Movie Review: The Croods
Published March 25, 2013 by mrsragStarring 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 mrsragStarring: 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).
TV Talk: Banshee
Published March 19, 2013 by mrsragStarring: Antony Starr, Ivana Milicivec, Ulrich Thomsen, Frankie Faison, Hoon Lee, Matt Servitto, Demetrius Grosse, Trieste Kelly Dunn, Ryann Shane, Rus Blackwell, Anthony Ruivivar, Lili Simmons, Ben Cross.
Airs Friday at 10PM on Cinemax. Action/Crime/Drama.
Banshee is a nonstop collision course of endless plot twists and unmitigated action. There is never a dull moment. No episode could be considered disappointing. It’s the first series on Cinemax that we’ve seriously followed. Banshee came across my radar when I first spotted an advertisement boasting the same producers of my beloved True Blood, including a nod from the renowned Alan Ball. You can already imagine what the sex scenes must be like – mixing the likes of Skin-a-max and True Blood production. We’ve recently embraced our titles as nitpickers and that is a true representation of us. However, we allow quite a bit of artistic freedom with Banshee. Although we are quick to point out the unusual amount of crime in this fictional town and the unlikely circumstances surrounding the core of the unconventional plotline. Banshee embraces its ridiculous nature. The show features some restless Amish, greedy gangsters, career criminals and simple townies. A compilation of interesting characters whose lives are intertwined in this small Pennsylvania town.
More happens in Banshee, PA than in NYC! The premise of the show is very cool. An ex-con (Starr) fresh out of jail, goes in search of his girlfriend who helped him steal $10 million worth of diamonds, and is in hiding. He finds out where she is from an old accomplice, Job (Lee), who is a gay, computer genius, quasi-ninja Asian dude. Starr arrives in Banshee and goes to the local bar to have a drink and some food, and strikes up a conversation with the owner/bartender Sugar Bates (Faison). In classic Banshee fashion the shit immediately hits the fan. Two local thugs walk in looking for protection money from Sugar, and unfortunately for them, the other patron at the bar is the freshly hired Sheriff Lucas Hood. A vicious fight ensues and Sugar and Starr are left alive. They bury the dead, and through sheer luck, Hood’s cell phone rings and Starr is able to assume his identity.
The plot is refreshingly original and wickedly entertaining. There are plenty of sub-plots featuring the supporting cast of characters, but not so many that it leaves your head spinning. Banshee is an action fan’s dream come true and a gritty guilty pleasure. I can’t wait to see what kind of twists and surprises they’ll have in store for viewers in 2014.
Season 1 just wrapped and like Maria said, we can’t wait to see what’s next. We’ve pretty much put our nitpicking on hold for Banshee, as Maria said earlier. Maybe it’s a bit unfair, but all the hard to believe things in The Following that have us on the verge of dumping that show, don’t seem to matter in Banshee. The Sheriff has a knock down, drag out fight in public with an MMA champion and wins, and we don’t care. He collars the local, formerly Amish, crime boss of the town Kai Proctor (Thomsen) for murder. Gets T-boned by some other bad guys on the way to jail and ends up fighting free with Proctors help – then lets everybody go; and we cheer. Banshee has regular Amish, gangster Amish, an Amish whore who bangs Lucas, Russian mobsters, an ex-champion boxer, clueless FBI agents, Native American casino owners, biker gangs, a police force not afraid to be vigilantes and so much more. Every episode is a shotgun blast in your ear, a giant line of coke, and a dip into the ocean in January with the Polar Bear Club all rolled into one. It’s not for everyone, but if you like non-stop, somewhat mindless action, with characters that you love and hate, Banshee is great fun. See if you can find this first season and give it a shot, I’m guessing you’ll be back for more.
Movie Review: Oz the Great and Powerful
Published March 12, 2013 by mrsragStarring: 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 mrsragStarring: 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!
TV Talk: The Following
Published March 9, 2013 by mrsragStarring: Kevin Bacon, James Purefoy, Shawn Ashmore, Natalie Zea, Annie Parisse, Valorie Curry.
Airs Mondays at 9 PM on Fox. Crime/Drama.
We’re starting a new feature here at MRSRAG, TV Talk, where Maria and I will discuss, diss, revel, lament, vent, sing praise, et al, to the shows we watch on a regular basis. Please feel free to comment if you like, hate, agree or vehemently oppose any of our sentiments. This should be fun! We’re starting with Fox’s new hit The Following. Seven episodes have passed for this once (and possibly still) promising fast-paced Kevin Bacon vehicle. But as we have previously mentioned, we are card carrying Nitpickers, and The Following has us in a bit of a frenzy at present. The premise is cool. Edgar Allen Poe obsessed, former college professor turned serial killer Joe Carroll (Purefoy) was caught in the recent past by former FBI agent Ryan Hardy (Bacon) and WAS on Death Row. Carroll escapes prison in the gruesome first scene of the first episode. Hardy, who was critically injured by Carroll when he caught him, has a pacemaker, a best selling book and a life in shambles. But the FBI still calls him in to help because he was the one who apprehended Joe in the first place. Like I said, cool premise. Hardy gets the job done again, not so much by good investigative work, Joe let him catch him AFTER killing the only girl who ever got away from him. It’s here when we get the first glimpse into Joe’s followers. The crucial players in Joe getting his “revenge” were the “gay” couple who lived next door to the poor girl (a surprisingly short stay for Lost and Taken actress Maggie Grace) for two years plus. This is where credulity began to breakdown a bit for me, and things get worse on those lines. Much worse.
The series has a spectacular premise, but honestly it could better reach its potential on a channel like HBO, Showtime, Cinemax or AMC. As of late, viewers like myself have become seriously spoiled by groundbreaking shows such as Boardwalk Empire, Weeds, Breaking Bad, The Sorpranos, Game of Thrones, Mad Men etc. etc. etc. There are so many unbelievable offerings that I can’t even come close to composing a concise list. Recently we’ve seen an influx of big screen talent slowly leaking into network television and the aforementioned channels, which is only adding to the appeal of new and returning series’. One of my guilty pleasures that I forgot to mention is True Blood. I’ve read all of the wonderfully cheeky Charlaine Harris novels and although the series is a complete trainwreck, it’s MY trainwreck. My problem with The Following is that it takes itself too seriously. At least with True Blood I know its tongue-in-cheek and kind of laughing at itself, which is the feel of the books as well. The Following showed major potential in the pilot episode, but has gradually lost my interest. Between our incessant nitpicking of flaws that seem to be multiplying, the unbelievability of the plot twists and the predictability of stupid decision making, the show has infuriated us week after week. But for some reason, we’re still watching. I guess we just keep hoping that one episode will resonate with each of us and make a lasting impression. Perhaps we’ll give it another try this week, but as far as I’m concerned it is skating on thin ice. With so much great television we have to start being cutthroat about what we’re going to watch. Next time you hear from us on TV Talk, we may no longer be following The Following.
Maria is right, there are so many great shows on the cable channels, the networks are kind of behind the eight ball with their constraints on language, nudity etc. The Following certainly would be better served away from Fox, but that being said, it still has problems. We’re now on our second prison escape from Death Row in seven episodes. The followers are EVERYWHERE. FBI, SWAT, local cops, lawyers. In one episode, three “follower” kidnappers escaped from a house that was surrounded by various law enforcement agencies. AND, despite knowing that they can’t seem to trust anyone, the FBI are forever sending people in alone without back-up to get killed. Joe’s Ex Claire (Zea), in protective custody for her own safety, was allowed to “escape” to meet one of the “followers.” At the end of episode seven, Joe pulls up to the new hideout, and “followers” come pouring out of the house like clowns out of a Volkswagen. It’s ridiculous, really. We may keep watching, but something has to change or it won’t be much longer.
Restaurant Review: Yard House
Published February 28, 2013 by mrsragLocation: Downtown at the Gardens. 11701 Lake Victoria Gardens; Palm Beach Gardens, Fl 33410. Phone: (561) 691-6901. http://www.yardhouse.com.
We recently had the pleasure of dining out with a good friend of ours visiting from up North. Ross and I decided to take him out to one of our trusted standby’s, The Yard House, and it dawned on us that we have yet to review this wonderful establishment. Truthfully, we haven’t been dining out very much lately. Ross has become quite fond of my cooking and I thoroughly enjoy making meals at home. This latest outing in Hallandale Beach was a much needed exception and proved to be one of our fondest trips to the popular eatery. All three of us were on board for ordering a bunch of appetizers and sharing, which is one of my favorite ways to get a taste of as much as possible. We started with one of Ross’ favorites, the California Roll, which is an untraditional take on the sushi roll of the same name. This dish is served as one giant roll, with layers of Snow crab (FYI Most California Rolls are made with imitation crab), sticky white rice, cucumber and avocado. This giant single roll is surrounded by wasabi soy sauce and dots of spicy Sriracha. We paired this dish with a serving of Grilled Sweet Korean BBQ Beef, which is a long winded name for short ribs, Kung Pao Calamari and the Béarnaise Sliders. The Kung Pao Calamari was our visitor’s selection and a pleasant surprise on my part. It’s something I would never think to order, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
We have been eating at home a lot lately as Maria mentioned, and trust me, her cooking would get 5 wine glasses every time! This review was long overdue however. Yard House is part of our lunchtime rotation, which includes Cheesecake Factory, Brio and Tabica Grill among others. Yard House is a chain that is currently in 15 states and growing. They could easily be classified as sports bars as there are TV’s everywhere, but the food is consistently better than the pub fare you get at most places of that genre. And I’m not the most daring of beer drinkers, but if you happen to be, their selection of hundreds of taps should allow you to find something you like. Shock Top Raspberry is my top choice. Most of our dining and drinking experiences are at the above listed Palm Beach Gardens location, but we did try the Hallandale restaurant (next to Gulfstream Park) the other day. Maria mentioned the great apps we had that day, but two other favorites of note are the Spicy Tuna Roll and Carnitas Street Tacos. The latter a Maria staple with roast pork, grilled onions, pico de gallo, guacamole and pineapple is a slice of soft taco heaven. The STR, my choice, is another variation on the roll theme. One hockey puck-sized stacker with seared rare ahi, avocado, edamame, cucumber and soy sauce. Highly recommended.
Believe me, he’s very loose with the culinary compliments, but thank you regardless. THE CARNITAS…yum! I cannot believe I forgot to add my favorite and we most definitely rounded out the Hallandale meal with these tasty treats. I recall our guest had stated very astutely, “The pineapple is a wonderful surprise.” Ross likes referring to our guest as the ‘Michael Jordan of the Daily Racing Form’, but I digress. The pineapple he said and our mouths all agreed. They offer eight different styles of ‘street’ taco and as you can probably imagine it ranges from some poultry manifestations, to fish, beef and an interesting collection of vegetables. This vegetarian taco (which is denoted on the menu conveniently) consists of shiitake mushrooms, roasted pasilla peppers and grilled onions with lemon sriracha aïoli, jack, feta, avocado and red chili. That’s a mouthful. I’m now determined to remember and try it. And I have experimented with quite a number of the bountiful drafts. However, I owe my expertise of beer to the one and only Mews Tavern – ‘The home of 69 brews’ in Wakefield, Rhode Island. Over the years I ventured into some blondes (get your mind out of the gutter), some porters and some Belgian whites. Yard House is one of the only places I’ve ever seen feature some of the many drafts offered there. Major tip of my hat for that detail and another for raising the standards of bar food. And yet one more facet of praise, keep playing the awesome classic rock tunes. We love singing along.
Yes of course, classic rock, it’s noted on the sign out front and it plays all day. Lots of 70’s hits, you’ll be singing to songs you haven’t heard in years. Great food, a vast variety of brews, sports on TV AND Eric Clapton, Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin et al. If you’re looking for a romantic evening out with your girl/guy, Yard House probably isn’t the right destination. For all other occasions? Go to the place, “Where great beers come together!”
Maria’s Rating: 4.5 Wine Glasses out of 5.
Ross’ Rating: 4 Wine Glasses.
Recent DVD Release: End Of Watch
Published February 25, 2013 by mrsragStarring: 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 mrsragStarring 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.
MRSRAG 