Shortcut Reviews - Got Paul Rudd? (Four Films Starring Paul Rudd...) Special Edition Volume 01: Admission (2013), Prince Avalanche (2013), This Is 40 (2012) and Wanderlust (2012)

On DVD and BLU RAY -

-----"Admission" - So timid, predictable, unfunny and underwritten, this utterly forgettable Romantic Comedy made me want to gag- it's the celluloid equivalent of spoiled tofu.  Tina Fey portrays a Princeton admission's officer romantically pursued by Paul Rudd's overseer of an alternative high school- I'm not so sure Princeton should be proud of being represented in such a ham-fisted manner.

I think the only thing that will stick with me is just how much plastic has overtaken what was once Lily Tomlin's face.

I've always had a thing for the sexy Tina Fey (I think it's her scar), though she may want to reconsider her career in feature films and stick with television fare...

 5.0 out of 10

Director: Paul Weitz
Starring: Tina Fey, Paul Rudd, Wallace Shawn, Gloria Reuben, Nat Wolff, Lily Tomlin and Michael Sheen
Running Time: 107 minutes
MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for language and some sexual material


-----"Prince Avalanche" - Paul Rudd and Emile Hirsch portray two road surface marker operators laying down traffic lines on a long stretch of countryside after a devastating wild fire.  Far from home and smack-dab in the middle of nowhere, the two disparate men find themselves trying to cope with the loneliness, isolation and overwhelming boredom of the situation at hand.

Naturally, tempers flare and insults fly, yet it's all so quirky and light-hearted that it's impossible to take the more dramatic aspects of the narrative seriously.

Filmed in Bastrop, Texas after the Bastrop County Complex fire, I was taken with the strikingly gorgeous cinematography of the fire ravaged area and a few amazingly well-constructed slow-motion sequences set to a hypnotic original soundtrack by Explosions In The Sky & David Wingo.

It's a little weird and not quite what I was hoping for as David Gordon Green (The Pineapple Express) is an ecclectic, but highly capable filmmaker.  Scenes featuring the late Lance LeGault (Stripes) as an alcoholic trucker that intermittently drops in on the duo are a little off kilter and certain other sequences aren't fully realized, though the film is beautiful to look at and ends on a positive note.  Prince Avalanche is one of those films that comes along every now and then that I can't quite figure out how I truly felt about- some may absolutely love it while others will be left wondering aloud, "What the hell was that!?"

 7.0 out of 10


Director: David Gordon Green
Starring: Paul Rudd, Emile Hirsch and Lance LeGault
Running Time: 94 minutes
MPAA Rating: Rated R for some sexual content.


-----"This Is 40" -  Maybe it just caught me in the right mood, but I found this self described "sort-of sequel to Knocked Up" decidedly entertaining, eliciting a wealth of hearty laughs throughout.  It doesn't feature any appearances from Katherine Heigl or Seth Rogen, though Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann's characters from that film return as a married couple both pushing forty and experiencing their mid-life crisis's simultaneously.  I bought into the charismatic family of four, with the couple's two young daughters played wonderfully by Director Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann's real life children together, Maude and Iris Apatow.  I'll be damned if the onscreen family didn't feel authentic in nearly every imaginable manner.

Expect worthwhile appearances from Jason Segel, Albert Brooks, Megan Fox, Chris O'Dowd, Melissa McCarthy and John Lithgow, with cameos from Graham Parker, Billy Joe Armstrong and Ryan Adams.

My only real knock against the film would be it's unnecessarily EPIC runtime of well over 2 hours- it could definitely use a stream-lining, but it's still very much worth checking out.

Recommended

8.0 out of 10

Director: Judd Apatow
Starring: Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, Albert Brooks, John Lithgow, Megan Fox, Jason Segel, Chris O'Dowd, Melissa McCarthy, Maude Apatow and Iris Apatow
Running Time: 134 minutes
MPAA Rating: Rated R for sexual content, crude humor, pervasive language and some drug material

FWIW- The Films Of Judd Apatow

The 40-Year-Old Virgin - 8.5
Knocked Up - 8.0
Funny People - 5.5


----- "Wanderlust" -  Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston portray a newly jobless Manhattan couple forced to take up a new residence, eventually landing in a hippie commune. The only thing remotely interesting about this improvised, scatter-shot mess from the Director of the substantially better Role Models (David Wain) is the complete lack of onscreen chemistry that real-life couple Aniston and Justin Theroux display in their "amorous" scenes together.  I can only recall a couple of half-hearted chuckles amongst a host of flat sequences and painfully bad ideas.

Dear Jennifer Aniston- Quit farting around and teasing millions with your annoying flirtations with full-blown nudity and just go ahead and get nekkid already... then again, that wouldn't have done very much to have helped this turd of a movie. 

Wanderlust is one of the worst films of 2012 and should be in considerations as one of the lamest comedies of all time.

Skip it.

2.5 out of 10

Director: David Wain
Starring: Paul Rudd, Jennifer Aniston, Malin Akerman, Justin Theroux, Alan Alda, Ken Marino, Joe Lo Truglio, Kathryn Hahn, Lauren Ambrose and Kerri Kenney
Running Time: 98 minutes
MPAA Rating: Rated R for sexual content, graphic nudity, language and drug use

Shortcut Reviews- Horror Special Edition Volume 01: Byzantium (2012), Evil Dead (2013), Mama (2013) & Maniac (2013)

On DVD and BLU RAY...


"Byzantium" - This modern day Dramatic tale of a Mother/Daughter duo of 200 year-old bloodsuckers living in a fledgling hotel on the English coastline may prove worthwhile for those in need of a decent vampire flick fix. The film is skillfully shot while Gemma Arterton (Tamara Drewe) and Saoirse Ronan (Atonement) put in solid work as the aforementioned tandem.

There's only a couple of super-bloody sequences and most of the vampire rules we've come to expect are bypassed, though Director Neil Jordan (The Crying Game, Mona Lisa, Interview With The Vampire, The Brave One) does a commendable job working around a relatively small budget- there's little CGI to speak of and it's a HELLUVA lot smarter and more entertaining than any of that mega-budgeted, sparkly tween Twilight garbage. 

7.0 out of 10

Director: Neil Jordan
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Gemma Arterton, Caleb Landry Jones, Daniel Mays, Sam Riley, Uri Gavriel, Johnny Lee Miller and Tom Hollander
Running Time: 118 minutes
MPAA Rating: Rated R for bloody violence, sexual content and language


"Evil Dead" (2013) - This remake/reboot of Sam Raimi's 1981 cult classic "The Evil Dead" features an exponentially larger budget (17 times the original's, inflation adjusted), over 70,000 gallons of fake blood, surprisingly deft Direction and editing, excellently creepy cinematography and a wealth of outstanding practical makeup/gore effects- all the more disappointing that it fails to deliver one character you truly care about amongst it's principal players.

A three second tack-on at the end of the film's post-credits features a cameo which serves as an all-too familiar reminder of just exactly what this film was missing. Keep a lookout for everyone's favorite 1973 Oldsmobile Delta 88... oh, and cat lovers may want to steer clear...

6.0 out of 10

Director: Fede Alvarez
Starring: Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernandez, Lou Taylor Pucci, Jessica Lucas and Elizabeth Blackmore
Running Time: 91 minutes
MPAA Rating: Rated R for strong bloody violence and gore, some sexual content and language

FWIW-

The Evil Dead (1981) - 7.5
Evil Dead II (1987) - 8.5
Army Of Darkness - 8.0


"Mama" - Although Jessica Chastain is very good as the adoptive Aunt of two little girls rescued from living in the forest alone (or maybe not) for five years, every other adult character in the film is brain dead while massive leaps in logic, a few ridiculous scenes of absurd happenstance and some wholly unnecessary CGI involving the creepy, crawly, twitchy contortionist spirit (enough with this tired shit, already) wreaking so much havoc throughout this flick consistently work to undermine it.

It's based upon a short film of less than 3 minutes that's been stretched out and watered down into a 100 minute feature length run-time - the vast majority of which is cliched to a fault and just plain dumb.  Guillermo Del Toro (acting as Producer here) would be wise to be a little bit more selective on the films he's endorsing...

5.0 out of 10

Director: Andres Muschietti
Starring: Jessica Chastain, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Megan Charpentier, Isabelle Nelise and Daniel Kash
Running Time: 100 minutes
MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for violence and terror, some disturbing images and thematic elements


Maniac (2013) -Weird, effectively atmospheric and with a handful of gruesome, bloody kills, this remake of Director William Lustig's cult 1980 film of the same title isn't so bad if a potential viewer can accept the shot-from-the-killer's POV gimmick.  Elijah Wood is super-creepy as the scalp happy psycho with mommy issues who's obsessed with mannequins.

Most of this actually works fairly well and the electronica soundtrack by Rob is pretty damned cool, though I felt it's grim material and extremely graphic approach bordered on poor taste (much like the original) and may not have much replay value even for the vast majority of those interested. 

6.5 out of 10

Director: Franck Khalfoun
Starring: Elijah Wood, Nora Arnezeder, Megan Duffy, Genevieve Alexander and Jan Broberg
Running Time: 89 minutes
MPAA Rating: Untrated- the equivalent of an NC-17 for graphic violence, language, nudity and gore

Review - Inglourious Basterds (2009) (Edited, Expanded and Reposted- from August 24th, 2009)

Inglorious Basterds - Touches greatness a few times throughout but can't seem to get a, um, stranglehold on it. Writer/Director Quentin Tarantino should have gone with Once Upon A Time In Nazi Occupied France as the title because there is precious little of the titular "Inglourious Basterds" in the film at all. Potential viewers MUST understand that this is NOTHING like Robert Aldrich's 1967 WWII film, The Dirty Dozen.  What's remaining is still a very strange and highly entertaining mixture of genuinely funny, involving and bloody as all hell material, complete with Tarantino's trademark penchant for reeling you in with engaging dialogue (he once again delivers the heat here) and then shocking you with short bursts of graphic violence.  Younger, more impressionable sorts will yield to the inherent cool factor and quickly file this amongst the greatest films ever made, yet seasoned cinephiles (I'm not claiming to be one) should recognize a substantial amount of character-building and exposition either forgotten or excised from the story due to run-time concerns- it unquestionably hinders the film but never threatens to derail it.

Brad Pitt is funny and amiable as Basterd leader, "Lt. Aldo Raine"- it's my favorite role from him to date. His character's usage of a Bowie knife to "mark" Nazi's is both weirdly pleasing and unsettling- his sendoff to a most unpleasant fellow in the film's final scene will have you simultaneously smiling and squirming in your seat.

French actress Melanie Laurent is outstanding as the revenge-minded "Shosanna", a cinema proprietor operating in Nazi occupied France. We're obviously given the necessary motive, yet, again, there seems to be quite a bit of back story and exposition missing for her character. How about a little more depth concerning the interracial relationship/romance with the black projectionist, "Marcel" (French Actor Jacky Ido in fleeting appearances)? - For some reason, it didn't seem that important for Tarantino to flesh out- strange considering how Marcel is more than willing and ready to die for his beloved.  Furthermore, scripted and shot segments covering how our heroine inherited the theater from an Asian madame (Maggie Cheung) also didn't make the cut.  This is neither here nor there, but Laurent has strikingly beautiful eyes and my personal idea of the perfect female nose... yes, I was fascinated with her and I'm not ashamed.

It's "Jew Hunter" Christoph Waltz that absolutely owns this film- he should not only be nominated for an Oscar but should win one outright (and yes, he went on to do so). Undeniably charming yet completely evil, his Nazi SS Officer "Col. Hans Landa" should rightfully take it's place amongst the greatest screen villains in cinema history.  It's a layered, thrilling performance that will stick with me for a lifetime.

Diane Kruger (Troy) is also excellent as the German film star turned allied spy, "Bridget von Hammersmark"- roles for the actress should come rolling in after her performance here.

Eli Roth's Louisville Slugger brandishing "Sgt. Donny Donowitz" should have been some kind of mysterious, hulking mute- the man can't deliver dialogue for shit and he's absolutely awful in this. It's the only glaringly obvious casting mistake of this release.

Til Schwieger's (Knockin' On Heaven's Door) fellow Basterd and Nazi killer extraordinaire, "Hugo Stiglitz", is introduced with a cool, splashy 70's marquee and yet is killed off mere moments later- the character DESERVED more screen time and could have proven to have been one of the more cult-friendly movie characters for the ages, yet simply isn't given the attention/material to flourish.  There's 10 members of Aldo Raine's hand-picked Basterds, yet we have multiple lines of dialogue from only four of them, with only fleeting shots of the remaining six- that's short-sighted any which way you slice it.

The film bears little resemblance to Enzo G. Castellari's 1978 Macaroni Combat film, The Inglorious Bastards, yet that film's Director and co-star (Castellari and Bo Svenson) do have cameos here.  It would have been nice to have seen Fred Williamson (a co-star of the '78 film) make an appearance, but oh well.

The film features dark, yet beautifully crisp and detailed cinematography by three-time Oscar winner, Robert Richardson and is complete with excellently edited shots.  It's refreshingly fantastic that QT chose to have the cast and characters speak in their native (and appropriate) French, German and Italian tongues- with English subtitles, of course.  This may be off-putting for some, but aren't most viewers' general discontent with subtitles usually born of laziness? 

Expect one helluva tension-filled confrontation in a cramped basement tavern filled with celebrating Nazis- the verbal showdown between Michael Fassbender's (X-Men: First Class) British Spy and August Diehl's (The Counterfeiters) SS Officer is golden film-making.  That said, a wild and fiery climax inside a Parisian theater dances around in genius territory and overkill, with QT perhaps a little too playful and arrogant.  He simply has little interest in the specifics of history and appears keen to rewrite it to shape his own fantasies and embellishments.

I loved most of the musical selections here, with the film featuring great original stuff from Ennio Morricone and nice, nostalgic selections from the likes of Lalo Shifrin ("Tiger Tank" from 1970's Kelly's Heroes), Jacques Loussier (Main Theme from 1968's Dark Of The Sun), Dimitri Tiomkin (a Nick Perito update of "The Green Leaves of Summer" from 1960's The Alamo) and Charles Bernstien (Main Theme from 1973's White Lightning). I'm still on the fence concerning Tarantino's inspired/strange usage of David Bowie's title song to 1982's Cat People (Putting out the Fire) in a climactic scene. 

Overall, Basterds falls somewhere between very good and great- it's just a bit of a disappointment that it was so very close to solidifying itself as one of the all-time great war films, yet QT didn't fully realize it (or allow it).  I believe there's a wealth of poignant footage and connective tissue that was removed, for whatever reason, and collecting dust somewhere until Tarantino gives in to a possible Director's Expanded/Extended Cut.  We may never see the complete narrative, and I'm of the mindset that this particular tale should have been restructured and split in two like the Kill Bill films for maximum impact. 

As is, Inglourious Basterds is still entirely worthwhile and Highly Recommended.

8.5

Director: Quentin Tarantino
Cast: Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Melanie Laurent, Diane Kruger, Michael Fassbender, Eli Roth, Til Schweiger, Daniel Bruhl, Rod Taylor, Mike Myers, B.J. Novak, Omar Doom, Lea Seydoux and Denis Menochet
Run-Time: 153 minutes
MPAA: Rated R for strong graphic violence, language and brief sexuality

FWIW-

How I felt about other Tarantino Films-

Reservoir Dogs- 8.5
Pulp Fiction- 9.0
Jacky Brown- 8.0
Kill Bill Vol. 1- 9.0
Kill Bill Vol. 2- 8.5
Death Proof- 7.5
Django Unchained- 7.5

Review - Pitch Perfect (2012)

On DVD and Blu Ray - "Pitch Perfect" - Started out a little cold and familiar but grew on me until I realized I had a perpetual grin for the majority of it's run-time. Anna Kendrick is great while Rebel Wilson steals the show in what I'd describe as a whimsical, "School Of Rock" meets "Easy A" tale of misfit girls teaming up in the competitive world of collegiate a capella singoffs (is there really such a thing?). I remember when I first saw this film's poster I pre-judged the actual film (sight-unseen) as nothing more than a cheap, college-set "Bridesmaids" ripoff- that was short-sighted and inaccurate and I'm glad a couple of persistent friends talked me into giving it a chance.

The affair moves at a rapid pace and is highlighted by quality, quick-witted dialogue and the undeniable chemistry of it's cast.  In all my years of watching films, I have never observed a character making a snow angel in a pool of vomit until now- I guess that counts for something in the realm of cinematic originality. Furthermore, it's always nice to to be treated to an unexpected appearance by the lovely Elizabeth Banks.  Pitch Perfect was a fun, well-meaning diversion that even prompted a purchase on Blu Ray- those who enjoyed it might be happy to know that it's sequel arrives sometime in 2015. Now off to watch "Predator", "Die Hard" and "Lethal Weapon" to reclaim what's left of my manhood...

8.0 out of 10

Director: Jason Moore
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow, Skylar Astin, Ben Platt, Anna Camp, Alexis Knapp, Ester Dean, Hana Mae Lee, Adam Devine, John Michael Higgins, Elizabeth Banks and John Benjamin Hickey
Run-Time: 112
MPAA: Rated PG-13 for sexual material, language and drug references

Review - Amour (2012)

On DVD and BLU RAY - "Amour" - This 2012 French-language release and nominee for the Best Picture Oscar from Writer/Director Michael Haneke is an actor's showcase, with Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva portraying a cultured octogenarian couple suffering through the wages of time, love and commitment.  The film lies somewhere between very good and great, but be forewarned- this is grim, depressing and ultimately heart wrenching material that will undoubtedly strike a chord with those who have witnessed firsthand the mental and/or physical deterioration of a loved one.

"Annes" (Riva) and "Georges" (Trintignant) are an elderly couple, both retired piano teachers, living in an apartment in France with a daughter (Isabelle Huppert) living abroad.  One fateful morning, Annes suffers a debilitating stroke that shatters both their lives and tests the bond between them.  I felt the subject matter was well-written, respectfully presented and thought-provoking, though the third act could prove harrowing for many.  Emmanuelle Riva's performance as a disappearing soul will stick with me for quite some time... perhaps because of the many little details that so closely mirrored the decline of both of my Grandmothers.

Amour is deliberately paced and excellently filmed, with the vast majority of the narrative taking place within the couple's apartment.  Viewers will undoubtedly remember the fantastic, natural performances, the long, unflinching cuts, a couple of scenes involving a wayward pigeon, a jarring nightmare sequence and a startling, albeit understandable act borne of desperation and mercy. It's not for everyone, yet should be considered essential viewing for younger (high school and college aged) generations.

8.5 out of 10

Director: Michael Haneke
Cast: Jean-Louis Trintignant, Emmanuelle Riva and Isabelle Huppert
Running Time: 127 minutes
MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material including a disturbing act, and for brief language

Review - Frances Ha (2013)

On DVD and BLU RAY- "Frances Ha" - For anyone who's ever been in a state of situational flux, or currently struggling to find themselves, this funny and uplifting slice-of-life Drama/Comedy serves as your personal love letter. Greta Gerwig (who also co-wrote the screenplay) is excellent as a lovably ungraceful and unrefined, twenty-something dancer trying to make a connection and secure some level of stability in New York- it's quite an accomplishment to witness a filmmaker (Noah Baumbach) destroy Woody Allen at his own game. Shot in wonderfully effective black and white, dialogue-driven and obviously heavily influenced by French New Wave film-making, it's not for everyone but should be perfect for many- it's my favorite film of 2013 thus far (thanks QT). 

The narrative features a wealth of witty banter, several enjoyable soundtrack selections and a host of those poignant little moments that define a truly rewarding cinematic experience.  The cast is seemingly in their comfort zone, with Gerwig's aimless and endearing titular heroine a breath of fresh air- it's a fully rounded character that I'll remember for a lifetime.  Mickey Sumner (Daughter of musician/Actor Sting) is also excellent as Frances's best friend and roommate, "Sophie", while Michael Zegen (FX's Rescue Me) pops up throughout as the affable "Benji".

Every now and then we happen upon an upbeat soul, seemingly on the road to nowhere, who does their damnedest to enjoy the scenery and appreciate the ride.  Frances Ha is an honest, heartfelt reminder that, while some of us will never truly grow up and none of us will ever be perfect, there's a wealth of beauty in every single day's journey.  This is for those at the crossroads.

Highly Recommended

9.5 out of 10

Director: Noah Baumbach
Starring: Greta Gerwig, Mickey Sumner, Michael Zegen and Adam Driver
Run-Time: 86 minutes
MPAA: Rated R for sexual references and language

Review - Taken 2 (2012)

On DVD and Blu Ray - "Taken 2" (2012) - Those who enjoyed the simplistic, no nonsense approach utilized so well in the first installment will find themselves wholly displeased with this thoroughly uninspired sequel- it looks like the first film, yet trips itself up with ridiculous contrivance and some of the softest death-blows I've ever seen in a serious-minded actioner.

A seemingly tired Liam Neeson returns to pick up a paycheck as ex-CIA operative turned bodyguard, "Brian Mills".  This time our hero ends up fighting off a group of bad guys intent on exacting revenge for the deaths of the undesirables in the first film.  Famke Janssen and Maggie Grace return as our hero's ex-wife and daughter, respectively- how they all end up in Istanbul, exactly when and where our villains need them to be for there plans to unfold, is one hell of a bit of happenstance that reeks of extremely lazy writing.  Strange because once-upon-a-time action genre master Luc Besson (also the producer of both films) and screenwriter Robert Mark Kamen, who co-wrote the first film, return to churn out this mess.  It's as if both men weren't quite sure how and why 2008's Taken worked so well.

I place most of the blame on Director Olivier Megaton, the hack who's given us Colombiana and The Transporter 3.  There's shootouts, explosions, a car chase and several hand-to-hand fight scenes- yet there isn't an ounce of tension or emotion involved whatsoever.  Megaton simply shouldn't be Directing action films- then again, Besson hired him for the job...

Skip it.

4.0 outta 10

Director: Olivier Megaton
Starring: Liam Neeson, Famke Janssen, Maggie Grace, Luke Grimes and Rade Serbedzija
Runtime: 92 minutes
MPAA: Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and some sensuality




FWIW-


Taken (2008) - 8.0

Review - Thor: The Dark World (2013)

At the Theater - "Thor: The Dark World" -  A rare sequel that's considerably better than it's predecessor (Thor 2011), Thor: The Dark World is a fun, grandiose Action/Adventure/Sci-Fi/Fantasy film with a cool old-fashioned vibe- it's a regal spectacle where potential viewers can actually see and appreciate where the money went.  It's admittedly a bit overplotted and short on character development in a few areas, though I was willing to forgive these sins because of how remindful in tone and scope particular extended sequences were to the Original Star Wars Trilogy, with certain other positive elements (namely the production and costume designs) reminiscent of the Lord of the Rings films. 

Kenneth Branagh's 2011 film introducing us to The God Of Thunder in cinematic form was one of the legitimately funnier films featuring a Marvel character, though it was marred by an uneven narrative, choppy editing and some of the most amateurish camerawork (it was the framing that bothered me the most) of any of the larger-budgeted superhero films I've ever seen. Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston co-stole the film, essentially hoisting the experience a couple of notches above mediocrity with their inherent charisma and charm, respectively. 

Director Alan Taylor (several episodes of HBO's Game of Thrones) takes over the reigns in confident fashion and provides a considerable boost in overall quality- the film features a more substantial narrative, excellent cinematography and a number of  impressive set pieces. The elaborate battle/action sequences are plentiful and satisfyingly coherent while a healthy sprinkling of humor throughout breaks up the seriousness quite nicely.  I will admit that the climactic battle scene, involving a series of dimensional portal jumps, starts to dip it's toe into overkill but regroups just before becoming wearisome.

Hemsworth (Rush) remains in fine form here as a commanding presence with a host of star qualities that should keep him popular and busy for ages.  I wish a bit more time had been set aside for the Aussie actor to flex his acting chops, perhaps a couple of extra scenes in which he continues to court Natalie Portman's (The Professional) "Jane Foster" would have been sufficient.  Portman's character was missing from The Avengers film last year and I think they should have made up for lost time...

Portman's once again rather pleasant in returning as the Earthbound astrophysicist and Thor's love interest.  The Oscar-winning actress is given a bit more to do throughout this go 'round, though I still can't shake the feeling that our titular hero may have chosen the wrong young lady to focus his affections on; Jamie Alexander's (The Last Stand) "Sif" shouldn't remain relegated to fleeting scenes as a brawling sister-in-arms and a late night drinking buddy... she's just too damned hot for that!

Tom Hiddleston (War Horse) is as captivating as ever as the conniving "Loki"- being held in an Asgardian prison for the chaos he created on Earth in 2012's The Avengers, his character has obviously grown into a fan favorite and there's no doubt we'll be seeing Hiddleston in this role for quite some time to come, possibly even headlining a stand-alone spin-off at some point. Audiences can look forward to seeing the English actor in Jim Jarmusch's Only Lovers Left Alive (2013) as his next project, though that particular release may not find a wide release in theaters. He will be featured prominently in Guillermo Del Toro's Crimson Peak, but fans will have to wait until mid 2015 for that film.

Christopher Eccleston's Dark Elf "Malekith" is the revenge-minded antagonist aiming to plunge the Universe into darkness with a gaseous, crimson substance called the Aether-  Eccleston supplies a solid adversarial presence with the material he's given, though the screenwriters should have spent more time fleshing him out and beefing up his dialogue.  Eccleston is a talented sort that's played his share of villains before, but he's rarely found suitable, well-written roles that truly showcase his capabilities- watch Shallow Grave or 28 Days Later for evidence of just how talented he is.

Other cast members returning from the first film include Anthony Hopkins as "Odin" and Rene Russo (The Thomas Crown Affair) as "Frigga" (Thor's Father and Mother, respectively), Idris Elba (Pacific Rim) as the all-seeing guardian sentry, "Heimdall", Kat Dennings (CBS's Two Broke Girls) as Jane Foster's assistant, "Darcy", Ray Stevenson (Punisher: War Zone) as the portly "Volstagg", Tadanobu Asano (Ichi the Killer) as "Hogun" and Stellan Skarsgard (Ronin) as "Dr. Erik Selvig".  Zachary Levi (NBC's Chuck) steps in to replace Josh Dallas as the dashing "Fandral".

Adewale Akkinuoye-Agbaje (G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra) provides the foundation for the hulking, horned henchman, "Kurse"- he's a delightfully ugly mother f*cker that gives our hammerin' hero an epic tussle that should give most comic-book fans a nerdgasm.  Kudos to the filmmakers for a cool creature design brought to awesome, tangible life by a performer in a suit and mask and excellent practical makeup effects.

Expect the obligatory Stan Lee cameo along with a brief bit featuring Chris Evans as Cap (courtesy of Loki's trickery).  It was cool to see Chris O'Dowd pop up in a couple of scenes- even if he's just a setup for a convenient plot device used late in the film.

Once again, the fates of billions (and that's just on Earth) are at stake and there's no sight of any of the other Avengers in support during the climactic battle, nor does any member of S.H.I.E.L.D. (I guess their Agents were too busy off making a shitty T.V. show) ever pop up- it's a problem that every post-Avengers stand-alone superhero movie in Marvel's stable will face from here on out and it bothered me that the issue, as in Iron Man 3, wasn't even addressed with one snippet of dialogue.  Dammit, it's a plot hole/lapse in logic and I don't think I'll ever get over it...

Fans might want to stay for two tacked-on scenes-  one comes a few minutes after the credits start rolling (I wasn't impressed), while another pops up at the very end (slight, but funny).  I enjoyed Thor: The Dark World quite a bit and would go so far as to say it's the best Superhero film of 2013, edging out my previous favorite, The Wolverine.  It's very good stuff and comes...

...Highly Recommended-

Thor: The Dark World - 8.5 out of 10

Director: Alan Taylor
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Christopher Eccleston, Jaimie Alexander, Zachary Levi, Ray Stevenson, Tadanobu Asano, Idris Elba, Rene Russo, Adewale Akkinuoye-Agbaje, Kat Dennings, Stellan Skarsgard and Chris O'Dowd
Running Time: 112 minutes
MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence, and some suggestive content

FWIW-

Thor- 7.5 out of 10

And concerning the other films featuring members of Marvel's The Avengers...


Iron Man - 8.5
Iron Man 2 - 8.0
Iron Man 3 - 6.5
Captain America: The First Avenger - 8.5
Hulk - 5.0
The Incredible Hulk - 6.5
The Avengers - 9.0