Happy Halloween! I'm writing this on Halloween day and I hope everyone is safe and has a lot of fun. Halloween is one of my favorite times of the year. I think deep down everyone loves a good scare now and again. So long as it's all in good fun. Before I start looking at movies coming out this Friday and what movies I'm looking forward to seeing in November, let me first address the cinematic elephant in the room: Disney making a new Star Wars sequel trilogy. I plan on doing an article on this soon. If you want a little preview, I am not in favor of it. Okay, before I go into free floating hostility, here's what we can look forward to this week.
1) WRECK-IT RALPH: A video game villan decides he doesn't want to be the bad guy anymore and goes on a journey through other arcade games in an effort to save the video world.
The Good: It pays homage to the video games of our youth while also looking into the ideas of redemption and what it means to be a hero.
The Bad: It's Disney. They can't help themselves when it comes to making things too cutsey. Plus, Dreamworks did this story already with Megamind.
Final Thoughts: For as much as I want to see it, I also am dreading it. It looks like a great geeky/nostalgic movie but part of me expects a rehashed cash grab movie. I hope it's good.
2) FLIGHT: A pilot makes a daring rescue when his plane starts to crash. But then his livelyhood and his freedom are put in jeopardy when it's reported that he was drinking the night before.
The Good: For those that remember "Sully" Sullenburger and the heroism he showed, this is a dramatized take on that.
The Bad: I'm not sure where they are going with this. Is this some kind of commentary on sensationalized media?
Final Thoughts: It's Denzel doing what he does best. I'm thinking this is going to be a great movie. It just has me a little confused on the overall message.
3) THE MAN WITH THE IRON FISTS: A village blacksmith is forced into making horrible weapons. When war breaks out, a stranger harnesses an ancient energy to become a super hero.
The Good: It has a lot of elements from traditional kung fu movies while adding some modern ideas.
The Bad: It's a schlockfest. You'll have to appreciate it for how cheesy it is.
Final Thoughts: Where's my ticket? I will be seeing this as soon as I can.
See you at the movies
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Seven Psychopaths Review: A Beautiful Disaster
I've wanted to see this movie since it came out. It's only recently I've had some free time to go see it. And I must say that it was well worth the wait. Going in I thought it was going to be a very simple, slapstick type comedy with psycho killers and dognapping. And while it has all these things in it, but there is so much more.
Here's the story. Marty (Colin Farrell) is a screenplay writer working on his next great movie called Seven Psychopaths. Marty also has a best friend named Billy (Sam Rockwell). Billy and his partner in crime Hans (Christopher Walken) run a dognapping scheme where they steal dogs, wait a few days for the owner to get desperate enough to put up posters and offer rewards, then they return the dogs and collect. That's when they kidnap the dog of a local crime boss and psychopath named Charlie (Woody Harrelson). Naturally he isn't too happy about losing his dog so now Marty and his friends are on the run.
This is what they give you in the trailers. Little did I know that it was just the tip of the iceberg. Some of the ideas and visuals in this movie are just gorgeous. It's like a beautiful disaster. It really delves into the idea of what makes a person a "psychopath". I so wish I had someone to share these ideas with because they really are something to be discussed. But I promised all of my readers I would only spoil bad movies and this is anything but.
Needless to say this is one of my favorite comedy movies. I just loved it. It reminds me a lot of another of my favorite comedies, Sideways. They are both smart comedies and really do have a lot of heart in them as well.
It might be too late to catch this gem in the theaters because bigger blockbuster movies have all but pushed this movie out of theaters early. (Seriously, I was in the theater with maybe two other people.) The minute this comes out on DVD, this one is going to be in my personal library.
And yes. Christopher Walken is still "The Man" and should be addressed only as "The Man."
Here's the story. Marty (Colin Farrell) is a screenplay writer working on his next great movie called Seven Psychopaths. Marty also has a best friend named Billy (Sam Rockwell). Billy and his partner in crime Hans (Christopher Walken) run a dognapping scheme where they steal dogs, wait a few days for the owner to get desperate enough to put up posters and offer rewards, then they return the dogs and collect. That's when they kidnap the dog of a local crime boss and psychopath named Charlie (Woody Harrelson). Naturally he isn't too happy about losing his dog so now Marty and his friends are on the run.
This is what they give you in the trailers. Little did I know that it was just the tip of the iceberg. Some of the ideas and visuals in this movie are just gorgeous. It's like a beautiful disaster. It really delves into the idea of what makes a person a "psychopath". I so wish I had someone to share these ideas with because they really are something to be discussed. But I promised all of my readers I would only spoil bad movies and this is anything but.
Needless to say this is one of my favorite comedy movies. I just loved it. It reminds me a lot of another of my favorite comedies, Sideways. They are both smart comedies and really do have a lot of heart in them as well.
It might be too late to catch this gem in the theaters because bigger blockbuster movies have all but pushed this movie out of theaters early. (Seriously, I was in the theater with maybe two other people.) The minute this comes out on DVD, this one is going to be in my personal library.
And yes. Christopher Walken is still "The Man" and should be addressed only as "The Man."
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Coming Soon: 10/26/12
Man. Life has a way of piling stuff up on you, doesn't it? I just haven't had much opportunities to see any movies lately let alone write a review. Right now I have a little time so here's what is coming out this week.
1) CLOUD ATLAS: Action, mystery and romance weave dramatically through the story as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero and a single act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution in the distant future.
The Good: Probably one of the most interesting ideas I've heard since the Matrix.
The Bad: With so many intertangling ideas it could get a little convoluted.
Final Thoughts: This will probably be in the running for the academy awards.
2) SILENT HILL - REVELATION 3D: A girl celebrating her 18th birthday starts having horrible nightmares that will change her world view.
The Good: For fans of the video game it has a lot of the elements you'll recognize.
The Bad: With all the Silent Hill movies, have any really captured the essence of what made the games so good?
Final Thoughts: The games are getting stale and the earlier movies aren't all that good. Don't expect much more than a generic monster movie.
See you at the movies
1) CLOUD ATLAS: Action, mystery and romance weave dramatically through the story as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero and a single act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution in the distant future.
The Good: Probably one of the most interesting ideas I've heard since the Matrix.
The Bad: With so many intertangling ideas it could get a little convoluted.
Final Thoughts: This will probably be in the running for the academy awards.
2) SILENT HILL - REVELATION 3D: A girl celebrating her 18th birthday starts having horrible nightmares that will change her world view.
The Good: For fans of the video game it has a lot of the elements you'll recognize.
The Bad: With all the Silent Hill movies, have any really captured the essence of what made the games so good?
Final Thoughts: The games are getting stale and the earlier movies aren't all that good. Don't expect much more than a generic monster movie.
See you at the movies
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Coming Soon: 10/19/12
Sorry this is so late. I've been busy and I just forgot. If I can talk about something else really quickly, why is Seven Psychopaths bombing at the box office? Why is Taken 2 the number 1 money draw for a second week? Even Argo didn't make it to number 1? That's embarrassing. Anyway, what's coming out this week.
1) PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4: Now we see what happened after the events of Paranormal Activity 2.
The Good: This series is brilliant in drawing out the most chilling atmosphere possible by exploiting subtlety and the "not quite right" feelings.
The Bad: After three movies the story hasn't exactly been moving forward.
Final Thoughts: I love this series. I'll definately go see it. But I understand when people say the story is just crawling along.
2) ALEX CROSS: A detective tracks down a serial killer.
The Good: The trailers show a very interesting game of cat and mouse.
The Bad: It doesn't stand out amongst a million other movies with the same story.
Final Thoughts: I see nothing special about this but as a generic action movie it might be pretty good.
See you at the movies
1) PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4: Now we see what happened after the events of Paranormal Activity 2.
The Good: This series is brilliant in drawing out the most chilling atmosphere possible by exploiting subtlety and the "not quite right" feelings.
The Bad: After three movies the story hasn't exactly been moving forward.
Final Thoughts: I love this series. I'll definately go see it. But I understand when people say the story is just crawling along.
2) ALEX CROSS: A detective tracks down a serial killer.
The Good: The trailers show a very interesting game of cat and mouse.
The Bad: It doesn't stand out amongst a million other movies with the same story.
Final Thoughts: I see nothing special about this but as a generic action movie it might be pretty good.
See you at the movies
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Movie News and Thoughts: Robin the Teen Wonder
I recently read this article concerning the "Robin" character in the latest Batman movie, The Dark Knight Rises. I'll leave the link here for your reading pleasure.
http://entertainment.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/16/14482709-what-was-the-deal-with-robin-in-dark-knight-rises?lite
The article boils down to this: Was the John Blake character supposed to really be Robin? Christopher Nolan says no. According to Nolan it was a wink to the audience.
First I think we need to discuss just who I'm talking about.
There have been several characters in the DC Universe that have had the Robin name. Dick Grayson was the first and probably the most memorable because he was the little orphan boy whose parents were killed and subsequently adopted by Batman. He has a place in comic book history because he was the first real sidekick. Not only that, but becoming a father figure allowed Batman to grow as a character in ways he normally wouldn't. His relationship with Grayson has set the tone for many other relationships Batman experiences. Grayson dropped the Robin name and instead fights crime as Nightwing.
The next was Jason Todd and nobody liked him. So much so that when DC polled their readers on what should happen to Todd, they overwhelmingly voted to have him be killed by the Joker. I think a lot of people didn't gravitate to Jason Todd because while Grayson can be strong willed at times, he never came across like a punk kid the way Jason did. Killing Jason Todd turned into a great emotional vehicle. For a long time Batman resisted ever accepting anyone else as Robin. That is until Tim Drake.
Tim Drake is unlike any other Robin. His story wasn't born from tragedy. In fact, quite the opposite. He has a loving father and a great circle of friends. But what he was above all else was a curious kid with exceptional skills at deduction. He figured out who Batman was and unlike the Robins that came before him, he wanted to be Batman's sidekick.
The next Robin was a short lived character. Uhm... probably not the best choice of words there because she died. Anyway, it's Tim Drake's girlfriend Stephanie Brown. And of course as in comics, characters don't stay dead. Even Jason Todd beat death. So far she's been the only female Robin and she's mostly forgettable as Robin.
The last Robin as of this writing is Damian Wayne. If you haven't guessed from the name, he is Bruce Wayne's biological son. And no the Damian part is not coincidence or even that subtle. Batman had an affair with Talia al Ghul and she gave birth to Damian. If you didn't see The Dark Knight Rises or read any of the comics, Talia is the daughter of Ra's al Ghul. Ra's was the villian from Batman Begins; and while Nolan didn't do the character justice, Ra's al Ghul translates to The Demon's Head. So, yeah. Damian. The son of the Devil. Or in this case the Grandson of the Demon's Head. This character is very interesting because the Robin character has always been a surrogate son for Batman. Now we have a blood son and much like Jason Todd doesn't have much qualms about killing people. He embraced the Robin suit so he could learn from his father. Now Batman is not there to protect a surrogate, but to mentor and inspire his own flesh and blood.
In the Dark Knight Rises, John Blake shares a lot of the qualities of Tim Drake. Even the name is very similar. Blake = Drake. It's one letter difference and even the B and D sounds are very similar. I understand why they chose to change the name. It isn't much of a surprise if you come right out and hold up a neon sign saying "This is Robin". I'm not going to get too critical about the name.
My question is why isn't John Blake Robin? There were rumors that Christian Bale didn't want the Robin character in the movie. I heard once that he wouldn't do the movies if Robin would be included. I don't know if any of that is true and I'm willing to believe that it isn't. But just from reading this article there seems to be some resistance to acknowledging Robin in this universe. Robin is not some minor character in Batman's life. So, why does Robin only get a "wink"? Do they believe that Robin detracts from Batman? In the comics it's not true. Robin enhances Batman not only by having a partner in his crusade, but also as Bruce Wayne.
At the end of the movie Bruce left all the Bat-gear to Blake. The hint was, at least for me, that John Blake would either become the new Batman or possibly take on a different persona. aka Nightwing. I'm a Batman fan. I very much would like to see the Christopher Nolan Batman series continue. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is on record as being interested in that role should it ever materialize.
Please share your thoughts.
http://entertainment.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/16/14482709-what-was-the-deal-with-robin-in-dark-knight-rises?lite
The article boils down to this: Was the John Blake character supposed to really be Robin? Christopher Nolan says no. According to Nolan it was a wink to the audience.
First I think we need to discuss just who I'm talking about.
There have been several characters in the DC Universe that have had the Robin name. Dick Grayson was the first and probably the most memorable because he was the little orphan boy whose parents were killed and subsequently adopted by Batman. He has a place in comic book history because he was the first real sidekick. Not only that, but becoming a father figure allowed Batman to grow as a character in ways he normally wouldn't. His relationship with Grayson has set the tone for many other relationships Batman experiences. Grayson dropped the Robin name and instead fights crime as Nightwing.
The next was Jason Todd and nobody liked him. So much so that when DC polled their readers on what should happen to Todd, they overwhelmingly voted to have him be killed by the Joker. I think a lot of people didn't gravitate to Jason Todd because while Grayson can be strong willed at times, he never came across like a punk kid the way Jason did. Killing Jason Todd turned into a great emotional vehicle. For a long time Batman resisted ever accepting anyone else as Robin. That is until Tim Drake.
Tim Drake is unlike any other Robin. His story wasn't born from tragedy. In fact, quite the opposite. He has a loving father and a great circle of friends. But what he was above all else was a curious kid with exceptional skills at deduction. He figured out who Batman was and unlike the Robins that came before him, he wanted to be Batman's sidekick.
The next Robin was a short lived character. Uhm... probably not the best choice of words there because she died. Anyway, it's Tim Drake's girlfriend Stephanie Brown. And of course as in comics, characters don't stay dead. Even Jason Todd beat death. So far she's been the only female Robin and she's mostly forgettable as Robin.
The last Robin as of this writing is Damian Wayne. If you haven't guessed from the name, he is Bruce Wayne's biological son. And no the Damian part is not coincidence or even that subtle. Batman had an affair with Talia al Ghul and she gave birth to Damian. If you didn't see The Dark Knight Rises or read any of the comics, Talia is the daughter of Ra's al Ghul. Ra's was the villian from Batman Begins; and while Nolan didn't do the character justice, Ra's al Ghul translates to The Demon's Head. So, yeah. Damian. The son of the Devil. Or in this case the Grandson of the Demon's Head. This character is very interesting because the Robin character has always been a surrogate son for Batman. Now we have a blood son and much like Jason Todd doesn't have much qualms about killing people. He embraced the Robin suit so he could learn from his father. Now Batman is not there to protect a surrogate, but to mentor and inspire his own flesh and blood.
In the Dark Knight Rises, John Blake shares a lot of the qualities of Tim Drake. Even the name is very similar. Blake = Drake. It's one letter difference and even the B and D sounds are very similar. I understand why they chose to change the name. It isn't much of a surprise if you come right out and hold up a neon sign saying "This is Robin". I'm not going to get too critical about the name.
My question is why isn't John Blake Robin? There were rumors that Christian Bale didn't want the Robin character in the movie. I heard once that he wouldn't do the movies if Robin would be included. I don't know if any of that is true and I'm willing to believe that it isn't. But just from reading this article there seems to be some resistance to acknowledging Robin in this universe. Robin is not some minor character in Batman's life. So, why does Robin only get a "wink"? Do they believe that Robin detracts from Batman? In the comics it's not true. Robin enhances Batman not only by having a partner in his crusade, but also as Bruce Wayne.
At the end of the movie Bruce left all the Bat-gear to Blake. The hint was, at least for me, that John Blake would either become the new Batman or possibly take on a different persona. aka Nightwing. I'm a Batman fan. I very much would like to see the Christopher Nolan Batman series continue. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is on record as being interested in that role should it ever materialize.
Please share your thoughts.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Argo Review: Argo F*** Yourself
As far as moving going goes, I think this is going to be a busy week for me. It's Friday and my first thought of the day was which movie I was going to go see first. I originally wanted to see Seven Psychopaths first because of Christopher Walken. Instead I went to see Argo. I told my Dad about my movie plans and he turned his nose up at Seven Psychopaths. That's when I mentioned Argo and he was more receptive to that.
And you know what? Argo is a brilliantly done movie.
Ben Affleck has done a lot to rebuild his credibility as a director and an actor. He's not doing movies like Daredevil or Gigli anymore. His last two movies he starred in and directed were of course this one and also another movie I absolutely loved; The Town. He knows what he's doing.
For those not familiar with the story; Iran has taken Americans hostage in 1980. During the chaos of Iranian thugs taking the embassy, six managed to escape and took refuge in the Canadian embassy. Affleck plays a CIA operative named Antonio Mendez and it's his job to rescue those six people. His idea on how to do it was to pretend to make a movie called Argo and possibly have it filmed on location in Iran. Then he just gathers the six people posing as production people (director, set designer, etc) and just calmly board a flight out.
It sounds insane. It sounds impossible. And oh by the way it's a true story. This actually happened.
And that leads me in to what I loved the most about this movie. The production design. This in every way felt like it was back in 1980. Everything felt so genuine. Other than the dramatic climax, nothing about this movie felt contrived. It was put together beautifully. I normally don't recommend staying through the credits, but just before the credits roll, they show pictures of the fake Canadian passports, photos they used to create really dramatic scenes in the movie, they even showed the cast along side pictures of the actual people who were involved. It's something that cements the realism of the movie despite how incredible it was. And to top it off they finish with a recording of an interview with President Carter!
Alan Arkin was brilliant. I know the title of my review is far from subtle but if you see the movie, you'd understand. That is one of the best lines of the movie.
Talking about the historical facts of this movie is a little more dicey. In the movie the role of the Canadian Government is a bit more downplayed and more emphasis is on the risks the people in the CIA took. Canada deserves so much respect for their role in this. Especially Ken Taylor.
The movie calls the Iranian Hostage Crisis as an enduring model of international co-operation between governments. I couldn't agree more. American citizens were held prisoner for 444 days. Interrogation, torture, mock executions, and the constant fear that at any moment they could be killed.
If I can sum up why it happened: America and England supported the Shah (king) of Iran. The Shah was brutal to his people and many militants blamed the USA because the USA overthrew the Iranian government to put the Shah in power. So the Iranians rebelled and stormed the US embassy.
This was such a huge issue in America at the time that it dominated the news cycle and the presidential debates. President Carter lost in no small part to soon to be President Reagan because of the embarrassment and his preceived inaction to end it. In the end it did end peacefully. None of the hostages died and all were released the day after President Carter left office. It's believed the Iranians chose the date because they wanted to symbolically punish President Carter for supporting the Shah of Iran.
There were some liberties taken with the historical facts done for dramatic effect but honestly it's a great movie and well worth seeing. Especially stay for the end credits and see the photos and listen to President Carter.
And you know what? Argo is a brilliantly done movie.
Ben Affleck has done a lot to rebuild his credibility as a director and an actor. He's not doing movies like Daredevil or Gigli anymore. His last two movies he starred in and directed were of course this one and also another movie I absolutely loved; The Town. He knows what he's doing.
For those not familiar with the story; Iran has taken Americans hostage in 1980. During the chaos of Iranian thugs taking the embassy, six managed to escape and took refuge in the Canadian embassy. Affleck plays a CIA operative named Antonio Mendez and it's his job to rescue those six people. His idea on how to do it was to pretend to make a movie called Argo and possibly have it filmed on location in Iran. Then he just gathers the six people posing as production people (director, set designer, etc) and just calmly board a flight out.
It sounds insane. It sounds impossible. And oh by the way it's a true story. This actually happened.
And that leads me in to what I loved the most about this movie. The production design. This in every way felt like it was back in 1980. Everything felt so genuine. Other than the dramatic climax, nothing about this movie felt contrived. It was put together beautifully. I normally don't recommend staying through the credits, but just before the credits roll, they show pictures of the fake Canadian passports, photos they used to create really dramatic scenes in the movie, they even showed the cast along side pictures of the actual people who were involved. It's something that cements the realism of the movie despite how incredible it was. And to top it off they finish with a recording of an interview with President Carter!
Alan Arkin was brilliant. I know the title of my review is far from subtle but if you see the movie, you'd understand. That is one of the best lines of the movie.
Talking about the historical facts of this movie is a little more dicey. In the movie the role of the Canadian Government is a bit more downplayed and more emphasis is on the risks the people in the CIA took. Canada deserves so much respect for their role in this. Especially Ken Taylor.
The movie calls the Iranian Hostage Crisis as an enduring model of international co-operation between governments. I couldn't agree more. American citizens were held prisoner for 444 days. Interrogation, torture, mock executions, and the constant fear that at any moment they could be killed.
If I can sum up why it happened: America and England supported the Shah (king) of Iran. The Shah was brutal to his people and many militants blamed the USA because the USA overthrew the Iranian government to put the Shah in power. So the Iranians rebelled and stormed the US embassy.
This was such a huge issue in America at the time that it dominated the news cycle and the presidential debates. President Carter lost in no small part to soon to be President Reagan because of the embarrassment and his preceived inaction to end it. In the end it did end peacefully. None of the hostages died and all were released the day after President Carter left office. It's believed the Iranians chose the date because they wanted to symbolically punish President Carter for supporting the Shah of Iran.
There were some liberties taken with the historical facts done for dramatic effect but honestly it's a great movie and well worth seeing. Especially stay for the end credits and see the photos and listen to President Carter.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Coming Soon: 10/12/12
Last week I caught my first cold of the season. So the thought of going to the theaters wasn't a pleasant prospect; plus I doubt anyone there would've appreciated me sniffling and coughing through the whole movie. Because I was sick I missed out on seeing Lawrence of Arabia in theaters. Yeah. I'm still disappointed by that. It's a new week, I'm feeling better, and there's some really good movies coming out this week. Let's take a look.
1) ARGO: A truth is stranger than fiction account of CIA operatives working in Iran during the Iranian Hostage Crisis.
The Good: Ben Affleck is more than capable of pulling movies like this off. Throw in guys like Alan Arkin and this is going to be great.
The Bad: Political thrillers have a niche audience so it might not appeal to everyone.
Final Thoughts: I love movies like this not only from an action fan standpoint but from a history standpoint. I'll definately want to see this one.
2) SINISTER: A true crime novelist discovers a true crime story in his own house. And the killer is a ghost.
The Good: The trailers look phenominal and look like they take the time to build suspense.
The Bad: If you can't buy the premise of an evil spirit living in pictures, then there's nothing for you here.
Final Thoughts: It looks very reminicient of other horror films. For example The Ring or Mirrors. I think it will please horror fans.
3) SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS: A screenwriter dreams of finishing his story when he and his friends kidnap a gangster's beloved dog.
The Good: CHRISTOPHER WALKEN!!!!! And some other funny guys.
The Bad: It's a farcical comedy where crazy things happen. Oh wait. Sorry. I'm supposed to write some thing bad here. Nevermind.
Final Thoughts: If you liked Smoking Aces, this is your movie. Oh and there is that one guy who I really like. I plan to see this before any other this week.
4) HERE COMES THE BOOM: A beloved science teacher tries to earn money for his school by competing in MMA matches.
The Good: It's a good natured comedy with a protagonist you want to root for.
The Bad: It's going to be as predictable as you think.
Final Thoughts: Kevin James is a comedic genius and Selma Hayek can still light up the screen. It's going to be a lot of fun.
5) ATLAS SHRUGGED - PART II: People struggle to get by as the world economy sinks into another Great Depression.
The Good: No.
The Bad: The drama is forced, the political message is heavy-handed, and the premise of the story is fundamentally cynical.
Final Thoughts: If you thought Battleship was bad, watch this.
See you at the movies
1) ARGO: A truth is stranger than fiction account of CIA operatives working in Iran during the Iranian Hostage Crisis.
The Good: Ben Affleck is more than capable of pulling movies like this off. Throw in guys like Alan Arkin and this is going to be great.
The Bad: Political thrillers have a niche audience so it might not appeal to everyone.
Final Thoughts: I love movies like this not only from an action fan standpoint but from a history standpoint. I'll definately want to see this one.
2) SINISTER: A true crime novelist discovers a true crime story in his own house. And the killer is a ghost.
The Good: The trailers look phenominal and look like they take the time to build suspense.
The Bad: If you can't buy the premise of an evil spirit living in pictures, then there's nothing for you here.
Final Thoughts: It looks very reminicient of other horror films. For example The Ring or Mirrors. I think it will please horror fans.
3) SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS: A screenwriter dreams of finishing his story when he and his friends kidnap a gangster's beloved dog.
The Good: CHRISTOPHER WALKEN!!!!! And some other funny guys.
The Bad: It's a farcical comedy where crazy things happen. Oh wait. Sorry. I'm supposed to write some thing bad here. Nevermind.
Final Thoughts: If you liked Smoking Aces, this is your movie. Oh and there is that one guy who I really like. I plan to see this before any other this week.
4) HERE COMES THE BOOM: A beloved science teacher tries to earn money for his school by competing in MMA matches.
The Good: It's a good natured comedy with a protagonist you want to root for.
The Bad: It's going to be as predictable as you think.
Final Thoughts: Kevin James is a comedic genius and Selma Hayek can still light up the screen. It's going to be a lot of fun.
5) ATLAS SHRUGGED - PART II: People struggle to get by as the world economy sinks into another Great Depression.
The Good: No.
The Bad: The drama is forced, the political message is heavy-handed, and the premise of the story is fundamentally cynical.
Final Thoughts: If you thought Battleship was bad, watch this.
See you at the movies
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Coming Soon: 10/5/12
I haven't made it to the theaters this week. I caught a cold and it's all I can do to stay conscious. My head has been swimming. But I did check out Freddie's Dead: The Final Nightmare. If you haven't seen that, it's hilarious and has a small cameo by Rosanne and Tom Arnold. Well worth seeing. Let's see what will be out this week.
1) TAKEN 2: The man with a specific set of skills must now rescue his wife and himself.
The Good: If you liked Taken, here's more of the same.
The Bad: I hated Taken.
Final Thoughts: It's every action cliche with a premise that is way beyond the pail. And if this was done more like Expendables, I'd be for it. But it takes itself way too seriously so it's just not fun. Avoid.
2) FRANKENWEENIE: Tim Burton's tounge in cheek animated movie about Mary Shelley's Frankenstein with a twist.
The Good: It's a wonderfully heartwarming story about a kid who loses his dog/best friend and brings him back to life.
The Bad: can't think of anything.
Final Thoughts: This is a loving tribute to monster movies done with enough originality to make this a very compelling movie.
3) PITCH PERFECT: A music lover goes to college and unwittingly joins a motley crew of talented singers.
The Good: There should be some good singing.
The Bad: It's competitive acapella singing. How good a movie could it be?
Final Thoughts: I'm sure it'll be fun, but I'd still wait for it to be on DVD or something.
4) BUTTER: The story of an ambitious woman in the competitive world of butter sculpting.
The Good: An amazing cast with Jennifer Garner, Hugh Jackman, Rob Corddry, Olivia Wilde, and Alicia Silverstone
The Bad: It's butter sculpting. At this point they are playing mad-libs to create plots.
Final Thoughts: It's a farcical comedy and I see it being very hit or miss.
See you at the movies
1) TAKEN 2: The man with a specific set of skills must now rescue his wife and himself.
The Good: If you liked Taken, here's more of the same.
The Bad: I hated Taken.
Final Thoughts: It's every action cliche with a premise that is way beyond the pail. And if this was done more like Expendables, I'd be for it. But it takes itself way too seriously so it's just not fun. Avoid.
2) FRANKENWEENIE: Tim Burton's tounge in cheek animated movie about Mary Shelley's Frankenstein with a twist.
The Good: It's a wonderfully heartwarming story about a kid who loses his dog/best friend and brings him back to life.
The Bad: can't think of anything.
Final Thoughts: This is a loving tribute to monster movies done with enough originality to make this a very compelling movie.
3) PITCH PERFECT: A music lover goes to college and unwittingly joins a motley crew of talented singers.
The Good: There should be some good singing.
The Bad: It's competitive acapella singing. How good a movie could it be?
Final Thoughts: I'm sure it'll be fun, but I'd still wait for it to be on DVD or something.
4) BUTTER: The story of an ambitious woman in the competitive world of butter sculpting.
The Good: An amazing cast with Jennifer Garner, Hugh Jackman, Rob Corddry, Olivia Wilde, and Alicia Silverstone
The Bad: It's butter sculpting. At this point they are playing mad-libs to create plots.
Final Thoughts: It's a farcical comedy and I see it being very hit or miss.
See you at the movies
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)