Behind our world, there is another -- a
world of dangerous and powerful monsters that rule their domain with deadly
ferocity. When Lt. Artemis and her loyal soldiers are transported from our
world to the new one, the unflappable lieutenant receives the shock of her
life. In a desperate battle for survival against enormous enemies with
incredible powers and unstoppable, terrifying attacks, Artemis teams up with a
mysterious hunter who has found a way to fight back.
Director: Paul W. S. Anderson
Cast: Milla Jovovich, Tony Jaa, Tip "T.
I." Harris, Meagan Good, Diego Boneta, Josh Helman, Jin Au-Yeung, Ron
Perlman
Release Date: December 18, 2020
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Rated PG-13 for sequences of creature action
and violence throughout
Runtime: 1 h 39 min
Review:
Paul W. S.
Anderson and Milla Jovovich collaborations produce certain types of films, the
entire Resident Evil franchise is a testament to that. Monster Hunter could probably fit in that
franchise if you just changed the name because it’s so sparse on plot and
mythology that it feels intentionally unfinished. Anderson delivers some big dumb CGI battles which are surprisingly
fun but don’t expect any sort of explanation on what’s going or why. In fact, there’s nary an attempt at
explaining any sort of a plot until about halfway through the film when Ron
Perlman, sporting a gloriously massive blonde wig, and a cat cook show up on
the screen. Even then it’s mostly
throwaway lines about some sort of ancient race and a tower that looks like it
was lifted from Mordor. I’ve seen my
share of terrible movies but I can’t say this is the worst thing I’ve ever sat
through. Jovovich and Jaa actually have
some fun chemistry during the first half of the film which mixed with the big
battles makes for utterly mindless cinema.
The supporting cast is dispensed with early on so there’s no reason to
get attached since they are mostly fodder for the fire. You almost marvel at how unapologetically
brazen Monster Hunter is delivering loud dumb fun, it’ll never be considered a
good film but the worst kind of fast food.
Based on the graphic novels by Mike Mignola,
Hellboy, caught between the worlds of the supernatural and human, battles an
ancient sorceress bent on revenge.
Director: Neil Marshall
Cast: DavidHarbour, Milla Jovovich, Ian McShane, Sasha Lane, Daniel Dae
Kim
Release Date: April 12, 2019
Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Rated R for strong bloody violence and gore throughout, and language
Runtime: 2h 1min
Review:
Guillermo del Toro’s 2 Hellboy films were fantasy fill adventures with a
strong likable star at it’s center. It’s
a shame that he never got to finish off his trilogy properly and thus resulting
in this loud and unnecessary reboot. It’s
hard to figure out exactly who deserves most of the blame since there are
talented people all around. Neil
Marshall is an under appreciated director who has direct some wonderful films
in his time. Here much of his style is
missing, outside for a few impressive action sequences, replaced by a
hodgepodge of scenes that rarely flow together as a cohesive whole. It makes for an odd movie watching experience
since the story never really flows together leaving the plot more convoluted
than it needed to be. DavidHarbour takes over as
Hellboy and he’s solid if underwhelming throughout. He lacks the natural charisma and presence of
Ron Perlman’s version, as such the whole film is far less interesting. The supporting cast fares slightly better
with Daniel Dae Kim and Sasha Lane faring the best overall. Still, it’s
hard to watch this lackluster, soulless reboot and not wonder what Del Toro’s
film would have looked like.
Dearest Blog: After missing out last week, this weekend it was off to Marquee Cinemas for four--yes, FOUR--big-screen blasts.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know or have guessed from the trailers.
First on my agenda: Resident Evil: The Final Chapter.
Alice makes a last(ish) stand against the Umbrella Corporation.
With this ostensibly "final" chapter of Resident Evil coming so quickly on the heels of Underworld's potential finale, for me it was inevitable to draw comparisons between the two badass-broad-fronted movies. I think Resident Evil comes up on the short end, but it's still a fun watch.
Like Underworld: Blood Wars, RE6 kicks off with a refresher on how we got to where we are. In both cases, this proved a waste of time. These movies do a good enough job of (over)explaining themselves as they go along that a person wouldn't be too lost to enjoy, regardless of what he did or didn't remember. It's to Milla Jovovich's benefit that acting chops are immaterial, as she acrobatically faces off with living and undead. Iain Glen is about as subtle a baddie as Snidely Whiplash. Though it's hard, these days, not to see him as the perpetually-friendzoned Ser Jorah Mormont, he does his best to prove himself a Wicked, Wicked Person here. The 2D effects are nothing to write home about, and certainly nothing to recommend the 3D upcharge and headache. There's some nice disaster footage (think Deepwater Horizon, if everybody hated the undead instead of the planet), and some truly wacky stunts, but much of the action is so dark all you can do is cross your fingers and hope your favorite character is still standing when it finally gets light again. Clumsy storytelling makes the film feel overlong. There's a nice thank-you message from director and star before the show, and, if it turns out this really is The End, it's a satisfying--if hokey--finish.
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter runs 106 minutes and is rated R for "sequences of violence throughout."
The premise is less interesting and the cast less enjoyable than Underworld, but Resident Evil: The Final Chapter is big, dumb fun. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Resident Evil: The Final Chapter gets four.
Next on the docket, xXx: The Return of Xander Cage.
The original Triple X is back in business.
Well, dear reader(s)... Now. We. Are. Talking. Were you in the market for a great, fun actioner? Well, you found it! xXx: The Return of Xander Cage is filled with absurd stunts, good-natured humor, pretty faces, and hardbodies all 'round. The plot obviously won't tax those little grey cells too much, but there are a few nice surprises wrapped around edge-of-your-seat action and a truly likable cast. And did I mention ridiculous stunts? Over the top in the most fun way. Vin Diesel knows his niche as well as any actor, and, while there may come a day when I no longer get a kick out of watching him do what he does, it is not this day.
xXx: The Return of Xander Cage clocks in at 107 minutes and is rated PG13 for "extended sequences of gunplay and violent action, and for sexual material."
It's not brain surgery, but The Return of Xander Cage is about as much fun as I can imagine having at the cinema. Of a possible nine Weasleys, xXx: The Return of Xander Cage gets seven.
Movie Catchup Day Two kicked off with Gold.
Against all odds, a down-on-his-luck prospector and a geologist strike gold in Indonesia.
Initially, Gold appeared to be another potential awards goldmine (see what I did there?) for Matthew McConaughey, but his loony performance doesn't help this too-talky tale get off the ground. McConaughey underwent another extreme physical transformation to portray Kenny Wells, a doughy dude with a receding hairline, and nothing says "Oscar bait" like a handsome actor who looks nothing like himself in a based-on-a-true-story role. Sadly, neither the performance nor the picture is very memorable, and Wells' appearance is played mostly for mean-spirited laughs. Edgar Ramirez is the film's highlight, understated as Wells' partner Michael Acosta. The picture moves slowly and is never really that interesting, thanks to unlikable characters and twists that can be seen a mile out. Ultimately it's a nasty little tale about greed and willful cluelessness, The Wolf of Wall Street without the gripping relevance.
Gold runs 121 minutes and is rated R for "language throughout and some sexuality/nudity."
Gold is a dull, disappointing movie with little to recommend it. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Gold gets four.
Fangirl points: An Iron Maiden t-shirt is pretty prominent in one important scene. This is not a drill: an Iron Maiden t-shirt is in the movie!
The final installment on the weekend's busy schedule: Oscar hopeful Lion.
A young man who was lost as a child in India, then adopted by an Australian couple, searches for his birth family.
Lion is a moving true story of love and, if we're being honest, not a little good fortune. The film points out that over 80,000 children go missing in India each year, but this is a story about one of the lucky ones. Lost and miles from home, Saroo faces many threats to his well-being before being adopted by a childless, loving Australian couple. The setup drags on too long, and, for my money, the film would have been better served if it were trimmed a bit and/or spent more time on the young man's search for his birth family and less on the travails of his younger self. Having said that, newcomer Sunny Pawar is delightful and absolutely heartbreaking as the younger Saroo, owning the screen like a seasoned pro. Early scenes of his time on the streets are tense and uncomfortable, but effective. Nicole Kidman and David Wenham are almost too good to be true as the boy's adoptive parents, challenges touched on but mostly airbrushed like an unfortunate wrinkle before botox. (Sorry, Nicole.) As grownup Saroo delves ever more deeply into his search, Dev Patel is brilliant; eager and terrified, desperate for information, but hiding his intent from even those who might be able to help. It's a testament to the power of this story that, in an age where everyone seems to have forgotten how to behave appropriately at the cinema, there was nary a peep from my audience for the duration.
Lion clocks in at 118 minutes and is rated PG13 for "thematic material and some sensuality."
Lion is a sobering but uplifting tale of love and luck. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Lion gets seven.
Awakening in a top-secret Umbrella facility as the T-virus threatens to wipe out the last remnants of humanity, Alice (Milla Jovovich) ventures on a quest to uncover the truth about her mysterious past and seek out the source of the apocalyptic plague. The deeper Alice ventures into the complex, the more she begins to learn about her origins. Later, after escaping to the outside world, she embarks on an epic adventure that takes her to the farthest corners of the globe as she fights the forces of darkness alongside allies both old and new. Sienna Guillory, Michelle Rodriguez, and Kevin Durand co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Cast: Milla Jovovich, Sienna Guillory, Colin Salmon, Michelle Rodriguez, Kevin Durand.
Release Date: Sep 14, 2012
Rated R for sequences of Strong Violence
Runtime: 1 hr. 35 min.
Genres: Action/Adventure
Review:
There’s a scene near the end of Resident Evil: Retribution, the 5th installment in the series, where Sienna Guillory’s brainwashed Jill is pummeling Milla Jovovich’s Alice. The film as a whole kind of feels like during its mostly plot less and scant runtime. We don’t get a sniff of the plot for this film until about 15 minutes into the film. In those 15 minutes we get one of the better action sequences (an action sequence picking up from the end of the last film shown in reverse), a recap of the previous 4 films done fairly easily in 5 minutes which is a testament to depth of storytelling and a Dawn of the Dead remake like sequence. In essence it’s just a series of vignettes that don’t seem to have any sort of connection. Once the plot and sexy cat suit & dress budget comes into play we get fairly quick exposition that provides the thinnest of a plot to work with, after that it’s a series of action set up after another. I will admit that some of the action sequences are shot with an almost teenage glee, particularly those involving Jovovich which shouldn’t be a surprise since her husband once again directs her. Anderson suffers from the same “I love my wife soo much that I want all hero shots of her” syndrome that Len Wiseman contracted in the Underworld series. This can lead to some laughably bad sequences which look cool for a bit but are ultimately over stay their welcome and come off as silly. The returning cast members are pretty much wasted as their characters aren’t expanded much if at all. The new cast members deliver some lines with an impressive lack of passion or effort. Probably because they all know Anderson doesn’t care about them and just wanted to get to another scene with Jovovich in a cat suit doing wire work fight moves.
Resident Evil is one of those franchises that has been a guilty pleasure of mine even though it occasionally makes me wonder why I paid to watch it at the same time, especially during the last one.
A huge cash cow especially overseas means that sequels will keep coming until the horse has been beaten into a bloody pulp.
Paul W.S. Anderson returns to direct this 5th entry along with star/wife Milla Jovovich.
Like the Underworld series, I’m a sucker each time and this teaser looks like it could be a lot of fun especially since it shows some of our first looks at characters from the video game series and the return of some “dead” characters from the series.
This action comedy tells the tale of mild-mannered married couple Phil (Steve Carell) and Claire (Tina Fey) who fear their relationship may be falling into a stale rut. During their weekly date night, they impetuously steal a dinner reservation, which leads to a case of mistaken identity. Turns out the reservation was for a pair of thieves, and now a number of unsavory characters want Phil and Claire killed. If they can survive a wacky life-threatening night, they may just rediscover the passion missing from their marriage. Directed by Shawn Levy. Mark Wahlberg, James Franco, and Kristen Wiig co-star. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
Directed by Shawn Levy
Cast: Steve Carell, Tina Fey, Mark Wahlberg, Taraji P. Henson, Jimmi Simpson.
Release Date: Apr 09, 2010
Rated PG-13 for sexual and crude content throughout, language, some violence and a drug reference
Runtime: 1 hr. 28 min.
Genres: Comedy
Review:
Date Night is unapologetically broad in its laughs and if it weren’t for the excellent comedic talents of Tina Fey and Steve Carell it’d probably be kind of unbearable. Shawn Levy has made a career of making broad easy to consume comedies and he doesn’t change his stripes here. The jokes and situations are mostly paint by the numbers. Its fun light entertainment that keeps you mostly entertained with only occasional moments of tedium. Carell and Fey keep you interested with their strong dynamic and experienced talents. Carell brings a tenderness and earnestness to his character along with the expected goofiness. Fey is sharp and quick witted always keeping the interplay lively and energetic even in clichéd segments. Mark Wahlburg, James Franco, Mila Kunis, William Fichtner and Ray Liotta all have fun little cameos with characters that are goofy send ups of their usual roles. Date Night is the kind of movie that easily forgettable but never terrible. Considering Carell and Fey strong chemistry it would be nice to see them work with a more talent director and concept. For the time being this little nugget will work well as an appetizer.
C+
ON DVD
THE FOURTH KIND
Set in the fall of 2000 and purportedly based on actual events, The Fourth Kind stars Milla Jovovich as Dr. Abigail Tyler, a Nome, Alaska-based psychotherapist whose videotaped sessions with her patients offer the most compelling evidence of alien abduction ever documented. Elias Koteas and Will Patton co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi
Cast: Milla Jovovich, Elias Koteas, Will Patton, Hakeem Kae-Kazim.
Release Date: Nov 06, 2009
Rated PG-13 for violent/disturbing images, some terror, thematic elements and brief sexuality
Runtime: 1 hr. 38 min.
Genres: Thriller
Review:
The Fourth Kind is the type of film that has an interesting approach to what is a fairly well worn genre. Sadly, director Olatunde Osunsanmi shows his inexperience throughout and presently he doesn’t have the talent to make the concept a cohesive believable whole. It’s a shame because he has an interesting style that’s aggressively interesting and he does have a few inspired moments which impress. Unfortunately, those moments are few and far between and he fails to achieve the most important thing necessary here, credibility. The film, it starts with Milla Jovovich telling you this is based on true events, demands that you have some level of belief in the proceedings for it to effectively creep you out. Instead everything comes off as fake and manufactured especially the purported “real” footage. The cast across the board is stiff and unconvincing the reenactments never feel any better than old Unsolved Mysteries shorts. It’s all kind of a uneven hodgepodge of ideas that never reach the mark. Films like Communion and Fire in the Sky do a better job with this genre. Not a great sign when the latter is a fairly laughable Walken vehicle.
D
FANTASTIC MR. FOX
A wily fox uses his formidable cunning to outsmart three feeble-minded farmers, who resort to extreme tactics to protect their chickens in director Wes Anderson's animated adaptation of the popular Roald Dahl children's book. For 12 years, Mr. and Mrs. Fox (voices of George Clooney and Meryl Streep) have lived a peaceful life in the wilderness with their son, Ash (voice of Jason Schwartzman). Shortly after their young nephew Kristofferson (voice of Eric Anderson) arrives for a visit, Mr. Fox's long-suppressed animal instincts begin to take over and the faithful family man resorts back to his old ways as a cunning chicken thief, endangering not only his family but the entire animal community as well. When evil farmers Boggis, Bunce, and Bean force the animals underground in a desperate attempt to capture the audacious Mr. Fox, dwindling food supplies force the frightened animals to band together in one last attempt to fight for the land that is rightfully theirs. Bill Murray, Michael Gambon, Willem Dafoe, and Owen Wilson provide additional
Director: Wes Anderson
Cast: George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Wallace Wolodarsky.
Release Date: Nov 13, 2009..
Rated: for action, smoking and slang humor
Runtime: 1 hr. 27 min.
Genres: Comedy
Review:
It’s rare that you find such a charming piece of filmmaking that keeps you smiling throughout via its wittiness and emotional highpoints. There is something incredibly quirky and heartfelt in all of Wes Anderson’s films and this stop motion isn’t any different. Proving that he can work his magic on stop motion dolls as effectively as his live actors, Anderson breathes life into these characters and plot almost from the instant they hit the screen. It’s no small task and he makes it seem utterly effortless throughout. The A list voice cast is up to task as well. Clooney provides just as much as charisma and sentiment as he did in Up in the Air. Meryl Streep’s work is graceful as ever providing Clooney’s titular character his moral center. Jason Schwartzman is wonderfully understated and heartfelt. The story, adapted from Roald Dahl’s children’s book, is just as smart as it should be, something the will give both adults and children something to enjoy. Fantastic Mr. Fox is a stellar achievement in film making and something that should be enjoyed by all.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
MOVIE REVIEWS: A PERFECT GETAWAY
ON DVD
A PERFECT GETAWAY
Honeymooning newlyweds Cliff (Steve Zahn) and Cydney (Milla Jovovich) are hiking an 11-mile trail in Hawaii when they cross paths will ex-military man Nick (Timothy Olyphant), who earns their trust by helping them navigate a particularly treacherous mountain cliff. A few yards later, the trio runs into a group of girls whose parents are begging them to return home following reports that a honeymooning couple has been murdered on one of the other islands. The suspects in the killings are a young white couple, and when Cliff and Cydney meet Nick's frees-spirited girlfriend, Gina (Kiele Sanchez), tensions start to rise. The further the foursome walks together, the more delicate the balance of trust and suspicion becomes. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Rated R for graphic violence, language and some drug use.
Runtime: 1 hr. 38 min.
Genres: Action, Thriller
Review:
David Twohy returns to form after his lackluster follow up to Pitch Black, The Chronicles of Riddick, with a surprisingly effective thriller. Twohy serves as writer / director here as he usually does and what he creates with A Perfect Getaway is an intriguing if occasionally overly self aware yarn that’s far better than it deserves to be. Twohy doesn’t spend too much time with unnecessary build up or excessive fluff. He gets right into the meat of the story and lets it run in a very lean and well paced manner. He makes great use of the local and shoots some wonderful views of the vistas both as beautiful yet dangerous. The characters he creates are intentionally one dimensional at a glance but as the film proceeds they become more and more ambiguous, keeping the audience guessing. Performances from the cast are decent with most delivering what you’d expect. Steve Zahn and Milla Jovovich play it straight, for the better part of the film, as the naïve newlywed couple. Both have major character shifts in the films third act, something Jovovich handles better than Zahn who goes a little overboard. Timothy Olyphant is a ball of crazy eyed enthusiasm. Kiele Sanchez is plays it lower key and probably the most forgettable of the main cast. Twohy direction and script keep you off balance and when the major turn occurs in the final act he loses a bit of steam as he feels the need to over explain the situation. He over does it and the entire sequence feels like it could have been trimmed down significantly without losing effectiveness. Regardless, A Perfect Getaway is stronger than expected and delivers an intriguing thriller.
