Movie Reviews: WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

Sunday, October 18, 2009
Movie Reviews: WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
IN THEATERS

 

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

Misunderstood at home and at school, mischievous Max (Max Records) escapes to a land populated by majestic, and sometimes fierce, creatures known as the Wild Things. The Wild Things allow Max to become their leader, and he promises to create a kingdom where everyone will be happy. However, Max soon finds that being the king is not easy, and that his relationships with the Wild Things are much more complicated than he originally thought.

Opened ..October 16, 2009..

Runtime: 1 hr. 34 min.

Cast: Max Records, James Gandolfini, Lauren Ambrose, Paul Dano, Tom Noonan, Catherine O'Hara, ..Forest.. Whitaker, Catherine Keener, Michael Berry Jr.

Director: Spike Jonze

Genres: Children's Fantasy, Fantasy Adventure, Adventure, Fantasy

Rated PG for mild thematic elements, some adventure action and brief language.

Review:

Spike Jonze’s Where the Wild Things Are is fascinating adaptation of the legendary children’s book. Visually stunning, the film has a palatable sense of youthful energy capturing the dizzying highs along with the painful lows. Jonze’s is able to capture this with extremely effective use of handheld cameras during certain portions of the film. The island is beautifully surreal giving it a dream like feel which fits perferctly into the story. The wild things themselves are technical marvels, created using a mix of puppetry and CGI. The voice actors complete these creations and bring them to life; Gandolfini in particular is surprisingly effective throughout. Lauren Ambrose also impresses as KW providing tenderness to her role mixed with a quiet strength. The rest of the voice cast are equally effective even if they aren’t given as much time as Ambrose or Gandolfini. New comer Max Record is a real find; he’s wonderfully naturalistic perfectly suited for the role. He has the gift to phase through the different emotions in a believable manner, something rare in child actors. Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers had the task of adapting a book with only a handful of sentences. They used the book as a starting point and expanded outward and created something magical, poignant and occasionally a little terrifying. It works a multitude of levels and can be enjoyed either as a straight forward tome or on more allegorical terms. Jonze’s had plenty of issues making this film and it could have fallen into a blackhole because of studio meddling. Luckily the film finally made it to the screen and we can see the fruits of Jonze’s labor. He has creating something that’s respectful of the book but able to stand on its own.

A

Movie Reviews: PARANORMAL ACTIVITY

Saturday, October 10, 2009
Movie Reviews: PARANORMAL ACTIVITY
IN THEATERS

 

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY

Soon after moving into a suburban tract home, Katie (Katie Featherston) and Micah (Micah Sloat) become increasingly disturbed by what appears to be a supernatural presence. Hoping to capture evidence of the haunting on film, Katie and Micah set up video cameras in their home, but they are not prepared for the terrifying occurrences which follow.

Director: Oren Peli

Opened October 2, 2009

Runtime: 1 hr. 39 min.

Rated R for language.

Genres: Thriller, Supernatural Thriller



Review:




Typically movies that get shelved for 2 years or so are destined to die a quick and painless death either through blink or you’ll miss it theatrical runs or as direct to DVD fodder. Many a big budget film has suffered one of these fates, just ask Mike Judge about Idiocracy, so how a film that was made over the course of a week and for ~$11,000 has survived and made a splash is almost as interesting as the film itself. Paranormal Activity has taken a long strange road the big screen and it’s building the kind of momentum that other recent horror “event” movies, ala The Ring and The Blair Witch Project, have had. Sharing the same DNA as the aforementioned Blair Witch Project, Paranormal Activity is shot point of view style here using a single camera and most of the action occurs in the couple’s bedroom. The acting and dialogue is decidedly amateurish but effective enough to not become grating. Most of the dialogue was improvised as there wasn’t really a script but only rough ideas for scenes. Micah Sloat does an admirable job as the skeptical and occasionally obnoxious boyfriend who tries to handle the problem himself. Katie Featherston doesn’t do as well and her inexperience is apparent throughout with her attempts at emotion either too subdued or manic. While the two are central to the story, director Oren Peli’s ability to create a slow burning tension is really the star of the show. He uses every haunted house trick available (doors slam, steps are heard, a Ouija board is used and there’s something in the attic) to creates a scenario where every creak or knock has your skin tingling. Slowly but surely ratcheting up the strange and scary activity, Peli becoming less and less subtle with each passing night, further tightening his grip around the audience’s conscience. The familiar setting makes the entire ordeal unsettling and it ensures the effect will remain well after you leave the theater, especially the next time you head to bed. The finale, sadly, comes off as cheap and unauthentic as if Peli wanted to knock it out of the park before sending the audience on their way but missing badly. A rumored alternate, original ending, sounds much better suited for the style and story. So is Paranormal Activity a great horror film? No, it’s a very good one and one that will have audiences, in later showings, bloated with expectations that this well crafted film won’t be able to meet which will invariably result an expected backlash. It’s best to watch these types of films early in the hype cycle with a packed theater and level head, much like The Blair Witch Project, because that’s when it’s most effective.




B-

Movie Reviews: TRICK R TREAT

Thursday, October 22, 2009
Movie Reviews: TRICK R TREAT
ON DVD



TRICK R TREAT



It is said that Halloween is the night when the dead rise to walk among us and other unspeakable things roam free. The rituals of All Hallows Eve were devised to protect us from their evil mischief, and one small town is about to be taught a terrifying lesson that some traditions are best not forgotten. Nothing is what it seems when a suburban couple learns the dangers of blowing out a Jack-o-Lantern before midnight; four women cross paths with a costumed stalker at a local festival; a group of pranksters goes too far and discovers the horrifying truth buried in a local legend; and a cantankerous old hermit is visited by a strange trick-or-treater with a few bones to pick. Costumes and candy, ghouls and goblins, monsters and mayhem...the tricks and treats of Halloween turn deadly as strange creatures of every variety—human and otherwise—try to survive the scariest night of the year.

Cast: Brian Cox, Anna Paquin, Dylan Baker, Leslie Bibb, Tahmoh Penikett

Director: Michael Dougherty

Originally intended release date October 5, 2007

Rated R for some sexuality/nudity, horror violence and language

Genres: Horror, Psychological Thriller, Ensemble Film

Review:

Stories of studio buffoonery are hardly anything new. Some movies and directors get tossed and beat around when a studio can’t figure out what to do with a film. Some never see the light of day at all or are given an unceremoniously short theatrical release followed quickly by being shoveled off to DVD. Michael Dougherty’s Trick R Treat sat on the shelves for nearly 2 full years before Warner Brothers decided to finally let it see the light of day via a direct to DVD release. Typical films cast off to direct to DVD hell are justifiable horrible and are probably best suited to have been seen by as few people as possible. Trick R Treat is not one of those films. It’s a true oddity that really makes you wonder how studio head couldn’t see the potential in this film. Michael Dougherty wrote and directed this incredibly fun Halloween anthology that pays homage to classics like Creepshow and Tales from the Crypt. Dougherty wrote a razor sharp script that’s effectively funny and frightening. He’s clearly a genre fan and it shows throughout as he interweaves the 4 divergent storylines into each other in a non linear fashion. He gives us fairly established motifs and conceits but gives them a nice little spin to make them interesting and fresh. Sam, the burlap masked midget, is equally familiar yet different and he doesn’t react the way you’d expect a character like him to. The direction is fun and colorful, doing a wonderful job of capturing the Halloween spirit when it’s in full force. Dougherty keeps a brisk pace moving the stories slow enough for you to savor them but he never lingers too much, kind of like going from house to house trick r treating. The director’s energy and enthusiasm is palpable and it extends to the cast as well. The most recognizable faces are Anna Paquin, Brian Cox and Dylan Barker. They all do very well in their roles playing up their stereotypical characters with a wink of a potential twist. The younger members of the cast, made up of primarily unknowns, are surprisingly effective and deserve big kudos for their work. At 82 minutes Trick R Treat is terribly short and it flies by, a good trait for films like this which make repeat viewings easier and required.

A

Movie Reviews: ZOMBIELAND

Sunday, October 04, 2009
Movie Reviews: ZOMBIELAND
IN THEATERS




ZOMBIELAND

A cowardly shut-in named Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) is forced to join up with a seasoned zombie slayer named Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) in order to survive the zombie apocalypse. As Tallahassee sets out on a mission to find the last Twinkie on Earth, the duo meets up with Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin), two young girls who have resorted to some rather unorthodox methods to survive amidst the chaos. Reluctant partners in the battle against the undead, all four soon begin to wonder if it might be better to simply take their chances alone. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Cast: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin

Director: Ruben Fleischer

Opened ..October 2, 2009..

Runtime: 1 hr. 21 min.

Rated R for horror violence/gore and language

Genres: Horror Comedy, Horror

Review:

Zombieland is very much like a rollercoaster ride, filled with frights and fun which is only occasionally marked with slow or choppy moments and over way too quickly. First time director Ruben Fleischer makes an impressive debut never lingering too long on any moment or situation. Fleisher makes some fun stylistic choices throughout, the opening sequence and rule breakdown are good fun, and keeps the pacing brisk. Plotting is straight forward and it doesn’t bother itself with extraneous details. It’s a road movie and while most will compare it to Shaun of the Dead because of the zombie comedy aspect but in actuality it feels more like a zombie filled National Lampoon’s Vacation with a motley crew of characters. Leading this crew is Woody Harrelson in full ham mode is hilarious throughout and somehow manages to makes us believe the connection he makes with the characters towards the end of the film. Jesse Eisenbern is great as the straight man to Harrelson manic energy and gives Michael Cera a run for his money in the awkward 20 something category. Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin play con artist sisters and they do decently but aren’t given much to do outside of shooting guns and stealing SUV’s. An inspired celebrity cameo give the film’s middle section a much needed boost as the film starts to lag. The finale in the amusement park will make you long for a rollercoaster where you can shoot zombies as you speed along the tracks. Zombieland is the type of film that hard not enjoy in its entire gooey zombie bashing goodness.

A-

Movie Reviews: JENNIFER’S BODY

Sunday, September 20, 2009
Movie Reviews: JENNIFER’S BODY
IN THEATERS

JENNIFER’S BODY

From the production team behind "Juno" is a new film about one teenager's uncontrollable appetite for teenager boys. When a demon takes possession of her, high-school hottie Jennifer (Megan Fox) turns a hungry eye on guys who never stood a chance with her before. While evil Jennifer satisfies her appetite for human flesh with the school's male population, her nerdy friend, Needy (Amanda Seyfried), learns what's happening and vows to put an end to the carnage.


Cast: Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, Adam Brody, J.K. Simmons, Amy Sedaris

Director: Karyn Kusama

Opened ..September 18, 2009..

Runtime: 1 hr. 42 min.

Rated R for sexuality, bloody violence, language and brief drug use.

Genres: Horror Comedy, Horror

Review:

Jennifer’s Body is a fun little horror comedy that delivers more laughs than scares but it isn’t without its flaws. Written by Diablo Cody, who also penned Juno, the script is pepper with plenty of overly complicated dialogue which you’ll either enjoy of despise. Personally I find it enjoyable even if it’s removes any semblance of realism but then again this film doesn’t really need it. Cody borrow or pays homage, depending on how you look at it, to plenty of classic horror conceits but give them a nice shot of estrogen which is a refreshing turn. Director Karyn Kusama moves her film along as a brisk pace but she does throw in some visual flourishes that make this stand out versus other generic horror films. Megan Fox doesn’t have to try to hard here as she’s isn’t asked to do anything but look incredibly hot and occasionally utter a few lines of dialogue. Fox is shot like she’s starting in some classic 80’s horror fest. Amanda Seyfried does the majority of acting and is good fun as the nerdy best friend who has to deal with her friend’s demonic turn. Both have some good scenes together but their relationship doesn’t feel authentic. It’s a fairly prevalent issue because there’s a disconnect with the characters throughout, as if each is in their own little world. While Cody’s flower dialogue is fun it does make the characters feel robotic and unnatural. As the film heads towards it’s finale it begins to drag a bit and we given a few scenes that feel like the end but they aren’t. It’s mildly bothersome but doesn’t detract from the overall enjoy in store for genre fans.





B-

Movie Reviews: JULIE & JULIA

Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Movie Reviews: JULIE & JULIA
IN THEATERS

JULIE & JULIA

A frustrated temp secretary (Amy Adams) embarks on a year-long culinary quest to cook all 524 recipes in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. She chronicles her trials and tribulations in a blog that catches on with the food crowd. The film also covers the years Julia Child (Meryl Streep) and her husband Paul (Stanley Tucci) spent in Paris during the 1940s and 1950s, when he was a foreign diplomat who was eventually investigated by Sen. Joseph McCarthy for alleged communist ties.

Cast: Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, Stanley Tucci, Chris Messina, Linda Emond

Director: Nora Ephron

Opened August 7, 2009.

Runtime: 2 hr. 3 min.

Rated PG-13 for some sensuality and brief strong language

Genres: Comedy, Domestic Comedy



Review:




Julie & Julia is a fun and light look at 2 women separated by time and space. Based on 2 separate books, Julia Child’s memoir My Life in France and the titular Julie & Julia by Julie Powell, writer director Nora Ephron tries her best to meld these 2 stories into a coherent narrative. It’s a mixed bag mainly because Julia Child’s story is far more intriguing than Powell’s. That’s not to say Powell’s segments are terrible but they just feel closer to your standard Rom-com territory ala some of Ephron’s other directorial efforts. The two women are vastly different and while the film tries to connect them as much as possible it feels forced. The Child segments, helped by a truly inspired turn by Meryl Streep, are delightful throughout and really give insight to this woman who was larger than life both literally and figuratively. Streep captures her mannerism and voice perfectly but also projects the drive and warmth Child possessed. Stanley Tucci matches her step by step as Child’s loving husband. Tucci and Streep have tangible chemistry and they do a wonderful job of giving the audience a peek at Child’s marriage. Special notice has to be given to Jane Lynch as Child’s sister, her appearance comes and goes much too quickly but Lynch hits the mark the entire time. When the film shifts back to 2002 and Powell, Amy Adams does a fairly impressive job with a far less glamorous role. ..Adams.. does a solid job of capturing Powell’s neuroticism coupled with her massive mood swing during the course of her journey. ..Adams.. does her best but, as written, Powell is a tad unlikable and it’s difficult for the audience to connect with her the way they should. It might also just be a case of Child being painted as an almost saintly figure throughout. Chris Messina does yeoman work as Powell’s husband and makes his support and love of his wife palpable and believable to the audience. As mentioned before Powell is a fairly interesting character but when compare to someone of Child’s stature and accomplishments it’s hard to maintain the same level of interest. Ephron does the best she can with these two stories but when the film finishes its 2 hour runtime you can’t help but think that Child deserved her own stage.



B-