MOVIE REVIEW: ROOM 237

Filmmaker Rodney Ascher examines the many conspiracy theories surrounding Stanley Kubrick's controversial 1980 horror classic The Shining by speaking with fans of the film, and scholars who claim the director had a hidden agenda in adapting Stephen King's bestselling novel to the big screen. In-depth conversations with Bill Blakemore, Geoffrey Cocks, Juli Kearns, John Fell Ryan, and Jay Weidner (Kubrick's Odyssey) reveal a wide spectrum of theories pertaining to Kubrick's film, including speculation that it was a cinematic allegory for the slaughter of Native Americans, the Holocaust, or perhaps a cleverly-constructed confession that he was in fact the filmmaker responsible for faking the 1969 moon landing that placed the U.S. at the cutting-edge of the international space race against the former Soviet Union. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Rodney Ascher

Cast: Bill Blakemore, Geoffrey Cocks, Juli Kearns, John Fell Ryan, and Jay Weidner

Release Date: Mar 29, 2013

Rated: Not Rated

Runtime: 1 hr. 42 min.

Genres: Documentary

Review:

Room 237 is like a speaking tour into a conspiracy theorist slightly insane mind. Connections are made from the slightest misinterpreted detail and extrapolated into infinity. The funny thing is that after a bit of listening to some of these people it starts making sense until reality seeps in. It’s a fascinating adventure into these people’s minds. At its center is Kubrick’s The Shining. I’m personally a massive Kubrick fanboy who just adores everything the man ever did. His style and attention to detail are something that’s always left an impression on me. His films are just masterworks, at least in my humble opinion. That being said The Shining, as a straight up horror movie, really never did anything for me. It never terrified me or sent me home weeping like The Exorcist did. That not to say I didn’t enjoy it, I still do, but it’s a totally different animal than a standard issue horror flick. Listening to the variety of theories set forth on this documentary kind of speaks to that. Having read the King book, I can tell you the movie bears little relation to the book outside of major plot points. Kubrick’s creation was something more of a cipher leaving the door open to all kind of crackpot theories, some slightly more sensible than others. As a film fan and Kubrick diehard I enjoyed listening to even the craziest connections, Moon landing and Minotaur being my favorite. Rodney Ascher stays as neutral as possible with only a few condescending displays thrown in here or there. We never see any of these people, only stock footage or clips from Kubrick’s catalogue repurposed along with a lot of clips from The Shining, sometimes played backward, in super slow mo and well you get the idea. It’s all great fun for movie lovers and when it starts to drag a tad it wraps up and lets you come back to reality.

B+

Cindy Prascik’s reviews of The Host / G.I. Joe: Retaliation

Dearest Blog, on Good Friday I set out for the cinema, hoping religious observances coupled with a warm spring day would give me the place to myself.

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

Since we didn't get The Place Beyond the Pines, my leadoff batter on Friday was The Host.

Alien beings inhabit human bodies and take over the Earth, leaving only small pockets of human resistance.

The Host is a profoundly bad film. It's based on a novel by Stephanie Meyer, of Twilight fame, who writes at about a fifth-grade level. I never assumed this'd land among the alltime greats, but I hoped by this point filmmakers were pumping enough cash into her garbage to make it halfway tolerable. That hope was misplaced.

The premise of The Host is fine, if nothing new, but the execution is awful. The dialogue is painfully awkward, particularly exchanges between the lead girl and the alien that occupies her body. Poor writing doesn't help the young cast shine, but the actors have to shoulder some of the blame for their uninspired performances. Every turn is predictable, and, at a bloated two hours and five minutes, this disaster is easily 125...er...30 minutes longer than it should have been.

The Host runs 125 minutes and is rated PG13 for "some sensuality and violence." The whole thing plays like a bad (but overfunded!) film school project, and if I hated it less than Twilight, that's only because I don't love aliens like I love vampires. Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Host gets two.

Next on my agenda was G.I. Joe: Retaliation, admittedly one of my most-anticipated movies of the year. Go ahead, laugh!
Framed and branded as traitors, the G.I. Joes must save the world from destruction while restoring their good name.

Dear Blog, let me admit to you that I'm not well-versed in Joe Lore, and I did myself no favors by failing to re-watch the last G.I. Joe film before I saw this one. I spent a lot of time wondering, "Now what's this guy's deal again?" but that didn't dampen my enthusiasm for the movie one teensy bit.

Dwayne Johnson may never win an Academy Award, but he's certainly one of the more engaging leading men making movies today. After a more subtle turn in Snitch, G.I. Joe sees him back in full ass-kicking mode. The enjoyable supporting cast includes Channing Tatum, Jonathan Pryce, Ray Park, Byung-hun Lee, Adrianne Palicki, Joseph Mazello, and two folks who make me giddy whenever they turn up: Ray Stevenson and Walton Goggins. I found them a very likable group, with nice chemistry.

I did not see this in 3D, but I have no doubt the mountain scenes alone would be absolutely worth the upcharge and 3D-glasses headache.

As you'd expect, G.I. Joe: Retaliation is heavy on big action and light on pretty much everything else. It could fairly be compared to last summer's Battleship, but, unfortunately, G.I. Joe lacks that surprise bit of heart and sincerity that made Battleship more than it had to be.

Still, it's good, dumb fun, and no doubt will be counted among the summer's monster hits, even though we've barely made it to spring.

G.I. Joe: Retaliation clocks in at a fast-paced 110 minutes and is rated PG13 for "intense sequences of combat violence and martial arts action throughout, and for brief sensuality and language." I loved it every bit as much as I expected to. Of a possible nine Weasleys, G.I. Joe: Retaliation earns seven.

So, dearest Blog, that's about all the news that's fit to print for this lazy Sunday. Since I had my cinema fun on Friday, I guess that makes tomorrow closet-cleaning day. Ugh.

Until next time.......




*shameless fangirling*

MOVIE REVIEW: G.I. JOE: RETALIATION 3D

Veteran dance-film director Jon Chu takes a crack at G.I. Joe in this sequel to Stephen Sommers' blockbuster 2009 film. Dwayne Johnson stars as Roadblock in the sequel, with Channing Tatum returning as Duke, the leader of the Joes, and Ray Park joining them as mute ninja Snake Eyes. Bruce Willis, Ray Stevenson, Adrianne Palicki, Jonathan Pryce, Lee Byung-hun, Elodie Yung, and RZA co-star. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

Director: Jon M. Chu

Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Channing Tatum, D.J. Cotrona, Adrianne Palicki, Jonathan Pryce.

Release Date: Mar 28, 2013

Rated PG-13 for Intense Seq of Combat Violence, Brief Sensuality, Language and Martial Arts Action

Runtime: 1 hr. 39 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure

Review:

I’m still trying to remember when I’ve ever had the desire to watch a sequel to a movie I avoided like the plague. G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra looked like garbage and everything I read after the fact confirmed that fact. Unlike Transformers, whom I loved as a child, G.I. Joe never connected with me as a kid, even if it was pretty much the same cartoon except one starred robots. Regardless, the trailer for this sequel looked like stupid fun and thankfully it’s incredibly stupid but fun in a toy box kind of way. The nonsensical plot is almost besides the point here. This movie is about highly choreographed and staged action and it works for the most part. There’s very little if any depth to any characters and the actors are all aware they’re in a silly movie. The cast, led by a very manly muscled Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson provides his usual charisma with an over the top delivery that appropriate for the film. Channing Tatum has a brief role in the film, disappearing quickly and quietly. Adrianne Palicki, the woman that would have been the new Wonder Woman, has a noticeable sass to go along with a seemingly endless supply of beauty products. Ray Stevenson, a personal favorite from HBO’s Rome, has a small role but still leaves an impression even with one of the worse southern accents in recent memory. Bruce Willis pops up because he has a little time on the set of RED 2 and continues his self parody tour with unabashed sincerity. It sounds like a mess and it is but it’s a fun mess especially when they stop trying to build a story or have the RZA try and act. That’s not what this film is about; it’s about 3D mountain climbing ninja fights which are surprisingly fun. The 3D, one of the better post conversion jobs, is spotty with some sequences like the aforementioned ninja fight working well and others coming off as too dark and jittery. It’s at best when the extreme action sequences take center stage something director Jon M. Chu obviously feels a lot more comfortable doing.

C+

[Trailer] The Wolverine

It won’t take much to wash off the horrible taste from X-men Origins: Wolverine. It was probably one of the worse comic movies I’ve sat through. So while another go around with this character seems unnecessary at the very least they can’t do any worse than before, this trailer gives a glimmer of hope especially with quick shots of Silver Samurai among others. Still, after the last debacle I’m still very wary…



International Trailer




US Trailer

Cindy Prascik’s Movie Review : The Croods / Olympus Has Fallen

Dearest Blog, yesterday I set out for the cinema, hoping two highly-anticipated offerings would meet expectations.
Spoiler level here is mild, limited to things you'd know from the trailers.

First on my agenda: DreamWorks Animation's The Croods.


A prehistoric family are forced to flee their cave after it's destroyed by a disaster that threatens to change their lives forever in this animated adventure featuring the voices of Nicolas Cage and Emma Stone. As a protective caveman father leads his family out of harm's way, the clan crosses paths with a resourceful teen named Guy (voice of Ryan Reynolds), who offers to help them reach a distant land where they'll be safe from an impending catastrophe that will soon alter the entire world. Catherine Keener, Clark Duke, and Cloris Leachman round out the cast of vocal performers. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: Kirk De Micco

Cast: Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener, Cloris Leachman.

Release Date: Mar 22, 2013

Rated PG for some scary action

Runtime: 1 hr. 31 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Animated, Family


Much to the dismay of a rebellious daughter (Emma Stone), the patriarch (Nicolas Cage) of a pre-historic family believes the only way to keep them safe is to stay within the dark and gloomy confines of their cave home. His theory, as well as his ability to protect his family, are put to the test when the cave is destroyed.

Not gonna lie, dear Blog, I have a ridiculous amount of faith in DreamWorks Animation. Think it's got something to do with How to Train Your Dragon being...oh...only the best animated feature ever. I'm pleased to report that, despite a sluggish start, The Croods does not find my faith misplaced.

The Croods looks magnificent. No words could possibly describe just how gorgeous this film is; you have to see it. I was moved to tears a time or two by its physical beauty alone. Take Oz: The Great and Powerful, and multiply that by about a hundred. Full marks to the artistic and technical staff.

If The Croods' father/daughter tale is a little familiar, and if you see some things coming a mile or so out, that's easy enough to forgive in such a sweet and genuine picture. The voice cast is spot-on, with Cage and Stone joined by Ryan Reynolds, Cloris Leachman, and Catherine Keener.

The Croods does start out somewhat slow, and for 20 minutes or so, I feared I had another Oz on my hands; that is, I'd be left loving the look and nothing else. Once it gets moving, though, the movie's filled with action, laugh-out-loud moments, and a sincere and touching family tale.

The Croods runs 98 minutes, and is rated PG for "some scary action." It's no How to Train Your Dragon, but, of a possible nine Weasleys, it easily earns seven.

Next up was the action/thriller Olympus Has Fallen.



An ex-Special Forces operative and former presidential bodyguard must fight to take back the White House from terrorists who have kidnapped the Commander in Chief in this high-stakes action thriller directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, Shooter) and starring Gerard Butler. Melissa Leo, Angela Bassett, Robert Forster, and Radha Mitchell co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: Antoine Fuqua

Cast: Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Angela Bassett, Melissa Leo.

Release Date: Mar 22, 2013 Rated R for Strong Violence and Language Throughout

Runtime: 2 hr. 0 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Suspense/Thriller


When terrorists overrun the White House, taking President Harvey Dent, erm, I mean Benjamin Asher (Aaron Eckhart) and his top staff hostage, it's left to Mike Banning (Gerard Butler), an ex-Secret Service agent, to save the President...and the nation.
Olympus Has Fallen is extremely well cast; every actor is a perfect fit for his role.

Aaron Eckhart is very leaderly as a young-ish Commander in Chief. Gerard Butler has never been a favorite of mine. I've softened considerably towards him since he became Stoic the Vast, but think I'm still holding a grudge over Phantom of the Opera!

Yet I found him surprisingly watchable in Olympus, and I think he plays the tormented hero well. Angela Bassett is a bit too hard-ass for my taste as Director of the Secret Service; for some reason, she seemed like a comical police chief on a 70s TV cop drama. My favorite actress and best girl crush Melissa Leo is as lovely and tough as ever as the Secretary of Defense.

Morgan Freeman makes a predictably solid turn as Speaker of the House, forced to take charge as both the President and Vice-President are in the terrorists' grasp. If I had to trust the world's safety to any one individual, I admit I'd be entirely comfortable if that individual were Morgan Freeman. The rest of the cast is up to snuff, the one exception being Radha Mitchell, whose teary-eyed close-ups got old pretty quickly.

Olympus Has Fallen features maximum carnage.

The body count is so extreme that even I grew tired of it, and it's not that sort-of cartoonish massacre you get with a GI Joe or super-hero movie.

As a result, any chest-thumping 'Murica! sentiment the filmmakers hoped to achieve is somewhat deflated. The effects are good, and the trashing of the White House and other DC landmarks is chillingly realistic.

Olympus Has Fallen clocks in at 120 minutes, and is rated R for "strong violence and language throughout." If I liked it less than I'd hoped, I attribute that partially to my feeling that nobody makes a Big Baddie quite like Russia did back in the day, and partially to the movie's having precious little of that feel-good cowboy vibe (think Die Hard) I kind of expected from the trailers.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Olympus Has Fallen gets six.

Our next question, dear Blog, is how many cinema trips can one individual fit into a long weekend that also includes three home hockey games, a midday hair cut n' color, and one full day of enforced family time (ugh). Time will tell!

Until next time...




Is it twisted that I'd totally do this cartoon person??

[Trailer 2] World War Z

I keep trying to convince myself that this movie won’t be a bloody disaster but the trailers keep telling me otherwise. First trailer ended with the superfast anthill zombie gang and this one ends with zombies on a plane……