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My Reviewer's Philosophy: I believe that every film has its audience. One man’s Citizen Kane is another man’s Texas Chain Saw Massacre. My purpose is to help you spend your entertainment dollars wisely. A bad review never kept me from going to a film I wanted to see, but a good review will sometimes get me to a film I never considered. As a movie lover I want you to go to the movies. When more people go to the movies, the more movies get made. But, I also believe that if you enjoy the films you see, you naturally will be inclined to go more often. So join me in supporting our film industry by going to a movie today. Hopefully I can steer you towards a good one. See you at the movies. Melanie Wilson

Friday, July 29, 2011

Winnie the Pooh

It has been 45 years since Disney released Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree. What I remember loving the most about that film was the music by Robert B. and Richard M. Sherman and the voice of Sterling Holloway as Pooh. To this day I can still sing the opening song “Deep in the Hundred Acre Woods” and when appropriate I can quote Pooh when my I get “Rumbly in my tumbly.” For this reason I was not looking forward to a new version of the film. The old one has served me well for years. But after seeing Winnie the Pooh (2011) I was pleased with some of the innovations. This Winnie the Pooh was much more a literary interpretation.

The film opens with live action footage surveying Christopher Robin’s room and establishing all the characters, and then it transitions into animation. But instead of using some of today’s modern animation techniques, Disney has stayed with the classic 2D look only this time the animation is literally pouring out of the pages. The inhabitants of Hundred Acre Woods actually live within the pages of the A. A. Milne book and you can see them walk from page to page and even pick up words and move them around like props. For instance when all of the characters fall into a pit created to catch a monster, one of them begins to stack the words and uses them as a ladder to climb out. It was like the words themselves were another character.

The impact of this marriage between word and illustration is like a celebration of children’s literature. It gives the written word a gravitas and respect. But it also makes the film feel like it’s “good for you “, like mom is making you eat your broccoli. It is humorous, sweet, but not laugh-out-loud funny. It lacks the crudeness and slapstick found in many children’s films today. My concern is that kids will find it too old fashioned.

Sometimes as a reviewer you wish you could look at something with totally fresh eyes. Everything we see we bring our experience and background with us. In most cases this is a good thing. But when it is a children’s film, it’s hard to return to that place of innocence. I liked this Winnie the Pooh film, I just don’t know if it is as magical as the one remembered from my childhood. I guess I’ll have to ask a kid, and then check in with him 20 years later. Time has a way of changing our perspective, yet Winnie the Pooh has stood the test of time, 1926 and still going strong, Pooh is a remarkable bear.

Rating: First Run Pooh, a remarkable bear.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Francs Ford Coppola Bumbles His Way Towards Brilliance

For many years directors and studios have learned that if you want a public reaction, take your idea to Comic-Con. Good or bad, the reaction will be swift, strong and brutally honest.  The fans are passionate about their film and they never pull punches. That’s why studios spend big money to go to San Diego. A positive reaction will start a word of mouth campaign that money can’t buy and a negative reaction will give the studio time to create a fix.

In the past few years, many of Hollywood’s best directors have gone to Comic-Con to discuss new technologies, their latest films and the public’s attitude towards 3:D. James Cameron has embraced it; Peter Jackson sees its virtue, and many other directors are taking a wait and see posture. But one esteemed film maker, Francis Ford Coppola, is thinking completely out of the box.

When Coppola came to present his idea at the now famous Hall H his presentation was sloppy, erratic and full of apologies, but if you could look past the false starts, technical glitches and Val Kilmer trying to be witty, Coppola revealed a brilliant idea if only he can find a way to pull it off. His idea is centered on a film called Twixt starring Val Kilmer as a mystery writer who stumbles upon a local murder mystery through the town sheriff played by Bruce Dern.

Now I’m going to try my best to describe the project as I understand it. Francis Ford Coppola had a hard time explaining it and he is a genius. It all starts with the idea of making film a live interactive process. Coppola made a film and every scene and component of the film has been digitized and stored on a computer. Each scene is assigned a number and each numbered scene has a short and long version.  The director, like a VJ, can then choose the order of the scenes or the length of the scenes based on audience reaction. Also the film has a combination of 2D scenes and 3D scenes, also chosen by the director. So essentially, each version, each screening, would be a completely unique and different film.

Since he was having so much difficulty getting his computer images to display on our big screen it was hard for me to tell what was going on. But each screening would have a director at the controls and the music may or may not have to be live. Also, the narrator probably would have to be present. It’s hard to imagine and I can think of a lot of problems, but the idea is very cool and innovative. In the 80’s Mr. Coppola restored a 1927 silent film called Napoleon and his father Carmine Coppola wrote an original score and conducted a live orchestra beneath it. The event was only able to play in large cities and in large venues so very few saw it. But those who did see it said it was magnificent.

I thought that Mr. Coppola was very brave to show us his project before all the kinks had been worked out and I wish him well on his tour. Elle Fanning is also in the film as a ghostly looking teenager and Ben Chaplain plays a dream version of Edgar Allan Poe. I liked the look of the film and alternating between 2D and 3D is an interesting choice. I look forward to seeing the completed film. As Coppola says, “This is just the beginning.”
 

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Two New Twists on Classic Tales: A Comic-Con Preview

Of all the films I saw previewed this summer at Comic-Con, the two that intrigued me the most were The Immortals and Snow White and the Huntsman. The Immortals, based on Greek mythology, blasted my senses with color, depth, and a violence so stylized it was beautiful. It was like standing in a museum and having a Renaissance oil painting come to life. In this version, the director Tarsem Singh is working on the premiss of the Immortals being young. He reasons that if you had the chance to live forever, wouldn’t you want to be preserved in your prime?

The Immortals stars Henry Cavill as Theseus, Luke Evans as Zeus, Mickey Rourke as King Hyperion, Kellan Lutz as Poseidon and Stephen Dorff as Stavros. With such a cast of fine male specimens Freida Pinto says that her favorite part of making the movie was watching the men work. This film is slated for release on 11-11-11.

The other film that caught my imagination was Universal’s Snow White and the Huntsman. In this interpretation Snow White, as played by Kristen Stewart, becomes a rebel leader and mounts an offensive against the evil queen (Charlize Theron). Chris Hemsworth plays the Huntsman ordered to kill Snow White, but like the original story he is unable to follow through being captivated and seduced by her beauty and purity of heart.

Some people may grumble about the liberties taken by director Rupert Sanders but I am excited about the idea. Snow White becomes the People’s Princess and leads the dwarfs and others in a fight against a tyrannical queen. We were not told how Prince Charming works into the equation, but Sam Claflin who plays Prince Charmant said we won’t be disappointed.

Since Snow White and the Huntsman doesn’t begin filming until next week, all the studio had to show us was the cast in wardrobe photos. The director, however, brought along a clip from a video he made to show the studio his vision. This short film made with unknown actors conveyed to us the look, tone, and emphasis of the story. This video secured him the job and it convinced me, too. I am very excited about this film and luckily we only have to wait until June 2012 to see it.

The Captains: A Comic-Con Preview

When it comes to Star Trek there is no one more familiar with it than William Shatner. Beginning in 1966 he played Captain James T. Kirk for three seasons and started a franchise that continues today. “I was enthralled with Star Trek from the beginning.” Bill says, “I had seen a pilot that was made with Jeffrey Hunter and they (NBC) didn’t buy it but said we like the idea, recast it. So, Roddenberry called me in and asked me if I would like to do it. And I saw the film and we talked about that film and from that moment on I was enthralled.”

Beginning with Captain James T. Kirk, five other captains have graced the bridge. Scott Bakula, in a prequel, played the first Enterprise captain Jonathan Archer. Kirk was next in line with the original series and he was followed by Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard. After Star Trek: The Next Generation, Avery Brooks became a captain on Deep Space Nine and he was followed by Kate Mulgrew who became the first female captain on Voyager. Next, in a re-boot of the franchise J.J Abrams cast Chris Pine as the young James T. Kirk entering the academy and gaining his first command. A second Star Trek film with Pine is currently in the works.

Since Bill Shatner has been associated with Star Trek for over 45 years he’s been able to watch this phenomenon first hand, “Star Trek has had an enormous influence on many individuals and in this film I’ve heard myself say that I rejected that for the longest time, like it didn’t seem real. And then gradually, over a period of time I began to accept that people have taken Star Trek to their hearts.”  So in this spirit William Shatner created his documentary The Captains. It was, “A voyage of discovery for me. It’s a work of love, both for the material and people I got to know so much better.”

Bill goes on to describe in more detail his labor of love, “I met essentially, for the first time, all the guys. Some, most, I knew vaguely from some event that we might have passed though. But in engaging them in conversation and in exploring their psyches as I do in the film, I came to know all. And although the time can’t be measured in weeks and years, the hours we spent together were meaningful and I discovered traits among the six of us that I had no idea about. I discovered things about myself in examining them and preparing to talk to them. I examined myself and that’s what my voyage was on this film. So it’s about the captains and it’s about getting to know them and it’s about something that I arrived at, the epiphany that I arrived at in the film.”

When describing the documentary further Bill adds, “I tried to think of a fun approach to each individual so it was fun in the interview and took it way from talking heads. And with Chris Pine I put a table and chairs on Melrose Avenue right where the Paramount Studios has its gate and we arm wrestled on Melrose Avenue. And so, with Scott, I thought well, I’ll take him out to a horse ranch I know, where I have some horses, and interview there. But I made sure that we didn’t see each other. And then we walked down that road and met for the first time we thought it was great fun and laughed ourselves silly from then on. And we start to talk about how similar all our lives have been and how different.”

According to Scott Bakula, William Shatner is, “The beginning and end of this whole thing, and it’s not over as Mr. Pine is very well aware of. And it’s just a remarkable phenomenon to be a part of. And it’s all really because of him that we’re all here.”

When William Shatner entered the room to talk about The Captains the place erupted with cheers and applause. When the moderator commented on this enthusiastic response Bill says, “Audience reaction like that is unmeasurable. You can’t even put it into words.” But Scott Bakula admits, “I understand us (the fans) but I was overwhelmed by the world wide impact of what he started.” Star Trek is loved all over the world and has influenced millions. Perhaps this film can give us a better understanding into this series and the captains that have steered her course. Forty-five years in the making Star Trek still has something to say.
 
The Captains is currently available at EpixHD.com.

Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe (A Comic-Con Preview)

Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe is an experiment in television making. In a time when people are expanding the way that they view and consume media, content makers such as Universal, Fox and USA Network are discovering new ways to tell and distribute their stories. Burn Notice, one of the most popular series on cable television is entering their 5th season and have already been renewed for a 6th. To capitalize on the success of the show and the popularity of one of its stars, USA Network is releasing a Sam Axe origin movie straight to DVD.

Bruce Campbell, a cult favorite from his work in the Evil Dead series plays Sam Axe, an ex Navy Seal who accompanies and assists burned spy Michael Weston on many of his missions. Resourceful, laid-back and a bit of a ladies man, Sam Axe is a good guy to have in your corner.

Matt Nix, creator of Burn Notice says that, “When I think of Sam Axe, he’s kind of the best older brother there ever was. He’s the guy that you want by your side. He’s the guy that’s going to do the right thing and going to stand up for you and tell you when you’re wrong and all those things. So that for me is where I go when I’m writing for the character.”

To shoot the Sam Axe back story, Matt Nix assembled some key cast and crew and then took them to Bogota, Colombia to film the movie. Burn Notice star Jeffrey Donovan took the helm as director and using mostly Columbians they filmed in the Andes Mountains at 11,000 feet. The cast and crew couldn’t get over the fact that Bruce Campbell spent the entire shoot wearing nothing but a t-shirt while the rest of the people huddled by a fire leading the Spanish speaking men to exclaim, “El Gringo est macho.” But Bruce Campbell says that he lives by his, “Evil Dead theory. If you stay sort of miserable the whole shoot, you never get really miserable.”

Besides the frigid temperatures the film and its crew had many other challenges including equipment, supplies and high altitudes. When producers discovered that they couldn’t import gunpowder, a trade mark necessity for any Burn Notice show, they had to adapt and use propane instead. They also discovered that there was only one man in the entire country who knew how to make squibs. Matt Nix said that they kept him so busy that he’ll probably won’t have to work again for the next couple of years.

Conditions were extreme in Colombia but both Bruce Campbell and his alter-ego Sam Axe helped to keep things light. One of the traits that Sam Axe and Bruce Campbell share is a devil-may-care attitude. Matt Nix said that like his character Bruce is always with a smile, he takes care of people and he watches out for the crew. He points out to Bruce that, “There is a certain lightness you bring to any thing that you do.” And when it comes to the production he adds, “It’s not really a Bruce Campbell movie unless it’s fun.”

To demonstrate this sense of humor Bruce Campbell was asked what he did to prepare for his role and he said, “Two words: Jack, S#@t. I play a former Navy Seal, not a current Navy Seal.” But in preparing for the movie that takes place five years prior to the Burn Notice series he said he had to do two things, “Darker hair, less weight.”

One of the new elements that Bruce got to explore while making this film was a romantic relationship. In the TV show he plays the ladies man who is always picking up rich older women to pay the tab, but the exchanges are played for humor. In this film he has a real romantic relationship and even gets to share a kiss with Kiele Sanchez. When asked about it Bruce says, “It’s no big deal, I cheat on my wife all the time, but just in front of the camera.” But when pressed again he adds, “It was nothing.” and then gives his trademark roguish smile. Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe will be available on DVD July 26th.

Guillermo Del Toro: The Busiest Man of the Con

It is impossible to see everything at San Diego’s Comic-Con but this year it seemed like everywhere I went Guillermo Del Toro was there. I first encountered him at the Film District panel promoting the up-coming film he produced, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark. Having just flown in from Toronto Canada with severe back pain, he must have been a little hopped up on pain killers because he was dropping F-bombs everywhere, much to the chagrin of the moderator. A little while later he appeared at another panel with Jon Favreau. Even he noticed that Del Toro was having a little trouble censoring his speech. By the time he got to the Legendary Pictures panel to promote Pacific Rim, people just gave up.

Del Toro is such a passionate director and has such a love for making films that his poor language was over-looked. Between producing, directing and running a special effects house the man is never at rest. Let’s hope that his back will heal quickly and he’ll return to doing what he does best. Pacific Rim sounds awesome, Don’t Be afraid of the Dark looks awesome and I personally am looking forward to Pinocchio. Mr. Del Toro, get well soon.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Captain America: The First Avenger

Now this is a hero I can get behind. Captain America is completely awesome. Not only is Steve Rogers the first Avenger, he was a hero before he was blessed with super-human strength. Fighting not because he was angry, or out for revenge, but fighting because he didn’t like bullies no matter where they came from, and in 1940’s Europe Hitler was the biggest bully of them all. Chris Evans plays Steve Rogers with heart, conviction and a solid sense of duty. Rated 4F on five different occasions, Steve never gives up. He is determined to do his part no matter what the cost and his small stature and weak body is just an obstacle to overcome. All he wants is a chance to serve. Steve Rogers is a true hero.

Captain America: The First Avenger is an excellent film mixing patriotic fervor with super hero style. It is well crafted, expertly acted, nicely paced and wonderfully balanced throughout. The blend between heart, humor, action and romance is set against the artistic backdrop of a futuristic world as imagined by early German impressionists. Every invention no matter how fantastic has a root in real science. It was the future as imagined in WWII.

When a German scientist portrayed by Stanley Tucci escapes Nazi Germany and brings his talents to the United States he hand-picks Steve Rogers as the test subject of his new super power enhancing formula. His first trial, tested before the formula was ready had disastrous results creating a villain known as Red Skull. Before his accident Johann Schmidt, played by Hugo Weaving, was a scientist himself. Financed by Hitler he was scouring the world for new weapons and technologies even pursuing myths, legends and untried theories. Under duress Dr. Abraham Erskine (Tucci) was forced to administer his drug on him before it was ready. As a result Schmidt is horribly disfigured and as mad as ever. Now he has super human strength too.

Once Steve Rogers is transformed from a ninety pound weakling into Captain America, a well meaning senator turns him into a public relations tool. Sent around the country making personal appearances and selling war bonds, Steve does his part without complaint. But when he hears that his best friend is missing in action he trades in his tights and goes out to find him. Working without orders he rescues 400 captured soldiers single handedly. The army finally realizes that they are wasting his talents and they change his directive. Captain America must now stop Red Skull.

Tommy Lee Jones plays Rogers’ commanding officer and it’s the kind of role that Tommy excels in. Also on Captain America’s team is a female British agent played by Hayley Atwell, and a brilliant inventor named Stark played by Dominic Cooper. They provide Steve with intelligence, tools and futuristic gadgets. Stark is also an ace pilot who goes on to develop Stark Industries. In the Marvel Universe he becomes Tony Stark’s father who in turn becomes Iron Man. As all the pieces are put in to place, The Avengers movie is going to be outstanding.

Of all the super hero movies I’ve seen so far, Captain America is one of my favorites. Not only is the story told well, I like the fact that he’s an average guy. When Red Skull looks him in the eye and asks him, “What makes you so special?” Steve Rogers replies, “Nothing, I’m just a guy from Brooklyn.” And that’s what makes him so great. There were hundreds of Captain Americas in World War II only they didn’t have super powers to go with their brave fighting spirit. They were just average guys, doing their part, standing up to the bullies of the world. Captain America was the fantasized ideal, but G.I. Joe was the flesh and blood reality. I love the patriotic nature of this character. I am also looking forward to his future leadership in The Avengers movies. I can’t wait for him to straighten some of those other super heros out. I can’t imagine him putting up with any of their nonsense. He’s an old fashioned guy in a modern world. Imagine John Wayne dressing them down. Some very exciting things are going to happen.

Rating: First Run A True American super hero

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two

The saga of Harry Potter has come to a conclusion and in a film worthy of its predecessors Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two is a satisfying end to a true cinematic phenomenon. In my lifetime there has never been a series to match the consistent creative excellence of the Harry Potter films. Each chapter has been treated with respect, reverence and sound decision-making. Even when the films departed from the novels the choices were made to enhance the movie-going experience and to focus on the visual aspects of the story. The Harry Potter films have been a class act from beginning to end and worthy of critical praise.
 
For me, nothing will ever match the wonder I felt when watching the first Harry Potter film. Having never read any of the books I came in completely unprepared for what I was about to experience. I felt an instant kinship with our hero Harry and once at Hogwarts I loved all the little embellishments and details found in the background. At times I realized that I was missing dialogue because I was so fascinated by paintings that were alive, staircases that moved, and candles that floated in the air. I was lost in a world of magic and fantasy. I was lost in the world of Harry Potter.
 
As the series continued and I became more familiar with the characters the magical aspects of the film began to lose their impact. In turn I became more invested in Ron, Hermione and Harry. It is for this reason that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: Part One is my favorite film. I loved the intimacy of the movie. It reminded me of a war film where our heroes are forced to run and hide from the enemy like resistance fighters. It put them in a situation where their friendship is strained and their resolve is put to the test.
 
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: Part Two is also like a war movie but of a different scope. Whereas Part One is more like a foxhole picture, Part Two is like a battlefield epic. But the beauty of Part Two is that you never lose the intimate feeling. Using 3-D this time around the battle sequences have tremendous depth and scope. But in between battles, in the quiet moments, you forget that the film is in 3-D. The effects are dialed back and once again it is an intimate film. This chapter of the story is also about transition. Ron and Hermione finally admit their feelings for each other and Harry becomes a man. His sacrifice is total as Harry literally lays down his life to save his fellow wizards and Hogwarts.
 
When you look back over the entire series of films it is wonderful to see the growth of Rubert Grint, Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliff. Beginning with the Chris Columbus school of acting in film one and two, they have grown to be fine and respected young actors. What an amazing life they must have had being immersed for 14 years in the world of Harry Potter and being influenced by the finest British actors on the planet. By keeping their heads on straight and paying attention they have been able to learn from the best. It will be exciting to see where their lives will take them next. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: Part Two is a wonderful end to a magnificent series. I doubt we’ll ever see its like again.

Rating: Must See A piece of cinematic history

Friday, July 8, 2011

Green Lantern

Two summers ago at Comic-com, the world of Geekdom was abuzz about the prospects of a live-action version of Green Lantern. Until a few years ago I had never heard of this super hero, but now that I was hanging out more with comic-book fans I was learning that he was quite popular. In order to prepare and familiarize myself with the story I sat through a feature length animated film entitled Green Lantern: First Flight. It did a terrific job laying out the mythology and I found Hal Jordan a likable character.
 
The next year Ryan Reynolds was on hand to promote the upcoming film and I thought that he was a good choice. During the question and answer portion of the panel a little boy approached the microphone and asked Ryan Reynolds to recite the Green Lantern oath. The entire place melted as Ryan solemnly recited his vows and then proceeded to give the child the ring off of his own hand. It was the cutest thing I ever saw and I was beginning to understand the power of this hero.
 
Now that the film is out, after a build-up of over two years, the moment of truth has arrived. Does the film measure up and will it please the fans? The reaction has been mixed. I for one was slightly disappointed. In watching the animated film two years ago, the part I liked the best was Hal Jordan displaying his cocky, flyboy antics. He had a tremendous ego and watching him interact with other pilots and his friends was a lot of fun. This should have been easy for Ryan Reynolds because he is good at creating a wise-cracking persona. But the Hal Jordan portrayed in this film had more angst. Except for flying, he didn’t feel like he was good at anything and he had some real self-esteem issues. That wasn’t what I was expecting and not being a true devotee, I don’t know if that quality is true to the comic book version.

In the animated film we got to know Hal first before the aliens were introduced and I liked this because I can identify more with Hal than any space being. But in Green Lantern they started with the alien world and a warrior who is in a battle for his life. He is the one who eventually gives Hal his Green Lantern ring. It took me awhile to get up to speed and figure out who was who. The only alien character I remember well from the animated film was Sinestro, being played here by Mark Strong. I thought that Mark Strong did a good job but he wasn’t given much to do. It felt like we were just being introduced to the characters, much like a television pilot expecting to develop further over time. In my opinion the script was too concerned about how to display and use the cool green super powers than developing its characters. I didn’t care about Blake Lively’s Carol and I felt sorry for Peter Sarsgaard. He could have done so much with that role if given enough time. I found the focus and priorities of this film all wrong.

Green Lantern isn’t the worst super hero movie I’ve seen but after a two year build up it didn’t live up to the hype. Super hero powers are cool, but it is the back story and the hero themselves that compel us to follow their stories. That’s why the X-men franchise works so well. These inhuman mutants are made human by allowing us into their private thoughts and lives. Green Lantern needs to be more grounded, only then will be be ready to follow him in flight.

Rating: Rent It Did not live up to the hype

Friends With Benefits

Hooray! The romantic comedy slump is over. Friends With Benefits is smart, sexy, engaging and a lot of fun. And that’s just talking about the co-stars. If you aren’t already in love with Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake then this film with do it. If you are already in love with them, then this film will make you feel intelligent for discovering them earlier. With Patricia Clarkson portraying Jamie’s flaky mom and Richard Jenkins playing Dylan’s Alzheimer's stricken dad even the supporting cast is above par. Throw in Jenna Elfman as the understanding sister and Woody Harrelson as the wise, advice-giving “girlfriend” and you have one outstanding cast.

Friends With Benefits begins with New York dwelling Jamie cursing a Katherine Heigl movie poster for filling her head with romantic notions. She has just been dumped by her boyfriend (Adam Samberg) standing in front of a revival house playing Pretty Woman. Meanwhile across the United States in Los Angeles, Dylan has just been dumped by his girlfriend (Emma Stone) in front of a John Mayer concert. Since the break-up will allow him to skip the concert he is considering it the best break-up ever, but in truth he is too emotionally guarded and his girlfriend has just called him on his lack of commitment.

When Jamie, who is a corporate head hunter, recruits Dylan to come to New York for a job as an artistic diretor of GQ magazine she decides not to sell the position but rather the city itself. If she can convince a contented Angeleno to give up his beloved LA, then she will get a huge signing bonus and another one if he makes the year. So she woos him. Not with her body, but with her love of New York and gives him the most romantic Big Apple weekend ever. He takes the job and Jamie and Dylan become best friends. Their relationship grows, they let their defenses down and become very close. But when a friends with benefits experiment threatens to destroy what they have, everything must be reevaluated and put right. They both start seeing other people and try to hold on to their friendship with both hands.

The beauty of this film is the intimacy and rapport that we develop with these two characters. You become so invested that you enjoy spending time with them. You are in on the jokes, you learn their little quirks and you feel their pain when you watch them struggle with their other relationships. The script is so rich and layered that you feel like you really know this couple and you care deeply about them. You want them to succeed as people, together or not.

The comedy from this film comes mostly from character and you will find no gross-out humor, minimal physical schtick and only the occasional gay joke supplied by Woody Harrelson who plays a homosexual sports reporter for the magazine. The writing is so well done that you laugh with the characters instead of at them. They don’t go cheap to get you to snicker and another plus about this film is that it capitalizes on it’s stars natural assests. Mila uses her raspy voice, exotic looks and plucky nature to great effect and even makes fun of her small breast size. In contrast Justin uses his white bread visage and his ability to make fun of himself as he croons cringe-inducing pop songs and sneezes after sex. These are two actors who are very comfortable with who they are and it shows. Throughout this film you want to see them together.

Another fun thing about this film is it’s use of location. There is this whole east coast, west coast challenge going on and it leaves you wishing that you were rich enough to live bi-coastal. Both New York and LA are given such glamour treatment that it makes you want to take a vacation. That is the sign of a good romantic comedy, you fall in love with falling in love.

So if you are disappointed and feel betrayed by the most recent offerings of romantic comedy, then take perk up. Friends With Benefits will give you hope. If not for a relationship then for the state of the American film. There are outstanding young directors on the rise and Will Gluck is one of them. He also directed the delightful Easy A and the hysterical Fired Up! I also want to give props to writers Keith Merryman and David A. Newman. Great job team, I had a excellent time.

Rating: First Run If you aren't already in love with Justin and Mila, this film will do it

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Zookeeper

If you could talk to animals, I mean really talk with animals, what would you say? Are you one of those people who like to commiserate with their cat or burden their dog with their troubles or woes? Well, Griffin Keyes (Kevin James) lead zookeeper of the Franklin Park Zoo is. He shares all his problems with his animal friends. But when the woman (Leslie Bibb) who dumped him five years ago shows up, hinting that she may have made a mistake, his animal charges step up and break the code, for once instead of just listening they talk back.
 
The premise for Zookeeper is based on the idea of what kind of dating advice would an animal give. Just because an animal can talk doesn’t mean that their advice will be any good and this is the dilemma for Griffin Keyes. Do you pee on trees, puff up your cheeks, mark your territory and give your best roar, or do you reach out and listen to your human counterparts and hope that they’ll have a better advice?
 
Stephanie is back in town to attend the wedding of Griffin’s brother. She has just broken up with her boyfriend (Joe Rogan) and seeing Griffin again she remembers how sweet and kind he was, a quality that her most recent boyfriend sorely lacks. But right before Griffin can ask her out, she reunites with her boyfriend and he and Griffin become romantic rivals. Competitive, vain and extremely athletic Joe Rogan’s Gale appears to be the better man. In weakness Griffin listens to his animal friends and displays some behaviors that are less than human. The surprise is, some of them work.
 
Using a combination of live animals and CGI the animal stars of Zookeeper are full of personality. We’ve come a long way from putting peanut butter on the lips of horses to give the illusion of conversation. But the problem with Zookeeper is that as good as the animal actors are there are still scenes where the animals could not perform together. They would act their parts separately and then using movie magic they would be spliced together. This gives the appearance that the animals are in the same place but like the actors who voice them all the acting is done separately and apart from each other. This impacts the comedic timing and makes things feel slightly off.
 
I really enjoyed Kevin James and I especially liked the chemistry he has with fellow zoo employee Rosario Dawson. Their scenes are sweet and at times very sexy. It was also fun to see Donnie Wahlberg in a small role playing an abusive colleague that eventually sends Griffin over the edge with gorilla rage. But overall the film felt compartmentalized. Each segment on its own worked fine but when put together it doesn’t quite mesh. Good comedy is as much about rhythm and timing as it is about funny dialogue and prat falls. For me the film was full of starts and stops, and things that should have been funny fell flat.
 
As a family film the kids will really like this one. I also think that there is enough there for the adults to enjoy. But for a film about wild animals this movie feels very tame. Appropriate for taking the kiddies, but too weak for date night. I would have liked some better dialogue and some sharper jokes, but Kevin James nails the physical comedy perfectly. Ken Jeong also appears as a reptilian reptile expert. I think that he and Crystal the monkey must have the same agent.

One of the more funny segments of the film is when Griffin sneaks Bernie the Gorilla out of the zoo to visit T.G.I.F. Fridays. Bernie the Gorilla voiced by Nick Nolte has been depressed and now that the two of them are talking Griffin has learned the source of Bernie’s depression. Falsely accused of attacking Donnie Wahlberg’s character, Bernie’s has lost his enclosure with a view. Griffin decides that a night on the town and a change of scenery will do the trick and seeing Bernie work his animal magnetism on the ladies helps Griffin too. He learns to channel his own inner beast.

This film is full of star-studded voice work with the likes of Adam Sandler, Sylvester Stallone, Cher, Judd Apatow, Jon Favreau, Faizon Love and Maya Rudolph to name a few. But honestly, a lot of the time they were talking over each other and stepping on each other’s lines. I think this is what lead to my sense of disjointedness because they probably didn’t record their scenes together. But kid’s won’t notice this and teenagers won’t care, they’ll be too busy quoting Donald the Monkey. The film is fun, family friendly and celebrates the gift of being human. “It is all about the thumbs” quotes Donald.

Rating: Bargain Matinee A film about wild animals that feels very tame

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Attack the Block

I’m not sure what was more alien to me the South London street kids or the extraterrestrials falling from the sky, but Attack the Block was a lot of fun. As soon as I was able to pick up on the British slang and get past some thick accents I thoroughly enjoyed this fresh take on the aliens invading earth genre. Brought to us by the producers of Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead I was expecting a lot of humor and satire, what I didn’t expect was some pretty cool creatures that were unique, effective and quite scary.
 
Attack the Block takes place in a low-income housing project with four towering complexes joined together by a labyrinth of bridges and stairways. A group of boys who live there fancy themselves as thugs and patrol the block committing petty crimes and misdemeanors. The oldest boy Moses, played by John Boyega, is the natural leader of the gang and the other boys look up to him. When an alien crashes down on them from the sky, interrupting their mugging of a young nurse, Moses and the boys chase it down and kill it. This is a mistake that they soon regret as dozens of other aliens follow with revenge on their minds. Their childhood bravado becomes a matter of life and death as they fight together to protect their neighborhood.
 
What made this movie work for me was the chemistry between the gang members. At heart most of them are good boys with a caring parent trying to survive in a violent world. But the street has hardened them and exposed them to the thug life. Having an enemy they can unite against is therapeutic for them. Their criminal skills now have a noble purpose and working together strengthens them.
 
The only cast member that may be familiar to American audiences is Nick Frost (Hot Fuzz). He plays a marijuana horticulturist who works in a fortified apartment on the top floor of the complex. His boss, Hi-Hatz, played by Jamayn Hunter is an authentic gangster and he is just as scary as any invading alien. When he sets his sights on taking out Moses, the boys don’t know who to fear most.
 
This film is full of fun characters from trash-talking home girls to a wanna-be ladies man. All of the teenagers are amusing and watchable, but Alex Esmail stands out as Pest. Seeing him trying to make time with the nurse (Jodie Whittaker) that they just tried to mug earlier that evening is hysterical. He also comes through in a few other crucial moments with some welcome comic relief. I really enjoyed his performance as well as the other boys who are all quirky, fun and fully developed characters. Keep a look out for Sammy Williams and Michael Ajao as Probs and Mayhem, bravery can come in small packages.
 
Attack the Block works as a comedy, sci-fi adventure, as well as an action film. To quote one of the characters in this film, “These aliens are sick” and with their black fur and glow in the dark teeth they are truly frightening in the dim lighting of the run-down apartment complex. Young John Boyega has a lot of charisma and has the making of a true action star. He is the heart of the film and brings a lot of gravitas to the story. I look forward to more from this up and coming actor and highly recommend this film.

Rating: First Run A fresh take on the aliens invading earth genre