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Recent DVD Release: Argo

Published April 3, 2013 by mrsrag

Starring: Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, John Goodman, Victor Garber, Tate Donovan, Clea DuVall, Rory Cochran, Scoot McNairy, Christopher Denham, Kerry Bishe, Kyle Chandler.

Rated: R.  Drama/History.  Running Time: 2 hours.

Ben Affleck, right?  Bursts into our collective consciousness with 1997’s Good Will Hunting, which he starred in and co-wrote with pal Matt Damon.  All time classic, they won an Academy Award for Original Screenplay.  Then what happens?  Matt Damon plays The Talented Mr. Ripley, goes all Jason Bourne on us, and we just KNOW this guy is the brains and acting talent of this duo.  Meanwhile, Ben is cranking out movies that range from mediocre to pure shit.  Forces of Nature, Gigli, Jersey Girl, Daredevil, Surviving Christmas.  Do I need to go on?  Well a funny thing has happened on the way to forever being late night television joke fodder.  Much to the chagrin of Leno, Letterman, Kimmel, Fallon et al, Ben is on a freaking roll!   It started in 2007 with his directorial debut of Gone Baby Gone, the big screen adaptation of Dennis Lehane’s book, starring his brother Casey Affleck (who I always thought was the better actor btw.)  Great movie, Ed Harris, Morgan Freeman; check it out.  Then he writes, directs and stars in the awesome 2010 flick The Town.  The story of Charlestown bank robbers that also stars Jeremy Renner, who ironically is starring in the new series of Bourne movies, is absolutely fantastic!  If you’ve never seen it, shame on you.  Which brings us to Argo.  Ben stars and directs again, and as you all know by now, Argo won the Oscar for Best Picture.  Getting snubbed for a Best Director nomination definitely aided that victory IMO, but Argo certainly belonged on the short list, and Ben remains white hot.

Argo is based on the true story of 6 American diplomats trapped in revolutionary Iran during the hostage crisis.  They are the only ones who make it out of the American Embassy, while an unlucky 52 are held captive for a total of 444 days.  The film depicts the harrowing tale of how the CIA plans to extract them from this impossible situation.  Affleck’s character, CIA agent Tony Mendez, devises a ballsy plan to fabricate the production of a science fiction movie and pretend that the 6 Americans are part of the film crew scouting a locale.  The premise is truly awe-inspiring and the tale is brilliantly depicted.  Argo is an emotionally charged ride through edge of your seat suspense and desperation induced empathy.  Affleck continues to impress us as viewers and seamlessly transitions into the upper eschelon of Hollywood talent.  He almost persuades me to take back all of the foul things I said about him back in the day (circa 2002) when he was caressing & smooching J.Lo’s butt crack in the ‘Jenny From the Block’ video. (See visual below)

benandjen

Luckily, Ben has learned from said mistakes.  That by no means erases the past, but it has changed my perception of the handsome star.  It appears that Mr. Affleck does not only have talent, but a working brain as well.  He could have fooled me a decade ago.

You’re something Maria!  I almost peed my pants with the booty smooch pic.  Okay Argo.  It was cool learning about this “truth is stranger than fiction” story.  How they kept it quiet all those years is remarkable.  Who knew we had heroic Canadians too. (Just kidding, some of my best friends are Canadians, eh?)  This is a really good movie, well-written, wonderfully acted and had me engaged and squirming on the couch throughout.  Arkin and Goodman (who seems to be in every movie these days) were especially entertaining in their far too few scenes.  But all that being said, Best Picture of the year?  No way.  I haven’t seen all the movies nominated, but Silver Linings Playbook was by far the best movie I saw last year.  I would rank Django Unchained higher, and I think The Town was a better Affleck movie too.  Honestly, it’s really kind of silly comparing good/great movies and declaring one the winner anyway, but that’s what human beings like to do.  So, I only have one thing left to say to you, if you don’t like my review, “Argo fuck yourself!”    

I love that!  And I am so pleased that Ben has wised up.  I have thoroughly enjoyed watching his evolution from career suicide to Oscar regular.  He’s hotter than ever.  I believe Argo is just the tip of the iceberg and Affleck has a lot more tricks up his sleeve.  That being said, I much prefer his work behind the camera.  Not that he isn’t easy on the eyes, because believe me – I enjoyed the workout scenes in The Town.  But he’s just got so much more to offer as a writer and director.  Keep up the good work and good luck digging yourself out of that Oscar speech hole with the Misses.

Ross’ Rating: 4 Gummy Bears out of 5.

Maria’s Rating: 4 Gummies.

(To see more on Affleck’s Oscar speech buzz click the link: http://www.express.co.uk/news/showbiz/389057/Jennifer-Garner-Ben-Affleck-s-Oscars-speech-was-a-compliment)

Movie Review: The Croods

Published March 25, 2013 by mrsrag

Starring the Voices of: Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener, Cloris Leachman, Clark Duke.

Rated: PG.  Animated.  Running Time: 1 hour 38 minutes.

The Croods are a family bent on survival, who often forget the importance of living.  Of course, they are in prehistoric times and face various danger every time they leave their cave.  But their overprotective father, Grug (Cage), has become excessively paranoid after witnessing the obliteration of all the neighbors.  He imposes his will on the others by sharing nightly fables outlining his rules.  Grugg’s rules consist of absolutely never trying anything new, waiting for the signal every morning before hunting as a pack and hunkering down in the cave before sunset.  These rules suit most of the family just fine, with the exception of Eep (Stone).  Eep despises the cave and hates the dark even worse.  One night, as her family sleeps, she breaks the cardinal rule and leaves the cave to further investigate some noise outside.  This event is the first in many that result in a transformation for Eep, her family and everyone’s way of life.  She also meets a male her age, appropriately named Guy (Reynolds), who introduces the family to all sorts of new things, including fire.  The entire family seems intrigued by the young man, with the exception of Grug, who feels a growing resentment toward this new leader and his innovative ideas.

We see A LOT of kids movies and most of them are very good.  The Croods is certainly no exception.  It started a little slow, but once Eep left the cave and met Guy things really opened up.  And, for the second movie in a row (Oz the G+P being the first), I felt the 3D effects enhanced the viewing experience.  The two films are a bit similar, in the rich and colorful landscapes and wildlife, and the 3D makes them burst through the screen.  A personal favorite in The Croods, is the huge flock of seemingly harmless red birds who descend upon their prey and strip them to the bone like piranhas in a matter of seconds.  Make no mistake, it’s a dangerous place where the Croods live, and they have to keep moving.  Along the way there are some wonderful lessons portrayed here.  Learning from your mistakes and admitting when you’re wrong.  Discovering how to trust and work with others.  Never giving up, and as a parent, knowing when to let go.  I’m not sure The Croods is going to crack the upper echelon of my animated favorites, but it was an enjoyable romp, well written, original and had me walking out of the theater with a smile on my face.

I agree, the 3D was a welcome enhancement once again.  As Ross just said, we see A LOT of kids movies, because we like to take Ethan with us.  I thought The Croods was the best one we’ve seen since Wreck-It Ralph, but I also don’t see it cracking my all time favorites.  Those spots are reserved for my early years of Disney movies and my coveted sing-a-longs.  The lessons were also a welcome addition and some important subjects were broached.  Like trying new things, opening your mind, staying positive and expressing your feelings.  It’s more important than ever that we try to share these lessons with young people and a lot of these movies prove to be effective segues.  Of course, you don’t always need a movie just to have a nice chat with your kids.

Absolutely, parents are the number one role models and teachers, as they should be.  But it is nice when Hollywood gives a helping hand too.  Also, voice acting is an underrated talent IMO, and this cast does a wonderful job.  Ryan Reynolds, Cloris Leachman, Catherine Keener,  Clark Duke (who sounds like a young Michael J. Fox BTW), Emma Stone and Nicolas Cage really “fit” their characters perfectly.   And in a positive side note, Maria, who is far removed from being a Nic Cage fan, didn’t have to “look at his stupid face.”  The Croods, a win-win-win movie.  Enjoy!

Maria’s Rating: 3.5 Gummy Bears out of 5.

Ross’ Rating: 3.5 Gummies.

Recent DVD Release: Skyfall

Published March 21, 2013 by mrsrag

Starring:  Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Judi Dench, Ralph Fiennes, Naomi Harris, Ben Whishaw, Ola Rapace, Albert Finney.

Rated: PG-13.  Action/Adventure.  Running Time: 2 hours 23 minutes.

I’ve never been a huge James Bond fan, though I’ve certainly enjoyed some of the films over the years.  I’m a Sean Connery guy for sure, but Daniel Craig has stepped firmly into my number two spot.  His third shot at the suave “shaken not stirred” British spy, is my favorite of his regime so far.  An unknown bad guy (I won’t spoil anything by telling you that he turns out to be the fantastic Bardem) has stolen information that contains the identities of undercover agents all over the world.  Bond gets shot by accident, by one of his fellow agents while trying to retrieve said information, and is presumed dead for a short span early in the movie.  Please.  You can’t kill Bond.  See: You Only Live Twice etc.  At any rate, some truly epic chase scenes ensue (a Bond staple that Craig has taken to the next level) but the information is lost temporarily and agents lose their lives.  The capable, stoic, Bond-loving M (Dench) subsequently comes under fire.  It is that story line, the meeting and uncovering of Bardem’s bad guy character, and the crossing of the two events that are the heart of the movie.

I’ve been a huge Bond fan since I was a young girl.  Much like my love of oldies music and the intrinsic need to watch Wheel of Fortune & Jeopardy, Bond was something instilled in me by my father.  He loved watching endless marathons of the long running spy series, and in the days before DVR and multi-room flatscreens, we all watched with him.  Because we had to.  My parents, somewhat begrudgingly, took me to see Goldeneye in the theatre.  That was the Bond of ’95 and Pierce Brosnan’s take as the clever agent.  We all loved it.  And that was that – I was hooked.  It seemed that I had also inherited my mother’s admiration of action movies (her most recent favorites are Jason Statham & Liam Neeson flicks, although I know she’ll always have a spot reserved for Deathwish & “Charlie” Bronson in her heart).  Pierce’s Bond played second fiddle only to the original Connery.  But recently, I’ve been swayed by consistently great performances by Craig and my viewing partner’s glowing reviews.  Craig embodies what Bond is truly about.  An innate ability to come off charming, intelligent, sly, sexy and slightly obnoxious – all at the same time.  Skyfall is further evidence of his success.

There is no doubt that Daniel Craig has breathed life into a franchise that seemed to be headed for the scrap heap.  Did you see him getting what appeared to be a hand job under the table from his wife Rachel Weisz at the Golden Globes!?  Not sure what that has to do with anything, except it was cool!  Ok back to the movie.  Beyond Bond, there are some other interesting stories going on here.  We finally get a new Q (Whishaw), a younger, updated version, more into helping with his computer in cyberspace than in gadgets.  The latter, of course the trademark of the wonderfully likeable older Q played for years by the late Desmond Llewelyn.  New Q has potential, but I will certainly miss, pen guns, laser shooting Rolex’s, cars that turn into submarines, rings that ensure jackpots at slot machines, et al.  Also, we are reintroduced to Miss Moneypenny, not going to say much about her to avoid spoilage.  Suffice it to say, this is not your daddy’s Miss Moneypenny.  And a new character emerges, Gareth Mallory (Fiennes), who is certainly here to stay.  One final note, there is a reveal of the name Skyfall near the end of the movie that felt a bit “Rosebud”-ish to me.  Not quite Citizen Kane, a distant cousin maybe.  Though I’m not a huge Bond fan, like I said, I do find myself looking forward to what they come up with next.  Thanks Daniel!

Firstly, I’d like to address the Craig/Weisz H.J., which was undoubtedly happening.  I pointed it out while we were watching the Globes and with the helpful technology of DVR, we reviewed it several times.  Kudos Mrs. Craig, I applaud your brazen behavior and hope your Hollywood romance endures.  Skyfall had some memorable moments, but it’s the actors that have really kept Bond relevant.  Of course, the plot resonates with current affairs, but the plausibility is cemented with great performances by Bardem, Dench, Fiennes and Finney.  And throughout the years, Bond has always relied on his supporting cast of evil masterminds, his friends at MI6 and his harem of lovely ladies.  After all, what would he do if he had no one to fight, no one to help him and no one to sleep with?  He’d be one bored Bond.  Lastly, I want to give credit to whoever brought in Adele for the theme song.  As you Brits like to say, bloody brilliant.

Ross’ Rating: 3.75 Gummy Bears out of 5.

Maria’s Rating: 3.5 Gummies (When I rate a Bond movie, I rate it against every other Bond movie, if you think this is low).

Movie Review: Oz the Great and Powerful

Published March 12, 2013 by mrsrag

Starring: James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams, Zach Braff, Joey King, Bill Cobbs, Tony Cox.

Rated: PG.  Adventure/Fantasy.  Running Time: 2 hours 10 minutes.

 

Today we took Ethan for a look at, the latest fresh spin on “not being in Kansas anymore”, Oz the Great and Powerful.  In this enjoyable prequel, the focus is on Oscar “Oz” Diggs (Franco), a small time circus magician and con man of women.  He, like Dorothy, starts out in black and white Kansas, and gets blown into the beautiful, colorful land of OZ.  His first contact is with the good witch Theodora (Kunis), who believes Oscar is the powerful wizard from “the prophecy”, come to save Oz from the Wicked Witch.  Soon after, they come upon a trapped flying monkey, Finley (voiced by Braff), who pledges his devotion for life to the “Wizard” for saving his life.  Unlike the flying monkeys we’ve always known, Finley is kind and loyal, the conscience of the movie, and source of many of the funniest lines.  Oscar, hungry for the riches that come with the title, pretends to be the Wizard and embarks on a quest to kill the Wicked Witch and free the land of Oz from her tyranny.

I often express my disdain for the influx of 3D features accruing larger sums from gouging ticket sales, but this film is an exception. Oz is the perfect example of a film that has so much artistic value and visual enhancement added by the 3D.  Once we find ourselves transported to the fantastic world of Oz, the landscape and action sequences are absolutely breathtaking.  We are literally swept away with Oscar as his hot air balloon dips into valleys, crests over hills and dives down the face of a mighty waterfall.  The story is one of good versus evil and the journey that each character travels in order to find where their allegiance lies.  It is also a very interesting and in depth look at a character that we’ve all known for decades, but never really have the pleasure of learning about.  Oz is our opportunity to meet this great wizard and to watch the sequence of events that mold him into the man we are familiar with from the family classic.  I wasn’t blown away by this movie, but I found it endearing and I admire its ingenuity.

Maria and I love trying to figure out what is going to happen next in the movies we see, the TV shows we watch.  We’re always whispering our theories in each other’s ears.  I’m generally pretty good at seeing what’s coming, but Maria was the one all over Oz.  She had every plot twist spot on, and there were quite a few.  I was impressed, this story of good versus evil was anything but cut and dry.  Also, my son Ethan knows that one of my favorite things in movies is when someone “bad” turns good (He gives Oz a thumbs up FYI).  That being said, I like the transformation to flow naturally.  Recently we rented Hope Springs, a Meryl Streep/Tommy Lee Jones vehicle, the story of an older couple in a major rut who go for counselling to save their marriage.  Jones’ character is miserable the entire movie, dragged every inch by his wife who is sincerely trying her best to reconnect with the man she loves.  At the eleventh hour, Tommy Lee does a 180 and becomes the man his wife desires.  The movie wasn’t horrible, but the abrupt change by the husband just didn’t ring true to me.  In Oz the Great and Powerful, Oscar’s metamorphisis from selfish, narcissistic cad to selfless hero is gradual, seemless and believable.  And one of the main reasons the movie works so well for me.

I agree, the transformation in Oz feels more genuine and like a natural progression.  This film had a very original premise and still paid homage to the classic.  We enjoyed how some of the characters from Oz’s time in Kansas transferred over to his new home.  His carnival sidekick is reincarnated in the form of well intentioned Finley (Braff), the handicapped girl at his magic show who begs him to help her walk becomes the adorably tiny “china” doll, who needs help doing the same after a brutal attack on her town and Glinda the Good Witch (Williams) is a carbon copy of the love of his life that he leaves behind only moments before his fateful balloon ride.  The film was visually stimulating, entertaining and extremely cute.  And most importantly, Ethan enjoyed it.  He just recently starred in a 4th grade production of “Munchkin Mediation”, a short play designed to teach conflict resolution.  He played the wizard and thoroughly impressed us both.  Honestly, the star of the show!  Oz is definitely worth the trip to the theatre and will be a welcome escape to a magical place.

 

Ross’ Rating: 3.75 Gummy Bears out of 5.

Maria’s Rating: 3.5 Gummies.

Recent DVD Release: The Intouchables

Published March 11, 2013 by mrsrag

Starring: François Cluzet, Omar Sy, Anne Le Ny, Audrey Fleurot, Clotilde Mollet.

Rated R.  Biography/Drama/Comedy.  Subtitled.  Running Time: 1 hour 52 minutes.

We now have a tie for best movie I’ve seen in 2013 thus far.  It’s a dead heat between Silver Linings Playbook & the brilliant surprise, The Intouchables.  Our dear friend Kevin suggested it to us several months ago after viewing it in the theatre, but the subtitled foreign film was under limited release, so it wasn’t the easiest showing to find.  We figured we’d wait until it graced the ‘shelves’ of our beloved Red Box.  Ross & I went into it with open minds and absolutely no idea what it was about, which is my favorite way to be pleasantly surprised.  The Intouchables is based on the true story of an extremely wealthy quadriplegic who hires an obnoxious young man from the projects of Paris to be his personal caretaker.  He craves the unsympathetic nature of Driss (Sy) and sees more than meets the judgmental eyes of his family and friends.  In one scene the handicapped Philippe (Cluzet) defends his decision of hiring Driss by explaining, “That’s exactly what I want…no pity.”  The best part of this heartfelt & intimate piece of cinema is the humor.  It is a rare and special thing when someone can tell a story that is steeped in so much tragedy and incorporate this much laughter.

I’m guessing that I’m not that unique in the respect that when I see the word “Subtitled” in association with a movie, I tend to dismiss it immediately.  If it wasn’t for Kevin’s recommendation, we would NEVER have seen this movie.  Thank you my friend, you never let us down.  The Intouchables has everything you want in a film.  It makes you laugh and cry and root for the underdog.  Well I suppose everything I want in a movie at any rate.  Driss is the most unlikely caretaker you could ever imagine, “those street punks have no pity” after all.  But the relationship between he and Philippe is riveting.  I’ve also never laughed so hard while reading words on screen.  In one scene Driss is pouring scalding water on Philippe’s legs, marvelling at the fact that he can’t feel anything.  In another he throws snowballs at him imploring him to fight back.  Ex-daredevil Philippe takes a petrified Driss paragliding, and the exultation he finds seems absolutely genuine.  Chemsitry on screen.  We mentioned it in Silver Linings Playbook about Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper.  You can’t teach it or aquire it, it has to just happen and Cluzet and Sy have it in spades.  One final note, not that it has any bearing on anything, but Francois Cluzet is the spitting image of Dustin Hoffman circa Rain Man era, late 80’s early 90’s.  Not just a vague resemblance, like a Parisian carbon copy.  He even smiles and laughs the same.  Just another added element for your viewing pleasure, so do yourself a favor and go rent it, now! 

He is the spitting image of early 90’s Hoffman; the resemblance is uncanny.  There are so many wonderful scenes packed with well written dialogue and intriguing plot developments.  Ross is on point with the chemistry too, it is extremely palpable in both Silver Linings and The Intouchables.  I personally love movies with subtitles, but it does take a little convincing to get Ross aboard.  I think he may be warming up to the idea now that he enjoyed our latest attempt.  DO NOT let the subtitles be the deciding factor here.  This film is poignant, brilliant and well worth the reading.  Unfortunately, the film was not decorated with much deserved nominations and awards on U.S. soil, but has had plenty of critical acclaim and success abroad.  Most definitely a bit of a hidden gem.

Ross’ Rating: 4.5 Gummy Bears out of 5.

Maria’s Rating: 5 Gummies!  Trés bien!

Recent DVD Release: End Of Watch

Published February 25, 2013 by mrsrag

Starring:  Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Pena, Anna Kendrick, Natalie Martinez, America Ferrera, Frank Grillo, David Harbour.

Rated: R.  Crime/Drama.  Running Time: 1 hour 49 minutes.

It was refreshing to watch a buddy cop movie where the protagonists weren’t caricatures of policemen making bad jokes, or corrupt, or dealing with corruption.  End of Watch is the story of partners and friends, Brian Taylor (Gyllenhaal) and Mike Zavala (Pena), and they are most certainly serious peace officers.  They patrol the worst streets of L.A., and yes they are young and eager but also very competent.  And you truly get the feeling that these guys care about the job, each other, and want to make a difference for the better.  The film is shot from the viewpoint of a school project of Taylor’s, and he has a camera with him all the time, much to the chagrin of his sargeant and fellow officers.  The faux documentary style is unique, but some of the quick jerks and changing angles were a bit reminiscent of the fantastic, long-running TV series NYPD Blue.  We follow Taylor and Zavala as they answer calls to some extremely dangerous places and situations, and it makes you think that the real-life men and women doing these jobs are definitely not getting paid enough.

End of Watch was unique, adrenaline pumping and suspenseful.  This is not my favorite genre of movie and I wasn’t especially excited to see it, but it was surprisingly charming.  Gyllenhaal and Pena have an on screen chemistry that is not only believable, but also a pleasure to watch.  The banter between the longtime partners appears genuine and would lead any viewer to believe that the actors bonded in real life as well.  Anna Kendrick is not to be overlooked.  She does a spectacular job as Gyllenhaal’s love interest.  Her career has seriously blossomed over the past few years with notable performances in Up in the Air, 50/50 and Pitch Perfect.  I would never have guessed that she would be the most successful actor (at least regarding roles) to come out of the Twilight series.  End of Watch has a gritty style of filming that makes it sometimes difficult to watch, especially during some of the chase scenes and action sequences.  I understand the desired effect the director was trying for and I commend him for taking a risk.  However, the filming style was vastly overshadowed by the fantastic acting.

The film was superbly acted, no doubt.  The group of actors that portray the street gang are chillingly menacing.  As the story continues, Taylor and Zavala in the performance of their duties tumble into some truly serious criminal activity that is way over their heads.  It is here and into the climactic scene where the movie loses me just a bit.  I was reading this article the other day in Entertainment Weekly that was about how we’ve become a nation of nitpickers when it comes to movies and TV shows.  Man, am I guilty as charged there.  Maria and I are forever breaking down what’s wrong with Homeland or The Following or Dexter or Boardwalk Empire.  I just get so pissed off when common sense is ignored or when the outskirts of what could happen in real-life are stretched to their limits and beyond.  I know I should just enjoy the ride, but I can’t.  And there is a moment near the end of End of Watch that I found myself screaming at the screen.  I’m not going to spoil anything because we don’t do that, but I know Maria was in the same place I was.  It certainly didn’t ruin the movie for me, but it definitely dropped it down a notch or two.

I’m a fellow nitpicker and proud of it.  Judging entertainment is one of my favorite outlets.  That is what defines us as Americans and as people.  It’s what makes some stuff amazing and other crap mediocre.  Well, let me step off my soap box for a minute and finish up my assessment of Watch.  I enjoyed this movie, mainly because it had tons of action keeping me on the edge of my seat and it was something new.  It’s exciting to see somebody try something a little bit different, even if it doesn’t fully translate.  My praises slightly waned at the ending, but not enough to allow me to discount the entire film.  Perhaps we have become exceptionally critical, but I think we’ve contributed to making entertainment better.  The recent offerings on television and movies reflect the high standards we’ve adopted.  The important thing is that we each have the freedom to go see what movie we want, follow whichever shows appeal to us and read any book that piques our interest.  I may strongly disagree with the millions of readers who liked 50 Shades of Grey, but I sure as shit support your right to enjoy it.  So watch what you want, enjoy what you like and feel free to bash anything as you see fit.

Ross’ Rating: 3.5 Gummy Bears out of 5.

Maria’s Rating: 3.5 Gummies.

 

 

Movie Review: Escape From Planet Earth

Published February 23, 2013 by mrsrag

Starring the voices of:  Rob Corddry, Brendan Fraser, William Shatner, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jessica Alba, George Lopez, Jane Lynch, Ricky Gervais, Steve Zahn, Gregg Brinkley, Craig Robinson, Sofia Vergara, Jonathan Morgan Heit.

Rated: PG.  Animated.  Running Time: 1 hour 29 minutes.

Wow.  Look at that list of stars.  Ross and I were not doing a very good job of nailing who was voicing here.  We still got Fraser, Shatner, Lopez, Lynch and Sofia Vergara – but honestly that’s an off day for us.  Even with this cast of well known stars, Escape from Planet Earth failed to shine.  In fact, I’m not even sure it sparkled.  It just kind of fizzled.  Sometimes things are just not meant to be.  I should have known we were destined for discontent from the first few moments.  The 3-D wasn’t working.  I feel robbed enough paying extra for 3-D, so if I’m going to fork over the extra cash I expect to at least enjoy it.  Out of a packed theatre I was the first person to go find help.  When I returned it was working and Ross informed me that I didn’t miss a thing.  Sadly, I could have missed the whole movie and he probably would have said the same thing.  The 3-D was so unnecessary in this particular picture.  I can’t help but feel that every kid’s movie is just being churned out with these extra money grabs.

Maria and I are great fans of animated features.  The ratio of good to bad far exceeds that of Hollywood’s mainstream offerings.  That being said, they aren’t all instant classics, and Escape From Planet Earth is not going to make anyone forget Cars or Up or Wall-E.  EFPE is the story of two blue-skinned brothers from the Planet Baab, one an adventurous astronaut named Scorch (Fraser), the other the brains behind the scenes nerd Gary (Corddry).  Scorch runs into some big problems on a “rescue” mission to Earth and Gary has to leave the safe confines of mission control to embark on a rescue mission of his own.  The cast of characters they run into on Earth: the evil head of Area 51 Shanker (Shatner), a mouse-like dude named Doc (Robinson), a three-eyed slimy creature with four arms, Thurman (Lopez), and a huge one-eyed monster (Lynch); all have an uncanny resemblence to corresponding characters from the highly entertaining 2009 release Monsters Vs. Aliens.  After doing a little research, I discovered that EFPE has had a multitude of problems.  The project has been in the works for years and has had numerous script rewrites, parts recast and is currently still in litigation between two of the films creating factions.  All of this has added up to an inferior product.  Beyond being a blatant rip-off, it’s just not very funny.   

You’re probably getting sick of us agreeing all the time, but when the man is right – he’s right.  The laughs were fleeting.  And I guarantee you’ll agree if you see this one.  The plot was formulaic, the script was lazy and the heart was non-existent.  I have to guess that the problems off screen effected the production of this film.  This isn’t one that we’ll be rushing to go buy or rent out of the Red Box.  Honestly, there isn’t much else to say about it.  We didn’t enjoy it, but at least Ethan seemed to like it.  If you’re willing to take one for the team, so to speak, then bring a youth to see this flop.  If not, I’d suggest skipping this snooze fest/cash grab.

EFPE is not the worst movie ever made.  Maria mentioned that Ethan enjoyed it, and I’m sure it will do okay at the box office, mainly because there haven’t been any kids movies released recently.  It is just immensely forgettable.  The bar has been set so high by Pixar and DreamWorks, that when an average or below average film comes along, it seems even worse than it is.  The best part of EFPE was Ricky Gervais voicing a wise-cracking computer, and he was in the movie for a total of about 5 minutes.  Brendan Fraser has been in the news of late claiming he can’t afford his child support payments any longer.  His Ex better hope he uses better judgement in his future project selections, or she’ll be paying him pretty soon. 

Maria’s Rating: 2 Gummy Bears out of 5.

Ross’ Rating: 2.25 Gummies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Movie Review: Silver Linings Playbook

Published February 11, 2013 by mrsrag

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver, Chris Tucker, John Ortiz, Julia Stiles, Anupam Kher.

Rated R.  Comedy/Drama/Romance.  Running Time: 2 hours 2 minutes.

There is a definite pattern developing in my personal movie watching experiences.  The movies I really want to see are disappointing the hell out of me (see Flight), and the ones I don’t want to see or just go because Maria wants to see it, end up blowing me away.  Well, you can add Silver Linings Playbook to that list.  I really like Jennifer Lawrence from the Hunger Games, this kid is the real deal, and her turn here is amazing.  But Bradley Cooper carrying a movie?  I didn’t see any shot of that.  The Hangovers, Wedding Crashers, he’s a supporting actor who plays the cocky, good looking douche.  I recently was TOTALLY wrong about the talent of Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and now Cooper has me eating my words again.  He plays Pat, a guy freshly released from a mental hospital (I’ll let you find out the reason he was in there, it’s too good to spoil), who must go live with his parents (De Niro and Weaver) because he has nowhere else to go.  Pat is a train wreck and won’t admit it, and soon he meets his female counterpart, the equally damaged Tiffany (Lawrence).  There hasn’t been onscreen chemistry like these two since Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.  While they were so cute together, Cooper and Lawrence are incindiary, but you can’t take your eyes off them.  

Jennifer Lawrence.  She most definitely embodies her Hunger Games character’s image, the girl on fire.  She first appeared on our radar for her Oscar nomination for Best Actress in Winter’s Bone and the girl has not slowed down since.  I just find myself more impressed with each new role she takes on.  Her Golden Globe award winning character in Silver Linings Playbook is so exquisitely executed that I began comparing her flaws as well as her virtues to young women I know in real life, including myself.  Her sense of humor, strength, vulnerability and unapologetic sexuality is palpable, which is why the chemistry between Tiffany and Pat is so tremendous.  Bradley Cooper, you sly dog.  Who knew you weren’t just another pretty face?  I have always loved his portrayal of the juvenile Phil in the Hangovers, but I had no idea he could pull off a role like this with such conviction.  These two lead characters do a fantastic job and they also have a superb seasoned cast surrounding them including De Niro, Weaver and Stiles.  SLP bravely ventures into new territory when examining mental illness.  Especially in the current climate where so many people are trying different medications to aid their illnesses or conditions.  It is quite a feat to be able to address such a sensitive and serious subject with candid humor.  This movie made me laugh out loud on numerous occassions.  And it also made me feel nervous, excited and happy.  I cheered for these two people to find happiness and success.  In fact, I had a vested interest in it.

Bradley Cooper is the revelation of SLP, but the supporting cast doesn’t take a backseat either.  De Niro is perfect as Pat Sr., a reluctant bookie and Philadelphia Eagles fanatic.  I could relate to him on a couple of levels.  First I’m a diehard Patriots fan, so I understood all of his superstitions and fluctuating emotions.  And, having attended the Eagles/Patriots Super Bowl some years back, I’ve witnessed the passion, veracity and uncontrolled behavior of Eagles fans up close.  Also worth noting are Anupam Kher as Pat’s psychiatrist, Dr. Patel.  He turns out to be an Eagles fanatic too, and that makes for a hilarious scene.  A surprisingly subdued Chris Tucker as Danny, a former, fellow patient  and friend of Pat’s, is super in a small role.  And John Ortiz as Pat’s best friend Ronnie , who is seemingly well off and happily married, but is actually broke and miserable, round out a perfect group.  In a side note, Maria and I met Mr. Ortiz in Las Vegas at the premiere party for the short-lived HBO series Luck.  He played a crooked trainer, and he was quite gregarious when we introduced ourselves.  Silver Linings Playbook had me laughing, crying and rooting for all the main characters.  I loved it, and judging by the packed theater a full six weeks after it’s release date, I’d say word of mouth is lively.  Here’s hoping we see Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper on screen together again soon!

I knew from first glance that I recognized John Ortiz, but I assumed it was from some previous role.  I had totally forgotten about the meeting in Vegas.  He was certainly a very gracious star, shaking hands and taking pictures with all the fans.  Surprisingly, as Ross mentioned, the theatre was packed.  We were expecting to be one of the few audience members and found ourselves struggling to find a convenient seat.  SLP was well worth the wait and I’m estactic that we got to view it in the theatre.  It is by far one of the best movies I’ve seen in a long time and I was pleased that my company enjoyed it as well.

Ross’ Rating: 5 Gummy Bears out of 5.

Maria’s Rating: 4.5 Gummies.

 

 

Recent DVD Release: Flight

Published February 10, 2013 by mrsrag

Starring: Denzel Washington, Kelly Reilly, Bruce Greenwood, Don Cheadle, John Goodman, Nadine Velazquez, Garcelle Beauvais.

Rated: R.  Drama.  Running Time: 2 hours 18 minutes.

I may never fly again.  The opening scene twisted my stomach in knots due to an excess of morning drinking, followed by a horrifying stormy flight.  Perhaps I’ll start travelling only by land or sea.  I’m not the worst flyer, or the best.  I hate turbulence (who doesn’t), I hate shaky landings and my palms sweat profusily whenever I’m taking off.  Ross and I fly quite a bit, so I usually grab his hand or arm to have something to hold onto.  Flight most definitely had a message to convey, but at times was very uncomfortable to watch, which I assume is the point.  The character development was brilliant, so was the acting.  But with a cast featuring Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle and John Goodman the audience should expect no less.  On several occassions I found myself speaking aloud, “No, come on…don’t do that.”  It was similar to watching a horror film where you try to tell the girl not to go in that room, or to run from the house.  Honestly, it’s not my favorite genre of film and I found it to be long with some boring lulls.  But it was powerful enough to make me feel for the characters and understand the underlying message.

Maria is not the best flyer at times, so I knew the opening stages of the movie were unsettling for her.  Flight.  Not sure that should have been the title of the movie, though the first fifteen minutes which includes the ill-fated flight, are BY FAR the best part of the movie.  I mean, edge of your seat, hold your breath film making at it’s best.  Unfortunately for me, the rest of the movie was a car wreck.  I think it should’ve been called Booze Pilot.  Or, Leaving The Cockpit.  We haven’t seen a self destructive drunk this bad since Nick Cage’s gut wrenching turn in Leaving Las Vegas, hence my aforementined alternate title.  Sure Denzel was fantastic, and I understand the basic message they’re trying to get across.  But I’m pretty sure we all know by now, drugs are bad.  Alcohol in excess is bad.  You can ruin your life.  Got it.  But I go to the movies to be swept away.  To laugh and cry and try to figure out what’s next, or see magical new places or scary aliens.  To see if the guy gets the girl or gets her back.  See the bad guy finally get his or even better, watch a bad guy turn good or find out he was good all along (Professor Snape!!).  I don’t watch movies to get depressed and feel like shit after it’s over.  Artistically, I get the reason for making Flight and appreciate the great acting.  But I’d still rather have back the last 2 hours and three minutes to do something more fun, perhaps laundry or lawn mowing.  

The crash.  By far the best part of the film, as Ross already pointed out.  It was reminiscent of Cast Away, another of Robert Zemeckis’ films.  The man is genius at putting together plane crashes on the big screen.  Of course, the crash was far more tumultuous in Cast Away and Flight falls short of the emotional magnitude of the earlier film.  I can’t go by Cast Away without watching some of it and literally balling everytime he loses Wilson, a volleyball.  But it moves me.  Every single time.  I have to be honest and admit that I could easily click right past Flight.  The movie didn’t completely miss the mark, but it didn’t resonate with me.  I realize the tenor of the movie was supposed to be serious and raw, but toward the end I started to doze off.  I didn’t care what happened, so in that respect it lost me.  Perhaps if Washington’s character had some endearing or redeeming qualities I would have felt more invested in him.  But it was too little too late when he finally decided to bare his soul.  One last thing I must mention, John Goodman is fantastic.  He’s only on screen a few times, and not for more than a few minutes, but he makes a lasting impression, as always.

Agreed, John Goodman was a highlight.  His drug dealer Harling Mays, was like a cross between his character in The Big Lebowski and “The Dude” himself.  Superb.  I didn’t like Flight, as you can plainly see. It did make me think however, about the men and women up there flying us around.  How many of them have been partying the night before?  Or even the morning of a flight.  Maybe they should put those blower gadgets in the cockpit like they do to the cars of people who’ve had DUI’s.  Couldn’t hurt, though I would prefer crashing to watching Flight ever again. 

Maria’s Rating: 3 Gummy Bears out of 5.

Ross’ Rating: 2 Gummies (for the flight itself and John Goodman).

Movie Review: Django Unchained

Published January 11, 2013 by mrsrag

Starring:  Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel L. Jackson, Kerry Washington.

Rated: R.  Action/Drama/Western.  Running Time: 2 hours 45 minutes.

Hi all, we’re back.  Hope everyone had a great holiday and rang in the New Year with gusto.  We certainly did.  Let’s get back in the swing.  For a guy who has only directed 8 movies, Quentin Tarantino has an amazing body of work.  Maria is a HUGE fan of his, she especiallly likes the Kill Bill’s.  I’m a fan, but not of her caliber.  I recognize his genius, appreciate his love of movies, admire his rise from video store clerk and his unique style is obviously unmistakeable.  Django Unchained is his best movie since Pulp Fiction in my humble opinion.  The story of a slave, Django (Foxx) who is sold and separated from his wife Broomhilda (Washington) as punishment for their attempt to run away.  Django meets and joins a bounty hunter named Dr. King Shultz (portrayed by the always fantastic Waltz, a Tarantino favorite from Inglorious Basterds).  Shultz needs Django’s help to identify three fugitives, but along the way he also mentors him, and ultimately the two become real friends.  They formulate a plan together to rescue Broomhilda.  If you go expecting to see Tarantino’s trademark blood and guts, you certainly will not be disappointed.  The film is not for the squeamish, but the story is so good, and the bad guys are soooo bad that it just doesn’t seem that gory.

It’s one of Tarantino’s signature tricks – he creates such heinous human beings that no one minds watching them die horrible deaths.  He is also masterful at building suspense by focusing on minor details.  Perhaps this is why his movies are notorious for having long running times.  He focuses on certain shots which have no pertinence to the story, such as the scene from Django when Waltz is pouring two draft beers at a saloon for himself and his new acquaintance.  But these types of scenes are what define Tarantino’s style as a director and make his movies so enjoyable.  I believe his style has matured over the years.  As I recall his earlier films such as Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, they seem so different and yet very much the same.  His movies always scream his name as you watch them, but the more recent films have evolved into more than that.  More than his signature bloody violence and titillating twisted tales. This is especially true of Django and his latest film prior to that, Inglorious Basterds.  Recently it seems Tarantino has adopted a fearless approach to historical storytelling.  I’ve heard Basterds referred to as a “Jewish Fairytale”, which I found rather comical.  If that’s so, than Django is definitely the quintessential “Black Fairytale”.  He tells the story with such attractive characters and dynamic dialogue laced with glimpses of humor.  Just the right amount of humor to be thought of as acceptable pertaining to the very serious subjects he’s discussing.  As you can tell, he is one of my favorite directors, but I don’t have much to say about his personality in real life.  His movies are great, but listening to the man speak in an interview makes me wonder where he stores all his creative genius.  In his defense, I’ve never sat down and had coffee with the dude, so I don’t really know him at all.  However, I will say that his movies seem to get better and better.  Django may be my new favorite, but I can’t give it Kill Bill’s coveted number one spot just yet.

Wow, that is one eloquently written paragraph!  You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to see who the brains of this operation is.  Django Unchained is 2 hours and 45 minutes long and I didn’t notice.  I’d have to think that is a pretty good endorsement of the movie in itself.  Maybe the best acted film I’ve seen from top to bottom also.   The chemistry between Jamie Foxx and Christoph Waltz is fabulous, and DiCaprio’s deliciously evil turn as the merciless plantation and slave owner Candie, alone is worth the price of admission.  Samuel L. Jackson’s Stephen, had to be difficult to play as he is one kiss ass, Uncle Tom son of a bitch.  Samuel L. bravely dove right into the character and it’s hard to imagine anyone else pulling it off.  One final note, without really spoiling anything, Tarantino has a bit of fun with us with the actor James Remar.  Remar is a longtime favorite of mine .  He played one of the best bad guys of all time, Ganz, in 1982’s 48 Hours, and currently can be seen portraying Dexter’s father on the Showtime hit.  When I saw his name in the opening credits, I was psyched, but then he dies in the very first scene.  I know he’s not the biggest name out there, but I was thinking he’d get more screen time than that.  Well Quentin took care of me, because James comes back to life as a different character later in the movie.  Thanks Mr. Tarantino for saving James Remar and for the terrifically entertaining Django Unchained!

I thoroughly enjoyed this film.  I would go out on a limb and say that Tarantino has never disappointed me.  He has shocked me, disturbed me and even rendered me speechless…but I’ve never gone to the theatre and walked out saying, “What the Hell was that?”  He consistently delivers an entertaining and stimulating piece of cinema.  He is also constantly pushing the envelope and fearlessly trying new things no one else has the courage to do.  For instance, the extremely candid nude scene featured in Django.  There has been tons of nudity in recent cinema, but none as brave as that of Django.  This scene features several camera angles through very precarious positions…I’ll let your imagination run wild with that one.  However, if you’re reading this I would imagine you’d be persuaded to give Django Unchained a shot.  Honestly, it’s one of the best movies I’ve seen in quite a while.  And not a bad soundtrack either, which is another expectation of Tarantino fans.  Keep up the good work Q…still digging your style.

Ross’ Rating: 4.75 Gummy Bears out of 5.

Maria’s Rating: 5 Gummies.