Take a great sci-fi premise and make it implausible and inconsistent
Take a crime thriller and make it boring
Have a human interest subplot that requires a character to act with total disregard of normal human behavior
Throw in self-indulgent direction that often slows the plot to a snail's pace and overuses shifting time lines
Feature characters who are given such poor character development that it's impossible to care about any of them, and then hire actors who probably would struggle with good material
Money was obviously spent on it, and the premise kept me watching through a few episodes hoping it would catch fire, but alas, I finally gave up.
Disappointing.
Reviews
16 Reviews
2:22
(2017)
Slow and ultimately pointless
10 September 2017
Although production values were fine, the story was confused, evolved far too slowly without a sense of progression, and ultimately never came close to an ending that merited the tedious slog through the movie.
My companion for the evening is a big (and tolerant) sci-fi fan, but she was fidgeting early on in the movie, and when a character utters the words, "I'm so sorry about tonight" I could only turn to her and repeat the line.
If you're looking for a thought-provoking sci-fi movie, you can skip this one, and if you are expecting a romance along the lines of The Time Traveler's Wife or The Lake House, the story and performances are just not compelling enough to pull that off.
Sorry, but give it a miss.
My companion for the evening is a big (and tolerant) sci-fi fan, but she was fidgeting early on in the movie, and when a character utters the words, "I'm so sorry about tonight" I could only turn to her and repeat the line.
If you're looking for a thought-provoking sci-fi movie, you can skip this one, and if you are expecting a romance along the lines of The Time Traveler's Wife or The Lake House, the story and performances are just not compelling enough to pull that off.
Sorry, but give it a miss.
The Smurfs
(2011)
I Kissed a Smurf (and It Was Only OK)
11 January 2012
A host of recognizable television series faces share the screen with those newly-CGI characters: the lovably aggravating Smurfs. For those who don't know, Smurfs are little blue human-like creatures that stand "3 apples high" (I wonder if that means the GM Golden Delicious monstrosities, or petite little all-natural Granny Smiths?). They are happy. Very happy. And they sing when they are happy. Which is nearly always. And they seem to know only one song. ARRGH!! This might explain the antipathy that the evil wizard Gargamel (disappointingly portrayed in a way over-the-top performance by Hank Azaria) feels towards the Smurfs. Also, Smurf essence seems to have some sort of cosmic energy magic qualities, and Gargamel would like to capture all the Smurfs to harness this Smurf essence to make himself the most powerful wizard ever. Whatever.
When Clumsy, the Smurf who is, well, clumsy accidentally reveals the location of the hidden Smurf village to Gargamel and his cat familiar, a small group of Smurfs will be sucked through a portal (under the influence of the mystical "blue moon") to Central Park in New York City. But Gargamel is so close to his life's ambition that he risks following them through the portal, and the cosmic battle between the forces of Blueness and Ham Acting, sorry, I meant Evil, will continue in the Big Apple.
It is there that the Smurfs encounter Patrick, a man with a pregnant wife and a erratic, volatile boss who has just promoted him, but will fire him if he doesn't come up with a brilliant idea for a marketing campaign to promote a line of cosmetics products. The Smurfs take refuge with Patrick, and prove to be a distraction (especially when they are singing their one and only song), until finally Patrick loses it and yells, "I don't want a bunch of little people running around the house!". His pregnant wife Grace fixes him with a doe-eyed stare (Grace is played by Jayma Mays from GLEE, whose naturally doe-eyed look provoked one of the GLEE characters to remark once when completely drunk, "I cried when they shot your mother, Bambi" before vomiting on her feet), and Patrick realizes he has some serious thinking to do about the nature of family and commitment to loving your family through thick-and-then, even if it's not convenient for your career (and even when they sing). Naturally, because he's a good guy, he will come to his senses and help the Smurfs in their efforts to try and defeat Gargamel and figure out how to reopen the portal and return to Smurf-Land (although I'm not entirely sure where that is).
Now, to be serious for a moment, the film is well-constructed technically, the actors do pretty well with pretty inane material (with the exception of Azaria), and there ARE some funny moments. But the film is ponderous in setting up the main action in the beginning, and might lose some young viewers there, and feels padded, as if there were an idea for a Smurf movie, but when the original idea was fleshed out into a script, it only took up only 45 minutes of time, so another 45 minutes of plot-superfluous cuteness were added on: a scene in a toy store where Smurfs are mistaken for toys, a scene where Patrick and the Smurfs bond while playing Guitar Hero. Drum Hero, etc...(product placement there, Sony?), a scene where...well, you get the idea. But the movie picks up steam as it goes along, and ends up better than it starts. The major drawback: the movie may be too plot heavy for younger children, and too silly for older children and parents. But then I have to confess I never understood the attraction of the Smurfs in the first place, so perhaps children will be so in love with the cute Blueness that is the Smurfs that considerations like plot and pace simply don't matter.
My suggestion is that if your children vociferously clamor to see the film, then they are already under the spell of the Smurf's single happy song, and they'll probably like the movie no matter what. But if they don't clamor, you don't have to push them to see it, and neither do you need to see it, either. Oh, and Katy Perry voices Smurfette to no particular effect, hence the title of the review...
When Clumsy, the Smurf who is, well, clumsy accidentally reveals the location of the hidden Smurf village to Gargamel and his cat familiar, a small group of Smurfs will be sucked through a portal (under the influence of the mystical "blue moon") to Central Park in New York City. But Gargamel is so close to his life's ambition that he risks following them through the portal, and the cosmic battle between the forces of Blueness and Ham Acting, sorry, I meant Evil, will continue in the Big Apple.
It is there that the Smurfs encounter Patrick, a man with a pregnant wife and a erratic, volatile boss who has just promoted him, but will fire him if he doesn't come up with a brilliant idea for a marketing campaign to promote a line of cosmetics products. The Smurfs take refuge with Patrick, and prove to be a distraction (especially when they are singing their one and only song), until finally Patrick loses it and yells, "I don't want a bunch of little people running around the house!". His pregnant wife Grace fixes him with a doe-eyed stare (Grace is played by Jayma Mays from GLEE, whose naturally doe-eyed look provoked one of the GLEE characters to remark once when completely drunk, "I cried when they shot your mother, Bambi" before vomiting on her feet), and Patrick realizes he has some serious thinking to do about the nature of family and commitment to loving your family through thick-and-then, even if it's not convenient for your career (and even when they sing). Naturally, because he's a good guy, he will come to his senses and help the Smurfs in their efforts to try and defeat Gargamel and figure out how to reopen the portal and return to Smurf-Land (although I'm not entirely sure where that is).
Now, to be serious for a moment, the film is well-constructed technically, the actors do pretty well with pretty inane material (with the exception of Azaria), and there ARE some funny moments. But the film is ponderous in setting up the main action in the beginning, and might lose some young viewers there, and feels padded, as if there were an idea for a Smurf movie, but when the original idea was fleshed out into a script, it only took up only 45 minutes of time, so another 45 minutes of plot-superfluous cuteness were added on: a scene in a toy store where Smurfs are mistaken for toys, a scene where Patrick and the Smurfs bond while playing Guitar Hero. Drum Hero, etc...(product placement there, Sony?), a scene where...well, you get the idea. But the movie picks up steam as it goes along, and ends up better than it starts. The major drawback: the movie may be too plot heavy for younger children, and too silly for older children and parents. But then I have to confess I never understood the attraction of the Smurfs in the first place, so perhaps children will be so in love with the cute Blueness that is the Smurfs that considerations like plot and pace simply don't matter.
My suggestion is that if your children vociferously clamor to see the film, then they are already under the spell of the Smurf's single happy song, and they'll probably like the movie no matter what. But if they don't clamor, you don't have to push them to see it, and neither do you need to see it, either. Oh, and Katy Perry voices Smurfette to no particular effect, hence the title of the review...
Cinnamon
(2011 Video)
Bad dog! Bad dog!
15 December 2011
Warning: Spoilers
(Very minor spoilers) Cinnamon is a dog: a very spoiled dog belonging to divorced university professor and single mom Madeline (Cynthia Gibb). Madeline is dating, but the dates are complete disasters, and Cinnamon is relieved to have Madeline basically to herself. But then Madeline meets the architect working on a new addition to the university, a widower named Kevin (Greg Evigan) and his son Jordan. Madeline and Kevin are smitten immediately, and Cinnamon is convinced her life is going to change for the worse if Kevin and Jordan become a permanent part of Madeline's life. Cinnamon therefore sets out to wreck the budding relationship, and employs tactics ranging from barking and biting, to urinary attack, to running away to insure her position as "top dog" in Madeline's life. Unfortunately, Cinnamon is also a dog of a movie, with Brenda Song (from Zack and Cody fame) wisely choosing not to be credited with the annoying voice she gives to a very annoying character. You see, Cinnamon cares nothing for her owner's happiness, only her own, and the change-of-heart essential to movies of this sort will come about not by Cinnamon realizing the error of her ways, but rather by Cinnamon having a new selfish agenda. And Madeline – if you were crazy about your dog, would you let your dog run off to play with a child you've only just met outside of your supervision? Would you then drop off the little beastie unannounced for your new boyfriend to dog-sit, knowing that your dog seems to hate said boyfriend? Of course you wouldn't, because that would be logical – unfortunately, Madeline does both these things, and more. There are also cringe-worthy bits of dialogue (my personal favourite is Jordan saying "How can I live with myself?" when Cinnamon goes missing), as well as random plot lines that are started, and then dropped like a spoiled child (dog?) getting bored with a toy. Gibb and Evigan do their best with appalling material, and are the reason the movie is not rated lower. What Lesley-Ann Down was doing in the movie is a complete mystery - her character seems almost entirely superfluous. Even the original title (it is titled CINNAMON in South Africa) is suspect: "MY DOG'S Christmas MIRACLE" seems to be a cheap cash-in on the festive season, since the story has almost nothing to do with Christmas, and Cinnamon does very little to accomplish anything miraculous. Give this one a skip unless you or your children are absolutely crazy about talking dogs.
Somebody's Hero
(2012)
An "Under the Radar" Movie
15 December 2011
SOMEBODY'S HERO (5.3/10) is the story of Dennis (played by Chris Gorham), an accountant who is described by his boss as having the attribute of always being "under the radar", and for that very reason, she gives him the opportunity to handle the account of one of the firm's most important clients: Katie (Susan Misner), a newly widowed single mom with a son named Jake. Katie may have an incredible amount of money, but leads a relatively modest existence as she tries to manage her son's emotional withdrawal from the world following his father's death, and cope with her own loneliness. Her confidante and emotional rock is her devoted housekeeper Maureen, and both Maureen and Katie are worried by Jake's obsession with the comic book/movie action hero Man America. Dennis enters into this household, and is immediately touched by Jake's loneliness, perhaps identifying with his own barren personal life: being a man who lives "under the radar" does not make for a wild bachelor existence. So he offers to try and get Jake to come out of his emotional shell, and, when Katie tells him that Jake only seems interested in something associated with Man America, Dennis decides to rent a Man America costume. But while in the costume store trying on the Man America suit, a criminal with a knife threatens the owner and a businessman there to talk the owner into selling the store. Dennis emerges in the Man America outfit, and his awkward but ultimately successful efforts to ward off the knife-wielding thug are captured on the store's security camera.
The next day, Dennis discovers that his heroics have been picked up on the internet and television, via the security tapes, and he has become a New York City hero. When the businessman he saved urges him to keep playing Man America in order to bring hope to the city, he sees a chance to be something more than just an anonymous "under the radar" accountant. But as his relationship with Jake and Katie deepens, and Katie starts to feel increasingly attracted to the man who seems to be bringing Jake out of his shell, Dennis will be faced with increasing conflict between his professional life, his personal life, and his secret Man America life.
On the positive side, this is a story that makes some interesting points about the real meaning of leading a heroic life, while keeping the mood light with plenty of humor, and even some pratfalls. It also doesn't duck raising some tough questions about whether the obligation to one's family outweighs one's principles. It also touches on the issue of how heroism is sometimes exploited by the unscrupulous for their own selfish ends. The acting and production values for such a low budget film are also excellent, with both the leads making their characters identifiable to the viewer.
On the negative side, the mix between humor and drama is not always handled that well, and many plot points are contrived to advance the plot to where it needs to go next, without a great deal of logic. Some characters are altogether caricatures (Dennis' boss is the most glaring example), and this undercuts the emotional impact of their interaction with Dennis and Katie. A movie like AUGUST RUSH is a good example of a film that gets nearly all these things right, and SOMEBODY'S HERO just doesn't get to that level.
But, taken as a small independent movie made to be family friendly, this is certainly more than passable, if not outstanding. And those tough questions mentioned earlier can be the starting point for some good discussions between parents and children about values and principles; something that any parent can welcome.
The next day, Dennis discovers that his heroics have been picked up on the internet and television, via the security tapes, and he has become a New York City hero. When the businessman he saved urges him to keep playing Man America in order to bring hope to the city, he sees a chance to be something more than just an anonymous "under the radar" accountant. But as his relationship with Jake and Katie deepens, and Katie starts to feel increasingly attracted to the man who seems to be bringing Jake out of his shell, Dennis will be faced with increasing conflict between his professional life, his personal life, and his secret Man America life.
On the positive side, this is a story that makes some interesting points about the real meaning of leading a heroic life, while keeping the mood light with plenty of humor, and even some pratfalls. It also doesn't duck raising some tough questions about whether the obligation to one's family outweighs one's principles. It also touches on the issue of how heroism is sometimes exploited by the unscrupulous for their own selfish ends. The acting and production values for such a low budget film are also excellent, with both the leads making their characters identifiable to the viewer.
On the negative side, the mix between humor and drama is not always handled that well, and many plot points are contrived to advance the plot to where it needs to go next, without a great deal of logic. Some characters are altogether caricatures (Dennis' boss is the most glaring example), and this undercuts the emotional impact of their interaction with Dennis and Katie. A movie like AUGUST RUSH is a good example of a film that gets nearly all these things right, and SOMEBODY'S HERO just doesn't get to that level.
But, taken as a small independent movie made to be family friendly, this is certainly more than passable, if not outstanding. And those tough questions mentioned earlier can be the starting point for some good discussions between parents and children about values and principles; something that any parent can welcome.
Jock the Hero Dog
(2011)
Horrible!!!!!!!
13 December 2011
JOCK (2.4/10) Horrible, amateurish animation makes this a major disappointment. The animation looks like the cut scene animation from an elderly computer game, and any subtlety of lighting or background animation is nearly entirely absent. The motion is often jittery and jerky, and the facial animation of characters can be called basic, to be charitable.
The direction of the voice acting often misfires as well, letting down the pace of the story. The story is aimed to be young audience friendly, but it lacks any real emotional involvement with its characters, and the funny bits are, well, not very funny, so little ones are likely to get antsy. As for adults, it is barely survivable. The lyrics are surprisingly bad, coming as they do from Tim Rice, and the songs are just average at best, seeming like first draft efforts that should have been rejected. Come to think of it, the whole film feels like a rough draft, with the voice actors reading through their lines while looking at unfinished animation.
The life lessons are suspect as well: we are told that Jock has a big heart, but in almost every situation he finds himself in, he survives because of luck, or the actions of another character, not because of his determination or courage.
This has to be one of the biggest letdowns in South African film history, and must have set back the reputation of its film industry globally, which is a grave disservice to the many talented people who do work in the South African film industry. There is no excuse for making a movie this lazy and sloppy other than either arrogance or greed: this level of ineptitude cannot be explained in any other way. Only the ghost of the source material occasionally shining through, and the fact that animals are generally cute saved this from being a 1, but that is no credit to the filmmakers.
The direction of the voice acting often misfires as well, letting down the pace of the story. The story is aimed to be young audience friendly, but it lacks any real emotional involvement with its characters, and the funny bits are, well, not very funny, so little ones are likely to get antsy. As for adults, it is barely survivable. The lyrics are surprisingly bad, coming as they do from Tim Rice, and the songs are just average at best, seeming like first draft efforts that should have been rejected. Come to think of it, the whole film feels like a rough draft, with the voice actors reading through their lines while looking at unfinished animation.
The life lessons are suspect as well: we are told that Jock has a big heart, but in almost every situation he finds himself in, he survives because of luck, or the actions of another character, not because of his determination or courage.
This has to be one of the biggest letdowns in South African film history, and must have set back the reputation of its film industry globally, which is a grave disservice to the many talented people who do work in the South African film industry. There is no excuse for making a movie this lazy and sloppy other than either arrogance or greed: this level of ineptitude cannot be explained in any other way. Only the ghost of the source material occasionally shining through, and the fact that animals are generally cute saved this from being a 1, but that is no credit to the filmmakers.
The Great Debaters
(2007)
No debate here: This was excellent!
12 February 2011
Denzel Washington directs and stars in this inspirational true story set in the Texas of 1935, about tiny "Negro" Wiley College, where teacher Melvin Tolson (Washington) was the debate coach. That particular year, he took real chances with his selections for the team, taking for the team a brilliant but prone to trouble young man, the team's first woman, and the very young son of the formidably erudite pastor Dr. James Farmer (Forest Whitaker). The team went on to be the first "Negro" college to take on "White" universities in debates, and inspired many, including the team members, to an awakening of their own awareness of the injustice of prejudice in the United States. This is a wonderful movie that deserved to be seen by more people, for its inspirational message that words do matter, and being able to eloquently formulate arguments can change lives. The real James Farmer Jr. went on to become one of the most prominent civil rights activists in the United States, and the others led lives of similar distinction. On the down side, the movie does take liberties with actual events to such an extent as to be disturbing to those wanting to know more about the true story; but probably wisely in terms of making a more enjoyable drama to watch. Recommended for anyone in the mood for an inspirational story.
Antichrist
(2009)
Brutal Yet Brilliant
12 February 2011
Emotionally brutal, sexually graphic, surreal, and challenging, Lars von Trier's film ANTICHRIST is a look at how a tragedy rips apart the fabric of the marriage of a couple. The name of the movie comes from the fact that the death of a character at the beginning of the movie submerges the couple into guilt and "sin", opposite to the Christian idea of Christ's power to redeem people from sin. As such, the movie has no particular anti-Christian sentiment, nor is it a horror movie; rather, it is a dream-like psychological drama. More deeply, the movie reveals that it is also about misogyny, and the pervasive nature of its influence, even among men and even women who would never regard themselves as being subject to misogynist tendencies. Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg make themselves extremely vulnerable as actors in portraying these characters, and the film asks much of them, and also of the viewer watching the film. With an emotional impact that will probably stick with viewers for some time after watching the film, this is recommended for those with a love of psychological art movies, and the ability to handle strong disturbing images.
Piranha 3D
(2010)
Blood & Boobs!
12 February 2011
Blood and boobs as an earthquake connects an ancient underground lake, filled with prehistoric piranha, with a popular Arizona resort lake during spring break, when it is filled with partying college and high school students. In the midst of the inevitable chow-down, we have an oddity for the western United States: a female sheriff (played by Oscar-nominated actress Elisabeth Shue). But she is going to have her hands full with not only the soon-to-be eaten revelers, but also her own son, who has neglected his babysitting duties with his younger siblings to take a job with a soft-porn film crew, who ask to be taken out on the lake. When the film opens with Richard Dreyfuss in a row boat, singing the drinking song from "Jaws", one has high hopes for the level of wit to come. Unfortunately, that doesn't happen, and the movie rather revels in shot after shot of skimpily-clad or topless young women, mixed with assorted piranha kills. There is little scope for real acting in this, and even some of the special effects look a bit questionable, but if you are the target market, it simply won't matter. So, if blood and boobs sounds good to you, go for it, and if it doesn't, stay out of this particular water
.
Legion
(2010)
Holy S#%T!!!!
19 October 2010
LEGION In this horror/action/fantasy, God has apparently gotten "tired of all the bull*!@t" (yes, that is really a quote from the movie), and decides to wipe out humanity. One angel, Michael (Paul Bettany), rebels, and comes to earth to protect an unborn baby who somehow holds the key to getting back in God's good books and saving humanity. Said baby is in the womb of a woman working as a waitress in a little diner on the edge of the Mojave desert, and she and a group of people will be trapped in the diner as the Apocalypse is unleashed. So, from the start, there will be those who will be offended by the plot, and they should skip the movie. If you are looking for a mind-bending theological thriller/horror, you can forget that, too: the movie's own internal logic is fuzzy to say the least. What's left is to do an action/special effects movie that concentrates on style over substance, and that it does pretty well. The actors also do an amazing job of selling such a weak storyline and script, with Dennis Quaid and Lucas Black especially good, along with Bettany, but the real stars of this film are the special effects and stunt people. Great effort is expended on scene after scene, and the results look polished and slick. But as a total movie experience, this is, at best, a guilty pleasure, and the scenes of character development are, well, mostly boring (although there is one terrific father-son advice scene with Dennis Quaid and Lucas Black early on in the movie). So, if you want to kick back and have a beer and pizza action Apocalypse movie, it's at least very competently done, but for most, this is one you can skip without fear of incurring the Almighty's wrath....
Letters to Juliet
(2010)
Doesn't Quite Deliver....
19 October 2010
LETTERS TO JULIET 6.4/10 Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) is a fact-checker for The New Yorker magazine, and an aspiring writer. She is engaged to an ambitious young restaurateur Victor (Gael Garcia Bernal) and they are taking time out from their busy New York lives for a trip together to Verona. Once there, it appears that Victor has set up appointment after appointment with contacts in the restaurant trade, leaving Sophie neglected and frustrated. As she wanders around the city on her own, she comes across a place where lovers leave letters for Juliet (as in the Shakespeare heroine), and a group of women who call themselves the "secretaries of Juliet" collect and answer the letters on a daily basis. Fascinated, she agrees to join them for a day, and comes across a letter that has been hidden for fifty years. She decides to answer it, in spite of the time that has elapsed, and this will set off a chain of romantic circumstances. This is a decent movie that should have been great. It is a wonderful set-up, full of promise, and is let down by lazy direction, and poor performances by Bernal, and Christopher Egan, who plays Charlie, the grandson of the woman who wrote to Juliet 50 years earlier. When Franco Nero shows up in the film, one can see just what leading man "presence" should be, and it is just not present in the younger men. Bernal, who was brilliant in "The Motorcycle Diaries", can do better, but the ridiculous way his character is treated gives him little scope. Egan fares even worse, and it is painful to see him in scenes with Vanessa Redgrave. But the women in the movie are fine, and the basic story, although not well told, is good, so there is enjoyment to be had out of the movie. Treat it as a forgettable rom-com, and perhaps you will not share my disappointment at an opportunity wasted.
Marmaduke
(2010)
Rated PG for Parental Gagging...
19 October 2010
Warning: Spoilers
MARMADUKE (very minor spoiler ahead) This is a movie that RottenTomatoes gave a 90% rotten rating, that received a 30/100 Metacritic rating, and a 2.8 (out of 10) from IMDb. So why did so many think that this is a "steaming pile" (as one dog eloquently puts it in the movie)? The answer is twofold, perhaps: (1) Marmaduke the comic is a sweet one-panel cartoon that usually derives its humor from Marmaduke's size (Marmaduke is a Great Dane, in case you are unfamiliar with the cartoon). Its humor is simple and direct, and Marmaduke the movie is not. What Marmaduke the movie is, is another stereotype teen high school movie with dogs instead of humans, which is reason (2). After so many movies about how nasty and vicious the "in" kids are and how the sweet, downtrodden "not in" kids triumph in the end, doing the same cliché with dogs instead of people doesn't refresh the cliché, it just turns it into, well, a steaming pile. Now, having given you the down side, here is the good part: the movie is full of physical comedy, jokes, more physical comedy, and an energy that will please many children. And this is reason enough to make it less odious to parents: it's hard to hate a movie that is making your child laugh. And of course the movie is full of dogs, and who doesn't have a soft spot for man's best friend? Judged as cinematic art, this is horrible. But as children's entertainment, it will be fine for many children. Taken as such, it is quite passable (but then, so are many kidney stones; you just might experience some pain from both).
Death at a Funeral
(2010)
Missed opportunity for a different spin
19 October 2010
DEATH AT A FUNERAL (2010) Chris Rock has taken the 2007 English comedy "Death at a Funeral", and set it in America, where the patriarch of an African-American family has just died. His will requests that the funeral service take place in their large home, where Chris' character Aaron lives with his wife and mother. Aaron has a "practical" job, while his younger brother Ryan (Martin Lawrence) is a successful writer, something that Aaron has dreamed of doing himself. Their rivalry is one of a number of plot threads, including a cousin whose boyfriend has mistakenly taken a hallucinogen instead of a valium, a cantankerous uncle, and a mysterious stranger. All of these plot lines (and more) weave through an increasingly dysfunctional funeral service, and will all manage to be tied up by the end. It is a good script, and my big objection to the film is that it almost duplicates the 2007 film, with a different cast. I think a great opportunity was lost to make a film that was much more African-American in tone; these characters are too ethnicity-challenged, mainly because the script is nearly unchanged. For those who have seen the original, this will add no new wrinkles, and so will not be particularly funny. For those who haven't, it could be a clever, fun comedy. My instincts are, though, that the script is funnier set among the "stiff-upper lip" English than among a predominantly African-American group in LA.
Defendor
(2009)
Excellent and different take on the superhero
19 October 2010
DEFENDOR: After the brilliantly funny and over-the-top "Kick-Ass", this movie comes like a cold shower: a dark drama/comedy about the more plausible scenario of a man, Arthur Poppington (Woody Harrelson), psychologically scarred and with an IQ of 80, who sets out on a quixotic mission to find "Captain Industry", a villain he holds responsible for a tragedy early in his life. His superhero alter ego is named Defendor, and he uses a variety of home-made devices (and a vicious weapon called a trench club, which he inherited from his grandfather). We meet him as he is being evaluated by a court-appointed psychiatrist (played by Sandra Oh), and he will tell us his story in flashback. The supporting cast is good, with Elias Koteas making a realistically nasty corrupt detective, and Kat Dennings doing a wonderful job of a part (the hooker with a heart) that can so easily turn into a caricature. But the film really belongs to Harrelson, who walks a tightrope that never lets Arthur become either too serious, or too ridiculous. He is a character we can love, pity, laugh at, and cry with, all in the same movie. For those who like quirky, different movies, this is a good one.
Did you read the review about "Did You Hear About the Morgans"
25 May 2010
DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE MORGANS? 4.3/10 rated 13PGL runtime 103 minutes A would-be comedic star vehicle for Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker: unfortunately the vehicle is a clunker, rather than a sleek sexy race car. The story concerns a separated couple who are drifting toward divorce. He has been unfaithful, but would like to reconcile; she finds it impossible to forgive him, and her professional life is rich and satisfying enough that she has little time to even contemplate changing her mind. But when he convinces her to meet him for dinner to discuss their future, they will stumble into a murder in progress, and the hit-man who has just disposed of his victim is now intent on cleaning up the loose ends and killing them as well. They escape initially, but the FBI decides they will need to go into protective custody if they are to live long enough to testify once (and if) the hit-man is caught. That will mean shipping our hapless couple out to the tiny town of Ray, Wyoming. It's not a bad set-up for a romantic comedy, but somehow, everything goes wrong. The script is really appalling, the acting stilted, and the story line badly executed. SJP was nominated for a Razzie for Worst Actress (although she lost to Sandra Bullock's ALL ABOUT STEVE), but truly, this was a team effort in mediocrity. Having said that, let me try and be a little positive: Hugh Grant does (painfully) do his bit as charming Englishman bemused by these quaint Americans; the FBI minders in Ray are sweetly amusing as taciturn life coaches, and SJP does what she was probably asked to do; which is play her character as Carrie Bradshaw stranded in the country. If that is enough for you, then maybe this movie would not be a complete waste of time. Most, though, should answer the question posed in the title by saying "Yes, I did hear about the Morgans, and that's why I'm skipping the movie." You have been warned
..
White Lion
(2010)
A Noble Failure....
5 May 2010
WHITE LION 4.8/10 rated PG runtime 90 minutes A labor of love shot over the course of several years, this is, unfortunately, a noble failure. The movie is built around the incredible rapport that Kevin Richardson (the producer) has with animals, particularly lions. This makes for scenes and camera shots that would have been difficult if not impossible for others to do. The problem with the movie is that it is dreadfully slow and somewhat clichéd as well. Gorgeous scenery is offset by continuity problems with the featured lions, who change in appearance markedly between shots, and a stodgy, uninspired film score adds to the woes. John Kani, who is a revered actor in South Africa, narrates the story in a soporific style that underlines the dragging pace of the movie as a whole.
When one thinks of Jean-Jacques Annaud's film The Bear, which is also a story of a young animal fighting for survival, one realizes just how far White Lion was from being the movie that this investment of time and effort deserved. If you do happen to watch this movie on DVD, though, make sure to check the special features: the sight of Kevin playing with his lion friends is just awe-inspiring, and the obvious affection that the lions have for him touching.
When one thinks of Jean-Jacques Annaud's film The Bear, which is also a story of a young animal fighting for survival, one realizes just how far White Lion was from being the movie that this investment of time and effort deserved. If you do happen to watch this movie on DVD, though, make sure to check the special features: the sight of Kevin playing with his lion friends is just awe-inspiring, and the obvious affection that the lions have for him touching.
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