Iron Man … more Indiana Jones or James Bond?

Iron Man … more Indiana Jones or James Bond?

Iron Man 3 has earned $175.3 million at the North American box office – the number two opening weekend of all time behind the Avengers.  It’s earned $680 million worldwide in two weeks(!) and will almost certainly be the 16th film in history to ever break $1 billion at the worldwide box office. There’s no question of whether there will be an Iron Man 4 … but the big question is whether or not Robert Downey, Jr. will reprise his role as Tony Stark.

With his last two films as the top two openings in North American box office history, Marvel Entertainment has every reason to keep RDJ.  They also have 50 million reasons to pull a James Bond and replace RDJ with a cheaper actor.  That’s how much RDJ made for the Avengers thanks to a sweet back end profits deal that escalated his pay based on the total box office take.  According to RDJ, Marvel is pissed.  RDJ suits up one more time in the Avengers 2, but after that … his contract with Marvel is up.  There is almost zero chance Marvel will reboot the franchise … it’s taken 3 movies for the legend of Tony Stark to be constructed, and Iron Man still has to interact with the growing Marvel Cinematic  Universe (Guardians of the Galaxy, Ant Man, Dr. Strange, Black Panther … all of which are big allies of Iron Man in the comics).  Either Marvel sucks it up and pays a star big money (or at least keep the back end agreements in place) or we’re looking at a new Iron Man in 2016 or 2017.

Indiana Jones movies can’t exist without Harrison Ford.  Rhodey got a bigger role when Don Cheadle replaced Terrance Howard (over money).  The Hulk got more popular when Mark Ruffalo replaced (a whiny, diva-like) Ed Norton.  Even Jon Favreau wasn’t safe.

My money says RDJ gets one last 2 picture deal, and the search for a new Iron Man has probably already begun.

 

Reviewing (Cruise’s Career: Back from) Oblivion

Reviewing (Cruise’s Career: Back from) Oblivion

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tom Cruise’s star has taken many hits in recent years, most of them self-inflicted.  With Oblivion, Cruise reminds folks like me why he is one of the world’s most popular movie stars when placed in the right movie.  Cruise’s offscreen reputation is quickly drowned out by an ambitious storyline, amazing but not over-used special effects, and breathtaking scenery that helps conveys the scope of the story Director Joseph Koshinski is trying to tell.  Let’s start with story.

60 years after aliens attack Earth, Jack is one of the last humans left on what remains of the planet.  He is a technician, working alongside communications officer and girlfriend Victoria (Andrea Riseborough) and trying to avoid the unseen alien scavengers that may have lost the war, but refuse to leave the planet.  With two weeks left before they join their fellow humans which have relocated to Titan, Victorua can’t wait to leave and Jack is nostalgic for how life used to be 60 years ago. When Jack begins to stray from his humdrum routines, he begins unraveling the mystery behind the original alien invasion, how humanity actually fell, and what he can do to end the war between humans and scavengers for good.

This homage to sci-fi movies that came before it will seem very familiar to lovers of the original Star Wars, Independence Day, the Matrix – but much more of a homage to what’s come before than derivative of their plot.  The audience is as much in the dark as Jack is through much of the beginning of the movie, but an occasional drone attack or scavenger hijacking will keep the pace moving along.  Olga Kurylenko and Morgan Freeman don’t have enough screen time, but make the most of what time they get.  Cruise and Riseborough have amazing chemistry and the mystery of what happened to the humans keeps you captivated.  The movie slows down in latter part of the second act, but even those slow moments lead to  an even bigger climax.  And yeah … it all leads to a great climax.

Joseph Kosinski’s biggest project up until now was Tron: Legacy.  Oblivion was based on an unpublished graphic novel that he co-wrote, and much like Josh Trank, Kosinki has just announced himself as one of the great directors that everyone needs to pay attention to in the coming years.  Go find out why.  In a theater, preferably a real IMAX.

IMDB’s rating:7.2 out of 10

Rotten Tomatoes rating:
59% of critics liked it; 68% of audiences liked it

This (grooms)man’s rating:8 out of 10 … a sci-fi movie for people that love smart sci-fi movies.  It delivers much more than you expect, so go see it.  In IMAX

Movie Review: Snitch … because the Rock can maybe act

Movie review: Snitch … because the Rock maybecan act

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just for a second, let’s pretend the Rock isn’t in this movie.  Let’s pretend there’s a movie based on a true crime story came out and co-starred Benjamin Bratt, Susan Sarandon, Michael K. Williams (better known as the Wire’s Omar, doing some incredible work with limited scenes) , and the ever-amazing Harold Perrineau.  Let’s say Josh Bernal (the Walking Dead)’s one character that he seems good at acting – the repentant sinner trying to decide whether he’s good or evil – actually made sense in this movie.  Would you see it?

If you’re a Rock fan, or if his acting doesn’t bother you … go see Snitch.  The best I can say about Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson is that he doesn’t distract from a movie that is a heck of a lot better than it’s previews.  He tried to act his heart out, which is better than most action leads right now. The movie is more drama than action, and not as heartfelt as the marketing campaign of “how far will a father go to save his son” wants it to be … but a pretty solid plot with some surprises here and there and a strong supporting cast.

IMDB rating:
6.1 out of 10

Rotten Tomatoes rating:
57% of critics liked it (shockingly) / 71% of audiences liked it

This (grooms)man’s rating:
5 out of 10 … worth seeing in the theaters if you’re a Rock fan, or movie fan

The Walking Dead has just turned into the X-Files

How many episodes did Mulder and Scully look for evidence but, at the end of an hour they were right back where they started?  The central plot never advanced and the central characters never developed?  Now (spoiler alert) – how many episodes has the prison been preparing for war with Woodbury?  This entire second half of the season has sucked, even though some of the ways they killed time (like this episode) was more entertaining than others.  It doesn’t matter if I don’t need to watch the show … because nothing new will ever happen.

 

Movie Review | Oz the Great and Powerful

Movie Review | Oz the Great and Powerful

This is a great movie … for anyone 12 and under.  The magic and the mystic is lost on the older generation, and I’m pretty sure the marketing campaign was more targeted towards said older generation.  With that being said, it was quite predictable, a little too-cute-by-half, and not the greatest performances out of some incredible cast members.  Had I been a younger kid watching this with my family (in 3D), I would have loved mommy and daddy forever for taking me.

You know the story, you won’t be surprised, but enjoy the FX, and enjoy Sam Raimi doing a big budget tentpole again.

IMDB rating:
7 out of 10

Rotten Tomatoes rating:
62% of critics liked it / 69% of audiences liked it

This (grooms)man’s rating:
5 out of 10 … see it if you bring the fam

 

Movie Review | Beautiful Creatures

Movie Review | Beautiful Creatures

One of the fun reasons why (grooms)men on film is a great movie blog and not just a movie review site is … well, many movie review sites suck.  Beautiful Creatures is a sci-fi teen romance, enough for many critics (and most of my friends) to dismiss it as another Twilight before before ever buying their ticket.  If you do that, you’ll miss a damn good movie.

Ethan (Alden Ehrenreich) is a well-read high school junior trapped in nowhere South Carolina, where the school kids are gossiping Bible thumpers and their parents that have banned more books than they’ve read.  Macon (Jeremy Irons) is the local recluse that may be as badass as Morpheus was when we first saw him.

    

Morpheus …. meet Macon.  Macon … meet Morpheus.  Now,
go off and play according to prophecy and fate and such.

When Macon’s much-traveled niece, Lena (Alice Englert) comes to stay with him, strange things begin to happen in the town and rumors begin to swirl.  Ethan ignores the gossiping cool kids and gets to know Lena, despite her best efforts to push him away. He is introduced to a world of secrets and spell casting families living alongside him, and he’s got to figure out whether Lena is part of the light or the dark.  Lena’s family tries their best to keep him away from her, and his mother’s best friend Amma (Viola Davis) may know more about what’s going on than she admits.

The movie is more grounded in an unwise romance than it is in CGI – but the thought of witches and spell caster’s living among us wasn’t as distracting as I thought it would be.  Each character was a bit two dimensional at first, but Ethan and Lena certainly progressed and Jeremy Irons, Viola Davis, and Emma Watson rounded out a really, really great cast.  There are plenty of fun moments and a couple ridiculous ones, , but there’s just enough here to keep men and women of any age entertained.  It’s not supposed to be an Oscar contender, but it isn’t as badly written (and acted) as Twilight, either.  Think Hunger Games … which I happened to love.

Something weird happened in 2012, and it’s continuing now … for every John Carter and Battleship, studios also churned out smaller budget movies with stereotypical plots but incredible writing, acting, and directing.  The Washington Post’s Ann Hornaday attributes the smart genre movie phenomenon to more particular audiences refusing to reward studios for lazy production values.  Whatever you want to call it, Beautiful Creatures is a fun time, and a lot better acted and executed than it seems on paper.  Just when it’s about to fall into a “been there, seen that” type of sci-fi romance ending, it doesn’t.  Bring on the sequel.

 
Rotten Tomatoes Rating:
45% of critics liked it / 61% of audiences liked it

IMDB Rating:
6.1/10

This (grooms)man’s Rating:
6: go see it in theaters if you’d like a light, entertaining date movie

Movie Review | the Debt

*spoiler alert*

Bah. If this was based on a true story I would understand why the writer wanted everyone to feel so terrible watching it, but it isn’t. You’re only left to feel lousy. The villains pretty much win, the heroes pretty much suffer, and you wish the movie settled on one plot and at least any redeeming character.

It’s not badly acted, nor is it badly directed, but you just walk away from it feeling sad you watched it.

So don’t.

Movie Review | the Impossible

Movie Review: the Impossible

The Impossible follows the true story of the Bennett family on vacation in Thailand (though the audience is intentionally never told of their original nationality) and ripped apart from each other during the Tsunami December 2004.  It’s a natural disaster movie meets a family drama, with Naomi Watts in the lead as Maria Bennett, earning her an Oscar nomination for best actress.  Ewan MacGregor stars as her husband, but the true male lead goes to 12 year old Tom Holland as Lucas, the eldest son.  The plot centers not on the more than 185,000 confirmed fatalities and another 45,000+ missing – but instead on the Bennett family’s struggle to find each other and help other survivors.  In perhaps the most realistic look and feel of any natural disaster movie of the past decade, it does just that … and tells it well.

The movie isn’t a documentary (my longtime readers know that movie makers have no obligation to telling a story other than to create entertainment) … it follows a family and their injuries, separation, and those that both helped them and were helped by them during the disaster.  It’s painful to watch sometimes, and after Ewan MacGregor’s finest two minutes on film I could hear half of the movie audience sniffling into tissues or sleeves.  The director establishes likeable (enough) characters, and takes you along as they go through hell.  It’s made all the more painful to watch because we know the story is true.  The director was aiming for a best picture nomination, but some overly dramatic moments and some overly simplistic dialogue probably took away any chances f that.  It’s still worth watching for Watts’ brilliant performance, and the coming out party for young Mr. Holland.

Aside from those criticisms above – one other thing about this movie bothered me.  It is produced by an almost all-Spanish crew, it is the true story of a Spanish family, and it’s lead roles are played by … Naomi Watts and Ewan MacGregor.  Apparently the real Maria, María Belón, chose Watts for the role and had a hand in keeping everything accurate.  I’m still saddened that an Antonia Banderas, Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz or anyone else of Spanish background was featured in the role.  Perhaps I wouldn’t have cared as much in any other year but the one where Tony Mendez’ role in Argo was being played by Ben Affleck.  Perhaps.

The Impossible is a good movie, and painful to watch but beautiful to think about when you’re done.  If you don’t want to hug a family member after seeing this, you have no heart.

 

Rotten Tomatoes Rating:
80% of critics liked it / 85% of audiences liked it

IMDB Rating:7.7 out of 10

This (grooms)man’s rating:
7 out of 10 (see it on DVD or On Demand … just not while on a beach vacation)

 

The World’s Greatest Extra

Being the World’s Greatest Extra has it’s advantages

Long time readers of this blog may not have known the geeky “kid” from Go Daddy.com’s much talked about Superbowl ad, but we’ve seen his face before.

 

Matt Heiman is considered the World’s Greatest Extra in some circles for having been in 65+ roles as an extra in popular series including Glee and Entourage, as well as movies such as Old School, The Social Network, American Pie, & Spiderman.  He’s actually 34, and will appear on the Big Bang Theory this week:

For Your Consideration | Movie Review: Zero Dark Thirty

Movie Review: Zero Dark Thirty

 

Zero Dark Thirty begins with audio only of 911 calls made during the World Trade Center bombings in September, 2011.  The editing of those few minutes alone is as powerful a scene that anyone will see hear all year.  The movie follows a CIA agent as one terrorist attack after another occurs in Saudi Arabia, London, New York City, and elsewhere over the next several years.  It’s hard to ignore the growing sense of urgency for the CIA as they try to capture Osama Bin Laden and those responsible for the terrorist attacks on September 11 of 2001.  It’s just as hard to ignore the billions of dollars being spent no what were essentially hunches in a room.  I’m not sure if this was intended to be the main takeaway of the original script for this movie; Katheryn Bigelow began working on this project long before Osama Bin Laden was brought to justice in May of 2011.  The original script was supposed to climax with the Battle of Tora Bora where Bin Laden escaped capture.  The script was re-worked with a new focus just before filming began.  Technically, it didn’t suffer because of the rapid changes.

Zero Dark Thirty is about as technically sound a movie as has been made all year.  The acting, editing, cinematography, music,  sets … everything one can tweak to make a great story into a great movie … are all well done.  It’s the story that had so many moviegoers, myself included, skeptical.  It’s hard to chronicle one of the greatest manhunts in history without dealing with issues of groupthink, politics, or torture.  Bigelow manages to deal with all three – especially torture – without ever concluding whether any of the above helped or hindered the search.  Many critics (and apparently academy awards voters) were up in arms over Bigelow’s depictions of torture.  The studio responded that Bigelow only depicted reality, and ignoring it would have glossed over the facts.

To be clear, no movie-maker has a moral obligation to make a movie for any reason other than to create entertainment – preferably entertainment people like to watch.  Argo, Django Unchained, Inglourious Basterds and other Hollywood hits have every right to embellish the story to make it more entertaining.  Anyone that wants historical accuracy should critique a documentary or just buy the book.  Still, those movies took a stand.  We can argue about historical accuracy, but no one is arguing that slavery was wrong.  Nazis committed atrocities.  The Iranian Hostage Crisis included many horrible acts by many horrible actors.  Zero Dark Thirty tried to have it both ways – viewers that walked into the movie thinking torture was justified probably left the movie with the same thought.  Those of us seeing years of torture come and go without capturing Bin Laden likewise left the theater feeling the same way.  Bigelow missed the opportunity to take a stand on torture.  For anyone that has family or friends serving in the military, the thought of Americans using torture isn’t heroic.  It’s an excuse for other countries to do the same to our brave heroes in the name of getting results at all costs.  Results that are often false.

Jessica Chastain delivered a performance for the decades.  I hope she gets her Oscar, and I’m glad I saw the movie, but I’m disappointed in it.  I will not be rooting for it for best picture because taking any stand would have been more courageous than taking done.

IMDB Rating:
7.7 out of 10

Rotten Tomatoes Rating:
94% of critics like it / 84% of audiences like it

This (grooms)man’s rating:
8 out of 10; really good but flawed

Movie Review | Broken City

Movie Review | Broken City

You generally don’t find too many Oscar contending movies released in January, but that hasn’t stopped the expectations from piling on high for Allen Hughes’ (1/2 of the directing team behind Menace II Society, the Book of Eli) latest project – Broken City.  Touting Oscar nominee Mark Wahlburg, Oscar winner Russel Crowe, Oscar winner Catherine Zeta Jones, and under-appreciated badass Jeffrey Wright … the movie had high expectations and it’s under-performing among critics (25% of critics liked it on Rotten Tomatoes).  I’ll try to figure out why later, but for now — is it any good?

Yes.  The script was weak at times, but the actors delivered.  Crowe is a mayor that hires a disgraced cop (Wahlburg) turned private investigator to find the man his wife (Zeta-Jones) is having an affair with.  The man ends up dead.  But weeks before re-election, what really happened?  Who really killed the man, and why?  The answers aren’t as obvious, and Wahlburg keeps digging until he figures it out.  And exactly whose side is the police commissioner (Wright) on, anyway? The movie is more a throwback whodunnit than the good cop vs bad mayor movie the previews showed, and I’m okay with that.  It had enough layers and plot twists that I think there’s enough material for a sequel, or definitely room to tell the mayor, commissioner, and even Wahlburg’s back stories.   So why no love?

Maybe because Wahlburg is loveable on screen but a prick sometimes off of it?  If so, half of Hollywood would be unemployed.  Maybe because the plot twists and turns get the movie stuck in neutral at times and the way forward is entirely unbelievable (really? everything was shredded except the one document you needed to solve the mystery?).  Fair enough … Tarantino would have just kept you guessing what the mayor’s secret was.  But not enough.  Maybe because Wahlburg was too bland.  That’s the point … he was SUPPOSED TO BE a good catholic cop that did what he was told.  I’m not sure … but Denzel Washington carried weaker plots to Oscar wins (see Training Day), and perhaps having an Oscar studded cast raised the bar too high.

As long as the ticket price isn’t too high to give you a heart attack, this is one of the better bets to come to theaters all year.  Don’t expect Oscars, but you will be entertained.  That’s one’s for free, Russell.

Rotten Tomatoes Rating:
25% of critics liked it / 55% of audiences liked it

IMDB Rating:
6.2 out of 12

This (grooms)man’s rating:
7 out of 10 … a smarter movie than the previews show, and worth seeing over anything else released so far in 2013

Happy Holiday Viewing | The Boondocks: “The Return of the King”

Happy Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. day.  Many of you will celebrate with an annual breakfast or day of service.  For everyone else, please consider watching Season One, Episode Nine of Aaron McGruder’s “The Boondocks” – the Return of the King.  In this episode, Dr. King never died from his gunshot, but was instead in a coma for 32 years.  He awakens in the year 2000 to find a very different country than the one he left.

Despite the subject matter, this episode entire series contains adult language and themes.  Family Guy and Southpark have nothing on this, people.  Play it in your workplace at your own risk.

Sleepy Sunday DVD Review | Mooonrise Kingdom

Movie Review: Moonrise Kingdom

Question: if Moonrise Kingdom is one of the best movies of 2013, why have so few people seen it?

Answer: you either love Wes Anderson’s sometimes absurdist approach to directing, or you don’t.  Many don’t love that his movies have dialogue and special effects and plotlines that are closer to a high budget stage production than anything in Hollywood.  Many love his style for the same reason.

Moonrise Kingdom doesn’t disappoint.  Young boy and girl fall in love, run away with each other, and a sleepy town full of colorful characters set out to find them.  It’s innocent and awkward and mildly violent at times (a shame what happened to the poor dog …).  Peel it all back and there are two kids no one seems to love that want to love each other in spite of their quirks, and a whole town that’s lost love trying to tell them not to.  Pretty adorable story.  Pretty good acting.  Bill Murray and Bruce Willis bring out the best in each other, and the rest of the cast has as much fun with it as the kids do.

And earning 3x your budget is a pretty good run for any movie, so Anderson’s budgets will only get bigger, and more people will see his movies.

Rotten Tomatoes Rating:
94% of critics loved it / 88% of audiences loved it

IMDB Rating:
7.9 out of 10

This (grooms)man’s rating:
7 out of 10, a quirky but fun DVD you should get for a date night

 

 

Movie Review | Gangster Squad

Movie Review | Gangster Squad

I was expecting this to be a modern day version of the Untouchables.  It was more like 80% Sin City meets 20% Dick Tracy.  That’s not a bad or a good thing, but worth knowing to manage expectations.  The characters were all exaggerated archetypes.  Josh Brolin’s the war hero that doesn’t realize the war is over.  Ryan Gosling’s the womanizing realist forced into action when gang wars get to close to home.  Robert Patrick’s the aging gunslinger that wants to prove his relevance.  Anthony Mackie’s the black guy.   And, since Michael Peña’s the Mexican guy, I wasn’t sure which of them would be the first good guy to get killed.  Yes Hollywood, you’ve jaded me.

The dialogue was meh, the action scenes were over the top violent.  Not Tarantino spaghetti western, not Robert Snyder stylized violence  … just disturbing.  But it had a fun plot and great acting.  Giovanni Ribisi and Emma Stone made the most of little screen time.  And Sean Penn is great at what he does.  I originally called this worth seeing if you manage your expectations. Upon further review, I’m giving this a thumbs down … not worth seeing in a theater.

Rotten Tomatoes Rating:
34% of critics like it / 70% of viewers loved Ryan Gosling in it

IMDB Rating:
7.3 out of 10

This (grooms)man’s rating on the all-new 10 point scale:
6 out of 10 (above average, but just barely)

Weekend Top Five: 2013 Oscar Snubs and Why

Another year, another Oscars, another round of head shaking (or SMH as my co-worker often says) over the Oscar snubs.  Here’s what I say to myself at night to sleep well without wondering what type of world do we live in where this type of thing happens:

1.  Ben Affleck doesn’t get Best Director nod for “Argo”
He’s inflicted too much damage on his brand from the last several years.  Congrats that you want to be a serious movie-maker, and congrats that this is now three Oscar worthy movies in a row you’ve directed.  But Hollywood is still about relationships, and Oscar worthy doesn’t mean Oscar earning unless your peers think so.

2.  Katheryn Bigelow doesn’t get Best Director for “Zero Dark Thirty”
Did she really think she could make a movie where torture helps us track down the enemy and Hollywood-types would reward her for it?  Really?

3.  “The Dark Knight Rises” didn’t get a nod for Best Picture
Honestly, it didn’t deserve it.  Ironic since the Oscar’s now have a gazillion noms for Best Picture in part because 2008’s “the Dark Knight” was snubbed in that year, but that was a different movie and a better one.  TDKR was fun, fulfilling, and better than most action movies.  So was the Avengers, and jokes aside, that movie didn’t deserve an Oscar, either.  Unless someone starts a category for “Best Decent Movie in a Usually Crappy Genre.”

4. Javier Bardem didn’t get Best Supporting Actor for “Skyfall”In professional sports, the league MVP is usually chosen from one of the best teams.  Skyfall is an amazing Bond movie.  Bardem is an amazing if not the best ever – Bond villain.  Outside of Bondworld, though, Bardem likely earned an extra look by the Academy for the next two or three roles he plays, just not this one.

5.  Quentin Tarantino doesn’t get Best Director nomination for “Django Unchained”
This was the toughest one for me to understand.  If the Academy (and I refer to them as one person here) wanted to avoid the controversy surrounding this movie, why nominate Christoph Waltz and snub Tarantino, Jackson, and Di Caprio?  My only explanation is that, in a year where Hollywood is being scrutinized for desensitizing children to violence, nominating the king of glorified violence may have made the Academy queasy.

Or maybe they just wanted him to feel like Spike Lee did after not getting a nomination for Best Picture for “Malcolm X.”  And “Do the Right Thing.”  And “Four Little Girls.”

 

Sleepy Saturday Morning Review | The Kids Are All Right

Movie Review: The Kids Are All Right

This is a wonderfully executed movie about family dysfunction. The family in question isn’t dysfunctional because it has two lesbian mothers and sometimes-bratty kids that re-connect for the first time with the sperm donor/biological father – although all of that happens. It’s dysfunctional for all the reasons many American families are sometimes dysfunctional* – middle aged parents struggling to connect to their teenagers and each other; teenagers that are not quite adults demanding to be treated as adults; young girls falling in love and looking for guidance; young boys with awful friends that they don’t know how to pull away from. The big difference between this family and most others is that everyone is a great actor.

Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, and Mark Ruffalo are amazing as the family parents and biological dad. Mia Wasichowska (later seen in Lawless) and Josh Hutcherson (later seen in the Hunger Games … for two seconds) hold their own on the screen. It’s a credit to all of the actors that their characters are flawed, annoying, and predictable – but the movie isn’t.

If you’re just starting out in a lesbian couple, and thinking of getting a sperm donor, this movie may freak the hell out of you. No more than Unfaithful freaked the hell out of straight couples thinking about friends and family. That’s what makes the movie just like any other family drama, but better written and better acted.

Rotten Tomatoes rating:
93% of critics loved it / 72% of audiences loved it

IMDB Rating:
7,1 out of 10

This (grooms)man’s rating:
Watch it on Netflix or OnDemand.

Wait, wasn’t this about kids?

2012 in Review | My Top 5 Movies of 2012

2012 in Review | My Top 5 Movies of 2012

2012 has come and gone, and some amazing movies have gone with it.  Here are my favorite movie-going experiences with a quick explanation why:

5. Chronicle
I expected less than nothing from this film.  Found footage film … Project X would probably be more fun.  Meteor crashes and those who find it get powers … oh please, I’m still upset about seeing Green Lantern last year.  And then, this was amazing.  You feel for the characters.  Their fates meant something to viewers, their struggles meant something.  The “villain” was more misguided and powerful, not just evil.  The fate of the world wasn’t at stake, just the fate of one boy and his family.  Movie-making at its best. 

5b. Looper
It was difficult to include Looper, especially with amazing, but controversial movies such as Beasts of the Southern Wild on my honorable mention list. Looper is 5b because – spoiler alert – it’s essentially the same movie as Chronicle, but with a bigger budget.  Sci-fi, action film, both involving super powers (and you thought Looper was about time travel and the mafia).  Chronicle was a surprise because a low budget movie with no superstars had incredible heart.  Looper makes the list because Bruce Willis was actually acting, Joseph Gordon-Leavitt adds depth to a 2 dimensional role, and the plot … wow.  How the hell did they hide that?  The opposite of John Carter, it was the big-budget surprise of the year.

4. 21 Jump Street
Forget for a second that this is a remake.  Forget for a second that Channing Tatum became box office gold and Jonah Hill slimmed down this year.  21 Jump Street was a story about the popular kid and the outcast that we all knew from high school switching places.  If it was done by some no name stars back in the 90s, we’d still be talking about it as much as we talk about the Goonies or Stand By Me today … because we can all identify with its premise and characters.  Johnny Depp, Holly Robinson Peete, and an awesome plot make it even sweeter.

3. Django Unchained
Not Tarantino’s best, but better than damn near anything done by anyone else. 

2. Argo
I expected a great movie, but never expected one of the best movies I’ve seen in years.  Exceeded my expectations and launched Affleck into elite director status with Tarantino, Nolan, and many others.

And my best movie-going experience was …. drum roll please …

1. the Avengers
Long time readers won’t be surprised.  The Avengers had a little something for everyone – a larger than life villain played brilliantly by Tom Hiddleston; a cast of macho men with egos the size of their muscles; an underestimated lady that ends up saving the days when the boys can’t; and the fate of the world that hangs in the balance.  It’s a family film, a teenage boy film, a female empowerment film, and a lot more clever than anyone expected it would be en route to being the third most profitable film in history. 

Honorable Mention: Beasts of the Southern Wild, We Need to Talk About Kevin, the Hunger Games, Lawless, the Cabin in the Woods.

Movie Review | Django Unchained

Quentin Tarantino has spoiled us with masterpieces such as Kill Bill: Volume I and Inglourious Basterds, one of the best films of the decade.  Django Unchained is not quite a masterpiece, but is still better than 99% of anything you’ll see in a theater.  Jamie Foxx, Leonardo Di Caprio, and the supporting cast are at their best, but Christoph Waltz again turns in an Oscar-worthy performance that carries the movie.  In an almost three hour movie with extended dialogue on everything from southern manners to German bedtime stories, I felt like I could have watched another 3 hours without being bored.  Tarantino puts such care into little details such as how a table is set and how a beer is poured that you almost forget he’s telling an incredibly complex, fulfilling story in the process.

Oh yeah … story.  Short version: in 1858, freed slave Django (Foxx) works with German bounty hunter Dr. Shultz (Waltz) to hunt down bad guys (including Don Johnson and several cameo appearances) and rescue Django’s wife (Kerry Washington) from a horrible plantation owner (Leonardo Di Caprio).  Along the way the duo encounters setbacks, obstacles, and complex situations galore.  The script goes in several different directions without ever veering off course.  Each act could have been its own movie, but it came together well to tell a story of the best gunslinger in the south, who so happened to be a former slave named Django.

The movie had many laugh out loud moments.  It also has over-the-top violence to the point of absurdity, and provocative language (particularly the much discussed use of racial slurs) also to the point of absurdity.  I don’t think I can take a movie set in 1858 seriously unless it unsettled me in some way, and I was comfortable that both language and violence were more consistent with Tarantino’s previous films despite the difficult subject of slavery. 

It has some flaws.  Super attention to detail in some areas, but no explanation of character development in others.  Leonardo Di Caprio’s grand lecture fell short of memorable, but his overall performance made up for it.  Samuel L. Jackson’s character was needed for the plot, but more comical than necessary.  If Reginald Hudlin was not a producer, I would expect Uncle Ruckus to sue for copyright infringement.  Altogether, I’ll take Tarantino at 85% before I take almost any other director.

Watch the movie for the soundtrack alone that features Rick Ross, James Brown & Tupac Shakur, John Legend, and a lil’ Luis Bacalov

Rotten Tomatoes Rating:
89% of critics like it / 94% of audiences like it

IMDB rating:
8.8 out of 10

This (grooms)man’s rating:
One of best movies of last couple years, but not for squeamish or easily offended

 

 

 

For Your Consideration: Silver Linings Playbook

For Your Consideration: Silver Linings Playbook

Silver Linings Playbook is the first movie directed by David O. Russell since “the Fighter.”  It’s also reunites Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro, who worked together on “Limitless.”  This movie is something in between – all of the dysfunctional family drama of the Fighter, but just like Limitless, falling short of great.  It’s still a fun movie and the acting more than makes up for the weak script (also written by David O.Russel). 

Patrick (Bradley Cooper) returns from a psychiatric facility after being committed for the violent outburst that broke up his marriage.  He moves in with his parents (Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver) and tries to piece his life back together and doing everything his wife always wanted him to do in hopes of winning her back.  Enter friends Ronnie and Veronica (Jake Ortiz and Julia Stiles, my first true cinematic love) who set Pat up with Veronica’s sister, Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence, my second and most recent cinematic love).  Tiffany lost her husband and has been a little bit off every since.  Will two slightly crazy people (their words, not mine) help each other find a normal life?

Patrick’s family, friends, and almost everyone he meets have exaggerated dysfunctions at times, but remind you of the nutty uncle, the self-deluding friend, and the well-meaning mother that all of us know.  This isn’t an Oscar worthy movie, but De Niro and Lawrence were acting well enough to try to win one.  Bradley Cooper’s name will be bandied about for an Oscar, but shouldn’t be.  His character was too one dimensional, too limited (ironic), and had too little character development.  Whoever gave Chris Tucker billing over Ortiz, Stiles, or even Anupam Kher is an idiot.  Was he cast at the last second and given nothing to do because they needed a black guy?  Why bother.  Either give Tucker more than 5 minutes screen time, or make any of the dozens(!) of background extras minorities if you’re worried about having the movie look more like south Philly and less like central casting. 

Having my two loves on screen next to each other and Philadelphia as a character of her own are enough to win my favor, but the powerful acting and sad but hilarious moments should win anyone over, despite the weak script.  

Rotten Tomatoes rating:
91% of critics liked it / 90% of users liked it

IMDB rating:
8.2 out of 10

This (grooms)man’s rating:
Wait for DVD … worth seeing, but no rush to the theater

Movie Review | For Your Consideration: Argo

With Argo, Ben Affleck joins Quentin Tarantino and Christopher Nolan among the most acclaimed directors to come of age in the last 15 years.  This is Affleck’s second welcome-to-greatness moment, having squandered all of the optimism and acclaim he earned after co-writing Good Will Hunting with Matt Damon.  The movie almost completely makes up for Affleck’s (series of) bad choices since then.

Argo tells an all-too-often forgotten true tale of the Iranian Hostage crisis during the Jimmy Carter’s presidency.  By way of background, the USA supported an oppressive shah of Iran, a person loathed by Iranians.  When the shah is toppled, and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini rises to power, Iranian students force their way into the American Embassy in Tehran and take the workers as hostages for 444 days.  While President Carter is famous for being either too unwilling or too impotent to rescue the hostages or even try to do so – Argo is the tale of the CIA agent Tony Mendez rescuing six Americans that were secretly stashed in the Canadian embassy.  Specifically, Argo is the name of the movie that CIA pretended Hollywood was making – in Iran no less – in order to smuggle a crew into Tehran, and smuggle the hostages out.  Knowing that the hostages make it out makes the movie no less captivating.  I leaned forward in my seat to watch, and my heart was racing faster with each minute as you wondered how they would pull it off and whether any of the characters, or their accomplices, would be discovered and killed.

Archived news footage was weaved into the movie just enough to keep the plot going without bogging it down.  The production team perfectly recreated the details of some of the most famous videos and photos in American history.  The supporting cast of John Goodman (who deserves an Oscar), Titus Welliver, Alan Arkin, and the many, many middle eastern characters round out just-good-enough acting by Affleck, who really needs to hire George Clooney or Ryan Gosling next time he wants a great actor in a great movie. 

Some will say the movie isn’t 100% accurate.  That’s why it’s a drama, not a documentary.  But Affleck and the production does justice to one of the most important moments in American media and political history, if not American history itself.

Rotten Tomatoes rating:
95% of critics liked it / 94% of audiences liked it

IMDB rating:
8.2/10

This (grooms)men’s rating:
If you only see three movies this year, this should be one of them