Starring: Bruce Willis, Mary-Louise Parker, John Malkovich, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren
Director: Robert Schwentke (The Time Traveler’s Wife)
Quick Thoughts: It’s fitting that I watched Red immediately after seeing Salt because it illustrates my point about understanding what the filmmakers are trying to accomplish and how well they achieved their goal. The films are somewhat similar in that they are both clearly over-the-top action movies, but are completely different in tone. Red takes a rather comedic approach giving its characters playful banter and the impression that everyone involved is simply having fun, while Salt is equally ridiculous but takes itself way too seriously. One movie succeeds where the other fails and it all comes down to tone… and it’s the tone of Red that makes it work, despite an overly ambitious script. The plot here isn’t as important as watching the characters interact with each other, old comrades reuniting in humorous fashion after retiring from their respective trades. No one’s winning any Oscars here but it’s kind of fun to see a serious actress like Helen Mirren ham it up a little bit. Speaking of hamming it up, the always great John Malkovich is at his quirky best here, providing many comedic moments throughout the film. Red‘s script may be convoluted at times and the film certainly has it’s eye-rolling worthy moments, it’s ultimately a relatively funny action flick that was quite enjoyable.
Viewings: 1
Replay Value: It’s probably worth seeing a second time because the plot can lose you in some spots. There were some moments where I was like “ok, who is this? and why are we talking to them now?”
Sequel Potential: Red turned a modest profit at the box office and it’s the kind of movie I can see inexplicably getting a sequel.
Oscar Potential: No nominations.
Nudity: None
Grade: 6/10 (Recommended)
Recommendation: Expect a cheesy, but funny action movie and you won’t be disappointed.
Posts Tagged ‘2010 movies’
Red (2010)
February 22, 2011Salt (2010)
February 21, 2011
Starring: Angelina Jolie, Liev Schreiber
Director: Phillip Noyce (The Bone Collector, Patriot Games, Clear And Present Danger)
Quick Thoughts: Straight up ridiculous. I had low expectations for Salt and was suprised during the first 45 minutes or so when it looked like it was going to be a decent spy-thriller action flick… and then the script starts to go crazy, with each twist and turn more insulting to the audience than the last. I’m still having problems digesting the implications of the last line of the movie. I feel like someone stole the rug out from underneath me and then hit me over the head with it. It makes me want to throw the DVD into the lake behind my house instead of returning it to Red Box to save the next person from being subjected to its nonsene. It’s a given that Angelina Jolie is a great actress when it comes to action flicks and she does a good job here, kicking all sorts of ass, but honestly, I can’t get past the script. It’s so stupid. The movie can’t seem to decide if Evelyn Salt is its hero or antagonist. I’m guessing we’re supposed to feel strongly a certain way (hero), but I can think of several scenes in the movie that make me think otherwise. I don’t want to spoil any of the “surprises,” so I won’t bitch too specifically about what pissed me off and I’ll just close by saying: this movie sucks.
Viewings: 1
Replay Value: I feel like an idiot for even watching it once.
Sequel Potential: It would be some sort of screenwriting feat for someone to come up with another Salt story that could get the green light.
Oscar Potential: Believe it or not, this movie has an Oscar nomination: Sound Mixing
Nudity: The moronic twists in this movie reminded me of Wild Things. You know why Wild Things is a cult classic? Because of Denise Richards’ breasts and bi-curious female characters. Angelina Jolie in her underwear can’t save this movie.
Grade: 2/10 (Horrible)
Recommendation: Salt isn’t quite as bad as I’m making it out to be, but when I’m rating movies, I often think of what the filmmakers were trying to accomplish and whether or not they succeeded. I feel like the writer of Salt probably thinks he wrote a clever and smart thriller, but in reality, there’s nothing witty about the script. It just twists and turns out of the blue with no rhyme or reason and makes no sense whatsoever. Just when you think it can’t get any dumber, it somehow manages to do just that. Not the worst movie I’ve seen this year, but certainly the most insulting to my intelligence. Don’t watch this piece of shit.
Winter’s Bone (2010)
February 17, 2011
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, John Hawkes
Director: Debra Granik (Down To The Bone)
Quick Thoughts: Meet Jennifer Lawrence. The 20 year old actress gives one of the best performances of the year in Winter’s Bone. How often does a young and relatively unknown actor or actress completely carry movie on their backs? Not often, but that’s the case here. Lawrence plays Ree Doddy, a 17 year old country girl that finds herself struggling to get by while caring for her two younger siblings because their mother is incompetent and mute and their father has disappeared. The law comes looking for Ree’s dad and gives notice that if he doesn’t appear for a court date, they are going to have to give up their property, which sends Ree on a hunt for her father and into the dark and twisted roots of their family tree. It’s a haunting film. We’re talking about a world where its commonplace to offer your 17 year old niece a joint as a sympathetic gesture because you’re husband just got done physically threatening her and there’s nothing wrong with teaching your 12 year old brother and six year old sister how to shoot a hunting rifle because they just might have to provide for themselves in the near future. It’s a grim tale and Ree really has no one to turn to because her family, immediate and extended, are all involved in cooking up crank. And don’t fuck with grandpa cause he will have your ass beat if you start asking questions. Or maybe kill you. Oddly enough, she finds an ally in her Uncle Teardrop, played by John Hawkes in an Oscar-nominated performance. At first, Teapot is painted as your typical drug-addled, abusive hick, but Hawkes turns the character into something deeper and sinister. Speaking of Oscar nominations, Lawrence got a well deserved nomination and even though Natalie Portman is heavily favored to win the statuette, Jennifer Lawrence is a serious darkhorse candidate. At any rate, her performance is better than Annette Bening in The Kids Are Alright or Hailee Steinfeld in True Grit. Winter’s Bone is at times heartbreaking, intense, and gripping. A true sleeper in 2010 and one you shouldn’t miss.
Viewings: 1
Replay Value: More of a one time film than something you keep on repeat.
Sequel Potential: None.
Oscar Potential: Four nominations: Best Actress for Jennifer Lawrence, Best Supporting Actor for John Hawkes, Best Picture, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Nudity: None.
Grade: 8/10 (Excellent)
Recommendation: Winter’s Bone has been overlooked by the masses, but it’s one of the better 2010 films I’ve seen. A solid thriller with some standout performances.
Catfish (2010)
February 17, 2011
Starring: Real People?
Director: Henry Joost & Ariel Schulman
Quick Thoughts: My first question was: is this for real? Catfish is a story so outrageous and conveniently conceived that it’s a fair question to ask. A duo of amateur filmmaker’s start documenting their friend’s relationship with an 8 year old girl named Abby and her family that he’s met through a social networking site, or more specifically, Facebook. Yes, in the same year that The Social Network, a movie that details the creation of Facebook, is likely to win Best Picture, we get a documentary that shows just how far some people will go to fulfill missing elements in their lives via the internet. What starts out as a seemingly harmless relationship turns into something darker and… sad. Without spoiling where the story will take you, I’ll just say that everything isn’t as it seems. Like I said earlier though… is it for real? These guys just happened to start filming these somewhat meaningless events that wind up turning into a completely compelling story? That’s pretty lucky and pretty tough to swallow, but if you can’t choke that down, then you have to admit these people with absolutely no acting credits under their belts are giving some pretty convincing performances. Personally, I find the latter harder to believe because as unbelievable as the story might be, none of the people involved give any indication that things are being staged… and that extends to the bonus features I watched as well. I haven’t done a lot of research on Catfish, so if it winds up being a known fact that this is a hoax, then I guess I’m an idiot, but after watching it, I think it’s legit. And that makes it creepy. And good.
Viewings: 1
Replay Value: A film that definitely draws most of it’s strength on that first viewing. Once the cat is out of the bag, the intensity and mysteriousness disappears.
Sequel Potential: None.
Oscar Potential: No Best Documentary nomination? Fishy… Catfishy.
Nudity: None.
Grade: 7/10 (Must See)
Recommendation: Regardless of whether Catfish is a legit documentary or clever storytelling, it’s an interesting movie that explores the depths of the human psyche and the lengths someone will go to in order to cure their own loneliness or dissatisfaction in their life. Impressive filmmaking either way and the best documentary from 2010 I’ve seen.
Robin Hood (2010)
February 14, 2011
Starring: Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett, William Hurt
Director: Ridley Scott (Gladiator, Alien, Blade Runner)
Quick Thoughts: Who is Robin Hood? I grew up thinking he was a fox, but then he was Dances With Wolves and now he’s Maximus? No, seriously, he’s Maximus in this movie. Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood can probably be best described as a cross between Braveheart and Gladiator though not as good as either of those films. I didn’t realize this was an origin film until it ended and that answered a lot of the questions I was having. Why is Robin Hood riding around on a horse with a sword in plain view instead of sneaking around with a bow and arrow? I thought King John was his mortal enemy? What does a French enemy have to do with any of this? By the end of the film, it all made sense to me and that raised my appreciation of what I thought was already an enjoyable film. While it doesn’t pack the emotional punch of Gladiator, there’s definitely a feel good, underdog rising to power story here. There’s not much to be said of Crowe’s performance; there’s nothing he’s doing here we didn’t see him do in Gladiator already. Cate Blanchett is good as always as Maid Marion and the rest of Robin’s Merry gang is solidly represented. I really expected this movie to suck, so I was pleasantly surprised to find myself liking it. I don’t know if Ridley Scott has made the definitive Robin Hood movie, but I wouldn’t mind seeing his continued take on the legend.
Viewings: 1
Replay Value: I’d probably watch it again, but I’m not going to rush out to buy it.
Sequel Potential: I don’t think there is a plan for a sequel, but there’s obviously a lot more story to tell. I wouldn’t mind seeing it.
Oscar Potential: No nominations for anything outside of the Teen Choice Awards.
Nudity: None.
Grade: 6/10 (Recommended)
Recommendation: No one was really talking about this after it was released, so I was expecting a disaster. I liked it though and I have no problem recommending it as a solid adventure telling the origin story of a legend.
The Other Guys (2010)
February 7, 2011
Starring: Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes, Samuel L. Jackson, The Rock
Director: Adam McKay (Step Brothers, Talladega Nights, Anchorman)
Quick Thoughts: I’m not really on Team Will Ferrell anymore. It’s been a while since his movies have been consistently good. Step Brothers was solid, but he’s been putting out duds pretty regularly for a few years now. The Others Guys isn’t that bad though, but I owe most of my enjoyment to Mark Walhberg’s character, who actually had me laughing more often than Ferrell. There are lots of running gags used throughout the film–like Michael Keaton’s character spouting various TLC or Ferrell’s unexplainable ability to pull extremely hot women–but most of them are barely chuckle-worthy. The best scene in the film is when Samuel Jackson’s and The Rock’s cameo comes to a close. The Other Guys isn’t a total failure, but there’s not much of a plot to speak of and it’s not funny enough to make up for that.
Viewings: 1
Replay Value: Ehhh… Ferrell movies have a tendency to grow on me, but I haven’t been giving many of his films a second chance lately.
Sequel Potential: I don’t think so…. maybe.
Oscar Potential: None.
Nudity: None.
Grade: 4/10 (Netflix It)
Recommendation: If you’re still on the Will Ferrell bandwagon, this should still be right up your alley, but if you’re like me, and his schtick has gotten kind of old, I can’t imagine this movie will change your mind. Still, there’s worse ways to waste your time.
Saw VII a.k.a. Saw 3D (2010)
January 27, 2011
Starring: Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Betsy Russell, Cary Elwes, Sean Patrick Flanery
Director: Kevin Greutert (Saw VI)
Quick Thoughts: I’ll give the Saw franchise credit for keeping the story somewhat interesting and layered over the course of seven different films. No one is going to say these films are spectacularly written, but considering how fast they churn these things out and how weak the genre usually is when it comes to the script, I’m at least mildly impressed. One problem: even with the films coming out every year, it’s hard to remember the characters if you don’t watch the movies repeatedly (which I don’t). So when a new Saw shows flashbacks or references past events or characters, I often find myself saying “Who the fuck is this? And why do I care?” This is a flaw that ultimately comes down to character development; which is to say, outside of Jigsaw and some of the other major players, that development is pretty weak. Watching Saw VII and seeing Cary Elwes again–one of the stars of the original–made me think of what it must have been like to be a film connoisseur in the mid-80’s, watching as great films like Halloween and A Nightmare On Elm Street turned into corny franchises that almost made you forget how good the originals were. Does anyone remember the first Saw? It was actually a pretty damn good film. Cheap, with mediocre acting at best, yes, but pretty original for the genre and that ending was fantastic. Well, seven chapters deep, the Saw franchise has followed the same path. I don’t hate these movies by any means, the franchise is pretty much unmatched when it comes to creative death sequences and as I said before, the “epic” story arc is an admirable effort… but you pretty much know what you’re getting by now. Saw VII isn’t any different: some new character finds himself in a maze of death traps and must overcome whatever personal defects landed him there in order to survive. New traps and cool death scenes… that’s why we watch these movies.
Viewings: 1
Replay Value: In my childhood I was a horror film fanatic and probably would have had these movies on repeat, but I’ve never seen any Saw film more than once… and I can’t imagine myself attempting a marathon.
Sequel Potential: This was supposed to be the final chapter… you know who else had final chapters? Freddy Kruger in 1991 and Jason Vorhees in 1984… and again in 1993. Well, we had a Jason movie in 2009 and a new Freddy in 2010, so you see how reliable that is.
Oscar Potential: None.
Nudity: None. A fatal flaw in the series.
Grade: 4/10 (Netflix It)
Recommendation: If you made it this far, you might as well go for the finish. With that said, this installment is nothing special… except maybe the 3D effects and I skipped this in theaters.
Dinner For Schmucks (2010)
January 27, 2011
Starring: Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, Zack Galifianakis
Director: Jay Roach (Austin Powers, Meet The Parents)
Quick Thoughts: The premise of this movie is exactly what the title suggests: a group of businessmen make a game out of inviting morons to a dinner party and compete to see whose guest is the biggest idiot. Steve Carell really hams it up in this film… and not in a good way. It was a performance that reminded me of when Jim Carrey’s comedies started to suck. His character really has no redeeming qualities. Sure, he means well, but he’s a walking disaster and is constantly creating unforgivable catastrophes for Rudd’s character. So when the film ultimately boils down to a question of “is it okay to make fun of someone for public amusement?” the message seems to be no; but I’m saying: not only would I happily make a fool out of this dude, I’d have a hard time not kicking the shit out of him. Obviously this is supposed to be a mindless comedy, but it’s only mildly funny and the fact that it tries to send a moral message can’t be ignored. Fail.
Viewings: 1
Replay Value: I’ve heard a few people say they loved it… I’d never watch it again.
Sequel Potential: Hard to imagine… but stranger things have happened.
Oscar Potential: None.
Nudity: None.
Grade: 3.5/10 (Skip It/Netflix It)
Recommendation: While Dinner For Schmucks wasn’t exactly a painful watch, I pretty much hated it. I’ve heard people say they liked it, so it obviously has a fan base, but look at it this way: when it comes to this movie, I’m hosting the dinner party and the people that enjoyed this film are my guests.
Buried (2010)
January 21, 2011Buried (2010)
Starring: Ryan Reynolds
Director: Rodrigo Cortes
Quick Thoughts: Think Phone Booth in a coffin under the dirt. Ryan Reynolds plays an American contractor driving trucks in Iraq that finds himself tied up and buried in a coffin when the movie opens. Initially, all he has with him is a Zippo and a cell phone that’s in a European language. Honestly, in a lot of ways this was the scariest film I saw from last year. I’m claustrophobic, for one, and I really had to detach myself from the situation to keep watching. There’s a lot of horrible ways to go, but being buried alive has to rank amongst the worst. Add to that the feeling of falling asleep, which is really the only escape to bliss from your current nightmare, only to wake up again and realize you’re still there. I’ve had that experience in jail. The gadgets are the kicker though. They give Reynolds’ character a sense of hope that he wouldn’t have otherwise and turns inanimate objects into legitimate villains; it’s a race against his battery life and the gas left in the lighter. It’s remarkable that director Cortes and Reynolds make a riveting film out of something that takes place entirely in a coffin under the ground. It says a lot about Reynolds’ performance and he certainly carries this movie; no one else does anything more than voice acting. It’s 100% Ryan Reynolds. Buried is a great, unique, and scary thriller. Oh, and that poster concept kicks all sorts of ass.
Viewings: 1
Replay Value: I’d watch it again.
Sequel Potential: None.
Oscar Potential: No buzz at all, but Reynolds is great in it.
Nudity: None.
Grade: 7/10 (Must See)
Recommendation: This film has been critically praised, but mostly overlooked. It’s unsettling, but definitely worth checking out.
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
January 20, 2011The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner
Director: David Slade (Hard Candy)
Quick Thoughts: This series sucks… I don’t know why I keep watching it. The story isn’t interesting, the characters aren’t likable, the action is mediocre, the writing is bad, and the romances are nauseating. The only thing that could save this franchise for me is if Jacob got rabies and murdered everyone else.
Viewings: 1
Replay Value: None
Sequel Potential: One more movie… hopefully that’s it.
Oscar Potential: No.
Nudity: None.
Grade: 3/10 (Skip It)
Recommendation: Fans of the franchise are obviously still going to like this movie. If you’re not on board yet, Eclipse isn’t going to change your mind.
The Bat Cave 