MOVIE REVIEWS: KICK ASS

Sunday, April 25, 2010

IN THEATERS

KICK ASS



Adapted from Mark Millar's hyper-violent comic book of the same name, director Matthew Vaughn's (Layer Cake) vigilante superhero film tells the tale of an average New York teenager who decides to don a costume and fight crime. Comic book geek Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson) may not have good coordination or special powers, but that doesn't mean he isn't a fully capable crime fighter. After purchasing a flashy wet suit on the Internet, Dave starts busting up baddies with nothing but brute force. He calls himself Kick-Ass, and he can take a beating as good as he can dish one out. Before long, Kick-Ass has become a local sensation, and others are following his lead. Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage) and Hit-Girl (Chloe Moretz) are a father-daughter crime-fighting duo who have set their sights on local mob heavy Frank D'Amico (Mark Strong). They're doing a decent job of dismantling Frank's sizable underworld empire when Kick-Ass gets drawn into the fray. But Frank's men play rough, and his son, Chris (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), is about to become Kick-Ass' very first arch nemesis. When Chris assumes the persona of Red Mist, the stage is set for a superhero showdown that could spell the end of Kick-Ass once and for all. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Director: Matthew Vaughn

Cast: Aaron Johnson, Nicolas Cage, Chloe Moretz, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Mark Strong.

Release Date: Apr 16, 2010

Rated R for strong brutal violence throughout, pervasive language, sexual content, nudity and some drug use -- some involving children

Runtime: 1 hr. 57 min.

Genres: Action

Review:

Matthew Vaughn’s Kick Ass lives up to its name at various times throughout it hyper violent run but its change in tone is so drastic you start to wonder if Vaughn might destroy the clutch on this film. Vaughn gives this film an impressive visual style throughout that keeps your eyes and mind entertained throughout by a wonderful use of smart edits during some of the more drawn out action sequences. In the lead role Aaron Johnson gives the titular Kick Ass a decent blend of nerdiness, naiveté and earnestness in the role. He does fine work throughout but the role doesn’t give him much chance to shine and it’s easy for him to disappear into the background. This is especially true once Nicolas Cage and Chloe Moretz show up. Nicolas Cage fits into his role so well you can sense his glee every time he’s on screen. Chloe Moretz is equally strong as the psychopathic foul mouthed Hit Girl. She’s got some of the strongest comedic and emotional moments in the entire film. Christopher Mintz-Plasse & Mark Strong both deliver strong if generic performances in underwritten roles. Cage and Moretz’s are by far the most interesting characters in the film and make the other story lines look like placeholders until they hit screen again. This choppiness in story and tone becomes more jarring as the film head to its conclusion. Kick Ass shifts from satire to shoot em up to standard comic book movie throughout. Having not read the original comic I don’t know if it’s an issue that inherent to story or if it was something that occurred in the transition. Even with its imperfections, Kick Ass is funny and engaging enough to make for an enjoyable experience for comic book movie fans.

B-

MOVIE REVIEWS: DATE NIGHT, THE FOUTH KIND AND FANTASTIC MR. FOX

Saturday, April 10, 2010

IN THEATERS

DATE NIGHT



This action comedy tells the tale of mild-mannered married couple Phil (Steve Carell) and Claire (Tina Fey) who fear their relationship may be falling into a stale rut. During their weekly date night, they impetuously steal a dinner reservation, which leads to a case of mistaken identity. Turns out the reservation was for a pair of thieves, and now a number of unsavory characters want Phil and Claire killed. If they can survive a wacky life-threatening night, they may just rediscover the passion missing from their marriage. Directed by Shawn Levy. Mark Wahlberg, James Franco, and Kristen Wiig co-star. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
Directed by Shawn Levy

Cast: Steve Carell, Tina Fey, Mark Wahlberg, Taraji P. Henson, Jimmi Simpson.

Release Date: Apr 09, 2010

Rated PG-13 for sexual and crude content throughout, language, some violence and a drug reference

Runtime: 1 hr. 28 min.

Genres: Comedy

Review:

Date Night is unapologetically broad in its laughs and if it weren’t for the excellent comedic talents of Tina Fey and Steve Carell it’d probably be kind of unbearable. Shawn Levy has made a career of making broad easy to consume comedies and he doesn’t change his stripes here. The jokes and situations are mostly paint by the numbers. Its fun light entertainment that keeps you mostly entertained with only occasional moments of tedium. Carell and Fey keep you interested with their strong dynamic and experienced talents. Carell brings a tenderness and earnestness to his character along with the expected goofiness. Fey is sharp and quick witted always keeping the interplay lively and energetic even in clichéd segments. Mark Wahlburg, James Franco, Mila Kunis, William Fichtner and Ray Liotta all have fun little cameos with characters that are goofy send ups of their usual roles. Date Night is the kind of movie that easily forgettable but never terrible. Considering Carell and Fey strong chemistry it would be nice to see them work with a more talent director and concept. For the time being this little nugget will work well as an appetizer.

C+

ON DVD

THE FOURTH KIND




Set in the fall of 2000 and purportedly based on actual events, The Fourth Kind stars Milla Jovovich as Dr. Abigail Tyler, a Nome, Alaska-based psychotherapist whose videotaped sessions with her patients offer the most compelling evidence of alien abduction ever documented. Elias Koteas and Will Patton co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi

Cast: Milla Jovovich, Elias Koteas, Will Patton, Hakeem Kae-Kazim.

Release Date: Nov 06, 2009

Rated PG-13 for violent/disturbing images, some terror, thematic elements and brief sexuality

Runtime: 1 hr. 38 min.

Genres: Thriller

Review:

The Fourth Kind is the type of film that has an interesting approach to what is a fairly well worn genre. Sadly, director Olatunde Osunsanmi shows his inexperience throughout and presently he doesn’t have the talent to make the concept a cohesive believable whole. It’s a shame because he has an interesting style that’s aggressively interesting and he does have a few inspired moments which impress. Unfortunately, those moments are few and far between and he fails to achieve the most important thing necessary here, credibility. The film, it starts with Milla Jovovich telling you this is based on true events, demands that you have some level of belief in the proceedings for it to effectively creep you out. Instead everything comes off as fake and manufactured especially the purported “real” footage. The cast across the board is stiff and unconvincing the reenactments never feel any better than old Unsolved Mysteries shorts. It’s all kind of a uneven hodgepodge of ideas that never reach the mark. Films like Communion and Fire in the Sky do a better job with this genre. Not a great sign when the latter is a fairly laughable Walken vehicle.

D

FANTASTIC MR. FOX



A wily fox uses his formidable cunning to outsmart three feeble-minded farmers, who resort to extreme tactics to protect their chickens in director Wes Anderson's animated adaptation of the popular Roald Dahl children's book. For 12 years, Mr. and Mrs. Fox (voices of George Clooney and Meryl Streep) have lived a peaceful life in the wilderness with their son, Ash (voice of Jason Schwartzman). Shortly after their young nephew Kristofferson (voice of Eric Anderson) arrives for a visit, Mr. Fox's long-suppressed animal instincts begin to take over and the faithful family man resorts back to his old ways as a cunning chicken thief, endangering not only his family but the entire animal community as well. When evil farmers Boggis, Bunce, and Bean force the animals underground in a desperate attempt to capture the audacious Mr. Fox, dwindling food supplies force the frightened animals to band together in one last attempt to fight for the land that is rightfully theirs. Bill Murray, Michael Gambon, Willem Dafoe, and Owen Wilson provide additional

Director: Wes Anderson

Cast: George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Wallace Wolodarsky.

Release Date: Nov 13, 2009..

Rated: for action, smoking and slang humor

Runtime: 1 hr. 27 min.

Genres: Comedy

Review:

It’s rare that you find such a charming piece of filmmaking that keeps you smiling throughout via its wittiness and emotional highpoints. There is something incredibly quirky and heartfelt in all of Wes Anderson’s films and this stop motion isn’t any different. Proving that he can work his magic on stop motion dolls as effectively as his live actors, Anderson breathes life into these characters and plot almost from the instant they hit the screen. It’s no small task and he makes it seem utterly effortless throughout. The A list voice cast is up to task as well. Clooney provides just as much as charisma and sentiment as he did in Up in the Air. Meryl Streep’s work is graceful as ever providing Clooney’s titular character his moral center. Jason Schwartzman is wonderfully understated and heartfelt. The story, adapted from Roald Dahl’s children’s book, is just as smart as it should be, something the will give both adults and children something to enjoy. Fantastic Mr. Fox is a stellar achievement in film making and something that should be enjoyed by all.

A

MOVIE REVIEWS: CLASH OF THE TITANS

Sunday, April 04, 2010

IN THEATERS



CLASH OF THE TITANS



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The 1981 mythological fantasy adventure Clash of the Titans is resurrected in this remake from Incredible Hulk director Louis Leterrier. The joint Legendary Films/Warner Bros. production focuses on Perseus (Sam Worthington), the mortal hero made to carry out a series of quests by the gods in order to win the hand of the imprisoned princess Andromeda (Alexa Davalos). Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Mads Mikkelsen, and Gemma Arterton co-star. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide

Director: Louis Leterrier

Cast: Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Jason Flemyng, Gemma Arterton.

Release Date: Apr 02, 2010..

Rated PG-13 for some frightening images, fantasy action violence and brief sensuality

Runtime: 1 hr. 50 min.

Genres: Action

Review:

Being a child of the 80’s I have had a handful of my childhood movie loves remade with varying degrees of effectiveness. The original Clash of the Titans for all its flaws is still a terribly enjoyable film for me that take me back to childhood. It left indelible images on my young mind and was one of those films that helped shape my general love for films. I doubt Louis Leterrier’s remake will leave that type of impression on today’s children. I could be wrong but I doubt this type of uninspired and chunky film making will leave much of an impression after they leave the theater but who knows, a lot of people said that about the original as well. This film is a chesse fest that’s only occasionally fun and mostly tedious. Leterrier’s direction does his best to give the proceedings an epic feel but for the most part it feels like that is way beyond his talents. The large scale action set pieces are handled with a pedestrian hand only occasionally capturing any sense of grandeur or scope. The battle in Medusa’s lair and final battle with the final battle with the Kraken are the best of the group but the scorpion battle feels more like something out of Starship Troopers. The script makes various changes to the original plot changing the general motivation of Perseus and the gods. They work to certain extent, the gods in particular are a tad more interesting even if we only get Zeus and Hades for the most part and the remainder stands around looking godly. The changes to Perseus aren’t as effective mainly because it makes him less heroic and more petulant. Worthington’s performance doesn’t help as he appears to have mastered the ability to be aggressively wooden. He lacks any fire or drive and just comes across as disingenuous for the better part of the film. Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes have more fun hamming it up, Fiennes in particular looks like he’s having a ball. Gemma Arterton doesn’t make as much of an impression as she should and Mads Mikkelsen is overly serious throughout. The cast is saddled with a script that’s just as clunky as the film’s direction; neither seems to be able to decide if it wants to be serious or cheesy. While I suppose there is a chance this could become a cult favorite like the original I think it’s a long shot. The original has a certain endearing campiness to it and this remake has a terribly generic feel to it.

C-

MOVIE REVIEWS: PRECIOUS, BOONDOCK SAINTS 2 & COULPLE’S RETREAT

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

On DVD


PRECIOUS



Monster's Ball producer Lee Daniels follows up his 2005 directorial debut, Shadowboxer, with this adaptation of author Sapphire's best-selling novel about an overweight, illiterate African-American teen from ..Harlem.. who discovers an alternate path in life after she begins attending a new school. Clareece "Precious" Jones is only a teenager, yet she's about to give birth to her second child. Unable to read or write, Clareece shows little prospect for the future until discovering that she has been accepted into an alternative school. There, with a little help from a sympathetic teacher (Paula Patton) and a kindly nurse (Lenny Kravitiz), the young girl receives something that most teens never get -- a chance to start over. Mo'nique co-stars in an inspirational drama featuring the debut performance of screen newcomer Gabourey "Gabbie" Sidibe. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Director: Lee Daniels

Release Date: Nov 06, 2009

Rated R for child abuse including sexual assault, and pervasive language.

Runtime: 1 hr. 49 min.

Genres: Drama

Cast: Gabourey Sidibe, Lenny Kravitz, Paula Patton, Mo'Nique, Mariah Carey.




Review:




First and foremost this film’s plot is something that’s probably already done on Lifetime at one point of another. Had the director not been able to get such wonderful performances from his cast, this film probably would have come and gone with little notice. Daniel’s direction is fairly rudimentary only occasionally does he give the film some creative flair. Lee Daniel’s real strength lies on his ability to pull out such strong performances from his much praised and awarded cast. It’s a truly impressive feat that elevates this film. Gabourey Sidibe comes across as authentic throughout, so much so that it feels like a documentary at times. Mo’Nique is just terrifying throughout, he character just seethes with anger and self pity. Paula Patton has been mostly overlooked but she provides a steadiness to the film, her performance is easy to overlook but it shouldn’t be. Mariah Carey is just as effective, shedding nearly all of her pretension and glam for a grounded performance. Precious is a difficult movie to sit through and probably not one you’d be quick to revisit. It is an actor’s movie through and through and the entire cast delivers stellar work deserving of all the praise.



B+





BOONDOCK SAINTS 2: ALL SAINTS DAY




Boondock Saints, the 2000 crime picture renowned for the unique story of the fast rise
and fall of its egomaniacal filmmaker, Troy Duffy, as well as the cult following that appeared later on home release, gets the sequel treatment with this follow-up. Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus reunite as the vigilante MacManus brothers, with Billy Connolly returning as Il Duce. Duffy once again directs from his own script, with Clifton Collins Jr., Julie Benz, and David Della Rocco filling out the rest of the cast. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide

Director: Troy Duffy




Release Date: Oct 30, 2009




Rated R for bloody violence, some nudity and language




Runtime: 1 hr. 27 min.




Genres: Action




Cast: Sean Patrick Flanery, Norman Reedus, Billy Connolly, Clifton Collins, Jr., Julie Benz.



Review:



The original Boondock Saint’s was a movie I really wanted to love and just couldn’t ever warm up too for some reason. The entire thing seemed terribly derivative and amateurish. That’s not to say that Duffy’s film didn’t have a few inspired moment but it just seemed lacking and I still can’t quite understand the fascination with it. Duffy seemed to have some interesting concepts but his prowess as a writer and director seemed lacking. I was expecting Duffy’s follow up would be something akin to Sam Raimi or Robert Rodriguez follow ups to cult hits. Sadly, Duffy seems stuck in the mud. The sequel gives us a more steady directorial hand but the writing borders on horrid various times throughout the proceedings. The characters are all underwritten, the plot generic and the attempts are humor are terribly sophomoric. Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus return do the best they can with the roles but they seem more like an after thought for some reason. Julie Benz, working with one of the worse Southern accents in recent memory, is never believable. Her character’s spot as William Dafoe’s replacement here doesn’t work and she simply becomes grating as the film proceeds. Clifton Collins Jr., who’s usually solid in manic character’s, is generally wasted and generally seems disinterested as he utters some terrible dialogue. This is something that kind of a recurring theme throughout as the actors lack any energy or conviction. Duffy doesn’t seem capable of getting strong performances out of his cast, it was a problem that plagued the first film and is equally problematic here. Billy Connolly seems to be the only one actually trying and he’s got the least screen time of anyone. Once the film ends, I was left with the same feeling after watching the first one. I wanted to like it a lot more than I did. The ideas could be interesting and witty but they are executed so poorly that it’s hard to enjoy it.




C-





COUPLE’S RETREAT




Their relationship in danger of dissipating, a couple racing to salvage their marriage invites three other couples to join them at a tropical island resort. Upon arriving at the island paradise to enjoy some carefree fun in the sun, the other couples are disturbed to discover that participation in therapy sessions is mandatory if they hope to remain at the resort. Peter Bilingsley directs a comedy penned by Jon Favreau, produced by Vince Vaughn, and pairing the two Made collaborators onscreen with co-stars Jason Bateman and Faizon Love. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Director: Peter Bilingsley




Release Date: Oct 09, 2009



Rated PG-13 for sexual content and language




Runtime: 1 hr. 47 min.



Genres: Comedy



Cast: Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman, Faizon Love, Jon Favreau, Malin Akerman.



Review:



Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau have written some strong comedies in the past which makes this totally inert and neutered film a real head scratcher. Peter Bilingsley, Ralphie from A Christmas Story, provides fairly generic direction throughout and does a nice job of capturing pretty vistas once they move to the island. His pacing could use some work as the film seems to have very little flow or momentum. It doesn’t help that the script provides some of the blandest and most generic types for each of the couples. All of them are instantly recognizable and they wouldn’t do anything that surprises you throughout. It’s a real shame considering the comedic talent on hand. The cast just goes through the motions, only rarely delivering more than slight chuckle. Making matters worse this film is overly long, so much so that once we get to the final act you just want it to be over because the laughs have long since disappeared.



D

MOVIE REVIEW: SHE’S OUT OF MY LEAGUE

Sunday, March 14, 2010

IN THEATERS




SHE’S OUT OF MY LEAGUE


An airport security guard gets involved with a girl who's very obviously of a higher caliber than himself, and schemes to make the relationship last as his friends and family watch along in disbelief. Kirk (Jay Baruchel) was languishing in a dead-end job as an airport security agent when he somehow managed to earn the affections of the successful and drop-dead gorgeous Molly (Alice Eve). Even Kirk isn't exactly sure what Molly sees in him, though he's willing to do whatever it takes to make the relationship work. With his friends, family, and ex-girlfriend all watching stunned from the sidelines, Kirk discovers that he'll have to work overtime in order to convince Molly that he's worth hanging on to. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Director: Jim Field Smith


Cast: Jay Baruchel, Alice Eve, T.J. Miller, Mike Vogel, Nate Torrence.


Release Date: ..Mar 12, 2010..


Rated R for language and sexual content


Runtime: 1 hr. 44 min.


Genres: Comedy, Romance


Review:


She’s Out of My League is generically written beauty and the geek rom-com that’s held together by its cast. The script hits all the major bullet points for these type of movies and we’ve seen the plot and characters before. The story follows a fairly pedestrian path and director J.F. Smith adds little to no visual flair to any of the proceedings. The relationships, the main one in particular, are sketchily supported and leave you wondering why these characters actually hang out together or date. The film’s strength is its up and coming cast led by Jay Baruchel. Baruchel has his measured type of comedy down, something he’s refined in supporting roles. There’s something both believable and charming about his quirkiness. Alice Eve, who looks like a miniature Christie Brinkley, is pretty flat and fails to make much of an impression. T.J. Miller does solid work as the prototypical loud mouth friend. Krysten Ritter does equally impressive as the female version of T.J. Miller character and both could have used a tad more screen time. A handful of inspired interactions make the film fun but nothing extraordinary. A fun little twist on the airport rom-com finale staple puts a nice little bow on this generic comedy.


C+

MOVIE REVIEW: THE INFORMANT!

Tuesday, March 09, 2010

ON DVD



THE INFORMANT!



A rising star in the agricultural industry suddenly turns whistleblower in hopes of gaining a lucrative promotion and becoming a hero of the common people, inadvertently revealing his penchant for helping himself to the corporate coffers and ultimately threatening to derail the very investigation he helped to launch in this offbeat comedy from Academy Award-winning director Steven Soderbergh. Mark Whitacre (Matt Damon) was fast rising through the ranks at agri-industry powerhouse Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) when he became savvy to the company's multinational price-fixing conspiracy, and decided to turn evidence for the FBI. Convinced that he'll be hailed as a hero of the people for his efforts, Whitacre agrees to wear a wire in order to gather the evidence needed to convict the greedy money-grabbers at ADM. Unfortunately, both the case -- and Whitacre's integrity -- are compromised when FBI agents become frustrated by their informant's ever-shifting account, and discover that he isn't exactly the saintly figure he made himself out to be. Unable to discern reality from Whitacre's fantasy as they struggle to build their case against ADM, the FBI watches in horror as the highest-ranking corporate bust in U.S. history threatens to implode before their very eyes. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide




Director: Steven Soderbergh

Cast: Matt Damon, Scott Bakula, Joel McHale, Melanie Lynskey, Rick Overton.

Release Date: Sep 18, 2009

Rated R for language

Runtime: 1 hr. 48 min.



Genres: Comedy, Crime Drama, Thriller




Review:




Steven Soderbergh’s The Informant! is the type of film that keeps you off balance but he does it in such a subtle way that you don’t know it till the end. Soderbergh’s film has a light and engaging feel that keeps you interested even with what seems like a fairly straight forward plot. Interesting visual and musical choices give this film a 70’s feel even though the entire thing takes place in the 90’s. His direction is organic and never forced something he’s perfected over the years. A hefty Matt Damon is equally impressive in the lead role as Mark Whitacre, giving the audience a real sense of the character’s state of mind and seemingly endless circular logic. Damon gives his a character an undeniable likability even as we find out more about him. Needless to say, he’s in top form here and he supported by a strong and if unexpected cast. Outside of Scott Bakula, the majority of the supporting players are made up of stand up comics in non comedic roles. It makes for an interesting effect and maintains the off balance sensibility of the overall film. Soderbergh’s approach may not be for every one especially people who are expecting a certain type of film going in but it’s hard to deny how clever and witty the overall construction of it is. It’s the type of film that requires repeated viewings to appreciate fully.


B+