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.

Restaurant Review: Red Tapas Bar and Grille

Published December 16, 2012 by mrsrag

Location: Downtown at the Gardens, 11701 Lake Victoria Gardens #3102, Palm beach Gardens, FL 33410. Next to Dirty Martini. Phone: 561 333-7331. info@redtapasbar.com.

I’ve heard some people say that size doesn’t matter. This is a lie…a bold faced lie. It absolutely does matter. Especially when it comes to food portions, in my opinion. Tapas is defined as “small savory dishes”. Usually, it’s appetizer size portions served with cocktails. I’ve had tapas in many different places; Las Vegas, Rhode Island, California and the Sunshine state – just to name a few. Tapas appeals to me because I enjoy variety when I’m eating and I like getting a taste of everything the venue has to offer. The several items we tried at Red Tapas were absolutely delicious, intricate and complex dishes that exhibited culinary prowess. As I explained earlier, tapas is defined as “small plates”. These plates were very small indeed. Honestly, too small for my apetite. And the prices seemed excessive. Ross and I decided to have a taste of their Filet Mignon Carpaccio, blackened Edamame and Lamb chops. I wasn’t expecting a 20 oz. steak or two giant chops, but I did expect to feel satiated at the end of the meal. Instead I found myself already pondering what I was going to eat for dinner. Perhaps, I’ve been utterly spoiled by our other bar hopping favorites. Without naming any names, there are a couple of places that come to mind when I hear Carpaccio. One place has a Ahi Tuna Carpaccio and the other has a beef. The portion sizes that you receive at these other destinations are quite impressive. Literally they are triple the size of the Filet Carpaccio we tried and half the price. And if you’re lucky enough to stop at one of these places for happy hour, you are looking at an even better deal. In this unstable and weak economy we really enjoy getting the most bang for our buck. I didn’t feel like we got our money’s worth at Red Tapas.

I am going to name names honey if you don’t mind. You see Maria and I were heading for The Cheesecake Factory for their wonderful and ample Ahi Carpaccio, when we spotted the brand new Red Tapas (they’ve been open a month) and decided to give it a shot. I thought the atmosphere was pretty decent, we sat outside near the bar in an interesting cushioned, bench-like table combo, they also have tables with little gas firepits at them which I thought was cool as well. The music selection was a bit odd for 3 o’clock in the afternoon, a pulsing, generic club beat, but at least it wasn’t too loud. I’m in total agreement with Maria’s evaluation of the food, very good but way too small and overpriced. The lamb chops were the bomb, but $15 for two little ones? Their beef carpaccio was delicious, but again, $11 and very small. You can go around the corner to the Gardens Mall and have an equally delicious, giant beef carpaccio for less money at Brio. Honestly, we’re the furthest thing from cheap people that you’ll run into, but we’re also not about squandering money either. I’m certainly not ready to give up on Red Tapas. The place is aesthetically pleasing and we noticed they have a happy hour 4 to 7, so I’m pretty sure we’ll give them another try. But I would say if money is a concern for you and you’re starving, you may want to consider an alternative destination.

I’m definitely up for giving them another try. Planning would have garnered some success, as Ross previously mentioned, we could have waited for happy hour. The place has only been open for a month, so I’m hoping they get some accurate feedback and make the necessary changes to be successful. On a positive note we did have a very tasty Riesling called Su Yuen, made by the Francis Ford Coppola winery. This crisp and refreshing white wine could have easily accompanied any of the numerous dishes on the diverse menu. It was the highlight of my first experience at Red Tapas. Hopefully, there will be more things to rave about following our next visit.

Ah the Su Yuen. Nice wine, nicer bottle, with a little fable about the Princess and the history of dim sum on the label. You know, we ended up at The Cheesecake Factory for the ahi carpaccio the next afternoon. Christmas shopping takes a lot out of you, you simply have to find a place to unwind and detox from the “holiday cheer” you encounter out there. Wherever you end up, I hope you find the right combination of loved ones, laughter and libation. Cheers!

Maria’s Rating: 2.5 Wine Glasses out of 5.

Ross’ Rating: 2.5 Wine Glasses.

Movie Review: Rise Of The Guardians

Published November 30, 2012 by mrsrag

Starring the voices of: Chris Pine, Hugh Jackman, Alec Baldwin, Jude Law, Isla Fisher.

Rated: PG. Animated. Running Time: 1 hour 37 minutes.

We just recently reviewed Life of Pi and I mentioned that my boy Ethan didn’t really want to see it, but went with us anyway because he’s a good sport (he ended up liking it more than we did I think). At any rate quid pro quo was in effect, so we took him to Rise of the Guardians, and Maria and I got the best part of the bargain. Pi was okay, Guardians was better. A magical story that centers around Jack Frost (Pine), who is portrayed as a teenage boy who “wakes up” one day 300 years ago out of a frozen pond as Jack Frost. He only knows who he is because the Man in the Moon “told” him so, and he has no memories at all. Flash forward to present day, and at the North Pole, Santa Claus (as you’ve never seen him before and voiced by the unrecognizable Baldwin) gets an April visit from the ominous and long missing Pitch Black (Law) AKA The Boogeyman. Pitch is threatening children everywhere, so Santa has to summon the rest of the guardians of children; The Sandman (who doesn’t speak), the Tooth Fairy (Fisher), and the Easter Bunny (Jackman, and again a version like you’ve never seen). While they’re deciding what to do, The Man in the Moon (who is just a big full moon that doesn’t speak but communicates just fine to our heroes and seems somewhat “in charge”) informs the group that they will have and need, a new guardian, Jack Frost. They all know Jack and find him an odd choice, as does Jack for that matter.

Alec Baldwin!? I would have never guessed that in a million years. I had thought the Boogeyman was voiced by Paul Bettany…wrong again. And we’re usually so good at putting names to voices in these animated films. Ross is certainly correct in saying that you’ve never seen this clan of childhood legends like this before. They are all these badass versions of themselves armed with serious weapons and supernatural powers to better guard the children of Earth. And these powers become quite useful as they find themselves up against Pitch and an army of nightmares. The nightmares are children’s sweet dreams that the Sandman has given them, but Pitch has manipulated them into frightening and fearsome dark horses. The visuals and effects of this movie were quite stunning, but the thing I found most impressive about this film was how far they pushed the envelope. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a children’s movie approach such a dark and scary subject with such vigor. And it’s no wonder with Guillermo del Toro’s fingerprints all over this project.

I agree honey, maybe the only other person out there with a more recognizable style is Tim Burton, but Guardians has a del Toro look that is uniquely his and unmistakeable. I’m not a super big fan of his, but “Pan’s Labrynth” was an awesome movie and the visuals there were certainly an influence here. And as with that film, the darkness is trumped by purity, goodness and faith. This movie is original, innovative, daring, sinister and touching. It’s really not your standard Christmas release, the movie takes place at Easter time? But the messages are clear and driven home with authority. Fighting, when necessary, for what is right. Having hope when all seems lost and never giving up. Redemption. The bottom line is, it boils down to a fairly basic “naughty” versus “nice” story, but I don’t see anything wrong with that, and who do you think wins? A final note, one of my favorite characters in the movie doesn’t have any lines. The Sandman is a central figure to the story, and simply through facial expressions, symbols and various gesticulations; he exudes kindness, playfullness and strength. Rise of the Guardians, it’s not “It’s A Wonderful Life” (my personal Christmas favorite, “Merry Christmas Bedford Falls!”), but I think like most really good movies it will age very well.

I sincerely enjoyed this tale and I truly appreciate the values it embodies; wishes, dreams and the wonder that surrounds childhood. In a World where cynicism is the new fad, it’s comforting to still have something pure and idealistic to share with the children in our lives. Obviously, as adults we know that Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, Sandman, the Easter Bunny, Jack Frost and the Boogeyman don’t exist. But what they stand for and represent are very real. And in time as we get older, we realize that even though these iconic figures aren’t alive, we can adopt their values and share them with our family and friends at festive times of the year. I do have one complaint regarding all children’s films that I have recently viewed. What happened to the catchy and spectacular songs!? I grew up during the era of Disney’s Aladdin, Beauty & the Beast, The Little Mermaid and The Lion King. I still know every word to most of the songs featured in each of these films. In fact, during Thanksgiving my best friend and I had a Disney sing-a-long for hours, playing all our favorites from “Little Town” (Beauty & the Beast), “A Whole New World” (Aladdin) and “I Just Can’t Wait to be King” (The Lion King). Etc., etc., etc.! Please bring back the catchy and wholesome tunes, I miss the music. Guardians is a great film to bring your kids to or just something to get you into the holiday spirit, which I can attest is sometimes a challenge. Especially when you find holiday music heinous, as I certainly do. It just about makes Wal-Mart, which is borderline intolerable without “Deck the Halls”, that much more unfavorable. Happy holidays to you and yours…just abstain from carolling outside my home.

Ross’ Rating: 4.25 Gummy Bears out of 5.

Maria’s Rating: 4 Gummies.

Movie Review: Life Of Pi

Published November 26, 2012 by mrsrag

Starring: Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Kahn, Adil Hussain, Tabu, Rafe Spall, Gerard Depardieu.

Rated: PG. Adventure/Drama. 2 hours 7 minutes.

Anyone who has seen the trailers for Life of Pi has a decent idea of what the main plot of the movie is. A young boy is in a terrible shipwreck and ends up on a lifeboat with a ferocious Bengal tiger. Life of Pi is much more than that in fact, not all of it good unfortunately. As the title states, this is the story (the fairly complete story) of the life of Pi Patel (Sharma). It is told by the very grown up Pi (Kahn) to a writer (Spall) who has been sent to visit him at his current residence in Canada. The story begins in India when Pi is very young living with his family who own a zoo. The story is an interesting one, but there is too much of it. The feeling of “get to the good stuff” was running through my mind and I’d wager through many others in the packed theater as well. Once we do get there, Life of Pi begins in earnest, and the visuals are indeed stunning.

It was visually mesmerizing. However, the dramatic and heartbreaking story was overshadowed by the trippy 3-D sequences. The director, Ang Lee, should not expect to garner such success as he had previously seen with features such as “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and “Brokeback Mountain”. Life of Pi was like a melding of these two; an emotional heart-wrenching story like Brokeback with the artistic visuals and cinematic spectacles of Crouching Tiger. These aspects of the film work better as singular focuses rather than the attempted dichotomy in Pi. I have to agree with Ross that I was eagerly awaiting the shipwreck and other action packed scenes I had seen in previews. The first hour or so seemed to drag on and the last twenty minutes ruined the whole thing for me. The story didn’t have any closure, nothing seemed to come full circle. And there were too many boring lulls between the spectacular scenes and the core of the plot.

I’m not feeling quite as negative about the film as Maria seems to be, but I wholeheartedly agree with her assessment of the use of 3-D. First, they’re remaking and re-releasing everything in 3-D these days. We saw a preview for Jurassic Park in 3-D coming soon. An obvious and overtly whorish money grab. Second, personally I don’t find the effects of the 3-D to enhance my viewing pleasure at all. It’s already a high definition gigantic screen, how much more do you need? Life of Pi would’ve been better without it IMO. So, back to the movie. The story is being told by Pi as an adult, so you know he’s going to survive. This in and of itself doesn’t ruin anything, but there are many truly life-threatening scenes that you know aren’t going to kill him. Granted, many movies have similar situations and you pretty much “know” the star isn’t going to die. But there’s always that puny hint of doubt in the back of your mind, isn’t there? Still, the interaction between Pi and the tiger, their battles with each other and their battles to survive, were well done and Ang Lee at his best. Pi survives obviously, but there is a twist at the end that left me thinking, and I’ve decided ultimately, diminished the entire movie. My boy Ethan (9) didn’t really want to see it with us but he went anyway (a really good boy), and though he was pretty scared a few times, he enjoyed it. There was one “juvenile-type humor” scene that especially tickled him, but I think PG-13 might have been a better rating. I recommend seeing Life of Pi. It explores spirituality in a straight forward, unbiased way that I found interesting. It’s well acted and beautifully filmed. It’s also a bit too long and the end bothered me. I think with the right editing it could’ve become a true classic. In it’s current form I believe it falls short of that.

Perhaps, I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the story. I truly loved the examination of faith, hope and spiritualism, but it seemed like a difficult book to bring to the screen. Also, I wasn’t thinking about the movie for hours afterward – asking myself the same questions from the film surrounding faith and the human spirit. The deeper themes didn’t stay with me and I didn’t feel moved to further ponder the ideas from Pi. I know that a film has truly accomplished something amazing when I can’t stop thinking about it several hours later or before I fall asleep. Something was missing here for me and I’m not sure I can pinpoint exactly what it is. However, there were several things I thoroughly enjoyed, such as the scenes with the beautiful Bengal tiger. What a magnificent animal! I also love the story of Pi’s survival, of how he never gave up hope and was determined to make it back to civilization. I found his friendship with the tiger moving and inspiring. It reminded me of Tom Hanks’ friendship with the volleyball, “Wilson”. Although, of course, Wilson was an inanimate object, but I felt the same emotional weight in both these relationships. I cry everytime I watch that volleyball float away on the sea in “Cast Away”. Pi is a heartbreaking tale coupled with vivid and splendid visuals, but it left so much to be desired…for me at least.

Ross’ Rating: 3 out of 5 Gummy Bears.

Maria’s Rating: 2.5 Gummies.

Movie Review: The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn-Part 2

Published November 16, 2012 by mrsrag

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Peter Facinelli, Elizabeth Reaser, Ashley Greene, Jackson Rathbone, Nikki Reed, Kellan Lutz, Mackenzie Foy, Billy Burke.

Rated: PG-13. Adventure/Drama/Fantasy. Running Time: 1 hour 56 minutes.

Twi-hards rejoice, its finally here – opening weekend of Breaking Dawn part deux. Eternal love. Always. Forever. Well, at least for Edward and Bella. Not so much for Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart. K-Stew’s off-screen love affair didn’t kill my interest or respect for the extremely successful franchise. I adored the books and I wasn’t about to let a Hollywood indiscretion ruin the movies for me. If I ever allowed that to happen, there wouldn’t be much cinema left to enjoy. Lastly, regarding that subject matter, keep in mind that if every twenty-two year old’s mis-steps were shared Worldwide, we’d have a lifetime or more of stories. Luckily, not everybody’s business is newsworthy. So, I found this latest and last installment to be one of the best out of the five that make up the entire saga. I wouldn’t necessarily say its my favorite…yet. I have a feeling that it will grow on me in time, but its definitely at least in the second spot. Director Bill Condon finishes us up with a decent balance of fun, conflict and stylish visuals. The fun parts focus mainly on Bella’s newfound talents as a newborn vampire and her charming half-mortal, half-immortal little girl, Renesmee. My best friend, who first gave me the books back in 2010, had guessed I wouldn’t care much for the name. I still don’t. Namesakes aside, the character was well cast with the stunning Mackenzie Foy who almost looks surreal on camera. Of course, the flawless Cullen’s are overwhelmingly stylish and perfect looking throughout the 156 minutes.

Maria and I are coming from different directions as pertaining to the Twilight franchise. First, I haven’t read the books, which worked perfectly for me during the epic Harry Potter series, because as is universally recognized, books are always better than the movies. I had no idea what was coming, which I prefer. Second, I don’t have a vagina, which I’m fairly certain is required to be truly blown away by these movies. That being said, I did enjoy the whole story. The dynamic love triangle, the feud between the vampires and werewolves, the anticipation of Bella becoming a cold immortal and the hugely underused Billy Burke as Bella’s dad. One of my favorite parts of BDP2 is when Charlie finally gets a glimpse behind the curtain. This is a tough review to pen without ruining the plot. I’ve read other reviewers write things like “If you don’t want to know what happens then you shouldn’t read my review” or ” Caution Spoiler Alert!!” I like to think that Maria and I have gotten across our opinions quite nicely without ever divulging crucial plot points, and we certainly aren’t going to start now. But this is a tough one. Often I am the set-up guy when we write, giving a brief brass tacks synopsis of the flick. Unfortunately, if you’re going to see BDP2, no set-up is really required so I’ll try a little different approach. It was great to finally see Kristen Stewart not constantly brooding around, and she is a badass vampire! Their daughter Renesmee (that name really does blow) is a cool human/vampire hybrid and her connection with Jacob (Lautner) is very sweet. And whether you’ve read the books or not, the inevitable confrontation between the Cullen Clan and The Volturi will have you riveted to the screen. Guaranteed.

I love the Volturi. They add such a dynamic to the on screen ensemble. Michael Sheen as the all powerful Aro, with his apathetic sidekicks Caius and Marcus. Their numerous minions doling out punishments to anyone they perceive as a threat. Dakota Fanning does a wonderful job as Jane, who literally has less than 20 lines spanning over several of the sequels. There is a palpable tension between Jane and Bella, which is realized in this conclusion. Their animosity seemed to blossom from a scene in Twilight New Moon when Jane’s propensity for distributing pain is thwarted by Bella’s uncanny talent for shielding from vampire’s powers, even Edward’s.

One thing missing from our viewing experience was a theater full of Twi-hards. BDP2 was playing at like 5 different times and our room was kind of dead. I know Maria would’ve enjoyed some hearty gasps, oohs and ahhs from the tween crowd. I would’ve had some laughs myself watching the youngins lose their minds. Vampires are everywhere these days and I will reiterate that I enjoyed the Twilight Saga, but I didn’t have a hard time sleeping thinking about seeing any of them. Truth be told, give me HBO’s True Blood anyday. That show delivers every week and is definitely made for grown-ups. Bill rising up out of that puddle of blood in last season’s finale was off the hook! Sookie and Eric are going to have their hands full next season. And it has the best opening theme song in history. “When you came in, the air went out…” Hells yeah!

I agree sweetheart, True Blood kicks Twilight’s ass, but I still find both enjoyable. Even though the subject matter is still vampires, they are both such different animals. True Blood is cheeky, wicked and gory. While twilight tries to examine a tamed vampire capable of certain human emotions that we often don’t expect from such creatures. The true focus of Twilight is star-crossed teen lovers from two distinct Worlds, the immortal and the human. The love story is the real core of Twilight. Readers and viewers alike become invested in the success of Edward and Bella’s relationship, which is why I believe there was such an uproar with Kristen’s indiscretion. I also think Ross may be on to something with that vagina hypothesis. The lead isn’t bad eye candy and his character’s relentless love and protective nature appeal to all women in some capacity. The books are exquisite – the movies are good. It’s fun to watch one of your favorite books come to the screen, even if it misses the mark by a smidge. By the way…TEAM EDWARD. Just Sayin’.

Thanks baby, for the vagina monologue.

Maria’s Rating: 3.75 out of 5 Gummy Bears. (And 4 out of 5 for the entire saga!)

Ross’ Rating: 3.25 Gummies.

Movie Review: Wreck-It Ralph

Published November 6, 2012 by mrsrag

Starring the voices of: John C. Reilly, Jack McBryer, Jane Lynch, Sarah Silverman.

Rated: PG. Animated/Comedy. Running time: 1 Hour and 41 Minutes.

Maria, Ethan and I have seen some wonderful animated films together since we started our MRSRAG blog in June. I have pointed out on several occasions that these movies are easily and consistently better than the mainstream Hollywood offerings. Maria has often extolled the virtues of the lessons taught and learned, some veiled and some not, for young and old alike. Well, I will say right here that Wreck-It Ralph is hands down the best yet in my opinion. Ralph (Reilly) is the “bad” guy in an old school video game. He “wrecks” this apartment building, while Felix (McBryer) attempts to fix it with his magic hammer. After the lights go out in the arcade, the video game characters have their own lives, and Ralph’s leaves a lot to be desired. He is lonely, lives in an actual dump, never gets invited to any parties, and he is tired of being the bad guy. He even attends AA type meetings for video game heavies called “Bad-Anon.” These scenes will tickle even the most casual of video gamers. The movie begins in earnest when Ralph decides to leave his game in the pursuit of a “hero’s medal”, hoping it’s aquisition will bring some happiness to his life.

I was quite excited to see this movie, mostly because of the casting of voices for the lead characters. I am a huge fan of both Sarah Silverman and John C. Reilly, so my expectations were that the film would at least be decent. Wreck-It Ralph pulled out all the stops and left me utterly shocked and impressed. It had the usual makings of animated children’s films – great graphics, clever humor and pertinent lessons. However, it added several new aspects that I haven’t seen exercised in this genre. Firstly, there’s a twist! I won’t embellish any further, but take it from someone who watches a lot of children’s films – there is rarely a twist that an adult won’t see coming. Ross and I were pleasantly surprised to find that this was not the case with Wreck-It Ralph. Secondly, the plot of this film was inventive and original. I love watching a story that’s sharp, smart and fresh. I was recently complaining about watching the same regurgitated ideas, so I found this movie invigorating and refreshing – for a change. Lastly, I love a film that pays homage to its roots. Adults will love seeing jokes and references to some of their favorite childhood memories of arcade and video games. My personal favorite nostalgic moment was when they showed an old Nintendo Gray Box controller being used as an opening device for a safe. The Gray Box was one of my all time favorite Christmas presents ever and I will never forget playing the Super Mario Brothers game until I finally beat every single level.

Ahh the Gray Box! Super Mario 3, Castlevania, Zelda. And what about in the arcades, with Ms. Pacman, Donkey Kong, Galaga et al. Wreck-It Ralph seemingly touches on them all, the new and the old. So Ralph leaves his game and heads to Hero’s Duty, a game of warfare against some nefarious insects, where the good guys are led by the extremely hard-assed Calhoun (Lynch). She of course gets immediately pissed at Ralph’s incompetence, but somehow he perserveres and “wins” his medal. He promptly attempts to fly home but ultimately crash lands in a racing game called Sugar Rush, that looks a lot like the board game Candy Land. There he meets the wise-cracking, cute, displaced Vanellope (voiced perfectly by Silverman), and their exchanges along with a growing friendship are the absolute heart of the movie.

Vanellope is my favorite. She embodies cuteness, even with her ill-intentioned plan to “borrow” Ralph’s medal, which she needs to gain a place in competition amongst the other racers of Sugar Rush. She convinces Ralph to help her build a race car, but they find themselves up against an overwhelming opposition to Vanellope’s participation in the race. Predominantly the main lesson of this film is standing up for what’s right. Ralph finds himself in a predicament after hearing misinformation from King Candy, the malicious monarch who seems bent on keeping Vanellope at a safe distance from his race and his kingdom. Ralph learns a valuable lesson at this point in the story and decides to truly become the good guy he has always wanted to be. With some help from his old friend Felix he becomes Vanellope’s hero and aids her in achieving her dream of racing. Another important lesson of this film is simple kindness. This lesson is made apparent by the other characters from Ralph’s game who never appreciated him or respected him. These same people realize they need him and when he returns to the game where he belongs he is greeted with the kind of treatment that would have prevented his absence in the first place. Lessons aside, I really enjoyed this movie. It had a lot of heart and I was uncharacteristically moved by it.

I’ll be honest, I can be a pretty big softie, and Wreck-It Ralph had me misty on a couple of occasions. It delivers some truly meaningful messages that parents should want their kids to see, hear and learn. And what better way in this day and age to convey those messages, than through a movie based inside video games. My boy Ethan (9) is a gamer extraordinaire, and I would guess many of you out there have one or two of your own. He loved Ralph, and I’m sure the lessons got through to him easier and meant a bit more, because of the way they were delivered. I would highly recommend Wreck-It Ralph to the young and the young at heart. Not to get too deep, but on this election night in America, where we’re all on the edges of our seats, rooting for our own biases – and it seems, no matter who wins we’ll still be a nation divided; I guarantee we would all agree on the pure slice of apple pie ala mode that is the sweet, endearing and enduring Wreck-It Ralph.

Maria’s Rating: 4.5 Gummy Bears out of 5.

Ross’ Rating: 5 emphatic Gummies.

Movie Review: Seven Psychopaths

Published October 22, 2012 by mrsrag

Starring: Sam Rockwell, Colin Farrell, Christopher Walken, Woody Harrelson.

Rated R. Comedy/Crime/Drama. Running Time: 1 hour 50 minutes.

I’ve tried to pick my favorite psychopath, but it proves quite a task with casting like this. Just take a peek at the rundown of actors involved in this film listed above. Walken is always a selling point for me, personally. Add to that Tom Waits, two beautiful women that you’ll no doubt recognize on screen – if not by their names (Abbie Cornish & Olga Kurylenko) and a special guest appearance by two of my favorite Boardwalk Empire characters, Michael Pitt (the late Jimmy Darmody) and Michael Stuhlbarg (Arnold Rothstein). Not that casting is a definitive slam dunk in any film, but it helps generate a certain feel for the production at hand. The vibe you should probably gather from this present selection of characters is a violent one…lots of blood and guts. Not gore necessarily, but spatter. Seven Psychopaths had a similar feel to the 2008 critically acclaimed “In Bruges” – and with good reason. The very same man, Martin McDonagh, wrote and directed both films. He most certainly has a style, as I had the inkling before we conducted further research. I would describe McDonagh’s style as intensely dark and brutally humorous. Nonetheless, even if you don’t like the style of Seven Psychopaths, I can pretty much guarantee you won’t be bored. The confluence of characters in this film is a trainwreck and you won’t be able to avert your eyes, even if you hope to.

Maria and I have had a run of “six degrees of Kevin Bacon” lately. First, the same night we watched the movie, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, we caught Louis C.K.’s stand-up act where he talks of his ‘man crush’ on Ewan McGregor. Now just days after watching the quirky, but entertaining, In Bruges, we went and saw Seven Psychopaths. Written and directed by the same man McDonagh, as noted by Maria above. She was indeed all over the similarities between the two movie’s styles, as she pointed it out to me minutes in. McDonagh loves to put serial killers, murderers and other odd characters in unexpected settings. And though he certainly doesn’t mind shedding some blood – dialogue and character development are his real strengths. In Seven Psychopaths, he tells us the story of alcoholic writer Marty (Farrell, who he cast in In Bruges as well), who has a name for a movie and little else. His good friend, the oddball, struggling actor Billy (played by the always fantastic Rockwell: Green Mile, Cowboys and Aliens et al), has some wonderful suggestions for Marty’s movie and would love to be involved in the writing of the screenplay. In the meantime Billy and his friend Hans (the legend, Walken) steal people’s dogs to make ends meet, waiting until they put up a reward, then cashing in on the return. Unfortunately for them, they steal the dog of true criminal psychopath, Charlie (Harrelson), who loves his dog more than any human being. As you may guess, it’s at this point that the Shih Tzu really hits the fan.

Fantastic pun sweetheart. One of my favorite things about this plot is that it kind of follows the evolution of Marty’s screenplay. McDonagh cleverly intertwines the development of the screenplay with the unfolding story that his viewers watch on screen. We don’t want to give anything away, as there are some interesting twists and turns. However, suffice it to say that this plot line is engaging, groundbreaking and drastically original. Seven Psychopaths and In Bruges are similar in style, but the themes and colorful storylines are brilliantly diverse. The longer removed from viewing the movie, the more impressed I was with its composition. It certainly won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but you have to give credit where credit’s due. Seven Psychopaths is refreshing and a pleasure to watch. Especially in the present movie business where recycling and reinventing old ideas is the new trend.

I agree with you on several points. Martin McDonagh’s writing is a breath of fresh air of originality, in a predominantly unoriginal time for movies. Also, we have to be careful what we divulge about the plot, it would be easy to say too much. And, the more I think about Seven Psychopaths, the more I like it. I would add that I think it’s the kind of movie that should be seen again, perhaps when it comes out on DVD. The things you know the second time around will give you clarity from the opening scenes through the end. Not exact comparisons for sure, but The Usual Suspects and The Sixth Sense could be examples of the point I’m trying to make. Time will tell if Seven Psychopaths can be mentioned in the same breath as those two classics. But the exquisite acting by the four lead actors, coupled with superb writing, give it the feel to me of a movie that will get even better with age.

Calling all psychopaths…

Ross’ Rating: 4 Gummy Bears out of 5.

Maria’s Rating: 4 Gummies.

Recent DVD Release: Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

Published October 15, 2012 by mrsrag

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt, Amr Waked, Kristen Scott Thomas.

Rated PG-13. Comedy/Drama/Romance. Running Time: 1 hour 47 minutes.

The second review we ever wrote was of the Savannah Nail Bar. I had dropped Maria off to get her nails done and went on a couple of errands, one of which was to check the starting time of a movie we potentially wanted to go see, truth be told Maria wanted to see it more than me. As you might have guessed, that movie was indeed Salmon Fishing in the Yemen. In that review I wrote, “The time was a no go. No offense baby but I wasn’t too disappointed. The word Yemen in the title didn’t scream movie magic to me.” Almost immediately after writing that, my friend Kevin called me and said “You know that statement is somewhat racist, beside the fact that the movie is pretty good.” I informed him I was just attempting to be humorous and vowed someday to see the movie. Well, we took advantage of Redbox’s 10th anniversary and rented it the other night for free. Kevin was right, not necessarily about the racist comment imo, but the movie was very good. You can’t get much more original than the premise. Yemeni Sheikh Muhammed (Waked) an avid fisherman, wants to build a river in the desert and stock it with salmon from England. Enter his associate Harriet (Blunt) who attempts to enlist the services of a fisheries expert, the incredibly boring Dr. Alfred Jones (McGregor). He, of course, initially finds the whole project insane, but eventually is forced into service by government pressure. I know it doesn’t sound too exciting, but the movie is superbly acted at every turn, and the chemistry between McGregor and Blunt is felt from their first scene.

The movie appealed to me for several reasons. For starters, I had heard from several people that it was worth a watch. Secondly, Emily Blunt is the cutest ever. I loved her in “The Devil Wears Prada”, she’s equally adorable in “The Adjustment Bureau” and she proves herself again as a great female lead in Salmon Fishing in the Yemen. McGregor does a fantastic job opposite her, portraying the serious doctor who can’t help sharing his often sarcastic and comical thoughts on the absurdity of the project he’s been forced to oversee. His socially awkward delivery paired with an underlying cynicism colors his character perfectly. As a whole, the movie was relevant, smart and extremely original. A delight from start to finish, Yemen made me feel good and inspired after watching.

Emily Blunt is cute and she is definitely working her way up the pecking order toward “A” list actress. I personally love Ewan McGregor as well, and can’t think of a movie he’s been in that I haven’t enjoyed. What an evolution of characters he’s had! From one of his first efforts (if not his very first) a heroin junkie in Trainspotting, to a naive writer (with some seriously decent singing chops) in the musical Moulin Rouge. A young Obi Wan in the Star Wars prequels, an untested but gallant medic in Black Hawk Down. Even his Dr. Jones in Salmon Fishing, who I just described as “incredibly boring” has more layers than a parfait (a shout out to Donkey from Shrek).

McGregor is impressive in a lot of different roles, I thoroughly enjoyed him in Big Fish as the sweet talking, charming Mr. Edward Bloom. Apparently we’re not the only big fans of Ewan. Ironically, only hours after watching Salmon Fishing, we stumbled upon Louis C.K.’s ‘Shameless’. I love a stand up comic by the way and Louis is hilarious. He has a knack for perversion (which we love) and a killer delivery. He starts this bit about meeting McGregor at some event and thinking to himself, “Wow, this guy is gorgeous.” He went on to say he found himself later daydreaming about McGregor’s beautiful face…and other parts of his body. And there’s another item for you to rent or add to your queue – his stand up is brilliant. But I digress. Salmon Fishing is a gem that you should not miss. It touches on numerous subjects, examining love and marriage, but also religion and faith. It doesn’t just spew out the usual formulaic romantic comedy dribble, it has real depth and range.

I totally forgot about Big Fish! Another McGregor movie and role I love. As Maria told you we happened upon Louis C.K. later that night, and we were rolling. Then he does the bit about Ewan and we both knew that had to go in this review, just too coincidental. Salmon Fishing in the Yemen is unique, entertaining, full of heart and recommended for your viewing pleasure. As is Louis C.K., I might add. If you want to catch some of his act now, I’ll give you two words to Google that will bring it right up for you: “duck vaginas.” Enjoy.

Maria’s Rating: 4 Gummy Bears out of 5. Also…5 Gummies for Louis C.K.’s “Shameless”.

Ross’ Rating: 3.75 Gummy Bears. A big ditto 5 for LCK too.