Greetings again from the darkness. Depending upon your expectations for animated films, you will either find this latest from DreamWorks to be nice entertainment for kids, or a bit too simplistic for adults. Twenty years ago Pixar ushered in a golden age of animation with the first Toy Story, and the grading curve was forever changed. If you can accept that not every animated film need be an instant classic, the odds are good that kids will find this to be a very enjoyable hour and a half.
Oh (yes, that’s his name) is the friendliest and most energetic of all the Boovs, a society of technologically advanced aliens who change color based on emotions (similar to a mood ring). The Boovs also excel at running from adversity – especially when their enemy Gorg is chasing. When Captain Smek decides his Boovs will take over earth, he orders the banishment of all humans to Australia (kind of funny when you think about the history of that continent). Left behind is one youngster named Tip (short for Gratuity Tucci, one of the oddest ever screen names for a kid) and her pet, Pig the Cat. It turns out both Oh and Tip are misfits in their own world, and are forced to team up so that Oh can redeem himself and Tip can be reunited with her mother.
The main (and obvious) themes are: stay true to yourself, accept others for what they are (even if they are different from you), and family is important and worth fighting for. Tip is kind of a confusing character because she knows how to drive a car, but admits to being a 7th grader originally from Barbados. Oh has no Boov friends because he is so darned personable and he is always making mistakes – usually due to his desire to connect with others. Captain Smek’s false confidence catapults him into a leadership position, based mostly on his ability to retreat from the difficult decisions. Even the villain Gorg (who looks/dresses like Shredder from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) is simply misunderstood.
As you would expect, there is humor throughout … most of it at a level that those under age 11 will appreciate (that’s not a bad thing). These laughs come courtesy of bubble wrap, a cookbook, awkward dancing, and a hover car that runs on fast food staples like Nacho Mama, Busta Lime frozen drinks, and Burrito Torpedoes. There is a recurring gag showing clumps of earthly items deemed unnecessary by the Boovs, and this gives adults in the audience something to track.
Crucial to the film’s success is the voice acting. Oh is voiced by Jim Parsons as an E.T. version of Sheldon Cooper from “The Big Bang Theory”. His twisted version of the English language (“sad-mad”) is good for a few chuckles, but mostly his eagerness and openness make Oh a character kids will care about. Rihanna voices Tip, and has at least 3 songs on the soundtrack. She does well in capturing the strength and vulnerability of this character who is on a mission to find her mother. Also fun is hearing Matt Jones as Kyle, the ‘is he or is he not’ friend of Oh. Fans of “Breaking Bad” will recognize Mr. Jones as Badger from that series. Not quite as effective are Jennifer Lopez as Tip’s mother and Steve Martin as Captain Smek. Mr. Martin especially could have brought more spark and color to his role.
Director Tim Johnson (Over the Hedge, Antz) took the source material from Adam Rex’s book “The True Meaning of Smekday” and delivered an animated film with a refreshing approach – it doesn’t feature violence, inappropriate humor or a smart-ass kid that disrespects adults. It’s a shame that the unique color palette is quashed by the 3-D technology … and what’s up with the awful title? … but overall, this is one the kids can enjoy (especially if they are struggling to fit in).
Greetings again from the darkness. Do you often get accused of having a slightly demented sense of humor? Do you have secret crazy thoughts of seeking revenge on those who have wronged you? If so, writer/director Damian Szifron has a collection of short stories just for you!
Nominated for Best Foreign Language Oscar, Argentina’s entry is just now opening in the Dallas market where I live. To say Wild Talesis a wild ride would be quite an understatement. There are six short stories blended together, and while you may not recognize the theme immediately, it doesn’t take long before rage and retribution jump to the forefront in these seemingly typical slices of everyday life.
The best short stories make a quick grab for attention, and manage to convey character and setting from the beginning. The writing is crucial and can easily collapse in the hands of a less-proficient short story writer. But when it works, it’s fascinating to watch, and Mr. Szifron has a real talent for making us laugh in the midst of truly awful situations.
Not to give away any details, but the six stories involve: a remarkable “coincidence” on a flight, an unwelcome customer at a local diner, a close-quarters brawl at a bridge, the frustration of dealing with “the system”, misguided parental instincts in protecting their kid, and the most wheels-off wedding reception ever filmed.
If you are ever searching for an example of a dark comedy, this one will provide clarity. The seemingly unrelated stories are woven together through payback, though the price is often pretty high. Mr. Szifron’s stories remind us that life is not fair, but when it’s happening to someone else, we can still laugh about it.
Greetings again from the darkness. Childhood friends are the best. Sharing your inner most thoughts and goofy actions before the emotional self-defense shields of adult life kick in create some of the best memories we will make. That moment when those childhood friends try to force a romantic connection – and it fails miserably – is not just an awkward moment, but also a life-changing one. Liza (Zoe Worth) and Eli (Alden Ehrenreich) share just such a moment … and their friendship changes immediately, even though they don’t admit it for a few years.
The film bounces around from Liza and Eli’s high school days, to leaving for college, to a break from school, and finally 4 years later. They are the kind of friends who speak in code and have their own hand signals to communicate. Really, they are pretty normal except that for lack of mingling with other friends. And by pretty normal I mean they are actually kind of boring. You know the kind of boring where someone thinks they are way more interesting than they really are? That’s Liza and Eli.
On the bright side, we don’t get too many movies that play out like a hidden camera is following two friends. It feels like we are watching Liza and Eli come to grips with the first steps of adult life – and they don’t seem to like it all that much. Again, that’s pretty normal. This coming of age process includes family parties, quirky little road trips, sexual tension, tent camping to unwind, spontaneous dodge ball, carpooling (and more) with a school friend-turned-weed-dealer (Zachary Webber), dreams of a Labradoodle, and yes, even ukulele music (on more than one occasion).
There are some elements in this film from writer/director Melanie Shaw that remind me of the very fine indie gem Once (2006) and even the classic The Graduate(1967). We can certainly relate to Liza and Eli envisioning themselves as a modern day Bonnie and Clyde couple – minus the gunplay, and we have all felt that moment, and cracked that smile, when someone says … “I just wanted to look at you“.
Greetings again from the darkness. Movies about “the con” have had many different looks over the years: the suave coolness of Oceans 11, David Mamet’s twisted perspective in House of Games, the tongue-in-cheek teamwork of Redford and Newman in The Sting, the demented mother-son approach in The Grifters, and of course, the slapstick style of Steve Martin in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. All of these committed to one style and made it work. The latest from the writing/directing team of Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (I Love You Phillip Morris, Crazy Stupid Love) can’t seem to decide if they want the audience in on the joke, or if they rather the audience be the butt of the joke.
Will Smith plays Nicky, a third generation con man who is also a very conservative entrepreneur. He runs his cons as a business and prides himself on never taking unnecessary risks, ensuring the odds are in his favor. His professional curiosity lands him in an awkward situation with Jess, played by Margot Robbie (The Wolf of Wall Street), who clumsily mistakes Nicky for an easy mark. Instead, he agrees to mentor her during Super Bowl week in New Orleans. This sequence is the best and most entertaining part of the film.
The second half of the film complicates things with the do they or don’t they love story between Nicky and Jess, as well as a few other messy personal relationships. The fun here lies with the con, not the love story, and that’s where the focus should stay. In fact, the most interesting characters aren’t Nicky and Jess, but rather a riotous Adrian Martinez (as Nicky’s computer whiz assistant), Rodrigo Santoro (as a racing team owner trying to cheat the competition), Gerald McRaney (a hoot as Santoro’s crusty old henchman), Robert Taylor (TV’s “Longmire”) as one of Santoro’s competitors, and BD Wong as Nicky’s betting adversary in the film’s most ludicrous sequence (and that’s saying a lot). Ms. Robbie has true star potential, but the script hangs her out a few times. She will be seen as Jane in next year’s Tarzan movie, so add that to your must-see list.
A very smart person I know observed that Will Smith has been conning us for years, and maybe by taking this role, at least he is finally admitting it. It is a bit tiresome to see Mr. Smith consistently play the smartest guy in the room, the most charming guy in the room, and the sneakiest guy in the room. It seems maybe he is one of the few that still sees him as such. The best actors elevate their co-stars and the script, while it seems he believes his star power is all that’s required.
Greetings again from the darkness. It’s been about 4 years since the delightful first film, based on Deborah Moggach’s novel, was a box office hit. My review of that film was the first time I used the phrase “gray cinema” – describing a growing genre specifically targeting the aging population. Neither director John Madden nor writer Ol Parker have had much going on since, and they re-team for this sequel that should satisfy most of the sure-to-return core audience.
Spirited and energetic hotelier Sonny (Dev Patel) is back and has his sights set on expansion to a nearby second property. Most of the original residents are also back: Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy, Celia Imrie, Ronald Pickup, and Diana Hardcastle. Lilette Dubey returns as Sonny’s mother, Tina Desai is now his fiancé, and Penelope Wilton resurfaces after dumping Bill Nighy in the first movie. New faces to the scene include Richard Gere, Tamsin Greig and David Strathairn, along with a few other lesser, but effective supporting roles.
A similar extended pre-opening credit sequence is again utilized to catch us up on the status of the regulars. Maggie Smith is now co-managing the hotel. Judi Dench is a buyer of local fabrics. Bill Nighy is a willing, but inept tour guide. Celie Imrie is juggling two wealthy suitors. Ronald Pickup and Diana Hardcastle are working – at jobs and at a relationship. Mr Patel and Ms Smith take a business meeting to the U.S. to meet with Mr. Strathairn with a design on financing the second property. Mostly the trip is an excuse for Dame Maggie to crack wise about us uncultured Americans, and few can deliver a one-liner like this lady.
It’s also on this trip, where Patel’s character begins a change in tone. In the first movie, his character was eager, naïve, pleasant and charming. This time, his ambitious nature is over-the-top and actually quite annoying (by design yes, but still annoying). This single feature affects the pleasant nature and unnecessarily puts us on edge and prevents us from connecting with a key character.
What’s very clear is that this film misses the structure of Ms. Moggach’s novel, and the numerous sub-stories come at us so quickly that every character is mostly surface level with no real depth allowed. The best exchanges are between Ms Dench and Ms Smith (one being 19 days older than the other), while poor Mr Nighy is treated like a wounded puppy for much of the story. Also lacking is the cultural clash so prevalent in the first, and instead we witness a group that has acclimated to the surroundings preventing any real interesting conflict – though the colorful sights of town are still amazing to see. The “high-speed” tuk-tuk chase adds an element of humor, and of course we get the Bollywood-style dance number at the end of Sonny’s wedding to Sunaina (Tina Desai).
Despite the flaws, there are still plenty of laughs and loads of charm, and it’s certainly a pleasure to see a welcome response to the question “Is age a barrier to happiness?”. The actors and the setting make this an enjoyable two hours, though some may question the attempt at a deeper philosophical approach at the end.
Greetings again from the darkness. Just a little bit of creativity goes a long way in comedies these days, as it seems most just care about pushing the bounds of crude and raunchy humor. The premise of this latest from director Ken Scott (Delivery Man) and writer Steve Conrad (The Pursuit of Happyness) teases us with the hope that it could be more Office Spacethan Neighbors, but the lure of cheap, bawdy laughs proves too great.
The story begins with Vince Vaughn’s Dan Trunkman having a Jerry Maguire moment in the middle of the office after being informed by his boss Chuck (Sienna Miller) of a 5% paycut. Dan’s Napoleonic charge to the parking lot results in his new company being staffed by Tom Wilkinson (fired for being too old) and a much younger and less-experienced Dave Franco. We follow the boys from St Louis to Portland, Maine to Berlin as they chase the ever-elusive “handshake” to seal their first big deal.
Featuring a near-endless stream of potential comedic elements, the film touches on: parenting, bullying, ageism, the G8 summit and corresponding protest/riot, a Fetish Festival, the Berlin marathon, a gay bar, marital challenges, small business ownership, mentoring, the politics of business, a unisex spa, a youth hostel, excessive drugs and booze, “maids” for hire, challenges for chubby types, and an introduction to inhabited art. Some of these are underplayed, while others go way over-the-top.
Vaughn is the leader of this “three amigos” triumvirate of misfits and is on a mission to put the welfare of his employees above company profits – all the while he is skyping with his wife (the underutilized June Diane Raphael) on the due date for private school tuition. Mr. Wilkinson plays the older guy looking for new experiences (as his marriage dissolves) and Mr. Franco is the most confusing of all characters – we are unsure whether he is absurdly naïve or somewhat mentally handicapped. The upstart company is competing directly against Chuck and the old company in a very confusing transaction involving “swarf”, which is described as metal residue from giant projects like bridges and skyscrapers. Because of this, the business element is really wasted and all we get is generic-speak about spreadsheets and profit margins.
Other supporting work is provided by Britton Sear and Ella Anderson as Vaughn’s kids, James Marsden as the prospective client, and a scene-stealing Nick Frost as Marsden’s operational sidekick with a lonely/wild side. In addition to the shenanigans mentioned above, the movie periodically throws up the stop sign for laughter in an attempt to mix in some real world family emotions – parenting via Skype is a bit challenging.
As one would expect, there are many laughs throughout, although Vaughn is working hard at evolving from the “zinger” guy he has been for two decades. Unfortunately the structure of the film is simply too loose to work as anything more than a few laugh-inducing comedy set scenes. Still, there is much to be said for a film and actors that can make us laugh … even with an unfinished handshake.
Greetings again from the darkness. I was never a teenage girl, and for that, I am quite thankful. By comparison, being a teenage guy was a breeze. No filmmaker was better than the great John Hughes at capturing the challenges of high school … especially for girls. The mysteries of adolescent social hierarchy has long been a favorite movie target, and director Ari Sandel (Oscar winner for his short film West Bank Story) and screenwriter Josh Cagan loosely base their film on the novel from Kody Keplinger.
Mae Whitman (from TV’s “Parenthood”) stars as Bianca, a very smart student who enjoys hanging with her two best friends Casey (Bianca Santos, Ouija) and Jess (Skyler Samuels). That all changes one evening at a party when Bianca’s neighbor, and the school’s alpha-jock, Wesley (Robbie Amell, Firestorm in TV’s “The Flash”), informs her that she is the titular “DUFF” … Designated Ugly Fat Friend. The term itself is quite offensive, but the movie does its best to soften the blow by explaining that it doesn’t necessarily mean ugly or fat – a confusing turn, but fortunate since Ms. Whitman is neither.
As you might imagine, the familiar terrain of teen angst movies is covered and any hope of real insight is dashed pretty early on. However, it does spend a significant amount of time driving home the point that social media plays a dominant role in every aspect of teen life these days, including cyber-bullying. It’s no wonder that insecurities abound … one never knows when their trip to the mall or make-out session with a mannequin will become a viral video.
There are familiar aspects of such classics as Pretty in Pink, She’s All That, and Mean Girls. Robbie Amell even looks very much like Michael Schoeffling from Sixteen Candles. However, the film features two of my movie pet peeves. First, Mae Whitman and Robbie Amell are both in their mid-20’s – entirely too old to be playing high school students. Secondly, Mr Amell plays a jock but clearly cannot throw a football like one – and he does it three cringe-inducing times.
Mae Whitman has excellent screen presence and comes across as a blend of Janeane Garofalo, Ellen Page, and Aubrey Plaza. That’s pretty high praise, but she elevates a script that needs it, and holds her own with screen vets like Allison Janney (as her distracted mom) and Ken Jeong (as her slightly loopy journalism teacher).
The film is a commentary on today’s high school life, but the predictability and obvious gags prevent it from ever going too deep or appealing to any audience other than “tweeners”. Still, any film that smacks down the nasty people (here played by Bella Thorne) and advises to be true to one’s self, can’t be all bad.
Greetings again from the darkness. In 2010, writer/director Matthew Vaughn turned the superhero genre on its ear with the hit Kick-Ass. With this most recent film (back with co-writer Jane Goldman), he has done the same thing to spy-thrillers. We get the well-tailored look made famous by Roger Moore’s James Bond, the fanciful and lethal gadgets from early Bond films, the ever-present umbrella (put to new uses here) of “The Avengers” John Steed, and the ultra-suave and debonair manners of Napoleon Solo from “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” We get all of that in a surprisingly effective and fun action performance from Colin Firth.
Fun is the operative word here. It’s clear all parties involved are having a great time, especially Mr Firth going drastically against type. There are two action-packed and pretty humorous (in a demented way) fight scenes. One is early on inside a London pub, and has Firth flashing his particular set of skills against a group of thugs. The other (and even more raucous) fight occurs inside a church and is set to Lynryd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird”. The body count piled up as fast as the guitar licks.
As spectacular as the fight scenes are, the real fun here is in the characters. The old guard of the Kingsmen includes Firth as Galahad, Mark Strong as Merlin, Jack Davenport as Lancelot, and Michael Caine as Arthur. This long-standing group is one part international spy, one part Knights of the Round Table … and these gentlemen are extremely well trained and impeccably well dressed. When one of their agents dies on the job, the recruitment boot camp kicks into gear. Made up of a group of relative newcomers to the movie world, the two most interesting are Roxy (Sophie Cookson) and Eggsy (Taron Egerton). Adding to the intrigue, Eggsy is the son of a former Kingsman, and has some skills that aren’t initially apparent.
Of course, what would a spy-tribute movie be without a colorful villain? Samuel L Jackson plays lispy megalomaniac Valentine, who has a quick gag reflex when it comes to violence. Fortunately his henchman Gazelle (Sofia Boutella) is equipped with razor sharp leg prosthetics and some ultra-crazy fighting skills. We even see Mark Hamill as Professor Arnold … fans of the Mark Miller/Dave Gibbons graphic novel will appreciate the irony.
Firth and Egerton play off each other quite well in the mentor-pupil relationship, and Egerton is clearly set up for the franchise sequels … as is his friend and fellow Kingsman, Ms. Cookson. For those who think the Daniel Craig Bond films are too dark and serious, this provides a flashback to lighter Bond fare (minus the misogyny). Many hot topics are touched on: class warfare, domestic abuse, racism, etc, but mostly this can be taken as a rollicking good time because “it’s not that kind of movie”. It does, however, remind us that “manners make the man”.
Greetings again from the darkness. The only real determination of success for a comedy … does it make you laugh? If it makes you laugh, the movie has served its purpose for you. These movies are made for audiences, not film critics, which is why so few mainstream comedies play the film festival circuit.
Comedian Kevin Hart has seemingly been EVERYWHERE the past five years. He is funny, hard-working and talented. Unfortunately, most of his film projects are elevated by his talent rather than the other way around. This first feature film from director and co-writer Jeremy Garelick has an interesting premise … a much better premise than HITCH … and benefits from an on screen connection between Hart and Josh Gad, despite scene after scene taking the cheap laugh rather than the smart one.
Gad plays Doug, a socially inept nice guy who is marrying well above his pay grade. Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting (“The Big Bang Theory“) plays his fiancé – the rich girl forcing Doug to come up with 7 groomsmen for their wedding. Since poor Doug has no real friends, he jumps at the chance to capitalize on the services of Hart’s Best Man, Inc. Evidently there are so many men without friends that it’s necessary to have a business of best men and groomsmen-for-hire.
There is nothing subtle or smart about the approach here, and the story line and ending are absolutely predictable if you watch the two minute trailer. Still, there are some very funny moments courtesy of Hart and Gad, and my guess is most viewers will enjoy a few laughs, even if they forget most of this once they leave the theatre.
Supporting work is provided by Ken Howard, an on-fire Cloris Leachman, Mimi Rogers, Jorge Garcia and Josh Peck. Olivia Thirlby (Juno) plays sister to the bride, and it’s yet another example of a film wasting the talent of this terrific actress. Why is she always the friend, the sister or some other second fiddle role? In a bizarre football sequence, there are cameos from Joe Namath, Ed “Too Tall” Jones and John Riggins. Where the film missed a huge opportunity was in the casting of the “groomsmen”. Think back to Michael Keaton’s The Dream Team(1989) where Christopher Lloyd, Peter Boyle and Stephen Furst contributed laughter, rather than just the absurdity we get here from the groomsmen.
The film is content hanging out in the middle as a no-apologies mainstream comedy, and has no aspiration for comedic greatness, or social commentary on the differing ideas of friendship between men and women. Still, the moments of laughter courtesy of Hart and Gad prove that making people laugh is a valuable talent, and laughter is good medicine … no matter how short-lived.
Greetings again from the darkness. If you have been looking for proof that there is a difference between “crazy in love” and “crazy and in love”, this first feature film from director Luke Matheny (God of Love, Live action short film Oscar winner in 2011) should end your search. It’s also a return to the big screen for Matt LeBlanc, who, despite an extremely successful TV career (“Friends“, “Episodes“), has never quite clicked with movie goers.
Mr. LeBlanc stars as Charlie Darby, an energetic elementary school principal beloved by his students and liked by everyone … except those with whom he falls in love. In what comes across as a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde syndrome, Charlie’s charms and romantic notions make it easy for him to connect. But once he falls, a psychotic reaction occurs within his brain and he becomes sociopathically jealous and paranoid and worried sick about things that might happen and things he has imagined to have happened. Charlie’s love reactions are played for laughs, but there is also a sense of sadness and danger that is left unexplored.
Writer Dean Young (“King of the Hill“) goes for the conventional approach despite Charlie’s unconventional affliction. The laughs are small rather than guffaws, and LeBlanc’s genuine likability makes us pull for him to break free from this socially crippling behavior. Adam Rodriguez (“CSI: Miami“) plays Jason, Charlie’s very supportive best friend, and the narrator of the story. His character provides what little insight we get into what happens to Charlie. Ali Larter plays Molly, the most recent object of desire for Charlie. Larter and LeBlanc are very good together, but that doesn’t ease the awkwardness of Charlie’s reactionary ways.
Other supporting work is provided by Chevy Chase, as Charlie’s lonely porn-addicted neighbor (a glimpse at Charlie’s future?); Kristen Johnston as an ex-girlfriend and counselor trying to help; the always funny Rachael Harris as a vile and disgusting Charlie date; and the wonderful Connie Sawyer as Nana Bebe. If you are unfamiliar with Ms. Sawyer, she recently turned 102 years old and has appeared as Mrs. Sullivan in a couple of “Ray Donovan” episodes, plus most every seminal TV series since the 1960’s (except, ironically, “Friends“).
Most will find the movie likable … just like its star. It’s best if you not expect a story with an edge or any real insight into human nature or relationships. The screwball musical score is enough to remind us that the film is not taking a serious approach to Charlie’s psychotic affliction, yet it does remind us that we all go a bit crazy when we fall in love – let’s just hope that it’s not a Charlie-type crazy.
Greetings again from the darkness. Depending upon your expectations for animated films, you will either find this latest from DreamWorks to be nice entertainment for kids, or a bit too simplistic for adults. Twenty years ago Pixar ushered in a golden age of animation with the first Toy Story, and the grading curve was forever changed. If you can accept that not every animated film need be an instant classic, the odds are good that kids will find this to be a very enjoyable hour and a half.
Posted by David Ferguson 
Movie Reviews from the Dark 