December Movie Releases

Filmdistrict/Warner Bros. Pictures/Paramount Pictures/Universal Pictures/The  Weinstein Co.

December7                                                                                                                                                                                                   The year’s final month kicks offs with three releases at the cinema. If you’re looking for an all-star cast look no farther than Playing for Keeps. The Gabriele Muccino (The Pursuit of Happyness) directed film stars Gerard Butler, Jessica Biel, Judy Greer, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Uma Thurman and Dennis Quaid. In Playing for Keeps, Butler plays an ex-sports star who tries to get his life back on track by coaching his son’s soccer team.

Competing against Playing for Keeps is the gambling comedy, Lay the Favorite which also offers a star studded cast in the form of Bruce Willis, Vince Vaughn, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Rebecca Hall and Joshua Jackson. Also opening this week is Hyde Park on Hudson in a limited release. The film stars Bill Murray as President Franklin D. Roosevelt and focuses on his relationship with his distant cousin Margaret Suckley (Laura Linney).

December 14                                                                                                                                                                                If you are someone who like to have options when it comes to theater visits than this is not your week as there is only one new release but with that release being The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, I can understand why no studio wants to release a film this week. The Hobbit will a be box office monster as it will easily be the highest grossing film of December and could even pass The Avengers $1.5 billion for the highest grossing film of the year. Personally, I think The Avengers number is safe but I will not be surprised if The Hobbit crosses the billion dollar mark. It will also be interesting to see what kind of critical reception it receives which will help determine if it will be a major awards contender.

December 19                                                                                                                                                                                                       If early buzz is any indication, the three movies receiving a special Wednesday release is the first half of what looks to be a huge week of releases.  In The Guilt Trip, inventor Andy Brewster (Seth Rogan) takes his mother Joyce (Barbara Streisand) on the road with him as he attempts to sell his new invention. 

If you prefer drama over comedy, you don’t have to worry as there is plenty of that opening on this day as well. Written and directed by Michael Haneke, Amour looks at how age and illness affects the relationship of elderly couple George (Jean-Louis Trintignant) and Anne (Emmanuella Riva). The French film looks to be a lock for an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Film.

Also looking to make a splash at the Academy Awards is Kathryn Bigelow’s Zero Dark Thirty (limited release), a film that focuses on the United States hunt for Osama bin Laden. Bigelow’s last film, The Hurt Locker, took home six academy awards including Best Picture and Best Director and as Zero Dark Thirty is receiving praise from critics who have seen the film, it could also be a major winner come February.

December 21                                                                                                                                                                                         Historically, the Friday before Christmas has been known to be loaded with releases and this year is no exception as there is six movies arriving to theaters. The mesmerizing choreographing of Cirque du Soleil finds its way to the big screen with Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away in 3D. With Valkyrie and Mission: Impossible- Ghost Protocol , Tom Cruise has been a part of holiday releases before and this year he is back as the title character in Jack Reacher. The Impossible, staring Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts, is about a family that is affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Set in 1960’s New Jersey, Not Fade Away is the story of a group of friends that attempt to find success by forming a band.

An adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s novel of the same name, On the Road tells the story of Sal Paradise (Sam Riley) and his travels with Dean Moriarty (Garrett Hedlund) and his girlfriend Marylou (Kristen Stewart). With its tagline being “The sort-of sequel to Knocked Up”, This Is 40 revisits the marriage of Pete (Paul Rudd) and Debbie (Leslie Mann), the couple from 2007’s Knocked Up.

December 25                                                                                                                                                                                     Christmas day’s three releases offer a little something for everyone. Billy Crystal and Bette Midler are Grandparents in Parental Guidance. In this family comedy, chaos ensues when Artie (Crystal) and Diane (Midler) agree to watch over their grandchildren.

 If you are looking for something a little less family friendly, Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained is where you will find it. Yes, I doubt that this will be one to take the kids too based on Tarantino’s style but, boy; the man is good at his craft. Out of all of the December releases, this is the one that I am looking forward to the most. It should have a solid run at that box office but also could make some noise during awards season. Tarantino’s films aren’t really what the Academy tends to lean towards so a Best Picture win is unlikely but as he is a master with words and his films are always rich in dialogue, he has won an Academy Award for Best Screenplay with Pulp Fiction and nominated for Inglorious Bastards so it is not crazy to consider him a major contender when it comes to Best Screenplay.

Speaking of Academy Awards, Tom Hooper’s Les Miserables also hits theaters this Christmas. The musical, staring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe and Anne Hathaway, is being considered a major contender for the Academy Award for Best Picture. Few have seen it so only time will tell if it is a true contender but if it is able to live up to the hype and win Best picture, it will first film with a Christmas release date to win Best Picture since My Fair Lady in 1964.

December 28                                                                                                                                                                                       The final Friday of 2012 features two limited releases. Dustin Hoffman steps behind the camera to direct Maggie Smith, Billy Connolly, Michael Gambon, Tom Courtenay and Pauline Collins in Quartet. Also in a limited release, Promised Land features a familiar director/writer duo in Gus Van Sant and Matt Damon. Good Will Hunting also featured Van Sant as its director and Damon as one of its writers.    

Review: 'Men in Black 3'

Columbia Pictures

After a ten year hiatus, the Men in Black franchise is back with its third installment Men in Black 3. This time around Boris the Animal (Jermaine Clement) has escaped from a prison that is located on the moon where he has spent over forty years of his life.  The first thing on his agenda is to rewrite history to where he never spent any time in prison. How does he do this? Through time travel of course. In order to change the past forty or so years, he has a plan to go back in time and kill the person that put him away, a younger, 1969 version of Agent K (Josh Brolin). After Agent J (Will Smith), living in a world where Agent K has been dead since 1969, is informed of what happened between Boris the Animal and Agent K, he must also go back in time to spoil Boris’ plan and save Agent K’s life.

  

The time traveling plot adds a fascinating element to not just the film’s plot but also background information of Agent K and Agent J’s relationship. Unfortunately, Men in Black 3 takes a significant amount of time to get to this point due to a weak script. As I was watching this film, I felt as if I watching an average sitcom, because the dialogue was very slow developing and basic with really nothing standing out as valuable comedic writing. The screenplay of Men in Black 3 lacks the high level of energy found in the first two films, and it can’t meet the level needed for both the characters and the story to work.

Will Smith is the biggest victim of this shortage of energy. Smith is given virtually no lines to work with and quickly becomes a forgettable element of the film. More than any other character, Smith’s Agent J is built on high energy and the dialogue to match it. With jokes that seem very dated and often miss, this character does not have the same effect that he has in the past.                                  

With that said, Men in Black 3 is not a total loss. Josh Brolin is spot on as the young Agent K, stealing each scene he appears in. Tommy Lee Jones is easily seen pouring through in Brolin’s performance, not just nailing the dialect but also in mimicking the facial and nonverbal expressions of Jones. Brolin is able to bring the same subtle, drawn out approach to the character that Jones does, working to the films advantage.                                           

As I previously said, Men in Black 3 has trouble taking flight as a comedy but delivers a satisfying ending that helps cover up a disappointing film up to this point to end on a high note. Assuming that this is the final Men in Black film, this ending is a fitting wrap up to a unique, but equally entertaining franchise.  

Grade: C+            

Review: Planes,Trains and Automobiles

Paramount Pictures

We have all experienced it one way or another. At one time or another, we all have encountered the peppy, blissfully ignorant individual that just won’t go away or shut up. Maybe we have even been this person. On the other side of this situation is the individual who just can’t take it causing them to turn into the uptight, prick. Planes, Trains and Automobiles takes this situation with these two types of people and takes it up a notch by adding in the craziness of holiday traveling. With its great comedic characters and casting, Planes, Trains and Automobiles has with stood the test of time becoming a highly enjoyable, holiday classic.                

Paramount Pictures

With Thanksgiving just a couple days away, Neal Page (Steve Martin) is in New York City on a business trip. His goal is to get back to his home in Chicago to spend Thanksgiving with his family. With a plane ticket in hand it looks like he is well on his way to making it back in time but then his cab to the airport is taken. Able to run down the cab, he opens the door to find Del Griffith (John Candy). In this moment, a mustached Candy gives a startled look that is absolutely priceless. It is here that it is realized that Neal’s journey back to Chicago will not go as planned as Del will now be a major part of it.

With both Neal and Del, I cannot imagine anyone other than Martin and Candy filling these roles. Both Martin’s and Candy’s comedic styles match these two characters to a tee. It is these two characters that make for such a memorable film. Neal quickly becomes fed up with Del and is not afraid to let him know this. This frequent occurrence is filled with sarcasm and put downs that are at times just down right mean. What I like most about this character though is that there is more to him than just these outbursts. Every insult is matched with guilt and moments where we see Neal having the chance to get away from Del but decides to help him instead. With this type of compassion, Neal is not just a Jerk which makes him a likable character.

The heavy weight humor of the film comes in the form of Del Griffith.  Del is seen by Neal as the most annoying idiot on the face of the earth. The fact that he never changes even with Neal constantly expressing his distaste for him is not only humorous but admirable. Like Neal does to Del, Del gets his shots in at Neal with insults like “Larry Bird doesn't do as much ball-handling in one night as you do in an hour!” His career as a shower curtain ring salesmen is equally humorous as the audience sees him in action, successfully selling his rings as ear rings. Its little things like this that makes an already solid comedic character even stronger.

In a film like this, the plot cannot be examined too closely. If the plot is focused on, logic will not be found which will take away from what the film is really putting on display which is its characters and the comedic situations they get into together. It has been twenty five years since its release but Planes, Trains and Automobiles is still relevant in regards to its comedic characteristics which makes it not only a film you can enjoy as comedy but also a holiday classic. Due to its strong comedic characters and outrageous situations along with passing the test of time, Planes, Trains and Automobiles not only works well as a comedy but excels.   

Grade: A-                      

Review: 'The Expendables 2'

Lionsgate

When The Expendables was released two years ago, the selling point of the film was that if there was an all-star event for action film legends or stars, The Expendables would be that event. With the average age of the film’s cast being over 51 though, old, washed up action stars in the same movie quickly became the accepted description of The Expendables, leaving it the butt of many jokes. This didn’t slow it down on the road to success, as it did fairly well at the box office and was, for the most part, an enjoyable film. Because of these factors, the latter more than the former, the crew is back for The Expendables 2 and somehow the plot is even less complex than its predecessor, something that I didn’t think could be accomplished.          

This time around, one the expendables is killed by arms dealer Jean Vilain (Jean-Claude Van Damme) and yes, you guessed it, the avenging of his death becomes the goal of the crew. At first, it appears that the mission and the story that would be put into focus would involve the expendables stopping Vilain from finding and selling plutonium, but with the murder of one of the crew members within the first twenty minutes of the film, solving the larger problem at hand takes a back seat because as soon as Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) says ‘Track ‘em, find ‘em, kill ‘em’, the plot shifts to that and only that.                                                               

If an audience member is looking for a higher quality film than The Expendables in the sequel, they will have to look extremely close and chances are, they still won’t find it to be of any higher value. The Sylvester Stallone and Richard Wenk penned script is as basic as they come leading to very choppy dialogue, and the appearance that the cast has no chemistry whatsoever (this could be the case regardless of a weak script). Dolph Lundgren’s sexed crazed dialogue is cringe worthy and, with to no surprise, the film is laced with a heavy dose of the cast reciting each other’s famous catch phrases. It is also very interesting how this film’s script makes it very difficult to classify the primary genre. The Expendables 2 is sold as an action film and it is full of its fair share of action sequences, but there is an attempted joke or two in nearly every scene. Even the action at time is supported by humor.                                                  

I’m not sure if the term ‘acting’ can be used when describing a film like this. The term ‘not applicable’ may be the best term to apply here. With the plot and screenplay that I previously described given to the cast to work with, even if a single performance or several performances knock it out of the park, it would be an overwhelming task to attempt to find it. The first go around featured Stallone and Jason Stratham sharing a majority of the screen time. Stratham, along with the rest of the cast, is now barely in a supporting role. This time, it’s Stallone’s movie as he is in practically every scene but on an unimportant note, word’s such as ‘great’ or even ‘good’ cannot be used to describe his performance.                                      

It is easy to say that The Expendables 2 is far from a great film as the plot is so simple that it could be one of a straight to video release, the dialogue is extremely choppy and the acting takes a back seat (maybe even placed in the trunk) but its purpose isn’t to be anything more than this. The Expendables 2 is not a film that will put you on the edge of your seat for what is to come next, it is not a film that will force you to think or even one that will make you care, but it never did have these goals though. Its goal is to allow the audience to lay back and just relax and that’s exactly what it does as it embraces its own silliness. So if all cares and thoughts can be left at the door, one will have a hard time not enjoying The Expendables 2 as it is, for the most part, a lot of fun.      

Grade: C    

Review: 'Brave'

Disney/Pixar

It was not long ago that Pixar was known as a studio that offered nothing short of imaginative and inventive storytelling which set them apart from not just other animated films but films in general. They were not only a shoe in for a Best Animated Film Oscar win but also a Best Picture nomination and now any nomination looks like a long shot. Somewhere over the past couple years Pixar has lost the original story telling that made it great. Brave, Pixar's latest outing is no exception as it fails to tell an original and compelling story.

In Brave, we are introduced to Merida (voiced by Kelly Macdonald), the daughter of King Fergus (voiced by Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (voiced by Emma Thompson) of Clan DunBroch. As a teenager, Merida is informed by her parents that she will be required to marry a member of an allied clan. Her mother tells her that she will put DuBroch in danger if she does not follow through with this marriage but Merida sees things very differently than her mother and does not want to follow down the same path she did. Merida believes that she can stop this arrangement from happening if she is able to change her mother’s feelings about her future. In an effort to do so, Merida finds an elderly woman (voiced by Julie Walters) in the nearby woods and is able to acquire a spell, disguised as a piece of cake, to change her mother. When Queen Elinor eats the cake though, the spell does not have the expected affect and she is turned into a bear. Racing against the clock, Merida and her mother must now reverse the spell before it becomes permanent.

The scenery layouts is where Brave is at its best. The Scotland backdrop is full of several shades of green that go so well with each other. These backdrops become another character of the film in the way that they stand out, similar to the effect that the ocean floor and backdrop of Finding Nemo has. Unlike Finding Nemo though, these visuals are one of the few bright spots of the film. To a small extent, Brave’s humor and gags is another positive. Kids should experience plenty of enjoyment from this aspect of the film as humor comes from Merida’s brothers, triplets Hamish, Hubert and Harris, King Fergus and Queen Elinor trying to function as a bear. I will note that I do not think that I have seen as many bare bottoms as I did in Brave as it happens on multiple occasions. Unfortunely though, Brave’s visuals and humor can’t cover up its weak narrative and characters.

With its castles, royal family, a witch, a powerful spell and a human turning into an animal, Brave offers nothing new in regards to its story components. It gets even more generic though when it is revealed how Merida’s mother would change back to a human which causes a ‘that’s all they could come up with’ moment.  This is something that you do not expect from the same studio that successfully brought toys to life, created a world where a child’s scream is an energy source and introduced us to a love struck robot. With Brave failing to present these age old plot devices in interesting way, it is hard to stay invested in it story.

The story isn’t the only thing working against Brave as it is difficult to care for its two main characters. Merida wants to have her own life and not the one her parents have arranged for her which is understandable. The problem is that she comes off as a rude kid who thinks they have all answers and knows more than her parents thinking that this makes alright to disrespect them. It makes it so hard to like this character or even feel compassion for her when she acts like this and the fact that she is willing to give her mother a spell to change her makes it even harder. Queen Elinor is nothing to fall head over heels for either. Instead of rooting for her, I found myself feeling sorry for her due to the way she sees woman as objects to their husbands. She becomes unlikeable in how she doesn’t feel that her daughter should be her own women. These actions and feelings of these characters are seen in them up until they supposedly change which makes it so hard to believe that there is really anything different about them.

If you always have admired Pixar’s visuals over the stories they tell then Brave is a film you will enjoy. If you tend to put more emphasis on an imaginative and compelling story, something we  have become accustomed to from Pixar, then Brave is not be for you as it fails to tell a new story or create characters that you want to see succeed. The question that can be asked now is when Pixar will return to the original stories and characters that made them one of the industry’s best. Hopefully sooner than later but with Cars and Toy Story sequels preceding Brave and a Monsters Inc. prequel on its way, an already long wait for something brand new could get even longer.

Grade: D                            

Review: 'Skyfall'

Columbia Pictures/MGM

In Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, Daniel Craig’s first two outings as James Bond, the issue was whether or not M could trust Bond (Judi Dench) but in Skyfall the tables are turned as the trustworthiness of M is questioned.  With this put into focus, Skyfall becomes the darkest Bond film and character that we have seen in the Daniel Craig era. When the reliability and determination of Bond finally becomes more important than his age and M starts to show some compassion, Skyfall becomes more than just a good action film, it becomes a compelling drama. 

Taking place on top of a moving train, Skyfall’s opening scene offers up a well-choreographed, high energy showdown between James Bond and the killer of a MI6 agent, Patrice (Ola Rapace). Bond and fellow MI6 agent, Eve (Naomie Harris) are after Patrice to recover a disk that includes the names of the MI6 agents that are under cover in terrorist organizations. As the opportunity to kill Patrice and recover the disk begins to slip away, M orders Eve, who is not on the train, to take the shot regardless of Bonds positioning. This causes the motives of M to be questioned and the threat to MI6 to intensify.      

After its intense opening scene, Skyfall slows down and hits a rough patch as the focus is put on Bond’s age. Continuous questions and attempted humor concerning whether or not Bond is still capable of fulfilling the duties that come with being 007 agent fill the first half of the film. As the film goes on, reasoning for questioning Bonds abilities is given but it doesn’t make up for beating the audience over the head with it as it seems that the only thing anyone is concerned with is how old Bond is getting.

Fortunately, Skyfall moves away from questioning age and finally shows why it doesn’t matter how old and out of touch Bond has become. The film does this by putting an emphasis on how reliable, determined and loyal Bond really is and how this ultimately upstages physical ability. The audience is first witness to this in a scene that features M as she is being questioned by the prime minster, reciting a few lines from Alfred Lord Tennyson’s Ulysses that not only describes MI6 but also what Bond stands for. While these lines are being recited, flashes of Bond in the line of duty are seen, accompanied by the music of Thomas Newman which altogether makes for a fantastic scene. It is also here that M becomes more of a likeable character as she starts to realize what is going on around her, forcing her to abandon the overwhelming cold persona that she possessed up to this point.   

With his performance as the terrifying Anton Chigurh in No Country for Old Men, Javier Bardem proved that he can successfully take on the role of a villain but in Skyfall, Bardem’s Raoul Silva is a much different villain. Bardem gives Silva an eerie, haunting dialect like he did with Chigurh but this is one of the few characteristics they share. Silva has a much more taunting, confident way about him and is highly intelligent giving him a high level of control. Bardem has always had a huge screen presence and here it goes well with this persona of Silvia’s. As far as motives and characteristics go, Silva can easily be compared to Heath Leger’s Joker from the Dark Knight but I also saw a little bit of Anthony Hopkins’s Hannibal Lector from The Silence of the Lambs in the way he carries himself and always seems to be in control. The dialogue given to Silva when he first approaches Bond is very entertaining but as the film goes on his dialogue seems to only be on the subject matter of M which doesn’t add much depth to the character.   

When Craig took on James Bond, we saw a different character emerge. Both Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace featured a more spontaneous, darker and less in control character than past films. Skyfall not only sticks to these same characteristics but enforces them to an even higher degree. This is the most in-depth Bond we have seen in recent films as he is unsure of who he is and what he does. Bond’s past being put into focus also adds to this level of depth. In his non-verbal performance, Craig is able to convey the emotions experienced by Bond without coming off as over the top which works to the films advantage. Director Sam Mendes, along with cinematographer Roger Deakins do an exceptional job of matching the shades and mood of the film with this darker character as very few scenes feature any kind of physical or emotional light.

With well-choreographed and fast pace sequences throughout, Skyfall is a solid action film but it really takes off when it begins to focus on the trust and reliability that is associated with MI6, M and Bond. It was nice to see the film go in this more compelling direction instead of presenting Bond as a smooth talking, indestructible man. While doing this, Skyfall also manages to build a bridge to the next installment as it wraps everything up in way that makes way for the future.

Grade: B                                      

Review: 'The Amazing Spider Man'

Sony Pictures

As a High School student, Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) is an outsider by choice. This is where Garfield’s Peter differs from Tobey Maguire’s Peter from the original. Maguire’s Peter appears to be yearning to be a part of the ‘in-crowd’ and falls under the ‘nerd’ stereotype that is seen in film and television as he is practically blind if he does not where his glasses, has his hair combed over, has his fair share of awkward moments around the opposite sex and is fully dedicated to his studies. Garfield’s Peter is far from this ‘nerd’ persona as he possesses a ‘me against the world’ attitude accompanied be a sarcastic dialogue. This different persona, along with Garfield’s performance, works well and is possibly the most entertaining aspect of the film. In fact, I don’t think that I would complained if the film only focused on Peter Parker and not Spider-Man.                                                                                                                                            

In The Amazing Spider Man, Peter Parker lives with his Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) and Aunt May (Sally Field) after being abandoned by his parents as a child. The reason for them leaving becomes more and more a part of the story as the film moves along. His love interest is Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) and it does not take long for her to become equally attracted to him. This blooming, playful relationship between Peter and Gwen is a joy to watch as a strong chemistry is seen between Garfield and Stone. It also appears that director Marc Webb has a strong handle on how to present a new relationship in a fun and entertaining way as he also accomplishes this previously in his 2009 comedy, (500) Days of Summer.                                                                               

From his efforts to find out more about his parents, Peter discovers that his father had worked with Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans), a scientist working at Oscorp. For regeneration purposes, Dr. Connors is combining human DNA with the DNA of a lizard. After Peter finds out about Dr. Connors connection to his father, he sneaks into Oscorp to find out more. It is here that, he is bitten by a genetically enhanced spider, giving him superhuman abilities such as advanced reflexes and senses. Not long after this, Dr. Connors experiments on himself to regenerate his arm. After having success, Dr. Connors begins to experience negative side effects, turning into an aggressive Lizard-like creature, intent on terrorizing the city.           

This sets up the Spider-Man/Lizard showdown. The problem with this is that Peter Parker as Spider-Man and Dr. Connors as the Lizard offer very little. The screen time that features Dr. Connors as the Lizard is filled with grunting and snarling. Obviously, this adds no depth to the character but also doesn't create any more of a villain or something to fear like it is intended to do.  Along the same lines, the choreographing of scenes featuring the Lizard in action does very little to help the villainous appeal. He is shown jumping at the screen a lot or suddenly appearing on screen making him visually hard to follow. Even when he is not doing this, he seems to always be in the dark.

What I like about Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin from Spider-Man is that he was easily seen as evil when he didn't have the mask on as he was not a good person. When it comes to a villain, these poor human qualities are much more compelling than animal characteristics. The motives behind this Lizard do not really add up either, making it difficult to buy into the character as a villain. Yes, even the bad guys need a good reason for what they are doing and it appears the Lizard doesn’t have one.  

I’m really not sure if it is the Spider-Man character or the sudden reboot that I have a problem with. Even though the dialogue that was given to Peter Parker was much better than that of Spider-Man, I can’t say that I was completely turned off and disappointed with the character. As I watched the film, and looking back at it now, I just felt that I have seen all this before. Well, not only have I seen it all before, it was just five years ago that I saw it. The problem with rebooting a franchise based on a comic book is that there are many aspects that cannot be done much differently. Characters can be tweaked and events can be rearranged but it still will come down to one thing: the hero has to be heroic. So in The Amazing Spider-Man when New York City is in trouble, we all know what comes next. The film fails to make this interesting and not repetitive.                                                                                                         

It doesn't help that this reboot is playing to the same audience as the original did making repetitiveness hard to avoid. The biggest problem in regards to this is the action sequences. Garfield’s Spider-Man swinging through the streets of New York City is very similar to Maguire’s Spider-Man. With all this said though, a weak villain and the same-old Spider-Man are problems that can be fixed. In fact, with the announcement of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 arriving to theaters in May of 2014, hopefully this franchise can get on track.

Grade: C            

Review: Wreck-It-Ralph




Walt Disney Animation Studios

              Part of Wreck-it-Ralph’s appeal is the numerous appearances by past and present video game characters. So, if you are or ever were a ‘gamer’ you are certain to feel some level of nostalgia when watching this film. Even as someone who has never really had a strong interest in video games, I couldn’t help but think about playing my favorite video game Frogger when the beloved frog hoped on to the screen for a spilt second. Fortunately though Wreck-it-Ralph doesn’t rely on this feeling of nostalgia but connects the video game concept of hero and villain characters to its age old message, resulting in an inventive and engaging narrative.

Wreck-it-Ralph (voiced by John C. Reilly) is the bad guy in the game Fix-it-Felix, Jr., one of many video games at Litwak’s Family Fun Center and Arcade. For 30 years, Ralph has been tearing down the same building just so the games hero Felix (voiced by Jack McBrayer) can fix. Felix receives a metal every time he fixes the building and is well liked by all the other characters in the game. Ralph, on the other hand, has to sleep in a nearby trash heap as he is shunned by everyone in the game. Ralph has become tired of this way of life . He feels that he shouldn’t be seen as bad guy just because he is one in the game. He also thinks that it is unfair that he is never rewarded for his job when Felix continues to receive metals for his.

Ralph decides to change this continues cycle by leaving his game to enter another in the pursuit of his own metal. This takes him to Hero’s Duty, a game that features soldiers, led by Sergeant Calhoun (voiced by Jane Lynch), on a mission to kill the games villainous Cy-Bugs. It is here that Ralph finds the Metal he desires but in the process he hatches a Cy-Bug. In an effort to escape from this Cy-Bug, Ralph escapes from Hero’s Duty and winds up in the racing game Sugar Rush where everything is made out of candy and other sweet treats (Sugar Rush’s law enforcement are donuts).

It is here that he meets Vanellope (voiced by Sarah Silverman), a character in the game that is considered a problem by other characters because she suffers from a coding glitch. Similar to Ralph, Vanellope has longed to be the games hero by winning a race. Ralph agrees to help Vanellope accomplish this but runs into trouble when King Candy (voiced by Alan Tudyk) is set on stopping Vanellope from entering a race. This is just a small part of Ralph’s problems though as the Cy-Bug that was chasing him is still in Sugar Rush and his own game, Fix-it-Felix, Jr. is in danger of being unplugged due to his absence.

Due to Wreck-It-Ralph’s style and approach, I am still having trouble believing that this is only a Disney Animated Studios film and not one from Pixar. I saw several characteristics similar to Pixar films. When the arcade closes at night, the characters within the video game come to life, taking on human characteristics. If this doesn’t remind you of Toy Story than I don’t know what will. These characters view being a video game character as there job. When the arcade is open they are at work. The toys of Toy Story have this same outlook on being a toy. When a child is playing with a toy, that particular toy is at work.

There is also a resemblance to Monsters Inc. that can be seen in Wreck-It-Ralph. When the video-game characters leave or enter a game they are in Game Central Station (the power strip that all the video game machines are plugged into). I couldn’t help but see a strong resemblance between Game Central Station and the scare floor from Monsters Inc. Like the monsters entering and exiting the real world on the scare floor, the video game characters enter and exit there interactive time with humans through Game Central Station. Also, the relationship between Ralph and Vanellope is similar to the one between Sully and Boo in, not just physical aspects, but also the way that he becomes her protector.

Pixar characteristics are not the only characteristics that Wreck-It-Ralph takes on as it looks and sounds like an actual video game, never straying away from this. Characters from the Fix-It-Felix, Jr. that are not Ralph and Felix realistically move like they would in a video game. There is a stop motion, choppy aspect to their movement similar to movements of video game characters from 80’s and early 90’s games. The films music also has video game qualities to it with its upbeat and electronic aspects. With the entire second half of the film taking place in the Sugar Rush racing game, it is fitting that Wreck-It-Ralph is always moving forward at an ultra-high speed. I can only think of one 2 or 3 minute long scene that goes against this pace.                  

The voice work is another aspect of the film that should not go without mention. John C. Reilly and Jack McBrayer as Ralph and Felix are well casted. I will admit that when I first heard Reilly as Ralph in early trailers, I wasn’t sure if his voice fit the character but fortunately, this is not the case as Reilly’s unpolished voice goes well with the character. The most impressive thing about this though is how well the writing for Ralph fits Reilly’s delivery style. The writing for McBrayer’s Felix is also very good. McBrayer has had a history of taking on characters that are over flowing with a blissful innocence and Felix is no expectation. When Felix was on screen, I couldn’t help but think of McBrayer’s character from Forgetting Sarah Marshall. 

Jane Lynch can’t do wrong as she adds her strong female vocals to Sergeant Calhoun, a character that has no problem putting someone there place. Sarah Silverman lends her already child-like voice to Vanellope, changing it slightly to sound even younger. The most unrecognizable voice of the film though is Alan Tudyk’s who voices King Candy. Even with unlimited attempts, I would have never guessed this was Tudyk’s voice, sounding extremely similar to the Ed Wynn voiced Mad Hatter from the 1951 version of Alice in Wonderland.

None of this though is as impressive as the way Wreck-It-Ralph connects the common video game theme of heroes and villains to present and enhance its simple message. Wreck-It-Ralph explores how one bases self-image on how one is perceived by others and how common inaccurate labels of someone are given. The film goes just a little farther than this by stressing the importance of being happy with yourself and knowing who you really are no matter what others think but this is as complex as the message gets, making it relatively easy to figure out.                 

What is so satisfying about it though is how the film message is connected to video games which always feature characters that are perceived as good along with characters that are perceived as bad. The only small complaint that I have with this message is how constantly spelled out or stated over and over with dialogue of these moments being very Dr. Seuss like at times. Like I said though this is a small complaint and given the target audience this may not be such a bad thing. This is easy to look past and the film can still easily be enjoyed by all ages.

Grade: A-                 

            

Shaken, Not Stirred: The Music of the James Bond Franchise

            This Friday James Bond returns to theaters after a four year hiatus with his twenty third mission, Skyfall. With this latest installment, there are a number of things that we can count on such as a new enemy for Bond to take on, state of the art gadgets and of course the Bond girls. This also means that a new theme song will be a part of the film’s opening credits. Over the past fifty years, these theme songs have become some of the most ionic songs in film history. In fact, a number of these songs have stolen the spotlight from the film they represent. Like each film and each Bond actor adding there spin to the character, every Bond theme offers something different. 

It all started with Monty Norman collaborating with the John Barry Orchestra for the first James Bond film, Dr. No. This theme matches the smooth and mysterious characteristics of the character and the film’s. Because of this, it has been used throughout the James Bond series, becoming one of the most recognizable themes of all time. It has also set a certain standard for the theme. Personally, I would place this in my top five Bond themes. It does such a great job of matching Bonds persona and with no vocals the strong instrumental qualities really have a chance to stand out.

Shirley Bassey would lend her vocal talents to a total of three Bond themes with the first coming in 1964’s Goldfinger. Bassey adds a touch of jazz to her themes along with strong vocals. It is strong vocals and lyrics that set a dark tone that goes well with the mysterious, smooth talking persona of Bond.  Bassey’s best theme came in her second time around for Diamonds Are Forever in 1971 and her third theme was featured in 1979’s Moonraker. 

The 1970’s featured a couple of the most recognizable musicians of all time. In 1973 Paul McCarthy’s Live and Let Die theme was much different than any previous theme. McCarthy’s “Live and Let Die” has a rock and roll sound, something that was not heard in the themes during the 60’s. It also differs in the consistency of its pace. It goes back forth between a fast piano and drawn out lyrics. I can’t say that this one of my favorite themes but segments of it are used well throughout the film, such as the boat chase that takes place in the swamps of Louisiana.

Carly Simon took on the duties of performing the Bond theme song, titled “Nobody Does It Better”, in 1977’s The Spy Who Loved Me. Simon’s “Nobody Does It Better” is the only Bond theme that is among the American Film Institute's 100 years...100 Songs, ranking number 67. Simon’s theme is only one of two themes, the other being McCarthy’s theme, to earn an Academy Award Nomination for Best Original Song.

For 1985’s A View To A Kill, Duran Duran gave a theme unlike any of its predecessors. Yes, if this song were a martini it would, without a doubt, be shaken not stirred as it is a high energy song that is much different from the slower, instrumentally heavy themes of past themes. Many themes look at James Bond as ‘ladies’ man’ or a lover but with this theme, the lyrics of its chorus embraces the way that Bond takes danger head on. This different take on the theme has become one of my favorites, landing it in my top three.

In 2002, Madonna went in a similar direction with the theme for Die Another Day. Like Duran Duran’s “A View to a Kill”, Madonna’s “Die Another Day” lyrics captures the danger that comes with the missions that Bond takes on and his ability to escape death. The lyrics are not the only aspect of this song though that matches the danger that plays a major role in a Bond plot. This is the edgiest Bond theme to date due to the use of an electronic beat. I only wish that this song would have been used at the end of the movie with Bond killing his enemy and barely escaping death himself. As soon as this happens, the song begins and the movie ends. It would probably be too corny and over the top to even bare but it my head it seems like a fitting end.

Six years later, Quantum of Solace’s theme featured Jack White collaborating with Alicia Keys for the song “Another Way to Die”. Once again, the theme has a heavy rock sound as Jack White’s guitar takes over the song. Though this song is worlds different than the one’s including John Barry, White and Keys still manage to include a level of suspense that early themes featured. If I referred to these themes as shaken or stirred, I would prefer the ones of the shaken variety because for me, the themes that tend to be more modern and have a rock sound to them are the ones I enjoy the most.  This would place “Another Way to Die” right behind Madonna’s “Die Another Day”, making it my second favorite Bond theme.

Music plays such an important role in film. Whether it be a song or a score featured in a film, it is intended to enhance a film. For this to happen it is important that it matches the tone of the movie or the scene that it is used in. Over the past fifty years James Bond themes and scores have been able to enhance the Films they are featured in. The themes do a better job of matching Bond the character than the film they represent. The scores of these films go well with the action that is featured within the films.

With Skyfall just days away, it will be interesting to see how well it’s score and theme will go with the film. Thomas Newman is the man behind the score for Skyfall and with past films such as American Beauty and Road to Perdition, (both directed by Sam Mendes) there is reason to believe that he will deliver.  Adele takes on the theme, which is already available for listening. Over the past two years, everything Adele has touched has turned to gold and “Skyfall” is no exception. You may be disappointed if you are looking for something along the lines of “Die Another Day” and “Another way to Die” as Adele takes the theme back to the 60’s with her vocals and a strong orchestra behind her. It has the most mysterious sound to it since Garbage’s “The World is not Enough” in 1999. Time will tell though if it will be regarded as one of the best.             

As for the film Skyfall, I’m not sure if I can be any more excited. If I made a list of the films I had the most anticipation for this year, Skyfall would be towards the top, if not number one. Casino Royale is one of my favorite Bond movies because of the way that Bond show vulnerability by trusting Vesper Lynd (Eva Green) who ends up not being what she seems. This gives depth to Bond and makes him a character that one can relate to. Because of Casino Royale, my anticipation level for 2008’s Quantum of Solace was through the roof but unfortunately I walked away somewhat disappointed. As far as film making goes, it is nothing short of high quality but it does not offer the same fast pace tempo that Casino Royale features along with the intriguing relationship I described. Hopefully Skyfall can return to this formula and with everything that I have seen and heard up to this point regarding the film, I have reason to believe it will.

Now it’s time for your opinion. What’s your favorite Bond theme? What do you think about the Skyfall Theme? Are you looking forward to Skyfall? Below is a video featuring 30 seconds of every Bond theme.     

       

Looper                                                                                                              Movie Review                                                                                                           By: Brad Shawgo

Imagine if you could set at a table across from an older version of yourself. I cannot imagine it being anything less than bizarre. Now, if this setting weren’t already enough, imagine this same scenario but mix in the idea that you have to kill that older version of yourself. Through the use of time travel, Looper presents a scenario similar to the one I just described. Looper is much more than a science fiction film about time travel though, or even confronting a future version of oneself. If one can look past the plot holes and questions that come from a time travel narrative, a much deeper message and an entertaining film can be found.                 

The story places us in the year 2044 in Kansas City, where the mob is using assassins that are referred to as Loopers. The reason they have acquired this title is because the same mob thirty years into the future, using time travel, send the people they choose to kill thirty years into the past so that the Looper can kill them and depose of the body. The reason that this is done in the past is because a tracking device has made it impossible to dispose of someone without anyone finding out. When the mob no longer has a need for a Looper, they send the older version of the Looper to its younger self to be disposed of. This is referred to as “closing the loop”, a measure taken by the mob to prevent any loose ends. The day comes when Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a Looper from 2044, is required to ‘close the loop’ on himself’. When he sees himself appear in front of him, he hesitates, allowing Old Joe (Bruce Willis) to escape.        

This causes Young Joe, along with other men from the mob who are referred to as Gat Men, to search for Old Joe, who happens to be on a mission of his own. The same Gat Men who are looking for him, killed his wife, captured him, and sent him back in time to be killed. Since he is from thirty years in to the future, he is aware that the mob is led by the Rainmaker, who is described as one of the most horrific of people, for both causing havoc and closing all the loops. Old Joe believes that if he can prevent the Rainmaker, who is just a child in the year 2044, from growing up and taking power, his wife will not be killed and he will also save several others in the process. Old Joe has acquired the birth date of the Rainmaker along with the name of hospital he was born. Unfortunately for Old Joe, there was more than one child born on that day at that hospital, giving him three possible children who could possibly be the Rainmaker. Old Joe comes to the difficult decision that he must find all three children and kill them. Old Joe has these coordinates in his pocket and in one of their encounters, Young Joe somehow tears one of the coordinates off of the paper that they are on. This takes Young Joe to a farm house outside of the city inhabited by a woman named Sara (Emily Blunt) and her young son Cid (Pierce Gagnon). With the help of Sara, Young Joe figures out what Old Joe’s plans are and is now forced to protect Cid from Old Joe.                                                                            

Director Rian Johnson creates a fast pace and intriguing first act. The audience is introduced to a run down, near apocalyptic back drop of the world that 2044 has to offer. The bleak conditions and ruthless mob paint a dark picture of the future. Most importantly, Joe is introduced along with a satisfying explanation of what a Looper is and how they operate. In this introduction, Gordon-Levitt as Young Joe is explaining everything through voice over. This is when the script is at its best and enhances an already solid opening. Not long after this, Old Joe is introduced in an eye catching sequence that does a nice job of explaining Young Joe becoming Old Joe also adding depth to the character. At the conclusion of this sequence, Young Joe meets Old Joe and at the same time, the film seems to meet a wall as its pace slows down tremendously for a second act that comes nowhere close to meeting not only the opening act’s tempo but also its level of meaningful substance. It was a challenge to stay attentive during this stretch of the film and if wasn’t for the first thirty minutes playing so well, I would of have given up all care of what was going to happen next. There are a few scenes in the film’s middle that offer pointless dialogue along with scenes that are out of place or unnecessary, keeping the film from moving forward. With that said though, the second act does not derail the film as there are moments that support the third act that, all things considered, eventually leading to a satisfying ending.                   

Looper is far from a performance based film. No role is intended to out shine the films premise along with the narrative that comes with it and none of them do. With that said though, Looper’s performances do nothing to hurt the film. Over the past few years, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Emily Blunt have been two of the best in their line of work as they have turned in solid performances, showing range in the process. In this film, both continue giving quality performances as both fill their roles well. As Sara’s relationship to Cid becomes a major aspect of the plot, Blunt is able to display the love a mother has for her child and how powerful it can be which is a necessity for the role. As Young Joe, I cannot say that Gordon-Levitt knocks his impersonation of Bruce Willis out of the park but that doesn’t mean it is a bad performance. Young Joe is bitter towards the job he has and the situation he becomes a part of, something that is seen in every aspect of Gordon-Levitt’s performance. Willis’s performance and the character he plays are also noteworthy. The motives of Old Joe and the life he has had causes the character to be the most fascinating one of the film and Willis holds his own in the part as he shows something that we don’t see often from a performance of his: emotion.                          

With time travel playing a major role in Looper’s plot, many questions can be asked. If this happens in the past, why isn’t it like this in the future? If he did this in the past, why is he a part of the future? If he is from the future, where is his present self? The questions can go on and at times can add confusion to a somewhat already unstable premise. If one can look past these questions, one will find a much deeper meaning. Looper doesn’t just look at how are own past effects our future individually but how it effects an entire society. It does this through looking at the importance of our society’s youth and how the raising and development of our youth in the present affects the future. As repetitive and sappy as it may sound, we as members of the present society have the responsibility of taking interest in our youth so that not just their own future is impacted for the better but society as a whole is positively affected. Looper succeeds in giving this message in an intriguing, cinematic way.

Grade: B