MOVIE REVIEW: THE EXPENDABLES 3

Barney (Stallone), Christmas (Statham) and the rest of the team comes face-to-face with Conrad Stonebanks (Gibson), who years ago co-founded The Expendables with Barney. Stonebanks subsequently became a ruthless arms trader and someone who Barney was forced to kill... or so he thought. Stonebanks, who eluded death once before, now is making it his mission to end The Expendables -- but Barney has other plans. Barney decides that he has to fight old blood with new blood, and brings in a new era of Expendables team members, recruiting individuals who are younger, faster and more tech-savvy. The latest mission becomes a clash of classic old-school style versus high-tech expertise in the Expendables' most personal battle yet. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

Director: Patrick Hughes

Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Antonio Banderas, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Wesley Snipes

Release Date: Aug 15, 2014

Rated: PG-13 for Language, Intense Sustained Gun Battles, Fight Scenes and Violence 

Runtime: 2 hr. 7 min. 

Genres: Action/Adventure 

Review:

By this point in time you come to expect certain things from the Expendables movies.  The third entry starts off well with a rollicking, if a tad silly, action sequence that brings back Wesley Snipes to the screen.  Honestly, I didn’t know I missed Snipes that much but he perks up the first 20 minutes of the movie with an energetic charisma that’s hard to ignore.  After that sequence, the film turns into a bit of slog as we’re slowly introduced to new recruits, none of which have even the tiniest bit of screen charisma, with the characters we’ve come to know relegated to wait off screen.  The biggest sin isn’t that these characters are faceless and just there to serve the plot, it’s that during this extended sequence nothing happens.  There lots of exposition with Frasier popping up to throw some zingers at the plastic corpse that is Stallone but very little action or fun.  It’s honestly the films biggest drawback because the whole sequence could have been done in about 10 minutes so we could bring back the established fun characters or the other new additions like Antonio Banderas who’s hilarious as a motor mouth killer looking for a new team.  Once the final action sequence starts, you remember why your watching this film, lots over the top action with fun characters and crazy eyed Mel Gibson hamming it up as the villain of the piece.  That’s all I was really looking for in this franchise.

C+

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & The Hundred-Foot Journey

Dearest Blog, today it was off to the movies for one of the strangest double-bills ever, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and The Hundred-Foot Journey.

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers...er...let's face it, you weren't planning on seeing either of these anyway, were you?

First on my agenda was the newest screen incarnation of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Michelangelo, Donatello, Raphael, and Leonardo try to save New York from the evil Shredder.

Here's a true fact: I am wildly excited for every Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, and this one was no exception. First time those words have all been together in the same sentence? Possibly, but, despite the world of hate being rained down on it from all sides, I looked forward to TMNT, and I was not disappointed.

It's always fun to see such familiar and well-loved characters again, and I was pleased with how each turtle was represented here. The new look is okay, if not my favorite, and the martial arts moves are pretty cool in 3D. Will Arnett is entertaining, Megan Fox is smokin' hot, and no movie or TV show was ever worse for having the magnificent William Fichtner. Sure, the humor's juvenile, the story's done to death, and the effects are nothing to write home about, but, somehow, I still enjoyed this from beginning to end.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles runs 101 minutes and is rated PG13 for "sci-fi action/violence." If it's a terrible movie, that didn't keep me from having a great time with it.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles gets five. I'd honestly love to score it better, but at some point I have to acknowledge it's probably a bad movie, no matter how much I like it!

Next on the docket was The Hundred-Foot Journey.

Fireworks ensue when an Indian family moves to the French countryside and opens a restaurant across the street from a hoity-toity local establishment.

Whoa! Bickering restaurant owners...sounds like the most boring movie ever, huh? What's next, two dentists trying to lease the same office space? While The Hundred-Foot Journey is a little long, it's a cute story that's elevated by a solid and likable cast. Helen Mirren is, as always, brilliant in the lead, and Manish Dayal and Charlotte Le Bon are appropriately adorable as young chefs at the two restaurants tip-toeing around the possibility of romance. The story is serious when it needs to be and funny when it means to be.

There's enough cooking and eating going on in this movie that restaurants neighboring cinemas are probably seeing a nice uptick in business this weekend. There are also plenty lingering shots of the picturesque French countryside, if that's your thing, and a nice anti-racism message as a bonus.
The Hundred-Foot Journey clocks in at 122 minutes and is rated PG for "thematic elements, some violence, language, and brief sensuality." If the movie is predicable and a bit overly-sappy, that's not hard to forgive in such a genuine and sweet picture.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Hundred-Foot journey gets six.

Until next time...COWABUNGA!!!

 It's official: my mental age is five.

MOVIE REVIEW: TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES

Paramount Pictures and Michael Bay present this reboot of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise with Wrath of the Titans helmer Jonathan Liebesman directing. The sinister Shredder has seized control of New York City's police and politicians, leaving his ruthless Foot Clan to spread chaos in the streets. With no prospects for salvation in sight, mutant crime-fighters Raphael, Leonardo , Donatello, and Michaelangelo leap into action. They put up a fierce fight, too, though in order to truly defeat Shredder, the heroes in a half shell will need the help of courageous reporter April O'Neil Megan Fox and her quick witted cameraman Vern Fenwick (Will Arnett) as well. With their help, Shredder's plan will quickly unravel, and this once-great city will rise again. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

Director: Jonathan Liebesman 

Cast: Megan Fox, Alan Ritchson, Johnny Knoxville, Jeremy Howard, Noel Fisher, Will Arnett

Release Date: Aug 08, 2014

Rated: PG-13 for sci-fi action violence 

Runtime: 1 hr. 41 min. 

Genres: Action/Adventure, Family, Sci-Fi/Fantasy 

Review:

Rebooting the Ninja Turtles and getting it back on the big screen has been a bit of a trek.  The Batred (Michael Bay produced) hit first by the rumors of them having their back story drastically changed by making them aliens, etc… That Jonathan Liebesman’s film isn’t a total train wreck is a small wonder in of itself.  In fact, it actually captures plenty of the original’s sense of fun along with each of the titular characters traits and attitude.  Liebesman does his best Michael Bay impression by directing some kinetic action sequences with the most impressive being a snow covered mountain chase.  He moves his film around rather quickly avoiding as many lingering moments as possible.  Unfortunately, the script is kind of clunky when dealing with non-turtle characters.  Leading the charge is a mostly wooden, strangely pillowed lipped, Megan Fox who delivers most of her lines with the conviction of a pizza box.  She’s window dressing at best and a distraction from the fun for the most part.  Will Arnett and William Fichtner are fairly underused unfortunately, leaving most of the live action acting in Megan Fox’s lovely hands.  Still, even if you looking for a bit of a throwback or just some mindless fun, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles succeeds more than it doesn’t simply doing something most of the Transformers films never did, getting the primary characters right.

B-

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Get On Up & Guardians of the Galaxy

Dearest Blog, yesterday it was off to the pictures for Guardians of the Galaxy and some afterthought that dared turn up the same weekend as Guardians of the Galaxy.

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.

First on the docket was the afterthought, Get On Up.

Get On Up tells the story of James Brown's self-made rise from dirt-poor childhood to the Godfather of Soul.

Okey-dokey, readers: confession time...and this is an embarrassing one. I don't particularly care for James Brown. There, I said it. I respect the influence of his music on all the music I love, but I've never been a fan of the man himself. As such, my expectations for a movie full of music I don't like were middling at best.

If there's one thing Get On Up does have going for it, it's Chadwick Boseman, who follows up his stunning turn in 42 with an even more amazing performance...and some pretty terrific dance moves.

True Blood's Nelsan Ellis is especially noteworthy as Brown's best friend and longtime professional collaborator, Bobby Byrd, but, truly, the entire cast is well above average. The story is kind of a mess, but never dull. It's not told in linear fashion--beginning to middle to end--but rather jumps among various periods of Brown's life. The order is seemingly random, but the segueways are so flawless that, while I wouldn't say I precisely liked it, I will say it was effective.

I don't imagine it ever felt like there was much order in Brown's life for himself or those around him.

The movie also does a fair job of not painting Brown a saint just because he's: a.) talented, and b.) no longer with us. Then of course there's the music, LOTS of it. My understanding is Boseman lip-synched to actual James Brown recordings, and there were a couple times I felt it was a little obvious, especially having recently seen Jersey Boys, where numbers were performed live on set. If you like the music, you'll be a World Champion Chair Dancer by the end, but for me some of the numbers seemed to drag.

Get On Up clocks in at 138 minutes and is rated PG13 for "sexual content, drug use, some strong language, and violent situations." It was far more enjoyable than I anticipated, but still not the spiritual experience I expect from movies about music legends.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Get On Up gets six.

Next up was the movie the about which I (and the rest of the Internet) have been frantically abuzz for months now, Guardians of the Galaxy.

A ragtag bunch of villains-turned-heroes faces a foe set on mass destruction.

Admit it, reader(s), even if you aren't usually into superhero movies, you took one look at this trailer and were completely sold. The self-deprecating hero. The gun-toting raccoon. The green hottie. The humor. The tunes...oh, the TUNES!! The buzz has been so overwhelmingly positive for so long that, by the time showtime finally rolled around, I was a little nervous about a letdown. I needn't have worried.

There's a joke going around the Internet, something along the lines of DC Comics being all worried the world isn't ready for a solo female super-hero movie, but Marvel says, "Here's a talking raccoon."

I'm a DC girl myself, but Guardians of the Galaxy, to me, is everything Marvel does right.

The overall tone of Guardians is humorous. The movie never bogs down with backstory, yet it tells enough about each character that he's more than just the sum of his actions in this particular film.

Everyone is sympathetic to some degree...yes, even the raccoon. There's plenty of big, explosive action, yet none of those seemingly-endless scenes of run-on destruction. (Lookin' at you, Avengers and Man of Steel.)

The art and effects are beautiful and realistic. I'll happily be the latest in a long line to mention the soundtrack that's about to become the most-played thing on your iPod, filled with great 70s nuggets like 10CC's I'm Not in Love and The Runaways' Cherry Bomb.

Finally, each and every Guardian deserves credit for a solid performance full of heart and wit...though I still wonder who thought it was a good idea to give Bradley Cooper a role where we don't see his magnificent face.

Guardians of the Galaxy runs 121 minutes and is rated PG13 for "intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and for some language." It is that very rare item that actually lives up to the hype.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Guardians of the Galaxy gets eight and a half.

Until next time...

 Karen Gillan + Zoe Saldana? Yes, please.

MOVIE REVIEW: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

A group of interstellar outlaws team up to save the galaxy from a villain who seeks ultimate power in this comic book space adventure from Marvel Studios and director James Gunn (Slither, Super). ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Release Date: Aug 01, 2014

Rated R for some Language and Intense Sci-Fi Action/Violence 

Runtime: 2 hr. 2 min. 

Genres: Action/Adventure, Family

Director: James Gunn 

Cast: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Lee Pace, Bradley Cooper, Michael Rooker, Vin Diesel

Review:

Marvel has given us some fantastic even great films over the past decade or so, setting the bar pretty high for every new release.  Guardians of the Galaxy keeps up that trend by delivering an incredibly enjoyable sci-fi ride free of any overlapping story arch.  There’s a kinetic freedom in it right from the start capturing a perfect mix of epic fun that’s sure to become a life long memory for young children everywhere.  James Gunn turns out to be a perfect choice for this particular film since it takes advantage of all his talents, giving us a less vulgar Tarantino light version of the super hero movie.  His cast is equally impressive across the board with Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldana, always more comfortable in sci-fi, leading the charge.  Bradley Cooper’s Rocket Raccoon and Vin Diesel’s Groot work so much better than expected, each leaving an indelible mark on the film.  Throw in a heftier dose of Michael Rooker than expected, never a bad thing, and you have one of the most enjoyable movie going experiences of the summer and probably one of the better superhero films of all time.

A

Cindy Prascik's Review of Hercules & Lucy

Dearest Blog, today it was off to the cinema for a double-bill guaranteed to make me feel like a doughy old lump: Dwayne Johnson's Hercules and Scarlett Johansson's Lucy.

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.

First on the docket was Hercules.

Having successfully completed his legendary Twelve Labors, Hercules and his band of mercenaries find something besides gold that's worth fighting for.

Now, reader(s), you just knew this one was going to be silly, didn't you? Yeah, so did I, but it doesn't take itself very seriously at all, so I didn't mind. Dwayne Johnson is, as always, a truly engaging screen presence. You'll probably never see this guy carting home an Academy Award, but dude knows how to win and hold an audience.

You'll wonder why John Hurt and Ian McShane (one of my all-time favorites), even bother with stuff like this, but the movie is better for having them, so no complaints here. I'm sure their bank accounts have no complaints, either. The wonderful Rufus Sewell is also a welcome addition. Hercules' effects are decent and of course HUGE, if nothing too special. The story is passable entertainment, but, with such scintillating dialogue as, "Don't just stand there, KILL SOMEBODY!"...well...it isn't exactly Aaron Sorkin.

Hercules runs 98 minutes and is rated PG13 for "epic battle sequences, violence, suggestive comments, brief strong language, and partial nudity."

If it's just brainless fun, well, I'll take self-aware silliness like this over pompous drivel like the Planet of the Apes franchise any day.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Hercules gets five and a half.

Next up was ScarJo headlining Lucy.

A party girl living abroad is forced to carry drugs out of the country. When the package leaks inside her, it expands her mind's capacity to unthinkable levels.

Okay, confession time. I am what Hollywood refers to as "part of the problem." I don't generally see movies that star women. Women's movies don't interest me, and even an action thriller starring a woman wouldn't have made my list on a stronger weekend. Having said that, I've been falling a little bit in love with Scarlett Johansson's voice of late (but who hasn't...am I right, Joaquin Phoenix??), and since it was a weak weekend and Hercules wouldn't work with another screening of Jersey Boys, Lucy wound up the default closer of my double-header.

I admit, I was surprised by Lucy, and not altogether pleasantly. I wasn't bored--which I feared I would be--but at some point the movie degenerates from a solid-if-predictable action movie to broadly-drawn science fiction, and, while I didn't hate it, I also didn't love it. Johansson is capable in the lead, not to mention pretty darn hot, and Morgan Freeman is steady if somewhat underused.

I very much like the idea, but am unsold on its execution, and if the little science-class movie clips were kind of clever the first dozen times, I got tired of that trick before the halfway mark. To its credit, the movie keeps moving and doesn't wear out its welcome, but it would have fared better had filmmakers toned down the sci-fi a bit.

Lucy clocks in at 90 minutes and is rated R for "strong violence, disturbing images, and sexuality."

A little something different to break up your summer of superheroes and sequels, of a possible nine Weasleys, Lucy gets six...which would probably be at least half a Weasley higher if it were Louis instead.

Until next time..

Do I care if this movie is terrible? No, I do not.

MOVIE REVIEW: LUCY

Morgan Freeman and Scarlett Johansson headline this EuropaCorp/TF1 Films co-production directed by Luc Besson, and released by Universal Pictures. The story centers on a woman (Johansson) who falls prey to sinister underworld forces, but who gains superhuman abilities that allow her to strike back at her oppressors. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Luc Besson 

Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Morgan Freeman

Release Date: Jul 25, 2014

Rated: R for Sexuality, Disturbing Images and Strong Violence 

Runtime: 1 hr. 28 min. 

Genres: Action/Adventure, Suspense/Thriller 

Review:

Luc Besson has made some solid films over his career but he’s made some fairly terrible ones as well.  Lucy falls into latter category in spite of Scarlett Johansson’s best Small Wonder impression.  Besson waste a fairly decent premise which is rather intriguing for an instant before it devolves into a rapid vortex of stupidity all while playing it straight.  Besson really thinks he’s making a thought provoking film that’s posing some serious questions, you can tell by the film student quick cuts of stock footage to hammer home points, instead it’s probably one of the stupidest movies I’ve seen this year.  By the time the third act pops up and Morgan Freeman shows up, presumably having walked over from the set of Transcendence, you just have to hold out to see when this silliness will end which it does rather quickly and abruptly.

D

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of 22 Jump Street & The Purge: Anarchy + Bonus Afterthoughts on How to Train Your Dragon 2

Dearest Blog, it's Jamboree in the Hills weekend here in the upper Ohio Valley, and you know what that means: I spent BOTH days hiding out at the cinema. On tap: a second screening of How to Train Your Dragon 2, a first (very late) screening of 22 Jump Street, and the new release The Purge: Anarchy.

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.

First up was a second go at How to Train Your Dragon 2. Regular reader(s) will know I was gravely disappointed in this the first time I saw it, as the original ranks among my favorite movies of all time, and this one...well...this one doesn't. While I still don't agree the sequel is better than (or even as good as) the first, I will say I definitely warmed to it upon a second viewing. I found much more to laugh about, much less to be annoyed about, and remained in awe of its visual magnificence. If you don't bother for any other reason, do see it on the biggest screen you can find just for the privilege of seeing the best-looking movie ever.

After revisiting the film, I would probably upgrade it from my original seven and a half to eight of a possible nine Weasleys. Still not as good as the first, but it probably wasn't reasonable to expect that anyway, no matter who said it nor how often.

Next up was another sequel, 22 Jump Street. I'm well aware this has already left many theatres and if you were gonna see it you probably would have done by now. I'm still reviewing it for two reasons: first, because it's worth a good word if that good word convinces anybody buy the DVD or see it in a second-run cinema, but also so I don't forget it when it comes time for my year-end top ten, which at this writing would include it.

Having succeeded in their high school undercover mission, Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) move on to college.

22 Jump Street is that rare sequel that is equal to its predecessor, hilarious from beginning to end, with a couple twists that rival most mysteries and thrillers. Hill and Tatum have a genuine chemistry that sells their relationship, and a comedic fearlessness that translates to great entertainment. The supporting cast is a riot, and laugh-out-loud physical humor combines with self-aware sequel jokes to make this the summer's funniest movie thus far.

22 Jump Street runs 112 minutes and is rated R for "language throughout, sexual content, drug material, brief nudity, and some violence."

If you're in the mood for a good laugh, this is your movie. Of a possible nine Weasleys, 22 Jump Street gets seven.

Finally, today it was The Purge: Anarchy.

A small group caught out during the annual Purge teams up to try to survive the night.

Two notes: I have seen only minutes of the first Purge, in passing. It is by all accounts terrible. The sequel was only on my radar--and barely, at that--because I've had a bit of a thing for Frank Grillo since The Grey. Yeah, I know I'm late to that party, so sue me. Earlier this weekend, I saw a review comparing this new Purge to Walter Hill's The Warriors, one of my top ten movies of all time, and it became a must see.

I didn't expect much, but I'm pleased to report I was very pleasantly surprised.
Let this be the first and probably only review to note that the annual Purge takes place on Gary Oldman's birthday, March 21. How's a transplanted Brit to celebrate his special day in a country that's doing THAT with it? I strenuously object, and respectfully petition for a change of Purge date.

Okay, back to business. As mentioned, The Purge: Anarchy is much better than I expected. I figured I'd indulge my crush in a so-so movie and be done with it, but I was actually engaged from start to finish. The concept is scary as hell, but provides some interesting food for thought. There's some wonky dialogue, but the movie is smart enough not to try getting too talkey. Tension holds steady throughout, no chance to feel certain of anyone's safety. The Halloween-masked antagonists are particularly effective, and their scenes especially well staged. There's plenty of violence, but nothing overly graphic or gory. Grillo is well suited to his role. I expect I'd feel pretty safe in his charge were my life threatened...or, hell, even if it weren't. The rest of the main cast does a decent job of: a.) appearing terrified, and b.) running for their lives. So. Much. Running. It's like a World Cup game, but without the diving. Finally, the movie gets full marks for not wearing out its welcome.
The Purge: Anarchy clocks in at 103 minutes and is rated R for "strong disturbing violence and language."

It may not be what you'd call a "summer fun" movie, but it's engaging, entertaining, and worth the price of admission. Of a possible nine Weasleys, I'm happy to give The Purge: Anarchy seven.
Until next time..

Hi, I'm that guy you met on the Internet dating site!

MOVIE REVIEW: THE PURGE: ANARCHY

A vengeful father comes to the aid of a mother, her teenage daughter, and a defenseless young couple on the one night of the year that all crime, including murder, is legal in this self-contained sequel from producer Jason Blum and original writer/director James DeMonaco.  This unlikely group must stick together in order to survive the night. But little do they realize that their nightmare has only just begun. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: James DeMonaco

Cast: Frank Grillo, Kiele Sanchez, Michael K. Williams, Zach Gilford, Carmen Ejogo

Release Date: Jul 18, 2014

Rated: R for Strong Disturbing Violence and Language 

Runtime: 1 hr. 43 min. 

Genres: Horror, Suspense/Thriller 

Review:

The Purge was a solid film with a nice little premise which it never really expanded on, instead just turning it into a standard home invasion thriller.  There was plenty of meat on the idea to explore which was left untouched by the original so I was looking forward to a sequel but worried it’d miss the point of it all.  The Purge: Anarchy is actually a nice surprise even if the message is about as subtle as a sledgehammer.  The story smartly gives us 3 storylines to follow which converge rather quickly.  It’s enough to give us a feel for the world at play and some of the ideas extrapolated out stretching the not so subtle metaphor out and expanding the mythos.  The characters outside of Frank Grillo’s, delivering a grizzled Punisher like performance,  man out for vengeance are rather bland but they’re there to serve a purpose.  We are given a Warriors like trek through the anarchy like streets during Purge night.  At its core, the sequel feels a lot like some of the wonderfully ham fisted exploitation message movies from the 70’s and 80’s which isn’t a bad thing.

B-

Cindy Prascik's Review of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Dearest Blog, today it was off to the cinema for Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.

A decade after the events of Rise of the Planet of the Apes, a virus has wiped out most of humanity. What's left attempts an uneasy peace with the apes, but...........

Well, dear reader(s), as usual I have to be upfront and admit I hated Rise of the Planet of the Apes so much I was prepared to take a pass on this one. Then they cast Gary Oldman, and chances of my taking a pass on a Gary Oldman movie are about as much as my saying, "No thank you," if someone offered me a winning lotto ticket. I never go into a movie set on hating it, but in this case it might have saved me some disappointment if I had.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is even worse than its predecessor...if such things can be measured. I struggled mightily to stay awake through the first hour, and mostly just prayed for the end through the second. Though the disaster effects are alright, the apes once again look like a bad cartoon.

Andy Serkis is a genius, but he hasn't won me over with his much-lauded portrayal of Cesar, the leader of the apes. Jason Clarke and Keri Russell are about as meh as any movie pairing, ever. Gary is great with what screen time he's got, but it's not nearly enough to salvage anything from this mess. Boring "emotional" scenes alternate with somewhat-less-boring action scenes.

There's a smattering of not-funny humor thrown in for good measure, all leading up to a cheesy, predictable ending. Usually I can at least get a laugh out of poking fun at something this terrible, but right now I just resent that my seven bucks will help this dog turd take the number-one spot at this weekend's box office.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes runs 130 minutes and is rated PG13 for "intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and brief strong language."

If you're a fellow Gary Oldman addict, you'll understand when I say I'd rather re-watch Tiptoes or Nobody's Baby than sit through this EVER again.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes gets one.

Until next time..

MOVIE REVIEW: DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

This follow-up to Rise of the Planet of the Apes concerns the next step in the genetically advanced primates' takeover of the world as a virus begins to wipe out the human race. Let Me In's Matt Reeves handles directing duties, with Gary Oldman, Jason Clark, and Kodi Smit-McPhee headlining the human cast. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

Director: Matt Reeves 

Cast: Andy Serkis, Jason Clarke, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Gary Oldman, Keri Russell

Release Date: Jul 11, 2014

Genres: Action/Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi/Fantasy 

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and brief strong language

Review:

Rise of The Planet of the Apes is one of those rare reboots that actually worked.  Against all odds, and a failed Tim Burton attempt, it set up a prequel franchise properly so the sequel had a lot to live up to.  Dawn of The Planet of the Apes succeeds on various fronts with Andy Serkis, Hollywood’s most underappreciated actor, front and center this go around.  The apes are fully realized creations with definitive personas and motivations.  The script delivers some wonderfully fleshed out characters from the opening sequences with a big chunk of the characterization done without spoken dialogue, its true testament to the work done by the motion capture actors.  In an odd reversal, the human characters get the short end of the stick.  Most of them, even the criminally underused Gary Oldman, are just types there to serve the script.  Jason Clake is appropriately stoic and noble throughout but never given anything meaningful to do.  Oldman is asked to be paranoid and scream Jim Gordon style which he does well but I just wish there was more to the character.  Thankfully the ape characters are interesting enough to keep the film thoroughly engaging even if the actual plot is a run of the mill coup d'état.  Even with it’s faults Dawn of The Planet of the Apes is one of the better summer films of the season with more heart than most other films out.

B

Cindy Prascik's Review of Transformers: Age of Extinction

Dearest Blog, after dodging the bullet last weekend, yesterday I decided to suck it up and see Transformers: Age of Extinction. It would be less than forthright not to admit that I went mostly because I'd heard Luke Evans' Dracula trailer was running before it, and because I wanted to see Jersey Boys again and don't like begging a ride for less than a double-feature.

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.

A down-on-his-luck mechanic lands in hot water when he buys a beat up old truck that's not quite what it seems.

I love Transformers and was genuinely excited for this sequel...until I heard it was over two and a half hours long. Despite almost universally negative reviews, I think Age of Extinction would have been quite a lot of fun at 90 minutes or even an hour and 45, but it does nothing to earn its Middle Earthy runtime.

A cast of familiar faces is unremarkable to either the good or the bad, though Mark Wahlberg is a definite improvement over the unlikable Shia LaBeouf, and I, personally, am always delighted to see Titus Welliver in a movie that does good business. The storyline doesn't hold any real surprises, and the dialogue is almost impressively stupid at times. Let's face it, though, dear reader(s), a Transformers movie is never gonna be about the people or the script, am I right?

It's about giant alien robots and big loud effects and maximum destruction. Age of Extinction does pretty well on all those counts, and, even at my most drowsy, I was utterly caught up in the big machines, if not so much in the daddy/daughter drama.

I elected to see this in 2D, not wanting to waste any more money on it than I had to, but it left me no doubt the 3D would be worth it.

Transformers: Age of Extinction clocks in at a very bloated 165 minutes and is rated PG13 for "intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, language, and brief innuendo."

It has all the components for a great summer blockbuster, but instead it proves that the only thing that's really extinct in Hollywood is the art of editing.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Transformers: Age of Extinction gets four and a half.

Until next time...

PS: No Dracula trailer. Curse you, cinema gods, for depriving me of big-screen Luke!

PPS: If you haven't seen Jersey Boys yet, go see it. If you have seen it, see it again!

MOVIE REVIEW: DELIVER US FROM EVIL

A cop and a priest team up on a case of demonic possession in this Screen Gems horror film. Scott Derrickson directs from a script he wrote with Paul Harris Boardman. Eric Bana, Édgar Ramírez, and Olivia Munn star. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

Director: Scott Derrickson 

Cast: Eric Bana, Edgar Ramirez, Olivia Munn, Sean Harris, Joel McHale

Release Date: Jul 02, 2014

Runtime: 1 hr. 58 min. 

Genres: Horror 

Review:

Deliver Us from Evil has an interesting conceit of mixing police procedural with an exorcism tale.  Scott Derrickson’s film establishes a nice bit of atmosphere at the start but the tension and scares are rather lacking.  The main issue at play is that everything is terribly routine for even the greenest of genre fans.  It’s a difficult thing to take something you’ve seen millions of times before and make it interesting, something that made last years The Conjuring so impressive.  Derrickson’s film is watchable if a tad overlong.  Sadly it’s not terribly memorable either except for Bana and Munn’s mega NU YARK accents and Jole McHale’s random inclusion.  The best thing about the film is obviously Edgar Ramirez who’s just effortless as the coolest Jesuit priest this side of The Exorcist.  Deliver Us from Evil is the kind of film that show up on cable at some point in the future and you watch portions of it, never actually watching the whole thing in the long run, cinematic purgatory.

C

MOVIE REVIEW: TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION

The Transformers film series continues with this fourth entry from director Michael Bay and executive producer Steven Spielberg. Mark Wahlberg and Jack Reynor star. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

Director: Michael Bay 

Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Nicola Peltz, Stanley Tucci, Ken Watanabe, Peter Cullen

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, language

Release Date: Jun 27, 2014

Run Time. 2 hrs. 37 min

Genres: Action/Adventure 

Review:

Transformers: Age of Extinction is going to have a lot of batred shot it’s way most of well deserved.  It’s an over bloated mess that’s got way too many storylines at play to make any of it cohesive.  Had it stuck with the most interesting angle, secret government agency taking out all Transformers, it probably would have been one Bay’s better films.  As is, it’s a absurdly log slog through action set piece in between bits of story with more story followed by action set pieces and more story etc… So is it even worth your time?  Sort of.  As a superfan of the cartoon, I’ve found plenty to like in the previous efforts even the Revenge of the Fallen.  The frustrating part about Extinction is that it fixes a lot of issues from the previous films.  The human side of the story is actually bearable thanks to the addition of Wahlberg, Tucci and Grammer.  Mark Wahlberg is solid as the lead even if it stretches the imagination that he’s some sort of genius inventor.  Kelsey Grammer is fairly solid as the human villain, he poses a creditable threat throughout.  Stanley Tucci proves why he’s a great actor; taking a silly role and making it work.  Another aspect that’s much improved is that the transformers villain, Lockdown, is actually interesting this go around, something they failed to do over 3 films with Megatron.  Additionally, the Autobots at Prime’s side have some characterization that makes them likable and makes this feel the closest to the animated series and any child of the 80s will get chills when the dinobots makes their appearance.  It’s the Bay oddity that this is probably his best Transformers film even though it’s filled with the worse he has to offer.  Sadly, the animated Transformers The Movie is still the best cinematic entry.

C

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Edge of Tomorrow & Jersey Boys

Dearest Blog, yesterday it was off to the pictures for the strange-bedfellows double bill of Edge of Tomorrow and Jersey Boys.

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers or, you know, if you lived through the 60s.

After weeks of missing out due to my Winter Soldier obsession, yesterday's opener was Edge of Tomorrow.

In the midst of an alien invasion, a US military officer finds himself reliving the same day over and over again. As synopses go, that one's a bit over-simplified, but, dear reader(s) you gotta give me some credit for not saying "Groundhog Day."

Edge of Tomorrow is a clever sci-fi pic that is surprisingly fun. I say "surprisingly" only because I think comparisons to Tom Cruise's last outing, Oblivion, are unavoidable, and though Oblivion was a good movie, it was also pretty joyless. Edge of Tomorrow is anything but.

Cruise is fantastic in the lead, an action hero's action hero who can also be a little bit scared or confused or funny or (*gasp*) not afraid to let a chick to the heavy lifting sometimes. Said "chick" is Emily Blunt, who...um...well, it's fair to say wouldn't have been the first person I'd think of for a role like this, but who does a mighty fine job of it nonetheless. I'm embarrassed to confess I didn't even recognize Jonas Armstrong, despite the fact that I own (and religiously watch) the box set of the BBC's Robin Hood. What's become of me?? Edge of Tomorrow boasts solid effects and scary aliens.

If it bogged down ever-so-slightly a couple times, I can't complain since it clocks in under the two-hour mark...AND they tie it up without getting contrived or being a buzzkill.

Edge of Tomorrow runs 113 minutes and is rated PG13 for "intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, language, and brief suggestive material." It's a smart, fun shoulda-been-a-blockbuster that deserves your attention.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Edge of Tomorrow gets seven and a half.

Next on my agenda was the big-screen rendering of the 2006 Tony Award winner for Best Musical, Jersey Boys.

Four kids from the wrong side of the tracks form a band that goes on to make some of the world's best-loved and most enduring music.

In the interest of full and fair disclosure, I admit this movie ticked all the boxes for me before I ever saw a single second of a single trailer. A movie musical about a group I love, that stars actual stage vets rather than big Hollywood names? Yes, please. Of course, the downside is such high expectations could have led to disappointment, but I'm happy to report that's not even close to the case.

I've been to IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes this morning. I've seen that Jersey Boys is carrying middling ratings and has been trounced at the box office by Think Like a Man 2. (Really?) I am confounded by this state of affairs.

Jersey Boys runs slightly longer than two hours, but it never feels slow or boring. A couple numbers from the stage show were eliminated, and a couple more songs relegated to the background; I certainly wouldn't have cut another thing. Telling the story from several points of view means it never patronizes by painting any one person strictly the bad guy or strictly the good guy. John Lloyd Young, who won a Tony Award as Best Leading Actor in a Musical for originating the role of Frankie Valli on Broadway, embodies his part like few actors ever do. He is mesmerizing. Other than Boardwalk Empire's Vincent Piazza, all members of the band are portrayed by actors who have performed in one or more stage versions of the show. This is a good thing, Hollywood! And the songs...OH! The songs!!

If you weren't a fan of the Four Seasons before seeing the movie, you certainly will be after. At both my screening and the one before it, everyone exiting the theatre was smiling and singing, and the movie earned TWO big rounds of applause at the end of my show. I can't speak for the people who rate movies at IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes (nor for those who saw Think Like a Man 2 instead), but, if I'm making movies, that right there is the reaction I'm going for. If there's one tiny negative, I thought there were an awful lot of f-words for a movie whose median audience member easily qualifies for the AARP discount.

Jersey Boys runs 134 minutes and is rated R for "language throughout."

Jersey Boys is a well written, well acted story that is filled with great, iconic music. For my money, it's easily as good as or even better than the screen version of Chicago that won the 2003 Best Picture Oscar.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, I am pleased to award Jersey Boys 2014's first perfect nine.

Until next time..

Cindy Prascik's Review of How to Train Your Dragon 2

Dearest Blog, yesterday I braved the opening-day kidlet rush to see How to Train Your Dragon 2.

Spoiler level here will be as mild as possible for a movie that spoils its own biggest reveal right in the trailer.

Having shown Berk the error of its ways as per human/dragon relations, a more mature Hiccup faces a new challenge with his trusty dragon Toothless.

Well, dear Blog, in all the history of film, there are four movies that I name my "favorite," since it's impossible for me to choose among them. The original How to Train Your Dragon is one of the four, so I could be excused for being a bit skeptical when people (many not involved with the production) started saying the sequel was even better than the original. For as long as I've known that was going to be my opening to this review, I always hoped the next sentence would involve me admitting the error of my ways, but....oh well, let's just get on with it.

The opening scene of How to Train Your Dragon 2, an overlong sequence of dragon games, is the most annoying thing I've ever seen that didn't involve Adam Sandler. Its primary purpose appears twofold: an immediate showcase for the film's stunning digital technology, and an excuse for each character to call his or her dragon by name, so pointedly that I could only assume we'd really need to know the names later. (That never happened.) The scene goes on forever, and by the end I was ready to stand up, shout, "On Cupid! On Comet! On Donner and Blitzen!" and walk out.

Getting the rest of the bad news out of the way: The new characters left me totally flat, and, my dear Cate Blanchett, where on Earth are you going with that accent?? While the first HTTYD boasted clever humor and a sincere charm, the sequel's laughs are few and far between, the good ones mostly poached from the original. Any charm is buried deep by a busy storyline that never quite finds its way. Even John Powell's score seems blah this time around.

Now, the good news: I was afraid that the kids no longer being kids would make the characters somehow less fun, but the returning Vikings are as lovable as ever, just a little more grown-up looking. The dragons also retain their charm, with even more types this time around, and if you're a pet owner you're sure to see your favorite dog or cat in at least one of them. How to Train Your Dragon 2 is also the most beautiful thing I've ever seen onscreen, hands down.

Even when I was getting a little bit bored or annoyed with whatever it was I was getting a little bit bored or annoyed with at the time, the movie quickly brought me back around to its side just by being so damn gorgeous. (I imagine this is what it must be like when Matt Bomer's being a jerk...if Matt Bomer is ever a jerk, which I highly doubt.) I'm not schooled in the art of making movies, so I have no idea what technology filmmakers used to make HTTYD2 so good looking, but full marks are due the art department, VFX, and animators. And the colors...oh, the colors!! Even Rio--my benchmark for visual excellence--might as well be sepia-toned compared to HTTYD2. Time constraints forced me into a 2D show this time, but you may rest assured, dear readers, I'll be seeing this in 3D as soon as possible!

Normally I go to the cinema on Saturday afternoons, when the most pressing thing on my agenda is where I'm having dinner afterward. I saw HTTYD2 after a miserable day at work, with a couple even-more-miserable weeks looming ahead, so I have to admit that may have left me unable to put the world aside to enjoy it as I should. I make that disclaimer only to clarify: the movie's probably better than I'm ready to give it credit for at this writing. Still, to suggest it's even as good as--let alone better than--the original is absurd.

How to Train Your Dragon 2 clocks in at 102 minutes and is rated PG for "adventure action and some mild rude humor."

How to Train Your Dragon 2 is such a glorious feast for the eyes you'll have no problem forgiving its other shortcomings.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, How to Train Your Dragon 2 gets seven and a half.

Until next time...

 "Hail Hydra."

MOVIE REVIEW: 22 JUMP STREET

After making their way through high school (twice), big changes are in store for officers Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) when they go deep undercover at a local college. But when Jenko meets a kindred spirit on the football team, and Schmidt infiltrates the bohemian art major scene, they begin to question their partnership. Now they don't have to just crack the case - they have to figure out if they can have a mature relationship. If these two overgrown adolescents can grow from freshmen into real men, college might be the best thing that ever happened to them.~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

Director: Christopher Miller, Phil Lord     

Cast: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Peter Stormare, Ice Cube. 

Release Date: Jun 13, 2014

Rated: R for Language Throughout, Drug Material, Brief Nudity, Sexual Content and Some Violence     

Runtime: 1 hr. 49 min.     

Genres: Action/Adventure, Comedy     

Review:

22 Jump Street is pretty much 21 Jump Street with a bigger budget.  Something the movie literally tells you within 10 minutes of watching it.  Its self aware humor peppers the film as it plays up the bromance that’s part of every cop flicks.  All the while it’s skewering bloated sequel while being one at the same time.  That’s not to say it isn’t funny because it is but it could have used a tad bit of trimming.  Thankfully, Hill and Tatum continue their fantastic chemistry from the first, each playing up their parts to perfection.  Christopher Miller and Phil Lord, yes the same guys that made The Lego Movie, keep the action rolling at a steady pace with just a smattering of dead spots.  The third act might feel a tad bit tacked on but as a whole it’s a really fun film.  Be sure to stick around for the credits as they posit what countless sequels would look like, something Ice Cube might know a little something about..

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: EDGE OF TOMORROW

Tom Cruise stars as a soldier who lives out the last day of his life over and over again in this Warner Bros. sci-fi production from driector Doug Liman. Emily Blunt and Bill Paxton co-star, with Dante Harper and Joby Harold providing the script. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

Director: Doug Liman 

Cast: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton, Jonas Armstrong, Kick Gurry.

Release Date: Jun 06, 2014

Rated PG-13 for intense seq. of sci-fi action, brief suggestive material, intense seq. of sci-fi violence and language 

Genres: Action/Adventure 

Review:

Doug Liman’s Edge of Tomorrow maybe the biggest surprise of the summer.  An odd thing to say considering it stars Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt, believably badass throughout, during the middle of blockbuster season.  Cruise’s last sci-fi epic, Oblivion, failed to impress because of how much it borrowed from other sources while never really adding much to the mix.  Edge of Tomorrow also borrows heavily from other sources, think Groundhog Day meets Starship Troopers, but it’s just a film that’s a lot more enjoyable to watch especially the first 2 acts.  Cruise and Blunt are wonderful together with the latter really leaving you with a different impression of her overall.  Cruise isn’t overly serious, having fun with the role that doesn’t place him in the hero role right away, instead making him earn it.  Massive set pieces are revisited various times but some sharp editing keeps it from becoming too tedious.  The last act falters a tad because it falls into some standard sci-fi territory which gives you time to start nitpicking the story’s premise and the endless plot holes at play.  That’s when you kind of wish Liman would have trimmed the film just a tad.   

B+

Cindy Prascik's Review of The Railway Man

 



Dearest Blog, yesterday I took a pass on the weekend's big releases to spend some quality time with Colin Firth and The Railway Man.

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't get from the trailer.

Years after World War II, a tormented former POW comes face to face with one of his captors.

Well, Blog, you know me. I'm a blockbuster kinda gal. I like monsters and superheroes and have, on more than one occasion, called The Expendables "all the movie I'll ever need." (Don't judge!)

Sometimes, though...sometimes there's a different kind of movie that tells a story I want to hear, and tells it in such a way that I'm willing to put off my date with a wicked witch and shoot-em-ups and even Sharlto Copley to see it.

The Railway Man is an extraordinary true story of love and redemption and forgiveness. The horrors of war are depicted in brutal detail, but never gratuitously. The pace is deliberate--this movie is in no hurry to get anywhere--but it never feels like it's dragging. It would be easy to single out the always-remarkable (and, by always, I mean even in St. Trinian's!) Colin Firth as worth mentioning, but the entire cast is so extraordinary that wouldn't be fair. Even Nicole Kidman, a perennial member of my "Most Hated" list, manages to shine. Sadly, the fact that the film's been released in May, when everything about it screams "awards season," tells me Someone Very Important has already deemed it unworthy of next winter's accolades. That's a real shame.

The Railway Man is a wonderful, terrible, beautiful, painful story that's easily the best movie I've seen this year. With a new blockbuster landing every weekend, it won't stick around long, so I enthusiastically encourage you to get out and see it as soon as you can.

The Railway Man runs 116 minutes and is rated R for "disturbing prisoner of war violence." (Is that a thing?)

The trailer for The Railway Man closes with the line, "Sometime the hating has to stop," and the movie is just great enough to inspire viewers to go out and try to make it so.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Railway Man gets eight and a half.

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: A MILLION WAYS TO DIE IN THE WEST

Mild-mannered sheep farmer Albert Stark (Seth MacFarlane) feels certain that the Western frontier is trying to kill him, then he loses his girlfriend, Louise (Amanda Seyfried), to the town's most successful businessman. However, a beautiful, pistol-packing woman named Anna (Charlize Theron) rides into town and helps Albert find his inner courage. Then Stark must put his newfound bravery to the test when Anna's outlaw husband arrives with plans to plant him in an unmarked grave.

Director: Seth MacFarlane 

Cast: Seth MacFarlane, Charlize Theron, Amanda Seyfried, Giovanni Ribisi, Liam Neeson

Release Date: May 30, 2014

Genres: Comedy Western, Outlaw (Gunfighter) Film, 

Comedy, Western 

Review:

After the surprising success of Ted, my expectation of Seth MacFarlane next live action film were fairly high.  Sadly, A Million Ways to Die in the West doesn’t live up to expectations.  It plays out like an extended “Road to…” episode of Family Guy with very little in the way of innovation, satire or even laughs.  It will bring a grin to your face from time to time but MacFarlane seems to forget he’s making a comedy and seems more interested in making a clichéd western.  Outside of the occasional MacFarlane riffs on how horrible the old west was, there isn’t a ton to the plot.  As a result the story as a whole lacks forward momentum with noticeable dead spots spread across the bloated run time, most obvious during the climax of the forced storyline with MacFarlane and Theron.  A Million Ways to Die in the West is one of those films that has a few false endings and then it drags on for another 20 minutes longer than it should, essentially wasting  Liam Neeson’s screen time.  A few laughs here and there will never replace Blazing Saddles.

C-