TV SHOW REVIEW: UNITED STATES OF TARA THE COMPLETE SERIES

TV SHOW REVIEW: UNITED STATES OF TARA THE COMPLETE SERIES

ON DVD / STREAMING VIA NETFLIX



A woman struggles to find a balance between her dissociative identity disorder and raising a dysfunctional family.

Created by Diablo Cody

Starring Toni Collette, John Corbett, Rosemarie DeWitt, Patton Oswalt, Keir Gilchrist, Brie Larson

United States of Tara is the type of show that’s easy to dismiss for plenty of people. Once some people see Diablo Cody’s name listed as the creator and writer of the show, I assume some people will just move one. Personally, I’ve been a fan of Cody since Juno and never went through the backlash about her writing style after that film came to prominence. I’ve enjoyed all the films she’s written, even liked Jennifer’s Body. I also have to admit I’ve been a big fan of Toni Collette since Muriel’s Wedding, so maybe I’m just a perfect mark for this show but none the less I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the 3 seasons of it. The writing and direction is excellent throughout, very few episodes ever fill like filler and deftly avoids falling into a repetitive pattern of plots. The cast of characters are all wonderfully written and well rounded over the life of the series. The cast is filled with wonderful actors whom I’d already been a fan of (Toni Collette and Patton Oswalt) and gave me new found respect for some I’d never given more than second thought (John Corbett & Rosemarie DeWitt). Toni Collette is front and center of course and her talents truly deliver throughout as she creates clearly defined personalities that go beyond wardrobe changes. Keir Gilchrist and Brie Larson deserve special attention because they really deliver even though their characters are written in the most “Codified” style. The cast as a whole gives the writing real heart and soul. The series, sadly, never had a proper finale and season 3 really heads down some interesting and dark roads. A shame but it doesn’t detract from an excellent run.

A

[Trailer] Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

Since the film adaptation of Pride, Prejudice and Zombies died on the vine I took some small solace in knowing the Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter was still a go.

A few hiccups along the way we finally have a trailer for it and it looks like all kinds of delicious genre fun I’d hope it’d be, a tad too much slow mo for my taste but that’s to be expected with Bekmambetov at the helm…..

MOVIE REVIEW: SAFE HOUSE

IN THEATERS

SAFE HOUSE



A rookie CIA operative goes on the run with a rogue former intelligence officer after a South African safe house comes under attack by heavily armed mercenaries. Matt Weston (Ryan Reynolds) is a CIA agent just waiting for the perfect opportunity to prove himself. But that's no easy task when you've been cooped up in an empty Cape Town safe house for a whole year. Weston realizes that a prime opportunity is headed his way, however, when he learns that former agent Tobin Frost (Denzel Washington) has been captured after nearly a decade on the run. Frost is about to become Weston's one and only guest at the safe house, and the fledgling agent is determined to handle the situation like a true professional. But by selling U.S. secrets to countries like North Korea, Frost has made more than his fair share of enemies in high places, and shortly after he arrives at the safe house, all hell breaks loose. A small army of gunmen are determined to see Frost dead. Meanwhile, Weston will do everything in his power to protect Frost, regardless of his crimes. Now Weston's only hope for getting out of this alive is to find out who's gunning for them, and seek out someone he can trust before it's too late. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Daniel Espinosa

Cast: Denzel Washington, Ryan Reynolds, Vera Farmiga, Brendan Gleeson, Sam Shepard

Release Date: Feb 10, 2012

Rated R for violence and some language

Genres: Action/Adventure, Suspense/Thriller

Review:

Safe House is the type of film you keep expecting to surprise or excite you but it never really can. Incredibly generic and predictable it never rises above better films of its ilk. Daniel Espinosa directs his film like a muted Tony Scott, the action is chaotic and loud but nothing seems to illicit the response intended. To his credit, Espinosa does pace his film steadily and never lets it lag too much, as a result this 2 hour film doesn’t feel any longer than it should. Denzel Washington is clearly having a good time; he’s always the most interesting person on screen both as an actor and character. Sadly the character is underwritten and you can’t help feeling like you’ve just scratched the surface. Ryan Reynolds should make for a perfect action star but he just never believable especially when delivering a punch. It doesn’t help that his character is a moron who makes the absolute worst decisions in every situation. The supporting cast is made up of top tier actors and strong character actors which could enhance the overall experience but they are all terribly underused and underwritten. The plot itself is straightforward and generic, nothing really surprises you and any of the turns or surprises are telegraphed in such an obvious manner that they might as well have street signs announcing them. Still, it’s all easily digestible with its Bourne style action even if it’s instantly forgettable.

C

[Teaser Trailer] The Bourne Legacy

To say this film is a risk would be an understatement. Some franchises are associated with certain actors and once Matt Damon decided to skip the next entry due to behind the scenes issues most assumed the Bourne series would be dead in the water expect the studio of course.

Deciding to create a new story line, with Jeremy Renner in the lead as a different character, within the same world is an interesting approach. It’s intriguing enough for me to be interested and this teaser, along with the amount of talent assembled along with some returning stars, make this teaser all the more intriguing…..

MOVIE REVIEW: CHRONICLE

IN THEATERS

CHRONICLE




Andrew (Dane DeHaan) is a socially awkward, introverted teen whose main form of escape and expression is a video camera. But things begin to change when Andrew, his cousin Matt (Alex Russell) and popular classmate Steve (Michael B. Jordan) discover a mysterious substance that leaves them with incredible powers. As their abilities become more powerful, the teens' lives spin out of control when their darker sides begin to emerge. Andrew's camera captures the unfolding events.

Director: Josh Trank

Cast: Dane DeHann, Michael B. Jordan, Alex Russell

Release Date: Feb 03, 2012

Rated PG-13 for some Language, Sexual Content, Intense Action and Violence, Teen
Drinking and Thematic Material

Genres: Action/Adventure, Suspense/Thriller

Review:

Sometimes what sounds like a bad idea on paper can turn into something terribly impressive. The “found footage” over exposure is only exceeded by the super hero fatigue the majority of the movie going public has felt for the better part of the last few years. Combining the two should be a recipe for disaster but Chronicle exceeds expectation and delivers an experience far better than anybody could have expected. The story hits plenty of the usual hallmarks of the super hero origin story but it keeps the film grounded throughout, a result of the handheld footage, allowing the dramatic slope to work as well as it does. Dane DeHann offers up a believable performance as the tragic protagonist of the piece. DeHann’s expresses his character’s pain and suffering throughout with impressive ease. Michael B. Jordan and Alex Russell fare well in the supporting roles even if they more muted. The finale feels like something ripped out of Japanese Anime Akira. As a whole, the film is an impressive feat from start to finish with a level of complexity to its storytelling that enhances the overall experience.

A

MOVIE REVIEW: GRAVE ENCOUNTERS

ON DVD / STREAMING ON NETFLIX

GRAVE ENCOUNTERS



A team of phony paranormal investigators has their skepticism put to the test in this mockumentary-style horror opus. Collingwood is a mental institution in Maryland that has been closed for more than half a century. Local legend had it that the hospital is haunted, and the former caretaker (Bob Rathie) and a number of folks who live nearby claim that they've seen and heard signs of paranormal disturbances in the night. Jerry Hartfeld (Ben Wilkinson) is a television producer specializing in reality shows who arranges for a team of basic cable ghost hunters, led by host Lance Preston (Sean Rogerson), to shoot an episode of their show Grave Encounters at Collingwood. It doesn't take long for Preston and his crew to tip their hands as fakes who are happy to stage phony interviews and set up special effects "disturbances" for the cameras. But they discover Collingwood really is home to forces beyond their understanding, and they're in very real danger as the night wears on. The first feature film from the writing and directing team of Colin Minihan and Stuart Ortiz (aka The Vicious Brothers), Grave Encounters was an official selection at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Director: Colin Minihan and Stuart Ortiz aka The Vicious Brothers

Cast: Sean Rogerson, Juan Riedinger, Mackenzie Gray, Arthur Corber, Luis Javier

Release Date: Sep 09, 2011

Rated: Not Rated

Runtime: 1 hr. 32 min.

Genres: Horror, Suspense/Thriller

Review:

Grave Encounters is one of those low rent horror films that “borrows” from tons of sources even lifting some inspiration from a certain Travel Channel ghost hunting show. It’s a hodgepodge of assorted ideas think Blair Witch, Paranormal Activity, [REC] and Sci-Fi cult film Cube thrown into a blender. It starts off almost as a satire on the whole ghost hunting as a show idea with characters that generally unlikable. There is a certain level of enjoyment and good laughs to be had watching these guys get beat around by the ghostly apparitions. In fact, for a certain amount of time it’s kind of a fun ride before it redirects in an odd but interesting tangent. The center portion of the film throws out some fun idea which it never full explores or explains as it degrades into a series of funhouse style antics which become more outlandish and ridiculous. By the film’s final act, any fun has been sapped by the director’s turning actors who were originally annoying into something more grating. The film beats the same drum so many times that it makes it feels incredibly longer that it is and has you hoping they’d just kill off the remaining cast as quickly as possible as it stumbles towards an increasingly nonsensical finale.

D+