Super ridiculous premise and a plot with more holes than Swiss Cheese. But hey, who cares? :-) It serves its purpose; a fun heist action thriller that keeps you at the edge of the ledge.
DVD (blu-ray): http://tinyurl.com/82q2w24
Monday, January 30, 2012
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
"Haywire"
Last year "Drive" showed the great divide between the film critics and general audience. The critics gave rave reviews while it didn't receive much love from the audience. This year we have "Haywire."
Gina Carano may be more of a female Jason Bourne than James Bond, but this is not a 'Bourne' movie. It doesn't have the fast-paced and grittiness. I love the 'Bourne' series, whereas "Haywire," I like it enough.
Stephen Soderberg assembled a team of well-known actors with starpower (Michael Douglas, Antonio Banderas, Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender, Channing Tatum) surrounding Carano, a newcomer to acting and a martial arts fighter (Muay Thai) in real life. Carano is 'Mallory,' a former Marine, black ops private contractor, whose company is hired by the U.S. government to undertake off-the-grid missions around the world.
After a mission in Barcelona rescuing a Chinese journalist, Mallory finds herself set up by her former employer as a spy gone rogue and pursued from all angles. The mystery here is that it's a successful job. The pursuits take the team to Dublin, Washington DC, San Diego, New Mexico and Old Mexico.
Carano looks natural for a first-timer and this is the ideal vehicle for her. Her scenes do not require in-depth acting and she's at her best during the physical ones. She brings certain credibility to the fighting scenes. Her running, leaping, kicking, punching, choking, shooting look real. She goes toe-to-toe with the guys and really does look like she's capable of doing these things. The fact that she also falls and doesn't spring back up adds a sense of realism. No special effects, just old-fashioned, hard and brutal hand-to-hand combat shot in close range. Strong, sexy, street-smart, Carano has the realistic build and the look of a bona fide action star.
Whether or not you'd enjoy "Haywire" would depend on your expectations. The layered conspiracy, betrayal and double-crossing are revealed in the end. But it feels longer to get to this point than it should. Instead f a speedy action movie, it's slow and steady with stylistic direction, and sometimes silent with the soundtrack blaring in the background. The latter reminds me with a killer hit last year, "Hanna," although "Hanna" has a much cooler soundtrack.
If you're expecting a 'fast and furious' action flick, you won't. If you're expecting a high-tech super-spy movie, you won't either. If you're familiar with Soderberg's style and allow your patience to be tested, there's a payoff in the end. While there's a pre-ending scene that seems to come out of nowhere (a connecting scene or two might have ended up on the cutting floor), it fades to black with a great 'gotcha' scene.
DVD (blu-ray): http://tinyurl.com/6qz3dxz
Saturday, January 21, 2012
"The Iron Lady"
A delicately human story about Margaret Thatcher. "The Iron Lady" is not so much about a history lesson, but the very personal side of the longest-serving prime minister of Britain. It shows Thatcher in her twilight years, in the early stages of dementia, clearly missing her dearly departed husband, Denis (Jim Broadbent). In and out of lucidity, she keeps everything at home exactly the same and continually talks to him as if he were alive. It's simultaneously sentimental and humorous. Flashes of her primetime years and younger family life unfold through flashbacks. Inspiring sound bites about having a life that matters, with principles and public service, and making a difference. The film is sharply photographed with contrasting colors and space, producing a number of memorable shots. And kudos to hair and makeup, amazingly aids Meryl Streep's ("Julie & Julia," "The Devil Wears Prada") transformation into Thatcher. The story would have worked better had it not placed much emphasis on her life after Downing Street. But Streep, a prominent presence throughout, truly carries the film. A poignantly supreme performance!
"My Week with Marilyn"
Michelle Williams ("Shutter Island") is ravishing as Marilyn Monroe and masters her every mannerism. The look, the walk, the pose, the voice. She captures the essence of the biggest star in the world of her era, seductive and disarming, adored by millions, at the same time, a troubled, lost little girl with the look of innocence. Williams iridescently magnetizes every frame. Kenneth Branagh, as Sir Laurence Olivier and Monroe's frequent sparring partner, be it acting or directing, is a force here. This is a slice of Monroe's life, taken from the memoir of Colin Clark (Eddie Redmayne), then a young smitten gopher who developed a platonic relationship with her during the production of "The Prince and the Showgirl" in London. Combined with stirring music and luminous cinematography, "My Week with Marilyn" is a marvelous picture.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Golden Globes 2012
Compare with 2011. "J. Edgar" suffers from a weak script and meandering direction. "Hugo" is visually amazing and a loving tribute to cinema, but the story is laborious and surprisingly feels a little empty. "Midnight in Paris" and "The Artist" are more in the category of musical/comedy.
The Golden Globes night was a night of nice predictability, mixed with a surprise or two. No surprises at all with George Clooney winning 'Best Actor' for "The Descendants" or Martin Scorsese as 'Best Director' for "Hugo." Meryl Streep as 'Best Actress' for "The Iron Lady" or Michelle Williams as 'Best Supporting Actress' for "My Week with Marilyn." The last two are on my must-watch list ("The Iron Lady" was long-delayed and just opened here this week). These are the kinds of films that are obvious "awards-bait." We'll see if they hold true for the Oscars.
I thought for a moment that "Hugo" might win 'Best Picture' and hope that it wouldn't (although the Academy Awards might disagree because of the Scorsese factor, visuals, and celebration of cinema). I was pulling for "The Descendants" or "The Ides of March." "The Descendants" is incredibly affective and highly satisfying as a whole. "The Ides of March" is exceptionally written and executed.
Gervais did pull off the biggest joke of the night, "Now the Hollywood Foreign Press have warned me that if I insult any of you or any of them or offend any viewers or cause any controversy whatsoever, they'll definitely invite me back next year as well."
And the winners are...
Best Motion Picture - Drama
Winner: "The Descendants"
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
Winner: George Clooney for "The Descendants"
Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Winner: "The Artist"
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
Winner: Meryl Streep for "The Iron Lady"
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Winner: Jean Dujardin for "The Artist"
Best Director - Motion Picture
Winner: Martin Scorsese for "Hugo"
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Winner: Octavia Spencer for "The Help"
Best Screenplay - Motion Picture
Winner: "Midnight in Paris" - Woody Allen
Best Animated Film
Winner: "The Adventures of Tintin"
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Winner: Michelle Williams for "My Week with Marilyn"
Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Musical or ComedyWinner: Laura Dern for "Enlightened"
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Winner: Christopher Plummer for "Beginners"
For a complete list of Golden Globe winners, you can visit the official website.
Stay tuned for the Oscars!
Saturday, January 14, 2012
2012 Awards Season: Feature Film Highlights
It's award season! The Golden Globes nominations are out and the Academy Awards are soon to follow.
In case you missed a number of the nominated films during the holiday season, there's still time to catch up. Except for the last one below, these films are still playing at the theaters in many cities at the time of this writing. Just don't wait too long!
http://www.sdentertainer.com/arts/reviews-arts/academy-awards-2012-nominations/
***
Here's a half dozen of highlights:
"Midnight in Paris"
Woody Allen is a mixed bag. "Match Point" was a high note and "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" enjoyable, but "Cassandra's Dream" not nearly as much. "Midnight in Paris" is lovely, whimsical and kinda magical. Meeting and chatting up Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, Pablo Piccaso, Salvador Dali must be quite a trip. If you're a literature major, you may be enamored with it and totally gets the humor. But even if you aren't, it's a must-watch for those into history, arts, culture... or anything French.
"J. Edgar"
Should have been a lot better. "J. Edgar" is a close-up look at one of the most powerful, controversial figures in the 20th century and most enduring face of the FBI; it should have been a lot better. Ahead of his time, it's interesting to see the events or incidents leading up to the creation of now widely known laws, requirements or procedures. Long, labored and suffering from a bad script and direction, nonetheless, the devoted relationships between Edgar and his domineering mother, lifelong work (and presumably life) partner and loyal-to-a-fault private secretary are fascinating and touching. Acting-wise, applauded (although Leo DiCaprio's accent here is hard to get used to) for a multi-faceted, closely guarded and image-obsessed character, as well as Armie Hammer, in a main supporting role.
"Hugo"
The most stunning 3-D drama ever filmed. From the mesmerizing opening scene of a snowy France in 1930s, it zooms into the rows of building windows, passing through people on the platform of a train station, capturing the vibrancy of a marketplace with bustling cafe and shops, jazz music and colorful flowers. The sweeping view of wintry Paris from the clock tower is truly wondrous. One caveat - don't expect an action-packed adventure or epic fantasy. It's an imaginative fable, but it's a full-length drama, told from the eyes of a lonely orphan facing the harsh reality to survive and trying to piece together clues left by the untimely death of his father. Surprisingly, it's a dual-story, interconnected to a piece of cinematic history. "Hugo" is a love note to cinema.
"The Descendants"
Funny, sad, quirky, heartfelt. The Hawaiian setting adds a unique dimension and is a character on its own. George Clooney ("The Ides of March," "Up in the Air") sheds his 'movie-star' persona and simply becomes a family man, clearly in over his head. A middle-aged, workaholic lawyer who's just trying to keep his head above water with newfound life. Finding out about his comatose wife's affair, handling a foul-mouthed, rebellious teenage daughter and a handful younger one, making the decision about the fate of a land passed down from his royal ancestors and managing quibbles among his extended family. The father-daughter relationships dynamic is the heart of the film. Clooney does his best work here, expertly conveying an array of conflicting emotions through a split-second of facial expression or body movement. Shock, disbelief, heartbreak, anguished, anger, clueless, weariness, sorrow, joy, love, grace, peace. "The Descendants" is sprinkled with contemporary teen speak, sharp jabs and perfectly timed humor. An incredibly affective family-centric dramedy, it leaves an island of impressions. Check out the full review here.
"The Ides of March"
Razor-sharp with superb script, smart direction and compelling acting by the whole ensemble. The astuteness is shades of 2010's "The Social Network." The story is a brilliant human chess game. Play or get played. If you don't make a move or respond accordingly, you'll be taken out of the game. Intense moments, even during quieter, unseen scenes would feel as if gunfire would break out any minute. It feels like blood has been shed, even without a single weapon is drawn or shot fired. It's that good. We'd like to believe that true democracy is alive and well and that the best person wins. While "The Ides of March" is certainly a work of fiction, the story depicted may be as realistic as it can get to our political process. Be a player or a pawn; it's politics as usual. Check out the full review here.
"Drive"
It's a story about a someone who's always in the driver's seat, but goes overdrive to protect the people he cares about. 'Driver' is a man of intense actions with a few words. Ryan Gosling ("The Ides of March") owns every screen he's in and conveys much through a glance, stare, smile, hand or touch. Calm and controlled, but primal and deliberate. As a whole, the film seems pointless and incredulous. Yet it's thoroughly absorbing and easy to suspend disbelief because of its noir style and trance-like atmosphere, underscored by its prevailing pulsing score, and maudlin in some. "Drive" is not for everyone. But this is one that will make a lasting imprint. Check out the full review here.
In case you missed a number of the nominated films during the holiday season, there's still time to catch up. Except for the last one below, these films are still playing at the theaters in many cities at the time of this writing. Just don't wait too long!
http://www.sdentertainer.com/arts/reviews-arts/academy-awards-2012-nominations/
***
Here's a half dozen of highlights:
"Midnight in Paris"
Woody Allen is a mixed bag. "Match Point" was a high note and "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" enjoyable, but "Cassandra's Dream" not nearly as much. "Midnight in Paris" is lovely, whimsical and kinda magical. Meeting and chatting up Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, Pablo Piccaso, Salvador Dali must be quite a trip. If you're a literature major, you may be enamored with it and totally gets the humor. But even if you aren't, it's a must-watch for those into history, arts, culture... or anything French.
DVD (blu-ray): http://tinyurl.com/8xbxmno
"J. Edgar"
Should have been a lot better. "J. Edgar" is a close-up look at one of the most powerful, controversial figures in the 20th century and most enduring face of the FBI; it should have been a lot better. Ahead of his time, it's interesting to see the events or incidents leading up to the creation of now widely known laws, requirements or procedures. Long, labored and suffering from a bad script and direction, nonetheless, the devoted relationships between Edgar and his domineering mother, lifelong work (and presumably life) partner and loyal-to-a-fault private secretary are fascinating and touching. Acting-wise, applauded (although Leo DiCaprio's accent here is hard to get used to) for a multi-faceted, closely guarded and image-obsessed character, as well as Armie Hammer, in a main supporting role.
"Hugo"
The most stunning 3-D drama ever filmed. From the mesmerizing opening scene of a snowy France in 1930s, it zooms into the rows of building windows, passing through people on the platform of a train station, capturing the vibrancy of a marketplace with bustling cafe and shops, jazz music and colorful flowers. The sweeping view of wintry Paris from the clock tower is truly wondrous. One caveat - don't expect an action-packed adventure or epic fantasy. It's an imaginative fable, but it's a full-length drama, told from the eyes of a lonely orphan facing the harsh reality to survive and trying to piece together clues left by the untimely death of his father. Surprisingly, it's a dual-story, interconnected to a piece of cinematic history. "Hugo" is a love note to cinema.
"The Descendants"
Funny, sad, quirky, heartfelt. The Hawaiian setting adds a unique dimension and is a character on its own. George Clooney ("The Ides of March," "Up in the Air") sheds his 'movie-star' persona and simply becomes a family man, clearly in over his head. A middle-aged, workaholic lawyer who's just trying to keep his head above water with newfound life. Finding out about his comatose wife's affair, handling a foul-mouthed, rebellious teenage daughter and a handful younger one, making the decision about the fate of a land passed down from his royal ancestors and managing quibbles among his extended family. The father-daughter relationships dynamic is the heart of the film. Clooney does his best work here, expertly conveying an array of conflicting emotions through a split-second of facial expression or body movement. Shock, disbelief, heartbreak, anguished, anger, clueless, weariness, sorrow, joy, love, grace, peace. "The Descendants" is sprinkled with contemporary teen speak, sharp jabs and perfectly timed humor. An incredibly affective family-centric dramedy, it leaves an island of impressions. Check out the full review here.
DVD (blu-ray): http://tinyurl.com/79l6ns6
"The Ides of March"
Razor-sharp with superb script, smart direction and compelling acting by the whole ensemble. The astuteness is shades of 2010's "The Social Network." The story is a brilliant human chess game. Play or get played. If you don't make a move or respond accordingly, you'll be taken out of the game. Intense moments, even during quieter, unseen scenes would feel as if gunfire would break out any minute. It feels like blood has been shed, even without a single weapon is drawn or shot fired. It's that good. We'd like to believe that true democracy is alive and well and that the best person wins. While "The Ides of March" is certainly a work of fiction, the story depicted may be as realistic as it can get to our political process. Be a player or a pawn; it's politics as usual. Check out the full review here.
DVD (blu-ray): http://tinyurl.com/4ynn5s3
"Drive"
It's a story about a someone who's always in the driver's seat, but goes overdrive to protect the people he cares about. 'Driver' is a man of intense actions with a few words. Ryan Gosling ("The Ides of March") owns every screen he's in and conveys much through a glance, stare, smile, hand or touch. Calm and controlled, but primal and deliberate. As a whole, the film seems pointless and incredulous. Yet it's thoroughly absorbing and easy to suspend disbelief because of its noir style and trance-like atmosphere, underscored by its prevailing pulsing score, and maudlin in some. "Drive" is not for everyone. But this is one that will make a lasting imprint. Check out the full review here.
The 2012 Golden Globes will air on January 15 and Academy Awards on February 26, 2012. You can follow the official websites for the road to the Golden Globes here and the Oscars here.
Friday, January 13, 2012
"The Descendants"
George Clooney ("The Ides of March," "Up in the Air") sheds his 'movie-star' persona and simply becomes a family man, clearly in over his head in "The Descendants," written and directed by Alexander Payne ("Sideways").
Matt King is a middle-aged, workaholic lawyer just trying to keep his head above water with his newfound life challenges. Sitting at his comatose wife's bedside, Elizabeth (Patricia Hastie), after her boating accident, finding out about her affair, being left to handle and raise a handful young daughter, Scottie (Amara Miller) and a foul-mouthed, rebellious teenage daughter, Alexandra (Shailene Woodley), tagged along by her foot in mouth-prone boyfriend (Nick Krause).
On the extended family side, he's also dealing with a disapproving father-in-law and mother-in-law suffering from Alzheimer, bearing the responsibility of making an overarching decision about the fate of the land passed down from his royal ancestors, and managing diverging interests and quibbles among his cousins.
Clooney does his best work here, expertly conveying an array of conflicting emotions through a split-second of facial expression or body movement. Shock, disbelief, heartbreak, anguished, anger, clueless, weariness, sorrow, joy, love, grace, peace. You'd experience his emotions and really feel for him.
The dynamics of the father-daughter relationship, particularly with his older daughter, is the heart of the film. Woodley is solidly believable; she could easily pass as Clooney's daughter in real life. She hits the right notes whether she's displaying false nonchalance or outward hostility, containing or expressing her feelings of hurt, anger, frustration, loss, grief over finding out about her mother's affair and being disconnected from her father, all the while supporting her bertrayed father in tracking down her mother's lover (Matthew Lillard), and feeling partially responsible for shielding her younger sister from reality.
"The Descendants" is a heartfelt road trip down the family lane, sprinkled with contemporary teen speak, sharp jabs and perfectly timed humor amidst tragedy. This is not a story with monumental events or milestones. But it's genuinely absorbing. Funny, sad, quirky. The Hawaiian setting adds a unique dimension and is a character on its own.
"The Descendants" is an incredibly affective family-centric dramedy, leaving an island of impressions.
DVD (blu-ray): http://tinyurl.com/79l6ns6
Thursday, January 12, 2012
"Hugo"
The most stunning 3-D drama ever filmed. From the mesmerizing opening scene of a snowy France in 1930s, it zooms into the rows of building windows, passing through people on the platform of a train station, capturing the vibrancy of a marketplace with bustling cafe and shops, jazz music and colorful flowers. The sweeping view of wintry Paris from the clock tower is truly wondrous. One caveat - don't expect an action-packed adventure or epic fantasy. It's an imaginative fable, but it's a full-length drama, told from the eyes of a lonely orphan facing the harsh reality to survive and trying to piece together clues left by the untimely death of his father. Surprisingly, it's a dual-story, interconnected to a piece of cinematic history. "Hugo" is a love note to cinema.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
"J. Edgar"
Should have been a lot better. A look at one of the most powerful, controversial figures in the 20th century and most enduring face of the FBI should have been a lot better. Ahead of his time, it's interesting to see the events or incidents leading up to the creation of now well-known laws, requirements or procedures. Long, labored and suffering from a bad script and direction, nonetheless, I found the devoted relationships between Edgar and his domineering mother, lifelong work (and presumably life) partner and loyal-to-a-fault private secretary fascinating and touching. Acting-wise, applauded (although no fan of DiCaprio's accent here) for a multi-faceted, closely guarded and image-obsessed character, as well as Hammer in a main supporting role.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
The Most Anticipated Movies of 2012
2012 is finally here! While it may or may not be the year of the apocalypse, it will most certainly be a banner year for blockbusters. Not only will Batman and Spider-Man return to the theaters, but so will a host of superheros, James Bond, Hobbit, and sparkly vampires. Evil Queen will also make an appearance (and we're not talking Disney-style).
Check out the 2012 most anticipated movies on Yahoo: (synopsis and trailers included)
Monday, January 2, 2012
"Midnight in Paris"
I saw "Midnight in Paris" a few months ago but didn't get a chance to review it. Woody Allen is a mixed bag for me. I adored "Match Point" and enjoyed "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," but not "Cassandra's Dream." I went back and forth with MIP before finally deciding to see it. Lovely, whimsical and kinda magical. If you're a literature major, you may be enamored with it and totally gets the humor. But even if you aren't, it's a must-watch for those into history, arts, culture... or anything French.
DVD (blu-ray): http://tinyurl.com/8xbxmno