THE OTHER GUYS (2010)

August 8, 2010

 Greetings again from the darkness. Much of Will Ferrell’s box office success has occurred thanks to his collaborations with writer/director Adam McKay. This includes Step Brothers, Talladega Nights, and Anchorman. McKay’s long history at Saturday Night Live is often on display in his movies, but never more than during The Other Guys. While there was some effort put towards a story, the film often has the feel of individual skits.

The first skit revolves around two supercops played by Samuel L Jackson and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Of course, the kicker is that they really aren’t great cops, but masters of Public Relations. Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg are partners and the titular ‘other guys’. We get minimal background on each but quickly understand that Ferrell’s cop comes from accounting and is obsessed with regulations and safety. Wahlberg was a former rising star until an unfortunate accident involving Derek Jeter snuffed out his promotions.

Obviously, there needs to be a super case that these two solve and it involves a corporate financing scheme with Steve Coogan. The story itself is really unimportant (luckily) and the humor is derived from individual moments between Ferrell and Wahlberg, that same duo and Eva Mendes, or scenes with Michael Keaton.  As a baseball fan, I got a chuckle out of Keaton’s character name – Capt. Gene Mauch.

There are a couple of running gags that work (hot girls are always hitting on Ferrell, Wahlberg’s dancing, Keaton and TLC), and the best visual gag is an extended freeze frame montage set in a pub. It is pure comic genius. On the downside, I was really baffled as to the over-the-top approach taken by Mark Wahlberg. His anger and bitterness were so exaggerated that it has to be considered a spoof of his role in The Departed. However, if you try to view the film as a spoof, it just doesn’t work (outside of Samuel L Jackson).

Overall, this one has the laughs you would expect but is certainly not at the class of Anchorman. Comedy remains one of the most difficult film genres, and McKay remains one of our best hopes.

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT (2010)

August 5, 2010

 Greetings again from the darkness. Laurel Canyon and High Art are two of director Lisa Cholodenko’s previous best films. She seems to have a knack for exploring interpersonal relationships and observing human emotions. Here she co-wrote a very good and insightful script with Stuart Blumberg.

The story centers around a married lesbian couple played by Annette Bening and Julianne Moore. They play the moms’ to Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland) and Josh Hutcherson (Bridge to Terabitha). Turns out, each of the ladies gave birth to these kids with help of the same sperm donor. The kids decide they want to meet the donor dad and it turns out he is uber-cool Mark Ruffalo: owner of an organic garden and restaurant, rider of awesome motorcycle, wearer of stylistic leather jacket, and master of hippie-type language that connects with teenagers. In other words, he is a parents’ worst nightmare.

The story examines real life issues such as marriage, family life, mid-life crisis and self-fulfillment. It wraps those things brilliantly around an unconventional family, each with recognizable personality types.

The weakness in the film is two-fold. An important storyline develops between Ruffalo and one of the moms that just seemed out of place to me. The point was made, but could have been made in a much more realistic way. Worse though is the performances of two wonderful actresses – Annette Bening and Julianne Moore. With a couple of exceptions, I thought they were both over-the-top in just about every scene. They were almost caricatures of their character types. My gut feeling is that one or both will receive Oscar nods because of the “risky” roles, but the histrionics should not be rewarded.

Interesting tidbit: daughters of Steven Spielberg, David Mamet and Michael Eisner all have roles in the film. Wow … that’s some parental firepower in Hollywood! This one is worth seeing for the script and for Ruffalo’s best performance, but it’s really not as funny as it tries to be. Probably would have worked better as a straight drama.

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Posted by David Ferguson

Follow-Up: INCEPTION (2010)

August 1, 2010

 Greetings again from the darkness.  Inception is the exception.  It is very rare for me to feel the need to follow-up on a recent posting … especially one that’s only a couple of weeks old.  I feel strongly enough about this film that I want to make sure one thing is clear: if you enjoy dramatic films, you should go see this one.  Immediately.  At a theatre.

Here are some TIPS/warnings:

1. Be prepared to pay attention.

2. Pay attention.

3. The movie runs just over 2 1/2 hours.  Don’t get a large Coke … there is no “down” time for a restroom break.  You will miss something of interest if you leave the theatre or don’t pay attention.

4. Listen to the dialogue.  The story is kind of like assembling a puzzle.  You can’t finish if you don’t have all the pieces.

5. Please refer to Tip #2.

There is no need to be intimated by this film, but it is an intricate story with multiple levels. If you only enjoy fluffy feel-good movies, this one will disappoint you.  If you like to think and appreciate films designed to capture your mind, you will probably agree with me that it is terrific and that director Christopher Nolan is a film genius.

I also want to point out, now that I have seen it 3 times, that Marion Cotillard is absolutely amazing as Mal, the wife of Leonardo DiCaprio’s character.  Not sure what other performances are coming up in the second half of 2010, but I certainly hope she gets a supporting actress nomination come Oscar time.  Also, the hotel scenes get even better with each viewing.  Joseph Gordon-Levitt is a physical marvel as he negotiates the environment sans-gravity.

If you missed my initial comments on the film, here is the link:

https://moviereviewsfromthedark.wordpress.com/2010/07/18/inception/

If you are the least bit interested in this film, my strong advice is to go see it at theatre and not wait for DVD/Cable/NetFlix.  It is meant to be experienced on a huge screen with huge sound.

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Posted by David Ferguson

DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS (2010)

July 31, 2010

 Greetings again from the darkness. I fully expected this to be an all-out raunch-com in the vein of The Hangover, and I was absolutely mistaken. The film only slips into slapstick and physical punchyness at the lowest part of the actual dinner. The rest of the movie is pretty basic and set somewhere near real life.

Often, real life situations bring the most humor. Sadly, that’s not the case here. Most of this one is just plain boring. There are some very talented people associated and they all do a fine job. It’s just that the pieces don’t make up an enticing whole. The film basically rides on the shoulders of the talented Steve Carell as Barry. Barry is a genuinely nice guy whose wife left him for his boss (Zach Galfianakis), and his hobby is making intricate displays of dressed up dead mice … his “mouseterpieces”, he calls them.

Paul Rudd plays Tim, another genuinely nice guy trying very hard to make it in the business world. He has the right car and a great apartment and a beautiful girlfriend (Stephanie Szostack) who doesn’t think it’s time for them to be married. Tim seizes an opportunity at work to go for a promotion. This gets him invited to his boss’s monthly dinner party where all the managers bring a guest with extraordinary skills … the titular schmucks. The point is to have a good laugh at the expense of the idiots. Obviously Tim runs into Barry and the guest list is complete.

Tim explains to his girlfriend that there is a “me you don’t know” who has to do things in order to get ahead at work. I really wanted to see more of THAT guy! Instead, we are subjected to another film that just doesn’t know how to take advantage of Paul Rudd’s talent. He is a funny guy and you would never know it here.

If not for Steve Carell and an outlandish performance by Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Conchords) as an “artist”, this film would be totally flat. Instead, there are a few laughs and an underlying theme about the sweetness of some people. It tries to ask the question, who are the real schmucks? Director Jay Roach is responsible for the Austin Powers and the Meet the Parents franchises. He obviously knows humor. He takes this one from a French film directed by Francis Veber called The Dinner Game. In that film, we never actually get to the dinner. In this one, the film sinks to its lowest point during the dinner. Lesson learned. Best part? Hearing the Beatles during the opening and closing credits.

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Posted by David Ferguson

ELVIS ON TOUR: 75th Anniversary

July 30, 2010

 Greetings again from the darkness. Thanks to the July 29 one-night-only showing through Fathom Events, I got to see this on the big screen again for the first time since it’s initial release in 1972. In celebration of what would have been Elvis’ 75th birthday, an introduction was added that includes some clips and interviews … kind of a “making of” segment. I found it most interesting to get a behind the scenes look at how the film was put together, and the roles of Robert Abel, Pierre Adidge and Martin Scorcese.

The film itself won a Golden Globe for best documentary and it’s easy to see why. It provides a look at Elvis on the road … and a peek at what he was like as a man. In the new intro, Priscilla says “Elvis didn’t just sing a song”. She is so right. Sure, he had an amazing voice. And yes, he was an incredibly charismatic stage performer. Obviously, he was a handsome man and sex symbol of the times. But what the film reminds us is that he was a musician … a man who felt and loved the music.  Watching him breathe in a song by The Stamps (including the great J.D. Sumner) is a moment to behold.

For anyone who doesn’t “get” Elvis or thinks he was just some old guy in a sequined jumpsuit, this is the film to watch. Upon its original release, Rolling Stone magazine’s headline read “Finally, the first Elvis movie”. The montage of his early years and crowd shots of his later years, show just what an impact he had on his fans. There was, and still is, a connection to those who were captivated by the man and his songs. He truly was a musical and social phenomenon.

Seeing him carry the burden of being ELVIS is very interesting. While the songs and performances are fun to watch, the real value here is in the backstage portions. That’s where we see that he lived for the music. How else can you explain the voluminous recording library he left behind in less than 20 years. Despite the military service, pressures of fandom, and his personal issues, he continually recorded songs that we can enjoy today. Compare this to the Rolling Stones, whose careers have lasted more than twice as long as Elvis! While he was not at his physical peak on this tour, he was 37 years old and in decent condition. What is obvious is that the VOICE is still there when he wants it. The two best moments are when he records “Separate Ways” and then when he performs “Trilogy”. We hear the proof that the special gift never left him.

It’s difficult to watch this and realize that Elvis was dead 5 short years later. It really affects how you view his father, Vernon, who we see backstage and watching his son perform. It is also painful to see guys like Joe Esposito and Sonny and Red West kissing up to Elvis, now that we know they would go on to publish trash stories about him, once their golden goose was dead.

The film truly captures a part of history and a glimpse at a fascinating man.  Elvis really was the first mega-superstar who became bigger than life.

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Posted by David Ferguson

DESPICABLE ME (2010)

July 26, 2010

 Greetings again from the darkness. Can’t imagine there ever will be, but if there were to be a court trial against Pixar claiming unfair world animation domination, Despicable Me would surely be logged as Evidence A from the prosecution. It’s a well made, pleasant enough kids film that parents won’t dread sitting through.  However, with the unfortunate luck of being released in the same year as Pixar’s masterpiece Toy Story 3, it’s just no match.

I am happy to report that the kids in the theatre seemed to respond very well  … especially to the Minions. If you have been to a movie in the past year, you have probably been exposed to the Minions – a group of cute, yellow tennis ball-looking creatures with either one or two eyes, a unique squeaking language and an infectious giggle/laugh. I found them to be the highlight of the movie as well.

Basic story has Gru (Steve Carell voice) on a mission to be the world’s best villain. He has had some success, but has been a financial disaster. We learn this when he visits the Bank of Evil and they reject his loan for his newest project – stealing the moon! Gru is in competition with a new, younger, overblown evil mastermind named Vector (Jason Segel voice). Gru and his inventor Dr. Nefario (Russell Brand) are a step behind in technology, but manage to come up with a strategy.

The plan involves cookie-selling orphans who Gru adopts. The story is pretty simple in that he initially plans to use them to trap Vector, but of course, Gru is the one who has his heart stolen by the 3 girls.  Yes, a bad guy is cast as the hero.

It’s mostly a cute presentation of a very simple story. Younger kids will get a kick out of it … and didn’t seem to be as annoyed at Steve Carell’s odd accent as I was. It comes across as a cross between Russian and German, but is easily enough understood.

Don’t expect the brilliance of Pixar, but it will entertain the youngsters.

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Posted by David Ferguson

SALT (2010)

July 25, 2010

 Greetings again from the darkness. Remember the Alamo! Remember the Cold War! OK, the Alamo has nothing to do with this, but if you can remember Russia as a superpower and the bad guy whom the U.S. spent years and billions trying to out-spy and out-defend, then this story might makes some sense to you. Of course, the story matters little here. What matters is the action and it is actually high octane and quite fun.

Angelina Jolie has always reminded me of the scene in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid when Strother Martin is testing out Sundance’s shooting skills. When he misses the first target, Sundance asks “Can I move?”. He then proves he is much better when he moves. Angelina is the same. In her films that let her “move”, she is amazing. Think Mr. and Mrs. Smith vs. Changeling. The first she seems a natural, the second she came across as miscast. In this film, she does things no human being could do, but does these things with such commitment, that we actually believe she is capable. Her actions often border on parkour … especially when in an elevator shaft or bounding from truck to truck on a freeway.  We accept these stunts because it’s Angelina.

Support work is provided by Liev Schreiber and Chiwetel Ejiofor, both who spend much of the movie trying to figure out how Angelina does the things she does … surrounded by their teams of weapons experts. Most of the time, the way she is outnumbered leaves you thinking that if she gets out of this jam, this movie is just stupid. But once she has escaped, you just feel a little more pumped up! That’s a sign of a fun action movie.

Sure, the story is ridiculous at most points and the plot holes are more canyons than holes, but it’s kind of nice to re-visit the double or triple spy days, especially when placed within daring stunts and chases that work.

The director of this is Phillip Noyce, who is best known for a couple of the Tom Clancy adaptations – Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger. Mr. Noyce got me hooked 20 years ago on a little film called Dead Calm, starring a very young Nicole Kidman. That is a taut little thriller that takes place mostly on a sail boat in the middle of the ocean. If you’ve never seen it, you should.

So in regards to Salt, I will say that it’s a fun action-thriller in a twisty little cold war spy setting. Don’t get caught up in the plot details and just enjoy the action sequences by Angelina Jolie. Not very often I recommend ignoring a faulty script, but I actually enjoyed this one.

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Posted by David Ferguson

INCEPTION (2010)

July 18, 2010

 Greetings again from the darkness. Some movies are made as pure visual entertainment. Others are made as a vision of a story. The best combine elements of both. The great ones WOW you with what you see on screen, while keeping your mind focused on the multiple dimensions of a story that just won’t let you jump ahead. The previous sentence is my feeble attempt at describing what happens during Inception.

Writer/director Christopher Nolan turns 40 at the end of this month. He now has 3 instant-classic films to his credit: Memento, The Dark Knight and now Inception. I am not a good enough writer to describe just how talented he his at making films. What I can tell you is that this movie gave me a “runner’s high” … it put me “in the zone”. As a viewer, I felt in perfect sync at each twist and turn.

There are two pieces of advice I will offer. First, go see the film at a theatre on the big screen. Don’t wait for NetFlix. Second, pay attention to every scene and every line. Trust Mr. Nolan to take you on this wild ride. You may be able to figure out the ending (if there even is one), but you will have missed the real point of the film … how did you get here?

Here is a brief synopsis: Leonardo DiCaprio plays an expert thief. He is a thief who steals ideas by infiltrating the dreams of his targets and snatching their ideas. A very wealthy tycoon played by Ken Watanabe hires DiCaprio for a risky project of Inception – the inserting of an idea into the subject’s mind through dreams, rather than the stealing of an idea. DiCaprio’s team is played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt (with physical brilliance while lacking gravitational force), Tom Hardy (from Rocknrolla), master chemist Dileep Rao, and new recruit Ellen Page (“Juno” plays a brilliant architect prodigy with a genius of space and dimension). Cillian Murphy plays the target and Michael Caine is DiCaprio’s father in law … the link between who Leo is now and his previous life with his wife, played hauntingly well by Marion Cotillard.

A perfect Nolan touch is Ellen Page’s character name – Ariadne. A quick google finds that Ariadne, in Greek mythology, fell in love with Theseus and helped him escape Minotaur’s labyrinth. The film is full of mazes and is itself a labyrinth punctuated by a stunning and powerful score by Hans Zimmer. You will find yourself bouncing from dream to reality, jumping into another’s dreams, layering dreams upon each other … oh, and watching a mind-bending special effect as the city of Paris is folded over on top of itself.

Clear your mind for 2 and a half hours and let a terrific filmmaker take you on a journey through mindspace that we never really pay attention to. The payoff is dream-like.  This film was on my “films of interest” list on my First Half recap.  If you missed the recap, here is the link:  https://moviereviewsfromthedark.wordpress.com/2010/07/14/2010-first-half-recap/

4 Comments | Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Thriller | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

THE KILLER INSIDE ME (2010)

July 18, 2010

 Greetings again from the darkness. The film is based upon the work of crime novelist Jim Thompson, who is quite famous as a writer and whose works have often been translated to film. This time oft-creepy director Michael Winterbottom is in charge and comes pretty close to creating a masterpiece. Unfortunately, the bits that fall short, very nearly ruin the film.

Psychological crime thrillers can be the most fascinating genre (see Inception), but only when the lead psycho is relatable in some sense and the story is complete. Here, Casey Affleck gives an outstanding performance as the dude you don’t want your daughter to date. There is a deep darkness hidden behind his aw-shucks facade of innocence and cutesy west Texas drawl.

The violence is expected, yet still shocking, when it first rears its head on poor Jessica Alba. We feel the first punch. What happens in this first encounter catches us off-guard and leaves us wanting to know more background on Affleck’s character. Instead, we are really only spectators in his plan of violence that seems to have no real goal. Think Natural Born Killers. Heck, even Ted Bundy had a real plan!

The creepiness factor is upped a bit since most everyone associated with the crimes seems to suspect Affleck’s character, but no one knows what to do or how to stop him. Kate Hudson, Elias Koteas and Simon Baker (miscast) give it a go. Personally I wanted more of the Koteas character as well as Ned Beatty, who plays a powerful developer against whom Affleck holds a grudge.

Bill Pullman is tossed in near the end to help wrap things up, but mostly the ending is as unsatisfying as the rest of the story. It is uncomfortable to watch Affleck’s character, so devoid of morals and empty of soul, but it feels wasted on a small town deputy sheriff with no vision. Maybe that’s not such a bad thing … but it makes for a much weaker film.

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE (2010)

July 15, 2010

 Greetings again from the darkness. Well, it’s the best kind of Nic Cage role … very little dialogue and plenty of scenes with him not included. Lots of special effects. Has some similarities to movies like National Treasure (another Jon Turtletaub directorial effort) and The Shadow. Can you tell I am struggling to find the positives?

The basic story involves Merlin’s three assistants (Balthazar, Horvath and Veronica) and their struggles after Merlin is killed by the evilest of all evil, Morganna (Alice Krige). Of course, that murder happened hundreds of years ago and poor Balthazar has been on a global search for the only sorcerer’s apprentice who can save the world in case Morganna is released.

Since Veronica (Monica Bellucci) sacrificed herself to capture Morganna, it is really important to Balthazar (Cage) that he find this apprentice who can also help revive Veronica, who is his one true love. The bad guy is Horvath (played well by Alfred Molina). He is on a mission to release Morganna so she can destroy the world and choose him as her assistant. Yeah, I know, lots of details that don’t really matter.

The reluctant apprentice is played by Jay Baruchel. Or someone playing Jay Baruchel. Can’t really tell since every role he takes is EXACTLY the same character. At least here he plays a physics prodigy. Yeah, right.

Next to Molina, the most fun is had when Toby Kebbell (RocknRolla) is on screen. He is a real hoot and these two play well off each other. The other attempt at humor is a weak homage to the Disney classic Fantasia, replete with moving mops, etc. No surprise, the sequence comes up well short of the original and Baruchel just doesn’t have the physical skills to pull it off.

I assume this movie is aimed at 10 year olds and I am just not sure they will understand the story, though I feel confident the big special effects and cool car chase will be enough for a few oohs and ahhs. Those over 10 … enter at your own risk.

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Posted by David Ferguson

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