Film Review – Deception

An accountant with a boring life is befriended one day by a mystery man who takes him on a whirl wind of exciting places – playing racquet ball with hot girls, going to the nicest clubs, smoking pot in a conference room - basically turning the accountant’s life upside down (in a good way). But of course it’s all too good to be true and suddenly the accountant is afraid for his life. Ewan McGregor, Hugh Jackman and Michelle Williams star in this sexy thriller (although you’ll probably be able to guess how it ends – it’s still entertaining).

Pros:
- All Star Cast – Its tough to top the three stars. McGregor, Jackman and Williams are a talented bunch and this movie emphasizes their best qualities – McGregor – his ability to play sincere and naive; Jackman – his ability to play the mans man and Williams – her subtly.



- It’s Attractive – Shot in Madrid and Bryant Park, NY the scenery couldn’t possibly look more welcoming for mayhem.

- This is How You Do Nudity – I know I complain a lot about unnecessary nudity, so for all the filmmakers in the world – study “Deception.” The nudity is appropriate without going overboard.



Cons:
- “Derailed” Revisited – If you’ve seen the movie “Derailed” starring Jennifer Aniston, Clive Owen and Vincent Cassel – then you’ve seen “Deception” (except "Deception" has more sex).

- People Only Want… - If you judged humanity based on “Deception” then you’d come to the conclusion that the only things people want in life are sex, money and power over other people. Love doesn’t really factor in until all the others are accomplished, there’s no family, no real friends, or other meaningful aspects of life.

- You’re Not Psychic – You’re not a psychic, the end is just that easy to guess.

- Sloooow Down! – It all happens so fast that it’s hard to believe some of the relationships develop that quickly.



Summary:
I’m 50/50 on “Deception.” I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it. It definitely showcases some of my favorite actors, but it’s predictable. If you’re interested in a sexy thriller – this movie is for you.

"Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra
So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.
http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

Read more!

Movie Review – Spiral

“Spiral” is a strange movie. I only rented it because it has one of my new favorite actors in it, Zachary Levi. “Spiral” is about Mason, a talented painter working at a telemarketing firm who sketches women and hears voices. At lunch one day a bubbly, bouncy co-worker reaches out to him and he begins to sketch her. They develop a friendship that evolves into a relationship and one morning Amber makes a discovery that changes everything.

Pros:
- Psychological Thriller It Is – Directors Joel Moore and Adam Green are known for stranger films and “Spiral” is certainly not an exception. Although other films, such as “Hatchet,” are bloodier than “Spiral” the creep factor is absolutely at a high level here.



- Unique Characters – I can definitely say I haven’t ever seen characters quite like Mason (the main guy played by Joel Moore [he was in Dodgeball]) and Berkeley (Levi). With Mason you can’t tell if his sketches are out of love, infatuation, obsession, or if it’s just what he does. And Berkeley, we don’t really understand why he’s friends with Mason, why he’s so protective of him and such an [bleep] hole to everyone else.



- Guessing Until the End – I definitely didn’t see the last 10 minutes of the movie coming. It was very M. Night Shyamalan.

- Check out this review – Critic Robert Koehler puts it nicely. He says, “[the movie] offers a momentarily strong slice of psycho cinema to the degree that an intimate camera and heavily designed soundtrack suggest what it's like to be inside Mason's rattled head.” (read the rest of his review)

Cons:
- Again, the Characters – With the exception of Amber (played by Amber Tamblyn) everyone is really unlikable!

- Dark Ages – It’s a little TOO dark.

- End – There were no hints as to the ending, so there’s no way to really guess it until it’s revealed and I don’t really like that. I like to pay attention and put pieces together, but you’re not really afforded that opportunity in “Spiral.”

Summary:
I won’t be recommending this movie to anyone unless they want to watch decent acting (Levi is totally not his usual “Chuck” character!).

"Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra

So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.

http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

Read more!

Movie Review – W.

“W.” is a movie showing the more troublesome times the former President has had both before his days in the Oval Office and during his Presidency. We see a goofier side of the 43rd President who has given this country so many memorable quotes. We get an insider glimpse of what it may have been like to be the Leader of the U.S. during one of its most difficult times – 9/11. Oliver Stone’s “W.” is surprisingly more unbiased than I expected and I did actually learn a lot about GW.

Pros:
- It's Funny – You have to admit that his Presidency was riddled with hilarious Bushisms. The movie takes advantage of that. Thrown in here and there are “misunderestimated,” “Internets,” and other famous word mangles. It also takes advantage of his quirky personality, his odd laugh and unique life experiences.



- The Right Actors - Josh Brolin is phenomenal. He looks like the former Pres, he nails the accent, the laugh, the walk, everything. It’s fascinating to watch! Also, Elizabeth Banks as Laura Bush is wonderful to watch. Banks’ subtle humor and goofiness portray a side of the First Lady I’ve never seen.

- Personality – It’s great that this movie isn’t someone else’s opinion of President George Bush’s career. Instead, it’s someone else’s perspective (combined with a ton of research) on GW’s personality and life.



- Relating to the President – Stone chooses moments in Bush’s life that show him in a very relatable light. Bush is self doubting, wants to live up to his parent’s expectations, wants to find love, enjoyed his college days, has some sibling rivalry with his brother, etc., issues that every day folks deal with too. Go figure!

Cons:
- Disrespectful? – If you’re a huge Bush supporter, you might find that the choice of life moments such as Bush’s alcohol usage and funny phrases as President a little disrespectful (although, personally, I think that it is very well done, and more of a humors homage than insulting).

Summary:
“W.” surprised me with how unbiased it presents one of the most controversial leaders of our nation. I kinda think the President would enjoy this movie (he seems to have a fairly decent sense of humor). It’s funny and honest and you can’t help feel for the eldest son of this political family. I’d certainly recommend “W.” to any Republican or Democrat, just keep this in mind, “It's a behind-the-scenes approach, similar to Nixon, to give a sense of what it's like to be in his skin. But if Nixon was a symphony, this is more like a chamber piece, and not as dark in tone.” Oliver Stone.

"Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra
So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.
http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

Read more!

Film Review – Doubt

“Doubt” the movie is based on the play written by John Patrick Shanley called “Doubt: A Parable,” which is a story about stubbornness, misunderstandings and, of course, doubts. Sister Aloysius, a nun stuck in the traditional ways of things in a quickly changing world, is a principle at a Catholic school in the Bronx. One day Sister James brings up an incident, which in turn encourages some suspicions Sister Aloysius has already been thinking and she decides to go out on her own to find the truth behind one the church’s Priests. The cast includes Meryl Streep as Sister Aloysius, Amy Adams as Sister James (a bright eyed and sweet teacher who kinda’ starts the whole thing), Philip Seymour Hoffman as Father Flynn (the suspected Priest) and Viola Davis as Mrs. Miller (one of the student’s mother).


Pros:
- The Words – Since the movie is based on a play it already has a great foundation of words, but in particular the dialogue is realistic. And because the majority of the movie is words (a.k.a – not a whole lot really happens, they just talk about it) it’s a darn good thing "words" is one of its strong suites.



- Great Characters – I’m always impressed when I see an actor in a role that I’ve never really seen them in before. This is particularly true for Streep and Hoffman. But the characters of “Doubt” are very well defined and lifelike yet don’t react in predictable/clichéd ways. It’s a little hard to describe actually.



- Compelling – At first glance the story may seem to be about a single African American student and an inappropriate relationship with a Priest, but that’s not the real story of “Doubt.” But the writer John Patrick Shanley (who wrote both the play and the screenplay) is far more clever and reveals a much deeper social issue.

Cons:
- The Pacing – It’s quite clear that this was originally a piece of theater. It’s a little slower than most movies these days.



- The End Ruins it All – Never in my life has the last 3 words of a movie pissed me off more. Never have the last three words completely ruined a movie for me. That is until I watched “Doubt.” And it’s heartbreaking that they are spoken by such an accomplished actor - Meryl Streep.

Summary:
“Doubt” is very real but complicated. Believable and not cliché. Intriguing but a little hard to watch the potentially career ending events unfold (career ending for a character, not an actor). It’s definitely a character based film. I think writers would really like it. But just do yourself a favor and turn your TV off at the end when Amy Adams sits next to Meryl Streep on a bench in the snow. You’ll like the movie a lot more that way.

"Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra
So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.
http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

Read more!

Movie Review – The Hangover

As much as I would love to think my taste in movies is sophisticated, I have to admit that “The Hangover” in all its testosterone, over done, modern slapstick grossness was pretty darn hilarious and I liked it! Staring Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, and Justin Bartha and from director Todd Phillips who brought us “Old School” and “Road Trip” – this boys-gone-wild Las Vegas flick follows friends Phil, Stu and Alan as they take buddy, Doug, to his Bachelor party in Sin City. Does what they say, “What happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas” apply if you can’t remember what actually happened while there? “Hangover” answers just that question. With a number of key cameos along with the adventure of figuring out what really did happen the night before, I describe “Hangover” as a mystery and comedy all in one!

Pros:

- Location, Location – Las Vegas is the only feasible place for this movie. Where else could offer the sheer potential for the variety of random things to happen and it not seem so random?

- The Right Group of Guys – Although the story is basic – 4 guys take their friend to Vegas for a bachelor party – those 4 guys are anything BUT basic. The actors - Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, and Justin Bartha – bring their own touches to what could have been stereotypical characters. Critic extraordinaire Roger Ebert describes Zach Galifianakis’s performance as, “the kind of breakout performance that made John Belushi a star after "Animal House." Great job guys!



- The “What Next Factor” – As coined by critic Ty Burr of the Boston Globe (read his review) a lot of the hilarity from this movie comes from the unconventional, odd events this group has been through. From stealing a celeb’s tiger, to a small, angry Chinese man, to a hospital visit – the surprise originality yet believability of the events keeps the laughs coming.



- Great Camera Work – The cinematographer portrays a beautiful, scenic Las Vegas that not everyone sees while bustling through the hotels on the Strip. He also uses the camera to literally put us in the moment of waking up after a heavy night of drinking to the point of sleeping face down on a linoleum floor in a Sin City suite. By strapping a camera to actor’s Ed Helms’ waist, we get my most favorite visual moment in “Hangover” with Stu, the first to wake up the morning after, and a wobbly, very close up shot and a quick feel for what this particular hangover actually feels like for these guys.

Cons:



- (I know I say it a lot, but…) Unnecessary Nudity!!! – MAN! This is an annoyance I am seeing waaaaay too often these days and “Hangover” is no exception. There’s plenty of BBB (boobs, butts and balls) throughout the hour and half flick that I REALLY didn’t need to see and didn’t, at all, add to the movie.

- Poor Groom – The groom Doug, actor Justin Bartha, is hardly in the darn movie! His worried fiancé has more lines than he does! It would have been great to get flashes of Doug’s memories of the drunken night to help the story along too.





Summary:
“The Hangover” will make you laugh and cringe in unexpected ways, which I applaud, because it’s kind of rare these days. Also, not all the funny moments are in the trailers, which I LOVE, so you’ll be surprised at a lot of the mishaps these boys encounter. It’s creatively written and not too predictable. So, for me, this makes it one of the best comedies I’ve seen in a long time!

Did you laugh? Where the jokes typical or pretty creative? What did you think of the 4 actors? A good combo or were they lame?

"Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra

So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.

http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

Read more!

Movie Review - Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

Ben Stiller’s at it again, running around museums with a huge entourage of the best of the best character actors in the biz only this time he’s in D.C.’s Smithsonian Museums instead of New York’s Museum of Natural History. This is a great family movie to start out the summer movie season. “Museum 2” is creative, fun, witty, and actually has a little bit of history incorporated too. Don’t expect career defining performances, but expect to sit back, relax and enjoy an adventure (Amelia Earhart would be proud!).



Pros:
- History Come to Life – I bet every kid has wondered what it would be like to have the exhibits in a museum spring to life. The two “Museum” movies have brought that exciting day dream to the theaters. The highlights of the second film include Amelia Earhart, of course, Einstein, living photographs (this is a really neat effect), Al Capone, Ivan the Terrible, Napoleon Bonaparte, and a lot more.

- The Visuals – Two special effects that I really enjoyed were: 1) the photographs becoming animated and interacting with the events at the museum (also, Stiller and Adams end up in the famous Sailor kissing a Nurse photo and play out a scene in 1942). And 2) is an effect specific to Al Capone and his men – because their exhibit was in black white, the gangsters remained in black and white even when they came to life! It was fun to watch as the black and white Capone stood next to the very colorful Ivan the Terrible and little Napoleon Bonaparte.


- Amy Adams – Stole every scene she was in! She nailed the 1920’s/1930’s era lingo and speech pattern perfectly. She’s the Adams we all love - lighthearted, a little kooky, but smart and self reliant.


- Hank Azaria – Mostly he’s Kahmunrah (big brother to Museum One’s Ahkmenrah), but also adds the voices to Abe Lincoln and the Thinker statue. Azaria’s flexibility is astonishing – he’s great at choosing the comedic quirks of his characters. Kahmunrah has a bit of lisp and throws a fit when people touch his stuff. He and Adams are enough reason alone to watch Museum 2.


- The Character Actor Guest List – Stiller recruited the top funny folk in the movie industry for this movie. The hilarious ensemble includes - Owen Wilson, Robin Williams, Christopher Guest, Steve Coogan, Ricky Gervais, Bill Hader, Jay Baruchel, Clint Howard and about half the cast of “The Office.”

Cons:
- Plot, Not So Much – When it comes to movies with you-can’t-wait-to-see-what-happens-next plots, Museum 2 is not one of those movies. But that’s ok, it wasn’t supposed to be.

- Monkey Slapping – I love monkeys! But the scene where Stiller, the Monkey from the first movie and a new Monkey are slapping each other goes on waaaaaay too long!

- Under Utilizing the Talent – Though the cast is impressive, the most talented of them all Robin Williams and Christopher Guest are the least to speak! Even the Neanderthals have more lines!

- The Jonas Brothers – A better choice for the singing Cherubs would have been Justin Timberlake.

Summary:
“Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian” is a great way to spend the afternoon with your kids (young or in their 20’s as per my case). Historical figures left and right are springing into action and interact with Stiller and Adams to help out in unexpected ways. Is it a history lesson with a funny script? Definitely not, but, as my dad said “If it gets even one kid to go home and Google “Sacajawea” then it’s a good thing” (I’m paraphrasing, sorry dad). But is it a funny adventure film with a huge cast of talented character actors? You bet! It may be a rental, but it’s definitely an entertaining summer sequel.

What did you think of the movie? Cheesy sequel or fun film?

"Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra
So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.
http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

Read more!

Film Review – Terminator Salvation

Is Christian Bale the guy movie execs go to to restart their former money making franchises? The “Batman” star along with “The Village’s” Bryce Dallas Howard, Anton Yelchin, and Helena Bonham Carter are just some of the top actors chosen to reinvigorate the Terminator legacy. Director McG (known for ‘Charlie’s Angels’ and ‘We Are Marshall’) takes a stab at the series that launched Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to stardom. The result is a loud, nonstop, battle movie with a few of the franchises’ key one liners tossed in just for fun. It revolves around the now grown up and married John Connor and life on Earth after the “Judgment Day” event. It is definitely worth seeing in theaters because of the tremendous visual effects, but is it a movie that’ll be up to the “Batman” standards we are used to from Bale? Well, read on if you want to live … or if you’d rather just finish reading the review (P.s. Possible spoilers ahead as well)!

Pros:
- Not So Cheesy – An aspect of sequels that can be annoying, especially from movies with such notable one liners, is that the writers feel they have to repeat these well-known lines like it’ll be cute or something. The writers for “Salvation” did not however over do it with the numerous famous zingers from the original three films. There are a couple throughout the movie, but they are very subtle and the actors delivering the famous quotes don’t ham it up either. Great job!

- Visual Effects – The CG is incredible! Like another highly anticipated summer sequel “Transformers 2” – this movie would not exist without CG – it creates a believable habitat devastated from “Judgment Day” but it is still a location that is recognizable and familiar. The visual artists also did a great job making the Prisoner Transport machines realistic by seamlessly combining the CG with a perfectly replicated set for the actors.

- Won’t Be Left in the Dark – It has been awhile since I’ve seen any of the original “Terminator” films. If you’re like me, fear not, you won’t be left totally in the dark because McG was considerate enough to refresh our memories of the events that occurred during the previous movies at the beginning of “Salvation.” Thanks McG!

- Bryce Dallas Howard – As Conner’s pregnant wife, she and John work great as a tough team plotting against the machines as well as protecting their own people.



Cons:
- Batman Voice Cameo – The only nit picky aspect of the “Batman” movies that I don’t like is Bale’s voice when he’s Batman (versus his normal voice as Bruce Wayne). It sounds unnatural. And, sadly, the Batman voice does come back like a T-800 throughout the film.

- The "Rebar Through The Chest" Trick – A common movie magic trick film makers like to use is this: the main character is relieved he’s finally defeated every last one of his enemies when one of them surprises us all by using his last bit of energy to impale our leading dude through the chest with an object. But, as in typical badass fashion, our hero does not die from his incredibly serious injury, oh no, low and behold he WALKS away alive and ready to be badass another day. John Connor + Rebar + Chest + Walks Away = Me Feeling Cheated by a Cliche

Summary:
Honestly, there are more Pros than Cons for “Terminator Salvation,” which is not what I expected. The lack of clichés (minus the one mentioned above) and corny references to the other movies is pleasantly surprising. The dialog and plot are cohesive and believable. It’ll keep your attention, won’t confuse you with references and the acting isn't over done. I am definitely looking forward to the next installment, so keep an eye out for the review of “Terminator 5” due in 2011, because…

I’ll be back!
(hehe – I couldn’t resist!!)

Do you think “Terminator Salvation” upholds the key aspects of the original three “Terminator” films? What do you think is in store for the next two installments? Anything you particularly loved or hated about “Salvation?”

"Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels.” – Frank Sinatra
So may the prayers, tranquilizers and JD be with you and see you next time.
http://moviesworketc.blogspot.com/

Read more!