What more is there to say other than a sequel to the ridiculously quotable original has taken too damn long to come out! Don't act like you're not impressed...
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Wow...This announcement is good, but it is filling - The sequel to Anchorman is on!
I wanna say something! I'm gonna put it out there...if you like it, you
can take it...if you don't, send it right back....I want you to watch this hilarious announcement for the Anchorman sequel:
What more is there to say other than a sequel to the ridiculously quotable original has taken too damn long to come out! Don't act like you're not impressed...
What more is there to say other than a sequel to the ridiculously quotable original has taken too damn long to come out! Don't act like you're not impressed...
REVIEW - You won't see Wrath of the Titans coming
"Wrath of the Titans sets out to be a streamlined action/adventure romp and it, very surprisingly, succeeds. Though light on
substance, it’s a vast improvement on its predecessor in every regard.
If you are down for a good action flick, you'll get your money's worth by seeing it in theaters (in 3D even)!"
I just got back from my screening and well…uh…let's just say I was not expecting what I got. Before I go further; let’s travel back in time to last night when I watched Clash of the Titans, the 2010 remake: It sucked. The dialog was freaking horrible...and when it wasn't flat out bad, it was cheesy. The only redeeming qualities of that movie were the special effects and action scenes, and even a few of those where embarrassing. I wasn't expecting much to begin with, given all the bad reviews and word of mouth, but by the beard of Zeus was that bad. Fast forward to now and I find myself somewhat dumbfounded.
You might be asking yourself, as I did, "remember the days when sequels were only made for movies that a large amount of people found worthy of them? What happened to that?" Well, you see, wait...how did you know what I was think........anyways...When you look at the box office take for Clash, you'll get an idea: the movie cost $125 million to make and made $493 million worldwide. That's a good profit. So, given that Hollywood is clearly sequel crazy lately, they tend to jump at that. Though I think something else was at play here. I think Warner Brothers looked at the screenplay for Wrath of the Titans and said "wait...I think we might have something here" and I think they were right.
What we have here is a sequel worth watching to a movie that's not. And what's nice is that Wrath starts off by explaining the important events of the first film (to which there are few, so it's brief) and, in doing so, you can act like the first movie never really happened!
The plot is simple and goes a little something like this: The Gods are losing their strength due to a massive lack of worship and faith from the people. This causes them to start losing their ability to keep the Titans (the God’s creators and attempted destroyers) in captivity. If the Titans get loose they'll make everything go squish because they're a bunch of jerks, so Zeus goes to his demigod (half human, half god) son Perseus for help. Given that Perseus is half mortal he is unaffected by the loss of strength the gods are susceptible to, but he now has a son and is reluctant to help in the fight. Though, very soon thereafter, the threat of the Titans becomes too much to ignore, and some Gods infighting make things much worse, so he decides to try and save the day.
As I mentioned previously, this movie's plot isn't deep...it's not even that great, but that's not necessarily a bad thing as it’s not trying to be. It does what it needs to in order to support the action and keep the adventure moving forward to it's pretty obvious, but spectacle filled, conclusion. And, really, who’s going to this movie expecting a great story? It's about the action, and this movie delivers plenty of ass-kickery!
The special effects are excellent, the creatures are nasty, set pieces look great and some are pretty epic in scale, and the action sequences are intense (though never overly gruesome or bloody) eye candy. Not to mention, this movie is actually worth seeing in 3D! I know, I was shocked too. Things lunge, or are thrown, at the audience (though not to a nauseating degree), swirling dust and ash give a feeling of atmosphere, and the scenery is shot in a way that gives a great feeling of depth. Not to mention the scenes in a labyrinth of fast moving walls and pillars that threaten to crush the protagonists.It's all very cool.
Many of the same actors in Clash are back and bring more personality this time. Sam Worthington as Peruses is actually worth rooting for (by the way, what’s the deal with this guy? I can’t find anything really spectacular about him, yet he does a fine job in many films…strange). Liam Neeson is Zeus. I shouldn’t have to say anything further there because Liam is the man. Lord VoldemI MEAN Ralph Fiennes does sinister well as Hades. And special mention goes to the lesser known actor Toby Kebbell, who plays Agenor and serves up some great comedy relief without being overbearing.
Does the movie have great character depth and development? No. Does it have amazing dialog? Naw, brah! It’s very average in those departments (less than average in character development) and some of the dialog is cheesy to be sure, though it never dips into "horrible" territory. Also, while the characters aren’t that deep, the movie still manages to do a great job of having you care about, and rooting for, the right ones. There are even a few “…hell yeah!” moments as well as some good comedy relief without degrading the intended seriousness. I never found myself laughing at anything that wasn’t intended to be funny (very unlike Clash).
I'd consider Wrath a bit average for general movie goers, but if you love action you'll more than likely be able to look passed most of it's faults for an even more enjoyable time. It sets out to be a streamlined action/adventure romp and it, very surprisingly, succeeds. While light on substance, it’s a vast improvement on its predecessor in every regard. Action movie fans will get their money's worth by seeing it in theaters. Also, again...as crazy as it sounds, it's worth seeing in 3D!
General audience score =7/10
Action movie fan score = 7.5/10
I just got back from my screening and well…uh…let's just say I was not expecting what I got. Before I go further; let’s travel back in time to last night when I watched Clash of the Titans, the 2010 remake: It sucked. The dialog was freaking horrible...and when it wasn't flat out bad, it was cheesy. The only redeeming qualities of that movie were the special effects and action scenes, and even a few of those where embarrassing. I wasn't expecting much to begin with, given all the bad reviews and word of mouth, but by the beard of Zeus was that bad. Fast forward to now and I find myself somewhat dumbfounded.
You might be asking yourself, as I did, "remember the days when sequels were only made for movies that a large amount of people found worthy of them? What happened to that?" Well, you see, wait...how did you know what I was think........anyways...When you look at the box office take for Clash, you'll get an idea: the movie cost $125 million to make and made $493 million worldwide. That's a good profit. So, given that Hollywood is clearly sequel crazy lately, they tend to jump at that. Though I think something else was at play here. I think Warner Brothers looked at the screenplay for Wrath of the Titans and said "wait...I think we might have something here" and I think they were right.
What we have here is a sequel worth watching to a movie that's not. And what's nice is that Wrath starts off by explaining the important events of the first film (to which there are few, so it's brief) and, in doing so, you can act like the first movie never really happened!
The plot is simple and goes a little something like this: The Gods are losing their strength due to a massive lack of worship and faith from the people. This causes them to start losing their ability to keep the Titans (the God’s creators and attempted destroyers) in captivity. If the Titans get loose they'll make everything go squish because they're a bunch of jerks, so Zeus goes to his demigod (half human, half god) son Perseus for help. Given that Perseus is half mortal he is unaffected by the loss of strength the gods are susceptible to, but he now has a son and is reluctant to help in the fight. Though, very soon thereafter, the threat of the Titans becomes too much to ignore, and some Gods infighting make things much worse, so he decides to try and save the day.
As I mentioned previously, this movie's plot isn't deep...it's not even that great, but that's not necessarily a bad thing as it’s not trying to be. It does what it needs to in order to support the action and keep the adventure moving forward to it's pretty obvious, but spectacle filled, conclusion. And, really, who’s going to this movie expecting a great story? It's about the action, and this movie delivers plenty of ass-kickery!
The special effects are excellent, the creatures are nasty, set pieces look great and some are pretty epic in scale, and the action sequences are intense (though never overly gruesome or bloody) eye candy. Not to mention, this movie is actually worth seeing in 3D! I know, I was shocked too. Things lunge, or are thrown, at the audience (though not to a nauseating degree), swirling dust and ash give a feeling of atmosphere, and the scenery is shot in a way that gives a great feeling of depth. Not to mention the scenes in a labyrinth of fast moving walls and pillars that threaten to crush the protagonists.It's all very cool.
Many of the same actors in Clash are back and bring more personality this time. Sam Worthington as Peruses is actually worth rooting for (by the way, what’s the deal with this guy? I can’t find anything really spectacular about him, yet he does a fine job in many films…strange). Liam Neeson is Zeus. I shouldn’t have to say anything further there because Liam is the man. Lord VoldemI MEAN Ralph Fiennes does sinister well as Hades. And special mention goes to the lesser known actor Toby Kebbell, who plays Agenor and serves up some great comedy relief without being overbearing.
Does the movie have great character depth and development? No. Does it have amazing dialog? Naw, brah! It’s very average in those departments (less than average in character development) and some of the dialog is cheesy to be sure, though it never dips into "horrible" territory. Also, while the characters aren’t that deep, the movie still manages to do a great job of having you care about, and rooting for, the right ones. There are even a few “…hell yeah!” moments as well as some good comedy relief without degrading the intended seriousness. I never found myself laughing at anything that wasn’t intended to be funny (very unlike Clash).
I'd consider Wrath a bit average for general movie goers, but if you love action you'll more than likely be able to look passed most of it's faults for an even more enjoyable time. It sets out to be a streamlined action/adventure romp and it, very surprisingly, succeeds. While light on substance, it’s a vast improvement on its predecessor in every regard. Action movie fans will get their money's worth by seeing it in theaters. Also, again...as crazy as it sounds, it's worth seeing in 3D!
General audience score =7/10
Action movie fan score = 7.5/10
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
REVIEW - The odds are in your favor if you see The Hunger Games
"Teens or Adults, book series fans or general movie goers, chicks or dudes, this movie can appeal to all of the above. Despite a few minor issues, with great acting from a very strong cast and a gripping concept, this production pulls it together for a movie that's deserving of the hype."
I’d like to start this off by finishing my sandwich that I didn’t have to kill a teenager for at a young age. Mmm…delicious.
Ah, The Hunger Games. Who was able to go all last week without seeing or hearing anything about this movie? Yup, me neither. But, due to hearing a lot of good things about it along with the book, I'm okay with that. What I haven’t enjoyed, and what has bothered me even more after seeing the movie, is all the comparisons to Twilight I've been seeing in the media. Let’s get this straight: they are both considered “young adult” books with teenaged female main characters, and that’s really as far as any comparison should go. The Hunger Games has a strong independent female lead and carries very heavy themes of desperation, survival, tyranny, and a completely morally bankrupt view of human life. Twilight carries themes of angsty stalker stripper-body-glitter people with a hunger for blood (or as they are considered in those books “vampires”…still hard for me to grasp), unhealthy expectations of love, and has a helpless/overly dependent female lead. So hopefully I’ve helped clear that up.
I’d also like to add that I’m into movies, not novels (I’m not a fast reader), so I didn’t read the book…even though it came highly recommended by my pretty wife (scoring points while writing movie reviews…oh yeah!). Given the novel's strong following and the news surrounding the development and production of the movie being so positive, I thought about not watching a full trailer before seeing the movie (a rare feat for yours truly). Then, once I saw the positive movie reviews start to pour in, I just decided to save my virgin eyes and ears for the full film. And I’m happy I did!
Just a warning: I’m going to get into some detail here, but nothing that isn't either explained during the first 10 minutes of the movie or spoils any major plot point. Some may even consider it helpful!
The Hunger Games begins by giving insight into the Games and the times. It’s the not-so-distant future and an uprising against the government (due to mistreatment, an economic collapse, and times of extreme desperation/hardship) has left the US (now called Panem) divided into 12 impoverished Districts dominated by a Capital filled with the wealthy and authority. As penance for the people’s attempted overthrow, and as a reminder of their place, the tyrannical Capital now randomly select one 12-18 year old male and female from each District and place them into the annual Hunger Games. The Games are a contest of survival to the last one standing for the “honor of their district" and take place in a large environmentally controlled forest.
It's cruel enough without the inclusion of another twisted fact: it’s televised for the amusement of those living in the Capital (and they LOVE it) and the demoralized citizens of the 12 Districts are given ample access to watch as well (and are even forced to at times). It’s also worth noting that forest where the games take place can be instantaneously manipulated by the show’s director to become more dangerous if deemed necessary to keep ratings up. Yup...a real chick flick, just like Twilight.
The plot follows 16 year old Katniss Everdeen (played by Jennifer Lawrence, known for: X-Men First Class, Winter’s Bone) of District 12 who volunteers to take her 12 year old sister’s place in the Hunger Game. She ends up coupled with Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson, known for nothing really amazing) to represent their District. Does a romance develop? Yes, of course, but it’s actually interesting and not what you’d expect! Imagine that!
The movie does a fantastic job of explaining all of these details without becoming convoluted and I wanted to stress these details because they encompass one of the film's major strengths: the emotional climate. It’s a film that creates moral outrage by seeing the desperation of innocent youth forced into violent acts of desperation (and they can be bloody and brutal), has some imagery and situations akin to Nazi concentration camps, and can really effect the viewer by putting themselves in the scenario of “what if that were my beloved partner, sibling, or child chosen for, and killed in, the Games?” All of this while viewing the delight (and at times indifference) of the ludicrously looking and lavishly decorated citizens of the Capital as they enjoy these morally reprehensible events…it's well done and even has a good chance of get you choked up during a few scenes (one in particular).
The action and special effects in this film are also well done. For a PG-13 movie staring teenagers killing each other, it was naturally (though a bit surprisingly) bloody and violent during the Games. But not senselessly so! The camera always cuts away before showing a killing blow, though it leaves nothing to the imagination as to how they died. The fight scenes are filmed very Bourne-esque with the close shaky-cam, though it still does a good job of showing exactly what’s going on. And the FX showing the augmentation of the Games’ environment were great as well.
That’s not to say there aren’t a few chinks in the armor here. The script is a bit dry in places and the character development can feel a bit lacking. For example, there are a few very brief flashback scenes that could have used further explanation. The plot can become a bit predictable at times. This isn’t something that often bothers me unless I feel there’s next to no guessing or threat involved, which thankfully wasn’t the case here. It would have been nice to learn more about the other districts as it appeared that, in one of the competing teen's districts, they have an almost Spartan-like pride in the games. I also felt they could have shown more of the nationwide landscape to give a stronger grasp of the devastating wars that caused this future social climate. And some of the costumes can come off as looking a bit cheap considering who's wearing them, primarily the law enforcement. But, really, those last few points are ignorable as nitpicks and the other faults can be forgiven as they don’t erode the overall impact of the movie if you're taken in by the affecting grip it can have. If you're a fan of the books most of these faults probably won't bother you much at all since you already know what's up.
So, all in all, The Hunger Games is a very good and enjoyable movie all around. Teens or Adults, book series fans or general movie goers, chicks or dudes, this movie can appeal to all of the above. Despite a few minor issues, with great acting from a very strong cast and a gripping concept, this production pulls it together for a movie that's deserving of the hype. Here's looking forward to Catching Fire! Now I’m off to, again, attempt to convince my wife that growing this beard (worn by Wes Bently as Seneca Crane in the film) is a good idea:
General audience score: 8.5/10
*Fans of the books score: 9/10
*For those of you interested in a fan of the book's perspective, I'd suggest checking out my wife's oh-so-tasteful review here: The Hunger Games movie and book review
I’d like to start this off by finishing my sandwich that I didn’t have to kill a teenager for at a young age. Mmm…delicious.
Ah, The Hunger Games. Who was able to go all last week without seeing or hearing anything about this movie? Yup, me neither. But, due to hearing a lot of good things about it along with the book, I'm okay with that. What I haven’t enjoyed, and what has bothered me even more after seeing the movie, is all the comparisons to Twilight I've been seeing in the media. Let’s get this straight: they are both considered “young adult” books with teenaged female main characters, and that’s really as far as any comparison should go. The Hunger Games has a strong independent female lead and carries very heavy themes of desperation, survival, tyranny, and a completely morally bankrupt view of human life. Twilight carries themes of angsty stalker stripper-body-glitter people with a hunger for blood (or as they are considered in those books “vampires”…still hard for me to grasp), unhealthy expectations of love, and has a helpless/overly dependent female lead. So hopefully I’ve helped clear that up.
I’d also like to add that I’m into movies, not novels (I’m not a fast reader), so I didn’t read the book…even though it came highly recommended by my pretty wife (scoring points while writing movie reviews…oh yeah!). Given the novel's strong following and the news surrounding the development and production of the movie being so positive, I thought about not watching a full trailer before seeing the movie (a rare feat for yours truly). Then, once I saw the positive movie reviews start to pour in, I just decided to save my virgin eyes and ears for the full film. And I’m happy I did!
Just a warning: I’m going to get into some detail here, but nothing that isn't either explained during the first 10 minutes of the movie or spoils any major plot point. Some may even consider it helpful!
The Hunger Games begins by giving insight into the Games and the times. It’s the not-so-distant future and an uprising against the government (due to mistreatment, an economic collapse, and times of extreme desperation/hardship) has left the US (now called Panem) divided into 12 impoverished Districts dominated by a Capital filled with the wealthy and authority. As penance for the people’s attempted overthrow, and as a reminder of their place, the tyrannical Capital now randomly select one 12-18 year old male and female from each District and place them into the annual Hunger Games. The Games are a contest of survival to the last one standing for the “honor of their district" and take place in a large environmentally controlled forest.
It's cruel enough without the inclusion of another twisted fact: it’s televised for the amusement of those living in the Capital (and they LOVE it) and the demoralized citizens of the 12 Districts are given ample access to watch as well (and are even forced to at times). It’s also worth noting that forest where the games take place can be instantaneously manipulated by the show’s director to become more dangerous if deemed necessary to keep ratings up. Yup...a real chick flick, just like Twilight.
The plot follows 16 year old Katniss Everdeen (played by Jennifer Lawrence, known for: X-Men First Class, Winter’s Bone) of District 12 who volunteers to take her 12 year old sister’s place in the Hunger Game. She ends up coupled with Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson, known for nothing really amazing) to represent their District. Does a romance develop? Yes, of course, but it’s actually interesting and not what you’d expect! Imagine that!
The movie does a fantastic job of explaining all of these details without becoming convoluted and I wanted to stress these details because they encompass one of the film's major strengths: the emotional climate. It’s a film that creates moral outrage by seeing the desperation of innocent youth forced into violent acts of desperation (and they can be bloody and brutal), has some imagery and situations akin to Nazi concentration camps, and can really effect the viewer by putting themselves in the scenario of “what if that were my beloved partner, sibling, or child chosen for, and killed in, the Games?” All of this while viewing the delight (and at times indifference) of the ludicrously looking and lavishly decorated citizens of the Capital as they enjoy these morally reprehensible events…it's well done and even has a good chance of get you choked up during a few scenes (one in particular).
The action and special effects in this film are also well done. For a PG-13 movie staring teenagers killing each other, it was naturally (though a bit surprisingly) bloody and violent during the Games. But not senselessly so! The camera always cuts away before showing a killing blow, though it leaves nothing to the imagination as to how they died. The fight scenes are filmed very Bourne-esque with the close shaky-cam, though it still does a good job of showing exactly what’s going on. And the FX showing the augmentation of the Games’ environment were great as well.
That’s not to say there aren’t a few chinks in the armor here. The script is a bit dry in places and the character development can feel a bit lacking. For example, there are a few very brief flashback scenes that could have used further explanation. The plot can become a bit predictable at times. This isn’t something that often bothers me unless I feel there’s next to no guessing or threat involved, which thankfully wasn’t the case here. It would have been nice to learn more about the other districts as it appeared that, in one of the competing teen's districts, they have an almost Spartan-like pride in the games. I also felt they could have shown more of the nationwide landscape to give a stronger grasp of the devastating wars that caused this future social climate. And some of the costumes can come off as looking a bit cheap considering who's wearing them, primarily the law enforcement. But, really, those last few points are ignorable as nitpicks and the other faults can be forgiven as they don’t erode the overall impact of the movie if you're taken in by the affecting grip it can have. If you're a fan of the books most of these faults probably won't bother you much at all since you already know what's up.
So, all in all, The Hunger Games is a very good and enjoyable movie all around. Teens or Adults, book series fans or general movie goers, chicks or dudes, this movie can appeal to all of the above. Despite a few minor issues, with great acting from a very strong cast and a gripping concept, this production pulls it together for a movie that's deserving of the hype. Here's looking forward to Catching Fire! Now I’m off to, again, attempt to convince my wife that growing this beard (worn by Wes Bently as Seneca Crane in the film) is a good idea:
General audience score: 8.5/10
*Fans of the books score: 9/10
*For those of you interested in a fan of the book's perspective, I'd suggest checking out my wife's oh-so-tasteful review here: The Hunger Games movie and book review
Sunday, March 18, 2012
REVIEW - Set your GPS to 21 Jump Street
"If its ridiculous and over-the-top brand humor fits your tastes, with the excellent team-up and comedic performances by Hill, Tatum, and co., 21 Jump Street's brute force hilarity will keep you laughing, and laughing hard, throughout it's well paced 109 minute runtime."
Immature, foul mouthed, raunchy, lacking wit in its humor, and Channing Tatum. These are all things that describe this movie and you know what? It's one of the funniest comedies I've seen in a very long time. Seriously. I came out of this movie coughing because my lungs hurt from laughing so hard so frequently (and I don't even smoke!). It’s also worth noting that I’ve seen the same trailer for this movie MANY times and when those particular "funny scenes" you see in the trailer appear in the movie and still manage to make you laugh…I find that's usually a good indication that you're in for an enjoyable ride. This is one of those comedies. So where do I start here? Let’s begin with Channing Tatum.
Looking at Channing’s resume (Step Up 1 and 2, Fighting, The Eagle, Dear John, The Vow), to me, this appears to be an actor with limited range who's acquired roles based purely upon the marketability of his looks and, apparently, ability to dance. His characters appear to be meat-heads due to this and I, personally, haven't been able to see much redeeming value in him because, based on his movie choices, he's come off as being humorless and too stuck on being Mr. Sexy Pants for the ladies. Now fast forward to 21 Jump Street. His character is a cop named Jenko here and he plays up the stereotypes I'd listed previously in a completely self effacing way (as a dumb jock that can't get by without the smart guy) while still managing to be likeable. He gives the role his all and completely pulls it off to a great and hilarious degree. So kudos to your humor and comedic abilities, Channing. You've changed my opinion of you.
This brings us to Jonah Hill. Jonah’s comedic talents are well known due to his previous works and they shine through here yet again. He plays Schmidt, a cop with no athletic abilities and next to no social skills until he buddies-up with Jenko at the police academy. So, given both character’s strengths and weaknesses, together they make 1 great cop. Unfortunately, they are, in fact, 2 separate people and find that they need each other's help. So a bromance develops and their onscreen comedic dude-chemistry brings about some hilarious moments, especially near the end.
Another individual worth mentioning here is Ice Cube. This is a man whose career has gone from being a part of the rap group N.W.A., who creating the once controversial song “F*** Tha Police” in the late 1980's, to starring as a hard-nosed police captain in this movie…irony at its finest. Pretty much every phrase that comes out of his mouth in this movie is angry and laced with expletives...and his comedic timing and delivery is amazing. What I’m getting at here is that pretty much every actor does a great job in this film.
Though I’m sure most are aware, this movie is based off a 1980’s TV show (starring a then young Johnny Depp) of the same name and premise. However, that’s where the similarities end. Both are about cops who specialize in going undercover as young people (high school or college students) due to their youthful looks to solve crimes that others can't. However, the TV show was a drama. The movie isn’t trying to mimic any of the events of the show at all. It’s merely taking the premise and running with it for the comedic value it can create, and create it does!
Another thing worth pointing out about this movie is that there's a good amount of "ridiculous" going on, but the plot is actually smartly written. It keeps you interested in the mystery of who’s at the head of the drug ring and also the development/dynamics of the relationship between Schmidt and Jenko. It doesn’t just keep your attention for the gags. The story goes that 2 wannabe cops, who didn't get along in high school (the old nerd/jock dynamic), find that they need each others help to succeed in the force. They envision that being police officers will be an action packed gig but find quite the opposite. They end up botching their first arrest and, given their immaturity during the arrest and lack of following protocol, getting reassigned to an "old operation developed in the last 80's based out of 21 Jump Street". Operating out of an old/unassuming building (the Aroma of Christ Church to be exact) Schmidt and Jenko are assigned to infiltrate a local high school as new students and find the supplier of a new and dangerous synthetic drug that’s gaining in popularity before it gets into other schools and on the streets. They soon find the high schooler who deals the drug, and are made to use it on the spot to prove they aren’t narcs. Upon taking it and leaving the room, Schmidt and Jenko freak out, bust into nearby bathroom, and try to throw it up. I’m not going to spoil anything for you here, but their attempts to throw up the drug and what soon follows from there are some of the freaking funniest things I’ve ever seen in a movie. I was in tears.
So now you’ll be asking “what make this movie so funny?” First off, how dare you take that tone with me? And secondly, several things. As I’d stated previously: it’s immature, foul mouthed, raunchy, and isn’t witty. Asides from the not-being-witty part, it does all of these things with hilarious precision using well timed and executed sight gags and scripting (or, as it appears at time, several takes of improvisation with awesome results). All toll, I found very few jokes fell flat. The movie also pulls all of these points off without alienating the audience. The right characters are hilarious and likeable, the immaturity isn’t insulting, the swearing didn’t come off as overboard without being amusing, and the raunchy-ness isn’t overly gross or overly used (although, there is a scene near the end of the movie that's super nasty…but it’s so over-the-top that it’ll have you laughing big time).
Given all of that, it’s clear that the humor in this movie isn’t for everyone. The movie also has a few brief moments of intense violence. As a result, if any of these issues are completely off-putting to you, you’ll want to stay away from this one.
Other than also stating that the action scenes in this movie are great and manage to keep the laughs coming, that about wraps it up. As long as the style of humor fits yours, 21 Jump Street is brute force hilarity and will keep you laughing, and laughing hard, throughout. Personally, I’ll probably be seeing it again before it leaves theaters and will definitely be picking up a copy once they become available in stores.
Score = 9/10
What did you think? Let me know in the comments below!
Immature, foul mouthed, raunchy, lacking wit in its humor, and Channing Tatum. These are all things that describe this movie and you know what? It's one of the funniest comedies I've seen in a very long time. Seriously. I came out of this movie coughing because my lungs hurt from laughing so hard so frequently (and I don't even smoke!). It’s also worth noting that I’ve seen the same trailer for this movie MANY times and when those particular "funny scenes" you see in the trailer appear in the movie and still manage to make you laugh…I find that's usually a good indication that you're in for an enjoyable ride. This is one of those comedies. So where do I start here? Let’s begin with Channing Tatum.
Looking at Channing’s resume (Step Up 1 and 2, Fighting, The Eagle, Dear John, The Vow), to me, this appears to be an actor with limited range who's acquired roles based purely upon the marketability of his looks and, apparently, ability to dance. His characters appear to be meat-heads due to this and I, personally, haven't been able to see much redeeming value in him because, based on his movie choices, he's come off as being humorless and too stuck on being Mr. Sexy Pants for the ladies. Now fast forward to 21 Jump Street. His character is a cop named Jenko here and he plays up the stereotypes I'd listed previously in a completely self effacing way (as a dumb jock that can't get by without the smart guy) while still managing to be likeable. He gives the role his all and completely pulls it off to a great and hilarious degree. So kudos to your humor and comedic abilities, Channing. You've changed my opinion of you.
This brings us to Jonah Hill. Jonah’s comedic talents are well known due to his previous works and they shine through here yet again. He plays Schmidt, a cop with no athletic abilities and next to no social skills until he buddies-up with Jenko at the police academy. So, given both character’s strengths and weaknesses, together they make 1 great cop. Unfortunately, they are, in fact, 2 separate people and find that they need each other's help. So a bromance develops and their onscreen comedic dude-chemistry brings about some hilarious moments, especially near the end.
Another individual worth mentioning here is Ice Cube. This is a man whose career has gone from being a part of the rap group N.W.A., who creating the once controversial song “F*** Tha Police” in the late 1980's, to starring as a hard-nosed police captain in this movie…irony at its finest. Pretty much every phrase that comes out of his mouth in this movie is angry and laced with expletives...and his comedic timing and delivery is amazing. What I’m getting at here is that pretty much every actor does a great job in this film.
Though I’m sure most are aware, this movie is based off a 1980’s TV show (starring a then young Johnny Depp) of the same name and premise. However, that’s where the similarities end. Both are about cops who specialize in going undercover as young people (high school or college students) due to their youthful looks to solve crimes that others can't. However, the TV show was a drama. The movie isn’t trying to mimic any of the events of the show at all. It’s merely taking the premise and running with it for the comedic value it can create, and create it does!
Another thing worth pointing out about this movie is that there's a good amount of "ridiculous" going on, but the plot is actually smartly written. It keeps you interested in the mystery of who’s at the head of the drug ring and also the development/dynamics of the relationship between Schmidt and Jenko. It doesn’t just keep your attention for the gags. The story goes that 2 wannabe cops, who didn't get along in high school (the old nerd/jock dynamic), find that they need each others help to succeed in the force. They envision that being police officers will be an action packed gig but find quite the opposite. They end up botching their first arrest and, given their immaturity during the arrest and lack of following protocol, getting reassigned to an "old operation developed in the last 80's based out of 21 Jump Street". Operating out of an old/unassuming building (the Aroma of Christ Church to be exact) Schmidt and Jenko are assigned to infiltrate a local high school as new students and find the supplier of a new and dangerous synthetic drug that’s gaining in popularity before it gets into other schools and on the streets. They soon find the high schooler who deals the drug, and are made to use it on the spot to prove they aren’t narcs. Upon taking it and leaving the room, Schmidt and Jenko freak out, bust into nearby bathroom, and try to throw it up. I’m not going to spoil anything for you here, but their attempts to throw up the drug and what soon follows from there are some of the freaking funniest things I’ve ever seen in a movie. I was in tears.
So now you’ll be asking “what make this movie so funny?” First off, how dare you take that tone with me? And secondly, several things. As I’d stated previously: it’s immature, foul mouthed, raunchy, and isn’t witty. Asides from the not-being-witty part, it does all of these things with hilarious precision using well timed and executed sight gags and scripting (or, as it appears at time, several takes of improvisation with awesome results). All toll, I found very few jokes fell flat. The movie also pulls all of these points off without alienating the audience. The right characters are hilarious and likeable, the immaturity isn’t insulting, the swearing didn’t come off as overboard without being amusing, and the raunchy-ness isn’t overly gross or overly used (although, there is a scene near the end of the movie that's super nasty…but it’s so over-the-top that it’ll have you laughing big time).
Given all of that, it’s clear that the humor in this movie isn’t for everyone. The movie also has a few brief moments of intense violence. As a result, if any of these issues are completely off-putting to you, you’ll want to stay away from this one.
Other than also stating that the action scenes in this movie are great and manage to keep the laughs coming, that about wraps it up. As long as the style of humor fits yours, 21 Jump Street is brute force hilarity and will keep you laughing, and laughing hard, throughout. Personally, I’ll probably be seeing it again before it leaves theaters and will definitely be picking up a copy once they become available in stores.
Score = 9/10
What did you think? Let me know in the comments below!
TRAILER ALERT - Prometheus 1st Full Length Trailer!
File this one under Sci-Fi Horror...
The first full length trailer for Prometheus invaded Earth's internet yesterday and all I have to say is "Hot damn, does this movie look amazing/interesting!" Here it is for your viewing pleasure:
Plot synopsis:
A team of scientists journey through the universe on the spaceship "Prometheus" on a voyage to investigate Alien life forms. The team of scientists becomes stranded on an Alien world, and as they struggle to survive it becomes clear that the horrors they experience are not just a threat to themselves, but to all of mankind.
(Source = IMDB.com)
So what we have here is a movie starring many very talented actors and being directed by Ridley Scott. Mr. Scott, by the way, also directed...well, how about I let these screen grabs that flashed by very quickly during the trailer do the talking:
In case you're still saying "huh?", what we're looking at here is a prequel to the movie Alien with the same director running the show. If you aren't excited by this, you either haven't seen Alien, you're numb from the forehead down...or you just don't care for this genre. And I'm not here to judge by any means, but if you're in the last category...you're stupid.
Only kidding, of course :) Creepy, intense, and kinda gross movies aren't for everyone after all.
Prometheus will be hugging our faces this summer on June 8th.
Hit me up in the comments if you're feeling chatty.
The first full length trailer for Prometheus invaded Earth's internet yesterday and all I have to say is "Hot damn, does this movie look amazing/interesting!" Here it is for your viewing pleasure:
Plot synopsis:
A team of scientists journey through the universe on the spaceship "Prometheus" on a voyage to investigate Alien life forms. The team of scientists becomes stranded on an Alien world, and as they struggle to survive it becomes clear that the horrors they experience are not just a threat to themselves, but to all of mankind.
(Source = IMDB.com)
So what we have here is a movie starring many very talented actors and being directed by Ridley Scott. Mr. Scott, by the way, also directed...well, how about I let these screen grabs that flashed by very quickly during the trailer do the talking:
In case you're still saying "huh?", what we're looking at here is a prequel to the movie Alien with the same director running the show. If you aren't excited by this, you either haven't seen Alien, you're numb from the forehead down...or you just don't care for this genre. And I'm not here to judge by any means, but if you're in the last category...you're stupid.
Only kidding, of course :) Creepy, intense, and kinda gross movies aren't for everyone after all.
Prometheus will be hugging our faces this summer on June 8th.
Hit me up in the comments if you're feeling chatty.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
REVIEW - Will Ferrell can speak Spanish in Casa de Mi Padre!
"Purposefully poor production values are seen throughout most of the movie and, coupled with Armando’s (Ferrel) idiotic naivety, keep things almost consistently funny. Though, as with all comedies, big laughs are what you’re there for and with this movie, ultimately, I felt it was lacking."
First off, here's to my
first review of a movie before its wide release! This movie hits theaters
nationwide this Friday and my viewing was yesterday. So here's to that, and
hopefully many more advanced screenings to come! *tequila shot*
Ok, so here's the deal with
Casa de Mi Padre:
- the title means “House of my father,”
- the movie is a spoof on Spanish telenovelas (think American soap operas, with the poor acting and production values, but the series coming to an end after a run of about 6 month on average)
- no matter how many times you say “casa de mi padre” out loud to someone, without adding some Spanish bravado while saying it, it's awkward…
- and the entire movie is in Spanish with subtitles.
Yup, with the exception of a small amount of people speaking English (or, as it's known to the DEA agent in the movie, "American") in a few short scenes, you get an entire movie of Will Ferrell speaking fluent Spanish. That fact combined with one of Will Ferrell's most well known, hilarious, and often quoted lines from the oh-so-quotable Anchorman, "...I don't speak Spanish," made this a must see movie for me. The question now becomes: is the movie worth seeing? Well, amigo, keep your pantalones on and I'll tell ya!
- the title means “House of my father,”
- the movie is a spoof on Spanish telenovelas (think American soap operas, with the poor acting and production values, but the series coming to an end after a run of about 6 month on average)
- no matter how many times you say “casa de mi padre” out loud to someone, without adding some Spanish bravado while saying it, it's awkward…
- and the entire movie is in Spanish with subtitles.
Yup, with the exception of a small amount of people speaking English (or, as it's known to the DEA agent in the movie, "American") in a few short scenes, you get an entire movie of Will Ferrell speaking fluent Spanish. That fact combined with one of Will Ferrell's most well known, hilarious, and often quoted lines from the oh-so-quotable Anchorman, "...I don't speak Spanish," made this a must see movie for me. The question now becomes: is the movie worth seeing? Well, amigo, keep your pantalones on and I'll tell ya!
Mr. Ferrell is a polarizing
figure. People tend to either love him or hate him. Funny enough, I've been on
both sides of the fence. He essentially played the
same character in Anchorman, Talladega Nights, and Blades of Glory. An overconfident famous jackass who's really just a jackass and has no right to
have so much...well...confidence and fame.
Also, many of Will’s public appearances and stints in between all that
had him often donning the same persona. Enough of the jokes fell flat, it came
off as trying too hard to be funny, it got old and after a certain point I was
over it. That is until I came to the realization that he pretty much plays that
type of character better than anyone else out there. Will Ferrell owns it and
at his best he’s friggen hilarious. So I’ve ended up getting in on the joke of
his fake overly egotistical persona and, in doing so, gained an appreciation
for it.
Many others simply can’t
stand that shtick in general, so they tend to stay on the “hate him” side of
the fence because he uses it so often. However, there are those rare occasions where
Will Ferrell deviates from this character and gives a performance that the
general audience can enjoy (examples being Elf and Stranger Than Fiction, which
is a vastly underappreciated movie). In
Casa de Mi Padre, Will Ferrell does deviate from his usual arrogant idiot
routine and instead gives us the naïve idiot with a heart of gold: Armando Alvarez.
Though, in general, there’s still a lot of the goofy tried and true Will
Ferrell humor throughout the movie. So if you weren’t a fan before, this probably
won’t do anything to change your mind.
The story for this movie is simple:
Armando lives with his father on their large ranch, tending to things around
the place when his brother Raul (Diego Luna) comes back home for a visit with
his fiancé Sonia (played by Genesis Rodriguez). The ranch is in a financial predicament
and Raul turns out to be in the business of selling drugs, gets into some
trouble with the local drug lord Onza (Gael Garcia Bernal) and turmoil ensues. It’s
ultimately up to Armando to save his father’s ranch and protect his family. Sounds
serious, but it’s not take serious at all, which makes for some hilarity in and of itself.
One positive of this comedy,
in comparison to Will Ferrell’s other works, is it never went too over the top.
A lot of his movies, and just comedies in general, can have those scenes that
just go too far with the immaturity, awkward sexual scenes, and/or gross out
humor and it just take you completely out of the movie for a moment. And, at their
worse, scenes like that can completely ruin an otherwise enjoyable movie. Casa de Mi Padre never goes there and,
actually, if it wasn’t for the funny-but-violent gun fights and some salty
language in a few scenes, I could see this movie being rated PG-13. No gratuitous
nudity or anything…Although there is a particular scene which reminded me of
the fact that watching Will Ferrell make out with an extremely beautiful woman
completely destroys any potential pleasure one could derive from said scene...though
it does lead into a hilarious love making scene.
There are some good laughs that come purely from Will Ferrell's delivery and pronunciation of Spanish, but the majority of the laughs
in Casa de Mi Padre come from the purposeful poor production values. This is
one of those movies you can watch multiple times and find something new to
laugh about each time. There’s poor scene
transitions/editing, over dramatic camera angles, horrible looking animatronic
animals, obviously fake backdrops, people wearing different clothes in the same
scene after the camera moves from one person to another and then back, etc. These
touches are seen throughout most of the movie and, coupled with Armando’s naivety,
keep things almost consistently funny. Though,
as with all comedies, the “funny” is what you’re there for and with this movie,
ultimately, I felt it was lacking.
Going into a comedy, you are
always waiting for those moments that will make you laugh till you think might
crap yourself or pass out from a lack of oxygen. Unfortunately, this one just never
seems to hit any major peaks in that department. There was never a moment of uncontrollable
laughter for me. It was more just consistently chuckle to good-laugh worthy. It
actually started off pretty strong, but by the half to last 3rd
of the movie you can start to see a bit of a pattern and it starts to fumble a bit.
The film is spoofing a genre
and, in doing so, you could tell the director felt the obligation to hit all
stereotypical aspects of the genre, and he does so to an almost parallel degree
at times. There are scenes that spend so much time on capturing the over-dramatics
of telenovela that they became long, drawn out, and just not that funny…much
like similar sequences in telenovela, I’m sure. Had these scenes been peppered with
more of the poor production values and continuity errors, it would have made
the movie all the more enjoyable.
One of the positives of the
film also happens to be a negative: it never goes over the top. Some
over-the-top can be a great thing in comedy. It can take the jokes to another level of hilarity. But it just never really happened in
this one, so it felt lacking in that regard.
Overall, I’d say if you
are a diehard Ferrell fan you’ll get your money's worth from seeing this in theaters. For
the average comedy fan, a rent is well worth it. For everyone else, you probably won’t
want to go out of your way.
Score: 6.5/10
On a side note, taking a
glance at rottentomatoes.com for comedies coming out this weekend, it’s looking
like 21 Jump Street might be the one to beat, surprisingly. Very strong reviews
so far.
Also, If you are looking for
a great comedy that does the poor-production satire job better than Casa de Mi
Padre, I’d highly recommend Black Dynamite.
Update: Due to the large amount of hits my site is receiving from people wondering if Will Ferrell actually speaks Spanish, despite what the title of my review might lead you to believe, apparently he's nowhere near fluent.
Update: Due to the large amount of hits my site is receiving from people wondering if Will Ferrell actually speaks Spanish, despite what the title of my review might lead you to believe, apparently he's nowhere near fluent.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Horror fans, keep an eye out for this one! - The Cabin In The Woods
I'm a major cynic when it comes to Horror movies. While I love a good one, I find they usually suck. "Oh no, college kid! Don't go in there like you're doing right now when it's so obvious you'll get your face removed by that tall dirty gentleman standing around the corner holding a meat cleaver! Perhaps you should just act like you have a brain and l*Slice*...idiot." So when I see one coming out that looks like it might actually turn out to be worth watching, I like to give it attention.
Now, I can't speak much for the trailer, as it's filled with a lot of the usual horror movie cliche's, but I'm thinking The Cabin in the Woods is a movie you horror movie fans should keep an eye out for and here's why: it appears to have a interesting premise, it's out a month from today and it's already screened for some critics with very positive results, Chris Hemsworth, and Joss Whedon. I'll explain these points below.
...and this belongs riiiight here:
So the premise of the movie is somewhat the usual and somewhat not. From IMDB.com:
Five friends go for a break at a remote cabin in the woods, where they get more than they bargained for. Together, they must discover the truth behind the cabin in the woods.
Sounds familiar, until you watch the trailer and see that it appears the "more than they bargained for" is that these poor souls have become unwitting test subjects and the woods surrounding them having become a controlled environment for some of sort ungodly horrors. Not mind blowing, I know, until you take a look some of the early reviews on one of my favorite sites: Rotten Tomatoes.
This is intriguing because when a film studio isn't confident in one of their movies they usually won't screen it for critics. This happens with A LOT of horror movies because, unfortunately yet truly, again, they usually blow. Also, often times movie screenings for critics will happen within the week leading up the the release of the movie. So given that this movie is a month from release, it's already screened and the studio has allowed reviews to be made public, and these reviews seem to be very positive, it's looking like we might have a decent to very good horror movie on our hands here. A rarity!
Which leads to my final point: Chris Hemsworth (Star Trek, Thor) is currently a rising star whose done a great job thus far of being very likeable (seems like a genuinely decent person as well)...and Joss Whedon. Joss co-writter and co-producer this film and his name roughly translates into English as "one who makes awesome media." His projects often excellently juggle a decently sized cast of main characters, intelligent/witty scripting, and genuine thrills (I get to say stuff like that now because I write movie reviews...right?). And it's looking like all of these elements are well at play here.
This is intriguing because when a film studio isn't confident in one of their movies they usually won't screen it for critics. This happens with A LOT of horror movies because, unfortunately yet truly, again, they usually blow. Also, often times movie screenings for critics will happen within the week leading up the the release of the movie. So given that this movie is a month from release, it's already screened and the studio has allowed reviews to be made public, and these reviews seem to be very positive, it's looking like we might have a decent to very good horror movie on our hands here. A rarity!
Which leads to my final point: Chris Hemsworth (Star Trek, Thor) is currently a rising star whose done a great job thus far of being very likeable (seems like a genuinely decent person as well)...and Joss Whedon. Joss co-writter and co-producer this film and his name roughly translates into English as "one who makes awesome media." His projects often excellently juggle a decently sized cast of main characters, intelligent/witty scripting, and genuine thrills (I get to say stuff like that now because I write movie reviews...right?). And it's looking like all of these elements are well at play here.
The Cabin In The Woods traps you in the woods with your friends on April 13th of this year and is Rated R.
What do you think? Chat it up in the comments below!
UPDATE: If you want to know more, I found another great article here which explains the premise with more detail and has made me over more interested in this film: Cabin in the Woods Is the Coolest Movie No One Should Be Talking About
UPDATE: If you want to know more, I found another great article here which explains the premise with more detail and has made me over more interested in this film: Cabin in the Woods Is the Coolest Movie No One Should Be Talking About
Monday, March 5, 2012
NEW TRAILER GOODNESS - Men In Black 3 Full Theatrical Trailer #2
You loved the first one, most found the 2nd disappointing, and just released today, here for your viewing pleasure and, in my humble opinion, miles better than the first trailer is the 2nd full theatrical preview for Men in Black 3:
I'd really like to know if Josh Brolin is lip syncing, because, if not, that's one hell of a Tommy Lee Jones impression (UPDATE: It turns out he wasn't lip syncing. The man's got some serious talent)! Men In Black 3 comes at you with it's slimy alien appendages and big Willie style this year on May 25th. I know I'm looking forward to it. How about you?
Sunday, March 4, 2012
REVIEW - Chronicle has great power, but doesn't always use it responsibly
Take the accidental acquisition of mysterious superpowers combined with the POV style of filming (Cloverfield, Paranormal Activities, Blair Witch Project etc.) and make the protagonists High School students and you get Chronicle. This film is a bit difficult to review because I feel the script can be polarizing. If you are a teenager or younger you might be able to enjoy it more, but as a 20 something and above, the social drama can wear a bit thin at times. But ultimately this film depicts a fair, realistic, and sympathetic view of what happens when you give 3 teens (one very emotionally damaged) unknown supernatural powers, and when it sticks to its strengths it’s enjoyable and interesting.
One of the primary things you may ask yourself looking into this film is "Mr. Scottastic...what's the excuse this movie gives for a person having a camera on recording these events the whole time?" Well…the answer to that starts with "Mr. wha?!?…that's Sir Scottastic to you! The heck is the m”…but I digress. Taking into consideration the content of this movie, compared to similar films where it's "found" footage, the answer to the question ties intelligently into the plot. The movie starts with our main character (Andrew Detmer) having locked himself in his room with his alcoholic and abusive father trying to break in. Andrew warns him that he’s filming this and will be filming everything from now on. His dad backs off and Andrew finds this as an effective tactic against some of his father’s actions. He ultimately forms a bond with the camera as a sort of emotional “safe zone,” giving him his excuse to carry the camera everywhere. Shortly into the film, however, you find that the movie will give you the perspective of any camera (hand held, phone, security, etc.) if the narrative deems it necessary to show the action. This technique isn’t used to a nauseating degree and works for the most part, but there are definitely scenes where it’s ridiculous that there’s a camera rolling, though I felt that happened rare enough as to not overly disrupt the integrity of the movie.
Sounds pretty compelling in my opinion and, at its high points, it definitely is. The major strengths of this movie lie in the riveting, though upsetting, drama caused by the abusive father to the main character and how he chooses to cope with the emotional trauma of his living situation (also including a very ill mother), the development of the super powers and the ways the characters choose to use them, and the style in which it’s filmed. Combining the powers and the amateur camera work really made this movie stand out to me as unique and was what grabbed my interest in the first place. This affords the movie the ability to show these powers manifest in a way that makes it appear as if what you are watching is almost tangible. The destructive climactic action sequence at the end of the movie is somewhat terrifying as a result (being even more effective for myself given that it takes place in Seattle, which is relatively close to where I live) and, really, it's pretty damn cool. Simply put: the development and use of the superpowers is very interesting and effective.
So in those areas this film succeeds, it’s in the dialog and the over emotional/unnecessary teen drama where the movie falters. Some of the relationships developed over the film feel completely needless. Take for example the relationship between one of the main characters and a girl he likes: the banter back and forth is uninteresting, boring, and ultimately goes no where. Then there are also the moments where the characters are conversing about their emotions and it comes off as feeling forced, they’re acting over dramatic, the dialog just isn’t very good, and/or it’s just not compelling. Some of these scenes try to give emotional depth to the characters but fail delivering the aimed impact due to bad or awkward dialog. Unfortunately these issues comprise about 40-50% of the movie, so it affected my overall enjoyment. That being said, as I’d mentioned previously, I feel that the teen demographic might enjoy this movie more given that they can relate better with the characters (which are well acted for the most part) and that connection would probably allow them to be more forgiving of some of my grievances. But, given these issues, I don’t feel the movie is well rounded.
If the film stuck more with the development/use of the powers, delved more into the origin of the apparatus that gave the characters their powers, gave more time to the main character’s issues, and had some further work done to the script, I’d be comfortable saying this was an all around entertaining movie. Though, as is, I'd still say it deserves a rent if you're interested.
On a side note: the ending does leave it open for a possible sequel, so perhaps they’ll be able to iron out the wrinkles next time around.
Score: 6/10
One of the primary things you may ask yourself looking into this film is "Mr. Scottastic...what's the excuse this movie gives for a person having a camera on recording these events the whole time?" Well…the answer to that starts with "Mr. wha?!?…that's Sir Scottastic to you! The heck is the m”…but I digress. Taking into consideration the content of this movie, compared to similar films where it's "found" footage, the answer to the question ties intelligently into the plot. The movie starts with our main character (Andrew Detmer) having locked himself in his room with his alcoholic and abusive father trying to break in. Andrew warns him that he’s filming this and will be filming everything from now on. His dad backs off and Andrew finds this as an effective tactic against some of his father’s actions. He ultimately forms a bond with the camera as a sort of emotional “safe zone,” giving him his excuse to carry the camera everywhere. Shortly into the film, however, you find that the movie will give you the perspective of any camera (hand held, phone, security, etc.) if the narrative deems it necessary to show the action. This technique isn’t used to a nauseating degree and works for the most part, but there are definitely scenes where it’s ridiculous that there’s a camera rolling, though I felt that happened rare enough as to not overly disrupt the integrity of the movie.
Sounds pretty compelling in my opinion and, at its high points, it definitely is. The major strengths of this movie lie in the riveting, though upsetting, drama caused by the abusive father to the main character and how he chooses to cope with the emotional trauma of his living situation (also including a very ill mother), the development of the super powers and the ways the characters choose to use them, and the style in which it’s filmed. Combining the powers and the amateur camera work really made this movie stand out to me as unique and was what grabbed my interest in the first place. This affords the movie the ability to show these powers manifest in a way that makes it appear as if what you are watching is almost tangible. The destructive climactic action sequence at the end of the movie is somewhat terrifying as a result (being even more effective for myself given that it takes place in Seattle, which is relatively close to where I live) and, really, it's pretty damn cool. Simply put: the development and use of the superpowers is very interesting and effective.
So in those areas this film succeeds, it’s in the dialog and the over emotional/unnecessary teen drama where the movie falters. Some of the relationships developed over the film feel completely needless. Take for example the relationship between one of the main characters and a girl he likes: the banter back and forth is uninteresting, boring, and ultimately goes no where. Then there are also the moments where the characters are conversing about their emotions and it comes off as feeling forced, they’re acting over dramatic, the dialog just isn’t very good, and/or it’s just not compelling. Some of these scenes try to give emotional depth to the characters but fail delivering the aimed impact due to bad or awkward dialog. Unfortunately these issues comprise about 40-50% of the movie, so it affected my overall enjoyment. That being said, as I’d mentioned previously, I feel that the teen demographic might enjoy this movie more given that they can relate better with the characters (which are well acted for the most part) and that connection would probably allow them to be more forgiving of some of my grievances. But, given these issues, I don’t feel the movie is well rounded.
If the film stuck more with the development/use of the powers, delved more into the origin of the apparatus that gave the characters their powers, gave more time to the main character’s issues, and had some further work done to the script, I’d be comfortable saying this was an all around entertaining movie. Though, as is, I'd still say it deserves a rent if you're interested.
On a side note: the ending does leave it open for a possible sequel, so perhaps they’ll be able to iron out the wrinkles next time around.
Score: 6/10
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