MOVIE REVIEW: GOON

ON DVD & NETFLIX STREAMING

GOON



The sports comedy Goon stars Seann William Scott as Doug Glatt, a slacker from a rich family who discovers he has a knack for hockey brawls. Dragged to a game by his best friend, Doug punches out the visiting team's toughest player when the angered thug rushes into the stands. The home team quickly recruits Doug (even though he can't skate) and encourages him to beat up their opponents. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Director: Michael Dowse

Cast: Seann William Scott, Jay Baruchel, Alison Pill, Marc-André Grondin, Kim Coates, Liev Schreiber

Release Date: Mar 30, 2012

Rated R for brutal violence, non-stop language, some strong sexual content and drug
use

Runtime: 1 hr. 31 min.

Genres: Comedy

Review:

Sports films in general have always been a tough sell for me, mainly because they all have to follow very similar trajectories ending in the big game. As a result, I’ve ignored more sports movies than I should have over the past few years. Luckily, I gave Goon a chance and was pleasantly surprised with it. The usual sports plot points are there (underdog team, change in fortunes and the big game) but Goon makes it all so much fun and even infuses some heart in the process. Feeling like a cross between Major League and Forrest Gump, Goon really hooks you in with its comedic side. As a comedy it works just as well as a hockey film. Seann William Scott makes it nearly impossible not to like the Doug’s dim but sincere self. Scott really shows us restraint in how he plays Doug; it would have been very easy to play him as a buffoon, so there’s some texture there. The only real downside is more script related as Doug seems to waver between not very bright to mentally challenged. The supporting cast is made up of fine actors, all doing well in small quirky roles which really give the film life. Marc-André Grondin in particular is interesting as the wonder kid burnout. Liev Schreiber however is incredibly impressive in a small but pivotal role. Schreiber really give his character an authentic look and feel. As a causal hockey fan, his character just felt real in so many ways. As a whole the film’s sports side feels real, credit for that really goes to the director Michael Dowse. One of my other pet peeves about sports movies is that the sports never feel real; in Goon the majority of the hockey is wonderfully staged and done. A fan of the sport will never be taken out of the experience which is so important in my opinion. Goon is very loosely adapted, (he ended up consulting for the NHL’s Bruins for 8 years after his playing days) from Doug Smith Book Goon: The True Story of an Unlikely Journey Into Minor League Hockey.

B+

Movie Review: ROLE MODELS

Friday, April 03, 2009
Movie Reviews:
ON DVD

ROLE MODELS

Two salesmen trash a company truck on an energy drink-fueled bender. Upon their arrest, the court gives them a choice: do hard time or spend 150 service hours with a mentorship program. After one day with the kids, however, jail doesn’t look half bad. Surrounded by annoying do-gooders, Danny struggles with his every neurotic impulse to guide Augie through the trials of becoming a man. Unfortunately, the guy just dumped by his girlfriend has only sarcasm to offer a bashful 16-year-old obsessed with medieval role play. Meanwhile, charming Wheeler tries to trade in an addiction to partying and women to assist a fifth-grader named Ronnie redirect his foul-mouthed ways. It would probably help if Ronnie’s new mentor wasn’t an overgrown adolescent whose idea of quality time includes keggers in Venice Beach. Once the center’s ex-con director gives them an ultimatum, Danny and Wheeler are forced to tailor their brand of immature wisdom to their charges.

Cast: Seann William Scott, Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Bobb'e J. Thompson


Director: David Wain


Opened November 7, 2008


Runtime: 1 hr. 35 min.


Rated R for crude and sexual content, strong language and nudity


Genres: Farce, Buddy Film, Comedy

Review:

Role Models is the type of film that feels like it should be funnier than it actually is. That’s not to say that the film doesn’t have its high points there are plenty of them but it lacks consistency throughout. Choppily directed by David Wain, also one of the writers, the film is full of peaks and valleys. When it’s funny it’s really funny, mainly due to the fine comedic cast assembled, but when it lulls it just sort of meanders aimlessly. Needless to say the film lacks a sense of rhythm which would have raised it to inspired levels. As mentioned, the cast is superb. Paul Rudd shares the marquee with Seann William Scott but he’s clearly a more accomplished comedian. Rudd’s wonderfully cynical performance is loads of fun to watch and it kind of makes you wonder why he didn’t write more scenes for himself, he was also one of the co-writers on the film. Seann William Scott delivers a solid performance, giving his character a charm and sweetness that could have been easily overlooked by a lesser actor. The supporting cast is filled with some real standout performances that nearly steal the show. First off, the always reliable Jane Lynch is stellar making the most of a fairly small role. Christopher Mintz-Plasse is just as good, he really makes the character seem like a real kid as opposed to just a stereotype. He gives Augie a nice touch of authenticity that could have been easily glossed over. Bobb'e J. Thompson is fun to a varying degrees. He lets loose vulgarities like a pro but some of the lines just fall flat while other hit the mark with greater effectiveness. Elizabeth Banks, sadly, isn’t given much to do here. But throw in Ken Jeong as the role playing king and finale that involves fake medieval battles and KISS makeup, well let’s just say the film peaks near the end.

B-

Movie Reviews: ATONEMENT & SOUTHLAND TALES

Monday, March 24, 2008
Movie Reviews: ATONEMENT & SOUTHLAND TALES
ON DVD




ATONEMENT

When Briony Tallis (Saoirse Ronan) was 13 years old, she was witness to a lewd act between her older sister Cecillia (Keira Knightley) and Robbie (James McAvoy), a servant’s son, that ends up sending the boy to jail. Several years later, Briony (Romola Garai) is a young woman who tries to heal the wound the previous incident inflicted on her family.

Cast Keira Knightley, James McAvoy, Romola Garai, Saoirse Ronan, Vanessa Redgrave, Brenda Blethyn (more)

Director(s) Joe Wright

Writer(s) Christopher Hampton

Status On DVD

Genre(s) Drama

Release Date Dec. 7, 2007

DVD Release Date March 18, 2008

Running Time 123 minutes

MPAA Rating R - for disturbing war images, language and some sexuality

Review:

Joe Wright’s Atonement is what you’d expect from most films from this genre but it does elevate itself above the more traditional entries with its wonderful sense of lyricism and style. Wonderfully shot and scored, Atonement feels more like a movie made in the 40s or 50s. Everything from the look of the film to the manner of speaking feels classical in one sense or another. The film’s first 45 minutes feel like a wonderful F Scott Fitzgerald adaptation which is just a joy to watch. The remainder of the movie feels a bit more contrived and artificial but that’s not to say it’s not enjoyable as well. Keira Knightly and James McAvoy deliver decent performances and are actually better when they aren’t on screen together as they share very little believable chemistry. Saoirse Ronan deservedly received many accolades for her work here and there is a fairly obvious drop off in her character; apparently Briony is the only one who ages in this film, when Romola Garai takes over. Needless to say Saoirse Ronan’s work is excellent and it really drives the film through the first half of the film. While Atonement is a solid piece of cinematic romanticism it lacks any real surprises for the audience. Its climax and the revelation about a major plot point both are designed to come as a surprise and jar the viewer but it just fails to hit the mark. Mainly because both are fairly obvious and lack the emotional punch they were intended to create. For this reason alone, Atonement is enjoyable for what it is but it’s not necessarily the type of movie that will inhabit your mind for very long after you’ve seen it.

B-




SOUTHLAND TALES

Set in an economically and environmentally ravaged Los Angeles on the Fourth of July, 2008, the story features various characters running into one another, including amnesiac actor Boxer Santaros (Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson), porn star Krysta Now (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and cop David Clark (Seann William Scott).

Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Seann William Scott, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nora Dunn, Christopher Lambert, John Larroquette (more)

Director(s) Richard Kelly

Writer(s) Richard Kelly

Status On DVD

Genre(s) Comedy

Release Date Nov. 14, 2007

DVD Release Date March 18, 2008

MPAA Rating R - for language, violence, sexual material and some drug content

Review:

How does a film from a respected cult filmmaker, Richard Kelly (Donnie Darko), get roundly booed at the Cannes Film Festival? I’d wondered about that when I first heard about the reaction to Southland Tales premiere. Kelly sophomore effort couldn’t have been that horrible, this is the man who gave us the wonderfully odd but thoroughly engaging cult favorite Donnie Darko. Having now watched the painfully long, winch inducting, insanely self indulgent Southland Tales it all makes perfect sense. Southland Tales is beyond odd; it’s incoherent and takes itself way too seriously from the start. This satire poses some interesting ideas but the execution is so off and entirely uninteresting that it fails to make any connection what so ever with the audience. Characters are just that characters, none of which ever feel like actual flesh and blood creations, instead everyone is a type nothing more nothing less. The actors do what they can with the incomprehensible mess their given. Dwayne Johnson tries to pass off twiddling his fingers as acting while Sean Williams Scott looks confused throughout, whether it’s intentional or not it’s fitting. Sarah Michelle Gellar probably seems the most comfortable in her role and seems to be the most committed of anyone involved followed closely by John Larroquette who’s also quite good here. One thing this film doesn’t lack is star power, a cavalcade of stars are present here. In addition to Justin Timberlake, who always seems to have something important to say but never actually does, and Mandy Moore we also get a group of SNL alums (Cheri Oteri, Amy Poehler & Jon Lovitz all have supporting roles) and a MadTV alum (Will Sasso) for just for good measure. Drizzled in we also get cameos aplenty throughout from other big name stars. I will give Kelly credit for trying something so incredibly outside of the box, even if it reeks of self love and pretension, and bizarre that it leaves an impression on you after you watch it regardless if you enjoyed it or not. I enjoy movies that test or break conventions but at the same time I believe these types of movies should have some sense of self and some sort of purpose. Southland Tales feels like Kelly’s stream of conscience unabashedly poured out on screen. For me this film fails at being anyone of the million things (satire, romance, fantasy, existential meditation, etc….) it attempts to be. Southland Tales is just too unfocused for my taste so much so that it’s nearly unwatchable.

D