When Hollywood starts to scrape the bottom of the barrel for action flicks, they go back to the days of the early TV. With that we get "The Green Hornet," which was a terrible movie. Logically then, if Hollywood were to go even farther back, to radio days, to make their big budget action blockbuster, the movie would be even worse.
Thankfully, with Disney and Gore Verbinsky at the helm, we get "The Lone Ranger."
Lawyer John Reid goes home to Texas to be a DA. His brother is the local Texas Ranger and deputizes him to hunt down a missing outlaw. On the way to doing that however, him and his posse get ambushed and slaughtered. Enter Captain Jack Sparrow, I mean Tonto, and along with a somewhat-sacred-to-Indians horse, revives John...apparently we're going with "Princess Bride" logic about the stages of dead. With new life and a new partner, John now seeks justice/revenge for his brother.
With that incredibly wordy synopsis out of the way, let's just say what this movie really is:
"Pirates of the Caribbean" set in the Ol' West.
There are so many parallels and similarities between the two films, that really it's not a far stretch to call them essentially the same movie. A kooky dude from another culture ropes an everyday unlucky dude into an adventure involving guns, explosions, conspiracies, unrequited old loves, weird-acting animals, cranky prostitutes, tragic loss of family, and big epic showdowns aboard moving vessels.
But is this necessarily a bad thing? Nope!
"Pirates of the Caribbean," no matter how convoluted, unnecessarily oddball, and fraught with love triangle nonsense it may be, is still a darn good film series, with the first "Curse of the Black Pearl" being one of my personal favorites. I can say with much confidence that if you liked any of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies, you will like this revisioning of the "Lone Ranger." By no means is it a perfect movie though, with weirdness from Johnny Depp's character likely to raise some eyebrows, and the Lone Ranger himself being an incompetent buffoon not unlike Seth Rogan's character from "The Green Hornet" for about 2/3 of the movie. However, the visuals, the action, the setting, and hitting all the right mythology gags make this a grand big budget action flick.
And even though I mentioned that they hit all the right "Lone Ranger" references, I am slightly saddened that this was never brought up:
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted
Very rarely does an animated trilogy do well...normally it's either the first installment trying out the waters, the 2nd one trying to recreate the magic of the first, or the 3rd one failing miserably to do either.
However, such is not the case for the Madagascar trilogy from Dreamworks. Each of the films was delightfully funny, throwing their characters into the oddest and funniest of situations, with the 3rd installment "Europe's Most Wanted," garnering the most laughs and the most spectacle out of all the other films.
It picks up pretty much where the last one left off with the New York zoo animals waiting for the penguins to come back in their crazy monkey-powered plane from Morocco with gambling winnings. Getting fed up with waiting, they decide to go their themselves to pick the nutty penguins up.
This goes about as well as expected.
Hijinks ensue and one of THE funniest chase sequences I've ever seen is done with our protagonists and the head of the animal control police (which is essentially what happens when you mix the Terminator with the animal-trapping guy from "Over the Hedge"...but absolutely nothing pathetic about her!).
Since they're now on the lamb, they seek refuge with a bunch of circus animals who've fallen on hard times. That being said, Alex being the showman he is cannot stand this effrontery to fabulousness! Him and his crew do his best to spruce up the circus all in order to get back to New York City, and it. Is. Awesome!
What I really like about this movie is how they show the progression of these characters, with the introduction of these shallow, spoiled animals getting tossed out of their comfort zone, with most character growth happening in the 2nd movie, and all the payoff from the previous 2 films culminating in the most well-rounded characters who are still quite funny.
Overall, this film is the last layer on the Madagascar cake and it is delicious.
Hard to believe such a memetastic, earwormy song was ad-libbed. Mad props Chris Rock.
However, such is not the case for the Madagascar trilogy from Dreamworks. Each of the films was delightfully funny, throwing their characters into the oddest and funniest of situations, with the 3rd installment "Europe's Most Wanted," garnering the most laughs and the most spectacle out of all the other films.
It picks up pretty much where the last one left off with the New York zoo animals waiting for the penguins to come back in their crazy monkey-powered plane from Morocco with gambling winnings. Getting fed up with waiting, they decide to go their themselves to pick the nutty penguins up.
This goes about as well as expected.
Hijinks ensue and one of THE funniest chase sequences I've ever seen is done with our protagonists and the head of the animal control police (which is essentially what happens when you mix the Terminator with the animal-trapping guy from "Over the Hedge"...but absolutely nothing pathetic about her!).
Since they're now on the lamb, they seek refuge with a bunch of circus animals who've fallen on hard times. That being said, Alex being the showman he is cannot stand this effrontery to fabulousness! Him and his crew do his best to spruce up the circus all in order to get back to New York City, and it. Is. Awesome!
What I really like about this movie is how they show the progression of these characters, with the introduction of these shallow, spoiled animals getting tossed out of their comfort zone, with most character growth happening in the 2nd movie, and all the payoff from the previous 2 films culminating in the most well-rounded characters who are still quite funny.
Overall, this film is the last layer on the Madagascar cake and it is delicious.
Hard to believe such a memetastic, earwormy song was ad-libbed. Mad props Chris Rock.
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic: Equestria Girls
Usually when a work of fiction that has nothing to do with high school takes their characters to high school, it usually bombs. Notable examples include
"Shrek the Third," "The Emperor's New School," and arguably "Power Rangers Dino Thunder."
Such was not the case, for the 4th generation My Little Pony movie "Equestria Girls."
Despite the gates of hate being opened full force for the ending of the 3rd season, this story picks up on it with Twilight Sparkle's insecurity at being a "princess." Which ties in perfectly for the main villain of this flick, Sunset Shimmer...who is like Twilight in almost every way except for the fact that Celestia didn't pick her as favorite student, which makes her steal the magical crown of Magic (element of harmony) from Twilight and plunge into a magic mirror to escape. Only Twilight and Spike go into mystery world and find out it just leads to an alternate universe where almost everyone is a teenage high schooler...even the grade school fillies from Ponyville? Ok...
As she adjusts to her new body and (demoted?) station in life, Twilight also does what she does in the show, which is solve friendship problems with the AU other main characters. Which works out fine but then it turns out her magic crown is the the prize in some sort of prom for the high school. With Sunset Shimmer being the mean queen of the school, it's up to Twilight to pull a Kamen Rider Fourze and befriend everyone in the school for the fate of both worlds.
The haterstorm and outcries of the franchise being "ruined forever" was humongous for this film. But surprisingly, it did MUCH better than anticipated. The characters, despite being "humans" (I say "humans" because they've got the same skin colors and hairstyles as their pony counterparts as well as names that would never actually be a human's name.) stay true to form and if you liked the show, you'll like their personas here. Even the cliche'd "now in high school" tropes are downplayed since Twilight never actually goes to class and the shallow love interest seemed more like her acquiring a new friend with potential crush rather than there being actual drama. The jokes don't get old, it's fun to see our favorite (main, minor, background or otherwise) characters as people, and the songs are almost as good as the show's random songy outbursts (with one being as good as any anime opening sequence and was stuck in my head for at least 6 days straight.).
Overall, if you're a fan of "Friendship is Magic" this is a good movie to watch. This show has proven time and again that they're capable of taking horrible ideas and actually pulling off a great product. They've do this stuff with boldness and, so far, nothing really bad has come from it.
"Shrek the Third," "The Emperor's New School," and arguably "Power Rangers Dino Thunder."
Such was not the case, for the 4th generation My Little Pony movie "Equestria Girls."
Despite the gates of hate being opened full force for the ending of the 3rd season, this story picks up on it with Twilight Sparkle's insecurity at being a "princess." Which ties in perfectly for the main villain of this flick, Sunset Shimmer...who is like Twilight in almost every way except for the fact that Celestia didn't pick her as favorite student, which makes her steal the magical crown of Magic (element of harmony) from Twilight and plunge into a magic mirror to escape. Only Twilight and Spike go into mystery world and find out it just leads to an alternate universe where almost everyone is a teenage high schooler...even the grade school fillies from Ponyville? Ok...
As she adjusts to her new body and (demoted?) station in life, Twilight also does what she does in the show, which is solve friendship problems with the AU other main characters. Which works out fine but then it turns out her magic crown is the the prize in some sort of prom for the high school. With Sunset Shimmer being the mean queen of the school, it's up to Twilight to pull a Kamen Rider Fourze and befriend everyone in the school for the fate of both worlds.
The haterstorm and outcries of the franchise being "ruined forever" was humongous for this film. But surprisingly, it did MUCH better than anticipated. The characters, despite being "humans" (I say "humans" because they've got the same skin colors and hairstyles as their pony counterparts as well as names that would never actually be a human's name.) stay true to form and if you liked the show, you'll like their personas here. Even the cliche'd "now in high school" tropes are downplayed since Twilight never actually goes to class and the shallow love interest seemed more like her acquiring a new friend with potential crush rather than there being actual drama. The jokes don't get old, it's fun to see our favorite (main, minor, background or otherwise) characters as people, and the songs are almost as good as the show's random songy outbursts (with one being as good as any anime opening sequence and was stuck in my head for at least 6 days straight.).
Overall, if you're a fan of "Friendship is Magic" this is a good movie to watch. This show has proven time and again that they're capable of taking horrible ideas and actually pulling off a great product. They've do this stuff with boldness and, so far, nothing really bad has come from it.
 |
| Surprisingly, Spike is vital to the plot as well as he is essentially what keeps Twilight sane in this world. |
Thursday, July 18, 2013
The Great Gatsby (2013)
F. Scott Fitzgerald probably had a vision when he penned his famous book read by middle-to-high schoolers everywhere, The Great Gatsby.
It probably didn't involve wild and crazy parties inspired by the current club scene and his doppelganger writing this story in Arkham Asylum.
Which pretty much sums up the version that Baz Lehrman, of "Moulin Rouge" fame, has done.
Toby Maguire is a new guy in 1920s New York hoping to strike it rich in the big city. His enigmatic neighbor, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, uses his help to try to get back in the good graces of his cousin, Daisy. Only one problem: she's already married to a wealthy bloke. So it's an uphill battle as Toby Maguire, along with the audience, watches this "great" Gatsby try to woo a woman who's technically already spoken for.
This film was hyped up so much as a great revision of a classic. As with many of the Baz Lehrman movies I've seen, this is BIG on spectacle. Every shot is so artistic and great to look at that you forget the story and feel like it's a kind of a fun ride! Then the drama starts and the fun ceases quite abruptly.
As was mentioned before, Leonardo DiCaprio's character is a mysterious loner who, while letting thousands invade his house every weekend for funtimes, nobody's actually seen. That is until he reveals himself to Toby and pretty much treats him like a BFF from then on. And while he is portrayed as a suave, cool-headed, mystery man, that illusion is broken pretty quickly as the film progresses. Toby Maguire first introduces him to his present-day therapist as "the most hopeful man he's ever known." Uh nope. There is a fine line between hopeful and delusional and Gatsby takes a flying leap across it. It really doesn't help that the Daisy character leads him on but at the same time doesn't even really know what she wants herself. The husband's having an affair anyway and everybody knows it. Does she get with Gatsby not only because of past affections but because of retaliation and revenge? Who knows really?
Overall, the movie has great atmosphere, music, and visuals, but falls a little on the flat side when it comes to well-developed characters and plot.
It probably didn't involve wild and crazy parties inspired by the current club scene and his doppelganger writing this story in Arkham Asylum.
Which pretty much sums up the version that Baz Lehrman, of "Moulin Rouge" fame, has done.
Toby Maguire is a new guy in 1920s New York hoping to strike it rich in the big city. His enigmatic neighbor, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, uses his help to try to get back in the good graces of his cousin, Daisy. Only one problem: she's already married to a wealthy bloke. So it's an uphill battle as Toby Maguire, along with the audience, watches this "great" Gatsby try to woo a woman who's technically already spoken for.
This film was hyped up so much as a great revision of a classic. As with many of the Baz Lehrman movies I've seen, this is BIG on spectacle. Every shot is so artistic and great to look at that you forget the story and feel like it's a kind of a fun ride! Then the drama starts and the fun ceases quite abruptly.
As was mentioned before, Leonardo DiCaprio's character is a mysterious loner who, while letting thousands invade his house every weekend for funtimes, nobody's actually seen. That is until he reveals himself to Toby and pretty much treats him like a BFF from then on. And while he is portrayed as a suave, cool-headed, mystery man, that illusion is broken pretty quickly as the film progresses. Toby Maguire first introduces him to his present-day therapist as "the most hopeful man he's ever known." Uh nope. There is a fine line between hopeful and delusional and Gatsby takes a flying leap across it. It really doesn't help that the Daisy character leads him on but at the same time doesn't even really know what she wants herself. The husband's having an affair anyway and everybody knows it. Does she get with Gatsby not only because of past affections but because of retaliation and revenge? Who knows really?
Overall, the movie has great atmosphere, music, and visuals, but falls a little on the flat side when it comes to well-developed characters and plot.
 |
| Huh...one for the conspiracy nuts. |
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Man of Steel
...
"Man of Steel"
...
Unacceptable! (As a further note, Lemongrab is my LEAST liked character in the entirety of "Adventure Time" but the anger and screechiness is perfect for conveying my feelings)
Instead I shall simply recommend some BETTER stories involving Superman growing up and saving the world in his debut.
Superman Earth One
This one shows what happens when there's a more modern take on young Clark Kent trying to find his way in the world. Ironically (because similar to "Man of Steel), a dude from the same solar system as Krypton has been searching for the last survivor of Krypton because of racism and stuff...and of course all of Earth is in trouble unless Clark turns himself in.
He does. And fights. And loses.
Then supporting cast actually does stuff to help.
Morale boosted.
Fight resumes and victorious.
Goes to work for the Daily Planet with the hot scoop on this Superman guy.
Overall, 80% cooler than "Man of Steel."
Superman Birthright
Again, this one shows an early Clark Kent trying to figure out his place in the world by going around the world and helping people in secret. Cut to his Metropolis days and Lex Luthor's causing trouble again with Superman saving Lois from disaster. Lex takes the opportunity to spin the public's opinion of this new "alien menace" almost as well as J. Jonah Jameson, and even succeeds a little with the right props from Krypton. Of course, Superman being who he is, saves people from the power-mad ruffians with the Kryptonian stuff, making everyone believe he is the superHERO!
Overall, 80% cooler than "Man of Steel."
Superman Secret Origin
Not only do we show boy Clark finding himself wondering what his place in the world is, but cameos from the League of Superheroes from the 31st century tell him "You're going to be awesome. Keep up the good work." When Clark goes to Metropolis, we get Luthor stirring up trouble again with some kind of genetic enhancements lottery. When one goes wrong and becomes the Parasite, Superman debuts and saves the day! Then there's Metallo and that punk goes down almost as easily. I really recommend this one to the movie crowd because, well, the way he's drawn makes him look very much like Christopher Reeves did in his on-screen persona as the Man of Steel. The rest of the art's very cool too and I like how they also give some backstory to some classic Superman villains.
Overall, 80% cooler than "Man of Steel."
The first three episodes of the animated series from Kids WB.
Episode 1: Part A, Part B, Part C, Part D, Part E
Here we have a much more inventive (and color-filled!) vision of Krypton before it go boom. The people, the dress, the wildlife, the government, the reasons for its demise, it's all so much better handled than "Man of Steel."
Episode 2: Part A, Part B, Part C, Part D, Part E
Excellently done Smallville scenes of Clark discovering who he is, introduction to the Metropolis crowd, and Superman SAVING THE CITIZENS!
Episode 3: Part A, Part B, Part C, Part D, Part E
More shenanigans involving how Superman (as Clark too) interacts with all his supporting cast and with bad guys. Sets a good ending tone for "and so the adventure continues"...unlike what "Man of Steel" did which gives us a wink and a nudge saying that this is Clark's new normal now.
Overall, not only is it 80% cooler than "Man of Steel," but all those fragments of show combined has half the running time of "Man of Steel!" If that's still too long for you, have a Nostalgia Critic episode clocking in at 20 minutes.
So really dudes, do yourself a favor and NOT watch "Man of Steel."
You still can to say you have, but as I've just listed above, there are so many better ways you can spend your time with Superman.
For some (spoilery) fun at the expense of this uncool movie, click here.
"Man of Steel"
...
Unacceptable! (As a further note, Lemongrab is my LEAST liked character in the entirety of "Adventure Time" but the anger and screechiness is perfect for conveying my feelings)
Instead I shall simply recommend some BETTER stories involving Superman growing up and saving the world in his debut.
Superman Earth One
This one shows what happens when there's a more modern take on young Clark Kent trying to find his way in the world. Ironically (because similar to "Man of Steel), a dude from the same solar system as Krypton has been searching for the last survivor of Krypton because of racism and stuff...and of course all of Earth is in trouble unless Clark turns himself in.
He does. And fights. And loses.
Then supporting cast actually does stuff to help.
Morale boosted.
Fight resumes and victorious.
Goes to work for the Daily Planet with the hot scoop on this Superman guy.
Overall, 80% cooler than "Man of Steel."
Superman Birthright
Again, this one shows an early Clark Kent trying to figure out his place in the world by going around the world and helping people in secret. Cut to his Metropolis days and Lex Luthor's causing trouble again with Superman saving Lois from disaster. Lex takes the opportunity to spin the public's opinion of this new "alien menace" almost as well as J. Jonah Jameson, and even succeeds a little with the right props from Krypton. Of course, Superman being who he is, saves people from the power-mad ruffians with the Kryptonian stuff, making everyone believe he is the superHERO!
Overall, 80% cooler than "Man of Steel."
Superman Secret Origin
Not only do we show boy Clark finding himself wondering what his place in the world is, but cameos from the League of Superheroes from the 31st century tell him "You're going to be awesome. Keep up the good work." When Clark goes to Metropolis, we get Luthor stirring up trouble again with some kind of genetic enhancements lottery. When one goes wrong and becomes the Parasite, Superman debuts and saves the day! Then there's Metallo and that punk goes down almost as easily. I really recommend this one to the movie crowd because, well, the way he's drawn makes him look very much like Christopher Reeves did in his on-screen persona as the Man of Steel. The rest of the art's very cool too and I like how they also give some backstory to some classic Superman villains.
Overall, 80% cooler than "Man of Steel."
The first three episodes of the animated series from Kids WB.
Episode 1: Part A, Part B, Part C, Part D, Part E
Here we have a much more inventive (and color-filled!) vision of Krypton before it go boom. The people, the dress, the wildlife, the government, the reasons for its demise, it's all so much better handled than "Man of Steel."
Episode 2: Part A, Part B, Part C, Part D, Part E
Excellently done Smallville scenes of Clark discovering who he is, introduction to the Metropolis crowd, and Superman SAVING THE CITIZENS!
Episode 3: Part A, Part B, Part C, Part D, Part E
More shenanigans involving how Superman (as Clark too) interacts with all his supporting cast and with bad guys. Sets a good ending tone for "and so the adventure continues"...unlike what "Man of Steel" did which gives us a wink and a nudge saying that this is Clark's new normal now.
Overall, not only is it 80% cooler than "Man of Steel," but all those fragments of show combined has half the running time of "Man of Steel!" If that's still too long for you, have a Nostalgia Critic episode clocking in at 20 minutes.
So really dudes, do yourself a favor and NOT watch "Man of Steel."
You still can to say you have, but as I've just listed above, there are so many better ways you can spend your time with Superman.
For some (spoilery) fun at the expense of this uncool movie, click here.
 |
| This was my parents' main problem with the movie: Superman saving absolutely nobody while stuff gets destroyed around him. |
Monday, June 24, 2013
Iron Man 3
So after the superhero-y goodness that was "The Avengers," what do you do for a follow-up act?
Why, the continuing saga of Tony Stark, the charismatic, snarky, smart-guy who can build cool things in a cave...with a box of scraps!
"Iron Man 3" sadly does not fall under the short list of movies that comprise of 3rd installments in trilogies that are good, but this film does what it can to wrap things up as tidily as it can.
The story starts when Tony Stark, now plagued with semi-insomnia because every time he tries to sleep he flashbacks to the time he almost died in a wormhole to outer space, vows revenge against a terrorist that had been causing quite a stir in the world (well at least after "the Avengers") after he orchestrated an attack in front of the famous Chinese theater in LA. Going after the movie industry? You've gone too far terrorist scum!
Then out of nowhere, Tony challenges the terrorist, known as the Mandarin, despite him not even being any kind of Asian, for a showdown at his home...where his live-in girlfriend lives...oops. After narrowly escaping with his life, then he has to slum it low-tech in a sleepy little town in the middle of the US, trying to piece together the mystery of the exploding minions, to get over his PTSD, AND fight off maniacs who want to (possibly?) kill him. This leads up to him McGyvering up a way to the enemy stronghold...leading to disappointment and a reveal of an even bigger bad. From then, there's a great many action scenes of increasing scope and impressiveness leading to a climax of many many Iron Man suits responding to the call of Gondor, erm, Tony Stark.
Let's take a step back now shall we? It's the summer of 2008. Both "Iron Man" and "The Dark Knight" are duking it out in the theaters. Such thoughts can be summed up in this video. Now we fast forward to the present and it seems like the 3rd installment in both franchises are still duking it out...granted "Dark Knight Rises" was released earlier this time, there are a whole lot of parallels that can be drawn here. And while "Dark Knight Rises" is not a perfect movie, I feel like there are aspects of it that were done there that were much better than what was accomplished in "Iron Man 3."
With that said, while it is a pretty poor movie, I CAN say that Robert D. Jr. still pulls of his classic charisma and wit in almost any scene he's in. The effects are stunning as are usual and the sight of an army of Iron Man suits is like a iron-gloved slap of happy. While I don't doubt the money-making juggernaut of Marvel to find a way to make more sequels, the ending makes it seem pretty final...which is dumb since we already know that there's an Avengers 2 in the works. So really, all we can do is wait and see what the future holds for our favorite billionaire playboy philanthropist.
Why, the continuing saga of Tony Stark, the charismatic, snarky, smart-guy who can build cool things in a cave...with a box of scraps!
"Iron Man 3" sadly does not fall under the short list of movies that comprise of 3rd installments in trilogies that are good, but this film does what it can to wrap things up as tidily as it can.
The story starts when Tony Stark, now plagued with semi-insomnia because every time he tries to sleep he flashbacks to the time he almost died in a wormhole to outer space, vows revenge against a terrorist that had been causing quite a stir in the world (well at least after "the Avengers") after he orchestrated an attack in front of the famous Chinese theater in LA. Going after the movie industry? You've gone too far terrorist scum!
Then out of nowhere, Tony challenges the terrorist, known as the Mandarin, despite him not even being any kind of Asian, for a showdown at his home...where his live-in girlfriend lives...oops. After narrowly escaping with his life, then he has to slum it low-tech in a sleepy little town in the middle of the US, trying to piece together the mystery of the exploding minions, to get over his PTSD, AND fight off maniacs who want to (possibly?) kill him. This leads up to him McGyvering up a way to the enemy stronghold...leading to disappointment and a reveal of an even bigger bad. From then, there's a great many action scenes of increasing scope and impressiveness leading to a climax of many many Iron Man suits responding to the call of Gondor, erm, Tony Stark.
Let's take a step back now shall we? It's the summer of 2008. Both "Iron Man" and "The Dark Knight" are duking it out in the theaters. Such thoughts can be summed up in this video. Now we fast forward to the present and it seems like the 3rd installment in both franchises are still duking it out...granted "Dark Knight Rises" was released earlier this time, there are a whole lot of parallels that can be drawn here. And while "Dark Knight Rises" is not a perfect movie, I feel like there are aspects of it that were done there that were much better than what was accomplished in "Iron Man 3."
With that said, while it is a pretty poor movie, I CAN say that Robert D. Jr. still pulls of his classic charisma and wit in almost any scene he's in. The effects are stunning as are usual and the sight of an army of Iron Man suits is like a iron-gloved slap of happy. While I don't doubt the money-making juggernaut of Marvel to find a way to make more sequels, the ending makes it seem pretty final...which is dumb since we already know that there's an Avengers 2 in the works. So really, all we can do is wait and see what the future holds for our favorite billionaire playboy philanthropist.
 |
| That's adorable Loki. |
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Star Trek Into Darkness
If you know anything about the previous Star Trek movies, you'll know that most people consider "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" to not only be the best Star Trek movie of the franchise, but the best movie thematically ever.
That being said, does JJ Abrams' 2nd movie about the crew of the USS Enterprise make Trekkie, critic, and casual summer-blockbuster-movie-goer alike flail about in glee?
Take a trek...a Star Trek...Into Darkness...of a movie theater...
A British terrorist has not only waged on Starfleet itself, but made it personal when one of his victims is someone close to Captain Kirk. So the crew is sent on what could only be interpreted as a "black ops" mission to kill this dude and bring peace to the universe.
...
Nope. The Enterprise crew come across a massive conspiracy involving Starfleet and the evil Brit, and only they can stop it from coming to full fruition. Along the way, humor, action, high-speed chases, pathos, and moral dilemmas pop up to beleaguer Kirk, Spock, Scotty, Uhura, Bones, Sulu and the rest.
Coming from someone with only a passing knowledge of the Star Trek universe and mythos, I can honestly say that this film is greatness. It can enrapture you with the superb acting, the atmosphere from the settings these characters inhabit, and the enjoyability of each character interacting with and playing off each other. Of particular note is the terrorist John Harrison, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, as he plays one of the most competent villains I've seen in any movie. He has the chilling, sophisticated evil that is exhibited by such villains such as Hannibal Lecter, Maleficent, and, in some incarnations, Ra's Al Ghul. At the same time, he can handle himself in a fight, with such a maniacal, ferocious, pants-wetting scariness. We are also shown his capacity for honor and reason, but at the same time, we see he's also a horrible back-stabber. No doubt he stole the show.
Aside from the characters, the grandness of space is again fully realized in this film, despite so few scenes actually being in space or alien planets (most of the action is on the ship). The humor is a bit hit-or-miss, with most of the laugh-out-loud moments coming from either the dry delivery of Zachary Quinto's Spock or Simon Pegg's Scotty antics.
Overall, great film, and definitely one to see if you're itching for a good action flick for Trekkie and casual movie-goer at the same time...although a couple of scenes might rub true die-hard Trekkie the wrong way...like REALLY wrong.
That being said, does JJ Abrams' 2nd movie about the crew of the USS Enterprise make Trekkie, critic, and casual summer-blockbuster-movie-goer alike flail about in glee?
Take a trek...a Star Trek...Into Darkness...of a movie theater...
A British terrorist has not only waged on Starfleet itself, but made it personal when one of his victims is someone close to Captain Kirk. So the crew is sent on what could only be interpreted as a "black ops" mission to kill this dude and bring peace to the universe.
...
Nope. The Enterprise crew come across a massive conspiracy involving Starfleet and the evil Brit, and only they can stop it from coming to full fruition. Along the way, humor, action, high-speed chases, pathos, and moral dilemmas pop up to beleaguer Kirk, Spock, Scotty, Uhura, Bones, Sulu and the rest.
Coming from someone with only a passing knowledge of the Star Trek universe and mythos, I can honestly say that this film is greatness. It can enrapture you with the superb acting, the atmosphere from the settings these characters inhabit, and the enjoyability of each character interacting with and playing off each other. Of particular note is the terrorist John Harrison, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, as he plays one of the most competent villains I've seen in any movie. He has the chilling, sophisticated evil that is exhibited by such villains such as Hannibal Lecter, Maleficent, and, in some incarnations, Ra's Al Ghul. At the same time, he can handle himself in a fight, with such a maniacal, ferocious, pants-wetting scariness. We are also shown his capacity for honor and reason, but at the same time, we see he's also a horrible back-stabber. No doubt he stole the show.
Aside from the characters, the grandness of space is again fully realized in this film, despite so few scenes actually being in space or alien planets (most of the action is on the ship). The humor is a bit hit-or-miss, with most of the laugh-out-loud moments coming from either the dry delivery of Zachary Quinto's Spock or Simon Pegg's Scotty antics.
Overall, great film, and definitely one to see if you're itching for a good action flick for Trekkie and casual movie-goer at the same time...although a couple of scenes might rub true die-hard Trekkie the wrong way...like REALLY wrong.
To sum up the villain, he's what happens when you mix this:
with the ferocity of this
Monday, March 4, 2013
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
Long a cultural icon of classic American craziness, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were popular enough a comic series and a cartoon series to warrant a live-action movie. The crazy thing is, it's only after 3 more movies, a couple more shows and comics, and even a crossover with the Power Rangers, did I finally see the first movie. (I blame my parents, they said it was too violent for me as a lad.)
In my opinion, "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" is one of those rare films that blends story, heart, characters, comedy, ACTION (yes, in capslock), and special effects to extreme efficiency. Not only that, but it includes homages to prior incarnations that makes it that much more a well-blended, well-rounded film. The story is pretty simple and what most fans already know:
In my opinion, "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" is one of those rare films that blends story, heart, characters, comedy, ACTION (yes, in capslock), and special effects to extreme efficiency. Not only that, but it includes homages to prior incarnations that makes it that much more a well-blended, well-rounded film. The story is pretty simple and what most fans already know:
- Crime wave in New York city caused by mysterious ninjas.
- April O'Neal gets too close to the truth and almost gets offed if not for the 4 heroes in a half-shell.
- The backstory involves rat that knows ninjitsu finding 4 turtles in a green mutagenic goo that makes them more humanoid with time. They are, for some reason, named after great Renaissance artists...probably to associate these artists with martial artists?
- Mentor rat is kidnapped by evil ninjas, making the green boys live with April.
- The evil ninjas discover her home and pretty much give the turtles and their human companion a solid whuppin'. The heroes must retreat to the country and regain their faitingu supirito after spiritual soul searching.
- They face off against the leader of the evil ninjas, the Shredder...and are routinely thrashed. Mentor rat then faces the Darth-Vader-lookalike and...beats him in an anticlimactic scene.
- They slink away in the night to right wrongs, eat pizza and yell out (outdated by our standards) gnarly catchphrases.
 |
| Raticate taught them to be ninja teens (He's a radical rat). Wartortle leads, Tirtouga does machines (that's a fact Jack!), Grotle is cool but rude (gimme a break), Torkoal is a party dude! |
The Golden Compass
I am not particularly thrilled with "The Golden
Compass." Aside from the rampant anti-Christian hype that most people
seem to think oozes out of this movie's pores (there wasn't that much),
it is a shoddy shoddy story.
Every kid in that world is essentially Lord
Voldemort and his snake, the adults are all nasty characters except for
the ones of other ethnicities (like their versions of pirates, cowboys,
and flying elf-witches) or species (ie, Gandalf/Magneto as the voice of the disgraced Polar Bear warrior prince.), the madness of saying that this is a parallel earth when really there's almost NOTHING similar between our reality and this one, and overall, it's just surprisingly dark for a
kids' fantasy film. Worst of all is that they end on a cliffhanger because there was anticipated sequels that are probably never getting made. Not even an "and so the adventure continues" kind of thing; the main protagonist basically details a list of stuff that still needs to be done, but nope just sailing into the night and credits rolling. Only thing that makes me feel better about this
flick was that it was just 2 bucks from Half-Price Books (and that supposedly the book trilogy is much better...y'all be the judge of that).
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Movies seen in 2012
Moneyball
Sometimes a good reason to have friends is that they can recommend movies to you that you would never pick up on your own accord. Thanks to the urging of some friends, we were able to enjoy "Moneyball."
While this film is another that surpasses my expectations, it is not without its flaws. One of which is the length. It's the story of how a disgruntled and discouraged Brad Pitt, manager of a baseball team that always loses, sets out to change the system of how players are recruited, along with a nebbish Jonah Hill who comes up with the system based on stats and maths and other things I care less about. And despite all the pooh-poohing coming from the old fogies who run the team, Brad Pitt does whatever it takes to make sure his system works, and once the obstacles are removed, it does. And yet, it's a bittersweet ending in the fact that despite his losses, Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill did the unthinkable and changed the game.
Overall, it's not bad. Not spectacular, but it's an interesting viewpoint that most of the common sports spectators don't normally see.
Cowboys and Aliens
Daniel Craig. Harrison Ford. Two names who are associated with some amazing action heroes of the big screen. So when there was news that both of these hardboiled actors were going to be in the same movie set in the Old West, the only word to describe the feeling was "hyped." However, upon actually seeing "Cowboys and Aliens," the better word to describe the feeling was "underwhelmed."
Real Steel
Rock'em Sock'em Robots. Classic game that's survived the nostalgia filtering through its simple premise of beating up the the other dude by punching really hard.
Rocky. Movie of one of the greatest underdogs in cinematic history, also synonymous with the very word "boxing."
What happens when you combine the two concepts?
"Real Steel."
Of course it goes beyond the simple pleasure of seeing big ol' robots beating the crap out of each other, as it's also a story about family, particularly the relationship between a father and son and how both of their skills are needed to make their underdog bot be the best of the best. Hugh Jackman is likable as the washed-up boxer, as he's gruff but learns to open up more. The bratty half-pint that's supposed to be his kid is strange in that he seems to be more like an adult than an actual kid (well, there is that one scene where he downs almost a whole 12-pack of Dr. Pepper...I can relate.) I also like the intrigue that their little underdog bot has in that it could be sentient or it could be just imitating real people, which kind of makes it like a parrot.
Overall, it's a blast to watch not just because of CGI metal monstrosities beating the crap out of each other (which, funnily enough, some are only half CGI since puppetry was involved here), but also for the good 'ol fashioned tale of the sports hotshot learning that there's more to life than the glory.
For a more entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here
Kamen Rider Movie Taisen: Megamax
Kamen Rider Fourze & Kamen Rider OOOs Movie Wars: Megamax, while being the yearly crossover movie for the Kamen Rider series, has a lot of good intention and feeling to it. The OOOs part of the story is great because it picks up where the last episode left off, gave us all our favorite characters back, and established cool (concept-wise at least) movie-only Riders (hero AND a villain. Not too often you get both). The Fourze part of the story really takes the cake though since the it shows us the normally bombastic main character of Gentaro being sheepsih around a girlfriend that literally fell out of the sky and into his arms. But then all is not well as it turns out she's a McGuffin for the evil corporation that's been lurking in the shadows since Kamen Rider W (oh and both the main characters from that show come back and to reprise their roles in more than just throwaway cameos.) Then when all three heroes are on screen, nothing but awesomeness ensues as almost every power they have is showcased in fighting off either nameless mooks or weaker but familiar boss characters. I'll admit, the movie-only super forms they receive *are* ridiculous, but the movie is exactly the right kind of fanservice that fans of both shows (and the fans of W) have been waiting for. =D
The Avengers
What can be said about the Avengers other than SUPERHERO-Y GOODNESS!!!!! All the other Marvel movies have been building up to this and the payoff is glorious. The scene of all 6 heroes assembled while the camera pans around then is worth its weight in gold. But yeah, the plot is...basic. The main baddy from the Thor movie takes the McGuffin from the Captain America Movie to take over the world while a different Incredible Hulk rampages like Godzilla (New Hulk is pretty good since he plays a more fidgety/barely-holding-it-together Bruce Banner than Ed Norton and Eric Bana before him.) and Robert Downey Jr. is his usual cocksure, but lovable self.
But the true meat of this movie is the interactions between all the big name characters. All that ego, all that do-goodery/cocky selflishness combo, it leads to some interesting dialogue and situations.
Overall, great action flick with witty lines and great visuals
For a more entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here.
Brave
After Pixar's lack of truly original concepts in the past two years (sequels, sequels everywhere) I was kind of hyped for this new story about a redhead lass shooting arrows at bears...turns out that's not what the film was about at all. It was more about the rebellious teenage daughter who doesn't want to be a princess but tries not to disappoint her family...so much for originality. *shrugs* But through a quirk of fate, her mother gets turned into a beast and a different kind of true love will break the curse...so yay originality.
What I did like was the great feel of Scottish culture and some of the humor involving the mute triplets, who were very reminiscent of the triplets from Scrooge McDuck stories in their brand of mischief. Also the mother-daughter relationship is the main focus and I like their tale of dynamic reconciliation. What seems to be lacking though for me is that it didn't seem fantastic enough. There are one or two elements of the truly strange and magical, but for the most part, the environment is too set in its medieval times setting, with not enough of the Pixar trademark blend of mundane & barely-normal-fantasy. Still worth a watch in my opinion, but it ranks pretty low on my list of top Pixar films...definitely way up from the "Cars" series though.
For a more in-depth review (and slightly biased), go here.
The Muppets
What will one fanboy do to make sure his heroes don't go down without a fight?
Play the music.
Light the lights.
Meet the Muppets on the Muppet Show revived for 2011!
Yes, in the newest simply named Muppet movie, "The Muppets," one fanboy who is supposedly brothers with Jason Segal (ummm either adopted or genetics in this world is way more messed up than anything out of Greek Mythology), hears the dastardly plans of an oil tycoon, and becomes the new hope for the old gang of familiar, lovable, JimHenson-made faces. Along with catchy songs, celebrity cameos out the wazoo, and some good, solid humor, this Muppet show revival brought the nostalgia out of the die-hards and made the world's most famous puppets relevant again in the eyes of the young and uninitiated.
For someone else's more in-depth review, go here.
For a more entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here.
For a more in-depth review (with a comic!), go here.
Hop
To make a protagonist in any story, one of the keys is that he or she has to be likable. Even if he is a supposedly despicable character with no redeeming qualities, most writers would craft it so that the detestableness of the character is still somewhat enjoyable to watch, playing on people's dark desires of escapism.
That being said, the two protagonists of "Hop" have none of that.
They are thoroughly unlikable. One is a slacker beyond all normal reasoning, with the standard "I want more out of life" mentality that CAN be endearing, but then he does nothing to really achieve this vague dream job. The CGI bunny, voiced by Russel Brand, wants to pursue his own dreams and break away from the family business...which is being the Easter bunny, and managing candy production and stuff. This would be fine, except that he runs away and then starts scheming people/taking advantage of the goodness of humanity almost the moment he enters the real world.
Another thing that bothers me is the need for live-action. This movie is purportedly done by the same folks who did "Despicable Me," a film which, for the most part, is free of Easter Bunnies, and crazy chicks bent on overthrowing their bosses, and there's no need for filming real actors. The juxtaposition between the two worlds and the interactions between inhabitants of both can be really jarring.
It can be kind of cute at times, but really, it's not worth the time.
We bought a zoo
Matt Damon's the hapless widower in this flick who seeks to reconnect the bond between him and his children by doing the most logical thing a parent can do: buy a broken-down zoo and try to restore it to its former glory. The main pull in this movie is the interactions and budding relationships between all the main characters (there are some easily forgettable side characters, but some side characters go well with the main characters), especially between Damon and his son, his daughter, the zookeeper, and the naysayers. Do I recommend it? If you're into this kind of story, but honestly, I thought it was a little bland; decent and watchable, but bland.
The Amazing Spiderman
Yes ladies and gentlemen, Spidey lost the organic web-shooters in this reboot of a franchise, "The Amazing Spiderman." As the last Spiderman movie left a bad taste in the mouths of fans, critics, and general audiences alike, this new Spiderman movie promised to be a breath of fresh air to one of the earliest of Marvel movie franchises. I will say that it is indeed a breath of fresh air to the characters previously established in other movies; the Peter Parker that Andrew Garfield plays is not AS blatantly nerdy and loser-like as Tobey Maguire did, as it kind of helps that the movie is centered solely on Peter's high school days. Emma Stone plays Gwen Stacy, and she is surprisingly competent as a leading lady, not falling completely into the role of the damsel in distress like Kirsten Dunst's Mary Jane, being brilliant in her own right and fighting her own fights when need be. The villain actually does hatch a diabolical scheme that doesn't involve general terrorism that the previous villains seemed to have as their default operating system, and is more than a match for our fledgling hero.
I do have to say though, the teen drama scenes seem to take up the abundance of the movie, and thus it seems to fall under the same trap as the "Green Lantern" movie with the focus being more on the relationships being formed than about superhero-y stuff happening. Other than one or two scenes where I got a good laugh out of it, most of the interactions between Garfield and Stone lack chemistry (irony because science!). The infamous scene of Uncle Ben's death was also severely cheapened by the stupidity of the man himself instead of it being Peter's fault, AND we don't actually get the trademark "Great power, great responsibility" line. =/
Overall, this film looks great with its youthful new cast, has great action when it matters, and leaves plenty of room for a continuation of this new series.
For a more entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here.
Puss in Boots
Remember how back in "Shrek 2" they introduced Antonio Bandaras reprising his role of Zorro from "Mask of Zorro" but as a cat and it was the coolest new character ever? Wouldn't it be great if this character could get more coverage on his own story?
Well, we got our wish, but it was from a monkey's paw.
"Puss in Boots" delivers us our lovable, action-seeking hero that embodies not only the awesomeness of the swashbuckler, but also the trademark seamless meshing of his feline nature. Not only that, but we get an actual backstory of Puss. And therein lies some of the problem. They show him as a kid, but keep Antonio Bandaras's voice...ok, that's slightly excusable...cute adorable kitty with suave Spanish accent is comedy gold BUT GOOD HEAVENLY CHEEZUS DAT HUMPTY DUMPTY! I cannot remember another character so bent on derailing the tone of a movie since the robot revolutionaries in the recent "Astro Boy." Just like those clowns, every time Humpty Dumpty, voiced by Zach Galifianakis, opens his mouth, I thoroughly get sucked out of the movie; I cease to be engrossed in the goings on. I get that they were trying to go for the modern, fast-talker to try and add some levity to otherwise archaic situations (hey, it worked with the Genie from "Aladdin"), but this egg annoys me greatly. Salma Hayek does a good job voicing the oddly-named Kitty Softpaws, a thief archetype to completely round out the merry quest party, as she creates a dynamic with our hero by not only being on the same level of cunning as him (arguably moreso) but she adds a nice touch of femininity to counter Zorrocat's machoism (ie. sanity, the voice of reason, etc.).
As for the actual story itself, I started to think it was a brilliant heist story, complete with treacherous locations, crazy competitors to the prize, and hijinks galore...but then the big conspiracy rears its ugly head and then plotholes consume all the credibility the story had.
So depending on how much you liked the Puss in Boots character, this film's for you.
For a more entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here.
The Dark Knight Rises
After the powerhouse that was "The Dark Knight," you'd think that with the final installment of this trilogy by Christopher Nolan about a more realistic look at the Caped Crusader, there would be precautions to make this thing go out with a don. For what it's worth though, it's a great end to the saga of Christian Bale, the gravel-throated Batman, as he faces 2 1/2 threats this time. The character of Bane has been uniquely re-imagined with an odd Sean Connery-esque voice to accompany the look. I will say that the plotholes riddle the story, trying to incorporate too much into this end of the franchise, as well as some dumb decisions regarding which comic storylines to use, but it's still a very satisfying end. Messy and nonsensical, but satisfying end.
For a more entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here.
Wreck-it Ralph
"Wreck-it Ralph" is a movie set in a video game world. For those who don't get/don't like video games, don't worry; this movie is still solid. It's like a Pixar movie without the Pixar label, meaning it has all the trademark elements of one.
A fantastical realm that's loosely connected to the human world? Check.
Misunderstood protagonist? Check.
Grand adventure far from home? Check.
Meeting of diverse and colorful (sometimes literally) characters? Check.
Bonding between two unlikely characters? Double check.
A day is saved, and the protagonist comes out of it a better person/thing? Check.
Heartwarming & funny mini-movie before the actual film that features almost 0 lines? Check
So is it so formulaic that it's boring?
Nope, nope, and more nope.
It's a roller-coaster of emotions with a lot of great story, engaging characters, true emotions, and a creative world. It's full of excitement, laughs, and surprising heart. Fully recommend watching it.
For a more entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here.
Skyfall
I can honestly say that I can't remember a THING from the previous James Bond film "Quantum of Solace."
Thankfully, the latest installment in the 007 movies featuring Daniel Craig has absolutely nothing to do with it.
"Skyfall" has a lot of the trademark James Bond movie charm in it: suave British man shooting bad guys, romancing beautiful women, driving a fast car with cool gadgets etc. However, this film takes several different approaches to the formula. To start with, after a horrible accident that occurred before the Adele-sung opening credits, he has found himself as less the paragon of secret agent man, and thus has to find his groove back. Q is no longer an old man of any kind, but more of a teenage boy genius with computers...easily forgiven given the times. The villain is as hammy as ever (maybe even more so than previous ones since he's an odd mix of fabulousness and master planner), but they make it interesting by giving him ties to both Bond and his boss Judy Dench. And while it IS a quite a spectacular spy thriller for about 2/3 of the film, it stops being that near the end and it becomes a strange hybrid of James Bond, protecting the important gal in his life, and "Home Alone" gone deadly.
Overall, a great film that plays homage to the great Bond films before it as well as establishing new things that make it its own creation.
Rise of the Guardians
Based on the trailers, you could've sworn that this was Dreamworks trying to blend "The Avengers" with classic fables from childhood...that's almost what happened. "Rise of the Guardians" is actually a very (after having read the books, the adjective is now EXTREMELY) loose adaptation of a series of books by popular children's book author William Joyce (he did the book that Disney's "Meet the Robinsons" was based off of), where he gives the classic fable characters something of a re-vamped origin and abilities and personalities (All of which are awesome. Really, read the 2 picture books and the 3 children's novels and be amazed at how much retooling one creative man can give public domain characters).
As for the film, it's a pretty good tale. The main character is Jack Frost, or as many people called him when they saw him in the 2nd trailer, "bishonen bait." He's troubled because in this world, all myths are only real and empowered as long as people believe in them, and he's in a sort of null area since he's still kind of known but not well enough that people care to make holidays about him. So apparently, long ago, the Man in the Moon commissioned several beings of well-renown to be the Guardians of Childhood, and he just decided to add Jack Frost to their ranks. The Guadians consist of Santa Claus (now a semi-angry Russian man), an Australian Easter Bunny, a...strange, hummingbird-esque Tooth Fairy, and the mute, but cute Sandman. They're out to stop the evil Bogeyman, known simply as Pitch, as he's recently come into the power of infecting the Sandman's dreamsand to turn into nightmares. And the race is on for the Guardians of Childhood to beat this sucker back into the shadows where he belongs. And speaking of belongs, Jack Frost also has the internal struggle of not knowing his identity before he became a force of nature, and how such a free-spirited individual fits into such a group as the Guardians.
While the story is pretty solid, the locales creative, colorful, and well-fleshed out, and the characters likable, relatable, and entertaining, the main problem I have with this picture is the logic-gap in the belief-power system. Heck, as the world grows more into despair, the Guardians become weaker than newborn kittens...which really irritates me since their power and lives are essentially in the hands of naive, easily-swayed, children...it further bothers me since the books established these beings as powerful even WITHOUT the support of children.
However, given my love of stories featuring ragtag teams of misfits, as well as stories involving fun-loving characters coming to grips with who they are and what they were, in addition to a compelling villain with a sympathetic backstory (even moreso because I read the books...yeah, I'm going to keep harping on y'all reading the books because they are really easy reads), I'd say this movie is another gold star for Dreamworks, right after "How to Train your Dragon" and "Shrek 2."
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Hailed as one of Tim Burton's masterpieces, "The Nightmare Before Christmas" is a musical movie that fully encompasses both his macabre visions with his whimsical madness. It shows how one dude, tired and bored of living in his singular goal of making each Halloween more terrifying than the last, chance encounters a different holiday and the feelings that it brings with it. However, when trying to bring this new sense of joy and wonder to the denizens of his dark town, they completely don't get it. And when he tries to bring Christmas into terms they understand, their tunnel-vision into making things dark and scary warp what Christmas really is, and while our protagonist Jack Skellington does his best to keep his original outlook on Christmas, he eventually get it in his head to improve on Christmas with his town's macabre machinations.
Overall, this film is worth looking at for its marvelous stop-motion wizardry, compelling themes, and the most whimsical-creepy musics composer Danny Elfman's done.
et voila! Tim Burton classic!
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
So the main issue with the "Lord of the Rings" for some fans was that they omitted many many things that would've made the movie perfect in their eyes...for "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," however, the problem was that they ADDED too much to the film. Why add stuff to an already short story? Well, I believe it was just so Peter Jackson could jackhammer the fact into the audience's skulls that they are, in fact, watching a prequel to Lord of the Rings. The addition of things like Radagast the Brown wizard & his animal friends, orc opponents hunting their merry band, and the pointless Elijah Wood cameo at the beginning really stretch the film. Further weakening the film is the cast itself. The titular hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, is...not entirely likable in this installment. But since I read the book I know he gets better as time goes on, and to be fair, he does demonstrate some likable characteristics partway through the film, like gumption, bravery, and selflessness. Not just him though, the rest of the crew can be described as 12 bumbling, brash short guys, 1 dwarf who is essentially Aragorn-lite, and wise ol' Magneto in a pointy hat. The Fellowship of the Ring was a group that had so much more diverse characters and dynamic personalities that they are infinitely more enjoyable than these...mostly homogeneous fellows. While it does have these flaws however, it's still a great action fantasy film. Can't wait to see how much they stretch out the other two installments though...=/
For a more entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here.
Les Miserables
So this supposedly great Broadway musical has been given the Hollywood treatment. It's exactly what it says in the title, "The Miserable People." This movie is a long series of scenes crafted specifically to tug at the audience's heartstrings and tear ducts. It's movies like this that disgust me, for forcing me to feel for these characters as they go through needless tragedy after needless tragedy. While I wasn't exactly expecting a happy musical, the story itself is riddled with plotholes that make me scratch my head at the point of all this sadness. There are also long singing parts that seem to capitalize on the actor or actress, without any real need to show background or scene transitions, something which I'm sure would look more impressive in a stage production, but on film, looks kind of simple. In addition, the editing can be a bit choppy, giving this movie the strange dichotomy of being both rushed and dragging.
HOWEVER!
This movie is still worth seeing.
This movie is still worth seeing solely on the power of the performances by the many big-name actors and actresses gracing this dingy, dirty-looking film about sad things happening to sad people.
Hugh Jackman is a powerhouse as the man who has taken upon himself to be God's mercy to everyone he meets.
Anne Hathaway, despite her brief appearances in this film, leaves quite the lasting impression with her down-&-completely-out-on-her-luck Fantine.
Sacha Baron Cohen, who I cannot normally stand for his raunchy comedies, is a welcome bit of comedy, however ridiculous he is, because all the events prior to his showing up on screen were so emotionally draining for sadness, any laugh, however cheap, was welcome.
Even Russel Crowe, who many a critic of music and film are defaming for having a lackluster performance, leaves an impression on me of such a strong character despite his flaws, and even though his singing isn't up to par as these Broadway booming crooners, his voice has sort of a garage-rock-band feel to it that gives his vocal performance a unique flavor.
Overall, this movie's story blows, but the people in it are so full of passion (some more than others) that it's worth the 3 hours out of your life.
Sometimes a good reason to have friends is that they can recommend movies to you that you would never pick up on your own accord. Thanks to the urging of some friends, we were able to enjoy "Moneyball."
While this film is another that surpasses my expectations, it is not without its flaws. One of which is the length. It's the story of how a disgruntled and discouraged Brad Pitt, manager of a baseball team that always loses, sets out to change the system of how players are recruited, along with a nebbish Jonah Hill who comes up with the system based on stats and maths and other things I care less about. And despite all the pooh-poohing coming from the old fogies who run the team, Brad Pitt does whatever it takes to make sure his system works, and once the obstacles are removed, it does. And yet, it's a bittersweet ending in the fact that despite his losses, Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill did the unthinkable and changed the game.
Overall, it's not bad. Not spectacular, but it's an interesting viewpoint that most of the common sports spectators don't normally see.
Cowboys and Aliens
Daniel Craig. Harrison Ford. Two names who are associated with some amazing action heroes of the big screen. So when there was news that both of these hardboiled actors were going to be in the same movie set in the Old West, the only word to describe the feeling was "hyped." However, upon actually seeing "Cowboys and Aliens," the better word to describe the feeling was "underwhelmed."
It's not that these
two actors didn't act well. Daniel Craig, as a recently amnesiac outlaw
who had left his gang for a woman and who escaped the "devils," was able
to convince us of this gruff and tormented persona without too much
questioning. Harrison Ford, who plays a no-nonsense land baron who was a
formal colonel who fought Indians in his past, comes across as
intimidating and quite mean in his initial appearances but slowly
becomes less of a jerk and more human. The main problem for me is the
story and the blandness of the side characters. The story tells us
aliens (from outer space) are abducting humans in the Old West for kicks
and giggles with fancy-looking lassos while also stealing all of the
gold.
...What?
None of the side characters are relatable. One was a doctor who nobody respects, a preacher that is almost as good a shot as the main characters, but dies early on, a kid whose grandpa got swiped, and Olivia Wilde, who for some reason the camera focuses on for no apparent reason very frequently, was bland as heck, offers a little mystery, but then dies off in a kamikaze strike against the invaders.
...What?
If the story and supporting cast are unlikable, it doesn't matter how good the main characters are played. So many times I was yelling at the screen "What? Why?" because of the incomprehensibility and illogical nature of the script, the blandness of the side characters, and the utmost stupidity of the enemies. You'd think aliens that have spanned the galaxy in search of gold of all things would account for the resistance of the locals...BUT NO! They are taken down by arrows, guns, and one little kid who stabbed one in the weak spot for massive damage!
...What?
None of the side characters are relatable. One was a doctor who nobody respects, a preacher that is almost as good a shot as the main characters, but dies early on, a kid whose grandpa got swiped, and Olivia Wilde, who for some reason the camera focuses on for no apparent reason very frequently, was bland as heck, offers a little mystery, but then dies off in a kamikaze strike against the invaders.
...What?
If the story and supporting cast are unlikable, it doesn't matter how good the main characters are played. So many times I was yelling at the screen "What? Why?" because of the incomprehensibility and illogical nature of the script, the blandness of the side characters, and the utmost stupidity of the enemies. You'd think aliens that have spanned the galaxy in search of gold of all things would account for the resistance of the locals...BUT NO! They are taken down by arrows, guns, and one little kid who stabbed one in the weak spot for massive damage!
Overall, this movie has
problems but it has semi-interesting visuals, and cool (theoretically) main
characters.
So basically, the aliens are a combination of this guy's mentality:
mixed with the monster from "Cloverfield"
Real Steel
Rock'em Sock'em Robots. Classic game that's survived the nostalgia filtering through its simple premise of beating up the the other dude by punching really hard.
Rocky. Movie of one of the greatest underdogs in cinematic history, also synonymous with the very word "boxing."
What happens when you combine the two concepts?
"Real Steel."
Of course it goes beyond the simple pleasure of seeing big ol' robots beating the crap out of each other, as it's also a story about family, particularly the relationship between a father and son and how both of their skills are needed to make their underdog bot be the best of the best. Hugh Jackman is likable as the washed-up boxer, as he's gruff but learns to open up more. The bratty half-pint that's supposed to be his kid is strange in that he seems to be more like an adult than an actual kid (well, there is that one scene where he downs almost a whole 12-pack of Dr. Pepper...I can relate.) I also like the intrigue that their little underdog bot has in that it could be sentient or it could be just imitating real people, which kind of makes it like a parrot.
Overall, it's a blast to watch not just because of CGI metal monstrosities beating the crap out of each other (which, funnily enough, some are only half CGI since puppetry was involved here), but also for the good 'ol fashioned tale of the sports hotshot learning that there's more to life than the glory.
Our protagonist robot is essentially this thing:
only with the heart and Japanese name of this bot:
For a more entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here
Kamen Rider Movie Taisen: Megamax
Kamen Rider Fourze & Kamen Rider OOOs Movie Wars: Megamax, while being the yearly crossover movie for the Kamen Rider series, has a lot of good intention and feeling to it. The OOOs part of the story is great because it picks up where the last episode left off, gave us all our favorite characters back, and established cool (concept-wise at least) movie-only Riders (hero AND a villain. Not too often you get both). The Fourze part of the story really takes the cake though since the it shows us the normally bombastic main character of Gentaro being sheepsih around a girlfriend that literally fell out of the sky and into his arms. But then all is not well as it turns out she's a McGuffin for the evil corporation that's been lurking in the shadows since Kamen Rider W (oh and both the main characters from that show come back and to reprise their roles in more than just throwaway cameos.) Then when all three heroes are on screen, nothing but awesomeness ensues as almost every power they have is showcased in fighting off either nameless mooks or weaker but familiar boss characters. I'll admit, the movie-only super forms they receive *are* ridiculous, but the movie is exactly the right kind of fanservice that fans of both shows (and the fans of W) have been waiting for. =D
Mild SPOILER but Gentaro's girlfriend ended up being something like this:
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| http://www.rpgamer.com/games/arcadia/soa/fanart/fina_celyne.jpg |
The Avengers
What can be said about the Avengers other than SUPERHERO-Y GOODNESS!!!!! All the other Marvel movies have been building up to this and the payoff is glorious. The scene of all 6 heroes assembled while the camera pans around then is worth its weight in gold. But yeah, the plot is...basic. The main baddy from the Thor movie takes the McGuffin from the Captain America Movie to take over the world while a different Incredible Hulk rampages like Godzilla (New Hulk is pretty good since he plays a more fidgety/barely-holding-it-together Bruce Banner than Ed Norton and Eric Bana before him.) and Robert Downey Jr. is his usual cocksure, but lovable self.
But the true meat of this movie is the interactions between all the big name characters. All that ego, all that do-goodery/cocky selflishness combo, it leads to some interesting dialogue and situations.
Overall, great action flick with witty lines and great visuals
Sorry Alan Silvestri, your theme is good, but THIS theme song ROCKS!
For a more entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here.
Brave
After Pixar's lack of truly original concepts in the past two years (sequels, sequels everywhere) I was kind of hyped for this new story about a redhead lass shooting arrows at bears...turns out that's not what the film was about at all. It was more about the rebellious teenage daughter who doesn't want to be a princess but tries not to disappoint her family...so much for originality. *shrugs* But through a quirk of fate, her mother gets turned into a beast and a different kind of true love will break the curse...so yay originality.
What I did like was the great feel of Scottish culture and some of the humor involving the mute triplets, who were very reminiscent of the triplets from Scrooge McDuck stories in their brand of mischief. Also the mother-daughter relationship is the main focus and I like their tale of dynamic reconciliation. What seems to be lacking though for me is that it didn't seem fantastic enough. There are one or two elements of the truly strange and magical, but for the most part, the environment is too set in its medieval times setting, with not enough of the Pixar trademark blend of mundane & barely-normal-fantasy. Still worth a watch in my opinion, but it ranks pretty low on my list of top Pixar films...definitely way up from the "Cars" series though.
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| Archers...much more popular in fiction than you think. |
The Muppets
What will one fanboy do to make sure his heroes don't go down without a fight?
Play the music.
Light the lights.
Meet the Muppets on the Muppet Show revived for 2011!
Yes, in the newest simply named Muppet movie, "The Muppets," one fanboy who is supposedly brothers with Jason Segal (ummm either adopted or genetics in this world is way more messed up than anything out of Greek Mythology), hears the dastardly plans of an oil tycoon, and becomes the new hope for the old gang of familiar, lovable, JimHenson-made faces. Along with catchy songs, celebrity cameos out the wazoo, and some good, solid humor, this Muppet show revival brought the nostalgia out of the die-hards and made the world's most famous puppets relevant again in the eyes of the young and uninitiated.
For someone else's more in-depth review, go here.
For a more entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here.
For a more in-depth review (with a comic!), go here.
Hop
To make a protagonist in any story, one of the keys is that he or she has to be likable. Even if he is a supposedly despicable character with no redeeming qualities, most writers would craft it so that the detestableness of the character is still somewhat enjoyable to watch, playing on people's dark desires of escapism.
That being said, the two protagonists of "Hop" have none of that.
They are thoroughly unlikable. One is a slacker beyond all normal reasoning, with the standard "I want more out of life" mentality that CAN be endearing, but then he does nothing to really achieve this vague dream job. The CGI bunny, voiced by Russel Brand, wants to pursue his own dreams and break away from the family business...which is being the Easter bunny, and managing candy production and stuff. This would be fine, except that he runs away and then starts scheming people/taking advantage of the goodness of humanity almost the moment he enters the real world.
Another thing that bothers me is the need for live-action. This movie is purportedly done by the same folks who did "Despicable Me," a film which, for the most part, is free of Easter Bunnies, and crazy chicks bent on overthrowing their bosses, and there's no need for filming real actors. The juxtaposition between the two worlds and the interactions between inhabitants of both can be really jarring.
It can be kind of cute at times, but really, it's not worth the time.
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| Not really a spoiler since they say right at the beginning, but he becomes the Easter Bunny. ... I don't see how this is any better than the evil, Latino chick that goes One-Winged Angel on us. ^~^ |
Matt Damon's the hapless widower in this flick who seeks to reconnect the bond between him and his children by doing the most logical thing a parent can do: buy a broken-down zoo and try to restore it to its former glory. The main pull in this movie is the interactions and budding relationships between all the main characters (there are some easily forgettable side characters, but some side characters go well with the main characters), especially between Damon and his son, his daughter, the zookeeper, and the naysayers. Do I recommend it? If you're into this kind of story, but honestly, I thought it was a little bland; decent and watchable, but bland.
The Amazing Spiderman
Yes ladies and gentlemen, Spidey lost the organic web-shooters in this reboot of a franchise, "The Amazing Spiderman." As the last Spiderman movie left a bad taste in the mouths of fans, critics, and general audiences alike, this new Spiderman movie promised to be a breath of fresh air to one of the earliest of Marvel movie franchises. I will say that it is indeed a breath of fresh air to the characters previously established in other movies; the Peter Parker that Andrew Garfield plays is not AS blatantly nerdy and loser-like as Tobey Maguire did, as it kind of helps that the movie is centered solely on Peter's high school days. Emma Stone plays Gwen Stacy, and she is surprisingly competent as a leading lady, not falling completely into the role of the damsel in distress like Kirsten Dunst's Mary Jane, being brilliant in her own right and fighting her own fights when need be. The villain actually does hatch a diabolical scheme that doesn't involve general terrorism that the previous villains seemed to have as their default operating system, and is more than a match for our fledgling hero.
I do have to say though, the teen drama scenes seem to take up the abundance of the movie, and thus it seems to fall under the same trap as the "Green Lantern" movie with the focus being more on the relationships being formed than about superhero-y stuff happening. Other than one or two scenes where I got a good laugh out of it, most of the interactions between Garfield and Stone lack chemistry (irony because science!). The infamous scene of Uncle Ben's death was also severely cheapened by the stupidity of the man himself instead of it being Peter's fault, AND we don't actually get the trademark "Great power, great responsibility" line. =/
Overall, this film looks great with its youthful new cast, has great action when it matters, and leaves plenty of room for a continuation of this new series.
Verrrrry clever movie designer...verrrrrrry clever...
For a more entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here.
Puss in Boots
Remember how back in "Shrek 2" they introduced Antonio Bandaras reprising his role of Zorro from "Mask of Zorro" but as a cat and it was the coolest new character ever? Wouldn't it be great if this character could get more coverage on his own story?
Well, we got our wish, but it was from a monkey's paw.
"Puss in Boots" delivers us our lovable, action-seeking hero that embodies not only the awesomeness of the swashbuckler, but also the trademark seamless meshing of his feline nature. Not only that, but we get an actual backstory of Puss. And therein lies some of the problem. They show him as a kid, but keep Antonio Bandaras's voice...ok, that's slightly excusable...cute adorable kitty with suave Spanish accent is comedy gold BUT GOOD HEAVENLY CHEEZUS DAT HUMPTY DUMPTY! I cannot remember another character so bent on derailing the tone of a movie since the robot revolutionaries in the recent "Astro Boy." Just like those clowns, every time Humpty Dumpty, voiced by Zach Galifianakis, opens his mouth, I thoroughly get sucked out of the movie; I cease to be engrossed in the goings on. I get that they were trying to go for the modern, fast-talker to try and add some levity to otherwise archaic situations (hey, it worked with the Genie from "Aladdin"), but this egg annoys me greatly. Salma Hayek does a good job voicing the oddly-named Kitty Softpaws, a thief archetype to completely round out the merry quest party, as she creates a dynamic with our hero by not only being on the same level of cunning as him (arguably moreso) but she adds a nice touch of femininity to counter Zorrocat's machoism (ie. sanity, the voice of reason, etc.).
As for the actual story itself, I started to think it was a brilliant heist story, complete with treacherous locations, crazy competitors to the prize, and hijinks galore...but then the big conspiracy rears its ugly head and then plotholes consume all the credibility the story had.
So depending on how much you liked the Puss in Boots character, this film's for you.
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| I bet there were much lulz in the recording studio during one scene where they're up in the clouds because of these |
For a more entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here.
The Dark Knight Rises
After the powerhouse that was "The Dark Knight," you'd think that with the final installment of this trilogy by Christopher Nolan about a more realistic look at the Caped Crusader, there would be precautions to make this thing go out with a don. For what it's worth though, it's a great end to the saga of Christian Bale, the gravel-throated Batman, as he faces 2 1/2 threats this time. The character of Bane has been uniquely re-imagined with an odd Sean Connery-esque voice to accompany the look. I will say that the plotholes riddle the story, trying to incorporate too much into this end of the franchise, as well as some dumb decisions regarding which comic storylines to use, but it's still a very satisfying end. Messy and nonsensical, but satisfying end.
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| Thank you Nolan-sensei. This was a most excellent trilogy. |
For a more entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here.
Wreck-it Ralph
"Wreck-it Ralph" is a movie set in a video game world. For those who don't get/don't like video games, don't worry; this movie is still solid. It's like a Pixar movie without the Pixar label, meaning it has all the trademark elements of one.
A fantastical realm that's loosely connected to the human world? Check.
Misunderstood protagonist? Check.
Grand adventure far from home? Check.
Meeting of diverse and colorful (sometimes literally) characters? Check.
Bonding between two unlikely characters? Double check.
A day is saved, and the protagonist comes out of it a better person/thing? Check.
Heartwarming & funny mini-movie before the actual film that features almost 0 lines? Check
So is it so formulaic that it's boring?
Nope, nope, and more nope.
It's a roller-coaster of emotions with a lot of great story, engaging characters, true emotions, and a creative world. It's full of excitement, laughs, and surprising heart. Fully recommend watching it.
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| Just like in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" the unexpected cameos are EVERYWHERE! |
Skyfall
I can honestly say that I can't remember a THING from the previous James Bond film "Quantum of Solace."
Thankfully, the latest installment in the 007 movies featuring Daniel Craig has absolutely nothing to do with it.
"Skyfall" has a lot of the trademark James Bond movie charm in it: suave British man shooting bad guys, romancing beautiful women, driving a fast car with cool gadgets etc. However, this film takes several different approaches to the formula. To start with, after a horrible accident that occurred before the Adele-sung opening credits, he has found himself as less the paragon of secret agent man, and thus has to find his groove back. Q is no longer an old man of any kind, but more of a teenage boy genius with computers...easily forgiven given the times. The villain is as hammy as ever (maybe even more so than previous ones since he's an odd mix of fabulousness and master planner), but they make it interesting by giving him ties to both Bond and his boss Judy Dench. And while it IS a quite a spectacular spy thriller for about 2/3 of the film, it stops being that near the end and it becomes a strange hybrid of James Bond, protecting the important gal in his life, and "Home Alone" gone deadly.
Overall, a great film that plays homage to the great Bond films before it as well as establishing new things that make it its own creation.
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| "Casino Royale's" spy car was just sad. Thankfully, this guy makes a return appearance as the Bond spy-car of choice. And there was much rejoicing in the theaters when it did show up |
Rise of the Guardians
Based on the trailers, you could've sworn that this was Dreamworks trying to blend "The Avengers" with classic fables from childhood...that's almost what happened. "Rise of the Guardians" is actually a very (after having read the books, the adjective is now EXTREMELY) loose adaptation of a series of books by popular children's book author William Joyce (he did the book that Disney's "Meet the Robinsons" was based off of), where he gives the classic fable characters something of a re-vamped origin and abilities and personalities (All of which are awesome. Really, read the 2 picture books and the 3 children's novels and be amazed at how much retooling one creative man can give public domain characters).
As for the film, it's a pretty good tale. The main character is Jack Frost, or as many people called him when they saw him in the 2nd trailer, "bishonen bait." He's troubled because in this world, all myths are only real and empowered as long as people believe in them, and he's in a sort of null area since he's still kind of known but not well enough that people care to make holidays about him. So apparently, long ago, the Man in the Moon commissioned several beings of well-renown to be the Guardians of Childhood, and he just decided to add Jack Frost to their ranks. The Guadians consist of Santa Claus (now a semi-angry Russian man), an Australian Easter Bunny, a...strange, hummingbird-esque Tooth Fairy, and the mute, but cute Sandman. They're out to stop the evil Bogeyman, known simply as Pitch, as he's recently come into the power of infecting the Sandman's dreamsand to turn into nightmares. And the race is on for the Guardians of Childhood to beat this sucker back into the shadows where he belongs. And speaking of belongs, Jack Frost also has the internal struggle of not knowing his identity before he became a force of nature, and how such a free-spirited individual fits into such a group as the Guardians.
While the story is pretty solid, the locales creative, colorful, and well-fleshed out, and the characters likable, relatable, and entertaining, the main problem I have with this picture is the logic-gap in the belief-power system. Heck, as the world grows more into despair, the Guardians become weaker than newborn kittens...which really irritates me since their power and lives are essentially in the hands of naive, easily-swayed, children...it further bothers me since the books established these beings as powerful even WITHOUT the support of children.
However, given my love of stories featuring ragtag teams of misfits, as well as stories involving fun-loving characters coming to grips with who they are and what they were, in addition to a compelling villain with a sympathetic backstory (even moreso because I read the books...yeah, I'm going to keep harping on y'all reading the books because they are really easy reads), I'd say this movie is another gold star for Dreamworks, right after "How to Train your Dragon" and "Shrek 2."
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| AVENGERS, ASSEMBLE! Oh wait, was this the right caption? |
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Hailed as one of Tim Burton's masterpieces, "The Nightmare Before Christmas" is a musical movie that fully encompasses both his macabre visions with his whimsical madness. It shows how one dude, tired and bored of living in his singular goal of making each Halloween more terrifying than the last, chance encounters a different holiday and the feelings that it brings with it. However, when trying to bring this new sense of joy and wonder to the denizens of his dark town, they completely don't get it. And when he tries to bring Christmas into terms they understand, their tunnel-vision into making things dark and scary warp what Christmas really is, and while our protagonist Jack Skellington does his best to keep his original outlook on Christmas, he eventually get it in his head to improve on Christmas with his town's macabre machinations.
Overall, this film is worth looking at for its marvelous stop-motion wizardry, compelling themes, and the most whimsical-creepy musics composer Danny Elfman's done.
First you take the creepy:
then you add the whimsy:et voila! Tim Burton classic!
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
So the main issue with the "Lord of the Rings" for some fans was that they omitted many many things that would've made the movie perfect in their eyes...for "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," however, the problem was that they ADDED too much to the film. Why add stuff to an already short story? Well, I believe it was just so Peter Jackson could jackhammer the fact into the audience's skulls that they are, in fact, watching a prequel to Lord of the Rings. The addition of things like Radagast the Brown wizard & his animal friends, orc opponents hunting their merry band, and the pointless Elijah Wood cameo at the beginning really stretch the film. Further weakening the film is the cast itself. The titular hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, is...not entirely likable in this installment. But since I read the book I know he gets better as time goes on, and to be fair, he does demonstrate some likable characteristics partway through the film, like gumption, bravery, and selflessness. Not just him though, the rest of the crew can be described as 12 bumbling, brash short guys, 1 dwarf who is essentially Aragorn-lite, and wise ol' Magneto in a pointy hat. The Fellowship of the Ring was a group that had so much more diverse characters and dynamic personalities that they are infinitely more enjoyable than these...mostly homogeneous fellows. While it does have these flaws however, it's still a great action fantasy film. Can't wait to see how much they stretch out the other two installments though...=/
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| And so Gandalf asks, "What time is it?" |
Les Miserables
So this supposedly great Broadway musical has been given the Hollywood treatment. It's exactly what it says in the title, "The Miserable People." This movie is a long series of scenes crafted specifically to tug at the audience's heartstrings and tear ducts. It's movies like this that disgust me, for forcing me to feel for these characters as they go through needless tragedy after needless tragedy. While I wasn't exactly expecting a happy musical, the story itself is riddled with plotholes that make me scratch my head at the point of all this sadness. There are also long singing parts that seem to capitalize on the actor or actress, without any real need to show background or scene transitions, something which I'm sure would look more impressive in a stage production, but on film, looks kind of simple. In addition, the editing can be a bit choppy, giving this movie the strange dichotomy of being both rushed and dragging.
HOWEVER!
This movie is still worth seeing.
This movie is still worth seeing solely on the power of the performances by the many big-name actors and actresses gracing this dingy, dirty-looking film about sad things happening to sad people.
Hugh Jackman is a powerhouse as the man who has taken upon himself to be God's mercy to everyone he meets.
Anne Hathaway, despite her brief appearances in this film, leaves quite the lasting impression with her down-&-completely-out-on-her-luck Fantine.
Sacha Baron Cohen, who I cannot normally stand for his raunchy comedies, is a welcome bit of comedy, however ridiculous he is, because all the events prior to his showing up on screen were so emotionally draining for sadness, any laugh, however cheap, was welcome.
Even Russel Crowe, who many a critic of music and film are defaming for having a lackluster performance, leaves an impression on me of such a strong character despite his flaws, and even though his singing isn't up to par as these Broadway booming crooners, his voice has sort of a garage-rock-band feel to it that gives his vocal performance a unique flavor.
Overall, this movie's story blows, but the people in it are so full of passion (some more than others) that it's worth the 3 hours out of your life.
If you need a light-hearted parody after all those emotions, have some Animaniacs!
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