I'm trapped in a room on my 11th day of quarantine. If I hadn't already worn out Netflix, I wouldn't have finished this. Red herrings and repetition drag this into at least two more hours than it needed to be.
Reviews
10 Reviews
Blade Runner 2049
(2017)
Should have stayed home
9 October 2017
OK, maybe it's my fault. I'm sure some sci-fi nerds will blame me, but I can't find a reason to like this movie. I left the theater feeling like I missed something, like there is some huge plot point that passed me by and my lack of intelligence is getting in the way of enjoying the movie.
The cinematography, easily the best part of the movie, is self-indulgent as if the director told the editors, "We paid a lot of money for these visually spectacular sets; put them on-screen until they are a complete distraction from the story line."
The music is so grating it rivals the sets in its level of obnoxiousness. At more than one point, I felt myself falling asleep, only to be jolted awake by the sounds of high school brass section competing to see who can play the lowest note.
Add to those, the unexplained plot points and the movie is a recipe for walking out. Although I didn't leave, I haven't felt so compelled to do so since Leprechaun in 1993. If the rest of my party would have hinted they were done, I would have been out the door.
In the end, I don't think the fault is mine. I think it's in the movie's producers who are trying to capitalize on the names, including Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, and Blade Runner, while making a movie that plays well to foreign box offices.
The cinematography, easily the best part of the movie, is self-indulgent as if the director told the editors, "We paid a lot of money for these visually spectacular sets; put them on-screen until they are a complete distraction from the story line."
The music is so grating it rivals the sets in its level of obnoxiousness. At more than one point, I felt myself falling asleep, only to be jolted awake by the sounds of high school brass section competing to see who can play the lowest note.
Add to those, the unexplained plot points and the movie is a recipe for walking out. Although I didn't leave, I haven't felt so compelled to do so since Leprechaun in 1993. If the rest of my party would have hinted they were done, I would have been out the door.
In the end, I don't think the fault is mine. I think it's in the movie's producers who are trying to capitalize on the names, including Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, and Blade Runner, while making a movie that plays well to foreign box offices.
Pitch Perfect 2
(2015)
Anchorman/High School Musical Lovechild?
16 May 2015
If Anchorman spawned a lovechild with High School Musical, it would abound with sophomoric one-liners between energetic musical numbers. And thusly, Pitch Perfect 2 feels like it was belched from that very birth canal. As the plot develops, it becomes more and more formulaic. Deeply meaningful, though, is not what this film wants to be when it grows up. Along side some jokes that would make 3rd graders giggle intensely, the Anchorman-esque humor takes shots at cultural and racial biases. This style of humor may give some of the more hoity-toity among us a reason to snub the film. I,on the other hand, laughed so hard I did some crop dusting of my own. (My apologies to those sitting near me.) When the plot or jokes stall, energetic High School Musical-esque song mash-ups flourish while some scenes are hilariously forced.
Yes, indeed, this movie is not for those searching for the meaning of life in the B-roll. Instead, it is the opportunity to be enveloped in entertainment purely for the sake of a good laugh at a stupid joke.
Yes, indeed, this movie is not for those searching for the meaning of life in the B-roll. Instead, it is the opportunity to be enveloped in entertainment purely for the sake of a good laugh at a stupid joke.
Dark Skies
(2013)
The pieces just about fit.
14 September 2013
Ah yes, another explanation of how the aliens may be invading earth. I left feeling the parts of this puzzle have been used before. In this twist of the old genre, the focus is on one family and their attempts to deal with what they can't explain and how others in their community react. It poses the age old dilemma of "what would you do in the same situation?"
This is not a super special effects movie a la "Independence Day," nor are the plot twists clever like "Signs." It also doesn't exude the quirky fun of a "Men in Black." It's more of a character study. The movie centers on the Barrett family and their ordeal. Intensity builds slowly at the beginning as the family already trying to overcome problems of their own discover more and more weirdness has permeated their lives. Not surprisingly, the main focus is on Lacy Barrett, the mother, played by Keri Russell who has put her Felicity days behind her. She, in typical fashion, is determined to take care of her family at any cost. Along side her, playing her husband Daniel Barrett, is the lesser known Josh Hamilton. His character eventually reaches the same fervor as hers with some easily anticipated extra convincing. The skepticism of the friends and neighbors adds to the drama, helping to hold audience interest. There are parts of the plot that are truly scary as the Barretts try to figure out how to protect their children in their own home while other parts are so poorly presented that they are laughable, and not for the right reasons.
Does this all sound familiar? Sure. In the words of the Barenaked Ladies, "It's all been done before." Past movies have tried this formula with varying success. Here, though, the familiar pieces of the old puzzles fit together well enough to be an entertaining hour and a half.
This is not a super special effects movie a la "Independence Day," nor are the plot twists clever like "Signs." It also doesn't exude the quirky fun of a "Men in Black." It's more of a character study. The movie centers on the Barrett family and their ordeal. Intensity builds slowly at the beginning as the family already trying to overcome problems of their own discover more and more weirdness has permeated their lives. Not surprisingly, the main focus is on Lacy Barrett, the mother, played by Keri Russell who has put her Felicity days behind her. She, in typical fashion, is determined to take care of her family at any cost. Along side her, playing her husband Daniel Barrett, is the lesser known Josh Hamilton. His character eventually reaches the same fervor as hers with some easily anticipated extra convincing. The skepticism of the friends and neighbors adds to the drama, helping to hold audience interest. There are parts of the plot that are truly scary as the Barretts try to figure out how to protect their children in their own home while other parts are so poorly presented that they are laughable, and not for the right reasons.
Does this all sound familiar? Sure. In the words of the Barenaked Ladies, "It's all been done before." Past movies have tried this formula with varying success. Here, though, the familiar pieces of the old puzzles fit together well enough to be an entertaining hour and a half.
Man of Steel
(2013)
Make the leap
1 September 2013
The updated feel brings together the new version of the old storyline - Superman's coming of age. Christopher Nolan's influence is felt from costumes to credits, which is good considering his success with The Dark Knight. This is not however, wholly a Christopher Nolan movie because Zack Snyder does a fine job as the director.
The pre-production buzz for this movie must have been out of this world. The big names start from the beginning of the movie and just keep coming - Russell Crowe, Diane Lane, Christopher Meloni, Kevin Costner, Laurence Fishburne, among others, and of course the stars Amy Adams and Henry Cavill. Amy Adams as Lois Lane was solid, but not stellar. I liked her Lois Lane, but I didn't really feel as empathetic for her as I thought I should. Disappointing? Yes, but give the woman a break. She can't be expected to perform with the charisma of Giselle, her character in Enchanted, every time. No actress is that good. As for Henry Cavill as Superman, if you like bulked up, powerful, potent men, his performance won't matter after seeing him shirtless. (At least one of the two ladies that saw it with us prefers Thor, but that is a debate for someone else to moderate.) If you are like me, you want acting chops, which he proved he had in the Tudors and by his transformation here into our flying friend. His strength is as the quiet transient who moves from town to town trying to find himself and his way, and he pulls off the superpowers with the confidence one would want. The weakest of the main characters was Russell Crowe as Superman's father. I can't decide if this is the fault of the Academy Award winning actor or the writers, but either way some of his conversations felt so tedious that I thought more how flat the lines were, rather than how they were changing the plot.
The film is listed at 2 hours and 23 minutes and while it doesn't move faster than a speeding bullet, it moves quickly enough to maintain the viewers attention thanks to the plot and the special effects. The flashback scenes to Superman's childhood are informative, interesting and not overdone as they easily could be. They are also spread out enough to be unobtrusive. I felt like some of the scenes on Krypton were a little too much, as if the artists were trying too hard to be visually spectacular and to create something different from Earth. I felt that way also in the "Fortress of Solitude." That said, the special effects have added a realism here that is not seen in previous iterations. The audience is bombarded, as they should be, with visual and audio cues for the power Superman and the other characters from his native Krypton exert compared to, as the Hulk would say, "puny humans." My issue with the length of the movie is that the last fight scene seemed wholly unnecessary, creating continuity questions rather than closure.
A few of the themes are not handled well, like the idea of people not accepting others as they are, the struggle to find oneself and the raping of the natural resources of the planet. I don't need to be punched in the chest to notice them. In this case, though, that can be forgiven because with a PG-13 rating the repetition is probably for the younger audience.
While I would not go so far as to say this version is leaps and bounds better than earlier ones, this, like The Dark Knight, stands as it's own worthy interpretation. If you like action movies, see it on the big screen; don't wait to watch at home.
The pre-production buzz for this movie must have been out of this world. The big names start from the beginning of the movie and just keep coming - Russell Crowe, Diane Lane, Christopher Meloni, Kevin Costner, Laurence Fishburne, among others, and of course the stars Amy Adams and Henry Cavill. Amy Adams as Lois Lane was solid, but not stellar. I liked her Lois Lane, but I didn't really feel as empathetic for her as I thought I should. Disappointing? Yes, but give the woman a break. She can't be expected to perform with the charisma of Giselle, her character in Enchanted, every time. No actress is that good. As for Henry Cavill as Superman, if you like bulked up, powerful, potent men, his performance won't matter after seeing him shirtless. (At least one of the two ladies that saw it with us prefers Thor, but that is a debate for someone else to moderate.) If you are like me, you want acting chops, which he proved he had in the Tudors and by his transformation here into our flying friend. His strength is as the quiet transient who moves from town to town trying to find himself and his way, and he pulls off the superpowers with the confidence one would want. The weakest of the main characters was Russell Crowe as Superman's father. I can't decide if this is the fault of the Academy Award winning actor or the writers, but either way some of his conversations felt so tedious that I thought more how flat the lines were, rather than how they were changing the plot.
The film is listed at 2 hours and 23 minutes and while it doesn't move faster than a speeding bullet, it moves quickly enough to maintain the viewers attention thanks to the plot and the special effects. The flashback scenes to Superman's childhood are informative, interesting and not overdone as they easily could be. They are also spread out enough to be unobtrusive. I felt like some of the scenes on Krypton were a little too much, as if the artists were trying too hard to be visually spectacular and to create something different from Earth. I felt that way also in the "Fortress of Solitude." That said, the special effects have added a realism here that is not seen in previous iterations. The audience is bombarded, as they should be, with visual and audio cues for the power Superman and the other characters from his native Krypton exert compared to, as the Hulk would say, "puny humans." My issue with the length of the movie is that the last fight scene seemed wholly unnecessary, creating continuity questions rather than closure.
A few of the themes are not handled well, like the idea of people not accepting others as they are, the struggle to find oneself and the raping of the natural resources of the planet. I don't need to be punched in the chest to notice them. In this case, though, that can be forgiven because with a PG-13 rating the repetition is probably for the younger audience.
While I would not go so far as to say this version is leaps and bounds better than earlier ones, this, like The Dark Knight, stands as it's own worthy interpretation. If you like action movies, see it on the big screen; don't wait to watch at home.
Admission
(2013)
Take a bite
21 August 2013
This movie is like a filled donut when the insides are a mystery. It might look inviting on the outside, but until the first bite there is no way to know if it is any good.
I went in to this movie expecting a romantic comedy that was more comedy than romance a la Tina Fey. She however stretches her dramatic acting chops even farther than she did in "Baby Mama" where she had the comedic support of another Saturday Night Live actor Amy Poehler. Instead of the quirky Amy, Paul Rudd, who is a solid choice for this part given his performances as the mostly, but not quite normal guy in movies like "The 40 Year Old Virgin," "Knocked Up," and "I Love You Man," plays both the foil and the love interest with his usual everyday ease. As it turns out, the mix is weaker on the comedy, which is probably better for the plot.
Being a romantic comedy there are required ingredients that are necessary to fit the genre. Here, though, there are enough unpredictable morsels to keep the plot from becoming dull. The secondary characters like the humorous Lily Tomlin and quirky Michael Sheen, keep the flavor of some serious situations from becoming too thick. The requisite relationship between Paul Rudd and Tina Fey comes off as a satisfactory pairing; they mix well enough emotionally to make them feel right together.
Overall, I didn't find what I had originally expected, and in this case that was a tasty. Like a donut, this film provides a refreshing filling to a variety that is frequently stale.
I went in to this movie expecting a romantic comedy that was more comedy than romance a la Tina Fey. She however stretches her dramatic acting chops even farther than she did in "Baby Mama" where she had the comedic support of another Saturday Night Live actor Amy Poehler. Instead of the quirky Amy, Paul Rudd, who is a solid choice for this part given his performances as the mostly, but not quite normal guy in movies like "The 40 Year Old Virgin," "Knocked Up," and "I Love You Man," plays both the foil and the love interest with his usual everyday ease. As it turns out, the mix is weaker on the comedy, which is probably better for the plot.
Being a romantic comedy there are required ingredients that are necessary to fit the genre. Here, though, there are enough unpredictable morsels to keep the plot from becoming dull. The secondary characters like the humorous Lily Tomlin and quirky Michael Sheen, keep the flavor of some serious situations from becoming too thick. The requisite relationship between Paul Rudd and Tina Fey comes off as a satisfactory pairing; they mix well enough emotionally to make them feel right together.
Overall, I didn't find what I had originally expected, and in this case that was a tasty. Like a donut, this film provides a refreshing filling to a variety that is frequently stale.
Larry Crowne
(2011)
A scooter ride.
21 July 2013
Scooters are normally fun, and on Larry Crowne's trip, he loses his job, goes back to school, falls for his professor and manages an enjoyable ride.
And just like a real outing, visiting the world's biggest ball of yarn may be interesting to see, but the characters that are met along the way are what make it or break it. From the start, Tom Hanks gives a pleasing performance as the off camber title character, and Julia Roberts, as his speech professor and crush, is equally as satisfying. While many of the supporting characters enhance the tour, two really stand out. George Takei as the stoic economics professor could believably show up to class riding a donkey without the students knowing whether to laugh or start taking notes. The high point, however, is Gugu Mbatha-Rau's enamoring interpretation of Talia Francesco. She plays the bubbly Talia with the a charisma that could break up a European Vespa gang.
The movie travels at an acceptable pace without stalling at any one place for too long. Writing, directing, and editing all serve to support Larry's trip from place to place and character to character.
In the end, when I come across a scooter, I may rent one or I may not. The same applies to this movie. While I wouldn't suggest to anyone to seek it out, if you happen upon it with some time to kill, it's an entertaining ride.
And just like a real outing, visiting the world's biggest ball of yarn may be interesting to see, but the characters that are met along the way are what make it or break it. From the start, Tom Hanks gives a pleasing performance as the off camber title character, and Julia Roberts, as his speech professor and crush, is equally as satisfying. While many of the supporting characters enhance the tour, two really stand out. George Takei as the stoic economics professor could believably show up to class riding a donkey without the students knowing whether to laugh or start taking notes. The high point, however, is Gugu Mbatha-Rau's enamoring interpretation of Talia Francesco. She plays the bubbly Talia with the a charisma that could break up a European Vespa gang.
The movie travels at an acceptable pace without stalling at any one place for too long. Writing, directing, and editing all serve to support Larry's trip from place to place and character to character.
In the end, when I come across a scooter, I may rent one or I may not. The same applies to this movie. While I wouldn't suggest to anyone to seek it out, if you happen upon it with some time to kill, it's an entertaining ride.
Battleship
(2012)
Spaghetti with meatballs
19 July 2013
I like spaghetti. I like it a lot. Throwing it into some boiling water is a simple process. Similarly, pouring marinara sauce on it is tasty, but mindless. Sometimes I even throw on a meatball or two for a little extra pizazz, but still spaghetti is spaghetti.
And so it goes for this movie. The plot is as standard as any aliens- invading-earth movie plot. Aliens so intelligent they travel with gigantic ships through light years and light years of space, but the earthlings through sheer will put up a fight to make the foreigners think twice about continuing to pursue this planet. Yeah. That along with many other aspects of this film fall apart under any real scrutiny. The action happens as anticipated with gigantic CGI ships, tsunami sized explosions and unbelievable narrow escapes.
If the plot is the spaghetti, the performances are the sauce (or the gravy, as my Long Island friends call it) and this is Prego plopped out of the jar. The characters shoot their guns, shout their orders, and convey the appropriate emotion for the scenes, just as Prego coats the spaghetti and gives a satisfying, but not stunning flavor to the mix. Liam Neeson plays the hard nosed Navy man with a soft spot for his daughter. Taylor Kitsch is the good looking lead so marvelous that the Navy will bend the rules for him. Rihanna portrays the tough petty officer out to prove a woman can do it. too, and so on and so on. The meatballs to this spaghetti is Brooklyn Decker. While I expected more of a stale model-turned-actress performance, here she is not Oscar worthy, but does prove herself as more than just another side dish. She is added to the mix to look good; what she delivers is a surprisingly pleasing combination of beauty and conviction, although the looks might still be the better of the two.
So, there you go. This movie is like my spaghetti and meatballs. I mindlessly enjoyed it because I got what I expected. Even so, I wouldn't want to eat it everyday.
And so it goes for this movie. The plot is as standard as any aliens- invading-earth movie plot. Aliens so intelligent they travel with gigantic ships through light years and light years of space, but the earthlings through sheer will put up a fight to make the foreigners think twice about continuing to pursue this planet. Yeah. That along with many other aspects of this film fall apart under any real scrutiny. The action happens as anticipated with gigantic CGI ships, tsunami sized explosions and unbelievable narrow escapes.
If the plot is the spaghetti, the performances are the sauce (or the gravy, as my Long Island friends call it) and this is Prego plopped out of the jar. The characters shoot their guns, shout their orders, and convey the appropriate emotion for the scenes, just as Prego coats the spaghetti and gives a satisfying, but not stunning flavor to the mix. Liam Neeson plays the hard nosed Navy man with a soft spot for his daughter. Taylor Kitsch is the good looking lead so marvelous that the Navy will bend the rules for him. Rihanna portrays the tough petty officer out to prove a woman can do it. too, and so on and so on. The meatballs to this spaghetti is Brooklyn Decker. While I expected more of a stale model-turned-actress performance, here she is not Oscar worthy, but does prove herself as more than just another side dish. She is added to the mix to look good; what she delivers is a surprisingly pleasing combination of beauty and conviction, although the looks might still be the better of the two.
So, there you go. This movie is like my spaghetti and meatballs. I mindlessly enjoyed it because I got what I expected. Even so, I wouldn't want to eat it everyday.
Rock of Ages
(2012)
Let the road take you, elsewhere.
18 July 2013
Anxiously, I sat on the couch anticipating a meander down memory lane. A frolic, if you will, into a past where, as Julianne Hough mentioned in interviews, musicians wrote and really cared about their songs. While the movie certainly delivered on that avenue, the rest of movie felt forced. The plot, the performances, the scenes all set up and staged, like street on a Hollywood back lot. It's as if the writers stopped writing and thought "Now it's time to add a song." and "Now it's time to add a plot twist." and, of course, we'd need a GPS to get us back on track if we didn't have the occasional "Now, it's time for a woman in her underwear." to keep the story moving in the right direction.
Like accidentally finding a fantastic diner in some small town right next to the highway, hiding somewhere within the expected plot and character clichés, I was hoping to run into something special - like clever 80's jokes or references - more than just a Donkey Kong machine in the background. Naming the main character, Sherrie Christian was a good start. Also, the requisite cameos were fun, but interest in the story was carried by a few unexpected and probably unnecessary plot twists, although they certainly kept my mental wheels spinning, possibly not for the right reasons. The second half does seem to move more briskly than the first as the conflicts and characters come together.
Here's a drive-by on the music. Song choices are solidly and satisfyingly 80's rock, except a quick side trip to make fun of pop. The lead voices seemed above average until Mary J Blige hopped on board and made the rest of the cast sound like they'd be lucky to be back up singers on a children's float. That's not to say they were bad; Mary J is just that good.
Bottom line is that if you have a reason to see this movie, like your friend was an extra or your love of Malin Ackerman can't fit into a Terex dump truck, it's probably best just to keep moving.
Like accidentally finding a fantastic diner in some small town right next to the highway, hiding somewhere within the expected plot and character clichés, I was hoping to run into something special - like clever 80's jokes or references - more than just a Donkey Kong machine in the background. Naming the main character, Sherrie Christian was a good start. Also, the requisite cameos were fun, but interest in the story was carried by a few unexpected and probably unnecessary plot twists, although they certainly kept my mental wheels spinning, possibly not for the right reasons. The second half does seem to move more briskly than the first as the conflicts and characters come together.
Here's a drive-by on the music. Song choices are solidly and satisfyingly 80's rock, except a quick side trip to make fun of pop. The lead voices seemed above average until Mary J Blige hopped on board and made the rest of the cast sound like they'd be lucky to be back up singers on a children's float. That's not to say they were bad; Mary J is just that good.
Bottom line is that if you have a reason to see this movie, like your friend was an extra or your love of Malin Ackerman can't fit into a Terex dump truck, it's probably best just to keep moving.
This Is 40
(2012)
Waiting
18 June 2013
On the plus side, I found the music refreshing, and the performances of lead actors Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann were adequate.
As the credit rolled, I felt dissatisfied- not really cheated because the story unraveled as expected. Were there funny spots? Sure. Was there some effective drama? Sure. But, I found myself waiting. Something deeper was required. The movie needed to become funnier or more dramatic. I wanted to care more about the characters or laugh more at them. That time never came. The character of Charlotte (Iris Apatow) led to some of the funniest bits in the movie, but a film such as this can't rely on a child's incidental comic relief to be a high point. The biggest disappointment is that I am forty, so I'm the target audience. This may be someone's experience, but it's not mine.
As the credit rolled, I felt dissatisfied- not really cheated because the story unraveled as expected. Were there funny spots? Sure. Was there some effective drama? Sure. But, I found myself waiting. Something deeper was required. The movie needed to become funnier or more dramatic. I wanted to care more about the characters or laugh more at them. That time never came. The character of Charlotte (Iris Apatow) led to some of the funniest bits in the movie, but a film such as this can't rely on a child's incidental comic relief to be a high point. The biggest disappointment is that I am forty, so I'm the target audience. This may be someone's experience, but it's not mine.
Tell Your Friends