MOVIE REVIEW: OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL 3D

A mischievous magician gains the wisdom to become a powerful ruler after being swept away to a land of magic and mystery as director Sam Raimi and screenwriters Mitchell Kapner and David Lindsay-Abaire (Rabbit Hole) explore the genesis of author L. Frank Baum's enduring tales of Oz. Shady illusionist Oscar Diggs (James Franco) enchants curious audiences at a Kansas circus. When he is inexplicably transported to the wondrous world of Oz, he encounters three witches named Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz), and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who pose him an awesome challenge: root out a ruinous force of evil that threatens to destroy the entire kingdom, and become the great leader that the population has been waiting for. Should Oscar succeed in summoning the necessary sorcery and creativity to deliver the land from darkness, he will forever be known as the Wizard of Oz. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Sam Raimi

Cast: James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams, Zach Braff, Joey King

Release Date: Mar 08, 2013

Rated PG for sequences of action and scary images, and brief mild language

Runtime: 2 hr. 10 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Review:

Let me start of by saying I’ve never been a Wizard of Oz fan. I’ve watched the film various times and it just never connected with me. I got it but the connection just never occurred. I went into this prequel expecting something akin to Tim Burton’s mess of an Alice in Wonderland prequel from a few years back. Strangely Raimi’s prequel worked so much better for me. It’s got some obvious issues but for a film that’s 2 hours long, I found myself entertained for the better part of it. Raimi’s general template is borrowed from the original film with plenty of callback to the classic film. Enough to keep any diehard fan happy. Raimi delivers a candy colored assault on the senses, especially if viewed in 3D, from the moment we enter Oz. It’s a rather rousing experience especially as the film’s quasi-fantasy epic story begins to unfold. James Franco at the lead left me feeling fairly conflicted. At times during the film I thought he was terribly miscast and at others I thought he was perfectly suited. In the end, I really couldn’t decide so it’s a mix bag at best. Mila Kunis and Rachel Weisz do good work in limited and underdeveloped roles. Kunis is solid but tends to oversell her performance especially later in the film where it feels increasingly off. Weisz on the other hand is having a ball in her role, chewing up scenery with a wicked sort of determination appropriate for the character. Michelle Williams as Glinda is an angelic sight to behold; she fits the character very well. Zach Braff and Joey King voice a pair of CGI creations with impressive ease. The CGI on both of them, especially China Girl, are really impressive creations. The visual effects as a whole are wonderfully done, occasionally recreating the look from original film in some of the backgrounds. As mentioned this isn’t a perfect film. Its evil characters are underdeveloped and the crux of a certain important conflict seemed half baked at best. While I did enjoy the experience I can’t say there are plenty of spots, especially before the final act, that could have been trimmed a tad. Honesty, there no reason for this film to be over 2 hours long; still I found it thoroughly enjoyable warts and all.

B-

[Trailer] Iron Man 3

The newest trailer for Iron Man 3 is out and it looks pretty impressive. The Avengers kind of made you forget about the overstuffed 2nd film.

This new trailer looks like it really ups the ante and gives us hope we’ll have a better entry this go around. Lots of wonderful tidbits offered throughout, check out the trailer and enjoy.

MOVIE REVIEW: THE LAST EXORCISM PART 2

Tormented Nell Sweetzer (Ashley Bell) discovers her infernal nightmare is far from over while waging a desperate struggle against the forces of darkness. Shortly after the events of the first film, Nell is discovered deeply traumatized in rural Louisiana. Her recent past is a blur, but the one thing Nell knows is that her entire family has perished. Later, just as Nell tries to start a new life in New Orleans, the evil force that laid claim to her body returns with a hellish vengeance, and a diabolical agenda. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Ed Gass-Donnelly

Cast: Ashley Bell, Spencer Treat Clark, Louis Herthum, Dave Jensen, Tarra Riggs, Muse Watson

Release Date: Mar 01, 2013

Rated R for horror violence, terror and brief language

Runtime: 1 hr. 29 min.

Genres: Horror, Suspense/Thriller

Review:

The Last Exorcism part 2 is a pretty terrible title for a movie especially an unneeded and mostly unwanted sequel. It’s not a terrible film by any stretch but at the same time it’s a very good one either. It’s in between living in the wasteland of mediocrity. Horror movie clichés abound throughout the majority of the runtime. Director Ed Gass-Donnelly, who’s wholly outside of his wheelhouse, relies on all these clichés and just runs with it. He does a decent job of taking advantage of the setting which gives the film the slightest spark but it’s mostly uninspired. Ashley Bell, who left a strong impression in the first film, returns in the lead with mixed results. Bell isn’t nearly strong enough on her own to carry the film. She has a tendency to oversell her character’s naivety had she played it more subtle it might have worked better. As a film it’s a forgettable if watch able experience.

C-

MOVIE REVIEW: ARGO

When militants seize control of the U.S. embassy in Tehran during the height of the Iranian Revolution, CIA agent Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) creates a fake Hollywood film production in order to rescue a group of American diplomats who have sought refuge at the home of the Canadian ambassador. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Ben Affleck

Cast: Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, John Goodman, Taylor Schilling.

Release Date: Oct 12, 2012

Rated R for language and some violent images

Runtime: 2 hr. 0 min.

Genres: Drama, Suspense/Thriller

Review:

Argo is a wonderfully crafted film. The fact that Ben Affleck did not get an Oscar nomination for work behind the camera is nearly criminal. His skill is readily on display throughout culminating with a tension filled 30 minute climax. The film itself is easily accessible and immediately engaging, an impressive feat considering the subject matter. Affleck onscreen delivers an understated and subtle performance as Mendez. He gets plenty of help from some excellent supporting players. Alan Arkin chews up the scenery with gleeful delight. He and John Goodman make for an impressive team leaving you wishing there was more of them in the film. It’s always good to see Bryan Cranston get good film roles and here he’s given a nice part that lets him flex his acting chops. Argo is one of those films you know the ending to already but it doesn’t detract from the experience in the slightest.

A

MOVIE REVIEW: SINISTER

A struggling true-crime novelist stumbles into a grim supernatural mystery that threatens the lives of his entire family in this nightmarish horror yarn from director Scott Derrickson (The Exorcism of Emily Rose, The Day the Earth Stood Still). Ellison (Ethan Hawke) is seeking inspiration for his latest book when he moves his wife and children into a home where an entire family perished under gruesome circumstances. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Scott Derrickson

Cast: Ethan Hawke, Fred Dalton Thompson, James Ransone, Michael Hall D'Addario, Rob Riley

Release Date: Oct 12, 2012

Rated R For some Terror and Disturbing Violent Images

Runtime: 1 hr. 49 min.

Genres: Horror, Suspense/Thriller

Review:

Sinister is the type of horror movie that’s heavy on atmosphere and tension with a sporadic sprinkling of gore and violence. Scott Derrickson returns the horror genre after his failed attempt at remaking a sci-fi classic. Derrickson understands mood and how to shoot a film in order to give it an overreacting sense of dread. It’s visually dark but beautiful as well capturing something a lot of horror films miss. Ethan Hawke is solid in the lead even if sweater loving character is written as an outright jerk. The script limits our empathy for him since he seems to have very little regard for his family and their wellbeing. The aforementioned family is terribly under developed which is a shame since it would have made the film stronger overall. Strangely, a police officer is given more meat than the writers wife. James Ransone plays the character about as hockey as possible killing the mood anytime he shows up on screen. The payoff is solid if a tab bit obvious due to the overuse of certain ghosts.

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: SNITCH

In the fast-paced action thriller SNITCH, Dwayne Johnson stars as a father whose teenage son is wrongly accused of a drug distribution crime and is looking at a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 10 years. Desperate and determined to rescue his son at all costs, he makes a deal with the U.S. attorney to work as an undercover informant and infiltrate a drug cartel on a dangerous mission -- risking everything, including his family and his own life.

Director: Ric Roman Waugh

Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Susan Sarandon, Jon Bernthal

Release Date: Feb 22, 2013

Rated PG-13 for Sequences of Violence and Drug Content

Runtime: 1 hr. 35 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Suspense/Thriller

REVIEW:

by Cindy Prascik

Dearest Blog, yesterday I headed up to the cinemas to check out Dwayne Johnson's new film Snitch.
Spoiler level here will be mild, limited to tidbits you'd get from the trailers.
When his son faces a minimum of ten years in prison for a minor drug infraction, a father (Dwayne Johnson) goes undercover with local drug dealers and a major cartel to get the sentence reduced.

If you're a fan who sees Dwayne Johnson movies looking only for two hours of him kicking the ever-lovin' crap out of people, I'm sorry to say you'll be disappointed in Snitch. The good news is, that'd be about the only reason you'd have to be disappointed.
Snitch is a solid drama/thriller that had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. However accurately it does or does not depict the actual events on which it's based, as a movie it gets it right. The story is strong, if a little implausible in spots, and I chewed my nails to bits worrying about the outcome!

Dwayne Johnson is good in the lead and gets to show off a bit of extra depth with that natural charisma that's gotten him where he is. The supporting cast is fleshed out by notable names and faces such as Susan Sarandon, The Walking Dead's Jon Bernthal, Boardwalk Empire's Michael Kenneth Williams, Barry Pepper, Benjamin Bratt, Harold Perrineau, and Melina Kanakaredes. Rafi Gavron is especially good as the terrified boy facing a stiff jail term for a stupid mistake.
Snitch clocks in at a tense 112 minutes and builds to an ending that's satisfying without feeling forced or hokey, definitely worthy of your movie-going dollars.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Snitch gets seven.
And nearly three decades removed from my days as a high-school Spanish honor student, apparently all that's left is that I speak "drug dealer."

Until next time...




I don't really need a reason to post this, do I?