Shortcut Reviews - Coming of Age Special Edition Volume 01: Moonrise Kingdom (2012), The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012), The Spectacular Now (2013) and The Way Way Back (2013)

All four releases are available on DVD and Blu Ray -

"Moonrise Kingdom" - I must first confess that I am not the biggest fan of Wes Anderson's stageplay feel and penchant for requiring his (often impressive) cast to deliver the lion's share of their dialogue in a deadpan manner- I've rarely found it to invoke the wonderment it so desires nor do I find it as humorous as he apparently thinks it is.  I will cop to liking his films Rushmore (for Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman's duel over Olivia Williams) and The Royal Tenenbaums (for Gene Hackman's loveable rogue), but consider The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou to be one of the worst films ever made.  I have not seen his 1996 debut feature-film, Bottle Rocket, 2007's The Darjeeling Limited or his 2009 animated film, Fantastic Mr. Fox.  Anderson is an acquired taste that I have yet to fully grasp...

What I found with Moonrise Kingdom was a commendably sweet-natured and innocent diversion of two teen lovers (Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward) on the run, with a bevy of concerned parents/guardians and local officials (Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Frances McDormand and Bill Murray) on their trail that grew on me as it progressed- I'm still not a fan of Anderson's child-like approach to his storytelling, though it does work well here in that the narrative actually features children as it's main protagonists and is presented mostly from their point of view.  It's airy and light-hearted, featuring some nice cinematography and playfully inventive sequences that work wonderfully around a small budget.

It's for those who truly cherished their childhoods and the hopeless romantics who appreciate a healthy amount of whimsical quirk mixed in with their storytelling.

Recommended

8.0 out of 10

Director: Wes Anderson
Cast: Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward, Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, Jason Schwartzman, Bob Balaban and Harvey Keitel
Run-Time: 94 minutes
MPAA: Rated PG-13 for sexual content and smoking

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 "The Perks Of Being A Wallflower" - Logan Lerman plays "Charlie", an extremely intelligent but painfully shy introvert harboring emotional issues as he enters his freshman year in high school.  Enter Ezra Miller and Emma Watson as senior class step-siblings, "Patrick" and "Sam", respectively- they welcome our introvert into their inner circle of misfits and slowly but surely pull him from his self-imposed confines.  The film is indeed a bit more weighted than most of it's thematic counterparts, though I was ultimately left a bit cold. It's a solid film that falls short on being profound because of familiarity issues- I've seen most of these plot threads before and although many of them are commendably handled, they aren't expertly handled.

Lerman's performance here is decidedly uneven- he impresses at times while at others his facial expressions/reactions are forced to the point of being clunky.  The young man is obviously talented yet seems to struggle to find his comfort level with the dynamic role. 

Emma Watson is as cute as ever (with her short pixie cut) and puts in fine work, though Ezra Miller's exuberant, gay scene-stealer truly elevates the film whenever he takes center stage- I wouldn't dare call his performance over the top, though I couldn't help but feel as if I were witnessing the reincarnation of Cesar Romero's Joker from the late 1960's television show (and 1966 film).  

Once again, the parental figures here are mere pesky obligations, with Dylan McDermott and Kate Walsh given little to nothing of substance to do as Charlie's parents, seemingly cast only to attach their names to a poster. Come to think of it, even though there's a wealth of scenes which take place at their home, Patrick and Sam's parents never materialized.

There are also a few extended cameos from Paul Rudd as an apathetic English teacher, Tom Savini as a woodshop teacher and Joan Cusack as a physician- I found myself wishing each one of them had been given just a little bit more material to work with.

Expect several inspired soundtrack selections set to well-filmed sequences with certain scenes far better than the whole-  Rocky Horror Picture Show fans should find themselves in for a treat here.

The film is based on Stephen Chbosky's bestselling Novel of the same name, with Chbosky supplying the screenplay and also Directing. Perks... marks Chbosky's first directorial foray in 17 years, with 1995's shoe-string budgeted indie release The Four Corners of Nowhere as his only other Directing gig- perhaps a more seasoned feature film director, working closely with Chbosky, could have provided a more polished experience.  What remains is a recommended high-school-aged drama that many will still find plenty to cling to.

8.0

Director: Stephen Chbosky
Cast: Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Kate Walsh, Mae Whitman, Dylan McDermott, Paul Rudd, Tom Savini, Melanie Lynskey, Nina Dobrev, Erin Wilhelmi, Adam Hagenbuch, Johnny Simmons, Julia Garner and Joan Cusack
Run-Time: 102 minutes
MPAA:  Rated PG-13 on appeal for mature thematic material, drug and alcohol use, sexual content including references, and a fight - all involving teens

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"The Spectacular Now" - Miles Teller stars as the quick-witted, senior class clown with a drinking problem faced with the impending dilemma of leaving high school and giving up his elevated social status.  Perhaps if his character weren't such an insufferable little shit, I may have found more to like here- by the time that obligatory moment of self realization occurs, the film is pretty much over and I still didn't give a damn for his plight.  Teller's the driving force in this coming-of-age character-study and my lack of empathy for him here defined my personal viewing experience.  I've known his kind of jerk before- the kind of individual you really want to choke shortly after encountering.

A rather plastic looking Jennifer Jason Leigh (The Breakfast Club) supplies his overworked mom, while Kyle Chandler (Super 8) appears in an extended cameo as his good-for-nothing, alcoholic father.  The narrative shortchanges every parental and adult figure out of convenience and laziness, with little to no character development to speak of regarding them.

A very talented Brie Larson (see Short Term 12) is nearly wasted in a cookie-cutter role as our subject's former girlfriend. Desperate to get her back, he seduces Shailene Woodley's (The Descendants) impressionable sweetheart in an effort to evoke the green monster. It's Woodley, in one of 2013's most natural performances, who absolutely steals this film outright- I found myself wishing that the narrative had been rearranged to cover events from her point of view.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Death Proof) rounds out the notable cast (in a wasted role) as our protagonist's older sister who's married into money.

Although I ultimately felt the film to be a bit too cold to the touch for my tastes, I'm guessing that most probably won't experience the Teller snag that I did- I'll recommend it as a rainy day rental because of Woodley's presence.

7.0

Director: James Ponsoldt
Cast: Miles Teller, Shailene Woodley, Brie Larson, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kyle Chandler, Dayo Okeniyi, Andre Royo and Bob Odenkirk
Run-Time: 95 minutes
MPAA: Rated R for alcohol use, language and some sexuality - all involving teens

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"The Way Way Back" -  This tale of a shy 14-year-old boy (Liam James) and his summer vacation spent with his mom (Toni Collette) and her arrogant bully of a boyfriend (Steve Carell) collapses rather quickly due to an amateurish script, paint-by-numbers direction and a wealth of clunky cliches that mount at a brisk clip- I had to double-check to make sure I wasn't watching a film produced by the obnoxious, immature, goofball Adam Sandler.  One of the more glaringly manufactured and manipulative affairs I've seen in quite some time, every attempt at subtlety and nuance is smothered with predictable contrivance.

Liam James (2012) is just O.K. as our put-upon central protagonist,  "Duncan"- there's some level of talent here that arrives in brief flashes, yet is diminished by the overly-familiar situations he's placed into and the bush-league juggling of a host of other characters.

Steve Carell (The 40-Year-Old Virgin) strains to be unlikable as his potential step-father who enjoys placing our hero in embarrassing situations in front of others- it's that ridiculously trite material where everyone else around is completely oblivious to these needling attacks, even when they're happening in plain sight.

Toni Collette (The Sixth Sense) is guilty of playing the clueless mom unwilling to stand up for her son because of her suitor's promise of stability.  Her 11th hour realization only arrives due to selfish reasons.

Allison Janney (Juno) breezes in and out of the film as the boozing, extrovert, next-door neighbor- she's the mother of AnnaSophia Robb's (Bridge To Terabithia) token cutie next door and River Alexander's undersized, likeable chap with a skewered eye- anyone thinking that the running gag which pokes fun at this kid and his ailment is something to laugh at is some kind of idiotic turd and desperately needs the shit slapped out of them.

The lone bright spot in this film is Sam Rockwell (Moon) as a manager at a nearby water park who takes a shine to Duncan and attempts to lure him out of his shell.  Although his inherent charisma bleeds through the lackluster material on several occasions, it's not nearly enough to save the film.

The vast majority of the admittedly impressive cast (which also includes Rob Corddry, Amanda Peete and Maya Rudolph) are playing stock characters; hollow imitations of cinematic figures pulled from similarly-themed coming-of-age films that have been released over the last thirty to forty years- there's little to nothing innovative or fresh here regarding them or the film's script.  This is one of those films where you can clearly see the marionette within frame, pulling every string at every turn.

My call is to skip it and check out any one of (or all three) of the films covered above (***- Or check out the list of worthwhile coming-of-age themed films below).


4.5

Director: Nat Faxon and Jim Rash
Cast: Liam James, Toni Collette, Steve Carell, Allison Janney, AnnaSophia Robb, Sam Rockwell, Maya Rudolph, Rob Corddry, Amanda Peet, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash and River Alexander
Run-Time: 103 minutes
MPAA: Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, language, some sexual content and brief drug material


***Those looking for other coming-of-age films have a wealth of solid to excellent entries to consider-

The 400 Blows
500 Days Of Summer
Adventureland
Almost Famous
American Beauty
American Graffiti
Big
Blue Is The Warmest Color
The Blue Lagoon
Boyz N The HoodBreaking Away
A Bronx Tale
The Breakfast Club
Chronicle
City Of God
Dazed And Confused
Dead Poets Society
Dirty Dancing
Donnie Darko
Easy A
Empire Of The Sun
Fast Times At Ridgemont High
Ferris Bueller's Day Off 
Footloose
Forrest Gump
Frances Ha
Garden State
Ghost World
Good Will Hunting
Juno
The Karate Kid 
To Kill A Mockingbird
The Last Picture Show
The Last Starfighter
Let Me In 
Let The Right One In 
Mask
Meatballs
Mean Girls
Mud
Napoleon Dynamite
Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist 
October Sky 
Pan's Labyrinth
A Patch Of Blue
Pretty In Pink
The Rescuers
Risky Business
Road To Perdition
Rushmore
Say Anything
Scent Of A Woman 
Secondhand Lions
She's All That
Sixteen Candles
Stand By Me
Stoker
Superbad
Wet Hot American Summer
What's Eating Gilbert Grape?
The Wizard of Oz
Y Tu Mama Tambien

- I have yet to see other popular films in the sub-genre such as-  The Squid And The Whale, Harold And Maude, This Is England, Fish Tank, Welcome To The Dollhouse, Whale Rider, Slumdog Millionaire, Bend It Like Beckham, Billy Elliot, Lord Of The Flies, Cinema Paradiso, Heavenly Creatures, Ratcatcher, Mysterious Skin, Igby Goes Down, King Of The Hill, Kids and The Outsiders

Review - The Monuments Men (2014)

At the Theater - "The Monuments Men" - Imagine a well-rounded 6 hour TNT miniseries pared down to a relatively anemic 118 minutes, covering events and characters at a bare minimum- that's exactly what The Monuments Men feels like.  There's painfully little depth or character development with little to no palpable tension to speak of- the film is edited with a weed-whacker, visually uninspired and ultimately rather cheap-looking -  it's listed as having a $70 million budget, though it sure looks like half of that.

Based on the non-fiction book, "The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History", by Robert M. Edsel, the film features George Clooney as the leader of an allied group know as the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives Section that was tasked with rescuing various pieces of art and architecture from Hitler's clutches during World War II.

The film's impressive cast also includes Matt Damon, Bill Murray, Jean Dujardin (The Artist), John Goodman, Bob Balaban (Close Encounters Of The Third Kind) and Hugh Bonneville (PBS's Downtown Abbey) as the unlikely team of artists, art historians and museum curators assembled to comprise the group, while Cate Blanchette co-stars as the French art historian and resistance member who aides them in their efforts.  Everyone's solid across the board, though the shallow, almost topical nature of the narrative renders the film a hollow experience.  Clooney, also acting as Director here, shortchanges what could have been a highly interesting, important tale time and time again.

Don't expect much war-time footage or elaborate action here- there's relatively few shots fired and although a couple of team members are killed in their efforts, the filmmakers have chosen to shy away from the gruesome realities of war in yet another tame, early-year PG-13 release.  There's a few nice pieces of conversation and a few amusing moments, though I was never enthralled and can't remember laughing or even chuckling out loud at any point.

I can think of only one five minute sequence where I felt any emotion towards this film, and even that is based upon a pretty far-fetched notion.  That segment involves one of the group's family wishing him a Merry Christmas via a recorded message on a vinyl record, complete with his daughter and grand children singing "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" over the camp's loudspeakers- it's all well and good until you consider that this plays out at the Battle Of The Bulge and while our choked-up hero is taking a hot shower, no less... C'Mon, Man!

My call is to skip it in theaters and wait for a rental if you absolutely must- all things considered, it's a prime example of wasted talent and a substantial personal disappointment.

For a vastly superior experience concerning similar subject matter, be sure to check out John Frankenheimer's 1964 WWII film, The Train- it's the right thing to do.

The Monuments Men - 6.0 out of 10

Director: George Clooney
Cast: George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman, Jean Dujardin, Bob Balaban, Hugh Bonneville, Dimitri Leonidas and Cate Blanchette
Run-Time: 118 minutes
MPAA: Rated PG-13 for some images of war violence and historical smoking

Review - RoboCop (2014)

At the Theater - "RoboCop" (2014) -Everyone responsible for dreaming up and assembling a PG-13 remake/reboot of the ultra-violent, extremely bloody, foul-mouthed and loopily satirical 1987 Sci-Fi/Action film RoboCop should get a series of swift kicks in the ass just out of General Principle- they've taken one of the consummate "movies for guys who love movies" (and it's iconic central cyborg hero) and refashioned it into a safe, neutered, generic-to-the-core, family-friendly cash-grab.  RoboCop 2014 is over-plotted and underdeveloped, lacking in visual appeal, short on narrative flair and devoid of a strong central villain- fans of the original will find very little, if anything, to enjoy here in a remake that can be filed away in the Unnecessary category.  The filmmakers missed the point, and the appeal, of the original at nearly every turn.

Swedish actor Joel Kinnaman (AMC's The Killing) stars as dedicated Detroit Police Officer and family man, "Alex Murphy"- suffering a devastating attempt upon his life via car-bomb, the fragmented Murphy is selected by the powers that be at conglomerate "OmniCorp" to outfit his mangled body with state-of-the-art robotics, weaponry and information software in an effort to appease an American public who overwhelmingly support a ban on a fully robotic police force due to their calloused and lethal nature.  - Which all leads to a...

....Major Plot Hole: the American people's disdain for OmniCorp's death-dealing robots and drones has led to a complete ban of such devices on U.S. soil by way of the "Dreyfuss Act"- so when RoboCop's more aesthetically acceptable cyborg prototype is unleashed on the general public, he's equipped with non-lethal stun gun capabilities... why didn't OmniCorp simply arm their existing robots/drones with those same non-lethal capabilities and offer them up as an appeasement alternative in America?  Doesn't make a damned bit of sense...

Kinnaman does appear to be reaching for something he just can't grasp as Murphy- I felt he was miscast and simply chosen because of his thin frame (as to more conveniently fit into the suit).  To his defense, the material isn't quite there to allow for an adequate flexing of acting chops.  Peter Weller fully immersed himself into the role of Murphy in '87, perfecting the shifty mechanical movements of his cumbersome confines while delivering an excellent deadpan delivery.  There was weight to Weller's turn in that he was given the material to flesh out an updated version of Frankenstein's conflicted Monster- an obliterated soul brought back amongst the living in monstrous fashion who cannot return to his previous life and ultimately questions his true purpose.

There are a number of heady conversations between Omni-Corp's CEO Raymond Sellars (Michael Keaton) and the company's leading scientist Dr. Dennett Norton (Gary Oldman) concerning Murphy's psyche and Robo's aesthetic and marketability, though I soon realized there was FAR more time spent covering these "debates"  than footage of our newly mechanized hero dispatching the bad guys.  Going in, I had no idea that the futuristic action film that I paid to see would end up spending most of it's time set in boardrooms and laboratories and dealing with the inner working's of a corporation.  When the action portions of the film do roll around, the sequences never really ignite- I can't recall one crowd-pleasing moment.

Keaton (Batman '89) and Oldman (The Professional) deliver rock-solid work throughout, though a late-film twist involving one of the two seems like a tacked on afterthought.

Jackie Earle Haley (Watchmen) plays "Rick Maddox", a military tactician and armorer who doesn't approve of Murphy's hybrid possibly canceling out his fully robotic warriors.  There is one mildly amusing segment where Murphy's performance is tested against one of Maddox's droids in a similar scenario- Maddox hangs the nickname "Tin Man" on Murphy while employing the tune "If I Only Had A Heart" over mission control's loudspeakers.

Australian actress Abbie Cornish (Seven Psychopaths) plays Murphy's loving (and subsequently devastated) wife- I wish there had been more time and quality depth applied in defining Murphy's dynamic relationship with his wife and child given his new manifestation, but it wasn't meant to be as a wealth of possibilities and avenues to explore here never materialized.

Jay Baruchel (This Is The End) pops up a few times in a wasted role as a marketing guru while Michael K. Williams (Gone Baby Gone- and yes, he's also wasted) portrays Murphy's former police detective partner, "Officer Jack Lewis".  Samuel L. Jackson rounds out the notable cast in playing a Chris Matthews/Bill O'Reilly sort (an obvious OmniCorp shill) who peddles biased news out to the masses from his prime-time program.

There are several RoboCop suits used in the film, with a few that harken back to Rob Bottin's original design- it was a bulky, awkward affair, but at least seemed metallic, machine-like and intimidating (I still think it's fuckin' awesome).  RoboCop 2014's eventual black suit looks plastic and downright overly busy- it seems as if it's some kind of castoff from Christopher Nolan's Batman franchise.  I actually liked the designs of the robotic sentries more than Robo's, here. This particular Robo displays a fluid, almost ninja-like agility and is able to run at considerable speeds and leap great distances through the air- it all comes across as more of a guy wearing a suit (with obvious CGI assists) than an actual human/machine amalgamation.  Perhaps the filmmakers felt they had to compete with a popular Iron-Man franchise...

The various hand-cannons our hero brandishes here look like goofy ray-guns instead of menacing weapons- a far cry from the wicked-cool Auto 9 (a modified Baretta 93R) he used in the '87 film.  I liked the idea of Robo zipping along on a motorcycle but was unimpressed with the bike's strangely lackluster design- it boasts very little perks to speak of.

There's a few other good ideas spattered about, but the vast majority of them are quickly passed over to cover mounting plot points and whisk over subsequent events.  I appreciated one segment in which our newly-mechanized hero is stripped down to what remains of his humanity in an effort to provide an understanding of his current reality- it seems pulled from a stronger film. 

A shootout with a small army of human villains plays out in darkness, with the majority of them being dispatched while Robo utilizes his infra-red capabilities- it's an obvious move by the filmmakers to scrub the situation of any bloodletting and secure the kid friendly rating.  Don't expect many curse words here, either- the original was chock fulla hardcore swearing but I only counted one F-bomb here... that one was muttered under a character's breath.

The film's climactic showdown between our hero and several, hulking enforcement droids (ED-209's) suffers from the shaky-cam approach and ultimately suffocates under that distinct, disconnected video game feel.  The ED-209's in this film have no personality- don't expect the menacing jaguar roars or frantic pig squeals used so delightfully to convey their intentions or predicaments as featured in the '87 film.  There's a few, tantalizingly brief snippets of Basil Poledouris's excellent original music utilized so brilliantly in the '87 film- I have no idea why the filmmakers were afraid to use it here in full.

It's nowhere near as bad as 1993's atrocious RoboCop 3, though my call is to skip this dull, soulless affair and revisit the original if it's been a while since you've last done so- I believe 2012's Dredd, 2009's District 9, and 2002's Equilibrium are worthwhile films in a similar vein, as well.

This $100 million revamp will probably find it's legs at the box-office in the coming weeks, so more than likely we'll see a PG-13 rated follow-up in the next few years...they suckered me this time but I won't be bothering with any of it's sequels.

5.0 out of 10

Director: Jose Padilha
Cast: Joel Kinnaman, Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, Abbie Cornish, Jackie Earle Haley, Michael K. Williams, Jennifer Ehle, Jay Baruchel, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Aimee Garcia, Patrick Garrow and John Paul Ruttan
Run-Time: 117 minutes
MPAA: Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action including frenetic gun violence throughout, brief strong language, sensuality and some drug material


FWIW- 

RoboCop (1987) - 9.0
RoboCop 2 (1990) - 6.5
RoboCop 3 (1993) - 2.5

Review - Afternoon Delight (2013)

On DVD and Blu Ray - "Afternoon Delight" - Kathryn Hahn (We're The Millers) plays a stay-at-home mom stuck in the doldrums of a sexless marriage to Josh Radnor's (CBS's How I Met Your Mother)  swamped Ap designer. In an effort to spice things up a bit, she visits a local strip-club only to become infatuated with Juno Temple's (Killer Joe) exotic dancer/call-girl.  Categorized as a Drama/Comedy, though halfway through, I found myself wondering just what the hell I was watching- it's equal parts quirky comedy, serious drama and documentary-style, indie film. Whatever the case, it's highly uneven and ultimately left me cold.

Director Jill Soloway takes sole screenwriting credit here, but damned if this film feels as if it's written by several scriptwriters and helmed by three very different auteurs- it's obviously trying to convey a handful of messages throughout but haphazardly muddled and contradictory in it's attempts.

Kathryn Hahn is given ample opportunity to flex her dramatic chops and definitely impresses here, while Josh Radnor also shows some legitimate range.  Juno Temple sure seems typecast as the go-to tart at this point- at least as far as the last few films I've seen her in.

Afternoon Delight isn't awful, it's just strange and never as profound or as funny as it thinks it is- maybe worth a rental for anyone interested in it's principle players.

7.0 out of 10

Director: Jill Soloway
Cast: Kathryn Hahn, Josh Radnor, Juno Temple, Jane Lynch, Jessica St. Clair, Michaela Watkins, Josh Stamberg, John Kapelos, Keegan Michael-Key, Annie Mumolo and Noah Kay Bentley
Run-Time: 95 minutes
MPAA: Rated R for strong sometimes graphic sexual content, language and some drug use

Review - All Is Lost (2013)

On DVD and BLU RAY - "All Is Lost" - A lone soul navigating a crippled sailboat amidst the vast Indian Ocean- it's a simplistic plot but excellently handled by the tandem of Writer/Director J.C. Chandor (Margin Call) and screen legend Robert Redford (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid).  Expect a healthy mixture of peaceful reflection, human ingenuity at it's finest and a few thrilling scenes of nautical peril all set to a memorably mournful original score. 

Although given very little dialogue to work with, it's comfortably amongst the 76-year-old Redford's finest performances- it's an expression driven turn, though obviously physically challenging, with Redford pitch-perfect throughout.  An opening monologue (the lion's share of the film's spoken dialogue) really hit me on a personal level.  I was impressed with Chandor's graceful direction and a highly effective "being there" feel to the onscreen proceedings- the camerawork and cinematography are first-rate, while the narrative held my attention throughout.

All Is Lost is a worthwhile and deserving companion piece to upper echelon survival films like Gravity (2013), Cast Away (2000), The Edge (1997), Apollo 13 (1995), The Flight Of The Phoenix (1965), Apocalypto (2006), The Naked Prey (1966)  and Jeremiah Johnson (1972- also starring Redford).

Highly Recommended- it's for anyone who's ever felt completely alone while facing a hopeless situation.

9.0 out of 10

Director: J.C. Chandor
Starring: Robert Redford
Run-Time: 106 minutes
MPAA: Rated PG-13 for brief strong language

Review - In A World... (2013)

On DVD and Blu Ray - "In A World..." - Lake Bell stars (and writes and directs) as a vocal coach struggling to make a mark while living in the shadow of her sexist, arrogant father (Fred Melamed), the world's reigning voice-over king.  Aiming to land a substantial voice-over gig for an impending mega-budgeted franchise-starter, she'll have to defy the odds of a male-dominated field and (unknowingly) beat out her Father and his upstart protege (Ken Marino).  In A World... is a certified gem- it's an intelligent, legitimately funny and engaging Rom/Com also doubling as a satirical volley at sexism in Hollywood.

Lake Bell (It's Complicated) is so charming and outright cool here as "Carol", with such a fantastic, natural sense of comedic timing, that it's some kind of shame the actress hasn't been featured up front and center in other roles of this nature.  She's not a conventional beauty by Hollywood's standards, but I sure fell in love with her in record fashion.  Yes, I'll definitely be looking forward to what she has to offer next. 

Fred Melamed (A Serious Man) plays a bit of an unsupportive turd here as Carol's father, "Sam Solomon"- he's a living legend in the realm of voice-over artists who decides to kick his daughter out after marrying a much younger woman (Alexandra Holden).

Ken Marino (Bad Milo), bordering on obnoxious but commendably refraining, supplies her father's eccentric apprentice, "Gustav".  There's a brief romantic interlude between Gustav and Carol that involves a hilarious "nose kiss"- the recipient's expression is priceless.

Michaela Watkins (Afternoon Delight) portrays our protagonist's sister, "Dani" - an overworked concierge that doesn't fully realize just how good she has it in life with her live-in boyfriend, "Moe", played by Rob Corddry (Hot Tub Time Machine).  Corddry is in fine form here, though with limited screen-time.

Demetri Martin (Contagion) rounds out the principal players in providing the amiable sound tech with a secret crush on our heroine.

Expect worthwhile cameos from Eva Longoria, Cameron Diaz, Geena Davis and comedian Jeff Garlin, with some much-deserved love in the form of face-time for several big names in the entertainment field of voice-over and vocal work, including Marc Graue, Joe Cipriano and Melissa Disney.

For those who've been living in a cave for the last few decades, the film's title (and a fair amount of it's content) are inspired by the late Don LaFontaine's popular opening phrase used in a myriad of feature film trailers of the past.  There are relatively very few film trailers that feature voice-over work from female artists- something I never really thought about, to be honest.

I fell for Bell's quirky presence and charisma, the excellent, snappy dialogue and the surprisingly fresh approach to a number of (previously) familiar situations.  It's a promising debut from a triple-threat talent that left me with a substantial grin and feeling pretty damned upbeat.  That said, females should especially take notice, for there's an undeniable sense of girl-power at work and on display here.

And, oh yeah- it never really gets old hearing Tears For Fears' "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" (used in context) as a fitting selection to end a film...

Highly Recommended

8.5 out of 10

Director: Lake Bell
Cast: Lake Bell, Fred Melamed, Ken Marino, Rob Corddry, Michaela Watkins, Alexandra Holden, Demetri Martin, Nick Offerman, Tig Notaro, Stephanie Allynne and Jason O'Mara
Run-Time: 93 minutes
MPAA: Rated R for language including some sexual references

 

Review - About Time (2013)

On DVD and Blu Ray - "About Time" - On his 21st birthday, "Tim" (Domhnall Gleeson) is presented with the revelation, via his father (Bill Nighy), that he and the other men in the family possess the ability to travel back in time- a reluctant first try nets positive results and endless possibilities.  This is an airy, distinctly British Rom/Com Fantasy from Writer/Director Richard Curtis (Love Actually), whose heartfelt script and sentimental direction won me over in record fashion and tugged on the old heartstrings time and time again.  It's not the best film of 2013, though it is my favorite.

Domhnall Gleeson (Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows parts 1 & 2) will undoubtedly leave an impression as the loveable and lovelorn chap looking to make a romantic connection through trial and error while benefiting from an endless supply of refinements.  I was previously unaware that the lanky, red-haired Domhnall is the son of veteran actor Brendan Gleeson- audiences should expect more substantial work featuring the genial, undeniably charming 29-year-old Irish actor in the next few years.

Bill Nighy (Shaun Of The Dead) shines in every scene in which he's featured as our central character's father- though clearly in support, it's a tailor made role that's sure to please his fans.

Rachel McAdams (Morning Glory) is a bit restrained but entirely suitable here as our hero's love interest- she's as cute as ever, though I sure didn't care for her bangs...and I'm normally a bangs kinda guy.

Other notable talents include Lydia Wilson (Never Let Me Go) as Tim's free-spirited sister, "Kit Kat", while Lindsay Duncan (HBO's Rome) portrays their mother.  Tom Hollander (Gosford Park) pops up intermittently as a struggling playwright with the lovely Margot Robbie (The Wolf Of Wall Street) leaving quite an impression as yet another potential love interest. The late Richard Griffiths (The History Boys) has a cameo here in his final film role.

Don't expect any lengthy or elaborate scientific explanation behind the manner in which our protagonist can travel back in time- the lack of reasoning behind this ability is acceptably unnecessary given the narrative tone and subject matter.  There is a bit of repetition involving these forays, though Curtis's thoughtful handling avoids tedium in a commendably fresh and satisfactory fashion.

If I had one thing to pick at, it would involve an eleventh hour event which many will probably recognize as a plot hole given the film's established time travel rules.  A bit of thought into the matter will probably lead to other nitpickings though I really didn't see the point.

Those inclined should expect endearing performances, healthy doses of clever humor and a myriad of little golden moments strewn throughout.  It's a sincere and poignant experience complete with wonderful cinematography and a number of excellent soundtrack selections. Those who appreciated Curtis's Love, Actually and Four Weddings And A Funeral (he wrote the screenplay) should find plenty to enjoy here.

Faced with turning 40 less than a year away,  I find myself reminiscing over the countless mistakes I've made throughout my life with greater frequency, often wishing to somehow revisit those defining moments (as many others do) and approach them in an altogether different manner.  I consider About Time to be the definitive cinematic love letter to those hearts filled with such regrets.

Highly Recommended- Cynics need not apply...

9.0 out of 10

Director: Richard Curtis
Cast: Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams, Bill Nighy, Lydia Wilson, Lindsay Duncan, Richard Cordery, Tom Hollander, Margot Robbie, Joshua McGuire, Will Merrick, Vanessa Kirby, Richard E. Grant, Richard Griffiths and Lisa Eichorn
Run-Time: 123 minutes
MPAA: Rated R for language and some sexual content

Review - I, Frankenstein (2014)

At the Theater - "I, Frankenstein" - This modern-day tale concerning a world weary Frankenstein's Monster (Aaron Eckhart) thrust into the center of a centuries old war between Gargoyles and Demons isn't nearly what it should have/could have been, but it still manages to fall in guilty pleasure territory... if just barely. An Australian production and apparent franchise-starter from the producers of Underworld, I didn't feel this was as bad as so many pro critics were letting on, though it definitely could have used an injection of much needed humor (for levity's sake) and a substantial fleshing out involving it's many characters.  Perhaps what's most disappointing here is how self-serious the tone is, something that I felt plagued all four of the Underworld entries.

Aaron Eckhart (Battle L.A.), though obviously trying, seems miscast as the scarred wanderer just looking to be left alone- the role needed a bigger more formidable sort to chew scenery and throw his weight (and the weight of others) around.  Those who've read the Mary Shelley novel are aware that the Monster referred to himself as "the Adam of your labours" when conversing with Dr. Victor Frankenstein- this film marks the first time in which I've seen the character labeled as "Adam", for what that's worth.

Yvonne Strahovski (NBC's Chuck) is the leggy scientist unknowingly working for the bad guys in reanimating the dead.  Strahovski isn't much more than a typical damsel in distress here, though the story thankfully forgoes a romance between her character and our anti-hero.

Miranda Otto (The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King) supplies the Gargoyle Queen, "Leonore", while Jai Courtney (Jack Reacher) is the commander of her army,  "Gideon".

Bill Nighy (Love Actually) provides the film's main villain, a wealthy demon-prince named "Naberius". Nighy's role here is painfully similar to that in which he played in the first three Underworld films, so much so that it's a distraction.

This film is based on a graphic novel from DarkStorm Studios and written by Kevin Grevioux- most will remember him as the hulking lycan "Raze" in a couple of the Underworld films- he makes a few appearances here as a demon henchman named "Dekar".

I, Frankenstein is a near bloodless PG-13 romp- when the villainous Demons are dispatched, they combust into swirling streaks of fire and errant embers whereas the righteous Gargoyles make their final descent as rays of bluish beams of light.  The Gargoyles, in their winged creature form, are entirely CGI creations (second rate stuff but serviceable) while the Demons occasionally flash their true wicked selves with solid makeup effects on display. Comparatively, all of the Underwold films were drenched in blood and often quite gory, all rated R and deservedly (appropriately) so.  The creature effects in those films were primarily developed (indeed with notable exceptions) utilizing commendably sharp practical makeup and guy-in-a-suit type effects.

I did enjoy the impressive sets and a few scenes of extensive destruction - one sequence where our scarred hero dukes it out with an airborne Gargoyle in an abandoned building, reducing it to dusty rubble, is actually kind of cool.  The action is filmed and choreographed well and although a rather dark film, I never had any problems understanding what was happening onscreen.  I would have appreciated a good five to ten extra minutes of "Adam" bashing the hell-fire out of demons with his blessed, silver tipped batons.

Most will find the lack of human interaction as somewhat laughable- aside from one unfortunate policeman and a couple of scientists, there's very little "commoners" to speak of while the larger-scaled battles unfold.

I had to check this out in 3D because of the convenient time in which the showing fell as the first in an intended double feature- the gimmickry isn't worth it here, with little adding to the overall experience.

All things considered, it's a merely OK time passer that's much better than 2004's God-awful Van Helsing but not quite as entertaining on the guilty pleasure scale as any of the Underworld films- expect an Action/Fantasy/Horror hybrid that falls somewhere on the quality scale near 2011's Priest.  I, Frankenstein is missing depth, fun, machine guns, blood and gore galore and Kate Beckinsale running around in black latex.  That said, anyone who could actually hate this film was well outside the target audience to begin with, making them pretty damned dumb for checking it out in theaters.

To be completely honest, I'd much rather watch another one of these films than have to sit through Paranormal Activity 38 or any of those soulless entries in the seemingly endless parade of low budget possession flicks (The Devil Inside, The Possession, The Apparition, The Last Exorcism, etc.,) that are currently diluting the horror genre.  I'm a creature-feature kinda guy by heart and tend to make concessions whenever the rare opportunity presents itself- there are so few monster movies released in theaters that I tend to be rather lenient when they do roll around...

My call - those who are interested should skip it in theaters and wait for it as a rental.

6.5 out of 10

Director: Stuart Baettie
Cast: Aaron Eckhart, Yvonne Strahovski, Miranda Otto, Bill Nighy, Jai Courtney, Kevin Grevioux, Socratis Otto, Caitlin Stasey, Mahesh Jadu and Bruce Spence
Run-Time: 92 minutes
MPAA: Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense fantasy action and violence throughout

Review - Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014)

At the Theater - "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit" - This espionage thriller involving Russian terrorists aiming to undermine the United States economy marks the fifth cinematic outing for late novelist Tom Clancy's fictional CIA Analyst "Jack Ryan".  The film is perhaps a bit too brisk and efficient for it's own good, strangely shortchanging an attempt at an origin story- it's a prequel affair that finds a game cast, engaging dialogue and Kenneth Branagh's solid direction elevating a conventional narrative.

Chris Pine (Star Trek 2009) is as charismatic as ever, sliding into the Jack Ryan role nicely. The 33-year-old L.A. native's boyish charm, intelligent gleam and everyman approach is utilized well throughout, while he's (once again) entirely believable in the more physically demanding sequences.  I would have liked to have seen more time and depth given to his character's "pre-recruit" history- important and interesting events concerning his drive and determination are only briefly touched upon, given very little detail to speak of.

Kevin Costner (Open Range) is in fine form (essentially Costner playing Costner) as Ryan's CIA mentor, "Thomas Harper"- it's an admirably curt turn that reminds audiences and fans of the likeable, considerable presence that's been scarce in cinemas for the last few years.  Costner will appear in five feature films in 2014, starring in four of them- a relative career resurgence considering that he's only appeared in four films in the previous five years, with supporting roles in two of those films.

Irish actor Kenneth Branagh (Valkyrie) supplies an excellent framework for a worthwhile villain as the calculating Russian financier, "Viktor Cherevin", yet is given (or gives himself) strangely little to do.  I was hoping for a scene between his character and Costner's that sadly never came to fruition- it was a bit of a missed opportunity in not having these two accomplished film vets onscreen together in a meaningful scene.

Keira Knightley (Pirates Of The Caribbean: Curse Of The Black Pearl), although still cute, is as waifish and as snaggle toothed as ever- she's entirely serviceable, though a host of other actresses could have been inserted here with equal effect.

Shadow Recruit is based on a script that was floating around Hollywood that was apparently re-wired with Jack Ryan's character plugged in to fit the franchise's specific needs- this practice is quite common, but fans of the novels and previous films in the franchise may feel a certain disconnect to the tone of the film, the nature of which I never could really put my finger on. It's the shortest of all 5 Ryan films and also the first that isn't based upon a Clancy novel.  This particular outing has our hero at his most action-oriented, with a few too many developments finding Ryan conveniently placed at the right time and place.

Expect a well staged, mano y mano death match in a posh hotel room, several tech-heavy sequences, a couple standard vehicle chases, one brief shootout and a climactic scene involving a weapon of mass destruction complete with a digital countdown.  Events are coherently filmed, with substantial sequences shot on location in Moscow and Wall Street.  I was fine with the logic, there are several little doses of legitimate humor throughout, while a certain sequence involving a halogen light-bulb used as a torture device would mark the most effectively tense scene.  This is a relatively tame PG-13 affair, but that's appropriate for the subject matter.

The thrilling The Hunt For Red October, with Alec Baldwin as Jack Ryan, would be my favorite film in the franchise while the poorly conceived The Sum Of All Fears, starring a miscast Ben Affleck, would be my least favorite.  Harrison Ford's performances as the Ryan character would be my personal favorites- of his two turns in the role, I prefer the layered revenge tale Patriot Games over the lumbering drug war epic, Clear And Present Danger.

Shadow Recruit is the first Jack Ryan film in twelve years- a lackluster box office haul for this film may mean that the character's fans may not see him again in theaters for quite some time.  I was entertained but felt the film was ultimately missing a certain ingredient to put it over the top- a centerpiece action scene packing a wallop may have worked wonders here. The film's conclusion elicited equal doses of applause mixed in with grumbling comments along the lines of "But it just wasn't Jack Ryan"...

I was hoping for something more substantial, something less familiar- then again, I feel similarly whenever I sit down to eat a healthy salad...

Recommended

8.0 out of 10

Director: Kenneth Branagh
Cast: Chris Pine, Kevin Costner, Keira Knightley, Kenneth Branagh, Colm Feore and Nonso Anozie
Run-Time: 105 minutes
MPAA: PG-13


 For What It's Worth-

The Hunt For Red October (1990) - 9.0
Patriot Games (1992) - 8.5
Clear And Present Danger (1994) - 8.0
The Sum Of All Fears (2002) - 6.0