Stop me if you've heard this one:And
there came a day unlike any other, where Earth's mightiest warriors,
misfits, and freaks found themselves facing a common threat: an ancient
evil and his invading space alien army, but not before fighting their
overpowered trump card and bickering amongst themselves. And the
post-credits scene teases at a greater threat to come.
I've said it once, and I'll say it again:
DC movies tryin' to play catch up to Marvel, but they're rushing too much and letting their blatant borrowing show.
But honestly, "Justice League" was everything I expected based on their past entries (with "Wonder Woman" being the outlier). But this time, they certainly TRIED to make it more fun and appealing.
The actor chemistry for the most part is there; of particular note is Ben Affleck and Gal Gadot, with them both being battle-weary heroes trying to fill in the shoes of the dead Man of Steel, taking solace in each other as respected warriors, and being the proactive ones in the incoming alien invasion. Newcomers Ezra Miller as black-haired, super adorkable Barry Allen, Ray Fisher as a Cybertronian Protoform, erm Cyborg, and Jason Momoa as essentially Maui from "Moana" are all serviceable and seem like really interesting characters. Of course the main desire is that we wish we could've seen them shine on their own in their own film, like they did with Gal Gadot's Amazing Amazon Princess, but that's a minor gripe. The interplay between all of the team (which for some reason is NEVER referred to as the Justice League...or Superfriends for that matter) members are great and I would love to see these characters in another movie all together. Whether or not I believe they can carry their own movie will be up to what they show us in future trailers.
The one big downside to all these great actors and characters...has been my same gripe ever since he let his adoptive father get sucked into a tornado: SUPERMAN! His scenes, especially with his supporting cast, were unbearably cheesy and kept on reminding me of bad times. The two things they've improved upon with him is that they actually make his suit a better shade of blue and his primary focus is back to saving the civilians instead of beating up the bad guy like Goku. (And it's only a spoiler that he got better from dying in "Dawn of Justice" if you've paid absolutely no heed to the promotional materials, posters, or trailers for "Justice League")
Speaking of bad guy, the fiend from Apokolips was not the promised Darkseid, but one of his core group of sickos named Steppenwolf...and he's a generic alien baddy bent on conquering the Earth and controls droves of mindless minions that fly and shoot lasers. Nothing really interesting about him except the way he talks to the Macguffin boxes makes him seem like Norman Bates talking about his mother. And while some people would complain that Darkseid would've been a better threat and would mirror better with the start of the New 52 and the animated film "Justice League War," I want to believe they learned their lesson about playing their major-threats-card too early like what happened when they introduced Doomsday and his inevitable destiny in "Dawn of Justice." As far as how well it stacks up against its predecessors in the DC cinematic universe, it is most definitely much more entertaining and less anger-inducing than "Man of Steel" and "Dawn of Justice." There are jokes, actual human emotions, well-balanced screentime for each Justice League member, a nicer lighting and color palette, and most thankfully, a minimum of interactions with the superheroes being angry at each other for petty reasons. Overall, a fun superhero flick that's simple to digest that doesn't seek to piss off their fans.
For a creative overview from a fellow movie-reviewing friend that lists three pros and three cons, please go here. For a SPOILER-FILLED rundown of the movie's events told in a way similar to how Michael Peña told stories in "Ant-Man," go here.
Also, a flashback of a great war against the ancient evil had a member of a familiar space cop corps show up...and then die, but 'twas a nice bone to throw the comics fans.
First question on everyone's lips regarding "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice" is usually, "Is it better than 'Man of Steel?'"
Yes, yes it is.
Next question is usually, "is it a good movie?"
No, not really.
While the movie does fix many of the things I felt were wrong with its predecessor, a whole host of other things have taken their place like Hydra heads. For example, the Superman supporting cast were completely pointless in the first movie, but this time around, they certainly have a more active role and even, dare I say it, are quite funny in some instances. In that same vein however, is the insufferable madman who people are debating is really Lex Luthor, played by Jesse Eisenberg. Jesse messed up and just made his own rendition of the Joker, with so much giddiness being tied together with barely hidden malice.
Ben Affleck is super (har har) as both Batman and Bruce Wayne. While that is a plus, this Batman has been in action far longer than the other film incarnations so he's a bit more brutal, battle-weary, and just not a nice guy, and his Bruce Wayne isn't as suave or mysteriously charismatic as previous versions. Best film Batman we've seen in a long time, and almost every interaction he has with other characters is great chemistry. Prime amongst these interactions is Gal Godot as Diana Prince, Wonder Woman. Wonder Woman's presence in this movie was awesome. Some people believe she didn't
have enough characterization, saying she's still just a glorified cameo, but this really wasn't her movie. Her
purpose was to be introduced to the audiences and to show what a badass warrior she is; it's an
introduction, not an in-depth look at her.
And oh look! Superman's in this movie! Nobody really cares...because like before, the religious symbolism of him is all there is to him. We get it Snyder! You think he's Jesus! Stop!
My own personal philosophy on whether a movie is good or not is how much enjoyment was felt during the viewing of it. And the funny thing is, this movie seems to be made with the DC fans in mind, to cater and enrage them all in one fell swoop. So as a DC fan, I enjoyed all the references and the hints of things to come, but as a movie fan, so much could've been left out to make it a more condensed, less preachy, and enjoyable movie. For funny yet spoilery synopsis disguised as a trailer, go here.
When this movie is so big that even Deadpool and Hawkeye HAVE to point out it's coming months in advance.
Now you See Me
...now you don't...bother reading the rest.
But
seriously, "Now you See Me" was hyped up to be the movie about stage
magicians becoming bank robbers and running from the law.
Half true.
It started off as a
fun flick with stage magicians being Lupin III complete with their own
personal Zenigata hounding them whilst cursing their name, but then it dives a bit into "National Treasure"
conspiracy waters and that leaves a funny taste in your mouth.
Don't know why, but I always associate this phrase with stage magicians.
Stargate
"Stargate" is essentially Disney's "Atlantis: the Lost Empire" done with adults...and more aliens. The ancient Egyptians might've stumbled onto something big and it's up to James Spader's nerdy character to find out what it is.
Spoiler alert, it's aliens and interplanetary travel.
Then Spader and some military types go to Egyptians-Stole-Our-Style planet and have to contend with a wannabe god. Hijinks ensue and fighting of the power.
Robin Hood: Men in Tights
Mel Brooks takes a stab at how much spoofery can be done with the Robin Hood mythos. Hilarious characters as is typical of Mel Brooks films, but this movie seems to rely a little more on popular culture references and anachronisms. Overall, it is still a fun flick for seeing the classic Mel Brooks humor scope affect medieval times.
American Hustle
"American Hustle" brought the laughs from a darker part of the humor
spectrum. The funny is more in how ridiculous the time setting is (70s!
complete with disco scene), and how outright certifiably crazy the
characters are. jennifer lawrence is outright looney, basically a more
off-the-deep-end version of Jenny from "Forrest Gump," and the rest of
the cast is varying degrees of psychotic, neurotic, erotic, and several
more words that end in otic.
I will never understand the struggle some men have to make their hair absolutely perfect...
The World's End "The World's End" stars Simon Pegg and is directed by Edgar Wright. Based on
those two criterion alone, you know it's funny. One man tries to relive his glory days and drags his closest childhood friends along to drink his way through their hometown. However, dark happenings become revealed and the 5 blokes have to fight their way through monstrosities from another world. Drunken brawls never
looked so good and choreographed so awesomely. and like always, its
subtle message revolves around life changes everybody goes through, but
then not every midlife crisis involves aliens taking over your hometown
now does it? I can't recommend watching this movie enough since it is truly a visual and storytelling marvel. Nothing I say will do it any justice so just watch it. For a more in-depth look at why this film is so funny from a purely analytical standpoint, go here.
There is great
fuss about calling the invaders "robots" when there's nothing really
mechanical or robotic about them...best to describe them would be Barbie
dolls with ink-blood. =/
The Artist "The Artist" is a strange movie since it's the most throwback of
throwbacks regarding film as an art style. While I do feel like the
emotions and message were coming across just fine, I still feel like
stuff was missing...oh yeah, DIALOGUE! A famous actor of the early days of film struggles to find relevance as he is pushed aside in favor of the new-fangled "talkie" movies and how he simultaneously hates and loves the new actress that has supplanted him as the hottest blockbuster. While I did mention that it is an artistic endeavor, most of the film feels very bland since the vital ingredient of talking is absent from this loaf of bread of a movie, leaving us with little more than unleavened bread for communion at the Church of Cinema. For a more condensed and entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here. Looper A creatively strange, yet
familiar-feeling film. Part of it is sci-fi, fugitive, action-y
goodness, but then the other part is city boy spoiled by its vices
learns to live simply on a farm and love the people he's shacking up
with. Not to mention timey-wimey, wibbly-wobbly, nonsense. In the near future, the way that organized crime gets away with murder is to send victims to the past where it's a lot easier to dispose of bodies. The only problem is when executioners find themselves having to kill their future selves. Such a problem befalls Joseph Gordon-Levitt as old him, portrayed by Bruce Willis, is on a mission to stop his younger self from becoming such a bad guy...of course things go awry. Bruce Willis goes on the run and Joseph Gordon-Levitt ends up in a rural farmhouse to find the simpler joys in life as well as detox from gangster life. Overall, it does exactly as the trailers promise, but I feel like it didn't go all the way with the concept, seeking to tie our protagonist's fate to the rise of a villain in the future we don't even care about instead of giving us more John McClane chases Robin to stop a bad future.
Sadly, there is
only one scene where young Joseph Gordon-Levitt interacts with "old
Joseph Gordon-Levitt" (really Bruce Willis) without them trying to kill each other.
The Forbidden Planet THE most grandaddy of sci-fi films and it
still stands up great. It's a twist you'll kind of see coming but at the
same time, if you're familiar with "Star Trek" or "Dr. Who"
shenanigans, it really shouldn't come too much as a surprise. A starship crew comes across an old distress call upon a planet and find a solitary professor and his daughter as the inhabitants of a single planet. Turns out the planet's original inhabitants had a lot of super science-y stuff that goes beyond even our futuristic technology could comprehend. But then there's an evil invisible monster on the loose so the issue becomes what to do with the professor and the hottie that all the crew is trying to bang. Amazing special effects for the time and I believe every sci-fi fan would enjoy it regardless of time period.
Just so people know the difference between the light-bulb donut headed robot from "Lost in Space" and Robby.
Hotel
Transylvania "Hotel Transylvania" is an odd little number. I mean, deconstructing the
classic monsters as not-so-monstrous and that the real horror is
humanity is not a new thing...but then amidst the "humor" and the most basic of setups,
it's kind of hard to believe that there's a deep pathos and "humanity" to our main character. Dracula is a busy guy, having to juggle being a loving father and overseeing the construction of a sanctuary for all of monsterkind. As he prepares for his daughter's (1)18th birthday, chaos ensues when an unwitting human tourist inadvertently mistakes the Hotel Transylvania for a normal hotel. As much as Dracula tries to scare him away, he stays for the hot vampire girl he has "zinged," which is just basically monsterkind's universal acknowledgement of forever love or something. And after further miscommunication and pointing of fingers, it's a race to get this weirdo back into his daughter's life because happiness is better than protection. Mad
props to Genndy Tartakovsky for attaching his name to such a film. His animation style of minimal movement yet constant movement is highly prevalent and it makes the film highly watchable. I think the main problem with the movie though is that they couldn't pick a tone and stick with it. Either just gags-all-day-everyday or give us a serious movie with monsters finding out people ain't all bad.
Special animated short on the DVD that showcases the Genndy Tartakovsky-style better. Fully expected Samurai Jack or Fuzzy Lumpkin to just pop in.
Shakespeare in Love The most common advice they tell writers with a writer's block is to write what they know. With "Shakespeare in Love" they really twisted history around to meet their own needs. Willy Shakespeare is a down on his luck playwright because inspiration has not hit him like a ton of bricks yet. Inspiration does manage to smack him though...like a flaming arrow from Cupid himself. He meets a Lady Viola masquerading as a male actor, and a thinly-veiled plot of Romeo and Juliet unfolds around them. Amazing actors and actresses, brilliant setting, and the unique twist on history really crafts a fun, colorful, and surprisingly heartfelt story of the creation of the most famous love story.
So this was a brilliant parody of a parodic movie.
DOUBLE PARODY!
Dead Poets Society "Dead Poets Society" is really not a film so much as a public service announcement from Hollywood to find the beauty in words and poetry and stuff. A group of prep-school high schoolers start the new academic year with the surprise of a new English teacher, one with much more love for the subject than what academia supports. A select group of these high school boys follow through on these ideals and form a group to truly live freely. And that's roughly it. It's a film that explores what it means to be liberated with words and the arts, with the idea that sometimes, you just need to someone who understands you and your passions. And that someone was Robin Williams. He is not the star here, but he is the wisest teacher this side of Dumbledore and Mr. Miyagi. This movie is not for hilarity's sake, but it is to show the passionate (maybe hot-blooded?) side of Robin Williams as he teaches the boys more about life through poetry.
Good Morning Vietnam Mornings suck. Mornings during wartime must suck even more. What can get you through the morning? RADIO TALK SHOW WITH ROBIN WILLIAMS OF COURSE! "Good Morning Vietnam" is another Robin Williams vehicle, with only a smattering of story with scenes of the Vietnam war serving as music video fodder, but the highlight is of course Robin Williams as he entertains the troops listening to his radio show each morning. As is typical, there's some sort of stick-in-the mud who has to rain on the parade and decry Williams for his free spirit, but that's not takes up just a 1/3 of the movie. It's more about Robin Williams trying to impress a Vietnamese girl and preach the truth about what's happening in the war. Overall, it's a great film, but for the best parts, you could probably watch his quick wit and humor shine (the best parts in other words) in youtube clips.
Amadeus The
musical virtuoso of the past as depicted as an out-of-control musician of the
modern era...frankly "The Lion's Roar" did it better and funnier.
"Amadeus" is the story of the rise and fall of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as seen through the eyes of one of his musical rivals Salieri. While real life Salieri was more of one of Mozart's closest friends, the version presented here is nothing more than a religious fanatic who believes that music is an art that should never be tampered with. However, he is shown loving the art, but absolutely loathing the man behind it. This mindset tears him apart and he does everything in his power to tear Mozart down as well, not succeeding so much as fate and Mozart's own bad choices doing the job for him.
As mentioned before, this is more a commentary about how popular musicians can act like the biggest fools on the planet and get away with it because they produce the best tunes and have friends in high places. Complete with alcohol, women, and big fancy houses, it really tries to sell the idea that this has been going on forever, just the places and the people change names.
Overall, really great for people who love classical music as it can put a face behind the pieces they love, but not for history buffs.
My Little Pony: Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks
With the moderate success of the first tale of a cartoon horse-critter going to an alternate universe where everyone she knows is now some kind of human-thing, did the sequel rock my socks off?
Yes...yes it did.
"Rainbow Rocks" was super entertaining.
The animation was better and more fluid, plot more plausible (by the show's own standards at least; better than the 1st movie's for sure), characterization MORE than spot-on, and tons of character growth for the brightly colored horse-people. Special mention going to the villain of the former movie becoming her own character and learning, of course, that friendship is magic.
Monsters trapped in flesh, who had been exiled to the "human realm" discover that with the events of the previous movie the magic that they need to unlock their real forms is now up for the taking. Coincidentally, they use their singing to cause and feed off of negative emotions in anyone within close proximity to them...and it just so happens that the high school where all this takes place is having a battle of the bands. It's up to our heroes of friendship-magic to fight off this new menace in increasingly awesome, Scott-Pilgrim-esque band battles, but all the while, they must fight off the discord coming from within themselves.
Funnily enough, the thing the movie dropped the ball on the most were the songs. While decent, especially the villains having a slower, eerie tone to their tunes, none of the songs really ever jumped into my ears and demanded I remember it later when I'm driving or eating. As previously mentioned, this movie's focus is on the former movie's villain, who, like all reformed villain characters, has to deal with the flack of past misdeeds and finding her place and peace in the school and the circle of friends that is slowly tearing themselves apart.
Overall, a much better movie than the first but the nature of the beast is to appeal to the fans so recommended if you have a high tolerance for musical cartoons "for girls."
For a spoiler-y (puppet-fueled) recap along with a serious analysis of the movie, click here.
Internet has latched onto the prospect that one of the antagonists (the airheaded one) really likes tacos.
GOONIES "Goonies" is such a great film. Featuring the wonderful adventure elements of a sleepy town, smart kids,
treasure, cute chicks, dysfunctional villains, and befriending beasts. A bunch of kids run afoul of a plot involving a weird criminal family, and in escaping them, find themselves on the trail of the lost treasure of a pirate that used to plague their town. Truly a modern adventure flick with enough thrills and laughs to prevent you from ever checking when the movie ends.
How I first found out what the Truffle Shuffle was...thank you Problem Sleuth.
Men in Black 3 That same buddy cop dynamic you know and love is back...this time crossing TWO timelines! "Men in Black 3" has Agent J inexplicably being the only guy who even remembers his mentor Agent K and with the added threat of a one of the most dangerous aliens to ever have been locked up by K escaping his moon prison. J has to go back to the past to stop this evil alien plot and save K's very existence as the best of the best of the best Man in Black. The comedy, the action, the jaw-dropping alien special effects and designs are all there, as well as the dynamic chemistry between the gruff old mentor and the upstart newbie...even after J goes to the past, the dynamic is still there. Great fun and a little bit of a retcon to their relationship, but still worth every blinkin flashy light.
Random blobfish. I refuse to believe it's an alien lifeform since I want to believe Earth can be home to some weird and ugly critters too.
Rio 2 While the first "Rio" was about
character-driven, fish-out-of-water,
I-don't-like-you-you-don't-like-me-but-we're-stuck-together, kind of
story, this one...showcases rare animals and exotic locales. Blue the macaw and his wife hear the possibility of more of their kind living in the Amazon and they go there to reconnect with their wild roots, bringing their children and close friends along. As the first one showed us, the domesticated pet has trouble fitting in and is scorned by nearly all he meets, but in a not so subtle twist, he becomes essential to saving the rainforest and his family. If you were a fan of the first one, knock yourself out in enjoying this one since it's essentially the same thing. The Magnificent Seven (1960) Little village in Mexico besieged by bandits? Who you gonna call? SEVEN SAMURAI! ... Joking,
"THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN!" Seven gunslingers who are tops with firearms,
have nothing to lose, and will die to see justice done! An amazing flick building on the premise Kurosawa gave us with the Seven Samurai, the story is roughly the same but IN AMERICA! There are moments where the action is put on the backburner for the development of character, but once the bullets start whizzing by, you know it's a fight to the finish. Saddle up and watch this beauty.
Funnily enough, there is this scene, almost verbatim, in the climax with one of the Seven.
R.I.P.D
"RIPD" is a strange little movie that tastes like "Men in Black" when
sprinkled with some "Ghostbusters" or "Bleach." Stupid fun action film
with Jeff Bridges playing the best unhinged cowboy since his take on
Rooster Cogburn.
A cop is killed by his partner and instead of pearly gates, black voids, or fiery lakes awaiting him, he finds out he's drafted into the afterlife's best (of the best of the best of the best) lawkeepers to book and destroy ghosts, zombies, and the devilish. Soon, a conspiracy develops and it's up to our unlucky green lantern and dude to endure all manner of Looney-Toon-esque mishaps to cancel the doomsday event.
While not as action-packed nor funny as other buddy-cop-with-supernatural-elements movies, it is still solidly fun; nonsensical, but fun. What is fascinating is the whole world they craft with particular rules concerning the afterlife, the undead, and the fiendish plot.
Overall, I think that if this was released more in the 80s or 90s, we'd be seeing an animated show with barely-similar paint actors complete with catchy-as-hell theme song.
Nope...don't see the resemblance at all...no sirree Bob.
Good Will Hunting
Who knew Jason Bourne needed therapy from Robin Williams after being
found out as a genius from the crazy professor from the "Thor" movies?
"Good Will Hunting" is an amazing film for all of the little
poignant moments of true emotion and brilliant scripting and casting.
Matt Damon is discovered to be a mathematical genius (amongst other surprising smarts) despite being a janitor at MIT. However, his attitude causes his professor to seek some psychiatric help for this troubled youth. Since Lucy Van Pelt is unavailable, the next best thing is a lovelorn Robin Williams. The bond that forms between Robin Williams and Matt Damon enhances the lives of both, and most of all, Matt Damon's personal life benefits greatly from these improvements. But is Matt Damon ready to be this new and improved version or is he going to slide back into his Jersey-punk lifestyle?
What this film lacks in action or comedy, it makes up for in drama. The tension between characters get so high and palpable, but never ridiculously so. The acting from all the actors is A+ and at moments, you forget they're actors and believe they're actually the characters they embody. Robin Williams has his trademark humor, but it's a lot more subdued, and as Matt Damon's psychiatrist he teaches as well as he learns.
Overall, wonderful film from amateur filmmakers but beyond powerful and moving and other adjectives describing amazing.
I doubt I can use this excuse to get out of work for a couple of weeks...
Book of Life
"Book of Life" is definitely full of life! Beautiful
and unique animation, excellent characters, great chance to finally
learn something about Mexican mythology, and well, it's fun!
Three kids make vows to be friends no matter what, but fate forces them all apart to be the best in their respective fields...and two gods decide to play matchmaker between the three of em too.
While one boy is a musician trapped in a profession he hates (can't kill bulls; becomes bullfighter), the other boy becomes a military hero. Clearly, the third friend will choose the man who makes her heart go a-flutter as opposed to new!Gaston. When the god who bet on the other guy realizes this is a problem, he rigs the game and kills our sensitive man. From there, it's not only a fight for our bony man to make his way back to life, meeting his quirky and amazing deceased family, but a big threat in the world of the living is making his way towards the remaining two amigos.
The beauty of this is that you're watching a puppet show with VERY traditional looking Dia de Los Muertos puppets, but the animation and expressions paired with the great vocal work make this a truly cinematic treat as textured and delicious as so many churros.
While it does involve puppets that move without strings, I don't think that's what we're talking about...
Interstellar
How did Matthew Mcconaughey do in "Interstellar?"
Alright...alright...alright.
...
That's all I got because the movie's grasp of science tries to dumb it down for the layman to understand, but even with that, I feel beyond the limits of moron. Truly the only way I could rationalize the science happening was to interpret it as an alternate universe where Reed Richards is still a genius but more grounded in reality...and there are no megalomaniacal doctor-dictators to beat up.
The earth is unable to food anymore, and the only hope humanity has is to search the stars for a new planet to call home. At the core of the conflict however, is a family man who adores his science-loving daughter but is unable to be with her because of the distance and time involved with the distance.
Christopher Nolan, in a post-Dark-Knight era, seems even more determined to baffle his audience with complex story, breathtaking visuals, and A-list actors being melodramatic. And despite these good(?) things, it's still a great film for the very real human core. Watch it if you're a fan of Nolan, sci-fi with a more "realistic" twist, and snarky robots.
For a more condensed and entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here.
For a funny yet spoilery synopsis disguised as a trailer, go here.
Big Hero 6
So "Big Hero 6" has an interesting futuristic "How to Train your Dragon"
feel to it...which is ironic because the comics version of Baymax WAS a
dragon-like critter...Much prefer this version though...best character
in the whole film.
Child genius Hiro Hamada is content with using his robots to battle n00bs in the back alleys of San Fransokyo, but his older brother sees a diamond in the rough, and encourages him to do a fantastic science thing to impress the people at a prestigious technology school. But when an accident destroys both his awesome science project and his brother, Hiro is left in a depressive funk that he won't rise from. What does arise suddenly though, is older bro's latest creation, Baymax, a walking, talking, airbag nurse. The other thing that shifts Hiro into top gear is the chance to find his brother's killer.
The funny thing about the movie with the promise of 6 heroes, is that we don't learn too much about the other members of the team, with the focus being on the innocent brotherly relationship between robot and distraught boy genius. Despite the failings of villain and interhero chemistry, the settings are gorgeous and inventive, and the innocent and lovable Baymax really steal the show.
Batman Returns
So like a n00b, I finally watched all the live-action Batman movies...with "Batman Returns" being the last one.
Bruce Wayne finds himself facing three types of baddie this time: corporate, creepy, and kinky.
Christopher Walken is your typical businessman slimeball, but once he associates with a literal slimy character, Danny Devito's Penguin, a misformed mutated menace from the sewers, they really make things tough for Batman. However, the surprising twist of a blonde Selina Kyle finally snapping, and putting on ALL the fetish gear, is another obstacle that makes it tough for Batman, setting up the classic BatCat dilemma of his pursuit of justice and love.
This one is so full of Tim Burton flavor that it almost didn't feel
like a Batman film at all...meaning that the character designs are all
caricatures, the atmosphere is dark and macabre, and the
characterization is off-putting and intriguingly quirky all at once.
Also, A+ for THE creepiest depiction of the Penguin from any incarnation
I've seen him in (including the recent Gotham TV show...that's a creepy
creeper of a creep too, but Danny Devito man...).
It's now you
must admire the vision of a director who said, "You know what would be
the most adorable way for a city to be razed to the ground? PENGUINS
WITH MISSILE LAUNCHERS ATTACHED TO THEIR BACKS!"
Groundhog Day
After having seen "Edge of Tomorrow," I finally saw "Groundhog Day," the
one that first put the "relive the day" trope into the collective
movie-going public's conscious.
Massive jerk Bill Murray finds himself trapped by bad weather in the equivalent of Halloweentown from "Nightmare Before Christmas" but for Groundhog day instead of Halloween: Punxsutawney. He awakens from his bed to the same song from the alarm clock radio, runs into the same people, and has the same conversations from the previous day. He runs the gamut from shocked, to horrified, to blase, to sudden philanthropist. So really, all it takes to convert a horrible person to the nicest guy in town is to trap him in one place and drive him to despair for over a couple of years.
Overall, a weird, but fun excursion to the theme of finding your true happiness while living with all the knowledge in the world.
According to Bill Murray, his character pretty much relived all of this book during the film.
Muppets: Most Wanted
"Muppets: Most Wanted" takes a very fun, musical, tongue-in-cheek way of
looking at having your life replaced by an evil twin. Not better than
the first, but still plenty of good laughs and unexpectedly hilarious celebrity cameos.
Shortly after the results of the first Muppets movie with Jason Segal and Amy Adams, the Muppets go on a tour to Europe without any of the returning human characters. While out there, Kermit is replaced with a nearly- identical-yet-everybody-thinks-he-looks-radically-different thief. So while Kermit's in the Russian gulag run by Tina Fey, the dangerous doppelganger finds himself beset with a whole slew of new problems as only reigning in the ridiculous needs of the Muppet crew can bring in addition to pulling off crazy heists.
As per the Muppet tradition, a lot of fun is poked at the expense of being fully aware of the 4th wall as well as self-referential humor. While the plot is a little weaker this time around, with the song numbers also following the not-as-good trend they established in the opening number, the best parts is definitely a Frenchy Ty Burrel playing off of Sam Eagle as they try to nab the thief through their vastly different sleuthing styles.
For a more condensed and entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here.
Where they probably got the idea for "the World's Most Dangerous Frog."
John Wick
"John Wick" tries to remind the audience that Keanu Reeves was a major action star for the brief bit in history when the Matrix was everywhere (well, moreso than we plugged-in ones want to believe).
John Wick finds himself a little bit of happiness with the prospect of a loving wife and a cute puppy. But when jerks from his past strip that away from him in the most brutal ways, he goes on a roaring rampage of revenge as to make the Bride blush. He leaps back into his old world of mobsters and assassins, with guns blazing, almost literally.
This movie is a never-ending ride of violence and misery. BUT! It brings
two very unique things to the table: EXTREEEEEME subtitles and a
fascinating perspective into the hidden world of the assassin elite. Argo
"Argo" can only be described as the most farfetched rescue attempt in
history...a lot of plates that spun just the right way...and yet, it was
still a good film.
Tragedy befalls the US embassy in Iran and it's up to Ben Affleck to find a way to bring the survivors home. All conventional avenues of rescue are closed so he figures from looking through his son's sci-fi stuff that their Hail Mary pass is making a sci-fi film on par with Star Wars, with the excuse of having an exotic locale to be a distant planet. To do that, he has to work with sympathetic Hollywood people and do big promotions for something that'll never exist. Hilarity ensues, but the race is on to keep the trapped Americans safe and to safely escort them out under the guise of being part of the film crew for the project known simply as Argo.
The acting is top-notch and the film does a great job at building tension. Of course it's a bit of a foregone conclusion if you know old news.
Some people are just so quick to judge someone based on their own crazy logic, which is not at all logical.
Elf
Like a cotton-headed ninny-muggins, I have
finally seen "Elf." Best way I can summarize it is that it's the next
generation's "Big" with less mystical hoodoo and more Christmas spirit!
MUCH more Christmas spirit!!
Despite Santa Claus being able to "see you when you're sleeping, and knows when you're awake," he couldn't see the little orphan baby crawl into his toysack. The baby is raised by Bob Hoskins the elf and as Mowgli did with wolves, little "Buddy" as he's known grows into a Will Ferrell with the demeanor of the cheerful elves of the North Pole. Upon realization that he is not, in fact, an elf, he goes on a journey to New York City to find the family he's never known. With his infectious joy and naivety however, he throws the natural order of every New Yorker he meets out of whack.
Probably THE definitive Will Ferrell movie since after this, there seemed to be a boom of movies starring the SNL alum. Completely understandable though since he gives the most ridiculous, over-the-top, and downright funny performance of a hyperactive manchild since Tom Hanks in "Big." And while Hanks' character changed and became a more mature person, it's Will Ferrell's character who doesn't change and instead positively impacts everyone around him. Perfect film for getting you into the festive spirit of the season...and by getting I mean drag you kicking and screaming.
For a more condensed and entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here.
And I shall call this dish, "WHY WOULD YOU PUT THAT IN YOUR MOUTH?!"
Grumpy Cat's Worst Christmas Ever
...I am not getting those hours of my life back...but hey, Aubrey Plaza makes a perfect Tardar Sauce voice. A little girl makes a wish on a convenient plot device and wishes for a friend...and by whatever demented genie granted it, the wish comes true in her telepathically understanding Grumpy Cat, a stray in a petshop in the mall. Together, they try to foil a plot with stupid thieves and help each other resolve their issues...for the most part; Grumpy cat still has to stay grumpy after all. Several times I had to yell at the screen, "LIFETIME MOVIE CLICHE! AUUUUUGH!" The
shining moments are when it focuses on Grumpy Cat snarking at
everything around her...and Muppet-level 4th wall jokes. Which is ironic
since the Jim Henson studios was involved in making the puppets for
some of the more "physical" scenes that you can't do with a kitty.
Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters
"Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters" was not a bad film, but I'm sure
the book purists would have something to say about that.
Percy Jackson finds himself on yet another wacky quest involving saving the mythological and mundane worlds, with the stakes hitting a little closer to home since he must find the Golden Fleece to save the barrier-producing tree (powered by a dying child no less) that protects his summer camp of unloved Greek pantheon illegitimate children. Along the way, more big name actors cameo as Greek gods and many a classic monster is vanquished.
In
addition to all the wacky sudden Greek mythology stuff being
transplanted into America situations, we also have new members to the
team which add interesting dynamics, with a hot-headed, belligerent
frenemy girl, and the younger brother of our main hero, who is one of
those, monstrous-looks-but-heart-of-gold-and-childlike-innocence kind of
character.
Exodus: Gods and Kings Oh Moses, Moses...don't watch "Exodus: Gods and Kings." Ramses and Moses have 0 chemistry, Moses is ALWAYS at odds with I AM (although they get points
for even throwing that scene in),and worst of all, they cast a sword to
play Moses' staff!! If it weren't for Groot earlier this year, I'd say
that the representation of sticks in the media have been sorely lacking. Stop the metal-washing hollywood!
A much better scene in EVERY. SINGLE. WAY. than what was done in "Exodus: Gods and Kings"
The Secret World of Arrietty
Miyazaki tries his hand at tackling the classic children's story of the "Borrowers" in "The Secret World of Arrietty."
Arrietty and her family live at the underside of a house in the country, and on her first night out as a Borrower, she meets the newcomer Bean, and a friendship is almost instantly formed. However, the secret of the teeny tiny people is threatened when the housekeeper gets too nosy for them to stay living their kleptomaniacal lives.
As is the usual fare for s Studio Ghibli film, looks pretty, and story is definitely one of discovery,
invention, and whimsy...but as is also typical, the story is lacking, the
characters are a bit flat, and plotholes a-plenty. Doesn't help that I
only saw the English-dubbed version and the voice-casting was all wrong.
For a more condensed and entertaining (spoiler-filled) review, go here.
Hundred Foot Journey "100 Foot Journey" is a heart-warming tale about loving your neighbor,
enjoying the passion involved in food (tasting and prepping), and
ultimately, finding home.
Basically, a "Ratatouille" for adults who care not for cartoon mice and their delusions...those sad sad people...
An Indian family flees their home for fear of their lives and end up moving to France. There, they decide to start up a restaurant. The only problem is the whole of the French countryside they ended up in, they decide to open their eatery across the street from a Michelin-starred French restaurant. Thus the feud between the owner Helen Mirren and this family trying to liven up the neighborhood begins. What fascinates Helen Mirren the most however is their oldest boy, who has "the gift" of knowing what combinations of flavors will make anything he cooks taste amazing. When she sees this potential, a further conflict ensues when she insists on taking him under her wing to teach him her way of cuisine. There's also a bit of romance, for both young and old. But the primary focus of course, is the food. Truly beauty and art is gently folded into how the food is produced and presented in this movie.
WATCH IF YOU LOVE FOOD!
USE *ALL* THE CARDAMOM!!
Unbroken I have the utmost respect for the true story of a man who suffered through so much as a POW in WWII, but the movie "Unbroken" dragged on longer than I felt comfortable watching. Louis Zamperini is an airman whose mission goes horribly wrong and he ends up on a life raft in the miles from shore and civilization. Flashbacks show us that he was a simple country boy who was good at running; so good at running that he became an Olympic athlete. Back to the present problem of being adrift at sea with supplies running out, the sun turning his skin to jerky, and will to live sinking (who knew I would see two of those movies this year, with "All is Lost" being the other), it is temporarily rectified by being rescued...and subsequently tortured by the Japanese. More pain and misery await him, and at points, the audience can feel him sinking even lower and lower, but one iconic, poster-worthy moment reassures us that no...he remains unbroken. I can only recommend this if you have a strong stomach for watching people suffer, specifically our strong-willed protagonist.
One scene had the three survivors on the raft all freak out because one of themt ate all the chocolate.
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."
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!
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:
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.
Archers...much more popular in fiction than you think.
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.
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. ^~^
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.
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.
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.
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.
Just like in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" the unexpected cameos are EVERYWHERE!
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.
"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."
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...=/
And so Gandalf asks, "What time is it?"
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.
If you need a light-hearted parody after all those emotions, have some Animaniacs!
For a more argumentative-between-two-critics review, go here and here.
