Monday, December 17, 2012

Quick Shots 18


Title: Horrible Bosses.

Starring: Jason Bateman, Kevin Spacey, Charlie Day, Jennifer Aniston, Jason Sudeikis, Lindsay Sloane, Colin Farrell, Jamie Foxx.

Brief Synopsis: A trio of friends, Nick (Bateman), Dale (Day) and Burt (Sudeikis), all believe that their lives would be better off without their bosses. Together they try to hire a hitman, but instead come across MF Jones (Foxx) who agrees to consult them on how to take out their bosses. They all agree to each kill each other's bosses by making it look like an accident.

Opinion: I found the film to be pretty funny. I have never watched the show It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia so this was my first glimpse of Day - and with Bateman and Sudeikis, he actually fit in very nicely. Aniston looked great in her role and played it very well - Farrell was way over the top and looked nothing like himself. Finally, Spacey continues to play the insane asshole very well.

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Title: Fast Five.

Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Sung Kang, Dwayne Johnson.

Brief Synopsis: Dominic Toretto (Diesel), Brian O'Connor (Walker) and Mia Toretto (Brewster) are blamed for the death of DEA agents and are being chased by both DSS agent Luke Hobbs (Johnson) and a crime lord Hernan Reyes. They decide to steal Reyes' money in order to start a new life and bring in some former running mates that we have seen in previous movies.

Opinion: I have loved all of the Fast and the Furious films, obviously the ones with Diesel and Walker together are the best, but I have enjoyed some of the other characters that we have been introduced to in the other films. Tokyo Drift can't really hold a candle to any of the other films, but it did give us Han (Kang), who I really enjoy. This film was more Ocean's Eleven than it was Fast and the Furious though. It needed a few more car chases and races, but I still really enjoyed it..

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Title: X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston Will i Am, Kevin Durand, Taylor Kitsch, Ryan Reynolds, Dominic Monaghan.

Brief Synopsis: This film follows the birth and creation of Wolverine (Jackman), whose real name turns out to be James Howlett. He was born with a mutation, bone claws coming out of his hands. He joins his brother Victor (Schrieber), who is known as Sabretooth, and a bunch of other 'special' recruits in the Team X, led by William Stryker (Huston).

Opinion: I have heard that people don't enjoy this film, but I really am not sure why. I am not a comic book reader, so there could be a ton of plot holes and things from the comics, but as a movie watcher alone I thought it was pretty fun to watch. I am also really hoping they continue with the Deadpool (Reynolds) movie - that could be fun.

Grade:


Title: Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

Starring: Andy Serkis, James Franco, Freida Pinto, Brian Cox, Tom Felton, David Oyelowo, Tyler Labine, Jamie Harris.

Brief Synopsis: Will Rodman (Franco) works at a laboratory trying to create a drug that will help with Alzheimer's. Rodman and Robert Franklin (Labine) are using chimpanzees as lab rats, and may have hit pay dirt. Caesar (Serkis) was born in the cages from one of the chimpanzees that has been dosed - and he becomes extraordinarily smart. He lives with Rodman and his father Charles (Lithgow), who has advanced Alzheimer's. One afternoon as Charles attempts to drive, he gets into a confrontation with a neighbor, and Caesar tries to protect him. Caesar is then sent to a sanctuary, where he is mistreated, and eventually becomes the leader of the apes.

Opinion: The only Planet of the Apes film I have seen before is the remake with Mark Wahlberg. This film was apparently a prequel to the original films - and it was amazing to see, especially after seeing how it was all made. Serkis has really taken this craft to a whole new level.

Grade:


Title: 21 Jump Street.

Starring: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Brie Larson, Dave Franco, Rob Riggle, Ice Cube, Ellie Kemper, Nick Offerman, Jake Johnson, Chris Parnell.

Brief Synopsis: Schmidt (Hill) and Jenko (Tatum) are total opposites and have been ever since high school. Jenko was a popular jock who struggled with his grades, while Schmidt was the nerd that got good grades and had no friends. Both happen to join the police academy - Schmidt helps Jenko with his studying, while Jenko helps Schmidt with the athletics - and become best friends. Once they're police they are assigned to Jump Street an put undercover in a high school to track down the dealers and the supplier of a new drug. Once there, they confuse their names and Schmidt is put in the easy courses while Jenko is put in AP classes. The two end up switching places from where they were in high school and they see how the other half lived.

Opinion: I either like or hate Jonah Hill, I don't think there is a middle ground. Here I liked him, and Tatum was downright hilarious. Ice Cube played their captain in a great way as well. The movie also poked fun at itself throughout, which made it even funnier. Would have liked some more Nick Offerman, but he had a nice little cameo.

Grade:

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

50x3: Legend (A-2)

Let me say if I were to grade the first portion of this movie, it may have been a lot worse. I was so confused.

So, for the second film on Aimee's list I watched Legend. From what I can tell the only thing keeping the light in the world is the magical unicorn. Over time there are now only two unicorns remaining and Darkness (Tim Curry) has sent out his goblins to destroy it.

Princess Lili (Mia Sara) heads out into the woods to meet her jungle friend Jack (Tom Cruise), who is teaching her the languages of the animals. Jack takes her and shows her the unicorns, but Lili does something forbidden - she touches the unicorn.

The goblins use this time to shoot a poisoned dart that kills the unicorn, leaving the planet with just one unicorn to keep the light and keep out the darkness.

Lili and the final unicorn are captured and taken to the underworld with Darkness. He intends to make Lili his queen and kill the final unicorn together - then take over the world.

Jack, meanwhile, cannot find Lili and stumbles across Gump (David Bennett), an elf, two dwarves Screwball (Cork Hubbert) and Brown Tom (Billy Barty) and the fairy Oona (Annabelle Lanyon) who all decide to help him conquer Darkness.

Pretty quick synopsis, but the film itself is only 90 minutes and with as much that is going on really has a pretty simple plot.

As I said before, the beginning of the film could have frightened me off. It hits you right in the face with its oddity and is rather confusing. If I had stumbled upon this one night and hadn't had it on my 50 list to watch I may have decided to skip the rest of the film. But, I am glad I watched the rest because it got a lot better.

The dwarves were pretty funny and Gump was definitely interesting. He looked child like and sounded like an older person (found out that he was voiced by someone else).

The weirdest part though may have been seeing the very young Cruise. Apparently he was younger in Risky Business but he looks so much younger here.

By the way, what the heck ever happened to Sara? With this and Ferris Bueller's Day Off under her belt shouldn't she have been a little bigger? Instead pretty much all of her co-stars had much bigger careers than she did.

As for the movie, I believe had I watched it in the 80s I would like it much more, but for what it is now I did enjoy it. Curry was almost unrecognizable as Darkness - the only characteristic that you can truly make out was his voice.

Grade:

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Tuesday's With Movies: 12/11/12

Ted: I have sort of fallen out of watching Family Guy for a few years now. I used to watch, but just sort of got tired of it. I know this isn't a cartoon, which I am hoping is for the best. I have heard some good things and I will definitely be looking into this film.

Ice Age: Continental Drift: I know that some of the most watched cartoon franchises somehow continue to get the same voice actors to return, some even for four films like Shrek. I am still confused on how this franchise continues to do that - granted this franchise isn't horrible, it certainly started out well. I have seen them all so I don't see why I won't see this one as well.

Bourne Legacy: The first three films starring Matt Damon are incredible. Jeremy Renner is an extremely talented actor so I am hoping he is able to continue what Damon started. I don't see any reason why he shouldn't be able to.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Tuesday's With Movies: 12/4/12

The Dark Knight Rises: One of the most successful and amazing franchises came to an end this summer, and it didn't disappoint. I am actually looking forward to checking it out again since I was only able to check it out once in the theater. And, I am sure it won't be more than once.

Hope Springs: I know that Meryl Streep is apparently an amazing actress - but I honestly never got her. I have only really enjoyed her once - in Devil Wears Prada and sort of enjoyed her in River Wild. But, that is it - and I really have no reason to run out and see this either.

Odd Life of Timothy Gale: This didn't really jump out at me to begin with, and then seeing all of the children bawling their eyes out after seeing it just pushed it over the edge that I don't think I will see this one either. The only real reason I would have see it is for my son, but I really don't want to put him through that.

Beasts of the Southern Bell: This is usually the film I wouldn't think of watching, but I have been branching out more of late. Though I probably will not be watching right away this may be something I will check out later.

Thunderstruck: When I first saw this trailer I thought it was a complete joke - I thought it was something out of Saturday Night Live, but to my complete surprise it was an actual film. I enjoy a good sports movie, but this one does not impress me.

Monday, December 3, 2012

HOT: The Terminal

I don't think this film gets the credit that it deserves. And I definitely don't think that Tom Hanks gets credit for his performance in this film. In fact, I completely blank on this performance whenever I think of his best.

Anyway, Hanks stars as Viktor Navorski in The Terminal. Navorski is from Krakozhia who is traveling to New York City to fulfill a promise he made to his dying father.

When Navorski lands, however, it is found that while he was in the air his country became part of a civil war. Due to this happening, Navorski's travel visa becomes null-and-void, therefore he cannot enter the country legally. Also, Krakozhia would no longer be accepting planes, so he cannot go home either.

So, he is basically stuck.

At the same time Navorski lands at John F. Kennedy Airport, Frank Dixon (Stanley Tucci) is nearing a big promotion in the TSA, and would be overseeing the entire airport. And, somehow Navorski throws a wrench into Dixon's plans - he becomes a thorn in his side without really doing anything. Just for really being there.

When Navorski first lands he does not understand what is going on because his English is very limited, and here is where Hanks is just perfect in the role. Navorski begins to learn the language and begins to understand more and more of his surroundings - and before we know it he is speaking and understanding English with ease.

He befriends three airport personnel during his time stuck in the airport, Mulroy (Chi McBride), Gupta (Kumar Pallana) and Enrique (Diego Luna). They sort of begin to help him during his time at the airport, including getting fed. Enrique promises that Navorski will never go hungry again as long as he helps him get to know Dolores (Zoe Saldana).

And if that is not enough, Navorski also develops a bit of a crush on a flight attendant named Amelia (Catherine Zeta-Jones). Amelia is a bit of a wreck and is currently seeing a married man in hopes that he will leave his wife. But, she does develop some feelings for Navorski in their time together. The three pals even help Navorski develop an airport date with Amelia when she lands at JFK.

I have to admit, I didn't realized I liked this movie as much as I did. I got a bit choked up towards the end of the film. I don't think that was the case before - perhaps it was my mood or maybe who I am now eight years after its release. Either way, I really enjoyed watching this movie - even more than before.

Hanks, of course, was fantastic in this role. I was also happy with his three buddies in the airport - McBride is the only one I truly know, but all three were great. Tucci provided yet another outstanding performance. He is truly an underrated actor - I think he can do pretty much anything. Here, he was fantastic in the role of what can only be described as the villain.

One final note: Loved that Saldana was a Trekkie in this film. Little did we know at this time that she would be the new Uhura. I definitely laughed out loud.

Grade: