A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (2010)

May 9, 2010

 Greetings again from the darkness. OK, if you are seeking cinematic genius, no need to check this one out. On the other hand, if you enjoy a good scare, a creepy story and a really messed up bad guy … the latest reincarnation of Freddy Kreuger may be just what you have been dreaming of.

The list of Elm Street alums is pretty impressive: Johnny Depp, John Saxon, Laurence Fishbourne, Patricia Arquette and of course, Robert Englund. Sadly, the new one only gives us a bunch of mid-20’s types as high schoolers (yes, STILL a pet peeve of mine), though Kate Cassidy is the daughter of former pop star David Cassidy, and Rooney Mara is Kate’s sister. Kyle Gallner and Thomas Dekker are familiar enough and wear sufficient bleary-eyed make-up to help us forget their real ages.

Of course, the real stars here are Freddy and the dream sequences. We get a decent enough scrip without the total camp of the later Elm Street films. The first time director is Samuel Bayer, who made his name as a music video director. His eye for visual effects and camera shots is a plus here. I really enjoyed some of the spectacular individual shots, even if the overall flow was a bit choppy.

Wes Craven’s original creation lives on through the fine work of Jackie Earle Haley as Mr. Kreuger. Many will remember Jackie Earle as the dirt bike riding center fielder in the first Bad News Bears. He is all grown up now and experiencing a really nice career revival. He possesses the necessary creep factor to pull off this nastiest of nightmares.

Leave a Comment » | Fantasy, Horror | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO (Sweden, 2009)

April 18, 2010

 Greetings again from the darkness. What usually sets apart a great mystery thriller from an average one is the story. In part one of the Millennium trilogy based on Stieg Larsson’s books, the story is really good, but the point of difference comes in the titular performance of Noomi Rapace as Lisbeth. American audiences are rarely treated to this type of raw, gritty performance from an actress. She alone makes the film worth seeing.

Please don’t get me wrong … I really like the film. A murder mystery who-dunnit that on the surface appears like an Agathy Christie story, it quickly proves to us how looks can be deceiving – both in story line and in characters. Though the story wraps up a bit too neatly, the long winding road (over a fortuitous bridge) gives us a wild ride of hints, suspects and research that is a blast for those who enjoy such things.

Michael Nyqvist stars as Mikael Blomkvist, an investigative writer who gets set up on charges of libel against a powerful businessman. While awaiting his jail time, Blomkvist is hired by an 80 year old uncle of a girl gone missing some 40 years ago. Oh yes, she is part of the Vanger family who live on a private island and who have multiple members with a history of Nazi loyalties. As Blomkvist investigates the ancient mystery, it turns out he is being followed via super-hacker Lisbeth. After a few twists, these two turn into a highly unlikely, but very interesting and effective mystery-solving couple.

Besides the performance of Rapace, what really sets this one apart is that the villains really aren’t the most interesting characters – Blomkvist and Lisbeth are. We are treated to a great deal of character development for both, and trust me when I say, Lisbeth’s story is not pleasant.

I hear this will be Americanized in the remake and that makes me sad. The source material title for this story is “Men Who Hate Women”.  While director Niels Arden Oplev pulls no punches in his version, in a remake the edgy undercurrent of sex, abuse, politics and religious racism will undoubtedly be softened and surely the lead actress will bring little of the fascination that a fearless Noomi Rapace delivers.

1 Comment | Thriller, World Cinema/Foreign | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

THE JONESES (2009)

April 17, 2010

 Greetings again from the darkness. Don’t really have much to offer on this one other than it would have been more current in the mid-90’s. A statement on overindulgence and consumerism during a recession comes across as lame and not particularly funny or poignant.

The con is simple. Demi Moore, David Duchovny, Ben Hollingsworth and Amber Heard pose as the “it” family unit whose sole purpose is to be the coolest people with the coolest toys, clothes, furniture and cars. First of all Hollingsworth and Heard (from Zombieland) are 25 and 24 respectively, and do not look like high school students (a movie pet peeve). Secondly, NO ONE would ever believe one family could possibly have ALL of this stuff.

The script is all over the place trying to make commentary on the morals of what this grift does to the participants … both those on the inside and the targets themselves. David Duchovny, to his credit, has a couple of decent scenes, but Demi Moore just comes across as trying way too hard.

It was nice to see Lauren Hutton and Gary Cole have somewhat important roles and I did enjoy looking at the great house and cars. But never did I buy into the story or the self-marketing. Nice idea that would have complimented the original Wall Street movie back in the day.

Leave a Comment » | Comedy, Drama | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

KICK-ASS (2010)

April 17, 2010

 Greetings again from the darkness. Just when you are convinced the comic book movie genre has been overdone, in swoops director Matthew Vaughn (the rocking Layer Cake) to reach an entirely new level through a unique, unconventional and twisted approach. It does’t take but a few minutes to realize that clichés mixed with shocks will mess with your movie-processing mind!

Somehow we are treated to teen angst,superhero-ism and most every human emotion and type between the two. WARNING: this movie is rated R and it is a strong R … IT IS NOT FOR KIDS! The film slam-dances between ultra violence and uber-geekdom and satire driven slapstick. We get a 12 year old Chloe Moretz as Hit Girl, wielding weapons even more deadly than her shockingly adult tongue. Moretz was also a standout in last year’s 500 Days of Summer. We get her revenge-driven, ex-clean cop Big Daddy father (Nicolas Cage) in Batman costume mentoring her to the ways of a world class assassin. I busted out laughing when I realized that Mr. Cage’s voice mannerism mimic that of the great Adam West while donning the black cape. A very nice touch. Our other home grown, would be superheroes are Aaron Johnson as Kick-ass (replete with green scuba suit) and McLovin (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) as Red Mist. Most of these characters are one step removed from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.

Of course a comic book story must have a top notch villain and these days there are few better than Mark Strong. He delivers another terrific dead-pan performance as a drug lord and father to Red Mist. Strong’s character is the driving force behind Big Daddy’s quest for revenge.

Aaron Johnson’s Kick-ass is an example of the clunky teenager who has a good heart and is desperate for attention from the girls. He even accepts being labeled as gay by the hot chick he adores just so he can spend time with her. He hangs at the comic book store with his equally geeky friends and then “transforms” into Kick-ass, a superhero with no powers other than a desire to do what’s right and help those in need.

Mark Millar’s script balances many cultural and societal observations while delivering a visual parade of images and sounds (wonderful music and score … including ELVIS) and moments that will keep the viewer unsettled. You might think it odd that an early scene lingers on a giant advertisement featuring Claudia Schiffer. Ms. Schiffer is married to the director and becomes one of many tributes and satires throughout the film. This is quite a different experience and one that not all will enjoy … but it is to be admired for reaching for new levels.

Leave a Comment » | Action, Comedy | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

DATE NIGHT (2010)

April 12, 2010

 Greetings again from the darkness. Most married couples can probably relate to the grind of a life absorbed with work and parenting. Sometimes the fantasy turns into having a quiet moment of solitude. Heck, even “date night” can devolve into just another responsibility tacked on at the end of a long week. This is the premise for director Shawn Levy’s film. The best part? It doesn’t matter at all.

The reason this film works is not the plot or script, but rather the talents of the two funniest people in showbiz today: Steve Carell and Tina Fey. The two seem to have an exceptional comedic connection that brings out a timing that reminds of the best comedy teams of all time.

Sometimes what makes for the funniest comedy is putting “normal” people into exceptional situations and let them react. Here, Carell and Fey are just a typical suburban couple trying to re-ignite the luster of an all too comfortable marriage. The motivation comes when their friends (Mark Ruffalo and Kristen Wiig) announce they are splitting. This starts Carell and Fey off on a series of skits that would make Seinfeld proud.

The nightmare begins when the couple “steals” a reservation in a hot new restaurant and assume the identity of, what turns out to be a couple of low level thieves. The multitude of skits that follow include supporting work from dirty cops (Common and Jimmi Simpson), the real reservation holders (funny James Franco and Mila Kunis), a mob boss (Ray Liotta), a corrupt city official (William Fichtner) and a “security expert” in the eternally shirtless Mark Wahlberg.

The approach of the film reminds me of After Hours, Adventures in Babysitting and The Out of Towners. Some of the best comedy occurs when the main players aren’t tossing out incessant one-liners. Think back to Cary Grant’s screwball comedies. He was not a bumbling idiot or a stand-up comedian walking through life. His characters were reactionary to the odd-ball situations in which he was placed. That is the approach of Carell and Fey, and I hope they pursue future projects together.

Leave a Comment » | Comedy | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

CLASH OF THE TITANS (2010)

April 4, 2010

 Greetings again from the darkness. I have a weakness for the 1981 version and still get a kick out of Ray Harryhausen’s stop-action art in that film, as well as the “Sinbad” films. One of my favorite trivia questions is “What film starred both Harry Hamlin and Laurence Olivier?”. That cracks me up, and stumps most people … even though most have seen the original.

Director Louis Leterrier provides a remake that is very much a film project of current day despite the mythology involved. Here, Liam Neeson as Zeus and Ralph Finnes as Hades are (not so close) brothers supposedly battling for the same thing – getting those pesky humans back in line. This comes after the army of Argos gets fed up with the whims of the Gods and makes a move toward independence. You either know the story or not, but either way shouldn’t affect your enjoyment of the movie.

Sam Worthington, fresh off his Avatar fame makes for a solid Perseus, the half-son of Zeus (thanks to an earlier trick, that most would call rape). However, I never could make sense of his perfectly barbered look of facial and scalp stubble, while those around him all sport the late-60’s Hell’s Angels look. Gemma Atherton (former Bond girl) plays the quasi-God who is to protect Persues, and Mads Mikkelson (former Bond villain) fights alongside him. However, this is not an actor’s film.

The special effects are bountiful. Hades comes and goes as a cloud of thick black smoke and is quite comfortable splitting himself off into a flock of evil-spirited flying dragon things. Pegasus, the flying horse is back, as are the giant scorpions, who are much bigger and badder than before. Still don’t understand how they went from mean to sweet between scenes. Of course, the coolest thing is Medusa and her hairdo of creepy, crawly snakes. That’s one bad chick. The most impressive special effect is the Kraken, Hade’s underworld pet who is “released” to destroy mankind (unless Perseus can stop him).

There is one humorous tip of the cap to the original, but most of the other shots at humor fall extremely flat. This is not a movie to see for the dialogue. The mythology and wonderment of the Gods have a certain appeal, though this one certainly falls short in providing us any real insight into the daily tasks of the lucky few on Olympus. So enjoy this one for what it is … a guilty pleasure.  And stump your friends with that trivia question!

Leave a Comment » | Fantasy | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

CITY ISLAND (2009)

April 4, 2010

 Greetings again from the darkness. I am always amazed, amused and somewhat satisfied when a writer gathers up multiple stereotypes, massages the conflict and dialogue, and emerges with a script that captures interest and holds attention. Writer/director Raymond De Felitta has done just that with working class Italian New Yorkers.

All story lines revolve around the secrets each of the family members keep from the others. Sure, we all understand that two-way communication and trust create a much stronger and healthier family, but sometimes, it’s just not that simple.

Andy Garcia plays the head of this secretive bunch and he sets the stage with two whoppers. The first is his slinking off to acting classes while chasing his lifelong dream of becoming an actor – like his inspiration, Marlon Brando. To cover this one up, he tells his wife (Julianna Margulies) that he is off to another poker game, unaware that she interprets this as code for his having an affair.

They have a daughter (Dominik Garcia-Lorido) who has lost her college scholarship and is saving money to re-enroll by working (secretly) as a stripper. Guess what?  Her parents don’t know.  Their odd ball son (Ezra Miller), who believes he is too smart to attend classes, develops an online fetish habit that ends up VERY close to home.  Again, his parents are oblivious.

In most films, this would be plenty of ammunition to create havoc among the players. Not here. Garcia’s second, and much larger secret, throws this dysfunctional family into a tailspin – and he somehow is the last to realize. Emily Mortimer, Steven Strait and Alan Arkin all provide strong support to the story and this “family”.

Mr. De Felitta explored some of these family topics in The Thing About My Folks, but here he is working with his own script. The balance between comedy, conflict and insight is actually very good; though, the New Yorker habit of loud mealtime conversation is somewhat discomforting for this southern boy. Still, I have nothing but positive things to say about how the stereotypes end up providing self-realization to each of the characters, and even more importantly, an understanding of what their family really is. Good stuff here.

Leave a Comment » | Comedy, Drama | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

GREENBERG (2010)

March 29, 2010

 Greetings again from the darkness. Warning: this is one of the artsy-fartsy type movies that bore many, but energize me.  Noah Baumbach wrote and directed the excellent The Squid and the Whale, and it is with Greenberg that he really makes a statement as an independent filmmaker to anticipate. The second gem is always the most elusive. That said, I am not sure I can recommend this movie to very many people, despite all the good things I am about to write.

This is the first Ben Stiller role that actually seems to fit him. His typical role is as a punchline. Here, as Greenberg, he is not one bit likable.  He plays a guy who recently suffered a nervous breakdown and is now house-sitting for his rich brother, who is on a family vacation in Vietnam. Throughout the movie, Greenberg states he is concentrating on doing “nothing” right now. Of course, that is his defense mechanism for being unable to connect or communicate with any real person. Yes, that sounds bleak … and it is. Yet, it is also fascinating and thought-provoking.

Despite Stiller’s strong turn, Greta Gerwig (as Florence) proves to be the heart of the story. She is the family assistant to Greenberg’s brother and finds herself oddly attracted to Greenberg’s vulnerable state. This is my first exposure to Ms. Gerwig and I find her fascinating as an actress. She has a natural openness on-screen and is certainly no glamour-gal. Instead she comes across as a very real 25-year-old trying to make sense of life – especially her own.

In addition to Ms. Gerwig, Rhys Ifans provides outstanding support work as Greenberg’s long ago band mate. This is the polar opposite of Ifan’s character in The Boat that Rocked as here is just a guy putting together a grown up life for himself. He struggles with the adjustment, but accurately depicts how our daily choices can make or break us.

I am not sure whether to categorize this as a character study or just an exquisitely written series of scenes that hit the nail on the head. One of the best scenes of the film is when Stiller meets up with Jennifer Jason Leigh (Baumbach’s real life wife) and she immediately rebuffs his reconciliation attempts. They had been a couple briefly 15 years ago and she has obviously moved on, while he has not. Excellent film-making.

The best way I can describe Greenberg the character is that he is a compilation of the dark thoughts that we all experience from time to time … a desire to do nothing, wanting to be blunt and direct, dreams of recapturing the magic of youth, and of course, writing complaint letters for everything wrong in the world. Obviously, most of us spend very little real time on these things, but that is the Greenberg character. Let’s keep an eye on Mr. Baumbach – he may just be the real deal.

Leave a Comment » | Drama | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

REPO MEN (2010)

March 22, 2010

 Greetings again from the darkness. A sci-fi action thriller set in the near future, the film is based on the novel by Eric Garcia. It stars Jude Law and Forest Whitaker as organ repo men. No, not Wurlitzer pipe organs … artificial body organs. The idea is that any vital body organ can be replaced for a price. Just make sure to read the fine print in the repo clause before signing anything!

Liev Schreiber is the supervisor of Repo Men at The Union. Judging from the size of the building and the mass of the lab, business is booming in the artificial organ transplant business. And who could be surprised? The Union sales team has a perfect sales pitch – sign here or die. And actually, they don’t expect you to stay current on your payments, hence the Repo crew.

I never did figure out if this was supposed to be a comedy/satire or dramatic thriller. The actors seem to play it straight, but that actually adds to the humorous moments. Despite some fine and interesting songs on the soundtrack, the film is a bit of a mess at times … though there are also some fun action scenes. The warning must go out that gore abounds and the actual repo scenes are a bit squirm-inducing.

1 Comment | Sci-Fi, Thriller | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

THE RUNAWAYS (2010)

March 20, 2010

 Greetings again from the darkness. Getting dragged back to the mid-70’s can be quite fun, especially when the topic is rock ‘n roll. Based on lead singer Cherie Currie’s autobiography, this film provides an overview of the formation, sudden fame, and equally sudden dismantling of the first all-girl’s rock band, The Runaways.

Joan Jett was the heart of the band, but it took oddball music producer Kim Fowley to put the band together and get the recording deal. Fowley may be the most interesting character in this story. Here he is played with force by the very talented Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road).

Instead, the story focuses on Cherie Currie and Joan Jett, mostly Currie, since it is her book! Dakota Fanning plays Cherie Currie as a confused 15 year old with a messed up family life. The family includes a mom, played by Tatum O’Neal, who announces she is getting married and moving to Indonesia. Currie’s dad is a very sick alcoholic, so she is an easy recruit for Fowley and Jett. Jett is played balls-out by Kristen Stewart. Yes, Kristen Stewart from Twilight. Here she shows much more of the talent we saw prior to the Twilight series. She captures the fire and spirit of Joan Jett and leaves little doubt she will pursue her dreams despite all obstacles.  For a touch of trivia, note that Cherie’s sister Marie is played by Riley Keough … granddaughter of Elvis Presley.  It’s her big screen debut.

Overall, the script comes up short and provides us little more than headlines and a quick glimpse. Would have expected much more on talented guitarist Lita Ford, who continues to work today. For a quick intro to the story of The Runaways, this one is fine. Just don’t expect much depth.

Leave a Comment » | Drama | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »