War Horse

When I saw the trailer for this movie, admittedly I got excited. One of my all time favorite directors has a new movie out with the score done by none other than the maestro himself, John Williams. The movie, the cinematic retelling of the smash Broadway hit of the same name which was adapted by the novel by Michael Morpurgo of the same name, War Horse looked like it was going to be thrilling. The trailer had all the elements of what looked to be an exciting movie. I mean really, who doesn't love a good horse story and by that same vein who doesn't love a good war movie? And if you've seen Saving Private Ryan you know Steven Spielberg is a master of the war movie genre. The trailer was stirring, horse racing past barbed wire while explosions lit up the night, the soaring score, the aerial shots of the lush countryside, the trailer had me hooked. Sadly though upon seeing Spielberg's latest offering I have come to the conclusion that the trailer was leaps and bounds better than the actual movie in my opinion.

War Horse had a cast of so many faces that I didn't recognize and a lot that I did thanks to Harry Potter. Cast members like David Thewlis and Peter Mullan hail from the Potter canon while Eddie Marsan is in two winter movies this year. He is in this film as well as being in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. The rest of the key members of the cast includes the immensely talented Emily Watson and Jeremy Irvine in his first film as Albert Narracott, the boy that loves his horse. The rest of the cast comes and goes in the movie as they come into contact with the horse. It's more an ensemble piece which I think takes away from the movie. There are so many people that come into contact with this horse that's been taken from Albert once England goes to war with Germany that there aren't any real emotional ties to any of the characters. Do you care about the little French girl who's sick or her grandpapa doing his best to keep her alive? Not really? Do you care about the two young deserters from the German army who only want to get home back to their mother? Nope, not really.

Don't get me wrong, this movie WILL tug at your heart strings unless you're a cynic like me. In that case you'll wonder why everyone around you is crying their eyes out and you're not. You may wonder what is wrong with you. I am here to assure you that there's nothing wrong with you or those crying and blowing their nose into tissues and handkerchiefs. Spielberg, the master manipulator he is pulled out all the tricks for this movie. The blazing sunsets, the closeups, the music, the war torn country sides, the evil Germans, the heroic Brits it's all here in here. Wrapped up for you in a nice bow and in two hours and twenty six minutes. There were good scenes, really good scenes, gripping even but there weren't enough of them to make a good movie. If Spielberg focused on Albert doing his part in the war and on the horse doing his part then maybe this movie would have hit the bulls eye but as it is, it's not even a flesh wound. The only significant emotional storyline is between Albert and his drunkard of a father Ted played by Peter Mullan. Ted has been through war and according to Albert's mother Rose his father drinks to forget all the killing and dying he's seen. Albert doesn't believe it but he soon finds out what war is like and how it can break a man. He comes to see his father in a completely different light towards the end and that's touching.

Cinematically the movies is beautiful to look at. Like I mentioned, the aerial shots, the sunsets, and scenes of war are impressive but nothing was better than the horse himself. I don't know how many horses were used in the making of this film but if it was just one, he was magnificent to look at. He's a pretty good actor as well. Spielberg has Janusz Kiminski as usual doing the cinematography and it appears Janusz has lightened up a bit. His look is usually very bleak bordering on black and white images but this movie is full of color which seems like a departure for Kaminski. The score is, well do I even need to mention the score? It IS John Williams after all.

If you're a sentimentalist then bring tissues and if you're not, don't bother. For that matter only see this film if you're a Spielberg fan, if you're not then skip it and wait for the DVD and I'll see you at the theater.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

If you liked anything about the first Guy Ritchie directed Sherlock Holmes movie then catch the first steaming thing you can find and see the sequel. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is by far a better movie in every way. Where the first Holmes movie was the set up pitch, the appetizer, the second is without a doubt the main course. The chemistry between Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law where in the first Holmes movie was cute, here it flows on a far deeper level. These guys should do more movies together and hopefully there will be a third Holmes film.

Now Robert and Jude had some great company in this movie much like the first one. The usual cast of characters are back like Rachel McAdams playing Irene Adler, Kelly Reilly who finally becomes the wife of Watson, Eddie Marsan as Inspector Lestrade, and Geraldine James who plays the befuddled maid of Holmes. The new additions to the cast this time around raise the bar. Noomi Rapace fresh off her turn as Lisbeth Salander stars as Madam Simza Heron, Stephen Fry as Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock's older brother, Paul Anderson as the lethal Colonel Sebastian Moran, and Jared Harris who plays the diabolical Professor James Moriarty.

Now I liked Mark Strong's Lord Blackwell in the first film but he has NOTHING on Jared Harris' Moriarty. Both men were hell bent on world domination but where Blackwell wanted to trick his way into that with Black magic, Moriarty takes a more head on approach by trying to start the first world war. And where Blackwell was no real match for Holmes, Moriarty is more of a worthy opponent. If you've seen the first movie you know how skilled Holmes is as a fighter, Moriarty is equally as skilled in the art of pugilism and gives Holmes a serious run for his money here. Moriarty has France and Germany on the brink of war and only Holmes and Watson can foil his plan for it takes someone as crazy as Holmes to defeat someone as crazy as Moriarty.

Visually the movie is stunning and I am sure there will be some awards handed out, especially for the chase through the woods segment. That was not only fun to watch, it was intense as well. There are the usual Guy Ritchie flourishes here and there if you know his movies. Every director has their trademarks and Ritchie is no different though he refrains from over doing it. I must also mention that there is a hilarious donkey ride that set to the music from the Clint Eastwood western classic Two Mules for Sister Sara. Guy said regarding the first Sherlock Holmes movie that it was his most accessible movie to date, well this then is his second and also his best.

Armed with a great story to work with, a great cast to direct, a budget that I am sure far exceeded the first one, and Hans Zimmer outdoing his old score by leaps and bounds Guy delivers a movie, a sequel that far outshines it's predecessor. One I would see it again in a heartbeat. Maybe I'll see you online and if not, I'm sure I'll see you at the theater.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

"To say I was looking forward to seeing this movie is an understatement". That's the line I started the blog entry for David Fincher's last film the social network and I was right for using it then as I am right for using it now. David Fincher has directed yet another masterpiece and he has, in my humble opinion moved himself into the same rarefied aid of Spielberg, Scott, Scorsese, Jackson, and Nolan. His latest offering, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo far surpasses the original Swedish film adaptation of the book by the same title. The book, originally entitled Men Who Hate Women is clearly shown in many aspects of both films but Fincher pulls no punches in his rendition and Rooney Mara falls so deeply into Lisbeth Salander that you'd think she had been waiting to play this role all her life.

Noomi Rapace played Lisbeth in the Swedish versions and she has since become a star thanks to that role. She is currently in the latest Sherlock Holmes film and is also in the eagerly anticipated upcoming movie Prometheus directed by Ridley Scott. She chose not to reprise her role for Fincher's version which was smart on her part. I personally don't see how anyone could have played Lisbeth twice, the demands are so great. That opened the door for Rooney Mara who was also in Fincher's the social network. She was the young lady at the table in the beginning of the movie with Mark Zuckerberg played brilliantly by Jessie Eisenberg where she dumps him. Hard to believe that's the same young actress when you see her in Tattoo.

She is surrounded by an exceptional cast in this movie starting with Daniel Craig who actually shows his acting skills. Playing James Bond I guess doesn't allow for such nonsense as say acting. Rounding out the cast is the exceptional Christopher Plummer playing the patriarch Henrik Vanger, Steven Berkoff who I have always been a fan of since first seeing him in Beverly Hills Cop, Stellan Skarsgard, Joely Richardson, Robin Wright, and a Goran Visnjic sighting. For those that loved the show ER in it's AC days (After Clooney) know who he is. Throw that talented lot into a pot along with a screenplay written by the Oscar award winning screenwriter Steve Zaillian, Oscar nominated cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth, and Fincher and you are bound to have a superior movie.

Since Stieg Larsson's books have been out for years now I won't get into plot detail but I will say that what makes Fincher's Tattoo better than Niels Arden Oplev's version is that in Fincher's film Lisbeth seems more fleshed out. Granted there are times when she's robotic in her actions and seems almost Vulcan in her showing emotion but Fincher not only makes that work, he plays upon it. Where Oplev's version ends with the death of the bad man, Fincher shows the complicated yet blossiming friendship between Lisbeth and Blomkvist. He also shows how wily and talented a hacker Lisbeth is by illegally accruing a fortune. I am really hoping Fincher will do The Girl who played with Fire which is the second book in the trilogy and my favorite of the three.

The score, put together by the Oscar award winning duo that won for the social network, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross are back at it again and while this score isn't as dynamic as network, it is far moodier and darker than their last one which fits this film perfectly. I think they will be working with Fincher for as long as he is making films because they seem to be on his wavelength. It'll be like the pairings of Speilberg/Williams and Nolan/Zimmer. When you see it's a Fincher film you will instantly know Reznor and Ross will be doing the score.

Go see this movie, you won't be sorry you did and I'll see you at the theater

The Descendants

I had originally thought the absolute worse film of this year (2011) was Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Like I stated, that film lacked every ingredient a film would need to be even halfway decent. Well after what I was just subjected to, Pirates has some serious competition. The movie is called The Descendants and it stars George Clooney who plays Matt King. Matt is your average, middle aged, run of the mill lawyer living on one of the islands off of Hawaii. He's the father of two incredibly disrespectful daughters and the husband to a wife who is currently in a coma. This god awful film will take away at least an hour and a half out of your life that you will regret giving up, I assure you.

Now George has had some vanity projects before (see Solaris) but this one takes the cake. He is virtually almost every shot in this film. If you like George and you think he's hot then you should definitely see this movie. Not only is he in damn near every shot but his close-ups are SO close at times that you can see his pores. Directed by Alexander Payne, the man behind the camera of such disturbing yet likable fares like Sideways and About Schmidt, The Descendants doesn't seem to know what story it wants to tell so it falls completely flat.

It doesn't know if it wants to tell the story of how an absentee father now tasked with the job of raising two daughters alone copes with that responsibility. It doesn't know if it wants to tell the story of how the descendants of King Kamehameha are in line to sell a huge chunk of land on one of the islands to some developers and how Matt has the final say over who they sell too. It doesn't know if it wants to tell the story of a grieving husband who finds out from his oldest daughter that his wife was cheating on him and was about to ask him for a divorce before some tragic boating accident put her in a coma. This movies doesn't know if it wants to be a comedy or a drama and because of it's lack of direction this movie has some severe lack of impact on you the viewer.

Also starring in Clooney's vanity project are Shailene Woodley who plays his oldest daughter Alexander King, Amara Miller who plays the younger daughter Scottie King, Patricia Hastie who does no acting at all. She just layed around on set playing the comatose wife and mother. You see her only once doing something in this movie and that was in the absolute beginning of the movie, even before Clooney's voice over begins. Oh you thought I was joking when I called this one of Clooney's biggest vanity projects. Not only is he in every shot but he speaks throughout the film as well. The rest of the cast in this complete waste of time isn't really important.

The movie opens up with the cheating wife in a boat and that fades out and then you hear George before seeing him. He talks about how people who don't know any better think that living in Hawaii is paradise and how living there must be great. As if the cancer on Hawaii and the surrounding islands isn't as fatal and the heartbreak isn't as painful. He goes on to say "fuck paradise" and YET paradise is pretty much all you see for the rest of the movie. I don't know how hard it is to make Hawaii and it's neighboring islands look less like paradise but if you open up with "fuck paradise" and then that's all you show, how is anyone going to take you seriously?

The music is annoying at times unless you like Hawaiian music and can understand the language. It's way too much ukulele and moaning if you ask me which detracts from the drama and doesn't add to the comedy or something like that. This movie was touted as an Oscar contender and was believed to bring Clooney his second Oscar but this film is garbage and if he even gets nominated, let alone beat out Leonardo Dicaprio then there is something seriously rotten in Denmark. I wish I knew what movie those people went to see because it sounds like a good one. They certainly didn't see THIS one.

Do yourselves a favor and act like this movie doesn't even exist, you'll be doing yourself a favor and saving an hour and a half of your life.

J. Edgar

Okay, a few blog entrees ago I mentioned that a certain actress should win the Oscar for best female performance in a major motion picture. I am here to tell you that while I really didn't like J. Edgar, if DiCaprio doesn't win best male performance then someone was paid off. Seriously, you don't realize how freakishly talented Leo is as an actor until you've seen him portray the maniacal, paranoid, egotistical, closeted gay, coward that was J. Edgar Hoover. Directed by Clint Eastwood, the ONLY reason to see this film is for Leo and if I had a vote in who walks away with the golden statue, it would be him. He carried this disjointed excuse of a movie from beginning to end and does an outstanding job.

Starring alongside Leo is Naomi Watts who plays Helen Gandy, Hoover's extremely loyal right hand and personal secretary. Dame Judi Dench plays Anna Marie Hoover, the overbearing and over nurturing mother of J. Edgar. Geoff Pierson stars as Mitchell Palmer, the man who gave Hoover his start, and Armie Hammer as Clyde Tolson, the one true love of Hoover's life. It is truly an impressive cast but they were all undone by the way this movie jumps all over the place. One moment Hoover is a young and eager patriot hunting down the Bolshevik threat to America and the next he's an old germaphobic man with liver spots. There is very little in the way of character development for anyone in this film and that includes Hoover himself. Written by the Oscar award winning writer Dustin Lance Black who won for Milk, I'll just say J. Edgar wasn't his best work.

But wait, maybe it wasn't Dustin's fault. Maybe the fault lies squarely with the director. I have never really been a fan of Eastwood's movie making even though I did enjoy his Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Unforgiven, and Million Dollar Baby films. The issue though has always been his penchant for a sever lack of color which makes his films look almost black and white and the pacing. His films at times can put an insomniac to sleep. So maybe Dustin wrote a phenomenal linear screenplay, rife with provocative word play and serious character development and Clint decided to cut it all out. Maybe Clint chose to forgo Dustin's straight ahead story telling and decided to take us the viewer on a trip through time, zig zagging back and forth through eras because he thought that showed just what an artist he was. Or was he hiding Dustin's shortcomings? Who's to say? All I know is that the incessant back and forth through time disappointed rather than impressed.

What did impress me though, other than Leo were the suits. The clothes were sharp and worn extremely well. Everything from the hats to the shoes, this was a handsome film and Emmy award winning costume designer Deborah Hopper should be in the conversation for Oscar consideration, in my humble opinion of course. Scored by Eastwood, the music was sparse yet intense which is rare for him. The movies he's scored in the past have all had sweet melodic themes but lacked any vigor or intensity until now. Not worthy of going out and buying the score but it was a job well done.

I just wish I could say that about the film itself. I would pass on J. Edgar and see something else unless you are a fan of history. Even then though I dare say you would walk out disappointed as the credits rolled. The only saving grace is Leo so on that note, on a scale if one to four I give J. Edgar one and a half junior G-Men badges. I'll see you at the theater.

Immortals

Okay, so let me get this straight. There was a war in the heavens and the victors called themselves Gods and the defeated were called Titans. The Gods vanquished the Titans to some cage in the bottom of some mountain for all eternity and the only thing on the planet that could set the Titans free was the mystical and powerful Epirus bow that fell from the heavens during the war. If I got that right then that is the premise for the new movie Immortals by Tarsem Singh. Now if that name doesn't sound familiar or ring any bells then maybe that's because this truly expensive film is just Tarsem's third. His first was that off the wall and horrendously bad Jennifer Lopez vanity project entitled The Cell. I skipped his second offering, The Fall because of The Cell but Immortals for some reason intrigued me, so I went.

Was I entertained? Delighted? Pleasantly surprised? No. Was I impressed with the 3D? Yes. This movie is one to skip and I will explain why. First off the look of this stylized yet completely forgettable film is a blatant rip off of 300 (which might be because the producers of 300 backed this movie). It wouldn't surprise me one bit of some of the sets in this movie, wait what am I talking about, movies today don't have sets they have green screens. Well it wouldn't surprise me if some of the rejected visualizations for 300 made it into this movie, they look THAT similar. Secondly, the acting is just god awful. And that includes the two time Oscar nominated John Hurt. Mickey Rourke, while never really being classified as a good actor EVER (if you don't count his turn in The Wrestler) looks bored out of his mind as the evil King Hyperion who is searching for said mighty bow.

Rounding out the rest of the cast is Henry Cavill who plays Theseus, the man tasked to round up mankind and fight against Hyperion's hordes. Then there's the love interest because you KNEW there had to be a love interest, right? That's played by the ethereally beautiful Frida Pinto who is the oracle Phaedra. Now while Frida looks stunning for all the world to see and even though the cameras love her, she slept walked through this movie. She did a better acting job in Slumdog Millionaire and was borderline decent in Rise of the Planet of the Apes. There is a Stephen Dorf sighting by the way. I don't know who he bribed or slept with to get casted but there he was, on the screen without a HINT of an accent by the way. Lastly Luke Evans plays Zeus and I have to admit that he stole the movie in my eyes (not that it was all that hard to do really). When he was on screen, he was magnetic and blew everyone else into the background pretty much as someone portraying Zeus should in my opinion.

The fight scenes were impressive but come on, what did you expect from the producers of 300? Though I am growing tired of all the profile fight scenes. You know the ones, where the hero move steadily ahead through the throng of bad guys coming at him and he disposes of them one, maybe two, sometimes three at a time in slow motion. Yet all the while he (or she, see Watchmen) never slows down or takes a backward step and the camera shoots all this from the side view. Guys, try something new, okay?

The film is pretty to look at and the CG work (in 3D no less) is impressive. The score, supplied by Trevor Morris who is behind the music of The Tudors and Pillars of the Earth was decent. I can't say it's on the level of a John Williams or a Hans Zimmer, it's not even on the level of a Steve Jablonski but it's nice ear candy at times. It's not run right home and download it (unless you can for free) but it's not bad. What's bad is this movie and I recommend you skip it and wait for your neighborhood DVD bootleg guy to get it from instead of dropping almost $20 on a ticket to see it in the theaters. If you do see it though, don't say I didn't warn you :-)

Drive

If you like anything about Michael Mann and his style of movie making then you will love the new movie Drive. Starring the new hot kid on the block right now, Ryan Gosling and directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, Drive is an ode to those 80's movies like Michael Mann's Thief and Gary Sherman's classic Vice Squad. Coming off his violent last film Valhalla Rising starring Mads Mikkelsen it seems Nicolas went in a completely different direction and studied those films I mentioned earlier. It seems like he also read and fell in love with the novel of the same name by James Sallis who also co-wrote the screenplay. Now when I saw the trailer and commercials for this film I thought this was a remake of Walter Hill's classic The Driver starring Ryan O'Neil and Bruce Dern. I love that movie so I was very interested in seeing Drive. Well let's just say this movie is no remake.

Now along for the ride with Gosling is a pretty damn talented cast. Playing the possible love interest is Carey Mulligan from Wall Street II playing Winnie Gekko, Gordon's daughter. There's also a psychopathic turn by Ron Perlman, a seriously unfunny Albert Brooks, and a sympathetic Bryan Cranston. Drive also stars Christina Hendricks, Oscar Isaac, and if you were wondering whatever happened to Russ Tamblyn from West Side Story fame, well he turns up here as Doc. Now in my opinion that's a collection of talented actors which takes this movie to another level. The story is a simple story and really not much to work with but the performances are fantastic.

Also what's so fantastic about this film is the look of it. The cinematography of Newton Thomas Sigel gives this movie the look of that other Michael Mann classic Heat. Intense close-ups, vivid colors, amazingly beautiful aerial shots, and a handful of slow motion shots gives the film a Heat like atmosphere. There's also a touch of David Lynch thrown in for good measure and if you like Lynch and you see this movie you'll know his influences when you see them.

The story follows our un-named part time stunt driver, part time mechanic, and part time getaway driver through his life. It starts off with his repeated line "If I drive for you, you give me a time and a place. I give you a five-minute window, anything happens in that five minutes and I'm yours no matter what. I don't sit in while you're running it down; I don't carry a gun... I drive". That's just what he does, drive and the movie opens showing you just how well he does that. He's a loner and seemingly detached from the world around him until the world around him smiles in his direction. His neighbor Irene and her young son Benicio enter into the drivers world and suddenly he feels a connection with someone other than his boss Shannon played by Bryan Cranston.

Unfortunately the sexual tension that exists between the driver and Irene has to be put on hold when her husband gets released from prison. Once that happens the movie shifts gears and gets decidedly violent. Standard, played by Oscar Isaac is indebted to those that kept him safe behind bars and they want him to repay his debt by pulling a job for them. His decline brings him an vicious beating in front of his son and is told that they will kill his family should he say no again. His son is given the gift of a bullet and was told not to lose it by one of those that beat his dad. The driver feels compelled to help him in order to make sure everyone survives. Of course that doesn't happen.

This film also comes complete with Jan Hammer musical flourishes. The score by Cliff Martinez harkens back to the days of Miami Vice (just like the font used for the credits). The pop songs sound like they are straight from the 80's as well. I seriously think once this movie has left the theaters it will become a cult classic. Now if you didn't like Heat and were never a Miami Vice or a Michael Mann fan then you probably won't like this movie. If you are though then I highly recommend it. Enjoy it and I'll see you at the theater.

Circumstance

Circumstance is a beautiful movie about a love in a society that would not allow it under any, well circumstances. Written and directed by Maryam Keshavarz, helming her first full length feature film, Circumstance is a good film though disjointed at times. It may lose you at some points as you try to figure what's going on and where the characters are in the story. You'll feel disconnected from the story but not the performances which hold this movie together in amazing ways.

The first thing you'll notice is the unbelievable beauty of the co-leading actresses Nikohl Boosheri who plays Atafeh and Sarah Kazemy who plays Shireen. Then you would not believe this is the first time either of them has ever done any acting. They seemed so at ease in front of the camera, especially with some of the scenes these young ladies were asked to pull off. For that you have to credit the director and Maryam apparently created a very comfortable set. The ladies are joined by Reza Sixo Safai who plays Mehran, the brother of Shireen who comes home fresh off a stint from rehab.

Atafeh and Shireen are schoolmates, best friends, and without a doubt are in love with each other in a world where that is so not allowed. They could be killed for how they feel about each other and there are times during the movie where you fear for the young ladies lives. While they play with fire, Mehran is coming to grips of his spirituality at his local Mosque. It is there where he finds a spiritual guide and it couldn't have been a more detrimental move to the friendship of Atafeh and Shireen's friendship.

In a society where the men have ALL the power and what they command must be obeyed the woman live in constant fear but it's not just them. The youth are also constantly watched and spied upon by the "Morality Police" and it's that division of the police force that arrests the girls who have left one of the many underground parties that seemingly happen all over Iran. It's this moment plus Mehran taking full advantage of this opportunity that takes the final act of this movie into the realm of heartbreak. It also forces one young lady to make a decision about her future and where she should live her life.

The music by Gingger Shankar, while no newcomer to being involved with movie scores herself is forgettable. That could be due however to the love story unfolding in front of you. That being said, there are other moments during the film where a really good score could have made a powerful impact. The ball was dropped on that front sadly. There wasn't much to see as far as scenery goes either but that's not why you choose this movie to see. You choose this movie to move you, to open your eyes, to make you realize just how good you have it, to realize just how lucky you are. We are all lucky that Maryam Keshavarz got the chance to make her film. I for one recommend it highly and I'll see you at the theater.

Colombiana

Anyone who knows anything about Luc Besson knows he's a man that loves automatic weapons and stealth like killers. He's also fond of portly white men posing as bad guys, I don't know why. I guess he likes the image of them on the screen begging for their lives but I digress. In the case of his latest production Colombiana starring the incredibly talented and beautiful Zoe Saldana as Cataleya Restrepo you get not only automatic weapons, stealth like killers, and portly white men but you also get Zoe in a body suit. You also get her in various states of undress so if you're going to see this movie because she's in almost every frame of the movie then you won't be disappointed.

Directed by Olivier Megaton who is helming his second English speaking film, his first was Transporter 3 does a pretty good job. Though I would say if the lead was portrayed by anyone other than Zoe, this movie falls completely apart. The story, written by Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen is weak at best and I think they knew that which is why producer Luc Besson sought out Zoe Saldana to be in this movie. He apparently felt she was the only one that could pull this off and he was dead right. Not only is she the action star but the emotional core of the film, that which you can gleam from the trailer for the movie. Zoe was not the only great casting coup of this film though. Along with Zoe there's the very capable and talented Lennie James who plays Special Agent Ross. Cliff Curtis, Jordi Molla, Max Martini, and Michael Vartan help rounds out the cast. The real surprise though, the true find is Amandla Stenberg who plays young Cataleya. Be prepared to see a lot more of this young girl because she is very talented.

Young Cataleya sees her beloved mother and father murdered in front of her by her fathers ex-employer. Her father was a hit man who did the "wet" work for the big bad guy whose name you never really get. He sends his second in command Marco played by Jordi and almost a platoon of men to wipe out the entire family including the dog. Father and Mother along with their security teamed are laid to waste but not before Cataleya's father gives her a way to get out of Colombia and where to go once she gets to America. Marco fails to kill Cataleya and she makes it to the warm confines of her uncle's embrace played by Cliff Curtis who's Spanish accent can sometimes bring to mind Pacino's Scarface. She then explains what she wants to do with her life and her Uncle Emilio obliges her after a hilarious conversation in front of Cataleya's new elementary school.

She then grows up into a very lethal and efficient hit person who gets work from her Uncle. When she's not working for him though she finds and eliminates men who either had a hand in her parents death or who may have done work with the man responsible for her parents murder. On their stomachs she draws a picture of the cataleya orchid where her name comes from. She also knows she needs to keep her walls up and does so with her love interest if you can call him that. Danny Delany played by Michael Vartan and Cataleya are more like bed buddies than anything else. They are both damaged people who either don't know how to love or is willing to open up to love. So it makes you wonder how these two ever got together in the first place. Danny does something that puts her in danger it amps the movie up into a breakneck pace. If you are a fan of The Professional, another Luc Besson film then you will love this movie.

This movie is hyper edited by Camille Delamarre almost to the point of inducing a seizure at certain points so be prepared. The score done by Nathaniel Mechaly was decent at times but generic and almost utterly forgettable overall. The cinematography is nicely done, especially early on in the film as it tracks a foot chase through the favelas of Colombia. The movie on a whole though is hollow, at least I found it such. Maybe you'll feel differently when you check it out. When you do, I'll see you at the theater!

Conan The Barbarian

Do NOT waste your money! I will repeat that for you. Do NOT waste your money for this movie is definitely not worth seeing in the theaters and quite possibly should be avoided on DVD. There is nothing fun, charming, or remotely entertaining about this movie which was very disappointing. I have to admit that after seeing his impressive turn in Game of Thrones as Khal Drogo, I was eager to see Jason Momoa inhabit the role that Arnold made famous. While Jason was the best thing about this god awful movie, his portrayal as Conan was not good. I blame director Marcus Nispel entirely for that though, him and the horrible story (and whenever there are four or more writers credited that's usually a bad thing).

Going I should have tempered my excitement once I saw the movies Nispel has directed in his career. He was the man responsible for the remakes of Friday the 13th, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and that horrid Pathfinder movie so I don't really know why he was given the reigns to revitalize the Conan name. I was hoping against hope that this movie would impress me in some small way if not overall and it didn't. Along for this ride with Jason Momoa is Stephen Lang, Ron Perlman, Rachel Nichols, and Rose McGowan who seems to be making a comeback though I wouldn't add this role to the resume.

The first Conan which had Arnold going up against James Earl Jones as the mighty Thulsa Doom had a little bit of everything. It had action, humor, charm, and a pretty good story. In Arnold's Conan, young Conan was taken and sold to slavers and it showed how he grew to a massive man and how he honed his fighting skills. There's none of that here. In this Conan, young Conan's village is wiped out because his father hid a piece of some mystical mask that could turn a man into a god. The mask was broken up into pieces when the Barbarians rose up and were victorious against the first mask wearer. This time around Stephen Lang is out to put the mask back together so he could bring his witch wife back from the dead. They find the piece and leave young Conan behind and alive when they ride out which makes absolutely no sense. You leave the son of the Barbarian King alive so he can spend his entire life dreaming about revenge? Makes no sense to me.

On top of needing to put the mask back together Stephen Lang's Khalar Zym needs a "pureblood" to fuel the mask. The sends him and his hordes on a quest to find a certain young lady who they can cut open and have bleed into the mask. That young woman would be Tamara played by Rachel Nichols who just so happens to be Conans predictable romantic interest. Now maybe this movie is better in 3D (though I doubt it) but in 2D if it doesn't have you wondering when this movie will ever end then maybe it's me (though I doubt that too). The score done by Tyler Bates is good but it's dragged down by the images it's married to. Like I said earlier, do NOT waste your money on this movie and if you do do not say I didn't warn you and I'll see you at the theater.

The Help

Now I don't usually get into the Oscars nor do I usually care what motion picture is up for best picture. Same goes for the actors. The one time I did place an Oscar wager was for best picture between the overrated and over hyped Avatar against the gritty realism of The Hurt Locker. I was right then and damned if I am not right now. Viola Davis WILL win the Oscar for best actress or supporting actress in her portrayal as Aibileen Clark in The Help. You've read it here first and if she doesn't win it will be a travesty the likes of the shutting out of The Color Purple by the academy (cause everyone knows Purple got ROBBED!).

Directed by relative neophyte Tate Taylor The Help is based on the novel by the same name from Kathryn Stockett. It tells the story of the maids in Jackson Mississippi during the 1960's and the indignities they endured at the hands of their employers, if you want to call them that. The movie follows spunky Skeeter Phelan played by Emma Stone, fresh out of college and returned home to family and friends. She wants to be a writer, a journalist, and a novelist but she was turned down by Harper Collins so she instead takes a job at the local paper writing a housewife tip column. Skeeter isn't happy with just the column though, she has bigger plans and pitches an idea for a book that tells what life is like from the maids point of view. No one is willing to talk to her, especially after the assassination of Medgar Evers but after one brutal arrest and the word of God changed all that.

This movie is a powerful movie but it could have fallen flat had it not been perfectly cast. True talent was needed to be on the screen alongside Viola and not get blown away and the casting directors and the producers did a fantastic job of assembling talent that can hold their own. Starting off with Octavia Spencer who plays Aibileen's best friend Minny Jackson, Octavia is best described as a character actor but those days are about to be over thanks to her performance as the mercurial Minny. Bryce Dallas Howard brings to vivid life the racist Hilly Holbrook who is the perfect foil for Emma Stones Skeeter. Allison Janney plays Skeeter's mother Charlotte Phelan and she has her very own moment of reckoning thanks to Skeeter not letting go of what happened to their own housekeeper Constantine played by the immortal Cicely Tyson. Sissy Spacek plays the absent minded Missus Walters, the mother of Hilly. Jessica Chastain plays the insecure Celia Foots and Ahna O'Reilly plays the easily manipulated Elizabeth Lefoolt. The cast is phenomenal so you have some idea just how good the acting is.

It's a moving, disturbing, and offensive movie because it gives you insight to what race relations were like before civil rights took hold. It gave you just a touch of the fear African Americans dealt with while living in the Jim Crow south. It will upset you as well as entertain you and don't be surprised when the credits roll that you don't find yourself applauding, it's that good. Scored by the subtle hand of Thomas Newman the music is perfect. Granted it sounds like almost everything else Thomas Newman has done but why fix what's not broken?

I had no desire to read this book but if the book is half as good as the movie is (and the books usually are) then this book must be an absolute amazing read. I don't think you can really go wrong if you read the book first or see the movie first and if you see the movie first then I'll see you at the theater!

Senna

Anyone that knows me knows I love auto sports and things that go fast. My grandmother introduced me to the sport when I was really young by taking me to the dirt track races down south. It was exciting to watch and I was hooked. I watched every Indy 500 and Nascar race I could and even had favorite drivers. It wasn't until I discovered Formula one racing though that I can say I was truly fascinated by the sport. Whereas most Indy car races and Nascar races were done on ovals with the rare "road course" thrown into the season just to give the drivers a reason to turn right, Formula One was all twist and turns. You really had to be a superb driver to handle the tracks and the speed of F1 racing and the man at the top of the heap was the Brazilian champion Ayrton Senna.

Senna is a movie about the fascinating life and tragic early death of one of the greatest drivers of all time and it's a masterful film. I thought I was a fan of Senna's because I knew the teams he drove for and loved how he drove but this movie opened my eyes to the man himself, not just the driver and I am even a bigger fan of his today. There are certain people that were born to do certain things. Like him or not, Picasso was born to paint like Jordan was born to play basketball. Marvin Gaye was born to sing, Ali was born to fight, and Senna was born to race. This movie documents that vividly.

It tells of how Senna got started racing. As most racers he started in go karts and was so good at karting his parents knew it was just a matter of time before their son moved into formula one and they were right. After winning the British Formula 3 championship he made his formula one debut with Toleman, a team that was middle of the pack at best. Toleman couldn't really compete with the better equipped, better financed teams and with a lesser driver Toleman would have never garnered any real notice. Senna changed all that. With an inferior car and on the toughest yet most glamorous road course of Monaco, Senna placed second. That made the big teams take notice and Senna was soon driving for Lotus.

Alain Prost, 3 time world champion at that time would not only become a teammate of Senna's but also his biggest and most heated rival. Where Senna was all chance and what some saw as reckless on the track, Prost was the complete opposite. Cold and calculating Prost bristled at the passion driven Senna and at first what was an uneasy alliance under team Mclaren soon became an impossible environment for both men. This movie takes you behind the scenes and shows you the vitriol the drivers had for each other.

Ayrton stated on more than one occasion that driving brought him closer to God. Driving also allowed him to help the youth of Brazil, something Ayrton was just as passionate about as his driving. Senna shows how Ayrton found himself and his true calling and how his dream manifested itself. It also shows a man who had such a sense of dread before the race that would eventually take his life that it seemed like he knew it was going to all end that day at San Marino. For me it was chilling to watch.

If you are/were a fan of Ayrton Senna or of Formula One then you must see this movie. If you've never heard of Ayrton Senna and hate auto sports you should see this movie. Why? Because you see it's not just about cars and speed, it's about the people behind the wheels, the people behind the teams, and the fans who love the drivers. I am happy this film was made and even happier that I got a chance to see Ayrton Senna in action again. I didn't realize just how much I missed him.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

SEE THIS MOVIE!!!

That's the second time I've used those words on my blog and the first movie I used those words for, I was dead on the money. I really feel like I am again here. Rise of the Planet of the Apes was a truly entertaining movie in every sense of the word and if you can get past James Franco's horrible acting then you will most definitely enjoy this movie. I went in thinking this movie was going to possibly disappoint no matter how great the trailer looked. Why? Because it was a planet of the apes movie and all previous incarnations were campy at best. Granted those ape movies were many years ago when best they could do was a mask on Roddy McDowell. Technology has come such a long way since then.

The story is a great one. Doctor Will Rodman is developing a cure for Alzheimer's but before they try human trials they decide to test it on the one mammal that is closest to humans, apes. The drug works wonders for one particular chimpanzee and because the drug does something to the iris of the eyes, she's nicknamed "bright eyes". Much to the labs surprise "bright eyes" was pregnant when the drug was administered to her and she goes berserk when she feels her offspring is threatened, bright eyes seals her fate by rampaging through the labs. Her offspring, Caeser who was in utero when his mother was given the drug is taken home by the head of the lab and designer of the wonder drug Doctor Rodman played by James Franco. He lives at home with his ailing father the talented John Lithgow who is succumbing to Alzheimer's.

The cast for this surprisingly good movie is a surprisingly good one. Look past James Franco and there's Bryan Cox, the lovely Freida Pinto, the underrated David Oyelowo, and fresh off his turn as Draco Malfoy from the Potter movies there's Tom Felton possibly being typecast. The star of the cast though, the one who is the motor of this movie is without a doubt the truly gifted Andy Serkis who plays Caeser. Serkis was the man behind the incredible performance of Gollum in the LOTR movies and was even mentioned quietly possibly getting an Oscar nomination for his work in those movies. He now shows off his incredible skills in Apes with the movements and facial gestures of Caeser. Solidly directed by relative newcomer Rupert Wyatt, Apes is a smartly written and well executed movie.

A very good portion of this movie takes place in "the monkey house" where Caeser is sent after he attacks his neighbor. It's compelling to watch how he goes from being the outcast and bullied to king of the pack. The scenes where Caeser is forced to stay behind after his human parents are court ordered to leave him in a place he knows nothing about and when he's finally allowed to go home and chooses to stay is great movie making. Caeser taking control of the pack coupled with the dangerous side effects of the second incarnation of the Alzheimer's drug on humans clearly illustrates how the apes will eventually take control.

Now should there be a sequel to this prequel, and I am sure there will be the producers of said possible prequel sequel would be wise to have Patrick Doyle score that movie as he did this movie. That would be a winning formula (and possibly an award winning one as well). The score was a fantastic marriage to the images of rampaging apes, chimps, and monkeys on the screen. Patrick did a great job on Thor and he's done another great job here.

I said it earlier, see this movie because it's just a really good film and I'll see you at the theater.

Cowboys and Aliens

After seeing this movie one thing is for certain. Either the graphic novel that inspired this god awful movie truly sucks or John Favreau sucks as a director. He hit it out of the ballpark with Elf and Iron Man but fell off with Iron Man 2 and this movie makes it official, he is not as good a director as he let on. Cowboys and Aliens was a movie that just screamed potential blockbuster. It had a great premise, great cast, good director, and Steven Speilberg as executive director, the blockbuster ingredients were in the pot and the stew was cooking. Just seems someone forgot to lower the flame and put the lid on the pot.

Now when I said one of the ingredients in this weak ass movie was a great cast, I meant it. Harrison Ford, Sam Rockwell, Adam Beach, the beautiful Olivia Wilde, Clancy Brown, Paul Dano, Keith Carradine, and the mediocre Daniel Craig round out the key components of the cast. Harrison Ford plays Woodrow Dolarhyde who is a cattle baron and Daniel Craig plays Jake Lonergan, leader of an inept gang and a petty thief. These two men are mortal enemies but before the movie tells you that, it gives you Jake waking up in the middle of the desert with no idea who he is and wearing an odd bracelet on his wrist. After defeating three armed gunmen on horseback (to prove just what a bad ass Jake is) he rides into the town of Absolution. He then beats up Dolarhyde's drunk son Percy as well as the sheriff and his crew.

Just when Percy and Jake are about to be hauled of to a real jail in the wagon, Percy's dad and his posse shows up because Woodrow wants his son back and is willing to shed blood to make that happen. Suddenly there are floating lights in the sky and before any bullets fly these lights wreak havoc on the city of Absolution as well as harvest some of it's people. All hell breaks out on the ground and every one runs for cover and that's when Jakes bracelet comes to life and he blasts his way out of the jail wagon and then stands in the middle of the road and takes down one of those flying machines. The alien flying the machine kills some towns people and escapes. Fortunately Woodrow has an Indian in his employ who can track the alien and they all set off after it including Olivia Wilde and Emmett, a 10 year old child who wants to get his grandfather who's been "harvested" by the aliens.

This movie is weak and if I had to rate it on a 1 to 10 scale it barely gets a five. I found myself not giving a damn about any of the characters and I didn't care if they succeeded or failed in the posse's attempt to free the towns people who had been taken. They tried to turn the bad ass into a compassionate and caring hero when he was a psychopath earlier in the film. They want you to cheer and pull for Dolarhyde's character who's an evil asshole. You don't get emotionally invested in any of these characters in any way so there's a visceral disconnect. If the graphic novel was written this way I have no idea why the filmmakers didn't make a significant change in the story line because it damn sure needed it.

When I saw that the score was done by Harry Gregson-Williams I was interested in hearing what he could do. I was a fan of his score for Gone Baby Gone, Seraphim Falls, Man on Fire, and The Town. This time out however Harry missed the mark. Not to say the music wasn't good, it was just forgettable but when the entire movies emotional marks are tied to the score it's an almost impossible task to achieve. It's unfair to put that kind of pressure on a composer but Favreau seemed to have no problem with doing that. That's why I am convinced John isn't as a good of a director as Hollywood wants you to think he is because if all the blame of a good or bad movie falls at the feet of the director then he should have done better than this. I recommend you skip this movie but if you don't then I'll see you at the theater.

Captain America: The First Avenger

In all my life there has never been a decent movie made of the iconic Marvel comic character Captain America. There have been multiple attempts and they've all been simply atrocious. They were either done in by really bad acting by two bit actors or ridiculously small budgets that doomed the production. I have to tell you that after seeing this incarnation I'm still not sure they got it right. This time around the budget was enormous for Captain America: The First Avenger. The special effects were very impressive and the acting was top notch thanks to one hell of a cast but maybe, just maybe no matter how much money you spend or who you get to act in it, maybe Captain America just doesn't make a good movie.

Now when I said the acting was top notch, I meant it. Chris Evans plays Steve Rogers aka Capt. America and while he's NEVER impressed me before with his acting (though he was decent in Sunshine) he was decent in this movie. The real star of the movie in my opinion was Hugo Weaving who plays Johann Schmidt aka Red Skull and leader of Hydra. Hugo goes all in portraying the Red Skull and does a fantastic job. He's menacing, violent, and just downright crazy and we all know Hugo can do that better than almost anyone. There's also Oscar award winner Tommy Lee Jones playing Colonel Chester Phillips and the chameleon like Stanley Tucci playing Dr. Abraham Erskine who is responsible for the super serum that takes scrawny Steve Rogers and turns him into a one man fighting machine.

The rest of the cast includes Haley Atwell, Derek Luke, Toby Jones, Sebastian Stan, Dominic Cooper playing Howard Stark, and Samuel L. Jackson reprising his role as Nick Fury yet again. Now the story (for those that have never read the comics) follows Steve trying to join the army so he can get sent overseas and fight Hitler and his Nazis but due to his asthma and his weighing ninety-nine pounds gets him rejected for duty with every attempt and the attempts are numerous. That is until Dr. Erskine snatches him up and pumps him full of the super serum. He's then sent around the country to help sell war bonds as well as overseas to entertain the troops as Captain America. It's not until he finds out his best childhood buddy Bucky Barnes is in trouble. Then there's no stopping Captain America from punching people out and throwing his "mighty shield".

It's slick, stylish, campy, over the top, and utterly ridiculous at times but director Joe Johnston who's last film was the amazingly weak Wolfman does his best to deliver and entertaining film and he does. It's very entertaining, it's just too bad it's hollow. There is absolutely nothing at its core emotionally when you get right down to it. The script written by four scribes takes care of that very early on in the film and after that moment in the movie where tragedy strikes a major character, the movie just falls flat. The music by the great Alan Silvestri does an adequate job but for the most part the music falls as flat as the movie which is surprising if you know Silvestri's work over the years.

Again maybe Captain America is that one Marvel hero that just doesn't transfer well to the screen like the X-Men or Thor no matter how hard someone tries. Maybe he's just better left on the pages of his comic but that's my opinion. Go see for yourself and let me know what you think and I'll see you at the theater.

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 2

It's over. It's come to an end like we all knew it would when the first book hit the bookshelves. There are no more books so there will be no more films, Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 2 brings this billion dollar franchise to an epic close and honestly, I expected better. Wait, let me not say better and instead I'll say I expected more. I suppose the reason I was looking for more was because I really loved Part 1. It gave me everything I could have wanted that movie to be. Could it have been darker? Sure but that would have excluded Potter's demographic so it was as dark as it could have been and I was good with that. I think what I was looking for in Part 2 was that darkness that wasn't in Part 1. Hell, this WAS the last movie after all.

Picking right up where Part 1 left off Harry, Hermione, and Ron are at one of the Order of the Phoenix' safe houses. Harry realizes where one of those ever important horcruxes might be and with the help of the goblin who escaped with Harry and company from the Malfoy's residence they head to Gringotts and Bellatrix Lestrange's vault. The sequence of getting in and getting out of Gringotts Bank is as entertaining a sequence in any Potter film and the 3D is fantastic. It's a great beginning to a movie filled to the brim with cinematic flourishes that will most undoubtedly take your breath away.

It's an impressive curtain call as well. Characters that came and went, faces that were forgotten from previous movies are all back to do battle against the Dark Lord (who seemingly refuses to change his clothes no matter what) and his minions. This time around Professor Sprout makes an appearance along with Kingsley Shacklebolt and Professor Trelawney. We also get to meet Lilly Potter as a fully formed character as well as Severus Snape (who turns out to be the real hero within the Potter lore). You get to see Snape's love for Lilly develop from when they were just children. It's both touching and heartbreaking when it all comes to a head with Snape finally showing Harry love in his own way. We also finally get to meet Albus' brother Aberforth Dumbledore played by the very talented Ciaran Hinds.

Now my problem with this movie is yes there's violence, death, and destruction of which I am all for. It's all around but it's all done so at a nice antiseptic distance. Sometimes it's hard to keep track of who the good guys and the bad guys are. Big characters, good characters buy the farm but we don't get to see them fight until they can't anymore. I almost felt cheated when characters I liked and admired are dead and you don't know how valiantly they fought or if they ran like cowards. I'm guessing director David Yates wanted to save the hero worshipping for Harry, Hermione, and Ron or maybe he thought you the viewer got enough of all that from the books. Either way in my humble opinion it fell short.

What didn't fall short was Alexadre Desplat's score. Not only did he NOT copy the same score from Part 1 (which I really enjoyed) but he also incorporated some of the musical cues from the last two composers John Williams and Nicholas Hooper. The music for Part 2 was better than Part 1 and that's saying something. It was a job well done by Mr. Desplat and I tip my hat to the man. Did I love Deathly Hallows Part 2? Sadly not and maybe that's because I was spoiled by Part 1 or maybe I just need to see it again. Either way, I'll see you at the theater.

Beginners

When I heard about the premise of this movie and then found out who was in it I thought it sounded interesting. An elderly man comes out of the closet to his adult son after the husbands wife and sons mother passes away. Now to me that sounded like a story just rife with potential hilarity as well as making a statement on society at large and while it does the latter, the hilarity is definitely missing. Don't get me wrong, this movie will make you laugh but the laughter causing moments are spread out thinly throughout the film.

Starring Ewan McGregor who plays Oliver, Christopher Plummer playing Hal , and Melanie Laurent who plays Anna Beginners is a slow moving movie about a father and son coming to grips with each other in the face of death and loss. Not told in straight ahead fashion but dominated by flashbacks director and writer Mike Mills deftly spins a yarn of a story around Oliver and all he's been through as a kid growing up in a house with no real love between his parents. He tells how growing up in that environment plays a major role in everything he does in his life as a man.

Hal married the quirky Georgia played by the very talented Mary Page Keller. She marries and has a kid with Hal even though she knows he's gay. In fact Hal has known he was gay since he was thirteen but he wants a piece of that American dream where the nice house, car in the garage, and children. He was afraid though that it could all be taken away if his homosexuality was to be discovered, so afraid in fact that he wouldn't even hold his own sons hand when out in public. Because Oliver grows up in such a dysfunctional household with parents who are clearly in a passionless relationship, when he comes across Anna he has no idea on how to make that relationship work.

When Georgia passes away Hal is now free to live the life he's always wanted to and can do so out in the open. He fully embraces the gay culture, makes a boatload of new gay friends and even places a personal ad to find a lover. He eventually finds Andy played by Goran Visnjic from E.R. fame and the two of them enjoy each others company until Hal dies. Before he does though, father and son finally develop that bond they never had when they were younger and it's through that bond that Oliver finally realizes that he can make choices. He can choose to be happy or sad and eventually Oliver chooses to be happy.

Christopher Plummer is great in this film and should be recognized come Oscar time (and I have never said ANYTHING like that before) but the real star of this movie is Athur, Hal's Jack Russel terrier. Played by "Cosmo the dog", Arthur is great and steals almost every scene he's in and while there are no real rewards for acting animals and their trainers, there really should be. Beginners is a well done film but it's trailer and posters are misleading, be warned it's not a "fun" or "funny" film at all but is definitely entertaining and a movie worth seeing. I'll see you at the theater.

Larry Crowne

So let's say you aren't interested in any way of seeing giant robots fighting each other for the control of mankind and planet earth. While I'm at it let's say you aren't one of the masses that cares for kids waving wands around trying to save their world from some maniacal evil wizard. If you fall into one or both of these category's then boy do I have the movie for you. Larry Crowne is a movie that stars Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts. There are no robots and the only magic in this movie you're supposed to believe in is the romance between the two leading actors (which is sometimes hard to buy).

Universal's release of Larry Crowne right after Transformers and two weeks before Harry Potter was a stroke of genius. The charm of this movie is the perfect escape for those parents who are worn out by said giant robots, animated racing cars, guys in green pj's, and bracing for the wizarding world. Directed by Tom Hanks and written by Tom Hanks and Nia Vadarlos, the woman who wrote and starred in My Big Fat Greek Wedding which was produced by Hank's production company Crowne is the story of a man who seemed to have a handle on life and had things going his way while working at U-Mart. That was until he's let go because he's maxed out as a team leader and can rise no higher in management due to his never attending college.

The beauty of this movie isn't the topical story but the great cast assembled. Larry's neighbors are Cedric The Entertainer and Taraji P. Henson who play the married couple Lamar and B'Ella. George Takei plays Dr. M the economics professor that unknowingly helps Larry get a handle on his finances. Tom Hanks' wife Rita Wilson makes an appearance as his banker and his son Chet Hanks plays the pizza delivery boy. Rounding out the cast there's Pam Grier, Wilmer Valderrama, Rami Malek, Brian Cranston, and the lovely newcomer Gugu Mbatha-Raw who plays the flirtatious Talia. You'll be seeing a lot more of her I'm sure (she's that good).

For this being Tom's second time helming a major motion picture, his first was the critically acclaimed but box office disappointment That Thing You Do, Crowne was well done. There are moments where the movie drags and a lot of that has to do with the (yawn) disintegrating marriage between Julia Roberts character Mercedes Tainot and her porn loving husband Dean played by Breaking Bad's Brian Cranston. Other than that this movie about a man who lifts himself up after being unceremoniously dumped by the company he's worked for for years is not an instruction manual on what to do should this happen to you but it's message should be heeded.

The music by James Newton Howard is spartan due to all the classic rock songs littered throughout the film but James' score was poignant and sweet. Transformers was a movie I wanted to see but Larry Crowne was a movie I needed to see. It may be a movie you need to see as well and if you can buy Mercedes Tainot falling for Larry Crowne then all the better. I'll see you at the theater.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Okay, I know you all are wondering if Rose Huntington-Whiteley adequately replaces Megan Fox as Samuel Witwicky's love interest in this, the last installment of the Transformers trilogy. Well all I can say is while she does look good in heels and a short skirt (which she seems to stay dressed in throughout the movie unless you count those times when she's half naked) her acting is Megan Fox quality. Thankfully though there is a lot more to see and a lot more going on than Rose's weak performance though someone needs to tell Michael Bay to hire a real actress instead of these girls that just look good on the screen but have no real acting talent.

Fear not though, this movie is chock full of talented actors who are also okay on the eyes. Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, and John Turturro reprise their roles as Lennox, Epps, and Simmons respectfully but also appearing in Transformers: Dark of the Moon are the incomparable Frances McDormand, the eerily talented John Malkovich, the chameleon Alan Tudyk, and just in case there wasn't enough eye candy on the screen for the ladies there's Patrick Dempsey (I was told he's a hottie, whatever). There's also the gravitas of Leonard Nimoy voicing Sentinel Prime and a hilarious turn by Ken Jeong fresh off his role in The Hangover II. Throw all this talent in the hopper along with a decent story line, something T2 did NOT have and you have a movie that's far superior than the second and almost as good as the first. If this is the last Transformers movie the trilogy bows out impressively.

The story centers around the reason man stepped foot on the moon and Sam while being the savior of mankind (twice as he will gladly tell anyone who will listen) is unable to get a job. The Autobots, no longer having anything to fear from the vanquished Decepticons now work with man to handle terrorist issues here at home. That was until they find certain Cybertron technology sitting in the middle of Chernobyl, yes I said Chernobyl. Talk about a place making the most unlikely of comebacks. This pisses Optimus Prime off and he realizes he and the Autobots have been either lied to by omission or lied to outright by the US Government. He's then told about the crashed ship that landed on our moon that carried the technology that would have ended the Cybertron civil war between the Autobots and the Decepticons. They retrieve what was on the moon and then all hell breaks loose.

The 3D done in this movie rivals the amazing 3D of Avatar and Michael Bay is at his nihilistic best destroying the city of Chicago and laying it to waste. When watching this movie I marveled at the number of difficult shots that are in it and marveled more at Michael pulling it all off. The post production hours must have been a bitch but the effort was well worth it and while I am not a big Michael Bay fan, this movie in my humble opinion is his best to date. Now that's not saying much I know but it's true.

The true gem of this movie though is the music. Scored by Steve Jablonsky again, much in the same way John Williams stepped his game up from Star Wars to The Empire Strikes Back Jablonksy does the very same thing. No I am NOT putting Stevie J in the same category as The Maestro but Jablonsky does an amazing job scoring this movie. He impressed with his score on T2 but he aided the emotional depth with his music.

After the debacle that was the second movie I wasn't all the fired up for the third installment but all the mistakes they made in the second by taking their audience for granted they more than corrected this time around. If you're looking for that popcorn summer film that will blow your mind and entertain on all fronts then I highly recommend Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Oh and if you can, see it in IMAX and I'll see you at the theater.

Super 8

When I reviewed X-Men:First Class I indicated that while the movie was entertaining it certainly wasn't worth seeing at 12:01. While worth the price of admission it wasn't worth getting to bed that late. I am happy to say that Super 8 would have truly been worth the late bedtime. If you enjoyed movies like The Goonies then you will love this movie. It has all the ingredients you would expect a movie like this to have. There are true moments of charm, heartbreak, excitement, fear, and love. Super 8 is a job well done by JJ Abrams.

I haven't always been a fan of JJ. I completely missed his work when Felicity was on the air and I never did get into his Alias tv show or the phenomenon that was Lost. I did enjoy his work on the last Mission Impossible movie though the plot did have that network TV feel to it. JJ finally impressed me with Cloverfield. He didn't direct it but he did produce it. It was entertaining and I really enjoyed the premise so I didn't hesitate to see his Star Trek reboot back in 2009. That movie whetted my appetite for Super 8 and JJ did not let me down. In my opinion Super 8 has a bit of E.T. in it. Okay it actually has a lot of E.T. in it but that's never a bad thing.

The story behind Super revolves around Joe Lamb played by newcomer Joel Courtney and this kid actor carries the movie like a seasoned professional. He's joined by his four friends Cary played by Ryan Lee, Preston played by Zach Mills, Martin played by Gabriel Basso, and Charles played by Riley Griffiths. Charles is a filmmaker and the group of kids are all knee deep in making Charles' zombie movie a reality and to make it competition worthy. Charles enlists Alice Dainard played by Elle Fanning to be the wife of the male lead in his movie "The Case" and they are filming a touching scene at the train station when a US Air Force train is derailed by Glynn Turman who plays middle school teacher Dr. (Old man) Woodward. The kids flee, their camera falls and captures not just the derailment but the creature that is freed in the process.

Odd things begin happening in the small town of Lillian Ohio like the dogs fleeing to the neighboring counties, electronics vanishing, and power outages. Suddenly the towns people start missing. The military then gets involved and as well know when the military gets involved nothing good comes from it and things go from bad to worse. Kyle Chandler plays Jackson Lamb who is Joe's dad and a deputy on the police force. When the sheriff ends up missing the job falls to Jackson to look after the town and soon he gives into his suspicions as to what's going on in Lillian and starts looking for answers.

There aren't many mistakes or holes in this movie and the DVD will indeed fit comfortably alongside The Goonies and other movies of the sort where the world is seen through adolescents eyes. Super 8 is loud and the score put together by Michael Giacchino who's done some great work for movies like The Incredibles, JJ's Star Trek, Up, and Mission Impossible III is sadly forgettable. Fret not my dear readers for yet again this is a movie that really didn't need any music (although I do wonder what the maestro John Williams could have done to enhance this movie with his music). JJ does have one annoying thing and it's that "light glare" that flashes across the screen. He did it almost non stop in Star Trek and does it a lot in 8 but that's nitpicking. All in all this is a great start to the summer movie season and I highly recommend it so GO SEE THIS MOVIE! And I'll see you at the theater.

P.S. Stay through the credits so you can see Charles' zombie movie by Romero Productions (wink wink). It's hilarious.

The Hangover II

Let me just say going in that I had no desire to see this movie AT ALL! I saw the first one and really wasn't impressed by it. Needless to say the second one didn't impress like the first one didn't. Same foolish cast of characters making the same foolish mistakes before a wedding but this time instead of them being in Vegas the setting is Thailand. Now if you laughed at the first Hangover then you will more than likely laugh at the second but if you thought the first one was insipid then do NOT see this movie. You'll consider it a step above garbage.

Starring the same cast of characters as the first movie Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha, and Ed Helms who's character Stu is the one getting married this time around. The first movie had Justin Bartha's character Doug stuck on the roof of their casino while the others couldn't remember their actions from the night before. Same premise this time around except now it's Stu's future brother in law Mason Lee who plays Teddy that gets stranded and cannot be found. Stu, Phil played by Bradley Cooper, and Alan played by Galifianakis rush to the roof just in case Teddy is there which he isn't (of course). So the three "wise" men go running around Bangkok trying to piece together the night before in the hopes of finding Teddy and making it back to the wedding ceremony with the groom in time.

The only real surprise this movie held for me was the casting of Paul Giamatti. He was a pleasant shock but there wasn't much else in way of a surprise. The cinematography was lovely and the movie looked like they spared no expense on anything except the wardrobe. Directed by (if you can call it that) the same man that brought you Old School, Due Date, and yes the first Hangover Todd Phillips doesn't change much up this time around except make Alan a more annoying character. I guess he and the brain trust behind this movie thought that's just what this movie needed. They were wrong but hey, it's not my movie.

This movie was only made because the first one was a box office smash and you can tell that because this is pretty much a carbon copy of the first. The many producers are hoping this one will break the bank too but as everyone knows you don't pull the same gag twice. Not because it's not good but because it's disrespectful and a real pro tries to improve on the old gag. In my opinion these guys missed the mark by more than half. See you at the theater!

X-Men: First Class

Okay, I saw the 12:01 showing of this movie and I very rarely see the first showing of any movie because I'm usually under the impression that no movie is worth getting to bed that late for. The Lord of the Rings was one of those movies as was Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Those were just two of the movies I've done that for so you know this movie is in rare air. Now while this movie is entertaining and worth the price of admission, it definitely isn't worth 12:01. Directed by relative newbie Matthew Vaughn, the man behind the lens of Kick Ass and Layer Cake does an admirable job pulling this story together on the screen but there are a few times, okay a LOT of times where this movie loses steam. I can only blame the director for that and it makes me think this movie in the hands of a better more talented director would have been worth getting to bed late for.

X-Men: First Class could have actually been called The Rise of Magneto since the movie pretty much circled around the Cuban missile crisis and Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto's need for revenge over the murder of his mother. He is without a doubt the most fascinating character on the screen from start to finish. Michael Fassbender plays Magneto with a seething anger just below the surface that could erupt at anytime which makes him the anti-hero and we always root for the anti-hero (see Wolverine). Now the man fueling this anger is Sebastian Shaw, the leader of The Hellfire Club played surprisingly well by Kevin Bacon (yes we have a Kevin Bacon sighting and who knew the man could speak German?). While Erik hunts down Sebastian Charles Xavier is doing his own hunting, of young nubile and naive college girls while writing his thesis on the mutant gene. He's sought out by the CIA Agent Moira MacTaggert played by Rose Byrne after she watches a General be manipulated to sign off on the US installing nuclear weapons in Turkey at the hands of Sebastian Shaw.

In dealing with the CIA, Charles meets Hank McCoy/Beast played by Nicholas Hoult who introduces Charles to his creation the mighty Cerebro. Through Cerebro Charles finds a handful of mutant teenagers to build a team that can go up against Sebastian's lethal Emma Frost played by January Jones and the rest of his hardened Hellfire Club. That would have been fine but the problem is the producers choose to have these two groups meet during the Cuban missile crisis and it's during all of that when this movie loses it's momentum. This movie would have been worth the 12:01 viewing time had it just dealt with mutants coming into their own and dealing with the choice of showing themselves to the public at large. Instead you get an altered history lesson and if you plan on seeing Transformers: Dark of the Moon prepare yourself for another one of those altered history lesson.

Don't get me wrong however, X-Men: First Class is a quality movie and far better then that last crappy X-Men: Last Stand movie. There are nice casting surprises that I won't give away here but they will make you laugh and remember the earlier movies. This movie is visually arresting if you pine for 60's fashion and cars. I would imagine a good portion of the budget was blown on skinny slacks, turtle necks, and classic cars. Scored by Henry Jackman who's over time only scored lighthearted films like Monsters Vs. Aliens, Gulliver's Travel, and Winnie the Pooh does a very good job for this being such a heavy handed and dramatic film. His theme for Magneto is not only menacing and dark but addictive and appropriate as well.

Worth seeing? Absolutely (just for Kevin Bacon alone). It just wasn't worth seeing it at 12:01. See you at the theater!

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

This movie brings to mind three very unflattering words for a movie. Actually they are pretty unflattering words no matter what you use them for. They are contrived, uninspired, and boring which is exactly what this movie was. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides lacked in everything that pretty much makes a decent movie BUT it did keep up the traditions of all the other Pirate movies that came before it and, a convoluted plot. Not to mention some pretty horrible acting. This may be the number one movie at the box office right now but it will NOT be for long. I don't see how it could be after what I just saw.

Directed by a man who has had NO experience with this kind of film should have given me pause. Due to the magnificent job Kenneth Branagh did with Thor (plus not having much else to do today) I went in hopeful. Rob Marshall who directed the critically acclaimed Chicago, the controversial Memoirs of a Geisha, and the atrocious Nine that was his last film was responsible for this Pirates installment. So by my count that's two really bad films in a row regardless of how much money it makes. Honestly, if you put Johnny Depp in any film it's bound to be somewhat successful (see Sweeney Todd). This movie lacks what the first Pirates movie possessed in spades and that was charm.

The lack of charm though is shocking when you look at the cast surrounding Depp. The beautiful (and pregnant at the time) Penelope Cruz, the amazing Geoffrey Rush, Ian McShane, and reprising his role as Captain Jack Sparrows father Keith Richards. Now outside of Keith that's an award winning cast who has done amazing work in their day but they slept walked through this project. The phrase "going through the motions" definitely come to mind. Marshall tried to recapture the sword fighting magic of the first film and fell short, woefully so.

The movie opens with some old man pulled out of the ocean by a fishing boat and immediately whisked off to be seen by the King of Spain. Makes sense to you? Me neither. This Spaniard King then sends an armada out to find the fountain of youth and when the Brits here this they send their own man out to find it first. That man is the legendary Captain Barbosa, now in the employ of the Crown. Also on the case is the most feared Pirate (or so you are to believe) on the high seas Captain Blackbeard. Where was he in the last two crappy Pirate offerings is never explained but why quibble with details? So it's a race now to the fountain of youth and let me just say I never new mermaids were such vicious creatures.

The dialogue was contrived and lacking in any real humor. Don't get me wrong, there were funny moments but they were few and far in between. That didn't keep the makers from trying really hard to make you laugh though. As everyone knows however the harder you try to make someone laugh the less funny you are. The one decent thing about this movie was the music. This time around the score was again composed and executed by the award winning Hans Zimmer so the sense of musical continuity is intact. Is that enough to warrant spending the money on a ticket for this film? Hardly! So in my opinion I would wait for the DVD and I'm talking about the bootleg variety. See you at the theater!

Priest

Before I start in on what I think about "Priest" can someone PLEASE write Paul Bettany a comedy or something? Seriously! I'm sure he's happy in his personal life being married to one of the most beautiful women walking but on screen the man it seems isn't allowed to crack even a smile. Not to mention having a thing for playing priests and fallen angels as he does in this hybrid of a movie. I call it a hybrid because it's a combination of so many different genres that it's sometimes hard to keep count and harder still to take this movie seriously at times. I never thought in my wildest dreams that someone would try to mix The Matrix, Mad Max, a spaghetti western, what appears to be Jedi Knights, and a horror story all in the same pot. Paul does his best though to convince you that this is a very serious thing and it should be taken as such.

"Priest" is a movie loosely based on the graphic novels created by Hyung Min-woo about life after the war between vampire and man. For centuries the two species have waged war against each other with the vampires always getting the best of man. That is until the "Church" creates their secret weapon, the priests who are trained in vampire combat They then turn the tide of the conflict and the vampires are rounded up and placed on reservations while man retreats behind walled off mega cities, reservations of their own. The Priests, once the saviours of mankind have been disbanded since the war is over and the church now fears their creation. The Priests are not allowed to speak to each other due to the church's decree and do to so, to go against the church is to go against God.

The movie starts off with a band of Priests led by Paul Bettany, entering the largest hive Mira Soral with orders from the clergy to slay the Queen. Something goes horribly wrong however and the few that survived were lucky to make it out alive. That night haunts Bettany's character and he goes to the automated confessionals to alleviate his mind and his guilt. He then gets word that the woman he once loved and her family were attacked by a vampire hoard out on the plains. Priest (that's Paul's characters name) asks permission to investigate but the church denies his request. Him being the stoic Priest that his, can you guess his next move? That's right reader, he disobeys and fires up the coolest thing in the movie, his Priest sanctioned jet bike.

Along side Bettany in this genre bending film is Karl Urban doing his best Clint Eastwood (it's in his hat), Maggie Q as Priestess (seriously, that's her characters name), Cam Gigandet as Sheriff Hicks, Christopher Plummer as Monsignor Orelas, and Stephen Moyer (yes THAT Stephen Moyer that's in that top rated cable show featuring vampires) as Owen Pace. Directed by Scott Charles Stewart whose last film was "Legion" also starring Paul Bettany as that fallen angel I mentioned earlier, this movie wasn't nearly as stylized as it could have been. The ball was dropped more than a few times on more than a few occasions and to think there may be another one, maybe even two more Priest movies. The score by Christopher Young, the guy who replaced Danny Elfman on Spider Man 3 was decent but nothing to write home about. All in all this was a less than decent film and unless you are a TRUE fan of the graphic novel then I would skip it and if you love the graphic novel then ignore it altogether because it just may piss you off.

See you at the theater.