Kristin Scott Thomas stars in a new small picture new this week called Sarah's Key.
Movies are made for all kinds of reasons today. Movies are a business. Some are made strictly for marketing purposes. Others are made because huge profit, others for the effects. Some still are made to push the envelope of what we will tolerate in taste. And then there are some, luckily that are made because they should be.
That is Sarah's Key. Up front, this is not going on my list of my favorite movies. This movie is in very limited release, and it will have a very small appeal with much of the movie going public. But I am a story guy, and this is a great story.
This is the story of a reporter in modern day (Thomas) who lives in Paris. She is a writer for a magazine that is doing a deep story on a disturbing time in world history. She is writing a piece on the rounding up of the Jewish population in Paris in the early years of World War II. What makes this really disturbing, it being done by the French Government and not the Nazi's. She follows the story of a young family, namely a little girl named Sarah and her journey during this traumatic time. Putting it together one piece at a time.
She finds that Sarah's story has threads that run through her present day in-laws family, and discovers a deep connection. She moves on anyway and dares to find the truth about Sarah, her family and troubling history. OK, I get it. This may or may not be for you, but this is a very moving, powerful and complicated story that is told wonderfully, and with such movie making ease for such a hard story to watch. .
The timing of this film is also curious. It has much more of a November feel than August. It is a dark, heavy and compelling drama that will make you think. As it tells a story that most of us do not know in it's entirety, and I always think that makes for good movie making. It is presented in English, but there is plenty of French spoken and some of this is sub-titled.
Sarah's Key is also a great example of the star of the movie sometimes is..the movie. This great story, based on a best selling book is worth knowing. It is highly adult, and the bulk of the people going to see this movie will be real movie goers, and that's probably best for all here.
Sarah's Key. Very powerful, and very well done. A story worth learning about, and telling.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
MOVIE REVIEW - Colombiana
Zoe Saldana stars in what may be the most ridiculous movie of the year, Colombiana.
This is the story of a little 8 year old girl who lived in Colombia in 1992. Her parents are heavily involved in illegal drug trafficking, and are then killed right in front of her by the cartel her father was trying to free himself from. She decides right then and there, she wants to be a "killer" when she grows up. Please! And of course, wants to avenge the deaths of her parents.
Flash forward 17 years. She now is all grown up and lives in Chicago after being raised by an uncle, and grandmother. And yes, she now IS a killer that goes on a spree that has no rival. Every move she makes is perfect, and every decision she makes is the right one. She is flawless, and she never fails to pull off every hit without even a scratch. Will she get caught? That's Colombiana.
What is this really? It's an excuse to film Saldana do all kinds of acrobatic things, (or more thank likely some stunt double..sorry) pull off killings in bathing suits, catsuits, tight jeans or very little clothing. There is the obligatory shower scene, and the equally obligatory, "she is a real woman" scene, complete with terrible dancing. She owns every gun known to mankind, and she is without question the worlds worst shot. As she fails in one scene to kill any of the 12 or so drug lords with a propelled grenade and two uzi machine guns a close range. All while driving an armored car she somehow owns.
Plus near the end, she gets into hand to had combat with a 60 year old dude, and can barely hold him off. She almost gets killed by him, after establishing for two hours she is virtually unstoppable. And don't get me started on the scene at the beginning where she at 8 years old, runs through the streets of Colombia in her school uniform while being chased by 10 heavily armed drug cartel hit men. Jumping from rooftop to rooftop, crashing off car tops, and so on. No only does she escape, but doesn't get dirty or wrinkled. Oh, until they decide to do this in the following scene where they remembered they should have done this.
This movie is insulting. It's ridiculous, and just plain silly. It just reeks of "I can be an action figure too...you know!" We don't need Colombiana, and the movies are not better for it being here. Saldana, though beautiful and wonderfully photogenic, picks a horrific script and the only challenge put before her was, would she get hurt making this picture.
Colombiana. Laughably bad.
This is the story of a little 8 year old girl who lived in Colombia in 1992. Her parents are heavily involved in illegal drug trafficking, and are then killed right in front of her by the cartel her father was trying to free himself from. She decides right then and there, she wants to be a "killer" when she grows up. Please! And of course, wants to avenge the deaths of her parents.
Flash forward 17 years. She now is all grown up and lives in Chicago after being raised by an uncle, and grandmother. And yes, she now IS a killer that goes on a spree that has no rival. Every move she makes is perfect, and every decision she makes is the right one. She is flawless, and she never fails to pull off every hit without even a scratch. Will she get caught? That's Colombiana.
What is this really? It's an excuse to film Saldana do all kinds of acrobatic things, (or more thank likely some stunt double..sorry) pull off killings in bathing suits, catsuits, tight jeans or very little clothing. There is the obligatory shower scene, and the equally obligatory, "she is a real woman" scene, complete with terrible dancing. She owns every gun known to mankind, and she is without question the worlds worst shot. As she fails in one scene to kill any of the 12 or so drug lords with a propelled grenade and two uzi machine guns a close range. All while driving an armored car she somehow owns.
Plus near the end, she gets into hand to had combat with a 60 year old dude, and can barely hold him off. She almost gets killed by him, after establishing for two hours she is virtually unstoppable. And don't get me started on the scene at the beginning where she at 8 years old, runs through the streets of Colombia in her school uniform while being chased by 10 heavily armed drug cartel hit men. Jumping from rooftop to rooftop, crashing off car tops, and so on. No only does she escape, but doesn't get dirty or wrinkled. Oh, until they decide to do this in the following scene where they remembered they should have done this.
This movie is insulting. It's ridiculous, and just plain silly. It just reeks of "I can be an action figure too...you know!" We don't need Colombiana, and the movies are not better for it being here. Saldana, though beautiful and wonderfully photogenic, picks a horrific script and the only challenge put before her was, would she get hurt making this picture.
Colombiana. Laughably bad.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
MOVIE REVIEW - Our Idiot Brother
Funny man Paul Rudd stars with a nice cast in this weeks late summer comedy, Our Idiot Brother.
First off, this is not going to start a new genre in comedic movie making. Nor is it going to be fully remembered in a couple of years, but this is a pretty good flick. It has its problems, and some weaknesses, but considering what is out there for comedies these days, this works.
Rudd stars as Ned. Ned is a mid-20's "dude". He is not quick in the uptake, and probably smokes a bit too much weed. He is the youngest of four children, with 3 older sisters. He is the brother no one talks about. He is arrested for selling a uniformed police officer pot. After spending 8 months in jail, he is released to his family. Although they love him, no one really wants to take him in, as he is a difficult problem.
But as goofy as Ned is, he has a good heart. He loves his dog, and his family. And he is painfully, and I mean painfully honest. And that gets him into trouble with his sisters. But in the end, his honesty, and his ability to live and love unconditionally, is lesson for all of his caddy, self centered sisters to learn from.
Rudd does a real nice job of creating this real goofy, lovable, and highly believable character that is parody of course. But is parallel to real life in many ways. Leaving the theater I heard many say that he reminded me of so-and-so, which I found interesting.
Good cast here, Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Daschanel (who is underused), Rashida Jones, and many more that round out a real solid cast. OIB, is a bit short on story at times, and wanders off track a time or two, (once time very badly painting itself into t corner) but overall this is pretty funny, and actually has some charm at times.
Our Idiot Brother. Not perfect, but few are. But a fun 90 minutes at the movies.
First off, this is not going to start a new genre in comedic movie making. Nor is it going to be fully remembered in a couple of years, but this is a pretty good flick. It has its problems, and some weaknesses, but considering what is out there for comedies these days, this works.
Rudd stars as Ned. Ned is a mid-20's "dude". He is not quick in the uptake, and probably smokes a bit too much weed. He is the youngest of four children, with 3 older sisters. He is the brother no one talks about. He is arrested for selling a uniformed police officer pot. After spending 8 months in jail, he is released to his family. Although they love him, no one really wants to take him in, as he is a difficult problem.
But as goofy as Ned is, he has a good heart. He loves his dog, and his family. And he is painfully, and I mean painfully honest. And that gets him into trouble with his sisters. But in the end, his honesty, and his ability to live and love unconditionally, is lesson for all of his caddy, self centered sisters to learn from.
Rudd does a real nice job of creating this real goofy, lovable, and highly believable character that is parody of course. But is parallel to real life in many ways. Leaving the theater I heard many say that he reminded me of so-and-so, which I found interesting.
Good cast here, Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Daschanel (who is underused), Rashida Jones, and many more that round out a real solid cast. OIB, is a bit short on story at times, and wanders off track a time or two, (once time very badly painting itself into t corner) but overall this is pretty funny, and actually has some charm at times.
Our Idiot Brother. Not perfect, but few are. But a fun 90 minutes at the movies.
Monday, August 22, 2011
MOVIE REVIEW - Fright Night
Strictly from a movie perspective, this summer cannot come soon enough. More remakes, blah, blah.
Fright Night in 3-D is a remake, for the most part of the 1985 original that you may or may not know was out there. But since the vampire craze has been running full throttle for a few years now, the temptation proved too much to take. Too many vampire and slasher enthusiasts with a bunch of money, and new 3-D technology, and va-voom...you have Fright Night 3-D. And we are not better for it.
In a nutshell, a teen boy living with his single mom outside Las Vegas discover that the hot, single neighbor guy living next door is a vampire. And he's bent on dining on as many victims as he can. From there, the whole story is how this teen plans on eventually killing him so he and his mom can live in peace and all can be good.
Let's just get down to it. This is a snoozer of the first order. Oh, there are a few moments here and there. It's one of those half serious, half satire movies where you are supposed to laugh the whole time you are supposedly being scared. Been done a thousand times. But in its defense, the original was one of the originators of this kind of movie. But most that are going to see this, don't know this. Half cheesy in this remake, turns quickly to rank, rotten cheesy, and the whole thing just ends up stinking up the joint.
You can watch this in regular vision or 3-D. But honestly there are far better things to spend your money on. Outside of a moment or two this isn't going to scare one young person today, or make them laugh. The core audience is far too desensitised for this nonsense. This is child's play to them.
Fright Night in 3-D. No matter what kind of "D" this is, the key letter while watching this is zzzzzzzz!
Fright Night in 3-D is a remake, for the most part of the 1985 original that you may or may not know was out there. But since the vampire craze has been running full throttle for a few years now, the temptation proved too much to take. Too many vampire and slasher enthusiasts with a bunch of money, and new 3-D technology, and va-voom...you have Fright Night 3-D. And we are not better for it.
In a nutshell, a teen boy living with his single mom outside Las Vegas discover that the hot, single neighbor guy living next door is a vampire. And he's bent on dining on as many victims as he can. From there, the whole story is how this teen plans on eventually killing him so he and his mom can live in peace and all can be good.
Let's just get down to it. This is a snoozer of the first order. Oh, there are a few moments here and there. It's one of those half serious, half satire movies where you are supposed to laugh the whole time you are supposedly being scared. Been done a thousand times. But in its defense, the original was one of the originators of this kind of movie. But most that are going to see this, don't know this. Half cheesy in this remake, turns quickly to rank, rotten cheesy, and the whole thing just ends up stinking up the joint.
You can watch this in regular vision or 3-D. But honestly there are far better things to spend your money on. Outside of a moment or two this isn't going to scare one young person today, or make them laugh. The core audience is far too desensitised for this nonsense. This is child's play to them.
Fright Night in 3-D. No matter what kind of "D" this is, the key letter while watching this is zzzzzzzz!
Friday, August 19, 2011
MOVIE REVIEW - One Day
One Day with superstar Anne Hathaway in trailers looks like a fun and interesting movie that has a slightly different story. And then the movie starts.
OD is the story of Emma (Hathaway) and Dex (Tom Sturgiss). They live in England in 1988. They are college friends who become better acquainted on graduation day. What begins then is a 20 year friendship/romance thing that stretches over the miles, and the years. Dex is a playboy, TV star that burns up his 20's with a nice TV gig. He also becomes a heavy drinker, a womanizer and loses all real sense of decency that even stretches into his mothers eventual loss to cancer. All the while maintaining a platonic relationship with Emma, who is love starved for his affections. And Dex knows it.
Emma who has great potential spends her 20's twisting in the wind. Working horrible jobs, and spending time with men she doesn't really care for. All the while seemingly waiting for Dex to grow up. Will this relationship ever happen? That is the whole thing in a nutshell with One Day.
Kudos to Hathaway. Her versatility is really amazing. They make her up wonderfully to give her many looks over the course of 20 years, and she really looks amazing, and spot on in all era's. Also she continually takes on roles that are demanding, and not easily filled by Hollywood also-rans. She is clearly the star of this movie as she creates a very sympathetic Emma. You are drawn to her, like her and are pulling for her to have a nice life, and to get things right with or without Dex. But Hathaway's beauty, smile, fake accent, charm and all around wonderful performance can not outrun predictability and a sell-out story.
One Day sounds like a real good idea, and it is. But the whole time you can see it coming, the senseless almost mandatory plot development of "this has been done 1,000 times before." This movie looks in advertisements as somewhat charming, and it's not. This is heavy drama plain and simple. One Day deals with a endless array of grown up heavyweight issues and situations. And the whole time you know what is eventually going to happen. And it does. It's so sad to see that movie makers can take a pretty good idea, and not be creative enough to develop a different result that would make their movie stand above the fray.
Some will, love, love, love this movie. Others will wonder why they are there as the manhole cover sitting on their chests gets heavier and heavier. But by now means should anyone think this is a romantic comedy of any kind. This is a pretty good basic premise, that is highly adult, and very bleak. So buyer beware.
Hathaway is great again, and the supporting cast is decent but that makes no mind. There's really no one else that matters here. It's Hathaway's movie that that's the end of that. Without her this is a complete and total washout.
One Day. Like it's inner love story this is love/hate on the outside too.
OD is the story of Emma (Hathaway) and Dex (Tom Sturgiss). They live in England in 1988. They are college friends who become better acquainted on graduation day. What begins then is a 20 year friendship/romance thing that stretches over the miles, and the years. Dex is a playboy, TV star that burns up his 20's with a nice TV gig. He also becomes a heavy drinker, a womanizer and loses all real sense of decency that even stretches into his mothers eventual loss to cancer. All the while maintaining a platonic relationship with Emma, who is love starved for his affections. And Dex knows it.
Emma who has great potential spends her 20's twisting in the wind. Working horrible jobs, and spending time with men she doesn't really care for. All the while seemingly waiting for Dex to grow up. Will this relationship ever happen? That is the whole thing in a nutshell with One Day.
Kudos to Hathaway. Her versatility is really amazing. They make her up wonderfully to give her many looks over the course of 20 years, and she really looks amazing, and spot on in all era's. Also she continually takes on roles that are demanding, and not easily filled by Hollywood also-rans. She is clearly the star of this movie as she creates a very sympathetic Emma. You are drawn to her, like her and are pulling for her to have a nice life, and to get things right with or without Dex. But Hathaway's beauty, smile, fake accent, charm and all around wonderful performance can not outrun predictability and a sell-out story.
One Day sounds like a real good idea, and it is. But the whole time you can see it coming, the senseless almost mandatory plot development of "this has been done 1,000 times before." This movie looks in advertisements as somewhat charming, and it's not. This is heavy drama plain and simple. One Day deals with a endless array of grown up heavyweight issues and situations. And the whole time you know what is eventually going to happen. And it does. It's so sad to see that movie makers can take a pretty good idea, and not be creative enough to develop a different result that would make their movie stand above the fray.
Some will, love, love, love this movie. Others will wonder why they are there as the manhole cover sitting on their chests gets heavier and heavier. But by now means should anyone think this is a romantic comedy of any kind. This is a pretty good basic premise, that is highly adult, and very bleak. So buyer beware.
Hathaway is great again, and the supporting cast is decent but that makes no mind. There's really no one else that matters here. It's Hathaway's movie that that's the end of that. Without her this is a complete and total washout.
One Day. Like it's inner love story this is love/hate on the outside too.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
MOVIE REVIEW - Final Destination 5 3-D
The new 3-D technology is really great, and can make virtually any action, or animated movie a real different experience. That brings us to Final Destination 5 3-D.
This series has been an interesting one. The whole premise is, and has been this. Groups of young adults who somehow escape death, are then hunted down by death. You can't cheat death, we all owe one. And if you escape yours, you must pay with your life, or a life in it's place.
This premise alone is kind of interesting at first, but after one movie point was made and all could have been tidied up. But we trudged on.
This series was dead (excuse the pun) but the new 3-D breathed new life into it. The idea of watching characters being hacked to death now in 3-D was just too tempting not to go after. After seeing it, I have to say the 3-D here stinks, and is not worth the extra dough. There is a moment or two of cool 3-d, but over all... pretty rank.
After this group of young adults escape a deadly suspension bridge collapse, death comes looking for them. And death starts to pick them off one by one. One girl gets her eyeballs fried out in a doctors office during a routine eye exam. Another is rubbed out in a horrible industrial accident involving a huge hook. And so on. Two of our characters seem to defeat death only to be killed in a 747 plane crash. That's pretty much the story.
Interesting here. They found this actor to play the lead character, Sam (Miles Fisher). Fisher looks exactly like a young Tom Cruise. Is the intent to give this franchise some credibility by casting a Cruise look-a-like? Seems so. Dude does a mean Cruise I have to admit, even though it may not be intended. Cruise imitator or not, you can't cover up bad acting, or a bad script. This movie has some of the worst acting you can imagine. And the writing? Unbelievably bad. But that's not whey we're here.
We're here to see what new ideas this franchise has cooked up to show people at their demise. And if you're looking or hoping for "new" you're out of luck. It's the same old stuff. But I will say the bridge collapse scene in 3-D and the special effects there are extraordinary. It is very well done, and a big undertaking for this franchise. Very elaborate and over all compelling. But that's the best moment of the flick, and it's right up front. After that, it's all ho-hum.
Final Destination 5 3-D. The only reason it's here in the first place is the new 3-D. And the only reason to go see it, is if you have 15 dollars too many.
This series has been an interesting one. The whole premise is, and has been this. Groups of young adults who somehow escape death, are then hunted down by death. You can't cheat death, we all owe one. And if you escape yours, you must pay with your life, or a life in it's place.
This premise alone is kind of interesting at first, but after one movie point was made and all could have been tidied up. But we trudged on.
This series was dead (excuse the pun) but the new 3-D breathed new life into it. The idea of watching characters being hacked to death now in 3-D was just too tempting not to go after. After seeing it, I have to say the 3-D here stinks, and is not worth the extra dough. There is a moment or two of cool 3-d, but over all... pretty rank.
After this group of young adults escape a deadly suspension bridge collapse, death comes looking for them. And death starts to pick them off one by one. One girl gets her eyeballs fried out in a doctors office during a routine eye exam. Another is rubbed out in a horrible industrial accident involving a huge hook. And so on. Two of our characters seem to defeat death only to be killed in a 747 plane crash. That's pretty much the story.
Interesting here. They found this actor to play the lead character, Sam (Miles Fisher). Fisher looks exactly like a young Tom Cruise. Is the intent to give this franchise some credibility by casting a Cruise look-a-like? Seems so. Dude does a mean Cruise I have to admit, even though it may not be intended. Cruise imitator or not, you can't cover up bad acting, or a bad script. This movie has some of the worst acting you can imagine. And the writing? Unbelievably bad. But that's not whey we're here.
We're here to see what new ideas this franchise has cooked up to show people at their demise. And if you're looking or hoping for "new" you're out of luck. It's the same old stuff. But I will say the bridge collapse scene in 3-D and the special effects there are extraordinary. It is very well done, and a big undertaking for this franchise. Very elaborate and over all compelling. But that's the best moment of the flick, and it's right up front. After that, it's all ho-hum.
Final Destination 5 3-D. The only reason it's here in the first place is the new 3-D. And the only reason to go see it, is if you have 15 dollars too many.
MOVIE REVIEW - 30 Minutes Or Less
With an open mind, what we think is funny in movies and entertainment is always changing and evolving. And that will not, and should not ever change
What was funny in 1969, was not near as funny in 1989. And so it goes. This change has been amplified and accelerated in the past 10 years or so. Much of the comedy since say 2000 has lost it's luster with viewers, and now there has been a new era ushered in. There are exceptions, and classics that do transcend time. You know them when you see them.
That brings us to the new 30 Minutes Or Less comedy this week. This "dude" comedy stars Jesse Eisenberg and Danny McBride. In summary, a young going nowhere pizza delivery dude (Eisenberg) is grabbed by some other dudes (McBride), and has a bomb strapped to him. He is told that unless he robs a bank in the next few hours and gets them 100 grand, they will remotely blow him up. Then the crazy antics begin as our "hero" courts his friends to help him pull off this diabolical plan.
There are a few funny moments in this movie, but that is true in virtually any summer comedy. But that's where it will end for some. In a pure movie making world, the makers of this movie absolutely know their audience. In the theater large groups of young viewers (early 20's, girls and boys both) laughing at virtually everything that was happening of screen. Being fair, no movie ever made is that funny. They were caught up in this ADD, crazy, wacky movie that is loud and borderline chaotic at every turn. They all thought the constant swearing, and crude, and deep sexual references, were just the funniest thing in the world. You can't fault them, or the movie makers. It is the perfect storm, knowing what your fans want and giving it to them for 90 minutes.
It is funny to go to the movies for many years and see how different patrons are. It is interesting to watch new viewers virtually not being able to be offended in any way. No matter what is said or done, No matter how degraded the movie characters actually end up being portrayed on screen, and how often the cycle is repeated. Are we seeing a new generation so desensitised that there is nothing off limits? That the deeper the offensive language is, the grosser the gags are, and that all they really want to laugh at is an envelope that is pushed as far as it seemingly can go? Some of the comedies this summer would have you thinking that. This is just one of many.
Eisenberg is a fine young actor from Zombieland, and of course The Social Network. I have liked his work, but there's really no acting here. And the Oscar Nomination for TSN, seems like another life now after this. I have never cared for McBride in any movie. He seems so pre-occupied with talking about various body parts, I am fatigued by it all. It might be fun to try something new. If he's capable. I'm guessing not, but his checkbook is huge. But this movie must be spot on for who they want to see it, large crowds, and howling young adults.
30 Minutes Or Less. There's really nothing worth reviewing here. It is what it is. From my seat, a moment or two of guilty pleasure laughs, but mostly the same old tired formula that has become Hollywood's new comedy calling card. In a year, this will be completely forgotten.
What was funny in 1969, was not near as funny in 1989. And so it goes. This change has been amplified and accelerated in the past 10 years or so. Much of the comedy since say 2000 has lost it's luster with viewers, and now there has been a new era ushered in. There are exceptions, and classics that do transcend time. You know them when you see them.
That brings us to the new 30 Minutes Or Less comedy this week. This "dude" comedy stars Jesse Eisenberg and Danny McBride. In summary, a young going nowhere pizza delivery dude (Eisenberg) is grabbed by some other dudes (McBride), and has a bomb strapped to him. He is told that unless he robs a bank in the next few hours and gets them 100 grand, they will remotely blow him up. Then the crazy antics begin as our "hero" courts his friends to help him pull off this diabolical plan.
There are a few funny moments in this movie, but that is true in virtually any summer comedy. But that's where it will end for some. In a pure movie making world, the makers of this movie absolutely know their audience. In the theater large groups of young viewers (early 20's, girls and boys both) laughing at virtually everything that was happening of screen. Being fair, no movie ever made is that funny. They were caught up in this ADD, crazy, wacky movie that is loud and borderline chaotic at every turn. They all thought the constant swearing, and crude, and deep sexual references, were just the funniest thing in the world. You can't fault them, or the movie makers. It is the perfect storm, knowing what your fans want and giving it to them for 90 minutes.
It is funny to go to the movies for many years and see how different patrons are. It is interesting to watch new viewers virtually not being able to be offended in any way. No matter what is said or done, No matter how degraded the movie characters actually end up being portrayed on screen, and how often the cycle is repeated. Are we seeing a new generation so desensitised that there is nothing off limits? That the deeper the offensive language is, the grosser the gags are, and that all they really want to laugh at is an envelope that is pushed as far as it seemingly can go? Some of the comedies this summer would have you thinking that. This is just one of many.
Eisenberg is a fine young actor from Zombieland, and of course The Social Network. I have liked his work, but there's really no acting here. And the Oscar Nomination for TSN, seems like another life now after this. I have never cared for McBride in any movie. He seems so pre-occupied with talking about various body parts, I am fatigued by it all. It might be fun to try something new. If he's capable. I'm guessing not, but his checkbook is huge. But this movie must be spot on for who they want to see it, large crowds, and howling young adults.
30 Minutes Or Less. There's really nothing worth reviewing here. It is what it is. From my seat, a moment or two of guilty pleasure laughs, but mostly the same old tired formula that has become Hollywood's new comedy calling card. In a year, this will be completely forgotten.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
MOVIE REVIEW - The Help
It's always hold your breath time when a huge book comes to the movies.
Will they mess it up? Will they change the story too much, and is it all that the book is? Well, feel free to exhale because The Help is as good as advertised.
The Help is a remarkable story of fictional women of Jackson, Mississippi in the early 1960's, who hire African-American or "colored" house help. Although this is fiction, it is based in principal of facts of the era. It shows the terrible way they treat these hired women and for no good reason other than hate. The help, cook, clean, and in most cases raise the children of these bigoted people. It's a story that shows that some states, mainly Mississippi went kicking and screaming into the Civil Rights movement of the 60's, all the while most of the rest of the nation was way ahead.
Meet a young woman, Skeeter (Emma Stone). She is a single 24 year old woman, who breaks away from all of her friends who are now married and are helping to perpetuate this vicious cycle of hate in their own homes. Skeeter is a college graduate and wants to be a writer, so she decides to write, and right the wrongs by exposing the real truth behind these hate filled, caddy women of Jackson by penning a book entitled, The Help. The book is the story of the lives of the hired help, as told through the helps eyes. Needless to say, although it's anonymously written and told, it causes quite a stir in the southern town.
The Help is a really great movie that is powerful and inspirational. Incredibly well cast with Stone, Viola Davis, Allyson Janney, Octavia Spenser, Sissy Spacek, and Bryce Dallas Howard in the lead roles. This movie is right out there and honest. It pulls no punches. It shows you first hand the horrible treatment of these people, and the hatred and close mindedness of the era. The Help runs you through all emotions. It's very funny in spots, and very powerful in others. It'll make you angry, sad, happy but most of all it will make you think. Good coffee talk after.
Emma Stone carries the day again, as she marches towards the top, showing great versatility yet again. In the coming years there is little doubt her charm, her humor, and her sense of being real will put her in high demand and should land some more really fantastic roles. Against actors her own age, it is a mismatch. She is light years ahead of the rest of the pack of actors and actresses that would dare to be her contemporaries. She leads a cast that again is stellar from top to bottom. But that being said, The Help in the end, is the kind of movie that really speaks for itself. The best part is, the real star of this movie is....the movie. Great story, well adapted and very well done indeed.
The Help. Adult in nature and content, and really great. I know it's only August, but one of the years best no doubt.
Will they mess it up? Will they change the story too much, and is it all that the book is? Well, feel free to exhale because The Help is as good as advertised.
The Help is a remarkable story of fictional women of Jackson, Mississippi in the early 1960's, who hire African-American or "colored" house help. Although this is fiction, it is based in principal of facts of the era. It shows the terrible way they treat these hired women and for no good reason other than hate. The help, cook, clean, and in most cases raise the children of these bigoted people. It's a story that shows that some states, mainly Mississippi went kicking and screaming into the Civil Rights movement of the 60's, all the while most of the rest of the nation was way ahead.
Meet a young woman, Skeeter (Emma Stone). She is a single 24 year old woman, who breaks away from all of her friends who are now married and are helping to perpetuate this vicious cycle of hate in their own homes. Skeeter is a college graduate and wants to be a writer, so she decides to write, and right the wrongs by exposing the real truth behind these hate filled, caddy women of Jackson by penning a book entitled, The Help. The book is the story of the lives of the hired help, as told through the helps eyes. Needless to say, although it's anonymously written and told, it causes quite a stir in the southern town.
The Help is a really great movie that is powerful and inspirational. Incredibly well cast with Stone, Viola Davis, Allyson Janney, Octavia Spenser, Sissy Spacek, and Bryce Dallas Howard in the lead roles. This movie is right out there and honest. It pulls no punches. It shows you first hand the horrible treatment of these people, and the hatred and close mindedness of the era. The Help runs you through all emotions. It's very funny in spots, and very powerful in others. It'll make you angry, sad, happy but most of all it will make you think. Good coffee talk after.
Emma Stone carries the day again, as she marches towards the top, showing great versatility yet again. In the coming years there is little doubt her charm, her humor, and her sense of being real will put her in high demand and should land some more really fantastic roles. Against actors her own age, it is a mismatch. She is light years ahead of the rest of the pack of actors and actresses that would dare to be her contemporaries. She leads a cast that again is stellar from top to bottom. But that being said, The Help in the end, is the kind of movie that really speaks for itself. The best part is, the real star of this movie is....the movie. Great story, well adapted and very well done indeed.
The Help. Adult in nature and content, and really great. I know it's only August, but one of the years best no doubt.
Monday, August 8, 2011
MOVIE REVIEW - The Change Up
Whoa! There's bad, and then there's The Change Up.
Somehow I made it all the way through this two hour supposed comedy about a supernatural switching of lives. One body taking over the life and body of another, and visa-versa. This mess stars Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman, both who have done really good work in the past. But it'll take a while to clean up this mess.
Briefly, it's the story of Dave (Bateman), a married man with three kids and a great wife. He has a lifelong friend, Mitch (Reynolds). Due to a drunken night out they somehow get their lives switched. Dave is now Mitch and Mitch is now Dave. Mitch is a dope smoking, irresponsible dude that has never grown up. Dave is a respected lawyer up for promotion at work. As you can see, the opposite inhabiting each others lives is a recipe for disaster. This is supposed to be funny. All that idea is is old and tired.
That's as deep as this gets. The first hour of this movie tries so hard to out do itself for gross, and vile scenes on screen. It is hard do fathom the minds that think that much of this is funny. Every single frame of the early portion is horrible. It almost seemed as though this was made up as it went along. "Here. let's try this, this is is REALLY gross." The word tasteless pops into mind throughout too. This movie is totally tasteless in every regard. Buyer beware, this movie is packaged so differently than what it delivers. It is rated R, and that's fine. But an R rating doesn't get it off the hook. Tasteless and foul is tasteless and foul, no matter what letter is up front.
The second half of this movie tries real hard to grow a heart, switch gears and actually become a movie. It tries to shed the horrible suit of armor it was wearing the first hour, but it's too late and too far gone. It tries to tell a story and make you feel. And to be fair it does get better, but it has no where to go but to get better. But it still stinks - bad! It's also the movie that never ends. 30 minutes too.
There are a lot of good people in this movie, including the talented Alan Sorkin and the lovely Olivia Wilde. But even they can't make this palatable. This movie is an example of seeing how far these new movie making dudes can push us to get young boys to laugh. Aside from the money, I'm sure the writer, producer and directors moms, and families are so very proud of their sons creative visions and really vile sense of what is funny and entertaining.
The Change Up. This could be the worst movie of the year, or any year.
Somehow I made it all the way through this two hour supposed comedy about a supernatural switching of lives. One body taking over the life and body of another, and visa-versa. This mess stars Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman, both who have done really good work in the past. But it'll take a while to clean up this mess.
Briefly, it's the story of Dave (Bateman), a married man with three kids and a great wife. He has a lifelong friend, Mitch (Reynolds). Due to a drunken night out they somehow get their lives switched. Dave is now Mitch and Mitch is now Dave. Mitch is a dope smoking, irresponsible dude that has never grown up. Dave is a respected lawyer up for promotion at work. As you can see, the opposite inhabiting each others lives is a recipe for disaster. This is supposed to be funny. All that idea is is old and tired.
That's as deep as this gets. The first hour of this movie tries so hard to out do itself for gross, and vile scenes on screen. It is hard do fathom the minds that think that much of this is funny. Every single frame of the early portion is horrible. It almost seemed as though this was made up as it went along. "Here. let's try this, this is is REALLY gross." The word tasteless pops into mind throughout too. This movie is totally tasteless in every regard. Buyer beware, this movie is packaged so differently than what it delivers. It is rated R, and that's fine. But an R rating doesn't get it off the hook. Tasteless and foul is tasteless and foul, no matter what letter is up front.
The second half of this movie tries real hard to grow a heart, switch gears and actually become a movie. It tries to shed the horrible suit of armor it was wearing the first hour, but it's too late and too far gone. It tries to tell a story and make you feel. And to be fair it does get better, but it has no where to go but to get better. But it still stinks - bad! It's also the movie that never ends. 30 minutes too.
There are a lot of good people in this movie, including the talented Alan Sorkin and the lovely Olivia Wilde. But even they can't make this palatable. This movie is an example of seeing how far these new movie making dudes can push us to get young boys to laugh. Aside from the money, I'm sure the writer, producer and directors moms, and families are so very proud of their sons creative visions and really vile sense of what is funny and entertaining.
The Change Up. This could be the worst movie of the year, or any year.
A No Trace Place
Over the past couple of weeks because I've played golf and done various roadshows that prompted me to drive past a place I haven't in a while. It's the intersection of State Route 303 and I-271.
Do you know what's there? Nothing, just a big field of two. And that's the shame of it all. If that intersection sounds familiar, it should. Years ago it was the home of the Richfield Coliseum. The RC has been gone a long time now. Torn down in the early 1990's after the Cavaliers and others moved into the Gund Arena (The Q now), and left it for dead in northern Summit County. I'm not looking back and saying things should have been different and we should still be playing ball there, but I am saying it's sad that it seems like it never happened.
If you are too young to remember, The Coliseum was built in the early 1970's after the Cavs came into the NBA. The Cavs were playing in the worst building in the world, the old Cleveland Arena. They then moved into the greatest building in the world, at least we thought so, The Coliseum. It was built in the era of The Spectrum in Philadelphia, and the Omni in Atlanta. New, exciting arenas that were like nothing we had seen before. With restaurants, private suites, and amazingly comfy seats. This sounds so basic now, but it wasn't then.
Some fantastic things happened in that building in the middle of nowhere. The Cavs Miracle In Richfield, The Cleveland Force and the great soccer played there, and too many concerts to mention. From Frank Sinatra who opened the building, to Micheal Stanley and everything in between. She had her naysayers too, being out there on some farmland far from any real city. But many of us grew up there along with the Cavs, Force, the circus, the rodeo, and cars shows, everything you can imagine. Then, the doors closed...and that was it.
I think it is sad that there's not a single thing there that commemorates or reminds us that the once mighty building even existed. There should be! I think as a people we are really saddened when a place closes where so much fun had been had. Schools, theaters, amusement parks, and stadiums are good examples. Heck even Chippewa Lake somehow managed to stay standing for 40 years after it closed and over grew itself. And I'm not saying that the Coliseum should still be out there in the forest crumbling down like Chippewa Lake.
I am also glad that the Coliseum didn't get a reprieve on life for life's sake, with some of the silly ideas that floated around at the time. I am glad it's not an outlet mall like some were hoping for, or a prison like was being talked about too. The old girl certainly deserved better treatment than that. And I am not saying that maybe her time didn't come. But I am saying that there is no sign, no marker, no single trace that she was ever there. I think she...and we deserve better than that.
All of us had so much fun there, and have so many memories that it would be fun to take note when you drive by. That in this massive overgrown field at one time, there was great human joy, and heartbreak, and such outpouring of emotion to the to... and the fro. That pretending it never happened is no way to go.
But as it is, the memories of an era gone by with only the whispers of cheers and joy that now are a faded memory that gently blows through the trees and meadow that is 303 and 271. She deserved better when she was alive, and absolutely more now that she's gone.
The Coliseum site has become a true no trace place.
Do you know what's there? Nothing, just a big field of two. And that's the shame of it all. If that intersection sounds familiar, it should. Years ago it was the home of the Richfield Coliseum. The RC has been gone a long time now. Torn down in the early 1990's after the Cavaliers and others moved into the Gund Arena (The Q now), and left it for dead in northern Summit County. I'm not looking back and saying things should have been different and we should still be playing ball there, but I am saying it's sad that it seems like it never happened.
If you are too young to remember, The Coliseum was built in the early 1970's after the Cavs came into the NBA. The Cavs were playing in the worst building in the world, the old Cleveland Arena. They then moved into the greatest building in the world, at least we thought so, The Coliseum. It was built in the era of The Spectrum in Philadelphia, and the Omni in Atlanta. New, exciting arenas that were like nothing we had seen before. With restaurants, private suites, and amazingly comfy seats. This sounds so basic now, but it wasn't then.
Some fantastic things happened in that building in the middle of nowhere. The Cavs Miracle In Richfield, The Cleveland Force and the great soccer played there, and too many concerts to mention. From Frank Sinatra who opened the building, to Micheal Stanley and everything in between. She had her naysayers too, being out there on some farmland far from any real city. But many of us grew up there along with the Cavs, Force, the circus, the rodeo, and cars shows, everything you can imagine. Then, the doors closed...and that was it.
I think it is sad that there's not a single thing there that commemorates or reminds us that the once mighty building even existed. There should be! I think as a people we are really saddened when a place closes where so much fun had been had. Schools, theaters, amusement parks, and stadiums are good examples. Heck even Chippewa Lake somehow managed to stay standing for 40 years after it closed and over grew itself. And I'm not saying that the Coliseum should still be out there in the forest crumbling down like Chippewa Lake.
I am also glad that the Coliseum didn't get a reprieve on life for life's sake, with some of the silly ideas that floated around at the time. I am glad it's not an outlet mall like some were hoping for, or a prison like was being talked about too. The old girl certainly deserved better treatment than that. And I am not saying that maybe her time didn't come. But I am saying that there is no sign, no marker, no single trace that she was ever there. I think she...and we deserve better than that.
All of us had so much fun there, and have so many memories that it would be fun to take note when you drive by. That in this massive overgrown field at one time, there was great human joy, and heartbreak, and such outpouring of emotion to the to... and the fro. That pretending it never happened is no way to go.
But as it is, the memories of an era gone by with only the whispers of cheers and joy that now are a faded memory that gently blows through the trees and meadow that is 303 and 271. She deserved better when she was alive, and absolutely more now that she's gone.
The Coliseum site has become a true no trace place.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
MOVIE REVIEW -Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes
More action, more effects and more doomsday stories at the box office this week.
This time it's Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes. Of course for those that can remember, the Planet Of The Apes movies of the late 1960's and early 70's were huge hits. There now is a new young audience that has a bunch of money. Toss in no new ideas, and better Hollywood effects, it was almost bound to happen. This is the story of how the Apes became empowered to begin their takeover of the world. Up front too. If you are growing weary of the end of the world scenario, this is another one and steer clear. There has been no shortage of them the past year or so. More gloom and doom.
This is the story of a young, brilliant but arrogant young chemist at a large drug company that is looking for a cure Alzheimer disease. His father is afflicted with the terrible illness, and he has a personal stake in the fight against it. He develops a revolutionary drug that has promise. It not only seems to cure the disorder, but actually enhances the brain to heights never imagined. But after a clinical trail on a chimp goes horribly wrong, the project is pulled. But one chimp subject does survive.
Cesar is a baby chimp that during his mothers pregnancy was given the drug, and he is amazingly smart. As he grows up he learns much from the world. Only to eventually be in he control of animal control with hundreds of other chimps in an illegal poaching and chimp supplying ring. He becomes the leader of the entire primate community and eventually leads his pack to escape and reek havoc in the world. With their superior physical ability, and seemingly unending capacity to learn, the Apes become a giant force poised to take over Earth.
First off, there is no shortage of stunning film making here. With the mixture of real animals, and computer generated effects Apes has a real nice look. Being fair though, you have to like to watch apes do, what apes do because there is plenty of it. The overall story is well thought out, and full of strong messages ranging from the ethics of creating medicines that effect the mind and extend life. Also, animal cruelty, and mans seemingly unending misunderstanding of his role in the world. It's the story too of corporate and personal greed, and how small we humans can be. There is no shortage of social issues addressed in this movie.
As well done as this movie is done from a movie making perspective, it may not appeal to everyone. The general idea may not interest all, just like the originals. There may be a "what's the point" argument from some who are on the fringe or disinterested, and that's OK. Apes will find it's fans, and do well. To be fair, I felt that the originals were enough. But since Apes is now here, it is well done and well written. Limited but rabid appeal. Apes is one of those stories you are interested in, or you are not. End of subject. Just like the originals.
Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes. Far smarter than most of the summer action flicks. Good story and well done. It you are into it, you'll totally be into it!
This time it's Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes. Of course for those that can remember, the Planet Of The Apes movies of the late 1960's and early 70's were huge hits. There now is a new young audience that has a bunch of money. Toss in no new ideas, and better Hollywood effects, it was almost bound to happen. This is the story of how the Apes became empowered to begin their takeover of the world. Up front too. If you are growing weary of the end of the world scenario, this is another one and steer clear. There has been no shortage of them the past year or so. More gloom and doom.
This is the story of a young, brilliant but arrogant young chemist at a large drug company that is looking for a cure Alzheimer disease. His father is afflicted with the terrible illness, and he has a personal stake in the fight against it. He develops a revolutionary drug that has promise. It not only seems to cure the disorder, but actually enhances the brain to heights never imagined. But after a clinical trail on a chimp goes horribly wrong, the project is pulled. But one chimp subject does survive.
Cesar is a baby chimp that during his mothers pregnancy was given the drug, and he is amazingly smart. As he grows up he learns much from the world. Only to eventually be in he control of animal control with hundreds of other chimps in an illegal poaching and chimp supplying ring. He becomes the leader of the entire primate community and eventually leads his pack to escape and reek havoc in the world. With their superior physical ability, and seemingly unending capacity to learn, the Apes become a giant force poised to take over Earth.
First off, there is no shortage of stunning film making here. With the mixture of real animals, and computer generated effects Apes has a real nice look. Being fair though, you have to like to watch apes do, what apes do because there is plenty of it. The overall story is well thought out, and full of strong messages ranging from the ethics of creating medicines that effect the mind and extend life. Also, animal cruelty, and mans seemingly unending misunderstanding of his role in the world. It's the story too of corporate and personal greed, and how small we humans can be. There is no shortage of social issues addressed in this movie.
As well done as this movie is done from a movie making perspective, it may not appeal to everyone. The general idea may not interest all, just like the originals. There may be a "what's the point" argument from some who are on the fringe or disinterested, and that's OK. Apes will find it's fans, and do well. To be fair, I felt that the originals were enough. But since Apes is now here, it is well done and well written. Limited but rabid appeal. Apes is one of those stories you are interested in, or you are not. End of subject. Just like the originals.
Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes. Far smarter than most of the summer action flicks. Good story and well done. It you are into it, you'll totally be into it!
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