun but nothing extraordinary. A fun little twist on the airport rom-com finale staple puts a nice little bow on this generic comedy.


C+

Movie Reviews: CLOVERFIELD

Friday, January 18, 2008
Movie Reviews: CLOVERFIELD
IN THEATHERS




CLOVERFIELD




Rob Hawkins (Michael Stahl-David) has just gotten a new job, except he's going to have to move from NYC to Tokyo to take it. On the eve of his departure, Rob's brother Jason (Mike Vogel) throws a surprise going-away party that's interrupted when a giant monster attacks the city. Receiving a panicked phone call from his ex-girlfriend Beth (Odette Yustman), Rob races through the destruction with several of his friends to save her.

Cast Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, Odette Yustman, Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas, T.J. Miller

Director(s) Matt Reeves

Writer(s) Drew Goddard

Status In theaters (wide)

Genre(s) Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Release Date Jan. 18, 2008

Running Time 90 minutes

MPAA Rating PG-13 - for violence, terror and disturbing images


Review:

The genius of Cloverfield is not its point of view shooting style, done before famously in both The Blair Witch Project and Cannibal Holocaust, but instead in using that style to make well worn conceits seem fresh and new. Cloverfield is a gripping, at times thrilling, ride of a film that uses its 90 minutes of celluloid to its fullest effect. Matt Reeves, doing J.J. Abrams leg work here, gives the audience just enough character development to make the players in this horrific fun ride more than just faceless cut outs. Once we are introduced to the cast of characters and the monster makes it's appearance there are a few scenes that strike eerily close to reality especially considering the New York setting that maybe upsetting to some still overly sensitive to the events of 9-11. Once those moments pass we are subjected to a first person trek through a nightmarish, occasionally claustrophobic, suburban labyrinth with a monster or monsters lurking around any corner. Matt Reeves gives the audience just enough glimpses of the main beasty to placate most curiosity and maintain a solid sense of realism and sense of urgency. It doesn't quite have the sincerity of The Blair Witch Project as this feels more staged and some of the acting is down right laughable. It doesn't help that the characters make brain dead decisions pretty much throughout. That being said the characters are never the main point of emphasis instead it feels more like they are scurrying around in the background of a monster movie we never see. Plot wise, Cloverfield is derivate borrowing heavily from monster movies and borrowing a classic zombie movie ending, in other words there is nothing that will shock you if you were to read a synopsis but the actual experience is so much more enjoyable.

B+