Greetings again from the darkness. The movie begins with a tip of the cap to the “Hansel and Gretel” Brothers Grimm fairy tale and then spins off into what would be just another episode of TV’s “Once Upon a Time”, were it a cable rather than a network show.
The original fairy tale is a nightmare for most kids (probably explains why it’s one of my favorites). Hansel and Gretel are deserted in the forest by their parents, and end up at a scrumptious house of candy owned by a witch who eats children. The movie puts an interesting spin on why the parents got rid of the kids, but mostly this story begins after Hansel and Gretel outsmart the candy house witch. This leads them into a joint career as bounty-huners for witches.
Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker, The Avengers) plays Hansel and Gemma Arterton (Tamara Drewe, a Bond Girl in Casino Royale) plays Gretel. They have some pretty nifty weapons given that it’s the middle ages. Mostly they take turns getting the stuffing kicked out of them by witches and jealous sheriffs. Famke Janssen plays the evilest of the dark witches and puts up quite a battle to take advantage of the Blood Moon.
There is a good witch and bad witch element as well as a discovery of their childhood roots. That said, the plot and story are secondary thanks to writer/director Tommy Wickola who seems to find the most joy in exploding witch heads and bodies. The 3D seems pretty sloppy and forced with no added benefit. A couple of humorous additions involve Hansel’s struggle with diabetes (thanks to the candy house), the missing kid notices on milk bottles, and the multi-dimensional troll Edward … he’s no Shrek, but it doesn’t take much personality to stand out here.
Will Ferrell and Adam McKay are listed as producers and that explains the attempts at humor throughout. It’s too bad the overkill on gore and profanity prevent this from being an intelligent spin off from one of the best ever fairy tales.
SEE THIS MOVIE IF: exploding witch heads help you put up with life’s inconveniences
SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: you are expecting a Grimm Fairy tale movie
Greetings again from the darkness. By now, we know what to expect from a Jason Statham movie: bone-crunching fist fights, big guns, fast cars, pretty girls, and wise cracks. Hope and expectations were a bit higher for this one since it’s a John J. McLaughlin (Black Swan) screenplay of a Donald E Westlake novel, and it’s directed by Taylor Hackford (Oscar nominated for Ray).
Statham plays Parker, a masterful thief with a straightforward code that he isn’t shy about sharing. His partner/mentor is played by Nick Nolte and Parker finds himself knocking off the Ohio State Fair with a group of guys led by Michael Chiklis. Things don’t go well and Parker finds himself left for dead.
It starts as a heist film and transitions into a revenge flick. Of course, there are some Statham style romantic elements included. Emma Booth plays Nolte’s daughter and Statham’s love interest. Then, we get Jennifer Lopez as a down on her luck Realtor who lives with her mom (Patti Lupone), but somehow manages to figure out that Statham’s character is not as he appears.
Lopez and her hyper over-acting don’t play well with the stoic Statham. She does, however, get to flash her best known ASSet. Nolte’s character gets lost in the shuffle, which is a shame. More scenes with Nolte and Statham could have proved interesting. Also, there is an odd story line with Bobby Cannavale as a Sheriff who has the hots for Lopez. With the exception of a brief interlude, this promising story line just disappears. Lastly, the film’s big Palm Beach heist really pushes the envelope of believability (scuba? Chiklis isn’t exactly James Bond) and taints what sliver of reasonableness that might have existed.
Basically, Statham is the best thing about this Statham movie. The rest is pretty messy and disappointing … especially considering the DNA that this one offers (Hackford, McLaughlin, Nolte).
SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you are a big Jason Statham fan
SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: you prefer your heist and/or revenge movies to have some level of suspense
Greetings again from the darkness. I have often defined an entertainer as one who delivers what the audience wants, while an artist creates what he must. Writer/director Michael Haneke strikes me as a true artist in cinema. And an exceptional one at that. Known for such unusual films as The White Ribbon, Cache‘, and the original Funny Games(1997), Haneke often has a way of showing us things about ourselves that we prefer not to see.
Amour means love, and this film could easily have been titled Love and Misery, as strong and indescribable feelings mount when a life partner begins the inevitable slide downhill … a trip which often starts with something as bland as a few moments of blankness at the breakfast table.
Georges (Jean-Louis Trintignant, A Man and A Woman) and Anne (Emmanuelle Riva, Hiroshima Mon Amour) somehow draw our eye as they sit in the audience as seen from the stage of a soon-to-begin piano concerto. It’s a thought provoking shot when paired with the familiar quip “All the world’s a stage …”. Next we see this octogenarian couple chatting over breakfast, clearly comfortable with each other in the manner that only two people who have shared decades together can become.
A trip to the hospital confirms Anne has had a stroke. And then another. The rest of the film revolves around Georges keeping his promise to Anne that she won’t be put back into the hospital. It’s a real life situation that so many face, yet the answers remain cloudy. So Georges proceeds to become caregiver to the increasingly incapacitated Anne. First wheelchair bound with paralysis on one side. Next she’s learning to operate a motorized chair. Then it’s speech therapy. Finally, she’ bedridden and devolving into someone who can’t express simple emotions. No, this is not typical Hollywood entertainment. This is life’s realities through the expressive and brave acting of two of France’s best.
It would be easy to say not much happens in the two hour running, but in fact, it is filled with the daily moments that make up life. The moments become an obstacle course when we must assist a loved one in the performance, or if we are the one being assisted. Nurses who may or may not be caring, friends who are struck helpless, and even family (played here by Isabelle Huppert, The Piano Teacher) who feel the responsibility to help, but are caught up in the responsibilities of everyday life.
Death is a common occurrence in movies. Dying is actually quite rare. Haneke doesn’t shy away from any aspect of this sorrowful and difficult journey. He forces us to consider the multiple sides of so many questions, and he certainly feels no obligation to provide us with simple solutions or happy endings. Georges walls off society from doing “what is best” for his wife. He prefers to honor her wishes.
These are two extraordinary performances from two of France’s all-time best actors. Ms. Riva was rewarded with an Oscar nomination and Mr. Trintignant was just as deserving. Mr. Haneke has been nominated as Best Director and the film is up for both Best Foreign Film (Austria) and Best Picture. Don’t mistake any of that recognition as a sign that this is a mainstream movie. It’s exquisite filmmaking, but many will find it difficult or impossible to watch. You best be ready to analyze death versus dying.
Greetings again from the darkness. The best Political crime dramas are complex films with multiple intersecting sub-plots, filled with stylish mis-direction and intense wordplay and back-stabbing between good guys and bad. What doesn’t work is “obvious”. Especially obvious to the point where the audience is way ahead of the earnest, but clumsy protagonist. Luckily for director Allen Hughes (working solo without his twin brother Albert for the first time), he has stacked the film with a wonderful cast which makes it somewhat entertaining despite its major flaws.
Mark Wahlberg plays (what else?) a streetwise guy/cop/detective who tries to do the right thing but always seems to end up with the short straw. Russell Crowe is in fine form (though a bit too tan) as the megalomaniac NYC mayor who plays dirty, but knows how to sell his stuff to the people … even as he schemes to do great wrong. Their paths cross twice and neither time turns out so great for Wahlberg.
As for the rest of the cast, Barry Pepper is miscast as Crowe’s mayoral opponent; Jeffrey Wright is intriguing as the Police Commissioner seemingly playing both sides against the middle; Catherine Zeta-Jones is Crowe’s most unhappy and disloyal wife; Kyle Chandler plays Pepper’s campaign manager (and evidently more); and Griffin Dunne is a rich Crowe supporter and knee deep in the evil scheme. Also interesting is Alona Tai as Wahlberg’s wise-cracking and bright-eyed assistant.
While no details will be spilled here, there is a fun exchange during the debate between Crowe and Pepper, and well, the movie is just at its best when Crowe is on screen. Wahlberg’s character is pretty much the same he has played a dozen times prior, but it seems the real issue is with first time screenwriter Brian Tucker. He is just overrun with ideas and because of that, most go undeveloped. A script clean-up from a screen veteran could have turned this one around. Still, if you have seen all the Oscar nominated films and are looking for a watchable January release, you could do worse. Just try not to think too much!
SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you are caught up on the December rush on late 2012 releases OR you want to see another fine Russell Crowe performance
SKIP THIS MOVIE IF:you get frustrated when a “smart” thriller isn’t so smart
Greetings again from the darkness. Ever since The Blair Witch Projectand the influence of “found footage”, which then transitioned into the endless sequels for Paranormal Activity, true creativity and ingenuity has been mostly lacking from the horror genre. One of those still devoted to creeping us out and generating seat jumping is Guillermo del Toro, who produced this film after seeing writer/director Andres Muschietti’s three minute short film (see below).
Since the real joy in experiencing a horror film comes from the surprises and twists, very few details will be revealed here. Worth noting is the lead role of Annabel played by the incredibly talented Jessica Chastain. Yes, the same one who is currently nominated for her role in Zero Dark Thirty. This time out, Ms. Chastain is a tatted up bass player in a (lousy) punkish band and sporting a Joan Jett hairdo. Annabel is living a bohemian lifestyle (translation: nearly starving with no responsibilities) with her artist boyfriend Lucas, played by Nikolaj Coaster-Waldau, whom many will recognize from “Game of Thrones”, and who appeared in the superb Headhunters (one of my favorites of 2012).
Many horror film clichés are presented here including a cabin in the woods, a portal to the afterlife, buzzing bugs, unexplained lullaby singing through the air vents, an untimely “fall” down the stairs by a main character and ties to a long ago tragedy that holds the key to this current mess. Notable is the welcome absence of gross-out and gore-out special effects. Despite the clichés, Muschietti and his co-writing sister Barbara, and Neil Cross provide us with some new touches (uncovering maternal instincts) and such a great looking movie that our attention is firmly held … especially for the first 80%. As happens so frequently, the final act is a bit disappointing, but not enough to ruin the experience.
Chastain is top notch here, though Coaster-Waldau is underutilized. The two young girls are effectively portrayed by MeganCharpentier (Victoria) and Isabelle Nelisse (Lily). In fact, Lily scampering about on all fours may be as frightening as the spooky Mama, played by 7 foot actor Javier Botet. It’s an unconventional horror film with an atypical ending … and one of the few movies to ever raise the question of whether one can survive for 5 years on a diet of cherries. This one is certainly worth a look if you are a fan of the genre.
take a look at the 3 minute short film that inspired the movie – plus the intro from Guillermo del Toro:
Greetings again from the darkness. It’s been almost 10 years since Arnold Schwarzenegger was last top billed in a movie. He’s remained in the headlines most of that time … some good, some not so much. If you are an Arnold fan, it’s nice to see him back on screen. And what do you expect from a Schwarzenegger movie? Big guns, big muscles and big laughs from the one-liners. The first U.S. film from noted Korean director Jee-woon Kim delivers all three … and, unfortunately, little else.
Arnold plays Sheriff Ray who has semi-retired to a quiet life in an Arizona border town after a career on an ill-fated Los Angeles police drug team. His deputies are played by screen vet and comic relief Luis Guzman, Zach Gilford, and JaimieAlexander. An FBI Agent played by Forest Whitaker contacts the Sheriff and lets him know an escaped drug lord played by Eduardo Noriega is headed through the town on his way to cross the border. Peter Stormare‘s group is in town to clear the path. Things get messy from there.
The tongue-in-cheek parts work best, but the plot and overall script are pretty lacking in substance. This could almost be viewed as a Schwarzenegger tribute film. The self-deprecating humor keeps the film rolling, but some of it just tries too hard … especially the segments with Johnny Knoxville. Some of the action is so over-the-top it draws the desired laughs from the audience, but be prepared for lots of gun play and plenty of Chevy commercial time.
We also get a quick scene from Harry Dean Stanton and Rodrigo Santoro has a small role as a former war hero – turned town drunk who gets his shot at redemption. But make no mistake, this is Arnold’s movie and his chance to show that he still has it. The screen presence is still there, but his skills might play better in a more limited support role. That said, I triple dog dare you to not crack a smile when he is firing guns, in a frantic car chase through the corn fields, and engaged in hand to hand combat on the border bridge. After all … he did say he would be back!
*** NOTE to Directors: when you cast Forest Whitaker, don’t film him running … it’s not a pretty sight
SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you are a fan of Arnold the movie star and look forward to seeing him back on screen
SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: you are expecting a serious movie about a small town sheriff – this one is closer to trashy B cinema than Oscar.
Filming has begun on Parkland, a movie that will capture the chaos of November 22, 1963, the day President Kennedy was shot. Based on Vincent Bugliosi’s book “Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy”,the adapted screenplay was written by journalist Peter Landesman, who also directs. The movie should be released later this year to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the assassination.
Parkland Hospital in Dallas is where President Kennedy was taken after the shooting, and for the movie, Austin State Hospital will “stand in” for the hospital. The film stars Paul Giamatti, Zac Efron, Marcia Gay Harden, Billy Bob Thornton and Jacki Weaver. It’s being produced by Tom Hanks’ production company.
My niece Hannah lives at Scottish Rite Dormitory and took some time to watch the filming at the nearby church. Below are a couple of photos: one of Hannah on the set with some of the classic cars from the era, and another of Paul Giamatti in action.
My BEST OF 2012has now been posted. Please check it out and let me know your favorites … also, I’d very much appreciate you sharing this with other movie lovers! You may access from the link below or under the “Annual Best” list on the Home Page.
Greetings again from the darkness. Admittedly, I am one of those who take movies very seriously. Good movies make me happy (even the sad ones), and bad movies make me sulk. Every now and then, one comes along that I find myself enjoying despite the warning buzzers blasting in my film snob brain. Such is the latest from director Ruben Fleisher (who also directed the entertaining Zombieland).
“Inspired by true events” should always be interpreted as a disclaimer that the movie will play fast and loose with history and the details of the story. Sean Penn plays Mickey Cohen, a renowned Los Angeles gangster from the late 40’s. Due to widespread police corruption, Police Chief Parker (Nick Nolte) authorized an “off the books” team to take down mob operations (gambling, prostitution, etc). This much was documented in Paul Lieberman’s book. How this story is presented by Fleisher and screenwriter Will Beall (signed on for the Justice League movie) has more in common with a comic book than actual history.
The movie is extremely beautiful to look at. It’s slick and stylish with a glamorous color palette, and the production design is top notch – capturing the look and feel of a booming Los Angeles. If you are expecting the next L.A. Confidentialor even The Untouchables, you will be disappointed. It’s more in line with Dick Tracy, Scarface, and Hoffa. In other words … it looks great and the action, characters and dialogue are all way over the top!
The cast is superb, but most are underutilized. Josh Brolin is the tough leader of the squad that features Ryan Gosling (the token cool womanizer), Robert Patrick (the token dead-eye gunslinger), Anthony Mackie (the innercity, knife-wielding token black cop), Giovanni Ribisi (the token geeky electronics expert), and Michael Pena (the rookie and token Hispanic cop). Unfortunately, my crude descriptions are just about as in-depth as the movie goes with any of them. In fact, Yvette Tucker playing Carmen Miranda, gets almost as much screen time as any of these cops as she sings “Chica Chica Boom Chic”.
The violence is cartoonish in its fervor. The aim of these gangsters is among the worst in movie history, and that’s quite an accomplishment. Using Tommy Guns and pistols, my estimate is that one in every 167 shots actually hits an intended target. Many elaborate set pieces are destroyed in the process. The exception is Robert Patrick’s character, who is actually featured in a detective serial. He never misses … even after being wounded. Penn plays Cohen as a ruthless mob boss, unwilling to accept any failure from his crew. And you know what that means. No pink slips here … just ugly death via power drill, burning elevator or classic car tug-of-war.
An interesting note is the presence of three actors from recent cult TV shows. Holt McCallany (Lights Out), Mireille Enos (The Killing) and Troy Garity (Boss) all have key roles in the film, as does Jon Polito, whose face and voice make him a must-cast in any gangster film.
If you are able to turn off the logical and reasoning part of your brain … just sit back and enjoy Emma Stone smoking a cig while wearing a red evening gown, an understated Ryan Gosling with an odd speech pattern, Sean Penn wearing a prosthetic nose and spewing hilarious bad guy lines, and the creepy feeling that Josh Brolin is just 25 years away from looking and sounding exactly like Nick Nolte … then hopefully you can take this one for what it is – a guilty pleasure.
**NOTE: the closing credits are a work of art … a tribute to the classic postcards from early Los Angeles
SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you’re up for a rollicking good time … bullets flying, tongue firmly planted in cheek
SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: you expect historical accuracy and pure drama in your gangster flicks
DISCLAIMER:This blog was set up to provide thoughts and commentary on movies through the eyes of someone who loves and appreciates the art of cinema. Most of the time, these comments focus on the positive aspects of each movie, while also mentioning any particular areas which, by opinion, seem to fall short of acceptable. It is rare indeed when a movie is so annoying and lacking in merit that I find myself with mostly negative comments to make. Typically I would just skip the commentary, however, I believe Promised Landdeserves to be exposed for the fraud that it is.
Greetings again from the darkness. On paper, a story about a controversial environmental issue (fracking for natural gas) presented by a respected director (Gus Van Sant) and featuring a strong cast (Matt Damon, JohnKrasinski, Frances McDormand, Rosemarie DeWitt, Hal Holbrook) would be a welcome cinematic contribution, despite an expected slant to the story-telling. Most of us enjoy, or at least accept, a well presented argument that brings light and substance to at least one side of the controversial issue. What no one appreciates is having their time wasted … which is exactly what this ridiculous movie does.
Fluff is fluff, regardless of the subject matter that acts as a backdrop. Matt Damon and John Krasinski combined to write the screenplay based on a story by Dave Eggers. The screenplay is simple-minded, uninformed and amateurish. Did they do any research? It seems more likely they got together a couple of times, sipped a few imports, and threw together an outline. If they had then turned that outline over to a REAL writer, the ensuing mess of a movie could have been avoided. Instead, they somehow tricked Gus Van Sant into becoming the director. This process worked just fine 15 years ago when Ben Affleck collaborated with Damon and Van Sant for the excellent Good Will Hunting. That film shouldn’t even be tarnished by mentioning it here.
There is no shortage of articles available with actual facts on the companies and process involved with natural gas fracking. In 2010, Josh Fox even put together GasLand, a very effective documentary on the subject. So, the idea of formulating a Hollywood dramatic version makes sense. Matt Damon’s name alone ensures better exposure in one week than Mr. Fox’ film has had in two plus years. What doesn’t make sense is a version that is so lightweight and lacking in details, that a convoluted, half-assed love triangle steals the spotlight off what should be the real story.
What is the real story? A fictional $9 billion company with the generic name Global Crosspower Solutions sends their crack closing team of Steve Butler (Damon) and Sue Thomason (McDormand) into rural Pennsylvania to buy up the land leases from the area’s struggling farmers. Somehow we are supposed to believe that Steve, this hotshot rising star, makes two blunders in the first couple of days – allowing the town to vote, and getting blackout drunk in the only town bar. Then, this brilliant executive totally loses his equilibrium when a small time environmentalist (Krasinski) shows up and starts charming the locals with his horror stories of fracking.
Steve walks around telling people “I’m not a bad guy“, McDormand shakes her head at him and says “It’s just ajob“, and Krasinski buddies up with everyone … including local school teacher Rosemarie DeWitt, on whom Damon has a bit of a crush. One of the more ridiculous bits is that Damon’s character supposedly grew up in a farm community just like this and saw it shrivel up when the factory closed. He is probably the only guy to ever grow up on a farm who can’t drive a stickshift and has to be chauffeured around by McDormand. As if all of that isn’t ridiculous and lame enough, here comes the most absurd movie twist of all time. Since the first 2/3 of the movie lacks any sense of realism, the twist is not surprising, but rather just plain ludicrous. It’s a cheap writing device.
As for positives, it’s always a joy to watch 88 year old Hal Holbrook on screen. More attention to his character could have saved the movie …he is far and away the most intelligent and interesting character. Also, Damon’s character goes on a heartfelt rant towards some drunken rednecks. It’s his only scene that works and ends, logically, with a punch to nose. Titus Welliver, Scoot McNairy and Lucas Black all have moments of support that deserve a better movie. The same can’t be said for Damon, Krasinski and Van Sant … the blame and embarrassment falls at your feet, gentleman.
SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you shut your eyes and plug your ears for all except Hal Holbrook’s scenes
SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: you prefer not to reward a couple of Hollywood stars for their lackadaisical efforts
Greetings again from the darkness. The movie begins with a tip of the cap to the “Hansel and Gretel” Brothers Grimm fairy tale and then spins off into what would be just another episode of TV’s “Once Upon a Time”, were it a cable rather than a network show.
Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker, The Avengers) plays Hansel and Gemma Arterton (Tamara Drewe, a Bond Girl in Casino Royale) plays Gretel. They have some pretty nifty weapons given that it’s the middle ages. Mostly they take turns getting the stuffing kicked out of them by witches and jealous sheriffs. Famke Janssen plays the evilest of the dark witches and puts up quite a battle to take advantage of the Blood Moon.
secondary thanks to writer/director Tommy Wickola who seems to find the most joy in exploding witch heads and bodies. The 3D seems pretty sloppy and forced with no added benefit. A couple of humorous additions involve Hansel’s struggle with diabetes (thanks to the candy house), the missing kid notices on milk bottles, and the multi-dimensional troll Edward … he’s no Shrek, but it doesn’t take much personality to stand out here.
Posted by David Ferguson 
Movie Reviews from the Dark 