Here's the recap of my 4 star movies:
Star Trek Into Darkness
Silver Linings Playbook
Hunger Games: Catching Fire
(can you tell I'm a Jennifer Lawrence fan?)
But there were others I saw that were worthy:
Lawrence of Arabia
Sunset Boulevard
Searching for Sugar Man
Rushmore
And worst of the year:
Jobs
Saving Mr. Banks
A Disney movie about Walt Disney himself, and P.L. Travers, author of Mary Poppins, has several aspects which make it distinctive:
It's a screwball comedy, about the English lady coming to see the smooth American,
it's a show-business "Making the Movie" story
it's a mystery: why does she so jealously guard Mary Poppins?,
it's a musical with new songs being written and performed,
it's a epic story of the Australian Outback frontier family.
All of this comes together, although with John Lee Hancock as the director, it can go on for a while - lots to fit in. Walt Disney wants the rights to film Mary Poppins and has for 20 years. But Travers guards them closely.
Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson are a good couple and there are stars a plenty. My favorite of course: Colin Farrell (again) as Travers Banks, P.L.'s father - who is the one who is part of the Saving.
* * * 1/2 - a good family movie
It's a screwball comedy, about the English lady coming to see the smooth American,
it's a show-business "Making the Movie" story
it's a mystery: why does she so jealously guard Mary Poppins?,
it's a musical with new songs being written and performed,
it's a epic story of the Australian Outback frontier family.
All of this comes together, although with John Lee Hancock as the director, it can go on for a while - lots to fit in. Walt Disney wants the rights to film Mary Poppins and has for 20 years. But Travers guards them closely.
Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson are a good couple and there are stars a plenty. My favorite of course: Colin Farrell (again) as Travers Banks, P.L.'s father - who is the one who is part of the Saving.
* * * 1/2 - a good family movie
American Hustle
"Some of this actually happened" is the disclaimer/warning at the beginning of this wannabe 70s movie. I say, wannabe, because it obviously is trying to catch the Sidney Lumet vibe of many of those great movies. In the end it is like a copy of a copy of a copy, somewhat faded, but you still can read the outlines.
The movie owes a lot to Argo, a modern movie about a 70s story. Christian Bale and Amy Adams are Irving and Edith, a pair of small-time swindlers. When they are busted by FBI agent, Bradley Cooper, they are brought in as bait for larger fish, in this case Mayor of Camden, NJ, Carmine Pilito and the rebirth of Atlantic City.
Director David O. Russell, fresh off the success of Silver Linings Playbook, has brought back his case of Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence and even an uncredited Robert DeNiro (wouldn't be a mob movie without him). Jennifer Lawrence is the modern day female version of Robert Duvall - every movie she is in is good. She steals the show as Irving's wife as the straw that stirs the drink. Unfortunately she has more a supporting part - more of her please.
Bradley Cooper plays the same character as always: the psychotic but charming ass. It worked in Silver Linings Playbook when he at least has the excuse of mental defect, but as an FBI agent, it is nearly silly: living with his mom, berating (and more) his boss (Louis C.K.). The train needs to leave this guy behind.
Christian Bale does a nice job as Irving. With this ensemble, it's hard to tell who the important characters are. Amy Adams is excellent as Lady Edith, using her sexuality to get ahead and reinvent herself. Irving is somewhat conflicted: he says that the Mayor is his best friend, but he sells him out early on.
In the end, the movie trys too hard to tell a story that probably didn't happen and ends up somewhat contrived.
* * * of 4
The nostalgia is evident in the costuming, hairstyles and set design. It is a more serious version of a movie just release but unworthy of a real review: Anchorman 2 ( 1 1/2 stars). The mutton chops, the three piece colored suits, the plaids. It is in both cases a little over the top.
The movie owes a lot to Argo, a modern movie about a 70s story. Christian Bale and Amy Adams are Irving and Edith, a pair of small-time swindlers. When they are busted by FBI agent, Bradley Cooper, they are brought in as bait for larger fish, in this case Mayor of Camden, NJ, Carmine Pilito and the rebirth of Atlantic City.
Director David O. Russell, fresh off the success of Silver Linings Playbook, has brought back his case of Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence and even an uncredited Robert DeNiro (wouldn't be a mob movie without him). Jennifer Lawrence is the modern day female version of Robert Duvall - every movie she is in is good. She steals the show as Irving's wife as the straw that stirs the drink. Unfortunately she has more a supporting part - more of her please.
Bradley Cooper plays the same character as always: the psychotic but charming ass. It worked in Silver Linings Playbook when he at least has the excuse of mental defect, but as an FBI agent, it is nearly silly: living with his mom, berating (and more) his boss (Louis C.K.). The train needs to leave this guy behind.
Christian Bale does a nice job as Irving. With this ensemble, it's hard to tell who the important characters are. Amy Adams is excellent as Lady Edith, using her sexuality to get ahead and reinvent herself. Irving is somewhat conflicted: he says that the Mayor is his best friend, but he sells him out early on.
In the end, the movie trys too hard to tell a story that probably didn't happen and ends up somewhat contrived.
* * * of 4
The nostalgia is evident in the costuming, hairstyles and set design. It is a more serious version of a movie just release but unworthy of a real review: Anchorman 2 ( 1 1/2 stars). The mutton chops, the three piece colored suits, the plaids. It is in both cases a little over the top.
Upcoming reviews
Within the next week, I plan to have reviews for:
Anchorman 2
American Hustle
Hobbit 2: Desolation of Smaug
Interesting I read of these last two being different various of a heist movie. Clever!
Anchorman 2
American Hustle
Hobbit 2: Desolation of Smaug
Interesting I read of these last two being different various of a heist movie. Clever!
Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Fresh off a victory in the Hunger Games, our heroine Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) just wants to be home with family. But the Powers that Be demand that she and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) go on a victory tour and keep up the illusion of their love. But as they go through the districts, their consciences get the better of them and their guilt for participating in killing as well as their desire not to continue the reaping means that they must be eliminated.
Enter the Hunger Games All Stars. All former winners are to square off against each other. So much for the spoils of victory. The chances of Katniss and Peeta both surviving agains are very slim. Even Haymich is to participate (Woody Harrelson).
The games scenes in the jungles of Hawaii were very reminiscent of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi and even has a Yoda-like character, as well as Princess Leia, Luke, Hans Solo, Darth Maul, and even Lando Calrissian.
A very servicable Part II to this good story.
* * * * of 4
One of the few movies this year that I saw twice.
Enter the Hunger Games All Stars. All former winners are to square off against each other. So much for the spoils of victory. The chances of Katniss and Peeta both surviving agains are very slim. Even Haymich is to participate (Woody Harrelson).
The games scenes in the jungles of Hawaii were very reminiscent of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi and even has a Yoda-like character, as well as Princess Leia, Luke, Hans Solo, Darth Maul, and even Lando Calrissian.
A very servicable Part II to this good story.
* * * * of 4
One of the few movies this year that I saw twice.
Ender's Game
Ender Wiggins is the chosen one but he doesn't know it yet. After all, he's only 13 years old. An unlikely savior - did I use that word?
Ender is a schoolboy dealing with various social rejection/bullying aspects. When he fights back in a noticable manner, he is identified as a candidate for special military training. The World As We Know It is under potential attack, explained in a Star-Wars-type historical overview.
To further the Star Wars aspect, Harrison Ford plays a combination of Obi Wan Kenobi/Yoda/Darth Vader as the General of the training forces. He pushes Ender in many situations, all designed to test his mettle.
But Ender as noted is only 13 years old. He's looking for acceptance, friendship and growth, and not constant conflict. There are opportunities to turn back, or is that illusory? Everything is programs to see how Ender will react under stress.
The author Orson Scott Card is of the LDS Church and much of the symbolism reminded me of a Mormon influence: the persecution, the trek to a new land, the legendary leader/fighter Mazer Rackhoff (Ben Kingsley, in the best role).
Large themes of children warriors, mind control and the price of war make this complicated but thoughtful plot a good watch.
* * *
Ender is a schoolboy dealing with various social rejection/bullying aspects. When he fights back in a noticable manner, he is identified as a candidate for special military training. The World As We Know It is under potential attack, explained in a Star-Wars-type historical overview.
To further the Star Wars aspect, Harrison Ford plays a combination of Obi Wan Kenobi/Yoda/Darth Vader as the General of the training forces. He pushes Ender in many situations, all designed to test his mettle.
But Ender as noted is only 13 years old. He's looking for acceptance, friendship and growth, and not constant conflict. There are opportunities to turn back, or is that illusory? Everything is programs to see how Ender will react under stress.
The author Orson Scott Card is of the LDS Church and much of the symbolism reminded me of a Mormon influence: the persecution, the trek to a new land, the legendary leader/fighter Mazer Rackhoff (Ben Kingsley, in the best role).
Large themes of children warriors, mind control and the price of war make this complicated but thoughtful plot a good watch.
* * *
Enough Said
Another RomCom about a man and two women - his ex-wife and his girlfriend. But the strength here is the third woman, his 18 year old daughter, and his relationship with her. Because that makes this movie much deeper.
First the romance and the comedy. Julia Louis - Dreyfus plays Eva a massage therapist who may or may not be looking for love. She finds both at a party where she meets her new best friend Sarah as well as Eva's soon to be new boyfriend Albert (James Gandolfini). Who knew that Sarah and Albert used to be married? When Eva finds this out, she spends the rest of the movie trying to cover it up, with predictable results.
Albert is pretty well over his ex, but Eva seems to try and pick out what went wrong, as if she wants to find things wrong with Albert. On the surface, that's not too hard (physical, particularities, and such).
But Albert is a more grounded man than that as related to his daughter Tess. Some good things:
When Eva notices another woman's expensive purse, Albert tells her it is his daughter's, a present for her 18th birthday. Now Eva is doubly jealous.
When Eva asks where is Albert's car, he says that Tess car had to go in the shop and she has a loaner. Why isn't Tess driving the loaner? Well, Tess likes Albert's car better.
Sarah bashes Albert for wanting to take Tess to the airport to go to college.
When the reveal comes for the farce, Albert is most bothered by the fast that it happened in front of Tess.
Finally a movie where the dad is not the clueless imbecile when it comes to children. As a result we see Eva as much more childlike, jealous of the other teenagers, wanting to be their friend, the permissive mom. She nitpicks as to Albert because he is an adult, and she is trying to become one (speaking up about the table for example).
* * 1/2 but James Gandolfini might be a Heath Ledger effect come Oscar time.
First the romance and the comedy. Julia Louis - Dreyfus plays Eva a massage therapist who may or may not be looking for love. She finds both at a party where she meets her new best friend Sarah as well as Eva's soon to be new boyfriend Albert (James Gandolfini). Who knew that Sarah and Albert used to be married? When Eva finds this out, she spends the rest of the movie trying to cover it up, with predictable results.
Albert is pretty well over his ex, but Eva seems to try and pick out what went wrong, as if she wants to find things wrong with Albert. On the surface, that's not too hard (physical, particularities, and such).
But Albert is a more grounded man than that as related to his daughter Tess. Some good things:
When Eva notices another woman's expensive purse, Albert tells her it is his daughter's, a present for her 18th birthday. Now Eva is doubly jealous.
When Eva asks where is Albert's car, he says that Tess car had to go in the shop and she has a loaner. Why isn't Tess driving the loaner? Well, Tess likes Albert's car better.
Sarah bashes Albert for wanting to take Tess to the airport to go to college.
When the reveal comes for the farce, Albert is most bothered by the fast that it happened in front of Tess.
Finally a movie where the dad is not the clueless imbecile when it comes to children. As a result we see Eva as much more childlike, jealous of the other teenagers, wanting to be their friend, the permissive mom. She nitpicks as to Albert because he is an adult, and she is trying to become one (speaking up about the table for example).
* * 1/2 but James Gandolfini might be a Heath Ledger effect come Oscar time.
The Counselor
Cormac McCarthy wrote this screenplay and it gives this Narco cautionary tale an Old West feel. The El Paso/ Juarez setting adds to the Tex/Mex mix. And the Ridley Scott direction makes it an interesting visual mix of the bleak and the bling.
Michael Fassbender is Counselor, which is what everyone calls him. He's a lawyer in El Paso and seems to have it all: pretty fiancee (Penelope Cruz), nice Bentley, everyone's buddy. But he's either already decided or decided a long time ago to go into the drug business himself. The other Narcos, Javier Bardem and Brad Pitt try to generally talk him out of it but Counselor doesn't seem too worried. But when he as attorney gets mixed up with the Green Hornet, all hell breaks loose.
The movie starts a bit slow, but picks up a little speed once the plot gets figured out. Needless to say it is not about the mishaps but rather how the experience changes the Counselor. Lots of plot jumps and figuring out characters makes it similar to some very outstanding movies: Pulp Fiction, Drive, No Country for Old Men, Crash.
* * * 1/2 of 4
Michael Fassbender is Counselor, which is what everyone calls him. He's a lawyer in El Paso and seems to have it all: pretty fiancee (Penelope Cruz), nice Bentley, everyone's buddy. But he's either already decided or decided a long time ago to go into the drug business himself. The other Narcos, Javier Bardem and Brad Pitt try to generally talk him out of it but Counselor doesn't seem too worried. But when he as attorney gets mixed up with the Green Hornet, all hell breaks loose.
The movie starts a bit slow, but picks up a little speed once the plot gets figured out. Needless to say it is not about the mishaps but rather how the experience changes the Counselor. Lots of plot jumps and figuring out characters makes it similar to some very outstanding movies: Pulp Fiction, Drive, No Country for Old Men, Crash.
* * * 1/2 of 4
Don Jon
A love story... about a man and himself. Joseph Gordon-Levitt has taken quite a twist on the romantic comedy by interjecting some unspoken social mores into the familiar story arc. Will the real life woman win out in the end, or will the imaginary lover never let him down?
My ride, my pad, my boys, my girls, my porn. That is Jon's mantra for his single life. He's the Don - Don Jon. He trolls the club with his buddies to find a suitable hookup, and he is usually successful. He loves them and leaves them because real women are just too messy for his tidy slice of life. He'd rather find a good video online and rub one out.
But when he meets Barbara (a dime, a 10, Scarlett Johannson of course) he falls for her and seeks to make her his own. But just when he seems to succeed, she catches him in flagrante with himself. As if on cue, she's out the slamming door. And Jon has a decision to make.
The filmmaking adds to the familiar story with the repeat visual shots: Jon walking into the gym, Jon lifting, Jon walking into church, his sister texting. She's a pretty cool character.
And there is a lot of familiar movie nods: The dad in the strap t-shirt (Tony Danza), the movie-within-a movie (just like in Friends with Benefits, another sexually charged Rom-Com), the comedic confessional, the browser history.
This was unexpected - I didn't expect the romantic move angle to be tracked/skewered with the porn affection to be the "other woman". It worked. An improvement could have been to move a bit further from the traditional Rom-Com but perhaps that is what makes it as good as it is.
* * * of 4
My ride, my pad, my boys, my girls, my porn. That is Jon's mantra for his single life. He's the Don - Don Jon. He trolls the club with his buddies to find a suitable hookup, and he is usually successful. He loves them and leaves them because real women are just too messy for his tidy slice of life. He'd rather find a good video online and rub one out.
But when he meets Barbara (a dime, a 10, Scarlett Johannson of course) he falls for her and seeks to make her his own. But just when he seems to succeed, she catches him in flagrante with himself. As if on cue, she's out the slamming door. And Jon has a decision to make.
The filmmaking adds to the familiar story with the repeat visual shots: Jon walking into the gym, Jon lifting, Jon walking into church, his sister texting. She's a pretty cool character.
And there is a lot of familiar movie nods: The dad in the strap t-shirt (Tony Danza), the movie-within-a movie (just like in Friends with Benefits, another sexually charged Rom-Com), the comedic confessional, the browser history.
This was unexpected - I didn't expect the romantic move angle to be tracked/skewered with the porn affection to be the "other woman". It worked. An improvement could have been to move a bit further from the traditional Rom-Com but perhaps that is what makes it as good as it is.
* * * of 4
Ender's Game - November 1
Harrison Ford knows a few things about being a space pilot who has trouble following orders:
Rushmore
You had me at hello. In the first scene at the prep school Rushmore Academy, Bill Murray is giving a talk to the class. As I looked at it, I thought "that looks like St. John the Divine Episcopal Church in Houston", my church in the 90s. The next scene looking back, yes that's looks like it. The next scene, coming out of the chapel where I was married, Perfect!
Jason Schwartzmann plays Max who is a student at Rushmore. He's the model student when it comes to extracurriculars, but is otherwise doesn't apply himself in the books or with the social scene. Perhaps that is because he is somewhat happy just to be there, as a son of a barber on scholarship. He is embarrassed enough about this to lie and make up stories about his family. His mother is dead and he is an only child.
He impresses Bill Murray, who is Herman, the father of 2 other students, enough that they become friends. Max also is smitten with a teacher, Ms. Cross and tries desperately and somewhat effectively to ingratiate himself. She ends up associating with Herman, much to Max's dismay and Max ends up getting kicked out of Rushmore and enrolling at Grover Cleveland H.S. which is quite the fish-out-of-water experience.
Directed and written by Wes Anderson, it is a template for later high school indie films like Juno & Napoleon Dynamite which of course is high praise. The student/teacher adult-level dynamic also reminded me of another good high school film, Election.
You'll note than none of these are coming of age, boner comedies, like American Pie, Porky's and such. More cerebral.
Excellent * * * * (highest)
Jason Schwartzmann plays Max who is a student at Rushmore. He's the model student when it comes to extracurriculars, but is otherwise doesn't apply himself in the books or with the social scene. Perhaps that is because he is somewhat happy just to be there, as a son of a barber on scholarship. He is embarrassed enough about this to lie and make up stories about his family. His mother is dead and he is an only child.
He impresses Bill Murray, who is Herman, the father of 2 other students, enough that they become friends. Max also is smitten with a teacher, Ms. Cross and tries desperately and somewhat effectively to ingratiate himself. She ends up associating with Herman, much to Max's dismay and Max ends up getting kicked out of Rushmore and enrolling at Grover Cleveland H.S. which is quite the fish-out-of-water experience.
Directed and written by Wes Anderson, it is a template for later high school indie films like Juno & Napoleon Dynamite which of course is high praise. The student/teacher adult-level dynamic also reminded me of another good high school film, Election.
You'll note than none of these are coming of age, boner comedies, like American Pie, Porky's and such. More cerebral.
Excellent * * * * (highest)
Don Jon - opens Sept 27
Cousin Jon said he is looking forward to this. With Scarlett Johansson, it should be fun to watch.
Read the Review
Read the Review
The Way Way Back
The title of this movie is a key to its storytelling. The story by its unfolding makes it hard to pick when the story is set. There's 80s music, 70s cars, 90s beach settings and cell phones. Liam James plays Duncan the 14 year old son of _Pam (Toni Collette). He's a complete loser from our initial meeting and is treated as such by everyone around him, including himself. To escape this familial hell that is forced on him via beach vacation, he takes off and finds... Water Wizz, a blue-collar water park.
There he finds a new family, Sam Rockwell as Owen, the father figure, Maya Rudolph as the mom and everyone else as the extended family. Being hired to work at Water Wizz gives him a nice escape all day from the drama at home.
Steve Carrel plays the evil stepfather (so to speak) as the potential new dad. Of course he proves himself to be completely unworthy in all respects. Has there every been a movie when the stepfather IS worthy? Note that usually the real father in these movies is conveniently dead or otherwise missing.
A nice little Indie coming of age movie. I thought it was more of merger of memories into a dream. That's why it seemed like the different places in time all came together.
* * *
Blue Jasmine
In the Pantheon of Great Female Lead Crack-Ups, along with Scarlett O'Hara and Gloria Swanson, the character Jasmine might think she should be included. But alas, she overplayed her hand and goes Full Retard. And that unfortunately is an automatic DQ.
Cate Blanchett plays Jasmine whose world has crumbled from her New York society life after her husband Hal was discovered to be... Bernie Madoff. So she loses everything (somehow) and has to move to San Francisco to live with her sister Ginger (Sally Hawkins).
It's sort of a Sex in the City after the financial meltdown. The shell remains (or rather the Chanel) but the spirit is gone, if there was any to begin with. Jasmine drinks and pops prescription pills so often and reflexively that you can't appreciate if the mental illness is real or just a prop.
Men are Slime of course here. They're either cheaters, or ineffective and abusive, or wimps, or unambititious, or dupes. Ginger's two children are window dressing, used primarily as a Greek chorus to further the beginning of the story.
Hard to say how this can be more than the Ruth Madoff Story with the specificness of Jasmine's demise.
* * 1/2
Cate Blanchett plays Jasmine whose world has crumbled from her New York society life after her husband Hal was discovered to be... Bernie Madoff. So she loses everything (somehow) and has to move to San Francisco to live with her sister Ginger (Sally Hawkins).
It's sort of a Sex in the City after the financial meltdown. The shell remains (or rather the Chanel) but the spirit is gone, if there was any to begin with. Jasmine drinks and pops prescription pills so often and reflexively that you can't appreciate if the mental illness is real or just a prop.
Men are Slime of course here. They're either cheaters, or ineffective and abusive, or wimps, or unambititious, or dupes. Ginger's two children are window dressing, used primarily as a Greek chorus to further the beginning of the story.
Hard to say how this can be more than the Ruth Madoff Story with the specificness of Jasmine's demise.
* * 1/2
Jobs - Keep Looking
Unlike the Great Gatsby, here is an example of a great book turning into... a terrible movie.
Believe me, I was as surprised as anyone.
I can't blame it on Ashton Kutcher. He's got the voice, the barefoot look, even affects an unusual walk on the many walking scenes (that couldn't have come accidentally, slight hunched, leaning forward). He does the monologues well.
But the hagiographic Citizen Kane approach does not work with this LBJ-esque character of good and bad personality strands working together. You just can't appreciate the backlit, worshipful approach in a business setting. It doesn't help that there are no other strong characters - they're all just fodder for Jobs to run over.
Now, this is a strong comparison to make to the Social Network (another unlikeable successful tech mogul running over the competition). But there was interesting dialogue, strong competing characters and, in its best line "The people at Facebook are back in the offices doing things that no one in this room is capable of. Does that answer your condescending question?"
* 1/2 of 4 (Lowest rating of 2013 so far)
Believe me, I was as surprised as anyone.
I can't blame it on Ashton Kutcher. He's got the voice, the barefoot look, even affects an unusual walk on the many walking scenes (that couldn't have come accidentally, slight hunched, leaning forward). He does the monologues well.
But the hagiographic Citizen Kane approach does not work with this LBJ-esque character of good and bad personality strands working together. You just can't appreciate the backlit, worshipful approach in a business setting. It doesn't help that there are no other strong characters - they're all just fodder for Jobs to run over.
Now, this is a strong comparison to make to the Social Network (another unlikeable successful tech mogul running over the competition). But there was interesting dialogue, strong competing characters and, in its best line "The people at Facebook are back in the offices doing things that no one in this room is capable of. Does that answer your condescending question?"
* 1/2 of 4 (Lowest rating of 2013 so far)
Elysium
In the year 2154, there exists two "worlds", our Earth (still hot, flat and crowded) and Elysium which is the ultimate bedroom community, just a 20 minute shuttle ride from Earth. On Elysium, it is like Stepford, with golf courses, nice houses, no crime and these neat Med Pods, which you put yourself into and get healed of whatever ails you.
Needless to say there is some dissension between the inhabitants of these two worlds and Elysium does a good job of keeping out the undesirables. Jodie Foster plays the Dick Cheney of Elysium, the Vice President who tells the President what to do. Matt Damon is a loveable loser on Earth, working a factory job. When he suffers a "health mishap", he become desperate to get to Elysium for healing. To patch himself up, he gets outfitted with an exoskeleton courtesy of his Q, Spider. Did I say Spider Man?
Directed by Neill Blomkquist of South Africa, we have graphic reminders of not only apartheid South Africa but also the gaps between the haves and have-nots in our world. The military shuttles of Elysium are painted with Springboks and what appear to be Republic of South Africa flags.
The real star of the show is Sharlto Copley who plays Kruger, the enforcer against the Earthlings. Looks bad, acts bad and sounds... great! What an accent! He's a bad dude and is a good villain against Matt Damon.
The dystopian future takes a new twist with the version of Elysium. It certainly sounds plausible which makes this a cross between futurism and science fiction. Lots of nods to Total Recall as well as Iron Man. In the end, the movie can't decide if it is a dark future movie or new action hero. It works best as the dark future movie.
* * * of 4
Needless to say there is some dissension between the inhabitants of these two worlds and Elysium does a good job of keeping out the undesirables. Jodie Foster plays the Dick Cheney of Elysium, the Vice President who tells the President what to do. Matt Damon is a loveable loser on Earth, working a factory job. When he suffers a "health mishap", he become desperate to get to Elysium for healing. To patch himself up, he gets outfitted with an exoskeleton courtesy of his Q, Spider. Did I say Spider Man?
Directed by Neill Blomkquist of South Africa, we have graphic reminders of not only apartheid South Africa but also the gaps between the haves and have-nots in our world. The military shuttles of Elysium are painted with Springboks and what appear to be Republic of South Africa flags.
The real star of the show is Sharlto Copley who plays Kruger, the enforcer against the Earthlings. Looks bad, acts bad and sounds... great! What an accent! He's a bad dude and is a good villain against Matt Damon.
The dystopian future takes a new twist with the version of Elysium. It certainly sounds plausible which makes this a cross between futurism and science fiction. Lots of nods to Total Recall as well as Iron Man. In the end, the movie can't decide if it is a dark future movie or new action hero. It works best as the dark future movie.
* * * of 4
American Hustle - opens Dec. 25
Starts December 25 - starring Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence. Directed by David O. Russell.
Sounds like a good follow-up to Silver Linings Playbook
http://gma.yahoo.com/video/exclusive-look-american-hustle-011836837.html?vp=1
Sounds like a good follow-up to Silver Linings Playbook
http://gma.yahoo.com/video/exclusive-look-american-hustle-011836837.html?vp=1
The Conjuring
I had heard this was a "true story" along the lines of the Amityville Horror. When I was in the 8th grade, I recall reading the book and it was one you couldn't put down. At one point I was pretty scared and noticed that it was 2 a.m. and I was the only one up in the house. Good thing there were no ghosts in that house.
In The Conjuring, the house (set) just looks like it was custom-made for ghosts. Why anyone would live there is beyond me. I kept hoping for an interesting plot twist like in Cabin in the Woods but alas none was coming.
I read recently that humans are instinctively scared of loud noises and that is used to good effect in this movie. The clapping is used with good effect. I was glad that I was in a theater of other people rather than poking around a dark cellar. Why do people do that?
The Amityville angle is kind of like in the book - there's a place in the house where bad things happened. And they throw in a rip-off of the Exorcist. I'd hoped they would add a religious angle to it but... this is Hollywood. That would have helped a lot.
* * of 4
In The Conjuring, the house (set) just looks like it was custom-made for ghosts. Why anyone would live there is beyond me. I kept hoping for an interesting plot twist like in Cabin in the Woods but alas none was coming.
I read recently that humans are instinctively scared of loud noises and that is used to good effect in this movie. The clapping is used with good effect. I was glad that I was in a theater of other people rather than poking around a dark cellar. Why do people do that?
The Amityville angle is kind of like in the book - there's a place in the house where bad things happened. And they throw in a rip-off of the Exorcist. I'd hoped they would add a religious angle to it but... this is Hollywood. That would have helped a lot.
* * of 4
Grown Ups 2
This is the first Adam Sandler movie that is a
sequel. Unless you consider that
basically every movie he’s every done is a sequel of a Man-child (Billy
Madison) with a beautiful wife/girlfriend (Just Go With It) and his goofy
friends (Steve Buscemi and Allen Covert) in a Northern town (Mr. Deeds) seeking
to relive their youth (Grown Ups). Don’t
fix it if it ain’t broke is his motto.
Our hero finds himself just a few months after moving
back to his hometown basically doing what a Man-child does: not much, hanging around K-Mart, walking
around town, hanging out with his friends and their parents.
The other Men-children are along for the ride: Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade. The movie gets slow to start then the second
half is filling with a ridiculously –themed 80s party (Wedding Singer).
Something to see if you’ve got not much else going on
this summer.
** of 4
Only God Forgives - opens 7/19
By the team that brought you Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn and Ryan Gosling - this one set in Bangkok
The Lone Ranger
It's tough to take a genre like the American Western and reinvent it. So much history and so little room for imagination. The Lone Ranger does a pretty good job of it. $225 Million in special effects wtih ILM helps a lot.
The movie is told a flashback by Tonto who is in a diorama straight out of A Night at the Museum. A boy (a real live Woody) asks "I thought the Lone Ranger was a good guy". And so the story starts with a meet-cute on a speeding train between Tonto (Johnny Depp) and John Cane (Armie Hammer).
To its credit/detriment, there are many nods to the John Ford era of The Searchers, including being smack-dab in the middle of Monument Valley. The Indian Raids are taking a toll on the white settlers. A posse must be formed. They walk right into the valley next to a mountain....
And the fun begins. The evil villian must be tamed by a superhero. Quick, put on this mask! Disney tries hard to make the Lone Ranger a western Batman but with mixed results. The monologue-ing, the unwillingness to kill, the secret identity, it just does not quite translate to the anything goes era of westward expansion, Indian removal, gunfighting and carousing. So no deeper meanings here
This one is all about the special effects and the fast pace which make for a good ride. In fact, the next Disney ride into the cave is already previewed here. Look for it soon in Orlando.
* * * of 4
White House Down
It was a hot summer Friday night... what else to do but see an action movie with two Class II leads ? (sorry guys)
Turns out that Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx may be moving up to Tom Cruise/Bruce Willis bucks after White House Down. Foxx is President Swanson who is casually interacting with Channing Tatum (John Cale) and his daugther Emily Cale on a White House tour when a group of (white) terrorists [is there really such a thing?] blow shit up and take everyone in this White House hostage.
Little do they know that Hell hath no fury like a father's love. Wait, haven't we seen this movie before? (Die Hard, Patriot Games, Death Wish). Some serious ass kicking and name taking ensues, with a major supporting role of the military hardware of Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Browning, and so forth. Helicopters, machine guns, missiles, bombs and more. Tom Clancy would be proud.
Because the premise lies on the White House tour, there is also an educational aspect to this like in National Treasure or the Da Vinci Code. See what you did and did not know about the White House.
* * * [much better than expected and holds your attention well for the 135 minutes]
Monsters University
"It's like an Animated Animal House" were the last words I heard before going. With a sendoff like that, I expected great things. In return, I received good G-rated things.
No keg stands, no bong hits, no one-night stands, no suicides, no arrests, no puking, no skipping class, and so forth. But lots of cute monsters.
One character stood out, Dean Hardscrabble [nee Wormer] who actually WAS a scary monster, like a pteradactyl. Even being nice, she (Helen Mirren) was a formidable character. Quite a difference from the Pixar universe.
Mike (Billy Crystal) and Sully (John Goodman) are 18 year old frosh at Monsters University in the Scaring School. They are finding their way and become interested in the fraternity life. There are the cool kids and the nerdy kids. Guess who goes where?
Like in Cars, the college backdrop was a mashup of other universities. I thought I noticed Berkeley a lot with a dose of Nassau Hall at Princeton.
Ultimately it was more kids movie than college movie. What did I expect anyway?
* * 1/2
No keg stands, no bong hits, no one-night stands, no suicides, no arrests, no puking, no skipping class, and so forth. But lots of cute monsters.
One character stood out, Dean Hardscrabble [nee Wormer] who actually WAS a scary monster, like a pteradactyl. Even being nice, she (Helen Mirren) was a formidable character. Quite a difference from the Pixar universe.
Mike (Billy Crystal) and Sully (John Goodman) are 18 year old frosh at Monsters University in the Scaring School. They are finding their way and become interested in the fraternity life. There are the cool kids and the nerdy kids. Guess who goes where?
Like in Cars, the college backdrop was a mashup of other universities. I thought I noticed Berkeley a lot with a dose of Nassau Hall at Princeton.
Ultimately it was more kids movie than college movie. What did I expect anyway?
* * 1/2
Jobs - release date is August 16
If this is half as good as the book Steve Jobs, it should be excellent:
Man of Steel
The Dark Knight team tackled the Superman franchise and had
some fun sinking their teeth into a time we don't know much about: the
young adult years. And when you fill in the holes, you have a lot of
fictional room to run in.
Clark Kent is aware of his power but his father Jonathan
keeps encouraging him to wait to use it. Somehow, Clark
searching for his real parents, makes his way to the North Pole where he
encounters the Jor-El hologram who, in an Emperor Palpatine way, tells him of
the history of Krypton.
No Lex Luthor here but the new villain is General Zad from
Krypton. There's a lot of characters whose name we don't quite find
out: who cares about Jenny right? We're too busy paying attention
to Lois Lane (nicely done by Amy Adams), Clark, the Kents and of course Perry
White, the editor.
With something as all-American as Superman, this movie takes
a familiar twist and flavors it up. It still owes a lot to Spider Man,
Iron Man and even the Iron Giant.
This Is the End
Taking the concept of playing the same character, this movie stars Seth Rogen as..... Seth Rogen, James Franco as James Franco and so on.... Jonah Hill... Jay Baruchel....Danny McBride.... Craig Robinson.
After a party at James' house, the Rapture begins coupled with an earthquake and zombie attack. The group holes up in a weed-induced paranoia. Since the characters play themselves, it quickly becomes a spoof on anything they've every done. With a bit of Rocky Horror camp thrown it.
Not much to this movie. It did keep me out of the heat today. So for a summer escape,
* * of 4
On second review, there actually WAS something to this movie. What are your thoughts on this
story about the "rape jokes"?
After a party at James' house, the Rapture begins coupled with an earthquake and zombie attack. The group holes up in a weed-induced paranoia. Since the characters play themselves, it quickly becomes a spoof on anything they've every done. With a bit of Rocky Horror camp thrown it.
Not much to this movie. It did keep me out of the heat today. So for a summer escape,
* * of 4
On second review, there actually WAS something to this movie. What are your thoughts on this
story about the "rape jokes"?
The Internship
At first I thought the multiple 80s references in this movie (for example, Flashdance ) was to highlight the age differences between the characters who get an internship at Google with a lot of younger people. Then I realized, "Hey, this IS an 80s movie".
Think of a 21st century version of Meatballs, or Revenge of the Nerds, or Mr. Mom, set in Silicon Valley. Throw it a bit of Back to School as well. Mix it up and you've got the Internship. Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson play Billy and Nick, who after getting laid off as salesmen (they're a team, like in Wedding Crashers), have to reinvent themselves. They enroll at the University of Phoenix to get a Google internship. After Google takes a flyer on them, the interns are grouped into competitive teams. Of course no one wants to be with the old guys so they end up with a bunch of misfits. The nerdiest of the nerds.
Everyone learns a little from everyone else. Like a steeltown girl on a Saturday night, they just keep trying.
* * *
Think of a 21st century version of Meatballs, or Revenge of the Nerds, or Mr. Mom, set in Silicon Valley. Throw it a bit of Back to School as well. Mix it up and you've got the Internship. Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson play Billy and Nick, who after getting laid off as salesmen (they're a team, like in Wedding Crashers), have to reinvent themselves. They enroll at the University of Phoenix to get a Google internship. After Google takes a flyer on them, the interns are grouped into competitive teams. Of course no one wants to be with the old guys so they end up with a bunch of misfits. The nerdiest of the nerds.
Everyone learns a little from everyone else. Like a steeltown girl on a Saturday night, they just keep trying.
* * *
Now You See Me
Using magic to rob banks - an unusual premise but it comes together, thanks to Las Vegas. Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson and Isla Fisher and Dave Franco are the Four Horsemen, a group of magicians brought together for a big heist in Las Vegas. If that sounds like Ocean's Eleven, then you are correct, Sir!
The big cast, the bright lights and the glamour of the Vegas show are good points for the movie. David Copperfield was a consultant on the movie and it shows.
Of course, no heist would be complete without the dogged FBI agent, played by Mark Ruffalo and his beautiful sidekick from Interpol Melanie Laurent. Another interesting character is Morgan Freeman whose livelihood is to debunk magic tricks. So both the police and this author have an interest in solving the mystery.
Another movie this reminded me of was the Da Vinci Code, another mystery wrapped around a heist. There's also a European flavor here with the Interpol angle.
* * * 1/2
The big cast, the bright lights and the glamour of the Vegas show are good points for the movie. David Copperfield was a consultant on the movie and it shows.
Of course, no heist would be complete without the dogged FBI agent, played by Mark Ruffalo and his beautiful sidekick from Interpol Melanie Laurent. Another interesting character is Morgan Freeman whose livelihood is to debunk magic tricks. So both the police and this author have an interest in solving the mystery.
Another movie this reminded me of was the Da Vinci Code, another mystery wrapped around a heist. There's also a European flavor here with the Interpol angle.
* * * 1/2
Star Trek Into Darkness
With J.J. Abrams as director becoming a household name, expectations were high for STID. Abrams had already been tapped to direct the next 3 Star Wars. Some have been concerned that two American icons were too much for one person *. But this time, it was the right man for the job.
Kirk and Spock return (2009 Star Trek style) fresh out of the academy and on their first ship with Kirk in command. While exporing a new planet, Spock gets left behind. Kirk (Mr. Emotion) must not leave Spock (Mr. Logical) behind. While leaving they expose the USS Enterprise to the natives which is a breach of protocol. Kirk is stripped of his command and is upset that Spock had thought that Kirk did violate protocol and should have left him behind.
With help from a mentor, Kirk gets back into the game to go search for Khan who has committed a 9/11 style explosion. A special torpedo is loaded on the new Enterprise which is supposed to be used to destroy. Khan surrenders however and comes on board as a prisoner to go back to the home base.
If I've told more of the plot than normal, its because there is a lot going on here and it is a challenge to keep up with all of it.
There a lots of visual references to Star Wars (1977) and The Empire Strikes Back. Keep an eye out for the bar scenes, the hallway running, shooting the gap while flying, and so on. The Vulcan/Human aspect is another nice contrast.
* * * * (highest)
Kirk and Spock return (2009 Star Trek style) fresh out of the academy and on their first ship with Kirk in command. While exporing a new planet, Spock gets left behind. Kirk (Mr. Emotion) must not leave Spock (Mr. Logical) behind. While leaving they expose the USS Enterprise to the natives which is a breach of protocol. Kirk is stripped of his command and is upset that Spock had thought that Kirk did violate protocol and should have left him behind.
With help from a mentor, Kirk gets back into the game to go search for Khan who has committed a 9/11 style explosion. A special torpedo is loaded on the new Enterprise which is supposed to be used to destroy. Khan surrenders however and comes on board as a prisoner to go back to the home base.
If I've told more of the plot than normal, its because there is a lot going on here and it is a challenge to keep up with all of it.
There a lots of visual references to Star Wars (1977) and The Empire Strikes Back. Keep an eye out for the bar scenes, the hallway running, shooting the gap while flying, and so on. The Vulcan/Human aspect is another nice contrast.
* * * * (highest)
Hangover Part III
Fear of Missing Out: that's what drove me to Hangover Part III. You liked the first one, gave #2 a chance, why not see #3?
No need to recall the cast... everyone is here again. This time Alan is starting to wig out, so the gang is drafted to drive him to a rehab facility in Arizona. Detours ensue, and they wind up in Mexico. The star has morphed from Zach Galifianikis to Ken Jeong. Amazing how he took a bit part and made the most of it.
One good thing about Part III is that it falls into parody of itself as well as other movies: Midnight Cowboy, as well as every Mexico movie you've ever seen. Even a nice dead body in the pool a la Sunset Boulevard.
Interestingly, the original Hangover was on TV tonight, and it was amazing how fresh it still seemed.
* * 1/2
No need to recall the cast... everyone is here again. This time Alan is starting to wig out, so the gang is drafted to drive him to a rehab facility in Arizona. Detours ensue, and they wind up in Mexico. The star has morphed from Zach Galifianikis to Ken Jeong. Amazing how he took a bit part and made the most of it.
One good thing about Part III is that it falls into parody of itself as well as other movies: Midnight Cowboy, as well as every Mexico movie you've ever seen. Even a nice dead body in the pool a la Sunset Boulevard.
Interestingly, the original Hangover was on TV tonight, and it was amazing how fresh it still seemed.
* * 1/2
Midnight Now Starts at 10 p.m.
Just like a million dollars ain't what it used to be, a midnight movie is not the same either. Checking my local screenings, I have been seeing and wondering why a movie set to open on Friday, May 24 (e.g. Fast and Furious 6) starts at 10 p.m.
Here's the answer: Dark Knight Rises midnight movie shooting. People don't want to be out so late. Plus as the article states, theaters like it because of reduced operating costs. Studios like it because it juices the opening weekend numbers. Win/Win
Here's the answer: Dark Knight Rises midnight movie shooting. People don't want to be out so late. Plus as the article states, theaters like it because of reduced operating costs. Studios like it because it juices the opening weekend numbers. Win/Win
The Great Gatsby
Start with a book considered to be one of the best American novels ever. Try and make a great movie. Use all resources necessary. Don't screw it up.
With that criteria, the 2013 version of the Great Gatsby is a success. Thanks in part to the resources throw at it: Leonard Di Caprio as the leading man, Jay Z as executive producer, Industrial Light & Magic for the CGI. I can hear the studio exec: This better be good....
Tobey Maguire plays Nick Carraway, the young stuggling bond salesman, who leases a house for the summer next to the mysterious Gatsby in West Egg. No one has seen Gatsby, but he does throw a heck of a party. When the reveal comes, the two match up and Gatsby of course reveals his interest in Daisy Buchanan (Tom's cousin) who lives right across the bay in East Egg.
Suffice to say, I shouldn't have to tell the entire story: read the Cliff Notes. The visual aspects makes the movie come alive. The party scenes look like they were choreographed by Cirque du Soleil. With a bit of hip-hop thrown in. The CGI comes through in the dreamy scenes of the beacon across the bay and the driving fast back and forth to New York. The "valley of ashes" is nearly comical with the soot-faced denizens but it works in CGI.
In the spirit of "don't screw it up" there are many passage narrated straight out of the book, which is what should happen. No need to reinvent the Great American Novel, Old Sport.
Like the book it is a somewhat sad story. One thing not included is my favorite part: Gatsby's unfinished To-Do list.
* * * 1/2 of 4
With that criteria, the 2013 version of the Great Gatsby is a success. Thanks in part to the resources throw at it: Leonard Di Caprio as the leading man, Jay Z as executive producer, Industrial Light & Magic for the CGI. I can hear the studio exec: This better be good....
Tobey Maguire plays Nick Carraway, the young stuggling bond salesman, who leases a house for the summer next to the mysterious Gatsby in West Egg. No one has seen Gatsby, but he does throw a heck of a party. When the reveal comes, the two match up and Gatsby of course reveals his interest in Daisy Buchanan (Tom's cousin) who lives right across the bay in East Egg.
Suffice to say, I shouldn't have to tell the entire story: read the Cliff Notes. The visual aspects makes the movie come alive. The party scenes look like they were choreographed by Cirque du Soleil. With a bit of hip-hop thrown in. The CGI comes through in the dreamy scenes of the beacon across the bay and the driving fast back and forth to New York. The "valley of ashes" is nearly comical with the soot-faced denizens but it works in CGI.
In the spirit of "don't screw it up" there are many passage narrated straight out of the book, which is what should happen. No need to reinvent the Great American Novel, Old Sport.
Like the book it is a somewhat sad story. One thing not included is my favorite part: Gatsby's unfinished To-Do list.
* * * 1/2 of 4
Iron Man 3
"Is there a climatic fight scene with two Iron Mans?" asked another review of Iron Man 3? No [ *]. But otherwise, if you liked IM or IM2 you won't be surprised at Iron Man 3. Same cast, same characters, same Bat Cave. But there is a new villain!
Ben Kingsley is a nice villain addition to IM 3 as [da dum]... The Mandarin! He intercepts the airways to deliver his terroristic message, Osama-style, . He'll remind you of anther famous movie villain before its over.
Robert Downey, Jr. plays the Tony Stark wisecracker and with the Christmas setting (?) you'll think of Die Hard 2 all over again. Gweneth Paltrow is the leading lady, Don Cheadle the Robin to Downey's Batman. Or maybe the Captain America to Iron Man. Shameless Captain America plug as to the Iron Patriot.
Not a lot of new ground to break here. But when you make $175MM the first weekend, why change anything?
* * 1/2 of 4
Ben Kingsley is a nice villain addition to IM 3 as [da dum]... The Mandarin! He intercepts the airways to deliver his terroristic message, Osama-style, . He'll remind you of anther famous movie villain before its over.
Robert Downey, Jr. plays the Tony Stark wisecracker and with the Christmas setting (?) you'll think of Die Hard 2 all over again. Gweneth Paltrow is the leading lady, Don Cheadle the Robin to Downey's Batman. Or maybe the Captain America to Iron Man. Shameless Captain America plug as to the Iron Patriot.
Not a lot of new ground to break here. But when you make $175MM the first weekend, why change anything?
* * 1/2 of 4
A Top 10 List
I saw a tweet @ryancatherwood that Silver Linings Playbook was in his top 10 movies.
His response:
The Shawshank Redemption, Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas, Trainspotting, Boogie Nights, The Usual Suspects,The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Dumb & Dumber, Silver Linings Playbook, Heat, The Departed
I'd have to say these are a bit darker that I might choose. Of course, I'm embarrassed to say that I have not see all of them (only 6!)
So here's a list - I tried to not group everything into the 80s when I came of age:
Alphabetical: - a cop-out I know
American Beauty
American Graffiti
All The President's Men
Back to the Future
The Big Lebowski
Casablanca
Dark Knight
Double Indemnity
No Country for Old Men
Social Network
Silver Linings Playbook enters my top 10 favorite movies all-time... the #Philly angle helped but great movieWhat are the other 9 I asked?
— Ryan Catherwood (@RyanCatherwood) May 6, 2013
His response:
The Shawshank Redemption, Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas, Trainspotting, Boogie Nights, The Usual Suspects,The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Dumb & Dumber, Silver Linings Playbook, Heat, The Departed
I'd have to say these are a bit darker that I might choose. Of course, I'm embarrassed to say that I have not see all of them (only 6!)
So here's a list - I tried to not group everything into the 80s when I came of age:
Alphabetical: - a cop-out I know
American Beauty
American Graffiti
All The President's Men
Back to the Future
The Big Lebowski
Casablanca
Dark Knight
Double Indemnity
No Country for Old Men
Social Network
1987 - A very good year
I was tellling the story today of the scene in The Untouchables where Robert DeNiro was Al Capone, walking around the table of mobsters, holding a baseball bat. I think you recall that iconic scene
It got me thinking that 1987 was a good year for movies. Looking at a timeline, there were some classics:
Dirty Dancing,
Full Metal Jacket,
Fatal Attraction
and so on.
What's your favorite movie from 1987?
It got me thinking that 1987 was a good year for movies. Looking at a timeline, there were some classics:
Dirty Dancing,
Full Metal Jacket,
Fatal Attraction
and so on.
What's your favorite movie from 1987?
Liberal Arts
Even though they liked it at Sundance, here in Multiplex Land I think this was a straight-to-DVD movie. But a fun little indie movie, or at least as indie as Josh Radnor can do. Remember Ted from How I Met Your Mother? Think of Ted in a full-length movie.
Josh Radnor plays Jesse who gets a call from his old professor at college. Being unhappy in his job as an admissions counselor in NYC and having just broken up with his girlfriend, he springs at the idea and heads Back To Ohio. While there he meets 3 different students and has 3 different experiences with each of them. His love interest in Elizabeth Olsen (Zibby) who appears precocious to his stunted. Zac Efron steals the show as a sober but out-there Fool. He also has interesting experiences with his old professors. Did I mention that Zibby is the retiring professor's daughter?
A nice look back with out getting too maudlin. Nice that it is set in modern days. It'll make you feel young without actually being young. My favorite scene: "Why don't we meet for coffee. Jesse: Great... 9 am. OK?.... [much laughter from Zibby!].... Zibby: How about 11:30?
* * * 1/2 of 4
Josh Radnor plays Jesse who gets a call from his old professor at college. Being unhappy in his job as an admissions counselor in NYC and having just broken up with his girlfriend, he springs at the idea and heads Back To Ohio. While there he meets 3 different students and has 3 different experiences with each of them. His love interest in Elizabeth Olsen (Zibby) who appears precocious to his stunted. Zac Efron steals the show as a sober but out-there Fool. He also has interesting experiences with his old professors. Did I mention that Zibby is the retiring professor's daughter?
A nice look back with out getting too maudlin. Nice that it is set in modern days. It'll make you feel young without actually being young. My favorite scene: "Why don't we meet for coffee. Jesse: Great... 9 am. OK?.... [much laughter from Zibby!].... Zibby: How about 11:30?
* * * 1/2 of 4
Summer Movies
Courtesy of Entertainment Weekly magazine, here's a list of upcoming movies that I will likely see this summer:
Many are sequels or continuations of a genre, but nonetheless, should make for good viewing:
Release dates included - get in line soon!
Iron Man 3 - May 3
Great Gatsby - May 10- Leonardo Di Caprio, Tobey Maguire
Star Trek Into Darkness - May 17
Hangover Part III - May 24
The Internship - June 7 - Owen Wilson & Vince Vaughn
This is the End - June 12- Seth Rogen, James Franco, Craig Robinson
Man of Steel - June 14- Superman
The Heat - June 28- Sandra Bullock, Melissa McCarthy
Lone Ranger - July 3 - Johnny Depp, Armie Hammer (Social Network)
The Way Way Back - July 5 - Ordinary People + Meatballs
We're the Millers - August 9- Jason Sudekis, Jennifer Anniston
What the top grosser? - prediction: Iron Man 3
Many are sequels or continuations of a genre, but nonetheless, should make for good viewing:
Release dates included - get in line soon!
Iron Man 3 - May 3
Great Gatsby - May 10- Leonardo Di Caprio, Tobey Maguire
Star Trek Into Darkness - May 17
Hangover Part III - May 24
The Internship - June 7 - Owen Wilson & Vince Vaughn
This is the End - June 12- Seth Rogen, James Franco, Craig Robinson
Man of Steel - June 14- Superman
The Heat - June 28- Sandra Bullock, Melissa McCarthy
Lone Ranger - July 3 - Johnny Depp, Armie Hammer (Social Network)
The Way Way Back - July 5 - Ordinary People + Meatballs
We're the Millers - August 9- Jason Sudekis, Jennifer Anniston
What the top grosser? - prediction: Iron Man 3
Searching for Sugar Man
Billed as a documentary, this is more like a mystery. In apartheid South Africa, the musical light of Rodriguez shined through. Bigger than the Rolling Stones. But who was Rodriguez? Where did he come from? And how did he die?
Despite being released this year, the time of the movie is set ending in 1998, a date significant and known as the Pre-Google Era. You have to stretch to remember how easy it might have been to disappear. But a handful of true fans sought to find out about Rodriguez. Looking for Jesus.
The original music is a star of the show. Dylan-esque with a gritty Springsteen blue-collar backdrop. Words to describe Rodriguez are: poet/prophet/artist.
I liked the father/daughter aspect of the movie as the daughter was the one who breaks open the case. And the daughters have a front row seat to see a side of their father that was hidden for a long time.
The classic late-bloomer is a nice moral of this story. Hard to avoid any "spoilers" in a documentary about a search. Plus Rodriguez is now famous and selling out shows in 2013. Living well is the best revenge.
* * * * of 4
Despite being released this year, the time of the movie is set ending in 1998, a date significant and known as the Pre-Google Era. You have to stretch to remember how easy it might have been to disappear. But a handful of true fans sought to find out about Rodriguez. Looking for Jesus.
The original music is a star of the show. Dylan-esque with a gritty Springsteen blue-collar backdrop. Words to describe Rodriguez are: poet/prophet/artist.
I liked the father/daughter aspect of the movie as the daughter was the one who breaks open the case. And the daughters have a front row seat to see a side of their father that was hidden for a long time.
The classic late-bloomer is a nice moral of this story. Hard to avoid any "spoilers" in a documentary about a search. Plus Rodriguez is now famous and selling out shows in 2013. Living well is the best revenge.
* * * * of 4
Identity Thief
After the letdown of Bridesmaids last year, I thought that this "new dawn of female comedy" was just a tease. But after seeing Melissa McCarthy again in an even better role, I think she might be a new star in the Jim Carrey/Adam Sandler mold. That is, not bad when they ad lib, but even better when they play it a bit straight.
Melissa McCarthy and Jason Bateman both play Sandy Bigelow Patterson. He's the he in Denver, she's the she in Florida. When Mr. Sandy's credit card is declined, he decides to take matters into his own hands and go bring her from Florida to Colorado to face the music. After a meet-cute involving a car crash and a home invasion, they are forced into going on the run together. Turns out, Mr. Sandy is not the only one chasing Ms. Sandy. There's also drug dealers and bounty hunters.
This turns into a modern Midnight Run across the country. Something about the road trip just makes for ripe movie material. Interesting the run comes to a tipping point in St. Louis. You might recall the Griswolds had their own troubles in St. Louis on their road trip in National Lampoon's Vacation.
It's a new day dawning when a fat woman can be a star without that being the whole joke. Chris Farley would be proud.
* * * of 4
Melissa McCarthy and Jason Bateman both play Sandy Bigelow Patterson. He's the he in Denver, she's the she in Florida. When Mr. Sandy's credit card is declined, he decides to take matters into his own hands and go bring her from Florida to Colorado to face the music. After a meet-cute involving a car crash and a home invasion, they are forced into going on the run together. Turns out, Mr. Sandy is not the only one chasing Ms. Sandy. There's also drug dealers and bounty hunters.
This turns into a modern Midnight Run across the country. Something about the road trip just makes for ripe movie material. Interesting the run comes to a tipping point in St. Louis. You might recall the Griswolds had their own troubles in St. Louis on their road trip in National Lampoon's Vacation.
It's a new day dawning when a fat woman can be a star without that being the whole joke. Chris Farley would be proud.
* * * of 4
Lawrence of Arabia
An epic film deserves an epic viewing experience. So throwing caution to the wind, I took off from work, cleared the afternoon, and spend 4 hours watching the big-screen version of this classic. Me and 2 other people. They left after the intermission, and I watched the second half like the big-screen mogul that I aspire to be.
"They don't make them like they used to"... that is what I thought I'd say. But really, they DO make them like this. The Speilbergs and Lucases and Jacksons just break them up into multiple movies. Otherwise, the long sweeping shots, the meglomaniacal warriors, the hoards of people are all common in our current multiplex.
Peter O'Toole is Lt. Lawrence, assigned to Cairo to guard British interests in the Suez Canal. As a quirkly soldier, he is deemed expendable to send deep into Arabia (not yet a country) in the pre-WW I era to find Lord Feisel. Alone. He has a "meet-cute" with Sherif Ali who takes him to the Lord. Lawrence then volunteers to lead a misfit bunch on a folly battle to fight the Turks. As with most movies, he unexpectedly succeeds and becomes a hero to his fellow Arabs.
Interestingly, this is somewhat of a "gay" film according to some reviews(not that there's anything wrong with that). Of course being made in the early 1960s, you have to use some imagination, in a pre-Code type of way: swishing robes, young boys, ripped shirts, beautiful men, and so on.
The second half introduces a newpaper hack designed to stir things up. Reminded me of the Freddy Lounds character in Manhunter/Red Dragon. Lawrence becomes a man without a country, unwelcome and out of place in two societies.
On viewing the credits, you could see that Speilberg and Lucas had not only been influenced, but also truly bought in, having been credited with re-producing and re-optimizing the film for the big screen. This was worth the time to see it.
* * * * (deserving of its classic reputation)
"They don't make them like they used to"... that is what I thought I'd say. But really, they DO make them like this. The Speilbergs and Lucases and Jacksons just break them up into multiple movies. Otherwise, the long sweeping shots, the meglomaniacal warriors, the hoards of people are all common in our current multiplex.
Peter O'Toole is Lt. Lawrence, assigned to Cairo to guard British interests in the Suez Canal. As a quirkly soldier, he is deemed expendable to send deep into Arabia (not yet a country) in the pre-WW I era to find Lord Feisel. Alone. He has a "meet-cute" with Sherif Ali who takes him to the Lord. Lawrence then volunteers to lead a misfit bunch on a folly battle to fight the Turks. As with most movies, he unexpectedly succeeds and becomes a hero to his fellow Arabs.
Interestingly, this is somewhat of a "gay" film according to some reviews(not that there's anything wrong with that). Of course being made in the early 1960s, you have to use some imagination, in a pre-Code type of way: swishing robes, young boys, ripped shirts, beautiful men, and so on.
The second half introduces a newpaper hack designed to stir things up. Reminded me of the Freddy Lounds character in Manhunter/Red Dragon. Lawrence becomes a man without a country, unwelcome and out of place in two societies.
On viewing the credits, you could see that Speilberg and Lucas had not only been influenced, but also truly bought in, having been credited with re-producing and re-optimizing the film for the big screen. This was worth the time to see it.
* * * * (deserving of its classic reputation)
R.I.P. to Roger Ebert
They say the Golden Age of films were in the 1970s and that seems fitting that is when a new show came on PBS - Sneak Previews which later became At the Movies. That's where Roger Ebert made his introduction into American culture.
I suppose that since my grandmother Pearl was an avid PBS fan that is where I first started seeing the shows. I liked that they were of a current event variety and that it not only appealed to teenaged-me but also was on a high-enough intellectual level that I learned something. They reviewed all the movies, not just the highbrow ones. It gave a nice balance, that there was value in all of them.
Since I've started this blog, I usually check the Roger Ebert website to see how he does it. We agree more than disagree, but he had an art to getting more words down. Years of practice I guess. His obit details someone with newspaper ink in his veins. As we as a Zelig-like way of appearing at the right place at the right time. Dated Oprah ... early investor in Google... drank with Mike Royko..
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130404/MEMORY/130409989
I suppose that since my grandmother Pearl was an avid PBS fan that is where I first started seeing the shows. I liked that they were of a current event variety and that it not only appealed to teenaged-me but also was on a high-enough intellectual level that I learned something. They reviewed all the movies, not just the highbrow ones. It gave a nice balance, that there was value in all of them.
Since I've started this blog, I usually check the Roger Ebert website to see how he does it. We agree more than disagree, but he had an art to getting more words down. Years of practice I guess. His obit details someone with newspaper ink in his veins. As we as a Zelig-like way of appearing at the right place at the right time. Dated Oprah ... early investor in Google... drank with Mike Royko..
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130404/MEMORY/130409989
We'll Always Have Paris
Seeing that the famous bar in Houston, Marfrelee's is closing at the end of this week after a 40 year run makes me think of my one and only experience there.
Marfrelee's is a speakeasy type of place, no windows, no sign on the outside, and a place you think of yourself as in-the-know to go to. In the 80s when I was much younger, it had a mythical reputation behind it of a dreamlike place a la Blue Velvet. Few of my generation had much experience there, and we knew of it only by hearsay. It was rumored to be a dark place and upstairs there were couches and room partitions where you might take your date for a private tete-a-tete and, ...
Now because, or maybe in spite of this perception, not many people I knew frequented Marfrelee's. Perhaps the suggestion of even going there was too forward, too bold. But it was there beckoning, in fact right next to two others places regularly frequented by the 20-something crowd of the day, XIT and Birraporetti's.
There might as well have been a red light outside of Marfrelee's, right next to the "safe" places and yet so far away.
So one fall week, I happened to be out during the week and ran into some friends I knew pretty well, a group of young women. One of them I didn't know but of course I realized that she was quite pretty. When we were introduced, I had to nearly bite my lip - she was "Abby" - a cheerleader from our days in middle school, one of the "finest" girls of that class. Using our terminology of that day.
Now of course, she didn't know me then, and had just met me. She had not idea that we had gone to middle school together years ago, and I was happy not to remind her of those days. It was a fresh start for me and for us!
Thereafter from that night, I got her number from our mutual friend and called to ask her out, and she accepted. We went for dinner and then a drink or two at XIT. As things progressed during the night, she must have gently inquired, what next? With the courage of a soldier, I suggested "Why don't we go next door to Marfrelee's? Good idea she said. [cue the soaring music]
We went next door and the hostess escorted us upstairs to the couches. It wasn't tawdry as I expected, more like going into a room in a home where no one else was. I think there were curtains but there was a hallway of sorts where the waitresses were going in and out. Lights were low but not completely dark.
In this hallway as we were going to our private sitting area, Abby and I were somewhat surprised to see.... someone we had both gone to middle school with. In fact he was "Jeff" who was Abby's boyfriend in middle school. They were the classic football/cheerleader All American Couple that Everybody Loved back then. They were the popular ones. I had just see Jeff a few months ago so we were at least familiar to each other at that point.
And here, at Marfrelees', 10 years later, in the inner sanctum, was I, out on a date going great with Abby, and Jeff was simply an onlooker. I felt I had struck a blow for all Late Bloomers in Middle School. Anthony Michael Hall would have been proud. I know I was.
I never let on to Abby that we had all gone to school together, or how that moment made me feel. Needless to say, that was the high point of the night. We had a nice drink and conversation upstairs in Marfrelee's and it was a most pleasant time. That's it. Afterwards I took her home and we said goodbye with a handshake. We never went out again, and I think she moved to New York City to make it big. It wouldn't surprise me if she is still there.
Twenty five years later, I'll remember that evening for a long, long time. I'm sorry to see Marfrelee's close, as it did live up to its lofty reputation as a magical place. I guess that makes me
a real sentimentalist.
Dead Man Down
Again, we have the Colin Farrell film festival, with an action-packed shoot-em-up. Sounds familiar?
In a nod to Rear Window, Beatrice has seen the psycho killer Victor in action through her window. She attempts to blackmail him to get him to knock off her drunk driver. This presents Victor with a dilemma: he's busy trying to get back on the group of criminals and at the same time still holds a torch for his former wife, and did I mention, Beatrice is beautiful and single?
Done by Niels Arden Oplev director of the Swedish version of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and director of photography Paul Cameron (late of Total Recall 2012 remake), the film has a nice dark and blue hue that some items like Beatrice's dresses stand out in.
* * * (of 4)
Colin Farrell plays Victor/Lazlo who has gone undercover in the gang of a group of criminals to avenge the death of his wife and son. He's principled, for a psycho killer. He meets his neighbor Beatrice (Noomi Rapac) in a Friends-like way, their high-rise apartments look into one another's. Neither is quite as they seem. From a distance Beatrice is beautiful but up close she has deep scars on her face like Marla Hanson in the 80s from an assaultive drunk driver.
In a nod to Rear Window, Beatrice has seen the psycho killer Victor in action through her window. She attempts to blackmail him to get him to knock off her drunk driver. This presents Victor with a dilemma: he's busy trying to get back on the group of criminals and at the same time still holds a torch for his former wife, and did I mention, Beatrice is beautiful and single?
Done by Niels Arden Oplev director of the Swedish version of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and director of photography Paul Cameron (late of Total Recall 2012 remake), the film has a nice dark and blue hue that some items like Beatrice's dresses stand out in.
* * * (of 4)
Annie Hall (1977)
Did you hear the old joke by Woody Allen? This is the whole premise of Annie Hall - the old joke come to life. To his credit, so much of this movie has become mainstream through Billy Crystal and Jerry Seinfeld, its hard to realize that it might have started here. It probably started earlier than that with the old comics Groucho and Milton and such, but reached a wide audience here.
Done at the height of the 70s, we see it all here: the sexual revolution, drugs, tennis, analysts, even a Paco Rabanne bedroom scene. There are also a lot of now-common movie premises: the Jewish/Christian dating conflict, the New York/LA conflict, the New York City v. the world conflict.
Woody Allen plays Alvie, who in flashback, looks back at his life, and in particular, the period when he dated Annie Hall (Diane Keaton). Alvie is damaged goods, having been married twice. Annie is a woman on the way up but uncertain in her path. Alvie is alternatingly supportive and dismissive and appears intent on having Annie for his own, no matter what. Alvie spends much of the movie either with his analyst or playing his own analyst, to figure out why he is like he is.
To call this a romantic comedy is a stretch: its not a whole lot of either. Dialogue was good but not great. Again, this movie is 40 years old, so its hard to remember what was original and what was not. But credit that it still seems relevant, even if it is hard to remember what came first.
Best Picture in 1978
* * * (of 4)
Done at the height of the 70s, we see it all here: the sexual revolution, drugs, tennis, analysts, even a Paco Rabanne bedroom scene. There are also a lot of now-common movie premises: the Jewish/Christian dating conflict, the New York/LA conflict, the New York City v. the world conflict.
Woody Allen plays Alvie, who in flashback, looks back at his life, and in particular, the period when he dated Annie Hall (Diane Keaton). Alvie is damaged goods, having been married twice. Annie is a woman on the way up but uncertain in her path. Alvie is alternatingly supportive and dismissive and appears intent on having Annie for his own, no matter what. Alvie spends much of the movie either with his analyst or playing his own analyst, to figure out why he is like he is.
To call this a romantic comedy is a stretch: its not a whole lot of either. Dialogue was good but not great. Again, this movie is 40 years old, so its hard to remember what was original and what was not. But credit that it still seems relevant, even if it is hard to remember what came first.
Best Picture in 1978
* * * (of 4)
Lost In Translation (2003)
Like Up In The Air and Juno, this film is primarily about the young person adrift in an adult world. Interestingly that each of those movies were directed by younger version of established directors: Reitman (Jason) and Coppola (Sophia).
Bill Murray is in Tokyo shooting a commercial. Washed up in all senses of the word. A stranger in a strange land, he meets Scarlett Johansson who is also running from her own marital problems. They connect platonically in the intimate way of people that will probably never see one another again. They float through Tokyo not really every knowing anyone or anything about the place.
Tokyo is the star of the show in a limited role. It's designed to be as faceless as any traveling city might be.
* * *
Bill Murray is in Tokyo shooting a commercial. Washed up in all senses of the word. A stranger in a strange land, he meets Scarlett Johansson who is also running from her own marital problems. They connect platonically in the intimate way of people that will probably never see one another again. They float through Tokyo not really every knowing anyone or anything about the place.
Tokyo is the star of the show in a limited role. It's designed to be as faceless as any traveling city might be.
* * *
21 and Over
Sometimes you've just got to say, "What the F@#$" You go and see an 80s style, fully predictable, teens getting drunk movie. Sometimes, you're pleasantly surprised: Other times, you get the same as expected.
Despite "The Writers of the Hangover", this looks all too much like what to expect in the Hangover 3 coming May 24. Alan gets broken out of a mental institution by the old group of the 3 best friends that anyone could have. Here it is "Jeff Chang" as the Alan character, or perhaps the Teddy character complete with Disapproving Asian Dad, from Hangover 2. The tiger/money/buffalo gig reappears. The flashback - I could go on - just as this storyline will go on.
Good parts include the sorority scenes and of course the character of the Chief, playing the Shakespearian Fool. Interesting how the teen drunkeness is now taboo, and the filmmakers make it a point that this occurs on Jeff Chang's 21st birthday (not a minute before). Not sure if the racial stereotypes are supposed to be clever or unintentional. There are a lot of them.
Let's remember the good times of originality in teen movies: Risky Business, American Pie and Superbad and give this Hangover 2.5 the same score as most 2.5's
* * 1/2
Despite "The Writers of the Hangover", this looks all too much like what to expect in the Hangover 3 coming May 24. Alan gets broken out of a mental institution by the old group of the 3 best friends that anyone could have. Here it is "Jeff Chang" as the Alan character, or perhaps the Teddy character complete with Disapproving Asian Dad, from Hangover 2. The tiger/money/buffalo gig reappears. The flashback - I could go on - just as this storyline will go on.
Good parts include the sorority scenes and of course the character of the Chief, playing the Shakespearian Fool. Interesting how the teen drunkeness is now taboo, and the filmmakers make it a point that this occurs on Jeff Chang's 21st birthday (not a minute before). Not sure if the racial stereotypes are supposed to be clever or unintentional. There are a lot of them.
Let's remember the good times of originality in teen movies: Risky Business, American Pie and Superbad and give this Hangover 2.5 the same score as most 2.5's
* * 1/2
Sunset Boulevard (1950)
To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme. Sunset Boulevard has so many mighty themes rolled into one. By that alone, it must get its classic reputation credited.
The stronger woman and the younger man
Youth longing for riches
Unhappiness upon gaining riches
The loss of influence by aging
The changing of the guard
Mental illness/delusion
I tried to associate other movies [The Graduate, King Lear, The Godfather (s)] but I ran out of examples. Just by those, this movie is in good company.
William Holden plays Joe, a struggling screenwriter. Running from the repo men, he hides in an old mansion where the former silent movie star Norma Desmond lives (Gloria Swanson) with her butler Max. She quickly eyes Joe as someone that can help her get back to prominence and arranges in short order for him to move in and start working for her. He having nothing better going on, is easily obliged.
When Joe starts to realize that he is getting deeper into Norma's life, he seeks to pull out but like a spider in a web gets more stuck.
Written by Billy Wilder, the film reminded me of another of his classics, Double Indemnity with the dialogue, the allure of easy money and the downward spiral. In a choice between good and evil, sometimes you lose either way.
* * * * (highest rating)
The stronger woman and the younger man
Youth longing for riches
Unhappiness upon gaining riches
The loss of influence by aging
The changing of the guard
Mental illness/delusion
I tried to associate other movies [The Graduate, King Lear, The Godfather (s)] but I ran out of examples. Just by those, this movie is in good company.
William Holden plays Joe, a struggling screenwriter. Running from the repo men, he hides in an old mansion where the former silent movie star Norma Desmond lives (Gloria Swanson) with her butler Max. She quickly eyes Joe as someone that can help her get back to prominence and arranges in short order for him to move in and start working for her. He having nothing better going on, is easily obliged.
When Joe starts to realize that he is getting deeper into Norma's life, he seeks to pull out but like a spider in a web gets more stuck.
Written by Billy Wilder, the film reminded me of another of his classics, Double Indemnity with the dialogue, the allure of easy money and the downward spiral. In a choice between good and evil, sometimes you lose either way.
* * * * (highest rating)
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