Sports fans know how this plays out but the performances might be worth the price of admission.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
[Trailer] Moneyball
From this new trailer Moneyball looks like an interesting film that might draw in some sports fans like myself especially with Pitt all in as Billy Beane and Jonah Hill giving a more serious role a shot.
Sports fans know how this plays out but the performances might be worth the price of admission.
Sports fans know how this plays out but the performances might be worth the price of admission.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
MOVIE REVIEW: SUPER 8
IN THEATERS
SUPER 8
Writer/director J.J. Abrams teams with producer Steven Spielberg for this period sci-fi thriller set in the late '70s, and centering on a mysterious train crash in a small Ohio town. Summer, 1979: a group of young friends are filming a Super-8 movie when a pickup truck derails a speeding train. When the locals start to disappear and even the inquisitive deputy can't come up with answers, suspicions emerge that the incident was anything but an accident. As the truth finally begins emerge, no one is prepared to learn what now stalks the unsuspecting citizens of this once quiet community. Kyle Chandler and Elle Fanning star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: J.J. Abrams
Cast: Kyle Chandler, Elle Fanning, Noah Emmerich, Ron Eldard, Katie Lowes
Release Date: Jun 10, 2011
Rated PG-13 Intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, language and some nudity
Runtime: 1 hr. 52 min.
Genres: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Review:
Super 8 is an ambitious homage that tries incredibly hard to pay respects to Steven Spielberg’s 80’s films like ET and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. J.J. Abrams never reaches those levels, instead delivering a hodgepodge of clichés that lacks any real thrills. Abrams borrows from a variety of sources with ET and The Goonies being the most obvious. Thematically he set his film up nicely and the child actors used are all impressive with Elle Fanning delivering an impressive performance. The main issue that permeates this film is a sense of pandering to the children of the 80’s. Yes the nostalgia is nice but if you are going to try and emulate the films from that era at least give the audience something new and fresh. Abrams, along with his trademark lens flare, directs the film with impressive gusto and keeps a steady pace throughout. Once the trip down memory lane ends, Abrams takes up down another familiar road with a Cloverfield, which Abrams produced, type second half which is watchable but lacks the thrills you’d expect. The creature itself, which is hidden for the better part of the film, even looks like the Cloverfield monster to a certain extent. Like the first part of the film, that latter is all very familiar territory stacked with macguffins that even the casual movie goers will recognize. Super 8 isn’t a bad film it’s just not a very original film, that being said the children in the cast are all very impressive and be sure to stick around during the credits to see the kid’s finished film.
C-
SUPER 8
Writer/director J.J. Abrams teams with producer Steven Spielberg for this period sci-fi thriller set in the late '70s, and centering on a mysterious train crash in a small Ohio town. Summer, 1979: a group of young friends are filming a Super-8 movie when a pickup truck derails a speeding train. When the locals start to disappear and even the inquisitive deputy can't come up with answers, suspicions emerge that the incident was anything but an accident. As the truth finally begins emerge, no one is prepared to learn what now stalks the unsuspecting citizens of this once quiet community. Kyle Chandler and Elle Fanning star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: J.J. Abrams
Cast: Kyle Chandler, Elle Fanning, Noah Emmerich, Ron Eldard, Katie Lowes
Release Date: Jun 10, 2011
Rated PG-13 Intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, language and some nudity
Runtime: 1 hr. 52 min.
Genres: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Review:
Super 8 is an ambitious homage that tries incredibly hard to pay respects to Steven Spielberg’s 80’s films like ET and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. J.J. Abrams never reaches those levels, instead delivering a hodgepodge of clichés that lacks any real thrills. Abrams borrows from a variety of sources with ET and The Goonies being the most obvious. Thematically he set his film up nicely and the child actors used are all impressive with Elle Fanning delivering an impressive performance. The main issue that permeates this film is a sense of pandering to the children of the 80’s. Yes the nostalgia is nice but if you are going to try and emulate the films from that era at least give the audience something new and fresh. Abrams, along with his trademark lens flare, directs the film with impressive gusto and keeps a steady pace throughout. Once the trip down memory lane ends, Abrams takes up down another familiar road with a Cloverfield, which Abrams produced, type second half which is watchable but lacks the thrills you’d expect. The creature itself, which is hidden for the better part of the film, even looks like the Cloverfield monster to a certain extent. Like the first part of the film, that latter is all very familiar territory stacked with macguffins that even the casual movie goers will recognize. Super 8 isn’t a bad film it’s just not a very original film, that being said the children in the cast are all very impressive and be sure to stick around during the credits to see the kid’s finished film.
C-
Sunday, June 5, 2011
MOVIE REVIEW: X-MEN FIRST CLASS
IN THEATERS
X-MEN FIRST CLASS
Set in the era before Professor Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr became mortal enemies as Professor X and Magneto, respectively, director Matthew Vaughn's X-Men: First Class follows the two former allies as they lead a powerful team of mutants on a mission to save the planet from nuclear annihilation. Charles (James McAvoy) and Erik (Michael Fassbender) were just young men when it began to appear as if the world was careening toward destruction. And as the Doomsday Clock ticks faster toward midnight, the time comes to take action. In the process of saving humanity, however, Charles and Erik clash. In the years that followed, Professor X would lead the X-Men in the fight for good, as Magneto and the Brotherhood spread chaos and destruction throughout the land. Kevin Bacon, Caleb Landry Jones, Nicholas Hoult, January Jones, and Lucas Till star in a film directed by Matthew Vaughn and adapted from a story by Bryan Singer. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Cast: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Kevin Bacon, Rose Byrne, Jennifer Lawrence
Release Date: Jun 03, 2011
Rated PG-13 for Intense sequences of action and violence, some sexual content including brief partial nudity and language
Runtime: 2 hr. 20 min.
Genres: Action/Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Review:
X-Men First Class is a movie that I had serious skepticism about from inception. Matthew Vaughn being given the directing reigns quelled some of those fears but not all. Any fan of the franchise would be hard pressed to have any sort of hope after X-Men The Last Stand and the criminally atrocious Wolverine X-men Origins film. This prequel faced plenty of challenges and somehow someway it overcame them all. Vaughn delivered one of the best superhero movies ever, just shy of The Dark Knight. A stellar cast working from a strong script brings a thoroughly engaging experience that rarely drags. Michael Fassbender leads the cast with a performance that brings all the rare and pain that his character suffers. Fassbender’s matched by a spot of James McAvoy who’s performance as Charles Xavier is respectful of Patrick Stewart’s original run yet singular in of itself. Jennifer Lawrence taking up the reigns as Mystique is a more than capable and its always good to see certain characters get fleshed out a bit more, ditto for Beast. Kevin Bacon is appropriately sinister and nefarious as the villain. January Jones, who can’t seem to stretch beyond the stepford wife persona, has perfected the art of acting via blinking and cleavage. Vaughn stages the action in epic fashion and even with a few questionable musical choices they never cease to impress. The scale and scope of the story are huge and impressive, A perfect way to restart the series.
A
PostScript
How I paid 90 dollars to see X-men First Class
In case if wasn’t terribly obvious I’m a bit of a nerd. So in perfect nerdish fashion I looked for the first showing of First Class in Las Vegas where I’d be for the week. Nothing says Vegas more than checking out the latest superhero movie afterall. Through a series of missteps and google confusion thing became terribly confused and expensive. I boarded a taxi and handed the cabby the directions. I should have been worried that he wasn’t familiar with the address but not enough to do anything about it. The cabby punched the address into his phone and headed off, still unsure of where he was taking me. Down the strip and on to the freeway, he rushed to try and make my 10am deadline. The more he drove the more I became worried there might have been a slight mistake. 20 minutes later and 40 bucks later he dropped me off at the theater quite literally in the middle of nowhere, later in the weekend I would walk by about 4 theaters that were pretty close to Caesars which we were staying at. Watched the movie which was a first showing so that saved a little cash because I like being thrifty when possible. Once the film ended, I had to ask the manager for a taxi cab number which he happily gave and waited a good 20 minutes for and then paid another 40 dollars to get back to The Strip. One the bright side I did get to see a lot of the Rocky Mountains in my extended trip around the outer reaches of Vegas…..
X-MEN FIRST CLASS
Set in the era before Professor Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr became mortal enemies as Professor X and Magneto, respectively, director Matthew Vaughn's X-Men: First Class follows the two former allies as they lead a powerful team of mutants on a mission to save the planet from nuclear annihilation. Charles (James McAvoy) and Erik (Michael Fassbender) were just young men when it began to appear as if the world was careening toward destruction. And as the Doomsday Clock ticks faster toward midnight, the time comes to take action. In the process of saving humanity, however, Charles and Erik clash. In the years that followed, Professor X would lead the X-Men in the fight for good, as Magneto and the Brotherhood spread chaos and destruction throughout the land. Kevin Bacon, Caleb Landry Jones, Nicholas Hoult, January Jones, and Lucas Till star in a film directed by Matthew Vaughn and adapted from a story by Bryan Singer. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Cast: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Kevin Bacon, Rose Byrne, Jennifer Lawrence
Release Date: Jun 03, 2011
Rated PG-13 for Intense sequences of action and violence, some sexual content including brief partial nudity and language
Runtime: 2 hr. 20 min.
Genres: Action/Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Review:
X-Men First Class is a movie that I had serious skepticism about from inception. Matthew Vaughn being given the directing reigns quelled some of those fears but not all. Any fan of the franchise would be hard pressed to have any sort of hope after X-Men The Last Stand and the criminally atrocious Wolverine X-men Origins film. This prequel faced plenty of challenges and somehow someway it overcame them all. Vaughn delivered one of the best superhero movies ever, just shy of The Dark Knight. A stellar cast working from a strong script brings a thoroughly engaging experience that rarely drags. Michael Fassbender leads the cast with a performance that brings all the rare and pain that his character suffers. Fassbender’s matched by a spot of James McAvoy who’s performance as Charles Xavier is respectful of Patrick Stewart’s original run yet singular in of itself. Jennifer Lawrence taking up the reigns as Mystique is a more than capable and its always good to see certain characters get fleshed out a bit more, ditto for Beast. Kevin Bacon is appropriately sinister and nefarious as the villain. January Jones, who can’t seem to stretch beyond the stepford wife persona, has perfected the art of acting via blinking and cleavage. Vaughn stages the action in epic fashion and even with a few questionable musical choices they never cease to impress. The scale and scope of the story are huge and impressive, A perfect way to restart the series.
A
PostScript
How I paid 90 dollars to see X-men First Class
In case if wasn’t terribly obvious I’m a bit of a nerd. So in perfect nerdish fashion I looked for the first showing of First Class in Las Vegas where I’d be for the week. Nothing says Vegas more than checking out the latest superhero movie afterall. Through a series of missteps and google confusion thing became terribly confused and expensive. I boarded a taxi and handed the cabby the directions. I should have been worried that he wasn’t familiar with the address but not enough to do anything about it. The cabby punched the address into his phone and headed off, still unsure of where he was taking me. Down the strip and on to the freeway, he rushed to try and make my 10am deadline. The more he drove the more I became worried there might have been a slight mistake. 20 minutes later and 40 bucks later he dropped me off at the theater quite literally in the middle of nowhere, later in the weekend I would walk by about 4 theaters that were pretty close to Caesars which we were staying at. Watched the movie which was a first showing so that saved a little cash because I like being thrifty when possible. Once the film ended, I had to ask the manager for a taxi cab number which he happily gave and waited a good 20 minutes for and then paid another 40 dollars to get back to The Strip. One the bright side I did get to see a lot of the Rocky Mountains in my extended trip around the outer reaches of Vegas…..
Sunday, May 29, 2011
[Trailer] The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Remake
6-1-11
International Poster and Official trailer added as Sony has pulled down there Redband Traier.
MOVIE REVIEW: THE HANGOVER PART 2
IN THEATERS
THE HANGOVER PART 2
A modest bachelor brunch devolves into a wild weekend in Bangkok when the gang travels to Thailand to see Stu get married. Still traumatized by memories of the Las Vegas fiasco, Stu (Ed Helms) vows to keep his pre-wedding partying to the bare minimum. But when Phil (Bradley Cooper), Doug (Justin Bartha), and Alan (Zach Galifianakis) show up, Stu's low-key brunch makes their previous Vegas fiasco look like a family trip to Disneyland. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: Todd Phillips
Cast: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha, Ken Jeong
Release Date: May 26, 2011
Rated R for pervasive language, strong sexual content including graphic nudity, drug use and brief violent images
Genres: Comedy
Review:
“Classic Stu.” That statement should tell you everything you need to know about this sequel. Todd Phillips doesn’t raise his game in this sequel, instead he just changes the background and changes a few things. Déjà vu all over again. I’ll admit I laughed during a parts of films, there are a few high points that reach a manic level but it never sustains it, but my overall enjoyment of the film was hindered by the fact that this is about as lazy a follow up as you can imagine. The writing team seems to have literally taken the original script and just changed names and places. Galifianakis is grating this go around and just feels like he’s trying too hard. Ed Helms is given more to do and his comedic talents are given more room this go around. Bradley Cooper is just as douche baggy as he was the first time and doesn’t do more than he needs too. Ken Jeong is fun but the expanded role makes his one note character more obvious. Cameos and scenes don’t surprise because you are just waiting for them because Phillips telegraphs them to such an extent only a simpleton would be waiting for them. Hangovers suck especially when you recount the same night over and over again.
C-
THE HANGOVER PART 2
A modest bachelor brunch devolves into a wild weekend in Bangkok when the gang travels to Thailand to see Stu get married. Still traumatized by memories of the Las Vegas fiasco, Stu (Ed Helms) vows to keep his pre-wedding partying to the bare minimum. But when Phil (Bradley Cooper), Doug (Justin Bartha), and Alan (Zach Galifianakis) show up, Stu's low-key brunch makes their previous Vegas fiasco look like a family trip to Disneyland. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: Todd Phillips
Cast: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha, Ken Jeong
Release Date: May 26, 2011
Rated R for pervasive language, strong sexual content including graphic nudity, drug use and brief violent images
Genres: Comedy
Review:
“Classic Stu.” That statement should tell you everything you need to know about this sequel. Todd Phillips doesn’t raise his game in this sequel, instead he just changes the background and changes a few things. Déjà vu all over again. I’ll admit I laughed during a parts of films, there are a few high points that reach a manic level but it never sustains it, but my overall enjoyment of the film was hindered by the fact that this is about as lazy a follow up as you can imagine. The writing team seems to have literally taken the original script and just changed names and places. Galifianakis is grating this go around and just feels like he’s trying too hard. Ed Helms is given more to do and his comedic talents are given more room this go around. Bradley Cooper is just as douche baggy as he was the first time and doesn’t do more than he needs too. Ken Jeong is fun but the expanded role makes his one note character more obvious. Cameos and scenes don’t surprise because you are just waiting for them because Phillips telegraphs them to such an extent only a simpleton would be waiting for them. Hangovers suck especially when you recount the same night over and over again.
C-
Sunday, May 22, 2011
MOVIE REVIEW: PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES
IN THEATERS
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES
Flamboyant seafarer Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) lands himself in a bit of a bind after being lured onto Blackbeard's (Ian McShane) ship by enigmatic siren Angelica (Penélope Cruz), and forced to seek out the Fountain of Youth. Trapped on the Queen Anne's Revenge with the most nefarious pirate in history, Captain Jack reflects on his past with the elusive Angelica while embarking on his wildest adventure to date. With shambling zombies on deck and gorgeous mermaids beckoning sailors into the icy waters below, this time Jack Sparrow has his work cut out for him. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: Rob Marshall
Cast: Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz, Geoffrey Rush, Ian McShane, Stephen Graham
Release Date: May 20, 2011
Rated PG-13 for Intense sequences of action/adventure violence, some frightening images, sensuality and innuendo
Genres: Action/Adventure, Comedy
Review:
I remember watching the first Pirates of The Caribbean, enjoying it mostly, but wondering why it was so bloody long. The sequels all followed suit but they were fun, convoluted for sure, and propped up with strong performances from all involved with Geoffrey Rush and Johnny Deep being my personal favorites. A trilogy is typically a good stopping point, by the third turn it’s usually a fair bet the characters and story have been expend and there’s very little left to show the audience. In lieu of a massive reinvention there’s really no point for another entry. On Stranger Tides should have been called the Quest for Treasure, yours. This entry is lifeless boring and overlong. A massive list of characters and storylines over powers the film while adding very little to the actual story. The story itself is straightforward but terribly convoluted at the same time. It’s a jumble of mythos, mermaids and zombies. None of which add any semblance of meat to the film. Instead we are given action set piece 1, 2, 3, interlude, 4, 5….rinse and repeat. Director Rob Marshall does his best but he’s entirely out of his element and it shows. To his credit most of the action sequences are impressively staged and occasionally epic but shocking lacking in any actual fun. I can say I chuckled once or twice throughout the entire film. The cast seems equally disinterested in the film and their roles, aside from the usual stalwarts. Johnny Depp is front and center, he does an admirable job but there are occasions were you can tell he’s just phoning it end. Geoffrey Rush is always fun in this role and he chews every scene with great vigor. Ian McShane turns in a decent performance which isn’t a surprise since the role is just an extension his Deadwood character on a boat. A terribly pregnant Penélope Cruz stays out of the way for the most part since she saddled with on of the many pointless subplots. The main crux of this film is finding the Fountain of Youth something which I doubt this franchise as a whole can ever find.
D
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES
Flamboyant seafarer Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) lands himself in a bit of a bind after being lured onto Blackbeard's (Ian McShane) ship by enigmatic siren Angelica (Penélope Cruz), and forced to seek out the Fountain of Youth. Trapped on the Queen Anne's Revenge with the most nefarious pirate in history, Captain Jack reflects on his past with the elusive Angelica while embarking on his wildest adventure to date. With shambling zombies on deck and gorgeous mermaids beckoning sailors into the icy waters below, this time Jack Sparrow has his work cut out for him. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: Rob Marshall
Cast: Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz, Geoffrey Rush, Ian McShane, Stephen Graham
Release Date: May 20, 2011
Rated PG-13 for Intense sequences of action/adventure violence, some frightening images, sensuality and innuendo
Genres: Action/Adventure, Comedy
Review:
I remember watching the first Pirates of The Caribbean, enjoying it mostly, but wondering why it was so bloody long. The sequels all followed suit but they were fun, convoluted for sure, and propped up with strong performances from all involved with Geoffrey Rush and Johnny Deep being my personal favorites. A trilogy is typically a good stopping point, by the third turn it’s usually a fair bet the characters and story have been expend and there’s very little left to show the audience. In lieu of a massive reinvention there’s really no point for another entry. On Stranger Tides should have been called the Quest for Treasure, yours. This entry is lifeless boring and overlong. A massive list of characters and storylines over powers the film while adding very little to the actual story. The story itself is straightforward but terribly convoluted at the same time. It’s a jumble of mythos, mermaids and zombies. None of which add any semblance of meat to the film. Instead we are given action set piece 1, 2, 3, interlude, 4, 5….rinse and repeat. Director Rob Marshall does his best but he’s entirely out of his element and it shows. To his credit most of the action sequences are impressively staged and occasionally epic but shocking lacking in any actual fun. I can say I chuckled once or twice throughout the entire film. The cast seems equally disinterested in the film and their roles, aside from the usual stalwarts. Johnny Depp is front and center, he does an admirable job but there are occasions were you can tell he’s just phoning it end. Geoffrey Rush is always fun in this role and he chews every scene with great vigor. Ian McShane turns in a decent performance which isn’t a surprise since the role is just an extension his Deadwood character on a boat. A terribly pregnant Penélope Cruz stays out of the way for the most part since she saddled with on of the many pointless subplots. The main crux of this film is finding the Fountain of Youth something which I doubt this franchise as a whole can ever find.
D
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