Amazon Holiday
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Restless
Q: What’s the movie about?
A: A young man (Henry Hopper) obsessed with death falls in love with a young woman (Mia Wasikowska) who is dying.
Q: Who’s in the movie?
A: Henry Hopper, Mia Wasikowska, Ryo Kase, Schuyler Fisk, Jane Adams, Chin Han, Lusia Strus
Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?
A: Proceed with Caution. There are a few sweet moments within the slow paced story, and the jokey attitude toward death is somewhat entertaining, but overall, it's been done before.
Q: Will this movie make me laugh?
A: You might chuckle once or twice at some of the quirk.
Q: Will this movie make me cry?
A: Bryce Dallas Howard's complete ignorance of how nepotism works in Hollywood makes me cry a little. This, her first film as a producer, was made under her father's banner, Imagine, and she is very concerned about being seen as having gotten it made there out of nepotism, so she goes out of her way to explain in a Q & A how she met with people at the company who weren't her dad (Ron Howard). The fact that these people liked it was proof to her that it wasn't nepotism. What makes me sad is thinking about how she grew up in Hollywood since birth and still has such a poor understanding of how nepotism works. See, the thing is, Bryce, those people you met with are employed by your dad, and they know better than to say no to his little girl. Their children are depending on it. Your dad pays for their food and shelter.
Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?
A: In honor of Bryce Dallas Howard's first producing effort, I'd like to give my younger siblings and niece a Nepotism Award, because I have already begun to shower them with nepotism at every opportunity, and I plan to continue passing on my many years of experience and contacts to them, guilt free, for as long as I am able. Here's my best advice to Bryce and any other lucky recipients of nepotism: take it, see it for what it is, and be grateful that you get to partake. I sure would've been!
Q: How is the Acting?
A: The chemistry between Mia Wasikowska and Henry Hopper is the only reason to see this film. Mia is quite charming. And Henry, in his first on-screen performance ever, grows on you throughout the film, and is the son of the late Dennis Hopper-- speaking of nepotism.
Q: How is the Directing?
A: Gus Van Sant clearly did this film because they were over-paying him and he would be able to shoot in his home town of Portland. Normally he makes films like this for $3 million dollars, but because Sony and Imagine were involved, he made this one for over $14 million. He couldn't even figure out how to spend the money... what was left of it, anyway, after Imagine's giant fee.
Q: How is the story/script?
A: Apparently, in development they spent a lot of time talking about the "physics of the world" in which the main character has an imaginary/ghost friend. The "Rules of the world" note is one of the most common notes you will get from a producer any time you are dealing with fantasy, magic, alternate realities, or other-worldy creatures, like ghosts. So common is this note, that it shouldn't have taken them more than 5 minutes of conversation to see that they never established a justification in the "rules of the world" for how this imaginary/ghost was able to punch a living person in the face leaving a bruise and putting him in the hospital. Nope, that's not how ghosts work. Newton's Law explains clearly that ghosts can't exert force on things in the material world unless you, the writer, establish that they can.
Q: Is there anything else worth mentioning about the movie?
A: I finally figured out which one of my friends Mia Wasikowska looks exactly like... Amy, I have found your doppleganger! Mia, if you ever need a dead-on double, call me. I'll put you in touch.
Q: Where can I see the trailer?
A: Restless Trailer
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Labels:
Battleship,
cancer,
death,
drama,
Funeral crasher,
ghosts,
Hospital,
imaginary friend,
Independent Film,
Japanese,
kamikaze,
Portland,
quirky,
seizure,
teenager,
tumors
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Cowboys & Aliens
(Guest Review by Jack)
Q: What’s the movie about?
A: With a title like that, you have to ask?
Q: Who’s in the movie?
A: Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig are the cowboys. CGI wizards are the aliens...
Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?
A: Proceed with Caution. It has a lot of summer popcorn scenes that you should like, but none of them have any "wow!" And the genre mash-up is not enough to keep it fresh.
Q: Will this movie make me laugh?
A: If you do, it'll be at that stupid title.
Q: Will this movie make me cry?
A: Doubts... Other than the tears that I shed after reading Russ’ great review for Captain America. I let the movie time pick between the two. I guess I lost...
Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?
A: I doubt that even MTV wants to reward this one.
Q: How is the Acting?
A: An over the top Harrison Ford is enjoyable, but his easy turn from the “bad guy” to the “good guy” makes his character a big mess. And Daniel Craig is always fun to watch in my opinion, but in this story, even his charisma couldn’t keep me from looking at my watch. Olivia Wilde is a hottie, for sure. She says very little in the film until a dumb plot twist makes her say a lot. Not necessarily a good thing...
Q: How is the Directing?
A: The strong suit of an action film should be the action sequences. Jon Favreau did well with the first Iron Man, but this is a different story. The action is just okay. Not a single scene makes me want to see it again.
Q: How is the story/script?
A: It's just cowboys fighting aliens... which is its biggest draw and its biggest fault.
Q: Where can I see the trailer?
A: Cowboys & Aliens Trailer
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Labels:
Action,
bar brawl,
Based on a comic,
burned alive,
combat,
cowboy boots,
horse,
interracial marriage,
Martial Arts,
Pistol,
Posse,
revolver,
sci-fi,
Spaceship,
thriller,
western
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
The Guard
Q: What’s the movie about?
A: A murder in small town Ireland brings an FBI agent (Don Cheadle) into an offbeat partnership with a very strange police officer (Brendan Gleeson).
Q: Who’s in the movie?
A: Brendan Gleeson, Don Cheadle, Liam Cunningham, David Wilmot, Rory Keenan, Mark Strong, Fionnula Flanagan, Dominique McElligott, Sarah Greene, Katarina Cas, Pat Shortt, Darren Healy, Laurence Kinlan, Michael Og Lane, Owen Sharpe
Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?
A: Go! Today I challenge you to see a film that is smarter than you and nothing like any Hollywood movie you can think of... Except:
Q: Will this movie make me laugh?
A: Not since Fargo has a crime mystery been so funny due to dialect.
Q: Will this movie make me cry?
A: Not since Waking Ned Devine have the Irish been depicted in their own movie as so unabashedly shameless.
Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?
A: Not since Snatch has an English language film so badly needed English language subtitles.
Q: How is the Acting?
A: Not since In Bruges has Brendan Gleeson played such a multi-dimentionally hilarious bad guy with a heart of gold.
Q: How is the Directing?
A: Not since The Future has an independent film been shot so still, wide, and patient.
Q: How is the story/script?
A: Not since Inception has there been a good ending so ambiguous, debatable, and intriguing.
Q: Where can I see the trailer?
A: The Guard Trailer
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Labels:
bad cop,
blackmail,
Comedy,
corrupt cops,
drug bust,
drug smuggling,
dry humor,
Irish,
murder,
pay offs,
prostitute,
racism,
thriller
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
The Future
Q: What’s the movie about?
A: A very strange couple (Miranda July & Hamish Linklater) decide based on some convoluted logic that they only have one month to live-- really live-- so they quit their jobs and follow the Universe to a place that's unexpected, and not necessarily more pleasant than the lives they lead before.
Q: Who’s in the movie?
A: Miranda July, Hamish Linklater, David Warshofshky, Isabella Acres, Joe Putterlik, Angela Trimbur
Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?
A: Proceed with Caution. If you enjoyed Miranda July's first effort, Me, You, and Everyone We Know, then you should probably see this less sophisticated but equally as bizarre and intriguing second effort.
Q: Will this movie make me laugh?
A: You'll want to laugh at it, but you won't because you will know that they are in complete control of your mind-- even your desire to laugh at them is premeditated.
Q: Will this movie make me cry?
A: No, but it will make you crawl out of your skin every time you are forced to listen to the cat, Paw-Paw's narration of the events. I hated cats before, but this film, which in some ways revolves around the affection this couple plans to feel for this cat, only re-confirmed how disgusting they are.
Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?
A: Best Unintended Incest of the year. Miranda July and Hamish Linklater play soul mates, but they look like brother and sister, and I'm pretty sure they are. (Seriously, look at the picture.)
Q: How is the Acting?
A: Miranda July plays the voice of Paw-Paw, so I'm just gonna assume that she doesn't do voices. As herself, she's quite watchable, and almost looks like a poor-man's Vera Farmiga. Hamish Linklater, who I'd only known previously from The New Adventures of Old Christine, proves that he can commit to the off-beat without seeming out of sync.
Q: How is the Directing?
A: Miranda July has a performance art background, and it shows in no uncertain terms, that she is an artist, a risk taker, and one of the few distinct voices in filmmaking.
Q: How is the story/script?
A: July's voice is so strange and specific, in fact, that her dialogue makes Diablo Cody look like she's writing Kevin James films. But for as witty as her turn of phrase may be, her sense of story needs more development. The story is mind-boggling, up until the last third, when it runs out of steam, loses its direction, and makes you wonder if it ever had any in the first place. So you wait for the ending, in hopes that all will be explained, and then Miranda July simply gets bored of writing, and puts down her pen.
Q: Where can I see the trailer?
A: The Future Trailer
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Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Circumstance
Q: What’s the movie about?
A: A pair of teenage girls (Nikohl Boosheri & Sarah Kazemy) fall in lesbian love in Iran, where it's illegal to be gay.
Q: Who’s in the movie?
A: Nikohl Boosheri, Sarah Kazemy, Reza Sixo Safai, Soheil Parsa, Nasrin Pakkho, Sina Amedson, Keon Mohajeri
Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?
A: Proceed with Caution. Those of you who love truly independent should run to see this movie because you will love it. For the rest of you, I'm going to throw out some keywords, and you can decide for yourself if it sounds up your alley: lesbian teens, oppression, surveillance, religious fanaticism, men controlling women, secret lives, secret clubs, lack of freedom, rape. So, you in?
Q: Will this movie make me laugh?
A: As part of their rebellion, they decide to dub the movie Milk into farsi... but mostly we watch them do the sex scenes.
Q: Will this movie make me cry?
A: More like rise up and fight for these poor Iranians.
Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?
A: Best Foot Rape scene. Did you know that it's possible to rape someone just by rubbing their foot? Well, you do now... Oh, and it also won the Audience Award at Sundance.
Q: How is the Acting?
A: Superb. Every single actor in the film brings something unique and unexpected to their role.
Q: How is the Directing?
A: Very independent. At times it jumps around, leaving scenes abruptly and entering others without warning. You are often left wondering what a scene was doing in the film, and yet you find yourself giving the director the benefit of the doubt, thinking to yourself that it probably needed to be there and you're just a little too dumb to figure out why.
Q: How is the story/script?
A: This is a script of few words. And many long stares. Sometimes too long, bordering on melodrama. But sometimes just right, bordering on letting you in on the storyline.
Q: Where can I see the trailer?
A: Circumstance Trailer
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Monday, August 15, 2011
The Help
Q: What’s the movie about?
A: An aspiring journalist (Emma Stone) in 1960s Jackson, Mississippi interviews the town's Negro maids (Viola Davis & Octavia Spencer) and publishes their crazy stories in a tell-all book.
Q: Who’s in the movie?
A: Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Octavia Spencer, Jessica Chastain, Ahna O'Reilly, Allison Janney, Anna Camp, Eleanor & Emma Henry, Chris Lowell, Cicely Tyson, Mike Vogel, Sissy Spacek, Brian Kerwin, Wes Chatham, Aunjanue Ellis, Ted Welch, Mary Steenburgen
Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?
A: Go! It's an inspirational tale of courage and standing up for what's right, but it's not the best one you'll ever see, and it's waaaaaaay tooooo lonnnng.
Q: Will this movie make me laugh?
A: Octavia Spencer and Jessica Chastain make for an unlikely comedy team, but after you see them in this film, you will never want to see them do a scene in which they are not together.
Q: Will this movie make me cry?
A: The fact that it doesn't really, is one of my major gripes with it. This kind of movie should not be allowed into theaters until it has guaranteed tears built in.
Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?
A: Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer will likely duke it out for a nomination as Best Supporting Actress, even though they are clearly the leads. Then Viola will take the nom, because she's been nominated before, and because Octavia is too funny to get an Academy Award.
Q: How is the Acting?
A: This is the first time ever that I have enjoyed a performance by Bryce Dallas Howard. She is magical in this. And Sissy Spacek (in the tiny role) as her mom is the very best thing this movie has going.
Q: How is the Directing?
A: Who is Tate Taylor? From what I can tell, he's made a few movies (mostly shorts) that I've never heard of, and acted in a few movies and TV shows in the role of "Nameless Friend or Passerby," so how did he get this gig?... Well, he's best friends with the author of the novel, Kathryn Stockett, and after her 60th rejection by a publisher, he decided to option the rights to her book, not knowing that it would one day become a best seller. To which I say, "Have any of y'all written a book I should read?"
Q: How is the story/script?
A: Civil rights stories about injustice, oppression and racism will always have a special place in my heart. But somehow, despite a multitude of spectacular performances, this one plays a bit like a movie of the week-- with less crying. I think the sense of danger is not built up enough in the script or the visuals, to make you feel it on a visceral or in an always present kind of way. Often, you completely forget that there is any danger in what these people are doing, because it's never taken quite far enough-- i.e. no one that we care about is ever physically threatened before our eyes.
Q: Where can I see the trailer?
A: The Help Trailer
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Labels:
1960s,
Based on a Novel,
Black and White,
Church,
civil rights,
class struggle,
drama,
God,
Gospel,
maid,
nanny,
prejudice,
racism,
segregation,
the south,
toilets
Friday, August 12, 2011
30 Minutes or Less
Q: What’s the movie about?
A: A pizza delivery boy (Jesse Eisenberg) wakes up strapped to a bomb, with a pair of small time criminals (Danny McBride & Nick Swardson) demanding that he rob a bank for $100,000 if he wants to get out of exploding.
Q: Who’s in the movie?
A: Jesse Eisenberg, Danny McBride, Aziz Ansari, Nick Swardson, Dilshad Vadsaria, Michael Pena, Bianca Kajlich, Fred Ward
Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?
A: Proceed with Caution. It's incredibly dumb, but not dumb enough to be awesome.
Q: Will this movie make me laugh?
A: The funniest clips are in the trailer, and to add insult to injury, even those are slightly funnier when taken out of the context of the film.
Q: Will this movie make me cry?
A: No emotions of any kind will be had.
Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?
A: Funniest panel at Comic Con. If you weren't one of the thousand people at that panel, you may never discover how truly hilarious the actors in this film actually are. Because it's not particularly clear from watching this film.
Q: How is the Acting?
A: Aziz Ansari is such a bad actor that he makes Jesse Eisenberg seem like he's over-acting just for hitting his emotions at appropriate levels. And Michael Pena, whose resume includes just about everything serious that's ever been made, turns out to be something of a comic genius... After this performance, I have a feeling that he will get a speedy welcome into the club.
Q: How is the Directing?
A: The opening car scene is pretty awesome... and then you never notice the directing again.
Q: How is the story/script?
A: So after getting a bomb strapped to you, you go to your best friend who is a school teacher, and you say "Rob a bank with me," at which point he deserts his classroom full of children and agrees to rob a bank with you. Think about that... Yeah, there's no world in which it happens that way. Here's a possible alternative. You rob a bank by yourself, while your best friend calls the cops to explain why you're robbing the bank, and then the cops, using their years of professional knowledge and expertise, devise a strategy to get you out of that bomb. And don't get me started on the dialogue.
Q: Where can I see the trailer?
A: 30 Minutes or Less Trailer
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Labels:
bank robbery,
Car chase,
Comedy,
Explosion,
gorilla costume,
hitman,
lap dance,
pen gun,
pIzza delivery boy,
racism,
slacker,
stoner,
strapped to a bomb,
stripper
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
(Guest Review by Russ)
Q: What’s the movie about?
A: A genetic engineer's (James Franco) quest for an Alzheimer's cure results in making his pet chimpanzee (Caesar) really smart, and then really determined to rule like that other Caesar he was named after.
Q: Who’s in the movie?
A: James Franco, Freida Pinto, John Lithgow, Brian Cox, Tom Felton, Andy Serkis, David Oyelowo
Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?
A: Go! Here we have yet another version of an apes-rule-the-world scenario loosely based on the amazing novel by Pierre Boulle, but it really is like no smart-ape movie that has come before it. Using motion capture technology on par with Avatar, the apes are no longer humans in costumes but that is only one part of what makes this film so thrilling. The deep emotional through-line between Caesar the chimp and his owner sucks you in, and the knock-out suspenseful and action-packed finale will leave you as satisfied as the popcorn and soda you had while watching it all.
Q: Will this movie make me laugh?
A: Many of Caesar's antics as a young, growing chimp will keep you amused in a I-want-a-pet-chimp! sort of way. (But read Monique's review of Project Nim before you do!)
Q: Will this movie make me cry?
A: For most pet owners, it probably will. For all others, uh, yeah, you'll probably cry too. Sorry.
Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?
A: The advanced special effects on display will most likely get attention. But with the Academy still considering nominating up to ten films for Best Picture, this one might very well get some votes. It's that good.
Q: How is the Acting?
A: The stand out performance here is without a doubt, Andy Serkis as the grown-up Caesar. The actor (who also played Gollum in Lord of the Rings) was later digitally manipulated into a chimp, but his very human reactions, eyes and empathy come through in every single scene and it gives the film its huge heart. His transformation from a sheltered curious child to a cunning and manipulative leader is the stuff of Academy Award nominations. There are some other amazing ape performances; a gorilla and former circus orangutan come to mind. Yeah, the actors who did those apes were great too.
Q: How is the Directing?
A: I really have no clue who Rupert Wyatt is, nor have I seen the one other feature film he directed before this one, but he gets just about everything right here. This is another example of a director who makes everything seem so effortless that you sort of forget how impressive it all is. This guy just jumped to the Hollywood A-list of directors with this one.
Q: How is the story/script?
A: If there's a quibble to be had here, it's with the script. The story works just fine, but I wish more had been given to some of the human characters. Freida Pinto is beautiful to look at and I'm pretty sure she's a very capable actress, but she's little more than window dressing in this story. Also, John Lithgow (as James Franco's father) disappears about half way through the movie and it would have been nice to not leave us hanging so much where he's concerned. But overall this is a stellar re-imagining of this material that pulls off the difficult feat of creating a satisfying ending while also setting up a sequel that's sure to be even more interesting.
Q: Where can I see the trailer?
A: Rise of the Planet of the Apes Trailer
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Sunday, August 7, 2011
The Change-Up
Q: What’s the movie about?
A: A married man (Jason Bateman) and a single man (Ryan Reynolds) switch bodies and try not to f-up each other's lives.
Q: Who’s in the movie?
A: Jason Bateman, Ryan Reynolds, Leslie Mann, Olivia Wilde, Alan Arkin, Sydney Rouviere, Mircea Monroe, Grogory Itzin, Ned Schmidtke, Lo Ming, Craig Bierko, Bailey Anne Borders
Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?
A: Proceed with Caution. If you go to a body-switch movie, and your main complaint is that the set-up and the ending are predictable, then you only have yourself to blame. That's what body-switch movies do. You're supposed to watch a body-switch movie for the second act. That's where you get to find out if the actors where able to transform to the point of making you believe they are inhabited by the other, and it's where you get to see the ways in which they screw up each other's lives while they are inhabiting them. So let's talk about the second act, which isn't anywhere near as bad as the buzz on it. In fact, once it's released on VOD and DVD, I predict that many people will find themselves telling a friend, "You know what I saw last night, that wasn't half bad?"
Q: Will this movie make me laugh?
A: Not out loud much, because the writers rely too heavily on swear words instead of humor, and the insulting nicknames the characters lob at each other incessantly quickly begin to feel overbearing and self-conscious.
Q: Will this movie make me cry?
A: What makes me cry most is how all the nerds and haters are so quick to say this movie is the end of the raunchy R-rated comedy being hot. Some of us love comedies, don't consider them a phase but rather a necessity, and don't start screaming about how it's the end of your stupid comic book movies, just because Green Lantern came out and sucked. (Disclaimer: I didn't see it.) Hey, I'm noticing a pattern. Maybe we could all get along if we instead went around screaming that it's the end of Ryan Reynolds?
Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?
A: I'm giving Judd Apatow a Tolerance Award for letting the mother of his children show her boobs. It takes a truly secure man to be okay with that... Or maybe a truly twisted one. Either way, we should start counting down to their divorce.
Q: How is the Acting?
A: Jason Bateman does an amazing job of making you forget that he doesn't actually have Ryan Reynolds inside his body. Ryan Reynolds does an amazing job of making you forget why he's become such a hot commodity.
Q: How is the Directing?
A: David Dobkin directed Wedding Crashers, so my first instinct is never to say anything bad... But. There are several pivotal pissing scenes, where we get full frontal shots, and before you get all grossed out, let me clarify that my complaint is that neither one of these men seems to have a penis. Now I know you can't show that in an R-rated movie, but what I don't know is why the director chose to shoot an angle that makes it so obvious that they're holding little water hoses rigged to come out of their flies. It would have been so easy to use only angles that don't show the pants' opening. The way it is shot, you can't help but peek, and seeing nothing there is disturbing.
Q: How is the story/script?
A: From the writers of The Hangover, comes a film that feels like it's from the writers of an ABC Family Film-- with tits, swearing, and male leads. I think the lesson here is that you shouldn't try to do a body-switch movie for the R-rated audience. It would seem they don't care for the conceit. Oh well, I guess I'd better scrap my plans to write that body-switch movie between a hooker and her pimp.
Q: Where can I see the trailer?
A: The Change-Up Trailer
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Labels:
Ballet,
body-switch,
Comedy,
family life,
law firm,
marijuana,
partner,
pissing,
porn,
slacker,
Tattoo,
twins,
wishing fountain
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Captain America: The First Avenger
(Guest Review by Russ)
Q: What’s the movie about?
A: Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), a skinny kid from Brooklyn with a big heart is finally accepted into the U.S. Army during WW II after agreeing to volunteer for a top secret project that turns him into super-strong super hero Captain America.
Q: Who’s in the movie?
A: Chris Evans, Tommy Lee Jones, Hugo Weaving, Dominic Cooper, Hayley Atwell, Stanley Tucci, Sebastian Stan, Toby Jones, Neal McDonough, Derek Luke, Samuel L. Jackson, Richard Armitage
Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?
A: Go! Hollywood is churning out superhero films by the boatload these days with varying degrees of success. But it's obvious Marvel Studios is taking the greatest of care with their well-known characters and this one is no exception. Staying true to an origin story that took place 70 years ago makes for a nice change of pace while watching a super-strong man try to save the world.
Q: Will this movie make me laugh?
A: There is a sly sense of humor woven throughout the film that will keep a smile on your face. Especially when Cap mistakes the meaning of the word "fondue."
Q: Will this movie make me cry?
A: No, and we can thank the filmmakers for not trying to go somewhere that this film didn't need to go.
Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?
A: A pitch should be made for costume design. It's a deft blend between a clever winking nod to the absurdity of superhero costumes and some beautiful designs that take into account historical accuracy along with top-notch creative talent and inspiration. (I guess this has been a week for good costumes, here at the blog.)
Q: How is the Acting?
A: Chris Evans was an inspired choice for this role; his performance is an effortless blend between humor/earnestness and sensitivity/machismo. This is one of those moments in time when the exact right actor is paired with the exact right part. Hugo Weaving thankfully keeps things in check as the main villain and Hayley Atwell is a nice new face as Cap's love interest who proves to be as tough as him.
Q: How is the Directing?
A: The period film looks beautiful and the pace is perfect both in set-up and pay-offs. One might wish some of the action scenes were less montage-y, but for those wanting to see Captain America wield his ultra strong shield as a lethal weapon, you definitely won't be disappointed.
Q: How is the story/script?
A: I'd like to thank Marvel Studios for hiring good screenwriters who ultimately deliver a straightforward, entertaining script. No one is trying to reinvent the wheel with this one, and that alone should be commended. It could be said that Captain America is more Americana-Apple-Pie than even Superman himself, and this film feeds into that ideal beautifully. You might not recognize the America on display in this movie, but the reminder of what it once was will give you goosebumps (and then probably make you depressed).
Q: Is there anything else worth mentioning about the movie?
A: Yes, two things: 1. Stick around until the end credits are done to see a continuation of the last scene which turns into a teaser-trailer for next summer's The Avengers movie (which Captain America will be a big part of). 2. Everyone is talking about the visual effect of "skinny" cap at the start of the film (before he transforms). Many assume it's Chis Evans' head on another actor's body (like they did with Brad Pitt in Benjamin Button). It's not though; it's all Chris Evans and they digitally made him thinner and shorter. An amazing effect in a film full of them.
Q: Where can I see the trailer?
A: Captain America: The First Avenger Trailer
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Labels:
Action,
America,
army,
Hitler,
Marvel,
Nazis,
Period piece,
stars and stripes,
Superhero,
Uncle Sam,
villian,
World War II
Monday, August 1, 2011
Crazy, Stupid, Love.
Q: What’s the movie about?
A: When a man's (Steve Carell) wife (Julianne Moore) asks for a divorce, he goes to a bar where he meets a womanizer (Ryan Gosling), who teaches him to get his manhood back.
Q: Who’s in the movie?
A: Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone, Analeigh Tipton, Jonah Bobo, Joey King, Marisa Tomei, Kevin Spacey, John Carroll Lynch, Beth Littleford, Liza Lapira, Josh Groban
Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?
A: Go! It's sweet and romantic, and Steve Carell will charm the pants off you -- quite literally if you're a woman who frequents that one bar he goes to.
Q: Will this movie make me laugh?
A: Sure, there are some jokes, but it's also funny to think that Ryan Gosling's pickup lines could work on anyone, no less everyone. Film's Message #1: Women love to have one night stands with complete tools.
Q: Will this movie make me cry?
A: What's depressing is Film's Message #2: You only have one true soul mate in life. Don't worry, if you lose that person, fate will eventually bring you back together. But if it doesn't, because you live in the real world and not fantasy land, you can always kill yourself, because what are you living for anyway, now that you will never love again? (Can you tell that I hate the theory of "The One," or am I being too subtle?)
Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?
A: From the opening shot on a pair of shoes that I absolutely must have, to the most beautiful men's wear line I have ever seen, this film absolutely must win a costume design award. More likely though, it won't be nominated, because it's not a period piece, and most voters are too dense to recognize that copying old designs from pictures of the past is way easier than creating a beautiful and original style within modern men's wear.
Q: How is the Acting?
A: While Steve Carell and Julianne Moore find the line between heightened reality and comic timing pitch perfectly, Ryan Gosling has some challenging character and dialogue improbabilities to overcome. Meanwhile, Emma Stone mugs a lot more than I would expect from an actress of her caliber, making this her first performance that I haven't enjoyed (not counting her cameo in Friends with Benefits, which exposed a similar problem). And Analeigh Tipton, in the role of the babysitter, has a nice awkward quality, but to quote the teenage girls I encountered in the bathroom, "Her acting is really weird."
Q: How is the Directing?
A: The vibrant color scheme is pleasant, but my problem with the directing is that I could tell it was shot in L.A., and the amount of coincidences in the story just isn't realistic in a city that big. They never show any landmarks or mention what city it is, so maybe they were hoping it would look like some non-descript small town where everyone has a plausible chance of running into each other all the time, and there's only one bar that anyone ever goes to, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who recognized the Century City shopping mall, or the smog covered Santa Monica Mountains... I'm just sayin', this is what Canada is for!
Q: How is the story/script?
A: Within the world of being a romantic comedy, it feels original because it revolves around a family, rather than young, unattached star-crossed lovers falling in love for the first time. But the coincidences get a little out of control. And if Ryan Gosling's character does exist, he's been cast on the Jersey Shore, and he's not falling in love ever -- not in that faithful way, anyhow.
Q: Where can I see the trailer?
A: Crazy, Stupid, Love. Trailer
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