All 4 Films available on Blu Ray and DVD...
“All Is Bright” - (2013) – Paul Giamatti (Sideways) and Paul Rudd (This Is 40) co-star as two former Canadian thieves, “Dennis” and “Rene” (respectively), who try to go straight by selling Christmas trees in New York City. To make matters more interesting, and to create tension between the two men, Dennis’s former wife has fallen for Rene and the two soon plan to marry.
Giamatti and Rudd are able to elevate the listless script for only so long until you realize it has no particular place to go and nothing really special to offer. Sally Hawkins is also mishandled as a Russian housekeeper who makes a connection with Dennis.
Only the final scene was worthwhile for myself, though that was far too little and far too late to save the film from being forgettable.
The original music, especially during the opening credits, is downright annoying.
6.0 out of 10
Director: Phil Morrison
Cast: Paul Giamatti, Paul Rudd, Sally Hawkins, Amy Landecker, Colman Domingo and Tatyana Richaud
Run-Time: 107 minutes
MPAA: Rated R for language and brief nudity
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"The Art Of The Steal" - (2014) - Kurt Russell (Escape From New York) headlines as a motorcycle daredevil who moonlights as a thief. Serving a stretch of several years in a Warsaw prison, his “Crunch Calhoun” is quickly pulled back into the heist game for one last job by his good-for nothing-brother, “Nicky”, played by Matt Dillon (Wild Things). Crunch reassembles the old crew and sets off to steal a priceless book, wary of being burned again by Nicky and staying one step ahead of a determined Interpol agent (a miscast Jason Jones).
The film boasts a solid cast and it’s cool to see Russell working again regularly, though The Art… is just an OK diversion that’s never as flashy or crafty as it thinks it is, adding nothing fresh or profound to the heist film sub-genre- Director Jonathan Sobol either thinks he’s the next Guy Ritchie (Snatch, Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels) or believes that he’s effectively emulating Steven Soderbergh’s Oceans films, but I say no cigar on both counts.
6.5 out of 10
Director: Jonathan Sobol
Cast: Kurt Russell, Matt Dillon, Jay Baruchel, Kenneth Welsh, Chris Diamantopoulos, Katheryn Winnick, Jason Jones, Terrence Stamp and Devon Bostick
Run-Time: 90 minutes
MPAA: Rated R for language throughout including some sexual references
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“Now You See Me” - (2013) – A small but diverse group of magicians (Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher and Dave Franco) are united by a mysterious, unseen mastermind to perform fantastical heists during their shows. The film boasts an outstanding cast and the story moves rather briskly, though a ridiculous, logic-defiant script and overindulgence in CGI ruins the experience in record fashion. The highly implausible and outright outlandish sequences build at an alarmingly rapid rate- it’s been quite some time since I’ve witnessed a film’s narrative so flippantly care-free regarding believability to this degree. Rattled out by three screenwriters (plus two others with “story by” credits) and Directed by the hack (Louis Leterrier) who gave us the abysmal 2010 “Clash Of The Titans” remake, I guess I should have expected it.
Comparative to cost, this made a huge amount of money at the box office and a sequel is forthcoming- makes one wonder about the current tastes (or lack thereof) of moviegoers in general.
Skip it- If you fell for any of this crap, you’ll believe any damned thing.
4.5 out of 10
For a vastly superior film concerning the art of illusion, look no further than 2006’s “The Illusionist”.
Director: Louis Leterrier
Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco, Melanie Laurent, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Michael Kelly, Common and David Warshofsky
Run-Time: 115 minutes
MPAA: Rated PG-13 for language, some action and sexual content
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“Pain & Gain” – (2013) – This based (very loosely) on a true story of three muscle heads (Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson and Anthony Mackie) who attempt a shortcut to the American dream by kidnapping, torturing and extorting millions from a trio of wealthy Miami socialites is roided out and hare-brained to the max. Mining for the humorous elements in this particular “true-life” crime story, while presenting the murderous trio as loveable idiots, reeks of poor taste- perhaps if the Coen Bros (Fargo) had attacked the material instead of Michael Bay (The Rock) it may have had a decent chance.
The sexy on-location Miami backdrop, Bay’s dynamic shot selections and energetic editing style are often positives, though his adolescent sense of humor (which I’ve never appreciated) coupled with a highly erratic tone had me wishing it would end a bit quicker- no such luck as Bay is a sucker for excess.
A hulking Dwayne Johnson is fitfully entertaining as the religious coke-fiend/enforcer battling his conscience, though Ed Harris’s (The Abyss) private detective may just be the only worthwhile and redeeming character.
You’ll either love it or hate it – it all comes down to whether or not you demand a bit of substance with your style.
5.5 out of 10
Director: Michael Bay
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson, Anthony Mackie, Tony Shalhoub, Ed Harris, Rob Corddry, Bar Paly, Rebel Wilson, Ken Jeong, Michael Rispoli, Keili Lefkovitz, Larry Hankin, Tony Plana and Peter Stormare
Run-Time: 129 minutes
MPAA: Rated R for bloody violence, crude sexual content, nudity, language throughout and drug use
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