A Life of Movies

Directed By: James McTeigue

Starring: John Cusack, Alice Eve, Luke Evans

As much as I love my man John Cusack, I wasn’t sure if this was going to be the career reboot he needed. Sure, Robert Downey Jr. has had great success with the mystery genre in the form of the Sherlock Holmes series, but a story centered on Edgar Allen Poe is bound to be far darker and without the comic relief. In the end, the grisly nature of the story wasn’t the problem; the formulaic and flat execution of it was.

The plot is relatively straightforward, and in my opinion, had a lot of potential. In a dark, 1800s Baltimore, Edgar Allen Poe (Cusack) is washed up, broke, and far removed from his classic literary works. However, he still has a little going for him in his secret engagement to the lovely Emily Hamilton (Eve). That happiness, however, is overshadowed when a series of murders occur - especially since they are exact recreations of Poe’s stories. In helping Detective Fields (Evans), Poe has to reignite his imagination if they are to have any help of catching the killer. 

As I mentioned, I didn’t really have a problem with the dark nature of the story - after all, the Sherlock Holmes movies are about 50% comedy, so dark could be refreshing - but there just wasn’t enough passion and risk taking around it. *SPOILER ALERT* There is a lot of sitting around between murders, and later in the movie when Emily’s life is in the hands of the killer, it just doesn’t make a lot of sense. In addition to this, Poe seemed to do little but recite his stories after a murder took place, while Fields was the only one to think outside the box. That in itself was tolerable, since Fields was constructed to be the more likeable character throughout, but I would have enjoyed it if Poe’s creativity was reignited to save his fiance (but perhaps I just wanted it to be more like Sherlock Holmes in that respect). Overall, it seemed the filmmakers were content to portray a dark, grisly world and then not do much with it. 

If there is something to take away from this movie, it’s some decent entertainment despite all the shortcomings. The story won’t blow you away, nor will the acting, but sometimes it can still be fun regardless. However, if you aren’t a Cusack fan like me, then there will be very little here for you. Overall 6/10.

Starring: Gary Ross

Directed By: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth

After reading this series last year, I couldn’t wait for it to come to the big screen. While some movie buffs cast it aside as being a kiddie version of Battle Royale, this story is on a far grander scale and chalk-full of potential. Add to this the casting of the very talented Jennifer Lawrence in the lead role, and let’s break some Twilight records.

For those if you that don’t know the plot already, it’s a rather darker “young adult” story. Following an age of war and famine, North America now consists of the country Panem, split up into 12 districts and a Capital. After a rebellion by the districts, the Capital instituted an annual event called “The Hunger Games.” A man and woman between the ages of 12 and 18 is sent from every district to fight to the death until a single victor remains. In the “coal-mining” District Twelve, Katniss Everdeen (Lawrence) cares for her mother and sister by hunting for game with her best friend Gale (Hemsworth). It’s her bravery and fight that keeps them alive, and when her sister Prim is selected for the upcoming Games, it’s those same traits that propel her to volunteer.

This movie is very good, but for those that read the book, there may be some slight disappointment (as there always is). The most significant positive trait of the Hunger Games is Jennifer Lawrence. While she may have been unknown to some before this movie, those days are gone forever. Lawrence breathes passion and genuineness into every scene, every line - and considering she is basically in all of them, that helps the movie out a lot. There are a number of scenes that could have been average or even cringeworthy due to writing/other actors, but Jennifer saved them almost every time. Outside of her fantastic performance, the Hunger Games obviously has a lot going for it in the screenplay. Suzanne Collins herself helped write the screenplay, and in doing so brought a deep and thrilling story from from the pages of her book to theaters. With the amount of interesting characters (while there isn’t near enough screen time and development for some of them) and the seemingly impossible reality, you won’t be able to take your eyes off the screen. Lastly, I’d like to mention something I both liked and had a problem with - the violence/grittiness of the film. In making it PG-13, they obviously weren’t trying to make something as gruesome as Battle Royale, but I didn’t want them to soften up the source material. In hindsight, though, I feel they were able to show enough violence to properly show how barbaric it was, yet keep our focus on the characters and their emotions. This ties in to my main problem with the movie - what to cut from the book and what to keep.

Sure, a 6 hour movie would have been enough to show every worthwhile scene, but unfortunately most people wouldn’t sit through that. Ross and Collins seemed to approach this assuming most viewers hadn’t read the book - honestly a fair assumption, but a strategy that sells the readers short - therefore, there are a number of extended scenes to establish the setting. Curiously enough, though, District Twelve and the characters there are passed over rather quickly to get to the Capital. In doing so, the viewers don’t learn nearly enough about Katniss’s background as the readers of the book did. 

Overall, The Hunger Games was an extremely entertaining film. It’s not a perfect movie adaption, but outside of The Lord of the Rings there are very few. Lawrence gave an outstanding performance that should providence a solid foundation for the rest of the series - one that will be very welcome in erasing Twilight from everyone’s memories. With fluid action, unique characters and a fascinating world, The Hunger Games earns an 8/10.

Directed By: Nima Nourizadeh

Starring: Thomas Mann, Oliver Cooper, Jonathan Daniel Brown

The Hangover meets Superbad? Yes, please. In seeing the trailer for this movie, I didn’t ask myself “does this seem like it would be a good movie?” No, no…I asked myself, “does this seem like a party I would want to be at?” Considering the answer was hell yes, didn’t have much choice but to go check it out. And to be honest, I’m pretty glad I did.

Don’t really have to describe much of a story here…3 geeky losers in high school want to throw the most epic party of all time in order to be cool for once. In other words, they want a GAMECHANGER. With birthday boy Thomas’ parents leaving town for the weekend, they finally have that chance. Throw in 1500 people, a pissed off drug dealer that wants his gnome and a midget shoved in an oven, and yeah…you have a gamechanger.

While Project X really was just Superbad coke (even the main characters, Thomas and Costa, are basically clones of Michael Cera and Jonah Hill), it did have enough original ideas to stay fun for 90 min. That may have been the marketing, though - because this was one of those movies where you know the last 30 min is why you’re watching, so the anticipation gets you through the rest. Throw out that last 30 min, and you basically have a giant party surrounding Thomas as he realizes it’s not the school’s mega-hottie that he wants, but the girl he’s been friends with for years. Go figure. Now, with the last 30 min…Project X is one of the most outrageous movies I’ve ever wanted to be real.

Outside of what happens, it boasts a quality cast of new faces and a solid party soundtrack. It also incorporates a surprising amount of film techniques and stunts that combine into one hell of a show.

I have to agree with Richard Roeper in saying that it’s refreshing this party actually has consequences (as opposed to something like the Hangover, where the only remnants are some pictures on a camera). After all, you can’t wage a war against the police and get away with it, right?? Even with this, however, they kind of cop out at the end.

Overall this movie is probably a 6, but since I really wanted to be at that party…let’s go 7/10! 

Directed By: Mike McCoy and Scott Waugh

Starring: ACTIVE DUTY US NAVY SEALS…and Roselyn Sanchez 

That’s right. They finally tried to make an adrenaline filled war movie with ACTUAL SOLDIERS. No Steven Segal with horrible one-liners in this one - just the most badass men on the planet doing what they do best. This movie might not have been nearly as promising years back, with with SEAL Team 6’s recent elimination of Osama Bin Laden, the pieces were in place to give these soldiers the recognition they deserve.

While Act of Valor probably boasts the best “stuntman” cast of all time, the plot is pretty average. A personnel rescue mission of a CIA agent uncovers a deadly plot involving some smuggler in South America and a deranged jihadist from Eastern Europe…yep, it’s Call of Duty. That doesn’t really matter, though - like many other war movies, Act of Valor exists to show the deep bond between the soldiers carrying out the mission and their families back home, not to craft a dizzying Jason Bourne-like story. And in this respect, it is very successful.

Now while the action is unquestionably fantastic, most critic reviews I have read center on the “wooden” acting of SEALs. While they are in no way wrong to describe it that way, they are kind of missing the point in my opinion. The reason I enjoyed this movie (outside of the great action) was the refreshing use of real people. While some films really pull off the brotherhood thing (Black Hawk Down), I don’t necessarily need another film with A-list actors to over-dramatize a human conflict and feed me some cliche lines like “it’s about the man next to you.” DON’T get me wrong, I love those movies and I love that particular line, but it’s just not exactly original anymore. Act of Valor - instead of trying to tell you what to feel, more so tries to show you what to feel, and it works.

To be fair, I won’t say this movie doesn’t have a bunch of cliches. Outside of the plot which I already touched on, Act of Valor does suffer from a rather predictable series of events in terms of which characters die and how it affects the others. I don’t want to give away anymore, but you’ll know what I mean when you watch it.

Overall, Act of Valor was a great time. I know it has shortcomings, but because of the unique situation in having real Navy SEALs and average writers…I felt I had to judge it purely on the action. And in that arena I award it an 8/10. If the writers could have let the SEALs use lines that were more natural for them and not try to fit these amazing warriors into a cookie cutter package for the masses, it would have truly been a special movie. Even so, I highly recommend it!

Directed By: Guy Ritchie

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, and Jared Harris

The 2nd chapter in Robert Downey’s turn as the classic detective, A Game of Shadows came out during the 2011’s packed holiday movie season. For me personally, this one got pushed behind releases like Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and the U.S. version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. While I have plenty of faith in RBJ’s ability to carry a movie, I just had a feeling this one would fall short of the original. Turns out it made me forget about it altogether.

Game of Shadows starts off with Sherlock’s ever faithful companion, Dr. Watson, leaving his adventure days behind to get married. It turns out that the timing could have been better, since Holmes suspects the well-respected Prof. James Moriarty of having a sinister plan underway that could plunge all of Europe into war. Will the duo be able to take on their most challenging adversary yet?

This film provides just more examples on how Robert Downey Jr. improves a film. His acting and natural humor help create a great character in Sherlock Holmes. Even more, he allows the other actors to play off his talents and then be better themselves. The addition of Noomi Rapace, ever popular after her turn as Lisbeth Salander, adds even more depth. Outside of the acting, Guy Ritchie yet again crafts a unique atmosphere through the setting and soundtrack. While the sets may be drab and dark, scenes are filled with excitement and adventure. Lastly, while the twists and turns along the way are more than enough, the best is saved for the end. This is particularly enjoyable when so many movies are predictable these days.

Overall, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is a thrilling mystery, filled with a good amount of action and humor. It’s a smart movie that will keep you guessing until the very end. Enjoy 8/10

Directed By: Steven Soderbergh

Starring: Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Jude Law

I waited a while to watch this movie for a single reason - I didn’t think it wouldn’t be as good as 1995’s Outbreak. It’s a similar formula, a world-threatening virus film packed with star power. Outbreak worked because it cast the right stars and wasn’t vague on its ambitions. Contagion…well it got a lot of things right, but lost because it failed on the latter.

Contagion is a unique take on the epidemic movie. While there are main characters, most of them aren’t connected in any way. You get to follow several storylines across the globe, from a woman (Gwyneth Paltrow) that returns from a business trip feeling extremely sick to her family in Minnesota, to a conspiracy blogger (Jude Law) holed up in San Francisco. These characters and a dozen others are used to give different perspectives as a deadly virus spreads around the world. The film also changes tone as it progresses. There is a feeling of excitement and mystery as cases start to pop up, which quickly turns to a feeling of panic and paranoia when the death toll mounts. By the end, it feels almost like you are watching a different movie from when you began.

While I don’t think Jude Law gave anything exceptional to Contagion, the rest of the cast was pretty good. Winslet, Cotillard, and Fishburne all gave their usually quality performances. Matt Damon stood out, as he has more and more recently, as a father who finds out he is immune and attempts to do everything he can to keep his daughter alive. Jennifer Ehle, a relative unknown, also manages to draw attention away from her veteran costars, portraying one of the last dedicated doctors trying to create a vaccine.

In the end, the success or failure of the film rests on the director. And while Soderbergh is as capable as they come, I have to place my blame on him for Contagion falling short. At first I wasn’t sure what bothered me about this film, but in writing this review, I realize it was the identity. After the first half, I was just confused what Contagion was trying to be. While I was engrossed at first, the vagueness of what this film was trying to do started to irk me. It dragged on, good characters were forgotten while average characters were focused on, and the overall urgency of the story was lost. It did, however, have a pretty strong ending. It was just the 40-50 minutes before that that needed to be different.

A low 7/10.

Directed By: Bennett Miller

Starring: Brad Pitt, Robin Wright, Jonah Hill

Expectations, expectations are the key to success for any film. In terms of Brad Pitt’s movies, the expectations have been steadily increasing as he’s gone from a young heart-throb to an action star to an offbeat comedic talent. He’s really developed the complete package as an actor, and therefore is at the stage of his career where he’s been taking pitches for that Oscar “home run.” The Tree of Life, which I’ll admit I haven’t seen yet, had those expectations, and while it drew praise from some critics, many were just left confused by it. Therefore, Moneyball, the most recent story of a significant moment in sports, seemed like Pitt’s next chance. I’m not sold on the possibility of a Best Actor award, but the movie was damn good.

Moneyball centers around Billy Beane (Pitt), the general manager of the Oakland Athletics baseball team. Going against years of tradition, Beane starts to build his team based solely on computer-generated analysis in an effort to compete with clubs that have 4 times his budget. While growing pains follow and nearly every baseball mind guarantees failure, Beane eventually achieves something never done before, and fundamentally changes the game forever.

I have one thing to say, Aaron Sorkin. The wonderfully talented writer of The Social Network makes this movie a success. Pitt does give a great performance which I will get to, but this film is all about the writing. Whether you love the sport or loathe it, most can agree that baseball is the slowest of America’s 4 major sports. There is a lot of downtime, a lot of lineup changes, and a lot of 0-run innings. To make a serious movie about baseball (you know, the polar opposite of “Give him the heater”) is difficult in itself, let alone when it’s about the General Manager and therefore often separated from the events on the field. Yet even with all these challenges, Moneyball is absurdly interesting from start to finish. Sorkin’s screenplay plays off the “underdog changing the sport” mentality, similar to Glory Road, but adds a layer of depth you wouldn’t expect. Everyone, from Beane to the no-name players he recruits, is painted as a deep and conflicted character. It’s these small stories within the film itself that makes it appealing to those that don’t get a lot out of the baseball aspect. 

Although the writing is the staple point of Moneyball, the acting is pretty impressive also. Robin Wright makes somewhat of a return playing Beane’s ex-wife, and while she doesn’t play a very significant part (her true return will be in the upcoming American version of Girl with a Dragon Tattoo), it is nice to see her back on the big screen. Jonah Hill also shows he can play more than a crude and drunk idiot, portraying Peter Brand, the Yale graduate that convinces Billy that baseball incorrectly rates its players. He is mostly overshadowed by Pitt, but his character is intelligent and contrasts the old scouting approach nicely. Lastly, there is Chris Pratt. Pratt plays a player by the name of Scott Hatteberg, a catcher who can no longer throw the ball due to an injury. Beane and Brand see Hatteberg as one of the most underrated players in baseball in terms of getting on base, so they recruit him to play first base. Although he has no idea how to play the position he accepts the job to support his family. Hatteberg’s difficulty with confidence and development as a player are one of the hidden gems in this film. Now that I’ve mentioned everyone else, I have to give Pitt his praise. He is really good in this movie. His character is unique, stubborn and persistent. I had heard some comments prior to seeing this film that Moneyball would be to Brad Pitt what The Blind Side was to Sandra Bullock, in other words that this would be his Oscar. I’m not quite sure if I agree with that, but we’ll see when the time comes.

Very good movie. Go out and see it. 8/10

Directed By: Jonathan Levine

Starring: Joseph Gorden-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick

Since the end of the summer movie bonanza, I’ve been rather lethargic when it comes to new movies. It just seemed like each weekend was more random than the next (I mean Lion King being released in 3D and taking the box office?? COME ON!), and not much setting itself apart. I had targeted Straw Dogs when I first saw a trailer a few months back, but that remake ending up…lacking. But now it’s October, and what appears to be a laundry list of offbeat, promising films with some big names. You have Clooney and Gosling teaming up for The Ides of March, Brad Pitt in Moneyball, and…the always awesome Joseph Gordon-Levitt paired with Seth Rogen in 50/50 of course! This film has garnered acclaim from audiences and critics alike, and it turned out to be most deserving.

50/50 centers around Adam (Gordon-Levitt), a 27 year-old that just found out he has cancer. We follow his journey in fighting the disease, accompanied by his immature and unforgiving best friend (Rogen).

This film is really excellent in every aspect. While a comedic execution of such a serious and sometimes depressing story could easily falter, Levine takes chances confidently, and succeeds. The writing weaves real and believable humor into one of the hardest experiences a person can go through. While there are the expected moronic ideas suggested by Rogen’s character, namely using cancer to get laid, Gordon-Levitt’s naive and grounded perspective help them feel genuine. I could really just write a paragraph on how JGL makes this movie, but I’ll give shout outs to the rest of the cast first. The inclusion of Up in the Air’s Anna Kendrick was a great move. Her turn at an inexperienced therapist gives a nice parallel to the main characters’s new and scary struggle. Add to this Oscar-winner Angelica Houston as Adam’s mother, and there is no shortage of talent in this film. Outside of the acting, 50/50 also succeeds with an emotionally-charged soundtrack, especially Pearl Jam’s “Yellow Ledbetter” being perfectly paired with the closing scene (Watch it and you’ll see what I mean).

Overall, 50/50 offers an emotional journey that isn’t awkward, or hopeless, but instead funny, real, and meaningful. The acting is superb, the writing effective, and the experience unique. Go see it. 9/10.

Directed By: Olivier Megaton

Starring: Zoe Saldana, Michael Vartan, Callum Blue

Substitute the gorgeous Zoe Saldana in a Jason Bourne-like role with less plot and more violence? Yes, please. When I perused the summer movie list, I figured this would fly under the radar and be a fun finish to the season. What did it turn out to be in reality? Not so fun…

The plot consists of a young girl named Cataleya that witnesses her parents’ murder in Colombia. It almost succeeded in garnering some sympathy, if it wasn’t for the girl fuming with vengeance instead of believable sadness. Anyways, she escapes the thugs and makes a long journey to find relatives in Chicago. It is here that she is molded into a professional assassin by her Uncle; as much as he is a brutal killer himself, he is methodical and intelligent about it. With her skills honed, Cataleya is now a devastatingly effective gun for hire. After a recent contract, a persistent FBI agent is now on her trail. Due to a calling card Cataleya has been using for years, the FBI is now realizing how serious this case is. And with the feds finally waking up, Cataleya might finally be able to send her message to her parents killer…that she is coming for him.

This movie is just…bad. Granted it’s a simple action flick that you’re not supposed to take seriously, and that’s fine, but the problem is that this movie is so ridiculous you can’t possibly let everything go. There are some fun scenes where Cataleya pulls off an intense kill or a daring escape, but then there are scenes where you stare at the screen and have a strong desire to yell out…REALLY??! While movies are meant to entertain us, it can reach a point where the antics on-screen are so stupid that the audience should feel insulted. And this film reaches that point.

I would have had a great time if 60% of this film was cut and I was basically watching an episode of Alias (especially with the presence of Vartan), but alas, not so lucky. Overall, Saldana is hot, bad guys are bad, and every LAPD station has state-of-the-art camera systems that can perform facial recognition with a magical FBI program when 90% of the face is covered…

4/10 for some badassness